IndiaPost_10-03-2010 by Ghanshyam Bisht

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Anchal crowned Miss IndiaCanada 2010 Details on page 26

VOL 16, No. 834

September 3, 2010

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U.S. WORRIES ABOUT 'HOMEGROWN’ TERROR

WASHINGTON: The CIA fears that the growing instances of homegrown terrorists like David Headley would make other nations believe that the US is an "exporter of terrorism" and prompt them to reduce cooperation with it, according to fresh secret documents posted by WikiLeaks. In the classified papers posted by the whistleblower website, the CIA concluded that foreign governments would be less likely to cooperate with the US on deten-

tion, intelligence-sharing, and other issues in the wake of increasing number of home grown terrorists. "Primarily we have been concerned about Al-Qaeda infiltrating operatives into the United States to conduct terrorist attacks, but al-Qaeda may be increasingly looking for Americans to operate overseas," said the document. Details on page 5

Best Teaching Award for Prof Anand Puppala

Community bids adieu to CG Attri Details on page 15

PM denies nuclear bill will benefit US cos. Details on page 7

Singh emerges stronger, says US media Details on page 7

Details on page 19

Pradip Mehta to head College of Scheduling

High school debater Shagun meets Obama

Details on page 38

NYIT student gets recognition in India Details on page 38

Indian elected Vice-Mayor of Long Beach

Details on page 6

US, India move forward on energy security

INDIAN WEDDING IN BEVERLY HILLS: Groom Rohit Mehta†rides an elephant leading a†traditional Indian baraat on the streets of Beverly Hills on way to Wilshire Hotel†to wed†Payal Sharma. (Details on page 12)

Details on page 7

Amb Shankar graces celebration in LA

CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 24-25

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

India’s nuclear safety bill will benefit US companies? Last week’s result

Is the US trying to pressurize India on Dow Chemicals? YES 54%

NO 46%

JS BEDI

Classifieds ------------------------- 47

India Post News Service

Community Post --------- 10-23,44

LOS ANGELES: On a hot summer day in San Fernando Valley, thousands of Indian Americans flocked to see India Independence day celebrations on August 21. The organizers also had another major attraction – India’s Ambassador, Meera Shankar was the chief guest at the Valley celebration of India Independence Day. Raman Chadha, Chairman of India Association of Los Angeles (San Fernando Valley), interrupting the well organized cultural program, welcomed the attendees and introduced Bobby Kumar, President of the association who while welcoming the ambassador, thanked Congressman Brad Sherman for facilitating the ambassador's trip to Los Angeles.

Date Book -------------------------- 45 Edit Page --------------------------- 49 HealthScience Post --------- 34-36 Horoscope ------------------------- 46 Immigration Post ------------- 40-43 Life Style ----------------------- 26-28 Philosophy ------------------------- 48 Publisherís Diary ------------------ 4

Amb Meera Shankar

Details on page 10

Certified by “CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL Readership 117,765”

Real Estate ------------------------ 37 TechBiz Post ------------------- 38-39 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 29-31

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September 3, 2010

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September 3, 2010

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Publisher’s Diary

espite severe floods threatening to inundate its northern states, like a good neighbor, India has donated $5m to Pakistan in a generous gesture to help with its flood situation. So is Pakistan grateful? Well, the Pakistani administration was 'gracious' in doing India a 'favor' by accepting the funds much against popular public wishes. That's politics both on part of India and Pakistan, and much as it rankles me, no point in belaboring the irony of the situation, so I shall move on to more mundane observations such as how India manages to embarrass itself thanks to its bumbling bureaucracy - you know what I am referring to, of course - doubting the nationality of chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, the country's most consistent genius of an athlete who has through single minded tenacity and dignity brought glory to his country over the past two decades as the World Chess Champion. So what if Anand lives for most part in Collado Mediano in Spain now, has he ever played a tournament as anyone but an Indian? And since when has nationality mattered when it comes to conferring honorary doctorates? If the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Yash Chopra, Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi and even Shilpa Shetty could be conferred with honorary doctorates by various foreign universities, how could these bureaucrats in Delhi even raise the question of Anand's nationality in order to honor him in his country of origin? The very concept of an honorary doctorate seems to be lost on these esteemed babus. Personally I don't care much for honorary degrees or doctorates even if for their symbolic value, but in case of Anand it was the International Congress of Mathematicians that had mooted the idea expressly because Anand was supposed to simultaneously play chess against 40 mathematicians who are participating in the Congress in Hyderabad. Lame regrets and apologies by the ministry concerned later, after the nation expressed its outrage, don't mean much since the damage has been done - not to the honor of Anand, but to the already redoubtable reputation of the Indian bureaucrats and ministers.

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Big break-up After months of speculation, Salman Khan has finally admitted he has broken with long-time girlfriend Katrina Kaif.

Cover Story: Homegrown terrorists Growing instances of homegrown terrorists like David Headley is making others believe that the US is an "exporter of terrorism"

Community: Vice Mayor

Long Beach City Council has unanimously selected Indian American Suja Joseph Lowenthal as the City's Vice Mayor.

Immigration: Brewer wins Republican Gov. Jan Brewer handily won Arizona's GOP primary in a contest marked by a surge in her popularity.

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Life Style: Miss India-Canada Anchal Sharma of Richmond Hill, Ontario has won the esteemed title of Miss India-Canada 2010.

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Pradip Mehta has been elected president of the Project Management Institute College of Scheduling (PMI-COS).

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Travel: Khajuraho The highly sensual and erotic engravings on the temples of Khajuraho see visitors pouring in all through the year.

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September 3, 2010

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US worries about 'homegrown terrorists' WASHINGTON: The CIA fears that the growing instances of homegrown terrorists like David Headley would make other nations believe that the US is an "exporter of terrorism" and prompt them to reduce cooperation with it, according to fresh secret documents posted by WikiLeaks. In the classified papers posted by the whistleblower website, the CIA concluded that foreign governments would be less likely to cooperate with the US on detention, intelligence-sharing, and other issues in the wake of increasing number of home grown terrorists. "Primarily we have been concerned about Al-Qaeda infiltrating operatives into the United States to conduct terrorist attacks, but al-Qaeda may be increasingly looking for Americans to operate overseas," said the document. Referring to Lashkaer-e-Taiba operative Headley, the documents said, "LeT induced him to change his name from Daood Gilani to David Headley to facilitate his movement between the US, Pakistan and India." Headley had confessed to plot-

ting the Mumbai attacks and LeT's role in it. The leaked document notes that Pakistani-American Headley conducted surveillance in support of the LeT for the Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people. Expressing concern over such home grown terrorists, the docu-

‘Primarily we have been concerned about Al-Qaeda infiltrating operatives into the United States to conduct terrorist attacks, but al-Qaeda may be increasingly looking for Americans to operate overseas’ ments said, "If the US were seen as an exporter of terrorism, foreign partners may be less willing to cooperate with the United States on extra-judicial activities, including detention, transfer, and interrogation of suspects in third party

countries." The CIA termed it as a thoughtprovoking document. "These sorts of analytic products - clearly identified as coming from the Agency's 'Red Cell' - are designed simply termed it to provoke thought and present different points of view," CIA spokesperson Marie Harf told PTI. "As a recent victim of highprofile terrorism originating from abroad, the US Government has had significant leverage to press foreign regimes to acquiesce to requests for extraditing terrorist suspects from their soil. "However, if the US were seen as an exporter of terrorism, foreign governments could request a reciprocal arrangement that would impact US sovereignty," the document said. The documents running into a few pages said contrary to common belief, the American export of terrorism or terrorists is not a recent phenomenon, nor has it been associated only with Islamic radicals or people of Middle Eastern, African or South Asian ethnic origin. "This dynamic belies the American belief that our free, open

and integrated multicultural society lessens the allure of radicalism and terrorism for US citizens. Late last year five young Muslim American men traveled from northern Virginia to Pakistan allegedly to join the Pakistani Taliban and to engage in jihad. The document said: "Their rela-

‘If foreign leaders see the US refusing to provide intelligence on American terrorism suspects or to allow witnesses to testify in their courts, they might respond by denying the same to the US’ tives contacted the FBI after they disappeared without telling anyone, and then Pakistani authorities arrested them as they allegedly attempted to gain access to al-Qaeda training facilities." It said if foreign regimes believe

the US position on rendition is too one-sided, favoring the US, but not them, they could obstruct US efforts to detain terrorism suspects. For example, in 2005 Italy issued criminal arrest warrants for US agents involved in the abduction of an Egyptian cleric and his rendition to Egypt. "The proliferation of such cases would not only challenge US bilateral relations with other countries but also damage global counter-terrorism efforts," it said. "If foreign leaders see the US refusing to provide intelligence on American terrorism suspects or to allow witnesses to testify in their courts, they might respond by denying the same to the US. "In 2005, 9/11 suspect Abdelghani Mzoudi was acquitted by a German court because the US refused to allow Ramzi bin al-Shibh, a suspected ringleader of the 9/11 plot who was in US custody, to testify. "More such instances could impede actions to lock up terrorists, whether in the US or abroad, or result in the release of suspects," said the CIA documents. -PTI

Militants plan to attack foreign aid workers in Pak WASHINGTON: The Pakistani Taliban is planning attacks on foreigners offering assistance in the aftermath of devastating floods in Pakistan, a US official have warned. "According to information available to the US government, Tehreek-e-Taliban plans to conduct attacks against foreigners participating in the ongoing flood relief operations in Pakistan," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "Tehreek-e-Taliban also may be making plans to attack federal and provincial ministers in Islamabad," the official warned. The vast floods have affected an estimated 17.2 million people, at least eight million of whom are believed to need life-saving humanitarian assistance. The United States and other countries have pledged more than USD 700 million for relief efforts. The Pakistani Taliban have previously denounced all foreign aid for victims of the country's catastrophic flooding. The Tehreek-e-Taliban faction is a key architect of extremist violence that has killed more than 3,570 people across Pakistan in three years. US officials had earlier said they had not encountered any

hostilities in flying aid to stricken parts of the country, where rancor towards the United States runs deep. The floods may have provided the Pakistani Taliban with some breathing space, according to the head of the US Marine Corps,

General James Conway. He said the disaster had forced the Pakistani military to scale back some operations against Taliban militants in the northwest. Despite the warnings of possible attacks, a top US general

overseeing the American military's relief efforts told reporters that US forces had faced no security problems. "We have seen no security threat whatsoever in the three weeks we have been operating here," Brigadier General Michael

Nagata said via video link from northern Pakistan. He said the Pakistani military "have done a commendable job and a highly effective job in providing our force protection and security while we are here in Pakistan." -PTI

Major al-Qaeda bombing plot unearthed in Canada TORONTO: Canadian Police claim to have foiled a major alQaeda bombing plot by arresting two Ottawa residents, including one Misbahuddin Ahmed, alleged to have close ties to top leaders of the terror outfit. The arrests were enforced by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) after carrying out searches of two residences on the Ottawa's west side and officers said they were executing more searches and would carry out more arrests. The arrest of Misbahuddin and Ehsan Ahmed came after police had kept them under surveillance for over two years in a project codenamed "Operation Samosa". Though the RCMP released no names or identities of the

suspects, but sources confirmed their names as Misbahuddin and Ehsan. They said Misbahuddin Ahmed, who was categorized as ringleader, is believed to have been trained in Pakistan and Af-

They were planning it," a police source was quoted as saying by the Vancouver Sun newspaper. The Canadian police had to break the surveillance operation as one of the suspects was preparing to travel abroad, the paper

‘A vehicle, several computers, hard drives and scanners were seized from one of the residences,’ police said. Security experts warned that the plotters could have been planning to blow up hydroelectric plants and transmission lines to hit the US. ‘There are ways of attacking US through Canada.’ ghanistan and investigations involved a "bomb plot". "These guys were doing more than just talking about terrorism.

said. Misbahuddin, the sources said, had worked for two years as a general radiography technolo-

gist at Ottawa's Hospital Civic Campus. This is the second major terror plot to be unearthed in Canada since 9/11. In June 2006, a group of young Muslim men dubbed as 'Toronto 18' were rounded up and prosecuted for planning to attack downtown targets and a military base. "A vehicle, several computers, hard drives and scanners were seized from one of the residences," police said. Security experts warned that the plotters could have been planning to blow up hydroelectric plants and transmission lines to hit the US. "There are ways of attacking US through Canada. The whole energy for New York comes from Quebec," they said. -PTI

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September 3, 2010

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High school debater Shagun Kukreja meets Obama India Post News Service

NEW JERSEY: Shagun Kukreja, a 17-year old high school debater from Newark, New Jersey recently had the privilege of visiting the Oval Office at the White House and an audience with President Barack Obama, having come second place in the Chase Urban Debate National Championship. Shagun was one of four debaters invited by President Obama on July 22 to Oval Office. The Urban Debate tournament took place April 22-24, in which 76 debaters from 19 states participated. Shagun's team won the second place. She was also chosen to be among six debaters for the Arthur N. Rupe Public Demonstration Debate in which she won a $750 scholarship for her debating skills. The students, specially from among their peers for their persuasive speaking skills and record of excellence in their respective Urban Debate Leagues (UDLs), debated the topic: "Resolved: The United States federal government should devolve power to the state

governments and relevant territories to provide health care to persons living in poverty." The NAUDL hosted the best

lic Demonstration Debate. Shagun was joined by Marcia Brown - the adult delegate to accompany Shagun to the White

including Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, National Economic Council Director Larry Summers, and over 10 Senators and Repre-

The students, debated the topic: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Resolved: The United States federal government should devolve power to the state governments and relevant territories to provide health care to persons living in poverty.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Shagun Kukreja & others with President Obama

of urban debate during the third annual Chase Urban Debate National Championship in New York City, April 22-25. The tournament, held at the Chase Conference Centers in Midtown Manhattan, also featured the Arthur N. Rupe Pub-

House - vice chancellor of Rutgers University in Newark and a Board member of the Jersey Urban Debate League and. In addition to meeting President Obama, the students toured the nation's capital and met with lawmakers

sentatives. Shagun, a senior at University High School in Newark, won numerous debate awards in various competitions as a junior before qualifying to represent New Jersey in the Chase tournament.

Ever charming and engaging, President Obama inquired about the affirmative and negative arguments each debater advanced during his/her successful advocacy at the national championship tournament. "The students answered President Obama's questions with impressive poise and professionalism," noted Marcia W. Brown in a Rutgers' report. Involved in Newark debate for nearly three decades, Brown, a graduate of Rutgers-School of Law-Newark, currently serves as a board member of JUDL and has been instrumental in founding and guiding the Rutgers-Newark Debate Team, which met competitive success in its first outing in 2008, winning the collegiate tournament at the State University of New York - Binghamton. "It was remarkable how comfortable and confident Shagun and her peers were in their conversation with President Obama, almost as if talking with the President were a routine occurrence. Even President Obama seemed amazed at the ease in which they interacted with him."

OFBJP condemns the arrest of United Sikhs aids flood hit Hindus, Sikhs in Pakistan EVM expert in India India Post News Service

NEW YORK: OFBJP-USA has condemned the arrest of Hari Prasad, who has been leading the practical demonstrations on how India's Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are prone to tampering. Hari Prasad, chief of India based R&D firm Netindia Ltd, is a part of a team of computer security researchers that includes Prof. Alex Halderman from University of Michigan from USA, and Rop Gonggrijp an expert from Netherlands, who have been spearheading the campaign to discontinue the usage of EVMs for elections by demonstrating how these machines in India, like those in the US and elsewhere, are flawed, and can be hacked or tampered with to alter the election results. In 2009, the Election Commission of India (ECI) publicly challenged Hari Prasad to show that India's voting machines could be compromised. But incredibly, they did not give him access to a machine to prove this. Prasad's team managed to acquire an EVM from a source in Maharashtra earlier this year, and soon proceeded to expose the security flaws in EVM. Many leading opposition politi-

cal leaders including L.K.Advani, Chandrababu Naidu, Prakash Karat, Jayalaitha, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Bal Thackery, and others observed to their horror that EVMs could be tampered with. Since then Hari Prasad has been constantly harassed and hounded by the shenanigans of Indian

Chandrakant Patel, OFBJP Organizing Secretary denounced the shameful arrest of Prasad who stood for strengthening the democracy in India. OFBJP has questioned if the government of India and ECI, have something to hide vis-a-vis 2009 general election results Government and Election Commission of India (ECI). However, on August 21, Prasad was hastily arrested by Hyderabad sleuths and moved to Mumbai on the unsubstantiated charge that the EVM he used for demonstrating its vulnerabilities

was "stolen" whereas the facts reveal that it was provided by a Maharashtra official for research purposes. Dr. Adapa Prasad, President of OFBJP said that this is a deliberate attempt on part of the Government and ECI to suppress the voice of whistleblowers who are exposing the flawed EVMs due to which the 2009 general election results might have been decided fraudulently in favor of a certain party. Jayesh Patel, OFBJP President Elect said that this act of arresting a genuine researcher is reminiscent of Emergency days during which people were arrested on false charges. Chandrakant Patel, OFBJP Organizing Secretary denounced the shameful arrest of Prasad who stood for strengthening the democracy in India. OFBJP has questioned if the government of India and ECI, have something to hide vis-a-vis 2009 general election results. On behalf of the Indian American community the OFBJP has asked the immediate release of Prasad and adoption of the ballot paper system to provide transparency, and traceability and restore faith in the much acclaimed India's electoral process and democracy.

India Post News Service

NEW YORK: As the flood situation in Pakistan continues to worsen, United Sikhs, the Sikh humanitarian and advocacy group is going all out to provide relief aid to the many affected Sikh and Hindu families. Flash floods have affected Sikh and Hindu communities severely in Sindh and Balochistan. There are approximately 300 Sikh and 700 Hindu families in Kashmore (Sindh), 500 Sikh families in Jacobabad city, 200 Sikh families in District Sukkur, some Sikh families in Ghotki city and 2000 Sikh and Hindu families in Tehsil Jatpat, and Dera Aallah Yaar city of Jaffarabad district of Balochistan. According to United Sikhs most houses in these areas are washed away forcing hundreds of Sikh and Hindu families from here have to flee to Gurdwara Panja Saheb (Hasan Abdal), Gurudwara Janamasthan Nankana Saheb (district Nankana Saheb) and Gurdwara Dera Saheb Panjvih Pathshahi (Lahore). The Gurdwara Saheb, Guru Nanak Shah in Dera Allah Yaar, constructed by the local Sikh

sangat now remains submerged in the water. The local sangat has taken the Guru Granth Sahebji to Quetta city in Balochistan and is in the safe residential quarters of the Sikhs, the organization said. Sikhs and other minority communities are migrating from all over the country to Panja Sahib Gurdwara and their number is swarming gradually. Currently over 100 Sikh families from Kashmor, Jacobabbad of Sindh have taken shelter in Gurdwara Panja Saheb. The United Sikhs Aid Humanitarian Relief team is distributing emergency survival relief kits to those affected by the floods in Nowshehra, Peshawar, Charsadaa, Bunner and the Swat Valley. The emergency survival kit and the food-item kits lasting for 2 weeks each are costing $50, for a family of 7-10 for 2 weeks. United Sikhs is preparing these kits and distributing them to the 500 more affected families this week in Nowshera, Peshawar, Charsadda and Swat Valley. United Sikhs will also provide food supplies to flood affected people in Gurudwara Sri Punja Sahib and other cities of Pakistan.

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PM rejects charges that N-bill would benefit US cos. NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described the Nuclear Liability Bill as completion of journey to end apartheid against India in the field of atomic power and rejected allegations that the proposed legislation was designed to benefit American interests. Making an intervention during the debate on the bill in the Lok Sabha, Singh asserted that atomic power was the "viable" option which could not be ignored and the legislation would enable India to widen this option by undertaking nuclear commerce with the world. "I categorically state that this bill is a completion of journey to end the nuclear apartheid which the world had imposed on India," he said as he sought "unanimous" support for the bill in the House. On allegations that the bill was aimed at benefiting US companies, Singh said "To say that this has been brought to promote American interests, to promote American corporations, I think, this is far from the truth." He said such charges against him were not new as he had faced these even in 1992 when he presented the Budget as the then Finance Minister. Pointing out that senior BJP leader L K Advani was aware of it, Singh said the whole opposition, with a few exceptions, demanded his impeachment claiming that the budget had been prepared in the US. "To say we have anyway compromised India's national interest will be a travesty of facts," Singh said apparently addressing the Left parties which have alleged that the bill had been drafted to

suit American companies. "History will be the judge," the Prime Minister said as he pointed to the economic reforms initiated in 1991 when he was the Finance Minister. He said it had contributed to making the country "what Jaswant Singhji called as resurgent India". Referring to questions as to

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If nuclear energy is a viable option, India must be able to use it. Development is the act of widening the development options that are open to the country. Beyond coal and hydel energy, nuclear energy is the option,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he said whether nuclear power is a viable option, the Prime Minister said it is the preferred option as it is clean. "What the government has done is to create more opportunities to meet such options," he said noting that hydel and coal offer limited options as there were concerns regarding climate change.

"Nuclear power is an option which we should simply not ignore," Singh said. He said technology is not constant and was moving fast. "I cannot predict what future holds for us." Noting that the government was doing "everything" to ensure safety of nuclear plants, Singh said utilization of nuclear energy was a serious issue that could not be ignored. "I do agree with Jaswant Singhji that utilization of nuclear energy is a serious issue and it cannot be ignored. Therefore, all actions leading to use of nuclear energy should be done with utmost care. I fully share his concern," he said. Noting that Atomic Energy Regulation Board (AERB), an independent entity was seized of the safety issues, Singh said India had 40 reactors without a single accident, which was "a testimony" to the scientists' abilities. "If nuclear energy is a viable option, India must be able to use it. Development is the act of widening the development options that are open to the country. Beyond coal and hydel energy, nuclear energy is the option," he said. The Prime Minister said the UPA government had pursued the bill with determination, but the process of having a civil nuclear deal with the US was started in 1999, he said without naming the NDA that was in power then. He said he had gone through the files of the Atomic Energy Commission and found that lots of scientists had concluded that India needed nuclear energy. "We were not in power then.-PTI

US, India move forward on energy security cooperation India Post News Service

NEW YORK: In furtherance of the Indo-US understanding to enhance cooperation on energy security, energy efficiency and climate change, the two countries signed an Agreement for Cooperation on Joint Clean Energy Research Development Center for joint research. Indian Ambassador Meera Shankar and Daniel Poneman, Deputy Secretary of Energy, US Department of Energy initialed the Agreement for Cooperation on a Joint Clean Energy Research and

Development Center in Washington DC on Aug 20. The Center will facilitate joint research and development by teams of scientists and engineers from the US and India on clean energy and related joint activities, needed to deploy clean energy technologies rapidly with the greatest impact. The areas of cooperation would include energy efficiency of buildings, smart grids, unconventional natural gas, second-generation bio fuels, clean coal technologies and solar energy. Both Governments would provide funding for the ac-

tivities to help ensure long-term and stable financial support to achieve the objectives of the Center. Private industry and academia in both countries are also expected to provide additional resources. This Agreement is a significant step forward in strengthening cooperation between the two countries in an area of increasing national and international priority. Technology breakthroughs will be critical in achieving energy security in a clean and sustainable manner and the Joint India-U.S. Research Centre could be a valuable catalyst in the process.

Singh emerges stronger after passage of N-bill: US media WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has emerged politically stronger after the passage of the Nuclear Liability Bill which will enable US companies to compete with state-run European rivals for the whopping USD 100 billion Indian investment in the nuclear energy sector. The passage of the bill has demonstrated Singh's resolve to push the deal through ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit to India later this year, US media said. Describing it as a personal victory for Singh, The Wall Street Journal said that the bill will pave the way for much needed foreign investment in India's crucial nuclear energy sector. "If the bill is passed by the upper house of parliament as expected, it will start to open the door for overseas companies such as GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy (formed by Hitachi Ltd. and General Electric Co.), Westinghouse Electric Co. and Areva SA to sell reactor technology and fuel to India at a time when the country is fast increasing its power-generation capacity to meet a huge gap in supply and demand," The Journal said. The Lok Sabha had passed the Civil Liability for the Nuclear Damages Bill after government dropped the contentious provi-

sion of "intent" in case of accidents, ending months of wrangling between treasury benches and the Opposition. "Passage of the nuclear bill was a personal victory for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who forged a deal in 2008 giving India access to international nuclear technology, ending isolation imposed after it tested a nuclear weapon in the late 1990s," reported the Los Angeles Times. "The Obama administration, having convinced many US allies that India was a reliable nuclear power that would not contribute to the proliferation of weapons, reportedly sought passage of the bill in advance of the President's trip," the daily said. "The passage by the Lok Sabha - House of the People ahead of a scheduled November visit by President Obama is seen as a personal victory for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who signed the landmark civilian agreement with President (George W) Bush in 2008," said The Washington Times. America's General Electric Co and Westinghouse Electric Corp are among the foreign energy suppliers that stand to gain a share of India's civilian nuclear business, estimated as possibly reaching USD 150 billion a year, it said.-PTI

PM must raise Bhopal issue on Obama's visit BHOPAL: BJP chief Nitin Gadkari has demanded that the Centre takes up the issue of 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy with US President Barack Obama during his forthcoming visit to India. "I call upon the Government to raise the issue of Bhopal Gas Tragedy with the US President during his visit to India. Though the Prime Minister did not take it up during his last visit to the US, he will get another chance to do so this time," Gadkari told reporters. "The PM should take up the issue with full vigor and seek his cooperation in extradition of those responsible for the tragedy," he said, adding or else the Opposition leaders during their courtesy meet will certainly raise the issue with the visiting dignitary. Gadkari also demanded a "white paper" on the disaster. Advocating for enhanced

compensation to the tragedy victims, he said they must get at least Rs 5,000 crore so that the survivors are rehabilitated properly. He said 26 years have passed since the tragedy, killing over 20,000 people and maiming other five lakhs, but till date no one has been held responsible for it. Praising Madhya Pradesh Government for constituting a judicial commission to probe the circumstances in which those responsible for the tragedy were allowed to leave the country without any liability, Gadkari demanded that the truth behind the entire episode should be made public. "Congress governments and its present leadership have to make public the deal, that was struck for the safe passage of then Union Carbide Corporation CEO Warren Anderson," Gadkari demanded.-PTI

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Oppn attacks govt on Kashmir, divided on autonomy NEW DELHI: Concerned over the situation in Kashmir, Opposition parties attacked the government over its handling of the affairs related to the state but were divided on the question of granting autonomy to the state. While BJP was strongly against grant of autonomy and even questioned whether the government was going to discuss it, Left parties favored political and economic package including "broadening of framework of autonomy within the sovereignty of Indian constitution". Initiating the debate on situation in Jammu and Kashmir which has been witnessing violence for over two months, CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said the central government's policies with regard to the state had "not succeeded". He said there was a sense of alienation among people of Kashmir and had "genuine grievances" which need to be addressed through immediate "pro-active" measures. "I don't want to use to word failed, it is too hard. I don't want to embarrass the government, it is already embarrassed," he said while contending that Kashmir has been "on fire" for a pretty long time. Alleging that the "state is insensitive towards Kashmir", Dasgupta said, "People of Kashmir must get their due. They must be able to feel a part of the country." Contending that "tension so high" in Kashmir could not be "artificially" created, he said he did not dispute that "strings" of stone-pelters may be pulled from across the border but it could not happen if there were "no genuine grievances" among the people of Kashmir. "I am not ready to accept that every act of protest is an act of hooliganism," Dasgupta said. He said the "disconnect between the ruled and the rulers" in Jammu and Kashmir is widening, which was unfortunate in a democracy. Referring to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, he said the "young man has been promoted" but the "change of guard does not automatically lead to change of policy". BJP leader M M Joshi referred to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's announcement that the government was ready to hold dialogue on political issues and wondered whether this meant discussion on demands for "independence" or "autonomy". He wanted to know what the "genuine grievances" of people of Kashmir were when the central gov-

ernment was giving 11 per cent of resources to a state having only one per cent of national population. Joshi said it was not true that people of Kashmir had "economic problems" as he had only heard demands for "independence" and "autonomy". Addressing the government, he asked, "Will this be the basis of your dialogue? If you say yes, say

He said there was a sense of alienation among people of Kashmir and had ‘genuine grievances’ which need to be addressed through immediate ‘pro-active’ measures. it openly. If you say no, say so." Joshi said the government should tell the people of Kashmir bluntly that demands for "independence or autonomy are not acceptable." This triggered a strong protest from National Conference member Sharif-ud Shariq, who asserted

that his party would not relent till autonomy is granted. He also targeted BJP, saying it had created problems in Kashmir, sparking a clash with the members of the main opposition party who retaliated. Shariq's party colleague Mehboob Beg also attacked BJP for its strong views on Kashmir. In view of the uproar that disrupted Joshi's speech, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj said every member should be allowed to air his views. "This House reflects different perceptions," she said, adding if NC members disagreed with Joshi's views, who was representing BJP, they would get an opportunity to register counter-point. "The House is discussing a serious issue....This discussion is being watched not only in the country but even abroad," Swaraj said after which normalcy was restored. Referring to government's "quiet dialogue" which was disrupted in December last year, Joshi questioned what it was about and with whom it was being held. "You did not tell Parliament... Now tell us with whom you were talking. Was it (hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah) Geelani or

Hurriyat or LeT," he said addressing the government. On Home Minister P Chidambaram's contention that it was disrupted after one of the interlocutors was shot and injured, Joshi said, "You should have realized then that people there do not want dialogue." Asking the government to unveil roadmap for Kashmir solution,

The BJP leader said the central government had given Rs 94,000 crore to Jammu and Kashmir over last 60 years but it was not reaching people because of corruption he warned that grant of autonomy would lead to such demands from North East too. Turning to government's contention that Kashmir issue has external dimensions too, Joshi asked whether the government would involve Pakistan in the dialogue to address current trouble in the

PM for non-lethal ways to deal with protests in J-K NEW DELHI: In the backdrop of death of over 60 people in Kashmir, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called for non-lethal methods to deal with public agitations and ordered establishment of a high-powered task force to make recommendations within three months on the issue. "We need to revisit standard operating procedures and crowd control measures to deal with public agitations with non-lethal, yet effective and focused measures. We also cannot have an approach of one size fits all," Singh said. Addressing the three-day Conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police here, the Prime Minister said he would ask the Home Minister P Chidambaram to establish a highpowered task force to come out with recommendations on nonlethal crowd control measures in the next two to three months. Singh said despite militant activities in the State being curtailed, the public order dimension

has become a cause of serious concern. His comments came against the backdrop of security forces in J and K facing flak for the killing of 63 civilians in police action to quell violent protesters since June this year.

Singh said the growing inter-linkages of destabilizing and criminal forces, across states and across our borders, call for far greater vigilance and coordination He said that instead of single standard sequence for the use of force, other countries have put in place procedures that vary according to the situation. Citing the experience of Rapid Action Force for non-lethal crowd control which has been success-

ful, he said it should be examined for being followed by other police forces also. Noting that policing in the country has become increasingly complex over the years, he said, "of late the growing presence of non-state actors, fundamentalist groups and left wing extremists has further complicated matters." Singh said the growing interlinkages of destabilizing and criminal forces, across states and across our borders, call for far greater vigilance and coordination between the security agencies than ever before. The Prime Minister said after a relative lull in 2009, the challenges to country's internal security seem to have re-emerged in more virulent forms. "While we have made good progress in terms of recruitment and setting up of better institutional arrangements for intelligence, investigation, coastal security and counter-terrorism, the problems we face remain daunting," he said.-PTI

Valley. He emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India because "it is a Constitutional fact, it is a historical fact and it is a geographical fact." Joshi also contended that security forces, including local police, were a demoralized lot in Kashmir as they do not want to perform duties in their localities. The BJP leader said the central government had given Rs 94,000 crore to Jammu and Kashmir over last 60 years but it was not reaching people because of corruption. He said two committees had been set up earlier by the central government to assess developmental needs of the state but nobody knows what happened to their recommendations. Girija Vyas (Cong) said some forces tried to spread communalism in Kashmir Valley hampering the task of building confidence and bringing peace there. She defended the economic package to the trouble-torn state and asked the union government to pay more attention to the state and fill the gap between promises and delivery. "I appeal to the misguided youth of Kashmir to give up violence... The civil society should also come forward and show the right path to the youth," Vyas said. The Congress leader argued that first the storm in the state had to be dealt with and only then development can take place. Some wrongs have been committed in Kashmir, she said. Employment is a big issue in the state, she pointed out. Emphasizing that dialogue was the only way to solve the problem in Kashmir, Vyas said nobody should doubt the intentions of the Centre as it was "putting its heart and head" into solving the problem. Shailendra Kumar (SP) said 872 cases of violence were reported since June in Kashmir. "Since there is high unemployment there, kids are given Rs 500 per day for stone pelting. Kids and women are put forward and our security forces cannot do anything as they have to be cautious," Kumar said. He maintained that 63 civilians had been killed in recent violence in Kashmir and there was a need to take tough measures to solve the problem there. Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said the problem in Kashmir would not have occurred had the country not been partitioned. Union Minister Farooq Abdullah intervened during Yadav's speech to correct him. Abdullah said in 1987 the Hizbul Mujahideen representatives managed by forces in POK - were losing the elections.-PTI

September 3, 2010

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Rahul Gandhi visits Vedanta site, backs tribals LANJIGARH, Orissa: Making a visit here against the backdrop of the Centre rejecting environment clearance for the bauxite mining project of Vedanta, Rahul Gandhi hailed the decision as a victory for tribals of the area and vowed to fight for their cause. "True development takes place by respecting interests of the poor and tribals and not by muffling their voice," he said refuting charges that Center's action in negating bauxite mining in Niyamgiri was against development and progress. Two days after the Union Environment Ministry rejected environment clearance to UK-based Vedanta's USD 1.7 billion bauxite mining project in the Nyamgiri hills citing serious violation of forest and environment laws, Gandhi arrived here on a brief visit to show solidarity with the tribals. Addressing a tribal rally marking "Adivasi Adhikar Diwas" (Rights Day) in Jagannathpur village at the foothills of Niyamgiri hills close to Vedanta's alumina refinery, he said he would he would be their "soldier" in Delhi and continue their fight. "In my religion, all are equal -whether it is rich or poor, dalits or adivasis. Wherever an individual's voice is being stifled, that is against my religion," he said addressing the tribals but made no direct reference to the Vedanta project. There has been criticism of the project to mine bauxite in the tribal dominated hills which the locals

and the activists say would de- and that it is being destroyed. prive them of their livelihood. They worshipped the hills as their "This is your victory. It is a vic- God with utmost devotion. It was tory of your voice, it is a victory their sole source of livelihood. of the adivasis," Gandhi said to The voice of the tribals was the loud cheers of the assembled sought to be muffled in a bid to gathering which shouted slogans hailing him. Citing examples of Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and New Delhi, he said development in Congress-ruled states was taking place rapidly by hearing the voice of the poor and weaker sections. Reaching out to the tribals, Gandhi said though he extended constant support, the tribals of bauxite-rich Niyamgiri have During his visit to the Lanjigarh area of Orissa, tasted victory by Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi came out in support of the Niyamgiri tribalsĂ fight against saving their land, mining in their area habitat and rights through their own peaceful battle. undertake mining activities in Maintaining that his job as a Niyamgiri and give pace to develsoldier of tribals was not over, he opment at the cost of the poor, said it was only a beginning as he the Congress general secretary along with Prime Minister said. Manmohan Singh and Congress "Then I had told you, though I President Sonia Gandhi would stay in Delhi, I will be there to procontinue to fight for the rights and tect your voice....I am here to say interests of the tribals. . that your voice has reached Delhi Recalling his visit to the area and you have saved your land. I in the year 2008, Gandhi said a was with you. Whatever I could group of Advasi youth had told do, I have done," he said. him then that the hill is their God Rejecting the criticism that

Center's decision to deny environment clearance was against development, Gandhi said in the name of development, rights of adivasis were being suppressed. "It is not development when rights of the poor is taken away. Development means to take everybody on board. We are for development, we will fight for development, we will fight for your voice," Gandhi said. Noting that there exists "two 'Indias': one for the rich whose voice reaches everywhere and the second one is poor man's India whose voice is hardly been

heard," Gandhi promised to be on the side of the tribals in their fight for justice. "I am your foot soldier. My job is not yet over. It has just begun. Whenever you need me, wherever I am, I am ready to be with you," he said. Those seeking to pursue industrialization must realize that development cannot be achieved by snatching away the rights and land of the poor, he said adding it was the UPA government which sincerely heard and honored the voices of the poor tribals of Niyamgiri. -PTI

Rahul lacks charisma to appeal to all sections: BJP BHOPAL: BJP President Nitin Gadkari has said Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi did not have the charisma to appeal people from all sections of the society. "I do not subscribe to the view that Rahul has a charisma which appeals to all kinds of people in the society," the BJP president told a press conference at the party's Madhya Pradesh office. "If only Rahul had some charisma, the Congress would not have lost assembly elections in those states where he had campaigned extensively," he said. Gadkari said though he had also toured 24 states all over the country and spent 48 days there,

he had not received any media coverage. The BJP president said he was not worried with the fact that Congress was projecting Rahul Gandhi as the future Prime Minister of the country. "It is the internal matter of the Congress to decide whom it wants to project as the Prime Minister," he said. Gadkari said he had risen from an ordinary party worker to be the BJP President and added that such a thing was not possible in the Congress. "In the Congress, only someone from the Nehru-Gandhi family can aspire to be the party president," he said. -PTI

BACKHAND: Fans take pictures of Sania Mirza outside the venue and (left) Sania in action at US Open in New York. Pics: Snaps India

Desi News Groom rides elephant in Beverly Hills

COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA

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Amb Meera Shankar graces I-Day celebration in LA

Indian American elected Vice-Mayor of Long Beach India Post News Service

Lions Club of Little India team installed India Post News Service

The new Team of The Lions Club of Little India, for the Lionistic Year 2010-11, was installed by the District Governor Lion Khan Kayum. Cypress Mayor Dr Prakash Narain was the Chief Guest, while Artesia Mayor Tony Lima was the special Guest of Honor. The District Governor installed Dilip Butani as the President. Others installed were Ramesh Ramnani and P.K.Nayak as the Secretaries; Ajay Khetani and Vijay Patil as the Treasurers. Details on page 14

Presenting ëCalifornia Dreamsí

JS BEDI India Post News Service

Sherman for facilitating the ambassador's trip to Los Angeles. Inder Singh, co-founder of India Association and International Chairman of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) said that Ambassador Shankar's participation in India Independence celebration in Southern California is historic event. He also recalled some historical events as

Bobby Kumar

Amb. Meera Shankar

nity protested against retroactive enforcement of the new rules. “The government of India promptly relented and relaxed the rules. However, there are thousands of former Indian nationals who do not have their Indian passport and are refused visa and other consular services. Refusing to renew their visa is injustice no matter how you look at it. I urge you to

help in this matter," said Singh. In introducing Congressman Brad Sherman, Inder Singh said, "In her first trip to India in July 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed to supply $10 billion in nuclear energy products for two nuclear energy plants in India.

Inder Singh sought help from the ambassador in resolving the issue of visa for those who have become US citizens but have lost their passport chief guest at the Valley celebration of India Independence Day. Raman Chadha, Chairman of India Association of Los Angeles (San Fernando Valley), interrupting the well organized cultural program, welcomed the attendees and introduced Bobby Kumar, President of the association who while welcoming the ambassador, thanked Congressman Brad

regards Indian community in Southern California. Inder Singh sought help from the ambassador in resolving the issue of visa for those who have become US citizens but have lost their passport. "Ambassador Shankar, in early May, your government introduced new requirements for the grant of visa. GOPIO and the overseas Indian commu-

Inder Singh and Raman Chadha

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Amb Meera Shankar graces I-Day celebration in LA Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 10

President Obama, our presidenttook more than one year to authorize American companies to supply the equipment when India is ready to buy. With $10 billion from India, prompt decision by the president could have created a few thousand badly needed jobs in America. If India is strategic partner of the United States, then India should also be treated as a partner and friend. After all, that money was there to help our economy." Inder Singh also thanked the organizers and said, "I salute the volunteers of India Association who have devoted countless hours to organize the event and have made it possible for all of us to enjoy the festivities." Bobby Kumar presented to the ambassador a book on Indian community in Southern California, California Dreams - India Shining in the land of Hollywood. The book was signed by all the members of

Kumar & Mrs Jawa

vited association president Bobby Kumar and Inder Singh and presented American flag to Ms. Meera Shankar. Ambassador Meera Shankar in her address greeted the guests and congratulated the community for its success. She then went on to speak about community issues

Presenting the flag

Lankan diplomat Jeff Gunawerdana. He spoke on IndoSri Lankan relations. Bollywood star Koena Mitra too addressed the audience urging them to stand up and chant Jai Hind. What sets this Mela apart from the others similar Melas in So Cal

gressmen, Indian Ambassador, or the Indian CG. IALA has set an example for other community organizations to emulate The celebrations continued till midnight. The cultural program coordinated by Payal and Raman Chadha showcased India's rich

displaying variety of products or promoting services; restaurant owners delighted the visitors with mouth watering dishes, boutique shops demonstrated the latest design in women apparel and probably made good sales, others put themselves in front of the prospective valley customers, a great way to advertise.

Instead of getting Bollywood "Have Beens" as chief guest it would be better to get somebody with whom the community interacts on a regular basis - Congressmen, Indian Ambassador, or the Indian CG

The dignitaries

the Executive committee. Congressman Sherman spoke on Indo- US relations. He then in-

including the visa related problems. Also present was senior Sri

The NY Life booth

A view of the crowds

is that whilst the other melas end up flaunting the Bollywood unemployed, the IALA, in total contrast, got the Indian Ambassador as the chief guest. Yes, Ambassador Meera Shankar flew in all the way from Washington DC to attend the celebrations. This is a huge achievement and the IALA team deserves a standing ovation. As for the Bollywood unemployed, the very fact that they have time to prance around in these melas is an indication of how busy they are in their film careers. Also huge sums of money are paid to these actors plus the cost of their travel etc. People by and large think this to be a big waste. Instead of getting Bollywood "Have Beens" as the chief guest it would be better idea to get somebody with whom the community interacts on a regular basis - Con-

heritage of classical dances, the new wave of film song-and-dance and ever popular folk dances. There were over eighty booths

The enthusiasm, the hard work and the missionary zeal of the organizing team under the leadership of Bobby Kumar was visible during the event. The presence of large no. of people at the function, clearly demonstrated that the community appreciated the efforts of volunteers who willingly devoted countless hours to organize the event.

Koena Mitra

India Post

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Groom rides elephant in Beverly Hills wedding India Post News Service

BEVERLY HILLS, CA: For the first time in history, Beverly Hills closed off two blocks of streets to allow a traditional Indian baraat! On July 31, Tai, an 8,800 lbs elephant walked down the streets of Beverly Hills as tourists and onlookers watched Rohit Mehta (the groom) being transported to the Beverly Wilshire hotel to wed his bride (Payal Sharma). The baraat, which was accompanied by dhol players and Bhangra dancers as well as over 50 other relatives and friends all the way to the ceremony site, was televised by NBC, ABC, FOX, and Univision.

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September 3, 2010

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Groom rides elephant in Beverly Hills wedding

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Indian American elected ViceMayor of Long Beach India Post News Service

LONG BEACH, CA: On Tuesday, July 27, members of the Long Beach City Council unanimously selected Suja Joseph Lowenthal, representative of the Second Council District as the City's Vice Mayor. Lowenthal has been a member of the City Council since 2006, where she has championed issues to increase parking, promote a culture of bicycling, reduce noise pollution, improve air and water quality, increase international business with the Port of Long Beach, revitalize downtown and become a more sustainable city. As Vice Mayor, Lowenthal is responsible for facilitating City Council meetings and representing the City of Long Beach at special events, when the mayor is unable to attend. Originally from Kerala, India, Lowenthal came to the United States with her family at the age of seven. She went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in Economics from UCLA, a Master's in Business Administration from California State University, Los Angeles and a Doctorate in Policy, Planning and Development from USC. In 2001, Suja was elected to rep-

resent the 3rd District of the Board of Education in Long Beach Unified School District. During her five years on the Board, Suja led the effort to create safe and secure schools, reduce the achievement gap for minority students and

Lowenthal has been a member of the City Council since 2006, where she has championed issues to increase parking, promote a culture of bicycling, reduce noise pollution, improve air and water quality & increase international business with the Port of Long Beach get children off of buses and back into their neighborhood schools. In 2003-04, Long Beach Unified School District was recognized as the best urban school district in the nation by the Broad Foundation. In 2008, Vice Mayor Lowenthal

Harry Sidhu earns endorsement of Buena Park Mayor India Post News Service

ANAHEIM, CA: Buena Park Mayor Art Brown and Placentia Taxpayer Advocate Richard Faher have announced their endorsement of Anaheim Businessman Harry Sidhu for 4th District County Supervisor. "I am supporting Harry Sidhu for Supervisor because he shares my commitment to helping the people of North Orange County. Harry is a businessman who will bring needed jobs to our communities," said Mayor Brown, who received nearly 10,000 votes (16.2%) for County Supervisor in the June Primary Election. "I am endorsing Harry Sidhu. Harry is for pension reform; is tough on crime; believes in property rights; and will stand up to Republican Party bosses who continue to select very flawed candidates," declared Faher, a Placentia Republican and 4th District Supervisor June Primary Election candidate who also ran a strong race for State Assembly (13.3%) in last year's 72nd Assembly District Special Election. "I am humbled to earn the endorsement of these two respected

North Orange County community leaders," said Sidhu. "With the November run-off election approaching, my campaign is gaining growing support from 4th District residents who want a Supervisor with a proven record of creating jobs." A local business owner, Harry Sidhu has served nearly six years on the Anaheim City Council. Prior to winning election to the City Council in 2004, Harry worked as

‘I am supporting Harry Sidhu for Supervisor because he shares my commitment to helping the people of North Orange County’ a consulting engineer with Hughes Aircraft and other defense companies, before earning his real estate license in 1991. Harry moved to Anaheim in 1994 where he resides with his wife and two children. Harry has served as a Youth Soccer Coach, Community Advisory Board Member for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Anaheim, and Advisory Board Member for the Anaheim Family YMCA.

Lions Club of Little India team installed

led a delegation of government, education and business leaders on trade mission to India. The 25member delegation included representatives from the City of Long Beach, the Port of Long Beach, Los Angeles World Airports, and busi-

Lion President Dilip Butani and his Team Installed by the District Governor Lion Khan Kayum. India Post News Service

Suja Lowenthal

ness representatives from major corporations that included AECOM, Clean Energy, CSULB, KPMG, and Paramount Studios. Vice Mayor Lowenthal will be traveling to India to attend family weddings from August 25th through September 15th.

Friends of Pak appeal for aid India Post News Service

LOS ANGELES: Friends of Pakistan, the global organization for overseas Pakistanis, has issued a "Save a Life" appeal for the flood affected. The appeal says, "3.5 million children are at risk. The following medicines (over the counter) are urgently needed: 1- Allergy: Antihistamine (Benadryl etc.) 2- Fever reducer: Neproxen ( alleve etc.), Acetaminophen ( Tylenol, Excedrin etc.), Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin etc.) 3- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Ranitidine (Zantac 150) 4- Anti-Diarrheal: Bismuth Subsalicylate ( Pepto Bismol etc.), Loperamide Hydrochloride (Immodium etc.) 5- Skin Cream: Antifungal (lotrimin etc.), Hydrocortisone (Cortaid, cortizone etc.) 6- Cough Syrup: Robitussin 7- Others: ORS: Powdered sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade in Powdered form, packaged in individual packets. 8- Chlorine Tablets

he new Team of The Lions Club of Little India, for the Lionistic Year 2010-11, was installed by the District Governor Lion Khan Kayum. Cypress Mayor Dr Prakash Narain was the Chief Guest, while Artesia Mayor Tony Lima was the special Guest of Honor. The District Governor installed Dilip Butani as the President. Others installed were Ramesh Ramnani and P.K.Nayak as the Secretaries; Ajay Khetani and Vijay Patil as the Treasurers; Dr Manorama Sharma, Ramesh Bhatt. Kanti Shah, Hemant Shah and Nauzad Sadry as the vice-Presidents; Atul Ghadiali as Lion Tamer; Suni Kansara as Tail Twister and Dr Kailash Dhamija as

Chairman of Membership Committee. The Board of Directors installed included Uka Solanki, Venkatesh Hegde, Mahendra Kapadia, Balbir Singh, Ravji Patel, Tatiana Pavlova, Jhanak Chopra, Siddharth Pathak, Prakash Pancholi, Suresh Bhatti, Ashok Patnaik, Anita Advani, Tulsi Savani and Senjal Patel. Amrit Bhandari will be the immediate Past President. Amrit Bhandari began the ceremony with Flag Salutation followed by introduction of the new team by Dilip Butani and installation of the team by the District Governor. Khan Kayum. Mayor Dr. Prakash Narain welcomed the new team and wished them a successful year. Cont’d on page 20

Deepak Chopra, Narayana Murthy on Akshaya Patra board India Post News Service

BOSTON: The Akshaya Patra Foundation USA has announced the formation of an Advisory Board to help the organization achieve its next goal of feeding freshly prepared nutritious midday meals daily to 5 million deserving school children by 2020. Akshaya Patra reached its first

tations and unique insights, they will be valuable resource as Akshaya Patra strengthens and expands its operations and becomes a "Global Model" that is a catalyst for innovation. "Magic happens when accomplished leaders come together and challenge each other to raise the aspirations of the organization," said Desh Deshpande, chairman

‘Magic happens when accomplished leaders come together and challenge each other to raise the aspirations of the organization,’ said Desh Deshpande, chairman of the Akshaya Patra Board. The members of this newly created Advisory Board will provide strategic input milestone of serving one million children daily in 2009, ahead of schedule. Luminaries Deepak Chopra, founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, N. R. Narayana Murthy, Founder-Chairman of Infosys Technologies, Nitin Nohria, Dean of Harvard Business School and Fareed Zakaria, author, journalist and host of CNN's GPS are the first four to join the Advisory Board. With their global repu-

of the Akshaya Patra Board. The members of this newly created Advisory Board will provide strategic input, endorse the approach, and attract distinguished leaders to be a part of the organization and take it to the next level. "Akshaya Patra is a perfect example of what happens when creativity and compassion come together," said Deepak Chopra. Cont’d on page 20

Community Across America

September 3, 2010

NY News St Louis community's grand India Day

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Medstar Family opens new location & bids adieu to Attri

ASHWIN PATEL & GIRDHAR SHARMA

ST. LOUIS: India Association of St. Louis (IAS) hosted Independence Day Mela at the Mahatma Gandhi Cultural Center (MGC) on Sunday, August 15 to celebrate India's sixty three years of independence. Celebrating India's national holidays has become a tradition with the Indian community in the greater St. Louis region since the inception of the IAS in 1968. The celebrations started at 11 am with assembly of prominent members of the Indian-American community from the region. Details on page 18

Launching new Medstar facility in Hillside. CG Attri, Dorothy Brown Shri and Smt Naren Patel, Neal Patel Raj Patel and guests Asian Media USA

Endorsement of yoga in a Catholic publication India Post News Service

CHICAGO: Indians in Chicago, and across America have welcomed an article in "U.S. Catholic" magazine which said: "Yoga had completely transformed my Catholicism". Titled "Om-schooled: How Yoga can influence your Catholic prayer", this article, appearing in the September 2010 issue of the magazine, further says: "Catholics can take a lesson from the Hindu tradition of yoga when it comes to praying with body, mind, and spirit". Details on page 20

First-ever I-Day function in Milwaukee

HILLSIDE: Over two hundred invitees and guests gathered at the new location of Medstar Laboratory in Hillside for a grand opening and tour of the state of the art premises. Following the informative tour, Naren Patel, President and CEO of Medstar Laboratory, threw a farewell party for Chicago Consul General Ashok Kumar Attri and his wife, Usha Kiron Attri who left Chicago for Sweden on a new Indian governmental assignment. The reception included delicious Indian cuisine, an open bar, entertainment by DJ Nilesh and some karaoke by Jitu Balsara. Medstar Laboratory was taken over by the Patel family in 2001 and has since become a leader in the lab testing field. It was one of the first companies to send test results to physicians via secure Internet systems, which made communication with healthcare

botomists and 100 clerical, administrative and sales/marketing positions. With ample parking, comfortable conference rooms, exemplary lab equipment, a beautiful terrace, quick test results, dependable customer service, plus more, the newest Medstar addition aims

Members of Six Gam Patidar Samaj

Beena Patel welcomed the audience and introduced the event speakers including Neal Patel, Vice President of Business Development, and Raj Patel, Vice President of Operations, President Naren Patel, Brahmakumi Jyotsna, CG Attri and Clerk Brown.

Raj Patel spoke highly about Attri and Mrs. Attri, noting the relationship that developed in the last three years between the Attri and Patel families. He commended Attri for streamlining Consulate operations with a very supportive staff to meet high standard set in medical field besides pleasing medical professionals and patients alike. The event began with the ceremonial ribbon cutting by Naren Patel, Sumitra Patel, CG Attri, Usha Attri, Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown, Santosh

Neal Patel spoke about how Medstar first began marketing to new prospective clients. He spoke about how he and his brother, Raj, brainstormed new ideas to bring Medstar to its current level of cutting edge technology, and how Medstar has grown to new heights

Attri for streamlining Consulate operations with a very supportive staff and a new user-friendly website for the Consulate General's office. Naren Patel spoke of Attri's ongoing support for members of the Indian community and their organizations. He commended him for being the first Indian Consul General to speak at the Illinois House of Representatives. He ended his speech by saying, "I will not say goodbye or farewell to Attri even though this is a farewell party. We have had such a good relationship over the years. I will only give my best wishes and sayâ&#x20AC;Śsee you soon". He presented an appreciation plaque to Attri. Members of Vishwa Gujarat Samaj and Six Gam Patidar Samaj then presented CG Attri and his wife silver plaques commemorating their service in the Midwest. Brahmakumi Jyotsna spoke of

ANIL KANWAR

MedStar CEO presetting an Appreciation Plaque to CG Attri

providers more efficient and timely. The new state-of-the-art facility in Hillside is over 24,000 square feet. The laboratory currently employs 260 employees: 160 phle-

Kumar, and Raja Krishnamoorthi. Dr. Yash Amin then gave a tour of the state-of-the-art facility in its entirety, which was followed by a reception. The Master of Ceremonies,

Some of the guests including Chris Zala, Shri and Smt Pramod and Santosh Kumar, Kishore Chug with CG Attri and Clerk Brown

in just 9 years. Raj Patel spoke highly about Attri and Mrs. Attri, noting the relationship that developed in the last three years between the Attri and Patel families. He commended

Attri's dedication to the upliftment of the community. She offered her best wishes and prayers to the couple on their new endeavor. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 17

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Highway to American Citizenship, a guidebook for Gujaratis SURESH SHAH

CHICAGO: "Highway to American Citizenship steps to success" penned by Jaikrishan Patel in Gujarati was formally launched by two prominent community activists in Chicagoland Mafat Patel often described as Uncrowned King of Devon and Rohit Maniar, a noted banker. The event followed by celebration of Indian Independence day was held at Indo American center in Chicago Govindbhai Limbachia welcomed the guests, most senior citizens, and the author Jaikrishan Patel explained the salient features of the book and the purpose behind its publication. He pointed out that following a law passed in 1986 the benefits like payment of social security related to age or disability, health insurance like Medicare and Medicaid food stamps and other remuneration will be restricted to citizens only. It is important that all non-citizens should opt for citizenship. This book is specifically targeted to help Gujarati speaking seniors in the community, preparing for the required oral and written citizenship examination.

Govindbhai Limbachia and the author Jaikrishan Patel

Since English language is not learned or spoken by a good number of seniors, the process of acquiring citizenship remains very challenging To make the task easier, this book is published in Gujarati with explanation and translation in to easy to understand English. The book covers all essentials required for citizenship like citizenship eligibility criteria, how to fill out form N400, explanation of US constitution, history, geography and names of US Presidents and Vice

Following a law passed in 1986 the benefits like payment of social security related to age or disability, health insurance like Medicare and Medicaid food stamps and other remuneration will be restricted to citizens only

Book launching at Indo American Center in Chicago. Sitting Mafat Patel, Rohit Maniar and Lokanath Agarwal

Presidents etc. It has section of similar bilingual chapters to prepare one for frequently asked questions during the interview. The book is like a bible for those who are handicapped in English and want to learn important aspects of US as well as prepare for citizenship requirements. The book has 108 pages which is a vital number in Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. The author thanked Mafat Patel, Rohit Maniar and other donors to help defray the cost

of printing and transporting first 2000 copies of this book from India to Chicago. He also emphasized that gift of knowledge and love is priceless and grows exponentially for generations, if contributed with noble purpose. The author also welcomed donations for continuing to publication of this book in future. Mafat Patel announced distribution of book to all attending seniors amidst applause. Loknath Agarawal and Syed Hamid proposed a vote of thanks.

Seniors celebrating India Day. Singing National Anthem (Photo courtesy Suresh Shah and Asian Media USA)

Hundreds attend Jain Mandir Mela in Bartlett Asian Media USA

CHICAGO: Mela 2010 by the Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago (JSMC) to celebrate India's 64th Independence Day on August 15 in Bartlett, a north side Chicago suburb, turned out to be a huge success with over 1,400 people attending with families and friends. Many agreed that this was a very unique and nice way of celebrating India Day in a Chicago suburb. The grand opening of the event was a Dual Flag Ceremony -one of its kind in JSMC history. Guests of Honor Illinois State Senator John Milner and Shri Lokesh Muniji, Delhi, India blessed this event by lighting a lamp ("Mangal Deep") representing liberty and

Singing of National Anthem of US and India

unity. Vipul Shah, a front ranking JSMC activist, addressed the gathering by welcoming all attendees. He provided an overview of the Mela and walked through the various activities planned throughout the day. He pointed out that be-

The grand opening of the event was a Dual Flag Ceremony -one of its kind in JSMC history

Lighting of Lamp at Jain Mela, Seen in the picture Lokesh Muni, Sen John Milner and Jain Mandir officials

sides celebrating Indian Independence day, the purpose of the event was to make friends, have fun and great food, and bring unity among the community. Shri Lokesh Muniji in his speech showed his passion about

India's culture and its moral values. Followed by his blessings, the Indian Flag was unfurled by JSMC Pathshala students singing "Jana Gana Mana" Indian National Anthem. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 17

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Hundreds attend Jain Mandir Mela in Bartlett

Skokie Peace Month from Sept 11-Oct 10 Asian Media USA

Audience at Jain Mandir Mela (Pics courtesy Asian Media USA) Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 16

Senator John Milner, in his inaugural speech, started with "Vande Mataram" and talked about Indo-American unity and the history of the great nation of India. JSMC Chairman Prabodh Vaidya welcomed the crowd and talked about the future of the JSMC and how it can contribute to maintain both Jain values and Indian culture. President Atul Shah in his closing remarks welcomed and thanked everyone. The vendor fair was a major at-

traction of the Mela where 40 vendors from the Chicagoland area represented their business to local community. Overwhelming response from vendors and attendees made the fair a grand success. With over 12,000 Mela tokens sold, the Jain food stalls were a super hit. Everyone enjoyed over 25 Jain vegetarian Indian/Non-Indian dishes prepared and served by various JSMC community groups of volunteers. Mother Nature blessed the outdoor fun fair with beautiful sunshine and a cool breeze. Attendees were also able to

take advantage of the Photo Studio where they could take their pictures taken in front of a beautiful Temple background. Ladies enjoyed shopping, Mehndi, eyebrow threading etc. Rakhi stalls were busy vending Rakhis while the kids enjoyed playing variety of carnival type and outdoor games. Bingo, Karaoke, and Raffle rounds entertained and engaged the crowd as part of the live entertainment. The grand finale of the day was the cultural program with award winning performances by JSMC members.

SKOKIE: It was a unanimous decision of the part of Skokie Park District's Board of Commissioners to approve a resolution proposed by Mahatma Gandhi Trust (MGT) of Skokie, (a Chicago suburb,) to declare the month starting from September 11 to October 10, 2010 as Peace Month respecting the principle of non-violence preached by Mahatma Gandhi. The Commissioners at their regular meeting on Aug. 17 blessed the resolution as proposed by MGT, a registered as 501 (3) c, not for profit organization in the state of Illinois established in year 2001 by Omprakash Kamaria, Chairman, Mr. and Mrs. Satish and Mira Chander, trustee and Dr. Chandrakant M. Modi MD, trustee. Members of Skokie Park District present were Mr. Mike Reid, president, Jerry Clarito, vice president and Susan Aberman, Michael Alter and

Mureen Yanes, all Board of trustee. The organization's major achievement was in the year 2003 when an eight feet tall, larger than life, Mahatma Gandhi brass statue was installed in Skokie Millennium Park, located west of McCormick boulevard between Church and Dumpster street. Since year 2004, the organization with co-operation from local school districts, Skokie Public Library and Oakton Community college, has held yearly celebration around the time of Gandhi's Birthday on October 2nd, to propagate peace and harmony message. This year GMT plans to have celebration at statue on October 2nd and panel discussion at the Skokie Library at 5pm on Oct 5. Detailed plans will be announced shortly as GMT Chairman Omprakash Kamaria has invited suggestions and thoughts appropriate for the celebration.

Medstar Family opens new location & bids adieu to Attri Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 15

Attri thanked everyone for their support. He said, "I have been extremely privileged to be an ambassador for a timeless and great nation India". He talked about how the consulate's simple mission was to have up to date service, availability to all in equal measure and to run a transparent organization. He also praised the consulate staff and to observed the appreciation should rather go to the consulate staff as without their help he could not function the way that he did. He admired Naren Patel and

Surendra Ullal and Harish Rao add A group of Indian Americans in Chicagoland and Milwaukee led by Amrish Mahajan, Balwinder Singh, Darshan Singh and Raghu Nayak held a reception in honor of Indian CG Ashok Kumar Attri who was leaving Chicago after his three years stint as Consul General in Chicago. CG Attri's new assignment is as the head of Indian Diplomatic mission in Copenhagen, Sweden. Close to 150 members of the Indian community including businessmen and professionals attended the party held on Sunday

Dr Barai also paid compliment to CG Attri for his deft handling of the Consular job here and making a general observation he said that the Consul term should not be only three years but a good degree more - may be up to 10 years Mafat Patel for their contributions to the community here and back home in India over the years. He commended the Indian community of Chicago for their honesty, law-abiding nature, competence and professionalism. Clerk Brown ended the evening by saying the following about Ambassador Attri: "People are not here because you are the Consul General but here because they are your friends". She applauded him and Medstar Family for the unforgettable night. Farewell party at India House, Schaumburg

August 22 at India House in Schaumburg. Amrish Mahajan welcomed the guests and CG Attri. He spoke highly about the way the CG office functioned under his stewardship and wished him well in his new assignment. Beena Patel was an elegant emcee and she discharged her duty pretty well. Ms Santosh Kumar of MAFS praised CG Attri for his efficient handling of the Consulate affairs and mentioned that "small dissents here and there within the community over Consulate functioning " need to be overlooked as Indian community as a whole was a family.

She wished CG well in his new role in Sweden. Among other speakers were Dr. Bharat Barai, Balwantsingh Hansara and Nirav Virani, a young college student. Dr Barai also paid compliment to CG Attri for his deft handling of the Consular job here and making a general observation he said that the Consul term should not be only three years but a good degree more - may be up to 10 years. He also wished CG well as career diplomat in Sweden. Nirav Virani proposed a vote of thanks. Among those present were Bhima Reddy of Hindu Temple f

Greater Chicago, Sunil Puri, Satwan Singh Komal, Lakhwant Singh Komal, Kishore and Meena Purohit of India TV, Prashnt Shah of Tribune and host of other guests. Raghu Nayak, a host could

not make it because of family sickness, it was learnt. Attri in his speech thanked all those supported him during his stay in Chicago and spiked at some dissenting voices in the community.

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St Louis community's grand India Day ASHWIN PATEL & GIRDHAR SHARMA

Variety entertainment program by local artists

Koster expressed his admiration and respect for India as the largest democracy of the world. He had just returned after visiting several parts of India and narrated a delightful description of his incredible experiences in several cities and towns of India

his incredible experiences in several cities and towns of India. He concluded by acknowledging his affection for the country and that its diversity, charm and colorful cultural might has made him "fall in love with India". He concurred with the sentiments of famous American writer, Mark Twain for his fascination with India after his own visit to the country. The event was also attended by Judge Judy Draper (1st Asian-American judge in Missouri) along with her husband Judge George Draper. Koster then inaugurated a colorful fair (Mela) in the lower level of MGC after a ribbon-cutting cer-

Unfurling of Indian and American flags during Mela organized by IAC in St. Louis

lowed by hoisting of India's flag by IAS President, Girdhar Sharma. As the flags were raised, American and Indian national anthems were sung, by professional singers and accompanied by all present at the flag-hoisting ceremony. Attorney General Koster was introduced to the audience by

Sreenu Dandamudi, a renowned attorney from the region, recently appointed to the Administrative Hearing Commission. In his keynote address, Koster expressed his admiration and respect for India as the largest democracy of the world. He had just returned after visiting several parts of India and narrated a delightful description of

emony. The Mela exhibited eighteen stalls contributed by prominent businesses and local families and volunteers. This featured a variety of Indian food delicacies, jewelry, sarees, dresses, arts and crafts from different parts of India. On this day, several contests like drawing, essay-writing and math competitions for children;

Vendors at Mela

Ribbon cutting by Attorney General Chris Koster at IAC Mela

Variety entertainment program by local artists

photography and flower-arrangement competitions for adults were also conducted. Winners of each of these eight competition categories were awarded with certificates and giftawards sponsored by M&I Bank. Ms. Sharon Avila and Anand Sharma of M&I Bank presented

the awards and declared the raffle winners later in the cultural program in the evening. A vibrant cultural program was the grand-finale. More than a hundred performers ranging from 2 year-olds to adults, professional artists to amateurs and enthusiasts; participated in this patriotic, classical and folk themed cultural program that kept the auditorium packed with audience of about five hundred people spell bound for about two hours. Prominent dance-schools and choreographers from the region gave their performances in the event. The day ended with a heart warming instrumental and vocal recital of Indian national anthem performed by children. Independence Day Mela event was a huge success and through the day was attended by more than 700 St. Louisians of Indian origin.

September 3, 2010

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Best Teaching Award for Prof Anand Puppala India Post News Service

ARLINGTON, TX: Civil Engineering Professor Anand Puppala was among seven University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) faculty members honored with Outstanding Teaching Awards by the UT System Board of Regents for

Dr Anand Puppala

2009-10. The prestigious award recognizes faculty who deliver the highest quality of undergraduate instruction through a demonstrated commitment to teaching and who exhibit a promising future of excellence in all aspects of instruction. "I am truly happy to receive this prestigious award," said Dr. Puppala. "It not only recognizes my current teaching contributions, but also reminds me of my future responsibilities to maintain the same standards. I want to thank my students and colleagues as well as my family for their support and encouragement in this journey so far." Anand Puppala says the driving force behind his teaching is a desire to produce well-qualified, energetic engineers who will design and build the country's infrastructure. Puppala's research focuses on soil mechanics and foundation engineering. He has secured more than $7.5 million in external research grants for UT Arlington, including funds from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Texas Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Transportation Research Board and several others. Puppala was inducted into the UT Arlington

Sanghamitra organizes amazing Mathematricks ASHWIN PATEL

Academy of Distinguished Teachers in 2009 and has twice won his department's award for outstanding civil engineering instructor, an award made by students. Dr. Puppala published well over 200 papers and successfully guided 13 doctoral students and 33 master students. He is also an editorial board member of four prestigious civil engineering journals and delivered several keynote and invited lectures across the World. "It gives an immense pleasure to the local Indian American community especially Telugu community to know that Dr. A n a n d Puppala received this coveted award out of thousands of faculty in the entire UT System. Dr. Puppala, a Life member of TANA, actively participates in all local community activities and we wish him all the

The prestigious award recognizes faculty who deliver the highest quality of undergraduate instruction through a demonstrated commitment to teaching and who exhibit a promising future of excellence in all aspects of instruction best", said Prasad Thotakura, TANA Executive Vice-President. The UT System Regents awards program was established by the Board of Regents in August 2008 as the latest in a series of UT System-sponsored activities aimed at fostering innovative approaches to teaching, research and commercialization endeavors at all 15 UT System institutions. The Board of Regents gave 72 awards to faculty from 15 institutes this year to faculty.

ST. LOUIS: Sreenivasa Ramanujan Mathematricks club, organized by Sanghamitra (a non profit organization), presented Medhavadhanam 2010 in two different venues this year - On July 31st at Daniel Boone Library and on August 7 at Thornhill Library. Eight participants in the age group 8 - 15 kept over 60 audience spell bound by their quick responses to complex mathematics problems. Mrs. Chandra Rednam, a high school mathematics teacher, chief guest for the event, shared lots of interesting information about Mathematics like why do we call addition as 'addition', why do we represent slope with a letter 'm' etc. She shared the story of 'Srinivasa Ramanujan' and his achievements as the Mathematricks club is named after him.

Mathematricks participants

Srinivasa Ramanujan Mathematricks Club conducts classes every summer for two months, during which it shares knowledge including Vedic Mathematics, problem solving tech-

niques etc. Medhavadhanam is presentation of the skills by each participant followed by award ceremony. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 21

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Welcome endorsement of yoga in a Catholic publication India Post News Service

Sohan Joshi

Madhu Patel

Nand Kapoor

Bhailal Patel

Hinduism, in a statement in Nevada (USA), said that Yoga, referred as "a living fossil", introduced to the humanity by Hinduism, is a world heritage." Article, written by M.M.

certainly can benefit from a physical response to those things we point to as sacred. Our bodies can be used to bring our thoughts into line…But perhaps by learning from our Hindu brothers and sis-

Rajan Zed

Vinesh Virani

Jodh Singh Rawat

Virani, Bhanwar Joshi, Jodh Singh Rawat and scores of others - observed that Hinduism is not a religion but a way of life and it touches not only emotion but body, mind spirit and thinking. Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of

Hubele, further states: "…As Catholics we believe that externals matter. What we do with our bodies impacts what we experience within our souls. We might not be trying to rein in unruly thoughts so as to reach liberation, but we

ters we can rediscover an element of our tradition that is as old as the religion itself. Whether it's leaping with joy during worship or extending our arms during a benediction, letting our bodies form our prayer can breathe a

freshness into our faith. I may not be thinking of the mountain pose when I'm standing during Mass, but through my study of yoga I've come to rethink what I'm standing for." Yoga, the roots of which date back to Indus Valley civilization, was one of the six systems of orthodox Hindu philosophy. Codified in Yoga Sutra by Patanjali around 300 BCE, yoga was actually a mental and physical discipline by means of which the human-soul (jivatman) united with universal-soul (parmatman), Rajan Zed added. Swami Vivekananda reportedly brought yoga to USA in 1893. Some sages have described yoga as the silencing of all mental transformations, which leads to the total realization of the Supreme Self. Some have used yoga attempting to gain liberation by removing all sensory barriers. According to Patanjali, yoga is a methodical effort to attain perfection,

through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical. Yoga is based on an eightfold path to direct the practitioner from awareness of the external world to a focus on the inner. Ancient Hindu scriptures Upanishads were the first yoga writings and BhagavadGita (Song of the Lord), which is a comprehensive yoga-sastra (treatise on yoga), talks about karma yoga, jnana yoga and bhakti yoga, which are all part of the Yoga tradition. "U.S. Catholic", with Rev. John Molyneux as the editor, is an award winning magazine published by Claretians, a Roman Catholic religious community of priests and brothers who are dedicated to the mission of living and spreading the Gospel of Jesus. Claretian Publications in Chicago (USA) claims to be one of the country's most respected Catholic publishers of magazines and newsletters.

Lions Club of Little India team installed

Deepak Chopra, Narayana Murthy on Akshaya Patra board Cont’d from page 14

Mayor Dr Prakash Narain speaking. Lion President Dilip Butani is also seen Cont’d from page 14

Mayor Tony Lima also wished the new team a great incoming year. Ajay Khetani and Suresh Patil told the audience about the present and future projects of the Club, while Ramesh Ramnani pro-

posed a vote of thanks. The guests were entertained with a wonderful music program put forward by versatile Nauzad Sadry, Ami & Ajay Khetani, Sunil Kansara, Dr Kailash Dhamija and others. The meeting ended with a sumptuous dinner.

A public-private partnership, Akshaya Patra simultaneously addresses two of the most pressing challenges -hunger and access to education for children in India. One of the world's largest NGO run midday meal programs, it has scaled its operations exponentially in the last ten years and expanded its reach from 1,500 children in 5 schools to 1.2 million children daily in over 7000 schools from 19 kitchens in eight states. These meals serve as an incentive for children to come to school, stay in school and provide them with the necessary nutrients to focus on learning. "Akshaya Patra is a success story of hope, fairness, justice and opportunity for all children. A healthy and educated populace is the real strength of any country," said Narayana Murthy Akshaya Patra , one of the largest NGO run mid day meal

program is a public-private partnership. Launched modestly in Bangalore in 2000 feeding 1500 children, it has scaled its operations by designing the most innovative centralized kitchens that beckon imagination, combine good management with smart engineering, forge collaborations with government, corporations and individuals, and have brought together all those who share its vision - no child shall be deprived of education because of hunger. Technology and supply chains are leveraged with maximum efficiency to deliver freshly prepared nutritious meals to children at a fraction of the cost of other similar programs worldwide. With government support, $23 feeds two children for an entire school year. "Akshaya Patra is a success story of scale, efficiency and effectiveness," said Nitin Nohria. "The debilitating effects of lack of schooling and illiteracy need

to be addressed immediately. I applaud this public-private partnership that is aggressively addressing this important challenge facing India. " The meals provide an incentive for children to come to school, stay in school and provide them with the necessary nutrients they need to develop cognitive abilities and focus on learning. Akshaya Patra is a groundbreaking model that exemplifies how outstanding results can be achieved when the public sector, private sector and civil society work collaboratively. "Akshay Patra model is a global solution to reverse child hunger trends worldwide," said Fareed Zakaria. Madhu Sridhar, President and CEO of Akshaya Patra USA noted, "We will continue to add members with a stellar record of accomplishments as well as the compassion to help those who are marginalized in the world."

September 3, 2010

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Seniors celebrate I-Day & Raksha Bandhan

Anvita Mishra is South Asian Spelling Bee champ India Post News Service

Raksha Bandhan being celebrated by Seniors at Manav Seva Mandir Asian Media USA

Chicago: Monthly meeting of ISC held at Manav Seva Mandir on Saturday Aug. 14 was highlighted by celebration of 64th Independence Day and Raksha Bandhan festival. Over 165 seniors attended the gathering. Celebration started with prayer of Ganesh Struti followed by Hanuman Chalisa and three Bhajans. The singing of Bhajans

Sharad Shah, a guest speaker, shared meaningful information and history of tricolors of the flag, appropriate dimensions, proper practice to follow when flag is displayed and patriotic songs was highlighted by presence and participation of renowned singer artist Smitaben Shah who in the past has given performance on All-India Radio. Sharad Shah, a guest speaker, shared meaningful information and history of tri-colors of the flag, appropriate dimensions, proper practice to follow when flag is displayed and deeper significance of Ashoka Chakra of etc. Dr. Rasikbhai Shah next sur-

prised the audience by dressing in Indian soldier's grab and marched in Central isle. Every person enthusiastically joined him in singing National Anthem, followed by two minute silence in honor of those who has sacrificed their life in fighting for independence. Mrs. Pushpaben was honored next as surviving patriot who took part in Independence movement including marching with Gandhiji in famous "Salt" March. Hirabhai

Acharya Rohit Joshi addressing the gathering

Patel asked brothers and sisters present in audience to come forward and take part in ritual of Raksha-Bandhan ceremony. The ceremony was performed and blessed by respected priest Rohit Joshi. C.D. Desai next presented treasurer's report. Birthday celebration followed for those whose birthday was in the month of August. Delicious lunch was served by dedicated volunteers with a smile.

Lunch after the meet (photo courtesy Asian Media USA)

NEW JERSEY: Anvita Mishra of Lincoln, California, correctly spelled the word 'naumkeag' during the 2010 South Asian Spelling Bee finals to clinch the title of National Champion. During the event on August 14, which was taped live for broadcast on Sony Entertainment Television, Anvita Mishra along with 17 other finalists competed for the title. Sukanya Roy from South Abington, PA was the first runnerup and Sriram Hathwar from Painted Post, NY was the second runner-up. Eighteen top spellers from the nine regional centers gathered at North Brunswick High School Auditorium to battle it out for the title of champion and a $10,000 prize. It took a total of 17 grueling rounds of spelling words like gebrauchsmusik, hygrodeik and sdrucciola for the winner to emerge. The event was organized by leading South Asian advertising firm, Touchdown Media Inc. and was sponsored by MetLife. This year the Bee also welcomed Yatra.com, a leading travel company from India, as the Associate Sponsor for the event. "We are very pleased with the event this year and congratulate Anvita Mishra for becoming the best South Asian speller across the country. I am excited to see a girl bagging the title this year and congratulate all the finalists on an amazing job," says Rahul Walia, CEO, Touchdown Media Inc. and founder of the South Asian Spelling Bee. He also adds "This is a great

(L to R) MetLife brand ambassador Snoopy with Al Devji, Financial Planner with Devji Wealth Planning, an office of MetLife; the 2010 MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee National Champ Anvita Mishra posing with Rahul Walia, Founder of the South Asian Spelling Bee.

platform that helps children showcase their talent, hone their skill and inculcate a sense of discipline and discipline that will help in their overall development. I urge parents to take advantage of this unique contest next year." The Finals were co-hosted by 2009 champ, Akshat Shekhar and special guest Annamika Veeramani, Scripps 2010 Champion, who provided commentary throughout the contest. The champion received a $10,000 grand prize from MetLife along with the South Asian Spelling Bee trophy. "We congratulate all of the families who participated in the 2010 South Asian Spelling Bee," says Laurel Daring, assistant vice president of Marketing at MetLife. "As the title sponsor for the second consecutive year, we were excited to see hundreds of families come together once again for this fun, educational event, and to learn how to start planning for the rising costs of education."

The event was open to children up to 14 years of age and was held in 9 regional centers across the United States. These areas included, New Jersey, DC Metro area, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, New York, Boston, Los Angeles and the Bay Area. The contest was conducted in written and oral format at the regional levels which served as the elimination as well as selection process for the finalists. Jaideep Janakiram, Head North America, SET Asia commented, "Over the past three years, the South Asian Spelling Bee has been making an impact amongst the youth across the US. Sony Entertainment Television Asia is pleased to have been a part of it from the beginning and to be able to broadcast this event to audiences around the globe." The contest will be conducted annually in the June and July months and the 2011 schedule will be announced in October this year.

Sanghamitra organizes amazing Mathematricks Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 19

Various topics include 5th root of a number, Cube root of a number, 4 x 4 and 5 x 5 matrix solving, computing the day of the week given the Date, Month and Year, square of a number below 100, computing the recurring decimal places of fractions like 1/29, 1/59 etc. All these questions are answered spontaneously without using a calculator or paper-pencil or any computing aid. As an introduction, Sreenivasa Rao Ainapurapu, who conducted Srinivasa Ramanujan Mathematricks Club, explained the various activities handled by Sanghamitra and explained the meaning - Sangha means society and Mitra means friend - so the word 'Sanghamitra' means 'Friend

Members of the audience of Madhavashara meet

of a society'. He asked audience to become part of Sanghamitra by supporting families whom they think need help either by providing food or by donating books or clothes etc. at their comfort level. Later he explained about Vedic Mathematics, how the formulae were encrypted in the poems by

showing an example which reveals the value of ?(PI). Participating kids Neha Checka, Shikha Annem, Ayush Ajmani, Sruthi Ainapurapu, Sravya Ainapurapu, Veeren Vellanki, Rohith Perla and Mohith Nagaraj did a great job and left audience in an amazed state.

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Health Consortium celebrating Global Health Champions MOHAMMAED GHOUSE

CHICAGO: Global Health Service Providers, The Care and Share Foundation, the Ribbon Foundation, Science Health Allied Research Education (SHARE) and Human Development Foundation (HDF) announced hosting the Third Annual Global Health Champions Summit 2010 at Waterford Banquets in Elmhurst, on September 25, 2010. These US based organizations created the consortium to bring together their experience and dedication in promoting public health and development globally. Celebration would feature symposium on global health featuring presentations of work being done primarily in south Asia by

many leading academics followed by a gala dinner, entertainments and fundraising event This year the consortium's "Champion

Strengthening for the International Laboratory Branch of the Global AIDS Program in the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. Imtiaz is an

Celebration would feature symposium on global health featuring presentations of work being done primarily in South Asia by many leading academics followed by a gala dinner, entertainments and fundraising event of Global Health" award will recognize Dr. Rubina Imtiaz who has recently been appointed Associate Chief for Systems

internist by training, has worked on various public health programs at national and global levels in the past 25 years.

She has conducted several short term consultations for organizations including the World Bank, WHO, Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), USAID, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Ministries of Health in China, India and Pakistan amongst other nations. Dr. Imtiaz received her MBBS degree in 1980 from Lahore, Pakistan and completed the Internal Medicine specialization at Trenton Affiliated Hospitals (Hahnemann University) in 1984. Joe Anthony, Chairman of Public Relations, Care and Share Foundation said that GHC is a consortium of various charitable organizations having the common objectives for their charitable activities.

NCP launches North America chapter

NEW YORK: The Sharad Pawar led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-Sharad Pawar) launched its chapter in North America. The announcement was made at a press conference in New York City on August 23. The new chapter's General Secretary Lal Dadlaney, President Raj Sharma and the executive committee were present. The parent party's Chairman Sharad Pawar (a Cabinet Minister), Minister Praful Patel, P.A.Sangma NCP General Secretary, Tariq Anwar MP and a federal minister, party General Secretary Agatha Sangma and Deputy CM Maharashtra Chagan Bhujbal will be attending a two-day first National Convention of the North America chapter in New York on Sept 3 and (Pics: Mohammed Jaffer-SnapsIndia)

First-ever I-Day function in Milwaukee ANIL KANWAR

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin: India's 63rd Independence Day was celebrated by Indo-American Association of Wisconsin for the first time ever in Milwaukee on August 15 at the Oakcreek Community Center. In the morning, IAAW members put garlands on the statue of Mahatma Gandhi situated in front of Milwaukee County Court in downtown and paid their homage to Father of the Nation. In the evening, Rich Bolendar, Mayor of Oakcreek County, hoisted the Indian flag at a ceremony and congratulated the Indian community on Independence Day. Kanwarjit Singh Bawa welcomed the community joining the function. Chaman Singh Bawa, General Secretary and Beant Singh Boparai spoke on the occasion recalling the sacrifices of martyrs. The function started with the shabad 'Aval Allah Noor Upah, Koodrat ke Sab Bandhe' sung by Harchant Singh. Mahijit Virdi, Jyoti Anandh and Gurdeep Kaur sang patriotic songs and a group of Punjabi girls performed Bhangra. More than 500 people attended this function. Balbir Singh delighted the gather-

Indo-American Association of WisconsinĂs Members paying homage at Mahatma GandhiĂs statue

ing with Lagojaias (an Instrument) and with his patriotic songs. The program was sponsored by Aim Overseas Education & Immigrations Services, Bombay Sweets, Indian Bazaar, Taste of India and also in association with Sikh Temple of Wisconsin and Rangla Punjab. The members of the IndoAmerican Association, namely Kanwarjit Singh Bajwa-President, Parminder Singh Goldi-Vice Presi-

dent, Satwant Singh Bainsa, Chairman, Rattan Pal Mahey-Vice Chairman, Beant Singh Boparai-Treasurer, Chaman Singh Bawa-General Secy, Anil Kanwar-Media Director, Raghavendra KondapalliSpokesperson, Narinder Kumar, Kulwinder Sharma, Balbir Mahey, and Harjinder Singh Zindi thanked all the people who helped this organization financially and physically to make the event a success.

Girls performing Gidda

Balvir Singh Vir with his Lagojas Instrument

Members of Indo-American Association of Wisconsin thanking the public

Community Across America

September 3, 2010

India Post 23

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Teeyan Da Mela a big success

PHO Mela participants Asian Media USA

CHICAGO: Punjabi American Organization (PHO) recently held an entraining event and a successful "Teeyan Da Mela - 2010" (ladies festival) here on August 8. More then 500 girls and ladies attended this event including those from Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan. Event hall was packed with ladies and girls dressed in colorful Indian attire. Organizers of this event decorated the event hall with colorful clothes, flowers, and garlands. It appeared like rainbow. Various traditional Punjabi music instruments at the entrance presented a view of traditional Punjab in back home. The gathering of a huge crowd around the stalls of henna, bangles, facial makeup, and Indian dresses really gave the feelings of traditional Indian fair. At the entrance, the decorated swing caught the eyes of every one and reminded them of their beautiful

past. The event started with the traditional Punjabi dance "Giddha" where everybody participated. Host Ms. Parminder Hansra then invited participants of various items. The first item of group dance was performed by Nikita Arora, Ashna, Niveta Kanan, Anikta Ghosh, Manat, Muskan, and Amrita. Individual dance items were performed by Ena and Ela Shrivastva, Navi, Rupal, Nancy, Gagan, Jayoti, Akashdeep Kaur, Inderpreet, and Kamaljeet. Raunak Mela host Ms. Pammi Gill and Puja Dhaliwal from Milwaukee sang beautiful songs. Ms. Simmi Verma took charge as stage host by presenting Fashion Show which was sponsored by Pak Exclusive and organized by Miss Naina Walia. Participants of Fashion Show including Megna, Anmol, Sharnpreet, Yashpreet, Sharuti, Pria, Dia, Disha and Prianka showed their talent by

PHO members presenting a cultural program at Teeyan Da Mela

walking on the stage ramp. Punjabi Americans Organization is known for starting new traditions in Chicagoland. PAO added another milestone in its event items by introducing first ever "Punjabis Got Talent" in "Teeyan Da Mela - 2010" event. Ms. Simmi Verma invited participants from audience to show their talent by performing in "Punjabis Got Talent" item, and it was amazing that so many ladies and girls between the ages of 7 years old to 72 years old participated. Rani Kaur, Bani Kaur, Karandeep Kaur, Sukhbir Dhillon, Tripta Rani, Kavita Kumar, Daisy Babar, Kiran Garg, Hena Singh, Simrat Multani, Parmjot Dhillon, Simran Walia, Sonia Bawa, and Gurdeep Kaur showed their great talent. PAO awarded the participants of "Punjabis Got Talent" winners also. In singing segment, first prize went to Gurdeep from Indiana, second price went to Karandeep Kaur,

and third prize went to Sukhbir Dhillon. In dancing segment, first prize picked up by Sonia Bawa, second prize picked by Hena Singh, and third prize picked up by Parmjot Dhillon. As it was in past, PAO continued its famous competition of "Mrs. Punjaban - 2010" this year also. More then 40 beautiful ladies participated. The first prize of best dress went to Amandeep Khangura, second prize went to Sukhbir Dhillon, and third prize went to Rubal from Indiana. At the climax of this event, all ladies and girls who attended "Teeyan Da Mela" performed "Giddha" and dance very aggressively with great enjoyment of the event. Mrs Neerja Saini, wife of business tycoon and president of Punjabi Cultural Society - Michigan Mr. Sunny Dhoor, attended as a "Chief Gust" of the event. Punjabi Americans Organization also awarded the "Leadership

Award" to late Ms. Chitra Nair, the founder of T.V. Program Chitrahar, for her great services to Indian community. The award was received by her daughter Ms. Anjali Nair. The grand sponsors of this event were Suga Builders, Star Foods, Pappu Corporation - Indiana, and Paul & Amrita Dandona. Delicious Indian snacks were served with hot tea for event attendees. PAO also arranged popcorns and lemonade drinks for kids. Event attendees also enjoyed the delicious lunch served at this event. Board of Directors of Punjabi Americans Organization - Jasbir Suga, Jesse Singh, Gulzar Multani, Paul Dandona, Inder Hunjan, Davinder Singh, Naiha Walia, Savi Attal, Jagmeet Mann, Navjot Bajwa and Harvinder Billa worked very hard to make this event of "Teeyan Da Meal - 2010" successful and entertaining for India community.

AutoZone humiliated and harassed Sikh employee India Post News Service

BOSTON, Massachusetts: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has found that a Boston area AutoZone store unlawfully discriminated against a Sikh employee because of his religion. Managers at AutoZone insulted and humiliated the Sikh employee and fired him when he refused to remove his turban. Mr. Frank Mahoney Burroughs worked at AutoZone for almost three years as a Senior Sales Associate. He was a loyal employee. After enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps and being discharged for medical reasons, Frank returned to work at AutoZone. He received several raises and was a well-regarded employee of the Everett, Massa-

chusetts branch. Burroughs adopted Sikhism during the Summer of 2009. He informed AutoZone that he would grow his facial hair and wear a turban as required by his new faith. But the first day he came to work wearing his turban, the Store Manager threatened to physically throw him out of the store if he did not immediately remove his turban. Frank refused and was kicked out of the store. Burroughs was later allowed to return to work and to wear his turban, but the harassment continued. Though he was able to perform all his job functions well, it soon became clear that his managers irrationally equated his turban with extremism and terrorism. A Sales Manager pulled him a few steps by his kara, an article of faith, and referred to his tur-

ban as a "towel" and called him "sick-y." The Store Manager asked the Sikh employee if he had "joined Al Qaeda" and was "going to blow up the store." When Frank turned to the District Manager for support, he was told that AutoZone reserved the right to fire him if his appearance offended customers. Humiliated and distressed, he turned to Human Resources. In a complaint he wrote, "These unethical and discriminatory business practices have made me feel uncomfortable when I come to work each day." In response, Human Resources told him that AutoZone did nothing wrong and that he should come to work without his turban or not at all. He refused to sacrifice his faith and lost his job. The Sikh employee contacted the Coalition in Winter of 2009.

Coalition attorneys filed an amended complaint with the EEOC office in Boston. (The EEOC is the federal agency charged with enforcing the nation's employment discrimination law.) Coalition attorneys vigorously advocated on the Sikh's behalf during the five month-long investigation of the case. The Coalition partnered with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights in Boston (LCCR-Boston) to fight the case. LCCR-Boston is a highly respected civil rights organization. This is the first religious discrimination case that they have taken in their fifty year history of fighting for justice. Their efforts are an inspiration to all who have suffered from post 9-11 hate. The EEOC office in Boston conducted an extensive investi-

gation and found that AutoZone violated federal anti-discrimination law in numerous ways. The company violated the law by verbally abusing and harassing Frank because he converted to Sikhism. The company also violated the law by refusing to let him wear a turban. Last, the company violated the law by retaliating against him when he complained and by ultimately firing him for maintaining his Sikh identity. Now that the EEOC has found that AutoZone discriminated, next they will work with both sides to come to a settlement agreement. The Coalition and LCCR-Boston have said they would not settle with AutoZone unless the company takes concrete steps to stop discrimination against Sikhs and other religious minorities.

TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Madno: Lamhaa 2

Ranjha Ranjha: Raavan

3 Main Kaun Hoon: Lamhaa 4 Rabba Luck Barsa: Kajraare 5 Fariyaad Hai: Mr.Singh Mrs.Mehta

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September 3, 2010 lier. But, he made sure he stopped stressing about it and they're friends now. It wasn't a bitter break-up" Interestingly, Kat has been missing from most events organized by Salman for his charity, Being Human, in the past three months. "She's also been staying away from Salman's family gatherings, even though she still visits his house as a friend," says a source from Katrina's clan. Salman's spokesperson, however, continues to deny the break-up reports, saying, "He did not give such a quote. He doesn't talk about his personal life. He just repeated the anchor's question and they (the channel) played it on a loop. We are very upset." Speculation is now rife that Sallu may have moved on.

t's official! After months of speculation, reports and rumors, actor Salman Khan has finally admitted that he has broken with longtime girlfriend Katrina Kaif. "I have broken up with Katrina," said the 44year old, in a recent television interview. "We were friends then for everybody, we are friends now." At a public event recently, Katrina too, had said, "I am not in a relationship right now.

Though I have plans for my wedding, there is no one in my life right now." While Salman and Katrina were unavailable for comment, a close friend of Salman says that problems started during the shooting of Salman's film Wanted last year. "They are definitely not together anymore. Salman was really depressed during the shooting of Wanted... he won't get any calls from Katrina, unlike ear-

areena Kapoor was the one who started the trend size zero, and now she is gonna start a new trend, size minus. Well, news is that the actress will have a sensuous makeover for Karan Johar's film opposite Imran Khan. Bebo is gonna set the screen on fire. According to producer Karan Johar, she will be sporting chaddis (shorts) in the film. "She has to sport a short haircut and I also want her to try and get herself into a size minus (not a size zero) because she has to match Imran Khan perfectly for my film tentatively titled Short Term Shaadi," Karan is quoted as saying. Kareena will start to glamorize herself for the film as soon as she is back from the shoot of Agent Vinod in Latvia. She will get a new wardrobe full of sexy, skimpy clothes. Bebo is no more size zero and wants to get her curves back. Her beau Saif Ali Khan thinks that she looks like a hanger in size zero. Wonder what he is going to nick name her once she is size minus.

Size â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;minusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

6 Bin Tere: I Hate Luv Storys 7

Tum Chain Ho: Milenge Milenge

8 Sajde: Khatta Meetha (New) 9 Tum Jo Aaye (Reprise): Once Upon A Time in Mumbai 10 I Love Amreeka: Tere Bin Laden

Ranbir strayed T

he relationship between Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone has come to an end. Ranbir has moved on and so has Deepika. But one wonders, what was the reason of the split between the two. Buzz was Ranbir's growing fondness for Katrina Kaif led to the split. In a recent interview, Deepika hinted to a tabloid that Ranbir 'strayed'. "When I am in a relationship, I give it my all. I am totally committed and devoted. I am more giving, maybe because I am a Capricorn. I don't expect the same back but somehow in all my relationships, it has been the guy who has strayed. You can ignore something if it happens once, but if it keeps happening, you have to realize that something is wrong," Deepika said. The word 'strayed' itself says it all. Deepika has now moved on. Deepika is looks cheerful and all happy with Mallya junior. But unlike her relationship with Ranbir, Deepika, this time wants to keep her personal life "very, very personal", and not talking about her personal life to the media.

Bollywood

September 3, 2010

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ani Mukherjee has captured headlines mostly for her alleged relationship with filmmaker Aditya Chopra of Yash Raj films. Now, again the news has come up that the actress is going to tie the knot in this November. The rumor might have irritated Rani but it has again ignited the curious minds. Considering her alleged year long relationship with Aditya, the name is at the top in the list. Even the date is said to be finalized but will be announced after performing the traditional Mukherjee family 'Durga Puja' in October. So, there is a strong speculation that the date will be somewhere around November. Both Aditya and Rani have been in denial mode regarding their much talked relationship. It is even said that Aditya divorced his first wife to legalize his relationship with this Bong beauty. Coming to her career in Bollywood, it does not seem to be taking any bright turn in near future so it is the best time for the actress to settle down in personal life.

Deepika's beau? D

eepika Padukone and liquor baron Vijay Mallya's son, Siddharth, may well be the latest `it' couple in B-town. Re cently, they have made two public appearances together - at Salman Khan's siblings Arpita and Arbaaz Khan's combined birthday bash and the special screening of Aamir Khan's production Peepli Live - and speculation is rife that they may go public about their relationship soon. An actress, who also attended the special screening of Aamir's film, says, "They are definitely together. At the party, she was walking around and networking, and he kept following her. He was laughing and joking and seemed in very good spirits," she said on condition of anonymity. Another actress, who was invited for Arbaaz Khan's birthday party, says, "Deepika looked like a dominating girlfriend. She asked him to stop drinking and was the one who decided when to leave. They stuck together almost like they wanted to announce `we are together'. Even the other actors present there were staring at them."

Priyanka Gandhi?

fter Madhuri Dixit backed out from the project on personal grounds, Indian ori gin US filmmaker Krishna Shah is now considering casting Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra in the lead role in a biopic on late prime minister Indira Gandhi. Titled "Mother: The Indira Gandhi Story", it will be a big-budget two-part movie on the life of the Indian leader who was known as Iron Lady. Shah is working on the casting with Academy Award winning make-up artiste Jenny Shircore. After going through the photographs of many Indian actresses, Shircore believes that Priyanka is the only Bollywood actress whom she can make look like Indira Gandhi after some prosthetic work. Shircore says Priyanka's face matches that of the late prime minister. "Yes, I am in conversation with Jenny who thinks that Priyanka is the one who can fit in the character of Indira, but it will be too premature to talk about casting as we have not approached anybody as yet," Shah said in a statement.

Limits of Maryaada

s actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha's daughter Sonkashi debuts in Bollywood, her mother says she is free to do what she wants on the big screen, but she must not cross the limits set by the family. "As an actress, Sonakshi has every right to decide what she wants to do and what she doesn't want to do. It is basically her call. There is a limit for everything and, of course, every family has its own 'maryaada' (rules). We have already told her that we have certain 'maryaada' and she shouldn't cross her limits," Poonam, an actress herself, said. Sonakshi, 23, who stars opposite Salman Khan in "Dabangg", has announced that she is not inclined to doing any item numbers and has not worn any provocative clothes in the film. Is that a result of her parents' restrictions? "Hopefully, when you see her in subsequent

projects, you will find out," Poonam said on being asked about the other restrictions imposed on Sonakshi. She refused to comment any further on the do's and don'ts for her daughter.

India Post News Service

TORONTO, Canada: It was a night of entertainment, prestige and glamour all rolled up into one; the 20th annual Miss India-Canada Event had it all! The sold out show was proudly supported by Rogers. The event was truly a memorable experience that those present will remember for years to come. At the end of the evening, Anchal Sharma of Richmond Hill, Ontario won the esteemed title of Miss India-Canada 2010. Other sponsors included India Tourism, Cuisine of India Catering, Bigen Speedy Hair Colour, and Airliners, to name a few. With a red carpet entrance, dazzling cocktail hour, and stunning stage set provided by Dream Party Decor, patrons were "wowed" right from the very beginning. The 16 contestants began the evening with a high-energy dance sequence that captivated the audience and kept them in their seats for the remainder of the evening.

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September 3, 2010

tinguished Panel of Judges: Rahul Bhardwaj, President-OM Financial; Reetu Gupta, VPEastons Group of Companies; Susan Gordon, Vice President of National/Regional Marketing and Marketing Services for Rogers; Satish Sikha, Couture Fashion Designer; Neera Chopra, Chair-Friends of South

WINNER-GROUP: L-R: Organizer Sanjay Agnihotri; Bollywood Superstar, Suniel Shetty; Miss India-Canada 2010 Anchal Sharma; Co-organizer, Gautam Sharma

Opening dance

Organizers Sanjay Agnihotri and Gautam Sharma were then called upon to say a few words and present Bollywood superstar, Suniel Shetty with the Special Achievement Award. Notable attendees were Ms Preeti Saran, Consul General of India; Dr. Ruby Dhalla, MP, Justice Michael H. Tulloch from the Superior Court of Justice, Ontario; and Justice Tim Lipson from the Ontario Court of Justice. Soon after, the opening host, Aashish Rajhans, introduced the emcees for the evening-Karen Johnson from the Weather Network and Husein Madhavji. Karen commenced the evening by introducing the dis-

Notable attendees were Ms Preeti Saran, Consul General of India; Dr. Ruby Dhalla, MP, Justice Michael H. Tulloch from the Superior Court of Justice, Ontario; and Justice Tim Lipson from the Ontario Court of Justice Asia at the Royal Ontario Museum; Melvyn L. Solmon, Partner & Barrister-Solmon Rothbart Goodman LLP; and Dr. Milan

Gupta, Cardiologist and Co-Director Canadian Cardiovascular Research Network. The judges were then put to the test as each contestant completed the first three segments: Indian Dress, Evening Gown, and Talent. Next, the emcees announced that Anokhi Dalvi of Mississauga, ON won the Rogers People's Choice Award. Ms. Susan Gordon, Vice President of National/Regional Marketing and Marketing Services for Rogers presented Anokhi with a bouquet of flowers and a Sony Ericsson X10. Maaza Jaan of Markham, ON won the Miss Photogenic and Raman Bassi of Calgary, AB won Miss Photogenic. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 28

Mehek

September 3, 2010

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Filmmakers, stars to tread red carpet at I View Festival India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Engendered, the transnational arts and human rights organization, is presenting the third annual 'I View Film Festival' with a star-studded opening night red carpet on Sept 18 at the Asia Society. The festival, scheduled to screen over 25 features and documentaries from September 18-26 at the Tribeca Film Center, Asia Society and Big Cinemas in New York, is unique in several aspects. Other than exploring women's, queer and transgender themes, the festival will witness a neverbefore attendance together in New York of filmmakers Vishal Bhardwaj, Aparna Sen, Rituparno Ghosh, Mehreen Jabbar, Dibakar Banerjee, Onir, Kaushik Ganguly, Sanjay Sharma, Vinay Shukla; leading movie stars Zeenat Aman, Juhi Chawla, Sanjay Suri, Purab Kohli, Rahul Bose, Rituparna Sengupta, Konkona Sen, Raima Sen; and cult fashion icons like Malini Ramani, Bina Ramani, Rohit Bal and Pakistan's eminent designer Nomi Ansari. Other distinguished personalities who will join in the critical conversations at the festival

include Oscar nominated Mira Nair, Pakistan's Ex Cabinet Minister Javed Jabbar, CNN's reporter on Pakistan Kiran Khalid, Amrit Singh from the Open Society Institute, prominent academics and civil society leaders. The opening selection of the festival is the highly-anticipated North American premiere and party for the film 'I Am', by awardwinning Indian director Onir, and partially supported by the United Nations Development Program. Festival Centerpieces include a special NY premiere of the critically-acclaimed Sundance documentary, Bhutto, the North American premiere of Berlin Film Festival favorite, Just Another Love Story, and Dibakar Banerjee's Love Sex Aur Dhoka (LSD). The closing night selection is the world premiere of National Award winning director Vinay Shukla's recent film 'Mirch' starring Raima Sen, Konkona Sen and Boman Irani. The I View Film Festival 2010 is a trailblazing film festival that brings together a body of bold and contemporary cinematic work that provides a new lens

Miss India-DC Pageant on September 18 India Post News Service

WASHINGTON DC: Coordinated by Neena Bhaskar, the Miss India DC Pageant is a prestigious platform in which young, beautiful and intelligent ladies from the DC metropolitan area compete for the Miss India DC title! The top three girls, along with other queens from around the nation, then compete for the Miss India USA crown the following year! The 16th Annual Miss IndiaDC Pageant is now accepting applications for contestants. The contest will be held on September 18. The main purpose of a program

such as this one is to encourage the younger generation who, for the most part have lived in this country, to become more in touch with their culture. The pageant is not your conventional beauty pageant; rather, it emphasizes grace, poise, confidence, originality, intelligence, and talent. This type of event enhances the self-image of the young ladies and enhances their confidence. The Pageant provides an opportunity for the community to come together, provides a platform for young ladies to showcase their talents. This type of program profoundly encourages Indian awareness, and we hope you would like to be a part of making it happen!

The opening selection of the festival is the highly-anticipated North American premiere for the film 'I Am', by award-winning Indian director Onir with which to view South Asian Cinema. This cutting edge cin-

ematic and entertainment extravaganza brings together contemporary South Asia's most vital voices in film. Ranging from art-house/ independent to mainstream Bollywood; festival favorites to under-the-radar docs; classics to experimental & avant-garde; the festival features a dynamic selection from the entire continuum of South-Asian cinema. "Cinema remains one of the most effective and powerful ways to change societies like ours that are still

fraught with silences around issues of gender, sexual and human rights. We are thrilled to have so many voices joining us to amplify our mission of using the popular to blow up the marginal" says Myna Mukherjee, festival director. "Together we hope, the film-makers and their work will show the stunning breadth and capacity of the Film Industry, burst open new spaces for dialog, and sustain critical South Asian Cinema."

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September 3, 2010 www.indiapost.com

Kat breaks down when asked about Salman

atrina attended the worst press conference of her life, where a session organized for one of the brands the actress endorses turned out to be a free-for-all grueling barrage of questions about her split with Salman Khan. At first Katrina took it in her stride and tried to smile through most of the questions. But soon, completely unnerved by the jibes and comments from the members of the press, Katrina lost all control over her emotions and blurted, "If Salman says we've split, it must be true." She walked out of press conference soon after. But this wasn't before she actually bawled in front of everyone. A close friend, who accompanied the actress, said, "Katrina is a strong girl and not prone to public display of emotion. But on Tuesday night she broke down and wept after the event, wondering why she was being subjected to questions on something that Salman had said." Elaborating on why Katrina is so angry, her friend added, "Firstly, it was unfair of Salman to speak about their so-called split; they had decided between them-

selves that they would never talk in public about what transpired between them. Katrina has been hurting ever since Salman made the remark that he is now single. Katrina, on the other hand, shares a very personal relationship with Salman's family

Katrina Kaif

and she would never put it up for public scrutiny." When asked about the events at the press conference on Tuesday evening, Katrina admitted it shook her up and said, "What happened was very, very disturbing. I had the entire congregation of media persons questioning me

about a statement made by Salman. If for all these years I haven't spoken about the relationship, why should I do so now? I won't be bullied into talking about my personal life. I am going to take contractual action to ensure limits are not crossed at these events." After this incident, Katrina has decided to add a few amendments to her contract that will ensure that she is asked questions only related to the brand she has chosen to endorse. At the moment however, Katrina is badly shaken up, if not by this incident, then definitely about Salman's public declaration. Her friend said, "She doesn't know what to make of it. Whether they are together or not is not a matter for public discussion. And at the moment she is not interested in flashing a 'single and available' label." As a concluding statement, the actress firmly added, "Whether it is my personal or public space, I've noticed I allow people to take too many liberties. From now on my personal life remains out of public eye. And those who wish to share a personal equation with me better respect that."

Kerala honors Kamal Haasan THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Veteran actor Kamal Haasan has said he was greatly indebted to Kerala as it was Malayalam cinema that spotted the artiste in him, nursed and helped him come up," forgiving" his "shortcomings" as an actor. He was speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural of the 'Onam (state's harvest festival)-Tourism' week celebrations organized by the state government, where Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan honored the actor by presenting him a 'ponnada' (shawl) and paid glowing tributes to him as an artiste and socially-concerned individual. "It was veteran Malayalam director K S Sethumadhavan who initiated me into my career as a young boy. Later, I was adopted by leading Tamil director K Balachander," Kamal Haasan said. "I am at a loss for words to express how deeply I am indebted to Malayalis. It was they who helped me come up forgiving my shortcomings as an artiste," he said. Referring to the eye-donation campaign being launched at his initiative here tomorrow, he said, "Now the people of Kerala ask me what have you done for us in return. It is as an answer to this question this campaign is being launched."

He said the eye-donation movement was part of his "humble endeavor" to reciprocate the love, affection and support the Malayalis had extended to him by seeking to do something above parochial considerations.

Kamal Haasan

Sethumadhvan, who initiated Haasan into Malayalam cinema when he was just a five-and-a-half year old, was among those who felicitate him. A light-and-sound show titled "Suvarna Kamalam" to mark Haasan's 50 years in Indian cinema, conceived by eminent director T K Rajiv Kumar, was the highlight of the evening. Kerala Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Culture Minister M A Baby, Civil Supplies Minister C Divakaran and Youth Affairs Minister V Surendran Pillai felicitated the actor. -PTI

Anchal Sharma crowned Miss India-Canada 2010 Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 26

The top 5 finalists were then announced in random order: Mehek Mehta of Montreal , QC ; Anchal Sharma of Richmond Hill , ON ; Sarah Paul of Pickering , ON; Anokhi Dalvi of Mississauga , ON ; and Maaza Jaan of Markham , ON . The final segment of Question & Answer involved asking each contestant a different question by the panel of judges. As the anticipation of the winner grew, the audience was treated to a jaw dropping performance by illusionist Ray Chance. Patrons waited in complete silence as Karen and Husein announced the results from the accounting firm of Kunjar Sharma and Associates. The Second Runner-up was Maaza Jaan, the First Runner-up was Anokhi Dalvi and this year's Miss India-Canada 2010 was Anchal Sharma. Anchal Sharma is a 23 year old York University graduate who has entered the field of teaching. She completed her undergraduate degree with Honors in Kinesology & Health Science and went on to attain a Bachelor of Education. Anchal

ROGERS PEOPLE'S CHOICE: Ms. Susan Gordon, Vice President National/ Regional Marketing, Rogers Wireless presenting the Rogers People Choice Award to Anokhi Dalvi of Mississauaga, Ontario

would like to pursue her dream of being a role model and giving back to the youth of tomorrow. "My aim is to give back to the community in some way shape or form. Seva (service) is a big part of

my life. I am a firm believer that when you help others, your service is always reciprocated back to you down the line." Blessed by being crowned Miss India-Canada 2010, Anchal would like to explore various avenues

to provide service and mentorship to the youth and those less fortunate via charitable organizations, and social awareness programs. After the show, Mr. Sanjay Agnihotri remarked that this year's winner will also assist in promoting the goals of various social organizations. When asked what he thought of this year's

event, Mr. Agnihotri replied, "The hard work and dedication that our team and volunteers put forth into this year's 20 Year Anniversary event has truly been remarkable. We are overwhelmed with the support we received from the community this year. The contestants have made this milestone 2 decade event one that we will all remember!"

hajuraho is located in the forested plains of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh in the region known as Bundelkhand. The place is at a considerable distance from most cities and town centers of the state. The art of Khajuraho attracts numerous visitors to it. Best time to visit: The climate of Khajuraho is of extreme type. The summers are hot with the mercury climbing up to 47°C. On the other hand, winters can be very cold with temperature dipping down to 4°C. The monsoon starts from the month of July and lasts until September. The annual average rainfall is 114 cm. The erotic art of Khajuraho sees visitors pouring in all through the year. History: The art of Khajuraho has a long history. It is also world renowned. The beautiful temples that dot the town of Khajuraho are believed to have been built by the mighty Chandela rulers in 9th and

29 India Post

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10th century AD. The engravings on these temples are highly sensual and erotic and much has already been discussed their symbolic importance. Tantricism and the Shakti cult, where the pancha makaras (five tenets), namely, matsya (fish), madira (wine), maithun (sexual activity), mamsa (meat), and mudra

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(gesture) were to release the human spirit from the bondage of the flesh, have been described as the possible explanations for the sculptural sensuality of Khajuraho. Out of 85 temples, only 20 have survived the ravages of time. Made of sandstone blocks fitted together, the temples are aligned east-west. For convenience, these may be divided into western, eastern, and southern groups of temples.

containing the devta (god) or devi (goddess). An enclosed pradakshinapathar (corridor or verandah) runs around this sanctum. In the smaller temples, the second and the last feature were omitted. Each component of the temple was topped by pyramid-shaped towers leading in ascending order like a series of mountain peaks to the soaring shikhara (tower). Cont’d on page 30

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Mumbai to Maldives special charter flight MALE: Known for its exotic locales and breathtaking beauty, the Maldives can now be accessed by Indian tourists through a special charter flight from Mumbai, which is to be launched in October this year. The flight between Mumbai and Gan, the southern part of the Maldives, will commence operations on October 2 as part of an initiative being undertaken by a leading travel company, which is offering special holiday packages for this picturesque country. "Initially it will be a twice a week flight from Mumbai to Gan, whose operations are expected to be scaled up at a later stage," Keyur Joshi, co-founder and COO of MakeMyTrip, told reporters here. The company is offering special holiday packages in association with the Tourism Ministry of the Maldives from October 2010

to February 2011 with the starting price of 29,990 in a bid to boost the tourist arrivals from India, where people perceive this country as a high-end destination. "This exotic destination has been relatively inaccessible to In-

India has invested in the health and education sectors in the Maldives but Indian tourists are still not coming here in large number dians as it is perceived as an expensive holiday destination. With this campaign we plan to fly in about 6000 Indians into the Maldives," Joshi said. On his part, Maldivian Tourism Minister Toyyid Mohammad said

that India is a potential market, but the government here has not been able to make much arrangements for promoting this country among Indians. "With the Maldives hosting the next SAARC Summit in 2011, we hope to draw in a large number of tourists," he said, adding the tourism sector can help give a boost to people-to-people relations between the two countries. Indian High Commissioner Gyaneshwar Muleh said that India has invested in the health and education sectors in the Maldives but Indian tourists are still not coming here in a large number. He hoped that with the new initiative, more people from India will enjoy their holidays in the Maldives. In 2009, a total of 15,850 Indian tourists visited the Maldives, which has almost 2,000 island, with only 200 of them inhabited. -PTI

Goa tourism players look to diversify offerings PANAJI: From the scenic beaches of Goa to the world famous heritage monuments of Hampi in neighboring Karnataka, the tourism players in the state want to diversify their packages to attract more travelers. "The most successful circuit in the country right now is JaipurAgra-Delhi golden triangle. Efforts are on to make a similar tourism circuit running across GoaKarnataka and Maharashtra," Nikhil Desai, Managing Director, Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), told reporters here. Desai said the International Travel Mart (ITM) planned in October in Goa will market these tourism circuits. "We want to club Hampi and Badami with scenic beaches in Dandeli (Karnataka)) and Goa. All these make a complete circuit," he said.

"If operators club attractions in Karnataka with Goa packages, it will strengthen and diversify offerings," Ralf de Souza, ex-Chairman, Travel & Tourism Association of Goa, said.

‘We want to club Hampi and Badami with scenic beaches in Dandeli (Karnataka) and Goa. All these make a complete circuit’ said, Nikhil Desai, Managing Director, Goa Tourism Naik said there was a shift in the pattern of tourists visiting Goa. "Earlier there were 80 per cent chartered tourists while 20 per cent were free independent travelers. Now the percentage is 50:50. -PTI

Khajuraho: Highly sensual & erotic temple engravings Cont’d from page 29

The ornate vertical elements are balanced by horizontal bands of sculpture running round the temple; superb in execution and seeming to grow out of the temple itself, they merge beautifully with the overall design. Western Group of Temples:

The Kandariya Mahadeo is considered the most evolved example of central Indian temple architecture. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple is also the largest of Khajuraho's temples. The Lakshmana Temple is one of the oldest and finest of the western group of temples. The temple is rather big with four other shrines attached to it. Although the general norm in other temples is three bands of sculpture, this temple has only two. Recurrent themes are battles, hunting, and women. The temple of Devi Jagdamba is considered by many to be one of the most erotic temples of Khajuraho. The temple houses Khajuraho's most talkedabout image, mithuna, and the sensuously carved figures. It

is not clear until today as to which deity this temple is dedicated. The temple of Vishvanath and Nandi celebrates the marriage of Lord Shiva with Parvati. The way women have been depicted in this temple draw the most attention. From traditional images of women fondling babies and writing letters,

name chaunsat (sixty-four) comes from the cells of 64 attendants of Goddess Kali. Goddess Kali herself was the 65th one. Other important temples in the western group are the temples of Lakshmi and Varaha, Mahadev, Chitragupta, Parvati, and Matangesvara.

The temple of Devi Jagdamba is considered by many to be one of the most erotic temples of Khajuraho. The temple houses Khajuraho's most talked-about image, mithuna, and the sensuously carved figures they are seen also as the most provocative of images. Chaunsat Yogini is the oldest of the surviving temples of Khajuraho. This temple is dedicated to goddesses Kali. This is the only temple in Khajuraho India that is built in granite. The

Eastern Group of Temples: The temple of Parsvanath is the largest of the Jain temples in Khajuraho India and the finest. The temple was originally dedi-

cated to Adinath and latter to Parsvanath. It is the finest example of the sensitive art without any sexual motifs. Near this temple is the temple of Adinath with fine carvings. The temple is quite similar to the Hindu temples of Khajuraho. Shantinath is the youngest of all the temples in Khajuraho India. Though it looks like the most other temples in Khajuraho, it is just a century old. The temple has a four and a half meter statue of Adinath. Mostly in ruins now, the temple of Ghantai has fine columns and chains and bells, with a figure of a Jain goddess on a garuda. One of the oldest temples in Khajuraho is the temple of Brahma and Hanuman. The temple is built mostly of granite and sandstone. Actually, this temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Nearby is a Hanuman temple reputed to have the earliest inscription dating back to AD 922 on a 2½ -m statue. Two other notable temples are Javari and Vamana temple. The Southern Group: There are only two temples in the southern group of temples. The Duladeo is somewhat new and built in a time when the creativity of Khajuraho was well down its peak. The temple has wooden structures that take away its authenticity somewhat. How to reach: Khajuraho is airlinked with Delhi, Agra, and Varanasi. The nearest railheads are Harpalpur (94 km) and Mahoba (63 km). Khajuraho is connected with Panna, Satna, Chattarpur, Jabalpur, Mahoba, Bhopal, Gwalior, and Indore by road.

September 3, 2010

Mauritius targeting 1 lakh Indian arrivals MUMBAI: The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) is targeting 1,00,000 Indian arrivals to its country in the next 2-3 years, a senior official said. "We are looking at India as a primary source of market for Mauritius tourism. The share of Indian tourists coming here is merely 6-7 per cent. We would be working towards increasing this share to 11-12 per cent in the coming years," MTPA's Deputy Director, Vijaye Haulder, told reporters here. Currently, on an average, 40,000 Indian tourists visit Mauritius every year. "We are targeting 1,00,000 Indian arrivals in the coming years," he said. Haulder said Indian travelers significantly contribute to the tourism receipts of Mauritius. "The spending power of an Indian tourist has doubled to over Rs 16,000 per person per day indicating a positive consumption trend. This is why we are concentrating on Indian tourists," he said. The MTPA is also exploring various avenues and seeks to promote Mauritius as one of the most amorous wedding destinations in the world, he said. "Destination weddings are in great demand and the Indian wedding industry is looking for new locations. -PTI

Royal Rajasthan on Wheels from Sept 5 JAIPUR: New super luxury train of Rajasthan Tourism and Indian Railways 'Royal Rajasthan on Wheels' will start its first commercial tour this season from September 5. "The train, with around 50 passengers onboard, will start its journey from Safdarjang station in New Delhi. The train this time will take tourists to Khajuraho and Varanasi also apart from destinations of Rajasthan and Agra," an official of Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) said here. Facilities of spa and gym have also been added to the train similar to Palace on Wheels. In its eight-day tour, the train will halt at Jodhpur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Ranthambhore, Jaipur, Khajuraho, Varanasi and Agra, he added. -PTI

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Mexico to launch road shows in India NEW DELHI: With an aim of attracting tourists from India, Mexico says the 1996 agreement on tourism should be renewed. Mexico also plans to organize road shows across India soon to woo people from here to visit the Latin American country. "There are many tourism sites in Mexico which are not known here. There are about 33,000 archaeological sites in Mexico," said Tourism Minister Gloria Guevara, who is here to explore the opportunities of enhancing tourism between the two countries. "We will organize road shows, promoting our tourist destinations here soon," said the Mexican minister, who met representatives from tour and travel industry here. "Besides organizing road shows for the travel industry, we are working out special packages for Indian tour operators," she said. The schedules for the road shows are to be finalized shortly. A five-member delegation led by Guevara called on Minister for Tourism Kumari Selja here during which both sides agreed to promote cooperation in the tourism sector between the two countries. Selja said the Indian Council of Cultural Relations proposes to

open an Indian Cultural Centre in Mexico City and it will be an excellent platform for promoting Indian culture, cuisine and arts in the Latin-American country. Selja also said that a festival of India in Mexico is also being proposed for next year where Ministry of Tourism will focus among other things to promote Yoga and Wellness Tourism. Guevara agreeing to strengthen

‘Besides organizing road shows for the travel industry, we are working out special packages for Indian tour operators’ the bilateral cooperation in tourism sector between the two countries lauded the success of Incredible India campaign and overseas marketing. She praised the manner in which the government and the private sector efforts are being synergized in India to promote tourism sector. She also appreciated the quick recovery of tourism sector in India after the recent global economic slowdown. -PTI

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Govt warns fake tour operators, guides NEW DELHI: In the wake of complaints of alleged harassment of tourists, the government has decided to act tough against fake tour operators and guides who fleece them. A special drive has also been launched in the national capital to check the number of people or agencies working unauthorisedly as tour managers, touts and tourists guides ahead of the Commonwealth Games. "We will take stringent action against those found involved in such sort of acts. We have asked Delhi Police to take severe measures against fake tour operators and guides operating here," Union

Tourism Minister Kumari Selja told PTI. "The Commonwealth Games are a prestigious event and we are concerned for the security and safety of both domestic and foreign visitors," she said. The mega sporting extravaganza is scheduled between October 3-14 here. According to the minister, different measures are being planned to ensure trouble-free Games for one and all. "We have asked all stakeholders to adhere to guidelines by Tourism Ministry to check any wrong doings by such sham guides and tour operators," the Minister said. -PTI

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OSHA cites general contractor on Guam

HONOLULU: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is looking to impose $45,600 in penalties on a general contractor on Guam. The U.S. Department of Labor says BME & Sons Inc. of Barrigada, Guam, failed to provide its workers with personal protective equipment necessary to do their jobs safely. OSHA's regional administrator in San Francisco, Ken Nishiyama Atha, said in a news release that that employers have an obligation to provide protective safety equipment to their workers. He says BME & Sons skirted that responsibility by forcing employees to pay for the equipment needed to keep themselves safe. -AP

Federal, Fla. officials to review Medicaid pilot MIAMI: The federal agency that is overseeing Florida's controversial Medicaid pilot program says it will work with the state to review the program. In 2005, Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration received a federal waiver to conduct the pilot, which privatized care in five counties for five years. The agency asked the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for an extension. A letter from CMS last week said it's considering the extension under a different statute that would allow Florida health officials to make changes to the program to address complaints. Advocacy group Florida CHAIN praised CMS's denial ``for a blanket extension,'' saying the new process will allow Florida to address ``persistent, unresolved problems'' in the program. -AP

2 new cases of West Nile virus in Miss. JACKSON, Miss.: Health officials say two new cases of West Nile virus have been reported in Mississippi, bringing the state total to three so far this year. The Mississippi Department of Health said in a news release that the new cases occurred in adults. This year's three cases have been reported in Leflore and Coahoma counties. One human case of LaCrosse encephalitis has been reported in Montgomery County. That mosquito-borne illness is similar to West Nile virus. -AP

Health Science 34

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September 3, 2010

Obama stem cell regulations temporarily blocked WASHINGTON: A federal judge has temporarily blocked government rules expanding stem cell research, a blow to the Obama administration that could stall potentially lifesaving research. The nonprofit group Nightlight Christian Adoptions contends that the government's new guidelines will decrease the number of human embryos available for adoption and implantation. Nightlight helps individuals adopt human embryos that are being stored in fertilization clinics. The group provides domestic, international and embryo adoption services to families in all 50 states. A federal appeals court had ruled that two fellow plaintiffs doctors who do research with adult stem cells, James Sherley of the Boston Biomedical Research Institute and Theresa Deisher of AVM Biotechnology - were entitled to sue over the new guidelines, prompting U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth to reverse a decision he made in October when he dismissed the lawsuit.

Sherley and Deisher allege that the guidelines will result in increased competition for limited federal funding and will injure their ability to compete successfully for National Institutes of Health stem cell research money. Federal law explicitly forbids use of taxpayer dollars to destroy a human embryo - and culling stem

sisted on evidence that the woman or couple who donated the original embryo did so voluntarily and were told of other options, such as donating to another infertile woman. Lamberth concluded that those filing the lawsuit have demonstrated a strong likelihood of success in arguing that the new government guidelines violate the in-

Sherley and Deisher allege that the guidelines will result in increased competition for limited federal funding and will injure their ability to compete successfully for National Institutes of Health stem cell research money cells from an embryo does destroy the embryo. However, once created, these batches of stem cells, or lines, can reproduce indefinitely in lab dishes. The Obama administration expanded the number of stem cell lines created with private money that federally funded scientists could research, up from the 21 that President George W. Bush had allowed to 75 so far. To qualify, the NIH in-

tent of the law about federal funding of embryo destruction. ``As demonstrated by the plain language of the statute, the unambiguous intent of Congress is to prohibit the expenditure of federal funds on 'research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed,''' the judge wrote. Having concluded that the law is unambiguous, ``the question before the court is whether ESC

research is research in which a human embryo is destroyed. The court concludes that it is,'' Lamberth added. The judge's ruling drew praise from the Alliance Defense Fund, a group of Christian attorneys and co-counsel in the suit. ``The American people should not be forced to pay for experiments prohibited by federal law that destroy human life. The court is simply enforcing an existing law passed by Congress that prevents Americans from paying another penny for needless research on human embryos,'' Steven H. Aden, ADF's senior legal counsel, said. Stem cell research has the potential to produce breakthroughs in treating life-threatening conditions - from spinal cord injury to diabetes to Parkinson's - that have resisted traditional treatment. Scientists say they need to do research with embryonic stem cells as well as so-called adult ones because the former are more flexible, and the NIH is funding both types. Cont’d on page 35

CU center aims to help Americans live healthy DENVER: Americans are caught in ``an epidemic of poor lifestyles'' that's raising health-care costs for diabetes, heart disease, cancer and other ills, weight-control advocate James Hill says. It's nothing that nutritious meals and a good sweat can't change, but the trick is figuring out how to get people moving and away from junk food. In September, the University of Colorado Denver is breaking ground on a $35 million Health and Wellness Center at its Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora. With Hill as executive director, the center hopes to be a national model for helping people adopt healthy habits. ``What we want to do is develop the science around lifestyle and health but more importantly, translate it to programs that will impact people's lives,'' Hill said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that while genes, metabolism, culture and socioeconomic status all influence body weight, behavior and environment offer the greatest opportunities for preventing obesity. The CU wellness center is scheduled to open to the public in

a ``key'' into a machine to log their activity and let researchers know how well they're following their exercise prescriptions, Hill said. The new facility would house CU's Center for Integrative Medicine, the Center for Human Nutrition and the Center for Women's Health Research in one building,

Getting people to improve their lifestyles takes small changes they can see themselves doing every day, not anything drastic, like forsaking dessert forever, Hill said 2012 with a demonstration kitchen, a restaurant and grocery lab where researchers can watch how people buy and eat food, and state-of-theart nutrition and fitness labs, said Hill, who holds a doctorate in physiological psychology. At the fitness center, which employees also could use to work out, research subjects could stick

where programs would be developed to help people live healthy. Community partners like schools and businesses would implement programs based on that research. Hill envisions the center also providing interactive online programs and traveling vans to educate people around the state. The average person gains a

pound or two a year, Hill said. Hill would love if every Coloradan weighed the same at the end of the year as they did at the start. ``It'd be the greatest success in the history of public health,'' he said with a grin. ``If we keep going the way we're going, our kids aren't going to be able to hike the mountains. They'll be too out of shape.'' A $15 million grant from the Anschutz Foundation, matched by CU Denver, plus a $2 million grant from the foundation to Hill are helping launch the center. Annual funding will come from grants, public programs available for a fee, fundraising and potentially opening the rooftop terrace for event bookings, Hill said. Getting people to improve their lifestyles takes small changes they can see themselves doing every day, not anything drastic, like forsaking dessert forever, Hill said. -AP

September 3, 2010

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Unprecedented anti-smoking effort in LA County India Post News Service

LOS ANGELES: Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has joined Los Angeles County Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Mark Ridley-Thomas and county Health Officer Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding to announce the start of the most aggressive, comprehensive anti-smoking campaign in L.A. County history to reach communities with high smoking rates across the county. This anti-tobacco effort will include several policy-based initiatives, social services and support for quit smoking efforts, as well as a high-profile and highly targeted media campaign to support a broad range of tobacco control efforts and raise awareness of free and low-cost resources to help smokers quit. These tactics will aim to ultimately reduce secondhand smoke exposure, discourage tobacco use, reduce consumption of tobacco products, strengthen youth smoking prevention efforts, and increase access to and utilization of effective tobacco cessation services.

The campaign will be funded by a federal stimulus grant from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative. L.A. County is one of 44 communities across the nation to receive funding from the highly competitive

'Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States,' said Secretary Sebelius initiative and is the largest grant recipient, receiving $16.2 million for tobacco prevention and $15.9 million for obesity prevention, for a total of $32.1 million. "Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States," said Secretary Sebelius. "The Department of Health and Human Services is committed to

helping communities reduce smoking prevalence and decrease exposure to secondhand smoke. We are proud to be working with Los Angeles County, one of the leaders in tobacco prevention and control." While the overall smoking rate for L.A. County - at 14.3 percent is substantially lower than the national average, there are still more than one million adults and adolescents in the county who continue to smoke. And smoking rates among certain populations continue to be much higher than the general population, including African Americans, Asian males, LGBT, those living in poverty, and those suffering from mental health and substance abuse problems. Among those racial and ethnic groups with smoking rates higher than the general population are: • African American males (32.1 percent) and females (19.6 percent) • Latino males (17.7 percent) • Korean males (44.8 percent) • Chinese males (16.4 percent) • Filipino males (17.1 percent) • Vietnamese males (24.8 percent) Cont’d on page 36

Obama stem cell regulations temporarily blocked Cont’d from page 34

``This injunction blocks important research on how to unlock the enormous potential of human embryonic stem cells,'' said Sean Tipton of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, a group that treats infertility and does research with a variety of stem cell types. `Ìt will be incredibly disruptive and once again drive the best scientific minds into work less likely to yield treatments for conditions from diabetes to spinal cord injury.'' Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, a conservative public policy foundation, called the decision `à stinging rebuke to the Obama administration and its attempt to circumvent sound science and federal law.'' The NIH declined to comment, referring calls to the Justice Department, where department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said the ruling was under review. In his ruling, Lamberth said the injury of increased competition that Sherley and Deisher would face because of the guidelines `ìs

not speculative. It is actual and imminent. Indeed, the guidelines threaten the very livelihood of plaintiffs Sherley and Deisher.'' Nightlight helps individuals adopt human embryos that are being stored in fertilization clinics.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, a conservative public policy foundation, called the decision 'a stinging rebuke to the Obama administration and its attempt to circumvent sound science and federal law' It began the program in 1997, using some of more than 400,000 frozen embryos. The group's executive director, Ron Stoddart, said the organization was ``pleased'' with Lambert's ruling, although he said ``we're not sure what the Justice Department will do." -AP

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September 3, 2010

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Sebelius, Baucus rebuked in Mont. over health care LIBBY, Mont.: Instead of saying thanks, some residents rebuked Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Sen. Max Baucus for the very law that could help potentially thousands of asbestos victims here. The health care reform law passed last year expands Medicare coverage for the sick residents of Libby, where years of asbestos pollution from a vermiculite mine made this the nation's deadliest Superfund site. About 400 Libby residents have signed up for the new coverage as of this week, Sebelius said. But many of those from this northwestern Montana town of 3,000 who came to listen to the town hall meeting appeared to be less concerned about how the new law helps those with asbestos illnesses than with the legislation itself. One woman asked Baucus

where it says in the Constitution that people should be required to purchase health care. Another, retired nurse Judy Mattot, demanded to know whether Sebelius and Baucus had read the entire bill. ``How can you pass something that you don't know what's in it?'' Mattot said. The questions seemed to put Baucus off guard. The Montana Democrat who played an instrumental role in the bill's passage said the new law was not perfect but it's a good start in getting rid of waste in the health care industry. ``Mark my words, several years from now, you're going to look back and say, 'Well, that wasn't so bad after all,''' Baucus said. Asbestos pollution from the now-defunct W.R. Grace vermiculite mine has killed more than 400 people from Libby. Another 1,500 locals and others who were ex-

posed have X-rays revealing the asbestos scarring. After the meeting, Mattot acknowledged that there was a conflict between her overall feelings

'Mark my words, several years from now, you're going to look back and say, 'Well, that wasn't so bad after all,' Baucus said toward the bill and the aid that it provides her neighbors. ``Yes, Libby does have a problem. But with the amount of cleanup going on, Libby should be one of the cleanest places in the United States,'' she said. The Environmental Protection

Calif. Legislature advances health care reform SACRAMENTO, Calif.: California lawmakers advanced several bills that would help the state implement national health care reform, over the objection of Republicans. The state Senate narrowly approved two bills to set up an insurance exchange that would allow people to shop for health insurance. The exchange would let people compare insurance plans and buy coverage through a consumer-friendly website. Republicans who opposed the bills said the measures could create unaccountable bureaucracy. Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, said California should leave it to the federal government to create its own exchange to let people compare and buy insur-

ance coverage. He called the state-operated exchange ``a scary proposition.'' ``Let the federal government take on the full responsibility for

'If we don't embrace federal health care reform, we are going to be jeopardizing billions of dollars' as the state faces a $19 billion budget shortfall, Steinberg said this program,'' said Dutton, who is set to take over as Republican leader next month. But Senate President Pro Tem

Tests confirm 3 in Michigan had rare encephalitis LANSING, Mich.: Michigan health officials say lab tests confirm that three people contracted Eastern equine encephalitis, a brain disease that is rare but deadly among humans. The Michigan Department of Community Health said that test results show two Kalamazoo County men and a Barry County woman were infected with the mosquito-borne disease. A 61-year-old man is recover-

ing at home, while a 41-year-old man remains hospitalized and a 52year-old woman is in a rehabilitation center. The state says about one-third of humans who get sick with the illness die when symptoms such as fever, chills and vomiting lead to seizures and coma. Human cases of the virus are rare. Michigan's cases come amid an outbreak of the disease among horses. -AP

Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, said opponents should put aside their objections now that the federal health care system has become law. ``If we don't embrace federal health care reform, we are going to be jeopardizing billions of dollars'' as the state faces a $19 billion budget shortfall, Steinberg said. ``Why would we once again turn our backs on the opportunity to draw down billions of dollars in federal funds?'' SB900, which creates the exchange, passed the Senate on a 22-13 vote and now goes to the governor for his review. A companion bill that establishes the duties of the exchange, AB1602, passed on a 21-13 roll call and returns to the Assembly for final action. Health care reform advocates praised the Senate's actions. ``This was the big hurdle for the flagship of the health reform bills,'' said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access. ``The California exchange will be able to pool the purchasing power of literally millions of Californians to bargain for the best price and value with the insurers.'' The Assembly also approved AB2345, a bill that would prohibit insurance companies from charging an additional copay for insured patients getting preventive care such as mammograms and cancer screenings. -AP

Agency last year declared a health emergency in the town, nearly a decade after saying it would take about two years and $5.6 million to clean it up. Ten years later, the cost is more than $333 million, as asbestos keeps showing up in schools, businesses and houses. Sebelius herself didn't address the criticism of the health care bill. She told the attendants that she was there to listen and to see whether there have been any glitches in implementing the Medicare expansion. ``I'm here to make sure the program on the ground is working the way it's supposed to work,'' she said. Some residents expressed gratitude for the new coverage, calling it a major milestone in Libby's recovery. Gayla Benefield, one of the original advocates who helped bring Libby into the national spotlight, said this was one of the

dreams that she's had. The Medicare coverage _ which includes screenings and treatment _ gives residents an alternative to W.R. Grace's health program and exceeds the company's coverage, she said. ``To me this is one of the dreams that I had, that medical care would be available to future generations. W.R. Grace has provided our medical care since 2002, but they could stop that medical anytime. So it's been a very uncomfortable situation,'' Benefield said. More still needs to be done, Baucus said. Libby needs more doctors, the cleanup has further to go and more people need to be screened. But now, more people are eligible for coverage and the progress is obvious, he said. ``It's good to see justice after injustice for so many years,'' Baucus said. -AP

Unprecedented anti-smoking effort in LA County Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 35

"The stakes are too great for us to not step up our efforts. Over the next 18 months, the Department of Public Health will implement the most aggressive, targeted anti-tobacco campaign in L.A. County history," said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. "These funds are allowing us to build on our successes and redouble our efforts in the communities with the greatest need." In addition to Public Health's 58 current partners - including CBOs, social service agencies and statewide partners - the county will be awarding grants to an additional 71 social service agencies, including homeless shelters and transitional housing facilities, throughout L.A. County to support tobacco cessation efforts. The county will also be working in more than 75 high schools throughout L.A. County, including continuation and alternative high schools, where approximately 32.4 percent of the students are current smokers. "These efforts are ultimately focused on preventing the next generation of teenagers and young adults from using tobacco products. It is essential that we create more environments where tobacco use is not acceptable, where all county residents are protected from exposure to secondhand smoke, and where those who want help quitting know how and where to go get it," said Dr. Fielding.

To help residents who are currently addicted to tobacco, have already quit or want to help a friend or relative kick this deadly addiction, Angelenos can visit www.LAQuits.com for information and resources about quitting smoking, or call 1-800-NO-BUTTS, the free and confidential telephone counseling service that has proven to double a smoker's chances of successfully quitting

The Department of Public Health is committed to protecting and improving the health of the nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles County than if the smoker tried to do it alone. The service also assists those trying to quit chewing tobacco and has experts to help teens quit. The Department of Public Health is committed to protecting and improving the health of the nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. Through a variety of programs, community partnerships and services, Public Health oversees environmental health, disease control, and community and family health. Public Health comprises more than 4,000 employees and an annual budget exceeding $750 million.

Realty Tidbits

Godrej to develop prime land in Mumbai

Real Estate

he 36 acres of prime land that Godrej Industries owns in Mumbai are finally being developed and the master plan is almost ready. The first phase of the plan will be 6.5 lakh square feet of commercial space, of which half will house the group companies like Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) and Godrej Properties and the other half will be leased out with expected revenues of over Rs. 350 crore annually. The first part of the project will start in February or March of next year and will be completed within 30 months. The total amount to be developed over 36 acres is 3 million square feet over 3-4 years which will be a mix of residential, commercial, retail and hospitality development.

12% hike in Delhi and NCR rentals

ousing rentals have gone up by 12 per cent on an average in Delhi and NCR in the April-June period of the current year compared to the same period last year, real estate portal 99 acres.com said in a report. The report, which took 3 BHK flats into consideration, said the highest appreciation during the period in South Delhi was seen in the Saket area, where rentals increased by 31 per cent followed by South Extension, Safdarjung and Malviya Nagar by 24 per cent, 22 per cent and 21 per cent, respectively. "Both Vasant Kunj and Dwarka seem to have emerged as the most affordable rental destinations in Delhi for the middle income group," it said.

Sobha’s luxury home project in Delhi suburb

obha Developers Ltd., the best performing stock on the Bombay Stock Exchange Realty Index this year, plans to start a 5 billion rupee ($107 million) project in a New Delhi suburb to build luxury homes as the economy expands. “We are entering the golden era in real estate now,” J.C. Sharma, managing director of the company said in an interview. “Residential houses are showing signs of robust recovery. The growth phase has started now.” The project, located in Gurgaon, on the outskirts of New Delhi, is spread across 150 acres (61 hectares) and will start by March, Sharma said.

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September 3, 2010

Supertech to invest Rs 2,000 cr in Greater Noida

ealty firm Supertech will invest Rs 2,000 crore to build an integrated township on Yamuna Expressway near Greater Noida. The township ‘Upcountry’ will be spread over 100 acre. It would be developed in two phases, the Noida-based company said in a statement. The company plans to invest about Rs 600 crore in the first phase and “the entire project will involve an investment of Rs 2,000 crore,” it added.

FDI in India's real estate jumps 80 fold MUMBAI: It's not Indians alone who are monitoring the real estate market here. More and more money is being pumped into India's housing sector from abroad. And this, despite the recent downturn. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in India's booming real estate and housing market jumped 80 times between 2005 and 2010. Figures show that in 2005, FDI in real estate was a mere Rs 171 crore. That soared to Rs 13,586 crore in 2009-10. In April and May this year, Rs 737 crore in FDI was pumped into the sector. It is no surprise that the largest number of building projects where FDI is in play are in the country's commercial capital, Mumbai. Of the total 1,614 projects in which foreign investors have put in money since 2005, 422 were cleared by the Reserve Bank of India's Mumbai office, followed closely by 316 in Delhi. Other big cities like Banga-

lore (225 projects), Hyderabad (105 projects) and Chennai (68 projects) also enjoyed considerable attention of foreign real estate developers. Interestingly, given the booming property market across the country, FDIs are not confined to

metros and big cities alone. Thus since 2005, various real estate projects have been given a green signal by RBI's offices in Bhopal, Kanpur, Kochi, Jaipur and Panaji, amongst other places. The largest FDI in the last five years remains in the construction of a

technology park at Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai. In this case, $372 million has been brought in through a foreign collaborator based in Mauritius. Although the FDI has come from as many 34 countries and destinations as diverse as the Netherlands, USA, Saudi Arabia and even Sudan, data shows that in last five years the largest number of foreign collaborators working with Indian real estate firms were based in Mauritius. Technically speaking, the Foreign Exchange Management Act or FEMA, prohibits foreign investment in real estate and construction of farm houses. However, the definition of "real estate business does not include development of townships, construction of residential or commercial premises, roads or bridges, educational institutions, recreational facilities, city and regional level infrastructure".

Investors trust real estate industry over MFs The rich rarely admit when they lose money. Often it's too little to matter. More often, they are too proud to tell the world how wrong they were. A client, who asks a private wealth manager to handle Rs 50 lakh, may change her banker if the man fails. But she is unlikely to write a letter to the editor, or drop a mail to regulators - things that angry

Instead, they ask real estate fund managers to grow their money. Their message to fund managers is simple: "first, don't buy listed stocks, go for unlisted builders; second, pick those property firms with projects in Mumbai and Delhi, the hottest markets." Around 15 local real estate funds are today managing Rs 10,000-12,000 crore. That's as big

What's helping is a near stagnant mutual fund industry. Very little new money is flowing into mutual funds, which can no longer use investors' money to pay brokers and banks who have so far helped them mop up funds. But real estate funds, away from the regulator's glare, have no such curbs mutual fund investors often do. Better known as HNIs, these investor's fish for 'sophisticated' products that appear smarter than stocks or bonds. Over the last four years, more and more of them have been drawn to properties. They don't get into cash deals, broker-dealings and paper work - the messy side of real estate transactions.

as the portfolio management business of stock brokers. Like PE players, their more glamorous neighbors, the property firms offer a hurdle rate of return to investors. Simply put, this means that the fund has to generate a floor return, that varies from 8-11%, before it can claim a slice of the profit. This return (which isn't guaranteed) goes to

investors and anything above it is shared in a way where the fund keeps 20% of the profit and the balance 80% goes to investors. Say, the hurdle rate is 8%, and the fund generates 15%. The extra 7% over the hurdle rate is split, with investors receiving 5.6% and the fund keeping 1.4%. One of the funds, backed by a blue-chip institution, has been clever enough to raise money before Lehman, sit on the cash for a year and invest it after the meltdown. But not all have been lucky; and a few missed the bull run. The four-year old party is slowly

beginning to get a little crowded. Corporates, professionals, builders and brokerage firms are floating funds. And none of them has a problem in raising money. What's helping is a near stagnant mutual fund industry. Very little new money is flowing into mutual funds, which can no longer use investors' money to pay brokers and banks who have so far helped them mop up funds. But real estate funds, away from the regulator's glare, have no such curbs. They are paying as high as 3-4% commission to whoever is interested to raise money for them.

Tech News US Eximbank's $ 910M loan for Sasan WASHINGTON: The US Eximbank is believed to have sanctioned a 910-million dollar loan guarantee for supply of equipment to the Rs 20,000-crore Sasan power project of the Anil Ambani Group in Madhya Pradesh. The sanction came at a meeting of the Board of the Eximbank which had earlier expressed reservations about the loan on environmental considerations. No contact could be established with the Anil Ambani Group spokesperson. An announcement of the sanction is expected to be made soon. After reservations were voiced by the Eximbank, Anil Ambani is believed to have met top officials of the Bank committing to green energy. -PTI

India's space spending to be Rs 10,000 cr BANGALORE: The space spending is expected to increase by an average of 14.8 per cent annually in India over the next four years and estimated to be Rs 10,000 crore by 2014, a CII-AntrixDeloitte study said. Currently, India is ranked sixth globally in terms of space budget and technological capabilities, behind the US, Europe, Japan, Russia and China, the New India Space Market Study said. The study was released by K R Sridhara Murthi, Managing Director, Antrix Corporation Ltd, at the Bengaluru Space Expo (BSX) 2010 conference organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Antrix, the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organization. -PTI

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NEW DELHI: In an attempt to mollify Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh after a spat over the proposed Navi Mumbai airport, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has said he would work closely with his cabinet colleague to move forward. Ramesh had last month raised serious ecological issues concerning the proposed airport in Navi Mumbai saying its construction would damage mangrove cultivation in nearly 2000 hectare. "We are trying for the second airport in Mumbai to meet growing demand. My cabinet colleague (Ramesh) is sitting here and we will move forward together," Patel said in Lok Sabha during Question Hour. -PTI

NEW DELHI: Private sector has given a "dismal" response to a government incentive scheme for providing jobs to the disabled, Rajya Sabha was informed. "We had a lot of expectations (from the scheme) but the response has been dismal," Minister of Social Justice and Welfare Mukul Wasnik said while replying to a Calling Attention on discrimination faced by the disabled. The Finance Minister had announced in the 2008 budget a scheme under which the employers' contribution for the disabled employees would be borne by the government for three years. -PTI

Pradip Mehta to head Project Management Institute India Post News Service

NEW YORK: Pradip Mehta, who currently serves as a Manager of Project Controls for AECOM Corporation, a Fortune 500 Company, was recently elected president of the Project Management Institute College of

ensure that PMI-COS is achieving its vision, mission and objectives. PMI-COS is dedicated to promoting best practices and excellence in project controls and scheduling through publishing guidelines, training, sharing project experiences and networking. "I am very excited about this

Pradip is a nationally recognized expert on implementing project-controls best practices and has spoken and written extensively on the subject, with more than 20 published papers in the area of project controls best practices Scheduling (PMI-COS). The PMI is a global organization headquartered in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, with more than 500,000 members in 185 countries. As the President of PMICOS, Mehta will lead the college and will work with the board of directors to

opportunity to advance best practices in scheduling for the global project management community while enhancing the visibility of AECOM's capabilities in project controls," Mehta said. Pradip is a nationally recognized expert on implementing

project-controls best practices and has spoken and written extensively on the subject, with more than 20 published papers in the area of project controls best practices, claims analysis and litigation, enterprise - wide project management system implementation and earned value management. He holds a master's degree in

NYIT student receives national recognition in India India Post News Service

Patel seeks to mollify Ramesh on Mumbai airport

September 3 2010

Pvt sector lukewarm to jobs for disabled, says Govt

NEW YORK: Shail Choksi, a second-year M.B.A./finance student and president of the Indian Graduate Students Association of the School of Management at New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), received a national award in India for his business achievements and innovations. Choksi was presented with the Rajiv Gandhi Rastryia Ekta Samman award by the All India National Unity Conference, an organization working for the people's movement for national unity and integration of India. Recently appointed as the youngest IT consultant for the state government in Gujarat, India, Choksi was recognized for the innovative website she designed to market handicraft products such as wall hangings, purses, and tablecloths created by Indian artisans.

Because handicraft sales are a main source of income for many Indian artisans, Choksi was hired by the government to coordinate the sales of the products and then developed a robust e-commerce website to market and sell the

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presented Choksi with the award, which is given in remembrance of the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi handicrafts. "National awards are a symbol of pride for the nation, and receiving recognition for my work will continue to motivate me in my educational, professional, and personal endeavors," said Choksi,

who was the first student to receive the honor. Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, presented Choksi with the award, which is given in remembrance of the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to men and women from various fields for their outstanding services, achievements, and contributions. New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees in more than 90 fields of study, including architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions; management; and osteopathic medicine. A non-profit independent, private institution of higher education, NYIT has more than 15,000 students attending campuses on Long Island and Manhattan, online, and at its global campuses.

Construction Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He immigrated to USA after completing his bachelor degree in Civil Engineering from the Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute (VJTI) while concurrently clearing the intermediate year of Cost Accounting from the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India.

'India to import 2000 tonnes of silk from China' NEW DELHI: India is importing 2000 tonnes of high quality silk from China for distribution among weavers in the famous silk centres at Kanchipuram and Benares, Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran said here. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Maran said the weavers in Benares and Kanchipuram have been complaining of shortage of high quality ski for quite some time. "We are importing 2000 tonnes of high quality silk from China which will be provided to weavers in Kanchipuram and Benares," he said. The discussion on the question took an interesting turn when Anu Tandon (Cong) sought to raise the plight of weavers who produce the famed Benares silk sarees. "But you are never seen wearing a saree," a member said as Tandon, a member from Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, sought to make a point forcefully. -PTI

TechBiz Post

September 3 2010

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So Cal Edison unveils new smart energy center India Post News Service

IRWINDALE, CA: An innovative exhibit displaying the latest tools and technologies that are helping to create a cleaner, smarter and more reliable electric grid was officially opened by Southern California Edison (SCE), an Edison International company. The Smart Energy Experience introduces customers to the progress SCE is making in developing new technologies to build a

and developed by SCE, which will improve the reliability of the electric grid. Animation of a neighborhood electric circuit visually depicts a power outage caused by a simulated lightning strike, showing how smart grid technology will reduce the length and number of customers affected by power outages in the future. Other demonstrations at the center show how various components of smart grid technology will empower customers to more pre-

L-R: Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-Calif.); John R. Fielder, president of SCE; Theodore F. Craver Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Edison International.

smart grid, as well as demonstrating new energy efficient devices, smart appliances that communicate with a smart meter over a home area network, a garage fully equipped for the next generation of plug-in electric vehicles and online tools to help customers monitor and mange their energy costs. "The Smart Energy Experience is a valuable educational resource for customers," said Theodore F. Craver Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Edison International. "Edison is an industry leader in developing advanced technologies, promoting electric transportation readiness and in providing power generated from renewable resources. With our 125-year history of innovation, we are committed to providing customers with safe, reliable and affordable electricity." "This exhibit demonstrates how new technology will help families keep their energy costs low," said Congresswoman Judy Chu (DCalif.), who represents the district in which the Smart Energy Experience is located. "The green economy is the future and I'm proud area businesses like Southern California Edison are leading the nation's investment in it." The Smart Energy Experience features current and future technologies for energy distribution and consumption. The exhibit demonstrates smart grid technologies that have been researched

cisely manage their energy use and reduce their carbon footprint through the use of smart energy devices, plug-in electric vehicles and distributed energy resources at customers' premises. "The Smart Energy Experience is a hands-on exhibit that will enable our customers to learn about the new tools and technologies that we are developing and introducing," said John R. Fielder, president of SCE. "We look forward to providing our customers with additional information and knowledge that will

enable them to make choices that will help them save energy, money and the environment." Located in Irwindale, Calif., the Smart Energy Experience features 2,260 square feet of exhibit space. Designed to look like a typical Southern California home, the center includes a full kitchen with smart, energy-efficient appliances, a living room with a smart thermostat, laundry area and garage with a plug-in electric vehicle. The residence is equipped with a home

"This exhibit demonstrates how new technology will help families keep their energy costs low," said Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-Calif.), who represents the district in which the Smart Energy Experience is located area network, demonstrating how smart appliances work with a home's smart electric meter through secure, two-way wireless communications. The home also features smart energy devices that monitor real-time power usage, providing the ability for consumers to observe the immediate increase and decrease in power usage when certain appliances are turned on or off. The site includes a mock outdoor area with sidewalk, front lawn, smart electric meter, high-efficiency air conditioner condenser and a light-weight composite power pole.

Government to soon notify fuel efficiency standards NEW DELHI: After wranglings between the Power and Transport Ministries, the government has now decided to notify fuel efficiency standards for auto makers under the Energy Conservation Act which will come into force from January next year. "The standards will be notified under the Energy Conservation Act 2002 by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency and not under the Motor Vehicle Act," Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said at the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) summit here. This has been decided, he said, "after considerable wranglings between different ministries and inhibition by the automobile sector. "And since technical work has been done. Only fine-tuning is remaining. I would urge SIAM to work with the Power and Surface Transport Ministries to work with the clear objective of moving towards mandatory fuel standards from January next year." For quiet sometime, the matter had been a bone of contention between the Power and the Road Transport and Highways Ministries. The SIAM has agreed to move towards voluntarily labeling from October this year under which all of its members declare mileage of their vehicles certified by the Automotive Research Association of India. However, Ramesh felt that it was high time that the automobile industry move at the earliest from the voluntary regime to the mandatory fuel efficiency standards regime in the absence of which it is expected to be a major contribu-

tor to the country's total green house gas emissions. "I had been fighting all along that we must move from voluntary to mandatory regime of fuel efficiency standards. If the US could do it... President Obama has done it even though he had legislation problem, he used the Environment Protection Act to move into the regime of mandatory fuel effi-

Ramesh felt that it was high time the automobile industry moved from the voluntary regime to the mandatory fuel efficiency standards regime in the absence of which it world to be a major contributor to the country's total green house gas emissions ciency standards. Let's also quickly do that," he said. Presently, the transport sector contributes about 15 to 20 per cent of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions. "But the rate at which the automobile sector is growing our own estimations are that by the year 2025-30 it could account close to 25 per cent of our GHG emissions. "Hence not only because of the air pollution point of view but also the climate change point of view, environment-friendly transportation assume special importance," the Minister said. -PTI

In Brief South Fla. calls march for immigration reform WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.: A South Florida church and advocates are calling on the government to grant more rights to illegal immigrants and for the state not to enact an Arizona-type immigration law. About 100 people marched through a West Palm Beach street last week. Many said they were concerned Florida lawmakers would pass a proposed law requiring police to check illegal immigrants' status during lawful stops and for immigrants to carry legal paperwork. Others called for immigration reform that would allow illegal immigrants to become more incorporated into mainstream society, pay taxes, buy homes and hold legal jobs. -AP

35 arrests in Las Vegas anti-gang push LAS VEGAS: A federal official says 35 people were arrested in a three-day sweep aimed at dismantling multinational street gangs in the Las Vegas. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Richard Curry said that three of the suspected gang members or associates were U.S. citizens. The other 32 were citizens of Mexico, El Salvador, the Philippines, Honduras, Cuba, Guatemala and Laos. Curry says six of the people arrested face state criminal charges or warrants. Three of those being held could face felony re-entry after deportation charges carrying the possibility of up to 20 years in prison. -AP

Texas faces rising cost for illegal immigrant care AUSTIN, Texas: The cost of keeping illegal immigrants in prison and providing them with medical care exceeded $250 million last year in Texas, according to state health and corrections officials. The testimony before the House State Affairs Committee came as lawmakers faced a projected state budget shortfall of up to $18 billion. “We want to focus on what the real costs are for state services,” said Rep. Burt Solomons, RCarrollton, the committee chairman. “There’s really not a lot of wholly accurate data.” -AP

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Program seeks to help legal immigrants MEMPHIS, Tenn.: The city of Memphis plans to start a program geared to integrate immigrants with legal status into society by urging them to seek citizenship and teach them about local governments.

September 3, 2010

Details on page 43

Tough law Brewer wins Republican primary PHOENIX: Republican Gov. Jan Brewer handily won Arizona's GOP primary in a contest marked by a surge in her popularity after she signed a tough law targeting illegal immigration. Brewer, who inherited the job last year after former Gov. Janet Napolitano became Homeland Security secretary, will meet Democrat Terry Goddard in the November race. Goddard, Arizona's attorney general, was unopposed for his party's nomination. She defeated little-known moderate Matthew Jette and Buz Mills, a businessman whose name remained on the ballot even though he suspended his campaign in July. While Brewer's role in the immigration issue - and the controversial law she signed in April dominated the primary, the general election campaign is expected to increasingly focus on the economy. Brewer said she'd run on a record of cutting state spending while protecting education and public safety. ``The voters know who Jan

Brewer is,'' she said. ``I'm a pragmatic conservative Republican. Terry Goddard is a liberal.'' And illegal immigration is still an issue both in Arizona and across the country, Brewer said.

Goddard has said a more comprehensive approach should focus on targeting smuggling cartels. The recession has cratered the homebuilding industry and carved out huge holes in the state budget. ``We're in so much trouble. This is an emergency, all hands to battle

Brewer said she'd run on a record of cutting state spending while protecting education and public safety Republican Gov. Jan Brewer

``We will continue down the path of doing everything that we possibly can do to get it under control,'' she said. ``We are fed up.'' Brewer signed the immigration law on April 23, defending its provisions targeting illegal immigrants' presence in the state as necessary due to a porous border.

stations type of problem right now,'' Goddard said. ``The state is running toward financial disaster. That's Brewer's fault. She basically failed to balance the budget the whole time she was governor.'' The state's fiscal troubles were the dominant issue facing Brewer as the Republican primary race began, with challengers criticizing her for championing a temporary

sales tax increase to help close budget deficits. But her standing improved, at least in the Republican primary, when she signed the immigration law and voters approved the tax increase a month later. In July, Mills suspended his mostly self-funded campaign for the Republican nomination after trailing in polls despite spending more than $3 million. However, Mills didn't formally withdraw from the race. Brewer's only active opponent in the closing month of the campaign was Jette, a former pharmaceutical salesman now working as a part-time university instructor. Jette said Brewer's handling of the state's ongoing budget trouble has undercut the state's future and that her signing of the immigration law was shortsighted and divisive. Former Paradise Valley Mayor Vernon Parker and Tucson attorney John Munger withdrew earlier. State Treasurer Dean Martin's name also was on the ballot but votes cast for him won't count because he withdrew from the race. -AP

USCIS guidance on increase in H-1B & L fees CORA-ANN V. PESTAINA

n August 19, 2010 USCIS held a stakeholders tele conference to provide much needed guidance on its implementation of Public Law 111-230 which was signed into law by President Obama on August 13, 2010 and will remain in effect until September 30, 2014. The panel included such recognizable names as Donald Neufeld. Although Public Law 111-230 increases H-1B and L-1 petition fees effective immediately upon enactment on August 13, 2010, USCIS will apply it to certain H-1B and L-1 petitions postmarked on or after August 14, 2010. Essentially, Public Law 111230 applies to employers who employ more than 50 employees and have more than 50% of the workforce employed on H-1B, L-

1 or on an employment authroization document (EAD) pursuant to L-2 status. Both fulltime and part-time employees must be counted and employers need only consider employees currently working in the U.S. Employers with employees on H-1B,

L-1 petition on behalf of the beneficiary. Accordingly, Public Law 111-230 does not apply when filing H-1B or L-1 petitions for extensions of stay by the same petitioner for the same beneficiary. Several stakeholders had questions with regard to corporations

US Employers with employees on H-1B, L-1 or L-2 status, where the employees are constantly entering and leaving the US, should perform their calculation for purposes of Public Law 111-230 at the time of filing L-1 or L-2 status, where the employees are constantly entering and leaving the US, should perform their calculation for purposes of Public Law 111-230 at the time of filing the relevant H-1B or L-1 petition. Public Law 111-230 only applies upon the petitioner filing its first H-1B or

with several subsidiaries each holding its own Federal Employer Identification Number. Stakeholders were concerned that depending on which corporation was used to perform the calculation, the employer could be subject or not subject to Public Law 111-230.

USCIS offered no particular guidance on this except to point out that for the purposes of Public Law 111-230, it will use the definition of employer found at 8 CFR§214.2(h)(4)(ii) which states: United States employer means a person, firm, corporation, contractor, or other association, or organization in the United States which: (1) Engages a person to work within the United States; (2) Has an employer-employee relationship with respect to employees under this part, as indicated by the fact that it may hire, pay, fire, supervise, or otherwise control the work of any such employee; and (3) Has an Internal Revenue Service Tax identification number. Cont’d on page 43

Immigration Post

September 3, 2010

www.indiapost.com

Ex-Texas immigrant detention guard arrested GEORGETOWN, Texas: The former resident supervisor at a central Texas immigrant detention camp was arrested and accused of fondling female detainees en route to their deportations. Williamson County deputies arrested Donald Charles Dunn, 30, in Austin just before 5 p.m. and charged him with three counts of official oppression and two counts of unlawful restraint, according to a statement from the Williamson County Sheriff's Office. Bond was set at $35,000. No attorney was shown in county jail records for Dunn. According to the statement, three women told investigators that they were fondled during unscheduled stops while Dunn was driving them from the Hutto camp to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport for deportation. The statement said Dunn told

detectives that he fondled the women under the guise of frisking them, and that he had done so numerous times while a transport officer. The first report came in May. The camp's private management company, Corrections Cor-

Hutto was a former prison before it became a facility to hold families, often children and their parents, who were to be deported poration of America, subsequently fired Dunn and then reached out to other possible victims, according to the statement. A spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said at the time that CCA had been

placed on probation pending the investigation's outcome. ICE ordered CCA to make changes, including not allowing male guards to be alone with female detainees. Hutto was a former prison before it became a facility to hold families, often children and their parents, who were to be deported. The Hutto camp was the subject of numerous complaints of abuse and neglect. As part of President Barack Obama's immigration detention reforms, ICE ended the family detentions at Hutto and converted it to a facility to hold only woman facing deportation. As part of the plan, ICE officials said they would step up monitoring at their largest detention centers, removing that role from private companies that operate the facilities under contract with ICE. -AP

Immigration task force arrests 158 in Utah SALT LAKE CITY: A gang crackdown by police and immigration agents netted 158 arrests across Utah and western Nevada, federal prosecutors and police said. The four-month investigation focused on individuals with ties to more than 50 street gangs who were in the United States illegally, said Kumar Kibble, the special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations for the Rocky Mountain region. ``Those arrest figures makes this the largest enforcement action of its kind carried out in Utah,'' Kibble said.

Of those arrested, 93 will face state or federal criminal charges for crimes that include solicitation to commit aggravated murder, and forcible sexual abuse. If convicted, those individuals would be deported after serving prison or jail terms. Another 65 will only face immigration proceedings, because despite known gang affiliations, police could not link them to specific crimes, Kibble said. Thirty-one of those arrested had been previously deported and now face federal criminal re-entry charges that carry prison terms between two and 20 years, Utah's U.S. Attorney Carlie Christensen said.

``Our goal is not just to remove this criminal element from our communities, but from the country,'' Christensen said. Arrests were made in 23 Utah cities, including 29 each in St. George and Provo, 18 in Ogden and 17 in Salt Lake City. Nine arrests were made in West Wendover, Nev. Among those arrested were 125 foreign nationals from Argentina, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico and Peru. The joint operation was part of an ongoing initiative that pairs local police and gang officers with ICE agents. Since February 2005, the pairings have resulted in 350 Utah arrests. -AP

India Post

Immigration Post

India Post

September 3, 2010

www.indiapost.com

Utah lawmaker airs Arizona-style immigration bill SALT LAKE CITY: A conservative Utah lawmaker his said his Arizona-style immigration bill would withstand any federal court challenges and that he would resist any attempt to water his proposal down. State Rep. Stephen Sandstrom was among a delegation of Utah lawmakers who traveled to Arizona this summer to get advice on drafting the proposal, which got its first public hearing last Wednesday. Tennessee legislators recently made a similar visit to Phoenix, and Colorado lawmakers were at the Arizona Capitol to ask for advice on their own state proposal. Lawmakers here and elsewhere say a flood of illegal immigrants has overburdened the state's education, health care and law enforcement resources and a gettough bill like Arizona's is needed

to fix the problem. However, Sandstrom's bill contains several provisions nearly identical to those a federal judge blocked in Arizona before they could take effect last month. That includes a requirement that police, while enforcing other laws, question people's immigration status if officers have reasonable suspicion they're in the country illegally. Sandstrom told a packed hearing room with unusually heavy security that his proposal only allows police to question people about their immigration status if they've been stopped or pulled over for another offense. ``If you do not commit a crime you're never going to be asked a question,'' he said. ``You're not going to be harassed, you're not going to be questioned just because you're

walking down the street.'' Arizona's law also requires police to only question people when they're enforcing another law. But unlike Arizona's law,

‘If you do not commit a crime you're never going to be asked a question,’ he said. ‘You're not going to be harassed’ Sandstrom's bill specifies that passengers in a vehicle can only be questioned about their status if an officer has reasonable suspicion they may be involved in the smuggling or transportation of illegal immigrants.

``I've been working with some of the biggest legal minds in the nation on this bill. We've gone through Judge Bolton's ruling with a fine tooth comb,'' Sandstrom said in an interview. ``We've addressed nearly every issue that Judge Bolton had with the Arizona law.'' No vote was taken at the hearing and the Legislature doesn't convene until January, but Sandstrom said he felt it was important to begin getting the public involved. The hearing drew dozens of supporters and protesters, some of whom sang ``We Shall Overcome'' while Sandstrom held a news conference on the Capitol steps. Among the protesters was Enrique Melena, a 44-year-old Eagle Mountain financial consultant. He carried a sign saying ``The

Sandstrom bill is just a band aid. We need the cure.'' ``One of the things that really made me think about it, was I am a legal citizen of the country and the state, but just because of the color of my skin I will be profiled,'' he said. ``Because of the color of my skin I'm not going to be given the same right as (someone) who is white and has blue eyes.'' Other parts of Sandstrom's proposal that are similar to elements of the Arizona law that have been put on hold include a provision requiring immigrants to obtain or carry immigration registration papers. Sandstrom said that's the only area of the bill that may be problematic. But because Utah is in a different judicial circuit than Arizona, there's a good likelihood another judge would rule differently, he said. -AP

California GOP takes no action Neb. council to weigh cost of immigration law on Arizona law SAN DIEGO: In the end, the California Republican Party did not endorse Arizona's controversial immigration law. The GOP adopted a committee's report without discussion, killing a resolution that had been proposed by a conservative faction of the party. Members of the conservative California Republican Assembly, who drafted the resolution, had accused GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman of softening her stance on key issues such as fighting illegal immigration. That created tension between conservative delegates and Whitman supporters trying to court Hispanic voters in the November general election. The resolution would have affirmed the party's support for the Arizona law and Proposition 187, the 1994 initiative to cut public benefits to undocumented immigrants. A committee had blocked discussion of the resolution a day earlier. Colorado GOP to talk about immigration Meanwhile, Colorado Republicans are planning to introduce an immigration enforcement measure nearly identical to a controversial law passed this year in Arizona, lawmakers said after meeting with the legislators behind the effort in Phoneix. ``We are prepared to take on this issue directly because we know the people of Colorado expect us to deal with the issue,''

Kevin Lundberg, chairman of Colorado's Republican Study Committee, said at a news conference in Phoenix. The Colorado lawmakers said they would try to mirror Arizona's law as precisely as possible. But they also want to take other actions, including cracking down on employers that hire illegal immigrants. A federal judge last month delayed the most contentious provisions of Arizona's law a day be-

Colorado Republicans would face an uphill battle in passing a law similar Arizona's because they don't have a majority in either chamber. But Sen. Dave Schultheis said the political climate is changing fore it went into effect, including a section that would require officers to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws if they have ``reasonable suspicion'' that the person is in the country illegally. But the judge allowed other provisions, including a section that bars local governments from limiting enforcement of federal immigration laws. Those jurisdictions are commonly known as

``sanctuary cities.'' Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce, who sponsored the measure known as SB 1070, told his counterparts from Colorado that there's not much lawmakers can do to avoid lawsuits when taking aggressive action against illegal immigrants. ``It was never the intent to avoid the lawsuit,'' Pearce said. ``They'll sue you no matter what you do. We intend to win.'' Colorado Republicans would face an uphill battle in passing a law similar Arizona's because they don't have a majority in either chamber. But Sen. Dave Schultheis said the political climate is changing. ``We will not back down on this. This is going to happen,'' he said. Tennessee and Utah also sent delegations to Arizona this summer to get advice on copying the immigration law, and Pearce said he's fielded calls from a number of lawmakers in other parts of the country. Randy Parraz, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate who opposes Arizona's law, said illegal immigration is a federal responsibility and Colorado lawmakers should be meeting with lawmakers in Washington. ``This is about politics. They don't care about securing the border,'' said Parraz, who attended the news conference. ``This is about creating a wedge in our politics and about dividing people up.'' -AP

OMAHA, Neb.: The Fremont City Council will be asked to spend $750,000 to defend the city's ban on hiring and renting to illegal immigrants when it considers its 2011 budget next week, the city clerk said. A decision to do so could ultimately result in a tax increase for residents. City Clerk Kim Volk said the allocation would be included in the budget scheduled for a first reading at the council's Aug. 31 meeting. The city faces federal lawsuits from the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska and the Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund, also known as MALDEF. The groups say the ordinance is discriminatory. The Fremont City Council, which suspended the ordinance until the lawsuits are resolved, hired Kansas-based law professor Kris Kobach to defend the law. Kobach drafted the Fremont ordinance and offered to represent the city for free to fight the lawsuits. In a news release, city officials said Kobach has estimated $750,000 is needed for the court fight. That would require raising the property tax rate by about 5.8 mills, meaning a property owner with a $200,000 home would pay an extra $116 per year, the release said. Volk said any tax increase would be set at the council's September meeting. Fremont's 2011 fiscal year begins Oct. 1. Fremont, a city of 25,000 west of Omaha, is among a handful of

Nebraska cities that have seen marked demographic changes primarily because of an influx of Hispanic workers at meatpacking plants. The ordinance has divided the community between those who say it makes up for what they call lax federal law enforcement and others who argue it could fuel discrimination. Fremont's ordinance would require employers to use a federal online system that checks whether a person is permitted to work in the U.S.

Fremont's ordinance would require employers to use a federal online system that checks whether a person is permitted to work in the US It also would require people seeking to rent property to apply for a $5 permit at City Hall. Those who said they were citizens would receive a permit and would not have to provide documents proving legal status. Those who said they weren't citizens would receive permits, but their legal status would be checked. If they're found to be in the country illegally and are unable to resolve their status, they would be forced to leave the property. Landlords who knowingly rent to illegal immigrants could be subject to $100 fines. -AP

Immigration Post

September 3, 2010

India Post

www.indiapost.com

Program seeks to help legal immigrants ers, he said. The target audience is immigrants who already have legal status and are eligible to become naturalized citizens, Gambetta said. “It’s much better for cities to be ready and deal with this situa-

The program is meant to reduce the nervousness and lack of knowledge immigrants may feel about working with local government, she said tion, to try to be proactive and try to work together on race relations and diversity,” Gambetta said. The largest group of immigrants are from Mexico and Central America. Shelby County’s Hispanic population was at 39,000 in 2008, or about 4 percent of the total population, according to U.S. Census estimates. Locally, the program will be led

by Nika Jackson, the city’s manager of the office of multicultural and religious affairs. The program is meant to reduce the nervousness and lack of knowledge immigrants may feel about working with local government, she said. Also involved is the Hispanic advocacy group Latino Memphis. The group’s director, Mauricio Calvo, says he knows some immigrants who have legal residency but may believe the process of becoming a citizen is more difficult than it is. “(They think) you have to hire an attorney, you have to pay thousands of dollars to the attorney to do this paperwork for you,” Calvo said. The League’s program doesn’t directly address the number of immigrants in Memphis who are in the country illegally. Under current law, most illegal immigrants have little chance of achieving citizenship. Jackson says the program isn’t a solution to the national immigration debate. -AP

USCIS guidance on increase in H-1B & L fees Cont’d from page 40

Under Public Law 111-230, in addition to the filing fee ($320), the fraud fee ($500), the education and training fee (in the case of H-1Bs - $750 or $1,500) and the optional premium processing fee ($1000), affected petitioners must submit an additional fee of $2,000 if filing an H-1B petition and $2,250 if filing an L-1 petition. USCIS emphasized that it prefers a separate check made out to "Department of Homeland Security" for the required amount. Petitioners seeking guidance on what to write in the memo line on the check will have to wait, but can write "Public Law 111-230 fee" for now. In order to be consistent with the intent of the leg-

islation, USCIS expects the fee to be paid by the petitioner. USCIS stressed that petitioners who may have already submitted an H-1B or L-1 petition and think that the law may apply to them, should wait for a Request for Evidence ("RFE"). They will be given 30 days to pay the fee or provide evidence as to why they are not subject to the fee or the petition will be denied. USCIS assured listeners that an H-1B or L-1 petition would not be rejected for lack of this fee but would receive an RFE. Going forward, USCIS expects Petitioners who may appear subject to Public Law 111-230 (e.g. a dependent H-1B employer) to include an attestation along with

its petition explaining why it is not subject to Public Law 111230. Petitioner should include whatever evidence it deems appropriate along with this attestation. Soon USCIS will provide further guidance on what evidence it expects to receive. USCIS is working on new Form I-129 which will include questions pertaining to this new law and will assist petitioners in determining whether the law is applicable to them. USCIS could not comment on any implementations of the law by the Department of State (e.g. re L-1 blanket petitions). * Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.: The city of Memphis plans to start a program geared to integrate immigrants with legal status into society by urging them to seek citizenship and teach them about local governments. Called Municipal Action for Immigrant Integration, the program includes broadcast public service announcements that urge legal immigrants to take steps toward citizenship. Also included is a series of classes meant to teach immigrants how local government works and how they can participate. Courses in other cities have included information about city boards and commissions, and police and fire operations. The Commercial Appeal reports the National League of Cities picked Memphis as one of seven cities to participate in the project this year, said Ricardo Gambetta, the League’s program manager for immigrant integration. The program is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and is at no cost to Memphis taxpay-

Community Across America

India Post

September 3, 2010

www.indiapost.com

The culture shock for visiting grandparents DR. JASWANT SINGH SACHDEV

o have our elderly parents visit us even for a short period of time in the U.S., Canada or for that matter other Western countries where ever one is settled, is a burning desire that most NRIs carry in their hearts. Many times the NRIs go out of their way to fulfill this desire by bringing their parents to the country of their adoption. What is often overlooked, however, relates to the need for the NRI hosts to explain to their newly arrived elderly parents about not so obvious subtleties of the Western lifestyle that may not have been known to them. Such endeavors will definitely make the stay of elderly parents here in the West more comfortable and worth enjoying? Talking to the elderly parents of a friend of mine who had just arrived from India to visit their son and grandchildren, it became obvious that the elderly couple was going through an extreme degree of difficulty in comprehending the behavioral characteristics of Western life. To this couple, who was in their seventies, life in the U.S. was at odds with how they had lived as the seniors in a joint family system in India. The elderly gentleman was educated and had worked for a good part of his life as the Indian equivalent of a Jus-

tice for peace in America in a small township in India before arriving here to the West to visit his wellsettled son. "Life was easy and free," he said to me. "There was no worry. My grandchildren in India were at my beck and call. They loved me to the hilt." And he further

With a can of Coke or a cup of coffee in one hand and a piece of toast in the other, they run to their cars. And if we ask them to do Puja with us, they ask why? added, "Our daughters-in-law went out of their way to make sure that we were fed properly and that our daily needs were nicely taken care of." But when he arrived in the West to visit his third son who is settled here, he discovered that his adult grandchildren living here in the West did not behave even an iota close to what he expected. "They are in their twenties but

the way they behave and act makes me feel as if they are totally unaware of the meaning of the unique relationship between grandparents and grandchildren," he said. "They have been in this country for only seven or eight years but it seems as if they do not belong to us anymore." The elderly man kept on lamenting further, "When they wake up in the morning, if they wake up at all, to go to their jobs, (Both grandchildren in this case were employed) they hardly say hello much less bow or touch our feet like my grandchildren in India did, for they are always in a rush to leave for work. With a can of Coke or a cup of coffee in one hand and a piece of toast in the other, they run to their cars. And if we ask them to do Puja with us, they ask why? What is in there? But this is not all. Then, once they return home from work, they straight away hit to their rooms while we may be sitting in the family room, waiting for their safe arrival." Of course all this wasn't new to me and most of us have been through these waters before. What became more disconcerting was the next conversation I had with the elderly man. He confided to me that back home he had a daily routine of taking a morning

Georgia DDS apologizes over driving license issue India Post News Service

WASHINGTON DC: The Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) recently apologized to a Sikh American man and his son for denying the younger Mr. Singh (individual declined to publicize identity) from taking his State ID photograph while wearing his religiously mandated dastaar (Sikh turban) at the Norcross Branch of the DDS. Even more concerning was that the elder Mr. Singh was told that in the future he would not be able to renew his driver's license with his dastaar on. SALDEF contacted the DDS Commissioner to address the issue and clarify the policy. In their response to SALDEF, they stated, "The DDS apologizes if… [the] customer [was] unable to obtain a driver's license or identification card with a photograph of him wearing his dastaar." Additionally they commented that, "The DDS… recognizes the rights of Sikhs and members of other faiths to be pho-

tographed wearing headgear." "We thank the Georgia DDS for their prompt attention to this matter," said SALDEF Associate Executive Director Jasjit Singh.

that exist in the current policy." In a follow-up letter to the Georgia DDS, SALDEF requested that "…the current policy in the Official Code of Georgia be formally

"We thank the Georgia DDS for their prompt attention to this matter," said SALDEF Associate Executive Director Jasjit Singh "We look forward to continuing dialogue with them to ensure that incidents like this do not occur again and that guidelines are issued to clarify the ambiguities

clarified to ensure that individuals who wear religious headwear which does not cover the face, such as the Sikh turban, are protected throughout the state."

walk. Upon arriving in this country, he continued his program of daily walks. Clad in his usual kurta pajamas, as he wore back home, he left his son's house early in the mornings to stroll through the neighborhood. Occasionally he sat and rested in front of the neighbors' houses. One morning he was stopped by a stranger who frowned at him with a mean look and asked him if he were a Muslim from the Mideast. The stranger then walked away. The elderly man did not understand why a stranger would confront him with such a personal question. Even more interesting was his further disclosure. He stated, "During my morning walks, girls and boys from the neighborhood waiting on the corners of intersection

‘This place is not India and this is not your culture. You do not reach out and touch a child whom you don't know. We understand your intent but please, in the future, mind your own business’ for the school bus would often say hello to me and my wife. We smiled at the lovely style with which they wished us good morning, especially given that they did not know much about us. “One day, one of the girls, who was not more than seven years old, didn't come forward to say her usual greeting. I went to her, put my hand on her head, and asked her what was the matter. She did not look well so I handed my son's personal card to her and told her to call me if she did not feel better. She happily took the card. "Hardly an hour passed before we heard a knock on the front door of our son's house. I opened the door and saw two police officers standing outside who explained that they had some questions to ask me. The police officers told me that they were here to find out who I was and how long I had been living there. “I told them that we were visitors from India and were staying with our son. And then they asked me why I touched and talked to a little girl who I did not know. My response was as pious as my mind was. The little girl was of the same age as my granddaughter back

home. She looked somewhat sad and I just wanted to tell her to call us if we could be of any use. I added that in our culture, we reach out to those in need and obviously the child needed some encouragement." The police officers asked the elderly man and his wife to show them their identities for which then they produced their passports. Then the police told the man, "This place is not India and this is not your culture. You do not reach out and touch a child whom you don't know. We understand your intent but please, in the future, mind your own business." While the elderly man's actions were benign and simple, the situation was complicated by cultural differences. Yet, therein lay the pearls of wisdom that one could collect from the above-stated situations. There is a dire need to understand differences in cultures of the East and West which may be intrinsically one hundred and eighty degrees apart and oftentimes it takes time to break in the new culture of West. The culture and its interpretations need to be emphasized time and again to the prospective elderly visitors whom we may decide to bring for a short or long term visits to the West. To minimize the occurrence of similar incidents our elderly parents need to be informed that their grandchildren, who may appear Indians on outside, are not truly so from within as they could not be. Grandparents can't expect the same attitudes and behavior from them like they were used to back home and they shouldn't. Our visitors also need to be explained that appropriate clothing for the outdoors in the West is not the same as it was back home. Some adjustments, of course within the bounds of what is acceptable in term of their religious boundaries, are of paramount significance and should be attended to appropriately. The most important lesson out of this story refers to their behavior with the strangers on the streets especially the children. An intrinsic goodness of the heart could be interpreted the wrong way and there is a need to exercise caution. We, the long term residents may all be aware of such subtleties but a little bit of extra education here and there, keeping in mind the circumstances and awareness level of the temporary visitors will not hurt and instead make their stay as well as of that of the hosts smoother and more enjoyable. Dr. Jaswant Singh Sachdev is author of " Square Pegs, Round Holes"

Datebook

September 3, 2010

India Post

www.indiapost.com

NEW YORK

ILLINOIS

Upcoming

Sat July 31 to Sat Sept 18

Fri Sept 3

• Carnatic Music Idol

• Arrival of Sudhanshuji Maharaj @ the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago

Venue: Online competition, Maryland, Maryland, NY Time: 6pm Contact: 410-499-9127

Sat Sept 4

Venue: Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, 10915 Lemont Road, Lemont, Illinois Time: 6:30am to 9:30am Contact: 630-854-8159

• Apna & Rajvir Entertainment Presents Gurdas Maan LIVE in Concert in NY

Sun Sept 5

Venue: Colden Center, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing, New York Time: 7pm Contact: 516-263-6562

Wed Sept 8 • Queens Chand Raat 2010 for Families & Couples Venue: Sheraton LaGuardia East, 135-20 39th Avenue, 2 Blocks from Main Street & Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY Time: 7pm to 11:45pm Contact: (718) 600-0954

Sat Sept 18 • New York CRY Walk 2010 Venue: Riverside Park, West 116th Street, New York City, NY Time: 9:30pm Contact: 201-220-4490

Fri Sept 3

• Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan host Satsang, Bhajan & Meditation Program

• 6th AKKA World Kannada Conference 2010

Venue: Woodbridge township ambulance and Rescue squad, 77 Queen Road, 3rd Floor, Iselin, NJ 08830 Time: 10:30am to 1pm Contact: (732) 485-0647 Highlights: Lecture by close disciple of Shree Ashutosh Ji Maharaj, Bhajans, free meditation and Mahaprasad.

• Sanskrit Family Residential Camp

Sun Sept 12 • Jus Carnival Live In Concert Venue: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theater, Eisenhower Park, 1899 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow, New York Time: 1pm 8pm Contact: 718-752-9290

Sat Sept 18 Venue: Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois Contact: (800) 345-9472

Venue: B.B.King Blues Club and Grill, 237 West 42nd St, NY Time: 7:30pm Contact: 201-855-6243

Upcoming

Venue: Griffin Lounge, 326 W. Chicago Ave, Chicago Contact: 773-490-0975

• Bansuri Concert: Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia

• Indian Ocean: LIVE in NYC 2010

Upcoming Every Sunday

Fri Sept 3

• Ramayana Conference, DeKalb, IL @ NIU

Fri Sept 10

WASHINGTON DC

• Super Sunday with Mumbai's DJ RINK

Thurs Sept 9 Venue: Engleman Recital Hall, Baruch College, 55 Lexington Ave, NY Time: 7pm to 9pm Contact: 212-594-3685

NEW JERSEY

Fri Oct 1 • The Merchants of Bollywood Chicago North American Premier Venue: Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Parkway, Chicago, Illinois Time: 8pm to 11pm Contact: 317-222-1325

Sat Oct 2 • Ishq 2010 Venue: North Shore Center Of Performing Art, Skokie, Illinois Time: 7pm to 9pm Contact: 847-230-7977

Venue: Camp Louemma, 43 Louemma Lane, NJ 07461, Sussex, NJ Time: 7am to 11am Contact: 516-395-9480

Venue: Raritan Center, Edison, Washington Time: 9am Contact: 248-396-0776

Wed Sept 8 • Chand Raat "A shopping festival" Venue: Best Western, 6633 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, Virginia Time: 5pm to 1am Contact: 732-277-6687

Mon Sept 13 • Bhangra Dance Lessons

Fri Sept 3 • 6th AKKA World Kannada Conference 2010 Venue: Raritan Center, Edison, New Jersey Time: 9am Contact: 248-396-0776

Venue: Stamp Student Union, Maryland University, College Park, Maryland Time: 7pm to 8pm Contact: 301-299-3334

Wed Sept 15

Fri Sept 3

• Radhastami

• 6th AKKA World Kannada Conference 2010

Venue: Hare Krishna Temple, Potomac, Maryland Time: 6:30pm to 9pm Contact: 301-299-2100

Venue: Raritan Center, Edison, New Jersey Time: 9am Contact: 248-396-0776

Tues Sept 21 • Laughter yoga Fitness

Sat Sept 4 • Indo American Fair 2010 Venue: Mercer County Park, New Jersey Time: 11am to 7pm Contact: 609-240-2350

Venue: Potomac Community Center, 11315 Falls Road, Potomac, Maryland Time: 11am to 11:45am Contact: 301-299-3334

Sat Sept 11

Thurs Sept 23

• Mind And Meditation

• Sri Sri Yoga Course

Venue: Trinity Lutheran Church, 131 Mountain Way, Morris Plains, New Jersey Time: 10am to 11am Contact: 973 400 9191

Venue: The Herndon Art of Living center, Herndon, Virginia Time: 7pm to 9pm Contact: 703-723-8181

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Upcoming

Fri Sept 3

Every Sat (start from Sat Aug 8)

• A Job Fair For NRIs

• Gurukul Classes for Children

Venue: Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, California Contact: 646-792-6092

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.

Sat Sept 4 • Chhevan Dariya (The Sixth River) Movie Premier Venue: Big Cinemas Fremont7, 39160 Paseo Padre Pkwy, Fremont, CA 94538 Time: 2pm to 4pm Contact: 510-894-1292

Thurs Sept 9

Sat Sep 4 • Mahatma Moses Comedy Tour Venue: Forum Theater at El Portal Theater, 5269 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, California Time: 5pm to 10:30pm Contact: 415-676-1371

• Youth Empowerment Seminar

Fri Sept 10

Venue: Art of Living Foundation Center, 2370A Walsh Ave, Santa Clara, CA 95051 Time: 6:30pm

• 17th National Asian Entrepreneur of the Year Awards

Sat Sept 11 • Samarpanam II - The Next Generation Venue: McAfee Performing Arts Center, 20300 Herriman Avenue, Saratoga, California Time: 4pm to 7pm Contact: 408-605-6249

Venue: at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in LA Time: 6:30pm Contact: 909-319-2306 Highlights: 2010 Asian Entrepreneur of the Year Awards to Honor Best Companies and Outstanding Advocates for AAPI

Thur Sept 23

Sat Sept 18

• An Evening at the White House

• Salaam India

Venue: White House Event Center (West Wing), 1238 South Beach Boulevard, Anaheim, California Time: 6:30pm 10:30pm Contact: 509-487-3040

Venue: Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, California Time: 5pm to 7pm Contact: 408-436-8393

Sat Oct 30 & Sun Oct 31

Sat Sept 18

• Fun At "Boo At The Zoo"!

• Grammy Award Winner Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt Concert

Venue: Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027 Time: 10am to 4pm Contact: 323-644-4200 Highlights: The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways.

Venue: Spangenberg Theatre - Gunn High School, 780 Arastradero Rd, Palo Alto, California Time: 11:30am to 2:30pm Contact: 510-771-7598

Sun Sept 19 A. Kanyakumari & Embar S. Kannan Violin Duet Venue: CET, 701 Vine Street, San Jose, California Time: 3:30pm Contact: 408-252-5231

Sum Oct 3 • CRY San Diego Walk For Child Rights 2010 Venue: Balboa Park, San Diego, California Time: 9am Contact: sandiego@cryamerica.org

Sat Oct 2

Sat Oct 16

• Vibha Dandia 2010 - Oct 2nd

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Horoscope

46 India Post

September 3, 2010

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ARIES Mar 21-Apr 20 You will do very well with money this week. There will be many chances to make fast bucks. You will become more social and will be in demand in the party. People will appreciate your contribution. You will receive valuable advice and tips from an elderly and matured person. Spouse will pay more attention to health and have few uncertainties in mind.

LEO Jul 23-Aug 22 You will be under lots of pressure in order to prove your efficiency under difficult conditions. Do not allow a co worker distract you from real goals. Sun in the third will help resolve all issues with government in your favor. If you sign any paper in a hurry you will regret soon. People in business will have better sales and make new clients.

SAGITTARIUS

Sep 3rd to Sep 9th

Nov 23-Dec 22 You will join hands with some very like minded and famous people. Plans you are working on will bring drastic changes in career very soon and place you to a totally different level. Home remedy will help you overcome health problems. You will take a short trip to a hot and dry area. You may also dispose off some stocks for a decent profit.

TAURUS Apr 21-May 20 If you can keep your emotions under check, you will be rewarded in near future. Money will become available as and when needed. Any changes at work at this point will prove to be beneficial in time to come. You will be again successful in trimming corners and save a lot. You will be working on a great plan with some like minded friends.

VIRGO Aug 23-Sept 22 Opponents will try hard but fail. You will be selected among number of candidates for the job. Quick recovery from minor illness also indicated. You will benefit from some one lot younger in age. Money wise things will start moving in right direction and you will recover some old payments too. An old friend will call and invite for lunch.

CAPRICORN Dec 23-Jan 19 You will need to make changes in plans on the last minute. People in power or the boss will give little headache. Money wise this could be a rewarding week. Money may come from totally unexpected quarters. You will make an appointment with your dentist too. You will learn from opponents and try to correct your approach to obtain a better deal.

GEMINI May 21-Jun 20 It will be an interesting week and if you play your cards right and quick, it's a win win situation. Changes you had been waiting for can take place so fast that even you will be amazed. You will take little time off work and spend quality time with family and may travel to a nice place for a day. Some body is working behind the scene for you.

LIBRA Sept 23-Oct 22 A long awaited reunion is in the air. Things will continue to be strong in career with bad days a matter of history. You will spend more time away from home for business purpose. Loan application will finally get approved bringing big relief in mind. You will be full of great ideas and wit for right opportunity and time.

AQUARIUS Jan 20-Feb 18 You should not wait another day and cash profit making stocks. Suddenly you will become very ambitious and seriously look for new avenues to supplement your income. Time spent on phone will not go waste and you will save some money for long time. You will get to sit with successful people and learn from their experience and personality.

CANCER Jun 21-Jul 22 Do not act childish and take things seriously. It's a trap, watch out and be careful with a person who's been trying to flirt with you lately. Some disturbance will continue in career but without any real threat. You may need new prescription for glasses. Soon you will have few visitors in the house. You will travel to a nice area with family.

SCORPIO Oct 23-Nov 22 You will need outside help in order to get out of a sticky situation. Some of you will be trying very hard to find another job. Things will continue to stay on the edge as far as finances are concerned. Hard work and efforts will pay off in near future. You will be spending more on family and their needs.

PISCES Feb 19-Mar 20 A worthy cause will bring you closer to some like minded people. Mars and Venus in seventh can involve you with an adventurous person but it will be temporary only. An upcoming move will cause lots of excitement in the family. You may have to travel to another city in connection with some urgent business. Money wise you will be comfortable.

1896 amendment illegal, Ershad an usurper: Bangla HC DHAKA: Bangladesh's High Court has declared "illegal" a 1986 amendment to the Constitution that had legitimized the installation of the then army chief HM Ershad to power in a bloodless coup in 1982, describing the ruling Awami League's ally as an "usurper". "The Seventh Amendment is void, illegal and made without lawful authority," said a two-member bench comprising judges Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Sheikh Mohammad Zakir Hossain. "He (Ershad) cannot avoid liability as being a usurper," the verdict read but added that the government would decide about the fate of Ershad, whose Jatiya Party is a crucial ally of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League-led grand alliance government. The seventh amendment had ratified the proclamation of martial law and other regulations, orders and instructions by former military dictator Ershad between March 24, 1982, and November 10, 1986. The High Court order came just

a month after the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court issued the full text of its February 2 judgment declaring the nearly identical 5th amendment to the constitution illegal suggesting "suitable punishment" to perpetrators of martial laws. "We are putting on record our total disapproval of Martial Law. The perpetrators of such illegalities should also be suitably punished and condemned so that in future no Adventist, no usurper, would dare to defy the people, their Constitution, their Government, established by them with their consent," the apex court judgment said. It added: "Let us bid farewell to all kinds of extra constitutional adventure for ever." Ershad appeared as the strongman of Bangladesh after the death of President Ziaur Rahman, who also was a general turned politician, in an abortive coup in 1981. Ershad subsequently assumed power in a bloodless putsch in 1982 toppling the then elected government of President Abdus Sattar. -PTI

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Philosophy

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September 3, 2010

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ho are you? Where do you come from? Many times you came and many times you returned. You have never attempted to ask yourself who you are. If you had done so, you would never have returned to this miserable samsara. When you have known, this karma ceases to function, samsara ceases to exist. You return to your original fundamental nature - to Being, to Existence, to Bliss. That is what you are. That is what you have been. That is what you are going to be. So here is how to do it - it is very easy. Let me introduce you to what is going on here. To begin with, find out who is the one who sees. Ask yourself the question: "Who is the seer?" Find out what is seen. That which is seen is the object and the seer is the subject. The seer - subject - must be separate from the object, different from the object. It is that which is seeing the object. The object is that which is seen. The seer is looking at the object - you are not the object. You may see anything: a horse, a cow, a car, a building, or anything. You are not that. You are the seer. When you experience your own body you may think that you are SWAMI BRAHMANANDA SARASWATI

ne should always be cautious, so that no sin happens, so that one has no regrets at the time of death. Concentration on the unmanifest is not possible. Keep your luggage packed. [Meaning: Let not death find you unprepared.] When the mind realizes God, it is permanently established there and does not desire other things. Even a little of God's grace is capable of bestowing on the Jiva [soul] all that is good in its entirety. Mind remains with you always. Even in the other world. Therefore, connect it with Eternal Existence both in animate and inanimate things, the only permanent entity of the highest order. Connect your mind with Him. Learn to make full use of the human body. One should not waste this chance. There are three types of protection and service: The highest is like a tortoise; the middle is like fish; and the lower is like birds. The turtle does not keep his eggs near. The fish does not go near its eggs. The bird protects its eggs by covering them always, sitting on them. In the manner of the tortoise, the Great Spiritual Guru helps,

the body, but you are not the body. You experience, "I see the body." so you are the seer of the body. It is here that you make the mistake: You become the body and you forget that you are the seer. You have become an object when you say, "I am doing. I am seeing. I am tasting. I am touching. I am smelling. I am hearing."

know very well that if your mind is suffering it is not at peace. You know the activities of the mind also. You know, "Now my mind is thinking or not thinking." This means that you are also aware of the activities of the mind. You are something other than the mind. You are not the mind. You are neither the mind nor the body.

Now consider the intellect. You decide, "I have to do this. I have to go to Lucknow." You decided and you are here. You guided the intellect to make the decision, "Let's go to Lucknow." then you followed the intellect. So you are guiding even the intellect and you know very well that the intellect is something other than you.

Find out who is the one who sees HWL Poonjaji

When you experience your own body you may think that you are the body, but you are not the body. You experience, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I see the body.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; so you are the seer of the body

You have lost your bearings and become the body - the seer is no longer separated from the body. Whatever is seen is an object, so when the body is objectified who is the seer? When you see the body it becomes an object. Whatever you see is an object. If you see your eyes they are objects; if you see your hands they are objects. What about the mind? You

The same is true of the working of the senses. When you are working, walking, or talking, you know very well, "I am at work, my hands are working." You know very well that you are not the hand; something else is commanding the hands to work. You are something other than the movement of physical activities. You are not even that.

Find out who you are - here and now. You are not the mind. You are not even the prana - the breathing. You know very well that breathing is in and out, inhaling and exhaling. You can feel, "I am inhaling, I am exhaling." You know this activity also. Who is watching the inhaling and exhaling? This is all that the body is.

protects and guides his sincere disciple by concentration and observation of the behavior of his disciples. By the blessing of the Guru the life of disciple become purposeful and develops faster on the (path of) Spiritual Progress. Necessary control of the mind and the senses and deep concentration are essentials of true Yoga. When the mind is wholly focused you merge with Brahman. That which hinders transcendental wealth and results in accu-

like keeping sour hog plums in the hand and realizes that Paramatma (God) is inside as well. God has given you power to think and decide what is good and bad. By doing as much purushartha [actions consistent with the goals of human life and evolution] as possible, one can eventually become one with God. To be born a human is [potentially] more fortunate than to be born a deva. A human being is like

tion with Paramatma. [To some:] If you have to make an offering, offer not your money but your defects [if you are allowed to, that is], so that you are redeemed and made whole. In taking birth there is suffering; much more suffering there is at the time of dying. The manifest [One, God] exists for the welfare of the world. Having a human body, if you don't reach God, then you have sold a diamond at the price of

Be cautious & make full use of Bliss Swami Brahmananda Saraswati

mulation in sin is not wealth but a burden, a debt (anartha). In our daily affairs we should adopt a strategy of quickly attending to good works and things related to the divine. And wrong action [had better] be continuously postponed. Spiritual teachings cannot throw light on the inner Self, for the Self is Light. The knowledgeable and realized Guru feels that this world (is)

You should never consider yourself weak or a fallen creature. Every moment is the power of the Supreme to be realized and remembered a lump of pure gold, whereas gods are like pieces of fine jewellery. Have devotion and trust in Paramatma alone and none else. Every second in human life [can be] very valuable. If you don't value this, you will weep in the end. You should never consider yourself weak or a fallen creature. Every moment is the power of the Supreme to be realized and remembered. There is no distance or separa-

spinach. Increase your love for that ever-blissful Paramatma [Supreme Self] . . . Keep your mind free for the imperishable Paramatma, whose very essence is bliss. The Great Guru keeps himself separate from his own body. The argument about formlessness is thoroughly useless. If you do not know what Bhagavan is, how can you be devoted to Him?

The intelligent student, after studying Vedic texts, is solely intent on acquiring wisdom and realization. He should discard the texts altogether, as the man who seeks rice discards the husk. -Swami Chidananda All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything. -Swami Vivekananda Not only does charity begin at home. Everything begins at home, including spirituality. -Swami Satchidananda One must be patient like the earth. What iniquities are being perpetuated on her! Yet she quietly endures them all. -Sarada Devi India of the ages is not dead nor has she spoken her last creative word; she lives and has still something to do for herself and the human peoples. -Sri Aurobindo We all are parts of the One Great Whole. No man is an island. If we wish to live a healthy life - mentally, morally, spiritually, - we must be concerned about the welfare of others, specially our less fortunate brothers and sisters. -Dada J P Vaswani

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Orchestrated rage in small parts of Valley AJIT KUMAR SINGH

hief Minster Omar Abdullah on March 2, 2010 described 2009 as the "most peaceful year" over 20 years of turmoil in the State. While trends in terrorist incidents and fatalities continue to decline, the spurt in street violence over the past nearly two-and-a-half months has created a new specter of widening disruption in several parts of the Valley. Political temperatures and administrative concerns have spiraled with the disorders, though the situation is far from being

stone pelting is very much in our radar. We have in fact been able to identify a couple of big business houses, one in particular who has used his network of dealers to route the money through." The orchestration of the disorders has been systematic. When the street rage began to peter out in Srinagar in the last week of June, demonstrations erupted in Sopore in Baramulla District. This was far from coincidental, since Sopore has emerged as a significant hub of terrorism and sub-

Army march in Srinagar

nearly as desperate as is sometimes painted to be. Contrary to popular perceptions, colored by hysterical media reportage, only small parts of the Valley - itself a fraction of the State - have been engulfed violence, much of which is meticulously stagemanaged. The widespread impression that the present disturbances represent a popular uprising, or that 'things are worse than they were in the early 1990s is utterly misconceived. The troubles have largely been orchestrated within a miniscule segment of the population, in small areas of the Valley, and the disruption caused is principally a measure of the incompetence of administrative response, rather than of any irresistible upsurge of popular sentiment. The timetables of the stone pelting campaigns have been defined by separatists, in the main led by the Hurriyat Conference Geelani (G) chairman Syed Ahmed Shah Geelani, backed by Pakistan and its proxy militant groupings in Kashmir. Intelligence available on the profiles of protesters suggests that they include a large number of 'seasoned campaigners', provocateurs who have taken up stone pelting as a lucrative business. In an interview in April 2010, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah thus stated, "The industry of

version in the State. On March 2, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had noted, "Militants are grouping in the Sopore area and Kulgam District. These areas are a challenge for us on the militancy front. We are taking extra measures to deal with the militants there." Subsequently, on June 30, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram observed, "Anti-na-

Infiltration attempts across the Line of Control (LoC) show no signs of abating and have, indeed, registered a significant jump tional elements are clearly linked to LeT (Lashkar-e-Toiba) which is active in the Sopore area." Government sources argue that the latest strategy of Pakistan's external intelligence agency, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), and the LeT, is to combine renewed infiltration attempts by heavily-armed militants with escalating civil unrest, to ensure that Kashmir remains in a state of chaos, despite the loss of tempo on the terrorism front. Troop cuts, long pushed by an uncomprehending 'peace lobby', both domestic and international,

and by aggressive Pakistani diplomacy, have an adverse impact on the security scenario in the State. On March 17, Chief Minister Abdullah had boasted, "Without creating any hype we have reduced 35,000 troops and also decreased the number of Central Paramilitary Forces [CPMFs] from internal duty." A confidential report by the J&K Police blamed the resurgence of militancy in Sopore on troop 'relocation'. The quantum of troop reduction in Sopore is not clear, but it is evident that it has facilitated militant regrouping and contributed significantly to a worsening of the situation. There is significant and cumulative evidence that the current cycle of protests is being backed, if not stage managed by the armed militants. Conspicuously, on March 10, Director General of Police (DGP) Kuldeep Khoda observed, "This (stone pelting) helps militants to move from one place to another. This leaves less chance of ultras [terrorists] getting detected." Infiltration trends, meanwhile, suggest worrying times ahead. Infiltration attempts across the Line of Control (LoC) show no signs of abating and have, indeed, registered a significant jump. It is evident that present conditions are far from favorable for any dilution on the security front. With the cycles of street violence showing no signs of abating, the Centre has come up with a knee jerk offer of a 'political and economic package'. On August 10, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared. There is, clearly, substantial evidence of policy confusion in Kashmir, and this is infinitely compounded by the infirmity of the Abdullah regime in the State. By most assessments, there is endemic administrative collapse in the State Government, and little sign that the leadership has the capacity or acumen to deal with the present and rising crisis with a modicum of competence. The rudiments of crowd control and of the handling of fairly small groups of protesters without the use of lethal force, continue to be ignored, even as every incident of Police firing feeds the street frenzy even further. The crisis of Kashmir is a crisis, not of politics or of economics, but, simply, of competence. The writer is Research Fellow, Institute for Conflict Management

India Post Kashmir solutions

he very fact that there is a calendar for agitations in Kashmir shows that these are not spontaneous. The biggest danger for the separatists, who represent a small minority, is that the people may get back to their normal lives. That is why the calendar, defying which might entail some physical damage for which the government of the day cannot be held responsible. The actions of the government are predictable - shooting at stone throwers and imposing curfew to prevent mob action. But inscrutable are the ways of the militants and their masters, both out in the open and behind the scenes. They have no compunction in getting people killed; in fact more the merrier because the government gets blamed. And the international community gets concerned and starts putting pressure on the Indian government. This scenario perfectly suits India's neighbor to the west. Hence the suspicion that the agitation is being planned, sponsored and orchestrated from Pakistan. Even though it is a small minority and small area of Jammu and Kashmir which is embroiled in a cycle of violence, it hogs the limelight and media coverage tends to give the impression that the entire state is up in flames. It is a wonder that the international community has not so far pilloried India for "human rights" violations in the state. It must be because they also suspect Pakistan's hand behind the trouble after encountering its deceit in the Af-Pak theatre of war. Pakistan's aim is to destabilize and malign India. It thinks it is in competition with its larger neighbor and since it cannot outdo it on most parameters, it has decided to put hurdles in its path. The immediate purpose is to harm the Commonwealth Games to be held this October. Since India has taken extraordinary security steps, Pakistan is finding it difficult to carry out its mischief in the mainland. In Kashmir however it has been able to send infiltrators who mingle with crowds to provoke the security forces. It is clear that Pakistan will not let Kashmiris live in peace. The fresh agitation has however given rise to a debate within India about "solutions" to the Kashmir dispute. A group of Kashmiri Right to Information (RTI) activists believe if the RTI law is freely applied the people's faith in the government will be restored. It is true the government's high-handedness will be exposed but will it also bring to light the activities of the Pak-backed elements, who are a major source of the trouble? Columnist Tavleen Singh believes the small section of Kashmiris need to be firmly told by the Prime Minister of India that their dreams of "Azadi" are futile. They are unnecessarily putting young lives in the line of fire. Pakistan also knows its dream of grabbing the whole of Kashmir will never be fulfilled. In fact a merger with Pakistan is not a popular choice with the Kashmiris. And the 'Azadi' option doesn't suit Pakistan too. Therefore all it is able to plan and execute is mischief, for the sake of mischief. Lord Meghnad Desai, a British MP of Indian origin, believes India need not be scared of a plebiscite in Kashmir for its result will favor India and bury the Kashmir problem for good. He doesn't realize that holding a plebiscite will open a Pandora's Box in the country. Also, no one believes Pakistan will allow a fair plebiscite to be held. The major problem in South Asia is that some countries still believe in using violence as official policy. This policy has brought untold suffering for Pakistan, cost it a large area of its territory and is proving counter-productive in Afghanistan. Still it refuses to draw any lesson from it.

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