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VOL 23, No. 1201
October 6, 2017
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IND-AM LAWMAKERS CALL FOR GUN CONTROL Ajit Pai confirmed for 2nd term at FCC Details on page 5
WASHINGTON: Indian-American lawmakers have called for changes in the gun control laws in the US as they condemned the Las Vegas mass shooting, the deadliest in the country's modern history which claimed nearly 60 lives. Gun violence is a public health crisis that has claimed thousands of innocent lives and the Congress must do everything it can to address it, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said, hours after a gunman opened fire on a large crowd during a music concert in Las Vegas.
The American people are tired of being outraged, sending thoughts and prayers, seeing men, women and children die because the gun lobby does put profit over people, Jayapal said during her speech on the floor of the US House of Representatives. "That is not what our founders intended by the 'right to bear arms'," the first-time lawmaker from Washington State said, as she joined several of her Congressional colleagues calling for changes in gun control laws.
Prajapati Trivedi elected as NAPA fellow Details on page 7
Details on page 5
W
ishes its readers a very happy Diwali and an invitation to join the FOG Diwali Mela, Fireworks & Laser Show at Alameda County Fair Grounds on Saturday, October 7
Dr Meshri inducted into Hall of Fame Details on page 9
Corrections urged in depicting Hinduism in texts
CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 28-29
Details on page 8
Classifieds ------------------------ 50 Community Post -------------- 16-27
INDIA POST SURVEY
Date Book -------------------------- 54 Edit Page --------------------------- 53
survey@indiapost.com
HealthScience Post -------- 36-39
This week’s question
Horoscope ------------------------- 34
Will the Republican administration heed calls for gun control?
Immigration Post ------------ 44-47 Life Style ------------------------ 30-33
Last week’s result
Philosophy ------------------------- 52
Will India, US have more stable relationship? YES 83%
NO 17%
Publisher’s Diary ------------------ 4
PEACE MARCH: Over 800 people of different ages and nationalities participated in a 'Gandhi March' in The Hague to remind the world of Mahatma Gandhi's principles of non-violence and peace. See pages 6-7
Certified by “CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL Readership 117,765”
Real Estate -------------------- 48-49 TechBiz Post ------------------ 10-14 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 40-43
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ast Monday morning, most Americans woke up to sinking hearts. Another one of those lone wolf mass shootings, dozens dead, hundreds injured… it was déjà vu. But that morning, as details of the shooter's profile trickled in, many among the myriad minority communities heaved a sigh of relief. The shooter didn't seem to have any known affiliations, in that he didn't appear to be a member of any international terrorist organization, or professed any radical religious or political views; was neither Muslim nor Asian or African American or Hispanic; nor was he a liberal or a sympathizer of the alt-right. However, the fact that there would be no spontaneous hate-related backlash was no consolation for the collective horror that the nation in all its hues was experiencing. As I write this piece, a lot of details about the gunman and his motives are not known, but somehow I am experiencing that sense of déjà vu once again about what we are going to hear for the next several days to come from the media, lawmakers, all kinds of experts, interest groups, and what have you. Depending on which media outlet you are attuned to, you will hear vehement arguments for, and feeble arguments against the wretched gun laws of the country. Also, many gun violence statistics will be cited. I pulled up these from Esquire: This is the 273rd mass shooting this year; there have been 11,572 gun deaths and 23,365 injuries on US soil in 9 months. It's been a while since I felt outraged by an act of senseless mass shooting in our country killing innocent people living their lives the way normal people do. But then I have accepted the futility of it. You dare not rage against God who has himself ordained our Second Amendment rights.
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Bollywood: Hrithik vs Tiger Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff, two of the best dancers in Bollywood, will work together in Yash Raj's next film.
Cover Story: Call for gun control Indian-American lawmakers have called for changes in gun control laws as they condemned the Las Vegas shooting
Community: IT man's film Kishore Tummala, a New Jersey-based software engineer, won the "Best Short Film" award at FOG 2017
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Ind-Am lawmakers call for gun control WASHINGTON: IndianAmerican lawmakers have called for changes in the gun control laws in the US as they condemned the Las Vegas mass shooting, the deadliest in the country's modern history which claimed nearly 60 lives. Gun violence is a public health crisis that has claimed thousands of innocent lives and the Congress must do everything it can to address it, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said, hours after a gunman opened fire on a large crowd during a music concert in Las Vegas. The American people are tired of being outraged, s e n d i n g thoughts and prayers, seeing men, women and children die because the gun lobby does put profit over people, Jayapal said during her speech on the floor of the US House of Representatives. "That is not what our founders intended by the
'right to bear arms'," the firsttime lawmaker from Washington State said, as she joined several of her Congressional colleagues calling for changes in gun control laws. "With rights come responsibilities: the responsibility to stop gun sales loopholes, to enact protections that make sure our children and those with severe mental illnesses don't have access to guns, to address funding for mental health, and to oppose any efforts to make it easier to purchase silencers," Jayapal said.
74 per cent of NRA members support those commonsense solutions like criminal background checks. "I have a plea for gun owners across this country: Urge the non-resident aliens (NRA) to represent your views. Show them that you mean business by speaking out or even terminating your NRA membership. Show that you care about your fellow Americans," she said. She added: "Act now. Enough is enough." The Las Vegas shooting on Sunday night, in which at least 59 people were killed and more than 500 wounded, has rekindled the debate on gun control laws in the US. Nearly 12,000 Americans
violence in the US. On an average, more than 90 Americans lose their lives to gun violence every day, a daily
Ami Bera
toll of heartbreak and tragedy in communities across the US.
‘I have a plea for gun owners across this country: Urge the non-resident aliens (NRA) to represent your views. Show them that you mean business by speaking out or even terminating your NRA membership’ Pramila Jayapal
The first ever Indian-American woman elected to the House of Representatives said 87 per cent of gun owners and
have been killed by guns in 273 mass shootings in 2017 so far one incident for each day, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a not-for-profit corporation that tracks gun-related
Other Indian-American Congressmen too joined Jayapal in condemning the incident. No community should have to fear going to the movies, a concert, or dropping their child
off at school, said Ami Bera, the three-term Congressman from California. "In the wake of this tragedy, I hope we'll all be able to take the time to look for the helpers and that each of us, in our own way, will seek to help our nation heal, move forward, and work to prevent similar tragedies," R a j a Krishnamoorthi, Democrat Congressman from 8th district Illinois, said. "We must end this senseless violence," said Congressman Ro Khanna, Democrat Congressman from 17th district California. In a statement, United Sikhs condemned the "senseless act" of terror. Its volunteers have teamed with Gurdwaras, where shelter, hot meals (langar) and other assistance is being offered to all who may need it. Sikh taxi drivers are volunteering to drive people to their destinations safely, it said.-PTI
Ajit Pai confirmed for 2nd term at FCC WASHINGTON: The US Senate has confirmed the nomination of Indian-American Ajit Varadaraj Pai to serve as the chairman of the powerful Federal Communications Commission for the second time despite Democratic complaints that he will undermine net neutrality. The Senate voted on a bitterly divided partisan lines to confirm Pai's nomination for his second five-year term. The FCC is an independent agency created by Congressional statute to regulate interstate communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and US
territories. The vote was 52-41 for 44year-old Pai, who has served as a commissioner at the FCC since 2012. He is the first Indian American to hold this post.
favoring big corporations at the expense of consumers, innovators and small businesses. Pai, he alleged, supported Congressional attempts to reverse the FCC's 2016 broadband privacy rule, which would
The vote was 52-41 for 44-year-old Pai, who has served as a commissioner at the FCC since 2012. He is the first Indian American to hold this post Speaking on the Senate floor against Pai, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer alleged that during his tenure as acting FCC Chairman, he has established a clear record of
have prevented big cable and internet companies from profiting off of personal internet data. Now, internet service providers no longer have to obtain
consumer consent before they sell or share sensitive personal data, he rued. "Most disturbingly, Pai is currently attempting to dismantle the Open Internet Order, the net neutrality rules under which millions of consumers currently have access to a free and open internet," Schumer alleged. Pai, however defended his work. "Since January, the Commission has focused on bridging the digital divide, promoting innovation, protecting consumers and public safety, and making the FCC more open and transparent," he said. Cont’d on page 9
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800 join 'Gandhi March' in Netherlands AMSTERDAM: Over 800 people of different ages and nationalities participated in a 'Gandhi March' in The Hague to remind the world community of Mahatma Gandhi's principles of non-violence and peace. The march as part of 'Follow the Mahatma' campaign was organised to mark the International Day of Non-Violence. India's Ambassador to the Netherlands, Venu Rajamony along with Deputy Mayors of The Hague, Rabin Baldew Singh and Karsten Klein made brief speeches flagging off the march, a day ahead of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary. A spark taken from the eternal 'World Peace flame' that burns outside the Peace Palace (created using a flame from
Gandhi March in the Netherlands
the Mahatma Gandhi memorial at Raj Ghat in Delhi) was handed over to the ambassador and the deputy mayors who led the march along with other leaders of the Indian community, an official release issued said. The marchers, who wore T-
shirts specially designed for the occasion with the 'Follow the Mahatma' campaign logo of Gandhiji walking with a stick in one hand and a cycle in the other, also carried posters and shouted slogans advocating non-violence and peace as well as the teachings of Mahatma
Only 1.25 cr Indians can clean India: PM NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that issues such as cleanliness and hygiene should not be politicized and asserted that even 1,000 Mahatma Gandhis could not achieve the goal of a 'clean India' without the participation of 125 crore Indians. Addressing a gathering here to mark three years of the Swachh Bharat mission, he said he had been severely criticized when he had initiated the program and stepped out with a broom to launch it. Maintaining that it was essential for children to wash their hands before eating as unhygienic conditions had led to several children dying, the Prime Minister said when he flagged the issue people asked how they would get soap and water. People went to the extent of saying that the Prime Minister was making these statements just for the purpose of making a speech, Modi said. "...If you have to abuse Modi, there are a thousand (other) issues...but we should neither make fun nor politicize
Asserting that he was convinced that the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi could not be wrong, he said he had endured a lot of criticism. "But my nature is such that I endure a lot of things. My responsibility is such that I should endure. Slowly, I am increasing my capacity to end u r e (criticism)...For three years, without hesitation, I continued. I continued as I was sure that the path shown by the Mahatma and what he had said cannot be wrong," Modi said. About five years ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing at an event to mark the Swachh Bharat Diwas in New Delhi on Oct 2 when children were seen lakh Narendra Modis, chief cleaning their schools, it would ministers and all governments create controversy with even come together. We can achieve parents criticizing teachers. it (only) when all 125 crore But now, children helping countrymen come together," clean schools is seen as posiModi told the gathering. tive news, he added.-PTI issues which are meant to bring about change in society," he said. People, including fellow politicians, had slammed him for "spoiling" children's October 2 holiday, Modi said. "We cannot achieve the target (of a Clean India) even if 1,000 Mahatma Gandhis, one
Gandhi. On reaching the Grote Kerk, the marchers paid respects to a bicycle personally used by Mahatma Gandhi and sent to the Netherlands by the Gandhi Memorial Trust of India as a special gesture, in view of the popularity of cycling in the
Netherlands. An excerpt of Philp Glass's masterpiece opera titled 'Satyagraha' inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of non-violent resistance was performed by artists from the Korzo Theatre and Kwekers in de Kunst. A new book in Dutch titled Gandhi - An illustrated biography by Indian author Pramod Kapoor and published by Lannoo of Belgium was released during the event. The celebrations ended with a performance of Mahatma Gandhi's favourite songs 'Lead, Kindly Light', and Abide With Me as well as the famous civil rights song 'We Shall Overcome' by a choir group from the American Protestant Church of The Hague.-PTI
UN observes Gandhi Jayanti as Non-Violence Day UNITED NATIONS: The UN choice," Lajcak said. Observing that intolerobserved the 148th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi ance and hate speech are as the International Non-Vio- features of the world, he lence Day with Indian-Ameri- rued that international hucans remembering the man rights and humanitarian apostle of peace across the law are constantly violated. Conflicts, violent extremUS. UN General Assembly ism and terrorism do not President Miroslav Lajcak, at show any signs of decreasan event at the UN headquar- ing, he said. "Even the planet is sufferters in New York, said that people are not yet living in ing from a violence of sorts, the world that Gandhi due to the harmful impact of human activities. The mesdreamt of. The birth anniversary of sage of non-violence is therefore needed more Gandhi is celebrated as today than ever," the International Day Lajcak told the auof Non-Violence by dience inside the the world body. UN headquarters "U n fo r t u n ate l y, in New York. we are not yet living in the world As a global leader in nonthat Gandhi violence, the dreamt of. Many acUN needs to do tors still more to use violence as promote t h i s their tool p r i n of choice. Mahatma Gandhi Every day c i p l e there is new evidence of the and to inspire others to do so destruction and human suf- too, said the president of the fering, which result from this UN General Assembly.-PTI
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Indian academician elected as NAPA fellow WASHINGTON: Indian academician Prajapati Trivedi has been elected as a fellow of the prestigious National Academy of Public Administration in the US, becoming the first Indian to be bestowed with this honor. NAPA is an independent, non-profit and non-partisan organization established by the
Administration (NAPA), considered the highest recognition internationally in the field of public administration. Trivedi is currently Senior Fellow (Governance) and Adjunct Professor of Public Policy, Indian School of Business (ISB). In addition to his current assignment with ISB, he is a
Prajapati Trivedi
US Congress in 1967 to assist government leaders in building more effective, efficient, accountable and transparent organizations. Trivedi, 64, is the first Indian academic to have been elected as Fellow to America's National Academy of Public
Visiting Fellow at the IBM Center for the Business of Government, Washington DC, and Visiting Economics Faculty at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Prior to joining ISB from 2009-2014, he worked as a
Secretary to the Government of India in the Cabinet Secretariat, where he was responsible for designing a highly regarded whole-of-government performance monitoring and evaluation system for government departments and reporting the results to the Prime Minister. "It is indeed the greatest professional recognition I have ever received and am humbled by it, particularly because I am the first Indian to have this singular honor," Trivedi said in an email statement. In August this year, he was also appointed as a member of the NAPA Project Panel to prepare a White Paper on the use of data and analytics to improve organizational health and performance within government agencies. The white paper has been commissioned by the Office of Management and Budget, the department leading the US President's government-wide management reform effort. The induction ceremony is scheduled for November 16 and 17 in Washington DC.-PTI
UAE woman saves Indian driver's life DUBAI: A quick-thinking Muslim woman saved the life of an Indian truck driver in the UAE when she saw him in flames following a horrific road accident, media reports said. Jawaher Saif Al Kumaiti, 22, was driving home after visiting
driver from a fire by putting out the flames with an abaya cloak - a robe-like dress worn by some Muslim women. Al Kumaiti said that she was at first taken aback when she saw the two trucks on fire following the accident. She also saw a man
Jawaher Saif Al Kumaiti, 22, was driving home after visiting a friend in a hospital when she saw two trucks burst into flames in Ras al-Khaimah, a city in the UAE a friend in a hospital when she saw two trucks burst into flames in Ras al-Khaimah, a city in the UAE - and heard the victim shouting for someone to save him, Gulf News reported. She bravely saved the Indian
on fire screaming in pain and fear shouting for help, the report said. The police has named the victim as Harkirit Singh. Al Kumaiti persuaded her friend who was a passenger to take off her abaya cloak then
leaped out of the car and used it to put out the flames, it said. "He was lying down. He was on fire... I took out my friend's abaya, asked her to stay inside and left the car. I went to cover the guy because there were no clothes on him. He looked at me and said, 'I'm dying. I'm afraid to die'," she said, adding that she tried to talk to him and calm him down telling him that he would survive as the rescue teams will arrive soon." "I just thought about saving the man's life," said Al Kumaiti, who works at Adnoc Oasis in Sharjah. "The police patrols, ambulance and paramedics shortly arrived. They swung into action, provided first aid to the driver, and rushed him to the hospital," it said.-PTI
Ambassador Navtej Sarna paying floral tributes to the Mahatma Gandhi Statue in front of the Embassy in Washington on October 2
Gandhi anniversary commemorated in China BEIJING: Mahatma Gandhi's from indomitable will", "Greatfavourite bhajans and quotes ness of a nation and its moral resonated in the sprawling progress can be judged by the Chaoyang Park in central way its animals are treated". The statue of Gandhi carved Beijing where people from all walks of life gathered to commemorate his 148th birth anniversary. While a cultural team from the Indian Embassy here sung Vaishana Jana, the famous bhajan included in Gandhi's daily prayer, a batch of Chinese school children dressed in green and Senior Indian diplomat, B Wilson Babu garlanding the Gandhi statue at a park on the occasion of his birth white with red anniversary in Beijing scarfs recited some of his most popular by China's acclaimed sculptor quotes of Gandhi compiled by and artist Yuan Xikun was intheir school. stalled in the park in 2005, proSome of the Gandhian viding an opportunity for all his quotes read by the Chinese admirers to pay homage to him. school children included "the Besides Gandhi, Yuan had weak never forgive: Forgive- also sculpted the bust of ness is the attribute of the Rabindranath Tagore which is strong", "Strength does not displayed in the museum atcome from your physique but tached to the park.-PTI
Indians in Singapore celebrate Gandhi Jayanti SINGAPORE: Nearly 500 students from an Indian school in Singapore along with community leaders celebrated Mahatma Gandhi's 148th birth anniversary here. India's acting High Commissioner, Ninad Deshpande delivered Mahatma Gandhi's peace message after garlanding his statue at the school premises.
The students of the Global Indian International School (GIIS) Singapore heard of the Mahatma's struggle for Independence from keynote speakers, Dr V P Nair and Ameerali Jumabhoy, the two lead members of the committee organising Gandhi Jayanti and International Day of NonViolence here.-PTI
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Panel suggests corrections in depicting Hinduism India Post News Service
SACRAMENTO: The California Department of Education (CDE) has suggested corrections to drafts submitted by publishers for the State's History-Social Science textbook adoption, and voted to reject content from two publishers after the Hindu American,
LGBTQ, and African American communities raised serious concerns about the biased and inequitable portrayal of their communities in textbooks at a public hearing held by the CDE's Instructional Quality Commission (IQC). The IQC is tasked with conducting the textbook adoption process. Hundreds of Hindu Americans joined LGBTQ and African American allies in seeking an accurate and equitable portrayal for diverse communities in California. Thousands of parents, stu-
dents, and community leaders joined week long protests across California, demanding accurate and equitable representation for India and Hinduism in textbooks. A petition signed by over 8,000 people demanding the withdrawal of biased and inaccurate content was also submitted to the Department of Education. Indian Americans specifically asserted that the textbook drafts demonized Hindus and Indians by promoting Orientalist narratives and including denigrating pictures of Hindu deities, slums and poverty, and trash to represent ancient Indian civilization and Hinduism. "While the disparaging images were rejected and a few positive changes were made, many of the textbook narratives still contain extensive inaccuracies and stereotypes. Moreover, several items that are mandated in the California History-Social Science textbook framework (state guidelines) for India and Hinduism are also being ignored by
Protesting inaccurate presentation of Indians and Hindu deities
some publishers," said Shantharam Nekkar of Hindu Education Foundation USA (HEF). "We will continue to seek the accurate inclusion of our history, including Yoga, Hindu philosophy, Sanskrit and Tamil Sangam literature, Jainism, and
said Dakshata Talekar of HEF. "Some improvements have been made, but significant additional changes are required to present India and Hinduism in an accurate and equitable manner," said Krishna Maheshwari of Hindupedia.
Earlier this month, a coalition of 25 highly respected academics from prestigious universities across the US submitted a letter to the CDE calling the textbook drafts "problematic" the contributions by Hindu Dalit saints and sages." "The struggle for dignity in textbooks has been going on for a decade now. We will continue with our movement,"
Earlier this month, a coalition of 25 highly respected academics from prestigious universities across the US submitted a letter to the CDE calling the textbook drafts "problem-
atic" and urging the Department to make substantive improvements to the textbook drafts in order to better reflect accuracy and cultural competency. The efforts of the community have evoked support from many public officials, including California Assemblymember Kevin Kiley and the California State Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legislative Caucus led by Assemblymember Ash Kalra. The Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) will send its recommendations to the State Board of Education (SBE) for its approval. The textbooks recommended by the board are expected to be adopted by school districts starting early next year.
British Sikh boy banned from wearing kara LONDON: A primary school in the UK has come under fire for banning an eightyear-old British Sikh pupil from wearing his kara to school because it breaches the uniform policy. Kaiden Singh, who has worn his Sikh religious bangle since birth, was asked to remove it after he started at his new school, Summerhill Primary School in Tipton, in the West Midlands region last month. His father, self-employed businessman Sunnie Singh is fighting the ban on the grounds of discrimination. "I was totally gobsmacked
and completely shocked. It is a religious symbol and a religious principle. We wear it for religious reasons, it's not to give a statement or for fashion," Singh said. The 30-year-old said he has told his son to refuse to remove his kara as it does not qualify as "jewellery", which is not allowed under the school's uniform policy. "The school has threatened my son and said he'll be excluded if he continues to wear his bangle. They shouldn't do that to a child. They're trying to class it as a jewellery but it's not, it means a thousand words to us. It's racist and in my mind
discrimination," he said. The family is currently taking up the matter through the
school's official complaints procedure. Meanwhile, Sikh Federation
Kaiden Singh
UK has highlighted a similar case dating back to 2008 as a precedent for the school to follow. "In 2008 we helped a 14year old Sikh girl win her case in the High Court against a South Wales school for her right to wear the kara to school. We suggest the school head teacher and governors urgently reverse their decision as legal advice will confirm eight-year-old Kaiden Singh has the legal right to wear his kara to school," it said in a statement, warning against an expensive court case if the matter lands in court.-PTI
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Dr Meshri inducted into Hall of Fame India Post News Service
TULSA: A front ranking Indian community activist and globally recognized scientist, Dr Dayal Meshri, added one more
Dr Dayal Meshri
feature in his cap of achievements when he got inducted along with six others into the Hall of Fame of the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum The recognition was with a black-tie dinner at the induction ceremony held at Southern Hills Country Club on October 2.This is deemed a once in a lifetime event for the inductees as also a wonderful time for family and friends of the inductees to honor their leadership that impacts Tulsa and
the community at large. The induction into the Tulsa Hall of Fame is considered one of the greatest honors that can be bestowed upon Tulsa business, civic and philanthropic leaders. Each year the Tulsa Historical Society recognizes a small number of outstanding past and present Tulsans.Since the inaugural event in 1987, 184 Tulsans have been named to this distinguished group. "The Tulsa Hall of Fame members are selected based on their exemplary dedication to their professional, civic and philanthropic endeavors," says Michelle Place, the Museum executive director. "These inductees have made Tulsa a better community for all of us," he added. Dayal Meshri's successes in business and academia are the embodiment of the American dream.Born in undivided India in 1936, he moved to the U.S. in 1962 to attend Notre Dame, the University of Idaho and Cornell. He started his own firm Advance Research Chemicals (ARC) in 1987 at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa. In the course of three decades, ARC has blos-
somed into one of the world's largest producers of specialty inorganic fluorides. "I felt very fortunate that I made the right decision to exchange the residence of the country of my birth for the sake of the beautiful city of Tulsa and its great people,'' reminisced Meshri. "I have been a Tulsan for 48 years and never have regretted a day. I continue to think of how I can make the city of Tulsa a better city by my service and meager means," he added Meshri has served his beloved city in different ways and different capacity. A Tulsa Global Alliance board member, he also served in advisory capac-
Several lawmakers agreed with him. Pai has focused on the expansion of rural broadband and acceleration of next generation infrastructure deployment. In defense of Pai, Republican Sen Roger Wicker said he is "working to establish the lighttouch regulatory framework that allowed the internet to become the marvel of the modern age, keeping it free and open for consumers, innovators and providers. Internet technology will continue to thrive if we keep the heavy hand of government away from the controls." Senator John Thune, chairman of the Senate Committee
ity for scientific curriculum at Tulsa Community College and a member of the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology. Internationally, he donned numerous leadership roles, including as a board member and fellow of the American Institute of
Capito said Pai truly understands the need to bring more rural communities online and has shown a real commitment to closing the digital divide in America. Pai understands communications policy from just about every angle no wonder, given
in defense of Pai, Republican Sen Roger Wicker said he is "working to establish the light-touch regulatory framework that allowed the internet to become the marvel of the modern age� becoming Chairman, Pai has also made much-needed reforms to improve transparency at the FCC and to improve the agency s processes, he said. Senator Shelley Moore
Chemists, as president of Global Sindhi Foundation, as technical advisor for the U.S. State Department, and as founder
"I felt very fortunate that I made the right decision to exchange the residence of the country of my birth for the sake of the beautiful city of Tulsa and its great people,'' reminisced Meshri
Ajit Pai confirmed for 2nd term at FCC on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, said, "In recent weeks, Pai has worked tirelessly to help ensure communications services are restored to the communities affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria." In just nine months since
Tulsa Hall of Fame Museum
his deep and impressive resume, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. He comprehends the needs of rural communities in states like mine a product of his own rural upbringing, he said. -PTI
and chairman of the International Society of Indian Chemists and Chemical Engineers. He has been a huge supporter of a number of community projects such as Green Country Veterans, the River Parks Authority, the Tulsa Area United Way, the Little Light
House, the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Innovation Institution, Child Abuse Network, National Pancreas Foundation, Tulsa Community Foundation .andthe Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice. In memory of his loving wife, Indu Dayal Meshri, Ph. D., he has created an extensive legacy in her name, including the Dr Indu Dayal Meshri Biotechnology College in Mumbai, India, scholarships at the University of Idaho and Oklahoma State University, Dr Indu Dayal Meshri Memorial Park at East 31st Street and South Peoria Avenue and a kitchen project at Indo American Center in Chicago.
Kuwait Emir frees 22 Indian prisoners DUBAI: Kuwait has released 22 Indian prisoners and commuted the sentences of 97 others lodged in various prisons of the country after the Emir reduced their sentences, according to Indian officials. The list contains the names of 119 Indians in addition to the 15 Indian prisoners whose death sentences were recently commuted to life imprisonment. The Emir of Kuwait has ordered immediate release of 22 Indian prisoners, Indian Embassy in Kuwait City said in a statement. The sentences of 53 Indians have been reduced from life imprisonment to 20 years, it said.
The Emir of Kuwait has ordered a reduction of three quarters of the sentence of 18 Indians, a reduction of half period of the sentences of 25 and one quarter of the sentence of one, the statement said. The charges in most of the cases involved narcotics, drugs trading or consumption, theft, robbery and fraud among others. All the 15 prisoners whose death sentences have been converted to life imprisonment were convicted in drugrelated charges, the statement said. The Indian mission said that it would provide all possible assistance for their travel to India after their release or completion of sentences.-PTI
Tech News Evaporation engines could create more power
TechBiz
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t's possible to generate power from the motion of bacterial spores that expand and contract as they absorb and release moisture. And, according to research published in Nature Communications, machines based on that trick could create 325 gigawatts of electricity-generating capacity, which is more than coal currently provides. But, predictably, there's a very big but-and it's to do with where those systems would reside. -MIT Technology Review
Intel's brain-like chip can adapt to new jobs
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he chipmaker has unveiled a prototype processor called Loihi that's loosely based on the human brain. It uses digital circuits to recreate the brain's electronic spikes, allowing it to process data but also adjust its connections and adapt to new tasks. Loihi performs some jobs, like interpreting video, using a thousandth of the energy of a regular chip, and academics and researchers will get to test it out next year. -MIT Technology Review
Nerve stimulation rouses vegetative patient
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cientists report in Current Biology that electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve, which links the brain to major organs, enabled a 35-year-old man who was unconscious for 15 years, to follow an object with his eyes and turn his head when asked. The shift to a minimally conscious state took about a month, then plateaued. Critics warn Science, though, that the result may not be wholly due to stimulation. -MIT Technology Review
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Slack's AI will ease information overload
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IT Technology Review has spoken to Stewart Butterfield, the CEO behind the workplace-collaboration tool Slack, about how his firm will use machine learning to improve your office productivity. "You could imagine an always-on virtual chief of staff who reads every single message in Slack and then synthesizes all that information based on your preferences [to] recommend a small number of things that seem most important at the time," he explains. -MIT Technology Review
GST slabs will go down with revenue buoyancy, hints Jaitley FARIDABAD: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has hinted that there is scope for lesser slabs under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) once there is revenue buoyancy. "We are in first 2-3 months (of GST implementation). We have almost by the day, space and scope for improvement. We have space for improvement and need for improvement to reduce compliance burden as far as small taxpayers are concerned," he said. "We have space for improvement, eventually once we become revenue neutral, to think in terms of bigger reforms such as lesser slabs, but for that we have to become revenue neutral...," he said at an event organized here by National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics (NACIN). Currently, the GST regime slots items under rates of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. An additional GST compensation
cess is also levied on certain products. Emphasizing that indirect tax burden is borne by all sections of the society, the minister said it is always the Endeavour of the government to bring down tax rates on mass
the others and certainly not by the weaker section but the impact of indirect tax places burden on all. "Therefore, an effort is always as part of the fiscal policy... to ensure that the commodities which are con-
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley
consumption commodities. "Direct tax is paid by the more affluent, somewhat by
sumed more by the common people are least taxed compared to others," he said.
Noting that India has conventionally been a tax noncompliant society, he said when people have the right to demand development, they also have the responsibility to pay what is required for the development. Addressing the 67th batch of Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers, the finance minister said revenue is the lifeline of governance and all the developmental activities. "You don't have to extort taxes from those who are not liable to pay...as tax people, you are not entitled to invite fear, you have to invite a respect that you are somebody who (wants) people to comply with national duty," he said. He also said there are never grey areas in taxation law and it is duty of tax officer to be firm and fair.-PTI
India seeks US tech to reduce food waste WASHINGTON: India has made it a huge priority to reduce its massive food waste, Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has told American industry leaders seeking their investment and technology in this regard. India, one of the world's largest producers of food, is also the largest producer of milk and second largest producer of fruits and vegetables.This huge raw material base, paired with a growing 1.3 billion population, presents vast investment and partnership opportunities
for the US, Badal said. "However, India is currently only processing 10 per cent of its food, resulting in enormous food
Harsimrat Kaur Badal
waste," said Badal, minister of food processing industries, at an industry round table organized by US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). Badal was on a week-long visit to the US to interact with the agriculture industry and food processing companies in Chicago, Washington and New York. During her
visit, she had one-on-one meetings with industry executives from US companies including Pepsico, Amazon, the Hershey Company, Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart, Kraft Heinz, and Honeywell, among others. In the last three years, India has focused on reducing food waste, she said. “With a growing country and population, the Indian government has made it a huge priority to reduce this waste," Badal said. Cont’d on page 12
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www.indiapost.com Ram Vilas Paswan
NEW DELHI: The government has extended the deadline for sale of pre-GST goods with stickers of revised rates by three months to December 31, Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has said. The decision came after sev-
eral companies and retailers body CAIT highlighted that they are still left with huge unsold stocks of pre-GST goods and need more time to clear that. After implementing GST from July 1, the government had allowed use of stickers with revised
Deadline for pre-GST goods extended to Dec 31 rates, alongside the printed MRP for pre-packaged items to reflect changes in selling price for three months till September 30. The unsold items had an MRP which included all taxes of preGST era but with the implementation of new regime, some of the final retail prices have undergone change due to increase or decrease in tax incidence. "On packaged commodities, industry can display revised MRP due to GST implementation using sticker/ stamping/online printing up to December 31 2017", Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister
Ram Vilas Paswan tweeted. A senior consumer affairs ministry official said the deadline has been extended following demand from several companies like Wipro, HPL and other nonfood companies. Since food items have expiry date for consumption, there were not many representations from such companies, the official added. Traders body CAIT claimed that goods worth Rs 6 lakh crore may become redundant if the last date for using MRP-labeled old stock is not extended beyond September 30.
"The government hereby further permits the manufacturers or packers or importers of prepackaged commodities to declare the changed retail price (MRP) on the unsold stock manufactured/packed/imported prior to July 1, 2017 after inclusion of the increased amount of tax due to GST, if any, in addition to the existing retail price (MRP), up to December 31, 2017," said a government communication. Businesses had held discussions with consumer affairs ministry regarding unsold stocks, which took up the matter with the revenue department.-PTI
Indian-origin 'chicken king' in UK suspends operations LONDON: Indian-origin "chicken king" Ranjit Singh Boparan's food company in the UK has suspended poultry processing operations at a plant accused of serious safety breaches. The 2 Sisters Food Group, one of the largest suppliers of chicken to supermarkets across the UK, said the action had been taken as a temporary measure at its West Bromwich factory in the West Midlands region of England to retrain staff on hygiene standards. The company said in a statement that it was "shocked and distressed" by the allegations and the footage which emerged as part of a joint investigation by the 'Guardian' newspaper and IT V channel and have been
"working around the clock" to get to the truth of the matter. "Our internal investigation
All major supermarket supplied chicken from the plant quickly announced a boycott of the supplier until their own investigations has shown some isolated instances of non-compliance with our own quality management systems. We have there-
fore decided to temporarily suspend operations at the site to allow us the time to retrain all colleagues including management in all food safety and quality management systems," the statement said. The company added that the UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been in daily attendance since the allegations were raised and confirmed that it has "not identified any breaches". The move came after undercover footage showed an instance of 2 Sisters' workers at the plant altering the source and slaughter date of poultry being processed in the firm's Site D plant. Experts said altering "kill dates" could artificially stretch
Rangarajan for quick measures to push growth HYDERABAD: Sounding optimistic about the economy bouncing back in the coming months, former RBI Governor C Rangarajan has said the economy needs to "pick up very fast" to be able to maintain a healthy annual growth. The government needs to take quick measures to push the growth, he said. "In some ways, one can say the economy has bottomed out. Be-
cause, for two quarters it has remained at 5.7 per cent. "Therefore, the glitches of GST may be over. Some of the effects of demonetization would also be neutralized with the new currency coming in. Therefore, it could pick up. But, it needs to pick up very fast," Rangarajan told PTI here on the sidelines of an event. The economy needs to grow at 7 per cent in three quarters
even to have a growth rate of 6.5 per cent for the year as a whole, the eminent economist said. "Because, the rate of growth of 5.6 per cent in the first quarter, even to get 6.5 per cent for the year as a whole, the economy needs to grow at seven per cent in the three quarters. Therefore, the growth rate has to pick up much faster," he said. Cont’d on page 12
the commercial life of the meat and dupe consumers into buying chicken past its use-by date. It is illegal to place incorrect use-by dates on food, which are set for safety reasons and differ from "best before" dates. Other sections of the footage, which was filmed in August, showed chicken being picked off the floor and thrown back on to the production line, and older poultry being mixed with fresher birds. All major supermarket supplied chicken from the plant quickly announced a boycott of the supplier until their own investigations were complete, as did the FSA. The chairman of the House of Commons environment, food and rural affairs committee, Neil Parish, said he was preparing to call Singh before the committee to answer questions about the allegations. "It would be good if we could have a short, sharp inquiry. We need to restore food safety, animal welfare and consumer confidence to these massive chicken plants run by 2 Sisters," Parish said. The 2 Sisters group was founded in 1993 by Ranjit
Singh Boparan and now employs 23,000 staff. Although it has diversified, the bulk of the group's income still comes
Ranjit Singh
from processing poultry. The company, the UK s second-largest food company which claims to process around 6 million chicken every week, has said its staff's pay will not be affected during the suspension of operations. "We continue to work closely with the FSA and our customers throughout this period. We remain committed to ensuring that we operate to the highest standards of hygiene and food safety, and we act with honesty and integrity at all times, a 2 Sisters spokesperson said.-PTI
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Renewables agency lists Green Masala Bond in UK Kuljit Singh Popli
LONDON: The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency has launched a new Green Masala Bond on the London Stock Exchange's new International Securities Market to raise funds to finance renewable energy projects across India. The five-year dated bond raised approximately USD 300 million (Rs 19.5 billion), with a coupon of 7.125 per cent, and became the first Green Masala Bond to be listed on the International Securities Market (ISM). "Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) is fully committed to helping achieve Indian Government's vision of 175 GW renewable energy capacity by 2022.The Green Masala Bond is a significant milestone for IREDA in this regard, as we embark on the next phase of renewable and sustainable energy led expansion," said Kuljit Singh Popli, Chairman and Man-
aging Director of IREDA, at a special market opening ceremony at the London Stock Exchange. Popli described the listing as a step towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to the Paris agreement on Climate
The company provides financing for hydro, wind and solar energy projects, new and emerging technologies and for bio energy sectors Change. "The overwhelming response to the issue is a testament to the confidence of global investors in IREDA and the Indian renewable sector in general," he said.
IREDA, a state-owned nonbanking financial institution, has a remit to promote, develop and extend financial assistance for renewable energy and energy efficiency conservation projects in India. The company provides financing for hydro, wind and solar energy projects, new and emerging technologies and for bio energy sectors. "The IREDA Green Masala Bond illustrates government of India's commitment towards fostering the renewable and sustainable energy sector. Renewable energy will increasingly become the dominant force in energy generation, as we strive for 'Electricity for All' and achieve our mandate of 175 GW renewable energy capacity by 2022," said Anand Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Advancements in technology
Top bankers wield brooms, pledge resources MUMBAI: The heads of the country's two largest lenders here picked up brooms on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary and pledged resources and money to make the government's 'Clean India' drive a success. ICICI Bank's chief executive Chanda Kochhar announced a plan to train 1.5 lakh individuals for sanitation, health and hygiene awareness program over the next one month. SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya said they will increase digital banking to reduce the use of paper which will help the environment as well as lead to better cleanliness. Lead by Bhattacharya, around 250 senior employees of SBI cleaned the area around the Girgaum Chowpatty in the heart of the city, while Kochhar and her senior management officials cleaned the area near its branch in the Backbay Reclamation area of the city.
On the occasion, Bhattacharya said the drive will hopefully encourage everyone to come together and help turn Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a clean India
SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya
into a reality. "SBI's commitment towards digital banking is another way of supporting a clean India as less usage of paper will lead to a lot of reduction in waste and making the environment healthy and a clean place to live," she said. Kochhar said in November 2014, ICICI Bank adopted the 'Clean India Mission' and since
then on every working day, the employees of one branch of the bank have been participating in the initiative by cleaning the area surrounding their office. "So far, 6,000 of our employees have cleaned the areas near 800 of our branches in over 130 cities," she said. ICICI will also organize multiple sanitation, health and hygiene training modules which will be conducted across all the 24 urban centers and over 200 rural centers of ICICI Academy for Skills, and 17 rural self- employment training institutes, she said. The bank, through its efforts, aims to train nearly 1.5 lakh people over the next month alone, Kochhar said. Bhattacharya said the SBI workforce will carry out similar clean-up activities elsewhere. "SBI aims to improve the quality of life and make the country sustainable by carrying forward this initiative on a regular basis," she said.-PTI
and a drop in the price of solar and wind energy have set India on the course to not only achieve its renewables target, but exceed it, he noted. The new green bond is certi-
fied by Climate Bonds Initiative, an international, investor-focused not-for-profit, which helps build robust and transparent assurance frameworks around green bond investment. -PTI
India seeks US tech to reduce food waste Cont’d from page 10
Badal aims to partner with US industry by borrowing best practices, technology, and innovation, in exchange for providing US companies with untapped investment opportunities that exist in India's enormous consumer base. As the fastest growing major economy in the world, India possesses USD 600-billion retail sector, of which 70 per cent is food retail. This market is set to triple by 2020. In addition, an average Indian spends almost 40 per cent of income on food.
Over the next six years, this expenditure is set to double. This makes India an attractive destination for foreign investment, Badal said. India offers immense possibilities, said Mukesh Aghi, president of USISPF. Badal's visit comes ahead of the mega World Food India Show to be held in New Delhi from November 3-5. This global event aims to facilitate partnerships between Indian and international businesses and investors.The conclave would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. .-PTI
Rangarajan for quick measures to push growth Cont’d from page 11
The government needs to take quick action for the economy to pick up "really fast", Rangarajan said. He suggested revival of "all viable stalled projects", recapitalization of banks and removal of impediments in the way of higher corporate investment to give a push to the economy. "One immediate thing that needs to be done is to recapitalize the banks as quickly as pos-
sible to enable them to lend more. For example, the disinvestment amount can be increased and the amount collected could be so to say reinvested in the banking system," Rangarajan said. The government should meet industry bodies in small groups to find out the impediments that have come in the way of higher level of investment and try to remove them, he said.-PTI
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Indian entrepreneur wins UK business award LONDON: A Ghana-based Indian entrepreneur has won a prestigious business award in the UK for his efforts to bring innovative IT solutions to Africa. Birendra Sasmal, CEO of Subah, bagged the International Business Person of the Year at the Asian Achievers Awards in London, for turning the company into a thriving IT, telecoms and manufacturing success story with operations across West Africa. "We are successful because we are very focused on providing innovative solutions to solve problems that are being experienced not only in Africa but across the world," said Sasmal, who has his roots in West Bengal. "For example, in Ghana we are currently carrying out the largest household data collection and streets and building mapping exercise in African history. "The information gathered from this three-year project will enable the government to properly plan the expansion of municipal services including roads, schools, medical facilities etc and apply property taxes consistently to maximize its revenues," he
added. Headquartered in Accra, Ghana, the Subah Group employs around 350 people with offices in Guinea, Sierra Leone, New York City and Dubai.
who have mobile phones these days and how easy it is to access the internet and make cheap calls overseas. "We are working with Governments and operators in West Af-
Tech Briefs Is artificial intelligence riding a one-trick pony?
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ost artificial intelli gence is based on deep learning. And pretty much all of deep learning is based on back-propagation, a trick that allows researchers to train neural networks to recognise
Musk rocket to make global trip in an hour
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Under Sasmal's leadership, the group's revenues have increased by over 3,000 per cent and it has been named among one of Africa's fastest growing tech companies. "Since I moved to Ghana, the most striking change has been, as in India, the number of people
rica to help reduce fraud on their networks and maximize revenues," said the entrepreneur who has been based in Ghana since 2010. The IT expert believes the next phase of growth for the industry will most likely involve artificial intelligence.-PTI
lon Musk has a vision of a do-it-all rocket called BFR, reports Bloomberg. Talking at the International Astronautical Congress, the SpaceX CEO described a 30-foot diameter rocket capable of hauling 150 metric tons to low-Earth orbit-enough to carry a 40-
from the US Treasury Department, India's holding of the securities touched USD 135.7 billion as on July end - also the highest in a year. There has been a significant jump in the exposure compared to June when it stood at USD 130.3 billion. Since February this year, India's holding of these securities has been on the rise. At the end of January, the exposure was just USD 113.7 billion. India is the 12th largest holder of US government securities just behind Saudi Arabia whose exposure stood at USD 142.5 billion at the end of July. Other countries in the top ten are Ireland (USD 310.8 bil-
lion) at the third place, followed by Brazil, Cayman Islands (USD 259.2 billion), Switzerland (USD 244.8 billion), United Kingdom (USD 229.7 billion), Luxembourg (USD 213 billion), Hong Kong (USD 199.1 billion) and Taiwan (USD 182.5 billion). In a recent release, the Treasury Department said foreign residents increased their holdings of long term US securities in July and net purchases stood at USD 5.1 billion. "Foreign residents increased their holdings of US Treasury bills by USD 3.1 billion. Foreign resident holdings of all dollar-denominated short-term US securities and other custody liabilities increased by USD 7.4 billion," the release said-PTI
cabin spaceship and a total of 100 people, he says. The craft could work his Mars colonization missions as reported in the past. But he also says it could provide onEarth transport, completing any global trip in under an hour.
Delivery van drone hubs are now a reality
India's holdings of US securities L touch $135.7 bn WASHINGTON: India has sharply increased its exposure to US government securities with holdings worth USD 135.7 billion at the end of July, official data showed. Neighboring China continued to top the charts with holding to the tune of USD 1.166 trillion, followed by Japan with exposure worth USD 1.113 trillion. In recent months, India has increased its purchase of American government securities and the country is the third largest holder among the BRICS group after China and Brazil (USD 271.9 billion). At the end of July, Russia held securities worth USD 103.1 billion. According to the latest data
things. But back-propagation is old: it was first described in a paper published in 1986. James Somers in a fascinating essay for MIT Technology Review asks, is this it? Are we actually at the end of an AI revolution?
ast year it was reported that drone firm Matternet and MercedesBenz were exploring the use of vans as distribution hubs for aerial package delivery. Now it's happening: a threeweek trial in Zurich will use drone-van combos to deliver
goods for Swiss e-tailer Siroop. Drones will shuttle parcels from a distribution center to vans that are parked up at one of four rendezvous points, then a driver will deliver the goods in person. The trial will establish if the process can actually save time and money.
DNA editing removes disease from embryos
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he BBC reports that researchers from Sun Yatsen University in China have for the first time used base editing, a technique that can tweak a single letter in a strand of DNA, to edit disease out of a human embryo. The approach success-
fully changed a point mutation that normally causes blood disorder beta-thalassemia. The results are published in Protein and Cell. The same Chinese team was the first to apply CRISPR gene editing to human embryos back in 2015.
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Desi News Navrathri Golu celebrated with pomp & joy VIDYA SETHURAMAN India Post News Service
FREMONT, CA: Navratri is a ten-day long festival in India that represents the diverse nature of India in the most unique way. The festival is primarily dedicated to different forms of Shakti but the ways of celebrating this glorious festivity is very different in various Indian states. The Hindu festival is observed as Durga Puja in the eastern states while people in Gujarat worship a holy clay pot called Garbo during this festival. Details on page 18
Fremont Hindu temple celebrates Navratri VIDYA SETHURAMAN India Post News Service
FREMONT, CA: The word Navratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit - Nava meaning nine and Ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti / Devi are worshipped. Navratri is a multi-day Hindu festival celebrated in the autumn every year. It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. In the eastern and northeastern states of India, Durga Puja is synonymous with Navratri, wherein goddess Durga battles and emerges victorious over the buffalo demon to help restore Dharma. Details on page 20
Juhi, Mini sparkle at SKN's Hope Gala India Post News Service
HILLSBOROUGH, NJ: More than 500 supporters in the fields of business, arts, philanthropy and medicine attended the annual SKN Hope Gala here on September 27 at the Marigold Hotel in Somerset, New Jersey, which raised funds for South Asian children with special needs. Details on page 22
COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA
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AT&T IoT Hackathon yields new solutions Details on page 27
October 6, 2017
FOG award breathes new life into film by Indian IT engineer LAKSHMI IYER India Post News Service
FREMONT, CA: Kishore Tummala, a New Jersey-based software engineer, made his first film and won the "Best Short Film" award at FOG 2017. Titled "I Can't Breathe", the film tells the story of a young African-American man who has recently won a basketball scholarship and has plans to propose to his girlfriend. During a routine traffic stop while riding in his friend's car in the passenger seat, a police officer shoots and kills him. His distraught mother seeks forgiveness and reconciliation as a solution, rather than revenge. On September 22, the film opened at the Laemmle Theater in Pasadena, California. Kishore aims to get the film noticed by members of the Academy of Motion Pictures (they run the Oscars) and entered into competition. This is an excerpt of an India Post email interview with him: You are an IT engineer by training and experience. What inspired you to get into filmmaking and specifically, this kind of film with a strong message? Kishore Tummala: Well, I was touched and moved by the police-shooting incident in Ferguson, Missouri, which prompted protests and riots, contributing to racial tension. I love films from my childhood and I thought this was a subject that needs to be told objectively to promote a constructive dialogue with a strong positive message. During that process, I found a man whose son was shot by police in front of his own house with his family watching the incident. What he did with the 1.7
Kishore Tummala on the red carpet during FOG Movie Fest 2017
million dollars received through settlement from the lawsuit inspired me to tell this story. He is my inspiration to go to against all odds, resistance, and extreme adverse conditions and complete this film. Tell us about some of the struggles you faced while
the ceiling, no one wanted to be part of this project. We had no locations that we could shoot for critical scenes; lot of shoes dropping on the subject, people giving up their roles at the last minute and the list goes on. We were forced to find a replacement of our lead actor just before going to
Kishore's friend, Lakshmi Kolla, receiving the "Best Short Film" award from esteemed actor and FOG Grand Marshal, Manoj Bajpayee
making this film. KT: As this is an extremely sensitive issue and the racial tensions are clipping through
shoot, same with the production designer. We didn't get permission to shoot anything outdoor including parks as the
police departments and parks commission (in NJ and Philly) are reluctant given the sensitivity of the issue and the complexity of the issue. Every step in this project was a challenge as I had neither been to any film shoot nor film school. Do you feel that movements such as "Black Lives Matter" are making a difference in the treatment of minorities? KT: I honestly feel their intent is good but somewhere it's not helping the ultimate cause they are fighting for. I feel that they need to revisit their strategy and be smart about their approach to gain more support from a wider audience. This is probably one of the rare films that an Indian immigrant has made, which involves other communities. Are there advantages and disadvantages making it from an outsider perspective? KT: I don't know, as I had never been into film making before. Only challenge is to find a good team to execute. But I am happy to pull this off with completely new set of people with whom I had never met or worked before. Having the desire to make this kind of strong film on inter-racial conflict with a positive note is one thing but completing the project against all odds is another challenge. We got plenty of support once we started the project and announced our commitment towards it. In terms of outsider perspective, we just followed the emotional pain of such incidents and tried not to put any color to it, hence it became easy for us. We let the story breathe into the characters. Cont’d on page 19
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Navrathri Golu celebrated with pomp & joy
Aparna Iyer, Bay Area
VIDYA SETHURAMAN India Post News Service
FREMONT, CA: Navratri is a tenday long festival in India that represents the diverse nature of India in the most unique way. The festival is primarily dedicated to different forms of Shakti but the
ways of celebrating this glorious festivity is very different in various Indian states.The Hindu festival is observed as Durga Puja in the eastern states while people in Gujarat worship a holy clay pot called Garbo during this festival. Similarly, South India asso-
Prafullamukhi Prabhuvenkatesh, Dublin
Neelavenkat
ciates Navratri celebrations with the assembly of Golu or Bombe Habba while the northern states associate Navratri mainly with Ram Leela. Bomma Golu/ Bombe Habba is a doll and figurine display festival celebrated during the festival of Navratri in Southern India. It is customary in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh. Bommai (Doll) Golu is the artistic display of dolls on numbered tiers or steps, usually made of wood.
The Golu pictures alongside were taken by Bay Area residents There are many stories about the origin of Golu. One of them has a significant connection with agriculture. It is said that in order to encourage de-silting of irrigation canals, Golu was celebrated to create demand for clay materials. Golu is symbolic of the feminine power and symbolizes that everything on earth has one creator. Another mythological story behind this festival is that when Durga wanted to kill an evil demon Mahishasur but didn't have enough strength to do it by herself, she asked all gods and goddesses to transfer their strength to her. They all did that and stood still as statues. This festival is celebrated to acknowledge their sacrifice. Another reason to celebrate the festival in the olden days was to give women a chance to go out and mingle with the neighbors. Cont’d on page 24
Kanchana Santhanam, Saratoga
Tumu Family, Bay Area
Swathi Rangarajan, Cupertino
October 6, 2017
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Durga Puja conducted with great enthusiasm
India Post News Service
FREMONT, CA: Like every year this year also Durga Puja was conducted with full of enthusiasm and vigor. The 5-day festival starting from Sashti to Vijaya Dasami was held in the Saraswat hall of the Fremont Hindu temple. Under the able leadership of FOG founder Dr.Romesh Japra, FOG Bengal team put up a tremendous show. Over 700-1000 devotees
static while explaining the success of the Puja and how it became an integrated force to bring all the communities together. He mentioned that Puja was done by a NASA scientist who is also erudite scholar of the Veda. Mr Jayanta Panda has been doing the Puja in Bay area for the last two decades and he does it with minute details and religious fervor.
Puja, Kumari Puja, Sidhur Khala, Kushmando Bolidan, Seat and Draw etc. FIA leadership team includ-
ing Dr. Romesh Japra, Mr. Deepak Chhabra, Mr. Rajesh Verma, OfBJP past President Mr. Chandru Bhambra and
many other community leaders were present almost every day and offered their support for this yearly extravaganza.
Swami Maharaj inaugurates Swaminarayana text India Post News Service
joined each day from as far as Concord and Saratoga. Everyday bhog was served along with many cultural programs. FOG Bengal President Judhajit Senmazumdar was ec-
Over 50 plus volunteers worked day in day out to make this puja possible which was covered in many national and international media. Some of the key events were Sandhi
ROBBINSVILLE, NJ: On September 17, an assembly on the holy grounds of the Swaminarayana Akshardham in Robbinsville, NJ celebrated the inauguration of a traditionally composed Sanskrit text. The assembly was a celebration of three momentous events: 1.The inauguration of the Swaminarayana-siddhantasudha 2. The Sri Kasi Vidvat Pari ad recognizing Sri Swaminarayana's Vedanta as the Akara-Puruottama Darsana, as Vedic and distinct from the other Vedanta darsanas 3. The official announcement of Swaminarayana's teachings as the AkaraPuruottama Darsana. The evening assembly was marked with the inauguration of the Swaminarayana-
siddhanta-sudha by HH Mahant Swami Maharaj. Authored by Pujya Bhadreshdas Swami, the text is traditionally categorized as a vadagrantha-a formal exposition, justification and defense
of the philosophical and theological positions of a darsana. It is composed on the AkaraPuruottama Darsana as it was revealed by Parabrahman Puruottama Swaminarayana. Cont’d on page 26
FOG award breathes new life into film by Indian IT engineer Cont’d from page 16
You recently bagged the "Best Short Film" award at FOG. How was your experience here? KT: We had many rejections prior to FOG Film Festival given the sensitive conditions surrounding the issue in America. As much as we made the bold content, it is FOG's daring attempt to select and screen
such a sensitive film, when many festivals shied away from it. Also we were delighted to screen along with another fantastic film of the similar kind with a different take on the issue. Entire cast and crew are thankful to the jury for selecting our film as the Best Film. That means a lot to us and gives us ammo to make more projects of this kind. Thank you FOG!
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Fremont Hindu temple celebrates Navratri VIDYA SETHURAMAN India Post News Service
FREMONT, CA: The word Navratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit - Nava meaning nine and Ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti / Devi are worshipped. Navratri is a multi-day Hindu festival celebrated in the au-
tumn every year. It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. In the eastern and northeastern states of India, Durga Puja is synonymous with Navratri, wherein goddess Durga battles and emerges victorious over the buffalo de-
mon to help restore Dharma. In the northern and western states, the festival is synonymous with "Rama Lila" and Dussehra that celebrates the battle and victory of god Ram over the demon king Ravana. In southern states, the victory of different goddesses, of Rama or Saraswati is celebrated. In all cases, the common theme is the battle and victory of Good over Evil based on a regionally famous epic or legend such as the Ramayana or the Devi Mahatmya. Lit up with festive lights, filled with the aroma of various traditional delicacies and flooded with the hustle and bustle of festively dressed men, women and children, the Fremont Hindu temple was transformed into a festive hub as desis in Bay area celebrated Navratri as well as Durga Puja festivities. The pujas performed during these nine days were Saraswati Puja, Chandi Yagna, Ashtami, Navami, Vijayadasami Homa and Aksharabhyasa for kids. Aksharabhyasam or
ciated with one color, and one planetary body. Chandi Yagna is the most powerful yagna in Hindu religion. It is done across India during different festival, especially during Navaratri festival. Chandi Homa is celebrated by enumerating verses from the Durga Sapthasathi and giving oblations into the sacrificial fire. By performing Chandi Yagna once a year gives success in life and also offers positive strength to face all hurdles in their life. This Yagna gives strength to win over enemies and overcome all the obstacles in life, says the temple priest.
Vidyarambham is a traditional religious function in which a child is given initiation for education. By doing so the child is ready to receive formal school education, says Govind Pasumarthi, Temple volunteer. During the nine days, devotees solemnly fast and worship the nine manifestations or forms of Goddess Durga, also known as Shakti. The Sharad Navratri or autumn Navratri is celebrated in the lunar month of Ashwin according to the Hindu calendar. Each day has a special significance, and one form of the Goddess is worshipped. Each day is also asso-
Aparna, Shabana light up S.Asian Film Festival SN ULLAL
CHICAGO: The eighth annual Chicago South Asian Film Festival held this year had the underlying theme 'Women in Cinema' and featured renowned actress and director Aparna Sen along with actress Shabana Azmi and Rajkumar Rao, the lead actor in India's entry for the Oscars, "Newton." Shabana Azmi was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The three-day festival was inaugurated on September 29 with a glittering red carpet event and concluded on October 1. Over the years, the festival has become the
largest film festival of its kind in the Midwest, competing, in the range of films shown with older South Asian film festivals like the one in New York. The films were screened in
downtown Chicago, at the Showplace ICON Theater in the South Loop, at DePaul University's School of Cinematic Arts in the loop, and in Oakbrook, at the Oakbrook AMC Theater.
Chicago SA Film Fest organizing team
"The Festival creates an innovative cultural and cinematic experience for Chicagoans and visitors alike. Through the gift of film, the Chicago South Asian Film Festival invites all to share and enjoy the magic of cinema and true cultural exchange. The City is proud to host this extraordinary partnership between the South Asian community and the arts and entertainment industry," said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel in his message to the festival. The Festival this year featured films from Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tibet. Films from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam have also received a platform at CSAFF. The Festival was founded in 2010 by Amit Rana, Mileen Patel and Ketki Parikh with the support of Vachikam Inc. and the Network of Indian professionals. The inaugural event attracted over 1,300 attendees including filmmakers Aparna Sen, Deepti Naval and Ajay Naidu. Cont’d on page 23
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Juhi, Mini sparkle at SKN's Hope Gala India Post News Service
HILLSBOROUGH, NJ: More than 500 supporters in the fields of business, arts, philanthropy and medicine attended the annual SKN Hope Gala here on September 27 at the Marigold Hotel in Somerset, New Jersey, which raised funds for South Asian children with special needs. "We could not be more humbled by the love and generosity of the community," said founder Dr. Naveen Mehrotra. "SKN's goal is to educate the South Asian community about
Guest of Honor, Juhi Chawla, speaks to a packed house.-Pics Andy Chang
SKN Gala Team & Family on stage
Show Stopper Juhi Chawla walks for international fashion designer Joy Mitra
the various diseases that plague our loved ones, and this year, we wanted to shed light on how parents cope with their children with special needs." The major beneficiary of this year's fundraiser will be the Special Needs Community Outreach Program for Empowerment (SCOPE). Guest of Honor Juhi Chawla, renowned Indian actress, humanitarian and former Miss India, spoke at the event and served as the show stopper for international fashion designer to the stars, Joy Mitra, who debuted a special collection he created just for the cause. The fashion show spotlighted special needs children, who walked the ramp with their mothers, followed by an intimate Q&A between host Mini Mathur and the fathers. "What an amazing opportunity for my son! I am so proud of him every day, and walking the ramp, dressed up so fabulously, allowed him to know that we
Sonalika Ahuja, Joy Mitra, Mini Mathur & Dr. Naveen Mehrotra
Models showcase Joy Mitra's collection on the runway
love him just as he is," said Radha Lath, mother of Aditya
we are honored to be shedding light on some of their chal-
‘We could not be more humbled by the love and generosity of the community,’ said founder Dr. Naveen Mehrotra Lath, a child with special needs. "Parents of special needs children have an unbelievable level of grit and determination, as they face daily life issues, and
lenges at the SKN Foundation Gala," said Sonalika Ahuja of Beyond Media, the woman who executed the event for the second year in a row.
Dandiya to promote youth cricket in Tri-Valley India Post News Service
PLEASANTON, CA: Cricket for Cubs on September 16 successfully hosted the 3rd annual community outreach event Dandiya and Bollywood Night promoting youth cricket in TriValley at Harvest Park Middle School, Pleasanton. The event was attended by more than 800 people in the community showing support for youth cricket and dancing to live music rendered by Sharada Music group through
the evening. Joining the community members were Jerry Thorne, Mayor, City of Pleasanton , Kathy Narum, Council Member, City of Pelasanton, David Haubert, Mayor , City of Dublin; Loane, Council Member, City of San Ramon, Sridhar Verose, Commissionaire, City of San Ramon Parks and Recreation Commission, Pavan Vadare, Commissionaire, City of Fremont, Parks and Recreation Commission.
USA Cricket Team members Gaurav Patanker, Sindhu
Sriharsha and Sindhuja Reddy Salguti also participated in the
event wishing all the best to the Tri-Valley youth. The crowd enjoyed the food catered by Lotus India Express, Fremont. The sponsors gracefully thanked were Kaiser Permanente, Lotus India Express, Think Palm, My Tax Filer, JEI Pleasanton, Realtor Harmeet Singh Toor, Serra Theater & amp; Cricket Gears for Everyone. Cont’d on page 23
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Seniors celebrate Navratri with Raas Garba JAYANTI OZA
Artists Hema and Ashit Desai conducting classical Garba
BSC members enjoying Raas Garba
CHICAGO: Bhartiya Senior Citizens of Chicago (BSC) organized Live Raas Garba with renowned artists Ashit Desai, Hema Desai and Harmony Group X Factor orchestra. The Garba event was so popular that hundreds of Goddess Durga devotees and fans of this folk art enjoyed Raas
Garba and Dandia Raas every day with BSC providing snacks, coffee and tea. To facilitate those participating in Garba Raas, BSC officials arranged big screen audio, video. This especially helped elderly people who could not actively play Garba and still wanted to have the fun
and pleasure of it. The full decoration on the first and second floors was done by all senior citizens. BSC Trustee Parsotam Pandya , President Hari Patel, Vice President Madhu Patel, the food team, Tea preparing team, Prashad Team, Arti team, Guest welcome team - all worked in
Aparna, Shabana light up S.Asian Film Festival Cont’d from page 20
Other South Asian film talent who participated this year included Askhay Oberoi, Fawzia Mirza, Shahana Goswami, Barun Sobti, Adeel Hussain and Mehreen Jabbar. "This year we have a strong lineup of independent films, showcasing challenging and interesting aspects of society and human emotions. We have films from across the globe India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal as well as North America and Canada region," said festival official Jigar Shah. Among the films screened were "Sonata," "Trapped" and "Gurgaon". "Sonata", directed by Aparna Sen, explores the lives of three unmarried women friends, Aruna Chaturvedi, a professor, Dolon Sen, a banker, and Subhadra Parekh, a journalist, played by Sen, Shabana Azmi and Lillete Dubey respectively.
The festival closed with an awards ceremony for best feature and short films as chosen by the jury and the audience. South Asian cinema is a highly male-dominated industry where male characters will mostly always be the hero, lead, or main character while a female will only fill a side role.
arise when women's roles in society are only explored through the male's point of view. Most films also omit the adversities that women of all socio-economic backgrounds face on a daily basis such as sexual harassment, access to education, as well as limited opportunities for growth in society.
‘This year we have a strong lineup of independent films, showcasing challenging and interesting aspects of society and human emotions’ Most films will generally focus on the male as the savior while the female is seen as the victim that needs to be rescued or fallen in love with. Such films generally mold opinions and often reinforce the idea that women just fill a weaker insubordinate role in society. Additionally, ramifications
Filmmakers such as Konkona Sen and Sharmeen ObaidChinoy are challenging the male-dominated South Asian film industry and taking on women's issues by portraying lives of ordinary women and the challenges encountered, creating a multi-dimensional character.
unison to make the event a big food. The audio system was success. Parsotam Pandya (Trustee of handled by Bharat Gandhi. All BSC), Madhubhai Patel ( Vice five days Jayanti Oza volunPresident) took the responsi- teered services as photogrability for cleaning the hall, distributing food on time. Mahesh P a t e l , Chandubhai D a v e , Pravinbhai A m i n , Amratbhai P a t e l , Ramsang Parmar, Sirish Shah, Indu P a t e l , Vithalbhai Balar, Nita Chudasma, Kala Oza, Harmony Group Artist Kalpesh Kharva & Daxa Solanki with their orchestra at the Garba Sakuntla Vyas, Damini and Kalyni Patel, Pratima Shah also pher. Every one had a good time gave their services to serve enjoying Navratri.
Dandiya to promote youth cricket in Tri-Valley Cont’d from page 22
Cricket for Cubs is a Not for Profit organization established to promote youth cricket in local schools and communities. In last 18 months it introduced cricket to over 3000 children at Fallon Middle School, John Green Elementary, Amador Elementary & Kolb Elementary in Dubin school district, Harvest Park Middle School and Hart Middle School in
Pleasanton, Hidden Hills, Elementary, Iron Horse Middle School and Windmere Middle School In San Ramon.
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City of Lights to celebrate Diwali on Oct 14 SURENDRA ULLAL
CHICAGO: The Indian American Community Outreach Advisory Board
(IACOAB) of the City of Aurora has organized its 4th Diwali celebration at the
Waubonsie Valley High School, in Aurora on Saturday, October 14 from 5.30 pm to 9 pm. The evening will feature Indian folk dances, music, food and a display of ethnic apparel and jewelry. The event will
culminate in a spectacular fireworks display at 8.45 pm. IACOAB officials said that the fireworks this year will be more spectacular than it was last year. Cont’d on page 25
Navrathri Golu celebrated with pomp & joy IACOB Office bearers Kunal Majmundar (Vice-Chair), Girish Kapur, Anu Setty, Roopa Anjanappa, Gautam Bhatia (Chair), Sandeep Londhe (Secretary), Ashok Easwaran, Prasad Garkhedkar, Sharon Garcia, Niveditta Ahuja, Sanjeev Pandey, Deepak Mehta (Treasurer)
Artists team at Celebrations in 2016
Cont’d from page 18
As per tradition, Golu is celebrated by arranging figurines of gods and goddesses on steps to narrate mythological stories.Traditionally, a few top steps include idols of gods and a Kalash (ceremonial jar) with fresh water, covered with a coconut and mango leaves. The next few steps have idols of saints and heroes of the country. Another step represents human activities, depicting functions such as marriage, temples, and an orchestra or music band.The number of steps of Golu is usually an odd number and can be 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11 based on personal preferences. The Indian festival of Navratri, which runs until Sept. 30, is being celebrated with traditional joy and feasting all over Bay Area.Today the practice is rampant in the Diaspora with immigrant families treasuring and continuing age-old cultural customs for the sake of the younger generations. Friends and family are invited to view the Golu, to sing or demonstrate an art form, partake of the prasadam (an edible offering first made to the deity), and to linger and enjoy the hospitality of the hosts over a vegetarian meal. The sheer joy, pride, and creativity that goes into keeping the kolu makes it nothing short of a labor of
love. The dolls are often collected over the years, brought from India, purchased online, or specially commissioned for themed kolus; many households have an-
Nithya Prakash, San Ramon
tique dolls that were handed down through the generations. Golu is equally relevant because many
Anupama Shridar, Bay Area
Sunita Rajagopal
children today do not know the stories of the epics. In this gadget era, children seem to be losing the art of imagination with all the digital visual content. And the Golu or Gombe tradition is one of the best ways to keep these stories alive because the dolls offer the visuals as you tell them the stories, says Revathi Sreedar, a Bay area resident. During the evening of Vijayadasami, any doll is symbolically put to sleep and the Kalasa is moved a bit towards North to mark the end of that year's Navaratri Kolu.
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Grayslake temple celebrates Navratri in style GEETHA PATEL
CHICAGO: The ten-day-long Dasara -Dussehra festival at Hindu Mandir of Lake County in Grayslake, a Northside Chicago suburb, culminated with a spectacular burning of giant effigy of demon king, Ravana as a mark of the victory of good over evil on Saturday, September 30. A huge crowd of more than 3,000 Indian community members participated enthusiastically in the various events of the Dussehra festival at Grayslake Temple such as
Abhishekams, Alankarams in Nine different roopas of Nava Durga Ma and Ashtami Havan with all the Vedic rituals and mantra. Devotees observed ritualistic fasts and did Pujas. Durga Ma decorations were done by Vernika and Sharda Dagar. The Temple also organized ninenight open Garba and Dandia Raas for the ladies. In the evening, men and women gathered; clad in their vibrant clothes to play Garba and Dandia (Gujarat's folk dance).
Devotees- a large number of women - propitiating Ma Durga
rangements are an attempt to invoke the Goddess and seek her blessings. This festival is celebrated for nine days starting Bhadrapada Amavasya (also known as Mahalaya Amavasya) till Durgashtami. On the eighth day, there Ladies with Kalash celebrating Bathukama and Garba
Pujas, Havans, Kanya Pujan, Mata Ki Chowki, Bathukamma, Ram-Leela, Ravan Dahan, and a day-long open Mela with many stalls of clothes, jewelries, businesses, information, ser-
The folk melodies, singing and dancing made a fascinating sight on all the Navratri nights. This mesmerizing event was organized by Vipin Patel, Kunal Mehta and team.
Ravana and uniting with Sita as an integral part of the festivities. Children were dressed up as the characters of the great epic Ramayana like Lord Rama, Lakshman, Sita, Ravan, Hanuman, Jambuvant, Vanar sena etc. The splendid Dussehra festivities ended with Ravana's effigy burning. The Temple Managing Com-
City of Lights to celebrate Diwali on Oct 14 Cont’d from page 24 Cut out of Demon King Ravan
Ladies with Kalash joined by Temple priests
vices, and mouth watering Indian foods. A large throng of ladies visited the temple early mornings and nights with full devotion and participated in festivities in honor of Goddess Durga or Shakti. Temple priests - Pt. Anil Joshi, Yogesh Pandya, and Ramacharya - conducted early morning Arati, chanting,
South Indian ladies performed Bathukamma Panduga during Navratri. This is a flower festival where women create beautiful flower arrangements and decorations in seven concentric layers in the shape of the Temple Gopuram. 'Bathukamma' literally translates into 'Mother Goddess come Alive'. The flower ar-
Children doing Ram Leela
mittee thanked committee members for their support and effort besides disciplined devotees. Kamal Gupta and his team served sumptuous food to all the devotees on the occasion. He also thanked local vendors and devotees for their active participation. Mela was put together by Dr. Yogendra Kumar, Madhup Dhoan and Ameet Gupta.
was a ritual of Kanya Puja that was attended by a large crowd. Girls were seen as the avatars of Goddess Durga washing their feet and then tying moli (red thread) around their wrists. These girls were seated in a line and given gifts and Prasad. Anu Gupta organized a grand Mata Ki Chowki in honor of the Goddess Durga and also Rama-Leela. On the tenth day celebrated as Vijay Dashami, 70 young children performed "Ram Leela" dramatizing the historic tale of Rama defeating
Diwali, (the Eastern equivalent of Christmas) is celebrated by millions of Hindus in India, and other countries including Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Trinidad. The festival is also a big event among the Hindu expatriates living in North America and Europe and is the community's biggest season of shopping. The festival, spread over several days, heralds the return of the mythical King Rama, and celebrates the triumph of Good over Evil or Light over Darkness. Among elected officials expected to attend the event are Aurora Mayor Rick Irvin, members of the Aurora City Council, US Congressman Bill Foster, US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi and Illinois State Reps Stephanie Kifowit & Linda Chapa LaVia. The Midwest's leading Indian grocery chain Patel Brothers is the Event Sponsor. Other sponsors include Waubonsee
Community College, PNC Bank, Professional Mortgage Solutions, Remax, Goldfish Swim School, Creative Lending Solutions, Accutax and Stem Shala. The media sponsors are India Post, TV Asia and Desi Junction. The audience will be treated to Indian folk and traditional dances and music. A variety of Indian and western cuisine will be offered to tickle the most discerning palate. The DJ for the evening is Chicago's popular radio host Jassi Parmar. The IACOAB is entrusted with the task of acting as a liaison between the City of Aurora and the community at large. In recent months, the board has organized an interactive Public Education and Civic Education(PACE) with the enthusiastic participation of teachers and administrators of Aurora &Naperville schools on the subject 'Unity in Diversity' and a Bollywood Night at the Philips Park in Aurora. Entry at the Diwali event and parking is free.
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Navratri celebrated at Radhey Shyam Mandir GEETHA PATIL
CHICAGO: The nine-day Navaratri festival from September 21 until September 29 came to an end at the Shree Radhey Shyam Temple, Bloomingdale, a northwest suburb of Chicago along with the 10th day celebration of
tees came in large numbers to witness each day's special events of Navaratri and Ravan Dahan on the last day as well. Temple priests - Pt. Gopalkrishna Ji and Pt. Jayanarayan Badal - performed special morning Arati, Pujas,
songs after the puja rituals for nine consecutive days of Navratri brought alive the festive spirit in all devotees. On the eighth day, the many devotees performed Kanya Poojan by offering small gifts and Prasad to little girls who
Devotees view burning of Ravan effigy
Vijay Dashami/ Dussehra The ending marked the historic victory of Lord Ram over the evil King Ravana and Goddess Durga's triumph over the invincible Buffalo king Mahishasur on Saturday, September 30. Devotees burnt the giant effigy of demon king, Ravana and chanted 'Jai Durga Ma' with full enthusiasm. Devo-
Abhishekams, Alankarams, Mata Ki Chowki, Kenya Pujan, and Ashtami Havan with all the Vedic rituals and mantras. Devotees witnessed nine roopas of Goddess Durga, including Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswati with full devotion and dedication. Chanting of mantras and singing of Bhajans and devotional
are 3 to 9 years of age as they are the symbol of most auspicious, most Jagrat, and the most clear mind and innocent soul. As per Hindu mythology, Kanya Puja has great importance. Young girls therefore were welcomed and honored in the temple by first washing their feet, putting Tilak along with Akshata and flowers and
Op Asha work lauded by TB experts SURENDRA ULLAL
CHICAGO: Efforts by Operation ASHA, an India based agency treating TB patients, have been lauded by internationally renowned TB expert Prof Marc Lipmann and expert
Girl covers mouth to prevent spread of TB
Op Asha Center in India
at World Bank An eminent Professor and TB expert, Marc Lipman who carried out extensive research to analyze OpASHA's results and use of eCompliance to ensure full treatment, concluded in his research paper for Public
Health Action that OpASHA achieved an exceptionally high Treatment Success Rate, "despite the fact that OpASHA works with highly vulnerable patients" who are far more difficult to treat than usual. Cont’d on page 27
then tying moli (red thread) around their wrists. The Temple also organized 'Mata Ki Chowki' as an integral part of the Navaratri festivities to pay their homage before Maa Durga and thanking her for protecting them from evil forces in the society and for their other wishfulfillment. The night was spent with singing bhajans of the goddess, praying and thanking her with folded hands and Prasad was offered to all the devotees with much love and affection. More than 300 devotees participated on the 10th day Vijay Dashami special Pujas, Abhishekams and in the evening witnessed the event of Ravan Dahan that delivered a wonderful social message by setting ablaze Ravana's
effigy that "good always triumphs over evil." Temple Management committee thanked the Navaratri Event, Kitchen and Cultural Committee members for their sincere
Ravan Dahan
dedication and services. They also thanked sponsors, devotees, and volunteers for making this event a grand success.
Swami Maharaj inaugurates Swaminarayana text Cont’d from page 19
Divided into nine chapters identified as dh?r?s, the text presents a sophisticated treatment of the philosophical principles of Bhagavan Swaminarayana. Among other things, it grounds these principles on expositions found within the Prasthanatrayi-a collective designation for the Upanisads, Srimadbhagavadgita, and the Brahmasutras. It also presents a unique epistemological system that is characteristic of the dar?ana. Its comprehensive, critical, yet reverent treatment of alternative dar?anas and their disagreements not only reflects the traditional methods of a v?dagrantha, but also emphasizes the robustness of the text. In admiration for the text's intellectual appeal, several
dignitaries and renowned academics in the assembly expressed their thoughts and praise for the text. Both the text and its author were honored by invited guests including Professor George Cardona-a renowned professor emeritus of linguistics and South Asian studies at the University of Pennsylvania; Professor Sthaneshwar Timalsina-a distinguished professor at San Diego State University; Professor Graham Schweig-the director of studies in religion at Christopher Newport University; Professor Deven Patel-a professor of South-Asian Studies at University of Pennsylvania; Professor Jyotindra Dave-the director of BAPS Research Institute at Akshardham; New Delhi; and P a r a m a c h a r y a Sadasivanathaswami-the chief editor at Hinduism Today.
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AT&T IoT Hackathon yields new solutions India Post News Service
SAN FRANCISCO, CA: The AT&T Developer Program and MWC Americas invited the public to innovate and build what's next in technology on Sept. 9-10 at the WeWork Embarcadero Center in San Francisco. Creative thinkers participated in a special Internet of Things (IoT )-focused hackathon where people of all skill levels brought in their unique perspectives to hack cutting edge hardware and create positive change. First prize of $2,500 went to Revolution 11's Smart Manhole Cover, which notifies the user when a manhole cover has been opened and uses sensors
nected health devices, all connected by AT&T Internet of Things. All of the devices used AT&T wireless connectivity, which makes remote monitor-
AT&T-connected smart glasses, Aira's groundbreaking assistive technology helps people tackle new challenges while giving them more inde-
ing easier and more accessible. • Aira* helps people who are blind or visually impaired get through everyday tasks. Using
pendence. • Health developed the Mabu Robot. The robotic care management platform is scalable and affordable. And it interacts with patients - like a human. Mabu remembers information, learns about the patient and personalizes conversations. AT&T and Mobike Mobike, the world's largest smart bike sharing service, is working with AT&T* and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., to support its station-free smart bikes in the U.S.
that track and convey information on what is contained below it. Second prize of $1,500 went to a team that developed a prototype of a smart device that triggers an alarm in the event that the user's valuables (bicycle or laptop) are inter-
fered with in their absence. Finally, an honorable mention went to an LTE-M based solution with the ability to track schoolchildren as they arrive at school or into their classroom. AT&T and Connected Healthcare AT&T's booth within the GSMA Innovation City featured several revolutionary con-
Op Asha work lauded by TB experts Cont’d from page 16
Lipmann goes on to say, 'the age and sex distribution of TB patients treated by OpASHA may reflect its aim to "reach patients who otherwise may never receive care. Also, experts from the World Bank have prepared a case study on Operation ASHA, which states "OpASHA offers a low-cost, highly leveraged operating model which enjoys high community and partner engagement." This also states that MDR-TB patients incur huge out-of-pocket expenses ($2500/1,00,000 Lakh Rupees) which they can hardly afford . By turning the tap off MDRTB, Operation ASHA is saving lives, giving health, and lifting patients out of poverty. "There is urgency about our work that our supporters and donors will understand very well. Of the 10.9 million people who fall sick of TB each year, 4 million go missing. An immediate need is to scale operations to identify and treat these missing patients, who are often marginalized and live in hard to reach areas," says Sandeep Ahuja, an OpASHA official. Operation ASHA is dedicated to bringing tuberculosis treat-
ment and health services to the poorest of the poor in India's urban slums and rural villages. Sandeep pitched for donation adding "with your support, the fight goes on helping vulnerable TB patients." Dr Shelly Batra, president of Operation ASHA, said "We are among the world's largest NGOs in tuberculosis treatment and prevention, making these services available to more than 8.9 million people who have little access to basic healthcare, let alone medicines to treat TB. With treatment centers established in more than 4,000 slums and villages in 9 Indian states and 2 Cambodian provinces, our team plans to expand to other regions of the developing world afflicted with TB. "Tuberculosis is a scar on the face of the earth," she said. Operation ASHA was founded by Dr. Shelly Batra and Sandeep Ahuja. In India, Operation ASHA works under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program as a private-sector DOTS-provider. Operation ASHA is a member of the Stop TB Partnership's Coordinating Board. In 2010, a collaboration with Microsoft Research developed eCompliance, a biometric terminal for monitoring TB patients.
TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS
28 India Post
www.indiapost.com
October 6, 2017
1 Chalti Hai Kya 9 Se 12: Judwaa 2 2 Mere Raske Qamar : Baadshaho 3 Hawaayien: Jab Harry Met Sejal 4 Nazm Nazm: Bareilly Ki Barfi 5 Oonchi Hai Building: Judwaa 2 6 Socha Hai: Baadshaho 7 Sweety Tera Drama: Bareilly Ki Barfi 8 Lagdi Hai Thaai Song: Simran 9 Main Kaun Hoon: Secret Superstar 10 Disco Disco: A Gentleman
V
H
rithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff fans have reason to rejoice as two of the best dancers in Bollywood will work together in Yash Raj's next film. Yash Raj Films took to Twitter to make the announcement. Directed by Siddharth Anand, the film is set to hit the screens on January 25, 2019. Hrithik and Tiger will begin shooting for the action film in April 2018. The hashtag #HrithikVsTiger gave away certain details of the film. It is no doubt that the two will be pitted against each other in the film. As soon as the announcement was made, Tiger, who is known to be a big fan of Hrithik, said, "Sir @iHrithik. You are my Guru. But you should know when the game changes. #HrithikVsTiger (sic)." It is for the first time that Hrithik and Tiger have collaborated for a film. And we cannot wait to see them together.
R
anveer Singh is all set to essay the role of former ace-cricketer Kapil Dev in a biopic to be directed by Kabir Khan. The film is set to reminisce 1983's cricket world cup in which India bagged the trophy. At an event held in Mumbai, the 'Padmavati' star was all smiles when he shared how overwhelmed he is to play the part. "I was born into a time where cricket was everything. The biggest thing in our country. When Kabir sahab came to tell me that a story will be made on 1983 World Cup, I was like finally now people will know the story," he said. On playing the lead role of Kapil Dev, Ranveer couldn't contain his excitement when he said, "Sir, it's my pleasure that I will be playing this part. Thank you so much for letting us tell your story." In 1983, India under Kapil Dev won its first cricket World Cup against West Indies. Apart from Ranveer, no other cast members have been announced so far.
idya Balan has always been vocal about her love for Bengal, especially Kolkata. The fact that she shot for several of her movies there - including her debut 'Parineeta' (2005) - has further strengthened her bond with the city and its language. In fact, the actress is not only fluent in Bengali, but also enjoys conversing in it. Not surprising then, that Vidya has now started dubbing for the Bengali versions of her commercials. A source close to the actress says, "Kolkata, its people and their language instill a sense of familiarity in Vidya, and she enjoys every bit of it. Vidya has been slowly picking up the language since so many of her films have been shot in Kolkata. She also converses with her Bengali filmmakers in the language a p a r t f r o m m e m bers of the crew. She is n o w confid e n t enough with her Bengali and has been dubbing herself for her Bengali versions of the commercials."
October 6, 2017
Bollywood
India Post 29
www.indiapost.com
Saturn Girl, also known as Imra Ardeen, is a kind, smart, and strong-willed hero
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ctress Amy Jackson will be seen making her debut in American showbiz with the third season of superhero action-adventure television series. Amy will be seen playing Saturn Girl in the third season of the series. The actress tweeted: "Finally! So now you know what I've been getting up to in Canada over the past couple of weeks! 'Supergirl' new recruit Saturn Girl." Reportedly, Supergirl, played by Melissa Benoist will be getting a helping hand from Saturn Girl. Saturn Girl, also known as Imra Ardeen, is a kind, smart, and strong-willed hero who uses her telekinetic ability to help those in need. She was born on Titan, one of Saturn's moons, and arrives on Earth to help Supergirl battle one of her biggest threats.
J
acqueline Fernandez has oodles of style, spunk and the right attitude. The 'Judwaa 2' actress, who is also a star on social media, states that the one thing that keeps her going is "living in a positive bubble". That's no mean feat in an unpredictable and often illusory, too, a place like the Hindi film industry. Asked if she was aware of the stir her unfollowing Alia Bhatt created and how does she deal with it, she said, "Scrutiny and gossip are common in our line of work, you can't resist or fight it. I've had my fair share of reported catfights and link-ups, too. Frankly, I don't care because I know what is true and what's not. Yes, I do get irked when my relationship with my costars gets jeopardized for no fault of mine. That's when I pick up the phone, speak to them and rectify matters," she said. "It's sexist to think that actresses have nothing better to do than fight with heroines and date co-stars. It's so funny that the same faction speaks of feminism. However, the only thing we can do as individuals is, live in our own positive bubbles."
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hilpa Shetty Kundra is seen disguising herself as megastar Amitabh Bachchan in filmmaker Farah Khan's TV show Lip Sing Battle. She says playing Amitabh onscreen was the most difficult task of her life. Shilpa took to Playing 'the Instagram to share a pho- legend' tograph in which she can be seen flaunting Amitabh Amitabh's popular Bachchan, Jumma chumma de de the man I love, look. "Playing 'the legend' adore and Amitabh Bachchan, the eulogize man I love, adore and eulogize. Don't know how I gathered the gumption to do this. Huge pressure. Farah Khan the things you make me do. Lip Sing Battle," Shilpa wrote alongside the image.
Arrowhead, a young female Bengal tiger, tries to stay cool by the edge of a lake on a day when temperatures topped out at 115 degrees Fahrenheit in Ranthambore National Park in northern India
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30 India Post
October 6, 2017
DEAN FOSDICK
G
oing on safari to India to photograph tigers in the wild is an unrivaled ex-perience. These are the world's largest cats. They are stealthy, solitary, spectacular and scarce. But sighting one in its natural habitat is never a sure thing. ``All wildlife viewing is opportunistic and needs a certain amount of luck,'' said Toby Sinclair, an expedition leader
with Natural Habitat Adventures in Delhi. Here are some things to know when considering a tiger safari.
WHEN TO GO You can tilt the odds in your favor by arriving when
One-year old cubs play in a shallow stream in Ranthambore National Park in northern India
the escalating heat of late spring drives tigers from the thick jungle scrub to more visible waterholes. Some national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are especially rewarding for visitors during the hot months of April to mid-June, Sinclair said. ``This is when the water is limited to a few pools and the animals, both prey and predator, have to come to drink water at least twice a day,'' he said. ``It is also the time when much of the grass and undergrowth has died back so the areas of view are generally better.'' There's a trade-off, though. In India, wild-
A photographer focuses on a tiger lying by the water on a hot day in Ranthambore National Park in northern India
life photographers generally travel in open safari vehicles. That makes it easier to spot bird and animal life high in the tree canopy. But it also exposes you to the punishing sun, making dehydration a possibility with temperatures reaching 115 to 120 degrees F (46 to 48 C). Dehydration can shut you down, causing vomiting, diarrhea, fainting and muscle cramps. You can reduce the risk by eating right and frequently hydrating. How about other times of the year? ``Because of its size and the varied landscapes, there are parts of India that are closed during the monsoon (late June to late September) and a few (parks) that don't open until November,'' Sinclair said. Weather is cooler in late fall and early winter but it can be harder to see the tigers because the landscape is lush. Cont'd on Page 33
A family of 1-year old cubs rest in the shade and dip occasionally into a shallow stream to cool off at Ranthambore National Park in northern India
October 6, 2017
India Post 31
Apu - Insightful exploration of minority media India Post News Service
T
urner's truTV announced the premiere date for its highly-anticipated comedic documentary The Problem with Apu as Sunday, November 19 at 10PM ET/PT. In the hourlong film, creator and star Hari Kondabolu, a South Asian-American comedian, confronts his long-standing "nemesis" Apu Nahasapeemapetilon - better known as the Indian convenience store owner on The Simpsons. Kondabolu discusses how this controversial caricature was created, burrowed its way into the hearts and minds of
Americans, and continues to exist - intact - nearly three decades later. In this highly-personal, insightful and timely exploration of minority media representation, Kondabolu speaks with prominent South Asian actors about the damaging legacy of Apu - an animated character voiced by a white actor with a heavily exaggerated, stereotypical Indian accent. Aziz Ansari, Kal Penn, Aasif Mandvi, Hasan Minjaj, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Aparna Nancherla, Russell Peters, Sakina Jaffrey and Maulik Pancholy share poignant stories about their own experiences with Apu and the broader
questions about the comedy and representation he evokes. With additional interviews with EGOT-
winner Whoopi Goldberg, W. Kamau Bell, Surgeon General
Jagga Jasoos' defends Anurag Basu
D
irector Anurag Basu is happy that Ranbir Kapoor stood by him when the actor's father Rishi
Kapoor blamed him for the failure of 'Jagga Jasoos'. Basu and Kapoor's first collaboration 'Barfi' was highly appreciated but their second outing 'Jagga Jasoos' failed to make a mark at the box office. Calling Basu an "irresponsible" director, Rishi Kapoor had earlier lashed out at him for not completing the film in time and claimed that Ranbir, being the producer, did not get a chance to see the final product a day before its release. However, Ranbir recently came out in defense of Basu, saying while he does not agree with Rishi's criticism of
'Jagga Jasoos', his father was only trying to protect him. "It is sweet of him (Ranbir) to say (such) things. It is difficult to give a statement like that," Basu said, w h e n a s k e d a b o u t Ranbir supporting him. The director said he will reteam with Ranbir for a film. "I will definitely work with him (again)." Recently, Rishi also said on a show that both Basu and Anurag Kashyap, who worked with Ranbir in 'Bombay Velvet', could not handle big budget films. To this, Basu said, "I am happy with the statement that today people know Anurag Basu and Anurag Kashyap are two different people. I am not hurt. When you make a film you get both good and not so good feedback." "Mr Amitabh Bachchan said a very sweet thing on Twitter after
watching the film and I felt very happy. If I am happy with good comments then I should be ready for negative feedback as well." The 'Life in a Metro' director said 'Jagga Jasoos' was primarily aimed at children. Talking about the poor response to the film, Basu said, "During the promotions we maintained that the film is meant for children. We did a lot of things in the film for kids; an adult mind might question few things." "I am satisfied with the response as not a single kid has come to me saying he/she found it (film) lengthy and boring. I would have been disappointed if kids would not have liked the
Vivek Murthy, Mallika Rao, and many more, The Problem with Apu takes a humorous look at how even a beloved television series can have a blind spot. "I was obsessed with The Simpsons growing up and it has greatly influenced my comedy. However, as my mother proves, you can criticize something you love because you expect more from it," said
Diwali in US, from Disney to Times Square NEW YORK: The holiday of Diwali is starting to light up mainstream America. Diwali, a festival of lights celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and others in India and other countries, has long been observed in immigrant communi-
ties around the U.S. But now public celebrations are starting to pop up in places ranging from Disneyland and New York's
Anurag Basu
film. I think kids did not go to watch the film in large numbers (that maybe the reason for failure)."-PTI
Kondabolu. "For the longest time, Apu was the most prominent representation of South Asian Americans - and despite how much our society has changed in the last three decades - the character persists today. I made this film to not only talk about the origin of Apu and highlight the impact of such images in media, but also to celebrate the diversity and complexity of my community." Hailed as "one of the most exciting political comics in stand-up today" by The New York Times, Brooklyn-based comedian Kondaboluis is the host of the popular podcast "Politically ReActive" alongside W. Kamau Bell.
Times Square to parks and museums. The Times Square event is the brainchild of Neeta Bhasin, who came to the U.S. from India 40 years ago and is president of ASB Communications. The Times Square event is scheduled for Oct. 7, with dance perform a n c e s , Bollywood singers, a bazaar of food, saris and other goods, and a lighting ceremony. Other celebrations will take place around the country, from Disneyland to San Antonio, Texas, to New York's Rubin Museum, which plans a 24hour festival of Indian music.-AP
32 India Post
October 6, 2017 www.indiapost.com
Taapsee Pannu Still not an A-lister
T
aapsee Pannu, who is mak ing the nation's jaws drop and heads turn with her hot and completely different bold look in 'Judwaa 2', spoke about her role in the upcoming film, her bond with David Dhawan and the hard-work she had to put in for this role. Taapsee who is reprising the role iconized by Rambha in the 1997 hit film 'Judwaa' opened up about her role saying that "Everything is different about Samaara's role as she is the one who takes the lead in the relationship. The girls have changed over the last twenty years and if you have to revamp someone so you had to get the change and that's why they approached me. There is still
an element of the girl next door as I play a college-going girl which is a bit glamorized." The actress who started her Bollywood career with David Dhawan's film 'Chashme Baddoor' said, "It felt like a continuity working with him (David Dhawan) again. It was only the co-actors, sets and clothes that changed but apart from that everything seemed to be the same." Appearing alongside Varun Dhawan and Jacqueline Fernandez, Taapsee even revealed about how hard she had to work on her look due to her coactors' hot personality. "You have to look like a million bucks in every frame, you don't wake up like
this. For me it was very hard to look like that because I had Jacqueline and Varun next to me who have already established the fact that they are the hottest looking man and woman in the industry. So
with them around I had to live up to their standards.That was pretty stressful or the only stress I had in the film. First time in my life I have taken a six-month-long gym membership," she said.
When asked about facing competition in the face of another female lead in the film, Taapsee quirkily answered, "We (Jacqueline and I) both have our own attention and I have not even shared my man also in the film.The only thing that mattered to me while doing the film is I had to live up to the standards they have in terms of glamour; that was the only thing I was stressed about." The 'Pink' actress who has done six films in Bollywood till now had earlier shared a message on Facebook where she had opened up saying that lots of Bollywood actors refused to work with her because she was not an A-lister.When quizzed about it she said, "No, I am still not an A-lister. There will always be a time when there will be people better than you and also not as good as you. I still don't consider myself an Alister. I don't know what will make me a part of it." -Courtesy TOI
Fifth 'Golmaal'? Yes, says Rohit Shetty
R
ohit Shetty was in the midst of shooting the title song of his Diwali entertainer, 'Golmaal Again', at a sprawling studio in Hyderabad. Here are excerpts from a quick Q and A session: When you helmed the first 'Golmaal', people were apprehensive about an action director and an action hero (Ajay Devgn) teaming up for a comedy. Given the anticipation and excitement around 'Golmaal Again', how do you look back at that time? That happens whenever you try something new. Today, the 'Golmaal' franchise has achieved cult status. All the three installments of the film have done well. Looking back, I think I am lucky, and I'm thankful to the audience for loving us. There are so many directors around, maybe much more talented... Like you said, there's a lot of buzz around the 'Golmaal' franchise. So, how do you handle the pressure every time you gear up for a new installment? The pressure should be there. You can't take the audience or your success for granted. Every film is like a test, but there's no
need to get nervous about it. Just be honest and work hard; sometimes, people love your work and sometimes, they don't. That's the nature of the entertainment industry. What sets 'Golmaal Again' apart from the previous three installments? The movie is whackier and also, we've attempted something bigger and better. It's like an adventure trip. However, we have kept the flavor of the franchise intact. The cast of 'Golmaal Again' includes Tabu, who is better
known for intense performances. I was an assistant director on Haqeeqat (the 1995 Ajay DevgnTabu starrer), so we have known each other since then. Whenever we'd meet, she would tell me that she wants to do a commercial film like 'Golmaal'. So, when I finished writing 'Golmaal Again', I thought, 'Why not rope in Tabu for this part?' That's how I cast her. You and Ajay Devgn go back a long way. What makes you two click? We have mutual respect and understanding. Though people say that he is my friend, I treat him more like an elder brother. There is a lot of love from his side, too. It's too early to ask, but will there be a fifth 'Golmaal'? Definitely, but we have to
get the right script for that. People ask me why they had to wait for seven years after 'Golmaal 3'. The answer is, I
wanted the right script and didn't want to make a film just for the sake of making it.- Courtesy Bombay Times
Priyanka Chopra among 10 Forbes highest paid
P
riyanka Chopra acquired the eighth position in the list of highest paid TV actresses, thanks to her TV series 'Quantico'. Sofia Vergara tops the list. She has been topping the list for the six consecutive years. "Sofia Vergara banked $41.5 million before taxes and fees in the 12 months to June 1, some $15 million more than second-ranked Cuoco of CBS' The Big Bang Theory, who earned $26 million during the same period," reads the Forbes report. According to Forbes, Priyanka Chopra has earned $10 million between June 1, 2016 and June 1, 2017. The in-depth analysis of the magazine also revealed that
more than 50 per cent of Priyanka's income comes from endorsements. Last year Sofia had made $41.5 million while Priyanka Chopra earned $11 million. Kaley Cuoco grabbed the second position with $26 million earnings while Ellen Pompeo of ABC's Grey's Anatomy and Mindy Kaling of Hulu's The Mindy Project made earnings of $13 million each. Mariska Hargitay is at No. 5 with earnings of $12.5 million, Julie Bowen is at No. 6 with earnings $12 million, Kerry Washington grabbed the No 7 position with earnings of $11 million, and House of Cards star Robin Wright is on No. 9 with earnings of $9 million.
October 6, 2017
India Post 33 www.indiapost.com
Exhibition features portraits of Indian legends NEW DELHI: It was as a girl of nine that artist Rita Jhunjhunwala attended one of Lal Bahadur Shastri's motorcades, and the former Indian Prime Minister's
fluenced by his message that we stopped consuming ann (grains) once in a week," she says. To celebrate the contribution of Shastri, Mahatma Gandhi and
Rita Jhunjhunwala
iconic slogan 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' was etched on her memory forever. "I remember we were so in-
other "Indian legends" in making India the great nation it is today, the city-based artist has come up with an evocative portrait collec-
tion that is being exhibited at Indian Habitat Center here. Titled 'Immortals', the exhibition has 35 large works in various media - acrylic and charcoal on paper, acrylic and mixed media on canvas and sculptural installations in wood. Jhunjhunwala says she has consciously refrained from creating mere photo-realistic renditions of the personalities, and instead placed the portraits against symbolic backgrounds, with incidents associated with each of them. The artworks have been executed in her trademark brush strokes. The artist began the series with a couple of portraits of Gandhi. She recreates Bapu's Salt March in one, and portrays the Mahatma's affectionate relationship with Jawaharlal Nehru in the other. "Mahatama Gandhi was the
Stealthy & spectacular
prime figure in my mind when I planned to pay tribute to some of the legends in India. Today, we may analyze his decision with a critical eye but he has been the most instrumental in India's freedom," she says. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's portrait is replete with symbols of strength while Subhash Chandra
Jhunjhunwala says she has consciously refrained from creating mere photo-realistic renditions of the personalities, and instead placed the portraits against symbolic backgrounds Bose's portrait lights up with the colors of nationalism. The collection also has features Rabindranath Tagore gazing calmly into a cascade of books, while Mother Teresa's image is all about compassion.
says the vocalist touched her "deeply". "She was extremely encouraging and loved the portrait I had made of her with her mother, Mogu Bai," the 61-year-old artist says.-PTI
caps on the number of vehicles that can enter at any one time,'' he said.
Delhi, our group of six photographers traveled with the expedition leader by train five hours to Sawai Madhopur, where a safari truck drove us another 6 miles (10 km) to the outskirts of Ranthambore National Park and on to our hotel. We took two-a-day safaris for four consecutive days via open truck within the park and saw 15 tigers in various settings, most around waterholes. Prices run about $7,000 for the seven-day tour (plus airfare and insurance, $1,375 more for single supplement). My warnings about heat come from a hard-earned lesson. I became severely dehydrated going too long without water while walking around Old Delhi. I suffered extreme headaches, weakness and nausea. Luckily, I'd added an extra day to my trip and spent it in a hotel bed downing doctor-prescribed rehydration salts and meds. It took two weeks to fully recover once home. But I did return with the prize of a shooter's lifetime: scores of photos taken of these rare, elusive and exceedingly beautiful animals.-AP
SAFARI DESTINATION: INDIA OR AFRICA? Africa and India are both rich in wildlife. But they're worlds main fragile: a government-esti- apart in what's available for viewmated 2,226 tigers in 2014 rep- ing and how that viewing is manresenting 70 percent of the aged. world's total. Africa offers ``big concentraIndia must also balance tour- tions of wildlife. It's not like any ism growth against protecting other place in the world,'' Van Os wildlife species, diversity and said. ``A lot of species and in big numbers. But in India, it's specialized. The parks are smaller and the diversity is not there. You go for one or two main species.'' That means tigers, which don't live in the wild in Africa. ``You go to India to photograph tigers,'' he A tiger drink at a waterhole at Ranthambore National Park in northern India. During summer days said. ``All else is pewhen temperatures frequently hit 120 degrees ripheral to that.'' Fahrenheit, tiger must leave their secluded jungle
Viewing tigers in India Cont'd from Page 30
``You want to go there when it's warm but it's not too late into the summer so you don't bake to death,'' said Joseph Van Os, owner of Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris.
VIEW FROM AN ELEPHANT Five of India's national parks (Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Kaziranga, Periyar and Corbett) offer visitors a unique option: searching for tigers from the back of an elephant. It's a popular way for photographers to access remote park corners. But be selective about vendors. Some have been known to crowd the cats once discovered in remote scrub. Go with an operator recommended by your travel agent or tour operator rather than chance things
onsite or online. ``Getting on elephants in these parks is critical in getting close to tigers,'' Van Os said. ``You can go right up to the caves where the tigers are sheltering from the heat rather than waiting for them to show up at the waterholes. ``Elephants,'' he said, ``are the ultimate four-wheel drive vehicle.''
PROTECTING TIGERS India was home to some 40,000 tigers a century ago but habitat loss, poaching and population pressure reduced that to fewer than 2,000 by 1970. To reverse the decline, India established wildlife sanctuaries that now include more than 600 protected areas along with 50 tiger reserves. That conservation effort has seen India's tiger population grow slightly. But numbers re-
scrub and drink from declining water supplies at least twice a day
watersheds, Natural Habitat's Sinclair said. ``Most of the larger parks have
The exhibition also has on display images of renowned artist M F Husain, Indian classical vocalist Kishori Amonkar, Swami Vivekananda, Dr C V Raman, Ramakrishna Paramhans, Amrita Shergil, A P J Abdul Kalam among others. Recalling her meeting with Kishori Amonkar, Jhunjhunwala
GETTING THERE I took my tiger safari in late May with Natural Habitat Adventures, a Colorado-based company. From
Horoscope
34 India Post
October 6, 2017
www.indiapost.com
Your Weekly Future by
VANEET SHARMA MAR 21 to APRIL 20
T
he planetary tran sit indicates that the beginning of the week shall be spent with family members and the issues affecting the domestic atmosphere shall be addressed during your interaction with family members, relatives and friends. Your state of mind shall remain highly disturbed on 12th and 13th of October because of bad family atmosphere or the bad health of your mother.
APRIL 21 to MAY 20
T
he beginning of the week shall be excellent for your health, happiness, immunity and social activities. On 10th & 11th of October the influence of your social life shall be visible on your family. You are likely to multiply your social activities in the middle of the week. These activities would also bring some bitterness in your life. In your efforts of restoration of family peace you won't leave any stone unturned in the last part of the week.
OCTOBER 6TH - OCT 12TH 2017
JUN 21 to JULY 22
I
n general this whole week shall be good for you except the dates of 10th & 11th October. In the beginning of the week you shall be enjoying life like anything but on 10th and 11th October some unnecessary tensions might intervene and finally on 12th October you shall bed on front foot again. You shall be thinking a lot about yourself. You would earn lot of public support for yourself.
JULY 23 to AUG 22
T
his week you are going to start the things with lot of positive energies and in the mid of the week you would earn lot of resources including woman support which might prove beneficial for your work area. In the latter half of the week i.e. from 11th and 12th of October your inflow of money is likely to increase whereas on 13th, 14th and 15th of October there shall be quick increase in your stress and tensions.
SEP 23 to OCT 22
T
he first half of the week is auspicious for the inflow of money whereas in the second half you shall be facing difficulties in saving money. The day of 9th and 10th October are indicating sudden financial gains but your state of mind remain slightly upset. The decisions related to financial matters should be taken in the first half of the week only. The latter half of the week indicates unplanned journeys.
DEC 22 to JAN 19
E
xcept the last day of the week this whole week shall prove to be excellent for your work, progress and accomplishment of those tasks which can keep you going with a leader's spirit. Till the mid of the week you won't be having enough resistance however after 12th October the required patience and energy shall be available. After the mid of the week the guidance of a partner shall motivate you.
OCT 23 to NOV 22
T
he beginning of the week is favorable for relationship, partner/spouse etc. Your health and state of mind might remain disturbed on 11th & 12th October. The remaining part of the week is perfectly fine for your happiness, journeys and work area. You will be getting better favor of destiny on the 15th of this month as a result of which you are likely to get little support of royal people in your area of work.
JAN 20 to FEB 18
T
here shall be im provement in your health from the beginning of the week and you would be engaging yourself in lot of social activities. On 9th and 10th of October there can be few mental tensions however the lively atmosphere of love and laughter at home won't let you get affected with negativity. On 11th and 12th you would be happy about the recent accomplishments of your children.
MAY 21 to JUN 20
AUG 23 to SEP 22
NOV 23 to DEC 22
FEB 19 to MARCH 20
T
T
T
T
he first two days of the week are giving an indication of bitterness and arguments in the family however by the end of the week there shall be gradual improvement in family atmosphere. The days of 10th, 11th, 12th & 13th October shall bring in some financial relief. On 14th & 15th you would be seen spending on your kith and kin. You might have to stay away from your home for the first time and you might not like it much.
he first day of the week isn't auspicious for you whereas the day of 9th and 10th October are indicating blessings of father and ancestors. The 11th & 12th October are good for work whereas the day of 13th and 14th would be the best days of the week and you shall be amused to get absolutely auspicious results for all areas of life.
he first half of the week shall be average for you whereas there shall be few difficulties in the latter part of the week. You are advised to control your temper and try not to let your energies get drained unnecessarily. The best remedial measure shall be to do Yoga and meditation on regular basis. In addition to that stop making big investments and try to put a complete check on your unnecessary expenses.
he beginning of the week indicates sufficient support from the family. Although you're low energy levels might keep you irritated but even then you shall be able to spend good time with your family, friends and relatives in the first half of the week. In the middle of the week there might remain few mental tensions which might get aggravated towards the end of the week.
Kindly read the predictions from your ascendant sign. If you do not know your ascendant sign then read the same from Moon sign. If Moon sign is also not known then read it from the Zodiac sign. The ascendant sign which is calculated from the birth details viz. date, month, year, time & place of birth gives 85 % accurate predictions. The accuracy of predictions from Moon sign get limited to only 50 %. The predictions from Zodiac sign are only 25 % accurate. In nutshell the predictions from ascendant sign are most accurate. In getting personality analysis the traits given by ascendant sign are 100 % accurate and that is the essence of Vedic Astrology.
VANEET SHARMA • 510-648-4899
October 6, 2017
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Health Line
HP raises maternity leave to 180 days SHIMLA:The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet has raised paid maternity leaves for women employees from 135 days to 180 days. The meeting was chaired by
Health Science 36 India Post
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PM hails Tendulkar, Thackeray son Details on page 39
Seema Verma may succeed Price as US Health Secretary Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh who also approved framing of policy for special educators under the school management committees (SMC) at par with junior basic trained (JBT) teachers appointed on contract basis. With a view to reducing litigation and saving avoidable costs on unproductive litigation, the Cabinet decided to establish a three-tier dispute resolution process in the Irrigation and Public Health Department. -PTI
CMO removed, 16 docs suspended in Jammu JAMMU:The Jammu and Kashmir government has removed the Jammu chief medical officer and suspended 16 doctors during a surprise inspection of various urban health centers in the region, an official said here. Minister for Health and Medical Education Bali Bhagat on the spot removed Dr Robinder Khajuria, the Jammu CMO, and gave additional charges to deputy CMO Dr Sanjay Turki. The minister took a surprise visit to Urban Health Centers at Gujjar Nagar, Talab Khatikan, Sidhra, Bhatindi, Sainik Colony, Shastri Nagar and Talab Tillo, an official spokesman said. The health centers at Shastri Nagar, Talab Khatikan and Talab Tillo were found closed, he said. Bhagat also took stock of availability of facilities being provided to the patients. Any slackness on part of the doctors will not be tolerated and everyone will be made accountable of their duties, Bhagat said.-PTI
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump is seeking a new health secretary to take the place of Tom Price, ousted after an outcry over flying on costly private charters for official travel. High among names being mentioned as a potential successor is Indiana's Seema Verma. The Health and Human Services chief oversees a $1 trillion department, with 80,000 employees and jurisdiction over major insurance programs, advanced medical research, drug and food safety, public health, and disease prevention. The administration will also have to contend with renewed scrutiny of Cabinet members' travel. Following news reports about Price, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee launched a governmentwide investigation of travel by top political appointees. Trump has named Don J. Wright, a deputy assistant secretary of health, to serve as acting
secretary. Mentioned as a possible permanent successor to Price, Verma is a protégé of Vice President Mike Pence. She now leads
Verma's immediate challenge is to manage the 2018 open enrollment season under the Obama-era Affordable Care Act, which Trump and the GOP-led
File photo of Seema Verma (right), Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, speaking during her swearing-in ceremony, officiated by Vice President Mike Pence, in Washington, DC.
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, an HHS division that runs health insurance programs covering more than 130 million Americans.
Congress have been unable to repeal. Another possible HHS candidate is FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, who won some biparti-
san support in his confirmation and is well known in policy, government and industry circles. The pattern of costly trips by Price, 62, a former GOP congressman from the Atlanta suburbs, triggered investigations that overshadowed the administration's agenda and angered his boss. Price's regrets and a partial repayment couldn't save his job. Price became the first member of Trump's Cabinet to be pushed out in a turbulent young administration that has seen several high-ranking White House aides ousted. He served less than eight months. Trump had called Price a "very fine person," but added, "I certainly don't like the optics" around his travels. Price said in his resignation letter that he regretted that "recent events have created a distraction." Cont’d on page 39
Women in India prone to heart ailments NEW DELHI: Cardiovascular disease is one of the major causes of death of women and around 41% of the female population in India suffers from an abnormal lipid profile, a recent study by a diagnostic company has revealed. The analysis is based on more than 3.3 million lipid profile tests performed at SRL diagnostic labs across India between 2014 and 2016. For the analysis, the samples received from across the country were divided into four zones - east, west, north and south. The reports showed abnormal levels of triglycerides in two
zones - north (33.11 per cent) and east (35.67 per cent). Low HDL (high-density lipoprotein) and high total cholesterol levels, on the other hand, were more common in the south (34.15 per cent) and the west (31.90 per c e n t ) zones. A lipid profile measures the amount of cholesterol present in lipid carrier proteins like low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein
(HDL) etc and triglyceride present in the blood. High cholesterol levels usually showed no symptoms but often led to the thickening or blocking of arteries, which then resulted in cardiovascular problems such as angina, heart attack or stroke. Therefore, lipid level diagnosis is one of the most prescribed blood tests worldwide, the study found. It further showed that the agegroup of 46-60 is considered
most vulnerable period for cardiovascular diseases in women. Dr Avinash Phadke, the president technology and mentor (Clinical Pathology) from SRL Diagnostics, said, "Most women worry about breast cancer, but more women die from heart attacks." "In India, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women. It's an alarming situation as heart attacks appear differently in women than men and it is more fatal in the postmenopausal women. We should all work together to spread awareness in the society." -PTI
October 6, 2017
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Hypertension higher in men than women HYDERABAD: Prevalence of hypertension among urban men and women in the country was 31 per cent and 26 per cent, respectively, a new study has found. While the prevalence of hypertension among urban men and women was maximum in Kerala (31 per cent to 39 per cent), it was lowest in Bihar (16 per cent to 22 per cent), according to a report by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN). Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a medical condition in which the blood pressure in a person's arteries remains persistently elevated. The premier city-based nutrition research institute works under the aegis of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The report, 'Diet and nutri-
tional status of urban population and prevalence of Obesity, hypertension, diabetes and its associated non-communicable diseases', was released on the occasion of NIN Foundation Day function. The report is based on a com-
prehensive urban nutrition survey carried out by the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) during 2015-16. The NNMB was established in 1972 by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). According to the report, "The prevalence of diabetes among
men and women (after adjustment of age) was 22 per cent and 19 per cent, respectively." "It was significantly associated with overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, hyperlipidaemia (an abnormal increase in the levels of fats, including cholesterol, in the blood)," it said. The prevalence of tobacco smoking among men was 16 per cent, while alcohol consumption was observed in 30 per cent men, the report said. A total of 1.72 lakh "subjects" from 16 states in the country were covered for their socio-demographic status while carrying out the survey, it said. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) CEO Pawan Agarwal, who released the report, said the regulator is making efforts to increase the capacity of food businesses towards ensuring food safety.-PTI
AIIMS planning recycling of waste into gas NEW DELHI: As part of an effort to move away from using conventional energy that pollutes the environment, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) plans to set up a recycling plant to convert organic waste into natural gas. AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria said the processing of organic waste will yield natural gas, water and bio-manure. "We are planning to set up a recycling plant which will convert organic waste into natural gas which can further be used in laboratories and kitchens, cafeterias and the hostel mess as fuel. It can also be supplied to the houses of the staff and faculty," he said. The water generated can be used for horticulture and cooling AC plants while the bio-manure will be utilized in its gardens and lawns. AIIMS has already joined hands
with Japanese conglomerate Hitachi to set up a solar power generation unit in the hospital complex and reduce its electricity bill by 50 per cent over the next two years, another senior official said.
Dental Education and Research, AIIMS. Japanese government organization New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), which promotes the development and in-
AIIMS docs seek counseling by psychologists NEW DELHI: The resident doctors association of the AIIMS has urged the institute's director to recruit psychologists for counseling of its members to ensure their mental well being as the incidents of suicides have "grown" among them. Stating instances of suicides and mental health issues among the resident doctors, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) RDA, in its letter, also sought setting up of a 24x7 helpline where doctors in stress can call and seek help. In the letter to the director, the RDA said that the residents of the institute suffer from "stress" as they work under continuous pressure and are also required to do multi-tasking. "It is to bring to your kind no-
tice that there has been a growing incident of suicide and other mental health issues among the residents and students," it stated. "This is evident from the fact that every year there has been one to two attempted suicide or completed suicide in our institute and a recent increase in consultation seeking by residents or students from mental health professionals," the letter stated. The letter mentions that there exists a student welfare cell for the undergraduates of the institute but there is no such facility for the resident doctors. "The RDA perceives a need of promotive, preventive and curative mental health among the residents and students to withstand the work-related stress," the letter said. -PTI
Democrats oppose Maine child care rules AUGUSTA, MAINE: Democratic lawmakers and advocates for children say Maine's latest child care regulations roll back safety and quality standards. New emergency regulations allow in-home child care providers to exclude their own children from staffing ratios. The rules remove a provision that allows parents to visit their children at any point without notice. New rules also require providers to test their water for lead.
The Department of Health and Human Services has defended the rules as helping increase the number of family child care providers.The department said state law only allows it to consider children's health and safety and not overall quality of care. The Maine Children's Alliance said some changes need legislative approval. Democratic Rep. Patty Hymanson says she'll work within the legislative process to protect kids.-AP
Bangla PM undergoes surgery in US At present, its total electricity bill stands between Rs 48 crore and Rs 50 crore per year. "The aim is to strive towards reducing energy consumption and maximize the use of solar energy and other similar natural resources," Guleria said. The one-megawatt facility will come up on the roof of a parking area located near the Centre for
troduction of new energy Technologies, will provide Rs 100 crore for the project.The remaining cost of Rs 30 crore will be incurred by AIIMS. The Union health ministry had announced its Green AIIMS project in June 2014 and aims at increasing the number of green or eco-friendly - hospitals in the country. -PTI
DHAKA: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina underwent a successful gall bladder surgery in the US, her office said. She underwent a successful gall bladder surgery at a hospital in Washington on September 26, the Prime Minister's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told state-run news agency BSS. Hasina, 69, was taken to the hospital when she suddenly felt pain in abdomen and doctors at the facility conducted her health
checkup and decided to perform the surgery. "She is now completely well after the successful operation," Karim said. The Prime Minister's younger sister Sheikh Rehana and son Sajeeb Wazed Joy were beside Hasina. She has been discharged from the hospital. Hasina reached Washington from New York on September 22 after attending the UN General Assembly session.-PTI
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25,000 NH residents to pay more for insurance CONCORD, N.H.: About 25,000 New Hampshire residents will pay an average of 52 percent more for their health insurance next year, an analyst hired by the state insurance department told lawmakers. Bela Gorman of Gorman Actuarial, a health insurance consulting firm, presented her findings to a legislative committee studying the future of New Hampshire's expanded Medicaid program, which uses federal money to put about 43,000 lowincome people on private insurance under former President Barack Obama's health care law. She said among 97,000 people in the individual insurance market, the 74 percent who either get federal subsidies or are part of the expanded Medicaid program will likely see their premiums drop or remain flat in 2018.
But the 26 percent who pay the full cost will see sharp increases. Turmoil in Washington over the fate of the health care law has led many insurers to propose higher premiums across the country, and in New Hampshire, one company recently withdrew from the market and another decreased its offerings. ``We're almost getting a double whammy in terms of the increase,'' Gorman said. The consultant said the premium hikes, Minuteman Health's departure and weak enforcement of the health law's coverage mandate could prompt between 5,300 and 13,200 people to drop coverage by the end of 2018, which would further drive up premiums for those left in the individual market. ``That's a classic example of a death spiral, where high pre-
mium increases are being delivered, and healthy people start to exit the market, and then what's left is the higher risk (customers). And then higher premium rates are set because now you're left with higher risk, and it just continues,'' she said. In a report released last month,
total claim costs in the individual market would be 14 percent lower. But an insurance department official noted that if higher premiums drive healthy people to drop insurance it's possible the Medicaid recipients could act as a sort of ballast for the individual market because their participa-
Gorman said moving more people classified as ``medically frail'' out of the individual market could help, but it would take more than that to solve the problem. ``You're going to have to employ many tools,'' she said. Gorman said health care costs for Medicaid recipients were 39 percent higher than costs for others in the individual market after adjusting for age and other factors, and if the program didn't exist
tion doesn't depend on price. Gorman said moving more people classified as ``medically frail'' out of the individual market could help, but it would take more than that to solve the prob-
lem. ``You're going to have to employ many tools,'' she said. Greg Moore, state director for Americans for Prosperity, said the consultant's estimates illustrate the impact of ``two terrible policy decisions'' - passage of the health care overhaul law and the state's decision to expand Medicaid. ``The crushing hand of ObamaCare is about to come crashing down on tens of thousands of New Hampshire citizens who will have to choose between a 52% rate increase to keep their health insurance or moving to the ranks of uninsured through no fault of their own,'' he said in a written statement. ``It's time our elected officials work on real solutions that provide more choice, more flexibility and actual affordable coverage.''-AP
Anthem says market concerns forced exit
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ealth insurer Anthem has said that it is leaving Maine's health insurance exchange next year because of market volatility and uncertainty. The move means Maine is down to two insurers offering plans on the exchange set up under former President Barack Obama's health care law. Anthem this year rolled back its presence in Nevada, California, Ohio, Wisconsin, Georgia and its home state of Indiana. Anthem in July told state regulators that it covers about 28,700 individuals.
Anthem hinted at its possible departure in June filings. Company spokesman Colin Manning cited a shrinking individual market and uncertainty over a health insurance tax and federal health care subsidies. Congress has been mulling GOP proposals to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, known as ``Obamacare.'' Insurers faced a deadline to commit to selling on federal exchanges. Republican Gov. Paul LePage said the loss of another insurer leaves Mainers with few alternatives to pay for health care.
He chastised U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, a Republican, and Angus King, an independent, for refusing to support the latest health care reform proposal. Anthem will reduce its health plan offerings and offer one off-exchange plan available only in Aroostook, Hancock and Washington counties. The insurer had requested doubledigit insurance rate increases from state regulators in 2016 and 2017. Anthem this spring backed a GOP-led health care proposal that ultimately failed to pass the
House-cleaning, walking, stave off death
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ne in 12 global deaths over a five-year period can be prevented through 30 minutes of physical activity which can include house-cleaning or walking to work - five days a week, Canadian researchers say. "Being highly active (750 minutes a week) is associated with an even greater reduction," according to a study published in The Lancet medical journal. The study, which tracked 130,000 people in 17 countries,
"confirms on a global scale that physical activity is associated with a lower risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease," the authors said in a press statement. This was irrespective of which country the study participants came from, the type of activity, or whether it was undertaken for leisure or as part of daily transport or housework. The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of "moderate-intensity", or 75
minutes of "vigorous-intensity" aerobic physical activity per week. According to the study authors, almost a quarter of the world's population does not meet this requirement. The new study showed that "walking for as little as 30 minutes most days of the week has a substantial benefit," said the study's lead author Scott Lear of the Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. -Courtesy Asian Pacific Post
Senate. Joseph Swedish, Anthem's president, chairman and CEO, said it would have continued federal health subsidies,
repealed the health insurance tax and allowed the use of tax credits for health plans off the exchange.-AP
Louisiana suing drug firms on opioid crisis BATON ROUGE, LA.: Louisiana's health department is suing more than a dozen pharmaceutical companies, accusing them of worsening opioid abuse in the state. The 57-page lawsuit, filed in Baton Rouge district court, says the drug manufacturers used marketing tactics that misrepresent the dangers of long-term opioid usage. It accuses the companies of ``an orchestrated campaign to flood Louisiana with highly-addictive and dangerous opioids'' in an effort to boost their profits. Gov. John Bel Edwards said the companies led people to believe the drugs weren't addictive. ``As evident by the hundreds of Louisiana families that have lost loved ones due to this crisis, nothing could be further from
the truth,'' he said in a statement. ``We intend to hold these pharmaceutical companies responsible for the lasting damage they have caused upon our people and the millions of dollars their wrongful claims have cost our state.'' Similar lawsuits have been filed by city, county and state agencies around the country amid a national overdose crisis that has killed thousands each year. The Edwards administration said lawsuits also were filed by local sheriffs in Avoyelles, Lafayette, Jefferson Davis and Rapides parishes. The health department is seeking damages for payments it made for what it describes as excessive opioid prescriptions and for treatment costs tied to opioid abuse. -AP
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PM hails Tendulkar, Thackeray son MUMBAI: The BJP's intractable partner the Shiv Sena may be firing frequent salvos at his government, but the party scion and Uddhav Thackeray's son Aaditya has got a compliment from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for participating in a cleanliness drive in the city. Modi also appreciated cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and his son Arjun for participating in 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign in suburban Bandra. "I congratulate my young friend @AUThackeray for participating in a clean-
liness initiative in Mumbai & adding momentum to #SwachhataHiSeva," the Prime Minister tweeted. In another tweet, the PM said, "The continued commitment of @sachin_rt towards a @swachhbharat is deeply appreciable. People across India will be inspired by his efforts. "Happy to see wide scale participation by youngsters, including Arjun in #SwachhataHiSeva. Our Yuva Shakti will make a Swachh Bharat", he said referring to Tendulkar's son. In his response, the junior Thackeray,
Seema Verma may succeed Price as US Health Secretary Cont’d from page 36
Privately,Trump had been telling associates in recent days that Price was overshadowing his tax overhaul agenda and undermining his campaign promise to "drain the swamp" of corruption, according to three people familiar with the discussions who spoke on condition of anonymity. Price's repayment of $51,887.31 for his own travel costs did not placate the White House. The total travel cost, including the secretary's entourage, could amount to several hundred thousand dollars. An orthopedic surgeon turned politician, Price rose to Budget Committee chairman in the House, where he was known as a fiscal conservative. When Price joined the administration, Trump touted him as a conservative policy expert who could write a new health care bill to replace the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. But Price became more of a supporting player in the GOP's futile health care campaign, while Vice President Mike Pence took the lead, particularly with the Senate. The perception of Price jetting around while GOP lawmakers labored to repeal the Obama health law - including a threenation trip in May to Africa and Europeraised eyebrows on Capitol Hill. Price flew on military aircraft overseas. But House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said that Price had worked hard to help that chamber pass its plan before the GOP effort reached an impasse in the Senate. "I will always be grateful for Tom's service to this country," he said. Democrats were glad to see Price go. Some urged Trump to appoint an HHS secretary who would reach out to them. "I hope President Trump learns from this mistake, and looks to appoint someone who can work in a bipartisan way to strengthen health care for all Americans," said Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J.
Price used private charter flights on 10 trips with multiple segments, when in many cases cheaper commercial flights were available. His charter travel was first reported by the news site Politico. The controversy over Price was a catalyst for Congress launching a bipartisan probe of travel by political appointees across the administration. The House oversight committee has requested travel records from the White House and 24 federal departments and agencies. Initially, Price's office said the secretary's busy scheduled forced him to use charters from time to time. But later Price's response changed, and he said he'd heard the criticism and concern, and taken it to heart.-AP
Bobby Jindal too? According to New York Times, some reports floated former Gov. Bobby Jindal of
Bobby Jindal
Louisiana, an assistant secretary of health and human services under President George W. Bush. But he was a caustic critic of Mr.Trump during his own brief campaign for the White House that ended in late 2015 after he called the future president a "narcissist" and "egomaniacal madman." Mr. Trump may not necessarily fill the post quickly. He has left the Department of Homeland Security in the hands of an acting secretary since John F. Kelly left in July to become White House chief of staff.
participated in 'Swacchata Abhiyan' in suburban Bandra. "An honor to serve our country in the cleanliness drive, alongside @sachin_rt ji before the break of dawn today, at Bandra Fort," the Yuva Sena president said. In his tweet, the master blaster said, "Thanks @AUThackeray for joining us this morning. With our youths In an initiative to clean Mumbai, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar support, we can not and his son Arjun came together with the leader of the youth wing of the Shiv Sena and President of the Mumbai Divisional Football only achieve a swachh Association, Aaditya Thackeray to show their support for the bharat but also a swasth Swachhata Hi Seva campaign. bharat! Tendulkar picked up broom to clean the our nation. Always count Uddhav ji, me and all of us in with you in such noble initia- streets early in the morning to spread the message of cleanliness and extend suptives. "Mumbaikars and BMC (corporators, of- port to the central government's ficers and staffers) have taken the cleanli- 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign. The former India batsman said he feels ness movement to a level that will make sorry when he sees dirt and garbage deyou proud," Aaditya said in a tweet. Earlier in the day, Aaditya and Tendulkar stroying the beauty of 'mother earth'. -PTI who heads Yuva Sena, thanked Modi. "Thank you sir. Always an honor to serve
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Ngada festival is celebrated majorly by Rengmas tribe to rejoice the ending of the agricultural year. Ngada falls in the end of November and is commemorated with joyfulness and jubilation
A
scenic town blessed with breathtaking natural beauty, Kohima is the capital city of Nagaland and lies complacently shrouded at the eastern frontiers of the mighty Himalayas. The modern city of Kohima was built by the British to enjoy the eastern region. This is the very place where the World War-II battle took place and thousands of soldiers sacrificed their lives. The majority of Nagas and Kukis reside in the region and protect their unique culture and identity. The colorful costumes of the local people, joyous and familiar behavior makes it a wonderful experience to visit this city. The astounding places of Kohima that attract tourists are the Dzukou valley, Bara Basti and Cathedral of
Moatsu: A beautiful festival of the Aos tribe, Moatsu festival is celebrated after sowing has ended. The people celebrate this festival for three days in the month of May. Hornbill Festival: Held in the month of December, Hornbill Festival is a cultural festival of dance, sport, art, food and performances etc. It is an extremely nice festival and all tribes of Nagaland celebrate this festival with each other along with the tourists with immense zeal. Cont’d on page 41
Reconciliation. Kohima town is the second largest urban area of Nagaland after Dimapur-Chumukedima. 'Kohima Village', known as 'Bara Basti' or 'large village', is the second largest village in Asia.The city also has a great cemetery for the soldiers who died in the war and is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Events / Festivals Festivals in Kohima are celebrated with much grandeur. The major festivals in Kohima are: Ngada festival: The festival is celebrated majorly by Rengmas tribe to rejoice the ending of the agricultural year. Ngada falls in the end of November and is commemorated with joyfulness and jubilation.
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Zeliang: This festival is celebrated in the months of February and October.
Places to visit Khonoma: The Angami tribe's village of Khonoma in the Western part of Kohima District is
popularly known amongst locals and outsiders for its environmental consciousness amongst locals. Added to its environmental conscious community, the village also boasts of well maintained sanitation, abundant greenery and a typical agricultural system called "Alder based jhum cultivation". One may pose a potent question that how can a village be an attraction in itself, but it is one of those rare villages in India which is termed as a 'Green Village.' It is around a 3 crore project sponsored by Government of India's Tourism Ministry. Literally green environment, well conserved trees and plants and agriculturally rich land came together to take the village to the peak of ecotourism. Japfu Peak: Flaunting itself as the second highest peak of Nagaland, Japfu Peak in Kohima is
carved places for baptism, adoration and confession along with well designed galleries to accommodate as many as 4500 people, all showcase extraordinary appeal. Interestingly, the construction of the cathedral was funded by the Japanese who wanted to build a monument and dedicate the same to those JapaThe World War II Cemetery in nese soldiers Kohima, Nagaland who sacrificed their lives in the battle of Kohima during World War II. War Cemetery: War Cemetery in Kohima is a significant historical landmark etation, with the backdrop of dedicated to as many as 10,000 snow-clad Himalayas, the entire brave soldiers of the 2nd British Japfu Peak looks like a river full of Division of Allied Forces who emeralds opening up to gor- gave up their lives in World War II geous views of adjoining villages at Kohima during the year 1944. and cities. Mostly bestowed with Kohima War Cemetery, earlier rison subtropical vegetation, those vis- known as Gariting the peak can enjoy the Hill, initially sweet murmur of various hill served as a tennis ground of birds. Deputy Cathedral of Reconciliation: the A religious and architectural land- Commissioner mark in Kohima, Cathedral of Rec- and later got onciliation is the main church of transformed into the bishop of the diocese of a battle ground. The cemetery Kohima. The church's semi-circular building with a facade in line is designed in a with traditional Naga house and series of terraces modern architectural ideas de- where stone steps lead to the way. scribe in details the architectural Beautifully covered with grass and roses, the plots of the cembrilliance of the ancient era. Construction work of Cathedral etery looks like a colorful blanket of Reconciliation began in 1986 sculpted with stories of brave and the consecration of the same hearts who laid down their lives was done in 1991. The specially for the nation. As around 17,000 no doubt an eye-catching site nestled at a height of around 3048 meters above sea level. The peak is not only an attraction for trekkers, but also for photographers and nature lovers who want to witness and capture panoramic vistas of nature. Blanketed with lush green veg-
soldiers including British and Indian were reportedly killed, missing and wounded, the British before leaving India decided to erect such a memorial in the memories of the valiant comrades. Bara Basti: Though it literally means 'big village', Bara Basti is believed to be the most ancient village of Kohima as well. It is also known to be the second largest and most populated village of Asia. Originally built by Angami ancestors, the village is presently serving as a heritage place for Naga tribe. A large traditional wooden gate elaborately carved with weapons, warriors and the skull of Mithun, a symbol of prosperity, mark the entrance of the village. The village is divided into four khels or communities namely. Dzukou Valley: Have you ever imagined walking through a colorful natural carpet decorated with colorful flowers, emerald green hills, murmur of placid rivulets a n d thick green
from Kohima town. Because of vast undulating meadows, the valley is popularly known as "Valley of Flowers of North East". A visual treat for nature lovers and an adrenaline stimulator for adventure junkies, this beautiful valley of Nagaland is in fact one of the best and biggest kept secrets of India. Lilies, aconitum, euphorbia and multicolored rhododendrons along with two gently meandering streams, Dzukou and JapfĂź rivers, heighten its beauty and pull in maximum tourist population to its heart.
Best time to visit Kohima is an ideal place to visit in the months of October to May How to Reach By Air: The nearest domestic airport is Dimapur, roughly 74 kms from Kohima. Dimapur Airport is well connected to major cities of India like Guwahati, Imphal, Kolkata and Dibrugarh. The second nearest domestic airport is Imphal, 145 kms from Kohima. It has regular flights to
Cathedral of Reconciliation
forests? If not, then take a trekking trail through easy to moderate gradients to Dzukou Valley in Kohima, Nagaland. Dzukou Valley is nestled at an altitude of approximately 2438 meters above sea level at a distance of nearly 24km
the places such as Aizawl, Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata and Silchar. By railways: The nearest railway station is located in Dimapur, 74 kms from Kohima. It is well connected to Guwahati and Kolkata.
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Tourism minister cleans walls with bare hands NEW DELHI: Tourism Minister Alphons Kannanthanam took Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 'Swachhta hi Seva' (cleanliness is service) to a whole new level - wiping paan and gutkha stained walls with bare hands. The minister, who took part in the campaign at Janpath market in Central Delhi, cleaned the walls first with water and then detergent using his hands, as his staff scrambled to find him a brush. "Ek scrubber la do (bring me a scrubber)," the minister said, imitating the scrubbing movement with his hands. Someone handed him a scrubber attached to a long plastic rod. The minister quickly refused it, and asked for one that could be held in hand. As officials scurried to get him a scrubber of his choice, the minister poured copious amounts of detergent on his hand and proceeded to rub it on wall after wall. Later, someone gave him a hand-held scrub, which he used vigorously on the walls. "Clean hua na?" he asked people around who applauded the zeal with which he went about cleaning the dirty walls. Earlier, dressed in a blue T-shirt
BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh has won the 'Best Tourism State' national award for the third consecutive year, an official said here. President Ram Nath Kovind handed over the award, named as 'Hall of Fame Award', to Minister of State for Tourism Surendra Patwa at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, a Madhya Pradesh Public Relations Department officer said. The state bagged total 10 awards in this programme, organised on the occasion of World Tourism Day.
Khargone. An English coffee-table book published by MP Tourism Board, won the national award for Excellence in Publishing, the official said. Madhya Pradesh also received a national award for Film Promotion Policy in the category of Best Film Promotion Friendly State/ Union Territory. The Hindi brochure published by Madhya Pradesh Tourism in Simhastha-2016 also won the national award for Excellence in Publishing in Hindi. Best Wildlife
Spick and span: Alphons Kannanthanam during the ‘Swachhata hi Sewa’ campaign in Delhi
and jeans, Kannanthanam, a former IAS officer, took to cleaning the place soon after he arrived at the Janpath market. Sweepers were lined up on the streets wearing gloves and masks, but the minister got down to business without any cleaning gear. Collecting dry leaves, junked packets and plastic waste from the street, the minister dumped them all into colorful bins his staff had arranged for him. "Keep India clean. Let every
citizen get out on the streets, get out in his neighborhood and keep India clean. I think this is the biggest mission of the prime minister," he said. The cleaning job done, Kannanthanam, who had earned the sobriquet of 'demolition man' during his tenure with the Delhi Development Authority in the 1990s, washed his hands with water before applying hand sanitizer, and leaving neat and tidy.PTI
Gujarat bags development of tourism award NEW DELHI: Gujarat was named the best state for Comprehensive Development of Tourism at the National Tourism Awards presented by President Ram Nath Kovind. The award in the Hall of Fame category was received by Gujarat's Minister of Tourism Ganpat Singh Vasava and Principal Secretary S J Haider at a function at Vigyan Bhavan. Gujarat was followed by Madhya Pradesh. The Hall of Fame Awards were introduced this year and given to states, organizations and agencies which have won the National Tourism Award in the same category for three consecutive years. The other states which have
MP bags 'Best Tourism State' award
made it to the awards list for their contribution to tourism are Kerala, Rajasthan, Goa and Andhra Pradesh.
Kovind while giving away the awards said that there was potential for growth in different segments of tourism like spiritual, medical, wildlife and adventure. Noting that the tourism industry generates significant amount of employGujarat was named the best state for Comprehensive ment, he Development of Tourism at the National Tourism Awards said it presented by President Ram Nath Kovind. The award in the should push Hall of Fame category was received by Gujarat's Minister of Tourism Ganpat Singh Vasava forward in
President Ram Nath Kovind handed over the award, named as ‘Hall of Fame Award’, to Minister of State for Tourism Surendra Patwa at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi
The official said the state bagged the Most Innovative Tourist Product award for 'Hanuwantia Jal Mahotsav' and Best State for Adventure Tourism. While Chanderi was adjudged as the Best Heritage City, the Best Tourist-Friendly Railway Station award was given to Ujjain Railway Station. The Best Civic Management of a Tourist Destination of India award was given to
Guide national award was bagged by Saib Khan of Pachmarhi. Expressing happiness over the awards, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan congratulated MP's tourism team through a tweet. "Heartiest congratulations to MP Tourism for incredible feat of being conferred with 10 national awards on occasion of world tourism day," he said in the tweet. -PTI
creating more opportunities and thereby eliminating poverty. Speaking on the occasion, the President said that tourism is one of the largest industries in the world. Its evolution can be estimated from the fact that the number of tourists all over the world has increased from 2.5 crore in 1950 to 123 crore in 2016. Kovind also launched three key initiatives of the ministry - Incredible India 2.0 Campaign, which will celebrate India world-
wide, an Incredible India website and the Adopt A Heritage Project in which heritage sites will be entrusted to PSUs and the private sector for the development of tourist amenities. He urged the ministry to draft policies that would strengthen the benefits and reduce the costs of tourism. Kovind also called upon leaders of travel and tourism industry to share their vision and innovative ideas on tourism.-PTI
October 6, 2017
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Tourism sectors have great potential: Prez NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind has said various segments of tourism like spiritual, medical, wildlife and adventure, have a tremendous potential for growth in India as he presented the national tourism awards here. Underlining that the tourism industry can contribute significantly in generating permanent employment opportunities and eliminating poverty, he said in India too the livelihood of a very large number of people is linked to the tourism industry. According to an assessment, he said an investment of Rs 10 lakh in tourism industry provides employment to about 90 people, while about 45 in agriculture, and about 13 people in manufacturing. In the year 2016, tourism's contribution to the GDP was 9.6 per cent and 9.3 per cent to total employment in India, he said. Due to India's various features
like "gifted nature" and "cultural heritage", he said the country has a huge potential for growth of various tourism sectors, including medical, wellness, heritage, cultural, spiritual, wildlife, adventure and sports tourism.
President Ram Nath Kovind
He appreciated the Tourism Ministry's initiative in introducing Swachhta (cleanliness) awards, saying it gives emphasis to the importance of cleanliness in the tourism sector.
Rama Khandwala, who received the special best tourist guide award from President Ram Nath Kovind
NEW DELHI: Age is just a number for 91-year-old tour guide Rama Khandwala, who received the special best tourist guide award from President Ram Nath Kovind at the National Tourism Awards here. "Her courage and never-saydie attitude are visible even today in her sincere and professional way of handling guide assignments," according to a descriptive note on awardees, prepared by the tourism ministry. Walking down memory lane, a vibrant Khandwala recollected how a woman from Holland was
Referring to the initiatives taken by ministries of Civil Aviation and Railways in linking various cities with transportation, the president pitched for the need of collaborative efforts of people from fields to acquire faster
so impressed by the people in the slums in India that she wished to stay there. Khandwala said she had taken a delegation from Holland to slums in western part of India and a woman from the group was so much impressed with cleanliness and how children took care of their old parents in the slums that she wanted to stay there. "I have no problem if I had to stay in the slums. I feel good here because these people take care of their old parents so well, unlike in our country where children come with flowers in 15 days or so and then
growth of tourism. Besides domestic tourism, he said efforts should be directed towards making India a center of attraction among the international tourists.
Kovind said tourism is one of the largest industries in the world and its evolution can be estimated from the fact that the number of tourists all over the world has increased from 2.5 crore in 1950 to 123 crore in 2016. The tourism industry contributes 10.2 per cent of the world's GDP, he said, adding it is estimated that every 10th person in the world works in the tourism industry. Noting that "inclusive tourism development" can strengthen the "inclusive economic development", he said every citizen should strive to provide a good experience to tourists at his or her own level. In a tourism conscious society, the role of the government is only to provide direction and a facilitating environment, he said. The president said 'Adopt a Heritage Project' which was
launched by him, has great potential to make India's rich and diverse heritage monuments tourist-friendly. The project plans to entrust heritage sites to private and public sector companies and individuals for operations and maintenance of tourist amenities. Besides presenting various tourism awards, Kovind also launched Incredible India campaign to promote India as a tourist destination. Tourism Minister Alphons Kannanthanam, in his address, said tourism has various benefits like inherent capacity to create large scale employment, eradicate poverty and benefit local communities economically and socially. Tourism Ministry presents National Tourism Awards to various segments of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry annually.PTI
91-year-old gets best tourist guide award over," Khandwala quoted the woman as telling her. Besides amazing tourist destinations, India has a lot to offer to the tourists - Indian culture and the experience, the human touch, the feelings - which no other country can boast of, Khandwala said. Mumbai-based Khandwala, who is fluent in Japanese, said she had also escorted a lot of delegations from that country to far off place in western India but now works as a city guide. She has also done "very interesting" programs for Japanese television, including one on Buddhism and another on Mahatma Gandhi. Khandwala has also served as a Second Lieutenant in the Rani Jhansi Regiment of the Azad Hind Fauj in Rangoon, Burma, led by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the ministry note read. After the World War II, Khandwala and her family settled in Mumbai. She has written her memoirs in a book about her days as a freedom fighter tilted 'Jai
Hind', it added. "I was a freedom fighter. I wanted to do something for the nation. Vallabhbhai Patel met me and told me to join politics but I refused. I thought, I can enhance the country's image outside by being in this field," she said, when asked what prompted her to get into the profession. "Tourists often used to tell me that there was a lot of poverty in India. I would ask them what was your country 300 years ago. Then, they would then
have no answer," she said, disapproving their statement. Khandwala also pitched for tourism courses at regional level to help aspiring guides to learn different languages. Her advice to young tour guide: "Put your heart into work, make your tourists laugh and also laugh with them." Another advice was to "always keep the country's image in the forefront, followed by tourists agent and then yourself" while working as a tourist guide.-PTI
Tourists rushing to Uttarakhand's Munsiyari PITHORAGARH: West Bengal's loss has become Uttarakhand's gain. As the traditional tourist hotspots like Darjeeling and Srinagar remain embroiled in political unrest, Uttarakhand's Munsiyari has received tens of thousands of tourists this festive season - 45,000 so far breaking all records. "The numbers are still rising," a
hotel owner in Munsiyari said. "23,000 tourists reached Munsiyari in the year 2015, followed by 29,000 in 2016, and the number this year has increased to 45,000," a statement by the hotel association of Munsiyari read. The head of hotel association in Muniyari, Jagdish Singh Rawat expects the number to grow.-PTI
In Brief 'Those fleeing poverty headed for US' CANBERRA, Aus: An Australian government minister says ``economic refugees'' fleeing poverty rather than persecution are among the first asylum seekers to be resettled in the United States, adding that an Australiarun immigration camp on the Pacific island nation of Nauru has ``the world's biggest collection of Armani jeans and handbags.'' Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton was commenting on Sydney Radio 2GB after Sydney's The Daily Telegraph newspaper published a photograph of some of the first 25 refugees from a male-only camp on the Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea about to board a flight to the United States. The U.S. State Department expects 54 refugees from Nauru and Papua New Guinea to arrive in the United States in the coming days.-AP
„ Phoenix-area deputies still arrest Hispanics PHOENIX: A U.S. judge ordered a sweeping overhaul nearly four years ago of the office then led by Sheriff Joe Arpaio after finding that his deputies had systematically racially profiled Hispanics in traffic patrols targeting immigrants. The agency in metro Phoenix is still dogged by those problems after newly released findings say that its officers treat minorities differently than white people. Immigrant rights attorneys who brought the profiling case against the agency said in court that the overhaul is being made more difficult by officers and supervisors who are resisting the changes. An audit conducted by criminal justice researchers at Arizona State University as part of the racial profiling case said Hispanics are more likely to be searched and arrested by deputies in traffic stops than whites. The study examined 31,000 traffic stops from July 2015 through June 2016, near the end of Arpaio's 24-year tenure. Cont'd on Page 47
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Pope urges countries to welcome migrants Details on page 46
Indian-American community - a story of uncommon achievements HARPREET SINGH
NEW DELHI: During the month long series of events in celebration of'70 years of US-India Relations', the American Center in New Delhi organized an interactive discussion on September 26. The participants were Prof Devesh Kapur, professor at the Penn University; Arun Kumar Singh former Ambassador to Washington, Dr. Craig Dicker current U.S. Cultural AttachĂŠ in India, and the invited audience. The discussion on the IndianAmerican community and its uncommon achievement was driven by the content of a new and acclaimed book "The Other One Percent - Indians in America". It is co-authored by Sanjoy Chakravorty, Devesh Kapur and Nirvikar Singh, academicians at Temple University, Penn and UC Santa Cruz respectively.The book is the outcome of three definitive research reports that were compiled under a grant by India's Ministry of External Affairs. These reports researched the various factors leading to the successful rise of the IndianAmerican immigrants residing in USA, compared to other immi-
grant groups from various parts of the world. Prof. Devesh Kapur was the sole co-author to join the discussion virtually from Pennsylvania through a video call. He presented briefly the broad outline of the contents of the book and sharing pertinent quantitative research findings it contains. Incidentally, the publishing of the
lation of 1.8 million in year 2000, the Indian-American immigrants have more than doubled to 4 million in 2017. They are also almost 50% of all the H1B Visa immigrants currently in the US. Coming from a low-income country they are amongst the higher income groups and also the highest educated. He noted, although H1B visa
book coincides with the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 that abolished the national-origins quota system of 1920s, replacing it with a preference system based on skills and family relationships. The quota system had favored Europeans at the time. Initiating the discussion Prof. Kapur spoke of how from a popu-
holders are primarily for skill sets that come under higher than the median salary slab in the US, even in case of families where the first generation immigrants were holding low-income jobs, they find the combined household income of such families was higher than average, becoming the source for financial assistance to educate the second generation.
Indian-Americans as a group have a lower divorce rate and thus family bonds and welfare are clearly stronger, which is another factor to their advantage. Another notable factor of demographics is how two-thirds of the immigrant group's current population is under 18 years of age. Ambassador Singh also provided his insights, adding there are currently 110,000 Indian origin doctors serving or, practicing in USA, providing services in the remotest corners of the country.Doctors of Indian origin are examining approximately 14% of all patients in the US. The hospitality industry has also seen a huge turnaround with the group's entry, and adds $13 billion to the industry. There are 160,000 students from India contributing $ 5 billion by way of the average tuition fee alone. He also mentioned of the second and third generation Indian-Americans who have begun to participate and play a crucial role in the US congress and politics, and participate in increasing numbers as foot soldiers in both political parties. Cont'd on Page 47
101-year-old athlete denied Chinese visa CHANDIGARH: Centenarian athlete Man Kaur, who was to take part in the ongoing Asian Masters Athletics Championships in China, has been denied visa on the grounds that she did not have a personal invitation from the organizers, her son Gurdev Singh said here. The 101-year-old Chandigarh-based sprinter, who had won the 100-metre race at the World Masters Games in Auckland earlier this year, and her 79-year-old son were to participate in the on-
Indian runner Man Kaur, 101, celebrates after competing in the 100m sprint in the 100+ age category at the World Masters Games in Auckland
going 20th Asia Masters Athletics Championships in Rugao in China. "The Chinese embassy in Delhi said both of us don't have a personal invite. We had attached a letter from the Masters Athletics Federation of India with our visa applications. But the visa was de-
nied and we were told that personal invite was required," Singh told PTI over phone. He said the event started on September 24. Singh said Kaur was looking forward to winning medals as she was to compete in several categories - 100-metre and 200-metre races, the shot-put and the javelin. "I feel a little bit disappointed that the visa was not granted as I could have won some medals. Cont'd on Page 47
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India probes free movement along Myanmar border
People protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
NEW DELHI: India is examining the impact of an existing bilateral agreement with Myanmar which allows free movement of Indian and Myanmarese citizens within 16 km of the border, as the pact is being exploited by militants for smuggling arms, drugs and fake Indian currency. The move came amidst the mass exodus of the Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, following turmoil in the Rakhine province of that country. Special Secretary (Internal Secretary) Rina Mitra and Joint Secretary (Northeast) Satyendra
Garg have visited all the four states, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, whose borders touch Myanmar where the Free Movement Regime (FMR) is in force. "Several border exit points also visited to study the existing system. Meetings with the respective state chief secretaries, DGPs, commissioners, Assam Rifles were held. This is as directed by the Home Ministry," a home ministry spokesperson said. The two-member FMR committee is chaired by Mitra. Home Minister Rajnath Singh
had constituted the committee in June to examine the present rules and regulations adopted by the border states for implementation of free movement regime along this border. It was set up at a meeting of chief ministers of the four northeastern states after reports emerged that militants were exploiting the FMR by smuggling arms, drugs, and fake Indian currency. India has a 1,643-km border with Myanmar and it is unique in many ways as it has a visa-free movement regime for people living within 16 km on either side of the border. They can stay up to 72 hours with effective and valid permits issued by the designated authorities on either side. This regime has been in place keeping in view the traditional social relations among the border
people. It helps genuine people living in close proximity of the border. "However, it is misused by militants and criminals who smuggle weapons, narcotics, contraband goods and Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN)," the home minister had said. Singh had said that taking ad-
report for uniform and effective implementation of free movement regime soon. It will also prepare standard operating procedures common for all the four states so that militants, criminals and contraband are filtered at the border without causing inconvenience to genuine people.
India has a 1,643-km border with Myanmar and it is unique in many ways as it has a visa-free movement regime for people living within 16 km on either side of the border vantage of the free-movement regime, occasionally the militants enter India, commit crimes and escape to their relatively safer hideouts. The committee will give its
The international border with Myanmar is considered to be porous with cross-border movement of insurgents and smuggling of arms and ammunition common.-PTI
Maine Gov tells sheriffs to detain immigrants AUGUSTA, MAINE: Maine's Republican governor is directing the state's 16 county sheriffs to detain immigrants upon request by federal immigration officers or be removed from office. Gov. Paul LePage threatened to oust elected sheriffs who reject requests from immigration officers to hold jail detainees beyond their scheduled release dates. He said he'd take steps to remove any sheriff if he hears that an ``undocumented, illegal alien'' was released after a federal detention request. The governor ratcheted up a dispute with Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce, who announced he would reject requests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to hold prisoners in jail beyond their scheduled release unless there's a court order. The governor said Maine law requires sheriffs to obey his law enforcement orders. He said the Maine Constitution allows a governor to remove a sheriff from office following a ``complaint, due notice and hearing.''
The governor signed an executive order in 2011 calling on ``employees and officials'' of Maine'' to cooperate with the federal government on immigration matters. Joyce denies that the
tion of immigrants from Somalia, which was targeted by Republican President Donald Trump's latest travel order. Joyce said detainer requests from immigration officials are a
``I'm still accepting ICE inmates, the ones that are brought in legally,'' Joyce said. ``I'm not honoring detainer requests to hold someone beyond their release date so that ICE can put together their case.'' LePage argues that federal policy requires immigration officers to review the facts and make sure they have reasonable grounds and an administrative warrant before they ask local law enforcement agencies to temporarily detain individuals.
Zach Heiden, legal director at the ACLU of Maine, noted Massachusetts' highest court recently ruled that state law doesn't allow police officers there to hold individuals solely on the basis of a federal immigration detainer request. The governor also lacks legal basis to force sheriffs to honor immigration requests, he said. ``We're not talking about law enforcement, we're talking about detention: locking people up,'' Heiden said.-AP
PRADEEP ROY-SINGH B.A. LL.B. M.B.A. J.D. Attorney-at-Law
Former Assistant StateÂ’s Attorney
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Civil & Criminal Litigation Felonies, Misdemeanors, Inc DUI 1 Personal Injury, Business, Divorce etc. 1 Property Tax for Commercial Properties 1
executive order would apply to him. LePage didn't mention Joyce by name, but it's clear who was on his mind. Joyce is sheriff of Maine's most populated county, which is also home to a growing popula-
problem when they're not supported by a court order or warrant signed by a judge. Detaining individuals for up to 48 hours without probable cause could put him and the county at risk of lawsuit for violating their rights, he said.
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Pope urges countries to welcome migrants VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis has launched a two-year campaign about the plight of migrants to counteract mounting anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.S. and Europe, urging the world: ``Don't be afraid!'' Francis posed for selfies, shook hands, kissed babies and hugged migrants at the end of his weekly general audience, teaching by example that ``others'' are not to be feared but embraced. The campaign, spearheaded by the Vatican's Caritas charity, encourages people to meet with migrants and listen to their stories, rather than treat them as statistics clouded by negative stereotypes. Francis, the son of Italian immigrants to Argentina, urged individuals and governments to welcome migrants and share in their plight, as Jesus did. Throwing his arms open as he spoke, Francis said migrants are driven by the very Christian virtue of hope to find a better life, and said receiving countries should share in that hope by welcoming them and integrating them. ``Brothers, don't be afraid of
sharing the journey. Don't be afraid of sharing hope,'' he told the crowd in St. Peter's Square. The church is undertaking the campaign amid a hardening of anti-immigrant sentiment in the West. In Germany's election, the na-
including restricting travel from Muslim and other countries and slashing refugee admissions. Francis has repeatedly urged countries to welcome migrants and stop collective expulsions, saying migrants' dignity and right to protection outweigh national
Pope Francis poses for a selfie as he greets immigrants and representatives of Caritas Internationalis
tionalist, anti-migrant party Alternative for Germany party secured seats in that country's parliament for the first time. In the U.S., President Donald Trump is pressing for sweeping limits on immigration,
security concerns. At the same time, he has acknowledged that governments must manage refugee flows ``with prudence,'' taking into account how many people it can successfully inte-
grate into society. Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who heads Caritas, choked up during the Vatican launch of the campaign, recalling that his grandfather migrated to the Philippines from China as a ``young, poor boy.'' ``Who would think that he would produce a cardinal grandson?'' Tagle marveled. After regaining his composure, Tagle took aim at anti-immigrant politicians. ``Why are you afraid? The migrant that you are rejecting might be contributing to that community,'' he said. ``Don't close the doors,'' he implored. ``You might be closing the doors to people who might enrich your society.'' The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which also has a leading role in the Catholic migrant campaign, has repeatedly condemned restrictions on immigration and has taken a hard stand against some of the Trump administration's initiatives. ``This campaign is not only the pope's response to Trump and his nativist agenda, but also to growing xenophobia globally,'' said
Kevin Appleby, who headed the US bishops' migration office for 16 years. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo and Archbishop Jose Gomez, who lead the bishops' conference, have met with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence to discuss ``our reasons why we're so concerned and opposition to some of the ways the administration was deciding'' immigration policy, DiNardo told The Associated Press. The U.S. bishops said Trump's decision to end the DACA program that protects young immigrants from deportation was ``reprehensible'' - a decision that Francis said shouldn't come from a president who considers himself ``pro-life.'' Former White House strategist Steve Bannon said this month that U.S. bishops support immigrants because ``they need illegal aliens to fill the churches.'' The statement drew an unusually harsh rebuke from the bishops' conference. ``Our own faith is so clear. How could you not welcome the stranger?'' DiNardo said. -AP
Persecution of Pak Christians discussed at UN GENEVA: The European Organization for Pakistani Minorities organized an event entitled "Persecution without Prosecution: The Plights of Pakistani Christians" at the United Nations, Geneva on 18 September. The event was moderated by Dr. Mario Silva, Executive Director of the Toronto-based IFFRAS organization, while the speakers in-
to exit the country by Pakistani immigration. Opening the event, Dr Mario Silva stated that the situation in Pakistan for the minorities was not getting any better. He called Pakistan as the 4th most dangerous country on earth for members of religious faiths and stated that despite being a part of Pakistani society since the inception
He mentioned forced conversion to Islam, rape of Christian women and denial of equal rights including political rights, as enjoyed by the majority Muslim Sunni community cluded Alberto Cirio, Member of the European Parliament and Farrukh Harrison, Pastor and Christian victim from Pakistan. Another speaker Pastor Humayun Sunil, who was also a witness of persecution of Christians in Pakistan, was not allowed
of the country, the Christians were the most persecuted victims of social discrimination, violence and near constant threats of terrorist attacks. Alberto Cirio mentioned that persecution of this community had become a daily routine in
Pakistan and with every passing year the number of incidents of violence and discrimination continued to increase. He added that an increasingly radicalized society was making matters worse and the administration and the police were failing to carry out their duty to provide protection to the Christian community. He mentioned forced conversion to Islam, rape of Christian women and denial of equal rights including political rights, as enjoyed by the majority Muslim Sunni community. Pastor Farrukh Harrison informed the gathering that since Pakistan had been envisioned as a country only for Muslims, the sidelining of minorities was a natural course of action. He, however, was of the opinion that the discrimination and persecution of the religious minorities was rooted in the Pakistani Constitution of 1973, wherein religious minorities were banned from any higher official
position in the government. Another major setback for the Christians and other minorities was the eight 8th amendment in May 1991 that re-awakened persecution by the state. Pastor Harrison added that from 1987 to 2017 at least 222 cases were registered under the blas-
phemy laws against Christians. Many of these Christians have been burnt to death by people from the majority community even before being tried by the courts. He urged the international community to investigate these cases. -PRNewswire
Judge puts 60 Indonesian deportations on hold
A
federal judge has put on hold the deportation of several dozen Indonesians who had lost their bid to remain in the U.S. and feared persecution if returned home. The nearly 60 Indonesians in New Hampshire and Massachusetts are mostly Christian and fled religious persecution before and after the fall of the country’s former dictator, Suharto, in 1998. In the chaos that followed, riots
broke out and mobs targeted ethnic Chinese and other minorities in the mostly Muslim country. Some of the Indonesians have been in the United States for 20 years. A lawsuit on their behalf has been filed. A judge in Boston ruled that U.S. immigration officials could not remove the Indonesians until it was determined whether the court has jurisdiction.-AP
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Phoenix-area deputies still arrest Hispanics Cont'd from Page 44
``The likelihood of Hispanics being arrested or searched over time has not decreased, or even changed,'' wrote the researchers, who had conducted an earlier study of the agency's traffic stops. ``Conversely, the length of stop for Hispanic drivers, while still
ally disobeying a court order in the profiling case. Thirty-three Democrats in Congress filed a friend-of-thecourt brief that asks the judge in Arpaio's criminal case to reject the pardon and move forward with his sentencing. They argue the pardon is an invalid encroachment by the president on
Joe Arpaio with detainees at his Tent City, which has been slapped with a federal lawsuit
longer than whites, decreased across years.'' It was released a month after President Donald Trump pardoned Arpaio for his misdemeanor conviction of intention-
the power and independence of the courts. Jeffrey Crouch, a professor of politics at American University who has written a book on presidential pardons, said the Demo-
crats' request is extremely unusual. ``I highly doubt whether they will be able to overturn Arpaio's pardon,'' Crouch said, adding that Democrats' goal may be to generate interest in the controversy. Sheriff Paul Penzone, who took office in January after defeating Arpaio, is developing plans for confronting the problems identified in the new audit, including training for deputies and their supervisors. Penzone said it will take time to change the agency's culture. He said his office will confront those problems through discussions with employees, training and, if needed, through firings. ``Resistance won't be tolerated,'' Penzone said. Cecillia Wang, one of the lawyers who pressed the profiling case against the agency, said the overhaul is being complicated by some of the agency's supervisors who were recruited into the agency by Arpaio and believe they have a duty to protect officers against allegations of bias.-AP
101-year-old athlete denied Chinese visa Cont'd from Page 44
I had been training hard for the event over the last few weeks and visa being denied came as a surprise as I and my son have been travelling a lot, but never faced this situation earlier," Kaur told PTI. Singh, who was to take part in the long jump and 100- meter and 200-metre races, said that in the letter from the Masters Athletics Federation of India, "both our names were separately mentioned for taking part in various events in China". "We were scheduled to travel to the US and Canada after the games in China. We were flying out from China on September 28. We also showed our ticket bookings from Shanghai to Los Angeles. "But our visas were rejected and the reason they gave was that we did not have a personal invite. We stated that the federation has been given the list of
participants and they have mentioned our names. We had separately applied for visa," Singh further said. He also said, "The Chinese embassy could have also issued us visitor/tourist visa for four days. We had applied for the visas four days before the games were to start, which is their requirement as per their rules." "Would it not have been an inspiration for Chinese people to see a 101-year old woman running and taking part in sports competitions?" he asked. "We had purchased flight tickets and made hotel bookings in China at our own expenses. But afterwards, we cancelled our tickets and also had to re-schedule our tickets to the US and Canada," Singh said. In Canada, she is being bestowed upon a lifetime achievement award in October, Singh said. Kaur has also been nominated for the prestigious 'Laureus World
Best Sporting Moment of the Year 2017' Award. Kaur won her first medal in 2007 at the Chandigarh Masters Athletics meet. She took up athletics at the ripe age of 93 years "just for the heck of it" after seeing her son run a race in Patiala. By winning the medal in Auckland, New Zealand, in April, Kaur added the 17th gold medal in her kitty. She had clocked one minute and 14 seconds as a small crowd cheered her on. In the run-up to the China meet, Kaur left no stone unturned in her preparation doing five sprints of 50-metre each, one of 100m and one of 200m every alternate day. "I will continue to run and take part in competitions as long as I can. It gives me a lot of happiness when I run. I believe that age is no bar to chase and realize your dreams," said Kaur, who is also called as 'Miracle Mom from Chandigarh'.-PTI
Singapore teen granted asylum in US CHICAGO: A teenage blogger from Singapore has been released from U.S. custody following an immigration appeals court's decision to uphold his bid for asylum. Amos Yee, whose online posts mocking and criticizing the Singapore government twice landed him in jail there, left his homeland in December with the intention of seeking U.S. asylum. But federal immigration agents detained the 18-year-old at
Amos Yee stands outside the United Sates Citizenship and Immigration Services offices after his release from detention in Chicago
O'Hare International Airport and he had been behind bars since. Carrying a clear plastic bag stuffed with his belongings, Yee emerged from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in downtown Chicago. ``I'm kind of stunned right now,'' he said. ``It's very surreal.''
Hours earlier his attorneys received notification of a Board of Immigration Appeals decision upholding a Chicago immigration judge's March ruling that Yee had a ``well-founded fear'' of being persecuted upon return to Singapore.The board determined the Chicago judge correctly relied on expert and witness testimony in asylum proceedings earlier this year. U.S. Department of Homeland Security attorneys opposed Yee's asylum bid. With asylum status, Yee will be eligible to apply for a green card in a year, attorneys said. ``We welcome the board's decision and we welcome it because it's a decision that's grounded in law and in fact,'' said Yee attorney Sandra Grossman. ``He was persecuted because of political beliefs.'' In closed-door proceedings, Homeland Security attorneys had said Yee's asylum case didn't qualify as persecution based on political beliefs. Yee, an atheist, was accused of hurting the religious feelings of Muslims and Christians in Singapore. Many of his explicit social media and blog entries criticized Singapore's leaders, something that is discouraged in the city-state. -AP
Indian-American community - a story of uncommon achievements Cont'd from Page 44
Dr. Dicker, moderating the discussion added his own observations of growing up in NYC in a very cosmopolitan neighborhood, that during his youth and in his parents' generation there were very few inter-racial marriages as opposed to increasing numbers seen now. In response to his question on assimilation, Devesh Kapur mentioned the findings of their research showing that Indian-Americans and Vietnamese immigrants were least likely to intermarry with other groups. Indian-American parents still harbor the desire their children have marriages with Indian origin partners. He also observed IndianAmericans were the quickest in
losing the Indian from their IndianAmerican identity in favor of an American identity. Besides, the Indian identity always tends to surface and is leaned upon when positive indicators are seen in India.This, he added, being a natural human tendency, as people prefer to be linked to positive stories. To end the discussion Prof Kapur noted that immigration in any country is a highly sensitive and ultimately a political issue, and there are increasing instances of backlash against immigrants being seen, giving example of dropping numbers of Indian students to UK universities. On the question of brain drain, he thinks, that is a self-inflicted condition brought upon by India as he sees higher education being neglected there.
Realty Tidbits
JLL facilitates JV of Godrej Properties & Royale BANGALORE: To develop 13 acre land parcel in Devanahalli, North Bangalore for housing project JLL India, the country's largest real estate consultancy and professional services firm has structured a marquee transaction between Royale Builders & Developers, one of the largest land aggregators in Bangalore, and leading real estate developers Godrej Properties Ltd. The two developers have joined forces to develop a 13acre land parcel on Bellary Main Road (NH-7), close to Bangalore International Airport in North Bangalore. They plan to develop a modern residential project of approximately 1.34 million sq.ft. (125,000 sq.m.) with excellent connectivity to the city's key commercial and industrial catchment areas of Devanahalli, Hebbal and Yashvantpur. Ramesh Nair, CEO & Country Head, JLL India said, "North Bangalore is one of the fastest-growing corridors in the city. Excellent connectivity to the airport and ready-to-move-in office spaces are the key drivers of demand in this market, which will see the development of about 10-15 million sq.ft. of office space over the next 5-7 years.This will bring with it an escalating demand for homes in this market. -PRNewswire
Mills gave way to skyscrapers, but infra lagged
MUMBAI: Once called 'Girangaon' or the city of (textile) mills, the area around Elphinstone Road and Parel stations in central Mumbai now has a skyline filled with glass-and-concrete towers, housing swanky offices. But for thousands of officegoers who alight at these two stations after travelling by trains from distant suburbs, crossing the overbridge which links them and leads out to the glittering business district is nothing short of a battle. The tragedy last week was waiting to happen, said a local resident, as at least 22 people died in a stampede on the overbridge linking Parel on the Central line and Elphinstone Road on the Western line of the suburban train network. Cont’d on page 49
Real Estate 48 India Post
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October 6, 2017
License for commercial projects only via auction ANDIGARH:The Haryana government has decided to discard the "first come first serve" policy and instead use auction as the only mode for grant of licenses for group housing and commercial colonies. It was also decided to restrict the grant of such licenses only in those areas for which final development plan stands published. "In this policy, the date of publication of Final Development Plan shall be the effective date for acceptance and consideration of license applications. -PTI
Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai top prime office yields globally MUMBAI: Three Indian metros - Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi have earned the highest prime office yields among 34 leading international markets, a Knight Frank report has said. The flagship global report reveals the trends shaping 40 leading international cities across the globe. Bengaluru topped the table with 10 per cent yields followed by Delhi at 9.20 per cent and Mumbai 8.50 cent, the report said. Bengaluru's Whitefield is the most affordable technology district among 29 global tech hubs in the world, the report noted. Ranking 25th on the Tech Districts Index, Gurugram's Cyber City at USD 20.40 per sq ft beat Madrid's Julian Camarillo area at
USD 13.65 per sq ft and Kuala Lumpur's Cyberjaya Office Mar-
Mumbai ranks sixth in terms of growth in six months to the sec-
ket USD 11.55 per sq ft in office rents, it further said. In the Skyscrapers Index,
ond quarter in 2017. "Prime office rents in the upper floors of high rises in Mumbai see 1.8 per
Start-ups to the rescue of NRI Investors BENGALURU: Periodic inspection of properties, assured care and rental assistance make companies such as Rentprop4u a hit with those away from home. If there is one reliable thing NRIs have always vouched for
NRIs now are turning to property management companies to take care of the nitty-gritty and continue to invest in, it is property back home in India. Bengaluru, Kochi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Delhi have been investment hotspots. However, the lucrative invest-
ment comes with strings attached -how does one know their tenant is good, that their house is not damaged in their absence, or what if the tenant calls them from across the seas to get a plumbing problem fixed? Being so far off, and rarely visiting their hometowns, NRIs now are turning to property management companies to take care of the nitty-gritty of their treasured properties. Rentprop4u, a Bengalurubased realty start-up, says it has seen an almost 60 per cent increase in the number of enquiries over the past one year from NRIs in Australia, US, Canada, New Zealand and the Gulf. The company helps NRIs realize the full potential of their real estate investments. Cont’d on page 49
cent growth, among the top six international rent appreciating markets," the report said. India's financial capital pipped iconic global destinations such as London, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Dubai, it added. Established office markets such as Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, on the other hand, saw negative growth. Bengaluru emerged as the most valued destination on the Employment and Property Cost Index with total cost (salary and property) of USD 1,264,000, the report said. In terms of eating out spends, Bengaluru and Mumbai topped the chart among 10 future cities, and among the top five cities in terms of households with significant incomes.-PTI
Trump's super-luxury brand to debut in Gurgaon GURGAON: This month northern India will have its first ever Trump Towers, which is set to be launched in this city. A second Trump property will see a parallel launch in Kolkata. The Trump Towers, a bouquet of branded apartments developed worldwide by Donald Trump's global brand Trump Organization, is being promoted in India by Tribeca Developers. The Trump-Tribeca ensemble, which will come up on Golf Course Road, is expected to offer all the signature facilities available at the Trump Towers that includes white gloved services, trump card, concierge and valet services. The luxurious amenities of these apartments would include both internal finishes and fitments, along with golf course access, exclusive club for the
residents and an infinity edged pool. The Trump Towers in Gurgaon will have 220 apartments of sizes ranging from three to five bedroom accommodations. The price range for these apartments would start from Rs 12 crore. Tribeca developers were the first to bring the Trump brand to India in 2014 when we facilitated two landmark projects in Pune and Mumbai. With the Gurgaon and Kolkata launches, Trump Organization would have four residential properties in India. A fifth project, which is a commercial one, is also coming up from the Trump brand, making India the largest single destination presence for Trump Organization real estate outside USA. Cont’d on page 49
Real Estate Post
October 6, 2017
India Post 49
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PIL for safeguarding interests of home buyers NEW DELHI: A fresh plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking protection of the rights and financial interests of lakhs of home buyers, once insolvency proceedings are initiated against real estate firms by banks and financial institutions (FIs). The PIL, filed by lawyer Vivek Narayan Sharma, claimed that in the new Insolvency and Bankruptcy (IB) Code, 2016, the home buyers are not included in the definition of "Financial Creditors or Operational Creditors", but ranked the last in the list of creditors whose claims could be settled during the insolvency proceedings. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, which is already seized of several petitions of
home buyers against real estate firms such as Unitech, Supertech and Amprali, would hear the PIL. Besides challenging the constitutionality of some provisions of the insolvency code, the plea has sought a direction that the home buyers, who have not received possession of their booked dream homes, are also empowered to initiate "corporate insolvency resolution process" against the errant real estate firms. It also said that the operation of the provisions of RERA (Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016), which favors home buyers,
should not be restricted by the Code. Currently, the moment insolvency proceedings are initiated
against a real estate firm, execution of enforceable decrees of courts and the consumer fora are
Start-ups to the rescue of NRI Investors Cont’d from page 48
"Usually, NRI homeowners are worried about things like finding the right tenant quickly, showing the property, tenant vacation hassles and legal implications, rent variation, lack of tenant screening and house maintenance, dependency on brokers and inability to inspect the property during tenant stay," says Nagaraju M, CEO, Rentprop4u. Nagaraju lays out the current details, very specific to NRIs nearly 25 per cent of apartments in Bengaluru are bought by NRIs. In Kochi, it is about 40 per cent. Investment by NRIs in other cities such as MMR, NCR, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Dehradun varies between 5 to 10 per cent of the overall market sales. According to the 2011 census of India, out of the 90 million residential census units, 11 million units were vacant; that is about 12 per cent of the total urban housing stock. And a lot of homeowners prefer to let their investments lie idle rather than face the trouble of letting them out. Nagaraju speaks of how companies like his have now become popular with NRIs, because they offer 100 per cent property assistance - including rent assistance,
rental agreements and payments, maintenance, quarterly inspection of properties with photographs taken and sent to owners. They also offer niche on-demand services such as furnishing and payment of property taxes. Rentprop4u takes care of one other worry for NRIs - safety through tenant screening and background verification as well. They do a police verification of the tenant through their legal team. Established in 2016, Rentprop4u currently has 200plus registered properties and
more than 400 users. Be it a single property or a large portfolio, the company is so confident of its tenant placement services that it guarantees to let out the property in less than 30 days or start paying the rent to the owner within a month. "We give them 15-20 per cent higher returns compared to brokers, so NRIs find our deals attractive. We can assure uninterrupted rent payments to property owners even when some of the properties are vacant for short periods," he adds.-PRNewswire
Trump's super-luxury brand to debut in Gurgaon Cont’d from page 48
Tribeca is the exclusive India partner of Trump Organization."We are involved in product development, design, marketing, sales and project management of all Trump projects in India," Kalpesh Mehta, founder and managing partner, Tribeca Developers said. The Trump Towers project in Kolkata, also to be launched this month, would be a 120 apartment bouquet with three to four bedroom apartments. The entry
price for the apartments in Kolkata would be one of the most affordable in the luxury segment, starting at less than Rs 5 crore. Both the Trump Towers have been designed by Manit Rastogi of Morphogenesis. "The quality of life and lifestyles are changing in India and the country is ready to experience global standards of living. The Trump address is a prestige address and we are happy to bring that experience here," said Mehta. -Courtesy TOI
rendered ineffective as they cannot be executed. Moreover, no fresh cases can be pursued by hassled home buyers against such firms. The plea has also sought "forensic auditing" of real estate firms to ascertain the contributions of the home buyers and safeguarding their invested money. The forensic audit would ascertain whether the real estate firms, which have taken money from the home buyers, have diverted these funds. "The principle view in filing the instant petition is that lakhs
of home buyers in thousands of projects can lose their life-savings, hard-earned money and moneys obtained through bank/ institutional loans due to the operation of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code," the plea said. It raised the question as to how the liquidation value would be calculated for home buyers where deliveries of flats have been delayed. The plea has also sought a direction to provide a mechanism under the IB Code to calculate "the liquidation value for home buyers, where deliveries of flats have been delayed, and further declare that the liquidation value would also account for interest on payments made to developers as envisaged in RERA."-PTI
Mills gave way to skyscrapers, but infra lagged Cont’d from page 48
"There is a war-like situation every day here during morning and evening hours. People fight a war to come out or enter the stations," said Arun Tiwari, regional head of a marketing company. The stampede took place around 10:40 am when the overbridge was teeming with people taking shelter from a sudden downpour. "Ever since new office buildings have come up in the area, the crowd has increased many times, but nothing has been done to improve the infrastructure at the station. Who is responsible for these deaths?" asked Tiwari, who lives nearby. "This was waiting to happen. Such things can happen on other (railway) footbridges too," he said. Echoing him, Satish Paul, a daily commuter, said, the number of people who alight at the two stations has increased phenomenally but infrastructure has not kept pace. He said Infrastructure should be strengthened and basic amenities improved to avoid such disasters in future. "When I alighted from train, I saw people screaming, piled on one another (on the overbridge). People are in a rush to make it to the office on time for fear of sal-
ary getting deducted, so they hurry, putting their lives at risk every morning," said Ravindra, a real estate agent. For Anita and Babita Kamble, sisters who live in the railway quarters near the overbridge, a spurt in noise outside this morning seemed routine. "It was around 10:30 am when we heard people screaming. We thought it nothing unusual, as the
The number of commuters who alight at these two stations has grown exponentially because of the new offices in the area station is chock-a-block during office hours. But in no time the crowd outside our house swelled. When we came out, we saw people piled on one another on the bridge," said Anita. Local people ran to their help before police arrived, she said. The number of commuters who alight at these two stations has grown exponentially because of the new offices in the area, she said. PTI
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Philosophy
52 India Post
October 6, 2017
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Page Sponsored by Sahanis MAHATMA GANDHI
A
ll right relations between master and operative ultimately depend on justice. As an illustration let us consider the position of domestic servants. We will suppose that the master of a household tries only to get as much work out of his servants as he can, at the rate of wages he gives. He never allows them to be idle; feeds them as poorly and lodges them as ill as they will endure. In doing this, there is no violation on his part of what is commonly called 'justice'. He agrees with the domestic for his whole time and service and takes them, the limits of hardship in treatment being fixed by the practice of other masters in the neighborhood. If the servant can get a better place, he is free to take one. This is the politico-economical view of the case according to the doctors of that science who assert that by this procedure the greatest average of work will be obtained from the servant, and therefore the greatest benefit to the community, and through the community, to the servant himself. That however is not so. It would be so if the servant were an en-
gine of which the motive power was steam, magnetism or some such agent of calculable force. But on the contrary he is an engine whose motive power is the Soul. Soul force enters into all the economist's equations without his knowledge and falsifies every one of their results. The largest quantity of work will not be done by this curious engine for pay or under pressure. It will be done
produced by his servant. But the universal law of the matter is that, assuming any given quantity of energy and sense in master and servant, the greatest material result obtainable by them will be not through antagonism to each other, but through affection for each other. Nor is this one whit less generally true because indulgence will be frequently abused, and kind-
selves desirable or noble. I look at them simply as an anomalous force, rendering every one of the ordinary economist's calculations nugatory. The affections only become a true motive power when they ignore every other motive and condition of economics. Treat the servant kindly with the idea of turning his gratitude to account, and you will get, as you deserve, no For each and every person,
Soul force falsifies all results of Economists Treat the servant kindly without any economical purpose, and all economical purposes will be answered; here as elsewhere Mahatma Gandhi
when the motive force, that is to say, the will or spirit of the creature, is brought to its greatest strength by its own proper fuel, namely by the affections. It does happen often that if the master is a man of sense and energy, much material work may be done under pressure; also it does happen often that if the master is indolent and weak, a small quantity of work, and that bad, may be
ness met with ingratitude. For the servant who, gently treated, is ungrateful, treated urgently, will be revengeful; and the man who is dishonest to a liberal master will be injurious to an unjust man. In any case and with any person, this unselfish treatment will produce the most effective return. I am here considering the affections wholly as a motive power; not at all as things in them-
gratitude nor any value for your kindness; but treat him kindly without any economical purpose, and all economical purposes will be answered; here as elsewhere whoever will save his life shall lose it, whoso loses it shall find it. Excerpted from 'Until This Last A Paraphrase' translated from Gujarati. The 148th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was celebrated on October 2.
our Lord and Master provides sustenance. Why are you so afraid, O mind? The flamingos fly hundreds of miles, leaving their young ones behind. Who feeds them, and who teaches them to feed themselves? Have you ever thought of this in your mind? -Guru Nanak
True Realisation of the actual nature of this material world, its perishable, transitory and illusory aspects best dawns on a person in suffering. -Guru Tegh Bahadur
They, who have no eyes in SWAMI DAYANANDA SARASWATI
W
hat is uparati, or as the author of the Tattvabodha calls it, uparama? He answers, svadharmänuñöhänameva.This is a very interesting meaning. Uparama is getting back to yourself. There is a tendency to omit what I have to do, and do what I need not do, do something else. This is the tendency that everybody has. A withdrawal from that, and doing what is to be done is uparama, svadharmaanuñöhänameva. Svadharma: sva means one's own; dharma, here, is what is to be done. What is to be done is to be done. We can't say, "I don't feel like doing it," and not do it. This is a certain abuse of freedom. Even though you don't feel like doing it, sometimes it has to be done. So what is to be done, you do, even though you don't feel like doing it, and what is not to be done, even if you feel like doing it, you don't.That is what he calls uparama. Uparama is also translated as
sannyäsa, renunciation-taking to a life of renunciation for a dedicated pursuit. In fact, this is a more suitable meaning for all of us. But here, he says that it is svadharmaanuñöhänam eva, whatever is your dharma, whatever is to be done at a given place and in a given situation, that you do,
fine. If what is to be done conforms to dharma and you like it, and it is good for you, and you do it, in fact, you will be spontaneous. It is something like a doctor telling you that every day you must eat an apple, and you saying, "Oh, that's wonderful, I love
anybody will ever like it. Certain things you can learn to like after some time, like blue cheese, I suppose. But I don't think anybody will learn to like bitter gourd juice. Still, you take it. Why? It has to be taken. And so, what we like is not going to be what is to be done every
their face, are not called blind. They alone are blind, O Nanak, who stray away from their Lord. -Guru Angad
He Himself makes the mortals anxious, and He Himself takes the anxiety away.
What is to be done is to be done
- Guru Amar Das
The Lord of man and beast
Whatever is to be done at a given
is working in all; His presence
place and in a given situation, that
is scattered everywhere; There is none else to be seen.
you do, whether you like it or not. Swami Dayananda Saraswati
whether you like it or not. That is how we gain a certain mastery over our own likes and dislikes. Otherwise they dictate our behavior all the time, and that is a meaningless life, really speaking. As long as these likes and dislikes conform to dharma, they are
apples." When you love apples and somebody advises you to eat an apple daily, you can enjoy that; there is no conflict. But then, if they say that you have to take this bitter gourd juice every day, then you have to take it, even though you don't like it-and I don't think
time, and what we don't like is not what is not to be done every time. If you go by what you like and don't like, you'll become a derelict, so what is to be done you do, and what is not to be done, you avoid. Excerpted from avgsatsang.org
- Guru Arjan Dev
O Nanak, if a blind man goes to assay jewels, he shall not know their worth and shall return after making an exhibition of himself. - Guru Angad
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October 6, 2017
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Democracies need to enforce hate crime laws AVI BENLOLO
W
e recently celebrated the Interna tional Day of De-
the other way. We provide military equipment as Canada has to Saudi Arabia and promote trade with nations that discriminate against others, and in many cases are spreading the seeds of hate and intolerance worldwide. For all of its good deeds in assisting the developing world with billions of dollars of investment aid in order to further democracy, the west is targeted relentlessly by terrorists who use the very freedom of movement and assembly to harm innocent people. Recently, on the International Day of Democracy, European cities have been placed on high alert as a result of a number of incidents, including
mine - having been the initial recipients of most terror attacks. Now it has spread to somocracy. ciety at large. Yet, the western world In Canada, while we speak seems to have lost hope of the about equity, anti-racism, tolvery fundamentals we are superance and peace building, posed to hold dear to our our hate crime laws fail to be hearts - freedom, equality, reenforced giving way to more spect and peace building. Dehate crime. mocracies are far from perfect We learned that in Quebec, and disparities within exist and the Crown Attorney dropped must be addressed to alleviate charges against two imams hardship and continued inwho were captured on video equality. preaching hatred and vioHowever, Gross Domestic lence against Jews at a Product, mortality and literacy Montreal mosque. rates are amongst the highest In Toronto, a Muslim comin the world among leading munity calls for the eliminanation states which practice tion of Jews each year at its democracy. Third-world develannual "Al Quds" protest at oping nations struggle with Queen's Park while violence persistent war, poverty, disparpromoting anti-Semitic pamphlet circulates the province, with little reaction from authorities. Graffiti stating "Hitler was Right" is spray painted on bridges without condemnation from leading public figures. If we are going to celebrate democracy and its fundamentals, we must learn to proPeople run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shooting in Las Vegas tect and defend our values and ideals. If ity, environmental degradation a bomb in the London subway democracies celebrate tolerand inequity. which injured 22 people; a ance, they cannot and should It's no wonder that democ- hammer attack in Lyon that not tolerate those who are inracies like Canada enjoy an in- critically injured two women tolerant of others. flow of migrants who hope to by a man running down the They must stand up to hate, live in a nation which respects street yelling "Allahu Akhbar"; enforce hate crime and hate the UN Declaration for Human a knifeman stopped by police speech laws and place our Rights, unlike the majority of in Birmingham and a highway very values and ideals - like the UN General Assembly. closed in Malmo after explo- women's rights, justice and Still, democracies have be- sives were found in a car. equality - first and foremost. come far too forgiving or comYet our democracy is failing Otherwise, I fear that if we are promising. While we preach to curb the attack on the west, not passionate about our exgender equality, we look the on our institutions and our ceptional democratic system, other way as non-democracies citizens. hope for humanity might be practice gender apartheid and We have seen a slow and lost. withhold women's rights, for steady degradation of our Avi Benlolo is a Canadian example. way of life since 9/11 with in- human rights activist, PresiWe say we want to promote creasing spate of terrorism dent, and Chief Executive Of"women and girls' leadership and relentless usage of rights ficer of Friends of Simon and participation in political, like 'free speech' to sow hate Wiesenthal Center for Holosocial and peace-building pro- and discord. In many ways, caust Studies, the Canadian cesses" which would be essen- Jewish communities across branch of the Simon tial to building democracies Europe have been like the so- Wiesenthal Center. Courtesy worldwide, but we timidly look called canaries in the coal New Canadian Media.
Did Gandhi fail?
M
ahatma Gandhi died a heart-broken man. The votary of peace and non-violence could not prevent the horrific violence during Partition that took the lives of over one million of his own people. His preaching of non-violence had fallen on deaf ears. Or is it that the British, while departing, took their revenge on him. They showed up that he might have won Independence for India through the trick of non-violence; his own people had little faith in his philosophy. To this day, Indians prefer violence and hardly anyone remembers Gandhi or his teaching, except once a year on his birth anniversary. There seems to be more appreciation of Gandhi and his philosophy abroad than in India itself. Was Gandhi not aware of this? And if so, did he attempt to amend his philosophy to suit the temperament of his countrymen? In a way Gandhi was guilty of violence in trying to impose his views on people whose consciousness was not ready to appreciate the high principle. It is said the disciple has to be ready and then only the Guru can impart his teaching. The people of India are not ready for non-violence. In fact they have been suppressed for so long that they had lost the spirit to fight back. It is only now that they are rising up and questioning their tormentors, and in the bargain if there has to be violence, so be it. Can you practice non-violence with the Pakistanis? Can you do so with the Chinese? Can you accept the mischief of the one and the bullying of the other? Would you not defend your land, property, your women against violators? Guru Gobind Singh worshipped Goddess Kali and with her blessings created Khalsa, a race to turn the cowardly Indians into fighters. The Sikhs are a race of fighters to protect the country and countrymen. Shall we now attempt to make them non-violent? They have traditionally been seen as fighters for justice. Similar is the case of many other communities like Dalits who are now not prepared to accept oppression. Can the wheel be turned back? Non-violence is for the sadhus and the enlightened ones. Even Gandhi himself struggled to practice it. He says somewhere, "I am but a poor struggling soul yearning to be wholly good, wholly truthful and wholly non-violent in thought, word and deed, but ever failing to reach the ideal which I know to be true. It is a painful climb, but each step upwards makes me feel stronger and fit for the next." Ordinary people engaged in their daily routines are less endowed for this struggle. There is an arduous path whose acme is non-violence. You cannot jump to it or follow it through some dictates. Gandhi gave credit to his "inner voice" for most of his crucial decisions. He was working on orders from within, whatever the cynical might say. However it is not possible for others who are not so evolved, to follow his lead. The inner process has to be gone through by each person individually. That is why Gandhi was unable to take his people along. He was too far ahead of them. Evolution after Gandhi has produced some better experiments to raise the people's consciousness through yogic practices. In this case only slow and steady will win the race. The prize of non-violence is still far away.
Datebook
54 India Post
October 6, 2017
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• Navaratri and Diwali Mela -
• Navratri Raas Garba 2017 with
Chinmaya Mission Alpharetta
Shaivangi Nirav and Mehul Rami
Venue: Lambert High School, 805
Venue: Community Art Center, 225
Nichols Road, Suwanee, GA 30024
McHenry Road, Buffalo Grove, IL
Time: 06:00 pm
60089
Show 2017 Venue: Arya Spiritual Center Ground, 104-20 133rd Street, NY 11419
Time: 04:00 am
Time : 03:00 pm
Sat, Oct 14
Fri, Oct 20
• 8th Annual Diwali Mela of
• The Grand Diwali Extravaganza -
tabla & Dave Holland, Bass
Secaucus 2017
Fashion Show
Venue: Schwartz Center for Perform-
Venue: Buchmuller Park, 106 1st
Venue: Le Grande Lounge, 224 East 49th
ing Arts Emerson Concert Hall, 1700
Street, New York, NY 10017
North Decatur Road, Atlanta, GA 30322
Time : 09:00 pm
Time: 08:00 pm
Avenue, Secaucus, NJ 07094 Time: 01:00 pm
Time: 07:00 pm
Thu, Nov 02 • Crosscurrents: Zakir Hussain,
Sun, Oct 14 • Diwali Festival of Lights Venue: Waubonsie Valley High School, 2590 Ogden Avenue, Aurora, IL 60504 Time: 12:30 am
Sat, Oct 07 • Heritage india Festival - Diwali extravaganza Venue: Dulles Expo Center (South), 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Chantilly, VA 20151 Time: 12:00 pm
Sat, Oct 21 • Diwali - The festival of Light 20177 Venue: Science of Spirituality Meditation Center, 2950 Arizona Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20016 Time: 05:00 pm
ILLINOIS
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Upcoming Sat, Oct 07 • "Moksha Deepam" / Memorial Service Vedic tradition of lighting a lamp by HPCC for long term Bay Area resident late Sri Durvasula Sastry garu to show the deceased the path to liberation. Venue: Badrinath Hall the Livermore Temple Time: 11:00 am Sastry garu's family members will be travelling to the Bay Area and will be present at this event.
Sat, Oct 07 • DUSSHERA DIWALI DHAMAKA 2017 Venue: Santa Clara Fair Grounds, 344 Tully Road, San Jose, CA 95111 Time: 11:00 am
Sat Oct 14 • Atul Purohit Navratri Dandiya & Raas Garba Venue: Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, 344 Tully Rd, San Jose, CA 95111 Time: 06:00 pm
Sat, Oct 20 • Vikram Hazra Song of the Soul Concert to Benefit Project Udaan Samosas, Chai, and Refreshments for Purchase Available Venue: San Mateo Performing Arts Center Sponsored by Overseas Volunteer for a Better India Time: 06:00 pm Tickets: http://vikram.brownpapertickets.com
Upcoming 1st and 3rd Sunday of Month • Chicago Children's Bal Mukund Character Building Program and Hindi Literacy Classes Venue: Vogelei Center, 650 W. Higgins Road, Hoffmann Estates, IL 60192 (Next to Nissan Dealership) Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807
Mondays and Fridays • Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Metropolitan Asian Family Services Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105
Mondays and Fridays • Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Where: Metropolitan Asian Family Services Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105
Swami Ishatmananda • Bhagavad Gita: Philosophy of life Venue: Public Library-95th Street 3015 Cedar Glade Rd Naperville IL 60564 Time: 1st friday of every month 7-8 pm Contact: 630-637-0662
• India Eternal: From the Vedic Age to the Present Venue: Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago 10915 N. Main Street Glendale Heights, IL 60139 Time: 10:00 pm Contact: 630-655-8822
October 6, 2017
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India Post 55
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October 6, 2017