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Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Dhoni wins 2013 LG People's Choice Award Details on page 6

Bill will benefit immigrants from India, says US

VOL 19, No. 1003

December 6, 2013

50¢

INDIA AMONG WORLD'S MOST CORRUPT BERLIN: India has been ranked among the world's highly corrupt nations at the 94th spot in a global list topped by Denmark and New Zealand as the cleanest, while Somalia emerged as the most corrupt.

While India's rank has remained unchanged from the last year, it has emerged as more corrupt than three of its BRICS peers - China (80th), South Africa and Brazil (both ranked 72nd) - but better than Russia (127th) in this annual list of 177 countries compiled by Transparency International.

According to the list, India has scored 36 points on a

Sonia Gandhi

Periodical Postage

scale of 0-100, where 0 means that a country is perceived as highly corrupt and 100 means it is perceived as very clean.

None of the countries have managed to get the perfect 100 score. Top-ranked Denmark and New Zealand have scored 91 points each to share the first place on the list.

Somalia shares lowest rank with North Korea and Afghanistan with 8 points each. Those scoring marginally better than these three countries include Sudan, Libya, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Haiti, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and Myanmar.

Details on page 5

Details on page 6

Website regrets Sonia's name in richest list Details on page 5

Fundraiser for Dan Rutherford & Steve Kim Details on page 19

US Sikh soldiers want more Indians in Army

Indian couple held for bringing illegal workers

Details on page 7

Details on page 5

Mumbai attacks victim sues Taj hotel owners

Modi supporter files defamation against CAG

Details on page 7

Details on page 6

Nirupama Rao's mother passes away

CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 28-29 Classifieds ------------------------- 52

Details on page 6

Community Post -------------- 18-25 Date Book -------------------------- 48 Edit Page --------------------------- 54

INDIA POST SURVEY

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

survey@indiapost.com

Horoscope ------------------------- 26

This week’s question

Immigration Post ------------- 44-46

Are Indian politicians to blame for corruption?

Life Style ----------------------- 49-51 Philosophy ------------------------- 53

Last week’s result

Will Obama succeed in immigration reform?

YES 63%

NO 37%

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

FRIENDS FROM THE EAST: Japan's Emperor Akihito & Empress Michiko, President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan on December 2. (Details on page 9)

Certified by “CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL Readership 117,765”

Real Estate ------------------------ 47 TechBiz Post ------------------- 12-14 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 40-43

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Publisher’s Diary

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hoever coined the term 'media circus" is hopefully around to see how woefully inadequate that term is in describing today's media. I would call today's news media a 'bizarre freak show', where often one gets to see more of the scrambling camera and mike-wielding reporters rather than the actual event they are trying to cover.

I am not sitting on judgment here on the media of any specific country - I should know better, sitting as I am watching news on American television - but I do want to say I am horrified by the Indian media.

Sexual assaults on women have become as common as any other crime in India, and these days the media simply needs a 'victim' to vicariously hang the accused, even before due legal process begins.

No sympathies for the accused here at all - they probably deserve that and some more; but what the Indian media is doing is nothing short of 'raping' the story to death (pardon my terminology, but I mean it in all sincerity).

The latest rape accused they are running to the gallows with over the last week or so is Tarun Tejpal, the redoubtable head of Tehelka, the notorious stinginvestigative magazine, who has now been arrested for allegedly raping one of his female employees.

Now this is horrifying: On the domestic flight that Tejpal took from Delhi to Goa (where the crime allegedly occurred), to surrender himself to the police, the entire freak media got on, complete with boom mikes, cameras, etc., and throughout the flight, tried to grab a byte out of Tejpal, jamming the aisles, inconveniencing other passengers, and forcing the aircraft crew to threaten an emergency landing if they did not behave.

What on earth makes these irrational media freaks think that the nation would be interested in what a rape accused does during a flight?

What is worse, some of the biggest television news heads are grandstanding about media excesses when it is their own channels that are committing the excesses. It's just disgusting… No, it's scary actually.

As a media person, all I can say is I am embarrassed, really.

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HIGHLIGHTS Bollywood: Recurring headache Kareena Kapoor is disturbed by resurfaced headaches of Hrithik due to which her schedule has been jumbled up

Cover Story: Highly corrupt India has been ranked among the world's highly corrupt nations at the 94th spot in a global list topped by Denmark

Community: Reception for CG A Ghazal Nite reception dinner for Indian Consul General Chicago Dr Ausaf Sayeed was held at Monty's Banquet in Chicago

28 1 18

Immigration: Obama’s promise Obama tells fasting activists that their ``commitment to change'' Immigration will help pressure lawmakers to act.

Life Style: Indian Masterchef Rishi Desai was a Masterchef Australia 2013 contestant and the first Indian to make it to the coveted top 5

Techbiz: Wasted food India, the world's second largest producer of fruits & vegetables, throws away produce worth Rs 13,300 cr every year

Travel: Pondicherry Striking red soil and deep green vegetation, consisting mainly of cashew, palm and neem, form a stunning landscape.

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India among world's most corrupt BERLIN: India has been ranked among the world's highly corrupt nations at the 94th spot in a global list topped by Denmark and New Zealand as the cleanest, while Somalia emerged as the most corrupt.

While India's rank has remained unchanged from the last year, it has emerged as more corrupt than three of its BRICS peers - China (80th), South Africa and Brazil (both ranked 72nd) - but better than Russia (127th) in this annual list of 177 countries compiled by Transparency International.

According to the list, India has scored 36 points on a scale of 0100, where 0 means that a country is perceived as highly corrupt and 100 means it is perceived as very clean.

None of the countries have managed to get the perfect 100 score. Top-ranked Denmark and New Zealand have scored 91 points each to share the first place on the list.

Somalia shares lowest rank with North Korea and Afghanistan with 8 points each. Those scor-

ing marginally better than these three countries include Sudan, Libya, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Haiti, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and Myanmar.

None of the countries have managed to get the perfect 100 score. Top-ranked Denmark and New Zealand have scored 91 points each to share the first place on the list. Somalia shares lowest rank On the other hand, Denmark and New Zealand are followed by Finland, Sweden, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland, Netherlands, Australia and Canada in the top ten. Among other major countries, Germany is at 12th, the UK 14th, Hong Kong 15th, Japan 18th and the US at 19th spot.

India has done better than its neighbor Pakistan (ranked 127th), as also countries like Thailand (102nd), Mexico (106th), Egypt (114th), Nepal (116th), Vietnam (116th), Bangladesh (136th) and Iran (144th).

Releasing the list here, Transparency International said that its "Corruption Perceptions Index 2013 offers a warning that the abuse of power, secret dealings and bribery continue to ravage societies around the world".

More than two thirds of 177 countries have scored below 50 - the mid-way point between most corrupt and the cleanest.

"The Corruption Perceptions Index 2013 demonstrates that all countries still face the threat of corruption at all levels of government, from the issuing of local permits to the enforcement of laws and regulations," said Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International.

She said that many countries continue to face issues like state capture, campaign finance and the oversight of big public contracts which remain major corruption

Indian couple arrested for illegally bringing workers NEW YORK: An Indian couple in Kentucky has been arrested for illegally bringing Indians into the US and making them work long hours for low wages at their fast food restaurants.

Federal prosecutors have charged Amrutlal Patel and his wife, Dakshaben Patel, both 46, with housing, transporting and employing illegal aliens.

The couple operates four Subway restaurants in Lexington and employed undocumented Indian nationals who worked 10-12 hours a day throughout the week for little pay, a statement said.

That provided a "substantial financial gain" for the Patels, Assistant US Attorney Hydee Hawkins said.

Federal prosecutors have said the Patels are a flight risk and could flee the US for India if they are released.

They can use the large amounts of cash they have from their businesses to flee and have already sent about USD 100,000 back to India, the prosecutors

said.

Defense attorneys have argued that the Patels will not leave the country because of their business and two young children. The couple came to the US in 2006, hoping to become citizens.

They added that the Patels were

Amrutlal Patel and Dakshaben Patel

trying to help fellow Indian nationals by providing them jobs in the US. According to a sworn statement from Homeland Security Investigations agent David Ramalho, an employee at one of the restaurants run by the Patels told a witness that he had been denied food and allegedly beaten up by the couple.

The employee said the Patels had kept him and three other men from India in a secret room in the basement of their house and used to lock them at night. Sometimes they made the employees work even when they were not well.

The alleged illegal activity lasted for over a year beginning September 2012 and the investigation began after the witness went to Lexington police in August to report that "bad things" were happening to workers at Subway stores operated by the Patels.

Lexington police then began its investigation and conducted extensive surveillance to document that the Patels were transporting and housing illegal aliens, according to Ramalho's affidavit.

One of Patel's employees had asked the witness to go to police for help because he was tired of being treated badly, Ramalho said.

The employees each owed nearly USD 100,000 for being brought from India to work for the Patels.-PTI

risks.

The Index is based on experts' opinions of public sector corruption, Transparency International said.

"Corruption within the public sector remains one of the world's biggest challenges, Transparency International said, particularly in areas such as political parties, police, and justice systems�

Countries' scores can be helped by strong access to information systems and rules governing the behavior of those in public positions, while a lack of accountability across the public sector coupled with ineffective public institutions hurts these perceptions, it added.

"Corruption within the public sector remains one of the world's biggest challenges, Transparency International said, particularly in areas such as political parties, police, and justice systems.

"Public institutions need to be more open about their work and officials must be more transparent in their decision-making. Corruption remains notoriously difficult to investigate and prosecute," it added.

Future efforts to respond to climate change, economic crisis and extreme poverty will face a massive roadblock in the shape of corruption, it warned, while urging international bodies like G20 to crack down on money laundering, make corporations more transparent and pursue the return of stolen assets.

"It is time to stop those who get away with acts of corruption.

The legal loopholes and lack of political will in government facilitate both domestic and cross-border corruption, and call for our intensified efforts to combat the impunity of the corrupt," Labelle said.-PTI

Website regrets Sonia's name in richest list WASHINGTON: An American the third-party site. news website has regretted the The Congress Party had ques"confusion" caused by the inclu- tioned the authenticity of such a sion of the name of Congress figure by Huffington Post. president Sonia Gandhi from the "If Huffington Post would stick list of richest leaders of the world to huffing puffing, then I think and deleted it. they would do a much better job The removal of the name oc- for themselves. Because If you do curred shortly after the Congress put out these absurd and ridicuderided the website for the "ab- lous things out in print, then you surd and ridiculous" item. only open yourself to be made a "Our editors have been unable to verify the amount, removed The Congress Party had the link, and regret any confusion," the questioned the authenticity Huffington Post said, of such a figure by four days after it listed Huffington Post: "If Gandhi as the 12th richest world leader putting Huffington Post would stick her assets at USD 2 bil- to huffing puffing, lion. then I think they would do "Sonia Gandhi and the former emir of Qatar a much better job�

Hamid bin Khalifa alThani have been removed from laughing stock. I would not even this list," the editor of Huffington like to dignify with a response," Post wrote on its website after the Information and Broadcasting list of the world's richest leader Minister Manish Tewari said in was updated.

New Delhi after the list was re"Gandhi was originally in- leased. cluded based on a listing on a third While putting Gandhi's wealth party site which was subse- at USD 2 billion, Huffington Post quently called into question," said had not given details of how it the editor without giving name of arrived at such a figure. -PTI

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Bill will benefit immigrants Dhoni wins 2013 LG People's Choice Award from India, says US WASHINGTON: Ignoring India's concerns, the Obama administration has thrown its full weight behind the comprehensive immigration reform bill passed by the US Senate, arguing that it would benefit immigrants from countries like India and China.

The White House made its position clear on the contentious H1B provisions of Senate version of the immigration bill in a fact sheet prepared for the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community (AAPI), which includes the influential Indian American community.

"The Senate bill would create new visa pathways for immigrant entrepreneurs and investors and make key improvements to the H1B program," the White House said in its fact sheet, without taking note of the concerns of India and Indian businesses in this regard.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had raised the issue when he met President Barack Obama at the White House in September.

"The Senate bill would create new visa pathways for immigrant entrepreneurs and investors and make key improvements to the H1B program," the White House said.

China, India and South Korea are in the top ten sending countries of immigrant entrepreneurs.

"The Senate bill would create new visa pathways for immigrant entrepreneurs and investors and make key improvements to the H-1B program," the White House said.

The Senate bill would create a new visa program for foreign entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses in the US, the White House said, listing out the benefits of the bill to the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) community.

The new INVEST visa (Investing in New Venture, Entrepreneurial Startups and Technologies) would allow entrepreneurs who attract a threshold level of financing from US investors or revenue from US customers to start and grow their businesses, and to remain permanently if their compa-

nies grow further and create jobs for American workers, it said.

The Senate bill would also improve the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program and increase the number of available green cards for immigrant investors from approximately 10,000 annually to approximately 14,000 annually, it said.

Arguing that petitioners from India (64 per cent) and China (7.6 per cent) continue to be the largest users of the H-1B program, the White House said the Senate bill

But immigrants from India and China can wait 10 years or longer for some employment-based immigrant visas. Close to 93,000 individuals waiting in the employment-based immigrant backlog as of November 1, 2012, are from Asian countries, it said.

"The Senate bill would eliminate the existing backlogs for employment-based green cards, exempts certain employment- based categories from the annual cap, and remove annual country limi-

"Improvements to the H-1B program would allow spouses of H-1B visa holders to work in the US and increase worker mobility by establishing a 60-day transition period for H-1B workers to change jobs," it added would increase the number of available H-1B visas by raising the baseline cap from 65,000 visas to 115,000 visas per year.

"Improvements to the H-1B program would allow spouses of H-1B visa holders to work in the US and increase worker mobility by establishing a 60-day transition period for H-1B workers to change jobs," it added.

The White House said the bill would increase the number of employment based visas and eliminate restrictions on the number of immigrants from populous nations like India and China.

"In fiscal year 2012, more than 91,000 individuals born in Asia obtained green cards through employment-based immigrant visa petitions," it said.

tations altogether," the White House said.

In 2009, Indian immigrants represented 56 per cent of all Masters students seeking degrees in computer science and engineering, and China and India sent nearly half of all foreign nationals pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) doctorates.

Almost half of Asian immigrant adults have a bachelor's degree or higher.

The bill, the White House said, would exempt STEM PhD and Master's graduates from the annual cap of 140,000 visas.

This provision would effectively "staple" a green card to the diplomas of advanced STEM graduates from US universitie -PTI

Nirupama Rao's mother passes away

Meempat Narayanikuttiyamma

COIMBATORE: Meempat Narayanikuttiyamma, mother of former Indian Ambassador to the United States, Nirupama Rao, died in the Air Force Hospital here due to age-related illness.

She was 88 and leaves behind three daughters - Nirupama, Rear Admiral Nirmala Kannan and Dr Asha, family sources said.

Her husband, Lt.Col. P V R Menon of Malappuram in Kerala, pre-deceased her. Sudhakara Rao, husband of Nirupama and former Chief Secretary to Government of Karnataka and Vice-Admiral B Kannan are her sons-in law. -PTI

MUMBAI: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has won this year's LG People's Choice Award, thus becoming only the second Indian cricketer to win the coveted prize after just-retired Sachin Tendulkar.

Dhoni has now become only the third cricketer to win this award after Tendulkar, who was the first-ever recipient in 2010, and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, who won it in 2011 and 2012.

Other nominees for this year's LG People's Choice Award were Australia's Michael Clarke, England's Alastair Cook, India's Virat Kohli, and South Africa's AB

opened on November 2 and closed at midnight on November 23, an ICC statement said.

The short list was nominated by an elite panel of cricket experts, which is headed by ICC Cricket Committee Chairman and former India captain Anil Kumble. Other members of the panel are England's Alec Stewart, New Zealand's Catherine Campbell, Pakistan's Waqar Younis and South Africa's Graeme Pollock.

The five players were nominated by the panel using the criteria set out by LG and the ICC. This dictated that the nominees should have displayed some of the attributes regarded by LG as being in line with its corporate qualities such as innovation, dynam i s m , strength in decisionmaking, performing well under pressure and executing a plan to distinction, the statement read.

On winning the Mahendra Singh Dhoni People's C h o i c e de Villiers. award, Dhoni said: "This is one BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel of the awards that has given me received the award from Howard tremendous satisfaction, since it Lee, Director Home Entertainment, comes from the key stakeholders LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd, on of the game - the fans. behalf of Dhoni, who is currently "Recognition from the people in South Africa with the India who support and encourage us cricket team. day in and day out, only inspires The award, which was intro- me to put in that much more, and duced at the 2010 LG ICC Awards go the extra mile for them. I would in Bengaluru, was voted upon by like to thank all those people who close to 188,000 cricket fans have voted in my favor," he added. around the world. The voting -PTI

Modi supporter files defamation against CAG activist WASHINGTON: A controversial Indian-American supporter of Narendra Modi has filed a defamation case against an activist of the Coalition Against Genocide for allegedly publishing "false" and "malicious" information about him.

Chicago-based entrepreneur Shalabh Kumar has sought a monetary compensation of USD 50,000 in his defamation case

against CAG activist Biju Mathew.

An umbrella of more than a dozen Indian-American organizations, CAG has been campaigning against granting US visa to Modi, the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP, for his alleged role in the Gujarat riots in 2002.

The lawsuit comes in response to the press release issued by CAG on November 16. -PTI

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Sikh soldiers want more Indians in US Army NEW YORK: The US should change its policy to allow more Indian-Americans to join the military without compromising on

The first turbaned US Sikh soldier in over 30 years, Kalsi received the Bronze Star Medal, the fourth-highest combat award for

Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi

their religious beliefs and practices, the only three Sikh soldiers in the US Army say.

Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi, Captain Tejdeep Singh Rattan and Corporal Simran Preet Singh Lamba are the only three Sikhs serving in the US Army currently.

Having shattered stereotypes, the three have won awards and commendations for their service, including postings in Afghanistan.

They now want to see a change in federal policy that allows not just Sikhs but other Indian-Americans to join the military and serve without having to compromise on their religious beliefs and practices.

"It is just a matter of time. This is an issue of diversity, if people of all colors and races can join the military so can Indians, so can Sardars, Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims," Kalsi, an emergency medicine doctor, told PTI here.

his meritorious services in Afghanistan in 2011.

He said diversity in the forces is key to make America stronger and more beautiful country.

"We are all in this together. Diversity is a strategic imperative. If we want to make this a stronger and beautiful country we have to commit to diversity and we need a military that looks like the people it protects," he said.

Lamba, who was recruited in 2010 for his special language skills in Hindi and Punjabi through the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) program, said there is need for change in federal policy that will open the doors for not just Sikhs but Indian-Americans to serve in the military.

"Sikhs are part of the country, they are Americans as everybody else here. We need support of everyone from the community and

other Indians to change the overall policy," he said adding that once the Army opens its door, other branches of the military could also follow suit and recruit more immigrants from diverse backgrounds.

Kalsi said he is privileged to be able to serve in the US Army and looks forward to a future when his children and those of other immigrants and nationalities would be able serve "freely and proudly" for the country.

"This is my favorite turban, my camouflage turban, I take great pride in it. We don't take that lightly," Kalsi said as he touches his turban with a visible sense of pride.

"When Sikhs can serve proudly in nations like India, UK and Canada, there is no reason why we cannot serve here. I look forward to a future when not only my children but everyone's children can serve freely and proudly

The three however add that it pains them to see people from their community and other minorities being made targets of hate crimes and stressed the need for spreading awareness among people about the cultures and histories of immigrants for the country."

Rattan said Indian parents in the US prefer that their children take up lucrative, flourishing and comfortable professions and are

not inclined to send to join the forces.

Rattan, who began serving as an Army dentist at Fort Drum in

and stressed the need for spreading awareness among people about the cultures and histories of immigrants.

Corporal Simran Preet Singh Lamba

May 2010, says he has shared his experiences of serving in the Army with other Indian families so that they encourage their children to look at the military as a career option.

Rattan was appointed Detachment Commander of US Army Dental Activity at Fort Drum in July 2010. He has also served in Afghanistan and received an Army Commendation Medal and a NATO Medal for his service.

"If you keep on pushing the little brick in the wall, it will drop.

With perseverance, mental mindset, things will change," he said.

"I would like my son to be able to get what he wants," Rattan, who was accepted into the military after applying four times, said.

The three however add that it pains them to see people from their community and other minorities being made targets of hate crimes

"It makes my blood boil to see a hate crime against anyone, not just a Sikh. It is inexcusable in this day and age. These hate crimes are going to continue to happen not just against Sikhs but against all minorities until we can fully embrace our differences," Kalsi said.

"This is a question about what an American looks like. An American looks like a guy who has a beard and wears an Army turban, we are up against that notion of what is an American," he said.

Kalsi added that support from the President, Congress and military is required to "push back against the hate in a constructive way."

"Allowing Sikhs into the military, by supporting women into the military, by supporting people and minorities of all color and religions in the military will make a stronger military and will make us a stronger community." -PTI

Mumbai attacks victim sues Taj hotel owners LONDON: A British court has begun hearing the compensation claim of man paralyzed during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks with the victim suing the owners of the iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, alleging they neglected security despite warnings of an imminent assault.

Will Pike's legal team will argue against an attempt by the Tata-owned Indian Hotels Company to prevent his case being heard in the High Court here.

The 33-year-old Londoner is taking legal action against the

Will Pike and Kelly Doyle at their home in London

Tata Group firm, alleging that the hotel did little to provide security for residents despite several warn-

ings that an attack on the luxury five-star facility was imminent.

The ghastly terrorist assault

on India's financial hub left 166 people dead, five years ago.

Pike and his girlfriend at that time, Kelly Doyle, checked into the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel on November 26, 2008.

They allege there were limited security checks with only one metal detector and cursory screening of guests.

As their hotel room started to fill with smoke following the siege, and the sounds of gunfire became louder, they decided they had to escape and tried to break one of the windows, which were secured, with furniture in the room.

After several attempts they succeeded and were both able to perch on the window sill away from the smoke in the room.

To reach the ground they decided to knot bedding and curtains together as a makeshift rope.

Pike opted to climb down first, but the knots in the fabric came undone and he fell nearly 50 feet to the ground breaking his back, pelvis and leg and fracturing both his left wrist and right elbow suffering serious injuries. Fire fighters later saved Doyle.-PTI

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Court accepts NIA's charge sheet against HM chief NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has taken cognizance of the charge sheet filed by NIA against banned terror outfit Hizb-ulMujahideen (HM) chief Syed Salahuddin and others for allegedly receiving funds of about Rs.80 crore from Pakistan for carrying out terror activities across India.

District Judge I S Mehta has taken cognizance of the charge sheet filed against 10 accused. Of them, eight are based in Pakistan and have been declared proclaimed offenders by the court.

They have been chargesheeted for the offences punishable under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 121-A (conspiring to commit certain offences against the state)

of the IPC and under various provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

The court has now fixed the matter for December 7 for further proceedings.

The NIA, in its 62-page charge sheet, alleged that HM was "regularly receiving funds from neighboring country" and the funds were given to "active terrorists, families of killed terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir."

It said about Rs 80 crore was received for terror activities in India in the past eight years and the funds continued to come from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The NIA also said that "in the garb of one Jammu Kashmir Affectees Relief Trust (JKART), the terror outfit is actively involved in furthering the terrorist activities in India."

Besides Salahuddin, the NIA has chargesheeted Mohd Shafi Shah, Talib Lali, Gulam Nabi Khan, Umer Farooq Shera, Manzoor Ahmed Dar, Zaffar Hussain Bhatt, Nazir Ahmad Dar, Abdul Majeed Sofi and Mubarak Shah.

Out of the 10 accused, who all are active members of HM, Mohd Shafi Shah and Talib Lali, both hailing from J-K, were arrested by the NIA and are presently in jail under judicial custody.

Syed Salahuddin

The NIA, in its charge sheet, said that head office of JKART is in Rawalpindi in Pakistan and its branch offices are in Islamabad and Muzaffarabad.

It said that the money reaches India through hawala route and banking channels and are distributed through the conduits not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also in Delhi and other parts of the country.

"Investigation conducted so far in the instant case has revealed that different channels operate for the transfer of terror funds from HM/JKART Pakistan to active HM cadres and other beneficiaries in the state of J-K to further terrorist activities and wage war against India.

"The hawala route, banking channels, human couriers and of late, the cross border trade are identified as some of the mediums for such funding from across the border," it said.

Giving details of the banned terror outfit, the NIA said HM has established its main office at Islamabad in Pakistan while JKART is its "frontal organization".

"Investigation has revealed that in furtherance of the said criminal conspiracy, Markazi-e-Shura of HM, a top body of its decision making, in the year 1999 in a meeting chaired by Mohd Syed Salahuddin...in connivance with the agencies of Government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, including but not limited to Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), founded a trust namely JKART, a frontal organization of HM, with the object to systematically receive, collect and raise funds from different sources in Pakistan and other countries," it said. "...in the garb of relief for rehabilitation of affected persons (called affectees by HM) in state of J-K for furthering terrorist activities in India. Investigation has established that funds so raised by JKART are used by HM to foster terrorist activities by its cadres in J-K," the NIA said.

JKART also received funds from another trust 'Relief Organization for Kashmiri Muslims (ROKM)' founded for rehabilitation of migrant Kashmiri Muslims in Pakistan and POK, it said, adding JKART and ROKM are primarily funded by Pakistan government and its agencies. -PTI

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India, Japan share vision of a new Asia: President NEW DELHI: India and Japan share a vision of promoting peace and stability in building a new Asia, President Pranab Mukherjee said as he hosted visiting Emperor of Japan Akihito and Empress Michiko at a banquet in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The royal couple called on the President.

The President, while hosting a banquet for the dignitaries, said, "India-Japan partnership is based on the bedrock of shared values of democracy, the rule of law and individual rights.

"It symbolizes our mutual quest for the progress and prosperity of our people. India and Japan also share a vision of promoting peace and stability and the two countries stand united in the dream of a new Asia full of promise and opportunities.

"Both countries' relationship today goes beyond the bilateral as we cement together a truly global partnership with converging strategic interests," a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson said, quoting the President.

"The President warmly welcomed the Emperor and Empress of Japan to India and conveyed that the people and government of India feel honored by their visit. He said it was wonderful to have them back in the Rashtrapati Bhavan after 52 years and that memories of their earlier visit as Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Japan in 1960 are still fresh in the minds of the people of India, who hold them in the highest esteem," the spokesperson said.

The President said India deeply values and attaches the highest importance to its close friendship with Japan which is based on a strong foundation of mutual respect and admiration.

"Our civilisational ties go back over a millennium. Buddhism is a sacred link. India and Japan have had academic and scholarly exchanges since ancient times.

Both countries are presently collaborating in the revival of the Nalanda Univer-

Emperor of Japan, His Majesty Akihito meeting President Pranab Mukherjee, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on December 2

sity," Mukherjee was quoted as saying.

In his banquet speech, the President said, "The presence of the Emperor and Empress of Japan in India was a historic milestone in bilateral relations, heralding a further deepening of the time-tested friendship, solidarity and co-operation that have always characterized relations between India and Japan.

"The President also recollected on the occasion the great sons of India - Swami Vivekananda, Jamshedji Tata, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Rash Behari Bose and Judge Radha Binod Pal - who have contributed to strengthening the bonds of friendship," the spokesperson said. He said the visit will give an impetus to the efforts of the two countries and peoples to engage, take new initiatives and elevate their relationship to even greater heights.

Speaking at the banquet, Emperor Akihito said it was a great pleasure for them to visit India on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and India.

"He (Akihito) thanked Parliament of India on behalf of the people of Japan for

paying tribute to Japan's atomic bomb victims in August every year and expressed hope that their current visit will help to further deepen the mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries and further strengthen the bonds of trust and friendship," the spokesperson said.-PTI

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China ready for space cooperation with India BEIJING: China, which successfully launched its first ever mission to land an unmanned spacecraft on the Moon, has expressed interest in space cooperation with India which has sent its first interplanetary mission to Mars.

The probe Chang'e-3 was launched into orbit last night aboard an enhanced 56.4 meter high Long March-3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre.

The launch came a day after India's Mars orbiter Mangalyaan left the Earth for a 300-day journey to the Red Planet.

Chinese space scientists are looking forward to cooperation with other countries, including the country's close neighbor India, state-run Xinhua news agency said in a report on the successful launch of China's lunar probe.

Li Benzheng, deputy commander-in-chief of China's lunar program, told media earlier that China's space exploration does not aim at competition.

"We are open in our lunar pro-

gram, and cooperation from other countries is welcome. We hope to explore and use space for more resources to promote human development," the Xinhua report quoted him as saying.

The probe, which is carrying a robotic rover to explore the moon besides a telescope, entered the earth-moon transfer orbit as scheduled, with a perigee of 200 kilometers and apogee of 380,000 kms, officials said The Chang'e-3 lunar probe is expected to land on the moon in mid-December to become China's first spacecraft to soft land on the surface of an extraterrestrial body.

The probe's carrier, an en-

hanced Long March-3B rocket, put the probe in the designated orbit in a text book launch from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China.

The probe, which is carrying a robotic rover to explore the moon besides a telescope, entered the earth-moon transfer orbit as scheduled, with a perigee of 200 kilometers and apogee of 380,000 kms, officials said.

"The probe has already entered the designated orbit," said Zhang Zhenzhong, director of the launch center in Xichang.

"I now announce the launch was successful," he said amid cheers from the staff.

"We will strive for our space dream as part of the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation," he said.

The probe's soft-landing is the most difficult task during the mission, said Wu Weiren, the lunar program's chief designer.

"This will be a breakthrough for China to realize zero-distance observation and survey on the moon." -PTI

Navy Chief warns against floating armories NEW DELHI: Unregulated floating private armories carrying combatants of certain countries are a matter of concern and can have serious security implications for the country including infiltration of terrorists that can lead to 26/11-type attacks, Navy Chief Admiral DK Joshi has warned.

Addressing the annual Navy Day press conference, he also sought a "reversal" of high risk areas for merchant ships plying in the piracy prone zones, saying such an extension in these zones has resulted in incidents such as the killing of four Indian fishermen by Italian marines near Kerala coast.

"Floating armory is a matter of very serious concern. This is entirely unregulated... This has very serious security implications for us including the infiltration of terrorists. "...If there are unregulated arms and ammunition on a vessel, the existence of weapons is not known as also where guards are transferring them and this could lead to such a situation on anybody's soil," Joshi said when asked if unregulated floating ar-

mories can lead to a 26/11 attack.

The Navy Chief was talking on the issue against the backdrop of seizure of the American floating armory MV Seaman Guard Ohio off the coast of Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu.

He said the Government has also received reports about the

He said like the merchant vessels operating under the International Maritime Organization (IMO) framework, these floating armories have to be brought under the regulation presence of "combatants from some countries who on a temporary basis take up these employments and become private armed guards."

Asked if he meant that these combatants are from Pakistan, Joshi skirted a direct response, saying, "I am referring to what I am referring to."

He said over the years, these armories providing escort to the merchant vessels plying in piracy prone areas have become a "loose-knit structure" and the "unregulated manner these ships are operating, there is no track of which ship is coming and what guards it has, what arms does it have and where they are going."

He said like the merchant vessels operating under the International Maritime Organization (IMO) framework, these floating armories have to be brought under the regulation and all the littoral states must be aware of the identity of such ships, the number of weapons and guards present on them.

On the issue of the high risk areas for operating merchant ships, the Navy chief said currently this zone "hugs the Indian west coast" and instead of passing close to Southern Sri Lanka, cargo vessels were passing from close to India.

Observing that this was a matter of concern for the Navy, he said there is no reason for these vessels to be in our area and they are spoiling our picture.-PTI

Obama: US will see woman president 'very soon' WASHINGTON: A woman in the White House? President Barack Obama says that will happen "very soon," according to remarks released here.

"We have some amazing female [public] servants all across the country and there is no doubt that sometime very soon, we're going to have a female president," he said in an interview with broadcaster ABC. What's more, "I'm confident that she will do a great job," he told veteran journalist Barbara Walters.

A B C , which released extracts of the interview on its website, did not specify whether Obama mentioned Hillary Clinton in this context.

There is much buzz that the former secretary of state, who unsuccessfully ran against Obama in a bid to snag the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, might be considering another run.

The former first lady and New York senator leads polls on who

should become her party's pick for the 2016 race for the White House.

While she hasn't slammed the door on a possible candidacy, she has been focusing for now on paid speeches and work linked to the Clinton Foundation together with husband Bill - who was US President between 1993 and 2001 - and

daughter Chelsea.

A Quinnipiac University national poll published November 13 found Clinton tied with Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in an early look at the 2016 bid for the presidency.

Clinton holds a lead of at least nine points against other potential Republican rivals, including Rand Paul and Ted Cruz, both senators, and Congressman Paul Ryan. -AFP

Indian-origin couple found dead in UK home LONDON: An Indian-origin son said. married couple have been found "Officers attended and discovdead in their home in Southall, a ered the bodies of a man and a Punjabi-dominated suburb on the woman, both aged in their 30s. outskirts of west London, police Both were pronounced dead at the said. scene," the spokesperson said.

Sanjeev Kumar (36), also The couple's next of kin have known as Satbir Singh, was found been informed and the police have hanged while his wife, Poonam confirmed that they are not look(35), lay dead at their residence on Western Road.

Officers from Scotland According to Scotland Yard, post-mortem Yard's Homicide and Major examinations have re- Crime Command are vealed that Poonam had been killed by "com- investigating the woman's pression of the neck", death as a murder while her husband died of "suspension caused by hanging". ing for anyone else in connection Kumar's death was not seen as with the deaths. suspicious from the start, implyOfficers from Scotland Yard's ing a suicidal act.

Homicide and Major Crime Com"Officers were called at ap- mand are investigating the proximately 3.10 pm to an address woman's death as a murder. in Priory Way, Western Road, According to local media reSouthall following concerns for ports, Kumar may have strangled the welfare of residents there," a his wife before taking his own life.

Metropolitan Police spokesper- -PTI

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Afghan-Pak drone attacks complicating relations with US NEW YORK: Recent drone attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan have again complicated relations with the US, with the strikes by the CIA-operated spy planes highlighting political complications from America's persistent reliance on the lethal remote-controlled weapons, a media report said.

"Two separate but similarly bitter disagreements over drone strikes in Pakistan and Afghanistan have complicated relations between the United States and those two countries at a delicate moment, again highlighting the political complications from America's persistent reliance on the lethal remote-controlled weapons," the New York Times said.

A recent drone strike in Afghanistan killed civilians forcing the US military commander to apologies to President Hamid Karzai who was angry at the civilian deaths and had a renewed reason to refuse to sign a long-term security agreement with the United States.

In Pakistan's tribal belt, a CIA drone strike killed a militant days

after a major political party, as part of its campaign to end the drone strikes, publicly named a man it said was America's top spy in the country.

"The use of these weapons, which is deeply resented, highlights the political costs to the

Afghan anger over one such raid recently led Karzai to insist on a ban, and he has said he will not sign the longterm security agreement with the US until such operations are definitively ceased United States of the drone campaigns, even as its range of military options in the region has started to narrow with American combat troops leaving Afghanistan," the report added.

The US military has restricted

raids on Afghan homes, amid demands from Karzai for a complete ban on such operations.

Afghan anger over one such raid recently led Karzai to insist on a ban, and he has said he will not sign the long-term security agreement with the US until such operations are definitively ceased.

"That leaves air strikes, particularly by drones, as one of the last practical military options left to the American-led military coalition in Afghanistan," the NYT report said.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party of former cricket star Imran Khan accused the director of the CIA and the man it identified as the agency's Islamabad station chief, of murder.

Khan has said the strikes have jeopardized efforts to start peace talks with Taliban insurgents.

"The US has nothing but contempt for Pakistan's leadership," said Shireen Mazari, the party's central information secretary, calling drone attacks a "direct test of the will of the federal government" led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. -PTI

All Indians safe in Thailand: Envoy BANGKOK: All Indians nationals in Thailand, rocked by massive anti-government protests that have claimed four lives, are safe and sound, Indian Ambassador Anil Wadhwa said here.

"All the Indians in Bangkok and other parts of Thailand are safe. We have not received reports of any untoward incident so far.

We advise people to continue to watch the situation continuously," Wadhwa said.

The envoy said all hotels and major tourist spots are open, but Indians should avoid areas such as Metropolitan Police Headquarters and Government House, where the protests are concentrated.

Indians facing any difficulty can contact the embassy in Bangkok via phone or e-mail, Wadhwa said. Indians should also regularly check the embassy's

Pak calls for resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue NEW DELHI: Pakistan has strongly pitched for the resumption of Indo-Pak composite dialogue, saying improvement of bilateral ties is not only in the interest of both the countries but also of the region.

Speaking at a farewell function held at Foreign Correspondents' Club here, Pakistan's outgoing envoy to India Salman Bashir also expressed optimism in diplomatic relations and said, "I do not want to sound over-optimistic or exaggerate but what I am saying is that there is light at the end of the tunnel."

He called for resumption of the

Ace shuttler PV Sindhu with her parents shows her Gold Medal that she won at Kumpoo Macau Open Grand Prix, at a media conference at Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad on December 3

Suu Kyi urges 'freedom from fear' SYDNEY: Myanmar Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has urged greater openness and compassion in the global struggle against AIDS as experts warned against complacency despite falling infection rates.

Suu Kyi, the UNAIDS global advocate for HIV/AIDS victims,

drew parallels between the plight of sufferers and her own struggle for democracy at the launch on World AIDS Day of a new "zero discrimination" campaign and a conference to be held in Australia in July.

"The fight against discrimination is an extension of our

fight for freedom from fear," said the Myanmar opposition leader and democracy icon, using the title of a famous essay she wrote.

"My simple message as the global ambassador for zero discrimination is it all starts in the mind and in the heart. -AFP

website for latest developments.

The protests, which began on November 24, were largely peaceful until recently.

The protesters, led by former deputy premier Suthep Thaugsuban, are demanding that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra should quit and hand over power to a "People's Council".

They accuse Yingluck of being a proxy for her elder brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was outed in a 2006 by the military and is currently in self-exile.

Bangkok is witnessing traffic disruptions during protest marches. Travelers coming from or going to the airport have been advised by local authorities to factor in an additional hour for travel to or from Bangkok, a statement from the Indian embassy said. -PTI

full spectrum dialogue, which was stalled earlier this year after the beheading of two Indian soldiers by the Pakistan army along the Line of Control.

"The improvement in relations with India is very emphatically a state policy. We believe it's in our interest and we believe it's in the interest of the region," Bashir said.

"Our prime minister is on record as having very emphatically stated that improvement of relations with India is a priority.

"An improvement in relations with Pakistan is also something that is of importance to India and the Indian leadership," he said. -PTI

New smart watch lets parents track their child WASHINGTON: A new GPSenabled smart watch that allows parents to track their kids' location and send them texts has been developed in the US. The FiLIP watch, designed for children aged 4 to 11, is hooked up to an app on a parent's phone.

Using the FiLIP app, parents and other pre-authorized adults can track the child's location, make calls, send texts and set "SafeZones," which are virtual radii around a specific destination, 'Mashable' reported.

Parents select SafeZones based on the location where their child usually spends the most time, such as school.

FiLIP sends a notification to parents whenever their child leaves or arrives at a SafeZone.

Parents can program up to five numbers into the gadget, which kids can call with the touch of a button.

In case of emergency, the child can hold down a red button, prompting the watch to call the first person in its contact list.-PTI

Tech News I-T department reveals top 10 assessees NEW DELHI: Directors of Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Kamaljeet Singh Ahluwalia and Prashant Ahluwalia, both facing CBI probe in coal scam, are in the list of top 10 Income Tax assessees in the "Individual" category for 2011-12, according to an RTI reply.

The I-T department data shows that Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy is at number three in the list of top 10 Income Tax assessees in the country, behind Shireen who is at the top spot and Kamaljeet Singh at number two.

Prashant Kumar Ahluwalia is at number nine in the list, which has been made public by the Income Tax department in response to an RTI query by activist Subhash Agrawal.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also in the list of top 10 assessees in 'Trust' category whereas PSU ONGC and banking behemoth State Bank of India are top two assessees in the 'Company' category.

Other top earners during 201112 in the 'Individual' category include Ramamurthy Praveen Chandra, Asim Ghosh, Indrani Patnaik, Sandhiyagu Martin, Mansoor Nizam Patel and Bavihalli Rudragowda.-PTI

Italy sends AgustaWestland documents NEW DELHI: Law authorities in Italy are understood to have allowed Defense Ministry to use the documents supplied by them in the legal process here against the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland chopper deal, which is facing cancellation.

In the investigations in the ongoing chopper scam probe, Defense Ministry has received several important documents from Italy which were received by the then Joint Secretary and Acquisition Manager (Air) Arun Kumar Bal, who passed away recently.

The Italian law authorities are understood to have allowed the Defense Ministry to use the documents provided by them in the ongoing legal process here, sources said here.

The permission in this regard was given by the Italian authorities during the last hearing of the case in Milan, Italy where the officer in-charge for AgustaWestland case in India Upamanyu Chatterjee was present, they said. -PTI

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Paul Stroud, Director, Sales & Marketing, Triumph Motorcycles Pvt Ltd, at the launch of the company’s new models in New Delhi

India wastes Rs 13,300 cr of fruits, vegetables annually MUMBAI: India, the world's second largest producer of fruits and vegetables, throws away fresh produce worth Rs 13,300 crore every year because of the country's lack of adequate cold storage facilities and refrigerated transport, a report said.

"The value of fruits, vegetables and grains wastage in India, at Rs 44,000 crore annually.

"Fruits and vegetables account for the largest portion of that wastage. Eighteen per cent of India's fruit and vegetable production valued at Rs 13,300 crore is wasted annually," according to data compiled in a new report by Emerson Climate Technologies India, a business of the US-based manufacturing and technology company Emerson.

The report says that two of the biggest contributors to food losses are the lack of refrigerated

transport as also the lack of high quality cold storage facilities for food manufacturers and food sellers.

Without improvements to its cold chain infrastructure, from farm harvest to table, food problems in

India, which is the world's second largest producer of fruits and vegetables, will remain vast and are likely to grow, warns the report.

Currently, India has 6,300 cold storage facilities unevenly spread across the country, with an in-

Mittal tumbles to 9th spot in SAfrica's rich list JOHANNESBURG: NRI steel baron Lakshmi Mittal, who was at the top in South Africa's richest

Lakshmi Mittal

businessmen list for six consecutive years, has dropped down to 9th position this year due to plummeting share price of ArcelorMittal

SA. Mittal has continued to drop down the rankings since last last year when he was ranked third after losing the top spot which he held for six consecutive years previously.

T h i s year Mittal took the 9th position.

A l though not a resident in South Africa, Mittal's name has been included on the list of the South Africa's richest businessmen because of his share

holding in ArcelorMittal SA - the steel giant that bore out of Mittal's takeover of former state-owned monopoly Iscor about a decade ago.

Mittal's wealth dropped substantially with the ArcelorMittal SA share price having almost halved in the past year.

Patrice Motsepe, mining magnate and formerly joint chairman of the India-South Africa CEO's Forum with Ratan Tata, was knocked off his top position in the annual Rich List, compiled by the weekly Sunday Times, by Christo Wiese, head of major supermarket retailer.

Property tycoon Ragavan Moonsamy was the only South African businessman of Indian origin who featured in the top 100 on the Rich List this year.

The Rich List is based on an analysis of holdings of all companies listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange. -PTI

stalled capacity of 30.11 million metric tonnes.

Studies have shown this is half the amount of cold storage facilities that India actually needs. Cold storage capacity for all food products in the country should be more than 61 million metric tonnes, it said.

In order to reach that target, the report says an investment of more than Rs 55,000 crore is needed by 2015-2016 just to keep up with growing fruit and vegetable production levels.

"While progress is being made, this report confirms the cold storage situation is more acute than many realize. Emerson is seeing this in the marketplace and we commissioned this report to keep the spotlight on the issue," said Pradipta Sen, president of Emerson's India, Middle East and Africa region. -PTI

13 percent unemployment in 15-29 age group NEW DELHI: The unemployment rate in India during 2012-13 was estimated to be 13.3 per cent for the age group 15-29, a government report has revealed.

The Labor Ministry report on 'Youth employment-unemployment scenario, 2012-13 further revealed unemployment rate among the persons who cannot read and write any language or are considered illiterate was the lowest with 3.7 per cent without work in the 15-29 age group.

It observed that people in employment were "actually overqualified for the job they are doing and therefore society is losing their valuable skills and forfeiting stronger productivity growth that would have been achieved".

The report was prepared by the Labor Bureau in Chandigarh under the Ministry after conducting a survey between October, 2012 and May, 2013 in all states. -PTI

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Low-cost smartphones consume feature phone mkt NEW DELHI: Driven by lowerpriced models from domestic handset makers, smartphone sales in India has grown over three-fold to touch 12.8 million units in third quarter of 2013 cannibalizing the feature phone market, research firm IDC says.

According to IDC, the India smartphone market grew by 229 per cent year-on-year to 12.8 million smartphones in third quarter of 2013 compared to 3.8 million units in Q3 of 2012.

Smartphone sales grew 28 per cent in Q3 of 2013 compared to April-June 2013 (10.02 million), it added.

A smartphone is a mobile device built on a mobile operating system, with more advanced capabilities and connectivity than a feature phone.

IDC said 53.9 million feature phones numbers were sold in Q3 of 2013 compared to 55.7 million in Q3 of 2012.

The share of feature phones slipped to 81 per cent (from 84 per cent) of the total market in Q3 2013,

The smartphone market is expected to maintain these elevated levels of growth in the near future, Kumar added.

The overall mobile phone market (feature phones and smartphones) registered 12 per cent year-on-year growth and 7 per cent sequential growth.

The share of feature phones slipped to 81 per cent of the total market in Q3 2013, even as the segment grew 3 per cent quarter-onquarter in the July-September 2013.

South Korean firm Samsung led the handset market with 15.3 per cent share, followed by Nokia (14.7 per cent), Micromax (10.1 per cent) and Karbonn (9.1 per cent).

Other smaller players accounted

it added.

This is despite feature phone sales growing three per cent quarter-on-quarter in the July-September 2013.

"The change agents for this

rapid shift of consumer preference towards Smartphones have been the narrowing price gap between feature phones and smartphones," IDC India Research Manager Kiran Kumar said.

Apollo Tires sells S African biz to Sumitomo NEW DELHI: Apollo Tires has said it has closed the transaction for sale of South African business along with a passenger car tire plant to Sumitomo Rubber Industries in a deal valued at USD 60 million.

In a statement, the company said it has closed the transaction

Post this transaction, Apollo Tires will continue to sell Apollo, Vredestein and Regal branded tires in Africa, and at the same time focus on creating and strengthening its sales and distribution network across the continent.

"As agreed, both companies will also undertake contract manu-

helped us develop the market for our products in Latin America as well."

Using South Africa as the base, the company will now focus on brands where it owns global rights, which it has already been selling in South Africa for the past few years, for the African and Latin

Using South Africa as the base, the company will now focus on brands where it owns global rights, which it has already been selling in South Africa with Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI), wherein SRI takes over Apollo Tires South Africa (ATSA), including the Ladysmith passenger car tire plant, and the Dunlop brand rights that Apollo had in 32 countries of Africa for USD 60 million.

"Apollo retains the Durban plant which manufactures Truck & Bus Radial (TBR) tires and Off Highway tires (OHT) used in the mining and construction industries," it added.

facturing of their respective brands at each other's facility to have locally manufactured products available for the market," the statement said.

Commenting on the development, Apollo Tires Chairman Onkar S Kanwar said, "It has been a very eventful journey for us in Africa, since our entry in 2006 with the acquisition of Dunlop Tires International. This has given us a very sound understanding of the growing African market and

American markets, he added.

The employees, retained by Apollo in South Africa post this transaction closure, will be working for the newly formed company, Apollo Durban (Pty) Ltd. No jobs have been lost in this transaction between the two entities - Apollo and SRI, the company said.

Apollo Tires had announced in May this year that it was selling its South African business along with a passenger car tire plant. PTI

for a cumulative share of 50.8 per cent.

"The growth in the smartphone market continues to drive the overall growth numbers for the phone market, given that there's still a huge potential for smartphone penetration in India, this trend is expected to continue in the coming quarters," IDC India Senior Market Analyst Manasi Yadav said.

In the smartphone segment, Samsung held the leadership spot with 32.9 per cent share, while Micromax secured the second spot with 17.1 per cent market share in Q3 of 2013.

Karbonn had 11.2 per cent share, followed by Nokia 5 per cent and Lava at 4.7 per cent. -PTI

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India needs market-based energy pricing: PM NEW DELHI: With India expected to become world's third largest energy consumer in seven years, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said market-based pricing and technology are essential

"needs to increase its energy supply by 3 to 4 times within next two decades."

"With oil and gas constituting around 41 per cent of India's primary energy consumption, India

To bridge the gap between supply and demand, the government is encouraging domestic and global companies to explore onshore and offshore regions, he said. He cited the example of US shale gas revolution where technology and market-based pricing helped for meeting the nation's needs in this regard.

Speaking at the 8th Asia Gas Partnership Summit here, he said India, which currently is world's seventh largest energy producer,

is expected to be the 3rd largest energy consumer by 2020," he said.

India is currently fourth largest energy consumer behind US, China and Japan.

Control paper airplane with smartphone WASHINGTON: Researchers have developed new technology that turns your self-made paper airplane into a smartphone-controlled flying machine capable of twisting and turning through open skies.

Power Up 3.0, built by USbased designer Shai Goitein, promises to give the basic paper model

an upgrade, using a small attachable propeller and rudder for a little more speed and steering control.

PowerUp 3.0's wireless communication is based on Bluetooth Smart technology.

Bluetooth connectivity allows the user to control the paper airplane via their smartphone with an accompanying app.

Tilting the phone to the left or right allows users to turn their airplane as it flies a whopping 60 yards. The app also includes a compass, controls for thrust and readouts for battery life and range, 'Mashable' reported.

To begin, a user has to simply fold a piece of copier paper into a paper airplane.

Then, they have to attach the smart module to their paper plane with the patented clips underneath the Smart Module.

Starting the app connects the Smart Module with their cell phone.

Users can then push throttle to full and launch the paper airplane high up into the sky, according to the product's description on Kickstarter website. -PTI

To bridge the gap between supply and demand, the government is encouraging domestic and global companies to explore onshore and offshore regions, he said.

He cited the example of US shale gas revolution where technology and market-based pricing helped exploit the unconventional gas resource and turn the country into energy surplus.

"This (technology and market based pricing) is a combination that is essential to provide rapidly growing economies like ours with energy solutions commensurate with our needs," the Prime Minister said.

India is also progressively pursuing other options to achieve energy security, he said, adding one of these is the acquisition of energy assets in other countries. -PTI

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressing the 8th Asia Gas Partnership Summit (AGPS) 2013, in New Delhi on December 3

Seize India's IT opportunities, says Saudi chamber

Mahila Bank targets business mix of Rs 60,000 cr

DUBAI: Describing India as an IT hub, head of a Saudi business body has asked companies to seize India's opportunities in the sector.

"There is a big demand for IT services and since India is an expert in this field and has highly trained professionals in this sector, we are encouraging business owners to exploit the opportunities," Adnan Mandourah, secretary general of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), said.

"Our hearts and minds are open to receive new ideas and learn from experience," Mandourah told Arab News.

In a seminar, organized recently by the Saudi Indian Business Network (SIBN) with the support of the consulate general of India in association with the JCCI, the Saudi-Indian business community was apprised about the prospects of investments in India in the IT sector.

"We are proud of the relationship between Saudi Arabia and India, which goes back a long time in history," Mandourah said, adding bilateral relations had strengthened in course of time and there are growing opportunities for both Saudi and Indian business owners. -PTI

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Mahila Bank, the first all-women bank inaugurated last month, expects its business to touch Rs 60,000 crore in the next seven years.

"We are aiming to achieve business mix (total deposit and advances) of Rs 60,000 crore by 2020," Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) Chairperson and Manag-

ings interest rate at 4.5 per cent, higher than what other public sector banks offer.

It also plans to add 16 more branches to its network in the next four months.

The bank intends to fulfill its obligation of meeting 25 per cent of its branches in rural and unbanked areas from the next fiscal.

ing Director Usha Ananthasubramanian told PTI. The bank has launched a few women specific products and is in process of launching few more, she said.

Some of the special products to be launched shortly include loans for setting up catering services and hygienic day-care centers for children of working women, she added.

The bank has also decided its fixed deposit rates at 9 per cent for one year, almost at par with leading public sector banks, and sav-

Earlier this month, the bank, a pioneering initiative to empower women, was launched with a corpus of Rs 1,000 crore to function as a universal bank.

Coinciding with the 96th birthday of late Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated the first of seven branches of the bank in the presence of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Mumbai on November 19.

The idea of an exclusive lender for women was mooted at the Jaipur Congress plenary last year.

-PTI

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Desi News IADO anniversary Banquet with elected leaders SURENDRA ULLAL

CHICAGO: A premier political organization of Indian American community in Chicagoland, the Indo American Democratic Organization (IADO) recently held its annual banquet at the Holiday Inn in Skokie, celebrating its 34 years serving the South Asian and Illinois community.

Top ranking elected officials from Democratic Party along with over 400 members and other guests from the Chicagoland area attended the glittering event.

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18 India Post

Manglorean Christians showcase rich cultural heritage

December 6, 2013

Enchanting Ghazals at Reception for CG Dr Ausaf Sayed

Details on page 20

Holiday Trees for 10th year at Treasurer Office RAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service

CHICAGO: For the 10th year, holiday trees and cultural displays decorated and mounted by religious and ethnic groups will be on display through the holiday season in the Chicago downtown office of Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas.

Details on page 21

FIA-Chicago elects new executive board

Sandip Bhattacharjee performing along with co-artists

A.Q. SIDDIQUI India Post News Service

SURENDRA ULLAL

CHICAGO: The Federation of Indian Associations-Chicago [FIA], an umbrella organization of Indian Americans in Illinois, elected its new governing executive board for the year 2014-2015 with Keerthi Kumar Ravoori as its president at its general body meeting held on Sunday December 1 at North Shore Banquets, Devon Ave, in Chicago.

CHICAGO: A leading community activist and FIA Trustee Iftekhar Shareef hosted, along with a group of other activists, a Ghazal Nite reception dinner for Indian Consul General Chicago Dr Ausaf Sayeed at Monty's Banquet on

Looking at the large gathering of ghazal lovers for the event, Iftekhar Shareef remarked that the presence of diverse ethnic groups from all Indian regions such as Telugu, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati and North Indian symbolized the very essence of India.

Details on page 22

Entrepreneur launches campaign to save fuel PM SWAMY

NEW YORK: Pakshirajan Sundar Paripoornan, a prominent Indian businessman manufacturing human vaccine, has launched a movement named 'Save Our Country' to enthuse youth on the need to save fuel for saving the planet and ultimately, humanity.

Details on page 25

Details on page 24

A section of the music lovers attending the program. Indian CG and his wife along with host Iftekhar Shareef are seen in the front row

Saturday Nov 30.

Indian Classical and Ghazal singer Sandip Bhattacharjee was the star performer for the event.

Syed Raziuddin, the event coordinator welcomed the guests and emceed the program in a lively manner.

Looking at the large gathering of ghazal lovers for the event, Iftekhar Shareef remarked that the presence of diverse ethnic groups from all Indian regions such as Telugu, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati and North Indian symbolized the very essence of India. He also spoke about singer Sandip Bhattacharjee and event coordinator Syed Raziuddin. Iftekhar Shareef also thanked Madhu Patel, the founding president of NRI Press Club, in Chicago for his contribution for the event.

Shareef welcomed CG Dr Ausaf Sayeed and his wife observing that though the CG had recently taken over the charge of Chicago office, he was already well known in Chicago community hub. "The beautiful couple is seen in almost all Indian community events", he said.

In the first half of the program Sandip Bhattacharjee enchanted the audience with classical ragas.

An interval was announced for the dinner. Monty Banquet's special Hyderabadi biryani was part of dinner menu and enjoyed by all. A formal reception ceremony was initiated soon after the dinner.

Iftekhar Shareef and Syed Raziuddin honored Consul General Dr Ausaf Sayeed with a tricolor Khandwa. A flower bouquet was presented to singer Sandip Bhattacharjee.

In the second half of the program, Sandip sang a few very popular ghazals. Madhu Patel in his brief address highlighted the fact that music knows no borders - geographic or religious, and underlined its importance for brining diverse ethnic communities together not only in India but also in this country. It was his efforts that classical music and Ghazal lovers got a chance to hear one of India's upcoming stars in music world.

Cont’d on page 19

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Community Across America

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Fundraiser for Dan Rutherford & Steve Kim RAJINDER MAGO

SCHAUMBURG: A large group of Sikh and Indian American community of Illinois and Asian American friends hosted a fund raising reception and dinner for State of Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford, a candidate for Governor of Illinois, and his running mate candidate for Lt. Governor Steve Kim on November 23 at India House Banquet Hall, in Schaumburg.

The program started with a moment of silence for the 50th anniversary of assassination of John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of United States.

Several Sikh community leaders along with other leaders like Sunil Shah of FIA and Manju Goel, a candidate for the eighth Congressional district, also made remarks at the event.

Dan Rutherford and Steve Kim were honored with bouquets of flowers by children. They in turn presented two copies of books on Sikh history to the community.

Treasurer Dan Rutherford has

Sikh leaders with Dan Rutherford and Steve Kim

Bridal Expo showcases all wedding needs Asian Media USA

CHICAGO: India House, a front ranking restaurant in Chicagoalnd, organized its Annual Bridal Expo on Sunday Nov 24 at its facility in Schaumburg. The show was a big success judging from the number

India House Fashion show organzier

of attendees and the manner in which the organizers accommodated every aspect of planning a wedding.

Various stalls specializing in several wedding services were put up by the participants. Over 150 different food items including variety of drinks and starters and complimentary food testing were provided which enabled attendees to see what dishes and drinks were

onstrating how efficiently catering can be done that would touch the customer's soul and bring to life Indian culture," said Ravi Rawat and Pritesh Gandhi.

The bridal show covered all aspects of Indian wedding needs: marriage hall of appropriate size with required amenities, designing decorations centered around the theme of the wedding, coordinating flowers arrangements, Mandap decorations, table cloth, chair and napkin design/color, finding a DJ, selecting the entertainment, jewellery, clothes, selection of food menu for different wedding events, preparing the guest list, their local accommodation, organizing transportation for guests etc.

Ravi Rawat with Ritika Rawat and Rajeshwari Rawat The annual Bridal Expo has available at India House and how been Chicago's premiere show for they taste. "We have excellent sit- many years. ting arrangements for buffet type Cont’d on page 20 Dinner/Lunch with agile staff dem-

been participating in the Punjabi, Sikh, Indian and Asian American community events for a number of years ever since he was a State Senator.

Both Rutherford and Kim have received honor awards - Sandra Otaka Memorial Grand Asian American award for Rutherford and Ping Tom Memorial Pan Asian America award for Kim by Asian American Coalition of Chicago in 2011.

Treasurer Rutherford hosted an exhibition "Sikh Contributions in

World Wars" at the State of Illinois Building Thompson Center in Chicago from May 13-17.

Treasurer Rutherford also visited the Sikh Gurdwara in Palatine last September. He has always been an enthusiastic participant in Indian and Asian American functions.

Dan Rutherford talked about his plans for the State of Illinois as a Governor, if elected. Steve Kim said that he will not be a ceremonial figure Lt. Governor, but an active participant in jobs creation and retention in Illinois.

Enchanting Ghazals at Reception for CG Dr Ausaf Sayed Cont’d from page 18

All those present were impressed with Sandip's performance and that they pitched for his repeat concerts. Sandip has been frequenting between India and USA and can be easily reached thru Madhu Patel.

Many prominent Indian and Pakistani community members were present at the event. Prof.

Ghanshyam Pande, President Association of Indian Americans, FIA Vice President Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, Sadat Ali Khan and Ms Usha Kamaria were seen among the guests.

CG Dr Ausaf presenting a Recognition Plaque from NRI Press Club to Sandip Bhattacharjee. Also in the picture are Madhu Patel, Ms A. Varma and Ms Amla Khan (Sandip's first student in Chicago)

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IADO anniversary Banquet with elected leaders SURENDRA ULLAL

CHICAGO: A premier political organization of Indian American community in Chicagoland, the Indo American Democratic Organization (IADO) recently held its annual banquet at the Holiday Inn in Skokie, celebrating its 34 years serving the South Asian and Illinois community.

Top ranking elected officials from Democratic Party along with over 400 members and other guests from the Chicagoland area attended the glittering event.

IADO's dinner was supported by the presence of several of Illinois' key elected leaders and candidates. Attendees included Governor Pat Quinn, Lt Governor Sheila Simon (candidate for State Comptroller), Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle, State Senators Mike Frerichs (Candidate for State Treasurer), Daniel Biss, State Representatives Lou Lang, Robyn Gabel and Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar, Chicago's first South Asian American alderman.

There were also several candidates for Judge, including Sean Chaudhri, the first IADO supported candidate to receive the Democratic Party's backing in over 30 years.

"The South Asian community represents a key voice for Illinois,"

IADO President Dr Ashish Sen

Indian CG Dr Ausaf Sayeed addressing the Meet

said Governor Pat Quinn while presenting "Outstanding Service Award" to Harendra Mangrola for Providing Exceptional leadership to IADO and South Asian American Community. Mangrola has headed IADO in the past and is actively associated with host of other community oriented organizations and activities.

In his keynote address, US Congressman Luis Gutierrez gave the community an update on Comprehensive Immigration Reform. "The fastest growing demographic in Illinois are Asian Americans. It is vital for us to work together and pass immigration reform," he said.

Governor Quinn presenting Outstanding Service Award to Harendra Mangrola, a community leader

Congressmen Jan Schakowsky, Bill Foster and Danny Davis participated in a panel discussion on the recent government shutdown.

Dr Ashish Sen, President of IADO, stated, "We are proud and honored to have the support of so many elected officials and candidates for office." IADO meet was addressed by Dr Ausaf Sayeed and others Founded in Chicago in 1980, IADO is the oldest Asian American political organization in Illinois. Its mission is to promote the political empowerment of the South Asian American community.

Indian Community elite L-R Ranjit Ganguly, Narendra Patel, Beena Patel, Prof G Pandey and Salil Mishra, AIA president

Bridal Expo showcases all wedding needs Cont’d from page 19

Each show brings vendors from across Chicago area. Everyone who attends tastes and enjoys samples from the best area caterers and cake designers. It allows consumers to sample the wedding cake, hear music, meet wedding photographers, hold flowers, sit in a limousine, and see the bridal fashion show, all under one roof.

There were 40 different vendors who had stalls in the exhibition hall, once again making it easy for parents, relatives and friends of the bride and groom to make their choice and selections. All visitors were given Menu Cards so as to facilitate them to suggest their menu, thereby easing the clients' decision process.

Most of the attendees were invited guests who were in different stages of planning weddings of their prospective bride and groom.

There were more than 500 guests who flocked to this event.

Special attraction was the array of Multi Cuisine Food Tasting.

Registration started from 12 pm and there was rush from the beginning. Expo and Food Tasting started immediately and people

'Saris and Things' Fashion Show models

flocked in large number to many vendors soliciting their advice and tasting and selecting food items.

Saris and Things Fashion Show was a huge success. The event was coordinated by Ravi and Rajeshwari Rawat, Shital Daftari, Noman Khan and Anju

Vishal Sharma. Between the Fashion Shows, entertainment was provided by Yeh Cheez Group with Noman Khan, featuring a variety of Bollywood style dances and performances. Over 30 professional models participated in the Saris and Things Fashion Show.

Three rounds of Fashion Shows

by Saris and Things displayed latest collection of wedding saris, lehengas, Anarkalis, bridesmaid saris and designer blouses. Saris and Things is an exclusive online boutique where you can rent or buy designer saris, lehengas, Anarkalis

and men's sherwanis at a fraction of retail prices, said Shital Daftari, owner and designer. He added that "Saris and Things also carries an extensive collection of designer sari blouses. The entire collection can be viewed on their website www.sarisandthings.com

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Holiday Trees for 10th year at Treasurer Office

Maria Pappas and Christmas Trees. Pic Dr Bapu Arekapudi

plays - from African American, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim traditions and a Christian Nativity CHICAGO: For the 10th year, scene - are completed, they stand holiday trees and cultural displays lighted on counters through the decorated and mounted by reli- Treasurer's Office, showing familgious and ethnic groups will be iar ornaments and tinsel, but also on display through the holiday animals, flowers, fruit, balls, season in the Chicago downtown candles, plates, boats, stars and office of Cook County Treasurer flags.

"We see Cook County's amazMaria Pappas.

The display of "Holiday Trees ing population diversity in these trees and displays, each celebrating a different heritage but all Sponsoring groups and creating a special individuals all start with beauty together," said Pappas, thanking all three-foot-high trees who have decorated which they decorate to trees and provided displays. reflect their own cultural The nearly 90 countraditions. tries and communities represented this year from Around the World," an an- include: African American, Austranual tradition in Pappas' office lia, Bangladesh, Barbados, Canada, begun in 2003, will be available for China, Egypt, England, Ethiopia, public viewing till January 6, 2014, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, in Room 112 of the Cook County Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Building, 118 N. Clark St., Chicago. Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Sponsoring groups and indi- Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, viduals all start with three-foot- Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, high trees which they decorate to Russia, Thailand, Turkey, United reflect their own cultural traditions. States, Uruguay and Vietnam, When all the trees and other dis- among others.

RAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service

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FIA-Chicago elects new executive board SURENDRA ULLAL

CHICAGO: The Federation of Indian Associations-Chicago [FIA], an umbrella organization of Indian Americans in Illinois,

The newly elect president of FIA, Keerthi Kumar

elected its new governing executive board for the year 2014-2015 with Keerthi Kumar Ravoori as its president at its general body meet-

ing held on Sunday December 1 at North Shore Banquets, Devon Ave, in Chicago.

Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, known for his grass-roots association with the community, has been elected unanimously to lead this august organization during the next critical year.

NFIA President Sohan Joshi from India congratulated the newly elected body of FIA-Chicago and pledged full support to the team.

After meticulously screening the membership and nomination forms with adherence to the bylaws, the Election Committee comprising of Anil Pillai [Chair] Ajai Agnihotri and Sitaram Patel declared the following members of the Executive Board for 2014-2015: C h a n d r e s h Brahmbhatt, Executive Vice President; Sanhita Agnihotri, Secretary; Dr. Indrajit Patel, Vice President; Minhaj Akhtar, Vice President; Sateeshan Nair, Vice President; Harish Kolasani, Joint Secretary; Ankur Chaudhary, Treasurer; Ajeet Singh, Joint Treasurer.

The FIA Team - Old and New

Veenod Patel has been chosen as Executive Director.

President-elect Keerthi Kumar Ravoori expressed thanks to the FIA Executive Board, Trustees and Directors for bestowing their faith and confidence in him to take up the reins of FIA leadership. He pledged to take a new, bold fresh approach in presiding over FIA with a commitment to its shared goals and core values effectively forging team spirit, unity and camaraderie.

Iftekhar Shareef, Trustee Chair

on behalf of FIA trustees pledged support to the newly elected FIA board to ensure the year 2014 would mark a new beginning and will help guide FIA to a new glorious chapter.

Shareef and other members considered resuming the Independence Day Mela festivities which encompass music, singing, dance, food and entertainment on Devon Ave following the parade on Saturday August 16, 2014.

FIA- Chicago will be forming a "Disciplinary Committee" to serve

as a "watchdog" of the federation activities and to ensure it is in compliance with all applicable Federal, State and local laws and within their boundaries. Among those who attended the general body meeting included many members of FIA along with a special guest from India, Dr Prem Raj Yadav.

The newly elected executive board will be sworn-in at the 65th India Republic Day Banquet to be held on January 26, 2014 at the Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows, Illinois.

Masti & Entertainment with Bollywood songs

Asian Media USA

CHICAGO: A gathering of over 100 people present at Masti Grill & Karaoke, Devon Avenue, Chicago, on Saturday Nov 16 could not have hoped for better spending their weekend than listening to old and new Bollywood songs

from talented local artists.

This sold out event starting at 7 pm went on well past midnight with clamor for continuation as Bollywood songs were sung by 20 singers. Both amateurs and professional singers entertained the crowd for hours. People from different suburbs of Chicago,

southern Illinois and neighboring states of Wisconsin, Indiana and even Florida flocked to MastiGrill to listen to their favorite Bollywood numbers.

The $20 admission fee included a full buffet of vegetarian and nonvegetarian dishes and over 5 hours of musical entertainment. Master

of Ceremony for the occasion was Mujeeb Ahmed, Founder of Masti Karaoke. He kicked off the program by welcoming everyone to the Chicago ki Aawaz.

Dr Siraj Ahmed, an emcee along with co-emcee Jeen Varghese let the first hour open for members of the audience to show their hidden

talents. This turned out to be a good move as a number of talented singers including Sal Merchant, Nandini, Shaz, Virendra Kothari, Mohan, Ishaan, Mustiaq Rafi, and not to mention Moin with his beautiful poetry, won over all those present.

Cont’d on page 23

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Anndadhata lauded for humanitarian services India Post News Service

DALLAS, TX: Annadhata Charities Ltd, a non-profit organization in Texas, provided Indian groceries to more than 50 Nepalese/ Bhutanese refugee families at Hindu Temple of Greater Fort Worth on November 29 as part of Thanksgiving celebration.

Annadhata Charities was launched in 2011 with a motto to feed the needy senior citizens of rural areas of Andhra Pradesh. It also provides food supplies to needy people in Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Dr Prasad Thotakura, Indian American Friendship Council leader attended as Chief Guest of Honor and distributed 10 lbs of rice, 10 lbs of lentil, 20 lbs of wheat

of rice, 1,000 lbs of wheat flour, 500 lbs of potatoes and 40 lbs of pickles to benefit more than 200 Nepalese/Bhutanese refugees.

Local Indian American community leaders Dr Vishawandham Puligandla, Dr Jagannatha Rao, Vish Palepu, Yaji Jayanthi and Purna Nehru also spoke on the occasion and appreciated the efforts of "Annadhata" in serving the needy. Several volunteers from Sewa, D/FW chapter including Yaji Jayanthi and Purna Nehru actively participated with Annadhata activities to serve the needy.

Prasad Gujju thanked Hindu Temple of Fort Worth priest, management, Krishnamohan Puttaparthi and TV 5 for media coverage, Kumar for photography

Annadhata team that provided food supplies to the needy

Supplies of different food items distributed on Thanksgiving Day

flour, 10 lbs of potatoes and 1 lb of pickle to each family.

Efforts made by of Bhaskar Reddi and Raja Reddy for initiating Annadhata organization to serve food to needy people both in Andhra Pradesh and USA were appreciated and lauded by all those present at the event. Dr Thotakura thanked Mrs Puspha and Dr Giridhar Mundluru who sponsored 500 lbs of lentil, 500 lbs

and the number of volunteers who made the event successful.

Annadhata team consists of Bhaskar Reddi (president), Veera Chinta (Secretary), Raja Reddy(Treasurer), KSN Reddy (Jt Treasurer), Sudhir Medapati (Jt Secretary) and Purna Nehru and Satish Karri as Board of Trustees.

Annadhata is 501 (C) (3) nonprofit organization and all contributions are tax-deductible.

Masti & Entertainment with Bollywood songs Cont’d from page 22

Masti-Entertainment started a year ago with a handful of members and has blossomed with over 240 members now and continues to grow. Its mission is to bring out hidden talents within the Desi community and support singers to realize their potential. Being an

integral part of the group will provide the singers opportunity to perform at local events.

Masti-Entertainment is a group for "any person" who is an amateur or professional, young or old, male or female, genuinely interested in listening and/or singing Bollywood or any Indian/Pakistani melody.

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Manglorean Christians showcase rich cultural heritage HARISH RAO

CHICAGO: The Mangalorean Konkan Christian Association (MKCA) kept up its tradition of presenting a variety of cultural activities to showcase the rich cultural heritage of India at Chicago's prestigious Museum of Science and Industry, during its 72nd 'Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light' event.

This is the Eleventh program in succession presented by MKCA at this cultural jamboree. In this

mega event people from different ethnic backgrounds representing more than 50 countries (including India) participated.

The Museum halls are decked, holiday singers and dancers fuel the festivities and the sparkle of dozens of decorated trees greet one at the annual event. The Museum's 45-foot Grand Tree takes center stage in the Rotunda with more than 30,000 lights and 1,000 ornaments, and

it is surrounded by more than 50 smaller trees - beautifully decorated by volunteers from Chicago's 50 ethnic communities to represent their country of origin's culture and holiday traditions.

The Compeer of the program Dr. Austin Prabhu introduced MKCA President Godwin Rego and the Dance teachers. Rego stated that this program was made possible by two cultural

Christmas Carols by Jakes and James

organizations of Indian origin Kalapriya Dance Academy and Mudra Dance Academy. He thanked all the groups, members and well-wishers for their presentation at this esteemed program.

Kalapriya Dance Academy's Bharata Natyam dances were presented by Kalapriya Dance Students. The dances presented different facets of classical and regional nuances of Indian sub-

continent. Audience was thrilled to witness the variety, serenity and high voltage dances presented. Jake with his sons James & Phillip and pianist, Shan Abraham, presented Christmas Carols and boosted Christmas spirit with their superb tunes.

It was announced that MKCA is poised to celebrate its annual gala program of Nathal Fest or Christmas on Saturday, December 21.

Kalaptirya artists

A classical dance performance

December 6, 2013

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Entrepreneur launches campaign to save fuel PM SWAMY

NEW YORK: Pakshirajan Sundar Paripoornan, a prominent Indian businessman manufacturing human vaccine, has launched a movement named 'Save Our Country' to enthuse youth on the need to save fuel for saving the planet and ultimately, humanity.

He pointed to the scenario of global turmoil, unrest and economic turbulence. He said, "The factors for this turbulence are fuel shortage, weakening of the rupee against the dollar, shortage in electricity power generation, disappearing water bodies, pollution, adulteration inflation, to name a few."

Paripoornan is the Chairman and Managing Director of Green Signal Bio Pharma Private Limited near Chennai, one of India's largest vaccine manufacturers.

He said, "Let us not wait for somebody or everybody to tide over these turbulent times but let each one of us rise to the occasion and deal with the problem looming large over all of us." The movement is concerned about saving fuel because fuel is not renewable and there is need to take a good look at the alternative

source of energies.

While pollution and respiratory problems are some of the collateral, the steep price hike in imports within a limited time frame has hit the common man the hardest with

Pakshirajan Sundar Paripoornan

costs going up all around. The fossil fuels come from under the earth where they are supposed to be and uprooting them will affect the oceans and the air we breathe making living very difficult one on the planet, he said.

"There are many who feel the

way I do. I want to start this movement with the motto each one for everyone so that each one contributes and plays a pivotal role to make India a better place to live in.

I am planning to involve high

The campaign has caught attention in India. The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Chairman RS Butola walks 15 km to office while Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Chief Sudhir Vasudeva takes metro once in a week. school children, college students and youth in this mammoth exercise," he said.

We have asked the youth to propagate the message that people can stay put in whichever part of the nation they are but make sincere efforts to save fuel,

electricity, water that have become scarce. This will also keep the delicate environment safe. The youth groups will be interlinked through the website and recognized for their involvement, he noted.

There is an urgent need to use bicycles and public transportation or at least car pooling to start with to save fuel. Walking to work should be encouraged from health point of view and from nation's health point of view.

The campaign has caught attention in India. The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Chairman RS Butola walks 15 km to office while Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Chief Sudhir Vasudeva takes metro once in a week. The

oil PSU heads have taken lead in shunning petrol or diesel guzzling cars to support Oil Minister M Veerappa Moily's call for fuel conservation.

State gas utility GAIL's Chairman and Managing Director B C Tripathi too walked from his residence to office and back while two joint secretaries in the Oil Ministry rode bicycles. Moily himself took metro to office on Oct 9 as part of a campaign to promote fuel conservation so as to help cut the nation's massive oil import bill.

Moily had given a call to declare on Wednesdays, starting from Oct 9, as Bus Day or Public Transport Day for his ministry and 14 public sector oil companies, he said.

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Horoscope

26 India Post

December 6, 2013

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Your Weekly Future

by Pandit Parashar

DECEMBER 6 TH - DECEMBER 12 TH , 2013 (March 21 to April 20)

L

ife will become slight challenging as spouse may not agree with your plans. A pleasure trip will take final shape. Things will continue to stay easy at work. You will be introduced to an interesting person by a close friend. Some visitors will also confirm the date of their arrival and you will start making some plans.

(April 21 to May 20)

C

onfidence will continue to be at peak as everything will keep moving in right direction. People in business will gain an edge over their competitors with new products. Strong chance of favorable outcome in ongoing legal matters this week. You may also visit a holy place with family and have some special prayers performed.

(July 23 to August 22)

Y

ou will continue to work on great plans and project. You may need more paper work to support your application. Sign all legal documents after reading all fine lines and if necessary ask for the change in any clause you don't like. You may have to take a trip on a very short notice to attend an important meeting.

(August 23 to September 22)

M

oney will come but will be difficult to preserve. Some money may go towards legal expense also. Pick heavy things with proper care and keep an eye on blood pressure for next several weeks. This is the right time to approach a government office to resolve the issue. Party will be entertaining for the family.

(September 23 to October 22)

(May 21 to June 20)

T

rip will be entertaining and will re energize every one. Bank bal ance will grow rapidly. Past experience and diplomatic approach will help resolve several important issues and help you gain an edge over your opponents. You will make big changes in diet and may completely cut down on sweets in order to loose weight.

(June 21 to July 22)

M

ind will become very sharp and you will be working on fresh ideas. Move will be delayed but is imminent, keep that in mind.

A new contact will be very useful. There will be great progress in ongoing overseas projects. You may be entertaining number of guest at your place. Bank balance will shot up all of a sudden.

Y

ou will be lucky in all money matters. You may reap rich rewards for the hard work and patience shown in the past. You may buy some beautiful item for the house. An old friend will invite you to a small get together. People looking for a possible change in career will be called for second interview at a big company.

(October 23 to November 22)

N

ew strategy will help you save tons of money in short as well as long term and the new product will be lot better than previous one.

You will start making preparation for an upcoming family vacation also.

Offer will be weak and you will quickly turn it down. You may also dispose off some money making stocks and wait.

(November 23 to December 22)

V

aluable advice from a friend will help you take the right decision.

You will start sending out invitations for the party. There will be slight change in travel plans. New offer will be lucrative but you will postpone the decision for another time. You may replace one of your old vehicle for a new one.

Y

(December 22 to January 19)

ou will give final shape to a short family vacation. There will be lots of excitement about an upcoming family reunion. Boss will discuss few important issues and will make necessary recommendations for your promotion. Do not hesitate to play lottery this week. You may be writing a small check to a government agency in shape of fine.

(January 20 to February 18)

F

amily members will be getting ready for the trip. You may use extra time on hand to clean up the stuff gathering dust for quite some time in the house. You will get to meet many old friends at the party this week. You may be still looking for ideal partners for new venture. bank balance will grow this week.

(February 19 to March 20)

M

oney will come and disappear fast. There will be delay in getting some work done from a government agency and you may need to resubmit more information. You will also spend little more time at work in order to finish work before deadline so that you can enjoy the upcoming vacation. An old friend will call.

December 6, 2013

www.indiapost.com

India Post 27

TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Dhoom Machale Dhoom: Dhoom 3 2 Ram Chahe Leela: Ram-Leela 3 Gandi Baat: R..Rajkumar 4 Nagada Sang Dhol: Ram-Leela 5 Tattad Tattad: Ram-Leela 28 India Post

December 6, 2013

www.indiapost.com

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME WHEN KAREENA AND FARHAN WILL BE SEEN TOGETHER IN A FILM

B

ollywood's pout queen Kareena Kapoor Khan, who is going to work opposite Hrithik Roshan in film "Shuddhi", seems to be very disturbed with resurfaced headaches of Hrithik, as he has taken some time off to recover from it and due to this her schedule has been completely jumbled up.

As per reports, considering Hrithik's health issues, the filmmakers have pushed the first half of the film to mid-2014 and this has left Kareena in a big trouble as she had already allotted her 200 days for the film.

According to the sources, "The actress who had reserved 200 days for 'Shuddhi' was taken aback when she heard that the film's first schedule has been pushed back to mid-2014 owing to the actor's ill health."

However, the reports suggest that Bebo has decided not to sit idle and has given her dates to Dev Benegal's yet to be titled film. In this flick Bebo has been paired opposite Bollywood's one of the most versatile actors Farhan Akhtar. This will be the first time when Kareena and Farhan will be seen together in a film.

6 Tamnche Pe Disco: Bullet Raja 7 Part All Night: Boss 8 Too : Gori Tere Pyaar Mein 9 Raghupti Raghav: Krrish 3 10 Main Rang Sharbato Ka: Phata Poster Nikhla Hero

M

adhuri Dixit who romances veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah in 'Dedh Ishqiya' says she was shy while shooting intense scenes with

the actor.

'Dedh Ishqiya' is a sequel to 2010 hit movie 'Ishqiya'.

Madhuri Dixit and Huma Qureshi are the new additions while Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi continue their roles from the prequel.

At the launch of the trailer of the movie, Madhuri said, "I was not nervous working with him. His eyes had an intense feeling. Whenever we did intense scenes, I was feeling shy. He is a natural actor, you just have to react when you act with him."

She then said, "I was comfortable working with him. I was just playing the character... had fun."

MADHURI DIXIT is playing the role of a begum in this movie.

There are grey shades to her character

Bollywood

December 6, 2013

India Post 29

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M

S

hraddha has just returned from Kashmir after the first schedule of Vishal Bhardwaj's Haider. Her co-star in Haider, Shahid Kapoor, is all set to sacrifice his hair for the role.

But few know that Shraddha had a close shave as well. She was supposed to chop off her tresses for Mohit Suri's The Villain.

"My character in the film is a bit tomboyish who rides around in a Bullet.

Since I am not too fond of wearing wigs, we discussed a haircut but eventually decided against it," she says adding, "I am having a blast shooting with Siddharth Malhotra. My character here is very different from what I played in Mohit's earlier film Aashiqui 2."

No doubt she is happy romancing Siddharth onscreen, but she has also signed Gabbar with Akshay Kumar, who is much older than the actress. Ask Shraddha about it and pat comes the reply: "I've idolized Akshay for years.

Moreover, I found the script of Gabbar so entertaining that there was no way I would have let the project go. " She is proud of her dad, Shakti Kapoor but equally proud of her aunt, Padmini Kolhapure.

Which of her films, if remade, would she like to star in? "I wouldn't dare star in a remake of her films.

Maasi was so good.

Fortunately my favorite film is Prem Rog and it can't be remade. It is impossible to replicate what Raj Kapoor did with that movie."

"I AM HAVING A BLAST SHOOTING WITH SIDDHARTH MALHOTRA. MY CHARACTER HERE IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I PLAYED IN MOHIT'S EARLIER FILM AASHIQUI 2."

adly in love with girlfriend and actress Deepika Padukone, the Ram of 'Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram Leela' Ranveer Singh cast a peck on Deepika's cheek at the recently held Hello! Hall of Fame Awards 2013. Dressed in red one shoulder gown with hair neatly tied in a bun Deepika Padukone looked quite a fashionista and Ranveer Singh was spotted in 'Ram Leela' avatar with moustache dressed in suit and a hat. The actor who was seated beside his rumored girlfriend Deepika kissed her on her cheek and paparazzi did not miss the Kodak moment.

He was also seen opening the car door for Deepika to step down. The duo was inseparable throughout the event and even posed together for the shutterbugs.

Both Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh won awards at the Hello! Hall Of Fame Awards 2013. Deepika won Entertainer of the year award (female), and Ranveer got Entertainer of the year award (male). When Ranveer's name was announced, he embraced Deepika and went up to the stage to collect the award.

Later, to mark the success of 'Ram Leela,' Ranveer spent a whopping 2 lakh on a dinner party with Deepika.

I

ndo-Canadian porn star turned Bollywood actress Sunny Leone has moved Kollywood. After acting in Bollywood movies like 'Jism 2' and 'Jackpot' and shaking legs in 'Shootout At Wadala', Sunny will now groove in South Indian movies. She has been signed for a special number for the film titled, Vadacurry', a Tamil comedy thriller.

In the song, she will be dancing alongside Jai. "She`s not grooving to an item number. We have roped her in for a special song that unfolds as a dream sequence of Jai`s character, who dreams o f danci n g with Sunny in the film. We have tried to make the song colorful, but it is not vulgar," the film's director, Saravanarajan, said.

K

amal Haasan and Sarika's younger daughter Akshara Haasan, who has studied music and filmmaking, has also been bitten by the acting bug.

Both her parents felt Akshara was more cut out for being behind the camera. And since the elder daughter Shruti was already an actress, Akshara's filmmaking potential would have nicely rounded off the family's creative ambit.

"But parents can't make up t h e i r children's minds.

N o t now-adays at least.

Kamalji and Sarikaji thought Akshara was more interested in direction. Sarika put her on to her friend Rahul Dholakia with whom she has worked in Parzania and Society. Akshara assisted Rahul Dholakia and the whole family thought she was heading towards a career in filmmaking.

30 India Post

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December 6, 2013

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India Post 31

„ Health

Line

New wrapping paper to grow vegetables LONDON: A UK-based company has developed a wrapping paper that can be used to grow vegetables by simply placing the paper into some soil, adding water and waiting for nature to take its course.

The wrapping paper, called Eden's Paper, contains seeds which grow into vegetables once planted.

Currently, there are five wrapping papers to choose from, these have the seeds of carrots, tomato, broccoli, chilli and onion all embedded into them.

"For the past 12 months we've been testing and refining Eden's Paper, we've planted so many of our wrapping papers in the ground the crop would feed 5,000 people for a year!" its makers claim on Kickstarter website.

The product is made from 100 per cent recycled paper. The seeds are embedded on the back of the wrapping paper in seven layers of biodegradable tissue paper.

The Wrapping paper and tissue paper layers use no glues to hold them together, as glues are harmful to the soil. -PTI

Chilli wrapping paper from Eden's Papers. The seeds are on the reverse of the paper.

„ Women lose more work days than men due to illness NEW DELHI: Women have a slightly lower chance of falling sick compared to men, but they lose more days at work from being ill, a new study on Indian healthcare system by Global Development Network says.

According to the study, women work fewer days in a year and as a result, lose almost 15 per cent of their work days to illness, while men lose only six per cent.

"Being ill, therefore, has a greater impact on a woman's income than that of a man. On the other hand, women's health expenditures tend to increase more compared to men," the GDN Working Paper 'Managing Healthcare Provision and Health Outcomes through Local Governance' says. -PTI

Health Science

Missoula brothers undergo lung transplants Details on Page 34

32 India Post

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December 6, 2013

Obamacare website now supports intended volume: Zients WASHINGTON: The man appointed by US President Barack Obama to overhaul a bungled health care website rollout has said that it had undergone "night and day" improvements in handling online traffic.

The White House had admitted that the launch of Healthcare.gov, where people can sign up for health insurance, had been a debacle, but promised that the vast majority of potential customers would be able to enroll online by the end of November.

"The site now has the capacity to handle 50,000 concurrent or simultaneous users at one time ... so the site will support more than 800,000 consumer visits a day," said Jeffrey Zients, an Obama advisor recently appointed to troubleshoot and deliver solutions to those trying to fix the troubled website.

"We've doubled the system's capacity and Healthcare.gov can now support its intended volume," he said during a conference

call with reporters.

Additionally, the website is running successfully 90 per cent

that 80 per cent of users are now able to apply for health insurance successfully on the site.

Cathey Park shows her bandaged hand written "I love Obamacare" as she waits to hear Barack Obama speak on healtcare at the Faneuil Hall in Boston, Massachusetts

of the time, up from an estimated 42.9 per cent through much of October.

Julie Bataille, communications director for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said

Healthcare.gov's rollout on October 1 sent Obama's approval rating tanking and pushed his fellow Democrats into open revolt at times and sparked an opening for gleeful Republicans opposed

to the President's health reforms.

Only approximately 27,000 people were able to subscribe for insurance via Healthcare.gov in October, according to official figures.

Obama campaigned in 2008 on the promise of insuring some 30 million Americans who lacked health insurance.

"We developed a prioritized punch-list of software fixes, hardware upgrades and user enhancements with the prioritizing based on what has the biggest impact on system stability, capacity, speed and user experience," Zients said.

Those improvements include implementation of a technical support centre monitoring the website 24 hours a day and the elimination of more than 400 bugs.

Significant problems The nation's largest health insurer trade group said significant problems remain.

Cont'd on Page 33

Cause for breast cancer relapse identified WASHINGTON: Scientists have discovered why some of the most aggressive and fatal breast cancer cells are resistant to chemotherapy.

Adriana S Beltran, a research assistant professor in the department of pharmacology, University of North Carolina, found that the protein Engrailed 1 is overexpressed in basal-like carcinomas.

She also designed a chain of amino acids to shut down the protein and kill basal-like tumors in the lab.

"Patients with basal-like breast cancer tend to initially respond well to chemotherapy, but it's common for patients to relapse even more aggressively," said Beltran, the first author of the paper published in the journal Oncogene.

"We believe that relapse is caused by a small number of cancer cells that have stem cell prop-

erties that allow them to survive chemotherapy. In these cells we've identified the overexpression of Engrailed 1," she added.

Beltran and her colleagues discovered that Engrailed 1 is not involved in the rapid proliferation of cells that cause tumor growth.

confined to the brain, where it protects neurons from cell death and helps maintain their normal activity.

The absence of the protein in the brain has been linked to the onset of Parkinson's disease. But there is no known function of Engrailed 1 within breast tissue.

"We think that Engrailed 1 con-

Beltran and colleagues also determined that Engrailed 1 was associated with the gene EPRS, which expresses an enzyme that controls messenger RNA and protein synthesis, particularly in proteins involved with inflammation.

It is also not present in luminal tumors - the most common form of breast cancer. The culprit protein only appears in basal-like breast cancer.

In fact, Engrailed 1 is normally

fers protective features to breast cancer cells, similar to the features observed in long-lived neurons," Beltran said.

"This may explain why these cells survive and become resistant

to chemotherapy in our experiments," she said.

The researchers found Engrailed 1 through a series of experiments designed to find genes highly expressed in basallike cells but not in luminal breast cancers.

They discovered that Engrailed 1 was most highly expressed in cell lines isolated from inflammatory breast cancer.

Beltran and colleagues also determined that Engrailed 1 was associated with the gene EPRS, which expresses an enzyme that controls messenger RNA and protein synthesis, particularly in proteins involved with inflammation.

After studying how Engrailed 1 binds to DNA and other proteins, the researchers created a synthetic peptide - a chain of amino acids - that can stifle the binding power of Engrailed 1. -PTI

December 6, 2013

Health Science Post

India Post 33

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India's healthcare sector Obamacare website now supports intended volume: Zients to grow to $158.2 bn Cont'd from Page 32

MUMBAI: The healthcare sector in India will grow to USD 158.2 billion in 2017 from USD 78.6 billion in 2012, a report has said.

"The healthcare sector is growing at a 15 per cent CAGR and jumped from USD 45 billion in 2008 to USD 78.6 billion in 2012 and expected to touch USD 158.2 billion by 2017," Equentis Capital said in its report.

India being a country with growing population, country's per capita healthcare expenditure has increased at a CAGR of 10.3 percent from USD 43.1 in 2008 to USD 57.9 in 2011 and going forward this figure is expected to rise to USD 88.7 by 2015.

The factors behind the growth is rising

ment contracts to provide an additional revenue stream to hospitals.

Over the years, health insurance is gaining momentum in India; gross healthcare insurance premium is expanding at a CAGR of 39 per cent over FY'0610. This trend is likely to continue, benefiting the country's healthcare industry.

Strong mobile technology infrastructure and launch of 4G is expected to drive mobile health initiatives in the country.

Mobile health industry in India is expected to reach USD 0.6 bn by 2017, the report said.

To standardize the quality of service delivery, control cost and enhance patient engagement, healthcare providers are focusing on the technological aspect of healthcare delivery.

Digital health knowledge resources, electronic medical record, mobile healthcare, hospital information system are some of the technologies gaining acceptance in the sector.

Going forward, the healthcare sector's spending on IT products and services is expected to rise from USD 53 billion in 2012 to USD 57 billion in 2013.

Telemedicine is also a fast-emerging sector in India.

In 2012, the telemedicine market in India was valued at USD 7.5 million, and is expected to rise at a CAGR of 20 percent to USD 18.7 million by 2017. With increased private participation, the The factors behind the growth is rising incomes, easier healthcare sector has also access to high-quality healthcare facilities and greater witnessed rise in FDI inawareness of personal health and hygiene flows. As per law, 100 per incomes, easier access to high-quality cent FDI is permitted for all health-related healthcare facilities and greater awareness services under the automatic route. of personal health and hygiene, the report Demand growth, cost advantages and said. policy support were instrumental in atThe country's healthcare system is de- tracting FDI inflows into the healthcare veloping rapidly and it continues to expand sector. During April 2000 - March 2013, its coverage, services and spending in both FDI inflows for drugs and pharmaceutithe public as well as private sectors, it said. cals stood at USD 10.3 bn, while inflows The private sector has emerged as a vi- into hospitals and diagnostic centers, brant force in India's healthcare industry, and medical appliances stood at USD 1.6 lending it both national and international bn and USD 0.6 billion, respectively. repute. Private sector's share in healthcare India's primary competitive advantage delivery is expected to increase from 66 per over its peers lies in its large pool of wellcent in 2005 to 81 per cent by 2015. Private trained medical professionals in the counsector's share in hospitals and hospital beds try. Also India's cost advantage compared is estimated at 74 per cent and 40 per cent, to peers in Asia and Western countries respectively. is significant - cost of surgery in India is There is substantial demand for high- one-tenth of that in the US or Western quality and speciality healthcare services Europe. in tier-II and tier-III cities.

India's competitive advantage also lies To encourage the private sector to es- in increased success rate of Indian comtablish hospitals in these cities, government panies in getting Abbreviated New Drug has relaxed the taxes on these hospitals for Application (ANDA) approvals. India the first 5 years. also offers vast opportunities in R&D as Many healthcare players such as Fortis well as medical tourism, the report said. and Manipal Group are entering manage- PTI

crunch time, the White House may have to yield to congressional demands for extensions or delays in key requirements of the law, such as the individual requirement to get covered. Delaying the individual mandate, in turn, could lead to higher future premiums, since healthy people would no longer have an incentive to sign up.

For the system to be successful, the administration needs large numbers of mostly

Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, said insurers have complained that enrollment data sent to them from the website include too much incorrect, duplicative, garbled or missing information. She said the problems must be cleared up to guarantee consumers the coverage they signed up for effective Jan. 1. ``Until the enrollment process is working from end to end, many Avoiding a break in coverage is consumers will not be able to enparticularly important for millions roll in coverage,'' Ignani said.

Avoiding a break in coverage of people whose current indiis particularly important for mil- vidual policies were canceled lions of people whose current inbecause they don't meet the dividual policies were canceled because they don't meet the stan- standards of the health care law dards of the health care law, as well as for a group of about 100,000 in an expiring federal program for younger, healthy people to buy coverage high-risk patients. to help offset the cost of insuring older The law requires most people who don't people who generally use more health care have health insurance to buy coverage or services. Federal subsidies are available to pay fines. those who qualify to help lower the cost of If HealthCare.gov seizes up again at insurance.-AFP, AP

34 India Post

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Missoula brothers undergo lung transplants MISSOULA, Mont.: For the first time since he was about 7 years old, J.D. Cross walked more than 20 feet on a recent Sunday without having to take a break or rely on an oxygen tank.

Powered by a set of new lungs and unshakable optimism, every step of Cross' journey defied grim medical statistics and a legion of doctors who were skeptical the Missoula 20-year-old would ever live this long or experience a walk through Seattle's Pike Place Market. ``It was awesome - we walked miles,'' Cross described of the turning point in his life. ``It feels so good to walk more than 15 feet without having to take breaks,'' said Cross, who is just nine weeks out from lung transplant surgery at the University of Washington Medical Center. ``It's weird not having a hose strapped to my face and not carrying around a 10pound oxygen tank.''

In what their longtime Missoula physician describes as ``lightning striking twice,'' Cross and his brother Wesley, 18, were born with an extremely rare form of lung disease - ABCA3 surfactant deficiency that causes deadly scarring of the lung tissue.

On Dec. 1, Wesley marked his two-year anniversary of living with new lungs.

He honored the occasion by continuing

with his multiple weekly physical and occupational therapy sessions at Community Medical Center.

Unlike his brother's successful post-surgery outcome, Wesley had multiple strokes

caused swelling to his brain, which forced doctors to remove about a third of his skull and to put him in a medically induced coma for about a month, he said.

Aside from his mother Daniele, sister Ashley and other family members, few people exp e c t e d We s l e y would live through the trauma.

If he did, he would likely never walk or speak again.

But like his big brother, Wesley's will to thrive was greater than any medical prediction.

Wesley Cross leans back from exertion during a physical therapy session at ``I was anCommunity Medical Center with physical therapist Jared Hartley, in Missoula, gry and Mont. Cross had a lung transplant nearly two years ago because of an extremely rare form of lung disease that also affects his older brother J.D., scared at the who also had a lung transplant only a few weeks ago. same time,'' Wesley said after his transplant. as he described what it was like to awaken The unexpected event immediately left to his new physical challenges. ``But when the right side of his body paralyzed and I started to move my leg, it gave me hope.''

``We started doing the happy dance when we saw a foot move,'' Ashley said. ``He was in a coma a long time, and we waited a long time for any sign. When he did, the doctors thought we were imagining it until they saw it for themselves - and then they were surprised.''

After Wesley emerged from the coma and his health stabilized - a year after the transplant and living with a special helmet to protect his head at the surgery site - surgeons reassembled his skull with bone they had removed. ``I had all these tubes in the back of my head for a few days, so that was uncomfortable,'' Wesley quipped, ``but it was good to get my head back together.''

These days, Wesley lives in Bonner next door to Ashley, who is a certified nursing assistant and his primary caretaker.

While they wait for their mother and brother to return from Seattle, they're working on improving Wesley's health.

There are signs that his body is rejecting the lungs that have extended his life, and it's likely he'll need another transplant in a few years, Ashley explained.

Despite that challenge, Wesley said he appreciates the improved breathing the lungs give him, and he's enjoying the simple act of walking - and living without having to rely on an oxygen tank or the yards of tubing strapped to his face.

Cont'd on Page 35

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Body piercings alarm Las Vegas school LAS VEGAS: Students at a Las Vegas high school have been putting themselves at risk by piercing each other in the ears,

navels and nipples with sewing needles and paper clips, Clark County School District officials said.

The principal of Spring Valley High School sent a letter home to parents saying the school is investigating reports of body piercings and has notified the Southern Nevada Health District to determine the

best course of action. ``Frankly, this is very dangerous when kids do this,'' school district spokesman Michael Rodriguez told the Las Vegas Sun. ``We want parents to be aware and have that conversation with their kids.''

The investigation started when a parent reported a child received a piercing from another student and then contracted an infection, according to the Sun. District officials said about eight teenagers, including male and female students, were pierced by classmates at home and in a school locker room. ``It was not done in a hygienic manner.

It was done with sharing needles - multiple students using the same needle, and that's a health concern and a student safety concern for us,'' Rodriguez told KVVU-TV. District officials urged parents to talk with their teens about the dangers of using unsterilized needles and the potential for infections, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. ``A lot of people don't really put a lot of thought into how much bacteria can actually get into the piercing if it's not done properly,'' Alfredo Padilla, of Chrome Gypsy Tattoo, told the TV station. ``Plenty of things can happen. Just a simple infection can turn into something huge.'' -AP

Missoula brothers undergo lung transplants Cont'd from Page 34

His leg function has returned and he's focused on getting his arms working again. ``Things are pretty good,'' Wesley said recently after taking a spin on a recumbent bicycle at Community. ``I have a life coach and I'm thinking about getting a job.'' the Crosses' burden has been long and nearly bankrupted them, Daniele said. A home health aide, she hasn't been able to work as she tends to her sons' many needs.

Added to that, the forced relocation to Seattle to wait for a perfect transplant match and the need to stay there during the long recovery process have been an expense far beyond what Medicaid pays for.

Reimbursement for living expenses is about $25 a day - or about $750 a month and rentals near the Seattle hospital average $1,800 a month for a one-bedroom apartment or $2,300 for a two-bedroom. ``Dani is the most amazing woman,'' said Angela Wagner, a University of Washington Medical Center social worker who has been working closely with the family for the past several years. ``Not only has she gotten her boys this far as a parent, she is a champion and her sons' best advocate.

She is so humble about this - she has handled this whole situation with opti-

mism, with grace, with hope and a smile on her face. ``When I think of her - and all of them two words come to mind: resilience and strength.''

Up until the boys made it onto the lung transplant waiting list in 2011, they had spent roughly one week - or more - every month for 10 years at Community Medical Center getting the transfusions or steroids and other medications necessary to keep their lungs operating.

Although infections and myriad setbacks - some life-threatening - filled their world, Daniele was the force that pushed them forward. ``It's been a rocky road, that's for sure,'' Daniele said in a phone interview from Seattle, where she is living with J.D. until doctors release him from their care and they can return to Montana. ``I knew with the transplants we might be trading one set of problems for another, but I didn't expect Wesley to have the strokes or be paralyzed. ``It's like having a newborn all over again, having to help him learn to talk and walk again,'' she said. ``And with James, he went into respiratory failure after Mother's Day and was hospitalized. After being on the transplant waiting list for nearly two years, he was taken off of it for 80 days because he was so sick.''-AP

New Mexico State University aims to ban tobacco LAS CRUCES, N.M.: New Mexico State University could have a new smoking and tobacco use policy by next summer.

The effort to develop a policy for one of the state's largest universities stems from a memorial bill passed during the last legislative session. It asked that the governing bodies of every public postsecondary educational institution in New Mexico implement a tobacco-free campus policy by July 1.

The initiative at NMSU would ultimately have to be approved by the Board of Regents.

Tilahun Adera, dean of NMSU's College of Health and Social Services, said more than 1,100 colleges and universities across the U.S. already have smoke-free campuses and 800 campuses have a tobacco-free policy. ``This growing trend is due to the increasing recognition of the health hazards of tobacco products, including the fact that cigarette smoking remains the leading pre-

ventable cause of death in the United States and is responsible for one out of every five deaths,'' Adera said.

According to Senate Memorial 63, nearly one-fourth of New Mexico high school students and young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 smoke, a rate significantly higher than the national rate for the age group.

The memorial also notes that policies creating smoke-free environments have been shown to decrease youth smoking.

The University of New Mexico adopted a policy in 2009 that prohibits smoking and the use of tobacco products except in designated smoking areas.

That policy applies to cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco, electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products, according to the university's policies and procedures manual.

To facilitate a policy change at NMSU and Dona Ana Community College, the university's Department of Public Health Sciences has received a $123,000 grant from the Paso del Norte Health Foundation. ``Tobacco-free policies are effective in decreasing smoking rates and preventing the initiation of tobacco use,'' said Jana Renner, the foundation's associate program officer. ``New Mexico State University's effort to create a tobacco-free campus complements this goal by protecting students, faculty and staff from the effects of secondhand smoke and promoting healthy social norms and behaviors.''-AP

6.5 lakh workers in UK call in sick each week: report LONDON: With some 650,000 employees in the UK phoning in sick to work each week, costing the economy a whopping 100 billion a year, a British charity has asked employers to encourage healthier lifestyles among staff.

Research from the British Heart Foundation charity has calculated the number of UK employees phoning in sick to work each week at two per cent of the workforce, or nearly 650,000 people.

Head of the BHF's Health at Work program Ceri Jones has asked employers to take more responsibility for the health of those who work for them as the cost to the UK economy of absences caused by ill health is estimated at 100 billion pounds a year.

But with more than one in five health problems in the workforce related to heart and circulation conditions (16 per cent), or diabetes (6 per cent), Jones said sick leave could be significantly reduced if employers helped their workforce take simple steps towards healthier lifestyles that re-

duce the risk of developing these conditions.

"Stress from spending long hours at work, more of us eating fast food and not taking exercise, are clearly things that are

Every week 650,000 workers in Britain phone in sick

getting worse and, while a lot of people do know what they should be doing and how they should be living, a little bit of help from employers can go a long way towards helping to change behavior," Jones was quoted as saying by The Guardian. -PTI

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December 6, 2013

P

ondicherry (Puducheri) literally means 'the new settlement'. The French settlement comprising the town Pondicherry, fondly called Pondy and three other pockets in different states, Karaikal (Tamil Nadu), Mahe (Kerala), and Yanam (Andhra Pradesh), is what makes today's Union Territory of Pondicherry, which is 200 km south of Chennai (Madras).

On the way to Pondicherry, one gets to see the scenery typical of the Deccan plateau. Striking red soil and deep green vegetation, consisting mainly of cashew, palm and neem, forming a stunning landscape.

The township of Pondicherry is planned on a grid system, which is to say that the roads meet each other at right angles. On the seaward side is the long Petit Canal which divides the town so that the French township is on the side facing the sea and the predominantly Indian/Tamil one on the other.

TOURISTATTRACTIONS In the heart of the town lies the Samadhi, or the ashram of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh. At the Ashram's hand-made paper factory one can buy the most wonderful paper products.

The Ashram also has departments selling hand-painted saris, ties, and dress material. On the way, one can notice people playing a strange game with iron balls, which was a French form of amusement.

The beach road is like the mall of a hill station, where everyone comes for a stroll. The footpath is interspersed with trees, flower beds and has lots of benches to sit on and enjoy the evening. Here one can even take a ride in a catamaran by requesting the fishermen, as is the practice. Overlooking the sea among the many mansions, the most striking is the one called Marie. It is built in the French style and is actually the municipality office. The other buildings which are reminiscent of the French architectural style are the Samadhi, French Institute, Ecole Francaise, Raj Niwas to name a few.

Cont’d on page 42

The Gandhi memorial

Fre nch Wa r Me mor ial

Aur

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December 6, 2013

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Goa overtakes Kerala as best leisure destination MUMBAI: International travel magazine Conde Nast has chosen Goa as the best leisure destination in the country overtaking Kerala.

The erstwhile Portuguese colony was awarded as the best leisure destination by the Conde Nast Traveler India's Readers' travel awards, a statement from the Goa Tourism said.

The award comes after the state, famous for its beaches, watersports, offshore gambling and cheap alcohol, reported a 10 per cent rise in tourist arrivals, the statement said.

With safety of women being

a concern, the Goa Tourism said the BJP-governed state has resolved to fight the menace and will be introducing women taxi drivers during the peak arrival season which is set to begin soon.

The women taxi services will be available in the capital Panjim, and other major cities like Margao, Mapusa and Vasco, exclusively for women passengers and families, it said.

The tourism season in the state began with the Feast of St Francis Xavier that was celebrated at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa on December 3, it said. -PTI

Delhi top tourist spot for global travelers MUMBAI: National capital Delhi was the most favored Indian destination for international travelers followed by the financial hub of Mumbai in the first half of 2013, according to a report.

Goa, the popular beach and party destination, was ranked No. 3 followed by Bengaluru and Chennai at the fourth and fifth spots, respectively, according to the latest Hotel Price Index (HPI) report by Hotels.com.

Overall, the list of top 10 destinations for global vacationers was a good mix of major cities and tourist hotspots. The pink city of Jaipur occupied the seventh spot.

South Indian cities of Hyderabad, Kochi and

Thiruvananthapuram also featured in the top 10, at the sixth, eighth and 10th positions, respectively.

Agra, the land of Taj Mahal, occupied the ninth spot, said the report by the website, a leading provider of hotel accommodation worldwide.

The report revealed that South East Asian destinations dominated the top 10 list of favorite international spots for Indian travelers in the first half of 2013.

Bangkok and Singapore stood first and second followed by Dubai in the third spot. Popular destinations in Thailand for holiday-makers Pattaya and Phuket - stood at seventh and eighth positions, respectively.

Hong Kong enjoyed the sixth position, while the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur was at No. 10. London, at No. 4, was the only European destination on the list for outbound Indians.

On the other hand, two American cities featured in the list - New York at No. 5 and Las Vegas at No. 9, the report said. -PTI

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Exactly parallel to the beach road runs the Rue Dumas Street, which was the first street to be built here in the year 1706. Strolling northwards one would come to a large park, which is Government Square.

Auroville, about 10 km away from Pondicherry, is a unique experience. The place has been transformed into a lush green cover from a highly eroded area, by 25 years of sheer hard work.

Ousteri and Kaliveli near Pondicherry are a birdwatchers' paradise. Kaliveli is famous for flamingoes, while Ousteri is great for observing water birds.

Nehru Street is a paradise for shoppers where one can buy leather and pottery goods. Besides a lot of gift items like bags, bed sheets, paper lanterns and trendy T-shirts can be bought.

PONDICHERRY Striking red soil and deep green vegetation The other attractions in Pondicherry are the Duplex and the Botanical Gardens.

PLACES AROUND There are exciting bird watching excursions at Kaliveli Tank, Ousteri or the lighthouse marsh.

Gingee about 50 km south east of Madras is a very interesting enclave of forts that were constructed around the 1200 AD. Also close at hand is the fossil tree - Tiruvakkadai and Ramana Maharishi's Ashram at Tiruvunamallai. The backwaters of Pichavaram and Chidambaram are full of mangroves and birds too.

Nehru Street

South of Pondicherry, at Chidambaram, there is a temple complex - a good example of Dravidian architecture.

World famous for its shore temples, Mahabalipuram is a pleasant little village - an ideal place for relaxation. Besides the temple relics, one ca visit the Crocodile Bank

too.

The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park has living corals for one to see. The temple cities of Thanjavur and Kumbhakonam are also close at hand from Pondicherry.

How to reach Air - Pondicherry is linked with

Chennai (Madras), which is 200 km away.

Rail - Pondicherry is connected with a meter gauge link with Chennai via Villupuram by the Pondicherry Express.

Road - Pondicherry has a good network of roads, which connects it with most of South India.

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Americans returning to Baja as crime dips SAN DIEGO: Dan Johnson hadn't crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in years despite the fact the San Diego native lives 20 minutes away by car and spent most of his life making weekend runs for Baja California's surf and fish tacos. ``Everybody was scared,'' Johnson said of San Diegans' impression of their Mexican neighbor after violence spiked about eight years ago. But now Johnson, like an increasing number of Americans, is being lured back by a region that has transformed itself while fighting the drug war.

Once centered on timeshares and rowdy bars largely frequented

by Americans and Canadians, northern Baja California's tourism industry is rebounding with the exploding fame of local chefs, the expansion of boutique hotels and a burgeoning art scene creating a buzz in travel magazines.

This year, foreigners made up more than 45 percent of all visitors, after dropping to a low of less than 25 percent when cartels unleashed unprecedented bloodshed, leaving beheaded bodies on Tijuana's streets. Sport fishing licenses - which are almost exclusively sought by Americans - have increased more than 75 percent during that time, according to Baja California's tourism department.

Homicides in the state fell sharply, from 1,528 in 2010 to 584 in 2012, according to the latest figures from Mexico's National Statistics and Geography Institute.

But the biggest jump in foreign tourism came after the region's nouveau cuisine, called Baja Med, caught the attention of celebrity chefs like Anthony Bourdain and Rick Bayless, said Baja California's former Tourism Secretary Juan Tintos, who retired on Nov. 1.

Baja Med combines the region's seafood, cactus pads and chiles, with Mediterranean flavors, such as olive oil, vinaigrettes, and sundried tomatoes.

Foodies from San Francisco to Brooklyn have followed the celebrity chefs in a deepening path to Baja's chic restaurants, like Javier Plascencia's Mision 19 in Tijuana that offers panoramic views of the borderlands while serving tamarind Martinis topped by whipped coconut milk. ``The world of gastronomy has helped us transcend the border,''

cheeses made at the surrounding ranches paired with local wines.

The Mexico City boutique hotel developer, Grupo Habita, opened Endemico, a sleek cluster of woodand-steel cabins perched among giant boulders with a sweeping view of the valley.

Along the coast, Ensenada has gone from Mexico's sixth cruise ship destination in 2010 to its sec-

KARACHI: Journalists from India and Pakistan have sought an end to communications and travel restrictions between the two neighbors, saying the "archaic" rule made comprehensive and truthful reporting impossible.

The demands were made in a joint declaration signed by the Mumbai Press Club (MPC) and Karachi Press Club (KPC) at the end of a week-long visit by a 14member delegation of Indian journalists to Pakistan.

The delegation of Indian journalists arrived in Pakistan on November 23 under an exchange program which also included visit to Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

The declaration said the severe travel restrictions imposed on journalists have made comprehensive and truthful reporting impossible, Daily Times reported.

The journalists said the restrictions on distribution of print edi-

tions of publications imposed by both countries are "archaic and restrictive", especially since the Internet editions were freely available throughout the globe.

They asked both governments to remove the restrictions.

The KPC and MPC had signed an MoU two years ago to set up fraternal links and also released a set of objectives that included improving media communication and exchange of journalists between the two countries.

After reviewing the two-year process, the representatives of KPC and MPC said while the journalists exchange program was on course, the governments of the two countries had done little to improve media communication and remove barriers for journalists.

They demanded from their respective governments to take immediate steps and implement the same in this regard. -PTI

Tourism Ministry complaint against fake websites Michael Beverly, of Newfoundland, Canada, samples a grilled octopus taco at the restaurant El Mazateno, in Tijuana, Mexico

Tintos said. ``It has helped people overcome their fears.''

The more sophisticated travel industry is largely the result of the industry turning to the domestic market to make up for the lost tourist dollars from foreigners.

A string of boutique hotels that mix traditional Spanish architecture with modern twists have opened in the wine-growing region of Valle de Guadalupe, a region nicknamed the Napa of Baja that is little more than an hour's drive from the border.

Some offer wine-making, cooking and yoga classes or tours to tasting rooms where visitors can enjoy seafood caught off nearby Ensenada's coast, homemade

ond this year. It is surpassed only

by Cozumel, Tintos said. The number of ship passengers visiting the port is expected to double from 339,000 in 2013 to more than 700,000 next year, based on the cruises' contracts.

Carnival Cruise Lines plans to make 200 calls a year to Ensenada starting in January when it will add a second ship to operate three- and four-day cruises from Long Beach, said Terry Thornton, senior vice president of itinerary development.

Derrik Chinn, a former San Diego newspaper reporter who moved to Tijuana in 2009, has seen business for his tour company, Turista Libre, double in the past two years.-AP

AAI's new app for feedback on airport experience AMRITSAR: Airports Authority of India (AAI), Amritsar has launched a mobile-based application to enable passengers send their feedback about travel experience.

"The application works with the help of QR (Quick Response) Code and enables passengers to record their feedback, appreciation as well

Indian and Pak scribes seek end to travel restrictions

as their grievances directly to AAI grievance handling portal," AAI Chairman V P Agrawal said here releasing the app.

The application requires a mobile with camera and internet facilities. Once QR code is scanned, the passenger will be logged on to web page for registering suggestions and complaints.

Terming Amritsar a potential market for international air connectivity, Agrawal said AAI was exploring avenues to reach out to customers and meet their expectations.

New facilities have been introduced to the Amritsar airport, including the ILS CAT II which enables aircraft to land during dense fog period, he said. -PTI

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Tourism and exist with URL adTourism has registered a complaint dresses very similar to ours," the with the Cyber Cell of Delhi Police complaint said. regarding several fake websites The department has enclosed which are using its 'Incredible In- print outs of the home pages of dia' tagline to dupe gullible visi- these fake websites tors. (tourisminindia.com, An FIR was lodged under sec- incredibleindia.org.in, incredibletion 420/511 of the IPC and 66 (A) i n d i a . c o m , of the IT Act at the Cyber Crime incredibleindiatourism.in) with its Cell under Economic Offences complaint.

Wing of Delhi Police.

"Most of the fake websites are In its complaint addressed to commercial websites and are conDelhi Police Commissioner, the de- ducting business in the name of partment said, "As you are aware the Ministry of Tourism," the comthat the Ministry of Tourism, Gov- plaint said. ernment India is promoting the InThe department has requested credible India logo since 2002 to Delhi Police to take necessary acmarket India. The Incredible India tagline is registered as a copy- "Most of the fake websites right of the Ministry of are commercial websites Tourism, Government of India, Transport and are conducting busiBhawan, Sansad Marg, ness in the name of the New Delhi."

The official website Ministry of Tourism," the (www.incredibleindia.org) complaint said. of the Ministry of Tourism is also maintained under the 'Incredible India' tagline, tion against these "unscrupulous" to disseminate tourism related in- elements to protect the image of formation. the country and travelers' interThe website is an integral part ests so that they do not assume of the 'Incredible India' interna- that these websites have the blesstional marketing campaign, it said. ings of the government.

"It has been brought to our "We have registered an FIR afnotice that several fake websites ter we received a complaint in this under the Incredible India tagline regard from the Tourism Ministry are available on the Internet. and investigations have been These fake websites claim to be taken up," said a police official. official websites of the Ministry of PTI

In Brief Colorado Mountain College sees immigrant boost ASPEN, Colo.: Colorado Mountain College in western Colorado is seeing a large number of students taking advantage of in-state tuition rates for immigrants without legal residence.

The Aspen Daily News reports that CMC's nine campuses across western Colorado had 148 students who are immigrants who grew up in Colorado.

That's more than the University of Colorado, which has roughly 43 students across its three Front Range campuses. The Metropolitan State University of Denver has 348 students enrolled under the law. Metro State has offered instate tuition to undocumented students since 2012 CMC vice president Lin Stickler tells the newspaper that the school has recruited students by placing ads in Spanish-language newspapers and sending recruiters to high schools looking for eligible students. -AP

„

UK announces tougher EU migration plans

LONDON: British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced measures to toughen welfare rules for migrants from the European Union.

The announcement came amid rising concern in Britain that migrants from Romania and Bulgaria - who could start working without restriction in the U.K. and the rest of the EU from Jan. 1 - would exploit the British welfare system.

The measures announced include barring new migrants from getting get jobless benefits for the first three months, and deporting migrants caught begging or sleeping outdoors.

Cameron also proposed restricting the free movement of EU workers, saying the policy has caused ``vast migrations'' of people from poorer member states to richer ones.

His comments were criticized by European Employment Commissioner Laszlo Andor, who said they were an ``unfortunate overreaction.'' -AP

Prime Minister David Cameron

Immigration 44 India Post

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Secret sauce for Admn immigration reform - II Details on page 45

Obama visits Washington activists fasting for immigration WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama told activists who are fasting to protest inaction in Congress on immigration legislation that their ``commitment to change'' ultimately will help pressure lawmakers to act.

On the day after the U.S. harvest holiday of Thanksgiving, marked by an abundance of food, Obama stopped in at a heated tent on the National Mall, home to Washington's most famous monuments, where some activists have drunk only water since Nov. 12 in support of immigration legislation.

Republican House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner has refused to schedule a vote on a comprehensive immigration measure the Senate passed this summer that would offer a path to citizenship for the 11 million immigrants living in the U.S. illegally and tighten border security.

Many Republicans question offering citizenship to people who broke U.S. immigration laws. ``I want everybody to know I remain optimistic that we're going to get this done,'' Obama said, according to video of his remarks.

The White House issued a statement after the approximately

40-minute visit that said Obama thanked the hunger strikers ``for their sacrifice and dedication and told them that the country is behind them on immigration reform.''

Organizers of the fast said Obama expressed concern for the

One man who was part of a backdrop for an Obama speech in California shouted during the President's speech for Obama to stop separating families by deporting people who are living in the country illegally.

President Barack Obama, center, meets on the National Mall with people taking part in the “Fast For Families� protest in support of immigration reform.

health of the hunger strikers, and he held the shoe of an immigrant who died in the Arizona desert while trying to enter the U.S. Immigration frustrations have been in the news in recent days.

Obama was the latest administration official to visit with the hunger strikers. Vice President Joe Biden, Cabinet secretaries and top White House advisers have also visited.

Obama won about 70 percent of the Hispanic vote in his re-election last year, leading some Republicans in the Senate to take a different approach than their House colleagues, expressing concern that the party's opposition to immigration reform could hurt future election prospects by alienating the rapidly growing Latino voting bloc.

Pressure to act Advocates are demanding that President Barack Obama use his powers as chief executive to stop deportations or provide some relief to many of the 11 million immigrants living in the US illegally.

Pro-immigrant groups are frustrated with the failure of House Republicans to tackle immigration, But Obama insists that the nation's laws limit his ability to act unilaterally, even though his administration acted on its own last year to suspend deportations of some immigrants brought illegally into the country as children and more recently decided some relatives of US service members living here illegally could remain.

Cont'd on Page 45

Disputed immigrant IDs spark police controversy PLAINFIELD, N.J.: More than 800 city residents, many of them living in this country illegally, have signed up for an identification card that promises to help them deal with police and emergency responders and to obtain local government services.

But the Courier News reports the ID card program, which claims to be endorsed by the city and its Police Division, is proving to be controversial, with city and law enforcement officials calling the ID a worthless piece of paper that may give some people false hope.

As national debate continues over how to address the millions of immigrants living in this country illegally, a small but growing

number of communities in the country have begun to issue ID cards to immigrants who lack legal status and who are unable to obtain driver's licenses or apply for jobs.

injured. The cities of Trenton, Asbury Park and Princeton issue such types of IDs. But the Plainfield Community ID Card is not issued by the city or any government agency. It also

Angels for Action organizer Carmen Salavarrieta said the ID card is endorsed by city police and Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs, who unveiled the program at a news conference recently with Spanish-language press.

In some cases, police are unable to identify next of kin when immigrants carrying no identifying documents are seriously or fatally

cannot be used to obtain a state driver's license.

The card is sold for $10 by Angels for Action, a Central Jersey

nonprofit that aides immigrants.

To obtain a card, an applicant must provide a lease or utility bill proving city residency, as well as show another form of government identification, such as a foreign or U.S. passport, driver's license or a consular card.

Angels for Action organizer Carmen Salavarrieta said the ID card is endorsed by city police and Mayor Sharon RobinsonBriggs, who unveiled the program at a news conference recently with Spanish-language press.

But councilman and mayorelect Adrian Mapp, who takes office Jan. 1, said that the City Council never discussed or approved the ID cards.

Cont'd on Page 46

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Secret sauce for Admn immigration reform - II GARY ENDELMAN & CYRUS D. MEHTA

status and is now out of status, the authors contend that this person should be able to apply for a rescission of that admission and instead be granted retroactive PIP. Thus, beneficiaries of I-130 petitions, if granted retroactive PIP, ought to be able adjust their status in the US. There is also no reason why PIP cannot extend to beneficiaries of employment I-140 petitions. If this is done, would such persons be able to adjust status to lawful permanent resident without leaving the USA? In order to do that,

grant status, would remain unable to adjust due to the preclusive efn the face of inaction on the fect of section 245(c)(7). Similarly, part of the GOP controlled an I-140 beneficiary who had enHouse to enact immigration retered EWI and subsequently reform, granting PIP to all immediate ceived retroactive parole would relatives of US citizens would allikewise not be able to utilize 245(k) low them to adjust in the US rather for precisely the same reason, the than travel abroad and risk the 3 lack of a lawful admission. and 10 year bars of inadmissibilStill, the grant of retroactive PIP ity. Such administrative relief should wipe out unlawful presence would be far less controversial and the 3 and 10 year bars enthan granting deferred action abling this I-140 beneficiary to still since immediate relatives of US receive an immigrant visa at an citizens are anyway eligible for overseas consular post without permanent residence. The only triggering the bars upon departure from the US. Thus, while the beneficiary of an employment-based petition may There is also no reason why PIP cannot not be able to apply for adjustment extend to beneficiaries of employment I-140 of status, retroactive PIP would nevertheless be hugely beneficial petitions. If this is done, would such persons because, assuming PIP is considbe able to adjust status to lawful permanent ered a lawful status, it will wipe out unlawful presence and will thus no resident without leaving the USA? longer trigger the bars upon the alien's departure from the US. difference is that they could ap- they not only need to demonstrate There are two ways to achieve ply for their green cards in the US lawful status, but also to have main- progress. Congress can change without needing to travel overseas tained continuous lawful nonimmi- the law, which it persists in refusand apply for waivers of the 3 and grant status under INA section ing to do, or the President can in10 year bars.

245(c) (7), as noted above. Is there terpret the existing law in new The concept of PIP can be ex- a way around this problem? ways, which he has done. The tended to other categories, such At first glance, we consider the holistic approach to parole for as beneficiaries of preference pe- possibility of using the exception which we argue is a prime example titions, which the authors have under INA section 245(k) which of this second approach. explained in 'The Tyranny of Pri- allows for those who have not The term "status" is not defined ority Dates' (2011/03/07). continuously maintained lawful anywhere in the INA. By ordinary However, they need to have nonimmigrant status to still take English usage, "parolee status" is a demonstrated lawful status as a advantage of section 245 adjust- perfectly natural way of describing condition for being able to adjust ment if they can demonstrate that someone who has been paroled. status under INA section 245(c)(2) they have been in unlawful status Parole is a lawful status in the and the memo currently states that for not more than 180 days since sense that, by virtue of the parole, "[p]arole does not erase any peri- their last admission. it is lawful for the parolee to reods of unlawful status." There is We would do well to remember, main in the United States, at least no reason why this policy cannot however, that 245(k) only works if for the authorized period of time be reversed. the alien is "present in the United under prescribed terms and conThe grant of PIP, especially to ditions. We credit someone who arrived in the past Parole is a lawful status in David Isaacson for without admission or parole, can suggesting that there retroactively give that person law- the sense that, by virtue of are other instances in ful status too, thus rendering him the parole, it is lawful for the the INA where lawful or her eligible to adjust status status does not autothrough the I-130 petition as a pref- parolee to remain in the matically equate to erence beneficiary. nonimmigrant status: United States The only place in INA section for examples, asylum 245 where the applicant is restatus under INA Secquired to have maintained lawful States pursuant to a lawful admis- tion 208 and refugee status under nonimmigrant status is under INA sion."

INA section 207 are lawful stasection 245(c)(7), which is limited Is parole an admission? Not ac- tuses, even though strictly speakto employment-based immigrants. cording to INA section 101(a) (13) ing, neither an asylee nor a refuFamily-based immigrants are not (B). So, while retroactive PIP would gee is a nonimmigrant according so subject. What about INA sec- help satisfy the 180 day require- to the INA Section 101(a) (15) defition 245(c) (2)'s insistence on "law- ment imposed by INA section nition of that term. ful immigration status" at the snap- 245(k)(2), it cannot substitute for The Executive can easily revise shot moment of I-485 submission? the lawful admission demanded by the memo for military families to Even this would not be a prob- section 245(k)(1). Even if an out of declare parole under INA section lem. For purposes of section status or unlawfully present I-140 212(d)(5) a status because it has 245(c) of the Act, current regula- beneficiary who had previously already declared parole a lawful tions already define "lawful immi- been admitted now received nunc status for NA 245(c)(2) purposes gration status" to include "parole pro tunc parole, the parole would under 8 C.F.R. 245(d)(v), asylum a status which has not expired, been replace the prior lawful admission. lawful status under INA section revoked, or terminated." 8 C.F.R. Such a person would still not 208, and refugee a lawful status section 245.1(d) (v). Indeed, even be eligible for INA section 245(k) under INA section 207. See 8 if one has already been admitted benefits and, having failed to con- C.F.R. 245.1(d) (iii)-(IV). In all three previously in a nonimmigrant visa tinuously maintain valid nonimmi- cases, people are allowed into the Contd from last week

I

United States in a capacity that is nether legal permanent residence nor, strictly speaking, nonimmigrant.

True, INA section 101(a)(13)(B) does say that parolees are not "admitted", but is one who enters without admission and is granted asylum under INA 208 ever been "admitted" per the statutory definition of that term? Yet, such a person has a lawful status.

One of the biggest contributors to the buildup of the undocumented population in the US has been the 3 and 10 year bars. Even though people are beneficiaries of

These people are already eligible for permanent residence through approved I-130 and I-140 petitions, and PIP would only facilitate their ability to apply for permanent residence in the US, or in the case of I-140 beneficiaries by traveling overseas for consular processing without incurring the 3 and 10 year bars.

PIP would thus reduce the undocumented population in the US without creating new categories of relief, which Congress can and should do through reform immigration legislation.

There is no doubt that the memo

One of the biggest contributors to the buildup of the undocumented population in the US has been the 3 and 10 year bars. Even though people are beneficiaries of immigrant visa petitions, they do not wish to risk traveling abroad immigrant visa petitions, they do not wish to risk traveling abroad and facing the 3 or 10 year bars, as well as trying to overcome the bars by demonstrating extreme hardship to qualifying relatives, which is a very high standard.

Extending PIP to people who are in any event in the pipeline for a green card would allow them adjust status in the US or process immigrant visas at consular posts, and become lawful permanent residents.

for military families is a meaningful example of immigration remediation through executive initiative. Yet, it is one step in what can and should be a much longer journey. In the face on intractable congressional resistance, we urge the President to take this next step.

Concluded * Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com

Obama visits Washington activists fasting for immigration Cont'd from Page 44

The moves stand in sharp contrast to the actions of Obama's The administration has also Homeland Security Department, quietly changed the rules for im- which has deported a record 1.47 migrants from Visa Waiver Pro- million people during the gram countries, people who ar- President's nearly five years in ofrived in the US legally but stayed fice, according to internal Immigralonger than the 90 days the pro- tion and Customs Enforcement data. Heckling of the President during California appearances underscored the dissatisfaction with the Democratic president, not only over the stalled immigration overhaul but also the administration's policies.

"Stop deportations! Stop deportations!" audience members yelled at Obama durPresident Barack Obama, left, listens to ing a speech in San Francisco Eliseo Medina, right, Secretary-Treasurer of that was interrupted by a Service Employees International Union young man who said his fam(SEIU), as he meets with individuals who ily has been separated for 19 are taking part in Fast for Families on the National Mall in Washington months.

"Executive order" was the gram allows. Now people from the rallying cry at a separate Democratic 37, mostly European, countries in fundraiser. Obama, the former inthe program who are immediate structor in constitutional law, rerelatives of US citizens can apply sponded to the criticism with a brief to stay in the United States legally. lesson in the nation's rules. -AP

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Mexican murder suspect found in Utah SALT LAKE CITY: Immigration officials have deported a Mexican man suspected in the 2002 disappearance of his wife after they found him in Utah where they suspect he's been living for the last decade.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Andrew

Munoz says agents escorted 40year-old Ivan Tapia-Cacique from Utah to the U.S.-Mexico border crossing south of San Diego where they handed him over to Mexican authorities.

Tapia-Cacique is facing homicide charges in connection with the disappearance of his wife,

Georgina Rocha-Lona, in 2002 in Mexico City.

Munoz says the agency arrested Tapia-Cacique near his home in Layton, Utah in October.

He was being held in a county jail until his deportation. They believe he's been living in Utah since fleeing Mexico in 2003. -AP

Disputed immigrant IDs spark police controversy Cont'd from Page 44

``I would not want to mislead residents in any segment of our community by giving them the idea that this piece of paper is something that they can use and would be accepted by law enforcement or by businesses in general,'' Mapp said. ``To say that it is endorsed by the city sends the wrong message.''

Spanish-language newspaper

sense that this has value when it doesn't,'' Parenti said. ``I met with the three banks in North Plainfield and asked them, `Would you accept this?' They all told me no.''

Parenti said the Plainfield ID is no better than someone writing their name, address and date of birth on a piece of paper. Even with proper ID, police always double check identities of victims or suspects. ``We don't accept what's in their

City activist Flor Gonzalez, founder of the city's Latin American Coalition, said the ID program is ``misleading'' and ``absolutely no good,'' saying that it does little more than tag a user as a someone who is in the country illegally and distract from the fight to provide undocumented immigrants with a way Reporte Hispano quotes Police Director Martin Hellwig as saying that the ID cards would help police and those without identification in cases involving accidents or death.

While Plainfield police may recognize the card, police outside the city will not, said William Parenti, chief of police of neighboring North Plainfield.

Parenti said he declined to endorse an ID card program for his city when asked to by Salavarrieta. ``You would give people a false

pockets because they could be carrying a friend's license or their brother's,'' he said.

Somerset County stopped issuing its own ID cards to residents several years ago after federal authorities discouraged local IDs for security and fraud reasons. The county now only provides veteran IDs to veterans who can provide copies of their military discharge papers, Somerset County Clerk Brett Radi said. ``We decided it wasn't in the best interest to continue the pro-

gram because the ID cards would have to stipulate that this card cannot be used for identification purposes,'' Radi said. ``If it can't be used for ID, then what good is it?''

Salavarrieta argues that the IDs do have value. About two years ago, she said, police came to her with a picture of a dead man hoping she could reach out to the Latino community and help identify him.

City activist Flor Gonzalez, founder of the city's Latin American Coalition, said the ID program is ``misleading'' and ``absolutely no good,'' saying that it does little more than tag a user as a someone who is in the country illegally and distract from the fight to provide undocumented immigrants with a way to obtain a state-issued ID and driver's license. ``If people have a passport, why do they need an ID card?'' she said. ``What hurts me most is that these people are very naive and they believe, because they are desperate to be recognized as human beings and to be treated equally, that this is going to be good.''

Salavarrieta said city residents interested in applying for a card should visit Angels For Action from 4 to 8 p.m. Fridays, and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays at the PNC Bank parking lot at 209 W. Second St., Plainfield. -AP

Immigrant deaths down in Brooks County FALFURRIAS, Texas: Authorities in Brooks County are finding fewer bodies of suspected immigrants than last year but still expect 2013 to be the second-worst on record for deaths.

Recovered bodies in the sparsely populated county near the Texas border are among signs that immigrants are shifting migration paths away from well-worn routes into Arizona. Last year, Brooks County handled 129 bodies, second only to Arizona's Pima County.

The Corpus Christi CallerTimes reported that Brooks County had recovered 82 bodies till recently. That's down nearly a third from a year ago, but still up from the 50 to 60 deaths in previ-

ous years.

Immigrants typically die in Brooks County trying to circumvent a Border Patrol checkpoint.

Recovered bodies in the sparsely populated county near the Texas border are among signs that immigrants are shifting migration paths away from well-worn routes Many are forced to hike two or three days to a pickup spot. -AP

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Realty Tidbits

Prices of residential property drop in Mumbai The residential property market in Mumbai is turning in favor of buyers with inventory levels rising and prices weakening. Residential property prices in some south and central Mumbai locations such as Parel, Lower Parel and Mahalaxmi have declined nearly 10% over the previous three quarters with the increase in the number of unsold homes and prospective buyers reluctant to exceed budgets amid a slump, said property consultancy Knight Frank India.

Developers have been open to negotiation, especially in the premium segment, reducing prices up to 25% for a sizeable upfront payment. Prices in Navi Mumbai, Thane and the peripheral suburbs of central and western Mumbai have either been stable or have trended marginally upward, said the consultant.

"On the residential front, the rise in interest cost and decline in net profits during 2013 will compel developers to lighten inventory load and deleverage their balance sheets," said Shishir Baijal, CMD, Knight Frank India.

"Demand, however, is likely to remain subdued over the initial part of 2014 as the market continues to bottom out against the backdrop of a sluggish economy," Baijal said. Approximately 47,488 units were launched in the January-September period, a sharp 28% drop from a year ago.

The difference is even greater at 42% and 46%, when compared with the same period in 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Real Estate 47

India Post

December 6, 2013

house property search NEW DELHI: Trivandrum-based IT company Mind Media Innovations has launched an Andriod application 'Homely', which helps users to find house properties.

The application 'Homely' lets users browse through properties by major builders and find their dream home, the company said in a statement.

The main attraction of 'Homely' is that it lets you find homes by specific builders as well as your requirements such as location, amenities and budget, it said. -PTI

Tech workers boost Silicon Beach home prices, rent LOS ANGELES: Tech workers flocking to Southern California's Silicon Beach are driving alreadyhigh home prices and rents even higher.

As companies like Google and Facebook set up shop in neighborhoods west of the 405 freeway, their employees have helped push the area's median home price to $952,500 last quarter, up 19.2 percent from a year ago and above pre-recession highs, the Los Angeles Times reported.

At its peak, the median home price in neighborhoods stretching from Santa Monica south to Marina del Rey was $925,000 in the second quarter of 2007, before falling to $694,000 in the first three months of 2010, according to research firm DataQuick.

Real estate agents say tech

workers are fueling the rise in prices in Venice and surrounding neighborhoods even as housing prices elsewhere in Southern California remain far below their peak during the housing bubble.

Home buyers expect prices to fall in 6 months

H

Housing agency brings solar to new homes

ome buyers expect prices to fall in the next 6 months as indicated by housing sentiment index that fell by 20 per cent during July-September compared to the previous quarter, according to a survey by Indian Institute of

MEMPHIS, Tenn.: A nonprofit affordable housing agency in Memphis is installing solar electricity systems into homes in a new development.

The Memphis Daily News reports that United Housing Inc. worked with Memphis-based Sharp Manufacturing Co. to create the small arrays of solar panels.

Tim Bolding, executive director of United Housing, hopes the new Wolf River Bluffs development in the Frayser community could lead to a broader rollout of solar panels to homes across the city and region. ``If we can prove this works, think how many thousands of houses are out there that could be retrofitted,'' said Bolding. -AP

Management Bangalore and property portal Magicbricks.

The Housing Sentiment Index (HSI), jointly developed by IIMBangalore & MagicBricks, is based on an online survey of prospective home buyers in eight major cities of India - Delhi, Noida,

„

www.indiapost.com

Andriod app Homely for

Gurgaon, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune and Bangalore.

"Home buyers across the nation expect real estate prices to fall over the next six months. The aggregate Housing Sentiment Index (HSI) dropped to 93 from 117 in the previous quarter, a decline of over 20 per cent," IIMB and Magicbricks, which is part of Times of India Group, said in a statement.

A HSI of 100 suggests that buyers expect prices to remain at current levels, while values lower (greater) than 100 suggest that buyers expect prices to fall (rise).

"An aggregate HSI score of 93 for the 8 cities surveyed indicates expectation of a price fall over the next 6 months. The index fell from 117 last quarter, which indicates a shift in sentiment among prospective home buyers," it added.

``They have the money to buy,'' said Tami Pardee, principal of Pardee Properties in Venice, adding that about 30 percent of her buyers work in the tech industry. ``We're excited but cautious.''

The surge in real estate comes two years after Google opened a campus in Venice, leasing three buildings for hundreds of workers. Facebook and Microsoft also have offices nearby, and many tech workers are employed by smaller startups drawn by the relaxed environment and the beach, which offer a marked change of pace from Northern California's cutthroat Silicon Valley.

Bobby Murphy, the 25-year-old founder of Snapchat, bought a new two-bedroom house in Venice just blocks from the startup's headquarters this week for $2.1 million, nearly double the median price of neighborhood homes.

And apartment rents are also on the rise, the newspaper reported. The average rent on the

Westside was $2,401 a month in the third quarter, up 5.3 percent from a year ago and nearly 20 percent from its low during the recession, according to commercial real estate brokerage Marcus & Millichap.

The trend has some long-time residents worried that the eclectic vibe in Venice might be eclipsed by techie newcomers. ``We want Venice to remain Venice,'' said 35-year-old resident Briana Chalais. ``We don't want to be overtaken by all tech people.''

The effect isn't as pronounced as in San Francisco, where young, affluent workers at companies such as Google, Apple, Facebook and Twitter have driven up real estate prices. That's partly because Silicon Beach is still relatively small and many people work for little-known startups.

But trendy restaurants and boutiques have moved into Westside neighborhoods, hoping to ride the tech wave. ``This whole place has become like another office for Silicon Beach,'' said 27-year-old Matt Semler, who works at the Toms retail store and coffee shop in Venice.

The growing tech scene has priced even some techies out of the neighborhood.

Jerry Jao, co-founder of Santa Monica startup Retention Science, said he wanted to buy a condo but decided to stay in his rented threebedroom apartment with tworoommates. ``Prices have gone up too much,'' he said. ``Everything on the Westside is too ridiculous.'' -AP

Datebook

48 India Post

December 6, 2013

www.indiapost.com

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Upcoming

ILLINOIS

Upcoming

Upcoming

Upcoming

Upcoming

Sat, Dec 7 • Classical Piano Music Concert Venue: Thomas Deverin Community Hall, 100 Cooke Ave, Carteret, NJ 07008 Time: 11:30 am

Sat, Dec 7 • Dance India Dance North America Finale Venue: State Theatre, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Time: 6:00 pm Contact: 973 402 4655

Sun, Dec 8 • Meet and Dine with Sir Vivian Richards Venue: Deewan Banquet, 560 Stelton Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854 Time: 5:00 pm

Sat, Dec 7 • Inauguration of Radha Govind Dham New York Venue: Radha Govind Dham, 260-01 Hillside Ave, Floral Park, NY 11004 Time: 11:00 am

Sat, Dec 7 • Ek Yadd Rafi Ke Baad - Live In Concert Venue: Resorts World Casino, 110-00 Rockaway Blvd, New York, NY 11420 Time: 8:00 pm

Sat, Dec 14 • Kkny Rathna Mahothsava Venue: Queens High School of Teaching, 7420 Commonwealth Blvd, Bellerose, NY 11426 Time: 2:00 pm Contact: 516-476-1221

Sat, Dec 7 • Operation Gratitude Millionth Package Celebration

Sun, Dec 15 • The Nutcracker Yoko's Dance Academy

Venue: National Guard Armory, 17330

Venue: Smith Center at Ohlone College

Victory Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 91406

43600 Mission Blvd, Fremont

Time: 9:00 am

Time: 2:00 pm

Sun, Dec 8 • Chennai

Diamonds Jewellery Exhibition

Contact: (510) 659-6031 Online www.smithcenter.com

Center Court Drive, Cerritos, CA 90703 Contact: 044 4210 4050

Venue: Chakra, 151 S Doheny Dr,

ATLANTA Upcoming

Contact: 971-344-2022

Sat, Nov 30 • UCarnival Atlanta 2013

Sat, Dec 21 • Kickass Desis Presents:

Venue: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel At-

Badass Badtameez Holiday Party

GA 30339

lanta - Marietta, 2055 S Park Pl, Atlanta, Time: 11:00 am

Venue: Nirvana Beverly Hills, 8689 Time: 9:00 pm

Fri, Dec 6 • Akshaya Raaga 2013

Contact: 310-698-9223

Venue: Taste of India, 3070 Windward

Tue, Dec 31 • Nirvana Red Carpet NYE 2014 Venue: Nirvana Beverly Hills, 8689 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211 Time: 9:30 am Contact:

310-698-9223

Drive, Elmhurst, IL 60126 Time: 3:30pm-5:30pm

1st and 3rd Sunday of Month • Chicago Children's

Time: 10:00 pm

Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Venue: Clarion Inn/Waterford Banquets, Board Room, 933 South Riverside

Website: www.jkyog.org

Time: 11:00 am

Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Chicago Satsang Information: J K Yog, Chicago - Swami Mukundananda

Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807

Venue: Sheraton Cerritos Hotel, 12725

Fri, Dec 13 • Jai Ho! Dance Party

• J K Yog Satsang and Bal Mukund Hindi Classes are held every 2nd and 4rth Sunday of Month

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 Website: www.jkyog.org/bal-mukund

Every third Tuesday • Hindi Kavi Manch Organized by Hindi Lovers Club Venue: Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago Lemont Il...0915 Lemont Road IL Time: 6:00 to 8:30 pm

Plaza, Alpharetta, GA 30005 Time: 6:00 pm

Tue, Dec 31 • Pujari Atlanta New Year Eve Venue: Ashiana banquet hall, 5675 Jimmy Carter Blvd, Norcross, GA 30071 Time: 8:00 pm

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

www.indiapost.com

49 India Post

December 6, 2013

PREETI VERMA LAL

T

his Scorpion loves grey. Ask him what the weirdest food is and he'd say "anything that has reptiles in it".

He loves Singapore chilli crab and swears by authentic Sichuan Chinese cuisine. His comfort food is mutton biryani and his favorite book The Flavor Bible.

But why am I only talking food? Well, what else do you talk to Hrishikesh (Rishi) Desai about? He was a Masterchef Australia 2013 contestant and the first Indian to make it to the coveted top 5 positions in the world's most loved food and cooking show where celebrity chefs George Colambaris, Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston challenge the contestants to excel in the kitchen and prove they deserve to be the Masterchef.

Desai was not really to the kitchen born.

Originally a native of Kolhapur, Rishi studied polymer engineering from MIT, Pune, and did his Masters from Rochester Institute of Technology, USA. An Assistant Director with an Australian Public Service agency, Desai works in the field of patents Rishi Desai

and now lives in Australia. In an email interview with Preeti Verma Lal, Desai talks of food. And its accompaniments.

When did you first pick up the ladle and the wok?

My mother tells me I was 5 when I first cooked 2-minute noodles. Since then I have spent countless hours in the kitchen.

What prompted participation Masterchef Australia?

in

I have always been interested in food but when I migrated to Australia in 2008 it coincided with Season 1 of MasterChef Australia going to air. I would watch and try to emulate the recipes. After a couple of seasons and carefully considering my cooking skills my wife Mitra suggested that I apply.

Are you an innovative experimental chef? Or, do you stick to the good old ways/recipes?

Slow-cooked Goat with Cauliflower Puree and Pappadums

Cont'd on Page 51

Coconut Milk Poached Salmon with Spiced Velute and Caramelised Onion Puree

50 India Post

December 6, 2013 www.indiapost.com

Salman: Ranbir has taken away everything W

ith Salman Khan appearing on 'Koffee with Karan', there were bound to be some exclusive revelations. After speaking candidly about his foe-turned-friend Shahrukh Khan, Salman spoke about his alleged ex-flame Katrina Kaif, who is rumored to be currently dating Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor.

In the famous rapid fire round, when KJo asked Salman, who among the directors Raju Hirani, Rohit Shetty, Karan Johar, Imtiaz Ali, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap, would he like to work with, to which Salman replied, ''Karan Johar. But Karan Johar doesn't want to work with me.''

While Karan resisted by saying, ''That is not true,'' Salman snapped saying, ''Don't lie. Who have you signed next? You have signed Ranbir Kapoor. He is taking everything away from me yaar. This is not fair!''

Interestingly, Salman grabbed many opportunities to take a dig at his alleged ex-

flame Katrina and her current rumored beau Ranbir Kapoor. When Salman was asked how would he react if he woke up as Ranbir Kapoor, Salman retorted, ''Salman lucky hai ya main.'' The same question when asked with reference to Katrina Kaif, he said, ''Where's Ranbir?''

Salman, when asked about giving one advice to Ranbir Kapoor, he said, ''Have fun!'' and for Katrina Kaif? ''Make sure he (Ranbir) does not have fun!''

intense feud for five years after falling out at actress Katrina Kaif's birthday party in

he's completely in the right. If anyone who's loved me has a problem with me, it's be-

2008. Just a few months ago, it seemed like the Karan Arjun co-stars were calling a ceasefire after they shared a hug at politician Baba Siddique's iftaar party in Mumbai.

On Koffee With Karan, Salman was adamant: "I am 100% sure that we will not be best of friends again. He's got his family and he's gone his way and I've gone my way. He doesn't need me, I don't need him."

This is what happened between him and SRK, in Salman's words: "Two guys got along fine and then one night they didn't get along, and that was something that hurt me."

On a previous Koffee date, SRK famously apologized saying, "If Salman is disturbed with me, then it's got to do with me. And

cause of me. And, on your show, I'm sorry."

But a televised apology wasn't enough for Salman. He told Karan: "He (SRK) could have come that same night and finished it off. He chose not to, so I said let it be. He passes my house four or five times a day.

He should have come home at that point of time and rung the doorbell."

Despite the bad blood between the Khans, Salman has no time for people who badmouth Shah Rukh. He said, "People think they can come and speak bad about him. I don't permit that at all."

And so the Salman-SRK saga continues, a plot full of more twists and unexpected moments than Bollywood could have scripted for them.

Virgin vs Shark!

Salman's declaration that he'd never had a girlfriend and was a virgin was clearly meant to be taken with a generous pinch of salt. However, we don't think he was joking when Karan Johar asked him who he would compare to a shark and Salman replied, very pat, "Shah Rukh Khan."

The two warring Khans, once very good friends, have conducted a public and fairly

Rajpal Yadav jailed for concealing recovery suit DELHI: The Delhi High Court has remanded Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav to 10 days judicial custody for concealing facts about a Rs.5 crore recovery suit filed against him and his wife by a Delhi-based entrepreneur.

Justice S. Murlidhar also asked Yadav's wife to remain present in the Registrar General's office till the rising of the court.

The judge also issued a contempt of court notice against two women lawyers representing the couple and an oath commissioner, as they submitted an affidavit in the court with forged signature of the couple.

The court was irked by the conduct of the couple and counsel for repeatedly concealing the fact Dec 2 from the court, saying that Yadav's wife Radha was in Ghaziabad and would reach court.

The couple had to present themselves before the court. Rajpal Yadav was there for some time. Radha was in Mumbai but their counsel told the court that she was in Ghaziabad.

The court posted the matter for next date, asking both of them to remain present.

The couple were present in the court that

day from where Yadav was taken to the jail and his wife was sent to the Registrar General's office.

The court said it took lenient view for his wife, as she had a small child with her.

The court also ordered attachment of assets of the couple, and attached his bank account of the Axis Bank and a company owned by him.

Yadav and Radha are facing legal trouble after a Delhi-based entrepreneur, M.G. Agarwal (owner of Murli Projects), filed a case against them in the high court for failing to repay a loan of Rs.5 crore, which the actor took in 2010 to make his Hindi debut directional film "Ata Pata Laapata".

More about Rajpal Yadav Rajpal Yadav belongs to Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh where he was associated with local theatre. After theatre training at the Bhartendu Natya Academy

Rajpal Yadav

in Lucknow during 1992-94, Yadav went to the National School of Drama in Delhi for a two-year course.

In 1996, Yadav came to Mumbai to try his luck as an actor. He was a part of many rural theatrical plays in the North-East. The first major break came when Yadav got to act in the Doordarshan's television serial Mungeri ke bhai Naurangilal as the main protagonist who daydreams and as a result lands up in a comic situation. This was sequel to a similar television program on Doordarshan: Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne.

Yadav's entry in Bollywood was incidental. Director Ram Gopal Varma spotted Yadav in the audience of his movie 'Mast' wherein he has also played a small role as a server in a cafe. RGV gave him a challenging role in his next film Jungle.

Although Yadav found success in negative roles, he has preferred comic roles such as in Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya and went on to become a prolific comedian in Hindi films. His films include Hungama, Waqt: The Race Against Time, Chup Chup Ke, Garam Masala, Phir Hera Pheri, Dhol to name a few.

December 6, 2013

India Post 51 www.indiapost.com

Endemol adapts emotional thriller 'Traffic' India Post News Service

MUMBAI: Endemol India has partnered with Fox Star Studios for their emotional thriller, Traffic.

ning film maker Rajesh Pillai, who also directed the original in Malayalam, the movie showcases a high voltage drama and a battle against time when stakes run high

hooked till the end."

Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star Studios added, "We are excited to have partnered with Endemol India as they debut in the Indian film industry. Traffic comes with tremendous credentials - National award winning director plus com-

mercial and critical success in Malayalam - it promises to be an emotionally thrilling experience!

At Fox Star Studios, our endeavor has been to support path breaking entertaining cinema. We believe in the story of Traffic and that it must be told to a wide audience.

Audiences today are seeking new and distinctive content and we continue to strive to deliver films that capture the imagination. The film is the first up on our slate for 2014 that will feature mega productions, massy entertainers and clutter breaking films."

Modernizing Indian food Masterchef Australia contestant is an engineer

"Traffic" marks the foray of Endemol into Hindi film industry and will be produced under the banner "Eyedentity Motion Pictures" - the film arm of Endemol India.

Traffic, the Hindi adaptation of the critically acclaimed Malayalam blockbuster will release on 7th March, 2014. Based on a true life incident the film marks the coming together of an incredibly talented ensemble cast with Manoj Bajpai and Jimmy Shergill in the lead roles along with Bengali superstar Prosenjit, Parambrata (of Kaahani fame), Divya Dutta, Kitu Gidwani and Sachin Khedekar playing pivotal roles. The film will also see the debut of talented young actors Amol Parasher and Vishal Singh in critical roles.

Directed by national award win-

and life is in danger. What sets Traffic apart from other films is the fact that as an emotional thriller, it will also introduce the audiences to an altogether new genre of entertainment.

Traffic has been adapted in Hindi by Suresh Nair with music

by Mithoon.

Deepak Dhar, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Endemol India commented "With Traffic, Endemol enters the Hindi film sphere and we are fortunate to have partnered with Fox Star Studios for such an incredible script that involves a diverse mix of characters caught in an unlikely situation. Brought to life by a brilliant screenplay that pits together all the characters in a race against time, the incredible casting is bound to keep the audiences

Cont'd from Page 49

goal in the food industry.

I am always experimenting in the kitchen. For me food is science and needs a lot of experimentation. I like traditional flavors but I like to twist them without changing the flavor profile.

Of all that you rustled in the Masterchef kitchen, which dish was most appreciated?

I think the judges appreciated the fact that I tried to modernize Indian food. I cooked modern modak, butter quail, modern palak paneer and modern fish curry all of which was appreciated a lot by the judges.

Do you read cook books?

That's all I read. If I had read my books in Engineering as much

Rishi Desai

as I read cookbooks now, I would have been the university topper.

Considering you are not a professional chef, how easy/difficult was the Masterchef journey?

One of the requirements of MasterChef Australia is that you are not a professional chef. So all contestants are in the same boat. I entered the competition with an open mind to learn a lot and I picked up everything like a sponge on the way. I think this learning will help me achieve my

Indian cuisine has found many takers worldwide. Is fusion the

next step for Indian cuisine?

I am not a big follower of fusion Indian. I like Indian flavors as they are and would not want to fuse them with any other cuisine.

I would like to modernize those flavors and feature the diversity of the Indian cuisine in my food. I tried to do exactly that on MasterChef with my dishes.

Now that you have the Masterchef tag, do you plan to take to cooking professionally?

Since the show, I did a few popup restaurants in Canberra. I would like to open a restaurant one day but that is a long-term goal. There are a few short-term goals which I need to follow up.

One of them is traveling across the length and breadth of India and exploring unexplored flavors.

Are you planning a cookbook?

A cookery show?

I am currently in the process of writing a cook book about Modern Indian food. The book will come out next year just in time for Mother's Day. I am not ruling out a TV show in the near future either.

52

India Post

Classifieds

December 6, 2013

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NOTIce is hereby given that sealed competitive bids will be accepted at the Alameda County Workforce Investment Board, 24100 Amador Street, 6th Floor, Room 610C, Hayward, CA 945441203 NON-MANDATORY NETWORKING BIDDERS CONFERENCES for RFP COSCCS 2014 Comprehensive One Stop Career Center Services NORTH COUNTY: Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at 9:30 AM, Emeryville Civic Center, Council Chambers, 1333 Park Ave., Emeryville, CA SOUTH COUNTY: Thursday, December 12, 2013 at 1:00 PM, Ohlone College, 39399 Cherry St, Room 1102, Newark, CA Response Due by 2:00 pm on January 23, 2014 County Contact: Lazandra Dial at (510) 780-8768 or via email: ldial@acgov.org Attendance at Bidders Conference is not required.

The RFP is available via the GSA website— www.acgov.org under Current Contracting Opportunities 12/6/13 CNS-2559762#

For Classifieds Ads Call NORTHERN CA (Sonia) Tel: 510-938-8668 sonia@indiapost.com (Priya) Tel. 510-275-4467 priya@indiapost.com SOUTHERN CA (Shashi Trivedi) Tel: 562-441-5511/ Fax: 562-947-0632 shashi19@yahoo.com CHICAGO (Ramesh Soparawala)

NEWS on your desktop www.indiapost.com

Tel: 773-973-7394 / Fax: 773-973-7396 sramesh@aol.com NEW YORK (Pinky) Tel: 908 338 3752 pinky@indiapost.com

NOTIce is hereby given that sealed competitive bids will be accepted at the Alameda County Workforce Investment Board, 24100 Amador Street, 6th Floor, Room 610C, Hayward, CA 945441203 NON-MANDATORY NETWORKING BIDDERS CONFERENCES for RFP SOSCCS 2014 Specialized One Stop Career Center Services NORTH COUNTY: Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at 1:00 PM, Emeryville Civic Center, Council Chambers, 1333 Park Ave., Emeryville, CA SOUTH COUNTY: Thursday, December 12, 2013 at 9:30 AM, Ohlone College, 39399 Cherry St, Room 1102, Newark, CA Response Due by 2:00 pm on January 23, 2014 County Contact: Lazandra Dial at (510) 780-8768 or via email: ldial@acgov.org Attendance at Bidders Conference is not required.

The RFP is available via the GSA website— www.acgov.org under Current Contracting Opportunities 12/6/13 CNS-2559828#

Philosophy

December 6, 2013

India Post 53

www.indiapost.com

Page Sponsored by Sahanis ATMANANDA KRISHNA MENON

T

he attribution of reality to things which rise in thoughts is the cause of all bondage. Form can exist only as the object of seeing and never independently of it. This rule applies to all sense-objects.

Objects have themselves no connection to each other - their connection is always with thought alone. An object cannot exist even for a moment unless cognized by thought. When thought changes, the object changes also.

Thus they are inseparable and therefore, one.

The truth, which is One thing, is kept divided by mere words.

Therefore, even to hold that a thing rises in thought is mere delusion. There is thought only and the content of thought is Consciousness.

If this truth is always kept alive, thought will soon vanish and Consciousness will reign. Then comes liberation from all bondage.

Two aspects of Consciousness Samvit (Consciousness) has two aspects: conditioned and unconditioned. It is the former that illumines objects of Consciousness.

The latter is Pure Consciousness. Sense-objects such as sound, touch, smell, etc., are mere thought-forms. Therefore, correctly speaking, thoughts alone are the objects of Consciousness.

He, who by careful analysis and discrimination is unable to reach the unconditioned aspect, OSHO

M

ake your life an aesthetic experience. And not much is needed to make it that; just an aesthetic consciousness is needed, a sensitive soul. Become more sensitive, more sensuous, and you will become more spiritual.

Priests have almost poisoned your body into a state of death.

You are carrying paralyzed bodies and paralyzed minds and paralyzed souls - you are moving on crutches. Throw away all those crutches! Even if you have to fall and crawl on the ground, that is better than clinging to crutches.

And experience life in all possible ways - good-bad, bittersweet, dark-light, summer-winter.

Experience all the dualities. Don't be afraid of experience, because the more experience you have, the more mature you become. Search for all possible alternatives, move in all directions, be a wanderer, a vagabond of the world of life and existence. And don't miss any opportunity to live.

No past, no future Don't look back. Only fools

may well abide in the conditioned.

He will reach the unconditioned in due course if he does not remain contented in the conditioned.

Observing carefully, one can see every thought arise and set in pure Consciousness alone. What is not Consciousness is all thought-form. Pure Consciousness can never bear witness to it.

It is no argument to say that memory - itself a thought form stands changeless, watching all

non-existent also, there being no witness to prove their existence.

Therefore it can be clearly understood that what appeared to be conditioned is also pure unconditioned Consciousness.

The Seer and the Seen If one looks through the gross organ eye, gross forms alone appear. The same relation exists between other gross organs and their objects. Leaving the physi-

votion are absolutely necessary.

A critical examination of the objective world will bring about the same result. To arrive at the conclusion that this solid-seeming world is a mere thought does not solve the whole problem. It cannot give entire satisfaction; for the thought-world remains.

The examination did not give satisfaction because it was conducted from the level of the buddhi (intellect) which was left unex-

An object cannot exist unless cognized by thought

Atmananda Krishna Menon

Buddhi is also something perceived. Is not oneself (Consciousness), the real Perceiver?

To examine thoughts one has to take one's stand in perceiving Consciousness.

thoughts in succession. It is a common experience that when there are other thoughts, memory is not there with them.

How then can memory call up past thoughts? If memory cannot do it, it is no memory at all.

Memory is therefore a meaningless word.

It cannot but be admitted that it is always memory that calls up past thoughts. If what we call memory is non-existent it follows that thoughts are also nonexistent. There is no witness to prove their existence.

If memory is non-existent, it follows that other thoughts are

cal organs, if one looks through the subtle sense organ called mind, subtle forms appear. Looking through the attributeless pure Consciousness, one sees Consciousness only and nothing else.

This experience proves that the objective world will always appear in perfect tune with the stand taken up by the subject.

Therefore, it is not the objective world which presents obstacles to one's spiritual progress, but the false stand one has taken up.

If this is given up, spiritual enlightenment follows. To give up the stand, courage and onepointed attention and heart's de-

plained.

Buddhi is also something perceived. Is not oneself (Consciousness), the real Perceiver? To examine thoughts one has to take one's stand in perceiving Consciousness.

When it is seen that the content of thought is nothing but Consciousness, thought vanishes and Consciousness remains.

Consciousness, when mistakenly supposed to be conditioned by time, appears as thought. Really, it is not so conditioned.

Excerpted from Atma Darshan.

The 130th birth anniversary of Atmananda Krishna Menon will be observed on December 8.

think of the past-fools who do not have the intelligence to live in the present. And only fools imagine about the future, because they don't have the courage to live in the present. Forget the past; forget the future, this moment is all.

This moment has to become your prayer, your love, your life, your

Don't always bring in the idea, "What is the purpose of it?" because that is a strategy created by your enemies, by the enemies of humanity, to poison your very source of life. Ask the question, "What is the purpose of it?" and everything becomes meaningless.

It is early morning, the sun is

dent. Look at the rose flower. Have you ever seen any rose flower nervous? So confident, so utterly confident, as if it is going to be there forever. Just a moment's existence, and such trust in eternity.

Dancing in the wind, whispering with the wind, sending out its fragrance-and you are standing

Goals are in future; life is here, close by Search for all possible alternatives, move in all directions, be a wanderer, a vagabond of the world of life and existence. And don't miss any opportunity to live. death, your everything. This is it.

And live courageously, don't be cowards. Don't think of consequences; only cowards think of consequences. Don't be too result-oriented; people who are result-oriented miss life. Don't think of goals, because goals are always in the future and far away, and life is here, now, close by.

Purposeless beauty Don't be too purposive. Let me repeat it: don't be too purposive.

rising and the East is red with the sun, and the birds are singing and the trees are waking up, and it is all joy. It is a rejoicing, a new day has happened again. And you are standing there asking the question, "What is the purpose of it?"

You miss it totally. You are simply disconnected.

A rose flower is dancing in the wind, so delicate and yet so strong, so soft yet fighting with the strong wind, so momentary yet so confi-

Osho

there asking the question, "What is the purpose of it?" Life is its own purpose Raise the question, "What is the purpose?" and everything is destroyed. Let me tell you, there is no purpose in life. Life is its own purpose; it is not a means to some end, it is an end unto itself.

Excerpted from The Book of Wisdom. The 82nd birth anniversary of Osho Rajneesh will be observed on December 11

Sitting quietly, doing nothing; Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself.

- Zenrin Kushû Heaven and earth and I are of the same root; The ten-thousand things and I are of one substance.

- Sêng-chao/Sõjõ There is one thing: above, it supports Heaven; below, it upholds Earth. It is black like lacquer, always actively functioning.

- Tung-shan Ling-chia Like the clear stillness of autumn water - pure and without activity; in its tranquil depths are no obstructions. Such a one is called a man of Tao, also, a man who has nothing further to do.

-Wei-shan Ling-yu I would rather sink to the bottom of the sea for endless eons than seek liberation through all the saints of the universe.

-Shih-t'ou The full-grown man aspires to pierce through the heavens: Let him not walk in the footsteps of the Buddha!

-Ts'ui-yen Speech is blasphemy, silence a lie. Above speech and silence there is a way out.

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December 6, 2013

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India should start talking to both the Sharifs D SUBA CHANDRAN

N

ow that Pakistan has a new Chief of Army Staff, Gen Raheel Sharif, replacing Gen Kayani, what should India do? Should we ignore him, and dialogue only with Nawaz Sharif, the elected Prime Minister? Or should we accept the real politics of Pakistan, and consider starting a dialogue with the COAS? Or should India speak to the COAS as well as Nawaz Sharif?

Will Gen Raheel Sharif be any different?

Along with nuclear weapons and Afghanistan, India is a part of Pakistan General Headquarters' sensitive triumvirate and Rawalpindi would not like Islamabad to play a major role in creating an independent strategy.

No Prime Minister in the history

would undermine the political position that the GHQ enjoys within Pakistan. It is precisely for this reason that the LoC has suddenly become violent in the last few months. There is no other explanation why the military in Pakistan would like to upset the ceasefire that has been in place since 2004.

Clearly, the GHQ is unlikely to allow any independent dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi.

Will Gen Raheel Sharif be any different? Unlikely. He may have been chosen over two other Generals, but he is not likely to be any different from his predecessors when it comes to Indo-Pak relations. He would represent the larger interests of the GHQ, as the other Chiefs have done in the past.

An important question here is:

Nawaz Sharif

Gen Raheel Sharif

New Delhi should attempt a different strategy.

It should expand the profile of whom it speaks to in Pakistan, and also through whom it speaks internally of Pakistan has succeeded in establishing an independent policy vis-Ă -vis India.

Nawaz Sharif would understand this more than anyone else in Pakistan. It was the bus diplomacy along with secret negotiations through Niaz Naik that made the Sharif-Vajpayee dialogue possible and alarmed the GHQ. The GHQ invariably factored in Kargil intrusions and ousted Nawaz Sharif through a coup. It was followed by jail term and exile, and more importantly, the rupture of the relationship between Nawaz Sharif and the military.

Fast forward to 2013. After the elections and a stupendous victory in 2013, Nawaz Sharif attempted to chart his own course vis-Ă -vis India. Perhaps he feels that strong Indo-Pak relations

if he is unlikely to be different, why should we speak to him?

What should be New Delhi's Strategy?

India's strategy has been so far primarily focused on investing in one person - either the elected leadership, or the President, who has assumed power through a coup. Outside of the formal dialogue led by South Block, New Delhi has also attempted a confidential dialogue through a trusted emissary, as was the case between Vajpayee and Sharif through RK Mishra and Niaz Naik.

Given the nature of civil-military relations within Pakistan, another dialogue on the models of RK Mishra and Niaz Naik may become counter-productive. Even if New Delhi is able to establish a successful dialogue through a secret chan-

nel, it is unlikely that Nawaz Sharif will be able to publicly deliver what he has agreed to privately.

Though India has not been averse to the track-II dialogues between the two countries, the hard reality also has been that New Delhi has never really taken them seriously. Though led by their own former bureaucrats/officials, neither the Indian military nor South Block has given much importance to track-II dialogues. The truth perhaps also is that track-II dialogues have run their course.

Track-II dialogues, given their limitation and ability to influence track-I, are unlikely to make any strategic difference at the State level. Besides, given the State's reluctance (and, at times, even arrogance) to consider any outside input, it is less likely that a track-II dialogue will be able to make any significant inroads.

Perhaps it would be a better strategy for New Delhi to pursue a twin approach - talking to both the elected leadership and the GHQ. A one-track approach either with the elected leadership or with the military has not yielded the desired results for India. More importantly, India has also been hesitant in initiating a direct dialogue with the GHQ so far.

If India is serious about a dialogue with Pakistan, it has to include the GHQ as well.

Who should speak to Pakistan?

So far, the MEA and the PMO have remained the principal architects of India's policy formulation on Pakistan. Should these two actors be the only Indian representatives to deal with Pakistan? Even if there is a realization that India should speak to both the elected and military leaderships in Pakistan, should only these two conduct dialogue or form policy?

Though the military in India has been insisting on giving their inputs, and have asked for a formal space in interactions with Pakistan, both the elected leadership and the bureaucracy have been reluctant in providing this space to the military.

True, India is a democracy, and the military of a democracy does not play a role in foreign-policy making. Theoretically. Given the hard realities and past failures, perhaps it would be in India's interest to attempt alternative strategies.

New Delhi should attempt a different strategy. It should expand the profile of whom it speaks to in Pakistan, and also through whom it speaks internally.

The writer is Director, IPCS

India Post Changing Middle East

T

he world had been skeptic about an Iran-US deal at the recent Geneva talks. The breakthrough therefore, although interim in nature, is historic. Learning from two disastrous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US under Obama now champions a restrained foreign policy. But that alone would not have sufficed for an accord if Iran had not been softened by the crushing economic sanctions and was eager for a respite under a new President.

Different scenarios are being projected of change in worldwide relations as a consequence of this accord. Some India-centric commentators suggest that the Iran nuclear accord may set off a trend where the US and other western countries would jump into the Iranian bandwagon to push their own economic interests, leaving India marginalized and without the lone-client advantage it enjoyed so far.

India's relations with Iran nosedived in 2005 when it voted against Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors' meeting allowing the West to place the issue of Tehran's controversial nuclear program before the UN Security Council. Though stung by India's stand, an isolated Iran swallowed its pride and kept quiet since it did not want to lose out on the much-needed foreign exchange it got by selling oil to India. Having maintained relations with Iran and promising to push through major pending projects like the Chabahar port, India has time to complete them before the opportunity that now beckons melts away. The two sides had agreed in 2003 to develop Chabahar port that would help India send goods to Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan and give it access to Central Asian market. For Iran, India's proposed $100 million investment would have developed infrastructure in the area; it would also have another port to supplement its Bandar Abbas.

Iran as an alternative to Pakistan for the US as a route to deal with the Taliban of Afghanistan is the interesting scenario projected by M.J. Akbar in his column in Times of India. He claims the deal "eases and could over time eliminate America's dependence on Pakistani space in its crucial battles with Taliban and its myriad terrorist associates." Even after its withdrawal from Afghanistan, America knows that the war against Taliban must continue. However, "its generals are now convinced that Pakistan's army is dubious, if not duplicitous, ally against extremist Islamist militants driven by a frenzied conviction that they can recreate Sunni empires of the seventh century." Thus, "Iran is potentially a more reliable ally than Pakistan in this conflict, since the Sunny Jihadists (of Pakistan) hate Shias (of Iran) as apostates."

India although optimistic is a bit cautious over the developments. As former Indian ambassador to Iran K.C. Singh puts it, "The Geneva agreement is a first but important step towards a final settlement, which would address the nature and extent of Iran's civil nuclear program. Success would depend on whether an emboldened Iran accepts its capping, a distracted US concedes full fuel cycle capability short of reprocessing, and if neither side's hand is forced - by Iran's hawks at home or US allies in the region."

In the Middle East, it is not just the US and other great powers that are shaping the region's destiny. The growing contradiction between the interests of Iran and Saudi Arabia and the mounting sectarian tension between the Shia and Sunnis are perhaps as consequential today as the role of great powers. Also, the oddest couple of Israel and Saudi Arabia are leading the challenge against any final western agreement with Iran. Apart from the Shia-Sunni division, the Saudis cannot forget Iran's challenge to the Saudi monarch's prestige as custodian of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Israel, under Benjamin Netanyahu, has propagated an existential fear of the future with Iran as epicenter of such dread. It is however hoped that Washington, no longer dependent on Saudi oil and US public opinion tired of overseas confrontations, would play its hand with flexibility.

December 6, 2013

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