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PM Modi sets deadline for OCI, PIO merger

VOL 20, No. 1053

November 21, 2014

Many Indian Americans voted for Rauner Details on page 16

Top tech firms call for end to ‘surveillance’ Details on page 30

Jindal plans possible 2016 presidential run Details on page 14

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BEAR HUG IN KANGAROO LAND: Prime Minister Narendra Modi being warmly received

CANBERRA: India and Australia have established a framework for bilateral security cooperation as they stepped up their defense collaboration for advancing regional peace and combating terrorism among other challenges.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott held talks and agreed to establish a Framework for Security Cooperation to reflect the deepening and expanding security and defense engagement between the two countries.

They established the framework to intensify cooperation and consultation between Australia and India in areas of mutual interest.

"I greatly welcome the New Framework for Security Cooperation. Security and defense are important and growing areas of the new India-Australia partnership for advancing regional peace and stability, and combating terrorism and transnational crimes," Modi said in the statement to the media at a joint press conference with Abbott.

by the Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott, at the Australian War Memorial, in Canberra, Australia on November 18

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Nikki Haley

Haley woos Indian tourists to explore SC Details on page 13

US, Israel to get e-visa facility on Nov 27 Details on page 32

Guru Nanak birth anniversary at White House Details on page 14

MoU to increase US participation in India infra Details on page 15

CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 28-29 Classifieds ------------------------- 48 Community Post -------------- 16-25 Date Book -------------------------- 47 Edit Page --------------------------- 54 HealthScience Post --------- 36-39 Horoscope ------------------------- 44 Immigration Post ------------- 32-35 Life Style ----------------------- 50-52 Perspective ------------------------ 49 Philosophy ------------------------- 53 Publisher’s Diary ------------------ 4 Real Estate -------------------- 26-27 TechBiz Post ------------------- 30-31 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 40-43

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November 21, 2014

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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 Vijay Thapar CPRO & Advertising Deepak Chhabra Promotions Priya Nayar Bureau Chief Sonia Sidhu Marketing Analyst Ritu Maheshwari Director Promotions Rakesh Kapoor Correspondent Ratika J. Paul Photo Journalist Neeloo Kapoor Photo Journalist Sudesh Kumari Correspondent Rama Mehra Advertising Vidya Sethuraman Correspondent Archana Asthana Correspondent Sujata Singh Correspondent Manasi Maheshwari Youth Correspondent Raaj D. Photo Journalist LOS ANGELES Mrs Shashi Trivedi Bureau Chief J S Bedi PR & Marketing 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

November 21, 2014

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Publisher’s Diary

T

he all round excitement surrounding India since the Narendra Modi administration came into office is working wonders in the business and trade communities in both the US and India with individual states on both sides making long haul overtures to make the best of the immensely positive vibes that have been rekindled in the US-India economic climate.

Newly re-elected South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley's trade trip to India to attract Indian investments in her state speaks volumes for the coming of age of Indian businesses that are seen as fertile enough to boost the American economy. Well, Governor Haley may not be the first American governor to look India-wards for creating American jobs, but she sure is the first to come knocking on Indian investment doors since the Modi government took over.

Governor Haley hits the nail running when she says that healthy businesses mean all round strength for education, jobs, and health, all of which fall into place like pieces in the economic puzzle. Governments across the globe need to get what Narendra Modi is talking about and which Haley gets, that of doing away with protectionist regulations and bureaucracy for trade to flourish.

Now this is what I would describe as being true to the Indian credo of "vasudhaiva kutumbakam" - a daughter of Indian origin, returning to the country of her roots, representing American interests, which ultimately will help facilitate movement of goods, services and people across continents.

Peace and prosperity take on a new meaning when people across boundaries collaborate, when people represent nations irrespective of their roots and origins, when people work towards the larger betterment of societies irrespective of color and race - and when the business is not related to war.

No, I am not getting carried away, because that's the larger picture one sees even if one were to consider Gov. Haley's visit as a routine business trip.

The near euphoric atmosphere is akin to that which existed during the first term of the Manmohan Singh led UPA government in India a decade ago. The key is to sustain that excitement, which only a longer vision can achieve.

Romesh K Japra rkjapra@indiapost.com

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HIGHLIGHTS Bollywood: Living-in 'temporarily' Ranbir Kapoor has moved in with his girlfriend Katrina Kaif and rumor surfaced that the Kapoor lad has left his parents

Cover Story: Defense coop India and Australia have established a framework for security cooperation and stepped up defense collaboration

Community: New Governor Surprisingly, new Governor Bruce Rauner mustered support of Democrat votes in Indian and Pakistani community.

Executive action Republicans debate how to respond to President Barack Obama's expected executive action on immigration

Life style: DDLJ anniversary Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge completes 1,000 weeks on December 12. SRK wants to celebrate the blockbuster in a big way

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Stop surveillance A coalition of top technology and Internet giants have called on the US Senate to curb surveillance powers

Chakrata Thriving by the lush greeneries with dense forests all around, Chakrata in Uttaranchal is a famed tourist resort

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November 21, 2014

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India, Aus to step up defense coop CANBERRA: India and Australia have established a framework for bilateral security cooperation as they stepped up their defense collaboration for advancing regional peace and combating terrorism among other challenges.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott held talks and agreed to establish a Framework for Security Cooperation to reflect the deepening and expanding security and defense engagement between the two countries.

They established the framework to intensify cooperation and consultation between Australia and India in areas of mutual interest.

"I greatly welcome the New Framework for Security Cooperation. Security and defense are important and growing areas of the new India-Australia partnership for advancing regional peace and stability, and combating terrorism and trans-national crimes," Modi said in the statement to the media at a joint press conference with Abbott.

Modi, while addressing the Parliament later, also called for collaboration in the field of maritime security.

"We should collaborate more on maintaining maritime security.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting the Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott, at Parliament House, in Canberra, Australia on November 18

We should work together on the seas and collaborate in international forums. And, we should work for a universal respect for international law and global norms," he said reiterating his call for collaboration on maritime security made at the East Asia and ASEAN summits in Myanmar last week.

Modi and Abbott decided that the framework will be implemented in accordance with an action plan.

The action plan states that there will be an annual summit and foreign policy exchanges and coordination.

The plan includes annual meeting of Prime Ministers, including on the margins of multilateral meet-

ings, foreign Ministers' framework dialogue, senior officials' talks led

by India's Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs and the Secretary of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The action plan also talks about East Asia talks between External Affairs senior officials,

'Australia will not be at periphery of our vision' CANBERRA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here Australia will not be at the periphery of India's vision but at the centre of its thought, as he called for closer bilateral security cooperation and a comprehensive global strategy to tackle the menace of terrorism.

Modi, while addressing the Australian Parliament, the first Indian Prime Minister to do so, said, "It has taken a Prime Minister of India 28 years to come to Australia. It should never have been so. And, this will change.

Australia will not be at the periphery of our vision, but at the centre of our thought."

Modi addressed the Parliament after holding bilateral talks with Prime Minister Tony Abbott following which the two countries signed five pacts on social security, transfer of sentenced prisoners, combating narcotics trade, tourism, and Arts and Culture.

During the talks, the two sides sought an early conclusion of negotiations for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement and a closure on the civil nuclear deal.

Addressing the Parliament, Modi said terrorism has become a

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the joint session of Parliament of Australia, at Parliament House, in Canberra, Australia on November 18

major threat. "In India, we have seen its face closely for three decades. And, we see it with the clarity that comes with it. Terrorism is changing in character and expanding in its reach," Modi said.

"Internet has made recruitment and call to violence self-generated. It also feeds off money laundering, drug trafficking and arms

smuggling. We have to deepen our bilateral security cooperation.

But, we need a comprehensive global strategy for a global problem," he said.

In order to tackle the new security challenges, Modi sought closer security cooperation, a policy of no distinction between terrorist groups or discrimination

between nations, a resolve to isolate those who harbor terrorists, willingness to empower states that will fight them, a social movement against extremism in countries where it is most prevalent and every effort to delink religion and terrorism.

Cont’d on page 8

defense policy planning and coordination.

The framework agreed on will be implemented according to the action plan which calls for regular defense ministers' meeting, annual defense policy talks, service to service engagement including regular high-level visits, annual staff talks, joint training and regular exercises and regular bilateral maritime exercises.

It also calls for exploring defense research and development cooperation, including through visits by Australian and Indian defense material delegations and efforts to foster joint industry links.

The action plan also includes an annual Joint Working Group on counter-terrorism and other transnational crimes, cooperation in counter-terrorism training and exchanges between experts on countering improvised explosive devices, bomb incidents and technologies among others.

Progress under the action plan will be reviewed through established institutional arrangements, including the Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue and the Defense Ministers' meeting.

"The Prime Minister of India and the Prime Minister of Australia reaffirm that the strategic partnership between India and Australia is based on converging political, economic and strategic interests; a shared desire to promote regional and global peace, security and prosperity; and a commitment to democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law," a Ministry of External Affairs statement on the Framework for Security Cooperation said. -PTI

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India keen to forge stronger business ties MELBOURNE: India is open for business and keen to forge stronger business relations with resource-rich Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said and invited Australian business leaders to cooperate in developing green technology, LNG, gas and tourism sectors.

Modi, who held a roundtable with top Australian CEOs here, discussed prospects for bilateral cooperation specially in the field of education, services, energy, banking and information technology and tourism.

Modi, during the hour-long roundtable hosted by Victoria's Governor Alex Chernov at Government house, said India was open for business and was also keen to forge stronger business relations with Australia.

Noting that the new government has identified several areas of cooperation, Modi said there

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting the Australian CEOs in Melbourne, Australia on November 18

was a huge potential for developing educational ties especially at school level.

"Victoria has taken a good initiative of tying up with India. We

have Youth. I would like to focus on two main area - one is research and the other is education," Modi said.

As Victoria was leading in the

Early closure on the civil nuclear deal sought CANBERRA: India and Australia have sought early conclusion of negotiations for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement and a closure on the civil nuclear deal as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Tony Abbott held talks here.

After the two leaders held

nuclear energy program in the world," Modi said in a statement to the media at a joint press conference with Abbott.

Later, while addressing the Parliament, Australian Prime Minister Abbott said, "If all goes well, Australia will export uranium to India under suitable safeguards because cleaner energy is one of

"There are huge opportunities for partnership in every area we can think of - agriculture, agroprocessing, resources, energy, finance, infrastructure, education, and science and technology," Modi said.

Abbott, in Parliament, said, "By the end of the next year we will have a Free Trade deal with what is potentially the world's largest market."

Modi emphasized that the economic climate in India has changed.

"I believe it will be a lot easier to convert opportunities into concrete outcomes," Modi said.

Modi also announced that India will organize a 'Make in India' show in Australia in 2015 while Australia would hold a business week in India in January next year.

"Prime Minister Abbott and I discussed what we should do to impart real momentum to Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Australia,Tony Abbott witnessing the signing of agreements, at Parliament House, in Canberra, Australia on November 18 our economic partnership. talks, India and Australia signed the most important contributions Reconstituting the CEO Forum five pacts on social security, trans- that Australia can make to wider is an important step. We have fer of sentenced prisoners, com- world." agreed to speed up negotiations bating narcotics trade, tourism, Modi, while talking about In- on the Comprehensive Economic and Arts and Culture. dia-Australia ties, said, "This is a Partnership Agreement. I also "We also agreed on seeking natural partnership, arising from asked for easier access for Indian early closure on the civil nuclear our shared values and interests, business to the Australian maragreement, which will give Aus- and our strategic maritime loca- ket and quicker investment aptralia a chance to participate in one tions. India and Australia have a provals," Modi said at the joint of the most secure and safe great economic synergy." press conference. -PTI

field of research, a collaboration in that area could be looked at, he said.

"We just launched our Make in India initiative and this pre-

sents opportunities in our country," he said, adding that issues of concerns for those keen to invest in India would be looked at in the next budget.

He invited Australian businessmen to collaborate with India in the field of green technology, LNG, gas and tourism sector. Modi said that the government was keen to build cruise tourism.

"We discussed various issues, but the area which I would like to focus is tourism sector where I find several opportunities and possibilities," Modi said adding his announcement about visa on arrival facility for Australian tourists would also benefit business community too.

"I extend an invitation to look at this sector too," Modi said, noting that India's long coastline provides huge opportunities for developing the cruise sector. -PTI

PM gifts Rani Lakshmibai's petition to Abbott CANBERRA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted Australian lawyer John Lang's 1854 petition on behalf of Rani Lakshmibai against the East India Company to his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott.

"PM gifts Australian PM a memorial of Australian John Lang on behalf of Rani of Jhansi against East India Company," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin tweeted.

"John Lang's Original petition of 1854 on behalf of Jhansi ki Rani against the East India Company," Akbaruddin said describing Modi's gift to Abbott.

Modi's gifts to Abbott brought Australian John Lang's contribution in Indian history to the fore.

Born in 1816 in Sydney, Lang is generally regarded as Australia's first native novelist. As

a man of many talents, he was also a lawyer, journalist and born traveler.

In 1842, he sailed to India and made the country his new home, even learning the Hindustani language. While carrying on a successful legal practice, he started a newspaper in 1845 called 'The Moffusilite', published initially from Meerut and later from Mussoorie.

The paper often took a critical stance against the British East India Company's harmful policies and consequently he was sued and briefly jailed by the Company.

In 1854, Lang became the Counsel of the Maharani Lakshmibai of Jhansi - an iconic figure in the famous Indian uprising of 1857 against the East India Company's rule - and represented her in legal battles against the Company.-PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi raises toast with his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott and the Leader of the Opposition of Australia Bill Shorten during a dinner hosted by Abbott in Melbourne, Australia on November 18

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Modi presents Man Singh Trophy to Abbott CANBERRA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented the Man Singh Trophy, a prized possession of Sikh regiment battalions, to his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott at the War Memo-

War Memorial early morning.

Modi presented the trophy to Abbott and also signed the visitor's book at the memorial.

The trophy originally in silver was presented to the Officers'

First World War in Egypt, Gallipoli, Sinai and Mesopotamia from October 1914 to May 1917, had made it in commemoration of the gallant actions of their soldiers during the First World War. The Trophy is named after Man Singh who was recognized as a great soldier for his qualities of character, professional skill, sheer physical prowess and agility.

Approximately 6 feet and 4 inches tall, Singh was said to be so strong of limbs that he was able to jump over high wire obstacles and broad ditches comfortably.

This was part of trench warfare during the First World War. It is also said that he could lob a grenade up to a Prime Minister Narendra Modi presenting a statue of the soldier "Man Singh" to the Prime distance of 50 yards.

Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott, at the Australian War Memorial, in Canberra, The trophy has some Australia on November 18 peculiarities like the rial here to commemorate his visit. Mess 14 (King George's own) shoes worn by Singh appear to In his first engagement in the Sikhs in the year 1919. be on the wrong feet, the satchel Australian capital, Modi, accomThe officers of the battalion, on his back is hanging with one panied by Abbott, arrived at the who served in the unit during the strap only, in place of grenades,

cans of condensed milk are seen in the trenches and the bolt of the rifle is in the unlocked position.

The trophy was presented to the Sikh Regiment Centre by 1 Sikh (now 4 MECH INF) on

completion of 125 years of its glorious service.

All the Sikh regiment battalions also have a replica of this trophy in Bronze, a possession they are proud of. -PTI

AIBC lauds Aus, India move on FTA deadline MELBOURNE: The AustraliaIndia Business Council (AIBC) has welcomed the decision of the Prime Ministers of the two countries to bring forward the Free Trade Agreement deadline from 2016 to 2015, saying it will "immensely help" the bilateral trade relations.

Vice Chair of AIBC Sheda Nandkeolyar expressed her gratitude over the announcement made by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott in the Parliament that Free Trade Agreement (FTA) deadline would be brought forward to 2015.

"Though the results would take time to show, but, I think,

both sides are open to business and there will be new opportunities which will be coming up," she said, adding that the move to bring forward the FTA deadline will "immensely help the two sides".

Earlier, speaking in the parliament Abbott said: "By the end of the next year, we will have a Free Trade deal with what is potentially the world's largest market."

Modi also announced that India will organize a 'Make in India' show in Australia in 2015 while Australia would hold a business week in India in January next year.-PTI

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Modi sets deadline for OCI, PIO merger

'Australia will not be at periphery of our vision' Cont’d from page 5

"India sees Australia as one of our foremost partners in the region. There are few countries in the world where we see so much synergy as we do in Australia," Modi said.

The Prime Minister also called for support for the process of economic integration across the region and an open global trading system that remains integrated.

"We must guard against regional trade initiatives becoming instruments of political competition. However, economic integration by itself won't be a strong basis for peace and stability, without strong regional institutions," Modi said.

Modi said Australia has immense opportunities to participate

in the old city of Lucknow in India.

"More than 150 years ago, an Australian novelist and lawyer John Lang fought the legal battle for a brave Indian freedom fighter, the Queen of Jhansi, Rani Laxmibai against the British East India Company in India's first War of Independence. He also lies buried in the Indian hill town of Mussoorie," Modi said.

He said both the nations had common love for cricket and are set to battle it out on the cricket field next month.

"We celebrate the legend of Bradman and the class of Tendulkar together. We are impressed by Australian speed as you are charmed by the Indian spin, until of course Shane Warne came along!" the Prime Minister

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the Diaspora the Community Reception at Allphones Arena, in Sydney, Australia on November 17

SYDNEY: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured a visa on arrival facility for Australian tourists and announced a twomonth deadline for the long-pending merger of OCI and PIO status to woo the Indian Diaspora from whom he sought support for his ambitious Clean India campaign.

Addressing a frenzied crowd of around 20,000 in the packed Allphones Arena here, Modi took a dig at the previous governments saying while they were happy to make laws he was "happier to remove" them.

"Let's open the windows let fresh air come in," Modi said referring to his government's efforts

you are dreaming of."

"This welcome, this respect, this enthusiasm I dedicate it to the people of India," said Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Australia in 28 years.

Modi announced that his government was working on to facilitate visa on arrival for Australian tourists and said the PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) and OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) status will be merged ahead of the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas to be held from January 7 in Ahmedabad.

Modi had announced merger of PIO and OCI during his visit to the US in September but had not given a timeline then.

hoped that Australian companies will invest in creating rail infrastructure in the country.

The Prime Minister called upon Indians across the world to convert the atmosphere of hope and optimism into a reality of meeting the expectations and aspirations of people in India. Modi said on the basis of his experience of the last six months, he could see no reason why the aspirations of millions of Indians could not be fulfilled.

He referred to Swami Vivekananda's dream of seeing Mother India as a 'Vishva Guru' once again, and said he believed that dream would be a reality.

"Do you share the dream", he

Interacting with the people after his address at the Community Reception, at Allphones Arena

to weed out obsolete laws.

Touched by the grand reception, Modi said he was honored and humbled and will never forget this day. "I know that behind this affection lies expectations.

Yes. We want to create the India

The Prime Minister also referred to economic reforms unveiled by his government and said India has become an attractive destination for investment.

He also said FDI in Railways has been hiked to 100 per cent and

asked the cheering crowd.

The Prime Minister said that he feels a greater sense of responsibility as he is the first Prime Minister born in independent India.

Cont’d on page 11

Modi shaking hands with Australian Parliamentarians after addressing joint session of Australian Parliament, at Parliament House, in Canberra, Australia on November 18. The Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott is also seen

in India's progress and in turn, India will be the answer to Australia's search for new economic opportunities and desire to diversify global economic engagement.

He said India and Australia were connected to each other with history and geography.

Modi once again highlighted the example of Walter Griffin, who designed Canberra and was buried in Lucknow, after narrating his story to Abbott and Obama during the G20.

Modi, during his address, also talked about Australian novelist and lawyer Jang Lang, who helped Rani Laxmibai against the Birtish East India Company.

"This morning, Prime Minister and I honored our soldiers, who 100 years ago made the supreme sacrifice together in the battle of Gallipoli. The man who designed this beautiful capital of Canberra, Walter Burley Griffin, lies buried

said amidst laughter in the Parliament.

Speaking about his clear cut majority government in 30 years, the Prime Minister said there was a new "high tide" of hope and energy in India.

"Today, we have a government with a majority after thirty years.

From the remotest village to the biggest cities, there is a new high tide of hope in India; a new energy. It is the energy of our youth - the 800 million people below the age of 35 - eager for change, willing to work for it - because, now they believe that it is possible.

That they can make it happen. It is this force of transformation that we will unleash.

"In the six months that we have been in office, we have moved forward, thinking with ambition, acting with speed; seeking growth not just for growth, but to transform the quality of life of every Indian," Modi said.-PTI

November 21, 2014

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Jan Dhan moving despite reluctance by RBI, babus SYDNEY: Taking a Red Fort that 7.5 crore dig at the system, Prime bank accounts should Minister Narendra be opened within 150 Modi said here things days - by January 26, have started moving in 2015.

India under him and Under the Pradhan the Jan Dhan scheme Mantri Jan-Dhan was being impleYojana (PMJDY), about mented at a rapid pace 7.1 crore accounts have despite initial relucalready been opened in tance of RBI and buwhich poor people have reaucracy. deposited about Rs Recalling his initial 5,000 crore. days as a Prime MinisHe further said the ter, Modi said when he bank nationalization asked how much time was aimed at financial RBI would take to inclusion and reaching open bank accounts banking services to the for 7.5 crore families poor. who are out of the However, he added banking net, the centhe average number of tral bank had told him accounts opened annuit would take three ally in the last 68 years years. was about one crore.

"I asked the RBI, On other hand, unthis work has to be der the Jan Dhan Yojna done. RBI said, it could about 7.1 crore acPrime Minister Narendra Modi greeting the gathering in the Community Reception, at Allphones Arena, in Sydney, Australia on November 17 be done...as no one counts have already can dare refuse Prime been opened in 10 The Prime Minister said when "They thought Modi would be PMO estimated that the targeted weeks time, the Prime Minister Minister...but they know the techniques. They said it would take he enquired about the opening happy. They (RBI) said three accounts could be opened in at added. three years," Modi told the of bank accounts from the De- years but we have said two years, least one year.

PMJDY is national mission for However, Modi added that he financial inclusion to ensure acstrong gathering of Indian com- partment of Financial Services, he so the things will move forward," munity at Allphones Arena here. was told it would take two years. Modi said, adding his own office, announced on August 15 from cess to financial services. -PTI

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Adani group's Australian mine project cleared MELBOURNE: The Adani group's proposed plan to build a 7-billion-dollar coal mine has been cleared by Australia's Queensland state which also announced a major investment in rail infrastructure to support the Indian conglomerate's mega project.

The Adani group welcomed the decision of the Queensland government to clear the project in the Galilee basin that will ensure that one of the mega mines proposed by the company and GVK gets a clearance next year.

Adani Mining Australia country head, Jeyakumar Janakaraj, noted that the an-

nouncement reflects the longstanding practice that has applied in comparable greenfield basins, such as the opening up of the Bowen Basin.

"While we have invested several billion dollars in our integrated mine, rail and port project to date, and are well-established on our course to build a long-term future with Queensland, any policy such as this that underpins confidence in significant infrastructure investments - any announcement that encourages additional investment from other players in the Galilee - is welcome.

"This announcement, coupled with Adani's MoU with the State Bank of India

for funding the development of the Carmichael Mine, reflects the confidence close observers of our project have in our fundamentals.

"We are bringing on board valued partners in different facets of this integrated project, ensuring we will meet our guidance of first coal in 2017," he said.

Adani is the proponent of the North Galilee Basin Rail (NGBR), Queensland's first standard gauge line, that is the centerpiece of the company's integrated mine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Campbell Newman, Premier of Queensland at a meeting in Brisbane on November 16

rail and port project, which will leave a valuable infrastructure legacy for this state in helping open up job-creating projects for Queenslanders in the Galilee.

The three proposed mega-projects in the Galilee Basin - Adani's 16.5 billion dollars Carmichael mine, GVK's six billion dollars Alpha mine and Clive Palmer's 6.4 billion dollars Waratah coal - is expected to create 28,000 jobs. The company has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with State Bank of India (SBI).

"The MoU provides for a credit facility of up to 1 billion dollars subject to the detailed assessment of the company's mine project at Carmichael, near Clermont in Western Queensland," the company said.

-PTI

Queensland plans major investment in rail infra BRISBANE: Australia's Queensland state will announce a major investment in rail infrastructure in the Galilee basin to ensure that one of the mega-mines proposed by India's Adani group and GVK get a clearance next year.

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman, who held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here, said he was prepared to invest in capital works to ensure that the projects get off the ground.

Queensland is expected to scrap its firstmover royalty discount for big players in the Galilee basin, announced last year, and replace it with infrastructure commitment for common user infrastructure, according to Australian media.

The three proposed mega-projects in the Galilee Basin - Adani's 16.5 billion dollars Carmichael mine, GVK's six billion dollars Alpha mine and Clive Palmer's 6.4 billion dollars Waratah coal - is expected to create 28,000 jobs.

Queensland Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney has been quoted as having said that coalproducing countries from across the world were trying to get a foot into India and therefore it was in the government's interest to facilitate the Galilee developments.

The Galilee Basin mines are 500 kms from ports on the east coast.-PTI

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G20 endorses India's stance on black money BRISBANE: In a major gain for India, the G20 summit endorsed the need for transparency and disclosure by countries of tax information as Prime Minister Narendra Modi voiced support to the new global standard on automatic exchange to tackle the black money issue.

Raising the pitch on the black money issue, Modi in his intervention at the summit of the Group of 20 industrialized and major emerging economies called for close global coordination to address the challenge posed by it.

The new standard will be instrumental in getting information relating to unaccounted money hoarded abroad and enable its eventual repatriation, Modi said,

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with other Leaders in the G-20 family photograph, at the G-20 Summit, in Brisbane, Australia on November 15

Meeting the Prime Minister of United Kingdom, David Cameron, in Brisbane

G20 welcomes India-US pact; hopes it will help WTO BRISBANE: Welcoming break- mate on Trade Facilitation Agreethrough between India and the US ment at the multi-lateral trade on the food stock piling issue, G20 body. leaders hoped that it will put WTO "This will be important to renegotiations back on track and store trust and confidence in the facilitate the implementation of multilateral trading system. We trade pact which is necessary for agreed to discuss ways to make driving growth and generating the system work better when we jobs. meet next year. We will continue "We welcome the break- to provide aid-for-trade to develthrough between the United States and India that will help the full The G20 leaders also called and prompt implemen- for a strong trading system in tation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement an open global economy (TFA) and includes to drive growth and provisions on food segenerate jobs curity.

"We commit to implement all elements of the Bali oping countries in need of assispackage and to swiftly define a tance," it added.

WTO work program on the reThe G20 leaders also called for maining issues of the Doha De- a strong trading system in an velopment Agenda to get nego- open global economy to drive tiations back on track," said the growth and generate jobs. communiquĂŠ released after the "We are promoting competition, G20 meet. entrepreneurship and innovation, Earlier this week India achieved including by lowering barriers to a major breakthrough with the US new business entrants and investagreeing to its proposal on food ment. We reaffirm our longstanding security issues at WTO, a devel- standstill and rollback commitopment that will pave the way for ments to resist protectionism," the ending a three-month long stale- communiquĂŠ said. -PTI

utilizing the forum of G20, which accounts for 85 per cent of world's GDP. Modi while voicing India's support for it urged every jurisdiction, especially tax havens, to provide information for tax purposes in accordance with treaty obligations.

He also extended India's backing for all initiatives to facilitate exchange of information and mutual assistance in tax policy and administration.

Modi's remarks at the G20 session come as his government has repeatedly said that bringing back black money is a priority and it has constituted a special investigative team (SIT) headed by a former Supreme Court Judge to unearth black money.

The Prime Minister, while flagging his concern over cross border tax avoidance and evasion, also noted that increased mobility of capital and technology have created new opportunities for avoiding tax and profit sharing.

Modi made the remarks at the plenary session on the subject of "Delivering Global Economic resilience" on the final day of the summit held at the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention centre.

He also expressed the hope that Base Erosion and Profit Sharing (BEPS) system would fully address concerns of developing and developed economies.

BEPS is a technical term referring to the effect of tax avoidance strategies used by multinational companies on countries' tax basis. BEPS is known more commonly as "Transfer pricing".

This term is used in a project headed by the OECD that is said to be an attempt by the world's major economies to try to rewrite the rules on corporate taxation to address the widespread perception that the corporations do not pay their fair share of taxes. -PTI

Modi sets deadline for OCI, PIO merger Cont’d from page 8

"We did not have the fortune to fight for the country's independence. We could not die for India.

But we can live for India. So we will live and struggle for India.

Today 125 crore Indians share that dream," he said.

"It took 28 years for an Indian PM to make the few hours jour-

country. People make a country," he said. The Prime Minister also stressed on the Clean India campaign saying that more tourists would come if the country was cleaner.

He also asked the Indian Diaspora to extend their support to the campaign and said they can contribute significantly in developing the villages they come

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed by the Australian tribal dancers at Sydney on his arrival at the hotel, in Sydney

ney to Australia. Now you will not have to wait 28 years," the Prime Minister said.

He also highlighted the values of democracy and the love for cricket that India and Australia share.

The Prime Minister exhorted people to recognize the strength of India's democracy. "Let us now do all we can for India's benefit.

And then India will work for the benefit of mankind," he said.

"Governments cannot make a

from. "I request you to contribute. God has given you so much."

Modi said while "some people" dream of doing only big things he was interested in doing "small things" like building toilets and ensuring cleanliness.

"Illness is a big burden on the poor. There is no greater service to the poor than focusing on cleanliness," he said adding "I see no reason why India should stay behind. It is decided we will move ahead."-PTI

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G20 plans major investments in countries like India BRISBANE: The G20 has cited India among other countries for launch of major investment initiatives and for having a sustainable growth.

A Brisbane Action plan released as part of the G20 communiquĂŠ also said that the state of the global economy calls for a comprehensive and coherent policy response that restores near-term demand, removes medium-term supply constraints and builds consumer and business confidence.

"While growth in some key emerging market economies is robust and is becoming more sustainable, including in China and India, it is slowing in some other countries," it said, adding that many low-income countries are performing well."

Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu, who was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Sherpa at the summit of the group of 20 industrialized and emerging market economies, told reporters that India's expected growth is projected to be over six per cent in 2014-15.

India's economic growth accelerated to 5.7 per cent in April-June quarter, much better than 4.7 per cent in the same quarter of previous fiscal. The economy grew by sub-5 per cent in 2012-13 and 2013-14.

In other countries, the G20 noted that growth has picked up some advanced economies, notably the US, the UK and Canada. However, the recovery is modest in Japan and in the Euro area and inflation is well

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the other BRICS leaders ahead of G-20 Summit, in Brisbane, Australia on November 15

below target.

"The global economy remains vulnerable to shocks, financial fragility remains and existing risks are exacerbated by geopo-

PM Modi meets world leaders on sidelines of G20 BRISBANE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi carried on with his hectic international diplomacy holding parleys with world leaders, including US President Barack Obama, over bilateral meetings and informal discussions on the fifth day of his whirlwind threenation 10-day tour.

It was a warm hug for Australian Premier Tony Abbott by Modi - described by the Australian media as a "standout shake" so far at the G20 summit - that was distinct from the formal handshakes with the host by other world leaders.

Dressed in a black bandhgala suit, Modi narrated an anecdote to President Obama and Abbott during the G20 retreat, sharing with them the story of Chicagobased Walter Burley Griffin, the well known American architect who designed the new Australian capital Canberra and who was buried in Lucknow.

"The life of Walter Burley Griffin is a common link among USAAustralia-India which the leaders appreciated," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin tweeted.

Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin were also seen having a chat with Modi at the summit of the Group of 20 industrialized and major emerging economies.

"Focus on global issues," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin tweeted about this interaction.

On the fifth day of his foreign visit, Modi met French President Francois Hollande, Canadian Premier Stephen Harper and Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al

Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Spokesperson, while giving details of these meetings, said Modi had informal interactions with several world leaders, including Abbott, Obama and Prince Saud, during the course of the

summit.

The informal meeting of the five-nation BRICS also saw Modi having interactions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Putin and South African President Jacob Zuma.-PTI

Meeting the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, at the G-20 summit, in Brisbane

Meeting the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, in Brisbane

litical tensions," the plan said.

"We continue to monitor the near-term and long-term effects of the global financial crisis.

Economies are grappling with

slower potential growth reflecting weaker investment, slower productivity growth, higher unemployment and lower labor force participation," it said.

The action plan said that the implementation of policies to comprehensively address both near-term and medium-term challenges could further strengthen the recovery by building confidence and increasing demand.

Noting that the state of the global economy calls for a comprehensive and coherent policy response that restores near-term demand, removes medium-term supply constraints and builds consumer and business confidence, the plan said that the grouping has developed comprehensive growth strategies that addresses these challenges. -PTI

G20 vows to reduce cost of transferring remittances BRISBANE: Taking concerns some understanding in the G20 of India and other developing that the cost should not be more countries on board, the G20 than 5 per cent." vowed to take "strong practical" India has been able to conmeasures to reduce the global vince Saudi Arabia to reduce it to average cost of transferring remit- 3.5 per cent, he added. tances to five per cent.

In a separate G20 plan to faciliIndia, which is world's largest tate remittance flows annexed to recipient of remittances with USD the communiquĂŠ, the grouping 71 billion sent last year, pushed described as an innovative step for a reduction in the remittance with the potential to reduce the costs of non-residents at the G20 cost of remittance transfers the summit, asking it to work on steps RBI's move to facilitate the receipt to reduce costs in sending money of foreign inward remittances dihome from abroad which is as rectly into the bank accounts of high as 10 per cent in some countries.

"We commit to take "We commit to take strong strong practical measures to reduce the glo- practical measures to rebal average cost of duce the global average transferring remittances cost of transferring remitto five per cent and to enhance financial inclu- tances to five per cent and sion as a priority," the to enhance financial t h r e e - p a g e inclusion as a priority," communiquĂŠ released by leaders of the group of 20 major and leading emerging beneficiaries under the Money economies said. Prime Minister Transfer Service Scheme (MTSS).

Narendra Modi was among the It also recognized the value of participants. remittance flows in helping to Railways Minister Suresh drive strong, sustainable and balPrabhu, who is Modi's Sherpa' at anced growth. the deliberations, said "Indians Noting that remittances to desend maximum money back to veloping countries in 2014 are extheir country. India is the single pected to reach USD 436 billion, largest recipient of non-resident far exceeding Official Developremittances. NRIs remit close to ment Assistance (ODA), the plan USD 70 billion, more than the Fili- said remittances to and from G20 pinos and the Chinese." countries account for almost 80 The cost of remittances, at per cent of global remittance times, is as high as 10 per cent, flows.

Prabhu said.

"The G20 recognizes the value Ahead of the summit, he said, of remittance flows in helping to "It's an ethical, logical and eco- drive strong, sustainable and balnomic issue. We are pushing for anced growth.-PTI

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Haley woos Indian tourists to explore South Carolina NEW DELHI: Pitching South Carolina as a "number two" vacation spot in the world, its Governor Nikki Haley has sought to woo the Indian tourists, asking them to not miss out the place.

"This is here where magic happens. I want my Indian community to visit South Carolina.

Whether you want to have board meeting or vacation South Carolina is the place," she here said.

Haley is on a 10-day trip to India, which began from November 11. She and her delegation are scheduled to have as many as 90 meetings in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Amritsar, Mumbai and Chennai.

Nikki, the youngest sitting governor in the US, on her visit said that "India is the most spectacular."

Describing the place as the most "friendliest" in the US, she invited more tourists from India to explore many facets of the state.

She said the state is the number one vacation spot in the country and no 2 in the world. "I want Indian community not to miss out the place."

There are about 300 oceanfront beaches, 360 golf courses, 24,000sq km of fresh water lakes and rivers in the state.

Currently there are about 25,000 Indians visiting the state in a year. "We want the number to increase," she said.

About the economy, she said agriculture occupies top position in terms of GDP and tourism the second. About her visit to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, she said, "It is a moving experience."

Duane Parrish, Director, South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism said, "Our state is home to a number of diverse, internationally renowned travel destinations, each offering its own signature visitor experience steeped in authentic south-

Nikki Haley during the inauguration of Global Science Conference EBAS 2014 at Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar on November 14

Haley was elected as the Governor of South Carolina in 2010, becoming the first female and first Indian-American governor in state history.

ern charm and hospitality."

He said in addition to coastal destinations, South Carolina also features a range of quality tourism experiences throughout its

Business with India like 'connecting my homes' CHANDIGARH: Seeking to connect her "two homes", IndianAmerican Governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley has pitched for two-way investment flows between Punjab and her state in the US. "It is a very emotional trip. I have not been here (Punjab) since I was two. So I am proud of now that I have some memories. Before (this visit) I had dreams, I had imaginations. I had what I had thought what India was. It is much more and much better.

Hospitality has been fantastic...," Haley, who is heading an 18-member delegation to India,

told reporters here.

"For me to (be) here and see the place my parents talk about.

They still talk about it and they get emotional.

When I go home and I can have conversation with them and we do not expect it would be our last visit," the 42-year old said who earlier had an interactive session with local industrialists.

Describing her visit to India as an "important" trip, Haley said focusing on India for attracting investments was "personal," saying it is like "connecting my two homes together." PTI

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and her husband Michael Haley during a meeting at South block in New Delhi on November 17

inland areas.

South Carolina is a state in the south-eastern US. It is bordered to the north by the state of North

Carolina; to the south and west

by Georgia, located across the Savannah River; and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean.

The state has among other cities, Charleston, which is known for its historic buildings, a major draw for tourists worldwide. -PTI

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Praying about possible 2016 presidential run: Jindal WASHINGTON: Indian-American Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, the rising star of the Republican Party, has said he will decide in the first half of next year whether he is running for president in 2016.

Jindal, who is seen as a possible 2016 Republican presidential candidate, said right now he is praying about it.

"First half of next year, we are praying about this. Bottom line is let's restore the American dream for our children and grandchildren," Jindal said.

Attacking President Barack Obama on his policies, Jindal said, "If I were to run - and I haven't made that decision - if I were to run for president, it's because I believe in our country the American dream is at jeopardy.

"This president has defined the American dream as more dependence on the government. We need to restore the American dream. It's more about opportunity and growth and not redistribution," Jindal told the Fox news in an interview.

Jindal, if he announces his decision to seek a presidential ticket, would be the first ever IndianAmerican to run for the presidential primaries. Jindal has several firsts to his credit. He was the first

Indian-American Governor elected to any US State.

He was also the second ever Indian-American Congressman elected to the US House of Representatives.

state is quite low. Responding to a question, Jindal said he does not care about poll numbers. "I don't care at all about poll numbers. I never have.

The reality is I was elected in

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal

As part of his potential 2016 presidential run, Jindal has been touring the country and appearing on the national media quite frequently, where he has been a strong critic of Obama.

However, currently his approval rating in his own home

Louisiana to make generational changes. Look at what we have done in Louisiana. Now we have cut our state budget 26 per cent, cut the number of state employees 34 per cent. We have the best private sector economy in a generation," he said. -PTI

White House celebrates Guru Nanak birth anniversary WASHINGTON: The White Asian American to be elected to House recently celebrated the Congress.

545th birth anniversary of Guru Honda spoke about issues of Nanak Dev by inviting members bullying that Sikh youth experiof the Sikh community from across ence and his efforts to make sure the US and hosted a 'langar' for no child is discriminated against. them.

He added, "We need to make sure Tina Tchen, Special Assistant that we hire Sikh teachers in the to the President and Chief of Staff school systems to increase diverto the First Lady, conveyed the sity which would also help in cregreetings from the First couple ating awareness about Sikh faith and said, "I had the privilege of and Sikh culture." working with the Sikh community The event included a kirtan folsince I have joined the White lowed by a musical presentation House and I would like each one of you to stay in touch with us."

President Barack Honda congratulated Obama had issued a Jaskeerat Singh, the statement on the day of Guru Nanak's birth-an- first full-fledged police ofniversary congratulating the Sikh community. ficer hired in California with Congressman Mike his full Sikh identity, whose Honda from California, who fought a fierce elec- brother Ravi Singh was tion battle to be reelected, joined the cel- in the audience ebrations.

He reflected on the importance of the day and said, by young musical stars among "What Guru Nanak taught is very Sikhs. They presented a number much relevant today. Your com- in Raag Bageshri, enthralling the munity has a glorious history in audience with their engaging perAmerica and you have contrib- formance. uted immensely to this nation."

Simran Jeet Singh, PhD candiHonda congratulated Jaskeerat date at Columbia University and Singh, the first full-fledged police senior fellow at the Sikh Coalition officer hired in California with his delivered the keynote speech. full Sikh identity, whose brother Singh spoke about the influence Ravi Singh was in the audience.

Guru Nanak's words has had on He also honored the first Sikh his own life and how the teacher's American congressperson, Dalip wisdoms on equality and service Singh Saund, who is also the first to others ring true today. -PTI

'US, India share complementary aspirations'

RECEPTION AT MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND:Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and V.V.S. Laxman at the Civic Reception hosted by the Australian PM, at MCG, Australia on November 18

WASHINGTON: The US and India share complementary aspirations when it comes to their economic future, a prominent business leaders in the Obama administration has said.

"The US and India share complementary aspirations when it comes to our economic future," said US Export-Import Bank Chairman Fred P Hochberg, who is currently visiting India.

"When quality American goods and services are deployed to buyers in India, their nation benefits from increased capacity and a reliable foundation for long-term economic growth and the US benefits by creating new jobs back home," he added.

Hochberg delivered his comments at a roundtable hosted by

the US-India Business Council where he discussed energy growth, especially in the renewable energy sector and infrastructure expansion in India and what role the US companies can play in both.

He also addressed similar subjects at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry later in the day, a media statement said.

Hochberg held a lunch with Indian businesswomen to learn more about the challenges and opportunities they have in starting and growing a business in the country.

He also highlighted how the bank's financing tools have enabled American businesses both large and small to export their products to India. -PTI

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Nikki Haley visits Golden Temple AMRITSAR: Indian-American Governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley paid obeisance at Golden Temple here saying that she was there not in the capacity of Governor of a state but as a humble human being.

Accompanied by her husband, Haley offered prayers at the Sikh shrine. "The peace and serenity of the place is amazing," she said.

Haley described her visit to Punjab as "really special and emotional".

"This is the place that has been so frequently talked about by my parents. So many stories, so many memories...and now actually to be in that place is very exciting. It's nice to come back to the place my parents belong to", said Haley the youngest sitting Governor in USA. "It is indeed a blessing to be able to relive some of the memories shared by my parents. It is

indeed emotional and heart-warming," Haley said.

Responding to media queries, Haley said she wanted to promote business ties between her state and Indian companies.

"India is my second home. Attracting investments from overseas companies is my job, but building business ties with Indian companies is my personal desire", she said.

Stressing upon the need for a mutually beneficial business propositions, she said, "I believe if businesses are doing well in a state, all else like education, jobs, health and economy will fall perfectly in place".

Besides seeking investment in automotives, tractors, agriculture, tourism, pharmaceuticals and IT, Haley said partnerships with higher educational institutions or universities to promote research and training would also be wel-

MoU to increase US participation in India infra NEW DELHI: India and the US President had committed to facilihave signed an MoU to set up an tating actions necessary to ininfrastructure collaboration plat- crease Indo-US trade by another form for increasing participation five-fold. of American firms in the country, The Department of Economic as the two countries aim to in- Affairs and the US Department of crease their trade five-fold.

Commerce signed the MoU here, The Memorandum of Under- the ministry said. standing (MoU), signed here, esRepresentatives of ministries tablishes a US-India Infrastruc- such as Urban Development, ture Collaboration Platform, the Commerce and Industry, RailFinance Ministry said in a state- ways, Road Transport and Highment. ways, Micro Small and Medium The pact has been signed in a Enterprises, Power, New & Refollow-up to the joint statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi As per the MoU, ‘both the and US President governments intend to coorBarack Obama in Sep- dinate and cooperate with tember this year, the the goal of facilitating US statement said.

As per the MoU, industry participation in "both the governments Indian infrastructure projects’ intend to coordinate and cooperate with the goal of facilitating US industry newable Energy, Information and participation in Indian infrastruc- Broadcasting and Communicature projects to improve the bilat- tions & Information Technology eral commercial relationship and were present during the signing benefit both the participants' of the MoU. economies," Finance Ministry Representatives from Water said.

Resources, River Development The two-way trade between and Ganga Rejuvenation DepartIndia and the US has increased ments were also present during five-fold since 2001 to about USD the meeting, along with those 100 billion. from the Ministry of External AfIn September, Modi and the US fairs were also present. -PTI

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come.

Later, SGPC officials honored the dignitaries with a replica of Golden Temple, woolen shawls and a set of Sikh religious books.

The Governor of South Carolina also paid tribute to the martyrs at Jallianwala Bagh.

Parents of Nikki Haley, Ajit Singh Randhawa and Raj Kaur Randhawa had migrated to US from Amritsar district in Punjab and she was born on January 20, 1972, in Bamberg, South Carolina.

Leading an 18-member delegation, Haley is on a 10-day trip to India to attract Indian investments in her state.-PTI Indian-American Governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley with her Husband Michael Haley at the Golden Temple in Amritsar

Desi News Helping hands reach out for health insurance BEGUM NANZNIN

CHICAGO: Prominent community and business leaders from Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood and Devon Avenue corridor gathered together on November 15 to work together and help the local residents to get health insurance through the second round of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Held at Metropolitan Asian Family Services (MAFS), the event was jointly organized by the Asian Health Coalition along with MAFS, Compassionate Care Network, and Hamdard Health and Human Services.

"Open enrollment for health insurance starts from Nov-15 to Feb15 and our organizations are working closely with Get Covered Illinois to make sure we are able to pool our resources to maximize our reach to the South Asian and Muslim communities on the north side," said Anjana Paintal, Project Director at the Asian Health Coalition.

"Our team of six trained and certified bilingual navigators are available to offer free and unbiased assistance to the residents to help them understand the benefits of health insurance, the available health plan options, and how they can enroll in the Marketplace or Medicaid," she added.

COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA

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Sri Lankan filmmaker receives Tasveer Award Details on page 24

November 21, 2014

Many Indian Americans & Muslims in Illinois deserted Quinn HARISH RAO

CHICAGO: The $100 million race for Illinois Governor won by a relatively unknown Republican entity Bruce Rauner defeating incumbent Democratic contender

Pat Quinn had some surprises and a few lessons.

Illinois is a traditionally Democratic State and Pat Quinn had marshaled the support of two US Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton besides First ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton, and yet he lost to a relative newcomer Bruce Raunder

The other surprise was that Bruce Rauner could muster the support of trainload Democrat votes in Indian and Pakistani community. The Indian American Republican Organization headed by Nimesh Jani was a recently set up entity while the United Muslims Moving Ahead (UMMA) headed by Moeen Khan decided to support Bruce

Rauner as many in the community felt that it is time or a change.

The cleavage among Indian supporters and unqualified support from many a Muslim voter was considered disturbing by the Quinn campaign staff but it indicated that the support from traditional backers should not be taken for granted.

Cont’d on page 19

Cont’d on page 21

Safety best ingredient during Thanksgiving India Post News Service

ROSEMEAD, CA: While overeating and Thanksgiving are virtually synonymous, cooking accidents and Turkey Day, unfortunately, go hand in hand, too.

Because of the latter, Southern California Edison (SCE) has urged its customers to add a healthy dose of safety to their preparations this Thanksgiving, since the National Fire Protection Association says cooking is the leading cause of home fires on a day that has three times more home fires than any other day of the year.

Unattended cooking is the culprit in most of those fires, said the U.S. Fire Administration.

Cont’d on page 25

Dr Naram charms Germany with Ayurvedic secrets Details on page 19

Nimesh Jani with Governor Bruce Rauner

A group of Indian supporters of Bruce Rauner during an election meet

IAMA Annual salutes past presidents with medals RAMESH SOPRAWALA & ASIAN MEDIA USA

CHICAGO: Culmination of a few firsts that legitimately Dr Hemlata Bakane, President of Indian American Medical Association (IAMA) can lay claim to was the grand celebration of its 34th annual day at Meadows Club last week that was attended by a record number of members and guests - 400 plus - reflecting her successful reign.

Her thrust when she took over as IAMA president was to get more and more second generation Indian doctors involved in the affairs of the organization and she can

claim a measure of success. "Close to 50 young medical profressionls rendered their services during our

ceed our annual meet. We have to keep trying hard as IAMA can only progress if more and more

Dr Bakane said that she tried to broaden the base of her organization by enlisting more members

Salute to past presidents by Congressman Danny K Davis. They all have congressional medals

health fair this year. Capping that two young members - Rachna Rawal & Radhika Chimata - em-

young Indian origin doctors get active in its affairs," she told this newspaper.

to its fold and surely made some headway.

Cont’d on page 18

November 21, 2014

Community Across America

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Goa promoted as tourist paradise in India RAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service

CHICAGO: A meet and greet road show and a video presentation organized by Goa Tourism Development Corporation teaming up with Air India here seeking to boost

GOA, the world's first ambigram tourist logo

Goa as a tourists paradise met with a measure of success despite the absence of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Parrikar had to fly back to New Delhi on his getting a berth as Defense Minister in Federal ministry headed by Narendra Modi.

The vacuum was filled in nicely by Air India forests, lakes, sanctuaries and surrounding Chief Nakul Chand along with Sanjay Shetye mountains was enchanting and this coupled representing GTDC and Iftekhar Shareef, FIA with its celebrations of major Indian festiTrustee Chair deputizing for Parrikar. The show at Ritz Carlton hotel in Chicago Downtown was spiced with briefs from Vandana Walia and Seema Arora of Vchilli and classicalBollywood dances by local artists.

A 10-minute video highlighting various sporting, shopping, cultural and leisure Air India's new Midwest Bureau Chief Nakul Chand (podium) draws a lot in the raffle for a return air-ticket to Goa. Vchilli's Vandana Walia activities that Goa is on the right and Seema Arora, left offers was well appreciated by the local travel magnates, invitees and members of vals, its diverse religious institutions, handiethnic Indian media. Goa with its beaches, crafts, cuisine and nightlife made it an irresistible tourist spot.

Raffle winner Mafat Patel with Nakul Chand ,Iftekhar Shareef and Sanjya Shetye

Artists presenting dances to the delight of gathering

A conscious effort was made to promote Medical tourism capping with its special attraction of the casinos in the only Indian state that has legalized gambling. Architectural landmarks, especially fortifications, and archeological sites were shown.

Though Goa happens to be the smallest Indian state, its diversity as "a veritable anthology of people" was beautifully brought out by Seema Arora in her speech. She pointed out that 15 of India's 25 best beaches are in Goa. The Konkani word "kenna" has inspired its Rio-inspired carnival "Kenna Rio, and its kenna Goa!" brewed from cashews or coconut, the local drink Feni can be had only in Goa. The spicing up came when Komal Shah presented a Kathak-based Sufi dance. Joining her Ruchi Shah and Akanksha Mishra came up with an eye catching performance that blended Bollywood with various Indian and Western dance styles.

Cont’d on page 19

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IAMA Annual salutes past presidents with medals Cont’d from page 16

"But more needs to be done as there are close to 3000 physiciains of Indian origin here and IAMA strength is only 600. The incoming president Dr Kamal Patel is aware of this and the 2015 team will launch an aggressive membership drive among the young physicians, medical residents and medical students to join IAMA. Each One Enroll One will be the membership drive slogan." she said Another singular achievement - and the first - that she had was to recognize past presidents for their singular services to this august body. Twenty two past Presidents were given Medals during the an-

The 2014 Executive committee

that the year was an exciting and action packed one. It had organized an art workshop, summer musical, and a walkathon. It conducted three health fairs, a record number of community health

latest singing sensation, Hadiya Nelson while Indian National Anthem was rendered by Chicago's Hemant Kumar, Dr Tapas Dasgupta and Ms Kathakali Dasgupta. There were

Another highlight was the presentation of IAMA Awards. Dr Bharat Barai, an honored guest, introduced the concept behind the award and briefly introduced the recipients. Dr Pratap Kumar, a

IAMA speakers L to R IAMA president Dr Bakane, Congressman Danny Davis, Dr Antman, AHA President, Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, AAPI president

nual day celebrations by US Congressman Danny Davis. "This was the way we would salute them and commend their contributions," she said.

In her Presidential speech she touched upon the current healthcare challenges and exhorted IAMA members and galaxy of leaders present to work together and face the current healthcare challenges with equanimity. "Rely upon the guidance of our past presidents to build a vibrant, responsive organization.

One of my priorities would be to set up a task force to face the Ebola crisis which will be especially challenging for India."

"I personally request AAPI President Dr Ravi Jahagirdar to prioritize the Ebola crisis in the ensuing AAPI Global Health Summit, he is organizing in Mumbai, India from 2nd to 5th January 2015," she said IAMA had its usual run of activities during Dr Bakane's stewardship. The IAMA in Action 2014 Video Presentation indicated

awareness seminars, and 15 educational meetings in 10 months.

The IAMA 2014 CME trip was to Panama and Guatemala and the IAMA CF Semiannual meeting was held in May.

different booths and all those coming to the program had a good time going from one to the other.

Business meeting was conducted by Dr Samir Shah. The

Cardiology chair for 34 years at the Jackson Park Hospital in Chicago was given the Lifetime Achievement Award. Among his many contributions to society at large was his single handed ef-

Runners for IAMA Walkathon with many doctors participating

The event started with cocktail reception. Master of Ceremonies were Rachna Rawal and Radhika Chimata - both medical students. American National Anthem was recited by Hollywood's

Keynote Address was given by Dr Elliott Antman who had specially flown in from Boston.

IAMA President Dr Hemlata Bakane presented an appreciation plaque to him.

fort to create awareness about deadly AIDS/ HIV virus in India.

Princess Diana was so impressed with Dr Kumar's efforts that she wanted to help him out attending his program but her untimely

death prevented that.

Dr. Peter A Noronha was given the Distinguished Physician Award. The President's Appreciation Award was given to Dr. Vemuri Murthy while Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, AAPl President, was recognized with Golden Stethoscope Award. The recipients of First Prize were Bhagya Puppala, Second Prize Christopher Nyugen and Third Prize Shikha Jain.

Dr. Hemlata Bakane passed the gavel to Incoming President Dr. Kamal Patel. While doing so she expressed her appreciation to those who helped her throughout the year. "It is with great pride that we record that Dr. Ashok Ray has signed an endowment of donating $10,000 annually to the IAMA CF for rest of his life. Sir, we applaud you for your generous contribution for our flagship project, IAMA- CF Free clinic.

May your tribe increase," she said Dr Samir Shaw introduced singing sensation Shoba Joshi and Dr Sukanya Reddy honored her with a traditional shawl. "This was one of the finest musical programs we have ever attended The whole evening was very tastefully done and was incredibly enjoyable, ". remarked many in the audience.

Vote of Thanks was performed

by Dr Tapas Dasgupta. He thanked all including exhibitors/ booth sponsors, the advertisers in the souvenir, Air India and all patrons who bought tables and raffle tickets. Dinner was served prior to entertainment program.

Dr. Narendra Garg drew the Air India Raffle.

2014 Executive committee: Hemlata Bakane MD (President), Samir Shah MD (Secretary), Sukanya Reddy MD(Treasurer) Cont’d on page 20

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India Post 19

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Dr Naram charms Germany with Ayurvedic secrets India Post News Service

BERLIN: Dr Pankaj Naram, a noted Indian Ayurvedic physician and a front tanking pulse reader, has charmed members of medical fraternity in Germany. It was his second workshop with German MDs who desired learning the use of ancient Indian

Dr Naram with Eric

secrets for treating chronic diseases and meet the health challenges afresh.

Earlier, in a German hospital Dr Naram brought a well-known man in the area out of a coma that he had been in with a stroke for one week. More interesting was the case of one Eric, a lawyer who had a car accident 10 years ago. The accident paralyzed him from waist down. His whole life had changed, as mobility decreased and depression set in. " I was with him when he first met Dr Naram in Frankfurt almost two years ago.

He looked skeptical and doubtful anything would help," says Clint Rogers (Ph.d) who many a time accompanies Dr Naram during visits to USA and Canada "Eric reluctantly started taking the herbs, and the first very good thing that happened was that his urinary tract infections stopped.

That alone made him happy, but then something else totally remarkable happened," Said Dr Clint.

"Just a few days ago, Dr Naram did another 'marma' session on him and we were all shocked. His legs started to move for the first time in 10 years! So much so that he was able to start to put a little weight on his legs, and the very beginning of moving

Goa promoted as tourist paradise in India

A section of the audience Cont’d from page 17

Air India presentation was inducing in that it showed how only one international airliner can boast of a direct flight to Goa via Delhi. It announced several return tickets to Goa for a well conducted raffle. Mafat

Patel of Air Tours that all the time bags Top Achiever Air India award, proved that it is not only his pluck but also his luck that makes him a winner. He was presented with a roundtrip ticket to Goa. Attendees received a bag from GTDC containing its tourism video and other Goan trinkets.

Many Indian Americans & Muslims in Illinois deserted Quinn Cont’d from page 16

The margin of victory for Bruce Rauner was not that high - four to five percent - and that underlines importance of each and every vote. There are over 300,000 of Indian descent living in Illinois. The Muslims from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other areas could be 500,000. This has become an important group that cannot be ignored, says Madhu Patel, president of NRI Press Club.

Political analysts say that this was a clear indication of the frustration felt by Illinois residents who were highly upset at the handling of the State affairs, especially

economy, by the Quinn government. Huge budget deficit triggered by pension liability, a hike in Income tax, and highly unfriendly business environment drove businesses from Illinois to other States mainly Indiana.

It made voters think twice about the competence of Quinn to address the situation, pointed out Nimesh Jani of IARO. It was also a message to the top brass of Illinois politicians, mainly Mike Madign, whose heavy controlling of Illinois House and John Cullerton, the Senate Majority leader, who many feel impeded smooth functioning of the government. The people wanted a change and they secured it.

them on command," added Dr Clint Even Eric himself could not believe it. He wanted to see the video we had taken, and when he saw it; it was indeed himself moving his legs, and not anyone else. He was so taken aback he was in tears, observed Clint.

Clint Rogers with Eric

Dr Naram with Eric family members

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Seniors celebrate Diwali in grand style JAYANTI OJHA

CHICAGO: Bharatiya Senior Citizens of Chicago hosted a splendid Diwali Dinner Celebration with BSC members, guests and Chicago community leaders on Saturday, November 9 at India House Banquet, Schaumburg.

The evening was full of exciting short speeches, live entertainment, spectacular cocktail reception, dazzling decoration, Indian food, cultural programs and vibrant dances. Over 900 members and guests attended the event who were greeted with Diwali messages from a large number Illinois politicians and Governor Bruce Raune.

Rakshika Anjaria, BSC Secretary Emceed the event gracefully and to the delight of all present.

The event started around early evening hours with a spectacular cocktail reception, lasting for almost an hour and half. BSC families and friends greeted each other with warmth enjoying mouth watering Indian appetizers.

Right after that there was Ganesh Vandana followed by traditional lamp lighting ceremony.

The Diyas were lighted by respected community leaders Mafatbhai Patel, Naren Patel, Shali Kumar, Dr. Bharat Barai, Dr. Umang Patel, Jasbir Suga & Gordhan Patel who were greeted with a thumping applause from the audience.

The welcome speech was given

by BSC president Haribhai Patel, who wished everybody Happy Diwali and New Year. There were speeches from the guests and this was followed by the cultural program, Bollywood performances by second generation Indian artists.

The night was full of entertainment. Biggest attraction of the night was dance tribute to Michael Jackson by signature group London featuring Suleman

Haribhai Patel, President of Bharatiya Senior Citizens of Chicago, along with Chief Guest Mafatbhai Patel, Shali Kumar, Gordhabhai Patel, Dr. Umangbhai Patel, Dr. Bharatbhai Barai, performing lamp- lighting ceremony

Mirza and Madhu Singh.

Srujan Dance Academy students performed Raas which was

The Dinner break was announced for a very lavish Indian food and was followed by Live

A section of the audience

choreographed by Swati Shah.

Taal Masti Group (Radha Modi) of Chicago arranged Bollywood dance from Ada group. Aradhya Dance Academy students performed Rajasthani folk dance with choreography by Shetal Parikh.

entertainment by Melody Makers of Manpasand Inc. The dance floor was open.

At the conclusion of the event Bhagwanjibhai Patel won round trip ticket of Air India and Manjuben Hirpara won round trip

ticket of Etihad Airlines presented

by Air Tours. With support of Air Tours, Masti Cruise, Manpasand

and BSC complete Indian cruise was announced with Bollywood entertainment in 2015 August.

IAMA Annual salutes past presidents with medals

IAMA health fair conducted by great number of young medical professionals Cont’d from page 18

Gujarati Garba Raas at BSC event

The newly elect Executive committee for 2015 comprises Kamal Patel MD (President), Tapas Dasgupta MD (Secretary elect), Sreenivas Reddy MD (Treasurer).

Dignitaries present were: Congressman Danny K Davis, President of American Heart Association, Dr Elliott Antman, AAPI

President Dr Ravi Jahagirdar, ISMS President-elect Dr Scot Cooper, Chicago Medical society president elect Dr Kathy Tyneus, Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykins, Cook County Commissioner Timothy Snyder, Mayors of Oakbrook & Burridge, the Hospital CEOs from Jackson Park Hospital, St Anthony's Hospital, Norwegian American Hospital & Alexian Brothers.

November 21, 2014

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Nandita Das in Chicago for screening of 'Between the Lines' SURENDRA ULLAL

band (Subodh Maskara) and wife (Nandita Das) who are both lawyers who have been married for ten years. They end up arguing on opposite sides of a criminal trial, resulting in the blurring of their personal and professional lives. The battle in the court starts to impact their relationship at home, and they struggle to find a new balance. The filmed version, or "CinePlay," of Between the Lines is directed by Ritesh Menon.

"IDS has a long history of bring new and unique genre of events to Chicago that has social relevance that goes beyond pure entertainment. We are privileged to be associ-

CHICAGO: Nandita Das, acclaimed actress of Indian cinema and human rights activist, will appear in person at Yellow Box, Naperville and Facets Cinema, Chicago for a screening of Between the Lines (2014, 79 mins.), a cinematic adaptation of the 2012 play.

The screening, sponsored by India Development Service (IDS) is on Saturday, November 22 at 4:30 p.m. and Sunday November 23 at 3 pm. It will be followed by a Q&A with Das, who directed the original play, and Subodh who founded CinePlay.

K. Sujata, President and CEO of Chicago Foundation for Women, will be moderating the Q/A session.

Set in contemporary India where educated and affluent couples are caught between modernity and tradition, the CinePlay explores the relationship between a hus-

Helping hands reach out for health insurance Cont’d from page 16

Community leaders and business owners also provided feedback and input on ways to reach the local residents to educate them about the ACA and help them in the enrollment process. Speakers included Edwin Chandrasekar from the Asian Health Coalition, Patrick Corcoran from Get Covered Illinois and Abrar Quader from CCN, who addressed topics about the need for health coverage, the essential health benefits covered by health plans under the ACA, and ways to sign up and enroll for health coverage.

Sohan Joshi, a community activist heading NFIA, thanked the joint organizers for this noble cause of helping community through ACA, and offered his services and facility to ACA team. These encouraging remarks were also echoed by Rajput and he pledged his commitment to working closely with the organizers, through Medicaid. Attendees enjoyed hot lunch at MAFS facility which was prepared MAFS kitchen staff.

ated with screening of this CinePlay that examines the fundamental nature of human relationship that often gets challenged in unbeknownst ways", said Nilesh Kothari, IDS Board member.

Nandita Das has acted in more than 40 feature films (including Earth, Fire, Before the Rains) in ten different languages. She made her directorial debut with Firaaq in 2008 and Between the Lines marks her debut as a playwright and theater director. She is a major advocate for issues of social justice and human rights. In 2011, Nandita Das was the first Indian to be inducted into the Hall

of Fame of the International Women's Forum. Currently she is at Yale as a World Fellow.

Between the Lines is produced by Chhoti Productions, a boutique production house that tells compelling stories through diverse mediums. CinePlay is a new form that cinematically captures a theater production. It creates a new viewing experience for audiences and expands the reach of stories contained in theatre, by overcoming the constraints of economics, geography, language, and accessibility. Moreover, it archives classic and contemporary plays for posterity.

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GOPIO International Chicago Chapter launched HINA TRIVEDI

CHICAGO: A two and half decade old ethnic Indian body with chapters across the globe, Global Organization of People of Indian Origin, had its launch in Chicago last week at the hands of Indian Consul General Dr. Ausuf Sayeed.

The event held on Friday November 7 at North shore Banquet Hall on Devon Avenue was presided over by GOPIO Executive Vice-President Sunny Kulathakal and it was well attended by members of Indian community across Chicagoland.

The Chapter unanimously elected Gladson Varghese as the President of Chicago Chapter.

Gladson Varghese is the Divisional Director of Westinghouse Corporation, President & CEO of U.S. Techtronics and is currently working as Illinois Structural Engineering Board Commission.

The meet also elected prominent Businessman Hemant Trivedi as the Vice President, Punjab Association President and Businessman Savinder Singh as Secretary, Wintrust Bank Vice President Syed Hussaini as Treasurer, Agileeye Corporation CEO Vikrant Singh as Joint Secretary, and Businessman Joe Nedumgottil as Jt. Treasurer.

Four Board of Directors elected are Dr Bapu Arekapudi, former President of Indo American Democratic Organization (IADO), Ram Saini , president of Rajasthani Association Ram Saini, Kedar Navakal, president of Maharastra Association and Harish Kolasani., the FIA Joint Secretary Sunny Kulathakal explained the vision, mission, activities and accomplishments of GOPIO and

Standing from left: Sayed Hussaini, Sohan Joshi, Hemant Trivedi, Sunny Kulathakal, Consul General Dr Ausuf Sayeed, Gladson Varghese, Savinder Singh, Vikrant Singh, Dr.Bapu Arkapudi, Joe Nedumgottil, Radha Krishnan

Members of GOPIO Chicago

invited everybody to the GOPIO International Convention in January 2015 in New Delhi. Newly

elected President Gladson Varghese welcomed everybody and explained his Vision and

things GOPIO Chapter is planning to do in the future.

Consul General Dr Ausuf

Sayeed in his address talked about the role GOPIO can play for the Indian community and requested Chicago Chapter to partner with Chicago Consulate and present a resolution on the issues facing Indian community. The GOPIO views, he assured, would be conveyed to the Indian government and the Prime Minister.

Prominent community leaders NFIA President Sohan Joshi, Former Illinois Deputy Treasurer Raja Krishnamurthy, IADO President Dr Ashish Sen, GOPIO life member from Detroit Radha Krishnan also addressed the gathering and offered their good wishes to the GOPIO Chicago Chapter. The well attended meeting concluded with dinner.

Vijaywada college alumni donate to rebuild Vizag BABU TANGEWALA

Presenting a check for $55000 for Rebuilding Vizag

DALLAS, TX: The Siddharth Medical College Vijayawada Alumni living in USA joined hands and raised $55,000 to support the efforts of Andhra Pradesh government to rebuild Vizag city and its surrounding regions devastated by monstrous cyclone, Hudhud.

In an event organized on Sun-

day, November 16 in Dallas, the SMC alumni representatives Dr. Satish Kumar Potluri, Dr. Arun Mitra Kandra, Dr. Hima Mikkilineni, Dr.Vamsi Korrapati, Dr. Suman Ravuri, Dr. Vinaya Vennam, Dr. Sudhamayi Molakalapalli handed over the amount to TANA Southwest Rep-

SMC, the Group that raised fund

resentative Dr. Rajesh Adusumilli.

Dr. Rajesh Adusumilli appreciated the efforts of SMC alumni in USA for raising the amount and for choosing TANA as the supporting organization for their fundraising efforts. He assured that this amount will be appropriately disbursed to the Chief

Minister's Cyclone Relief Fund.

Alumni representative Dr. Satish Potluri thanked TANA for their support and reiterated that they will continue to support and participate in the worthy social causes of TANA in future.

Speaking on the occasion TANA President Mohan

Nannapaneni reminded of the long time relationship between Siddhartha Institutions and TANA. He thanked all the Alumni members for the trust they had in TANA, Past Presidents of TANA Dr. Navaneethakrishna Gorrepati, Cont’d on page 25

November 21, 2014

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Indo -American Press Club inaugurated in NJ India Post News Service

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey: The Indo-American Press Club (IAPC) was officially inaugurated at the Homewood Suites of Hilton, East Rutherford, New Jersey on Saturday, November 15 with the lighting of the traditional lamp by Suneel Hali, Founder and Publisher of Cinemaya Media, Inc., Lalit K. Jha, Chief US Correspondent of Press Trust of India (PTI), sponsors, community and corporate leaders and the members of the IAPC Executive Committee, National Directors, and the Board of Trustees.

Attended by nearly 200 media persons, corporate and community leaders and sponsors, the elegantly organized event marked the historic beginning of the IndoAmerican Press Club, that has been formed with the objective of being the voice of those who are working in the media world and strive to be the conscience of the larger society.

In his inspiring inaugural address, Suneel Hali emphasized the key role being played by the media, which drew him to give up his well-paying corporate job by listening to his inner voice and start Cinemaya Media, which encompasses visual, print, audio, and electronic media.

"Journalists are extraordinary people dedicating their lives to an extraordinary mission to serve the humanity, and to be the conscience of the society," Hali reminded the audience.

Stressing the importance of the media and the role the Indo-American Press Club is expected to play, Lalit Jha, in his keynote address said, "We are the watchdog of the

Inauguration

nity - there is no doubt about it.

But who can be our voice - help us when we are in need, ensure that we maintain the highest standard of journalist, but also make sure the basic rights and dignity of Indian American journalists are

maintained and act as a mentor to upcoming and new journalists. It is here, I think, the formation of Indo American Press Club could play an important role."

In his presidential address, Ajay Ghosh, President of the IndoAmerican Press Club, described the reasons and objectives for forming IAPC. "After many

bonds and cooperation among an extensive network of journalists across the nation."

Ghosh lauded the coming together of IAPC members, who are "very rich with talents, skills, and experiences in the vast media world and are committed to giving back to the society. The formation of IAPC is an expression of their commitment to enhancing the working conditions for journalists, exchanging of ideas, offering educational opportunities to our members and to aspiring journalists around the globe."

Reflecting on the many individuals behind and the process of forming IAPC, Ginsmon Zacharia, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, said in his address, that the Indo-American Press Club has been formed with the objective of enhancing the standard and working conditions for journalists, while striving to work towards greater co-operation among journalists working across the nation, and thus be the voice of the community of journalists.

"While striving to have greater coordination and networking

IAPC members with Daryl Hawk

society. Whenever there is an issue - we are the first one to report about it - be it a visa issue, or some road accident, or innovation or matter of pride of our society. Yes, we are the voice for the commu-

months of planning and strategizing, IAPC was formed with the lofty ideal of providing a common platform to journalists of Indian origin living in the United States, while fostering closer

among journalists, our motto is to "be the voice of the community of Indian American journalists," he said.

In his address, Fr Johnson Punchakonam, Executive Vice

Delegates

President of IAPC alluded to reasons for the formation of IAPC. "By coming under the umbrella of The Indo-American Press Club and standing united, we are committed to offer a common platform, raising our voice together in our efforts to shape the world that is fair, just and equitable for the all today and for the future generations."

In her welcome address,

Vineetha Nair, Executive Secretary of IAPC, who has been coordinating the weekly teleconferences leading up the inaugural event, said, "The Indo American Press Club is a forum by and for media professionals and freelancers, working, or associating with print, broadcast and online media outlets in North America.

Cont’d on page 25

FIA to hold Annual Elections on Dec 7 SURENDRA ULLAL

CHICAGO: The Federation of the FIA extends invitation to all Indian Associations [FIA] Chi- the community organizations and cago has announced holding its welcomes them to be an integral Annual Elections for 2015-16 dur- part of this premier organization ing its General Body Meeting on of 30 years..

Sunday, December 7 at 11:30 am at Punjabi Dhaba Banquet Hall on Devon Ave in Chicago.

FIA at its recent board meeting unanimously chose three trustees to serve on the Election Committee. They are Ajai Agnihotri as Chairman with Babu Patel and Sitaram Patel as Co-Chairs. They will hold the Annual Elections Trustee Chair Iftekhar Shareef and Keerthi Ravoori, FIA President with strict adherence to the established by-laws, norms and policies Trustee Chair Iftekhar Shareef of the Federation. is appealing all Indian-American At this General Body meeting, Associations to become active FIA plans to float new programs members and work unitedly for for 2015 and the start will be with a the better of the community at Grand India Republic Day Banquet large. He pointed out that indion Sunday January 25, 2015 at the vidually also one can become a Meadows Club in Rolling Mead- member but without voting rights. ows, IL. FIA plans to uploaded memberFIA President Keerthi Kumar ship forms on its website: Ravoori in a statement said that www.fiaofchicago.com.

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Sri Lankan filmmaker receives Tasveer Award India Post News Service

SEATTLE, WA: The 9th annual Seattle South Asian Film Festival closed Sunday evening with a screening of With You, Without You, the latest award-winning film from Sri Lanka's pre-eminent filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage.

Vithanage was also honored for his contribution to Sri Lankan cinema during the Festival's Closing Night Reception, receiving the

Tasveer Emerald Award. This occasional award is bestowed upon exceptional prolific and influential filmmakers and was first given in 2011 to the prolific and accomplished actress Deepti Naval for her contribution to Indian cinema.

"I am proud to receive the Tasveer Emerald Award, and impressed with the richness and variety of films and filmmakers that Tasveer brings to Seattle," says Vithanage, who was unable to at-

tend the Festival due to last-minute scheduling conflicts. "Through their organization, many important conversations are being brought to this community."

This year's Festival welcomed eighteen visiting filmmakers - more than any SSAFF in history. Along with 27 screenings, two educational panels, co-presented with Washington Filmworks and The Film School, brought the public together with attending filmmak-

ers from a variety of countries and Stories that dare . . . ," according backgrounds to discuss the state to a jury statement. of international filmmaking today.

The SSAFF 2014 Audience "Throughout the Festival, au- Awards in three categories were diences were enthusiastic and full also announced at the Closing of bold questions, actively partici- Night Reception. Taking home pating in rich discussions with filmmakers from all over the world. We are so inspired by the support the Festival has received from the local film community, audiences, filmmakers, Washington Filmworks, and The Film School," says Festival executive director Rita Meher.

A special award for Outstanding Film in a Social Category was awarded during the Festival to SSAFF 2014 selection Fandry by the Seattle chapter of Pratham, the Prasanna Vithanage largest education nonprofit in India. Pratham is dedicated to improving the qual- the honor for Best Narrative is ity of education in India, ensuring the Bengali mystery-drama access to all people regardless of Teenkahon ("Three Obsescaste - a subject eloquently ad- sions") from director dressed in the beautiful and gentle Bauddhayan Mukherji.

Fandry through the story of a Says Mukherji, "SSAFF has young lower-caste man in a small been a dream. The ovation folvillage. lowing our film was humbling, "My time at SSAFF felt like an the Q&A exhilarating, and the extended family, and that was truly praises heaped on Teenkahon heartwarming," says Fandry pro- unexpected. A big thank you to ducer Vivek Kajaria. "The Seattle the outstanding efforts of the film market is vibrant and inquisi- SSAFF team. I have won a covtive - true players in the film scene. eted award, but in a way I won I'm honored to be recognized for much more: lovely friends, a newthis important story on caste dis- found love for a new city, tremencrimination; it shows that the Fes- dous respect for a learned and a tival and Pratham really have their wonderful movie-going audiheart and values in the right place." ence, memories to last a lifetime, For the first time in 2014, a and - above all - recognition of SSAFF Jury Award was given. The jury, staffed with local film scholars, I have won a coveted critics, and writers, was award, but in a way I won commissioned to select the film with the best much more: lovely friends, storytelling and stron- a new-found love for a new gest alignment with the mission of Tasveer. In- city, tremendous respect dian director Kanu for the audience Behl's feature-length debut TITLI (2014) was their selection, and so the SSAFF the people for an independently 2014 Jury Award will join the other produced film. What more can a accolades of this vibrant drama. debutant filmmaker ask for?"

Says Behl, "It's amazing to be The beautiful and surprising given this honor. I had such a Jaya from director Puja Maewal wonderful and fulfilling time at is the audience's choice for Best the Festival - attending screen- Short Film. Director Maewal was ings and participating on the in attendance at her screening educational panels - and hope and is currently developing Jaya the city welcomes me back next into a feature-length film. time, with as warm a hug as this For Best Documentary, one!"

SSAFF audiences chose Are You "TITLI not only embodies Listening! by director Kamar Tasveer's mission to engage and Ahmad Simon, which follows the empower the community through struggles of a coastal thought-provoking art and con- Bangladeshi community as they versation; it also clearly demon- strive to recover following the strates SSAFF 2014's theme of deadly cyclone of May 2009.

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2000 attend Nobel laureate's lecture Indo -American Press Club at CAIR banquet inaugurated in NJ India Post News Service

ANAHEIM, CA: Nearly 2,000 people turned out on Nov 15 at the Anaheim Hilton to hear Nobel laureate Tawakkol Karman speak at the 18th annual banquet of the Greater Los Angeles office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA). During the event, supporters donated some $390,000 in support of CAIR-LA's civil rights and advocacy work.

With the theme, "Rooted in Faith, Growing Through Service," this year's banquet featured groundbreaking figures whose acts of service reflect their commitment to their faith's values of peace, justice and freedom for all.

A human rights activist, politician, and journalist of Yemeni decent, Karman was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. Making her visit to the United States to speak at CAIR-LA's banquet, she accepted the civil rights organization's "Champion of Freedom" award for her commitment to human rights, freedom of the press and women's empowerment.

Karman delivered an earnest keynote address in which she underscored the value of CAIR's work in empowering the American Muslim community to actively contribute to positive social change for America and for all people.

In her speech, Karman said: "In making America better, all of you have to rise, because everyone around the world needs America to be better. We need an America that is based on principles and value - based on freedom, on human rights, on acceptance, coexistence, love for each other, and peace. We need this America, because when America is away from its principles, all the world is away

from its principles. And now we sacrifice because American politics are far away from its principles and values. Now I'm speaking to all Americans, you should make America to practice its values and principles. We need you to regain America!"

She encouraged the audience to be aware of their civic duty and ability to contribute to the accurate image of Islam and Muslims,

‘We need an America that is based on principles and value - based on freedom, on human rights, on acceptance, co-existence, love for each other, and peace’ stating: "It is up to you to choose whether you are a key to the solution or the problem. So please, please, choose wisely."

Karman's speech received a standing ovation from the audience.

Attendees also heard from Michigan State Representative Rashida Tlaib, who was the first Muslim woman to serve in the Michigan Legislature and the second Muslim woman to be elected to any state legislature in the United States. Tlaib stressed the importance of conveying the teachings of Islam through Karman's speech received a standing ovation from the audience.

Attendees also heard from Michigan State Representative

Rashida Tlaib, who was the first Muslim woman to serve in the Michigan Legislature and the second Muslim woman to be elected to any state legislature in the United States. Tlaib stressed the importance of conveying the teachings of Islam through the acts of service. She shared her journey of running for public office and the challenges she faced belonging to a faith that was widely misunderstood. She shared how being rooted in the teachings of Islam drives her to contribute to civic life for the betterment of her constituents.

Tlaib was presented with an award of appreciation by Betty Yee, a member of the California State Board of Equalization and CA State Controller Elect.

CAIR-LA Executive Director, Hussam Ayloush thanked the community for their continued support and shared CAIR's vision and strategy to help advance the American Muslim's state of affairs.

"CAIR is developing our community's infrastructure of leadership. CAIR is empowering and training Muslims to launch campaigns for justice, run for office, stand for their rights, build coalitions, and challenge anti-Muslim bigotry and misinformation. CAIR is developing an American Muslim identity that is proudly and confidently rooted in faith, and that is free of guilt, fear, and a false sense of powerlessness. I hope that we can continue to count on you to be with us on this journey as we strive and work towards these goals," said Ayloush.

Banquet attendees watched a short video summarizing CAIRLA's programs and events to help empower and equip American Muslim youth to be future leaders.

Safety best ingredient during Thanksgiving Cont’d from page 16

"It's easy to get distracted while cooking and entertaining family and friends on Thanksgiving Day," said Don Neal, SCE director of Corporate Environmental, Health and Safety. "But you should never leave cooking equipment or appliances unattended for any reason. It is imperative that you turn them off or have someone else watch them if you leave the room. It only takes a few inattentive seconds to ruin your holiday."

About 2,000 fires occur each year in the U.S. on Thanksgiving Day, causing on average five fa-

talities, 15 injuries and $21 million in property damage, according to the fire administration.

Additionally, customers should ensure that appliances bear the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) mark. UL is the leading independent product safety organization, and they do not currently certify the use of turkey fryers.

SCE recommends some other safety tips for Thanksgiving: • Replace appliances with frayed cords. Contact with them can cause electric shock and serious injury.

• Plug countertop appliances into Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)-protected outlets.

• Locate all appliances away from the sink. Remember, water and electricity do not mix.

• Do not overload outlets with multiple adaptors or power strips.

• Do not use extension cords with major appliances.

• Never fight an electrical or grease fire with water. Keep a fire extinguisher, UL listed and rated for electrical and grease fires, nearby.

• Unplug appliances that aren't in use, preventing them from being turned on accidentally.

• Keep appliance cords out of reach of children and keep the floor clear of other cords to prevent falls.

Cont’d from page 23

Goswami, Vice President of Indus-America Bank, Chirag Shah, Director of Government Affairs, Senior Journalist Jose Thayyil, INOC National Chairman George Abraham, Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), Dr. Jose Kanattu, Madhavan B Nair, NAMAM President, Dias Damodaran, Freedia Entertainment, Dr. Gopinathan Nair, CEO of Santhigram Ayurveda, Joy Chemmachel, FOKANA and FOMAA Representatives, George Kutty, Roy Ennasseril, John Paul, and Felix Simon.

Others who had supported and sent in their best wishes to IAPC

We lacked an effective platform to associate and network, to share our success, our concerns, our challenges, a platform that would give us a unique sense of belonging and continuity. IAPC was formed out of this need."

Earlier, the day began with an introductory session led by Jilly Samuel, Vice President of IAPC. During the General Body Meeting, IAPC delegates charted out the path they wanted IAPC to take in the next one year. During the seminar that followed, Easo Jacob, a National Director of IAPC from Texas, enlightened the delegates, with his presentation of the numer‘We lacked an effective ous Risk Factors and Precautions Journalists platform to associate and need to be aware of while network, to share our succarrying out media related works by individu- cess, our concerns, our als and corporations in challenges, a platform that the media world.

During the hands on would give us a unique workshop on "The Art of sense of belonging and Photo Documentary" continuity’ Daryl Hawk, a world-renowned photo-journalist and author, discussed with an en- included, Dr. Seema Jain, Dr. thusiastic audience about his Sanjay Jain and Dr. Thomas style, philosophy, and various Alapatt of the American Associatechniques he uses as a profes- tion of Physicians of Indian Orisional when photographing sub- gin of New Jersey, FOKANA ject matter.

President John P John, as well as Equipment, lighting on loca- Kanchana and Jack Poola of Long tion, environmental portraits, and Island, New York. Andy Bhatia, a travel tips for photographers leading Public Relations Officer. were other aspects that were cov- After felicitations, IAPC picked ered. "This presentation was par- the lucky winner, Ajay Ghosh, ticularly valuable to all of us in who won a week-long stay, food the media world who wanted to and ayurvedic treatment, sponlearn the techniques and skills in sored by the Kairali Health Rephotography, Rajasree Pinto, Co- sort in New Delhi. ordinator of the Workshop on Suma Nair, a popular singer Photography, said. from the Garden State, entertained The emcees for the day, Mini the audience with her melodious Nair and Roshi George eloquently voice singing popular numbers in spelt out the importance and the both Hindi and Malayalam. The need for forming this dynamic vote of thanks was proposed by group of next generation of jour- Rajasree Pinto, the Treasurer of nalists. Prominent among those IAPC. The inaugural ceremony who felicitated IAPC and its lead- solemnly concluded with a sumpership included, Dinesh tuous dinner.

Vijaywada college alumni donate to rebuild Vizag Cont’d from page 23

Dr. Prasad Thotakura, TANA Board of Director Ram Yalamanchili, TANA Committee Chairs Murali Vennam, Chala Kondrakunta and Sreekanth Polavarapu congratulated Siddhartha Medical College

Alumni. TANA Foundation Treasurer Manjulatha Kanneganti, TANA Committee ChairsUma Yalamanchi, Samba Dodda, Vinod Uppu, Siva Vankayalapati, Sai Linga, Anil Arepalli, Paramesh Devineni, Lakshmikanth Gorrepati also attended and supported the event.

„

Realty Tidbits

S Dakota estate planner facing fraud charges RAPID CITY, S.D.: A real estate planner in South Dakota who for years told people how to manage their money has been charged with multiple counts of wire fraud and money laundering.

The Rapid City Journal reports 57-year-old Randall ``Randy'' McKee has pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of wire fraud and nine counts of money laundering.

Federal authorities say McKee set up a real estate development scheme that bilked investors out of about $625,000 between 2008 and 2009.

Authorities also accuse McKee of using his position as a trustee for a disabled man to take more than $80,000 from the client's trust account for his own use.

The Sioux Falls man is out on bond. He previously lived in Rapid City.-AP

„ Parsvnath Q2 net profit up slightly at Rs 12.65cr NEW DELHI: Realty firm Parsvnath Developers has reported marginal rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 12.65 crore for the second quarter of this fiscal.

Its net profit stood at Rs 12.51 crore in the year-ago period.

Total income from operations rose by 55 per cent to Rs 252.29 crore during July-September quarter of this fiscal from Rs 162.46 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year, Parsvnath said in a statement.

Despite significant rise in operational income, the company's net profit was almost flat as the expenditure rose sharply during the second quarter of this fiscal to Rs 190.92 crore from Rs 90.76 crore in the year-ago period.

Parsvnath is currently working on 49 projects covering 72.68 million sq ft.

"We are focusing on construction and moreover the input costs have also increased, therefore our bottom-line has not grown like the top-line," Parsvnath Developers Chairman Pradeep Jain told PTI. He said the company's debt has declined by about Rs 165 crore during this quarter.

Jain said the company is concentrating on leasing of its commercial project near Gole market and would soon start construction work at another commercial project in KG Marg, Delhi. -PTI

Real Estate 26 India Post

www.indiapost.com

November 21, 2014

Former Wells Fargo team launching residential funds

C

apitedge India Investment Advisory, a realty fund and asset management firm floated by six former members of Indian realty team of American banking giant Wells Fargo, is coming out with a residential properties-focused fund in India. This would mark its first fresh fundraising exercise after floating an independent investment advisory firm, which is also managing the remaining assets of Wells Fargo after it shut operations in the country last year. While the founding partners are closely associated in operations, Hiral Soni is driving the domestic fundraise and investment strategy, as per the company website.-Courtesy VC Circle

DDA puts off housing scheme draw after hiccups NEW DELHI: After facing lastminute technical hiccups, DDA has postponed the draw of lots for its flagship Housing Scheme 2014.

The decision comes in the wake of technical problem encountered by the housing body while holding the mock trial for the scheme at its headquarters 'Vikas Sadan' here. No new date has been announced.

The new scheme offers 25,034 flats - EWS, LIG, MIG, HIG, Janta flats and one-room apartments.

The 22,627 one-bed room apartments were a major draw for the people this year, and DDA has received over 10 lakh applications for it.

C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing), which had conducted the draw for DDA's last housing scheme in 2010, has been roped in this time again for the event.

"A mock trial of the draw of DDA Housing Scheme-2014 was held at Vikas Sadan in the presence of Hon'ble Judges and senior officers of DDA. "After the mock trial, C-DAC

officials observed that mock trial has taken long time to the tune of 8-9 hours because of large number of applicants, multiple category of flats (more than four), multiple preferences for locations (34 nos.) and multiple reservations (SC, ST, Persons with Disability, Ex-Servicemen and War Widow).

"So, the date has been postponed and will be announced soon. It is taking inordinately long time and the process needs more time for optimization of data and process," Delhi Development Authority said in a statement.

Some technical experts have been called to check the process

and give their opinion so that during the final draw there are no technical problems, DDA said.

Also, for the first time, the housing authority would be "webcasting live" the entire draw on the internet with a dedicated URL for the same.

"We have created a dedicated website (http:// www.ddadrawlive.in"www.ddadrawlive.in) for the draw, and instead of directly webcasting through a YouTube channel, we later decided to create a separate window for the event altogether, where online user can see the proceedings live," DDA's Director (Systems) VS Tomar had said.

Online users must visit this site directly as no link has been provided through the official DDA website, to preclude any chance of crashing of the home site.

The new scheme, which offers over 25,000 flats across various categories, ranging in price from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 1.2 crore, closed on October 15.

The housing scheme was launched on September 1-PTI

Norms relaxed on purchase, sale of leasehold properties NEW DELHI: In a major relief, the Delhi government has lifted restriction on sale of leasehold properties which will benefit lakhs of property owners and may trigger hike in real estate prices.

The Revenue department has asked all registrar offices to allow purchase and sale of leasehold properties.

Though, there were restrictions, transactions had been taking place through general power of attorney.

Officials said properties that have changed hands but were registered through power of attorney or sale agreement will be allowed for sale and purchase transactions.

The Revenue Department had forbidden purchase and

sale of leasehold properties in 2011.

"It is clarified to all Sub-Registrar that under Section 17 (1-A) of the Registration Act, the docu-

24.09.2001).

"An agreement to sell in respect of immovable property is covered under section 17 (1-A) of

The decision is likely to benefit lakhs of property owners in the national capital as they will be able to sell their properties. The government decision, experts said, may fuel hike in property prices. ments containing contract to transfer for consideration any immovable property is compulsorily registrable document if having been executed after the commencement of Registration (Amendment) Act 2001, (w.e.f.

the Registration Act and is a valid document to be registered if so desired by the parties and as such all these documents cannot be refused by Sub-Registrar," the circular said.

The decision is likely to benefit

lakhs of property owners in the national capital as they will be able to sell their properties.

The government decision, experts said, may fuel hike in property prices.

The property owners had been demanding relaxation in the norm for many years and now the decision will benefit areas such as Rohini, Vasant Kunj, Dwarka, Janakpuri.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) owns such leasehold properties and the restriction had been imposed after commercial activities were reported in some of the colonies owned by the agency.

DDA officials said the decision will help owners of leasehold properties in a major way. PTI

Real Estate Post

November 21, 2014

India Post 27

www.indiapost.com

Ahmedabad metro to push real estate market The approval for the Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project Phase-1 is expected to lift the real estate market of the city.

The metro phase 1 stretch covers two corridors - the NorthSouth corridor starting from APMC, Vasna to Motera Stadium followed by the East-West corridor starting from Thaltej Gam to Vastral Gam. If you are planning to buy a house in Ahmedabad, then localities near the upcoming Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar metro belt can be considered for good returns. "In almost all metropolitan cities across India, investing near the metro connectivity is considered ideal in terms of price appreciation and easy commute.

Rapidly developing Ahmedabad has one more reason for the facelift of its real estate sector," says Nikunj Jani, lead consultant, Capital realtors.

Connectivity directly affects a

buyer's decision of selecting a locality. The upcoming metro belt will pass through the main city of Ahmedabad to the hub of IT and electronics industry (Gandhinagar). It will decongest

"The prices of property near the metro stretch have already started witnessing a rise and in future are expected to go up further. However, at present, the rental market stays unaffected" adds Jani. The

some of the traffic marred areas of the city and will also ensure rapid connectivity to commuters.

Would the new metro lines affect property prices?

middle class is expected to invest in these areas as home buyers from this segment prefer to live in areas having good metro connectivity.

"The returns on investment in

areas within close proximity to the new metro routes are expected to be high. Many individuals already living in their own accommodation in Ahmedabad are banking on properties near the metro belt, to enjoy healthy returns once the metro is functional," says Jitendra Soni, consultant, Harshil Estate.

Would the metro line bring new construction plans?

The upcoming metro belt comes with a scope of new development in areas with available vacant land. Hiren Patil, a local realtor at Disha Estate Management says, "Areas such as Hebatpur, Sindhu Bhavan Road and 5 km from Thaltej metro station, land is available where developers are planning to come up with residential housing projects."

All these areas are within 3-6 km radius from the upcoming Thaltej Gam Metro Station. Prior to the announcement of the metro, these areas had a sizeable demand

for housing but with the coming of the metro, the area is expected to witness more development and investments.

Upcoming metro routes Localities to become accessible due to the upcoming metro are Motera Stadium, Sabarmati, AEC, Sabarmati Railway Station, Ranip, Juna Vajad, Usmanpura, Ashram Road, Nava Gandhigram, Madalpur, Paldi, Anjali, Vasna, APMC, Thaltej, Doordarshan Kendra, Gurukul Road, Commerce Six Road, Stadium, Ashram Road, Shahpur, Gheekanta, Kalupur Railway Station, Kanakaria East, Apparel park, Amraiwadi, Rabri Colony, Vastral and Nirat Cross Road.

Both buyers and investors have ample reasons to invest in Ahmedabad, with the new metro line set to bring enhanced connectivity and might work as an added reason for investment. -Courtesy ET

Bangalore IT wizards buying property in US BANGALORE: The investments by Indians (those with Indian passports) in residential property in the United States rose by nearly 50% to $5.8 billion in the year ended March 2014, compared to the year before. Real estate analysts say top executives in Bangalore's technology industry, many of who have a close connect with the US, are among the biggest spenders.

Indians constitute the third biggest overseas community to buy property in the US, as per data shared by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), US. Chinese buyers topped, investing a staggering $22 billion, a growth of 80% over the previous year, followed by Canada. UK residents bought as much as Indians, but the growth rate was lower at 38%.

In 2012-13, Indians had invested

Firm accused of cheating to furnish property docs NEW DELHI: Delhi Police has sought property related documents from Cosmic Structures Ltd, a real estate company that allegedly used another firm's name to gain investor's trust and then cheated them.

As per the FIR filed by a retired bank manager, the firm had mentioned the projects executed by some other developer in their brochures and other advertisement material which "enticed" him to invest with them.

"We had issued notices to the firm to produce documents regarding the claims made by them.

Some of the documents have been submitted to us. We have further sought more documents so that all of them could be verified," said a police official.

"We had registered an FIR af-

ter a court order. Our investigations are underway, we are probing all aspects in the case," said Additional Commissioner of Police (West) Ranveer Singh.

The FIR was lodged earlier this year by one Surrinder Kumar Bangla, a former Assistant General Manager at SBI, against the promoters of Cosmic Structures Ltd at Janakpuri Police Station of West Delhi under provisions like sections 420 (cheating), 120B (criminal conspiracy), etc.

Bangla allegedly paid Rs 70,000 and booked a virtual space in an upcoming tower in Noida of Cosmic Structures Ltd after its promoters provided him with a list of projects they claimed to have developed, constructed and delivered across the country. -PTI

$3.9 billion.

The NAR report, quoting information from realtor.com, said that Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Dallas, and New York were the most sought after cities by Indian buyers.

buying activity in overseas markets. Besides the US, markets like the UK, Singapore, Australia and parts of Europe are equally attracting the attention of Indian property buyers.

"Purchasing a US property re-

Real estate observers say Bangalore's large senior management in IT and technology are among the top spenders in American real estate. Most of them have a close connection with the US. "If you have a specific work visa (typically for six years), and a good credit rating, you can buy a home in the US without having an immigration status. And banks in the US will give you loans at an interest of 3.5% to 3.75%," says Sudeep Chandran, owner, Terrafirma Developers, whose circle of friends have been buying into the American real estate market over the past four years.

Anshuman Magazine, CMD of property consultancy firm CBRE South Asia, said more and more Indians were buying property outside the country for reasons such as better valuations, portfolio diversification and personal reasons like their children studying in the US. Mudassir Zaidi, national director (residential agency) at consultancy firm Knight Frank India, adds that the slowdown in the Indian market had led to a spur in

mains affordable with prices still below the peak level attained prior to the Great Recession (December 2007-June 2009)," says the NAR report.

Indians spent an average of $459,028 (Rs 2.81 crore) for their US home purchases. That's way

below the prices of premium homes in India's top metro markets of Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Chennai and Bangalore.

"Since quite a number of residential units in the US are held by institutional investors, who had bought them during the crisis years from distressed sellers, it is easy for a foreign buyer to buy from such institutions rather than from individual US house owners," says Anuj Puri, chairman and country head of property consultancy JLL India.

Real estate observers say Bangalore's large senior management in IT and technology are among the top spenders in American real estate. Most of them have a close connection with the US. Many work in US-based MNCs in India. Several others work in IT services companies for whom the US is the biggest market. -Courtesy TOI

TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Manwa Laage : Happy New Year 2 Lovely : Happy New Year 3 Meherbaani : The Shaukeens 4 Meherbaan: Bang Bang 28 India Post

November 21, 2014

www.indiapost.com

S

aif Ali Khan says he al ways "loved working" with Shah Rukh Khan and he has a lot of respect for the superstar.

According to reports, the 44-year-old previously said that he would prefer to play the lead in his own productions rather than play second fiddle to a big star name. But Saif says that he doesn't have any harsh feeling for Shah Rukh. "...I have loved working with SRK whenever I have...

Filmfare awards hosting...'Kal Ho Na Ho'... temptations tours... Seagrams ad!!!!... he is an amazing guy... he was also one of the few people at my wedding from the industry... I look up to him and he has influenced a lot of my thoughts on set...

Saif also says that he is annoyed with the reports and said that King Khan's contribution to Bollywood is invaluable.

"I'm upset with the reports about SRK. I have a lot of respect for him... I have worked with him and I know what his contribution is... invaluable!!," he added.

R

anbir Kapoor has moved in with his girlfriend and Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif and rumor surfaced that the Kapoor lad has left his parents, Neetu and Rishi Kapoor to live with Katrina. But Ranbir claimed that he is not shifting his address permanently.

The 'Barfi' actor claims due to some construction work at his ancestral bungalow Krishna Raj, he has shifted to a new place and not because he wants to live separately from his parents.

Gossip mill is churning that all is not well in Ranbir-Katrina's paradise. During the recently held birthday party of Nitasha Nanda, Neetu Kapoor uploaded a picture which has Ranbir and other family members in the frame but chopped Kat's image. In the original photo, Katrina was also in the frame but standing behind Neetu and Ranbir. Katrina is trying her level best to keep a good relationship with her future inlaws. When Rishi Kapoor fell sick, the actress rushed to KrishnaRaj to inquire about Rishi Kapoor's health as soon as she landed in Mumbai.

5 India Waale : Happy New Year 6 Kill Dill : Kill Dil 7 Jaise Mera Tu : Happy Ending 8 Sajde : Kill Dil 9 Tu Meri : Bang Bang 10 Tere Hoke Rahenge: Raja Natwarlal

"I'm upset with the reports about SRK. I have a lot of respect for him... I have worked with him and I know what his contribution is... invaluable!!".

Bollywood

November 21, 2014

www.indiapost.com

E

ver since the lovely jodi of Kalki Koechlin and Anurag Kashyap separated, they have been living by themselves. While Kalki had earlier shifted out into a place close to Anurag's, past two months, she has been looking out for another place to rent. The fact that she is a gori foreigner combined with the fact that she is a single celebrity made it difficult for her.

It is now learnt that Kalki has finally found herself a place in Andheri and is moving in shortly with her mother. Confirming the same, Kalki said, "I had earlier found a place and really liked it, but just when I was about to get it, the woman met me and drastically increased the price. Then, at another place, as soon as they found out that it is for a celebrity, they refused as they said that they didn't want media and stuff there. Plus being a gori skin, there is a huge stereotype attached to how you will be. I know that I look younger and don't look as responsible as I am, so it takes a while for people to warm up. It's funny, but even when I moved out last year, my neighbors were wary of me, since they always found me dressed in tight jeans.

A

ditya Roy Kapur is known for his humble aura. The actor is a very simple and down to earth.

Even when it comes to his professional life the actor does not come with any frills. Aditya is one of those actors who has no tantrums. So much so that he travels to sets without his entourage behind him.

In fact, he is usually oblivious about his spot boy, driver and hair and make-up guy. Unlike most actors who arrive with a car full of their staff members, Aditya rides his bike alone wherever required.

Till one day, I went and knocked on their door and had chai with them and then they would go, 'Oh, you are very simple.'

A

bhishek Kapoor is adapting Charles Dickens' great novel Great Expectations. The story revolves around a young Kashmiri lad Noor (played by Aditya Roy Kapur), his muse Firdaus (played by the stunning Katrina Kaif) and the mercurial Begum (played by the gorgeous Rekha).

Rekha's character is based on the capricious Miss Havisham in the book. We have now learnt that Abhishek has chosen the beautiful Aditi Rao Hydari to play the young Rekha. Fitoor goes on the floor in November and will be shot in Delhi, Srinagar and possibly, London.

Well, we all have great expectations and eagerly await his film.

India Post 29

Tech News Just 1/5th of Indian firms in manufacturing biz NEW DELHI: India may have nearly 10 lakh active companies, but less than one-fifth of them are into manufacturing activities and a majority are into business services.

There were around 14.23 lakh companies registered with the Corporate Affairs Ministry, out of which about 9.92 lakh were active at the end of September, shows latest data.

Thousands of new companies are registered every month and September alone saw entry of 6,864 new registered companies.

An analysis of the Ministry data shows that a majority of active companies are into 'business services', followed by manufacturing, trading and construction.

Business services refers to information technology, research and development, among their activities.

"Economic-activity wise classification of active companies reveals that highest number of companies are in business services (2.40 lakh) followed by manufacturing (2.11 lakh), trading (1.48 lakh) and construction (1.05 lakh)," according to the Ministry's monthly bulletin for September. -PTI

Indian startups budding in Singapore SINGAPORE: "Chuck out your resume!" is the mantra of Sudhanshu Ahuja who runs his own talent pool business here and is among the young Indians who have taken advantage of Singapore's business-friendly environment to set up their companies.

Ahuja decided to start his own business after being denied a job by a leading bank here.

"Your resume can't really project the work you are good at," Ahuja, who is in his early 30s, said.

This motivated me to start my own talent pool business. Here you just have to show your talent and we will give you the job you are good at," Ahuja, who hails from Faridabad, said.

"We organize a challenge for a particular skill and we refer them to companies interested in hiring them," Ahuja, the founder of Ideatory said.

Ahuja, who left IIT Delhi to study at Nanyang Technological University here, feels that Singapore has many opportunities for youngsters and it provides a good environment for people who want to start their own business.-PTI

TechBiz 30 India Post

www.indiapost.com

November 21, 2014

Indians in Singapore win young entrepreneurs award SINGAPORE: Two Indians and an Indian-origin Singaporean have won an award for young social entrepreneurs here for developing a mobile phone-based English learning solution for elementary school students from low-income families in India.

Pramodh Rai, 27, Ankita Gupta, 23, and Priya Andleigh, 23, who teamed up to develop this learning solution named 'Jugnu', were chosen from a group of 76 youth representing 12 nations including Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand and the US. The award was given by Singapore International Foundation (SIF), a non-profit organization, for their innovative business ideas.-PTI

Top tech firms call for 'changes' in US surveillance program WASHINGTON: A coalition of top technology and Internet giants, including Apple, Google and Microsoft, have called on the US Senate for "meaningful changes" to curb surveillance powers and for more transparency on government data requests.

Apple, AOL, Dropbox, Evernote, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Twitter and Yahoo! in a letter said: "Now is the time to move forward on meaningful change to our surveillance programs."

"Confidence in the Internet, both in the US and internationally, has been badly damaged over the last year. It is time for action," they said in the letter.

"As the Senate takes up this important legislation, we urge you to ensure that US surveillance efforts are clearly restricted by law, proportionate to the risks, trans-

parent, and subject to independent oversight," they said ahead of the passage of a bill through the US Senate before the end of the year.

The USA Freedom Act, which passed the House of Representatives in May with bipartisan sup-

ments have a duty to protect their citizens.

"But the balance in many countries has tipped too far in favor of the State and away from the rights of the individual. This undermines the freedoms we all cherish, and it must change," they said.

They said in the next few weeks, the Senate has the opportunity to demonstrate leadership and pass a version of the USA Freedom Act that would help restore the confidence of Internet users in the US and around the world port and seeks to get the National Surveillance Agency out of the business of bulk domestic phone records collection, faces a critical procedural vote tomorrow.

The top technology companies said they understand that govern-

The coalition said: "Over the last year many of our companies have taken important steps, including further strengthening the security of our services and taking action to increase transparency.

But the government needs to do

more."

They said in the next few weeks, the Senate has the opportunity to demonstrate leadership and pass a version of the USA Freedom Act that would help restore the confidence of Internet users in the US and around the world, while keeping citizens safe.

"Unfortunately, the version that just passed the House of Representatives could permit bulk collection of Internet 'metadata' (e.g. who you email and who emails you), something that the Administration and Congress said they intended to end," it said.

"Moreover, while the House bill permits some transparency, it is critical to our customers that the bill allow companies to provide even greater detail about the number and type of government requests they receive for customer information," they said. -PTI

'Make in India mission needs innovators' NEW DELHI: The 'Make in India' mission of the government will require participation of innovators and entrepreneurs and the joint Indo-US science and technology program will enhance the country's ability to achieve the target, Union Minister Y S Chowdary said here.

The Minister, who was speaking at the third meeting of the India-US Joint Commission on Science and Technology Cooperation, said the commission is an opportunity for both the countries to "energize" the common aspirations in science, technology and innovations and build strong networks.

"Our government's initiative of 'Make in India' requires participation of innovators and entrepreneurs in various fields to make it successful. A growing workforce capable of deciding and making products using reduced manufacturing costs is crucial in advancing the mission.

"The Indo-US joint science

and technology cooperation will greatly enhance our ability to achieve the mission," the Minis-

by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had prioritized different sectors in which science and technology will

Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Harsh Vardhan visiting an exhibition, at the inauguration of the Indo-US Technology Summit & Knowledge Expo at Greater Noida on November 18. The Secretary, Departments of Biotechnology, Science & Technology and Scientific & Industrial Research, K. Vijay Raghavan is also seen

ter of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences said.

He said the new government led

play a pivotal role and looked at cooperation with the US in these fields.

"I hope to see the area R&D expand. Fields like agriculture, integrated water management, smart cities, public health, sanitation, clean energy, communication and transport are some of the key areas that the government will have as priority.

"Our (India and the US) strength in the software capabilities can be leveraged with the hardware capabilities of the US to accelerate the 3D printing technology," the Minister said.

John Holdren, Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said the two countries were working in the fields of space, medical sciences, climate change, clean energy and agriculture.

"The challenges faced by the two countries are the same across a range of issues like climate change, affordable energy.

It is very important and also makes sense to work together on these challenges.

Cont’d on page 31

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Don't make fortune out of poor: 'Make in India mission needs innovators' Rajan to micro lenders MUMBAI: Asking micro-lenders to look at only a "reasonable profit" to sustain their business while serving borrowers at the bottom of pyramid, RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has said that one should not think of making a fortune while serving poorest of the poor.

The comments come in sharp contrast to management guru late CK Prahalad's views in his book 'The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid'.

The concept of the fortune at the bottom of the pyramid originally appeared in an article by Prahalad and Stuart L Hart in business journal 'Strategy+Business' in 2004.

That was followed by a book with the same title that discussed new business models targeted at providing goods and services to the poorest.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates, a philanthropist who has seen so far spent millions annually to help the

poor, has described the book as something that offers an intriguing blueprint for how to fight poverty with profitability.

Raghuram Rajan

Rajan, himself is a renowned economist, said during a recent micro finance event, "I think Prahalad did a disservice by saying that there is a fortune at the

RBI rate cut will give 'good fillip' to economy: Jaitley NEW DELHI: Pitching for a rate cut by RBI, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said lower cost of capital will give a "good fillip" to the economy.

"I am quite clear in my mind that the cost of capital has to come down. Inflation has moderated, global fuel price has eased. Therefore, if RBI, which is a highly professional organization, in its wisdom decides to bring down the cost of capital (it) will give a good fillip to the Indian economy," he said.

Delivering the keynote address at the Citi's Investor Summit, Jaitley hoped that as a professional organization the Reserve Bank will take "the best decision".

RBI Deputy Governor S S Mundra, who was present, later said the central bank revises rate, but not on "popular demand. It changes when there is a clear conviction".

At a different function, Mundra told reporters that RBI will take into account various economic

parameters while deciding on interest rate at its next policy.

The RBI, which has kept the key borrowing rate at 8 per cent since January to check inflation, is scheduled to come out with its next monetary policy on December 2.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley

Meanwhile, September retail inflation has dropped to a record low of 5.52 per cent in October, while the wholesale inflation eased to five-year low of 1.77 per cent.

Indian economy, which slipped to below 5 per cent growth in two consecutive fiscals, is expected to improve to 5.4 to 5.9 per cent in 2014-15.-PTI

bottom of the pyramid.

"My sense is that you cannot, in good conscience, make a fortune at the bottom of the pyramid.

Make reasonable profits, but if you start making a fortune, it does start raising societal anxiety about how the fortune is being made".

Following the advice of Prahalad, many companies across the world and especially consumer goods, auto and telecom marketers in the country, have begun to tap the underserved markets and made a big market out of them, Rajan said.

He added however that reasonable profit must be there at the bottom of the pyramid as the business has to be selfsustaining.

"If business is not self-sustaining, then entities will make a pretence of doing the business, but they are not really going to get engaged until there are profits," Rajan noted. -PTI

Tata Comm to spend $17.5 mn on new ideas NEW DELHI: Threatened by start-ups and new-age companies, Tata Communications plans to spend as much as USD 17.5 million (about Rs 108 crore) over the next two years on funding 10 ideas that have the potential to turn into multi-million businesses.

The firm, part of the over USD 100 billion Tata Group, already runs a program - Moonwalks - to concentrate on exploring new industries and subjects.

"We are constantly being threatened by new ways of communication from start-ups and new generation companies. We believe the process of innovation begins with curiosity and a desire to learn," Tata Communications MD and CEO Vinod Kumar said in an interview in the Tata Group's inhouse magazine.

The idea is to get people comfortable with something they know nothing about, he added.

"We invite our people to submit ideas that have the potential to become a USD 200 million business within 10 years and touch billions of people," Kumar said.

The best ideas are selected and then coached to implement these ideas, he added.-PTI

Cont’d from page 30

to boost science and technology and country needs to recognize and attract best brains.

"We need to motivate more young people to take up science as career. This is a challenge not only for India, but also a problem faced around the world. We have a great responsibility. The world is looking at India as a supplier and source of young minds and fertile brains," he said.

Chowdary said to motivate people for research careers, one of the first steps taken by him af-

"Science and technology is central to the solution of all of them. We need, as (US President) Barack Obama had mentioned, resources of everyone across the world to be successful in that," he said.

Holdren said there has been a history of cooperation in biosciences and clean sciences between the two countries, but more was needed to be done.

Chowdary said since the turn of the millennium, cooperation in the field of science and technology ‘We need to motivate more has made remarkable young people to take up progress.

"The establishment science as career. This is a of bi-national Indo-US Science and Technol- challenge not only for Inogy Forum by the then dia, but also a problem Prime Minister (Atal Bihari) Vajpayeeji and faced around the world.’ President Bill Clinton was a historic step in building our relationship. ter taking over as the Minister was "The forum, through its diverse to increase the research grants for and flexible program portfolio, has PhD, post-doctoral and research facilitated in catalyzing some of our fellows by almost 50 per cent. present innovations," he said.

"For minds to remain produc"Another flagship is the Indo- tive, their pockets need to remain US New and Clean Energy Re- comfortable as well," Chowdary search Centre. This is the first kind said. of partnership that will have multiThe Minister also appealed to institutional network project," the the science community to "ponMinister said. der over the possibility of change Chowdary said the new govern- of the course of cyclones and rement had taken a number of steps duction of the impact." -PTI

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In Brief New York ends cooperation with feds on deportations NEW YORK: New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has signed two laws that cut the city's cooperation with US federal authorities on the deportation of undocumented immigrants.

Blasting federal immigration enforcement as "overbroad," de Blasio said America's most populated city would now only cooperate with national authorities when there are concerns over public safety or when immigrants have committed "violent or serious" crimes.

"Mass deportation has not only pulled apart thousands of New York City families, it has also undermined public safety in our communities and imposed disproportionate penalties on immigrant parents and spouses who these families depend on for emotional and financial support," de Blasio said in a statement.

"Today, we send another message to Washington that the time to act has come to provide relief to so many individuals who contribute to our nation's growth."

The announcement comes at a crucial time for illegal immigrants currently in the United States, as President Barack Obama prepares to take measures to prevent the deportation of about five million of them, according to The New York Times. -AFP

„ Portugal minister resigns over 'golden visas' probe LISBON: Portugal's Interior Minister Miguel Macedo has resigned, three days after top officials were detained in a corruption probe linked to "golden visas" for wealthy foreign investors.

Several senior government officials, including the head of the border service, were arrested after police raids on dozens of premises, including the interior and environment ministries and offices linked to the justice ministry.

Macedo, 55, who had been in the job since 2011, said he "had no personal responsibility" in the case but his "political authority" had been weakened by the scandal.

In televised comments, he said he had quit to "defend the government and the authority of the state and the credibility of its institutions."

Portuguese police made a total of 11 arrests in raids on charges including corruption, money laundering and influence peddling in connection with the visa scheme.

-AFP

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The fate of executive action on immigration Details on page 34

House Republicans debate responding to Obama's action plan WASHINGTON: House Republicans debated how to respond to President Barack Obama's expected executive action on immigration, with party leaders anxious to craft a solution that satisfies the demands of their most conservative members without courting a government shutdown.

Obama's expected announcement could extend protections from deportation to as many as 5 million people now in the country illegally. Changes to law enforcement programs and an expansion of business visas also are expected.

In response, House Republicans are considering various options that include suing the president to overturn his action, or passing a stand-alone bill to try to stop him. Some are pushing for House Republicans to write their own immigration bill - something they've been unable to do in the past two years - to show they are serious about acting and pre-empt Obama.

Another option would be to pass a temporary spending bill into next year when the Republicans will control the Senate, to try to see if they can use their grip on the purse strings to gain leverage over the president.

But it's not clear that any of these options will be enough to deflate efforts brewing among

conservatives to try to use upcoming must-pass spending bills to block Obama from acting. Pragmatists in the caucus are warning loudly that such an approach could result in a government shut-

As for shutdown fears, King pointed to the Republicans' success in the elections as evidence that the party wasn't hurt by the last government shutdown it provoked. That was a year ago, in an

People rally for comprehensive immigration reform outside the White House in Washington. According to advocates in touch with the White House, President Barack Obama is poised to act soon to unveil a series of executive actions on immigration that will shield possibly around 5 million immigrants living in the country illegally from deportation. Timing of the announcement is unclear, though it's expected before the end of 2014.

down because Obama would likely veto the bill. But at least some on the right appear unconcerned.

Republican Rep. Steve King said he refused to ``take a position we're not going to use the power of the purse to restrain a president who has threatened to violate the Constitution in the most obscene manner possible.''

unsuccessful effort to ``defund'' Obama's health care law.

Many Republicans, though, are determined to avoid a shutdown, convinced they would pay a political price, and disturbed that they already find themselves in the position of debating one barely a week after the elections awarded them control of the Senate and a

bigger majority in the House of Representatives. House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who will take over as majority leader come January, both are intent upon avoiding a shutdown. ``Shutting the government down would only serve the president's interests and we shouldn't take the bait,'' said Rep. Charlie Dent, a moderate Republican.

Obama says he must act because House Republicans never did after the Senate passed a sweeping bill with bipartisan support more than a year ago that included a pathway to citizenship for most of the 11.5 million people in the country illegally.

At least some Republicans say they should act now to deprive Obama of that argument, although immigration advocates have little hope of the House arriving at a bill that could pass the Senate and that Obama would sign.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte is exploring options including a lawsuit to stop Obama on immigration, aides said.

Some on the right have gone so far as to suggest that Obama should be impeached if he takes unilateral action on immigration, but few if any in the House view that as a viable option, even if they think it might be merited. -AP

US, Israel, Palestine to be given e-visa facility on Nov 27 NEW DELHI: Citizens of USA, Israel and Palestine are among 28 countries who would be given the electronic visa facility to be launched on November 27.

The e-visa facility for 28 countries would be rolled out by Home Minister Rajnath Singh along with Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma at a speciallyorganized function here, said a senior Tourism Ministry official.

Besides 13 countries which are currently enjoying the visaon-arrival facility, Russia, Brazil, Germany, Thailand, UAE, Ukraine, Jordan, Norway and

Mauritius among others are getting e-visa facility in the first phase.

All arrangements, including

Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Goa. In order to get e-visa, one would need to apply on the des-

the software for this system, is ready now and will be operational at nine international airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru,

ignated website along the required fees. They would be granted an electronic version of the visa within 96 hours.

As per the government deci-

sion, all countries, except a few in the "prior list", will be brought into the e-visa regime in the next two years.

Barring countries like Pakistan, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Somalia, all 180 countries will be covered under e-visa regime in phases, the official said.

The e-visa is expected to give a big boost to the foreign tourist arrivals in the country.

While in January about 4.95 lakh foreign tourists came to India, 51.79 lakh came during January-September this year. PTI

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Reagan, Bush also acted alone to shield immigrants WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama's anticipated order that would shield millions of immigrants now living illegally in the U.S. from deportation is not without precedent.

Two of the last three Republican presidents - Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush - did the same thing in extending amnesty to family members who were not covered by the last major overhaul of immigration law in 1986.

There was no political explosion then comparable to the one Republicans are threatening now.

A tea party-influenced GOP is poised to erupt if and when Obama follows through on his promise. He wants to extend protection from deportation to millions of immigrant parents and spouses of U.S. citizens and permanent residents, and expand his 2-year-old program that shields immigrants brought illegally to this country as children. ``The audacity of this president to think he can completely destroy the rule of law with the stroke of a pen is unfathomable to me,'' said GOP Rep. Steve King of Iowa, an outspoken opponent of relaxing U.S. immigration law. ``It is unconstitutional, it is cynical, and it violates the will of the American people.''

Such strong feelings are common among congressional Republicans. GOP leaders warn that an executive order from Obama

Nearly three decades ago, there was barely a peep when Reagan and Bush used their authority to extend amnesty to the spouses and minor children of immigrants covered by the 1986 law.

In 1986, Congress and Reagan enacted a sweeping overhaul

File picture of President Ronald Reagan speaking during a news conference at the White House in Washington.

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy. ``What's different now is that there is no clear path to legislative relief for the class of beneficiaries for which the president's order would provide relief.''

Obama's announcement could cover as many as 5 million people. Like Bush, Obama is expected to extend deportation protections to families of U.S. citizens or permanent residents. ``It's clear that it's fully within his legal authority to issue these orders,'' said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas. He said Republicans `didn't raise any objections in the past when Republican presidents issued similar orders.

This is pure political theater.''

Obama's anticipated action would not award legal status, but it would offer temporary protection from deportation and the

possibility of obtaining a work permit. ``There's always some precedent for prosecutorial discretion,'' said Rep. Trent Franks, RAriz. ``But this president would call tearing the Constitution into tiny little pieces in the White House prosecutorial discretion.''

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, is stopping short of threatening to use Congress' power of the purse to thwart any executive action by Obama.

Boehner's priority is to avoid a government shutdown. But he made it clear that Republicans will make Obama pay a price if he carries out his threat. ``Every administration needs this and needs that, needs all kinds of things,'' Boehner said. ``You know, if he wants to go off on his own, there are things that he's just not going to get.'' -AP

PRADEEP ROY-SINGH B.A. LL.B. M.B.A. J.D. Attorney-at-Law

that gave legal status to up to 3 million immigrants without authorization to be in the country, if they had come to the U.S. before 1982. Spouses and children who could not meet that test did not qualify, which incited protests that the new law was breaking up families.

Early efforts in Congress to

A lawyer who worked on the 1986 law and the 1990 follow-up as an aide to then-Sen. Alan Simpson, R-Wyo., said Bush's action wasn't controversial because it came after lawmakers had made it clear they were going to tackle the issue. would ``poison the well'' and severely damage Republicans' willingness to work with the president during his final two years in office.

Some Republicans have even raised the possibility of impeachment.

Spouses and children of couples in which one parent qualified for amnesty but the other did not remained subject to deportation, leading to efforts to amend the 1986 law.

In a parallel to today, the Senate acted in 1989 to broaden legal status to families but the

amend the law to cover family members failed. In 1987, Reagan's Immigration and Naturalization Service commissioner announced that minor children of parents granted amnesty by the law would get protection from deportation.

House never took up the bill.

Through the INS, Bush advanced a new ``family fairness'' policy that put in place the Senate measure. Congress passed the policy into law by the end of the year as part of broader immigration legislation. ``It's a striking parallel,'' said Mark Noferi of the pro-immigration American Immigration Council. ``Bush Sr. went big at the time.

He protected about 40 percent of the unauthorized population.

Back then that was up to 1.5 million. Today that would be about 5 million.''

But a lawyer who worked on the 1986 law and the 1990 followup as an aide to then-Sen. Alan Simpson, R-Wyo., said Bush's action wasn't controversial because it came after lawmakers had made it clear they were going to tackle the issue.

That's not the case now. ``Bush Sr. took the action that he did but it wasn't as if Congress was legislating anything to the contrary,'' said Carl Hampe of

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The fate of executive action on immigration

F

or courage - not compla cency - is our need today leadership - not salesmanship. And the only valid test of leadership is the ability to lead, and lead vigorously. - Senator John F. Kennedy's speech accepting the 1960 Democratic nomination for President Ever since the Democrats got a drubbing in the midterm elections, questions remain about the fate of immigration reform. President Obama had promised to reform the system through executive action after the election. The question is whether he will still do it despite the Republican Party gaining decisive control over both the Senate as well as the House.

On November 7, President Obama defiantly said that he would take executive action on immigration despite howls of protests from Republican leaders. They threatened that Obama's unilateral action in the face of defeat in the midterm election would derail reform immigration legislation.

The authors believe that executive action ought not "poison the well, a term that has been oft repeated by the GOP against Obama's proposed executive action, although it dare be said that the well no longer contains any water! If the President has authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act to take executive action in order to improve the de-

GARY ENDELMAN & CYRUS D. MEHTA

deference". When a statute is ambiguous in this way, the Supreme Court has made clear in National Cable & Telecommunications Assn. v. Brand X Internet Services, 545 U.S. 967 (2005), the agency may reconsider its interpretation even after the courts have approved of it.

Thus, there is no need for the Republicans to feel threatened by Obama's proposed executive actions. If they do desire to pass immigration reform legislation, they can always do so and can even improve on the administrative measures that Obama can possibly implement.

After all, executive action will always be limited and is no substitute for legislation.

The President would only have the authority to defer the deportation of non-citizens who meet certain deserving criteria; he cannot issue them green cards or create new visa categories without Congressional action.

The President may also have authority to reinterpret ambiguous provisions, such as INA section 203(d) so that family members are all counted as a single unit rather than separately, thereby reducing or even eliminating much of the crushing backlogs in the family and employment-based preferences.

Indeed, Obama's executive action could be conditioned on Con-

Executive action on immigration is hardly novel. After Castro took power in Cuba, Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson paroled in more than 900,000 Cubans. Seven years later, Congress signified its approval crepit immigration system, we do not see how it would usurp on Congress's authority or violate the Separation of Powers doctrine.

We have shown in Two Aces Up President Obama's Sleeve To Achieve Immigration reform Without Congress: Not Counting Family Members And Parole In Place that the President can comprehensively reform the immigration system as part of his inherent authority.

There is also sufficient ambiguity in many provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act that beg reinterpretation so that they can bring ameliorative relief to millions. A government agency's interpretation of an ambiguous statute is entitled to deference under Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837 (1984)often abbreviated as "Chevron

gress passing meaningful immigration reform legislation, upon which such action can be withdrawn.

Subsequent immigration legislation from Congress can also incorporate some of the administrative measures, such as not counting family members separately.

The notion of not counting family already exists in S. 744, which was passed by the Senate in a bipartisan manner in June 2013, and which the House has never taken up. Indeed, the House can still vote on this measure today and can pass comprehensive immigration reform even before Obama acts.

The question is whether the GOP is ready to pass immigration legislation. The real reason that S. 744 was not taken up in the GOP controlled House, even prior to the midterm elections, was the dislike that many House members in le-

galizing millions of undocumented people who have deep ties with the United States and who are also part of American families.

This dislike is grounded in nativist tendencies that many GOP House members have shown, and who receive support from xenophobic organizations such as NumbersUSA and Federation for

On November 7, President Obama defiantly said that he would take executive action on immigration despite howls of protests from Republican leaders American Immigration Reform.

Even if President Obama gives the new GOP Congress time to enact immigration legislation, they may never be able to do so because of the nativist element within the party that will always be opposed to any immigration measures save border security and tough immigration enforcement.

Executive action on immigration is hardly novel. After Castro took power in Cuba, Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson paroled in more than 900,000 Cubans. Seven years later, Congress signified its approval through enactment of the Cuban Adjustment Act in 1966. In recent decades, when emergencies erupted and humanitarian crises presented themselves, Presidents of both political parties have not hesitated to act on their own initiative outside the customary channels of legislative activity, often to protect large numbers of vulnerable immigrants from deportation.

This has happened over 20 times since the mid-1970's. In almost all such instances, the Congress subsequently ratified such executive orders with appropriate legislation. This is, for example, what happened at the close of World War II when President Truman allowed 250,000 European refugees to enter or remain in the United States; three years later, in 1948, Congress enacted the Displaced Persons Act, allowing 400,000 additional admissions.

In April 1975, at the end of the Vietnam War, President Ford asserted his parole authority to sanction the evacuation of 200,000 South Vietnamese. Further congressional approval of President Ford's executive order came in 1980 with enactment of the Refu-

gee Act making possible the resettlement of 1.4 million Indochinese people. That same year, President Carter took in 130,000 Mariel Cubans who eventually obtained "Cuban-Haitian entrant status" under President Reagan.

Six years later, the Immigration Reform and Control Act made these Cuban-Haitian entrants lawful permanent residents of the United States. The next year, Attorney General Meese ordered the legacy INS not to remove some 200,000 Nicaraguans and, a little after that, extended similar protection to 190,000 Salvadorans seeking to escape from the horrors of civil war.

Ten years after Attorney General Meese first acted, Congress made possible their adjustment of status. In 1989, following Tiananmen Square, the Bush Administration granted Deferred Enforced Departure to 80,000 Chinese students studying here; three years later, Congress paved the way for their green card status through the Chinese Student Protection Act. The point is always the same and remains instructive today: Executive Action in immigration is always a prelude to congressional legislation, not a substitute for it nor a barrier to its enactment.

President Obama is also in a bind now and of his own doing.

tial election in 2012 certainly helped Obama's victory. Obama had promised immigration reform to the Hispanic community and has to live up to that promise in order to secure his legacy, and to improve the chances of Democratic Presidential candidates in 2016.

It would be harder for him to implement administrative immigration reform now that his party has lost control of the Senate, but he still has the authority to do so and he must.

The political imperative for executive action is undeniable. According to an analysis of census data by the Center for American Progress, the Latino population in America increased by 43% in the first decade of the 21st century. This year, 24.8 million Latinos were eligible to vote; in terms of eligible voters, they accounted for 11.3% of the entire population.

Over the next four years, experts anticipate that more than 4 million Latino voters will be added to the rolls. This is a 17% increase in time for the 2016 election. The potential impact in key battleground states could be decisive. In Florida alone, projections by the Center for American Progress are that 600,000 Hispanics (as compared to 125, 000 new Anglo voters) will be eligible to vote in the next presidential election. In Texas, a state without

Over the next four years, experts anticipate that more than 4 million Latino voters will be added to the rolls. This is a 17% increase in time for the 2016 election. The potential impact in key battleground states could be decisive.

He had promised to take executive action well before the midterm elections, but delayed doing so after being persuaded by Democratic Senators who were facing defeat such as Mark Pryor and Kay Hagan, and who in any event lost on November 2, 2014. Obama's delay in reforming the broken immigration system through executive action thus backfired. The authors believe that had he taken immigration action prior to the election, it may have energized some of his base who could have turned up in the election.

Perhaps, Mark Udall of Colorado may not have lost if he had been less ambivalent about immigration, and if Obama had been able to implement a major historic immigration initiative. The deferred action initiative for immigrant youth prior to the Presiden-

which it would be virtually impossible for the GOP to win the White House, roughly 900,000 new Hispanic voters are expected to join the electorate by 2016, washing away the projected Anglo voter increase of 185,000.

Remember also that more than 90% of Latinos under age 18 are US citizens and that 800,000 Latinos become voter eligible each year as the Anglo share of the American electorate continues to fall each election cycle.

There is a political opportunity here for the Republicans if they can recognize it. The re-election of two Hispanic Republican Governors - Susan Martinez in New Mexico and Brian Sandoval in Nevada - show that the Hispanic vote can no longer be taken for granted.

Cont'd on Page 35

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Sino-US visa deal to unleash travel, trade boom BEIJING: The new liberalized visa agreement between China and the US will unleash a major travel and trade boom between the world's two largest economies and will also be used as a template by Beijing to make similar arrangements with other developed countries, Chinese officials said.

The new agreement made during the recent visit of US President Barack Obama to Beijing for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit will extend the validity of B1, B2 and B1/B2 visas to 10 years from one year for Chinese citizens traveling to the US for business or leisure.

B1 visa is for business and B2 visa for tourism while B1/ B2 covers both.

US citizens applying for tourism, business and visiting visas for China will enjoy a reciprocal arrangement, Huang Ping, Director General of the Consular Department said.

"It will also be used as a tem-

plate to make similar arrangements with other developed countries," official media here quoted Huang

as saying.

Officials believe the new 10year visa policy for tourists and businessmen will benefit about 80 per cent of travelers between the countries.

Chinese Foreign Ministry statistics show that 4.05 million people traveled between China and the US last year and 70 to 80 per cent of them were business people and tourists.

"It means that an average of more than 10,000 people are traveling between the two countries every day," Huang said.

A number of Chinese are buying U.S. President Barack Obama, right, and Chinese properties in the US, President Xi Jinping, arrive together for a G20 Summit family photo with other world leaders in taking advantage of Brisbane, Australia liberalized invest-

The fate of executive action on immigration Cont'd from Page 34

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott won 44% of the Hispanic vote in thumping Democratic State Senator Wendy Davis by 30 points. In Georgia, Republican Governor Nathan Deal rode to reelection in no small part on the basis of 47% of the Hispanic vote while Senator-elect David Perdue defeated his Democratic challenger Michelle Nunn, daughter of former Senator Sam Nunn, having earned 42% of the Hispanic vote.

In an election eve poll by Latino Decisions, some 67% of those surveyed revealed that immigration was either the most or one of the most important issues. For those political junkies interested in a state by state breakdown, we offer this also for their reading pleasure. If the Republicans recognize that they can woo the Hispanic electorate in their favor in light of these recent trends, it would be in their best interest to focus on passing comprehensive immigration legislation even while Obama takes executive action.

In 1924, in a vain effort to tap down the anticipated political influence of surging Jewish and Catholic immigrant populations from Southern and Eastern Europe, the Republican Party created a national origins quota using 1890 as a baseline population year to

increase Protestant migration from Northern and Western Europe.

This remained in effect until its abolition in 1965. But, it did not work.

The children and grandchildren of those disfavored ethnic and religious groups who had already made it to the New World before the gates closed did not forget this slap in the face and became the cornerstone of a New Deal coalition that swept the Demo-

electoral college advantage and popular vote majority they have enjoyed in the last 6 presidential elections, the Democratic Party must seize and hold the high ground in the key states of Florida, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico as well as retain their dominant position in California.

Much as civil rights has spelled their political irrelevance in the Old South, immigration can be their

The children and grandchildren of those disfavored ethnic and religious groups who had already made it to the New World before the gates closed did not forget this slap in the face and became the cornerstone of a New Deal cratic Party to national victory in 5 straight presidential elections.

For the Republican Party to block President Obama now would be to repeat that historic mistake and consign itself to minority status on the presidential level for decades to come.

It would be a political miscalculation of epic proportions. The stakes are no less high for the Democrats. No longer competitive in the states of the Old Confederacy, if they want to retain the

salvation in the battleground swing states where the Hispanic vote is and will remain the path to power. Both political parties have a vested interest in a robust embrace of immigration reform. For America's sake, let us devoutly wish that they realize it.

(Guest author Gary Endelman is the Senior Counsel at Foster) * Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com

ment regime by Washington to attract more investments.

Huang said that consultations will be continued to better facilitate short-term official visit visas and work visas in both countries.

"We are making step-by-step efforts to cover those who travel, for whatever purpose, with reciprocal polices," he said.

"China has spared no efforts to promote visa facilitation with other countries. We hope the agreement with the US can set an example for future consultations between China and other developed countries," he said.

Li Haidong, a professor of US studies at China Foreign Affairs University, said the reciprocal visa arrangement reflects breakthroughs China has made on visa applications with developed countries.

Huang said Canada is offering Chinese travelers 10-year visas for tourism, business and general visits.

European countries, including Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Spain, are also issuing long-validity visas to an increasing number of Chinese, state-run China Daily reported.

Jia Xiudong, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, said visa facilitation is the result of growing demand, both in China and foreign countries.

"China's stunning economic development has made it possible for more and more Chinese to travel abroad," he said.

Huang, however, admitted that the government's work has not matched the growing demand from Chinese citizens for more convenient visas.

For example, the number of countries that have signed mutual visa exemption agreements with China for ordinary passport holders is relatively small, while requirements in some countries for Chinese visa applicants are quite stringent, he said. -PTI

Nobel summit moved to Rome after Dalai Lama visa row JOHANNESBURG: A summit of Nobel peace laureates scheduled to be held in Cape Town has been moved to Rome after the South African government failed to issue a visa to the Dalai Lama, organizers said.

The gathering will now take place in the Italian city from December 12-14, the summit's secretariat said in a statement.

The event was "suspended" in September "after the South African government failed to issue a visa for His Holiness the Dalai Lama who had hoped to attend the world peace summit in Cape Town," it said.

The South African government however has denied refusing entry to Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, saying instead that he withdrew his application.

It marks the third time the government has dragged its feet on a visa for the bespectacled monk as the country builds closer economic ties with China.

The event would have been the first-ever summit of Nobel peace laureates in Africa.

Rome is where the summit was originally conceived and the city hosted the first eight of the laureates' get-togethers. Previous summits have been held in Paris, Ber-

lin, Hiroshima, Chicago and Warsaw.

Next month's summit will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the end of apartheid in South Africa and the legacy of the late Nelson Mandela - also a Nobel peace prize winner.

South Africa's retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu will lead the

Dalai Lama

official opening ceremony of the Rome summit. Commenting on the visa row last month, Tutu said he was "ashamed to call this lickspittle bunch my government".

The Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule and has lived in exile ever since.

China accuses the Dalai Lama of seeking to split Tibet from the rest of China and of fomenting unrest in the region. -AFP

„ Health

Line

Ebola-infected doctor 'extremely critical' in US WASHINGTON: A doctor receiving care in United States after falling ill with Ebola in his native Sierra Leone remains in "extremely critical" condition, the hospital treating him said.

Martin Salia, a US resident who was infected with the deadly hemorrhagic fever while treating patients in his home country, was flown to Omaha, Nebraska for treatment.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center, where Salia is being held in isolation to prevent any possible infection, tweeted that he was "still extremely critical."

"Maximum supportive care and every available treatment option being used to save his life," it added.

The UNMC is one of a handful of medical facilities in the United States specially designated to treat Ebola patients. Salia is the third Ebola patient to be treated there - the previous two survived.

Of the nine Ebola patients treated in the United States before Salia's arrival, only one has died: Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan.

In sharp contrast, the disease has proved deadly in an estimated 70 per cent of cases in West Africa, killing more than 5,100 people since December, most in hardesthit Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. -AFP

„ Drinking coffee can keep diabetes at bay LONDON: Drinking up to four cups of coffee a day can slash the risk of diabetes by 25 per cent, a new study has claimed.

To mark World Diabetes Day, the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC) in Switzerland has published its annual diabetes report outlining the latest research on coffee and type 2 diabetes.

The research concludes that regular, moderate consumption of coffee may decrease an individual's risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Epidemiological evidence shows that drinking three to four cups of coffee per day is associated with an approximate 25 per cent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared to consuming none to less than two cups per day.

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Hundreds of kids harmed by detergent 'pods' Details on Page 39

160 Chinese health workers in Liberia to fight Ebola MONROVIA: A contingent of 160 Chinese healthcare workers has arrived in Liberia to staff a USD 41 million Ebola treatment unit in the country the hardesthit by the deadly virus, the Chinese embassy said here.

Many of the doctors, epidemiologists and nurses who will work in the unit previously helped tackle the SARS epidemic in Asia, it said in a statement.

"They experienced SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). They are very knowledgeable in this area," Ambassador Zhang Yue said.

Engineers hope to get the unit built and operational within 10 days.

Since the unit will be made of concrete, the embassy said it would leave a lasting legacy to the impoverished West African country, where at least 2,812 people have so far died of the deadly virus.

Zhang said the unit would be unique because most of the other treatment units are temporary structures. "China is the only country which provides not

only the construction of an Ebola treatment unit, but also the running, operation and the staffing of it."

"Further on we will provide

The Ebola outbreak has killed more than 5,160 people since it first emerged in West Africa in December 2013, according to the World Health Organisation

additional material to Liberia worth around USD 5 million. So all together USD 46 million of our aid is exclusively to Liberia," Zhang added.

So far Beijing has promised Ebola-hit countries the equivalent of USD 122 million to help fight the epidemic.

China is Africa's largest trading partner, and its diplomatic footprint across the continent has expanded hugely in recent years as it seeks resources to power its economy.

Still it is a long way behind the European Union, whose leaders have boosted their Ebola aid to one billion euros (USD 1.26 billion).

The United States has earmarked more than USD 350 million in aid, while the World Bank and African Development Bank pledged USD 400 million and USD 225 million respectively. AFP

Indian pleads guilty in $19 Nonprofits battle health insurance misinformation mn healthcare fraud NEW YORK: A 59-year old Indian physician has pleaded guilty for his role in a USD 19 million healthcare fraud scheme in which he submitted fraudulent claims for home visits and directed false referrals for home health care by his employee physicians.

Rajesh Doshi of Michigan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and one count of health care fraud and would be sentenced in March next year, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R Caldwell of the Justice Department's Criminal Division said.

According to his plea agreement, Doshi admitted that between October 2005 and September 2012, he conspired with others to commit health care fraud by referring Medicare beneficiaries for home health care that was not medically necessary, and then submitting false and fraudu-

lent claims for the care to Medicare for reimbursement.

Doshi admitted that he submitted these false claims through Home Physicians Services (HPS), a medical practice he owned in Michigan. He also paid kickbacks to recruiters to obtain Medicare beneficiaries and home health agencies owned by co-conspirators. He and his co-conspirators then falsified medical and billing records for purported physician home visits, sometimes adding diagnoses to make it appear that the beneficiaries qualified for and required home care when they did not, and other times, "upcoding" physician home visits to higher levels of complexity than actually performed.

Between October 2005 and September 2012, Doshi and his co-conspirators caused Medicare to pay more than USD 19 million based on false claims. -PTI

NEW ORLEANS: Nonprofit groups preparing to help people in Louisiana sign up for insurance under the federal health care law say they have had to battle misinformation and misconceptions about the program as they prepared for the opening of the second round of enrollments.

Brian Burton, state coordinator for three nonprofits, said some doctors have told patients they don't accept Affordable Care Act plans. But, says Burton, there's no way to tell a policy bought through the ACA marketplace exchanges from a policy purchased outside the marketplace.

He provided a notice that a southwest Louisiana resident received from a Texas medical partnership. ``Children's ENT of Houston is not a network provider for any Affordable Care Act (ACA Obamacare) plan,'' it begins. ``We cannot see patients who are cov-

ered under ACA insurance plans without an out-of-network referral or authorization.''

Practice manager Nancy Turner said that Children's ENT

A medical worker prepares a vaccination for the flu.

received requests to join networks for ACA plans and rejected them because their reimbursement rates were lower than Medicaid.

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Health care push comes to bars, nail salons COLUMBUS, Ohio: The pitch for health unique visitors looked at coverage using care coverage is being made at nail salons, the site's window-shopping tool in the last pizzerias, mosques and even bars. week.

As the second enrollment period under In Washington State, though, the health President Barack Obama's health care law care exchange shut down after the first few begins, advocates are employing new tactics and expanding old ones to reach people who need insurance. Some groups are targeting populations they believe slipped through the cracks during the last enrollment period. ``We've had great success at laundromats,'' said Robin Stockton, the navigator program director for the Center for Family Services, a nonprofit based in Camden, New Jersey.

The informal chat between wash-and-dry cycles can pique interest and lead some customers to call their hotline for more information, she said. ``Typically,'' she said, ``the question you get back is: `Is this that Obamacare thing?'''

Open enrollment runs until Feb. 15. The HealthCare.gov website, where people can sign up and search for coverage, appeared to be running smoothly.

Enroll America organizer Neil Rickett visits restaurants Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell and bars to make a pitch for health coverage to bartenders, waitresses and other staffers, in Philadelphia. tweeted that the website opened shortly after 1 a.m., with more than 23,000 people submitting applications within hours of open enrollment as state officials the first eight hours. She said 1.2 million and software engineers tried to resolve a problem with tax credit calculations.

The Obama administration aims to have Drinking coffee 9.1 million paying customers enrolled in 2015. That's well below the 13 million that can keep diabetes the Congressional Budget Office had proat bay jected.

In Philadelphia, Enroll America organizer Cont'd from Page 36 Neil Rickett is armed with a list of 500 bars The research also suggested an inverse and restaurants as he makes his way (i.e. favorable) association, with each adthrough downtown, popping in and out of ditional cup of coffee reducing the relative eateries. He approaches bartenders, wait risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 7-8 staff and other service industry workers per cent. whose high turnover and odd hours often The study indicates that caffeine is unresult in a lack of health coverage. He gets likely to be responsible for this effect. workers' contact information and someA recent meta-analysis suggested that times schedules appointments to meet with consumption of both caffeinated and them. decaffeinated coffee is associated with a ``By going to them, we're upping our lower risk of chance of getting the people we missed or type 2 diabetes. didn't get enrolled last time,'' Rickett said.

Recent work In New Jersey, Stockton's nonprofit is suggests that among the community-based groups guidthe type of cofing people through the enrollment process. fee may also afWhen they aren't taking appointments, the fect the strength 17 navigators take their enrollment message of the inverse on the road. (i.e. favorable) The helpers set up tables of brochures association, at festivals and malls. They make cold calls with filtered cofto pizza parlors, Chinese restaurants and fee exhibiting a other small businesses where they somegreater protectimes post information on bulletin boards. tive effect than boiled coffee, and And with encrypted tablets and mobile ofdecaffeinated coffee exhibiting a greater fices, they have signed people up for covprotective effect than caffeinated coffee. erage at churches, synagogues, mosques More than 380 million people worldwide and a Buddhist temple. have diabetes, with an economic burden ``We're very flexible about the times that of USD 548 billion, making it one of the we can go out and make it convenient,'' most significant global health problems, the Stockton said. institute said. -PTI

The organization's contact information in a newspaper caught the attention of freelance writer Susan Van Dongen Grigsby, who has COBRA coverage through her husband's former employer, though it expires next year. ``I don't want to find myself without any coverage a few months from now,'' said Van Dongen Grigsby, 55, of Bordentown, New Jersey.

Changing insurance has been on her mind since her husband retired in 2012. She pays $689 a month and hopes to find a cheaper plan. She said that she resisted the marketplace last year because she liked her COBRA coverage and that hearing horror stories about the website didn't help. ``I just would like someone walk to me through it and see what the options are,'' said Van Dongen Grigsby, who has an appointment this month with Stockton's group.

One organization in northeast Ohio plans to host information sessions with salon owners and their employees to help enroll Asian-Americans in coverage.

Cathy Vue, an assistant manager of Asian Services in Action Inc., said the organization also is putting together a free calendar for Asian groups that will include Affordable Care Act information in their native language. Each page of the 12month calendar will feature a picture of a

community member - Nepali, Korean, Hmong, Burmese - wearing native clothing. ``This is kind of a way that we're hoping will get the community involved,'' Vue said. ``A lot of times they feel invisible so to have that visibility, I think, is really powerful.''

Word of mouth from a client led personal trainer Arthur Hunter to seek enrollment help from The Voice of Your Customer, a minority-owned business in Cincinnati that has counselors assisting with sign-ups. Hunter has health insurance through his wife's employer, though the two are getting a divorce. He hoped to get his coverage lined up. ``I don't want to have a day go by without having it,'' said Hunter, 47. ``Health and fitness is so important to me - that for me, one of the most important things is to have that health care coverage.''

Anne Filipic, president of Enroll America, said reaching the uninsured naturally will get harder from year to year as more people get coverage. Part of the challenge this period, she said, is for organizers not just to connect people to health insurance but also to make sure those enrolled keep their coverage and make any necessary updates. ``This year, we really have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time,'' Filipic said. -AP

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Indian to set up pharma plant in Saudi Arabia DUBAI: A UAE-based prominent Indian businessman will invest over USD 266 million to establish a pharmaceutical plant in Saudi Arabia that would manufacture medicine for cancer and dengue.

B R Shetty, managing director and CEO of Neo Pharma, signed an agreement with Prince Turki bin Mohamed bin Nasser, in charge of Jazan Industrial City and Shaikh Mohammed Rafik, chairman of Gammon Group.

Under the agreement, Shetty's company will set up the plant in the Jazan Industrial City, which is being developed by Gammon Group and is expected to attract investments valued at USD 20 billion.

Prince Turki welcomed Shetty and his partners to tap the huge potential of Saudi healthcare market.

"The government's policy is to encourage and support foreign investors to play a great role in developing our economy. The state-owned Saudi Industrial Development Fund will pay the investors 75 per cent of their project cost in interest-free soft loans for

20 years," he said.

Praising Indian expatriates' sincerity to work and honesty in dealings, he underscored the need to further boost the excellent rela-

B R Shetty

tions with India, Saudi Gazette reported.

"It's an immense pleasure for us to have a leading Indian investor coming to Jazan with big investments. Shetty is enough for us as he can bring his partners to the Kingdom, and this will be

good signal for other investors to come and invest," Prince Turki said.

"I have ambitious plans to tap the potential of this holy land, blessed by God, by making investments first in Jazan, then in Jeddah and Riyadh," Shetty said.

"I think it is the right time I entered this great country, which is an ideal destination for investments," he added.

S h e t t y, whom Forbes Magazine listed in March this year as the fourth richest expatriate billionaire in the UAE, said that the Neo Pharmaceuticals (Neopharma) plant in Jazan would concentrate mainly on manufacturing medicine for cancer and dengue fever. -PTI

Apollo Hospitals to open 500 sugar clinics NEW DELHI: Healthcare major Apollo Hospitals plans to open 500 Apollo Sugar Clinics by end of 2019 in India and overseas to spread network of diabetes care program.

"We plan to open 500 Apollo Sugar Clinics across the country and outside by end of 2019. We will be have 50 clinics in the country by the end of this year," Apollo Sugar Chief Executive Officer Gagan Bhalla told PTI. Outside India, the healthcare provider is mulling expansion in the Middle East countries, he added.

Asked about the investments required for the proposed expansion, Bhalla said: "On an average, an investment of Rs 50 lakh is required to open a clinic but it varies depending on the locations."

It would be financed through the funds from Apollo Hospitals Group, he added.

The company currently has it's sugar clinics in Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi,

Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Indore, Karimnagar, Pune, Kakinada, Nashik, Tiruchirappalli, Raipur, Bilaspur, Bhubaneshwar, Mysore, Visakhapatnam and

Madurai.

The Apollo Sugar Clinics provide robust patient outcomes via best in class multi-disciplinary care teams and proven treatment protocols. They also have life style management capabilities, he added.

In September, Apollo Hospitals had joined hands with global pharma firm Sanofi to provide diabetes care programs through its Apollo Sugar Clinics.

Apollo Hospitals Group Founder Chairman Prathap C Reddy had stated that the partnership would be converted into a joint venture in future.

Apollo Sugar is part of Apollo Health & Lifestyle, the arm of Apollo that is into primary and secondary healthcare. -PTI

Austin firm eyed for $90M state Medicaid contract AUSTIN, Texas: The state office responsible for investigating Medicaid fraud and waste is finalizing a $90 million contract with an Austin company that has little experience with Medicaid spending.

The inspector general's office for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission is arranging the deal with 21CT, a federal defense contractor unknown in the Medicaid fraud business prior to 2012. That's the year 21CT was first asked by Texas investigators to analyze a massive amount of data associated with $28.3 billion in Medicaid spending. ``We've created a solution that focuses on any data analytic challenge, in any domain,'' 21CT CEO Irene Williams said. ``We were looking outside the box.''

Texas Medicaid Director Kay Ghahremani in a correspondence with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services pitched 21CT's technology as a game-changer for the state, according to documents obtained by the Austin American-Statesman.

But the pending contract comes amid scrutiny of the inspector general's office. It has more than 1,100 fraud cases it's investigating and each case takes an average of three years to complete, state records show.

The head of the office, Inspector General Douglas Wilson, was publicly criticized over the last week at two legislative hearings for myriad failures, including for an ongoing investigation of an actuary under his command who admitted falsifying numbers used to bring cases against alleged

``We've created a solution that focuses on any data analytic challenge, in any domain,'' 21CT CEO Irene Williams said. ``We were looking outside the box.'' fraudsters.

Members of the Sunset Advisory Commission, a legislative panel that recommends changes to dysfunctional agencies, were upset that the office failed to reclaim substantial taxpayer dollars despite having alleged hundreds of millions of dollars in fraud each year.

Wilson's team was also criticized for its aggressive pursuit of providers, hampering their businesses in some cases over what turned out to be clerical errors instead of fraud.-AP

India leads in pre-term birth complication deaths WASHINGTON: Over 3.6 lakh children under age five die from pre-term birth complications each year in India, according to a new study which found premature birth kills more under-fives globally than anything else.

Of the estimated 6.3 million deaths of children under the age of five in 2013, complications from preterm births accounted for nearly 1.1 million deaths, the findings show.

Specifically, direct complications from preterm births accounted for 965,000 deaths during the first 28 days of life, with an additional 125,000 deaths between the ages of one month and five years, according to the findings published in The Lancet journal by a research team coordinated by Robert Black, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Other main causes for young child deaths include pneumonia, which killed 935,000 children un-

der-five, and childbirth complications, which caused 720,000 deaths.

"This marks a turning of the tide, a transition from infections to neonatal conditions, especially those related to premature births, and this will require entirely different medical and public health approaches," said Joy Lawn of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

"The success we've seen in the ongoing fight against infectious diseases demonstrates that we can also be successful if we invest in prevention and care for preterm birth," said Lawn.

The countries with the highest numbers of children under-five dying from preterm birth complications each year are: India (361,600), Nigeria (98,300), Pakistan (75,000), Democratic Republic of the Congo (40,600), China (37,200), Bangladesh (26,100), Indonesia (25,800), Ethiopia (24,400), Angola (15,900) and Kenya (13,300). -PTI

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Cannabis helps shrink aggressive brain cancer LONDON: Scientists have managed to shrink one of the most aggressive brain cancers both in the lab and in mice by combining cannabinoids with radio therapy.

Experts have shown that when certain parts of cannabis are used to treat cancer tumors alongside radio therapy treatment the growths can virtually disappear.

The new research by specialists at St George's, University of London, studied the treatment of brain cancer tumors in the laboratory and discovered that the most effective treatment was to combine active chemical components of the cannabis plant which

are called cannabinoids.

Two of these called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) were

tested as part of the research into brain cancer which is particularly difficult to treat

Nonprofits battle health insurance misinformation Cont'd from Page 36

She said she did not recall the companies or names. ``My understanding was, based on having gotten these requests to join the networks, that we would be able to opt out of Obamacare discount plans,'' she said. ``That's why we were informing patients, `We're happy to see you, but you have to get a referral from the company that wrote that because they're not going to want to accept billing from us.'''

But Burton, who said he's received

People could enroll on the spot at some of the events, and at others could set up later appointments with counselors. Those without minimum insurance can be made to pay a penalty. about 10 similar complaints involving other doctors, said there's no difference between exchange-purchase plans and other plans for the same coverage.

A spokeswoman for Louisiana's largest insurance provider agreed. ``They have the same coverage, the same benefits, the same network,'' said Robin Mayhall of Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Louisiana.

With a few exceptions, she said, the plans have the same names, she wrote in a later email. ``There are a few multi-state products that aren't on the Marketplace. But overall, there's no way a provider should know, at least from Blue Cross, whether a patient has a Marketplace product or not.''

Burton said there's also no way for doctors and other providers to identify people whose premiums are paid with federal help.

In Louisiana, 88 percent of the nearly 101,800 who signed up last year are getting tax breaks or subsidies toward premiums.

Turner said, ``I think still that we're doing the right thing, telling them we're not in the network if we're not. But maybe we are in the network.''

Louisiana's nonprofit counselors (called navigators), application centers and other groups were putting on 17 events around the state on Saturday to publicize the start of the signup period, which ends Feb. 15, and explain the program to anyone who shows up.

People could enroll on the spot at some of the events, and at others could set up later appointments with counselors.

Those without minimum insurance can be made to pay a penalty.

About 184,000 Louisiana residents were eligible last year. There's no specific enrollment target for the 82,000 or so who did not sign up, Burton said.

In addition to helping them, he said, counselors will be helping any who want a hand renewing or finding new coverage, and explaining how to find doctors to people who are used to getting all their care at emergency rooms.

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have prepared ``great manuals,'' Burton said. ``They're very simple to understand,'' with charts to help users find a primary care physician.

Burton said he doesn't know how many of the insured have had problems finding doctors. For that matter, he doesn't know how many of the people who got coverage are looking for another company _ navigators don't keep any personal information, so they only know what they hear from people who ask for help, he said. -AP

and claims the lives of about 5,200 each year, researchers said.

It also has a particularly poor prognosis as the rate of survival after five years of patients' diagnosis is around 10 per cent.

Cannabinoids are the active chemicals in cannabis and are also known more specifically as phytocannabinoids. There are 85 known cannabinoids in the cannabis plant.

The new research is the first to show a drastic effect when combining THC and CBD with irradiation. Tumors growing in the brains of mice were drastically slowed down when THC/CBD was used with irradiation.

"The results are extremely exciting.

The tumors were treated in a variety of ways, either with no treatment, the cannabinoids alone, and irradiation alone or with both the cannabinoids and irradiation at the same time," Dr Wai Liu, Senior Research Fellow and lead researcher on the project, said.

"Those treated with both irradiation and the cannabinoids saw the most beneficial results and a drastic reduction in size. In some cases, the tumors effectively disappeared in the animals. This augurs well for further research in hu-

mans in the future. At the moment this is a mostly fatal disease," said Liu. "The benefits of the cannabis plant elements were known before but the drastic reduction of brain cancers if used with irradiation is something new and

"The benefits of the cannabis plant elements were known before but the drastic reduction of brain cancers if used with irradiation is something new and may well prove promising may well prove promising for patients who are in gravely serious situations with such cancers in the future," Liu added.

The research team are discussing the possibility of combining cannabinoids with irradiation in a human clinical trial.

The research was published in the Molecular Cancer Therapeutics journal. -PTI

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R

enowned as a picturesque picnic spot, Chakrata in Dehradun District of Uttaranchal State of India is a hill station and a famed tourist destination located at an altitude of about 7000 ft above sea level. The town was known earlier as Jaunsar Bawar, a small hamlet of Jaunsari tribe.

Yamuna valley is located down the hilly town and the panoramic view of the surroundings from the hillock is astonishing. Chakrata was developed by the British rulers and was a summer retreat for the high executives of English East India Company. Presently Chakrata encloses military cantonment and the access is restricted for civilian travelers.

Thriving by the lush greeneries with dense forests all around, Chakrata is famed as a tourist destination to spend vacations merging with Mother Nature's grandeur gift. Cool but pleasant ambience makes the stay in Chakrata more enjoyable. The northern slope regions of Chakrata are ideal for trekking and skiing.

Kharamba peak is the highest mount in Chakrata with an altitude of about 10,000 ft. The mountain climbing here is a wonderfully adventurous task.

Nature lovers, trekkers, bird watchers and wild life enthusiasts can spend days together here in the lap of Chakrata exploiting the Nature's hidden treasures and beauties.

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Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in UP opens for tourists LAKHIMPUR: The world-famous Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh has opened for tourists.

The tourist season in Dudhwa Tiger (DTR), comprising Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, commences on November 15 and closes on June 15 every year.

Justice Arun Tandon and Justice M P Shahi from Allahabad, who were the first visitors of the Dudhwa National Park, officially inaugurated the tourist season in Dudhwa, Deputy Field Director, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Vinod Krishna Singh said.

One-year-old elephant calf Suheli and another elephant calf Vinayak welcomed the first visitors at the entry gate, he said.

It is a custom in Dudhwa that the first visitor inaugurates the tourist season in the park. Singh said on the inaugural day, the visitors were allowed free entry into the park till 11 am.

Singh said several new attractions have been added to the park for the visitors. For the first time, a stall has been set up at Dudhwa where handicraft items and spices prepared by local tribal people

have been put on sale. Moreover, for the first time, women guides have been engaged to facilitate visitors.

"Visitors have been asked not to litter garbage inside the park, but

to keep them in the wastage bag provided to them. Moreover, they have been asked to leave their private vehicles at Dudhwa and visit the park by the vehicles arranged by the park," Singh said. -PTI

China opens section of high- Foreign tourists to be welcomed with garlands speed train in Xinjiang BEIJING: China has inaugurated a section of the first highspeed rail in restive Xinjiang province which will slash travel time between the regional capital of Urumqi and the eastern city of Hami by half to three hours.

The 530 kilometer rail, with a designed speed of over 200 kilometers per hour, is part of the 1,776 kilometer Lanxin high-speed railway linking Urumqi with Lanzhou,

capital of north western province of Gansu, which will be put into service by the end of this year.

The railway crossing the vast expanse of the Gobi desert and windy areas will be further connected with China's booming high-speed rail network to play a key role in the Silk Road Economic Belt, initiative raised by China to

boost cooperation with central and western Asian nations, staterun Xinhua news agency reported.

China has high expectations of the new rails line in its most troubled province, which has witnessed violent attacks, and hopes it will fuel more development it the resource-rich province and improve its connectivity with the rest of the country.

China blames the violence on the radical regional outfit the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), an Al-Qaeda backed outfit.

The province which has about 11 million native Uygur Muslims remained restive over the settlements of Hans from other provinces.

When the project will be fully ready it would cut down the travel time from eight hours to about 12 hours.

The Lanzhou-Xinjiang HighSpeed Railway, which began construction in 2009, will serve as a key link between the region and the provinces of Gansu and Qinghai.

It will also help shorten travel time between Beijing and Urumqi, Xinjiang's capital, from 20 to 40 hours.

The 1,776 kilometer track, which will be the longest high-speed railway line in the world, costs USD 24 billion and includes 31 stations. It will touch three major plateaus Qinghai-Tibet, Loess and Pamirs.

China is also building another highspeed line conn e c t i n g Lanzhou and Xian. Upon its completion, the high-speed rail system will run from Urumqi to the Pacific coast, the Hong Kongbased South China Morning Post reported.

China's railway network includes more than one lakh kilometers of track, including 10,000 kilometers in high-speed lines. -PTI

NEW DELHI: With a view to prevent fleecing of foreign tourists and creating a safe and secure environment for them, Tourism Ministry is set to roll out red carpet at airports to receive guests with garlands in a true 'Atithi Deva Bhavo' style.

A comprehensive plan is being worked out to provide end-to-end service to overseas tourists, new Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma told PTI. The end-to-end service is likely to be launched as "Meet & Greet"

"Preventing fleecing of tourists by touts is one of my top priorities as it is causing a bad name for the country," Sharma said.

Ministry will also set up facilitation centers at airports to receive foreign tourists. Facilitation centers will be set up at international airports first and later at other places like domestic airports and railway stations, he said.

Trained personnel wearing uniforms with Incredible India logo will be manning these centers.

"Tourists will be provided what-

foreign guests in the coming days.

As per the plan, foreign tourists will be welcomed at airports with garlands and will be assisted by trained personnel in getting transportation and tourist guides.

The facility will be provided throughout their journey.

There have been many cases of fleecing and harassment of foreigners by touts and taxi operators at airports and railway stations across the country.

ever help they require during their stay in the country. The idea is to extend a personal touch so that they feel safe and secured," he said.

Ministry officials will take up the matter with police and airport authorities to ensure allowing only authorized taxis to operate at airports.

Steps will also be taken to monitor taxis through GPS tracking system at airports. -PTI

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CHAKRATA BADAMI

Unexploited & unpolluted scenic summer retreat Cont’d from page 40

The forest around Chakrata has an amazing flora and fauna. This is the natural habitat of many wild life species including panther, spot-

ing views. This is really a perfect place for watching many species of birds and butterflies. From this point, one can view the imposing scenery of the surroundings including Rohini Peak, Swarga Peak

Ram Tal Horticultural Garden

ted dear and wild fowls.

Many caves and ancient temples nearby add to the attraction to this cute beautiful town.

Most of the town region is unexploited and unpolluted. Clear and clean atmosphere, calm environment and eye catching backdrops make the city a great attraction for tourists looking for tranquil and secluded stay.

ATTRACTIONS Chilmiri Neck: Chilmiri Neck is one of the peak points in Chakrata where the mess and quarters of military cantonment is located. The landscape of the place is exquisite with lush green lands and dense forests all around. It also offers languorous views of the Doon valley. The cool and pleasant climate makes this place a much sought tourist spot.

The way to Chilmiri Neck is adorned with majestic eye catch-

and the Banderpoonch Massif.

Ram Tal Horticultural Garden: Ram Tal Horticultural Garden

is a notable location in Chakrata, which encloses different varieties flora and fauna. The Garden is enriched with many varieties of

climbers, conifers, lichen, ferns, flowering plants and woody trees. One can view many kinds of bird fauna in this scenic location on top of the hillock. Black headed Jay, Grey Treepie and Oriental Turtle Dove are some of the birds which can be spotted here.

The vast expanse of greenish lawns in the garden is an added attraction of this place. Kids can enjoy the evenings and weekends in this spectacular garden. An apple garden and a natural pond in this horticultural garden are highly attractive.

Tiger Falls: Simply fantastic, Tiger falls is really the main attraction in Chakrata. An adventurous trek to the fall site is an enchanting experience. It is one of the highest waterfalls in India, originating at a height of about 312 ft. The view of the waterfalls is breathtaking and mesmerizing.

The waterfalls is located at the backdrop of scenic and dark green woody trees and the calm and cool

atmosphere of this place make it a busy picnic spot.

Deoban: Deoban is located in the same hilly terrains of Chakrata

Chilmiri Neck

and is placed at height of about 2200 m. This is a nice spot to have the mind catching and eye feasting views of the Himalayan ranges. One can view the long stretch of vast majestic Himalayan ranges in the horizon.

This is a vast lush green meadow on top of the hilly regions. This place is surrounded by dense dark Deodar green forests. This enchanting hilly terrain offer the nature loving tourists a real life experience.

Best season to visit Chakrata

is through the year, except for some freezing days in January and February.

HOW TO REACH

By Train: Nearest railhead is Dehradun, which is nearly 92 km away.

By Air: Nearest airport is Jolly Grant airport, which is also 92 km away.

By Bus: Bus facilities are available in Chakrata to reach Dehradun (92 km), Ponta Sahib (70 km) and Kalsi (98 km).

November 21, 2014

Travel & Hospitality Post

India Post

43

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China to promote tourism on Silk Road belt BEIJING: In a major push to promote President Xi Jinping's multibillion dollar plan to revive ancient Silk Roads by land and sea, China has said it will promote travel by Chinese tourists to the countries along Silk Road belt, which could also benefit India.

China will promote travel to

ports, a number of countries in the world today woo Chinese tourists as their numbers touched about 100 million last year, raking up revenue of USD 102 billion.

India, which gets just over a lakh Chinese visitors, is conducting campaigns to attract more of them as their numbers rose sharply

countries along the Silk Road in 2015, the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) announced here.

According to official media re-

in Sri Lanka and Maldives.

The decision was made against the backdrop of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiatives

which were proposed by Xi to boost regional economic and infrastructure cooperation, as well as people-to-people exchange in Asia, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Du Jiang, deputy director of the CNTA, as saying.

China is promoting a maze of Silk Roads including the ancient Silk Road connecting China to Europe through Central Asia; the BCIM - Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar - corridor; the PakistanChina corridor through Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and the Maritime Silk Road to connect it with a host of ports in India and South Asia.

Tourism marketing and promotion in China next year will focus on travel products related to the Silk Road concept, Du said.

China's cabinet, which released guidelines to promote tourism in August, urge better cooperation and more exchanges with countries in Central Asia, South Asia, South East Asia and Europe.

The new initiative is seen as a strategic hedge against the US Pivot to Asia. -PTI

California cat cafe is catnip for feline fans OAKLAND, Calif.: Cat lovers in Northern California are pouncing at the chance of spending time with feline company at a new cat cafe in Oakland.

Cat Town Cafe is giving dozens of visitors a chance to mingle with furry friends while sipping coffee and nibbling on cat-themed cookies.

The cafe opened last month and has been full since opening day. It

came popular therapy for lonely or anxious workers in Japan, the Oakland coffee shop puts the focus on the animals.

The tuxedo, orange tabby and Siamese cats napping or stretching in the sun in Cat Town come from a local shelter and are available for adoption. ``Most of them have been at the shelter for four months or more.

So as much as this is a super fun

was inspired by the cat cafe craze in Japan, where many people live in cramped high-rise apartments that don't allow pets.

While making feline friends be-

experience, it's really a missiondriven project to get the cats out of the shelter and into great homes,'' said Ann Dunn, founder of Cat Town Oakland, a nonprofit

group that helps place cats least likely to be adopted from the Oakland Animal Shelter.

She said there were 14 adoptions in their first 12 days.

For a $10 donation to the organization, visitors get one hour of kitty company in the cafe, where they can play with felines, scratch their backs and watch them nap.

Each person is given a designated window of time to make sure there are not too many people at once in the room painted with cartoonlike, bright murals of cats.

Cat naps are very popular at the cafe, but Christina Souza, who visited on a recent afternoon, didn't seem to mind. ``I think it's fun. It's great. It's exciting,'' Souza said. ``Why not have more venues where cats can let out their fun personalities?''

Cat cafes are now open in London, Vienna and Paris, and Cat Town's founders believe their coffee shop is the first of its kind in the United States. That may change soon - a half dozen cat cafes are set to open in the U.S. next year, most of them along the West Coast. -AP

Kerala Tourism roadshows impress Nordic market THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Keeping up its strategy of tapping emerging markets to attract travellers to the state, Kerala Tourism has held three roadshows in the Nordic region in Europe, eliciting an encouraging response from the local travel trade.

"All the three roadshows received a warm response from the local tourism industry representatives," Tourism Director P I Sheikh Pareeth said.

According to a Kerala Tourism release, more than 80 representatives from 55 companies of these countries participated in the roadshows.

The campaigns were organized in Norway, Finland and Denmark.

The three countries are part of the fivemember Nordic nations' group in Europe.

"The Ambassadors of these countries have offered all support of the embassies to promote Kerala in this part of the world," the Tourism Director said.

The Scandinavian roadshows were kicked off on November 11 in Norway's capital Oslo. The Kerala delegation comprising tour operators, hotels and Ayurveda resorts

representatives, was led by Pareeth.

India's Ambassador to Norway, former Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal (Retired) N A K Browne, was the Chief Guest at the roadshow.

In Helsinki, the capital of Finland, Ashok Kumar Sharma, the Ambassador of India to Finland and Estonia, was the Chief Guest.

"Finland is one of the countries

for which the visa-on-arrival is available for visiting India. Therefore, it is easy to travel to Kerala from Finland using this facility," Pareeth said.

The campaign in Denmark's capital Copenhagen was attended

by Indian Ambassador Niraj Srivastava.

Kerala had also conducted roadshows in Australia and New Zealand last month to attract travelers from the two countries. -PTI

Fargo mapmaking group adds depth to the discussion FARGO, N.D.: Workers at Nokia's Fargo campus have spent 18 years making maps, but they recently moved into another dimension.

The business that began by hiring people to drive across the country to take Polaroid photos and plot landmarks on paper is leading the company's 3-D mapmaking efforts from North Dakota's largest city.

The goal is essentially to help cars drive themselves. ``This is the cutting edge of mapping,'' said Justin Tibbetts, a technical specialist on the company's 3-D imagery team. ``This is the future. Just being on the cusp of that is pretty cool.''

The Fargo technical center is known as HERE, but its 230 employees come to work every day and feel like they're everywhere. Many of them spend the day collecting

information that will help them update maps to create the most accurate representation of the real world.

It's important to get a stop sign located in the right place.

They get to tour some famous places along the way; some in person, some from their work stations. ``I've seen awesome buildings in Milan, in Paris, things like that.

You have to stop and check that out,'' said Michael LaMont, a quality testing analyst. ``I've seen the world. I could probably identify cities randomly by pictures of certain streets.''

The company has been using 3D tools for the last year and a half.

Moving from 2-D to 3-D should not only improve routing and safety for motorists, it will bring people inside of buildings, said Brian Carroll, HERE's director of advance engineering and launch.-AP

Horoscope

44 India Post

November 21, 2014

www.indiapost.com

Your Weekly Future

by Pandit Parashar

November 21st - November 27th, 2014 (March 21 to April 20)

Y

our actions will make spouse very nervous.

Risky move will prove to be a blessing as the results will be lot better than expectations.

Children will do a lot better this week. You may be in touch with an old friend and discuss launching a business in partnership. There will be many distractions but you will continue your prayers.

(April 21 to May 20)

C

oncentration of many planets in seventh will help in many ways.

Positive developments in career will provide the much necessary boost to self confidence and you will vigorously keep working on your great plans. You will have a big opportunity to spend some quality time with a successful politician. bank balance will shot up suddenly.

(May 21 to June 20)

L

egal matters will suddenly take a favorable turn and decision will come quick.

Few needy people will benefit from your valuable advise. You will make big change in food habits and try to maintain a disciplined life. Idea of changing career will continue to occupy your mind and you may start making inquiries in that direction.

(June 21 to July 22)

A

lignment of planets can make dream com true.

Opportunity should not be less than a financial jackpot.

Do not hesitate to play few lottery tickets for next few weeks. Positive changes in career are imminent and you should start to see the signs now. You may be successful in disposing off some money making stocks or property this week.

(July 23 to August 22)

(November 23 to December 22)

Y

ou will spend more time on phone reaching out people. Things will get more relaxing at work and you will finish an important project well before the deadline. A nice promotion or some bonus is also in the air. You may have some work done in or around your home. Spouse will be very helpful and support your plans without any reservations.

(August 23 to September 22)

B

old actions will take you very close to your goals.

Clearance from a government agency will road blocks in career and you may start applying for better opportunity. It will be profitable week for brokers. You may also hear from an old friend after a long interval. Some of you may slowly start getting ready for an upcoming long distance journey.

(September 23 to October 22)

Y

ou will make a very calculated and daring move in career. gamble will pay offas the results will be far better than earlier calculated. You may send some money to government in shape of some kind of tax. You may also purchase some fine quality items for the house. Opportunities will keep taking you towards financial freedom.

(October 23 to November 22)

Y

ou may finally get a big break from hectic life.

Family dinner with a close family friend this week will be relaxing and will provide the opportunity to catch up on many important issues. A big promotion or raise is also in the air. Just be careful when you send any reply to a government agency. Try your hand at few lottery tickets.

PANDIT PARASHAR, CEO & COO Astro Scan USA is also available for individual consultations.

He can be reached at: parashar@parashar.com

Y

ou may take extra day off from work and travel to a nice place with family this week. Some money could go towards minor repairs to one of your vehicle. Few bright ideas will continue to occupy your mind and you may start reaching out friends to find the right team. You may write a check to government agency and wait few days to mail it.

(December 22 to January 19)

N

ew venture recently started will take off like a rocket. Response will be lot better than anticipated just because of your credibility in the industry. You may buy another vehicle for business or for children. Get together will be very relaxing and you will get to spend quality time with close friends. Try to cut down on caffeine.

(January 20 to February 18)

Y

ou may take time out from a busy schedule and travel out of town with family to spend few days with a close friend or relative. Planets are in right order to help those looking to have an addition in the family. Clearance from a government agency could arrive via mail. You may also start the paper work to apply for a big loan this week.

(February 19 to March 20)

J

upiter's aspect on several planets will remove many many obstacles and negative energy from life. offer will be lucrative and accompanied with additional perks. Children will help you plan a short trip on last minute. You may also make final payment on an old debt. Few minutes on computer will help you bring down liability.

510-886-4370 www.parashar.com

India Post 45

November 21, 2014

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November 21, 2014

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Datebook

November 21, 2014

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

Upcoming

Upcoming

Sat, Dec 6 • IFMP Annual Cultural Show 2014

Wed, Nov 26 • Basement Bhangra meets

Venue: West Windsor Plainsboro High School North, 90 Grovers Mill Road, Plainsboro, NJ 08536 Time: 3:00 pm

Venue: Baby's Alright, 146 Broadway, NY 11211 Time : 7:00 pm Contact: 718-207-0058

Sat, Dec 13

Fri, Dec 5

• NAMAM Excellence Award Night

QUE BAJO?!

• December Madness

Venue: Deewan Banquet Hall, 560 Stelton Rd, Piscataway Township, NJ 08854 Time: 5:00 pm

Venue: Mixx Lounge, 160 Adams Ave, Hauppauge, NY 11788 Time: 10:00 pm Contact: 516-336-9042

Sat, Dec 13

Wed, Dec 31

• Adi Sakthi Venue: East Brunswick High School Auditorium, 380 Cranbury Rd, East Brunswick, NJ 08816 Time : 04:00 pm Contact: 732-801-4814

• Harry Malhotras New Year Eve Masquerade Ball 2015 Venue: Antuns by Minar, 244 W Old Country Rd, Hicksville, NY 11801 Time : 08:00 pm Contact: 917-325-4903

India Post 47

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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Upcoming

Upcoming

Nov 9, 16, 23, 30 • Vivekananda Vedanta Society Chicago

Sun, Dec 7 • Carnatic Vocal Concert By Smt Hema Sista

Swami Ishatmananda: Why We Should Meditate: Yoga Aphorisms Tuesdays: Swami Ishatmananda Fridays: Swami Varadananda Venue: 14630 Lemont Road Homer Glen, IL 60491 Time: 7:30 pm Shivanama Sankirtan Time: 06:30pm Contact : chicagovedanta.org

Sat, Nov 22 • Raaga Rang - Fusion Music Concert by Pandith Praveen Godkhindi

Venue: Rancho Rinconada Parks and Recreation, 18000 Chelmsford Dr, Cupertino, CA 95014 Time: 4:15 pm.

Contact: 408-569-0860

Wec, Dec 31 • BATA Membership Venue: Bay Area Telugu Association, Time: 11:50 pm

Venue: Cabrillo High School Auditorium, 2001 Santa Fe Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90810 Time: 04:30 pm Contact: (510) 402-4633

Sat, Nov 29 • Dashavatar - The Ten Incarna-

Sat, Nov 22 • 11 th Annual Boston Bhangra Competition

tions of Vishnu

Sat, Dec 13 • Hollywood Bhangra - Xmas

Bhangra Theme Party - Last One of 2014

Venue: Metropolitan, 652 N La Peer Dr, West Hollywood, CA 90069 Timet: 10:00 pm

Wed, Dec 31 • PREETYSHA & SAMEER - New Years Bash 2015

Venue: Anaheim Plaza Hotel & Suites, 1700 S.Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92802 Time :07:00 pm Contact: 714-397-7224

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

39120 Argonaut Way, Fremont, CA 94538 Contact: 408-242-5111

Venue: Bellflower Civic Center, 16600 Civic Center Dr, Bellflower, CA 90706 Timet: 4:00 pm Contact: 562-746-1945

ILLINOIS

ATLANTA Upcoming

Venue: Orpheum Theatre, 1 Hamilton Pl, Boston, MA 02108 Time: 6:00 pm Contact: 617-448-25088

Sat, Nov 22 • Chhora Ganga Kinare Wala Venue: Ashland High School, 65 East Union Street, Ashland, MA 01721 Time: 05:30 pm Contact: 978-726-4095

Sat, Dec 6 • Maadhurya - A Grand Evening of Dance and Music Venue: Ashland High School, 65 East Union Street, Ashland, MA 01721 Time: 3:30 am Contact: 978-206-1486

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

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

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

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November 21, 2014

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Perspective

November 21, 2014

India Post 49

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Cyber space being exploited by IS, extremists

I

n the night of November 6, 2014, Pakistani hackers defaced websites of 22 Govern ment departments and organizations in India. On the defaced websites, the hackers identified themselves as '1337 & r00x! - Team MaDLeeTs' and greeted the Government of India, and leveled a range of allegations against the Indian Army in Kashmir. "We are not asking for Kashmir. We ask for peace. Nothing deleted or stolen.

Just here to deliver my message to the government and the people of India," the hackers wrote, signing off with "Pakistan Zindabad" (long live Pakistan).

On November 1, 2014, Pakistanbased hackers, calling themselves 'Pakistan Cyber Mafia Hackers', hacked two websites of Gujarat Government - the official website of the Commissionerate of Higher Education (www.egyan.org.in) and the official website of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee of Ahmedabad (www.apmcahmedabad.com). The hackers put their logo and some text on the homepages of these websites, which read: 'Hacked by Pakistan Cyber Mafia Hackers', 'Feel the power of Pakistan', 'Pk_Robot was here' and 'Pakistan Zindabad'.

These incidents are the most recent in a rising trend. Indeed, on July 14, 2014, Communications and IT Minister Ravishankar Prasad, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament) disclosed, "During the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 (till May), a total number of 21,699, 27,605, 28,481 and 9,174 Indian websites were respectively hacked by various hacker groups spread across worldwide. In addition, during these years, a total number of 13,301, 22,060, 71,780 and 62,189 security incidents, respectively, were reported to the CERT-In [Computer Emergency Response Team-India (CERT-In)].

These attacks have been observed to be originating from the cyber space of a number of countries including the US, Europe, Brazil, Turkey, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Algeria and the UAE. A total of 422, 601 and 1,337 cases were registered under cyber crime related sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) during the year 2011, 2012 and 2013."

The threat of cyber crime lies outside the conventional paradigm of terrorism, but has the potential to do incalculable harm. Indeed, even sustained low grade attacks impose cumulative costs that can be prohibitive. Cyber terrorism, moreover, is not only limited to paralyzing computer infrastruc-

SANCHITA BHATTACHARYA

tures; it also comprehends the use of computers, the Internet and information gateways to support and organize traditional forms of terrorism, such as bombings and suicide attacks.

The most common use by terrorists is for secret communications, as well as designing and up-

youth, as the video has been subtitled in Hindi, Tamil and Urdu.

Similarly, on September 3, 2014, al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, in a 55-minute video posted on the Internet, announced the launch of a new wing in the Indian sub-continent, AQIS. Zawahiri described the formation of AQIS as "a glad

‘The ISI is now working on a bigger gameplan in training terrorists in the use of cyber and computer technology as the Pakistani agency feels India is not fully equipped in dealing with incidents of cyber war or attack.’ loading websites on which propaganda can be pasted, at least occasionally masking secret missives.

Direct cyber terrorist attacks use hacking, computer viruses, computer worms, E-Mail related crime, denial of service attacks, etc.

India and the United States (US) have decided to launch an all-out war against terror outfits and to annihilate them in the virtual world as well. Worried by the increasing presence of terrorist organizations in cyberspace, an Indo-US Joint Working Group (JWG) on cybercrime has been activated to dismantle the virtual command centers of terrorist networks across social networks, Indian Government sources stated, "The decision to activate the JWG was taken after weighing threat perception of outfits like IS [Islamic State], al Qaeda, AQIS [al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent], Tehreek-eTaliban Pakistan (TTP), Indian Mujahideen (IM) and JMB [Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh] etc., in the cyberspace."

Though such a pattern has long been in evidence, there has been a significant rise in high profile terrorist outreach attempts through the Internet in the recent past, particularly with the emergence of the IS, and the very sophisticated media campaigns this group has deployed.

For example, in a 20-second-long audio statement titled 'A message to the Mujahideen and the Muslim Ummah in the month of Ramadan' released on July 1, 2014, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the IS 'chief', mentioned that Indians, among a host of other nationalities including Chinese, American, French, German, Australian, etc., figure among IS fighters.

Another 11-minute-long IS propaganda video featuring a Canadian youth, who identifies himself as Abu Muslim, and uploaded on the internet in the first week of August 2014, clearly underlines IS attempts to reach out to Indian

tiding for Muslims in Burma, Bangladesh, Assam, Gujurat, Ahmedabad, and Kashmir" and claimed that the new wing would 'rescue Muslims' there from injustice and oppression.

Cyber space has also been exploited by extremists to spread violence and unrest across India.

Cyber wing officials investigating communal violence that erupted in July 2014 in the Bareilly District of Uttar Pradesh (UP), as reported on August 5, 2014, found that the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) was possibly involved in sending controversial pictures to some Facebook users in Bareilly, which led to communal violence in the Meera Ka Paith locality.

The origin of the controversial Facebook posts was traced to Secunderabad, Karmagunda and Madanpet - all in Hyderabad (capi-

vated by the use of social media networks by suspected terror groups. On November 21, 2013, Shinde had observed, "More recently, the Muzaffarnagar riots were fanned by similar misuse (of social media)."

There is mounting evidence that the abuse of the Internet against India is substantially orchestrated under the aegis of Pakistan's external Intelligence agency, the InterServices Intelligence (ISI).

A classified note of a high-level security review meeting held in New Delhi in September 2012, noted, "The ISI is now working on a bigger game-plan in training terrorists in the use of cyber and computer technology as the Pakistani agency feels India is not fully equipped in dealing with incidents of cyber war or attack.'' Importantly, the note observed, the training given to subversive elements by ISI's cyber experts played a key role in spreading hate campaigns through MMS [Multi-media Messaging Service] and SMS [short message service], targeting people from the Northeast in the wake of ethnic violence in Assam.

The note warned that this trend would only increase in days to come, and this was also the reason why ISI was increasingly stressing the recruitment of more educated youth by Islamist terrorist formations. An unnamed Indian intelligence officer stated, further, "It is almost certain that the Pakistani agency was behind the recent cyber attack on India, at least indirectly.

Having tasted success they will try

An unnamed Indian intelligence officer stated, further, "It is almost certain that the Pakistani agency was behind the recent cyber attack on India, at least indirectly. Having tasted success they will try it again in future tal city of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana) - where SIMI is known to have a considerable base. The officials also found evidence that funds were provided by some banned militant outfits from Jammu and Kashmir, to foment trouble in Bareilly.

Earlier, in 2012, cyber space was used by anti-national elements during the Assam communal strife.

Then Union Home Minister (UHM) Sushilkumar Shinde had noted on September 6, 2012, "It is unfortunate that the recent violence caused by the ethnic groups in Assam has been given communal color... There is an increasing evidence of resort taken by terrorists to the cyber space domain."

Similarly, the 2013 riots in Muzaffarnagar (UP) were aggra-

it again in future and on a much bigger scale. So we must be prepared to deal with this challenge."

According to a Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) document, till September 15, 2014, the country witnessed 479 riots in which 107 people were killed while another 1,697 people sustained injuries in the current year.

Indeed, concerned at the abuse of cyberspace by terrorist groups, the Union Home Minister (UHM), on June 17, 2014, directed the UMHA to explore the possibility of setting up specialized cybercrime units in each of the country's 671 Districts. Again on November 4, 2014, while participating in the 100th General Assembly Session of Interpol in Monaco, UHM Rajnath Singh underlined the role of infor-

mation technology to bring about even better control in the field of cyber security, and preventing misuse of internet social media for spreading extremist ideologies and radicalization.

The Cyber Security Initiatives taken up by the Indian Government include the setting up of the National Informatics Centre (NIC), a premier organization providing network backbone and e-governance support to the Central Government, State Governments, Union Territories, Districts and other Governments bodies; the Cert-In, to "ensure security of cyber space in the country by enhancing the security communications and information infrastructure, through proactive action and effective collaboration aimed at security incident prevention and response and security assurance"; the National Information Security Assurance Program (NISAP), for protection of the Government and critical infrastructures.

Further, the Indo-US Cyber Security Forum (IUSCSF) seeks to establish an India Information Sharing and Analysis Centre (ISAC) for better cooperation in anti hacking measures; an India Anti Bot Alliance to raise awareness about the emerging threats in cyberspace, under the aegis of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII); and to chalk out ways to intensify bilateral cooperation to control cyber crime in the two countries.

The Indian Government has also undertaken various initiatives to strengthen the cyber security. On March 25, 2014, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Data Security Council of India (DSCI) with a view to seek expert services from the latter in managing the challenges in cybercrimes and updating officials with the latest technology.

Nevertheless, these measures, in addition to earlier initiatives, have failed to adequately deal with the threat, which is approaching alarming levels. On October 31, 2014, while emphasizing the severity of the cyber crime threat, UHM Rajnath Singh stated, "It can hit anyone, anywhere and anytime."

Cyber crime and cyber terrorism have now emerged as a national priority, and this is widely acknowledged in the policy establishment. It remains to be seen how long it will take such recognition and concern to be translated into effective action and institutional development to construct and implement a comprehensive cyber security paradigm within India's counter terrorism strategy.

The writer is Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management

50 India Post

November 21, 2014

www.indiapost.com

D

ilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge completes 1,000 weeks on Decem ber 12. Recently, Shah Rukh Khan, who played the loveable Raj in the film and paved way for the boy next-door heroes in the decade that followed, had revealed his wish to celebrate the blockbuster in a grand manner.

According to Mumbai mirror, SRK, along with his costar, Kajol, who played Simran, the obedient daughter to Amrish Puri, will be making an appearance on Kapil Sharma's show to mark the occasion.

A source close to Comedy Nights With Kapil, said, "The duo plan to shoot on November 30 at Film City. They will talk about the film and share their memories."

This is the perfect platform for the celebration, considering that DDLJ was the first film to have a thirty minute television show chronicling its making which was telecast on the national broadcaster Doordarshan.

only been told not to screen any film in the 6 pm and 9 pm slots on December 12."

Rohit getting SRK and Kajol together?

According to a report in Mid-Day, Rohit Shetty will direct SRK in his next and has signed Kajol for the film.

A source was quoted saying to Mid-Day that the director has signed SRK for his next and has signed Kajol opposite SRK. The preproduction work is going on and soon he might make it official. Rohit is waiting to finish the final draft of the film and it will go on floor in the first half of 2015. Rohit is very close to Ajay Devgn and reportedly he played the peace maker between Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay.

This is the perfect platform for the celebration, considering that DDLJ was the first film to have a thirty minute television show chronicling its making which was telecast on the national broadcaster Doordarshan.

Popular couple

Rohit Shetty has always entertained us with his films and he is back again taking the franchise several notches higher in every aspect of film making! His recent film Singham Returns has won critical as well as audience acclaim.

A gripping story, high octane action, power packed performances by the cinema icons of the country and foot tapping music complemented with memorably cult dialogues makes Rohit Shetty's films a hit.

Rohit Shetty

Interestingly, film critic Anupama Chopra too wrote a book, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge: The Making of a Blockbuster, analyzing the film's success.

It is learnt that a celebration is being planned at Maratha Mandir, which has had non-stop screening of the Raj-Simran love story since its release on October 20, 1995, making it the longest-running film in the history of Indian cinema.

Buzz is, the Bible of Bollywood romance, which is still a crowd-puller in the 11.30 am matinee show, may be pulled out from Maratha Mandir once the 1000 weeks are over. However, theatre owner, Manoj Desai, insisted that they had not taken a call on this yet. "I haven't received any official intimation from the film's makers about whether they want to continue after the 1000 run is over. I don't know what the plans are. I have

A scene from the film

India Post 51

November 21, 2014 www.indiapost.com

Khans kiss the bride & make up

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ook at this lovely picture.

Do you see any cold vibes between the 'warring Khans'?

Bride-to-be Arpita has brought the two in the same frame and what an adorable one it is. Shah Rukh as he announced earlier, attended

Arpita's sangeet ceremony in Mumbai.

While there was speculation whether Salman would invite Shah Rukh Khan or not, Shah Rukh clearly told the media, he doesn't need an invite.

"I will definitely go. I have known Arpita ever since she was a little baby. I have cradled her in my arms. She is like a sister to me.

In fact, even an invite is not needed. They are like family and I will go," he said.

In this picture, SRK is casually dressed and Salman is seen in his signature Being human T-shirt.

The two are kissing their soon-tobe-bride sister.

Arpita, who married Ayush Sharma in Hyderabad's grand Taj Falaknuma Palace on Nov 18, shared this picture on social media.

Fascination with actresses whose Hindi is weak MUMBAI: Hema Malini and Sridevi had to work on their Hindi to reach the numero uno position.

The new crop of actresses can't speak the rashtra bhasha as well

so that worked for her. But for how long?

Ileana d'Cruz: This Mumbai girl is more conversant with Telugu, admits her Hindi is "theek nahin" and having a firang boyfriend doesn't help either, but she at least tries. She hired a diction coach and since Barfi has been dubbing her own lines.

Nargis Fakhri: She throws in the towel when it comes to speaking the language of Bollywood. And it's not that she isn't trying. Ms Fakhri has even hired a purely desi staff. Even so, her maid insists on speaking with her in angrezi. She

Lisa Haydon

as the Queen's tongue (or at all), but they've managed somehow.

Here's looking at Bollywood's gori mems....

Lisa Haydon: On Kapil Sharma's show, Lisa recently spent all her time nudging Anupam Kher asking him what everyone was saying. In Queen and The Shaukeens she played non-resident Indians,

Ileana d'Cruz

Nargis Fakhri

admits her complete unfamiliarity with Hindi largely ruined her performance in Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar.

But for Main Tera Hero, she spoke in her own voice.

Giselli Monteiro: The Brazilian Giselli was seen playing a Punjabi kudi in Imtiaz's Love Aaj Kal, despite being unable to follow or speak a single word of the language she was acting in. Can we imagine an actress in French or Chinese cinema who isn't conversant with the language?

Katrina Kaif: Probably the only competition Deepika Padukone has today, Katrina Kaif was, for the longest time, known to mug

her lines without knowing what they mean. For years, her dialogues were dubbed by a professional. By and by, she hired a Hindi teacher. And now, she delivers her own lines!

Freido Pinto had to master the

Giselli Monteiro

Katrina Kaif

American accent to get mainstream roles in Hollywood.

WHY WE DON'T MIND IT...

Javed Akhtar offers his take on why we don't mind Bollywood leading ladies who can't speak Hindi. "Hum British hukumaat ke sachche ghulam hai. It is perfectly fine to mispronounce Hindi or Urdu words and considered okay if a foreigner can't speak Hindi. But if an Indian can't speak English, he's considered down-market." Courtesy DNA

52 India Post

November 21, 2014 www.indiapost.com

Book describes Urdu culture of N.Indian cities NEW DELHI: The thriving Urdu literary culture of 18th and 19th century in North Indian cities of Delhi and Lucknow that remained vigorous and resilient even at the face of glaring defeat in 1857 at the hands of 'Company Bahadur' is the subject of the book 'The Sun That Rose from the Earth' by noted Urdu poet and critic Shamsur Rahman Faruqi.

Only last month, his earlier book The Mirror of Beauty, also describing the high Urdu literary culture of 19th century, was longlisted for the prestigious USD 50,000 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature.

First published in the Urdu as 'Savaar aur Doosre Afsaane' in 2001 and translated in English by Faruqi himself, the book is a collection of five stories written between 1999-2012, all having a similar quest, "to rehabilitate in people's mind ," as Faruqi himself puts it, "the vigor and resilience of Urdu poetry amidst decaying imperial Mughal rule."

Although fictional, the stories are replete with historical figures of Urdu literature like Mirza Ghalib, Mir Taqi Mir, Shaikh Mushafi, Budh Singh Qalandar, Kanji Mal Saba, and are set in the historical background of 18-19th century, some in the immediate aftermath of the calamity of 1857, thus placing the book in the category of historical fiction.

The stories are woven around the historical personage of these towering Urdu poets, and represent a quest for mastering the nuances and subtleties of their po-

etry. Faruqi, the noted Urdu literary critic is never missed in these stories, and often the protagonists of his stories not only chase,

idealise and romanticize these great poets, but also discuss and critique them.

These Urdu poets, whose verses and shadows loom large in his stories, are drawn from a diverse Hindu-Muslim background to deconstruct the popular notion that equates Urdu with the language of Muslims. Budh Singh Qalandar, Kanji Mal Saba, Ikhlas

were all Hindus.

"Urdu was not the property of Muslims alone," says Faruqi, as he laments its association in the 20th century with the language of the M u s l i m L a s h k a r (army), or the language that caused partition.

In the first story, 'Bright Star, Lone Splendor', set in the immediate aftermath of 1857, Beni M a d h o Ruswa, the protagonist of the story who has been orphaned during the revolt, travels from his adopted h o m e Cawnpore to Delhi to meet the greatest poet of his time, Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib, under the pretence of getting Ghalib's diwan autographed by the poet himself.

Faruqi describes the labyrinth of Urdu poets in North Indian cities, the complex maze of poets in madrassas, Sufi shrines and imperial courts through which Beni Madho Ruswa learns the intricacies of Urdu poetry and grows

When Amitabh Bachchan made Lata cry

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elody Queen Lata Mangeshkar was left tearyeyed after hearing Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan's parting lines during the season finale episode of the eighth season of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati'.

The 85-year-old singer praised the gaming reality show and the host.

"Namaskar. I was watching the last episode of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati'… the show was very nice. Like always Amit ji made the

Lata Mangeshkar with Amitabh Bachchan

episode brilliant. He ended the show with a few lines- 'mohobbat karnewale kam na honge, teri mehfil mein lekin hum na honge'.

The moment he recited the lines, my eyes were filled with tears," Mangeshkar posted on Twitter.

The legendary singer said that she has a very special place for Bachchan, 72, in her heart.

"Amit ji I have a very special place in my heart for you. I respect you a lot. I pray to god that he keeps you happy, healthy and may you have a long life," she further tweeted.

Bachchan, who is currently shooting for Shoojit Sircar's 'Piku' in Kolkata, was overwhelmed by Mangeshkar's tweets and thanked her for the kind words.

"Lata ji… I am at a loss for words. I don't know how to thank you enough. I am grateful for your blessings," Bachchan posted.

with a secret desire of meeting the of Urdu poetry, Ghalib, some day in his life.

Though separated by age, religion, cities and ambitions, Beni Ruswa, the narrator of the story, and Ghalib get along easily, as both thrived on understanding and mastering Urdu poetry, and both were left desolated and devastated by the ghost of 1857, that haunts the story throughout.

How Delhi was crushed after the Company forces overtook Red-Fort is ably captured by Faruqi.

In a melancholy scene, Ghalib tells his visitor Beni Ruswa, "In the times of the Presence, Mirza Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Bahadur Shah, all these Delhi alleys, bylanes and road were alive with bright lights . . . alive, dear sir, with myriads of lights and lanterns. And

mind, and the long-held popular notions he wants to challenge through his fiction writing.

"Delhi by mid-nineteenth century was no longer the political capital of India and has been replaced by Calcutta as the power centre of the country," says Faruqi, "but it was still the literary and cultural capital of north India.

The sepoys of Awadh, who rebelled against the East India Company in 1857, Hindus and Muslims alike, declared the old Mughal capital of Delhi and not the new power centre Calcutta as the capital of free Hindoustan."

As Delhi lost its political significance, says Faruqi, the Mughals revived many centuriesold courtly traditions to create a false aura of its authority.

Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal ruler, who was dethroned

Bahadur Shah Zafar himself wrote highly lyrical poetry and his court was adorned by the likes of Ghalib, his great rival Zauq and Momin. Together they were responsible for writing some of the greatest poetry in modern Indian history. now, one's own hand can't find the other hand."

Beni Ruswa sighs, and expresses the plight of Delhi by recalling a verse by Mir Taqi Mir: "The city now is a maidaun, everywhere; Did such desolationdestruction prevail here ever before?"

Then, there is the story of aspiring poet and wealthy businessman Darbari Mal Vafa, who like the protagonist of his first story, is tracking down the obscure poet Shaikh Mushafi.

Darbari Mal Vafa travels to Lucknow, and learns of the life and work of the poet through the stories told by his widow.

There is the young Mir Taqi Mir, a rising star in the world of poetry, who meets the first great love of his life, Nurus Saadat, an exquisite beauty from Isfahan.

Their first meeting is followed by a tumultuous love affair, accompanied by ravishing verse.

All these stories, are then about about the Urdu poetry and Urdu poets, whose heroes appear like a slightly disguised version of the author himself, walking down the lanes of pre-colonial Delhi and Lucknow, with his favorite poets in different historical settings.

As is the case with historical fiction writers, Faruqi is acutely aware of the historical image he wants to reproduce in his reader's

and deported to Rangoon after the 1857 revolt has been crushed, has himself ordered the restoration of many prominent buildings in Delhi.

Delhi was the city of Meer Taqi Meer. Bahadur Shah Zafar himself wrote highly lyrical poetry and his court was adorned by the likes of Ghalib, his great rival Zauq and Momin.

Together they were responsible for writing some of the greatest poetry in modern Indian history.

This was also a period of great intellectual excitement, and the great works of mathematics and science from the west were translated into Urdu and Persian for the first time.

Delhi, says Faruqi, was not the decaying, degenerating city, waiting for its uninteresting end, as later colonial historians often described it, but was a robust, thriving centre of trade, art and culture, where great scholarly and literary minds gravitated and discussed and challenged each other's work.

“This is the Delhi, and its high Urdu literary culture that I wanted to recapture, and recreate through my stories," adds Faruqi, as he recalls another immortal couplet by Mir: "It was not the lanes and streets of Delhi/ It was the pages of an album. /Each and every face that one saw, Was a painting." PTI

Philosophy

November 21, 2014

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et us consider this ancient tradition in India, especially religious India, that is, praying for others, praying for the world, praying for the welfare of mankind, for the welfare of all creatures, praying for peace on earth, not only for mankind and all creatures but also for everything that exists, praying for peace, wishing peace, desiring peace and sending out thoughts of peace to everything that exists, to all existence: "Peace be unto all the five elements, earth, water, fire, air and ether."

The desirability of such prayer is not only because the world needs all these things. There is also the subjective dimension of prayer that has to be considered.

The process has a very important effect upon the one who prays.

By wishing for all that is positive, creative, constructive, good, conducive to welfare, auspicious and blessed to all that exists, all creatures, mankind, the whole world, it makes us aware that our ancients expected us to make life an active, dynamic process of constantly working to bring about those very conditions which we wish for, pray for, intend and want for others.

For, unless our prayer is backed up by suitable action to bring about these conditions, it has no meaning.

If we wish peace for others and

SEYYED HOSSEIN NASR

T

he sacred is the Divine Re ality as it is in Itself and as It manifests Itself in beings in this world. So there are things that are sacred and then ultimately there is the ''Sacred'' as such with a capital ''S.'' It is very interesting that in Islam, one of the names of God is al-Quddus, which would be the equivalent of Die Heilige.

God is the Sacred, and then there are things in this world that are sacred because of their relation to the Sacred.

I use the term sacred in English in such a way that it pertains both to the very reality of God, as when you say al-Quddus in the Quran, that is the Sacred as such, and to things that come from Him and are thereby sacralized such as ta'ir-e 'alam-e qods or amr-e qodsi, which we now use in Persian.

I feel that at the present moment in the history of the West, in order to resuscitate a sense of awareness of the spiritual world and of Ultimate Reality, the word sacred is seminal. The word spiritual has become too diffused.

The word spirit, which is of course very important, has become confused, as I have already mentioned, with the psyche, and it is

at the same time we are actively engaged in robbing others of their peace by disturbing them, agitating them, causing them distress, then we stand as a living lie. We stand, in terrible contradiction to what we mouth through such prayers. We say one thing, but we act in another manner. We succeed in doing something that is contrary to that which we pray for.

It thus becomes a very serious

fall to the lot of anyone," then we should work in the way indicated by the simple prayer of St. Francis. "O Lord, where there is sadness, let me bring joy. Make me an instrument of joy to the lives of others. Make me an instrument of removing the sadness of others."

Axiomatically it means that if we wish happiness for others, joy for others, then we have to do

to live in such a way, that we become a centre of goodwill towards others, a centre of compassion and kindness towards others, a centre of peace for others.

The constant repetition of such prayer, the constant dwelling upon these thoughts, and the constant harboring of these feelings in our heart have a transforming effect upon our own nature. It tends to gradually make us grow

Praying for happiness of all has subjective benefits The constant repetition of such prayer, the constant dwelling upon these thoughts, and the constant harboring of these feelings in our heart have Swami Chidananda

a transforming effect upon our own nature.

situation, a very undesirable state of affairs. Every day we say ma kaschid duhkhabhag bhavet. May not sorrow fall to the lot of any being.

Therefore, we have to be perpetually conscious, aware and careful that neither by thought, word nor deed do we create sorrow for others, grief for others.

"Where there is sadness, let me bring joy." That is the sublime, noble prayer of Saint Francis.

When we pray "May not sorrow

something positive to bring joy to others; we have to also, simultaneously, engage in doing acts that remove the sorrow of others, lessen the grief of others, make people less sad. This is implied in this line from the simple prayer of St. Francis, By constantly thinking in such a positive manner of the happiness, welfare and peace of others, it brings about a change in our nature. Gradually we become so disposed to act in such a way,

in this quality of goodwill towards all, of ill will towards none, of compassion and kindness towards all, of prayerfully ever wanting to live in order to bring peace, solace, happiness and comfort to everyone.

It has this unfailing effect of making us grow into those very qualities we pray for. This is the subjective dimension of prayer how it benefits the one who prays.

Excerpted from 'The Subjective Dimension of Prayer' at sivanandaonline.org

used in so many different ways that for numerous people it has lost its original meaning; but the word sacred has fortunately preserved its meaning more or less intact. Needless to say, sometimes it is used metaphorically, as when one says, ''This matter is sacred to me.''

cred tradition. There is no manmade tradition, by our definition.

Today, of course, in English the word tradition is used in the ordinary sense as ''custom'' or ''habit.''

Supposing for five years you go to France for holidays every summer; then you say, ''It has become a tradition for me to go to France

transmitting it and applying it and making it visible and palpable through different channels and different means; while the sacred is the spiritual presence and reality that tradition transmits. So the two are really inseparable from each other.

In the same way that tradition

Sacred is opposed to the profane & the secular in order to resuscitate a sense of awareness of the spiritual world and of Ultimate Reality,

But the way I use it is in its metaphysical sense, that is, that which pertains to the very Reality of God, the Eternal, the Immutable, and the manifestations and theophanies of this Divine Reality in certain beings and entities in this world.

Tradition and the Sacred The relationship between tradition and the sacred is extremely profound. Tradition is always sa-

every year.'' Of course, that is nothing more than habit or custom. But the way we use it, going back all the way to Guenon, Coomaraswamy, and Schuon, these seminal figures of the traditional school, is such that tradition by definition is sacred.

The sacred is, however, different from tradition in its conceptualization in that tradition implies taking the sacred and

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.

- Lao Tzu Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson Everything comes to us that belongs to us if we create the capacity to receive it.

-Rabindranath Tagore Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.

- Carl Jung

At the present moment in the history of the West,

the word sacred is seminal.

It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.

- Confucius

Seyyed Hossein Nasr

is opposed to modernism and modernity as we use these terms, the sacred is opposed not only to the profane in the older sense of the term, but of course to the desacralization and secularization that characterize our world.

Excerpted from 'In Search of the Sacred'. Seyyed Hossein Nasr is an Iranian University Professor of Islamic studies at George Washington University

If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.

- Prem Rawat A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work.

- John Lubbock

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Modi in Myanmar: From 'Look East' to 'Act East'

I

India Post

SHANKARI SUNDARARAMAN

ndian Prime Minister emphasis on tourism too was is expected to be ratified by the Narendra Modi's recent made. respective countries' parliaments visit to the Myanmar en Tourism is a vital component of soon. This is one area where India dorses that all is well with relations and the industry needs to has an advantage since, globally, India's policy to the countries that be revamped in order to make India it ranks 9th in the services sector. lie to the east. Since he took office a tourist destination for Southeast As the move to integrate with in May 2014, there were some Asian visitors and vice versa. the region is further enhanced views among observers that The Open Skies Agreement is through regionally driven initiaIndia's Look East Policy (LEP) was therefore among the key areas to tives like the Regional Comprehennot receiving the merit it should. focus on, to provide any momen- sive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Much of this was centered on the tum to the tourism industry. At there is likelihood of widening linkdebate as to why Myanmar, a present, even direct flights from ages across the region. close and significant neighbor was India to all ten Southeast Asian The RCEP links the ASEAN and not invited to the swearing-in cer- countries and vice versa are un- its dialogue partners into a reemony of the prime minister. available. gional economic grouping that will However, given the fact that the Complementary to boosting be critical since it will bring the invitation was extended to the tourism, there is also a potential three Asian economic giants South Asian countries, Myanmar to integrate cities that can be linked China, Japan and India - together. technically did not fit into this cat- as sibling cities. In this context, The Chinese move to enhance reegory. Another view was that the one of the options could be to link gional integration via the Asian invitation was extended only to full Bodhgaya, Lumbini and Yangon, Infrastructural Investment Bank democracies, which would then Shwedagon Pagoda together as and the enhancement of the Mariexplain why Pakistan was present, the Buddhist circuit. time Silk Route to link the Indian given that there is currently a democratic intermission in the country.

But Modi's three-day visit to Myanmar this month changed the perceptions and brought the ASEAN region back into the centre-stage with the focus shifting from the LEP to the Act East Policy (AEP).

While this does not really signal a departure from the LEP, it does highlight a more nuanced position of acknowledging the need to `act' or to `get one's act together', to move ahead Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the Indian community at Nay Pyi Taw on the implementation of in Myanmar on November 13 projects and proposals that have been initiated in principle but are lagging in practice.

Another potential option would and the Pacific Oceans into an ecoSo the shift to the AEP should be the linking of cities like nomic chain are clearly moving the be viewed as an attempt to pro- Jogjakarta, Siam Reap and commercial side of the regional vide an impetus to the regional Thanjavur together as potential agreements forward. integration that India has with its tourist hubs. This would make a Finally, on the issue of conneceastern neighbors. The ASEAN critical impact in terms of revitaliz- tivity, there is an urgent need to countries have often expressed a ing the tourism sector and would move forward with the plans that lot of concern on the slow pace of also act as a boost in bringing have been in the pipeline. Projects reform in India. about greater people-to-people such as the India-Myanmar-ThaiAdded to this is the issue of contact between the regions. land trilateral highway and the the signing of several agreements The second focus, on com- Imphal-Mandalay road are extremely that need to come into force to merce, is already an area India has important towards linking the region hasten the implementation. These made considerable strides in; and via land, and opening up the border are the critical areas that drive that is expected to progress even areas to facilitate the easy movepolicy into the action-oriented further. Projecting a new economic ment of people and goods. phase. environment in which India has While both Myanmar and InThe highlight of the visit was embarked upon targeted attracting dia are focusing on the developthe focus given to the three C's: investments into the country un- ment of the border regions, these culture, commerce and connectiv- der the banner of the Make in In- projects will act as vital catalysts ity. In this context, India's cultural dia slogan. to deliver on the proposed outties with Southeast Asia are being Currently the India-ASEAN comes. considered as a significant one Free Trade Agreement in (FTA) in The writer is Chairperson, that will help push critical ties for- goods has been operationalized, Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies, ward. The recent opening of the and the FTA in services and in- School of International Studies, Nalanda University is an example vestments, though signed with all Jawaharlal Nehru University, of this dynamic. Furthermore, an but one (the Philippines) country, New Delhi. Courtesy IPCS

Diaspora's darling

N

arendra Modi is a great patriot. A genuine love for his country marks his engagements wherever he goes. In America earlier in September and now in Australia, he is able to ignite the same degree of passion for the country as he enjoys himself. What marks him out as different from the earlier leaders is the faith he has in his countrymen, particularly the poor.

And the poor have responded to his call. He likes to recall that under the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), about 7.1 crore accounts have so far been opened but what touches him most is the honesty of the country's poor people. Addressing the Diaspora, he said, "I just wanted financial inclusion, to bring the poor into the mainstream. So I facilitated zero balance accounts."

But he was amazed to know that the 70 million of the poor had already deposited about Rs 5,000 crore. He pointed out that this should have been the real aim of bank nationalization.

A rock star reception awaited him in Sydney's Allphones Arena in Australia also which was an echo of the rapturous welcome he received for his epoch making address at Madison Square Gardens in New York. Reports say some 20,000 people, mostly from the Indian Diaspora in Australia, jammed the stadium. Significantly, many had traveled from as far as the United States, Singapore and New Zealand. Amid thunderous applause he repeatedly invoked Swami Vivekananda's vision of seeing Mother India as a 'Vishva Guru' once again and expressed the confidence that his dream will be fulfilled with the help of the Diaspora. As in the US, he listed the illustrious deeds of Indian origin Australians who did the nation of their adoption proud. And to give the Diaspora maximum pleasure, he promised that the PIO and OCI cards will be merged in two months time. He took delight in comparing his administration with that of the previous UPA government by claiming that they made laws and he was scrapping them. He wanted to make things easier for the Diaspora so that they contribute to making India great, according to his vision.

According to an analysis in Times of India, the Diaspora is not really responding to Narendra Modi. They have been disappointed by the post-Independence India underperforming as against its potential thanks to the blinkered socialism imposed by its political elite. This caused a large number of Indians to seek greener pastures abroad, migrating for economic reasons. These people who had voted with their feet were treated disdainfully at home while the political elite surreptiously sent their sons and daughters to feather nests abroad. To the credit of Modi, he has turned around this logic. Instead of guilt-tripping them, he praises them for their hard work and grit in rebuilding their lives abroad and has invited them to invest their wealth and talent at home.

Modi has given respect and honor to the Diaspora and they are responding in equal measure. He has tapped into their concerns and made them his own concern and in turn won them over for the sake of their own country of origin.

It has to be remembered that it was the BJP under Atal Behari Vajpayee which first thought of the Diaspora with the aim of enlisting their talent and wealth in the cause of rebuilding India. A committee under the late L.M. Singhvi in a voluminous report enlisted the merits of the Diaspora and the need to make them feel at home in their own country. His suggestion to hold an annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was accepted by Vajpayee and the first such Divas was organized under Vajpayee. Over the years, under the UPA's 10-year rule, it had become just a ritual. Modi has infused new life in the Diaspora event which is being held in Ahmedabad in January next year. It will be an occasion to remember.

November 21, 2014

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