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Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal, Long Beach
Suja wants community in policy making Details on page 10
Indian-American couple gifts $100 mn to NYU
VOL 21, No. 1098
October 9, 2015
50¢
Periodical Postage
Sridhar Kota
OUTSOURCING FEE ON INDIAN FIRMS SCRAPPED
Indian-American to lead new manufacturing
WASHINGTON: In a relief to Indian IT companies, the US has scrapped an additional fee of USD 2,000 for H-1B visa and USD 2,500 for L1 visa seen as discriminatory. Popularly known as outsourcing fee, such a fee was called discriminatory by Indian companies as it majorly affected them and hit their ease of doing business in the United States. The charges had forced Indian IT companies in the last few years to pay millions of dollars towards protecting the US-Mexican border from illegal immigration.
USIBC urges India in global trade pacts
The legislation with regard to a USD 2,000 fee on H-1B visas for companies having more than 50 per cent of its employees oversees was adopted by the US Congress in 2010 mainly at the instance of a group of lawmakers led by Senator Charles Schumer. Passed on August 10, the law contains provision to hike H-1B and L-1 Visa fee per application by USD 2,000 and USD 2,250 respectively for qualifying firm; which mainly targeted Indian IT companies. Details on page 44
Details on page 6
Jaitley: Growth opportunity for India
Details on page 7
Details on page 8
Indian-origin ice cream vendor shot dead Details on page 9
Adiyogi statue consecrated in Tennessee
Details on page 6
Details on page 16
Indian death toll in Haj stampede rises to 74
CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 30-31 Classifieds ------------------------- 52
Details on page 7
Community Post -------------- 16-26 Date Book -------------------------- 47
INDIA POST SURVEY
Edit Page --------------------------- 54
survey@indiapost.com
HealthScience Post --------- 32-35
This week’s question
Horoscope ------------------------- 27
Will Congress reimpose outsourcing fee?
Immigration Post ------------- 44-46 Life Style ----------------------- 36-39
Last week’s result
Modi’s second visit to US more successful? YES 37%
NO 63%
Philosophy ------------------------- 53 Publisher’s Diary ------------------ 4
SWAGATAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes German Chancellor Angela Merkel as she arrived for the ceremonial
Real Estate -------------------- 50-51
reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on October 5. (Details on page 5)
TechBiz Post ------------------- 12-15 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 40-43
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Publisher’s Diary
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mericans like to kid themselves into believing that their President - the President of the United States of America - is the most powerful man in the world. But actually, he is not. In fact, while many Americans want to believe that their President is powerful on the global front, at home, they prefer him to have no powers whatsoever. For, how else would the various interest groups, who wield the real power, manage to manipulate the mass psyche towards their own profits? Last week in Oregon, ten college kids were killed by one crazed man for no apparent reason. And I was amused to see a visibly frustrated President Obama, venting his anger at having to condole while condemning for the umpteenth time, just-another-one-of-those-mass shootings. Amused, that even after seven years in the White House, he was naïve enough to think his anger at something as futile an issue as lack of gun control in this country had any value. Obama was afraid that he may soon have to read about these mass shootings like one does the weather reports before stepping out to work. And just as well, it might come to that too. Because, with Obama's tenure nearing its end, the country is unlikely to see another political leader who will at least 'dare' to express anger on this issue. After all, in a country with such warped notions of freedom, asking for even common sense laws to control gun violence is a sacrilege. Just listen to what the Republican presidential front runners had to say after the shootings. Donald Trump says, if the teachers or even the students of that college had been armed themselves, this would not have happened. And Jeb Bush's reaction to the killings: "Stuff happens." I won't waste newsprint space to comment on those two gentlemen's attitude towards gun violence. But, if I have said this a thousand times before, I will say it again: this country needs no Taliban, Al Qaeda or ISIS, so long as it has its own profit-mongering mercenaries and an utterly stupid citizenry that see guns as symbols of freedom.
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HIGHLIGHTS Bollywood: Who started it? Jacqueline Fernandez and Arjun Kapoor are foxed by rumors in media about their alleged dating each other
Cover Story: German pledge Visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pledged about one billion euros for India's solar projects
Community: Adiyogi statue A 21foot statue of Adiyogi was unveiled and consecrated in Tennessee by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev in Tennessee
Levy scrapped In a relief to Indian IT companies, the US has scrapped an additional fee of $ 2,000 for H-1B visa seen as discriminatory.
Life style: Paintings of Varanasi 4 British artists have come out with stunning contemporary paintings of Varanasi which will be on view in London
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Stringent action India hints at stringent action against those who failed to disclose foreign black money under compliance window
Bundi This quaint little city is fast becoming a well-liked tourist attraction owing to it representing the culture of Rajasthan
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Germany pledges 1bn euros for solar projects NEW DELHI: Giving a thrust on clean energy, Germany has pledged about one billion euros (Rs 7,300 crore) assistance for India's solar projects as the two countries decided to forge a renewable alliance to boost cooperation in the sector. The joint statement issued after the meeting of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said both the countries will continue to intensify their cooperation in developing climate-friendly and sustainable solutions for India's expanding energy needs. The implementation of Green Energy Corridors Partnership, with an overall German commitment of 1.15 billion euros in the last two years, is progressing well, it said. "Both countries welcomed the MoU on an Indo-German solar energy partnership based on concessional loans in the range of one billion euros over the next 5 years," the statement said. India and Germany recognize that renewable energy and the efficient use of energy are effective
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a delegation level meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on October 5
approaches to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in both the countries, it added. Both countries also recognized that science, technology and innovation play a crucial role for the development of affordable, accessible and adaptable solutions in the areas of low carbon development, renewable energy genera-
tion and climate protection, it said. Especially solar energy R&D, manufacturing and deployment has great potential to increase energy access, foster economic development and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it added. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Federal Chancellor Merkel have therefore decided to forge
an Indo-German Climate and Renewable Alliance, a comprehensive partnership to harness technology, innovation and finance in order to make affordable, clean and renewable energy accessible to all and to foster climate change mitigation efforts in both countries," it said. This alliance shall intensify
Modi woos investors, hopes for GST roll out BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said India is a "bright spot" in global economic slowdown and assured foreign investors of favorable business conditions, including strong intellectual property rights protection.
technology and investment from outside." "We have introduced the GST Bill in parliament; we are hopeful to roll it out in 2016," Modi said at the Indo-German Summit here, sharing the dais with German
said India is committed to protecting Intellectual Property Rights of all innovators and entrepreneurs. A comprehensive National IPR Policy is being finalized, he said, adding that it will be "progressive and forward looking".
validity period of Industrial Licenses had been increased and regulatory clearances including security and environmental expedited. "We have taken very decisive steps to remove a number of long pending concerns of investors,"
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a family photo, at the Indo-German Summit 2015, organised by the NASSCOM & Frauenhofer Institute, in Bengaluru on October 6
He also said that the government hopes to roll out the Goods and Service Tax (GST) next year. Renewing government's commitment to creating favorable conditions for business and industry, Modi said: "Never before is India so well prepared to absorb talent,
Chancellor Angela Merkel. The GST bill is facing hurdles in the opposition dominated Rajya Sabha despite an aggressive push by the government for its passage. At the Summit attended by the who's is who of the India Inc, particularly the IT sector, Modi also
"Such a huge potential for creation and production will not be available in any one country," the Prime Minister said as he spoke of the slew of steps taken by the government to ensure ease of doing business. Modi said across the board the
he said. Government, Modi said, has fast-tracked approvals and clearances for industry as well as the infrastructure sector and is committed to creating favorable conditions for business. Cont’d on page 9
cooperation on climate and energy technology issues, including within the already existing fora established for this purpose, it added. It would foster stronger integration of all actors concerned with bilateral cooperation on climate and energy technology issues, and for this purpose will encompass progressive public and private sector entities from both countries, the statement said. It further said Germany welcomes India's intention to transform its energy sector by increasing the share of renewable energy, particularly solar, in electricity generation.
IGSTC extended To enhance cooperation in the field of science and technology, India and Germany have decided to extend the bi-national IndoGerman S & Technology Center (IGSTC) beyond 2017 with a twofold increase in funding every year, a move that will help in supporting industrially relevant Research and Development (R&D) projects. The move will see the funding going up from 2 million euro to 4 million euro in IGSTC projects that have potential to generate novel technologies and new intellectual property in sectors such as advance manufacturing, embedded systems, renewable energy, food security, clean water and health care technologies - all of which are in tune with present national missions of the government of India. India is the only country with whom Germany has such a bilateral R&D Centre dedicated to promote applied and industrial research. The IGSTC is already supporting 15 joint projects and protypes of some new technologies have been co-developed in solarthermal energy, stress tolerant chic-pea variety, and high altitude cold resistance plants.-PTI
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Indian-American couple gifts $100 mn to NYU NEW YORK: In one of the largest philanthropic gifts by a member of the Indian-American community, a couple has donated USD 100 million to New York
ing will principally support faculty hiring and academic programs and is intended to build on the engineering school's existing practice of cross-disciplinary innovation
Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon
University's engineering school, which will now be renamed after them in recognition of its gift. Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon's gift to the New York University's School of Engineer-
and entrepreneurship, NYU President John Sexton and the school's dean Katepalli R Sreenivasan said in a joint statement here. The school will be renamed the NYU Tandon School of Engineer-
ing in recognition of the Tandons "generosity and their belief in the school's mission and promise," the statement said. Chandrika is a member of the Board of Overseers of NYU's business school, a member of the NYU Board of Trustees and leads the NYU President's Global Council. Ranjan is an engineer by training and a graduate of the Harvard Business School. He is founder and chair of Libra Advisors, a hedge fund he founded in 1990 that is now a family office. The Tandons' donation is believed to be the largest philanthropic gift by a member of the Indian-American community, the university said. "Getting to know the engineering school was truly electrifying. The imagination and inventiveness of the students and faculty as they worked together on real world problems, the cutting-edge work being done both within the
school and collaboratively across schools in such diverse areas like the arts, medicine, education, incubators; the entrepreneurial spirit that pervades the place all this inspired us," she said. Sreenivasan said the Tandons' act of generosity is remarkable not only because of the size of
and digital education and gaming and enhance interdisciplinary programs such as financial engineering, technology management and innovation, and entrepreneurship in important areas such as clean energy. In 2010, Harvard Business School had received a gift of USD
Ranjan is an engineer by training and a graduate of the Harvard Business School. He is founder and chair of Libra Advisors, a hedge fund he founded in 1990 that is now a family office. The Tandons' donation is believed to be the largest philanthropic gift the gift, but also because it recognizes the importance of a school with which they had no prior affiliation. Funds from the gift will be used to further enhance programs, including wireless, cyber security,
50 million from Tata Companies, the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Tata Education and Development Trust, philanthropic entities of the Tata Group. The gift was the largest from an international donor in the School's 102-year history. -PTI
World needs 'additional shoulders' for growth NEW YORK: The world needs "additional shoulders" other than China to push economic growth and this presents an opportunity for India, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said. Addressing students and faculty at Columbia University here, Jaitley said the revolution of raising expectations in India is a good sign. He reiterated that India has now reached a situation where it is no longer satisfied with a 6 to 8 per cent growth rate and most Indians believe that "my normal is eight plus (growth rate), probably closer to nine per cent" and higher. "I see nothing wrong in the pressures being built on the decision makers that the faster you move the better it is for the government," he said, adding that being placed in such a situation is an opportunity for India. "One of the great shoulders the world was relying on (was) China. The world now needs some other additional shoulders to give a push to the growth rates. "It is a great opportunity and if we continue to move in the direction in which we are, I see over the next few years with a more friendly environment in the world as far as the economic scenario is concerned, probably our growth rates will move up, our ability to grow will move up and our ability to fight poverty at least will also improve," he said. Jaitley delivered the keynote address at the inauguration of the
said, adding that aggressive taxation did the country no good and does not bring taxes but it "brought us a bad name". "For anyone in the government, it would be a very serious challenge where assessment orders have been passed, can only be set aside by a judicial process and not by an executive decision," he said, adding that to resolve each one of these issues has been one of his toughest challenges. He, however, expressed satisfaction that one by one each of those issues related to direct taxes is now being put to rest. Jaitley said the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley speaks at the inaugural government is ceremony of Deepak and Neera Raj Center on Indian "keeping all opEconomic Policies at Columbia School of International tions open" to reand Public Affairs in New York solve the taxation said that according to internal es- issues either by judicial or executimates, this year "we could do a tive process. "I think the fears of retroactive shade better than that." He said that one of the main taxation... by and large have been problems of credibility related to put to rest," he said. taxation issues. Starting with the 2016-17 year, "As far as the taxation issues the corporate tax rate will be are concerned, a lot needed to be brought down to a 25 per cent flat done at our end and therefore in corporate tax. terms of direct taxes, we'd lost He is also looking to put most credibility with the world," he of the exemptions, except those Deepak and Neera Raj Centre on Indian Economic Policies at Columbia University s School of International and Public Affairs. Noting that India grew by about 7.3 per cent last year, Jaitley
which encourage individual savings, to an end. "Over the next four years this entire rate would come down to 25 per cent. And I will be removing each one of those exemptions one by one. I am shortly going to notify all the exemptions which are going to be rationalized this very year itself," he said. Pointing out the macroeconomic fundamentals, he said that inflation is broadly under control and the Central Bank has slowly but steadily in the last 16 months brought down the repo rate by almost 125 basis points while keeping inflation broadly under control.
Fiscal deficit is also under control and the country is on track to achieve its fiscal deficit target, he said. "Having achieved these fundamentals and correct fiscal prudence, we are targeting to reach a three per cent fiscal deficit figure over the next 2-2.5 years and we are well on track to achieve that," he said. When asked about the TransPacific deal reached between the US and 11 other partner countries and how India plans to counter such deals, Jaitley India would have to strengthen its own economy and it is in negotiations with various trade arrangements in various parts of the world.-PTI
Dadri like incidents hurt image: Jaitley NEW YORK: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has condemned the lynching of a man over beef eating rumor in UP, saying such incidents hurt the country's image. "India is a mature society. We need to rise above these kinds of incidents because they certainly don't give a good name as far as the country is concerned," he told reporters here after a lecture at Columbia University. He was responding when asked to comment on the lynching incident in Dadri which has
happened at a time when the government was wooing foreign investors. "I have also said they can amount to policy diversions in that context so it is the responsibility of every Indian in his actions or comments to stay clear of unfortunate and condemnable instances like this," the senior BJP leader said. A 50-year-old man was lynched and his son was critically injured by a mob in Dadri after rumors that they had consumed beef. -PTI
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Indian-American to lead advanced manufacturing WASHINGTON: An Indian-American engineering professor will lead a US consortium to identify new and emerging areas of advanced manufacturing that could benefit from shared public-private investment in research and development, education and training, the White House has said. Sridhar Kota, Herrick Professor of Engineering at the University of Michigan, will lead the university's work on a consortium, MForesight - The Alliance for Manufacturing Foresight, to identify new and emerging areas of advanced manufacturing that could benefit from shared public-private investment in research and development, education and training, a media release said. "In this 'think-and-do' tank, we will identify emerging technologies early on so the nation can invest public and private sector dollars in a way that builds the infrastructure, knowledge and workforce skills needed to anchor manufacturing technology in this country," Kota said. Kota served as assistant director for advanced manufacturing at the White House from 2009-2012. He helped create Obama's Advanced Manufacturing Partnership in 2011 and the Manufacturing Innovation Institutes in 2012. The US Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) said the consortium will commission teams of national subject matter experts to provide technology roadmaps and reports on selected emerging technologies that outline projections for development, application and economic impacts. NSF and NIST are funding MForesight with a three-year, USD 5.8 million cooperative agreement. "With collective access to over 30,000 subject matter experts across a wide range of industries, MForesight will serve as a continuous mechanism for research coordination across the public and private sectors," Kota said. 'Foresight' is the key word.
Indian death toll in Haj stampede rises 74 NEW DELHI: The death toll of Indians in the Haj stampede has risen to 74 with Saudi authorities announcing more causality, even as scores of people were still missing after the worst tragedy in 25 years to hit the annual pilgrimage. "Haj stampede - Saudi Arabia has released a further list. The Indian toll is now 74," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said here. Scores of Indians and people from other nationalities are missing since the stampede at the annual Haj near the holy city of Mecca on September 24. Swaraj had earlier said 78 Indians are missing and the government is doing everything to locate them. According to reports, tallies of the dead from foreign officials and media put the toll at 1,036. -PTI
"Having this access to private-sector viewpoints and studies on urgent questions related to manufacturing technology, R&D will help us better coordinate and prioritize research and funding," said the US Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Willie E May. Recommended by the President's Council of Advisors Sridhar Kota with President Barack Obama
on Science and Technology in its 2014 report, the consortium will study the needs, challenges and opportunities facing US manufacturing, producing on-demand studies within an anticipated shorter-than-usual turnaround time. "We must seek new research frontiers for manufacturing and pursue them for high-impact US manufacturing innovation and economic competitiveness," NSF Director France Cordova said. The alliance currently includes representatives from automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical, chemical, consumer products and semiconductor companies. -PTI
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USIBC urges India in global Senior citizens showcase talent at Jashn ll trade pacts India Post News Service
WASHINGTON: As the US and 11 other nations reached a landmark deal on the Trans-Pacific Partnership which aims to become the world's largest freetrade zone linking 40 per cent of the global economy, a top US industry advocacy has argued for India's integration into global trade pacts. "For India to reach its ambiguous economic growth targets, it needs to be integrated into global trade pacts, especially those that drive commerce in the dynamic Asia Pacific region," Mukesh Aghi, president of US India Business Council (USIBC) told PTI after the deal on TPP was announced by the US and 11 other countries. The 12 countries Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the US and Vietnam constitute 40 per cent of the global economy. "India's exploration of APEC membership, which is currently an informal precursor to TPP membership can unlock India's potential as a global manufacturing hub and deepen its ties with the global economy," Aghi said In fact USIBC's outgoing Chairman Ajay Banga of MasterCard has been strongly arguing in fa-
vor of India joining TPP. "APEC membership would help prepare India to participate in the emerging mega regional trade arrangements, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) that will define the future of global trade," Banga and the former Australian
‘India's exploration of APEC membership, which is currently an informal precursor to TPP membership can unlock India's potential as a global manufacturing hub’ Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, wrote in The Wall Street Journal in July. Aghi said recent study by the Peterson Institute for International Economics demonstrates that if India were to complete its domestic reforms and join an ambitious TPP agreement that included all of the APEC countries,
it could potentially expand exports by more than USD 500 billion per year. "On the other hand, if it were to stand outside the negotiations, while other countries entered a regional trade agreement, the Peterson study forecasts export losses of USD 50 billion per year, as trade is diverted away from India," Aghi said. However Indian officials argue that India is not left out of such international trading agreements. In Washington last month, the Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman refuted that India is being left out. "If you looking at India being left out. That's not really true," she told a Washington audience when asked about India not being part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, of which India is not a part. "We are very actively engaged in ARSEP (Asean Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) which consists of ASEAN and ASEAN FTA countries. So we actually in ARSEP are moving faster along with other members," Sitharaman said during a panel discussion on India-US economic ties organized by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a top American think tank. -PTI
India considered air strikes on Pak post 26/11 NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri has claimed that a US delegation led by former US presidential candidate John McCain had met him in the aftermath of 26/11 terror attacks expressing apprehensions that India may carry out surgical air strikes at the headquarters of terror outfits JuD and LeT near Lahore. Speaking to Karan Thapar on India Today TV's 'To The Point' program, Kasuri said the delegation which also included Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Richard Holbrooke, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan had visited Lahore. "I was no longer Foreign Minister. I received a call from an American diplomat that so and so is coming. We would like you to talk to him first and then there would be a quite lunch," Kasuri said ahead of the launch of his book 'Neither A Hawk Nor A Dove'
here. Kasuri said they sought his opinion as a politician and someone who had headed the Foreign Office for five years on what would be the likely reaction of the Pakistan Army and the people at
Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri
large if there was a limited Indian air raid on Muridke. He quoted McCain as saying, "We have come from India where there is a lot of anger. Supposing there is limited strike on Muridke, the headquarters of JuD'."
According to Kasuri, he told McCain that the Pakistani army will give a "measured" response in case of a strike inside its territory. "I said what do you mean? He (McCain) said supposing there is an air strike. I said are you trying to prevent a war? He said we think that may well prevent a war. I said here is my honest opinion. Pakistan army will give a measured response, within five minutes. It will be measured, it will not go haywire. It will be measured, commensurate with the severity of the attack on Muridke. "You give assurance that the Indian army will not react. And if they did, what would be Pakistan reaction? Everything could spiral out of control." -PTI
NEW DELHI: Jashn 2015, an Inter Senior sports and cultural festival organized by Ashiana Housing Ltd on October 3-4 at Bhiwadi, Delhi NCR, took the se-
nior citizens back to their college days, allowing them to relive those most beautiful years of their lives. It was a gala time for the senior citizens of Bhiwadi, Lavasa and Jaipur. Jashn 2015, the second edition, saw over 500 senior citizens' (aged 50-75) from Bhiwadi, Lavasa and Jaipur participating with full vigor and energy. With the theme being 'Back to college' elderly women were dressed in long skirts and sleeveless short kurta or Patiyalas and kurta with a pony tail or open hair, the senior men were seen Irrespective of their age, the senior citizens showed high sporting spirit and eagerly participated in the Carrom, Table Tennis, Badminton, Chess matches, walking, dancing, singing, knitting, salad making and Rangoli competition. What took the centre-stage at the extravagant event was the mesmerizing ramp walk by senior citizens. Many retirees were seen tapping on the beats of old Bollywood numbers after walking the ramp. Singing and dancing was the highlight of the event. Veena Seth who won the Dance (solo) competition said, "I always loved to dance. However, after I got married, responsibilities took the place of dance in my life. But with the Jashn 2015, dance has again become my priority and now I won't leave this passion before I die."
On the basis of winning points, the team Bhiwadi was declared as the overall winners for Jashn ll, 2015 followed by Jaipur as the first runner up and Lavasa as the second runner up. S Awasthi, the elated senior citizen who won the Badminton (Singles-Male) competition, noted, "As parents as well as grandparents, we have fulfilled all our duties with grace, love and care. Now, it is time for us to enjoy, live a carefree life and be happy. With this aim only, I participated in Jashn ll, 2015 and look, I have won." Talking about the theme 'Back to college', S K Sharma who won the Chess competition said, "Truly, this event reminded me of my college festival days. I was a chess champion in those days. I am very happy that I got a chance to showcase my talent again. Undoubtedly, the desire to win the competitions, hooting from friends, the run from event to event and partying at the end of it, Jashn ll, 2015 had it all." Not only the senior citizens but their families and grandchildren were excited too.
Dr Murlidhara, AGM, Senior Living from Ashiana, concluded, "Senior citizens have not only proved that they too can be competitive even at this age, but they have also broken the stereotypes attached with the old age. They have clearly shown that they are not someone who are feeble, incapacitated or content to sit in a chair all day, instead they still have the power and will to prove their worth. Jashn ll, 2015 was exactly all about this."
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German to be taught in Kendriya Vidyalayas NEW DELHI: German will be taught in Kendriya Vidyalayas as an additional foreign language while modern Indian languages will be taught in Germany, according to an understanding reached between the two countries to put a lid on a controversy that had erupted about a year back. An MoU was signed between
the two countries on the occasion of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit and under the understanding; a pact will be signed between the KV and Max Mueller Bhavan to formalize the arrangement. "German will be taught as an additional foreign language," Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar told
reporters here. He added that side by side modern Indian languages will be taught in Germany.-PTI Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a joint press conference following a meeting at Hyderabad house in New Delhi on October 5
Indian-origin ice cream vendor shot dead LOS ANGELES: A 45-year-old Indian-origin ice cream vendor has been shot dead by an unidentified gunman in the US state of California, prompting police to announce a USD 10,000 reward money for information leading to the arrest of the killer, media reports said. Jasvir Singh was fatally shot inside his van in California's Oakland city, San Jose Mercury News reported. According to residents of the locality, a gunman approached
Singh, shot him inside his van and ran away through the backyards. Police has announced a reward of USD 10,000 for information leading to the arrest of the killer. Local residents described the horror of the broad day-light killing and expressed their fears of rising crimes on the streets of Oakland city. "I don't understand why someone would murder our ice cream man," said Paula, a nearby resident.
Indian-origin man in UK drives bus into market LONDON: A 77-year-old In- has many years' of experience and dian-origin former mayor of a town has also passed a mandatory anwas reportedly driving the nual medical." double-decker bus which crashed Rowan, a pupil at St Anthony's into a supermarket in England's Catholic primary school in Coventry city, killing two persons Leamington Spa, was traveling on including an eight-year-old boy. the top deck of the bus with his Kailash Chander is said to have nine-year-old cousin who has also lost control and driven on to the sustained injuries. Six others inpavement before hitting at least cluding the bus driver were also four lampposts and crashing into injured. the city centre store. Chander, a father of two and former Labor Kailash Chander is said to councilor and former town Mayor of have lost control and Leamington Spa in driven on to the pavement Warwickshire county, had worked with Stage- before hitting at least coach Midlands for 42 four lampposts years. The company is yet to officially release his name but A spokesperson for the primary Chander has been named in some school said, "Our thoughts and UK media reports as the man be- prayers are with the families of hind the wheel of the packed bus, those affected by the tragedy which resulted in the death of which happened in Coventry." seven-year-old Rowan Fitzgerald Hancox, of Nuneaton, was a and Dora Hancox, in her 70s. pedestrian in Trinity Street when The company Stagecoach the bus crashed into the supersaid, "No driver we employ is al- market. lowed behind the wheel of our Her daughter left flowers where buses without us being satisfied she died with a note reading, "To that they are fully qualified, safe Mum. R.I.P. you did not deserve and meet all necessary legal re- to die like this, from Trina & Famquirements. In this case, our driver ily xx." -PTI
"I heard five shots and came to my front door. I just feel really bad; he was doing his job, and now he's gone," she added. Police were told that Singh immigrated to the US 17 years ago, was unmarried and had a 13-yearold daughter. He was a resident of Marysville, but also lived in the East Bay area. So far this year, Oakland has recorded 74 homicides - 15 more than at the same point last year. PTI
HSI condemns killing over 'cow slaughter'
Modi woos investors, hopes for GST roll out Cont’d from page 5
Bengaluru, said Merkel.
India is sailing in the right direction but could not be complacent, he said, adding that it presented a "bright spot" for investment when the world is facing a slowdown. On Indo-German business ties, Modi said they remain below full the economic potential and India wants to develop relationship with Germany in various sectors. "It is the software of India that will move the hardware of the
Visit to Bosch Earlier, Modi and Merkel visited the facilities of German automotive major Bosch here, as part of the chancellor's three-day state visit to India, with focus on innovation and skills development. To further strengthen its presence in India, Bosch said it plans to invest Rs 650 crore (over 100 million euros) in 2015. During the nearly two-hour long visit, the two leaders, accom-
FRANK FERNANDES
MUMBAI: In response to the recent killing near Delhi of a man accused of slaughtering and eating a cow, Humane Society International/India issued a statement condemning violence. N.G Jayasimha, managing director of HSI/India, said: "The very foundation of the animal protection movement is to reject violence in all its forms. This is a movement built upon compassion and feeling for all who live and breathe, and any act of violence toward people undermines the core ahimsa (non-violence) ethic we espouse. Such tactics are ethically wrong and do fundamental damage to the humane movement and its cause. We condemn any form of violence done in the name of protecting animals, and on the birthday anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of non-violence, we call upon all animal advocates to condemn this violence too. We welcome the quote Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on Facebook's Real Wall during a visit this week to the company's headquarters in California, USA, 'Ahimsa is the greatest Dharma'." Cow slaughter is illegal in the largely Hindu area of Uttar Pradesh where cows are considered sacred.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel visiting the Robert Bosch Engineering & Innovation Centre, in Bengaluru on October 6
world," Modi sought to emphasize at the "Indo-German Summit 2015: Digitizing Tomorrow Together." Five B2B (business-to-business) agreements were exchanged in the presence of Modi and Merkel at the event. Merkel said she and Modi are working together for reform of the UN Security Council through the G4 - Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan which support each other's bids for permanent seats on the UN body. Merkel said she and Modi would meet again in November at the G-20 summit. She said while India needs high skilled jobs, Germany requires high skilled labor. German engineering and India's IT expertise are fused here in
panied by a high-level German delegation, walked through the Bosch Innovation Center and the vocational training centre, enquiring about the company's research, engineering, and vocational education activities in India. "Readying the ground force for 'Make in India'," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted as the two leaders went through the facility, where they were gifted the "lion", the logo of the 'Make in India' campaign. "Preparing the next generation of technicians. Making the vision of Skill India a reality," Swarup said in his tweets during the visit of the two leaders, as they were briefed on "Industrie 4.0 to Big Data" on solutions developed at Bosch India.-PTI
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SATYAGRAH SOULS Indian Americans Making A Difference
October 9, 2015
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ATYAGRAH SOULS is a monthly column highlighting the achievements of Indian Americans locally and beyond, raising political awareness for our readers by presenting such role-models of inspiration for each of us to strive for similar uplifting purposes to reach higher zeniths of fulfillment. We Indian Americans are going through a transitional evolution, as we get entrenched, establishing ourselves in this free world, exerting our zealous work ethics and citizenship values as we do
some good - as entrepreneurs, high tech geeks, doctors, lawyers and more. We are imposing our good will upon this fantastic country. But in quiet moments we may concur that our involvement can run a bit deeper to make a better impact over issues near and dear to our hearts. We have this pinching feeling in our conscience of a task that needed our say. Are we doing enough? Yes we can get involved! Our involvement can simply start with developing a healthy curiosity in our local community, instead
of being 'busy' bystanders. Once we get involved, we quickly discover, how easy it is for us to impact change and how freeing and energizing the experience is; personally rewarding and transformative at the same time. There are some of us who are already beginning to or have made their a mark in doing just that. With this monthly series, we want to highlight these SatyAgrah souls as inspiration for all of us. Here is a satyaGrah soul, who has embarked upon a path not trodden‌
A MONTHLY SERIES - BY
RISHI KUMAR
'Community should D be more invested in policy making'
S
uja you have been serving the citizens of Southern California in various capacities. What motivates you to serve and give back? Suja: My parents instilled in me from a very early age that serving the public is not only a noble pursuit, but a requirement of maintaining a healthy community. I try to set the same example for my own 13-year old son in hopes that someday he'll make a difference in his own community. Suja how do you see the world of community leadership play out for women? Are there any impediments, predicaments that
ing number of women appointed to important boards and commissions in our city. I think we are a better community for having decision makers reflect the population. However, women make up only 30% of state and county elected officials and approximately 20% of electeds in Washington D.C. despite accounting for 50% of the population. While I think the perception of state and national politics as men-only clubs is diminishing, women still face the challenge of juggling their careers with the expectation of caring for the kids and the logistics of running a household. For many at the local level including myself, it's the added
Suja with a few local bicycling advocates in Long Beach, including Charlie Gandy and Melissa Balmer. Pics Allan Crawford
you have noticed as you seek to serve? How about the juggling for family, work, service etc - how do you keep up? Suja: I am encouraged by the growing number of women seeking and winning election to local leadership roles and the grow-
pressure of juggling a career as the sole breadwinner, serving one's community as a part time, but really full time elected, and raising a family. Having extended family in the picture certainly helps, but there is very little time reserved for oneself.
r. Suja Lowenthal was elected to represent the Long Beach Second District in a special election held on June 6th, 2006. She was re-elected to four-year terms in 2008 and 2012 and was selected by her col- cludes her work for the City of Los Angeleagues to serve as Vice Mayor in 2014, les Department of Aging and the Los conducting Council meetings and rep- Angeles City Attorney's Office as the Coresenting the City of Long Beach at spe- ordinator of its Domestic Violence Unit. cial events in the absence of the Mayor. She also has over 15 years of experiShe holds a Bachelor's degree in Eco- ence in the water industry serving policy nomics from UCLA, a Master's in Busi- roles in the Central Basin Municipal Waness Administration from California ter District, West Basin Municipal Water State University, Los Angeles and a District and Water Replenishment DisDoctorate in trict of Southern Policy, Planning California. In and Develop2007, she joined ment from USC. the Geological In 2001, Suja Sciences faculty was elected to as an Adjunct the Board of Professor at CaliEducation in the fornia State UniLong Beach University, Long fied School DisBeach, teaching trict and helped an upper-division it earn recogniclass on tion as the best California's water urban school supply, water-pricdistrict in the naing and best praction by the tices for water Broad Foundamanagement and tion. She served currently teaches as an alternate a class on Public to the California Policy. Coastal ComSuja has comVice Mayor Suja Lowenthal, Long Beach mission and bined her expericurrently repreence in the comsents Long Beach on the Board of Di- munity and on the school board with her rectors of the Metropolitan Water Dis- education in business and planning to trict of Southern California, a consor- address issues such as parking, public tium of 26 cities and water districts re- safety, water quality and commercial sponsible for providing high quality and development through sustainable, longreliable drinking water to nearly 18 mil- term policies. She has provided the polion in Los Angeles and surrounding litical will and leadership to advance the counties. Suja also serves on the board City's award-winning bicycle-friendly of Heal the Bay and as an alternate on agenda, progressive strategies in animal the Santa Monica Bay Restoration care services and green policies involvCommission Governing Board. ing plastic bags, recycling, stormwater Suja's professional background in- runoff and alternative forms of energy.
You started a mayoral campaign in 2013 but pulled out to run for the 70th Assembly District seat. What was the motivation to run for assembly? How was the assembly run? What did you learn? Suja: I began seriously considering the
switch after seeing the diminishing number of women in leadership roles at the State level and hearing from legislators who were also sole breadwinners with children managing the split week in Sacramento. Cont’ d on page 11
October 9, 2015
SATYAGRAH SOULS Indian Americans Making A Difference
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Community should be more invested in policy making : Suja Cont’ d from page 10
In addition, I was inspired by the prospect of having two younger, progressive individuals representing Long Beach in now-Mayor Robert Garcia and myself in Sacramento. As it stands, Long Beach got a dynamic leader as mayor and we are still in good hands in Sacramento with a former council colleague of mine winning the election. In some ways, losing that election was a blessing in disguise as I was able to focus more on my own professional career and assuming my role as Vice Mayor of Long Beach, helping our new mayor and members of Council get off to a great start. You decided to not run for a third term next year. What opportunities being an elected official provides for you that you miss out not being in office? Suja: Well, I have 9 months left in office, so I am not gone just yet. I still have plenty of legislation to introduce and want to make sure that current initiatives are carried out. And as I mentioned before, contributing to my community is as much a part of me as my Indian culture, so I'm looking forward to the next opportunity to serve the public.
How important is race? You as an elected leader - how invested are you to address
amongst the thought leaders shaping local, state and federal policies.
know decided to make a run for school board, was appointed to the planning commission. Provide us your insights on Indian Americans locally and nationally who are making things happen. These perspectives will help construct roadmaps for our community to empower ourselves, to hopefully ignite a desire in all of us to represent our local communities as doers, leaders, establish and entrench ourselves in this glorious country of America and help make it a better place **********
issues that are important to ethnic minorities and our Indian American Community. Suja: I am very proud to be the first Indian-American elected in Long Beach and I am very cognizant of Indian-Americans and south Asians in general, who choose to run for elected office. I am inspired by the diversity of our Mayor and City Council (Latino, Persian, Indian-American, African American, South American) and believe it's critical to voter participation that our elected bodies reflect the community.
A crisis your leadership experienced recently on the council was the power outages that your citizens experienced. How have you learnt to handle such crisis in Do you see the Indian community as united governance and does it lead to a stressful situation or an opportunity to excel? Suja: The power outages provided a real opportunity for our city to test its preparation, response and communication plans. On the whole, I think we were quite nimble and effective in getting information to the pubSuja on our new pedestrian path that opened earlier this year down by the beach. This path allows bicyclists and pedestrians to be separate (and safe) lic. Our main partner in the crisis, Southern California Edison, definitely working, collaborating to make a differstruggled but came away with a better un- ence? How engaged are we? derstanding of crisis management. Suja: I think the Indian community is evolving and maturing in American politics. The key for electeds in these types of We are beginning to see solid candidates in stressful situations is to be calm, forthcom- races at different levels of government. ing with accurate information (even if the However, I would like to see our community answer is "we don't know") and sharing the more invested in policy making. We cannot info in a timely manner. Unfortunately, much be the most successful immigrant group in of what we know is the result of learning this country and not care about lifting other through experience, so it's vital that leaders communities. Society and our collective interface effectively and efficiently with the quality of life only improve if we invest in public. one another and if we place ourselves
What next for you? As you look back at your accomplishments on the city council what are you most proud of? How have you seeded leadership amongst your friends and supporters? Suja: I am proud of many things during my 10 years on the City Council - perhaps more than can be published here. The short answer is that I'm proud to have lent the political will to change our city's mobility system to include bicycles, pedestrians and complete streets in planning and infrastructure; of championing a turnaround in our beach water quality and perception of our namesake beach; of leading a vision for our Downtown that's resulted in construction cranes dotting our skyline and a renaissance in our retail, restaurant and residential sectors; of developing partnerships with our neighborhood and business associations that's made a genuine difference in our collective quality of life; of conveying a tone and civility with my colleagues that allows for genuine discussion about the issues, not the personalities involved. Vice Mayor Lowenthal thank you! We wish you the best to continue the phenomenal work in Southern California and all future endeavors. We will be following you. Dear Readers Do you have a story to share? We invite you to introduce us to folks in your community who are making a difference - we would love to profile them. Are there similar stories you are familiar with locally. The ones who helped address a simple issue in the community to make life a bit better. Perhaps someone you
ABOUT RISHI: Rishi is Silicon Valley's energizer bunny deeply engaged in his local community. He is an elected city councilmember in Saratoga, CA who continues to follow his passion for community organizing and service. As city councilmember Rishi seeks to provide services to the citizens of Saratoga cheaper, faster and better; community outreach and engagement is a focus for him on the council. As Saratoga's community organizer, Rishi is host of many community events in Saratoga, many of which are free and always inclusive usually addressing a need or a cause. Community events such as Bike Safety workshop to help with safety of kids biking to school, Drought tolerant vegetation seminar, Documentary screenings, Saratoga has Talent annual competition that raises money for Saratoga's Seniors every year, Diwali, Dandia along with free weekly Sunday classes, such as Lego Robotics Club, Young Coders club, Meditation, Yoga. Rishi's day job is as a Silicon Valley hi-tech executive but his zeal for community service is effervescent. Rishi Kumar is the President of the Bay Area Indian American Democratic Club (www.baiadc.org) whose charter is to further the interests and values of Indian Americans, work towards political empowerment and advance ethical standards in the political system. Rishi would love to get your recommendations for coverage of engaged Indian American leaders who are trailblazers in your community. You can reach him via his website www.RishiKumar.com.
Tech News SpiceJet plans Amritsar-Dubai flights NEW DELHI: Budget carrier SpiceJet has announced launching of two direct flights to Dubai one each from Amritsar and Kozhikode - from next month and offered an all-inclusive introductory one-way fare of Rs 4,999. Dubai is one of the airline's six international destinations besides Bangkok, Colombo, Kabul, Male and Muscat. At present, the Gurgaon-based airline operates its flight services to Dubai from Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Madurai and Kochi. While SpiceJet will operate daily flights on the KozhikodeDubai route, flights on the Amritsar-Dubai route will operate six days a week, the airline said in a release, adding that the flights from these two cities are scheduled to take off from November 15. With the launch of these flights, SpiceJet will be serving Dubai direct from eight Indian cities - Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Kochi, Madurai, Amritsar and Kozhikode, with connections from dozens of more cities including Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru, the release said.-PTI
Adani inks pact with L&T for Kattupalli Port NEW DELHI: Adani Ports and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) say they have inked a pact to oversee operations of Kattupalli Port in southIndian state Tamil Nadu. "Adani Ports (Adani) has entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with L&T Shipbuilding (L&T) for evaluating the operations of the port at Kattupalli, Tamil Nadu, with effect from October 2015 for one month," Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) said in a filing to BSE. It said definitive agreements in this regard will be entered into later. "Adani shall be responsible for EBIDTA gains and losses arising from the port operation for this period," the filing said. L&T, in a separate filing, said the shipyard will continue to be managed and operated by L&T Shipbuilding. The development comes amid reports that Gautam Adani-led Adani group is likely to take over the operational and management control of L&T Kattupalli International Container Terminal near Chennai to strengthen its presence on the east cost.-PTI
TechBiz 12 India Post
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October 9, 2015
Ameren's $2.5 mn program for Ferguson area ST. LOUIS: Missouri's largest electric company has announced a $2.5 million initiative that will focus on education, economic development and energy assistance in St. Louis and North St. Louis County. Announcing the program, the Ameren Corp. said it aligns with a number of priorities identified by the Ferguson Commission. The task force was appointed by Gov. Jay Nixon in November to examine race relations, failing schools and other issues in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer. Ameren's contribution will come over a number of years, with $1 million targeted for education, $500,000 for economic development and $1 million for energy assistance.-AP
Non-declarants of foreign assets to face consequences: FM NEW DELHI: Hinting at stringent action against those who failed to disclose foreign black money under compliance window, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said they "now stand the risk" of information on them reaching the tax authorities while those who disclosed can "sleep well". He also described as "ill conceived" the comparison between the assessed income of Rs 6,500 crore in HSBC and Rs 3,770 crore declared during the compliance window, saying these should not be treated as income under amnesty schemes. Jaitley also said the government will soon make furnishing of PAN card details mandatory for cash transactions beyond a certain threshold to check flow of domestic black money. Stressing that bulk of black money is still within India, he said there is a need to change the attitude to make plastic currency the norm and cash an exception and the government is working with various authorities to incentivise this change. Jaitley also said that loans given by banks under MUDRA Yojana to entrepreneurs can only be withdrawn from ATMs. The Finance Minister blamed
the "high taxation regime in the past" for encouraging tax evasion and said the present "government's policy is rationalization of tax structures, taxing at reasonable rates, placing more money in the hands of small earners, encouraging and promoting
the one-time compliance window by 638 persons totaled Rs 3,770 crore. The disclosure of this amount, a day after this window closed on September 30, had drawn derisive reaction from Congress, which raised question about the announcement made by Prime Min-
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley
the use of plastic money by all sections of society and creating deterrence against those who continue to use unaccounted money". In a Facebook post, Jaitey also clarified that the previously assessed Rs 6,500 crore pertained to account holders in LGT Bank of Liechtenstein and HSBC Bank, Geneva, while declarations under
ister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address that the government's efforts to unearth foreign black money led to people declaring Rs 6,500 crore worth overseas assets. Referring to the declarations made under the compliance window, Jaitley said, "Those who chose to declare between this pe-
riod would not be prosecuted under the new black money law... These declarants can now sleep well." Under the new law, those who failed to make the disclosure within the compliance window would have to pay tax of 30 per cent and penalty of 90 per cent, and would be liable to be jailed for up to 10 years, he added. "This law will create a deterrent in future against the flight of capital from India," the minister said. Stating that Switzerland has agreed to share information in various cases, Jaitley said the automatic exchange of information with various countries would also ensure that "those with illegal assets abroad, who have failed to make declaration, would now stand the risk of information relating to them eventually reaching the Indian taxation authorities". In the Facebook post titled 'The NDA Government's campaign against black money', Jaitley said that no society can indefinitely sustain a system where income earners consider tax evasion to be a way of life. "Regrettably our high taxation regime in the past eventually ended up encouraging tax evasion. Cont’d on page 13
VW engineers admit installing cheat device BERLIN: Several engineers at scandal-hit German automaker Volkswagen have admitted to installing the device in the company's cars aimed at cheating pollution tests, a newspaper reported. Bild am Sonntag said the employees told an internal investigation that they had been involved in the affair, which came to light last month. "Several engineers stated that they installed the deception software in 2008," the newspaper said. Bild did not reveal their iden-
tities or say how many had made the admission. But it said their statements had
so far failed to unmask those who masterminded the scam. The engineers said the EA 189 engine, developed by VW in 2005, could not have complied with pollution caps and cost targets without the deception. Volkswagen has admitted that up to 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide are fitted with the so-called defeat device. The gadget detects when the car is undergo-
ing testing and switches the engine to a low-emissions mode. It then switches off this mode when the car is on the road. Under real conditions, the car spews out far higher emissions than is permitted. The global scam has wiped more than 40 per cent off Volkswagen's market capitalization and led chief executive Martin Winterkorn to resign. VW, a champion of German industry, has vowed to get to the bottom of the scandal with a probe led by a team of US lawyers. -AFP
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October 9, 2015
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India expected to weather global volatility: World Bank WASHINGTON: Lifted by the prospects of faster implementation of reforms and a favorable terms-of-trade shock, India is expected to weather global volatility with real GDP growth projected to increase to 7.5 per cent despite a weak export recovery, the World Bank has forecast. Confirming India as the fastest growing among large economies in the world, the bank in its latest report projects the country to grow by 8 per cent by 2017/18. With China gradually transitioning into an environment of lower growth, India could durably occupy the top growth spot among large emerging markets, it said. In its latest South Asia Economic Focus Fall 2015, the WB said, "lifted by the prospects of faster implementation of reforms and a favorable terms-of-trade shock", the Indian economy has remained on a path of modest acceleration as reflected in improvements in investments, and industrial output. However, the delay in implementing key reforms on the domestic front, a weak trade performance and the recent slowdown
in rural wage growth pose risks to growth, it said. The terms-of-trade shocks are identified based on their impact on commodity prices, global manufactured prices, and global economic activity. Economic activity in India, the bank said, is expected to accelerate gradually, on the back of im-
proved industrial activity, a continued revival of the investment cycle and resilient consumption. "India is expected to weather global volatility in 2015/16, with real GDP growth projected to increase to 7.5 per cent despite a weak export recovery," the bank said. Public investments are expected to accelerate, in line with the government's stated focus on enhancing infrastructure investments, and start crowding in private investments.
With the expected upward momentum in investment, the overall growth momentum can gradually reach 7.9 per cent in 2017/18. Private consumption may also receive a fillip from the imminent civil service pay revisions and is expected to grow by 8 per cent by 2017/18. On the production front, the acceleration would be supported by construction activity at first, with manufacturing gradually picking up pace, the report said. At the same time, the bank said India's projected growth outlook is subject to substantive downside risks. The most immediate is related to corporate and financial sector balance sheets, and in the longerterm the implementation of the Government's reform program e.g. GST, land acquisition, and improvements in the business climate, some of which have been delayed, it said. Unblocking the pipeline of infrastructure projects, ensuring sustainable means of financing and unlocking private investment are necessary to realize the meaningful and sustainable increase in investments embodied in the baseline scenario, the bank said.PTI
Govt received Rs 4147cr in disclosures NEW DELHI: Government collected Rs 4,147 crore during the 90-day black money disclosure compliance window, which is higher than the previously announced amount of Rs 3,770 crore, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said here. Adhia said while the total number of disclosures is 638 as stated last week, the total illegal foreign assets brought to book stands at Rs 4,147 crore. The government's total tax receipt from the black money declared during the window will be Rs 2,488.20 crore. The government had on October 1 declared that a total of Rs 3,770 crore of black money was declared during the compliance
window. This, he said, was based on preliminary count of the declarations made. After taking into account the declarations that came in envel-
ops, the total number comes to Rs 4,147 crore, he said adding the envelops had been counted but the declarations in them were not re-
flected in the October 1 figure. The one-time 90-day compliance window provided to holders of undeclared foreign assets ended September 30. It provided an opportunity to foreign assets holders to declared assets, pay a total of 60 per cent tax and penalty and escape stringent provisions of the new black money law. He said under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), signed with the US, India has already started getting information. "Wealth of information has come from US," he said. He said as many as 132 prosecutions in 43 cases out of the HSBC Swiss list have been filed. -PTI
‘Non-declarants of foreign assets to face consequences’ Cont’d from page 12
"The UPA government had tried to evade the Supreme Court direction on one pretext or the other for over three years. The (NDA) Government swung into action and accelerated all the income tax assessments against those with regard to whom information about holding illegal money abroad in Liechtenstein and in the HSBC bank at Geneva, were available. "Most assessments have been completed and wherever illegalities are being found, criminal pros-
When States tax their people reasonably, they can persuade them to honestly declare their incomes. The early decades after independence witnessed India with high taxation rates, prompting people to evade. "The capacity of the State to detect evasion was less than adequate," he said. The Finance Minister further said that the NDA Government has adopted a conscious strategy to put more money in the pockets of middle and low inThe NDA Government has come groups by raising exemption limits and adopted a conscious stratincentivising savings egy to put more money in through fiscal policy. "This will encourage the pockets of middle and consumption and bring low income groups by raismore money into the sys- ing exemption limits tem," he said while listing measures like lowering of corporate tax rate to 25 per ecutions have been launched cent over the next four years and against beneficiaries of these bank phasing out of most exemptions, accounts. other than those which incentivise "A total peak balance of about savings and said the Modi govern- Rs 6,500 crore in these accounts ment is stands by this commitment. has been assessed," he added. On the Modi government's Jaitley further said that the campaign against black money amounts involving HSBC lists and stacked abroad, Jaitley said in its the recently concluded complivery first Cabinet meeting it imple- ance window should not be commented the Supreme Court's direc- pared with the past amnesty tion to constitute the Special In- schemes relating to domestic vestigation Team. black money.-PTI
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India's poverty rate lowest among poor nations WASHINGTON: India accounted for the largest number of poor people in any country in 2012, but its poverty rate was lowest among countries having large number of poor population, a latest World Bank report has said. According to the report, the number of people living in extreme poverty around the world is likely to fall to under 10 per cent of the global population in 2015. "India was home to the largest number of poor in 2012, but its poverty rate is one of the lowest among those countries with the largest number of poor," the bank said. Giving fresh evidence that a quarter-century-long sustained reduction in poverty is moving the world closer to the historic goal of ending poverty by 2030, it said a new methodology applied to household surveys in India suggests that its poverty rate could be even lower. According to the report, the poverty rate in low-income countries averages 43 per cent in 2012, compared to 19 per cent in lowermiddle-income countries. Yet lower middle-income countries are home to about half of the global poor, compared to a third for low-income countries. Part of the reason is that four nations with the largest popula-
tions were once classified as lowincome but have moved into lowermiddle-income category: China, India, Indonesia and Nigeria. Noting that connective infrastructure is a crucial means of linking the farms and firms where the poor live and work to markets, the bank said rural electrification in
Rural electrification in India has caused changes in consumption and earnings, with increase in the labor supply of both men and women, and promoted girls' schooling India has caused changes in consumption and earnings, with increase in the labor supply of both men and women, and promoted girls' schooling by reallocating their time to tasks more conducive to school attendance. Investment in integration and connectedness through railroads in India helped reduce the exposure of agricultural prices and real income to rainfall shocks, and
helped diminish the famine and mortality risks associated with recurrent weather shocks, it said. In its report, the bank uses an updated international poverty line of USD 1.9 a day, which incorporates new information on differences in the cost of living across countries. The new line preserves the real purchasing power of the previous line (of USD 1.25 a day in 2005 prices) in the world's poorest countries. Using this new line (as well as new country-level data on living standards), the bank projects that global poverty will fall from 902 million people or 12.8 per cent of the global population in 2012 to 702 million people or 9.6 per cent of the global population this year. "This is the best story in the world today - these projections show us that we are the first generation in human history that can end extreme poverty," World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said. Kim said the continued major reductions in poverty were due to strong growth rates in developing countries in recent years, investments in people's education, health and social safety nets that helped keep people from falling back into poverty. He, however, cautioned that
PAN to be made must for large cash spending NEW DELHI: To check generation of domestic black money, the government will soon make it mandatory to furnish PAN card details for cash transactions beyond a certain threshold, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said here. "The government is at an advanced stage in considering the requirement of furnishing PAN card details if cash transactions beyond a certain limit are undertaken," Jaitley said in a Facebook post. He said the monitoring regime of the income tax department has been strengthened and its capacity to access information and apply technology driven analytical tools to expose evasion, has been enhanced. "Its ability to detect large cash withdrawals, or large cash transactions which enter the system, is being strengthened. GST regime once introduced will also be a landmark step in this direction. "Thus for commodities like gold where the initial purchase by
the exporter is after the payment of custom duty, the subsequent transactions which are mostly in cash, can easily be found out," Jaitley said. In 2015-16 Budget, the Finance
Minister had proposed making quoting of Permanent Account Number (PAN) mandatory for all sale and purchase of over Rs 1 lakh. "Quoting of PAN is being made mandatory for any purchase or sale exceeding the value of Rs 1 lakh. The third party reporting en-
tities would be required to furnish information about foreign currency sales and cross border transactions," Jaitley had said. Thereafter, the government had received representations from various persons, including MPs, MLAs, trade and industry associations among others, against the proposed mandatory quoting of PAN for sale or purchase in excess of Rs 1 lakh. Stressing that bulk of black money is still within India, Jaitley said there was a need to change the national attitude so that plastic currency becomes the norm and cash an exception and the government is working with various authorities to incentivise this change. -PTI
with slowing global economic growth, and with many of the world's remaining poor people living in fragile and conflict-affected states, and the considerable depth and breadth of remaining poverty, the goal to end extreme poverty remained a highly ambitious target.
fall to 5.6 per cent from 6.2 in 2012. In South Asia, the poverty would fall to 13.5 per cent in 2015 compared to 18.8 per cent in 2012; Sub-Saharan Africa poverty would decline to 35.2 per cent in 2015 compared to 42.6 per cent in 2012. "Development has been robust over the last two decades but the
"This new forecast of poverty falling into the single digits should give us new momentum and help us focus even more clearly on the most effective strategies to end extreme poverty. But it remains within our grasp, as long as our high aspirations are matched by country-led plans that help the still millions of people living in extreme poverty," he said. In its regional forecast for 2015, the WB said poverty in East Asia and the Pacific would fall to 4.1 per cent of its population, down from 7.2 per cent in 2012; Latin America and the Caribbean would
protracted global slowdown since the financial crisis of 2008, is beginning to cast its shadow on emerging economies," said WB Chief Economist Kaushik Basu, a former Chief Economic Adviser to the Indian Government. "There is some turbulence ahead. The economic growth outlook is less impressive for emerging economies in the near future, which will create new challenges in the fight to end poverty and attend to the needs of the vulnerable, especially those living at the bottom 40 per cent of their societies," Basu added. -PTI
GDP to exceed 7.5%, taxes to fall short NEW DELHI: Government has said revenue collection will fall short by Rs 50,000 crore but expressed confidence that economic growth will exceed 7.5 per cent, with fiscal deficit remaining within the budgeted target. "Our macro-fundamentals remain strong. We are now better placed to handle unforeseen external shocks and to put India firmly on the path of economic recovery and inclusive prosperity," Finance Secretary Ratan Watal said at a press conference along with other secretaries and the Chief Economic Advisor. One of the concerns is revenue collection, which according to Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia will fall short of the budgetary target by 5-7 per cent, mainly because of subdued
growth in direct taxes. The total tax revenues are likely to be around Rs 14 lakh crore in the current fiscal, as against the budget estimate of Rs 14.5 lakh crore. As regards growth, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said there are indications that it will exceed 7.5 per cent in the current financial year. "Despite the global slowdown and declining export demand, India has emerged as the fastest growing major economy in the world," said an official statement, adding that the government will continue to implement its reform agenda to realize potential growth rate of 8 per cent plus over time. On the price situation, it said the "outlook for inflation is also good, as indicated by the RBI in its latest monetary policy review. -PTI
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'Linking villages to Internet good 1st step' WASHINGTON: India's move to link its all six lakh villages to high-speed Internet using fiberoptic cable is a good first step, but the government must de-regulate the entire system to unleash the true potential of young Indians, the co-founder of a leading job portal has said. Vir Kashyap, co-founder and chief operating officer of Babajob.com, was one of the few
people present at the Facebook Townhall Q&A with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Silicon Valley last month. He had asked Modi about government's investment plans to enable the next 800 million to a billion Indians get online. The prime minister had said the government "will need to stress on two things physical infrastructure and digital infrastructure."
In a recent interview, he said this was a good first step. "I think it is a good first step... but obviously I would like to see a little bit more plan laid out," Kashyap said. Kashyap, who lives in Bangalore, moved to India eight years ago and co-founded Babajob.com. According to him, for every 10 people to be connected with the Internet would create one job.
Kashyap said Modi's reply reflected the priorities of his government. "He did obviously respond to
ThyssenKrupp plans its first elevator plant in India ESSEN: ThyssenKrupp AG has firmed up plans to build its first elevator manufacturing plant in India costing Euro 44 million, as the German industrial conglomerate mulls to make the country an export hub to cater to the require-
dia Elevators Market Forecast & Opportunities 2020', elevators market in the country is projected to surpass USD 1.6 billion by 2020. It said that increasing publicprivate investments in infrastructure development and construc-
ments of South East Asia and Af- tion sector, along with increasing rica in diversified business areas. number of residential complexes, Top company officials said the are expected to drive sales of elground-breaking ceremony for the evators during the forecast period. proposed multipurpose plant at Ongoing government housing Chakan in Pune, which would projects and metro expansion have a capacity to manufacture across various cities are also pro6,000 elevators per annum, is pelling the demand for new instalslated for October 13. lations in different parts of the "The multipurpose factory will country. deliver more suitable products to The company is also "absomeet demand in India, where sky- lutely" exploring the possibility of line has changed in recent years," said Oliver Burkhard, a member of Ongoing government the Executive Board housing projects and and in-charge of remetro expansion across gions including India. India has some of the various cities are also fastest-growing urban propelling the demand for areas and also it's the world's fastest-growing new installations elevator market, he said. "In terms of potential sales for making India an export hub for marour products as well as talented kets in Africa and South East Asia, people for our production and ser- Burkhard said. vice centers, India is an important "There is more traffic for part of ThyssenKrupp s strategy ThyssenKrupp business from Infor growth in the next few years," dia to Africa. We see lots of busihe said. ness coming out of India to counAccording to recently released tries such as Malaysia, Vietnam, TechSci Research report titled 'In- Thailand and Myanmar. May be
there is a way around it which is of interest for us," he added. Present in diversified business areas, the Euro 41 billion ThyssenKrupp s products and services range from plant design and engineering to building industrial plants, marine systems and elevators to engine components, bearings and undercarriages. -PTI
the point that they are focusing about it, I think it is a good first step," he said. At the Townhall, he had said he saw a "great promise" to be able to impact India's digital revolution and enable millions of people to get better jobs using the Internet. "In this age, I think, one of the government's main roles should be
to invest in the digital infrastructure, which will allow its citizens to get connected and be able to be productive citizens of the global society." Kashyap also argued t h a t deregulating the system, eliminating unnecessary regulations would help in unleashing the true potential of Indian youths. "Prime Minister himself said the government has no business to be in business," Kashyap said. To run a company one needs a reliable power supply, Internet access and tele-communication. "Those are three essential things that any business needs, especially in the Internet business, like ours," he said. -PTI
Desi News Sikhs in US raise money for students in Punjab WASHINGTON: Sikhs in the US have raised USD 210,000 to provide financial assistance to poor and needy students in Punjab for higher education. The fund was raised at a glittery gala, featuring pop singer Jaz Dhami, organized by Gajinder Singh Ahuja, chairman of Sikh Human Development Foundation (SHDF), a statement said here. Gurcharan Singh Kanwal of Virginia, was the highest donor with USD 50,000. "We have been blessed with gifts from our Creator and we ought to share these with those who need it the most," he said in his remarks. In recognition of his commitment and contributions towards higher education for the youth, Kanwal and his wife Kamaljit Kaur were honored with the SHDF Community Higher Education Empowerment Award. -PTI
Gandhi Banquet and Peace Walk a big success India Post News Service
Dallas, TX: Mahatma Gandhi Memorial of North Texas (MGMNT) hosted a special vegetarian and non-alcoholic gala banquet on October 2 at Park Plaza Towers in Dallas attended by over 300 members and guests Taiyab Kundawala, Co-chair, MGMNT explained the theme of the banquet and welcomed gathering to celebrate 146th Gandhi Jayanthi. Sukanya Bharatram, great granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi, attended the event as a Keynote Speaker. Details on page 20
NFL Alumni honors Ritu Maheshwari India Post News Service
SANTA CLARA, CA: The National Football League Alumni is a non-profit service organization of retired NFL players who work voluntarily on behalf of youth and charity. It was formed as an outgrowth of philanthropic and civicminded impulses of men who performed at the highest level of the nation's most popular spectator sport and used that experience as a springboard to success in later life. Details on page 21
COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA
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There is one God, who exists in uncountable divine forms
October 9, 2015
Details on page 25
21foot statue of Adiyogi unveiled and consecrated in Tennessee India Post News Service
TENNESSEE: An unprecedented event in the history of yoga has been achieved in the Western world with the grand opening of Adiyogi: The Abode of Yoga. The powerful meditation space is a tribute to the Adi Yogi, the world's first yogi who offered the ancient yogic sciences to the world. The visually striking, $8 million, 30,000 square foot Abode is a two level structure housing several unique spaces for yoga and meditation. The main level features a 21-foot statue depicting the Adi Yogi alongside a consecrated copper linga. Lingas, ellipsoid-shaped energy forms, are connected to mysticism and can be seen in many ancient temples of throughout the world. "Traditionally, only priests would have access to the linga," Sadhguru says. "But this is a powerful energy form that everyone can be in physical contact with." The linga will be submerged in water, and all will have the opportunity to touch the linga, imbibing and benefiting from the energy that it will radiate. Sadhguru, a mystic of grand proportions, conducted the consecration through the ancient mystical science of pranapratishta, where life energies are used to create a powerful space for one's spiritual fulfillment and wellbeing. If you transform mud into food, we call this agriculture. If you make food into flesh and bone, we call this digestion. If you make flesh into mud, we call this cremation. If you can make this flesh or even a stone or an empty space into a divine possibility, that is called consecration. -Sadhguru. For decades, Americans have traveled to India to imbibe energized spaces and authentic methods of self-transformation; now this opportunity has been transported to the West. An aerospace attorney from San Diego who attended the consecration shares, "I no longer feel the need to travel to India for my spiritual growth, now
Adi Yogi Abode Consecration by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev
the possibility is here." As a contemporary Guru, Sadhguru has a unique ability to explain and make relevant the ancient yogic sciences that appeal to all backgrounds irrespective of race, religion, nationality, gender and creed. To that end, and with resplendent festivities and fervor, nearly 2,000 people from across the globe came to witness the event. They came together for the consecration ceremony of the Abode, which is the latest to adorn the 1,400 acre ashram which was home already to Mahima-a 39,000 square feet
meditation dome, the first of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. The culmination of such dedication was a 3-day consecration event from September 22nd to the 24th. Thousands of participants became part of the process as Sadhguru, led them through intense processes. For months prior to this momentous event, volunteers from all over the U.S. drove and flew to the ashram, known there as the Isha Institute of Inner Sciences. Recognizing the power the US wields in the world today, Sadhguru has said that if Ameri-
The assembled devotees with Sadhguru
cans become meditative and start making the inner journey offered by yoga, it would have an outsized impact on the world. The Abode also details the yogic system of BhutaShuddi, which means "purification of the five elements." The basis for all creation, including the physical body, is comprised of earth, water, wind, fire, and space. The wellbeing of the body and mind can be established by purifying these five elements within the human system. This process also shapes the body into a stepping-stone towards one's spiritual transformation. Sadhguru's life's work is to offer the ancient science of yoga in its most powerful and authentic form. "Yoga does not mean standing on your head or holding your breath. Yoga is the science and technology to know the essential nature of how this life is created and how it can be taken to its ultimate possibility." Sadhguru adds, "I want this one message to reach every human being. No matter what they are going through in their lives - their struggles, frustrations, madness, longing - that if they are willing to strive, they can transcend all of this." The Adi Yogi Abode will be a space for inner wellbeing and will offer visitors the unique opportunity to imbibe the energy of this powerful space 365 days a year from 8:00am to 8:00pm. On weekends, full moon and new moon days, there will be Aarti (an offering of camphor and light) in the evening. There will also be various processes and rituals offered at the Abode. These unique rituals assist in every step that one takes in one's life, from birth and death, to everything in-between, such as baby naming ceremonies, weddings and more. These rituals are designed to ensure that every life situation becomes a possibility to be touched by the Divine. Visitors can also make offerings of garlands, oil for lamps, camphor and ghee. Cont’d on page 19
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Silicon Valley Youth Tech Day a big success DHANA PAWAR
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he first annual Silicon Valley Youth Tech Day was conducted on September 12 and was run by the youth of the Silicon Valley community at Saratoga's Joan Pisani Community Center. Shivaum Kumar, founder of Silicon Valley Young Coders club was the event chair. There were various panels, speakers and presenters at this event.
Ash Kalra. Moderator: Councilmember Rishi Kumar, Saratoga The Panel 2 topic was: Why does Silicon Valley succeed the way it does. The speakers were VP/GM Intel Geetha Dabir, VP Coupons.com Dhana Pawar, CEO QMAT Francois Henley, CFO AMD Devinder Kumar, SVP/GM VMware Charles Fan, CEO Pulse Secure Sudhakar Ramakrishna. Mod-
Shivani Govil, Board of Director Legal.io Van Dang, Former CEO Cavirin Purnima Padmanabhan, CEO SilRay April Zhong, Sr Director Citrix Minoo Gupta. Moderator: Vidushi Somani The Segment: Whiz kids of Silicon Valley was anchored by Shivaum Kumar. Youth presenters were Daniel Bossnov, Raj Janardhan, Krishna Ramesh, Samaira Mehta, Lakshay Maharana, Patrick Li, Rohan Koodli and Pranav Luxmi
first time for me. What stands out though was the energy of the youth presenters. I was so amazed to see what the youth of our community were doing, because some
Dhana Pawar discusses the event with Shivaum:
(L-R) SVP/GM VMware Charles Fan, CEO of Pulse Secure Sudhakar Ramakrishna, CEO QMAT Francois Henley, VP/GM Intel Geetha Dabir, CFO AMD Devinder Kumar. VP Coupons.com Dhana Pawar with moderator and organizer Shivaum Kumar, Sophmore Saratoga High School. Pics Suraj Mididadi, Saratoga High School Sophomore
The Panel 1 topic was: Policies to foster innovation in Silicon Valley. The speakers were Assemblymember Kansen Chu, President of Santa Clara County Dave Cortese, Mayor of Milpitas Jose Esteves and San Jose Councilmember
erator: Shivaum Kumar, Founder Silicon Valley Young Coders Club The Panel 3 topic was: Girls and Technology - a great combination. The speakers were: SVP/GM Symantec Ana Pinczuk, VP Mobile Innovation SAP
Tulsi Gabbard greets Modi in San Jose PRAKASH M SWAMY
SAN JOSE: First and only Hindu Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) shared the stage with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he was welcomed by a crowd of more than 18,000 people at SAP
"I met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and welcomed him during this visit that has been focused on technology and innovation and how they can be leveraged to empower people in both of our countries," said Gabbard. "There are many different areas and sectors where the United States and India's growing friendship will cover mutually beneficial ground. Prime Minister Modi's second visit to the United States has allowed us to continue to strengthen those bonds and explore new opportunities for us to work together." The Prime Minister's 2-day tour of Silicon ValCongresswoman Tulsi Gabbard welcoming Prime Minister Narendra ley included meetings Modi with a fresh ginger flower from Hawaii, a tradition shared by the people of India with technology executives who offered their Center in San Jose. ideas and assistance in bringing India fully Just before the Prime Minister took the into the digital world. India is the world's stage, he met with Congresswoman Tulsi fastest-growing economy, and use of the Gabbard and other Members of Congress Internet and smartphones is growing rapto discuss plans to build U.S.-India relations idly, providing new markets for American and promote technology partnerships. companies.
Shivaum, I was happy to join and support the first Silicon Valley Tech Day. What were the highlights that stand out for you from that afternoon? Shivaum: I was thrilled to make the first annual Tech Day happen. Many volunteers jumped in to help and I was quite pleased with the Commendation by Assemblymember Kansen Chu and wife Daisy to Silicon Valley Coders Club's team effort. I wasn't quite sure how President Shivaum Kumar. it would all turn out, but we had Kansen was on the elected leaders panel fun putting it together, and it was a great event. The panelists that came were of them were less than 8 years old. We see great, the elected leaders, industry execu- the panelists who obviously were famous tive and women-in-technology panel were and successful, but I enjoyed seeing kids all very insightful and informative. I enjoyed like me up there presenting. Cont’d on page 19 moderating one of the panel discussions, a
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Cambodian dance evokes reverential mood ARCHANA ASTHANA
SAN JOSE: Cultural dance traditions preserved for centuries bind people from that land. When that land and its culture is threatened during political strife, it is that much harder for proponents of dance to persevere and preserve their heritage and reclaim it for future generations. Cambodian classical dance, also known as court ballet is one such precious art form that, despite the destruction wrought by Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979, was brought back due to relentless pursuits by true devotees of this dance form. Sangam Arts, a Silicon Valley nonprofit organization co-founded by Usha Srinivasan, enlivened our understanding of this art form at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose. The presentation was a dual winner, as the stage was also shared by the highly acclaimed Bharatnatyam dancer from India, Lavanya Ananth exhibiting her expertise. Charya Burt, a master teacher, dancer and choreographer presented the traditional Cambodian dance and served literally as the country's cultural ambassador, although she, herself is now based in California. The simple, yet profound movements evoked a deeply religious and reverential mood, as the dancer, in her first piece, "Of spirits entwined" sought the blessings of spirits and past dance masters through offerings of fruits, incense and flowers. The dancer gracefully and slowly gyrated
and moved fluidly with elaborate wrist and finger flexions and toes flexed upwards with bent knees: salient techniques that demand flexibility, precision and controlled move-
The two dancers- Pic Prabhakar Subramanyam
ments executed in slow, long and repetitive patterns. The piece was accompanied by live singing and spoken word, as the masked dancer performed the rituals in a simple white garb...a symbol of purity, before removing the mask and donning jewels and a richer garb to present herself as a
dancer. communicating through their different styles Charya's second piece was reflective of and mediums. Here, the medium was dance, her personal journey into the Western however, the similarities and differences world, and the accompanying isolation felt were developed further, as each artist during such shifts. This exploration was sought to demonstrate the key techniques accompanied by three types of music - and expressions that anchor their individual poem, a piece with drums, and finally a jazz traditions and styles. Another endearing version, which symbolized the transforma- component of the evening was the "Artists tion into her new home. The use of white in Conversation" where each discussed fans as props symbolized the harmony main- their respective dance traditions, and intained between the two cultures. vited the other to compare and contrast the Some of the symbolism, and recited art forms including demonstrations. This words were lost to the audience due to the greatly enhanced and engaged audience unlanguage barrier, and a translated version derstanding and enjoyment of both forms simultaneously presented in the background of dances. would have deepened the understanding The theme of devotion united the dance and enjoyment of the pieces. Overtures of forms, their expressions brought out the other Eastern influences such as those of uniqueness. It was interesting to note that Chinese music could be deAnother endearing component of the evening tected based on my limited un- was the "Artists in Conversation" where each derstanding of discussed their respective dance traditions, the verses offered by and invited the other to compare and contrast Charya. the art forms including demonstrations. The aesthetically and emotively rendered while the Bharatnatyam dancers can porBharatnatyam performances by Lavanya tray any character through the use of Ananth were a crowd pleaser, especially as abhinaya and mudras, Cambodian dancers she took the time to walk the audience can only depict the character they are through some of the more established dressed for. mudras, abhinaya and natya components There being only four main characters in that comprise this Indian classical dance Cambodian dance... the princess played by form. Lavanya performed four distinct Charya, it seems there might be limits to what pieces, each demonstrating a different as- the dancers can present. She also mentioned pect of her art, while remaining united in that the character of the giant must only be celebrating a spiritual journey through played by a man, presumably due to larger dance. The four pieces collectively pre- stature. Indeed a contrast to Indian dance sented under the umbrella of "Seeking the traditions where several female roles were Divine", began with her expression of the played by men in earlier times. Another in"Ardhanarishwar" avatar of Lord Shiva, teresting observation was the Cambodian representing the Shiv and Shakti, the Prakriti dancer assuming their dance personas afand Purusha. Lavanya effortlessly dis- ter ritual offerings to the spirits on stage, played the quick changes between the male by transforming themselves from the simand female forms in this dance. She contin- pler dress and adornments to the character ued with " Jagadhodharana" where abhinaya was the dominant facet, as she characterized Yashoda's infinite love for her divine son, Krishna, without the realization of his true being, and treating him like a mere mortal. The third piece titled, "Yarukagilum Bhayam" portrays a confident heroine's response to gossipers on her relationship with the king. The last piece was "Soorya", which recounts the power of the celestial emperor Charya in a mask- Pic Swagato Basumallick Surya charioted by his seven horses as he reigns the day. The en- being portrayed. Charya became the prinergy of the ruler of the nine planets also awak- cess by shedding the outer white garment, ens the seven chakras in the body and the the mask and donning jewels. spiritual light of knowledge. Lavanya's exIt is always a delight to attend Sangam pressive rendition of all pieces was pure de- Art presentations as they tend to innovate light and showed her mastery on all tech- in their selections. What may have seemed niques demanded in this classical dance form. just another dance performance turned out The show stealer was the finale of the to be an exquisite and pleasurable evening dance duet, which I thought of as being of learning about the intricacies of different similar to a jugalbandi between two artists cultures and their evolution through dance.
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Silicon Valley Youth Tech Day a big success Cont’d from page 17
Some of the projects were quite complex and I was wondering if I could ever do something like what they showed. We had Jamba Juice and granolar bars provided to our participants after every panel discussion and some felt that was the best part of the event too. Tell us Shivaum, how did Tech Day come about? Shivaum: We launched "Sili-
outline for the first Silicon Valley Youth Tech Day? Shivaum: Silicon Valley is always creating new technology for the world. Facebook has a billion users now every day. That was created right here in Silicon Valley. We have Tesla that was created right here. Innovation happens everyday, but the first time I learn programming in school was only this year as a 10th grader. I notice that kids in middle school are already programming. There
A view of the audience
con Valley Young Coders Club" in June earlier this year. My dad was running the Lego Robotics Club team formation day in Saratoga and I realized that all the programming interest I had, came about from the programming we did for Lego Robotics. A piece of code that makes magic. I wanted to see how we could continue the learning for kids who had 'graduated' from the Lego Robotics. Thus the idea of the Coders club came about to me. For the first meeting, I was expecting 10 kids to show up and when I started seeing the RSVPs, I realized we would have 200+ parents and kids in the room. We quickly changed the booking to the larger multi-purpose room in the Community Center. From the start, we always had an industry executive join us to provide the industry view. For example at the kick-off event in June we had a Google executive join us and she talked about coding, the industry viewpoint and also about Google. But after a few weeks of our weekly club meeting, only 25 serious kids were showing up regularly. And I thought, there are many more kids who are programming building apps. How do we raise awareness and make it one day of condensed learning, awareness and in-depth insights over and beyond just coding. Then idea of an annual Tech Day came about. Explain to us Shivaum what was the thought process in extending the weekly club meeting and putting together this agenda and
are clubs in high school that help with collaboration, but nothing in middle school. I thought if we can just help the middle school kids to learn programming that would serve a good purpose. My dad attends many conferences, but I don't think kids attend these conferences. I thought, why not have a conference for kids, run by kids? Why not have a technology centric learning and
around us as decisions are made. My dad suggested inviting political leaders to raise awareness to the youth of how decisions are made in Sacramento and that is how we added policy making on the agenda. How is the weekly club gathering going? Shivaum: Like I said, the weekly club gatherings have reduced from the 200 that showed up the first day back in June to only 25 now. We heard that kids wanted to learn about app program that is the most popular meeting we have. We have done primarily 3 things teach iOS programming, Android programming to build apps for Apple and Android phones and also teach programming/scripting languages like Java, C++, Python etc. We also decided we did not need an industry executive to show up every week, we do it once in a while now. We have a total of 5 youth instructors who take turns teaching. Our instructors, including my brother and myself, create tutorials for kids to try out stuff at home. We put these tutorials on our website www.SiliconValleyCoders.org and also on our Facebook group. These 25 kids had many ideas.
opportunities for learning. Tell us are you thinking of running a 2nd Annual Tech Day? Will it be the same format or you are thinking? Shivaum: We are actually running a survey to get feedback from our club members. Based on what we hear, we may make changes to the format of the Tech Day. But we are going to do a couple new things. Firstly, we would like to get a few Silicon Valley companies to sponsor this event that would help establish the branding of this event. Secondly, we would like to run a competition for the best ideas or projects. We would like to invite the Venture Capital teams to judge these projects and we plan to give out a prize to the best ideas. And of course, if a VC team decides to fund it, that would be really nice. We are also going to run this event the first weekend after school breaks out the beginning of summer, instead of Fall. Also, a hackathon would be nice - we may engage a larger group for this purpose. Thank you Shivaum for running such a fabulous event for the
awareness just for kids. If we can make it a fun learning experience, interaction, invite some industry executives who have made it big in Silicon Valley high-tech they could potentially inspire the young kids to aim for similar career paths. The rewards of a technology career, even pursuing MSET Program would become clear. It would help motivate kids. And my mom suggested having a Women-in-Technology panel to inspire girls to pursue a technology career. She went to Columbia University and has been at Cisco for many years, and I think happy that she made this choice when she was in high school. Why not create this awareness with kids of our community. And as young kids, we sometimes ignore the world
Someone suggested we teach technology to the seniors. When my grandparents visit they are always asking me how to do this on the laptop, how to do this on the tablet and smart phone. I thought it was a great idea and we have already taught seniors at Saratoga Senior Center and Priya Living. We have also asked the Retirement center in Saratoga. What we are hoping that we will start soon is to collaborate for larger projects, maybe startups. We also hope to provide internship opportunities for our coders. We are also working on rolling this club to other parts of the bay area like Fremont, San Jose, Menlo Park, East Palo Alto etc. to help other kids learn this as well. The opportunities are there to help everyone in Silicon Valley access
Dhana Pawar is an industry veteran with over 14 years of experience leading product teams for startups & Fortune 500 companies. She has worked extensively with wireless carriers as well as leading brands like P&G, COVERGIRL, Walmart, NBC and Disney. Ms. Pawar is a regular speaker at tech events and has b e e n quoted in a wide variety of leading media outlets, including Dhana Pawar CNN, ABC News, and All Things Digital. Ms. Pawar has been the Managing Director for the Silicon Valley Girls in Tech and sits on the advisory boards of Float, PersonalShopping and Xyleo Labs.
21ft statue of Adiyogi unveiled and consecrated in Tennessee Cont’d from page 16
There are clubs in high school that help with collaboration, but nothing in middle school. I thought if we can just help the middle school kids to learn programming that would serve a good purpose.
larger community. Shivaum: Thanks for joining us on Tech Day and we will be sure to invite you again next year. We would love to get your feedback and ideas from the readers here www.SiliconValleyCoders.org/ survey.
The Isha Institute of Inner-sciences is a yoga and meditation center located on the breathtaking Upper Cumberland offering stress-relief, wellness retreats and outdoor recreation just 45 minutes northwest of Chattanooga, 2hrs southeast of Nashville in Tennessee and 3hrs north of Atlanta. This world-class yoga center features programs in classical hatha yoga, holistic Ayurvedic re-
juvenation, and meditation classes from beginner to advanced levels. For the past 30 years, the Isha Foundation has been a leader in providing classical yoga and meditation based programs for individual inner wellbeing. As a premier international yoga organization, Isha Foundation has touched the lives of 7 million people from all walks of life worldwide with over 3 million volunteers and in over 200 city centers.
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October 9, 2015
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Gandhi Banquet and Peace Walk a big success India Post News Service
Dallas, TX: Mahatma Gandhi Memorial of North Texas (MGMNT) hosted a special vegetarian and non-alcoholic gala banquet on October 2 at Park Plaza Towers in Dallas attended by over 300 members and guests Taiyab Kundawala, Co-chair, MGMNT explained the theme of the banquet and welcomed gathering to celebrate 146th Gandhi Jayanthi. Sukanya Bharatram, great granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi, attended the event as a Keynote Speaker. She did an excellent presentation on Kasturba Gandhi who was the backbone and great supporter of Mahatma Gandhi until her last breath. Dr Prasad Thotakura, Chairman, MGMNT stated that Gandhi always wanted Gram Swaraj and encouraged Khadi, small scale industries and dreamt of self-reliant villages. He urged all to use Khadi
programs and help mentally and physically challenged children in India. Shabnam Modgil, MGMNT Board of Director in her closing remarks thanked all attendees, Keynote Speaker Sukanya Bharatram, Chief Guest Mayor Beth Van Duynne, Amy of Crow Collection of Asian Arts, FunAsiA and all sponsors and supporters for their great support to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial project. Peace rally MGMNT organized "Gandhi Peace Walk" on October 3 in league with the India Association of North Texas (IANT). Sunkanya Bharatram attended as a Chief Guest of honor and reminded of Gandhi's efforts throughout his life for peace and harmony that was spread all over the world and influenced great people like Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela. More than 600
Presenting Distinguished Service Award to Sukanya Bharatam
address stated that Gandhi Peacewalk at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial, the largest Gandhi landmark in the USA, has a greater signifi-
Praying before Gandhi statue
and Kuteer products as much as possible to support thousands of workers who depend on these industries in India. Dr Thotakura thanked Irving Mayor Beth Van Duynne for supporting Mahatma Gandhi memorial in Irving. Mayor Beth Van Duynne thanked the Indian American community for their great contributions to the country and especially to the City of Irving. Dr Srinivas Gunukula, Co-chair, MGMNT thanked all the community members and organizations for their unconditional support to all community activities. The "Distinguished Service Award" was presented to Sukanya Bharatram. She is currently serving as a Trustee of "Kasturba National Trust" and also Co-founder of "Akshara Cultural Trust" which is devoted to supporting needy children and women, conduct youth training
people attended the event in white clothes. Rao Kalvala, Secretary, MGMNT in his welcome
cance to the current generation and generations to come. Gandhi's messages must be car-
ried forward. Dr Prasad Thotakura, Chair, MGMNT stated that the essence of the Gandhi message is Sarvodaya - Welfare of all which is possible only with equality and mutual respect. He was much ahead of his times and he is more relevant to our times than his own times. He emphasized the Gandhi's value foundations of society Truth, nonviolence, Love, Compassion and Equality and requested all to strive for a better society where everyone is treated equally and mutually respected. Dr Srinivas Gunukula, IANT President & Co-chair of MGMNT, in his opening remarks stated that IANT has been serving the community for decades. He appreciated the efforts of MGMNT team for having the greatest Gandhi memorial, the DFW Indian-American community for their great love and respect to Mahatma and requested the crowd for their continued support to all community activities. Shabnam Modgil thanked
A section of Gandhi Rally attendees
UPASANA for presenting Bhajans, providing Pepsico for snacks, Nagesh Dindukurthi, Bhima Penta, Zoher Barmal and scores of other volunteers for their remarkable help in making all needed arrangements to make the event successful. T shirts, fruits, US and India flags were distributed to all attendees. Akshay Wani, IANT Presidentelect and MGMNT Board of Director, thanked youth participants who gave an excellent speech on Mahatma Gandhi and his ideals. He kicked off the peace walk along with Chief Guest Sukanya Bharatram. MGMNT Board Chairman Dr Prasad Thotakura and Board of Directors -Taiyab Kundawala, Dr Srinivas Gunukula, Rao Kalvala, Jack Godhwani, Akshay Wani, Shabnam Modgil, John Hammond, Piyush Patel and Board of Advisors MVL Prasad and C.C. Theophine - along with the Chief Guest Sukanya Bharatram released ten white doves to symbolize "Peace & Harmony".
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NFL Alumni honors Ritu Maheshwari India Post News Service
SANTA CLARA, CA: The National Football League Alumni is a non-profit service organization of retired NFL players who work voluntarily on behalf of youth and charity. It was formed as an outgrowth of philanthropic and civic-minded impulses of men who performed at the highest level of the nation's most popular spectator sport and used that experience as a springboard to success in later life. This year, NFL Alumni has partnered with Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame and other non-profit organizations to honor some of the most remarkable women in the Bay Area and give participants an opportunity to meet and interact with these women as they are honored at the "Black and White Luncheon" at Hyatt Regency Hotel in Santa Clara. This event recaptured and high-lighted these women and their remarkable experiences. The proceeds from the event went to helping make dreams come true for children in need.
Ritu Maheshwari receiving the Outstanding Community Service Award from NFL Alumni President Allan Kennedy and Vice President Eric Price
Ritu Maheshwari was honored with "Women Moving Forward" Award for outstanding community service. She was the only and the first Indian woman to get this recognition. Twelve extraordinary women including Carolyn Tyler News Anchor ABC7 KGO, Susan Manheimer - Chief of Police, San Mateo, Benita McLarn - COO, The Valley Medical Center, Erin Niemeyer - Recreation Supervisor, Redwood City were among the honorees. These remarkable women were honored for their service in the community. Ruthie Bolton 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist was the keynote speaker. It was truly inspirational to hear how she overcame great adversities to accomplish athletic miracle. Ritu was honored for her work in helping children and senior citizens in need. She has been associated with many Charities and Non-Profit organizations including Red Cross and NextDoor to help socially oppressed. She has actively worked in giving victims of domestic violence a voice by making documentaries and creating awareness in society and integrating community. Ritu is a passionate community leader who strives to bring the Indian-American community together and help youth connect with their culture and roots. As Chair- Media Relations for the Federation of Indo-Americans (FIA) of Northern California, Ritu helps in organizing the Festival of Globe, SF Global Movie Fest, Festival of India and Parade, Diwali - the Festival of Lights; Republic Day - Celebration of Democracy, and Holi - the Festival of Colors. These events have attracted tens of thousands of people and are instrumental in building a vibrant and cohesive indo-American community in bay area.
Ritu was honored with "Women Moving Forward" Award for outstanding community service. She was the only and the first Indian woman to get this recognition. She was honored for her work in helping children and senior citizens in need
Ritu is a software professional and works as QA Manager at Interactive Solutions, Inc. She builds products and teams in IT industry to bring innovative solutions to community needs. During her award acceptance speech, Ritu asked everyone to avail the opportunity to help someone in need as there is no better accomplishment than helping a fellow human being in need. She ended with a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. "We may have all come on different ships but we're in the same boat now."
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Kannad Kuta celebrates Ganesha Habba LAKSHMI KUMAR
Celebrating Ganesh Habba by Kannad Kuta in Lemont temple
CHICAGO: Vidyaranya Kannada Kuta (VKK) celebrated Ganesha Habba (festival) with grandeur at the Sama Rathi Auditorium, HTGC Temple, Lemont on September 26 with over 550 members, guests and devotees dressed in traditional attire attending the event. The Ganesha-Vishesha pro-
by the State Anthem sung proudly by a group coordinated by Vijaya Bhat. Dressed in their festive finest, munchkins aged 5 right upto 15 year old trained singers brought back memories of Ganeshotsavas in Karnataka with their spirited singing of the ever popular Gajamukhane Ganapathiye. The
The highlight of the evening was a Youth Orchestra, a mind blowing performance by children playing instruments ranging from Flutes to Veena, Sitars to Tablas, Guitars to Violins and singers. Well-known musician Saraswathi Ranganathan patiently put together a fusion orchestra gram commenced with Ganesha Puja offered by VKK President Sri Rama Rao accompanied by Smt Chitra Rao. The program was emceed by Anupama Mangalvedhe and Ramesh Rangasham. An invocation was beautifully rendered by Shreya Rajesh. The National Anthem came next led by Akanksha Shekar followed closely
group was trained by the dedicated Vishwanath Shivaswamy. A feast for the eyes and ears were a group of four donned in the grandest of Karnataka silks right up to the classic malligehoovu (jasmine flowers) in their hair rendering Ganesha Pancharatna coordinated by Shridevi Shivayogimath. Ganaradhya was a high energy
number with 7 young children mixing various dance styles to bring out a heartwarming celebration of everyone's beloved Lord Ganesha. Baaramma was a production of intense artistic detail in praise of the beloved of all, a young Lord Krishna. The girls brought out the playfulness of the scene with their experienced dance steps, not to mention their perfect and precise presentation choreographed by one of the performers Aparna Prashanth. The highlight of the evening was a Youth Orchestra, a mind blowing performance by children playing instruments ranging from Flutes to Veena, Sitars to Tablas, Guitars to Violins and singers. Well-known musician Saraswathi Ranganathan patiently put together a fusion orchestra starting with a Shanti Mantra to mark World Peace Day, a musical piece 'Sangamam' composed by Mandolin U Srinivas, concluding with Suma Sundara composed by Sa. Shi. Marulayya describing the beauty of nature. The pinnacle of the evening
was Bhava Sudhe by noted singer Pranathi Raghavendra Rao, the founder of Pranathi Fundation, Bengaluru whose motto is "Mane Managalalli Kannadada Deepa". He has based his music on the eminent personality C. Aswath, who also happens to be his G u r u , whom the world lost a f e w months a g o . Hosted by Chitra Rao and brilliantly by h o m e grown talent, Raghavendra Rao it was simply outstanding, leaving the audience asking for more. Also in store was Stand-up Comedy by well-known comedian Mysore Anand from Mysore who regaled all with stories of Bangalore policemen, cricket commentaries Michael Jackson style pep-
pered with the dramas of daily life. Vadhya Sudhe coordinated by Paneesh Rao boasting local talent on the Sitar, Tabla, Harmonium and Guitar played Vatapi Ganapathi, Vaishnava Janatho and Raghupathi Raghava Raja Ram, an
absolute treat for everyone. The night ended with a delectable feast of traditional festival specials organized and served by the VKK food committee. Members are already marking their calendars to make sure they don't miss the next VKK function, the Festival of Lights, Deepavali.
Anu Valia starring in MTV show RAJINDER SINGH MAGO
NEW YORK: MTV is starting a new TV show "Middle of the Night" with an Indian American young woman Anu Valia cast in a supporting role alongside stars Brian Murphy and Ales Watt. The TV Show is slated to premier on October 8. It is a fastpaced reimagining of the latenight comedy talk show that brings it out of the studio and onto the streets of New York City. Each night the show's crew and live band crash the hotel room of an unsuspecting celebrity who is forced to host a talk show on the spot without any preparation and on very little sleep. Anu Valia, the show's cue card girl and prankster, grew up
in a Sikh family under the wings of her physician mother and a scientist father in Metropolitan Chicago
Anu Valia
area in adjoining Northern Indiana. She graduated from New York University in film making.
Anu is an actor, writer, and director who has worked with IFC, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, TruTV, College Humor, MTV (other), Refinery 29, Glamour, and Vox Media. As a director, her work has been nominated for a Student Academy Award and screened at various festivals in America and Europe. In her own words, Anu says "Growing up as a young Indian woman, I was hard pressed to find other directors who looked like me, who were making movies completely unencumbered by their outward appearance. Directors like Deepa Mehta and Mira Nair seemed so few and far between, and even those two amazing talents seemed alone in the vast world of celebrated directors.
I grew up wanting desperately to emulate Herzog, Kieslowski, Bergman, Fassbender; these were the heroes of my youth. My father, a turbaned Sikh
worrying that maybe no one who looked like me had done it before. As an artist, I want to explore the same things that older white men are allowed to explore: fear of death, desperation for love, desire to As a director, her work has change - these are been nominated for a Stunot feelings reserved for a certain dent Academy Award and type of people. I didn't screened at various festivals realize until much later that some people in America and Europe. would take one glance at me and automatiman, sat me down at 12 and cally assume that I wasn't capable showed me "The Seventh Seal", of that kind of work. I'm deterand I knew that that was the type mined to challenge that notion of movie I needed to make. I the simplest way I know how: igwanted to challenge our refusal noring it and pushing my art as of death, I couldn't waste time far as it can go."
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India Post 23
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'Akhil' audio released amid great applause tor Anoop Rubens, Producer Sudhakar Reddy of Shrestha movies and lyrics writer Krishna Chaitanya. This event was organized by Srikanth Polavarapu. Dr Prasad Thotakura, Chairman of the "Akkineni Foundation of America" (AFA) released the audio CD of movie "Akhil" and presented the first copy to Akhil and later to Anup Rubens, Sudhakar Reddy, Krishna Chaitanya, Srikanth Polavarapu, Sudhir Tondepu of Classic Entertainments, Subba Rao Nilisetty, Rajesh Adusumilli, Murali Vennam, Chalapati Kondrakunta and other guests.
A section of the audience
Akhil Akkineni with members of Telugu community at the release of Akhil
The attendees enjoyed three hours of continuous music and dance programs, emceed by Rajesh Adusumilli and famous TV Anchor, Gayatri Bhargavi. The event started with prayer song by Keerthi Chamakura, followed by "Deva Devam Bhaje" Kuchipudi dance. The Dallas singers sang wonderful songs from the movies of ANR, Nagarjuna, Naga Chaitanya and Amala. The audience enjoyed dances by Harshit Vanam, Varun Karri, Naren Yalamanchili and Ravi Teja. Choreographed by Shanti Nuti and performed by thirty Dallas people, "ANR Nrutyashari" dance melody became a special attraction of the event. Dr Prasad Thotakura, Chair-
India Post News Service
DALLAS, Texas: The latest sensation in Telugu Movie industry and the third generation hero from Akkineni family, Akhil Akkineni received a grand welcome in a packed auditorium with roaring applause at Allen Performing Art Center on Oct 3 in Dallas by the Telugu community. The audio release function of his debut movie "Akhil" was attended by more than 1,000 people and was a grand success. Hero Akhil, son of Amala and Nagarjuna participated in this special event along with music direc-
man, AFA shared the local Telugu community about Dallas community's special association with ANR and memories of his 89th birthday celebrations in 2012 during ANR's visit to Dallas. Akhil thanked all the attendees for their continuous support, love and wishes to his family and answered audience's questions during the interactive session. Srikanth Polavarapu specially thanked Paramesh Devineni, Venkat Valleti, Hari Naidu Medarametla, Kumar Nandigam, Lokesh Naidu, Lakshmikant Gorrepati, Samba Dodda, Venu Pavuluri, Devi Mundluru, Satya Ravipati, Sesharao Boddu and others who worked relentlessly to make this event a grand success.
Studio Elite hosts premiere of Pak film SURESH BODIWALA
CHICAGO: Studio Elite, Chicago presented a star-studded Red Carpet Premiere of the blockbuster Pakistani feature film, "Jawani Phir Nahi Ani (JPNA)", on Saturday September 26 at Holiday Inn, Skokie, a northwest suburb of Chicago The event was attended by over 500 guests and special invitees from different walks of life. Faisal Niaz Timizi, Consul General of Pakistan, was the Guest of
Honor. The star cast of the film, who attended the premiere, welcomed the guests to the event and also thanked them for the love and affection showered on them. "JPNA is an outright commercial film, with the performances par excellence. This 'paisa vasool' film, which scores full marks on the entertainment meter, makes sure that you laugh out loud and enjoy thoroughly the 150-minute experi-
A section of the audience
ence", said Humayun Saeed, co"While Indian movies have tionally-strong content", added producer of the film and one of the been making high impact, consid- Shaik. lead actors. Saeed said that the movie has witty dial o g u e s , catchy humor, and an array of party songs to groove to. "With a starstudded cast, exotic locations, and the promise of plenty of entertainment, JPNA turned Stars of "Jawani Phir Nahi Ani" landed in Chicago to meet their fans. (From left) Javed Shaik, Sohai out to be this Ali Abro, Mahwish Hayat, Humayun Saeed, Shahzad Nasib and Shahida Khan [Studio Elite] Eid's biggest release", added Saeed. ering their huge budget, state-ofHumayun Saeed, Javeed Shaik, "Pakistan has been producing the-art technology, and larger- Sabia Ali, Mahwif Haya and othworld class dramas, and now with than-life sets, a movie like JPNA ers, urged film-lovers in the US in films like JPNA, we will do great in has the potential to capture the general and in Chicago in particuthe domain of movies too", said imagination of moviegoers on ac- lar to watch JPNA, along with their Javed Shaik, who essayed an im- count of its gripping storyline, family and friends, without fail. Cont’d on page 25 portant character in the film. mesmerizing screenplay, and emo-
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Religious symbols banned at Turkey Yoga centers NEELA PANDYA
NEW YORK: A recently imposed ban on religious symbols, religious music, mantra and incense burning at Yoga centers in Turkey has been a source of concern to many an Indian in USA. A directive issued by the Sports for Everyone Federation of Turkey (HIS) has officials arguing that it is aimed against missionary activities but Yoga lovers here feel it is an unnecessary ob-
trusion and burdensome on Yoga. A group of Indians led by Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, have urged Turkey to reconsider this directive. Yoga has blossomed into a world-wide phenomena of late. Though having its roots in India and Hindu thoughts, it has ceased to be a sectarian practice. Rajan said it is a world heritage and is even described as "a living fos-
Yoga posture
sil" whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization. It is open for everybody to share and benefit from. Rajan noted that Yoga is a mental and physical discipline by means of which the human-soul (jivatman) united with universalsoul (parmatman). For Patanjali, author of the basic text, the Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical
and psychical. According to US National Institute of Health, Yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to an estimate, about 21 million Americans, including many celebrities, now practice yoga. Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche and attempts at regulating it are kind of an infringement, Zed added.
Bharatanatyam Arangetram of amazing skill SURI SWAMY
CHICAGO: Satvika Veeravalli, a tenth grade student at Neuqua Valley High School, Naperville performed her Bharatanatyam Arangetram (Debut) on September 12 before a packed audience of over 800 people at the Oswego East High School, Oswego, a Chicago suburb. The continual cheering was as well-deserved as it was hard earned, since Satvika trained for more than a decade (since she was 4) under Guru Smt. Vanitha Veeravalli, who is also her mother. Satvika began the three-hour marathon with the traditional Pushpanjali (Malahari) composed by Dr Balamuralikrishna and Alarippu (Ragamalika, Talamalika) followed by Saraswati Kauthuvam. Promptly, she launched into the main item - the Varnam Devarmunivar (Shanmuknapria) composed by Sri LalgudiJayaraman, which, during its 55minute odyssey, offered the dancer continual opportunities to exhibit her skill in all the three elements of Bharatanatyam, namely Nritta, Nritya and Natya. After this, Satvika performed Madura Nagarilo (Anandabhairavi), a breezy romantic number. Next was a profoundly touching sketch depicting the anguish of Yashoda, who learns that Krishna in fact is another's child (by birth). With valuable input from the musicians, Satvika herself had conceptualized this theme, which was executed using Periyalvar's pasurams. One could not help wonder how such a young dancer was able to elucidate those waves of emotions so eloquently. The pro-
gram continued with a brisk piece on Shiva and a thrilling Tillana in Natakurinji. Each was distinct from the others for a different reason, be it raga, tala, language, mood, complexity or a specific dance element that Satvika chose to highlight. The entire presentation was a tribute to teamwork, led by Guru Smt. Vanitha Veeravalli's Nattuvangam (choreography and direction). Vocal music by Sri Gomathi Nayagam Ratnam with his reso-
Satvika Veeravalli
nant baritone voice and clear diction elevated the ambiance to a divine level. Sri. Sakthivel Muruganandhan (Mridangam) led the Laya (rhythm) front, fully complementing the Nattuvangam and voice artists. Accompanists Sigamani Natarajan (Violin) and Sankarapillai Sunilkumar (Flute) were at their melodious best, rounding off a magnificent ensemble. Satvika's sister Sutikshana Veeravalli was the emcee for the evening, and contributed beautifully. To top that, she also sang to perfection the last two numbers, including the Tillana.
October 9, 2015
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There is one God, who exists in uncountable divine forms
W
hile elaborating on the meaning of the eleventh shlok of the fourth chapter, it was explained that there is only one God for all souls in the entire universe. They may belong to any country, religion, race, gender or even to any other planet! If they are worshipping God, they are worshipping the same God. The style of worship and the description of God may vary the world over, but God is only one. God comes to you in whatever form you worship Him The deeper implication of this shlok is that when a soul completely surrenders to God, then God comes to that soul (appears before that soul) in his worshipped form. In other words, according to how the devotee conceives God in his mind during the devotional
SWAMI NIKHILANAND
powerful, omnipresent, He contains everything within Him, and He manifests this amazingly varied and systematic universe out of a formless and lifeless power (maya). He is also the abode of unlimited Divine powers. This being the case, is it any wonder that He would be able to manifest Himself in a Divine form? And why should He be limited to just one Divine form? Everything about Him is unlimited: He has unlimited Divine powers, unlimited Divine virtues, unlimited Divine knowledge, and unlimited Divine bliss. It follows that God has the potential to take on unlimited Divine forms as well. How He does it is certainly beyond human intellect. Nonetheless, we can have a brief look at how it works. Simply put, God's
When a soul completely surrenders to God, then God comes to that soul (appears before that soul) in his worshipped form. In other words, according to how the devotee conceives God in his mind during the devotional period, God comes to him in that form. period, God comes to him in that form. This does not mean that God exists only according to our imagination. On the contrary - He exists simultaneously in unlimited eternal Divine forms, out of which our imagined form would also be included. How is this possible? Consider some of the qualities of God that are commonly known: He is all-
unlimited powers are not necessarily all manifested at once - at any one time, He may be manifesting some, but not others. Even an ordinary person has the ability to do this. A person has a certain amount of physical strength, but only makes use of what is required according to the situation. The same is true with learning or intelligence.
Studio Elite hosts premiere of Pak film Cont’d from page 23
Pakistan Consul General Faisal Timizi expressed the hope that comedy films like JPNA will not only entertain people from the Indian Subcontinent in the US but would also further enrich mutual understanding, friendship, and cultural sensitivity among them. JPNA revolves around three buddies whose lives are literally miserable because of their wives. Their friend, a divorce lawyer, decides to take them to a 'boys-only' trip to Bangkok to bring some spice and excitement into their lives, which results in hilarious comedy. The movie features such heavyweights as Humayun Saeed, Vasay Chaudhry, Ahmad Butt,
Hamza Ali Abbasi, Ismail Tara, Javed Sheikh, Sarwat Gilani, Mehwish Hayat, Uzma Khan, Ayesha Khan, and Bushra Ansari. The film written by Vasay Chaudhry and directed by Nadeem Baig, has been produced by Salman Iqbal, Humayun Saeed, Shahzad Nasib, and Jarjees Seja, under production banner of Six Sigma Plus. Mrs Haniya, wife of Consul General, congratulated and wished best of luck to The Red Carpet Event and Jawani Phir Nahi Ani team. The Red Carpet Event for JPNA was organized by Shahida & Abiha Khan, Owners of Studio Elite, the pioneers in USA for organizing big shows of Bollywood stars and fashion shows in Chicagoland area.
A professor of engineering has a certain level of expertise in mathematics - but when he's instructing his child in basic arithmetic, he only manifests a fraction of his knowledge. When he lectures his university students, he reveals
- although the power still resides within him at its full potential. Although it's an oversimplification, for the purpose of understanding today's topic, we can view God in much the same way. It was previously explained that
A professor of engineering has a certain level of expertise in mathematics - but when he's instructing his child in basic arithmetic, he only manifests a fraction of his knowledge. When he lectures his university students, he reveals more of that knowledge more of that knowledge, and when he does cutting edge research, he makes use of his complete faculties. When the same professor is in deep sleep, then he is not manifesting any of his power externally
out of God's unlimited powers, three are primary: His power of Bliss (ahladini shakti, which is the manifestation of His anand quality), His power of knowledge (samvit shakti, which is the mani-
festation of His chit quality) and His power of almightiness (sandhini shakti, which is the manifestation of His sat quality). These powers are manifested in different proportion to each other. There are infinite possibilities, ranging from not manifesting any powers (like a sleeping person), to the full manifestation of all the Divine powers, and everything in between. Accordingly, God appears in different forms. It can be compared to how a person has different facets of their personality, and manifests them according to the situation. Three main forms of God Brahm, Parmatma and Bhagwan These infinite possibilities are grouped into three main categories: Brahm, Parmatma, and Bhagwan. Cont’d on page 26
Community Across America
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There is one God, who exists in Senior Citizen Parivar celebrates Janmashtami uncountable divine forms ARVIND THAKKAR Cont’d from page 25
Brahm is the form God takes when all of His powers are dormant, Parmatma is the form He takes when some proportions of His powers are outwardly manifested, and Bhagwan is the form God takes when all of His powers are manifested in full. As Brahm, He is formless (nirakar), virtueless (nirgun), and without any discernible characteristics (nirvishesh), because all of His powers are dormant (or at least almost all of them - even a sleeping man is manifesting some power otherwise how would he remain alive?). Like a sleeping man, Brahm does not see anything, hear anything, experience anything, do anything, think anything, know anything, or feel anything, although the potential to do all of that lies dormant within Brahm in the form of the unmanifested powers. It is similar to how the seed of a mango tree contains the roots, trunk, branches, leaves, flowers and fruit
within it, but in an unmanifest (and unusable) form. When the seed sprouts, it begins to manifest that inner potential. Similarly, as Parmatma, God manifests some of His Divine powers outwardly. As Parmatma He has a form. In fact, He has unlim-
Swami Nikhilanand
ited different forms, depending on the style of manifestation of His powers - those forms include Vishnu, Shiv, Durga and many other almighty forms of God. In these forms, His almightiness, omnipotence, graciousness, beauty, kindness and omniscience are re-
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vealed. He sees, hears, experiences, feels, thinks, knows, and performs actions (of course, all in His own Divine way). When the mango tree has reached maturity, it produces flowers, and eventually bears fruit. Now it has fully manifested its inner potential. Similarly, as Bhagwan, all of the Divine powers are revealed in their totality. What form God takes when revealing the highest form of His personality as Bhagwan, will be discussed in the next article. Disciple of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj Swami Nikhilanand Ji is a Canadian born Hindu spiritual leader based in Austin, Texas. He is a sanyasi disciple and pracharak of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. Attracted to the teachings of Hinduism from a young age, Swamiji eventually let his deep spiritual longing lead him to India, where he was most fortunate to come under the guidance of Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. Thereafter, living in the ashrams of JKP, he extensively studied Hindi, the philosophy of the prime Sanskrit scriptures (Vedas, Darshan Shastras, Gita, Bhagwatam), and practiced meditation in the tradition of raganuga bhakti. In 2003, he was given sanyas. Now, with the blessings of his Guruji, he offers satsang programs throughout America, engaging audiences with his clear explanations of Hindu philosophy coupled with inspired chanting of Sanskrit mantras and shlokas and charming nam sankirtan. His informative and compelling speeches provide practical insight into how to adopt the teachings of Sanatan Dharm into our daily lives, and inspire us to awaken our inner spiritual potential. To stay in touch with Swami Nikhilanand Ji, like his Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/ SwamiNikhilanand or follow him on twitter at https:// t w i t t e r. c o m / Swami_Nikhil.
CHICAGO: Senior Citizen The program ended with a deliParivar, a group of senior citizens cious dinner. in Chicagoland, celebrated The program was graced by Janmashtami, a very popular Ramanbhai Patel and Jagdishbhai Hindu festival signifying the birth- Soni of United Senior Parivar of day of Lord Krishna. Niles. Secretary Jayendrabhai More than 200 seniors attended Desai announced the next prothe celebration from 2 pm to 8 pm. grams of Garba on 17th October, The program included singing of Diwali Party on 14th November Bhajans praising Lord Krishna by and Tulsi Vivah on 5th December. Daushben Shukla and party. There The Senior Citizen Parivar is a is a Senior Bhajan Group also who group of over 200 seniors formed recited Bhajans and Garba loved by Lord Krishna. Most female Seniors whose birthdays fall members started perin the month of September forming Garba. The scene looked like Lord were felicitated with offerKrishna playing the ing of flowers. A puja of Raslila. Seniors whose birth- Lord Krishna was perdays fall in the month of formed; a matki (a pot) full September were felicitated with offering of of candies and chocolates flowers. A puja of Lord was broken Krishna was performed; a matki (a pot) full of candies and chocolates was bro- in 2014 to enjoy the golden years ken by a devotee, signifying the of their lives in a cordial and fesbreaking of pots by the Lord to tive way. They all stand together steal butter in his childhood mis- in joys and share the sorrows. The chief. Chairman of the group, Dhirubhai On the birth part of the program, Suvagia and the President members shouted slogans prais- Bharatbhai Thakkar established ing Lord Krishna and chanting this group and it is serving its purmelodious songs with dances. pose in more than one ways.
Horoscope
October 9, 2015
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October 9th - October 15th 2015
ou will become very health conscious and may even join a club to get in shape. Do not allow small things irritate you as calmer you will be, solutions will be quick to find. You may finally take the initiative and start working on some important paper work. Boss will give you a challenging assignment without much help.
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aintain patience at work and especially with a colleague who is a well known trouble maker. Your argument may fail to prove your point and you may need to send the check immediately. Some of you may keep chasing your dream of buying a franchise, which of course is in the cards this year. Stay away from stocks and bonds.
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f you concentrate on one thing at a time, you can accomplish a lot. Do not react to news as things will improve within days. You will continue to feel lucky in all money matters and improve bank balance in the process. Spouse may get little hurt while working in the kitchen or lifting something heavy and need few days rest this week.
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his is the perfect time to chase your dream as planets can help them become a reality within no time, go ahead and make the offer. You will also try to make good use of extra time on hand and help spouse clean up the house. Change and control on diet will help you loose weight. You will also help a child with some necessary paper work.
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ear will not come close. Your actions will be full of determination and intensity to strike hard. Results will be astonishing. And this could be the turning point in life if you are ready to take this chance and accept challenge. Suddenly you will be popular in social as well as professional circle and positive trend will continue.
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ransiting planets will make you face a totally unexpected situation that can shake up even your self confidence. Have second opinion or put your differences aside and seek help and advice from an old confidant who helped you grow in the past. You will travel in east direction to attend an important meeting. Avoid stocks this week.
ctions will be full of intelligence and determination. Feeling little tired of stale life, you will make few calculated move in life. results will be instant and promising. You will be motivated to go ahead with your plans at top speed. Some one older and with gray hair will give some useful tips and valuable guidance this week.
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ood sense of humor and positive attitude will help move on and overcome many hurdles this week. You will keep your offer open and wait for the response. Trip will be interesting and it will be the beginning of an exciting relationship. A big refund is in the mail already. Relocation is imminent but may take another few weeks.
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xpenses will exceed budget and you will have to careful for next five weeks when it comes to money as transiting Mars in second is not good. Stay away from too good to be true schemes and avoid making commitments beyond your reach if you wants to stay strong money wise for long time. You will be invited to couple of parties.
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eek starts with new leads and hopes. Have an open mind and seek help from a female who's been giving conveying messages indirectly lately. You may organize a small get together at your place and invite few friends. Health will improve with home remedies. You may finalize some important papers and submit to government agency.
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female could be the root cause behind turbulence in career. Life could get slight challenging as you will be required to take many important decisions this week. Only prompt action and dealing with one thing at a time is the good solution. You may get only a piece of the big chunk after many phone calls. Avoid hot and spicy food this week.
f you stick to your guns, you will get what you want. Opportunity will take you towards financial freedom and expand your horizon. Expenses towards family will suddenly shoot up and you may be juggling in between accounts. Some one at work will take out his frustration on you, watch out. You will accept the invitation for the party.
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TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS
1 Tu Chahiye : Bajrangi Bhaijaan 2 Baaton Ko Teri: All Is Well 3 Bhar Do Jholi Meri : Bajrangi Bhaijaan 4 Main Hoon Hero Tera: Hero 30 India Post
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October 9, 2015
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acqueline Fernandez was asked by Filmfare magazine if she was dating Arjun Kapoor. Jacqueline reacted, "Oh my God! I was just talking to him today. I told him 'you started it'. And he said, 'you started it'. He said you gave a comment on it. I said I've not uttered anything at all. I'm not dating him. Arjun has been one of my earliest friends along with Sonam (Kapoor)." "I didn't know Varun (Dhawan), Ranbir (Kapoor), Ranveer (Singh)... anyone then. After Sonam became my friend, I started hanging out with everyone. Arjun being Sonam's cousin, we've grown to be good friends. It's just now that people have begun to see a lot there. He's an intelligent, hard working guy. We respect each other's friendship. It's funny how we got linked up. Guess, we don't have a choice. But it's entertaining," the magazine further quoted Jacqueline as saying. Earlier in August, Jacqueline had told PTI.
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ussanne Khan, who divorced Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan, has denied reports that she is set to wed again. A successful entrepreneur, she says the gossip "hurts" as "families and human feelings" are involved. Media reports talked about her rumored wedding to "one of Hrithik's close friends". Several reports pointed at actor Arjun Rampal, who was reportedly a key reason behind the Hrithik-Sussanne split. Recently it was reported that Sussanne and Arjun were spotted at a coffee shop in Mumbai. In her clarification, Sussannne said: "Persistent speculation in the media has made me realize that idle Bollywood gossip mongers, who are influential, are insistent on spreading rumors and lies about me."
5 Afghan Jalebi : Phantom 6 Zindagi Kuch Toh Bata : Bajrangi Bhaijaan 7 Mere Humsafar : All Is Well 8 Yadaan Teriyaan : Hero 9 Chaar Shanivaar : All Is Well 10 Khoya Khoya : Hero
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he hasn't had a release in over a year. But that doesn't mean that Alia B h a t t hasn't b e e n busy. During this period, she has fini s h e d shooting for three films, but right now, what the 22-year-old is most thrilled about is her weight loss. She chats about this and other issues. "Yes, I have lost weight, she says. "Some people are even saying that I have lost too much, so I am getting a little worried now. I feel this is all a result of my detoxification spree. Plus, I have also been working out and training really hard. But I guess it's good, since clothes look better on me now. "Usually, when people go on holidays, kha pee ke, we come back looking different. But mine was a healthy holiday (in Austria to detoxify) and I prefer that over any other kind. I would love to do it again.
Bollywood
October 9, 2015
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"Hey @aamir_khan saw you in the Snapdeal Ad. Motte (fat) or not, you still look hot! Love you,"
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dult actor-turnedBollywood actor Sunny Leone finds Bollywood's Mr Perfectionist Aamir Khan 'hot' in all forms be it fat or fit. The actor, who has beefed up for his forthcoming film Dangal, was humbled and thanked Sunny for the "kind" words. The actor, known for being bold on screen, was in awe with Aamir's physique in an advertisement, and couldn't resist tweeting about it. "Hey @aamir_khan saw you in the Snapdeal Ad. Motte (fat) or not, you still look hot! Love you," Sunny had tweeted earlier this week. Responding to the Ek Paheli Leela actor, Aamir posted: "Thank you @SunnyLeone, you are too kind. Love." Aamir has been in news for his weight fluctuations for his film projects and that has raised concerns in the family over his health.
hushali Kumar, the renowned designer, who has dressed the likes of interna tional stars including Shakira, Justin Bieber, ex Spice Girl Melanie B and Leann Rimes, amongst several others is finally set for her screen debut. There was speculation when she would make her screen debut, since given her film background and talent she always had several offers in her kitty. However, the gorgeous gal had chosen to stay away from facing the camera, until now that is. The internationally-renowned fashion designer is featuring in a special music video dedicated to her father music mogul Gulshan Kumar. When contacted, Khushali confirmed the news and revealed that it's a recreation of the timeless classic song, 'Mainu Ishq Da Lagaya Rog' from the film Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin. Khushali shares that it was her brother, Bhushan Kumar who came up with the idea of recreating the chartbuster from the Aamir Khan starrer, as it was among their father's favorite tracks.
"I had auditioned for the role of Aamir's wife in Dangal. Aamir Khan and the film unit loved my auditions. But as my role would be a mother of 4 grown up girls, Aamir felt that regardless of whatever could be done; I might not look old enough to play a mother to four teenage daughters�
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allika Sherawat had auditioned for Nitesh Tiwari's Dangal but did not get the role. The actor has now said that Aamir Khan, who plays the titular role in the film, did not think she looked old enough to play mother of four teenaged girls. "I had auditioned for the role of Aamir's wife in Dangal. Aamir Khan and the film unit loved my auditions. But as my role would be a mother of 4 grown up girls, Aamir felt that regardless of whatever could be done; I might not look old enough to play a mother to four teenage daughters. That is the only reason why I did not get cast in the film," said Mallika. TV actor Sakshi Tanwar was later finalized for the role of A a m i r K h a n ' s onscreen wife. Tanwar rose to fame with Ekta Kapoor's daily soap Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki.
Health
Line
Rare fever reported in American medical tourists NEW YORK: Five Americans came down with an unusual illness after traveling to Germany for a controversial treatment involving injections with sheep cells, health officials reported. The treatment is not permitted in the United States. The five New York residents received the ``live cell therapy'' in May last year. About a week later, they developed fever, fatigue and other symptoms of a dangerous bacterial illness called Q fever. Two told investigators that they were part of a group that, for the last five years, had traveled to Germany twice a year for the injections. They said they get them to improve their health and vitality. There is no published clinical proof the treatments work, health officials say.
Cont'd on Page 34
Cheap way to create `mini brains' WASHINGTON: Researchers have developed an easy and cheap method to produce 3D miniature brains that can be used for testing drugs, neural tissue transplants, or to experiment how stem cells work. Although the mini brains are not capable of thinking, they produce electrical signals and form their own neural connections Synapse - making them readily producible testbeds for neuroscience research, scientists said. "We think of this as a way to have a better in vitro (lab) model that can maybe reduce animal use," said co-lead author Molly Boutin, graduate student at Brown University in the US.-PTI
Binge drinking can lead to alcoholism
WASHINGTON: A malfunctioning enzyme may be the reason why binge drinking increases the odds of alcoholism, a new study suggests. Scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine identified a previously unsuspected job performed by the enzyme, ALDH1a1, in mice. Jun Ding, assistant professor of neurosurgery and his colleagues showed that blocking ALDH1a1 activity caused mice's consumption of and preference for alcohol to rise to levels equivalent to those observed in mice. -PTI
Health Science
Cal extends sexual consent law to high schools
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Details on Page 35
Green bodies welcome India's move on climate change NEW DELHI: Reacting to the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) announced by India, green bodies said that it was a much-awaited climate action plan and reflects the country's development challenges, aspirations and the realities of climate change. "India's INDC is fair and is quite ambitious, specifically on renewable energy and forestry. It reflects its development challenges, aspirations of large numbers of poor people and the realities of climate change," said Sunita Narain, director general, Center for Science and Environment. "From all angles, India's INDC is as good as China's and better than the US's considering that both these countries have higher emissions than India and are economically more capable of reducing their emissions and mitigating climate change," deputy director general, CSE, Chandra Bhushan said. In its INDC, India has pledged to improve emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35 per cent by 2030 below 2005 levels. It has also pledged to increase the share of
non-fossil fuels-based electricity to 40 per cent by 2030 while also agreeing to enhance its forest cover which will absorb 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, the main gas responsible for global warming by 2030. "India has accepted the huge impact that climate change is exerting and will exert on different
ter management," he said. Greenpeace India has termed the climate targets as 'steps in the right direction'. According to Pujarini Sen, Climate and Energy Campaigner for Greenpeace India, clear articulation of a Renewable Energy target would also have been in keeping with expectations for climate
Sunita Narain of Centre for Science and Environment.
sectors of its economy and has agreed to enhance investments to adapt in vulnerable sectors like agriculture, water resources, coastal regions, health and disas-
justice, as these are the people most vulnerable to climate change. "Given the growth in the renewable energy sector, we would have liked to see a specific target for
solar and wind. 40 per cent of electricity from renewable energy by 2030 is definitely possible, especially so with financial and technical support," said Sen. Sanjay Vashist, Director, Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA), said that India, through its INDC, demonstrates its willingness to play an important role on the international stage ahead of climate talks in December in Paris. "India's signal could no doubt be much stronger, going even further to help the international community avoid unmanageable climate impacts, should the rich and developed countries step up and provide adequate finance and technology support," he said. ActionAid India's Executive Director, Sandeep Chachra said that despite huge developmental challenges, India has put forward a climate action plan that is far superior to ones proposed by the US and EU. "India's ambitious focus on energy efficiency and dramatic increase in renewable energy deserves credit but must lead to enhanced energy access for the poor. Cont'd on Page 35
Indian scientists dispute old cancer biology SINGAPORE: Indian scientists at the Columbia University have disputed decade-old cancer biology principles by showing that a gene critical for preventing the disease did not work as thought of previously. The gene whose role in cancer development has till now baffled scientists around the world is commonly known as A20 or TNFAIP3. It functions properly in healthy individuals. However, individuals develop cancer if for some reason the gene fails to function. Thus, many cancer patients are known to carry a dysfunctional variety of the gene. The scientists came up with the first animal of A20 to understand how this gene works in the body. Based on results over the past decade, they expected that
these animals would develop cancer. But to their surprise, they found that the animals had a
Chozha Rathinam is one of the authors of the report and who supported the research study.
largely healthy life-span. The work was undertaken by Indian-origin scientist Arnab De as
a part of his doctorate study at the Columbia University in the laboratory of pioneering Indian-American immunologist Sankar Ghosh. Chozha Rathinam, also of Indian origin, and Teruki Dainichi, currently at the Kyoto University, are the other authors of the report and who supported the research study. The research work was highlighted by the peer-reviewed European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Reports, which highlights only articles considered to be of "fundamental relevance to a general readership". Professor Henning Walczak, Scientific Director of Cancer Research UK and Chairman of University College London, noted the importance the work. "If A20 cannot function as a result of hereditary mutations or infection, it results in serious pa-
thologies, including cancer," he said. "Before this work, there was no animal to understand how this critical tumor suppress or works. "Having an animal now, significantly improves our ability to investigate how A20 works and this study already goes a long way in clarifying how A20 fails to work properly in patients and, as a consequence thereof, in developing potential cancer therapeutics," Prof Walczak said. According to the latest figures by the World Health Organization (WHO), 8.2 million people die from cancer every year. The WHO website states that more than 100 different types of cancer exists, each requiring unique diagnosis and treatment. -PTI
October 9, 2015
Health Science Post
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Dengue crisis: Delhi govt notices to 14 doctors NEW DELHI: As Delhi continues to grapple with the raging dengue crisis that has claimed 37 lives so far, 14 doctors have been served show cause notices after they were found "sleeping or loitering" during duty hours. The notices for dereliction of duty were issued after Delhi's Health Minister
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain
Satyendar Jain and some senior officials made surprise visits to government hospitals at odd hours following the worst outbreak of the vector-borne disease in six years. "The Health Minister, Satyendar Jain, visited the hospitals between 11.45 PM and 6 AM to check their preparedness in terms of dealing with the dengue patients and found some doctors sleeping while being on duty, while some were found loitering in other wards when they should have been at a particular ward," a health department official said. "Fourteen doctors from seven hospitals have been issued show cause notices in this context," he said, adding some staff nurses also have been issued such notices. The department is now awaiting response to the notices before it considers whether to take action against them. The hospitals whose doctors have been
served notices include Aruna Asaf Ali, Deep Chand Bandhu, Babu Jagjivan Ram, Acharya Shree Bhikshu, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Sanjay Gandhi Memorial and Baba Saheb Ambedkar. Meanwhile, to accommodate the rising number of dengue patients in the national capital, the health department has procured 400 new beds which are likely to be placed in Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Hospital, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital and Ambedkar Hospital, which have been dealing with a huge rush of patients. According to the civic authorities, the official death toll from dengue is 25, while hospitals have reported 37 deaths so far. With 6,486 cases of dengue recorded thus far, 2015 has exceeded 6259 cases reported in 2010. According to doctors, the vector-borne disease will persist till November before declining and fading away. They, however, apprehended it may flare up if it rains. They, however, asked people not to panic saying as 99 per cent of dengue cases were "preventable and manageable at home and do not require admission". Recently, the New Delhi Municipal Council had issued notices to Sanskriti School and AIIMS after it found dengue mosquitoes breeding in their premises. The action against Sanskriti School in Chanakyapuri area came two days after a 16-year-old student of the school died due to medical complications caused by dengue. The civic body has, meanwhile, issued yet another notice to the director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to clear the aedes mosquito breeding spots from its campus at the earliest failing which
Cong. eases small business health law rules WASHINGTON: Congress has approved bipartisan legislation aimed at preventing premium increases that some smaller businesses were expecting next year under President Barack Obama's health care law. The measure, which Obama is expected to sign, represents an uncommon instance in which both parties have rallied behind an effort to revamp part of Obama's signature health care overhaul. Most congressional efforts to retool the statute have been Republican drives to repeal it or scale it back that Democrats have blocked. Currently, the health law defines small businesses as those having up to 50 employees. That number expands on January 1 to 100. The bill approved would keep the small business definition at 50 workers but lets states increase the number if they choose.
Under current law, companies considered small businesses must offer certain required benefits. Business groups complained that increasing the number of firms classified as small businesses would increase health care costs for many employers whose benefits today are less generous. When Democrats pushed the health care overhaul through Congress in 2010, they believed that increasing the number of companies classified as small businesses would help stabilize that insurance market by adding additional customers. The Senate sent the bill to Obama by a voice vote. It was sponsored by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Tim Scott, RS.C. It passed by voice vote in the House, where the sponsor was Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky.-AP
the NDMC will remove them and impose a fine on the institute. NDMC has issued 248 challans so far with dengue outbreak calling into question the role of civic bodies in containing the deadly disease.
fairs, Bihar Bhawan, Sikkim Bhawan and Uttarakhand Bhawan were issued notices by the NDMC for mosquitogenic conditions on their premises. The council staff had also detected mosquito-breeding conditions in five embassies including that of Ghana, Singapore, Malaysia, Ethiopia and the Czech Republic, but no challans have been issued to them as the civicbody doesn't have an authority to do so. Dengue, a vector-borne disease, is transmitted by several species of mosquito within Patients at a Delhi hospital for check-up of Dengue fever. the genus Aedes. Symptoms include Besides 90 notices to the sprawling Presi- fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, dential Estate, the council has issued and a characteristic skin rash that is similar challans to four hospitals including AIIMS to measles. and Safdarjung, various government ofDoctors say since the treatment is sympfices and a school here for being a dengue tomatic with no specific cure, indiscrimimosquito breeding ground. nate use of painkillers could cause patients The Ministries of Finance and Home Af- to become resistant to these.-PTI
Health Science Post
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Hillary for more substance Senate OKs bill to abuse treatment address opioid crisis BOSTON: Hillary Rodham Clinton has said that treatment for drug and alcohol addiction should be on a par with diabetes, cancer, heart disease and other medical conditions. The front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination spoke at a forum in Boston. She said when she began her campaign that she didn't under-
the U.S. needs to confront the issue more directly. ``If you have heart disease, cancer, diabetes, you can find a place and you should be able to find a place, and I want substance abuse put on the same level,'' Clinton told the audience. ``It saves people's lives. There's nothing more important. Save somebody's life. Give somebody
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks in Des Moines, Iowa.
stand the extent of the addictiontreatment problem until she started talking to people as she campaigned. She said she heard stories from people who had trouble finding treatment for themselves or for loved ones struggling with addiction. Clinton, who has proposed spending $10 billion over 10 years to increase treatment, said those conversations convinced her that
a second chance.'' Campaign officials estimated the attendance at about 400. Clinton said the prescribing of powerful prescription painkillers has also contributed to the national heroin abuse problem. She said an estimated 23 million people in the country are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction but only 1 in 10 has access to treatment.
Clinton also said the ready availability and abuse of prescription drug painkillers have helped create ``a viscous, downward spiral,'' with individuals getting hooked on opioid from painkillers and then shifting to cheaper heroin in search of a similar high. She said there are better ways to treat pain without potentially leaving patients addicted. If elected president, she said, she would instruct the federal Food and Drug Administration to study who should be prescribed these powerful medications, what the recommended dose should be, and how long the prescription should last. Clinton was joined by Boston Mayor Martin Walsh and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. Walsh, a recovering alcoholic who said he hasn't had a drink since 1995, said that when he was first elected to the state Legislature 17 years ago, the problem of addiction and treatment wasn't a priority. ``We've gone from having a problem that we kept in the closet to talking about it on the presidential stage,'' Walsh said. Massachusetts has experienced a spike in opioid-related overdose deaths. Health officials say an estimated 1,256 people died from opioid-related overdoses in 2014, compared with an estimated 939 deaths in 2013 and 668 confirmed overdose deaths in 2012.-AP
Rare fever reported in American medical tourists Cont'd from Page 32
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report on the outbreak, which included a Canadian case - another medical tourist who got the treatment in Germany at about the same time. The four women and two men ranged in age from 59 to 83. Three of the six recovered. But three others were still experiencing symptoms more than nine months later, health officials said. Live or fresh cell therapy involves injecting people with fetal cells from sheep. It's sometimes offered as an anti-aging therapy, but also has been touted as a treatment for conditions ranging from impotence to migraines to liver disease. Q fever is caused by a hardy germ found in cattle, sheep and
goats. People usually get it from inhaling barnyard dust - it's an occupational hazard for farmers. But cases in the U.S. are unusual - each year fewer than 200 are reported. It is treated with antibiotics and U.S. residents rarely
die from Q fever; three or four deaths are reported in the worst years. The cases were reported by health officials in the upstate New York counties of Erie and Ulster.-AP
This undated image provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases shows a Vero cell containing Coxiella burnetii bacteria which causes Q fever in humans.
BOSTON: Prompted by a deadly wave of opioid addiction in the state, the Massachusetts Senate has unanimously passed a bill that would encourage doctors to consider new approaches for treating pain and would increase screening of public school students for potential substance abuse. The Senate vote came amid a flurry of action around the crisis that has been called an epidemic and a public health emergency in Massachusetts and elsewhere. Massachusetts officials reported more than an estimated 1,200
The legislation, which now moves to the House, focuses heavily on limiting abuse of powerful painkillers that often pave the way toward heroin addiction deaths from heroin and other opioid-related overdoses last year. The legislation, which now moves to the House, focuses heavily on limiting abuse of powerful painkillers that often pave the way toward heroin addiction, according to law enforcement. Doctors and pharmacists would be encouraged to prescribe federally-approved, non-opioid drug products that have been shown effective in managing pain; physicians would also be required to explain - in writing - the decisions they make to prescribe certain ``high-risk'' medications. Patients, especially recovering addicts, could place a note in their medical records declaring they do not want opiates prescribed under any circumstances. Pharmacists, at a patient's request, could fill part but not all of a doctor's prescription. The proposals have the support of Gov. Charlie Baker, who has been critical of what he calls the overprescribing of powerful painkillers. ``This idea that you write prescriptions for 30 or 60 days or give someone 50, 60, 70, 80 Percocets for something that is an acute incident just doesn't make any sense to me at all,'' said Baker. The bill calls for schools to verbally screen public school students to help determine if they are at risk of substance abuse. Sen-
ate leaders have stressed that the proposal does not require drug testing and that parents and students themselves could opt not to undergo the screening. ``We are starting a conversation that may change the course of their lives,'' said Sen. Jennifer Flanagan, D-Leominister, adding that students were already being screened for substance abuse in a handful of school districts and that some have been successfully referred for follow-up counseling and treatment. The bill originally called for screening students in the seventh and 10th grades, but was amended to allow the state Department of Public Health to determine the appropriate ages. The screenings would begin in the 2016-2017 school year. A spending bill passed by the House included $1.2 million to help fund the program, lawmakers said. Speaker Robert DeLeo said prior to the Senate vote that he expected the House to act shortly on a version of the opioid bill and Baker is expected to file additional legislation of his own. DeLeo additionally promised action on a measure endorsed by Attorney General Maura Healey that would make trafficking in Fentanyl a crime punishable with a prison sentence of up to 20 years. Authorities say the narcotic is often added to heroin. Also, a state law took effect that requires health insurers, without pre-approval, to provide coverage for all ``medically necessary'' inpatient addiction treatment and counseling for at least 14 consecutive days. The law was
Students were already being screened for substance abuse in a handful of school districts and that some have been successfully referred for follow-up counseling and treatment. approved by lawmakers last year and signed by then-Gov. Deval Patrick. At an unrelated campaign event in Boston, Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton praised the state Senate for taking action to address opioid abuse. -AP
October 9, 2015
Health Science Post
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Cal extends sexual consent law to high schools SAN FRANCISCO: Gov. Jerry Brown has approved legislation aimed at making California the first state in the nation to bring lessons about sexual consent required at many colleges into high schools, his office announced. Last year, California became the first to require colleges and universities to apply an ``affirmative consent'' or ``yes means yes'' standard when investigating campus sexual assault claims. That policy says sexual activity is only considered consensual when both partners clearly state their willingness to participate through ``affirmative, conscious and voluntary agreement'' at every stage. The legislation Brown endorsed requires school districts that already include health as a graduation requirement to teach about ``yes means yes'' and sexual violence prevention starting next year. It also asks state
education officials to update curriculum guidelines for high school health classes with information about those topics. ``California must continue to lead the nation in educating our young people - both women and men - about the importance of respect and maintaining healthy peer and dating relationships,'' Assemblyman Rocky Chรกvez, R-Oceanside, said after the bill cleared the Assembly in September. The measure had no organized opposition and received near-unanimous bipartisan support in the Legislature. Supporters said it was needed to teach teenagers about healthy sexual boundaries and relationships before they get to college and into the workforce. In July, New York became the second state to write the affirmative consent standard into law for college campuses. But it's becoming the norm at colleges around the country that
Green bodies welcome India's move on climate change Cont'd from Page 32
This clearly puts the onus on developed countries to meet their obligations of providing public finance and technology transfer to developing and least developed countries," he said. India has also rightly put the focus back on the need to adapt to climate impacts, he said. "Farming communities, who are already distressed, are suffering even more from erratic and extreme climatic conditions. Changes in India's climate are leading to land and coastal degradation, soil erosion, loss of bio-diversity. Indian government's focus on adaptation therefore comes at a critical time for its population," added Chachra. CSE also called India's INDC as "fair" and its renewable and forestry targets "ambitious" and said that the country's emissions intensity targets are similar to that of China. It said that China has pledged to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 60-65 per cent during the same period and in 2030, both the countries will have almost same emissions intensity levels 0.12 million tonnes of CO2 per billion USD (in 2005 USD). This means that both these countries will emit about 1,20,000 tonnes of CO2 for every 1 billion USD of GDP," it said. Talking about India's pledge to install 40 per cent of its total electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy sources, CSE said it is more ambitious than even that of the US. It said that in 2030, even under the most ambitious Clean Power Plan of President Obama, the US will only have about 30 per cent of its electricity capacity on non-fossils. "CSE's projections show that in 2030, India will have about 250-300 GW of solar and wind energy capacity. Under the Clean
Power Plan, the US will reach 275 GW solar and wind capacity by 2030. China has pledged 300 GW solar and wind power by 2030," it said. Meanwhile, WWF India said that it is "laudable" that India has chosen to emphasize on aspects such as renewable energy, energy efficiency and afforestation. It said that Indian INDC seeks to better adapt to climate change by enhancing investments in development programs in sectors vulnerable to climate change, particularly agriculture, water resources, Himalayan and coastal regions. WWF India said that the country's am-
WWF India said that the country's ambition of increasing the share of non-fossil fuel-based power capacity to 40 per cent by 2030 reverberates with WWF India's vision of Renewable Energy. bition of increasing the share of non-fossil fuel-based power capacity to 40 per cent by 2030 reverberates with WWF India's vision of Renewable Energy. "However, the critical aspect is to formulate a concrete action plan for implementation, which would help realize these targets. Additionally, planning and implementation of climate adaptation actions to enhance resilience and reduce vulnerability have been identified as a priority area. "We see this as a positive declaration, with a spectrum of actions covering mitigation, finance, technology transfer, capacity building, R&D, and knowledge creation that would involve efforts by different stakeholders at the national as well as international level," said Ravi Singh, CEO, WWF India.
are under the same pressure to reduce and better handle sexual assault cases. Although the new law for high schools will take effect on Jan. 1, its immediate effect will be mostly emblematic. The California Department of Education commission that develops curriculum standards is not scheduled to revise health education guide-
Gov. Jerry Brown
lines until 2018, and then only if provided funding for the work. As a result of previous legislation, that commission also has been asked to update health standards with learning goals related to mental health, abusive relationships and preventing sex trafficking. The affirmative-consent law Brown just signed only applies to= school districts that require a health course as a condition for
receiving a high school diploma. The state Legislative Analyst's Office said five of the state's largest school districts, including Los Angeles Unified, have such a requirement. Brown also signed legislation requiring all school districts to provide comprehensive sex education classes twice between grades 7 and 12. Currently, sex education is not mandatory, although the vast majority of school districts provide it. The measure, AB 329, by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, also updates the instruction provided in schools on HIV prevention, makes clear that sex education must address students of all sexual orientations and adds new language relating to teen relationship abuse and sex trafficking. Parents would still be allowed to excuse their child from some, or all, of the sex education curriculum. A 2011 report from the University of California, San Francisco, found problems with school districts' compliance with the current law on sex education. Among its findings, only a quarter offered the required information about emergency contraception and a quarter omitted required HIVprevention topics.-AP
36 India Post India Post News Service
M
ark Twain wrote of Varanasi: "It is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend………… This year four British artists took themselves off as a group to Varanasi in India to capture the light, heat, people, buildings and landscapes and something of the way in which India seduces the visitor. The result is a stunning contemporary look at this most fascinating of Indian cities which is on view as an exhibition in London this October alongside a TV documentary that has also been made of their trip. The stunningly vibrant works of Ken Howard, Patrick Cullen, Peter Brown and Neale Worley, were mostly done while painting en plein air. The result proves afresh that India captivates. Traveling together with their paints and easels the four artist friends worked in Varanasi exclusively and the results of the trip will be on show from Oct 14 to Nov 7 at the Indar Pasricha Gallery at 22 Connaught St, London. The collection of glowing works
www.indiapost.com range in price from £700 to £20,000. Giles Auty, former art critic for the Spectator, writes of this exhibition: "In the years when, as the art critic for The Spectator, I seldom saw less than ten exhibitions a week. Looking at the paintings made by these four deeply committed and enterprising artists who have been at work recently in Varanasi, I am acutely conscious of the effort and intelligence each has brought to his selfappointed task, but also the sheer pleasure that imbues their work." "Of the four artists taking part in this show, I have known the work of two - Patrick Cullen and Ken Howard - intimately now for a good many years. In Patrick's case I first knew him largely as a painter of lyrical landscapes of Tuscany and in the case of Ken as the maker of accomplished renderings of the female form. How well would either respond to the very different light and ambience of India? Unfamiliar surroundings make especially strong demands not just on an artist's
October 9, 2015 perception and technique but also on an ability to capture the essence and spirit of a particular place." "Ken Howard's selection of paintings feature superbly controlled tone which suggest to me not just acute observational skills but the excellence of his training all those years ago. Each of Ken's scenes looks entirely natural and credible with distant space created convincingly in spite of the overall warmth of his tones." "Peter Brown brings a very distinctive vision to his renderings of India emphasizing the mad chatter of Varanasi's streets at the same time as their congeniality and human warmth. "
"Panchganga Ghat," by Ken Howard, who was part of a group of four English friends, including Patrick Cullen, Peter Brown and Neale Worley, who visited Varanasi earlier this year to paint. The works created in Varanasi will be shown at London's Indar Pasricha Gallery from October 14 through November 7
Young India
"Neale Worley is not only a painter with highly polished skills but also of a series of films on artists, including one which shows his colleagues hard at work in Varanasi. It will be shown at the gallery during the exhibition. His small painting of a young Indian woman is a gem." "I was deeply moved by the versatility and bravura shown by Patrick Cullen in face of what must have seemed at first sight an incredible environment. Poetry
plus riots of color and human movement are anchored by a compositional sense that owns something at least to Degas in terms of cleverly cropped images. Perhaps the highest praise I can offer of his thoroughly convincing work is that it makes me wish to down tools and head for Varanasi myself." The four artists chose Varanasi as their subject as it is among the world's oldest continually inhabited cities. After visiting this fabled city American author Mark Twain wrote: "It is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together." In the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries Varanasi was considered by Europeans to be almost an abomination, misunderstood by them and a cultural threat, it is now seen as a city which is the accumulation of millennia of religious culture, a culture that is more understood. Gallery owner, Indar Pasricha, who left India at the age of seven, says of this exhibition: "These four modern artistic Musketeers have been going to India as a group for years, bringing back images of the people, the ghats, the grand landscapes, the cities, and this year they have captured Varanasi in paint." Indar says: "The work is very British, yet the spirit of India is so evident in the paint and every brushstroke. You have Patrick Cullen's color, capturing the extraordinary kaleidoscopic palette of India; Ken Howard's use of light and reflection; Peter Brown's tangible sense of place, the dust, the mayhem you can almost smell the street; and Neale Worley's portraits which capture the grace and poise that is such a striking feature of so many Indians." Cont'd on Page 39
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Modern love tale with mobile apps NEW DELHI: Single and ready to mingle? But don't have a clue where to find your dream match. Enter dating apps, which are ready to give you a wide field to choose from and more, all within a safety net. It's time to move over mobile apps selling clothes and groceries, for there is love, at least a chance at love to be found on dating apps, which have sprung up in India in recent months and are claiming to be doing well. Dating apps like 'TrulyMadly' step in, calling itself the safest dating and matchmaking platform for Indian singles today. The rationale behind creating the app meant to cater to an In-
dian mindset, available for Android, iOS and Windows users, is revealed by Sachin Bhatia, CEO and Co-Founder of TrulyMadly who says a visible shift in social and cultural norms is being witnessed in India, which makes it the right market for such an app. "There are independent minded girls who want to date beyond the confines of caste, creed and religion. All they were asking for was a safe environment to do this. That's what we are attempting to build," Bhatia told PTI in an interview. Another Indian matchmaking app, 'Woo' available for Android,
iOS users, in its recently released television commercial sets the
Times Square topless women to be restricted NEW YORK: The fate of the topless women in Times Square, who have titillated tourists and outraged editorial boards on their way to becoming tabloid sensations, became clearer as a City Hall task force recommended that they be restricted to one portion of the famous intersection. The women, known as desnudas, often wear just body paint, a thong and a flirtatious smile as they ask for money to pose with passersby. As their numbers grew over the summer, the city's tabloids took note and splashed the women on the front page even as they called for their removal. Mayor Bill de Blasio, though careful to note that the women had a legal right to be there, vowed to better regulate the painted ladies and commissioned a task force to propose recommendations. Those guidelines will be debated and are expected to be passed into law by the City Council. ``Our task force has created recommendations that will ensure Times Square is a great experience
for the millions of New Yorkers, families and tourists that make it such a popular destination,'' de Blasio said in a statement. The thrust of the plan is to restrict the women and panhandlers to certain areas of the so-called ``Crossroads of the World.'' Also, a dedicated police presence will be
and be completed. Dana Fuchs, a ticket seller for a comedy club, said she doesn't like how the city is handling all the activity in Times Square. ``Because they have an issue with them (desnudas and panhandlers), we get dragged into it,'' said Fuchs, who described herself as
established for the area, staffed with officers who know the areas and its characters. Also, weeks after de Blasio triggered outrage by suggesting that he would be open to the idea of tearing up the square's popular pedestrian plazas, the task force recommended that the plazas stay
an actor and independent contractor from Long Island who says she works in Times Square six days a week, eight to nine hours a day. ``If they put us all in one area, there's going to be arguments and fights,'' she said. ``Deal with them one on one, don't lump us in with them.'' -AP
idea straight - the love of your life maybe be right around you,
but you'll never know and that's where the app will help. "Demanding careers, long commutes, with time being life's most precious currency where meeting someone special becomes quite challenging and people are acknowledging that. "Luckily, India has adopted technology at the same pace. With over 1 million users on Woo and around 10,000 matches forming everyday, we can see how people have embraced this new approach to making connections," says Sumesh Menon, CoFounder and CEO, Woo. Even 'TrulyMadly', with over a million users is out with their TVC which coins a new term, 'Boy Browsing' - girls checking out men along with their best friends. "The TVC is a part of TrulyMadly's ongoing Bestie campaign, which highlights how
the dating app is available round the clock, like a girl's bestie, to point out all suitable boys for dating," says Bhatia of Truly Madly. What's more is that these apps are going all out to ensure that the match making happening is fool-proof, like 'TrulyMadly' does a social profiling based on Facebook, LinkedIn to weed out profiles of married people who may get in. Their target audience is clear- Singles looking for love. Keeping in mind the fears of women users, 'Woo' offers features like masking the names of female users and displaying only initials, masking workplace details so that women should be in complete control of their experience on the app. Menon of 'Woo' points out an interesting pattern, that of the younger generation keen to take over reigns of matchmaking in their own hands. "There are a lot of people between the ages of 25 to 35 who want to take the whole matchmaking process into their own hands, rather than entrust it to family."Since available matrimonial platforms didn't appeal to them, there was the need of a modern approach to finding love and a life partner," he says. And there may even be good news for proponents of classic ideals of romance, for some matches made on these apps are finding their way up to the marriage altar, that too with the full works. These apps have testimonials and wedding invitations sent to their offices to prove that! -PTI
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Books available at the tap of a phone NEW DELHI: In a unique initiative that may change the way India reads, books would soon be available to nearly 200 million smartphone users at the tap of their devices. 'Juggernaut', the new venture of Chiki Sarkar, former publisher at Penguin Random House India, launched recently, will be powered by audacious strategies harnessing new technology, while still not abandoning the classic printed book, which will continue to be part of its portfolio. "So the (traditional) book remains very central, especially for our literary and big name authors, and we are being distributed and warehoused by Hachette, a major publisher here with massive reach," she said. But expect innovations like serialized novels, shorter chapters, appointment reading (what to read at midnight), genre fiction, and other experiments to draw in in-
tensive phone-users who may not be reading anything in the form of a book at the moment. Sarkar, who believes that "the book is under great threat in India", is hopeful that the new venture will change the way books are read in India. "There's the paper book, the ebook, but along with that, there's life on the phone," said Sarkar. Initially publishing in English and Hindi, the new house hopes to branch out into a new Indian language every year. E-books, according to publishing industry sources, account for only 7-8 per cent of their revenue. Launched by Sarkar, Publisher and Founder, Juggernaut will have a CEO in Durga Raghunath, who has come from Network 18, where she founded Firstpost.com and went on to become CEO of Web 18, thus
indicating the digital thrust of the publishing start-up. It is for the first time that mar-
quee names from corporate India including Infosys co-founder and the man behind the Aadhaar biometric identification project, Nandan Nilekani, Managing director of Fab India William Bissell, and Neeraj Aggarwal, MD of Boston Consulting Group, India, have invested in a publishing house. "Much of traditional publishing is broken. Commissioning, marketing, sales. It's an opportunity to build from scratch," said Raghunath. Juggernaut is betting on a large number of mobile Internet users for the success of the venture. While reading habits in Japan are an inspiration, Sarkar and Raghunath know this readership exists only in theory at the moment.
Sarkar said, "We have managed to attract a whole range of new writers who have come to us solely for the phone, for example - voices from genre writing, entertainment spaces, and those who have already carved an online life for themselves." Those who have published in the old format are interested too. "Previously published authors and celebrities whom we might naturally put into the physical format are also very excited to have an additional, extremely promising, new life for them that allows them to build their own communities, and market their books in new ways," she said. Backed by an array of marquee investors, who have already put in Rs 15 crore in the venture, and armed with a novel strategy to create a niche for itself in the publishing industry, Juggernaut is set to roll. -PTI
Concerts, daring decors at Paris Fashion Week PARIS: Paris Fashion Week threw out musical performances, daring decors and lashings of color for spring-summer 2016. Here are the highlights of the ready-to-wear shows.
small retro print - contrasted nicely with a jogging top that might be seen on a girl running around the Tuileries Gardens. Relaxed yet chic was its statement. Later, floppy bows at the neck, flared sleeves, billowing harem
Rising music star Caroline Vreeland performed to cheers at the glitziest party of Paris Fashion Week so far: Swarovksi's 120th birthday. The VIP-filled soiree also celebrated the release of a new book ``Swarovski: Celebrating a History of Collaborations in Fashion, Jewelry, Performance and Design.'' Though blond beauty Vreeland - who's also a model - might not be a household name, she's already fashion royalty, being the greatgranddaughter of powerful Harper's Bazaar editor Diana
Vreeland, who reigned across the magazine world from 1936 to 1962. CARVEN'S SANITIZED CHIC A large PVC greenhouse with white tube lights had fashionistas curious ahead of Carven's springsummer show, only the second so far for new designers Adrien Caillaudaud and Alexis Martial at the age-old Parisian house. Pared-down and slightly sanitized was the style - carefully aligned with the decor. This infused the 41-piece collection with the tight, crisp silhouettes and
mini-skirts of the Sixties. Thus, delicately flared pants in dove gray mixed with colored silk shirts, and one white striped sporty-looking top with neat colored lines. The best of the Sixties musing came with a cut-out disc motif on a burnt orange or white mini, and a crisp white mini dress that looked almost like a nurse's uniform - stylishly evoking the sanitized feel The collection loosened up toward the end with some layered skirts and a frothy white dress with criss-cross fabric panels. -AP
Indian handmade textiles on display in London
Doutzen Kroes walks the runway during the Balmain show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2016 on Oct. 1 in Paris, France.
CHLOE'S SUMMER Summer was in the air at Clare Waight Keller's show at Paris' Grand Palais. The British Chloe designer this season mixed up sportswear, hippy styles and lashings of color to produce a saleable collection, frothing with loose silk silhouettes. There was more than a whiff of Seventies' flower power. The 44-strong show opening with billowing hippy flares with
pants, and dangling tassels further evoked the boho era. But this collection was all about color: the indigo, beige, pale yellow, vermilion red and burgundy - that all came to a climax in a cascading rainbow gown that would certainly not be for the color-shy. SINGER CAROLINE VREELAND PERFORMS AT SWAROVSKI BIRTHDAY
LONDON: Handmade Indian textiles, from the earliest known fragments to the contemporary fashion, have been put on display here at the UK's world-famous Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) as part of the ongoing 'India Festival'. 'The Fabric of India' is the first exhibition to explore Indian textiles and forms the centerpiece of the festival. "This was a tremendous task and we looked at it from a historic perspective as well as making it relevant today. There is a vague chronology to give it a sense of history but the broad divisions reflect the technical mastery and creativity of Indian textiles," said Divia Patel, cocurator of the exhibition. The exhibition offers an intro-
duction to the raw materials and processes of making cloth by hand. Displays of the basic fibers of silk, cotton and wool illustrate the importance of India's natural resources to its textile-making traditions and two-third's of the exhibits are from the V&A's own collections. The remaining have been bor-
rowed by museums and private collections in India, the US and France. The opening section shows fabrics dyed with natural materials such as pomegranate and indigo and the complex techniques of block printing, weaving and embroidery across the ages, together creating a visual compendium of India's astonishingly diverse array of fabrics. Highlights range from muslin embroidered with glittering green beetle wings, to a vast wall hanging appliqued with designs of elephants and geometrical patterns, to a boy's jacket densely embroidered with brightly colored silk thread and mirrors. -PTI
October 9, 2015
India Post 39 www.indiapost.com
British artists paint Varanasi Cont'd from Page 36
This contemporary British tribute to India is led by a fantastic image of burning ghats on the Ganges River at dusk by Patrick Cullen which won a prize at this year's Lynn Painter Stainers competition. The picture is alive despite the fact that it illustrates bodies being consumed in flame. He says: "For us India is all about light and color and the incredible variety of subjects. It's about the energy and the movement wherever you look. And above all it's the sense of life flowing through everything, even through death. I was trying to capture the Hindu belief in death being just a part of the great continuous cycle of life. The fire that illuminates the darkening scene burns more brightly as the daylight fades. The fire is the fire of life. It burns continuously throughout every night and on into the dawn of each new day. And this has been going on for millenia." There is something anachronistic in the idea of four artists taking off for India together to paint in company, but the idea of a school of artists is as old as time. The men agree that the work of the others
influences and inspires their own distinctive imagery. And in the evening, after a day spent painting they retire to their hostelry for dinner and a discussion of the day's work, its trials and tribulations and triumphs. Ken Howard (born 1932) OBE, RA, is perhaps the best known of the three. He studied at Hornsey School of Art from 1949 to 1953, then did his National Service with the Royal Marines before returning to study at the Royal College of Art from 1955 to 1958. He went on to win a British Council Schol-
War Museum as official artist in Northern Ireland. He also worked with the British Army in Germany, Cyprus, Oman, Hong Kong, Nepal, Norway, Canada, Belize and Brunei from 1973 to 1982. He was elected a member of the New English Art Club in 1962, the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in 1966, the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolours in 1979, the Royal West of England Academy 1981, Honorary Member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1988, Royal Academician in 1991 and President of the New English
Ken Howard is a life long plein air artist and his remarkable commitment to this practice is evidenced supremely by his traveling at the age of 82 to paint in India. He's been traveling to India with Patrick and Peter every year for the past four years, painting in the streets and markets arship to Florence from 1958 to 1959. Howard's first solo show was held at the Plymouth Art Centre in 1955. He was given a retrospective in 1972 at the Plymouth City Art Gallery and in 1973 and 1979 was appointed by the Imperial
Art Club in 1998. Among his numerous awards are First Prize in the Lord Mayor's Art Award in 1966, a Prize Winner in the John Moores Exhibition, Liverpool in 1978, first prize in the Hunting Group Awards and the Critics Prize at Sparkasse Karlsruhe in 1985.
Ken Howard lives and works in London. His work hangs in the National Army Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the Guildhall Art Gallery and the Ulster Museum. Ken Howard is a life long plein air artist and his remarkable commitment to this practice is evidenced supremely by his traveling at the age of 82 to paint in India. He's been traveling to India with Patrick and Peter every year for the past four years, painting in the streets and markets which as any one who's been to India knows, is very full on. It's really a younger man's game but Ken is intrepid. And he enjoys the company of younger spirits who share his enthusiasm for painting on location. Patrick Cullen, the second in the quartet of friends, has painted in Rajasthan, Delhi and Amritsar. He was awarded the Chelsea Art Society Painting Prize in 2012 and elected to the Society. A member of the NEAC he has won ten other prizes for his work. Describing what it's like painting in India, Patrick says: "I am sometimes asked how, given the levels of poverty and corruption and the evils of the caste system, I can paint pictures that celebrate the light and color and the sheer energy of this extraordinary country that is India. My answer is ‌‌that what is remarkable about
India is that despite all of the above, there is an amazingly optimistic embracing of life even with all of its repetition and drudgery. Despite the poverty it is hard not to be overwhelmed by the beauty of the people and their chaotic urban environment. The strong sunlight that invariably bounces off these surfaces and through the beautifully colored saris of the Indian women is a wonderful tonic after the grey concrete and steel of our own urban environment. So I made it my task to respond to this kaleidoscopic feast and to make paintings that capture something of it, not least because I fear it will not be with us forever." Peter Brown is Bath based, an all-weather painter of street scenes and city landscapes. Known for working directly from his usually urban subject, he is more affectionately referred to as 'Pete the Street'. He has previously painted in India, with Ken and Patrick. Also a member of the NEAC he has won over a dozen prizes for his work. Neale Worley was the author of the TV documentary made on location in Varanasi while the other three were painting, which will be premiered at the exhibition. Neale too has won awards for his work, is a member of the NEAC and has 11 paintings in the Prince of Wales' collection.
40 India Post
B
undi is a city in the Hadoti region of the state of Rajasthan. This quaint little city is fast becoming a well-liked tourist attraction owing to it representing the culture prevalent in Rajasthan. It is of great architectural importance since this small city is dotted with ornate forts, splendid palaces, and step well tanks also known as baoris in the local dialect. Bundi city is the administrative capital of Bundi District. In the olden times, the area in
October 9, 2015
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and around the city of Bundi was actually inhabited by different local tribes. The Parihar Meenas were famous amongst all the tribes. Bundi is believed to have derived its name from a previous Meena ruler known as Bunda Meena. Bunda-Ka-Nal was the name given to this city previously. The word Nal means "narrow ways'. Afterward, Rao Deva Hara, who took over Bundi from Jaita Meena in A.D. 1342, renamed the adjacent area. Being a small city, Bundi has not joined the league of the metropolis in India as yet. As a re-
sult, Bundi has retained its traditional charm. The locals living in this quaint city are old fashioned and follow the customs and rituals typical to the state of
Rajasthan. Hindi and Rajasthani are the languages spoken here. The city is known for its typical Rajasthani cuisine like dal bati, churma, besan ki misi puri, lachha paratha etc. Tourist Attractions
Badal Mahal: The Badal Mahal is located in the premises of the Taragarh Fort. This Mahal or palace is most remembered for the beautiful murals and paintings. The walls of this majestic palace are covered with exquisite paintings. Cont’d on page 42
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Travel & Hospitality Post
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Travel, career topmost on women's bucket lists NEW DELHI: Women today choose travel and career as the most important dreams to fulfill on their bucket lists, followed by money and put relationship goals as the least important, reveals a new survey. The same report highlights that men choose relationships as the most important life-goal, followed by travel and money, while letting career take a backseat. The results are part of the Ginger Hotels' 'Bucket List Study 2015', which find that while Indian men continue to tread on the conservative path leading to dependable careers and satisfactory lifestyles, Indian women set unconventional goals and priorities. The online survey took a sample of over 1146 respondents in India across regions who were invited to share their experiences and behavior patterns. Travel ranked first on women's wishlist with 35 per cent of women surveyed putting travel on the top of their bucket lists.
This was followed by Career (34 per cent), Money (43 per cent) and Relationships (34 per cent). Men gave precedence to relationships over ambitions. Relationships ranked first on the men's wishlist with 32 per cent votes followed by travel (30 per cent), money (33 per cent) and career (30 per cent). The survey also found that for women, it's the experiences collected along the journey of life that hold more importance than assets as compared to men. 32 per cent of women stated that experiences had more value than assets while 19 per cent men valued assets more. The survey found that 23 per cent men
Goa eyes Central funds to develop tourism PANAJI: Goa Tourism is eyeing nearly Rs 500 crore of central government funds under Union Tourism Ministry's 'Swadesh Darshan' scheme for developing a coastal and a spiritual tourist circuit in the state. A meeting of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) Board here last week approved a consolidated project that would involve the development of 33 beaches and around 50 spiritual places in
GTDC Chairman Nilesh Cabral
the state. "A representation would be shortly made to the Union Ministry of Tourism to obtain funds for the state under 'Swadesh Darshan'," GTDC Chairman Nilesh Cabral said in a statement. The scheme entitles the state to 100 per cent funding if the circuits are approved as per guidelines of the scheme. Goa is eyeing a funding to the tune of Rs 400-500 crore over a period of two years. As part of the submissions, Goa has pro-
posed works such as setting up of public conveniences at 33 beaches and other works such as road widening, illumination, signages, construction of pathways, footpaths, parking, tourism facilities under coastal circuits in the different talukas of the state. Similarly, upgradation of public facilities will be taken up at places of worship which are of tourist importance. Beaches in Goa currently lack basic facilities like changing rooms, freshwater showers among other facilities which act as a deterrent to foreign tourists. The GTDC has appointed M/s Darashaw & Company Pvt Ltd as the lead consultant and the agency has already drawn out a consolidated project report. "We are confident of getting the project components under both circuits approved by the Union Ministry for Tourism and funds allocated under the 'Swadesh Darshan' scheme will give a big boost for development of both beaches and places of worship," state Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar said in a statement. The 'Swadesh Darshan' scheme was announced by the Union Ministry of Tourism earlier this year as a result of budget announcements for development of tourism circuits. It aims at integrated development of theme-based circuits on the principles of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability in an integrated manner by synergizing efforts to focus on needs and concerns of all stakeholders for a better tourist experience.-PTI
consider their expenses keeping in mind their families and loved ones while it was only 14 per cent of women that did the same. While women dream big about travel-
ing, they find it harder than men to simply pack and travel on the word go! While 32 per cent women are ready to travel whenever given a chance while only
27 per cent men do the same. However, 48 per cent women find it hard to get away and they travel only once a year while for men the numbers are 45 per cent. Only 7 per cent women travel once a month while for men it is 11 per cent. Yet it is more men at 38 per cent than women at 31 per cent who would consult with their family before planning a trip. Today more women than men are open to traveling. Travel ranked equally high for both men and women as the most envy inducing activity on Facebook! 46 per cent women and 41 per cent men ranked travel-related photos or statuses of friends on social media foremost as those that induced the most amount of envy. Professional and career accomplishments, personal milestones and possessions of a dream gadget were ranked lower! Both women (46 per cent) and men (37 per cent) believed they were happy with their work-life if there is sufficient money and vacation time. -PTI
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BUNDI
QUAINT CITY RETAINS TRADITIONAL RAJASTHANI CHARM
Cont’d from page 40
The fabled paintings in the Badal Mahal are interesting since they depict the influence of Chinese culture in this quaint little town.
Bhoraji-ka-Kund: Bhoraji-kaKund is one of the famous step wells, near Bundi. The meaning of Kund is tank and such water bodies were constructed in the olden days as a source of water to the drought hit areas of Bundi. It was built in the 16th century and attracts birds of many species especially after Monsoon season. Bhoraji-ka-Kund is surely a must see spot and will definitely impress you by its beauty. Chaurasi Khambon ki Chhatri: Chaurasi Khambon ki Chhatri is a marquee supported by 84 pillars. The marquee was built in 1683 by Rao Anirudh Singh to honor the services of Deva, who was a nurse. This structure stands on a tall podium, and has two storeys, which serve as a commemorative monument as well as a place of worship. Chhatra Mahal: Among all the palaces around the Taragarh Fort, the Chatar Mahal is possibly the best. It was built in the year 1660 by Chatar Sal, and bears a strong proof of the state of independence that the Rajput rulers enjoyed from Mughal power.
Chatar Sal was perhaps the only Rajput who was made the Governor of Delhi since he proved his loyalty to the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. However, his affection and loyalty for Mughal coalition did not get in his way while he
planned the magnificent Chatar Mahal using stones from the quarries in Bundi. Garh Palace: The Garh palace has a number of petite palaces built encircling the central majestic residence. The various rulers of the city built these small palaces. Sitting atop a small hill, most of the portions of the fortress now lie in wreck, but some parts have retained their splendor. A wall encircles the palace premises and makes it seem more like a fort. Rao Balwant Singh commissioned the
palace. Hathi Pol: The literal meaning of 'Pol' is entrance or doorway. The Hathi Pol is an entrance into the Garh Palace of Bundi. Two enormous gates are seen at the end of a steep climb to this palace. Moti Mahal: Moti Mahal is one of the royal apartments of the fort. It has gorgeous ceiling embellished with mirror work. It is said that 80 pounds gold was used for creating such a masterpiece. Phool Mahal: The Phool Sagar Lake derives its name from the Phool Mahal, which is a huge fortress that stands on its banks. The Phool Mahal or the Flower Palace is a comparatively contemporary construction and was started in the year 1945 by Maharaja Bahadur Singh. Shikar Burj: Shikar Burj is another tourist destination. Located at a little distance from Sukh Mahal, Shikar Burj is actually an old hunting cottage owned by the rulers of Bundi. The beautiful hunting lodge is located in the sun dappled forests in the city of Bundi. Step Wells: The step wells are a trademark feature of Bundi. These wells were constructed as a means of providing water to the famine prone town of Bundi. They are also known as Baori, vav, kund or sagar in the local dialect. These step wells are of different shapes and are used to collect and store water. Bundi has a total of 50-odd
very old wells and tanks. Sukh Mahal: Sukh Mahal, which is located on the periphery of the lake Jait Sagar was built during Umed Singh's regime. It is a pleasant marquee where Rudyard Kipling once stayed. Sukh Mahal is now converted to an irrigation
man-made lake that can be seen from the Talagarh Fort. This lake has more than a few small islands. This lake is located in the middle of the city, and hence, one can get to see the reflection of the entire city in this lake. The mirror image of the entire city of Bundi falls on
Rest House. This beautiful place is set amidst the verdant milieu of an attractive garden and is popularly visited by nature lovers. It is a universal belief that the old palace and Sukh Mahal are connected by means of an underground tunnel. Taragarh Fort: The Taragarh Fort, also known as the 'Star Fort' is the most striking feature of the city. It was built in the year in 1354 AD upon a sharp hillside. The largest fortification is known as the Bhim Burj, and large cannon called Garbh Gunjam was mounted upon it. Nawal Sagar Lake: The Nawal Sagar Lake is a big
the serene waters of this lake making it a unique tourist destination. Best time to visit: Best season to visit Bundi is October to March. How to reach By Train: Nearest rail head is at Kota, which is 35 km away from Bundi. By Air: The nearest airport is Sanganer Airport located at Jaipur, which is about 215 km from Bundi. By Bus: Bundi is connected with Kota (35 km), Jaipur (215 km) and many other cities through state owned transport services.
October 9, 2015
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Laungewala war memorial catching up on visitors JAISALMER, Rajasthan: The Army's Laungewala War Memorial, first of its kind on the Western front, is attracting footfalls with around 2,000 people visiting the very site where the In-
war trophies, vintage equipment including tanks, guns and military vehicles on the display at the memorial, defense sources said. "A 10-minute video on the
General Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Command, Lieutenant General Ashok Singh inaugurating ‘Jaisalmer War Museum’ at Jaisalmer Military Station. The War Museum has been established to commemorate the sacrifice of war heroes.
dia-Pakistan battle was fought in 1971. People are having thrilling experience visiting the site where the Pakistani offensive was blunted, as they see the captured
battle of Laungewala is screened to the visitors on their entry which has the lucid account of the battle, interview with Major (later Brigadier) Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, Maha Vir Chakra, the
hero of the Laungewala battle, who gives a vivid description of the heroic deeds of the gallant soldiers," Defense Spokesperson Lt Col Manish Ojha said. "Visitors are told that how Chandpuri motivated handful of soldiers which he had at the post to face the Pakistan Army and gave a humiliating defeat to the enemy. He was heavily outnumbered by enemy amour and infantry but the soldiers led by Chandpuri fought the decisive battle against heavy odds on the border," he said. The memorial, which is nearly two hours away from Jaisalmer, was inaugurated on August 24 and since then nearly 2,000 people have visited it. The footfall is set to increase with the beginning of the tourist season. After the audio-visual, the visitors are shown the museum where the scene of the battle has been recreated at the actual site of the battle with the means of bunkers, minefields, communication trench, jeep, destroyed enemy tanks and vehicles to give an insight as to how the battle was fought on the eventful night
Sayeed reviews progress of work at Pahalgam SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed took a quick round of the famous Pahalgam resort to take a firsthand appraisal of works on the ongoing projects related to tourism and other sectors. The Chief Minister visited the Circular Road, which has recently been macadamized, and various parks maintained and developed by Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) and the Floriculture, Gardens and Parks Department, an official spokesman said. He said Sayeed was accompanied by senior Tourism and district administration officials. Asking Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) to prevent littering of the bowl, Sayeed ordered fencing and landscaping of stretches of green patches on either side of the roads in an aesthetic way to spruce up the resort environs. He laid emphasis on creation of wayside amenities and landscaping along the Pahalgam-Aru Road. During one of the review meetings, the Chief Minister, who also holds the charge of Tourism Department, had laid stress on scien-
tific disposal of waste, for which PDA has been tasked to have a solid waste management project set up. The Chief Minister, who later traveled to Aru from Pahalgam, described the 16-km drive as a breathtaking experience, as the newly-macadamized road runs parallel to the gushing waters of river
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed
Lidder, which snakes through various riveting spots. Sayeed had ordered promotion of Aru as a Lavender Village and asked Tourism Department to explore possibility of laying a cable car in the resort in a bid to provide add-on facilities to the tourists. He also ordered R-B Depart-
ment to demarcate cycling pathways on either side of the resort roads as paddling is a very popular eco-friendly sport amongst tourists coming from Europe and the West. On the directions of the Chief Minister, the Public Works Department has macadamized all important roads in and out of Pahalgam, which include those leading to Aru, Circular Road, Betaab valley, Anantnag and Bijbehara. The Chief Minister highlighted the importance of basic amenities like connectivity, uninterrupted power and water supply and communication network as keys to entrench high-end tourist footfall, the spokesman said. He said the chief minister also directed Secretary Tourism to maintain established assets like club-cum-international convention centre and golf course so that these are run professionally and are able to generate enough revenue. Secretary Tourism apprised the Chief Minister about various steps being taken to broaden the scope of tourism-related activities in Pahalgam, especially in winter. PTI
of December 4-5, 1971, Ojha said. The murals of the soldiers, whose supreme sacrifice led to victory in the Laungewala battle and the 106 mm Recoilless Gun (main anti tank weapon) employed to destroy a number of
picted. In the film, actor Sunny Deol essayed the role of Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri. A theme based 'Border' Cafe has also been developed in the memorial.
The War Memorial has been constructed and inaugurated at the very site where the Pakistani offensive was blunted with over 179 Pakistani soldiers killed / wounded and 37 Pakistani tanks destroyed.
Pakistani tanks occupy a place in the memorial. Famous Bollywood movie "Border" released in 1997 was also based on the battle in which the Laungewala war has been de-
Souvenirs related to Indian Army in general and Laungewala War in particular, ranging from coffee mugs, caps, T-shirts to key chains are available in the memorial. -PTI
Grand Canyon schedules North Rim closings GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz.: Grand Canyon National Park is scheduling the seasonal closings of visitor services on the North Rim. Park officials say most North Rim visitor services will close Oct. 16, with breakfast that day being the last meal served at Grand Canyon Lodge. The North Rim will remain open to visitors until closing on Dec. 1 or an earlier closing of State Route 67 due to snow.
After Oct. 16 and until Oct. 24, the North Rim Visitor Center will be staffed between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily. North Rim campground sites are available by reservation through Oct. 31. The campground then reverts to primitive use with backcountry reservations required over the winter. The Grand Canyon Lodge gift shop will remain open daily until Dec. 1.-AP
Tourists take photos from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
In Brief Trump pledges to return Syrian refugees if elected WASHINGTON: Trump says he will send Syrian refugees home if he's elected president, but U.S. laws would interfere with his plans. "I'm putting the people on notice that are coming here from Syria as part of this mass migration. If I win, they're going back," the billionaire businessman promised during a campaign stop in Keene, New Hampshire. "They're going back. I'm telling you. They're going back." There's at least one thing that would stand in his way: immigration laws. Refugees are awarded legal immigration status as soon as they arrive and granted work permits shortly thereafter. Within one year, they are eligible and must apply to become a legal permanent resident. To send them home, Trump's administration would have to strip the refugees of the legal status that allowed them to travel to the U.S. That would require either a change in the conditions in Syria or evidence that immigrants weren't actually qualified to be refugees in the first place. Even then, under federal regulations, any refugee would be allowed to protest such efforts in a process that could take at least one month. The Obama administration said it intends to accept about 10,000 Syrian refugees and increase the overall number of refugees allowed into the country from around the world to 85,000 in the next 12 months. That total would increase to 100,000 by 2017. Currently the U.S. accepts up to 70,000 refugees per year. -AP
„ Recordings show Ted Kennedy voicing frustrations BOSTON: In newly released recordings, U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy expresses his frustration over the way a failed 2007 immigration bill was handled in the Senate and the secretive approach President Bill Clinton took on his failed universal health care proposal, which Kennedy called a ``catastrophic mistake.'' Transcripts of 19 interviews with the Massachusetts Democrat, who died of brain cancer in 2009, were made public as part of an oral history project by the Miller Center at the University of Virginia and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston. Details on page 46
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Arizona sheriff spent own money on spying Details on page 46
Discriminatory outsourcing fee on Indian firms scrapped WASHINGTON: In a relief to Indian IT companies, the US has scrapped an additional fee of USD 2,000 for H-1B visa and USD 2,500 for L1 visa seen as discriminatory. Popularly known as outsourcing fee, such a fee was called discriminatory by Indian companies as it majorly affected them and hit their ease of doing business in the United States. The charges had forced Indian IT companies in the last few years to pay millions of dollars towards protecting the US-Mexican border from illegal immigration. The legislation with regard to a USD 2,000 fee on H-1B visas for companies having more than 50 per cent of its employees oversees was adopted by the US Congress in 2010 mainly at the instance of a group of lawmakers led by Senator Charles Schumer.
Passed on August 10, the law contains provision to hike H-1B and L-1 Visa fee per application by USD 2,000 and USD 2,250 respectively for qualifying firm; which mainly targeted Indian IT companies. The duration of law was extended from four to five years un-
der James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 to provide healthcare and financial compensation for the firefighters and other 'First Responders' who helped out in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack. In a report released last month, NASSCOM said Indian tech in-
India to reduce Electronic Tourist Visa fee NEW DELHI: India has decided to reduce visa fees for tourists arriving under the highly successful Electronic Tourist Visa (ETV) scheme which has facilitated an almost 900 per cent jump in tourist arrivals. India's fee for ETV is USD 60 and the facility extends to 113 countries. However, there are many countries which offer ETV or Visa on Arrival to Indians at a lesser fee some offer it at USD 20, USD 35 or USD 40 and a few charge no visa fee. Many of these countries are asking India to reciprocate the gesture. Though a formal announcement is yet to be made, it is learnt that there will be total four fee slabs between USD 60 to nil. The fee for ETV will completely be on reciprocal basis. "We are planning to make the visa fee in four slabs. USD 20, USD 48, USD 60 and no visa fee will be levied from some countries. We have sent the proposal to the External Affairs Ministry
for final approval," a Home Ministry official said. The ETV fees were rationalized following the request of those friendly countries.
India currently offers ETV facility to citizens of 113 countries and it plans to raise it to 150 countries by March 31, 2016. Tourists can arrive in 16 designated airports across the country. Under the ETV scheme, an applicant receives an email authoriz-
ing him or her to travel to India after it is approved and he or she can travel with a print-out of this authorization. On arrival, the visitor has to present the authorization to the immigration authorities who would then stamp the entry into the country. India currently offers ETV facility to citizens of 113 countries and it plans to raise it to 150 countries by March 31, 2016. Tourists can arrive in 16 designated airports across the country. According to an official estimate, a total of 1,69,976 tourists arrived on E-Tourist Visa during January-August this year as compared to 17,120 during the corresponding period in 2014, showing a growth of 892.9 per cent. Maximum tourists from the US (25.93 per cent) availed the evisa facility followed by Germany (10 per cent), UAE (8.92 per cent), France (8.76 per cent), Australia (7.20 per cent) and Canada (6.39 per cent) among the top 10 source countries. -PTI
dustry contributed an estimated over USD 375 million during this period to the US Treasury including helping America secure its borders. In a recent interview, NASSCOM president R Chandrashekhar described the fee as unjustified. "It had nothing to do with the IT industry. It was applied in an inequitable way, which specifically targeted Indian companies," he said, adding that he would welcome any move to eliminate the fee. The Congress can still come up with a legislation to reinstall the discriminatory H-1B fee, Congressional sources said. However, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEEUSA) in a statement criticized the US Congress for the lapse of the H-1B fee. -PTI
Immigration museum supporters appeal to Obama WASHINGTON: Supporters of an immigration museum on the National Mall are now appealing directly to President Barack Obama to jump-start the project. A coalition of scholars and ethnic group leaders sent a letter to the president asking him to create a commission to study a possible immigration museum. It would be called the National Museum of the American People and would track the arrival of migrants and immigrants into the country. The coalition says no new funding is needed to create a presidential commission to study the project. A similar commission established by President Jimmy Carter led to the creation of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Supporters of the project had previously appealed to Congress to establish a commission, but those efforts have not been successful. -AP
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Immigrants 'heartbroken' over about-face on visas SEATTLE: Swaroop Venumbaka was thrilled to receive word from the State Department early last month that after eight years in the United States, he would finally be able to file his final paperwork to become a legal permanent resident on Oct. 1. He spent $2,600 on legal fees and medical exams, took three days off work to get his documents in order, and, most importantly, started planning to travel back to India so his parents could meet his 6month-old son. Then, he says, the State Department pulled the rug out from under him. It revised its earlier notice, severely restricting who would be able to file their final green card applications. Like tens of thousands of other highly skilled immigrant workers, he was
trips, missed weddings or funerals, and taken time off work to deal with their applications, all for nothing. Many are from India or China, have advanced degrees, and work at prominent tech companies or medical firms. Venumbaka, 33 and originally from Hyderabad, is a software engineer in Tysons Corner, Virginia, whose company does contract work for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. ``This case is about what happens when thousands of law-abiding, highly skilled immigrants spend millions of dollars preparing to apply for green cards in reasonable reliance on an agency's binding policy statement, only to find out at the last minute that a hapless federal bureaucracy has
Many are from India or China, have advanced degrees, and work at prominent tech companies or medical firms. Venumbaka, 33 and originally from Hyderabad, is a software engineer in Tysons Corner, Virginia, whose company does contract work for the U.S. out of luck. His wife will now take the boy to India without him, he says. ``In past three years I haven't traveled, I haven't visited my parents or in-laws,'' he said. ``I was excited to take him back to my parents and extended family.'' More than a dozen frustrated, highly skilled immigrants in the same boat filed a federal lawsuit in Seattle challenging the State Department's decision. The complaint seeks class-action status. Their lawyers estimate 20,000 to 30,000 immigrants were affected, spending tens of millions of dollars on legal fees and medical exams for paperwork they now can't file. Some said they had canceled
abruptly, inexplicably, and arbitrarily reneged on its promise,'' the lawsuit said. The State Department gave no explanation for the about-face and declined to comment, citing the litigation. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is also named as a defendant, also declined. The State Department's initial bulletin, issued Sept. 9, came in response to an executive order last year from President Barack Obama seeking to improve and simplify the nation's immigration system. The bulletin thrilled many of the workers who are here on petitions for employment visas, as it was expected to help clear up a
yearslong backlog of applications by immigrants from China and India. But on Sept. 25, the government revised that notice without explanation, severely curtailing who could apply by issuing new and earlier cut-off dates for consideration based on when an application for a green card was filed. The State Department issued no word as to when those left out might be allowed to file. The backlog has been a major headache for the workers. Because their visa petitions are jobspecific, many said they have had to turn down job offers or even promotions while they await their green cards. Similarly, several said they have had to delay buying homes. Without their green cards, they could be forced to return to their native countries on short notice if they get laid off, leaving them little time to sell the properties. Shashi Singh Rai, 32, of Gurnee, Illinois, said her husband, a systems engineer at a pharmaceutical company, has declined promotions and has put off obtaining a master's degree in business administration for the past five years while he waits. When the State Department issued its initial bulletin, she said, they called their parents in India. The couple spent $600 obtaining their birth certificates, Rai said, but her disappointment wasn't about the money. ``All our dreams are on hold for this. We have waited patiently,'' she said. ``We have been just hanging by a thread, and that thread has been cut.'' Selva Narayanan, 33, an audio engineer at a Chicago-area mobile technology company, said he has a 2-year-old child and has been waiting to buy a house ``to have the American dream,'' he said. ``I'm frustrated, disappointed,
Clinton wants N. Carolina immigration bill vetoed RALEIGH, N.C.: Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign wants North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory to veto a measure that restricts acceptable identification documents for immigrants and prevents local policies directing police not to ask about a person's immigration status. The Clinton campaign released a statement from its Latino outreach director. Lorella Praeli says the measure would have an immea-
surable negative effect on the immigrant community and damage
Hillary Rodham Clinton
trust needed for effective policing. The measure given final legislative approval would halt some policies approved by what bill supporters call "sanctuary cities" in North Carolina. Police use of ID cards provided by foreign governments, local governments or nonprofits to determine residency also would be curtailed. McCrory put his name on a mass email to supporters saying he opposes sanctuary cities. -AP
heartbroken,'' he said. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of 14 individuals and one organization, the International Medical Graduate Taskforce, which comprises physicians dedicated to placing doctors in rural American communities. Their attorneys - R. Andrew Free of Nashville, Tennessee; Gregory Siskind
perior, Colorado, and works as a research engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the government's main laboratory for renewable energy research. Two California Democrats, U.S. Reps. Zoe Lofgren and Mike Honda, issued a statement slamming the State Department and
The backlog has been a major headache for the workers. Because their visa petitions are job-specific, many said they have had to turn down job offers or even promotions while they await their green cards. Similarly, several said they have had to delay buying homes. of Memphis, Tennessee; and Robert Pauw of Seattle - requested an emergency order blocking the revised bulletin from taking effect. Among the plaintiffs are Quan Yuan, a Chinese-born math professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and Qi Wang, a Chinese citizen who lives in Su-
asking that it fix the problem. Both represent the Silicon Valley area of California, a tech hotspot. ``In a time when this country has to compete harder than ever with the rest of the world for highskilled workers, a confounding and sudden change such as this is unacceptable,'' they said. -AP
PRADEEP ROY-SINGH B.A. LL.B. M.B.A. J.D. Attorney-at-Law
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Arizona sheriff spent own money on spying PHOENIX: A lieutenant testified that Sheriff Joe Arpaio personally spent $10,000 to help pay for an investigation of a government conspiracy that critics say was designed to get the judge in the lawman's racial-profiling case disqualified. The testimony came in a hearing to determine whether the 83year-old sheriff should be held in contempt for flouting a judge's orders with his signature immigration patrols, which helped elevate Arpaio to the national political stage. One element of the contempt hearing is a bizarre investigation carried out by Arpaio's office into whether someone was spying on Arizona judges and his own lawyers. Critics say Arpaio's ultimate goal with the investigation was to get the judge removed from the case by proving that he was conspiring with the U.S. Justice Department in a bid to take down the sheriff. Arpaio denies those allegations. U.S. District Judge Murray Snow ruled in 2013 that Arpaio's office systematically racially profiled Latinos in its immigration patrols, and he has ordered a series of reforms that have dramatically undercut the sheriff's powers. As the case played out, he ordered Arpaio to stop doing immigration patrols, but the sheriff defied the
order for 18 months. Sheriff's officials have said the investigation cost $250,000, including $120,000 for a confidential informant whose information was eventually discredited. The money came from various sources, including property seized through the courts as part of criminal cases.
As the money began to run out, Arpaio spent $10,000 of his own money to cover the travel expenses of a volunteer member of one of his posses who was helping with the investigation, Lt. Kim Seagraves said in court. She learned of the sheriff's donation from another official who raised
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio speaking with the media in Phoenix.
Grant money intended for combating drug trafficking also was used to pay for the investigation. Some of the money helped pay for renting a house for sheriff's investigators in Seattle, where the informant was based at the time of the investigation.
questions about the costs of the investigation. Seagraves said the sheriff profanely told the official that he didn't care about his concerns. The sheriff's office has declined a request by The Associated Press for all the billing records
connected to the investigation. Earlier, Arpaio repeatedly shifted blame to his subordinates as he was subjected to questioning in federal court over his agency's defiance of Snow's court order. Lawyers played clips from the sheriff's national media interviews in which he described his immigration policies and defiance of the federal government. In one interview with Fox News host Megyn Kelly, Arpaio declared ``That is garbage'' to describe what he thought of the possibility of a federal monitor being appointed to keep an eye on his office in another case. His demeanor during testimony was subdued, a contrast from the video clips played in court in which he loudly expressed his defiance of court supervision of his office. The sheriff was asked to explain why an internal investigation found no wrongdoing over his office's violation of the order; even though his secondin-command has acknowledged that he violated the judge's orders. Arpaio explained that he delegated those duties to others to handle and he didn't have all the facts. ``I said as the leader I take responsibility but not the nuts and bolts,'' Arpaio said, noting that he didn't get into the details of the
investigation. Arpaio was asked about whether his immigration efforts were politically driven. ``It wasn't politics for me. I was trying to enforce the laws,'' he said. The attorneys pressing the case against Arpaio hammered on persistent criticism that the sheriff's office doesn't adequately investigate wrongdoing by officers. The internal investigations are relevant to the contempt case because the judge is expected to order changes to the agency that confront the criticism. The investigation into who was responsible for violating the order to stop the patrols didn't include Arpaio as a target. Asked why his actions weren't examined as part of the investigation, Arpaio said he didn't know how he could make a disciplinary decision on himself. The six-term sheriff also is being called into court for his office's failure to turn over traffic-stop recordings before the profiling trial and bungling a plan to gather the videos once they were publicly revealed. He could face civil fines and possibly a criminal contempt case. Other subjects to be heard at the hearing involve allegations that his officers pocketed personal items seized from people during traffic stops and busts. -AP
Recordings show Ted Kennedy voicing frustrations BOSTON: In newly released recordings, U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy expresses his frustration over the way a failed 2007 immigration bill was handled in the Senate and the secretive approach President Bill Clinton took on his failed universal health care proposal, which Kennedy called a ``catastrophic mistake.'' Transcripts of 19 interviews with the Massachusetts Democrat, who died of brain cancer in 2009, were made public as part of an oral history project by the Miller Center at the University of Virginia and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston. The interviews, conducted by historian James Sterling Young, took place from 2005 to 2008 and covered a wide range of topics including the civil rights movement, Northern Ireland, the Vietnam War and some of his own political races. While the Senate's inability to pass immigration legislation in 2007 despite what had been billed as a bipartisan compromise was
the fault of both parties, Kennedy blamed ``tentative'' actions by top Senate Democrats worried about electoral repercussions for ultimately dooming the measure. ``They weren't serious,'' he complained. ``The leadership was not serious about doing it.'' Then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Kennedy said, ``went on to manufacture a situation to antagonize Republicans, to try to blame them, so there'd be a blame game going on, and stop consideration of a bill.'' The result was a historic missed opportunity, said Kennedy, who had been championing immigration reform since he was first elected to the Senate in 1962. ``That's why it's going to take another 45 years for someone else to get this thing passed,'' he told Young. Kennedy, who helped shape but did not live long enough to see passage of the Affordable Care Act under President Barack Obama, was also critical of the
way Clinton handled the issue early in his first term. Clinton gave first lady Hillary
too much time trying to develop its own health care proposal, rather than consulting with Con-
File picture of Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., participating in a bill-signing ceremony at the Statehouse in Boston.
Rodham Clinton responsibility for overseeing the formulation of health care legislation. Kennedy maintained the administration erred by spending
gress and taking existing ideas, modifying them and moving forward. The result, he said, was an enormously complicated process that never gained traction.
``I think everybody understands now that that was a catastrophic mistake,'' Kennedy said. ``They underestimated the complexity of it, and then they were faced with a variety of other kinds of issues that came up during this period of time, which diverted the focus and attention away from it,'' he added. The New York Times and The Boston Globe first reported excerpts of the interview. The Miller Center and the Kennedy institute said they also conducted nearly 250 interviews with Senate colleagues, staffers, family members and others as part of the oral history project. An additional 10 interviews with Kennedy were not immediately released, including one with the senator's recollections on the 1969 car accident on Chappaquiddick Island that left a woman dead, the Times reported. -AP
Datebook
October 9, 2015
NEW JERSEY Upcoming Sat, Oct 10
NEW YORK Upcoming Sun, Oct 11
• IFMP Navratri Raas Garba 2015
• Nooran Sisters Live in Concert
Venue: West Windsor Plainsboro High School North, 90 Grovers Mill Road, Plainsboro, NJ 08536 Time : 07:00 pm
Venue: Colden Center, 6530 Kissena Blvd, Flushing, NY 11367 Time : 07:30 pm
Fri, Oct 16 • ICS Navratri 2015 Venue: Dunn Sports Center-NJ, 600,Pearl Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202 Time: 8:00 pm
Sat, Oct 17 • APNA BAZAR Navratri 2015 by Rex Dsouza Venue: Oak Tree Road, 3775 Park Avenue, Edison, NJ 08820 Time: 8:00 pm Contact: 732-522-5160
Fri, Oct 16
India Post 47
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
CHICAGO
Upcoming
Upcoming
Sat, Oct 10 • MUSIC - MASALA - HANGAMA
Sun, Oct 11 • Healing Music - Bombay Jayashri Live in San Jose
Venue: Jain Center of Southern California, 8072 Commonwealth Ave, Buena Park, CA Time: 5:30 am Contact: 949-215-9464
Sat, Oct 10
Venue: Foothill college - Smithwick Theater, 12345 El Monte Rd, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022 Time: 04:00 pm
• Patel Brothers & India House Navratri 2015
•GCA Raas Garba by- Palak & Ashish Vyas Sargam Group
Venue: Garden State Exhibit Center, 50 Atrium Drive, Somerset, Nj 08873 Time : 09:00 pm
Venue: Washington High School, 38442 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA 94536 Time: 08:30 pm
Sat, Oct 17 • Saratoga Dandia 2015
Fri, Nov 20
Fri, Oct 16
14000 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga, CA 95070
• Alka Yagnik Live in New York
• An Evening with James Randi
Time: 7:00 pm
Ohlone College Psychology Speaker Series
Venue: Colden Auditorium, Reeves Avenue, NY 11367 Time : 08:30 pm Contact: 7186392881
Venue: Smith Center at Ohlone College 43600 Mission Boulevard Fremont, CA 94539 Time: 7:00 pm Contact: 510-659-6031, www.smithcenter.com
Sat, Oct 17 • RAas-garba with Jayshree Gohil & Party Venue: University High School, 4771 Campus Dr, Irvine, CA 92612 Time: 7:30 pm Contact: 949-679-7345
Sat, Oct 24 • Raas-Garba With Hemant Mehla & Group Venue: Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802 Time: 8:00 pm Contact: 951-318-7375
Fri, Nov 6 • Bollywood Singers Club Party Venue: Shehnai Cuisine of India, 705 E Birch St, Brea, CA 92821 Time: 7:00 pm
Venue: West Valley College, Large Gym,
Contact: 408-634-0295
ATLANTA Upcoming
ILLINOIS Upcoming 1st and 3rd Sunday of Month • Chicago Children's Bal Mukund Character Building Program and Hindi Literacy Classes Venue: Vogelei Center, 650 W. Higgins Road, Hoffmann Estates, IL 60192 (Next to Nissan Dealership) Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807
Mondays and Fridays • Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Metropolitan Asian Family Services Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105
Mondays and Fridays
Sat, Oct 10 • TDF Bathukamma & Dasara Celebrations
• Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Where: Metropolitan Asian Family Services
Venue: Piney Grove Middle School, 8135 Majors Rd, Cumming, GA 30041 Time: 11:00 pm Contact: 949-462-4275
Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105
Sun, Oct 17 • Navratri Mela - Chinmaya Mission Alpharetta Venue: Dobbs Creek Recreation Center, 1115 Dahlonega Highway, Cumming, GA Time: 6:00 pm Contact: 678-428-4718
Sat, Nov 7 • Diwali Bollywood Dhamaka Venue: Bombay Grill Indian Restaurant, 2165 Savoy Drive, Atlanta, GA 30341 Time: 07:30 pm
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
48 India Post
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Realty Tidbits
Dartmouth fraternity sues town over housing dispute
HANOVER, N.H.: A Dartmouth College fraternity that lost its recognition on campus after it was accused of branding new members is suing the town of Hanover and its zoning board over a ruling that keeps its members from living in their house. Eighteen members of Alpha Delta, which partly inspired the 1978 movie ``Animal House,'' were ordered out after the fraternity lost its status as a student organization in April. The Valley News reports the fraternity sued last month, saying the house was its residence before Hanover had a zoning ordinance. Town Manager Julia Griffin estimated the case could take at least a year. The fraternity's lawyer has described the branding as voluntary self-expression. The college concluded it didn't amount to hazing, but cited previous misconduct in revoking the fraternity's recognition. -AP
Real Estate 50 India Post
www.indiapost.com
October 9, 2015
O
nce upon a time, Grandma could expect to move into the spare bedroom and help out with the kids. After World War II, that model changed as young people moved closer to the city and embraced the new American dream - a house in the suburbs that had no room for aging parents. Now multigenerational living is making a comeback. According to a Pew Research Center report, U.S. Census data recorded 51.4 million Americans, or 16.7 percent of the population, living in mutigenerational households in 2009, up 10.5 percent from just two years earlier. Details on Page 51
Biggest property show 'Gruhapravesh' is back in San Jose FROM INDIAPROPERTY TEAM
W
e all know the struggle we go through to find the perfect property to invest in India. Too many hours of research and too little time to actually go to India, has been a real trouble lately! But the month of October, might bring some relief! Yes! Gruhapravesh - India's biggest property show by
India. It covers all the major real estate hubs in India, namely Bengaluru, Chikmagalur, Mangalore, Mysuru, Udupi, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Vijayawada,
„
Developer plans to appeal $2.3 million judgment
TACOMA, Wash.: A developer plans to appeal a $2.3 million judgment awarded to an investor. Jurors decided that developer Mike Cohen misrepresented or omitted information to William Newcomer and was liable for damages, the News Tribune reported. Cohen was a main force behind the Point Ruston real estate development. Newcomer says Cohen lent money from Point Ruston to the Apex project at up to 20 percent interest. He also said Cohen failed in his stated agreement to match Newcomer's investment in Apex. ``I would not have invested, and would not have lost, these funds, if I had known that Cohen failed to make the capital contributions he represented he made, or had I known that Cohen was borrowing funds that get repaid first from an entity controlled by Cohen,'' Newcomer said The developer said in court that investors in the Apex luxury apartment and condominium project lost money due to the Great Recession. ``As the global economy sank deeper and deeper during the Great Recession, so too did the Apex project,'' Cohen said in a sworn affidavit filed in July. His lawyers wrote in a Sept. 1 trial brief that Apex was affected by a variety of factors, including other completed projects nearby and a soldier deployment saturating the area with vacancies. -AP
Multigenerational homes coming back as family solution
IndiaProperty.com, is coming to the US. Finally you can get firsthand information on all that is happening in the property market in India & take an informed property decision. The property show is slated to have over 80 projects from more than 20 top builders from all over
ing localities in East Hyderabad like Uppal and LB Nagar will benefit from the improved connectivity and see a capital appreciation of 15% to 20% annually. Extension of the Hyderabad Metro to areas like Trimulgherry, Nagole, Ghatkesar, Hayatnagar and Patancheru will create an increased demand for residential properties here." A healthy trend is observed in Mumbai as well. "The satellite township of Navi Mumbai has emerged as the newest investment destination for home buyers and builders alike. With projects like the Navi Mumbai International Airport and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, this region has witnessed a surge in investments with an overall price
appreciation of nearly 3% to 5% each quarter." Bangalore has emerged as one of the most stable markets in the country. The report suggests that, "North Bengaluru has seen a rise in real estate activity and capital appreciation of about 20% in the last 2 years as the IT/BT Corridor (Information Technology & Biotechnology) takes shape near the international airport. Localities like Hebbal, Yelahanka and Devanahalli are likely to see an increase in demand and growth of residential real estate. South-East Bengaluru which includes localities like Sarjapur Road, amounts to nearly 40% of the total demand for residential properties in Bengaluru." Cont’d on page 51
Vizag, Chennai, Coimbatore, Gujarat, Kolkata, Kerala, New Delhi and Noida. A recent report by IndiaProperty.com, features the top investment destinations in India. Highlighting the nifty investment zones in the top cities, the report elaborates that, "Upcom-
Housing.com, Credai forge three-year deal HYDERABAD: Online real estate platform, Housing.com, and the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (Credai), India's apex real estate body, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for an exclusive partnership for three years. According to a statement issued by Credai, the objective of the MoU will be to improve the overall ecosystem and create a
new-age platform that will enable developers to engage with consumers in a focused manner.
operating. This association is the first of its kind in the industry, and I am excited that it will redefine the
"The partnership is a testimony to the changing times in the way developers have been traditionally
way developers have been approaching buyers across India," said Jason Kothari, Chief Business
Officer, Housing.com. "We are confident that the alliance will prove to be mutually beneficial and make the community more transparent and consumer-centric." Getamber Anand, President, Credai National, said: "We are enthusiastic to synergies with an organization like Housing.com... We are certain that this relationship will go on in a fruitful way." -PTI
Real Estate Post
October 9, 2015
India Post 51
www.indiapost.com
Multigenerational homes coming back as family solution
O
nce upon a time, Grandma could expect to move into the spare bedroom and help out with the kids. After World War II, that model changed as young people moved closer to the city and embraced the new American dream - a house in the suburbs that had no room for aging parents. Now multigenerational living is making a comeback. According to a Pew Research Center report, U.S. Census data recorded 51.4 million Americans, or 16.7 percent of the population, living in mutigenerational households in 2009, up 10.5 percent from just two years earlier. This period, of course, encompassed the depths of the Great Recession. And for many, the original impetus was undoubtedly economic. But homebuilders are finding that demand for housing that accommodates several generations under one roof is still on the rise, not only among immigrant groups for whom multigenerational living is culturally expected, but across all demographics and regions. One reason for this is that, postrecession, the cultural landscape is changing, says Gina Canzonetta, marketing manager at Maracay Homes, which offers homes that include self-contained generation suites, or "casitas," in new communities in southern Arizona. "In general, people want to be more connected," she says. "We are becoming a culture of responsibility and more meaningful relationships."
A couple years ago, Tom Moser, a financial planner in Arizona, became concerned about his octogenarian father, who lived alone about 20 miles away. "I was seeing some things that indicated Dad was lonely," Moser says. "I grew up in a Mennonite community in Indiana, where adding on to an existing home has been the norm for a couple of hundred years, so the concept of different generations living together was not new to me.
of 2013, Lennar had sold more than 1,200 of them in more than 100 communities. A "Next Gen" home doesn't add significantly to the total square footage, Roos says. "It's designed with a separate apartment within the confines of a family home. It provides a separate living space that allows more than one generation to live independently, but together. "I think it's the greatest advance since indoor plumbing. It's
"I wanted to do something for my father that was right for him. He wasn't open to going into assisted living, and that was not our first choice either. I discovered that three miles away, Lennar was building just the type of home I was looking for. So we jumped at it." Lennar rolled out its line of "Next Gen" homes at the beginning of 2012, says Jeff Roos, Western regional president. By the end
a real game changer." "It's all about the numbers," says architect Howard Perlman, president of Las Vegas-based Environmental Design Group, whose 2Gen designs are credited with starting the trend. "People are living differently today," he says. "When a third of the world is living doubled, it makes sense to build multigenerational houses that can still function very well
Biggest property show 'Gruhapravesh' is back in San Jose Cont’d from page 50
Top cities in the country have been showing considerable improvement and newer pockets of investment are being evaluated and considered by home buyers. Get this and more of a detailed expert analysis of the market at Gruhapravesh 2015. With a proven track record and association with organizations like CREDAI, Gruhapravesh by IndiaProperty.com stands for credibility and trust. What makes this property show exciting is that it has something for everyone! Whether on a high budget or a minimal investment plan, you can explore a variety of options. You can invest in properties like plots, apartments and independent villas- starting from $30,000 to over $900,000. This is a great opportunity to explore
your options and see what suits you best. The best of builders and the best of projects all come under one roof! Moreover experts at IndiaProperty, will guide you in your home search journey. So if you are looking to invest or even explore your options, this is an excellent platform. Take the first step and visit us at Santa Clara, Bellevue or Stafford and we will
take you one step closer to your dream home!
Property show at Santa Clara Convention Center, California- 10 & 11 Oct Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue, Washington- 17 &18 Oct New Stafford Center, Texas- 24 & 25 Oct
as traditional houses." Perlman's 2Gen house, which includes a lock-off space with separate entrance within the floor plan of a family home, ensures that each family unit has privacy, including its own front door, kitchen and living space. It can be used by aging parents or boomerang kids, as a home office, a nanny apartment or a space for extended visits from out-of-town relatives. "Every architect dreams about being able to push society in a direction that's positive," Perlman says. "It's good to have grandparents living with grandchildren when there is a proper house to do that in, so that everybody has their own space and can be separate when they want to be. It's healthier for the kids and for the seniors." "It's really good for children and young people to have a connection to their roots - a sense of history and who they are. Older relatives provide that," says Donna Butts, executive director of Generations United, or GU, which is dedicated to improving the lives of children, youth and older people through intergenerational collaboration. Intergenerational living is more prevalent among cultural ethnic groups where several generations living together is common, Butts says. But GU's surveys show the
average for a single-family home. The all-in-one floor plan also keeps costs lower, Maracay's Canzonetta says. "Since it's all under the same roof, the financing options are the same as for a traditional home." "With respect to mortgages," says Perlman, "these are singlefamily homes with one person on the mortgage. In most cases, a senior parent moves into the 2Gen suite. His adult children who need more space occupy the main residence. The senior parent is usually the source of the down payment, and the adult children are responsible for the loan. It's far more economical than seniors living in nursing homes." As a financial planner, Moser says, the economics of buying a multigenerational home where his father could also live "made huge sense to me, as opposed to buying my dad another home. It made economic as well as emotional sense. He helped out with the down payment on the new house, which is important because he felt he was contributing, and he saved $1,000-$1,500 a month in expenses." While the homes are too new to have entered the resale market, "We think they will have great resale value in the future because of growing demand," says Lennar's Roos. Multigenerational living takes
As a financial planner, Moser says, the economics of buying a multigenerational home where his father could also live "made huge sense to me, as opposed to buying my dad another home. It made economic as well as emotional sense. trend is growing. CEO Frank Spadea says GenFlex homes from Franciscus Homes, based in Virginia Beach, Va., which also incorporate lockoff privacy suites within a larger home, are proving popular, even though most area residents are not culturally inclined toward intergenerational living. "We did it because we were interested in providing privacy and comfort for everyone, two hot buttons we felt anyone in a multigenerational situation would want," he says. "It's about the flexibility of the design and integration into the house itself." The privacy suite ranges from 500 to 600 square feet and is always located on the first floor, Spadea says. The rest of the house takes up about 1,800 square feet, for a total square footage comparable to the regional
some compromise on all sides. "There are issues of communication," Moser says, "and boundaries and limits that need to be set up. "Our social calendar is much less filled, and I haven't played golf in ages, but I was more than willing to give that up for what we are doing," says Moser. "I have no regrets. Dad is happy, and we go bowling together, travel to doctor visits together, go to University of Arizona basketball games together." Moser's family was so pleased with the arrangement that his sister bought the same model next door so her husband's parents could move in. Soon after, Moser's mother-in-law bought a traditional home on the other side. "It's working out very well," he says. "It's added very much to our lives."-AP
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Philosophy
October 9, 2015
India Post 53
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T
here are five planes of the universe on which, accord ing to the Theosophical teachings, our human evolution is proceeding - the physical, the astral, the mental or mãnasic, the buddhic and the nirvãnic. These five planes seem to arrange themselves in a very definite order. The nirvãnic and the buddhic planes together we class under the heading spiritual. All their forces would be spiritual forces, all consciousness working in them would be a consciousness spiritual in its nature, spiritual Beings would have there their habitat. If, then, omitting for the moment the mental region, we look at the two lower planes - the astral and the physical - we find that these may be classed together as phenomenal. In these phenomenal worlds evolution takes place with regard to the astral body, the etheric double and the dense physical. These three bodies belong, of course, to the astral and the physical planes, which are capable of being classed together as phenomenal, just as the two higher planes are classed together as spiritual. They are essentially the worlds of phenomena, the worlds of concrete objects, the worlds in which forms are found with all their limitations; whereas the two higher are worlds which to the lower scrutiny are formless, in which life is conJOAN TOLLIFSON
S
piritual practice boils down to something very simple. Being present, awake, open. Resting in the simplicity of what is. Being what we cannot not be: the happening of this moment, just as it is. Even after all these years of meditation and awakening and writing books and holding meetings about nonduality, I still find myself sometimes seemingly resisting the happening of this moment and trying to run away from that primal sense of yukiness, unease, restlessness, discontent, anxiety, loneliness, depression, uncertainty, emptiness. Suddenly I'm swept up in some version of the story that I'm all alone in a meaningless void, that I've ruined my life. There is the vague and disturbing sense that I'm drowning in some horrible ickiness. I rush to the bookcases looking for the right spiritual book, or I turn on the TV and begin mindlessly surfing through the channels, or I get on the internet and begin reading articles about things I don't even care about. Or I'm compulsively biting my fingers and I feel more and more tightly knotted up inside in a con-
tinually manifesting itself and molding the subtle matter of those planes into immediate expression of itself. So that the great characteristic of the two higher regions is the manifestation of life, the great characteristic of the two lower the manifestation of form. Thus we may classify them in these pairs as phenomenal and spiritual. When we come to deal with the mental world, the mãnasic, we find
that world below it, co-ordinates them, groups them together, draws its own conclusions from them, the whole of that work going on the lower mental plane, that which we speak of as the levels of form or rûpa. When we pass on to the higher, the upper half of the mental, we find that the intellect takes on the characteristics which belong to the higher regions or spiritual world. It
the human plane, it is the great battleground of humanity; none of the combats that take place on the physical or the astral planes are to be compared in their intensity, in their importance, in their subtlety, with the combats that are waged on the mental plane. It is the plane of balance, the plane having two below it and two above it, the central plane for humanity, and in that sense the most
Mental plane is the great battleground of humanity
Annie Besant
None of the combats that take place on the physical or the astral planes are to be compared in their intensity, in their importance, in their subtlety, with the combats that are waged on the mental plane.
I truly attained nothing from complete, unexcelled Enlightenment. -The Buddha Realization is nothing to be
gained
anew....Realization consists of getting rid of the false idea that one is not
that it partakes of the characteristics of those regions above and of those below, or, if we prefer to say so, of the inner and the outer. The lower half of the mental plane shows the distinct mark of the phenomenal worlds, the rûpa levels or the levels of form. And we notice that its phase of consciousness is that of the intellect, whose ideas are drawn from the phenomenal world and which takes sensations and feelings from
is abstract, not concrete, in its character; it deals with ideas which from the standpoint of the concrete intellect are formless, those ideas that have the peculiar characteristic of existing in their own world as things perfectly intelligible, perfectly distinct, perfectly clear as seen by the intuition of manas. But the moment they pass on to the lower level, they become not one but many in every case. The mental plane is essentially
important and the most characteristic in human evolution. It is there that the "I" develops, the root and the center of individuality; hence it is that on this plane all the most terrible combats are waged. It is the place where success or failure comes to humanity in the course of our world-evolution. Excerpted from the Adyar Pamphlets - No.1. The 168th birth anniversary of Annie Besant was celebrated on Oct 1.
flict between the intense desire to stop biting and the overwhelming urge to continue. I feel frozen and stuck in a painful groove that I can't escape, desperately seeking a way out. Eventually, it occurs to me to stop trying to do (or not do) anything, to give up the search for a
myself and be somebody else, the end of trying to figure it all out or get the right conceptual map nailed down. This is not knowing anything and not needing to know. Suddenly there is no problem anymore. There is no me. There is only this undivided, spacious presence that includes ev-
plicity of what is. Being this present happening, this that we cannot not be, simply being. It may take years before we discover this possibility of stopping and being still, before we know what this even means to stop, to simply be. And then even after we discover this possibility, it isn't
realized. -Ramana Maharshi Waking up is a continuing process. No one wakes up once and for all. There is no limit to wakefulness, just as there is no limit to aliveness....The surprise within the surprise of every new discovery is that there is ever more to be discovered. -Brother David Steindl-Rast
Resting in the Happening of this Moment
As you walk the spiritual
It may take years before we discover this pos-
there is no path left at all.
sibility of stopping and being still, before we
-Wayne Liquorman
path, it widens, not narrows, until one day it broadens to a point where
know what this even means to stop, to simply
There IS no 'I' to get en-
be. And then even after we discover this possibility, it isn't always instantly available. solution or a distraction, to simply be present, to allow everything to be just exactly as it is. Suddenly it becomes possible to completely surrender to the actuality of Here / Now, to resist nothing, not even the compulsive biting of my fingers if that is what is happening. Instantly, I feel the heart open. This is the end of grasping and seeking, the end of resisting and avoiding, the end of trying to fix
erything, just as it is. Everything is okay, even fingerbiting or feelings of uneasiness or anxiety. Nothing needs to be other than how it is, and when there is complete openness to how it is, I find it is no particular way at all. Everything is moving and changing and dissolving. There is a huge sense of relief. The problem was imaginary. And really, this is all there is to it. It all boils down to the sim-
lightened. That's illusion. Joan Tollifson
always instantly available. We're never really in the rut we think we're in; in fact, we don't actually exist as anything separate from the happening of this moment. Excerpted from joantollifson.com. Joan Tollifson has a background in Buddhism and Advaita but does not identify with any particular tradition. She currently lives in southern Oregon.
There's only being here with what's here without division. -Toni Packer The Self is ever realized, and whoever claims to be realized for sure is a bogus fraud.
Insure yourself FIRST. Call Sahanis, (Arish, Priya or Shiv) for your Insurance needs 718- 271- 0453. Serving for last 35 yrs
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Modi should visit Saudi Arabia & Iran before Israel
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ver the past four decades, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have become India's preeminent oil suppliers, and leading trade partners, with 8 million Indians living and working there who send annual remittances worth $40 billion back home. Indians have been the largest expatriate group in each of the six GCC countries. Even though Middle East has increasingly been in turmoil, over the past four years, the numbers have continued to increase steadily. Being predominantly Muslim countries where internal security is a major concern, now more so than ever, these facts are an enormous vote of confidence in Indians and India. No major power has the kind of people-to-people socio-cultural compatibility and socio-economic interdependence with the GCC countries that India does. Anti-ter-
RANJIT GUPTA
volved in the war against the Houthis in Yemen and, to a lesser extent, in supporting anti-Assad groups in Syria; India is against such foreign interventions; both sides put forth their respective stands and it is noteworthy that this considerable divergence of opinion did not stand in the way of the visit's extremely satisfying outcome. In contrast, 'special friend' Pakistan is in the doghouse for not supporting UAE and Saudi Arabia in Yemen. India's relationships with the GCC countries, Iran and Israel began growing simultaneously in the early 1990s and really took off in the first decade of the current millennium. Based on mutual benefit and advantage, they developed in parallel without impinging on each other. Modi, in his 15 August interview with the Dubai-based Khaleej Times, very rightly pointed out that "India is uniquely blessed to have
Reticence or so called policy passivity in a particularly unpredictably changing and volatile environment does not reflect an absence of decision making, an abdication of 'leadership', or of being a 'freeloader'. It is simply being sensibly prudent rorism cooperation and intelligence sharing has been very satisfactory. There are no bilaterally contentious issues. Both the GCC countries and Iran have consciously de-hyphenated their relationship with India from the Pakistan and Israeli factors. Thus, though hardly recognized, India's most meaningful and best external relationship is with the GCC countries despite India having invested the least time, effort, energy and time to it as compared to Pakistan, China, the US or the immediate neighborhood. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has personally invested immense energy in strengthening India's international relationships; but the Gulf region of West Asia, so critical to India's national interest, security and wellbeing, was inexplicably left out for a long time. His hugely successful landmark visit to the UAE has finally begun addressing this glaring lacuna. The high regard for India was on full display by various gestures, specific elements of the program, and the contents of the particularly significant joint statement; the Indian prime minister reciprocated with his usual aplomb in word and action. The UAE is actively in-
good relations with all countries in the region. I have always believed that regional or bilateral problems are best solved by the countries involved. We have often seen the consequences of outside interference. India has always abided by the principle of non-interference in other countries and has consistently supported dialogue as a means to resolve all issues." Modi should visit Saudi Arabia and Iran before becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to pay an official visit to Israel. This is a welcome and long overdue step; India needs to be open and self-confident about this vitally important relationship. Many in India's strategic community advocate India displaying greater activism including exercising a 'leadership role' without suggesting any specific actions to be taken. The indisputable reality is that anything that India says or does will not even marginally influence the actions of any individual player or outcomes on the ground in the context of the highly complicated political and security situation in West Asia. India does not have the institutional capacity, is not structurally equipped, and lacks national po-
litical consensus for the huge strategic leap required for such a role yet. Policy should always be consciously tempered by a mature recognition of the limits of one's capabilities and influence at any given point of time. Reticence or so called policy passivity in a particularly unpredictably changing and volatile environment does not reflect an absence of decision making, an abdication of 'leadership', or of being a 'freeloader'. It is simply being sensibly prudent. India's non-intrusive, low-profile, pragmatic approach has yielded very satisfying results and there is absolutely no need to change the broad contours of this policy. Prime Minister Modi has exhibited a unique ability to establish particularly close personal relationships with the heads of state/government of countries he has visited or has otherwise met. Nowhere in the world does this particular attribute have greater potential for India to realize hugely beneficial dividends and more quickly than with the GCC countries where the rulers personally formulate policies. But India needs to dramatically improve its implementation mechanisms to take meaningful advantage of the GCC countries' initiatives and investments. Interacting with them at heads of government/ ministerial levels much more frequently on a consistent basis should become standard policy. In doing so, advantage should be taken of their proximate locations, formality and protocol; and the quest for deliverables should be replaced by the desirability of forging close personal relationships by simply dropping in for a day or so for informal conversations; this approach will pay rich dividends. India needs very strong relationships with Iran, Israel and Saudi Arabia/ the GCC countries simultaneously and it is absolutely imperative that they are seen to be balanced; and hence, the singular importance of coherent messaging to them. The only way to maintain this is by continuing the focus on mutual advantage and benefit, remaining non-intrusive and nonjudgmental, and strictly abjuring taking sides in regional disputes or exhibiting conspicuous partiality amongst them. The writer is Distinguished Fellow, IPCS, former Indian Ambassador to Yemen and Oman, and former Member, National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), India.
India Post Change in stance
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ndia has shifted to a more muscled response to Pakistan's challenges on the issue of Kashmir both militarily and diplomatically. Under directions from the top, every ceasefire violation by Pakistan has been met with retaliation of double ferocity, sending Pakistan scurrying to international fora to complain about ceasefire violations. This used to be India's perennial complaint. Under the previous UPA government, the security forces were supposed to not respond to the firing but appeal to them to stop firing and then chase the terrorists who would sneak in under the cover of firing. The armed forces people used to say in private that they were supposed to fight with one arm tied to the back. Also, the previous government used to allow free hand to the separatist elements to meet and take directions from the Pakistan envoy in New Delhi. Modi's government has stopped that inviting lot of adverse comments both from inside and outside India. But Modi was firm and Pakistan was told that there was no room for a third party in India-Pak talks. Pakistan threatened to internationalize the Kashmir issue. The UPA government would worry whenever Pakistan tried to do that. But under Modi the government's representatives have given a severe tongue lashing to Pakistan at international fora. The latest blow was delivered by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in her speech at United Nations. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in his address at the UN had blamed the international body and India for failing to resolve the Kashmir issue. However, beyond the international publicity that Sharif hoped his announcement could generate, his initiative did not offer any credible solutions to terrorism directed against India, including a crackdown on anti-India terrorists. In her reply, Sushma Swaraj hit back powerfully saying Pakistan must "give up terror" if the two countries must "sit down and talk." She accused Pakistan of claiming to be the primary victim of terrorism while "in truth, it is actually a victim of its own policy of breeding and sponsoring terrorists." On the four-point proposal enunciated by Nawaz Sharif, she said, "We don't need four points, we need just one: Give up terrorism and let us sit down and talk," she said. To Sharif's proposal on demilitarization of J&K, Foreign Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted, "To de-militarize Kashmir is not the answer. To de-terrorize Pakistan is." In its new approach, India has asked Pakistan to vacate the part of Kashmir under its own occupation. So far India had refrained from commenting on the condition of people in the areas forcibly occupied by Pakistan. But this time it has put the spotlight on atrocities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Since there is almost blanket ban on reportage from PoK, few stories of human rights abuses get out. Lately a video has emerged showing widespread repression practiced by Pakistani authorities in PoK, including in Gilgit-Baltistan. As for the Pakistanis referring to a solution according to UN resolutions, none other than the former chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir Omar Abdullah has tweeted that Pakistan was "fudging facts." "Will someone please remind Pakistan that as per these UNSC resolutions they were supposed to vacate ALL of J&K Ist," his tweet said. However, the government's new tough approach has found a mixed response. Some are debating whether not talking with Pakistan is the right policy. The Indian Express feels that not talking is merely a posture, not a policy. "Delhi is seeming to simply be digging in its heels and holding the line, rather than creatively forging a way forward," it says in an Editorial. "Nawaz's four-point proposal was deeply disingenuous" but it at least outlined a way forward. India, it felt, should in fact take the initiative and tell Pakistan clearly what it wants to talk about. There is a contradiction here. We all know Pakistan only wants to talk about Kashmir and India's priority is terrorism. Will the twain ever meet?
October 9, 2015
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Multigenerational homes coming back as family solution
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nce upon a time, Grandma could expect to move into the spare bedroom and help out with the kids. After World War II, that model changed as young people moved closer to the city and embraced the new American dream - a house in the suburbs that had no room for aging parents. Now multigenerational living is making a comeback. According to a Pew Research Center report, U.S. Census data recorded 51.4 million Americans, or 16.7 percent of the population, living in mutigenerational households in 2009, up 10.5 percent from just two years earlier. This period, of course, encompassed the depths of the Great Recession. And for many, the original impetus was undoubtedly economic. But homebuilders are finding that demand for housing that accommodates several generations under one roof is still on the rise, not only among immigrant groups for whom multigenerational living is culturally expected, but across all demographics and regions. One reason for this is that, postrecession, the cultural landscape is changing, says Gina Canzonetta, marketing manager at Maracay Homes, which offers homes that include self-contained generation suites, or "casitas," in new communities in southern Arizona. "In general, people want to be more connected," she says. "We are becoming a culture of responsibility and more meaningful relationships."
A couple years ago, Tom Moser, a financial planner in Arizona, became concerned about his octogenarian father, who lived alone about 20 miles away. "I was seeing some things that indicated Dad was lonely," Moser says. "I grew up in a Mennonite community in Indiana, where adding on to an existing home has been the norm for a couple of hundred years, so the concept of different generations living together was not new to me.
of 2013, Lennar had sold more than 1,200 of them in more than 100 communities. A "Next Gen" home doesn't add significantly to the total square footage, Roos says. "It's designed with a separate apartment within the confines of a family home. It provides a separate living space that allows more than one generation to live independently, but together. "I think it's the greatest advance since indoor plumbing. It's
"I wanted to do something for my father that was right for him. He wasn't open to going into assisted living, and that was not our first choice either. I discovered that three miles away, Lennar was building just the type of home I was looking for. So we jumped at it." Lennar rolled out its line of "Next Gen" homes at the beginning of 2012, says Jeff Roos, Western regional president. By the end
a real game changer." "It's all about the numbers," says architect Howard Perlman, president of Las Vegas-based Environmental Design Group, whose 2Gen designs are credited with starting the trend. "People are living differently today," he says. "When a third of the world is living doubled, it makes sense to build multigenerational houses that can still function very well
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as traditional houses." Perlman's 2Gen house, which includes a lock-off space with separate entrance within the floor plan of a family home, ensures that each family unit has privacy, including its own front door, kitchen and living space. It can be used by aging parents or boomerang kids, as a home office, a nanny apartment or a space for extended visits from out-of-town relatives. "Every architect dreams about being able to push society in a direction that's positive," Perlman says. "It's good to have grandparents living with grandchildren when there is a proper house to do that in, so that everybody has their own space and can be separate when they want to be. It's healthier for the kids and for the seniors." "It's really good for children and young people to have a connection to their roots - a sense of history and who they are. Older relatives provide that," says Donna Butts, executive director of Generations United, or GU, which is dedicated to improving the lives of children, youth and older people through intergenerational collaboration. Intergenerational living is more prevalent among cultural ethnic groups where several generations living together is common, Butts says. But GU's surveys show the
average for a single-family home. The all-in-one floor plan also keeps costs lower, Maracay's Canzonetta says. "Since it's all under the same roof, the financing options are the same as for a traditional home." "With respect to mortgages," says Perlman, "these are singlefamily homes with one person on the mortgage. In most cases, a senior parent moves into the 2Gen suite. His adult children who need more space occupy the main residence. The senior parent is usually the source of the down payment, and the adult children are responsible for the loan. It's far more economical than seniors living in nursing homes." As a financial planner, Moser says, the economics of buying a multigenerational home where his father could also live "made huge sense to me, as opposed to buying my dad another home. It made economic as well as emotional sense. He helped out with the down payment on the new house, which is important because he felt he was contributing, and he saved $1,000-$1,500 a month in expenses." While the homes are too new to have entered the resale market, "We think they will have great resale value in the future because of growing demand," says Lennar's Roos. Multigenerational living takes
As a financial planner, Moser says, the economics of buying a multigenerational home where his father could also live "made huge sense to me, as opposed to buying my dad another home. It made economic as well as emotional sense. trend is growing. CEO Frank Spadea says GenFlex homes from Franciscus Homes, based in Virginia Beach, Va., which also incorporate lockoff privacy suites within a larger home, are proving popular, even though most area residents are not culturally inclined toward intergenerational living. "We did it because we were interested in providing privacy and comfort for everyone, two hot buttons we felt anyone in a multigenerational situation would want," he says. "It's about the flexibility of the design and integration into the house itself." The privacy suite ranges from 500 to 600 square feet and is always located on the first floor, Spadea says. The rest of the house takes up about 1,800 square feet, for a total square footage comparable to the regional
some compromise on all sides. "There are issues of communication," Moser says, "and boundaries and limits that need to be set up. "Our social calendar is much less filled, and I haven't played golf in ages, but I was more than willing to give that up for what we are doing," says Moser. "I have no regrets. Dad is happy, and we go bowling together, travel to doctor visits together, go to University of Arizona basketball games together." Moser's family was so pleased with the arrangement that his sister bought the same model next door so her husband's parents could move in. Soon after, Moser's mother-in-law bought a traditional home on the other side. "It's working out very well," he says. "It's added very much to our lives."-AP