IndiaPost_11-11-2016_e-paper

Top Stories

V O I C E

O F

I N D I A N S

W O R L D W I D E

India Post www.indiapost.com

NEW YORK • WASHINGTON D.C. • CHICAGO • ATLANTA • CALIFORNIA

Jyotsna Bendapudi

Oracle honors beauty with brains Jyotsna

VOL 22, No. 1154

November 11, 2016

50¢

Periodical Postage

INDIA, BRITAIN VOW TO FIGHT TERRORISM

'Clinton will strengthen Indo-US ties'

Details on page 9

Army briefs foreign defense attaches

Details on page 8

Trump's son visits Indian temple

Details on page 9

Hafiz Saeed threatens 'surgical strike'

Details on page 8

Details on page 9

MAY, MODI MIRTH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his UK counterpart Theresa May at the inauguration of India- UK Tech Summit in New Delhi on November 7

Details on page 7

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

Does Britain’s support count for much?

Last week’s result

Should Pakistan PM Sharif be forced to step down?

YES 18%

NO 82%

Details on page 16

India slams UNSC over Azhar issue

Details on page 10

NASA scientist grandson of Gandhi dead

UN Women honors Kavita & L. Subramaniam

NEW DELHI: India and Britain have pledged to fight terrorism and bring to justice terror groups and those who encourage them even as the two countries agreed not to allow fugitives escape law in each other's territory.

As Prime Minister Theresa May made her first bilateral visit outside Europe and held extensive talks with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, officials handed over a list of 57 fugitives New Delhi wants to be extradited and hoped for early extradition of industrialist Vijay Mallya to face probe in the money laundering case against him.

After more than three hours of "extensive" talks, the two Prime Ministers agreed on boosting trade ties, with May saying that during her visit alone, India and the UK will ink more than GBP 1 billion (Rs 83,00 crore) of business deals.

At a joint press interaction with Modi, May announced two business-centric visa programs - Registered Traveler Scheme and Great Club - while India drew her attention to its students and working professionals getting impacted by the stringent visa norms in the UK. As per official UK figures, the number of study visas issued to Indian nationals fell from 68,238 in 2010 to 11,864 this year.

While boosting trade and simplifying visa regime apart from security and defense cooperation were among the key bilateral issues, the two leaders also discussed regional and international matters of mutual interest including the need for South Asia to be stable, prosperous and free from terror.

Certified by “CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL Readership 117,765”

Details on page 5

CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 28-29 Classifieds ------------------------- 48 Community Post -------------- 16-25 Date Book -------------------------- 50 Edit Page --------------------------- 54 HealthScience Post --------- 34-36 Horoscope ------------------------- 15 Immigration Post ------------- 51-53 Life Style ----------------------- 30-33 Philosophy ------------------------- 49 Publisher’s Diary ------------------ 4 Real Estate -------------------- 37-39 TechBiz Post ------------------- 44-47 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 40-43

2

India Post

www.indiapost.com

November 11, 2016

November 11, 2016

India Post www.indiapost.com

NEWS on your desktop www.indiapost.com

3

4 India Post

November 11, 2016

India Post

IndiaNewsweekly Post

www.indiapost.com The Weekly Newspaper Serving Indians Worldwide

Mission Statement

Romesh & Sunita Japra Publishers Rajesh Verma Co-Publisher Vikram Paul President Krishan Sharma Mg Director & Joint Editor Vinod Dhawan Senior Editor Naresh Sodhi General Manager Amit Saini IT Director Ghanshyam Bisht Supervisor Graphics SAN FRANCISCO & SILICON VALLEY Vidya Sethuraman Bureau Chief Vijay Thapar CPRO & Advertising Deepak Chhabra Promotions Ritu Maheshwari Director Promotions Sonia Sidhu Marketing Analyst Rakesh Kapoor Correspondent Ratika J. Paul Photo Journalist Sudesh Kumari Correspondent Priya Nayar Marketing Rakesh Kapoor Photo Journalist Archana Asthana Correspondent Sujata Singh Correspondent Manasi Maheshwari Youth Correspondent LOS ANGELES Mrs Shashi Trivedi Bureau Chief Mrs Prem Kishore Sr Correspondent Greg Heffernan Correspondent Ms Bobby Sharma Correspondent Babeeta Kaur Dhillon Correspondent Pavan Kaur Bhatia Correspondent CHICAGO Ramesh Soparawala Resident Editor A Q Siddiqui Correspondent ST. LOUIS Ashwin Patel Correspondent NEW YORK & NEW JERSEY Pinky Kaur Bureau Chief Srirekha N. Chakravarty Correspondent Nikita Japra Correspondent Sukhvinder Saini Circulation ATLANTA Sanjay Saggere Bureau Chief FLORIDA B K Madnani CANADA Firdaus Ali Correspondent BOSTON Gope Gidwani Bureau Chief

To empower the Indian Diaspora and make their voice strong and effective in countries of their adoption. RJ Media conglomerate offers a credible, professional and complete package of news, opinion, entertainment, networking and information.

Publisher’s Diary I

'm writing this a little before Decision Day - and I call it the decision day in the hope that all those "undecideds" would have finally made up their minds and put their vote to good use, and those that had made up their minds well before the day, are not regretting it.

Well, it would be too late either way, for the dye has been cast and the country is predictably even more chaotic than it has been through the events leading up to this day.

Not all of us are celebrating the dawn of a new presidency. If anything this election has only heightened a sense of uncertainty to the point of paranoia. No one person in this country today, whether American, native or hyphenated, documented or undocumented, rich or poor, political or apolitical, gay or straight, religious or otherwise, can afford not to feel involved, as never before in our lives have we seen a democratic process hitting so close to home as this one.

Unfortunately, in this vitiated atmosphere it would be too pretentious for the new President to try to 'unify' the people. Because, ideologically, the chasm between the far right or the 'alt-right' as white nationalist Richard Spencer calls it, and the far left, has become unbridgeable and let's not kid ourselves that these are just transient sentiments whipped up by a populist election campaign; rather these are suppressed sentiments long waiting to confront and clash. More importantly for the President-elect, it would be catastrophic to undermine the nonsupportive end of the spectrum.

Post the vitriol laden process over the past year, not just for the entire class of career politicians but each and every one of us as a nation, mere introspection is not enough to understand what may be wrong, but we also need to find ways of conciliation, understand where each one of us is coming from, go the extra length to reach out and trust others in good faith as fellow Americans.

Well, I'm a glass-half-full kinda guy. So you know what makes me confident we can get back on that path? Basic American decency.

Romesh K Japra rkjapra@gmail.com

DETROIT Ashok B Jain, M D Bureau Chief Gurminder Singh SAN DIEGO Neelu Bhardwaj Bureau Chief SACRAMENTO Madan Sharma Bureau Chief Janak Sidhra Correspondent Upen Shukla Correspondent CENTRAL VALLEY (CA) Dr Ram Saini Bureau Chief Sheila Rogers Correspondent

INFO-CENTER CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 1860 Mowry Ave # 200 Fremont, CA 94538 Tel: 510-938-8667, Fax: 510-790-2806; E-mail: nareshsodhi@gmail.com

CAROLINAS Nalini Raja Patel Correspondent

For Editorial: Vidya Sethuraman; Tel: 510-491-4867; E-mail: vidya@indiapost.com

PUNJAB Shiv Japra Bureau Chief Anil Kanwar Senior Correspondent/ Marketing DOABA, PUNJAB Romesh Kaura Correspondent HYDERABAD M Sagar Kumar Bureau Chief MUMBAI Nidhi Soparawala Correspondent Frank Fernandes Correspondent

Rift denied Ranveer Singh has denied not getting along with co-star Shahid in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus 'Padmavati'

Cover Story: India-UK pledge India and Britain have pledged to fight terrorism and bring to justice terror groups and those who encourage them

Community: Musicians honored The UN Women honored violin maestro Dr. L Subramaniam and his wife singer Kavita Krishnamurthy on November 4

28 5 16

Immigration: Sneaking into US An increasing number of people from farflung corners of the world have tried to sneak into the United States

51

Classifieds: Naresh Sodhi: Tel: 510-938-8667; E-mail: nareshsodhi@gmail.com Vidya Sethuraman: Tel: 510-491-4867; E-mail: vidya@indiapost.com Graphics Inquiry: E-mail: ghanshyam@indiapost.com

NEW DELHI Jyoti Vashisht PR & Marketing Vijender P Shah Graphics

Bollywood:

E-SUBSCRIPTION: Vidya Sethuraman Tel: 510-491-4867; E-mail: vidya@indiapost.com

YUBA CITY (CA) Satnam Tatla Correspondent

INDIA Vinod Dhawan Senior Editor & Bureau Chief

HIGHLIGHTS

For advertisement rates call the office nearest to you: SAN FRANCISCO & SILICON VALLEY 1860 Mowry Ave # 200 Fremont, CA 94538 Naresh Sodhi: 510-938-8667 e-mail: nareshsodhi@gmail.com Vidya Sethuraman: 510-491-4867 e-mail: vidya@indiapost.com

LOS ANGELES 16224 Alpine Pl. La Mirada, CA 90638 Tel: 562-441-5511, shashi19@yahoo.com

CHICAGO 2543 W Devon Ave Chicago IL 60659 Tel: 773-973-7394; Fax: 773-973-7396; Email: sramesh@aol.com

NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

VADODARA, GUJARAT Vaidehi Patel Correspondent

Tel: 510-938-8667 E-mail: nareshsodhi@gmail.com

India Post (ISSN-1064-3868) is published weekly for $30 for 52 issues yearly by India Post, 1860 Mowry Ave # 200 Fremont, CA 94538. Periodicals postage paid at Norwalk, CA and additional mailing office.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the corporate headquarters: 1860 Mowry Ave # 200 Fremont, CA 94538 Copyright © 1994 Indamec, Inc. DISCLAIMER India Post assumes all advertisers to be reliable and responsible for all liability for their claimers

BOSTON

FLORIDA 8401 West Sample Road 30, Coral Springs, Florida - 33065 TORONTO, CANADA Tel/Fax: 416-744-8610 DELHI 230-A, 3 rd Floor, Jin Kushal Suri Complex, Masjid Moth, (NDSE Part-II) New Delhi - 110049 Tel: 11-26257769 E-mail:delhi@indiapost.com MUMBAI • Fernandes Mansion Tam Taloa, Bassien (W) Mumbai Tel: 09619 330159

VADODARA

Tel: 617-298-9200; Fax: 617-298-1104 GOPE; E-mail: ggidwani@aol.com ATLANTA 67 Peach Tree Dr., Ste. 102, Buckhead Atlanta, GA 30309, Tel: 404-425-3021 E-mail: sanjay@eBolo.com

• Vaidehi Patel 31/32 J\Jaysantosi Nagar Society, behind Utkarsh Petrol Pump, Karelibaug, Vadodara-390018. Gujarat (India) E-mail: v_patel83@yahoo.com Tel: 011 91 98797 79976

For editorial, contact: editor@indiapost.com

Life style: Wedding industry hit The big fat Punjabi wedding industry is in knots over escalating India-Pak tensions & chaotic state election scene

Techbiz: GST talks The Centre and States have failed to reach a consensus on who will control which set of assessees under GST

Travel: Ranthambore Ranthambore in Rajasthan has deciduous forests rich in flora and fauna and a land boasting of legendary history

30 44 40

Cover/Top Stories

November 11, 2016

India Post

5

www.indiapost.com

India, Britain vow to fight terrorism NEW DELHI: India and Britain have pledged to fight terrorism and bring to justice terror groups and those who encourage them even as the two countries agreed not to allow fugitives escape law in each other's territory.

As Prime Minister Theresa May made her first bilateral visit outside Europe and held extensive talks with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, officials handed over a list of 57 fugitives New Delhi wants to be extradited and hoped for early extradition of industrialist Vijay Mallya to face probe in the money laundering case against him.

After more than three hours of "extensive" talks, the two Prime Ministers agreed on boosting trade ties, with May saying that during her visit alone, India and the UK will ink more than GBP 1 billion (Rs 83,00 crore) of business deals.

At a joint press interaction with Modi, May announced two business-centric visa programs - Registered Traveler Scheme and Great Club - while India drew her attention to its students and working professionals getting impacted by the stringent visa norms in the

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Prime Minister of United Kingdom Theresa May at the Joint Press Briefing at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi on November 7

were among the key bilateral issues, the two leaders also discussed regional and international matters of mutual interest including the need for South Asia to be stable, prosperous and free from terror.

They called upon all countries

"The two Prime Ministers tasked the Defense Consultative Group (DCG) on 15-16 November 2016 to advance the bilateral defense cooperation agenda, including the UK's proposals for capability partnerships, through a range of activities including military to military cooperation UK. As per official UK figures, the number of study visas issued to Indian nationals fell from 68,238 in 2010 to 11,864 this year.

While boosting trade and simplifying visa regime apart from security and defense cooperation

to work towards that goal.

"Both Prime Ministers acknowledged that terrorism and violent extremism poses one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and in this regard called for concerted

global action without selectivity.

"The two leaders called for urgent measures to counter and prevent the spread of terrorism, violent extremism and radicalization," a joint statement issued after the talks said.

The two sides underlined the importance of maintaining the legal order for the seas and oceans based on the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The remarks are seen as a veiled reference to the recent order by the UN on the South China Sea that was criticized by China, which refused to accept it.

Reaffirming their respect for and commitment to the freedom of navigation and overflights based on the universally recognized principles of international law, as reflected in the UNCLOS, the two leaders stated that all related territorial and jurisdictional disputes should be resolved by peaceful means, without resorting to the threat or use of force.

"They urged States to respect UNCLOS and refrain from activities which prejudice the peace, good order and security of the oceans," the statement said.

Earlier, May inaugurated UKIndia Tech Summit jointly with Modi. On bilateral defense cooperation front, Modi said, "I encourage British companies to look at the multiple opportunities in the Indian defense sector. Looking beyond trade in defense equipment, I invite them to build partnerships with Indian enterprises that focus on manufacturing, technology transfer and co-development."

Recognizing the potential for cooperation in defense manufacturing between the British and

Indian companies in the Make in India framework, the two sides agreed to encourage and facilitate such cooperation.

The UK will continue its engagement with the Indian Ministry of Defense and Indian defense companies to simplify and expedite export control regimes and to support the transfer of technology to enable projects in areas of mutual interest.

"The two Prime Ministers tasked the Defense Consultative Group (DCG) on 15-16 November 2016 to advance the bilateral defense cooperation agenda, including the UK's proposals for capability partnerships, through a range of activities including military to military cooperation, training, exchange of subject matter experts, research and technology linkages as well as defense manufacturing," the joint statement said.-PTI

UK backs India for UNSC membership NEW DELHI: Britain has reaf- nounced new research partnerfirmed its support to India's bid ships worth 80 million pounds, for permanent membership of the including establishment of a joint UN Security Council (UNSC) as strategic group on AMR with a the Prime Ministers of the two joint investment of up to 13 milcountries directed their officials lion pounds. concerned to have "close and The two sides said they would regular consultations" on all mat- work together to support the ters related to the international multi-stakeholder model of body. internet governance.

The United Kingdom also wel"The growing India-UK cyber comed India's entry into the Mis- relationship is a success story of sile Technology Control Regime the Defense and International Se(MTCR), a key global non-prolif- curity Partnership (DISP)," a joint eration objectives, and backed India's bid for membership of the The two sides said they Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as well as would work together to other key export control regimes like the Austra- support the multi-stakelia Group. holder model of internet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his governance British counterpart Theresa May also welcomed a fourth phase of the Joint statement by the two Prime MinUK-India Civil Nuclear Research isters said.

Program that will look at new techThe two Prime Ministers also nologies for enhancing nuclear expressed desire to enter into a safety, advanced materials for Framework for the UK-India Cyber nuclear systems, waste manage- Relationship. ment and future civil nuclear enProjects to reduce post-harvest ergy systems. losses to benefit farmers, collaboThe leaders directed their offi- rations in health care and the cials to have close and regular launch of the second phase of consultations on all matters re- joint research in women and lated to the United Nations, in- children's health in low-income cluding UN terrorist designations. settings were also announced.

Recognizing that Anti-MicroMay also signaled the UK's bial Resistance (AMR) is a global intention to join the International challenge, India and the UK an- Solar Alliance.-PTI

6

Top Stories

India Post

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

India flags visa concerns to British PM NEW DELHI: India has flagged its serious concerns to Britain over its stringent visa norms and hike in threshold limit of annual pay of working professionals to get the travel document even as Prime Minister Theresa May announced two visa programs, primarily for Indian corporates.

At the same time, May said her government will consider further improvements to its visa offer to

visa country" under the scheme.

Under the second program, she said the Indian Government will become the first government in the world to be invited to nominate business executives to the Great Club, a bespoke visa and immigration service.

During the talks with May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged India's concerns over stringent student visa norms

Asked about May's reported comment that the onus was on India to call back those overstaying in Britain, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the issue has been that the UK wanted the "so called returnees" to come back based on their verification India if speed and volume of returns of Indians "with no right to remain" in UK is stepped up to which the Indian side conveyed that it will follow international practice and a proper verification process.

May while announcing the UK offer of two new visa services to improve business travel for Indians to the UK said that under the Registered Traveler Scheme, business travelers will get expedited clearance at the UK border and that India will become the "first

which require students to return home after their courses end.

The norm has led to fall in Indian students' enrollment in British universities by 50 per cent.

The number of study visas issued to Indian nationals fell from 68,238 in 2010 to 11,864 this year, official UK figures show.

Earlier, addressing India-UK Tech Summit with May in attendance, Modi asked Britain to relax student visa rules saying greater mobility of young people must be encouraged while the Brit-

ish Premier said her country has a "good system" for applications.

The contentious issue figured prominently during bilateral talks between Modi and May. "We flagged our concerns regarding students' visa issues, visa issues regarding business travelers and other issues relating to bonafide travelers to the UK," Joint Secretary (Europe) in the External Affairs Ministry Randhir Jaiswal told reporters.

The UK has also raised the threshold limit for salary from 20,800 pounds to 30,000 pounds to get work visa which is expected to impact the Indian companies, particularly those in IT sector.

Asked about May's reported comment that the onus was on India to call back those overstaying in Britain, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the issue has been that the UK wanted the "so called returnees" to come back based on their verification.

He said India has been maintaining that it will go by verification at its own level.

Jaiswal said India will "play by the international rules" on the issue. "As and when UK approaches us giving the proper documents for issue and verification of nationality and issue of travel document, we will do what is required to take back our nationals." -PTI

India asks UK to extradite 'wanted' 60 NEW DELHI: India has asked In talks between Modi and Britain to extradite nearly 60 people May, the issue of extradition rewanted by it, including liquor quests figured and officials dealbaron Vijay Mallya and Chirstian ing with the issue from both sides Michel, the alleged middleman in were directed to meet at the earlithe AgustaWestland helicopter est. deal, for bringing them back to Sources said India expects forface justice here. ward movement in Mallya's extraIndia and Britain also agreed dition from the UK following the to hold annual strategic dialogue talks. They said the specific issue at the level of Union Home Secre- of Mallya's extradition had also tary to jointly deal with issues like figured in the talks between the terrorism, organized crimes, visa two sides in the run up to the and immigration matters. meeting between Modi and May. The Indian list of around 60 Asked whether Mallya issue wanted people was handed over figured in the talks, Joint Secreto Britain during the bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Former IPL boss Lalit Modi is counterpart Theresa also evading law in India May. Britain also handed and these talks may help over to India a list of 17 people whose custody Indian authorities to push for it seeks under the Mutual Legal Assistance his early extradition as well Treaty or against whom Letters Rogatories had been issued, official sources said. tary (Europe) in the External AfWhile industrialist Vijay Mallya fairs Ministry Randhir Jaiswal rehas been accused of money laun- ferred to the Indo-UK joint statedering, Christian Michel is the al- ment issued after the discussions leged middleman in the Rs 3,600 which said the two Prime Miniscrore AgustaWestland helicopter ters affirmed their strong commitdeal. ment to enhancing cooperation The two countries agreed not under the Mutual Legal Assisto allow fugitives and criminals es- tance Treaty. cape law and resolved to facilitate Former IPL boss Lalit Modi is outstanding extradition requests. also evading law in India and these talks may help Indian authorities to push for his early extradition as well.

Michel is a British citizen and wanted by CBI while Mallya and Modi, who have made the UK their home, are wanted by the ED trols and to support the transfer in money laundering cases. of technology to enable projects "The two leaders agreed that in areas of mutual interest, it said. fugitives and criminals should not The two leaders also tasked be allowed to escape the law. They the Defense Consultative Group expressed their strong commit(DCG) on November 15-16 to ad- ment to facilitate outstanding exvance the bilateral defense coop- tradition requests from both eration agenda, including the sides.

"In this context, they directed UK's proposals for capability partnerships, through a range of that the officials dealing with exactivities including military to tradition matters from both sides military cooperation, training, ex- should meet at the earliest to dechange of subject matter experts, velop better understanding of research and technology link- each countries legal processes ages as well as defense manufac- and requirements; share best practices, and identify the causes turing.

"Noting that ongoing coop- of delays and expedite pending eration between HAL and BAE requests," the statement said.

The strategic dialogue beSystems in manufacturing Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers in India as tween Union Home Secretary and an example of partnership in de- his British counterpart, Permanent fense manufacturing, the Prime Secretary for Home Office, will Ministers agreed to apply inno- begin from next year to discuss vative approaches to jointly pro- counter-terror cooperation, ways mote products and services into to deal with organized crimes beinternational markets," the state- sides bilateral visa and immigration matters, sources said.-PTI ment said. -PTI

India, UK to deepen ties in defense NEW DELHI: India and the UK have agreed to deepen bilateral defense ties, especially when it comes to manufacturing as Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited British companies to invest in the critical sector here.

Discussing the issue with visiting UK Prime Minister Theresa May, Modi said he encourages British companies to look at the multiple opportunities in the Indian defense sector.

"Looking beyond trade in defense equipment, I invite them to build partnerships with Indian enterprises that focus on manufacturing, technology transfer and co-development," he said.

A joint statement later said the two Prime Ministers recognized the potential for cooperation in defense manufacturing between UK and Indian companies in the 'Make in India' framework and agreed to encourage and facilitate such cooperation.

The UK will continue their engagement with the Indian MOD

and Indian defense companies to simplify and expedite export con-

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Prime Minister of United Kingdom Theresa May, at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi on November 7

Top Stories

November 11, 2016

India Post

7

www.indiapost.com

Jaitley pledges reforms to woo investment NEW DELHI: Prioritizing the need to open up economy further, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said the Centre will step up on reforms to attract more investment and fill up infrastructure deficit, even as he asserted there is a "great amount of impatience" on the growth front.

Speaking at the India-UK Tech Summit here, he said unlike devel-

he said.

"Therefore to reform more, to open more, to attract more investment, to expand more in manufacturing, (we need) to fill up the infrastructure deficit faster than what we have been doing," he said.

As the USD 2.2 trillion Indian economy expands, it is "least influenced" by voices of protection-

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley with UK Secretary of State for International Trade, Liam Fox during the 2nd day of India- UK Tech Summit in New Delhi on November 8

oping economies, voices seeking protectionism are almost absent as the economy expands.

"I think one of the great strengths of the Indian economy is that even though we are growing at the fastest rate than any major economy, but by our own standard we are still not satisfied.

There is a great amount of impatience in India and a far greater amount of realization that we can grow even faster," he said.

Seven decades after independence, India's voice is increasingly getting noticed in the world,

ism, he said.

"Normally it is the least developed and developing economies which have a tendency to cry for protectionism and that is a voice that's almost not heard in India," the FM said.

"We are looking to open out and that's the being the direction of our economy," he added.

Jaitley said many opportunities have been wasted in past and an inspirational nation doesn't want to let go off any now.

"If we look at the areas where we have growth potential I think

one obvious area is manufacturing. The share of manufacturing has to increase from the present 15 per cent to 25 per cent level and that's where we will realize we are creating far more jobs and expanding far better," he said.

Also, there is a huge potential to grow in the eastern India and rural areas have a deficit and offer a tremendous potential to invest, he said.

The Finance Minister further said that after deciding to quit the European Union, Britain is looking outside Europe and sees countries like India as one of its great future partners in trade and business.

Jaitley said India has been trying to expand in the infrastructure area in a big way in past few years.

"We have one of the fastest highway and rural road construction programs. We have a program to upgrade 400 railway stations, create more airports and seaports, smart cities and these are all areas where we need a lot of investment," he said.

India, he said, is seeking a lot of investment in these infrastructure areas.

"And therefore we have liberalized our policies, created more instruments of investments. Our FDI policies are among the most open policies world over... so that we are in a position to get more investment and enabling environment to get that investment into India, we are open to all kinds of technologies, and India has a manpower resource," he said.

The Finance Minister said over the next decade or two India will be providing very qualified people globally at extremely competitive rates that will help the country emerge as a hub of skilled manpower. -PTI

Karnataka urges May to review visa rules BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has requested visiting British Prime Minister Theresa May to review the new visa rules announced by the UK government, saying movement of skilled tech workers from India should be seen as a trade priority.

"Under the new visa rules announced by the UK Home Office, anyone applying after November 24 under the Tier-2 intra-company transfer (ICT) category would be required to meet a higher salary

British Prime Minister Theresa May with students enjoys a fly past of Light Combat Aircraft Tejas during her visit to Stonehill Government Higher Primary School on the outsikrts of Bengaluru on November 8

threshold of 30,000 pounds from the earlier 20,800 pounds. I request you to review the new policy so that the earlier threshold is continued," he said.

During an interaction with May on her arrival at a private hotel at the Kempegowda International Airport Limited here, he said the movement of skilled tech workers from India should be seen as a trade priority rather than immigration.

"Madam Prime Minister, our

NASA scientist grandson of Gandhi passes away SURAT: Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Kanubhai Gandhi passed away at a private hospital here, where he was admitted about two weeks back following a heart attack. He was 87.

Kanubhai, the son of Mahatma's third son Ramdas Gandhi, along with his wife Shivalaxmi, had been living at an accommodation at the Radha Krishna temple run by Punjabi Samaj here for the last three months.

He was admitted to the hospital on October 22 after he suffered a heart attack. He was put on life

support as he had also suffered a paralysis attack.

Kanubhai Gandhi

"Kanubhai died at 8.30 pm at a Surat hospital," his close friend Dhimant Badhiya said.

"Doctors had said that he had also suffered a lung failure in the last few days," Kanubhai's caretaker and a member of Punjabi Samaj, Kailash Chhabra, told PTI. Kanubhai, a former NASA scientist who was famously captured in a photograph pulling Mahatma Gandhi's walking stick as he led the Salt Satyagraha at Dandi in

fast growing and high value tech sectors rely upon an effective immigration policy that attracts high-skilled workers and minimizes barriers to the flow of talented people," he said in his remarks, made available to the media by the Chief Minister's Office.

He said the temporary placement of highly-skilled individuals into the UK provided a significant economic boost while having a negligible impact on net migration.

Siddaramaiah also said the state government was looking

Gujarat, had come back to India in 2014 after living in the US for over four decades.

A graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Kanubhai also worked with the US Defense Department on the wing structure of fighter aircraft.

He had decided to spend the rest of his life in India, along with his wife.

"After staying in the US for over four decades, Kanubhai wanted to spend his last days in his own country, which is why he came here, along with his wife, as he had no child.-PTI

forward to the early setting up of the UK Health City Project coming up on 400 acres of land earmarked for this initiative at Dharwad.

"We are also keen to collaborate with the UK in the fields of maternal and child nutrition and higher education in the public health and health care," he said.

He welcomed the UK Government and British industry to actively participate in this year's much-acclaimed Aero India show in February 2017 here, to chalk out a clear cut plan to build up on our mutual strengths of aerospace and defense.

Siddaramaiah said the government seeks investments from the UK-based firms in renewable energy and for creating smart cities.

The government also would be happy to work together to identify opportunities for the UK to work with Karnataka for creating next-generation logistics, infrastructure and connectivity across fast growing regions of southern and western India, Siddaramaiah said.

He also said 15 per cent of the UK-based companies in India were in Karnataka employing 23,000 people. -PTI

8

Top Stories

India Post

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

'Clinton will strengthen Indo-US ties' WASHINGTON: Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton would "carry forward" US President Barack Obama's legacy on Indo-US ties, a top IndianAmerican Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur has asserted while underlining that the same cannot be said about her Republican rival.

"There is no doubt about it.

for Hillary in Bay Area, attended among others by Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Asserting that the latest FBI move is unlikely to have much impact on the results of the November 8 general elections, as people have already made up their mind, Bhutoria said Clinton not only has a strong track record on India-US relationship, but also

Asserting that Clinton has been strongly fighting for immigration reform, Bhutoria said she believes that immigration is good for this country, by attracting talented people who build businesses and expand the economy She (Hillary Clinton) would carry forward Obama's legacy on India and Indian-Americans," Ajay Jain Bhutoria, an entrepreneur and Clinton campaign fundraiser, said.

One of the major Indian American fundraisers for the Clinton Campaign, Bhutoria hosted former US President Bill Clinton at his home in May for a fundraiser.

The 44-year-old entrepreneur also co-hosted several fundraisers

has strong ties with the IndianAmerican community.

In her memoir Hard Choices, Clinton said a key aspect of US policy during her stint as secretary of state was bringing India "more fully into the Asian-Pacific political scene", especially as a counterweight to China.

During her much-publicized visit to Chennai in 2011 she said, "Much of the history of the 21st century will be written in Asia,

which, in turn, will be influenced by the partnership between the US and India and its relationship with neighbors," Bhutoria pointed out.

As secretary of state, she has weighed in favor of India in rebalancing America's foreign policy, he said.

Asserting that Clinton has been strongly fighting for immigration reform, Bhutoria said she believes that immigration is good for this country, by attracting talented people who build businesses and expand the economy.

"Each successive wave of migration has helped this country.

Hillary Clinton has vowed to reduce the visa backlog. Applicants from the Asia-Pacific region make up about 40 per cent of the family visa backlog. Some from India have been waiting for a visa for 12-14 years under family category," he said.

Bhutoria, who serves on the Asian-American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Leadership Council's policy committee for the Hillary Clinton Campaign, was instrumental in including issues related to Indian-Americans in the immigration related issues in the policy paper released by the campaign this summer. -PTI

Foreign delegates wear masks at conference NEW DELHI: With Delhi and NCR area air quality plunging due to high level of air pollution, foreign delegates at a global health conference on tobacco control at Greater Noida were seen wearing masks.

Participants and delegates arriving at the 7th Session of the

present situation, he had to get a protective mask from the embassy while coming to the conference venue.

"I came from the Caribbean where the air is clean and fresh.

Given the kind of pollution in the national capital, I am wearing the protective mask," Castillo said.

Green body Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) had recently said that according to the India Meteorological Department, this is the worst smog with very poor visibility in 17 years Conference of Parties (COP7) to World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which kicked off at Greater Noida were seen wearing protective masks or protecting their nose with a cloth.

Giovanni Castillo, Ambassador of Guatemala said that given the

Another delegate from Syria, who refused to be identified, was also seen coming out of the bus with her mouth and nose covered with a cloth.

She said that she was informed about the bad quality of air which is why she used the cloth to protect her mouth and nose as a precautionary measure.

Many other delegates were seen wearing protective masks while arriving at the venue.

Green body Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) had recently said that according to the India Meteorological Department, this is the worst smog with very poor visibility in 17 years.

In Delhi, there has been no respite from the choking haze of pollution since Diwali.

Analysis of air pollution data from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee shows that on Diwali day (October 30) the air was already saturated the 24-hour average level of PM2.5 was 347 microgram per cubic meter (cu m) and was at 'severe' level which is the worst category according to the air quality index.

This further increased significantly post-Diwali when on November 2 the 24-hour average levels shot up to 577 microgram per cu m. A week later - it was far worse at 639 microgram per cu m.-PTI

Trump's son woos IndianAmericans at temple ORLANDO: Donald Trump's son Eric participated in a traditional 'aarti' at a Hindu temple in Florida to woo Indian-Americans as the Republican presidential nominee's family is leaving no stone unturned to ensure his victory in the election.

Eric, 32, arrived at the temple in Orlando in a suit but changed his clothes and wore a cream-colored

was seen in a TV ad saying "Ab Ki Baar Trump Sarkaar".

This is the first time that a US presidential candidate has specifically targeting the Indian-American vote bank.

Donald Trump's daughter-inlaw Lara Trump celebrated Diwali at a Hindu temple in the key swing state of Virginia as part of the Republican presidential nominee's

Sherwani to attend the 'aarti'.

He took a tour of the temple where the priest explained to him the significance of aarti and other rituals. He was also told the tales of God Rama and Krishna.

The priest presented him a saffron stole. The crucial swing state of Florida has a wealthy and growing Hindu population which could play a significant role in the election.

Earlier Donald Trump, in his efforts to woo the Indian community, borrowed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's winning slogan of the 2014 general elections and

efforts to reach out to the IndianAmerican community.

Lara had said Donald Trump has great love and affection for India and its people.

As a mark of respect to the Indian culture, she removed her shoes before entering the Rajdhani temple in Virginia.

"I really like Hindu culture and I respect it," she had said.

Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump was also scheduled to visit the temple but the Trump campaign asked her to go to a different place given the fast-changing dynamics of the polls. -PTI

Top Stories

November 11, 2016

India Post

9

www.indiapost.com

India slams UNSC over Azhar issue UNITED NATIONS: India has strongly criticized the Security Council for taking months to consider sanctioning leaders of groups it has itself designated as terror entities, in an obvious reference to the "technical hold" on India's bid to get JeM chief Masood Azhar banned by the UN. Asserting that the Security Council is stuck in its own "time warp and politics", India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin slammed the Council's inability to sanction the leaders of terrorist organizations.

"While our collective conscience is ravaged everyday by terrorists in some region or another, the Security Council gives itself 9 months to consider whether to sanction leaders of organizations it has itself designated as terrorist entities," Akbaruddin said at a session on equitable representation and increase in the membership of the Security Council here.

Earlier this year, China had extended the "technical hold" on India's move to get Azhar designated as a terrorist by the UN. The six-month validity of the technical hold lapsed in late September and China sought another three-month extension on India's bid.

He lamented that the snailpaced and "never-ending carousel of discussions" on United

Nations Security Council (UNSC) reforms, saying "it is time to break the impasse" to urgently reform the body that is "unresponsive" to the current global situation.

The inability to respond to

Masood Azhar

humanitarian situations, terrorist threats and peacekeeping vulnerabilities during this year itself are part of the price that is being paid for the international community's lack of progress on the critical matter, he noted.

"On issues pivotal to international security such as Syria, there is inaction, and on other situations like dealing with the peacekeeping crisis in South

Army briefs foreign defense attaches NEW DELHI: Top Army officers here briefed the defense and military attaches of various countries posted here about the "global and regional security scenario" and India's "security concerns", amid rising tensions along the borders with Pakistan.

The Annual Foreign Service Attaches (FSAs) briefing on military subjects of common interest was conducted by Indian Army at Manekshaw Centre.

Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag and senior military officers were present on the occasion and interacted with the guests. Pakistan was not invited to the meet.

Lt Gen Bipin Rawat, Vice Chief of the Army Staff, addressed the audience and spoke about "glo-

Sudan we see fragmented action which is not implemented even months after being agreed upon," Akbaruddin said.

"The Security Council, stuck in its own time warp and politics, can only be described as

bal and regional security scenario and India's security concerns", sources said.

Later during the interaction, the attaches also shared views on the security issues and how they have been impacted, they said.

India is host to a large number of FSAs from defense forces of friendly foreign countries.

Defense diplomacy has emerged as a powerful tool in present day environment where the armed forces of the world stand united fighting common enemies and challenges, a statement by the Army said.

"Indian Army thanked the FSA community for their contribution in strengthening defense ties between India and their respective nations," it added. -PTI

working randomly on the basis of a mix of ad-hocism, scrambling and political paralysis. Need one say more about the urgency of the need for reform of this relic which has long been unresponsive to the needs of our time," he said.

Akbaruddin said the neverending carousel of discussions on UNSC reforms leaves many in the international community perplexed as the crucial reform of the Security Council has been delayed despite both its importance and its urgency.

He pointed out that the Council's global governance structure does not cease to surprise the international community with its persistent inability to even effectively engage with the tasks at hand.

"The lack of representativeness of its membership, especially in the permanent category, which was decided upon 70 years ago adds to its lack of legitimacy and credibility," he added.

The ambassador expressed hope that under the current UN General Assembly President Peter Thomson, a process on furthering the reform will be put in place that can help move from discussions to negotiations.

"It is time to break the impasse. It is time to reflect the different hues in a text so that everyone can discern the trend lines and trajectory of thinking of Member States," he said. -PTI

FBI gives clean chit to Clinton just before polls WASHINGTON: The FBI has Weiner. given clean chit to Hillary Clinton, "Since my letter (of October saying it has not changed its view 28), the FBI investigation team after a renewed probe into her use has been working around the of private email server as secre- clock to process and review a tary of state, a development seen large volume of emails from a deas a game changer for the Demo- vice obtained in connection with cratic presidential candidate. an unrelated criminal investiga"Based on our review, we have tion," Comey said. It was renot changed our conclusions that ported that there were 650,000 we expressed in July with respect emails on that laptop. to Secretary Clinton," FBI Direc"During that process, we retor James B Comey told Congress viewed all the communications leaders in a letter. that were to or from Hillary The move, just before the gen- Clinton while she was the Secreeral elections, came as relief to the tary of State," Comey said.

69-year-old former secretary of The FBI's letter was welcomed state following the agency's announcement of launching a fresh probe into a Trump criticized the latest cache of recently dis- development, saying covered emails that had triggered a back- Clinton is being protected lash from the Demoby a "rigged system cratic camp and dented Clinton's popularity.

Republican rival Donald Trump, who had seized by the Clinton campaign, which on to the reignited controversy saw its popularity graph sharply following the FBI's decision of dropping down in the aftermath the renewed probe, criticized the of the October 28 letter. latest development, saying "We were always confident Clinton is being protected by a nothing would cause the July de"rigged system" and that it is cision to be revisited. Now Di"unbelievable, what she gets rector Comey has confirmed it," away with". tweeted Clinton spokesman Brian A similar letter was sent to the Fallon.

Congress on July 28 in which "We are glad to see that he has Comey had said the FBI has re- found, as we were confident that opened the investigation follow- he would, that he had confirmed ing discovery of some pertinent the conclusions he reached in emails on the laptop of Clinton's July and we are glad that this matclose aide Huma Abedin which ter is resolved," Jennifer Palmieri, was shared by the latter's es- Clinton's communications directranged husband Anthony tor, told reporters.-PTI

Hafiz Saeed threatens 'surgical strike' in Kashmir LAHORE: Jammat-ud-Dawah chief and Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed has threatened India with a "surgical strike" by Kashmiri militants in Jammu and Kashmir that will long be remembered. "(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi had done what he had to.

Now it is the turn of Mujahideen to carry out a surgical strike in Kashmir," Saeed threatened while addressing a rally in Mirpur, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

"The surgical strike Mujahideen are going to carry out will long be remembered. Such a strike will not be like that of India's one which is not even acknowledged by the world,"

Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-eTaiba, said in an aggressive tone amid chants of 'jihad...jihad' by his supporters.

Saeed, the founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba who carries a USD 10-million bounty on his head, had earlier criticized the Nawaz Sharif government for giving a "cool" response to India over alleged atrocities in Kashmir, saying people in the Valley need Pakistan's "full practical support".

Soon after India's surgical strikes, Saeed had warned the Modi government to get ready to face a surgical strike from the Pakistan army.

He was criticized here for issuing the statement on behalf of the army. -PTI

Top Stories

10 India Post

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

Oracle honors beauty with brains Jyotsna India Post News Service

FREMONT, CA: Jyotsna Bendapudi received the Award of Excellence for 10 years of Leadership Skills in organizing and directing Oracle's Diwali event. The award was given by Oracle President Thomas Kurian. This award is for the individual who can motivate thousands of people, show resilience, with relentless passion, to the company/community, and for her outstanding contributions and exceptional services to bring everyone together. The award is considered prestigious and serves

achievements as well. She has three patents to her name in Java development, at Oracle USA company, and has a Pacesetter Award in Oracle. She also has a Best Employee award at Oracle. She passed out as a top ranking student in high school and college in India.

In addition, she is Cultural Chair for FOG (Festival of Globe) and founder & creative director of Dance Dil Se, a non-profit dance musical company, celebrating its 5th anniversary. She is choreographer, dancer, actor, film maker and story writer. She conducts dance classes at 12 loca-

She is Cultural Chair for FOG (Festival of Globe) and founder & creative director of Dance Dil Se, a non-profit dance musical company, celebrating its 5th anniversary.

She is choreographer, dancer, actor, film maker and story writer as a highlight to anyone's career.

Oracle Diwali was founded by Jyotsna & Co and has been adapted as a role model in the all other office locations. This event has a team of 200+ working with Jyotsna. All the Oracle employees support and love this huge yearly event.

Jyotsna is often called beauty with brains. She is multi-talented and has a score of academic

tions, throughout Bay Area. She spearheads an exceptional charitable cause in India, which now proudly educates 25 orphan girls, with plans of expansion, raising money through DanceDilSe's "Movie On Stage" musical shows. Recently DanceDilSe teams won prizes in dance competitions at many events.

The next shows of DanceDilSe, "Flavors", is coming up on April

1st, 2017 with a 200+ team, gearing up to enthrall their audience with 5 shows all over Bay Area.

You can contact Jyotsna @ 408 800 5237 & Email DanceDilSeUSA@gmail.com, to join the team as a Volunteer, Dancer, Instructor to teach kids/ adults, actor, singer, decorator, production.

Oracle colleagues & Facebook friends flooded with nearly 400 likes and 500+ congratulating messages in two days. A few are reproduced here: President & Convener FIA, Founder & Convener Festival of Globe, Dr Romesh Japra: Proud of you Jyotsna ! Congrats.

Eileen: Congrats Jyotsna! Doers make things happen and some doers make magic happen. This is special.

Upen: What an example of persistence, resilience, and hard work behind this honor. Congrats Jyotsna, Keep it Up!!

Sundar: Ten years of hard work finally paid off!! Such a proud and historic moment in the history of Oracle Diwali!

Rose Reynolds: Jyotsna, so glad you're getting acknowledged! This brings joy and happiness to so many!

Sandya: Very big honor, Jyotsna Bendapudi. Congratulations!

Gandhi: Congratulations. It is a proud moment for all of us.

Jyotsna Bendapudi being presented with Award of Excellence by Thomas Kurian, president of Oracle

Thanks for leading this Effort.

Murali: Wow Jyotsna, congrats on the award from Thomas Kurian! Completely, utterly,

totally deserved.

Lisa: Fantastic!! Congrats Rafae: Congrats Jyotsna, very well-deserved. Seems like yesterday!!

OpAsha's Dr Shelly gets Porter Prize FRANK FERNANDES India Post News Service

MUMBAI: Dr Shelly Batra, President and co founder of Operation Asha, was honoured with the prestigious Porter Prize at a meet of India Council of Competitiveness Forum (NCF) and Porter Prize event recently attended by over 150 guests and elite invitees There was an exciting line up of influential speakers - Ravi Venkatesan (Chairman, Bank of Baroda), Dr.Rana Kapoor (Founder Chair, Yes Bank) and Bhaskar Iyer (VP, South Asia, Abbott) delivering their take on competitiveness and innovation in India.

The theme for the forum this year was innovation and competitiveness. The forum was a discussion platform aiming to set the agenda for India's growth and competitiveness by engaging top leaders, renowned thinkers, and government functionaries.

Dr. Shelly Batra shared her views as part of a panel discus-

weighed in on how shared value orientation enables the strategic shift towards creating new business models around the underserved social and environmental needs. Dr. Shelly voiced her sentiment, "Shared Value is not merely a marketing strategy, it is a spiritual belief."

Operation Asha received the Porter Prize 2016 from Indian Minister Jayant Sinha for creating value-based healthcare delivery.

Value-Based Healthcare Delivery is a framework for restructuring healthcare systems around the globe with the overarching goal of value for patients.With (L-R) Jayant Sinha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Wilfried Aulbur, MD, Roland a low cost operating Berger; Sandeep Ahuja, CEO Asha; Dr. Shelly Batra, President and co founder of model and biometrics to Operation Asha track compliance, Opshe underlined the importance of performance at global, national eration Asha has been able to Social Progress Index as a comple- and sub-national levels. She also implement service delivery at the sion at the event. In a talk to this paper, Dr Shellly pointed out that

mentary tool to GDP for assessing the social and environmental

very doorsteps of the underserved while ensuring adherence to the treatment regimen.

OpAsha has taken huge strides in the fight to eliminate social stigma towards TB patients by providing vocational training for female TB patients, so that they can start earning and their families do not abandon them. As Dr. Shelly very rightly mentioned in her panel discussion, "Providing social dignity to the poor is as important as financial inclusion".

Various topics were discussed at the forum, but focus was on issues pertaining to innovation, intellectual property rights, value creation, competitiveness, social progress, creating shared value etc. It was followed by the Porter Prize ceremony where the corporates were awarded for their best strategy practices at the event held at The Leela, Ambience Island, Gurgaon.

More top stories on pages 26-27

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

India Post 11

12

Perspective

India Post

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

Behind 2016's turmoil, a crisis of White identity AMANDA TAUB

C

all it the crisis of whiteness.

White anxiety has fueled this year's political tumult in the West: Britain's surprising vote to exit the European Union, Donald J. Trump's unexpected capture of the Republican presidential nomination in the United States, the rise

generally considered part of it, benefiting from racial privilege. At the same time, Jews' white skin did not protect them from being cast as outsiders by some of Mr. Trump's supporters who have circulated anti-Semitic memes on social media.

Still, experts see a crisis of white identity

Supporters of Donald J. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, during a rally last month in Naples, Fla. Credit Eric Thayer for The New York Times

of right-wing nationalism in Norway, Hungary, Austria and Greece.

Whiteness, in this context, is more than just skin color. You could define it as membership in the "ethno-national majority," but that's a mouthful. What it really means is the privilege of not being defined as "other."

Whiteness means being part of the group whose appearance, traditions, religion and even food are the default norm.

It's being a person who, by unspoken rules, was long entitled as part of "us" instead of "them."

But national and racial identity were of-

underlying much of the West's current turmoil.

"It's fundamentally about 'who are we?'" said Eric Kaufmann, a professor of politics at Birkbeck College, University of London.

"What does it mean to be part of this nation? Is it not 'our' nation anymore, 'our' meaning the ethnic majority?

"These kinds of questions are really front and center, even though they're not necessarily verbalized."

The questions can seem like a sudden reversal after decades of rising multiculturalism, through the civil rights

of any sort of achieved identity."

Focusing on lost identities rather than lost livelihoods helps answer one of the most puzzling questions about the link between economic stress and the rise of nationalist politics: why it is flowing from the middle and working classes, and not the very poor.

While globalization and free trade have widened economic inequality and deeply wounded many working-class communities, data suggests that this year's political turmoil is not merely a backlash to that real pain.

In Britain's referendum on membership in the European Union, low education was a much stronger predictor of people voting "leave" than low income, according to an analysis by Zsolt Darvas, a senior fellow at the Bruegel research group.

A recent Gallup study found that Mr. Trump's supporters tend to earn above-average incomes for their communities, but also tend to live in majority-white areas

derived from personal effort, and "ascribed" identity based on innate characteristics.

Everyone has both, but people tend to be most attached to their "best" identity the one that offers the most social status or privileges. Successful professionals, for example, often define their identities primarily through their careers.

For generations, working-class whites were doubly blessed: They enjoyed privileged status based on race, as well as the fruits of broad economic growth.

W h i t e people's offi- "When I look at the data, I keep coming cially privileged status waned back to this issue that it's really about identity over the latter politics," said Elisabeth Ivarsflaten, a profeshalf of the 20th century with sor at Norway's University of Bergen who the demise of studies Europe's far-right parties. "This is the discriminatory practices in, most powerful predictor of support for the say, university populists." admissions. But rising wages, an expanding social safety net where children are likely to be worse off and new educational opportunities helped than their parents. offset that. Most white adults were wealthier Arlie Russell Hochschild, the author of and more successful than their parents, and "Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and confident that their children would do bet- Mourning on the American Right," deter still. scribes a feeling of lost opportunity as the That feeling of success may have pro- "deep story" of the rural Louisiana commuvided a sort of identity in itself. nities she spent four years studying.

But as Western manufacturing and inHer subjects felt like they were waiting dustry have declined, taking many work- in a long line to reach the top of a hill where ing-class towns with them, parents and the American dream was waiting for them.

It's fundamentally about 'who are we?'" said Eric Kaufmann, a professor of politics at Birkbeck College, University of London. "What does it mean to be part of this nation? Is it not 'our' nation anymore, 'our' meaning the ethnic majority?

"These kinds of questions are really front and center, even though they're not necessarily verbalized." ten conflated for the white majority. That identity felt to many white people like one of the most important pillars holding up their world - and now it seems under threat.

There are, of course, complicated contours to 2016's unusual politics. In Britain, immigrants from South Asia voted heavily to leave the European Union, citing hopes that curtailing European migration might open space for more people from Asia. In the United States, frustration with and alienation from status quo politics have helped drive Mr. Trump's rise.

There has also always been a certain fluidity to this concept of whiteness. Irish and Italian immigrants to the United States, and Jews in Britain, were once seen as separate from the white national majority, and are now

movement in the United States and the European Union's opening up of borders.

In fact, academic research suggests that other economic and social transformations unfolding at the same time have led many people to anchor themselves more fully in their whiteness - even as whiteness itself has lost currency.

"When I look at the data, I keep coming back to this issue that it's really about identity politics," said Elisabeth Ivarsflaten, a professor at Norway's University of Bergen who studies Europe's far-right parties. "This is the most powerful predictor of support for the populists."

Gains and losses in a changing world Identity, as academics define it, falls into two broad categories: "achieved" identity

A "Leave" rally in London in June, before Britain's referendum on European Union membership.

Credit Adam Ferguson for The New York Times

grandparents have found that the opportunities they once had are unavailable to the next generation.

That creates an identity vacuum to be filled.

"For someone who is lower income or lower class," Professor Kaufmann explained, "you're going to get more self-esteem out of a communal identity such as ethnicity or the nation than you would out

But the line's uphill progress had slowed, even stopped. And immigrants, black people and other "outsiders" seemed to be cutting the line.

For many Western whites, opportunities for achieved identity - the top of the hill seem unattainable. So their ascribed identity - their whiteness - feels more important than ever.

Cont’ d on page 13

November 11, 2016

Perspective

India Post 13

www.indiapost.com Cont’ d from page 12

Whiteness is becoming less valuable Michael Ignatieff, a historian and former Liberal Party leader in Canada, said that in much of the West, "what defined the political community" for many years "was the unstated premise that it was white."

The formal rejection of racial discrimination in those societies has, by extension, constructed a new, broader national identity. The United States has a black president; London has a Muslim mayor of Pakistani descent.

But that broadening can, to some, feel like a painful loss, articulated in the demand voiced over and over at Trump rallies, proBrexit events and gatherings for populist parties throughout Europe: "I want my country back."

The mantra is not all about bigotry.

Rather, being part of a culture designed

Behind 2016's turmoil, a crisis of White identity from both sides of the Atlantic, have discovered something surprising: It's not the amount of racial or ethnic diversity in a community that predicts white resentment and support of anti-immigrant policies, but the pace of change.

Denmark, for instance, is 88 percent white Danish today - hardly a majority in jeopardy. But a generation ago, in 1980, it was 97 percent white. The anti-immigrant

Supporters took photos with their phones as Mr. Trump arrived for a rally last month in Sanford, Fla. Credit Eric Thayer for The New York Times

around people's own community and customs is a constant background hum of reassurance, of belonging.

The loss of that comforting hum has accelerated a phenomenon that Robin DiAngelo, a lecturer and author, calls "white fragility" - the stress white people feel when they confront the knowledge that they are

Danish People's Party is now the secondlargest party in the Danish Parliament. In Germany, where the foreign-born population shot up by approximately 75 percent between 2011 and 2015, the anti-immigrant, populist Alternative for Germany party is now drawing record support.

Britain saw a 66 percent increase in its

North Carolina and Tennessee have more Some leaders from Britain's center-right, than tripled since 1990, noted Lee Drutman, governing Conservative Party, for example, a senior fellow at the New America Founda- helped push a British exit, and since the tion, in an analysis for Vox. Anxiety over referendum the new Conservative prime those changes may explain why the Repub- minister, Theresa May, has signaled symlican Party became so much more focused pathy with white identity politics.

Mrs. May's government proposed a rule on limiting immigration over that period and why white voters in those states over- that would publicly shame employers who hired foreign workers. And her first major whelmingly support Mr. Trump. speech was full of barbs directed against The whiteness taboo For decades, the language of white iden- multiculturalism, including a jab against tity has only existed in the context of white people who claimed to be "citizens of the supremacy. When that became taboo, it left world," whom she called "citizens of nowhite identity politics without a vocabu- where." lary.

If you are a There will not likely be a return to the whiteworking-class white person ness of social dominance and exclusive and you fear national identity. Immigration cannot be that the new, cosmopolitan halted without damaging Western nations' world will de- economies; immigrants who have already stroy or diminish an identity arrived cannot be expelled en masse without you cherish, causing social and moral damage you have no But the struggle for white identity is not culturally acceptable way to articulate what just a political problem; it is about the "deep you perceive as a crisis.

Some of these people have instead story" of feeling stuck while others move reached for issues that feel close to their forward.

There will not likely be a return to the concerns: trade, crime, the war on drugs, controlling the borders, fear of Islamist ter- whiteness of social dominance and exclurorism. All are significant in their own right, sive national identity. Immigration cannot and create very real fears for many people, be halted without damaging Western nabut they have also become a means to have tions' economies; immigrants who have ala public conversation about what society's ready arrived cannot be expelled en masse without causing social and moral damage. changes mean for white majorities.

Professor Ivarsflaten cited the U.K. In- And the other groups who seem to be "cutdependence Party, whose official platform ting in line" are in fact getting a chance at

Professor Kaufmann and a colleague, Gareth Harris, found that white Britons who lived in areas that are rapidly diversifying became more likely to vote for the right-wing British National Party. Daniel Hopkins, a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, found a similar pattern of ethnic change leading to anti-immigrant neither special nor the default; that whiteness is just a race like any other.

Fragility leads to feelings of insecurity, defensiveness, even threat. And it can trigger a backlash against those who are perceived as outsiders.

Even some conservative analysts who support a multiethnic "melting pot" national identity, such as the editor of National Review, Reihan Salam, worry that unassimilated immigrants could threaten core national values and cultural cohesion.

The effect of rapid change Social scientists, after crunching data

foreign-born population between 2004 and 2014. Voters who chose "leave" in the recent referendum overwhelmingly cited immigration as their main concern.

Professor Kaufmann and a colleague, Gareth Harris, found that white Britons who lived in areas that are rapidly diversifying became more likely to vote for the rightwing British National Party. Daniel Hopkins, a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, found a similar pattern of ethnic change leading to antiimmigrant politics in the United States.

Immigrant populations in Arkansas,

A rally for Mr. Trump in Tampa, Fla. Experts see a crisis of white identity underlying much of the West's current turmoil. Credit Eric Thayer for The New York Times

focused on Brexit but whose pitch to voters emphasized immigrants' effects on the economy and culture, as an example of an effective hybrid populist pitch.

The approach has in some cases moved from the political fringes into the mainstream.

progress that was long denied them.

Western whites have a place within their nations' new, broader national identities. But unless they accept it, the crisis of whiteness seems likely to continue.

-Courtesy New York Times

November 11, 2016

14 India Post www.indiapost.com

FOR ALL YOUR

TRAVEL NEEDS INTERNATIONAL DOMESTIC

AIR INDIA AND ALL OTHER MAJOR AIRLINES.

PACKAGE DEAL TAJ TOUR-SOTC

SEEMA WORLD TRAVEL, INC. One of the Oldest Travel Agencies in St. Louis

Competitive Rates & Confirmed Seats for All Major Airlines 10635 Page Ave., St. Louis, MO 63132

Tel: (314) 423-9990 or (800) 55 SEEMA CALL:

Sita Ram Patel @ 847-568-0535 New York (Hicksville)

AIRWING TRAVELS INC.

Tel: (516) 931 4600

Est. 1991 Toll Free: (866) 532 3413

New Jersey (Iselin)

Tel: (732) 658 5450

Lowest Fares / Confirmed Seats to INDIA & Other Destinations Worldwide Save upto 40% on First and Business Class OPEN 7 DAYS - Call or Email : AIRWINGTRAVELS@GMAIL.COM

Fax: (314) 423-0391

Horoscope

November 11, 2016

India Post

15

www.indiapost.com

Nov 11th - Nov 17 th 2016 Please send your birthday, place of birth and time, so I can give you your zodiac sign, according to Vedic astrology. Send to Jaysastrology@gmail.com

he professional matters look ok. Some of you may be promoted/rewarded.

Some additional expenses are likely. Those who are appearing in selections may get good results. Stay away from manipulations. It is better to avoid new ventures especially business. The child may bring some happy news. The week is good for students. Some journey may be planned.

T

P

rofessional matters need care. Those of you who have strong birth planets may get promotion through selection. Some gains are likely in property matters.

Better to avoid unnecessary driving. Work with patience.

The transit planetary influences caused by Rahu/Ketu are difficult for those whose ascending degree is around 15 or some planet is around 15 degree in odd signs.

T

he professional matters are good. Some of you may get promotions/recognition. Do not plan journey during this week. The students need more efforts, to pass on exams. The health of father needs extra care. It is better to avoid haste and conflicts. Avoid unnecessary driving and take care of your health. Patience is the Mantra for you up to September 2017.

rofessional matters face some stress. Business income is likely to be delayed. Social interaction and communication is disturbed.

The child brings some concerns. Avoid conflicting situations during 2016, and take due care of your health. Exercise patience. Transit planetary influences caused

by Rahu/Ketu are difficult for those whose ascending degree is around 15.

P

he professional matters look ok. The time is good for those who are in the field of communications, teaching, politics and international trading. Students and those who are appearing in selections have better chances of success. Some new rewarding opportunities are likely. The transit planetary influences caused by Rahu/Ketu are difficult for those whose ascending degree is around 15.

T

rofessional matters may face problems. The mental peace and patience help in managing the situation.

Stay away from manipulations. Some additional expenses are likely. Silence is golden for you.Better to avoid conflicts. The transit planetary influences caused by Rahu/Ketu are difficult for those whose ascending degree is around 15 or some planet is around 15.

P

P

T

P

T

T

P

he professional matters are generally ok but may develop some concerns.

Avoid conflicts at work. Some obstructions are also seen.

Take care of your health, get a check if required. Financial position is ok. Take care and it is better to avoid unnecessary driving and risky behavior. The transit planetary influences caused by Rahu/Ketu are difficult for those whose ascending degree is around 15.

rofessional matters look better. With patience you are likely to be able to manage conflicts. Keep new ventures pending. Avoid manipulations , people trying to take advantage. Handle relationship matters with patience. Child may need help.

Avoid haste, conflicts, speculation, aggressive behaviour and unnecessary driving.

Enemies are likely to trouble.

Conflicts will put you to harm.

he professional matters look ok. Work with patience and things remain manageable. Keep new ventures pending, especially starting a new business. The health of family needs attention, get regular check up if needed.

The week may involve some additional expenses and losses. Avoid haste, aggressive behaviour, conflicts, unnecessary expenses and driving/travel.

he professional matters need care. Those who are appearing in selections have a fairly good chance of success. Additional expenses are likely. Child may bring happiness. The new business opportunities should be put on hold up to January, 2017. The week is good for students. Avoid speculation.

Always invest in safe assets.

Patience is the best medicine up to January, 2017.

rofessional matters look better. New opportunities should be properly examined. Delays and obstructions are likely in the sources of income. Manage obstructions with patience. It is better to avoid manipulations. Handle relationship matters with care. The transit planetary influences caused by Rahu/ Ketu are difficult for those whose ascending degree is around 15.

rofessional matters look better at work. Incidence of conflicts continues.

Remedy is be patience. Take care of your health and get regular check up. It is better to avoid driving and risky activities. The transit planetary influences caused by Rahu/ Ketu are difficult for those whose ascending degree is around 15 or some planet is around 15 degree in odd signs.

This weekly horoscope is more focused and accurate as these are based on ascending signs. The ascending sign is worked out on the basis of your date, time and place of birth. You will find the predictions at other places based on your Sun sign or Moon sign. The Sun remains in one sign of zodiac for one month whereas the Moon remains in one sign for about 54 hours. It is the ascending sign, which changes every couple of hours." That is how this site offers you more focused predictions.

JATIN P - ACHARYA MIHIR • JAYSASTROLOGY@GMAIL.COM • 630-675-7148

Desi News India-US Synergy conference in Los Angeles India Post News Service

LOS ANGELES, CA: The Board of Governors of City Club Los Angeles, the Consulate General of India (San Francisco), and World Trade Center Los Angeles have announced the India-USA Synergy conference, a full-day event to be held at the City Club LA, on Monday, November 14. The Conference will focus on India-USA cross-border investment, trade, manufacturing, media, education, and tourism.

Keynote addresses and panels will feature prominent leaders in these sectors from both India and the U.S. The Conference will present time-critical information and perspectives directly relevant for California organizations doing business with India, and for those considering doing so.

Details on page 18

Gujarati Samaj hosts grand Diwali function ASWHIN PATEL

ST LOUIS, MO: A front-ranking ethnic organization, the Gujarati Samaj of St. Louis, celebrated the Diwali Festival on a grand scale and with great bonhomie at Machinists Hall on Saturday November 5.

Over 600 members attended the event that was coordinated successfully by Executive Committee of the Samaj. The event started at 6pm with a social hour where community members wished each other Happy Diwali and Saal Mubarak.

Details on page 20

Sardar Patel's 141st birth anniversary celebrated SURENDRA ULLAL

CHICAGO: The Consulate General of India in Chicago celebrated the 141st Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October 31 with great fervor.

A good number of Indian community members attended the event. O.P.Meena, Consul, welcomed the guests. Consul General, Dr Ausaf Sayeed in his opening remarks mentioned that the Government of India has decided to commemorate the Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on 31st October every year as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas [National Unity Day].

Details on page 24

COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA

16 India Post

www.indiapost.com

November 11, 2016

Aussie firm puts Hindu deities on leggings Details on page 25

UN Women honors musician couple Kavita and L. Subramaniam PRAKASH SWAMY

NEW YORK: The UN Women honored internationally renowned violin maestro Dr. L Subramaniam and his wife noted Bollywood singer Kavita Krishnamurthy on November 4 by placing a lapel pin of "He For She" campaign on him and putting a wrist band in honor of her pledge to fight for gender equality.

Lakshmi Puri, UN Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, who placed the lapel pin and band, praised the commitment of the musical couple for the causes dearer to the organization.

Puri said 'He For She' is a solidarity campaign for the advancement of women and to engage men and boys as agents of change by encouraging them to take action against negative inequalities faced by girls and women. Gender equality is an issue that affects all people - socially, economically and politically - and it seeks to effectively involve men and boys in the movement.

War and conflicts are ravaging communities across the world today. The recent years have also seen widespread targeting of women and girls in conflict zones and a marked push back on

Bollywood singer Kavita Krishnamurthy being welcomed by Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at his office in New York. Pics Jay Mandal/On assignment)

women's rights. Sixteen years since the adoption of UN Security Council resolution in 2000, the women, peace and security agenda remains relevant and critical in the face of rising violence, extremism and deadly conflicts, she said.

Even as women continue to bear the brunt of war, there is in-

creased recognition of their piv- recently urged all actors, includotal role as peace builders. For ex- ing governments, to earmark 15 ample, in 2015, 7 out of 10 peace per cent of peace building funds agreements signed included gen- to projects that directly advance der specific provisions -a vast im- gender equality, which would not provement compared against the always require new funding, but analysis showing that only 73 out of 664 agreements produced be- Women make only 3 per tween 1990 and 2000 in- cent of UN military peacecluded a reference to keepers. In conflict-affected w o m e n . countries, women's share of More secuseats in parliament is four rity sector p e r s o n n e l per cent lower than the are now global average of 22.7 trained to prevent and per cent respond to sexual and gender- rather, a prioritization within existbased violence, and ing funds. more countries are Kavita promised to take up isimplementing national sues such as gender equality, disaction plans or related crimination against women, edustrategies, Puri said. cation of girl child and Women's Women make only 3 Campaign Planet 50-50 that proper cent of UN military vides equal opportunity to women peacekeepers. In con- in all areas such as employment, flict-affected countries, and achieve complete gender eqwomen's share of seats uity by 2030. in parliament is four per Ravi Karkara, strategic advisor cent lower than the glo- to UN Women, said UN Women bal average of 22.7 per was glad to work with celebrities cent. UN Secretary- such as Sania Mirza in India to Lakshmi Puri, UN Assistant Secretary General, puts a lapel pin of "He For She" campaign on violin maestro Dr L Subramaniam as his wife, Kavita Krishnamurthy, looks on General Ban Ki-moon promote gender equality.

November 11, 2016

Community Across America

India Post 17

www.indiapost.com

400 pack Grand Ballroom to celebrate Indian-American luminaries India Post News Service

WALTHAM, MA: Over 400 people packed the Grand Ballroom of Westin Hotel in Waltham, MA,

to celebrate Indian-American luminaries and achievers at a blacktie New England Choice Awards gala on Oct. 28.

The husband-wife team of philanthropists Jaishree and Desh Deshpande were honored with Lifetime Achievement Award by Massachusetts State Treasurer Deb Goldberg.

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care CEO Eric Shultz gave the keynote address and honored two organizations and seven individuals.

People and organizations honored were: Academician Vijay Kumar, Bharatnatyam dancer Jothi R a g h a v a n , LearnQuest Academy of Music, medical technology entrepreneur

Amar Sawhney, community catalyst Puran Dang, healthcare leader Dr. Dinesh Patal, philanthropist Venkat Srinivasan and Youth Leader Gautam Narula.

"I am so honored to be here with all of you, and I am deeply humbled to be recognized along with so many distinguished leaders throughout the Indian community and New England," said Goldberg who was honored for outstanding leadership and public service. "I am but one of hundreds of people here tonight who could be recognized for service to the community."

Added Treasurer Goldberg: "You can feel the energy in the room. There are trailblazers here, from dozens of different fields, reconnecting with old friends and making new ones, across the arts, business, healthcare, youth leadership, and many other fields - all of which will greatly benefit our communities, our region, and our

world. This event brings together luminaries who are renowned for catalyzing positive change in their respective industries, and who are sharing their success by creating more opportunities for others to

region's largest and oldest print, online and video magazine for South Asians.

"It was a night when there was lot of celebration, smiles and tears of joy but above all it was a night

excel."

New England Choice Awards gala was organized by INE MultiMedia in collaboration with INDIA New England News, the

to inspire and be inspired," said Dr. Manju Sheth, president of INE Multi Media.

Cont’d on page 20

18 India Post

Community Across America

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

India-US Synergy conference in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES, CA: The Board of Governors of City Club Los Angeles, the Consulate General of India (San Francisco), and World Trade Center Los Angeles have

cross-border investment, trade, manufacturing, media, education, and tourism.

Keynote addresses and panels will feature prominent leaders in these sectors from both India and the U.S. The Conference will

India-USA Synergy will be the first US-India conference in Southern California after the November 8 USA Presidential election in which there will be discussion of the impact and implications for India-USA commercial relations

announced the India-USA Synergy conference, a full-day event to be held at the City Club LA, on Monday, November 14. The Conference will focus on India-USA

present time-critical information and perspectives directly relevant for California organizations doing business with India, and for those considering doing so.

resulting from the change in American administrations.

India Post News Service

Scheduled Speakers and participants: Andy Kaplan, President of Worldwide Networks for Sony Pictures Television, with over 160 channel feeds reaching over one billion people worldwide, including several of the most popular TV networks in India; Amy Hariani, Senior Director and Legal Policy Counsel of the

U.S.-India Business Council, the nalist; Norberto F. Nardi, AIA, Principremier business advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening pal of Nardi, Associates, and the economic and commercial rela- Chairman of the City Club Intertionship between the US and India; national Committee; Ken Silverman, Head of North Kanwal Rekhi, Managing Director of Inventus Capital Part- America for Sannam S4 Group and ners, and Founder of The Indus U.S. Business Centers, and Board Chairman of the South Asian StudEntrepreneurs (TiE); Ambassador V. Ashok, Consul ies Association; An evening dinner gala, fashGeneral of India (San Francisco); Ramamurthy Sivakumar, Vice ion show, and entertainment will President, Intel Corporation, and Managing Director of Intel Capi- India-USA Synergy will be tal (the world's largest venture capital organi- the first US-India conference zation); in Southern California after Adrian Mutton, Founder & CEO of the November 8 USA PresiSannam S4 Group and dential election of U.S. Business Centers / India.

Jodi Leblanc, Vice President of follow.

The International Committee of Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces; Cindy Fan, UCLA Vice Provost City Club Los Angeles has previfor International Studies and Glo- ously produced tremendously successful Synergy events in conbal Engagement; Los Angeles County Supervi- junction with a variety of other nations over the years. India-USA sor Mark Ridley Thomas Gunjan Bagla, Founder & CEO Synergy Task Force Co-Chairs are Marlene Granderson and Robert of Amritt, Inc.; Stephen Cheung, President of Oehler. For updated information World Trade Center Los Angeles; on India-USA Synergy topics, Frank Mottek, KNX Radio, LA's speakers, and schedule, see leading business broadcast jour- www.IndiaUSAevent.com.

OCI cards don't confer dual citizenship: Consulate MADHU PATEL

CHICAGO: In the wake of huge number of complaints about the inappropriate use of OCS card title by some in Chicagoland, the Indian Consulate has taken an unusual step of issuing a public advisory dated October 20 pointing out that there is no provision for "dual citizenship" as per the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955 and the rules made there-under.

The advisory addressed to all OCI holders says that the term "Dual Citizen of India" or similar derivatives used by some card holders on social media, websites, business cards, etc. is in violation of Indian Citizenship Act, 1955. All OCI Card holders were also advised to refrain from using the term "Dual Citizen of India".

The advisory said, "Members of the public are further informed that any use of phrases, titles or formulations such as"First Dual Citizen of India/First Overseas Citizen of India" by OCI card holders in their oral or written communications, social media, websites, business cards, promotional flyers, etc.

is highly irregular, inappropriate and misleading.

It clarified that the OCI is neither a title nor an honor conferred by the Government of India (GOI) and the GOI does not make any distinction between OCI card holders irrespective of the fact whether such cards were obtained immediately after the introduction

these and other awards, the GOI has constituted the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (Overseas Indian Honour/Award) specifically to recognize the exceptional and meritorious contribution made by NRIs/PIOs in their chosen field/ profession.

Other than these and other official Awards, the GOI does not

The advisory addressed to all OCI holders says that the term "Dual Citizen of India" or similar derivatives used by some card holders on social media, websites, business cards, etc. is in violation of Indian Citizenship Act, 1955 of the scheme in 2006 or at a later date.

As is widely known, the GOI confers various Civilian Awards to Indians and non-Indians such as Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri for exceptional and distinguished services of a high order. Besides

bestow any titles or special status to any individuals. Hence any use of titles or phrases by OCI card holders such as the "Highest Honor Received" or "First Dual Citizen of India"/"First Overseas Citizen of India" is highly irregular and in violation of the GOI instructions issued from time to time.

November 11, 2016

Community Across America

India Post 19

www.indiapost.com

Gandhi Samaj celebrates Diwali traditional way Asian Media USA

CHICAGO:Energetic leadership at the helm of affairs makes a difference for any organization conducting its business and activity in an efficient and appealing manner. This was proved once again while Gandhi Samaj of Chicago celebrated its annual Diwali event at Hanuman Temple in Glenview , a north side suburb of Chicago, last Saturday November 5, in the presence of over 700 guests and invitees thronging the temple premise.

The festival of Diwali is observed by people of various faiths for different reasons, but they all acknowledge its underlying theme: the victory of good over evil and the triumph of light over darkness. The sizeable gathering comprising not only members of

cago includes over 120 "Gandhi" families, native of South Gujarat (Surat to Vapi) from Chicago and its close vicinity.

The event started with social hour accompanied by Traditional Gujarati (Indian) cuisine dinner, which was followed by a cultural program. This is a tradition observed by GSC for the last 32 years where families come together as a big united family to socialize and attend cultural program by the young and adults.

Dipak Shah, owner and president of Direct Floors in Woodridge, was the Chief Guest while Indian Consul O.P. Meena was the Guest of Honor.

President's Award was given to Nitin C. Gandhi for his leadership and excellent contribution as a Vice President of Gandhi Samaj 2012-15 term. Community Service

Lamp lighting ceremony by Consul O.P. Meena, Sunil Shah, Hitesh Gandhi (Executive Vice President) and others

smooth execution ofhteplannedevetn was due to huge support from community

new classicElizar from Arya Dance Academy performed Bollywood Fusion dance. Also, Mrs.

Some of the other highlights of evening included 1. Muje Rang De dance performance by RishaBhagat and Mansi Gandhi 2. Kal Ho Na Ho &Pani Da rang played on Instrument by Isha Guard &Daksh Guard 3.

Mix songs Cham Cham, ChittiyaanKalaiyan& Gal ban gai dance performance by Sweta Gandhi &MansiAgnihotri 4.

DeewaniMastani, I love my India & Made in India dance performance by Riya Ghayal 5. Baby Ko Base PasandHai dance performance by Esha Gandhi, Jiya Gandhi, Aarushi Mehta &Aniasha Mehta.

The Show ended with astounding performance of "TukurTukur& Char Kadam" couple dance performed by the Gandhi Samaj Community members.

There was some dissenting views also were heard from some Gandhi Samaj committee members Keyur Ghayal (President), Hitesh Gandhi (Executive Vice President), Mrs. Bhumika Gandhi, Ashwin Bodalia ,Manhar Gajjar, members of audience, They felt Mrs. Roma Bhagat, Bharat Ghayal, Ramesh Gandhi, Dipak Ghayal (Joint Secretaries) and Priya Ghayal , Hiren Ghayal that the huge influx of non memGandhi Samaj but of other faiths Award was presented to Mrs. members as wellastheSamaj team ShitalDhanani, founder of bers as invitees came in the way TaranaKathak academy added the of their social interaction among and all walks of life also was a Sushila N. Gandhi in honor of her and volunteers Cultural program touched Classical touch with her trained Samaj members. They were also pointer that they all shared this active part in the community. Educational Achievement Awards everyone's hearts as imaginations Kathak students and Paul Chopra not very happy with the dinner common belief Hitesh Gandhi , Keyur Ghayal were given to the youth who com- of performers (from age 5 to 60) grabbed audience attention by and also about an item that inand other team members led the pleted their education from the showcased their talents. Program performing a Mimicry Bollywood volved drinking science started by a small Prayer followed act.

The committee members of successful launching and con- college.

Gandhi Samaj Hitesh Gandhi, Exec Vice Presi- with American & Indian National ducting of the program for nearly areKeyurGhayal four hours. Gandhi Samaj of Chi- dent of Gandhi Samaj.Sadithat the Anthems. The Bharat Natyam performance of Ganesh Vandana (President),. Hitesh added a soft touch. The children Gandhi (Executive and adults of Gandhi Community Vice President), Mrs. performed Classical and Bhumika V. Gandhi Bollywood Dance performances, (Vice President), songs and other talents. Couple AshwinBodalia Dance performance on "Char (Treasurer), Kadam" song became the highManharGajjar (Seclight when Couples pair performed retary), Mrs. Roma with glorious energy.

Bhagat (Cultural Special Guest performers added Secretary) & Bharat the charm to the event. Mrs. Ghayal, Ramesh Mona Bhalla, who owns album G a n d h i , "Kudi-Bindaas" performed live DipakGhayal (Joint with her 3 beautiful daughters.

Secretaries), and Dance performance reached to an PriyaGhayal , Hitesh Gandhi (Executive Vice President) extreme thrill when Ms. Madhura HirenGhayal (Youth addressing audience Consul OP Meena getting award Sane danced on revival of old and Secretary).

20 India Post

Community Across America

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

Gujarati Samaj hosts grand Diwali function ASWHIN PATEL

ST LOUIS, MO: A front-ranking ethnic organization, the Gujarati Samaj of St. Louis, celebrated the Diwali Festival on a grand scale and with great bonhomie at Machinists Hall on Saturday November 5.

Over 600 members attended the event that was coordinated successfully by Executive Committee of the Samaj. The event started at 6pm with a social hour where community members wished each other Happy Diwali and Saal Mubarak.

The dinner event started at 7pm containing delicious authentic

Gujarati dishes followed by a Welcome by Hema Patel. In his opening remarks, President Jitendra Prabhu greeted all those present with Diwali and New Year wishes.

He listed the activities that the Samaj undertook during his leadership.

Thanking his Committee, volunteers, members and everybody for the generous support that he had, he pitched for the younger generation of members to come forward and give their time for the Samaj to carry on the good work for the benefit of the community.

"It is important that we here in our Guj Samaj executive committee members

400 pack Grand Ballroom to celebrate Indian-American luminaries Cont’d from page 17

"It was a night when an entire community from all cross sections came together and celebrated their own and made history with first South Asian Award Show of such magnitude in United States."

Upendra Mishra, publisher of INDIA New England News, thanked the sponsors, supporters and nearly 400 entrepreneurs, cor-

Academics: Vijay Kumar, Associate Dean of Digital Learning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Art and Culture - Individual: Jothi Raghavan, Founder, Nrityanjali School of Dance Art and Culture: Organization: LearnQuest Academy of Music Waltham, MA Business and Entrepreneurship: Amar Sawhney, Chairman

Narula Award Winning Author: Remain Free: A story of Troy Anthony Davis, a black man executed by lethal injection for murdering a white police officer in cold blood.

Artists who performed during the night were: Mouli Pal, Mohan Subramaniam and Shilpa Ananth.

BMW of Sudbury was the Platinum Sponsor. Harvard Pilgrim, which has been ranked among

adopted country preserve and promote our Gujarati heritage and culture for upcoming generations," he said.

The event concluded with a live musical performance by Sameer & Deepali Date with the Orchestra from India. Extraordinary vocal and instrumental talents of this musical group captured and thoroughly entertained the audience

for over three hours with golden oldies and new Hindi movie songs.

The event was a grand success, judging from numerous comments made by members and guests. They said, "Wonderful Diwali dinner‌ Kudos to the committee and all the members who worked so hard for an amazing evening. Great food, decor and music and above all the spirit."

Guj Samaj members enjoying dinner

porate executives, philanthropists, educators and community leaders who attended the awards gala.

"We are going to make it an annual event," said Mishra.

"There are so many Indian-Americans who have played a great role in so many fields and we want to recognize and thank them for their contributions."

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care CEO Shultz, who was honored by for diversity and community outreach by his firm, talked about his own experience in India and honored the awardees during the gala.

Here is the list of award winners in each category:

and CEO Ocular Therapeutix Inc. Puran Dang, Community Catalyst Mithas, IAL, IIT-SINE, TiE-Boston, Ekal and others Healthcare: Dr. Dinesh Patel, MD, Orthopedic SurgeryArthroscopy Best Non-Profit Organization: Saheli for crusading against domestic violence with a mission to empower South Asian women and their families to live safe and healthy lives.

Philanthropy: Venkat Srinivasan, Vice Chair, American India Foundation (AIF) Founder and CEO, Rage Frameworks Youth Leadership: Gautam

America's highest-rated private health plans, was the Gold Sponsor. Gourmet India, a world-class Indian restaurant chain in Greater Boston, was also a gold sponsor.

Lahey Health, which has more than 1,400 local providers in adult and pediatric primary care and almost every medical specialty, was the Silver Sponsor.

In addition, community sponsors included: Aalok Fashion, Academy of Creative Arts, Asian Art Gallery, Indian Medical Association of New England, LearnQuest Academy of Music, Motwane Foundation and Shah, Dixit & Associates PC.

Deepali and Samir entertaining audience

Community Across America

November 11, 2016

India Post 21

www.indiapost.com

Cambridge celebrates Diwali with great splendor GEETHA PATEL

CAMBRIDGE, MA: The Mayor's office of the City of Cambridge, MA in partnership with City Councilor Nadeem Mazen hosted the first ever citywide celebration of Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights at the Senior Center of Cambridge on Sunday, October 30 with great aplomb and splendor.

This event was free and open to the public, More than hundred participants who dressed up beautifully in Indian traditional clothing like Sarees, Kurtas and suits attended the event enthusiastically.

The program started with social hour where the participants were served with delicious light refreshments: Samosa, Bajiyas, and Aloo Tikki with mint chutney and sweet chutney and sweets: Rasa Malayi and Boondi laddoos along with hot tea.

This was followed up with Sitar recital

by Jada Willard, who studied in the Dhrupad tradition of Hindustani classical music. The Learn Quest Academy of Music school students: Adrita Mukherjee, Meghana Sen and Janya Utkarsh sang Lord Ganesh Aarti in the Hindustani classical music style.

Ms. Rupal Shah welcomed the audience to the event. Mayor E. Denise Simmons said that the city of Cambridge is known for its rich diversity. So, this year the city decided to arrange the traditional Diwali celebrations by featuring Indian music, dance, and food and encourage its residents of all faiths and denominations to come to experience the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Diwali celebration. Its themes of rebirth and rejuvenation and the triumph of light over darkness are universal themes that can be embraced by all - Mayor Denise Simmons added.

City Councilor Nadeem Mazen spoke to the audience about how an email request from Rupal Shah made them to come forward to support this celebration and enrich their promotion of diversity agenda.

Later Ms. Rupal spoke about the relevance of Diwali celebrations followed by other entertainment programs. Ms. Sapna Govindan presented a dance piece called Jatiswaram in Mohiniyattam that showcased the technical aspects of the dance.

Ms. Taylor Maur performed a solo Giddha piece and later Ms. Erica Hartnett and Ms Jess Kanwal joined her and presented Bhangra dance. Giddha and Bhangra are traditional dances originating from the

Cambridge Mayor dances with Diwali participants

worldwide.

Noura Khan sang a Bollywood movie song and entertained the audience with her melodious voice. Monishita Ray presented very elegantly Odissi dance, a classical North Eastern Indian style of dance that is reconstructed from temple dancing, court dancing and Gotipua Street dancing. Tina

Cambridge Mayor addressing the Diwali gathering

Diwali participants enjoying food at Diwali Milan

state of Punjab. These dances were meant to celebrate a successful harvest, and today are part of most of the celebrations

Ahmed and Nirmala Lynch from the Triveni School of Dance performed a Bharatanatyam dance called Hindolam

Thillana.

Charles Delta, a Boston-based bluesy pun alternative rock band comprising Brenda Gibson, Seth Heidamp, Srikant Sarangi, Tim Boutelle, Tata DeSisto and Raagini Jaawa presented a song Ab ke Sawan that pays homage to the spirit of celebrations. Sapan Modi played the Dhol and entertained the audience by involving them in the Bhangra dance Ms. Rupal thanked the supporting organizations such as Art of Living, Associa-

tion for India's Development, Saheli and Subcontinental Drift which provided eventday volunteers "I too took part in the Bhangra dance and I have to say it was an amazing and joyous experience. Especially as a new resident of Cambridge, it made me come closer to Indian community and also made me feel at home. This night was something completely new and exciting for me," said one new young Indian professional who came here recently from India.

22 India Post

Community Across America

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

Grand Diwali celebration at BAPS temple VINDO SHAH

CHICAGO: The four days of grand celebrations of Diwali at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Bartlett from October 31 culminated with 10,000 plus devotees and guests watching colorful intricate designs called Rangoli, decorative oil lamps and Annakut offerings of vegetarian food before the sacred images of God. Devotees and attendees offered prayers, shared well wishes, and resolved to mark the New Year with spiritual enlightenment. A beautiful exhibition entitled 'In the joy of others' was prepared by the youth of BAPS to celebrate the inspiring life and legacy of Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

Throughout his life, Swami Maharaj untiringly remained in the service of others restoring villages from natural disasters, building

Aarti at the temple

BAPS youth initiative organizing this event was visible everywhere. Children enjoyed the

stations were set up to illustrate traditions and teachings of Diwali.

A spectacular light and sound

Annakoot for Lord at BAPS Temple

BAPS Mandir basks in Diwali light

new schools, hospitals and community centers and strengthening societies on the foundation of compassion and peace.

Diwali fare filled with games, activities and sweet treats during the Kid's Diwali Celebration on Sunday, October 16. Arts and crafts

show also took place on the steps of the Mandir on the evening of October 30 Many distinguished guests

were also in attendance for the Diwali celebrations. "The impression made upon me is mostly compassion," said Tom Cullerton, IL State Senator.

Touching upon Swami Maharaj's services, he said "to have somebody who not only embodies that but preaches it, and tells everybody to do that, and has a large group of people who follow and believe everything about that, and tries to live that same mission is absolutely wonderful."

Similar sentiments were conveyed by the Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, Evelyn Sanguinetti.

When asked to describe Pramukh Swami Maharaj in one word she simply said, "Servitude.

That's what he was about. Particularly emphasizing his inspiration to the youth, she believed his legacy to be timeless. "I see that these volunteers are incredibly young which leads me to believe that it's timeless because our very young are putting in work and playing it forward."

The exhibit invoked a personal connection with Pramukh Swami Maharaj for Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Congressional candidate. Pointing to a panel referencing the over 700,000 letters Pramukh Swami Maharaj has spent time personally reading and replying to, IL State Senator Michael Connelly said, "An amazing man. There is an exhibit where people were allowed to write something to him to thank him, and the first thing I saw was 'thank you for making me a better person.'"

The Diwali festivities brought devotees together to serve a common purpose, develop spiritually, and please their guru Mahant Swami Maharaj and inspirer, Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj inspired the celebration of Hindu festivals at BAPS centers worldwide to keep the rich traditions and culture of India alive with emphasis on the true historic and spiritual purpose of Hindu festivals.

November 11, 2016

Community Across America

India Post 23

www.indiapost.com

Diwali amid colorful lights and traditions India Post News Service

CHINO HILLS, CA: Diwali presents Hindus around the world with an opportunity to renew the rich traditions of their roots with great fanfare.

In marking the season, volunteers of all ages came together to organize a multi-day Diwali and New Year celebration at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills, California, on October 30 and October 31.

Colorful intricate designs called Rangoli, decorative oil lamps and Annakut offerings of vegetarian food before the sacred images of God filled the atmosphere with a renewed spirit of the festival.

Diwali is an ancient Hindu festival commemorating many historical events including the return of Bhagwan Shri Ram to the kingdom of Ayodhya after fourteen years

great measures to organize and conduct this annual event for the younger participants. Over 2,000 attendees experienced the culture and traditions of the auspicious holiday as they offered prayers, well wishes, and resolved to mark

of exile. His return brought about a period of enlightenment within the kingdom and its people. The tradition of self-enlightenment continues today as Diwali presents an opportunity for self-improvement and progress through reflection within.

Children also enjoyed the annual Children's Diwali Carnival filled with games, activities and sweet treats. BAPS youths take

the New Year with spiritual enlightenment.

Many relished the familiar atmosphere of Diwali and reminisced their childhood days as they immersed themselves in the beautiful sights, traditional songs and delicious cuisine of the holiday.

Pratik Patel recalled his fond memories of celebrating Diwali in India. "Celebrating Diwali and the New Year with my family and

friends amidst this festive atmosphere in America brought back wonderful memories of Diwali in India," said Patel.

The festivities brought devotees together to serve a common

purpose, develop spiritually, and please their guru His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj and inspirer, His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Pramukh Swami Maharaj inspired the celebration

of Hindu festivals at BAPS centers worldwide to keep the rich traditions and culture of India alive with emphasis on the true historic and spiritual purpose of Hindu festivals.

Community Across America

24 India Post

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

Sardar Patel's 141st birth anniversary celebrated SURENDRA ULLAL

Indian CG addressing Indian Americans gathered to celebrate at Consulate

CHICAGO: The Consulate General of India in Chicago celebrated the 141st Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October 31 with great fervor.

A good number of Indian community members attended the event. O.P.Meena, Consul, welcomed the guests. Consul General, Dr Ausaf Sayeed in his opening remarks mentioned that the Government of India has decided to commemorate the Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on 31st October every year as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas [National

Unity Day].

He observed that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was an extraordinary and visionary leader, social reformer and thinker, freedom fighter and a staunch Gandhian. He mentioned that Sardar Patel had participated in "No Tax Campaign" against the British to protect the farmers of Kaira from undue taxation.

Later in 1928 he led the Bardoli Satyagraha. Sardar Patel went on to become the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of independent India.

Cont’d on page 25

A section of attendees

November 11, 2016

Community Across America

India Post 25

www.indiapost.com

GOPIO to host business convention & gala ABDUL SIDDIQUI

CHICAGO: The Chicago Chapter of Global Organization for People of India Origin (GOPIO) is all set to host its 2nd Annual Business Convention & Gala at Oak Brook Marriott Hotel in Oakbrook, a south side suburb of Chicago on Sunday November 13 at 5:30 pm. Several hundred people from Chicago and the suburbs are ex-

large businesses. Because of their affluence and economic power, Indian-Americans are a natural marketing target for many organizations and businesses", Varghese added.

Vikrant Singh and Joe Nedumgottil said that several high profile U.S. political leaders, including Congressmen, U.S Sena-

cultural organizations, and business leaders, including CEOs, CFOs, are coming forward to support the event.

Ram Saini, Vinoz Chanamolu and Girish Kapur said Awards will be presented in the following categories: Businessman of the Year, Community Leader of the Year and Student leader of the year. Ninan Tho-

Aussie firm puts Hindu deities on leggings HARISH RAO

CHICAGO: Hindus have urged immediate withdrawal of leggings carrying images of various Hindu gods and goddesses, sold on a Melbourne headquartered online marketplace Redbubble, calling it highly inappropriate.

Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that Hindu deities printed on Redbubble leggings-Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Krishna, Ganesha, Durga, Lakshmi, Skanda, Saraswati, Hanuman, Kali, Seshnarayana-were highly revered in Hinduism and were meant to be worshipped in temples or home

of Associating of Indian in America, said Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken frivolously. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, he added.

Rajan Zed further said that such trivialization of Hindu deities was disturbing to the Hindus world over. Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more. "But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the

GOPIO Chicago Board Members addressing press conference: L to R: Girish Kapur, Nambi Vaithilingam, Ninan Thomas, Gladson Varghese, Vandana Jhingan, Hina Trivedi, Ashfaq Syed, Joe Nedumgottil and Vinoz Chanamolu

pected to attend.

Gladson Varghese, President, GOPIO-Chicago, while addressing a press conference in Chicago last week said that GOPIO is one of the largest Indian organizations outside India with Chapters in over 20 countries. "Indians are highly visible in political and business landscapes and several IndianAmericans hold key positions in Fortune 500 companies and own

tors, State Senators, State Representatives, Consul General of India, etc. will be attending this event. Hina Trivedi and Savi Singh said: "The Business Conference, Award Ceremony, and the Annual Gala with colorful entertainments, will be an important hallmarks of the event."

Ashfaq Syed, Board Member Media Relations, stated that several Indian community leaders,

mas, Nambi Vaithilingam will organize the Bollywood style entertainment programs which will include dances, music and DJ. At the end of the program, Indian style dinner and cocktails will be served.

Those who are interested in having additional information about the Business Convention & Gala Dinner are welcome to contact Gladson Varghese at: gladsonvarghese@scbglobal.net

Jain Society Diwali

S

unil Shah, the founder president of FIA Chicago, was the Chief Guest at Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago at its annual Diwali Event. Shah is seen lighting the ceremonial lamp at the temple event held on Saturday November 4. Close to 500 guests and members attended the function.

Shah was Gold Sponsor of the event.Suresh Shah

Hindu deities on leggings

shrines and not to be worn around one's legs. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.

Sohan Joshi, newly elect chairman of National Federation of Indian Associations, pitched that Redbubble CEO Martin Hosking and Board Chair Richard Cawsey offer a formal apology for hurting "our community sentiments".

Nand Kapur, former president

followers," he pointed out.

Award-winning Redbubble, founded in 2006 and listed on Australian Securities Exchange, which also has offices in San Francisco (USA), claims to be "a global online marketplace powered by artists" and sells "high-quality, everyday products".

"More than 4.2 million Customers from over 196 different countries have shopped on Redbubble", it states.

Sardar Patel's 141st birth anniversary celebrated Cont’d from page 24

He played a crucial role not only during the freedom struggle of India but also in the post-Independent political consolidation of India as he was instrumental in the integration of over 500 princely states into the Indian Union.

On the occasion, the Consul General briefed the participating India Diaspora about 14thPravasi Bhartiya Divas Convention which will be held in Bengaluru from 7th -9th January, 2017. He also appealed PIOs/OCIs for maximum

registration and their participation in the 14th PBD Convention.

During the celebration, a 39 minutes documentary "A Man of Silence - Sardar Vallabbhai Patel" was screened. An exhibition of photographs on the life and times of Sardar Patel was also organized as part of the celebration.

A power point presentation covering key features of the 14th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas Convention was also given during the celebration encouraging Indian Diaspora for maximum participation in the Convention.

Top Stories

26 India Post

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

Capitalize on strengths, China advised JAIPUR: At the time of global recession, India and China must come together to capitalize on each other's strengths to tide over existing economic challenges, says a Rajasthan government minister.

Addressing the fifth China-India Forum meeting here, state in-

"With the current global recession, there is a major challenge for all the major economies. If countries could capitalize on each other's strengths by alliance and partnership, then it would be mutually beneficial for both countries.

China today is one of the very major economies of the world and

He said that Rajasthan is one of the most suitable destinations for the Chinese companies to invest with availability of cheap labors, improved law and order situation and investment-friendly atmosphere dustry minister Gajendra Singh said that next two-three decades belong to Asian economies, and India and China together have a huge potential.

"The winds of change have been blowing... around 15-20 years back, the manufacturing and service sectors belonged to Europe and America but soon the Asia made a major dent in the Western economies," he said.

India is an aspiring economy with a great future," the minister said.

He said that Rajasthan is one of the most suitable destinations for the Chinese companies to invest with availability of cheap labors, improved law and order situation and investment-friendly atmosphere.

"Rajasthan is the state with high potential state with fast growing GDP. We are pioneer in

amendment in labor laws, our labors are cheap and there are no law and order issues.

40 per cent of Delhi-Mumbai Industrial corridor runs through the state and many knowledge cities, IT cities, smart cities, medical cities, tourism cities are in the offing along this corridor," the minister said.

Singh said the corridor will have fast moving trains by the end of 2018 and an airport near Neemrana (Alwar) is also being planned.

"We have dedicates separate zones for Japanese and Korean companies then why we cannot have dedicate zone for China," he pointed out. Things have changed and it is the time when we both join hands together and boost our economies," he said.

Rajiv Podar, Managing Director of Podar Enterprise and Chairman of the International Business Linkage Forum (IBLF) said that Chinese labor has become expensive in few decades and India has cheap and skilled manpower...

Chinese delegates also addressed the meeting. -PTI

SAARC satellite to be launched in March THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India's ambitious South Asian satellite, proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the benefit of SAARC members, will be launched in March next year, ISRO Chairman A S Kiran Kumar has said.

The satellite was originally scheduled for launch in December this year.

"SAARC satellite will be launched in March," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

Modi, during the SAARC summit in Nepal in November 2014, had announced launching of a SAARC satellite as a gift for the benefit of members of the regional grouping in various fields, including telecommunication and tele-medicine.

Since Pakistan has 'opted out' of the project, it is now being called South Asian satellite.

India had held deliberations with experts from other SAARC countries to finalize

modalities for the satellite exclusively for the regional grouping.

On GSLV Mark III likely to be launched in December, the ISRO Chairman said preparations were on in "full swing".

"We have started the assembly for the launch in Sriharikota.

So we are working towards making it happen as early as possible and are targeting for launch by

December end."

The rocket program is crucial for ISRO as it would help the country launch satellites weighing around four tonnes.

To a question about plans to improve manpower and infrastructure facilities, he said. "We need to do more work means we need to have more hands.

On the third launch pad, the ISRO chief said it was necessary to make sure that the existing facility was being fully utilized.

Earlier, he addressed around 1,000 sportspersons drawn from 14 ISRO centers who are participating in the inter-centre sports meet, saying such activities helped to break barriers and reinvigorate mentally and physically, besides improving team work.

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Director Dr K Sivan was also present. PTI

Pakistan panel to probe controversial news report ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Rasheed for failing to stop the government has formed a commit- story from being published. tee to investigate who "leaked" a A rift between the civilian and controversial news report about military leaderships on the powa rift between the government and erful ISI's covert support to terror the powerful army over support groups in the country was the to militants in the country. subject of a news report on OctoThe committee headed by a former high court judge will Justice (retd) Aamir Raza complete its job in 30 days and submit its find- Khan will be the chairman of ings to the government.

Justice (retd) Aamir the committee, which has Raza Khan will be the representatives of security chairman of the committee, which has represen- agencies ISI, MI and IB tatives of security agencies ISI, MI and IB, according to the notification by the ber 6 in the Dawn newspaper. interior ministry.

The widely read daily stood by Secretary Establishment Tahir the story saying it was "verified, Shahbaz and NAB Punjab's Najam cross-checked and fact-checked".

Saeed will also be part of the comA travel ban on Cyril Almeida, mittee, along with Director FIA the journalist who wrote the story, Usman Anwar. had sparked massive criticism of According to the notification, the government and the military the probe committee will enquire from media houses, journalist asinto the circumstances of the al- sociations and civil society. leged leak and establish the idenAlmeida's name was put on the tity of those responsible.

Exit Control List but the ban was The government later sacked later lifted after a backlash against information minister Pervaiz the government. -PTI

Pak protests 'ceasefire violations' by India ISLAMABAD: For the fifth spect the ceasefire, in letter and time in just over two weeks, Paki- spirit, stop targeting the vilstan summoned the Indian lages and civilians and maintain Deputy High Commissioner and peace on the LoC," the statelodged a strong protest over al- ment said. leged "unprovoked" firing by Deputy High Commissioner Indian forces along the LoC. Singh had also been summoned "Director General (South Asia to the Foreign Office over & SAARC) Dr Mohammad ceasefire violations on October Faisal, summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner, Mr J P Deputy High Commissioner Singh, and strongly condemned the un- Singh had also been provoked ceasefire summoned to the Foreign violations" by the Indian Forces on the LoC Office over ceasefire violain Nikial and Jandrot sectors, Pakistan For- tions on October 25, 26, 28 eign Office said. and November 1 The firing resulted in the death of 3 civilians, including a woman and in- 25, 26, 28 and November 1. juries to four others, including On October 27, Foreign Seca 5-year-old boy, the Foreign retary Aizaz Chaudhry sumOffice said in a statement. moned Indian High Commis"The Director General urged sioner Gautam Bambawale to the Indian side to respect the the foreign ministry and con2003 Ceasefire Understanding; veyed the decision of the Govinvestigate the continued inci- ernment of Pakistan to declare dents of ceasefire violations; in- an Indian High Commission offistruct the Indian forces to re- cial "persona non-grata". -PTI

Top Stories

November 11, 2016

India Post

27

www.indiapost.com

States, HCs to improve juvenile justice infra NEW DELHI: While India has tightened law to try juveniles involved in heinous crimes, the infrastructure and the manpower required to reform delinquents still falls short of expectations, according to official data shared with the judiciary.

April was informed that the system required for an efficient juvenile justice system was lacking in most parts of the country.

The participants were told that 32 per cent districts do not have children homes and 70 per cent of the districts do not have shel-

The meeting resolved - as per the minutes that the state governments will take steps to ensure that every district is equipped with child protection unit, special juvenile police units, observation homes, shelter homes and children homes 32 per cent of the 664 districts in the country do not have children homes, 27 of the districts do not have child protection units.

Amid large scale vacancies in juvenile justice institutions, 66 districts do not have special juvenile police units.

The Chief Ministers-Chief Justices Conference held here in

ter homes.

27 districts do not have child protection units, while 66 districts do not have special juvenile police units. There are also large vacancies in juvenile justice institutions.

As per information received under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme, 647 juvenile jus-

tice boards and 644 child welfare committees have been constituted across the country.

According to the minutes of the meeting, approved only a few days ago after a gap of nearly six months, the conference resolved to ensure that the system improves.

Now, chief ministers and chief justices of high courts will hold periodic reviews to ensure that vacancies are filled and required infrastructure is created to spruce up the juvenile justice system.

Also, the meeting resolved as per the minutes - that the state governments will take steps to ensure that every district is equipped with child protection unit, special juvenile police units, observation homes, shelter homes and children homes.

Vacancies of sanctioned posts in juvenile justice institutions are to be filled up on a "mission mode". -PTI

Japan team visits Ghazipur landfill site NEW DELHI: A high-level Japanese delegation has visited the Ghazipur landfill site, spread over nearly 30 hectares in east Delhi, as part of its aim to understand the waste management systems in India.

The 11-member delegation met with East Delhi Mayor Satya Sharma and other senior civic officials.

"They visited the Ghazipur landfill site in the morning and are flying out of the country tonight.

As of now, no partnership has

been planned, but if a proposal later comes from their way, to improve our waste disposal mechanism, we may look into that," Sharma told PTI. The delegation was led by Sato Izumi, lawyer from Daiichi Tokyo

Bar Association, and included high-level officials of different companies who wish to understand the waste management systems in the country, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation said.

"They were briefed about waste generation, the process of its col-

lection and disposal. The delegation was keen on knowing the model of waste management," the Mayor said.

"It was informed about the Ghazipur landfill site, construction and demolition plant, waste-to-energy plant, pilot project of extraction of methane at the landfill site and ways to collect primary and secondary waste," the Mayor said.

Ghazipur landfill site was commissioned in 1984, and per day 2,500 tonne of garbage is dumped there. A total of 130 lakh tonne of garbage is currently dumped at the site and average height of the dump is 50 meter.

Solid waste from the landfill site would be used in the construction of Delhi-Meerut Expressway, a section of the NH-24, EDMC said.

The move aims at curbing pollution in the city, and Sharma said the EDMC House has cleared the proposal and work on this project would begin later this month.

"The delegation was also apprised of the various challenges being faced by the EDMC, such as no engineered dumping site, stray dogs, high density, nonsegregation of waste, high waste generation," it said. -PTI

ADB's $48 mn loan to help Assam power NEW DELHI: Asian Develop- along with Assam Power Distriment Bank will provide the sec- bution Company Ltd (APDCL) ond tranche loan of USD 48 mil- MD P Gupta. lion to Assam to help the state "Given that a sustainable expanding and upgrading its power supply is critical for facilipower distribution system. tating growth and creating emThis is the second tranche loan ployment opportunities, this of the USD 300 million multi- project will help Assam attract intranche financing facility for the vestment and tap its economic Assam Power Sector Investment potential, in addition to reducing Program that was approved by the power outages," Kumar said.

ADB Board in July 2014, Finance The project, which is expected Ministry said in a statement. to be completed by December The project will help Assam to enhance capacity and efficiency of It will also reduce system its power distribution losses by 3 per cent and system to improve electricity service to end us- enhance energy efficiency ers, it said. through renovation and An agreement regarding the second modernization of existing tranche was signed be- 33/11 kV substations tween Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Union Government to help 2019 will help APDCL add an adAssam continue its drive to im- ditional substation capacity, exprove access to efficient and reli- pand and improve medium voltable power, it added. age network.

In the first tranche, ADB had It will also reduce system provided loan of USD 50 million losses by 3 per cent and enhance in February last year. energy efficiency through reno"Increased access to reliable vation and modernization of exand modern power supply for re- isting 33/11 kV substations. mote communities can help meet Part of the loan will be used to growing demand. This loan will strengthen institutional capacity of help strengthen Assam's distribu- APDCL through setting up indetion system, improve energy effi- pendent meter testing laboratories, ciency and reduce technical and load dispatch centers and installcommercial losses," said M Teresa ing centralized uniform billing sysKho, Country Director, ADB In- tem to 1.2 million customers. The dia Resident Mission. loan has a 25-year term, including The agreement was signed be- a five-year grace period with an tween Kho, Finance Ministry Joint annual interest rate determined in Secretary Raj Kumar, Assam accordance with ADB's LIBORPower Secretary Z Rahman Ahmed based lending facility. -PTI

NBW against Mallya in FERA violation case NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has issued a non-bailable warrant against beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya in a case of allegedly evading summons in a FERA violation matter and warned of initiating coercive process against him.

The court observed that he had no inclination to return and had scant regard for the law of the land.

It said coercive process has to be initiated against liquor baron Mallya as he was facing proceedings in several cases and evading appearance in those matters.

Chief Metropolitan Magis-

trate Sumit Dass also held that Mallya's plea, that he wanted to return to India but was "incapacitated" to travel as his passport had been revoked by Indian authorities, was "malafide" and "abuse of the process of law".

"He has no inclination whatsoever to come to this court and appear here... He has scant regard for the law of the land," the court said.

"Keeping in view the conduct of the accused, coercive process has to be directed against the accused. Issue nonbailable warrant against the accused. Put up the matter for December 22," the court said.-PTI

TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Ae Dil Hai Mushkil: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil 2 Besabriyaan: M.S. Dhoni 3 Channa Mereya: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil 28 India Post

www.indiapost.com

November 11, 2016

4 Tere Sang Yaara: Rustom 5 Bulleya: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

"We all got together and I was very happy to see that we gelled well. Shahid joining the team is a blessing and I was happy to see that we are all on the same page, and we could have a laugh about all the absurd stories."

6 Kaun Tujhe : M.S. Dhoni 7 Toota Jo Kabhi Tara: A Flying Jatt 8 Bolo Har Har : Shivaay 9 Jab Tak : M.S. Dhoni 10 Jaago : Rock On 2

S

anjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus 'Padmavati' finally went on floors on November 1. The film stars Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor.

However, during the past two months, the film had faced some issues, including rumors of Ranveer not getting along with Shahid and even opting out.

Referring to the rumors, Ranveer said, "I committed to the film even before the script was ready. I always wanted to do something different; I was always interested in doing an anti-hero part, and who better to do it with than Mr Bhansali," he added.

Ranveer feels that since 'Padmavati' has an ensemble cast and people usually assume that there's friction between actors, it has sparked the rumors and "spicy stories."

"We all got together and I was very happy to see that we gelled well. Shahid joining the team is a blessing and I was happy to see that we are all on the same page, and we could have a laugh about all the absurd stories."

A

kshay Kumar will reportedly portray the character of former Indian hockey player Balbir Singh in upcoming movie 'Gold' to be helmed by 'Talaash' director Reema Kagti. The 'Airlift' actor recently shared a teaser poster of the film on his Twitter handle.

From the poster, it is revealed that 'Gold' will be a sports-based film set in 1948 about Independent India's first Olympic medal at the XIV Olympiad in London.

The Olympic Gold medal was brought home by the hockey team, led by Kishan Lal. Though it was the fourth consecutive win at Olympics, it was the first time for independent India in 1948.

"Though the world is aware of Dhyan Chand, there is another Hockey hero who has ironically not been talked about in the same breath. However, the fact is that Balbir Singh was the hero of the gold campaign that Indian enjoyed not just in 1948 but also in 1952 and 1956 Olympics," DNA quoted a source as saying.

S

onam Kapoor is nothing if not candid - the actress doesn't bat an eyelid before calling a spade a spade. And truth be told, her honesty can be quite refreshing. In an interview to Filmfare, Sonam was recently asked if she wants to share screen space with Shah Rukh Khan. After all, the actress has already worked with the other Khan - read Salman - in her debut film 'Saawariya' and more recently, 'Prem Ratan Dhan Payo'.

Talking about working with SRK, she said, "I don't think Shah Rukh wants to work with me. There have been so many opportunities where I could have worked with him but he...I wanted to work with him and I reached out to him as well. But I never got the opportunity. I guess it'll happen whenever he feels like working with me." She also added that in Bollywood, an actor decides whether a certain actress will be cast opposite him in a film or not.

Bollywood

November 11, 2016

India Post 29

www.indiapost.com

S

ayyeshaa Saigal, grandniece of veteran actors Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu, made her big Bollywood debut in 'Shivaay.' It was a learning experience, she says in an interview.

"For the first time, I saw a film camera on the set. I didn't have any reference when I went to the set of 'Akhil' (her first Telegu film)... I learnt there about the angles and lighting. However, of course, 'Shivaay' set up and the unit was much bigger."

"As I continue to work, I think I will be able to learn with every film," she added.

Sharing the experience of working with Ajay Devgn, Sayyeshaa, 19, said, "The best part about Ajay Devgn sir is his calmness. In spite of being a superstar, he is such a humble person. If you ever have a tea with him, you won't even realize he is such a big star." "As an actor, he is spontaneous. He didn't have to do rehearsals before the scenes which I learnt from him. He always used to tell me 'throw dialogues as if you would do at home. Speak naturally and don't overact'," the young actress added.

Y

ami Gautam has decided to put her best foot forward literally - for her upcoming film Kaabil with Hrithik Roshan.

The revenge drama has the actress performing the dance form Tango for the first time. She is sparing no effort to perfect her moves. Yami, is putting in long hours of practice, to match steps with Hrithik, who's known for his nimble feet. That's not all. For a scene featuring her playing the piano, Yami trained for two weeks.

She says, "It's great when one gets to learn something new.

My character is required to play the piano and do the Tango.

The entire process was fun and I simply enjoyed every bit of it." The two actors are working together for the first time.

W

orking in her upcoming film 'Force 2' helped Sonakshi Sinha learnt a lesson in fitness from John Abraham.

The actress who has shed more weight after her last release 'Akira' says that John is a disciplinarian when it comes to diet and fitness and working with him inspired her to eat right and stay healthy.

In a recent interview, Sonakshi reportedly said that John would not just ask one to stop eating unhealthy but would even take the unhealthy stuff out of your mouth. She says she never restricted herself from eating anything until she met John, but John is someone who would not let you deviate from your fitness routine. Sonakshi also said that now she keeps a close watch on her diet and follows a strict exercise routine.

‘Ventilator, my first Marathi venture, is a film I'm truly proud of, and I can't wait for you guys to see it’

P

riyanka Chopra is looking forward to the release of her maiden Marathi production 'Ventilator' and she says she is very proud of the film.

The film is directed by Rajesh Mapuskar, who previously directed "Ferrari Ki Sawaari". The movie stars actor-turned-filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker alongside several veteran Marathi film and theatre actors. "#Ventilator, my first Marathi venture, is a film I'm truly proud of, and I can't wait for you guys to see it! #Nov4," Priyanka tweeted. #Ventilator, my first Marathi venture, is a film I'm truly proud of, and I can't wait for you guys to see it!"

The film had its world premiere at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival this year.

30 India Post

T

he big fat Punjabi wedding industry is in knots over the escalation tensions between India and Pakistan and chaotic state election demonstrations, reports Indian media.

Until this wedding season, The Punjabi wedding market fueled by overseas-based Indians or NRIs fueled much of the country's $11 billion wedding industry, which was growing at 25 percent a year.

"NRIs do not want campaigning nuisance while they are here for a wedding.

The tension with Pakistan means the season is anyway off to a bad start," says Amarjit Gill, who runs Jazz Car Rental near Ludhiana.

His business. unique to the Punjabi wedding industry has become a casualty local

www.indiapost.com

politics and international tensions because there are no takers for his high end luxury cars, which are hired as status symbols to bring brides home from weddings The Ludhiana Moga highway is dotted with forecourts full of top end cars, decked with flowers and wedding finery and ready for hire, he said.

November 11, 2016

The rates, according to businessman Joginder Singh, range from Rs 18,000 (about C$350) for an Audi A4, Rs26,000 (C$510) for an Audi A6 or a BMW 5 Series or Bentley to Rs 40,000 (C$785) for a Lincoln Limousine and (C$982) for a Jaguar XE. Now with a bit of negotiation and the price across models is almost halved within minutes.

"You can now take a Mercedes Benz E Class for Rs 8,000 (C$157). I can't really go lower than this," said Singh, who has only

"NRIs come to Punjab from Canada and the US from October to February for weddings and they hire these high end cars as dolis to impress the bride's side. But this year, due to the tension with Pakistan, the NRIs have not come yet, maybe anticipating trouble."

one booking for October so far.

"NRIs come to Punjab from Canada and the US from October to February for weddings and they hire these high end cars as dolis to impress the bride's side. But this year, due to the tension with Pakistan, the NRIs have not come yet, maybe anticipating trouble."

Last year, NRI traffic was not there as the atmosphere was disturbed by incidents of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh Holy Book)," Singh says.

Audi is a hit in the villages - the people like the four ring emblem rather than the star logo of Mercedes Benz, which has become commonplace, say the owners of rental companies. The Jaguar has also become popular, thanks to the hit Punjabi song 'Kudi Kehendi Pehlan Jaguar Le Lio', though at Rs40,000 50,000, it is an expensive proposition. But sharp discounts are there to be had. "You can have a Jaguar for Rs25,000," Avtar Singh quickly offers.

Cont'd on Page 33

November 11, 2016

India Post 31

Dialogues tribute to Shah Rukh Khan S hah Rukh Khan, who turned 51 on November 2, has acquired a reputation for his quirky sense of humor and his ever-so-famous movie dialogues.

He is one of the biggest superstars that our nation has ever produced. Making his presence felt

in both 'Swades' and 'Pardes', he is not just the Badshaah of Bollywood but people's hearts too.

Since his first1992 release, growing up in the era where King Khan reigned, has made sure that any conversation does not end without including one or the other dialogue from his films.

So let us relive the epoch by reminiscing 'Raj's most famous dialogues.

-Bade Bade desho mein aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hai, Senorita (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge) -Haar ke jeetne wale ko hi baazigar kehte hai (Baazigar) -K k k k Kiran

(Darr) -Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost (Om Shanti Om) -Kehte hain agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaho to puri kainath usse tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai. (Om Shanti Om) -Kaun kambakht bardaasht karne ko peeta hai.(Devdas) -Hum ek baar jeete hai, ek baar marte hai, shaadi bhi ek baar hoti hai, aur pyar ek baar hi hota hai.

(Kuch Kuch Hota Hai) -Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahi namumkin hai. (Don) -Don't underestimate the power of a common man. (Chennai Ex-

Ho Naa Ho) We have also seen numerous instances where the 'Happy New Year' actor offers a philosophical insight into his meditative space.

So here's presenting some inspirational quotes by our handsome hunk, which will surely help you overcome a bad day.

-You never win the silver, you only lose the Gold.

-The dream I chased took me on a journey. A journey more rewarding than the goals.

-Don't shy away from earning but without selling your soul.

-Success is not a good teacher, failure makes you humble.

• Kehte hain agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaho to puri kainath usse tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai. (Om Shanti Om) • Kaun kambakht bardaasht karne ko peeta hai. (Devdas) press) -Aaj, aaj ek hasi aur baant lo, aaj ek dua aur maang lo, aaj ek ansoon aur pee lo, aaj ek zindagi aur jee lo, aaj ek sapna aur dekh lo, aaj, kya pata, kal ho naa ho. (Kal

-I am running in a race and people are running on the other track. I'm in a race with myself.

These 'Raees' dialogues of Don would surely bring his Jabra fans closer to 'Dear Zindagi'.

Vin Diesel can't describe 'love for Deepika' D

eepika Padukone is making her Hollywood debut with 'xXx: Return of Xander Cage' costarring Vin Diesel and Vin can't stop praising the 'Bajirao Mastani' actress. He shares an amazing chemistry with Deepika on-screen and according to Vin he can't put his love for Deepika in words.

In an interview with CNN News 18, Diesel, 49, gets candid about

his relationship with Deepika, "I love her so much and we have so much natural chemistry together.

All of my moments with her are beautiful. She was going to Fast 7 and when she came to give test for that everyone in room was like 'Ahhh....It's so steamy...They have so much chemistry together.'

"It was just a matter of time before we were going to work to-

gether. I loved every single moment spent with her," he said about long legged actress.

Shooting a video when Deepika asked Diesel what is the best moment he shot with her while shooting for the third installment of the 'xXx' franchise and the Hollywood star said that his most favorite scene with Deepika is that he shot with her on the water.

"My love for her can't be put in words. You will see our scenes together are amazing. We filmed a scene together on the water front and that's my favorite. There is so much heart in it. She is so special.

I feel blessed to be a part of introducing her to the whole world because the next global superstar is coming from India," he said.

Besides Deepika and Vin, the film directed by D.J. Caruso also stars Nina Dobrev, Samuel L Jackson, Ruby Rose, Jet Li, and Tony Jaa. The film is slated to release in 2017. -Courtesy Indian Express

Deepika Padukone and Vin Diesel

32 India Post

November 11, 2016 www.indiapost.com

Chunni Project connects women across globe G

rowing up in Canada, Harman Kaur experienced first-hand the hidden angst that torments many young women in transplanted South Asian families.

"I've tried my best to keep my culture alive but as I grew up, I was surrounded by other brown people who completely rejected their culture.

I don't understand why. I mean our culture, our language, our music, our religion is so beautiful," s t a t e s Harman, a Simon Fraser University student in Greater Vancouver.

She also noticed a lot of girl-on-girl hate in the Indian community and also realized that Indian girls do not have many role models to look up to and little or no representation in the media.

Tired of the Punjabi women stereotyping, Harman, whose family hails from Mohali in Punjab, decided to launch the 'Chunni Project' - a digital platform to empower Indian women, especially Punjabis.

The project is aimed at empowering Indian women by sharing Pic Manjot Kaur

inspiring stories and highlighting role models they can relate to.

"I saw a need for this because I believed that creating such a platform would empower Indian

She taught me to be alone: Shraddha Kapoor

S

hraddha Kapoor is the reason 2? a scattered group of musicians Actually, it was Rock On!!, the comes together in Rock On 2. Her first film, that attracted me to Rock character Jiah is a prodigal talent On 2. I had watched it with my with the keyboard and vocals who, parents and my brother. After the for a mysterious reason, is not able film was over, everybody else to reach her full potential. It is a stood up but I kept sitting. I was role that needs so moved by both the confiit. My father dence of an arturned to me tiste and her and said, vulnerability 'Let's go', to and Kapoor, which I said, playing a singer 'Bapu, when and an actor, there's a setakes up one of quel to this her most chalmovie, I'll be lenging roles in it.' The film yet. was an inThe actor stant favorhas sung in ite, with its films such as Ek theme of a Villain, Haider music band and Baaghi, but and the Rock On 2, she friendship.

Shraddha Kapoor adds, is a differWhen I heard ent level. The the filmmakfilm will release on November 11. ers were making Rock On 2, I called Excerpts from an interview: up Ritesh (Sidhwani, the producer), and said that I would like to be conWas it the chance to sing your own sidered.

Cont'd on Page 33 songs that drew you to Rock On

women. I was also very troubled by the stereotypes associated with them, and wanted to shatter these by providing stories from the source itself.

Another aim of The Chunni Project was to connect women all over the world. It has been successful in creating an online community where women from Canada, India, UK, Australia, and USA interact and empower each other."

"I started this project with the hope that I would be able to help at least one woman feel empowered, but it has clicked beyond my expectations. What started off as a blog where different women shared their stories, turned into a space of creativity!

Writers and artists started to submit any work related to Indian women, and now The Chunni Project has become a space where anyone can come and discover new and talented female Indian artists, poets, singers or others."

"I have received positive feedback from women who are part of the project as well as those who follow it. As there is not much Indian representation in Western media, there should be a space where one can find out how resilient and talented Indian women are," says Harman.

The name of the project is selfexplanatory in a way. It symbolizes Harman's objective of helping the Diaspora remain in touch with their culture.

"Giving a glimpse of her growing up years, Harman says, "When I was younger, my parents made sure that I did not stray from my roots. I learned how to read and write Punjabi at a very young age, and started learning about Sikhi at the same time. These two things kept me close to my roots. I am a writer...and my writing revolves around my religion and culture. Although I have had an easy time sticking to my roots, I recognize that this may not always be the case for every woman.

There are many western influences, fear of mockery, and insecurities that may prevent women from visibly showing pride in their culture. I think that being a part of an online community, such as The Chunni Project, can empower women to not be afraid or embarrassed to stick to their roots."

Harman's next step is to advance from the online platform and organize physical events to further female empowerment.

Courtesy South Asian Post

Transforming through human rights education MUMBAI: In the world's largest democracy, human rights are not yet guaranteed. Children are taken away from school and dressed for early weddings.

Some 53 percent have been subjected to sexual abuse, and the nation is home to the world's largest number of child laborersunder age 14.

But English teacher Theresa Michael of the GloWorld Finishing School in a Mumbai village is working to counter those trends, and when she began educating her students using the Youth for Human Rights program, she saw a dramatic transformation.

Students that were previously rude-even violent-became calmer and kinder to their fellows.

Those whom Michael describes as "addicted" to mobile games

"Innocent Until Proven Guilty" in the schoolyard or how youth can protect each other's inalienable "Right to Privacy" in a high school cafeteria, to name a few.

Within weeks of implementing Youth for Human Rights and getting such results, Michael received requests from one hundred surrounding villages to do the same there. She calls this task to elevate the hearts and minds of Mumbai's youth "mission possible" and "a noble cause."

"I hope my contribution can make the world a better place," she says.

The award-winning materials of Youth for Human Rights are available free of charge online at youthforhumanrights.org.

Courtesy Youth for Human Rights

Ms Theresa Michael and her students with their Youth for Human Rights booklets

deleted them and helped others do the same. They began defending each other's right to education. Several drug-abusing youth, of their own accord, resolved to make a fresh start, and burned their drugs in a bonfire.

"They are now attracted to the right way to stop the wrong things," Michael says. "I see the children feeling honored when I give them that hat of advocacy."

Youth for Human Rights is an international nonprofit supported by the Church of Scientology, dedicated to raising awareness of and implementing the world's premier human rights document, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

It does so by breaking down and bringing to life each of the UDHR's 30 articles through simple booklets and illustrative Public Service Announcementsone for every human right.

These show what it means to be

A Mumbai student shares human right # 1 out of her Youth for Human Rights booklet - the right to life

November 11, 2016

India Post 33 www.indiapost.com

Tribal India conclave in Jamshedpur PREETI VERMA LAL

JAMSHEDPUR: The Steel City is gearing up for Samvaad, a panIndia tribal conclave that aims to provide a platform amongst the tribes of India to exchange thoughts, ideas and knowledge.

Organized by Tata Steel and scheduled to commence on November 15, the 4-day event will witness a conglomeration of more than 1,500 tribal artists, thought leaders, eminent personalities and activists from 40 different tribes from 25 states across the country.

Tribal Health System is the theme of this third edition of Samvaad and the participants will cross-pollinate the ideas through

Sohrai painting

Oraon painter at Samvaad 2015. -Pics Samvaad 2015

Warli painting

panel discussions, cultural performances, handicraft exhibition, film screenings. A plethora of events will be organized on the sidelines of Samvaad - film contest (documentary films on tribal themes from educational institutions/ amateur filmmakers, etc from across the country), paper contest (papers from research scholars / anthropologists / health practitioners), photography contest (photographs on tribal themes), engaging schools (sit-and-draw competition based on tribal themes and a skit competition based on Birsa Munda is planned in various schools).

Tribal fashion show, handicrafts, tribal medicine and cultural performances will also be part of the 4-day conclave.

Punjab wedding industry in knots Cont'd from Page 30

He explains that NRI visits to Punjab are generally cyclical - high one year, low the next. "But this time it will be particularly bad as there was no traffic last year due to tensions in Punjab and this year is expected to be no different.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have been rising since last month, when 18 Indian soldiers were killed by a militant strike on an army base in India-administered Kashmir. India blamed the attack on Pakistan-based militants and within days launched a retal-

She taught me to be alone: Shraddha Kapoor Cont'd from Page 32

He asked me to meet him and added that they mainly wanted to hear me sing.

Do you have anything in common with Jiah, apart from your love for music?

When I met Shujaat (Saudagar, director), he wanted to me spend as much time alone as possible.

He knew that I had had a sheltered upbringing and that I haven't travelled alone, unlike Jiah. He also invited me to go along with the team on a recce to Shillong, where I could disconnect and learn to be by myself.

I did try to spend as much time as I could with myself, putting up a 'DND' sign on the door. I live with my family, so this meant that no one could knock on my door and come in while the sign was up. I needed to do this because Jiah is very aloof.

She taught me to be alone. Jiah

just packs her bags and takes off.

I feel that I've learned how to be by myself, just reading a book or listening to music. I think that's important.

Did you need any music coaching for the film?

I have had some training in classical music. I regret that I didn't train more with my nana (Pandit Pandharinath Kolhapure), who was a classical legend. For this movie, I did some voice modulation, because I needed to be able to sing in a slightly rock fashion.

My trainer was Samantha Edwards, who is a voice coach and a wonderful jazz musician.

You recently performed in Shillong, where people know and love music. How was the experience?

I think Shillong was one of the best parts of working in this film.

It was so green, beautiful and quiet. Performing before the crowd

was amazing. They are very nonBollywood and have a different energy.

Is this the point at which we will see you take up more playback singing?

I would like to sing in all my films but I'm not sure if that will happen. Honestly, I like the idea of the lovely singers we already have singing for me. I can't even compare myself to any of them.

Soundscape Favorite workout jam?

Electronic dance music Song that moves you to tears?

My heart will go on, by Celine Dion Favorite rock song or performer?

Coldplay Live or studio?

Live. The energy of the crowd is amazing First song you ever performed before an audience?

Paani Paani Re from Maachis.

-Courtesy Indian Express

iatory "surgical strike" on alleged militant bases on the Pakistani side of the Line of Control, the de facto border between the two countries.

Pakistan has denied any complicity in the militant attack on the Indian army base and has also denied India's "surgical strike" ever took place, but that has hardly helped matters, with fears rising over a full-fledged conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

Adding to this are noisy and sometimes violent election campaigns as Punjab goes to the polls early next year.

Despite the lower business in Punjab this wedding season, others in the industry said that irre-

spective of economic downturns and political challenges, weddings remain a stable business as it is a once-in-a-lifetime event for most people in India.

A person, in India, spends one fifth of the wealth accumulated in a lifetime on a wedding ceremony.

The average spending on a wedding in Punjab can vary between 23,000 USD to 100, 000 USD, according to local wedding planners.

Considering the demographic dividend, it would not be wrong to assume, with half of India's population being under 29 years of age, the marriage market is set to boom like never before over the next five to ten years.

There are several ancillary markets and segments benefiting from this boom, like Gold and diamond jewellery, apparels, decor a t i o n , makeup etc. The wedding planning industry is also booming. In Jan, 2015, the wedding planning industry was pegged at $ 40 billion.

Currently, the country has a population of around 1.25 billion and considering an average family with five members, there are around 250million families in India.

With about one marriage per family every 20 years, the country averages roughly 10 million marriages every year. An average 30 to 40 grams of gold is spent in every marriage across the country, thus the total consumption of gold comes between 300 to 400 tonnes annually.

-Courtesy South Asian Post

„ Health

Line

Domestic workers to be brought under ESIC fold HYDERABAD: As part of its vision to provide health insurance for all, the government will bring domestic workers under the ESIC fold and soon launch pilot projects in Delhi and Hyderabad in this regard, Union Labor Minister Bandaru Dattatreya has said.

"As part of the social security, domestic workers would be brought under the ESIC. So, for the first time in the country, we will be taking up two pilot projects -in Delhi and Hyderabad. There are two components. One is employee contribution and the other one is employer contribution," Dattatreya told reporters here.

"We will organize a workshop with all the stakeholders soon, in this regard to finalize the modalities," said the Minister.

According to him, the scheme will benefit about one crore domestic workers in the country.

He also said the Group of Ministers led by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has also earlier discussed how to bring Asha and Anganwadi workers under ESIC and offer Provident Fund services.

"A committee will be set up with Joint Secretaries of Ministries of HRD, Health and Women and Child Welfare as members and a senior official form the Ministry of Labor as convener. This committee will also take part in the workshop we proposed to hold on domestic workers," the Minister further said.-PTI

HP becomes open defection free state SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh has become Open Defecation Free (ODF), the second state in the country to achieve the feat after Sikkim.

Himachal Pradesh has successfully achieved a total rural sanitation coverage of 100 per cent in the state, with all 12 districts in the state being both, declared as well as verified as ODF, according to an official statement.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh made the declaration at a public event here, where Union Health Minister J P Nadda, and Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar were also present.

"The hill state of Himachal has become the first large state to become completely ODF", the CM said.

He congratulated the people of the state for supplementing the efforts of the government to achieve 'Swachh Bharat Mission' and said that "such feat was not possible without the support of the people".-PTI

Health Science 34 India Post

www.indiapost.com

November 11, 2016

Rare twins who survived the odds Details on Page 36

Cancer will kill 5.5 mn women a year by 2030; a 60% rise PARIS: Cancer will kill 5.5 million women - about the population of Denmark - per year by 2030, a near 60-per cent increase in less than two decades, a report has said.

As the global population grows and ages, the highest toll will be among women in poor and middleincome countries, it said, and much of it from cancers which are largely preventable.

"Most of the deaths occur in young- and middle-aged adults,", placing a heavy burden on families and national economies, said Sally Cowal, senior vice president of global health at the American Cancer Society, which compiled the report with pharmaceutical company Merck.

The review "highlights the large geographic inequality in availability of resources and preventive measures and treatment to combat the growing burden of cancer," she told AFP. Cancer is already killing one in

seven women around the world, said the report - the second highest cause of death after cardiovascular disease.

All four of the deadliest cancers

rich ones, while a much bigger group dies.

The relative burden is growing for developing countries as people live longer due to better basic

- breast, colorectal, lung and cervical cancer - are mostly preventable or can be detected early, when treatment is more successful.

In poorer countries, a much smaller proportion of cancer cases are diagnosed and treated than in

healthcare.

Women in these countries are also increasingly exposed to known cancer risk factors "associated with rapid economic transition," said Cowal, "such as physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, obe-

sity, and reproductive factors" such as postponing motherhood.

"Due to these changes, cancers that were once common only in high-income countries are becoming more prevalent," said the report entitled "The Global Burden of Cancer in Women."

It was presented at the World Cancer Congress in Paris.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, there were 6.7 million new cancer cases and 3.5 million deaths among women worldwide in 2012.

Of these, 56 per cent of cases and 64 per cent of deaths were in less developed countries.

"These numbers are expected to increase to 9.9 million cases and 5.5 million deaths among females annually by 2030 as a result of the growth and ageing of the population," said the new report.

The biggest concentration is in eastern Asia, with 1.7 million cases and a million deaths in 2012, mainly in China. -AFP

'300 mln children breathing toxic air globally' NEW YORK: Two-hundred and twenty million children in South Asia region including India, among nearly 300 million globally, currently live in areas where outdoor air pollution exceeds international guidelines by at least six times, according to a new report released by UNICEF. The study - Clear the Air for Children - based on satellite imagery, in the first analysis of its kind, has categorized the affected areas based on the quantum of particulate matter, ranging from 10 to 60 g/m3 (the amount of micrograms of ultra-fine particulate matter per cubic meter of air that constitutes a long term hazard).

"Around 300 million children currently live in areas where the air is toxic exceeding international limits by at least six times. In total, around 2 billion children live in areas that exceed the World Health Organization annual limit of 10 g/ m3," the report says.

Of the 300 million global figure

for PM 2.5 annual mean exceeding 60 g/m3, 220 million children belong to South Asia region, which includes India and neighboring countries.

For the 2 billion figure which

toxic air in East Asia and the Pacific region, 200 million in Eastern and Southern Africa and 240 million in West and Central Africa for the 10 g/m3 category, it added.

"The sheer numbers of children

corresponds to the ultra-fine particulate matter exceeding 10 g/m3, 620 million children are affected by it in South Asia, the report said.

450 million children breathing

affected are staggering... Many of these children are already disadvantaged by poverty and deprivation. Some are already at heightened risk from conflicts, crises and

the intensifying effects of climate change," UNICEF Executive Director, Anthony Lake says in the report.

The findings come a week ahead of the COP 22 in Marrakesh, Morocco, where UNICEF is calling on world leaders to take urgent action to cut air pollution in their countries.

"The impact is commensurately shocking. Every year, nearly 600,000 children under the age of five die from diseases caused or exacerbated by the effects of indoor and outdoor air pollution.

"Millions more suffer from respiratory diseases that diminish their resilience and affect their physical and cognitive development," Lake says.

Globally, air pollution affects children in low-income and middleincome countries more.

According to a recent WHO report, Delhi was ranked among the top 20 cities worst-affected by pollution globally.-PTI

November 11, 2016

Health Science Post

India Post 35

www.indiapost.com

Concern over Zika ravaging testes NEW YORK: Zika virus ravages the testes of male mice, sharply reducing sperm counts and fertility, says a study that raises a new specter about its threat to people.

Experiments found testes of infected mice shrank about 90 percent by weight, while their output of useful sperm fell by threequarters on average, and often more.

Now it's time to find out if Zika causes

similar damage in men, experts said. ``We just don't know that yet,'' said Michael Diamond of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, a senior author of the study. The virus is known to infect a man's reproductive system and persist in sperm and semen, ``so it's in the right place,'' he said.

Diamond said he suspects that in mice,

NJ health marketplace down to 2 companies TRENTON, N.J.: New Jersey residents 2016, only to plunge. will only be able to choose between two Republican presidential candidate companies this year in the federal health Donald Trump calls the health care law ``a insurance marketplace created by the Af- disaster,'' and has vowed to seek its repeal. fordable Care Act. Democrat Hillary Clinton says she would Open enrollment for 2017 has begun and leave all major health care programs in place, will last through January. New Jersey resi- but would plan tweaks and adjustments. dents can choose between plans from HoriExpansion of the ACA has also led to zon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey more than 500,000 New Jersey residents or AmeriHealth New Jersey.

A review by Republican presidential candidate Donald The Associated Trump calls the health care law ``a disaster,'' Press found that Americans and has vowed to seek its repeal. Democrat in the health in- Hillary Clinton says she would leave all major surance marhealth care programs in place, but would kets will have less choice next plan tweaks and adjustments year than any time since the program started. getting overage under Medicaid, Gov. Chris Insurance plans from Oscar, Christie announced in August.

UnitedHealthcare and Health Republic of The expansion allowed adults without New Jersey will not be offered for 2017. Of- children and an income of up to 138 percent ficials with Health Republic said earlier this of the federal poverty level to apply for covyear that the insurance co-op was under erage. ``considerable financial strain'' due to the Christie credited his decision to expand ACA's risk adjustment mandate.

Medicaid with helping to insure more Largely as a result of the Affordable Care people, but he also criticized the federal Act, the nation's uninsured rate has dropped government, which he said he did not trust to a historically low level, less than 9 per- and said that future New Jersey governors cent. But the program hasn't yet found should be able to evaluate the state's partstable footing, and it remains politically di- nership with the federal government if it visive. Insurer participation rose in 2015 and makes financial sense. -AP

NM could see rising costs for Obamacare ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.: New Mexico cities could have to pay significantly more money to comply with the Affordable Care Act when the law's ``Cadillac Tax'' for expensive health plans takes effect.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that starting in 2020, the law will impose a tax on high-cost insurance plans.

Estimates for Albuquerque show the city won't face the tax until 2024. The city's $1 million payment to comply with the law is expected to drop slightly next year

before steadily increasing until 2024, when Albuquerque could be paying as much as $4 million.

Those concerned about the tax say it could result in employers offering workers less expensive plans with higher deductibles or reducing what services are covered.

Supporters say it'll encourage more efficient health care spending and could put more money into workers' pockets. AP

the damage is permanent.

But mice are not men, and experts unconnected with the study agreed that it can't be assumed that the mouse results apply to people.

Shannan Rossi, who studies Zika in mice at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, noted that the researchers had suppressed the animals' immune system defense against the virus. That's a standard step in such experiments but it adds another level of difference from humans, she said.

Zika, which is transmitted by the bite of a tropical mosquito, is such a mild disease in people that most who get it don't even know they are sick. But it can cause serious birth defects if women are infected while pregnant, so health officials have been concerned mostly with helping women who are pregnant or about to become pregnant avoid the disease.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland, said the study alerts researchers to look for effects in men. ``Don't jump to the conclusion right off that this is definitely what is happening to

the human,'' he said. But the mouse finding is a ``red flag you need to pursue.''

The mouse results appear in a paper released by the journal Nature. They show the virus attacks the anatomical structure where sperm are made and reach maturity.

Testosterone levels also fell.

The infected mice were able to impregnate females at only about one-fourth the normal rate. And in females that got pregnant, the number of fetuses was less than half of normal. -AP

36 India Post

Health Science Post

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

Airlines told to devise e-cigarette policy NEW DELHI: Domestic airlines have been asked by the civil aviation regulator to formulate a policy on handling of electronic cigarettes, and display warnings inside lavatories and passenger briefing cards as part of the cabin safety measures.

Under the new cabin safety circular, effective tomorrow, the operators would have to develop procedures to "ensure passengers are advised to remove electronic cigarettes (valet/ sky check) or in cases where excess carry on baggage must be placed in the hold".

Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), popularly known as e-cigarettes, produce an aerosolized mixture containing flavored liquids and nicotine that is inhaled by the user. The system is powered by lithium batteries.

"Electronic, simulated smoking materials (cigarettes, pipes, cigars) are prohibited from use by both passengers and crew at all

times. Operators should not permit the use of any item which could insinuate that smoking is permitted on board aircraft," said a circular issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

These products are not yet regulated nor approved for smoking cessation by the US

"Airlines should develop inflight procedures by way of placards/warnings inside the lavatories, safety announcements, passenger briefing cards etc.," the circular said.

The operators have also been asked to communicate their electronic cigarette policy to passengers by various means including through website and during ticket purchase.

The circular would be applicable to all Indian operators, which are into scheduled

and non-scheduled commercial air transport, as well as state government plane and general aviation aircraft.

Apart from known as e-cigarettes, ENDS are also called personal vaporizers, vape pens, e-hookah or vaping devices.

According to the watchdog, e-cigarettes can be accepted on board in the passengers carry on baggage provided they remain stowed and unused at all times. -PTI

Rare twins who survived the odds Food and Drug Administration and the longterm health effects to users and bystanders are still unknown, it noted.

The DGCA said that since e-cigarettes are a potential health hazard with safety implications, airlines need to develop policy and procedures to ensure their non-usage as well as proper stowage onboard an aircraft.

NEW DELHI: 29-year-old Nidhi Gill was Nidhi responded well and successfully advised by many to abort one or both of delivered two male babies, weighing 1.2 kgs her monoamniotic twins due to the high risk and 1.59 kgs, they said. pregnancy, but her boys survived the mediBoth the twins are healthy and doing cal condition and the odds as they turned extremely well. one this Diwali.

The entire pregnancy period was fraught Veer and Shaurya, the first twins in the with challenges, and in MoMo twins, Khera Gills family, were born at a city hospital said, the birth was premature and through through an emergency cesarean surgery, 33 surgical intervention. weeks into the pregnancy due to chances "It is a high-risk pregnancy and can lead of intra-uterine growth retardation or poor to intra-uterine growth retardation or death growth of fetus inside the womb.

Monoamniotic twins (sharing the same amniotic sac within the uterus) are rare occurring in approximately 1 in 35,000 to 1 in 60,000 pregnancies where serious complications could arise, especially for the fetus.

Usually termed as 'Monoamniotic-Monochorionic' or 'MoMo twins', they are always identical, monochorionic and share the placenta, but have separate umbilical cords.

"I had no idea about this kind of twins and many advised us to The Delhi twins who turned one this Diwali,since they go for abortion of either one or were conceived as monoamniotic twins sharing the same both of the babies, saying their amniotic sac within the uterus lives and mine, both would be endangered if I went ahead with the rare of the twins, or one twin becoming big while other becoming very small, low weight of pregnancy. But I wanted to have them.

"And, on the day of the delivery, I was babies. For expectant mothers it can cause awake and felt nervous when I could not pregnancy-induced hypertension that leads hear any voice. But, after a moment, the first to swelling of feet," Khera told PTI. baby cried and few minutes later the secDoctors at Delhi's Fortis Le Femme, where ond one also did. It was the most amazing 70 normal twin births have taken place this feeling," says Nidhi, a working mother from year, said, the expectant mothers should go for regular check-ups for any complications.

Delhi.

Senior Consultant, Obstetrics and Gyne"After birth, the babies are kept in a nurscology at BLK Super Specialty Hospital, ery for some time, so it is of paramount importance that The entire pregnancy period was fraught with women must only go to such challenges, and in MoMo twins, Khera said, facilities which the birth was premature and through surgical have nursery.

Besides, other intervention. precautions must be taken "It is a high-risk pregnancy and can lead to before the Cintra-uterine growth retardation or death section," SePoonam Khera, who monitored Nidhi's preg- nior Consultant, Obstetrics and nancy, said, "I had to first counsel and men- Gynaecology at Le Femme, Madhu Goel said. tally prepare her to undergo this. I told her The complexity in such cases arises when about the complications that could have the embryo does not split until after the foroccurred, but the idea was to calm her." mation of the amniotic sac which leads to The hospital said this was the first case monoamniotic twins, who share the same of 'MoMo twins' at BLK. placenta.-PTI

„

Realty Tidbits

Godrej sells Rs 300cr villas in Gr Noida NEW DELHI: Godrej Properties has said it has sold villas worth over Rs 300 crore on the first day of the launch of 100-acre township in Greater Noida, bucking the existing slowdown in the NCR property market.

Godrej Properties is the real estate arm of the Godrej group.

This is the company's first project in Noida-Greater Noida market. The township Godrej Golf Links is being developed as a joint venture with ACE Group, a local developer in NCR. The company said in a statement that "it has sold over 60,000 sq meters (6 lakh sq ft) of villas with a booking value well in excess of Rs 300 crore in a single day at the launch of its first project, Crest, at its 100 acre township Godrej Golf Links."

"We consider Noida a critical growth opportunity for our company and hope to have many more successful launches in the city," Godrej Properties MD & CEO Pirojsha Godrej said.

"We will do everything possible to ensure we deliver our Godrej Golf Links customers an outstanding and innovative project," he added.-PTI

„ Burman GSC acquires JV partner's stake NEW DELHI: Burman GSC has said it has acquired the stake of its joint venture (JV) partner, Ascendas India, in the special economic zone (SEZ) in Gurgaon. Burman GSC and Ascendas had a 49:51 JV partnership for the OneHub SEZ project. With this transaction, Burman GSC is now 100 per cent owner of the SEZ, it said in a statement.

Burman GSC is a JV between the Burman Group and private equity fund Golden State Capital (GSC). "The acquisition was done for an undisclosed amount and requisite approvals have been taken from the Board of Approval for SEZs," it said. However, sources said enterprise value of the SEZ, spread across over 62.6 acres, is in the range of Rs 250-300 crore.

Burman GSC has used promoter equity to fund the buyback of the stake. The Gurgaon-based real estate major continues to remain debt free even after funding the purchase, it added.

The firm is now putting a new strategy for the project, including complete rebranding and re-positioning. This project will target technology companies. -PTI

Real Estate 37 India Post

www.indiapost.com

November 11, 2016

Israel constructing new homes in Jerusalem JERUSALEM: A Jerusalem city official says authorities have pushed forward plans to build 181 new homes in east Jerusalem.

Brachie Sprung says plans in the Gilo area were first approved in 2012 and that the approvals by a municipal building permit sub-committee were for ``technical details of plot distribution.'' She says more detailed building permits will be required before the units are built. But the approval nonetheless is likely to infuriate the Palestinians and the international community.-AP

Khattar scraps CM's discretion in Haryana colony licensing NEW DELHI: To bring transparency in Haryana's booming real estate sector which is plagued by charges of corruption, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has scrapped a decades old policy which allowed state CMs absolute discretion and final say in the grant of licenses to colonizers.

Stating that it was against the law, Khattar overturned the 25year-old decision taken by the then Chief Minister Bhajan Lal in 1991 on the plea that granting colony licenses to builders had "wider implications."

"Despite the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act according powers of grant of licenses to Director, Town and Country Planning, all such files are being presented before me for clearance in the name of internal concurrence," the chief minister said in an order issued under his signature.

"A perusal of old files reveals this practice was started on Au-

gust 7, 1991 after a decision taken in a meeting chaired by the then state CM. "Wider implications of licenses were the sole reason cited to start

it to be scrapped with immediate effect," said the order, a copy of which is with PTI. Normally all decisions of the chief minister are issued under the

Manohar Lal Khattar

this tradition. Subsequent Haryana CMs continued with the policy. Evidently, this tradition is against the law and I am ordering

signatures of the principal secretary of the chief minister.

The move comes at a time when grant of licenses to builders in the

state has been under active scrutiny including the permissions given to a firm owned by Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-inlaw Robert Vadra in Gurgaon.

Incidentally, the Justice SN Dhingra Commission of Inquiry, set up to probe commercial licenses granted to colonizers including Vadra in Gurgaon, had also adversely commented on the system of CMs granting licenses to colonizers.

The powers to grant a license to develop a colony lies with the Director, Town and Country Planning, (DTCP), under the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975, but was taken away through on order of August 7, 1991, and entrusted with the chief minister on the plea that the same had "wider implications".

So far 1,571 licenses have been issued by the Haryana Government, over half of them in Gurgaon.

-PTI

Rules notified for UTs' Real Estate Act NEW DELHI: The Centre has notified the rules for Real Estate Act that seeks to regulate the housing sector besides bringing transparency and ensuring timely completion of projects, which will be applicable for five Union Territories.

The rules notified by the Housing Ministry will be applicable to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep, an official release said.

The Ministry of Urban Development will come out with such rules for the National Capital Region of Delhi while the other states and UTs will come out with their own rules.

The Act, which is touted as a major reform measure to regulate the vast real estate sector, requires registration of all projects with state-level Real Estate Regulatory

Authorities to ensure protection of the interests of both buyers and builders.

The rules also require builders to deposit 70 per cent of unused amounts collected for ongoing projects in a separate bank account to ensure timely completion of the projects.

in project.

It stipulates that such payment to the allottee be made within 45 days of it becoming due.

On suggestions from promoters, to incentivize registration of projects and real estate agents with the regulatory authorities, fee for the same has been reduced by half,

The rules state that a developer will be required to refund or pay compensation to the allottees with an interest rate of SBI's highest Marginal Cost of Lending Rate plus two per cent in case of delay in project The rules state that a developer will be required to refund or pay compensation to the allottees with an interest rate of SBI's highest Marginal Cost of Lending Rate plus two per cent in case of delay

the release said.

For registration of projects, the fee has been reduced to Rs 5 per square meter for up to 1,000 square meter and Rs 10 per square meter beyond this limit subject to a maxi-

mum of Rs 5 lakh per project.

However, for commercial and mixed development projects, it will be Rs 10 and Rs 15 per square meter subject to a maximum of Rs 7 lakh.

For commercial projects, it will be Rs 20 and Rs 25 per square meter subject to a cap of Rs 10 lakh per project. For plotted development, it is Rs 5 per square meter with a ceiling of Rs 2 lakh.

The fee for renewing registration of projects with the regulatory authorities will be half of the registration fee, the release said.

For registration of real estate agents, the fee now prescribed is Rs 10,000 for individuals and Rs 50,000 for other entities, as against Rs 25,000 and Rs 2,50,000 proposed in the draft rules, it said.

Similarly, fee for renewal of registration of projects and agents have also been reduced to Rs 5,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively. -PTI

38

Real Estate Post

India Post

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

Top meet discusses land pooling policy NEW DELHI: A high-level meeting here discussed various issues that are holding back the implementation of Land Pooling Policy including notification of earmarked villages as urban areas and transfer of about 12 per cent of developed land to Delhi government.

The meeting, chaired by Union Urban Development Ministry Secretary, was attended by senior officials from the Ministry, Delhi

policy were discussed during the meeting. There would be further meetings to sort out the issues," an official said.

Transfer of about 12 per cent of developed land to Delhi government was also taken up at the meeting in which DDA stated that in accordance with the Master Plan of Delhi, land would be provided to Delhi Government on "need basis as is being done now". However, the Delhi govern-

Transfer of about 12 per cent of developed land to Delhi government was also taken up at the meeting in which DDA stated that in accordance with the Master Plan of Delhi, land would be provided to Delhi Government on "need basis as is being done now" government, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and North and South MCDs. "Issues that need to be resolved for implementation of the

ment is demanding about 12 per cent of the developed land.

Issues that were discussed during the meeting also included notification of 89 villages as ur-

ban areas and 95 villages as urban development areas, a requisite for implementation of the policy.

It was informed that North and South municipal bodies have passed resolutions for notifying 89 villages as urban areas.

During the meet, the Delhi government has also sought some clarifications regarding provision of civic amenities in the developed areas.

Other issues that were discussed included waiver of stamp duty on transfer of developed land

by DDA to farmers or promoters.

While the Land Pooling Policy was finalized in 2013, regulations in this regard have been approved in May 2015 but the same are still to be notified.

Under the scheme, land owners can pool their land and hand it over to the DDA which will develop it before returning a portion to the owner. The land owners can then rope in real estate developers to come up with residential properties. -PTI

Florida company selling ski resorts PORTLAND, Maine: A Floridabased real estate investment trust has reached an agreement to sell more than a dozen major ski resorts and other properties from Maine to California.

Under the deal, New York hedge fund manager Och-Ziff would assume ownership of 14 properties

nia ski resort and 15 waterparks and amusement parks.

CNL would receive about $830 million in cash and stock under the purchase and sale agreement.

When the deal closes, it would be the largest ski resort transaction in the history of the sport.

Skiers won't see a big impact.

currently held by CNL Lifestyle Properties, including Sunday River and Sugarloaf in Maine, Crested Butte in Colorado, Brighton in Utah and Sierra-atTahoe in California.

Missouri-based EPR Properties would retain the rest of CNL's holdings, including Northstar Califor-

Long-term leases will remain in place, so mountain operators will remain unchanged after the properties changes hands.

CNL and EPR are real estate investment trusts, which are investment vehicles for a variety of properties including hotels, office buildings and malls. They own the

property and make money through leases with other companies that manage and operate them.

CNL Lifestyle Properties was valued at as much as $3 billion in 2012 with ownership of more than 100 water parks, ski resorts, marinas and senior housing developments. As part of its anticipated exit strategy, CNL has been selling off assets in the real estate investment trust.

Under the deal, an Och-Ziff subsidiary will assume ownership of its share through cash and a $244 million loan.

Steve Kircher, an executive from Michigan-based Boyne Resorts, which has leases to operate seven of the ski resorts, said it's his understanding that Och-Ziff was brought into the transaction to diversify EPR's exposure to ski holdings.

Other ski resorts are Cypress Mountain in British Columbia; Jiminy Peak in Massachusetts; Loon Mountain and Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire; Okemo Mountain in Vermont; Mountain High in California; and Summit-at-Snoqualmie and Stevens Pass in Washington State along with Gatlinburg Sky Lift in Tennessee. Kircher said skiers shouldn't be alarmed. The current lease holders will continue to operate the resorts as they have in the past, he said.-AP

Brigade Group celebrates 30 years of building experience India Post News Service

BENGALURU: Brigade Group is celebrating a special milestone of successfully completing 30 glorious years of Building Positive Experiences, this year.

To mark this occasion, according to a Press release, Brigade will: • Plant 30,000 saplings across t h e i r projects. • Sponsor 30 toilets in schools • Set up Skill Development Centers in Devenahalli for Construction, Hospitality & Retail sectors.

Brigade Group is also launching a special anniversary savings offer ranging between "Rs. 3 lakhs to 30 lakhs off" on all their properties on sale across cities in South India namely Bangalore, Chennai, Chikmagalur, Hyderabad, Mysore and Mangalore. The

offer is open for 30 days only, starting from November 4, 2016.

Customers can walk into any of their offices across these markets to know more about these limited period offers and avail them.

Commenting on the occasion of this major milestone, Mr. M R Jaishankar, Chairman & Managing Director, Brigade Group said, "Over 3 decades, 'Brand Brigade' has constantly innovated on the products and enhanced its services to cater to the customers' evolving business needs. It is also a happy coincidence that we completed 30 projects in our 30th year itself. I take this opportunity to thank our dedicated employees, business associates, bankers, civic authorities and most importantly, our clients for making this milestone possible."

For information on Brigade Group visit www.brigadegroup.com

BroEx acquires realty tech startup Rexprop NEW DELHI: BroEx, a mobile- of the deal, but said the company based property brokers network, is looking for more such acquisihas acquired real estate technol- tions to expand its business. ogy startup Rexprop for an undisRexprop Founder & CEO closed amount to expand busi- Sachin Garg would guide the ness and provide better products BroEx team over the next three to its clients. months to assimilate the unique Gurgaon-based Rexprop or Real features of the brokers network Estate Property Exchange is a into BroEx. startup which offers solutions such as inventory distribution, broker Rexprop has developed to broker listings and innovative offerings around CRM for property consultants, agents, bro- listing management and kers and developers.

CRM for real estate brokers "We have acquired Rexprop as it has some very good products which will " Rexprop has developed innocomplement our business. This is vative offerings around listing our second acquisition," BroEx co- management and CRM for real esfounder and CEO Pallav Pandey tate brokers which compliment told PTI. BroEx," Pandey said.

Earlier this year, BroEx had acBroEx is being used by more quired independent broker com- than 1.5 lakh real estate brokers, pany Professional Brokers. It had he said, adding that this deal also tied up with real estate con- would further enhance its offering sultant JLL India's housing arm for and cement position as the go-to getting access to exclusive deals. software for the brokerage indusPandey did not disclose the size try. -PTI

Real Estate Post

November 11, 2016

India Post 39

www.indiapost.com

Small-time Airbnb hosts complain of NY law NEW YORK: Jordan Reeves works for a nonprofit and his partner is a puppeteer. They say there's not a lot of spare income floating around their Brooklyn apartment. That's why they sometimes rent the place through Airbnb for extra cash when they're not there.

But a new law that carries fines of up to $7,500 for certain kinds of short-term listings is causing headaches for many Airbnb hosts, including Reeves, who say they are getting unfairly swept up in a measure that's more aimed at commercial operators who turn multiple apartments into, essentially, illegal hotels. ``Nobody wants illegal hotels ... It seems as though we're in the same bucket as the people who are taking advantage of the situation,'' Reeves said, as he and a group of other hosts gathered across the street from Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office to protest the law.

Signed by Cuomo, a Democrat, on Oct. 21, the law is one of the toughest in the country against Airbnb and other home-sharing platforms. It levies hefty fines against owners or tenants who offer to let others rent out their

entire living space for less than 30 days, something that's been illegal in New York for several years but didn't previously carry such penalties. Under the new law, people can still rent out portions of their living spaces, like a single bedroom or a couch, for less than 30 days. It also doesn't apply to some dwellings, like single-family homes or row houses.

Airbnb protested the law, saying New York was rewarding the hotel industry at the expense of New Yorkers, and has filed a lawsuit against it.

Supporters of the law said it was necessary, that some property owners take apartments that could be homes for city residents out of circulation to make them shortterm visitor rentals, hurting both the city's hotels and its housing market.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office conducted an investigation of Airbnb rentals from 2010 to 2014. It found that 72 percent of the units listed in New York City were illegal, and that 36 percent of rentals came from commercial operators who made up only 6 percent of hosts.

Eileen Guo, a Queens resident

who has used Airbnb to rent out her studio apartment, said that while the industry needed to be regulated, ``there needs to be a distinction, people that live in our

Jenny Douglas went the other way - changing the wording on her listing to make it clear of anyone looking that her Brooklyn apartment, on the garden level

Supporters of Airbnb hold a rally on the steps of New York City Hall showing support for the company on October 30

homes and also use it for side income and people who are doing it purely for profit.'' She said the law would limit her already occasional use of the platform, to times when she knew she would be able to offer it for more than 30 days.

of her single-family home, wasn't covered by the law and available for short stays. ``Oh my gosh, I was a little panicked,'' she said, before she did some digging and realized the law didn't apply to her. But she was concerned potential

renters, hearing about the law, would be reluctant to look at New York City listings, so she made the change. ``I wouldn't want them to feel anxious that they might come here and the door might be padlocked,'' she said.

While Douglas said she hoped the law Cuomo signed wouldn't be the last word on the subject, she did think it was an issue that needs to be figured out. ``It feels like this probably needed to happen in order for us to look at what we're dealing with.''

Michaela Hall, who used Airbnb to find a last-minute place to stay when she came to New York City last month, said she was concerned about the impact of the law on prices. She prefers to rent out entire apartments with the residents gone, as opposed to sharing a portion of a home with the tenant there.

If there are going to be fewer entire apartment listings, and less competition, ``then people will probably raise their prices a little bit,'' the Maryland woman said. ``Hopefully they won't go too high so that I'm not saving anything over reserving a hotel room.'' -AP

40 India Post

www.indiapost.com

November 11, 2016

A

tiny village that derives its name from two hills - Ran and Thambor, Ranthambore in the state of Rajasthan is endowed with a magnifi cent environment. Its deciduous forests are rich in flora and fauna that inhabits a wide span of all species. A land which boasts of a legendary history, was the stronghold of the Yadavas in the 8th century. Later in the 10th century, it came under the rule of the mighty Chauhans, which continued as such till the Mughals acquired its possession.

Ranthambore is a dream destination for wildlife enthusiasts. Famed for its wildlife, Ranthambore proffers a picturesque ambiance with rocky smudges, lovely hills, pretty lakes, ponds and beautiful ravines. Its rugged terrain and strategic location in the midst of Vindhya and Aravalli ranges makes it a perfect asylum for those estranged and exotic breeds in the animal kingdom.

Ranthambore is famous for the wildlife sanctuary by the same name where one can witness the juxtaposition of wildlife, history and nature.

Dotted with so many structures of the past, Ranthambore offers the fabulous mixture of a heritage site as well as the magical charm of a rich wildlife.

Cont’d on page 42

Ranthambore Fort

November 11, 2016

Travel & Hospitality Post

India Post 41

www.indiapost.com

Gujarat's famous Rann Utsav begins

VADODARA: Travel enthusiasts from different parts of the country and globe have started to throng Kutch district for the popular Rann Utsav which has started.

The annual festival that will last till Feb-

ruary 20, 2017, will give tourists an experience of Gujarati style of celebrations along-

side the Great Rann of Kutch and visitors have made bookings two-three months in advance, according to tours and travel operators.

Chairman of Gujarat Tourism Corporation Ltd (GTCL) Kamlesh Patel said this year, the government has given the contract to private tour operators for tourists' accommodation in the tents.

"We expect a large number of tourists from across the country and abroad to the Rann Utsav.

More than 7 lakh tourists had visited the 112-day long festival in 2015-16 and we expect the number to surpass last year's figures," he said.

Managing director of Akshar Tour and Travels company Ltd, Manish Sharma said that they have received bookings two-three months in advance from places like Chennai, Delhi , Mumbai, Chandigarh, Pune and even abroad as well. -PTI

Mitchell Visitor Center's grand opening in spring MITCHELL, S.D.: Mitchell's new Visitor project would in total cost about $115,000, Center has opened its doors for a ``soft open- with $75,000 of it funded by a grant from the ing,'' and the fully completed center is ex- South Dakota Governor's Office of Ecopected to be ready for tourist season next nomic Development. The CVB also opened summer. a smartphone app to go with the new modMitchell Convention and Visitors Bureau ern center, and was designed as a ``onedirector Katie Knutson said the Visitor stop resource'' for visitors seeking informaCenter's finishing tion on Mitchell touches will be fin- The larger 824-square-foot area features. ished by the time ``It's uncommon center opened Oct. 1, retourist season for a community of ramps up in April, placing the center's former this population to according to The location in a 144-square-foot have all of the Daily Republic. amenities and oplog cabin The larger 824tions that we have in square-foot center opened Oct. 1, replacing Mitchell,'' an app press release said. ``This the center's former location in a 144-square- app is a way to unite all of the unique and foot log cabin. The center has seen 150 visi- surprising elements of our community, in an tors pass through in its first few weeks in easy-to-use app that residents and visitors service. Knutson said the close proximity can both enjoy.'' The opening of the new Visito a nearby coffee shop has boosted foot tor Center was delayed due to disagreements traffic. Mitchell Area Development Corp. Ex- between the landowners, the bureau and the ecutive Director Byan Hisel estimated the Mitchell Area Development Corp. -AP

Bison sanctuary in Tripura can be tourist spot AGARTALA: Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary in Tripura, the country's only natural breeding centre of bisons, could be developed as a major tourist spot, a forest official has said.

The sanctuary located in Belonia subdivision of South Tripura district, around 100 km from here, boasts of many resident and migratory birds, Divisional Forest Officer (South) Harsha Kumar said.

"Two watch towers to see the animals and a butterfly park were developed recently and the vast lake in the sanctuary was renovated with boating facilities. The area could easily be developed as tourist hotspot if the department ropes in the Tourism department," he said.

According to the last census conducted in 2013, around 130 bisons were found in the two blocks of the sanctuary.

The official was upbeat that the animals

population was on the rise as newborn calves of bisons have been spotted grazing in the sanctuary.

However, their current population could not be ascertained till a fresh census was conducted, Kumar said.

"This is a well managed sanctuary. A grass land was also developed in the core area, so that the animals need not come out of the area in search of food," the official said.

Besides creating proper habitat for the animal, he said awareness about bisons have also increased among nearby villagers following campaigns.

As the sanctuary is located near the Indo-Bangla border, poaching by hunters from Bangladesh had been rampant, but with the erection of barbed wire fencing on the border last year, poaching has come to zero, Kumar added. -PTI

First UK direct flight to Goa arrives PANAJI: The first direct flight from the United Kingdom (UK) to Goa has arrived at the state international airport at Dabolim as part of Goa tourism season 2016-17, officials said here.

The flight operated by Thomas Cook Airlines with 311 passengers on board landed at the airport from London last night.

Thomas Cook Airlines will operate six flights a week to Goa from London, three each from Manchester and Gatwick, Goa

in a statement issued here said, "We are very happy that the tourism season 201617 has commenced with flying colors.

We are very delighted that the number of direct flights from London to Goa are increasing and each flight will bring around 325 passengers."

"The UK market is a very important one for us and we are also going to impress on this at the upcoming World Trade Mart (WTM) 2016 in London," he added.

"We are very thankful to Goa Tourism for extending a warm welcome to our guests from the UK and supporting all our endeavors in increasing connectivity between London and Goa�

Tourism Department said in a release here.

"Data from the Goa airport indicates that 80 per cent of the passengers, who arrived from Manchester last night used the e-Tourist Visa (ETV) facility," it added.

Freedom Holidays Pvt Ltd, the authorized representative of Thomas Cook Airlines, will oversee all the operational aspects at the Goa airport.

State Tourism Minister, Dilip Parulekar,

"We are very thankful to Goa Tourism for extending a warm welcome to our guests from the UK and supporting all our endeavors in increasing connectivity between London and Goa," Chairman and Managing Director of Freedom Holidays Pvt Ltd, Martin Joseph said. The 2016-17 tourism season of Goa officially commenced last month with the first chartered flight from Russia on October 2. -PTI

42 India Post

Travel & Hospitality Post

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com Cont’d from page 40

The ruins of yesteryears, which are spotted throughout the length and breadth of the forests, give Ranthambhore a unique and invigorating appeal.

A pictorial place with extensive range of dazzling landscapes, Ranthambore offers something unusual to its visitors. The mesmerizing ride through the undulating grasslands, gushing streams, open scrubs, densely wooded valleys, deep ravines flanked by steep peaks would definitely provide one with a rejuvenating vigor.

Ranthambore would be the best place to squander if the traveler in you is quite proud of the rich legacy of an ancient township. Its majestic relics like the ruined pavilions, crumbling walls, wells, and other glittering edifices of kingships quench your thirst to be in the midst of a glorious past.

Tourist attractions Jogi Mahal: A superb guest house at the foothills of the majestic Ranthambore, Fort Jogi Mahal in Ranthambore offers the visitor a delightful time. This forest guest house provides outstanding and modern amenities to the tourists. The superb building was constructed as a hunting lodge for the members of the royal family of Jaipur. This beautiful Mahal grabs the tourists towards it with its stunning vistas of magnificent scenery.

Ranthambore Fort: Located atop a hill, the Ranthambore fort holds a bloody but brave history of the legendary Rajputs. Constructed in 994 AD, this fort encompasses massive gate, lofty walls, tanks and temples. Its strategic location and finest structural designs with safety measures makes it an impregnable one. This mighty fortress of the Rajputs holds an amazing legend that says that the fort was constructed as a token of gratitude to Lord Shiva.

However, Ranthambore fort is famed as the first ever place where the women practiced Jauhar in order to protect them-

Ranthambore Mixture of heritage site & rich wildlife in an extensive denuded tract, the Ranthambore National Park reflects a unique juxtaposition of historical and natural richness. It proffers a winding terrain with slopes, hills, steep ridges, hillocks, pebbly ravines and flat valleys. The park spreads over a vast expansion of 392 sq km and it happens to be the finest example for conservation of tigers.

Best time to visit Ranthambore has a moderate climate all through the year. But the best time to visit is from October to April, during which you can spot tigers.

selves from the intruding army of the Persians.

Surwal Lake: A shallow seasonal lake 25 kilometers away from Ranthambore, Surwal Lake is a pictorial destination, which captivates the onlooker with its alluring beauty. A haven of the avian fauna, the mesmerizing charm of the lake attracts scores of visitors during November-March.

Ranthambore National Park: Standing out remarkably

How to reach

By Train: Sawai Madhopur, at a distance of nearly 10 km, is the nearest railway station to Ranthambore. This railhead is on the Broad Gauge Jogi Mahal line between Mumbai and Delhi.

By Air: Sanganer Airport located at Jaipur is nearly 157 km from the Ranthambore city. Jaipur airport is connected to metro cities Mumbai and Delhi. Foreign travelers can take connection flights from Delhi international airport, which is nearly 417 km away from Ranthambore.

By Bus: Ranthambore is connected by regular bus services to other cities in and around. Many public transport buses connect Ranthambore with Jaipur, Pushkar and Ajmer.

Surwal Lake

November 11, 2016

Travel & Hospitality Post

India Post

43

www.indiapost.com

A visitors' guide to Arlington Cemetery ARLINGTON, Va.: Arlington National Cemetery, final resting place for thousands of American soldiers and others who have

tional Cemetery each year, there are plenty of mourners here, too.

More than 25 funerals are held here each weekday and another half-

served and sacrificed, isn't just about the history of war.

Yes, the rows and rows of white headstones tell war stories across the generations, honoring young soldiers killed in action as well as veterans who lived into old age long past their military service.

And yes, there are memorials here marking tragic moments in American history, including a tribute to the astronauts who perished when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded and the eternal flame at the grave of President John F. Kennedy.

But while tourists make up many of the 3 million to 4 million people who visit Arlington Na-

dozen on Saturdays.

Here are some basics for planning a visit to see some of Arlington's most notable sites while honoring those buried here.

SILENCE AND RESPECT Chances are as you wander around, you'll see some visitors kneeling by a grave or leaving a note or flower to remember a loved one. You may see a graveside service underway in the distance, hear a bugle playing ``Taps'' or be startled by rifle shots, customary for military funerals. Or you may see six horses slowly and solemnly pulling a caisson bearing a flagdraped coffin for a full-honors funeral.

Tigerair announces special fares to Singapore NEW DELHI: South-east Asian budget carrier 'Tigerair' has announced special all-inclusive airfares to Singapore, starting Rs 13,599 for a two-way journey from select destinations.

The applicable travel period for the tickets booked under the special offer stands between Feb 1, 2017 and 30 Oct, 2017, Tigerair said.

As part of the exclusive offer, the budget carrier is offering Indian passengers all-in return fares starting as low as Rs 13,599 from Kochi, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Hyderabad, and Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) to Singapore, the airline said.

The tickets under the offer can be booked between November 2 and November 13, it said.

Tigerair and its sister airline 'Scoot' together operate a total

of 50 weekly flights to Singapore from eight Indian destinations Jaipur, Amritsar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Kochi and Tiruchirappalli.

Travelers can explore other exciting destinations such as Bali, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Taipei by connecting via Singapore, the gateway to destinations in Asia Pacific.

Tigerair is the low-cost, shorthaul arm of the Singapore Airlines. With a fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline operates flights to 40 destinations across Asia including Singapore, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. -PTI

Signs around the cemetery bear the words ``Silence and Respect,'' to give mourners space and privacy.

PLANNING A VISIT Arlington National Cemetery is open daily 8 a.m.-5 p.m., OctoberMay (and until 7 p.m., April-September). Admission is free.

Stop in the welcome center for a free map and advice on finding sites of particular interest.

The cemetery is a square mile, so allow several hours for your visit. Be prepared for hills and lots of walking.

Hop-on, hop-off trolleys with narrated tours offer an overview of the grounds with stops at some of the most-visited sites. Tickets are $12 (discounts for children, veterans, military personnel and seniors).

The Washington, D.C., Metrorail blue line has a stop at Arlington National Cemetery. If

dered the government to compensate them. Two cabins behind Arlington House tell the story of African-Americans _ both enslaved

battles and wars, victims of disasters like the sinking of the USS Maine and the downing of Pan Am Flight 103, and others who served

and free _ who lived and worked there.

The Kennedy gravesite has markers for the slain president, his widow, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and other family mem-

you're driving, an onsite parking garage is accessible from Memorial Avenue.

ROBERT E. LEE AND JOHN F. KENNEDY Arlington House, also known as the Robert E. Lee Memorial, is on a hilltop overlooking the Kennedy gravesite. Standing in front of the house, you can see downtown Washington with the Washington Monument's white obelisk in the distance.

The Lee house, run by the National Park Service, has fascinating connections to George Washington and the Civil War. The land where the cemetery now sits was originally a 19th-century slave plantation owned by George Washington's adopted grandson, George Washington Parke Custis.

Custis' daughter married Robert E. Lee, the leader of the Confederate Army. During the Civil War, Union troops occupied the estate and began burying soldiers there.

Lee's family never returned, and in 1882 the U.S. Supreme Court or-

bers. JFK's famous quote, ``Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your

or sacrificed, from Gold Star mothers to the Coast Guard.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is guarded by a marching uniformed sentinel 24 hours a day, with a changing of the guard on the hour.

Many famous individuals are buried here, from Hollywood actors to U.S. senators. But one of the most asked-about sites in the last few months has been the grave of Capt. Humayun Khan, whose father spoke at the Democratic National Convention in August.

Khan was killed during the Iraq War, and the story of his immigrant Muslim family and their loss became an issue in the presidential campaign. Welcome center staff are accustomed to giving directions to his gravesite, No. 7986 in section 60, where visitors often leave flowers and notes.

Most Arlington graves are

country,'' is engraved nearby.

ALSO OF INTEREST Arlington National Cemetery is dotted with memorials. They include monuments and markers honoring veterans of various

marked with crosses, but other symbols, like the six-pointed Jewish star and a wheel representing the Buddhist faith, can be seen.

Khan's headstone bears a Muslim crescent and star. -AP

Tech News Rs 50 cr OIL Start-Up fund for new ideas GUWAHATI: Oil India Limited (OIL) has set up an OIL Start-Up fund of Rs 50 crore to encourage new "out of the box" ideas related to the oil and gas sector, particularly in the Northeast.

The oil exploration major's chairman-cum-managing director Utpal Bora said in a press conference that the initiative was in line with the Centre's 'Start-up India' initiative.

"The OIL Start-Up fund is to encourage students, young entrepreneurs and institutions to come out with out of the box ideas for the benefit of the oil and gas sector that is contributing enormously to the growth of the economy," Bora said.

The initiative was to create an ecosystem that was conducive for growth of start-ups in the oil and gas sector, which has a huge scope for application of technology-enabled ideas, he said.

"Currently the sector faces various critical challenges and new ideas are required to negotiate those challenges. OIL will be partnering with institutes of excellence in the Northeast like IITGuwahati to take this initiative forward, wherein the institutes will facilitate 'idea incubation' for carrying out studies and experiments," Bora said.

India's forex kitty rises to $367.15 bn MUMBAI: India's forex reserves rose up by USD 16.6 million to USD 367.157 billion for the week ended October 28, the Reserve Bank has said.

Total reserves had risen by USD 1 billion to USD 367.14 billion in the previous week.

In the reporting week, foreign currency assets (FCAs), a major component of the overall reserves, increased by USD 21.6 million to USD 341.944 billion.

FCAs, expressed in US dollar terms, include the effect of appreciation/depreciation of non-US currencies such as the euro, pound and the yen held in the reserves.

Gold reserves remained unchanged at USD 21.406 billion, the apex bank said.

The special drawing rights with the International Monetary Fund declined by USD 1.9 million to USD 1.461 billion, while India's reserve position with the Fund dipped by USD 3.1 million to USD 2.344 billion, the apex bank said.-PTI

TechBiz 44 India Post

www.indiapost.com

November 11, 2016

China plan to cut greenhouse gas emission BEIJING: China, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has said it will reduce by 2020 CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by 18 per cent compared to 2015 figures, as the landmark Paris climate agreement came into force.

The decision was taken at the central cabinet meeting, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

China and the US are the top two emitters of greenhouse gases in the world. The new pledge to cut greenhouse gases was announced as Beijing is enveloped by severe industrial pollution forcing people to wear masks.

No Center-States consensus on jurisdiction of assessees in GST NEW DELHI: For the second time in as many weeks, the Centre and states have failed to reach a consensus on who will control which set of assessees under GST, a disagreement that threatens to derail the April 1 target for rollout of the new indirect tax regime.

After nailing a four-tier rate structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent, the second-day of the allpowerful GST Council failed to reach a consensus over which category of assessees should be governed by the Centre and which by states.

The November 9-10 meeting of the Council has been called off. It was to finalize the draft law and supporting legislations for subsuming an array of central and state levies including excise duty, service tax and VAT. The finance ministers of states will now meet informally on November 20 to evolve a political consensus on the sticky issue.

The next meeting of the GST Council, headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, has been scheduled for November 24-25.

Jaitley, who had previously

stated that he hoped for all modalities for the GST to be finalized

by November 22, was still hopeful of getting the supporting legislations during the ensuing Winter Session of Parliament from Novem-

amendment, it appeared too challenging because the time was very short. As of today, I am more confident than I was in August. Let me say this because bulk of the spade work has been done. Most

Arun Jaitley

ber 16.

"That's the effort. I am endeavoring to do that," he said when asked if the CGST and IGST legislations will come before Parliament in the upcoming session.

"When in the month of August we passed the Constitution

of the decisions have been taken.

Only one key decision remains," he said.

Differences on the issue of cross empowerment to avoid dual control arose with states demanding control over 11 lakh service tax assessees, and Centre proposing

to do away states having exclusive control over all dealers up to an annual revenue threshold of Rs 1.5 crore - an issue which was settled in the first meeting of the GST Council.

No decision could be arrived at the end of the third meeting of the Council on October 19.

Jaitley said the draft CGST, IGST, SGST and compensation laws will be sent to states after November 15 and the GST Council in November 24-25 meeting will approve them.

He said all pros and cons have to be weighed before deciding on the issues of cross empowerment to ensure single interface under GST, which will subsume excise, service tax, VAT and other local levies.

"In order to resolve it we will have an informal meeting of the ministers, in order to find a political solution to this problem, and we will try and thrash out a solution on the November 20 between these options or may be a hybrid option of this," he said.

Cont’d on page 46

May tells EU Brexit timetable 'unchanged' LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May has told European leaders that her March deadline for triggering Brexit negotiations "remains unchanged" despite a court ruling that she first needs parliament's approval.

May told European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the "government's planned timetable for notification of Article 50 remains unchanged", during separate phone calls, according to a statement released by Downing Street.

She added that the government was confident of winning next month's Supreme Court appeal against High Court ruling that her government does not

have the power on its own to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which would formally start the pro-

British Prime Minister Theresa May

cess.

"The PM explained to both Chancellor Merkel and President

Juncker that while the government was disappointed with the judgment, it had strong legal arguments ahead of the case moving to the Supreme Court," the statement said.

The decision raises the prospect of a protracted parliamentary debate before then - in a chamber that overwhelmingly opposed Brexit - although EU leaders themselves have urged a swift departure.

Lawmakers could also demand to know May's negotiating strategy and seek to maintain stronger ties with the bloc before agreeing to invoke Article 50.

Liberal Democrat MP Nick Clegg told BBC Radio today that

he and other pro-EU lawmakers would "seek... to amend the legislation such that parliament would say to government it should pursue a soft Brexit, not a hard Brexit."

Bookmakers have slashed the odds of a general election early next year, three years ahead of schedule, as May could decide to expose obstructive anti-Brexit lawmakers to the pressure of public opinion and take advantage of her Conservative Party's huge polling lead.

In a sign of the likely parliamentary storms ahead, Conservative pro-Brexit lawmaker Stephen Phillips resigned as an MP on Friday, citing "irreconcilable policy differences with the current government".-AFP

TechBiz Post

November 11, 2016

India Post

45

www.indiapost.com

'Biodiversity laws should not hamper agriculture' NEW DELHI: Laws on conservation of agro-biodiversity should not hamper growth of agriculture in developing nations like India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while asserting that use of technologies for crop enhancement must not be at the cost of sustainable development.

Addressing the first ever International Agro-biodiversity Congress here, Modi cautioned against growing threat to plant and animal species and said there is a need to adopt a "shared vision" for conserving them through focused research and proper management of genetic resources.

"World over, crores of poor people are fighting hunger, malnutrition and poverty. To address these issues, science and technology is very important. While finding solution to these problems, we should not ignore sustainable de-

Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivering his address at the inauguration of the 1st International Agrobiodiversity Congress 2016, at Vigyan Bhawan, in New Delhi on November 6

Abhishek Verma: From defense to cola, film biz NEW DELHI: Controversial arms dealer Abhishek Verma has said he is getting into the cola and food business by bringing a Lithuanian brand to the country under the 'Make in India' initiative, besides tapping into Bollywood by starting his own distribution network.

Out on bail after spending four

Abhishek Verma

years in jail as an under trial in a total of eight cases registered against him and his Romanian-origin wife, Verma claims he has exited the defense sector completely having burnt his fingers.

"We are entering the commodity as well as the food sector. We have taken a conscious decision that we will not like to do anything with the government, especially in the defense sector.

"We are bringing a cola brand in India, besides certain verticals

of food products. We will have them manufactured in India as per 'Make in India' scheme of the government," Verma said here.

The brand that he is bringing to India from Lithuania through a joint venture in Olialia.

He plans to launch three versions of Olialia Cola, including a spicy cardamom flavor, by summer

"We are bringing a cola brand in India, besides certain verticals of food products.

We will have them manufactured in India as per 'Make in India' scheme of the government" of next year.

Besides that, he is also planning to manufacture ready-to-eat food under the same brand name.

He plans 32 varieties of vegetarian food and about 17-18 varieties of non-veg food.

When he was told that investigative agencies and others connected to the defense sector feel that he is diverting the money made in defense sector to his new ventures, Verma, as expected, claimed he had never made any money in

the sector.

"With regards to defense sector, those are merely allegations.

We bid for certain defense projects, we were unsuccessful and we came out. We exited the sector. We came out. We made our money in telecom. There is no harm in diversification," he said, adding that one should also remember that he is not an upstart and was born into a "privileged family".

"We have money from our family. It is money from family, money from telecom and some equity from our joint venture partners," he said.

He rejected assertion that he is just lying low and will continue to work in the defense sector. However, he admitted that "friends" he has made over the years will continue to be friends.

"However, we will not be vying for any business in defense sector," he said.

Verma's run-ins with the law began way back in 1991 when the Enforcement Directorate booked him under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA). He also became a CBI witness in a case against an ED officer.

Verma was arrested in 2006 in the Navy War Room Leak case. His high-profile clients included a number of foreign companies including one which has been blacklisted by the previous UPA regime over corruption that led to his arrest again in 2012.-PTI

velopment and conservation of biodiversity can be harmonized so biodiversity," Modi said at the that these laws do not come in the conference attended by about 900 way of development of agriculture delegates from 60 countries. and farmers."

There is a need to assess the He said about 50-150 species negative impact of use of the tech- are getting extinct every day denology in agriculture, he said, cit- spite adoption of the recommening the example of pesticide us- dations of the 1992 biological diage affecting honeybee in pollina- versity convention. "In the comtion process. ing years, there is threat of extincIn lighter vein, he also men- tion of one out of eight birds and tioned that technology's negative one fourth of animals. We will have impact on people was such that to change our thinking." they do not remember their own "People have exploited natural telephone numbers after the introduction of motechnology's negative imbiles.

"So, we need to be pact on people was such alert on how application that they do not remember of technology in agriculture is bringing their own telephone numchanges," he said. bers after the introduction Terming pesticides of mobiles as a major concern in agri ecosystem, Modi said, "The use of pesticide not resources blindly in the name of only kills pests but also those in- development. As a result, chalsects necessary for entire eco-sys- lenges are going to grow in the tem. Therefore, there is a need to coming days. In the current sceaudit development of Science. In nario, discussion and research on the absence of audit, the world is agro-biodiversity are very imporfacing various challenges." tant for achieving global food, Expressing concern over extinc- nutrition, health and environment tion of genetic resources, the Prime security."

Minister called for national, interStating that the problem of clinational, private bodies and ex- mate change has been due to imperts to work together and prepare balance in nature, Modi said, "In a shared vision for conservation view of global warming threat, we of agro-biodiversity. have ratified Paris agreement on "We will also have to see how October 2. India is playing a leadvarious rules related to agro- ing role."-PTI

46

TechBiz Post

India Post

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

Gujarat has framework to help investors: CM NEW DELHI: Gujarat is focusing on creating a framework for helping investors at "every level" of their requirement, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said here as he invited diplomats of various countries in India to participate in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in his state next year.

Speaking at the 'Diplomats Meet' organized by Gujarat government to interact with Ambassadors and High Commissioners of different countries here, he said his government has initiated several measures to promote wide range of sectors and announced as many as 14 policies which include solar power policy, IT and ITES policy, electronics policy and the upcoming aerospace and defense equipment policy.

Rupani said his government's "focus is on creating a framework for supporting investors by ad-

dressing their requirements at every level of investment."

He told the diplomats that Gujarat has 102 product clusters, more than 200 industrial estates, 19 operational SEZs and 13 special investment regions.

"Representing only 6 per cent of India's geographical area and only 5 per cent of India's population, Gujarat is the growth engine of India's economy.

"Gujarat has been a trend-setting state in the progress that In-

Indian Hotels Co board backs Cyrus Mistry MUMBAI: Ousted Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry received a major boost, with the board of directors of the group's hospitality arm Indian Hotels Co Ltd unanimously supporting his leadership and continuance as chairman of the company.

While the independent directors of Indian Hotels Co Ltd (IHCL) endorsed Mistry's leadership and expressed their 'unanimous' full confidence in him at a meeting just before the board of the company that runs Taj Group of Hotels met,

conglomerate, the promoter Tata Trust is looking at removing him from the operating companies as well.

The vote of confidence by the board of IHCL is a boost to Mistry.

The board of Tata Chemicals is scheduled to meet on November 10 to consider second quarter results and Tata Motors will do so on November 14.

In a BSE filing, IHCL said: "The independent directors unanimously expressed their full confidence in Chairman Cyrus Mistry and praised steps taken by him in providing Besides Mistry, his sibling strategic direction and leadership to the comShapoor Mistry is a director pany." on the board of IHCL, as The other independent directors of IHCL also his confidant and CEO include Gautam Rakesh K Sarna Banerjee (of Blackstone Group), sources said other members of the Keki Dadiseth (ex-HUL MD), Vibha board supported him later.

Rishi Paul (former executive direc"There was unanimous support tor, brand and human capital, Max by the board members to Mistry India) and Ireena Vittal (former and his continuance as chairman partner with McKinsey & Co). of the company," a source in the Besides Mistry, his sibling know said.

Shapoor Mistry is a director on the Just as independent directors board of IHCL, as also his confiof the firm, including banker dant and CEO Rakesh K Sarna.

Deepak Parekh and Nadir Godrej, Ratan Tata-led interim managemet ahead of a scheduled board ment of Tata Sons is seeking to meeting, Tata security personnel oust Mistry from his positions in roughed up journalists and the operating group firms, includlensmen gathered outside Bombay ing IHCL and Tata Motors.

House to report the meetings.

As on September 30, 2016, the After ousting Mistry from Tata promoter group controls 38.65 per Sons - the holding company of cent stake in IHCL, out of which 100-odd firms with India's largest Tata Sons has 28.01 per cent.-PTI

dia is witnessing today. Gujarat is tuned to receive the maximum ben-

Vijay Rupani

efits from various programs of government of India like 'Make in India', 'Start up India', 'Stand Up India', 'Digital India' and 'Skill In-

$1.55 billion demand slapped on RIL-BP-Niko NEW DELHI: Government has slapped a USD 1.55 billion demand on Reliance Industries and its partners BP and Niko for "unfairly enriching" by producing natural gas belonging to state-owned ONGC, a move that Mukesh Ambani firm said will challenge through arbitration.

The oil ministry on November 3 issued a notice to all the three partners seeking USD 1.47 billion for producing 338.332 million British thermal unit in seven years ended March 2016.

After deducting USD 71.71 million royalty paid on the gas produced and adding an interest at the rate of Libor plus 2 per cent totaling USD 149.86 million, a total demand of USD 1.55 billion was made on RIL, BP and Niko.

Originally, ONGC had sought suing RIL and seeking compensation for the gas that had migrated from its blocks KG-DWN-98/2 (KG-D5) and Godavari PML in the KG basin in the Bay of Bengal to neighboring KG-DWN-98/3 (KG-D6) block of RIL and produced by the private company.

The government had appointed a one-man committee under retired Justice A P Shah to go into the issue. The panel in its report on August 29 felt that the government and not ONGC is entitled to compensation.-PTI

dia'," he said.

He said the state government's objective is "to strengthen the relationship and promote cooperation between various countries and the state of Gujarat."

The Chief Minister appealed to the diplomats to share their experiences in the field of skill development and collaborate with Gujarat in creating those skill development facilities as he extended his invitation to the diplo-

mats to attend the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2017 During the event, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar praised the efforts that Gujarat has been making in strengthening economic ties with different countries.

The Summit will be organized from January 10-13th January next year on the theme Gujarat Connecting India to the World and it will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.-PTI

IBM moved jobs to India: Trump WASHINGTON: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has accused US tech giant IBM of laying off 500 workers in Minneapolis and shifting their jobs to India and other countries as he warned of levying a 35 per cent tax on companies doing so if he is elected.

"IBM laid off 500 workers in Minneapolis and moved their jobs to India and other countries. A Trump administration will stop the jobs from leaving America, and we will stop the jobs from leaving Minnesota," Trump said in his speech yesterday in Minneapolis, as part of efforts to woo voters in Minnesota state

which has been a Democrat stronghold.

"If a company wants to leave Minnesota, fire their workers and move to another country and then ship their products back into the United States, we will make them pay a 35 per cent tax.

We will also unleash American energy including shale oil, natural gas and clean coal," he said.

Trump said he will cancel all "harmful" Obama regulations that hurt Minnesota farmers, workers and small businesses.

"We will become a rich nation once again. But to be a rich nation, we must also be a safe nation," he said.-PTI

No Center-States consensus on jurisdiction of assessees in GST Cont’d from page 44

"But whatever option is we don't want to take it in a hurry because it has to be a well thought out decision, because administratively, any mistake on this front could be chaotic. So we are going slowly and systematically on this," he added.

In the last meeting of the Council, 5 proposals were discussed, but today the Council has arrived at an option of two proposals - horizontal division and vertical division.

'Horizontal Division' would mean tax payers would be divided both for administrative and audit purposes based on a cut off turnover. Those with a turnover over Rs 1.5 crore would be administered both by the Centre and states, while those with below Rs 1.5 crore would be administered solely by the state.

The 'Vertical Division' based on ratios assigns tax payers to a tax administration, Centre or state, for

a period of 3 years for all purposes including audit. Tax payers could be divided in a ratio which would balance the interest of the Centre and the state, both with respect to revenue and spread of numbers.

Jaitley said the matter is complex and hence the Centre and states do not want to rush through with the final answer as the consequences of this are unforeseen.

"You can have neighboring shopkeepers being assessed by different authorities and therefore what will be the consequence of that?"

According to sources, the Centre feels that horizontal division would be lopsided as 93 per cent of Service Tax assessees and 85 per cent of the VAT tax payers have a turnover below Rs 1.5 crore.

The GST Council also felt that distinction between goods and services cannot be maintained as works contract, construction contract, restaurants - all these have VAT and Service Tax and it is not possible to disintegrate them.-PTI

TechBiz Post

November 11, 2016

India Post

47

www.indiapost.com

Parl panel to look into debit card issue NEW DELHI: Concerned over the biggest-ever breach of debit card data, a parliamentary panel will examine various security issues related to payments in the banking sector and has asked government officials and representatives of some banks to appear before it.

As many as 32.14 lakh debit cards data was compromised and

The panel is headed by Congress MP Veerappa Moily.

Representatives of State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Yes Bank have been asked to brief the panel on "security-related issues concerning payments in the banking sector", according to a Lok Sabha secretariat notice.

The notice said the panel will

The RBI held a meeting also with senior officials from select banks, the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) and card network operators to review the steps taken by various agencies to contain the adverse fall-out of certain card details 641 customers across 19 banks were duped of Rs 1.3 crore using stolen debit card data.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, which is scheduled to meet later this week, has asked officials from the Finance Ministry, the Corporate Affairs Ministry and various banks to appear before it.

also be briefed by representatives of the Department of Financial Services from the Finance Ministry and the Corporate Affairs Ministry.

The suspected security breach happened through a malware in the systems of Hitachi Payments Services, which serves ATM networks.

There are around 60 crore debit cards operational in India, of which 19 crore are indigenously developed by RuPay while the rest are Visa- and Master Card-enabled.

Of the debit cards affected, about 26.5 lakh are on Visa and MasterCard platforms while 6,00,000 are on RuPay. The breach reportedly involved some 90 ATMs. Several public and private sector banks recalled or blocked over 32 lakh debit cards to safeguard their customers from any financial fraud.

The Reserve Bank of India also initiated forensic audit to investigate the entire matter.

The RBI held a meeting also with senior officials from select banks, the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) and card network operators to review the steps taken by various agencies to contain the adverse fall-out of certain card details alleged to have been compromised.

The Finance Ministry had also asked various agencies, to submit their report on this matter.-PTI

Swaminathan suggests ways to PM on stopping stubble burning NEW DELHI: With Delhi choking with smog created by burning of paddy straw in neighboring states, noted agri-scientist M S Swaminathan has suggested to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ways to commercialize the straw to help tide over the problem.

Swaminathan said paddy straw can be used for making animal feed, cardboard, paper and other products. He will soon send a detailed note to the PM in this regard.

"I have told the Prime Minister how we can make use of paddy straw instead of burning it. You cannot ask farmers to stop burning paddy straw as he has to prepare his field for the next crop. You must find a mechanism to commercialize it," Swaminathan told PTI on the sidelines of an event here.

A technology has been devel-

oped in Maharashtra for using paddy straw as animal feed, he said.

"You add urea and molasses in paddy straw, you can use it as animal feed. There are many different ways, paddy straw can be utilized. The PM was very interested and I will soon send a note to him on this topic," he said.

India produces 140 million tonnes of paddy and 280 million tonnes of rice straw in a year, he added.

"You add urea and molasses in paddy straw, you can use it as animal feed. There are many different ways, paddy straw can be utilized. The PM was very interested and I will soon send a note to him on this topic," he said.

M S Swaminathan

Swaminathan, known as Father of India's Green Revolution, was sharing dais with the Prime Minister at first ever international conference of agro-biodiversity being held here.

While addressing the event, he spoke on the issue saying that when we talk about agrobiodiversity, it is not about grains alone but about the whole plant.

"Paddy straw enriched with urea and molasses is a wonderful animal feed," he said while citing example of research work done in Mynamar in this regard.-PTI

Tata Steel to decide on UK future soon LONDON: Ratan Tata, who was appointed interim chairman of Tata Group after Cyrus Mistry's unceremonious exit recently, is keen to keep the UK steelworks part of the conglomerate and will make a decision in this regard within four weeks, a media report said here.

Ratan Tata, who was appointed interim chairman after Cyrus Mistry's unceremonious exit recently, is understood to be conducting a detailed review of Tata

gest steelworks and proposals to sell Tata Steel's specialty steel arm, which employs 2,000 people in north-east England.

The future of Tata Steel UK and its nearly 11,000 workers have been on the line since the Mumbai-headquartered steel giant announced in March that it would be reviewing the future of the business.

A UK government spokesperson said, "A great deal of work has been done to support the steel

Steel UK before making a final decision.

'The Guardian' quoted sources as saying that he is keen to keep the UK steelworks part of the Tata Group.

"They will urgently make a decision, but whatever happens Tata will stay [in the UK steel business].

Ratan Tata will go through in detail and analyze," the source told the newspaper.

It is believed Ratan Tata will be analyzing whether to go ahead with a potential ThyssenKrupp joint venture deal for the Port Talbot plant in Wales the UK's big-

industry, including tackling the dumping of cheap imports into the EU and introducing guidelines so that, wherever possible, UK steel is used in government projects.

"The recent reopening of the plate mills in Scotland and British Steel taking over the Scunthorpe site and hiring more people shows the sector can remain competitive with the right investment."

Ratan Tata, 78, who retired as Tata Group Chairman nearly four years back, returned to take over the reins of the over USD 100 billion conglomerate after Mistry's ouster on October 24.-PTI

7,000 firms to participate in Trade Fair NEW DELHI: As many as 7,000 firms from India and abroad are expected to participate in the forthcoming India International Trade Fair (IITF) at Pragati Maidan, which is beginning from November 14.

"The theme of this year's IITF is 'Digital India'. All pavilions including state and central ministries will project this theme in their stalls," India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) General Manager Guna Sekaran told PTI. He said 150 companies of from about 24 countries would

showcase their products.

Tickets for the 14-day fair will be available online as well as at Delhi metro stations.

South Korea is the partner country, while Belarus is the focus country this time.

Among states, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand are partner states and Haryana is the focus state.

First five days of IITF will be for business people.

There will be free entry for senior citizens and differentlyabled persons.-PTI

India Post

Classifieds

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

For Classifieds Ads Call NORTHERN CA (Sonia) Tel: 510-938-8668 sonia@indiapost.com (Priya) Tel. 510-275-4467 priya@indiapost.com SOUTHERN CA (Shashi Trivedi) Tel: 562-441-5511/ Fax: 562-947-0632 shashi19@yahoo.com CHICAGO (Ramesh Soparawala) Tel: 773-973-7394 / Fax: 773-973-7396 sramesh@aol.com NEW YORK (Pinky) Tel: 908 338 3752 pinky@indiapost.com

www.indiapost.com

48

MATRIMONIALS BRIDE-GROOM WANTED

BRIDE WANTED Chicago based Gujarati Shah/Patel doctor parents invite correspondence from parents of Jain/ Vaishnav/ Leuva Patel well educated US Greencard holder or Citizen daughter for their India born British Citizen, American Green card holder son.

He is MBA/ 38years/5'7" working as General Manager in Pharmaceutical company in London, UK, divorcee with one son (Custody of son with ex wife).

Please send biodata with full picture to dr. Shailendrashah@gmail.com and Vivshahmib@gmail.com or contact by phone at 708-366-1933 He is visiting Chicago for two weeks on October 24th.

Philosophy

November 11, 2016

India Post 49

www.indiapost.com

Page Sponsored by Sahanis GANGAJI

W

ithin just six months of praying for a true teacher, through a miraculous set of circumstances, I found myself in India, face to face with H.W.L. Poonjaji (Papaji). He greeted me in a most extraordinary way. Eyes flashing, he invited me to come in and take whatever he could give me. He did not check my karma. He did not tally up any merits. He saw in my eyes that I was thrilled to see him, and he said, "Tell me what it is you want."

I told him, "I want freedom. I want to be free of all my entanglements and misconceptions. I want to know if final, absolute truth is real. Tell me what to do."

First, he said, "You are in the right place." Then, he said, "Do nothing. Your whole problem is that you continue doing. Stop all your doing. Stop all your beliefs, all your searching, all your excuses, and see for yourself what is already and always here. Don't move. Don't move toward anything, and don't move away from anything. In this instant, be still."

I didn't know what he meant' because I was sitting still. Then I realized that he was not speaking of physical activity. Instead, he was directing me to stop all mental activity.

I could hear the doubts in my

NIRMALA

W

hat is love and where is it found? We search for love and try to get love, and yet it seems like we never get enough. Even when we've found it, it can slip away as time passes.

What if there is a source of love that never fades and is always available? What if love is as near and easy as breathing? What if you have been "looking for love in all the wrong places?"

Love is both simpler and more mysterious and subtle than we imagine it to be. Love is simply the spacious, open attention of our awareness, which is the gentlest, kindest, and most intimate force in the world. It touches things without impinging on them. It holds all of our experience but doesn't hold it down or hold it back. And yet, inherent in awareness is a pull to connect and even merge with the object of your awareness.

It's this seemingly contradictory nature of awareness - the completely open and allowing nature of it and its passionate pull to blend with and even become the object of its attention - that gives life its depth and sweetness. There is nothing more satisfying than this delicious dilemma of being both

mind, the fears that if I didn't think, I wouldn't care for my body, I wouldn't get up out of bed. I wouldn't be able to drive the car, I wouldn't go to work - I was terrified. I felt that if I stopped searching, I might lose all the ground I thought I had covered in my search. I might lose some of what I felt I had attained.

But he was a huge presence, and in that moment of looking into his eyes, I recognized a force, a clarity, and a vastness that stopped me in my tracks. I had asked for a teacher, and luckily at that moment I had the good sense to pay attention to the teacher I had asked for.

the fulfillment and peace I was searching for revealed themselves to be here, to have always been here, with no possibility of ever leaving.

Most shockingly, I saw that I had always known it! In that instant I realized that everything I could ever have wanted was already here as the ground of pure, eternal being. All of the suffering I had called "me" or "mine" had actually taken place in shining pure beingness! Most importantly, I saw that the truth of who I am is this beingness. This same beingness is present everywhere, in everything, visible and invis-

story. What peace! What rest! I had previously experienced moments of cosmic unity or sublime bliss, but this was of a different order. It was a sober ecstasy, a moment of recognizing, I am not bound by the story of "me"!

After I had spent some time with Papaji, after he had questioned me and tested me, he saw my thoughts had indeed stopped. When he saw the results of the stopping, he asked me to go "door to door" and speak with others of my experience. I said to him, "Papaji, I truly don't know how to do that." His response was, "Good. Then you can only speak from your own ex-

I am not bound by the story of "me" Gangaji

Eyes flashing, he invited me to come in and take whatever he could give me. He did not check my karma. He did not tally up any merits. He saw in my eyes that I was thrilled to see him

Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.

-Jalaluddin Rumi In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.

For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

-Khalil Gibran

In the spirit of investigation, I was willing in that moment to stop following and believing in the thoughts beneath my terror as I fell into what had initially seemed like an abyss of hopeless despair;

ible.

In this realization, there occurred a remarkable shift of attention from my story of being to the endless depth of being that had always existed underneath the

perience."

Excerpted from 'The Diamond in Your Pocket.' Gangaji is an American spiritual teacher living in Ashland, Oregon, with husband Eli Jaxon-Bear.

It's one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody.

-Maya Angelou

apart from and, at the same time, connected to something you see, hear, or feel.

Awareness is the beginning of all separation. Prior to awareness, there is just oneness or "is-ness," with nothing separate from the oneness that would be able to experience it. With the birth of awareness comes the subtle distinction of two things: that which is aware and the object of awareness. And yet, those two are connected by

pet, piece of music, beautiful object, or anything else, you have felt this flow of intimate, connected awareness. Unfortunately, we've been taught to believe that the source of this good feeling was the object of our affection. So we suffered whenever we lost our apparent source. When your lover leaves, your beloved pet dies, the concert ends, or your dream home is repossessed, you feel bereft of that loving, connected feeling.

but only that awareness is flowing? That would profoundly simplify the search for love. Anything or any experience would be a suitable object for your love.

The sweetness of love is in the flow of awareness itself. The completely allowing openness and freedom you might look for from a perfect lover is already here in your own awareness. It doesn't have to try to be accepting because awareness is, by nature,

If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that is poetry.

-Emily Dickinson

What if you are the source of awareness?

Life is like a box of sardines and we are all looking for the key.

-Alan Bennett

Awareness is the beginning of all separation. Prior to awareness, there is just oneness

Nirmala

Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you.

-Walt Whitman

open and allowing.

Excerpted from endlesssatsang.com. Spiritual teacher Nirmala lives in Sedona, Arizona.

Neelam, disciple of Papaji, convinced him that seeking wasn't necessary. He later had a profound spiritual awakening in India

The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.

-Robert Frost

or "is-ness," with nothing separate from the oneness that would be able to experience it this mysterious force we are calling awareness, or love.

This flow of awareness and love that connects you to all you experience is the true source of satisfaction and joy. We have all experienced it to some degree. Whenever you fall in love with a person,

You are the source But what if you are the source of the awareness that connects you to everything? What if the love you have been seeking has always been right here inside your own Heart? What if it doesn't matter what your awareness touches,

When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry.

-William Shakespeare

Insure yourself FIRST. Call Sahanis, (Arish, Priya or Shiv) for your Insurance needs 718- 271- 0453. Serving for last 35 yrs

Datebook

50 India Post

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

CHICAGO

Upcoming

Upcoming

ILLINOIS

Upcoming

Upcoming

Upcoming

• Diwali at Princeton University

Sun, Nov 13 • Bollywood Explosion Mast with Esha Deol and Team

Venue: Princeton University, 33 Washington Road, Princeton, NJ 08544 Time : 7:00 pm

Venue: York College, 94-20 Guy R Brewer Boulevard, NY 11451 Time: 06:30 pm

Sun, Nov 13 • Sachey Shishya Ka Jeevan

Sat, Nov 19 • DesiParty Featuring Bollywood Beats By Dj Harsh & Dj Amit

Sat, Nov 12

Venue: Science Of Spirituality, 15 Market St, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 Time: 10:30 am Contact: 732-207-7592

Venue: LEXICON, 226 E 54th St, New York Time : 10:00 pm

Fri, Nov 25 • Qawwali Night with Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad

Sun, Nov 20 • Malini Srinivasan and Dancers Presents Brooklyn Raga Massive

Venue: Edison Hotel, 3050 Woodbridge Ave, Edison, NJ 08837 Time: 08:00 pm

Venue:Baruch Performing Arts Center,55 Lexington Avenue, NEW YORK, NY Time : 07:00 pm

Fri, Nov 11 • Original Copy - 3rd i SF International South Asian Film Festival Venue: New People Cinema,1746 Post St, SAN FRANCISCO, CA Time: 7:15 pm

Sat, Nov 12 • Kavita Krishnamurthy & The Andaaz Band - Diwali Celebration 2016 Venue: Jackson Theater - CA, 4400 Day School Pl, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 Time: 5:00 pm

Sat, Nov 12 • Dasa Day Celebrations 2016 Venue: Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple,1145 Sullivan Rd, AURORA, IL Time: 09:00 am

Fri, Nov 18 • Armaan Malik live in Concert – CHICAGO Venue: Copernicus Center, 5216 West Lawrence Avenue, Chicago, IL 60630 Time : 6:00 pm

ATLANTA 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

Tue, Nov 22 • Thanksgiving tour to New York City, Penn, and Washinghton DC

• Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Where: Metropolitan Asian Family Services

Venue: Jubilee Center San Jose, 105 Nortech Parkway, San Jose, CA 95134 Time: 6:00 pm

Venue: College Park, Norcross Global Mall, Atlanta, GA, 5288 Riverdale Road, Atlanta, GA 30349 Time: 1:00 pm

Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105

Sun, Nov 13 • Cultural Extravaganza

Sat, Nov 26 • Wrong Side Raju

• Bhagavad Gita: Philosophy of life

Venue: ACordova High School, 2239 Chase Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 Time: 4:00 pm

Venue: Movie 12, 3750 Venture Drive, Duluth, GA 30096 Time: 4:00 pm Contact: 404-934-9991

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

Sat, Nov 12 • Mast Magan... a musical jamboree! with Chinmayi Sripaada

Swami Ishatmananda

Sat, Nov 19 • Carry on Kesar Gujarati Film : Featuring Supriya Pathak and Darshan Jariwala

Sat, Dec 31 • Hawaiian style Grand New Year Party 2017

Venue: Serra Theatres, 200 Serra Way #37, Milpitas, Ca 95035 Time: 5:00 pm

Venue: Skyland 540 Access Rd, Cumming, GA 30041 Time: 8:00 pm

• 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

In Brief New Mexico to start issuing new IDs ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.: New Mexico will begin issuing federally-compliant driver's licenses and driver's authorization cards for immigrants in the country illegally, starting Nov. 14, the Taxation and Revenue Department announced.

The agency did not specify what documents will be needed to get the new ID's called REAL ID from New Mexico despite concerns from advocates. But state officials did say to get the driver's authorization card, applicants must prove residency and identity, and must submit fingerprinting and undergo a background check.

Citizens who don't want a REAL ID driver's licenses can obtain a driver's authorization card but don't have to submit fingerprints.

The move comes after Republican Gov. Susana Martinez tried a number of times to repeal a state law that allowed immigrants in the country illegally to get New Mexico driver's licenses.

Democratic lawmakers and immigrant advocates successfully blocked those repeal efforts, but both sides finally agreed to a revision after the Obama Administration announced New Mexico IDs would no longer be allowed to board a commercial air flight by 2018.

In March, Martinez signed a law that allows immigrants living in the U.S. illegally to only obtain driver's authorization cards and residents to real REAL ID compliment driver's licenses.-AP

„ 100 Haitian migrants held in NM prison CHAPARRAL, N.M.: Volunteers say around 100 Haitian immigrants suspected of entering the U.S. illegally are being held in a New Mexico county prison.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement told KVIA-TV in El Paso, Texas that the agency has detained the men in partnership with the Otero County Prison Facility.

Volunteers say around 130 men are believed to have crossed through California before being detained and sent to different facilities while they await deportation.

The advocacy group HaitianAmericans United is looking for French-speaking volunteers to help with counseling and legal services. -AP

Immigration

Canada sets 300,000 immigration target

51 India Post

www.indiapost.com

November 11, 2016

Details on page 53

More people from far-flung corners of world sneaking into US WASHINGTON: An increasing number of people from far-flung corners of the world have tried to sneak into the United States among the hundreds of thousands of other, mostly Latin American migrants caught at the Mexi-

der illegally. But in recent years the number of Mexican nationals who have been trying to sneak into the United States has dropped.

India and China are now squarely among the top 10 countries of origin for people caught

be seen as a growing concern. ``That is very unusual. If I was still sitting as the chief of El Paso or Tucson...I'd be a little concerned,'' Manjarrez said. ``In the grand scheme, as a percentage, it's relatively small but the raw num-

File photo: Cars wait to enter the United States from Tijuana, Mexico, through the San Ysidro port of entry in San

can border in the last year, according to arrest data from the Homeland Security Department.

The arrests of more than 8,000 people from India, China, Romania, Bangladesh and Nepal between October 2015 and the end of August is offering a new challenge to immigration agents tasked with fully identifying would-be immigrants and quickly deporting people caught crossing the border illegally.

The group of overseas migrants represents a tiny fraction of the more than 408,000 people caught crossing the Mexican border illegally in the last year. But the arrests suggest a rising trend in the number of migrants opting for a convoluted trek that sometimes wends across the seas to South America, over land to Central America and then through Mexico before arriving at the U.S. border illegally.

For decades Mexico dominated the discussion on illegal immigration as the country from which most immigrants went to the bor-

trying to sneak into the United States. Large numbers of immigrants from those two countries have long come to the United States legally and many have overstayed visas to remain here. Now some people are taking a different approach altogether by making their way to Mexico to try to sneak into the United States as visas are harder to come by.

bers are such a big jump historically.''

The changing face of illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border is a small part of a broader trend of global migration, with millions of people fleeing their home countries. But the arrival of so many people from far beyond U.S. borders brings with it broad implications for U.S. border security

The director of the Washington Office on Latin America's Mexico program, Maureen Meyer, said it appears that many of the overseas migrants are making their way through Mexico via South American countries, including Brazil Victor Manjarrez, a former Border Patrol sector chief and director of the Center for Law & Human Behavior at the University of Texas at El Paso, said the rising number of migrants from countries far beyond the Americas should

and other immigration enforcement efforts.

The Homeland Security Department has made arresting, jailing and deporting recent border crossers a top priority for immigration agents. Most Mexican mi-

grants caught at the border are sent home within just a few days.

But for migrants from countries a continent away the process is often far longer and costlier for the U.S. government as the migrants wait in immigration jails for travel documents to return home or a judge to decide their fate.

The uptick in arrivals of people from other continents, combined with an increase in overall border crossings in the last 12 months, has led to a spike of more than 40,000 people being held in immigration jails in recent weeks. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's budget gives them enough money to house 34,000 people at any given time and the recent overflow has officials worried they may face a budget shortfall of more than $130 million in the coming months if the trend continues.

DHS spokeswoman Gillian Christensen said the agency has enough money to ``operate at current levels'' until Dec. 9, when a temporary budget resolution expires. After that, she said, DHS will work to either shift money from other parts of the department or find another ``alternative budget strategy.'' She described the possible budget adjustment as ``common.''

Manjarrez said border agents and immigration officials face multiple challenges with a rise in immigrants from so far away, including language barriers and crowded detention centers. ``The further away you get from the Americas, the more difficult it is to really know who they are,'' Manjarrez said of the government's ability to fully identify some would-be immigrants.

The director of the Washington Office on Latin America's Mexico program, Maureen Meyer, said it appears that many of the overseas migrants are making their way through Mexico via South American countries, including Brazil, where entry visas are either easy to come by or not required.

And their final destination is more often than not the United States.

Cont'd on Page 53

Immigration Post

52 India Post

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

Trump vows to stop flight of jobs overseas WASHINGTON: Citing flight of jobs to overseas including some to India, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has vowed to stop such a trend in the US if he is voted to power.

During a series of election rallies in Michigan, Trump blamed the Obama Administration and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton for this.

Delphi laid off 3,627 workers here in Michigan. Most of those jobs went to Mexico... - Chrysler laid off over 5,300 workers. Those jobs went to Mexico, China, India and other countries. Ford laid off 2,155 workers. Those jobs went to other countries...A Trump Administration will stop the flight of American jobs," the 70-year-old business tycoon asserted.

"It used to be the cars were made in Flint and you couldn't drink the water in Mexico. Now, the cars are made in Mexico and you can't drink the water in Flint. We are going to turn it all around," he said "Hillary got rich selling your jobs - the same special interests who pushed the jobs out of America are the people who've given countless millions to the Clintons. Hillary gets rich making America poor," he alleged during his three rallies in Michigan where he delivered similar speeches.

"Just look at the devastation.

Trump said if Ford, or another company, announces they want to move their jobs to Mexico or another country, then he would charge a 35 per cent tax when they try to ship their products back across the border.

"It used to be the cars were made in Flint and you couldn't drink the water in Mexico. Now,

the cars are made in Mexico and you can't drink the water in Flint.

We are going to turn it all around," he said.

Trump said he has outlined a plan for urban renewal, it is called A New Deal For Black America.

"That deal includes a plan to use the money we will save by securing our border, and curbing refugee admissions, to invest in communities like Flint and Detroit.

It includes a pledge of school choice for African-American children," he said.

"My plan also includes a promise to cancel billions in climate change spending for the United Nations - a number Hillary wants to increase - and instead use that money to provide for American infrastructure, including clean water in cities like Flint," he said.

Trump said his plans also include a pledge to reduce violent crime - every child in this nation has a right to grow up in safety and peace.

"And my plan includes a pledge to restore manufacturing in the United States," he said.

A Trump Administration will

stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership, he said, adding that he would renegotiate North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and, if he does not get the deal he wants, the US will terminate NAFTA and

middle class," he said.

Trump said the political class in Washington has betrayed Americans.

"They've uprooted your jobs, and your communities, and

Donald Trump

get a much better deal.

"We are going to lower taxes on American business from 35 per cent to 15 per cent. We are going to massively cut taxes for the

shipped your wealth all over the world. They put new skyscrapers up in Beijing while your factories in Michigan crumbled," he said. PTI

Italians throw party to welcome migrants in Milan MILAN: More than 1,000 Italians threw a block party featuring a pasta lunch, a brass band and crafts to welcome some 80 migrants to the neighborhood in Milan, contrasting with rising antimigrant tensions throughout the country including a protest at the barracks the night before.

Shouts of welcome went up as a small contingent of about 30 migrants came out of a recently repurposed army barracks for what was billed as the first welcome party of its kind in Italy. ``I feel happy,'' said 22-year-old Zakaria Abdellahi from Ethiopia, who arrived in Italy three months ago with his wife. ``I feel like I am famous. Everywhere I look, they are taking pictures. I think I am Obama.''

The previous night the mood outside the barracks had been less welcoming. About 200 people belonging to a right-wing party and an extremist movement protested, carrying banners that read ``Italians first.'' Migrants peeked uneasily from the barracks' windows overlooking the piazza, before closing the shade.

It was the third such protest in recent days, with anti-migrant campaigners pledging more. Tensions over migrants have been rising in

Italy amid persistent arrivals creating a crunch in the housing system in the months since Rome has stepped up its border controls under pressure from European

became a political flashpoint, hoping that familiarity with the newcomers would help ease residents' reservations. ``It is very important that we

months of the year, close to that of all of last year although still shy of the record 170,000 in 2014. But with fewer heading north, Italy has had to come up with more migrant housing and aid - and more often has met local resistance.

Last week, dozens of residents of the small Adriatic clamming town of Goro blocked a road to prevent a dozen female migrants from being housed in the local hostel. The act was widely Migrants and citizens dance outside the Montello barrack, in Milan, Italy condemned, but received neighbors. meet each other and try to face the support from right-wing politiOrganizers of the welcome future in a different way. This is cians. event said that politicians on the one reason for this event. The Milan remains the city with the right have been using the crisis in other is that politicians are trying most migrant arrivals in Italy, arrivals to stir up anti-migrant sen- to use the migrant issue to get largely because it is seen as a trantiment, leveraging Italy's economic votes,'' said Selana Tesfai, a sit point, the city official charged stagnation to create uncertainty founder of the Zone 8 Solitary with social policy, Pierfrancesco and fear. They decided on the wel- Committee.

Majorino, told The Associated come party after the city's plans Migrant arrivals in Italy have Press at the welcome party. to open the barracks to migrants topped 153,000 in the first 10 ``In these months we have seen

many small manifestations against (migrants) in northern Italy, even in Milan,'' Majorino said. ``This is the first time there is a mobilization to welcome them. I find this very nice.''

Organizers said they have approached the charity that is running the barracks shelter to create programs so the migrants feel at home, such as sporting events, cooking classes and a map of places in the neighborhood that want to help with the transition.

Since the crisis began on Oct. 18, 2013, 108,000 migrants have passed through Milan. From 20132015, just 2 percent of migrants requested asylum; that has now jumped to 75 percent, Majorino said. Currently, the city is housing 3,760 migrants.

The 300 new beds at the barracks will be filled in the coming days with migrants already in Milan shelters. The spots were added to prevent overcrowding and to keep migrants from sleeping outside during the winter months. Majorino said the city is now at capacity, and migrants who make their way there will be returned to the city where they first entered Italy, so the Interior Ministry can work out a balanced distribution. -AP

Immigration Post

November 11, 2016

India Post 53

www.indiapost.com

Maryland's new citizens vote Canada sets 300,000 to defend immigrants immigration target COLLEGE PARK, Md.: Faced with a Republican candidate who threatens to identify and deport all immigrants living in the country without legal permission on his first day in office, many Maryland Latino voters see the election as an opportunity to send a message from those unable to speak for themselves.

Council, a Washington-based nonprofit organization.

Trump has made building a wall along the United States-Mexico border a centerpiece of his campaign. On the day he announced his candidacy, he said Mexico was ``sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with (them).

Latino voters are a growing portion of Maryland's electorate, and many feel solidarity with undocumented friends and family unable to cast ballots. They feel that Donald Trump's promise to deport immigrants without proper papers has struck close to home University of Maryland undergraduate student Tatiana Escobar, 20, a naturalized citizen as of Oct. 5, said she feels that it is her duty to vote for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Election Day now that she has the privilege. ``Voting gives people voices,'' she told Capital News Service. ``Maybe some people don't see it that way, but I really do think that way and mainly in a presidential election...we need to focus on who we elect as commander-in-chief.''

Latino voters are a growing portion of Maryland's electorate, and many feel solidarity with undocumented friends and family unable to cast ballots. They feel that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's promise to

They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists.

And some, I assume, are good people.''

Nearly 50 percent (420,334 people) of all immigrants in Maryland in 2013 were naturalized citizens with the right to vote, according to the council.

Escobar, who is originally from El Salvador and immigrated to the United States with her mother in 1999, said she always felt like she belonged in this country. ``Being a legal resident honestly has felt the same,'' she said. ``I have not felt that there was anything that was different. When I became a citizen, at that moment, it felt great to know that you're finally a citizen after living here for so many years.''

Maryland's population of immigrants living in the country illegally has been declining. A Center for Migration Studies paper found that there were 233,000 immigrants living in the state without legal permission in 2014, a 2 percent decrease from 2010 deport immigrants without proper papers has struck close to home. ``The reality is we all know someone who is undocumented,'' said Janet Hernandez, senior civic engagement project manager for Washington-based National Council of La Raza. ``When people vote, they're going to vote with that in mind.''

La Raza's Action PAC has endorsed Clinton. If Trump became president and deported all of the immigrants living in the country illegally in the country, Maryland would lose $15.3 billion in economic activity as well as a loss of approximately 73,267 jobs, according to the American Immigration

Maryland's Latino population accounted for 3.9 percent of Maryland voters in the 2012 election, according to U.S. Census data, and is on track to become an increasingly larger factor in elections.

In the 2012 presidential election, 44.6 percent of Hispanics living in Maryland voted, according to U.S. Census data. That's more than a 10 point increase from the election of 2008, when 34 percent of Maryland Hispanics headed to polls.

On Oct. 17, a Latino Decisions poll found that 76 percent of registered Latino voters said Trump's pledge to identify and remove up to 6 million immigrants living in the country illegally made them less

likely to vote for the Republican candidate.

That's up 10 percent from the beginning of September, when 66 percent of Latino voters said they were unlikely to support Trump. ``We are hearing that on the ground, people are talking more and more about this hateful rhetoric,'' Hernandez said.

Nationwide, Latinos are poised to cast the most lopsided presidential vote in history. Latino Decisions predicts that just 15 percent of Latino voters will support Trump; the lowest fraction of that population to vote for a Republican candidate.

Juan Cortez, 26, a newly registered Latino voter in Washington, said he feels obligated to vote on behalf of immigrants living in the country without legal permission. ``We are in a position where we can not only cast a vote, but represent folks who want to be placing their votes, but they can't, because they're not allowed,'' he said.

Cortez plans to vote for Clinton, he said.

Maryland's population of immigrants living in the country illegally has been declining. A Center for Migration Studies paper found that there were 233,000 immigrants living in the state without legal permission in 2014, a 2 percent decrease from 2010.

This mirrors national trends.

The same paper found that the nation's total population of immigrants living in the country illegally has declined every year since 2008, falling below 11 million in 2014 for the first time since 2004.

Thirty-two percent of immigrants living in Maryland illegally in 2012 were from El Salvador, 12 percent were from Guatemala, and 12 percent were from Mexico, according a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center.

However, immigrants living in the country illegally still will have an impact on the election, said Luis Aguilar, the head of the immigrant advocacy group CASA de Maryland's political outreach program. The political outreach program, CASA in Action, endorsed Clinton for president. ``I cannot vote, but I am the one running the program,'' said Aguilar, who immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico under the DREAM Act and is here on a three-year work visa.

Although the outreach program, CASA in Action, focuses primarily on the swing state voters in Virginia, many of the volunteers involved are immigrants living in the country illegally from Maryland, Aguilar said. -AP

OTTAWA: Canada will start growth in immigration," he said, welcoming a minimum of 300,000 adding that this rate is "40,000 immigrants annually in 2017 in or- above the historic norm." der to ease economic pressures More than half of the newcomlinked to an aging population, Im- ers will be job seekers and invesmigration Minister John tors admitted under an economic McCallum has announced. class. The remainder of the newThe figure, which is in line with comers will include spouses, chilthis year's unusually high intake number, however, falls far short "In 2016, we jumped to of expectations after a report proposed a 50 per 300,000 largely as a consecent increase to 450,000 quence of our special acimmigrants annually.

That amount would tions on Syrian refugees," have set Canada on a McCallum said path to tripling its population by the century's end. dren or parents of naturalized citi"In 2016, we jumped to 300,000 zens, refugees, and others admitlargely as a consequence of our ted on humanitarian or compasspecial actions on Syrian refu- sionate grounds. gees," McCallum said.

This year's large influx of immi"What I am announcing today grants was notably boosted by the is that for 2017 we will make that urgent resettlement of some 30,000 300,000 permanent and it will be- Syrian refugees in desperate need come the foundation for future at the start of the year. -AFP

More people from far-flung corners of world sneaking into US Cont'd from Page 51

``I think it's reflecting a gradual trend, as of at least particularly the last year,'' Meyer said.

While the exact draw of the round-the-world route isn't entirely clear, Meyer said an expanding network of human smugglers appear to be taking advantage of the increasingly popular smuggling routes that use Mexico as a transit country. ``There's a lot of smuggling that goes through Mexico that you don't see,'' Meyer said. She added that rumors of lenient treatment of some immigrants in the United

States may also be a factor.

The recent influx of overseas migrants may be a harbinger of things to come.

More than 7,000 people who claimed to be from Africa have been arrested in Mexico between January and August, according to statistics maintained by Mexican federal immigration authorities. The number of such immigrants has been on the rise in recent years.

In 2013 Mexican immigration authorities arrested fewer than 1,000 migrants from Asia and Africa, while the number rose to nearly 11,000 from January through August. -AP

PRADEEP ROY-SINGH B.A. LL.B. M.B.A. J.D. Attorney-at-Law

Former Assistant StateÂ’s Attorney

Civil & Criminal Litigation Felonies, Misdemeanors, Inc DUI 1 Personal Injury, Business, Divorce etc.

1 Property Tax for Commercial Properties 1 1

http://www.proy-singh.com

2335 W. Devon Ave., Suite 204, Tel: 773-381-1820 Chicago, IL 60659

54

Edit Page

India Post

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

Three-fold dynamics of J&K situation

India Post

SYED ATA HASNAIN

T

o look through the complexities of the dynamic situation in J&K we need to examine three areas: first, the internal dynamics within Pakistan; second, the situation at the Line of Control (LoC), International Border (IB) and the counter-infiltration grid; and third, the activities in the Valley's hinterland, where the agitation continues in different forms.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif - weakened politically by the Panama Papers scandal and under the complete control of Pakistan Army Generals - is being exploited to project a civilian look to the anti-India campaign; a campaign orchestrated and owned entirely by the Pakistan Army and the deep state. On the other hand, Pakistan's Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif's future is uncertain.

His ability to take his own decisions on the succession or continuation in office has been under some doubt due to claims and counter claims of other senior Pa-

year, infiltration is uppermost in the mind of the deep state. 2016 may have been a good year for infiltration in terms of numbers but these are not sufficient to convert the burning streets of Kashmir into anything more.

The attrition rate has also been very high and the spurt of 'fidayeen' was a bravado that was misplaced because it eroded the already low strength in the Valley.

Secondly the terrorist handlers and strategists are under a mistaken impression that breaches of ceasefire and demonstrated aggression by Border Action Teams (BATs) in one or two areas will force the creation of gaps in the counter-infiltration grid.

The Indian Army, fully conscious of this, has ensured suitable reinforcements through the campaigning season that will go into the winter grid too. The incident of a BAT raid and mutilation of the mortal remains of a brave jawan in Machil will have the necessary retribution and in double the measure.

The Indian Army's pro-activeness and support to the police in the built up areas and the outreach in the rural zone is ensuring security.

Areas where the Indian Army has consciously not entered for many years - such as Old Town Baramulla - have been addressed appropriately with search operations and arrests to send home the message kistan Army officers in line for the job. Gen Sharif is therefore busy ensuring that the LoC remains alive. A live LoC may not have a change of guard at the 'Chief's palace'. Besides, even if Gen Sharif wishes to act like a statesman, he would like to go not with a whimper but with a roar.

Possibly, some arrangement could ensure another high profile job once out of uniform. So in either possibility, the LoC will remain a bone of contention, and the location where messaging is done via actions. It is yet premature to say whether the ceasefire of 26 November 2003 will hold. It has successfully held even in turbulent times and even this time, the breaches are only in pockets.

The LoC is a strange place and along its alignment, a series of events can take place. In the priority of things at this time of the

This is an issue to be left to local commanders who know best how to handle it and the people should have the confidence that in this mega media period, there need be no grandiose announcements. Sometimes, the silence of the action is enough to send home the message.

The exchange of firing along the IB and portions of the LoC is unnecessary and irksome to the populations on both sides. Clearly our forces have been returning fire in response but the casualties among uniformed people that are occurring appear to suggest that there is need for better embattlements and defenses. We have yet to witness artillery duels that will take a higher toll and losses to snipers do not reflect good tactical drills.

In terms of the hinterland, true to form, the nature of violence is

undergoing a change. The stamina is obviously questionable. However, what is reported by this author's many local friends is the degree of coercion not by the security forces but by young vigilantes, completely out of control of their parents.

Each family is required to send a certain number of young men for stone pelting. Employed people are expected to come to the mosque and swear allegiance to the movement before proceeding to workplaces.

There is extortion galore and vigilantism of an obscene kind that has taken over the society. With the police yet recovering from the trauma of the targeted ostracisation, it will be some time before any semblance of normalcy returns.

The Indian Army's pro-activeness and support to the police in the built up areas and the outreach in the rural zone is ensuring security. Areas where the Indian Army has consciously not entered for many years - such as Old Town Baramulla - have been addressed appropriately with search operations and arrests to send home the message that no place would be safe for terrorists or rabble-rousers.

J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's government has definitely undergone a very challenging period. It could have completely wilted under the kind of pressure it bore.

The chief minister may not have retained too many friends in Kashmir but has definitely proved that she can be a strong nut to crack.

She has given it back to the separatists in equal measure and definitely displayed nationalist credentials to the detriment of her critics.

As the state government moves to its winter capital, it is the time when two things should be in focus: first, it must make up to the Jammu populace the time lost over the last three months, by addressing their core concerns.

Jammu's silence must never be taken for granted.

Secondly, it must concentrate on balancing itself by ensuring that the severe winter ahead is made as comfortable for the Kashmiris as possible. The deftness of the administrative skills must be felt on ground so that the alienation is at least partially allayed. That at least will make a better beginning next year.

The writer is Member, Governing Council, IPCS, & former GOC, 15 Corps, Srinagar

Terrorist Army W

hat is the difference between a terrorist and the Pakistani Army? Both are fired by some evil ideology of revenge, mislead innocent youth to sacrifice themselves in a mission to cause harm and damage to innocents while themselves remaining at a safe distance.

A fear is often expressed by international experts that Pakistani nuclear arms might fall into the hands of terrorists - what that State euphemistically describes as non-state actors so as to disclaim responsibility in case they carry out an act which invites international opprobrium. Such a fear is unfounded. A fear is about something untoward which might happen. But in this case this is a fact and not a surmise. The nuclear weapons are already in the hands of terrorists - which is the Pakistani Army. The non-state actors are only the operative arm of this terrorist army.

Replying to the doubters, Pakistan says that its nuclear weapons are more secure than those of neighboring India and that they are keeping a constant vigil over them. Imagine the terrorist saying the nuclear weapons are safe in his hands. And who can be a bigger terrorist than the Pak Army itself? The guard who was asked to protect the "gem" in the museum is himself the thief!

Aaakar Patel, a columnist and Chairman of Amnesty India, has recently written questioning why India should be spending billions on acquiring warplanes which may not be used and when this money could help in health and education of the poor. He claims that the last time India used warplanes was 40 years ago.

Patel forgets we are facing a terrorist Army across the border which cannot be trusted. What has been the history of this terrorist Army? Time and again it has usurped power in Pakistan to further its agenda of fighting and humiliating India particularly after it received a crushing defeat in East Pakistan - now Bangladesh. One would think that such a drubbing would teach Pakistan Army a lesson and would improve its behavior. But in fact it has had the opposite effect. The Army has turned more belligerent and Pakistan has turned more fundamentalist.

The West applauds Pakistani Army for fighting off the Russians in Afghanistan. But this experience only emboldened the Terrorist Army to conspire and forcibly take power in Afghanistan through its proxy The Taliban. It still continues to plague the government of Afghanistan. And this same terrorist Army has been training, maintaining and encouraging jihadis to harass India in Kashmir.

There is a civil-military tussle going on at present in Pakistan where PM Nawaz Sharif is required to name a new Army Chief as the present incumbent Raheel Sharif retires at the end of this month.

Whenever in power, Nawaz Sharif has tried, in his own way, to clip the powers of the Army and has mostly ended up on the losing side.

The first time he tried to replace General Musharraf, he was dethroned and sent into exile.

This time once again he is in the position of having to name a new Army chief in the hope that the new man would be more pliable. But as a Pakistani columnist has explained, Nawaz has not learnt a lesson even after such a long confrontation with the Army. What he is up against is not an individual as Army chief but against the whole institution of the Army. Replacing one Army Chief with another won't mean the Army will start toeing his line. The whole institution of the Pakistani Army is trained in a terrorism mould which it practices both at home and abroad.

If China thrives on making things difficult for India, the Terrorist Army of Pakistan thrives on making things difficult for its own civilian government. This internal tussle is not going to end and it will jeopardize the much trumpeted China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project which some insiders say is like another rapacious East India Company.

November 11, 2016

www.indiapost.com

India Post 55

56 India Post

www.indiapost.com

November 11, 2016