India Post_07-24-2009 by Ghanshyam Bisht

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Raj Goyle enters race for Congress from Kansas

VOL 15, No. 777

July 24, 2009

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Periodical Postage

TALKS & ACTION ON TERROR DELINKED

Mayor Anand elected for 2nd term in NY Details on page 10

PM, Gilani agreement in Egypt

Details on page 7

AFP

Anand Jon fires attorney; to defend himself

Anil Ambani

Steven Spielberg

Anil Ambani makes debut in Hollywood

Details on page 7

‘India's budget boring and conventional’

Details on page 40

Details on page 8

Preparations on for nationwide 2010 Census

Energetic performances at FOGANA 2009

Details on page 7

Details on page 16 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani meet on the sidelines of the 15th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh on July 16

Clinton's NY policy reversal benefits India Details on page 9

SHARM-EL SHEIKH, Egypt: India and Pakistan on July 16 agreed not to link the composite dialogue to action on terrorism as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh elicited a promise from his counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani that Islamabad would "do everything in its power" to punish perpetrators of 26/11 attack.

In a joint statement issued after about two-hour-long talks between Singh and Gilani here, the two sides agreed to "create an atmosphere of mutual trust and confidence" and resolved to eliminate the factors that prevent the two neighbors from realizing the full potential in their ties.

LeT may again attack India, says UN official Details on page 9

Details on page 6

CONTENTS

Hate crime or prank at Artesia restaurant?

Bollywood ---------------------- 24-25 Classifieds --------------------- 44-47 Community Post -------------- 10-20

INDIA POST SURVEY

JS BEDI

Date Book -------------------------- 48

India Post News Service

Edit Page --------------------------- 50

survey@indiapost.com

HealthScience Post --------- 21-23 This week’s question

Is it right to delink talks and Pak action on terror? Last week’s result

Should India reform its foreign service? YES 86%

NO 14%

ARTESIA: The UFIC leadership could never fathom that their dinner at Bombay Garden here in Artesia would end the way it did. Ashok Patnaik, a member of the City of Cerritos' Economic Development Commission, and 10 other people had just finished dining at the restaurant when two men sprayed some type of white substance at the group before speeding off in a white van. Details on page 16

Horoscope ------------------------- 43 Immigration Post ------------- 36-39 Life Style ----------------------- 26-28 Philosophy ------------------------- 49 Publisherís Diary ------------------ 4 Real Estate ------------------------ 35

Ajit Dudhekar, Ashok Patnaik, Vinod Vineet and Neeraj Agnihotri

TechBiz Post ------------------- 40-41 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 29-32

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he buzz in India this week is of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's first visit to India in her new avatar representing the Obama Administration. While Clinton herself has a reputation of being a "friend" of India - and she will perhaps carry some emotional memories of her past visits as former First Lady - she will surely be treading carefully now as she has to balance her act as a friend between India, China and Pakistan. Looking at various political and foreign policy pundits' readings into Clinton's visit to India, I found this interesting one by B. Raman, a noted Indian security affairs analyst, in an interview to the Straits Times. Raman has termed her visit to be essentially an "ego-massaging" visit to placate India, which has been smarting over her visiting China first in February. If ever since President Obama moved into the White House India has felt somewhat ignored, there might be some merit to it because as Raman says, the reality is that Pakistan and China are more important to the US at present than India -- Pakistan, of course, to continue helping the US in its war on terror; and China, for its economic recovery. Raman has a point here. But, India cannot be ignored for long because of its potential as a consumer market and an economic power house and therefore the need for the US to keep India indulged. And for that, Raman says, all Clinton has to do is make a few flattering statements praising India as a great power; link Mahatma Gandhi to Martin Luther King and Barack Obama and Indians will be quite happy for some time till the next disappointment comes. Sadly, that is so true. Because, ultimately all that the US wants from India is an open market. And it couldn't care less if Pakistan kept aiding and abetting terrorist acts against India or if China kept encroaching into its north-east borders.

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For original `Dreamgirl` Hema Malini, Aishwarya Rai is the only one who deserves the new `Dreamgirl` tag.

Cover Story: Dialogue & terror India and Pakistan leaders Manmohan Singh and Yousuf Raza Gilani agreed not to link dialogue to action on terrorism.

Community: Re-elected Mayor

Harry Anand has been re-elected for his second term as the Mayor of Laurel Hollow, New York.

5R health center The atmosphere is appealing; the people are friendly and strangely relaxed for being at a "fitness" center.

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Film on Bollywood Bollywood Hero, an American three-part comedy mini-series set in Mumbai, will air on IFC this August.

TechBiz: Hollywood debut Industrialist Anil Ambani has made his debut in Hollywood film production, roping in ace director Steven Spielberg.

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Travel: Jim Corbett Park Jim Corbett Park is one of the most exciting places for those seeking adventure and watching the beasts roam freely.

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Talks & action on terror delinked PM, Gilani agreement in Egypt SHARM-EL SHEIKH, Egypt: India and Pakistan on July 16 agreed not to link the composite dialogue to action on terrorism as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh elicited a promise from his counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani that Islamabad would "do everything in its power" to punish perpetrators of 26/11 attack. In a joint statement issued after about two-hour-long talks between Singh and Gilani here, the two sides agreed to "create an atmosphere of mutual trust and confidence" and resolved to eliminate the factors that prevent the two neighbors from realizing the full potential in their ties. During the talks that focused on terrorism against the backdrop of Mumbai attack, the two sides also decided to share "real-time, credible and actionable information on any future terror threats". "Both Prime Ministers recognized that dialogue is the only way forward... Action on terrorism should not be linked to the composite dialogue process and these should not be bracketed," the statement said. . "Both leaders agreed that terrorism is the main threat to both

BON HOMIE: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani introducing his delegation members to the Indian delegation led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the 15th NAM Summit, at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on July 16

countries. Both leaders affirmed their resolve to fight terrorism and to cooperate with each other to this end," the joint statement said. Singh underlined that India was ready to discuss all issues with Pakistan, including the outstanding ones.

Gilani described the meeting as a "major breakthrough". During the talks, Singh emphasized the need for ensuring that perpetrators of Mumbai attacks are brought to justice. Responding to this, Gilani assured Singh that Pakistan would do "everything in its power" in

this regard. Gilani noted that Pakistan has provided an updated status dossier on the investigations of the Mumbai attacks and had sought additional information or evidence. Singh said the dossier is being reviewed.

Significantly, the joint statement also mentioned Pakistan's concerns over terrorism in Balochistan, for which it blames India. "Prime Minister Gilani mentioned that Pakistan has some information on threats in Balochistan and other areas," it said. . During the "cordial and constructive meeting", Singh and Gilani considered the entire gamut of bilateral relations with a view to charting the way forward in the ties, the statement said. "Both leaders agreed that the real challenge is development and the elimination of poverty. Both leaders resolved to eliminate those factors which prevent our countries from realizing their full potential," it said. Singh and Gilani agreed that Foreign Secretaries should meet as often as necessary and report to the two Foreign Ministers who will be meeting on the sidelines of the forthcoming UN General Assembly. Singh also reiterated Indies interest in a stable, democratic, Islamic Republic of Pakistan.-PTI

Nam pledge to combat terrorism 'in all its forms' SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt: Taking India's concern on board, NAM countries on July 16 vowed to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations while making it clear that terror should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group. The issue of terrorism figured prominently in the 15th NAM Declaration which pushed for early finalization of the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism mooted by India at the United Nations. The 118-member grouping pledged to strengthen NAM solidarity in combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, wherever and by whomsoever committed, in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter, international law and relevant international conventions. The Sharm El-Sheikh Summit Declaration stressed that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group and that further progress was required taking into account the positions and views of NAM members on

issues like formulating a joint organized response of the international community to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The document takes on board the call made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to NAM countries that it was time they agreed

The issue of terrorism figured prominently in the 15th NAM Declaration which pushed for early finalization of the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism on a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. . In his forthright speech at the plenary session of two-day summit, Singh made it clear that terrorists and those who aid and abet them must be brought to justice. Though he did not name Paki-

stan, it was clear from Singh's remarks who it was aimed at. Singh said terror infrastructure must be dismantled and there should be no safe havens for terrorists because they do not represent any cause, group or religion. The declaration said the NAM countries stood together with China and the Group of 77 countries to press for fundamental reform of the international economic and financial systems and architecture to address its flaws which have come into spotlight in the wake of the global financial crisis. "We commit further to enhance the voice and participation of developing countries in international decision making and norm setting, including in international financial institutions," it said. The document said in all such steps taken to respond to the crisis, it must be ensured they were not taken at the expense of developing countries. . On the expansion of the Security Council, the declaration sought the "expeditious" reform

of the top UN body. "The expeditious reform of the Security Council through its expansion and improvement of its working methods should continue to be a priority for NAM taking duly into consideration the views of all NAM member

On the issue of climate change, it vowed to strengthen the political momentum in preparation for the Copenhagen conference in December state," it said. On sanctions imposed on some NAM countries, the declaration rejected them as "unilateral" which also was in contradiction with international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

The declaration sought to ensure food security for all the member states of the NAM and promised to work with the UN and its agencies to decisively deal with the short, medium and long term actions needed, including the need to address trade and agricultural related aspects within the current negotiations in the Doha round. On the issue of climate change, it vowed to strengthen the political momentum in preparation for the Copenhagen conference in December in a manner that reflected the views of the NAM countries with regard to issues like mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology transfer, capacity building and shared vision. To shape a comprehensive UN energy agenda, the document said the NAM countries would work for the creation of an effective mechanism to transfer advanced energy technologies to developing nations with the aim of achieving the Millennium Development Goals and dealing effectively with the challenge of climate change.-PTI

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July 24, 2009

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Raj Goyle enters race for Congress from Kansas India Post News Service

NEW YORK: State Representative Raj Goyle formally announced his candidacy for the United States Congress. Goyle is entering the race in Kansas' 4th Congressional District which covers eleven counties in south central Kansas. "I am running because too many Kansas families and businesses are struggling right now. We need strong, independent leadership to tackle these challenges," Goyle said. "I was raised to believe in Kansas values of hard work, common sense, optimism and community. I am determined to bring those principles to Washington on behalf of the people of the 4th District." Goyle was elected to the Kan-

sas State House of Representatives in 2006. He defeated a threeterm incumbent and won re-election in 2008 with 67% of the vote.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Raj is the leader we need in Washington representing Wichita and south central Kansas," said John Moore, former Lieutenant Governor In the State House Goyle has worked to bring Republicans and Democrats together across the partisan divide. He wrote the law against Fred Phelps and led the

effort to save jobs and help thousands of laid-off workers in Wichita by expanding access to unemployment benefits. "Raj is the leader we need in Washington representing Wichita and south central Kansas," said John Moore, former Lieutenant Governor and former Cessna Executive Vice President. "He has demonstrated that he has the experience and judgment to find realistic solutions to complex problems, skills needed in Washington." Goyle was raised in Wichita and looks forward to representing his home district in Congress. Raj and his wife Monica make their home in Wichita. In addition to his legislative duties, Goyle serves as a lecturer at Wichita State University.

Anand Jon fires attorney; to defend himself WASHINGTON: India-born celebrated fashion designer Anand Jon, convicted for sexually assaulting upcoming models, has been permitted by a California court to defend himself and conceded his petition to fire his attorney. 35-year-old Anand has been convicted by the California court for sexually assaulting upcoming models and now faces a sentence for as many as 162 years of imprisonment. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 31.

Appearing before the California Superior Court Judge David Wesley in an orange County Jail jumpsuit and white sleeves, Anand was initially discouraged by the judge from dismissing his lawyer, even as he said that he had the right to defend himself. Judge Wesley, according to LA Weekly, whose reporters were present during the court hearing, told Anand that once he took over the task to defend himself, he

would not be allowed his counsel back. Anand, however, insisted that he wants to defend his own case now and fire the lawyer. "One of the downsides is that you're not a lawyer. You will be moved to another module that you may not like as much as where you are now," Judge Wesley was quoted as saying. . "Over the next six weeks I plan to do a substantial amount of legal work," Anand informed the judge. "If I come up with credible and substantial evidence, would you consider changing the calendar? It wouldn't be anything frivolous," he said. "Well, if it's compelling... I'm not making any promises," the judge remarked. "If I have witnesses who are coming forward --," Anand Jon asked. "We have a timetable set, and if you can convince me that you have new evidence, it will be changed," Judge Wesley responded. Once Judge Wesley agreed that he can defend himself, he wanted a court-recommended investigator and a paralegal. Judge Wesley said that he does not provide paralegals to prose defendants, but will allow him to choose a "runner." The court later allowed Richard Bernard, his attorney, to be his runner. Anand then requested that he be called by his popular name Anand Jon and not Alexander, his last name, during the court hear-

ing, which was turned down. "I'm going to address you as Mr. Alexander," Wesley was quoted as saying. As the hearing concluded, Anand sought the permission of the court to dress like a lawyer during his court hearing.-PTI

US 'fully committed' to the nuclear deal with India WASHINGTON: Allaying fears later this month or in August," in India over the recent G-8 decla- Blake said. ration regarding restriction on "So all of that is very much on transfer of atomic technology to track. As I say, we'll also be startnon-NPT States, the US has said ing some bilateral cooperation it was "fully committed" to the with -- hopefully with the annuclear deal with New Delhi and nouncement of these two nuclear hopes to sign the end-use moni- sites. So I would discourage any toring agreement. talk that somehow the agreement Against the backdrop of the is off track," Blake said. recent G-8 summit in Italy that Blake said the US hopes to get came out with a declaration related commitment from India for two to restriction on transfer of nuclear nuclear park sites for American technology to non-NPT States companies during Clinton's visit. including India, Blake asserted that the US was committed to implement- â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I do not think there should ing the civilian nuclear be any apprehensions deal with New Delhi. "I do not think there about the future of the civil should be any apprehensions about the future of nuclear agreementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the civil nuclear agreement," Blake told reporters ahead of Clinton's maiden of"We think that that's a major ficial visit to India. opportunity for American compa"The (US) Secretary and the nies. It opens up as much as USD President are fully committed to 10 billion worth of new exports to that agreement. I think the Indians India. So again, we hope to be in a are also fully committed," he said. position for both sides to an"They (India) are going to be, I nounce it," Blake said. am sure, moving forward to file a Obama and Clinton also think declaration of safeguarded facili- there is a scope for broader enties with the IAEA, which is sort gagement with India on some of of the next step in that process, the big global challenges of the and then we're going to start re- world, including climate change processing talks, probably either and non-proliferation, he said.-PTI

Preparations underway for the nationwide 2010 Census India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Preparations for the 2010 Census are now underway. The US Census Bureau is actively working to inform the public and communities across the country about the purpose of the census and the importance of everyone's participation. The census, which is mandated by the Constitution, has been taken every 10 years since 1790 and is designed to obtain a count of the population in the United States. Everyone living in the United States - including citizens, noncitizens and all immigrants, regardless of legal status - are required to participate in the census. 2010 Census forms will be sent out to homes by mail beginning in March 2010. The information provided will ensure that their communities receive a fair share of political representation, as well as determine how much federal funding is allocated each year. "The Census Bureau is ready to conduct the 2010 Census and we have been preparing for many

years to undertake the largest domestic operation by the US government," said US Census Bureau Director Robert Groves. "Census data will determine the apportionment of seats in the US House of Representatives among the states and guide decisions on

To make it simple for people to participate, the 2010 Census will feature one of the shortest census forms in history, with 10 questions that take about 10 minutes to answer the distribution of more than $435 billion in federal dollars for roads, hospitals and other community services." To make it simple for people to participate, the 2010 Census will feature one of the shortest cen-

sus forms in history, with 10 questions that take about 10 minutes to answer. The form will ask for information such as name, relationship to head of household, gender, age, date of birth, race, and whether respondents own or rent their home. The Census Bureau has strict confidentiality provisions that protect the responses of those who participate. By law, Census Bureau employees cannot share answers that respondents provide with any person or government agency. In addition, every employee has taken a lifetime oath to protect the information and is subject to extreme fines or jail time if any information is disclosed. "The 2010 Census is important, easy and safe," Groves said. "The Census Bureau looks forward to working with the Asian-American community and indeed every community across the country, to make the upcoming national count a success." (For details logon to www.indiapost.com)

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July 24, 2009

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India's budget 'boring', 'conventional': Experts SRIREKHA N. CHAKRAVARTY India Post News Service

NEW YORK: With India emerging as one of the few bright spots in a generally bleak global economic landscape, the story of the Indian budget has become one of immense interest if not intrigue for most American corporates, with more than 50 percent of their revenues and profits now coming from India. With the future of US-India business relations riding on the Indian budget now more than ever, discussions were held at various forums in New York City, to dissect and analyze the Indian federal budget presented by finance

percent is encouraging, but it has to be made inclusive through rural development." Arun Kumar said that at a time when global GDP was shrinking at 1.5%, India's GDP was growing at 6.5%. With growing population and increasing aspirations, India cannot afford to slow down in its growth, he said. "There are many domestic impediments to sustain growth -- woefully in infrastructure, roads, power, water that can choke growth. In fact one of the interesting campaign slogans (of the Congress Party) was bijli, paani, sadak (power, water, roads). In some sense those have been recognized in the budget." According to R. Girish, Partner,

‘It's a no-drama budget,’ said Arun Kumar, Partner in Charge, KPMG US India Practice. ‘It reflects the graduated and incremental approach that underlies most change that we see in India’ minister Pranab Mukherjee earlier this month, which largely brought out reactions of disappointment and skepticism from financial experts and business leaders alike in the US. "It's a no-drama budget," said Arun Kumar, Partner in Charge, KPMG US India Practice at a postbudget discussion organized by the Asia Society. "It reflects the graduated and incremental approach that underlies most change that we see in India. The finance minister's commitment to sustain GDP growth at 9

KPMG India Tax & Regulatory Services, a lot of hype was built around the budget by media and people at large because of the Economic Survey that was unveiled two days before the budget was presented. "I think that's the reason the market reacted very sharply because they expected a big bang budget," Girish said. "But if you really look at it it's not a budget with a big-bang approach; it's a budget with a medium term outlook. The finance minister has set the tone very rightly for a sustained developmental growth."

Pointing out an interesting trivia, Girish said Independent India's first budget presented by the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had an expenditure outlay of hardly 100 crore rupees. "Today, India has gone over 200 billion dollars in terms of plan and non-plan expenditure. We have come a long way," he said. A good monsoon over the last three years, and the fiscal stimulus package helped maintain a sustained 6.5 percent growth rate, said Girish adding that the cause for concern however was that the finance minister did not layout a road map for fiscal responsibility. The other concern, he said was the burden of interest - at 22%. "Leave alone defense expenditure, the food subsidy, the grants for states, the biggest concern for India is its interest burden," he said. A huge dampener, Girish said, was that there was no change in the FDI limits since it was expected there would be relaxation of restrictions in the retail sector. Also, the government has not reduced its holding in public sector undertakings and insurance companies. On the positive were the increase in allocation for urban infrastructure; setting up of the initiative to issue smart cards to the billion plus population; a blue print for a national gas grid across the country; the national central processing unit for tax returns; bringing lawyers and specialty doctors under service tax, Girish said. "I though the budget was fundamentally boring," declared Parag Saxena, Founding General Partner & CEO, New Silk Road Partners. "There was nothing exciting

enough. In fact I would have been happy to see a 250 billion dollar budget if they'd spent on the right things and had an idea as to how they are going to pay for it."

A good monsoon over the last three years, and the fiscal stimulus package helped maintain a sustained 6.5 percent growth rate, said Girish adding that the cause for concern was no road map for fiscal responsibility Saxena felt that the budget was not purely drive by economic considerations but by emotional considerations not very different from electoral promises. "India has good laws but anything that aids and enhances enforcement of these laws would be a good thing," he added. Lalit Ahluwalia, CFO, Ranbaxy, North America, agreed with Saxena to say, "One used to look at the budget for policy direction, but it now playing more to the political class because the government is not a majority government, it's a

India Post News Service

Prof. T.N. Srinivasan

‘I do not see any overall logic or a coherent pattern in the various tax proposals and for this reason I will not praise them nor criticize them’

NEW YORK: The Indian general budget presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee earlier this month was "conventional" and had "no innovations", according to T.N. Srinivasan, Samuel C. Park, Jr. Professor of Economics, Yale University. Presenting his views on the budget at a panel discussion in New York City recently, Prof. Srinivasan was candid in his criticism of the Indian government for propagating its populist measures in the name of poverty eradication. "As far as I can see, the budget it conventional and has no innovations," he said, "It continues the same old practice of handouts of various kinds, without any convincing analysis of their rationale. I do not see any overall logic

or a coherent pattern in the various tax proposals and for this reason I will not praise them nor criticize them." While the global crisis was unlikely to affect the long term prospects of India as a destination for direct investment, Srinivasan said these prospects would continue to be much brighter if longer term reforms are undertaken by the Indian government. On the other hand, portfolio investment like the stock markets will continue to be volatile, he added. On the direct and indirect tax proposals, Srinivasan said, "Out of about 12.5% of the GDP, which is being collected as tax revenue, less than half is direct taxes, which is a very small proportion of the Indian population. Now take the indirect tax revenue -- it would be great thing when the Goods &

Argentina, have emerged strongly for a while and have ultimately failed and submerged because of the bad economic policies of their leaders. "The eyes of the world are now turned to see whether the brightest spot on the globe, India, will go the way of Mexico or will truly emerge as a world economic power and the growth engine for the world." A majority of the panel including Prof. Rajeev Kohli, Graduate School of Business, Columbia University and Ed Nair, Editor,

Dr. A.M. Gondane, deputy consul general of India in New York, vehemently defended the budget as a necessary step in inclusive calibrated growth. He pointed out the example of Russia where quick disinvestment led to chaos coalition government." IACC panel discussion At a panel discussion orga-

Budget sops are nothing but palliatives: Prof. Srinivasan SRIREKHA N. CHAKRAVARTY

nized by the India America Chamber of Commerce, Rajiv Khanna, Chamber President, said that in recent history many emerging countries, such as Mexico and

Services Tax (GST) is implemented, but the reality is, even in the current situation, India is not a common market; you can't think of India as single market. It is segmented by taxes, by movement of goods, transportation, etc. So let's not get carried away by what's happening on the indirect taxes side. That's only one small part of the major task of making the Indian economy into a single common market." Leading the economy back to an annual 9% growth; broadening the agenda for inclusive development and re-energizing government and improving delivery mechanisms were the three key challenges laid out in the budget by the finance minister, Srinivasan said. (For details logon to www.indiapost.com)

Global Services expressed their disappointment with the budget because it did not adequately address the four things that investors are looking for i.e. disinvestment leading to reduction of fiscal deficit and emancipation of the entrepreneurial spirit of India; massive investment in education both by allowing private universities and increased governmental spending; greater infrastructure in the power sector; and the further opening of the economy to foreign investors. Dr. A.M. Gondane, deputy consul general of India in New York, though, vehemently defended the budget as a necessary step in inclusive calibrated growth. He pointed out the example of Russia where quick disinvestment led to chaos. He also pointed out that in the current market, the valuations may not be attractive for disinvestment. Gondane said that India was on a high growth trajectory underlined by domestic savings of 37% and investments of 39%. (For details logon to www.indiapost.com)

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July 24, 2009

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Nuclear deal has transformed Indo-US ties: Meera Shanakar WASHINGTON: Asserting that the landmark Indo-US civilian nuclear deal has transformed the relationship between the two countries, Indian Ambassador to the US Meera Shankar has said the two nations are now in the process to implement it. "Nothing symbolizes the transformation of the relationship more than the India-US civil nuclear agreement, signed in October 2008," Shankar said in her address to the prestigious World Affairs Council in San Diego, California. "Neither government could have persisted with this extraordinary endeavor without a strong belief in the importance of the India-US relationship and without the recognition of the need to address a complex issue which has constrained both our countries from realizing the full potential of our relationship," Shankar said. The Indo-US agreement, she argued will deepen bilateral ties, create opportunities for US companies and contribute to advancing shared interests on energy security, climate change and nonproliferation. "But, this agreement is as strong on symbolism as it is on substance," she observed.

"It will also provide a foundation for a wider and deeper engagement between our two countries. We are now in the process of implementing the agreement," she said. . Democratic India's rise will, Shankar said, in its own modest way, stand as an affirmation

Meera Shankar

of the universal values of liberty, democracy, pluralism and freedom of enterprise; it would be a factor of stability, security and prosperity in the world, especially in Asia towards which the centre of gravity of future challenges and op-

portunities is shifting. "India and the US share many of these concerns and challenges," she said. Observing that India's neighborhood is the epicenter of global terrorism, Shankar said behind their different names, the terrorist groups have seamless links, shared ideologies and a common target in free and open societies. "We have shared stakes in Afghanistan's evolution from instability, and Pakistan's transformation from a safe haven for extremism and terrorism, into stable, democratic, moderate and peaceful states," she said. Noting that the arc of proliferation around India has irrevocably altered Indo-US collective security, she said the intersection of proliferation and terrorism in India's neighborhood presents a grave risk to all. "India and the US have shared more deeply than many other countries the goals of non-proliferation and a nuclear weapons free world. The civil nuclear agreement has now created a platform for us to cooperate more on advancing our shared goals on nonproliferation," Shankar said.-PTI

Senate confirms Roemer as next envoy to India WASHINGTON: The US Senate has unanimously confirmed the nomination of Tim J Roemer as the next US envoy to India to facilitate him to take charge well before Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's New Delhi visit later this month. The confirmation was made by the Senate after lawmakers approved Roemer's nomination by unanimous consent. A former US lawmaker from In-

diana and a member of the 9/11 Commission, 53-year-old Roemer is currently head of Washingtonbased think tank Center for National Policy (CNP). Roemer had testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, which confirmed his nomination the following day. The Senate accelerated his nomination process so that he could be in New Delhi before

Clinton's proposed visit to India. The nomination of Roemer, who is expected to leave for New Delhi soon, as the US Ambassador to India was officially announced by the White House on May 28 and sent to the Senate on June 11. Roemer is considered close to President Barack Obama and was among the first few Democrats to support his run for US Presidency.-PTI

LeT may again attack India, says UN official NEW YORK: Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is still active and there is a "real risk" that the terror group may target India again to increase tensions between the two neighbors, a top UN official has said. "Lashkar-e-Taiba tactics is quite obvious. It is trying to increase tensions between India and Pakistan at a time when they and their associates are particularly under pressure in western Pakistan," said Richard Barrett, Coordinator of the UN Security Council's al-Qaeda and Taliban Sanctions Monitoring Committee. LeT, which is responsible for holding a series of terrorist at-

tacks in India including the Mumbai terror strikes, has been declared as a terrorist organiza-

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;It is trying to increase tensions between India and Pakistan at a time when they and their associates are particularly under pressure in western Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tion by the United Nations Security Council. "They may do that again,"

Barrett said, adding that "this is the real risk". Barrett along with Chairman of the Security Council's alQaeda and Taliban Sanctions Committee, Thomas MayrHarting, the Austrian Ambassador, addressed a joint press conference at the UN headquarters here. Barrett said several LeT attacks have taken place in Lahore, which is hardly in the tribal areas, and even Pakistani soldiers in Kashmir had been attacked. "I think, these groups are real concern to Pakistan," he said, adding LeT is also having operational links with the Taliban.PTI

Clinton's NY policy reversal benefits India WASHINGTON: In a decision that would immediately save India about USD 40 million, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has reversed a housing policy exempting diplomatic residences in New York City from paying property tax. The New York City, which last year had won a prolonged court battle against India and Mongolia in the US Supreme Court, was pressing these two countries to pay their property tax dues amounting to about USD 46 million. However, with the June 23 order of the Secretary of State, India and Mongolia now need not have to pay property tax on the residences of its diplomats in the

New York City; so do those of other countries as well. The decision has left the New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, fuming who termed Clinton's decision as "unfair". "They won't be paying taxes, but if you or I have a building [in the city], we pay taxes ... It is totally unfair," he said. A State Department official said such a decision has been taken in the best interest of the US tax payers and its foreign policy. If such an order would not have had passed, several countries were planning to take reciprocal actions, which would have resulted in the United States paying hundreds of millions of dollars, the official said.-PTI

Indian, French Navies rescue 14 hostages NEW DELHI: Demonstrating excellent coordination in the last six days, the Indian and French Navies together ensured the safe release of 14 Indian hostages whose dhow (wooden ship) was hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia. "The close coordination between the two Navies helped in freeing 14 crew members of an Indian dhow 'MV Nafeya' after it was hijacked by pirates off Boosasso near Somalia at 1100 hours on July 10 by seven pirates armed with RPGs and AK47s," Indian Navy officers said here. The dhow, registered in Porbandar, Gujarat and operating in UAE, was hijacked by the pi-

rates after it had dropped cargo at a Somalian harbor and was proceeding towards Dubai. After capturing the Indian dhow, officials said, the pirates attempted to hijack a Liberian tanker ship 'MV A Elephant' near Bab-el-Manbeb on July 13. "The attack was thwarted by a French warship belonging to the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), which was in the vicinity," officers said. After failing pirates' attempts, the French warship started tracking the hijacked dhow and kept the Indian Naval ship, on anti-piracy patrol in the area, informed about the developments and both the ships tracked the dhow together, they said.-PTI

No evidence of local help for 26/11 gunmen MUMBAI: There was no evidence of local help for the gunmen involved in the November 26 terror strikes and a series of calls made by Lashkar-e-Taiba handlers prior to the attacks was only to keep the internet telephony account active, a senior police official said here. "A series of random calls had been made by the LeT handlers using the Callphonex account since they were required to maintain a certain amount of traffic in order to keep the account active," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria said. "We have verified every call that was made to India includ-

ing the random ones and there was no evidence of local support found," he said. Handlers of the gunmen who were involved in the attack had used a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) account of Callphonex, a US-based service provider, to make calls to the attackers while they were holed up at locations like Nariman House and Taj and Oberoi hotels in the city. Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who is conducting the trial in the November 26 case, said that the statements of all the persons who received calls had been recorded and nothing suspicious had been found about them.-PTI

Desi News Mangalore Bishop gets big welcome in Chicago MOHAMMAD GHOUSE

CHICAGO: A Chicago based no profit organization, Mangalorean Konkan Christian Association of Chicago (MKCA) accorded a rousing reception to Bishop of Mangalore, Rev. Dr. Aloysius D'Souza, spiritual leader of Mangalore Diocese at the Holy Spirit Church of Techny Towers. The Techny Towers is the landmark of the Divine Word Missionaries in the US. Details on page 13

Guru Purnima celebrated with enthusiasm India Post News Service

COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA

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India Post News Service

NEW YORK: In the village elections held in Nassau and Suffolk counties on June 16, Harry Anand was re-elected for his second term as the Mayor of Laurel Hollow, NY. He won in an uncontested election. According to Mayor Anand, there were two candidates who explored the possibility of running against him but chose not to file their petitions. In answer to how he felt after his victory for the second term, Mayor Anand said, "When I was elected the first time, there were high expectations from me. My reelection is an approval of my performance as the Mayor by the residents of Laurel Hollow." When asked to list his accomplishments in the first term, Mayor Anand said, "Unfortu-

nately I was first elected as the Mayor during a very difficult period. Due to the Global financial

dropped due to the crash of the housing market. This presented a bigger challenge for me to main-

Anand said, ‘When I was elected the first time, there were high expectations from me. My reelection is an approval of my performance as the Mayor by the residents Harry Anand

meltdown every community has been affected, including Laurel Hollow. Our revenues from building permit fees and mortgage tax

Details on page 20

of Laurel Hollow’ tain the quality of municipal services yet keeping taxes in check. I am proud to say that we have maintained our status as one of

the premier communities in Long Island by providing excellent municipal services for our residents. Yet, we were able to balance our budget this year and not raise any taxes. This is a sign of good financial management over the years. I thank my Board of Trustees for supporting my initiatives and working as a team to accomplish this." Village of Laurel Hollow is a water front community on the North Shore of Long Island, in Nassau County. The residents enjoy a private beach and beautiful surroundings of Cold Spring Harbor. The village has some of the most expensive real estate in the country, with homes ranging in values from $2 million to $15 million. Cont’d on page 11

Money Dart set to expand Chicago operations

Dr. Darshan Shah opens Beautologie Malibu with style India Post News Service

Details on page 18

July 24, 2009

Mayor Anand elected for second term in New York

Details on page 17

130 participate in Bajwa Golf, $40,000 raised

Sudhir Kumar Shetty addressing the gathering

RAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service

CHICAGO: Money Dart Global

Services Inc, one of the fastest growing global companies concerned with money transfer, is now set to come to the heart of India

Town in Chicago- Devon Avenue. The company has already been operating in Chicagoland for the past two years with a facility in

agement desire to cultivate members of Indian Pakistani commu-

Its move to come to Devon is in the wake of the management desire to cultivate members of Indian Pakistani community as well as other ethnic groups offering

nity as well as other ethnic groups offering a relative easy access to its facility and services, according to Shanil Ganjoo ManagerBranch Operations and Customer Relations. With headquarters in Abu Dhabi, Money Dart Global Services Inc., was registered in New York in 2000. It is an associate member of UAE Exchange, the globally renowned money transfer company, and a member of the NMC Group.

Naperville, a south side suburb of Chicago, and its move to come to Devon is in the wake of the man-

Illinois

Cont’d on page 11

Community Across America

July 24, 2009

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Ald Preckwinkle seeks Cook County Board Presidency MOHAMMAD GHOUSE India Post News Service

CHICAGO: The embattled Cook County Board President Todd Stroger will face a reelection challenge from yet another major African-American official. Alderman Toni Preckwinkle (D - Chicago 4th Ward) kicked off her campaign's listening tour in Wilmette last week. Earlier, Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown had announced her decision to run for the County Board President The Toni rally was held at the Wilmette Public Library, 1242 Wilmette Avenue where she took questions on a variety of subjects from the Tenth Congressional District Democrats. Preckwinkle announced her candidacy for Cook County Board President last January and

tem, including benchmarks for both revenue and expenses." The county health system makes up more than 30 percent of the county's budget. Preckwinkle is currently a fifth term Alderman of Chicago's 4th Ward, has a history of commitment to independent reform politics. Her accomplishments include being a lead plaintiff in a lawsuit to institute a more racially equitable map of Chicago's ward boundaries, co-sponsoring the 1993

Illinois has been raising money and organizing for her run. She said she intends to run a grassroots operation involving old-fashioned voter outreach and cutting-edge campaign technology. "We have seen what can happen when a large group of motiAld Toni Preckwinkle announcing bid for Cook County vated supporters are outfitted with the latest technology," Preckwinkle and 1998 Chicago affordable housing ordisaid. "The last Presidential election proved nances, the 1998 and 2002 Chicago living that a widespread message of change can wage ordinances and 1998 and 2002 ordiovercome the tired tactics of the old guard." nances that limit the establishment of payPreckwinkle discussed key staff members day loan stores. She holds Bachelors and from her campaign at the event and an- Masters Degrees from the University of Chinounced her goal of recruiting over 5,000 cago and resides in Hyde Park (hometowm volunteers by mid-August. She also out- of President Obama) with her husband. Community activist Mujeeb Osman said lined her concerns about the need for real he had worked with Alderman Toni for her reform in Cook County. "Cook County needs to become more campaign, and would be supporting her with transparent and open at all levels," a group of Indian-Pakistani Americans. NoPreckwinkle said. "One change among table among the attendees from Indian submany I support is the institution of monthly continent were Syed Taher Hussain, Mohd. financial reports for the county health sys- Safdar Ali and Ravi Ganapathy.

Mayor Anand elected for second term in New York Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 10

Laurel Hollow is the home of the 107-acre Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, an internationally recognized genetic and cancer research center that is on the National Register of Historic Places. The experimental stations from which it grew were established in 1893, predating the village. Five researchers at the center have won Nobel prizes for their genetic work. Anand was appointed to the position of Trustee in December, 2002 to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of another trustee. He won in a hotly contested election in 2003 for the Trustee posi-

tion. Anand also serves as the Police Commissioner for Laurel Hollow, which contracts with Nassau County Police Department for police services. He is a graduate of Nassau County Civilian Police Academy and an active member of the Nassau County Police Reserves. He also serves on the Advisory Board of Nassau County Law Enforcement Explorers. Anand is the President of Royce International; a multi-national corporation involved in manufacture of industrial chemicals for textile, aerospace, electrical, automotive, marine and construction industries.

Money Dart set to expand Chicago operations Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 10

wide-network of partners with the corporate office located in New York. Plans are afoot to open four more branches in Florida, New York, California and Texas. Through these branches and agent network in USA, Moneydart Global Services Inc offers a

The company organized a business meet last week at Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows, a north side Chicago suburb, inviting Chicago business interests as well as prominent community members from Indian, Pakistani and Bangladesh communities to acquaint them the range of products and services offered by this globally expanding company. This conference was attended by close to 150 guests and invitees encompassing local financial businesses including pharmaceuticals, IT Money Dart Team a) Sumit Prabhakar (Head business professionals, banks, and other Development Americas) b) Promoth Manghat (Vice president Global Operations) c) Sudhir Kumar Shetty (COO - Global local institutes. Prabhakar d) Shanil Ganjoo (Manager Branch Operations & Patel, Manager Business De- Operations) Customer Care) e) Prabhakar Patel (Manager Business velopment Chicago, welcomed Development Chicago) f) Ajit Paul (Regional Head Americas) the guests. Sumit Prabhakar, g) Srikar Beeravally (Assistant Manager) the Head of Business Develo p m e n t bouquet of services to the customers inAmerica, said cluding cash-to-cash, direct credit to bank the Devon account and home delivery of bank draft in Office will be select countries. bigger than Y. Sudhir Kumar Shetty, COO Global Opthe Naperville erations, said that the economic slowdown facility with notwithstanding, the UAE Exchange has 2000 sq of of- registered an astounding 45% growth in its fice area and income and 40% in its profit in 2008. Every would be op- day, more than 6,250 UAE Exchange pererational in sonnel across the globe with 40 nationalithe next few ties in countries including India, USA, Britweeks only. ain, Canada, Jordan, Philippines, Indonesia, Prabhakar Patel, Manager Money Dart Sri Lanka, and many other Asian countries, Business Development serve more than 100,000 customers striving Chicago, addressing the meet currently has 52 active to ensure customer delight". The UAE Exagents in various suburbs of Chicago and change Money Dart and Express Money is the third largest company in money re- Transfer has about 2000 locations in Pakimittance with almost 100 percent growth in stan. The NMC group of companies is Chicago since 2007. based in Abu Dhabi, UAE which is one of The company has two direct branches the leading business conglomerates of the with close to 100 retail agent locations in region with multifarious activities spread New Jersey and Illinois. It has made its pres- across the world. ence felt in more than 35 States through its (For details logon to: indiapost.com)

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Thousands revel in Ganesh Temple re-consecration celebrations

First Indian Governor of Rotary International in NY India Post News Service

SRIREKHA N. CHAKRAVARTY India Post News Service

NEW YORK: For the thousands of Hindu devotees settled in this country it was a once-in-alifetime opportunity to witness a maha kumbhabhishekam and receive the blessings of Lord Ganesha as holy priests re-consecrated the divine deity following the completion of massive $5 million expansion and renovation of the Mahavallabha Ganapati temple in Flushing, New York, on July 13. Tens of thousands of devotees from across the Tri-state area and other states thronged the temple

over a five-day celebration that culminated in an elephant pooja followed by the maha kumbhabhishekam on the temple's brand new raja gopuram (temple tower), which was performed in the presence of priests specially invited from India. The rituals throughout, which included a gow-pooa (cow worship) on the first day, were carried out with utmost sanctity and strict detail as per Hindu religious texts complete with the requisite articles of pooja and yagna such as special sacred seeds, roots, etc. brought from India. The block around the temple on Bowne Street in Flushing was

NEW YORK: Ravishankar Bhooplapur was installed as Governor of Rotary international District 7250 recently at a glittering ceremony at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, Long Island. The event was graced by over 200 couples, among them were many past and current District Governors, presidents and secretaries of local Rotary clubs, and Bhooplapur's Rotarian friends from India and Kuwait. In his speech, Bhooplapur said, cordoned off by the City police from 8 am on July 13 when the elephant decorated in true temple style, was brought out in a small procession and led inside the new

of the temple. Special prayers were performed to gold, silver and precious stones placed at the bases of the deities before the installation in their respective sannidhis (shrines). The shrines of Sri Maha Lakshmi and Sri Venkateswara are still under construction and craftsmen and masons brought from In-

As priests went up on the roof ceremonially carrying the kumbhas (pots) with the holy waters onto the roof -lifted by hydraulic lifts - to perform the abhishekam, the ardent devotees rushed to catch the drops and walkway with 16 granite pillars, sprinkle themselves each with a different form of with the holy water Ganesha sculpted on it, in front of the temple. Later, as priests went up on the roof ceremonially carrying the kumbhas (pots) with the holy waters onto the roof -- lifted by hydraulic lifts -- to perform the abhishekam, the ardent devotees rushed to catch the drops and sprinkle themselves with the holy water. Besides Maha Ganapati, the reconsecration rituals were performed for the shrines of Sri Siva, Sri Parvati, Sri Kamakshi and Sri Valli-Devasena Sameta Sri Shanmukha, all of which find new space inside the expanded version

dia for the purpose are still giving finishing touches to the many added features on the temple structure. Following the abhishekam, as the deities were being dressed and adorned, a visiting priest from India led the devotees to chant the Omkaar. The rituals ended with the maha aarti. Raj Sumangali, a retired professional from Long Island and a regular visitor at the temple braved the pushing crowds inside the packed temple to benefit from the Lord's blessings on the occasion. "Abhishekams are performed routinely, but a maha kumbhabhishekam is special because it signifies the reopening of a temple," he said. "It's a great occasion and the concept is simple -- you try to come on the day and get the blessings of the Lord that's all." Krishna Murthy, a retired Wing Commander from Indian Air Force, who spends time between India and the US, was present on the occasion, despite his frail dispensation. Cont’d on page 15

July 24, 2009

installed Governor of Rotary international District 7250, comprising Brooklyn, Queens and Nassau. An aspirant to becoming the International President of the 104-year old Rotary, Bhooplapur has already received Rotary's all three top honors - the "Meritorious Service Award," "Service Above Self," (2006) and "Distinguished Service Award (2008). Frank Devlyn, past Rotary President from Mexico, said, "Ravi is an outstanding Rotarian, that is why the district elected him."

‘People have many ways to spend their time and money; I chose to spend both with Rotary. This is my passion, and I have always met wonderful people on this journey and have benefited a lot’ Ravishankar Bhooplapur

"People have many ways to spend their time and money; I chose to spend both with Rotary. This is my passion, and I have always met wonderful people on this journey and have benefited a lot." When 29 years ago, Bhooplapur, now 47, joined the local Rotary Club in Dharwad, Karnataka, he had no idea that one day he would become Rotary Governor in New York. He migrated to the US 17 years ago and has become the first Indian American and the youngest to be

He sits on the board for numerous charities, hospitals and businesses. "I am a kind of disaster expert," he quips. Be it tsunami in Asia, earthquakes in Latur in India or in Peru and Pakistan, or Hurricane Katrina in US, he instantly gets into action responding to the needs, raising funds and organizing material assistance to alleviate the suffering of the victims. (For details logon to: indiapost.com)

Pomona Ranganatha temple to hold Brahmotsavam India Post News Service

NEW YORK: The Ranganatha Temple in Pomona, New York will be holding its third annual Brahmotsavam July 17-26, the culmination of which will be a grand Rathotsavam where Lord Ranganatha will be taken in a procession on a ceremonial chariot. The ten-day festivities commence with Navakalasa SnapanaThirumanjanam to the presiding deity of the temple Sri Ranganatha followed by Vishvaksena procession, Swasthi-vachanam, Anujna, and Maha-punyaham. The special Rathotsavam will be held July 25. According to Dr. Venkat Kanumalla, founder-chairman of Sri Ranganatha Seva Samithi annual Brahmotsavam at the Pomona temple is being recognized as the

largest such festivals in temples across the US. It is an important festival at some of the major South India temples such as Srirangam, Tirupati and Kanchipuram. In the Sesha Vahanam utsavam on July 18, Lord Ranganatha appears as Sri Paramapadanatha, seated on the Sesha Vahanam; and on July 19, on the Garuda Vahana where the Lord is seated on the eagle mount. Devotees who attended the Brahmotsavam last year give testimony to a rare spectacle where a lone eagle circled the sky above the Garuda Vahana even as they recited the Vishnu Sahasranamam. On July 24, there will be a celestial wedding between Lord Ranganatha and Goddess Sri Devi and Bhu Devi, complete with floral decorations, dances, games and feasts accompanied by the nadaswaram.

Community/Illinois Mangalore Bishop gets rousing welcome in Chicago

India Post 13

July 24, 2009

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MOHAMMAD GHOUSE

Mascarenhas, the president of the MKCA gave a brief description of Association's activities in supporting the community back in Mangalore and especially, in supporting victims of communal unrest in Orissa. Fr Riche Vaz introduced the Bishop of Mangalore, Rt Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D'souza to all the people present. Later a Mann Pathr (Letter of Honor), written in immaculate Konkani was read out and presented by Dr Austin Prabhu to the Bishop. In his response, the Bishop of Mangalore praised the wonderful cultural promotional activities conducted by the MKCA, USA. He apprised the Mangalorean expatriates of the various developments in the Diocese of Mangalore in the recent years. Notable among them were the opening of the new dedicated Cancer Research Institute at Fr Muller's Medical College and Hospital, St Joseph's Engineering College, up-gradation of high schools to Archbishop of Mangalore being honored at Holy Sprit Church in Chicago (L-R) Fr. Henry Sequeira, Bishop of Mangalore Pre-University colleges. Rt. Rev. Dr. Aloysius Paul D'Souza and Fr. Richie Vaz He stated, St Josephs Engicelebrated by the Bishop, who then gave a neering College is proud to have supported lot touching homily by asking everyone to help of poor students who were not able to meet the the needy by representing Jesus Christ in financial demands of higher education. them. Dorothy Rego and Rexon D'souza Also 38 new schools were started during with Daphne Fernandes on the Keyboard his tenure most of them being English Mearranged a melodious choir in Konkani dur- dium schools in rural areas to help the poor ing the Mass. students in meeting the current and future After the Mass a felicitation program was challenges of globalization. These were long organized to honor the Bishop. Lawrence felt needs by the local community.

A member of Chicago Diocese Dr. Austin Prabhu

Bishop Dr. Aloysius Paul of Mangalore addressing the gathering

The Bishop of Mangalore has started a new Medical Relief Fund for the poor who

for the same. Already the bishop has been able to collect donations of Rs.12.3 million for the same. The Bishop of Mangalore appealed to all Mangalorean Catholics to help him reach the target so as to help the poor and the needy in the diocese of Mangalore. A grand memento was presented to the Bishop by Fr Henry Sequeira. The vote of thanks was proposed by the secretary of MKCA, Ms Vissia. All the attendees savored the typical Mangalorean style dinner arranged by MKCA members, consisting of famous authentic 'Dukra Maas" prepared especially to this program by Mark and Loretta Rodrigues. The program was concluded with singing Laudathe Dominum led by Dr Austin Prabhu. This program was compeered by immediate past president of MKCA, Stany D'Souza.

The Bishop of Mangalore has started a new Medical Relief Fund for the poor who are suffering from major ailments like Cancer, Cardiac and Kidney related problems. The Bishop has set a target of Rs. 20 million for the same are suffering from major ailments like Cancer, Cardiac and Kidney related problems. The Bishop has set a target of Rs. 20 million

Schools urged to declare Diwali as holiday HARISH RAO

Bhailal Patel, Sohan Joshi, FIA Trustee and former president, Nand Kapoor, former AIA President

CHICAGO: Hindus across Chicagoland have urged the school districts all over USA to add Diwali, the most important Hindu holy day, to the public schools' holiday calendar. In Chicago, a group of Hindu community activists led by Bhailal Patel, a former president National FIA, Sohan Joshi, Trustee of Federation of Indian Association and former president and Nand Kapoor, former president of Association of Indian Americans, have strongly pleaded with the concerned authorities that Diwali signifies a victory of light (Gyan) over darkness (Ignorance) and that it

should be considered important for Hindu families to celebrate Diwali day together at home with their children. According to Rajan Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism and the chairperson of Indo-American Leadership Confederation, Diwali, the festival of lights, symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Hindus worship goddess of good fortune and beauty Lakshmi, God of wisdom and auspiciousness Ganesh, and mountain Goverdhan on this day. Also on this day, coronation of Lord Ram was held, Lord Hanuman was born, Lord Vishnu returned

kingdom to monkey king Bali of Kiskindha, Lord Vishnu and goddess Lakshmi married, Lord Krishna killed demon Narakasur, and ancient king Vikramaditya was crowned. On this day of forgiveness, festivities, and friendliness; families and friends get together for worship followed by a sumptuous and elaborate feast. It is also considered a harvest festival. This year it falls on October 17. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksha (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about 2.3 million estimated Hindus in USA.

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July 24, 2009

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Improving cultural ties between India & US

Swami Mukundananda conducting yoga classes & retreat MADHU PATEL

CHICAGO: A former IIT and Management graduate turned ascetic in quest of self-realization, Swami Mukundananda, will be conducting yoga and meditation classes and seminars across ten cities in USA under the auspices of Jagadguru Kripalu Yog (JKY), USA The program started on May 30 and will continue in all ten cities till September 25, according to Ajay Chandok, a Chicago based JKY spokesperson. The states/cities being covered Indian Consul General Ashok Kumar Attri recently hosted a luncheon are: New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, reception in honor of Virendra Gupta, Director General of the Indian Boston, Houston, Chicago, Dallas, Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi. Gupta briefed the ConLos Angeles, Sunnyvale, Florida, sulate officials on the ongoing and planned cultural activities of the ICCR and New York. In in USA. Chicago, it comIllinois He also interacted with the guests during the menced at Hindu luncheon meet and exchanged information about the activities of culTemple of Greater Chicago on Saturtural organizations in India on promoting cultural and academic interacday, July 11 and will run thru Friday tion between India and the Mid-West USA. Prominent guests seen in the July19. picture (L-R) Dr. James Nye, Indian CG Ashok Kumar Attri, James Cuno, Virendra Gupta, DG ICCR, Gregory Knight and Kirpal Zala. In each place, there are week-long programs with sessions in the morn-

Rasaka and Premiere Theater present culture/clash MOHAMMAD GHOUSE India Post News Service

CHICAGO: Rasaka Theatre Company presents "culture/clash: three plays about the South Asian Diaspora," trio of world premieres penned by South Asian playwrights at Strawdog Theatre, 3829 N.Broadway St., Chicago, on Saturday, August 15, 8 p.m.. The presentations will run thru Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm and will be closing on September 6, 2009 The production will include: "Instant Recall" by Anita Chandwaney: Madhu can't seem to recall why--she asked Nigel to meet her at the café-or can she?

Illinois "Night Shift" by Angeli Primlani: A young girl and an older woman face danger and each other in the middle of the night in a motel lobby on a quiet North Carolina highway. "Midnite's Vultures" by Pushkar Sharma: Two Indian-American poets in their twenties confront the paradoxes of their identity when asked what it means to be an Indian in America. This unique evening of plays is the result of a weekend playwriting workshop in August of 2008 for South Asian theatre artists, the brainchild of Rasaka's founding Executive Director Anita Chandwaney, in response to the challenge of finding plays written by or about South Asians or South Asian Americans. Chandwaney

recalled an inspiring workshop she had participated in at Chicago Dramatists, and enlisted the same teacher, playwright Will Dunne, to lead the Rasaka weekend. Continuing the development of the new works created that weekend, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs offered space for workshops and staged readings, which directly led to the selection of the three plays in "culture/

‘The title culture/clash was chosen because each of the three plays features South Asian protagonists interacting with people from different backgrounds’ clash", based on feedback from theatre professionals. "The title culture/clash was chosen because each of the three plays features South Asian protagonists interacting with people from different backgrounds (British, Southern and American Indian)," said director Lavina Jadhwani. "From these interactions, the characters learn something about another culture while simultaneously re-examining their own heritage." (For details logon to: indiapost.com)

Swami Mukundananda addressing meet in Chicago. Sitting left to him is Ajay Chandok of Jagadguru Kripalu Yog (JKY), and on right is Vandana Jhingan, a community activist

ings and/or evenings. The first part of the session focuses on yoga and meditation and the second part includes devotional chanting and spiritual discourses to self purification of the mind and soul. Light meals are served after the session each day. At a news meet on Devon Avenue, Swami Mukundanand said

that the correct word is Yog and not Yoga. Yog means union of soul with the Supreme - (Creator). Yoga, as it is understood widely in this part of the world, is largely cantered around yogic exercises which are good for health as also for mental discipline. Cont’d on page 15

Gujarati Samaj organizes Summer Picnic ASHWIN PATEL

ST. LOUIS: Gujarati Samaj of St. Louis organized Summer Picnic 2009 on July 11with great success. Summer Picnic was held at McDonald Park where more than 200 members and their families turned out to participate and had a lot of fun. The event was celebrated with authentic Gujarati food- Khichadi and Chhas with

Missouri Bhajia & corn. There were several fun filled activities, games for children and adults. Guajarti Samaj will be celebrating India's Independence Day with India Association of St. Louis on August 15 at Mahatma Gandhi Center. India Association of St. Louis has invited the Indian community to celebrate Independence

Enjoying lunch during picnic

Day Mela 09 which will include food, Jewelry and clothing booths. Flag hoisting will be done at 11 am followed by food, fun and festivity.

Essay writing, drawing and flower arrangement competition will be between 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Cultural program will be held from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

Mallika Sherawat to act in a Hollywood film HARISH RAO

NEVADA: Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat will act in a movie inspired by San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Devi Harris who is often adoringly called 'Female Barack Obama'. The film is expected to go on floor in October. Harris is the first woman Dis-

Nevada trict Attorney to be elected in San Francisco, the first black person elected as District Attorney in California, and the first Indian American elected to the position in the United States. She was elected in

female President of the United States, who featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show as one of 'America's Most Powerful Women'. Zee Cine Awards nominated Sherawat (Murder) recently. She acted as Nagin Kamla Haris and Mallika Sherawat (she-cobra) in a mythical December 2003 with over 56 per- thriller Hisss, directed by cent of the votes in a run-off elec- Sundance nominated Jennifer tion against the two-term incum- Chambers Lynch (Surveillance), bent, Terence Hallinan. She was which is currently in post-producalso cited by the New York Times tion stage. to be among the seventeen most (For details logon to: likely women to become the first indiapost.com)

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July 24, 2009

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Thousands revel in Ganesh Temple re-consecration celebrations Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 12

Calling himself an "aspirant to achieve the higher echelons of spirituality" Murthy was content with catching a mere glimpse of the divine deity through the milling crowds saying that on a sacred occasion such as this, just being present on the sacred premises was enough to receive the higher energy. "The kumbhabhishekam is a concentration of the cosmic energy through the kumbha (pot carrying the sacred waters) to the place," he explained. "It is the condensation of all prevailing energy, god or deity into a concentrated place so the human being can concentrate. We always need a physical manifestation to concentrate and worship; many of us are at a physical plane and not higher subtler plains to attain spirituality. When we go to higher subtler plains we do not need physical manifestations of god -- it is like being able to feel satiated just by reading a menu card in a restaurant, but in reality we do need to eat the food to satisfy our hunger -- so similarly we need to come to a temple or worship the higher power in one form or the other

depending on individual taste and convenience. It is for that reason that temples are consecrated through rituals such as the kumbhabhishekam." Throughout the five days of the festivities, the temple and surrounding areas were reverberating to the sounds of the nadaswaram and thavil. There was free distribution of maha prasad on all days.

Kumbhabhishekam". Visiting Sivacharyas (holy priests) from India explained, as they performed the rituals at the Yagasala area during the celebrations. There was also group chanting of Ganapathy Moola Mantra followed by Rudra Prasnam and Lalitha Sahasranamam. The temple also arranged classical dance and music as part of the celebrations.

During the festivities, there were also lectures by Sri Jayendrapuri Swami on "Concept of God and relationship with man" "Power of devotion" "Temple worship" and "Why Pranapratishta &

The grand festivities of the temple received extensive coverage from the mainstream American media, which is increasingly opening up to the growing presence of Hindus in the country.

Swami Mukundananda conducting yoga classes & retreat Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 14

But Yog has a wider meaning and it means giving a proper direction to the mind for Sat Chit Anand, the three qualities manifest in the Supreme Being- the Creator. Yog helps a practitioner to achieve a state of mind which would help guide him to the path of self realization and a union with the Supreme. "There is no doubt Yoga exercises are good and helpful, but without emphasis on the purification of the mind, their effectiveness in curing physical diseases is limited, and mental diseases or limitations get ignored and untouched. The JKY program covers both the aspects of Yog," he said. "Jagadguru Kripalu Yog is a system of Yoga that incorporates both material and spiritual knowledge for the complete physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual health of humankind. A healthy body and a calm, composed mind - these are the basis for attaining our goal in life," he added "Wellness for Life - Reach the Treasure Within" is a lifestyle system presented by Jagadguru Kripalu Yog that combines yoga, meditation, healthy diet and intellectually stimulating discourses on ancient and modern philosophy to attain well being of the body, mind and soul". Chandok added that there is no charge for any of the sessions as the aim is to increase Yog awareness and to encourage participation, besides helping participants to

traverse the spiritual path of enlightenment, Swami Mukundananda, who will be conducting the programs as also a retreat in Houston, received his degrees in Engineering and Management from two world famous institutes in India- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) respectively. "However, I found that there was something lacking in this type of formal education. I was not finding happiness within and was lacking a sense of fulfilment. The call for

Jagadguru Kripalu Yog is a system of Yoga that incorporates both material and spiritual knowledge for the complete physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual health of humankind self realization was so strong that a short while after landing a top corporate job, I renounced my professional career and sought solace with Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj and took sanyas,," he said. For the past two decades, Swamiji has been travelling far and wide in various states of India and has also been to Nepal, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, USA, and Europe helping hundreds of thousands who seek self attainment and self realization.

Kalapriya presenting Masala Bollywood KRISHNA RAJ

CHICAGO: Kalapriya, Center for Indian Performing Arts will present "Masala Bollywood" on August 21 and 22 at the Vittum Theater of Adventure Stage Chi-

Illinois

Bollywood film clips. "Masala Bollywood" will travel through the decades of Bollywood film; the golden oldies, the twisted nineties and the new era of Bollywood. Choreographer Archana Kumar has been engaged to create these new dances for Kalapriya. Her work explores techniques of contemporary dance and improvisation, composing works that blend Indian classical

cago. Kalapriya, led by artistic director Pranita Jain, celebrates the cultures of India as influenced by contemporary American culture and strives to do so without losing the unique essence that defines the Indian Diaspora. In "Masala Bollywood" the worldwide craze of Bollywood dance comes to Chicago in a joyous performance featuring live dance Scenes from Masala Bollywood and film. Kalapriya has created a special multi-media art with modern techniques to performance featuring the connect with the audience of the Kalapriya dancers and film foot- modern world. Her work for age featuring Bollywood mo- "Masala Bollywood" is playful ments. Dancers will dance and in- and sophisticated reflecting all teract with the projected that is Bollywood

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July 24, 2009

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Hate crime or prank at Artesia restaurant? JS BEDI India Post News Service

ARTESIA: The UFIC leadership could never fathom that their dinner at Bombay Garden here in Artesia would end the way it did. Ashok Patnaik, a member of the

Neeraj Agnihotri, Mani Ailawadi, Chandu Miglani and worst hit Himanshu Rawal. The incident, which happened in front of the Bombay Garden restaurant at 17221 Pioneer Blvd., occurred at about 9:50 pm. Monday. "We were smothered in white

‘We were smothered in white smoke, Patnaik said. Our eyes were burning and turned red. It was a very strong smell when you inhaled it. It went into our eyes and nose’ City of Cerritos' Economic Development Commission, and 10 other people had just finished dining at the restaurant when two men sprayed some type of white substance at the group before speeding off in a white van. Others affected are Ajit Dudheker, Vinod Vineet, Gurpal Singh Sood, Vinod Dudhekar,

smoke," Patnaik said. Our eyes were burning and turned red. It was a very strong smell when you inhaled it. It went into our eyes and nose," he added. Paramedics arrived promptly on the scene as did the police. The suspects are believed to be white males in their early to mid twenties.

Ajit Dudhekar, Ashok Patnaik, Vinod Vineet and Neeraj Agnihotri

They were last seen traveling south on Pioneer Boulevard, Deputy Caesar Landeros of the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department's Lakewood Station told reporters at the scene. The

suspects' vehicle was described as a white van with the partial license plate "EPM5." The police is looking at several motives for the attack - including if the incident qualifies as

a hate crime. It is unclear if this is a hate crime or a prank. Anyone with information about the incident call the Sheriff's Lakewood Station at (562) 6233500.

Energetic performances at FOGANA 2009

Pooja Patel

JS BEDI India Post News Service

LA MIRADA, CA: Federation of Gujarati Samaj of Southern California (FGSSC) hosted the 4th Annual Western Regional FOGANA Raas, Garba and Folk Dance Competition on Saturday, July 11at the LaMirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. A total of 12 teams comprised over 150 participants, ranging from ages six through sixty, presented impressive and energetic performances. For three hours the audience was taken down memory lane, back to their homeland. The audience rooted, cheered and applauded the performers, especially participants from their respective regions. This competition has been held annually in other parts of the United States for over 25 years but FGSSC was responsible for introducing this competition to the West-

ern Region for the first time in 2006. Following the great success of hosting the regional competitions in 2006, 2008 and National competition in 2006, FGSSC decided to host the regional once again in 2009. Hosting a FOGANA (Federation of

Choreographers, participants and parents all praised FGSSC for a wonderful job in organizing the event and providing everyone with excellent hospitality, a staple in the Gujarati community. Most importantly the event started on

The emcees were Pooja Patel and Feroz Vora. Both did an excellent job. Pooja is also a ramp model and she represented India at the Miss Asia USA pageant in 2007 Gujarati Associations of North America) competition is no easy task. The host must provide meals, local accommodations and transportation for all team outside a 150 mile radius. The host must also follow strict rules and regulations set by FOGANA to ensure that all teams compete fairly.

time. It was extremely well organized and the organizers deserve full credit for this. There was ample food and drinks to cater to the audience. Pravin Patel and his team left no stone unturned in their quest for excellence. It was truly a memorable evening.

The emcees were Pooja Patel and Feroz Vora. Both did an excellent job. Pooja is also a ramp model and she represented India at the Miss Asia USA pageant in 2007. Extremely pretty, bubbly, versatile and vivacious, Pooja lit up the hall the minute she stepped on the stage. FGSSC received a great response from the community with over 20 sponsors. The Grand Sponsor of the event was John Barbot of Barbot Insurance Services located in La Mesa, CA. Barbot has been a longstanding supporter of both FGSSC and FOGANA. The Diamond Sponsor was Hamilton Brewart from Hamilton Brewart Insurance Agency. Gold Sponsors included Bhindi Jewelers, Dr. Hasmukh Patel, I.R.Patel of Bi-Rite Pharmacy, and C.N. Travel. Along with the financial support, there were 50 individuals volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this event a success. Cont’d on page 17

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July 24, 2009

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Guru Purnima celebrated with enthusiasm & devotion India Post News Service

MONTCLAIR, CA: Guru Purnima was celebrated with much enthusiasm and devotion at the Nithyananda Vedic Temple on Tuesday, July 7. For this grand event, the temple welcomed more than 300 visitors and devotees. During the evening celebrations, a special Guru Paduka Puja was performed, followed by Maha Arati and Maha Prasad. Devotees also had the opportunity to offer bhiksha and receive blessings and prasad. Guru Purnima is a special day celebrated once a year to express reverence and gratitude for the Enlightened Masters who have come to the Planet Earth to guide us. It is also a day to celebrate and give thanks for the sacred guru-disciple relationship. "The relationship with the master, who is one with Existence, is deeper than any other relationship," describes Paramahamsa Nithyananda in his bestselling new release, Living Enlightenment. Celebrations began with the Life Bliss Meditation, a dynamic meditation that has benefited millions of people around the world. Following this meditation, Sri Nithya Bhaktapriyananda Maharaj explained the

Celebrations began with the Life Bliss Meditation, a dynamic meditation that has benefited millions of people around the world. Sri Nithya Bhaktapriyananda Maharaj explained the significance of Guru Purnima

Energetic performances at FOGANA 2009 Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 16

The house was packed with over 800 people in attendance. There was a great response from the choreographers of the Western region as there were 12 teams from five different dance schools - Noopur Dance Academy, Rangashree Dances of India, Rangtaal Group, Sangeet Group of No. Calif. and Shrungaar Group of No. Calif. representing from all over California. The teams competed within four different age groups - Minor (6 to 10), Junior (11 to 15), Senior (16 to 29), and Adult (30 or older). Each age group had three categories - Raas, Garba and Folk Dance. The first place winner of each category advances to the National competition which is being held in Tampa, FL on September 6. The participants performed with great energy and excitement. The choreographers used creative moves and chose colorful, authentic costume to highlight their performances. Six year olds performed with the preciseness of 50 year olds and 50 years olds performed with the energy of six year olds. Like Bhangra and Giddha, Ras Garba too is highlighted by colorful costumes. The participants performed in a collage of colors which reflected the vibrance of Gujarat and its rich culture. At the end of the competition the First, Second and Third place

winners in each category were awarded trophies which were presented by the sponsors. Besides just trophies, FGSSC once again offered the teams a little more in-

centive to perform their best, the overall best score between the minor and junior teams and between the senior and adult teams took home a grand prize of $500

The choreographers used creative moves and chose colorful, authentic costume to highlight their performances each. This is the second time that a prize of this size has been offered at a FOGANA Raas, Garba and Folk Dance Competition by FGSSC. This prize will help teams pay for costumes and airfare to the National Competition.

significance of Guru Purnima and bhiksha offerings. "Gratitude is the ultimate prayer," Swamiji says in Living Enlightenment. Maharaj demonstrated this teaching through a beautiful guided special gratitude meditation specially designed for this event. After the gratitude meditation, Maharaj also conveyed the essence of Swamiji's special Guru Purnima message. In the Guru Purnima address, Swamiji spoke on vitarka - "right reasoning". When vitarka is applied

to every day life, it can relieve all sufferings. Vitarka, or right reasoning, results in an expression of "is-ness", just being. This "is-ness" in turn results in "ease-ness", which brings abundance of joy and bliss to life. "Following the Master's words and his body language help develop vitarka," Maharaj said. He then began guru paduka puja (offering at the feet of the Master) with an explanation of the significance of the puja. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 19

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July 24, 2009

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Grand I-Day planned in Dr Darshan Shah opens Beautologie San Fernando Valley Malibu with style India Post News Service

Sitting from Left: Bama Sridhar, Deepi Singh, Nalini Natarajan, Raja Annaswamy, Standing from Left: Vineet Puri, Bhupinder Singh, Rakesh Thukral, Raman Chadha, Robin Paik, Kumar Jawa, Bobby Kumar, Inder Singh, Nirmal Jain, Hanif Nensey, Virender Jain, Vasdev Singh, Joseph Poulose India Post News Service

SAN FERNANDO, CA: The Indo-American community of San Fernando Valley has been celebrating India's Independence Day on a grand scale since 2000. This year,

Raman Chadha - President

the annual celebration of India's Independence Day is being organized at Pierce College, 6201 Winnetka Ave. Woodland Hills on Saturday, August 15. Over 15,000 people from the San Fernando Valley and neighboring areas are expected to attend the event, according to Raman Chadha, President of India Association of Los Angeles (IALA). Over 60,000 Indian Americans live in the San Fernando Valley and

neighboring areas. The community has been increasing steadily in the Valley and so have the businesses to serve the community at large. The Valley has six temples, many Indian grocery stores, numerous restaurants, and other businesses serving the community. The annual event has become a major attraction for the community. The event also affords an opportunity for elected officials to meet the community in the Valley. A large number of attendees will gather in the evening for the cultural extravaganza, showcasing India's culture and heritage and hear the invited guests. Admission is free with ample free parking for the guests. The Association will be hosting the celebration in San Fernando Valley for the tenth continuous year. There will be over 80 booths offering variety of Indian food, merchandise and informational services. Entertainment will be in the form of classical and modern Indian dancing and music. A free health fair has been organized. The invited guest list includes many prominent elected officials, several of whom, such as LA County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, Congressman Brad Sherman, and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa have attended the annual celebration more than once.

MALIBU, CA: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon Dr. Darshan Shah had a fundraiser for Operation Smile at the grand opening of his center, Beautologie Malibu Cosmetic Surgery. Located on 24955 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California with gorgeous oceanfront views, Beautologie, or "the science of beauty," says it all. A silent auction of impressive items donated by Cher, Olivia Newton-John, Suzanne Somers, Michael Bolton, and many other celebrities were featured, with all the donations going directly to Operation Smile, a children's charity treating facial deformities such as cleft lips and cleft palates all around the world. Dr. Shah, known for his successful cosmetic surgery and laser center in Bakersfield, can now treat patients at his ocean front office in Malibu. The evening also celebrated the grand opening of Veronica's Malibu Yoga and Thi Chi Studio. Dr. Darshan Shah mentioned, "Veronica is a world famous Aesthetician and has been in Malibu for 30 years, and we are honored to say that she is now a wonderful part of the Beautologie family." There are many financing options available for cosmetic procedures at their state-of-the-art facilities in Malibu and Bakersfield. Guests were treated to hors d'oeurvres, drinks and live enter-

Kamlesh Chauhan and Jinnder Chauhan with Dr Shah

tainment. Actress Suzanne Somers, Actress Roma Downey, Miss India America's Jinnder Chohaan, Actor Craig T. Nelson,

A silent auction of impressive items donated by Cher, Olivia Newton-John, Suzanne Somers, Michael Bolton, and many other celebrities were featured Attorney Gloria Allred, and Jagriti Charity Founder Kamlesh Chauhan were some of the guests. Jinnder Chohaan stated,

Indian American elected President of SVEC India Post News Service

FREMONT: For the first time an Indian American, Dhaval Brahmbhatt, was elected President of Silicon Valley Engineering Council (SVEC). Dr. KRS Murthy was elected Vice-President. Ed Kaminski continues to be Treasurer. Michael Wright became the new Secretary. In addition, there

are the following Directors: Chandru Idnani, Kris Verma, Ed Ioki, Laura Fechete and Elise Engelhardt who as last year's President still sits on the BoD. Dhaval Brahmbhatt is President & CEO of PHYchip Corporation, a company focusing on Intellectual Property support and commercialization of research in emerging technologies. He is a creative en-

gineer who has been awarded 11 US patents as sole inventor. VicePresident Dr. KRS Murthy is the CEO of SUNRGI, an Extreme Concentration Photo Voltaic solar power company. He has numerous life time accomplishments encompassing technology, entertainment, business, entrepreneurship, public speaking and leadership.

Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Virgelia Productions India Post News Service

Performance at the event

"Darshan has found the perfect place for Beautologie Malibu, and the offices are so elegantly done. I'm sure he'll have alot of success here." Dr. Darshan Shah greeted his special guests, "It is a pleasure to receive such a warm welcome to the community. I look forward to getting to know many of the residents and to continuing our involvement and support of Operation Smile." Dr. Shah has undergone extensive training at some of the most prestigious schools in the country. Dr. Shah volunteers his time and services to those who are less fortunate and is the founder of The Promise, a charitable organization that repairs and treats cleft lips, palates, and burn injuries in countries such as India, Africa, and South America.

LOS ANGELES: Virgelia Productions received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the 16th Annual National Asian Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2009. While accepting this prestigious award, Virgelia Villegas said, "I am inspired to continue the important mission of uniting the various Asian communities through celebrations of their unique and rich

cultures. Through its annual productions of the Miss Asia USA, Mrs. Asia USA, Miss Teen Asia USA and Miss Latina Global Cultural Pageants, Virgelia Productions. strives to recognize and celebrate the unity that is inherent in these diverse cultures." To celebrate the crowning of title holders of Miss Asia USA and Mrs. Asia USA this past June, Virgilia is having a dinner and dance on Sunday, July 26.

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July 24, 2009

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The case for Kartarpur Sahib - bridge between 2 States T S MAINI

As a peace-loving individual and follower of Baba Nanak's philosophy, all I can say is that supporting a cause related to Baba Nanak will only pave the way for peace in the sub-continent. Stopping a religious pilgrimage will not enhance national security on either side The Mumbai attacks on November 26, 2008 proved a great setback to the Indo-Pak relationship, which was growing. In the present scenario, a detente between the two nuclear powers does not seem on the anvil just yet. It is interesting to note that the 'Kartarpur religious corridor', an issue related to the Sikh faith, is acting as a sort of bridge between both the nuclear states. For those not familiar with the term, Kartarpur (now in Pakistan) is the place where the founder of the Sikh faith, Guru Nanak, spent the last 18 years of his life and had both Hindu and Muslim followers. Kartarpur, which falls in district Narowal, is home to the Sikh shrine Darbar Sahib, and this shrine is barely three kilometers from the Indian border. Before 1965, it is said that there was a bridge on the Ravi that Sikh pilgrims could cross over and visit

Darbar Kartarpur, Shakargarh

Darbar Sahib. During the aggression of 1965, however, this bridge was destroyed; even otherwise the relationship between the two countries became more tense and visa regimes became stricter with the passage of time. For a long time - nearly a decade - Sikhs, predominantly settled in Indian Punjab, have been demanding visa-free access to Darbar Sahib. Two individuals who have rallied hard for this cause are Kuldeep Singh Wadala, a well respected leader of Indian Punjab, and BS Goraya, who runs the website www.kartarpur.com and publishes the Punjab Monitor magazine which apprises people about progress made with regard

to the Kartarpur Corridor. Interestingly, the Pakistani side has been quite upbeat about this

There has been movement on the Indian side and Sports Minister Dr MS Gill has been lobbying with the government in New Delhi to go ahead with the religious corridor demand and the Minister for Religious Affairs and Minorities in the previous Musharraf government,

Guru Purnima celebrated with enthusiasm & devotion

Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 17

Individual puja plates allowed each participant to complete the puja. Maharaj carefully guided participants through each step of the Guru Paduka Puja. Maha Arati, a grand ceremony of light and music, using 108 lights, followed Guru Puja. Devotees and visitors then had the opportunity to make bhiksha offerings. Guru Purnima is the only day during the year when the guru accepts bhiksha (offering) from devotees. When the guru accepts the bhiksha, the guru also takes the karma and the ego represented by the biksha that has

been offered. As well as offering bhiksha, devotees and visitors also had the opportunity to receive blessings and prasad. At the end of the evening, all enjoyed Maha Prasad. In August, the Nithyananda Vedic Temple will be hosting the "Nithyananda Vedic Expo". During this all day event, there will a variety of activities including Vedic astrology, Nithya yoga, and henna. Featured will be a grand yagna with 108 homas for health, wealth and happiness. The Nithyananda Vedic Expo will be held on Saturday, August 8 from 10:00am - 8:00pm at the Sanatan Dharma Temple.

Ijaz-ul Haq, announced that the Pakistani government would have no objection to Sikh pilgrims crossing over to the Pakistani side to pay obeisance without a visa, provided they return the same day. Even the present government has been quite encouraging in its response and has in fact started constructing a road that would make the pilgrimage smoother. This is a significant development, given that it has taken place in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks and when tensions between both governments have been on the rise. The Indian government has been promising that it will look into the issue but there has not been much progress. The earlier Indian External Affairs Minister and present Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee visited the Indian side of the border - Dera Baba Nanak in June 2008, which is also home to a Sikh shrine and assured the Sikh community that the government is looking into various ways of going ahead with the visa-free pilgrimage from Dera Baba Nanak to Kartarpur. In the meanwhile, the Mumbai attacks happened and things slowed down even further. In the last few days however, there has been movement on the

Indian side and Sports Minister Dr MS Gill has been lobbying with the government in New Delhi to go ahead with the religious corridor. Interestingly, a former US diplomat, Ambassador John McDonald, who runs an NGO called the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy, has also been lobbying for the cause ever since he visited the site last year in June, and has made the recommendation that this site be declared a peace zone. McDonald was shocked to see the barbed wire that separated Dera Baba Nanak from Kartarpur. Both politicians and NGOs are in no mood to relent this time and are mounting pressure on their respective governments. It is important to note that Kuldeep Singh Wadala performed the 100th Ardaas (Sikh supplication) for this cause on Monday, June 22. Despite political tensions, Wadala will be visiting Kartarpur on September 22 (the day Guru Nanak passed away). Already, politicians and peace activists from Pakistan have offered full cooperation to him. (For details logon to: indiapost.com)

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July 24, 2009

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130 participate in Bajwa Golf, $40,000 raised JS BEDI India Post News Service

CITY OF INDUSTRY: Kang brothers, Bobby, Baldev and Sammy of Cargo Solutions Express held the Fourth SS Bajwa Memorial Golf Tournament at the Industry Hills Golf Club here July 11. Golfers from all over came to participate and this event brought together 130 of Southland's best players. The game began at about 1pm when all 130 golfers set off in their carts for another exciting day of golf. Raj Patel and Akash Bhakta, and Paul Singh and Jag Dhillon upset the winners of the previous two years Ravi Bakshi and KyleGeorge, thus denying them a hat trick. The tournament was played in the "Two Man Scramble" format and the teams

The Kang family

ers got together to party at the club's banquet hall. Bobby Kang was the emcee. He thanked the golfers, the sponsors and donors who had helped to make this event

other members of the family who had come in from India, former West Indian cricket Captain Ritchie Richardson and KK Bawa, former Chairman of the Punjab

Bobby Kang also recognized other members of the family who had come in from India, former West Indian cricket Captain Ritchie Richardson and KK Bawa, former Chairman of the Punjab Housing Board Jagjit Singh Bains (3rd from left) presenting a proclamation to the Kang Brothers

were divided into three divisions and each team played its best to beat their opponents. Finally it was the Patel-Bhakta team that won the trophy. Later in the evening the play-

happen. He also paid tribute to his uncle, the late S.S Bajwa who raised the brothers as his own sons. They gratefully credit their success to their late Uncle. Bobby Kang also recognized

Housing Board. Jagjit Singh Bains presented an acknowledgement from the Mayor of Rancho Cucamonga. Plaques were also presented to sponsors and other supporters.

The Winners Raj Patel and Akash Bhakta

Before the trophy was handed over to the winners, Raj Patel and Akash Bhakta, raffle winners were presented with prizes comprising golfing equipment, a watch, camera, a laptop computer and culminating with a 4T LCD TV After the awards presentation it was total party time and the celebrations continued late into the night with music and Bhangra. The memorial golf tournament was started in 2006 by the Kang Brothers in honor of their uncle S.S Bajwa was a keen sportsman and had even played cricket at the state level in India. Since its inception the tournament has raised thousands of dollars for charities and in the previous year some of the recipients were the Vijay Amritraj Foundation, PARS Junior Golf Foundation, Heads Up Youth Foundation Inc., Interna-

tional Gujarati Charities, Get a Grip Foundation and the Walnut Gurdwara. The winners are: 'A' Flight winners: 1st Place: Raj Patel &Akash Bhakta. 2nd Place: Paul Singh & Jag Dhillon 3rd Place: Ravi Bakshi & Kyle George "B" Flight Winners: 1stPlace Raj Trivedi & Dilip Patel 2ndPlace: Divyesh Bhakta & Pradip Patel 3rd Place: Raja Mehta & Vijen Parikh 'C' Flight Winners: Jeroma Johnson & Bob Mathieu. 2nd Place Bob Patel & Chandu Patel. 3rd Place: John Shin and Karam Dhaliwal Closest to the Pin Winner: Dilip Patel & Jag Dhillon Longed Drive: Kyle George

Anglo-Sikh Heritage Trail Tour to Scotland JS BEDI India Post News Service

magine Sikhs wearing turbans and kilts being filmed. Their tartan? Singh Clan, of course! Imagine a Sikh Lord in his Castle also being filmed. Imagine the world famous Singh Twins drenched from head to toe in the waters of the River Tay as they take up the athletic Clan Challenge against kilt-wearing locals. Imagine a Sikh shopkeeper in the shadow of Edinburgh castle, speaking a Scottish brogue thick enough to trap the Loch Ness Monster. Imagine that same charming accent coming from the ultra dynamic and successful Tiger Style, two Scottish-Sikh brothers compiling and presenting the wildest, most soulful mixes that blending kirtan, rap, and more. Imagine a private tour of rare and precious Sikh-oriented ancient documents at the museum of Blair Castle. Or stopping at the continuously picturesque side of the road to appreciate the smells and sights and

sounds of Scottish cattle and sheep grazing beside a loch. Or the melancholy air of visiting the grave of Maharajah Duleep Singh's infant son in a tiny post-card-style village? If you can't imagine, join next year's Anglo-Sikh Heritage Trail Tour, an extravagant and adventuresome journey deep into the heart of Scotland, where ace historian

ment to Sikhs worldwide: that they have collectively failed to articulate their magnificent and loving religion to the rest of the world. So, behind all the fun, games, exploration and history, lay the tour members' high hopes of inspiring young Sikhs to learn about the surprising history and fascinating current-day characters that populate the

In the back of everyone's mind was philosopher Bertrand Russell's scolding comment to Sikhs worldwide: that they have collectively failed to articulate their magnificent and loving religion to the rest of the world and tour creator Harbinder Singh himself guided fifteen wide-eyed Sikhs from all over the world for two weeks this July, as he connected the dots between Sikhs and Scots from Glasgow to Edinburgh and beyond. In the back of everyone's mind was philosopher Bertrand Russell's scolding com-

Scottish-Sikh and English-Sikh landscape. The strategy to fire up that inspiration? Easy: To capture the entire Tour on film, with award-winning documentary filmmaker Michael Singh behind the video camera, and ace photographer Jag Reyatt shooting with his Nikon. Some thirty hours of footage

and thousands of photos later, the merry band of lads and lassies returned to their homes full of stories and memories that they hope Michael and Jag will compile into a memorable show to be distributed amongst Sikhs worldwide. "Sikhs everywhere are tremendously generous in giving to Gurdwaras in order to raise their status before God, or before their fellow man," says Michael, "but I have found them in general to be reluctant to donate to such causes as a film about Sikhs. There are amazingly talented Sikh filmmakers all over the world, who are struggling to get out the word on this great religion, and most unfortunately, very few of their fellow Sikhs are willing to help them. Perhaps this Tour will wake people up to the importance of media in spreading the word about Sikhi." Despite his puzzlement over the lack of Sikh generosity in supporting the cause of Sikhi via media, Michael hopes to raise the funds to complete the editing of his project.

Health

Line

Mosquito pools test positive for West Nile virus WASHINGTON DC: Department of Health officials say three mosquito pools have tested positive for the West Nile virus. Officials said the mosquito pools were collected from a block on Washington Boulevard southwest, near Fort McNair. No one in DC have been infected by West Nile virus this year. In 2008, six residents tested positive for the virus. The health department recommends that residents eliminate mosquito breeding areas around their home by removing standing water. -AP

Health care costs strain farmers, ranchers LINCOLN, Neb.: A new report says farmers and ranchers often can't afford the health insurance offered to small-business owners. The report from The Access Project says family farmers and ranchers are insured at a rate higher than the general population, but that 10 percent of them were uninsured, or had an uninsured family member, sometime during the previous year. The report was based on data gathered through a 2007 survey of farm and ranch operators in seven Great Plains states including Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. -AP

Alabama eligible for federal funds for flu

Health Science 21

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July 24, 2009

CARSON CITY, Nev.: A complaint that a Las Vegas clinic was performing abortions in an unsafe location has resulted in a ``cease operations'' letter from a state agency. -AP

Overseas doctors who can't meet, share by texting DANVILLE, Pa.: A medical student from Danville is one of four co-founders of a new nonprofit organization distributing cell phones to community health workers in developing countries worldwide. Nadim Mahmud also serves as research director for the charity, named FrontlineSMS:Medic. The phones are the link between clinics and villages sometimes located more than 100 miles away, said Mahmud. ``Everything is text messaged. A lot of developing countries have no access to clinics or are so far away they can only walk to get there,'' Mahmud said. ``We have partnered with health workers and have recruited volunteers from villages to walk back and forth between villages to bring patients and medical records to serve as a bridge between the villages and clinics.'' Mahmud is now a second-year medical student at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., after graduating from Yale University in New Haven, Conn., with bachelor's and master's degrees in molecular biophysics and biochemistry. Mahmud is the son of Zeenat and Faruq Mahmud of Danville, and a 2004 graduate of Danville Area

High School, about 50 miles north of Harrisburg. In February, Mahmud founded FrontlineSMS:Medic with another Stanford medical student who graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and two recent undergraduate students, one from Stanford and the other from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore. So far, they have sites in Uganda and Malawi in Africa. They have provided cell phones

two-way hub to receive text messages. An example is someone injured in a village 40 miles away from a clinic and who cannot walk to a clinic. A health worker texts the clinic that the patient cannot walk and needs emergency help. The message is automatically forwarded to a nurse who travels on a motor bike with medical supplies to the patient, he said. Mahmud plans to travel this summer to set up more sites in

The foundation recently launched a cell phone donation campaign, at hopephones.org, to convert old cell phones into ones that can be used to volunteers, who instead of walking more than 100 miles to carry a stack of medical records, can communicate via text messages. ``The pilot sites have yielded dramatic cost savings for the clinics, increased patient treatment capacity and hundreds of hours of community health workers time has been saved,'' he said. His non-profit has also provided software that serves as a

Bangladesh. One of the other founders will travel through parts of Africa this summer. The founders take a salary but, in the case of the partner traveling in Africa, only enough for airfare. ``We do not intend to take salaries beyond what we need to sustain ourselves during our work,'' Mahmud said. Their nonprofit organization recently received $50,000 in grants

from the Clinton Global Initiative, Microsoft and others to develop software innovations for their clinic partners and to continue to develop new sites. The foundation recently launched a cell phone donation campaign, at hopephones.org, to convert old cell phones into ones that can be used. The cell phone campaign is aimed at collecting the hundreds of thousands of cell phones thrown away or replaced monthly in the US. ``People can visit the Web site, click on how many phones they can donate, print a shipping label and we will pay the shipping and send the phones to our partner The Wireless Source that collects the phones, refurbishes and resells them,'' Mahmud said. ``For every phone we donate, we get a monetary credit and for every phone they resell, we get a portion or the profit. We take that money and buy cell phones for our sites.'' Mahmud said he hasn't decided upon a medical specialty yet, but is interested in public health and infectious disease and health policy. -AP

At 5R Spa they make you work smarter, not harder JS BEDI

WASHINGTON: Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says Alabama is eligible to receive $5.3 million to prepare for the 2009 novel H1N1 flue virus and the fall flu season. The funds were made available in the recent supplemental appropriations bill signed by Congress and signed by President Obama on June 24. A total of $260 million was made available for public health response and hospital preparedness nationwide. Alabama is eligible to receive $1,934,220 for the first category, which includes things such as immunization campaigns, and $1,359,073 to help ensure hospitals are prepared for emergencies.-AP

State seeks closure of unlicensed surgical center

India Post News Service

NORWALK, CA The difference is evident the moment you walk into 5R Health's facility in Norwalk, CA. The atmosphere is appealing; the people are friendly and strangely relaxed for being at a "fitness" center. Why is 5R Health so different from the big gyms we're all accustomed to? In part the difference lies in the focus on being healthy from the inside out. Instead of gym equipment, you find a private infrared light sauna equipped to cleanse your body by eliminating fungus and harmful toxins. You also discover the amazing benefits of using a Whole Body Vibration machine, the technology for which is uti-

lized by NASA to prevent loss of bone density. Another facet of this technology is that it improves strength, flexibility, and balance.

Despite the emphasis on detoxification and well being, another fortunate side effect is fat loss. It is very hard for some to be-

lieve that by doing what seems like "less" they can achieve their most enthusiastic health goals. Regardless of age, sex, or condition, the 5R Health system makes health available to all. Shaking all over feels more comical than it does like exercise, but the results are real, effective, and measurable. By conducting a Bio Electrical Impedance test on each client, 5R Health Spa generates a reporting of water, fat, and muscle weight. As a means of body assessment the experts at 5R Health can effectively fine tune each client's path to being healthy. There is a condition among our citizens where they are left feeling tired, stressed, and angry, and it is related to being unhealthy. Cont’d on page 22

India Post

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July 24, 2009

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Teen who had heart transplant Farah Khan in the fight against pneumococcal disease finds joy with Scouts PADUCAH, Ky.: Mitchell Overby remembers the day he received a phone call that changed his life. He was sitting at his grandfather's house in Marshall County when he learned that he would receive a new heart. His parents weren't home, and he had to get word to them that they had just four hours to make it from Benton to Nashville, Tenn., for the operation. Overby, 18, laughs that his father drove 90 miles per hour on the interstate to get Mitchell to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in time. ``I was calm during the entire thing,'' Mitchell recalls. ``People ask me if I was nervous, and I wasn't. I even wrote a book about all this.'' Mitchell was born with a congenital heart defect and underwent three surgeries before his first birthday. Doctors monitored his health closely, and he underwent a heart cath at age 15. Doctors then told his family he needed a heart transplant in 2007. Mitchell underwent a heart transplant on Feb. 3, 2008, and returned to his Marshall County home on March 22, his 17th birthday. Doctors tell him that he should have a normal life expectancy. ``After that, people asked if I felt different, and I said, No,''' Mitchell recalled. But the one constant in his life through his entire health battle came in the form of the Boy Scouts. He joined the Cub Scouts

in 1997 as a Tiger and became a member of Boy Scout Troop 422. ``His heart slowed him down, but never stopped him,'' said Denise Boaz, a district Scouting director. ``Scouting was his safe zone - no teasing or insults. Everyone is respected and accepted to Do Your Best,'' which is the Cub Scout motto.'' Scouting allowed Mitchell to develop his own form of quiet leadership. Now an Eagle

He earned his Eagle Scout badge earlier this spring when he prepared meals for the staff at the Ronald McDonald House in Nashville Scout and a graduate of Marshall County High School, Mitchell decided to remain as the assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 422. He earned his Eagle Scout badge earlier this spring when he prepared meals for the staff at the Ronald McDonald House in Nashville. Mitchell chose to return the favor they extended him and his family during his time of need. ``They don't fix meals,'' he explained. ``They get people to sign up to do the meals. I was thinking that it would be a nice way to give back to them.'' -AP

India Post News Service

NEW DELHI: Well-known film director and choreographer Farah Khan will be the face in the fight against pneumococcal disease in India, helping create awareness about this little-known disease. Farah, who has given the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) to her three children, supports vaccination against pneumococcal disease in a new television commercial. "As a mother, I want to ensure that my children don't fall prey to diseases that can be prevented," Farah Khan said. "As a concerned parent, I feel it is important to support a cause that can help save lives of children in India." "According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pneumococcal disease is the leading vaccine-preventable cause of death in children younger than 5 years of age worldwide," said Ranga Iyer, Managing Director of Wyeth. "India is committed to achieve the World Health Organization's Millennium Development Goal 4 which is to reduce under-five mortality by two thirds by 2015. Mass immunization of infants against pneumococcal disease will help in reducing child mortality in India." UNICEF and WHO estimate that more than 150 million episodes of pneumonia occur every year among children under five

in developing countries, accounting for more than 95 percent of all new cases worldwide. India alone accounts for 44 million pneumonia cases.

Farah Khan

Pneumococcal disease, which includes pneumonia, meningitis and ear infections, is becoming a growing threat worldwide, according to the report "Pneumonia: The Forgotten Killer of Children" published by UNICEF and WHO. This group of diseases is collectively called pneumococcal disease, which besides acute illness and sufferings can also lead to long term complications like brain damage, paralysis, learning disabilities, speech delays and at times death.

At 5R Spa they make you work smarter, not harder Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 21

A lack of exercise can lead to many health problems, but the surest warning as to your body's deterioration is a lack of emotional control. Infrared light has been used extensively in therapy to increase blood circulation in an affected area. By increasing the production of nitric oxide and improving circulation infrared light therapy relieves physical pain as well as mental stress related to pain. Managing pain and stress can become a cyclical endeavor where one feeds the other in proportion to their intensity. The private saunas of 5R Health Spa rejuvenate the mental state of each person who enters by relieving stress from inside out. After just 30 minutes of treatment, blood flow is enhanced by 400%, and this boost in local circulation persists for several hours after leaving the sauna. When the big gyms say "no pain, no gain", 5R Health Spa urges you to work smarter not harder. Perhaps a diamond in the rough, 5R Health is not so well known. Yet, the facilitators in this field are mak-

Managing pain and stress can become a cyclical endeavor where one feeds the other in proportion to their intensity

ing a stand for preventive health care that keeps the community members healthy and happy. They do this by creating a facility that is conducive to their basic understanding of what's important in health; Mind, Body, and Soul.

Health Science Post

July 24, 2009

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Scary lesson for Pennsylvania teen who declined vaccine STROUDSBURG, Pa.: Derek Horn is lucky to be alive. At the end of March, the East Stroudsburg University freshman found himself battling flu-like symptoms. At first, his health started to improve. But as the week drew to a close, and he went from his jazz listening class to psychology on campus, the 18-year-old could feel his condition worsen. His stomach ached and his fever spiked. ``I started to feel ridiculously sick,'' said Horn. ``It just came out of nowhere.'' That night, the Stroudsburg High School graduate returned to his family's nearby home. After visiting the doctor, who diagnosed his illness as the flu, he said, Horn spent the wee hours of the evening in a haze, rolling on the floor and vomiting. Next morning, his mother saw him lying on the couch in a daze. Purple spots marked his body, from his feet and arms to his chest and face. ``Get up, we're going to the hospital,'' said his mother, Horn remembered. He just stared at her. They arrived at Pocono Medical Center, where doctors performed a spinal tap. They quickly diagnosed bacterial meningitis. Generally more severe than the viral kind, bacterial

meningitis can be life threatening if not properly treated. Horn's high temperature and blood pressure brought him to the verge of a coma, he said. Doctors put him in a medically induced coma for four days to better control his condition. ``It was 50-50 whether I'd be OK,'' he said.

Horn is still recovering and dealing with his weakened body, fatigue and poor sleep When he emerged from his coma, Horn's body felt battered especially his feet, which were swollen and purple. ``The first day was kind of like a blur, like a dream sequence,'' he said. He was both groggy and unable to sleep, but eventually improved enough to be moved from the intensive care unit to a regular room. ``I couldn't walk. I was just extremely weak,'' he said. Visitors streamed in: his girlfriend, his father and stepfather, and his close friends. The

university's president, Robert Dillman, also stopped by to check on him. A few days later, Horn moved to Good Shepherd's rehabilitation facility, where he received physical and occupational therapy. Too weak to hold himself up, Horn had to use a walker. It came as a blow to the young man, who was then still 18 and accustomed to feeling healthy and active. ``I'd always be hiking, and I did have a job stocking shelves,'' he said. Though he was discharged on Easter weekend, Horn is still recovering and dealing with his weakened body, fatigue and poor sleep. He also is coping with an emotional side effect from the disease. He said he has found himself feeling anxious about his health, which he had never experienced before. ``I think something bad's going to happen,'' he said. ``The disease just screws up your whole body.'' Horn said he wanted to share his story for two reasons: prevention and gratitude. College students have a ``modestly increased risk'' for meningococcal disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is

especially true of those who live in dormitories or residence halls. Students who live on campus are required by state law to be immunized against meningococcal disease or to complete a waiver of exemption. Horn, who lived at home, opted out of a shot. ``I didn't even really know what it was or anything. They asked me at the doctor's office, 'Do you want it?' and I said no,'' he said. But he implored his fellow students not to make the same choice. ``Just get the shot,'' he said. ``It's not worth it at all.'' The experience also taught him the importance of thankfulness.

He is grateful for the medical care he received at the hospital. ``Pocono Medical Center saved my life,'' he said. ``I want to say thank you to everyone at the hospital for really helping me out.'' Horn, who celebrated his 19th birthday in May, also said he has come to treasure simple pleasures more. ``I just really wanted to tell everyone that might read this to not take for granted family and friends and just all the small things in life,'' he said. ``Just try to be happy with everything you have because you might not be here tomorrow.'' -AP

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6 Manmohini Morey - Yuvvraaj

1 Guzarish - Ghajini

7 Husn Hai - Wafaa

2 Haule Haule - Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi

8 Jaane Kyun Singers - Dostana

3 Tere Naina - CC@C

9 Sapnon Se Bhare Naina - Luck By

4 Bekha - Ghajini

Chance

5 Kaisa Ye Raaz Hai - Raaz

India Post

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July 24, 2009

or Bollywood`s original `Dreamgirl` Hema Malini, beauty queen-turned-actress Aishwarya Rai is the only one who deserves the `Dreamgirl` tag among all the new age actresses. "Whoever is on top is the Dreamgirl. I feel it is Aishwarya Rai," Hema told reporters on being asked who, according to her, deserves to be called the `Dreamgirl` nowadays. Taking about the hardships an actress has to face, she said: "An actress` life is the same - nothing has changed. It is what it was even 20 years back. They have to work very hard, make themselves look beautiful and need a lot of dedication to remain at the top," said Hema, who was in this suburb of the national capital to felicitate winners of supermarket Big Bazaar`s `Meet The Dreamgirl` contest. Snubbing the idea of having a size zero figure, Hema said: "You must have a flat stomach - not a pot belly - and a nice and beautiful face - at least a tolerable face - and you can be an actress." Dressed in a pale yellow, elegant sari, the 60-year-old actress who has delivered hits like "Seeta Aur Geeta", "Satte Pe Satta", and "Sholay," admitted she is toying with the idea of getting into production and returning to direction after almost 17 years.

10 Tu Ne Re - Victory

July 24, 2009

Bollywood

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atrina Kaif and Salman Khan might have many times hit the headlines for their differences and break-up but the duo never give clarifications and keep their relationship away from media glare. Kat, who rarely speaks about her beau, has this time opened her heart about Salman. In six years of liaison with Sallu and with ups and downs in her professional life, Salman has been a true guide and a teacher who teaches her how the industry works and shows direction whenever she needs it. Katrina Kaif has grown as an actress and she gives credit to Salman for being her constant guide. Kat revealed that Salman very often tells her that she is changing but when she claims she is growing, he warns her to be careful and make sure that she doesn't get deviated to wrong ways. Salman may be bad in the eyes of the world but to Katrina he is a man of gold. She adds that he possesses a great soul and is a fearless person. "He is a secured person and possesses some special quality which others lack." She reveals that he even teaches her to be fearless.

areena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan have been dating for long and now Sharmila Tagore wants her son to settle down. She has been knitting the dream of Saif and Kareena's marriage but Bebo has spilled water on her dream. She informed Saif's mom that she and Saif won't be getting married for the next three years as their careers are going great guns and both need to concentrate on career now. For Kareena getting into marriage is a tough commitment, "I know once I get married I'd like to devote myself completely to that. When it comes to my emotions I'm not a multi-tasker. So at the moment, specially after Kambakkht Ishq, I need to work. These are the best years of my working life. And Saif is with me, neither of us are running away from a full commitment to one another. So no marriage for another three years."

mran Khan, the discovery of 2008, describes Delhi Belly as a labor of love. "It's back to the Jaane Tuâ&#x20AC;ŚYa Jaane feeling. We're all working as a team. We're all a pair of hands on the sets. When I shot for Kidnap and Luck I was treated like a star. I was called 'Mr. Khan'. I had my own van, and all the trappings. People started treating me differently. And I was very uncomfortable with that. If you ask me I'm much comfortable working as part of a team as in Jaane Tu. And Delhi Belly. See, the making of a film is essentially a team thing. The more of it the better. " Imran startles you by saying he travels to Delhi by economy class for Delhi Belly."I don't want to be treated differently. I don't even have to insist on traveling economy. It just happens. It's an Aamir Khan production. It's like a home production. This is how it's done here. " And then comes the second surprise. Imran has worked in Delhi Belly free of fee. "Yeah I haven't taken money for Delhi Belly. How can I take money from Aamir after all that he has done for me? He did far more for Jaane Tu â&#x20AC;ŚJaane Na and me than any producer could. No, I can't charge him. Besides, Delhi Belly is a niche English-language film. The budget is limited. Will I charge him for my next film with him? It'll depend on what it is. Right now Aamir is really preoccupied, with Kiran's film happening and all."

India Post

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July 24, 2009

NEW YORK: With the recent success of Slumdog Millionaire, suddenly Bollywood appears to be the place to be. Hollywood producers are rushing to the sub-continent in an effort to work with the wealth of talent India has to offer. Now, more than ever, Bollywood actors are becoming popular all over the world and working on various international projects. This has also opened the doors for actors from the

ducer, talks about her leading role in Bollywood Hero and her ambitions in life. IP: How did you get involved with the Bollywood Hero project and what made you go for it? Pooja: I was visiting India in January and just as I was about to catch the flight back to New York, I receive a call about this international project for American Television that stars the charming Chris Kattan. I jumped right at it! What a great concept, an American co-

west to come and experience how films are produced in India - a country which boasts the largest film industry in the world. One Hollywood production, the promos of which are already out, is Bollywood Hero, an American three-part comedy mini-series set in Mumbai, which will air on IFC this August. It is being produced by the Starz network along with the Independent Film Channel in Los Angeles. The series stars Chris Kattan, Pooja Kumar, Neha Dhupia and Julian Sands and boasts of a crew comprising several members from Slumdog Millionaire. Longinus Fernandes, who choreographed the celebrated 'Jai Ho' dance sequence, will create numerous dance numbers for the series. In an e-mailed interview with India Post, Pooja Kumar, a former Miss-India USA, who also wears the hats of a model and television pro-

median going to India to become a Bollywood Hero! IP: What is your role in the series? Pooja: I play the character of Priya Kapoor, who manages the famous Bollywood Film Studio-Kapoor Studios. My brother Monty Kapoor played by Ali Faizal hires Chris to be in our latest production. IP: With the kind of doors that the success of Slumdog Millionaire has opened up do you see a difference now from when you started out in the movie business as an Indian American actress? Pooja: Well, time will tell. Bend it Like Beckham was a huge success and the industry proclaimed there will be more roles and projects for South Asians. There has not been one project that has been as huge a success as Slumdog Millionaire and it has taken seven years! I am very hopeful that we will make that number grow exponentially because we are the largest producers of films in the world! For this to happen, the Indian audiences must support Indian producers and Indian Independent Cinema. IP: What is it like to be working as part of a truly international venture like the Bollywood Hero? Pooja: It was a remarkable experience

SRIREKHA N. CHAKRAVARTY India Post News Service

working with everyone from all over the world. From Hollywood we had Chris Kattan from Saturday Night Live fame, Julian Sands, (A Room with A View), Keanu Reeves, Maya Rudolf, and David Allen Grier doing cameos, from Bollywood we had Neha Dhupia, Rachna Shah, Ali

Faizel, the same line production team as Slumdog Millionaire, Tabrez Noorani, our Director of Photography was from Israel and our director was from Australia. Whew, and that was not everyone! The IFC Channel and the Starz network, the producers of the project, put together such a great team that we finished the shooting ahead of schedule.

Until we start marketing films like Gandhi My Father or Firaaq people around the world will continue to think that song and dance are a must IP: In today's globalized world is it really exciting to be in this business as the scope of audiences grows across borders? Pooja: There is always excitement in the entertainment business. As the saying goes, there is no business like showbusiness. IP: Do you think the image of Indian cinema abroad will get stereotyped to being only commercial Bollywood song and dance fare? Pooja: Indian cinema has already been

Pooja Kumar

stereotyped. Until we start marketing films like Gandhi My Father or Firaaq people around the world will continue to think that song and dance are a must. These are just two examples of well-made films and we need to showcase and spread the word that the Indian Film Industry consists of different genres of filmmaking. IP: Are you planning on working in mainstream Indian movies of any language? Pooja: I have a couple of offers so it looks like I will be very busy! IP: You are an actress, producer, television hostess who has worked both in the US and in India. Going forward, do you intend to streamline yourself into any one of field that you enjoy most? Pooja: I am an actress first and I have always supported projects and people that have put their heart and soul into it. Whether it is for TV, an advertising campaign, or producing, you are stimulating the creative mind which is what all actors must do. Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Oprah Winfrey, have their own production companies, host TV programs, and act in numerous commercials. They are my inspiration.

July 24, 2009

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LOS ANGELES, CA: Imagine you were a fly on the wall - or rather, a spider - in the home of a family that by all appearances seemed perfect. Now, picture yourself watching a webcast by Carrie, a sassy fellow spider who prances about in high-heels and a pink feather boa. All this may seem incongruous in a play that addresses health issues in immi-

Carrie the spying spider MELISA ACOBA

from July 3-5 at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica, "Carrie's Web" is the result of Moorty's collaboration with the South Asian Network's AWAZ

mance piece that delves into the complex truth of living in a violent home. Audience members will recognize Carrie as Moorty's take on the assertive, independent and headstrong main character from Sex & the City, a popular cable TV show that catalyzed a more candid dialogue of women's issues and relationships. Contrasting her is Artesia, also played by Moorty, a first generation South Asian teen, who struggles to untangle herself from the cultural and familial ties that doom her in a cycle of violence.

Although no physical violence is displayed on stage, its effects are apparent in Artesia's panicked voice and fearful, shifty movements

Shyamala Moorty as Carrie the Spider

grant communities, but "Carrie's Web" by South Asian performance artist Shyamala Moorty, manages to strike that delicate balance between her parody of a pop cultural icon from Sex & the City and her exploration of a grave, yet taboo subject: domestic violence. As part of Teada Productions' Healing Aloud Festival that ran

program and NISWA. Based in Southern California, both nonprofits focus on women's health by providing culturally-appropriate services to South Asians and Muslims, respectively. Through the stories of domestic violence survivors and young girls who participated in empowerment their programs, Moorty has woven together a perfor-

in circles, Moorty incorporates a makeshift trapeze made out of a single white sheet of fabric, spinning through the air. The play winds down by Artesia discovering her voice:

We first meet Artesia in her bedroom sporting a Bluetooth, chatting with her girlfriend and watching Sex & the City. Like any teenage girl she talks about her father forbidding her to date boys, finishing her education and paying her way by working as a threader. The sound of breaking glass disrupts her dreaming. Although no physical violence is displayed on stage, its effects are apparent in Artesia's panicked voice and fearful, shifty movements. It is

Artesia in her room

in this state that Artesia kills a spider, Carrie's Granny, and from this, dance ensues. Through the graceful and fluid lines of her fusion of Bharata Natyam and contemporary Indian dance, Moorty expresses the pain shared by Carrie and Artesia. At times, Moorty's movement also appears to convey frustration with the stamping of her feet, her body collapsing inward. The pain turns into anger at the play's climax as Carrie protests against the violence by staging a hunger strike. She says, "Sometimes in our relationships to the humans, we internalize the hatred against us and begin to feel that we deserve such abuseâ&#x20AC;Ś.humans are so big, they're the ones who can hurt us, why are they afraid of us little old things? Is that why I've seen the father human swatting and smashing the mother human. Is he afraid?" Artesia then begins to direct her anger towards her mother. Her family has been through this before, as she tells of living in a domestic violence shelter, her mother's fears and ultimate choice to return home out of desperation. Like a spider weaving

"All I want is to be independent. All I want is to stop the hurt. All I want is to be respected. All I want is to finish school first." She recognizes the conflict between her own needs and those of her mother, as her anger turns into compassion, acknowledging that she too is a victim: "I love you, but I want to live my life. When you are the one who makes me laugh when we're alone. When you are the one who whispers away the haunts that taunt. When you are the one, that smoothes the spot between my eyes. How can I blame, how can I let, how can I want to leave you alone?" Artesia's resolution of her family's situation is left in question, and the ending of the play may seem abrupt. Such is the reality that perhaps many victims of domestic violence must cope with. "Carrie's Web" contains elements of humor, sadness, and anger - but is there hope for Artesia? Is there hope for immigrant women in the same situation? At the very least, audience members may come away with these questions, and Moorty's piece is the catalyst that sparks the dialogue.

29 India Post

KRISHAN SHARMA India Post News Service

im Corbett National Park is one of the most exciting places for those seeking adventure and watching the beasts roam freely. It is located in the higher foothills of Himalaya in the Kurmoan hills in Utharakhand State. Having heard of its natural beauty and wildlife, I along with my wife and two daughters left for the Park in our SUV one weekend. Having driven part of this highway few years back I was looking for those potholes. To our surprise the highway reminded us of a trip we took to Yosemite National Park in California several years ago. The entire stretch, except for some areas, the drive of 280 km in five hours was a breeze.

Corbett is a haven for tigers as well as its prey, which include four kinds of deer, wild boar and some lesser-known animals. Leopards are mostly found in the hilly areas of the Park We were received at Corbett River View resort around noon with fresh lemon juice. One must always book the place before going there. The evening was spent just roaming the nearby town Ramnagar. Jim Corbett National Park had the proud distinction of being chosen as the venue for the inauguration of Project Tiger in India. Home to a variety of flora and fauna, Corbett Park is famous for its wild population of tigers, leopards and elephants. In the Jim Corbett National Park are found 110 tree species, 50 mammals' species, 580 bird species and 25

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July 24, 2009

reptile species Corbett Park has always been famous for its tigers. It was first named as 'Hailey National Park' in 1936. In 1954-55 it was renamed as 'Ramganga National Park' and again in 1955-56 as 'Jim Corbett National Park' after Jim Corbett who hunted down tigers that had turned man-eaters, between 1907 to 1939. We were told to meet at 4.30 next morning for our jungle safari .The Park authorities allow only 26 permits in morning shift on first-come-first-served bases. It was a wonderful trip and minus the tiger we saw a great deal of wildlife. One has to be extremely careful in driving through these jungles as apart from other animals, vehicles can encounter herds of wild elephants. Corbett is a haven for tigers as well as its prey, which include four kinds of deer, wild boar and some lesser-known animals. Leopards are mostly found in the hilly areas of the Park. Some nocturnal cats found here are the leopard cat, jungle cat and fishing cat. Sloth Bear is found in the lower regions while the Himalayan Black Bear is seen in the higher hills. The Dole or Wild Dog can be seen in the southern areas of the park along with the Jackal. Some of the smaller residents of the park are Himalayan Palm Civet, Indian Gray Mongoose, Common Otter, Blacknaped Hare and Porcupine. Elephants are one of the main attractions of the Park. Along the Ramganga River shores, one can spot the long-snouted, fish-eating Gharial Crocodile and the 'Mugger' Crocodile. Also seen on the rocky hillsides is the Ghoral or Goat Antelopes. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 32

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KOLKATA: Adventure lovers can now look forward to helicopter rides to inaccessible places coupled with luxurious stay across states with the launch of the Union government's 'caravan tourism.' Tourists would be taken to far flung places normally not accessible which would provide a mix of adventure and five-star treatment, Union Tourism Secretary Sujit Banerjee told PTI on the sidelines of the inauguration of Travel and Tourism Fair (TTF), India's largest tourism fair network, here. "This is a niche product to promote the concept of adventure

tourism where we will take tourists from state to state and give

Tourists would be taken to far flung places normally not accessible which would provide a mix of adventure and five-star treatment them a treatment similar to four and five-star hotels," Banerjee said. "It will take some time to imple-

Foreign tourist arrivals increase by 0.2% NEW DELHI: Foreign tourist arrival in the country, which slipped to minus 10 per cent early this year, increased by 0.2 per cent in June due to aggressive campaigns launched in the overseas markets, the Lok Sabha was informed. Several measures were taken to counter the downfall after the Mumbai terror attacks like organizing road shows and conducting familiarization tours to India for international travel trade and media to keep them updated on safety and security in the country, Tourism Minister Kumar Selja said in a written reply. She said other measures like liberalizing the marketing develop-

ment assistance scheme for service providers promoting India and launching 'Visit India' scheme in collaboration with all stakeholders were also initiated to attract more number of tourists. She said the Ministry is spending Rs 250 crore during the current financial year from funds allocated for overseas promotion and publicity. Last year it has incurred Rs 220 crore, she said. In a separate reply, Minister of State for Tourism Sultan Ahmed said number of Indian tourists who visited foreign countries rose to 10.65 million in 2008. It was 9.78 million in 2007 and 8.34 million in 2006. -PTI

ment it thoroughly. We are expecting this to be implemented in this financial year and are aiming at the Puja season in September," he said. He said, "Part of the package also includes health aspects. We will take tourists to the doors of ayurveda, unani, yoga and other modes of treatment. As for infrastructure, heliports would be constructed at inaccessible places. Initially, it would be a joint venture between state governments and the Union Tourism Ministry with a 50-50 share, Banerjee said. -PTI

Over 14 lakh pilgrims to visit Kurukshetra CHANDIGARH: About 14 lakh pilgrims from various parts of the country and abroad are expected to take a holy dip in the Sarovar waters at Kurukshetra during the solar eclipse fair on July 22. "This will be the longest duration eclipse of the 21st century. We are expecting nearly 14 lakh pilgrims to visit Kurukshetra and we have made all arrangements so that people can take the holy dip there from 5:30 a.m. to 7:25 a.m. on that day," Haryana's Tourism Minister Kiran Choudhry said at a press conference here. "It's going to be a rare event, second in the series of three eclipses one after the other. First there was lunar eclipse on July 6 and there would be another lunar eclipse on August 6," she said. -PTI

Helipads to be set up in 21 places in Karnataka BANGALORE: Karnataka government has said it will set up helipads in 21 places in the state to promote tourism. Minister for Tourism and Infrastructure Development B Janardhana Reddy told the Legislative Assembly that grants of Rs 10 lakh each had been released to deputy commissioners of the concerned districts for the work. "Steps are being taken to develop airports in Gulbarga, Shimoga, Hassan, Bijapur and Bellary under public-private-partnership model," the Minister said. Development of Central government-owned Belgaum, Hubli, Mangalore and Mysore airports is being taken up by Airports Authority of India (AAI), he said. -PTI

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July 24, 2009

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LA Zoo blanketed with spring and summer births

Male & Baby Takin India Post News Service

LOS ANGELES: This summer the Los Angeles Zoo is full of proud parents! The flurry of births here at the L.A. Zoo kicked off on April 5 with the birth of a male Masai giraffe. He is currently in the giraffe habitat with his parents, Neema and Artimus. On May 5, the first Tadjik markhor twins, a brother and sister, were born. Within a month, these twins were joined by a second set of markhors, also a male and female, born on May 29. Visitors can see these boisterous markhors, an endangered species of wild goat native to Asia, alongside their parents in the markhor exhibit. May 19 brought the birth of a male central Chinese goral, a type of endangered goat native to the steep slopes of the east-central China mountains. In the wild, gorals do not have to compete with fellow ungulates (hooved mammals), because gorals can navigate and survive in areas that

are unsuitable for most other ungulates. Their natural predators include the red dog, leopard, lynx and tiger. Their status would be more secure if they were protected from humans who hunt them for sport and food. The Zoo's youngster is on exhibit with its parents.

On May 5, the first Tadjik markhor twins, a brother and sister, were born. Within a month, these twins were joined by a second set of markhors Also born on May 19 were two female red river hogs. Red river hogs, one of the smallest species of pigs, hail from sub-Saharan Africa. The red river hog is often described as the prettiest of the "wild swine," with red hair, a black and white face mask and a white mane reaching from neck to tail.

HP mulls TDCs for prominent tourist spots SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh government is mulling the constitution of Tourism Development Councils (TDCs) for prominent tourist destinations in the hill state, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said here. "Such councils will include local representatives. It will give new dimension to tourism promotion activities as part of the 20-year Perspective Tourism Master Plan," he said, while speaking at the 3rd meeting of the Tourism Development Board, held here. The chief minister said the master plan would contain measures to be adopted for promoting sustainable tourism development and

identifying new tourist destinations. The TDC at Manali had attained the desired object and the new TDCs would be constituted taking all related aspects into consideration, he added. Dhumal said the state was likely to get a financial aid of about USD 90 million, the highest amount provided under the Infrastructure Development Fund of the Asian Development Bank. The state government had submitted a separate proposal of Rs 50 crore for Center's approval for "sustainable infrastructure development" besides Rs eight crore for starting hospitality courses to create more manpower, he said. -PTI

Visit these rambunctious piglets at the Zoo's nursery. May 25 saw the hatching of the first greater flamingo chick this year. Less than a month later, on June 16, this chick was joined by a second! The greater flamingo is the largest of the six species of flamingo. This species is found in freshwater and saline habitats throughout parts of southern Europe, Africa and southern Asia. Check out the flamingo chicks in the Zoo's aviary. June 2009 births saw the birth of a male gerenuk on June 4. Gerenuk, a medium sized gazelle whose name means "giraffe-necked" in Somali, are native to East Africa. Stop by the nursery to catch a glimpse of this fledgling! Two babirusa, one male and one female, were born on June 15. Babirusa, a subspecies of the pig family, lives on the Sulawesi, Togian and Baru Islands of Indonesia. The natives say that the tusks are like the antlers of a deer, hence the name babirusa, which means "hog-deer" in Malay. When the L.A. Zoo imported a pair of babirusas from Europe in 1984, they were the first babirusa admitted to this country in more than 40 years! Rounding out the June births was the birth of a female Japanese serow on June 20. Japanese serows, a species of goat, roam the mountain forests of Japan. In 1955, serows were declared a "Special Natural Monument," which gives them complete protection against hunting and capture.

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July 24, 2009

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Jim Corbett National Park Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 29

The Langur and Rhesus Monkeys are well distributed throughout the Park warning the whole jungle with alarm calls when they see either a tiger or leopard from their tree-top perches. Resorts, Camps, Lodges & Hotels: Hotels in Jim Corbett National Park can be divided into four categories: Resorts, Hotels and

Forest Rest Houses, providing a higher standard of accommodation at a price as well as guides for expeditions in the forests, which can be as rich in wildlife as the Jim Corbett National Park, without the restrictions. Forest rest houses, log huts etc

at Dhikala, forest rest houses at Sarapduli, Bijrani, and Ghairal offer some of the best stay in the region. There are many resorts along the periphery of the park which take the load off the government's accommodation facilities. To stay at government hotels, rest houses etc one should make sure to make reservations well in advance as the pressure is really high during the tourist sea-

sons. The tour package and the Corbett jungle resort and hotel accommodation can be customized according to one's requirements. Park Safari Timings: The park normally opens at 6 am and is open till about 11 am. In the after-

noon the park timings usually are from 1430 to 1730 hours. However depending on the season, the timings change locally which the forest authorities of Corbett notify. Must Carry Items: Camera, comfortable shoes, binoculars, caps, water bottles. Try wearing khaki or brown colors as bright colors attract wild animals. Avoid honking in the jungle. Best Time to Visit: The best visiting season of Corbett is from November 15 to June 15. Corbett remains closed during the monsoons which flood the river beds and cut the fragile road links. How to Reach Air: Phoolbagh, Pantnagar at a distance of 50-kms is the nearest airport. Delhi at a distance of 300kms is the nearest international airport.

Rail: Ramnagar is on the broad gauge track from where the road transport options have to be availed to reach the park. For faster trains and connections to other parts change at Moradabad.

To stay at government hotels, rest houses etc one should make sure to make reservations well in advance Road: Dhikala is 300-kms from Delhi, 145-kms from Lucknow and 51-kms from Ramnagar. The route from Delhi spans HapurMurababad-Ramnagar. The turn off is some 7-kms beyond

Muradabad to the left, marked by a small board. The route from Lucknow spans Bareilly-KichhaRudrapur-Doraha-Kashipur. Ramnagar is served by frequent buses to and from Nainital and Ranikhet, 112-kms north. Buses arrive every half hour or so after the eight hour trip from Delhi; Delhi Transport Corporation run a semi deluxe service and most of the alternatives are pretty basic. General Information Entry inside the Corbett National Park: Visitors are advised to reach the gate half an hour in advance to complete the formalities for entry into the park. Tourist Information Centers: All visitors to Corbett National Park have to obtain permits from the park administration centre at Ramnagar.

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Delhi costliest Indian city for expats NEW DELHI: Four Indian cities, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, have increasingly become expensive for expatriates to live in, a latest global survey says. All cities in India rose in the cost of living ranking due to strengthening of the rupee against the US dollar, with Mumbai moving to 48th place in the March survey this year, compared to 52nd position in the same period last year, while the national capital New Delhi climbed to the 55th place from 68th a year ago. Chennai and Bangalore also improved their positions to 117 and 118 ranks, respectively in the survey which comprised of 143 cities globally.

Gift of properties to be taxable soon NEW DELHI: As per the Budget proposal, tax planning around gifting of immovable and movable properties will soon turn out to be a difficult task for taxpayers. The Government plans to amend the income-tax law to curb "black money" transactions in the property market. From October 1, 2009, the value of any property received without consideration or received with an inadequate consideration will be included in the computation of total income of the recipient. Such transactions would be taxable at the hands of the recipient under the head "income from other sources". The proposed change in law would cover immovable property (land, building), shares and securities, jewellery, archaeological collections, drawings, paintings, sculptures or any work of art.

Aishwarya Rai buys villa in Aamby Valley MUMBAI: Russian tennis player Anna Kournikova, superstar Amitabh Bachchan and his daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai have bought villas in Aamby Valley - the company floated by the Sahara Group to develop Aamby Valley City - a famous upmarket township project in Maharashtra. Siva Ventures, an investment arm of C Sivasankaran, the non-resident Indian businessman has taken 171 timber chalets in this township on lease for 997 years, according to the memorandum. These are valued at around Rs15crore each.

Real Estate 35 India Post

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July 24, 2009

Maytas Hyderabad metro project scrapped HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh government cancelled the Rs12,132-crore Hyderabad Metro Rail Project contract awarded to Maytas Infra. "Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy reviewed the situation with the officials and decided to terminate the agreement. We waited this long because Maytas had promised to give Rs 30,000 crore to the state, an offer that was not made by any other consortium. Because of this, we gave them time till July 6 though the deadline expired on March 17.

New FHA reverse mortgage boon to seniors BERNIE KOMER

new Federal Housing Administration, or FHA, reverse mortgage program can help senior homeowners relocate or downsize to a new home without giving up all their savings -- and save them thousands of dollars in the process. They don't even have to sell their existing home first. The program comes at a time when many financially strapped seniors are trying to boost their monthly incomes after being hit especially hard by the economic downturn: stock portfolio values plummeted, interest on investments shrank, and costs for health care and home repairs skyrocketed. But help is now available through a new, but little known, FHA reverse mortgage program, known as the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage, or HECM, for

Purchase Program which gives seniors new ways to use equity in their homes. HECM loans have been available for several years. The FHA developed the program because it noticed seniors were selling their homes, buying smaller, more affordable homes and then taking out reverse mortgages

The program comes at a time when many financially strapped seniors are trying to boost their monthly incomes after being hit especially hard by the economic downturn on the new properties. That meant they were paying closing costs twice -- first on the real estate closing, and a mortgage if they needed one to make the purchase, and then again when they switched to a reverse mortgage.

Warning against hiking property prices MUMBAI: Leading bankers have warned real estate developers against raising residential prices, saying that any such move at this juncture would stall recovery in the market. "Certain top-rung developers have already started increasing prices, especially in mid-income projects, following the recent pick up in sales. Besides, with liquidity no longer a constraint, certain developers are seeking once again to increase their margins," said Deepak Parekh, Chairman, HDFC. He said that the real estate market had just begun correcting itself and it would be "extremely unfortunate if the developers were

to increase the home prices at this juncture." S Sridhar, Chairman and Managing Director, Central Bank of India, was of a similar view. He pointed out that it would be "short-sighted" if the players were to raise prices thinking that the demand is coming back into the market. "It is difficult to generalize but as a whole there is some more scope for downward adjustment in prices, or in certain places it should plateau. That will stimulate the demand. If the real estate players revise the prices upwards, it will stall the recovery process," Sridhar said.

DLF sells Ackruti City stake MUMBAI: Real estate developer DLF has exited from development of a commercial project in Mumbai by selling its stake to a US-based real estate fund for over Rs200-crore. The 50:50 joint venture with Mumbai-based Ackruti City is developing two office buildings spread over nine million sq ft at Andheri, Mumbai. These two buildings are part of a larger slum rehabilitation project being developed by

Program combines costs But now, the new HECM for Purchase Program allows seniors to buy a home directly with a reverse mortgage -- paying closing costs only once, says Bill Glavin, special assistant to the commissioner of the FHA. A sale of an existing home is not necessary and

Ackruti City. DLF had picked up stake in the project over two years ago with the strategy to spread its footprint across the country. DLF exited the project as part of its asset sale programme to raise Rs5,500crore by the end of this fiscal. As part of the stake sale in Andheri project, DLF will receive Rs200 crore plus the proportionate cost of construction done so far in the project.

is not part of this transaction. The new HECM program allows using a reverse mortgage to buy a single-family home, a condo or a small multifamily residence, and allows them to convert some of the equity in their existing home to cash. They never have to make a single payment. Instead, they would collect monthly payments out of the equity on a tax-free basis as long as the home serves as their principal residence. If they did not sell their previous home, they could get additional income out of renting that property. Under the plan, you can choose to take the money either in monthly payments, as a lump sum, a combination of the two or even in a line of credit that you can access whenever you need cash. Higher amounts this year only What's more, this year, seniors can access up to $625,500 -- up from $417,000 last year. In 2010, the amount reverts to $417,000. Eligible homes can be one- to four-units, a condo approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD,

or a manufactured home that meets FHA requirements. You must agree to pay your taxes and make any necessary home repairs. No credit check or income verification is required -- despite the current tight credit market. To qualify for the program's reverse mortgage, a senior, age 62 or older, must: • Agree to live in the house as a primary residence. • Own the home outright or have enough equity to pay off any existing mortgages and equity lines with the proceeds from the reverse mortgage. Those with more equity may be able to access even more cash. • Not be delinquent on any federal debt. • Participate in a consumer information session given by an HUD-approved counseling agency or HECM counselor. Most reverse mortgages range from 35 percent to 55 percent of the home's equity. You can, however, take out a reverse mortgage as low as $10,000, though it is not recommended because of the costs involved, says Eric Bachman, CEO of Golden Gateway Financial, a firm specializing in matching lenders with borrowers. "Many times, seniors are just looking to pay off their forward mortgage and cover closing costs (usually less than $10,000) with a reverse mortgage, to get out from under monthly mortgage payments," Bachman says. Regardless of your income, the reverse mortgage pays you. The amount you can borrow depends on your age, current interest rates, and the appraised value of your home or FHA mortgage limits for your area, whichever is less.

In Brief Accord on police immigration law role NEWARK, NJ: Local law enforcement officers in two New Jersey jurisdictions will be able to act as immigration agents under an agreement announced by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. The Monmouth County Sheriff's Office and the Morristown Police Department are two of 11 new jurisdictions around the nation that were accepted into the program, known as 287g. The program has drawn strong opposition from immigrant advocates and divided opinions among law enforcement officials who feel it may undermine trust in immigrant communities where crime is often underreported. -AP

Immigrant jailed in Va for prostitution ring NEWPORT NEWS, Va.: An illegal immigrant from Mexico has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for her role in a prostitution ring in Hampton Roads. Emma Tlacoxolal-Perez was sentenced in US District Court. Following her 33 month-sentence, she will be deported. The 37-year-old previously pleaded guilty to two charges related to running a prostitution network with brothels since 2004 and one charge for being in the country illegally. The operation largely catered to Hispanics in the illegal immigrant community. The prostitutes were brought to Virginia from New Jersey, New York, Maryland and Washington, D.C. -AP

Immigration 36

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July 24, 2009

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UConn sued over allegations of sexual harassment NEW HAVEN, Conn.: An immigrant who won asylum in the United States is alleging in a federal lawsuit that his supervisor at the University of Connecticut repeatedly forced him to have sex in his office. -AP

Homeland unveils new immigration enforcement plan WASHINGTON: An overhauled federal program allowing local and state law enforcement officials to arrest and deport immigrants will focus on the most serious criminals and limit officers' police powers, the Homeland Security Department has said. The agency reworked the program, which had been criticized by the Government Accountability Office and led to a Justice Department investigation of the Maricopa County, Ariz., sheriff's office. Government investigators said the previous program _ cited as an example of misguided immigration enforcement by the Bush administration _ did not clearly spell out when and how officers could use their arrest authority. The revised program now requires local and state law enforcement agencies to first resolve any criminal charges that led to the arrest of the immigrants. It also creates three priority levels for the immigrants who are to be arrested and detained. Immigrants convicted or arrested of major drug offenses or violent offenses such as murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery or kidnapping are the top priority.

The revamped program creates a consistent standard for state and local agencies and gives law enforcement tools ``to identify and remove dangerous criminal aliens,'' said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. It also establishes a complaint process and requires participating agencies to provide language interpretation, the agency said. All participating officers are bound by federal civil rights regulations and

He says his deputies discovered some people were illegal immigrants only after they were approached in sweeps for probable cause. Arapio had not seen the new program regulations so said he was uncertain whether his agency would participate again. He said his deputies, during the course of their regular duties, arrested nearly 1,700 illegal immigrants on federal immigration violations even though they weren't charged with state crimes.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If you are an illegal alien and commit a crime in Monmouth County, you will be identified, turned over to federal authorities and deported if appropriateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; nondiscrimination guidelines. About 160 of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's deputies and jail officers were trained for immigration enforcement, as required. The Justice Department is investigating allegations of discrimination and unconstitutional searches and seizures by the sheriff's office, and the Homeland Security Department also is auditing Arpaio's use of federal immigration powers. Arpaio denies the allegations.

Illegal immigrants and legal permanent residents who have committed certain crimes can be deported. Some US citizens and foreign-born US citizens have been detained and deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local law officers. Law enforcement agencies must sign an agreement before they can participate in the new socalled 287(g) program, and are given training in exchange.

Sixty-six local and state law enforcement agencies had signed agreements to participate in the previous program. Those agreements were suspended. Agreements are pending with 11 communities who were not in the previous program, said Homeland Security spokesman Matthew Chandler. The agreements themselves will not be made public because they are law enforcement sensitive, he said. Monmouth County, N.J., Sheriff Kim Guadagno, whose department is seeking an agreement, said, ``If you are an illegal alien and commit a crime in Monmouth County, you will be identified, turned over to federal authorities and deported if appropriate.'' The other 10 agencies with accepted applications are Gwinnett County, Ga., Sheriff's Department; Rhode Island Department of Corrections; Delaware Department of Corrections Sussex Correctional Institution; Houston Police Department; Mesquite, Nev., Police Department; Morristown, N.J., Police Department; Mesa, Ariz., Police Department; Florence, Ariz., Police Department; Guilford County, N.C., Sheriff's Office; Charleston County, S.C., Sheriff's Office. -AP

July 2009 immigration update - Part II CYRUS D. MEHTA

3 plead guilty in Vegas immigrant ransom case LAS VEGAS: The US attorney for Nevada says three men have pleaded guilty to holding seven undocumented immigrants against their will in a Las Vegas motel room for ransom. U.S. Attorney Greg Brower's office says the men each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens for private financial gain. Felipe de Jesus Flores-Villela, 33, pleaded guilty. Victor Manual Morales-Velazquez, 22, and Angel Rigoberto Uribe-Ibarra, 48, also entered guilty pleas. The three are due for sentencing on Oct. 6. They face up to 10 years in prison. -AP

(Continued from last week) USCIS ombudsman reports on denials of adjustment of status applications following a change of employment The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Ombudsman has received inquiries stating that the agency is not issuing Notices of Intent to Deny following a change of jobs, as required by the American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act (AC21) and USCIS policy guidance, but instead is immediately denying pending Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) applications. If a foreign national is: (1) the beneficiary of an approved Form I-140 (Petition for Immigrant Worker); and (2) has a Form I-485 pending for 180 days or more, he or she is eligible to change to a

same or similar position. If the underlying approved I-140 is withdrawn, and no evidence of a new qualifying offer of employment was submitted, then USCIS must issue a Notice of Intent to Deny the pending I-485.

I-485 was pending for 180 days. If you think your case was erroneously denied, the ombudsman asks that you forward a description of the problem using DHS Form 7001 with the subject line, "AC21 Evidence of Immedi-

If you think your case was erroneously denied, the ombudsman asks that you forward a description of the problem using DHS Form 7001 However, the ombudsman noted that USCIS may deny the I485 in cases of portability (the ability to change jobs) before first issuing a Notice of Intent to Deny in certain limited circumstances. These include, for example, where the beneficiary is ineligible for the benefits of the I-485 by statute, or the I-140 is withdrawn before the

ate Denial." Include a copy of your denial notice, detailed information about the reasons for the immediate denial, and, if appropriate, evidence that you submitted a Motion to Reopen or Reconsider. "If we consider your case to be an erroneous denial, we will forward it directly to USCIS for further review," the ombudsman states.

For more information, including links to USCIS Interoffice Memoranda further clarifying USCIS processing of these cases, see http:// www.dhs.gov/xabout/structure/ gc_1221837986181.shtm#1. USCIS, FBI eliminate name check backlog, set new standard US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that, in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), it has met all milestones set forth in a joint business plan announced April 2, 2008, resulting in elimination of the FBI National Name Check Program (NNCP) backlog. The goal was to complete 98 percent of name check requests submitted by USCIS within 30 days, and the remaining two percent within 90 days. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 38

Immigration Post

July 24, 2009

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Senate votes to keep Bush era illegal worker rule name after marrying or after a person becomes a U.S. citizen, typos and errors, or a person submits a fake or someone else's Social Security number. Vitter called the vote ``a message to the Obama administration that we will not allow weak immigration laws.'' He called illegal im-

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit that prevented the rule from being implemented migration a serious concern for the country and said ``we should be doing all that we can to fight this growing problem.'' Homeland Security Department spokesman Matthew Chandler said the Senate endorsement of Vitter's measure prevents real progress on immigration enforcement and is ``a reflection of the

old administration's strategy: all show, no substance.'' In contrast, the Obama administration is trying to implement effective enforcement, he said. ``We hope that the smarter strategy will prevail in the end, because the country deserves a system that works,'' Chandler said. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit that prevented the rule from being implemented. Employers, business groups, labor unions and others also opposed the rule. ``Social Security no-match letters were never designed to be immigration enforcement tools, and they cannot and will not solve the problem of illegal immigration,'' said Joanne Lin, ACLU legislative counsel. The House version of the spending bill does not include the provision. A conference committee made up of members of both chambers will iron out differences in the different versions of the bill.-AP

Ga. worker eligibility checks largely unenforced ATLANTA: A three-year-old Georgia law requiring companies with state or local government contracts to ensure their employees can legally work in the U.S. has gone largely unenforced, as lawmakers haven't been able to come up with an effective way to enforce it. Meanwhile, the Obama administration said this week it will require businesses that get federal contracts to run similar checks using the federal E-Verify system - the same system used under the 2006 Georgia Immigration and Compliance Act. The Georgia law was phased in over three years and the final phase, requiring compliance for contractors and subcontractors with fewer than 100 employees, took effect July 1. An attempt this year by state lawmakers to boost compliance essentially failed because a provision to withhold road building funds from cities and counties that didn't comply was removed.

``It doesn't go as far as we wanted it to,'' said Rep. Tom Rice, R-Norcross, the bill's sponsor, adding that he plans to try again next year. The law still has no real consequence for noncompliance. When the Legislature passed the sweeping immigration law, which also requires that new ap-

Supporters said it would keep taxpayer dollars from going to illegal immigrants plicants for public benefits be screened, critics and supporters alike considered it one of the toughest in the country. Supporters said it would keep taxpayer dollars from going to illegal immigrants. Critics complained the databases are flawed and can lead to legal workers or benefit applicants being flagged as ineligible.

About 1,000 employers sign up for E-Verify each week, according to the U.S. Homeland Security Department, which says it works constantly to eliminate errors in the database. An Associated Press review in January of Department of Homeland Security numbers from August 2008, the most recent available at the time, showed that 97 of 159 Georgia's county governments, or 61 percent, hadn't even signed up to use EVerify. They should all have been in compliance by July 1, 2007. The total number of Georgia businesses and government agencies with access to E-Verify was about 2,200. Despite the lack of enforcement in Georgia, a review this week of Homeland Security numbers from May 1 shows that the number of businesses or government agencies in the state with access to EVerify has risen markedly since last year. -AP

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WASHINGTON: The Senate wants to force the Homeland Security Department to stick with a proposed Bush administration policy requiring employers to fire immigrant workers whose names don't match their Social Security numbers. By voice vote, the Senate approved an amendment to stop the department's plan to dump the socalled ``no-match'' rule. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., sponsored the amendment to the Homeland Security Department spending bill. The measure forbids the department from using any money to cancel the rule. The 2007 policy was designed to root out undocumented workers through so-called no-match letters, which the Social Security Administration sends employers when a worker's name and Social Security number don't match in the government's database. There are various reasons for a mismatch: Records are not updated when a woman changes her

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July 24, 2009

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July 2009 immigration update - Part II Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 36

This performance level will become the new standard, USCIS said. As is the case with all security checks undertaken by USCIS, any information provided by the FBI through these checks may require further evaluation and may lead to follow-up queries to other agencies. This could result in additional delays in processing, which USCIS said are not governed by the processing goals in the joint business plan. In the majority of instances, however, USCIS said the completion of a backlogged FBI name check has resulted in a "no record response." Next steps in the adjudication of any cases that were delayed because of a pending FBI name check request may now include updating fingerprint results, scheduling interviews, requesting additional evidence and other reviews to determine whether the applicant is eligible for the requested immigration benefit. USCIS issues court notice to pending i-360 religious workers On June 11, 2009, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington issued an order in Ruiz-Diaz v. U.S., finding that 8 CFR Â§ 245.2(a)(2)(i)(B), which does not allow religious workers to concurrently file an Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (Form I-485), was invalid and unenforceable. The court has ordered USCIS to accept properly

filed I-485s and I-765s from beneficiaries of religious worker I-360 petitions. The court order also allows individuals whose concurrent filings were rejected previously to reapply for adjustment of status. The order accords a spouse and children of I-360 beneficiaries the same benefits. A June 25, 2009, USCIS memo implementing the decision and providing information about filing applications for foreign religious workers with pending I-360s is available at http://www.uscis.gov/files/

Any information provided by the FBI through these checks may require further evaluation nativedocuments/RuizDiaz_Implementation_25jun09.pdf. DHS establishes interim relief for widows of US citizens The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has granted deferred action for two years to widows and widowers of U.S. citizens, and their unmarried children under 21 years old, who reside in the U.S. and were married for less than two years before their spouse's death. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will sus-

pend adjudication of visa petitions and adjustment applications filed for widow(er) s where the sole reason for reassessment of immigration status was the death of a U.S. citizen spouse before the second anniversary of the marriage. Additionally, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will defer initiating or continuing removal proceedings, or executing final orders of removal against qualified widow(er)s and their eligible children. USCIS will also consider favorably requests for humanitarian reinstatement where previously approved petitions for widow(er)s had been revoked because of the law. DHS said it will soon issue guidance on how to apply for this relief. While the directive provides a short-term arrangement for widow(er)s of deceased U.S. citizens, the agency noted that legislation is required to amend the definition of "immediate relative" in the Immigration and Nationality Act to permit surviving spouses to remain indefinitely after the U.S. citizen spouse dies, enabling them to seek permanent resident status. The DHS notice is available at http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1244578412501.shtm.

* Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com

Kan. Hispanic group moves 4 illegal aliens past immigration issues held in Conn. WICHITA, Kan.: When the wages or advocate for workers' subcontractor who hired Martin compensation when they are inMartinez stiffed him and his co- jured on the job. workers on their paychecks, a HisBoard member Teresa Molina panic advocacy group picketed said her group got involved bethe employer's home and passed cause they were getting so many out critical flyers to complaints from the man's neightheir members. bors. They filed Many had been Many had been wage complaints cheated out of cheated out of pay with government and benefits bepay and benagencies. cause they could While immigranot speak English or tion reform remains efits because did not know to a priority, a Hispanic they could not submit unpaid wage advocacy group has claims to regulators. begun tackling other speak English ``It is becoming a concerns such as bigger and bigger worker justice, racial profiling and issue all the time: worker justice,'' neighborhood blight in the immi- Molina said. grant community. In the past year, the WichitaSunflower Community Action's based group has recouped ``Comunidad Latina en Accion'' $800,000 for workers through their (Latin Community in Action) chap- efforts, she said. At times, the ter has been working for about a group collected unpaid wages year now on behalf of Hispanic simply by sending the employer a immigrants to recover unpaid letter on the worker's behalf. -AP

death probe MADISON, Conn.: Connecticut state police say four illegal aliens have been detained in an investigation into the untimely death of a New York City woman. An autopsy has been done on the body of the 32-year-old woman and more test results are needed to determine her cause of death. State police say the woman died after becoming ill in the restroom of a McDonald's restaurant on Interstate 95 in Madison. Sandra Monroy was taken to Yale-New Haven Shoreline Medical Center in Guilford where she was pronounced dead. The four men who were traveling with her are in custody after police determined they are in the country illegally. All four are to be turned over to immigration officials. -AP

Immigration Post

July 24, 2009

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Ariz. sheriff to continue immigration enforcement PHOENIX: Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has vowed to continue his immigration enforcement efforts even if he decides to opt out of a deal that gives 160 of his officers the power to enforce federal immigration law. The U.S. Homeland Security Department said it was changing the rules for allowing local police to enforce those laws. Arpaio has been using those rules to arrest suspected illegal immigrants. If he walks away from it, he said he will continue enforcing state laws that prohibit immigrant smuggling and ban employers from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants. ``I get the impression that they don't like the way we are operating,'' said Arpaio, who believes the changes in the program would hamper his immigration enforcement efforts.

As local police felt pressure to confront immigration woes that had long been considered the federal government's sole responsibility, Arpaio had 160 of his deputies and jail officers receive special federal training that allows them to make immigration arrests and speed up deportations. Nationally, more than 1,000 local law enforcers have been granted those federal powers since 2002. The Mesa and Florence police departments are among the most recent additions to the program. A key change in the new agreement is aimed at easing concerns that people may be arrested for minor offenses as a way to begin deportation proceedings. A new provision would require police agencies to prosecute all charges that led to a person's arrest.

Arpaio said federal officials don't like that his deputies, during the course of their regular duties, have arrested nearly 1,700 illegal immigrants on federal immigration violations even though they weren't charged with state crimes.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;To him, it's not about law enforcement. It's about his personal agendaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Some of the immigrants, for instance, were passengers in vehicles that were pulled over for traffic violations. ``We taken them down. They are here illegally. What's wrong with that?'' said Arpaio, whose county serves as America's busiest hub for transporting illegal

immigrants. Lydia Guzman, president of the Hispanic civil rights group Somos America, said she would like to see the federal government do away with the program, because she believes it has opened the door for the sheriff's office to racially profile people. In any case, Guzman doesn't expect Arpaio to altogether end his immigration efforts. ``To him, it's not about law enforcement,'' Guzman said. ``It's about his personal agenda.'' The new agreement would set guidelines for the federal government's supervision of the program and complaint procedures. Police agencies that want to keep their federal powers would have to sign a new deal. Arpaio's office is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations of dis-

crimination and unconstitutional searches and seizures. Homeland Security also is auditing Arpaio's use of federal immigration powers. The sheriff has drawn criticism for conducting crime and immigration sweeps in some heavily Latino areas in metropolitan Phoenix. Critics say deputies racially profiled people during the sweeps. Arpaio denied the racial profiling allegations, saying people pulled over in the sweeps were approached because deputies had probable cause to believe they had committed crimes and that it was only afterward that deputies found many of them were illegal immigrants. More than any other local police boss in Arizona, Arpaio has pushed the bounds of what local officers can do to crack down on illegal immigration. -AP

Moneydart opens new office in NJ India Post News Service

NEW JERSEY: With a view to serve the large South Asian population in New Jersey, Moneydart Global Services, the leading money transfer services company has opened a second office in the concentrated Indian business locality in Iselin. Announcing the opening of the new office, Dr. B.R. Shetty, Managing Director and CEO of UAE Exchange, of which Moneydart is an associate member, said the company has 100 retail agent locations in New Jersey and Illinois and the company is in the process of opening four more offices in Florida, New York, California and Texas. Reiterating the vision of the company, B. R. Shetty said, "It will be our continuous endeavor to be an ever-dependable friend, the link that emotionally connects people across the globe through technology-driven, professional, dedicated, and timely services delivered with a personal touch." Taking a thread from the company's mission statement he affirmed that UAE Exchange will serve the society and flourish in an environment of mutual trust and transparency. Y. Sudhir Kumar Shetty, COO Global Operations, UAE Exchange said: "In 2008 amidst the Global Economic Crisis UAE Exchange has registered an astounding 45% growth in its income and 40% in its profit. Everyday, more than 6,250 UAE Exchange personnel across the globe consisting of 40 nationalities serving more than 100,000 customers striving to ensure customer delight." (For details logon to: indiapost.com)

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July 24, 2009

Punjab govt sets up E-Resource portal CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government through its nodal agency Punjab State Industrial Export Corporation (PSIEC) has set up an "EResource" portal costing Rs10 lakh for the benefit of small and medium industry. The portal would provide access to the information needs of the small and medium scale exporters in the state free of cost. State Industry minister Manoranjan Kalia said that users could access on-line to international databases on various subjects. -PTI

Anil Ambani makes debut as Hollywood film producer

Steven Spielberg

NEW YORK: Industrialist Anil Ambani has made his debut in Hollywood film production, roping in ace directors Steven Spielberg and Stacey Snider for a joint venture where he would initially pump in Rs 4,000 crore. Ambani said he was "delighted" at the partnership and that the work on the first film would begin by end of this year and its release expected next year. Spielberg, who produced hits like 'ET' and 'Jurassic Park', said that he would visit India later this year to explore possibilities with Indian film makers and writers.

Anil Ambani

The partnership is a 50:50 venture between Ambani and Speilberg and Snider. Ambani has nominated his top lieutenant Amitabh Jhunjhunwala on the Board

Future film projects would involve top Hollywood stars George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt, among others. Dubbing the deal as a "gamechanging event" for a partnership with excellence, Ambani said he was looking at reaching out to the global audience and India's teeming youth through this venture. Asked if the deal was the preamble for listing of Reliance Entertainment, which has committed USD 1.5 billion for the partnership with Dream Works last year, Ambani said: "All options are open. We'll evaluate the options as we go along." The partnership is a 50:50 venture between Ambani and Speilberg and Snider. Ambani has nominated his top lieutenant Amitabh Jhunjhunwala on the Board. Equity component would

Edison offers refrigerator tips to cut costs India Post News Service

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ROSEMEAD, CA: Southern California Edison (SCE) has come out with tips on running refrigerators efficiently. A refrigerator can

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be USD 325 million, while Disney would infuse USD 125 million and the balance from a syndication of banks and other investors. "We're very excited that we're in business again, independent of motion picture studios," Spielberg said in a conference call with reporters. "This is a way we can have control over our products as well as co-ownership," he said. Dream Works based in Los Angeles will eventually make 5-6 films per year. The goal of the partnership is quality commercial entertainment, said Snider, who was associated with the 'Gladiator' and '21 Grams'. The rights for all these films across platforms such as theatres, DTH, television, DVD's will remain with Reliance. -PTI

use about 19 percent of a household's electricity. To that end, SCE is offering solutions to help manage energy usage and keep bills lower this summer. It says, in a press release, "That old, inefficient refrigerator in the garage keeping a six-pack of soda cold can cost an extra $330 a year. SCE will pick up the unit at no charge, recycle it in an environmentally responsible manner, and send the customer a $50 incentive in the mail. Customers can opt to donate the rebate to the Energy Assistance Fund, which helps needy families with their electricity bills." In addition, it says, when customers purchase a new Energy Starqualified refrigerator, they earn a $50 rebate. Customers who meet certain income guidelines may also qualify to receive a free energy efficient refrigerator and other appliances and services through the Energy Management Assistance program. (www.sce.com/ema).

He said the partnership would let him make the films that he always wanted to make, independent of motion picture studios.

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July 24, 2009

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Engineers urge to get involved in stimulus-funded projects India Post News Service

Nayan Parikh, President-Elect of the organization, said that a series of workshops NEW YORK: The Society of Indo-Ameri- will be held to help members compete for can Engineers and Architects welcomed an government contracts. "We are second to invitation extended by top officials of gov- none and we have proved this more than ernment agencies in New York to partner once," he commented. Addressing the members of the Society, with the government for executing energy Jones-Bey asked the engineers and archiefficient green projects. tects of Indian origin to take advantage of construction opportunities available under the stimulus package of the federal government. He said that the State government aimed at expediting development activities for energy efficient projects that included green projects. Michael Jones-Bey, Executive Director, Empire State Development Echoing the theme addressing members of the Society of Indo American Engineers and Architects on board the World Yatch Princess at their annual dinner of Jones-Bey's mescruise last week. To his left are the organization's president Ravi sage, Suzanne Veira, Shenoy and president-elect Nayan Parikh. Senior Director, Busi"We are extremely happy to hear from ness Development at New York City School officials about the opportunities for busi- Construction Authority, advised the ness development that we would like to take Society's members to pursue opportunities advantage of during the current economic offered by various agencies. She said that it slowdown", said Ravi Shenoy, president of was important for engineers and architects to diversify their businesses. The Business Development Division of Nayan Parikh, PresidentNYCSCA assists minority-owned businesses in economic development of construction Elect of the organization, trade and has a nearly $2 billion budget for said that a series of workconstruction. Lash Green, General Manager, Small Busishops will be held to help ness Programs at Port Authority of New members compete for York and New Jersey also spoke about plenty of opportunities available for congovernment contracts struction professionals in his organization. Michael Clay, Director of Opportunity Prothe society. He was commenting over the grams at Dormitory Authority of the State of speeches made by Michael Jones-Bey, Ex- New York, a public authority empowered to proecutive Director, Empire State Development vide financing and construction services to nonand other officials from development and profit institutions - with a budget of over $1 bilconstruction agencies at the World Yacht lion -- invited the members to participate in the Princess, where they were invited for the minority and women business conference in Albany scheduled to be held during the Fall. Society's annual dinner.

Edison offers refrigerator tips to cut costs

He advised the architects and engineers not to put all eggs in one basket, indirectly advising to diversify their activities. He pointed out that the Dormitory Authority partnered with the New York State Energy

Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to help mutual customers develop innovative energy-saving projects. (For details logon to: indiapost.com)

Harinder Kohli, CFA Accredited Wealth Manager Senior Vice President – Financial Consultant

Cont’d from page 40

"We're always happy to partner with our customers to help them become more savvy energy consumers," said Gene Rodrigues, SCE's director of Energy Efficiency. "Every time we can recycle a refrigerator or help someone operate more efficiently in their home, it's a win for the customer and for the environment." Over the past 15 years, SCE has recycled more than 750,000 refrigerators and freezers. In 2008 alone, SCE's Refrigerator and Freezer Recycling Program resulted in the equivalent greenhouse gas reduction of removing 8,360 cars from the road and diverting more than 7,000 tons of waste from landfills. (For details logon to: indiapost.com)

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Horoscope

July 24, 2009

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ARIES Mar 21-Apr 20 Efforts made will bring desired results. You will have new clients and business will improve too. You will take time out from a busy schedule and take family on a short trip to a nice place you never visited before. Boss will make things little tough forcing you to look for new opportunity outside. You will develop taste for hot and spicy food.

LEO Jul 23-Aug 22 Some issues involving a child will cause stress in your mind. You may consult an expert to seek some insight and guidance. Deal will be good but you will be uncertain whether to take the risk at this point in life. People in partnership will be looking for ways to get out and be independent. You will be thinking of changing an old car.

SAGITTARIUS

July 24 to July 30

Nov 23-Dec 22 Expenses will exceed your expectations and you may have to use your reserves to meet your commitments. You will be in touch with an expert to seek advice so that you may plan it better for the future. You may dispose off some stocks also and pull out the money. Some of you will be applying for a highly competitive job.

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TAURUS Apr 21-May 20 Do not ignore the health issues and handle all tools and machinery with extra care. It will be a very promising week as far as the money is concerned and you will lay your hands on some real easy money. Contract will be signed by other party without any changes. You will be excited about an upcoming move. You will buy some valuable gifts for family.

VIRGO Aug 23-Sept 22 Try to work out a deal as going legal will be very expensive. You may invite few friends at your place this week. You may experience unexpected obstacles in what ever you try to do. Business will improve slowly and financially you will stay comfortable for the time being. Projects you have been working on will start bringing revenue soon.

CAPRICORN Dec 23-Jan 19 You may have to wait for some more time to launch your plans. You will have work hard and results will be lot less than expectations. You will be paying more attention to your health also. You will recover some money also but in part only. You will have to chance to spend some quality time with well known people and learn few things.

GEMINI May 21-Jun 20 It will be a relaxing week. You will also enjoy company of a new friend. You may write a small check to government also. Its time to have the eyes checked and get the new prescription. You will have the right words at your disposal and get several issues resolved quickly. You will get to spend quality time with some old friends.

LIBRA Sept 23-Oct 22 You will accomplish a lot this week. Planets are aligned in the right order to perform the miracle you had been waiting for to take place. All it will take is little initiative on your part. You may win big favors from a government official. You will spend some money on upgrading your home. Take care of health issue.

AQUARIUS Jan 20-Feb 18 This is the right time to strike as all the planets are aligned in good houses to help you out. Things you had been waiting for will happen now. You will make log term commitments this time. New opportunity will open doors for more money. You will be working hand in hand with some hard working people. Trip will relax the stress.

CANCER Jun 21-Jul 22 You may have to suffer because of a bad contract signed in the past. Idea of taking legal help will also cross your mind. On the other hand you will continue to do better on professional side. New opportunity will be a lucky break from stagnant life. Visit to coastal area or to lake will bring peace. You should try your luck with lottery.

SCORPIO Oct 23-Nov 22 Forcing your ideas can cause friction at home or with business partners. Money wise things will start improving from now an on. Do not believe an associate who's been spreading some negative rumors. Competition will reduce as one of the strong competitors will call it quit. You will be thinking of buying an investment property.

PISCES Feb 19-Mar 20 You will be selected among number of others for the job. Money will come but will not stay. You will again take time out of a busy schedule and take family out. You will get to meet many old acquaintances at the get together. You will need to renew an important lease agreement too. Mind will be at ease and you will get to enjoy your favorite food.

Classifieds

India Post

July 24, 2009

www.indiapost.com

MATRIMONIALS BRIDEGROOM WANTED

Parents looking for a groom for their beautiful daughter, American Citizen, 31years, 5'3" tall, Caste No Bar. Please send your picture and biodata to P.O.Box # 342, India Post 29274 Union City Blvd.,

Union City, CA - 94587.

Well Settled in California,

PUNJABI FAMILY INVITES CORRESPODENCE FOR THEIR WORKING DAUGHTER 28 YRS OF AGE, 5'6". SEEKING US RAISED WORKING BOY. SEND RESPONSE TO RSOUGU@YAHOO.COM OR CALL AT 714-234-4921

PUNJABI SIKH PARENTS INVITE CORRESPONDENCE FROM WELL ESTABLISHED FAMILIES FOR DAUGHTER, 24 YRS, BEAUTIFUL, SLIM, 5’3", MASTERS-HUMAN GENETICS, LIVING IN INDIA. PROFESSIONALS PREFERRED. PLEASE SEND BIODATA WITH PICTURE. gundeepsingh8@gmail.com PH:562-201-1130

Punjabi Khatri parents looking for a suitable professional match for

HINDU SOOD KHATRI

their beautiful daughter,

PARENTS FROM LOS

slim, 29 years, 5’5” tall

ANGELES INVITE

and well educated. Kindly

ALLIANCE FOR THEIR

smoker, non-drinker,

respond with photo and

U.S.CITIZEN SON 28/6'

professional son 26 yr old,

HAVING B.S. DEGREE

5' 9'' and well educated

IN ACCOUNTING

family background.

biodata to P.O.Box # 340, India Post, 29274 Union City Blvd., Union City, CA - 94587, USA.

AND FINANCE. IF INTERESTED, PL CALL AT (818) 996-2825 AND/

Looking For A Suitable Match For "Hindu Punjabi" girl, 29, 5'5"

Well Educated, Professional And Financially Stable. Please Email At vivah4ca@gmail.com

ALLIANCE INVITED FOR A 26 YRS, 5.3 SINDHI GIRL. BEAUTIFUL, INTELLIGENT AND SOPHISTICATED, BORN & RAISED IN THE U.S. LOOKING FOR SINDHI BOY BELOW 30 YRS OF AGE, HANDSOME AND SOPHISTICATED. WELL SETTLED IN U.S. OR EUROPE. PLEASE REPLY WITH PICTURE & BIODATA TO EMAIL:

MAXKAJ@GMAIL.COM

suitable match for their handsome, tall, non-

Please contact

510-461-6891 or email bio data at rohitdhand2002@yahoo.com

MUMBAI BASED GUJARATI VAISHNAV VANIK BOY OF 26 AGE, HAVING MASTER DEGREE IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT FROM USA, CURRENTLY WORKING IN LOS ANGELES LOOKING FOR SUITABLE (GUJARATI) FAIR AND GOOD LOOKING BRIDE OF 5'.1 "TO 5'.6" HEIGHT, HAVING GOOD EDUCATION.SEND DETAILED BIODATA AND PHOTOGRAPH TO

bakulsbn@gmail.com

OR EMAIL BIO DATA

or CONTACT

WITH PHOTO AT

(818)-660-8983

abowry25@yahoo.com

working. Boy Should Be Tall, Good Looking,

Khatri Family seeking a

42, youthful, handsome, PhD, professor in prestigious university, IIT undergrad, Brahmin, vegetarian, US citizen, divorcee never lived together, seeks partner below 36, Indian values, caring, PhD, MD, professionals, bio/photo details must. sunjupe@gmail.com

Hindu Punjabi parents seek a suitable match for their daughter, 32, 5' 8'', Lawyer in U.S.A. Boy should be at least 6' tall, professional, and brought up in North America. Email: RKGTA@HOTMAIL.COM

or Call 416-464-7471

For Chanderika: Seeking alliance for 41 year old/5’5” Punjabi Khatri, well established professional teacher. Very brief marriage annulled. Seeking mature, responsible match from sincere professional/businessman, West Coast preferred. Email biodata/photo at matriad41@gmail.com.

Jat Sikh parents invite a matrimonial alliance for their beloved, beautiful daughter, age 26 years, 5 feet 5 inches tall, UC graduate and professionally employed in the bay area. Please contact:

hsnba@sbcglobal.net Parents seeking match for Punjabi Khatri handsome son born Nov. 1978, 5'9" educated, selfemployed. Alliance

Nai Sikh 5.1’ 25 Girl B.M.I.T.; P.G.D.C.A., from India.

invited from beautiful

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

educated girl. Email

permit Trying for H-1B Visa

biodata and

Brother Dentist in India. Father & Mother in USA

photograph to

Seeks Suitable Immigrant boy from USA or CANADA.

Dreamsunlimited1@yahoo.com

Contact at Email: shoti53@yahoo.com

or Call (626) 374-1942

with Bio data and Photo

Notice is hereby given that sealed competitive bids will be accepted in the office of the GSA-Purchasing Department, County of Alameda, 1401 Lakeside Drive, Suite 907, Oakland, CA 94612 NETWORKING/SOUTH COUNTY BIDDERS CONFERENCE RFP #900583, Child Care and Educational Services, Monday, July 27, 2009, 2:00 p.m. ñ Alameda County Eden Area Self-Sufficiency Center, 24100 Amador Street, California Poppy Room A/B, Hayward, CA NETWORKING/NORTH COUNTY BIDDERS CONFERENCE RFP #900583, Child Care and Educational Services, Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 10:00 a.m. ñ General Services Agency, 1401 Lakeside Drive, Room 228, Oakland, CA Responses Due by 2:00 pm on August 21, 2009 County Contact : Sharon Perkins at (510) 208-9616 or via email: sharon.perkins@acgov.org Attendance at Networking Conference is Non-mandatory. Specifications and bid copies regarding the above may be obtained at the Alameda County GSA-Purchasing Department or the Current Contracting Opportunities Internet website at www.acgov.org. 7/24/09 CNS-1643842#

For Classifieds Ads Call SOUTHERN CA (J. S. Bedi) Tel: 562-644-9523/ Telefax: 562-929-4213 jsbedi60@yahoo.com SOUTHERN CA (Shashi Trivedi) Tel: 562-441-5511/ Fax: 562-947-0632 shashi19@yahoo.com NORTHERN CA (Sonia) Tel: 510-938-8668 sonia@indiapost.com CHICAGO (Ramesh Soparawala) Tel: 773-973-7394 / Fax: 773-973-7396 sramesh@aol.com NEW YORK (Pinky) Tel: 212-944-1931/ Fax: 212-944-1932 pinky@indiapost.com

Classifieds

July 24, 2009

India Post 45

www.indiapost.com

Experienced book keeper needed

OWNER OPERATORS WANTED WITH OR

RESTAURANT FOR SALE

WITHOUT TRAILER, WEEKLY

Indian Restaurant in

Full time In Fountain valley, email resume to susan@nevitz.com or fax to

SETTLEMENT,

Orange County.

DEDICATED OVER

Asking Price:

THE ROAD.

714-557-1305

CALL

$175,000

$10.00 / hr.

YOUR AD COULD BE HERE For More Informations Call: SAN FRANCISCO: Sonia: (510) 938-8668 LOS ANGELES: Bedi: (562) 644-9523

888-827-7525

Interested parties please call:

(714) 206-8696

HELP NEEDED Upscale Salon in Walnut Creek looking for experienced Threader. Please call

925-785-3694 for interview. DO YOU HAVE A DREAM OF BEING DEBT FREE ARE YOU TRYING 2 GET UR CREDIT CLEAN

1888-632-9073

Shashi: 562-441-5511

NO ADVANCE FEES

FINANCING YOU NEED MONEY? CALL US! FAST CASH- SBA LOANS HOTELS MOTELS, BARS, FRANCHISES, GAS STATION & C STORES LEASING MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT PURCHASE & REFINANCE CONSTRUCTION LOANS. LOW INTEREST RATES BAD CREDIT OK CONTACT MAHESH JANI:

(845)735 -0183

Classifieds

India Post

July 24, 2009

www.indiapost.com

PAYROLL ACCOUNTANT WANTED Currently seeking payroll clerks and accountants. Job comes with great benefits,Applicants should kindly e-mail resumes or inquiries to Guiseppina Cavaliere.

Guiseppinainc@aol.com

3 Gas Stations For Sale By Owner, Long Island NY Baldwin: Gas volume 100K Gallons+/monthly, C-store $31K+/monthly. Lotto $22K+/monthly. Self Service, Very Nice area. Busy Road. Price $105K + Deposits Baldwin: gas station with C-store. Rent only $1300, Very busy road, Full Service, Price $15K + deposits 3 Bay Repair shop also available for additional rent. Bellmore: Gas Volume 110k gallons Monthly + C-store, Rent only $1950, Very busy Road, Very nice area, Price $28K + Deposits. Owner runs the station absentee, Huge potential for owner operator. Motivated owner, Serious inquiries only, Call Owner ERIC KUMAR

516-983-0153

PART TIME OPENINGS As part of our expansion program,our company is looking for part time Work from home account managers and sales representatives, it pays $3000 a month plus benefits and takes only little of your time. Please contact us for more details. Requirements - Should be a computer Literate. 2-3 hours access to the internet weekly. Must be over 19yrs of age.

MUST BE EFFICIENT AND DEDICATED. If you are interested and need more information, Contact Dan Frank, Email: danfrank003@gmail.com

NEWS at your doorstep www.indiapost.com

Motel Manager Wanted Immediate Hiring for Experience Couple to Manage Independent Motel in Needles, CA Salary + Free Living Accommodation Call : 310-464-7750

or 562-858-3109

Classifieds

July 24, 2009

India Post 47

www.indiapost.com

Executive Chef San Francisco based restaurant looking for a EXECUTIVE CHEF/culinary graduate. Must have 10 YEARS of experience.

COSMICA CONSULTING Business & Media Relations Creative Financing for Capital, Joint Ventures & High Tech Industry Promotions : tact ConSURI ULLAL: 2335 W Devon Ave. Suite 203, Chicago IL 60659 Tel:

773 973 7394 (773) 973-7396

GET FREE PRODUCTS EVERYDAY! There's a company that gives never-ending freebies to you. And you can make a monthly income too! Get FREE groceries, FREE jewelry, FREE electronics, FREE software, and more. In fact, just about anything you can think of, there is a category of freebies. To join, go to www.abm.nocashever.com Questions? getfreebiesnow@yahoo.com

(650) 271-2849 Staybridge 98 Room Project For Sale in Spring/Houston TX ;Includes land , Plan and Permit . pls Contact Listing for further info Agent

AMIT MEHTA

NEED HELP

#832 607 1579

VENUS SALON NEED

MOTEL FOR SALE A 62 units economy Franchise motel on Interstate I 80 / 35 in Des Moine Iowa with two separate houses near to it is for sale. Good business. Owner relocating. Asking $2.2 million ONLY SERIOUS INQUIRY

Staybridge 98 Room Project For Sale in Spring/ Houston TX ; Includes land, Plan and Permit. pls Contact Listing for further info Agent

AMIT MEHTA #832 607 1579

“HOTEL HELP/ COUPLE WANTED” For FRONT DESK NIGHT AUDIT, House-keeping, Laundry, only. Energetic English/Hindi speaking/Punjabi speaking, Couple wanted In Franchise Hotel Florida / Georgia .Good Salary, Benefits Live Inn Accommodation, Immediate placement.

Please contact, Manish or Bobby at (904)891-5278,or (912)729-5454.

Tel: (515) 265 7525 / Cell (515) 554 2131

EXPERIENCED THREADING LADY FULL TIME OR PART TIME IN UNION CITY. PLEASE CALL TIVIA @

(510) 441-8462 OR VISIT THE

LOCATION AT 2625 DECOTO RD., UNION CITY.

FOR SALE Hotel property in Manhattan NYChelsea .50,000 sq ft Build able .50x100 lot Up to 24 Stories high Price $13 Million J/V possible. Only serious buyersPlease. Email DennisD@citysitesny.com

Datebook

India Post

July 24, 2009

www.indiapost.com

NEW YORK Upcoming

WASHINGTON DC Upcoming

Thur July 23

Fri July 24

• Punjabi Nights

• Lavika Bhagat Singh Persents Event of the Year: Explosion 2009

Venue: Kemia Bar?, 630 9th Ave, New York Contact: (212) 582-3200?

Venue: George Mason University, 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax, VA. 22030, WDC Time: 7:30pm Contact: 703-400-9388 & 1-866-600-5760 (Toll Free) Ticket Prices: $100, $75, $55, $35, $25 Highlights: Sonu Niigam, Sunidhi Chauhan & Hard Kaur

Fri July 24 • White-Hot-Summer Party Venue: Highline Ballroom, 431 W 16th St, New York Time: 11pm Contact: 212-713-5111

Sat July 25 • MVTeens: Gita and The Matrix Venue: MVCC, NYC, New York Time: 12pm to 6pm Contact: (732) 441-4889

Venue: Center Point Studios, 324 Lafayette St, New York Contact: 516-857-6743

Venue: Sindhu Center, South California Time: 2pm to 4pm Contact: 818-541-1754 & 909-576-1114 Highlights: Children between the ages of 5 and 18. Children will be taught the Fundamentals of Hinduism, Prayers, Shlokas, Bhajans and Values of our culture.

• Sindhi Sammelan 2009

Venue: Sri Siva Vishnu Temple, 6905 Cipriano Road, Lanham, Maryland Time: 3pm Contact: 301-552-3335

Venue: The Westin Los Angeles Airport, 5400 West Century Boulevard, Los Angeles Contact: (714) 879-4271

Sat July 25 • Guru Poornima

Venue: Terrace Theater, 2700 F Street, Washington DC Contact: 240-354-1127 Time: 7:30pm

ILLINOIS Upcoming

Sat July 25

Thues July 23

• Indian - American Festival

• Jai Ho! All Queer, All Bollywood, All Night!

Venue: Garden State Exhibit Center, 50 Atrium Dr, Somerset, New Jersey Contact: (908) 295 7705

Venue: Big Chicks, 5024 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, Illinois Time: 9pm Contact: 413-672-1861

• Medication Management and Safety: Insomnia

Venue: Trinity Lutheran Church, 131 Mountain Way, Morris Plains, New Jersey Time: 7pm Contact: 305-297-8367

Venue: 700 N. Court, Palatine, IL 60067 Time: 11am to 1pm

Sun Aug 2

Thurs Aug 13

Venue: Irvine Mandir, Southern California Time: 11am to 11:15pm Program schedule 11 am - Guru Stuti - Guru Bhajans by Saneyee Purandare 11:30 am - Guru Mahima - "Guru's role in life of a spiritual seeker" by Vishakha Purandare 12 noon - Guru Stotra Chanting & Chanting of Guru Geeta for invoking the blessings of Guru and offering our pranams at the feet of great masters. 12:30 pm - Guru Pooja, Sankalpa process 12:45 - Group Meditation 1 pm - Mandir Aarti 1:15 pm - Prasad Contact: 949-705-6670 Prasad: Please estimate about 100 people for the Prasad. You may sponsor prasad for 100 people or share with someone in the quantity for 50 people.

Venue: Bharat Sevashram Sangha, 3490 Rt. 27, Kendall Park, New Jersey Time: 6pm to 9:30pm Contact: 732-422-8880

Venue: Ohlone College, 43600 Mission Blvd. in Fremont, Contact: www.ohloneforkids.com

Fri July 24 • Youth Empowerment Seminar

Sat July 25 • Sahaj Samadhi Meditation Course Venue: Marcus Residence, 1471 Hollidale Ct, Los Altos, CA Contact: 408-332-6813

Sun July 26 • Dance & Fashion Extravaganza Venue: Reach Out-Now USA, Inc, Amador Theater, 1155 Santa Rita Rd., Pleasanton., Pleasanton, California Time: 4:30pm Contact: (925) 931-9966

Sun Aug 2 • Jashn-E-Rahman Venue: JCNC Auditorium, 722 South Main St, Milpitas, CA Time: 3:30pm to 6:30pm Contact: 408-660-3739

Fri Aug 7 • Miss India America 2009 Venue: Hilton Hotel, 701 W Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA Time: 5pm

Venue: Pierce College, Woodland Hills, CA Contact: 818 458-5595 Highlights: Over 80 booths offering variety of Indian foods, merchandise and informational services.

BOSTON Upcoming

Venue: India House Banquet, 1521 W Schaumburg Rd, Schaumburg, Illinois Contact: 630-904-5157

Sat July 25 • Raas, Garba & Folk Dance Competition Venue: Veterans Memorial Auditorium, 300 W Broad St, Columbus, Ohio Time: 12pm Contact: 978-4755614

Sat Aug 1 • Asian Festival

VEDIC DHARMA SAMAJ

• Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji

HINDU TEMPLE & CULTURAL CENTER 3676 Delaware Drive, Fremont, CA, 94538 www.fremonttemple.org Tel:

• Bollywood Nights

PRAVACHAN (12 PM - 1PM) PRITIBHOJ (1:30 PM - 3:00 PM)

SWAMI PARMANAND GIRI JI MAHARAJ

GAYTRI PARIWAR

MAHANT JI

SWAMI AADHATMANAND JI

Venue: Shriji Banquet Hall, Shree Swaminarayan Temple, 1705 Middlesex Street, Lowell, Massachusetts Time: 10am to 9pm Contact: 617-309-0525

Fri July 31

(510) 659-0655

Weekly Services Open M-F 8:30 AM-1PM, 4 PM-8 PM, Sat & Sun 8:30 AM to 8 PM DAILY AARATI 9 AM MORNINGS AND 7:30 PM EVENINGS. Sunday Services: 11am to 1pm, Aarti at 1:15pm followed by Prasad & Pritibhoj EARLY MORNING Bhajans by Khanna, Surendra @ 10 AM BHAJAN GROUP (11 AM - 11:45 AM)

VIRGINIA Upcoming

• 10th Annual India Independence Day

Sat July 25

08/02/09

• Ohlone for Kids (and Teens) Summer Enrichment Program

Sat Aug 15

• Mauli Dave Live Performance by Sa Re Ga Ma Pa

• Shri Krishna Janmashtami

07/26/09

Mon June 29 to Mon Aug 6

Wed July 29

• Full Moon Meditation

DATE

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA Upcoming

Venue: Intel Corporation, Prairie City Rd, Folsom, CA Contact: 916-934-6389

• Veena Concert by Srinivasan

NEW JERSEY Upcoming

Thurs Aug 6

ï Gurukul Classes for Children

Sun July 26

• Jisne Lahore Nahin Dekha - Play

• Inner Engineering

Every Sat (start from Sat Aug 8)

Fri July 24

Fri Aug 14

Wed Aug 5

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Upcoming

MOHIT & AARTI GUPTA

Venue: Taj Boston, 15 Arlington Street, Boston, Massachusetts Contact: 617-598-5255

Sun Aug 2 • Bhavayami Raghu Ramam Venue: Littleton High School Auditorium, Littleton, Massachusetts Time: 5pm Contact: 978-392-4677

Venue: Lake Newport Tennis Park, 11452 Baron Cameron Ave, Reston, Virginia Contact: 703-589-4144 Highlights: India is the featured country at the sixth Annual Asian Festival. More than 30 local restaurants will serve all kinds of food. The event will be presented in 3 stages. One stage is set aside for an "Asian Idol" contest; another showcases various cultural performances; and a third is reserved for music and dance demonstrations, including instrumental music, comedy skits, fusion music and dance.

Sat Aug 1 • Janaki Rangarajan performs Bharatanatyam Venue: 11452 Baron Cameron Avenue, Reston, Virginia Time: 4:15pm Contact: (703) 642-9558

HOUSTON Upcoming

Sun Aug 9 • Annual India Day

UPCOMING TEMPLE EVENTS

ANKUR & KAVYA JAIN

ABHISHEKA: MON: 6:30 PM SHIVJI, FRI: 6:30

YOGA CLASS: MON.-FRI. 7 TO 8 AM SAT. 8 TO 9 AM GEETA CLASS: SAT. 11:00 AM TO 1:00 PM

PM LAKSHAMIJI, SAT: 10 AM BALAJI, SUN: 6:30 PM GANESHJI & NAVAGRAHA

Gayatri Mantra Saturday - 11 AM - To 12 PM by Gayatri Pariwar Contact: Naresh Sethi (For Jagrata). TEL: 510-825-1927, 510-487-2544

Sundar Kand paath by Satish & Jai Patel on 7-11-09, 2:00pm to 6:00pm Janamashtmi celebration on 8-8-09 from 6 pm to 12 Midnight

TO PARTICIPATE IN TEMPLE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES CONTACT:

510-659-0655

SUNDAY, 1:15 PM FREE CONSULTATION WITH DR. PAWAN CHADHA AND DR. MRS. NOOTAN CHADHA

IN THE NEW YEAR BECOME: TEMPLE TRUSTEE - $1501, LIFE MEMBER - $ 501, YEARLY MEMBER - $ 101

REGULAR PROGRAMS & POOJAS & RITUALS: FOR ALL INFO CALL TEMPLE ADMINISTRATOR AT: (510) 659-0655. SASHTRIJI: (510) 490-8979, BHUSHAN KUMAR JI - 510-862-5834 GOVIND SRINIVASAN: (510) 226-6479 WEDNESDAYS: RAMAYAN KATHA (KISHIKINDHA KAND) BY SHASTRIJI. SUNDAYS AFTER AARTI FREE CONSULTATION WITH DR. PAWAN CHADHA SUNDER KAND KA PATH EVERY 3RD SATURDAY AT 10 AM TO 12 NOON. CALL TEMPLE (510)569-0655 (HANUMAN CHALISA) EVERY TUESDAY 7:30 PM AARATI FOLLOWED BY PRASAD AND PRITIBHOJ. SENIOR CITIZENS MEET WEDNESDAYS 10AM TO 1PM BHAJANS & DISCOURSES. For sponsoring Pritibhoj Anita Kapoor, Contact: 510-659-0655 VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.FREMONTTEMPLE.ORG AND VISIT GALLERY

Venue: Italian-American Cultural Center, Worcester, Massachusetts Contact: 508-842-9795

PHILADELPHIA Upcoming Fri July 24 • Kanakadhara Stotram Chanting Venue: Chinmaya Mission, 3817 Northern Pike, Monroeville, Pennsylvania Time: 7pm to 8pm Contact: 724-344-4366

Sat Aug 15 ï Festival Of India Venue: Great Plaza, Penn's Landing Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Time: 1pm Contact: (215-579-6336)

Sat Sept 5 ï Indo American Fair 2009 Venue: Mercer County Park, West Windsor, New Jersey Time: 11am to 7pm Contact: 609-275-1334

Fri July 24 • Kailash Kher - Sufi Concert Venue: Brown Theater, Wortham Theater Center, 500 Texas St, Houston Time: 8pm Contact: 281-648-0422

Sun July 26 • Bharatanatyam Recital Bhakti Margam by Nadhi Thekkek Venue: Jewish Community Center, 5601 S. Braeswood, Houston Time: 4pm to 6pm Contact: 510-798-3102

Sun Aug 2 • Lal Salam Venue: Wortham Center, 500 Texas Street, Houston Time: 5pm Contact: 832-860-3200

Mon Aug 3 ï Houston Ganeshotsav Venue: Houston Ganeshotsav 2008, 10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX 77478-1130, Sugarland, Texas Time: 6:30pm to 10pm Contact: 281-568-9520

Philosophy

July 24, 2009

India Post

www.indiapost.com

Page Sponsored by Sahanis

We must become free from the urge for security VIMALA THAKAR

hen all this investigation creates a humility in the conscious mind, and an awareness of its own limitations, awareness of the fortress in which it is imprisoned and which it cannot transcend, then that humility does create a silence in the mind. This is not the silence of suppression or repression, compulsion or paralysis. It is not an induced silence, whether that inducement comes through ideas, ideals, emotions or chemicals. The immensity of the contents of the unconscious brings about a sense of humility in the conscious mind. And a silence of the conscious mind flows out of that humility. The next step is not going to be taken by the conscious mind at all. We are saying that the very awareness of its own limitations can bring about a state of silence. Then a direct communion with reality becomes possible. In fact, that state defies verbalization. The realm of the unknown defies verbalization. Self-knowing is the es-

verything you have at tracted into your life right now is precisely what you need to grow and expand. Think about a situation in your life that is negative or not exactly what you desire. Describe how this situation makes you feel. Ask yourself, how can I use this situation to help me learn and grow? What insights can you learn about yourself from this situation? Everything that comes to you is a tool to help you reach to the next level. Think about it . . . you have situations in your life that are personal just to you and specific for your growth. Your friends, family members and co-workers do not have the same situations and circumstances in their lives. Only we have them - almost as if the Universe custom-made them specially for us, for our evolution. We attract what we need in our lives, and that includes everything that manifests, both positive and negative - it's all essential life lessons. If you start looking at all situations, whether positive or negative, as a blessing and an opportunity for growth, you grow with everything, all the time. Answers and guidance will then come to you instead of resisting what is happening in your life. You

sence ... self-knowing is the maturity which one has to attain. So we have been struggling with the limitations of the mind, but for the struggle we employ the mind. Struggling against the limitations of the mind by employing the mind and exercising the will is not the right way perhaps. When you realize that the mind

when the inquiry of truth becomes the top priority; when it becomes the all-consuming flame, in the light of which one lives. It is not a pastime, a hobby, an amusement. (The challenge needs to be formulated, then realized, then begun.) The problem is how to break away completely from the conditioning in which the mind has

Realizing that the mystery of life cannot be discovered by ideas and concepts, the mind becomes silent is not equal to the task of communing with reality, the mind relaxes in silence. It needs alertness, it needs intensity, which we lack. Our energy is so much scattered, that this inquiry of truth becomes one of the many desires. When one starts living every moment in the light of that inquiry, then the illumination dawns upon the heart. This creative understanding dawns upon the human heart,

been cultivated. Truth (requires) the right approach, start, foundation. We must become free from the urge for security; acquisition, accumulation, preservation is a hindrance to this transformation. Emotions, feelings, thoughts and memories are mechanical actions, inevitable reflex actions according to conditioning. The mind names, identifies, compares, judges on the basis of memory.

Mind becomes silent, temporarily, only when it is confronted with something which it cannot interpret, something unprecedented. Realizing its own limitations, understanding that truth and reality are something very vast, immeasurable by the human mind and that the mystery of life cannot be discovered by ideas and concepts, the mind becomes silent. The mind could understand its own nature, find out the conflicts between the conscious and the unconscious; find out the impossibility of a total action on the mental plane; realize the limitations & become quiet. Whether you try to influence the mind through ideas and concepts, or through discipline and vows, or through drugs, you are trying to stimulate artificially a state of silence. Perhaps if we are friendly with the mind, if we watch the mind, if we understand the mind, if we let it wander, let it roam about wherever it wants, let it exhaust its momentum by wandering, without scolding, without praising, without condemning it might exhaust its momentum and arrive at the simple innocent silence. We will have to allot some time in the beginning to sit by ourselves and find out if the mind can be silent. Excerpted from "Mutation of Mind" (talks from 1965)

Look at all situations as blessing and opportunity

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. -Buddha Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. -Mother Teresa Every soul is in itself absolutly omniscient and blissful. The bliss does not come from outside. -Lord Mahavira In prayer, let us ask for less, thank more! Thank the Lord for His mercies which endure from everlasting to everlasting! -Dada Vaswani

VIKAS MALKANI

will then expand, not contract. You will evolve to your higher self. Commitment Here is a very important question - Are you fully committed to your goals? It is only when you are committed fully that the universe supports you 100%. Most people decide what they want and then when one little thing gets in the

achieved what they have because they were fully committed. Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen created the #1 best-selling book series, Chicken Soup for the Soul after being rejected by publishers 144 times. Jonathan Livingston Seagull became an inspirational classic after numerous rejections. Ray Charles, the musician, was told by his teachers that

Going with the Flow means being flexible and adapting quickly and easily to each situation as it presents itself way, they give up. That's not commitment; that's fantasizing. Commitment is absolutely 100% totally essential in achieving whatever it is you desire. Webster's dictionary defines commitment "To devote oneself unreservedly". It means you give 100% to whatever it is that you want in your life. The people that have had the greatest success

he couldn't play the piano. Harry Potter wouldn't have seen the light of day had J K Rowling listened to her rejections. What all of these people had in common was they stayed true to their intention, were committed, and took action toward their dreams. They never gave up; they rejected rejection and kept on going till they had it right. I am often asked what it means

to 'Go with the flow?' Going with the Flow means being flexible and adapting quickly and easily to each situation as it presents itself. It means resisting nothing, but accepting whatever comes, observing the options that are available, and responding in the best, most positive way you can. Sometimes we get stuck on something - a thought, an event or an experience; we need to have things exactly our way, or the way we think they "should" be. This is not going with the flow of life - it is resisting life and will inevitably cause pain and suffering, also called unhappiness and misery. To go with the flow, observe what is happening in your life and trust that "what is" is happening to serve you in some way. Fully embrace what happens. Only when you go against the flow is when you experience resistance and you are fighting the Universal plan.

As pure water poured into pure water becomes the very same, so does the Self of the illumined man or woman verily become one with the Godhead." -Katha Upanishad Without the perfect Guru, man goes on to be engrossed into the web of maya. -Bhai Gurdaas "The power of God is with you at all times; through the activities of mind, senses, breathing, and emotions; and is constantly doing all the work using you as a mere instrument." -Bhagavad Gita

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July 24, 2009

India Post

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China's Xinjiang woes: Internal and external implications JABIN T JACOB

he recent spate of ethnic violence between Uighurs and Hans in China should surprise no one, particularly after last year's Tibetan riots. However, it should also surprise no one that the attention and opprobrium for China, particularly from the West, will dissipate sooner that it did on the Tibetan issue. Unlike the Tibetans who have the image of a peace-loving people, are Buddhists and are led by a charismatic leader with influence in Western capitals, the Muslim Uighurs do not form part of the Western imagination, positively or

otherwise, and have no one that is the equivalent of the Dalai Lama to promote their cause. If anything, the Uighurs have been more sinned against by the West than sinning as is evident from the dropping of charges against the Uighur at Guantanamo Bay some seven years after they were first detained. Following 9/11, China managed to take advantage of the global discourse of the 'war against terror' and not only got the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, a fringe Uighur movement, banned internationally but also portrayed an essentially separatist struggle in Xinjiang as an extremist Islamic movement. On the internal front, a number of consequences follow for Beijing from the latest outbreak of violence. One, as in Tibet, the logic of economic development as a panacea for grievances arising out of ethnic marginalization and discrimination and of cultural suppression has once again been discredited. China will have to come up with alternative policies to address problems in ethnically- and strategically-sensitive provinces such as Tibet and Xinjiang. Two, it is possible that as a consequence, the practice of placing hardliners in charge of politicallysensitive provinces will eventually be reconsidered. Wang Lequan,

the Xinjiang Party Secretary and his protégé, Zhang Qingli, the Party Secretary in Tibet, under whose watch, the protests in 2008 took place, have been known for their strong-arm tactics. Third, within the Party, Wang and Zhang who belong to Hu Jintao's tuanpai faction in the Communist Party of China (CPC) might have just made things more difficult for their patron as he jockeys to place his loyalists in influential positions before he steps down in 2012. Besides, Li Keqiang, who is the top-ranked tuanpai member of the fifth generation of CPC leaders and the likely No. 2 in the party from 2012, also likely to be affected in the long run are Wang Yang, Party Secretary of Guangdong - location of the toy factory where a fight in June led to the death of two Uighurs and sparked the confrontation in Urumqi - and possibly Xinjiang Governor, Nur Bekri, himself an Uighur, who are viewed as key tuanpai figures in the fifth and sixth generations re-

India could potentially offer an alternative economic and trade relationship that focuses not so much on extracting and transporting energy resources or on noquestions-asked aid as on investments in education, healthcare spectively. At the very least, the protests will have tarnished Hu's legacy, and all the more so, given his rhetoric of a "harmonious society." On the external front, China's relations with the Central Asian Republics (CARs), most of whom are also Muslims and Turkic in ethnicity like the Uighurs, are likely to become more sensitive. Each of the CARs faces several

internal dissensions and any added incentive to disgruntled elements in these countries from happenings across the border in China is something that the CAR leaderships can do without. While the mostly authoritarian regimes of the region stand together with China in forums such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, they also view China as a card to be played against the Russians and the Americans. Further, there are growing concerns in many CARs about the influx of Chinese goods and occasionally of Han Chinese, that risk turning their economies into appendages of the larger Chinese economic system. Consequences for India And what of the implications and consequences for India from the latest Chinese experiences? India will have to check its proclivity in recent years towards strong and very broadly defined anti-terror legislation, and simultaneously place a renewed emphasis on political dialogue as the means of addressing popular unrest in various underdeveloped parts of the country. Also, too often in India, former military personnel or intelligence officials have been given governorships in trouble-prone states such as Jammu and Kashmir or in Northeast India and now also Naxalism-affected ones. This must be completely done away with if the credibility of New Delhi's intentions and trust in the political process are to be maintained. Externally, India might find this an opportunity to review its policy in Central Asia. India's lack of direct physical access to Central Asia has long been viewed as a hindrance to furthering its interests in this region. However, physical connectivity brings with it, its own problems especially in a context of political discontent, ethnic grievances and economic deprivation, as the Chinese and Central Asian leaderships have realized. India could potentially offer an alternative economic and trade relationship that focuses not so much on extracting and transporting energy resources or on no-questions-asked aid as on investments in education, healthcare and agriculture in the CARs and is at the same time based strongly also on the example of India's own plural and democratic political system. This is an approach whose time has come and is one which India should not shy away from advocating. The writer is Research Fellow, IPCS

India Post Looking within

he recession has temporarily tempered the aspiration of some people who would like to see India as a superpower. If Pakistan has an inferiority complex vis-à-vis India, then India has an inferiority complex vis-à-vis China and therefore the demand for super economic performance and military parity. Should India's quest for a better deal for its people be based on a competition with other nations? Historian Ramachandra Guha had last year written an essay for Outlook entitled, "Seven reasons why India cannot be and should not be a superpower." Last week at a lecture on the same subject in New Delhi he added three more reasons to his thesis to convey the message that "India needs to be, not a powerful or dominant country, but a country which is less discontented from within". Historians are to nations what psychologists are to individuals. They probe the past to discover causes and offer solutions. Guha's diagnosis is that India is a unique nation. Unlike Europe and many other regions, it is not based on one language, one religion or one ideology. Its lack of homogeneity is not to be deplored but something to celebrate. The European Union is an experiment in what India already is. The credit goes to India's founding fathers, men like Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, C. Rajagopalachari and BR Ambedkar. But, as in so many other fields, India's ideals, as enshrined in the Constitution, are much more noble than actions on the ground. As jurist Nani Palkhivala once put it, "India is a third class democracy with a first class Constitution." India cannot march ahead without attending to the malaise within. The ten reasons of Guha that are holding India back are: Religious extremism, Left wing extremism, corruption and corrosion of the power center, decline of public institutions, increasing gap between the rich and the poor, environmental degradation, Apathy of the media to vital issues, political fragmentation, unresolved border disputes and the increasingly unstable neighborhood. Comparing India of today with the one in 1948, soon after Independence, he says the same forces of religious extremism and left wing extremism were arraigned against it as they are now. The difference being that in 1948 there was a mood of despair and gloom about India's prospects, but the government was seen as the only agent that could bring about change. Today however, there is a sense of optimism about India's prospects, but the government is seen as the major impediment in the country's progress. The hopeful sign about India today is the active civil society which was dormant in 1948. There are thousands of NGOs doing great work on the ground apart from hundreds of dubious ones. Outstanding work has been done by social workers in the fields of primary education and healthcare. Brave, selfless, utterly patriotic Indians have worked 24 by 7 to get slum and low caste children into school, and to provide them protection against dangerous diseases. But the scale of the problem is so immense that their work, heroic as it is, can only very partially make up for the apathy and corruption of the state. Guha concludes that the Indian patriot must focus on the tasks of gradual and piecemeal reform. "We need to repair, one by one, the institutions that have safeguarded our unity amidst diversity, and to forge, also one by one, the new institutions that can help us meet the fresh challenges of the 21st century."

July 24, 2009

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