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Friday, January 03 2014 | Vol. 33, No. 01

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Onward & Upward Chamber Gala Showered byatHoly Blessings

Bhagavatam and Krishna katha showered by Sri Ramanujam ji, disciple of His Holiness Maharanyam Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji.

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COMMUNITY

January 03, 2014

UH Chancellor Renu Khator Named Deputy Chair of Dallas Fed Board

WA S H I N G T O N , the field of global environDC: Dr. Renu Khator, mental policy and has pubchancellor of the Unilished numerous books and versity of Houston articles on the subject.

System and president The U.S. Citizenship of the University of and Immigration Services Houston, has been has included her among its named deputy chair of Outstanding Americans by the Dallas Federal ReChoice awardees, recognizserve branch for 2014. ing her achievements as a She has served on the naturalized citizen. She and Dallas Fed’s board her husband, Suresh Khator, since 2011. associate dean in the UH The Federal Reserve Cullen College of EngiBoard in Washington, neering, were honored with D.C., on Dec. 13 made the prestigious Hind Rattan the appointments for (Jewel of India) award, givthe 12 Federal Reserve en to nonresident Indians for Banks nationwide. making outstanding contriEach Federal Reserve butions in their field. Purdue Bank has a nine-memUniversity awarded her its ber board, and every Doctor of Social Sciences year the Fed’s board degree, honoris causa. of governors appoints Khator recently joined three of the local disome of the world’s most rectors and designates respected leaders when she a chair and a deputy was named to the Indian chair. J.C. Penney Inc. Prime Minister’s Global AdCEO Mike Ullman visory Council. She serves was named chair of the on several boards, includDallas Fed. University of Houston Chancellor and President ing the American Council Khator took the dual Renu Khator on Education, the Greater position of chancellor Houston Partnership, the and president at UH in 2008, be- research funding, enrollment and Houston Technology Center, the coming the system’s first woman private support and was given Tier Texas Medical Center Policy chancellor, the University’s first One University status by the Carn- Council, the Methodist Hospital foreign-born president and the egie Foundation.

Research Institute Board, and the first Indian immigrant to head a Khator holds a bachelor’s degree Business Higher Education Focomprehensive research univer- from the University of Kanpur and rum. She is a member of the Counsity in the U.S. a master’s degree and Ph.D. in cil on Foreign Relations.

Under Khator’s leadership, UH political science from Purdue UniCredit: The Pearland Journal has experienced record-breaking versity. She is a noted scholar in

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Airport Design Expert and Civil Engineer Adil Godiwalla, 72, Passes Away

Adil Godiwall

BY AMY GODIWALLA KLEIN, TX: Adil Godiwalla, whose name was synonymous with the Houston Airport system for many years and whose smiling countenance endeared him to many in the engineering and construction profession in the Bayou City passed away on Monday, December 16, 2013 in his home in Klein, a far northern suburb of Houston, due to heart failure.

Godiwalla was born to Minoo and Mehroo Godiwalla in Bombay, India on March 29, 1941 but spent most of his childhood growing up in the beautiful, quiet town of Jamshedpur, in the eastern state of Jharkhand in India, where his father worked for the famous Tata Group and his mother was a wellknow caterer. His parents felt that one of the greatest gifts one could give a child was an excellent education. They made sure that Adil attended a good Englishspeaking school in Bangalore,

India and lived with his Aunt while attending Bishop Cotton School, in Shimla, which is affiliated to Cambridge University, UK. Godiwalla went on to study at St. Joseph’s College in Darjeeling where he picked up a life-long affinity for his beloved Darjeeling tea. He later attended Banaras Hindu University, in Banaras where he was the Captain of the cricket team. He was known to be athletic, highly intelligent, and very fond of games and sports.

In 1965, he came to the United States to complete a Masters in Civil Engineering at the University of Missouri at Rolla. On a trip back to Bombay, he met Arnavaz Bharucha of Bombay, and the two married on August 2, 1969, later returning to the US. Together, the couple had four daughters, and later, six grandchildren.

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January 03, 2014

Happy New Year from Malani & Gupta Families

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COMMUNITY

MANVEL: The daily evening shower of nectar in the Pearland area was the highlight of the 7-day Srimad Bhagavata Saptaha Mahotsava organized by Global Organization for Divinity (G.O.D.) from Dec 21-27. The nectar was the heavenly Bhagavatam and Krishna katha showered on all the fortunate listeners by Sri Ramanujam ji, disciple of His Holiness Maharanyam Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji.

Sri Ramanujam ji is an excellent speaker, well-known for presenting deeply insightful concepts of Sanatana Dharma in an amazingly simple, clear and witty manner.

This time round, his expositions of the various bhagavata charitras in Srimad Bhagavatam; his wonderful, lucid explanations of many subtle aspects of spirituality including how the many supposed inconsistencies of Sanatana Dharma fit perfectly into the beautiful, large canvas of the world; and his final day’s elucidation of Krishna katha itself, were all simply incredible! And the feeling it left in the listeners was truly beyond description – something which, like Divine bliss, can only be enjoyed and not explained in words! Which is exactly the purpose of Srimad Bhagavatam – it is meant to be drunk with relish, not chewed on.

Those who had the fortune to listen to the discourses were indeed an immensely blessed lot.

Srimad Bhagavatam shows the path of Bhagavata Dharma – which is essentially leading a life of joyous devotion to God by chanting His names, singing His glories, listening to His stories and serving Him and His devotees. And the Srimad Bhagavata Mahotsava was arranged to do just that. All through the seven days, during the day starting from about 6 am, Namadwaar Prayer House reverberated with the Mahamantra, with Tiruppavai, with Srimad Bhagavata parayanam, with kirtans of great mahatmas including Sri Jayadeva Ashtapadhis, and much more.

Special events on different days

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Sweet Srimad Bhagavatam Showers Drench Listeners from Houston and Around USA

included – processions of Sri Premika Varadan-Sri Madhuri Sakhi (Lord Krishna-Sri Radha) on different vahanams (mounts) including Sesha vahanam, Garuda vahanam and Yaanai (elephant) vahanam; Krishna jananam and Nandotsavam; Govinda pattabhishekam when the Divine Couple were given a sacred bath (abhishekam); Nikunjotsavam, Janavasam and Radha Kalyanam (wedding of the Divine Couple).

For the Nikunjotsavam event, there were special music and dance offerings to the Divine Couple: a Carnatic music concert by Vidushi Smt. Rajarajeshwary Bhat, Smt. Uma Ranganathan and Kum. Keerthana Bhat; a Bharatanatyam dance performance to an Ashtapadhi by Kum. Suwetha Kalyan of Dallas; and the special offering of a song from G.O.D.’s upcoming Bharatanatyam dance ballet production, “Radhe..Radhe..” by Kum. Surabi Veeraragavan.

On the final day, on completion of the parayanam of the 18000 slokas of Srimad Bhagavatam, 108 Hanuman Chalisa was chanted followed by Bhagavad Gita 12th chapter, Vishnu Sahasranama and finally the concluding Anjaneya

utsavam.

In the evenings, preceding the daily Bhagavatam discourse by Sri Ramanujam ji, many local artistes offered their talent to Bhagavan Sri Krishna and Sri Radha Rani in a devotional cultural segment called ‘Krishna Bhakti Samrajye’.

The highlight among these performances was a Hindustani vocal concert by Pandit Suman Ghosh and disciples. Other performances, which featured the compositions of His Holiness Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji, included Carnatic vocal renditions by Smt. Neela Chakravarthy, Smt. Sridevi Josyula, Kum. Shilpa Sadagopan, Students of Smt. Rajarajeshwary Bhat led

by Kum. Keerthana Bhat and Smt. Viji Vishwanathan; a sangeetha upanyasam on Sri Krishna’s navaneetha chora lila by Smt. Uma Ranganathan; Veena rendition by Smt. Lakshmi Srivaths; Violin renditions by Sri Mahesh Iyer, Maya Iyer and Kishore Iyer and

by Keshav Srivaths; and classical dance performances by Smt. Sravanthi Modali, Kum. Srividvatha Sridhar, Kum. Vathsalya Senapati and Kum. Suwetha Kalyan.

The entire week-long event was attended not only by people from all around the Houston area, but also by over 100 visitors from around the USA including Boston, California Bay Area, Redding-California, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Atlanta, RichmondVirginia, New

Orleans, New Jersey and other places.

G.O.D.’s next major event in the Houston area will be a Bharatanatyam dance ballet production titled “Radhe.. Radhe.. – A Story of Love for the Supreme” - presenting the story of Sri Radha Rani through dance, which will be presented on March 15, 2014.

Global Organization for Divinity (G.O.D.) is a worldwide organization that aims to promote peace, harmony and universal love amid cultural diversity. It is involved in several spiritual, cultural and social activities across the world and in several cities in the USA, including the Houston area.

Established by G.O.D., the Na-

madwaar in Houston is the first prayer house of its kind in the United States, where the divine names are continuously chanted.

It is one of about 20 Namadwaars (Sanskrit term meaning door of the Divine Name; “Nama” – [divine] name, “Dwaar” – door) across the world, and part of G.O.D.’s worldwide initiative to strive towards universal peace and harmony through individual inner transformation, a result of chanting the divine names.

For further information about G.O.D. or Namadwaar, call 281402-6585, or email houston. god@godivinity.org or visit www. godivinity.org.

Indo American News (ISSN 887-5936) is published weekly every Friday (for a subscription of $40 per year) by IndoAmerican News Inc., 7457 Harwin Dr., Suite 262, Houston, TX 77036., tel: 713-789-6397, fax:713-789-6399, email: indoamericannews@yahoo.com.

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January 03, 2014

India House and Harris Health System cordially invite you to join the celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony of the

Rita & Bal Sareen Clinic Friday, January 24, 2014 at 6:00 pm sharp 8888 West Bellfort Houston, TX 77031 *Dinner to immediately follow ribbon cutting Free registration is required to attend. Please register at www.indiahouseinc.org/events You can also email to info@indiahouseinc.org or call 713-929-1900 *Note that seating is limited to first 300 registrants.

India House Houston 8888 West Bellfort Houston, TX 77031 713-929-1900 info@indiahouseinc.org www.indiahouseinc.org INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 03, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

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COMMUNITY

January 03, 2014

YLDP Holds Valuable Session with Judge Sandill

BY SUVI JAIN HOUSTON: On Saturday, December 21, the students of YLDP had the incredible opportunity to attend a session held by Judge Ravi K. Sandill at Houston’s Court House. For the past 5 years, Sandill has been a judge at the 127th District Court. He has the distinction of being the first South Asian to be elected into the district court bench in Texas, which is an extraordinary achievement. During YLDP’s visit, Judge Sandill made convincing points about the field of law, stay-

ing positive, and the importance of good decision making.

Judge Sandill’s journey in becoming an important figure in Texas’s District Court, inspired every single YLDP student. His life was filled with numerous obstacles which he handled with rational decision making and by remaining optimistic. Sandill taught us to stay true to ourselves and to think with our heads straight. For example, one of the most crucial decisions Judge Sandill made in his career was saying “no” to a

beneficial job opportunity that supported something he did not believe in. Consequentially, this became a turning point in his career and brought numerous advantages.

From his experience, I learned that focusing on the present is just as important as focusing on the future. Additionally, his remarkable ability to stay positive in difficult situations is extremely inspirational. He taught me that not everything comes as granted, so we need to work diligently and aim to

achieve high goals.

Us YDLP students can apply this in their lives by aspiring to do our best in high school and then later in college. Furthermore, we should aspire to grab opportunities that will aid us in creating a better future. Judge Sandill achieved his accomplishments due to his dedication along with hard work he puts into everything he does. He is an inspiration to many aspiring lawyers and the South Asian community as a whole.

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COMMUNITY

January 03, 2014

Be Careful of OCI Card Requirements at Airports for India Travel

BY JAWAHAR MALHOTRA HOUSTON: Many passengers are getting a rude shock when they try to board on their flights to India this holiday season, according to local travel agent Homi Davier of Xpert Tours. They are being denied boarding onto their flights due to an overlooked formality relating to the OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cards. The OCI card allows people of Indian origin to have a permanent visa that permits entry to India as well as other facilities.

“Just this week, I received an email from Emirates Airlines local Marketing Manager Mark Culmer that many OCI holders arrive with

their cards in hand but not the passports which have the OCI stamp in them”, reported Davier as he made bookings for other clients from his office in Little India at 5663 Hillcroft next to Raja Sweets.

According to the Indian Government’s requirements, travelers holding an OCI card must also present the passport which has the original OCI stamp in it, even if they have a new US passport.

Without this, the airlines will not let them board their flights even if they show the OCI card. If they want to avoid traveling with two passports, there is a provision where they can request their new

HOUSTON: Shunya Theatre, Houston’s own South Asian theatre troupe, closed 2013 by announcing its twelfth season. The 2014 season features three plays to activate the neurons, tug the heart strings, and tickle the funny bones of artists and audience members of all shapes and sizes.

In April 2014 Shunya will present Shane Sakhrani’s “A Widow of No Importance,” an unconventional romantic comedy about a widow named Deepa whose preoccupation with marrying off her daughter leads to an unexpected encounter of her own. What is a widow to do? Then in August Shunya presents its second ever youth production, “The Jungle Book,” adapted by Stuart Paterson. Paterson’s marvelous re-telling of the

Kipling classic provides an equal measure of comedy and menace.

Complete with song and dance routines, flatulent monkeys, bumbling bears, sinister jackals, and a boy named Mowgli, this production is sure to bump children and adults off their seats with fright and delight. Finally, in November, Shunya presents Rahul Varma’s “Bhopal,” set amid the events that preceded the 1984 Union Carbide disaster that killed nearly 8,000 people. Varma’s timely drama reveals the human stories within the complex political and economic webs that led to the worst industrial catastrophe in history.

Shunya holds open auditions for all of its productions, and many Houston actors have had their stage

passport be stamped with the OCI visa from the local Consulate for a fee.

“I have had passengers calling me frantically from the airport, but short of having the passport with the required OCI stamp in it there’s nothing I can do”, explained Davier who has been in the travel business for over 40 years and knows a thing or two about getting travelers to their destinations and out of a jam.

“They have had to cancel their flight and rebook”.

Shunya Announces its Twelfth Season

debuts in Shunya productions. Auditions for adult men and women for “A Widow of No Importance” will be held Saturday, January 4 from (3-6 PM) and Monday, January 6 (7-10 PM) at The Barn, 2201 Preston, Houston TX 77003.

Further details about auditions and volunteer opportunities are available at www. shunyatheatre. org.

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COMMUNITY

January 03, 2014

JVB Preksha Center Presents Raja Harishchandra

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HOUSTON: JVB Preksha Meditation Center is preparing to present – Raja Harishchandra – A play in Hindi – An epic tale of The Power of Truth. The upcoming play is the 5th in the series of previously appreciated performances. It is scheduled to be held on Saturday, January 11 at 5:00 PM at Cullen Performance Hall – University of Houston Main Campus.

This epic ancient Indian tale has been known to people for generations. It is based on the great king of Ayodhya - Raja Harishchandra. He and his family were tested in many ways, and despite enduring multitude of hardships they never faltered from practicing truth. The story goes like this: A monk’s deer is accidently killed by Raja; which infuriates the monk and he demands the Raja to pay for his misdeed. Raja donates his kingdom and promises to pay the monk 1,000 gold coins within a months’ time. During this month Raja, Rani and their young son, face dire situations and hardships. Rani gets sold in the labor market as a domestic help to gather 500 gold coins. Raja is also sold as a slave for 500 gold coins to repay the monk, and becomes a caretaker at a funeral place. Both the king and the queen work relentlessly, with little or no food, and no complaints. One day their son is bit by a snake and dies. This mishap creates a very interesting conclusion to the play which should not be missed.

Come enjoy this movement to experience “The Power of Truth” on January 11 at Cullen Performance Hall, UH-Main. The play includes tragedy, comedy and suspense.

Several characters are going to be on the stage including Raja Harishchandra, Rani Taramati, Prince Rohit, Tapas, Nakshatra, Brahman, Brahmani and others, who have been working hard for the past 6 months to bring this play to life. Without doubt, this presentation will be interesting and enlightening; it will also include a dance sequence.

The JVB Preksha Meditation Center envisions a blissful and peaceful society through Yoga, Preksha Meditation and Education of Non-violence. It is open for all irrespective of beliefs.

For further information or to purchase tickets online, visit www.jvbhouston.org or www.sulekha.com or call the center at 281596-9642.

See ad on page 15.

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COMMUNITY

January 03, 2014

Kite Festival and Walk for Unity on Jan. 12 HOUSTON: Hindus from the greater Houston area will gather at the George Bush Park (16756 Westheimer Parkway off Westheimer) in Houston on Sunday, January 12 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to celebrate the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti in Hindu calendar.

As a part of the tradition observed in India on this day, a lot of kites will fill the sky. For those who do not have their own kites, kites from India and strings will be available for a small donation.

Families can also enjoy the games like volleyball and cricket.

Participants are encouraged to bring their own vegetarian picnic lunch. Gujarati Samaj of Houston will provide Masala Khhichdi for a nominal donation for those who choose not to bring their own lunch. Ekal Vidyalaya will provide free tea to all.

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As the day also marks Swami Vivekananda’s birthday, a new and historic “Walk for Unity” is being organized at George Bush Park and at least 500 people are expected to participate in the walk between 12 and 12:30. This event signifies the solidarity of Houston with the “Statue of Unity” movement in India.

The Statue of Unity, when built, will be the world’s tallest statue, standing at 182 meters, nearly twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty. This will be the world’s biggest symbol of Unity, and will remind the world of how Sardar Vallabbhai Patel, known as the Iron Man of India, united the diverse and nascent nation of India after its Independence.

Surya Namaskar Yagna is a nationwide movement, Salutation to the Sun, organized by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh from Jan.

11 to Jan. 26. This event will take place from 11:00 a.m to noon.

To avoid parking problem due to large crowds, attendees are advised to car-pool. There will be shuttles running from various nearby locations to the park site.

Parking shuttles will run to the various neighboring parking lots and the main parking lot will be George Bush high school.

In case of rain, the event will be rescheduled to January 19.

Makar Sankranti ( Kite Flying festival) is sponsored by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America in cooperation with the Gujarati Samaj of Houston , Hindus of the Greater Houston, as well as other organizations. The event is open to all and not limited to Hindus.

For further information please contact Girish Naik at 281-8516866 or visit Hindusofhouston. org.

Airport Design Expert and Civil Engineer Adil Godiwalla, 72, Passes Away CONTINUED FROM PAGE

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Adil and Arnavaz first settled in Chicago, where Adil accepted a job with Pioneer Engineering.

They later moved to Pittsburg for an opportunity with WestinghouseTenneco Corporation designing offshore nuclear power plants and later transferred to Jacksonville, Florida with the same company.

In 1974, Adil settled in Houston, Texas working for Brown & Root, and later spent over 35 years working for the City of Houston.

Godiwalla’s early years with the City of Houston involved street and bridge design, and he was instrumental in designing much of Houston’s major intersections, roads, bridges, and sanitary storm sewers. He later became an expert in airport engineering, and was instrumental in the design of terminals D and E at George Bush Intercontinental Airport and the revamping of Hobby Airport, both in Houston, Texas. His expertise was used globally as well, assisting airports in Ecuador and Costa Rica. After more than 35 years of service working for the City of Houston, Adil retired in October 6, 2012 and worked as a consul-

tant. On his retirement, Houston Mayor Annise Parker issued a city proclamation making October 6, 2012 Adil Minoo Godiwalla Day. People who worked with Adil Godiwalla described him as a genius; a brilliant, kind, quiet gentleman who had a great sense of humor and an extraordinary memory and was considered a legend in the Civil Engineering profession.

His boss likened him to “Encyclopedia Britannica.” Some said that Godiwalla “ran the gamut” of Civil Engineering projects and design; his expertise was so diverse.

Godiwalla’s hobbies included martial arts, hunting, fishing, and a passion for following the weather and current events. He was a devout Zoroastrian and was one of the co-founders of the Zoroastrian Association of Houston and supported many other Indian community activities. He is often remembered as drinking his treasured Darjeeling tea, voraciously reading the Times of India, and keeping up with current events.

Godiwalla is survived by his wife Arnavaz who resides in Klein; daughters Shara and husband Cyrus of Chicago, Illinois; Shana-

ya and husband Barry of Lake Jackson, Texas; Nina and husband Boris of Houston and Amy and husband Shaun of Charlotte, North Carolina; brothers Yezdi and Kersi Godiwalla; and grandchildren Sabra, Summer, Daraius, Zubin, Zarina, and Landon. Godiwalla will be remembered as a disciplined man, a devout Zoroastrian, a legend in the Civil Engineering field, and a loving father who made countless sacrifices for the benefit of his family and his community.

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INDIA

January 03, 2014

Sikh Activist Ends Hunger Strike for Release of Detainees

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Khalsa protested for the release of three prisoners who were arrested in 1995 for their alleged role in the assassination of Punjab’s then Chief Minister Beant Singh in a car bombing and sentenced to life in prison. The others were convicted under a draconian anti-terror law following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The six are held in federal jails in Chandigargh, Punjab, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.

According to civil-rights lawyer Gurcharan Singh Khalsa at a rally from a internet H.S. Phoolka, it is not unusual for file photo. life terms to be commuted once COMPILED FROM NEWS SOURCES 14 years have been served and MOHALI, INDIA: A Haryana based Sikh since normalcy has returned to the Punjab. farmer Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa, who had Punjab government spokesman Harcharan been on hunger strike for 45 days, demand- Singh Bains said it was up to the discretion ing the release of six fellow Sikhs who have of the state governments to reconsider these been jailed since the 1990s during the peri- cases. od of the deadly Sikh separatist movement, Human Rights Watch, in a statement to has been hospitalized in Shahbad Markanda CNN, has called upon Indian authorities not Hospital for severe stomach pains. His con- to let prisoners remain behind bars beyond dition is stable though he will remain hospi- their sentences. Prime Minister Manmohan talized for some time.

Singh, in an impassioned address to the He began his protest on November 14, but Indian Parliament in 2005 – 21 years after it has been little reported in the international their occurrence– issued a public apology media. As his health had deteriorated rapid- for the deadly events that took place then. ly in the last days, he was implored by other Sikh organizations around the US, Canada prominent Sikh leaders to end his strike and the UK had gathered around the condisince he had made his demands well known tion of Gurbaksh Khalsa and worried for his and brought attention to the plight of the de- deteriorating health. The Southhall, London tainees he was protesting the release for. He based Sikh Organization for Prisoner Welended his hunger strike on December 27 but fare has been making intense efforts to bring declared that he would continue his efforts attention to the detentions of many Sikhs to secure the release of these prisoners. from that time.

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DIASPORA

January 03, 2014

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Indian-American Art Dealer Palmed off Stolen Indian Artefacts

NEW YORK: The indictment of the girlfriend of Manhattan’s IndianAmerican antiquities dealer Subhash Kapoor has revealed the fake ownership histories of stolen Indian artefacts palmed off to museums across the world.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has criminally charged Kapoor’s girlfriend Selina Mohamed with participating in a decades-long

conspiracy to launder stolen antiquities by creating false ownership histories.

She is also charged with, more recently, helping to hide four stolen bronze sculptures as investigators closed in on Kapoor, according to chasingaphrodite.com, a specialised art website tracking “looted antiquities in the world’s museums”.

Kapoor, described by federal in-

vestigators as one of the most prolific antiquities smugglers in the world, is now in custody in Chennai, where he is facing trial as the alleged mastermind of an international antiquities’ smuggling ring, according to the website.

Selina Mohamed, who was arrested last Friday, was charged with four counts of criminal possession of stolen property and one count of

conspiracy, court records show.

She is the third person criminally charged in the case, following the indictments of Kapoor’s sister Sushma Sareen and gallery manager Aaron Freedman, who pleaded guilty to six criminal counts earlier this month.

There is also an arrest warrant out for Kapoor.

Prosecutors allege that since 1992 Selina Mohamed has been involved in the fabrication of bogus ownership histories for dozens of objects Kapoor sold to museums around the world.

Since 2007, she also had nominal control over several of Kapoor’s storage facilities.

The possession charges relate to Mohamed’s alleged role in the disappearance of four of Kapoor’s stolen bronze sculptures -- two of Shiva and two of Uma -- valued at $14.5 million.

Kapoor instructed his gallery manager to send the Chola-era bronzes to Mohamed’s house in November 2011, the complaint states.

After federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations searched Kapoor’s Art of the Past gallery and storage facilities in January 2012, Mohamed insisted that the bronzes be removed from her house. They are now missing.

Mohamed allegedly created false provenance for several Kapoor objects, according to chasingaphrodite. com.

Among the artefacts identified in the complaint for the first time are a 10th-11th century sculpture of

Indians Now Biggest Expat Community in the United Kingdom

BY PRASUN SONWALKAR For the first time, India has topped the list of non-UK born residents in the country, displacing Ireland, which held the top spot in every census since 1951, according to latest census figures analysed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Due to reasons of history and geographical proximity, Ireland was the place of birth of the largest number of residents in the UK who were born abroad. In 1951, Poland held the second spot and from the 1961 census onwards India emerged as the second-largest group in this category.

But newly analysed results of the 2011 census show that India has overtaken Ireland. UK residents born

in India now number 694,000.

The ONS analysis says: “This (India) group has consistently accounted for a large proportion of the non-UK born population of England and Wales. The largest inter-censal percentage increase for this group was between 1961 and 1971, where this population almost doubled from 157,000 to 313,000. In 1971 those born in India accounted for 10% of the whole non-UK born population.”

In 1951 the top ten non-UK countries of birth represented 60% (1.1 million) of the total foreign born population, compared to 45% (3.4 million) in 2011. There are several major groups identified in this data that have continually been present in

the top ten non-UK countries of birth, such as those born in Ireland, India and Poland, the ONS says.

In 1951 there were 1.9 million nonUK born residents in England and Wales (4.5% of the usually resident population) and by 2011 this had increased to 7.5 million (13% of the resident population).

According to the ONS, underlying reasons for migrations to the UK are complex, but often include ‘push’ factors such as civil conflict, political instability and poverty, and ‘pull’ factors such as employment and education opportunities.

-Hindustantimes

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Lakshmi Narayana from northern India, now at the National Gallery of Australia.The NGA bought it from Kapoor in 2006 for $375,000, records show. As Kapoor noted in promotional materials, “the treatment of the eyes is similar to that of another Lakshmi-Narayana from the temple at Khajuraho,” a world heritage site in Madhya Pradesh that contains some of the greatest masterpieces of Indian art.

Also listed is a gilded 18th century altar from Goa showing the Virgin Mary at Singapore’s Asian Civilisation’s Museum.

Kapoor sold it to the museum in 2009 for $135,000, describing it as “one of the most important and unique examples of Goanese art to appear on the market in over a generation”.

For the first time, Friday’s criminal complaint lists several American museums that purchased objects from Kapoor and his associates, who the complaint says attempted to launder them with fabricated ownership histories.

They include, according to chasingaphrodite.com, a 12th century Vishnu Trivrikrama at the University of Florida’s Harn Museum in Gainsville, Florida and a 19th century painting at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts.

Mohamed also allegedly provided false provenance for a torso of a Vedata that was reported as stolen from Madhya Pradesh state’s Karitalai village in 2006 on the Interpol database, the complaint said.

-Timesofindia

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18 January 03, 2014

EDITORIAL

Return of the Repressed Aam Admi’s Impact It’s time to count this year’s blessings. These are in startling abundance, given that India was looking at a logjammed polity at the beginning of 2013. And a heinous gang rape in its capital had magnified fears about how the country’s underlying tensions may explode in the face of sweeping social changes. What’s instead happened is that citizen activism has made a usually stodgy Parliament nimbly push through a really strong anti-rape legislation, and encouraged women to break traditional shackles of shame to report cases of harassment. Plus, the rules of politics at large are being rewritten dramatically.

A rank newcomer’s spectacular debut in Delhi has laid to rest certainties about big money being essential to craft big political successes. Citizen activism has finally found political expression and one that emphatically has no basis in identity politics — of the kind that pits one caste or religion against another. Shah Rukh Khan captures it well in his lungi-dancing blockbuster: Don’t underestimate the power of the common man. AAP may succeed in scripting better governance, or prove a spectacular flop. Either way, it has already forced both Congress and BJP to re-evaluate politicsas-usual and up their game.

India’s primary enrolment ratio is near 100%, with the gap between male and female literacy narrowing dramatically.

It has become the world’s third largest internet user. Sooner rather than later it will be an anachronism to say India lives in its villages. India’s becoming more politically engaged as high voter turnouts in recent assembly polls illustrated. Freebies no longer suffice to seduce its vote, not without jobs and economic growth. Heading towards the largest election on Earth next year, it’s a blessing that the politics of aspiration is gaining an upper hand over the politics of grievances and fear.

Old-school politics of grievances emphasised community rights, often at the expense of individual freedoms. But new India is able and willing to imagine itself outside of communal anxieties. Just consider how it spoke out against the Supreme Court’s recriminalisation of homosexuality. The judges highlighted the minority status of LGBTs most affected by Section 377. But protesters, gay and straight, refused outdated labels of ‘unnatural’, `against Indian culture`, even `minority`. Old-school identity politics pits minorities vs majorities. New-age citizens refuse this trap. They seek good governance, which benefits all without prejudice.

Welcome to a brave new world.

Times of India

BY PRATAP BHANU MEHTA The Ugly Indian and the Ugly American have rediscovered each other.

India and the United States have gone from a strategic partnership to an almost full-scale cultural war.

It is hard to remember a recent episode where the mutual accusations were defined not just by interest or specific injury, but a whole range of cultural attitudes whose utterance had long been suppressed.

The American liberal establishment has suddenly rediscovered an India that is reactionary, exploitative, deceitful, feudal and incapable of the rule of law. India’s response is: tell us something we don’t know. India has discovered an America full of moral double standards, deep hypocrisy, conspiratorial duplicity, an oppressive criminal justice system and an insatiable urge to exert power just for the sake of it. The American response is: you would say that wouldn’t you.

Like many cultural wars, this one is now becoming self-fulfilling— the more each side describes the other, the more each side is convinced of its own virtue. The more the facts of the case are presented, the more general sociological indictments are produced. The Ugly Indian and Ugly American have rediscovered each other.

Of course, the episode looms larger in the Indian consciousness; our self-esteem is shaped by what others think of us. It is hard to shake off the odour of entrapment in what the state department did. But equally, we cannot deny the fact that the government of India made India legally and morally vulnerable by not doing its homework. It would be easy to dismiss this as an artefact of the IFS clinging to its privilege; after all, nothing like the fury unleashed when you cross the Indian bureaucracy.

But there is more to this.

As Devesh Kapur recently pointed out, a crisis in Indo-US relations has long been in the making. There is, of course, the massive shift in perceptions of India that frames the reception of events. India’s new

economy used to be the darling of The New York Times, now its old society is subject to yawningly relentless indictment. India was the maturing great power, now it has become an infantile wannabe. It had a strong government, now it is flailing. But in India, the explosion of reaction goes beyond the IFS and sections of the media. The case has become a marker of our confusions over our relationship with the US. The great momentum in IndoUS relations was framed by two different understandings. The first, which only a handful of strategists understood, was in purely realist terms: leveraging the relationship to expand India’s strategic and developmental options, in light of its own needs. This would require playing a hard-nosed game, shorn of any sentimentality. It had no illusions about what the US could or could not do.

The second framing was psychological: India in a seamless social embrace of the US. After all, the conditions were ripe for it. India’s ruling classes were more linked to the US in terms of networks than they were to their own backyards.

There was a cast of mind in which India’s salvation lay in the US: it was our strategic insurance against China, our economic salvation, our normative ideal. Even those well-disposed to the US have to admit how this syndrome captured so much of India’s elite. The unthinking anti-Americanism of the past had been replaced by a total bewitchment, to the point where we even began to outsource our thinking to the US. To be progressive was to side with the US on almost every issue; to be even moderately critical of US state power was to be castigated and identified with an era of Left overs.

In short, the sentimental and the ideological framing of the relationship began to dominate the hard-nosed strategic thinking. This created an extraordinarily compliant culture in matters relating to the US. Issues were being brushed under the carpet in the name of the larger strategic story. India’s sensi-

tivities to US sensibilities was far in excess of what was warranted, whether over David Headley or our roles in Afghanistan.

The Snowden affair was a reminder that a deep distinction between co-nationals and others pervades interstate relations.

Whatever your weaknesses, in international affairs, hypocrisy should not stand in the way of defending interests. The US will defend its citizens and diplomats, come what may, and will not be bound by any restrictions in what it does to citizens of other countries.

The sense of betrayal is deep because we had framed the relationship so much in psychological terms. The relationship was not going to be sustained without a deeper convergence on many other issues. India needed to protect its interests in a range of multilateral negotiations, from trade to climate change. But the way it did so was through bluster rather than art.

And the relationship was going to suffer when we gave up virtually the only foreign policy we need: growth. So there was no new exciting story to tell in this relationship. What one hoped for was a kind of holding pattern that would preserve the gains of the old.

The Khobragade affair became the occasion for unleashing two contradictory forces. In the US, it is now the return of the infantile and regressive India. The NRIs, our saviours, are now embarrassed

by India. In India, the self-restraint we exercised simply because the US said nice things about us has now come undone. After all, they have violated the central rule of good relations: you don’t use our supposed warts as your excuse.

The indictment of the Indian justice system has done just that. We are chafing because we realised how much we had sacrificed our agency and self-esteem. It is a pity it took this kind of case to drive that realisation home.

The writer is president, Centre for Policy Research, Delhi, and a contributing editor for ‘The Indian Express’

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TRAVEL

January 03, 2014

A Walk Along Belapur’s Pub Street

19

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BY REZA NOORANI Navi Mumbai’s trendiest night out hub plays host to most popular watering and dine-out spaces, but leaves a lot to be desired There is a smattering of pubs and lounges across Navi Mumbai, yet there are few places which have successfully managed to establish a SOHO style entertainment district with the more popular pubs being located all along the same street. But with Belapur’s pub street being one of the only places in Navi Mumbai that has managed to cultivate a number of famous pubs, we check out what’s on offer along the pub-laden street!

Lounges galore The moment you enter pub street, Belapur’s crowded nightspot, you’re taken in by the fact that the place is home to mostly by lounges. Besides the singular club Cult, there is hardly

any night club along the street. Yet almost all lounges have a semblance of a dance floor, a resident DJ and the tunes are mercifully hip. So, if you prefer a hip, low-key venue as opposed to a loud and noisy joint, pubs like Brew House Cafe and Rockville offer just that. Other places, like Rude lounge which is the oldest pub along the street is a more upbeat, loud place with comfy sitting and great shots.

Offers What’s good about pub street is the fact that almost all places great deals on food and beverages. From daily, extendable happy hours on almost all starters and beverages, to cocktail and wine combos; one can save quite a bit.

It works out great if you’re in a group too. Vipin Singh, General Manager of Rude lounge says the offers are a great crowd puller and that they

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make sure they always have promotions going on round the year to keep attracting pub-goers, “Besides our regular happy hours, we have an offer on shots and other drinks that people don’t usually do. This helps introduce people to a wider variety of cocktails and drinks,” says Singh.

Fests Last year the place hosted one of Navi Mumbai’s very first open air events titled ‘Oktobeer fest’ where all the pubs got together and hosted a beer festival along the street, “We saw a 2000 strong crowd last year at the beer fest. There was a Harley Rally and open air beer tasting sessions,” says Ajay More who manages Brew House Cafe. However, the neighbouring residents thought this was too loud for comfort, and this year the beer fest won’t be at that scale, “We have a bee fest where we will be serving imported beers and have various activities planned. But its more low-key and intimate this year,” says Saket Suman Rockville about the upcoming beer fest they plan to hold along Belapur’s swishest night spot!

-Timesofindia

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PUZZLES / RECIPES

Mama’s Punjabi Recipes

Ajawain aur Badam Wala Gur (Jaggery & Carom Seeds Coated Almonds) With the bitter cold weather comes the need for foods that can keep you warm, provide nourishment and give a quick boost of energy. In my ancestral town of Lyallpur in Pre-Partitioned India and the rest of the Punjab, Multan and Northwest Frontier areas, the winter cold fronts would come off the Hindu Khush mountains and the wind would go right through your clothes. We would huddle around clay coal pots or inginthis and warm our hands while milky tea would boil and the vegetables for the day would be cooked.

In the cold winter mornings when everyone was getting ready for work or late in the evenings when it was dark, just before bedtime, we would often make the ajwain aur badam wala gur (jaggery and carom seeds coated almonds) over the ingithi and eat it after dinner or later with a tall brass glass of hot milk to give us warmth. It is especially a good folk remedy for colds and the flu.

People in the Punjab still eat it for its medicinal value, although it has also become available in the markets as a sweet snack during the cold months.

Ajwain is a unique Indian spice that is often used to cure stomach aches or indigestion. The ajwain seed smells almost like thyme but is more aromatic, slightly bitter and stronger in taste. Almonds are a rich source of vitamin E, high quality protein and amino acids, as well as a variety of oils and can help lower LDL cholesterol.

Gur, also known as jaggery, is a uncentrifuged concentrated sugar made from cane juice, without separation of the molasses. It is usually brown in color and is sold in cone shaped blocks. In India, gur –as are almonds - is often used in many Hindu religious ceremonies and is often eaten raw before starting any good work or important new venture or when good news is shared. In folk medicine, gur is considered hot and causes sweating, which allows the body to cool down in the high summer heat.

Ingredients: • 1 cup gur (rock jaggery) • 1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds) • 1 tsp saund (ginger powder) • 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

•

½ cup badam (almonds). If desired, add more almonds

Directions: 1. Break the gur down into smaller pieces. Also break the almonds down into smaller pieces.

2.

In a small kadai, frying pan or wok, pour the ghee in, warm it up over medium heat and then add the almond pieces.

3. Roast the almonds for less than a minute till they turn slightly brown.

4.

Add the ajwain and the ginger powder and stir. They will send out a nice aroma.

5. Throw in the gur pieces, stir the mixture continuously till the gur is melted but careful not to burn it.

off the heat, keep mixture and let it before eating. Be to eat right away burn your mouth.

Shakuntla Malhotra is a skilled cook of Punjabi dishes made in the old-fashioned style that she learnt as a young woman in her ancestral home in Lyallpur, India before it became part of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. People have often admired her cooking for its simplicity and taste that comes with each mouthful. Even in her mid-eighties, she continues to cook daily and agreed to share some of her delectable Punjabi recipes.

Mrs. Malhotra would like to give free knitting classes to those who are interested. She has been an avid knitter all her life and has won praises for many of her sweaters, scarfs and other items.

If enough people are interested in Knitting Classes, Mrs Malhotra will arrange for a weekly class to be taught at India House on a weekend.

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ENTERTAINMENT

January 03, 2014

Suchitra Sen Shifted to Critical Care

KOLKATA: Legendary actress SuchitraSenwasshiftedfromageneral bedtocriticalcarelateonSundaynight.

Doctors said her condition is serious and there is fluid accumulation in her lungs.

According to hospital sources, she is on antibiotic and oxygen. Her diabetic parameter, too, is said to be fluctuating adding to the problem.

Late night reports said the actress was shifted to critical care unit after her condition deteriorated.

Sen was admitted to the Belle Vue Clinic with respiratory tract infection and complaints of breathlessness.

“The patient’s condition remains serious with not much improvement since Saturday,” said a hospital source.

A medical team has been formed to treat the 82-year-old actress.

Living a reclusive life for decades now, Sen was last hospitalized in 2012 for a fracture in the wrist.

She was discharged after a surgery.

The 82-year-old actress, who lives a secluded life and stays locked up inside her apartment, was admitted to Belle Vue Clinic earlier this week after she complained of breathlessness.

The clinic has formed a five-member-committeetomonitorthehealthof

its star patient 24x7 led by cardiologist Dr Subrata Moitra.

Sources in the Belle Vue Clinic said Sen is now on oxygen and has complained of chest pain following which her chest’s CT scan was also done.

She is being administered antibiotics and oxygen, they said.

Beginning her career with the Bengali film ‘Shesh Kothai’in 1952, Sen went on to receive a National Award for her performance in the 1955 Hindi film ‘Devdas’ and is the first Indian actress to be awarded at an international film festival - the best actress award for ‘Saat Paake Bandha’ in 1963 Moscow film festival.

But after her 1978 movie ‘Pronoy Pasha’ with Soumitra Chatterjee flopped, she disappeared from the public eye and even allegedly refused the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2005 preferring not to make a public appearance.

-Timesofindia

21

Farooq Sheikh (1948-2013)

Farooq Sheikh, the well-loved film actor andTVhost has died of a massive heartattack,whileonholidayinDubai.

In the 1970s and 80s, Sheikh worked for Hindi film directors such as Satyajit Ray, Muzaffar Ali, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Ketan Mehta.

He made his debut in the 1973 film Garam Hawa. And went on to do memorable roles in notable films such as Muzaffar Ali’s Gaman, Satyajit Ray’s Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977), Sai Pranjpe’s Chashme Buddoor (1981) and Katha. Important films like

Bazaar and Umrao Jaan followed.

Later, he made a career for himself as a TV star in popular serials such as Shrikant, Chamatkar and Ji Mantriji. He also hosted a popular TV show Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai on television and performed on stage in productions such as Tumhari Amrita, alongside Shabana Azmi, directed by Feroz Abbas Khan.

Earlier this month, he spoke to Outlook on his new film, Club 60.

-Outlookindia

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 03, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

22 January 03, 2014 Memsahib and the Maid The Side Effect of Devyani Khobragade’s Saga

BY RAJ KANWAR IAN INDIA CORRESPONDENT THE ongoing Devyani Khobragade saga that began on December 12 in New York has left in its wake a serious enough side effect; it has brought into focus the widely prevalent, though unhealthy, practice among the members of the diplomatic fraternity of employing Indian maids, nannies, cooks, men-Fridays and their likes on much lower wages than what they are legally entitled to receiving in the US. As the ministry of External Affairs ponders over the desirability of curbing this practice of carrying these ‘human suitcases’ along with the household and other baggage by its staffers on their postings abroad, a wave of uneasiness has spread among the bureaucrats in the South Block.

The issue of employing domestic ‘Help’ from India is a sensitive one

with most of the mandarins in the ministry of external affairs since all of them, by and large, are ‘guilty’ of practicing it whenever they are posted abroad particularly in a western or such country where domestic ‘Help’ is either high cost or not available. Hence this natural anxiety.

A few among the resident IndianAmericans too are guilty of importing Indian domestic ‘Help’ by submitting, without blinking an eyelid, false visa documents. And if they are caught in the act, it is their problem and the Indian government just lets them stew in their own juice. Devyani Khobragade is not the first diplomat to fudge the salary figure on the Help’s visa documents nor will she be the last. It is true that the middle level consular and diplomatic staff posted at the Indian missions is generally not paid salaries that are commensurate with the cost of living in that country;

Devyani

Sangeeta richard

they are, however, entitled to special allowances that are good enough to give them more than a decent standard of living but not large enough to be able to employ ‘imported’ maids.

In fact, this ‘privilege’of employing maids from India has long been considered an essential ‘perk’ that goes with a foreign posting that the diplomatic community will not give up so easily. Some diplomats claim that they, by the nature of their job, are acquired to do ‘wining and dining’ and similar networking. It may be so in a few cases; even then it the embassy that picks up the tab for this ‘wining and dining’. However, the fact is that most of the staffers in an embassy or consulate are not required to play hosts or even interact; they just complete in anonymity their entire tenure.

Why then this craze for ‘hiring’ Indian maids, nannies or even cooks!

To tell the truth, an average family living in an apartment in New York or Washington does not really need any full time domestic help. These very families when in India hardly ever employ a ‘Live-in Help’. They make do with part time bais, ayahs, kaamwalis or maids. Then why crave this itch for a live-in-maid when posted in an expensive foreign country?

Is it because it possibly involves a false sense of status symbol? Or is it simply to keep up with the Joneses?

Indian Americans do not have ‘Live-in’ maids In contrast, almost all Indian Americans, and many are prosperous too, do not generally employ live-in domestic ‘Help’. The relatively well off among them usually retain, what is called, a ‘cleaning lady’ who has a key to the house; she arrives in her own car at the employer’s house generally in his or her absence once or twice a week and performs her assigned ‘chores’, spending three to four hours, and is paid on hourly basis as per the prescribed rate and even higher in many cases because of the exigencies of, ‘demand and supply’.

At times, the ‘cleaning lady’ is also invited to sit at the dining table with her employers and share a meal with them. The respect that these ‘cleaning ladies’ get from their employers in the US must be seen to be believed. Many of these ‘cleaning ladies’ are immigrants from East European countries or Russian republics of the erstwhile Soviet Union. In many states bordering Mexico or other South American countries, the ‘cleaning ladies’ are generally of Hispanic descent.

Nannies or Nanis The Indian Diaspora in the US do not even employ Nannies; the lady of the house would either invite to the US her mother or mother-in-law from India at the ‘delivery time’ and even

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thereafter. It is a win-win situation for both; the daughter or the daughterin-law is assured of an affectionate care of the child by the family’s matriarch without bothering about paying equivalent US wages; she just about costs a return Economy Class air fare. For the visiting Nani (or is it Nanny?) or Dadi, it is yet another visit to the exotic America that enables her to carry home on her return a bagful of ‘boastful’ stories such like, ‘my daughter has three cars’. ‘Baby sitters’ too are also very much in vogue in Indian American families where both the parents work, especially in closely knit communities; young girl students from the families of friends or neighborhood are given the job of looking after the little children and are paid handsomely on hourly basis.

A grandniece of mine last year made a hundred dollars a day, working five or six hours during her summer break; after a month, she had nearly $ 3000 in her piggy bank that she proudly flaunted. In fact, ‘Babysitting’ job is a much-respected practice there and is not looked down upon.

There are currently over a thousand Indian Foreign Service officers, with India having embassies and missions in about 160 countries; most of them are posted in the embassies and missions while some in international organizations such like United Nations, UNESCO, World Bank, Asian Development Bank etc. Thus in a way the ministry of External Affairs has a tricky problem on its hands. The fraternity of diplomats is largely keen to retain this perk and would want the government to subsidize the salaries of their domestic ‘Help’. A major question is will then these ‘domestic employees’ become ‘government employees’? This will certainly create a piquant situation. The then the babus have the tendency of standing together when it comes to their ‘perks, benefits and service conditions’.

Those who will eventually take a call on this issue will themselves be senior Foreign Service officers, and we all know what their decision will be.

FOOTNOTE Devyani Khobragade was arrested on December 12 in New York and charged with visa fraud in respect of her domestic ‘Help’ Sangeeta Richard. The US government has in its generosity accorded Sangeeta the status of ‘a victim of human trafficking’. Incidentally, Philip Richard, Sangeeta’s husband and their two children were flown by an Air India flight on 10th December to the US. Their tickets were paid for by the US embassy in New Delhi. The return journey is slated for 3rd March, 2014 but the ticket also has the ‘Open’ option. Wonder, why have the Uncle Sam done such a philanthropic act.

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New Year Holds out Promise for Rupee as Fundamentals Improve

Outflows from the debt market, amid worries that the US Fed will taper its $85-billion-per-month bondbuying programme, contributed to the rupee weakness. Photo: Mint

BY JOEL REBELLO MUMBAI: Renewed interest from foreign institutional investors (FIIs), a rebound in exports, and an expected economic recovery at home, combined with improved economic fundamentals in developed markets, are expected to boost the rupee in the New Year after a volatile 2013.

The return of FII money is one big positive the rupee can take into 2014, said Harihar Krishnamoorthy, treasurer at FirstRand Bank.

“The FIIs have invested more than Rs.60,000 crore in 2013 in both debt as well as equity, and about one-third of this has come in December. More importantly, after continuous outflows between June and November, FIIs are also buying Indian debt,” Krishnamoorthy said.

The rupee is coming off a year in which it plumbed new depths, sliding 20% from the start of the

year to a lifetime low of Rs.68.85 per dollar on 28 August. It has since recovered to around Rs.62 per dollar, but still lost about 11.08% in the year to date. The domestic currency ended at 61.85 on Friday, up 0.52% from its previous close.

Outflows from the debt market, amid worries that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) will taper its $85-billion-per-month bond-buying programme, contributed to the rupee weakness. Between June and November, FIIs pulled out $13 billion from the debt market as concerns over India’s high current account deficit (CAD) and slowing economy also weighed on investor sentiment.

The rupee’s fall continued even after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in July restricted banks’access to easy money in a bid to prevent speculation in the currency market. An improvement in the CAD, led by

the government’s measures to curb imports of non-essential items, especially gold, helped the rupee recover.

Inflows returned in December, with FIIs buying $932 million of Indian debt in the month.

Government data released earlier this month showed that the CAD fell to 1.2% of gross domestic product (GDP) in the July-September quarter, the lowest level since the fourth quarter of 2010-11. It was down from 4.9% in the quarter ended June and 5% in the year-ago quarter.

Economic growth also accelerated to 4.8% in the second quarter from 4.4% in the preceding quarter, aided by higher growth in industry and agriculture and a pick-up in exports.

Exports rose 12% to $81.2 billion in the quarter ended September while imports declined 4.8% to $114.5 billion. Gold imports in the quarter were at $3.9 billion, down from

$16.4 billion in the first quarter and $11.1 billion in the year-ago period.

The fact that developed economies such as the US, Japan and Europe are doingbetteraugurswellforexportsand hence the rupee, saidAnanth Narayan, co-head of wholesale banking, South Asia, Standard Chartered Plc. “In a way, the fact that the US has started to taper its multi-billion dollar bond-buying programme is good news because that means that they are doing well. The challenge for India is to get the large infrastructure projects off the ground before the next general elections,” Narayan said.

India is expected to go to the polls in May and a lot of the recent positive sentiment among investors is linked to expectations that the country will vote for a decisive mandate in favour of a stable government.

Such expectations have risen after the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the November-December state elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and emerged as the largest single bloc in the Delhi assembly, although it didn’t stake a claim to form the government for lack of a clear majority.

“The best-case scenario for the rupee would be if stuck projects can be put back on track and we have a clear mandate in the elections later,” Narayan said. He estimates that projects worth more than $100 billion are waiting for clearances currently.

To be sure, foreign exchange (forex) dealers are worried about the ability of the Indian government to stick to its fiscal deficit target of 4.8% of GDP this financial year, citing a tendency on the part of politicians to splurge money on populist measures in the run-up to the election.

On 23 December, credit rating agency Crisil Ltd said it expects India’s fiscal deficit to be 5.2% of GDP. It suggested that instead of cutting spending like it planned to do, the gov-

ernment should meet its fiscal deficit target by taking out special dividends from public sector undertakings.

The government is expected to overshoot the fiscal year limit it set for itself, said Arvind Narayanan, an executive director and head of sales, treasuryandmarketsatDBSBankLtd. “The rupee’s resurgence in the last few days is mostly due to one-off measures like attracting new inflows through special schemes or restricting demand from oil companies in the market. Now, when those inflows are no longer there and oil demand is back, the rupee will be under pressure,” Narayanan said.

RBI collected a total of $32 billion from a special concessional swap for foreign currency deposits and an overseas borrowing window for banks.

Under the special swap window, banks got fresh dollar deposits for a minimum tenure of three years, at a fixed rate of 3.5% per annum.

Banks themselves could also borrow up to 100% of their Tier I capital or equity and reserves from overseas, to be swapped with RBI at 100 basis points below the rate prevailing in the international market. A basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point.

Narayan of Standard Chartered said how the rupee moves depends a lot on the election results. “Elections are most crucial and also the fact of how we handle our fiscal deficit,” he said.

Krishnamoorthy from FirstRand said that though the global scenario looks favourable, a faster recovery in the US may also have its pitfalls.

“If the US economy recovers faster than expected and unemployment falls quickly, then the Fed may reduce liquidity at a more aggressive pace. In that scenario, foreign investors will become more risk averse, impacting emerging market currencies,” Krishnamoorthy said.

-Livemint.com

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INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 03, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

24 January 03, 2014 India’s Batting Collapse Gives Jacques Kallis Great Send-off

BY SIDDARTH RAVINDRAN DURBAN (ESPN Cricinfo): South Africa 500 (Kallis 115, de Villiers 74, Jadeja 6-138) and 59 for 0 beat India 334 (Vijay 97, Pujara 70, Steyn 6-100) and 223 (Rahane 96, Peterson 4-74) by ten wickets South Africa overpowered India by ten wickets in Jacques Kallis’ final Test to give one of the greatest of Test careers the perfect end.

Kallis will retire satisfied at having been an integral part of a South Africa side who are the undisputed No. 1 in Tests, having lost just one of their previous 25 series stretching back to 2006.

It was a wonderful summer day to sign off. A 40% chance of rain was expected to be one of India’s allies on a day that was the biggest challenge for their young batting line-up. Instead, they were greeted by clear blue skies and pleasant sunshine. And their chances worsened dramatically within 15 minutes of the start of play, as Dale Steyn removed their two best batsmen, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, in a fierce spell of fast bowling.

India managed to clear the deficit just before lunch, but South Africa had mopped up five wickets in the first session to put themselves on the verge of a series victory.

Though it was the fifth day, the track was still reasonably good for batting, but only Ajinkya Rahane stuck it out with a hugely impressive 96 before becoming the last man out.

A target of 58 proved little challenge to South Africa’s openers, who knocked it off in less than 12 overs to end a Durban ‘jinx’ that lasted since early 2008, with the home side failing to win four previous Tests.

Earlier, Steyn struck a big blow on the first ball itself as he got a shortish delivery to rear up and had Kohli caught behind. Kohli couldn’t believe the decision, as the ball had brushed his shoulder on the way through to the keeper but he was on his way.

If Kohli couldn’t be faulted for his dismissal, very little blame could be attached to Pujara for his exit as well. Steyn produced

fore he was bowled for 96.

India’s chances had withered long before that. Robin Peterson stuck twice in an over - MS Dhoni chipped a catch to midwicket, to bring back the questions over his ability to bat in away Tests, and Ravindra Jadeja holed out to longoff. India had slumped to 154 for 7. Zaheer Khan, unlike in recent innings, showed some application before falling to a carrom ball that rounded off a great day for Peterson.

South Africa may be the winners, but India have had plenty to gain from the series as well. Widely expected to be thrashed 2-0 on this tour, they showed they could hold their own against the toughest team around. It is a certainly a massive step up from their two previous high-profile overseas series, which ended in disastrous 4-0 losses, something to cheer their fans despite the Durban defeat.

Siddarth Ravindran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

Selections for NZ ODIs

Ajinkya Rahane’s fighting 96 was the only highlight of India’s second inning.

the ball of the match - a quick delivery that angled in and then nipped away to beat Pujara’s attempt at keeping it out and clip the top of offstump. India were left shellshocked by that early burst as Steyn gave another reminder of why he remains the most lethal fast bowler around.

Rohit Sharma had shouldered arms and lost his middle stump first ball in the first innings, but he fared better this time around.

There was plenty of chat with a fired-up Steyn, who sledged him with lines like “I’ve got more runs than you this series,” and “You have done nothing in your career.”

Rohit survived both Steyn’s spell and the verbals, but there was no redemption on a disappointing tour for him as he was caught lbw by a ripping incutter from Vernon Philander for 25.

His Mumbai team-mate Rah-

ane, though, has vastly enhanced his reputation on this series. After nearly two years with the Test squad without getting a proper look-in, he has finally got a couple of games on this challenging tour, and he has locked in his place with a bunch of gutsy knocks. There were an array of classic drives in his fighting innings, one of the highlights of which was a gentle straight drive for four off Steyn.

Rahane’s defensive solidity was on display as he kept out the hostile South African quicks, again showcasing his temperament. He also showed that he had that vital quality for a No. 6, the ability to bat with the tail as he and the lower order frustrated South Africa for more than an hour after lunch. He was marching towards a maiden Test century, going for his shots - including a seemingly effortless six over point off Philander - be-

MUMBAI: India’s national selectors will meet on Tuesday to pick the squad for the five ODIs in New Zealand in January. On their just-concluded tour of South Africa, India lost two ODIs heavily while their bowlers conceded 301 in the washed-out third game.

However, the selectors are not expected to tinker too much with the one-day unit, with the focus being on providing stability to the outfit in the run-up to the 2015 World Cup. Cheteshwar Pujara’s Test displays in South Africa are likely to earn him a spot ahead of Yuvraj Singh, which is expected to be the only major change.

Among the others, Mohit Sharma’s place could be under scrutiny, after his lackluster display in the Wanderers ODI, where he went for 82 runs from ten overs.

It is not certain if the selectors will use the same meeting to choose the side for the two Tests in Auckland and Wellington that follow the one-dayers in New Zealand. If they do, there are unlikely to be major changes, with the batsmen doing reasonably well, barring the last day in Durban.

SPORTS

Pak to Test Sri Lanka DUBAI -- Appetisers devoured, entrées done, the tour arrives at its main course with fans’ appetites well whetted. Five of the seven limited-overs matches have been good contests, and the cricket has largely been absorbing. Sri Lanka have won fewer matches, but they are now boosted by the return of their primary Test match-winner in Rangana Herath, and their best batsman against spin in Mahela Jayawardene.

Still, in the UAE, Pakistan hold the pre-series aces. Sri Lanka have not only had no Tests since March, they have also foregone the practice matches that are so often the bedrock of successful foreign expeditions. Three clear days between the last ODI and the first day of the Test only exacerbate their challenge.

Pakistan are also at a clear advantage in another area - though they are missing Mohammad Irfan for this series, their pace attack is venomous where Sri Lanka’s is only doughty. No bowler in Sri Lanka’s 16-man squad is Junaid Khan’s equal, and although Umar Gul has a mediocre record against Sri Lanka, the reverse-swing he gleans on dry pitches may prove potent against the visitors’ inexperienced middle order. In comparison, Suranga Lakmal has never taken more than four wickets in a match and averages 65.75, while Shaminda Eranga has been far from his best in domestic cricket over the past two months.

Where Sri Lanka will hope to make the most ground on their opposition is in the top order. Kumar Sangakkara averages a staggering 89.23 in 31 innings against Pakistan, and if Saeed Ajmal has a kryptonite, Sangakkara is his glowing, green nightmare.

Misbah-ul-Haq andAngelo Mathews with the series trophy, Abu Dhabi.

INDO AMERICAN NEWS • FRIDAY, JANUARY 03, 2014 • ONLINE EDITION: WWW.INDOAMERICAN-NEWS.COM

January 03, 2014

25

Defiant Musharraf Says Army’s Backing Him

Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf. — File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf on Sunday denounced treason charges against him as a “vendetta”, and said he had the backing of the country’s powerful army.

The 70-year-old told reporters the “whole army” was upset with the treason allegations, in his first comments to international media since he was put under house arrest in April.

The treason claims are the latest and potentially most serious in a flurry of criminal cases relating to Musharraf’s nine-year rule that he has faced since returning to Pakistan in March.

The case puts the government on a possible collision course with the all-powerful army, which is seen as being reluctant to witness its former chief suffer the indignity of being tried by a civilian court.

“I would say the whole army is upset. I have led the army from the

front,” Musharraf told reporters.

“I have no doubt with the feedback that I received that the whole army is... Totally with me on this issue.”

The military, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 66-year history and still wields great influence, has not made any clear public comment on Musharraf’s legal woes.

The treason charges relate to Musharraf’s imposition of emergency rule in Nov 2007, and if found guilty he could face the death penalty or life imprisonment.

An initial hearing in the case, being heard by a special tribunal, was halted on Dec 24 after explosives were found along the route Musharraf was to take to court.

The case is due to resume on Jan 1, but Musharraf said he had not yet decided whether or not he would attend.

“The way this tribunal was formed, whichinvolvedtheprimeministerand

the ex-chief justice, this itself smacks a little bit of a vendetta,” he said Sunday.

Musharraf’s lawyers have dismissed the charges as an attempt by the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who Musharraf ousted in a coup in 1999, to settle old scores through the courts.

Legal barrage Musharraf returned to Pakistan to run in May’s general election — won by Sharif — but his homecoming proved to be disastrous.

He was barred from running for office almost immediately and then hit with a series of serious criminal allegations dating back to his time in power, which ended in 2008.

These include murder charges over the assassination in late 2007 of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, as well as the death of Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, a deadly military raid on a radical mosque and the detention of judges.

Musharraf’s tribulations represent a dramatic change in fortunes for the man who led Pakistan into its alliance with Washington’s “war on terror” and was a staunch ally of then-US president George W. Bush.

To add to the former commando’s humiliation, in April he was placed under house arrest — an unprecedented move against a former army chief in Pakistan.

He has now been granted bail in all of the cases against him and is technically a free man, but threats to his life mean he lives under heavy guard in his farmhouse on the edge of Islamabad.

The cases have ground through

the country’s notoriously slow legal system, moving from adjournment to adjournment with little clear progress made apart from the granting of bail.

There have been persistent rumours that a deal would be struck to let him leave the country before facing the courts to avoid a clash between the army and government.

But no deal has been forthcoming and last week, speaking publicly for the first time since his house arrest began, Musharraf vowed to stay and fight to clear his name.

As the treason case has drawn closer, Musharraf’s team have stepped up their media campaign in an effort to enlist international support.

At a press conference in London last week, his British lawyers said they had written to urge the UN to intervene in what they called a “stage-managed show trial”.

They also urged London and Washington to support Musharraf to “repay their debt” for his support in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

From the Newspaper: INFLATED ASSESSMENT: Defence analyst Talat Masood, himself a retired general, voiced scepticism about Mr Musharraf’s claims of widespread support among the military.

He said that while some elements might be sympathetic, to say that the whole army was behind Mr Musharraf was an “inflated assessment”.

“The army has already given its nod as far as the trial is concerned,” Mr Masood told AFP. “Somewhohavenotreconciledwith this reality will have to accept it later.

Armyhasalreadyacceptedthereality.”

Mr Musharraf returned to Pakistan to run in May’s general election but it proved to be a disastrous homecoming. He was barred from running for office and hit with a series of serious criminal allegations dating back to his time in power, which ended in 2008.

These include murder charge over the assassination in 2007 of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, as well as charges over the death of Nawab Akbar Bugti, a deadly military action against militants in Red Mosque and the detention of judges.

Hehasnowbeengrantedbailinallof the cases against him and is technically a free man, but Taliban threats to kill him mean he lives under heavy guard.

Nothing has come so far of persistent rumours that a deal would be struck to let him leave Pakistan before facing the courts to avoid a clash between the army and government.

Mr Masood said he felt the case is a watershed in civilian-military relations, with the government trying to prove that not even senior officers are above the law.

As the treason case has drawn closer, Mr Musharraf’s team has stepped up their media campaign to try to enlist international support.

At a press conference in London last week, his British lawyers urged the United Nations to intervene in what they called a “stage-managed show trial” and asked London and Washington to “repay their debt” for Mr Musharraf’s support in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.—AFP -Indianexpress

New Delhi CM Sings, Makes them a Promise: We Formed Govt to Give it Back to Janata

BY DIPANKAR GHOSE NEW DELHI: He was still dressed in his trademark blue sweater. He still began his speech with “Inquilab zindabad”. But this time, there was a different ring to the two words. In his first speech as the Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had formed the government to “give it back to the janata”.

Addressing a sea of people, Kejriwal said, “Today is a historic day. It is not just me or six other ministers who have taken oath today. Every resident of Delhi has taken oath with us. We

did not come to take control of the government. We formed the government to give it back to the janata.”

Holding up Delhi as an example where “politics can be conducted cleanly”, he said, “This is only the beginning. It will be complete only when we throw out corruption completely. But I am sure, if Delhi’s janata of 1.5 crore stand together as one, we can do it. I don’t say that God has given us all the brains in the world... that we have a magic wand that will solve all problems in a day. But together we will run this government.”

Kejriwal struck a belligerent note

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when he spoke of the impending no-confidence motion his party will face next week. “If the no-confidence motion falls, we will come back to the janata and we will win the re-election.

We don’t believe in jod tod. We left all our careers to cleanse politics. The other parties are worried because of this and are fighting among themselves,” he said.

Talking about his mentor Anna Hazare, Kejriwal said, “Anna used to say that politics is dirty. Twoand-a-half years back, Annaji held a 13-day fast to remove corruption and to get the Janlokpal Bill passed.

In these last two years, we did every possible thing. We fasted, agitated but nothing happened. Gradually it became clear that without changing country’s politics we cannot get rid of corruption.”

“I used to suggest Anna that if we want to clean the system, then we will have to get down in this ‘dirty politics’,” he said.

Kejriwal also paid tribute to Santosh Koli, originally the candidate from Seemapuri who lost her life in an accident this year. “We lost Santosh Koli in this battle. I have heard that a shaheed may lose his or her life,

but his or her atma lives with us. I am proud her shahadat did not go in vain,” he said.

He ended with a song he called the AAP anthem. He sang a Manna Dey composition from the 1959 film Paighaam. “Har ek mahal se kaho ki jhopadiyon mein diye jalaayen, chhoton aur badon mein ab koi fark nahin reh jaaye,” he sand. His six ministers, and one lakh followers at the Ramlila Maidan, sang with him.

-Indianexpress

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