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Opposition didn't realize magic of Modi

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Ellis award for 6 Indian Americans

VOL 19, No. 1027

May 23, 2014

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Periodical Postage

INDIANS IN U.S. SEE DAWN OF NEW ERA

SURENDRA ULLAL, RAMESH SOPARAWALA & HARISH RAO

CHICAGO: Miracles happen often in the life of a person and in the life of a nation. A miracle happened in India last week. Much to the anguish of the ruling class, the Indian people fed up with corruption, nepotism, power hungry politicians and utter helplessness in lacking opportunity to redress their grievances, they decided to boot them out from the seat of power at the Center and bring in a new breed of rulers with the hope that they would usher in a period of prosperity and better accountability.

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Modi supporters in US plan 3-day celebrations Details on page 12

Obama greets Modi; invites him to visit US Details on page 10

US media hails 'India's moment' in Modi's win Details on page 10

Ready to work with Modi govt, says USIBC Details on page 11

Work towards India's seat in UNSC, says Bera Details on page 11

AAP's poor show; Only 4 seats in Punjab

CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 30-31 Classifieds ------------------------- 48

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Community Post -------------- 16-22 Date Book -------------------------- 50

INDIA POST SURVEY

A victorious Narendra Modi seeks blessings of his mother Hiraben at her home in Gandhinagar on May 16 as election results showed a landslide win for BJP led by him

survey@indiapost.com This week’s question

Should Modi visit US this year?

Last week’s result

Will Obama now invite Modi to US? YES 87%

NO 13%

THANK YOU INDIA: Gujarat Chief Minister and Prime Minister candidate Narendra Modi being garlanded during a Public Rally at Ahmedabad on May 16

Edit Page --------------------------- 54 HealthScience Post --------- 32-35 Horoscope ------------------------- 14

A community activist in Chicago said that one of the old maxims - You can fool some people all the time, all the people sometime but not all the people all the time. Indian people could not be taken for a ride all the time thru false promises and creating a wedge between one community and the other.

Immigration Post ------------- 44-46

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Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 40-43

Certified by “CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL Readership 117,765”

Life Style ----------------------- 51-53 Philosophy ------------------------- 49 Publisher’s Diary ------------------ 4 Real Estate ------------------------ 38 TechBiz Post ------------------- 23-25

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can hardly contain my excitement at the endless possibilities of change that a Narendra Modi administration is likely to bring within India and in relationships with countries around the world. But, even as I do so, I am pulled back to look at the amazing campaign that Modi in particular and the Bharatiya Janata Party in general has run over the past year across India with a message that was ostensibly about development.

Modi is credited with running the largest mass outreach campaign in electoral history of a democracy for having addressed an unprecedented 5827 public rallies, programs, events, 3D rallies and 'chai pe charchas'.

Starting from September 15, 2013, when Modi addressed his first rally after being named the BJP's prime ministerial candidate till May 10, 2014 when campaigning for the last phase of 2014 Lok Sabha Elections ended, the Gujarat chief minister addressed 437 rallies across India from Jammu in the north to Kanyakumari down south, and from Amreli in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east, traveling almost 300,000 kilometers (close to 200,000 miles).

It's not surprising that such a mammoth campaign was drawn out by professionals and not just political aides. From the beginning, Modi's campaign language was markedly different. His tone, tenor and tenacity of speech had a clear course that was strategically designed by professionals. Leading one such team was a former United Nations official Prashant Kishore, who runs an organization called the Citizens for Accountable Governance. Then there were those that managed Modi's social media campaign, mainstream media campaign (which, I believe was managed by a London-based attorney), and marketing by a leading communications and advertising agency.

Evidently, India has come of age in terms of election management. Rather, I should say, it has remarkably sprinted ahead of most developed countries in the way it handles its democracy.

Romesh K Japra rkjapra@indiapost.com

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HIGHLIGHTS Bollywood: Frenzy for Sonakshi The combination of Sonakshi Sinha with Southern sensation Rajinikanth in Lingaa has created unprecedented fan frenzy.

Cover Story: Dawn of new era A miracle happened in India when the Indian people defeated power hungry politicians and brought in Modi

Community: Sindhi association To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its existence, the Sindhi association hosted a grand celebration in Chicago

Heat on Obama Immigrant youth activists have called on Obama to order a halt to most deportations of people living in the U.S. illegally.

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Emotional adieu An emotional P Chidambaram bid adieu to the Finance Ministry with a promise that he would continue to remain active

Mount Abu Going by its lushness, Mount Abu, one of the popular Jain pilgrimage sites, is called 'the Paradise of Rajasthan'.

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Indian Americans see dawn of new era SURENDRA ULLAL, RAMESH SOPARAWALA & HARISH RAO

CHICAGO: Miracles happen often in the life of a person and in the life of a nation. A miracle happened in India last week. Much to the anguish of the ruling class, the Indian people fed up with corruption, nepotism, power hungry politicians and utter helplessness in lacking opportunity to redress their grievances, they decided to boot them out from the seat of power at the Center and bring in a new breed of rulers with the hope that they would usher in a period of prosperity and better accountability.

A community activist in Chicago said that one of the old maxims - You can fool some people all the time, all the people sometime but not all the people all the time.

Indian people could not be taken for a ride all the time thru false promises and creating a wedge between one community and the other. Those who profited by this manometer persisted in their attempts for the past many decades.

No longer this time and the Indian democracy has proved once again that it is very resilient and mature. The massive scale that the elections were held was simply mind boggling. The massive scale that the people came out voting without untoward incident and violence has also been mind boggling. Jai Ho Indian electorate and Jai Ho Indian Democracy.

Dr Bharat Barai, a noted oncologist from Indiana and former

Dr Bharat Barai

president of FIA, said that the resounding victory of BJP led by Narendra Modi in Indian general elections signals dawn of a new era in Indian politics. "It is second 'Swarajay'. The first we got 64 years ago and that was political independence but then slowly we descended into nepotism, despondency, dynasty rule, leading ultimately to scandals, corruption and moral degradation.

"We Indians yearned for a change as the common man was fed up and felt utterly helpless.

The general elections provided the only chance for them in a way for survival and strive for better times. And they grabbed it. I have no hesitation in saying that the miracle that Modi performed in

Gujarat lifting it to the top among all States in Indian Union; he will do one better for the Indian Union as a whole. India would rightly get a commanding place among comity of nations and would help usher in an ear of peace and prosperity across the globe," he said.

Touching upon the Indo US relations he felt that the administration here has slowly realized the wrong that it has done to a person like Modi and in a way to the people of India in general. US President was in Chicago. He met Democrat leaders and wished them well. Many a well meaning person having a personal chat with him brought this to his at-

Mafat Patel

tention and he is reported to have said that he had no detail up his sleeve and would look into this once he got back to Washington.

He also assured that he would be among the first to welcome Modi if he got elected and would strive not only to better relations with India but get closer to its people and the government. Incidentally, Obama was among the first to congratulate Narendra Modi over his victory in the general elections.

Mafat Patel, a front ranking Indian businessman with over 45 grocery chains in USA, is in India and met Narendra Modi in person before the elections and after the elections offered him congratulation on behalf of all NRIs in USA. In a talk to this paper he said that the golden period for India would now commence as the electorate has unequivocally placed their faith in the leadership of Modi who has earned a reputation as non-corrupt and honest politician with vision, lifting Gujarat economically and culturally to be among top three States in India. "Modi is a no nonsense person and will not tolerate hanky panky and will not be cowed down by threats internally or externally," he added.

Narendra Patel, former head of Association of Indians in America and president of Vishwa Gujarati Samaj said that India needed a strong, non corrupt and visionary leader like Sardar Vallabhbhai

Narendra Patel

Patel or Subhash Bose. "We had a leader in Nehru but he was too much trusting and so much obsessed with his own image. We had Lal Bahadur Shastri but he did not live long. We had Indira Gandhi and no doubt she was strong but much interested in retaining power and perpetuating dynasty rule.

"We slided down into deep political morass and moral degradation that led to corruption all round, making the common man suffer. The country was beset with scandals and power hungry politicians. The common man needed change and they found the change in Narendra Modi's leadership. I would describe it in one sentence: He is Chhote Sardar and he has country's interest and well being at heart. No hesitation in saying that we have better days ahead," he observed Dr Dayal Meshri, an Indian American scientist in Tulsa Oklahoma with a lot of global following, said that he had a chance to meet Narendra Modi a few times while in India and was tremendously impressed with his style of working and achieving results.

He had also a chance meeting with a saintly person in India who had

Dr Dayal Meshri

astounding knowledge of reading personal horoscope. Talking about Modi, this saintly person, confided that come what may Modi is destined to head the government. "If he was not involved in politics, he would have been a great yogi, this person told me.

And I had no hesitation believing

him then and now. Our golden age that we had during King Ashoka or Gupta era is round the corner," Dr Meshri said adding that huge amount of black money lying in Swiss bank could now be brought back to the country for common good.

Iftekhar Shareef, Chairman of FIA Trustee Board and a former most community activist, said, "We have to respect the wish of Indian electorate who in no uncertain terms swept BJP and its allies to power at the Center. It is for the first time in the past two and half decades that a single party got a majority in Parliament and the credit goes to BJP led by Narendra Modi. It is up to the new government to prove that it is all inclusive in its approach and takes the country in the right direction." He felt that the new government would follow pragmatic economic policies ensuring im-

Iftekhar Shareef

proved living conditions for all in the country. In foreign policy it should lead not only to better Indo-US relations but with other powers also Balwinder Singh, Sikh community leader and activist, said that "whomever I support just wins."

And he is not far from the trust as he supported Barack Obama when he was fighting for Senate seat fifteen years ago. He supported him when he was seeking Presidential nomination. Balwinder Singh was not and is not active in Indian politics but he has met Narendra Modi and was impressed by his persona and character. He predicted his victory in the elections much before the results were out.

In a talk to this paper, he said he has met both Barack Obama and Narendra Modi more than once and he is convinced that Indo-US relations will scale a new high in the coming years. "Both have the same temperament and both are down to earth politicians.

Both - USA and India - need each other and they would come much closer for promoting peace and prosperity across the world.

Harendra Mangrola, former president of Indo American Demo-

cratic Organization and a foremost Gayatri activist, talked about an age old Indian belief "yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavatu bharat" that is, whenever there is a decadence of values and steep

Harendra Mangrola

moral degradation, there comes a Messiah. In Indian politics things were really getting worse day by day because of endemic corruption, steep fall in moral standards and the people at large were daily praying for a change. And the change they wrought thru electing new rulers for them.

"In a way this is divine will since it was a fight between David and Goliath. The Goliaths were entrenched in power and dynasty rule, and they with their henchmen wanted to perpetuate their hold by hook or crook. They began corroding even the judicial system and corrupting media.

People were feeling helpless and the general elections came handy for them to show their might and power. And they did it in a very wise and civilized way kicking out the corrupt elements of power thru ballot box. Jai Ho India and Jai Ho Indians. March ahead and we are all with you." Mangrola observed.

Anil Shah, president of the World Money Exchange, said that

Anil Shah

he remained in constant touch with India even before the elections and during the course of elections, and his information was that Narendra Modi would surely coast to a landslide victory in the national elections in India.

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Indian Americans see dawn of new era Cont’d from page 6

The ultimate results not only belied his expectations but exceeded them and that was a very gladdening development. "I was expecting close to 300 seats but then BJP and allies got much more from an electorate displaying utter disgust to corruption fed rule that the country suffered for the past three to four decades," he said. Shah felt that Indian economy would leap-frog to a new high during Modi's reign if only the Indian people stand united behind him and do not get distracted by smallish caste, religious or linguistic or chauvinistic considerations.

Vinesh Virani, Art of Living Chicago activist, said it was a most welcome development that the voters finally decided to kick out the corruption and scandals infested rule at the federal level and gave a handsome chance to another party "labeled" Hindu party or right wing party to take the country out of its morass.

Narendra Modi, who has proved

Vinesh Virani

his mettle ruling Gujarat for over a decade and half, has said time and again that he views Bharat as a whole and not one divided by religious groups, racist groups or caste ridden nation.

This assurance should be deemed enough to assure all - minority groups in particular - that everybody would be treated equally before the law and nobody would be discriminated against for their religious belief.

My only fear is that India should not descend into Vyakti Puja (extolling individual) but work together in a team spirit. We had suffered Vyakti Puja in the past and had to suffer dynastic rule. Let the incoming new leader put an end to that and let him also not fall prey to that temptation.

It is the country that should come first and not any one person or individual.

Madhu Patel, Founder President NRI Press Club, says "Finally once again "Sun" rose in

India when it was needed the most to dispel the darkness all around.

Petty stars that ruled the sky would now set in the West end-

Madhu Patel

ing the dyanst rule of divide and control for good. Under the name of "secularism" divisive forces had a field day but their bluff is now called and to a great extent it is due to electronic media.

Pendulum is reversing its direction from West to East and from emotional heart to logical brain. Gujarat has been the brain of Bharat, and historically it has always rescued Bharat from the wicked vultures like Manthras and Shakunis.

Once again Shakunis of West might come up with new ploy and we need to be vigilant before becoming their prey. High Five to the voters of the real great enlightened Bharat Varsh. In Hindustan first time the brain dominated the elections and it could have been the same in Amethi but may be for the last minute EVM manipulation?

Nand Kapoor, former president of AIA and the founding president of Humanity Club of Chicago, said that he welcomed the change in the political set up in India wholeheartedly and pitched for sustained support from Over-

Nand Kapoor

seas Indians to the new government led by Narendra Modi.

"We really look forward to many changes not only in economic field but also in educational set up, social structure and

in other areas too. One of the top few things that Modi Ji should be addressing is the end of reservation policy.

This policy is short sighted and brings short term relief and redress to a particular group but harms the best interests of society at large.

Things should be going on merit and not based on caste, religion or creed or language with a small exception, and that is economic backwardness.

A person with merit but poor means should be treated a little better than others. That should be only consideration and let there be end to reservation policy, he said Tulsi Gabbard. U.S. Congresswoman in a statement said "This

developed & inclusive India."

The University of Michigan experts on outcome of Indian elections: For the first time in India in 30 years, a single party has received majority to form a government. Narendra Modi from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is projected to be the next Indian Prime Minister. He defeated the Congress Party led by Rahul Gandhi, promising to crack down on corruption and revive the economy.

Leela Fernandes, professor of political science, studies the relationship between politics and

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

paign. As long as the Congress relies on the Gandhi family, dynastic influences will continue.

"The more significant issues at hand are what the elections mean for the future of Indian politics. The presence of a strong opposition party is as important

"The more significant issues at hand are what the elections mean for the future of Indian politics. The presence of a strong opposition party is as important to a strong democracy as the ability to produce a stable government with a clear majority for a single party."

Tulsi Gabbard

election in India was an extraordinary achievement for the 550 million Indians who voted over the course of six weeks in some 930,000 polling locations. I recently spoke with Narendra Modi by phone and congratulated him and the Bharatiya Janata Party for winning a majority vote in India's Lok Sabha.

I look forward to working with Mr Modi and other members of the Indian government toward our mutual goals of peace, stability and economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region. A partnership between the world's two largest and greatest democracies is necessary for us to successfully address the many global challenges we face, including economic growth, bilateral trade, the environment, terrorism, and security.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, enlightened Guru and spiritual Master from India, in a tweet observed in a most enlightened way saying "I welcome 7500 + candidates who could not make it to spend time in meditation at the Bangalore Ashram and participate in the nation building activity with enthusiasm. Narendra Modi the newly elect Indian PM said "Thank you for your wishes. Let us all work together to create a

culture, at the University of Michigan doubts that the election marks the end of the Gandhi dynasty. "The extent of the Con-

Leela Fernandes

gress' rout also is a consequence of the failure of Rahul Gandhi to mount an effective electoral cam-

Brian Min

to a strong democracy as the ability to produce a stable government with a clear majority for a single party."

Brian Min, assistant professor of political science, who studies the political economy of development, with a focus on the politics of energy, ethnic politics and civil conflict, observed "This is a landmark moment for Indian democracy. The results demonstrate that voters are willing to sharply change course, abandoning Congress, which has stood for decades as the party of the masses.

"Congress' strategy to lure rural voters by promising lavish new spending did not work this time around. It no longer seems that Indians feel locked into voting for the same party over and over."

Juan Cole, professor of history, is an expert of politics and culture of the Indian subcontinent with a focus on Indo-Pak relations, observed that "With the U.S. withdrawing from Afghanistan, the potential for Indo-Pak rivalry in that country is likely enhanced with a more nationalist party in New Delhi.

Still, some observers have suggested that incoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi may be less hawkish on foreign policy than was the case with the last BJP government, and more focused on economic advances and energy issues."

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Modi storms to power; gets absolute majority for BJP NEW DELHI: Narendra Modi rewrote history here by storming to power at the Centre with a "triple century", giving NDA an unexpected 336 seats in the Lok Sabha and BJP an absolute majority on its own for the first time in an election that decimated Congress to its lowest ever tally of 44.

Riding a strong anti-Congress wave, the 63-year-old Gujarat Chief Minister produced an astounding win for the BJP which attained a strong pan-India presence as never before.

NDA which comprises BJP and 24 smaller parties, scored a facile victory exceeding its own expectations as did the BJP which touched 282 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha to become the first party in 30 years to get a majority on its own after Rajiv Gandhi's massive score of 417 seats in 1984.

Modi, who pledged to take everyone along in a victory speech, is expected to be sworn in as India's 16th Prime Minister sometime next week. Nominees of some of his allies will find a place in the Modi cabinet which will be dominated by BJP. A strong showing in the Hindi

heartland, consisting of UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Delhi, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand where the BJP won as many as 190 out of 225 seats led to the rout of not only the Congress but regional players such as SP, BSP, JD(U) and RJD.

BJP also swept Modi's home state of Gujarat and did exceedingly well in the crucial state of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Assam.

In the outgoing Lok Sabha, BJP had 116 members on a national voteshare of 18.8 per cent while Congress had 206 members with

a vote share of 28.55 per cent. In the current elections, BJP got a vote share of 31.4 per cent against Congress' 19.5 per cent.

This time, Congress was virtually decimated as it bagged only 44 seats, its lowest tally ever. Party president Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi accepted

BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad offers sweets to party’s President Rajnath Singh as party’s UP election incharge Amit Shah looks on during a press conference after party’s huge victory in the Lok Sabha elections at party headquarters in New Delhi on May 16

responsibility for the defeat.

Riding the Modi wave, BJP has come a long way from a party of two Lok Sabha members in 1984.

Even at the height of the popularity of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, it could manage to get only 182 in 1998 and 1999, on the back of Ayodhya movement.

The Congress found it difficult to cross the double digit mark in most of the states as BJP swept Gujarat (26), Rajasthan (25), Delhi (7), Uttarakhand (5), Himachal Pradesh (4) and Goa (2).

BJP also nearly swept the crucial heartland state of Uttar Pradesh where it bagged 71 seats out of the total 80 seats.

All the other seats were won by two political families.

Even as his party was creating records, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley was unlucky to suffer defeat at the hands of former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress candidate Amarinder Singh by a margin of 1,02,770 votes in Amritsar.

Only regional parties AIADMK, Trinamool Congress and BJD were able to stymie the saffron march in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Odisha, respectively.PTI

Opposition didn't realize what kind of magician I am: Modi AHMEDABAD: Slamming Opposition which "discarded" his "Gujarat model" before polls, Narendra Modi called himself a "magician" here and said that he had ensured that his opponents could not escape the issue of development in the campaign.

"Ahead of polls, they (opposition) used to claim that Modi's Gujarat model of development is nothing more than a balloon. Even to negate my claims, they had to mention it inevitably," Modi said, during his massive rally here.

"Unko pata nahin tha ke Modi kaisa jadugar hai (They didn't realize what kind of a magician I am).

They tried to escape the issue of development, but I forced them to fight precisely on that agenda," he said.

"This election has proved that polls can be won in the country on the issue of development alone.

This verdict is a verdict for development, to take India forward and to work hard to fulfill people's dreams," he said.

Modi also lambasted the opposition for being harsh on him.

"This is the second election af-

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime-ministerial candidate Narendra Modi waves as he arrives at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on May 17

ter the Emergency where people voted for an agenda, rather than going by caste and religion. This result is the answer to those who attacked me fiercely. They did hard work and so much of research to at-

tack me, but finally they lost, he said.

Without taking any names, Modi referred to the opposition as "vested interests", who according to him, made big issues out of nothing.

"Some vested interests tried to

divert the attention by bringing up non-existent issues, such as some garbage lying on the Sabarmati river front. Though this group tried to attack me, ultimately they had to talk about development indirectly," he

said, mocking the Congress.

"This is the first time when people who are not in power set the agenda of the election and not those who were in power. We decided to stick to our development agenda, and the Congress did not know what to do," he said.

After winning with a thumping majority, Modi went soft on those who lost.

"The people of India have given the mandate to the BJP, but this mandate is not against other parties, who did not even open their account. For us, such parties are equally important, just like those who won several seats. The era of enmity and hatred is over. I look forward to build a great nation," Modi said, asking for ten years to do so.

"After independence, no government made development a mission. Countries which got independence after us, are now ahead of India. We need 10 years to make this 21st century India's century," Modi said. Overwhelmed by his victory, Modi claimed that nobody had ever thought that a single party could form a government without support from the Congress.-PTI

10 India Post

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Obama greets Modi; invites him to visit US WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama has congratulated Narendra Modi for his electoral victory during a telephone call and invited him to visit the US to further strengthen bilateral ties.

"The President invited Narendra Modi to visit Washington at a mutually agreeable time to further strengthen our bilateral relationship," the White House said following the maiden telephonic conversation between the two leaders.

The phone call was stated to be brief.

Modi, during his US visit would be eligible for an A-1 visa, State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki said.

"The Prime Minister of India will be welcomed to the United States. As Head of Government, Modi would be eligible for an A-1 visa," she said.

In 2005, the US State Department had revoked a visa that Modi had for traveling to the US on the ground of alleged human rights violations after the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The US has repeatedly said there is no change in its long-standing visa policy relating to Modi but he is free to apply for a visa and await a review like any other applicant.

During the call, Obama felicitated Modi

on the BJP's success in India's historic election.

"The President noted he looks forward to working closely with Modi to fulfill the extraordinary promise of the US-India strategic partnership and they agreed to continue expanding and deepening the wideranging cooperation between our two democracies," the White House said.

Soon after the call, National Security Advisor Susan Rice wrote on Twitter - the micro blogging site that the US looks forward to working with India to continue to build a strong partnership between the two largest democracies of the world.

"We congratulate Narendra Modi and the BJP on its victory in winning a majority of seats in India's historic national election, which saw more voters cast their ballots freely and fairly than in any election in human history," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters.

Secretary of State John Kerry offered his congratulations through twitter and said that he looks forward to working with the BJP on expanding their shared prosperity and security.

State Department Spokesperson said, "Once a new government is formed, we look forward to working closely with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to advance our strong bilateral partnership."

"As President Obama said in his statement on May 12, we also congratulate the people of India on concluding their national elections and look forward to continuing our strong partnership based on shared values," the spokesperson said. -PTI

US media hails 'India's moment' in Modi's win WASHINGTON: The American media and foreign policy experts greeted the Narendra Modi-led BJP's historic election victory as "India's moment" and an opportunity to revitalize the economy and "shape the way India engages with the world".

BJP's "landslide victory reflects a changing country more willing to extend governance to those outside the established elite", the influential New York Times said in an editorial advising the Gandhi family to "hand over the leadership to others".

"That is the only chance for India to have a credible opposition," it said The Bharatiya Janata Party's victory gives Modi, the Times said, "The chance to revitalize the economy and shape the way India engages with the world".

"How he moves forward will matter to Indians clamoring for jobs and development, but also to others, including the US, which sees India as a vital economic and security partner in Asia," it said.

"The two countries will have to work hard to overcome the strain built up between them in recent years," the Times said, suggesting "Modi needs to deliver on his vow to make progress, and he and Washington must confront differences on global trade issues".

The Washington Post wondered whether the "Narendra Modi era (would) be marked by an economic boom or derailed by nationalism.

"A frequent visitor to China, he (Modi) clearly aspires to show that India can match Chinese dynamism," it said in an editorial.

"What remains to be seen is whether Modi will be the Deng Xiaopeng of India or its Vladimir Putin, a leader whose economic ambitions are derailed by nationalism and authoritarian temptations."

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Work towards India's ascension to UNSC says Bera WASHINGTON: Calling for moving the Indo-US relationship ahead, two influential American lawmakers have called upon the Obama Administration to work towards making India a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

"If the US and India can move our relationship further ahead, it could benefit our own constituents, as well as people throughout the world. Working on a path for India's ascension to the United Nations Security Council is one important way to take concrete

steps forward," Congressmen Joe Crowley and Ami Bera wrote in an op-ed to The Hill newspaper.

Both are from the Democratic Party.

Crowley is the Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, while Bera is the only Indian American in the current Congress.

"Deepening our technological, security, educational and economic ties in a way that creates more high-paying American jobs is another.

"Beyond these priorities, India

Ready to work with Modi govt, says corporate America WASHINGTON: The US India ward-looking partnership between Business Council (USIBC) has these two great democracies. said it is ready to roll up sleeves Congratulating Modi on his and work with the new govern- historic victory, former USIBC ment led by BJP leader Narendra president Ron Somers has offered Modi to advance the US-India his services to bring foreign dipartnership and deepen economic rect investment from the United ties.

States to India.

"USIBC member companies "Clearly, the people have voted stand ready to roll up their sleeves for change - change from scanand get to work with the new gov- dal, change from status quo, ernment to advance the US-India change for the hope of progress partnership and deepen bilateral and opportunity. You personify economic ties," said USIBC Chair- this hope," Somers, who recently man Ajay Banga, president and resigned as the USIBC president CEO, MasterCard. to form his own consultancy "The successful conclusion of group on India US relationship, the largest elections in history wrote in a letter to Modi. calls for recognition and celebraSomers, who had played a key tion. On behalf of USIBC's mem- role in India-US civilian nuclear ber companies and its Board of deal, was so confident of Modi's Directors, our heartfelt congratu- victory that he wrote the letter to lations go out to the people of May 13 itself and send it to Modi India and to Narendra Modi and the NDA," he "I have former India First said in a statement.

Banga said the keys Group to help guide Amerito attracting much can investors to India... needed investment are predictability and trans- Please know, I am prepared parency. to dedicate all my efforts to "When these fundamentals are consistently helping build to greatness applied, particularly to the India US commercial areas like tax and intelrelationship, realizing its full lectual property, business will boom for both potential," he wrote countries," he said.

"Bilateral trade currently by Fed Ex so as to ensure that he stands at USD 100 billion. receives it on the day of his vicIncreasing trade five-fold is tory. achievable if we work together as "I have former India First Group partners and avoid protectionist to help guide American investors tendencies. We must allow for the to India... Please know, I am prefree movement of skilled profes- pared to dedicate all my efforts to sionals, and lift FDI caps in im- helping build to greatness the Inportant sectors like insurance and dia US commercial relationship, redefense," Banga said. alizing its full potential," he wrote.

Both the US and India have As USIBC president, Somers deep pools of entrepreneurial tal- had met Modi several time in Inent and energy, and both coun- dia and had attended the 'Vibrant tries need to stimulate economic Gujarat' summits leading high growth and create new jobs, he powered delegations to said, adding this requires a for- Ahmedabad.-PTI

and the United States can collaborate on countless individual initiatives, in areas like research, transportation or development," the two Congressmen wrote on the eve of the counting of votes for the crucial Indian general elections.

Crowley and Bera said India and the US have many common underlying interests.

"We share goals in standing up against terrorism, ensuring stability in South Asia and globally, in growing our economies, and increasing development. Indians have also faced many problems similar to our own - after all, it was only weeks after 9/11 that the Indian Parliament

was attacked," they wrote.

"One thing is certain: moving

Ami Bera

closer together will do more good for our two countries than moving apart. In many ways, this is already happening organically,"

they said.

"With more than 3 million Indian-Americans in the United States, many of whom remain close to families still in India; our people-to-people ties are stronger than ever and expanding by the day."

"Most Americans interact daily with Indian-American community members, who are visible and active in all aspects of our national life, whether it is business, entertainment, public service, medicine, religion, education and more," they wrote.

"The elections in India are a good reminder about the importance of democracy, our countries' shared histories, and the potential for future growth. But they are also an opportunity to review, renew and reinvigorate our ties with a natural friend and partner," the duo added. -PTI

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Rajat Gupta seeks stay of prison surrender date NEW YORK: India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta has sought a stay on a US court order to start serving a two-year sentence from June 17 on insider trading charges, contending that his bail conditions should be continued till his motion to rehear his case is decided upon.

In a 23-page motion filed in the Court of Appeals here, Gupta's lawyers asked the court for "an order staying his surrender date and continuing bail pending further appellate review".

Gupta, who had lost his appeal to overturn his conviction on insider trading charges, was ordered in April to surrender and begin his two-year prison sentence on June 17.

His lawyers said his bail should be continued pending the court's final disposition of his petition for rehearing and, if rehearing of his case is not granted, pending the Supreme Court's final disposition of his certiorari (a writ seeking a judicial review) pe-

that a three-judge panel, which upheld his conviction and twoyear prison sentence on insider trading charges, should reconsider its decision and the appeals court rehear the case, arguing that

"critical evidence" in his favor was excluded at trial.

In the motion, Gupta's lawyers said his combined petition for panel rehearing and rehearing en banc (a session where a case is heard before all the judges of a court) has yet to be decided.

They said he presents no risk of flight or danger to the community and has abided by all conditions of release set by the district court.

"The certiorari petition that he plans to file if his rehearing petition is denied will raise at least two substantial questions, as detailed below. If either of those issues is decided in Gupta's favor, a new trial will be required. If bail is not continued, Gupta may serve half of his two-year sentence before the Supreme Court decides his case," they said.

The lawyers said if his combined rehearing petition is denied, Gupta is prepared to file the certiorari petition on an expedited basis. -PTI

AAP's disappointing debut, fails to open account in Delhi

Modi wave wipes out BSP, smashes Cong, SP

NEW DELHI: It was a disappointing debut for newcomer Aam Aadmi Party, bagging only four of 443 seats it contested across the country and failing to win a single seat in the national capital despite its impressive show in the last assembly elections.

All the victories were achieved in Punjab - Faridkot (Sadhu Singh), Fatehgarh Sahib (Harinder Singh Khalsa), Patiala (Dharam Vira Gandhi) and Sangrur

tition.

In seeking an order to stay his surrender date, 65-year-old Gupta is prepared to file a petition for certiorari on an expedited basis, the motion said.

Gupta had in April petitioned

In the motion, Gupta's lawyers said his combined petition for panel rehearing and rehearing en banc (a session where a case is heard before all the judges of a court) has yet to be decided

Narendra Modi in Varanasi and Rahul Gandhi in Amethi respectively, lost their electoral battles.

Many of the prominent candidates like Shazia Ilmi (Ghaziabad), social activist Medha Patkar (Mumbai North east), Meera Sanyal (Mumbai South), Ashutosh (Chandni Chowk), Yogendra Yadav (Gurgaon) and tribal activist Soni Sori (Bastar) also lost, some even securing fourth and fifth positions.

AAP leaders Yogendra Yadav, Manish Sisodia and Prashant Bhushan at press conference on poll results in New Delhi on May 16

(Bhagwant Mann).

AAP sprang a surprise in Patiala where Gandhi, a medico- turnedpolitician, trounced Union minister Preneet Kaur in her home turf.

Its leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Kumar Vishwas who had taken on

The party admitted that its decision to quit the Delhi government in a hurry was a mistake. The party had made a sensational debut in Delhi by winning 28 seats in the assembly election and even went on to form the government.-PTI

LUCKNOW: Sweeping Uttar Pradesh with 71 of the 80 seats, Narendra Modi has breached the fanaticism of caste politics resurrecting the BJP in the state with a record victory which went far beyond expectations of even Amit Shah, his close aide and architect of the UP revival plan.

As the Modi deluge, chanting development and good governance swept across the state, it wiped out the BSP completely, reduced Congress to just 2 seats and left the ruling SP with a tally of five in mostly four-cornered contests across the state.

Shah himself had predicted that Mayawati's BSP would come second in UP, where the Dalit vote was devoted to her. A BJP leader from the state said the tally shows that not only OBCs and upper castes, but even Dalits had voted for BJP along with Jats.

"50 to 55," Shah had said before elections. After the results came out, he said the BJP had managed to reduce Congress to its dynastic strongholds.

If Modi's development mantra helped the party in the impoverished eastern UP, in western UP, polarized after the Muzaffarnagar riots, the saffron party benefited from a divided Muslim vote.

Six Indo-Americans felicitated with Ellis award WASHINGTON: Six Indian Ed Royce and heavy weight BoxAmericans have been felicitated ing Champion Evander Holyfield with the prestigious Ellis Island were among the 93 US citizens who Medal of Honor for the year 2014. received the prestigious award at The Ellis Island Medals of the Ellis Island in New York on Honor by the National Ethnic May 10.

Coalition of Organization is given Describing Yash Paul Soi as annually to US citizens who have Cultural Ambassador for India, the distinguished themselves within National Ethnic Coalition of Ortheir own ethnic groups while ex- ganization (NECO) said he has emplifying the values of the Ameri- worked closely with many local can way of life. politicians and organizations to Among the recipients of the promote Indian culture. award are Yash Paul Soi, considered to be the pioneer in popularizing Among the recipients of the Bollywood in the US, Silicon Valley entrepre- award are Yash Paul Soi, neur Narpat Bhandari and Massachushets- considered to be the based entrepreneur and pioneer in popularizing philanthropist Samir Desai.

Bollywood in the US Arun Kumar Pramanik, Neonatologist and a professor of pediatrics "Under his leadership the Fedat Louisiana State University eration of Indian Associations inHealth Shreveport, Ketki augurated the India Day Parade Sharadkumar Shah, clinical direc- that is the largest celebration of tor of an outpatient program in Indian Independence outside InNew York City and Abdul M dia," NECO said.

Suleman president and CEO of "He was also a local leader in Equinox Hotels, a hotel develop- the fight to bring democracy to ment and management firm, were the people of Guyana and supalso felicitated with the presti- ported efforts which led to that gious award.

Nation's first free elections," it Congressmen Frank Pallone, added. -PTI

Modi supporters in US plan 3-day celebrations WASHINGTON: Elated at the Minister would give due recognihistoric victory of the BJP lead by tion to the interest of the Diaspora.

Narendra Modi, its supporters in "This is the beginning of a new the US called for three-day cel- era in India," he said. ebrations by lighting "diyas" at Modi supporters held "election their homes, community centers watch parties" in over two dozen and temples. cities across the US, including "This is a historic moment for New York, Jersey City, Edison, India. We have urged all non-resi- Chicago, Tampa, Houston, Dallas, dent Indians to celebrate this by lighting diyas at their homes on Tampa-based Patel had May 16, 17 and 18. It is lead an OFBJP team of more a Diwali moment for us," Chandrakant Patel, than 1,000 volunteers who president of Overseas had traveled to India at Friends of BJP (OFBJP), told PTI after trends in- their own expense to dicated sweeping vic- campaign for BJP tory for BJP-lead NDA. Tampa-based Patel had lead an Los Angeles, San Francisco, and OFBJP team of more than 1,000 at several places in the Greater volunteers who had traveled to Washington Area.

India at their own expense to camAt a restaurant in the suburb paign for BJP and its candidates of Washington DC, a number of in different parts of India.

Modi supporters erupted into big "It is a vote for good gover- applause and the moment the ginance and against corruption," he ant television set installed by the said. restaurant owner, who distributed He said that a BJP lead gov- "ladoos" to all those present ernment with Modi as the Prime there. -PTI

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Mother's Day celebrated in Hindu way GEETHA PATIL

'CHICAGO: Matru Divas' was celebrated by the Hindu Mandir of Lake County with all the Vedic rituals and full devotional fervor on the Mother's Day that is celebrated in most countries around the world.

More than 200 devotees of Lake County belonging to different Indian communities gathered at the temple on May 10 at 5:30pm to worship first Ma Durga who is the original manifested form of Mother 'Adi-Parashakti'. Pandit

Anil Joshi performed Ma Shakti puja with all the religious rituals and chanted all the Vedic and Bija Mantras of Mahashakti. Devotees sang Bhajans and Shakti Stuti with utmost piety and religious zeal.

Pandit Ji and singers filled the temple shrine with spiritual vibrations and made every devotee feel the presence of Ma Shakti right there. Before Maha Mangalarati, all the women and Kanyas (young girls) were worshiped by men as the incarnation of Ma Shakti. Men washed their feet and offered them tilak, flowers, and fruits along with Uttariyas and a special Mother's Day poem written by Geetha Patil. Pt. Joshi gave a brief Pravachan on importance of

mothers in our lives and society and what benefits we get by worshipping, respecting and taking care of them.

Among Hindus every day is Mother's, Father's, Guru's and Athiti's (guest) Day. These four personalities are well respected and given the status of god in our Indian society. He expressed his humble gratitude to all the Indian women for playing a significant role in preserving our religion, culture, traditions, values, philosophy, harmony, and peace.

They are our first and primary gurus who teach us best things and encourage us to do good

things in life. They do not hesitate to punish when harmful things are done by us. All the devotees enjoyed temple Mahaprasad prepared by temple kitchen volunteers.

At the end, temple president Dr Harsh Kumar thanked each and every devotee and volunteer for participating in the event and contributing their share in carrying over Indian traditions and teaching them to their children. On the campus of temple, all the mothers along with their families enjoyed immensely under the sunny skies and increasingly warm temperatures on Mother's Day.

Horoscope

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May 23, 2014

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Your Weekly Future

by Pandit Parashar

MAY 23 RD - MAY 29 TH , 2014 (March 21 to April 20)

S

aturn in seventh sign will make you work extra hard from now and on. You will need to develop more patience. Soon you will reap rich rewards for the hard work being performed this week. Strong wordings will get the job done and you will recover what belonged to you in first place. Eye sight may start to give some trouble.

(September 23 to October 22)

O

pportunity will come from distant place and will be hard to ignore. Confusion will clear and you will see lots of money coming your way. An important issue involving your child may take little longer to settle. All meetings will go well and you will get the assurance quickly. Value of stocks recently purchased will appreciate considerably.

(October 23 to November 22)

(April 21 to May 20)

R

unning around will not go waste but you will end up making useful contacts that are going to help you in near future. People in business will see new clients and business growing this week. You will be writing a big check to government also this week.

Any relationship started at this point can become permanent in time to come.

Y

ou may end up just renewing the contract for the time being.

Property related papers will get finalized too. Time is ripe to cash those profit making stocks. Some one in the organization will move out making room for your promotion. You will meet few political figures at the party. Do not take a chance with changing weather.

(November 23 to December 22)

(May 21 to June 20)

B

ank balance will grow and from now and on expenses will come down a lot too. You may be suggested minor surgery as a permanent solution to overcome an old health issue. You will come across an interesting personality during the course of a business meeting. Children will finalize a short vacation. You may dispose off some stocks.

L

ong cherished desires can get fulfilled if you are ready to pay a price. A close friend will call to seek your advice and may offer a part in the venture. Some one close will make wrong allegation just to put you down. You will be slowly working towards an upcoming trip also. You will make final payment on couple of old bills this week.

(June 21 to July 22)

Y

ou will start to feel better and more confident. There will be several fortunate developments in life. You may be offered a dream opportunity in career. Since the luck is on side, you will get many jobs done without any difficulty. You will recover money long overdue and may dispose off some stocks for a decent profit.

(December 22 to January 19)

O

pportunity will be offered on a silver platter. Do not let past scare you. Take your chance, it's a sure thing. You will write a check to government but hold it for some time before mailing it out. Some of you may replace your old vehicle with a newer and expensive model. You may be seriously thinking of legal action to prove your point.

(July 23 to August 22)

P

eople involved in research and development work will see sudden success. An important person will make an offer that will be hard to turn down. Finances issues will start resolving and soon you will be free of many small debts. You may come out with flying colors in a c highly competitive exam. Spouse will give many good ideas.

(January 20 to February 18)

Y

ou will go on an important trip. You will need to pour in more money into your business or project. Gambling instincts will surface and you will not be scared to take few risks this week.

Rewards will be huge. Some of you will start shopping for an upcoming trip. Drive carefully and look out for traffic cops, small error will cost you.

(August 23 to September 22)

Y

ou may find it difficult to defend your self properly in any ongoing legal matter. You may be spending more time in office or away from home in other state. You will need to overcome one more hurdle before deal is finalized. Major changes in career just around the corner. You may be in touch with an old confidant for advice.

PANDIT PARASHAR, CEO & COO Astro Scan USA is also available for individual consultations.

He can be reached at: parashar@parashar.com

(February 19 to March 20)

Y

ou will be able to control and trim your expenses. People in business will get rid of old and find new and better suppliers.

You will be still double minded about making an offer on a property. Some of you will be taking a break from busy schedule and go on a trip with family soon. It will be better to dispose off money making stocks.

510-886-4370 www.parashar.com

May 23, 2014

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Desi News Karthik sings his way into hearts of Bay area fans VIDYA SETHURAMAN India Post News Service

HAYWARD, CA: Versatile singer Karthik sang his way into the hearts of his 1400-plus fans at a live concert brought to Chabot College, Hayward May 4 by Ashok Dacharla, Prasanna K Adusumilli and his team of Maxim Media in association with Bay Area Tamil Manram and Bay Area Telugu Association. It also marked the debut of this award-winning playback singer in the San Francisco Bay Area.

COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA

16 India Post

India Post News Service

DALLAS, TX: Indian American Friendship Council (IAFC) hosted its 9th Annual Awards Banquet Gala here on Saturday, May 10 at Park Plaza Towers in Dallas with more than 500 people attending to celebrate the success of the Indian American community.

The first Indian American Woman Governor and the youngest Governor in the USA, Nikki Randhawa Haley, of South Carolina attended the banquet as a Keynote Speaker and Beth Van Duyne, Irving City Mayor as a Special Guest.

Details on page 18

Details on page 22

May 23, 2014

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Sindhis rejoice with grand celebration of 50th anniversary HARISH RAO

Details on page 21

Gov Nikki attends IAFC Awards Banquet Gala

Horse gram has great benefits

CHICAGO: Sindhis are a very resourceful and vibrant community making their presence felt in any area or country they migrate to or live in, and Chicagoland cannot be an exception.

They were a handful of them some 50 years ago and yet they thought of setting up an association of their own with a view to creating and spreading awareness of culture, language and religion amongst our youth and also providing avenues for interaction amongst the young and old alike of the community.

That was in 1964 and the association has matured into a very useful and meaningful organization of Sindhis providing a good platform to meet and greet while celebrating religious and national holidays besides undertaking cultural activities. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its existence in Chicago, the association hosted a grand celebration on Sat-

Dr Bhagwan Shahani, Keynote Speaker

urday May 3 at Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows, a northwest suburb of Chicago, inviting Sindhis not only from all around from Chicagoland but also from others parts of the country.

All the members and invitees were greeted at the gate and handed over the Sindhi Commu-

Indian CG Dr Ausaf Sayeed addressing meet

nity Directory. Red Colored Baseball Caps were given to all attendees. The words "Proud To Be A Sindhi" were engraved on the caps.

The evening began with a welcome speech from President Sushma Advani followed by lighting of the lamp with Mrs Rekha

Thadani, wife of late Dr Kaloo Thadani (the first president's who started this organization) and the five VIP invitees: Chicago Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed and Mrs Sayeed; Dr. Bhagwan Shahani, Keynote Speaker, who spoke

Media Coordinator Vinita Gulabani presenting a Bollywood item

about Proud to be a Sindhi; Al Larson, Mayor of Schaumburg; Dr. Gopal Lalmalani, Mayor of Oakbrook, the first Sindhi Mayor in USA, Dr Dayal Meshri, who came from Tulsa.

Dr Meshri is a front ranking scientist and businessman whose family migrated to India in the wake of partition.

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18 India Post

Community Across America

May 23, 2014

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Gov Nikki attends IAFC Awards Banquet Gala India Post News Service

DALLAS, TX: Indian American Friendship Council (IAFC) hosted its 9th Annual Awards Banquet Gala here on Saturday, May 10 at Park Plaza Towers in Dallas with more than 500 people attending to celebrate the success of the Indian American community.

The first Indian American Woman Governor and the youngest Governor in the USA, Nikki Randhawa Haley, of South Carolina attended the banquet as a Keynote Speaker and Beth Van Duyne, Irving City IAFC team honoring South Carolina Gov Nikki Randhawa and Mayor Beth Van

Mayor as a Special Guest.

The evening started with beautifully sung Indian and USA National Anthems by young children. Rao Kalvala, IAFC Secretary welcomed the gathering and dwelt on the banquet theme of "Education - Experience - Empowerment." Once Popular TV anchor and artist now settled in Dallas as an IT professional Mrs Rajeswari Udayagiri, who did an excellent job as Mistress of Ceremonies, invited the students of Guru Parampara School of Arts to perform an item titled the "Glory of Kuchipudi" as an invocation dance.

John Hammond, IAFC Director and the Awards Banquet Chair, said that proceeds of this banquet benefits Mahatma Gandhi Memorial project and eulogized the services of the Mahatma for promoting peace and non-violence for resolving social and national problems.

Dr Prasad Thotakura, IAFC Texas State Chairman, said that IAFC has been recognized twice in US Congress for its dynamic role in building better relations between the largest democracy, India and the oldest democracy USA. This year's Awards Banquet is so special that besides Governor Haley very successful people from all walks of life attended the event and were being felicitated with distinguished awards. Nikki Randhawa Haley, Dr. Prasad Thotakura, along with other IAFC Board of Directors presented awards to the following individuals: IAFC-Outstanding Scholar & Administrator" award was presented to Prof.

Kharbari M. Vistasp, eighth President of the University of Texas at Arlington. Prof.

Kharbari Vistasp, is a visionary leader and accomplished scholar who is committed to advancing UT Arlington's national and international profile while strengthening excellence in research and teaching and ensuring the success of the University's 38,000 students body. During his more than 20 years in higher education, he has received numerous awards for research, teaching and innovation.

IAFC-Community Bridge Award was presented to Hon. Beth Van Duyne, Mayor of City of Irving. Beth, a dedicated volunteer, experienced professional, involved homeowner and devoted mother of two, has fought hard against tax and fees increases, championed the movement against more apartment complexes and promoted smart development backed by legitimate investors.

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Sindhis rejoice with grand celebration of 50th anniversary Cont’d from page 16

He told this paper that Sindhis will have yet another global event planned in the last week of July at Kuala Lumpur. Alliance of Global Sindhi Associations will host its annual even at Kuala Lumpur and it is expected close to 1000 prominent Sindhis from across the world will attend the event. Many dignitaries from India and Singapore have committed to attend the event, he said. He flew in from Oklahoma and many others came in from neighboring States.

10,000 BC. The Sindhis were resourceful there as was evidenced by the artifacts of Mohanjodaro and city of Dwarka which got submerged under the sea after a huge tsunami, he said. And they kept up that tradition till modern times even after Partition.

Many had migrated to Far East and Africa but the majority came to India and settled in all parts of the country. Citing specific examples enlisting their contributions to the development of economy, culture and welfare of society at large, he said that

Young ladies presenting a cultural item

Tibetan Peacock dancers

The versatility and resourcefulness of Sindhis was very much highlighted by Dr Shahani in his keynote address while dipping into the roots of cultural heritage of Sindhis dating back to preMahabharat times - 5000 BC to

Bombay can boast of large number of educations institutions, huge medical facility, high level of real estate development and general upswing of business because of hefty Sindhi contributions.

Sindhis have made their presence

Kids presenting an entertaining item

felt in Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia and now even in USA, he said drawing huge applause.

Concluding, he said that a very health development is that the second generation of Sindhis are now actively involved in the affairs of the association as well as in many social activities. The broad observation made by Dr Shahani was also shared by Indian CG Dr Ausaf whose graph of popularity with the Indian Americans is showing a steady upward trend. Dial Gidwani, President of American Institute of Sindhulogy, was seen distributing CDs, DVDs tracing the roots of Sindhis in Indus valley civilization.

Vandana Badlani presented evolution of dance in Indian Cinema gracefully. Beautiful Peacock dance was presented by a Chinese group followed by awards. Another awesome presentation was

by Aloha Chicago Entertainment Team. Dinner was served in the interval and people enjoyed the taste of Meadows.

Then the program was restarted with a dance by Vinita Gulabani -an interesting modern Bollywood medley. Very interestingly it was more or less an extempore presentation from Vinita as there were not many Indian dances although there were Tibetan and Chinese dances.

Vitnita Gulabani is the president of Hindi Lovers Club and she also volunteered her services as a Media Coordinator for this program.

Another beautiful performance of Ti-

Sindhi ladies with caps - proud to be Sindhis

betan dance was followed by honoring the past presidents. The Sindhi team took the stage with famous number Dama dum mast kalandar and celebrated dancing till midnight with DJ Nilesh.

Briefly, 50 years ago, due to the foresight of four to five families, the Sindhi Association was

formed. Some of the members then were Dr & Mrs Kaloo Thadani, Naru Thadani, Prem Lalvani, Mr & Mrs Hashu Chandwaney, Prem Ajwani and Prem Advani. Today, the Association has over 300 members. Mission is to handover the Association to its future generations.

Community Across America

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Gov Nikki attends IAFC Awards South Asian professionals get tips on leadership Banquet Gala SURENDRA ULLAL

IAFC honors second year medical student Ali A. Saherwala Cont’d from page 18

IAFC-Outstanding Entrepreneur Award was presented to Arun Agarwal, CEO, Alok International.

Agarwal, a Harvard University graduate, has built a multi-million dollar business and is a pioneer in home textile industry. He has focused on world-class infrastructure, best-in-class technology, uncompromising quality standards and dynamic product innovation. The company is a supplier to major retailers such as WalMart, Target, Kohl's, Dillard's, JC Penny etc.

IAFC-Outstanding Youth Excellence Award was presented to Ali A. Saherwala, 2nd year Medical Student, UT Southwestern, Dallas. Saherwala, despite his complex life due to his congenital bilateral conduction hearing loss and other medical conditions, successfully battled many surgeries, years of speech therapy and worked hard at school, until he graduated at the top of his class in Allen High School, Allen. He then attended UT Dallas with a full scholarship with the acclaimed and prestigious Eugene McDermott Scholarship program.

Currently, Ali is a second year medical student at UT Southwestern Medical School and is involved with numerous student organizations.

T a i y a b Kundawala, Vice President, in his closing remarks thanked guests Governor Haley, Mayor Van Duyne, congratulated all award winners, John and Mrs. Linda Hammond the grand sponsors of the banquet, volunteers, dance

Gov Nikki and Mayor Beth Duyne

schools, Bombay Photography, Weddings by Farah, media like TV 9, FunAsiA, all attendees and supporters and last but not least MC Rajeswari Udayagiri, who made the event a grand success.

IAFC Annual Awards Banquet Gala ended with a high power Pa-

Vennam, Raj Asava, Ramki Chebrolu, John Hammond, Sushimitha Kosuri. Advisory Board of Directors includes Arun Agarwal, Dr Nick Manesh and Mrs Neeha Curtis.

IAFC, a non-profit organization formed in 1990 provides and pro-

CHICAGO: South Asian professionals who want to move ahead in their careers should not be afraid to take risks. This was the message at a Professional Development and Leadership Networking event organized by Indo American Community Services (IACS) here recently. .

The event, sponsored in part

by Agateia, Dynamic Enterprise Solutions and Grainger, was designed to provide a unique networking and professional development opportunity for South Asian professionals from the Chicago area. It featured several senior executives from private industry, the public sector and academia.

Notable speakers at the event included Sri Donthi, senior vice president and CIO of Pepsico; Sundaram Nagarajan, executive vice president at Illinois Tool

recent entrepreneur and an Obama Administration appointee on racebased initiatives. Leaders need to have the courage to be pioneers and not be afraid to ask questions when necessary, he said.

Donthi, who has been at the helm of Pepsico's technology initiatives for the past several years spoke about the professional qualities and attributes it takes to be a leader in private industry.

Two of the characteristics essential for a leader are curiosity and passion, according to Donthi.

"It is okay for a leader to say, 'I don't know' to their team. Do not try to master everything. Be yourself and build on," Donthi said.

He urged students and those starting out in their careers to try and learn from mentors on how to succeed in their careers. "Being an introvert should not stop

IAFC-Outstanding Entrepreneur Award was presented to Arun Agarwal, CEO, Alok International. Agarwal, a Harvard University graduate, has built a multi-million dollar business and is a pioneer in home textile industry triotic songs medley presented by the students of the Inspirationz Dance Academy that was choreographed by its Director Mrs. Shanti Nuti. IAFC TX State Chapter Executive Team includes: Chair Dr. Prasad Thotakura; Executive

motes political education and a common platform to exchange views with local, national and international policy makers. It has been recognized twice in US Congress for its pivotal role in strengthening Indian-American

Students of the Inspirationz Dance Academy performing national Indian dance at IAFC Banquet

Vice President Dr. Tara Kumar Reddy; Vice President Piyush Patel; Vice President Taiyab Kundawala; Secretary Rao Kalvala; Board of Directors include Prof. Niranjan Tripathy, Dr. Sat Gupta, Paul Pandian, Murali

ties. IAFC has played a key role in making the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans as the largest caucus in the House of Representatives increasing its strength from six to more than 135 members as of today.

Indian CG Dr Ausaf Sayeed addressing a meeting of IACS Networking event.

Sitting on dais are L to R Toby Chaudhuri, Nageshwaran Vaidyanathan, Terry Friel, Sri Donthi, Manu Bhardwaj and Sundaram Nagarajan

Works; Nageshwaran Vaidyanathan, senior director Allstate, Manu Bhardwaj, senior advisor, U.S. Department of State; Toby Chaudhuri, co-founder SocialxDesign; and Terry Friel, Dean of the Walter E. Heller College of Business at Roosevelt University.

Also present was Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Counsel General at the Consulate General of India in Chicago who talked about the role the Indian consulate can play in facilitating business arrangements and economic partnerships between entrepreneurs in the U.S and their counterparts in India.

Over 100 South Asian professionals and college students from the Chicago area attended the networking reception and dinner at the Marriot Schaumburg.

At a panel discussion on leadership skills during the event, several of the speakers urged members of the South Asian community not to let cultural differences and a fear of making mistakes stand in the way of career advancement.

Those who want to succeed in their careers should be willing to "rock the boat," said Chaudhuri, a

you from aspiring to be a leader."

Nagarajan attributed his career advancement at Illinois Tool Works to a combination of strategic planning and patience. "You have to be patient towards your long term goals and impatient about your short term goals" Nagarajan said. He likened the effort to preparing for a marathon.

To succeed in a marathon a runner needs to have long term planning. But to train for it, the runner has to work hard every day.

Professionals of South Asian origin should be careful not to let cultural differences hinder professional growth, said Vaidyanathan, a technology veteran at Allstate. One important attribute that leaders should have is getting to know people in their organizations better, he said. The ability to manage non-verbal communications is a crucial attribute as well, he noted.

In an address at the event, IACS President Sreenivas Katragadda remarked on the strong support for the event from sponsors and from South Asian professionals in the Chicago area.

Cont’d on page 22

May 23, 2014

Community Across America

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Karthik sings his way into hearts of Bay area fans VIDYA SETHURAMAN India Post News Service

HAYWARD, CA: Versatile singer Karthik sang his way into the hearts of his 1400-

Singer Karthik

plus fans at a live concert brought to Chabot College, Hayward May 4 by Ashok Dacharla, Prasanna K Adusumilli and his team of Maxim Media in association with Bay Area Tamil Manram and Bay Area Telugu Association. It also marked the debut of this award-winning playback singer in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Karthik and his team of singers which includes Shaktisree Gopalan and Pragathi Guruprasad were at their best throughout the evening, displaying incredible vocals that swept listeners, many of them Indian Americans, into the sounds. The band had Navneeth on Keys, Vijay on guitar, Keith Peters on base guitar, Vikram on percussion and Daya on drums.

Karthik started his professional career as a backing vocalist and has since been working as a playback singer. He has sung in multiple languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali and Hindi among others. Karthik is known for his ver-

Keith Peters, Shaktisree Gopalan, Vijay, Navneeth, Vikram and Daya

satility in the industry which gave him opportunity to sing a variety of songs.

The evening commenced with a powerpacked performance of "Maha Ganapatim" fusion, followed by his hit numbers from Ghajini, Varanam aayiram, Ayan, Aadhavan and Raavan in both Tamil and Teulgu.

Flanked by a five piece ensemble, the singer churned out hits after hits, bringing about several rounds of high-decibel cheers.

Singer Shaktisree Gopalan from Karthik troupe performed next, upping the excite-

ment quotient with songs like "Nenjukkulle" from the film "Kadal". She is a lead vocalist for the freestyle band group called Off The Record. Shakti kept her audience interactions lively and fun-filled providing nonstop entertainment.

This was followed by power packed solo and duet performance by Pragati Guruprasad. She is an Indian playback singer from Fremont, California.

Cont’d on page 22

Community Across America

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May 23, 2014

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Horse gram has great benefits India Post News Service

T

oday's generation has moved away from traditional foods and it is high time to create awareness about the benefits and importance of minor millets tike Little Millet (Samai in Tamil ), Jowar Millet (Cholam in Tamil) Pearl millet (Varagu in Tamil), Finger Millet (Tinaiin Tamil) etc. And

tropics and subtropics, grown mostly under dry-land agriculture.

It is grown and used mainly in South India. Horse gram is high in protein and iron, which makes it a wholesome food that should be added to our diet on a regular basis. It has calcium, molybdenum, polyphenols, flavonoids, which have high antioxidant capacity and hemagglutinin substance that causes red blood cells to agglutinate. Apart from these, it has carbohydrates, fats, minerals, phosphorus, carotenes and nicotinic acid. Like other legumes, it is deficient in methoioine and tryptophan. It is bitter and acrid to taste.

Benefits of Horse gram lesser known pulses such as Horse Gram (Kolluin Tamil), Red Lentils (Sivappu Paruppu in Tamil),Sesame (Ellu in Tamil), Field Beans (Mochai in Tamil), Moth Beans (Siru Paruppu in Tamil) etc.

Horse gram is a legume of the

The health benefits of horse gram are being recognized in the western world recently but it has been known for its medicinal purposes by Indian Ayurvedic Vaidyas since centuries. The health benefits and medicinal purpose of horse gram have been recognized by Indian

Ayurvedic Medicine and Siddha Cuisine.

• Ayurveda uses horse gram to treat variety of conditions ranging from rheumatism to worm removal. It also helps in treating conjunctivitis and piles.

• Another great benefit of horse gram is its use in extracting phlegm. When suffering with cough, phlegm is a hard thing to get rid of. Taking horse gram water can eliminate the phlegm and give relief.

• Taking horse gram powder in a little bit of water regularly, helps in treating and controlling skin rashes and boils.

• Horse gram liquid also helps in regulating fever.

• It has phenols, which helps in reducing weight.

• Horse gram also helps in lowering cholesterol levels.

• Lipids extracted from horse gram have shown to help in curing peptic ulcer.

• Is also helps in reducing flatulence.

• It is known for its excellent

SCE tips to save energy during heat wave India Post News Service

ROSEMEAD, CA: With heat wave peaking and triple-digit temperatures in many areas, Southern California Edison (SCE) has reminded its customers of the importance of energy conservation. The heavy demand could also cause equipment failure, which could lead to outages for some SCE customers.

Presently the system is performing well and the company anticipates having an adequate supply of electricity. However, with some customers using more energy in the evenings, especially air conditioning, the added demand can put a strain on SCE's equipment.

Without the opportunity for SCE's equipment to cool off, transformers and other equipment could fail.

SCE personnel, which include restoration and repair crews, are responding to outages as they are reported. The company is also taking steps to ensure that crews are available to immediately respond to outages.

SCE has postponed a number of scheduled maintenance outages, but will continue to conduct some that are critical. Conducting these critical maintenance outages helps lessen the possibility of equipment failure, which could

lead to repair outages lasting longer and affecting more customers than maintenance outages.

The company offers many programs to help people conserve electricity. SCE's Summer Discount Plan allows customers to receive bill credits of up to $200 by allowing their central air conditioner to be temporarily turned off or cycled during peak times of the day. The

Operate swimmingpool equipment and energy-intensive appliances, such as dishwashers, washing machines and dryers, during early morning and evening hours program offers a variety of plans and options, and is completely customizable.

Here are some other important conservation tips to keep in mind during this heat wave: • Set thermostats no lower than 78 degrees and use electric fans instead of air conditioning when practical.

• Turn off unused appliances and equipment and shut off lights when leaving a room.

• Close drapes and blinds to keep out direct sunlight during hot periods.

• Operate swimming-pool equipment and energy-intensive appliances, such as dishwashers, washing machines and dryers, during early morning and evening hours.

• Limit the opening and reopening of refrigerators, which are major users of electricity in most homes.

Safety Tips: • Keep outdoor activities to a minimum, and drink a lot of water during the hottest parts of the day.

• During a power outage, turn off and unplug any unnecessary electrical equipment, including sensitive electronics.

• Open the refrigerator and freezer only when necessary to keep the food cold.

• Use flashlights for lighting during a power outage; do not use candles because they pose a significant fire hazard.

• Never attempt to move or go near a downed power line. Call 911 to report the situation.

• Watch for traffic signals that may be out. Approach those intersections as four-way stops.

diuretic and astringent aspects.

The horse gram water has diuretic properties and dissolves the kidney stones. Diuretics increase the elimination of water from the body.

Scientists from the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology have found that unprocessed raw horse gram seeds not only possess antihyperglycemic properties but also have qualities which reduce insulin resistance.

• The scientists made a comparative analysis between horse gram seeds and their sprouts and found that the seeds have greater beneficial effects on the health of hyperglycemic individuals.

Preparing Rasam with Horse Gram Step 1: Dry roast 1 cup of horse gram in a pan for 10 min in a slow flame and coarse grind the horse gram.

Step 2: Boil 2 cups of water, add

the coarse powder of horse gram, simmer it for 15 minutes and keep it aside.

Rasam Powder: Step 3: Grind 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 1 red chili and 3 garlic pieces to coarse power.

Tamarind Mixture: Step 4: Soak a small lemon sized Tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and prepare the Tamarind extract with 250 ml of water.

Step 5: Smash 2 tomatoes, break 1 green chilli into 2 halves, teaspoon of turmeric power, 3 strings of coriander leaves, salt, and rasam powder in to the tamarind extract.

Seasoning: Step 6: In the pan, add 2 teaspoon of oil, 1 red chili and ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds. Once it sputters, add 2 pinches of hing and 1 string of curry leaves.

Rasam: Step 7: Add the seasoning to the tamarind mixture and bring it to boil.

Horse Gram Rasam or Kollu Rasam: Step 8: Finally, add the horse gram mixture to rasam.

Side effects of Horse Gram • Horse gram can cause an excess of bile production.

• It should not be eaten by pregnant women.

• People suffering with tuberculosis and plethora should avoid horse gram.

Karthik sings his way into hearts of Bay area fans Cont’d from page 21

She was the runner-up in the third season of the reality-based singing competition Airtel Super Singer Junior.

Karthik and team charmed the audience, putting on a perfor-

mance that had fans thankful that they attended and hoping for him to return soon. "It was mind blowing. I am so happy that I got to see and enjoy this talented singer's performance," said Prasanna from Fremont, who was enjoying the concert with his family.

South Asian professionals get tips on leadership Cont’d from page 20

The community response to the event underscores the continuing demand for such targeted professional networking opportunities within the Indian Diaspora, he said.

The Professional Development and Leadership Networking program is one of several initiatives

for the South Asian community launched by the IACS since its inception in 2010. The group's flagship event is the IACS Diversity Job Fair held annually in Chicago in October. Other IACS community building initiatives include a South Asian Woman's Conference, a Leadership Intern program for college students and a Business and Entrepreneur Conference.

Tech News Yahoo buys vanishing message app Blink SAN FRANCISCO: Self-destructing message application Blink is vanishing into Yahoo's growing mountain of mobile technology company take-overs.

A post at the Blink website announced that the start-up is becoming part of Yahoo but did not disclose financial terms of the deal.

Blink said that in coming weeks it will shut down its applications for mobile devices powered by Apple or Android.

No mention was made regarding what Yahoo planned to do with Blink technology that is competing with Snapchat by letting people send digital messages, pictures, or voice files designed to erase themselves shortly after being opened.-AFP

Walmart earnings suffer post-winter chill NEW YORK: Walmart Stores has reported lower earnings that missed expectations as sales at flagship US stores edged lower due to cold winter weather.

Earnings in the first quarter for Walmart came in at USD 3.6 billion, down five percent from the year-ago level.

"Like other retailers in the United States, the unseasonably cold and disruptive weather negatively impacted US sales and drove operating expenses higher than expected," said Walmart chief executive Doug McMillon.

"Walmart's underlying business is solid, and I'm confident in our long-term strategies." -AFP

5,000 opt for VRS at Nokia Chennai factory CHENNAI: Nearly 5,000 of the 6,600 permanent employees of handset manufacturer Nokia plant at Sriperumbudur near here have opted for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) announced by the company last month.

"While we set no target for the VRS in terms of the number of employees, we have about 5,000 employees opting for the scheme, a Nokia India statement said.

It also said that to support the employees who have taken the VRS package, the company had introduced a 'Bridge' initiative under which "consultancy services and employment outlook trainings" were being offered.-PTI

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May 23, 2014

Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, Eberhard Kern and Director Branding & Marketing Mercedes-AMG GmbH, Mario Spitzner at the launch of the Mercedes-Benz ML 63 car in New Delhi on May 15

Emotional Chidambaram bids adieu to FM NEW DELHI: An emotional P Chidambaram bid adieu to the Finance Ministry, which he had served thrice, with a promise that he would continue to remain active in public life.

Chidambaram, 68, who holds the distinction of presenting nine Unions Budgets - short of the record 10 delivered by Morarji Desai - listed out the challenges before the economy in his parting address to the secretaries and senior officials of his ministry.

"Since 1966 I have been working for 16 hours a day and I will continue to work so...You will now see me more in public life than you saw me till now," said Chidambaram, who did not contest the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections.

An official who worked closely with Chidambaram for years and was present at the farewell meeting organized at the North Block office said: "FM was as emotional to the extent he could be. It is unbecoming of him to be emotional."

Returning to the Finance Ministry in August 2012 after a stint as Home Minister, Chidambaram

did his best to put the economy back on the rails. He narrowed the fiscal and current account deficits, lowered gold imports and held

held the reins at the ministry. He was hard taskmaster and ensured that deficit red lines were not crossed," another official said.

P Chidambaram

meetings in India and abroad to boost investor confidence.

"It was at a tough time when he

Draped in his characteristic white shirt and veshti, Chidambaram reached his office at

8.15 am, cleared pending files and met senior officials on his last day as Finance Minister of the UPA-II government.

Chidambaram had earlier promised he would "keep a firm hand on the wheel until the last day" and hoped to "hand over the wheel to another firm hand."

Though he was Finance Minister in the first United Progressive Alliance government, Chidambaram became Home Minister, replacing Shivraj Patil, days after the November 2008 terror attack.

The architect of the "dream budget" in 1997-98 who was known for taking bold decisions, Chidambaram returned to the Finance Ministry for the third time in August 2012 in UPA-II after Pranab Mukherjee quit on June 26, 2012, to contest the Presidential elections.

A Harvard-educated lawyer, Chidambaram became the face of India's economic reforms when he took over as Finance Minister for the first time in the United Front government in 1996 under H D Deve Gowda. -PTI

Inspiring stories of BITS Pilani achievers NEW DELHI: What connects the creators of Hotmail, MapmyIndia, Onida and Buddh International Circuit?

They all graduated from BITS Pilani as did Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, founder of SQL Star International Ltd Ashok Kumar Agarwal and filmmaker Mani Shankar.

A new book, "BITS of Success: Inspiring Stories of BITS Pilani Alumni," by the institute's alumni Harsh Bhargava, Kinnera Murthy and Anu Khendry takes the reader through the journeys of 50 individuals who realized their dreams through perseverance and determination, be it as entrepreneurs, technologists,

scientists, teachers or artists.

Creators of Hotmail Sabeer Bhatia, FoodKing Saratbabu Elumalai, MapmyIndia R a k e s h Verma, Onida G u l u Mirchandani and Buddh International Circuit Manoj Gaur, to name a few, were all driven by the passion to realize

their dreams.

Bhatia studied in BITS Pilani for two years before moving to Caltech on a scholarship.

Elumalai, who as a boy helped his mother sell idlis on the streets of Chennai, is, today, living his dream of attempting to make India hunger-free. His desire to tackle his

two major concerns - empty stomachs and jobless youth in the country - led him to set up a successful food chain which now provides food and employment to lakhs of people across India.

According to Elumalai, "Entrepreneurship is like a Japanese bamboo tree. In the first six years, it grows only six inches and then in six months, it shoots up to 90 feet."

Mirchandani, who graduated in mechanical engineering from BITS Pilani, founded Mirc Electronics to manufacture television sets under the brand name Onida along with his brother Sonu and Vijay J Mansukhani. PTI

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Airtel to provide free access to news channels NEW DELHI: Telecom major Airtel has announced to provide access all available news channels for free through its mobile phone application Pocket TV. "Airtel digital TV, the DTH service arm of the leading telecom operator Bharti Airtel will offer TV viewing free for its customers on its mobile application Pocket TV, enabling them to stay tuned to live television action all day," Airtel said in a statement.

With this, customers across the country can now download the mobile application and enjoy two days of free viewing of all news channels (Hindi, English and vernacular) on the application and catch all the latest news updates on the poll results, it added.

The offer is only for May 15 and May 16 after which subscribers will need to activate services on Pocket TV for which they will be charge Rs 60 per month.

Idea Cellular too has come up with a special application 'MyNews to provide election related news for which subscriber will have to pay Rs 30 per month. -PTI

BlackBerry opens OS to mobile devices NEW DELHI: Embattled smartphone maker BlackBerry is opening its operating system BlackBerry 10 to mobile device management (MDM) companies to get a stronger foothold in the Internet of Things (IoT) market.

IoT is an evolving space with billions of devices being connected on the go and consumers looking for information from connected devices, equipment and infrastructure.

The "strategic move" by the Canadian firm will enable MDM companies to directly manage devices with BB 10 operating system and is expected to help the company check losses and fund turnaround efforts.

MDM enables management control of mobile devices, like locking and wiping data from them. It is an important part of mobility management and aids firms to be able to effectively deploy and manage work apps.

"AirWatch, Citrix and IBM have

"BlackBerry is more than just an EMM (Enterprise Mobility Management) provider or a handset provider. We are uniquely positioned to be a major player in the multi-trillion dollar Internet of Things market," head of BlackBerry's global enterprise services business, John Sims said.

The new frontiers are applications, data and the Internet of Things (IoT) and BlackBerry looks to lead in these areas, Sims, who previously led software major SAP's Mobile Services business, added.

"With BES12 planned for late this calendar year, we will continue to support iOS, Android, Windows, BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry OS devices," he said.

In addition, in March 2015, BlackBerry will introduce its multitenant cloud version of BES12, which allows more opportunities to win customers and maintain its market leading position, Sims added.

expressed their intent to be the first companies to work with BlackBerry to enable a more open mobility ecosystem," it said in a statement.

In doing so, BlackBerry will provide organizations with more options to embrace multi-operating system mobile environments by enabling other MDM companies to manage BlackBerry 10 devices, BlackBerry added.

According to research firm Gartner, MDM remains a top priority for IT buyers, and investment levels are growing steadily. Competition among players necessitates the need for quality and flexible management tools.

BlackBerry is working with the companies to offer customers the most flexible solution to support a broader enterprise mobility strategy.-PTI

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Drop in inflation is something Google to release diversity data about workforce to smile about: Mayaram NEW DELHI: Encouraged by declining inflation, Finance Secretary Arvind Mayaram has expressed hope that the trend would continue, but said the government will have to remain cautious about

concerned...(it is) something to smile about," he said while commenting on the drop in wholesale inflation.

Wholesale Price Index (WPI) in April slowed to 5.2 per cent from

Arvind Mayaram

impact of possible deficiency in monsoon.

"We are encouraged that the inflation numbers are coming down... On the whole at the moment, it appears that we are on track as far as inflation is

5.7 per cent in the previous month mainly due to easing food and fuel prices.

Mayaram hoped that "as we go forward in the current financial year inflation numbers will be moderating further".

He, however, sounded caution on the possible deficiency in monsoon due to the El Nino effect.

"We believe we need to be cautious and alert. But we have adequate stocks of foodgrains to meet any eventuality. And therefore I do not believe that a slightly sluggish monsoon is going to really impact the supply chain in a manner that will be disruptive," the Secretary said.

On the retail inflation which shot up to 3-month high in April, Mayaram said that during the elections, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) generally inches up.

"There is a lot of expenditure that happens. So obviously there is lot of liquidity in the market. So we should not take this number as something to worry about," he said.

The Reserve Bank of India, which is scheduled to announce bi-monthly monetary policy review on June 3, had kept the key interest rate (repo) unchanged at 8 per cent saying retail inflation was "sticky". The industry has been demanding easing of repo rate to boost economic growth of the country.

On a query regarding the fiscal deficit, Mayaram said it would be 4.6 per cent of the Gross domestic product in the last fiscal.

"We still stand by those numbers (fiscal deficit)," he added. PTI

ONGC claims RIL took its natural gas NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has sought response of the Centre and Reliance Industries Ltd on a plea by state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) which has accused the Mukesh Ambani-led group of exploiting

eral of Hydrocarbons and RIL on ONGC's petition in which the PSU has contended that RIL has drawn out 18 billion cubic meters of natural gas from the combined reserves of both companies since 2009.

"The present petition is neces-

gas from its natural gas block in Krishna-Godavri basin.

Justice Manmohan issued notice to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Directorate Gen-

sitated in view of bona fide belief on the part of the petitioner (ONGC), based on the seismic data made available by Respondent 3 (RIL) very recently in 2013-14

which suggests that while exploiting its own block and operating four wells for that purpose, RIL has exploited not only natural gas within its Block but has exploited substantial natural gas from Blocks in the control of ONGC. "In effect, RIL has, as is recently believed, taken out gas running into approximately 18 billion cubic meters (bcm) quantity between the years 2009 to September 2013 and continues to do so even till date from the combined gas reserves of ONGC and RIL," the PSU's petition has said.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on May 29.

ONGC has claimed that of the said total quantity of gas exploited

by RIL from its block adjoining that of the PSU, more than half belongs to it.

ONGC has sought directions to the government to set up an independent agency to ascertain the amount of gas drawn out by RIL and how much of it belongs to ONGC and whether the PSU is entitled to compensation.-PTI

MOUNTAIN VIEW, US: Google is planning to release statistics documenting the diversity of its workforce for the first time amid escalating pressure on the technology industry to hire more minorities and women.

The numbers are compiled as part of a report that major US employers must file with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Employers, though, aren't required to make the information publicly available.

Google Inc had resisted previous calls for it to share the diversity data.

David Drummond, an African-American executive who oversees Google's public policies, announced the about-face during the company's annual shareholders' meeting at its headquarters in Mountain View.

"Many companies in (Silicon Valley) have been reluctant to di-

vulge that data, including Google, and, quite frankly, we are wrong about that," Drummond said. He said the information will be released next month.

The concession came after the Rev Jesse Jackson appeared at the annual meeting to urged Google to lead the effort to hire more African-Americans, Latinos and women in technology.

The longtime civil rights leader applauded Google for its transparency. The company employs nearly 50,000 people and typically hires thousands more workers each year.-AP

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TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Mast Magan: 2 States 2 Locha-E-Ulfat: 2 States 3 Party With The Bhoothnath: Bhoothnath Returns 4 Whistle Baja: Heropanti 30

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5 Galliyan: Ek Villian 6 Raat Bhar: Heropanti 7 Dard Dilo Ko: The Xpose 8 Fugly Fugly Kya Hai: Fugly 9

Baby Doll: Ragini MMS 2

10 Caller Tune: Humshakals

S

onakshi Sinha, who makes her debut in Tamil cinema opposite Rajinikanth in Lingaa, has been shooting in Mysore with the star. And the combination of the Bollywood star with the Southern sensation has created unprecedented fan frenzy.

Mirror has it that 50 cops and 30 bouncers have been deployed to man the shoots of Lingaa, which are taking place in a government house, a local palace and a few outdoor locations. A source said, "A few incidents of people trying to break the security cover have taken place in the last two days." Several fans who gathered to get a glimpse of the stars were turned back and it is not just the fans who are not amused. Rajinikanth, a veteran of several decades, is puzzled by the constant commotion.

Production Executive of Lingaa, Suresh Kumarswamy said: "Rajini Sir is a phenomenon and will remain so. The presence of Sonakshi has added to the chaos which we often witness whenever we shoot with Rajini sir. We are having a very tough time in Mysore. We didn't know Sonakshi is so popular."

S

hoojit Sircar's next film Piku, which already has a formidable cast of the Big B, Irrfan and Deepika Padukone, just got more interesting.

Piku now stars Bangla heartthrob Jisshu Sengupta in the romantic lead opposite Deepika.

Jisshu who made his Bollywood debut opposite Ileana D'Cruz in a guest appearance in Anurag Basu's Barfi would next be seen in Hindi in Pradeep Sarkar's Mardaani where Jisshu plays Rani's husband.

Apparently Shoojit was keen to cast Jisshu opposite Deepika as

the role suited him to perfection.

However the fact that Jisshu was being launched as a leading man

by Yashraj put a question mark on Jisshu's presence in Piku.

Jisshu showed Shoojit his Bengali film Jatishwar. Only then was Shoojit convinced.

Says Jisshu, "It's a big break with a director I really admire and with actors I really love. It has been my dream to work with Mr. Bachchan from the time I decided I wanted to be an actor. Irrfanji is another actor I truly admire. As for Deepika, isn't she everyone's favorite dream girl these days?"

“It's a big break with a director I really admire and with actors I really love. It has been my dream to work with Mr. Bachchan from the time I decided I wanted to be an actor.�

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May 23, 2014

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laudia Ciesla, better known as the Balma girl after she appeared in an item number with Akshay Kumar in Khiladi 786, is now ready with another item number. The German model-turned-actress is all set with her latest item number in the Suniel Shetty-starrer Desi Kattey.

The actress confirmed the news saying, "I am performing in an item song 'Patnewali hoon' in the movie Desi Kattey. It is a hot and sizzling number sung by Rekha Bharadwaj, which I hope will turn out to be a huge hit as it is very catchy with a desi tadka, just like my previous item song 'Balma'. In this song, I am wearing a red ghaghra-choli and I had to perform on the floor filled with guns which made dancing all the more fun."

Claudia feels quite confident about her skills and is now looking ahead at bigger projects. "I am surely hoping to see myself as a leading lady in movies soon. I have been getting acting proposals in Bollywood and South and I am surely looking forward to explore them, now that I have managed to have a good command over Hindi."

A

O

ne has to give it to the multi-talented Farhan Akhtar for wearing so many hats and being extremely suc cessful in everything. No wonder then, he is one of the most sought after celebrities in Bollywood.

The latest update in his choc-a-bloc appointment diary is that he has been invited to take a master class at a film festival in London. The said event is a British Film Institute (BFI) special 'In Conversation' event, with the London Indian Film Festival. It is Europe's biggest independent film festival. The festival commences on 10th July and will end on 17th July.

Farhan, who was scheduled to be shooting for Zoya Akhtar's Dil Dhadakne Do at that time, has taken two days off from the shoot. He will be flying to London on the 16th July and will be back on the 18th July, so that he can be at the fest for the last two days.

ctress Preity Zinta, who is also the co-owner of IPL team Kings XI Punjab, was on a Twitter spree. She spoke about her journey in B-Town, her struggle and her love life.

Penning her thoughts on Twitter, she wrote how she ventured into Bollywood. She wrote that she wanted to do movies for becoming 'financially independent' and treated acting like any other job. She said, "When I got into movies I never thought I would be a big star.

Just wanted 2 get it right & be financially independent. It was a job after all."

She also spoke about how her life changed after she became an actress.

She tweeted, "As I became famous I was required to forget who I am & become the image I portray. People changed around me even though I tried hard 2 be me. Everyday I try to fight my perfect image & cling to the real me. Expectations grow & I'm not allowed 2 age, be sad, crib or have a bad day !"

„ Health

Line

Hammond couple pleads guilty to Medicaid fraud BATON ROUGE, La.: The owners of a Hammond personal care business have pleaded guilty for their role in siphoning dollars from the Louisiana Medicaid Program and evade paying state taxes, the state Attorney General's Office said.

Attorney General Buddy Caldwell said Cassandra N. Dangerfield, 55, pleaded guilty to one felony count of racketeering and two felony counts of state tax evasion. Her husband and business partner, Eric Dangerfield, 61, pleaded guilty to six counts of misdemeanor theft and two misdemeanor counts of tax evasion.

Cassandra Dangerfield received a 14-year suspended sentence, and was placed on five years of active supervised probation. Eric Dangerfield received a 4-year suspended sentence. The Dangerfields will pay $3.5 million in restitution, fines and penalties and $74,000 for back taxes.

In addition, Caldwell's office said Eric Dangerfield, who serves on the Tangipahoa Parish School Board, must resign by Aug. 7. -AP

„ Doctor cleared in LPGA golfer death case LAS VEGAS: A Nevada jury has cleared a physician in a wrongful death medical malpractice case stemming from the May 2010 suicide of LPGA golfer Erica Blasberg.

Jurors who heard five days of civil trial testimony deliberated less than an hour before finding Dr. Thomas Hess had no liability in the death.

Blasberg's parents, Mel and Debra Blasberg, accused Hess of pursuing a romantic relationship with the 25-year-old Blasberg.

They say he put that interest ahead of her medical needs.

Hess denied the two had a romantic relationship. He didn't attend the verdict.

His attorney noted that Blasberg's suicide letter said not to blame anyone.

Hess was convicted of a misdemeanor obstruction charge for removing the suicide note and some medications after finding Blasberg dead in bed at her Henderson home. -AP

Erica Blasberg

Health Science

New 3D printed device to treat sleep apnea Details on Page 35

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UN warns countries to bolster fight against MERS GENEVA: The UN health agency warned countries to bolster their guard against the MERS virus, which has killed 152 people in Saudi Arabia and is causing alarm as it spreads elsewhere.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said its emergency committee, which includes global medical and policy experts, had flagged mounting concerns about the potentially fatal Middle East Respiratory Virus (MERS).

"They reached a consensus that the situation had increased in seriousness and that their concerns about the situation had also increased in terms of urgency," Keiji Fukuda, the WHO's health security head, told reporters.

The agency called on countries to improve infection prevention and control, collect more data on the virus and to be vigilant in preventing it from spreading to vulnerable countries, notably in Africa.

A total of 571 MERS cases have been reported to the WHO, of which 171 have proved fatal.

In many of them, victims caught the virus in hospital from other patients, although experts believe camels may also spread the disease.

The vast majority of infections have been reported in Saudi Arabia, and cases outside the Gulf nation have largely involved people who had traveled there.

The Netherlands became the

Cases have also risen outside hospitals, possibly because of the winter season or an increase in infections among animal carriers, Fukuda said.

Saudi Arabia's agriculture min-

Saudis wear mouth and nose masks as they watch camels at their farm on May 12 outside Riyadh

13th country outside of Saudi Arabia to report a case of MERS since December.

Fukuda said that while Riyadh had done its best to stem the spread of MERS, a WHO team there still found "sub-optimal" infection-control and overcrowding in hospitals.

istry has urged citizens to wear masks and gloves when handling camels, which are thought to be the source of the mysterious corona virus in the Gulf state.

"It's clear that there is no convincing evidence right now for an increase in the transmissibility of this virus," Fukuda said.

"If it is really associated with camels, and all of the infections are from camels to people and it does not become very transmissible among people, then I think that there's a reasonable chance that it would stay a regional infection, Fukuda added.

There have been confirmed or suspected cases in Egypt, Greece, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Yemen since December.

Not an emergency yet LONDON: The spread of a puzzling respiratory virus in the Middle East and beyond does not yet constitute a global health emergency despite a recent spike in cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.

The decision was made after a meeting of WHO's expert group on the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

MERS often starts with flu-like symptoms but can lead to pneumonia, breathing problems and in severe cases, kidney failure and death.

"Calling a global emergency in a world which has a lot of urgent issues going on is a major act.

Cont'd on Page 35

Sun Pharma settles with Novartis on cancer drug NEW DELHI: Sun Pharma has inked a settlement pact with Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation over cancer drug Gleevec, paving the way for the Indian drug major to launch a generic version of the medicine in the US market in 2016.

One of the subsidiaries of Sun Pharma has executed a settlement agreement with Novartis, stipulating a dismissal of the lawsuits filed in the United States against the company regarding submission of an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for a generic version of Gleevec, the Indian drug major said in a

statement.

"Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Sun

Pharma's subsidiary may launch its version of generic Gleevec in the United States on February 1,

2016," it added.

The other terms of the agreement are confidential, the Mumbai-based firm said, adding that the agreement is subject to customary regulatory approvals.

Sun Pharma's subsidiary holds a tentative approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for its ANDA for a generic version of Gleevec.

As per IMS sales data, Gleevec had annual sales of around USD 2 billion in the US. Gleevec, which is the registered trademark of Novartis, is indicated for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia.-PTI

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British executive accused in China drug bribery BEIJING: Chinese police has accused a British executive of drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline of leading a sprawling scheme to bribe doctors and hospitals to use its products.

The announcement was the first time a foreign employee in China of British-based GSK was accused in the investigation announced last July. It highlighted the widespread use of payments to doctors and hospitals by sellers of drugs and medical equipment in a state-run and poorly funded health system that Chinese leaders have promised to improve.

The executive, Mark Reilly, is accused of operating a ``massive bribery network,'' said a police official, Gao Feng, at a news conference. He said the case had been handed over to prosecutors.

Beginning in January 2009, Reilly was accused of ordering his sales team to pay doctors, hospital officials and health institutions to use GSK's products, said Gao, deputy director of the Ministry of Public Security's economic crimes unit. He said

that resulted in ``illegal revenue'' of billions of yuan (hundreds of millions of dollars).

Gao said that as far as he knew, Reilly

still was in China, but he had no details of his status. He said dozens of other people

Bill expands public safety survivor death benefits SACRAMENTO, Calif.: Survivors of peace officers and firefighters will have more time to file for death benefits if they can show their spouse or partner fell victim to certain diseases while they were working, under a bill Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law.

The bill nearly doubles the time period for survivors to file a workers' compensation claim from the time a public safety officer contracts one of four conditions that

Jerry Brown

are presumed to be work-related. They are cancer, tuberculosis, blood-borne infectious diseases and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as MRSA, a bacterial infection that resists many kinds of antibiotics.

The time limit now is 4.5 years but goes to eight years under AB1035.

Brown signed the bill after vetoing two earlier, broader, attempts by Assemblyman John Perez, D-Los Angeles, who stepped down as Assembly speaker.

Brown previously cited the potential costs, but said in a veto message that he signed the bill after a recent study projected that the measure could affect about 20 people a year across California because it applies only if a disease is diagnosed during active service.

A rough estimate by the state's Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation cited by legislative analysts also projects that the longer filing period will lead to increased payouts costing local governments up to $5 million annually.

The bill's signing benefits Perez, who is running a tight race for state controller with fellow Democrat Betty Yee, currently a member of the state Board of Equalization, and Fresno mayor Ashley Swearengin, a Republican.

Organizations representing firefighters and peace officers have given his campaign nearly $82,000.

California Professional Fire Fighters were his 10th largest donor in 2011-2012, giving his legislative account $15,600, according to a compilation by Maplight.

Opponents of the bill included the California State Association of Counties and League of California Cities. -AP

also were implicated but he gave no names or other details.

Reilly is GSK's senior vice president of pharmaceuticals for China and Hong Kong and former general manager for China.

Police previously identified four Chinese employees of GSK who they said confessed to bribery.

A second foreign d r u g m a k e r , AstraZeneca, said in July that police in Shanghai were investigating one of its salespeople. The company has given no information since then.

Chinese state media have publicized the investigations of GSK and AstraZeneca. But economists who study Chinese health care say such payments are more widely used by China's domestic drug manufacturers.

Doctors and hospitals routinely accept informal payments from patients and suppliers of medical goods to top up low salaries and cover gaps in budgets.

Hospitals also raise money by adding surcharges to drug prices and assigning employees sales quotas. That can also dis-

tort treatment by encouraging overuse of expensive drugs or procedures.

As a result of bribery, GSK was able to receive prices for its medications that were up to seven times the level of the same products sold in other countries, Gao said.

In a separate statement, police in the central city of Changsha, where the investigation began, said Reilly and two Chinese executives also are accused of bribing government officials in Beijing and Shanghai.

Police in Changsha said last July that employees appeared to be trying to evade GSK's internal anti-bribery controls by making payments totaling as much as 3 billion yuan ($490 million) to a travel agency that gave back at least part of that money.

One of the detained Chinese employees was shown on state television at that time describing how he paid bribes to government officials to win support for use of the company's medications.

The British Embassy in Beijing said it could not comment while the case was underway and referred questions to GSK. Gao said possible charges include bribing non-government workers and bribing corporate units, while GSK might face charges of corporate bribery.

GSK said previously it shared the Chinese government's desire to ``root out corruption'' and supported the investigation.

The company has given the investigation its ``full support and assistance,'' said Gao. -AP

Health Science Post

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E-cigarettes not healthy Pence health insurance plan details reported alternative to smoking WASHINGTON: Claims that ecigarettes offer a viable and healthy way to quit conventional cigarettes and do not pose danger to nonsmokers are false, a new research has warned.

In a major scientific review of research on e-cigarettes, University of California, San Francisco scientists found that industry

a way to circumvent smoke-free laws by allowing users to "smoke anywhere."

Researchers said the ads often stress that e-cigarettes produce only "harmless water vapor."

But in their analysis of the marketing, health and behavioral effects of the products, which are unregulated, the scientists found

Researchers said the ads often stress that e-cigarettes produce only 'harmless water vapour'

claims about the devices are unsupported by the evidence to date, including claims that e-cigarettes help smokers quit.

The devices, which are rapidly gaining a foothold in popular culture particularly among youth, are marketed as a healthier alternative to tobacco smoking, as an effective tool to stop smoking, and as

that e-cigarette use is associated with significantly lower odds of quitting cigarettes.

They also found that while the data is still limited, e-cigarette emissions "are not merely 'harmless water vapor,' as is frequently claimed, and can be a source of indoor air pollution.

The long-term biological ef-

fects of use are still unknown, the research authors said.

The authors analyzed 84 research studies on e-cigarettes and other related scientific materials.

They concluded that e-cigarettes should be prohibited wherever tobacco cigarettes are prohibited and should be subject to the same marketing restrictions as conventional cigarettes.

E-cigarettes deliver a nicotinecontaining aerosol popularly called "vapor" to users by heating a solution commonly consisting of glycerin, nicotine and flavoring agents. E-liquids are flavored, including tobacco, menthol, coffee, candy, fruit and alcohol flavorings.

Despite many unanswered questions about e-cigarette safety, the impact on public health, and whether the products are effective at reducing tobacco smoking, e-cigarettes have swiftly penetrated the marketplace in the US and abroad in both awareness and use, researchers said.

"E-cigarettes do not burn or smolder the way conventional cigarettes do, so they do not emit side-stream smoke; however, bystanders are exposed to aerosol exhaled by the user," said researchers.

The study was published in the journal Circulation. -PTI

Court-ordered mental health care in Orange SANTA ANA, Calif.: Orange County became the second California County to move forward with a law that allows court-ordered treatment of the severely mentally ill even if they don't want it.

The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to implement the so-called Laura's Law, making it second to only tiny Nevada County to adopt a controversial program that some have said erodes the civil liberties of the mentally ill, the Orange County Register reported.

The law was passed in 2002, but the state left it to individual counties to decide whether to adopt it.

The proposal before supervisors included $4.4 million per year to provide assessment and treatment for an estimated 120 people. More money will be

needed for legal and other costs associated with the program, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Pressure to adopt the law in Orange County increased after the 2011 death of a 37-year-old mentally ill homeless man who

censed mental health workers and police officers to make referrals, might have helped his son.

Some, however, have criticized Laura's Law as violating the civil liberties of adult patients who may prefer to go untreated.

The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to implement the so-called Laura's Law, making it second to only tiny Nevada County to adopt a controversial program that some have said erodes the civil liberties of the mentally ill died after a violent fight with police. Two officers were acquitted earlier this year in the death of Kelly Thomas.

Ron Thomas, Kelly Thomas' father, has said that the law, which allows family members, li-

It seems like ``an expensive government intervention into the private lives of citizens,'' Richard Krzyzanowski of the California Association of Mental Health Peer Run Organizations told the Times. -AP

INDIANAPOLIS: Gov. Mike Pence's plan to expand health insurance coverage to low-income Indiana residents involves a combination of health savings accounts, employer-sponsored health plans and private initiatives.

Gov. Mike Pence

A notice sent to health care officials said Pence plans to use private market-based reforms, employer-based plans and health savings accounts ``to transform health care in a fiscally responsible manner for the Medicaid-eligible population,'' The Indianapolis Business Journal reported.

Pence's office announced he would hold events to discuss his plan to expand the state-run Healthy Indiana Plan health savings accounts ``as an alternative to Medicaid to cover uninsured individuals in Indiana.''

The Pence administration has been seeking federal approval to expand the Healthy Indiana Plan to cover the Medicaid population in Indiana. It currently covers

about 40,000 low-income Indiana adults. The federal government last year approved an extension of the program through this year.

President Barack Obama's health reform law called for expanding traditional Medicaid coverage to people earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, but the Pence administration has sought to use the Healthy Indiana Plan to expand coverage for low-income residents.

However, the Obama administration opposes HIP's requirement that Hoosiers with incomes below the poverty limit contribute part of their income toward health insurance. Traditional Medicaid requires no contributions for those who qualify. Pence and other Republicans contend HIP, created by former Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, promotes personal responsibility in seeking health care.

Any Indiana health insurance expansion that is approved by the Obama administration would be paid for entirely by the federal government in 2015 and 2016, but would then require state contributions that could rise to $393 million per year by 2020, according to estimates provided by the state's actuary, Milliman Inc. It wasn't clear whether Pence will announce whether the state and the Obama administration have reached an agreement.-AP

Two private city hospitals awarded NEW DELHI: Two private city hospitals - Sir Ganga Ram and St Stephen's - have been conferred the Award of Excellence in teaching for (Diplomate of the National Board) DNB Program by the National Board of Examination (NBE) on the occasion of its 18th convocation.

Sir Ganga Ram hospital has been running the largest post graduate teaching program in 38 specialities (largest in India) for almost three decades with more than 80 per cent passing rate of DNB trainees.

Dr Anupam Sachdeva, chairman of Academics also received

the DNB teacher of Excellence Award. Three DNB students were also awarded DNB Gold Medals.

"We give lot of importance to teaching, academics and research. The hospital runs India's largest post graduate teaching program," said Dr D S Rana, chairman (Board of Management) and Department of Nephrology.

St Stephen's Hospital which was established 1885, it has a capacity of about 600 beds, and is a superspeciality tertiary care hospital offering care in all specialties and most superspecialities.-PTI

May 23, 2014

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New 3D printed device to treat sleep apnea MELBOURNE: Researchers have developed a 3-D printed device to treat sleep apnea which is customized for each patient and prevents snoring and dangerous pauses in breath during sleep.

Using a 3D scanner to map a patient's mouth, researchers from the Common-

"It's an exciting prospect for people suffering from the debilitating disorder and the design offers significant benefits which cannot be achieved with more traditional manufacturing techniques," Barnes said. wealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) and Australian dental company, Oventus, can print a mouthpiece which prevents dangerous pauses in breath during sleep.

Printed from titanium and coated with a medical grade plastic, the mouthpiece is customized for each patient.

The device has a 'duckbill' which extends from the mouth like a whistle and divides into two separate airways. It allows air to flow through to the back of the throat, avoiding obstructions from the nose, the back of the mouth and tongue.

Sleep apnea occurs when the air passage in the throat becomes blocked during sleep and causes people to stop breathing.

In severe cases, people can suffer hundreds of events per night.

The existing treatments for sleep apnea include devices that push the lower jaw forward to open up the airway or in more severe cases; a face mask which creates a continuous flow of air can be used.

CSIRO's 3D printing expert, John Barnes, said the technology is opening new doors for treatments of a range of medical issues globally.

"The possibilities of 3D printing are endless and the fact that we can now design and print a completely customized mouthpiece for patients is revolutionary," Barnes said.

"It's an exciting prospect for people suffering from the debilitating disorder and the design offers significant benefits which cannot be achieved with more traditional manufacturing techniques," Barnes said.

"This new device is tailored to an individual's mouth using a 3D scan and is used only on the top teeth which make it more compact and far more comfortable," said Oventus CEO, Neil Anderson.

"The new 3D printed mouthpiece bypasses all obstructions by having airways that deliver air to the back of the throat and it will also stop patients from snoring," Anderson said.

The device is expected to be available to patients next year. -PTI

UN warns countries to bolster fight against MERS Cont'd from Page 33

You have to have really solid information to say this is a global emergency," Dr Fukuda said.

Fukuda said there wasn't yet proof of the virus' sustained transmission among people.

WHO has however declared the world's widening polio outbreaks to be an international health emergency.

Some scientists said while MERS technically meets the criteria for a global health emergency, declaring it as such could confuse the public.

"People might think (WHO) is crying wolf because MERS is still primarily a problem in the Middle East," said Michael Osterholm, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Minnesota who has worked in the Middle East.

"But if one of those infected people gets on a plane and lands in London, Toronto, New York or Hong Kong and transmits to another 30 people, everyone will have a different view," Michael added.

The Netherlands' National Institute for Public Health and the Environment announced its first case of MERS, a man who

became infected during a visit to Saudi Arabia.

Experts say the spread of MERS is worryingly similar to the 2003 global outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS, which infected about 8,000

"People might think (WHO) is crying wolf because MERS is still primarily a problem in the Middle East," said Michael Osterholm, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Minnesota people in 2003, killing nearly 800. MERS is genetically related to SARS. Scientists are unsure exactly how people are catching MERS but suspect the disease is linked to camels. WHO recommends that people avoid contact with the animals, skip drinking camel milk or using camel urine in traditional medicines and only eat camel meat that has been well cooked.-AP, AFP

'Smart drugs' may harm young brains WASHINGTON: Young people who abuse 'smart drugs' to boost their attention span, memory and capacity to stay awake may risk long-term impairments to their brain function, a new research has warned.

Kimberly Urban at the University of Delaware and Wen-Jun Gao at Drexel University College of Medicine found that any short-term boost in mental performance due to smart drugs may come at a heavy cost: a long-term decrease in brain plasticity, necessary for task switching, planning ahead, and adaptive flexibility in behavior.

Methylphenidate is a popular smart drug and is often sold on the black market. It was originally developed as a prescription-only drug (sold as Ritalin and Concerta) to treat Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and works by increasing the level of neurotransmitter in the nervous system.

Trials on rats have shown that young, developing brains are particularly sensitive to methylphenidate: even low dosages early in life can reduce nerve activity, working memory, and the ability to quickly switch between tasks and behaviors.

Another popular smart drug is modafinil, sold under the name Proviigil against narcolepsy and other sleep disorders.

Believed to work by raising levels of dopamine in between synapses of brain nerve cells, it can boost memory as well as the ability to work with numbers and do other mental tasks.

But research indicates that modafinil could have similar long-term undesired effects as methylphenidate on the developing brain, the study authors said.

Not yet widely used are ampakines, an emerging class of drugs currently studied by the US military with the aim of increasing alertness in soldiers.

Ampakines bind to so-called AMPA receptor molecules in the nervous system and boost the response of nerve cells and strengthen connections between them. -PTI

36 India Post

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Realty Tidbits

Facebook founder sued over real estate deal PALO ALTO, Calif.: A Northern California real estate developer is suing Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg over a deal involving property behind Zuckerberg's home.

Mircea Voskerician says he agreed to sell his stake in the property to Zuckerberg in exchange for a promise that Zuckerberg would introduce him to other wealthy people who might want to buy homes. Voskerician says Zuckerberg never made those introductions.

His lawsuit, filed this month in Santa Clara County, claims breach of contract. The San Jose Mercury News reported the lawsuit.

Zuckerberg's attorney, Patrick Gunn, told the Mercury News his client paid Voskerician $1.7 million for the right to buy the property.

He says Voskerician's lawsuit is meritless. -AP

„ Honolulu lawmaker eyes pricey homes for tax hike HONOLULU: A key Honolulu lawmaker is proposing increasing property taxes on high-priced homes to lessen a potential hike on hotels and resorts.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that Ann Kobayashi, chairwoman of the Honolulu City Council's budget committee, is proposing raising taxes on homes worth at least $1 million to $6 for every $1,000 of assessed valuation.

That would be 50 cents more per $1,000 than what Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is proposing. It is $2.50 more per $1,000 compared with what homeowners pay now.

Kobayashi said the tax increase would raise revenue about $32 million per year for the county.

Kobayashi is proposing that hotels pay $12.90 per $1,000 in valuation, 50 cents more per $1,000 than what they currently pay, but 50 cents less than what Caldwell proposes.-AP

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Dubai set to become 'crane capital' DUBAI: The skyline of Dubai is set to undergo a sea change as the construction industry here is expected to gain further momentum this year, according to an international property agency.

Construction cranes have dotted the Dubai skyline and are seen to herald the economic growth, with a major build-up of momentum in the real estate activity.

Dubai was once home to almost 25 per cent of the world's cranes during the height of the property boom and now is set for the revival era of the construction industry.-PTI

Ambani's Mumbai residence most expensive in world NEW YORK: Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani's skyscraper residence in Mumbai is the most expensive billionaire home in the world, according to a Forbes list which also includes Indian-origin steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal's houses in London.

Ambani's 27-story, 400,000square-foot skyscraper home Antilia named after a mythical island in the Atlantic, tops the Forbes list of the most expensive homes in the world.

"The title of the most outrageously expensive property in the world still belongs to Mukesh Ambani's Antilia in Mumbai," Forbes said adding it is the world's most expensive home "far and away" with construction costs reported between a range of USD one billion to two billion.

The house has six stories of underground parking, three helicopter pads, and reportedly requires a staff of 600 to keep it running.

Putting Antilia's scale and cost into perspective, Forbes compared it to '7 World Trade Center', a 52story tower that stands near Ground Zero in Manhattan with 1.7 million square feet of office space that was reportedly built for two billion dollars.

Mittal's houses in London's Kensington Palace Gardens occupy the 5th and the 18th spot on the list of the 21 most expensive billionaire homes in the world.

The steel magnate is believed

to own three homes on the high-security street known as 'Billionaires Row', including a neo-Georgian mansion near the Israeli embassy.

Forbes said the home, rumored to have been purchased for his son, was sold by hedge fund billionaire Noam Gottesman.

The value of the house in 2008 was about 222 million dollars and it is reportedly up for sale now.

Another house owned by Mittal on the upscale street was purchased for nearly USD 90 million in 2004.

He had picked up the 55,000-square foot mansion from billionaire Bernie Ecclestone and after pouring millions more into its renovation, named it "Taj Mittal".

The house has 12 bedrooms, a pool and marble sourced from the same quarry as the Taj Mahal, Forbes said.

"As 2014 continues, the list of outrageously-priced homes owned by billionaires is stacking up. Although the

A view of Mukesh Ambani's 27-story building Antilia.

market cooled off a bit in 2013, with no properties trading hands above the USD 100 million mark, 2014 has kicked off with a bang.

London set a new record, and three homes have sold for more than USD 100 million so far this year in the US alone," Forbes said.

In second place is on the list is 'Villa Leopolda', the home of Brazilian philanthropist and social figure Lily Safra in France.

Forbes said the estate is reportedly one of several waterside homes that King Leopold II of Belgium built for his many mistresses.

Set on 20 acres, the massive home was valued at 750 million dollars at the time when Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov tried to buy it in 2008.

The third-most expensive billionaire home - and the most expensive in the United States - is the home of American investor and businessman Ira Rennert in Sagaponack, New York.

Its value is pegged at about USD 248.5 million in its 2014 tentative tax assessment. -PTI

Tata Housing to develop township in Lanka NEW DELHI: Tata group's realty firm Tata Housing has announced its foray into Sri Lanka with an investment of over USD 400 million (about Rs 2,400 crore) to develop a township project at Colombo.

The project will be developed in partnership with Urban Development Authority of Sri Lanka.

Tata Housing, a subsidiary of Tata Sons, had already ventured into the Maldives with a real estate project.

The Colombo project is mixed use township.

"The first of its kind initiative by an Indian real estate company will involve investments of over USD 400 million," Tata Housing said in a statement.

A company spokesperson the investment will be spread over the next 6-8 years.

The project would commence with start of construction of residences for rehabilitation of the current tenants in the first phase and launch of a mix-use development project at Slave Island in Colombo.

A company spokesperson the investment will be spread over the next 6-8 years.

The project would commence with start of construction of residences for rehabilitation of the current tenants in the first phase and launch of a mix-use development project at Slave Island in Colombo.

The project will be spread over 8 acres of land, out of which three acres will be earmarked for rehabilitation.

The Sri Lankan Urban Development Authority has rehabilitated residents of the Slave Island till the time of the completion of the project.

The authority aims to provide better housing facility to the occupants with over 550 residences. -AP

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40 India Post

M

ount Abu is one of the popular Jain pilgrimage sites.

Going by its lushness, it is called 'the Paradise of

Rajasthan'.

Mount Abu, the only hill station in Rajasthan, offers you the best of all possible worlds, with more scenic beauty, more architecture and archaeology in the form of the famous Dilwara caves, the chief center for the Brahmakumaris and a generous peppering of temples which shows that the place is exceptionally favored by the gods. Abu has been an important place of penance for the sages.

The shops on both sides of the road are glitteringly alive, as late as 10 p.m. on a winter night. In case it is a winter trip, one can just arrive in Abu, at any time of the night or day, employ a wheelbarrow, which will take your luggage all over Abu for few rupees while you check out a place to stay. This is, in fact the best time to visit if the cold does not bother you too much (it is usually warmer than a Delhi winter). All hotels are available at half rates and the best of rooms can be yours for a rate that suits your budget.

Abu in summer is definitely a retreat from the heat of the plains. A summer visit

www.indiapost.com requires careful planning, and rooms should be booked at least two months in advance.

Everything, from hotels to restaurants, to transport is at double the rates, and beware of the new monster - the Marutis, in every color which cover the landscape and race pugnaciously around the hills. Yet, the little township is well prepared to handle tourists.

Tourist buses show you around the places of interest twice a day and the bus guide provides a background, history and of course his own interpretations on everything you visit. Information is also available from a tourist guide office, but even without guidance there are certain places that simply cannot be missed on a visit to Abu.

May 23, 2014 Tourist attractions: The Dilwara Jain temples for instance, have been compared to the Taj Mahal for their sheer elegance and beauty in marble.

Built between the 11th and 13th century, these temples are all the more exceptional because the marble to build these was brought all the way from Makrana and the best workmen and craftsmen employed to ensure the finest quality of sculpture. Intricate carvings decorate each portion of these temples, which are dedicated to the Jain Tirthankaras. Millions of rupees were spent on the carvings, architecture and dĂŠcor of the temples and the workmen were rewarded in silver and gold equivalent to the amount of marble brought in.

Cont’d on page 42

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Kerala's She Taxi generates over Rs 15 lakh KOCHI: Kerala's She Taxi, India's first 24x7 women-only cab service facilitated by the state government, has generated over Rs 15 lakh revenue in five months of its launch, helped by an increase in women passengers looking for safe travel options within and outside cities.

The women-owned, womenoperated service introduced in Kerala's capital Thiruvanathapuram in November last year with an initial fleet of five cars has now expanded to 20 cabs and has carried more than 9,000 passengers so far.

Kochi will become the second city in Kerala to have She Taxis on the road when Chief Minister Oommen Chandy launches the service here.

She Taxi is the first off-campus project initiated by the Gender Park, established by Kerala's Department of Social Justice to unify all activities aimed at attaining gender equity.

State Minister for Social Justice, Dr M K Muneer said taxis will soon be introduced in Kozhikode city and in a phased manner in other locations.

Urban bodies in Hyderabad and Bangalore have expressed interest in replicating the She Taxi model.

"The project has achieved remarkable progress both in terms of popularity and earnings in the

Films inspire holiday plans: Travel Survey NEW DELHI: Movies played a key role this year for domestic travelers with flicks like "Queen" and "Ek Tha Tiger" inspiring vacationers to embark on a summer holiday, according to a new survey.

While Kangana Ranaut in "Queen" travels to locales in Amsterdam and France, the 'Summer Survey 2014' by travel portal Yatra released recently pegged

Cricketers Virat Kohli and M S Dhoni figured in the top five of the list of male celebrities while Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif made up the list of desirable female celeb travel companions.

"Highway", "Shaadi ke side effects", "Krrish 3", "Ek tha Tiger" as well as Hollywood releases like "Wolf of Wall Street" and "Sex on the City" were cited in the survey

Thailand, Europe and UK as top international destinations for Indian travelers.

Also, actors Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone topped the most sought after celebrity companions for a holiday, says the survey that queried respondents on their dream companions.

which queried people on movies that inspired them to travel this summer.

The annual survey, which polled a total of 15000 respondents this year and put Kashmir on top of preferred domestic places for holiday goers, closely followed by Ladakh, Goa and Kerala. -PTI

last six months. We started this business model to help women

entrepreneurs earn a monthly income of at least Rs 20,000, but the incomes are comfortably above that level", Muneer said.

'She Taxi has opened up a whole new avenue of employment for women', according to K M Abraham, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Social Justice.

A sector like transport is not something that women entrepreneurs readily enter into, but the massive public response to the She Taxi has changed that. Once the service expands to other cities it is going to transform the lives of thousands of women in the state, he said.

The customized pink and white

taxis, supplied by Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., have collectively covered more than two lakh kilometers inside and outside the state.

The women drivers have made outstation trips to Ponmudi and Munnar within Kerala and to destinations including Kanyakumari and Thirunelveli in Tamil Nadu.

The She Taxi service has so far received 3,700 trip bookings, night time travel accounting for around 1,600 of these. It was the official travel partner of the International Film Festival of Kerala last year. More than 1,500 women delegates traveled with the She Taxi during IFFK held last year. PTI

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MOUNT ABU

Dilwara Jain temples

Pilgrimage center exceptionally favored by the gods Cont’d from page 40

The Jain temple: Of the five temples - Vimal Vasahi, Lun Vasahi, Shri Risha Lhdeo, Shri Parshvanath and Shri Mahavir Swami, the first two are the most famous. One estimate states that a sum of Rs. 1.2 billion was spent on Lun Vasahi itself. This temple was built by two brothers - Vastupal and Tejpal ministers in the court of Raja Varadnawarkar, a ruler of Gujarat.

goddess after whom Abu is said to have been named. Arbuda Devi is stationed some 200 steps above the road, in a series of caves on top of a mountain. Along with Arbuda Devi are the statues of her three attendants.

Abu's highest peak: Guru Shikhar, the highest peak of Mount Abu, is also perhaps the most beautiful. There is certain serenity about the temple built

the lush greenness of Mount Abu. A costume photographer displays

Jain temple

They were devotees of Neminath Bhagwan, the 22nd Tirthankara.

Outside the main doors of this temple, there are two statues called Devrani's and Jethani's goklas respectively, and are backed by stories of competitive jealousy of the two wives of these brothers. Another striking feature of the temple is the marble dome in the porch, which is made up of a cluster of half open lotuses, which appear to be almost transparent.

The Vimal Vasahi temple is older and is also known to be the first Jain temple and is dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankara. Built in 1031, by Bhim Deva, the first Solanki ruler of Gujarat, the temple is constructed in pure marble, with plain exteriors. However, its interiors are richly sculpted and house some fine examples of the accomplishment of artists in those times.

Residents of the area will tell you that a visit to Abu cannot be complete without obtaining the blessings of Arbuda Devi, the

atop this peak. The temple might just have stepped out of a fairy tale, with only a small portion in pink jutting out of an otherwise plain white chalk building.

Inside is a shrine of Datta-traya, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Outside the temple, a little distance from its door is a huge brass bell, which stands sentinel overlooking

dresses and invites tourists to pose with temple as a backdrop.

Another temple worth visiting is the Brahmakhadd, a Shiva temple with a difference. Here the deity is not the traditional lingam but a pit into which Lord Shiva is said to have put his foot. Legend

Helium balloon

has it that the spot goes deep into the earth until it touches water.

Outside this temple there is a statue of Goddess Parvati, and a large statue of Nandi, which still bears marks of destruction, wrought by invading armies.

many rock formations around the lake. They have been named Toad Rock, Nun Rock, Nandi Rock and Camel Rock because of their resemblance to these figures. The road appears to be looking broodingly down towards the lake, as if contemplating jumping in. Nun Rock is a large smooth rock, as it sup-

Nakki, the lake: In the heart of the town, at one end of the Mall is Nakki Lake, The girl, a princess, and a which has an interesting history. It is said daughter of the then King of that it was drawn by the Abu, was also in love with finger nails (nakk) of a sage, Balam Rasia, in the sage, but because of the response to the de- evil stepmother the affair mands of the stepmother of the girl he ended in tragedy wished to marry. The girl, a princess, and a daughter of posedly looks like a woman with a the then King of Abu, was also in veil. The climb up to these rocks, love with the sage, but because of through the wooded forests is a the evil stepmother the affair beautiful one, with each of the ended in tragedy, and has been im- rocks on the way making unique mortalized in a temple of the formations, fissures and shapes.

Kunwari Kanya, alongside which stands a statue of her lover.

PLACES AROUND: The lake too, has survived to Like all other hill stations, Abu tell the tale. Picturesquely set, with too, has its horse rides, honeythe hills rising all around it, it has moon packages and sunset points. several islets to which you can hire Sunset point here is definitely boats. An interesting facet is the worth a visit. An entire hill has been carved into several layers, top to bottom and as the sun begins to lower itself in the sky, the entire hill is crowded with people covered in the golden glow of the setting sun.

How to reach: Mount Abu is Rajasthan's only hill station. It is 187 km away from Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

Rail - There are direct trains to Abu Road Station (27 km away from Mount Abu) from Delhi, Jodhpur and Agra. A fast train takes four hours between Ahmedabad in Gujarat and Abu Road.

Road - Mount Abu is linked with Udaipur and Ahmedabad by road.

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From Minnesota to Everest and back SAUK RAPIDS, Minn.: They were looking for an adventure of a lifetime but got more than they bargained for at Mount Everest.

Randy Ray and Amber Kangas were near the south base camp of the famed mountain in Nepal when an avalanche killed more than a dozen guides near another base camp on April 18. ``We did not actually know that it happened until we got back down,'' Kangas said of the deadly avalanche, which occurred about 2,000 feet higher than where they were. ``The Sherpas were the only ones up there setting up camp.''

The Sauk Rapids couple recently returned home from their

something challenging, and we figured this would be one of the most challenging things that we've ever accomplished.''

Upon reaching the south base camp, they also visited Kala Patthar, a nearby mountain about 18,000 feet high and known for being the most accessible point from base camp to peak - to view Mount Everest.

However, Kangas came down with altitude sickness, which occurs when a person cannot get enough oxygen from the air at high altitudes. Symptoms include headache, loss of appetite, nausea and trouble sleeping.

She was evacuated by a series

Amber Kangas and Randy Ray, Sauk Rapids, talk about their adventure at a Mount Everest base camp. They were there in April, at the same time that an avalanche left more than dozen guides dead.

travels abroad and say April's experience in the Himalayas will not deter them from returning to the world's highest mountain, which has an elevation of about 29,000 feet. ``It's very popular to hike up to the base camp ... because you get to see all the tents and people waiting to summit,'' she told the St. Cloud Times of the adventure with her longtime boyfriend to the tallest peak on Earth.

The hike to the south base camp took more than a week, according to Kangas. A base camp allows climbers to acclimate to their surroundings, and it reduces the risks and severity of altitude sickness. ``I was nervous, but on the other hand, I knew we had a great guide, and there were a lot of people there taking care of us,'' Ray said of their base camp adventure. ``We had never done anything like it. ... But we just wanted to do

of helicopters along with the injured Sherpas. Her first helicopter pilot dropped her off at a small village before rushing back to save the others. ``Unfortunately, we kind of had a front-row viewing to all of the people being helicoptered off,'' said Kangas, who felt guilt over her helicopter ride for altitude sickness. ``When I originally called for a helicopter, I had no knowledge of the avalanche; had I known about the avalanche, I would've tried to walk down the mountain.''

Kangas said the trip to Mount Everest was their first long-distance trek. Their goal was to reach base camp, not summit the peak, according to the couple.

In 2002, the couple achieved their goal of visiting all seven continents together in seven years, including Antarctica, and last year, they went on an African safari.

They co-own the Sauk Rapidsbased Azabar Inc., a subcontractor for FedEx, but in their spare time, the boyfriend and the girlfriend, who are in their mid-30s, travel the world. ``We are celebrating 10 years together this August, so we wanted to do something extra special this year,'' he said of Mount Everest.

She said, ``We are just very passionate about traveling and always looking for a new adventure.''

-AP

No tourism activities in Mangar Bani forest NEW DELHI: The Mangar Bani grove in Haryana will be out of bound for tourism activities and the entire forest will be earmarked as a "no construction zone" by the NCR Planning Board.

The move comes following strong protests from Environment Ministry, Delhi government and environmentalists.

Besides the core area of Mangar Bani, the NCRPB decided that a 500-metre buffer radius around the forest will also be earmarked as a "no-construction zone", as proposed by Haryana government. The core grove area is around 250 hectares.

The NCRPB members agreed to limit construction activities in

the natural conservation zones (NCZs) such as Aravalis, riverbeds and major water bodies, according to the minutes of the last board meeting chaired by Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath.

The minutes said that Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) had specifically wanted deletion of the controversial clause allowing tourism activities in NCZ in the revised regional plan.

Environment activists, Delhi government and MoEF had raised serious objection to Haryana's proposal to allow more construction in the sensitive zones after obtaining permission from authorities concerned. -PTI

Campers eager to enjoy South Dakota parks GARRETSON, S.D.: After a brutal winter in this northern climate, Alan and Patricia Zwart were more than ready for early-season camping. But spring has not been particularly kind, forcing them to hold off until May. ``We usually try to get out in April, but the weather was just too cool,'' Alan Zwart said, as the couple enjoyed a recent sunny day at Palisades State Park near South Dakota-Minnesota border. ``This is our first camping trip of the year.''

The nasty cold spells and blizzards of this past winter have made

Traveling via motor home allows them to stop wherever they wish and get a better view of places that are off the beaten path, Helen Vandoremalen said. ``We have no obligation to be anywhere. We can just go where we want,'' she explained.

The European couple planned to visit several of South Dakota's popular attractions, including Badlands, Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park.

The Zwarts, of nearby Larchwood, Iowa, load their fifthwheel camper and head for area campgrounds about 10 times each

Chris Sorenson of Council Bluffs, Iowa, left, Bryce Lemke, 10, of Brandon, S.D., and Molly Lemke of Sioux Falls, S.D., right, crossing Split Rock Creek in Palisades State Park in South Dakota.

people more eager than usual to go camping, said Doug Hofer, director of South Dakota's Division of Parks and Recreation. ``Camping reservations are up this year. Campers are beginning to show up in parks around the state, and it's clear everyone is tired of winter and ready to enjoy time outdoors with family and friends,'' Hofer said. ``Our state parks are truly beginning to blossom, both in terms of use and the annual green-up from a long winter.''

In addition to being home to some of the national park system's most famous destinations, including Mount Rushmore and Badlands National Park, South Dakota has 56 state parks and recreation areas, ranging from historic parks like Fort Sisseton to Custer State Park, known for excellent wildlife viewing. Many of South Dakota's state parks, like Oakwood Lakes and Lake Louise, offer various types of water recreation in addition to camping and other activities.

Arriving recently in a rented motor home, Helen and Adrean Vandoremalen of Helvoirt, in the Netherlands, were sightseeing on a trip from Chicago to Denver. It's the second time the couple have visited the United States, by way of its many campgrounds.

year, spending a couple of days on each outing away from home.

The leisure time is very relaxing, Patricia said. ``We usually grill burgers one night and brats the next night,'' Alan added. ``That keeps thing simple.''

Like thousands of others who enjoy camping each year in this state, they like to ride their bikes, hike on trails and walk among campsites.

And they often have their grandchildren in tow. ``It's a good chance to get to know them better because there are no distractions,'' Patricia Zwart said.

Palisades State Park is popular with campers, photographers, picnickers, rock climbers, and hikers because of its unique Sioux quartzite formations. Its 50-foot (15-meter) cliffs tower over Split Rock Creek. The quartzite deposits are estimated to be 1.2 billion years old.

In 1886, silver was discovered in the creek, drawing hundreds of mining claims. But the silver proved to be of low quality, and the claims were quickly dropped.

This tiny state park was later developed to preserve the area for the public. It has just 34 campsites, six small cabins and a group lodge. -AP

In Brief Lawsuit accuses woman of exploiting immigrants ST. PAUL, Minn.: Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson is accusing a Shakopee woman and her companies of falsely posing as immigration lawyers.

Swanson alleges that Ornella Hammerschmidt and her companies charged immigrants thousands of dollars for legal work on immigration matters that she was not legally authorized to perform.

The lawsuit was filed in Hennepin County against Hammerschmidt and two companies, American Group US Inc. and The Legacy Firm Corp., which she runs.

Swanson alleges the defendants charged Spanish-speaking immigrants as much as $12,000 for legal work on applications for citizenship, asylum and other immigration matters. The lawsuit says Hammerschmidt is not an attorney but held herself out as one.

The lawsuit seeks an injunction and restitution for consumers.-AP

„ Tea party leader for immigration overhaul WASHINGTON: A national tea party leader is endorsing immigration overhaul legislation including legal status for the 11.5 million people now in the U.S. illegally.

Sal Russo, a co-founder of Tea Party Express, makes the comments in an opinion piece in the Roll Call newspaper.

He writes that conservatives should be at the forefront of immigration legislation to ensure it doesn't just reflect the interests of, in his words, ``liberal do-gooder reformers.''

Russo's comments are notable because although many establishment Republicans have backed action on immigration, while many conservatives and tea partyers have been opposed.

That opposition has stalled immigration legislation in the Republican-led House 11 months after the Senate passed a far-ranging bill.

Russo calls on the House to act and says those here illegally must get ``right by the law.'' -AP

A tea party leader has written that “conservatives need to seize on immigration reform� as a push for a bill has ramped up in recent weeks.

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Details on page 45

Immigrant youth activists turn up heat on Democrats WASHINGTON: Immigrant youth activists have called on leading Senate Democrats to demand that President Barack Obama order a halt to most deportations of people living in the U.S. illegally.

Obama, meanwhile, tried to increase pressure on House Republicans to pass immigration legislation that would let most of those 11.5 million people stay in the country.

The developments highlighted a split among Democrats and immigration advocates: Some want immediate executive action by Obama; others say the focus should stay on House Republicans while there's still a chance, however slim, to pass an immigration bill.

At the White House, Obama addressed law enforcement officers, exhorting them to lobby Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and House Republicans ahead of November midterm elections. ``We've got maybe a window of two, three months to get the ball rolling in the House of Representatives. And your voices are going to be absolutely critical to that effort,'' the president said.

Obama said he believed Boehner wants to get immigration done, blaming ``a handful of House Republicans'' for inaction 11 months after the Senate passed a far-reaching bill with billions more

dollars for border security and a path to citizenship for most of the people in the country illegally.

Not long after the President spoke, several dozen youth immigrant activists gathered in a park near the Capitol wearing blue shirts with the slogan, ``Obama

President Barack Obama speaks during a meeting of law enforcement leaders from across the country to discuss immigration reform

Deports Parents!''

They took their demands to the offices of three Senate Democrats - Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer and Michael Bennet. Reid is the majority leader, and Schumer and Bennet were leaders on the immigration bill. All three instead issued statements demanding the House act. ``If the House continues to drag its feet, we encourage the administration to pursue its efforts to

Woman sentenced in immigration scam case BOISE, Idaho: A south-central Idaho woman who ran an immigration scam that resulted in more than 50 victims has been sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison.

The Times-News reports that 40-year-old Celia Perez of Jerome received the sentence in U.S. District Court in Boise and must pay about $408,000 in restitution.

A grand jury indicted Perez in October 2013 on 12 counts of mail

prevent these innocent families from being ripped apart,'' said Adam Bozzi, a spokesman for Bennet.

Julieta Garibay, a leader of the group United We Dream, which represents immigrants brought to the country illegally as youths,

fraud. She agreed to a plea deal that resulted in 10 counts being dropped and guilty pleas to the remaining two charges.

Authorities say Perez posed as an immigration attorney handling difficult cases.

Five victims testified, one noting how he, his eight children and their spouses lost about $33,000.

Perez apologized to the victims at the sentencing. -AP

said Democrats cannot continue hiding behind Republicans. ``You need to stand with our families,'' she said.

Obama in March tasked his new Homeland Security secretary, Jeh Johnson, to review how to make deportation policy more humane.

and other House Republicans have warned that executive action

by Obama would increase distrust among House Republicans and ruin chances for bipartisan cooperation on immigration.

A top Schumer aide, Leon Fresco, expressed this view to White House adviser Cecilia Munoz in a recent meeting.

Schumer declined to comment but his spokesman, Matt House, said, ``We recognize that our broken immigration system is causing a great deal of frustration in our community. But now is the time to pressure Republicans to act.''

Disputes among advocates over tactics may be producing unintended consequences.

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., praised by advocacy groups because he called on the administration in March to ``take action today'' to ease deportations, stepped back from that position in an interview with The Associated Press. ``What I think should happen now is that we should be focusing our attention on the House in what I think is the last window of opportunity to get what I think can be a bipartisan and comprehensive

``We recognize that our broken immigration system is causing a great deal of frustration in our community. But now is the time to pressure Republicans to act.'' Disputes among advocates over tactics may be producing unintended consequences.

Some activists anticipated quick results. When that didn't happen, divisions began to emerge.

United We Dream emerged among the most outspoken in demanding that Obama act immediately. Obama took such a step in 2012 for some immigrants brought illegally to the U.S. as youths, allowing them to apply for work permits and stay. Now advocates want that program extended to parents of those youths as well as to parents of children born in the U.S. Others have urged the administration to wait at least until Congress' August recess. Boehner

reform,'' Menendez said. ``And when we've exhausted that, if that ends up being the case that there is no opportunity in the House, then I will return to my calls for presidential use of his executive powers.''

Another appeal from Obama Addressing law enforcement officers at White House, Obama said, "Fixing a broken immigration system is just the right thing to do. It's also the right thing to do for safety and security in communities all across America."

Cont'd on Page 46

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Liberating H-4 spouses from tyranny of priority dates-II Gary Endelman & Cyrus D. Mehta Continued from last week

T

he proposed rule also resolves another uncertainty.

H-4 spouses who were able to file an I-485 adjustment of status application for permanent residency could always apply for work authorization by virtue of filing the I-485 pursuant to 8 CFR 274a.12(c)(9).

What was not clear is whether such H-4 spouses forfeited their right to remain in H-4 status if they engaged in work pursuant to an employment authorization under 8 CFR 274a.12(c) (9) while their I-485 applications remained pending.

The proposed rule in footnote 13 appears to suggest that they did not violate their status.

The rule will create 8 CFR 274a.12(c) (26) as a basis for H-4 spouses to apply for work authorization, and suggests that H-4 spouses who previously availed of work authorization under 274a.12(c) (9) can also avail of work authorization under 274a.12(c) (26).

If the spouse lost H-4 status by engaging in employment pursuant to 274a.12(c)(9), it would not be possible for the H-4 spouse to now take advantage of new 274a.12(c)(26).

As with the H-1B itself, the proposed H-4 rule recognizes and diffuses the tension between the constraints of nonimmigrant visa categories, such as the H-1B

visas, allow dependent spouses to apply for work authorization immediately upon being admitted under those statuses.

On the other hand, the authorization to grant spouses of L and E nonimmigrants work authorization stems from Congress, although J-2 spouses who do not support the principal J-1 exchange visitor work solely through regulation Congress has not specifically authorized work authorization for H-4 spouses, although there is authority in the INS, as discussed, which still provides such authority to the DHS. While this is fair criticism, the Administration also faces withering opposition from anti-immigration advocates, including the likes of Senator Charles Grassley (RIA), who question whether there is any authority at all to grant work authorization. Hence, the middle ground to grant work authorization benefits to H-4 spouses who are already on the pathway to permanent residence but are caught up in the backlogs.

The proposed rule also acknowledges that this ameliorative measure is consistent with AC 21, which was enacted so that the principal H-1B spouses could continue to remain in the United States beyond the sixth year, and thus avoid disruption to US employers.

Limiting work authorization to H-4 spouses who are on the pathway to green cards can also more

Finally, children in H-4 status have been left out and do not have the ability to apply for work authorization. Children of L-1 and E-1 visa holders are also not allowed to work, although children of J-1 visa holders can work. On the other hand, H-4 children can obtain work authorization benefits which is employer-specific or the H-4 that hitherto was not allowed to sustain employment, and the adjustment of status provision in INA Section 245 that grants open market employment.

Many advocates feel that the rule did not go far enough and could have granted work authorization for all H-4 spouses without condition. After all, the L-1 and E

easily insulate such a rule from challenges in federal court.

Still, even under this logic, it would be preferable if H-4 spouses are able to apply for work authorization as soon as a labor certification is filed on behalf of the principal spouse. There is no need to pre-condition the grant of employment authorization upon the approval of the I-140 petition, given

the delays in the PERM labor certification process, which can take two years if the application is subject to an audit or to supervised recruitment.

The rule also recognizes that an H-4 can apply for employment when a labor certification is filed, but only when it is used to obtain

lenges that America must confront and master in the 21st century can provide the nation with the vision that it needs and deserves.

Yet, until that happy day comes, the USCIS can and must do justice with the law that we all have. That is what has finally happened with H-4 spousal employment. Not a full

The rule also recognizes that an H-4 can apply for employment when a labor certification is filed, but only when it is used to obtain an H1B extension beyond the six years under AC 21. It is illogical to only allow the H-4 to apply for a work permit when the principal spouse relies on the labor certification an H-1B extension beyond the six years under AC 21. It is illogical to only allow the H-4 to apply for a work permit when the principal spouse relies on the labor certification to seek an extension beyond six years, and not otherwise.

Furthermore, while the majority of H-1B visa holders may be sponsored by employers through I-140 petitions, some H-4 spouses may also be sponsored by prospective employers in their own right. H-4 spouses who are directly sponsored by employers under an I-140 petition should also be allowed to apply for employment authorization.

And why limit this to only I140s? Some H-1Bs or H-4s are also sponsored by qualifying family members through an I-130 petition.

They too are Americans in waiting.

Finally, children in H-4 status have been left out and do not have the ability to apply for work authorization. Children of L-1 and E-1 visa holders are also not allowed to work, although children of J-1 visa holders can work. On the other hand, H-4 children can obtain work authorization benefits if they switch to F-1 student visa status.

We continue to call upon Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform, including the expansion of H-1B visa numbers.

Any administrative initiative, however meaningful or positive, and this one is both, is, by its very nature, both tentative and subject to reversal. Only an INA worthy of the many difficult but exciting chal-

and complete step certainly, but a stride forward towards a better day.

Something else needs to be said before we go. What we in the United States are dealing with is a

global battle for talent. More than any other single immigration issue, the H-1B visa debate highlights the growing and inexorable importance of a skilled entrepreneurial class with superb expertise and a commitment not to company or country, but to their own careers and the technologies on which they are based.

They have true international mobility and, like superstar professional athletes, will go to those places where they are paid most handsomely and given a full and rich opportunity to create. We are no longer the only game in town.

The debate over the H-1B is, at its core, an argument over whether the United States will continue to embrace this culture, thus reinforcing its competitive dominance in it, or turn away and shrink from the competition and the benefits that await.

Cont'd on Page 46

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Homeland chief hints at review of Immigration program WASHINGTON: Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, who's conducting a politically charged review of the nation's deportation policy, says he's looking at making changes to a muchcriticized program that runs people booked for local crimes through a federal immigration database.

Johnson said the "Secure Communities" program has "become very controversial" and needs "a fresh start."

The program allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to ask local police and sheriffs to detain people who've been booked and whose fingerprints match up in a federal database for immigration violations.

ICE can then decide whether to deport them.

That's led to complaints that people are being deported for immigration violations even without being convicted of any crime, or with only minor offenses. Police and sheriff's officials also complain people are afraid to interact with law enforcement because they worry they'll be deported. In the wake of recent court rulings casting doubt on the program, local governments have increasingly announced plans to refuse to honor the detention requests.

Johnson offered little detail in comments on PBS' "NewsHour," but he indicated he might aim to

revamp the program to focus on people who've actually been convicted, not just those arrested or booked.

"In my judgment, Secure Communities should be an efficient way to work with state and local law enforcement to reach the removal priorities that we have, those who are convicted of something," he said.

action advocates are pushing for to allow some of the 11.5 million people in the country illegally to stay.

"Secure Communities has caused irreparable damage to immigrant communities, and although any attempt to prevent families from being unnecessarily ripped apart is welcome, a step like this is simply too little, too late,"

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson

Changes to the Secure Communities program or other enforcement policies would answer some demands from immigrant advocates who've been pressuring President Barack Obama to take steps to curb record-high deportations on his watch. But many advocates have pushed for Secure Communities to be eliminated altogether, and such steps also would fall short of the sweeping

said Kamal Essaheb, an attorney at the National Immigration Law Center.

Obama two years ago extended work permits and protection from deportation to some immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Johnson said he was still reviewing the possibility of expanding the program, but he sounded notes of caution, as Obama has. AP

Immigrant youth activists turn up heat on Democrats Cont'd from Page 44

"The immigration system that we have right now makes it harder, not easier, for law enforcement agencies to do their jobs. It makes it harder for law enforcement to know when dangerous people cross our borders.

"It makes it harder for business owners who play by the rules to compete when they're undercut by

If passed by the Congress and signed by the US President, the comprehensive immigration reform would provide a path of citizenship to some 11 million undocumented workers including a large number of undocumented Indians.

Obama said the absence of a comprehensive immigration reform makes it harder for law enforcement to do their jobs when large segments of the community are

"What this reform package would also do is create a firm but fair pathway to earn citizenship for those who live in the shadow and, as a consequence, would give law enforcement a better idea of who's in the country. those who would exploit workers in a shadow economy," Obama said referring to the difficulties posed by the current immigration system.

afraid to report crimes or serve as witnesses because they fear the consequences for themselves, for their families.

"The system's not fair. It's not

fair to workers, it's not fair to businesses who are trying to do the right thing; it's not fair to law enforcement agencies that are already stretched thin," he argued.

Obama stressed a comprehensive immigration reform would not only strengthen the American border, but would further boost the economy.

"What this reform package would also do is create a firm but fair pathway to earn citizenship for those who live in the shadow and, as a consequence, would give law enforcement a better idea of who's in the country. It would also help build trust between local communities and law enforcement and immigrant communities.

"It would undermine criminal enterprises that prey on undocumented immigrants, and it would allow law enforcement to focus on its primary mission, which is keeping our communities safe," Obama said. -AP, PTI

SpiceJet partners Gulf Visas for visa services MUMBAI: No-frills carrier SpiceJet has tied up with gulfbased Visas of the World to offer its customers seamless visa services for the UAE. Under the pact, the two partners together will provide a 30-day

less visa services for all its customers," it said.

It offers services such as personalized assistance with filling of forms by visa experts, appointment scheduling, documentation, visa application submission, con-

visa for AED 290 and 96-hour visa for AED 245 or its equivalent in Indian rupee to its customers, according to the airline's website.

"SpiceJet partners with Visas of the World to help provide seam-

venient payment options and delivery of visa documents.

Besides, a dedicated email and call Centre support team will also be provided to the visa seeker. PTI

Liberating H-4 spouses from tyranny of priority dates-II Cont'd from Page 44

No decision on H quotas can or should be made separate and apart from an answer to a far more fundamental question: How can we, as a nation, attract and retain that on which our prosperity most directly depends, namely a productive, diverse, stable and highly educated work force irrespective of nationality and do so

For those concerned about the impact on the US labor market, these H-4 spouses would in any event be able to work once the principal H-1B spouse applied for adjustment of status. without sacrificing the dreams and aspirations of our own people whose protection is the first duty and only sure justification for the continuance of that democracy on which all else rests? This is the very heart of the H-1B maze.

An immigration system that restricts the importation of human capital hurts American competitiveness every bit as much as high tariffs or artificial subsidies.

In each case, the controlled but predictable flow of capital across national boundaries is the lubricant of economic activity. Preserving the H-1B as an instrument of job creation for Americans while enhancing the ability of for-

eign professionals to make our cause their own is an essential and irresistible component of comprehensive immigration reform.

Allowing some, though not all, H-4 spouses to work is a key step in this direction. The DHS estimates that 100,600 H-4 spouses will apply for work authorization in the first year and 35,900 will initially apply in subsequent years.

For those concerned about the impact on the US labor market, these H-4 spouses would in any event be able to work once the principal H-1B spouse applied for adjustment of status.

They will also be able to contribute to the US economy, and the incentive provided to them will also encourage the H-1B spouse to stay on in the United States. We have every good hope that is will lead to ever more confident strides in the days to come.

It is in the very nature of reform in the liberal tradition for progress to be incremental. If the Chinese maxim that "the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step," retains its power to teach, as we believe it surely does, we who legitimately want much more than the H-4 spousal regulation offers should not, even for a single moment, divert our eyes from the very real progress that has now been taken.

(Guest writer Gary Endelman is the Senior Counsel of FosterQuan) Concluded * Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com

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Philosophy

May 23, 2014

India Post 49

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T

he following is a conversation between the Buddha and King Pasenadi from the book Old Path, White Clouds by Thich Nhat Hanh: Teacher Gautama, there are people who say you advise people not to love. They say you have said that the more a person loves, the more he will suffer and despair.

I can see some truth in that statement, but I am unable to find peace with it. Without love, life would seem empty of meaning. Please help me resolve this.

The Buddha looked at the king warmly. "You majesty, your question is a very good one, and many people can benefit from it. There are many kinds of love. We should examine closely the nature of each kind of love. Life has a great need of the presence of love, but not the sort of love that is based on lust, passion, attachment, discrimination, and prejudice.

Majesty, there is another kind of love, sorely needed, which consists of loving kindness and compassion, or maitri and karuna.

Usually when people speak of love they are referring only to the love that exists between parents and children, husbands and wives, family members, or the members of one's caste of country. Because the nature of such love depends on the concepts of 'me' and 'mine', it remains entangled in attachment and discrimination.

Swami Adidevananda

S

ri Ramanuja attempts to systematize the philosophy of the Upanishads, taking the cue from the ancient theistic philosophers. He recognizes three lines of thought in the Upanishads concerning the relation between Brahman, the self and the world: 1. Passages which declare difference of nature between the world, the self and Brahman. Here the world is the non-sentient matter (acit) which is the object of experience; the self is the experiencing conscious subject (cit), and Brahman, the absolute ruling principle. These may be named analytical texts.

2. Passages which teach that Brahman is the inner self of all entities which constitute his body. For instance, "He who dwells in the earth and within the earth, whom the earth does not know, whose body the earth is, and who rules the earth within, he is thy Self, the ruler within, the immortal" etc. (Br. III, vii, 3-23). These are called ghataka-srutis or mediating texts.

3. Passages which proclaim the unity of Brahman with the world in its causal as well as effected aspect. The famous text, 'That thou art, O Svetaketu' (Cha. VI 2-8)

People want only to love their parents, spouse, children, grandchildren, their own relatives and countrymen. Because they are caught in attachment, they worry about accidents that could befall their loves ones even before such things actually take place. When such accidents do occur, they suffer terribly. Love that is based on discrimination breeds prejudice.

People become indifferent or even hostile to those outside their own circle of love. Attachment and dis-

children, relatives, caste members, and countrymen. They extend to all people and all beings. In maitri and karuna there is no discrimination no 'mine' or 'not mine.' And because there is no discrimination, there is no attachment.

Maitri and karuna bring happiness and ease suffering. They do not cause suffering and despair.

Without them, life would be empty of meaning, as you said. With loving kindness and compassion, life is filled with peace, joy, and con-

when nations join together in a common commitment to seek the welfare of all.

If you truly want Kosala to enjoy peace and to prevent the young men of your kingdom from losing their lives on the battlefield, you must help other kingdoms find peace. Foreign and economic policies must follow the way of compassion for true peace to be possible.

If our love is based on a selfish desire to possess others, we will

Maitri & karuna bring happiness, ease suffering If you truly want Kosala to enjoy peace and to prevent the young men of your kingdom from losing their lives on the battlefield, you Thich Nhat Hanh

must help other kingdoms find peace.

crimination are sources of suffering for ourselves and others. Majesty, the love for which all beings truly hunger is loving kindness and compassion. Maitri is the love that has the capacity to bring happiness to another. Karuna is the love which has the capacity to remove another's suffering.

Maitri and karuna do not demand anything in return. Loving kindness and compassion are not limited to one's parents, spouse,

tentment.

It is not just some ideal. It is something which can actually be realized.

Just because one loves one's own people is no reason not to love the peoples of other kingdoms.

The prosperity and security of one nation should not depend on the poverty and insecurity of other nations. Majesty, lasting peace and prosperity are only possible

not be able to bring them peace and happiness. On the contrary, our love will make them feel trapped. If you want your loved ones to be happy, you must learn to understand their sufferings and aspirations. When you understand, you will know how to relieve their sufferings and how to help them fulfill their aspirations.

The 2577th birth anniversary of the Buddha was observed on May 14.

comes under this category. These may be termed as synthetic passages. Sri Ramanuja lays down that the interpretation of the various passages must be such that they are not made to contradict each other, and not a single passage should be so interpreted as to be divested of its primary significance.

far as distinction is made between body and self, and unity in so far as the self, the substantive element, predominates over and controls the body, its attribute.

The last group of texts aim at proclaiming the non-dual character of Brahman who alone constitutes the ultimate Reality. The self and the

as well as effected aspects, do not in any way contradict the mediating passages which declare that the individual selves and the world form the body of Brahman, and they in their causal state do not admit the distinction of names and forms while in the effected state they possess distinct character.

Individual & world inseparably connected with Brahman These texts teach duality in so far as distinction is made between body and self, and unity in so far as the self, the substantive element, predominates over and controls the body, its attribute.

The first group of texts distinguishes Brahman from the world and the individual selves. In a way it emphasizes the transcendent character of Brahman. The second group of texts declares Brahman to be the inner self of all entities. Neither the individual self nor the world can exist by itself. They are inseparably connected with Brahman as his body, and thus are controlled by him.

These texts teach duality in so

world, though distinct from each other and real, have a different value. They only exist as a mode or attribute of Brahman. They are comprehended in the reality of Brahman. They exist because Brahman exists.

On this principle of interpretation, Sri Ramanuja recognizes that the passages declaring distinction between Brahman, the world and the self, and those affirming Brahman to be the same in the causal

Sri Ramanuja

The notion of unity may be illustrated by the example, "A purple robe." Here purpleness is quite different from robe. The latter is a substance while the former is an attribute. This integral and essential relation is not found in the case of a man wearing a wrist-watch. If the former relation is inseparable, the latter is separable and external.

The 997th birth anniversary of Ramanujacharya was observed on May 4

When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.

- Confucius It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.

- Aristotle Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.

- Plato Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes.

Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.

- Lao Tzu You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.

- Friedrich Nietzsche

If I take death into my life, acknowledge it, and face it squarely, I will free myself from the anxiety of death and the pettiness of life - and only then will I be free to become myself.

- Martin Heidegger

Genuine tragedies in the world are not conflicts between right and wrong.

They are conflicts between two rights.

- Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

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Datebook

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NEW JERSEY Upcoming Sat, May 24 • Gippy Gerwal and Sharry Mann Venue: Loews Theater, 54 Journal Square Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07306 Time: 8: 00 pm

Sun, May 25 • Musik Waves - Spring Mela Venue: Edison Hotel, 3050,Woodbridge Ave, Edison, NJ 08837 Time : 11:00 am Contact: 732-277-6687

Sun, May 25 • Culture Shock Live Concert in New Jersey Venue: Edison Hotel, 3050,Woodbridge Ave, Edison, NJ 08837 Time: 8:00 pm Contact: 732-277-6687

NEW YORK Upcoming Sat, May 31 • Ghulam Ali Live In Concert Venue: Hindu Auditorium, 143-09 Holly Ave, Flushing, NY 11355 Time : 8:00 pm Contact : 917-855-2057

Sat, Jun 7 • Babbu Maan Live In New York Venue: York College, 94-20 Guy R, Brewer Blvd Jamaica, NY 11451 Time: 07:30 pm Contact : 516-946-4748

Sat, Jun 21 • 17th Annual Event by Asavari Venue: Valimar Clubhouse, 166 Valimar Blvd, White Plains, NY 10603 Time: 03:00 pm Contact: 9149488969

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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Upcoming

Upcoming

ILLINOIS Upcoming

Sun, May 25 • USA Sangams 22nd National Convention Awards Night

Sat, Jun 14 • Desi Rock Star

Mukund Hindi Classes are held

Venue: The Event Center, San Jose State

every 2nd and 4rth Sunday of

Venue: SDES HALL, 30846 Watkins St, Union City, CA 94587 Time: 7:00 pm Contact: 510-688-0878

University, 290 S 7th St, San Jose,

Month

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Chicago Satsang Information:

Time: 07:30 pm

J K Yog, Chicago - Swami Mukundananda

Contact: 510-677-2777

Venue: Clarion Inn/Waterford Banquets,

June 5th to 8th • Bombay Jayashree And Shubha Mudgal Live In Bay Area Venue: Sunnyvale Hindu temple, 450 Persian Dr, Sunnyvale, CA 94089 Time: 6 pm Contact: 510-305-9285

June 6 and 7,8 • Mount Madonna School's 36th annual Ramayana!

Venue: Mexican Heritage Theater, 1700 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose Time: 7 pm June 8 Time: 2 pm Tickets: All Seats Reserved, $35 Adults/$25 Children (18 and under) Contact: MountMadonnaSchool.org/ ramayana

• J K Yog Satsang and Bal

Board Room, 933 South Riverside

Sun, Jun 22 •Halo Ne Apna Malak Ma

Drive, Elmhurst, IL 60126

Venue: Jain Temple, 722 South Main Street,

Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok

Milpitas, CA 95035

@ 630-561-4807

Time: 4:30 pm

Website: www.jkyog.org

Time: 3:30pm-5:30pm

Contact: 408-646-0330

ATLANTA Upcoming Fri, May 23 • An Evening Of Global Music Venue: Berkmar High School, 405 Pleasant Hill Road, Lilburn, GA 30047 Time: 7:30pm

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 @

Sat, Jun 7 • Swadeshi Ayya A Play By Y.Gee Mahendra

Sat, May 31 • ETV Paadutaa Teeyaga in Atlanta

Venue: Carrington Hall, 1201 Brewster Avenue, Redwood City, CA 94062 Time : 4:00 pm Contact: 408-892-9907

Venue: Independence High School, 86

June 5th to 8th • Bombay Jayashree And

Sun, Jun 1 • ETV Paadutaa Teeyaga in Atlanta

Language Classes

Venue: Independence High School, 86

Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL,

School Dr, Alpharetta, GA 30009

Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm

Shubha Mudgal Live In Bay Area Venue: Sunnyvale Hindu temple, 450 Persian Dr, Sunnyvale, CA 94089 Contact: 510-305-9285

School Dr, Alpharetta, GA 30009 Time: 11:00 am

Time: 3:00 pm

630-561-4807 Website: www.jkyog.org/bal-mukund

Mondays and Fridays • Free ESL - English as Second Where: Metropolitan Asian Family Services

Contact: 773-465-3105

51 India Post

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May 23, 2014

P

riyanka Chopra has taken sizeable strides in the world of international music since she began her journey two years ago. And with each new song that she records, PC has so far struck the right chord. Her latest track - I Can't Make You Love Me - will be featured in a US ad campaign and will run nationwide in America through the end of May. The US ad campaign sees Priyanka in august company, with the likes of Nicki Minaj, Pharrell, will.I.am and Lil Wayne, having featured in earlier commercials.

Her song, released first on April 30, has amassed a million views in a short span. However, the reason the actress is on a high currently is because she is still getting amazing reactions to her first live performance in India, which took place at a club in Mumbai a few days ago.

Says she, "I had just landed in Mumbai on the day of my live performance. I didn't have time to rehearse in India, so I did it in Los Angeles. And though I'm a very confident girl on most occasions, I was really, really scared because it was my first live performance. I had a whole choreography routine ready when I got to Blue Frog. I was supposed to sing, pull the mike very stylishly and dance.

"And guess what? When I saw so many people - there was the press - I just froze. My mother, my coach, my team and so many people were sitting out there. And when the lights came on, I had to start singing. And for a few seconds, I couldn't find my voice. I forgot my steps. There was one step I had practiced that I would do and then go forward to pull out the mic.

"It was meant to look really cool, like a rockstar. But as luck would have it, the mic got stuck. It was really funny. Of course, these minor blips and hiccups apart, when I sang the first time and everyone demanded an encore, my nervousness disappeared. I sang again. And between the first two times that I sang my track, I felt relieved. I said to myself, 'Well, that wasn't so bad'. The second time around, I sang a lot more confidently. When someone said that was cool and asked me to sing without the track also, I was game."

Ecstatic over the numerous compliments that came her way, the actress says, "I think I will do more live performances. It is a new phase in my life. I have always sung since I was a kid. I have sung on stage too. But doing shows and singing professionally is a different ball game."

PC recalls how friends like Farhan Akhtar and Vishal Dadlani,

"I had just landed in Mumbai on the day of my live performance.

I didn't have time to rehearse in India, so I did it in Los Angeles.

And though I'm a very confident girl on most occasions, I was really, really scared because it was my first live performance. I had a whole choreography routine ready when I got to Blue Frog.

I was supposed to sing, pull the mike very stylishly and dance.�

who also perform live, had told her that the experience was wild.

Says she, "Farhan told me that once I start singing on stage, everything else will pale in comparison. Vishal had also said something similar. He said nothing else will compare in terms of performing arts. I am someone who is very big on performances in the movies and concerts, etc, so I wondered how something can be bigger and better than what I have already done.

Cont'd on Page 53

52 India Post

May 23, 2014 www.indiapost.com

Bollywood villain Sudhir passes away

B

ollywood's popular villain Sudhir, whose real name was Bhagwandas

Mulchand Luthria, breathed his last after battling lung ailment for several years. He was fondly called

Sudhir

'Bhagu' by his friends. He was seen in super-hit movies like 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna', 'Deewaar' and many more. He also played one among seven brothers in Amitabh Bachchan starrer 'Satte Pe Satta' as well as Shahrukh Khan's detective flick in 'Baadshah'.

He was mostly seen playing antagonist in the films of 70s and 80s. Sudhir remained unmarried throughout his life and left behind a bungalow in Andheri. The news of his death was not passed to many as the veteran actor was a private person and wanted to keep everything to himself.

It is said that Sudhir was the younger brother of filmmaker Milan Luthria's father.

'Too handsome waiter, sea too blue' NEW DELHI: Can the sea be too blue or the waiter too handsome? Apparently yes, say some hotel staff who receive such bizarre complaints, according to a recent survey.

Travel search site Skyscanner queried 400 hotel workers across the world to shortlist the top 10 odd requests made by hotel guests.

Staff at various hotels are also on the receiving end of complaints that seem to be strange or plain outrageous, says survey results.

These include a dead mouse, sound of goat bells to aid sleep and 16 pillows for a single guest!

Not to mention some who complained that the sheets were too white, the sea too blue and the icecream too cold.

Staff at Mayfair Hotel in London said one visitor was unhappy as his room had no view of the ocean.

While one guest, complained

about how his girlfriend's snoring kept him awake another complained about the absence of steak on a vegetarian menu. Yet another grumbled about his pet dog not enjoying the stay.

Requests for toilets filled with mineral water and baths of chocolate milk and honey may seem tame

in comparison to requirements of food with due care to include only the right legs of a chicken!

Culinary requests that hotel staff received include 15 cucumbers a day, a dead mouse or even soup of a crocodile and one glass of water on the hour every hour throughout the night. -PTI

‘No lover boy but I can be a lover’

H

ours before he flew out to Hawaii to film Jurassic World in which he plays a business tycoon and owner of the dino park, an excited Irrfan Khan told Mirror that he was looking forward to interacting with the prehistoric creatures.

"There's a huge, insatiable curiosity about dinosaurs in the US. There is an attempt to provide constant fodder for the imagination and bringing that reality on to the screen," he had pointed out. Back from the shoot, the actor refuses to reveal details about the dinos but is obviously impressed with the park that has been created on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.

"It's a huge set and a big unit. The first day that I reported for the shoot, the whole street was filled with trucks.

They had blocked a part of the island, mostly jungles and mountains," he informs, adding that certain portions were also shot in Maui island.

He's all praise for director and cowriter Collin Trevorrow. "Even though he has just one film behind him, Safety Not Guranteed, he was very chilled out and in control," he says, excited to have worked with director Ron Howards's daughter Bryce Dallas Howard known for her perfor-

mances in films like The Help, As You Like It, Spider-Man 3 and Twilight Salvation. "She's very good.

When I go back in July I am looking forward to working with other actors like Chris Pratt," he says.

While working in a big Holly-

Irrfan Khan in Jurassic World

wood franchise gives a high, Irrfan is equally excited about Revolver Rani director, Sai Kabir's next film, Divine Lovers. "It's a fantastic love story co-starring Kangana (Ranaut)," says the actor who's been getting rave reviews the world over for his performance as a mature lover in The Lunchbox.

Cont'd on Page 53

May 23, 2014

India Post 53 www.indiapost.com

Empowering women, one ‘No lover boy but ice pick at a time I can be a lover’ OURAY, Colo.: The timpani beat of cramponed boots thudding into ice. The treble tick-tock of scythelike picks digging the next foothold. A sudden chord of shattering ice.

This woman-and-nature duet worthy of Steve Reich is the soundtrack to a Chicks with Picks morning in the San Juan Mountains. Chicks with Picks, founded to give women ice climbers a chance to learn from other women, has grown over the past 15 years.

In addition to signature clinics in the Ouray Ice Park, a city-owned facility with artificial ice in a natural gorge, the umbrella company Chicks Climbing now offers rock climbing tutorials around the country and even treks in Nepal. ``I call myself the accidental entrepreneur,'' said Chicks founder Kim Reynolds. ``I'm just creative.

I take on more, I have more ideas.

And I'm having fun.''

Reynolds' philosophy - that women thrive when they support one another - informs her social responsibility agenda. Chicks with Picks sponsors auctions that have over the years raised tens of thousands of dollars for women's shelters.

Ice climbing is ``a very empowering experience for the women that do it,'' said Aimee QuadriChavez, whose Tri Country Resources project for victims of domestic violence has received Chicks with Picks auction funds. ``Our mission is to empower women. It fits really well.''

Reynolds' guides are world-renowned. Kitty Calhoun, who has been with Chicks with Picks since its beginnings, was the first woman to climb Makalu, the Himalayan peak that is the fifth highest in the world, at 27,825 feet.

Reynolds herself has been an Outward Bound instructor and Himalayan trek leader.

long weekend or more, and the same students return year after year.

Reynolds, who also is a life coach, opens each clinic with a slideshow extolling the exploits of guides like Calhoun, and then asks her clients to introduce themselves and talk about what they want to take home from Ouray. ``It creates an atmosphere where women can be themselves, they can speak their hearts, and they can see that they're not

An unidentified climber making her way up the Ouray Ice Park in Ouray, Colo.

Chicks with Picks, a company founded to introduce the sport of ice climbing to women, holds several clinics each winter in in the Ouray Ice Park, a cityowned facility with man-made ice in a natural gorge

alone,'' Reynolds said.

Cathy Murray, a nurse from Aurora, volunteers with a Denver area search and rescue crew. She and other crew members, most of whom are men, also hike and take part in outdoor activities together.

With Chicks, she finds women who share her interests. ``I need my women time,'' Murray said.

Kari Berg, a psychologist from Burlington, Vermont, took part in her first Chicks with Picks clinic a decade ago, and has done four since. She also hikes and climbs

While they don't play down the physical challenge, the climbers focus on the mental rewards. Reynolds' first ice climb was in 1982, with a fellow Outward Bound instructor as a guide. Back before the Ouray Ice Park opened in the 1990s, ice climbing in the area entailed seeking out hidden ravines.

Calhoun said her other guiding often involves working with clients for just a day, an experience she compares to being an emergency room doctor: ``There's no continuity of patient care.''

A typical Chicks clinic is a

``I feel comfortable with my body.

You can feel gratitude that you can do something with it, instead of criticizing how you look.''

A recent class drew students from across the country and from varying walks of life. The oldest was 61; the youngest too young to rent a car.

Ice climbing is for neither the faint of heart nor the faint of wallet _ a good rope can cost a few hundred dollars. A three-day Chicks weekend starts at $800.

Reynolds has persuaded Eddie

with other groups, and often finds herself the only woman on the trip.

The men will forget she's there, she said, and start gossiping about their girlfriends or what they find attractive in a woman.

On a Chicks clinic, Berg said,

Bauer to sponsor scholarships for climbers.

On this particular day in Ouray, the chicks have now laid down their picks. Over soft tacos and champagne poured to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Chicks with Picks, dinner conversation is peppered with climber jargon: mushrooms, the outcroppings of rock or ice that climbers find so handy; the intriguing but treacherous ice formations known as chandeliers; barfies, that feeling when your hands are so cold, you're nauseous.

While they don't play down the physical challenge, the climbers focus on the mental rewards.

Reynolds' first ice climb was in 1982, with a fellow Outward Bound instructor as a guide. Back before the Ouray Ice Park opened in the 1990s, ice climbing in the area entailed seeking out hidden ravines.

Reynolds, already a rock climber and mountaineer, was intrigued by the beauty of the places the ice formed, and of the ice itself.

Her chicks speak of the meditative moments they experience on the rock face, a focus reinforced by the monochromatic wonders of the scenery and the minimalist music of the climb.-AP

Cont'd from Page 52

"I became an actor to explore love and the love in my heart won't die till I die. It has taken me a long time to make my presence felt as a romantic lead. I'm glad for the opportunity even if it's come late in life. I cannot be a lover boy now but I can be a lover," says the actor.

And so the journey towards romance continues from Paan Singh Tomar which he describes as a "sad love letter to the country from Tigmashu Dhulia" to Shoojit Sircar's Piku which he terms a "quirky love story" with "diva" Deepika Padukone.

But what he's really looking forward to is doing a love story with Vishal Bhardwaj. "He wins my heart by the way he writes.

From what I have seen of Haider, it's one of Vishal's best films and Shahid's (Kapoor) best performance. Shraddha (Kapoor) is like a flower and Tabu, who has been a part of so many turning points in my life - from Maqbool to The

Namesake to the Padma Shri which we were both honored with in the same year - has grown more beautiful and grown as an actress over the years," he asserts.

His rhapsodies pause abruptly when you quiz him about his role in the desi Hamlet. Saying that it's hard to de-

fine. He recalls his first visit to Kashmir for Vishal's Saat Khoon Maaf and then his return for Haider. "It's one of the most beautiful places on earth and also one of the worst given the horrible living conditions ," he sighs.

"My character is a reflection of these socio-political aspects. I'm the conscience of the place, the soul and spirit of the movie."

There's a poet too in Irrfan!

Akshay, Karan to coproduce Warrior

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kshay Kumar and Karan Johar are likely to join forces for the production of the film, Warrior. The film will feature Akshay alongside rising star Sidharth Malhotra and is tipped to be directed by Karan Malhotra, who previously directed the blockbuster

Agneepath.

Karan and Akshay previously shared screen space when Akshay made an appearance on Karan's show 'Koffee With Karan' where he entertained viewers by turning the tables on his host when he asked Karan to answer a series of witty questions.

Priyanka live, & nervous Cont'd from Page 51

"But let me tell you, after the live performance that night; I understood what Farhan and Vishal were talking about. Even my father had told me that when you sing in front of an audience, it's totally pure. It was his dream for me to sing live. He once said,

'Beta, you are so good in the creative space, but you have not touched the greatest feeling of them all, which is singing'. He told me it is the closest thing to God. It is so pure and created entirely by you. I missed him like crazy that evening. Hopefully, this is the start of a really beautiful journey."

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May 23, 2014

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US rebalancing strategy: Where does India figure?

MONISH TOURANGBAM

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lthough the US government has tried to soften the China element in its rebalancing strategy, it remains ubiquitous, with Beijing undoubtedly seeing it as a 'China containment' policy. The centrality of India's role in this strategy and its approach to this strategy is still debated and remains ambiguous; however, India's rising strategic capabilities and aspirations make it a protagonist in the changing dynamics of the Asia-Pacific.

The rebalancing strategy accords particular significance to the evolving strategic partnership with India. A more pragmatic India-US relationship based on shared interests and not mere shared values will be germane to mapping out the future of this partnership and its impact in the Asia-Pacific.

Barack Obama

However, given the checkered history of the India-US relationship, a lingering sense of mistrust still hinders the relationship to some extent, with India often being seen as a reluctant partner and the US as an unreliable power.

The document Non-Alignment 2.0: A Foreign and Strategic Policy for India in the Twenty First Century pointed out that maintaining strategic autonomy is germane to India's foreign policy.

It emphasized that many Asian powers were "looking to hedge their bets against excessive dependence on a major power." Indians remember how the US during the Cold War, in regular fashion, offered rhetorical flourishes on how it had discernible stakes in the success of India as a democratic counterweight against a Communist China.

But, the same US later courted the Chinese through rapprochement, offering a red carpet welcome to 'red China' to the UN Security Council.

US' complex tango with China certainly leaves India nervous and

concerned about the prospects of a power condominium between a power in relative decline and a power seeing an undoubted rise.

India is wary that China's relatively increasing power vis-Ă -vis the US could lead to the US accommodating China to the detriment of India's interests in the Asia-Pacific.

Moreover, domestic opposition to an overt alliance with the US also accounts for India's cautious and ambivalent approach to the rebalancing strategy.

Hence, the strategic imperatives of the India-US relationship need to be nurtured and cannot be left on auto-pilot. One of the most salient areas of convergence is the one perceived between US' rebalancing strategy and India's Look East Policy (LEP).

Both of these are broad-based policies that see each country's national interests through a more stable and secure Asia with interdependent economies built on the principle of mutualism. But, at the same time, both also aim at precluding the rise of an uncertain Asia with an aggressive power free to resort to unilateral moves in the region.

The string of relationships that the US has formed with Southeast Asian countries is in strategic unison with the kind of relationships that India has been building with its Southeast Asian partners through the LEP. The management of China's rise is rendered more complex by the increasing economic interdependence that exists between China and these countries, that has nevertheless failed to translate into greater strategic trust.

In other words, despite the economic content of the relationship, there is also enough clarity that India, the US and most of the Southeast Asian countries do not want to see the rise of a China that could destabilize Asia. Reports have fairly concluded that the rise of India's capabilities and aspirations in Asia and at the global level is in the interest of the US, and that the sustenance of US' power and influence in Asia and globally is

in the interest of India.

The future of the 'strategic partnership' between the two countries clearly lies in a pragmatic and nuanced understanding of why India and the US need each other, what the US expects India to do, what India can and is willing to do, what India expects the US to do, and what the US is capable of and willing to do.

A 21st century partnership between the two countries based on shared interests necessitates a more honest understanding and acceptance of differences, rather than harboring utopian ideas of commonalities.

The rebalancing strategy undoubtedly presents both opportunities and challenges for India.

New Delhi is not blind to the strategic logic that guides the rebal-

Narendra Modi

ancing strategy and the role that India could play in it as an emerging power of regional and global reckoning. But at the same time, the emerging geopolitics and geoeconomics of Asia-Pacific are both too intertwined and interdependent for politics of 'curtains' and 'walls' to be played Ă la the Cold War. Every country gives primacy to the management of China's rise, and China is itself very much involved in managing its own rise in the international system. A globalize world demands a more shrewd game of maneuvering amidst dangerous minefields of regional and global politics. Hence, while Washington needs to more seriously factor in India's strategic autonomy, New Delhi needs to take due cognizance of the deterrent capability that a well-managed rebalancing strategy could have in the region.

The writer is Assistant Professor, Department of Geopolitics and International Relations, Manipal University

India Post Development mantra

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arendra Modi has inaugurated a new kind of politics in India in which caste, religion and region do not matter but only development does. This mantra has produced astonishing results: the unprecedented 71 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh; 26 out of 26 seats in Gujarat; 25 out of 25 in Rajasthan and 27 out of 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh. In his gracious first speech in Vadodra after declaration of results, he sought the permission of 6 crore Gujaratis to go and serve 125 crore Indians, calling himself "mazdoor number one". He claimed that the BJP deliberately set the development agenda during campaigning and his detractors had to take it up even if to pick holes in the Gujarat model. He sought to raise the consciousness of people from narrow sectarian concerns to the national one of building India through development. The lazy secularists thought that the old formula of raising fears about "communalism" would be enough to contain Modi.

In this unprecedented victory, Modi was one step ahead raising issues which concerned the common man. He is being accused of polarizing the Hindu vote but his detractors forget that even nonHindus want development which benefits everybody. In every debate on TV or the opinion pages, the learned speakers or writers have sought to bring the focus back to the Gujarat riots or the insecurities of Muslims. That we can move on from there doesn't occur to them. They are caught in a time warp.

Modi is an inspiration to those who don't come from privileged families, don't have mentors and are financially not well off. They have to work hard on their own. This section was consistently being deprived of opportunities under Congress raj and the other so-called "secular' regimes in northern India. Corruption, nepotism, goondaism was all ok as long as it came under the garb of "secularism". That sickening bubble has now burst and the ordinary man can claim benefits available to anybody with a development favoring the nation and not a political party, a family, a coterie or an elite class.

The kind of attacks Modi has had to face would have finished a lesser man. Modi however turned every adversity into opportunity. From a tea vendor he has transformed into Prime Minister of this great country by sheer dint of hard work. He transformed Gujarat into a model developed state winning for himself a fourth successive mandate. This success was not lost on the India-wide electorate which rewarded him and offered him to do with India what he had done in Gujarat. This time they paid no heed to the fear mongers who were able to so far win by default by raising the bogey of "communalism." In an astonishing turn in Uttar Pradesh with the highest number of 80 parliamentary seats, the ruling Samajwadi Party struggled to win five seats, two of them by the party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. And the previous ruler of Uttar Pradesh, the BSP of Mayawati was totally wiped out. If this is the verdict given by the poor and the Dalits included, it is time to sit up and change. Or perish.

The Congress party has been so badly mauled that it cannot even claim the role of Opposition leader in Parliament. Still it has been churlish in defeat refusing to congratulate Modi for leading the BJP to this spectacular success. The high decibel Modi detractors like Lalu Yadav, Nitish Kumar, Kapil Sibal and even Arvind Kejriwal of Aam Aadmi Party have bitten dust.

If the unemployed young Indians are full of hope today it is because they have seen the rise of an ordinary Indian from humble background. From the cabinet that Modi selects it will be known how he will go about in fashioning this victory into a transformation which the nation has been waiting for. The old kind of politics of favoritism is dead, let us hope.

May 23, 2014

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