Indiapost 10 10 2014 e paper by Ghanshyam Bisht

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Anti-Hindu hate crimes: US offers reward Details on page 5

Pak targets 40 BoPs with mortar shells

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October 10, 2014

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PIO VISA MOVE TO HELP INDIA GROWTH NEW DELHI: With the government notifying the decision to grant life-long visa to Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), Prime Minister Narendra Modi has highlighted the swift action taken on his promise made in the US and hoped it will give an impetus to India's development journey. He said the Home Ministry is working on the new program that will merge PIO and Overseas Citizenship of India schemes and that instructions have been issued to Embassies and Consulates that apart from special circum-

stances, US nationals should get visas for 10 years. "Am very glad to share that GoI (Government of India) has moved swiftly on the announcements I had made on consular & visa issues during my USA visit," Modi tweeted. He noted that a gazette notification was issued on September 30, two days after his announcement, which said that all PIO cards are valid for lifetime of cardholders. Earlier it was 15 years. Details on page 5

Thomas Kailath

Indian-origin Prof Wins top US award Details on page 5

NYT apologizes for offensive cartoon on India Details on page 8

Time to 'wash away CongNCP's sins': Modi

Details on page 6

Details on page 9

Big military challenge from China: Jindal

Gates impressed by Modi's steps on poverty

Details on page 8

Details on page 9

Trio win Nobel medicine prize for brain's 'GPS'

CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 30-31 Classifieds ------------------------- 52

Details on page 11

Community Post -------------- 16-24 Date Book -------------------------- 47

INDIA POST SURVEY

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HealthScience Post --------- 32-35

This week’s question

Horoscope ------------------------- 51

Are there still hassles in getting India visa?

Immigration Post ------------- 44-46 Life Style ----------------------- 26-28

Last week’s result

Modi most popular visiting dignitary? YES 67%

NO 33%

Philosophy ------------------------- 53 Publisher’s Diary ------------------ 4

COVETED AWARD: Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan receives the Global Diversity Award from Speaker Rt Hon John Bercow at Britain’s House of Commons in London on October 4. (Details on page 10)

Real Estate -------------------- 37-38 TechBiz Post ------------------- 12-15 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 40-43

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Publisher’s Diary

s stereotypes in the Western media go, India is stuck with the image of a turban wearing man, and perhaps a bindi-wearing woman, with the ubiquitous lazy cow dominating the foreground. How else does one depict the India of today, I wonder - does a pant-shirt wearing man with a computer mouse in the foreground represent India; or does a jeans-wearing, midriff baring woman (as eminently portrayed in Indian films) with a designer bag represent India. Is it possible at all to put any one image that depicts the frustrating contrasts that make up modern India, I wonder. The ruminations are in the wake of the New York Times' apology this week for a cartoon it published earlier depicting a poor looking dhoti-turban clad man with a cow in tow knocking at the door of the Elite Space Club where richlooking fat men are warily reading about India's Mars mission, and hence the apology. Irksome as the imagery may be, what bothered me about the coverage in the American media about India's successfully-launched $74 million Mars mission was the condescension, that I read as coming more from their denial of slipping superiority and the fact that a developing country could do something better than they could ever do. Although I would expect Western observers to cut India some slack and accept the country's achievements, I do buy into the argument that India perhaps needs to spend on building toilets than on fancy space missions that have no direct bearing on the lives of nearly half the Indian population that still defecates in the open or has no access to clean drinking water. Scientific advancements and poverty may be mutually exclusive, but I would say it is a matter of priorities for a country that runs more on political will than on individual merit. Indians should stop smarting about western stereotyping and accept shame if 67 years after Independence the country's prime minister has to launch a national cleanliness movement. Stereotype or not, maybe I would depict modern India as one with smartly dressed men and women with sophisticated devices, wading through squalor. How about that?

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HIGHLIGHTS Bollywood: Happiest dancer Farah Khan says her favorite dancer is comedy king Govinda for his sheer ability to dance with all his heart.

Cover Story: India's growth Modi hopes the decision to grant lifelong visa to PIOs will give an impetus to India's development journey.

Community: Navratri festival A score of community organizations jumped into the Navratri festival mood and organized Raas Garba and Dandiya

Inadmissibility Would the religious freedom ground of inadmissibility still apply to Narendra Modi after his tenure as PM ends?

Life style: Evolution of Clubbing! Today's book clubs are not like your mother's kitty parties, or your aunt's tupperware parties

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PIO visa move to help India growth NEW DELHI: With the government notifying the decision to grant life-long visa to Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), Prime Minister Narendra Modi has highlighted the swift action taken on his promise made in the US and hoped it will give an impetus to India's development journey. He said the Home Ministry is working on the new program that will merge PIO and Overseas Citizenship of India schemes and that instructions have been issued to Embassies and Consulates that apart from special circumstances, US nationals should get visas for 10 years. "Am very glad to share that

GoI (Government of India) has moved swiftly on the announcements I had made on consular & visa issues during my USA visit," Modi tweeted. He noted that a gazette notification was issued on September 30, two days after his announcement, which said that all PIO cards are valid for lifetime of cardholders. Earlier it was 15 years. "The gazette notification on 30th September fulfils the announcement that all PIO cardholders will now enjoy a life-long visa to India," the Prime Minister said. The notification also says

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

that PIO card holders would not have to report to police stations,

Anti-Hindu hate crimes: US announce USD 21K reward WASHINGTON: In view of a sudden spurt in anti-Hindu hate crimes, which include a series of vandalism incidents and hate graffiti in a suburb of Washington, US authorities have announced a reward of USD 21,000 for information leading to arrest of those responsible for it. According to local authorities in Virginia, since July 2014, there have been 17 reported cases of anti-Hindu graffiti and vandalism has occurred in Ashburn - near the Dallas International Airport which over the last few years has seen a significant rise in IndianAmerican population, which is mainly attributed to emergence of the IT corridor here. "A majority of the graffiti has been written in black marker on exercise stations, park benches, a pedestrian tunnel and community signs," the Loudon County Police said. Graffiti like 'No Hindus allowed'

and 'No Hindus, by order of Mosby's Rangers' written in black have appeared in the community. Indian-Americans living in the area said such notices have made them feel insecure. "I find it very disturbing that there are individuals who are willing to destroy private property and spew hate against our Hindu neighbors," Virginia Delegate David Ramadan said after 200 In-

in our community," Ramadan said. A large number of Indian nationals have bought houses, town homes and condos in this recently developed neighborhood. "I was extremely encouraged by the community response to this event," said Virginia Attorney Jim Plowman. "With continued citizen involvement, I'm confident we'll be able to put an end to these hate-

The Brambleton Community Association, which is the most affected by the increase in hate crimes, recently announced that they were offering a USD 1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of those responsible dian-Americans gathered at a community center to meet local officials and elected representatives. "There is no room for such hate

ful acts and to see this to a just conclusion," he said. The Brambleton Community Association, which is the most affected by the increase in hate crimes, recently announced that they were offering a USD 1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of those responsible. Loudoun County and several leaders of the Indian-American community stepped up at the meeting with an additional USD 20,000, bringing the total available reward to USD 21,000. "I've been in this country for 14 years, and never once have I seen something like this or been exposed to something like this," Vidya Nair was quoted as saying by The Washington Post. "Loudoun is so diverse. You don't expect to see it here," she said. -PTI

even if their visit exceeds 180 days, he said in another tweet.

"Instructions have been issued to Embassies & Consulates that apart from special circumstances, USA nationals should get visas for 10 years," Modi added. Systems are in place to introduce visa on arrival for US tourists in October itself, a PMO statement said. "Am sure these efforts will further strengthen our bond with the Diaspora & give an impetus to our development journey," Modi said in one more tweet. He had made the announcements during an address in New York on September 28.-PTI

Indian-origin Prof Wins top US award WASHINGTON: A 79-year-old Indian-American Stanford University professor is among 10 innovators to receive US National Medal of Science announced by President Barack Obama for their contribution to the field of science. Pune-graduate and Padma Bhushan recipient Thomas Kailath will receive the United States' highest honor for achievement and leadership in advancing the fields of science at a White House ceremony later this year. "These scholars and innova-

to science and engineering. Born in 1935 to a Malayalamspeaking Syrian Christian family who hailed from Kerala, Kailath has authored several books including well-known Linear Systems. After graduating from the University of Pune in 1956, Kailath received his Master's degree and his doctorate degree in 1961, both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology US. He was the first India-born student to receive a doctorate in electrical engineering from MIT.

File photo of former President Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting Padma Bhushan Award 2009 to Prof. Thomas Kailath

tors have expanded our understanding of the world, made invaluable contributions to their fields, and helped improve countless lives," Obama was quoted as saying by National Science Foundation, a US government agency. Awarded annually, the medal recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions

He joined Stanford University as Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering in 1963 and was promoted to Professor in 1968, and was appointed the first holder of the Hitachi America Professorship in 1988. He is also known for his contributions to the information and system sciences. -PTI

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Pak targets 40 BoPs with mortar shells JAMMU: Breaching the ceasefire for the 17th time this month, Pakistan Rangers targeted 40 Border Out Posts and 25 border hamlets by resorting to heavy mortar shelling and firing along the International Border in Jammu and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir, leaving three persons injured. BSF troops gave a befitting reply to four ceasefire violations by Pakistan resulting in exchanges, which are still on in some areas. "Pakistani Rangers again resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling and heavy firing on BSF posts along the International Border (IB), BSF Spokesman Vinood Yadav said. "As many as 40 BSF BoPs were affected by the firing from Pakistan side", he said, adding that firing and shelling was targeted on areas along IB in Arnia, R S Pura, Kanachak and Pargwal

Injured people being treated at the Government Medical College Hospital after firing from the Pakistani side injured them in Jammu on October 7

India asks Pakistan to end ceasefire violations NEW DELHI: India has asked ing in such activities is not good Pakistan to put an immediate end for that country," BJP leader to ceasefire violations along the Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said. border in Jammu and Kashmir as Condemning Pakistan's acthe ground realities in the coun- tions, former External Affairs Mintry had changed. ister Salman Khurshid said it is "Pakistan should realize that despicable that such incidents the situation in India has changed have occurred on Eid. now," Home Minister Rajnath "There cannot be anything Singh told reporters on the side- worse than this," the Congress lines of a function. leader said. He was reacting to the ceasefire Congress leader and former violations by Pakistan in Jammu district in which five villagers were killed and 29 injured. T h e Narendra Modi government had adopted a tough stance Home Minister Rajnath Singh vis-a-vis Pakistan and even cancelled Foreign Secretary Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minislevel talks in August after Paki- ter Ghulam Nabi Azad wondered stan embassy in New Delhi had why the Modi government was called separatist leaders from keeping silent on the violations. Kashmir for consultations. "It is most unfortunate that firLast time Singh had asked the ing is going on from Pakistan side BSF chief to give a befitting reply in Jammu and Kashmir and at this to Pakistan for violating the juncture any firing from across the ceasefire in the state. border is very very critical. It is Congress and BJP said the most unfortunate that the Governceasefire violations by Pakistan ment is also keeping silent," he were a "serious" issue and it said. should desist from such activities. Taking pot shots at the Prime "Whatever Pakistan is doing is Minister, Azad asked where had certainly a serious matter. And we the bravado shown during elecwant to tell Pakistan that indulg- tion rallies vanished. -PTI

No exchange of sweets at Wagah on Eid AMRITSAR: With tension prevailing on the border, the traditional exchange of sweets between the troops of India and Pakistan along the Wagah border in Punjab on Eid has been called off. Official sources said during a late evening flag meeting between the sector commanders of the Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers, the other side refused to fix a proper time for the ceremony. "The Pakistan side refused the exchange of sweets on Eid. They cited no reasons but it is understood that the prevailing tension along Jammu and Kashmir border due to unprovoked firing incidents from the other side is the reason," the sources said. Hence, the BSF did not make any movement along the Wagah border and the border gates remained shut. The exchange of sweets between the border guarding troops of the two countries is an old and traditional gesture between the two sides which is aimed to show goodwill and this practice has been continuing for many years now. The same drill is held during Deepawali and Independence Day of both the countries. Senior commanders from both the sides exchange sweets in their official uniforms along the Wagah land border here which is also frequented by locals and tourists from both sides.-PTI

sub-sectors along IB in Jammu and Samba districts. Giving further details, he said almost all the BSF posts in

Kanachak and Pargwal were targeted by the Pakistan Rangers. BSF Posts in Arnia and R S Pura sub-sectors were also targeted by the enemy, the Spokesman said. "BSF troops at all the places gave a strong and befitting reply to firing from Pak", the spokesman said, adding that firing in some places, particularly Pargwal, is still on. "There is no loss of life or damage to BSF ", he said. District Magistrate, Jammu, Ajeet Kumar Sahu said that in the Pak firing and shelling, three persons have been injured in border areas of Jammu and have been hospitalized. Over 1000 people have been accommodated in camps overnight. Six persons have been killed and 50 others including a BSF jawan, injured in Pakistani shelling and firing along LoC and IB in Jammu and Poonch districts in the ceasefire violations this month. -PTI

Stop testing patience of Pak Army: Musharraf KARACHI: Pakistan's former president and military ruler General (retired) Pervez Musharraf has sought to blame India for ceasefire violations along Line of Control, saying it should stop testing the "patience and resolve" of Pakistani Army. Musharraf, who is facing a treason case in the Supreme Court, said, "Regular ceasefire violations on the LoC by the Indians is not good for the region and deplorable." "I think India should stop testing the patience and resolve of the Pakistani Army," he said on Express News. Relations between the two countries have been tense in recent times due to repeated ceasefire violations along the LoC for which both governments blame each other. According to India's Border guarding force BSF, firing by Pakistani troops along International Border (IB) in the past two months was possibly the "heaviest" since

the 1971 war. On the anti-government protests led by opposition leader Imran Khan and firebrand cleric Tahirul Qadri, Musharraf said, "The present governance, political and elections system in Paki-

Pervez Musharraf

stan have become redundant." "I think it is now clear that all political parties have to sit together so that a consensus national government can be formed and fresh elections be held," Musharraf, who heads All Pakistan Muslim League party said. The former military ruler said "changes are now a foregone conclusion" in Pakistan and the political and electoral system had to be changed for the better future of the country. -PTI

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NYT apologizes for offensive cartoon on India NEW YORK: Days after it published an offensive cartoon mocking India's successful Mars mission, The New York Times has apologized saying it was not trying to "impugn" India but was highlighting that space programs are no longer the exclusive domain of rich, Western countries.

Editor said in a Facebook post. "We apologize to readers who were offended by the choice of images in this cartoon. Heng was in no way trying to impugn India, its government or its citizens. We appreciate that readers have shared their feedback, which we welcome," Rosenthal said adding

"A large number of readers have complained about a recent editorial cartoon in The International New York Times, about India's foray into space exploration. The intent of the cartoonist, Heng Kim Song, was to highlight how space exploration is no longer the exclusive domain of rich, Western countries," Andrew Rosenthal, NYT's Editorial Page

that Singapore-based uses images and text "often in a provocative way" to make observations about international affairs. The September 28 cartoon shows an Indian man, along with a bull, wearing a short "dhoti" and a shirt with the words 'India', knocking on the door to a room that has a sign 'Elite Space Club'. Inside the room are two West-

ern men reading a newspaper with the headline 'India's Mars Mission. Incidentally the cartoon came on the day India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in New York addressing thousands of IndianAmericans from the podium of the Madison Square Garden. Modi had on the previous day addressed the United Nations General Assembly and addressed several thousand people at a global citizen festival in Central Park. Several people had hit back at the newspaper and commented on the social media website that the paper should publish the apology instead of apologizing on a Facebook page. "You should apologize for the Racist Cartoon on your News Paper.Apologizing in Facebook is not enough," said one Facebook user. Another person said that a large number of scientists working at NASA are Indians. Several Facebook users said the cartoon should be removed from the newspaper's website. -PTI

US teen arrested for trying to join ISIS WASHINGTON: An American teenager has been arrested by the FBI after he allegedly tried to travel to Turkey to join the Islamic State terror group, officials said. Mohammed Amah Khan, 19, a US citizen, was arrested at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago

ing to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. According to FDI, law enforcement agents observed Khan passing through the security screening checkpoint at O'Hare's international terminal. Federal agents then executed

According to the criminal complaint, Khan wrote to his parents before leaving for the Chicago airport that he was leaving the United States and was on the way to join ISIS. In a three-page letter, he invited his family to join him on October 4 before he attempted to fly to Vienna, Austria, on his way to Turkey. He was charged in a criminal complaint filed in US District Court with one count of attempt-

a search warrant at Khan's residence and recovered multiple handwritten documents that appeared to be drafted by Khan and/ or others, which expressed support for ISIL, the affidavit alleges.

Some of those documents, including travel plans and materials referencing ISIL and jihad, are described in the complaint affidavit. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a USD 250,000 fine. According to the criminal complaint, Khan wrote to his parents before leaving for the Chicago airport that he was leaving the United States and was on the way to join ISIS. In a three-page letter, he invited his family to join him, but warned them not to tell anyone about his travel plans. His parents refused to comment, The Chicago Tribune said. "As Khan was being led from the courtroom by deputy marshals, his father put his arm around Khan's weeping mother and sought to calm her," the daily said. -PTI

US faces greatest military challenge from China: Jindal WASHINGTON: Indian-Ameri- East and South China Seas, and can Louisiana Governor Bobby in the peaceful resolution of disJindal, a potential 2016 Republi- putes among nations according can presidential candidate, has to international norms, he added. lashed out at Chinese military "Certainly, the Chinese underbuildup, saying the US today stand that their national ambifaces the greatest military challenge from China. "In terms of traditional military power, the greatest challenge facing the United States is China. For the past nearly 20 years, China has engaged in a massive military buildup," Jindal said in Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal a major policy paper in defense which he co-authored with tions are bringing them into conthe former US Senator Jim Talent. flict with the United States; that In the paper, he outlined his is precisely why they are buildvision, that he says will save the ing up their power - and doing so American military from damage at such a rapid pace," Jindal said. done by President Barack Obama. Jindal said the Obama "The Chinese regime, for na- Administration's 'Asia Pacific Retionalistic, political, and eco- balance' initiative is failing for nomic reasons, is seeking a lack of power. sphere of influence - a kind of he"Nowhere else is the decline gemony - in the East and South in America's military more dangerChina Seas, and wants the option ous than in East Asia," he said, of using coercion to achieve their adding the US simply does not ends," Jindal said. have the forces to shift into the "For that reason, they are purposefully and relentlessly devel- "The Chinese regime, for oping the capabilities to exclude American nationalistic, political, and forces from the re- economic reasons, is seekgion," said Jindal, the first Indian-American ing a sphere of influence - a Governor of a US State. kind of hegemony - in the "The primary target of China's military East and South China Seas, buildup is the US," he and wants the option of said. "It would be wrong to view China as using coercion to achieve necessarily an enemy their ends," Jindal said of the United States. China is a rising power with a proud history; it is natural region and our potential allies and that the Chinese would seek to partners are reluctant to align dominate their region of the themselves given America's world," he added. growing weakness. "The means by which the Chi"The balance of power in East nese will use to achieve it are un- Asia is changing; China will be, acceptable to the US and its al- if it is not already, dominant in lies. America is bound by treaty the region. If that happens, the to defend Japan and the Philip- 'rebalance' policy may prove very pines, and has guaranteed de dangerous - it effectively makes facto the territorial integrity of the US the obstacle to China's amTaiwan," he said. bitions without effectively deterThe United States, he said, has ring them, thereby creating an ena vital interest in freedom of trade vironment of rising tension and and travel for all nations in the possible conflict," he said. -PTI

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Time to 'wash away Cong-NCP's sins': Modi JALGAON: Slamming successive Congress-NCP governments in Maharashtra for being steeped in "corruption", Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said time has come to wash away its "sins of 15 years". "15th October is the festival of washing away the sins of the 15 years of Congress-NCP governments, to bring an end to 15 years of corruption and destruction,"

he said addressing a rally at Erandol in Jalgaon district. "The governments in Maharashtra did not spare anything and anybody from corruption. They snatched away the food from the platters of children who were supposed to get it under the mid-day meal scheme, they left the farms thirsty and took away electricity meant for farmers," he said.

Gates impressed by Modi's commitment on poverty NEW YORK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to improve health services and his focus on ending open defecation has "impressed" Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates who said it is "inspiring" to see India move to the forefront of providing such services to the underprivileged. "Modi has India talking about toilets...This is not the kind of issue that most politicians like to talk about. But I would guess that in the short time he has been in office, Prime Minister Modi has done more to raise the awareness

the attention and innovation going on in these areas - from health to financial services, we have a fantastic opportunity to make an impact. It's inspiring to see India moving to the forefront of these efforts," he said. Gates said Modi "made it clear" that he is "frustrated" with the slow pace of improvement in expanding and improving sanitation services across the country. Modi, who wants to end open defecation by 2019, shared with the billionaire couple few of his ideas, including installing toilets

File photo of Bill Gates calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on September 19

of the need for toilets than any other leader since the country gained independence," Gates said in a blog post titled 'Meeting the New Prime Minister.' In the blog, Gates writes about his meeting with Modi in New Delhi last month when he and his wife Melinda focused on toilets, vaccines, bank accounts and health clinics in their "more than an hour" long discussions. "We came away impressed by his commitment to fighting poverty and improving health for India's poorest people," Gates said. "This is an exciting time, not just for India, but for everyone who cares about giving the poorest people a chance to lead healthy, productive lives. With all

in bus and rail stations in 500 towns. Gates said Modi has been "quite outspoken" on open defecation, a subject one hears much less about. "It may seem surprising when you think about all the innovation coming out of India, but 630 million people there defecate in the open because they don't have access to a commode. Worldwide, the number is 2.5 billion people," he said, adding that creating good sanitation options for people is a big focus of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates discussed with the Indian leader the opportunity to design 21st century toilets that do not need big sewage systems and water treatment plants.-PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Modi said years of neglect by the state government had led to large-scale migration of the youth from villages to large cities and towns in search of jobs.

"I know what poverty is, the pain one feels when one does not have money to buy medicine for an ailing mother...I want that the youth does not have to leave

their old parents, their villages, their farms behind and go looking for jobs in cities," he said. "My government is committed to people, to doing big things for small people," he said amid loud cries of "Modi! Modi!" from a responsive crowd. He slammed the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government for dragging its feet in completing the Sardar Sarovar dam project, resulting in denial of electricity worth Rs 400 crore every year to Maharashtra that it would have got free of cost. "Since 2004, they (Centre) did not allow us to put even a bag of cement on the dam. Today, the work has started on construction of a hydel power project at Sardar Sarovar dam which would let Maharashtra avail of Rs 400 crore worth of electricity free of cost every year," he said. -PTI

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Shah Rukh presented Global Diversity Award LONDON: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was presented with the Global Diversity Award 2014 for his outstanding achievements in the field of cinema and his involvement in philanthropic endeavors. Receiving the coveted award from

Speaker of Britain's House of Commons, the Rt Hon John Bercow at a special ceremony held in the House of Commons, the 48-yearold actor described it as a "big honor." "This is a special day for me and I am very humbled to receive the award insti-

tuted by Rainbow Foundation," Shah Rukh said. Noting that he came from a humble background, the actor said he has been working for the last 33 years. "My first visit to England was when I was 27 in connection with the first film

Baazigar. I have got lot more than I deserved." He said the award would inspire him to work a lot more for the community, particularly the neglected community. "I will try to do in a small away, whatever I can," he said. Rt Hon Keith Vaz, Founder of the Rainbow Foundation, said, "Shah Rukh Khan is regarded as one of the most famous actors on planet earth." "He has already featured in several films and won 14 Filmfare awards out of 30 he was nominated FOR, including eight best actor awards. He is also active in the fields of charity, particularly helping women who have suffered acid attacks," Bercow said. Previous recipients of the award are Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, actress Aishwarya Rai, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, American civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton, Jackie Chan and music legend Dionne Warwick among others. -PTI

Boat operator charged for Indians' deaths BANGKOK: The operator of a Thai tourist boat, which was swamped by a huge wave killing two Indians onboard, has been charged with reckless driving causing death, police said here. The tourists, Yash Agarwal, 27, and Pankhuri Mittal, 26, rented the long tail boat to take them from Railay to Ao Nang in southern Thailand's popular Krabi province known for its pristine beaches. They drowned when the boat was lashed by a huge wave off the coast of Railay beach, east of Phuket. Both Agarwal, who is from Hyderabad and Mittal, who is from Chandigarh, reportedly did not have the life vests on at the time of the incident. Ekkapong Kinglek, 25, the boat operator, claimed though life vests were provided the two chose not to wear them. He was charged with reckless driving causing death, Captain Praphan Nhuchaikaew of the Krabi City Police has said. "They hired me to take them to Ao Nang. It was raining, but the waves weren t strong near Railay. I thought it would be safe," said Ekkapong. "We were about 100 meters from the shore when we were hit by a big wave," he added. Once the boat filled with water, I could not see them, so I decided to swim to shore to get help, he said. -PTI

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Trio win Nobel medicine prize for brain's 'GPS' STOCKHOLM: British-American researcher John O'Keefe has won the Nobel Medicine Prize with a Norwegian couple, Edvard Moser and May-Britt Moser, for discovering how the brain navigates. They won the coveted prize for discovering an "inner GPS" which makes it possible to orient ourselves in space, the jury said. "The discoveries of John O'Keefe, May-Britt Moser and Edvard Moser have solved a problem that has occupied philosophers and scientists for centuries," it said. "How does the brain create a map of the space surrounding us and how can we navigate our way through a complex environment?" In 1971, O'Keefe discovered the first component of this positioning system, finding a type of rat nerve cell in an area of the brain called the hippocampus that was specifically activated when the animal was at a given location in the lab. This led to the creation of a map of the room in the rat's brain. More than three decades later, in 2005, a married couple, MayBritt and Edvard Moser, discovered another key component of the brain's positioning system.

Combination image of an undated photo issued by University College London (UCL) of professor John OKeefe, left, a Sept. 5, 2014 file photo of Norways MayBritt Moser, centre, and a 2008 file photo of Norwegian scientist Edvard Moser. It was announced in Stockholm that the three are the joint winners of the 2014 Nobel Prize for Medicine

They identified a type of nerve cell that generates a coordinate system and allows for precise positioning and path finding. The work has potential benefits in neuro-medicine, especially in Alzheimer's, where the positioning circuits of the brain are frequently damaged at an early stage of the disease.

"Knowledge about the brain's positioning system may, therefore, help us understand the mechanism underpinning the devastating spatial memory loss that affects people with this disease," the jury said. The winners will share the prize sum of eight million Swedish kronor (USD 1.1 million). Half will go

to O'Keefe, and the other half jointly to the Mosers. Last year, the honor went to James Rothman, Randy Schekman and Thomas Suedhof, all of the United States, for their work on how the cell organizes its trans-

port system. In line with tradition, the laureates will receive their prize at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of prize founder Alfred Nobel's death in 1896. -PTI

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Tech News IRNSS 1C launch postponed due to technical reasons CHENNAI: The launch of IRNSS 1C,the third of seven satellites in the series to put in place India's navigation system on par with US' Global Positioning System, has been postponed following a technical snag and the launch date would be announced later, the space agency has said. "The launch of IRNSS 1C on board PSLV C 26 has been postponed due to some technical reasons. The new date of launch would be announced later," ISRO spokesman Deviprasad Karnik told PTI. Asked about the reasons for the postponement, a senior ISRO official said, "The rehearsal of the launch was done last night. We have observed a small anomaly. A particular item was not functioning properly." "After some brainstorming, we decided that all the tests would be done to ensure perfection before launch. The defective item will be replaced. We have to open the heat shield and work, so it will require at least two to three days," he said.-PTI

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October 10, 2014

Vice President and National Head (Sales), Maruti Suzuki, Tarun Garg at the launch of new sedan Ciaz in Bengaluru on October 6

Qatar Airways wings into Dallas-Forth Worth PREETI VERMA LAL

DALLAS: 13,149 kms. Roughly 19 hours of flying time. Winging through cottony clouds over deserts, savannahs, seas, an ocean, cities, nations. Getting caught in a time warp when morning and night embrace by the horizon and a day gets erased off the calendar. Even an intrepid traveler can flinch at the thought of an endless expanse between New

35,000 ft rustled by four Michelinstar chefs Nobu Matsuhisa, Tom Aikens, Ramzi Choueiri and Vineet Bhatia. After a 3.5 hour flight into Doha, I could catch a breath in Al Mourjan, a Business Lounge in Hamad International Airport. Touted as one of the largest airport lounges in the world, Al Mourjan is sprawled over space

Roy demands special facilities in Tihar jail NEW DELHI: Jailed chief of Sahara group Subrata Roy has sought immediate restoration of all the facilities like use of an air-conditioned office, phone, internet and video-conferencing in the Tihar prison to complete negotiations for sale of his luxury hotels abroad. In a letter to Tihar authorities, Roy said 80 per cent of the negotiations were over to sell his hotels in London and New York and withdrawal of the facilities on September 30 may result in lapse of the deal. The Sahara Chief has also sought special security, saying he faces threat inside jail premises. On October 1, Roy was sent back to his cell in Tihar at the end of the period granted by the Supreme Court for stay at the air-conditioned facility in the complex to negotiate sale of his overseas hotels "Subrata Roy in a letter has requested continuation of special services provided to him. He has been sent back to the cell on October 1 as the period granted by the Supreme Court to stay in the air-conditioned facility ended," senior jail officials told PTI. They said the facility can be further extended only after directions from the court. -PTI

Often rated as one of the best hotels in the world, Grand Hyatt is located in Terminal D of Dallas Fort Worth Airport

Delhi and Dallas, Texas. I am no Heung Tsang. I held the travel itinerary in hand and stared at the Qatar Airways New Delhi-Doha-Dallas flight details. That's a long haul, I whispered to myself. Suddenly, the anticipated flight fatigue metamorphosed into glee. Qatar Airways has recently launched Doha-Dallas route - the Boeing 777-200 LR would be mintfresh, its Business Class burgundy seats uncreased; the menu at

equivalent to 10 Olympic-size pools. There's an infinity pool lit by four-tiered chandelier; a spa to slough off jetlag; bespoke furniture, private quiet rooms. With all the information tumbling in my head, as if on cue, 13,149 kms and 19 hours of flying shrunk into a delightful ride through the clouds. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency, Mr. Akbar Al Baker explains the importance of the Indian market, "Demand for

Qatar Airways inaugural flight at Dallas Fort Worth Airport

The newly launched DART station at Dallas Fort Worth Airport

flights to the US to and from our Indian destinations has continued to increase year on year and is very significant. This new route to Dallas/Fort Worth will help to meet a growing demand from Non-

Resident Indians seeking to travel to India to visit their friends and relatives, followed by corporate and leisure travelers." On Qatar Airways, I could fly into any of its 144 worldwide destinations including 7 into the US Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, Chicago, Houston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. I chose Dallas, the land of cowboys which is now one of the fastest growing cities in the US. At the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) airport, the immigration was quick, the man at the Customs check point cheery, the Dallas air crisp. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 14

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Australia plans 13 innovative projects with India MELBOURNE: Australia has announced 13 innovative projects with India that will support new cutting-edge collaborative research partnerships between universities, professional bodies and private sector organizations of the two countries. The latest initiatives will be supported through Australia-India Council (AIC) grants program, said Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. "AIC's grants, totaling over 565,000 Australian dollars will support new partnerships between Australian and Indian universities, professional bodies, private sector organizations and arts communities in areas of strong mutual interest and where the bilateral relationship has the greatest capacity to grow," Bishop said. "This year's program will fund cutting-edge collaborative research in the mapping of salt affected land and water resources; the sharing of Australia's experience in implementing food standards, managing major sporting events and planning for sustainable urban transport links; and a new teacher education exchange program," she said.

The grants were extended to Opera Australia for "Shane Warne The Musical" tour of India project, Sharing Stories Foundation for installation in India of "Song for Country" - a multimedia exhibition celebrating Aboriginal and Torres

dia with Indian Agricultural Research Institute to help improve food value chains in India. University of Sydney's national workshop of extending the value of data on novel analysis for soil and water resources which would

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop

Strait Island culture. Other projects which would be supported by AIC are Australia India Institute's Australia India Public Sector Reform Seminar, Griffith University's collaborative study on Food Safety and Standards in In-

be in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology - Kharagpur. In the area of art and culture, AIC will support AusHeritage in revitalizing Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar museum with Australian conservation expertise. -PTI

Aviation PSUs to fill top posts NEW DELHI: Two major aviation PSUs - Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited, which were headless for several months, would soon have their top posts filled, with the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB)

shortlisting candidates for the two positions. While R K Srivastava, a 1984 batch IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre, has been selected from 10 candidates as Chairman AAI by PESB, the name of Dr B P Sharma, Executive Director at AAI who is

currently the Kolkata Airport Director, has been short listed out of 12 candidates to be the CMD of Pawan Hans, official sources said. The two names would now be sent to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for

final approval, they said. While Pawan Hans has been without a full-time CMD for about two years, AAI is being headed by Sudhir Raheja, Member (Planning) of AAI Board, an acting Chairman since January. Air India too has remained prac-

tically headless since the incumbent, Rohit Nandan, was granted three month's extension for his successor to be chosen, after his three-year term ended in August. His extended term now ends in mid-November. The Civil Aviation Ministry had earlier sought a two-year extension for the 1982 batch IAS officer of UP cadre, but the Appointments Committee extended it by three months. The Ministry has again suggested a 12-month extension for Nandan on the grounds that a toplevel change in the ailing national carrier at this juncture could derail it from the gradual turnaround path which was being successfully led by him. The Star Alliance, which Air India joined in July, has also written to the Ministry to consider an extension to him for the sake of continuity of the integration process between the Indian carrier and the global airlines' grouping. However, the sources said Nandan could be granted another extension as the last date for submitting the application for the post of CMD Air India is October 28 and the process of short-listing and interviews would begin after that.-PTI

Obama highlighting nation's manufacturing gains PRINCETON: Boosted by the lowest jobless rate in six years, President Barack Obama is putting a manufacturing focus on his revived economic message, calling attention to industrial gains that have helped restore some higherwage jobs during the recovery from the Great Recession. Obama arrived at a steel manufacturing plant in Princeton, Indiana, as part of a new fall political campaign push to promote his pocketbook policies and to claim credit for the upturn in the economy. He's announcing a competition to create a manufacturing innovation institute concentrated on photonics, or the use of light in technology ranging from lasers to telecommunications. The attention to manufacturing jobs comes on the same day the government reported that U.S. employers added 248,000 jobs in September, lowering the unemployment rate to 6-year low of 5.9 percent. The visit also falls on the third annual observance of National Manufacturing Day and a day after Obama called the November elections a referendum on his economic policies. THE STATE OF MANUFACTURING IN THE U.S The U.S. economy has created 700,000 manufacturing jobs since its low point of 11.45 million jobs in February 2010. Manufacturing

jobs are considered crucial because they tend to be higher paying than many of the jobs created during the recovery. Many industry advocates side with the Obama administration on issues such as overhauling immigration laws and spending more on infrastructure projects but criticize some of his environmental regulatory measures as too onerous. The manufacturing sector is nowhere near where it was at its peak in 1979 and early 1980 when it accounted for more than 19 million jobs. Between 2000 and the beginning of 2009, the sector lost

Barack Obama

nearly 5 million jobs. WHY THIS STEEL PLANT? Millennium Steel Services is a minority-owned company created in 2001 as a joint venture with Toyota to supply automotive grade steel sheets to the automaker's Indiana plant and to other auto parts makers. Millennium helps Obama illustrate his case that in helping rescue General Motors and Chrysler, he also buttressed the broader auto industry and its ancillary industries. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 14

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Xoom announces instant deposit service to ICICI accounts India Post News Service

SAN FRANCISCO, CA: Xoom Corporation, a leading digital money transfer provider, is now offering instant deposits to ICICI Bank accounts in India. This revolutionary service allows Xoom customers to instantly deposit money into their recipients' ICICI Bank accounts, 365 days a year, including bank holidays. Instant deposits to ICICI Bank are processed through Xoom's partnership with Punjab National Bank. "Through our partnership

with Punjab National Bank and the breakthrough IMPS technology, we are thrilled to expand our instant deposit service to ICICI Bank, one of India's largest banks," said Julian King, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Xoom. "Instant deposits are available 365 days, including bank holidays, so customers will never have to wait. Speed and convenience are what customers expect from Xoom's service and we continue to do just that in our mission to provide instant deposit

to even more banks in India." In addition to ICICI Bank, Xoom also offers instant deposits to Punjab National Bank, HDFC Bank, Union Bank of India, Bank

"Instant deposits are available 365 days, including bank holidays, so customers will never have to wait.

India's Dreamliner woes continue NEW DELHI: Air India's spate of trouble with its Dreamliner fleet continued as the airline was forced to cancel its Melbourne-Delhi flight and delay the departure of its Singapore-Chennai service by over six hours. While the Melbourne-Delhi flight AI-301 had clogged toilets in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and had to be grounded at the Australian city, the other aircraft of the same make, operating flight AI-347 developed technical trouble at Singapore and reached Chennai in the evening, instead of its scheduled arrival time of 1050 hours, airline sources said. Many passengers of the Melbourne flight were given hotel accommodation while some others were put on alternate flights after the cancellation, they said. The airline had to arrange a team of alternate crew members as the flight duty time limitation (FDTL) for those already on board had come to an end, the sources said.

The recurrent problems with the Dreamliners is understood to have figured in the one-on-on meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with Boeing CEO W James McNerney on September 29 in Washington. Air India Chairman Rohit Nandan was also in Washington during Modi's meeting, after which McNerney told reporters that

of Baroda, Federal Bank and Yes Bank. Xoom provides great locked-in exchange rates for money transfers to India, and there is no fee

ing of the Dreamliners for almost four months last year over battery fires, loss of revenue due to recurrent technical problems and resultant adverse publicity to the airline, apart from the demand for initial deliveries not being as fuel-efficient as promised. The twin incidents involving the Dreamliners came in the wake of

when customers send more than $1,000 and pay with their U.S.based bank account. Plus, Xoom continues to provide fast bank deposits within four hours to all

About Xoom Xoom is a leading digital money transfer provider that enables consumers to send money to 30 countries in a secure, fast and cost-effective way, using their mobile phone, tablet or computer. During the 12 months ended June 30, 2014, Xoom's more than 1.1 million active customers sent approximately $6.3 billion to family and friends. The company is headquartered in San Francisco and can be found online at www.xoom.com.

Qatar Airways wings into Dallas-Forth Worth Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 12

I had stepped into an airport that serves 147 domestic and 55 international destinations. Its Terminal D is spread over two million square feet, has 28 gates and an ability to process 2,800 passengers an hour through Customs. I thought that was efficient enough, until the statuesque Boeing wanted to "accelerate engagement with India". The national carrier and the plane maker are negotiating a formula for compensation for ground-

other banks in India, including to NRE and NRO accounts, when sent during bank processing hours in India. Customers can also download the Xoom App for Android and iOS mobile devices for free.

merized me most was DFW's diligence towards sustainability (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency among the US Top 50 "green power purchasers" of clean renewable energy), its $ 6 million art collection, LiveWell Walking Path and the Yoga Studio. 13,149 kms and 19 hour later, in DFW I realized that travel is not about reaching a destination. It is

similar instances in the recent past, with a Boeing 787 returning to base here after almost three hours of flight to London after problems with its air- conditioning system. -PTI

Obama highlighting nation's manufacturing gains Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 13

Obama planned to hold a town hall-styled question and answer session with company employees where he was sure to tout efforts by the administration to create manufacturing hubs and innovation institutes. The $200 million innovation project the president is announcing is a Defense Department effort carried out in conjunction with the private sector. WHAT'S OBAMA'S MESSAGE? The president is promoting pocketbook issues as the campaign for congressional elections enters its final month. Obama is walking a fine line between bull-

ish assurances that the recovery is real and acknowledgement that millions of Americans are still jobless or underemployed and not benefiting from the economic gains. In a speech at Northwestern University he said that while he is not running for re-election, the policies he has promoted will be tested on Election Day. ``These policies are on the ballot, every single one of them,'' he said. WHAT DO JOBS NUMBERS SHOW? The Labor Department reported that employers added 248,000 jobs in September, exceeding expectations. Unemployment dropped to 5.9 percent, the lowest since 2008. The report also

showed that employers added 69,000 more jobs in July and August than the government had previously estimated. The number of unemployed fell in September by 329,000 to 9.3 million. Most of them found jobs last month. But nearly 100,000 stopped looking for work, lowering the percentage of Americans working or looking for work to 62.7 percent, the lowest proportion since February 1978. What's more, wages remained stagnant, dropping 1 cent to $24.53 an hour for all employees. And while the focus was on manufacturing, which generally pays more, the job growth in that sector remained flat. -AP

Al Mourjan Lounge in Doha's Hamad International Airport

Cynthia Vega, Manager Media Relations, DFW International Airport, talked of awards and honors - DFW has been featured in the world's Top Ten for customer satisfaction among large airports for seven consecutive years; with 7 runways, it is the highest capacity commercial airport in the world, is the world's third busiest airport for operations (677,001 flights in 2013) and world's ninth busiest airport for passengers (60.28 million in 2013). The DFW statistics are surely impressive. However, what mes-

the journey that matters. And its moments. Like slumping on the burgundy flat bed of Qatar Airways and digging the fork into an Arabic platter. Of the scrumptious sandwich at the Al Mourjan Sandwich Bar. Of the airport personnel at DFW in cowboy hats. Of art that dangles from DFW ceiling. Of the DFW Media Relations Manager who steps beyond information and becomes a friend. For me, journeys are no longer about miles in between two cities. It is about the joy of traveling. Destinations can wait.

October 10, 2014

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'Indian biotech industry on cusp of new era' WASHINGTON: India's biotechnology "Because we see the potential that can industry is on the cusp of entering a new result from collaborating with our Indian era as it already has many of the necessities partners, BIO and the Association of Biorequired to grow its bio economy such as a technology-Led Enterprises produced a talented and enthusiastic scientific comprehensive road map for the nation's workforce, a top biotech biotechnology industry, industry leadership has in which we identify major said. areas that require Prime "In 2012, Indian indusMinister Modi's attentry and government leadtion," Greenwood said. ers set an ambitious yet "Without developing a attainable goal of growing pro-innovation environthe nation's bio economy ment, the Indian biotechto more than USD 100 bilnology industry will not be lion by 2025," Jim Greenable to achieve its high powood, CEO Biotechnoltential and the world will ogy Industry Organizanot benefit from what tion (BIO) said here. could be the Asia Pacific "BIO believes that the region's dominant biotech Indian biotechnology inhub," he said. dustry is on the cusp of Jim Greenwood, CEO Biotechnology Greenwood welcomed entering a new era when Prime Minister Narendra Industry Organization it can provide significant Modi's five-day visit to the economic growth and development to the United States which the Indian leader has people of India and around the world," he described as a highly "successful and satsaid. isfactory trip". It needs only to address some fundamenBIO is the world's largest trade associatal areas of policy and regulation, and take tion representing biotechnology companies, steps towards creating an environment that academic institutions, state biotechnology encourages, not discourages, investment centers and related organizations across the by innovators. US and in more than 30 other nations. -PTI

Indian economy to grow by 6.4 % in 2015-16: WB WASHINGTON: Indian economy, which accounts for 80 per cent of South Asia's output, is set to grow by 6.4 per cent in 2015-16 as against 5.6 per cent in 2014-15, the World Bank has said. With economic activity buoyed by expectations from the new elected government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "India is benefiting from a "Modi dividend"," the Bank said in its twice-a-year South Asia Economic Focus report. Over the next year or so economic growth should be supported by the recovering US economy that would provide a market for Indian merchandise and service exports, it said. "The outlook over the next years for South Asia indicates broad economic stability and a pick-up in growth with potential

risks concentrated on the fiscal and structural reform side," said Martin Rama, Chief Economist for South Asia at the World Bank. "Future growth will increasingly depend on strong investment and export performance," he added. Private investment is expected to pick up thanks to the government's business orientation, and declining oil prices should boost private sector competitiveness. But economic reforms will be needed for India to achieve its full long-term growth potential, the report argued. The report said the region's economy will expand by a real 6 per cent in 2015 and by 6.4 per cent in 2016 compared to 5.4 per cent this year, potentially making it the second fastest growing region in the world after East Asia and the Pacific.-PTI

Desi News Consul Gangte given a musical farewell SURESH SHAH

CHICAGO: NRI Press Club headed by Madhu Patel and Dean Syed organized a farewell event for Indian Consul NJ Gangte in Mount Prospect, a northwest Chicago suburb. A highlight of the three-hour program was rendering of classical and non classical songs by renowned singers Sandip and his wife Susmita. The rendering in the program at Brisstol Court were arranged in such a planned way that it reflected positively on competence of the organizers. The start was with Sandip's rendition of khayals, an integral part of Indian classical music.

COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA

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Dental Brigade trip opened way to new people & places Details on page 23

October 10, 2014

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Flood of community Navratri celebrations all over Chicago SURESH SHAH

Details on page 18

Unique memorial for Gandhi in Texas city India Post News Service

IRVING, TX: On October 2, the 145th Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, Irving City marked its page in American history by a formal launch of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial of North Texas (MGMNT). The Memorial is the culmination of a four year effort to recognize the efforts of Mahatma Gandhi and others for peace. It is a great collaboration between the Indian American Friendship Council (IAFC) India Association of North Texas (IANT) and the city of Irving. This memorial will be a prominent landmark, great pride and honor for the community at large, and will be an inspiration for the coming generations. Details on page 19

Eid celebrated across Chicagoland A.Q. SIDDIQUI

CHICAGO: Thousands of Muslims from all over the Chicago metropolitan area joyfully bustled in to join in on the global celebrations of Eid-ul-Adha at different locations throughout Illinois on Sunday October 5. While there were various venues that held Eid prayers throughout the region, one of the largest turnouts was at the Bristol Court Banquet. The block was quite a sight to passersby. Groups of individuals in vibrant Indian-Pakistani clothing flooded the parking lots as they made their way to the exquisite banquet hall to commemorate the glorious day. Details on page 22

Garba and Dandiya on Devon Ave during Navratri

CHICAGO: A score of community organizations, including temples, across Chicago, jumped into the Navratri festival mood and organized Raas Garba and Dandiya mostly during the week ends. An exception was a trio of community activists on Mahatma Gandhi Marg on Devon Ave, the heart of India Town. This trio - Gurbachan Kaur of Regal Jewels, Kamal and Hansa Chhabaria and Hemant Brahmbhatt of Hi India - who had for the first time brought Devon Ka Raja Lord Ganesh to Mini India Town, also hosted nine days of Navratri ending Thursday October 2. All the nine days there were Darshan, Aartis, Garba and Prasad. In between there was Mata Ki Chowki by Bharati Desai who also sang Bhajans to the delight of hundreds of devotees flocking

to 2650 W Devon to be part of the celebrations and get spiritual uplift. Gurbachan Kaur, one of the

prime organizers, said it was for the first time that many local residents who could not go to far away temples or far way auditoriums to attend Garba, were happy

attended the celebrations. United Senior Pariwar had grand Garba Raas program at Niles Township High school in Niles (a northwest suburb of Chicago) on

United Senior Pariwar members doing Aarti during Navratri festival in Niles

Peacock feather coverings of Goddess Durga in Grayslake temple

that somebody would take initiative and organize things here only, and that too for nine days in a row. "This was all done with Goddess Durga's blessings," she said. Grays Lake Hindu temple on far north east side had also huge celebrations. One of the outstanding features was that Goddess Durga was decorated with peacock feathers all around. "It was a sight to see," said awestruck Daksha Rao of Itasca city in Chicagoland. It was a ten-day event commencing on September 24 with Kalash Sthapan and ending with Ravan Dahan on Vijay Dashmi day, October 4. Close to 2500 devotees

September 27. It was one of the biggest gatherings of its type with many a youth participating along with seniors. The four-hour Raas Garba was a treat to watch and participate. Avi Verma, an avowed Mata devotee had Mata Ki Chowki at his residence. Besides he helped Radhey Shyam Mandir too. Manav Seva Mandir, Hari Om Mandir, Lemont Temple, Vivekanand Vedant Society and many social organizations like Kadva Patidar, Seniors Pariwars, Six Gam and others also hosted celebrations during the festival period.

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October 10, 2014

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Ravan Dahan at Grayslake Temple attracts 2500 GEETHA PATIL

stalls, many jewelry, toys, and cloth stores. In the evening, more than 75 young children with great enthusiasm performed Ramleela stage show for the audience. This show was put together with the help of Anu Gupta and Naveen Mishra to support children to understand our cultural heritage and inculcate good virtues and qualities from different characters of our epics.

Havan during Vijay Dashmi celebrations

CHICAGO: An impressive Vijay Dashmi (Dussehra) along with Navaratri was celebrated with huge pomp and gaiety by over 2500 devotees of Lake and Cook Counties on Saturday, October 4 at the Grayslake Temple. This ten-day festival started

Ravan Dahan on Vijay Dashmi day

with Navaratri Devi Kalash Sthapan on September 24 with all the Vaidic rituals by Pt. Anil Joshi. Devotees brought their family Kalash to take the blessings of Ma Durga. Every day Devi Pujan and Durga Sapsati Path were per-

formed by Pt. Ganesh along with number of devotees followed by Raas Garba every evening. Different devotees sponsored Garba and Dandiya event and distributed Prasad as deity's blessing to more than 400 attendees who showed their devotion to Goddess by dancing to the melodious tunes of live singing by Rita Patel and Atul Soni and DJ by Mehul Rami and Mike Patel. Mrs Vasu Choksi emceed the event gracefully. Bipin Patel, Navinder Manna and team organized the event and regulated the crowds. Mata Ki Chowki and Jagran were organized as a part of Navaratri celebrations during which Anu Gupta and others sang Bhajans. On Ashtami day, October 2, a special Alankaram for Ma Durga as 'Vana Devi' was prepared. A wonderful attraction of the festival was an elegantly prepared peacock feather saree for Ma Durga. Pt. Joshi prayed for and blessed all the devotees for prosperity, progress, and good health. Kanya Pujan was also organized in the temple to obtain Ma Durga's blessings in Kanya Rupa. On Vijay Dashmi day, October 4, a whole day Mela was organized by the temple with different food

Children of Grayslake community members present Ramayan episode

In the night, at 8:30 pm, came an exciting Demon King Ravan Dahan event. Lord Ram, Laxman and Hanuman deities came in the procession with beating of drums, bells, and Jagati to the field where twenty feet tall and ten headed Ravan cut-out was prepared and installed by Raj Potdar, and Madhup Dhoan. Devotees were chanting in chorus "Jai Shree Ram."

Pt. Anil Joshi lighted fire to the effigy of King Ravan after performing a Puja. Devotees witnessed King Ravan crackling in fiery splendor marking the triumph of good over evil. At the end Pt. Joshi blessed everyone on the occasion and President Harsh Kumar thanked all the devotees for their enthusiasm and volunteers for the time they had given in making this event a grand success.

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Consul Gangte given a musical farewell SURESH SHAH

part of Indian classical music. Sandip's rendition of the Ragas Kedar and Hansdhwani left the audience awestruck. His excellent tonal and voice quality mingled with the skilful balance of rhythm making the performance gain a new height. At the request of the audience, Sandip performed some ghazals and took them to a new level using his long experience and skill in the art of classical music. In the second half of the program, Sandip's wife Susmita began with Thumri in Raag Mishra Pilu. The audience was all 'en-

Sandip, Susmita and Subhasis Mukherjee at Gangte Musical Farewell concert

core', when she went on to perform some old Hindi film songs of musical legends Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. The hall burst with applause as she concluded her rendition. A superb performance is always incomplete without proper accompaniments. Subhasis Mukherjee helped to enhance the performance with the Tabla, assisted by Guitar Player Irshat. Sandip and Susmita are faculty of Aeklauvya Ashram, a music training institute founded and organized by Madhu Patel. Even the non-Indian audience was impressed with the beauty and level of spontaneous vocal performance without written, rehearsed or practice. Chief Guest Consul Gangte was equally impressed by the warmth of reception as well as renderings of songs and ghazals by the master singers The program ended with a great dinner which consisted chiefly of Indian culinary delicacies. Madhu Patel proposed a vote of thanks specially appreciating Dean Syed, Dr Shiraz, Iftekhar Shareef and many other Chicago elites for supporting the program.

Two honored for organizing Navratra

wo prominent community activists and business owners - Gurbachan Kaur and Nirmal Shewakramani - were honored by members of the community during the culmination of nine days Navratra celebrations at India Town, on Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Devon Avenue) last week. The honoring was with the presentation of Silver Bowl by Premaben and Snehlata Shah. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 19

Silver bowl that was presented to them

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Unique memorial for Gandhi in Texas city India Post News Service

and dignitaries from around the world attended the ceremony of grand unveiling. Satish Dhupelia, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, attended as Chief Guest from South Africa. Several Special Guests namely Rev. Jerome LeDoux, representing Dr Martin Luther King Jr's family, Mrs Sara, representing US Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, Irving City Mayor Beth Van Duyne, In-

Gandhi gathering

a great collaboration between the Indian American Friendship Council (IAFC) India Association of North Texas (IANT) and the city of Irving. This memorial will be a prominent landmark, great pride and honor for the community at large, and will be an inspiration for the coming generations. Mahatma Gandhi Memorial is Dallas Fort Worth community's investment and asset that symbolizes pride and respect for Mahatma. The plaza is situated in an 18-acre park with lush green lawns and waterfront serene environment In spite of heavy rain and thunderstorms hundreds from the local community and several guests

dian CG P. Harish, Dr. Prasad Gollanapalli, Sevagram , Sabarmathi Ashram, India, graced the occasion. Among other dignitaries were Mandali Buddha Prasad, Deputy Speaker, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Padma Shri Dr Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad, former Member of Parliament, Y. V. Subba Reddy, Member of Parliament from Andhra Pradesh. Amidst thunderous applause, Chief Guest Satish Dhupelia unveiled the "Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza" to showcase it to the world. People appreciated MGMNT leaders as Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza stands tall among all memorials in the USA. The memo-

rial has 7-ft b r o n z e statue based on 6-ft pedestal, elaborate inscriptions, elegant granite Mahatma memorial logo panels, stone walls, LED lighting, engraved The sculptor Burra Varaprasad Gandhi's quotations, as well as and co-sculptor K. Prasada Rao quotations of world leaders like specially came from Andhra Pradesh to participate in the celebrations. Taiyab Kundawala, Cochair, MGMNT paid handsome tributes to the leadership quality of Dr Prasad Thotakura, the Chairman of the Project and the MGMNT team. In his remarks Thotukara, appreciated the whole hearted support of the community. Rao Kalvala mentioned that the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial will be a prominent landmark and it symbolizes DFW community's pride and respect for the Mahatma. Satish Dhupelia said the statue is so lively; inscriptions are so motivational that "MGMNT's vision will be an inspiration to all generations." Mrs Swati Shah, Co-chair, gave the vote of thanks and appreciated the city, volunteers, sponsors, community and guests for their active participation. MGMNT hosted an appreciation Banquet the next day and it Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson was attended by more than 400 Mandela, Albert Einstein and people including sponsors, supPresident Obama. porters and guests.

Two honored for organizing Navratra Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 18

Gurbachan Kaur with mike in hand and Nirmal Shewakramani looking on with huge gathering in the back

It was for their active role in organizing the nine Navratra festival and hosting ten days of Devon Ka Raja Lord Ganesh festivities. Both firsts for the Indian community. Gurbachan Kaur is the founder president of Hindi Lovers Club. Nirmal Shewakramani is a successful businessman with chain of stores on Devon Ave.

Jewish etc". Rao Kalvala elaborated project details of the last four years and expressed that the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial symbolizing pride and respect for the Mahatma, will be an inspiration for the coming generations. He thanked MGMNT team members and volunteers. Guest Speaker Dr Prasad Gollanapalli representing Sevagram, Sabarmathi, India explained the real Gandhian philosophy. The program concluded by appreciating all the sponsors. A special honor was given to prime sponsors like Mrs Kalpana & Mr Ramesh Bhatia, Mrs Indira & Dr Om Singla, Mr Trammell Crow, Dr Chandra & Mr Hirabhai Patel, FunAsiA, Dr Geetha & Mr Paul Pandian. Chairman Dr Prasad Thotakura was felicitated with the presentation of "Jewel of India" award with a 4 foot tall elegant crystal memento for leadership in realizing the long cherished dream of the community. "Gandhi Peace Walk" was held on October 4 at Gandhi Memorial Plaza, Thomas Jefferson Park. The event was attended by hundreds of enthusiastic peace lovers. Mrs Swati Shah, Co-Chair, MGMNT welcomed the gathering and gave detailed instructions before the launch of the peace walk. Mayor Beth Van Duyne attended and welcomed the crowd

MGMNT Chairman Dr Prasad Thotakura and Board of Directors getting ready to inaugurate the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza

Mrs Swathi Shah, MGMNT CoChair, welcomed the guests and invited MCs Mrs Shabnam Modgil and Mrs Rajeswari Udayagiri to start the program. The program started with US and Indian National Anthems. Dr. Prasad Thotakura said, "This is not an Indian American project but a global project since Gandhi belongs to the whole world. Our committee comprises all faiths like Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain etc., and all colors like Whites, Blacks, Hispanics,

to participate in the walk. Satish Dhupelia led the walk while walkers carried US, India, Texas flags besides placards with Gandhiji's quotations. Dr Prasad Thotakura, ChairMGMNT, announced "from now on every year on October 2, MGMNT comprising IANT and IAFC leaders would host peace walk in this park." He encouraged people to participate in large numbers and walk every day for healthy living. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 20

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Gandhi birthday celebrated with enthusiasm MADHU PATEL

CHICAGO: Mahatma Gandhi's birthday was celebrated on Octo-

ber 2 by a group of community members at the Gandhi statue in

Skokie, a northwest suburb of Chicago, with lot of fervor and

enthusiasm. Village of Skokie had proclaimed Oct 2 as Gandhi Peace Day. Mrs Susan Van Duessen, wife of the Mayor of Skokie, was in attendance and she explained the significance of Gandhi's teachings which are inscribed on the pedestal of the statue. They joined in the prayers in honor of Mahatma Gandhi. Mother Nature blessed the event by providing the cover of a nice weather. Mrs Usha Kamaria, Trustee of Gandhi Memorial Trust initiated the celebrations by offering flowers to attendees. She said "unless you are at peace yourself, you cannot spread the message of peace'. In his welcome address, Chairman Omprakash Kamaria mentioned that United Nations had

declared Oct 2 as an International Day of Non Violence. Satish Chander, Trustee, stated that Gandhiji's teachings greatly inspired Rev. Dr Martin Luther King Jr. in his crusade, who in turn impressed the thoughts of our President Barack Obama. Dr Modi, a trustee mentioned that it is the 10th anniversary of installation of statue and that GMT is working on a plan for beautification of the statue area. Rohit Joshi mentioned that Gandhi believed in cleanliness and he never expressed anger at any one. Later he conducted a 15-minute group prayer. Mrs Dina Modi, Trustee, Mrs Mira Chadner, Trustee and Mrs. Mina Patel volunteered to distribute the light refreshment among all the attendees.

Unique memorial for Gandhi in Texas city

Community activists celebrating Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary

A feast for the soul dance experience SEEMA KAMATH

CHICAGO: Soham Dance Project's premiere performance of Pay No Mind drew full house attendance at Links Hall in Chicago for three days beginning Friday September 19 thru 21,2014. Anjal Chande, the Artistic Director, took thoughts and emo-

essence, and composing original music at the same time. Because all creative elements were created by Director Chande herself, the theme, prose, music, expressions, and body motions all coincided precisely and harmoniously. The original score was inspired

tween lead composer Anjal Chande, guitarist Jesse Hunter, and percussionist Karl Olson. For these musicians developing music for a choreographer-driven work was venturing into a new and fulfilling realm. In response to an audience comment about seeing elements of

MGMNT team members Mrs Marqueax Price, Mrs Swati Shah and Mrs Shabnam Modgil Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 19 Chande performing during Pay No Mind show

tions from her own philosophical musings on life, set them to selfcomposed "Indo-folk-jazz music," and created a dance experience that was a feast for the soul. Chande is a revolutionary in her field; she is pushing the boundaries of Bharatanatyam choreography without changing its basic

by Chande's own melodies and choreography, rather than customizing the dance to suit existing music. This seemingly small gesture is in fact a radical reversal of the current Bharatanatyam tradition, and a testament to Chande's innovative vision for her art form. The music is collaboration be-

other dance forms in the show, Chande clarified "it was only one style, Bharatanatyam". "When you break down the 'words' and typical patterns in Bharatanatyam, you have more 'letters' to play with and can make more combinations," she explained. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 22

Dr Prasad Gollanapalli, Saryodaya leader motivated people and urged them to learn more about Gandhi. MGMNT Steering committee consists of - Chairman Dr. Prasad Thotakura, Co-Chair - Taiyab Kundawala, Co-Chair - Mrs. Swati Shah, Secretary - Rao Kalvala, Treasurer - Mr. Dilip Patel. Board of Directors: Mrs.

Shabnam Modgil, Mr. Piyush Patel, Mr. Jack Godhwani and Mr. Paul Pandian. Fundraising Chairs: Mr. John Hammond, Sudhir Parikh, Dr. Srinivas Potluri and Kuntesh Chokshi Advisory Board: A.K. Mago, Amir Rupani, MVL Prasad, Mrs. Marqueax Price, Prof. Caroline Brettell, C.C Theophine, Ms. Pauline Medrano, Dr. Om Singla, Mr. Trammell Crow, Bhatia and Ms. Cindy Schwartz.

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Eid celebrated across Chicagoland with fervor A.Q. SIDDIQUI

nois State, Governor Pat Quinn said that "Eid al-Adha - the 'Festival of Sacrifice' - is a holiday during which we share with those who are hungry, sick or in need. "During this special time, we are reminded that sacrifice and compassion are two qualities necessary to make the world a better place and assure no one is left behind. "In the spirit of humility and warmth, I wish Illinois' 500,000 Muslim residents and Muslims a blessed Eid," Quinn said Women in vibrant colored dresses, men in ethnic outfits and children, smiling and laughing, filled the parking lots and were pouring into the hotel lobby. As

Eid Congregation in Chicago

individuals worked through the crowded doorways, volunteers from Eid committee gathered funds and demonstrating true Islamic generosity, many emptied their pockets and purses into the collecting bins before taking their shoes off and heading into the prayer halls. Men and women continuously and open-heartedly made space for incoming members so everyone would be able to partake in the Prayer (Salah). Many leaders from many different fields such as medical, sports entertainment, political, teaching spiritual leaders and prominent community leader were present at

Eid prayer. Iftekhar Shareef, well known businessman and prominent community leader and Consul General of India Dr Ausaf

Pooja and a happy Batukamma. Prayer (Salah) was recited throughout the morning and afternoon to accommodate the 8,000

Iftekhar Shareef wished Indian community a very Happy Dussehra, Durga Pooja and a happy Batukamma. Prayer (Salah) was recited throughout the morning and afternoon to accommodate the 8,000 enthusiastic crowds effortlessly and efficiently. Sayeed with entire families were present at 10:30 am Salah. Iftekhar Shareef wished Indian community a very Happy Dussehra, Durga

enthusiastic crowds effortlessly and efficiently. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 24

A feast for the soul dance experience Indian CG Dr Ausuf Syed, FIA Trustee Chair Iftekhar Shareef and others at the Eid celebrations. Pics courtesy Suresh Bodiwala

Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 20

Pay No Mind is a true testament to her mastery of art of Bharatanatyam dance, that she can break down these seemingly set-in-stone patterns and reinvent the movement into something familiar but fresh. This was not a fusion work, but an innovative creation that pushes Bharatanatyam forward through Chande's personal interpretation of the classical vocabulary. Along with dancers Savitha

Chelladurai and Rasika Ranganathan, Chande performed what she called "themes that would come up in conversations with friends over coffee." Together, they told a story about the mind interfacing with the world and the subsequent experiences of curiosity, apprehension, judgment, anger, fear, dejection, joy, and so much more as they moved flawlessly from formation to formation. As the scenes changed, for about 30 seconds the room was

pitch black, allowing the audience to reflect on what they just experienced. The questions raised during the post-show Q/A proved that the people were left soul searching. The show's protagonist suggests that no matter what thoughts come bursting in or what surprises await in the outside world, she'll just "Pay No Mind". The audience was basking in the beauty of what they had just witnessed. They had experienced something very special, "a reflection of their own lives"!

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Dental Brigade trip opened way to new people & places RAVI TRIVEDI

went on a week-long volunteer trip to San Martin Jilotepeque, Guatemala with the Global Dental Brigade. On this trip I learned three things: we need to disconnect in order to recon-

nect, new places and people aren't as strange as they seem, and Global Dental Relief makes a big difference in the lives of those they help. I woke up from a nap after my red eye flight and I panicked - I didn't have the wifi password and I couldn't get in touch with my family or friends. I kept instinctively reaching for my phone every few minutes, just to realize that it was pointless. When I finally met up with my group, I was so desperate for human interaction that I just threw myself in there in a way I normally wouldn't have. We spent a lot of time together as a group and eventually grew close. At first, the city was confusing and the language barrier was disconcerting. San Martin was very foreign to all of us, but it slowly started to feel familiar to me. We went out to lunch at a local cafĂŠ and I realized the hustle and bustle of the rickshaws, stray dogs, and trucks with too many passengers inside actually reminded me of life in India. I felt oddly at home because I could connect my previous experiences to this village. It was so revitalizing to find traces of familiarity in a foreign town. Global Dental Relief had come to this town two years ago, so the

older girls had already been seen and taken care of at that time. As a result, their teeth were in good shape because a lot of their problems had been fixed and future problems avoided. Some of the younger ones had more problems because they had never been seen by a dentist, but overall the teeth were much better than I had expected. It was so great to see the beneficial effects of these dental treatments and that they were keeping up with their dental hygiene after being educated about its importance. My volunteer duties included being on entry duty for half of the trip, and that meant I had to air out my rusty Spanish to interact with and entertain the girls waiting to see the dentists. I felt awkward with my clipboard and dorky scrubs, and to make it worse, the girls would giggle at my poor Spanish. But I realized that they were just as ner-

vous as I was and some of them were also having new experiences for the first time, too. After breaking the girls into smaller groups, they started to take my presentation on dental hygiene seriously. I felt more confident, and this helped them to finally open up and start asking questions about how to properly brush their teeth. My volunteering truly pushed me outside of my comfort zone, but I discovered that I could meet the challenge. By the end of the day, I, and many of the girls, overcame our nerves-together. One of the patients that came in was such a testament to the much-needed work the Dental Brigades do. Her name is Wendy and she is nine year old special needs child who walked with a limp and was a little bit slower to respond to questions. While she was sitting in the examination chair getting her teeth cleaned, she would look over at the window and flash a smile at her mother. It was such a genuine, sweet smile. It was so heart-warm-

made a connection with her and that was one of my favorite experiences of the whole trip. She became another familiar face that I had grown to love in this foreign country. I realized that the work that Dental Brigade

from technology and enjoy the beauty in the new people and places. The most surprising thing for me was that we can all find some piece of home even in foreign countries. I found comfort in the familiar

does also opens the door for new avenues of connection to other people. This trip was an amazing ex-

surroundings and my friendship with the children, while for other people it may have been something else that made them feel at home. Global Dental Relief is a wonderful organization that does great work and I am so honored to have been part of that. While at first I wasn't sure I would be able to survive a week without using my phone, by the end of the trip I had almost forgotten about all the distractions my phone offered. Instead of staring at the screen for hours at a time, I connected personally with many new people and made lifelong friendships and brought back memories.

While she was sitting in the examination chair getting her teeth cleaned, she would look over at the window and flash a smile at her mother. It was such a genuine, sweet smile. It was so heart-warming to see, and I fell in love with her instantly. ing to see, and I fell in love with her instantly. Even during her tooth extractions, she did not cause a commotion. I had talked to her while she waited to be seen and was so sad to see her go after she was done. But as I was walking around the town a couple days later, I saw her with her mother and when she recognized me, she smiled, and waved. A selfless kind of happiness overcame me. I

perience and I'm so grateful to have been able to be part of it. It was so nice to take a step back

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South Asian Film Festival a big success India Post News Service

CHICAGO: The 2014 Chicago South Asian Film Festival, presented by Zee Cinema, treated film enthusiasts and artists alike to a weekend of art, culture and entertainment in mid September at the Showplace ICON Theater in South Loop and the Evanston Public Library. The fifth annual festival kicked off the four-day event with opening night on Thursday, September 18. Over the next three days, the Festival showcased over 30 carefully curated shorts, documentaries and feature independent films, red carpet events, after parties, VIP dinners and the especially enjoyable post film discussions with the actors, directors and producers of films like Liar's Dice, Monsoon Shootout, Brahmin Bulls, Algorithms, M Cream and Ankhon Dekhi.

On the heels of a successful four-day event, the Festival proudly shared the news of its opening night film and the film that it premiered in Chicago, Liar's Dice, as India's official submission to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the Oscar's foreign language category. Algorithms, another audience favorite, has been nominated for the Grierson Award, the most prestigious documentary awards in the UK, for Best Newcomer Documentary. Several notable filmmakers and actors were in attendance throughout the weekend to support the best of multicultural cinema. Those present included:

Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Liar's Dice, Monsoon Shootout, The Lunchbox, Gangs of Wasseypur), Rajat Kapoor (Ankhon Dekhi, Dil Chahta Hai, Monsoon Wedding), Imaad Shah (M Cream, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Tasher

Desh), Sendhil Ramamurthy (Brahmin Bulls, Heros, Covert Affairs, Beauty and the Beast), Ian MacDonald (Algorithms), Mahesh Pailoor (Brahmin Bulls), Manish Mundra (Liar's Dice), Ric Gazarian (Hit The Road India), Shahnawa Zali (Mohammad), Ashok Vish (Boy Named Boris),

and Sai Prasad (Color of War) Indian Consul General Dr Ausaf Sayeed, was in attendance as well. The 5th annual event introduced the South Asian Films in America (SAFA) Awards to recognize South Asian films and talent and honor the achievements that they have made to the art of cinema on a platform that is exclusive to Chicago. On opening night, the first SAFA Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement was presented to independent film circuit favorite and now the lead actor in an Oscar submission, Nawazuddin Siddiqui. A diverse selection of short films, documentaries and features whose themes explored topics

from women's and LGBTQ issues to politics to the dynamics of human emotions brought multitudes to Showplace ICON Theater and Evanston Public Library. The Festival presented multiple World, U.S. and Chicago premieres. Chicago South Asian Film Festival is dedicated to fostering a diverse cinematic experience through South Asian films. The Festival was founded in 2010 and is organized by the Chicago South Asian Arts Council Inc. The Festival is held in late September and includes a stellar selection of films and guests, panel discussions, opportunities for filmmakers and film lovers to connect, musical performances, tributes to major artists and galas. In 2014, the Festival introduced the South Asian Films in America (SAFA) Awards, an Award honoring South Asian Films and Artists exclusively in Chicago.

Eid celebrated across Chicagoland with fervor

Eid prayer in progress Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 22

Eid Ul Adha is celebrated all over the world as a symbol of sacrifice and to commemorate the attempt of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his own son Ismaeel as God asked him to do so. Prophet Ibrahim was tested by God to sacrifice his loved one and he submitted to the Command of God and took his son Ismaeel to the hill for a sacrifice but as he was about to slaughter Ismaeel, he was replaced by a goat. Muslims commemorate the incident by sacrificing animals. The meat is distributed among poor and

relatives. Over a billion Muslims celebrated Eid Ul Adha all around the world. More than 2 million pilgrims performed Hajj and celebrated Eid in Makkah. This year Hajj Arafat day happened to be a Friday. "EID Is the combination of three meaningful words, E - Embrace with open heart, I - Inspire with impressive attitude and D Distribute pleasure to all. Warm wishes on "Eid-Ul-Adha" and wishing that it brings your way ever joys and happiness. Eid Mubarak," said Iftekhar Shareef of the Central Eid Committee of Greater Chicago.

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International yoga festival ends in Haridwar DEHRADUN: Curtains came down on an international festival on yoga, culture and spirituality at Haridwar-based Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya with nearly 2000 delegates from 20 countries, including the US, Korea and Israel, participating in the five-day extravaganza. Held every year by the university, it was the fourth edition of the event in which 20 spiritual luminaries and 30 yogic experts from across the country and abroad took part. Addressing the valedictory session of the festival, noted spiritual leader from the US Patrick Mcculum said due to the varsity's unique location on the banks of the Ganga, the festival offered a rich spiritual experience to participants. Mcclum, a Mahatma Gandhi award winner for his contribution to world peace, said India's deep spirituality of which yoga is an integral part distinguishes it from other countries of the world. Noting that yoga had earned

international acceptance over the years, he said," If ever there is a movement for cultural and spiritual reawakening in the world, India was bound to be its torchbearer."

tribute richly to the building of a nation. Located close to the banks of the Ganga in the Himalayan foothills, DSVV is a UGC recognized university which holds the event

DSVV Chancellor Pranav Pandya said yog, culture and spiritualism embedded deep in the Indian ethos do not only enrich an individual's life but also con-

every year to familiarize participants with the benefits of yoga in their spiritual growth and the country's rich cultural and spiritual heritage. -PTI

NYC Mayor, Modi talked of strong working ties NEW YORK: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi importance of a strong working relationship between India and the US, underscoring that such ties are critical for democracy and security around the world. The Mayor said he was honored to have spent time with the visiting Indian leader. "We talked about how the two greatest, strongest democracies of the world need a strong working relationship. The world hinges in so many ways on that natural, strong relationship between India and the United States," he said at the 27th Annual Deepavali Festival organized here by the New York Chapter of the Association of Indians in America. "We think about India, we think about the United States of America, we think about what links us, which is the extraordinary Indian-American community. This community exemplifies the best of both cultures, the best of both countries. And the countries are united by a shared belief in democracy, India, the world's larg-

est democracy, an example to the whole world," he said. Lauding the contributions of the Indian-Americans, he said community members are the ambassadors and a significant link to strengthening the bilateral relationship "for the good of all, for

He said the immigration debate in the US has generated a lot of "misunderstanding" about people from different cultures coming to the country and seeking to make it their new home the good of democracy, for the good of security around the world." The mayor was among a host of political and business leaders who had called on Modi during his visit to the city for the United Nations General Assembly session last week. Extending his wishes to the

community on the occasion of the festival of lights, he said the Indian-Americans have made significant contributions to the US as well as to New York. The mayor said the strength of the city lies in the rich culture and vitality that immigrants have brought to it over the years. He said the immigration debate in the US has generated a lot of "misunderstanding" about people from different cultures coming to the country and seeking to make it their new home. "In too much of the debate in this country there is a misunderstanding. When the topic of immigration comes up, too many people treat it as a negative. In New York City, we understand that immigration is our life blood. Immigration makes us stronger and better," he said. The mayor highlighted that from next year, a municipal identity card would be issued to all residents of the five NYC boroughs, regardless of their immigration status. "We're not going to wait for a federal government that can't come up with a comprehensive immigration reform.â&#x20AC;? -PTI

Modi clear about forging good ties with neighbors WASHINGTON: External AfSwaraj promised to the memfairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has bers of the Sikh community said that Prime Minister Narendra present at the event that India will Modi has "very clear" priorities do everything possible to secure to forge good relations with the release of Sikhs kidnapped in neighboring countries as part of Iraq. his "fast track" diplomacy. She narrated eloquently her "Even before taking oath, experiences during her visits to Modi's priorities of good relations Nepal, Japan, and other countries with all neighbors were very clear and explained the enthusiastic with all the SAARC heads being support from China and Australia invited to the swearing-in cer- in India's growth and developemony," Swaraj said. ment. "His visits to Bhutan, Nepal, Swaraj is considered one of the and Japan and now to US all have been judged as great suc- She said the Modi cess," she said. Swaraj, who met government will take care leaders of 100 countries during the annual ses- of the Indian Diaspora's sion of the UN General needs and redress their Assembly, said this was part of the "fast complaints and concerns track" diplomacy of Prime Minister Modi. During her address to the In- prime movers of Modi dian Diaspora at an event orga- government's much-praised "fastnized by the Overseas Friends of track diplomacy". BJP (OFBJP)-USA in New Jersey She said the Modi government last week, Swaraj said she faced will take care of the Indian challenges during Iraq crisis Diaspora's needs and redress their wherein Indian nurses were kid- complaints and concerns. napped by the Islamic State miliVijay Jolly, Global convener of tants, said a media release. BJP Overseas Affairs, said OFBJP Swaraj, who visited 11 coun- is actively engaged in working on tries in 100 days as part of the the Diaspora-related issues in the "fast-track" diplomacy, said the US. During the program, Swaraj new government however was inaugurated a book titled "The able to secure their release in less Idea of One Religion" with a forethan 48 hours. word by Modi. -PTI

Indians to benefit from new Irish-UK visa deal LONDON: India will be one of the first countries to benefit from a new joint visa scheme signed between Ireland and the UK here. The scheme, allowing visitors to the UK and the Republic of Ireland to use a common short-stay visa, was ratified by the British and Irish governments and will help travelers from outside the European Union (EU) move freely between the two jurisdictions on a single permit. India and China will be the first two non-EU countries to benefit from the new regime. The agreement was signed at the Irish Embassy here by UK home secretary Theresa May and Irish Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald. "This agreement will make it easier and more attractive for travelers to visit both Ireland and the UK, while at the same time

strengthening Common Travel Area borders," said May. Fitzgerald said it was a "landmark scheme" that "but a few years ago would have seemed an impossibility". "It is truly remarkable, and a potent symbol of the transformation in British-Irish relations, that the home secretary and I are today jointly launching an initiative of unprecedented cooperation between our countries," she said. Fitzgerald said it was "an historic development in the operation of the Common Travel Area", the arrangement that allows free movement between UK and Irish citizens. "Our aim is to boost tourism and business travel to our countries and, together, we are sending a clear and powerful message that these islands are open for business," she added. -PTI

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ARCHANA ASTHANA

o, I am not talking about the night-hopping, loud music-blaring, feet tapping type of clubbing, although that has its merits, and has been en joyed many a time. I am talking about the resurgence of periodic get togethers termed "Book Clubs"! I remember as a child, the reference to a Book Club meant you were old with limited mobility, and had to have a book of the month delivered to your home! That was then.... Today's book clubs are not like your mother's kitty parties, or your aunt's tupperware parties, or even your cousin's candle parties...In my generation, there has been a flurry of group meetings between friends, acquaintances, strangers, for the express purpose of meeting to discuss a book that has been read by all, who come prepared to discuss its merits and demerits. What accompanies the purported intention of the group depends largely on the composition of the members. When we met as a group of good friends, used to hanging out with our families, the book club meetings could span the arc from focused, intentional, deep discussions, to exchanging recipes and deciding future parties, and became essentially a party in itself! One member, after her

The book clubs have also evolved from a few years ago. I recently hosted one, where members had to bring a dish, and a story that went with it. The creativity and imagination of the connections blew my mind! debut meeting announced her surprise that we actually discussed the book! To be fair, it also depended on the selection of the book, and after possible discussion topics, controversies, and unexpected twists and turns of the tale were exhausted, we began drawing parallels with our lives to points of convergence from the book. After all, truth is stranger than fiction. Lively conversations and more bonding opportunities and discovering truths about ourselves sometimes led to very deep thoughts. On the lighter side, sometimes it was impossible to figure out where the story line of the book under discussion ended, and one of ours began.

October 10, 2014

It was a time for female bonding, without the pressure of time, in the sanctity of a home, and accompanied with food and libations. Although, the book club was open to husbands, after a couple of tries, it was relegated more to the female domain. As with most things, one of my book clubs with a close group of friends ultimately died a natural death, after being robust for a few years, and limped into life support before its demise. Several attempts to resuscitate it met with the truth of futility. Like all good things, we graciously let it go. As time went on, we did not stop reading. Some of us became parts of other book clubs; some discussions of books read continued sporadically at various time points. If the love of inquiry is strong, a desire to know the thoughts of the authors captured between book jackets is urging, the absence of a book club is no hindrance to reading one by a true book lover. The book clubs have also evolved from a few years ago. I recently hosted one, where members had to bring a dish, and a story that went with it. The creativity and imagination of the connections blew my mind! Indeed, every book lover is himself/herself a very inquisitive soul, seeking meaningful relationships between characters in the books, between characters and their surroundings, and even among the other artifacts surrounding the plot. Cont'd on Page 28

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When Vaishno Devi saved Akshay Kumar

espite being a declared born Vaishno Devi bhakt, Akshay did not go there in the Navratras. He explains 'why' in this interview:

At one point of time, you were the most famous regular visitor to Vaishno Devi. How old is your association with Vaishno Devi? Right from my birth. My parents took me there when I was a few months old. When did you first go on your own? I must have been about 14. How frequently do you go now? No, now I don't go. I have great faith in Vaishno Devi but now I don't visit the place. For many years I have been visiting. Now when I travel, there's a fair amount of expense. Business class tickets, hotel rooms, bodyguards, all that. One visit costs over 2 to 2.5 lakhs. Now when I feel like going to Vaishno Devi, I take out 2.5 lakh rupees and think that that I am going there. Then I go to Tata Memorial Cancer hospital and give it to anyone. Thus I obtain darshan of Vaishno Devi. There is no need of going anywhere. The Devi Ma is at my home only. I came to understand much later that the meaning of Mandir is "Man Ke Andar" that is within your mind. Mata has showered her grace on me and

now She herself has shown me this way. It is not that I will never go there. When there is shooting in Jammu, I will certainly go. If someone makes a film on the Mother, I will certainly take part in it. So you've moved to a philosophy of moving away from the formalities of religion? If I give the money to someone, and he says, 'mera bhala ho jayega bhai, main tere liye Bhagwan se dua karoonga' isn't that better than me spending it on going? What happened with me at that Temple, I can never disassociate with Vaishno Devi. It's a long story. Let's hear it. My mom and dad, they are both believers in the deity. Before I was born, they had made a wish to the Mother that if she grants them a son; they would come to have her Darshan. Typical Punjabi family and all that. And a son was born. I must have been eight-nine months old when they took me for the darshan. I'm talking about 1968. By the time they reached Katra, I was running fever. There was no proper medical infrastructure there in those days. The doctor there said he is running 102 degrees, take him back to Delhi, show him at a proper hospital. My dad agreed to return. But my mother was adamant 'Mata ne diya hai, Mata le le'! (Mother has given us this child, if she wants she can take him away.) Dad agreed. On the way the temperature kept on rising. By the time they reached the shrine, I had 104 and was not responding. Mother refused to turn back. She even bathed me in the

Banganga. Then she took me inside, and did Darshan. When she came out of the shrine, still crying, someone said to her, "Sister, your son is looking really beautiful, and see how he is laughing!" She was astounded. I was laughing. They checked my temperature - it was back to normal. We came back happy and laughing. That is the story. I don't know what is the science or logic behind this. How does temperature go from 104 to normal instantly? There is no logic. And

this happened not to someone I know, or heard about, but to me. There have been other such incidents also with me. I got a break in film industry in a similar manner. I missed a flight. I had to take a 6am flight and I thought it was a 6pm one. I got such a firing on the phone: "An unprofessional man like you will never get work" and they slammed down the phone. I cried a lot. I had lost a modeling assignment. It was a very big thing for me then. (Courtesy Times of India)

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Diwali outdoor festival coming to GTA! India Post News Service

TORONTO: Diwali is right around the corner and to make this the grandest celebration ever, South Asian Focus newspaper and the Indo Canada Arts Council is bringing the

first Festival of Lights to the Great Punjab Plaza (2980 Drew Road), Mississauga on Sunday, October 12. Presented by Tide, this day-long celebration promises to be a fun-filled event with lots of entertaining activities for the entire family to enjoy.

"Tide, Crest, Pantene and other leading P&G brands have partnered with Real Canadian Superstore速 and Loblaws速 to present Diwali Festival of Lights for the first time. The GTA is such a cultural mosaic and it's time to shine a light on the festivities of this diverse city," says Ashwin Garg, Category Brand Manager, P&G Canada. As one of the biggest and most popular festivals in the South Asian community, Diwali celebrates the triumph of good over evil. The Festival of Lights has quite a treat planned for the whole family. The day will include: musical performances, competitions, games, prizes, free product giveaways, sumptuous food and sweets from various parts of the sub-continent. Bhoomi Trivedi of the Ram-Leela fame will perform live Dandia. The event will also feature jugglers, clowns, Bhangra-Gidda & Dhol, Bollywood dance presentations, and a grand fireworks display to end the night! Enjoy interactive games at the P&G Shine Zone and win free gifts for the family, capture your smile at the Crest photobooth, and experience the Duracell Screamo-meter with t-shirt giveaways. Covergirl, Pantene and Olay will enhance any woman's experience and men will enjoy the Gillette Shave Station.

Evolution of Clubbing! Cont'd from Page 26

So, the food they brought connected for one member by way of being a central fact in a TV serial she admitted to watching addictively, for another, it was the memory of making the dessert she brought better than her mother in law (!); for yet another it was the produce from the garden that she obviously put a lot of love and care into, for another it was actually a reference within a book she was reading for another book club! For me, the pairing made sense, as food bonds people like nothing else, and for book lovers, who want to discuss, provided the perfect platform to share their driving decisions. Others, of course, just showed up for the fun of hanging out with the rest. All are welcome, and the afternoon was declared a success! Now, the talks to revive the defunct book club are on, and we need a novel way to achieve that. The current thought is to meet outdoors, as in a park, go for a walk, then discuss a piece of writing while partaking and sharing food. See, we don't stray too far from taking care of basic necessities. In this case, if books come, can food be far behind? An interesting twist to the book reading format is to read it together, thus taking care of issues such as not having read the book by any member, which do crop up from time to time. As we go about selecting a short story for this purpose, I can't help but ponder, how an activity largely done in solitude, has come to represent a highly social function of bonding! Evolution, once again, is not limited to Darwin's finches; it is prevalent in every facet of our lives. Just look for it, and you will discover it in the most unusual places. So, yes, Book Clubs really are a reincarnation of the traditional modes of clubbing!

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TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Tu Meri : Bang Bang 2 Samjhawan : Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania 3 Tere Ho Ke Rahenge : Raja Natwarlal 4 Yaar Naa Miley : Kick 30 India Post

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October 10, 2014

arveen Dusanj had a career before she came to India, and a successful one at that as a consultant for social change with the UK government. "But here I'm only identified as Kabir's younger NRI girlfriend," she says. "I have been dismissed by society as the fla-

arah Khan has choreographed song sequences with a bevy of Bollywood stars in her over two-decade-long career. But she says her favorite dancer amongst them all is comedy king Govinda for his sheer ability to dance with all his heart. "Govinda is my favorite dancer. I feel very happy when he dances," Farah said at a press conference for the official announcement of new dance reality show Dil Se Naachein Indiawaale. The Zee TV show is being launched in conjunction with Farah's forthcoming directorial Happy New Year. The Happy New Year team will look out for dancers who may not have the technique or training, but those who feel happy dancing and make others happy with their dancing.

"Govinda is my favorite dancer. I feel very happy when he dances,"

5 Aata Majha Satakli : Singham Returns 6 Galliyan : Ek Villain 7 Fanny Re : Finding Fanny 8 Sawaan Aaya Hai : Creature 3D 9 Hangover : Kick 10 Aaj Phir: Hate Story 2

vor of the moment, gold-digger etc. While it amuses me now, in the early years I was very aware of others' perception of my relationship with Kabir, and their unkind reactions, but there are so many positives I wouldn't have it any other way. "I had found my crazy, madly, deeply kinda love and I wasn't going to run away from it. That's the thing about older men, they know what they want they've made their careers, they've seen the highs and lows, they've battled and toiled and done all that. So, if they want you in their life, it's because they really want you there. "Kabir came with a lot of baggage, but, it was his history and it had shaped him to be the man that I love and admire t o d a y. There'll always be a few bumps along the way.

Bollywood

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hraddha Kapoor has repeatedly been pitched against the likes of Alia Bhatt and Parineeti Chopra. So, who between the two is the toughest competitor for Shraddha? "Actually we are a trio; our names are taken in the same breath. There is definitely healthy competition between us. Both, Alia and Parineeti are amazing actors and both are very different actors. The best part is that we are constantly working and have movies in hand, we are busy, so nothing to complain about," says Shraddha. She, in fact, thinks that actresses hardly indulge in catfights and in lighter vein, even added how the scanner should be put on their male counterparts when told that the men in Bollywood are not heard complimenting each other the same way as the actresses. Shraddha says, "Why do they say that girls gossip? Boys gossip more than girls. In fact, boys are more chuglikhors and they do it secretly.

he filming rights of best selling author Anuja Chauhan's book Battle For Bittora have been purchased by Anil Kapoor's company for a while now. The story is about a 25-year-old girl Jinni who lives in Mumbai, working in an animation studio till her politician bossy grandmother calls her back to her native place Bittora to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Much against her wishes, she agrees to fight the elections as candidate Sarojini Pande, daughter of the illustrious Pande dynasty in Pavit Pradesh. Her main opponent turns out to be Zain Altaf from the royal family there. Apart from the bitter battle in this Lok Sabha elections between these two young contestants, Battle For Bittora is also a passionate love story. The Khoobsurat Jodi of Sonam Kapoor and Fawad Khan have been finalized to play the lead cast in the film.

hey have absolutely nothing in common as far as cinematic sensibilities go, but filmmaker Rohit Shetty will be seen in R Balki's upcoming film, 'Shamitabh'. Balki has roped in the 'Chennai Express' director for a cameo appearance in the Amitabh Bachchan-Dhanush starrer which is nearing completion. Revealed a source in the film's unit, "It was only one day's work and Rohit gamely agreed. He will be playing himself in the film." Interestingly, the film features an ensemble cast of directors, including Rajkumar Hirani, Anurag Basu, Gauri Shinde, Karan Johar, Mahesh Bhatt and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. Confirming the same, Balki said, "We wanted a prominent director for the role and who better than Rohit Shetty. I am a big fan of all his movies." But will Shetty be blowing up cars in the film? "I'd like that but no, we aren't blowing up anything. But I can assure you that it will surprise people," said Balki refusing to reveal any details.

nand Balraj was languishing in a hospital with mounting bills when Salman Khan came to his rescue. The actor who had worked with Salman in 'Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya', was rendered immobile after an accident on Marine Drive a couple of months ago. A taxi had rammed into Anand while he was getting out of his car and rendered both his knees ineffective. After a long stay at a South Mumbai hospital, Anand found himself with an empty bank account. Then one fine day, Aditya Panscholi, called him. Says Aditya, "I didn't even know he had met with an accident. We had worked together on several films in the past, so I had just called to ask what he was doing these days." Aditya then decided to foot the doctor's bills and ment i o n e d Anand's plight to Salman during a conversation. "Salman immediately d e cided to lend a helpi n g h a n d and financed a major surgery for Anand."

edding outfits are being ordered en masse by the Khan family. Post a family commitment that the khandaan has in Goa on November 2, they will once again be in a celebratory mode for a wedding in their immediate family. Yes, Arpita Khan will wed her boyfriend, Delhibased businessman Aayush Sharma on November 16. Needless to say, Salman is going to make sure the affair is a grand one, especially because he dotes on his youngest sister.

Â&#x201E; Health

Line

69,000 people challaned under no-smoking rules NEW DELHI: Delhi government has challaned 68,959 men and 126 women for smoking in public places since it was prohibited on October 2, 2008. The State Tobacco Control Cell has collected fine amount of Rs 57.92 lakhs from people violating the rules till September 30. According to the Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), data from the state tobacco control cell shows that Delhi Government has conducted 1,27,330 raids at public places and 2,55,011 raids at public service vehicle. "The implementation of the no smoking rules in Delhi shows the government's commitment towards tobacco control. However, there is an urgent need to take stringent action against those clubs, hookah bars, and restaurants etc which are flouting the law. "It should also be emulated by other states to achieve the goal of making the country smoke free. In addition, the Government must ensure that the money collected as fines should be spent on tobacco control and public health issues," said Bhavna Mukhopadhyay, Executive Director, VHAI. Further, a survey on prevalence of tobacco usage in the city recorded that 41 per cent males and 3.7 per cent females in Delhi use some kind of tobacco product. Around 30 per cent males and 1.1 per cent females smoke regularly in Delhi, while 17 per cent male and 3 per cent females use chewing form of tobacco products. -PTI

Â&#x201E; Doctor had access to Ebola patient's history DALLAS: The Dallas hospital treating the lone U.S. Ebola patient says an emergency room doctor who initially treated and released him did have access to the man's travel history, after all. Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas issued a news release saying Thomas Duncan's travel history was available to all of the hospital workers who treated him during his initial visit, including the doctor. It said that a flaw in the electronic health records systems led to separate physician and nursing workflows, meaning Duncan's travel history didn't appear in the doctor's records. Duncan fell ill after traveling from Liberia to Dallas and was sent home after that initial emergency room visit. He returned two days later and was diagnosed with Ebola.-AP

Health Science

Proposition 45 seeks health insurance rate review Details on Page 34

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Healthcare experts concerned over US-India IP Working Group WASHINGTON: Independent American healthcare experts have expressed concern over the decision of India and the United States to establish a high-level working group on intellectual property to address each other's issues. They have argued that this is a move by the Obama Administration to push New Delhi on issues related to intellectual property. Agreeing on the need to foster innovation in a manner that promotes economic growth and job creation, US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a joint statement have committed to establish an annual high-level Intellectual Property (IP) Working Group with appropriate decision-making and technical-level meetings as part of the Trade Policy Forum. "This working group will give the US a dedicated forum to continue to pressure India to adopt TRIPS-plus IP measures, including repeal of Section 3(d) of the India Patents Act, adoption of data exclusivity/monopolies, patent term extensions, and restrictions on the use of compulsory licenses," said Professor Brook K Baker from the North-

eastern University School of LAW said. He argued that there will be efforts to strengthen enforcement measures and investor rights, including investor/ state dispute resolution.

as it places the US fox in the Indian chicken coop," he added. According to a fact sheet issued by the White House after Modi-Obama meeting, as part of an ongoing commitment to strengthen engagement, both

US President Barack Obama with Prime Minister Narendra Modi

"The US, in particular, will work to eliminate local working requirements that India is seeking to use to promote its own technological development," he said. "The fact that this working group will have 'decision-making' powers is particularly problematic

governments also agreed to establish a high-level working group on intellectual property under the TPF that will meet at the senior official and expert level to discuss a range of intellectual property issues of concern and interest to both sides.

"It is very clearly going to be used to pressure India to expand liberal grants of drug patents in India, and to block or restrain the use of compulsory licenses on drug patents," said Jamie Love, Director, Knowledge Ecology International, an NGO working on knowledge governance. Professor Brook K Baker from the Northeastern University School of Law said the US consistently advances higher intellectual property protections through its trade working and trade partnership groups. "It is significant that this sentence is embedded in the section on economic growth and increasing foreign direct investment as US IP industries and the USTR promote heightened intellectual property rights and strengthened enforcement mechanisms as being key to investor confidence and ultimately to innovation itself," he said. "FDI and innovation are also always rhetorically tied to strong IPRs despite inclusive evidence that typically shows that most low and middle-income countries do not benefit economically from IP maximization since they are net importers of IP goods. -PTI

World's first baby born after womb transplant PARIS: A 36-year-old Swede has become the world's first woman to give birth after receiving a womb transplant, doctors said here, describing the event as a breakthrough for infertile women. "It was breathtaking. I think all of us felt that," surgeon Liza Johannesson said in a video supplied by her university. "It was like having your own child, actually, it was the same feeling. No one could really believe it." The healthy baby boy was born last month at the University of Gothenburg's hospital. Both mother and infant are doing well. Weighing 1.775 kilos (3.9 pounds), the baby was born by Caesarean section at 31 weeks

after the mother developed preeclampsia, a pregnancy condition,

new mother was born without a womb, although her ovaries were

The world's first baby born to a woman with a transplanted womb, is shown after his birth in Goteborg, Sweden.

according to the medical journal The Lancet. Because of a genetic condition called Rokitansky syndrome, the

intact. The surgeons said the exploit smashes through the last major barrier of female infertility - the

absence of a uterus as a result of heredity or surgical removal for medical reasons. "Absolute uterine factor infertility is the only major type of female infertility that is still viewed as untreatable," they said in a paper published by the British journal. The replacement organ came from a 61-year-old woman, a close family friend who had been through menopause seven years earlier. The organ was transplanted in a 10-hour operation last year. The recipient underwent invitro fertilization, in which eggs were harvested from her ovaries and fertilized using sperm from her partner, and then cryogenically preserved. -AFP

October 10, 2014

Health Science Post www.indiapost.com

New needle-coated capsule may replace injections WASHINGTON: A pill coated with tiny needles that can deliver drugs directly into the lining of the digestive tract has been developed by scientists, an advance that may eliminate the need for injections. In animal studies, researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) found that the capsule delivered insulin more efficiently than injection un-

der the skin, and there were no harmful side effects as the capsule passed through the digestive system. "This could be a way that the patient can circumvent the need to have an infusion or subcutaneous administration of a drug," said Giovanni Traverso, a research fellow at MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, and one of the lead authors of the study.

Although the researchers tested their capsule with insulin, they anticipate that it would be most useful for delivering biopharmaceuticals such as antibodies, which are used to treat cancer and autoimmune disorders like arthritis. This class of drugs, known as "biologics," also includes vaccines, recombinant DNA, and RNA. "The large size of these biologic drugs makes them nonabsorbable. And before they even would be absorbed, they're degraded in your GI tract by acids and enzymes that just eat up the molecules and make them inactive," said Carl Schoellhammer, a graduate student in chemical engineering and a lead author of the paper. Schoellhammer, Traverso, and their colleagues set out to design a capsule that would serve as a platform for the delivery of a wide range of therapeutics, prevent degradation of the drugs, and inject the payload directly into the lining of the GI tract. Their prototype acrylic capsule, 2 centimeters long and 1 centimeter in diameter, includes a reservoir for the drug and is coated with hollow, stainless steel needles about 5 millimeters long. Cont'd on Page 34

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Proposition 45 seeks health insurance rate review SACRAMENTO, Calif.: Proposition 45 offers a simple choice for voters: Do they want the state insurance commissioner to regulate health care rates for small businesses and individual health plans? The campaign fight over whether that would be beneficial for consumers is much more complicated. Initiative proponents, led by Democratic Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones and Consumer Watchdog, a Santa Monica-based consumer group with backing from attorneys, say the initiative would add transparency to the rate-setting process and force health insurance companies to justify their decisions. Opponents, including a coalition of hospitals, doctors and firefighters with major funding from health plans, say it would have a detrimental effect on California's ability to deliver lower-cost health coverage under the affordable care act. They say it's a flawed initiative that would give too much power to the insurance commissioner. The online marketplace known as Covered California launched in October 2013 as part of the state's implementation of the federal health care reforms. The exchange, which is responsible for directing Californians to an appropriate health plan, offers private coverage to those with no access to health care on the job and provides premium subsidies to most.

While the board of California's new health insurance exchange declined to take a formal position, Covered California staff did released a report critical of Proposition 45. It found the initiative, if passed, could disrupt the exchange's work negotiating with health insurance companies, cause delays by allowing thirdparty challenges and risk having insurers leave the market.

While state regulators would still review health insurance rates, passage of Proposition 45 means the insurance commissioner would have the sole authority to approve or deny them. Some 1.4 million people signed up for individual health insurance coverage through Covered California during its first year of operation. In July, the exchange announced that premiums for those consumers will rise by an average of 4.2 percent in 2015, about half the increase the industry has seen in the past three years. ``I personally have some very serious concerns about the interaction of the plain language of this initiative and the work that

we've invested in making the Affordable Care Act real in California and to some considerable degree somewhat successful,'' said Covered California Board Chairwoman Diana Dooley, secretary of the state Health and Human Services Agency. Proposition 45 supporters say the initiative will not disrupt the new marketplace or cause delays for consumers. Instead, they say it would bring protections to the roughly 6 million Californians who buy health insurance through individual and small group markets. While state regulators would still review health insurance rates, passage of Proposition 45 means the insurance commissioner would have the sole authority to approve or deny them. ``All it does is bring health insurance under the rate regulation we have for auto, home and business insurance in the state,'' said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog. Micah Weinberg of the Bay Area Council said it's not accurate to compare health insurance to home or auto insurance. While consumers can buy auto and home insurance any time of the year based on their actuarial risk, health insurance has open enrollment for a limited time each year. Under the federal health care reforms, the market also has changed so that health plans cannot discriminate against people based on pre-existing conditions. The state also set up its ex-

High alcohol intake leads to HPV infection risk LONDON: A high alcohol intake is linked to a heightened risk of human papillomavirus infection among men, suggests a new study. Researchers at the H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute and colleagues wanted to find out if there was any association between drinking patterns and susceptibility to HPV infection. The research included 1,313 men who were already taking part in the US arm of the HPV in Men (HIM) study, an international study that is tracking the natural history of HPV infection in men. Participants filled in extensive and validated questionnaires on their long term sexual history and diet in the preceding 12 months. The food frequency questionnaire also asked about alcohol, including serving size, frequency, and type. The men underwent a medical examination two weeks before the start of the study, and then every

six months afterwards. Samples were taken from three genital areas to test for the presence of HPV. Alcohol intake was grouped according to daily consumption of less than 0.10 g/day in the bot-

tom 25 per cent (quartile) of consumption up to 9.91 g or more a day for those in the top 25 per cent. Men who habitually drank more tended to be younger, smokers, of white ethnicity, to have had more sexual partners, and they were more likely to be circumcised - which may protect against infection - than those who drank less.

Average daily alcohol intake among those who tested positive for HPV was significantly higher than among the 514 men who tested negative. It was 4.52 g for those testing positive, compared with 3.13 g for those testing negative. For those testing positive for the HPV types associated with increased cancer risk, average daily alcohol intake was 5.23 g; while for those testing positive for types not associated with cancer, it was 5.29 g; and for the four types against which the HPV vaccine is active, it was 6.31 g. When further analysis was done of HPV prevalence, this was significantly higher among men in the top 25 per cent of alcohol consumption compared with the bottom 25 per cent: 68.9 per cent versus 56.7 per cent for any HPV type and 35.2 per cent versus 22.8 per cent for those types associated with increased cancer risk. -PTI

He is being challenged by Rechange to provide choices for consumers depending on how publican Sen. Ted Gaines of much they want to spend, he said. Roseville, who opposes ProposiBoth sides are trying to make tion 45. ``I don't need the additional their case by asking voters to folpower,'' he said. low the money. An insurance agent, Gaines Opponents say the initiative benefits trial attorneys who col- said he believes Jones has not lect fees for intervening on behalf done enough to increase compeof consumers. Backers of Proposition 45 say they will be outspent by major health insurers. As of mid-September, most of the more than $37 million in opposition funding has come from four major health plans, Kaiser, Anthem, Blue Shield and Health Net. Jones, an attorney who is running for re-election, said just because he believes health care can be improved does not California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones mean he opposes the Affordable tition and would like to review the Care Act. ``I think that some people on department's budget, which he the left feel so beleaguered by the claims has increased since Jones opponents on the right that took office. Jones said he has been sucthey're critical of things like Proposition 45 because it sug- cessful at saving businesses and gests there needs to be something consumers $1.6 billion in auto, done to improve the Affordable home and other property and caCare Act. And I think that's a sad sualty rates by rejecting excessive rate increases. -AP state of affairs,'' Jones said.

New needle-coated capsule may replace injections Cont'd from Page 33

Previous studies of accidental ingestion of sharp objects in human patients have suggested

It took more than a week for the capsules to move through the entire digestive tract, and the researchers found no traces of tissue damage. that it could be safe to swallow a capsule coated with short needles. Since there are no pain receptors in the GI tract, patients would

not feel any pain from the drug injection. To test whether this type of capsule could allow safe and effective drug delivery, the researchers tested it in pigs, with insulin as the drug payload. It took more than a week for the capsules to move through the entire digestive tract, and the researchers found no traces of tissue damage. They also found that the microneedles successfully injected insulin into the lining of the stomach, small intestine, and colon, causing the animals' blood glucose levels to drop. This reduction in blood glucose was faster and larger than the drop seen when the same amount of insulin was given by subcutaneous injection. The study appears in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. PTI

October 10, 2014

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Health Assurance Mission likely by year end NEW DELHI: The Government hopes to roll out its ambitious Universal Health Assurance Mission by the end of this year as the Health Ministry ready with the details of its proposal which envisages to bring all Indians under health insurance cover. "We are prepared with the scheme. We are in the process of discussion with states and expect that the first phase of the scheme will be rolled out very soon," ministry sources said about what they have described as the world's largest public health insurance program. The poor will get treatment free of cost, Health Ministry sources said, as they expect premium to be low for the rest of the population due to the country's predominantly young population. The highlights of the proposed UHAM are that 50 essential drugs with a package of diagnostics and about 30 Ayush drugs will be made available to all citizens at government hospitals and health centers across the country. A package of preventive and positive health information will be made available to all citizens and health insurance will be a built-in feature of the UHAM. UHAM was a key poll promise of the BJP and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had set up an Expert Group to prepare a roadmap to implement it for the entire population. It also figured in the President's inaugural address to Parliament on June 9. Headed by Ranjit Roy Chaudhury, retired Professor-Emeritus of Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Re-

search, Chandigarh, the group submitted its report within eight weeks. At present health insurance covers about 25 per cent of the population and the UHAM is expected to give a big boost to

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan

the health sector. In the absence of any public health insurance scheme, the out of pocket personal expenditure on health care in India is over 75 per cent of total expenses compared to less than 15 per cent in countries like the United States of America and the United Kingdom. One of the biggest challenges, Vardhan had noted recently at an event, would be to keep up the supply of doctors and technical personnel. The present doctor to population ratio, one to 1,700, needs to be improved. A great number of technical personnel in diagnostics and radiology among others are also necessary, he said. -PTI

Las Vegas area poised to get clean-air designation LAS VEGAS: A 21-year push to limit dust pollution in and around Las Vegas has the federal Environmental Protection Agency poised to give the region a clean bill of health. The EPA formally notified Clark County last month that it will be reclassified as meeting standards for airborne dust particles small enough to be inhaled, known as PM-10. The declaration is expected to become official when it is published in the federal EPA register later this month, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak issued a statement calling the reclassification a historic moment and significant victory for the county. The EPA designated metropolitan Las Vegas a serious non-attainment area for PM-10 pollution in 1993. The label could have cost the state millions of dollars in federal highway funds and prompted a federal takeover of local clean-air programs. But county officials helped reduce dust levels through tighter regulations, a permit

and inspection program at construction sites, a dust-complaint hotline and a public education campaign with the memorable tagline, ``Don't be a dusthole.'' They were also helped by a sharp decline in construction after the collapse of the housing market about eight years ago, though most contractors already were taking steps to control dust when the downturn hit, said Mike Sword, planning manager for the county Department of Air Quality. Most local PM-10 is caused by windblown dust from construction sites, travel on dirt roads and disturbance of the desert's natural crust on vacant land. Officials say fine particles get into people's lungs, where they aggravate health problems such as heart and pulmonary conditions. The very young and very old are among the most susceptible to the effects. Sword said millions of dollars were spent during the past 20 years to hire enforcement staff, inspect work sites, pave roads and produce public-service announcements. -AP

Mothers who smoke damage fertility of their sons MELBOURNE: Mothers who smoke while they are pregnant or breast feeding may be damaging the fertility of their sons, a new research has warned. It is already known that smoking during pregnancy can have a number of harmful effects on the developing fetus, but, until now, the effects on the fertility of male offspring and the mechanisms involved have been unclear. Researchers used a mouse animal model, which directly mimics human smoking, to look at what effects the mother's smoking during pregnancy and breast feeding has on the fertility of her male pups. They developed a machine that draws smoke into a nose piece; 27 female mice were placed in the machine with their noses introduced into the nose piece and they inhaled the smoke into their lungs in exactly the same way as a human would when smoking a cigarette. The amount of smoke inhaled represented the equivalent of a pack of 24 cigarettes a day in humans. Another 27 mice were exposed to normal air. After six weeks all the mice were placed with males to produce litters. Exposure to cigarette smoke continued in the "smoking" mice throughout pregnancy and lactation until the pups were

weaned. The 108 male mice offspring were examined regularly through to adulthood. "Our results show that male pups of 'smoking' mothers have fewer sperm, which swim poorly, are abnormally shaped and fail to bind to eggs during in vitro fertilization studies," said Professor Eileen

McLaughlin, Co-Director of the Priority Research Center in Chemical Biology at the University of Newcastle in Australia, who led the study. "Consequently, when these pups reach adulthood they are sub fertile or infertile. This is the first time we have been able to prove conclusively that male baby exposure to cigarette toxins in pregnancy and early life will damage later life fertility," said McLaughlin. -PTI

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Realty Tidbits

News Corp to buy Move Inc for $ 950 million NEW YORK: News Corp is spending about USD 950 million to buy the online real estate business Move Inc in a deal that aims to speed up the media company's digital expansion. News Corp says it will pay USD 21 per share in cash for each outstanding share of Move. That represents a 37 per cent premium over the Stock's closing stock price. Move operates the website realtor.com and News Corp. says it displays more than 98 per cent of all for-sale properties listed in the United States. The media company says Move's network of websites reaches about 35 million people per month. New York-based News Corp, which is controlled by Rupert Murdoch, expects the deal to close at the end of the year. Move's board has unanimously approved the acquisition. -AP

Â&#x201E; DLF says no finding received on tax evasion NEW DELHI: India's largest realty firm DLF has said it has not received any findings from authorities on alleged service tax evasion of about Rs 30 crore. The company was replying to the clarification sought by stock exchange NSE on reports that DLF has come under the scanner of central revenue officials for allegedly evading service tax to the tune of about Rs 30 crore. "DLF and its associates pay a total service tax of more than Rs 500 crore per annum to the government of India and there is no question of evading service tax of Rs 30 crores across multiple years...," DLF said in a filing to the BSE. "We would also like to point out that we have so far not received any findings or observations from any wing of the Service Tax Department" with reference to this matter, the filing said. -PTI

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Realtors unhappy over status quo in monetary policy

October 10, 2014

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Naidu asks real estate sector for 'out of box' ideas NEW DELHI: Seeking "out of the box" ideas from the real estate sector for affordable housing, the Government has said it will consider recommendations for investing insurance and pension funds in the sector. "Real estate sector also has to work with out of box ideas to make a mark in affordable housing segment. This sector also has huge demand and opportunities," Urban Development and Housing and Poverty Alleviation Minister Venkaiah Naidu said. He was speaking at a real estate conference organized by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). "Recommendation pertaining to allowing insurance and pension funds to invest in real estate sector will also be taken up in due course," Naidu said. The NDA government has promised to provide housing for all by 2022. Naidu said providing housing for all is a big challenge and the government needs public and private participation to meet the target. He also assured the industry that his ministry wants that affordable housing should be included in the priority sector lending by banks. "We are pursuing with Finance Ministry regarding providing a sub-window of at least three per cent for affordable housing sector within 40 per cent priority sector lending allocation," the Minister said.

He further said the need for 'single window clearance' is also being explored. "We are discussing how far it is possible with other ministries and state governments and also to give infrastructure sta-

Naidu said his ministry is in the advance stage of finalization of the contours of the project and hopes to finalize it and take it to the Cabinet by November. He, however, said the munici-

Housing and Poverty Alleviation Minister Venkaiah Naidu

tus to housing sector," Naidu said. Responding to grievances of those in the real estate sector over delay in getting clearances including environment, Naidu said he is hopeful of finding a solution to this. "As far as environment clearance is concerned, which is one of the reasons for long delays, I had discussion with the Environment Ministry and we hope to find some solution to this. "Once the Urban Development Authority's plan has been approved then there should not be any need for individuals to go for clearance for each and every project. We are considering the suggestion positively," Naidu said. Naidu said efforts are on to arrive at a consensus on the Real Estate Bill and it will be introduced in the next session of Parliament. "We are proposing to bring the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill in the next session. We are holding discussion with various stakeholders and consumer forums to arrive at a consensus. We will be holding a final round of discussion before taking it to Parliament," he said. On the proposed 'Smart Cities',

pal bodies have to approve the reforms agenda to become part of the Smart City concept. "You have to first identify the cities and city municipal bodies

have to approve the reforms agenda to participate the Smart City concept. State governments also must stand by them and then we move forward. We also need to prepare detailed project report (DPR) and then move forward," he said. Acknowledging a great demand for Smart City plan among various cities, Naidu said, "Cities cannot be constructed overnight. There is so much demand for smart cities and it has become flavor of the season. The process is on we are in advanced stage of finalization of the various contours of the smart city concept." Naidu said a high level committee is being formed to suggest ways for unclogging Delhi because the capital is heavily congested. "We are discussing it with various ministries including Defense, Railways, NHAI, Delhi Government and all have been asked to sit together on this. The committee has been asked to submit report in 45 days about ways and means for unclogging Delhi." -PTI

Historic farmhouse moved, saved from demolition FISHER, Ind.: A 153-year-old farmhouse that had faced possible demolition has been moved from its longtime perch along a central Indiana highway to a new, permanent location. WISH-TV reports the farmhouse known as the Kincaid House was moved to a new site about a half-mile north of where it had long stood along Interstate 69 in the Hamilton County town of Fishers. The two-story brick home's was moved to a two-acre plot donated by Navient, a student loan company, after the home's original property was

sold to a developer. Project architect Darren Peterson says ``it takes a mountain of people'' to move a building as heavy as the farmhouse.

The old farmhouse is now owned by Nickel Plate Arts, which will determine over the next few months its future use. -AP

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UT students help design Nashville's future NASHVILLE, Tenn.: Nashville may be a city on the rise, attracting new residents by the droves. But it's also a laboratory for students at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville's College Of Architecture and Design, where they are designing the communities of the future in partnership with the Nashville Civic Design Center. Led by UT urban design professor Thomas (TK) Davis, the program lets students leave their mark on the city. Much of their work has been incorporated into

tion in how the city was evolving, and providing vision for future growth. One early initiative was a monthly Urban Design Forum that brought together interested citizens to discuss topics and issues relevant to urbanism. Since fall 2008, Davis has been directing his urban design students on projects that address a range of development issues and opportunities in greater Nashville. Those include increasing public transit via bus rapid transit or

``One of the great things about working with students on projects is that student work is not threatening. It's not like a developer coming in and saying, `Here, this is what I want to do.' Also, you get a range of ideas. city planning, from helping produce the Plan of Nashville's longrange vision for the urban core and mixed-use developments along the waterfront to transit-oriented developments, micro-housing residences and a new visitor center for Centennial Park. ``The feedback on their work tends to be very positive,'' says Davis, who served as the CDC's design director from 2004 to 2008. ``One of the great things about working with students on projects is that student work is not threatening. It's not like a developer coming in and saying, `Here, this is what I want to do.' Also, you get a range of ideas. ``We don't just get one take-itor-leave-it idea. You can imagine and visualize the possibilities if you're a citizen.'' The NCDC was founded in 2000 as a partnership between the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University and the UT architecture school with the goal of increasing public knowledge and participa-

commuter rail, and creating transit-oriented developments (TODs), also known as transit villages, within a 2,000 foot radius of the stops. TODs are higher-density, mixeduse walkable neighborhoods with ample public space and the ability of residents to walk to the train or bus instead of commuting by car. ``Transit villages would help enormously, over time, (with) the Greater Nashville Metropolitan Planning Organization's 25 year vision for transit in the region,'' Davis explains. ``It would really help decongest and cut down on commuting in the region, which is a very important and necessary goal, I think.'' UT-K students did early work on the Hamilton Station TOD, the first in Tennessee, that is now being built in phases in Lebanon around a Music City Star depot. Students tackled site challenges including flooding, which necessitating elevating buildings above the water table.

``They said they never had a rezoning go so quickly because of all the work we had done,'' Davis notes, with evident pride. They also worked on a transitready development planned for Gallatin along a future northeast corridor transit line. Both projects are by Lose & Associates, an architecture, landscape architecture, engineering and planning firm in Nashville. Students have also designed four different mixed-use projects in Donelson - one including a hotel - as well as mixed-use infill projects along First Avenue related to the Nashville Riverfront Redevelopment Master Plan. Two years ago, they produced a book of designs and precedents for the concept of micro-housing in downtown Nashville. ``Micro'' apartment units are typically 350 to 400 square feet. ``It was beginning to be a national discussion that we picked up on,'' Davis says. ``It's happening in big metropolitan areas - is there an opportunity in a notquite-so large downtown area? Besides the public transit issue, that's enormous in terms of Nashville competing with a city like Austin, and providing affordable housing for entry-level professionals. Micro-housing is one strategy.'' Nashville developer Tony Giarratana has announced plans to build a 15-story midtown apartment building featuring microunits averaging under 400 square feet for a studio. Several Gulch apartment buildings already offer units measuring between 400 and 600 square feet. Besides the big-picture urban planning aspect, micro-housing also presented the students with the architectural challenge of making small spaces feel larger spatially and designing a building with communal spaces to encour-

age social interaction. Students in Davis' design studio meet 12 hours a week on campus, typically working in small teams on projects, and are expected to work at least an additional 12 hours outside of class. That means a dozen students over a 14 week semester produce more than 4,000 hours of civic design work. The class travels to Nashville for site visits and reconnaissance, presentations of their work at the Civic Design Center, and rounds of feedback

to retrofit mixed-use high density into the many suburban centers that are underperforming or underutilized.'' Those include places like Antioch, where students developed major projects around vacant ``big box'' retail sites and neighborhoods with opportunities for more infill and improved walkability. This past summer, five students produced five designs for a visitor center at Centennial Park that will be located several hun-

After a final review, student design work is exhibited at the Civic Design Center and typically included in research reports published by the Metropolitan Planning Organization from top professionals from Nashville's architecture, design and development community and city officials. After a final review, student design work is exhibited at the Civic Design Center and typically included in research reports published by the Metropolitan Planning Organization, which sponsors the studio and helps defray travel expenses. Last spring, the class was sponsored by the Metro Planning Department, which incorporated student work as part of its three-year NashvilleNext initiative to plan for an influx of 1 million new residents in Middle Tennessee. ``The implications of that are profound in terms of transit and infrastructure and housing especially,'' Davis explains. ``All the easy sites to develop on have pretty much been taken in Greater Nashville. ``And the way to handle this enormous population increase is

dred feet from the Parthenon. The sloping site presented a challenge to the students, who eventually conceived of a structure that emerges from the ground and provides views of the park via an elevated terrace. Students also work on affordable housing concepts, which helps prepares them for the challenges of adding design value that developers may not envision at the outset. In the spring, they work in partnership with students in Vanderbilt's Owen Graduate School of Management real estate development capstone program on a market analysis of their projects, such as the transit villages. They also do a pro forma, or an economic analysis of project cost and return on investment. ``Frequently, the projects pencil out,'' Davis says. ``That means what would happen if they appeared in reality would (they) be viable economically. -AP

Realtors unhappy over status quo in monetary policy NEW DELHI: Realtors' apex body CREDAI has expressed disappointment over RBI's policy to keep key policy rates unchanged and sought a cut in interest rates to boost housing demand. "The Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India is disappointed with the status quo on the RBI policy rates and demands a reduction in interest rates to facilitate lowering of entry barrier and spur demand for the real estate sector," the organization said in a statement. CREDAI said there is a need to

devise a formula to make home loan rates independent of inflation, keeping in view the mission to provide housing for all by 2022 and expo-

been dabbling with high cost of land, labor, material, funds & high rates of taxation along with the moderate demand over the last few

For the fourth time in a row, RBI kept key interest rates unchanged maintaining that it will not cut them unless inflation moderates to anticipated levels, disappointing borrowers nential impact of the realty sector on triggering the GDP growth. "The real estate sector has

months. The industry was looking forward to a reduction in interest rates and improved liquidity to

usher growth and development," CREDAI President C Shekar Reddy said. For the fourth time in a row, RBI kept key interest rates unchanged maintaining that it will not cut them unless inflation moderates to anticipated levels, disappointing borrowers and the industry in this festive season. CBRE South Asia Chairman & MD Anshuman Magazine said: "The RBI's move of keeping base rates unchanged was expected by the industry". "Gradually weakening inflation-

ary pressures, along with improving performances by the manufacturing, construction and services sectors have been encouraging signs for further economic improvement by the second half of the year. Any reduction in base rates in coming months will be a positive indicator for the real estate sector," he added. Real estate sector is facing a huge slowdown in demand, particularly in housing segment since last few years due to high interest rate on home loans and rising property cost. -PTI

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40 India Post

igha is West Bengal's most popular sea resort. It is located 187 km south west of Kolkata. Digha has a low gradient with a shallow sand beach extending up to 7km in length and has gentle rolling waves. The scenic beauty of this place is charming and alluring. The beach is girdled with Casuarina plantations along the coast enhancing its beauty. These trees apart from beautifying also aid in reducing erosion of the dunes. One can view both sunrise and sunset at the Digha sea beach. The sunset and sunrise reflecting the salty waters of the Bay of Bengal is something straight off an artist's canvas. The sea at Digha is calm and shallow for about a mile from the beach making it quite safe for swimming. Digha, originally known as Beerkul during Warren Hasting's time was discovered in the late 18th century by the British. It is mentioned as the 'Brighton of the East' in one of Hastings' letters (1780AD) to his wife.

www.indiapost.com In 1923, an English tourist named John Frank Smith was charmed by the beauty of Digha and started living there. His writings about Digha slowly gave exposure to this place. After independence, he convinced Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy,

October 10, 2014 then chief minister of West Bengal, to develop Digha as a beach resort. ATTRACTIONS & ACTIVITIES The Marine Aquarium and Research Centre (MARC): The Marine Aquarium and Research Centre (MARC) was established in the year 1989 during the Seventh Five Year Plan. The major objective of the Centre is to display the marine biodiversity of the region and impart its values to the common people and to carry out research activities. MARC has largest inbuilt marine aquarium in the country and is equipped with sea water circulation system and advanced filtration unit. The aquarium has 24 big sized (15x10x10') marine tanks and 8 fresh water (3x2x2') tanks which are equipped with compressed air supply, light and regulated supply of inflow and outflow of water. Hundreds of visitors make it a point to view the Aquarium every day. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 41

Lord Shiva Temple at Chandaneswar

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Digha: A shallow sand beach extending to 7km Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 40

The aquarium is open to public on all working days from 9.30 am to 6 pm. Amravati Lake: This is a small park with a lake called Amravati, where you can enjoy a boat ride. Near the lake is a Snake Farm, which is an added attraction. Lord Shiva Temple at Chandaneswar: Only 8 km away from Digha is the century old Temple of Lord Shiva at Chandaneswar, near Bengal and Orissa Border. Nearly half million people and pilgrims visit the temple at Maha Vishuva Sankranti or Gajan Mela: towards the end of Chaitra. Subarnarekha River: The Subarnarekha River drains into the Bay of Bengal, only 12 km away from Digha, located in Orissa-Bengal border. This is a new destination for Digha tourists. NEARBY PLACES Udaipur: This is a spectacular beach, almost virgin, 2 km west of Digha, on West Bengal Orissa Border. One part of this clandes-

the Subarnarekha River and the sea. It is some 6 km from Digha, near the Orissa-Bengal border and is a small delta. Mandarmani: Mandarmani is a large and rapidly developing seaside resort village in East Midnapore district and at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal. Mandarmani is connected to Kolkata/Howrah by a highway. From Contai this can be traveled through a place called Chaulkhola. Junput: Junput is 40 km. from Digha by bus, with a change at

The Marine Aquarium and Research Centre

tine beach is in West Bengal and the other in Orissa. One enters this beach just walking or driving along Bengal-Orissa border. This beach has not been explored so far. The beach has some USPs which have to be experienced to be believed. Talasari: The name Talasari is derived from the two words Tala (meaning Palm) and Sari/Sarani (meaning row). The palm trees surrounding the place give such a name to it. Talasari is one of the less exploited West Bengal beaches. It is located close to both

Contai. The place offers beautiful sea-view and lines of casuarina trees. The beach is unspoilt. Brackish water fish cultivation and research are done here by the State Government Fisheries Department. After independence, Junput was overlooked for development as a beach resort, Digha being chosen instead. HOW TO REACH Digha is accessible from Kolkata by road and by train. Bus Service: There is frequent

bus service to Digha from Dharmatala bus stand of Kolkata and many other parts of West Bengal. It is almost a 5 hour jour-

ney from Kolkata. Bus service is also available from towns across West Bengal such as Midnapore, Bankura, Asansol, Bardhaman,

Howrah, and, also from Orissa via Balasore (Baleswar). Train Service: In 2004, train services started for Digha.

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Tourism to add 7.5% to GDP in 2014 NEW DELHI: The contribution of travel and tourism to the country's GDP is expected to rise by 7.5 per cent to Rs 2,34,145 crore this year. Travel and tourism had contributed Rs 2,17,810 crore to the GDP in 2013, showed a sectoral document for Tourism and Hospitality sector under the 'Make In India' campaign. "Tourism is a big employment generator. For every USD 1 million invested in tourism creates 78 jobs," it added.

The document listed a series of factors as key drivers for tourism in the next decade. These include a growing recognition of tourism's contribution to employment and economic growth, availability of better infrastructure, focused marketing and promotion efforts and liberalization of air transport.

Besides, it also cited growth of online travel portals, growing intraregional corporation and effective public private partnerships that would fuel growth of the sector. The reason to invest in the sector is that, "tourism in India accounts for 6.8 per cent of the GDP and is the third largest foreign exchange earner for the country", it added. The UNWTO (World Tourism Organization) has forecast that the travel and tourism industry in India will grow by 8 per cent per annum between 2008 and 2016, the document said. Foreign exchange earnings from tourism are likely to show annualized growth of 14 per cent during the same period. The sector is the third largest foreign exchange earner after gems, jewellery and ready made garments, it added. As per the document, initiatives such as availability of visa on arrival significantly influences tourist's travel plans to the country. Recently the Indian government has also released a fresh category of visa - the medical visa or M visa to encourage medical tourism in India, it added. -PTI

APAI opposes cleanliness directive to airlines MUMBAI: Slamming a DGCA directive to airlines to collect "donations" from passengers for cleanliness drive at airports and aircraft, the apex air travelers' body has urged the aviation ministry to withdraw the decree at the earliest. In a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathy Raju, Air Passenger Association of India (APAI) also suggested that such funds could be raised by adding a nominal amount of Rs 10-25 in the passenger service fee component, which is collected by the airport operators. "We strongly believe that a small amount of Rs 10 or Rs 15 or Rs 25 may be asked to be collected by all the operational airports in the country as an additional surcharge in the passenger service fee component. This amount will run into several crore and can be collected without causing any pain or inconvenience to any of the passengers," APAI president D Sudhakar Reddy said in the letter. Observing that all airlines were "bleeding except one or two and they have accumulated losses of USD 10.6 billion in the past 7 years", he questioned, "Is it fair to direct airlines to get involved in this movement when they are struggling for their own existence." -PTI

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77 % air passengers hooked to smart watches NEW DELHI: A major chunk of air travelers the world over are tech-savvy and are gradually getting hooked to using devices like smart watches and glasses to help

able technology to help them in their air travel. The annual global survey, which sampled 6,277 passengers traveling through the world's top

them on their journey, a latest global survey has shown. The survey carried out jointly by the Geneva-based aviation communication and IT firm Societe Internationale de Telecommunications Aeronautiques (SITA) and aviation journal Air Transport World showed that nearly 77 per cent of the passengers surveyed would be comfortable using wear-

30 airports, highlighted the growing importance of tech-savvy passenger. Almost every passenger, or 97 per cent of them, carried a smartphone, tablet or laptop when they flew and one in five traveled with all the three. The passengers also wanted to be able to use technology at every point of the journey and many

of them already do. While 76 per cent of them use airline apps, 43 per cent say this has made a definite improvement to their travel and planning the travel. Over half of those surveyed also sought more INVESTMENT in technology to help them in better comparability of airline fares (54 per cent), better real-time flight information (52 per cent) and inflight wireless services (52 per cent). About 53 per cent wanted personalized alerts about any delays sent directly to their phones and 57 per cent sought airport maps and directions. Half would like to use their smartphone for boarding instead of a paper boarding pass, the survey showed. SITA CEO Francesco Violante said that "tech-savvy passengers expect more personalized apps and services consistently delivered on the web, to their phone or tablet". He said new technologies like smart watches and glasses have now become commonplace and "they present a great opportunity for airlines and airports to engage directly with their passengers to provide efficient services throughout the journey". -PTI

Electric cars demonstrate use on mountains CARBONDALE, Colo.: Electriccar advocates staged a rally on scenic western Colorado highways in an effort to show that the technology is practical for mountain travel and sightseeing. The Electric Vehicle Rally of the Rockies featured several vehicles

lege in Carbondale. The purpose was to demonstrate that electric cars can cover long distances in western Colorado because of a growing number of free public charging stations, said Kathy Portner, neighborhood services manager for Grand Junction,

starting from Aspen, Grand Junction, Snowmass Village and Vail and converging on Carbondale. They stopped at charging stations along the way. The rally wrapped up with a party at Colorado Mountain Col-

which supported the rally. Portner said 25 public charging stations are operating in 16 western Colorado communities, with at least seven more planned through 2015. Clean Energy Economy for the Region, a Carbondale non-

profit, was an organizer of the rally. ``The EV Rally of the Rockies will show that electric car travel and tourism is now possible in western Colorado, and a lot of fun,'' said Matt Shmigelsky, an energy adviser for the clean energy group. Other sponsors and supporters included Colorado Mountain College, Fuoco Motor Co., Mountain Chevrolet and Alpine Bank, a western Colorado banking group. Fuoco sells the Nissan Leaf and Mountain Chevrolet sells the Chevrolet Volt, both electric cars. Grand Junction supported the rally as part of its goal to become ``The Most Livable Community West of the Rockies'' by 2035. David Miller of Grand Junction, Alpine Bank's vice president for business development, drove his Volt in the rally. Miller said his car can reach the summit of Vail Pass with a small charge left, and the trip down the other side recharges the battery to half-capacity through regenerative braking. -AP

Corporates adopt monuments, cities in 'Clean India' PANAJI: Corporate houses have joined hands with the Union government to keep various cities and historic monuments across the country clean, Union Tourism Minister Sripad Naik has said. Naik told PTI that corporates like ONGC have come forward to adopt twelve destinations including Taj Mahal (Agra), Lal Quila (Delhi), Purana Quila (Delhi), which they will keep clean at their own expense. He said that industrialists and corporate houses have also expressed interest in adopting various cities across the country. "The corporate houses can display their banners in places which they have adopted," the minister said. Naik said that with corporate and industrialists volunteering in large numbers to contribute for the 'Clean India' campaign, changes would be visible within next one year. He said that Goa is also included in the list the cities that would be adopted by industri-

alists. Wielding the broom himself, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti,

launched the 'Clean India' campaign joined by chief ministers, lawmakers, prominent personalities from various fields along with lakhs of countrymen in a massdrive that is expected to cost nearly Rs 2 lakh crore. -PTI

E-Visa may make 'Visaon-arrival' redundant PANAJI: Union Tourism Min- Ministry is working out the possiistry says that the visa-on-arrival bility of e-visa from the security facility, which is being mulled for point of view. large number of countries, might "The procedures are going on become redundant once e-visa fa- (for e-visa). Union Home Ministry cility is introduced. is checking the security of airport "Visa on arrival (VoA) for six air- and other aspects," he said. ports would N a i k be extended stated that within a the entire month. But procedure moreover we for e-visa faare working cility will be for e-visa facilin place by ity which will June next help tourists year. to get their Home mintravel docuistry in the ment by appast had plying online. raised conOnce e-visa cern over seUnion Tourism Minister Sripad Naik facility is incurity issues troduced, VoA is likely to become while implementing the facility. redundant," Union Tourism Min- Naik said that the help of Interpol ister Sripad Naik, told PTI. can also be taken while scrutinizThe minister, however, said it is ing the applications of the touralways better if the travelers have ists for visa in the country. both, visa-on-arrival and e-visa, "The worry is that the criminal which will aid airports to increase should not enter the state taking number of footfalls in the country. advantage of e-visa facility," he Naik said that the Union Home added. -PTI

In Brief Family seeks title for Mount Rushmore carver SIOUX FALLS, S.D.: Family members of an Italian immigrant seeking recognition for his work on Mount Rushmore National Memorial have been unable to persuade the National Park Service to honor him as chief carver. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum is credited with memorializing presi-

Immigration 44 India Post

Â&#x201E; Immigration Officer sentenced for taking bribes SANTA ANA, Calif.: An Immigration Officer has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for taking bribes in cash and egg rolls from immigrants seeking green cards and citizenship. The U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles says 48-year-old Mai Nhu Nguyen was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Josephine L. Staton. Prosecutors say Nguyen took 200 egg rolls from a citizenship applicant and $1,000 from an immigrant seeking a green card between 2011 and 2013. She was arrested last year. In May, she pleaded guilty to soliciting and accepting bribe under a deal with prosecutors. Nguyen worked as an officer for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in Santa Ana where she reviewed immigrants' applications for benefits. A call to Nguyen's attorney John Early has not been returned. -AP

October 10, 2014

Details on page 46

Would the religious freedom ground of inadmissibility still apply to Modi? CYRUS D. MEHTA

dents Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt in the Black Hills. Supporters of the naming effort say Borglum referred to Luigi Del Bianco as chief carver, so he should be honored with that title. The park service acknowledges Del Bianco was one of the skilled carvers and is recognized for his contributions to the sculpture. But the memorial's superintendent says he has received the credit he is due. -AP

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Trial set for immigrant convicted in Israel deaths

ndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been welcomed by the Indian Diaspora without reservations in the United States. This was his first trip to the United States after his tourist/business was revoked on May 18, 2005 under Section 212(a)(2)(G) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Under INA Section 212(a) (2) (G), any alien who while serving as a foreign government official and who was responsible for or directly carried out particular violations of religious freedom is inadmissible. At that time, Mr. Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat state and was not eligible for the A-1 diplomatic visa. In May 2014, Mr. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party won an outright majority in the Indian Parliament, and as the party's leader, he became India's Prime Minister. Mr. Modi, as India's Prime Minister, came to the United States under the A-1 visa, which is granted to diplomats, including heads of state. The A-1 visa over-

comes grounds of inadmissibility pursuant to INA Section 102, including the religious freedom ground, but that is only when a person is admitted on the A-1 visa.

missibility may still apply with respect to a new tourist/business visa application that he may apply for, unless it is determined that the factual basis for the prior find-

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

If Mr. Modi ceases to be a head of state, and does not qualify for an A-1 visa as a diplomatic official under any other capacity, the Section 212(a) (2) (G) ground of inad-

ing of inadmissibility have changed. The U.S. State Department may also reconsider a prior revocation of a visa, which it has not done so

Obama: Action on immigration not if, but when WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama sought to quell doubts that he will use his presidential powers to act on immigration, telling Hispanics and immigration activists it's ``not a question of if but when.'' At the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute's annual gala, Obama warned activists that his eventual actions will spark intense political opposition that could threaten the durability of what he does. In a partisan pitch a month before midterm elections, he urged Hispanics across the U.S. to use their votes to improve prospects in the future for a legislative fix. Once hailed as a champion for Hispanic rights, Obama's relationship with the Hispanic community has become strained since he decided last month to abandon his earlier pledge to act quickly after summer's end to help some immigrants who are

in the U.S. illegally. Instead, he said he'd wait until after the Nov. 4 elections, exasperating immigration activists who accused the president

out the same old scare tactics,'' Obama said. ``When opponents are out there saying who knows what, I'm going to need you to have my back.'' With the elections nearing, Obama sought to parlay impatience into motivation for Hispanic voters to elect politicians who will enact more sweeping reforms to fix the President Barack Obama, left, points toward a U.S. immigration camera with chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, D-Texas, system. Arguing Marty Hinojosa, and Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., at that no executive the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 37th action on immigraAnnual Awards Gala tion could be as of putting politics ahead of their comprehensive as what Confamilies and said they had waited gress could do, he urged Hisfar too long already. panics at the black-tie dinner to ``The moment I act - and it will go into their communities to enbe taking place between the No- sure voters don't stay home. vember election and the end of the Cont'd on Page 45 year - opponents of reform will roll

until now with respect to Mr. Modi's revocation. The article that I co-wrote with Elizabeth Reichard on March 25, 2005, discusses how the religious freedom ground of inadmissibility was applied to Mr. Modi. Following the publication of this 2005 article, however, in December 2010, a special investigative team (SIT) appointed by the Supreme Court of India found "no substantial incriminating evidence" that Chief Minister Modi had let the rioters rampage against the Muslims in February 2002. A local court in India subsequently upheld the closure of the SIT in December 2013. On the other hand, the Gujarat High Court has continued to criticize Chief Minister Modi for "inaction and negligence" during the violence. House Resolution 417 passed in 2013 continues to support the visa ban. Questions still linger about Mr. Modi's passive role during the riots. So long as Mr. Modi enters on an A-1 visa, all grounds of inadmissibility will remain inapplicable. The President still has authority under INA Section 212(f) of any foreign national whom the President deems will be detrimental to the national interest, but it is readily obvious that this provision was not considered with respect to Mr. Modi's present visit to the United States. Indeed, Mr. Modi had meetings with President Obama and other top US officials, and has also met with leading US industry executives. Mr. Modi also enjoys broad based support from the American-Indian community within the United States. The question is whether Section 212(a) (2) (G) will trigger if Mr. Modi applied for another nonimmigrant visa in the future? The United States has not officially declared that this inadmissibility ground will not be applied and has never reconsidered the prior revocation. A new visa application would have to be considered in light of the set of facts that apply at that time. * Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com

Immigration Post

October 10, 2014

India Post 45

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Single place to find government data on AAPIs India Post News Service

he White House Initiative on Asian American and Pa cific Islanders (WHIAAPI), in partnership with Data.gov, has launched Data.gov/AAPI, the most comprehensive hub of government data on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). The goal of this new resource is to help policymakers and the public understand and address disparities in socioeconomic status, educational attainment, health, and other areas of importance to the AAPI community. "The launch of Data.gov/AAPI marks an important milestone for better understanding and responding to the complex needs of AAPIs, now the fastest growing racial group in the country," says WHIAAPI Executive Director Kiran Ahuja. When President Obama reestablished WHIAAPI under Executive Order 13515 in October 2009,

he detailed the need to foster evidence-based research, data collection, and analysis on AAPI populations and subpopulations. Data.gov/AAPI reveals stories about the AAPI community that

Says Ahuja, "We hope that this effort propels new research and analysis to more clearly define the needs of AAPI subgroups and create more effective policies are not widely told. For example: • Asian American veterans are among the oldest in age. • In the first year of college, Asian American and black students have the highest enrollment rates in remedial education courses.

• Of the immigrant orphans adopted by United States citizens, nearly half are of Asian descent. • Pacific Islanders have among the highest unemployment rates of all racial and ethnic groups. • The AAPI community is expected to more than double to over 47 million by 2060. Data.gov/AAPI features approximately 2,000 datasets and reports from nearly 50 federal, state, county, and city sources pertaining to the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community. These data have been categorized and tagged according to a wide variety of themes, designed to give researchers easy access to disaggregated data from the government. Says Ahuja, "We hope that this effort propels new research and analysis to more clearly define the needs of AAPI subgroups and create more effective policies and programs to better serve the community in the long term."

NYC legislation would impede immigration detainers NEW YORK: New York City would stop honoring detainment orders from U.S. immigration officials without a warrant from a federal judge, according to a pair of bills that will be proposed before the City Council. The bills also stipulate that even with a judge's warrant, the New York Police Department is permitted to detain the subject only if the suspect is convicted of a ``violent or serious crime.'' Moreover, the city's Department of Corrections would be forced to curb its enforcement of civil immigration laws, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be made to close its facility on Riker's Island, the city's largest jail. The measures, if enacted, will be the latest attempt by the City Council to ease the obstacles faced by immigrants who live in

New York without legal documentation. ``By further limiting I.C.E.'s

ers, we set the national standard for the treatment of our immigrant population,'' said City C o u n c i l Speaker Melissa MarkViverito, a Democrat, in a statement. ``Families will no longer be needlessly torn apart by I.C.E.'s dragnet enforcement efforts.'' The legislation could reduce the large scale of Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio, addresses the arrests of illeLabor Party conference in Manchester, England gal immigrants in the nation's role in the detention and depor- largest city. Cont'd on Page 46 tation of immigrant New York-

Obama: Action on immigration not if, but when Cont'd from Page 44

``Yes we can - if we vote,'' he said, first in Spanish and then in English, in a twist on his 2008 campaign slogan. The White House has been coy about what unilateral actions Obama and his administration are considering, and legal experts differ about just how far Obama can go without Congress. Immigration activists are calling for Obama to act aggressively to free a sizeable portion of the 11.5 million immigrants here illegally from fear of deportation. Such a possibility has incensed Republicans who say Obama's willingness to ignore existing laws is the key reason they're reluctant to work with him to pass new ones. ``The president's promise isn't about making the best policy or

enforcing the law - it's an admission that his pledge to not uphold the law in the future would be bad for his party now,'' Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said. A supportive crowd offered the president a mostly warm reception, although he was briefly interrupted by a heckler who objected to deportations on Obama's watch and was escorted out of the hall. Outside the convention center, a group of demonstrators gathered in protest of Obama's delay. And at the podium, Obama was gently nudged by Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez, who said Hispanics were looking to Obama ``for big, bold, unapologetic'' relief without delay. ``We need major reforms, we need them now,'' he said, ``and Mr. President, we need your help.'' -AP

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October 10, 2014

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Trial set for immigrant convicted in Israel deaths DETROIT: A federal judge refused to dismiss charges against an Arab activist accused of failing to tell U.S. immigration officials in Michigan that she'd been convicted in a fatal terrorist bombing in Jerusalem. Rasmieh Odeh, associate director at the Arab American Action Network, is being targeted for political reasons, her lawyers said in a motion seeking to have the case thrown out. They said the case grew out of ``an illegal investigation of the First Amendment activities'' of the Chicago group and amounted to selective prosecution. U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said in an Aug. 28 filing that Odeh's lawyers failed to meet the ``high burden'' of proof for a selective prosecution charge. U.S. District Judge Gershwin Drain re-

jected the defense claim and scheduled Odeh's trial to begin Nov. 4 in Detroit. As the case was being heard, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in Washington announced that it has asked At-

torney General Eric Holder to halt the prosecution, saying it ``plays into the belief and perception that the ... government is intentionally targeting and prosecuting Arab American activists.'' ``Odeh is an exemplary citizen

Rasmieh Yousef Odeh stands outside the federal courthouse in Chicago. She is charged with immigration fraud

and well-respected leader in the Chicago Arab-American community'' who has dedicated her life to the community and worked extensively on issues of women's wellbeing and ``anti-Arab sentiment,'' Samer E. Khalaf, a lawyer for the group, said in a letter to Holder. An Israeli military court convicted Odeh of bombing a Jerusalem supermarket and trying to bomb the British Consulate in 1969. Two people were killed in the market bombing. Israel freed her after 10 years in a prisoner exchange with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Khalaf said the military court conviction was based on a confession from Odeh that ``was illegally obtained by torture and sexual abuse while she was detained in Israel and denied due

process.'' U.S. authorities accuse Odeh of failing to mention her conviction and time in prison on immigration papers when she came to the U.S. from Jordan in 1995 and before she became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2004. Her lawyer, Michael Deutsch, has said Odeh had posttraumatic stress disorder and that it should be considered when evaluating her statements to immigration officials. The judge said he would hear arguments later on whether Israeli court files should be admitted as evidence and whether to grant Odeh's request that potential jurors answer written questions about their attitudes toward Arabs, Palestinians, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Muslims, U.S. foreign policy and immigrants. -AP

Special classes for Central American refugees GAINESVILLE, Ga.: Fifty-four Central American refugee students, some of whom cannot read or write, have been moved from their schools into a separate PROGRAM at Lanier Charter Career Academy. The Hall County students, who crossed the border in precarious

Middle School. Barron said a few of the 54 have already returned to their high schools at the request of their legal guardians. Barron said there is no special federal or state funding for the program, but it is not costing the district any money beyond what it already spends per student. The

`For students who are fairly capable and not too far behind, our hope would be within a year or two that they are remediated enough to return to their high school, and also that they are able to live in the community, conditions to escape violence in their home countries, do not speak English. Their Spanish dialects are unfamiliar to the district's Spanish teachers, and some have had little schooling. One student, a 14-year-old, has never been to school. Some others are able to read and write in their native language, but the dialect barrier has made it difficult to assess each student's needs. ``We decided to put them together at one place so we could provide the resources they needed,'' said Eloise Barron, the district's assistant superintendent for teaching and learning. ``It may or may not be a permanent arrangement. If we find that they can succeed in their schools, they will go back.'' The students come to LCCA from East Hall High School, Johnson High School, West Hall High School and South Hall

students are counted in the enrollment numbers the state uses to determine its funding for the districts, and students are using textbooks and computers the district already owned. The students, aged 14 to 18, are learning English, basic skills in math and skills needed for everyday life in the United States. ``We're teaching skills in the U.S. that will make you not only able to get a job, but to keep a job,'' said LCCA Principal Cindy Blakely. ``For students who are fairly capable and not too far behind, our hope would be within a year or two that they are remediated enough to return to their high school, and also that they are able to live in the community and feel a part of the community.'' Students are being taught about life in the U.S., from the existence of public libraries to how the bus system works, as teach-

ers try to learn more about where the students came from and what kind of help they need. ``Some of these kids have been so traumatized,'' Barron said, ``but they seem to be so happy to be together and to have somebody say, `We can help you.''' For some, this may be their first experience with a safe environment. ``We have one or two students who are going to be parents because of some devastating situations that happened to them on their way to the U.S.,'' Blakely said. ``We had one who was pulled out of school after what is their equivalent of the fifth grade to be trained as a soldier. His parents sent him to the U.S. because they were afraid he'd be killed.'' Blakely said the staff at LCCA is particularly sensitive to the needs of at-risk students who have been through some trauma, though some of the situations with the refugee students are more extreme. ``I'm so proud of our staff and the way they have jumped right in,'' Blakely said. She said staff is meeting each day after the students go home to talk over what has been learned and how to do a better job teaching and communicating with the students. In addition to what they went through before arriving in Georgia, the students are now in a strange country where they do not speak the language, far removed from the family members who continue to live under violent regimes in Central America. ``Some of the students are very fragile,'' Blakely said. ``It's just try-

ing to provide the right amount of support.'' Barron said the purpose of separating the students into their own program is partly to assess what type of support is needed. It's also to work through the communication barrier. ``There are 21 different Span-

know the students are eager to become part of the community, and to remember how much they've been through to get here. ``One girl was assaulted coming across with the person who was paid to bring her,'' she said. ``I can't imagine what that must have been like for a family, to know that

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We had one who was pulled out of school after what is their equivalent of the fifth grade to be trained as a soldier. His parents sent him to the U.S. because they were afraid he'd be killed.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; ish dialects,'' Barron said. Blakely said it's important to

would be a SAFER situation than to stay where they live.'' -AP

NYC legislation would impede immigration detainers Cont'd from Page 45

Officials have estimated that 500,000 people are in New York without the proper documentation. An immigration detainer informs local law enforcement agencies that the Department of Homeland Security intends to assume custody of a person and requests information to help make that possible. A spokesman for ICE said the detainers help identity and remove criminals from the U.S. The spokesman didn't comment fur-

ther on the proposed legislation. The bill received support from Mayor Bill de Blasio, who is a close ally of Mark-Viverito. In recent weeks, the speaker has announced several steps meant to help immigrants, particularly the flood of unaccompanied kids who have swamped the U.S.-Mexico border. The Council set aside $1 million to help pay the legal bills of those kids in immigration court and authorized the creation of a municipal identification card that will give immigrants more access to government services. -AP

Datebook

October 10, 2014

NEW YORK

NEW JERSEY

Upcoming

Upcoming Fri, Oct 10 • Bollywood Musical Diwali Dhamaka Dinner Party Venue: Akbar Restaurant-NJ, 21 Cortlandt Street, Edison, NJ 08837 Time: 8:00 pm Contact: 908-217-4864

Sat, Oct

• A Tribute To Rd Burman Venue: Colden Center Auditorium, 65-30 Kissena Blvd, Flushing, NJ 11367 Time: 8:00 pm Contact: 347-653-1309

Sat, Oct 18

• Kali Puja and Deepavali 2014 Celebrations Venue: Manalapan Englisghtown Middle School, 155 Millhurst Rd, Manalapan Township, NJ 07726 Time : 02:00 pm Contact: 732-547-2809

Sat, Oct 11 • A Tribute To Rd Burman Venue: Colden Center Auditorium, 65-30 Kissena Blvd, Flushing, NY 11367 Time: 8:00 pm Contact: 347-653-1309

Sun, Oct 19 • Heart Hackers Live In Concert Venue: LYork College, 94-20 Guy R, Brewer Blvd Jamaica, NY 11451 Time : 06:00 pm Contact: 718-610-9799

Sat, Oct 25 • Annual Halloween Costume Party Venue: Pranna, 79 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016 Time : 9:00 pm

India Post 47

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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Upcoming

Sat, Oct 11 • Raas-Garba With Bhavana

Fri, Oct 3 • Dandiya Night 2014 By Sewa International USA Bayarea

Patel and Ghelani Group Venue: Anaheim Convention Center(Hall C), 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802 Time: 08:00 pm Contact: 951-318-7375

Sat, Oct 18 • Smith Center Presents Adam Neiman, Pianist Venue: Smith Center at Ohlone College 43600 Mission Boulevard, Fremont Timet: 8:00 pm Contact: smithcenter.com

Venue: Centerville Junior High School, 37720 Fremont Boulevard, Fremont, CA Time: 8:15 pm. Contact: 510-364-6095

Sun, Oct 5 • KHALNAYAK - Bollywood Broadway Musical Venue: Carrington Hall, 1201 Brewster

ley Meditation Center, Milpitas will celebrate Diwali Venue: Jain Center, 722 S. Main St., Milpitas, CA 95035 Timet: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Contact: www.bksiliconvalley.org.

Sun, Oct 26 • Vivekananda Vedanta Society of Chicago Organizes Fall

Banquet

Venue: 14630 S. Lemont road Homer Glen IL 60491 Time :11:00 am to 3:00 pm Contact: (708) 301-9062

Sun, Nov 16 • Red Carpet Wedding Show Venue: Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Los Angeles, 7000 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 Time :04:00 pm Contact: 562-366-3649

Upcoming • J K Yog Satsang and Bal Mukund Hindi Classes are held every 2nd and 4rth Sunday of Month Chicago Satsang Information: J K Yog, Chicago - Swami Mukundananda Venue: Clarion Inn/Waterford Banquets, Board Room, 933 South Riverside Drive, Elmhurst, IL 60126 Time: 3:30pm-5:30pm Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807 Website: www.jkyog.org

Avenue, Redwood City, CA 94062 Time: 5:00 pm Contact: 408-329-7040

Sat, Oct 25 • Brahma Kumaris Silicon Val-

ILLINOIS

ATLANTA Upcoming Fri, Oct 17 • Raas Garba Night Venue: Ashiana Impact Banquet Hall, Global Mall, 5675 Jimmy Carter Blvd, Norcross, Ga 30071 Time: 10:00 pm Contact: 404-246-3256

Sat, Oct 04 • Navaratri Mela - 2014 Venue: Independence High School, 86 School Dr, Alpharetta, GA 30009 Contact: 404-786-7860 Time: 8:45 pm

Sat, Oct 6 • Sri Sita Rama Kalyanam Venue: Norcross High School, 5300 Spalding Dr, Norcross, GA 30092 Time: 9:00 am Contact: 404-916-9899

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

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

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

India Post www.indiapost.com

October 10, 2014

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October 10, 2014

Horoscope

October 10, 2014

India Post

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Your Weekly Future by Pandit Parashar

October 10th - October 16th, 2014 (March 21 to April 20)

here will be slight change in your travel plans. Things will keep getting more relaxed at work as you will finish the project well ahead of deadline. You may buy some nice items for the house. Eat food at proper interval in order to avoid that burning sensation. An old friend will send you the invitation for a big party taking place next month.

(April 21 to May 20)

xpenses will not leave you alone this week ei ther. Ongoing legal matters could be decided in your favor this week though financial gains will not be as expected. Spouse may need to seek medical advice. You may meet an interesting person during the course of a trip. You may also dispose off some money making stocks and pocket the profit.

(May 21 to June 20)

rip will be rewarding in every sense. Financial benefits will be instant and open new door of additional revenues. Spouse will try to pass on some unnecessary stress. You will have couple of chance to enjoy with family and friends. Your valuable will steer a needy person's life in right direction. Bank balance will shot up suddenly.

(June 21 to July 22)

nd you will continue finding good solutions for problems big or small. Some of you may replace one of your vehicle with a newer model. You may also start the procedure to obtain a loan, most probably for business purpose. Mind will be relaxed and you will start preparation for an upcoming big event. Party will be entertaining.

(July 23 to August 22)

(November 23 to December 22)

t will be better to act on your own in stincts and projection. You will realize how correct you were in a matter of few weeks. You may arrange a small get together and invite some business colleagues. This is the right time to approach a government official and seek big favor. Big payment expected will show up as promised.

(August 23 to September 22)

ambling instincts will pay off in a big way and you will reap rich rewards for patience shown in the past. Eye sight may need to be tested again. You will receive invitation to attend a big social event. You will spend money on some nice items for the family members. Things will be kind of relaxing at work this week.

(September 23 to October 22)

here will be slight confusion but you will definitely end up making the right choice. Money will go on buying some beautiful items for the home. Avoid consuming too many drinks at the party. People in business will see a sudden upsurge in sales. Some of your good deeds will make you very popular in society.

(October 23 to November 22)

f you play your cards right and control temptations, this could be a major turning point in your life, a new beginning. Park your vehicle at proper and well lit place when you go out. Some money will go to government in shape of taxes. You will be mostly on your feet but accomplish a lot in personal as well as professional life.

PANDIT PARASHAR, CEO & COO Astro Scan USA is also available for individual consultations. He can be reached at: parashar@parashar.com

hances of hitting a financial jackpot too strong this week. Do not hesitate to buy few lottery tickets. Children will be source of additional happiness. You will continue to receive guidance from a matured person. A long distance trip is also in the air for some. Obstacles will be followed by easy and good solutions.

(December 22 to January 19)

nd this could be a bumpy road in career for you, but if you hold on to it, better days are just ahead. Long awaited judgment will come in your favor this week. Boss will call and discuss future strategy. You will spend an evening with some famous people. Help will come from totally unexpected places and will be in plenty.

(January 20 to February 18)

oncentration of several planets in ninth is very favorable. You may finally find ideal partners will numerous resources for your dream project. Bachelors will enjoy new association. Some of you may be moved to next level in career at existing place. You may need to answer a legal query. Try to aim high and for long term goals.

(February 19 to March 20)

eep working on your plans. Success will come but with delay. Planets will continue to help those looking for a possible change in career. You may receive call for more than one interview this week. You may drop your plans to attend a religious event on the last minute. Money will come but will be hard to hold and preserve.

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Philosophy

October 10, 2014

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ow do you live a life of spiritual awakening as well as outer abundance, inner freedom as well as deep intimacy? How do you serve the world selflessly, yet passionately celebrate your life? The sages of Tantra have known for centuries that when you follow the path of Shakti-the sacred feminine principle personified by the goddesses of yoga-these gifts can manifest spontaneously. Yet most of us, women as well as men, have yet to experience the full potential of our inner feminine energies. When you know these powers for what they are, they heighten your capacity to open spiritually, love more deeply and fearlessly, create with greater mastery, and move through the world with skill and delight. In my book Awakening Shakti, you will learn how to recognize and invite: • Kali, bringer of strength, fierce love, and untamed freedom • Lakshmi, who confers prosperity and beauty • Saraswati, for clarity of communication and intuition • Radha, who carries the divine energy of spiritual longing • Bhuvaneshvari, who creates the space for sacred transformation • Parvati, to awaken creativity and the capacity to love Shakti is less a name than a naming of the divine Feminine as force itself, power/love/liberator/ enchanter, always unknowable yet always so profoundly intimate.

SWAMI KRISHNANANDA

t is mentioned in the Yoga Shastras that the essence of yoga is self-restraint, no doubt, but this is precisely the difficulty in understanding what yoga is, because we cannot know what selfrestraint is unless we know what the self is which we are going to restrain. Which is the self that we are going to restrain? Whose self? Our self? On the one side, we say the goal of life is Self-realization-the realization, the experience, the attunement of one's self with the Self. On the other side, we say we must restrain it, control it, subjugate it, overcome it, etc. There are degrees of self, and the significance behind the mandate on self-control is with reference to the degrees that are perceivable or experienceable in selfhood. The whole universe is nothing but Self-there is nothing else in it. Even the so-called objects are a part of the Self in some form or the other. They may be a false self or a real self-that is a different matter, but they are a self nevertheless. We Create a World of Our Own Attachment, or affection, is a

It is true that there is a great value in being familiar with the meaning of the Sanskrit names, and therefore it can in some ways be less culturally distancing to translate Kali into Black One, or Parvati into Mountain Lady. Many scholars did this in the early days of bringing Sanskrit literature to the West. However, there are a couple of reasons why we use their Sanskrit names. One is because these are

someone who knows the language. However, the Sanskrit names carry a morphic resonance that's invested in the names themselves, and that creates a transmission - holding all the energy that has been invested in calling these beings by these names, over thousands of years. Language holds the energy of a culture. But, more than that, in Tantra, words are not just

from other cultures, we can make two mistakes. One would be to swallow the culture whole, without discriminating between that which is merely culturally or anthropologically significant and that which is universally transformative and genuinely liberating. The other mistake, though, would be to ignore the framework of meaning imbedded in the cultural context and language, which

Shakti is less a name than divine force itself Deity practice rests on the recognition that a goddess is a unique, though very subtle, person, as well as being a quality of consciousness itself! So using the original names is cruSally Kempton

cial for calling on the goddesses

the names by which they are directly addressed. When we use those names, we literally call their presence forth. Deity practice rests on the recognition that a goddess is a unique, though very subtle, person, as well as being a quality of consciousness itself! So using the original names is crucial for calling on the goddesses, just as it is for calling on you or me. It is true that the different names of Indian deities describe their characteristics in a very immediate way that impacts more directly

signifiers. Sound itself is seen as a creative power, and the names of the Goddesses are considered to be not different than the Goddesses themselves. Because Sanskrit is mantric language, there is power in these names that goes beyond the meanings, and resonates in the field of the subtle body and beyond. I'm all for translating Sanskrit names so that they are fully understandable. But I don't agree with substituting English (or French or German) for Sanskrit. In invoking practices and energies

can give us profound insight because so much practice and insight has been invested in it by the original practitioners. Using the original names is a way of respecting the essential mojo of these goddesses! The way we experience the energy of a particular goddess will naturally vary according to our level of consciousness Excerpted from information about the book 'Awakening Shakti' and answers to questions by Sally Kempton at integrallife.com

peculiar double attitude of consciousness. It is simultaneously working like a double-edged sword when it is attached to any particular object. It has a feeling that the things which it loves, or to which it is attached, are not really a part

movement or a function known as affection, love or attachment. We create a world of our own which may be called a fool's paradise. This is the paradise in which the head of the family lives. "Oh, how beautiful it is. I have got a

sciousness or awareness which is incapable of becoming other than what it is, and incapable of being lost under any circumstance. It cannot be loved and it cannot be hated, because it is what we are. This is what is called the Self. There

The Self cannot be loved and it cannot be hated Attachment, or affection, is a peculiar double attitude of consciousness. It has a feeling that its being-because if a thing is a part of our own of its being-because if a thing is a part of our own being, the question of desiring it will not arise. There is no need to love something which is a part of our being, so we have a subtle feeling that it is not a part of us. The members of the family do not belong to us, really speaking. We know it very well. Therefore, we create an artificial identification of their being with our being by means of a psychological

large family." He does not know what it actually means. Also, it is very dangerous to know what it is because if we know what it really is, we will be horrified immediately, to the shock of our nerves. The Self is a Principle of Identity The Self, or the Atmanas we call it, is a principle of identity, indivisibility and non-externality or objectivity. It is that state of con-

Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. - Aldous Huxley Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood. - George Orwell Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened. -Winston Churchill Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth. - Oscar Wilde In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act. - George Orwell

the things which it loves are not really a part of being, the question of desiring it will not arise.

When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it - always. - Mahatma Gandhi

Swami Krishnananda

is no such thing as loving the Self or hating the Self. No one loves one's Self or hates one's Self, because love and hatred are psychological functions, and every psychological function is a movement of the mind in space and time. Such a thing is impossible in respect of the Self, which is Self-identity. Excerpted from www.swamikrishnananda.org

Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't. - Mark Twain The unexamined life is not worth living. - Socrates

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October 10, 2014

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Modi's visit: So much promise, so little outcome

he Modi-Obama meeting saw the usual discussions of strategic partnerships, democratic values, market opportunities, and now climate change and energy but ended with little in terms of economic results or a common grand strategic vision. The last Indian prime ministers who had vision and were statesmen were Narasimha Rao and Atal Behari Vajpayee because they brought about structural changes in India's foreign, security, and economic policies. Rao pulled India out of the abyss of socialism while not throwing the baby out with the bath water (even today it is India's

AMIT GUPTA

eign policy of South Block, which continues to use terms like "principled opposition" or "principled stand," does little to impress other nations in the world. Nor do so-called strategic partnerships that amount to little more than extended conversations on security (given how many strategic partnerships India has you have to feel sorry for the countries that do not have such a partnership with New Delhi). India, therefore, is seen as the country that talks a lot but when it comes to actually delivering its policy lacks substance. Similarly, in the military context, the Indian government keeps proclaiming how it has bought US$10 billion

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Barack Obama at the White House

state-run organizations like ISRO, RBI, and IIT that give India a serious global presence). Vajpayee conducted the second round of nuclear tests and laid the groundwork for an opening to the US. Mr Modi needs to take a seminal step now to put India on the centre stage of world politics and the way to do it is to understand the economic and military-strategic concerns of the big three countries. Before addressing what the big three want one has to point out the perceived constraint on Indian foreign and economic policy. As Sisir Gupta wrote in the 1960s, India's foreign policy style was to engage in a commentary on international issues and to provide an alternative to the world views of the US and the Soviet Union. Enlightened commentary made sense when India was a poor country with few friends but now India - despite having the largest number of poor people in the world - is not a poor country but an influential one. In this context the diffident for-

worth of arms from the US and this makes it a valuable arms market. To put this in context, in 2010, Saudi Arabia bought US$60 billion worth of weapons from the US after negotiating for just a few months. In contrast, India's arms procurement process moves at a glacial pace. British aerospace officials joke that 2003 marked 100 years of flight and it took one-fifth of that time to sell the Hawk to India. The billion-dollar sale of 12 C130J aircraft to India took four years and is described by weary observers of the Indian arms market as a "quick sale." In the case of the general economy, the Modi government has to make incremental changes to economic policy that impress few foreign investors. Thus while the Indian Prime Minister met American CEOs and promised reforms, money will not move to India until corporations believe that India is actually serious about structural reforms. Given the continued disillusionment with India

in the realms of foreign policy, economics, and the military, what then do major nations, particularly the US, want from India? India does not have the same sort of emotional and historical ties that Britain and Israel have with the US. Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to the UN was broadcast live on American television while Mr Modi's was not. And while Mr Modi got 20,000 Indian Americans to show up in Madison Square Garden and wildly cheer him, the rest of America did not take notice. On the other hand, when William and Kate Middleton come to the US they are treated by the American public as rock stars and some Americans refer to Britain as the mother country. In this situation what India has to do is play to the one card that will attract the American corporations and earn the respect of the American government - rapidly open the Indian market and secure investments from the West. Such investments have a security dimension because as they increase in size they will grant India greater foreign policy autonomy and work to further isolate Pakistan. As I have argued elsewhere, that may be the only way that New Delhi can put pressure on Islamabad. For as more nations get connected to an Indian economy they will be more willing to accept the Indian view on the security situation in South Asia. Further, the Modi government can rapidly open up parts of the economy where the US can readily and easily invest. These include tourism, aviation, higher education, alternative energy, and healthcare. Mr Modi does not need a national consensus or the support of parliament to open up these sectors and such reforms would make the US a major player in the Indian market and, therefore, a major stakeholder in a stable and secure India. Alternatively, if the Prime Minister's Office is happy with Bollywood style entertainment at Madison Square Garden and longwinded meetings with Barack Obama, then business as usual is a great policy. The writer is Associate Professor, Department of International Security, USAF Air War College, Alabama. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the US Air Force or the Department of Defense.

India Post Taste of Bharat

hen Narendra Modi traveled to US, he was on a Navratre fast. He took only water and lime juice at even the dinner with the US President. At the dinner with the Clintons, his hosts also did not eat anything in sympathy with Modi's fast. It has been the tradition with Indian prime ministers to don the English suit to please the hosts or adopt the bandhgalas popular at home for formal occasions. But Modi stuck to his trademark kurta pajama plus occasionally a shawl. Unlike the previous PMs visiting the US, Modi took pride in speaking in Hindi, even during his address to the United Nations General Assembly. He did not mince words in pointing out the diminishing importance of the United Nations as very few international disputes came to it for solution. Instead there were mushrooming G-groupings where groups of nations sought to solve the problems between themselves. If nations like India, with billion plus population, are kept out of the Security Council, the UN cannot survive in its present form. Modi's address was a symbol of his pride and confidence in India. And Indian Americans swarmed wherever he went demonstrating support to his new approach. For long they had suffered the humiliation of hosting non-performing Indian leaders. As for his culinary tastes also, Modi's Indianness or more appropriately, his Bharatiyata, was openly in evidence. Coomi Kapoor, in her Indian Express column, describes how the large media contingent that traveled to the US on its own to cover Modi's visit was envious of the small group of journalists who traveled with the Prime Minister on his special aircraft. But the official press party had a complaint. Because of Modi's vegetarianism, they were only served - what some chose to call - "ghas phoos" on the flight. The chicken, fish and lamb preparations on previous PM flights were completely out. Breakfast consisted of cold dhoklas and sabudana and poha instead of hot scrambled eggs on toast and sausages as in the past. At the Indian Embassy also, the meals served were invariably vegetarian, dhoklas and undhiyu the standard fare. There were no drinks, only juices, at the dinner hosted by Indian Ambassador to the US S Jaishankar at Taj Pierre Hotel, New York, "much to the guests' chagrin." In his foreign policy also Modi indicated a departure by openly meeting Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in New York. The meeting took place in spite of opposition of India's foreign office, steeped in past policies. They wanted a meeting with a Palestinian representative also to show a picture of equality through the usual meaningless sops and photo ops. They were all rebuffed by Modi and he went on with the meeting. While the UPA leaders would have been ashamed even to mention Hindi in US because of their lack of pride in their own country, Modi's open espousal of it not only carried a message it induced the hosts to come out with Hindi titles also in their joint statements. Obama took a leaf out of Modi's book and called the vision statement released by the two leaders as "Chalein Saath Saath: Forward Together We Go." When we take pride in our own culture, others also respect us. Wherever he went, Modi took his Indianness, or Bhartiyata, with him. At the rock concert in the Central Park he decided to speak in English because the young crowd was mostly American. But his address went on to emphasize the ancient values of India which coincided with those that were being held up by the congregation of the youth. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, in a recent conversation with Kiran Bedi, suggested that India should be renamed Bharat as India, a name given by foreigners, does not mean anything. If we have converted Trivandrum back to Thiruvanathpuram, Madras to Chennai, Calcutta to Kolkata, Bangalore to Bengaluru, there is a strong case for converting India to Bharat.

October 10, 2014

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