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Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the President of Iran Hassan Rouhani

India, Iran sign Chabahar pact to bypass Pak

VOL 21, No. 1130

May 27, 2016

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Periodical Postage

BERNIE MANIA SWEEPS BAY AREA

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Insects from Yamuna River harming Taj

Illinois Secretary of State endorses Raja Details on page 16

Pak summons US envoy over drone strike

CONTENTS Bernie Sanders, Democratic presidential candidate, addresses the crowd during a rally at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in San Jose, Calif., on May 18. Pic courtesy Gary Reyes/Bay Area News Group

Can Bernie Sanders still wrest nomination? Last week’s result

Can India’s aircraft Tejas match international standards? YES 38%

NO 62%

Bollywood ---------------------- 28-29 Classifieds ------------------------- 48 Community Post -------------- 16-23

India Post News Service

This week’s question

'India Fellows Program' for young Diaspora

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Indian-US groups allege Yale bias

India launches first 'swadeshi' shuttle

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'I want to inspire young folks to get involved'

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Ro Khanna

May 18th last week. The freeways and roads were jammed as everyone seemingly converged upon the fairgrounds to be part of the Bernie Mania experience that had swept the whole country. Bernie's quest to touch 200,000 voters in California before the June 7th primary elections was on - demonstrated by his zeal in conducting rallies at San Francisco and Vallejo following the San Jose one - on the same day. Very impressive for 74-year-old Bernie demonstrating relentless energy in doing so.

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n a lot of ways Bernie Sanders reminds me of the Barack Obama of 2008. No, no similarities in age or the handsomeness quotient, but in the uncanny sense of conviction to carry the youth aspirations forward in an economically just world. And I would think also in the lightness of their persona that reflects an unmasked truth. I had always said that Obama was one American politician who "gets it" whether it is about the big greedy corporations or the greasy lobbyists, about the gorge between the rich and the poor or the real potential of a nation which shines through an empowered youth. Clearly, Bernie Sanders also "gets that." Now despite the full two terms in office, if Obama fell short of delivering on his promised la-la land, albeit the trek through tough terrain, I refuse to doubt his integrity. No other President in the history of American politics had to deal with the level of extreme right-wing cabals as Obama had to endure as a liberal Black American President. And so, given the vulnerability of an openly socialistic, anti-rich, pro-environment, anti-gun, pro-choice, anti-corporate, pro-welfare 74-year old liberal battling against the establishment dinosaurs, Bernie Sanders has become a cool retro icon for the youth, a rebel against the system no less. For some impressionable youth, Sanders, as one young blogger put it, "the closest thing to a super hero that America will ever see." "Senator Sanders is the middle class and the working poor's own version of Batman or even Superman," he writes. At this point, despite his considerable wins in the primaries, Sanders' chances at a Democratic nomination seem almost impossible. Even if there are enough voters who favor Sanders, on Election Day they may be left with unsavory options. For me, whether Sanders gets his name on the ballot or not, it is heartening enough to know that the American youth has caught on to his lexicon of key words - Wall Street, Big Corporations, Big Pharma, Big Banks, the Billionaire class and Political elite - the true definitions of which should matter to every true American.

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Cover Story: Bernie mania Bernie mania is sweeping Bay Area as the Presidential candidate's rally brought in 5,500+ residents on a scorching day

Community: Endorsing Raja Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is endorsing Raja Krishnamoorthi in the contest for Congress in Illinois

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Immigration: Teaching history A California panel is charged with establishing a new history and social studies framework for 6.2 million school students.

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Cook meets Modi Apple chief Tim Cook discusses with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the "possibilities of manufacturing" in India

Sangla The proximity of Baspa River makes the setting all the more beautiful, making Sangla an ideal holiday destination.

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Bernie mania sweeps Bay Area India Post News Service

SANTA CLARA, CA: Saratoga City Councilmember Rishi Kumar was enthusiastically playing up to the crowd, warming them up - if they weren't hot already under the California sun - before Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders took the stage. Bernie mania was sweeping Bay Area and Silicon Valley as Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders' last minute rally brought in 5,500+ residents on a scorching 90 degree day to the open air Santa Clara County Fairgrounds on May 18th last week. The freeways and roads were jammed as everyone seemingly converged upon the fairgrounds to be part of the Bernie Mania experience that had swept the whole country. Bernie's quest to touch 200,000 voters in California before the

2015, The New York Times reported that Sanders had raised US $26 million over the preceding three months, close behind Hillary Clinton's $28 million. The Bernie Sanders campaign that had been easily discarded by media pundits was now a force to reckon and had become a huge force in the Presidential election. Leading Trump During Wednesday's rally Sanders with a voice almost hoarse, stayed on message with his stump speech, lamenting on how the wealthy have a huge say on America's political and economic systems. He directed his focus upon the Republican nominee Donald Trump referencing how he led Trump in many national polls. "I know that there are many people who are concerned that Donald Trump may become president of the United States.

Posing with Rishi Kumar and other leaders

June 7th primary elections was on - demonstrated by his zeal in conducting rallies at San Francisco and Vallejo following the San Jose one - on the same day. Very impressive for 74-year-old Bernie demonstrating relentless energy in doing so. The 2016 presidential campaign of Bernie Sanders, US Senator and former Congressman from Vermont, elected as Mayor of Burlington Vermont at the age of 40, had begun with a fairly low key announcement on May 26, 2015. Back then New York Times had described the moment as, "Avoiding the fanfare that several Republicans have chosen so far when announcing their candidacies, Mr. Sanders issued a statement to supporters that laid out his goals for reducing income inequality, addressing climate change and scaling back the influence of money in politics". Very quickly Bernie's populist and social democratic politics resonated with voters and Bernie surged in polls. On September 30,

That will not happen! More important, I believe the American people will reject the basic tenets of what Donald Trump stands for. "The American people will not vote for a candidate for president who insults Mexicans and Latinos. A candidate who insults

Bernie Sanders arrives at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. Pics: Cari Templeton, Rocky Aroda & Erica Lee

our Muslim brothers and sisters. A candidate who insults women, who insults veterans, who insults the African-American community." The anti-Trump message was greeted with thunderous applause and shouts of "Bernie, Bernie, Bernie". Sanders in his speech also provided his support for California's issue of legalizing cannabis for adult recreational use. "If I lived in California I would vote yes to legalize marijuana."

has 1768 pledged delegates, plus 525 super delegates to total 2,293. Senator Bernie Sanders lags behind her with 1,494 pledged delegates plus 39 super delegates to total 1533. Pending delegate votes total 939 that include a huge chunk from California 548 that includes 475 pledged delegates. June 7th, as it turns out, will be a key moment in the Democratic Presidential race. No wonder Bernie has been spending time at various rallies in California with a

Peace with Hillary Even though Senator Sanders did not once mention Hillary's name in his speech he seemed to extend peace with Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. "At the end of the day, if we stand together as one people and not allow the Trumps of the world to divide us up ... there is nothing that we cannot accomplish. That is what this campaign is about." Clinton does need to win over the students, progressives and blue-collar workers in order to win the elections - where Sanders is very strongly positioned with the demonstrated support. So how is it looking for Bernie today? Secretary Hillary Clinton

Even though Senator Sanders did not once mention Hillary's name in his speech he seemed to extend peace with Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. "At the end of the day, if we stand together as one people and not allow the Trumps of the world to divide us up ...there is nothing that we cannot accomplishâ&#x20AC;? huge sense of urgency. The latest poll, conducted by KABC/ SurveyUSA at the end of April, showed Clinton with a 19-point lead over Sanders. An average of the polls shows Clinton up by about 10 percentage points. Mathematically, Sanders' chances are diminishing but he vows to stay

Rishi Kumar warms up the crowd before Bernie's arrival

in the race and lobby for a more liberal platform at the party's July convention in Philadelphia. Super delegates' votes aren't pledged, meaning they can switch candidates at any time - and technically should not be taken into account for the final Delegates count until the votes are cast at the July National Democratic Convention in Philadelphia. Swept in the Bernie Mania was Saratoga Councilmember Rishi Kumar, the 2nd Indian American

elected from the city of Saratoga in the heart of Silicon Valley - and one of very few elected leaders in an Indian American population of almost 244,000 in the nine counties of Bay area (2011 data) out of 528,000 Indian Americans in California. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 6

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Indian-US groups allege discrimination by Yale NEW YORK: A coalition of more than 130 Asian-American organizations, including two Indian-American groups, have sought an investigation into admission practices of the prestigious Yale University and two other Ivy League institutions, alleging that they discriminate against students from the community on racial grounds. Indian-American groups - the American Society of Engineers of National Capital Chapter and the Global Organization of Los Angeles Chapter - have joined over 130 Asian-American groups and got the complaint filed by AsianAmerican Coalition for Education (AACE) group against Yale, Brown University and Dartmouth College with the US Departments of Education and Justice. The complaint alleges that the three institutions are "engaged in unlawful discrimination against Asian-American applicants to their colleges" and participate in a "covert and insidious scheme

to enforce race-based quotas in college admissions" in violation of the US Constitution. "Although discrimination by elite colleges against AsianAmerican students is widespread,

have maintained the lowest admission rates for Asian-American students, while Yale University not only maintains a relatively low admission rate for Asian-American applicants, but also engages

University on behalf of AsianAmerican students by a coalition of 64 groups alleging that the Ivy League institution discriminated against Asian-American applicants in its admissions process

AACE and the joining organizations are bringing this complaint against the three named Ivy League Colleges because Brown University and Dartmouth College

in destroying admissions records at its law school," the complaint said. In May last year, a similar complaint was filed against Harvard

and "unfairly" rejected well-qualified students because of their race. Four Indian-American groups were part of the coalition which had complained to the Office for

Civil Rights in the US Department of Education and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. The AACE compliant cited a 2012 complaint filed by an IndianAmerican student against Harvard and Princeton and said there have been prior attempts to hold Ivy League colleges and other elite institutions accountable for their "illegal discrimination" against Asian-American applicants. The complaint further alleged the Asian-American college-age population in the US has grown from 2.5 per cent in 1995 to 5.1 per cent in 2011. In the same period, the percentage of Asian-Americans at Yale and most other Ivy League colleges has declined because of "negative stereotyping coupled with racial quotas and caps, maintained by racially differentiated standards for admission that severely burden Asian-American applicants". -PTI

Bernie mania sweeps Bay Area Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 5

Rishi also recently ran to be Bernie's Pledged Delegate at the Philadelphia Convention in July and was elected to the #1 spot amongst the men running in the race - with a total of 59 men and women running to be a Bernie Pledged Delegate from Congressional District 18. That was a historic win for Rishi to emerge as the first Indian American delegate ever to get elected from this district. Rishi was surprised to re-

Rishi's speech touched upon two aspects of Bernie's support: Support from the Silicon Valley hitech community and also from the ethnic diversity of Silicon Valley from various age groups. Many a times, he engaged with the crowd asking for their response to his questions and there were many resounding applauses to his energetic, enthusiastic and engaging speech. The video of his speech on Facebook and YouTube has over a thousand hits already.

Rishi's speech touched upon two aspects of Bernie's support: Support from the Silicon Valley hi-tech community and also from the ethnic diversity of Silicon Valley from various age groups. Many a times, he engaged with the crowd asking for their response ceive a call and be invited on stage with Senator Sanders to introduce him to the San Jose supporters at the rally, perhaps the first Indian American national delegate ever to be on stage with a Presidential Candidate. Rishi's enthusiastic speech full of fervor claimed Senator Sanders as belonging to all of "us". "This is Senator Sanders turf, we love him here! Just walk anywhere in Silicon Valley, in Santa Cruz, in San Francisco, in Oakland - this is Bernie country and we are proud to claim him as one of our own".

There were many Indian Americans who were enthused with the Indian American visibility in the world of politics as a result of Rishi's speech on a big stage - of a Presidential race. Yogi Chugh, a political activist and the host of the popular political radio show "Voice of Indo Americans, Jai Ho! Powered by FOG" expressed the sentiments of many. "Seeing Rishi on the Bernie stage was a moment of great pride for me, given Rishi's political success and decades of outstanding community work that has filled

Indian Americans with a renewed sense of commitment in involving themselves in their local communities and in the political process. It is the coming of age of our community and our political engagement is being recognized finally. It was a befitting testament to me and the growing influence of our community that Rishi was with Senator Sanders on stage at this historic moment of Silicon Valley" Manoj Goel, a long-time successful entrepreneur of Silicon Valley with involvement as an angel investor and advisory board of many startups was invited to a private group meeting with Senator Sanders, "Meeting Bernie in person was my highlight of this lifetime. He is genuine and delivered a very inspiring speech. My family, including my boys in Berkeley and Stanford are big fans of his platform" Rajan Mehra, an IT Executive from Oracle was also part of this private group meeting with Senator Sanders. "I was very delighted to meet Bernie Sanders, he is very personable and connected very well with a diverse group present. He had the crowd energized with his impressive speech and clear articulation of his policies. He certainly is raising important issues about the future of the country's direction." Cupertino resident Rocky Aroda a 45-year-old recent first time voter registrant as a result of Bernie mania, was a volunteer at

this event who showed up at 7:30AM in the morning for a rally that had Bernie speaking at 1pm. Rocky was filled with hope and vigor after Bernie's talk, " A renewed optimism about the future of our country. Truly a sense of hope having witnessed a candidate who across decades of being a civil servant who left little on the table in terms of controversy. Yes, all this excitement with a growing concern that what if I was expecting too much. San Jose is our town, would he de-

around the progressive agenda. Attending the rally really made me feel like part of something greater than just a campaign - a movement." The poll numbers may not pose a picture for Senator Sanders to win the party nomination, but the mood at Wednesday's rally was very upbeat as supporters from every nook and corner of the Bay Area huddled under the blazing sun to hear their fearless leader, cheering his every word, bearing buttons and T-

Manoj Goel, a long-time successful entrepreneur of Silicon Valley with involvement as an angel investor and advisory board of many startups was invited to a private group meeting with Senator Sanders, "Meeting Bernie in person was my highlight of this lifetime liver? I will do my part and vote for one who votes for us. We have found in Senator Sanders a moral code, a neither bought nor sold set of stances, and a love towards humanity and doing what is right even if opposed to popular sentiments." Farbod Mogadham a Saratoga High School student who was at the rally found it to be a defining moment in his life . "It was an amazing experience finally seeing Senator Sanders in person and being in the presence of such a diverse crowd of people united

shirts that displayed their fervor for Bernie and the ideals he stood by. Many in the crowd had never thought much about politics until they first saw his "tweet sized" campaign video. And they were hooked! They had descended upon the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds to be part of history. Bernie has definitely redefined the campaign messaging for America and planted seeds of political engagement in many, many Bay Area residents forever, a defining moment in the history of Bay Area for sure.

May 27, 2016

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India, Iran sign Chabahar pact to bypass Pak TEHRAN: A "milestone" pact on the strategic Chabahar Port in southern Iran which will give India access to Afghanistan and Europe bypassing Pakistan was among the agreements signed here on May 23 by India and Iran which also agreed to cooperate on combating radicalism and terror. Besides the bilateral pact to develop the Chabahar port for which India will invest USD 500 million, a trilateral Agreement on Transport and Transit Corridor was also signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi said could "alter the course of the history of the region". The bilateral agreements signed by India and Iran after detailed discussions between Modi and President Hassan Rouhani included one on setting up of an aluminum plant and another on laying a railway line to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The agreements, aimed at further deepening India-Iran ties in diverse fields, covered areas of economy, trade, transportation, port development, culture, science and academic cooperation. The two countries noted with deep concern that terrorism and ideologies of violent extremism "continue to infest and ingress" the region and agreed to enhance regular consultations between

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani and the President of Afghanistan, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, during the Trilateral meeting, in Tehran on May 23

National Security Councils and others concerned on terrorism, security and related issues such as organized crime, money-laundering, narcotics trade and cyber crime, said a India-Iran Joint Statement issued later. Modi's visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 15 years, comes months after the lifting of international sanctions on Iran following Tehran's historic nuclear deal with the Western powers over its contentious atomic program.

Earlier, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had visited the country in April 2001. The key agreement signed was a contract for development of Phase I of the Chabahar port on the southern coast of Iran by an Indian joint venture. Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Balochistan Province on the energy-rich Persian Gulf nation's southern coast, lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from India's western coast, bypassing Pakistan.

"The bilateral agreement to develop the Chabahar port and related infrastructure and availability of about USD 500 million from India for this purpose is an important milestone," Modi said in joint media interaction with Rouhani. "This major effort would boost economic growth in the region. We are committed to take steps for early implementation of the agreements signed today," he said. The trilateral pact on Transport and Transit Corridor, linked to the

Chabahar port development, was signed later by India, Iran and Afghanistan in the presence of Modi, Rouhani and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Rouhani said each of the three countries will name a minister for follow-up action. "They (leaders) look forward to early delineation of all necessary rules and procedures leading to operationalisation of the transport and transit routes within the timelines stipulated in the Agreement," the Joint Statement said. -PTI

India commits huge investment in Chabahar TEHRAN: India will invest billions of dollars in setting up industries - ranging from aluminum smelter to urea plants - in Iran's Chabahar free trade zone after it signed a pact to operate a strategic port on the Persian Gulf nation's southern coast. The inking of commercial con-

and Europe, thus circumventing Pakistan, Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari told PTI here. "The distance between Kandla and the Chabahar port is less than the distance between New Delhi and Mumbai, and so what this agreement does is to enable us

Nitin Gadkari

tract to build and run the strategic port of Chabahar will help India gain a foothold in Iran and win access to Afghanistan, Russia

quick movement of goods first to Iran and then onwards to Afghanistan and Russia through a new rail and road link," he explained.

"Over Rs 1 lakh crore investment can happen in Chabahar free trade zone," he said. Iran, Gadkari said, has cheap natural gas and power that Indian firms are keen to tap to build a 0.5million tonne aluminum smelter plant as well as urea manufacturing units. "We spend Rs 45,000 crore annually on urea subsidy, and if we can manufacture it in the Chabahar free trade zone and move it through the port to Kandla and onward to hinterland, we can save that amount," he said. Gadkari said Nalco will set up the aluminum smelter while private and co-operative fertilizer firms are keen to build urea plants provided they get gas at less than USD 2 per mmBtu. Railway PSU IRCON will build a rail line at Chabahar to move goods right up to Afghanistan, he said. Gadkari said India Ports Global Pvt, a joint venture of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and the Kandla Port Trust, will invest USD 85 million in developing two container

berths with a length of 640 meters and three multi cargo berths. The Indian consortium has signed the port pact with Aria Banader Iranian. "The contract is for 10 years and can be extended. We will take 18 months to complete phase one of the construction," he said, adding that first two years of the contract are grace period where India

ernment in 2003, but the deal slipped through during subsequent years. It has been aggressively pushed in the past one year, leading to signing of the agreement for phase-1 today, Gadkari said. "This is a historic event which will herald in a new era of development. We can now go to Afghanistan and further to Russia

"We spend Rs 45,000 crore annually on urea subsidy, and if we can manufacture it in the Chabahar free trade zone and move it through the port to Kandla and onward to hinterland, we can save that amount," he said. doesn't have to guarantee any cargo. From the third year, India will guarantee 30,000 TEUs of cargo at the Chabahar port which will go up to 2,50,000 TEUs by the 10th year. An initial pact to build the Chabahar port was first inked during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee's gov-

and Europe without going through Pakistan," he said. The Zaranj-Delaram road constructed by India in 2009 can give access to Afghanistan's Garland Highway, setting up road access to four major cities in Afghanistan - Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif.-AP

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Modi began tour with visit to gurudwara TEHRAN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his crucial two-day trip to Iran with a visit to the capital city's only functioning gurudwara where he paid obei-

Granth Sahib at this gurudwara. I am fortunate. I greet you all for having worked on spreading our culture and tradition as well as educating our young generation

here, Modi said: "We are fortunate to have got an opportunity to celebrate the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh. The government is planning to celebrate this occasion in India and other parts of the world." He stressed that the young generation should know about the sacrifices of the great Gurus and also learn from the central tenets of the Guru Granth Sahib. "I have noted several suggestions that have come from your comPrime Minister Narendra Modi pays obeisance at Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha Gurudwara in Tehran munity. I have during his visit to Iran on May 22 considered them and I besance. here. lieve that solutions need to be Modi, the first Indian Prime "We accept all the people as explored through talks. And we Minister to visit Iran in 15 years, our own and absorb them in our will continue this exercise. Let us offered obeisance at the Bhai society because we believe in the all work together to serve humanGanga Singh Sabha Gurudwara philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva ity," he added. and also spoke to the head priest. Kutumbakam' -- the entire world The gurudwara in Tehran's He applauded the efforts of the is one family. Mesjed Henidyah was founded in Sikh community in the Persian Gulf Animated by this spirit, we In- 1941 by Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha nation for preserving and spreading dians make every country our Tehran. There are about 800 Sikh the culture and tradition of India. home," Modi told the gathering families in Tehran, mostly traders "My Iran visit is starting with at the gurudwara. who had moved in early 20th centhe blessings before the Guru Addressing the community tury from Punjab.-PTI

PM gifts Kufic script Quran to Khamenei TEHRAN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has gifted Iranian Supreme Leader Sayyid Ali Khamenei a rare 7th Century manuscript of the Holy Quran written in Kufic script and attributed to Prophet's son-in-law Hazrat Ali. Modi, who called on Khamenei at his office, gifted the Supreme Leader the specially commissioned reproduction of rare 7th Century manuscript of the Holy Quran attributed to Hazrat Ali, the fourth Islamic caliph and first Shia Imam. Khamenei, a 76-year-old Shia Grand Ayatollah and twotime former president, has the final say over matters related to Iran's foreign policy and key issues. Written in Kufic script, the manuscript is a prized possession of the Ministry of Culture at Rampur Raza Library in Uttar Pradesh. Kufic - developed around the end of the 7th century in Kufa,

Nalco to set up aluminum smelter in Iran BHUBANESWAR: Aluminum firm Nalco and Iranian Mines & Mining Industries Development & Renovation Organization

Tata Motors plans car unit in Iran TEHRAN: India's Tata Motors is in talks with a local manufacturer here to set up a joint venture for assembling its petrol cars in Iran as it looks to tap the fast growing market that has just emerged from sanctions. Tata Motors is talking to Iran Khodro Company for a joint venture to assemble knocked down units of the petrol versions of its models, including the latest compact car Tiago, Bolt and Zest, which are powered by the company's new Revotron petrol engines, sources said here. Knocked down version of the cars will be imported and assembled at Iran Khodro's manufacturing facility after adding local contents like tires and batteries.

Tata Motors will use Iran Khodro's sales network to sell the cars. The branding will be of Tata Motors and Iran Khodro will be just a contract manufacturer, they

said, adding that Tata Motors will start assembling in Iran in less than 2 years. Initially, Tata Motors is look-

ing at 1 lakh cars a year which will be gradually ramped up. Production at the factory, which may be located in suburban Tehran and Masad, is slated to begin by 2018. Iran Khodro had earlier this

year renewed partnership with French manufacturer PSA Peugeot Citroen. Iran Khodro Company (public

Iraq - is the oldest calligraphic form of the various Arabic scripts. Modi also gifted President Hassan Rouhani specially commissioned reproductions of Mirza Ghalib's collection of poetry in Persian. First published in 1863, Kulliyat-e-Farsi-eGhalib is a collection of over 11,000 verses by Ghalib. The reproduction is from a rare copy of the book's 1867 edition to which some missing pages have been added from a copy of the 1872 edition from Maulana Azad's personal collection preserved in the library of Indian Council for Cultural Relations in New Delhi. Modi also gifted him Sumair Chand's Persian translation of Ramayana. Translated into Persian in 1715 and copied in 1826, the Ramayana is a rare manuscript and contains over 260 illustrations possibly the largest number in any hand-written Ramayana manuscript.-PTI

joint stock) was founded in August 1962. Starting with contract manufacturing of sedan 'Paykan' for British firm Rootes in 1966, it has manufactured for France's Peugeot as well as Tondar 90 sedan (Renault Logan). It manufactures several Chinese models now. Peugeot had earlier this year signed a contract with Iran Khodro to start a joint venture that will make three new models. Peugeot's January 2016 deal marks its return to Iran after a fouryear absence. Iran Khodro, which is 14 per cent-owned by the Iranian government, was Peugeot's former partner before the French company's decision to shut down its operations in 2012 in the wake of international sanctions. Before 2012, Peugeot would send parts, which then were assembled in Iranian plants. -PTI

(IMIDRO) have signed an MoU to jointly explore the possibility of setting up an aluminum smelter in Iran. The Odisha-based Nalco will supply alumina from its refinery in India to the smelter in Iran. The pact also envisages tolling arrangement with existing smelters in Iran for producing aluminum from alumina supplied by Nalco, inter alia. "Nalco looks forward to using the low-cost gas-based energy available in Iran for conversion of its surplus alumina, presently ex-

ported to international markets, to bring in value-addition and scale up value chain," Nalco CMD T K Chand said. Under the provision of the pact, a joint taskforce comprising Nalco and IMIDRO experts will be constituted to work out the details. The pact was signed between CMD, Nalco and Vice Chairman, Planning Board, Iran, in Tehran in presence of the Prime Minister of India and the President of Iran. -PTI

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India launches first 'swadeshi' shuttle BENGALURU: India has successfully launched its maiden 'swadeshi' space shuttle with the winged Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV-TD) fulfilling its mission objectives in the first crucial test to make space travel easier and cheaper in the future. With the test-firing of the indigenous unmanned model space shuttle - the size of a Sports Utility Vehicle - by the ISRO from Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh, about 350 km from here, India has joined the race to develop reusable spacecraft to put satellites into orbit after US' Nasa

stopped its Space Shuttle program in 2011. Lifting off from the launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, the double deltawinged flight vehicle RLV Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) was hoisted into the atmosphere on the special rocket booster for a peak altitude of over 65 km and released for its re-entry into the atmosphere before its splashdown in the Bay of Bengal. The total flight duration of the 6.5-metre long 'aeroplane'-like structure from launch to landing lasted about 770 seconds, the

ISRO said. From a 65 km altitude, RLV-TD began its descent followed by atmospheric re-entry at around Mach 5 - five times the speed of sound - with the vehicle's Navigation, Guidance and Control system accurately steering it during this phase for safe descent, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said in a statement. After successfully surviving high temperatures of re-entry with the help of its Thermal Protection System (TPS), RLV-TD successfully glided down to the defined

landing spot over Bay of Bengal, at a distance of about 450 km from Sriharikota, fulfilling its mission objectives, it said. The RLV-TD is described as "a very preliminary step" in the development of a reusable rocket, whose final version is expected to take 10-15 years. The aerospace vehicle with a 1.75 tonne weight was not recovered as it disintegrated on impact with water since it is not designed to float. The vehicle was successfully tracked during its flight from ground stations at Sriharikota and a ship borne terminal. The government has invested Rs 95 crore into the RLV-TD project. The RLV is ultimately aimed at putting satellites into orbit around earth and then re-enter atmosphere with the ultimate goal of drastically slashing down the cost of launches by as much as 10 times. In this flight, critical technologies such as autonomous navigation, guidance and control, reusable thermal protection system and re-entry mission management have been successfully validated, ISRO said in a statement. The reduced-scale space plane resembling a US space shuttle was experimented on a model almost six times smaller than the final version.-PTI

Pak summons US envoy over drone strike ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has summoned US ambassador David Hale to express concern over the drone strike by American forces in Pakistani territory to kill Afghan Taliban Chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour which it said was a "violation of its sovereignty". According to a statement by the Foreign Office, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi pointed out to the US envoy that the drone strike was a "violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and a breach of the UN's Charter that guarantees the inviolability of the territorial integrity of its member states." Fatemi also emphasized that "such actions could adversely impact the ongoing efforts by the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) for facilitating peace talks between the Afghan Government and the Taliban." The Special Assistant said that Pakistan and the US had been closely coordinating in the fight against the menace of terrorism and that "this cooperation needed to be maintained". Mansour, believed to be in his 50s, was killed when a US drone fired on his vehicle in the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan. He had emerged as the successor to Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose 2013 death was only revealed last summer. -PTI

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World's largest solar power plant inaugurated in Beas BEAS, Punjab: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on May 17 inaugurated the world's largest single rooftop solar power plant of 11.5 Mw capacity at Dera Baba Jaimal Singh of Radha Soami Sect in Beas, near Amritsar in Punjab. He was accompanied by New and Renewable Energy Resources Minister Bikram Singh

and Larsen and Toubro. Lauding the role of Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) in making state self-sufficient in power generation through solar energy, Badal said that this project installed by the Radha Soami Satsang Beas Educational and Environmental Society (RSSBEES) with technical collabo-

Singh Dhillon, for taking personal initiative to bring Punjab on the World's map of solar energy through this solar power plant, Majithia said that Punjab, which was acclaimed as a harbinger of green revolution in India, was now on the threshold of bringing Solar Power Revolution. Highlighting the significance of this solar power project at Dera Beas, Majithia said this project with enormous environm e n t a l friendly benefits would be instrumental in abatement of 4 lakh tonnes of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the next 25 years, which was equivaAn aerial view of world's largest solar power plant on a single roof at Dera Baba Jaimal Singh in Beas lent to planting nearly 2 Majithia ration of PEDA would go a long lakh trees. The Rs 139 crore project is way to motivate the other states He said that this project would spread over 82 acres of rooftop in for replication of such projects to generate clean and green energy single campus on multiple roofs. provide clean and green energy sufficient to power approximately According to Wikipedia, the to the consumers. 8,000 homes. Mandalay Bay Resort Convention He reiterated his government s Besides, this project would Centre, Las Vegas in the United commitment to emerge Punjab as also go a long way in creating States is next biggest solar a front runner state in the solar awareness about the eco-friendly photovoltic power station in the generation in the near future. solar power amongst the general world having 6.4 megawatts (Mw) Expressing gratitude to the republic as one crore devotees visit capacity. The EPC contractors for vered Head, Radha Soami the Dera Baba Jaimal Singh annuthe project were Tata Power Solar Satsang Beas Baba Gurinder ally.-PTI

India uses vaguely-worded laws to stifle dissent: HRW NEW YORK: India "routinely" uses vaguely-worded laws like sedition and criminal defamation as "political tools" to "stifle" dissent, a leading rights group said here while calling on the government to repeal or amend such laws that are used to criminalize peaceful expression. The Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a lengthy 108-page report titled 'Stifling Dissent - The Criminalization of Peaceful Expression in India' stressed that Indian authorities should stop treating critics as criminals and not use "vaguely worded, overly broad laws", which are prone to misuse, and have been repeatedly used for political purposes against critics at the national and state level.

The report called on the government to review all these laws and repeal or amend them to bring them in line with international law and India's treaty commitments. It said while India's Constitution protects the right to freedom of speech and expression, recent and colonial-era laws, such as sedition and criminal defamation, are frequently used in an attempt to clampdown on critics. "Indian authorities routinely use vaguely worded, overly broad laws as political tools to silence and harass critics," the HRW said in the new report. The government should repeal or amend laws that are used to criminalize peaceful expression, the report said.

"India's abusive laws are the hallmark of a repressive society, not a vibrant democracy," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Putting critics in prison or even forcing them to defend themselves in lengthy and expensive court proceedings undermines the government's efforts to present India as a modern country in the Internet age committed to free speech and the rule of law," she said. The report, which cited the arrest of student leader Kanhaiya Kumar and the ensuing unrest at the Jawaharlal Nehru University earlier this year, said criminal laws are used to limit and chill free speech in India.-PTI

'India Fellows Program' for young Diaspora India Post News Service

and emerging opportunities for you to explore India as a viable business opportunity. The highlights of the program are: • India Residency: 12-day India Residency, comprising ten days of intensive experiential classroom sessions at the ISB campuses in Hyderabad & Mohali, and two days in Delhi • Experiential Approach: An immersive, practical and hands-on learning approach that includes cases and simulations, visit to

NEW DELHI: The Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC) has announced an India Corporate Internship and the India Fellows Program to showcase the economic opportunities in India and provide connects with India based entrepreneurs for young Overseas Indian entrepreneurs. OIFC (http://www.oifc.in/) is a joint venture between the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), for enhancing economic & knowl- The IFP is designed to offer edge engagement of an insider's view to the dyOverseas Indians with namic markets of India, its India. OIFC has introduced business environment, its the India Fellows Program (IFP) - a collabo- socio-cultural norms, and rative effort of the Gov- emerging opportunities ernment of India through OIFC and the Indian School of Business (ISB) markets and different consumer Centre for Executive Education. segments, group activities and The program's objective is to field visits • Networking: Opportunity to showcase the economic opportunities in India and provide con- network with Indian entreprenects with India based entrepreneurs and senior government ofneurs for young Overseas Indian ficials • Faculty: World-class faculty entrepreneurs & professionals to interact with and explore poten- and senior industry, government and sector experts as guest speaktial opportunities. The IFP is designed to offer an ers • Year-long Engagement insider's view to the dynamic markets of India, its business envi- through monthly webinars and ronment, its socio-cultural norms, Google Hangouts

China wants its Nepal rail link to India BEIJING: Having already expanded its influence in Nepal with road and rail network through Tibet, China is now looking to stretch its railway link to Bihar to improve connectivity with India and South Asia, state-run Chinese media reported. A cross-border railroad link to the Rasuwagadhi area in Nepal has already been discussed between the two countries. China's railroad is expected to reach Nepal border by 2020, an article in the state-run Global Times said. This rail line makes it possible to connect China to India as from Rasuwagadhi to Birgunj, which borders Bihar is only 240 km, the article said. For Bihar, trade with China through the rail link will be easier along this route than through

Kolkata, saving time, cost and distance, it said. "The railroad connection to China not only is important for Nepal and Nepalese people's future development, but also has the capacity to build connectivity with the whole of South Asia. The government of Nepal has the chance to make history," the article said. It also criticized attempts to block major projects in Nepal. "Challenge is both internal and external stakeholders' sensitivity about mega infrastructure projects. Unfortunately due to oversensitivity, some major projects were aborted before even a brick was laid. So the Nepali government must play a key role in bringing all the stakeholders into a sufficient consensus," it said. -PTI

Tech News India Post payments bank to be ready next year HYDERABAD: India Post's payments bank will start functioning from March 2017 and serve as a wider platform to implement financial inclusion programs, IT & Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said here. "We are going to start the postal payments bank by March 2017. Very soon we will go to the Cabinet and postal payments bank will become operational from March 2017," Prasad told reporters here. He said the proposed India Post payments bank will have immense potential to sell third party product and services. About 50 companies, including some from abroad, are keen to partner with postal department for the payments bank, like World Bank, Citi from America, Barclay's from England, he said. Reacting to a query, he said these institutions will offer third party services like insurance products, mutual funds, banking instruments and a variety of financial instruments. Asked on the interest shown by these institutions, the minister said, "...that board will decide, I'm only saying value addition of postal department it is attracting so much global attention." "...they will decide how much to give them. It is a call they will take," he said.-PTI

City Square to come up in Vijayawada VIJAYAWADA: The historic Vijayawada city will soon have a new icon in the form of a City Square that will be built under the Public-Private Partnership initiative at the Swarajya Maidan in the heart of the city. Guizhou International Investment Corporation of China has designed the City Square that will come up on a five-acre land at an estimated cost of Rs 135 crore. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu approved the design at a meeting attended by Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, Krishna district Collector Babu A, Municipal Commissioner G Veerapandian and representatives of GIIC. "The City Square will be a jewel in AP's crown and be a large tourist attraction," Naidu said on the occasion. Vijayawada, the second largest city in AP, is currently serving as the "functional capital" of the state.-PTI

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WB urged to expand role in social sector NEW DELHI: Pitching for the World Bank to have a larger capital base, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has asked the multilateral lending institution to expand its role in social sector projects including on education and health. Addressing a group of nine World Bank Executive Directors, currently on a visit to India, Jaitley said there is a need for "the World Bank to have a larger capital base, more activity and more projects". Jaitley also said India has become an "outpost of opportunity for global investors" with its strong economic growth.-PTI

Apple's Cook discusses manufacturing possibilities with PM Modi NEW DELHI: Showing interest in making Apple products in India, the global technology giant's chief Tim Cook on May 21 discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the "possibilities of manufacturing" and tapping the young talent pool in the country. On his maiden visit to India, the Apple CEO also discussed with Modi issues regarding cyber-security and data encryption. "Cook shared Apple Inc's future plans for India. He spoke of the possibilities of manufacturing and retailing in India. He appreciated the breadth of young talent in India and said the youth have significant skills which Apple would like to tap," an official statement said. The head of the US-based Apple, which makes iconic iPhones and Mac computers, has already announced during this trip setting of an app development centre in Bengaluru and one for maps in Hyderabad. During his meeting with Modi, Cook highlighted the immense potential for app development in the country. He also launched an updated version of the PM's mobile app at the meeting. He narrated to Prime Minister the experiences including a visit to Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai and watching a cricket match in Kanpur. Modi, appreciating Cook, said

in India "seeing is believing" and added these experiences would definitely steer his business decisions. After the meeting, Modi

photos with the Apple CEO on his Twitter handle. Cook, in a response, tweeted: "Thanks PM @narendramodi for a great meeting. Already looking

Apple CEO Tim Cook with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on May 21

tweeted: "Thank you @tim_cook! Friends, welcome & happy volunteering. Your views and efforts are always enriching." He also shared

forward to next visit to India. Best wishes on the app!" He also appreciated Prime Minister's initiatives on ease of

doing business and renewable energy, the statement read. Cupertino-based Apple runs on 93 per cent renewable energy and Cook spoke of plans to move Apple's entire supply chain to renewable energy. Meanwhile, delegation members accompanying Apple CEO also spoke of their experiences in rural Rajasthan, where several villages have recently been electrified and women are being skilled to assemble and operate solar energy equipment. Both Cook and Modi shared stories of entrepreneurship that they had come across in app development and renewable energy, the statement added. Cook said the company is looking to be in India for a long run and it is "exactly the right time" to be in India as telecom firms roll out 4G high speed internet services. Modi explained 'Digital India' initiative and identified three key objectives of as e-education, health and increasing farmers' incomes. Prime Minister sought support from Apple in furthering these objectives and also encouraged Cook to help the global community to cope with the challenges of cyber-crime. Cook also congratulated Modi on recent election results and spoke about his visit to India and that he had been received with great warmth.-PTI

Apple opens Maps development office in Hyderabad HYDERABAD: Technology giant Apple showed here where its priorities lay with the opening of its new office here that will focus on development of Maps for products like iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao inaugurated the facility in presence of Apple CEO Tim Cook and state IT Minister K T Rama Rao. "We are thrilled to open this new office in Hyderabad which will focus on Maps development," Cook said.

Apple CEO Tim Cook lighting a ceremonial feature as Telengana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao looks on at a new Apple Development Centre in Hyderabad

"The talent here in the local area is incredible and we are looking forward to expanding our relationships and introducing more universities and partners to our platforms as we scale up our operations." Though the California-based company did not reveal the quantum of investment, it maintained that the capital will help accelerate Maps development and create up to 4,000 jobs. Cook acknowledged that the maker of popular gadgets may not be the first to invent products, but always tries to give the best. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 14

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Cook hobnobs with corporates, Prasad lauds Apple CEOs India commitment app developers MUMBAI: Apple CEO Tim Cook, who is on his maiden fiveday visit to the country, met the honchos of India Inc, leading bankers. Cook met Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry, TCS managing director N Chandrasekaran and Vodafone chief executive Sunil Sood at the Taj Hotel and held a meeting with ICICI Bank chief Chanda Kochhar at the bank's headquarters.

years, it has also introduced a slew of other initiatives on the digital front, including a digital wallet, just like the 'Apple Pay' by the tech giant. While Cook reportedly had lunch at the Mukesh Ambani's billion-dollar residence Antilla, even though the RIL chairman is away in the US. Cook also met four app developers and understood their appli-

Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CEO Tim Cook visits Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai on May 18

Cook walked-in into the ICICI Bank Towers in the Bandra Kurla Complex business district here and spent over an hour at the bank, and met its managing director and chief executive Kochhar and executive directors at the closeddoor meeting, sources said. ICICI Bank was among the first to introduce the banking application on the Apple Watch, even before the gadget got launched in the country. Over the past few

cations in the city. "Great to hear from some of India's top iOS developers today. Innovative apps and many ideas for the future!" Cook tweeted in the evening. Apple, which is facing slagging sales in the US and Europe, is pushing for opening retail stores in the country, which recorded a whopping 56 per cent jump in sales to over USD 1 billion. The company, which has a net-

work of 33 Apple stores in China, is seeking to import and sell refurbished iPhones here but this proposal is facing opposition from authorities. In an interview earlier this month, Cook had said Apple saw "huge market potentials" for its products in India and that it was "really putting energy" here. Cook arrived here from China, where Apple has just invested USD 1 billion in the taxi hailing company Didi Chuxing. The cab hailing company owns equity in Ola, which is the largest taxi-aggregator in the country. "The company will establish a design and development accelerator in Bengaluru, the home of the country's startup scene. Tens of thousands of developers in India make apps for iOS (foundation for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch). This initiative will provide additional, specialised support for them," Apple said in a statement. The American tech giant had taken about 1.5 lakh sq ft area on lease in a building owned by Tishman Speyer at Nanakramguda area of the Telengana capital and may use the facility as mapping centre for its applications. Tech giant Apple will set up an app design and development centre in Bengaluru to support developers in India creating innovative mobile apps for its iOS platform.PTI

India's net FDI flows to hit $38 billion NEW DELHI: India's net FDI flows are expected to rise further this fiscal to USD 38 billion on emergence of some "positive signs" such as regulatory easing in select sectors and reform measures initiated by the government, says a report. "Net FDI flows in 2015-2016 stood at around USD 36 billion as against USD 31 billion for 20142015," Kotak Institutional Equities said in a research report. The significant improvement in foreign direct investment (FDI) profile is a reflection of progressive policy reforms and the recent regulatory liberalization in select sectors and the country is likely to see a net FDI flow of USD 38 billion this fiscal, provided some of the announcements made in recent times materialize, the report added. The country's position in terms of foreign investment inflows is

expected to further improve in the current year with some "positive signs" already emerging, it said. In recent times, some of the major FDI announcements include Foxconn's investment in projects

The sectors that benefited from the relaxation include defense, real estate, construction, private banking, civil aviation valued at USD 5 billion in over the next 2-3 years, while GE and Alstom signed a USD 5.9 billion worth of joint venture with Indian Railways, which will boost railway infrastructure. "Accordingly, we see upside to

our base-case estimates of around 4.5 per cent growth in net FDI flows in fiscal year 2016-2017 (USD 38 billion) if some of the announcements made in recent times materialize," Kotak Institutional Equities said. The recent regulatory liberalization in select sectors, like raising/ easing the foreign investment limit for some sectors, and allowing many others through the automatic approval route has helped in the uptick in FDI levels. The sectors that benefited from the relaxation include defense, real estate, construction, private banking, civil aviation, single brand retail and news broadcasting. "With continued progress on the reform front in terms of legal, regulatory, governance and labor market, India's position in terms of foreign investment inflows should improve further over time," the report said.-PTI

NEW DELHI: Telecom Minis- operator Bharti Airtel and dister Ravi Shankar Prasad has cussed matters like 4G roll out in lauded Apple CEO Tim Cook's the country and strong growth long-term commitment to India being witnessed in the Indian and called for working in collabo- telecom space. ration for growth and business Prasad said that all the major opportunities. companies are present in India and "Since he has made a public the smartphone demand in the statement that his commitment to country is growing. India is going to be of 1000 years, "Last year 10 crore I also take this opportunity pub- smartphones were sold in India. I licly to compliment the CEO of see very soon India will be home Apple (Tim Cook) who is in India to 50 crore smartphones," Prasad for his public commitment for the said. attachment with India. Apple is exploring opportunity "We need to work together for to sell refurbished phones in the growth manufacturing investment and value addition," Prasad said at "Last year 10 crore an Assocham event. Cook, who is on his smartphones were sold in maiden visit to India, has said he believes it India. I see very soon India is "exactly the right will be home to 50 crore time" to be in India as telecom firms roll out 4G smartphones" high speed Internet services. "We are not here for a year or country but has faced resistance few years, we are here for a long for its plan. According to sources, time, 100s of years. And we are a the company intends to get into long term company," he had said. manufacturing after it gets enough Apple, which is seeing declin- volume. ing sales elsewhere in the world, The government officials, howis betting big on India for growth ever, want the other way round and as sales here saw an impressive sounded the company that it 56 per cent growth in the January- should start manufacturing first March 2016 quarter. and the refurbished phone sale Cook met Sunil Bharti Mittal, should be limited to handsets that Chairman of India's largest telecom have been produced in India. -PTI

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India should resist being too ambitious: Rajan MUMBAI: RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has said India should restrain itself from being "too ambitious" at a time when the world is full of uncertainties and instead focus on sensible policies to ensure a sustainable economic growth. "Given great uncertainty about outlook and policies of others in these times, a country like India should try to take sensible measures without getting too ambitious, as we have done so far," Rajan said, delivering the Mahtab Memorial Lecture in Bhubaneswar. "This will serve as a sound basis for strong and sustainable Indian growth as the world economy picks up," Rajan, whose remarks comparing the Indian economy with a one-eyed king in a blind world led to a controversy, added. The Indian government has been working hard to fasten the GDP growth and aspiring to take it to the double-digit mark from the current 7.5 per cent in the medium term. It has, however, adhered to key targets like the fiscal deficit number and also made inflation-targeting a key objective for the central bank. Rajan said the world is growing "extremely slowly", with the factors differing from one country

to other and termed notions of a de-coupling of growth between industrial countries and emerging markets as "illusory". "Easy and unconventional monetary policy in industrial coun-

an emerging country like India should focus on macro-stabilization, building buffers and reducing vulnerabilities, Rajan said. "Good policy is the first line of defense including our focus on

RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan

tries could increasingly be a part of the problem," the academicturned-central banker said and reiterated this creates problems around capital flows for emerging markets. He called central banks around the world to "start thinking more internationally" and stressed on the need to "start discussing new rules of the monetary policy game in the international setting." As such a goal will take years,

controlling fiscal deficits, reforms like the Bankruptcy Code and Aadhaar, and our steady fight against inflation," he added. The country has also taken other additional measures like control inflows, intervening in the foreign exchange market as a macro prudential measure to reduce volatility, and maintaining sufficient foreign exchange reserves to be able to withstand a sudden stop in capital inflows, Rajan said. -PTI

Rivals joining forces for Tata Steel UK buyout LONDON: Management buyout firm Excalibur and Indianorigin businessman Sanjeev Gupta's Liberty House, the two front-runners in the race to acquire Tata Steel's UK assets, are believed to be considering joining forces, it emerged here. Excalibur, led by former chief of Tata Steel's Port Talbot plant Stuart Wilkie, is considering backing Liberty House. An Excalibur delegation, including chief executive Wilkie and chairman Roger Maggs, held talks with Gupta at his London office, The Sunday Times reported. They are understood to have discussed backing Gupta's plan to convert the vast steelworks into

one fed by scrap metal rather than raw iron ore and coke. UK business secretary Sajid Javid is set to fly to Mumbai ahead of the sale and has offered to pump

in hundreds of millions pounds of loans and take a 25 per cent stake to prevent the steelworks from collapsing.

Seven bidders have emerged as being in the running for the steelworks since March when Tata announced plans to sell its loss-making units as a result of a global slump in steel prices due to a glut of exports from China and high energy costs. Around 11,000 jobs at Port Talbot in Wales and 11 other UK sites hang in the balance. Besides Liberty House and Excalibur, family investment fund Greybull Capital, India's second-biggest steel maker JSW Steel, China's Hebei Iron and Steel group, US steel giant Nucor and Leedsbased turnaround fund Endless are among those interested to save the works.-PTI

Domestic passenger traffic to cross 100 M NEW DELHI: Sounding bullish, parent reference to China, which DGCA expects more than 100 mil- logged 10.9 per cent growth in lion domestic passengers to fly by domestic traffic last year. the year end, especially as India Air traffic has been posting has outstripped passenger traffic more than 20 per cent growth over growth in this sector across major the past several months with global economies including the US travel demand in April surging to and China last year. 20.93 per cent over the same The number of passengers month of 2015 driven by lower flown by the Indian airlines stood fares. at 81.09 million in the January-DeEarlier this year, Sydney-based cember period last year, a jump of aviation think-tank Centre for Asia 20.34 per cent from 67.38 million they had flown in 2014, as per the Di- Air traffic has been posting rectorate General of more than 20 per cent Civil Aviation (DGCA) growth over the past sevdata. "We have now eral months with travel crossed in the past four months of the current demand in April surging to year (January-April) 30 20.93 per cent over the million domestic passengers and growth is same month of 2015 23 per cent. At this rate, we will cross 100 million domestic passengers by the end Pacific Aviation (CAPA) had in its of this year which perhaps is the forecast said that India will have highest in the entire world," DGCA over 100 million fliers by March Chief M Sathiyavathy said at an 2017. aviation event last week. Sathiyavathy said that the do"The country which is second mestic aviation industry has about (in passenger growth terms) is no- 1,200 aircraft, leaving aside where near us," she said in an ap- microlites and hand gliders.-PTI

Apple opens Maps development office in Hyderabad Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 12

"Apple has always been about creating the very best products in the world. Nevertheless, perhaps not the first, but always the best," the Apple CEO said during the inauguration of the facility. "We always try to bring products that would enrich people's lives. Because we are driven by a culture of changing the world and changing it for the better." Apple earlier announced a new initiative to support engineering talent and accelerate growth in India's iOS developer community. "I travelled to India this week knowing about the culture, knowing about the people and I learnt a lot about all of those. And I still have a lot to learn. But most of all, I believe India is inspiring and I am deeply inspired by the vibrancy of the people, the energy, the enthusiasm, and the incredible talent," Cook said. Cook also visited G Narayanamma Institute of Technology & Science (GNITS) for Women here to launch MAC lab. GNITS signed an MoU with Apple. Apple chose GNITS as a center for excellence, only of its

kind in India and third in the world as its favourite collaboration for launching the MAC lab-based training, a release stated. As part of MoU with Apple, research oriented App development MAC lab with high-end Apple systems of huge investment is contributed by Apple to GNITS. Top class specialised app developers from Apple are training GNITS students to enhance the practical knowledge of Mac IOs and related future apps, it said. When students asked questions about how Apple encourages the young minds, Cook pointed out that for younger generation to get into top class company like Apple, one should think differently, should be of high integrity, must communicate effectively, work with the group without ego and be able to propose and understand new ideas. On another question regarding the enhancement of products for future challenges, Cook felt that Apple team is working hard to understand the future generation requirements and is looking forward to collaborate/assist the teams /groups to develop new apps for Mac IOs.-PTI

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Desi News MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee from June 11 India Post News Service

NEW YORK: At a glittering event held in New York to mark the 9th anniversary of the South Asian Spelling Bee, Touchdown Media Inc., the leading multicultural advertising firm, announced the launch of the ninth season of the MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee. MetLife, a leading global provider of life insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management, returns as the title sponsor of the contest. Details on page 18

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Get Happy with Sri Sri in San Francisco

May 27, 2016

Illinois Secretary of State endorses Raja for Congress RAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service

Akshaya Patra Gala raises over $168,000 SURESH BODIWALA

CHICAGO: Over $168,000 was raised at Akshaya Patra's 2016 Chicago Gala held on Saturday, May 7th at the Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows, a North West suburb of Chicago, with close to 400 community and business leaders attending the event. Among prominent personalities attending the event were Mayor of the Village of Burr Ridge Mickey Straub, Vice President of Technology at Allstate Pranava Doctor. Details on page 19

Details on page 22

CHICAGO: Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is endorsing Raja Krishnamoorthi in this year's open-seat race in the 8th Congressional District of Illinois that includes west and northwest Chicago suburbs. Secretary of State White is one of the most popular elected officials in the State of Illinois. "I know Raja Krishnamoorthi is the best choice for voters because Raja has the experience and vision needed to stand up for middleclass Americans," White said. "In my tenure as Secretary of State, I have seen the qualities that make for a successful member of Congress, and I know Raja meets and exceeds those qualifications with his remarkable combination of public and private sector experi-

Raja Krishnamoorthi with Indian community activists

ence." "I am thrilled to have the support of Jesse White, who is a public servant with tremendous popu-

larity," Krishnamoorthi said of the endorsement. "I am fortunate to have his support and guidance moving forward. Jesse White's

commitment to helping young kids get on the path to success through the Jesse White Tumbling Team is an inspiration." Raja Krishnamoorthi was on Devon Avenue, the heart of mini India Town in Chicago, and was greeted by a number of community activists and businessmen. Raja has unequivocal support of Indian, Pakistani Bangladeshi and Nepali communities in Chicago land. The son of immigrants, Raja currently serves as president of Sivananthan Labs and Episolar, Inc., small businesses that sell products in the national security and renewable energy industries. He is a co-founder of InSPIRE, a non-profit organization that provides training to Illinois students and veterans in solar technology, and was formerly Vice-Chairman of the Illinois Innovation Council, whose mission is to promote innovative technologies that support economic growth and job creation in Illinois.

400 Asian Americans rally for Action Day BRANDON LEE

CHICAGO: The Pan Asian Voter Empowerment coalition organized its fifth annual Asian American Action Day in Springfield, the Capital of Illinois on Tuesday May 17 with over 400 Asian Americans from across Illinois participating to advocate for issues such as a resolution to the state budget impasse and Automatic Voter Registration, while celebrating the passage of the Illinois Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. Chants of "People Power!" and "Immigrant Power!" rung through the halls of the capitol during the multi-lingual rally. Community leaders spoke about the growing Asian American population, and how the community holds more power today than it has ever before. "I know that our communities have power because every day I

see immigrant families struggling to learn English, while taking care of their families, while helping their kids with school, and still, still fighting for their rights and the rights of others," said Renuka Sharma of Indo American Center

for immigrants and refugees. "Language access is a civil right and our community members, our families deserve to have their needs met," said Michael Aguhar of the Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Em-

"I know that our communities have power because every day I see immigrant families struggling to learn English, while taking care of their families, while helping their kids with school, and still, still fighting for their rightsâ&#x20AC;? in Chicago. Members of the coalition met with Governor Bruce Rauner, House Speaker Michael Madigan, and members of the House and Senate to call for the passage of a full budget that includes services

powerment. "That is why the PAVE coalition is fighting for the Immigrant Services Line Item and programs like the Immigrant Family Resource Program." Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 19

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Farhan Akhtar and band conquers San Jose India Post News Service

SAN JOSE: An amazing night it was. On Saturday (May 21) evening, Farhan Akhtar, the rocker took over Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in San Jose for close to two hours for a live concert organized by BollyEvents, Farhan Live USA - Zinda tour, belting out the biggest hits he's been part of as a

director, producer, actor or singer. Over 2,000 fans let out a deafening roar at the start of each song, erupted in excitement when Farhan displayed his rocker moves and sang along as he pointed his microphone towards them at the concert in association with Papon. Earlier, Farhan had announced the "first ever" tour dates for his band Farhan Live's music concert

in the US. The six-day tour started on May 20 from Dallas, Texas and will conclude on May 29 in Washington, D.C. The evening started with Papon performing his hit numbers and

couple of Assamese folk songs. Papon is an Indian singer, composer and record producer from Assam. He is the lead singer and founder of the folk-fusion band called Papon and The East India

Company. His soundtracks can be heard in films such as Dum Maaro Dum, I Am Kalam, Soundtrack, Patang, Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Barfi. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 19

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Kick off Ceremony held for of 2nd Yoga Day SURENDRA ULLAL

CHICAGO: The City of Sandwich in Illinois will participate with the Indian Consulate Midwest in celebrating the second International Day of Yoga slated to be held on Saturday June 21 at Timber Creek Inn, 3300 Drew Ave, Sandwich, from morning 10 am till evening 5 pm. In this connection, a kick off ceremony of 2nd International of Yoga Day was celebrated on Tuesday May 17 at the Consulate premises in Chicago Downtown. The Mayor of city of Sandwich, Rick Olson, attended the ceremony along with representatives of City of Sandwich including the Chief of Police of city, Jim Bianci. The ceremony was also attended by different community organizations, established yoga and spiritual centers and members of the Media. Shri O.P.Meena, Consul, welcomed the guests. The ceremony started with screening of extracts of Messages of Prime Minister of India, EAM & Minister [IC] derived from Common Yoga Protocol 2016. During kick off ceremony, Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Consul General, addressed the gathering & shared information with participants on celebration of 2nd International

Yoga Day. The following are the important details of the Second International Yoga Day celebrations in US Midwest: Participating Organizations: The Art of living Foundation, Isha Foundation, B r a h m a Kumaris Meditation Center, SEWA International, Science of Spirituality, H i n d u Swayamsevak Sangh, Yog S a d h a n Ashram, Sahaj Yoga Ashram, Temple of Harmony, Swami Sahajananda, Balaji Temple, B A P S Swaminarayan Mandir, American Association of Retired Asians (AARA), Metropolitan American Federation of Seniors [MAFS], Events: The following events would be organized as part of the Second International Yoga Day:

Book Exhibition: A special book exhibition on Yoga will be exhibited on the occasion. Photo exhibition: Selected photographs on Yoga will be dis-

Brahm Kumaris Meditation Center. Surya Namaskar Demonstration by the Hindu Swayam Sevak Sangh

Ashram Cyclic Meditation Workshop (Stop Diabetic Movement) by SEWA International Chair Yoga demonstration for

The kick off ceremony for the 2nd International Yoga Day in Chicago

played Screening of documentary films Common Yoga Protocol / demonstration of Common Asanas and Breathing Techniques by The Art of Living Foundation. Guided Meditation Workshop & Children's Activities by the

Talk on the science of Kriya Yoga and meditation by Swami Sahajananda Surat Shabd: 'Yoga An Ageless Technique' by The Science of Spirituality Hath Yoga posture & Cleansing demonstration by YogSadhan

seniors by American Association of Retired Asians (AARA) The Second International Day of Yoga will be celebrated in a befitting manner not only in the City of Sandwich but in the entire US Midwest. O.P. Meena, Consul, proposed the Vote of Thanks.

MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee from June 11 India Post News Service

season of the MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee. MetLife, a leading global provider of life insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management, returns as the title sponsor of the contest. The event is open to children of South Asian descent up to 14

years of age. It will give South Asian children a chance to test their spelling skills in their core peer group. Interested spellers need their parent or guardian to register them online at www.southasianspellingbee.com. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 20

L-R Neeraj Arora, EVP, Head of International Business, Sony Pictures Networks; Vagn Fausing, Owner Representative, Kawan Foods; Rahul Walia, Founder South Asian Spelling Bee; Hayley Freundlich, Director, Diverse Markets and Marketing Support; MetLife Nasser Beg, Bombay Trading, Britannia Agency; Jaideep Janakiram, SVP International Business Head of North America, Sony Pictures Networks

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Akshaya Patra Gala raises over $168,000 SURESH BODIWALA

CHICAGO: Over $168,000 was raised at Akshaya Patra's 2016 Chicago Gala held on Saturday, May 7th at the Meadows Club in Roll-

Mickey Straub, Vice President of Technology at Allstate Pranava Doctor, Indian CG Dr Ausaf Sayeed, Mafat Patel, Madan

Executive Board members, invited guests with Omi Vaidya, Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Emily Rosenbaum, CEO and Manisha C Gandhi, Director of Development for Akshaya Patra

ing Meadows, a North West suburb of Chicago, with close to 400 community and business leaders attending the event Among prominent personalities attending the event were Mayor of the Village of Burr Ridge

A group of attendees in a joyous mood

A cultural item presented by local artists

Kulkarni, Iftekhar Shareef, Ketu Amin, Neal Patel, Raj Patel, Dipak Kapadia, Beena Patel, Dr. Bharat Barai, Dr. Umang Patel, Mohanbir Sawhney, Gopi Kallayil, Chief Evangelist for Brand Marketing at Google,

was the event's keynote speaker. Comedian and actor Omi Vaidya from the movie "3 Idiots" emceed the event. Emily Rosenbaum, CEO of Akshaya Patra USA spoke about Akshaya Patra's work and their process of reaching 1.5 million children daily. Her presentation included the invention of kitchens that produce over 150,000 meals a day. The scaling and technology used by Akshaya Patra reduces the meal cost to merely $15 per year per one child! Manisha C Gandhi, Director of Development for Akshaya Patra USA, honored all the mothers for Mother's Day. Many attendees were able to see photos of them with their children in a collage while the iconic song "Tu Kitni Achhi Hai" was being sung by Manisha. Established in 2000, Akshaya Patra began by serving 1,500 in 5 schools in Bangalore. Today Akshaya Patra is the largest NGOrun school meal program in the world and serves over 1.5 million children daily in over 11,501 schools through 24 kitchens in ten states in India. This March, Akshaya Patra will celebrate its 15th Anniversary and the serving of its 2 billionth meal to children in India. Akshaya Patra has received international recognition for its lifechanging mission. In 2016, Akshaya Patra's Founder Madhu Pandit Dasa received the Padma Shri Award. Shridhar Venkat, CEO of Akshaya Patra India, was recognized as being among the 50 Most Impactful Social Innovators in the world. It was recently awarded the Nikkei Asia Prize, an award established to recognize an organization's outstanding achievements that contribute to the region's sustainable development.

Farhan Akhtar and band conquers San Jose Rooted in the rich folk traditions of India, Papon's soothing and sometimes edgy music charms audiences. Farhan, then, sauntered into the venue and finally took to

ing about issues that move him. Talking to the audience, Farhan said, "Performing live is more like a vehicle to take my MARD initiative to different parts of the World and tell them what MARD stands for. It is a way to engage boys, who would be men very soon, in

stage, a little after 8 p.m. Over the course of the three-hour-long performance, he sang, jumped, hopped. There was a generous smattering of beautiful poems written by his father, and the songs were largely what Farhan had either recorded, produced or directed. For Farhan, making music and performing live is not just about entertainment - it's also about talk-

thinking about what are the basic values that make a man, what is their opinion of who a man is". MARD is here to create awareness amongst men to instil gender equality and respect towards women. It is here to bring about a change in the mind set and thereby bringing about a sustained change in society. He added, "Mard is a small step towards a big change".

Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 17

400 Asian Americans rally for Action Day Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 16

For Automatic Voter Registration, members of the coalition met with key legislators to encourage a vote on the bill, which was proposed earlier this year and has been passed by 4 other states. "Automatic Voter Registration will benefit the Asian American voters across Illinois," said Selma D'Souza of Indo American Center. "We want Automatic Voter Registration because it simplifies the voter registration process, and empowers our community by removing another barrier that often stands between us and participating in this democracy."

Among members of the PAVE Coalition includeAsian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago, Hamdard Center for Health and Human Services, Indo-American Center [IAC], Muslim Women Resource Center [MWRC]. Participating organizations included Indo-American Center; Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights & Empowerment; Advancing Justice; Chinese American Service League; Chinese Mutual Aid Association; Korean American Service Committee; Korean American Resource & Cultural Center; Lao American Organization of Elgin and Lakeview High School.

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PCS demonstrates turban wrapping HARISH RAO

CHICAGO: The Asian American Coalition of Chicago (AACC) along with the host community the Chinese Americans of Illinois

joined together in celebrating the 15th Annual Asian American Festival in recognition of the month of May as Asian American & Pa-

cific Islanders Heritage Month at Daley Center Plaza Chicago from May 16-20. Punjabi Cultural Society of Chi-

Turban wrapping demonstration in Chicago Downtown

MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee from June 11 Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 23

Organized by Touchdown Media Inc., the 2016 MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee will be conducted in 12 locations across the United States starting on June 11. Regional level events will be held in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington,

founder of the South Asian Spelling Bee and CEO of Touchdown Media Inc. Each competition will begin with a written test of 25 words. The participants must spell 15 or more words correctly to advance to the afternoon oral round, which will be conducted by experienced pronouncers and judges. The top three in the oral round will receive

The top two spellers of each regional competition will advance to the finals to be held in New Jersey in August. Similar to previous years MetLife has once again funded the $10,000 champion's grand prize that will be awarded to the winner at the finals. D.C. Metro, New Jersey, New York and Boston. All events will be free to attend and open to the public. Accra, Ghana was announced as the 13th center from where spellers of South Asian descent will qualify for the finals. "For the past eight years, the Bee has consistently provided a firm platform for the community to come together and hone their craft. It's become a family activity that contributes towards the overall development of the child. We are proud to enter our eighth consecutive year and look forward to engaging some of these wonderful spellers," said Rahul Walia,

prize money. The top two spellers of each regional competition will advance to the finals to be held in New Jersey in August. Similar to previous years MetLife has once again funded the $10,000 champion's grand prize that will be awarded to the winner at the finals. This year, the Bee is proudly presented by Britannia. Britannia Industries Limited is India's leading food company and marketer of cookies, dairy products and bread, while Kawan - the world's most popular Roti paratha brand returns as the powered by sponsor and as always, SONY Entertainment

Television Asia is the exclusive broadcast partner for the MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee and will be airing the series across 120 countries. Britannia is extremely happy and excited to continue its association with this platform as a presenting sponsor. With its 120+ years of golden heritage of making healthy, fresh & delicious food, Britannia is a household name among South Asian consumers. This unique platform will help Britannia to reach out to Gen Z & showcase some of its popular brands like "Milk Bikis" and the new introduction, "Milk Bikis Creams" which are perfectly suited for the budding spellers. "Kawan is proud to return as a sponsor and we have tremendous faith in contributing towards crucial family time for the community. We look forward to getting to know the spellers and their families through this wonderful journey," said Tim Tan, Managing Director Kawan Food. "Year over year, the MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee has made for great programing that gels with our ethos of compete family entertainment. We are all about family values and encourage platforms such as these that highlight the talent of our community," said Jaideep Janakiram, Head of North America, Sony Entertainment Television-Asia.

cago (PCS) and others represented the Indian American Community and also supported the planning and execution of the festival. PCS participated in the ethnic wear fashion show and also demonstrated the act of turban wrapping at Daley Plaza. "Being visible in mainstream events like these is the first step towards civic engagement which helps community building and coalitions building on road to empowerment," said Rajinder Singh Mago of PCS who is also on the board of AACC. The festival showcased delicious Asian-ethnic cuisine and unique Asian American merchandise. Also lending additional color to the festivities included lunch hour Asian Chinese, Korean, Fili-

pino, Laotian, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Thailand, dance performances, music, martial arts, turban wrapping, Henna art, to name a few. The opening ceremonies on May 16 started with a cultural procession on the Daley Plaza displaying an array of Asian American native attire from their respective countries lead by a Chinese dragon, lion, and drums. At the final day of the festival, the gavel was passed on to the next year's host Pakistani American community, accepted by Sadruddin Noorani. Upcoming P.C.S. programs include: "Punjabi Youth Graduation & Scholarship Award Night," on Sunday June 12 at Viceroy of India Banquets, Lombard Illinois.

HAF welcomes 'Do No Harm Act' move NEELA PANDYA

WASHINGTON DC: The Hindu "The Hindu American FoundaAmerican Foundation (HAF) has tion supports the Do No Harm Act welcomed the introduction into because protecting the sanctity of Congress of the Do No Harm Act, the 'Establishment Clause' should an amendment to the Religious be the utmost priority of the fedFreedom Restoration Act (RFRA). eral government when seeking to Introduced by Congressmen prevent religious discrimination," Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) and said Suhag Shukla, HAF Executive Bobby Scott (D-VA), with the back- Director and Legal Counsel. ing of more than 40 civil rights "The Do No Harm Act will prove groups, the Do No Harm Act to be an effective roadblock for would, in the words of Rep. businesses, various institutions, Kennedy, "Clarify that no one can and even government agencies seek religious exemption from laws that seek to circumvent a foundguaranteeing fundamental civil ing principle of the United States and legal rights. of America. It's now incumbent It comes in response to continued efforts across the country to It comes in response to cite religious belief as continued efforts across the grounds to undermine Civil Rights Act protec- country to cite religious tions, limit access to belief as grounds to underhealthcare, and refuse service to minority popu- mine Civil Rights Act proteclations. Specifically, the tions, limit access to Do No Harm Act would limit the use of RFRA in healthcare, and refuse sercases involving dis- vice to minority populations. crimination, child labor and abuse, wages and collective bargaining, access to upon both sides of the aisle to health care, public accommoda- ensure its passage." tions, and social services provided In 1993, Congress passed the through government contract." Religious Freedom Restoration At its heart the Do No Harm Act Act in response to a Supreme supports what the history of Court case undermining the rights American legislation and case law of religious minorities. In recent has made clear: in a diverse, plu- years, however, the misapplication ralistic society you cannot use of RFRA has been used to deny your fundamental freedoms to in- health care coverage for employflict harm on others or to under- ees, claim exemptions to civil rights mine their basic human and civil law, and complicate justice in child rights. labor and abuse cases.

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Pak shelves plans for Mashriqi Library? RANBIR SINGH BHATTI

CHICAGO: Pakistan's Punjab Government seems to have shelved plans to build an Allama Mashriqi Museum and Library for reasons best known to it. Over a decade ago, The Daily Times reported that the Government of Punjab was moving forward on plans to build an Allama Mashriqi Museum and Library in Lahore in honor of Allama Inayatullah Khan Mashriqi. The proposed museum plan would house his articles, artefacts, unpublished manuscripts and a 1942-model Renault-Benz Mercedes. It was aimed at informing future generations about the genius of the man. The orders to build the museum reportedly came from top Punjab government officials, who met with the late Allama's family There seems to have been no action on the museum project for the last over 10 years. The apparent cancellation of the project is surprising to many a person interested in preserving the Mashriqi heritage: A large number of people around the world - from academics to writers to the general public - visit social media and other websites that provide information on him. Many libraries (including in Australia, Africa, Europe and North America) have added books or historic materials about Mashriqi and his Khaksar Tehrik to their collections. Prestigious publications cover information on Mashriqi and the Khaksar Tehrik It is important to remember that Mashriqi, his family, and followers made tremendous sacrifices for the freedom of the Indian-subcontinent. Mashriqi was

Mashriqi refused to surrender or cooperate and did not relent until the subcontinent was freed from foreign rule in 1947. The contributions and sacrifices of Mashriqi and his movement played a crucial role in the subcontinent's history. imprisoned and tortured, stabbed and threatened, his movements were restricted, his property and bank accounts were confiscated, the Khaksar Tehrik and Al-Islah were banned, one of Mashriqi's sons was killed during the struggle (while other sons were tortured), his daughter and wives received death threats, and his followers were jailed, prosecuted, and tortured. Yet Mashriqi refused to surrender or cooperate and did not relent until the subcontinent was freed from foreign rule in 1947. The contributions and sacrifices of Mashriqi and his movement played a crucial role in the sub-continent's history. In 1924, at the age of 36, Mashriqi completed the first volume of his book, Tazkirah. It is a commentary on the Qur'an

in the light of science. It was nominated for the Nobel Prize in 1925, subject to the condition it was translated into one of the European languages. Mashriqi, however, declined the suggestion of translation. Many still hope that the Government of Punjab could still initiate steps to establish an Allama Mashriqi museum and library. The Governments of Pakistan, India, and Britain Allama Mashriqui

should also declassify Mashriqi and the Khaksar Tehrik's materials. The materials that are available to libraries and other institutions today represent only a small subset of the Khaksar materials produced; the remaining materials are still inaccessible to these institutions and continue to rot in various archives in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and the United Kingdom. Even Mashriqi's rare and historic Al-Islah weekly newspaper remains unavailable in top research libraries in the East and West

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Get Happy with Sri Sri in San Francisco India Post News Service

SAN FRANCISCO, CA: For over 35 years, the Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) has helped more than 370 million people achieve inner happiness through self-development programs based on meditation and yoga. This summer, AOLF will launch its newest

across the U.S., kicking-off June 24 in Washington, D.C. Additional cities he will be visiting include Boston, Columbus, Minneapolis, Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco. In San Francisco the workshop will be held on Saturday, July 2 at Hilton Union Square from 9am to 6pm. "My mission is to put a smile

Get Happy has been developed under the direction of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a global humanitarian and Guru of Joy, to make the ancient practices of meditation accessible and relevant in today's fast paced life offering, Get Happy, to discover the "how" of lasting happiness, through Sudarshan Kriya - a simple yet powerful breathing technique that effortlessly draws an individual into a deep state of meditation. Get Happy has been developed under the direction of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a global humanitarian and Guru of Joy, to make the ancient practices of meditation accessible and relevant in today's fast paced life. Expert instructors from the Foundation will host the two-day immersive experience, where Sri Sri Ravi Shankar himself will lead a special session in eight cities

on the face of every person I meet," said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of the Art of Living Foundation. "A disease-free body, quiver-free breath, stress-free mind, inhibition-free intellect, obsession-free memory, ego that includes all, and sorrow free soul is the birthright of every human being." More than ever, an individual's complete happiness is considered to be the proper measure of social progress and the goal of public policy. In fact, the United Nations has argued that happiness, as measured by life evaluations, provides a broader indicator of hu-

man welfare than do measures of income, poverty, health, education, and good government. Recently released, the 2016 World Happiness Report Update, ranked the United States at number 13 in terms of the happiest countries. The centerpiece to the Get Happy program is the Sudarshan Kriya - a rhythmic breathing technique that harmonizes the body, breath and mind; enabling the deepest connection with oneself. Professionals from different walks of life such as doctors, scientists, professors, business executives, veterans, students and prisoners have benefited from this technique. More than 60 independent studies published in peer review journal across four continents have demonstrated the benefits including a reduction in stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD and addictive behaviors. In Bay Area, Sri Sri will also lead the second part of the Get Happy program on July 3 and 4. Called Get Happier, this workshop will enable the participants to learn Sudarshan Kriya as a take home practice. It will be held at Santa Clara Convention Center. People in South Bay cities also have the opportunity to take the Get Happy program prior to July and then register for the Get Happier with Sri Sri. (Gethappybayarea.org)

AOLF is a non-profit, educational and humanitarian organization founded by world-renowned philanthropist and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. It offers edu-

cational and self-development programs that facilitate the elimination of stress and foster deep inner peace, happiness and wellbeing.

Multi-faith discussion organized in Nevada India Post News Service

NEVADA: South Reno United Methodist Church (SRUMC) in Reno, Nevada, is hosting multi-faith discussion on the topic of "Do we all worship same God?" on June 12; involving Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Baha'i, Native American and Atheist leaders. Per Oxford Dictionary of World Religions: God cannot be described in language, since God is far apart from humanly apprehended categories in time and spaceâ&#x20AC;Śanything which is said about God is approximate, provisional, corrigible, and mainly wrongâ&#x20AC;ŚThe logic of God, therefore, remains, that if God does indeed turn out to be God, it is God that God will turn out to be. Dr. Kenneth G. Lucey, Religion Professor at University of Nevada, will be the moderator. All are welcome to this free

event to be held at SRUMC, which will take questions from the audience also. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI observed three years ago that: Jews, Christians and Muslims alike believe in one God, the Creator of all men and women. The quip was what about the God of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Confucianism, Daoism, Baha'ism, Shinto, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, etc.? Rajan Zed, president of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed one of the factors leading to conflicts around the world can be attributable to differing approaches/ideas about God. "We are planning to bring diverse religious leaders and community together to discuss openly, honestly and friendly manner the issue - Are we, as different religions, worshipping the same God or does each religion worships an altogether different God?," he observed.

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Remembering martyr Kartar Singh Sarabha INDER SINGH

artar Singh Sarabha was ciation of the Pacific Coast itself one of the first to sacrifice became known as the Gadar Party. his life for India's freedom. The organization was still very His 120th birth anniversary falls young, when in August, 1914, on May 24. World War I broke out, and the Kartar Singh was 15 in 1912 British forces got busy fighting when he came for higher educa- war against the Germans. The tion in U.C. Berkeley. On reaching Gadarites decided that the time for San Francisco, the teenager was action had come as World War l asked humiliating questions by the provided them a golden opportuImmigration officer. He saw other nity to attain their goal. They pubIndians being subjected to similar lished 'declaration of war' against treatment while potential immi- the British in the August issue of grants with Caucasian features Gadar and sent to Indians everywere let in with the barest of for- where, especially to Indian solmalities. diers in British cantonments. The He asked someone sitting next Gadarites inspired thousands of to him as to why this was happen- Indians who left for India for reing. "It is because Indians are bellion and overthrow of the Britslaves," he was told. The degrad- ish Government. ing experience stayed etched in Kartar Singh left the United young Kartar's memory. States on September 15, 1914, with Kartar Singh met other like- Satyen Sen and Vishnu Ganesh minded Indians at the university Pingle. They met with the wellcampus and came to learn more known revolutionary Rash Behari about the injustices being meted Bose in Benares and shared their out to the Indian expatriate com- plans for throwing the British out munity. Several students used to of India. Unfortunately, this inforwork as farm labor during summer mation reached the British and or winter breaks and faced un- several Gadarites were arrested at equal treatment. Kartar had also the ports on landing. Meanwhile, worked as a fruit picker alongside Kartar Singh went about preparseveral other Sikh laborers and ing the base for the revolution in knew of the racial slurs that were Punjab. He drew plans to infiltrate thrown at them. He the Indian army, had realized that went to several they were paid less cantonments with than other farm Pingle to excite the workers because of soldiers to fight the color of their not for the British skin. but against the BritIn April, 1913, Inish Empire - and dians in Astoria, Orfree India from the egon formed shackles of British Hindustani Assoimperialism. ciation of the Pacific On 25 January, Coast with its main 1915, Rash Behari objective to liberate Bose reached India from the BritAmritsar and went Kartar Singh Sarabha ish colonialism and about assessing help establish a free the preparations. and independent India. The head- At a meeting on 12 February, 1915, quarter of the association was es- the date for the revolt was set - 21 tablished in San Francisco and a February 1915. The plan was to newspaper titled Gadar was attack cantonments of Mian Mir launched for free distribution to and Ferozepur while Ambala was promote the aims, objectives and to be prepped for a mutiny. activities of the association. As the Gadarites went about Gadar was published in Punjabi making their final preparations for and Urdu and in some other In- the attack, they were unaware of a dian languages and was sent to traitor, Kirpal Singh in their midst, Indians all over the world. Kartar who had revealed the plan to the Singh was put in charge of Gadar police. The planned daring attempt in Punjabi language. It carried ar- to free India from the British serfticles about the atrocities of the dom was foiled by the traitor. British on Indians and racial preju- Many Gadarites were arrested and dice and discrimination against put in jail. Indians in the United States. The Kartar Singh, Harnam Singh articles exhorted people to join the Tundilat and Jagit Singh escaped association, urged them to unite the police net. They decided to and rise up against the British rule. go to Afghanistan and continue The Gadar magazine became their struggle from there. But very popular for its revolutionary Kartar's conscience did not perand patriotic ideas and over a pe- mit him to run away when all his riod of time, the Hindustani Asso- comrades had been arrested. On

2 March 1915, they came back to Sargodha and started propagating rebellion amongst the army people there. Risaldar Ganda Singh who was to help them get rifles, got them arrested instead. Kartar Singh went to trial with

years old and along with twenty seven of his comrades, he was to be hanged to death. But so severe was the public outcry at the judgement that Lord Hardinge, the Governor General of India, was forced to intervene. At the last moment,

Several students used to work as farm labor during summer or winter breaks and faced unequal treatment. Kartar had also worked as a fruit picker alongside several other Sikh laborers and knew of the racial slurs that were thrown at them. the other Gadarites in Lahore in what came to be called the Lahore Conspiracy case. In September 1915, the sentence was pronounced-he was to be hanged till death. On 16 November, 1915, Kartar Singh Sarabha was only 19

the sentence of 17 of the Gadarites was changed from death to imprisonment and deportation for life in the Andaman Cellular jail. But for Kartar Singh Sarabha, the gallows awaited. During the trial, Kartar Singh had refused

counsel. While the judge was impressed by the young man's intellect, he showed no mercy. He labeled the young boy the 'most dangerous of all rebels'. The judge said, "He is very proud of the crimes committed by him. He does not deserve mercy and should be sentenced to death." Witnesses say that the 19 year old sang patriotic songs all the way to the gallows, kissed the hangman's noose, and embraced martyrdom. At the age of 19, Kartar Singh, student, revolutionary, inspiring jewel in India's freedom struggle, became Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha. No wonder, this young man inspired the likes of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, who is known to have called him his guru. Inder Singh is Chairman Global Organization of People of Indian Origin

India Post

SATYAGRAH SOULS Indian Americans Making A Difference

May 27, 2016

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ATYAGRAH SOULS is a monthly political series presented by Bay Area's community leader Rishi Kumar in highlighting the community involvement and success of role-model Indian Americans. This series seeks to inspire each of us in giving back to our local community. Indian Americans are going through a transitional evolution while getting entrenched in a new world, exerting zealous work ethics, supporting the American economy as entrepreneurs, high tech geeks, doctors, lawyers and more. We are definitely imposing the posi-

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

will quickly discover, how easy it is for us to make change happen and how receptive everyone around is to leverage our skills for the betterment. There are leaders waiting to be discovered, why not take that first step? More importantly, how freeing and energizing the experience is; personally rewarding and transformative at the same time. There are many who have made their mark in doing just that. With this monthly series, we want to highlight these SatyAgrah souls who are showing us the path. Here is a SatyaGrah soul, who has found the callingâ&#x20AC;Ś

A MONTHLY POLITICAL SERIES - BY RISHI KUMAR

'I want to inspire R young folks to get involved'

olitical engagement is your calling. You ran against Congressman Tom Lantos (CD12) back in 2004, against Congressman Mike Honda in 2014 and now again against Congressman Honda. How has your political outlook shifted over the years when you look back to Ro then and today.

When I ran against Rep. Lantos in 2004, it was in protest to the Iraq war. I was 27 years old and ran a three month campaign knowing I didn't have a shot to win - but I was standing up for what I believed in. As I look back at my 27 year old self, I realize how silly that must have seemed (and been) for many. I learned a lot about politics and decided to invest myself more fully into local issues and community involvement. Since the 2014 cycle, I have been involved in community organizations such as faith in action, working with Milpitas offi-

cials in finding comprehensible solutions to the odor issue, and working with Mayor Liccardo in San Jose on a manufacturing initiative that will bring jobs to the region. Ro running for Congress in CD17, what is the unique opportunity you see for yourself and the voters in June and then in November? The American political arena has become polarized and filled with anger. The type of conversations that are happening in the presidential election - the negativity, the anger and the blaming of immigrants and other groups - has created a hole in our democracy. At the national level we have forgotten the basic ideals that have brought us together as Americans. Our district is the most diverse district in the United States and is the only Asian-American majority district in the continental United States.

o Khanna, 39, is a candidate for U.S. Congress in California's 17th District. He is an economics lecturer at Stanford, and a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for President Obama. He is passionate about fighting for local issues in the Bay Area such as standing up to the LeHigh Cement factory in Cupertino and finding solutions to the comprehensive waste issues in Milpitas. His expertise is in learning how to increase the number of advanced manufacturing jobs: he wrote a book entitled the Entrepreneurial Nation, lauded by Nobel Prize winners like Steven Pince and entrepreneurs like Elon Musk as a good template for job creation going forward. He has received a law degree from Yale Law School and an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Chicago. Ro gets his political inspi-

It is that incredible diversity that must be celebrated. Our diversity gives our country an advantage over countries abroad. Yet the confidence in our government and rich diversity has sunk to an all time low. I see myself and the residents of our community standing up to the hostility and distrust on the national level. You lost by only 4500 votes in the last election in 2014, when the margin of Congressman Honda's victory to prior opponents was always much bigger. When you think back, what were the one or two things that could have helped you through the finish line victorious? It is always difficult to oust a sitting incumbent the first time around - and it usually takes two or three times afterwards to do so. Looking back, I believe we ran a very successful campaign. We started out at 3%

Ro Khanna

ration from his grandfather, Amarnath Vidyalankar, a freedom fighter who marched with Mahatma Gandhi in his fight for independence.

name recognition in the polls and managed to close the gap to come within three points. Silicon Valley has not seen fundraising prowess such as yours. What is the secret sauce? The needs of Silicon Valley are constantly changing with the growth of new technology and innovation. With the addition of companies such as Yahoo, Google, LinkedIn, Intel, and Tesla in the Valley, many of the workers and executives have become apathetic and disenchanted with the political process. I do not believe there is a secret method to fundraising here in the Valley. Rather, it is important to understand the needs of the Valley and how a changing, yet, globalized economy fits to the needs of the district. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; d on page 25

May 27, 2016

SATYAGRAH SOULS Indian Americans Making A Difference

India Post

www.indiapost.com Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; d from page 24

You were part of President Obama's United States Department of Commerce team as deputy assistant secretary. How did that exposure into the White House work for you? What advice would you give to an Indian American seeking to find similar roles? I would say get involved in campaigns and develop a skill that you can bring to public service. For me, it was the intersection of law and economics, but for others it might be something different. Working for the President was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

'I want to inspire young folks to get involved'

campaign, and is getting inspired to achieve political success to follow in your footsteps? My advice to Indian American youth who want to follow my footsteps would be to tell them to start with their community. It November 8th 2016 you get a congratula- all starts with connecting with people, and tory call "Congratulations Congressman that begins with being a kind person who Khanna". What is your vision on achieve- sincerely cares about folks. If you want the ments you will bring for your congres- honor to represent people, you'll have to earn it in a way that's organic and true to sional district over the next two years? yourself. Start Indian Americans generally don't have much by joining clubs that will enable vocal support in general. I will proudly wear civic engagement - cammy heritage on my sleeve, and make sure are the that we have a leader that stands against the paigns best place to hate motivated racial attacks and discrimina- start. And then do all of the tion transgressions at the airport other stuff that I'm not idealistic about how challenging you would do normally; stay in school and it is to accomplish things in Congress. I see fall in love with your academics, make good myself as someone that refuses to demon- friends and develop strong advisors in your ize my opponents, on principle, and so I will teachers and professors. And read. Read as do everything I can to work with folks on much as you can from as many people as the other side. If the GOP controls the you can. In the long run, you'll be smarter, House, I'm not convinced I can do all that better and more fulfilled. much but I am convinced I will try. My vision is to be a leader and spokes- Ro thank you! We wish you success with man for my community and the issues that all future endeavours. matter, to be active in legislative debates, to ****** be active in voting and to be as ethical in my conduct as possible. I want to inspire Dear Readers Do you have a story to share? We young folks to get involved and make a difference in their government. I want to invite you to introduce us to folks in your community who are making a difference change the tone of D.C. by my conduct. What I can accomplish is generally out - we would love to profile them. Are there of control, but my demeanor and my will- similar stories you are familiar with loingness to be active and ethical is in my cally. The ones who helped address a simple issue in the community to make hands. What are the Indian American issues that you will seek to address during those two years? Indian Americans generally don't have much vocal support in general. I will proudly wear my heritage on my sleeve, and make sure that we have a leader that stands against the hate motivated racial attacks and discrimination transgressions at the airport. Many of these are issues that aren't theoretical. How do you foresee the evolution of our Indian American Diaspora over the years? We are the nation's highest education, highest earning income bracket, but we need to become the most active politically. This is important because folks should know that we aren't just temporary high skilled immigrants. Indian Americans can be proud of their heritage and proud of their patriotism to America. What advice do you have for the young Indian American kid who met you at the Cupertino or Fremont front door as you

life a bit better. Perhaps someone you know decided to make a run for school board, was appointed to the planning commission. Provide us your insights on Indian Americans locally and nation-

With wife Ritu Khanna

ally who are making things happen. These perspectives will help construct roadmaps for our community to empower ourselves, to hopefully ignite a desire in all of us to represent our local communities as doers, leaders, establish and entrench ourselves in this glorious country of America and help make

it a better place

****** ABOUT RISHI: Rishi is Silicon Valley's community worker seeking to make a difference in his local community. As an elected city councilmember in Saratoga, CA and politically active in the state of California, he continues to follow his passion for community service, seeking to provide services to his citizens cheaper, faster and better. Rishi has community outreach and engagement a key focus for his political leadership. As Saratoga's community organizer, Rishi is host of many community events in Saratoga, many of which are free and always inclusive usually addressing a need or a cause. Rishi's day job is as a Silicon Valley hitech executive but his zeal for community service effervescent. Rishi is also the President of the Bay Area Indian American Democratic Club (www.baiadc.org) whose charter is to further the interests and values of Indian Americans, work towards political empowerment and advance ethical standards in the political system. You can reach him via his website www.RishiKumar.com.

Perspective

26 India Post

May 27, 2016

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What ancient India discovered & invented DAVE VASUDEVAN

NAPERVILLE: The debate on the achievements of ancient India in science and technology continues unabated. There have been assertions, some seemingly outlandish, and counter-assertions. For instance, Union minister of science and technology, Dr Harsh Vardhan's statement that the Pythagoras theorem and alge-

to be about 4.6 billion years, incredibly close to the 4.3 predicted by the ancients almost 15 centuries earlier. Today, scientists across the world believe that the solar system and the earth are about 4.54 billion years, deciphered by the radiometric reading.

bra were ancient India's contribution was pooh-poohed as stretching the facts. Is it really so? Or, is there something in the contentions? We bring you the contribution of the ancient Indians - the ones acknowledged and beyond reproach. Take a peek!

2. Concept of relativity Alan Watts, a professor, graduate school dean and research fellow of Harvard University, drew heavily on the insights of Vedanta. He said, "To the philosophers of India, however, Relativity is no new discovery, just as the concept of light years is no matter for astonishment to people used to thinking of time in millions of kalpas - A kalpa is about 4,320,000 years."

1. The age of the earth An early metrical work of Hinduism, Manusmriti, calculates the age of the earth as described in two verses where the age of earth is made in reference to the life span of Brahma. (Brahma is revered as the god of creation in Hinduism). Professor Arthur Holmes, a geologist and a professor at the University of Durham writes in his book, The Age of Earth (1913), "Long before it became a scientific aspiration to estimate the age of the earth, many elaborate systems of the world chronology had been devised by the sages of antiquity. The most remarkable of

these occult time-scales is that of the ancient Hindus, whose astonishing concept of the earth's duration has been traced back to Manusmriti, a sacred book." In the 5th century, the ancients Indians had stated that the earth was 4.3 billion years as compared to the Europeans who believed that our planet was about 100 million years old. But modern science has calculated the age of the earth

3. Trigonometry and optics Var?hamihira, an astronomer, mathematician, and astrologer, of the 5th century defined the concepts of refraction and reflection. He also defined the algebraic properties of zero as well as of negative numbers. A L Basham, an Australian Indologist, writes in his book, The Wonder That was India, "The world owes most to India in the realm of mathematics, which was developed in the Gupta

period to a stage more advanced than that reached by any other nation of antiquity." 4. Discovery of gravity More than 5,000 year-old, Rig Veda stated through verses that the gravitational force held the universe together and the sun was at the center of the universe; thousands of years before Newton and Copernicus discovered it. This

finding is supported by an American writer, Dick Teresi, in his book - Lost Discoveries. The book is a comprehensive study of the ancient non-western foundations of modern science. 5. Pythagoras theorem It was ancient Indian mathematician Baudh?yana who wrote about a theorem similar to the modern Pythagoras theorem in the book Baudh?yana ?ulbas没tra in 800 BC. The book is also said to be one of the oldest on advanced mathematics. It is also speculated that Pythagoras travelled extensively and even visited India, after which he is said have revealed the Pythagoras theorem. In a sixpage essay on the book written by Kim Plofker, Mathematics in India, ( a western historian of mathematics), Brown University Mathematician, David Mumford, writes, "There is the use of Pythagoras' famous theorem in the construction of pillars in India, some centuries before the Greek philosopher is said to have postulated it." 6. The zero

The so called Arabic numerals and positional decimal numeral system, originated in India. However, it was popularized by the Arabs, who later took it to the west. The superiority of this number system stems from the fact that the roman numerals did not have a zero, making it difficult to carry out mathematical calculations. It was Aryabhata, who is said to have discovered zero and clearly defined the usage of decimal system. He names the first 10 decimal places and gives algorithms for obtaining square and cubic roots, utilizing the decimal number system. Marquis Pierre Simon de Laplace, an 18thcentury French mathematician, philosopher, and astronomer, stated, "It is India which gave us the ingenious method of expressing all numbers by 10 symbols." 7. Cotton fabric The fiber that clothes the modern world, finds its mention in a Rig Veda hymn as "threads in the loom." Historians also believe that when Alexander invaded India, his

soldiers found the new fabric, cotton, much more comfortable that the traditional leather and wool that they were used to. They then popularized the fabric in ancient Europe. Herodotus, an ancient Greek historian, describes Indian cotton as "a wool exceeding in

versity at Takshashila (often called Taxila) existed in the northwestern region of India. At that time even the concept of University was unknown to the world. Joseph Needham, a British scientist, historian and sinologist known for his scientific research

beauty and goodness that of sheep."

and writing, wrote in his book, Within the Four Seas: The Dialogue of East and West, "When the men of Alexander the Great came to Taxila in India in the fourth century BC they found a university there the like of which had not been seen in Greece, a university which taught the three Vedas and the eighteen accomplishments and was still existing when the Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hsien went there about AD 400."

8. High-quality steel Ancient India's expertise in metallurgy is reiterated in the form of its architecture marvels. It was said that as early as 200 BC, high quality steel was being produced in India, through what the Europeans would call as the crucible technique. William James Durant, an American writer, historian, and philosopher writes in his famous book, The Story of Civilization, "Something has been said about the chemical excellence of cast iron in ancient India, and about the high industrial development of the Gupta times, when India was looked to, even by Imperial Rome, as the most skilled of the nations. By the sixth century the Hindus were far ahead of Europe in industrial chemistry; they were masters of calcinations, distillation, sublimation, steaming, fixation, the production of light without heat, the mixing of anesthetic and soporific powders, and the preparation of metallic salts, compounds and alloys. The tempering of steel was brought in ancient India to a perfection unknown in Europe till our own times." 9. Takshashila University Around 800 BC, a giant Uni-

10. Chess (Chaturanga) Chaturanga is a Sanskrit word which was used to refer to an ancient Indian strategy game, the ancestor to Makruk, Xiangqi, Janggi and finally the modern game of chess. It was said to have been developed during the Gupta period between 6th and 7th century AD in India. The game, primarily based on a battle plan, comprised four parts of the army - elephants, chariots, horses and foot soldier; apart from the king and the minister. Harold James Ruthven Murray, an English educationalist and a prominent chess historian was among the first few modern historians who proposed the theory that chess originated in India. Published in 1913, A History of Chess, is a comprehensive book on the subject.

May 27, 2016

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India Post 27

TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Kar Gayi Chull : Kapoor & Sons 2 Sab Tera: Baaghi 3 High Heels Te Nachche: Ki & Ka 28 India Post

May 27, 2016

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4 Jabra Fan: Fan 5 Bol Do Na Zara: Azhar

ollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor has found his 'Dilliwali girlfriend'. The 'Tamasha actor who broke up his seven-year-long relationship with Katrina Kaif, is currently dating Delhi-based girl Bharti Malhotra. According to media reports, Ranbir met her at a party organized by his sister Riddhima Sahni while in the capital. It is said that the two are quite serious about each other and that Ranbir's newfound lover even visited him in Morocco recently, where he has been shooting for 'Jagga Jasoos' with his ex-ladylove Katrina. Rumors suggest that Ranbir might Shahid Kapoor's footsteps and settle down with a Delhi girl who has no connection with the glamour world, and that the duo will soon make their relationship public.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had the best trainer with me - Akshay Kumar. If I have managed to do any comedy at all in this movie, it is only because of himâ&#x20AC;?

e have heard of fit ness trainers, even life coaches, but this one is a first. While talking to Bombay Times about her comic caper, 'Housefull 3', Jacqueline Fernandez revealed that she loves the comedy genre but it's tougher than most other parts that she has played. But what made all the difference was her coach for comedy. She says, "I had the best trainer with me - Akshay Kumar. If I have managed to do any comedy at all in this movie, it is only because of him. He speaks with such a straight face even while cracking a joke that it's hilarious. In comedy, if you don't have the right tuning with your co-actor, the humor can fall flat. I wish actors got more credit for humor. I've worked with Akshay in an intense movie (Brothers) and the kind of effort he takes to get into the role is a learning experience."

alman Khan has dispatched some of his own security men to guard rumored girlfriend, Romanian model-actor Iulia Vantur, whenever she's out, an Indian Express report says. It quoted a source as saying that Salman didn't want Iulia to "face any hassles while stepping out". The actor understands that fans and media will focus on Iulia and has decided that "three bodyguards will be with her while she is out", it further said. Ever since Salman was acquitted in the 2002 hit-and-run case last year, speculation has been rife about his wedding. Rumored to be dating Iulia, Salman had earlier said he will tie the knot once his legal cases are decided. Recent pictures suggested that Iulia is quite close to his family, especially his mother Salma. Salman has chosen to brush off queries about his marriage, maintaining that this is not something that can be predicted.

6 Ji Huzoori : Ki & Ka 7 Bolna: Kapoor & Sons 8 Most Wanted Munda : Ki & Ka 9 Let's Talk About Love : Baaghi 10 Buddhu Sa Mann : Kapoor & Sons

Bollywood

May 27, 2016

India Post 29

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R S

hraddha Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapoor's sizzling chemistry in 'Aashiqui 2' surely added to the number of their fans and the two are all set to set the screen ablaze once again with Karan Johar's next romantic film 'Ok Jaanu', the official remake of Mani Ratnam's Tamil film, 'Ok Kanmani Karan shared an intimate moment between his Aditya and Shraddha on Twitter. In the black and white picture, Shraddha and Aditya are about to share a kiss recreating their 'Aashiqui 2' moment on screen. Thus, giving their fans a glimpse of their crackling chemistry in the upcoming film. The film is reportedly about livein relationships. The movie marks the return of director Shaad Ali, whose last movie was 'Kill Dil'.

adhika Apte is not somebody who likes public attention. Even her wedding with British musician Benedict Taylor was a small party with 50 guests. She says in the report that she didn't wear a wedding dress so that she wasn't the centre of attention. And she gets borderline irritated with strangers wanting to take a selfie with her because she has a pretty face. But constructive appreciation is always welcome. For example, a Customs officer at the airport once told her that he remembers her from Tu and guy in the medical shop complemented her about Garbo, both plays that she had done sometime back. "It makes me think, yeah, we have something to talk about. I can sit and chat with him for 15 minutes. Because I can see that he has seen my work and actually wants to know more about it. And I would love to know about his," she said.

In the black and white picture, Shraddha and Aditya are about to share a kiss recreating their 'Aashiqui 2' moment on screen. Thus, giving their fans a glimpse of their crackling chemistry in the upcoming film

uma Qureshi says the only thing that matters in helping a film reach out to a wider audience is 'good content'. The 29-year-old actress will soon be sharing screen space with her brother Saqib Saleem in the upcoming paranormal thriller 'Dobaara', which is a remake of the 2013 hit 'Occulus'. Huma added that remakes will always happen. As per a report in Indian Express, Huma said, "I think as long as remakes - whether it is a Hollywood film into a Hindi film or a southern film into whatever... They (remakes) always happen." 'Occulus' was a story of a brother-sister duo battling paranormal forces. Huma and Saqib will reprise the roles played by Karen Gillan and Brenton Thwaites respectively in the original.

t has been an eventful year for Lisa Ray. The actress, who made a comeback of sorts in Bollywood with a release in February, is excited about her next big venture, 'Veerappan'. She plays Priya, a spy who aids cops in the encounter of the notorious sandalwood smuggler, in the thriller. Lisa says working under Director Ram Gopal Varma was a memorable experience. "I shot the entire movie with a broken toe as I met with an accident on the set. Also, I never checked the monitor during the shoot as I trusted RGV and knew he wouldn't let me go until I had given a satisfactory take" she says, adding, "He has made the film with honesty. And working with actors, including National Award winner U s h a J a d h a v, improves y o u r game."

Realty Tidbits

Patnaik dedicates 10 lakh houses for villagers BHUBANESWAR: Ahead of Panchayat polls due in Odisha early next year, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has formally dedicated 10 lakh houses under various rural housing schemes and announced plans to construct 16 lakh similar houses for villages. Claiming that the state government built 10 lakh pucca houses for the people in two years, Patnaik said the project would provide safe shelter to around 50 lakh people who were staying in kutcha houses in rural areas. "The government will construct 16 lakh more houses in the next three years. I am sure it will set a new milestone in rural development in the state," the Chief Minister said at a function organized here. Stating that converting all kutcha houses to pucca houses formed an important part of BJD manifesto for the 2014 elections, Patnaik said Cyclone Phailin in October 2013 had prompted him to launch this project aimed at providing safe and secure houses to the people. Describing the pucca house project as a unique achievement in the entire country, he said the effort of the state government in this direction would continue. Recalling that the legendary Biju Patnaik was keen to provide a "decent roof" for all, the chief minister said "I feel proud to dedicate 10 lakh pucca houses in his birth centenary year". -PTI

Fundraiser to replace mansion's slate roof KOKOMO, Ind.: A 19th century mansion that's one of Kokomo's most iconic buildings is getting a fundraiser for an estimated $500,000 project to replace its slate roof. The Howard County Historical Society will host a May 26 open house at the Seiberling Mansion to announce the group's capital campaign for the 1891 home. Howard County Commissioner Paul Wyman says the roof replacement will likely cost about $500,000, but county matching funds will help pay for the project. Wyman says the 125-year-old mansion draws visitors to the city about 40 miles north of Indianapolis who boost the local economy during their visits to tour the ornate structure. The Kokomo Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/1TfhmqU ) the mansion was built for the family of industrialist Monroe Seiberling and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. -AP

Real Estate 30 India Post

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May 27, 2016

Bay area lifts California home prices SAN DIEGO: Record highs in the San Francisco Bay area helped lift California home prices to their loftiest levels since September 2007 last month. Sales were soft. Research firm CoreLogic Inc. said that the state's median home price rose to $430,000 in April, up 4 percent from March and 6 percent from a year earlier. It was the 50th straight annual increase. There were slightly less than 41,000 homes sold, up 6 percent from March but down 1 percent from a year earlier. -AP

Submerged bedrooms in Dubai's real-estate wonder DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Surrounded by 300 deserted manmade islands, Dubai's newest realestate wonder has all the amenities of a luxury hotel - plus views of the bottom of the sea. The Floating Seahorse villas feature submerged bedrooms whose curtains open up to transplanted coral and the waters of the Persian Gulf. Wide-mouthed groupers and other fish dart past its over 9-centimeter-thick (3.5-inchthick) acrylic windows. But the Seahorses, part of an ambitious larger hotel development called The Heart of Europe which will be built on reclaimed islands - have an even more grandiose-sounding aim. They want to save The World, as the longstalled Earth-shaped island project off the Dubai coast is called, by providing a major development that jumpstarts building on its other sandy islands. ``We wanted to be the first one. We always knew it's a risk and a chance,'' said Josef Kleindienst, the chairman of Kleindienst Group, which is building the Floating Seahorses and the Heart of Europe. He added: ``The World has started to move.'' Dubai is already home to the world's tallest building, an indoor

ski slope and man-made islands viewable from space. But while the

Dubai's financial crisis of 2009. Together with several other

machine-crafted frond of the Palm Jumeirah archipelago flourished, The World stopped spinning with

state-linked firms, Nakheel, the government-owned builder behind both projects, found itself at

the time unable to repay billions of dollars in loans. Those defaults triggered a collapse that forced neighboring oil-rich Abu Dhabi to give Dubai a $10 billion bailout. Other projects have restarted in the years since, nudged by improving investor confidence and Dubai hosting the upcoming 2020 World Expo, or world's fair. But The World project as envisioned by Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has languished. Today, only two of the 300 islands are being actively used. One is a dayuse beach resort on Lebanon island, another is an island with a luxury villa and a helipad believed to be used by Dubai's ruling family. The Dubai Media Office did not respond to a request for comment about the island. In a statement, Nakheel acknowledged only two islands are developed, but said that financial deals involving the project are resuming on the project. Cont’d on page 31

Indian Property Show in Fremont on June 25, 26 India Post News Service

FREMONT, CA: The New Indian Express' 2-day Indian Property Show, in its 9th edition, will be held in Fremont, Portland and Seattle during June/July this year. The Fremont show will be held in Royal Palace banquet hall on June 25, 26 from 10.30 am to 8 pm. Organised by Priya Publications, the prestigious property show, in its 9th edition in USA, will bring 20 Indian developers from various Indian cities to showcase their varied options. There will be bargain offers, special schemes and competitive home loan lending rates for NRIs

to choose their dream homes. Housing finance institutions and Indian banks will provide home loans to NRIs for repayment period extending 15 years.

the budget has given fiscal sops for affordable housing. Moreover, NRI/PIO norms have also been considerably eased and they are put on par with resident Indians

A lecture on NRI investment in real estate and tax advisory services will provide an overview of the current market scenario, emerging trends, tax planning and legal issues government investment in real estate. The property show is being held at a time when the Indian government has relaxed foreign direct investment norms to encourage FDI investment in real estate and

while investing in real estate back home. A lecture on NRI investment in real estate and tax advisory services will provide an overview of

the current market scenario, emerging trends, tax planning and legal issues government investment in real estate. With the passing of Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act, 2016, real estate sector is poised for a major turnaround towards transparency and ethical practices. Expert speakers will provide tips on investment and clarify any queries NRIs may have on investment in real estate. Besides the 2-day show in Fremont Royal Palace banquet hall will provide free advisory services to visitors during the show days. The entry is free for the visitors and car parking is free.

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Things to know before you rent a house

ontact the landlord to schedule a showing of the house you'd like to rent. One of the most important aspects of renting a home is finding a space that's the right size for you and your family. Location and affordability are other key factors that can influence your choice. Before renting a home, make a list of questions you'd like the landlord to answer. Asking questions before signing the lease gives you an opportunity to discuss your needs and expectations with your potential landlord. Check Your Credit Report Take a look at your credit report to determine whether or not

MIRANDA BROOKINS

before you rent a house. Maintenance concerns such as plumbing, broken appliances and pest control can cause renters stress, so it's important to find out who you need to get in contact with in case an issue arises. Also find out how long it typically takes for maintenance requests to get handled.

your credit history will present a problem when you try to rent a house. The website Credit Report suggests submitting a letter with your rental application, if your credit report reflects late payments, foreclosures, bankruptcies or other debt problems. Rental Payments and Due Dates Before renting a home, determine whether the monthly rental payment fits your budget. Ask if there's a security deposit and how much it is. Discuss with the landlord when your rent will be due each month, where you should go to make payment and what types of payment methods are accepted by the rental office or landlord.

Utilities Renting a home also means taking into account utilities such as water, gas and electric. Find out

Submerged bedrooms in Dubai's real-estate wonder Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 30

Heart of Europe development. The real star, however, is the Floating Seahorse anchored alone in a nearby channel. Weighing 240 tons, the villa on the sea smells of the Myanmar teak adorning its walls. A wet bar on its top floor is both open-air and air conditioned, with a hot tub. Below, the glass walls of its living room and dining room open out on blue beach chairs and netting allowing a look at the water below. Below deck, automated cur-

So far, Kleindienst said his organization has sold Floating Seahorses to both people who will use them and others who will rent them out as part of the planned hotels at the site. The latest models of the Seahorses have a list price of 12 million dirhams ($3.2 million). Kleindienst said they plan to open the heart-shaped St. Petersburg island by October, with dozens of Seahorses connected to water, electricity and other utilities

``We continue to see a renewed interest in The World, and have reached settlement agreements with third-party developers on payments worth over 1 billion dirhams ($272 million), allowing work there to recommence,'' it said, without elaborating. Some construction material and machinery can be seen entering The World by boat from Dubai's coastline. Earth-moving equipment rattles over the sandy dunes of one of the first islands after The World's circular breakwater, which offers the project its globe-like shape and stills its currents. The rest of the islands are deserted until reaching the dock of the development run by Kleindienst, a former Austrian police officer and one-time member of the far-right Freedom Party who has written about making his fortune in stocks. He also wrote a book about his party obtaining classified police files on The floating villas will eventually be linked to a man-made archipelago, called the its political opponents, Heart of Europe, in the Persian Gulf off Dubai something its leaders denied in an ensuing political scan- tains in the bedroom open out on the island via gangplanks. onto an under-the-sea view. Coral For now though, the area runs dal in Austria in 2000. At the dock, a sign painted in transplanted from the site of the off a generator and the model sits black, red and yellow announces Burj Al Arab, Dubai's iconic sail- alone, drawing curious customers. in German: ``Welcome to Germany: shaped luxury hotel, sits on the Dubai's skyscrapers are visible on Passport Control.'' Behind it, the lip of the Seahorse under shade, the horizon. `Ìf this would happen in any initial cement-block frames of two drawing the sea life. `Ìt's amazing. It attracts a lot of other country, even if it is done in planned Bentley-branded villas stand on Sweden island. Plans call fish,'' said Gianni Malerba, the di- 50 years, nobody would consider for 10 similar villas to be built there, rector of hospitality operations for it as delayed,'' Kleindienst said. as well as hotels, restaurants, bars The Heart of Europe. `Ìt fits very `Ònly in Dubai, everyone expects and other attractions on empty well with the `wow factor' of it needs to be done in one day.'' AP surrounding islands as part of The Dubai.''

from your landlord whether you will pay a separate utility bill, whether utilities will be added into your monthly rent payment or if the landlord will cover all or a portion of your rental unit's utility expenses. Call your local utility companies, give them your address and get an estimate on your monthly utility expenses. Maintenance Requests Talk to your landlord about the maintenance services he provides

Parking Find out whether you have to pay for a parking permit, or if parking is included in the cost of your rent. Determine whether there's a parking lot near the rental home and find out whether the lot has an attendant. Ask the landlord where your house guests should park during visits. Pet Policy If you have a pet or plan to get a pet, discuss this with your potential landlord in advance. Rental properties often have pet policies that either prohibit pets in the rental home, or limit the number and types of pets a resident can have. -Courtesy Demand Media

Unitech to pay over Rs 60 lakh penalty NEW DELHI: The apex consumer commission has directed real-estate major Unitech Limited to pay over Rs 60 lakh to a Gurgaon resident for not giving him possession of an apartment booked a decade ago at Greater Noida. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) asked the firm to pay the amount with an interest of 18 per cent per annum, from the date the total demand amount was deposited with the Unitech, which is also facing several other complaints, including a joint claim by 144 home-buyers. A bench headed by Justice J M Malik held that the desire to acquire the property had "ruined the life" of the buyer and the real estate major "harassed" him by asking "for interest on the delayed payment when there was no progress of project". The consumer commission directed the firm to pay Rs 59,98,560 to Sanjay Arora, who had booked the flat in Sector Pi II, Greater Noida, in 2006, besides Rs one lakh for compensation and litigation charges. "As a matter of fact, the desire to acquire the above said apartment has ruined the life of the complainant. This is an admitted fact that the opposite party (firm) can-

not hand over the apartment in dispute in favor of the complainant (Arora) because opposite party does not seem to make much headway with its project. "After the lapse of 8-9 years, he is offering another apartment, which was rightly refused by the complainant because this apartment will also carry with it so many other problems," the bench said.

In its order, the bench also noted that a number of cases against Unitech Ltd were pending before it, including a joint claim by 144 complainants. "The opposite party harassed the complainant by asking for interest on the delayed payment when there was no progress of the project. The complainant fell sick and was admitted in hospitals one after the other... The action of the opposite party qua the complainant is below the belt," the bench said. -PTI

Â&#x201E; Health

Line

Centre to assess environ impact on health NEW DELHI: The 'Centre for Environmental Health' to assess the impact of environment-related problems like air pollution, climate change, pesticide use and sanitation on health, has been launched here by Union Minister J P Nadda. A joint initiative of the Public Health Foundation of India and the Tata Institute of Social Science, the centre will conduct research across a range of environmental health issues, including chemical exposure, water and hygiene. Its mandate also includes capacity-building, advocacy, outreach and remedial issues. "Evidence based research is very important as it gives us strength to sensitize people in that direction. "The ministry is proactive on environmental issues, concentrating on preventive and promotive health and this comes in that ambit," Nadda, who launched the centre jointly with former environment minister Jairam Ramesh, said. The Health Minister said the government will work in close coordination with the centre, noting that the research will help in policymaking and sensitizing people about the issue. "This research and capacitybuilding will be very helpful to us. Whatever inputs we get from the centre we will go forward in that direction and certainly work towards making a difference," he said.

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App launched to help hearing impaired people PUNE: A Pune-based start-up has launched an app that uses mobile technology to enable hearing impaired people customize their listening experience by using results of a simple, interactive hearing test. The app 'Q+' developed by Quadio Devices offers different modes which optimize hearing in different situations like when at a restaurant, or while driving. It also has a mode which makes it easier to watch TV or videos. According to the company, the hearing test in the app is calibrated for accuracy, as per ANSI standards of audiometry. "Hearing loss is the second largest disability in the country that affects more than 120 million lives with majority sufferers over the age of 60. There are less than 2,000 practicing audiologists in India and therefore most people have never actually received treatment until their hearing has degraded severely with age," said Neeraj Dotel, CEO of Quadio Devices. -PTI

Health Science

Kirtan & Yoga help improve memory, fight Alzheimer's

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May 27, 2016

Details on Page 35

Affordable Care Act is reducing racial and ethnic disparities

mid all of the partisan de bate around the Afford able Care Act (ACA), it's easy to lose sight of the facts: more than 20 million Americans have access to health care coverage because of the Affordable Care Act. Insurance companies can no longer deny coverage because of a pre-existing condition, put limits on the amount of care you can receive, or charge women more simply because of gender. But perhaps the ACA's greatest legacy has been its impact on racial inequality in America. For too long, healthcare was seen as a privilege for those with "good jobs" or large bank accounts. While the creation of Medicaid and Medicare in 1965 provided access to some care for low-income individuals, there remained huge gaps in coverage for many Americans. The passage of the ACA made access to healthcare a right for all Americans. Prior to the enactment of the ACA, over 50 million Americans were uninsured, including 20 percent of African Americans and 40 percent of Latinos. Uninsured

NEERA TANDEN & DANYELLE SOLOMON

Americans were more likely to use the emergency room rather than see a primary care physician, which led to improper diagnoses and lack of consistent treatment for chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, and obesity. Burdened by higher rates of poverty and employment discrimination, African Americans and Latinos faced significant barriers to affordable and quality healthcare.

of the ACA, she underwent two operations that put her on a path to recovery. "I had a long and painful road ahead of me," she said, "but I did not have to put my family in debt along the way." Tonya's story is not unique. The ACA has already started to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in coverage across the country. By 2011, three years before the law was fully implemented, 14.3

Prior to the enactment of the ACA, over 50 million Americans were uninsured, including 20 percent of African Americans and 40 percent of Latinos. Uninsured Americans were more likely to use the emergency room Take the story of Tonya Fisher, a middle school teacher in Dallas. She woke up one morning to find that the right side of her face had gone numb. When Tonya finally saw a doctor, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Without insurance, Tonya simply could not afford the brain surgery needed to save her life. But with the passage

million people of color made up the majority of the 25.4 million uninsured Americans who were at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty line. Of the 14.3 million, 8.9 million were Latinos, 4.2 million were African Americans, and 1.2 million were Asians. The ACA has expanded coverage in a number of ways. First,

uninsured Americans can now purchase health insurance regardless of their health status, and lower and moderate income Americans receive financial help to make insurance affordable. Second, states can elect to expand Medicaid to all individuals with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level with the federal government covering 90 percent of the cost. The District of Columbia and 31 states have already embraced the expansion, and there is growing pressure for reluctant states to take action. Third, the law also provided $11 million to community health centers, which are essential to reaching communities of color. Thirtytwo percent of patients in community health centers are Latino and 22 percent are African American. This additional investment in health centers will provide more options for these communities and help address the language and cultural barriers to health access. These reforms have resulted in a dramatic decline in the uninsured rate for African Americans. Cont'd on Page 35

Zika could embed in native mosquito population SUNNY YADAV, MD

ika virus is aflavivirus re lated to yellow fever vi rus, west nile fever virus and dengue fever virus. Zika Virus was first discovered in Rhesus monkeys in 1947 in Uganda. It causes Zika Virus disease (Zika). In 1952, the first human cases of Zika were detected and since then, outbreaks of Zika have been reported in tropical Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. In May 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infection in Brazil. In February, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Zika virus a Public Health Emergency of In-

ternational Concern (PHEIC). This is the 4th time in history that CDC has declared a Level 1 Alert. Transmission:

The virus is spread primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. The mosquitoes flourish near standing water where they lay eggs. The trans-

mission also occurs from mother to child, sexual contact and through blood transfusion. It appears that animals are not involved in spread of Zika Virus. Clinical Symptoms: It starts with mild symptoms of fever, rash, headache, fatigue, red eyes and joint pains over days to weeks. Since symptoms resemble other viral infections, it is hard to diagnose Zika in these patients. They typically recover. Typical Zika rash Zika infection during pregnancy can cause microcephaly (abnormally small head) and severe brain defects. Cont'd on Page 34

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UK device to help save lives in India LONDON: Experts at the University of Birmingham have announced that they have developed a unique device that could save lives in countries like India by quickly and simply testing whether water supplies are safe to drink. A team from the University's Department of Civil Engineering has developed prototype optical equipment called "Duo Flor" which uses water as natural fluorescence to "scan" the water and highlight pollutants that are present in the sample almost instantly revealing whether supplies are safe to drink. Professor John Bridgeman, who led the team of researchers, said: "It is vital to ensure that people have access to safe water supplies. The 'Duo Fluor' device is a huge step forward in managing water and wastewater systems and has the potential to save lives not just in India, but around the globe. "Microbiological waterborne disease remains a significant concern for the glo-

bal water community. Pathogens in drinking water sources cause ill health and the 'Duo Fluor' allows rapid drinking water quality checks to prevent the spread of

experts from the charity Oxfam and funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Diageo Foundation to refine the instrument design and make it ideally suited to disaster relief and areas of poor sanitation. And they plan to work with counterparts at TERI University on research based around the quality of drinking water in New Delhi. The city is located on the banks of the Yamuna and many inhabitants rely on the river for their daily water supply. Many households in Professor John Bridgeman who led the team of researchers northern Delhi rely on who developed the device. shallow groundwaters, disease and death." abstracted by hand-pump, for drinking The researchers are now working with water supply providing potential for water contamination. The Duo Fluor device uses portable and inexpensive, off-the-shelf equipment to reveal unsafe sources of drinking water in less than 30 seconds. It should help reduce the risk of future widespread outbreaks of cholera and other water-related diseases in areas of poor

WHO report on pollution misleading: Govt NEW DELHI: The latest WHO report on pollution, which listed over 30 Indian cities among hundred most polluted globally, was "misleading" and India will soon come out with air pollution data of major cities across US and Europe, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said here. Javadekar said the WHO report had not factored in various key pollutants like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and benzene while analyzing the air quality and wondered why western countries focus more

as polluted based on only PM 2.5 was misleading as there are eight other major pollutants which have adverse impact on health. "There is ozone pollution, benzene pollution, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide pollution among eight major pollutants. All have adverse impact on health. On each parameter, each pollutant, there are different cities in the world which are bad and good," he said. The Minister said the government will soon come out with air pollution data of major cities in the US and Europe and that sourcing their data will not be a problem. "We will come out with the statistics as people should know the whole picture. Otherwise, (making the report only) on PM 2.5 is misleading," Javadekar told PTI in an interview. The Minister also said he was surprised why western counEnvironment Minister Prakash Javadekar tries only focus more on India and some on India and some other countries and not other countries and not themselves. themselves. "Every citizen has the right to have full The WHO report, based on 2012-13 data, knowledge. PM 2.5 is not the only pollutwas prepared taking into consideration par- ant. There are many cities in the western ticulate matter PM 10 and PM 2.5 and listed countries as well which are suffering. So Delhi as the 11th most polluted city in the let citizens know that pollution problem is world. all over, in different categories and deEnvironmentalists had sounded caution grees," he said. over the report, saying it does not give the The Minister said government's decision right picture. to publish pollution data of other countries is Javadekar said to categories the cities not to counter but to spread awareness. .-PTI

sanitation. Professor Bridgeman said despite the hard work of those responding to the UN Millennium Development Goals, there are still 768 million people who do not have access to safe drinking water supplies and 2.5 billion are without access to improved sanitation services. Current methods of analyzing the quality of drinking water take more than 12 hours and use expensive reagents. This is not fast enough to meet people's needs in poor communities and disaster zones. "Duo Fluor allows water experts to interpret results, but also uses user-friendly technology to allow non-experts to test whether water is safe to drink. This means that people in the poorest communities could help to protect themselves from unsafe drinking water," he said. The instrument has a range of potential uses within the global water industry, including: Detecting organic and microbial matter in a range of water qualities from sewage to drinking water; improving process efficiency at water treatment works; identifying potential contamination of service reservoirs and distribution systems and testing river water quality at abstraction points and treatment works' discharge points.-PTI

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At-home test to detect blood clots developed WASHINGTON: Researchers, Science. ing in clotting patterns registerincluding those of Indian-origin, "Patients can soon monitor ing on one end of the spectrum or have developed a simple paper- their blood coagulation character- the other and will put up a red flag based screening method that can istics from home quickly and pain- before any physiological trouble help patients with blood clotting lessly before making needless starts. disorders perform regular tests trips to the lab or hospital," said "This simple test is not intended from the convenience of their Mr Steckl. to replace the very careful and achomes. Using nanofibre membranes curate measurements that get acThe screening test created by inside paper-based porous mate- complished in a laboratory facility, researchers at the University of rials housed within a plastic cas- but at a relatively minimal cost a paCincinnati (UC) could be a tient can do this on their own game changer for patients between scheduled visits or with several life-threatening The test is designed to give when in doubt," said Mr Steckl. conditions, researchers said. "And it shouldn't require Patients with cardiovas- each patient the ability to a caregiver, as most patients cular disease, hypertension, keep a careful check on can perform this test quickly atrial fibrillation, congestive on their own," he said. heart failure, kidney disease their levels by monitoring The test is designed to and others who are at risk the changes give each patient the ability for blood clotting are espeto keep a careful check on cially vulnerable when their levels by monitoring the blood-thinning medication levels sette, the researchers can quickly changes that occur relative to preget too weak or too strong, they show the level of the blood's abil- vious tests. said. ity to clot, and all from the conveThe technology can also be This imbalance can quickly lead nience of the patient's living room calibrated to a specific patient's to ischemic (clotting) or hemor- with a simple finger stick to draw condition. For example, a patient rhagic (bleeding) strokes if not a drop of blood. whose normal blood coagulation detected in time. Slight changes in the level of rate is significantly different from "We have developed a blood coagulation properties will occur the general population because of screening device for patients on normally depending on certain a genetic disorder can use a taimedications like Coumadin, war- food intake and overall health con- lor-made test kit that includes a farin or other blood thinners who ditions, said researchers, includ- different porous membrane. need to monitor their blood-clot- ing Prajokta Ray and Vishak Using the simple technology ting levels on a regular basis," said Venkatraman from UC. may also help patients who have Andrew Steckl, UC professor of Mr Steckl said a major change a known inherited blood clotting electrical engineering in the Col- in levels immediately shows up on disorder detect concerning levels lege of Engineering and Applied the paper-based test stick result- early.-PTI

Zika could embed in native mosquito population Cont'd from Page 32

Other problems seen among fetuses and infants are defects of the eye, hearing deficits, and impaired growth. This is the most dreaded clinical presentation and the reason why Zika is now an

international emergency. Zika virus likely triggers Guillain-BarrĂŠ syndrome (GBS) which is a disease of the nervous system. In GBS, one's own immune system damages nerve cells, causing muscle weakness, and sometimes, paralysis. Brazil's ministry of health has reported an in-

creased number of people who have Zika also have GBS. Prevention and Treatment: No vaccine exists to prevent Zika. Prevention is only by avoiding mosquito bites and safe sex practices. Stay hydrated. Take Tylenol for fever. Avoid travelling to areas with Zika. CDC website is a useful resource. http://www.cdc.gov/zika/ prevention/index.html What's the real danger for us

in the States? That the zika virus becomes embedded in the native mosquito population that we already have widespread in the United States. These include aedes albopictus and aedes aegypti which vector zika in South & Central America. This is a real danger. The writer is Physician Leader Hospital Medicine, Assistant Professor, UTHSC, Baptist Memorial Hospital

High fruit intake may lower cancer risk BOSTON: High fruit consumption during adolescence may be linked with a lower breast cancer risk, according to new research which also found that increasing alcohol intake in later life is associated with a greater chance of developing the disease. Fruits and vegetables are thought to protect against breast

cancer, but the evidence is conflicting, researchers said. Most studies have assessed intakes during midlife and later, which may be after the period when breast tissue is most vulnerable to carcinogenic influences, they said. A team of US researchers including scientists from Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health wanted to see whether fruit and vegetable consumption affects subsequent breast cancer risk. They followed 90,000 nurses for over 20 years who reported their diet in early adulthood, of whom half also recalled their usual diet during adolescence. They found that high fruit consumption during adolescence (2.9 v 0.5 servings per day) was associated with a roughly 25 per cent

lower risk of breast cancer diagnosed in middle age. In particular, greater consumption of apple, banana and grapes during adolescence, as well as oranges and kale during early adulthood was significantly associated with a reduced breast cancer risk, researchers said. But there was no link between intake of fruit juice in either adolescence or early adulthood and risk, they said. In the second study, a team of Danish researchers wanted to test the effect of a change in alcohol intake on the risk of breast cancer and heart disease. They followed the health of nearly 22,000 post-menopausal women in Denmark and found that those who increased their alcohol intake by two drinks per day over five years had around a 30 per cent increased risk of breast cancer but around a 20 per cent decreased risk of coronary heart disease, compared with women with a stable alcohol intake. However, results for women who decreased their alcohol intake over the five year period were not significantly associated with risk of breast cancer or coronary heart disease. "There may be some benefit with low to moderate intakes of alcohol, but this could be outweighed by an increased risk of breast cancer and other morbidities," said researchers. The findings were published in The BMJ.-PTI

Nadda launches 'Kayakalp fortnight' NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister J P Nadda has launched 'Kayakalp Fortnight' to ensure upkeep of high level of cleanliness, sanitation and hygiene within and outside the premises of central government hospitals in the country. "The 'Kayakalp Fortnight' will be observed throughout the country in various central government hospitals between May 20 and June 3 with a view to intensify the 'Kayakalp' initiatives under the Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan launched by Prime Minister," Nadda said after the launch at AIIMS.

He said as part of the various activities to be taken up during the fortnight, senior ministry officers will inspect various central hospitals in the country to take stock of the existing status and to intensify the Swachhta drive. "The states have been requested to take up similar campaigns," Nadda said. During his visit, the minister reviewed the practices followed for maintaining cleanliness, sanitation and hygiene within and outside the premises of AIIMS and inspected various wards including the OTs, ICUs, emergency and private. -PTI

May 27, 2016

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Kirtan & Yoga help improve memory, fight Alzheimer's WASHINGTON: A three-month course in Yoga and meditation, particularly ageold Indian practice of Kirtan, may help boost memory and fight Alzheimer's disease, American scientists have said. A team of US neuroscientist from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) found that Yoga and meditation practice helped minimize cognitive and emotional problems that often precede Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. The researchers also found that it was even more effective than the memory enhancement exercises that have been considered the gold standard for managing mild cognitive impairment. The study, funded by Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation, was

published in the latest issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. "Memory training was comparable to Yoga with meditation in terms of improving memory, but yoga provided a broader benefit than memory training because it also helped with mood, anxiety and coping skills," said Helen Lavretsky, the study's senior author and a professor in residence in UCLA's department of psychiatry. The experiment was carried out on 25 participants, all aged over 55 years. "Clinical research has shown that practicing Kirtan Kriya for just 12 minutes a day can improve cognition and activate parts of the brain that are central to memory," according to Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation.

"Replacing the Kirtan Kriya sounds with other sounds, or replacing the meditation as a whole with other relaxing tasks, has not been shown to be effective," the foundation said. The three months of yoga and

Affordable Care Act is reducing racial and ethnic disparities

meditation resulted in changes in their behavior and brain activity. "Historically and anecdotally, Yoga has been thought to be beneficial in aging well, but this is the scientific demonstration of that benefit," said Harris Eyre, the study's lead author, a doctoral candidate at Australia's University of Adelaide and a former Fulbright scholar at UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. "We're converting historical wisdom into the high level of evidence required for doc-

Cont'd from Page 32

Among African-American adults, the uninsured rate fell by 41 percent, resulting in 2.3 million more individuals covered. In addition, it's not only the uninsured who have benefited. Right now, 7.8 million African Americans who already had private insurance now have access to expanded preventative services, and an additional 500,000 young African Americans (19-26) are now covered. The ACA has also increased health care access in the Latino community, providing coverage to an additional 4.2 million Latino Americans. But these are more than just statistics. They represent the success stories we hear every day. It's the story of the 60-year-old immigrant from El Salvador, who no longer has to choose between buying groceries and getting treatment for her kidney stones. It's the story of the 51-year-old street vendor, who can finally afford a prosthetic replacement for the leg he lost to untreated diabetes. "Now I don't worry," he said. "It's a security, a comfort that I feel." It's the story of Tonya Fisher, who is back in the classroom with the students that are counting on her. This is what progress looks like. Unfortunately, not every community has been able to reap the full benefits of the ACA.

Republican governors across the country have done everything in their power to block the expansion of health care access, hurting their states' residents and their families. Currently there are 19 states that have not expanded Medicaid, locking out nearly 4.3 million low-income people from access to coverage - including 1.7 million adults of color. Many of the states failing to adopt Medicaid expansion are in the south, where there are large African-American populations. Even worse, leading candidates for the Republican presidential nomination have promised to repeal the ACA entirely if they are elected, stripping insurance from millions of Americans. Our country simply cannot afford to turn back the tide of progress. Looking forward, we must continue to reduce the overall cost of health care in this country; we must expand coverage in states that have denied Medicaid to their residents; and we must elect leaders who are committed to protecting every word of the Affordable Care Act. The United States is undergoing significant demographic changes, and these shifts must inform our public policy decisions especially when it comes to health care. Neera Tanden is President, The Center for American Progress. Danyelle Solomon is Director of Progress 2050.

Centre to assess environ impact on health Cont'd from Page 32

Ramesh, who had initiated the work for the centre six years ago, said environmentrelated issues need to be looked upon from the public perspective. "If you look at environment as an environmental issue, it will come across as a regulatory burden. It will seem that environment is a constraint for ease of doing business "We need to look at the environment issues from public health perspective to get

political support at the highest level. We need to create larger research community and bring this community into the mainstream of policy-making," he said. Ramesh said the research component of the centre is going to be an important aspect for the government to follow. The centre will also establish a policy engagement platform with regular meetings with the government, civil society, academia and the private sector to develop pathways for better implementation of the eco-friendly policies.-PTI

tors to recommend therapy to their patients," Eyre said. The university said as part of the research while 11 participants received onehour-a-week of memory enhancement training and spent 20 minutes a day performing memory exercises, another 14 took a one-hour class once a week in Kundalini Yoga and practiced Kirtan Kriya meditation at home for 20 minutes each day. Kirtan Kriya, which involves chanting, hand movements and visualization of light, has been practiced for hundreds of years in India as a way to prevent cognitive decline in older adults, Lavretsky said. "After 12 weeks, the researchers saw similar improvements among participants in both groups in verbal memory skills - which come into play for remembering names and lists of words," the university statement said. "But those who had practiced yoga and meditation had better improvements than the other subjects in visual-spatial memory skills, which come into play for recalling locations and navigating while walking or driving," it added.-PTI

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he town of Sangla is located at around 2700 meters in the very pic turesque Baspa valley in Himachal Pradesh. The proximity of Baspa River makes the setting all the more beautiful, thus making Sangla an ideal summer holiday destination. The main tourist attraction in

this region is the Kamru Fort, which is an old fort that has now been converted into a Hindu temple. This temple is dedicated to the main deity Goddess Kamakshi Devi. The temple has an image of the chief goddess on the third floor. The ground floor is occupied by a huge statue of Lord Buddha. This site draws a lot of tourists through-

May 27, 2016

out the year, and many pilgrims also flock to this temple in order to see the exquisite architecture of the fort. You can also visit the Bering Nag temple in the region. A Buddhist Monastery is also very popular among tourists. Tourist Attractions Kamru Fort: It is famous for its various images of Buddha and

idols of various other gods and goddess. Located at a distance of 2 km from Sangla Valley, it is placed in a picturesque setting, entered through a series of gates. The third floor of the fort is especially worth visiting. Tibetan Wood Carving Centre: Tibetan Wood Carving Center is located on the outskirt of Sangla Valley, very close to Trout farm and Saffron farm. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 39

May 27, 2016

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Delhi Metro 'driver-less' trains begin trial NEW DELHI: The trial run of Delhi Metro's swanky new 'driverless' trains has begun, setting the ball rolling on what promises to be a technological feat in the country's public transport system in little more than a year, when they will run on 'unattended' mode. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu flagged off one such train equipped to travel on 'Unattended Train Operations' mode at the Mukundpur depot of metro's upcoming Majlis Park - Shiv Vihar corridor (Line 7). In their speeches, Naidu and Kejriwal insisted that metro was one of the best answers to the city's commutation and pollution woes. Kejriwal thanked the Centre and termed DMRC as a 'unique example' of cooperative federalism. Naidu said that odd-even was a temporary measure and "cannot be a permanent solution" and said new technology was set to increase metro's frequency to 90 seconds. "As we kept on saying during odd-even, till the time we don't improve our public transport system, one that which inspires car owners to opt for public transport, pollution or congestion will not come down," Kejriwal said. Trial run of trains, that were unveiled last month, will take place

between the depot and Majlis Park station, one of the terminal stations of the upcoming Pink Line, for the next few days. Gradually the distance covered by them will be increased, a metro official said. The new trains will undergo rig-

possible and later on, in stages, the new signaling technology Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) will be implemented which will bring the time gap between to two trains to 90 seconds instead of the current average of

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu

orous trials to ensure that they are ready for smooth operations after the commissioning of the 58-kmlong Mukundpur- Shiv Vihar and the 34-km-long Janakpuri (West)Botanical Garden corridors , by the end of this year, although initially, train operators will run them. "Gradually, driver-less operations, on the Unattended Train Operation (UTO) mode, will be

two minutes," an official said. Naidu said that DMRC has been asked to carry out a comparative study of metro systems across the world and suggest ways to improve the Delhi Metro's efficiency and also took a jibe at demands by various states to build metro. "I discussed with Arvind ji about experience of metros across the world, their frequency, expen-

IRCTC to launch Express for Tiger parks NEW DELHI: Coinciding with World Environment Day, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will launch Tiger Express on June 5 for travelers to explore tiger sightings at Bandhavgarh and Kanha national parks in Madhya Pradesh. "Sighting of tigers has always been a huge attraction for travelers and wildlife enthusiasts from India and abroad alike. The Tiger Express has been chalked out to make it an affordable and glitch-free experience for those who want to have a brush with India's famed wildlife," said IRCTC CMD AK Manocha. The IRCTC will provide a sixday tour package, including accommodation in AC rooms of three star or equivalent hotels for three nights (one night in Bandhavgarh and two nights in Kanha in Mogli Resort), sightseeing, food, safaris, inter-city transfers and travel insurance.

Manocha said, "We have tried to leverage this allurement as a tourism product with huge potential and more such innovative products are in the pipeline." The tariff has been fixed for single occupancy at Rs 49,500 IAC, Rs 45,500 for double occupancy, Rs 44,900 for triple occupancy and Rs 39,500 for child with

bed (5-11 years). The fares for those travelling in AC 2-tier is Rs 43,500 for single occupancy, Rs 39,000 for double occupancy, Rs 38,500 for triple occupancy and Rs 33,500 for child with bed (5-11 years). According to IRCTC, all the rates are valid for Indian citizens only. An additional surcharge of

Rs 4,000 per person will be charged from foreigners for the safari booking at Bandhagarh and Kanha. Also, it is mandatory to carry the same ID proof during the entire trip, the number of which was given at the time of booking. The train would leave Safdarjung station at 2.30 PM on June 5. On Day 2, travelers will arrive at Katni station in the morning, check in a hotel and then proceed for evening safari (Khitauli Zone). On Day 3, passengers arrive at Kanha and they will go for evening safari (Mukki Zone) in Kanha. On Day 4 after morning safari and lunch at the hotel, evening is being kept free for travelers. On Day 5, they leave for Jabalpur (135 km from Kanha) for a visit to Dhuadhar waterfall in Bedhaghat. In the evening, they will proceed to Jabalpur station to board the train for Safdarjung station and arrive New Delhi in the evening of Day 6. Tickets for the 'Tiger Trail Circuit' can be booked online at www.irctctourism.com.-PTI

diture, speed, and volume of passengers they carry. "DMRC have been asked to carry out a preliminary study and then we will sit with the CM and take steps in that regard as metro is a costly affair. It goes up to 400 crore per km. Demanding metro's has become a fashion these days," Naidu said. According to DMRC, during the trials, the interaction of the trains with physical infringements (civil structure) will be checked to ensure that there is no physical blockage during the movement of the train on the track. There will be a two way communication between Operation Control Centre (OCC) and the train. Their starting and stopping, acceleration and braking, operation of doors and handling of emergencies are fully automated which will not require any on board staff. "Obstruction Deflection Device (ODD) is installed to push away small obstructions on track to avoid derailment. There are two front facing cameras to prevent

suicides and one detrainment camera," the metro said. The Ministers also inaugurated a Receiving Sub Station (RSS) at the depot which will cater to the power requirements of the Majlis Park Shiv Vihar corridor. It has been designed entirely as a green building. DMRC has drafted a solar policy under which it aims to generate 20 MW power by 2017 and 50 MW by 2021. It has already commissioned 6.3 MW and has awarded contracts for another 20 MW. The company is also planning to install offsite plant of 500 MW capacity to run all its operations and not depend on other sources, Naidu said and said that the Centre was drafting a law under which projects without provision of rain water harvesting will not be approved. "Municipal corporations across the country will be issued orders in this regard. We are reducing man to man contact to reduce corruption and moving applications and other processes online," he said.-PTI

Soon e-visa facility for conference delegates NEW DELHI: The government is likely to extend the e-visa facility to conference delegates soon to encourage Meetings Incentives, Conferences Exhibition (MICE) tourism in the country, a senior official said. "The e-visa for the delegates would soon become a reality as the government was aware that e-visas would enable Meetings Incentives, Conferences Exhibition (MICE) tourism to thrive," said Joint Secretary in Tourism Ministry Suman Billa, who is also chairman of India Convention and Promotion Bureau (ICPB). He was addressing the first edition of 'Global MICE Travel Mart' (GMTM), jointly organized by FICCI, Tourism Ministry and the ICPB. Billa said India offered worldclass MICE facilities across the country but there was a need for creating awareness about the segment and providing end to end solutions. He said as per a latest release

by International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) more than 11,000 large-scale meetings have been organized across the world. The US, Germany, Spain, the UK and France are the top five countries in the world in organizing meetings, he said. On the occasion, a 'FICCI-

MRSS' White Paper on 'India Inbound MICE Tourism Trends and Opportunities' was also released which suggested a five-point agenda to boost MICE tourism. Globally, the MICE segment, with a 54 per cent market share, has overtaken the traditional business trips segment. -PTI

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Exit of Uber, Lyft makes travel more challenging AUSTIN, TEXAS: After a car wreck last year put Akhila Sivakumar in the hospital for more than a month and left her with burns and bruises across her body, she was hesitant to drive again. So when the 22-year-old began to look for jobs from College Station, she looked in cities where Uber and Lyft were popular. ``I specifically chose Austin because with the ride sharing. I figured it would be easy to get around without a car,'' she said. It was. Until last week. The Austin American-Statesman (http://atxne.ws/1R6CisH ) reports Sivakumar was one of many regular customers of ride-hailing apps who have recently turned to Craigslist or Facebook groups to find former Lyft and Uber drivers. The companies left town abruptly after a May 7 election upheld new city requirements for fingerprint-based background checks for drivers with the ridehailing apps. Uber and Lyft had sought passage of Proposition 1 to overturn the rules. Officer Destiny Winston, an Austin police spokeswoman, said residents should do background research when answering any online ad. In particular, she said, getting into a car with a stranger is a risk. And such transactions could be illegal for the drivers: The city has sent warning emails telling drivers offering their services online that they could face a $500 fine if they don't have the proper permits.

Sara LeVine, executive director of ATX Safer Streets, which campaigned in favor of Proposition 1, said this rider-driver free-for-all shows the City Council's rules have backfired. ``Before, you knew who your driver was; you could track your route. Now it's straight-up gypsy cabs,'' she said. ``If the city's whole mission with fingerprinting was to make us safer, how have their actions made it safer?''

now. Sivakumar placed a Craigslist post online offering to pay $20 each way for someone to take her 15 miles to and from work every day. She received responses from what she called Craigslist ``creepers,'' and from out-of-work drivers. She reached an agreement with one, only to have him cancel after he received the warning email from the city. Sivakumar doesn't know what

Boone Blocker, who has to use an alternative form of transportation like Capital Metro to get around town now that Uber and Lyft have left, prepares to get on a MetroRapid bus near Northcross Mall for a trip to City Hall in downtown Austin, Texas.

The city is offering events this week to help drivers sign up with other transportation services, and the council will consider a resolution directing staffers to help other companies fill the void left by the two ride-hailing giants. But those efforts will take time, and people like Sivakumar are looking for rides

to do now. Zuli Hinojosa, 23, relied on Lyft for all of her transportation, including getting to classes at the University of Texas every day. She was left without a good way to go grocery shopping, had to cancel weekend plans and was facing a 11/2-hour bus ride for a hair ap-

Odisha Govt claims it has 40 tigers BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government has rejected the estimation of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) on tiger population in the state and claimed that there are at least 40 big cats, including three melanistic types, in Similipal Tiger Reserve. "The 40 tigers include 13 males, 24 females and three cubs. Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) is considered as the only habitat in the world to have dark-striped melanistic tigers," said Forest and Environment Department Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra. The state government's estimation report also found 318 leopards in Odisha, he said. The report said Similipal region housed 29 Royal Bengal Tigers with 26 of those in Similipal Wildlife Division and three others in Karanjia Division. Of the 26 Royal

Bengal Tigers in Similipal, 14 are females, nine males and three cubs, the report said. There are four big cats in Sunabeda Wildlife Division, two in Satkosia Tiger Reserve, three in Keonjhar Wildlife Division (Hadgarh) and one each in Khariar

and Sundargarh divisions, the report stated. Earlier, the state government had rejected the NTCA's claim of only 28 tigers in the state in 2014. The statewide tiger/leopard es-

timation exercise, 2016 was carried out in eight circles and 46 divisions between February 5-10, officials said. A total of 20,174 PIPs (Pug Impression Pads) were laid and 448 trap cameras including 315 cameras in Similipal, were installed to reaffirm the estimated tiger population in the Similipal Tiger Reserve, they said. A l though, the exercise was carried out in STR in February, a dispute over the numbers prompted the Wildlife Wing to take up the exercise once again in April during which 420 camera traps were used apart from 11,370 PIPs, officials said.-PTI

pointment. She's saddened by the flood of responses she's gotten from drivers to her Craigslist post, begging her to give their phone numbers to friends. Because she feels less safe finding drivers that way, she picked the only woman to respond. Scores of Austin residents took to social media during the weekend to complain about difficulties getting a ride with smaller services or cabbies. Some reported searching for an hour or more for a car after public transportation stopped running. A couple of people said they had been denied rides by cabbies who didn't want to take them a short distance. The city has not received any formal complaints this week. A nonscientific survey of 2,090 American-Statesman readers found that 63 percent said they didn't go out last weekend because of difficulty finding a ride. One resident who's staying home more is Boone Blocker, who used Uber regularly. Blocker, an advocate for people with disabilities and a transportation activist who campaigned in favor of Proposition 1, could get rides in his wheelchair via a special service for people with physical disabilities. Blocker still gets to work via bus, as he always did. But it's more difficult for him to go out at night or in bad weather, so he passed on a concert and evening activities with friends last week.

`Ìt's been a little bit isolating,'' he said. Some have had success with online postings. Barry Barksdale said he and his wife began using Lyft when they would go out to dinner after lecturing their four adult children never to drink and drive. After the election, he posted a Craigslist ad asking for a driver who could show an Uber/Lyft background check to work a couple of nights per week. He received nearly 100 responses, Barksdale said. He found a driver in his own neighborhood and has been happy with her, he said. His son, who used Uber and Lyft daily to commute to college, joined a car-sharing service. Abie Ikhinmwin, 27, sold his car last year to save money for law school. He took Uber and Lyft daily to get from Allandale to two jobs in Central and Southwest Austin. Last week, he said, was `àn absolute nightmare.'' He failed to get rides from Yellow Cab and the smaller ride-sharing firm GetMe. He was an hour and a half late to one job. He had to beg for rides from co-workers. He started using Uber and Lyft in the first place because there were no other good transportation options, he said. Now, he's giving Craigslist a try. `Ìt's basically come down to being the app myself,'' he said. `Ì know there are people out there who need money and are willing to drive me places. It's just a matter of finding them.''-AP

After draping AI one crew in Khadi, Tourism Min to use fabric NEW DELHI: After draping Air India crew members operating Air India One, the official aircraft for flying the President, Vice President and Prime Minister, in 'khadi' uniform, it is now the turn of Tourism Ministry to use some of the indigenous fabric in its various ITDC hotels. "Tourism Ministry is looking at various options to promote products manufactured by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) through its departments. It is considering using the products such as towels, curtains, sofa covers, handwash and shampoo in some of the hotels run under the ITDC brand," a source said. Besides, there are also plans to open KVIC outlets at various airports across the country, he added. Currently India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), a public sector unit under the Tourism Ministry, runs 16 hotels in the

country, including three in Delhi and the rest in Jammu, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Puri, Patna, Bhopal, Bharatpur, Jaipur, Guwahati, Puducherry, Mysuru and Itanagar. The initiative comes after BJP President Amit Shah wrote a letter last month to Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma to ensure appropriate measures for maximum use of 'khadi' in various organizations under his ministry, the source said. Sharma is also Minister of State for Civil Aviation. Shah also attached a letter of KVIC chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena who urged Sharma to promote 'khadi' through his ministries, according to the source. Following the receipt of the letter, Sharma had instructed his officials to find out ways through which 'khadi' could be promoted by his ministries, the source said. -PTI

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India Post

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Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 36

Saffron Farm: Just 1 km before Sangla valley is the Saffron farm, famous for its saffron cultivation. Trout Farm: Established by the fisheries department of Himachal Pradesh, Trout Farm fosters various types of the prized fish. Tourists need to avail a license from the fisheries department to enjoy fishing in the farm. Bering Nag Temple: Bering Nag Temple

is the most popular attraction in Sangla Valley. It hosts the famous annual Phulech Festival held every year in the month of September. Buddhist Monastery: Sangla is very

popular for its varied influence, of which Buddhism is a primary one. This monastery is a popular tourist attraction in this region. Best time to visit The best months to visit are March, April, May June, September and December. The climate remains pleasant during these moths offering tourists the best holiday experience. How to reach

By Railways: The nearest Railway Station is Shimla, at a distance of 194 kms. Shimla Railway Station is well connected with Kalka. By Air: The nearest Domestic Airport is

Jubbarhatti, Shimla, 194 kms from Sangla. The second nearest Domestic Airport is Bhuntar, roughly three and a half hour drive from Sangla. It is very well connected to major cities of India.

By Bus: A bus to Sangla departs from Shimla at 7 am. Or you can take a bus to Karcham, which is 18 km short of Sangla and then take a shared jeep or a bus going that way.

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In Brief 13 Muslims sue over citizenship vetting ST. LOUIS: Thirteen Muslims are suing U.S. immigration officials, alleging in the federal case filed in St. Louis a secret ``blacklist'' was slowing their quest for citizenship. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the lawsuit names U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services and immigration officials as defendants. The suit alleges the Controlled Application Review and Resolution Program has flagged the immigrants as ``national security concerns,'' wrongly relying on such things as ``innocuous activity and associations, innuendo, suppositions and characteristics such as national origin.'' The lawsuit alleges the program holds aspiring Muslim citizenship applicants to a higher legal standard and illegally bars them from upgrading their immigration status. A USCIS spokesman says the agency ``adjudicates all applications and petitions on a case-bycase basis according to existing laws, regulations, and USCIS policies.'' -AP

Â&#x201E; High court rules against NY man denied re-entry WASHINGTON: The Supreme Court is making it easier for the government to deport or otherwise remove people who are not U.S. citizens if they are convicted of seemingly minor state crimes. The justices ruled 5-3 that a man who spent 23 years living in New York as a lawful permanent resident can be barred from re-entering the country because of a 1999 conviction for attempted arson. George Luna Torres had served one day in prison and five years of probation after pleading guilty in state court, but otherwise had a clean record since his parents brought him into the country from the Dominican Republic in 1983. But the government argued that the state law conviction was equivalent to an aggravated felony for purposes of immigration law. Under immigration law, a lawful permanent resident can be deported or denied re-entry to the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony. Those offenses include certain federal crimes as well as state offenses that share the same elements. Luna argued that the federal crime of arson is different from the state version because it must involve interstate commerce. -AP

Immigration

Judge criticizes Federal attorneys' conduct

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May 27, 2016

Details on page 44

California aims to reflect diversity in classroom studies SAN FRANCISCO: How do you teach the history of the world in California schools, where nearly two-thirds of students are Latino or Asian, many from newly immigrated families? That's the challenge facing a California panel charged with establishing a new history and social studies framework for the state's 6.2 million public school students. The Instructional Quality Commission is scheduled to consider whether to forward a proposed plan to the California Board of Education. The framework will guide publishers in choosing material for textbooks. It was last overhauled in 2000. Debate about the plan over the past decade has been painstaking and emotional, peppered with testimony from ethnic groups that want something different in the way their people are presented in textbooks and discussed in class-

rooms. For example, a Hindu-American group has squared off against

India and arguing that the framework does not use modern geography to describe other ancient

Executive Director Korean American Forum of California, Phyllis Kim poses for a photo at the Galleria Market in Koreatown district of Los Angeles.

scholars, protesting the substitution of the words South Asia for

civilizations. People of Japanese descent

have argued against including mention of Asian ``comfort women'' enslaved during World War II. They say the facts are in dispute. Other groups simply want more about what their people endured such as the killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians under the Ottoman Empire a century ago and the Bataan Death March in the Philippines in 1942, when 10,000 Filipinos and 750 Americans died on a forced 60-mile walk to prison. ``It's about people's stories and for so long, the stories have been narrowly told, so when there's an opportunity to develop a new framework, we want to make sure they are accurate stories,'' said Eric Heins, president of the California Teachers Association. ``It creates a much richer narrative and story about what makes California so unique in the United States,'' he said. Cont'd on Page 44

Many Indians indicted in marriage visa fraud WASHINGTON: Several Indians and Indian-Americans have been indicted on charges of a UVisa fraud and arranging fake marriages for the purpose of entering the US, authorities said. Investigating authorities said these people would enter into a fraud marriage with the citizens of the US for the purpose of entering the country and then also fraudulently apply for a special category of U-visa which is normally given to victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement. The indictment alleges that Simpson Lloyd Goodman, a licensed attorney, submitted fraudulent documents to US Citizenship and immigration Services for the purpose of obtaining U-Visas for other co-defendants. The false documents submitted to USCIS included falsified police reports allegedly prepared by Officer Ivory Lee Harris of the Jackson Police Department.

Other defendants engaged in and caused various acts which enabled defendants to attempt to obtain U-Visas from USCIS. Those charged under U-Visa fraud are Sachin Girishkumar Patel, Tarunkumar Purushottambhai Patel, Simpson Lloyd Goodman, Ivory Lee Harris, Sanjay Rathilal Patel,

citizens of the US solely for the purpose of obtaining immigration status to which the aliens would not otherwise be entitled. "These marriages were not entered into because of mutual love and affection between the parties, but solely to create a legal status that would provide a basis for immigration status for the alien part-

Maheshkumar Mangaldas Patel, Ashaben Mukeshbhai Patel, Rajan Nareshkumar Patel, Gopaldas Khodabhai Patel, Sachin Khodidas Patel and Baldevbhai Ramabhai Patel. In the 16 count marriage fraud indictment, it is alleged that they would enter into marriages between persons who were already

ner and usually for some economic benefit to the United States citizen," the Department of Justice said. The individuals indicted under marriage fraud are Sachin Girishkumar Patel, Tarunkumar Purushottambhai Patel, Simpson Lloyd Goodman, Chirag Nilesh Patel, Dana Cheetara Adams, Brandy Nicole Edwards, Terilynn

Rankin, Sejal Sanjay Kakadia, Jayantibhai Kalidas Chaudhari, Virendra Rambachan Rajput, and Javona Shanice Rajput. "The defendants allegedly circumvented the laws and submitted fraudulent documents that are critical to obtaining immigration status," said US Attorney Gregory K Davis. "These arrests were made as a result of the great work of our law enforcement partners who stopped 19 people who sought to undermine the integrity of our nation s immigration system," he said. The maximum penalties for the crimes charged in the indictments are: conspiracy to commit fraud and misuse of visa permits - five years in prison and USD 250,000 fine per count; fraud and misuse of Visa permits - 10 years in prison and a USD 250,000 fine per count; mail fraud - 20 years in prison and a USD 250,000 fine per count; and wire fraud 20 years in prison and a USD 250,000 fine. -PTI

Immigration Post

May 27, 2016

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Narayan Murthy's son-in- Curry war kicks off in UK Brexit debate law backs Brexit LONDON: Rishi Sunak, the northern England. are responsible for 85 per cent son-in-law of Infosys founder The Oxford University and of recent job creation". Narayan Murthy and the Conser- Stanford MBA graduate co"But, while this government vative party's prominent first-time founded a 1-billion-pound glo- has worked hard to support our Indian-origin MP, has thrown his bal investment firm and special- small businesses, EU red tape is weight behind Britain leaving the ized in investing in small British holding them back. From workEU in the June 23 refering in my mum's tiny endum. chemist shop to my expeSunak branded unrience building large busicontrolled immigration nesses, I have seen how from Europe that makes we should support free immigration norms enterprise and innovation tougher for Indians as to ensure Britain has a "irrational and unfair" stronger future," he said. and declared that Brexit He believes small busiwould ensure that such nesses in the UK would discrimination comes to flourish as a result of an end. Brexit as the "vast major"As it can't control ity of British businesses EU immigration, the UK (94 per cent) don't have also has to be much anything to do with the tougher on immigration EU; but they are still subfrom countries like Inject to all EU laws". dia and Canada. This is Sunak joins employThe 34-year-old, Rishi Sunak who is married to irrational and unfair. ment minister Priti Patel as Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy’s daughter "Irrational because high-profile Indian-origin Akshata, became an MP in last year’s general Britain should be welvoices in favor of Brexit elections from Richmond in North Yorkshire, in coming the best people and, like her, is appealing northern England. from around the world, directly to UK immigrant not just from Europe; unfair be- businesses. communities. cause we are discriminating On a personal note, he said "I "Like many of you, I come against countries with whom we grew up watching my parents from a family of immigrants. I am have ties of history, language work hard and serve our local grateful to Britain for giving my and culture," he said in a state- community with dedication. My family the opportunity to settle ment on behalf of the official Vote dad is a NHS (National Health here and forge a better life. I am Leave campaign. Service) family GP and my mum proud of our country's generous The 34-year-old, who is mar- ran her own small business, the approach to welcoming ried to Murthy's daughter local chemist shop. Small com- hardworking and ambitious imAkshata, became an MP in last panies are the lifeblood of our migrants and believe it is in our year's general elections from economy: they employ more interests to continue doing so," Richmond in North Yorkshire, in people than large companies and he said. -PTI

Haley says GOP needs to be more welcoming RICHMOND, Va.: South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Virginia GOP gubernatorial hopeful Ed Gillespie have said that the Republican Party needs to be more inclusive, listen better to minority groups and have a brighter tone. But the pair steered clear of criticizing presumptive GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has faced strong opposition from some members of his party for bareknuckle style and hardline positions on immigration and Muslims. Both Haley and Gillespie, speaking at an event in Richmond, said they support Trump but also stressed the need to reach out to groups that have not traditionally voted for the GOP and do a better job of listening to those groups'

concerns. Haley, a rumored vice presidential prospect who has said she does not want the position, said she

Gov. Nikki Haley

was supporting Trump because he would be a better president than Democratic front-runner Hillary

Clinton, who Haley said would continue the current policies of President Barack Obama. ``I may not know that I'm going to get with Trump; I absolutely know what I'm going to get with Hillary Clinton,'' Haley said. Haley is an Indian-American two-term governor who is seen as a rising star in the GOP. Gillespie, a longtime GOP operative and former chairman of the Republican National Committee, has long helped recruit and support many minority Republican down-ballot candidates. Trump has called for keeping Muslim immigrants out of the U.S., cracking down on immigrants in the country illegally and building a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Cont'd on Page 44

LONDON: Britain's longestserving Indian-origin MP Keith Vaz has kicked off a curry war with senior-most Indian-origin minister Priti Patel as part of a debate to leave or remain in the European Union (EU), accusing her of playing "divide and rule politics of the worst kind". The Labor party MP from Leicester East accused Patel of playing "divide and rule" politics by claiming Britain's curry houses could be saved in the event of Brexit. "I was furious to see Priti Patel claiming that leaving the EU and shutting the door on immigrants from Poland and elsewhere would save Britain's curry houses. This is divide and rule politics of the worst kind," said Vaz, who favors the remain campaign in the debate ahead of the referendum on June 23. "The truth is that the stoking of anti-Eastern European sentiment is a new form of racism that is no less bad than that experienced by previous waves of immigrants from the Indian subcontinent... Giving in to rhetoric that sets one community against another would be to take a step towards a less tolerant and more mean-spirited Britain," he said. The chair of the influential Home Affairs Select Committee was reacting to Patel's Save the British Curry campaign earlier when she had declared that "curry houses are becoming the victims of the EUs uncontrolled immigration rules" and called on the Indian Diaspora to "Vote Leave" in the referendum. "I agree with Priti that there is a crisis happening in our country's curry houses. It is deeply alarming that on average two are closing every week. But this has nothing to do with the EU and everything to do the policies espoused by Priti Patel, who just happens to

be an employment minister and the government's Diaspora Champion," Vaz countered. He believes the crux of the problem lies is the current visa scheme, which has set a salary threshold of 29,750 pounds for chefs, much higher than the average salary for cooks in curry houses. "This makes it extremely difficult for the nation's curry restaurants to recruit chefs from abroad. This could easily be solved in a stroke of Priti Patel's pen by low-

"The truth is that the stoking of anti-Eastern European sentiment is a new form of racism that is no less bad” ering the minimum salary requirement for chefs, something I have campaigned for along with MPs from all parties. "But Priti Patel has failed to address this vital issue and is now conveniently using the EU as a scapegoat," he said. Curry is used to refer to food originating in the Indian subcontinent and covers restaurants owned by Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin immigrants. Vaz's party colleague Seema Malhotra, Labor's shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, also echoed his views. "This Curry House con trick from Priti Patel demonstrates shocking hypocrisy. As a minister who attends Cabinet, it is within her power to influence government policy in this area, but she would rather try to blame Europe for the Tories failure on immigration," she said. -PTI

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May 27, 2016

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Judge criticizes Federal attorneys' conduct HOUSTON: Using a mix of scathing language and movie quotes, a federal judge in Texas who had blocked President Barack Obama's immigration executive action, has ordered that Justice Department attorneys attend an ethics course, saying they misled him about whether the administration had begun implementing one of the proposals. After a group of 26 states filed a lawsuit in late 2014 challenging Obama's proposed measures, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen issued a preliminary injunction that halted them. Before ordering the injunction, Justice Department attorneys told Hanen one key part of Obama's actions, an expansion of a program that protects young immigrants from deportation if they were brought to the U.S. illegally as children, hadn't taken effect.

Federal officials later revealed they had given more than 108,000 people three-year reprieves from deportation and granted them work permits under the program. Justice Department attorneys had previously insisted the reprieves were granted under 2012 guidelines, which weren't stopped by the injunction. Obama's proposed executive actions could shield roughly 4 million people from deportation and make them eligible to work in the United States. Many Republicans oppose the actions, saying only Congress has the right to take such sweeping action. A ruling on the lawsuit, led by Texas, is pending from the U.S. Supreme Court after the case was argued before the high court in April. Hanen, based in Brownsville, Texas, said the issue pending be-

fore him was how to deal with the ``misconduct'' and ``misrepresentations'' from the Justice Department attorneys. In his 28-page order, which began with quotes about adhering

Hanen ordered that any Justice Department attorney in Washington, D.C., who has to appear in either a state or federal court in any of the 26 states that are part of the lawsuit will have to annually attend for the next five years a legal ethics course. to rulebooks from last year's Cold War thriller ``Bridge of Spies,'' Hanen said that one thing was ``indisputably clear'': Justice Department lawyers misrepresented the

California aims to reflect diversity in classroom studies Cont'd from Page 42

California has the largest K-12 population in the country, so changes in its textbooks often prompt revisions in other states. California's diverse student population is 53 percent Latino, 25 percent white, 12 percent Asian or Pacific Islander, and 6 percent African American. Educators say they're not surprised by the passionate input from the public about the textbooks but add that there's not enough classroom time to cover all the material. Bill Honig, chairman of the His-

before the 18-member advisory commission. They will include the Hindu American Foundation, which opposes recommendations by the South Asia Faculty group to replace the word ``India'' with ``South Asia'' in some places to describe the region that now includes Pakistan and Nepal. Citing its own scholars, the foundation also argues for more balanced descriptions of the caste system and the role of women in ancient India in lessons for 6th and 7th graders, some of whom are Hindu Americans. Hinduism is the predominant religion in In-

Opponents from Japan and California flooded the department with emails and petitions, saying the women were paid prostitutes, and that any force used to recruit them was by rogue soldiers, not the Japanese military. tory-Social Science Subject Matter Committee, said the panel spent hours taking testimony from 90 people in March and considering 1,500 suggestions for the framework. ``We have people from every part of the world,'' he said. ``There's just not enough space to do justice to all these things.'' Several advocacy groups are expected to travel to the meeting in Sacramento to make their case

dia. ``This is a document for young students, whether it's kindergarten or up to high school, students who are very impressionable or confused or subject to be confused by their identities,'' said Samir Kalra, a senior director of the foundation. Critics say the foundation and its supporters are trying to gloss over some aspects of history. However, the revised guidelines

facts. Later in his order, Hanen also used quotes from the Christmas movie classic ``Miracle on 34th Street'' to discuss the ``need to tell the truth, especially in court.'' ``For whatever reason, the Jus-

are a long-awaited success for others. The proposed framework calls for the subject of Asian ``comfort women'' to be taught in high school `às an example of institutionalized sexual slavery, and one of the largest cases of human trafficking in the 20th century.'' Opponents from Japan and California flooded the department with emails and petitions, saying the women were paid prostitutes, and that any force used to recruit them was by rogue soldiers, not the Japanese military. They expressed fear that children of Japanese ancestry will feel shame or be bullied. Phyllis Kim, executive director of the Korean American Forum of California, said it's critical that students learn the lessons. `Ìt is important to hold the state body accountable as well as teach history,'' she said. Cecilia Gaerlan, executive director of the Bataan Legacy Historical Society in Berkeley, has sought teaching revisions to describe the march that her father never talked about. She would also like more about the bravery of the soldiers who defended the Bataan peninsula for three months, without being supplied food, water or reinforcements and derailed the timeline of the Japanese military. `Ì never knew the context: that they died from hunger and disease because they were abandoned,'' she said. -AP

tice Department trial lawyers appearing in this court chose not to tell the truth about this (Department of Homeland Security) activity,'' he wrote. ``Such conduct is certainly not worthy of any department whose name includes the word `Justice.' Suffice it to say, the citizens of all fifty states, their counsel, the affected (immigrants) and the judiciary all deserve better.'' In an email, Justice Department spokesman Patrick Rodenbush said his agency ``strongly disagrees with the order.'' He declined further comment. ``Throughout this case, the administration has struggled to

provide accurate, reliable information regarding the scope of the president's plan or even when it would be implemented,'' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement. Hanen ordered that any Justice Department attorney in Washington, D.C., who has to appear in either a state or federal court in any of the 26 states that are part of the lawsuit will have to annually attend for the next five years a legal ethics course. He also ordered U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to report to him in 60 days and present a comprehensive plan to prevent ``this unethical conduct from ever occurring again.'' Hanen also ordered that federal officials provide a list of the individuals who were mistakenly given the three year reprieves and that this information could be given to officials in states where these immigrants live. The other states seeking to block Obama's orders are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin. -AP

Haley says GOP needs to be more welcoming Cont'd from Page 42

Gillespie ducked a question from a reporter on whether Trump's positions have hurt efforts at promoting a more inclusive Republican Party. Instead, he said that Virginians of all stripes have been receptive to his positive message. ``I hope to be a governor for all Virginians,'' Gillespie said. Haley was in Virginia to promote Gillespie and help him raise money ahead of the 2017 gubernatorial contest. Gillespie is one of at least three Republicans running to be the GOP nominee for governor in 2017. U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman and Corey Stewart, who is chairman Trump's Virginia campaign, have also said they plan to pursue the GOP nomination. Speaking at a public policy discussion organized by Gillespie's political action committee at a Richmond hotel, Haley also criticized Democratic Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, saying the state had become

economically uncompetitive under his watch. Haley said she used to be concerned about losing business to Virginia, but said the state has become a ``non-issue'' in recent years. She said Gillespie would implement business-friendly policies that would help make Virginia better able to attract and keep businesses and residents. ``I want another competitor, I'm a little bored,'' she said. Virginia's economy has seen sluggish growth thanks in large part to a slowdown in federal spending. But McAuliffe, who is currently on a trade mission to Boston and Canada, has made economic development a top priority and frequently boasts of his ability to land more investment in Virginia than his predecessors. His spokesman, Brian Coy, was quick to dismiss Haley's comments. ``That is tough talk from the governor of a state with an unemployment rate a full 1.7% higher than Virginia's,'' Coy said. -AP

May 27, 2016

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Horoscope

46 India Post

May 27, 2016

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May 27th - June 2nd 2016 Please send your birthday, place of birth and time, so I can give you your zodiac sign, according to Vedic astrology. Send to Jaysastrology@gmail.com

rofessional matters are looking better. Health of spouse also looks better. Things are starting to improve. Don't get involve in speculation, gambling. Continue to work with patience up to Sept 2016. It is better to avoid haste, conflicts and unnecessary driving and risky activities. Take care of health and don't get involved in arguments. Obstructions till Sept 2016. Patience is key.

he week continues with anxiety and stress. New professional opportunities should be put on hold. The week is difficult for those who are in marketing and doing their own business. Avoid conflicting situations during 2016, and take care of your health. Exercise patience and avoid over aggressiveness. Transit Rahu/Ketu influences Ascending degree or some planets around 24 degrees is difficult.

rofessional matters are looking better. Some gains are seen through assets. Focus on children. Handle relationships and health with patience. Avoid haste, conflicts, speculations, aggressive behavior and unnecessary driving. Health and financial concerns are likely to continue. Take care. Enemies are likely to cause trouble. Conflicts will put you to harm. Manage obstructions with due patience

rofessonal matters are looking better and manageable. Work with patience and avoid conflicts. Focus on children as it may cause concern. Avoid speculations, don't buy stocks or gambling. Some concern are seen for parents. This week is difficult for those who are in foreign lands. It is better to avoid unnecessary driving. Exercise patience. Avoid Grey, Blue, Yellow, Red colors.

he professional matters may cause sudden concerns. Some gains in real estate income are likely. You are likely to join some course for updating your knowledge. The new professional opportunities are likely. Exercise patience and avoid unnecessary driving. The transit planetary influences caused by Rahu/Ketu are difficult for those whose ascending degree is around 24

he professional matters may face obstructions. Some sudden health problems and conflicts continue to disturb you and make the week difficult. The new professional opportunities should be put on hold. Avoid haste, conflicts, unnecessary driving/travel. Take care of your health. Handle obstructions and relationship matters with care up to September, 2016. Some additional expenses are likely to occur.

he new professional op portunities need caution. The week brings some good news for the family. The child may also bring some happy news.Those who are appearing in selections may get some good news.Those who are in foreign lands need care and patience. Work with patience.Transit of Rahu/ Ketu is difficult. Transit weakness/afflictions of planets can bring sudden mishaps.

he professional matters face obstructions. Some sudden stress is likely.Some additional income is likely.Good for investments in long term and safe assets. The incidence of difficulties is indicated for those who are in foreign lands. Better to avoid unnecessary driving especially in the week-end. Work with patience. Take care ofhealth, relationship matters. Some immune disorder is likely.

he professional matters need caution. Take care of your health and exercise patience. Avoid aggressive behavior and haste up to September, 2016.Some sudden developments are likely to disturb your income. Silence is golden for you. Better to avoid driving and conflicts. Transit of Rahu/ketu, weakness of planets can bring sudden mishaps.

he professional matters are looking better. Some of you are likely to get promotion/recognition. Some additional income may be likely.Handle obstructions with patience.Some sudden concerns are seen for the father/spouse. The transit planetary influences caused by Rahu/Ketu are difficult for those whose ascending degree is around 24 or some planet is around 24 degree in odd signs.

rofessional matters need constant alertness and stay focused. The new professional opportunities should be pursued with caution. Some sudden stress is likely.The child may need attention upto September, 2016. Avoid speculation and gambling. Some of you may attend some spiritual discourse. Patience is the best medicine during this year. Some income constraints are likely.

andle professional matters with care. Some sudden setback/obstruction and conflict are likely in professional matters.The incidence of conflicts, health concerns, obstructions and sudden setbacks continues specially for those whose ascending degree is around 20. It is better to avoid unnecessary driving.Manage persisting difficulties with patience. Transit Rahu/Ketu is difficult this brings sudden mishaps

This weekly horoscope is more focused and accurate as these are based on ascending signs. The ascending sign is worked out on the basis of your date, time and place of birth. You will find the predictions at other places based on your Sun sign or Moon sign. The Sun remains in one sign of zodiac for one month whereas the Moon remains in one sign for about 54 hours. It is the ascending sign, which changes every couple of hours." That is how this site offers you more focused predictions.

JATIN P - ACHARYA MIHIR â&#x20AC;˘ JAYSASTROLOGY@GMAIL.COM â&#x20AC;˘ 630-675-7148

Datebook

May 27, 2016

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Upcoming

Upcoming Sun, May 29 • Hasya Kavi Sammelan (Humor, Laughter & Poetry) Venue: Kenilworth Inn, 60 South 31st Street, Kenilworth, NJ 07033 Time: 03:00 pm Contact: 551-697-8703

Fri, Jun 03

CHICAGO

Upcoming

Sat, Jun 4

Sun, May 29

• Ponmalai pozuthu 2016 by Super Singers

• Meditation Sundays at Booksmart

Sun, May 29 • Hindi Play - CHANAKYA Live In Los Angeles

Venue: The Hindu Temple Auditorium, 143-

Venue: Booksmart, 80 E 2nd St, Morgan Hill,

09, Holly Avenue, Flushing, NY 11355

Venue: Wilshire Ebell Theatre, 4401 West

CA 95037

Time : 05:00 pm

8th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90005

Time: 03:30 pm

Sat, Jun 18

• Bollywood Patola Ladies Night Out

• Desi Saturdays New Yorks Weekly Saturday Night

Venue: Akbar Restaurant, 21 Cortlandt Street, Edison, NJ 08837 Time : 7:00 pm

Venue: LEXICON, 226 E 54th St, New York,

Sun, Jun 05 • Grand Super Singer Night

Sat, Jun 30

Venue: West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, 346 Clarksville Road, West Windsor Township, NJ 08550 Time: 07:00 pm

India Post 47

NY 10022 Time : 9:30 pm

Fri, Jun 3 • The Ultimate Antakshari Chal-

Time: 07:00 pm

Santa Clara St, Hayward, CA 94544

Sun, Jun 12 • Shri. R. Suryaprakash – Vocal South India Fine Arts

Time: 07:00 pm

Venue: CET - Soto Theater, 701 Vine St, San

lenge & Karaoke Night Venue: Golden Peacock Banquets, 24989

Jose, CA 95110

Venue: Colden Auditorium, 65-30 Kissena

Sat, Jun 4 • Maitra Jivache Mega live con-

Boulevard, NY 11367

cert of Pt. Hridhaynath and Salil

ATLANTA

Time : 08:00 pm

Venue: Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, 450 Per-

Upcoming

• Sensational Heartthrobs

sian Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94089 Time: 06:00 pm

Sat, Jun 16 • Sunidhi Chauhan and Ayushmann Khurrana Live

Time: 07:00 pm

Sat, May 28 • Bappi Lahri: The Legend Live In Atlanta Venue: Atlanta Event Hall, 3750 Venture Dr, Duluth, GA 30096 Time: 08:00 pm

Venue: Terrace Theater - Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, 300 East Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90802 Time: 6:30 pm

Sat, Jun 18 • 2nd Annual Morgan Hill Yoga Fest Venue: CRC Community Park, 171 W Edmundson Ave Morgan Hill, CA 95037, 171 West Edmundson Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037 Time: 8:00 am Contact: 408-859-2496

ILLINOIS Upcoming 1st and 3rd Sunday of Month • Chicago Children's Bal Mukund Character Building Program and Hindi Literacy Classes Venue: Vogelei Center, 650 W. Higgins Road, Hoffmann Estates, IL 60192 (Next to Nissan Dealership) Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807

Mondays and Fridays • Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Metropolitan Asian Family Services Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105

Mondays and Fridays • Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Where: Metropolitan Asian Family Services Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105

Sun, Jun 5 • Thaikkudam Bridge Live In Atlanta!!

Swami Ishatmananda

Venue: Lassiter Concert Hall, 2601 Shallowford Road, Marietta, GA 30066 Time: 5:00 pm Contact: 6784723086

Venue: Public Library-95th Street 3015 Cedar Glade Rd Naperville IL 60564 Time: 1st friday of every month 7-8 pm Contact: 630-637-0662

Sat, Jun 11 • Bhari Lau Aakhma Zindagi (Gujarati Comedy) Venue: Gujarati Samaj Hall, 5331 Royal Woods Parkway, Tucker, GA 30084 Time: 8:00 pm

• Bhagavad Gita: Philosophy of life

• India Eternal: From the Vedic Age to the Present Venue: Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago 10915 N. Main Street Glendale Heights, IL 60139 Time: 10:00 pm Contact: 630-655-8822

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May 27, 2016

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Philosophy

May 27, 2016

India Post 49

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Page Sponsored by Sahanis PAULA MARVELLY

aula Marvelly: In the West everybody thinks about philosophy as 'I think, therefore I am.' But in the East, it's the other way round, 'I am, therefore I think.' Ramesh Balsekar: Absolutely correct. PM: What then is the final truth? RM: The final truth is only one thing and that is, in the absence of Consciousness, there is neither you nor me, he nor she. Therefore, Consciousness is the very basis of everything. In the absence of Consciousness, there is no manifestation and no functioning of manifestation - therefore there is no life. The very manifestation depends on the existence of Consciousness. That is the first truth. PM: Why did Western philosophy go off at such a different tangent? RM: Western philosophy has been attaching too much importance to proof being obtained. 'I think, therefore I am.' Here, we say, 'I am, therefore I think.' The West says, 'I believe it if I see it,' you see. In Eastern philosophy, believe it and then you will see it! PM: There are teachers who come from Papaji for example, who say I should forget concepts; just be here now. SAGE NARAD

evotion to God is personification of intense (high est) love towards Him. It also is deathless or as sweet as nectar (or it also confers deathlessness to one). One who gets it becomes perfect, immortal and contended. One who gets it desires not, worries not, hates not, enjoys not, and does not get excited. One who attains it becomes intoxicated (be in stupor), still and drunk with self (soul). It is not desire generating as it is by nature a form of renunciation. Giving away the social and Vedic customs including religious activities is termed as a form of this renunciation. To be one with Him and complete indifference in things which are contrary to him is termed as a To sacrifice dependence on anything but Him is exclusiveness (that which does not have any other thing but Him). In ordinary life and in Vedic percepts, to do that which is beneficial to Him is exclusiveness. After attaining this state, rock stable firmness in Vedic injunctions follow. If you do not do this, there is a doubt of a possibility of degradation. Obey the ways of the world till you attain renunciation, do activi-

RM: But what do they mean by 'be here now'? If just 'be here now', then there is no question of any talk, any conversation. Anything anybody has said or will say is bound to be a concept because some people will accept it and some people won't. The only truth is the impersonal awareness of 'I am', not as I am Paula or Ramesh or so and so. I am this impersonal awareness is the only truth. And when you are in that impersonal awareness, nothing

time. And what is our experience, everybody's experience? Our experience is that we make a decision - sometimes it turns into an action, a happening, sometimes it doesn't. Whether a decision turns into an action or not is not under our control. That is everybody's experience. But we still say, 'I am in control of my life.' PM: I can understand that there is no free will; that everything is God's will. But to come

on the part of the individual. RM: I know it does! Then, the question would be, those who do not turn in, have they decided not to make this enquiry? You see what I mean? What I am saying is they are either interested or they're not interested. Those who are interested are told to find out who wants to know, Who am I? Those who are not interested are not concerned because they are not programmed to have any interest in this spiritual seeking. So the question

The question of making a choice doesn't arise Anything anybody has said or will say is bound to be a concept because some people will accept it and some people won't. The only truth is the impersonal awareness of 'I am'

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. -Confucius The starting point of all achievement is desire. -Napoleon Hill

Ramesh Balsekar

happens. So, 'be as you are' happens when there is no thinking. That's all there is. 'Be as you are' simply means there is nothing to be done - don't think, don't do anything, be as you are. But in life, you have to think, you have to make decisions, you see. Decisions have to be made as if you are an individual entity with volition. What happens in life is that you're making decisions all the

to the understanding that I am not the doer, is that also God's will, that understanding? RM: Whether you are able to accept that you are not the doer; and that no one is a doer; is itself God's will. PM: But I read that Ramana Maharshi said that the only choice that you do have is to turn in - that implies a form of choice

of making a choice doesn't arise. By 'choice' what Ramana Maharshi probably means is that you have the choice to go by any path and you will go by that path, which is indicated by your programming. Excerpted from The Teachers of One: Conversations on the Nature of Nonduality by Paula Marvelly. The 99th birth anniversary of Ramesh Balsekar will be observed on May 25

ties like eating which should continue till the body exists. Intense desire to Worship Him with loving affection, is "devotion" according to Sage Parasara. Intense desire to hear his stories is "devotion" according to Sage Garga. "Devotion" should be done without conflict to the happiness of the soul, according to sage Sandilya. But according to

this "devotion" (love) is to offer and enhance His pleasure or All actions of this "devotion" are meant for pleasing Him only. This "devotion" is far greater than the path of action (karma), the path of knowledge (gyana), and the path of disciplined contemplation (yoga). Because this "devotion" is like the fruit attained by any of these methods. Because God also

is its own result. It is just like glancing at a palace or being informed of sumptuous food. Glancing at the palace does not make the king happy nor hearing of sumptuous food remove his hunger. Similarly knowing about "devotion", does not help you at all. You should have "devotion". So all those who want to get out of the chain of births and rebirths should

'Devotion' greater than paths of action or knowledge The learned ones therefore sing about the results of "devotion." This "devotion" reaches completion only when sacrifice is made of pleasurable things and mundane social contacts. sage Narada, "devotion" is doing all duties on behalf of Him, and become extremely sad even if you happen to forget Him for a second. This can be best illustrated by the "devotion" of the Gopis of Gokula. In this case at no stage His greatness is ever forgotten. For any "devotion" forgetting His greatness is like an illicit love affair. All actions done as a result of

does not like pride and likes humility. "Devotion" as a method is better than Karma yoga and Gnana yoga. Some believe that knowledge alone is the path of attainment. Some others believe that Knowledge and devotion are interdependent on each other. The son of Brahma (sage Narada) believes that "devotion"

Sage Narad

only practice "devotion" The learned ones therefore sing about the results of "devotion." This "devotion" reaches completion only when sacrifice is made of pleasurable things and mundane social contacts. It reaches completion by forever ceaseless chanting. Excerpted from Narad Bhakti Sutras. Narad Jayanti will be observed on May 26

Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart. -Rumi Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge. -Plato Karma is experience, and experience creates memory, and memory creates imagination and desire, and desire creates karma again. If I buy a cup of coffee, that's karma. I now have that memory that might give me the potential desire for having cappuccino, and I walk into Starbucks, and there's karma all over again. - Deepak Chopra Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man's desire to understand. -Neil Armstrong Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired. -Robert Frost

Insure yourself FIRST. Call Sahanis, (Arish, Priya or Shiv) for your Insurance needs 718- 271- 0453. Serving for last 35 yrs

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May 27, 2016

fish that once kept insect populations in check. The Taj Mahal, one of India's most cherished tourist attractions, is located in the northern city of Agra. According to archaeologists, the pests are Goeldichironomus, a species that grows near polluted water bodies. The increasingly dirty Yamuna River near the Taj has served as a breeding ground for the insects. However, Head of Entomology Department at St John's College, Doctor Girish Maheshvri, said in spite of attacking the monument, the insects are not likely to inflict harm on the marble of the Taj.

According to archaeologists, the pests are Goeldichironomus, a species that grows near polluted water bodies LUCKNOW, India: Archaeological experts say insects from the polluted Yamuna River near the Taj Mahal are marring the 17th century monument of love's intricate marble inlay work by leaving green and black patches of waste on its walls. Workers have been trying to scrub the walls clean every day, but the regular scrubbing can damage the intricate floral mosaics and shiny marble surface. Bhuvan Vikram of the Archaeological Survey of India says authorities are looking for a permanent solution to the problem, which is caused by mosquitoes proliferating in the polluted Yamuna River. He said that the river has become so stagnant, it no longer supports

Cont'd on Page 53

May 27, 2016

India Post 51 www.indiapost.com

Shah Rukh hosts a Bollywood night for Cook MUMBAI: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan played host to Apple CEO Tim Cook at a private dinner at his home, Mannat, on May 18 in the presence of Bollywood superstars and celebrities. Amongst those who attended the bash were Adi and Parmeshwar Godrej, Akash Ambani, AR Rahman , Amitabh Bachchan , Aishwarya Rai, Aamir Khan and Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Celebrity chef Vicky Ratnani took care of the food arrangements, sources said. Earlier in the evening, Film and TV Producers Guild of India president Mukesh Bhatt took Cook on a tour of the sets of his new horror film Raaz 4 at Mehboob Studio in Mumbai. "People from the Apple group got in touch with me, saying that Tim would not want to skip Bollywood on his first visit to India. I showed him around the sets. He seemed keen to see how Apple could partner with the industry - after all, movies don't have to be made by just big film pro-

ducers these days, it can be shot on an iPhone." Bhatt said Cook asked ques-

Bhatt revealed that he knew Cook's itinerary but was made to sign a non-disclosure agreement

a "good host." Music director A.R. Rahman who won an Oscar for the film score of "Slumdog Millionaire" was also at the party. One of Bollywood's foremost female directors Farah Khan called her photo with Mr. Cook "the coolest selfie of them all." Actress Madhuri Dixit with her

husband Shriram Madhav Nene and Mr. Cook at Mr. Khan's home. Ms. Dixit and Mr. Khan have starred together in some of Bollywood's biggest hits. Cook began his first day in India with a symbolic visit to Mumbai's popular Siddhivinayak Temple dedicated to god Ganesha.

Apple CEO Tim Cook with Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan in Mumbai.

tions about the studio's history. "I found him to be down-to-earth, sensitive, passionate. His best quality is that he is a great listener," said Bhatt, who also attended Shah Rukh's party later in the night.

to not reveal the Apple CEO's further plans in India. In a photo posted on Mr. Khan's Twitter feed, he called Mr. Cook a "rockstar." Indian tennis star Sania Mirza posed with Mr. Cook and thanked Mr. Khan for being such

Shah Rukh Khan takes a selfie with Sania Mirza and Apple CEO Tim Cook at his residence Mannat in Mumbai.

Tim Cook floored by IPL experience KANPUR: Apple Inc CEO Tim Cook was floored by his first IPL experience when he turned up to watch Gujarat Lions take on Kolkata Knight Riders in a key game here. "It is incredible. I am already hooked on to it," said Cook during a brief chat aired by the host broadcaster during the KKR in-

nings. Cook came to watch the game in sweltering heat but he was not complaining much. "It is tough to watch the game in this heat but I have never felt anything like this before. I see how important cricket is, how important sport is. "India is hugely important. It

is a great market place. India has an incredible future ahead. I am very optimistic," added the CEO as IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla stood beside him. "It is a great achievement for us that he has come all the way to watch the game. We are using his (Apple's) technology even in our domestic cricket," said Shukla. Cook was seen enjoying the game while sitting alongside Shukla and actor Sanjay Dutt, who was recently released from prison. A lot of excitement was evident at the Green Park Stadium which hosted an IPL game for the first time. It was also the first time that a game was played under lights here.-PTI

52 India Post

May 27, 2016 www.indiapost.com

Immense significance & potential of indigenous cows

he cow has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. With the arrival of the BJP as the ruling party, there has been beef ban, cow slaughter controversy and an atmosphere where respect for the cow seems to being officially enforced. Since as an IAS officer, Rajni Sekhri Sibal is part of the government machinery, the question arises, is her coffee table book - Kamdhenu: Cows of India - a part of the government's cow worship campaign? Rajni Sekhri Sibal's book is a result of four years of research started when she was posted as Joint Secretary, Dairy Development, by the Government of India in 2012, much before the BJP came to power. (She is now Haryana's additional Chief Secretary). It would thus be highly unfair to ascribe her labour of love and lively devotion to duty as partisan behavior. This beautifully illustrated story of the cow describes in detail the characteristics and breeding tracts of 39 indigenous breeds of cattle, 13 breeds of buffaloes, Yaks and Mithuns. It also provides

VINOD DHAWAN

scientific and historical facts, fascinating local beliefs and myths about various breeds. Featuring in stories of Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva, the cow finds a place in the pages of India's

BOOK REVIEW tradition rich mythology as well as in tribal folklore. It is quite literally worshipped as goddess Kamdhenu or the 'The Cow of Plenty.' The book describes how the cow continues to play an extremely significant role in not just the Indian economy as a whole, having made India the largest milk producing nation in the world, but also in the lives of poor rural households where it provides a more engendered and equitable distribution of livelihoods. Rajni says travelling across and visiting various farms, "I was astounded to see the immense and varied bovine genetic resource of the country." Observing the virtues of indigenous breeds she says, "Indigenous bovine breeds

are sturdy, and are endowed with the quality of heat tolerance, resistance to diseases and ability to thrive under extreme climatic conditions in India. Cross-bred and exotic cattle perform optimally only under high cost input farm management systems. The Indian farm management system is typically low input-low output, with the majority of animals being raised by poor farmers. Exotic breeds and cross-bred cattle are also susceptible to tropical diseases while the indigenous breeds are more hardy, being both disease and tick-resistant. Global warming is likely to increase incidence of animal diseases in cross bred and exotic animals with a lesser impact on indigenous breeds." This disease resistant quality of indigenous cows has led several countries including USA and Australia to import them for cross-breeding with their local cattle to foster the trait of tick and disease resistance. Rajni has outlined the immense potential to enhance the productivity of the indigenous

'Sunscreen gene' protects against skin cancer LOS ANGELES: Scientists have identified a 'sunscreen gene' that may help protect against melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Researchers found that melanoma patients with deficient or mutant copies of the "UV radiation Resistance Associated Gene" are less protected from harmful ultraviolet rays. "If we understand how this UVresistant gene functions and the processes by which cells repair themselves after ultraviolet damage, then we could find targets for drugs to revert a misguided mechanism back to normal conditions," said Chengyu Liang from University Of Southern California in the US. More than 90 per cent of melanoma skin cancers develop because of cell damage from exposure to UV radiation, researchers said. "People who have the mutated UV-resistant gene or low levels of the UV-resistant gene may be at higher risk of melanoma or other skin cancers, especially if they go sunbathing or tanning frequently," said Liang. "Our study suggests that the UV-resistant gene may serve as a biomarker for skin cancer prevention," she said. Researchers used data from 340

melanoma patients. The study also included two experimental groups with either reduced levels of the UV-resistant gene or a mutant copy of that gene in melanoma cells and 50 fly eyes. The control groups were melanoma cells or fly eyes with normal copies of the UVresistant gene. Scientists gave a UV shot to cells carrying the normal UV-resis-

tant gene and cells carrying defective copies of it. After 24 hours, cells carrying normal versions of the gene had repaired more than 50 per cent of the UV-induced damage. In contrast, the defective samples repaired less than 20 per cent of the damaged cells, researchers said. "That means when people sunbathe or go tanning, those who have the normal UVresistant gene can repair most UVinduced DNA burns in a timely

manner, whereas those with the defective UV-resistant gene will have more damage left unrepaired," said Liang. "After daily accumulation, if they sunbathe or go tanning often, these people will have increased risk for developing skin cancers such as melanoma," she said. Researchers were able to show a correlation with increased cancer risk. Scientists first discovered the UV-resistant gene nearly two decades ago in relation to a disease called Xeroderma Pigmentosum, which makes people extremely sensitive to sunlight and puts them at high risk for developing skin cancer. Researchers have now identified what the UV-resistant gene does and how it operates in a general population, said Yongfei Yang from USC. "We found the expression level of the UV-resistant gene is related to melanoma patients' survival and metastasis stages," said Yang. "Lower levels of the UVresistant gene means a lower survival rate and advanced metastases stages," he said. The findings were published in the journal Molecular Cell. -PTI

breeds through professional farm management, superior nutrition and genetic upgradation. She has listed the new programs that the present BJP government has ini-

tiated like the Rashtriya Gokul Mission - a focused initiative for holistic and scientific management of indigenous breeds. The government has also established

two national Kamdhenu Breeding Centres for development, conservation and preservation of indigenous breeds. These centres of excellence - one in the north and the other for southern breeds - will be repositories of indigenous germ plasma and will develop and conserve indigenous breeds in a holistic and scientific manner. That the cow has a prominent place in the schemes of BJP governments was proved recently when a bovine beauty pageant was held in Rohtak, Haryana, aimed at promoting domestic cattle breeds and raising awareness about animal health. Rajni Sekhri has done a remarkable job in raising awareness about the importance and significance of cows in this country. Her book is proving to be a really useful reference work for entrepreneurs, practicing professionals and educationists.

Big B praises Randeep Hooda MUMBAI: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has expressed his admiration for actor Randeep Hooda after watching his performance in Omung Kumar's "Sarbjit". The 73-year-old "Wazir" actor sent a hand written note to Hooda and wished him luck for future. "I had always admired your talent, but after watching you in 'Sarabjit' last night I could not resist writing to you and expressing my immense admiration for your work in the film. "May you continue to pros-

per and may you give us many more occasions to applaud you and your tremendous talent," the note read. Hooda, 39, shared the picture of the note on Twitter. "Feels like a validation sir, you

are my idol, a legend I've always admired, feel humbled & honored @SrBachchan #Sarbjit," he wrote in the caption. "Sarbjit" is a biopic on Indian convict Sarabjit Singh, who was beaten to death in a Pakistani jail. The film stars Hooda in the titular role, with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan playing his sister Dalbir Kaur and Richa Chadda as his wife. "Sarbjit" is produced by Sandeep Singh, Kumar and Vashu Bhagnani. -PTI

May 27, 2016

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Florence examines the art-fashion dynamic FLORENCE, Italy: Italy's Renaissance capital, Florence, is reclaiming its centuries-old role as an incubator of the interplay between fashion and art. The new director of the Uffizi gallery has announced plans to transform the Costume Gallery at Pitti Palace, which is also under his control, into a full-fledged fashion museum, while the Ferragamo Foundation this week opens a citywide exhibit exploring the links between art and fashion. Under the banner ``Across Art and Fashion,'' the exhibits opened Thursday at the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum with linked events at four other venues. The complementary exhibits are the first in Italy to comprehensively explore the relationships between two of the nation's most significant cultural contributions, according to Ferragamo museum director Stefania Ricci, who served as the driving force behind the ambitious exhibition project. In Florence's Renaissance heyday, the connection between art

and fashion was even tighter than it is today. ``In the 15th century, there was no difference between artisan and artist,'' Ricci said, citing Raphael's designs for hand fans and Pollaiuolo's textile designs. ``Then slowly the two worlds separated, because fashion was functional, the reality. Art became always more conceptual. But what is interesting is they always kept an eye one on the other.'' Artists were demonstrably inspired by fashion in the 1800s, as is evident in the linked event at the Modern Art Gallery of Pitti Palace. Ricci said featuring fashion of the day was a way for artists to convey modernity in their works, and curators have paired garments from the Costume Gallery with paintings that feature similar, if not identical, looks. At the Ferragamo Museum, the connections are even more entwined. The shoemaker modeled his atelier after a Renaissance craftsman's studio, and the shoe molds on display alongside origi-

nal footwear emphasize their artistic nature. More than a dozen brands are represented in the museum, includ-

An Italian-made linen garden dress with hooded cape, made in 1865, is shown alongside a 19th Century painting from the Uffizi Gallery's Galleria di Arte Moderna collection depicting a similar style for a collateral show at Pitti Palace in Florence, Italy

ing a Schiaparelli skirt suit with buttons made for her by friend Alberto Giacometti and a Vionnet silken tunic dress from 1922 featuring geometric motifs, on a rare loan from the Louvre. The itinerary continues at the

Anushka admits lip job

nushka Sharma, who re cently graced the cover of Vogue, spoke about her lip job which she did for a role in 'Bombay Velvet'. For those who came in late, the internet, back then, was full of harsh tweets, messages and even had memes made on her. However, Anushka took everything sportingly in her stride and just laughed at the entire hullabaloo that happened. Anushka shared that there is nothing to hide and there is no brave thing which she did when she disclosed about her lip job.

It was no great deal to do a lip job as she had to do it as a particular role (in 'Bombay Velvet')

demanded it. She also said that she is not going to lie or deny having done it. Anushka feels she should take the ownership of something she has done. Moreover, Anushka wanted her fans to know that she is a human after all and not perfect.

'Dating men in Hollywood is easier' LOS ANGELES: Actress Chloe Grace Moretz finds it difficult dating men who think they know her

because of her public persona. The star,19, who is currently romancing Victoria and David

Brooklyn Beckham and Chloe Grace Moretz

National Central Library and the Marino Marini Museum, both in Florence, and the Textile Museum in nearby Prato.

Beckham's son Brooklyn, said the relationship works because they both understand the celebrity lifestyle. "(People have) seen you in intimate scenes in movies, they know what you look like crying, and they can read your interviews and know your favorite bands, so it feels like they have all this in common with you... It happens a lot," she said. "I'll think, 'How are we vibing so hard right now?' Then I realize, and I don't care anymore. I just go back to work. (People in the business) understand the travel, the intimate scenes with random people, the crazy schedules...-PTI

The art and fashion exhibits, more than a year in the making, highlight a budding synergy in Florence. The city's role as the genius loci of modern fashion also caught the attention of Uffizi director Eike Schmidt, a German who

last year became the first foreigner to run the highly prized state museum system in Florence including the Pitti Palace collections. Schmidt is quietly expanding the costume collection and intends to make it a fashion museum in its own right, focusing on fashion from anywhere on the globe, not just Italy. At the moment, the collection is strongest in the 19th and early 20th Century, with a smattering of 1960s and 1970s pieces. The last big collection is a donation from Gianfranco Ferre in 2000. The transformation already is underway with an exhibit of Karl Lagerfeld photographs opening at Pitti Palace in June, while Schmidt is on the lookout for new collections on the market. Behind the scenes, he is constructing a new storage area to house all the acquisitions he is planning. ``It's the right place but it is also the right moment to do this now,'' Schmidt told The Associated Press. ``Because there is so much interest in fashion right now.'' -AP

Insects harming Taj Mahal Cont'd from Page 50

"Acting on a request by the Archaeological Society of India (ASI), we have identified the insect as Goeldichironomus. These grow in numbers when pollution levels of water bodies rise. They form a swamp and are attracted towards sand (stone). The swarming is a result of nuptial flight among the insects. They are attracted towards the Taj. The greenery on the monument's white marble is partially digested chlorophyll combined with their fecal matter. I don't think this will cause damage to the stone," Maheshvri said, This is surprisingly not the first time these insects have attacked the Taj.

Cleaning the Taj According to archaeologist Bhuvan Vikram Singh, cleaning the monument isn't as simple as rinsing it clean with water - there needs to be a cleaner ecosystem around the Taj. "The deposit on the Taj is water soluble. We are trying to clean it with water. But cleaning the Taj Mahal with water will not solve the problem. We know where and how these insects grow, so if we solve the problem at the basic level, we can stop them from growing in numbers and there will be no marks on the Taj," he said. Increasing urbanisation and industrialisation in Agra have taken pollution levels in the city to two or three times above global standards. Pollution levels in the Yamuna too have been increasing rapidly, with industrial waste being dumped into it on a regular basis. Ash from dead bodies burnt in a nearby cremation ground that is released into the river is another factor. -AP & India Times

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2 strong local leaders behind BJP's Assam victory WASBIR HUSSAIN

India Post

he BJP managed to break knew it was organisationally weak masterstroke because the BJP apfree from its 'Hindi-heart and lacked a leader with a pan- proached the regional party at a land' image by storming Assam influence and someone who time when it was sought to be disAssam with a massive victory, could stitch up alliances and bring missed as having become irrelwinning, along with its allies, 86 people into the party fold. evant in Assam's politics. The AGP of the 126 assembly seats - thereby The obvious choice was the contested 24 seats as part of the making its debut not just in North- dynamic Congress leader Himanta seat-sharing deal and managed to east India but in eastern India as Biswa Sharma, who as Tarun win 14 of them - a tie-up that paid well. Gogoi's one-time deputy and a key rich dividends. The siding of the The BJP win has been indeed minister, brought about a sea BPF with the BJP helped the safdecisive because most of Tarun change in Assam's health and edu- fron party maintain its hold in the Gogoi's senior cabinet colleagues cation sector, besides being the Bodo heartland and bolstered its have lost, leaving him with no op- main trouble-shooter. tally. The BPF too managed to be tion but to sit in the opposition Himanta Biswa by now had re- at par with its 2011 tally of 12 seats. benches without his key aides. volted against Gogoi and was deComprising 34 per cent of the This was a reflection of the strong manding a change in leadership. state's 3.12 crore population, Musanti-incumbency against the 15- Neither Gogoi nor the AICC paid lims are a dominant community in year-long Tarun Gogoi govern- any heed. The Congress high com- Assam. At least 30 to 35 constitument. mand did send senior leader encies, mostly in western, northThe BJP managed to engineer Mallikarjun Kharge to ascertain the ern and central Assam, are domithis victory because it projected view of each of the 78 Congress nated by Muslims, most of them and relied on two strong local lead- MLAs. At least 50 of them wanted of migrant origin, who have tradiers - state party president the chief minister replaced but the tionally been supporters of the Sarbananda Sonowal and new en- AICC stood by Gogoi - a diehard Congress. trant Himanta Biswa Sharma; Nehru-Gandhi loyalist. Himanta Of course, the All India United stitched up alliances with influen- Biswa was pushed to the wall and Democratic Front (AIUDF) led by tial regional parties; did not bring was welcomed wholeheartedly by perfume baron Maulana in its Hindutva ideology into the Modi and Shah. He quit the Con- Badruddin Ajmal emerged as an campaign; harped on development gress, and nine other party MLAs option from 2006 onwards. In 2006, and livelihood options; the AIUDF won 10 seats and and, of course, sought to increased its tally to 18 in 2011. protect Assam's future by In this scenario, the Muslim saving the identity of the vote has certainly split between indigenous people of the the Congress and the AIUDF state from an onslaught of this time as well, with BJP allies illegal Bangladeshi misuch as the AGP and the BPF grants. benefitting. The BJP also kept its radiBut, if the scale of the BJP's cal breed of saffronites victory is taken into account, it away from the Assam camis possible the party or its alpaign, lest they make conlies managed to enlist the suptroversial remarks. The report of sections of Muslims too sults were there for all to see in several constituencies. That - the BJP on its own bagged could be the reason why the 60 seats and its allies col- Himanta Biswa Sarma and Sarbananda Sonowal AIUDF tally came down this lectively won 26. time to 13 with its President and This has been a high-stake elec- joined the BJP along with him. Lok Sabha MP Badruddin Ajmal tion for Prime Minister Narendra The BJP straightaway took two himself losing his seat to the ConModi - who addressed 10 election major steps - it announced the gress. rallies - and BJP President Amit name of Union Sports Minister and The Congress was aware of the Shah because they knew, of the five a party MP from the state, anti-incumbency wave, but could states going to polls in April, Assam Sarbananda Sonowal, as its chief not devise a strategy to counter was the one where they had a real ministerial candidate. This was a it. It lacked star campaigners, with winning chance, a result that could break from tradition, the only ex- Tarun Gogoi almost going solo in change the party's national profile. ception being made when it had the campaign. Besides, the ConThe foundation, of course, was declared Modi as its prime ministe- gress suffered from a trust deficit laid during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls rial candidate. with perceptions about the existwhere the Modi wave propelled the Having clinched the leadership ence of several lobbies within it, BJP to centre-stage in Assam. From question, the BJP was quick to ac- damaging its image. just three Lok Sabha seats the BJP cord Himanta Biswa a status befitThe Congress' inability to quell won in 2009, it managed to bag ting his seniority and acumen. He the dissidence in the party and the seven seats. The Congress tally was made the Convenor of the BJP eventual exit of Himanta Biswa declined from seven in 2009 to just election campaign committee, a re- Sharma, by far the key strategist three in 2014. sponsibility Himanta fulfilled rather since 2001, cost the party dearly. After the 2014 Lok Sabha elec- well by personally criss-crossing An unprecedented 84.72 per cent tions, the BJP realised that it actu- the entire state and addressing 270 polling, and the people's general ally led in 69 of the state's 126 as- rallies, drawing huge crowds. chant of 'parivartan' or change, sembly constituencies and came The BJP strategy of forging al- clinched Assam for the BJP at the second in 29 other seats. The Party liances with the AGP and the end of the day. quickly got down to business. It Bodoland People's Front (BPF) The writer is Executive Direccame up with a 'Mission 84' slogan, paid rich dividends. Initiated by tor, Centre for Development & claiming it was going to win 84 as- Himanta Biswa, the alliance with Peace Studies, Guwahati, and Colsembly seats in 2016. Still, the BJP the AGP turned out to be a umnist & Visiting Fellow, IPCS

Major surgery T

he Assembly election results were no surprise. They were all in keeping with the predictions made by various opinion polls. The surprise is that the even after such a drubbing nationwide, the Congress has learnt no lesson. Crown prince Rahul Gandhi was briefly taken ill after the results - no surprise again. But he is recovering and is now said to be planning a "massive" rally in Delhi this weekend against Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has a list of complaints against both but is said to be focusing on power cuts and water shortage which, according to a spokesman, are due to the clashes between the Delhi government of Kejriwal and the Central government of Narendra Modi. Perhaps he doesn't know that his own partymen have a list of complaints against him. They don't know how to air them and where to air them. In politics, one has to reward talent (those who deliver) and punish non-performers. Would they make Rahul pay the price for recent defeats? Would they make him accountable for his follies and failures? Ajay Maken, the Delhi state Congress president, credited four municipal seats in the recent Delhi by-elections to the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. If that victory can be credited to Rahul's leadership, then crushing defeats in Assam and Kerala should also be attributed to him. Any other party would have long shown the door to a failure like him. But it is a fond mother who is persisting with him at the cost of this century old party. Looks like a foreigner, Briton AO Hume had started this political party and its demise is also likely at the hands of a foreigner, or one of foreign origin - Sonia Gandhi. In any other political party the leader at the helm during successive defeats would himself/herself step down. What does Sonia Gandhi fear would happen if she were to offer to resign? Her son doesn't matter. His resigning or not resigning is meaningless because leadership has just been forced on him. Many columnists have called for the head of Rahul for these defeats. But what about the real power behind the failing son? Isn't she responsible for these defeats? There is a difference between resigning and offering to resign. If she offers to resign, the sycophants in the party (it is a party of sycophants) would rise in union crying "No, no. You are Mother Durga, you can do no wrong, please stay. What will happen to us, we'd become orphans." And she would be persuaded to stay. Any genuine leader wanting the good for his party would not wait to offer resignation but just quit and ask the party to elect some other leader. But unfortunately there is no democracy in the Congress. Congressmen may come and go but the dynasty is here to stay forever. The family only wants to protect itself and is allowing the party to slowly die. There is still young talent in the Congress -people like Scindia, Pilot and Tharoor. But they cannot be allowed to grow until Rahul grows up first. Since Rahul is never going to grow up or learn to perform better -in spite of the month-long Vipasana session - the young hopefuls in the Congress are likely to remain hopefuls. In fact Tharoor has declared that the time for introspection is now over and time for action has come. "The process for consideration, reflection, introspection and so on has been taking place since 2014. It is now time for the leadership to draw on the conclusion from their introspection and take necessary action." Senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh CM Digvijaya Singh also tweeted it was time for the party to go for a "major surgery". But as expected, knives are out for these two leaders and a chaos now reigns within this grand old party.

May 27, 2016

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