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FIA Diwali Mela shines with fun, food & music Details on page 16

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VOL 21, No. 1101

October 30, 2015

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Periodical Postage

INDIANS OVERQUALIFIED, LESS STRESSED Findings of 'Working Hard in America' Survey

India Post News Service

Krushnaa Patil

Eight women explorers down the Ganga Details on page 50

Some 83 percent of respondents say they have more skills than required by their jobs in the U.S. and 62 percent describe their U.S. workplace as less stressful than the ones they'd experienced in India. While most (64 percent) say they earn what they expected, some 61 percent say they work longer hours than anticipated to earn that income, with 60 percent saying they work more than 40 hours a week. Only 39 percent say they work less than expected. Still, the vast majority, 83 percent, agrees that their job offers more opportunities for growth, compared with jobs in India. Details on page 5

Prashantt Guptha

New Yorker Guptha signs 2 Bollywood films Details on page 53

Penalty for customs, excise offences eased Details on page 36

Indian-American honored for agriculture work Details on page 38

Retrial begins of cop who beat Indian grandpa

Arun Shourie describes BJP as Congress + cow

Details on page 6

Earthquake in Pakistan strongest in 10 yrs

CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 30-31 Classifieds ------------------------- 48

Details on page 6

Community Post -------------- 16-26 Date Book -------------------------- 47

INDIA POST SURVEY

Edit Page --------------------------- 54

survey@indiapost.com

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

This week’s question

Horoscope ------------------------- 28

Would you like to retire in India?

Immigration Post ------------- 44-45 Life Style ----------------------- 50-53

Last week’s result

Has intolerance increased under BJP rule? YES 73%

NO 27%

Philosophy ------------------------- 49

LAUDABLE PAK GESTURE: Geeta, a differently-abled Indian woman who accidentally crossed over to Pakistan a

Publisher’s Diary ------------------ 4

decade ago, meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi after her return to India, in New Delhi on October 26. Seen next to her is Bilquis Edhi of the Edhi Foundation of Karcahi who had adopted her. (Details on page 5)

TechBiz Post ------------------- 36-39

Certified by “CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL Readership 117,765”

Real Estate -------------------- 14-15 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 40-43

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October 30, 2015

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Publisher’s Diary

hoever said 'time heals' was so right, albeit the fact that some wounds take longer and some wounds are simply not allowed to heal because there is greater gain in keeping them festering. If you are wondering where this is drifting, think India and Pakistan. India and Pakistan are two of the most unfortunate and beleaguered neighbors in the world, where politics and not the people have kept them inimical for nearly seven decades and three generations. Of course there was the Partition, and of course there is Kashmir and the three wars and cross border infiltration and terrorism and all that. But how long is long enough for the powers that be in both countries to say enough is enough and sit down to actually come to truce? Apparently, left to these politicians there's no healing these wounds - at least not so long as the mercenary war industry that stands to gain the most in this, keeps pushing both India and Pakistan to stockpile deadly arsenal, at the cost of their peoples' welfare. But guess who's saying it's enough already - it's the common citizens of both countries, it's the social media savvy youth and all who embrace liberal cultures in both countries that are saying it's time to heal now. Frustrated with the recent vitriolic rhetoric against Pakistan in general and arbitrary bans on Pakistani writers, artistes and sportspersons in particular from lumpen-filled, if not lumpen-led political parties in Mumbai, a city-based activist started a campaign on Facebook called #ProfileForPeace. The campaign, which calls for peace and an end to politics of hate, has caught on like wild fire among the youth both in India and Pakistan, and from supporters in the US and UK. Similar messages are pouring in on social media and evidently, a lot of common Indians and their counterparts in Pakistan don't necessarily hate each other. So here I am, lending my own voice to this particular peace process, which no amount of diplomacy can ever achieve. I say: "I am an Indian American Hindu. I don't hate Pakistan. I am not alone. There are many like me."

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HIGHLIGHTS Bollywood: New beau Freida Pinto was spotted kissing her new beau professional polo player Ronnie Barcardi in Los Angeles this month.

Cover Story: Overqualified A majority of Indians who live in the U.S. and send money home say they are overqualified for their jobs in America

Community: Diwali Mela The FIA "Diwali Mela" on October 24 was attended by over 30,000 of Indian Americans and other Bay Area residents.

Easier visas California lawmakers have approved a law which makes it easier for immigrant victims of crimes to apply for U visas.

Life style: Women explorers An all-women team of explorers from seven continents has set out on an over 2400 kms expedition down the Ganges

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E-scrutiny project The Income Tax department is set to roll out its 'pilot' project to conduct scrutiny assessment in an e-environment

Vaishno Devi The yatra to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is one of the holiest and most arduous pilgrimages for Hindus all over the world.

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Indians overqualified, less stressed Findings of 'Working Hard in America' Survey India Post News Service

NEW YORK: A majority of Indians who live in the U.S. and send money home say they are overqualified for their jobs here and find their U.S. workplace to be less stressful than workplaces in India. And, while the majority says they plan to retire in India, respondents overwhelmingly agree that the U.S. is the land of opportunity. That's based on a survey of nearly 500 people from India who live in the U.S. and send money home, fielded by international money transfer firm Transfast. Some 83 percent of respondents say they have more skills than required by their jobs in the U.S. and 62 percent describe their U.S. workplace as less stressful than the ones they'd experienced in India. While most (64 percent) say they earn what they expected, some 61 percent say they work longer hours than anticipated to

earn that income, with 60 percent saying they work more than 40 hours a week. Only 39 percent say they work less than expected. Still, the vast majority, 83 percent, agrees that their job offers more opportunities for growth, compared with jobs in India. "People who come here for

your money plays a role in helping our customers succeed, because when you're working long hours, every dollar saved matters." When it comes to sending money home, respondents say they have sent money to the following: family (90 percent); per-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The American dream still exists, but things are changing," he adds. "Research funding has been reduced in the past couple of years, combined with stricter immigration laws. It's becoming harder to stay here once you're done studying." work are playing vital economic roles by contributing to the U.S. economy and also adding to the GDP of their home country when they send money back to family and friends," says Samish Kumar, Transfast's CEO. "To Transfast, the survey results show that our mission of always providing great value for

sonal bank account (31 percent); real estate investment (10 percent); and friends (10 percent). Ashish Palta, 27, of Nashville, is a business analyst in the IT industry. He says he came to the U.S. for the international exposure, work environment and to obtain a master's degree. Working in the U.S. has "given

me great international exposure and enriched my professional and life experiences," says Palta. He says he would encourage friends and family to come to the U.S. to work. "Yes, come to U.S. to see the different culture and another side of the world," he says. "It makes us more open, knowledgeable and can also give better insight to life." "Definitely, the opportunities are better," says Bishwambhar Sengupta, 26, a graduate student at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C., who moved to the U.S. to pursue his studies and is also employed by the university in a research capacity. "The American dream still exists, but things are changing," he adds. "Research funding has been reduced in the past couple of years, combined with stricter immigration laws. It's becoming harder to stay here once you're done studying." When Transfast conducted the same survey in the U.S. among immigrants from all nationalities,

Geeta returns to India, gets emotional welcome NEW DELHI: Over a decade after inadvertently crossing into Pakistan, Geeta, a deaf and mute girl, has returned here to an emotional welcome but failed to recognize a family which she had initially identified from photographs even as India "whole-heartedly" thanked Pakistani government for allowing her homecoming. Geeta, who was received by senior officials from External Affairs Ministry and Pakistan High Commission here on her arrival from Karachi, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, who played a key role in bringing her back. "Welcome back home, Geeta. It is truly wonderful to have you back home... All of India will take care of you," Modi said and assured that every effort would be made to trace her family. Touched by the rousing welcome, an emotional Geeta, through an interpreter, said, "I am very happy to be in India. My heart is filled with happiness. I am touched the way I am being welcomed. In Pakistan, I used to often feel sad." Modi thanked the Edhi family for taking care of Geeta for over a decade and announced Rs one crore assistance for their foundation. He described the family as

"apostles of kindness and compassion". Earlier, addressing a press conference with Geeta, Swaraj called it a "happy day" as the "innocent daughter came back home". She said Geeta refused to recognize the

nearly 15 years ago, said her priority is to stand on her feet. Though Mahato family claimed she was married and has a child, Geeta vehemently denied it. Swaraj said Geeta's DNA sample is being examined and if it

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with Geeta gestures at a press conference in New Delhi on October 26

Mahato couple from Bihar which she had identified from photographs and added that she will be kept in an institution in Indore till her "real family" was found. Dressed in a red and white salwar kameez, Geeta, who had accidentally strayed into Pakistan

does not match with the samples of the Mahato couple, then government will start afresh the process to find her parents. "If the DNA samples match, then it will be a complex situation. We will ask Geeta to recollect things and go down the memory

lane. We will make her sit again with them (Mahatos) so that she recollects her memory," the minister said, adding Geeta did not show any excitement when she saw the Mahato couple. "No matter if we find her (Geeta's) parents or not, she is a daughter of India and we will take care of her," Swaraj said, adding Geeta has said the Mahato family is not hers. The minister also thanked the Pakistan government, saying, "I on behalf of people of India and government thank Pakistan government and its Prime Minister for facilitating Geeta's return." Swaraj, however, refused to answer questions on whether Geeta's homecoming will help improve relations between India and Pakistan. Geeta was adopted by the Edhi Foundation's Bilquis Edhi and lived with her in Karachi. Bilquis and her grandchildren, Saba and Saad Edhi, have accompanied Geeta here. Geeta's story came to light after the release of Salman Khan starrer "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" in which the hero unites a girl separated from her Pakistani mother who was visiting India. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 9

some striking differences emerged. Compared with India, immigrants in the U.S. from around the globe said the U.S. workplace was more stressful (72 percent), nearly the reverse compared with Indian respondents, who said the U.S. workplace was less stressful (62 percent). And compared with general U.S. respondents, only 37 percent of whom are earning what they expected, Indians largely earn what they expected (64 percent). In the end, many Indians - some 55 percent - expect to retire in their home country. Again, that was in contrast to the general U.S. respondents, only 18 percent of whom say they plan to retire in their home countries. "I'll decide when I have to," says Sengupta about returning to India. "Both job markets are very competitive." Transfast is a leading omnichannel provider of multi-currency cross-border payments solutions to consumers and businesses around the world.

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Pakistan earthquake strongest in 10 years ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: At least 237 people have died in Pakistan in the powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake that rocked the country and neighboring Afghanistan as rescuers scrambled to deliver relief aid to thousands of affected persons.

dead in Bajaur, four in Mohmand and one in Khyber Agency. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said at least 1,620 people have been injured across Pakistan. "Till this morning, 185 people have died and 1,456 including

People stand outside a house damaged from an earthquake in Peshawar, Pakistan on October 26

The death toll in the quake - the strongest in 10 years - in Pakistan has now risen to 237 from the earlier figure of 228 which included 214 dead in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), 5 in Punjab, and 9 in PoK, local media reports said. A spokesman of FATA Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) said 31 people were killed and 88 injured in FATA with 26

women and children sustained injures in KP as several are in critical condition," said an official of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). He said PDMA has constituted seven teams to visit the affected districts for rapid need assessment and to supervise relief activities on grounds. Over 2,000 tents, blankets and floor mats have been dispatched

to the affected districts besides 1,000 food packets for the worstaffected Chitral district. The official said Chitral, Swat, Shangla, Dir Upper and Lower and Toarghar districts are the most affected districts where infrastructure and houses were damaged on a large scale. He said rescue and relief operations in the affected districts are continuing as civil administration, police, health and revenue authorities are participating in the relief operations besides army personnel. Pakistan Army rescue teams are conducting assessment of damage and loss of property caused by the quake. The military said 27 of 45 landslides have been cleared on the strategic Karakoram highway. Capacity of Combined Military Hospitals has also been increased by 30 per cent across the country. The initial quake struck at 2:09 pm and was followed by seven aftershocks, measuring as high as magnitude 4.8, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Thousands spent the night outdoors in near-freezing temperatures reluctant to go back inside for fear of aftershocks, reports said. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returned to Islamabad following his US tour. Upon arrival he summoned a meeting to discuss relief efforts in the aftermath of the earthquake. -PTI

Retrial begins of cop who beat Indian grandfather WASHINGTON: The retrial of a US police officer accused of violently assaulting a 58-year-old Indian grandfather that left him partially paralyzed has begun in a federal court in Alabama. Eric Parker is charged with violating the civil rights of Sureshbhai Patel following an encounter in a Madison neighborhood off County Line Road on February 6. After meeting lawyers of both sides behind closed doors, US District Judge M a d e l i n e Hughes Haikala ordered that, unlike during the first trial, media will not be allowed to report or blog from the courtroom. Reporters will be allowed to take handwritten notes and report after they leave. The order is intended to stop witnesses from hearing what other witnesses have said to discourage false testimony, inaccuracies or collusion South Asian rights group hoped that Patel would be able to get justice this time. A deadlocked jury failed to convict Parker last month during the first federal trial on a civil rights charge brought against him by the US Department of Justice. Patel's assault, which was

filmed, drew international attention. Footage from police cameras showed the grandfather - who speaks no English - approached by police officers who asked him questions like name, address and identity card. Patel is heard saying "no English" and pointing finger towards his son's home. Soon one of the police officer, later identified as Parker, is seen violently throwing Patel on the ground and threaten-

Eric Parker

ing him not to leave. It is at this time it appears Patel was paralyzed, apparently by shock. "It is our hope that the retrial is heard before a jury that truly represents the population of Madison, AL where one in ten residents speaks a language other than English at home," South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), an umbrella group, said.-PTI

Shourie describes BJP as Congress + cow NEW DELHI: In a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi government, BJP leader Arun Shourie has contended that it believes that managing economy means "managing the headlines" and that people had started recalling the days of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "Doctor Singh (Manmohan Singh) ko log yaad karne lag gaye hain (People have started recalling the days of Manmohan Singh). The way to characterize policies of the government is - Congress plus a cow. Policies are the same," Shourie said at book

launch function. The function to launch 'Turn of The Tortoise', a book written

Arun Shourie

by Chairman of Business Standard Ltd, was attended by Manmohan Singh, Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subranamian and former Foreign

Secretary Shyam Saran. Pointing out differences between the present and the previous governments, Shourie said "there is clearer belief (in the present dispensation) that managing economy means managing the headlines and this is not really going to work." Targeting Modi, the minister in the Vajpayee government said, "I feel there was never a weaker a PMO as now". He said "there has never been as great a centralization of functions, not power, of functions in PMO as now. ...If fellows don't have domain expertise, that Brajesh Mishra had, L K Jha had, all these principal secretaries had, then things get stuck." Shourie said, "everybody is busy and everybody is doing very

hard work, but it is not resulting in two there big things that was problem at that time (UPA govern-

"The industrialists who meet the Prime Minister don't speak whole truth. After meeting PM, they wonder what is happening and say 'please do something'. And in front of media they give the government 9 out of 10," ment time)." Elaborating, he said, "If you see impediments that were there

in tax administration, virtually no change... Banking reform has been delayed by year and a half for no reason. So therefore this tortoise is very generous metaphor. Ye to so hi jata hai (this tortoise goes to sleep)." He claimed that industrialists are afraid of speaking against the government. "The industrialists who meet the Prime Minister don't speak whole truth. After meeting PM, they wonder what is happening and say 'please do something'. And in front of media they give the government 9 out of 10," Shourie claimed. Shourie noted that Parliament has become alibi for not doing anything. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 9

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India, Africa make fervent pitch for UNSC seat NEW DELHI: Making a fervent pitch for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, India has said it along with Africa comprising nearly 2.5 billion people "can no longer be excluded from their rightful place" in the world body. "Although Indians and Africans comprise nearly 2.5 billion people, our nations continue to be excluded from appropriate representation in the institutions of global governance. India and Africa can no longer be excluded from their rightful place of the permanent membership of the UN Security Council," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said. "How can we expect legitimacy from a governance structure that excludes the entire African continent and a country, which represents one-sixth of humanity?" she said, addressing the Ministerial Meeting of the 3rd India-Africa Summit here. Noting that democratic reforms are essential in global institutions, Swaraj said the 70th session of the UN General Assembly is an opportune moment to achieve concrete results to resolve these long-pending issues. "Unless we put in place more democratic global governance structures, the more equitable and just international security and development frameworks that are essential for the collective peace and prosperity of this planet, will continue to elude us. "There can no longer be pockets of prosperity in vast areas of

underdevelopment and insecurity," Swaraj said. Battling terrorism With both India and several African countries battling the

erate with urgency to adopt the Comprehensive Convention against International Terrorism," she said. Batting for enhanced partnership between India and Africa,

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already announced that India will further scale up its participation in UN peacekeeping operations, including by providing training for African peacekeepers

bitious and comprehensive climate change agreement based on the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibility. "The challenge of global warm-

Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj (C) with her counterparts from the African continent ahead of a meeting of Ministers during The India-Africa Summit in New Delhi on October 27

menace of terrorism, the EAM batted for better cooperation through intelligence sharing, training and other measures to counter the problem. "In view of the fast growing linkages of such terrorist groups across the globe, we must step up our cooperation through intelligence exchange, training and other measures to counter this menace. We also hope that the international community will coop-

Swaraj said the cooperation between the two, which extends to agriculture, education and skills development, energy and infrastructure, science and technology should now be enlarged to areas like Blue or Ocean economy, maritime security and counter-terrorism. She noted that over 1,80,000 Indian troops have participated in UN peacekeeping missions - more than from any other country and

at facilities in India and in the field. India and Africa also need to work together ahead of the Conference of Parties (COP) 21 on Climate Change in Paris and the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference in Kenya since both share equal concern and interest in this regard, she said. "Our negotiators are cooperating closely in Bonn currently. We look forward to finalizing an am-

ing can only be addressed adequately through technological solutions and financial resources to manage the transition," Swaraj said. She said that the recent announcements regarding the signing of a Tripartite Free Trade Agreement and the launch of negotiations for the creation of a Continental Free Trade Agreement in Africa will stimulate further trade and investment. -PTI

Modi hits back at Nitish over verse attack SITAMARHI: Hitting back at Nitish Kumar, who had mouthed a limerick set to a film song to attack him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi likened JD (U)-RJD-Congress alliance to "three idiots", advising the Chief Minister to

Laluji entertains well and Bihar is getting some entertainment after many years. But these days there is an intense rivalry going on between Laluji and Nitishji on many issues -protecting the criminals, doing nepotism, breaking off from

he will call some courtiers and journalists, recite poems and defeat Lalu by starting a new form of entertainment. I knew there are three partners in the grand alliance - Congress RJD and JD (U). But I wonder why Nitish Babu

Idiots," Modi said addressing a rally in Sitamarhi. Kumar, the grand alliance's chief ministerial candidate, had mocked Modi for not keeping promises and his frequent trips abroad using a song from

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a public meeting in Sitamarhi, Bihar on October 27

perfect the art of "Mushaira" and practice it at leisure after the Bihar polls. "I have been noticing that

truth. Now the competition is also in the field of entertainment. "Yesterday, I saw Nitishji doing some Mushaira. He felt that

chose a song from the film Three Idiots for his first Mushaira. Even if you wanted to parody a poem why did you think of the Three

Bollywood blockbuster 'Three Idiots'. "Bahati Hawa sa tha woh, Gujarat se aaya tha woh, kaala

dhan laane wala thaa wo, kahan gaya use doondho. Humko desh ki fikr sataati hai, woh bus videsh ke daure lagaate hain, humko badhti mahangai satata, wo bas mann ki baat sunata. Har waqt apni selfie khinchta tha woh, Dawood ko laane wala tha woh, kahan gaya use dhoondo," Nitish had said, parodying a song from the film. (He was like the blowing wind, from Gujarat he came with promise to bring back black money, where has he gone? Find him. While we worry about the country, he travels abroad; While price rise bothers us, he tells us only his 'mann ki baat. Always busy clicking selfies, he promised to bring back Dawood. Where has he gone? Find him.) Hitting back, Modi said, "What a game of entertainment Nitish Babu! You still have a week's time. Spend it doing this. Call your foursix courtiers, hold a Mushaira.PTI

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Indian-origin scientist exposed VW fraud

r Arvind Thiruvengadam dards, while the third vehicle, a lion fine; its investors saw more loves going for long rides, BMW X5, did fine. than 25 billion euros wiped off the and it is often a part of his This was contrary to the per- value of the VW stock in just 5 job. But when this assistant pro- fect, and within EPA standard, days, and a whole rethinking is fessor at the West Virginia Center emission levels that the happening about the emission for Alternative Fuels, Engines and Volkswagen cars showed during regulation of vehicles all over the Emissions (CAFEE), went for a labs test. They double-and-triple world. long 2,400 mile round trip between checked their work. But the result "Marc and I have done many Los Angeles and Seattle in first week of March in 2013, to test a rented Volkswagen Passat, he didn't know that the journey would be a landmark in the history of automotive Industry. Thirty-two-year-old Thiruvengadam, who hails from Chennai, and his colleague Marc Besch, were surprised that during the journey, the NOx (mono nitrogen oxide) emission level of the Passat - the test vehicle that came to them accidentally in response to their newspaper advertiseDaniel Carder (L) and Arvind Thiruvengadam (R) are part of the CAFEE team that ment requesting for a Eurotested three European passenger diesel cars in the US pean make diesel car test vehicle - was five to 20 times higher than the European stan- was same. real-world driving studies, [and dards. Volkswagen was cheating as those are] always exciting, beThe researchers, who were further investigations found. cause we get to visit a lot of emission testing three European The fallouts - CEO of the much places… [But] we least expected make vehicles in real-world driv- trusted automaker resigned;, it that the results would lead to ing conditions, found the same had to recall millions of cars from events that we are reading about with the other Volkswagen model, various parts of the world and face in the newspaper today," says Jetta, too. It showed 15 to 35 times potential bans of its diesel mod- Thiruvengadam in an email interhigher emissions than EPA stan- els; it may have to pay an $18 bil- view with HT.

Thiruvengadam did his engineering in 2004 from Madras university, in Chennai - where his parents still live - and went to the US to study at West Virginia university. He did his masters and PhD there and later on became a research assistant professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the university and a part of the core group of the CAFEE. When the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) issued a public request for

proposal (RFP) in December 2012, to test three European passenger diesel cars in the US, the CAFEE offered a test plan. It was accepted in January 2013. "The request did not mention Volkswagen vehicles specifically and it was simply studying the emissions performance of passenger diesel cars equipped with a Lean NOx trap and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), in unique driving conditions such as experienced in California," he says. Cont’d on page 11

Geeta returns to India, gets emotional welcome Cont’d from page 5

Mahato claimed Geeta is his first child and her name was Heera who was lost in a fair in 2004. Heaping praise on Bilquis, Swaraj said all the members of the organization who accompanied Geeta have been accorded state guest status. The Edhi delegation is likely to visit Taj Mahal, Ajmer Sharif dargah as well as various

mental illness. Asked Pakistan High Commission's comment that it hoped India would release 459 Pakistani prisoners with same "love and affection" that Pakistan showed for Geeta, Swaraj refused to comment. She, however, said Geeta's return has reflected importance of people-to-people contact in relationship between the two coun-

Shourie describes BJP as Congress + cow Cont’d from page 6

While taking digs at the Modi government, Shourie said it should embrace everybody instead of fighting. "Don't get into fight with everyone. If you want to build DelhiMumbai Industrial Corridor, you require support of 5 Chief Ministers," he said. Speaking at the event, Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian said the work on the draft bankruptcy law is at an advanced stage. Noting that India is one of unique development models, Subramanian said India is "a precautious development model" in both economic and political sense. "India is a country which is not following normal economic development model...India is growing by defying its comparative advantage," he said. "We have lots of space to grow using our cheap labor. If we don't do stupid things then we can grow very rapidly," he said. Shourie said the government cannot be run through "boxing matches" and that every state has

to be taken into confidence for smoother policy implementation. On the government's relationship with the states and the opposition he said, "One thing that has surprised me about the gov-

There is a sense that we are moving from one big event to another big event; moving from one very successful visit to another successful visit and not paying enough attention on process ernment is its timidity. Slight opposition comes and the reform is dropped... In my head I would say please befriend, please impress... You cannot get up every morning and get into a boxing match." He said the NDA government was essentially "the Congress plus a cow", in an apparent dig at the recent controversy over beef bans and lynching of a man in Dadri over rumors of consuming beef.

Former Foreign Secretary Shyam Sharan, who was one of the panelists, also criticized the government on the foreign policy front saying there was no concrete results in terms of actual implementation. "In terms of actual execution, we are slipping into an event mode rather than a process mode. There is a sense that we are moving from one big event to another big event; moving from one very successful visit to another successful visit and not paying enough attention on process. "Visit leads to a number of decisions, number of initiatives but before the system is actually able to digest that and actually deliver on those we are already thinking about the next big visit, we are thinking about the next big event and that has led to a slow erosion of credibility...so the grouse always is where's the beef?" Sharan quipped. Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subranamian was also part of the discussion moderated by NDTV's Sreenivasan Jain. He said the tenor of Shourie's criticism misrepresents economic stability that "we have achieved." -PTI

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal with Geeta, a deaf-mute Indian woman who accidentally crossed over to Pakistan more than a decade ago during their meeting in Delhi on October 27

historical places in Delhi. Giving a detail account of her stay in Edhi Foundation, Bilquis on her part said, "I am extremely happy. Today is like Eid for me. I am happy for Geeta." She said Geeta initially was restless and wanted to flee from Pakistan. Bilquis said Geeta watched "Bajrangi Bhaijan" several times. "She had said the movie has been made taking my story but I have not been taken back," said Bilquis quoting Geeta. In her meeting with Bilquis, Swaraj told her that she will be invited to Geeta's wedding. Swaraj said government's priority is to bring back the Indians who are languishing in Pakistani jails for years and have developed

tries. Swaraj said their cases were somewhat similar to Geeta's and government will extend help to those families to bring back their relatives. Before boarding the PIA flight in Karachi, a beaming Geeta thanked the Pakistani people for taking care of her. Faisal Edhi of the Edhi foundation told reporters in Karachi that they would continue to stay in touch with Geeta through social media and even visit her. "She is not really separating from us," he said. Meanwhile, Pakistan High Commission said it cancelled a reception for Geeta in view of the massive earthquake in Pakistan.-PTI

10 India Post

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October 30, 2015

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Villagers recall Chhota Rajan as well-behaved lad GIRVI, Maharashtra: What once used to be a hut in this village in Faltan tehsil of Satara district in western Maharashtra has been replaced by a mansion, the best in the vicinity. This is the house, now called 'Sada Laxmi', where underworld don Chhota Rajan, arrested in Bali in Indonesia, spent much of his childhood. The bungalow, strongly fortified with stone walls and iron gates, has sprawling well-maintained lawns. His (Rajan's) brothers keep visiting it whenever there is a family ceremony, a villager said. There is statue of Rajan's father Sadasiv Sakharam Nikalje, who in the '50s moved to

Underworld don Chhota Rajan was caught by Indonesian police in Bali on October 25

Mumbai to eke out a living. "He was a good lad who frequented my shop," a shopkeeper said, recalling the "slightly built kid" who used to visit his shop during holidays. Rajan, who was born in Mumbai, always visited Girvi village during summer and Diwali holidays, the villager said. "After gaining notoriety in Mumbai underworld, Rajan stopped coming to the village. However, his wife and brothers keep coming whenever there is a function in the family," another villager said. Rajan's trips to his native village ended after the death of his father in 1976, the villager said. "Agreed that he has indulged in criminal activities, but the fact remains that the stance taken by him against Dawood Ibrahim over the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts has been appreciated by all the villagers," he said. Rajan, one of India's most wanted criminals and on the run for nearly two decades, was arrested in Bali by Indonesian police acting on a Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol. The arrest was made on a tip off from Australian police that 55-year-old Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje alias Mohan Kumar alias Chota Rajan, the powerful aide-turned-rival of terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, flew from Sydney to Indonesia's popular tourist destination Bali, where he was arrested.-PTI

12 Afghan schoolgirls killed in stampede after quake KABUL: At least a dozen schoolgirls were trampled to death in the remote northern Afghan province of Takhar, in the most horrifying tragedy to emerge so far from a quake that rocked parts of South Asia on Oct 26, killing at least 180 people. Bystanders rushed the dazed and terrified girls to hospital, many lying limp in the arms of their rescuers, after a deadly stampede broke out as the students tried to flee their classrooms as the quake hit. "The students rushed to escape the school building in Taluqan city after the terrifying quake, triggering a stampede," Takhar education department chief Enayat Naweed told AFP. The twelve students of Bibi Hajra high school killed were all under 16. "When the aggrieved relatives of the dead students came to collect their bodies, they were so distressed that they could not even talk to authorities to record their names," said Hafizullah Safai, head of the Takhar health department. The powerful 7.5 magnitude quake struck Afghanistan's Hindu Kush region and was felt across parts of South Asia, with fears the death toll could rise substantially. Afghan officials have so far confirmed 33 fatalities in the provinces of Badakhshan, where the epicenter in located, as well as in Takhar, Nagarhar and Baghlan.-AFP

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Fake Indian notes float around in UAE DUBAI: With the perfect-looking fake Indian notes seen widely in circulation, the UAE has cautioned its people, especially money exchange companies and their customers, about counterfeit currencies. According to a local media report, the technology used in printing counterfeit Indian notes is so

sophisticated that ordinary people or even exchange employees cannot distinguish them from the original notes. The call for caution has come from a teller with a foreign exchange company in Sharjah, who was recently acquitted by the UAE Supreme Court in a fake currency case, and his advocates, the

Treat waste as resource: US filmmaker NEW DELHI: While the city recently observed its first car-free day, a documentary filmmaker from the US has appealed Delhiites to get more creative and imaginative to attain the aim of zero waste. Christopher Beaver's "Racing To Zero" is a quick-moving, upbeat documentary presenting new solutions to the global problem of waste. The movie was screened during the 8th edition of the CMS Vatavaran Film Festival here. The essence of the film calls for simply substituting the word 'Resource' for the word 'Garbage'. In doing so a culture can be transformed and a new wealth of industries can emerge, it says. According to Beaver, the idea of the film is not to have any garbage. "There should be no waste from the things we use, everything can be recycled, If it can be done in the US, Why not here?" he asks. The film has been entirely shot in San Francisco and attempts to make people understand the need of zero waste and the means to attain it. "We are sharing the information here also (Delhi) in India. So it is a communication. The cleanest city, New York is very large. There are long ways to go, to solve the problem of wastage. It needs larger creativity and imagination. The city which is now polluted can become the cleanest, so there is hope," Beaver told PTI in an interview. The filmmaker who has also directed the film says the docu-

mentary is filled with solutions and propagates techniques such as recycling, composting, reusing and the idea of consuming less. According to him the consumption in the US is much more

places especially in Africa, the waste plastic is sent to Africa and China. They burn the plastic and the poison which comes out kills all Africa. 80 per cent of humans are killed by the after effects if

that what occurs in India. "The history of India was good for zero waste. In the earlier time, villages had a much better system of waste management," says Beaver. The film which is produced by Diana Fuller provides answers to

pollution." "The main idea of the movie was to see how much can we recycle without incineration. How easy is it to do with small materials like glass, paper. Can we have a zero waste. The part of the film is actually a question whether zero waste can be acquired," she says. Three years ago the mayor of San Francisco pledged to achieve zero waste by 2020. "Racing to Zero" tracks San Francisco's waste stream diversion tactics and presents innovative new solutions to waste. The film which was made in 2014 documents a surprising, engaging and inspiring race to zero. It has been screened in various film festivals in the US. The filmmakers however feel proud that their film was able to make an impact as government officials in San Francisco city have instituted the policy of recycling compost after watching it. San Francisco's efforts have already achieved amazing results, with 80 per cent of trash now being recycled. According to a WHO study in 2014, Delhi was the most polluted city in the world. The national capital has the highest concentration of PM2.5 particulate matters less than 2.5 microns - form of air pollution, which is considered most serious, it said. -PTI

Christopher Beaver Director

all types of recycling techniques especially that of electronics. "We can recycle electronics, very safely. They have to be taken apart, the small plastic materials can be used again. Lot of parts of mobiles and computers can be reused again, says Beaver. Producer Fuller says, "In some

Khaleej Times reported. A 35-year-old Indian named only as M S was arrested by the Sharjah CID Police in June after receiving information that some Indian rupee notes that he had disbursed to a customer in exchange to dirhams were found fake. The police received the information after a woman was arrested in Kerala for handing some fake Indian currency notes to a bank. "Her husband had apparently exchanged dirhams with Indian rupees from our client. She paid Rs 6,000 to a bank in Kerala as payment for her daughter's educational loan. Of that five Rs 1,000 notes were found to be fake," said Advocate Mahmood Alavi. Following investigation, the

police gave a report stating that fake currencies could not be detected without using special machines. "I've found many such cases in the past few years. My request is that exchange companies should have the facilities to check counterfeit currencies and people should also be cautious about them," lawyer and legal consultant Abdullah Mohamed Salman, who appeared for MS in the UAE courts, said. He said many exchange companies in the UAE, including that of MS, did not have the software used to detect fake Indian currency notes. According to the report, many cases of fake Indian currency have been reported in the UAE in recent years and people who traveled from the UAE have been reportedly involved in counterfeit currency seizures in India. In September 2013, the UAE Central bank had advised banks and exchange houses to advise their customers about Indian laws on carrying cash to India and warn them against the consequences of violations. -PTI

Indian-origin scientist exposed VW fraud Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 9

Apart from him and Besch, the five member team worked on the tests included Dr. Gregory Thompson, Daniel Carder, and Hemanth Kappanna. "Marc and I were project leads and executed the project in California. It involved city driving, hill climb, inter-city driving and freeway driving," he says. They, as usual, drove the vehicles, enjoying the long rides, in the three models that they rented. "Jetta was the only model to operate with a lean NOx trap. The choice of VW Passat was by accident, as a gentleman responded to our advertisement in a newspaper requesting for a test vehicle that was European make diesel car," he says. Till then they had emission tested only heavy trucks and "this was the first time diesel passenger cars were being extensively emissions tested in real-world driving conditions. We were excited to be leading the work," Thiruvegadam says. The tests showed something unexpected -- large differences between the emissions during their driving tests and that during

in-house tests at California Air Resources Board. They could not explain it. "We conducted the study out of pure academic interest and not to implicate any manufacturer. The results of the study simply provided an indicator to a possible problem," he says. Thiruvengadam says the credits for the fallout of the tests should go to the regulators, who pursued the indicators the study offered. "The actual investigation of the issue and the subsequent admittance from VW was a result of regulatory pressure" Subsequent investigations found that the cars have a defeat device - a program in the engine control unit computer that recognizes that the vehicle is being emissions tested. The device could detect if the engines were working and the steering wheel was not moving that happens only during lab tests. It would then turn on the catalytic scrubber up to full power, that would minimize the emissions, allowing the car to pass the tests. What unfolded was one of the biggest frauds in the history of automobiles. -Courtesy HT

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October 30, 2015

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Jihadi aggression and nuclear deterrence VIJAY SHANKAR

akistan's use of terror organizations as a tool of State policy to wage unconventional war against India (Christine Fair, Fighting to the End) has perverse consequences that link subconventional warfare with nuclear escalation. This bizarre correlation, Pakistan will have the world believe, comes to play if and when India chooses to respond with conventional forces to a terror strike puppeteered by their "Deep State." Notwithstanding the reality of inter-State relations that finds expression in a byzantine system of the larger un-codified international relations, common ground exists in the challenges that threaten the very existence of the State. Military power, economics, politics, religion and the dynamics of change provide very convincing provinces within which to fix challenges, yet it is the hazard of mass destruction that, without debate, presents itself as the "emperorof-challenges." Willingness of the Deep State in Pakistan to catalyze such a scenario, keeping that country always "on the brink" in order to preserve the position of the army, the ISI and the jihadis as upholders of the State, is the peril of our times. And yet if this be the substance then it must equally be true that willfully enabling a nuclear exchange carries the immanence that will finish the Deep State. Keeping the nation persistently on the edge has left Pakistan's internals in a state of violent turmoil, as several interest net-

between the two large States has also been relatively stable, since the Chinese nuclear doctrine founded on NFU and minimality finds accord with India's doctrine and neither country is seeking to change the status quo by exploring space below the nuclear threshold.

Evolving Nuclear Context The link between sub-conventional war-

File photo of the supporters of Jama'at-ud-Da'wah, Lashkar-e-Taiba's parent religious body, during an anti-India rally in Lahore

India's nuclear deterrent is not countryspecific; its credibility will remain an abstraction in the mind of the potential adversary, while minimality is magnitude in the mind of the deterrer (India in this case). On the other

To strategic planners in India, Pakistani use of jihadi groups as an instrument of State policy is a factor that is always considered when mapping a conventional riposte. Despite successes in recent history, it is equally clear that that sub-conventional warfare can only be beaten by State policy on both sides coupled with conventional forces. works such as the elites that drive military autonomy, the security apparatus, enfeebled political groups and the fractured jihadis battle for supremacy. The circumstances are fraught since the fallout is demise of (already impoverished) democratic institutions and the wasted idea of a unified Pakistan. In this milieu the cracks in control of nuclear weapons are apparent. After all, the internals may, in the extreme, catalyze the use of nuclear weapons in a plot that begins with a terror strike on India. The question of motivating Pakistan to demobilize anti-India terrorist groups and thus defuse the reason for escalation of conflict is the most pressing strategic imperative. China, in this frame of reference, though cognate, is a more distant strategic intimidation. Relations between India and China have been stable and improving, save for occasional flares on account of a border that has denied definition. There have not been sustained hostilities since 1962 nor has there been a predilection to reach, even in rhetoric, for nuclear weapons. Deterrence

stan soil to be used for launch of terror activities. Significantly, on ground, the declaration held till 2008. This aftermath stands in testimony as to what works.

hand, Pakistan and India have experienced four wars, two of which were initiated and waged in concert with non-State actors. The two States have also confronted two major crises initiated by terror attacks in India. To strategic planners in India, Pakistani use of jihadi groups as an instrument of State policy is a factor that is always considered when mapping a conventional riposte. Despite successes in recent history, it is equally clear that that sub-conventional warfare can only be beaten by State policy on both sides coupled with conventional forces. There was a clamping down on terror activities from Pakistan post operation "Parakram" (the military standoff between India and Pakistan between December 2001 and October 2002 following jihadi assault on the Indian Parliament on 13 December 2001) that resulted in the massing of troops on either side of the border and along the Line of Control in Kashmir. One of the positive outcomes of the mobilization and coercive threat of military action was President Musharraf's policy statement of 12 January 2002 not to permit Paki-

fare and nuclear war fighting is at best a tenuous one. Conceptually, no amount of tinkering or reconstitution of nuclear policy can deter terror attacks. Such a notion would appear farfetched because of the very nature of the weapon involved. Clearly it is the policy that harbors terror groups as instruments of State policy that has to be targeted. Pakistan has today inducted tactical nuclear weapons (TNWs) into its arsenal with the stated purpose of countering an Indian response to a terror strike. Almost as if to suggest that they control the levers of nuclear escalation. This is an odd proposition since India does not differentiate between tactical and strategic nuclear weapons, (this is not only stated by most scholars in the know, but is also the bed rock of a

analysis, the use of nuclear weapons introduces a new and uncontrollable dimension. Logically, if a Pak-sponsored terror attack is the triggering event of a sequence of reactions, then it must equally be clear that their nuclear red lines give space for a conventional response. After all, the premise that a terror attack is seamlessly backed by nuclear weapons is not only ludicrous but is not even the Pakistani case. For, when dealing with the threat of use of nuclear weapons, to suggest that ambiguity and first use provide options, is to suggest that nuclear war-fighting almost in conventional terms is an option. This, by most, is denial of the nature of nuclear weapons, characterized by mass destruction and uncontrollability. There is a suggestion in some scholarly quarters that there was little or no Pakistan sponsored terror activity before nuclear umbrellas were raised in the sub-continent. This is repudiation of history (whether at partition in 1947-48, in 1965 or in the 1980s to 90s). Unfortunately this mistaken assumption has led the narrative on a quest to seek answers to sub-conventional warfare in nuclear weapons and their deterrent effect, increasing in turn the dangers of early use.

Deterrent stability This does not serve the interest of deterrent stability. Yet, as with the conventional military options, some experts and former military officials in India, echoed by western analysts, have begun to question whether India should alter its approach to nuclear deterrence in ways that would affect Pakistan's calculus. The relationship between nuclear deterrence and sub conventional aggression what has been colorfully described as "jihad under the nuclear umbrella" - is not a new phenomenon in South Asia. But since 2008, and especially after Pakistan tested a new short-range missile in 2011 and declared it part of a policy of "full spectrum" deterrence, Indian strategists have begun to question more vocally whether New Delhi's

Mohammed Naved Yakub, Pakistani terrorist of Lashker-e-Taiba arrested in Jammu & Kashmir

nuclear deterrent relationship). Also, TNWs involve decentralization and dispersal, both of which dilute command and control and multiply the risk of the weapon falling into the wrong hands. In the end

approach to nuclear deterrence should more directly confront this challenge through the induction of TNWs. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; d on page 13

October 30, 2015

Perspective

India Post 13

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Jihadi aggression and nuclear deterrence Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; d from page 12

Nuclear weapons in any nuclear weapon State, barring Pakistan, are today a political tool. So why there is a contrary belief is, least to say, inexplicable. To advocate that deterrence success has been achieved by Pakistan because it was able to indulge in terror activities since 2008 is also to suggest that India's nuclear weapons were made to deter jihadist - this is quaint! Analogous would be that Pakistan achieved deterrence success over the US since it harbored Osama bin Laden till 2011 or Mullah Omar till 2013! Pakistan has suggested that the induction of TNWs into its nuclear arsenal is in response to India's Cold Start doctrine. It must be noted that the Cold Start is a conventional war fighting strategy that aims at

labored upon earlier is characterized by the absence of escalatory control, a denial of political oversight and ambiguity between controller and custodian of the nuclear arsenal. To the Indian strategic planner there is no such thing as LNWA since the absence of escalatory control negates any notional gains that it may bestow. Retaliation that is either punitive or proportional implies a nuclear war fighting strategy; this is anathema to Indian strategic thought. As far as the correlation of policy and strategy is concerned, it remains the influence of policy on military strategy with a clear demarcation between conventional military resources and control over all nuclear forces.

The nuclear scenario and the chain of events that currently finds articulation may in essence be outlined as follows: Pakistan promotes a militant strike and in order to counter conventional retaliation uses TNWs and then in order to degrade a massive retaliatory second strike launches a full blown counter force/counter value strike. This is perverse for by this logic even a

Khushab Nuclear Complex - Pakistan

hardly be underscored that the 4th and 5th of the 1998 tests were low-yield warheads. India's nuclear doctrine, NFU policy, minimalist approach to its arsenal size and the current quest for strategic nuclear stability is more swayed by China than Pakistan. Doubts that have also been cast on the technical capabilities and yields of the nuclear weapon program based on the words of one disengaged member of the Indian scientific community, these are misplaced. Yields that have been operationalised are far in excess of 25kt, they include thermonuclear devices. Numbers are adequate. The ability to reconstitute to low yield weapons also exists. Seeking Escalation Dominance For India to emulate Pakistan's nuclear policies i.e. FU and TNWs, runs counter to every logic that has so far been propounded. To promote that the solution to nuclear deterrence asymmetry is escalation dominance is not to state the entire theorem, which is, that the corollary is nuclear war fighting, which most scholars agree is a rather flaky concept. LNWA and proportionality of nuclear

File photo of Hafiz Mohammad Saeed addressing an anti-Indian rally on Pakistan's Independence Day in Lahore

or "shoot and scoot" options, one wonders if the lessons of the Cold War have sunk home or, where they intend to scoot. Some scholars question India's nuclear doctrine as an emerging contest between "policy and strategy," presumably that is to imply military control over a slice of the nuclear arsenal limited by yield, vector and purpose; that is, provide the military with a limited nuclear war fighting alternative (LNWA). This option, for reasons that have been

tary and intelligence apparatus. Once again the logic of orderly nuclear escalation is fallacious.

The Perverse Nuclear Chain of Events and Capabilities

Pakistan has suggested that the induction of TNWs into its nuclear arsenal is in response to India's Cold Start doctrine. It must be noted that the Cold Start is a conventional war fighting strategy that aims at overcoming the ponderous mobilization process. Remember, it is a reactive conventional artifice that clutches in, should the need arise to take rapid military action across the border. overcoming the ponderous mobilization process. Remember, it is a reactive conventional artifice that clutches in, should the need arise to take rapid military action across the border. Its pre-emption does not lie in a nuclear response but in reining in terror activities. For Pakistan to turn to TNWs and varyingly call them "full spectrum deterrence"

have been quick to point out that India has either fallen behind in quality, technology or quantity of nuclear weapons. It need

bolt from the blue strike is in the realm of possibilities and for Pakistan to launch a nuclear strike it does not even need a nuclear adversary at all! The use of nuclear weapons releases restraints on retaliation. It is compelling to note that the Kargil conflict of 1999 was brought to closure because both military and economic pressures were becoming intolerable for Pakistan. Of equal significance is that it did not reach for the nuclear trigger but capitulated. Western sources have in recent times

Deterrence in essence is a mind game that does not brook any logic other than total escalation when confronted by a nuclear strike. The three options before India in response to a TNW strike are LNWA, punitive nuclear strike or doctrinal massive retaliation. The former two may sound reasonable on paper but notions of counter force strikes, flexible response, LNWA etc. do not make sense in the face of total escalation. One Answer to Jihadist Aggression Conventional forces are different by nature from nuclear forces. The former is susceptible to control, escalation, geographic spread, and indeed to economic pressures. The latter is not. Tolerance to conventional forces is the rub; where their limits lie is the question that planners must answer. India's incentive to keep below the nuclear threshold is as pressing as it is for Pakistan. This is deterrence at play. The conclusion that nuclear weapons do not deter sub-conventional warfare is appropriate. At the same time conventional forces can and do suppress the use of jihadists and if this policy is brought to bear in con-

For India to emulate Pakistan's nuclear policies i.e. FU and TNWs, runs counter to every logic that has so far been propounded. To promote that the solution to nuclear deterrence asymmetry is escalation dominance is not to state the entire theorem, which is, that the corollary is nuclear war fighting, which most scholars agree is a rather flaky concept. response are all sub-texts to the same. To transpose conventional strategy on nuclear policy can prove disastrous more so when dealing with a State controlled by its mili-

cert with anti-terror policy, answers may be found to jihadist violence. The writer is former Commander-inChief, Strategic Forces Command of India

Realty Tidbits

Indians invested $2 bn in Dubai real estate MUMBAI: Indians invested nearly USD 2 billion in the Dubai's real estate during the first half of this year. "According to Dubai government's data, Indians were the most prolific foreign investors in H1 of 2015, with a total of 3,017 transactions worth more than USD 2 billion," Sumansa Exhibitions President Sunil Jaiswal said. Sumansa Exhibitions organizes property expos. The company is bringing Dubai Property Show to India in November from 6-8 here. "The characteristic Indian mindset of solidifying assets in multiple arenas compliments the dynamics of Dubai real estate that offers a number of options to buyers to accommodate their budget and preferences. Recent trends of purchasing properties in locations such as Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Lake Towers and The Palm also suggest that the buyers are looking at profitable dividends in the shape of rents and resale value," he said. Jaiswal said going by the data, Indians top the foreign property investment chart, a position they have consistently maintained for several years. -PTI

Real Estate 14 India Post

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October 30, 2015

HARTFORD, Conn.: The head of the Connecticut Airport Authority has said he wants to bring a casino to Bradley International Airport. The airport authority is joining a growing list of suitors interested in hosting a casino that the operators of Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun want to open somewhere in northern Connecticut. ``The airport represents a very viable location because of its significant levels of passenger traffic, and the CAA believes a casino can be incorporated into improvements that are being advanced for the terminal campus area,'' said Kevin Dillon, the airport authority's executive director. The Mashantucket Pequots and the Mohegans, the tribes that own Connecticut's casinos, are working together to pursue a third property to compete with an MGM casino planned across the state line, in Springfield, Massachusetts. The tribes issued a request for proposals earlier this month and will be accepting applications until Nov. 6. Windsor Locks, the town where the airport is located, has been asked to consider working with the airport authority on the Details on Page 15 proposal.

Details on Page 15

4 reasons to make your home more energy-efficient

MARCIE GEFFNER

omeowners love to make home improvements. And while kitchen and bathroom makeovers can be fun, enhancing your home's energy efficiency can be even more enticing once you consider the benefits: • Saving money.

"Even though the upfront investment might cost the homeowner a bit, for a lot of them, you'll recoup that cost and then continue saving." The typical U.S. household spends $2,200 per year for home utility bills, according to the U.S.

• Making your home more comfortable. • Improving the resale value. • Reducing environmental harm. What's more, homeowners don't have to choose among these attractions, says David Arkush, managing director at Public Citizen. "We tend to think there are trade-offs and we have to decide between whether we care about the environment or we care about our own pocketbooks or convenience. Here, they go together," Arkush says. Energy-saving upgrades include: • Compact fluorescent lightbulbs. • Programmable thermostats. • Blankets for older water heaters. • Double-paned windows. • Appliances that use less electricity. • Weather-stripping around doors and windows. •Caulking around utility pipe cut-throughs, chimneys and recessed lighting. • Improved attic or crawl space and in-wall insulation. The biggest benefit of an energy-efficient home is lower electricity and natural gas bills. "A lot of these improvements make financial sense," Cluett says.

Department of Energy. Energy-efficiency savings can add up to a few hundred dollars each year for the average household, a sum Arkush describes as "not trivial." Weather-stripping, caulking and insulation might not have much of a wow factor, but blocking airflow is typically the most cost-effective way to make a home more energy-efficient, says Rachel Cluett, senior research analyst in the buildings program at the American Council for an EnergyEfficient Economy, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit organization that promotes energy efficiency. "People can actually stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter in all parts of their house rather than have an issue heating or cooling that distant room," Cluett says. Improvements can be made at any time, though the best time

Connecticut airport plans casino at Bradley

California home sales regain footing

might be when you're making other renovations. "When you already have a wall torn down and you already might have taken out financing of some kind, that's one time when there's an opportunity for homeowners to include energy efficiency," Cluett says. Several studies suggest a home's energy efficiency matters to prospective homebuyers. The 2013 study "What Home Buyers Really Want" by the National Association of Home Builders, included a questionnaire in which respondents ranked more than 120 elements of a home. The top-ranked item, considered "essential" or "desirable" by 94% of the 3,682 respondents, was Energy Star-rated appliances. The 3rd-ranked item, considered "essential" or "desirable" by 91% of the respondents, was an Energy Star rating for the entire home. (The 2nd-ranked item was a laun-

found a 9% price premium for those with an Energy Star, LEED for Homes or Green Point Rated label. A 2013-2014 analysis of 18,605 homes sold in the Chicago area found that those that disclosed natural gas and electricity costs through the brokers' multiple listing service sold faster, were more likely to close and received a higher percentage of the seller's asking price. The analysis was performed by Elevate Energy, an organization in Lisle, Illinois, that designs and implements energyefficiency programs. It takes a lot of dots to connect home energy to the natural environment, but the dots exist and Arkush explains how they connect. "By making houses more energy-efficient, we're using less power, which means less carbon goes into the air from power plants that burn coal or natural gas," he

dry room.) The July 2012 study "The Value of Green Labels in the California Housing Market" by 2 University of California economists, compared 1.6 million homes sold in the state from 2007 to 2012 and

says. "Carbon is the main greenhouse gas that's contributing to climate change. We already see more severe weather patterns -flooding, droughts, heavier storms, stronger hurricanes and tornadoes -- and those things are already hurting property owners across the country." Climate change can also damage public infrastructure, causing inconvenience and higher property taxes to make repairs. The U.S. Department of Energy says most energy supplied to residences comes from burning fossil fuels, which releases pollutants into the atmosphere. -Courtesy Bankrate.com

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California home sales regain footing SAN DIEGO: California home sales regained footing in September and prices cooled as buyers sought property in more affordable markets away from the coast, a research firm said. The median price for new and existing single-family homes and condominiums was $406,000, down 0.6 percent from $408,500 in August but up 5.5 percent from $385,000 in September 2014, according to CoreLogic Inc. It was the 43rd straight month of annual gains but percentage increases have cooled to single digit since June 2014. There were 40,990 homes sold last month throughout the state, down 0.8 percent from 41,328 sales in August but up 12.7 percent 36,385 sales in September 2014. ``Summer ended on a high note,'' said CoreLogic analyst Andrew LePage.

The National Association of Realtors says sales rose 7.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.82 million. That's the most since May 2010, when sales were fueled by a federal home-buying tax credit.

The September rebound allowed California to post its strongest summer since 2006. Sales slowed in August after a robust June and July, which LePage said might have been caused because supplies dried up after the early summer buying spree. The median price in the San Francisco Bay Area was $650,000 in September, up 1.2 percent from $642,000 in August and up 8.3 percent from $600,000 in September 2014. The nine-county region had 7,816 sales, up 6.9 percent from a year earlier. Sales fell in some expensive markets, including the city of San Francisco, where the median price hovered near $1.1 million, but jumped in more affordable suburbs. Contra Costa

Connecticut airport plans casino at Bradley Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 14

Windsor Locks First Selectman Steven Wawruck Jr. said the potential drawbacks to hosting a casino would have to be discussed but he is interested in exploring the prospects. ``With shrinking state revenues and jobs on the decline, it's important to explore all opportunities and keep dollars and jobs in Connecticut,'' he said. The airport authority's director has been invited to make a presentation to the Board of Selectmen next week, Wawruck said. He said the town would ultimately hold a vote on whether to welcome a casino if the tribes in the end choose Windsor Locks as their preferred location. Other developers have pitched locations in East Hartford and Enfield as possible sites for a tribe-owned casino. The tribes expect to make a decision by Dec. 15 on a site that would serve 10,000 visitors a day. The General Assembly would then need to pass legislation allowing a third tribal casino in Connecticut. Lawmakers return to Hartford in February. Among other details, the request for proposals asks about the nearest highway, the utilities available, how adjacent properties are used, prior land uses and the local zoning approval process. It also asks for the owner of the land and the municipality to acknowledge that they understand the parcel has been submitted to the tribes for consideration. -AP

County saw sales grow 18 percent from a year earlier, while Solano County surged more than 30 percent. Kim Ott, president-elect of the Bay East Association of Realtors, said buyers east of San Francisco include firsttime owners seeking to spend less than $600,000 and others who spend more than $1 million for more space than they can get on the San Francisco Peninsula. The median price in Southern California was $435,000 in September, down 0.7 percent from $438,000 in August but up 6.1 percent from $410,000 in September 2014, according to Irvine-based CoreLogic. There were 21,350 homes sold

in the six-county region, up 13.1 percent from a year earlier. San Bernardino, the most affordable county in Southern California, saw the region's biggest price gain, up 13.7 percent from last year to $268,000. Esmael Adibi, director of Chapman University's Anderson Center for Economic Research, said the numbers reflect a market driven by job growth, not investors. ``It is healthy to see price appreciation that is single digit,'' he said. ``It's good for buyers, even for sellers, builders and bankers. When you see prices that are 20 percent up, 20 percent down, those markets are not stable.'' -AP

Desi News 17-year-old student sets up Free Tutoring India Post News Service

FREMONT, CA: After his grandmother passed away in the Summer of 2015, Ameek Singh, a 17 year old from Fremont and senior at The Harker School, decided to carry her legacy forward by helping deserving underprivileged students with a tutoring network, www.KidsTutoringFree.org. His system is a powerful recurring scheme that multiplies the effect of charity dollars. Eleventh graders at the DAV Public School in New Delhi, India were given scholarships and stipends by Kids Tutoring Free to tutor up to four ninth graders each. These ninth graders then agreed to teach another four kids once they became eleventh graders. Students were selected for this program based on financial need and merit with the help of school officials.

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We cannot understand secrets of God's actions

October 30, 2015

Details on page 26

FIA Diwali Mela shines with fun, food & entertainment

Details on page 18

Hundreds participate in IACS Career fair

Bollywood and TV actor Shabir Ahluwalia with Dr. Romesh Japra

VIDYA SETHURAMAN

SURENDRA ULLAL

India Post News Service

CHICAGO: The 6th Annual Indo American Community Services (IACS) Diversity Career Expo, held at Hilton Chicago on October 22 was a grand success. Over 1000 people attended the Diversity Expo. Forty companies participated, among them Dover Corporation, Walgreens, United Airlines, Nielsen, Capital One and others. The event was attended by graduating students seeking internships; fresh graduates looking for entry level jobs and experienced professionals in pursuit of better career opportunities. The participants were not only from Indian American community but also from Asian American, Hispanic, African American and other communities. Details on page 19

Moneydart celebrates 35 years of growth

Rama from "Kaun Banega Best Rama contest'

FREMONT: Alameda County Fairgrounds here was bustling with activity as Federation of IndoAmericans of Northern California hosted their fourth annual "Diwali Mela" on October 24. It was attended by over 30,000 of Indian Americans and other Bay Area residents. The Festival of Lights was celebrated with fun, food and entertainment. It was a massive festival with non-stop music, dance, masti and masala! Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, marks the time of year when Hindus symbolically cast away evil and invite good and prosperity by lighting of lamps and candles. Where darkness represents evil to Hindus, lighting the lamp is a metaphor for the attainment of knowledge and symbolizes the destruction of negative attitudes and behaviors.

The fairground was filled with an array of booths and food stalls, with long lines at those by local restaurants like Chaat Bhavan, Park Balluchi, Peacock, Bombay to

(L-R) Raj Joshi, Dr. Romesh Japra ( Founder and Convener, FOG), Naresh Sodhi, Ritu Maheshwari, Rajesh Verma, Ram Malik and Shawn Ramani

Goa, Chennai Grill, Tabla, and Ananda Bhavan offering their specialties. There were several Indian clothing and jewelry booths selling their products, along with big businesses like Western

HARI RAO

Union, Wells Fargo, PG&E, & TV and Visitor's Coverage. Healthcare booths had been set up by FIA Health fair wing and they offered free flu shots sponsored by

Jhankis

Walgreens. The whole health fair was sponsored by Visitors Coverage. PG&E was the exclusive Kids Carnival sponsor. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 18

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Grand musical tribute to Bollywood Khans India Post News Service

MILPITAS, CA: Star Entertainment presented a grand musical tribute to top Bollywood Khans with live band Melody Maker on Friday October 16 at India Com-

Surlaker and teen aged guest singer from Boston Akila Narayanan set the stage on fire right from the beginning. The program started with special musical tribute to the original Khan - Dilip Kumar (Yusuf Khan).

The program started with special musical tribute to the original Khan - Dilip Kumar (Yusuf Khan). Then followed Feroz Khan and next were the current Bollywood Khans: Aamir, Salman, Shah Rukh and Saif Ali. munity Center Milpitas, CA The glittering musical night with packed audience included a red carpet, Khan Style Motorbike with Star Entertainment banner in photo shoot booth, an open bar and sumptuous dinner by Park

Then followed Feroz Khan and next were the current Bollywood Khans: Aamir, Salman, Shah Rukh and Saif Ali. Singers and Melody Makers presented their songs with the visual slide presentation effects including singing medley

From L-R: Pooja, Dahya, Grand sponsor Flavio Amaral, Platinum Garry Singh of Park Balluchi, Gold Sponsor Pamila Sahu, Peter Sahjani and Sunny Moza

ing from 1990 of "Papa Kahte Hain" to the latest numbers of "Malang Malang" and "Bajrangi Bhaijaan"

Elsoukov and Natika of Natika Dance also thrilled the audience. The emcee of the evening was Sunny Moza and the sound system with the DJ was organized by Adil Maharaj of Pacific Sounds. Colorful decoration was provided

other sponsors included Anita Ramchandani of RE/MAX, Pioneer Diagnostic Imaging, and Steve Balram Singh The organizers thanked supporters Ray & Kay Walia and Dr Romesh Japra, all volunteers, me-

Jasleen of INDTV US, Dancers Elena, Nisha & Natika with Peter Sahjani Supporters of the Event with Peter Sahjani, Pooja Bawa, Prakash Thapa, Kay Kaur, Ray Walia and Dr. Romesh Japra

Balluchi of Mountain View. Versatile singer Vikas Singh, voice of Tamil Nadu Geetesh Iyer, SRGM fame Puja Purandare, Anuja

numbers along with Dhamaka style DJ. The Khan songs ranged from their popular movie numbers start-

The theme related Bollywood dances numbers Dola Re Dola Re, Mayni Mayni, and Darde Disco by Russian native dancers Elena

by Eve DĂŠcor Grand sponsor for the evening was Flavio Amaral of RE/Max, Platinum sponsor was Park Balluchi, and Gold sponsor was Pamila Sahu of Eve DĂŠcor. The

dia partners INDTV, US Urdu News, India Post, Virender Chibber and Ravi Abhang of ICC, Aamit Sidhra for helping designing backdrop and Baljeet Pul for providing motorbike for the event.

Singer Akila Narayanan, Vikas, Anuja, Puja & Geetesh with Melody Makers live band

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17-year-old student sets up Free Tutoring India Post News Service

School in New Delhi, India were given scholarships and stipends by Kids Tutoring Free to tutor up to four ninth graders each. These ninth graders then agreed to teach another four kids once they became eleventh graders. Students were selected for this program

based on financial need and merit with the help of school officials. During this past summer, Ameek traveled to India for three weeks to start his pilot project at the DAV Public School and MCD Elementary School in New Delhi, India. Sahaita.org, Bay area's reputed NGO, agreed to fund Kids Tutoring Free and adopt it as one of their projects. Before this Ameek had worked with Homework express program in the local library and helped other youngsters that come to him for getting help with their studies. All of the scholars in the Kids Tutoring Free are intelligent, caring and hard working. One example is of a student who lives in an extremely unstable home environment, where he has to take care of himself and his brother. Despite his hardships, he has the best grades in his class for three years continually and is on track to get admission at the Indian Institute of Technology, a top tier institution. Ameek has achieved success with Kids Tutoring Free by focusing on creating a personal relationship with each one of the scholars in his program. He believes that

education is the most important tool to achieve success, which is why he has also created Stockonomics, a foundation that motivates young students to learn about economics and finance. Outside of Kids Tutoring Free, Ameek is passionate about economics, finance, computer science and entrepreneurship. He was placed second at Harvard's Economics Chal-

lenge in USA and tenth at DECA's International Career Development Conference (ICDC). In addition, he has cofounded his company, GHK Technologies Inc. In the future, Ameek hopes to be an impactful leader by giving back to the community that has made him what he is today. If you would like to be the part of this program, please email at ameekg@gmail.com.

FIA Diwali Mela shines with fun, food & entertainment Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 16

The Mela kicked off the festive season in East Bay, charming its visitors with variety of stalls selling fashion jewelry, handi-

crafts, henna art, colorful Indian apparel, home dĂŠcor and an assortment of delectable mouth watering food from all over India. The park played host to happy children as they were seen jumping in inflatable bouncers, playing games, and participating in petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, and coloring. Live dance and music performances were crowd pullers with Indian Bollywood music by FOG Band. The action-packed day started with live entertainment on two stages. The performers, dressed in bold colors with ornate decorations, executed precise movements as they moved to the beat. The purpose of this festival is to get together and celebrate intercultural understanding that promotes economic and cultural prosperity. The Ramayana came to life with the Ram Lila and Raas Leela performance put together by Rajesh and Madhu Gupta. Participants wore colorful costumes and re-enacted scenes from the Ramayana. "I would like to thank all our sponsors, volunteers and supporters for making this event a success," said Dr. Romesh Japra, Convener of FIA. Wells Fargo were the sponsors for Gala fireworks which started at about 8:15 pm and it was a 15 minute nonstop treat for the Bay area.

A Selfie with the Bollywood and TV celebrity Shabir Ahluwalia at FOG Diwali Festival and Fireworks at Zee TV booth were among the main attractions of the mela and thousands thronged the TV booth to take selfie with the superstar. Shabir is a popular TV star from famous Zee TV show "Kumkum Bhagya". His Bollywood debut movie is "Shootout at Lokhandwala". He has also worked in the movie "Mission Istanbul". He plays cricket in Celebrity Cricket League for Mumbai Heroes. There was a unique contest "Kaun Banega Best Rama". Ten kids were dressed up as Lord Rama and showcased their costumes on the stage. A brand new iPad by Chandru Bhambhra was given to the best dressed Lord Rama selected by a panel of judges. FOG Diwali and Fireworks also had Global Kids Quiz - "It's a Small World". Kids learned about rich culture, dances, costumes, monuments, places, and information about states from all over India. This special theme was put together by Anima Desai and her team. Many local dignitaries and community leaders participated in the celebrations. Alameda County Board of Education

trustee Ellen McDonald, Assembly Woman Catharine Baker, Teresa Cox and Rishi Kumar graced the occasion. The ancient tradition of Diwali includes the lighting of candles, setting off fireworks, and exchanging gifts and sweets. It celebrates the light of knowledge and truth overcoming the darkness of ignorance, said Rajesh Verma, Chairman of FIA, who worked meticulously for two months on this grand event. He attributed its success to the entire FIA team and its volunteers.

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Hundreds participate in IACS Career fair SURENDRA ULLAL

leads to workforce harmony and better productivity. He appreciated IACS for organizing such gatherings, where hiring employers and prospective employees come together under one roof. The Career Expo had two major highlights. One was its popular resume review, career advice and counseling service provided by industry veterans with recruiting background. Many participants lined up for this service, as job aspirants appreciate honest critique on the strengths and weak-

IACS career fair participants

better career opportunities. The participants were not only from Indian American community but also from Asian American, Hispanic, African American and other communities. Greg Jones, Diversity and Inclusion Managing Director of United Airlines, inaugurated the Diversity Career Expo. In his speech, Jones commented that organizations whose culture and workforce is as close to society as possible will thrive in their business. Many organizations in corporate America encourage diversity initiatives not only to educate their employees about other cultures but also to foster respect and understanding, which ultimately

ness of their resume and guidance to make it more attractive. The second one was a professional photograph service. Participants who had their professional photos taken would be able to use them on networking sites like LinkedIn or even for electronic resumes. Participating employers set up their stalls manned by recruiting and hiring managers. Each stall had a display board listing out open positions in the company. This information was very useful for job seekers to focus specifically on the employers whose positions matched their skills. Job seekers also had a unique opportunity to interact with hiring managers, seek their perspective on

open positions, skill expectations, growth and educations opportunities. The event provided job seekers with an opportunity to network with colleagues as well as make new connections. Shalini, one of the experienced professionals who attended the event, commented that this is a great opportunity for prospective job seekers to meet with recruiting managers. The hiring companies can 'put a name to the face' so to speak, which is not possible if one applies for a job online. Joe Chen, who is a student from Chicago looking for an internship opportunity, commented that the 'resume critique' service is very useful for students like him, as he learnt what recruiting managers look for. Suresh, Recruiting Manager from Nielsen commented that, the fair was useful to them not only to gather resumes of job aspirants, but also meet the prospective candidates in person and assess their capabilities, which is not easy to do in an online job application or telephone conversation. Satyendar Goel, one of the IACS Executive member said that credit for the grand success of this event goes to dedicated volunteers. Jagan Bukkaraju mentioned that IACS is pleased to see many of the employers participate every year as they view this event as a great opportunity to hire talented candidates from diverse backgrounds. Sreenivas Katragadda, President of IACS mentioned that his organization has scheduled a career expo in Dallas on November 12.

Aditi excels in Hindustani & Carnatic music India Post News Service

FREMONT, CA: Aditi Srinivasan (15) is a talented singer who has won many awards in the last few years. She started singing at the age of 5. She has performed lots of bhajans in temples. She also sings Bollywood songs. She has a sweet voice like that of Lata Mangeshkar. She started learning Carnatic music at the age of 4 and for the last couple of years has been training in Hindustani music by Bollywood singer Alka Bhatnagar. Aditi is multi-talented singer and has great interest in dancing also. She learned Bollywood Dance in Naach Dance Academy. She performed her first Bollywood Priety Zinta show at the age of 12. Later, at the age of 13, she performed at a concert with Arvinder Singh. She also sang in FIA Republic Day celebrations. Aditi did various concerts at different places with Alka Bhatnagar and Melody Makers group. She practices music every day for couple of hours. Aditi is thankful to her parents for providing her an opportunity to pursue singing. She is also very grateful to her music teacher Alka Bhatnagar because she feels that

Aditi Srinivasan

her voice has improved a lot because of her teaching. She has performed many Bollywood shows in the last few years. Aditi's teacher Alka Bhatnagar is very happy to have such a gifted and talented student. Aditi's parents are proud of her. Aditi's dad Srini says that she is very focused and wishes her great success. She has been blessed by famous cardiologist Dr Romesh Japra and famous plastic-surgeon Dr Vivek Bansal.

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New strategies to eradicate poverty explored SUNTHAR VISUVALINGAM

CHICAGO: India Development Coalition of America (IDCA) hosted its 13th annual conference at the IIT Rice campus in Wheaton, a northwest suburb of Chicago on October 17 and 18, on the theme "Exploring Innovative Strategies for Poverty Eradication and Climate Change Mitigation in India." Welcomed by founder-presi-

(SVYM) - shared his decades-long experience working with and amidst tribal and marginalized communities in Karnataka. Development should focus on "capability development," on human and social capital rather than infrastructure, with evidence rather than politics-based policies, i.e., supported by metrics. Credited for

dation, Virginia, showed how lowcost biological treatment systems are being used to clean up the Yamuna, sister-river to the Ganga. Leah Barnes of DePaul University argued why Indian water initiatives that address rural migration matter to the wider world. Distinguishing her "nano-" from better known micro-finance,

Keynote speaker Ramaswami Balasubramaniam addressing the opening session of IDCA

From left: Prof. Jagadish Shukla, Mohan Jain, Dr. Velamoor Rajagopal, Panel moderator Prakasam Tata and IDCA donor Dr. Asok Ray pose after Rajagopal's presentation

dent Mohan Jain, who recounted IDCA's achievements and ongoing initiatives, the four panels respectively covered water and livelihoods, education, healthcare and climate change. Keynote speaker, Ramaswami Balasubramaniam, who founded at age 19 what has since become India's top NGO - Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement

presenting the best annual reports and balance sheets, SVYM was deemed the best Indian NGO last year. Sundaresan Subramanian, president of Chicago-based ConsultSubi, offered solutions for safe drinking water from sources contaminated by waste, leakages, agricultural runoffs, etc. Subijoy Dutta, Rivers of the World Foun-

Joyasree (Ranu) Mahanti described how her Amara Biswas Foundation has been securing the livelihood of village households in Orissa by facilitating entrepreneurship among women through small loans of $10 to $20 with payback period of one-full year, with positive self-sustaining effects for the extended family and across the entire community.

Unique Arangetram by mom & daughters ARVIND THAKKAR

CHICAGO: This unique Arangetram marking the completion of dance training and blossoming of the dancers into full fledged exponents was talk of the town in Chicagaoland. A mom and her twin daughters, all three students of Nartan Dance Academy, held a well knit audience spellbound by their performances in Madeline, a Chicago suburb. Under the guidance of their Guru Mrugakshi Patel, mom Falguni Thakkar and daughters Arangentram by mom and twin daughters - Falguni, Sneha and Shveta Thakkar

Sneha and Shveta completed their Arangetram in the presence of a large audience of well wishers. The performance was so unique and impressive that Falguni, the mom, matched the energy, rigorous footwork and expressions of the art. On top of that the three had to synchronize their movements with one another with same level of energy and rhythm. The audience was mesmerized when they witnessed the three performers adopting roles of various characters and deities in Indian culture and Hindu religion. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 23

Prof. Jagdish Shukla, founder initiative is the biggest in India. of Gandhi College in Ballia, U.P., Dr. Subbarao Jayanthi of Illirecounted his successful elimina- nois-based Jayanthi Foundation tion of rampant cheating from ex- described collaborative efforts to aminations, despite obstacles alleviate type-1 diabetes. Dr V.K. posed by bureaucratic corruption. Raju of Eye Foundation of Usha Bhaskar Shegde, founder of America based in Morgantown, family-based Vishnu Narayan West Virginia, and Dr. Vora, who Foundation, presented its modest is also president of Blind Founattempts to ensure that her native dation for India, based in village in Maharashtra, India, en- Naperville, Illinois, gave remote joys facilities, such as library and presentations, via Skype, of their computer center, that her children work in India. So did Dr. Uma enjoy here. Koduri, who chairs the GAPIO The inspiration came from (Global Association of Physicians IDCA conferences she has been of Indian Origin) committee for attending and Mohan Jain's childhood obesity, on the mentorship. Dr Manu Vora de- "Nobesity Revolution" launched scribed his initiative since De- Dec. 12, 2012 from Tulsa, Oklacember 2013 to share quality management knowledge and soft The findings revealed a skills to professionals and students at vari- larger number of bisexual ous educational instiIndians than expected in tutions in India using free Google Hangout supposedly 'conservative' On Air. Dr Vijay Yeldandi of rural society. Chicago-based Share Foundation illustrated a decade of public health programs homa. in India through his comprehenDr. Velamoor Rajagopal of the sive work with HIV. HIV rates are Society for Hunger Elimination, greater among rural women, who Tirupati, India proposed a comwere receiving it from their hus- prehensive campaign to alleviate bands (Sita syndrome). The find- childhood hunger and malnutriings revealed a larger number of tion in India," which is home to a bisexual Indians than expected in third of the global hungry and supposedly 'conservative' rural ranking poorly in the global hunsociety. A network of 20 private ger index (GHI). This recipient of medical schools across Andhra the distinguished scientist award Pradesh provide sensitivization from late President Abdul Kalam training and testing after in- also underlined the need to adformed consent. When recruited, dress the 'hidden hunger' of miinfected young women served as cronutrient deficiency. "fanatical" peer counselors for The morning session the fol(pregnant) women at risk. This lowing day was devoted to climate Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) change.

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Moneydart celebrates 35 years of growth HARI RAO

CHICAGO: Moneydart, a UAE Exchange ranch in Chicago, joined the parent company in celebrating its 35 years of existence and growth on Friday,October 23 in the presence of its Chicago team, invited guests and elite of mini India town on Devon Avenue in Chicago. UAE Exchange, the world's largest money transfer, foreign exchange and payment solutions provider, celebrates its anniversary worldwide. According to UAE Exchange sources over the last three-anda-half decades it has paralleled the growth of the economies of the Gulf region and as a single largest global remittance entity now moves funds worth over US$26 billion annually. Prabhaker Patel, a Moneydart spokesman in Chicago, said that his company takes this opportunity to thank "our customers, partners, government authorities and various media houses for supporting us throughout our special journey." In 1980, when UAE Exchange first began its operations in Abu Dhabi, the remittances it handled were to the tune of US$1.5 million annually. In line with the growth of the

A guest, Shiiraz, being greeted by Prabhaker

Gulf economies and concomitant surge in migrant population over the years, it has been able to carve a niche in the history of the remittance industry catering to an average daily customer base of 400,000. UAE Exchange handles some 25.4 million transactions annually with much of the remittances to the Asian corridor and has nearly 6 per cent share in the business to developing countries. The World Bank estimates put that in 2014 global remittances were at US$583 billion out of which US$435 billion was to developing countries. "As the world's third largest migrant destination, the evolution of the remittance industry in the Gulf region has a global significance. Literally, from snail paced remittance transactions to sending money in a flash with the aid of superior technology, UAE Exchange has moved at brisk pace with significant milestones of service innovation on the way," said Promoth Manghat, CEO, UAE Exchange. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 23

VP Prabhaker Patel offering cake to Devon branch manager Shehla Jamil Moneydart joins parent UAE Exchange in celebrating 35th anniversary with staff

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Grand worship of new Durga idol from India SUJATHA PURKAYASTHA

CHICAGO: The Bengali Association of Greater Chicago (BAGC) held Durga Utsav in the weekend Oct 16 -18 in its usual splendid style at Bartlett High School Gymnasium, Cafeteria, Auditorium and halls in Bartlet with over 1300 members and guests in attendance. The grand worship of new Durga Idol from India was adorned and embellished by volunteers with a supportive puja committee. The sound of the drums (Dhak), the conch, the vocal "Oolu" all integral part of the Bengali traditions were executed to bring in the feeling of being in Kolkata to all the devotees. The auspicious flower offerings 'Pushpanjali' and 'Arati' were

Durga Sakhis

Durga idol grand worship

Indian Idol sensation and playback singer Rajdeep Chatterjee

conducted in an organized man- People clapped in anticipation of ner. The 'Prasad' offerings or 'holy their known songs and commenfood' made fresh on the spot was tary. This was their favorite band distributed by dedicated volun- brought to the largest Midwest teers through the three days. The Puja audience. A huge crowd sound of the Dhak was enhanced cheered the silver jubilee mileby Dhunuchi dance. stone celebration by the trio As part of the cultural pro- Anindya, Upal and Chandril. grams, the community artists spent The PiĂ¨ce-de-rĂŠsistance was months preparing and rehearsing planned for Sunday with the prewith large groups, involving mem- sentation by the Devis and Devas bers of all ages in dance, song, and of the first all women classical drama. The cultural committee band led by the eminent Indian managed the program over three vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty. days which constituted more than They celebrated womanhood with two hundred members of the as- enthralling vocals, music, and sociation taking part in the pro- dance. The performances covered grams and several volunteers helping with the The popular band from management. The culminating part Kolkata, Chandrabindoo, was the selection of the artists, performers from was a real treat for the Kolkata and Mumbai packed house. People that really drove home the feeling of being in clapped in anticipation of India and passing it to their known songs and the next generation. It was the Best Ever Cul- commentary. tural Event in BAGC Durga Puja in several years that left the audience in awe many pieces based on ragas such after the three days. a Durga, Basant Hindol, and more. Friday evening program was by The colorful play between the popular Indian Idol sensation Radha and Krishna with beautiful and playback singer Rajdeep flute interludes made it seem like Chatterjee who sang nostalgic the Lord was really among us. The Bengali songs and Hindi songs. presentation of the swan as a He had the whole house dancing woman; triumph of good over evil and jumping to his great selection with violin interludes mesmerized of songs! those in the audience. The enThe popular band from tranced audience including todKolkata, Chandrabindoo, was a dlers did not stir for over two real treat for the packed house. hours.

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Moneydart celebrates 35 years of growth Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 21

UAE Exchange is now the world's widely networked remittance entity with close to 800 branches spread across five continents. "Growth came not just from brick and mortar expansion alone but from an equally significant technology adoption and enhanced partner reach, which helped us create pioneering service excellence standards," said Mr Manghat. Prabhakar Patel, Assistant Vice President and Ms Shehla Jamil, Branch Manager of Moneydart, welcomed the invited guests and customers. The cake cutting ceremony was performed by Prabhakar Patel and Ms Shehla Jamil in the presence of the invited guests. To mark the occasion the Devon Branch was decorated with red and white balloons, flowers, lights and healthy snacks and soft drinks were offered to all guests and customers together with token of appreciation and gifts for being part of the celebrations throughout the day. The Exchange is a people's brand and is the most trusted brand to send money back home.

Linking people globally through technology-driven, professional and timely services delivered with a personal touch, it ensures that customers fetch good value for their hard-earn money. Moneydart is fast growing into a people's brand, winning customers through its unwaver-

To mark the occasion the Devon Branch was decorated with red and white balloons, flowers, lights and healthy snacks and soft drinks were offered to all guests and customers together with token of appreciation and gifts ing focus on reliability, product quality and service. UAE Exchange is a member of SWIFT, which enables Moneydart to transfer money to any bank account in the world in any currency. Moneydart Global Services Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of UAE Exchange, is steadily gaining popularity among the expatriates in USA. Incorporated in New York in 1997, Moneydart has its Head Office in New Jer-

Unique Arangetram by mom & daughters

The Thakkar trio with Guru Mrugakshi Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 20

Falguni in her concluding remarks emphasized that in addition to their hard work and enthusiasm, a lot of credit goes to Guru, Mrugakshiben and the outstanding music group for their excellent support. The proud dad of Sneha and Shveta, Rakesh Thakkar, thanked everyone for their encouragement to the performers.

sey, Prabhakar Patel, Asst. Vice President, said. Shehla Jamil, Head of Chicago facility, said in a talk to this paper that her agency would deal with and exchange any foreign currency at the most "competitive and best possible rate and the client would get the highest

It will be nice if some mothers take inspiration from Falguni's enthusiasm with or without their daughters. She effectively proved that age is a minor factor in one's desire and ambition to learn new things in life, maybe it is dance or education or something else. Such Gurus and artists are the torch bearers in preserving and spreading Indian culture for ages to come.

possible rate for the purchase or selling of foreign currency held by him. One can bring any cur-

rency and we will offer the best possible rate for its exchange," she said. Moneydart was no doubt licensed to deal in foreign exchange but it was mostly concentrating on the money transfer business so far. It will continue to keep up the pace in this area and is expected to cover almost all the States in this country. Moneydart has already tapped big hotels, tour operators and corporations for soliciting their business and the efforts, according to Ms Shehla, are quite rewarding and encouraging It was Prabhakar Patel, now Assistant Vice President, who was instrumental in getting Moneydart in Chicago and putting it on track. He has now climbed the managerial ladder and is setting his sight on hav-

ing Moneydart licensed in all States of USA. He holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and business administration from M. S. University, Gujarat, India. He joined Moneydart as a Business Development Manager in 2007 and became Assistant Vice President (Midwest) in 2009 handling Chicago operations while ensuring state and federal regulatory compliance for the Midwest states. Prabhakar has effectively expanded the network and implemented various marketing initiatives to increase brand exposure in the region. Prior to joining Moneydart in the US, Prabhakar managed operations and finances of several hotels, real estates and coffee plantations in Nairobi, Kenya.

24 India Post

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October 30, 2015

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Telugu Assn celebrates Dussehra & Deepavali Tri State Telugu Association Board of Directors

Culutral presentatión by local artists

Asian Media USA

CHICAGO: Members of Telugu community from Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin celebrated Dussehra and Deepavali under the aegis of Tri-States Telugu Association (TTA), a not-for-profit organization, at Hindu Temple in Lemont, a south side suburb of Chicago The religious fervor, scintillating cultural show, and fierce competition for sports trophies were the hallmarks of the celebrations. The program kick started with the traditional lighting of lamp by the Board of Directors of the TTA, which was followed by the singing of the Indian National Anthem. Chandini Duuvuri, Board Member, and TTA in her inaugural address observed that while getting rid of the 'demons', present in society, it is important to grapple with the evils within oneself and overcome them. The one-hour long chanting of Lalitha Sahasranama was spiritually invigorating. "Mere chanting of the Lalitha Sahasranama is not enough; one should know its meaning in order to win over the evil forces within one", urged one of the priests at the venue. The mesmerizing Dandia dance by men and women together, their traditional costumes, toe-tapping music, and distinct sound of brightly decorated wooden sticks enthralled the audience. A highlight of the celebrations was the high-voltage cultural extravaganza, in which about 130 singers, dancers, and mimicry artists participated. About 30 exhilarating performances of various genres of dances showcased the

full spectrum of colorful life of Telugu people. The cultural program also involved the presentation of classical, semi-classical, and light music, both from Bollywood and Tollywood movies. The singers not only entertained older audience but also connected equally with the young generation with hit numbers. The musical band, which played soulful melodies, left the entire audience swaying to its magic. Even the elderly people gave in to the festive mood, took the dance floor, matched the expert dancers, step for step, and

provided a pleasant surprise to their younger counterparts and kids. A big highlight of the evening was mimicry by Maruthi Satyavolu, which was a great mix of humor and voice modulation, imitating a variety of Telugu politicians and film artists representing the last three generations. Another unique feature of the event was the highly competed Chess and Tennis Tournaments. In the Chess Tournament, Shyam Ganesh and Shreya Bhagi won the in the adults' category, the first and second prizes went to Naveen Nagilla and Sameer Karthik Bhagi respectively. In the Tennis Tournament, Tejrupakekkurthi and Rakesh Avadanula won the first and second prizes respectively in the kids' category. Cont’d on page 26

October 30, 2015

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India Post 25

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Hindu prayer space at Princeton University NEELA PANDYA

NEW JERSEY: Princeton University in New Jersey has launched its first Hindu prayer space. It houses a temple for goddess Saraswati, musical instruments and books as also a private

Editorial Board of Princeton student newspaper The Daily Princetonian, the University's "only paper of record", endorsed the student initiative of creation of a Hindu prayer space on campus in April, which it said "has wide support from both Hindu and nonHindu, religious and non-religious students across the University". Many Princeton students, Hindus as well non-Hindus, in a survey, reportedly exPrinceton University in NJ pressed interest in creation of meditation facility. Hindu prayer space and supThere are plans to have guided- ported the idea. meditation/structured-worship in Princeton reportedly already this space. Located in Green Hall, has a University Chapel hosting it will be available daily to under- many Christian services, Muslim graduate and graduate students Prayer Room, Center for Jewish and faculty for meditation, reflec- Life and Interfaith Prayer Room. tion, worshipping, and connecting Chartered in 1746 and spread with God, etc. in 500 acres, Ivy League world-re-

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Remembering freedom fighter Khan A

shfaqulla Khan was an ideal friends and Urdu poets. Bismil revolutionary. His devotion was the pen name of Pandit Ram to the cause he admired made him Prasad whereas Ashfaq used to the foremost among those who write poetry with the pen name gave their lives to win freedom of 'Hasrat'. He was a prominent of India from British rule. figure of the Hindustan RepubIt is the duty lican Associaand good fortune tion. of every Bharatiya On 9 August whatever religion 1925, Ashfaqulla he or she may beKhan and eight long, to serve the other revolutioncountry. This was aries looted the the lesson Ashfaq train to collect wrote in the hearts arms and ammuof all people with nition known as his blood. He has Kakori train robleft a lasting imbery. He went to pression on the Delhi to go life of every Indian abroad and meet Ashfaqulla Khan by his noble marLala Har Dayal. tyrdom. However, his Pathan friend inMay his ideal life shine forever formed the police and he was in our hearts! He was born on Oct arrested. Ashfaqulla Khan was 22 1900. He had sacrificed his life hanged On Monday, 19 Decemalong with Ram Prasad Bismil. ber 1927. Bismil and Ashfaq were good Shridhar Damle Disclaimer :- India Post does not endorse opinions expressed in the letters.

nowned research university Princeton is the fourth-oldest college in USA. Many of its faculty/ staff have won Nobel Prizes. Its library holdings are over 14 million and its students number around 7,946. Commending the move by the Princeton University, Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that it was a "step in the right direction" in view of presence of a substantial number of Hindu students at Princeton, as it was important to meet the spiritual needs of these students. Zed thanked Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber and its Board Chair Kathryn A. Hall for the University's positive response to the requirements of its Hindu students. He urged all USA and Canadian

universities, both public and private, to respond to the needs of their considerable Hindu student bodies and offer prayer facility; as they needed to recognize the in-

tersection of spirituality and education, which was important in Hinduism. Some other universities/colleges in USA also offer Hindu prayer rooms.

Prayer room for students and faculty

26 India Post

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We cannot understand secrets of God's actions SWAMI NIKHILANAND

n the previous article, the reason for Shree Krishna's avatar was explained: He comes in order to establish dharm. By modeling good behavior, he establishes the ideal of apar dharm physical duties and good deeds to inspire more people to follow it. This leads to greater personal wellbeing and greater harmony in the family and society in general.

know them? When we fail to know the ones in this life who are closest to us, then how can we expect to know God, Who is by nature beyond the reach of our material intellect? In the 11th shlok of the 9th chapter, Shree Krishna tells Arjun that the ignorant people of the world are unable to recognize Him when He appears in this world in a hu-

Since our mind is material and limited, we cannot know God Who is Divine and unlimited. The only way to know Him is by surrendering to Him. Then, with His grace, we can know Him. In other words, we cannot know God by exercising our intellect Following this, the question was raised that many of Shree Krishna's actions - like stealing butter - do not seem to exemplify dharmic behavior; so what is the reason behind such actions? God's actions are Divine and are beyond human comprehension Before going into the specifics regarding such actions of Shree Krishna, we must understand a few fundamental points regarding God's actions. Firstly, as stated by Shree Krishna in the 9th shlok of the 4th chapter, all of His actions are Divine (including stealing butter). What makes them Divine? As explained in the previous article, He has no personal motivation to perform any action, because He Himself is the form of Divine bliss. So what could He possibly need? Therefore, His reason for performing any action is only to benefit others. In contrast, material souls (those under the bondage of maya) perform actions for their own personal reasons, because they are full of desires, since they have not attained perfect happiness yet. For this reason, we have a special term that we use for God's actions: they are called leelas. A leela is always gracious, because the motivation behind any action of God is to grace. Secondly, we need to understand that God's leelas are beyond human comprehension. With our material mind, we struggle to understand the motivation behind the actions of ordinary souls like us - then what hope do we really have of understanding the actions of supreme God? An ordinary person tries for his whole life to know his spouse, his friends, his coworkers, and their children, but the fact is, nobody really knows what anyone else is thinking - then how can you really

man-like form. They do not understand that He is supreme God Who rules over all the souls and the material universe. Since our mind is material and limited, we cannot know God Who is Divine and unlimited. The only way to know Him is by surrendering to Him. Then, with His grace, we can know Him. In other words, we cannot know God by exercising our intellect, or by logically analyzing Him - we can only know Him when we faithfully join our heart and mind with Him in surrender. Even Indra, Sati, and Brahma have failed to understand Shree Krishna's leelas Some great personalities have failed to understand the reasons behind Shree Krishna's leelas; what to say of ordinary souls? When Shree Krishna was 7 years old, He convinced the Brajwasis

Ravan). She judged Him as an ordinary man, even though God Shiv told Her repeatedly that Ram is supreme God. When she appeared before Ram in the form of Sita, He immediately recognized Her and inquired as to the whereabouts of God Shiv. When Shree Krishna was 5 years old, Brahma saw Him having lunch with the Gwalbals. They were all sharing their lunches with Shree Krishna, Who was laughing, joking, and even taking food right out of His friends' mouths to eat Himself. Brahma couldn't understand this childlike behavior of Shree Krishna. He thought that God would be acting in a much more formal way. He tried to confuse Shree Krishna by stealing away all the Gwalbals and calves and hiding them in a cave. But Shree Krishna was one step ahead of Brahma. He Himself took the form of all His friends and calves, and it was Brahma who became confused. Only when he humbly surrendered to Shree Krishna, was he able to realize His Divinity (with His grace). Thus, we cannot know God through the power of logical analysis; and by extension, neither can we know the reasons behind His leelas. It is foolhardy to think that we can understand God's motivation. However, if we approach the question with faithfulness and humbleness (instead of with pride in the power of our intellect), we can understand it to some extent. Having understood that all actions of God are divine, the leela of Krishna stealing butter will be explained in the next article.

With our material mind, we struggle to understand the motivation behind the actions of ordinary souls like us - then what hope do we really have of understanding the actions of supreme God? to do poojan of Govardhan hill instead of poojan to the king of swarg, Indra. When Indra heard this, he flew into a rage and tried to drown Shree Krishna and all the Brajwasis in a torrential downpour that lasted 7 days and 7 nights. Only after witnessing the power of Shree Krishna, Who lifted Govardhan hill with one finger to allow the Brajwasis to shelter beneath it, did Indra realize his mistake, and come to Shree Krishna in humbleness and surrender. Sati couldn't realize the Divinity of Bhagwan Ram when she saw Him lamenting the loss of Sita (Who had been kidnapped by

Disciple of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj Swami Nikhilanand Ji is a Canadian born Hindu spiritual leader based in Austin, Texas. He is a sanyasi disciple and pracharak of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. Attracted to the teachings of Hinduism from a young age, Swamiji eventually let his deep spiritual longing lead him to India, where he was most fortunate to come under the guidance of Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. Thereafter, living in the ashrams of JKP, he extensively studied Hindi, the

philosophy of the prime Sanskrit scriptures (Vedas, Darshan Shastras, Gita, Bhagwatam), and practiced meditation in the tradition of raganuga bhakti. In 2003, he was given sanyas. Now, with the blessings of his Guruji, he offers satsang programs throughout America, engaging audiences with his clear explanations of Hindu phil o s o p h y coupled with inspired chanting of Sanskrit mantras and shlokas and charming nam sankirtan. His informative and compelling speeches provide practical insight into how to adopt the teachings of Sanatan

Dharm into our daily lives, and inspire us to awaken our inner spiritual potential. To stay in touch with Swami Nikhilanand Ji, like his

Swami Nikhilanand

Facebook page at https:// w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / SwamiNikhilanand or follow him on twitter at https://twitter.com/ Swami_Nikhil.

Telugu Assn celebrates Dussehra & Deepavali Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 24

In the adults' category, Srinivasaekkurthi and Subramanian Kandasamy won the first prizes and Vijay Sivashanmugasundaram and Vijay S, won the second prizes. TTA thanked all the participants, attendees, and sponsors for their support in making the event a huge success during the busy Navarathri season. TTA also welcomed new members/participants from the Chicagoland to register

on its website www.telugu.org and show support to its upcoming events. The Board of Directors comprises Jagadish Kanuru, Aparna Ayyalaraju, Bhaskara Reddy Karri, Chandini Duvvuri, Veeraswamy Achanta, Ramakrishna Korrapolu, Rajani Akurati, Hemanth Pappu, Vaidehi Sriram, Lakshmi Duvvapu, Neelu Mylavarapu, Ravi Tammana, Swapna Pula, Pranati Kaligotla, Prasad Jasti, Prasad Maruvada, Srinath Vasireddy, Radhika Garimella and Raghu Moturi.

October 30, 2015

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India Post 27

Horoscope

28 India Post

October 30, 2015

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October 30th - November 5th 2015

ou may buy some expensive electronics items for personal use or for the house. Some money may also go on getting some last minute construction or repairs to the property. You will be spending more time on phone and writing important emails. You will make up your mind to join a new venture.

ou may have to face some road blocks this week but as long as you don't change your mind and plans, success will come soon. Bank balance will creep up slowly. You will be extra careful when it comes to spending money and buying gifts this time. Spouse will see good change in health with new diet.

urchasing will start and you will extend a helping hand to spouse to bring home in order. Mind will be relaxed and you may spend money on buying some nice gifts. Eat on time and keep an eye on blood pressure. You will need to sit down with one of your child and ask for his plans. Park your vehicle at proper place.

trategy adopted recently will take you out of quick sand and you will feel kind of liberated. It will be again in your best interest to let the past go. Money wise things will start looking up again and you will have many new clients this week. People who bothered you in the past will get crushed.

eople around better admire your courage this time. Actions will reflect purpose and determination. Some of you may be in market to replace one of your ailing vehicle. Money may go on buying some items for the home. You may sit down with one of your child and have some serious discussions finally.

ou will finish the project well before deadline in order to prepare for upcoming days off from work. You may see a bigger pay check this week and some claims will also get finalized and show up in the bank. Running around will increase and you may end up buying some nice things for personal use and for the house. Try to eat on time.

eek bring many good changes in life. People applying for new opportunity will be invited for second round of interview. Money wise you will continue to stay in safe zone. Someone lot older and honey color eyes will be helpful. An old health issue could flare up again and over the counter medicines may be good enough to treat the problem.

ost of the time may be spent away from home. Business trip will be enlightening and fruitful. You will be able to shed more weight with restricted diet and physical activities. You still have a big chance of hitting some kind of financial jackpot. No harm in spending some money on lottery. Watch out for person trying to come back in life.

o not rush into any thing. Think will a calm and rational mind and then go for it and the results will amaze every one. Right advise from an older person will give you hope and you may be able to steer life in right direction. Just handle all issues involving government with extra care. People in business will make big payments.

on't let minor obstacles lose your focus from real things. Just stick to your plans as success is just around the corner. Do not stretch your budget when it comes to buying gifts for others. A long distance trip will be finalized and you will inform the people on other end. Try to cut down on caffeine.

f you act calm and play your cards right, the deal can take place within this week. Keep an eye on what you eat and monitor the quantity. You may buy some nice stuff for spouse and for the house. You may completely discard an ungrateful friend from your list. It will be better off to take few days off to catch up on things.

oney wise it looks like a better week. You may dispose off some stocks and pocket the money. It will be better to hold off all career related important decision for another week. Mail you had been waiting for , will finally arrive. You may slowly start working on an overseas trip also. Seek a second opinion about project in mind.

October 30, 2015

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India Post 29

TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Gulaabo : Shaandaar 2 Main Hoon Hero Tera: Hero 3 Shaam Shaandaar : Shaandaar 4 Prem Leela: Prem Ratan Dhan 30 India Post

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October 30, 2015

Payo 5 Matargashti : Tamasha 6 Tung Tung Baje : Singh Is Bliing 7 Bandeyaa : Jazbaa 8 Afghan Jalebi : Phantom 9 Singh & Kaur : Singh Is Bliing 10 Raitaa Phail Gaya : Shaandaar

ctress Freida Pinto was spotted kissing professional polo player Ronnie Barcardi in Los Angeles earlier this month. The 31-year-old, who dated Dev Patel for six years after meeting him on the sets of their breakout film Slumdog Millionaire in 2008, looked fully enamored of her new beau. Pinto held her man in a tight and snuggled embrace, closed her eyes and laid one smooch after another on him, reports eonline.com. Elsewhere, it is her dancing skills which are being praised. Himself a dancing wizard, 41-year old Hrithik Roshan posted on Twitter, "Has anyone out there seen 'Desert Dancer'? Pure passion ignited. Most incredible film I have seen. Such amazing actors. Bravo to the entire team. And how amazing is Frieda Pinto. Never seen anyone dance like that. Wanted to wish her but she doesn't pick up my phone!"

angana Ranaut is one of the most sought-after actors in BTown today. When she isn't working, Kangana often travels across the world to address audiences at various events. The latest such function was the Women In The World Summit that took place in London, UK, where she shared the stage with Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman. "For someone like me, who comes from a small village, to be able to represent our country was a big achievement. I was shivering before going on stage. I was teary-eyed and nervous. I didn't know the questions they would ask me, so I chanted the Gayatri Mantra. I just went along with the conversation, and got a good response," says Kangana.

hraddha Kapoor, who recently headed to Shillong for 'Rock On 2' shoot had to fly back to Mumbai due to severe eye infection. She developed an eye infection during the shoot and it got worse. She went to a local doctor in Meghalaya but condition deteriorated. "When the film team took her to a local eye doctor in Shillong, it was found out that there was a scratch in the cornea of her eye, and that's why she was feeling uncomfortable all along," adds the insider. "In fact, as soon as Shraddha landed at Mumbai airport, she didn't go home. Instead, she headed straight to her eye doctor. She is doing better now and is expected to resume shoot in a few days," adds the insider. Shraddha confirms, "Yes, I developed a sudden redness and itching in my eye which later got extremely painful. Ritesh (Sidhwani) didn't want me to take a risk and asked me to travel back (to Mumbai). I will join the team in a few days."

â&#x20AC;&#x153;She is doing better now and is expected to resume shoot in a few daysâ&#x20AC;?

October 30, 2015

Bollywood

India Post 31

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ackie & Ayesha Shroff's daughter, the feisty and free-willed Krishna Shroff has again created a flutter among conservative elements for her bold pictures on a social network. She had posted some provocative pictures a month ago. But Krishna says she is not in this to get attention. Now she's done it again. Says the self-confessed gypsy at heart, "Those pictures aren't meant to prove anything to anyone... They never were. They're for myself." But no plans for Bollywood, although the wise elements in the trade think these pictures are Krishna's portfolio into stardom. One star-kid in the Shroff family is enough for Krishna. Says the feisty Shroff heiress with finality, "If people assume I'm trying to get producers' attention I can't even begin to express how far away from the truth that is. When it comes to me I make and break my own rules. I love my privacy and being able to live my life the way I want to."

icha Chadha has signed a role for the film Sarabjit, which is directed by Mary Kom famed director Omung Kumar. The Fukrey actress will be seen essaying the role of actor Randeep Hooda's wife in the upcoming biopic, which is said to be based on the Indian who died in a Pakistani jail. The film is based on Sarabjit Singh, an Indian farmer who was convicted of terrorism and spying in Pakistan, was sentenced to death. He was attacked by inmates at a prison in Lahore in April 2013, and died a few days later. The film also features Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who will be playing the role of Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur.

The film is based on Sarabjit Singh, an Indian farmer who was convicted of terrorism and spying in Pakistan

isa Haydon has been roped in by the makers of 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' and the 29-year-old leggy lass is quite excited to be a part of Karan Johar's much awaited movie. Lisa who began her career as a model, shot to fame in Bollywood with her critically a c claimed performance in 'Queen'. The details of her character in the film are being kept under wraps, but rumors suggest that she will be playing a very pivotal role in the film, the report added. Karan Johar had announced 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' revealing the names of only the three lead actors Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. After the film went on floors in Europe in September, names of some more casts were disclosed slowly. They include Sunny Leone, Fawad Khan, Imran Abbas and now Lisa Haydon.

Health

Line

Rajasthan to launch health insurance scheme JAIPUR: Rajasthan will launch on December 13 an ambitious 'Health Insurance Yojna' (HIY), a cashless medical facility for the public with insurance cover of up to Rs 3 lakh per family. Announcing this here, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said the beneficiaries would be selected on the basis of Aadhar Card or Ration card; she said and asked the health officials to take up this task as a mission and popularize it to the extreme corner of the state. Speaking on the occasion, Medical and Health Minister R S Rathore said it would be cashless medical facility for public with provision of medical insurance of Rs 30,000 per family for seasonal diseases and Rs 3 lakh for serious diseases. The state government would spend Rs.300 cr every year on one crore families on their health insurance, Rathore said. -PTI

Delhi to offer jobs to acid attack victims NEW DELHI: The Delhi health department has decided to offer jobs to acid attack victims in its units, in a move to help them rehabilitate. This was informed by Health Department officials to Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson Swati Maliwal, who thanked Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain for the decision. Maliwal said the DCW was

Health Science 32 India Post

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October 30, 2015

Details on Page 35

Study compares knee replacement surgery with other options

eople with knees worn out by arthritis will get more pain relief from joint replacement surgery, but it has more risks and there's a good chance that less drastic approaches also would help. That's the bottom line from the first study to strictly test other treatments against knee replacement, an operation done hundreds of thousands of times a year in the U.S. ``It's one of the great operations of the 20th century,'' yet good evidence of its effectiveness has been lacking, said Dr. Jeffrey Katz, a joint specialist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. He wrote a commentary that appears with the results in New England Journal of Medicine, and said the right choice will be different for each patient, depending on goals, overall health, and whether the person wants to have or avoid surgery. More than 670,000 total knee replacements are performed annually in the United States, mostly for arthritis, which deteriorates cartilage in the joints. Medical experts advise trying other things before considering surgery, such as weight loss, physical therapy, exercise and medicines, and many studies show these can help. But for how long is not known, nor are there good comparisons of side effects. Researchers in Denmark as-

signed 100 patients to either 12 weeks of non-surgical treatment physical therapy, exercise, diet advice, special insoles and pain medicine - or surgery followed by 12 weeks of the other treatments. After one year, the surgery group improved twice as much as the others did on scores for pain,

having surgery within the year. Complications were more frequent with surgery, including several serious deep vein clots, a fracture and a deep infection. And other studies show that surgery ``is not universally successful,'' and that 1 in 5 patients still have some pain six months later, Katz

A doctor holds a model of a tri-compartmental total knee replacement in Chicago.

activities of daily living and quality of life. However, two-thirds of those not given surgery still had a meaningful improvement, and only one-fourth of them ended up

wrote. Others viewed the results as a clear victory for surgery. ``This certainly adds to the evidence that what we're doing is

US will tackle prescription drug abuse: Obama

also holding talks with officials from other departments to facilitate jobs for other victims also. Last month, the commission chief had written to all ministers of the state government urging them to facilitate jobs for acid attack victims in their respective departments. The DCW which is working with the Delhi government to rehabilitate acid attack victims has collected CVs of 33 victims and forwarded then to various departments. -PTI

New method to stop lung cancer cells

CHARLESTON, W.Va.: Traveling to a region in the throes of a drug abuse crisis, President Barack Obama has promised to use his bully pulpit and federal programs to try to combat the ``epidemic'' of heroin use and prescription painkiller abuse that is upending communities across the country. ``This crisis is taking lives; it's destroying families and shattering communities all across the country,'' Obama said at a panel discussion on opioid drug abuse. ``That's the thing about substance abuse; it doesn't discriminate. It touches everybody.'' On stage at a crowded com-

munity center, Obama heard from advocates, health care workers, law enforcement officials and policy makers about the depth of a problem that has long simmered at the state level but just recently risen to the national political stage. Charleston Police Chief Brent Webster said his officers deal with a ``community of zombies walking around'' in need of treatment. A father of five daughters described what it was like to find one of them had overdosed, a needle hanging from her arm. Obama said the stories reminded him of his teenage daughters and his own rebellious teen

years. ``They're wonderful girls, but they're teenagers. They do some ... things,'' he said. ``And I remember me being a teenager. I've written about this. I did some ... stuff. And I've been very honest about it. And so what I think about is `there but for the grace of God,' and that's what we all have to remember.'' West Virginia has the highest rate of overdose deaths in the U.S. - more than twice the national average, according to a report by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Cont'd on Page 34

effective and improves patients' quality of life,'' said Dr. Joshua Jacobs, a joint surgeon at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Many people get relief with therapy but ultimately need surgery when arthritis worsens, he said. Lynnette Friend, a retired mail carrier from Crown Point, Indiana, tried joint-lubricating shots before having a knee replaced five years ago. She plans to have the other one done in January. ``This time I just went ahead and went for the knee replacement,'' she said. ``There's not much that can be done when it really starts to deteriorate.'' Kenneth Rose, a retired Chicago police officer, also tried shots before having a knee replaced in 2011. When the other one worsened, he had it replaced in May, and now is able to lose weight and walk a couple miles a day with his wife. ``I wish I had done it sooner,'' he said. ``It's such a pleasure, really, you don't realize how great it is to be able to go outside and take a walk.'' Soren Skou at Aalborg University Hospital Science and Innovation Center in Aalborg, Denmark, led the study. The results give ``convincing'' evidence that surgery helps, but that there are trade-offs on risks, said Dr. David C. Goodman at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. His advice: • Don't feel pushed or locked into a choice; get more than one opinion, and remember you can always choose surgery later if you try something else first. • Consider how well you can handle the disruption of activity and rehabilitation needed after surgery, and how much help you'll have. • Get a clear estimate of what it will cost you. The operation runs $20,000 to $25,000 but research also suggests it saves money because it keeps people working and active and helps prevent other health problems, Jacobs said. -AP

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Antibiotics may affect body mass index WASHINGTON: Kids who receive antibiotics throughout the course of their childhood gain weight significantly faster than those who do not, a new study has warned. The findings suggest that antibiotics may have a compounding effect throughout childhood on body mass index (BMI), a measure often used to determine whether someone is at a healthy weight. "Your BMI may be forever altered by the antibiotics you take as a child," said study leader Brian S Schwartz, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research. "Our data suggest that every time we give an antibiotic to kids they

gain weight faster over time," said Schwartz. Schwartz and colleagues analyzed Geisinger Health System's electronic health records on 163,820 children between three and 18 years old from January 2001 to February 2012. They examined body weight and height (which are used to determine BMI) and antibiotic use in the previous year as well as any earlier years for which Geisinger had records for the children. At age 15, children who had taken antibiotics seven or more times during childhood weighed about three pounds more than those who received no antibiotics, researchers found.

Wyoming's health insurance company shutting down CHEYENNE, Wyo.: Wyoming's secondlargest health insurance company, which went all in with the new federal health care program, is closing down, forcing about 13,000 of its customers across the state to find new health insurance. WINhealth, which has been in business since 1996, will shut down Dec. 31, the state Department of Insurance announced. The state will help people and groups covered by WINhealth plans to find new insurance by Jan. 1 and will see to it that outstanding claims are processed until conclusion, state Insurance Commissioner Tom Glause said.

People and groups with WINhealth should not panic, Glause said. ``We will see an orderly wind-down of the business,'' he said. ``During that period, we will also be trying to do an orderly transfer of these policies to other carriers.'' The annual open enrollment period for individual policy holders to sign up for health insurance or move to a different insurance provider begins Nov. 1. Individual WINhealth customers should sign up with a new company by Dec. 15, Glause said. Wyoming has just three other licensed insurance carriers offering individual coverage. The news comes nearly two weeks after WINhealth announced it would pull out of the health care exchange program under the federal Affordable Care Act. About 8,400

people in Wyoming were covered by WINhealth under the program. WINhealth spokeswoman Caitlin Rooney said the federal program both was slow and deficient with helping the company cover people who signed up for the exchange. WINHealth was expecting about $5 million in federal reimbursements for medical care that the company covered in 2014 under the exchange program, but it was told Oct. 1 that it could expect only $638,000 through the Affordable Care Act. WINhealth is one of two health insurance providers participating in the federal health care exchange program. The other is Blue Cross Blue Shield. ``We took on a big risk when we decided that we were going to participate in the federal exchange,'' Rooney said. ``And we went all in on that.'' WINhealth's main customer base before the federal program was selling health insurance policies to groups and employers, involving about 5,000 people altogether. Glause said WINhealth almost tripled its customer base in two years by selling plans to individuals who signed up through the government exchange program. ``The two biggest causes of insurance company failure are rapid growth and undercapitalization, and those are certainly both prevalent here at WINhealth,'' he said. Glause said his department and federal officials are working to find another insurer to participate in the Wyoming exchange. It's also possible that WINhealth could be purchased by someone else, he said. -AP

Approximately 21 percent of the kids in the study, or almost 30,000 children, had received seven or more prescriptions during childhood. Schwartz said that the weight gain among those frequently prescribed antibiotics is likely an underestimate since the children did not stay with Geisinger throughout childhood so their lifetime antibiotic histories. "While the magnitude of

of including small quantities of antibiotics in daily animal feed to fatten up the animals in an accelerated time frame. In humans, meanwhile, there is growing evidence that antibiotics could lead to weight gain because of the effect that they have on what is known as the microbiota, or the microorganisms that inhabit the body. There are 10 times more bacterial cells in the human body than our Antibiotics kill off harmful bacteria but also own cells. Many of these those vital to gastrointestinal health. Rebacteria do search has shown that repeated antibiotics their work in the gasuse can forever change the microbiota, trointestinal altering the way it breaks down food. tract, helping the body to digest food and the weight increase attributable to antibi- absorb nutrients. otics may be modest by the end of childAntibiotics kill off harmful bacteria but hood, our finding that the effects are cu- also those vital to gastrointestinal health. mulative raises the possibility that these Research has shown that repeated antibieffects continue and are compounded into otics use can forever change the adulthood," he said. microbiota, altering the way it breaks down Scientists working with penicillin food and increasing the calories absorbed. learned early on that its byproducts This, in turn, can increase weight gain. caused weight gain in animals. This led to The study was published in the Internathe modern industrial farming techniques tional Journal of Obesity. -PTI

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Facebook, Twitter could reveal details about health WASHINGTON: The language people use on social media and the information they post may offer valuable insights into the relationship between their everyday lives and health, a new study has found. Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that many adult Facebook and Twitter users are willing to share their social media data and medical data for research purposes. By building a l a n g u a g e databank, it may be possible to link social media content to health outcomes, researchers said. "We don't often think of our social media content as data, but the language we use and the information we post may offer valuable insights into the relationship between our everyday lives and our health," said the study's senior author, Raina M Merchant, director of the Social Media and Health Innovation Lab and an assistant professor of Emergency Medicine at Penn Medicine. "Finding ways to effectively harness and mine that data could prove to be a valu-

able source of information about how and why patients communicate about their health. There is a rich potential to identify health trends both in the general public and at the individual level, create education campaigns and interventions, and much more." "One of the unique aspects of this data

is the ability to link social media data with validated information from a health record," Merchant said. In the study, patients visiting an Emergency Department were asked if they used social media, and if they would be willing to share their social media data and electronic medical data with health researchers, for the purpose of building a research database. Similar to existing banks of genomic data, the research database of language and other social media data allows researchers to draw

correlations between participants' online content and their health. More than 1,000 participants consented to share their social media and medical data over seven months. Analyzing content from as far back as 2009, the shared social media data consisted of nearly 1.4 million posts and tweets to Facebook and Twitter, comprising almost 12 million words. Researchers found that variations in word complexity could suggest cognitive decline, or a change in the number of words per post or network size might be indicative of a depressed mental status.

Posted content could also reveal information about adherence to prescribed medications, new medical conditions, or health behaviors like exercise and diets. The researchers also found that individuals with a given diagnosis in their electronic medical record were significantly more likely to use terms related to that diagnosis on Facebook than patients without that diagnosis in their electronic medical record. The findings are published in the journal BMJ Quality & Safety. -PTI

US will tackle prescription drug abuse: Obama Cont'd from Page 32

his work to create drug courts at home that mandate treatment over jail time for nonviolent offenders. Before leaving the White House, Obama ordered federal agencies that employ health care providers to offer training on prescribing painkillers. They also must review their health insurance plans and address policies that might prevent patients from receiving medication as part of their treatment. Both steps are relatively modest efforts, given the budget stalemate in Congress. The White House has proposed $133 million for new treatment programs. The administration also wants to expand access to medications that can help addicts transition off other opioids, and has also pushed to expand availability of naloxone, which a drug that can reverse overdose.

State officials say the problem is damaging the economy, depressing the workforce and overwhelming social services. Obama's trip was briefly delayed by Vice President Joe Biden's announcement from the White House Rose Garden that he would not seek the presidency. The news threatened to overshadow Obama's attempt to throw a national spotlight on the drug issue, but his visit was closely watched in West Virginia, where his energy policies have made him deeply unpopular. Obama stressed that the drug abuse problem is a national one. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released in July found the number of people who reported using heroin within the past year had nearly doubled from 2002 to 2013. Heroin use was up among nearly all demographic groups, but showed particular spikes among women and non-Latino whites. Researchers say two factors are driving the trend: the rise in abuse of opioid painkillers - drugs that are often a precursor to heroin - and the increasing availability of cheap heroin. Researchers found that most users reported using at least one other drug in combination with heroin, which contributes to high overdose rates. BePresident Barack Obama answers questions from tween 2002 and 2013, the rate of heroin- members of the audience during a community forum related overdose deaths nearly quaat the East End Family Resource Center in Charlesdrupled, and more than 8,200 people ton, W.Va. by some estimates, one in every 50 addicts - died in 2013, according to the Cary Dixon, of Huntington, who sat next CDC. to Obama during the panel discussion, exExperts say few prescription drug health plained how her 28-year-old son is in prison care providers are properly trained to safely for drug-related crimes. She said he had prescribe painkillers, while access to medi- been to multiple treatment facilities, includcation-assisted treatment for addicts is too ing recovery centers, before he was locked difficult. up. Obama's visit comes as politicians are She also has a grown daughter, and ``we grasping for a policy response, including raised both of our children with morals and presidential candidates in both parties. values,'' Dixon said. ``And that's what I try Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham to get across to people that substance Clinton has laid out a $10 billion plan that abuse, it doesn't respect anyone. It doesn't promotes treatment over incarceration. matter what kind of family that you came New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has visited from, race or economic status. Substance drug rehabilitation centers and talked up abuse affects everyone.'' -AP

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New method to stop lung cancer cells TORONTO: Scientists have identified a new way to stop the growth of lung cancer cells, by blocking their ability to use alternative sources of nutrition. The findings point to possible new avenues for treating lung cancer, which is the second most common cancer and accounts for over one-quarter of all cancer-related deaths. The metabolism of cancer cells is very different from normal cells. Rapid proliferation means that cancer cells have increased energetic needs. This need is met using glucose (sugar) as the main source of nutrition. Cancer cells use glucose at rates tens or even hundreds of times larger than that of normal cells. When glucose becomes scarce, however, cancer cells must switch to using alternative sources of nutrition to maintain their growth and survival. A team of scientists from McGill University, Washington University in St Louis, ITMO University in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and the University of Bristol in the UK studied the response of cancer cells to reduced availability of glucose, the main fuel source for most cancer cells.

The group chose to experiment with one of the most common types of lung cancer - non-small cell lung cancer, which affects 8590% of all lung cancer victims. They found that some lung cancer cells change their food preferences - switching from glucose to the amino acid glutamine - when sugar is scarce. The researchers found that cancer cells use an enzyme known

"The fact that PEPCK levels are elevated in some cases of human lung cancer suggests that this enzyme may play a role in the human disease," said Russell Jones as PEPCK to reprogram cancer cell metabolism. "Until recently, PEPCK has only been extensively studied in specialized tissues that make glucose, such as the liver," said Emma Vincent, Research Associate at McGill University and

lead author of the study. "We found that some cancer cells also express PEPCK, and this confers to them the ability to convert glutamine into energy and building blocks to support their growth. By making this metabolic switch, PEPCK allows cancer cells not just to survive, but to continue to proliferate under starvation conditions," Vincent said. The scientists demonstrated that blocking PEPCK in cancer cells could slow tumor growth in mice. The group also found evidence of increased PEPCK levels in tissues from lung cancer patients. "The fact that PEPCK levels are elevated in some cases of human lung cancer suggests that this enzyme may play a role in the human disease," said Russell Jones, Associate Professor of Physiology at McGill University's Goodman Cancer Research Centre. The study suggests that nutrient availability in the organism, where cancer cells must compete for glucose and other nutrients, can impact cancer progression. The results of the study are published in the journal Molecular Cell. -PTI

3D-printed bikini cleans water as you swim NEW YORK: Want to help clean polluted water? It might be as easy as slipping on a bikini! Researchers have invented a new 3D-printed swimsuit capable of cleaning up oil spills and desalinizing water while people swim. A material created by University of California, Riverside engineers is the key component of the swimsuit that won an international design competition for its ability to clean water as a person swims. The reusable material, which they call Sponge, is derived from heated sucrose, a form of sugar. It has a highly porous structure that is super hydrophobic, meaning it repels water, but also absorbs harmful contaminants. "This is a super material that is not harmful to the environment and very cost effective to produce," said Mihri Ozkan, an electrical engineering professor at UC

Riverside's Bourns College of Engineering. Ozkan, along with fellow engineering professor, Cengiz Ozkan, current PhD student, Daisy

Patino, and Hamed Bay, began developing the material about four years ago for applications such as cleaning up oil or chemical spills or desalinizing water. They also believe the unique water-repelling nature of the material could be used in paint applied to airplanes and satellites or as part of electromagnetic shields for such things as unmanned aerial vehicles. The idea to incorporate the

material into wearable technology, such as the swimsuit, came from Pinar Guvenc, Inanc Eray and Gonzalo Carbajo, partners of Eray Carbajo, an architecture and design firm based in New York City and Istanbul. The team visited the Ozkan's labs and worked with them to design the swimsuit. The team's design molds the Sponge material into the shape of a bikini and encapsulates it in a net-like cage made of 3D-printed elastomer that forms to the body. The material could also be incorporated into such things as bathing suits, swimming caps and wet suits. The Sponge material can absorb up to 25 times its own weight and it doesn't release the absorbed materials unless it is heated at a temperature exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius. The contaminants will be trapped in the inner pores of the sponge material, so they don't touch the skin. -PTI

Nagaland health care 'far from satisfactory' KOHIMA: Despite having 566 health care facility centers in Nagaland, the health care delivery system in the state is far from satisfactory, Nagaland Minister for Health and Family Welfare, P Longon, has admitted. The future doctors should take one's assignment as a challenge and serve the people irrespective of their posting place and facilities available, the minister said while inaugurating the two-day long Nagaland Medical Students' Association golden jubilee celebration here. "With a few instruments in hand, you will find the joy of serving the people even in the remotest part of the state only if you worship your work and serve the people whole heartedly," he said. Longon also appealed to the gathering of the would-be doctors and in-service medical practitioners of the state to introspect seriously and render quality care to the people. He also urged upon the medical officers and students to help the government in streamlining the department and not to indulge in private practice while being an employee of the government. Meanwhile, thanking the central government for approving a medical college at Kohima, the minister asserted that the state

government was trying every possible way to make it a reality and start the first academic session by 2016-17. Longon expressed the hope that commencement of the medical college in the state capital would reduce the efflux of patients outside the state for treat-

P Longon

ment thereby improving the state's financial condition. He asked the doctors in the state to reach a level of competence that is considered minimum as laid down by the Indian Medical Council Act 1956. The minister also appealed to all the future doctors to strive for knowledge and skills in order to become successful professionals so that people will get maximum benefit. -PTI

Medicaid proposal to boost Native American care PIERRE, S.D.: In considering an expansion of Medicaid to make nearly 50,000 more state residents eligible for the program, South Dakota's proposal also focuses on improving access to care and boosting the health of the state's large Native American population. The Health Care Solutions Coalition met in Pierre to discuss in part the proposal's impact on Native Americans, who make up nearly 9 percent of South Dakota's population. The plan under examination to expand the Medicaid program for low-income and disabled people would be funded through state savings by improving access to care though the Indian Health Service and a change in the classification of some services to have them fully paid for by the federal government. Improving access through IHS and tribal health programs means members wouldn't have to travel as far to get services and would improve health while lowering costs, said Jerilyn Church, a co-

chair of the coalition and chief executive officer of the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Health Board. . ``I think what's happening here is unprecedented in this state, and you know, it's obvious that the state's going to benefit,'' she said. ``But if the tribes are going to benefit, then you know we need to work together and build on that common ground.'' The state's share would be offset by savings to make up for the expected cost of between $30 million and $33 million starting in 2020. Putting together a workable plan is going to require broad agreement, said Kim MalsamRysdon, a senior adviser to the governor. ``This is not going to be the governor's plan,'' she said. ``This is going to be the plan of many voices, and it has to be supported by tribes, it has to work for IHS, we have to have federal cooperation and flexibility, and we have to have the Legislature's approval.'' -AP

Tech News Bharti Airtel Q2 profit jumps 10% NEW DELHI: Country's top telecom operator Bharti Airtel has reported 10.1 per cent jump in net profit to Rs 1,523 crore for the quarter ended September, bolstered by a sharp growth in mobile data usage. It had reported net profit of Rs 1,383 crore on consolidated basis for the July-September quarter of the last financial year, Airtel said in a statement. The total revenue rose 4.3 per cent to Rs 23,836 crore during the second quarter of the current fiscal, compared with Rs 22,845 crore in the year-ago period. With more people accessing high speed Internet on their smartphones, Airtel's mobile data revenue grew 49.8 per cent to Rs 3,806 crore and data traffic jumped 76.3 per cent. That is 16 per cent of the total revenues as compared to 11.1 per cent in the corresponding quarter of the last fiscal. The company witnessed, however, a sequential decline in voice minutes in the quarter under review, compared to the preceding quarter. Total minutes on network decreased to 336,002 million, as compared to 342,987 million in April-June period of the current fiscal, 2015-16.-PTI

Air Costa in funding talks ahead of launch NEW DELHI: Regional carrier Air Costa, which is awaiting aviation regulator's nod to fly pan-India, is in talks with various investors for raising funds. Air Costa also plans to lease six more Embraer aircraft by the next calendar year as the airline looks at enhanced operations once it receives national operator's permit, a senior airline official said. "We have been looking to raise funds and have been approached by several investors with their proposals. We are in talks with them at different levels. It would take a while before we decide about our investment partner," the official said. Refusing to name "interested parties," who were in talks with the airline, the official said both domestic and overseas investors have evinced interest in funding Air Costa. "We are open to both strategic investors and private equity players as far as funding is concerned," he said without divulging quantum of funds Air Costa was looking at.-PTI

TechBiz

People dress up in different cartoon costumes during the launch of first toy shop by Hamleys of London in Kolkata on October 27

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Tax Deptt launching 'pilot' project for scrutiny assessment NEW DELHI: The Income Tax department is set to roll out its 'pilot' project to conduct scrutiny assessment in an e-environment when they begin sending queries through email to 500 "select" tax-

payers without calling them to its offices. The department had recently said it would launch a 'pilot' project in this regard and the first set of ecommunications will be emailed to 100 chosen people each in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Chennai regions. "The department has sought the willingness of select taxpayers to conduct their scrutiny proceedings through email after the CBDT recently asked for the immediate roll out of the project. The response has been enthusiastic," a senior I-T official said. The Central Board of Direct Taxes, the apex policy-making body of the tax department, had recently asked the department to "initiate the concept of using email for corresponding with taxpayers and sending through emails the questionnaire, notice etc at the time of scrutiny proceedings and getting responses from them." "This would eliminate the necessity of visiting the Income Tax offices by the taxpayers, particularly in smaller cases, involving limited issues and where taxpayer is able to provide details required by the Assessing Officer (AO) without necessitating his physical presence," the order in this regard had said. CBDT Chairperson Anita Kapur, in a recent interview to PTI, had said that the "first-of-it's kind initiative" is aimed at making life easy for taxpayers. "We have been thinking how

can we make life easier for taxpayers especially for those who are in the middle and the slightly higher tax bracket. So, now we are thinking of allowing that when a notice is issued in an assessment or scrutiny case, the taxpayer can send the department an eresponse," she had said. The official added these 'pilot' project scrutiny assessments will be completed in the stipulated time frame and a record-sheet of oneto-one communications will be sent to the CBDT by the end of this year so that it can be implemented on a nation-wide basis from 2016-17 financial year. "Taxpayers whose cases land up in the scrutiny net by the virtue of a number of flag indicators like unexplained credit card transactions or unusual capital gains made will be covered under this pilot project. It may require that the taxpayer being sent emails will have to meet the AO at least once

before their case is processed finally," the official said. The taxman will choose the assesses for this project through the email that has been mentioned by them in their Income Tax Return (ITR). The CBDT boss had earlier said the purpose of introducing the system was to reduce the interface between the taxpayer and the AO. "The taxpayer can send documents over email, scan them, upload them and it's over. It (emailbased scrutiny session) should be over and should not go beyond that. This is the way we are trying to address the issues of compli-

Tax experts say the initiative will also ensure privacy of a taxpayers' communication with his AO and the tax department. The CBDT chief had said she was aware of instances where the taxpayers complained that the AO raised numerous queries upon meeting the assessees despite their earlier order sheets having mention of only a few queries. "This (sending emails) is one way of giving both the taxpayer and the AO a good opportunity to solve their things without any problem. It has also been mentioned in our earlier instructions to the field that the questionnaire

The CBDT chief had said she was aware of instances where the taxpayers complained that the AO raised numerous queries upon meeting the assessees despite their earlier order sheets having mention of only a few queries. ance and limiting the interface between the taxman and the taxpayer. This will be a sea change in our tax administration," Kapur had said.

sent to the taxpayer in scrutiny cases should be focused and specific so that the person knows what is he being enquired about," Kapur had said. -PTI

Penalty for customs, excise offences eased NEW DELHI: In a bid to reduce harassment of overseas travelers, the government has eased the penal provisions by raising fourfold to Rs 20 lakh the limit of undeclared or mis-declared baggage that will attract

this limit attracts prosecution or arrest. The government has now raised this limit to Rs 20 lakh. "In cases of outright smuggling or mis-declaration of baggage, the limits regarding value of offending goods have been re-

"In cases of outright smuggling or mis-declaration of baggage, the limits regarding value of offending goods have been revised from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 20 lakh" arrest or prosecution. Presently, overseas travelers can pay a fine for any undeclared or misdeclared baggage of a value up to Rs 5 lakh. Any such baggage beyond

vised from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 20 lakh," a Finance Ministry statement said. Similarly, the monetary limits for arrests and prosecution have been raised for offenders under other acts including Central Excise, Cus-

toms and Service Tax. However, there will be no limit for arrest and prosecution in the cases of smuggling of fake Indian currency notes, arms, ammunitions and explosives and endangered species. Also, the procedure for arrest and sanction of prosecution has been revised and specified with adequate safeguards to ensure that these powers are exercised only in serious cases above the revised thresholds. "The monetary limits for arrest and prosecution have been revised substantially upwards to ensure that these powers are not used against small and medium businesses," the statement added. -PTI

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The warmer it gets, the more world economy hurts WASHINGTON: With each upward degree, global warming will singe the economies of threequarters of the world's nations and widen the north-south gap between rich and poor countries, according to a new economic and science study.

Compared to what it would be without more global warming, the average global income will shrivel 23 percent at the end of the century if heat-trapping carbon dioxide pollution continues to grow at its current trajectory, according to a study in the scientific journal Nature. Some countries, like Russia, Mongolia and Canada, would see large economic benefits from global warming, the study projects. Most of Europe would do slightly

better, the United States and China slightly worse. Essentially all of Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East would be hurt dramatically, the economists found. ``What climate change is doing is basically devaluing all the real estate south of the United States

and making the whole planet less productive,'' said study co-author Solomon Hsiang, an economist and public policy professor at the University of California Berkeley. ``Climate change is essentially a massive transfer of value from the hot parts of the world to the cooler parts of the world.'' ``This is like taking from the poor and giving to the rich,'' Hsiang said. Lead author Marshall Burke of Stanford and Hsiang examined 50

years of economic data in 160 countries and even county-bycounty data in the United States and found what Burke called ``the goldilocks zone in global temperature at which humans are good at producing stuff'' - an annual temperature of around 13 degrees Celsius or 55.4 degrees Fahrenheit, give or take a degree. For countries colder than that economic sweet spot, every degree of warming heats up the economy and benefits. For the United States and other countries already at or above that temperature, every degree slows productivity, Burke and Hsiang said. The 20th-century global average annual temperature is 57 degrees, or 13.9 degrees Celsius, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Last year - the hottest on record was 58.24 degrees and this year is almost certain to break that record, according to NOAA. Burke and Hsiang use different populationweighted temperature figures than NOAA calculates. But the U.S. economy is humming despite the heat. When asked how that can be so, Burke said there were many factors important for growth beyond just temperature. He said one year's temperature and economic growth in one nation isn't telling. Instead,

Top US walnut producer eying India market HUGHSON, US: With India's market for walnut showing strong demand, a top American producer and processor is confident of doubling his exports to India this year of the 'king of nuts', considered a good source of healthy fats. "We are excited about the possibilities in India regarding California walnuts," John Mundt, owner of Alpine Pacific Nut Co., Inc. said. "We feel India has a lot of untapped potential with regards to the population size as well as the desire for people to start eating what is considered a healthy diet/life style," Mundt told PTI in this Californian prosperous city. "We are hoping to double our volume this year may be to 30 container loads," he said.

India allowed California walnuts to be shipped to the country in 2013. He also noted that people in countries like China and India who have entered the middle class and have money to spend were increas-

ingly consuming walnuts, which is good for health. "People are just eating healthier in general," he said. Alpine Pacific Nut, which has a 500 acre farm in California's fertile Central Valley, and a state-of-theart processing plant, mainly sells

inshell walnuts that are packed in 50-pound sacks that are then either hand shelled in India or sold inshell to local markets. "We are working with a handful of local importers who have been able to help us navigate the markets. Since this is fairly new market for California Walnut suppliers its very important to have some good contacts in India who know the local markets and can gain new markets for us," Mundt said. He also noted that like any new markets it will take time to develop the Indian market and this could take a few years. "But so far we are liking the potential (of the Indian market)," he said. At the same time, he said that price is always the determining factor in exports. "We see pricing this year as very favorable and this could help increase our volume to India," he said. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 39

he and Hsiang looked at more than 6,000 ``country-years'' to get a bigger picture. Burke compared the effect of global warming on economies to a head wind on a cross-country airplane flight. The effects at any given moment are small and seemingly unnoticeable but they add up and slow you down. While it is fairly obvious that unusual high temperatures hurt agriculture, past studies show hot days even reduce car production at U.S. factories, Burke said.

matic economic harm, Hsiang said. The authors' main figures are based on the premise that carbon dioxide emissions will continue to rise at the current trajectory. But countries across the world are pledging to control if not cut carbon pollution as international leaders prepare for a summit on climate change in Paris later this year. If the current pledges are kept, the warming cost in 2100 will drop from 23 percent to 15 percent, Burke said. Gary Yohe, an environmental

But because the U.S. is now at that ultimate peak, there's greater uncertainty in the study's calculations than in places like India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Nigeria and Venezuela where it's already hot and there's more certainty about dramatic economic harm, Hsiang said. ``The U.S. is really close to the global optimum,'' Burke said, adding that as it warms, the U.S. will fall off that peak. The authors calculate a warmer U.S. in 2100 will have a gross domestic product per person that's 36 percent lower than it would be if warming stopped about now. But because the U.S. is now at that ultimate peak, there's greater uncertainty in the study's calculations than in places like India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Nigeria and Venezuela where it's already hot and there's more certainty about dra-

economist at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, praised the study as significant and thorough, saying Burke and Hsiang ``use the most modern socio-economic scenarios.'' But Richard Tol, an economist at the University of Sussex in England, dismissed the study as unworthy to be published in an economics journal, saying ``the hypothesized relationship is without foundation.'' Other experts found good and bad points, with MIT's John Reilly saying it will spark quite a debate among economists. -AP

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October 30, 2015

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UK govt, Tata Steel announce Indian-American honored for agriculture work 9 mn pound support package LONDON: The 1,200 Tata Steel workers in the UK facing job cuts have been thrown a lifeline with a 9 million pound support package put together by the British government and the Indian steel giant. The government will provide 6 million pounds of the total 9 million pound package, the UK government and Tata Steel said in a joint statement, days after Britain's biggest steelmaker announced the lay-off under a restructuring deal to cope with a "flood of cheap im-

ation in Scunthorpe, on top of 10 million pounds it has already earmarked to help regenerate UK steel communities over the next five years," it said. UK Steel Enterprise, a subsidiary of Tata Steel, has pledged 3 million pounds to support workers in Scunthorpe in the West Midlands region of England where its steel plant is to restructure. "This is a very difficult time for the workforce, so it is important that the government and the company come together to support

Tata Steel's UK Steel Enterprise is also providing an additional 1.5 million pounds to support job creation in steel communities around its Dalzell and Clydebridge sites in Scotland. The UK government says it is continuing discussions with the Scottish government about further support. Karl Koehler, Chief Executive of Tata Steel's European operations, said: "I recognize this is a challenging time for the employees affected by the restructuring we an-

It is separately providing up to 3 million pounds specifically for training of affected employees through local Further Education (FE) colleges to help the employees up-skill for the wider job market ports" mainly from China. It will give 3 million pounds to match Tata Steel's funds to provide support for more start-up businesses and companies that are looking to expand and create jobs. In addition, it is separately providing up to 3 million pounds specifically for training of affected employees through local Further Education (FE) colleges to help the employees up-skill for the wider job market, according to the statement. "Tata Steel's regeneration arm UK Steel Enterprise has pledged 3 million pounds to support job cre-

people and the local economy," UK business secretary Sajid Javid announced here. He said: "The government has no intention of simply standing aside whilst the steel industry faces global challenges on a scale unprecedented in recent years. We will do everything we can to help workers and to ensure a levelplaying field for the industry. "Tata Steel has a strong track record of creating jobs and supporting local communities right across the country, and its commitment to this package is to be commended."

nounced. "We are committed to doing everything in our power to support those impacted and through UK Steel Enterprise we will help create new jobs in the affected local communities. "The UK steel industry is facing extremely challenging circumstances and we welcome the government's pledge to match our funding package for those affected." The Indian steel major had confirmed a restructuring at its UK unit which will lead to 1,200 job losses.-PTI

NEW DELHI: State finance ministers are scheduled to meet on November 20 to discuss the model Goods and Services (GST) Tax law as well as the integrated-GST or iGST legislation. The Centre had earlier this month circulated among states the draft of CGST, SGST and iGST for their comments. "The meeting of states to discuss the laws is scheduled to happen on November 20," an official told PTI. The Central GST (CGST) will be framed based on the model GST law. Also, the states will draft their own State GST (SGST) based on the draft model law with minor variation incorporating statebased exemption. Besides, iGST law would deal with inter-state movement of goods and services. After the draft laws are deliberated upon by states, it would be put

up in the public domain seeking comments of trade and industry. "The model legislations have been drafted after consultations between representatives of both the

difficult as the Constitution Amendment Bill is stuck in the Rajya Sabha where the ruling NDA does not have a majority. The government, however, is going ahead with the preparatory work necessary for smooth implementation of the GST, which will subsume various levies like excise, service tax, sales tax, octroi and the like and will ensure a single indirect tax regime for the entire country. The government has already put up three reports of empowered committee on GST on refunds, payment process and registration for public comments by October 31. Besides, another report of a Joint Committee in relation to GST return process has suggested providing monthly filing of returns for business to business dealings through a set of eight forms for different categories of transactions.-PTI

HOUSTON: An Indian-American farmer is among 12 individuals from across the country who were recognized as White House Champions of Change for sustainable and climate-smart agriculture at an event in the US. Anita Adalja is a social worker who merged her career with farming. Currently, she is working as a manager at the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture. Anita said she is committed to food access solutions, community building and sustainable land stewardship. Before being called to farming, she was a social worker in Brooklyn. While working with formerly homeless, mentally ill adults in a supportive housing facility, Anita co-founded a rooftop farm on top of the building. "My commitment to food access, food justice and community building was solidified through this experience. From there, I threw myself into farming by attending an apprenticeship program at the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems in Santa Cruz. I haven't looked back since," she said in a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) blog recently.

The winners were selected by the White House for their achievements and will be honored for their exemplary leadership and innovation in agricultural production and education. The Champions have helped implement agricultural practices that promote soil health and energy efficiency, improve water quality, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Anita Adalja

Anita has worked to create a more equitable and sustainable food system by increasing food access, sustainable farming, farmer training and farm-to-school education. Under her management, Arcadia Farm grows thousands of pounds of naturally grown produce that is sold in low-or no-food access areas in Washington, through its mobile farmers' market program.-PTI

Haryana announces new State FMs' meet on Nov 20 to discuss GST licensing policy

The Central GST (CGST) will be framed based on the model GST law. Also, the states will draft their own State GST (SGST) based on the draft model law Centre and states. Now, the state finance ministers have to formally approve it," another official said. Although the government had planned to roll out GST, which is touted as the most comprehensive indirect tax reform since Independence, from April 1, 2016, it seems

CHANDIGARH: The BJP-led Haryana government has announced the launch of New Integrated Licensing Policy (NILP) 2015 for the development of hyper and high potential urban complexes. Terming it as a "game changer", the state government said the policy finds proper balance between the aspirations of farmers, property buyers, real estate developers and the government. Blaming previous "faulty policy" for the lack of proper development in the state, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the new policy will not allow "manipulative methods" adopted by some real estate companies in the past for availing "undue favor". Among other highlights, the policy makes way for the internationally acclaimed models of Transferable Development Rights (TDR), allowing farmers or land-

owners with small piece of land to monetize their land at current market price. Khattar announced the launch of new licensing for the development of hyper and high potential urban complexes of GurgaonManesar, Faridabad-Ballabhgarh, Sohna, Sonepat-Kundli, Panipat and Panchkula-Kalka-Pinjore. Calling it as "game changer", Khattar said the policy finds the proper balance between the aspirations of the farmers/landowners, the buyer-consumers of residential plots or flats, the real estate developers and the government to make a win-win situation for all. He said the new policy titled NILP 2015 brings in the internationally acclaimed models of Transferable Development Rights (TDR) coupled with unique provisions which obviate the need for the government to resort to compulsory acquisition of land.-PTI

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October 30, 2015

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Tycoon's 'Taj Mahal' to be demolished in Australia MELBOURNE: An Indian-origin couple's 70 million dollar mansion in Australia, known as 'Taj Mahal-on- the-Swan', will be demolished after the former fertilizer magnates failed to reach an agreement with the local council. Pankaj and Radhika Oswal are owners of Perth based domed structure that included a temple, a gym, an observatory with a revolving roof and parking for 17 cars. The controversial property was being built by Oswals who fled the country in 2011 when their Burrup Fertilizers Empire collapsed a year earlier. Oswals left Australia owing millions of dollars in taxes, AAP news agency reported. The couple purchased multiple blocks in a posh suburb of Perth in early 2000s to construct their property. The report said that they might have spent over 25 million dollars buying the land before starting construction of the home on the 6,600-square-metre site. Work for the mansion ended in 2010 when the couple experienced business problems and left for Dubai.

It was estimated they had spend close to 40 million dollars on the unfinished home. "An application filed by Oswal with State Administrative Tribunal to prevent the demolition was now being withdrawn, in time to cancel

on the outcome, and it seemed a reasonable compromise to accept the timetable that was proposed," Thomas was quoted by AAP. Thomas said police were regularly called to the unfinished property after it was left to fall into disrepair.

a full hearing that was scheduled for November 9," Peppermint Grove shire president Rachel Thomas said. Preparation works must begin by December 31 and the site must be cleared by September 30, 2016, all at the Oswals' expense, Thomas said. "We'd rather it was demolished sooner rather than later, and given this has been going on for so long, we really wanted to have certainty

"We were aware that it was a real nuisance for the immediate neighbors in particular because of the antisocial behavior. And with the graffiti, it was a real blot on the landscape," she said. "It really impacted on the amenity of the area. We've had people smoking dope in there, police called out on a number of occasions because of noisy parties, people climbing over the wall - it's been a real problem.-PTI

Top US walnut producer eying India market Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 36

Alpine Pacific was founded 17 years ago by John Mundt and his wife Catherine. The company currently processes over 40 million pounds of California walnuts and distributes domestically and overseas. Apart from a modern orchard and mechanized operations, it has a modern processing plant which includes latest equipment used for hulling and drying walnuts. The company is active in most markets from the industrial user, to bakeries, to re-baggers as well as inshell markets. Walnuts are harvested from September to November. Mundt said his orchard has a variety of walnuts. While Chandler variety is favored for its blonde, light color and mild flavor, other varieties like Howards, Vina and Hartelys are also planted in the orchard. Unlike in India, walnuts are removed from trees by mechanical shakers in the US, which shake the nuts to the ground. Walnuts are

then swept from the orchard floor by mechanical harvesters and taken to processing facilities where they are cleaned and packaged. After a pass through the rock tank to separate the floating walnuts from any unwanted field debris like leaves, the walnuts are put into a dehydrator where a warm wind blows over them for 12 to 18 hours to reduce the moisture content to seven per cent. Since 99 per cent of the US commercial supply of walnuts and three-quarters of globally traded supply comes from California, precision sorting is required, Mundt said. Since the global demand for shelled nuts is greater than the market for in-shell, the company shell the walnuts using a cone cracker, then laser-sort to remove any kernels with defects and hand-sort on a picking table to select premium nuts. Walnuts are a semi-fresh food, meaning that with proper storage and handling walnuts are good to eat for up to one calendar year he said.-PTI

35 India Post

halo bulawa aya hai, Mata ne bulaya hai." The young, the old, the poor, the rich - everyone has heard this chant. It's a call that has been reverberating for centuries, a call to undertake a physical as well as spiritual journey to the holiest of holy shrines Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. The popular belief states that only when you hear the call of Mata Vaishno Devi (as in an epiphany) only then will you be able to make the arduous trek to the holy shrine. The yatra to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is one of the holiest and the most arduous pilgrimages for Hindus all over the world. The shrine is at an altitude of 5,300 feet and is about 14 kilometers from Katra. The trek is not an easy one as the hills are steep and requires a lot of stamina and fitness. Instilled with a belief that Mata Vaishno Devi grants wishes to those who seek her blessings, from newlyweds to old couples, everyone undertakes this yatra. Over the years, the facilities along the route to the holy shrine have made the journey comfortable. For the elderly and those of ill health, mule and pony rides are available to negotiate the steep incline. Furthermore, pilgrims can also avail helicopter services from

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October 30, 2015 Katra and Jammu to Sanjichat. Sanjichat is the highest point on the trekking route of Vaishno Devi. The Bhawan is a downhill trek of about 2.5 km from Sanjichat. Pure vegetarian food stalls and hygienic outlets are available at regular intervals so the pilgrims do not face any hassle during their journey. The yatra and the route remain open for the pilgrims throughout the year. The most popular time to undertake the darshan is during the festive and auspicious time of the Navratras. There are two routes you can take from Katra to get to the Bhawan - the old route and the new route. The old route is longer and considerably steeper. It goes through Ardha Kuwari, reaches the summit at Bhairav Ghati and from there climbs down to Bhawan. You can hire horses and ponies to reach Bhawan through the old route. The new route is shorter and much easier to tackle. Although it does not go through Ardha Kuwari, many pilgrims first go to Ardha Kuwari, then get back to the base camp and then take the new route to the Bhawan. The new route does not go through Bhairav Ghati and horses and ponies are not allowed on this route. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 42

October 30, 2015

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Thekkady named world's top emerging destination T H I R U VA N A N T H A P U R A M : Thekkady, an iconic attraction in Kerala's Idukki district known for its jaw dropping landscape splattered with rolling hills, dense

Travel Association (PATA) CEO Challenge 2015 award along with Albay in the Philippines. "The destination in 'God's Own Coun-

forests and spice plantations, has been named the world's top emerging destination by an international travel trade body. Thekkady won the inaugural Pacific Asia

try', which is home to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, bagged the Top Destination Award in the second and third-tier cities category, the only category for cities," a

Mumbai in worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best bed-n-breakfast destination MUMBAI: Mumbai has been ranked 11th among the best value destinations in the world for an overnight stay at a fourstar hotel that includes breakfast, according to a report. As per TripIndex Breakfast 2015, a TripAdvisor cost comparison study, Mumbai ranks 11th among the best value destinations for an overnight stay with breakfast costing Rs 9,343.92. Accommodation without breakfast will cost Rs 8,932.44 in the city, the report added. The TripIndex Breakfast 2015 destination list comprises 37 key cities within the top 37 most searched countries by global TripAdvisor users over the past 12 months. The report has compared the cost of an overnight stay with breakfast versus an overnight stay with breakfast eaten outside the hotel at a local restaurant. Research was conducted by Ipsos and prices were collected through telephone and online web search. Prices in each market were taken in local currencies between September 7, 2015 and October 1, 2015 and currency conversion rates were taken from xe.com on October 1, 2015. Buenos Aires (Argentina) is the best value destination in the world for Indians for an overnight stay at a four-star hotel including breakfast at Rs 4,612.63, followed by Moscow (Russia) at Rs 5,671.35, it said. New York City (US) emerged as the most

expensive hotel destination in this study with an average of Rs 34,102.66 with breakfast. When it comes to the cost of a hotel breakfast versus the cost of eating breakfast in a local restaurant, the cheapest hotel breakfast can be found in Istanbul (Turkey) at an average price of Rs 397.12 while the most expensive, at an average price of Rs 1,918.86, is in Zurich (Switzerland). Warsaw, the capital city of Poland, has the cheapest local restaurant breakfast, at an average of Rs 301.44, while Hong Kong offers the most expensive local restaurant breakfast at an eye-watering average of Rs 2,382.25, it stated. For Indians looking to travel closer home, two South East Asian destinations Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Manila (Philippines) - were ranked among the top 10 value destinations at number seven and eight respectively. "The main aim of the maiden TripIndex for Breakfast study is to help travelers make a wise decision while booking their stay at a hotel," TripAdvisor India Country Manager Nikhil Ganju said. "For most Indian travelers, especially those traveling for leisure, free breakfast is very important when deciding where to book and results from this study show that they may do better to forego a hotel breakfast in favor of dining out locally in the morning since this is where the biggest savings can usually be made," he added. -PTI

press release here. Albay received the honor in the category for regions, states and provinces. The award, instituted by PATA, was announced in Bangkok. Thekkady and Albay beat a large number of destinations from around the world to win the award. Situated on the banks of the Periyar lake, Thekkady is a leading wildlife destination in the country. Besides the Periyar sanctuary, famous for its dense evergreen tropical forests and savannah grasslands, the destination is home to tiger, sambar deer, lion-tailed macaque and Nilgiri langurs. The PATA CEO Challenge is aimed at utilizing the USD 5,00,000 award purse to develop and create a digi-

tal marketing campaign to showcase the destination to a global audience. Leading global travel site TripAdvisor, the PATA CEO Challenge 2015 partner, will provide its expertise to developing the campaign. Describing it as a 'huge honor' for Thekkady to be named world's top emerging destination, Kerala Tourism Minister A P Anilkumar said it was a proud moment for the state. "The award will only increase our commitment to work further towards the growth of tourism in Kerala and development of our communities and the livelihoods of our people while preserving our environment," he said. The award will be presented in London on November 2, the opening day of the 'World Travel Mart'. A host of travel and tourism industry leaders will be present at the event where United Nations World Tourism Organization Secretary General Taleb Rifai is scheduled to be the Guest of Honor, the release said. -PTI

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October 30, 2015

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Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 40

There are bhojanalyas and coffee shops at regular intervals of one kilometer on the new route. Things to Do Holy Cave Shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi: More than a few

Deva Mai Temple: Located three miles short of Katra, the Deva Mai Temple holds special significance as a holy site in the hearts of the devotees. Pilgrims from all over the country visit this temple to perform religious rites and rituals. Holy Cave of Shiv Khori: For

Shivkhori

centuries old, the holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi is one of most revered and most sacred seats of pilgrimage for Hindus. Legend has it that Arjuna, one of the Pandavas, prayed to Mata Vaishno Devi to seek her blessings for victory against the Kauravas in the battle of Kurukshetra. After their victory at Kurukshetra, the Pandavas built the Mata Vaishno Devi temple as a symbol of their devotion and gratitude to the goddess. Symbols of various gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon decorate the walls of the holy cave shrine. Opening Closing Time: All day, Darshan not allowed during aarti. Entrance is free

most of the pilgrims, the pilgrimage to Vaishno Devi ends only when they've had a darshan of the holy cave of Shiv Khori. The cave is nearly 200 meters long and

draws a large number of devotees to its four feet high naturally formed Shiva lingam. Shrine of Dera Baba Banda: At a distance of 30 kilometers from Katra, the shrine of Dera Baba Banda is an epitome of religious harmony and is a major Hindu-Sikh pilgrimage center. Raghunath Mandir: Situated on the bank of the winding Tawi River, in the heart of Jammu city, the Raghunath Mandir stands as a symbol of devotion coupled with opulence. Dedicated to Lord Rama, the temple's gold plated interiors and artistic beauty cast a spell on the devotees. Temple of Baba Dhansar: The Temple of Baba Dhansar, located at a distance of 15 kilometers from Katra, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. From between the rocks in a thick grove of trees, a huge spring emerges and flows into the sacred rivulet that eventually merges with the Chenab River. Bhairav Ghati: Legend has it that Mata Vaishno Devi herself proclaimed that no pilgrimage to Vaishno Devi would be complete without a visit to the Bhairav Ghati. This is where the mythological vil-

lain Kaal Bhairav was slain by Mata Vaishno Devi. The route to Bhairav Ghati is difficult and treacherous but once you get there, the seren-

By Air: Located at a distance of 50 kilometers, the Jammu airport is the nearest to Katra. Jammu is well-connected with major airports

Bhairav Ghati

ity makes the journey worthwhile. Bhairav Ghati is 5 kilometers away from Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and is at a higher altitude. Best Time to Visit Vaishno

in India. It's easy to get a cab from the Jammu airport to Katra as regular taxi and cab services are available By Bus: Jammu and Kashmir

Vaishno Devi Yatra

Devi: Vaishno Devi is open for pilgrims throughout the year, but the best time to undertake the journey is between the months of March and October. A lot of pilgrims visit Vaishno Devi between these months as the weather is cool and pleasant, but maximum visitors plan their trip during the Navratras. Temple of Baba Dhansar

How to Reach

State Road Transport Corporation buses operate to and from Jammu to Katra at regular intervals. Airconditioned private deluxe buses and taxis are also available from Jammu to Katra. By Train: The nearest railway station from Katra is the Udhampur railway station. Taxi and cab services are available from the railway station to Katra.

October 30, 2015

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Heritage experts say no to illumination of Taj Mahal NEW DELHI: Calling Taj Mahal as "not a monument to experiment with", top heritage experts have raised objections to the illumination of the famed Mughal-era mausoleum, saying the step jeopardizes its marble surface due to defecation on it by insects attracted by the lighting. According to senior officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), few low-level security lighting posts were installed a few months ago at the 17th century World Heritage Site, with a twin purpose of illuminating the Taj and wooing tourists at night. "However, the direct illumination of the marble monument has brought with it, a big problem - insects. And, these are grass-sapping insects which sit on the floors and walls of the illuminated part and discharge their excreta on the surface, leaving a colored pigment on it, thus spoiling the flawless beauty of the architectural icon," Superintending Archaeologist (Science Branch) M K Bhatnagar said. Located about 20 m from the base of the monument, the lightings on the Yamuna side are attracting maximum insects on that side. While the monument falls under the Agra Circle of the ASI, its security has been entrusted to Central Industry Security Force

(CISF). "We (Science Branch) have already sent a letter to the Director General, ASI, Director, Science Branch (ASI), Superintending Archaeologist, ASI Agra Circle and to the CISF requesting them to switch off the lights immediately," Bhatnagar told PTI over phone from Agra. B R Mani, who recently retired

the government thinks by putting up lights they can attract more tourists, then I am sorry to say this, but Taj Mahal is not a monument to experiment with," Mani said. "And, having the monument lit up and so many people coming to see it at night, also is a potential security threat. Tourists can come once in a

as the Additional Director General of the ASI, expressed surprise over the move to install lighting at the world famous heritage site. "First of all, Taj Mahal does not need lighting at all. It is a marble structure and can be seen in all its glory in natural night. It is absolutely unwise to illuminate it with artificial lighting, which attracts insects. On full moon day, one can see Taj in all its splendor. And, if

while to admire its beauty at night, but not on a regular basis," he added. Sources at ASI said that there was "pressure" from the tourism ministry to install the lights, even though previous studies on the subject have suggested against it. "There were departmental studies done around mid-2000s and these explored the impact of illumination, saying the insects at-

PM pledges to strengthen tourism sector infra TIRUPATI, Andhra Pradesh: The government is determined to strengthen tourism sector-related infrastructure as the industry has the capability to provide livelihood to the poor people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here. "Indian government is determined to provide such infrastructure that the tourism sector would be strengthened, because tourism is capable of providing livelihood to flower sellers, fruit-sellers, biscuit and chocolate sellers and tea vendors also. Tourism can possibly provide daily bread to poorest of poor also," Modi said after inaugurating the 'Garuda' terminal at the airport here. The Prime Minister said Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models are also being followed to increase

hotel accommodations in the country. "But, tourism will grow only when we provide infrastructure at global level," Modi said adding that the government is providing e-visa facility due to which tourism is increasing. Union Ministers M Venkaiah Naidu, Ashok Gajapathi Raju and

Nirmala Sitaraman, Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu were among those present during the inauguration. The Airports Authority of India has spent Rs 191 crore to build the new Garuda-shaped terminal which can handle code 'D' and code 'C' types of aircraft with link taxi, apron and associated infrastructure, AAI said in a statement here. The new steel and glass integrated terminal building can handle 500 domestic and 200 international passengers at a time and has a peak-hour handling capacity of 700 passengers built over an area of 16,500 sq m plus 5,500 sq m of basement. It has 18 check-in-counters, four immigration counters, four baggage conveyors for arrival and one for departure, three baggage claim carousels, two VIP lounges, and parking for 250 cars, an official release had earlier said. -PTI

tracted by the light, drop excreta on the surface, which leads to pigment deposition on the marble. Unless there is no conclusive study on this subject, Taj Mahal should definitely not be illuminated," Superintending Archaeologist, Agra Circle (ASI), Bhuvan Vikram said. Bhatnagar said that in 2013 there was a meeting in this regard but no progress was made on that front. Built over 20 years starting 1632 by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a monument of love for his late wife Mumtaz Mahal, it has romanced for more than three centuries as "the tear drop on face of eternity". Constructed with Makarna marble, the Taj and the neighboring tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah, nicknamed 'Baby Taj', are considered two of the finest marble wonders of India, and experts are of the view that, one "should not meddle" with these architectural icons. Noted archaeologist and former Agra Circle chief K K Muhammed has also disapproved of the decision to light the Taj. "In the mid-90s, there was a study done on the illumination of the monument and it had rejected any proposal to do so, citing consequent harm to the surface of the monument... And, we don't need

illumination anyway at the Taj. Even in Europe, Italianate marble structures are not subject to such lighting, and proper care is taken. We can't do things just in the name of tourism," he said. According to Mani, there were also proposals earlier to allow people to see the Taj at moonlight from Mehtab Bagh side opposite the riverbank, but priority should be on the monument's safety and security than revenue or footfall. "There should first be a debate first as to why we need illumination. And, there should be a conclusive study which should tell us the effects of the lighting, but without it, one cannot just put them up, in the interest of tourism," he added. The Taj is already facing threat from environmental pollution and experts believe that one should not risk the "marble marvel" with other sources of tarnishing. Mud pack treatment for the Taj has already been used by them to combat the ill-effects of air pollution. Considered one of the greatest monuments ever built, it attracts 7 to 8 million visitors annually. The local Agra administration and the Uttar Pradesh government too have taken measures like introducing eco-friendly vehicles to reduce the pollution in the heritage zone. -PTI

Deekshabhoomi to be a world-class monument NAGPUR: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has promised to turn the historic Deekshabhoomi here, where Babasaheb Ambedkar embraced Buddhism, into a worldclass monument. Addressing a gathering of followers of the late Dalit leader at Deekshabhoomi on the occasion of 59th Dhamma Chakra Pravarta day, Fadnavis called the managing committee of the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Smarak Samiti to engage and involve global experts who have studied the philosophy of Ambedkar in preparing a master plan. "The state government will fund the entire project to make Deekshabhoomi a world attraction for international tourists," he said. Union Minister for Shipping and Transport, Nitin Gadkari presided over the function. Fadnavis said the house in London, where Ambedkar stayed during his studies, will be dedicated to public on November 12 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also

said the state government would set up a Chair in London School of Economics for research in eco-

Devendra Fadnavis

nomics in memory of Ambedkar. "An attractive memorial will come up on the land of Indu Mills in Mumbai, which was handed over by the Centre to the state government and bhoomipujan was performed recently," he said. Fadnavis assured the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Smarak Samiti to consider the proposal to acquire the adjacent land for the use of Deekshabhoomi. -PTI

In Brief Border inspector kills knife-wielding Mexican SAN DIEGO: A U.S. border inspector fatally shot a knife-wielding Mexican man at a California crossing and an agency official quickly defended his actions. The Customs and Border Protection officer fired his gun four times around midnight, striking the man in his chest and possibly in his neck at the port of entry in downtown Calexico, about 120 miles east of San Diego and across the border from Mexicali, Mexico, said Pete Flores, the agency's San Diego field office director. The 35-year-old Mexican, who was not permitted to enter the United States, was on a bicycle in a vehicle inspection lane for ``trusted travelers'' and appeared as if he wasn't going to stop, Flores said. The man wielded a knife that was about eight inches long after the inspector grabbed his other arm and forced the man to drop his bike. The man raised his knife and moved toward the inspector, who was backing away when the shots rang, said Flores, who didn't know the precise distance between the two men. The man was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The officer, who worked in Calexico since joining Customs and Border Protection in February 2008, was unharmed. Neither name was released. -AP

Â&#x201E; Identity thief immigrant spared prison WICHITA, Kan.: An immigrant living illegally for decades in the United States was spared a federal prison sentence in an identity theft scheme in which he changed the legal name of his identity theft victim to his own. U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren sentenced 82-year-old Ramon Perez-Rivera to time served, which amounted to the one night in jail he spent when arrested. The lenient punishment was part of a plea deal, and the judge cited the defendant's advanced age and other factors in imposing it. Perez-Rivera pleaded guilty in August to possession of unlawfully obtained documents, illegal re-entry, and unlawful disclosure of a Social Security number. Prosecutors say he persuaded a California court to change the name of his identity theft victim. Armed with that court order, he also changed the victim's California birth record to his own name. He then used that identity to obtain food stamps, Medicaid, a U.S. passport and a driver's license. -AP

Immigration

San Francisco continues as immigrant sanctuary

44 India Post

www.indiapost.com

October 30, 2015

Details on page 45

California passes new law to help crime victim immigrants HASAN ABDULLAH

California lawmakers recently approved SB674, which makes it easier for immigrants who are victims of crimes to apply for U visas. Specifically, it requires local police or prosecutors to sign what is known as a U visa certification. Before anyone may apply for a U visa, which is a visa status granted to victims of certain crimes that can eventually lead to a green card; they must first obtain certification form signed by the law enforcement agency investigating the crime, or by the prosecutor prosecuting the perpetrator. Victims of serious crimes such as torture, felony assault, domestic violence, are eligible to apply, and there is no time limit as to when one may apply. However, in some counties, police departments and district attorneys make up their own policies as to who they will approve for U visa certification. This has led to major inconsistencies in how one's certification would be granted. Purportedly, in Oakland, for ex-

ample, the police department has approved nearly all of the 1,600 requests received in 2014. In stark contrast, Sheriff Donny Youngblood of Kern County has said he only signed 5 out of 200 requests that he has received for U-visa certification. It seems that

cases when the victim is needed as a witness in a court case. The new law, which takes effect in January, requires agencies to review requests in 90 days and report on how many they sign to the state. USCIS can only approve 10,000 per year, and around 26,000

Nubia Rodriguez, poses in her home in in Stockton, Calif. A decade ago, Rodriquez had been kidnapped by an ex-boyfriend and after her escape reported him to authorities.

the policy in Kern County is to only grant certification for current

filed for U visas in 2014. So although it may open the door to

many who were previously denied certifications, the wait time for obtaining a U visa may be may be significantly longer than expected. Corresponding reform in U visa quotas would be critical in keeping U visa application processing times reasonable. Readers who are interested in learning more about U visas may visit our website at www.usavisalaw.com Thousands to benefit AP adds from Santa Ana, Calif.: Nubia Rodriguez was assaulted and kidnapped by an exboyfriend, crimes that made her eligible for a special visa for immigrants in the U.S. illegally. To apply, she needed law enforcement officials that handled the case to sign paperwork documenting the crime and her assistance in the investigation. She contacted the San Joaquin County District Attorney's office but never got an answer. Cont'd on Page 45

Refugee flow unabated as EU leaders meet BRUSSELS: As thousands of Syrians, Afghans and others kept up their relentless march through the Balkans, European leaders held an emergency summit to find ways of easing the plight of those caught up in the continent's greatest immigration crisis in decades. In a draft of the meeting's conclusions seen by The Associated Press, the leaders were looking to shore up Greece's porous border with Turkey and slow the flow of people heading north toward the European Union's heartland. "Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said of the summit called on short notice that brought 11 leaders from the EU and the Balkans to Brussels. Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said he was prepared for "hard, not very pleasant" talks, but hoped the leaders could work out a "com-

prehensive solution." He said Serbia would not "put up any walls" unlike Hungary's new razor wire-topped border fences but suggested his country will not agree to host tens of thousands of stranded refugees if countries further west closed their

external border between EU-member Greece and Turkey. Migration experts, however, say the flood of refugees won't be halted until the world resolves the war in Syria, which is driving millions out of the country. Nearly 250,000 migrants have

Migrants and refugees disembark from a ferry after their arrival from the northeastern Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios at the Athens' port of Piraeus

borders. Other Balkan officials say the 28-nation EU needs to get control of the migrant flow at the bloc's

passed through the Balkans since mid-September and the surge is not being deterred by either cold weather or colder waters off

Greece. Croatia said 11,500 people crossed into the country, the highest in a single day since asylum-seekers were blocked by Hungary and started coming into Croatia in mid-September. At Slovenia's overwhelmed Brezice refugee camp near the border with Croatia, a spokesman for the U.N. Refugee agency urged leaders to come up with a system to register and screen newcomers when they first enter Europe, rather than in piecemeal attempts at borders along the way. "But also very important is to help Syria's neighboring countries, where there are around 4 million refugees," said UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch. "These people don't need to take these risky journeys if there are legal pathways to come to Europe." -AP

Immigration Post

October 30, 2015

India Post 45

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San Francisco continues as immigrant sanctuary SAN FRANCISCO: Officials have determined that San Francisco will remain an immigrationrelated sanctuary city, despite criticism after a woman was killed by a Mexican national who had been released from jail even though federal agents wanted him detained for deportation. The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution that urges the sheriff not to participate in a detainer-notification system that asks jails to let Immigration Customs and Enforcement officials know when an inmate of interest is being released. The action sent a strong but symbolic message to critics who had lambasted San Francisco after the July 1 waterfront shooting of 32-year-old Kate Steinle. Earlier, Senate Republicans in Congress tried but failed to push through legislation punishing sanctuary cities. The death of Steinle cast an uncomfortable spotlight on the

city that proudly declares itself a refuge for immigrants. As outrage mounted nationally, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, criticized San Francisco's sheriff, saying that suspect Juan Francisco Sanchez-

``All of us in this room agree that the death of Kathryn Steinle was senseless and tragic, but what many of us disagree on is the role - if any - that San Francisco's existing sanctuary and due-processfor-all'' ordinances played in the

Father Cameron Faller leads a prayer vigil for shooting victim Kathryn Steinle on Pier 14 in San Francisco, California

Lopez should have been detained. Sanchez-Lopez says he found the gun under a bench on the pier, and it accidentally fired when he picked it up.

event, Supervisor Malia Cohen said to cheers from the crowd that gathered for the meeting. Supervisors said they wouldn't let hateful commentary undermine

a long-standing policy that improves public safety and embraces immigrants. ``I'm so proud of San Francisco,'' Supervisor David Campos, who co-sponsored the nonbinding resolution, said after the vote. ``I'm so proud that notwithstanding the climate at the national level of scapegoating immigrants that San Francisco went against that.'' Roy Beck, director of NumbersUSA, which calls for limiting immigration, said it's frightening that supervisors sided with immigrants who are in the country illegally - even violent ones rather than public safety. San Francisco declared itself a sanctuary city in 1989, passing an ordinance that bans city officials from enforcing immigration laws or asking about immigration status unless required by law or court order. A follow-up ordinance in 2013 allows detention only under a court order targeting violent felons. San Francisco and other cities

and counties have routinely ignored requests from ICE to keep people in custody. The jurisdictions say they can't hold arrestees beyond their scheduled release dates without probable cause. However, more than half of the roughly 340 jurisdictions that previously declined to cooperate with ICE are now doing so in some form, as long as they don't have to keep immigrants in custody. The shift came after outreach by federal immigration officials and several high-profile cases, including the one in San Francisco. San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi said through a spokeswoman that the unanimous vote by the board validates his policy. Supervisors voted to table another resolution urging the sheriff to revoke a department-wide memo prohibiting communication between his staff and federal immigration authorities, saying it would send the wrong message to people living in the city illegally. AP

California passes new law to help crime victim immigrants Cont'd from Page 44

Her experience is not unusual and led California lawmakers to pass and Gov. Jerry Brown to sign legislation requiring local police or prosecutors to sign the form that immigrant crime victims need to apply for a so-called "U visa" so long as they are otherwise eligible. The move makes California the first state to adopt such a measure and the legislature expects law enforcement agencies will comply, said Claire Conlon, a spokeswoman for bill author and state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon. The measure was one of a spate of bills enacted in California this year to help immigrants in the country illegally. Others include anti-discrimination measures and giving low-income children access to state-subsidized health care. Immigrant advocates say thousands of immigrants will likely benefit from the crime victim law, in-

over fear authorities might refer them to federal agents for deportation. Immigrant victims of specific crimes including rape, torture and extortion who cooperate with law enforcement are eligible to apply. There is no statute of limitations between when the crime occurred and the visa is sought. Until now, law enforcement agencies in California have taken different approaches. Some routinely sign the documentation and others rarely or never do, either because they're understaffed or because of political opposition. "California is taking steps to say: 'We're going to create equity across the state and it shouldn't matter where in California you survived this terrible crime,'" said Michelle Carey, senior attorney with the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice, which provides legal services to low-income and immigrant communities. Nicole Nishida, a spokeswoman

The visa program was created by Congress in 2000 to encourage immigrants in the country illegally to report crimes without fear of deportation and to help law enforcement crack down on violent crime. cluding many victims of domestic violence who might otherwise be reluctant to report their assailants

for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, said she doesn't foresee a big change un-

der the new law since the agency routinely signs the forms. In Oakland, police approved nearly all of the 1,600 requests received in 2014, according to department statistics. In Kern County, Sheriff Donny Youngblood said he has

Once the law takes effect in January, agencies will need to review requests in 90 days and report on how many they sign to the state signed only five of some 200 requests he has received for Uvisa certification and those were cases when immigrants were needed as witnesses in a court case. "It doesn't make logical sense because you were a victim of a crime 10 years ago you should be allowed to stay in the country," he said, adding that he'll comply with the new law. The visa program was created by Congress in 2000 to encourage immigrants in the country illegally to report crimes without fear of deportation and to help law enforcement crack down on violent crime.

While the number of visas is capped at 10,000 per year, about 26,000 people applied in the 2014 fiscal year. The backlog in applications likely will continue to grow, in part thanks to the California law. Once the law takes effect in January, agencies will need to review requests in 90 days and report on how many they sign to the state, which immigrant advocates say will help ensure compliance even though no penalty was written into the law. Rodriguez did end up getting approved for a visa, but not because of the crime against her. Her teenage daughter had also been the victim of a crime, and under the terms of the federal government's program, parents

who help law enforcement investigate crimes against their children can also apply. In her daughter's case, the city of Tracy's police department signed the necessary paperwork within a month. That sort of speed would have been welcome when Rodriguez originally tried for the visa in 2012. She had already delayed making the request for a decade, worried she might end up being deported to Mexico, where her ex-boyfriend fled after she escaped and reported him to authorities. "I felt like at any moment he might come in where I was living. It was truly a trauma," she said, adding that getting her visa approved has given her family more stability.

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Datebook

October 30, 2015

NEW JERSEY Upcoming Fri, Oct 30

• Karva Chauth Puja & Celebration New Jersey Venue: Guru Palace, 2215 U.S. 1, North Brunswick Township, NJ 08902 Time: 6:30 pm Contact: 551-358-6669

NEW YORK Upcoming Fri, Nov 6 • Diwali Party Venue: The Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776 Time : 07:00 pm Contact: 631-928-3800

Sun, Nov 1 • Deepavali Vizhaa - Neengal Kettavai 2

Sat, Nov 7

Venue: West Windsor - Plainsboro High School - South, 346 Clarksville Road, West Windsor Township, NJ 08550 Time: 3:00 pm

Venue: PRANNA, NYC, 79 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016 Time : 10:00 pm

Sat, Nov 14

• PBA Bhangras Sabhyacharak Mela Venue: Melvin H.Kreps, Middle School, 5,Kent Lane, East Windsor, NJ 08520 Time : 05:00 pm Contact: 732-447-5879

• Biggest Bollywood Diwali Party with DJ Notorious!!

Fri, Nov 20 • Alka Yagnik Live in New York Venue: Colden Auditorium, Reeves Avenue, NY 11367 Time : 08:30 pm Contact: 7186392881

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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

CHICAGO

Upcoming

Nov 6-7, 12-14, 19-21 • One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Fri, Nov 13 • Diwali extravaganza with Golu Awards

Ohlone College Dept. of Theatre & Dance Production

Venue: Sakoon Indian Restaurant, Fremont,

Directed by Michael Navarra

94538, 39195 Farwell Drive, Fremont, CA

Venue: Smith Center at Ohlone College 43600 Mission Boulevard Fremont, CA 94539 Time: 8:00 pm Tickets: $12 General; $10 Students & Seniors Contact: www.smithcenter.com 510-659-6031

Time: 6:00 pm

Fri, Nov 6 • Bollywood Singers Club Party

Venue: Terrace Theater - Long Beach Con-

Venue: Aratani / Japan America Theatre, 244 South San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Time: 6:30 pm

Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802

Sat, Nov 7 • Bharatanatyam Dance With Leela Samson Venue: Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, CA 95054 Time: 6:00 pm

Sun, Nov 8 • Bhuvnesh Komkali Live Concert in Milpitas Venue: Serra Theaters, 200 Serra Way, Milpitas, CA 95035 Time: 10:00 am Contact: 4084618390

Sun, Nov 15 •Melody Queen Alka Yagnik Live in Concert Venue: Windemere Ranch Middle School, 11611 E Branch Pkwy, San Ramon, CA Time: 06:00 pm Contact: 562-450-6790

Contact: 5103644271

Wed, Nov 25 • Atif Aslam Live In Concert Los Angeles - The Night Before Thanksgiving Day vention and Entertainment Center, 300 E Time: 07:00 pm

ATLANTA Upcoming Sat, Oct 31 • YG Mahendra and play back singer Saindhavi light music program Venue: Balaji Temple auditorium, 1145 Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506 Time: 4:00 pm Contact: 8159557794

Sat, Nov 7 • Diwali Milan Venue: Holiday inn 17W350, 22nd Street, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181 Time: 11:00 pm Contact: 630-886-3106

Sat, Nov 7 • Diwali Bollywood Dhamaka Venue: Bombay Grill Indian Restaurant, 2165 Savoy Drive, Atlanta, GA 30341 Time: 07:30 pm

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

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

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

Swami Ishatmananda • Bhagavad Gita: Philosophy of life Venue: Public Library-95th Street 3015 Cedar Glade Rd Naperville IL 60564 Time: 1st friday of every month 7-8 pm Contact: 630-637-0662

• India Eternal: From the Vedic Age to the Present Venue: Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago 10915 N. Main Street Glendale Heights, IL 60139 Time: 10:00 pm Contact: 630-655-8822

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Philosophy

October 30, 2015

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Page Sponsored by Sahanis PAUL BRUNTON

o regard all material improve ments as a move away from spirituality, or to assert that science, and the industries are based on it, is absolutely evil, is unfair and untrue. The grim needs of war pushed technological advance ahead at an amazing speed. This advance may be used either to make us more materialistic or to make us less so. In itself it is neutral. There is a line of connection which can be traced from the appearance of gentle Jesus to the terrors of the Inquisition. There is another line which can be traced from the work of pioneer scientists like Galileo and Bacon to the work of atomic scientists like Einstein and Oppenheimer. If Jesus' gospel was a message from God, science was a different kind of revelation from God. Both Inquisitional tortures and Hiroshima's horrors are evidences of what men have done to the fine things entrusted to them. It is for the men themselves to undo their misdeeds and not wait for a Savior to do it. The responsibility is theirs. It was the prevalence of superstition in all departments of human life, activity, belief, and thought which brought about the needed counter-culture of the exact sciences. But under the various superstitions there was not seldom some measure of covert fact and hidden truth. Science has itself become, because of its one-sided, SWAMI RAMA TIRTHA

edanta did not hesitate to destroy men, even the nearest and dearest relatives of Arjuna, who were his preceptors, his uncles, his brothers and others. Vedanta says that by killing, Arjuna was not tainted. Then how can Vedanta hesitate in killing goats or sheep, oxen or any animals? Yet Vedanta tells you to abstain from meat entirely on other grounds. Meat-eating puts you in a state or condition where you are not able to concentrate the mind easily. If you cannot abstain from meat-eating, if you cannot overcome the habit, then Vedanta says, "Have it; don't give it up". Different kinds of food produce different effects. If a man drinks wine, he becomes intoxicated; if a man takes opium, does it not produce a particular kind of effect; a man takes arsenic and it produces a particular kind of effect; so a particular kind of food produces a particular effect, and so does meat. The effect which meat produces on the body is not the effect which the students of Religion require. If you are a warrior or a person

self-made limitation, and through refusal to depart from materialistic views, a sort of superstition. Technical skill, verified experiment, and laboratory research are necessary and valuable, but their presence ought not to be used as an excuse for abandoning everything else which ought to be considered. Hence we witness today such evils as the pollution of nature and the poisoning of human

The mind wants to know; this is its essential nature: it was inevitable that what began as simple childish curiosity should end as rigorous scientific investigation. Nothing could stop this process in the past. This was the warning of Greek, European, and American history. It is now the warning of Chinese, Southeast Asian, and Indian history, where seemingly static civilizations become more

recover the truth in religious teaching, and regain the peace in religious experience. The scientists conceived the atomic bomb, the heads of government financed it, and the military used it. This was the triple combination which brought humanity to its present plight. Admittedly, they did this with the best intentions and under the stress of seeming outer necessity. But the

Science has itself become a sort of superstition

People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy. -Anton Chekhov

Both Inquisitional tortures and Hiroshima's horrors are evidences of what men have done to the fine things entrusted to them. It is for the men themselves to undo their misdeeds Paul Brunton

nutriment. There is no other way out now than to compensate for the missing elements, to broaden culture in a basic way - a coexistence previously believed to be impossible. Man looked into the mysteries of the atom when he was too selfish to use it rightly, too ignorant of the higher laws to use it wisely - that is, when he was unworthy and unready. He is in such danger today that many regret he ever did so. But he could not help it, could not have done otherwise.

dynamic. When science serves politics only, and both are unguided by knowledge of the higher laws governing mankind, then both, in this age of nuclear weapons, put mankind in danger of nuclear annihilation. Where the nineteenth-century Westerner displaced religion by science, the twentieth-century Westerner is increasingly being faced, through the unexpected results of nuclear science, with having to refind interest in religion,

fact still remains that it was they who created the danger for all of us and it is they who now seem unable to free us from it. It is necessary for man to be reminded of his comparative nothingness when his intellect swells into dangerous arrogance. With the triumphs of atomic research and the gadgets of mechanical civilization, he has reached such a point. Excerpted from The Notebooks. The 117th birth anniversary of Paul Brunton was observed on October 21

whose duties are active, then Vedanta says that you must eat meat as you require it and you must not live entirely on vegetable diet. As to other vocations, Rama says that you must try it on your own systems. Some can do better, others worse, without it. The plan of nature is that the

feed upon the soil. Again, in order that animals should survive, vegetables must perish, must be consumed; animals must feed upon vegetables, it is the plan of Nature. It is the plan of Nature that man, the highest type, must live on animals which must serve his purpose: it is the plan of Nature.

you can serve the cause of the world better, then eat it; if by abstaining from it, you can advance the higher truth, then abstain from it. If it becomes necessary for your body to be lubricated with meat, as it is necessary for certain wheels in a factory to be lu-

If you are a warrior or a person whose duties are active, then Vedanta says that you must eat meat as you require it and you must not

fittest must survive. Here we see big whales advance; they survive, and in order to make them survive, nature wishes them to live on small fish. Thousands upon thousands of small fish must perish but the big type must live on; it is the plan of nature. Thus we see in the mineral kingdom, that the earth, the soil perishes, and the vegetable kingdom survives; the vegetables

Rama does not mean to eat animals but to use them; animals must serve man; then we see in the ordinary man of the world, the higher naturally go on advancing. When widespread wars and diseases come, the lower and weaker natures die for the sake of the higher ones; that is the plan of Nature. This Law governs the universe. Thus Rama says, if by eating meat

Be happy with what you have and are, be generous with both, and you won't have to hunt for happiness. -William E. Gladstone Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far better take things as they come along with patience and equanimity. -Carl Jung Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy. There's going to be stress in life, but it's your choice whether you let it affect you or not. -Valerie Bertinelli

Plan of nature is that fittest must survive live entirely on vegetable diet.

Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking. -Marcus Aurelius

Swami Rama Tirtha

bricated with oil, then do not shrink from eating it. But it becomes a sin when you want to eat meat to enjoy its relish. It will become a sin, as everything else, if you do it with the idea of gratifying your desires. Excerpted from in 'In Woods of God Realization'. The 142nd birth anniversary of Swami Rama Tirtha was observed on October 22.

Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be. -Abraham Lincoln If you have everything the world can give - pleasure, possessions, power - but lack peace of mind, you can never be happy. -Dada Vaswani

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October 30, 2015

Krushnaa Patil

NEW DELHI: An all-women team of celebrated explorers Varanasi and Patna, before ending near Kolkata in December. The from seven continents, including Indian Everester Krushnaa Ganga was chosen because of its importance in the lives of over Patil, has set out on an over 2400 kms 55-day expedition 400 million people who depend on its waters everyday. During down the Ganges River to initiate conversation and action their expedition, the team will interact with organizations, schools among youngsters on the global water crisis. and institutes to share knowledge and work to improve water Krushnaa Patil, the youngest Indian to scale Mount conditions in the area. Google has partnered with the team to raise Everest, is part of the team led by Ann Bancroft, an honor- awareness about the government's National Mission for Clean ary member of the National Women's Hall of Fame of the US, Ganga project. and Norwegian Liv Arnesen, the first woman in the world to Patil was quoted by news outlets saying, "Apart from stuski solo and unsupported to the South Pole. Other team dents, we will also focus on the women-folk we come across. members are Olfat Haider (Israel), Cindy Jiaojiao Hu (China), Women run the households here. If we are able to change the way Marcia Gutierrez (Chile), Kim Smith (South Africa) and Lisa in which a woman thinks about the river then surely it will have an te Heuheu (New Zealand), each representing water chal- effect... As the saying goes: Educate a woman and you educate lenges faced on her continent. the family." The journey started at After the Ganga expedition, the Krushnaa Patil, the youngest Indian team will plan similar trips along Gaumukh, the source of the Ganga on October 17, and will follow the rivers on other continents before to scale Mount Everest, is part of ending the series in Antarctica. river's path to Kanpur, Allahabad,

the team led by Ann Bancroft, an honorary member of the National Women's Hall of Fame of the US

Cont'd on Page 53

Back rowrow (L-R): Liv Arnsen, AnnAnn Bancroft, Cindy Jiaojiao Hui Hui andand Olfat Haider. Back (L-R): Liv Arnsen, Bancroft, Cindy Jiaojiao Olfat Haider. Front rowrow (L-R): Marcia Gutierrez andand LisaLisa Te Heuheu. Front (L-R): Marcia Gutierrez Te Heuheu.

October 30, 2015

India Post 51 www.indiapost.com

I miss Kajol in every film, says Shah Rukh HYDERABAD: Their friendship translates into great chemistry film after film and Shah Rukh Khan, who is reuniting with Kajol after five years in "Dilwale", says he misses working with the actress in all his movies as she is magical on-screen. One of the most loved Bollywood pairs, Shah Rukh and Kajol just celebrated 20 years of "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" by recreating the iconic poster on the sets of "Dilwale" and the 49-yearold actor thinks it was a co-incidence that brought them together in the Rohit Shetty-directed action-comedy. "I miss Kajol in every film. With this film she gave us 150 days. She had to be away from her children and I know it is a huge sacrifice for a parent. "We are restless people who want to do more films, earn more

money but Kajol is a rested soul. She doesn't care about these things. We are thankful that she took time out for this movie," Shah Rukh said in an interview with a select group of journalists on the sets of the film. SRK-Kajol have collaborated in "Baazigar", "Karan-Arjun", "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge", "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai", "Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham" and "My Name is Khan". They may be great friends now but SRK did not have a good impression about Kajol when he first met her. "When I was working with her in 'Baazigar', Aamir asked me about her as he wanted to work with her. I left him a message saying, 'She is very bad, no focus, you will not be able to work with her'. And then I saw the rushes in the evening. I kept calling Aamir to clarify. I told

him, 'I don't know what it is but she is magical on the screen'. "Kajol is not technical, she is an honest actor and that's a great quality. My daughter (Suhana) wants to become an actress and I would want her to learn that. I hope I learn that from Kajol. I can't explain but she is something else on screen." Shah Rukh, who is also the producer of the movie, is working round-the-clock to finish shooting "Dilwale" for its scheduled release on December 18. The film also stars Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Johnny Lever, Boman Irani, Varun Sharma, Sanjay Mishra and Pankaj Tripathi among others. With a generous dose of action, comedy, nostalgia-inducing romance between SRK-Kajol, the movie, judging by the rushes that were screened for the press, seems to be a typical Rohit Shetty entertainer. -PTI

One of the most loved Bollywood pairs, Shah Rukh and Kajol just celebrated 20 years of "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge"

I could never show my caliber: Govinda

right clothes, sprightly dance moves and an inimi table flair for comedy Govinda may not have had a film of late but his films still make his fans laugh. But the actor doesn't think his films ever exploited his abilities. "It's very shocking that I never got a film where I could show my caliber," he says. Govinda does, however, believe that his first innings was his best time in the industry. "That period was more successful for me but I never got the kind of director or producer who could exploit my caliber in the best possible manner. When I started working, there were about 22-23 new directors and many producers who had started afresh. All of them were successful. Even the films that I was part of were successful even though

they weren't well-planned. Sometimes, in fact, I didn't even shoot for them for more than 2 or 3 hours. It has been like that with me. I never got a completely

well-planned film and the ones that I planned, never got completed." His recent films may not have done well at the box office but Govinda is happy to have been cast in them. "I want to thank the director of Happy Ending (his last release) and to Saif Ali Khan. I must thank you all that I got a film after five years," says the actor. After all these years, does he have expectations from his old time pals, like D a v i d Dhawan? Govinda replies, "I depend on no one except God."

Govinda does, however, believe that his first innings was his best time in the industry. "That period was more successful for me but I never got the kind of director or producer who could exploit my caliber in the best possible manner.â&#x20AC;?

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Kalam's word of caution on 'Make in India' NEW DELHI: Late President A P J Abdul Kalam was a tad cautious about 'Make in India' campaign saying though it's "quite ambitious", it has to be ensured that India does not become the low-cost, low-value assembly line of the world. On Digital India, he felt it has the potential to activate the knowledge connectivity needed in villages and remote areas and "we need to bridge the gaps of lower level of literacy, language and customized content, though". These views are expressed in the soon-to-be published "Advantage India: From Challenge to Opportunity", one of the last books written by Kalam along with his aide Srijan Pal Singh. The book, published by HarperCollins India, also has his unfinished speech of July 27 at IIM-Shillong where he collapsed only to breathe his last hours later. The NDA government launched 'Make in India' in September last year. The program aims at promoting India as an important investment destination and a global hub for manufacturing, design and innovation. "Well, let us be clear on this.'Make in India' is quite ambi-

tious. But we need such high aspirations... I agree with the infrastructure concern. "India has seen an unbalanced

infra growth -variations are rampant across states and sectors. For instance, while the telecom and Internet sectors have made re-

markable progress, many villages still are not connected with roads and power. Physical infrastructure cannot be ignored for manufacturing growth," he wrote. He had a piece of advice: "We need to ensure that we do not become the low-cost, low-value assembly line of the world. If we go on that path, the growth will come at a great price and pain to the people." His suggestion was that we need to do original research to design, develop and manufacture in India by using the ideas of the youth, the wisdom of the ages and the vibrancy of a democracy. According to Kalam, there is a distinct feeling that politics is fast evolving into a game of musical chairs where the same set of leaders, or their favored few, occupy the seats of power with huge entry barriers for others. "Where this set of leaders lacks integrity, the baton passes from one corrupt leader to another who is part of this set. Politics needs streamlined processes for the people to pluck out and permanently discard the corrupted and also a mechanism by which fresh talent and creative leaders can find

their way into the system, using ethical means," he wrote. On the election process, he wrote that proliferation of parties has significantly added to the burden of elections on the nation, and also distorted the political equations post elections, leading to the spread of corruption. "The debauchery of the political leaders perhaps hurts the citizens more than any other form of corruption... When the leadership turns indifferent, corrupt or callous, it is a breach of faith and a shattering of hope. "But apathy and indifference was never, and will never be, an answer. It is not difficult to fathom that political corruption is easily the most dangerous of all forms. In any mature or emerging democracy, the quality of the political leadership can mean the difference between a welfare state and a bankrupt one," he wrote. He, however, was optimistic. "While the fact that over time our political system has seen ethical decay is undisputed, yet there are ample of cases where political leadership has shown the capability and resolve to combat the menace of inefficiency and corruption." PTI

Women explorers down the Ganga Cont'd from Page 50

The Ganga expedition is the first of a seven-continent, multiyear expedition series titled 'Access Water'. The team plans to visit each continent every few years, ending the series with a journey to Antarctica. Patil, who in 2009 had summited Mount Everest and became the then youngest Indian woman to achieve the feat, says the Ganga is a very powerful starting point. "Our culture has immense re-

spect for nature and we consider the Ganga River holy. It's perfect to start," she says. The team, organized by the Bancroft-Arnesen Explore (BAE) foundation, through education seeks to engage millions of youth to inspire the future leaders of the world to demand a safe and abundant world, starting with access to clean water. Partnering BAE in this endeavor are organizations like UNESCO, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Google,

WAGGGS, Young Pioneers of China, Norwegian Embassy, Percept Profile and Tunheim. The expedition has also lined up interactions with students. "We are not digging for problems, we are searching for solutions," says Arnesen. "We will engage with young students in schools and universities along the way and seek to extract ideas and solutions out of them. The solutions will be posted on yourexpedition.com and youtube," she adds.

Bancroft says that 'her river', the Mississippi river, and the Ganges shared a lot of similarities.

"Our team-members from different age groups and background working together is symbolic of what people, the world over, with passion can do together. When the last expedition of this series nears its end, we may be 75, 77 years old, but we'll still go to Antarctica to finish it," the duo said. She hoped that their initiative would attract more youth all over the world. "We have a long term vision. We hope it turns into a movement.

We want young people, from all backgrounds, to come together and to co-operate for solving environmental and world problems. Water is a wonderful way for us to talk about environment. We are excited about journeying down the Ganges. It's intimidating; we don't know how it will go." "There will be a lot of challenges. But all of us are explorers and not knowing the answers (before-hand) is okay for us," she says. The duo of Arnesen and Bancroft, the first women in history to sail and ski across Antarctica's landmass - a 94-day 2747 km trek says that the team-members were all who had "hearts to change the world". "Our team-members from different age groups and background working together is symbolic of what people, the world over, with passion can do together. When the last expedition of this series nears its end, we may be 75, 77 years old, but we'll still go to Antarctica to finish it," the duo said. PTI

October 30, 2015

India Post 53 www.indiapost.com

New Yorker Guptha signs 2 films in Bollywood India Post News Service

FREMONT, CA: Prashantt Guptha, New York born Indian Ambassador of The Festival of Globe - Silicon Valley, continues to make strong strides as an actor in Bollywood. After a great run last two years with Issaq, the critically acclaimed Identity Card, a Kannada film and a few commercials, along with winning the Pride of Rajasthan Award in Jaipur, Prashantt has now signed to play a pivotal role in 'Neerja', starring Sonam Kapoor. Produced by Fox Star Studios, it is the story about the actual hijack of a Pan

Am aircraft en-route New York in the 1980s. Prashantt is also playing a pivotal role in upcoming film 'Irada', alongside Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi. Prashantt's journey in Mumbai began with a stint in two films: Rajshri's Ek Vivah Aisa Bhi and a horror film called Kaalo. His next break came three years later as the villain in Issaq. A year later he bagged the role of yet another cop in Rahat Kazmi's Identity Card, which ended up becoming a critically acclaimed film and also fetched Prashantt the award for best supporting actor at The San

Francisco Global Movie Fest. In

2014 he started to rise at a smoother pace with the horror film 6-5=2, which was a remake of a Kannada film of the same name. Prashantt also shot for his first big commercial in Mumbai, All About Cotton. In 2015, Prashantt Guptha won

the first Pride of Rajasthan award at the Rajasthan International Film Festival and has finished shooting a film called 19th January with Deepti Naval. Prashantt is also brand ambassador of an online jewellery portal, johareez.com

Zooey Deschanel sells lifestyle website

Biopic on Pakistan's Imran Khan

mran has had quite the life. From his initial days of cricket to his well publicized marriage to British socialite and celebrity Jemima Goldsmith, his philanthropic activities and finally,

Imran's political ascent. The Khan from Mianwali has courted success throughout his life and for that matter, many wish to helm a biopic on him. A certain Bollywood producer

Imran Khan and Jemima Goldsmith

by the name of Upadhyay has shown interest in making a biopic on Imran. Reportedly, the Bollywood producer, who has produced films such as 'Khiladi 786' and 'The Shaukeens', met Imran at his Bani Gala residence in the presence of his wife Reham Khan. Earlier, it was being reported that Reham was collaborating with Upadhyay to make a film and the two had met at Bani Gala for that very reason. However, the lady herself clarified in a Tweet that it was not the case. According to a local news agency, the Indian producer had met Khan to seek permission and the PTI chief had granted it to him. This is what he said to a private news agency, "It was nice visiting Pakistan, the people here are wonderful and I was here to seek approval from Imran Khan to make a biopic on him. The idea to make a film on international level is that Imran Khan is a global icon."

LOS ANGELES: Actress Zooey Deschanel's female-centric website, "Hello Giggles", has reportedly been bought for about USD 20 million. Deschanel's co-founded website has been acquired by Time Inc, the parent company of PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly, r e p o r t e d Aceshowbiz. The actress cofounded the lifestyle website along with Sophia Rivka Rossi and Molly McAleer four years ago. The "New Girl" star will remain Chief Creative Officer of the website while Rossi continues to serve as a CEO. "With Time Inc as our partner, we'll be able to expand the HelloGiggles mission and inspire and support even more young women with a safe and positive media platform," she

gushes. "Hello Giggles" targets female audience and declares themselves as "a positive online community for women." Since launched in 2011, it has reached more than 17 million monthly unique visitors. -PTI

Zooey Deschanel

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Iran's Ballistic Missile amid the Nuclear Deal India Post Self goals

DEBALINA GHOSHAL

ran recently test-fired the 'Emad', a precision-guided medium-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile. The missile has a range of 1700 kms and a payload capacity of 750kgs. Any missile above a 500 kg payload is considered nuclear capable. Emad is liquid-fuelled but with improved accuracy and maneuverable re-entry vehicles for evading enemy defense systems. This improved accuracy is extremely important if Iran is to deliver a conventional payload. The missile is also reported to carry thrusters for course correction. Reports suggest that this missile is an improved version of the liquid-fuelled Shahab missiles.

missiles. One of the probable reasons why the missile was test-fired just prior to the approval of the nuclear deal was probably to prove a point that under no circumstance can the nuclear deal hinder Iran's progress with its ballistic missile program. This is also clearly evident from Dehghan's statement where he said, "We don't ask anyone's permission to enhance our defense power or missile capability and will firmly pursue our defense plans, particularly in the field of missileâ&#x20AC;ŚEmad is one of the outstanding examples of this." Despite UNSC sanctions on the country since 2003, Iran has already progressed with its ballistic missile

Iran successfully test-fired its domestically-built Emad ballistic missile on October 11

The maneuverability is achieved by steering warheads that can perform last minute maneuvering even at the terminal phase. According to Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan, Emad is Iran's first ever missile that can be guided and controlled until the missile hits the target. The missile's survivability is enhanced by road mobility with the help of the Transporter Erector Launcher (TELs). There have been reports that the Iranian Parliament has approved the nuclear deal with the US and that the deal has also been approved of by the Guardian Council of the Constitution. Ever since the deal was finalized in July 2015, Iranian hardliners have been apprehensive of the conventional arms embargo imposed on Iran which also includes an embargo on the development of ballistic

development program and its cruise missile development program. Earlier this year, Iran test-fired the Soumar, a sophisticated longrange cruise missile, while the nuclear negotiation process was ongoing. Both missiles are expected to enter service by 2016. Furthermore, this year, Iran unveiled the extended range Fateh missiles that now have a range of 500kms. However, while Iran's missile capabilities could put several of its adversaries at threat, Iran claims that its missile development is meant for its defense and is not aimed at any specific country. According to Dehghan, the missile would only add to peace and strategic stability in the region and also enables the country to display its technological prowess. Iran is also concentrating on solid-propelled ballistic missiles with a 2500km range, called the Sejjil

missiles. Last year, Iran had also test-fired the Barani ballistic missiles which are capable of being fitted with Multiple Re-entry Vehicles. Therefore, Iran is not only making progress with its missile systems but these missiles could be capable of evading enemy missile defense system. The ability of the missile to evade the ballistic missile defense systems of its adversaries could put the US' European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) system at threat. The US under the EPAA has decided to field its missile defense system and related components in NATO countries to be able to counter the Iranian ballistic missile threat. While the new Iranian ballistic missile is a liquid fuel propelled missile - which is technically hazardous to prepare - many other states such as Russia and China have also concentrated on liquid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). This could be because in comparison to the solid-fuelled missiles, the liquid-fuelled missiles have a higher launch-weight to throw-weight ratio, which provides the missile with a longer range. This could precisely be a reason why Iran could, in future, concentrate on liquid-fuelled missiles for its ICBMs, should it develop the same. However, this week's missile test by Iran will certainly draw international criticism from Israel and also from the US. While many analysts could suggest including the issue of ballistic missiles into the nuclear deal, it is only advantageous to not include the same in the deal. The nuclear deal does not contain any restrictions for Iran on the development of ballistic missiles per se. It is only the UNSC that imposes an embargo on Iran's conventional weaponry development. Therefore, such missile tests should not hinder the progress of the nuclear deal that has been much lauded by the international community and truly upholds the essence of the NonProliferation Treaty. If Iran's ballistic missile development program is to be checked, there should be separate regional framework to ban missile development in the West Asian region. The writer is Research Associate, Delhi Policy Group

inance Minister Arun Jaitley recently said the outcome of the Bihar election will not be a referendum on the Centre. This in a way is conceding that the BJP is not going to win in Bihar. Before the elections started, the surveys had given an edge to the BJP-led alliance. But foot-in-the mouth statements, one after the other by BJP and its friends, compounded with the beef-eating linked lynching and other such incidents has sown a doubt in the mind of the average voter in Bihar that a BJP rule might be divisive and not safe for minorities. Although the blackening of the face of Sudheendra Kulkarni and threats against Pakistani artists were the handiwork of Shiv Sena, the blame is being laid at the ruling BJP and the central government of Modi because the Sena is a close ally of the party in Maharashtra. The election speeches of Narendra Modi are also beginning to ring hollow as he has not condemned the incidents and the intemperate statements of his partymen and the fringe elements. Arun Shourie was a former minister in the Cabinet of Atal Behari Vajpayee. Once a supporter of Narendra Modi, he has turned into a bitter critic. At a book release function he questioned the policies of Modi and termed BJP's performance as Congress plus cow. Shourie was an aspirant to a prominent berth in the Modi government and denial of such a position might be behind his bitterness. However there is some truth in his allegation that the present government believes managing economy means managing the headlines and "this is not really going to work." He raised a controversy by claiming "There was never a weaker PMO as now". Reacting BJP minister Venkaiah Naidu said some people were saying that the Prime Minister is all powerful while others are saying he is weak. Obviously Naidu had misread the message. What Shourie was referring to was PMO and not PM. He was referring to the expertise in the PMO staff. He had said if they "don't have domain expertise, that Brajesh Mishra had, L K Jha had, all these principal secretaries had, then things get stuck." Indeed it is a moot point that there is a paucity of talent in Modi's teams. A more cogent argument was put forward by former Foreign Secretary Shyam Sharan at the same book release function who pointed out that there was no concrete results in terms of actual implementation. "There is a sense that we are moving from one big event to another big event; moving from one very successful visit to another successful visit and not paying enough attention on process." Elaborating on this lack of process, TN Ninan, Chairman of Business Standard, picked up the current example of banning beef in a recent column. He says, "If you want to ban beef, it is not enough to issue such an edict, you also have to figure out what will happen to old cows or bulls that are not needed for traction. Will there be enough cow-shelters where old animals will be taken care of - or will they be left to wander around the streets of the country, looking for fodder and frequently not finding any? There is an even further question: where will yesterday's beef-eaters turn for their protein requirements? Costly lentils?! Similarly, you can't "clean India" without figuring out where the refuse will go, who will maintain and clean the new toilets that have been built all over the country, and where the water for that will come from. An actionoriented program, to be successful, needs an over-arching policy, and coordinated action." Indeed, announcements of big programs are not enough. People have to be galvanized to work out the details and the bottlenecks in the way should be removed. For that BJP needs to become a friendly party instead of stepping on the shoes of someone or the other.

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