Indian Times by Paul McLane

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February 2015

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February 2015

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India can spread the message of tolerance: Israel ambassador

he Israel embassy here observed the International Holocaust Remembrance Day with a memorial event organised jointly with the French embassy and United Nations Information Centre. In 2005, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution establishing 27 January as International Holocaust Remembrance Day urging every member nation to honor the memory of Holocaust victims, the over 6 million Jews killed by the Nazi regime.

February 2015 Edition

The memorial event started with a short memorial ceremony for school students from Delhi. Students from various schools participated in the ceremony, where the movie ‘The Last Korczak Boy’, was also screened. Students also wrote messages which were hung outside on barbed wires as a mark of respect for the Holocaust victims. The evening saw the screening of the film, ‘Rafting to Bombay’, by Israeli film Director Erez Laufer, which depicts the tragic story of

5 year old Nahum and his mother on how they escaped the Nazis in Poland, crossed Europe by train and sailed to India. Speaking on the occasion. Israel ambassador to India said Daniel Carmon said the Holocaust was systematic, bureaucratic, ruthless annihilation of six million Jews by the Nazis and their collaborators. “It was a crime unprecedented, unique in the annals of human history. It was different not only in its magnitude and cruelty but also in its man-

ner and purpose as a mass criminal enterprise organized by a state against defenseless civilian populations,” he said. “Anti-Semitism had never had set its foot in India. Jews have been living here peacefully without persecutions for over two millennia. This is a lesson and message of tolerance India can and should teach other nations and other countries,” he added.

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day before the campaign for the Delhi assembly election comes to an end, Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal went to the people, their promises sweeping and jibes personal, as the citystate heads for one of its most heated contests ever. Prime Minister Modi, taking over from where Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had left off, addressed a 20,000-strong crowd in his fourth and last public meeting in the campaign on Wednesday, saying that the charges against the Aam Aadmi party over dubious donations had exposed the Kejriwal-led outfit. The election will be held on February 7 with counting on February 10. Modi also sought to put to rest the controversy over BJP’s vision document that referred to those from the Northeast as “immigrants”, which had sparked sporadic violence in parts of Assam. Rahul Gandhi, in unusually combative mode, trained his guns on the PM and said he had failed to deliver on promises made during the Lok Sabha polls on bringing back black money and arresting inflation. “The PM wears suits worth Rs 10 lakh, but even that is not made in India. It is made in the UK, and he speaks of ‘Make in India’,” said

the Gandhi scion in a taunt aimed at Modi’s programme to turn India into a global manufacturing hub. But the PM and the Congress vice-president were pretty much reduced to side-players in an election that has seen a vicious war of words between Team Kejriwal and BJP. BJP chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi fired a salvo at her former colleague, saying Kejriwal was only bothered about TV mileage, not even his own reputation. The retort came quickly. They keep on hurling allegations against us. Now they are saying we used hawala money. I want to ask, in the past 65 years, since when has hawala money been taken by cheque.” Kejriwal also met the chief election commissioner over his allegation that electronic voting machines (EVMs) had been tampered with to suit the BJP, an accusation that the poll panel denied. Meanwhile, Krishna Nagar constituency, where Kiran Bedi is contesting, saw some dramatic scenes. An emotional Bedi was seen wiping away tears and said she was overwhelmed by the affection of people. A short while later, in a big show of strength, hundreds of AAP women workers led by actor-activist Gul Panag and former banker Meera Sanyal landed up in the constituency,

Photo source: PTI

Delhi Elections 2015: BJP may touch majority mark

dancing to loud drum beats and raising slogans such as, “Pehle Sheila haari hai, ab Bedi ki baari hai (First Sheila Dikshit lost, now its Bedi’s turn).” The BJP accepted its vision document contained a typographical error, referring to

people from the Northeast as “immigrants”. On the other hand, neither Congress nor AAP has made any reference to people from Northeast, said BJP leader and minister Nirmala Sitharaman. People from the Northeast are routinely discriminated against

in the Capital besides being subjected to sexual harassment and violent attacks. Modi said rivals were using the error to threaten national unity. Sitharaman said neither AAP nor Congress had concrete plans for New Delhi.

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he 2015 Cricket World Cup will be the 11th Cricket World Cup, scheduled to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand from 14 February to 29 March 2015. 49 matches will be played in 14 venues with Australia staging 26 games at grounds in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney while New Zealand hosts 23 games in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Napier, Nelson and Wellington. The final match of the tournament will take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It will be one of the world’s largest international sports tournaments, with 14 competing teams and more than 400 accredited players and officials taking part in it. The hosting rights were awarded at the same time as those of the 2011 Cricket World Cup, which Australia and New Zealand had originally bid to host, and the 2019 Cricket World Cup, which was awarded to England. The 2011 tournament was awarded to the four Asian Test cricket playing countries, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, in a 10 to 3 vote (Pakistan later lost the co-hosting rights due to a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team). The International Cricket Council were sufficiently impressed with the trans-Tasman bid that it was decided to award the next World Cup to Australia and New Zealand. This is the second time that the tournament will be held in

Australia and New Zealand, with the first being the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Sachin Tendulkar has been named as the 2015 Cricket World Cup Ambassador by the ICC for the second time, after 2011 Cricket World Cup where he was the ambassador. India are the defending champions, having won the tournament in 2011 when it was held in the Indian subcontinent, defeating Sri Lanka in the finals by 6 wickets. Tickets for the Pool B match between India and Pakistan scheduled on 15 February 2015, were reportedly sold out within 12 minutes. The ICC announced the hosts for the previous World Cup, the 2011 competition, on 30 April 2006. Australia and New Zealand had also bid for the tournament and a successful Australasian bid for the 2011 World Cup would have seen a 50–50 split in games, with the final still up for negotiation. The Trans-Tasman bid, Beyond Boundaries, was the only bid for 2011 delivered to the ICC headquarters at Dubai before 1 March deadline. Considerable merits of the bid included the superior venues and infrastructure, and the total support of the Australian and New Zealand governments on tax and custom issues during the tournament, according to Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland. The New Zealand government had also assured that the Zimbabwean team would be allowed to take part

Photo source: deccanchronicle

2015 Cricket World Cup

in the tournament after political discussions about whether their team would be allowed to tour Zimbabwe in 2005. ICC President Ehsan Mani said that the extra time required by the Asian bloc to hand over its bid had harmed the four-nation bid. However, when it came to the voting, the Asians won by seven votes to four; according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), it was the vote of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) that turned the matter. It was reported in Pakistani newspaper Dawn that the Asian countries promised to hold fund-raising events for West Indian cricket during the

2007 Cricket World Cup, which may have influenced the vote.[9] However, I.S. Bindra, chairman of the monitoring committee of the Asian bid, denied that, saying that it was their promise of extra profits of US$400 million that swung the vote in their way. The ICC was so impressed by the efficiency of the TransTasman bid that they decided to award the next World Cup, to be held in 2015, to them. Australia and New Zealand last jointly hosted the Cricket World Cup in 1992. The tournament will feature 14 teams, the same number as the 2011 World Cup, giving associ-

ate and affiliate member nations a chance to participate. The format is the same as the 2011 edition: 14 teams will take part in the initial stages, divided into two groups of seven; the seven teams play each other once before the top four teams from each group qualify for the quarter-finals. The format ensures that each team gets to play a minimum of six matches even if they exit in the group stage. On 29 January 2015, ICC reinstated the use of the Super Over in the Cricket World Cup final if the match finishes as a tie. The decision applies from the 2015 World Cup.

tourist visa applications received this January was 37% higher than the same month last year. “We have received 12,176 tourist visa applications this January while the number was 8,908 last January. This is a very significant increase,” a high commission spokesperson said. New Zealand is granting visa on arrival to cricket fans who have an Australian tourist visa. The offer is open from January 26 to April 5. Such is the surge in applications for travel to Australia that it’s taking longer than usual to process visa forms. Tourism Australia, in an advisory to travel agents here, said, “Due to large number of tourists travelling to Australia for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 and summer holidays, the visa office at the Australian high commission, New Delhi, is currently experiencing a very high volume of visitor visa lodgements. As a result, visa processing time may take longer than usual.” “Travellers planning to apply for an Australian visitor/ business visa are requested to please keep clear 15 working days (three weeks) on hand at the time of submitting the application to avoid any kind of disap-

pointment,” the advisory said. It also requested clients and agents to keep status inquiries by phone and email to a minimum, “taking into account the above update on processing times and given that attending to large volumes of inquiries impacts on the resources available to finalize visa applications.” The steep costs of travelling Down Under for hardly seem to be deterring Indian fans. Travel portal Yatra COO Sharat Dhal said they are offering a package for over Rs 2 lakh which includes tickets for the India-Pakistan game on February 15 at the Adelaide Oval. “This eight-day package is now sold out. Our bookings for Australia and New Zealand have tripled in comparison to last year. We have huge demand for Australia customized packages around February and March,” Dhal said. Said Ranjeet Oak, MakeMyTrip incharge of holidays, “We have seen an overall growth of close to 50% for Australia for the February-March period... As most of the match venues are fairly close to major travel attractions, travellers can combine their love for sports and explore these destinations as well.”

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Indian fans pad up to visit Australia

o distance, it seems, is too great for the cricket fan. With the Men in Blue out to defend their title and

February 2015 Edition

a mouth-watering contest with Pakistan on offer, there’s a rush of Indians waiting to go to Australia and New Zealand to cheer

their team in the World Cup games. The Australian high commission here said the number of

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‘Youth Should Lay Stress on Cultural Values’

wamini Jnanabhanishta of Rishijnana Sadhanalayam, here has called upon the youths to give stress to cultural values in all their activities. Inaugurating the youth meeting as part of the 103rd Ayroor-Cherukolppuzha Hindu convention on the fifth day on Thursday, Swamini Janabhanishta cautioned the youth against the fulfilment of the modern material demands. She urged the youths to introspect themselves on their attitude towards the fellow beings. The new generation should be aware of the obligations and commitments towards the society, the swamini said. The role and contributions of the youths in the nation-building

exercise are important for the overall development of the country, the swamini added. The swamini called on the youth to lay stress on thinking rather than words. The younger generation should undertake the tasks with a selfless mindset, she said. Chief coordinator of International Sree Krishna Kendram Major Lalkrishna presided over the function. S Sabarinath of Bharatheeya Vichara Kendram and Assistant Collector Sreeram Venkitaraman delivered discourses. A K Aniraj welcomed the gathering and Sathyan Nair proposed a vote of thanks. Swami Prabhakarananda Saraswathi, general secretary of Kerala Margha Darsana Mandal, also spoke

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True love does exist, according to majority of unfaithful people

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alentine’s Day is set to be a busy one with recent news from Victoria Milan – a website for married and attached people looking to cheat. The site has revealed that marital cheaters are hopeless romantics, with the majority of members surveyed firmly believing in true love (77%). Nearly 60% of cheaters, however, say true love must contain an erotic element and 36% of these cheaters declared that sexual attraction has an expiration date. In an interesting twist, nearly 50% claim the sensual part of their loving relationship will never end. Founder and CEO of Victoria Milan, Sigurd Vedal said the results begged the question – can a relationship stand the test of time without a physical and erotic element? “The majority of our members say no – unless the couple is open to finding the sexual element outside of their relationship. Others say the union can continue, however not in an ‘ideal’ or healthy’ way. Our members tell us that having an affair makes their primary

February 2015 Edition

relationship happier and more likely to last,” Mr Vedal said. Members said the physical part of the relationship is most likely to end in the first two years (13.5%), after 3-10 years (22%), between 10-20 years (14.8%). The majority is hopeful, with nearly 50% saying their erotic love they share with their partner will never die out. Survey Data Do you think true love exists? Yes (77.1%) No (22.9%) Does true love always involve erotic love? Yes (59.2%) No (40.8%) Does erotic love have an expiration date? Yes (36.1%) No (63.9%) When do you think true erotic love ends in a loving relationship? 0-2 years (13.5%) 3-10 years (22.0%) 10-20 years (14.8%) Never (49.7%) Could a relationship last forever without erotic love? Yes – you can find eroticism somewhere else (30.7%) No – if the passion has ended in a relationship, it will not last long (38.0%) Yes – but not in a ‘healthy’ or ‘ideal’ way (31.3%)

he Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) released a video on YouTube aimed at educating Australians at work and at home on the cyber threat. “Two of the key roles of the ACSC are to raise awareness of cyber security and enable reporting of cyber security incidents.” “This video is titled “Recognise. Report.” and aims to build awareness of the cyber threat and encourage reporting.” “The ACSC is trying a different approach to traditional methods of security communication.” “We have taken a light hearted approach, simplified the message, and concluded with a strong call to action to report suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.” “We envisage “Recognise. Report.” will be a useful resource for organisations to start a conversation about protecting their

Photo source: deccanchronicle

• Nearly 80% of marriage cheaters believe in true love • 59% say true love must involve a physical element

vital information,” he said. Every report helps the ACSC to develop a better understanding of the threat environment and will assist other organisations who are also at risk. Cyber security incident reports are also used in aggregate to develop new defensive techniques and training measures to help prevent future incidents. The video is available at the new ACSC YouTube channel. The ACSC receives reporting from Australian business and government agencies, while members of the public are referred to the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN). The ACORN is a secure reporting and referral service for all Australians for cybercrime and any online incidents that may be in breach of Australian law.

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ll India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi made an impassioned plea to the government to give reservation to the Muslim community to enable it join the national mainstream. Addressing a massive rally in Pune, the Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad indirectly referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statements offering Quran and laptops to Muslims during his election rallies in Pune before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. “Mr. Prime Minister, the Holy Quran we keep in our hearts, you can keep the computers. Just give us reservation and we shall make ourselves capable in all respects,” Owaisi urged, amidst thunderous applause. He said that in the past 15 years of the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party rule in Maharashtra, the issue of reservation was not resolved and called upon the present BJP Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to give quotas to Muslims based on social representation. “Why can’t there be Muslim doctors, IAS, IPS officers? The community’s population in Maharashtra is 11 percent or more than 12 million, but 70 percent live below the poverty line. Not a single Muslim MP was elected from here in the past few elections,” he said, as the crowds cheered him.

Owaisi said he was proud to be a Muslim, to wear a cap, sport a beard, and wear a ‘sherwani’ (a typical Muslim jacket) as the crowd chanted “Sher aaya, bhai Sher aaya” (Tiger has come...). “We wear this ordinary ‘sherwani’, locally stitched, as we are a poor community, unlike you Mr. Prime Minister. “We have no objections and wish you have many more such specially stitched jackets from London, but Muslim youth are in a pathetic condition, they need reservation,” Owaisi said, in a reference to Modi’s wardrobe which became a topic of discussion during US President Barack Obama’s recent visit to India. He said the Muslim community must be taken together in the BJP’s slogan of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”, and Modi should ensure equal development of the minority community. Owaisi vowed to visit every corner of Maharashtra in favour of reservation. Dismissing contentions that Muslims did not contribute to the Indian freedom struggle, he said many people from the community sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence. He said independent India’s first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was in favour of granting reservation to Muslims not on religious grounds, but on social

Photo source: PTI

Muslims want reservation, not computers: Owaisi

grounds. Owaisi posed a direct question to Modi, asking: “Mr. Prime Minister, how did your friend Amit Shah secure a clean chit in the Sohrabuddin case so quickly? Why innocent Muslim youths languish for years in jail? “Try them in fast track courts. If there is no evidence against them, they must be released. If they are guilty, they must be punished.” Most roads leading to Kauserbaug Hall, which is actually an open venue for weddings and other functions, were jammed. H u g e crowds gath-

ered on the roads, on building terraces, vehicles and tree tops, waiting to catch a glimpse of the firebrand leader at the ‘Muslim Arakshan Parishad’ organised by the Maharashtra and Mulnivasi Muslim Manch. Earlier Wednesday, police had slapped Owaisi with stringent conditions for speaking at the rally with warnings of action if he made any inflammatory statements. The rally, which was mired in uncertainties for the past couple of days following objections from the local Shiv Sena and the Pune Cantonment Board, saw police

making over 300 preventive arrests of Shiv Sainiks who were planning to demonstrate at the venue. Virtually gagging Owaisi, police had directed Owaisi to refrain from provocative utterances which could create religious, linguistic or communal tension and the media was barred from covering the event live from the venue. Police estimated the crowd at around 2,000, even as the organisers claimed there were 25,000 people. Independent witnesses and media persons pegged the crowd at 13,000-15,000.

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Fresh probe into 1984 riots must fix responsibility, speed up rehab

he government may not have officially announced it, but the fact that it is now public that it has decided to constitute a Special Investigation Team to look into the 1984 antiSikh riots is clearly with an eye to the Delhi elections. The horrific

riots following the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is a blot in the Congress’ copybook which simply refuses to go away. But, the fact is that successive governments have used the carnage as a political tool to either benefit electorally

or beat rivals. This time around, the government has acted after a report by a panel headed by retired Justice GP Mathur found that 225 cases need probing. The main accused are people like Congress leaders Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar who

allegedly egged on the riots if not participated in them. There have been as many as 11 committees which have looked into the riots. And yet, it is now found that crucial evidence and testimony have been overlooked. The Akalis seem to have chosen a propitious

electoral moment to ask for cases against some Congress leaders to be reopened. In all this politics, the cause of the victims seems all but forgotten. This government has hiked the rates of compensation, but that is hardly real justice coming as it does so late in the day. A whole generation has grown up in relief camps, many have died without seeing justice done for the deaths of their loved ones. In many ways, the political class does not seem to want closure on this, preferring to pull it out of the mothballs whenever it suits them. There are at least 15 seats in this Delhi election whose outcome can be influenced by the Sikh vote. However, the question of rehabilitation has never been addressed. The adequately manner in which the Delhi riots have been treated is of a piece with communal violence elsewhere. If the next SIT can affix responsibility and speed up rehabilitation, then it will have served some purpose. But, after so many years of living in a legal twilight zone, many survivors have little hope that this will be last investigative body to look into what Union home minister Rajnath Singh termed a genocide.

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When Jacqueline Fernandez donned the director’s hat for ‘Roy’

nown to don several hats and playing different roles on screen, Jacqueline Fernandez loves to do things hatke. And she nails it to the hilt. While Jackie herself plays the character of a director in her upcoming next- Roy, the gap between reel and real got bridged when the vivacious actress donned the director’s hat. A source confided, “Jackie took

up the reins and was immediately kicked to go behind the camera. She just went and sat on the director’s chair. After that, it was her calling all the shots and instructing the entire team, including the director Vikramjeet Singh. All this happened in a much more jovial manner” Ask her about it and she’s all smiles. “Ya, I did turn a director for both real and the reel in Roy.

I play a director in the film so we were shooting a scene. I got behind the camera and shot the entire scene. I used the dolly and directed the sequence right from the word Action”. The actor credits DOP Himman Dhamija for ‘his valuable inputs’. “Our DOP Himman sir taught me how to use the camera, focus correctly and tackle the motion. I did the entire track myself sitting on the dolly

and Vicky (the director) was very inspired by that”, laughed off Jackie. But what’s the scene about? “I play a director in the film and the scene requires my character to shoot for her own film. So I was like shooting my own film. It’s like a movie within the movie”, she continued as she confirmed that ‘the scene is definitely going to be there in the film’.

The experience as she describes was ‘amazing’ and was ‘one of her funniest days on shoot’. Will that give her the confidence to take up direction sometime in future? Her reply is a big ‘No’. “The thought of directing in the near future has not crossed my mind. I think for me, acting is always a better option”, gushed Jackie before signing off.

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es. A berth at the 2017 Fifa Confederations Cup was also on offer, and with it the chance to have an early taste of Russia ahead of the World Cup and earn some valuable competition. But before the game, the focus was simply on 90 minutes. Both sides were significantly changed from South Korea’s 1-0 win two weeks ago in Brisbane, a match Australia dominated. South Korea’s German coach Uli Stielike named an unchanged side, as did, for the first time this month, Ange Postecoglou. Australia fullback Ivan Franjic was cleared to play despite limping through the final minutes of the semi-final win over the United Arab Emirates. After 14 months of wholesale tinkering it seemed Postecoglou, with perfect timing, was happily settled on his line-up. An excitable 76,385 crowd swelled by a sizeable chunk of Korean fans and their interminable chants of “Dae-Han-MinGook” - played their part from the opening whistle. The contest certainly opened in up-tempo, if slightly scrappy, fashion. South Korea, despite their slightly conservative reputation based around an unbreached defence in the preceding five games, pushed forward at every opportunity. Australia typically sought to press high and attack constantly, as per Postecoglou’s mantra. However, their midfield possession in the early stages was stymied in contrast to their five previous matches. It was telling that the only early chance of the game came via a set-piece which captain Mile Jedinak deliciously curled onto the roof of the net, although Kim Jinhyeon will claim he had it covered. It wasn’t until the midway point of the half that there was an intake

of breath from the home support as Kwak Tae-hwi pushed a nearpost header wide, an opportunity he would usually convert. Within seconds Tim Cahill was stinging the palms of Kim as he squeezed a yard of space from his marker and fired in a shot from the edge of the penalty area. At the other end, star attacker Son volleyed inches wide of the top corner, in a moment reminiscent of Tadanari Lee’s winner

for Japan in the final almost four years to the day. Almost immediately, Son came close to scoring but his goalbound shot was blocked by a desperate Luongo, with the midfielder finding energy that few others could have managed. Suddenly, South Korea were in the ascendency, in a manner that was never the case in Brisbane a fortnight ago. Jason Davidson collected a

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osts Australia won the Asian Cup after beating South Korea 2-1 in extra time of an electrifying final, substitute James Troisi smashing home a dramatic winner. The match proved to be a torrid, chaotic affair but the entertainment on offer was undeniable as Australia became the first host nation to become Asian champions since Japan in 1992. It seemed Massimo Luongo was set to be the name etched indelibly into the annals of Australian sport with his goal on the stroke of half-time, only for Son Heungmin to restore parity a minute into injury time just as Australia could taste victory. For Australia, the win and the performances over the past three weeks will help rebuild the Socceroos’ status in the national mindset after several years of regression. The match also, of course, provided an opportunity for the Socceroos to collect their first major piece of silverware – four Oceania titles aside. Victory also means the Socceroos are the first men’s side to win more than one continental championship. And while much had been made of Australia’s imperative to win in order to continue the game’s growth and create a milestone achievement, so too was there more at stake for South Korea than a mere trophy. It was a chance to set right a glaring anomaly. Asia’s most successful World Cup nation with eight successive qualifications, have somehow failed to win the Asian crown for 55 years. Much like Australia’s 32 years of World Cup failure, this was a millstone around the neck. History was against the Socceroos, who had failed to defeat South Korea in a competitive match since 1977, while the Taeguk Warriors had been unbeaten in their past 15 Asian Cup match-

yellow card for a tug off the ball that must have been remarkably close to being inside the penalty area. However, Ki Sung-yueng’s under-hit free-kick was easy pickings for Mat Ryan despite the close proximity to goal. Then came Luongo’s moment. A perfect shot from the edge of the penalty area continued a remarkable run for the Swindon Town midfielder. The only player from a third-tier league in the final now had more combined assists and goals than anyone in the tournament. It was harsh on the Koreans who had created the better openings, even though they were inferior in the possession stakes. Cahill and his big-game capability exited the stage in just the 63rd minute to be replaced by Tomi Juric. Then Robbie Kruse and Franjic exited in quick succession. It was perhaps no surprise, considering the pace and intensity of the second half was overwhelming at times, sometimes at the expense of controlled football. South Korea pushed hard and a hectic unstructured contest held sway. It was amid such chaos that the Koreans bustled through a packed defence with Ki teeing up Son who finished coolly past Ryan a minute into injury time. It seemed the at-times tragic history of Australian football was about to see a new chapter written.

Photo source: PTI

Australia beat South Korea 2-1 to win Asian Cup

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British lawmakers approve controversial ‘three-parent’ babies

Under the change to the laws on IVF, as well as receiving the usual “nuclear” DNA from its mother and father, the embryo would also include a small amount of healthy so-called mDNA from a woman donor. “Families who know what it is like to care for a child with a devastating disease are best placed to decide whether mitochondrial donation is the right option for them,” said Jeremy Farrar, director of health charity Wellcome Trust. “We welcome this vote to give them that choice.”

The bill is expected to be rubberstamped by the House of Lords, the upper chamber of parliament, later this month, paving way for the procedure to begin next year. The change could apply to up to 2,500 women of reproductive age in Britain with hereditary mitochondrial diseases but opponents say it opens the way to the possibility of “designer babies” in future. Mitochondrial DNA (mDNA) is passed through the mother and mitochondrial diseases cause sympPicture Source: in.com

ritain on Tuesday became the first country in the world to allow the creation of babies with DNA from three people after MPs voted for the controversial procedure. Lawmakers at the House Commons voted by 382 to 128 in favour of allowing the creation of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) babies with DNA from three people, a move aimed at preventing serious inherited diseases being passed on from mother to child.

of consultation by health authorities with the public and the scientific community. A poll by the ComRes market research agency in the runup to the vote showed only 20% of respondents in favour of the change and 41% against, while 39% said they had no view either way or did not know. Opponents include scientists and religious leaders. David King, director of the watchdog group Human Genetics Alert, said: “If we want to avoid the nightmare designer baby future we must draw the line here.” Josephine Quintavalle from the pro-life organisation Comment on Reproductive Ethics said there should be more focus on finding cures “which do not rely on destructive manipulation of early human life”. The Roman Catholic Church is firmly opposed to the move, pointing out that it would involve the destruction of human embryos as part of the process. The Church of England has also said that ethical concerns “have not been sufficiently explored”. There is also concern on purely scientific grounds. Justin St John from the Centre for Genetic Diseases at Monash University in Australia said the new IVF techniques required “further validation”. “It is essential to analyse offspring to determine that no abnormalities appear at least during early life,” he said in a statement last week.

‘THEY ALWAYS WANTED ME TO GET A NOSE JOB BEFORE MISS UNIVERSE’

uying a house overseas, which used to be the preserve of the super rich, has now become a lot easier for wealthy Indians with the Reserve Bank of India doubling the foreign exchange remittance limit to $250,000 per individual per year. In other words, a family of four can remit $1 million (equivalent of Rs 6.2 crore) every year to purchase assets overseas. With this move, the rupee has become almost fully convertible for most Indians. The funds remitted overseas can be used for almost any activity barring a few such as speculation in exchanges, funding terror groups or for remittances to Bhutan, Nepal, Mauritius and Pakistan. According to Bank of India chair-

February 2015 Edition

person V R Iyer, the increase in the liberalized remittance scheme to $2.5 lakh reflects the confidence of the regulator in consistency in foreign inflows. RBI governor Raghuram Rajan said on Tuesday the foreign currency remittance limit was relaxed following a review of the external sector outlook and as a further exercise in macro prudential management. The central bank also said that it will ask the government to subsume under this limit various remittances that an individual is allowed under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, which include donations, gift remittances and exchange facilities for those seeking employment overseas and for maintenance of close relatives abroad. Until now, this facility

was in addition to remittance limits already available for private travel, business travel, studies, medical treatment, etc as described in Schedule III of Foreign Exchange Management (Current Account Transactions) Rules, 2000. An improvement in the country’s foreign exchange reserves has emboldened the RBI to increase the limit. Announcing his policy, Rajan said the following the drop in oil prices the current account deficit has been comfortably financed by net capital inflows, mainly in the form of buoyant portfolio flows and supported by foreign direct investment inflows and external commercial borrowings. “Accordingly, there was accretion to India’s foreign exchange reserves to the tune of $6.8 billion in Q3,” said Rajan.

oing under the knife to look perfect when one is representing her country at an international beauty pageant is a popular notion. Though there are many contestants who do not want to go under the knife but have to because of the pressure. The former Miss Universe Ireland Roz Purcell spills the beans as she reveals that she was forced by the Miss Universe organisation to get a nose job done.

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Photo source: PTI

Buying a house overseas easier now

toms ranging from poor vision to diabetes and muscle wasting. Mitochondria are structures in cells which generate the energy that allows the human body to function. Health officials estimate around 125 babies are born with the mutations in Britain every year. Invaluable choice The law will allow Britain’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to authorise the procedure and a pioneering research centre in Newcastle is expected to be the first where it would take place. Genetic disease charities celebrated the historic vote. “We have finally reached a milestone in giving women an invaluable choice, the choice to become a mother without fear of passing on a lifetime under the shadow of mitochondrial disease to their child,” said Robert Meadowcroft, Chief Executive of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. John Tooke, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said he was “delighted” by the vote. “These treatments could reduce the number of children born with rare mitochondrial diseases, and help dozens of families to lead happy and healthy lives. Today’s vote is the culmination of many years of scientific and public debate.” Destructive manipulation But many Britons are still against the proposed change despite years

She admits there was significant pressure on her to get a nose job before she took to the world stage at Miss Universe. She trained in South America for six weeks before the competition, where she was placed seventh, and said that she was encouraged to go under the knife. “They always wanted me to get a nose job, they said when I smiled my nose went down,” she explained. “They gave me a complex for years”.

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Face the nation: A debate would help people know their candidate

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s the Delhi election nears, the question of whether India should adopt a system of US presidential-style debates has again cropped up. However, the question is posed inaccurately because presidential debates were absent from electoral politics for most of US history. Even after the first series of such debates was held, between John F Kennedy and Richard Nixon in the 1960 presidential election, the continuance of such debates was by no means assured. It was not till 1976, 16 years after the Kennedy-Nixon inaugural, that the debates were revived in presidential elections. Even as late as 1992 George HW Bush almost did not debate Bill Clinton during the presidential election that year, parrying the issue until late into the election. Indians should not look askance upon election debates as if they are naturally suited to America while being irreconcilable with the Indian parliamentary system. Americans did not reject the debate format because of its novelty and neither should we look upon the issue with a jaundiced eye. To debate or not to debate is a question that should be decided on the merits. Political scientist Thomas M Holbrook has argued that presidential debates educate voters about candidates. Such an event, if well conducted, will serve the same purpose in India. Holbrook asserts that less-informed voters benefit the most from debates. In this way, voters can be exposed to the ideas of candidates standing for election to ascertain their relative competence. That is a key justification for having debates.

Kiran Bedi claims that she believes in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;delivery, not debate.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; But how are the voters of Delhi to know whether they agree with her notion of delivery? On a recent episode of a news show she berated an anchor for not believing, simply on her say so, that a file she brandished before the cameras was prepared by her and not someone else from the BJP. Has our political discourse sunk to the point that we have to digest as gospel

truth what our political candidates tell us? It is precisely to scrutinise and evaluate the efficacy of such claims that we need and require debates during elections. There is another point which is particularly relevant vis-Ă -vis the candidacy of Bedi, the BJPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face in the Delhi election. Her selection as CM candidate had been announced only a few days before the election. Consequently, voters are relatively

uninformed about her positions on various issues regarding Delhi (which makes her statement on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;deliveryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; even more vacuous). A particularly useful time to hold debates is when voters know very little about a candidate, avers Holbrook, because thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when they can learn the most about him/her. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all the more reason for there to have been a debate before the Delhi election.

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India Republic Day in Melbourne

3rd Dec 2014 Wed

Photos by Guruswamy Perumal

Soon highways may take toll on your pension fund

February 2015 Edition

Photo source: PTI

he government is planning to dip into your pension, parked in the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), to finance its ambitious highway development programme. The finance ministry on January 21 modified pension fund investment norms that will now allow the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to borrow from the EPFO, the country’s largest state-run pension fund. Under the changed rules, from April 2015 onwards, the pension corpus can be invested in debt instruments or bonds of ‘authorities’ such as NHAI and not just in public sector undertaking (PSU) bonds, as was the case earlier. The NDA government’s ambitious plan to build 30km of highway a day over the next four to five years would require Rs 1.8 lakh crore — six times the annual budget of the rural job scheme MNREGA — over and above the budgetary support of Rs 1.25 lakh crore. With private investment in the sector drying up, the highways ministry started looking at alternate investment avenues. “We approached the finance ministry to modify the investment norms for pension funds to allow us to borrow from EPFO,” said a senior ministry official. At present, the EPFO — which holds the retirement savings of over 5 crore employees across

India — is sitting on a pension corpus in excess of Rs 6 lakh crore. Highways minister Nitin Gadkari will be meeting top bureaucrats, including the finance, labour and highway secretaries, and central provident fund commissioner KK

Jalan among others on Thursday to hammer out the contours of such an investment and the design of the bond instruments — which could typically be of a long-term maturity running up to 30 years. Finance minister Arun Jaitley is

likely to make an announcement to this effect in his budget later this month. To counter the risk factor, the EPFO wants the government to stand guarantee for any funds it may lend the NHAI. The highways ministry, on its

part, has proposed toll revenue as surety. “While the NHAI builds highways, it is the government that owns these assets. Therefore, it can offer toll revenue as collateral to EPFO in lieu of the pension money the authority borrows,” said a government official.

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atients will soon be able to check if the medicine they are taking is genuine or spurious. Over the next few weeks, the government plans to launch a ‘track & trace’ mechanism, which will involve strips of pills and vials sporting a unique code for authentication. The code will provide details of the product, including that of the manufacturer. “The consumer will be able to check the genuineness of the medicine by feeding the unique identification code on a central

portal (website) developed by the ministry and later track it even through a mobile phone,” an official said. A major part of the cost of ‘track & trace’ for the domestic market will be borne by the government which will also provide the software, the official said. This will involve use of barcode technology and information will be stored in the company’s database. The Union health ministry’s move comes in the wake of concerns over the quality of medi-

cines, coupled with complaints about drug manufacturing standards, sources said. The development assumes significance against the backdrop of regulatory problems involving a clutch of firms such as Ranbaxy and Wockhardt, which have cast a shadow on the quality of drugs on retail shelves. Over the past two years, the industry has implemented the ‘track & trace’ system on exported medicines under the government’s directive. The mechanism is operational on tertiary and secondary packaging, that is, on outer cartons, but is yet to be implemented on monostrips and single vials. This became necessary after India was wrongly tagged for spurious drugs seized in Nigeria back then. Under the system, drug-makers are required to maintain a record of exported products for a minimum six months after their expiry date. “The industry has objected to implementing the system on primary packaging, that is on single strips and vials, for exports, as it would be cumbersome and expensive,” an IDMA official said. Besides, the mechanism would also be tough to implement in the domestic market, with over 60,000 formulations, he said. There are simpler and less expensive ways to monitor and track medicines, implemented by companies on certain products, according to the IDMA official.

Man Held for Sexually Assaulting 100 Women

apanese police have arrested a man for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting more than 100 women who believed they were taking part in a medical study, detectives and local media said today. Detectives say scores of women responded to adverts seeking volunteers for “clinical research measuring blood pressure during sleep” over two years to November 2013. They believe Hideyuki Noguchi, 54, gave the women sedatives after luring them to hotels and hot spring resorts. Once the women were unconscious, he raped them and filmed each assault, police said.

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Soon, retail drugs will be ‘barcoded’ for genuineness

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Footage of the attacks was posted on the Internet or sold to producers of porn films, allegedly netting Noguchi more than 85 thousand dollars, TBS and other broadcasters said. Noguchi is not know to have any medical training or expertise. A spokesman for police in Chiba, east of Tokyo, said officers had confirmed at least 39 victims, aged from their teens to their 40s in Tokyo, Chiba, Osaka, Tochigi and Shizuoka. Detectives believe they are just a fraction of the total number of women whom Noguchi attacked, thought to number well over 100, media reports said.

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Adidas reveals sneakers inspired by vintage NASA space suits

walk in space, two new pairs of Adidas sneakers will at least let you feel a bit astronauty. Designed by Christian Dior

shoes -- Ozweego and Response Trail. The shoes are named Ozweego Robot and Response Trail Robot, which doesn’t make a huge

Twitter is still bigger than Instagram

Photo source: PTI

Smartphones hurt kids’ social-emotional development

creative director Raf Simons in his fifth year of collaboration with the German brand, the shoes are based on two pre-existing Adidas

Photo source: deccanchronicle

t’s an infinitesimally small percentage of the human race that gets to don a space suit, but if you’ve ever aspired to

se of mobile devices while attending to mundane tasks may be detrimental to the social-emotional development of children, researchers said. “It has been well-studied that increased television time decreases a child’s development of language and social skills. Mobile media use similarly replaces the amount of time spent engaging in direct human-human interaction,” said Jenny Radesky from the Boston University’s School of Medicine in the US. As mobile devices are everywhere and children are using them more frequently at young ages, the authors questioned whether heavy device use during young childhood could interfere with development of empathy, social and problem solving skills that are typically obtained by exploring, unstructured play and in-

February 2015 Edition

teracting with peers. “These devices also may replace the hands-on activities important for the development of sensorimotor and visual-motor skills, which are important for the learning and application of math and science,” Radesky added. It is well-known that infants and toddlers learn best through hands-on and face-to-face experiences. While effects of interactive mobile devices remain largely unknown, the authors recommended that parents should try each application before allowing their children to access it. Parents should use these applications with their children, as using interactive media together enhances its educational value, the researchers said in a commentary which appeared in the journal Pediatrics.

amount of sense if they’re inspired by astronauts, but they certainly look the part. “Inspired by vintage astronaut suits and backpacks, moulded and machined details similar to authentic closures, zippers and straps are added,” Adidas said in a statement. “Shiny versus matte distressed materials complete the look of outer space.” NASA’s first space suits, made for the Mercury mission, were only worn inside the space craft, and were stitched out of a silver material. By the time the second space suits rolled around -- for the Gemini mission -- NASA had switched to a white fabric, with red and blue elements, which were made much more prominent for the Apollo suits. The shoes are due to hit selected retailers sometime in July, with an expected price range between $455 and $730. Or you could try to make yourself a pair of magnetic astronaut boots, which sounds at least the same level of fun.

ack in December, Instagram reported that it had passed the 300 million monthly user mark and in doing so had officially outmuscled Twitter’s 284 million user count. However, it looks as if the photo-sharing site was a little premature. The latest data from the GlobalWebIndex finds that when it comes to popularity and user numbers, no social network comes close to Facebook. It is number one in terms of users with an account and users who actively use the service. Global Web Index measures Facebook’s user base as being 81% of 16-to-64-year-olds with internet access. However, in third place, just behind YouTube, is Twitter, which

leads Google+ in fourth place in terms of active users and Instagram (down in fifth place) in terms of both active users and account numbers. Global Web Index’s figures, which are based on interviews with over 170,000 internet users 16 and over in 32 countries, also found that in 30 or the 32 countries it surveyed, Twitter was ahead of Instagram for active usage -- only in Sweden and Hong Kong is Instagram more popular. There’s no denying the speed with which Instagram has grown. The network is only four years old and when it first launched it was only as an iPhone app. Its website and its support for Android are both very recent developments. However, not all of that growth

has been organic. Within days of Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom’s taking to the company’s blog to announce it had surpassed the 300 million user milestone, the company admitted it had a serious spam account problem and purged millions of fake users from the site. GlobalWebIndex points to this spam purge as one of the reasons why its survey paints such a different picture of the social media landscape. It describes Instagram as a ‘third-tier’ social network that, along with networks like Pinterest and LinkedIn, is trying to build up the user numbers and engagement needed to break into the second tier, currently occupied by Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

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Posted ‘I love you’ on Facebook? Get married!

“

Display of love in the entire Valentine’s week is equivalent to not following Indian traditions. Anyone found displaying love on Facebook,

Twitter or WhatsApp will be caught hold of. A total of eight teams have already been formed in Delhi to keep a check on social media,” said Chandra Prakash

Kaushik, national president, Hindu Mahasabha. The right-wing outfit had earlier warned that couples found celebrating Valentine’s Day in

public places, like malls and restaurants, will have to face a variety of punishments. While an impromptu Arya Samaj wedding will be forced on Hindu couples,

inter-faith partners will have to sit through a ‘shuddhikaran’ (purification) ritual, the Hindu Mahasabha had said. The outfit had said the couples caught with roses in hands and those who indulge in public display of affection at malls and parks will be their prime targets. However, after their new diktat, it seems even social media is on their radar. “We will be prompt about our social media campaign from Feb 8 onwards. Once Delhi elections are over, our teams will first apprise masses about what true love is and that a western festival should not be celebrated in the country. But if they do not adhere to our advice, we will inbox them and ask for their contact numbers and addresses, reach their house and get them married,” Kaushik said. “If they refuse to share their numbers, we will contact their parents — especially those who are active online — and ask them to get them married if they really love each other,” the Mahasabha president said. But like Kaushik, even cops have their plans. Inspector general Alok Sharma said “It might be Valentine’s Day or any other day, no one has the right

ndia’s dismal performance in the recently concluded trination series Down Under has left advertisers uncertain. With less than 10 days left for the ICC Cricket World Cup, Star Sports, which will broadcast the tournament, has not yet found a lead sponsor. With 90% of TV viewers in the country having watched the previous edition of the World Cup, advertisers expected that the flagship tournament of ODI cricket would garner millions of eyeballs. But India’s poor form, lack of star players, the waning appeal of ODIs, non-prime time telecast and the impending IPL has made advertisers play safe. They would rather prefer to sit on the fence and wait for the right moment. “We will look at it match by match. Depending on India’s performance, we will decide whether to buy on-air advertising slots or not. We don’t want to put all our eggs in one basket. The IPL starts right after the World Cup and the return on investment for it doesn’t depend on a single team’s performance, like it does on India’s in the World Cup,” said a senior executive with one of the world’s largest FMCG firms. According to people familiar with the matter, most on-ground sponsors (commercial partners) of the World Cup, such as PepsiCo India and Hyundai India, have not yet bought on-air advertising spots. When contacted, spokespersons from PepsiCo India and Hyundai India declined to comment. However, a Star Sports

February 2015 Edition

Photo source: PTI

Advertisers yet to warm up to World Cup I

spokesperson said that on-ground sponsors too have plans which include on-air, digital, activations, screenings, though he refused to divulge any names. Lead sponsorship for all feeds and languages is being offered at around Rs 60 crore, the associate sponsorship for over Rs 40 crore for all feeds and over Rs 20 crore

each for English and Hindi feeds, and about Rs 10 crore for HD feed. “We already have confirmations for over 80% of our inventory for the opening match of India vs Pakistan, with many more confirmations to be closed over the next 10 days. Considering the response, we might have to

drop at least 20 to 30 spots in the very first match. We are almost sold out for the top 13 games (all India plus knockout games) and are in the process of closing the balance,” said the Star Sports spokesperson. Market experts say not everyone is sitting on the fence though. Many first-time World

Cup sponsors, including Nestle, Marico, Yepme, Paytm and Raymonds, have signed up. A lot of advertisers are eyeing digital feeds that allow online streaming and is more affordable than TV ads. But media buying experts said on the condition of anonymity that a significant amount of total ad inventory is still sitting idle.

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No combat role for lady officers: Army tells defence ministry

he army may have celebrated its lady officers on Republic Day and showcased Nari Shakti (women power) for visiting US President Barack Obama, but it is still not ready to give them combat roles. The Indian Army has conveyed to the ministry of defence and the chairman, chiefs of staff commit-

tee, that “no combat role is envisaged” for lady officers, sources have said. “Restrictions on frontline combat deployment will continue,’’ a senior defence ministry official said. The army’s recommendation came before the parade toasted women power in line with Prime

Minister Narendra Modi’s call for promoting Nari Shakti. In a first, three services — the army, navy and the air force — were represented by all-women marching contingents at this year’s Republic Day function. Wing Commander Pooja Thakur had a day earlier earned the distinction of being the only woman

officer to command the tri-service guard of honour for a visiting head of state when Obama was given a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhawan. Army chief General Dalbir Singh had on January 27 hosted a reception in honour of lady officers and commended them. “We are working on career progres-

to nearly 9% by 2050, with the most significant increase experienced by university-educated women. The researchers harmonised existing data on current marriage patterns by age and education

and applied these to population projections on the likely age, sex and educational attainment of the population in India by 2050 to develop scenarios for future marriage patterns. Kashyap added: “In contrast

to the East and Southeast Asian experience...marriage in India remains universal. Traditional roles and expectations persist despite significant social and demographic changes...This rigid social structure will need to bend

sion plans for them. Their contribution is immense,” he said. The progression did not include combat duties, at least that is what the army has told the defence ministry. “The army is of the view that its women officers cannot be enrolled into its fighting arms like the infantry and the artillery just yet,” another defence ministry official said. “Given the army’s involvement in counter-insurgency operations, it feels the terrain and working conditions are not conducive for women, either in the jungles of the northeast or in insurgency areas like Kashmir.’’ When contacted, the army refused to elaborate. “The matter is sub judice,’’ said additional director general, public information, Maj Gen Shokin Chauhan. Several lady officers have taken the army to court, challenging their work conditions and seeking greater benefits. They have asked for permanent commission like most of their male counterparts. After spoken to several lady officers who have quit the force and they expressed disappointment at the army’s move. “Nari Shakti is not just about us marching on the Rajpath. We are not dolls in uniform. Don’t just pay lip service,’’ said one officer who did not wish to be named as her husband is with the army.

By 2050, educated Indian women could have a hard time finding ‘suitable’ men

February 2015 Edition

Photo source: PTI

ducated Indian women will find it increasingly difficult to find eligible partners by 2050, according to new research that extrapolates current norms and population trends. The paper, published in the journal ‘Demography’ by researchers at the University of Oxford, Centre for Demographic Studies, Barcelona, and the Minnesota Population Centre, US, builds on the premise that a significant proportion of Indian men currently marry women less educated than themselves. The research theories that if current social norms persist by 2050 when university-educated or college-educated men are more desirable spouses than women similarly educated, there will be a ‘mis-match’ in numbers. Lead author of the paper Ridhi Kashyap (Oxford) said: “This research suggests that in India, families need a more open mind about the suitability of marriage partners. The fact that the number of women with higher education is growing is a success story for India.” The research model assumes that without a change in contemporary norms, the proportion of never-married women aged 4549 will go up from 0.07% in 2010

so age and education are not barriers to future unions. Otherwise, this research suggests prospects of marriage for many in the future will diminish, particularly for highly-educated women and men with little education.”

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TELEVISION

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Photo source: deccanchronicle

Binny Sharma to look 10yrs older in new show

hile many TV actresses continue to look young even

after their shows take a leap of 20 years, Binny Sharma, who will soon be seen in Hello Pratibha,

has the task of looking older than her real age. “I am in my early 20s, but in the

show, I play a mother of two and shown to be in my late 30s. When I was auditioning for the show, the

makers kept saying, ‘You look too young and innocent for the role’. Initially, I was a bit conscious, but I convinced myself and took it up as a challenge,” she told us. Binny also has to shoot sans makeup for the show. “I don’t apply any makeup and I have to wear these starched cotton saris which make me look a little fat, with my hair tied in a bun. Also, I have been asked to not lose any weight,” she said. However, Binny is quick to clarify that her character’s look will undergo a change. “Initially, the show will focus on this woman who has devoted her life to her family, but she slowly discovers her own identity, which is when my character will be shown undergoing a makeover,” she added. Binny started her stint on TV with Dance India Dance and later went on to do Sanjog Se Bani Sangini opposite Iqbal Khan. “After my last show, I was busy doing a lot of stage shows and dance workshops. I was offered Nach Baliye twice but it did not work out. Now I won’t be able to take it up as I’ll be busy with the show,” she revealed. On the personal front, the actress said that she’s in a relationship but isn’t willing to talk about it. “Yes, I have somebody in my life. It’s too early to talk about it, but if all goes well, maybe we’ll think about marriage next year,” she told us.

ctor Karishma Tanna, who became the first runner-up on reality show, Bigg Boss, says she hopes to continue her special relationship with actor Upen Patel. “I cannot predict the future, but Upen is amazing, sweet and romantic, and I wish we continue,” she says about her cocontestant on the show. While numerous cameras in the Bigg Boss house captured Karishma and Upen getting intimate during their stay in the house, the former emphasises that she knew her limits. There were a few scenes where Karishma and Upen were seen cozying up to each other, but Karishma says that it was nothing what it looked like. “It was just a kiss on the cheek

February 2015 Edition

and not on the lips. I know that there are so many cameras there, why would I do something like that on national TV,” says Karishma, 31, adding that her relationship with Upen was not something which she just did to create drama on the show. “For me, the most important things are me, myself and my family. I wouldn’t put our respect on stake and do something just for the game. No show is worth that,” she says. While she believes that she has something real with Upen, she also realises that she needs to formally end things with her boyfriend Rushabh Choksi. “Things were not working out between us for a while now due to some reasons. But it is still my duty to talk to him,” she says

Photo source: PTI

Picture Source: in.com

I wish Upen and I continue, Anandi’s daughter to have a child marriage says Karishma Tanna

istory will repeat itself on Balika Vadhu when one of Anandi’s (Toral Rasputra) twins — the daughter — will become a victim of child marriage. Anandi, a child bride herself, has been crusading against such social evils. While she had managed to save a few young girls from being married at an early

age, she’s unable to save her own daughter. Says a source associated with the show, “Anandi’s tiny tot will get kidnapped and the kidnappers will get her married.” While Toral refused to divulge the details of the track, she said, “Child marriage is still prevalent in our society and the track ahead will portray the nuances of this social evil once again.”

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Food & Wine

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Paneer Capsicum Pork and lentil rogan josh with minted beanSabji salad

Ingredients • • • • • • •

2 tablespoons rice bran oil 1 (125g) pork leg steak, halved crossways, thinly sliced 1 large red onion, halved, thinly sliced 2 carrots, finely chopped 1/3 cup rogan josh curry paste 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 cup French-style dried lentils,

• • • • • •

rinsed 200g baby green beans, trimmed 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, shredded 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 cup plain Greek-style yoghurt Cooked basmati rice, to serve

Photo source: deccanchronicle

Method:

Step 1 Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Add pork, onion and carrot. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, or until onion has softened and mixture begins to brown. Add paste. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Step 2 Add tomato, lentils and 5 cups cold water. Cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or until lentils are tender. Step 3 Meanwhile, place beans in a heat proof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 2 minutes or until just tender. Drain. Refresh in a bowl of chilled water. Drain. Pat dry with paper towel. Cut beans in half diagonally. Place in a medium bowl. Add mint, lemon rind, lemon juice and yoghurt. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Step 4 Spoon lentil curry into serving bowls. Top with bean salad. Serve with rice.

Photo source: PTI

Does Drinking Alcohol Kill Brain Cells?

The idea that alcohol kills brain cells has long been promoted. The early temperance writers made this assertion and also insisted that the alcohol in their blood could cause “drunkards” to catch fire and burn alive. 1 This combustion argument against drinking was dropped long ago but many anti-alcohol writers continue to promote the idea that even moderate drinking causes brain cells to die. Scientific medical research has actually demonstrated that the moderate consumption of alcohol is associated with better cognitive (thinking and reasoning) skills and memory than is abstaining from alcohol. Moderate drinking doesn’t kill brain cells but helps

February 2015 Edition

the brain function better into old age. Studies around the world involving many thousands of people report this finding. 2 Of course, years of alcohol abuse can cause serious neurological damage, including Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Harm can be done to messagecarrying dendrites on neurons in the cerebellum, a part of the brain involved in learning and physical coordination. But even in such extreme cases, there’s a lack of evidence that alcohol kills brain cells. 3 However, abstinence after chronic alcohol abuse enables brains to repair themselves, according to new research involving rats. 4

During simulated alcohol “binges,” rats’ ability to create new brain cells was reduced. But after the animals no longer consumed alcohol they had a “huge burst” in new brain cell development. The study is the first to demonstrate that brain cell production can return after abstinence from alcohol abuse. People who drink too much and are thinking about either reducing or eliminating their drinking should find these findings encouraging, although humans have not yet been tested directly for the positive brain effects. Older people who drink in moderation generally suffer less mental decline than do abstainers, another study finds.

Over a thousand persons age 65 and older in Pennsylvania were studied over a period of seven years. Their mental functioning was measured at the beginning of the study and then periodically every two years thereafter. The study took into consideration such factors as age, sex, education, depression, smoking, general mental status. Overall, light and moderate drinkers experienced less mental decline than did non-drinkers. These findings are consistent with other research. Alcohol might lead to better mental function by improving cardiovascular health, in turn leading to better blood circulation in the brain. It might also have

a beneficial effect on the neurotransmitters or chemical messengers in the brain. The study adds to the growing evidence that drinking in moderation helps reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It was funded with grants from the National Institute on Aging and published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Women who consume alcohol moderately on a daily basis are about 20% less likely than abstainers to experience poor memory and decreased thinking abilities, according to recent research. The senior author of the study explains that “Women who consistently were drinking about one-half to one drink per day had both less cognitive impairment as well as less decline in their cognitive function compared to women who didn’t drink at all.” Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital analyzed data from 12,480 women age 70 to 81 who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study beginning in 1980.The study was twice as large as any earlier study and also investigated the effects of different forms of alcohol on cognition and memory. It didn’t matter whether the women drank beer, wine, or liquor (distilled spirits). The positive effects of the alcoholic beverages were all the same. Although the study only examined women, previous research indicates that men benefit from substantially higher levels of alcohol consumption one to two drinks each day.

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travel

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Maldives

Photo source: Photo source:PTI deccanchronicle

The sunny side of life

The Maldives is a geological marvel consisting of 1,190 coral islands that form an archipelago of 26 major atolls stretching like a string of pearls across the Indian Ocean. The top of the chain of islands lies to the south west of India. The atolls stretch southwardsfrom there and past the western side of Sri Lanka, ending just over the other side of the equator in the Southern Hemisphere. Each atoll is blessed with incredible biodiversity including an abundance of exotic corals and a rainbow spectrum of marine life.

Picture Source: in.com

Photo source: PTI

History:

The Maldives (formerly called the Maldive Islands) were first settled in the 5th century B.C. by Buddhist seafarers from India and Sri Lanka. According to tradition, Islam was adopted in 1153. Originally, the islands were under the suzerainty of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). They came under British protection in 1887 and were a dependency of then-colony Ceylon until 1948. An independence agreement with Britain was signed July 26, 1965. For centuries a sultanate, the islands adopted a republican form of government in 1952, but the sultanate was restored in 1954. In 1968, however, as the result of a referendum, a republic was again established in the recently independent country. Ibrahim Nasir, the authoritarian president since 1968, was removed from office and replaced by the more progressive Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in 1978. Gayoom was elected to a sixth five-year term in 2003.

Maldives Culture & Customs

The Maldives has been an Islamic nation since the 12th century. With this rich heritage, you’ll find religious traditions entrenched in the culture. Mosques dot the capital of Male’, and you’ll see some men and women dressed in very conservative attire. Should you wish to visit a mosque, you too should dress accordingly; however, be aware that some mosques are closed to non-Muslims. You’ll also notice people praying in public at certain times throughout the day. Be respectful by lowering your voice and not walking in front of those who are praying. Most of these visible cultural and religious traditions have been extracted from the resorts. However, particularly during Ramadan, expect to witness some Islamic customs, such as local restaurants closing for the daytime when the population will be fasting. With 99 resort islands, the Maldives relies on tourism as its dominant industry that draws on a large portion of the workforce. The other major industry is fishing, and this island nation exports its sea catches to countries across the world. The Maldivian currency is the rufiyaa (MVR). The exchange rate hovers around $1 USD for 15 MVR.

Maldives Dining

The lavish dinner entrées that you’ll sample at hotels are nothing like that of local meals. When you’re in Male’, try dining at a local eatery to sample the cuisine only if you have a hearty stomach. Some travelers report sickness after consuming local food because they haven’t allowed their digestive systems enough time to adjust to the cuisine. You’ll find that fish and rice are two staple dishes of the Maldivian diet.

Best Things To Do in Maldives

With 1,190 islands (only 200 are inhabited), you’ve got plenty of territory to explore. But, despite the numerous options, most visitors simply lounge on the palatial resort island of their choice. While we completely understand the need to unwind poolside, we recommend you take a few excursions. For one, the capital city of Male’ (one of the smallest capitals in the world) bustles with activity from the fishing docks to the National Museum. If you are scuba diver, you can’t miss the riveting Maldives Victory shipwreck and the terrifying shark-filled Fish Head area. And don’t forget about the beaches! The soft sands fade into turquoise reefs beneath blue waters—the sight is priceless.

Photo source: PTI

Best Times to Visit Maldives

The best time to visit the Maldives is May to November. Although you’ll experience some rain during the southwestern monsoon that occurs at this time, you’ll have the least company and best prices at the resorts. Plus, surfers will catch the best waves, and divers will see the most life on the reefs. December to April is the high season, which encounters the drier northeast monsoon. And while the Maldives never sees overcrowding, room rates will increase. If you can afford a trip now, you’ll have less humidity and slightly warmer temps—in a word, “ideal.” It’s important to note that some Maldivian holidays follow our own Georgian calendar, while others abide by the lunar Islamic calendar. Island holidays won’t affect your resort stay too much, although some visitors have remarked that Maldivians are slightly less hospitable during Ramadan.

Picture Source: in.com

How To Save Money in Maldives

February 2015 Edition

Choose Flights Wisely Airfare from the States is incredibly expensive and one of the key reasons why the Maldives has not become an American tourist hotspot. If you can pair a vacation here with one in the Middle East or Europe (where you can catch a direct flight), the cost will be less ludicrous. Pick Accommodations Carefully “Budget” accommodations don’t exist here; even the low-end hotels are sumptuous and advertise hefty price tags. So avoid the most expensive properties because food, drinks, and excursions there will also cost an arm and leg. Consider All-Inclusive Packages Rates that include airfare, hotel stay, and meals may be your easiest and cheapest bet.

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Valentine’s Day - A

“My love for yo Starting at forever, a

What is Valentine’s Day? Valentine’s Day is a celebration of romantic love occurring annually on February 14. Although its origin is associated by legend with a Catholic saint named Valentine, the fact is Valentine’s Day is not a religious holiday and never really has been. Valentine’s Day has historical roots mainly in Greco-Roman pagan fertility festivals and the medieval notion that birds pair off to mate on February 14. The history of exchanging cards and other tokens of love on February 14 began to develop in England and France in the 14th and 15th centuries and became especially popular in the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries. Over the last decade or so, Valentine’s Day observance has even spread to the Far East, India, and the Middle East. What is the History of Valentine’s Day? The origin of associating the middle of February with love and fertility dates to ancient times. In ancient Athens, the period between mid-January and mid-February was the month of Gamelion, which was dedicated to the sacred marriage of Zeus and Hera. In ancient Rome, February 15 was Lupercalia, the festival of Lupercus (or Faunus), the god of fertility. As part of the purification ritual, the priests of Lupercus would sacrifice goats and a dog to the god, and after drinking wine, they would run through the streets of Rome striking anyone they met with pieces of the goat skin. Young women would come forth voluntarily for the occasion, believing that being touched by the goat skin would render them fertile. Young men would also draw names from an urn, choosing their “blind date” for the coming year. In 494 AD the Christian church under Pope Gelasius I appropriated the

some aspects of the rite as the Feast of the Purification. In Christianity, at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of them martyrs, are mentioned in the early lives of the saints under the date of February 14. Two of the Valentines lived in Italy in the third century: one as a priest at Rome, the other as bishop of Terni. They are both said to have been martyred in Rome and buried on the Flaminian Way. A third St. Valentine was martyred in North Africa and very little else is known of him. Several legends have developed around one or more of these Valentines, two of which are especially popular. According to one account, Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for all young men because he believed unmarried men made better soldiers. Valentine defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young couples and was put to death by the emperor for it. A related legend has Valentine writing letters from prison to his beloved, signing them “From your Valentine.”

are often accompanied by tiny messages printed on them.

However, the connection between St. Valentine and romantic love is not mentioned in any early histories and is regarded by historians as purely a matter of legend. The feast of St. Valentine was first declared to be on February 14 by Pope Gelasius I around 498. It is said the pope created the day to counter the practice held on Lupercalia, but this is not attested in any sources from that era.

Valentine’s Day Controversy i Valentine’s Day only arrived i has quickly gained popularity am with a great deal of controvers Traditional Hindu culture discou tion between the sexes, includi tine’s Day encourages, and Vale some as a Christian and wester

The first recorded association of St. Valentine’s Day with romantic love was in the 14th century in England and France, where it was believed that February 14 was the day on which birds paired off to mate. Thus we read in Geoffrey Chaucer’s (c. 1343-1400) Parliament of Fowls, believed to be the first Valentine’s Day poem: For this was on saint Valentine’s day, When every fowl comes there to choose his mate. It became common during that era for lovers to exchange notes on Valentine’s Day and to call each other their “Valentines.” The first Valentine card was sent by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife in 1415 when he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. Valentine’s Day love notes were often given anonymously. It is probable that many of the legends about St. Valentine developed during this period (see above). By the 1700s, verses like “Roses are red, violets are blue” became popular. By the 1850s, romantics in France began embellishing their valentine cards with gilt paper, ribbons and lace.

In 2004, militant Hindu nationa es and shave the heads of those Day customs. “We will not allow as St. Valentine was a Christi Day would be a violation of Ind Sachchan, of the militant Hind Uttar Pradesh. Similarly, a lead Shiv Sena has condemned the ern onslaught on India’s culture purposes.” Members of the gro greeting cards from a store and Similar Valentine’s Day backla lim countries. In Pakistan in 200 Jamaat-e-Islami party, an Isla ban on Valentine’s Day. One o shameful day” when Westerner ing their sex thirst.” Also in 2004 bia issued an edict declaring th in Islam - Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-A are inventions which Muslims a monitored stores selling roses a for wearing red. Despite this official opposition in Middle Eastern countries see iday. One shopper, buying a re son-in-law, is reported as havi “only rigidity and cultural back down, they only buy people’s gr

Valentine’s Day Customs and Traditions The primary custom associated with St. Valentine’s Day is the mutual exchange of love notes called valentines. Common symbols on valentines are hearts, the colors red and pink, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Starting in the 19th century, the practice of hand writing notes began to give way to the exchange of mass-produced greeting cards. These cards are no longer given just to lovers, but also to friends, family, classmates and coworkers. Valentine cards

The Greeting Card Associatio one billion valentine cards are s ing Valentine’s Day the second the year, behind Christmas. The women purchase approximately

In the last 50 years or so, esp practice of exchanging cards ha giving of gifts, usually from a m most popular Valentine’s Day Starting in the 1980s, the diam Valentine’s Day as an occasion Many couples also schedule a tine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day in Australia

A Day Of Romance

you is a journey, and ending at never.” candy hearts with affectionate

on estimates that approximately sent worldwide each year, maklargest card-sending holiday of e association also estimates that y 85 percent of all valentines.

pecially in the United States, the as been extended to include the man to his girlfriend or wife. The gifts are roses and chocolate. mond industry began to promote n for the giving of fine jewelry. romantic dinner date on Valen-

in India and the Middle East in India a few years ago, but it mong young urban people along sy among conservative Hindus. urages public displays of affecing hand-holding, which Valenentine’s Day is also resented by rn influence.

alists threatened to beat the face who participated in Valentine’s westernization of Indian culture ian and celebrating Valentine’s dian culture,” said Ved Prakash du organization Bajrang Dal, in der of the radical Hindu group holiday as “nothing but a Weste to attract youth for commercial oup have stolen Valentine’s Day d ceremonially burned them. ash has occurred in many Mus04, the amist organization, called for a of its leaders dismissed it as “a rs “are just fulfilling and satisfy4, the government of Saudi Arahat “there are only two holidays Adha - and any other holidays ... are banned from.”Police closely and some women were arrested

n from authorities, many people em to be enjoying the new holed heart-and-rose card for her ing dismissed the backlash as kwardness. Through the crackreater hatred and enmity.”

Many people in countries such as Australia celebrate Valentine’s Day by giving flowers, chocolates, jewelry or other presents of all shapes and sizes to their loved ones or those they admire. This event falls on February 14 each year. Public life Valentine’s Day is an observance but it is not a designated

nationwide public holiday in Australia. Restaurants, theatres, coffee shops, and shops selling Valentine’s Day related products may be particularly busy on this day. Those wishing to eat out on Valentine’s Day may need to book with their restaurant of choice in advance.

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February 2015

Happy Valentines Day

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4b Bollywood

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ollywood’s action titan Akshay Kumar is excited to begin shooting for Singh Is Bling and says it will be a wholesome entertainer. The ‘Khiladi’ Kumar, whose espionage action thriller film Baby, released Jan 23, will soon begin shooting for the new film, in time for it to

hit theatres on Gandhi Jayanti Oct 2. “Pre-prod. on in full swing 4 #SinghIsBling. It’s d perfect amalgamation of action,comedy & romance. Can’t wait 2 begin shoot. Oct 2 here we come,” the actor tweeted. Prabhudheva directorial Singh

Is Bling also stars Kareena Kapoor and Kriti Sanon. Meanwhile, Akshay will next be seen in the action drama Main Gabbar alongside Shruti Haasan. He will also be seen in the Bollywood remake of Warrior, which will be released as Brothers in India.

Picture source: lightscamerabollywood

to be showstopper Singh Is Bling is a perfect mix of Mugdha comedy, action, romance: Akshay at condom fashion show

ugdha Godse, who made her transition from modeling to acting after winning the ‘Ponds Femina Miss India 2004 contest’, was last seen in Prakash Jha’s Satyagraha in a cameo. While the actress has been copiously missing from the big screen for a while now, we hear that Godse will soon be seen walking the ramp. Interestingly, Mugdha will feature as the showstopper in India’s first condom fashion event. The event which is being organized with an intention to break the bar-

riers of taboo towards condoms will feature 36 teams with 78 students from 11 institutes who will be participating in this event by designing and creating costumes using SKORE condoms. Speaking about this unique show, Mugdha said that the participating fashion designing students came to her asking her to me model their outfits because they wanted a celebrity to grab more eyeballs and, thus, raise the awareness levels. Since she thought that it was a great effort, Godse gave her nod to walk the ramp.

fter the success of the superhero franchise Krrish, speculations were on the rise about producer Rakesh Roshan concentrating on a thriller with Hrithik Roshan and continuing

February 2015 Edition

Picture source: lightscamerabollywood

Rakesh Roshan to produce a film starring Irrfan Khan and Aditi Rao Hydari

with the next installment of Krrish after he wraps up the former. However, it seems that there has been a change in the plan. Though Rakesh Roshan has decided to produce a comedy thriller, it will be minus his

son and superstar Hrithik Roshan. Apparently the film, which is yet to be titled, will star National award winner Irrfan Khan alongside the pretty Aditi Rao Hydari who will be seen playing his wife. Though

nothing further has been revealed about the plot of this untitled film, we also hear, that it will also star Kunal Kapoor, Kunaal Roy Kapur and Vijay Raaz in prominent roles. Directed by Abhinay Deo, the

film will have music composed by Rajesh Roshan. The film in question is slated to go on floors by the end of February and will be extensively shot in Mumbai and Lucknow.

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Bollywood

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Sonam never wanted to use father’s name for career

Picture source: lightscamerabollywood

t’s always thought that Bollywood’s star children have it easy, but actress Sonam Kapoor says that at the very beginning of her film career, she had decided not to make the most of her father Anil Kapoor’s popularity. “When I joined the film industry, I became very defensive because people were so mean. They were like, ‘She is Anil’s daughter and she will get things very

Switching sugary soft drinks to water can reduce tooth decay.

easily’. So I said, ‘I am never going to use my dad for anything’,” Sonam, who forayed into acting with “Saawariya”, said. From there on, Sonam says “I did everything on my own”. “I called the directors on my own. I never called my dad for help. My dad said to me, ‘I have worked very hard for 50 years so that my children can have a better life. Why aren’t you using it?’.

It’ll make you smile so much you may never want to switch back.

H3OChallenge.com.au Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne.

Bhatts opt for ‘Adults’ Certificate to retain censored scenes in Khamoshiyan

Picture source: lightscamerabollywood

February 2015 Edition

he steamy quotient in the Bhatts’ new erotic temptation Khamoshiyan would have been seriously reduced if it wasn’t for the Bhatts’ willingness to accept an ‘Adults’ certificate. Sources say the film’s prolonged love-making scenes would have been “seriously curtailed” by the Censor Board Of Film Certification. A source close to the censor board says, “The love-making scenes were unnecessarily prolonged. The censor board ordered three of the love-making scenes to be cut. Two of them were part of song sequences. There are a few other scenes of violence that have been chopped off, such as one showing a chicken’s head being chopped off and there’s an audio modification of the word ‘f..k’. But it’s the love-making scenes that were going to be largely affected.” Apparently, the censor board was willing to let the above deleted scenes and the dreaded ‘f’ word remain, if the Bhatts wanted a ‘U/A’(acceptable for all ages but with parental guidance) certificate. But the Bhatts opted for an ‘Adults’ certificate instead. Says the source, “Rather than take a ‘U/A’ with the cuts the Bhatts preferred an ‘A’ without the cuts.”

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astrology

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Monthly Astrology - February 2015 enjoy the luxury and comforts of life. You may have some costly acquisitions which will increase your satisfaction and raise your social status. All your efforts during the period will bear fruit and contribute to your progress. You will receive favours from your superiors and secure betterment in career. Cancer – Kataka

Aries – Mesha You may derive much of benefits if you can overcome your restless disposition and changeful nature. If you only look for quicker methods and easier ways then you may only invite changes which will be pretty worse. You may have good gains from trading activities. In financial matters you should remain careful and become more farsighted; you may otherwise run into debt. Relations with your business-partners may become bitter if your plannings are faulty. You may have journeys to many places for meeting with authoritative persons.

Taurus – Vrushabha

You will have success in your endeavors and may have gains from various sources. You may have good gains from a new venture and also from prudent investments. Some of your ambitions will be realized and you may secure a lucrative promotion that offers liberal perquisites as well. In academic pursuits also you would gain distinction. You will be fortunate in respect of romantic liaisons. Your family- life will be joyful and happy; some of your children could be a source of pride. You may have journeys in connection with your profession which will be fruitful. You will have success in all your endeavors and may have gains from various sources. You may have good gains from a new venture and also from prudent investments. Gemini – Mithuna You will form new relationships and make new deals. You will be fortunate in respect of romantic liaisons and Journeys to distant places and contacts/ collaborations with people in far away places will be fruitful. You will be moving in high circles and become more influential. You will have new acquisitions and precious adornments which will increase your satisfaction. You will have a pleasant time to

Transits of planets during this month offers mixed influences. You may become less energetic and lose confidence. Your wandering tendency and wasteful expenditures may increase. The health-condition of some of your male relatives may deteriorate and arouse your anxieties. Your earnings will be somewhat increased. The position however is favourable for securing higher education, having long journeys and pilgrimmages; it is also a propitious period for developing foreign connections from which you can derive benefits in future.

Leo –Simha

You will be fortunate in respect of romantic liaisons You will form new relationships and make new deals. Journeys to distant places and contacts/ collaborations with foreigners will be fruitful. You will be moving in high circles and become more influential. You will have new acquisitions and precious adornments which will increase your satisfaction. You will have a pleasant time to enjoy the luxury and comforts of life. You may have some costly acquisitions which will increase your satisfaction and raise your social status. All your efforts during the period will bear fruit and contribute to your progress. You will receive favours from your superiors and secure betterment in career.

Virgo – Kanya

You will have success in academic persuits and some of cherished desires will

be fulfilled. You will have good prosperity in professional sphere and will lead a peaceful and happy family- life. You will form new friendships and will become increasingly popular. You may remain obsessed with speculations which will be greatly disliked by your near and dear ones. For your romantic inclinations you might earn the displeasure of some females who may try to create problems for you. Or else you may have problems either with your business or marriage partner and the health of your spouse may make you anxious. Romantic liaisons if any could take a bad turn and you may become a victim of slander and disre pute.

Libra – Tula

You will have success in all your endeavours and may have gains from various sources. You may have good gains from a new venture and also from prudent investments. Some of your ambitions will be realised and you may secure a lucrative promotion that offers liberal perquisites as well. In academic persuits also you would gain distinction. You will be fortunate in respect of romantic liaisons. Your familylife will be joyful and happy; some of your children could be a source of pride. You may have journeys in connection with your profession which will be fruitful Scorpio – Vruschika

You will have a pleasant time to enjoy the luxury and comforts of life. You may have some costly acquisitions which will increase your satisfaction and raise your social status. All your efforts during the period will bear fruit and contribute to your progress. You will receive favours from your superiors and secure betterment in career. Your family-life will be joyous and comfortable with all it’s members becoming very loving and caring. There could be a happy celebration in the

family. You may spend money for renovating the interiors of your house by decorations and procuring attractive furnitures while the exteriors may have a face-lift too. Sagittarius – Dhanu

You may become virtuous and talented, wealthy and famous. It may however affect the health of your spouse and your mother also may not remain in good health. You will improve your position by being industrious and through the assistance of influential persons. You may suffer losses because of theft and as a result of actions of enemic people for which you are to remain careful and cautious. You may have some gains through your writings and by offering consultations. You may have to face problems in your home-front and in respect of property-matters. Health problems of the family members may also cause you some concern. There might be loss of property and you may have forced change of residence. Capricorn – Makara You will enjoy good health and so will do the other members of the family. Your family-life will be blissful and bright with happiness. Your earnings will receive a boost and you will have new acquisitions which will improve your living condition and increase your satisfaction. Your relationships with relatives and friends will improve. In professional sphere, things will be in your favour during this period. You will secure favours from persons of rank and authority, besides enjoying many other benefits. Opportunities will come your way and you will make timely use of them in a prudent way. Socially you will gain more popularity and prestige.

Readers please note that the below predictions are given according to North Indian tradition of Hindu Vedic Astrological methods, using your Lagna as the base. Aquarius – Kumbha

You will be happy and cheerful. You will have many opportunities and will receive favours from superiors. Your career- prospect and your financial position will also be considerably improved. You will have a pleasant and enjoyable time in company of the people of opposite sex. You will socialize more and form new friendships with joyous people. Your family-life will be happy and enjoyable. You will be in good health and so will be the other members of your family. Your relationship with the people in general will improve and your popularity will increase. The period is now ripe for investing endeavours that will lead to betterment in career.

Pisces - Meena

Except for health- matters, the position is all right. You must take proper care of your health; the health may cause you some concern. Your spouse may become a spendthrift and some of your enemies may remain in your circle in disguise as friends. All these may make you worried and you must remain alert and retain your cool. In other respects it is very good. You may have some improvements in your career; your responsibility will increase and so will be your earnings. You will also have gains from some other sources. You are to avoid speculations.

If you wish to know the difference between Eastern & Western Astrology you are invited to visit http://jyotisha.00it.com/Difference. htm

Monthly Predictions for February 2015 By Lakshman Abeykoon - Noble Park, VIC 3174 - Phone (03) 9548 1613 - http://jyotisha.00it.com

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Self-audit Can Help Us Move Forward

n article published in these columns titled, ‘Lighten Up! Try the 90-10 Secret’ talked about how 10 per cent of your life is made up of what happens to you, whereas 90 per cent is decided by how you react. So, most of the situations we find ourselves in are possibly self-created; maybe only 10 per

February 2015 Edition

cent are nature- generated A self-audit can help us find out how much this applies to us. I often think about the importance of self-audit especially when I see the way a majority of youngsters today are faced with increasing pressures from family peer groups and the outside world. Many find it difficult to handle all this with an even

mind. The manner in which the youth is expending itself and the direction it is headed toward is somewhat alarming. I am full of questions: Who does the youth listen to? Who are their role models? Who influences them? What do they value most and what do they think about life? What do parents and elders mean to them? What

according to today’s youngsters is the meaning of responsibility and duty? Have they evolved their own theories of morality and ethics? What does religion mean to today’s youth? How do they differentiate between truth and falsehood? Are they concerned solely with achieving results or do they agonise over the means? What are their family values how do they perceive marriage, family, parenting and children? How important is money; how much of it is enough and how important is the way in which it is acquired? How careful are youngsters with what they say? How sensitive are they to others’ pain and suffering? Are they interested in reflection? Are they open to correction? Are they mindful of time and that our energy level does not remain constant always? I observe a huge wastage of very precious nature-given energy Unmindfulness costs a lot, both to those who are so and to their near and dear ones. Blunders like wasting precious time in unproductive activities and having complete disregard for parents, teachers and other elders, carry a huge social cost. More people today are succumbing to temptations to make easy money in order to satiate endless desires and to find a quick route to success

and fame. Many end up becoming notorious and unwanted and all the financial and other irregularities come home to roost. What can we do to equip ourselves to deal with all these self-created problems? Plenty! It’s never too late. One could begin by initiating the practice of zero tolerance in one’s daily life. This is applicable to all, irrespective of their station in life. Zero tolerance would mean that as individuals, families, corporations, communities or citizens we have to make a conscious effort to allow positive values to triumph over the negative; it would also mean that wrongdoings and unethical practices will simply not be tolerated. The beauty of this grim scenario is that the 90 per cent events category starts to shrink right from the moment this realisation or awareness dawns. For it immediately influences the thinking process and alters behaviour, which is prevention. There are many other external ways to begin the process of self-audit. From the social point of view I would suggest practice of zero tolerance in our daily lives to be applicable to all. Zero tolerance would mean that we will make a collective effort to eschew any kind of negativity.

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Badlapur Director: Sriram Raghavan

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Varun Dhawan, Huma Qureshi

adlapur is an upcoming bollywood film which is being directed by Sriram Raghavan. The movie is produced by Saif Ali Khan and co-produced by Eros International with Dinesh Vijan’s Illuminati Films. The movie features Varun Dhawan, Yami Gautam, Huma Qureshi and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in lead roles. Badlapur is a revenge drama dark thriller film. As per the reports, Huma Qureshi will be playing the role of a prostitute and Yami will play Varun’s wife. The film features Varun Dhawan, Yami Gautam, Huma Qureshi and Vinay Pathak in lead roles. Varun will foray into action with Badlapur, the sound track and background score of which is composed by the talented duo Sachin-Jigar. Till date Varun Dhawan has played as a romantic hero and

now in this film he is going to be seen in a different avatar. The makers have revealed his look from the film. In the new poster, the B-town hunk is seen in a completely different avatar which wethinks no one would have anticipated. With this look Badlapur is expected to be the game changer for the young lad. The new poster has also released which features Nawazuddin Siddiqui whose role has been kept under wraps. In Sriram Raghavan’s next venture the pretty actress Huma Qureshi will be seen in an item number with actor Varun Dhawan. The music of item song would be inspired by ‘90s hits like Tip Tip Barsa Paani, Rangeela Re and Ek, Do,Teen. Sriram is coming up with unique idea to add glamour quotient to the movie and he is taking to composers Sachin-Jigar about his idea.

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Cast:

‘Bloody’ Indian not allowed in Hawaizaada

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February 2015 Edition

ou may have heard it in every film that has been made on the theme of Colonial India from Manmohan Desai’s Mard to Ashutosh Gowariker’s Lagaan. Somewhere or the other the Britishers in Indian films are bound to refer to Indian as ‘bloody Indians’ No more so. For Vibhu Puri’s delicately drawn period film Hawaizaada which is set in Colonial India, the censor board in all its wisdom asked the ‘bloody’ to be removed from the ‘bloody Indian.’ Sighs the director Vibhu Puri, “I had no choice but to replace the word ‘bloody’ in ‘bloody Indian’ with ‘crazy’. I am aware that the Britishers in our films have been shown to use the term ‘bloody Indian’ in numerous films. But if I had insisted I’d have got a ‘UA’ certificate instead of ‘U’. So I preferred to change the supposedly offensive word as it made no difference to my narrative.” Vibhu was also asked to remove and replace a word prefixing a holy book in the soundtrack. Says Vibhu, “Since it’s a religious matter this cut makes more sense to me. But the other cut does seem a bit...errr, crazy. However I’ve no complaints. I am happy that the censor board didn’t cut a single shot in my film.”

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he Anees Bazmee directorial Welcome Back which was slated to release by the end of 2014, has been delayed to mid 2015 owing to some changes. The film, which has been extensively shot in Dubai, is considered to be more lavish compared to the first installment Welcome and now we hear that, in order to add to the grandeur, Welcome Back will have a scene featuring the

February 2015 Edition

world’s largest ring. According to Guinness Book Of World Records, this diamond studded ring weighs 64 kilos, and has been safely placed in one of the shops at Dubai’s gold market, guarded by tight security. Talking about it, Anees mentioned that even for the shooting of Welcome Back, they had to complete the scene in one day since the area was highly populous, after which, they

ensured that the ring has been placed once again in its safe and secured locker. Apparently, the scene in question has Anil Kapoor gifting this 64 kg ring to his lady love in the film. Produced by Firoz Nadiadwala, Welcome Back stars John Abraham, Shruti Haasan, Nana Patekar, Dimple Kapadia, Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal and it is slated to release on May 29, 2015.

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World’s largest ring to feature in John ‘Mardaani’ receives standing ovation Abraham starrer Welcome Back

ani Mukherjee starrer ‘Mardaani’ garnered praises in India by one and all and the actress’s performance as a feisty police officer was well appreciated. The story doesn’t end here. The crime-thriller also bagged laurels overseas, as ‘Mardaani’ was premiered at Warsaw’s Kino Muranow theatre in Poland. The actress arrived for a full day of extensive press, which was followed by the premiere. ‘Mardaani’ received a standing

ovation from the audience and Rani bagged praises for her dashing performance in the film. Polish DoP, Arthur Zurawaski, who worked on this flick, was also present at the event with his family. The event turned out to be a trendsetting one and the audience who attended the event were 90% Polish and were delighted to see the way Indian cinema is evolving. Some interesting questions were asked by the audience during the Q&A post the screening to the lead lady Rani and also to the DoP.

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10b

ell past midnight, a series of prophecies seemed to come true at the nation’s foremost film awards ceremony. The 60th Britannia Filmfare Awards 2014 were held at Yashraj Studio in Andheri on Saturday. Earlier on the red carpet, several stars wagered their bets on Queen and Haider. The predictions came true as Queen stole the show with six trophies. Kangana Ranaut’s journey as the spunky bride on a solitary honeymoon after her groom stands her up at the altar resonated with women audiences. It culminated on the victory stand not just for the actor but also for director Vikas Bahl. Queen also won best film, best background score, best cinematography and best editing. Haider, clearly a critic’s delight throughout, ended up sweeping five popular awards led by actor Shahid Kapoor who played the modern-day Hamlet. His intense enactment of a Kashmiri native seeking to avenge his father’s death received high praise from industry and fans alike. Haider also won Kay Kay Menon and Tabu the Black Lady for best supporting actor (in the male and female categories). The film also won two technical awards for best production design and costume. Actor Kabir Bedi gave away the first award of the evening to dress designer Dolly Ahluwalia, also a veteran theatre artiste, for

February 2015 Edition

her costumes in Haider. As she accepted, anchor Kapil Sharma snidely remarked how PK, which was also nominated, thought a radio set was a dress. Jaya Bachchan presented the lifetime achievement to veteran actor Kamini Kaushal, the doyenne of Biraj Bahu, Upkar and several films opposite Dilip Kumar. “Kaminiji has spent 70 years in the industry, and the Filmfare Awards are 60 years old, so one can assess her illustrious career,” Jaya said. Kaushal spoke of a “quieter time when the eyes spoke more than the body did”. She recalled her “gang” of actors of the 50s who replaced the stylized dialogue delivery with an easy, natural style. “Today’s kids are more than natural, they are close to nature,” she said. An important element of any awards ceremony is how the industry appreciates the good work done by competing professionals. Director Anurag Kashyap, who along with Abhijit Kokate won best editing for Queen, graciously said he considered conominee Aarti Bajaj as one of the best editors. Shankar Ehsaan Loy, who won for their music score in 2 States, said they have been attending the awards for the past 18 years. “There are other award ceremonies but Filmfare is special. We have a connection to it.” The evening began with a children’s medley dance led by

Ranbir Kapoor. The little tykes danced to ‘Balam pichkari’ and

‘Tere peechhe toh signal’, before making way for an adult line-up of performers for ‘Budtameez dil’. As the act ended, Ranbir was joined by Karan Johar who was one of the show’s anchors. The energy was palpable as Shraddha and Arjun Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan took turns to perform popular medleys of their hit songs. Arjun made a spectacular aerial entry riding a bike that seemed to be ablaze. The comedy quotient rose to new heights this year as wisecrack Kapil Sharma was introduced for the first time on the Filmfare stage. Karan Johar, a steady anchor of many years, was awaiting a “classy, suave” co-host but got the rambunctious Kapil instead. Typically, he danced onto the stage with a team of bhangra dancers and dhol players. The two engaged in some friendly banter over “classy and massy” films. Kapil ribbed actors and directors over their sartorial sense, comparing Tabu’s look in Haider with her sophisticated appearance on the red carpet. He saved a few witticisms for artistes who “arrive fashionably late although they are waiting in the wings since the early evening”. But red carpet arrivals at the Filmfare Awards are rather a pointer to the fashion trends of the season. Brightly coloured anarkali kurtas teamed with churidars seemed to have an edge over the little black dress as far

as the ladies were concerned. Manisha Koirala dazzled in a bright pink and gold anarkali, with a floral motif. The men stood faithfully by dark coloured suits, but for director duo Abbas Mustan in trademark white. Jackyy Bhagnani looked dapper in a suit and bow tie, happy that his film Youngistaan was nominated in the music category. “I’m happy it has been considered for an award. I am happy that it has made a big leap and crossed the bar,” he said. The title sponsor for the event was Britannia, associate sponsor Gaurs, the event was powered by Reliance Digital, telecast partner was Sony Entertainment Television, fashion partner Reliance Trends, lifestyle partner Amanora, accessory partner Sheetal Accessories, decor partner Bed Bath & More, beauty partner Close-up, LED partner Syska LED and outdoor partner was Bright Outdoor Media. Multiplex partner for the event was Orienta Cine Advertising, trophy partner The Award Gallery, beverage partner Black Dog Sparkling Water, radio partner Radio Mirchi and food partner was Moveable Feast. English channel partner for the event was Times Now, music partner was T-Series, scripting, show direction & production was by Fountainhead, the event consultants were Oxygen Entertainment, technical direction & stage management was by On-Cue.

Photo source: PTI

Picture source: lightscamerabollywood

60th Britannia Filmfare Awards 2014: Queen rules with 6, Haider hits high 5

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12b

Bollywood

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Eventograph photographs from latest B-Town Events

Vidya Balan at 60th Britannia Filmfare Awards

Shabana Azmi on Screening of Film Rahasya

Priyanka Vohra and Ranvijay on Hawaizaada Premiere

Ali Fazal and Sapna Pabbi at Khamoshiyan Premiere

February 2015 Edition

Divya Khosla and Bhushan Kumar at 60th Britannia Filmfare Awards

Kay Kay Menon on Screening of Film Rahasya

Evelyn Sharma on Hawaizaada Premiere

Surveen Chawla at Khamoshiyan Premiere

Madhuri Dixit on 60th Britannia Filmfare Awards

Tisca Chopra at Screening of Film Rahasya

Ayushmann Khurrana on Hawaizaada Premiere

Richa Chadda at Khamoshiyan Premiere

Shradha Kapoor at 60th Britannia Filmfare Awards

Huma Qureshi and Sudhir Mishra on Hawaizaada Premiere

Gurmeet Choudhary at Khamoshiyan Premiere

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13b

Eventograph photographs from latest B-Town Events

Anupam Kher at Premiere of Film Baby

Preeti Jhangiani at Premiere of Film Baby

Madhurima Tuli at Premiere of Film Baby

Rana Daggubati at Premiere of Film Baby

Kainaat Arora at Society Interior Awards 2015

Jackky Bhagnani at I Hate Bollywood Book Launch

February 2015 Edition

Akshay Kumar at Premiere of Film Baby

Nikhil Dwivedi at Society Interior Awards 2015

Amitabh Bachchan at I Hate Bollywood Book Launch

Vashu Bhagnani at I Hate Bollywood Book Launch

Tiger Shroff at Society Interior Awards 2015

Jaspinder Narula at RD Burman Concert

Javed Ali at RD Burman Concert

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14b

Bollywood

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bollywood music Roy

Music Review :

Picture source: lightscamerabollywood

ew recent albums have started with the best track, and few best tracks are so much above the rest of the album as ‘Sooraj dooba hai’ (Amaal Malik-Arijit Singh-Aditi Singh Sharma). Rousing and cheerfully (over-) orchestrated, it has Arijit Singh in command, with interesting and meaningful lyrics (Kumaar). Coming across as a nice celebratory song even if it suggests getting intoxicated to forget sorrows, it is zingy, groovy and treated with deft production values by composer Amaal Malik. But it has one liability - while it needed a lively and full-throated singer rather than Aditi Singh Sharma crooning with a put-on Westernized accent, and that too very superficially from her mouth! The other version, ‘Sooraj dooba hai’ by Aditi and Arijit tends to be a shade cacophonous and can be safely given a skip. Aditi starts off the song and that pulls down the level right at the beginning because of the flat, unexpressive crooning. Two Ankit Tiwari tracks that sound equally monotonous as composed and sung by him, ‘Tu hai ke nahin’ and ‘Boond boond’ differ in their lyrical qualities. While the former has good lyrics, the latter takes poetic license to an extent when it often becomes empty rhyming (‘Qatra qatra main jaloon / Sharm se tere miloon / Jism tera mome ka / Pighla doon /Karwatein bhi tang ho / Raat bhar tu sang ho / Tere har ek ang ko / Sulgaa doon’) sans substance or sequential sense. Ankit’s patent alternation between high-pitch and his

breathless style of long-drawn diction has begun to jar for a while now. The Tulsi Kumar version of ‘Tu hai ke nahin’, though softer and more placid, does not impress. The album gets passing life from Kanika Kapoor-Meet Bros. Anjjan’s peppy ‘Chittiyaan kalaiyaan’ (the first word apparently means ‘very fair’ and has nothing to do with letters) where we once again have an abundance

of Punjabi that’s not very comprehensible. A typical composition from the trio, it has Kanika in standard ‘Baby doll’/’Lovely ‘ mode. The beat-heavy dance number will find a short life in the current environs, but vocally and compositionally, it is, like most songs by the composers and singer, a gimmick. The lyrics are best not talked about. KK infuses a lot of soul into Ankit Tiwari’s ‘Yaara re’, though

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. Mahatma Gandhi

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February 2015 Edition

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the composer makes this thoroughbred singer sing just like him. But the masterful way in which KK rises above the song to make it a great listen both with his soulful voice and supple intonations shows yet again how genuine playback singers, since time immemorial, have lifted average songs into the realm of the truly listen-worthy. Sandeep Nath’s lyrics are alright. Overall:

The same package of multiple composers that anoint so many films comes in, though with some decent lyrics in two cases. There is a winner from Amaal Malik and some great singing by KK in another track. Some of the songs can be interchangeable with other films in their general tenor and words. However, they might help the movie’s appeal initially and so the rating, as always, is based on this consideration.

Latest Latest TopTen Ten Top Music Music #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10

Manwa Laage Manali Trance Kill Dil Mileya Mileya Dance Basanti Jaise Mera Tu G Phaad Ke Tharki Chokro Superman Lovely

Happy New Year The Shaukeensr Kill Dil Happy Ending Ungli Happy Ending Happy Ending PK Tevar Happy New Year www.indian-times.com.au

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15b

SikhNet To Launch Free Online Animated Story ‘Kaur’

Picture source: lightscamerabollywood

ikhNet To Launch Free Online Animated Story for International Women’s Day - in celebration of International Women’s Day, SikhNet will launch an original short animated film, titled KAUR. KAUR tells the story of a young Sikh girl, Saibhang Kaur, who loves science but feels the social pressure that “girls don’t belong in science club.” Not sure what to do about her dreams, Saibhang Kaur thinks about giving up. But when Saibhang’s grandmother tells her the true story of the 18th century Sikh warrior princess Mai Bhago, Saibhang discovers her courage. The idea for KAUR began four years ago when SikhNet webmaster, Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa, wrote a blog article bemoaning how his daughter loved to imitate Disney princesses. He posed the question - wouldn’t it be great for there to be an animated story about true-life, powerful ‘princess’ figures that his daughter could imitate, instead? Upon reading the blog post, an anonymous donor made a sizeable contribution to SikhNet, creating seed money for the project. SikhNet has produced over 100 original audio stories for kids. However, they had never produced an original animation before, so it took time for the company to decide what to do with the money. Four years later - the result is KAUR. KAUR focuses on two stories simultaneously. The story of a young girl who has to deal with the modern version of “women

belong in the kitchen,” and the story of Mai Bhago, an amazing Sikh woman warrior who led 40 men into battle against an army over 10,000 strong. This small band of Sikhs defended the principles of freedom and equal-

ity against a medieval version of ISIS. In KAUR, the story of Mai Bhago helps Saibhang Kaur find the strength to face the battles in her own life. SikhNet has chosen to launch the animation in celebration of

International Women’s Day. The struggles of Saibhang Kaur represent the struggles of so many young women around the world seeking to find a place for themselves beyond traditional roles. Mai Bhago is a true-life heroine,

whose story can inspire all girls, everywhere. The animation will be available FREE online beginning on March 3rd at: kaur.sikhnet.com. It has a running time of approximately 20 minutes.

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‘Gadaar- The Traitor’ not run of the mill movie ‘

February 2015 Edition

Gadaar -The Traitor’ - Punjabi Cinema’s first Suspense - Emotional thriller, a work of slick cinematography & special effects that certainly have never been seen in Punjabi Cinema is slated for worldwide release on May 22. Amitoj Mann, the director of the film stated, `I am happy that there is a concern for bringing well made Punjabi films in front of audiences. I welcome the idea of Corporatizing Punjabi Film Industry. The initiative by Unisys Infosolutions will go a long way in making Punjabi Cinema a well respected Industry in India.` Fans of Harbhajan Mann, a Pioneer in Punjabi Music & Film Industry are in for a treat as well as a surprise as he has been cast in a completely different look. Harbhajan Mann, said ` ‘Gadaar-The Traitor’ has projected me in a new avatar. I play a business tycoon, who loves to live life on the edge.` So it might not be wrong to say that the USP of the upcoming movie is the way Harbhajan has been presented. Adds Amitoj, `Whenever, I make a film with Harbhajan I try to make sure that both the story as well as the character of Harbhajan have an element of exclusivity attached to them.` `’Gadaar - The Traitor’ scores well on both counts.` Harbhajan quips, `The film I feel stands out from the run of the mill movies. The movie is coming up well and am really excited to about its release.` Amitoj is directing Harbhajan Mann in ‘GadaarThe Traitor’ for the second time, the last movie was ‘Haani’ which got a lot of critical acclaim. The team behind ‘Gaddar-The Traitor’ is sure that it will change people’s opinion about Punjabi Cinema. ‘Gadaar -The Traitor’ is a great movie, so don’t miss this thriller when it comes to your town this summer.

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16b LOCAL News

indiantimes

n order to bridge relationships between education training in India and Aus-

tralia, a delegation of 40 academicians visited India recently. The sessions in Mumbai recog-

nised that the aim was not only about recruitment of students from India to Australia, but also about a strong sustainable future, based on mutual collaborations and partnerships. “We can now start looking at the problems faced by both countries, and how various institutes can work together to start solving them,” said Bridget Mckenzie, Victorian Senator and chair of the government’s education and policy committee, adding that the Australian Government is committed to encourage international education, and student mobility is one of the key focus areas. Internships are a major hallmark, under The New Colombo plan of the Australian Government. Under this plan, students are sent to India for internships, through which they get to understand the country, and also contribute and work alongside their Indian counterparts. For example, University of Western Sidney sent 10 students to attend lectures at St Xavier’s College, Mumbai and intern at Tata Consultancy. “These internships help Australian students gather knowledge about the Indo-Pacific region. It

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Cheating with the yoga teacher is no. 1 fantasy for Aussie women

• More than 85% of cheating Aussie women have imaginative sexual fantasies • Aussie women fantasise about their yoga teacher, colleagues or superiors, and neighbours • Doctors are the most unlikely persons to be fantasised about Dash away any thoughts that the Aussies are not imaginative when it comes to sexual encounters. A recent survey conducted by Victoria Milan – a dating website for married and attached people looking to cheat – delved into the female Aussie psyche revealing that more than 85% have very active imaginations. While the forbidden fruit, including the partner’s friends or the ex made an appearance in the top five rankings, Victoria Milan surprisingly discovered that most of Aussie cheating women surveyed fantasise about their yoga teacher with the 20% of the votes. People in positions of power at work, such as colleagues or superiors came a close second with 18% voting them as a turn on while the hot neighbour is dreamt about by 13% of randy Aussie females. Founder and CEO of Victoria Milan, Sigurd Vedal, said the results were fascinating.

February 2015 Edition

“We see the naughty side to the Aussie ladies, fantasizing about their yoga teachers, colleagues, neighbours, and untouchables such as their partner’s friends and their exes. It’s healthy and normal to explore these thoughts, so long as we also consider the consequences if we decide to act on them,” Mr Vedal said. Survey Data 4,156 Aussie female members of Victoria Milan surveyed Do you have a fanciful imagination about sex? Yes - 85% No - 15% With whom do you fantasise about the most? With my yoga teacher - 20% With my colleague or superior - 18% With my neighbour - 13% With my partner’s friend - 10% With my ex - 10% With a women - 9% With my brother in law - 7% With my physiotherapist - 6% With the barmen of my favorite pub - 5% With my doctor - 2%

allows them to go beyond our borders and on to the ground, particularly in India,” informed Mckenzie. Today, there is a greater demand for international research partnerships, as they enhance the quality of research. Other benefits include accessing different labs and knowledge facilities, establishing networks with global scholars and linking with the best people in the world to establish the best research. “Without international partners it would be difficult to solve problems that are truly global in scale like climate change, poverty etc,” said Jim Lee, deputy vice chancellor, Macquarie University. In India, the number of twining and exchange programmes taken up by Australian universities are also increasing. One of them includes a possible joint collaboration between the University of New South Wales and Apollo Medvarsity Online, for a one-year twining public health programme. In this partnership, Australian students will get an opportunity to study on the field in some primary health care centres across India, thus helping them get a global aspect of

public health. “Students will learn eight months in India and four months in Sydney, and will be assessed and certified in New South Wales,” informed Srinivas Rao, vice presidentoperations, Apollo Medvarsity Online. It is important to encourage student mobility and collaborations because through partnerships, skills can be pooled, in order to make the end product more successful than it might otherwise be. “The internationalisation of education is a response to the challenges and needs that globalisation brings,” said Malay Krishna, chair international relations, S P Jain Institute of Management & Research. Sheel Nuna, director- South Asia, Queensland University of Technology agreed, “The best way to maximise human capital and the use of resources is to collaborate. Collaborations happen because funding is available i.e. the government is ready to pay for it, and if you have a project that is directly related to the community needs, the government will fund you,” he concluded.

NRI quits job in Australia to become Sarpanch in Rajasthan Village

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India, Australia connect over enhanced academic partnerships

anuman Chaudhary was manager at a resort on the Gold Coast in Australia. His life changed when he returned to India on his father’s request only to be elected as the new Sarpanch of Nagaur village in Rajasthan. He was earning Rs. 2 crore a year in Australia. While working in Australia, Chaudhary, 27, received a call from his father requesting him to contest the panchayat election. The need arose after the government set educational prerequisites for contesting village polls. Now all those contesting panchayat elections must have studied till Class 8 in school. Members of the panchayat samiti, which governs a group of villages must be educated at least till the 10th Grade. This rule left

85% of the candidates ineligible. The Rajasthan High court refused to overrule the order. “After Class 8 minimum qualification rule came on the ground people of village contacted me. I asked my brother, he said if you want to do social work you can come back. He supported me fully so I came here and won the election with good margin,” Chaudhary said. He launched a door-to-door campaign to win with a record 6000 votes. His campaigns were never centered on castes. “I did not speak anything about casteism or the Jat-Rajput rivalry, I told personally everybody about development and that was the main point,” said Chaudhary who belongs to the Jat community.

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New Apartments & Houses + Land for sale from award winning local developer

MEDIA RELEASE

ulti award winning developer, Central Equity is excited to commence 2015 with some brand new residential projects for sale. After a successful sales campaign, construction has commenced on Central Equity’s newest CBD apartment complex, Australis. There are currently a limited number of apartments available for sale but if the popularity of the project so far is any indication, they will sell fast. Combining modern design, stylish finishes and a Little Lonsdale Street location – Australis Apartments will exemplify refined city living. Flagstaff Gardens, Southern Cross Station and Melbourne’s famous network of café and restaurant filled lane ways are all on the doorstep as are the variety of lifestyle, education, employment and transport opportunities available in Melbourne’s vibrant city centre. Available in a variety of 1, 2, and 3 bedroom combinations (some with study) and penthouses, these apartments will incorporate open plan layouts, the stylish fixtures and fittings and quality construction. Resident facilities include a concierge services, indoor pool, gym and a secure entry lobby. Construction for Australis has just commenced and Stamp Duty savings up to $45000 are still available for a limited time (off the plan purchases).

Central Equity is also behind thriving communities in popular suburbs of Melbourne - Featherbrook in Point Cook, Gateway in Truganina and Berry Lane in Mernda. These estates are within close proximity to shopping, medical services, education providers, shopping and public transportation, ensuring convenient community living for its residents. Many residents now call these estates home and enjoy the amenity Central Equity has provided by way of parks, walk tracks and sporting facilities. New land is now available in all three estates. Inspect a variety of land sizes and orientations to suit a choice of house designs. Potential buyers are welcome to visit the onsite displays to inspect estate models, stage plans and choose a home site that suits their needs and budget. Central Equity brings more than 25 years of design and development experience to its projects. The company is often referred to as the pioneer of innercity living, having developed over 10,500 apartments, homes and home sites with an end sales value exceeding $4 billion – while winning several major industry awards both for apartments and land estates alike. Central Equity can also provide a full one stop service by way of leasing, property management and resale services.

For further information contact us Toll Free on 1800 44 55 20 or Visit our website : www.centralequity.com.au

Sunny Deol gears up for some Hollywood action

Picture source: lightscamerabollywood

February 2015 Edition

ne of Bollywood’s seniormost action stars Sunny Deol will return to the genre with the sequel to the actor’s 1990 hit, Ghayal. Sunny, who will reportedly reprise his role as Ajay Mehra for the sequel, will also direct the film. In order to do justice to the action scenes in the sequel, Sunny has brought in the expertise of Dan Bradley, a popular stunt coordinator from Hollywood. Dan has been associated with several acclaimed films such as Independence Day (1996), Jackass: The Movie (2002), Spider-Man 3 (2007) and The Bourne Legacy (2012). According to an insider, Dan is currently in Mumbai, and has even started working on the film. “Dan has been doing his bit to make sure the scenes look real. Since he has been informed about Sunny’s back problem, he has been helping the team design the stunts keeping that in mind,” says a source. Confirming the news, Sunny says, “This film is set. So, the action also had to look real. Hence, our choice was Dan Bradley; his action sequences communicate with the audience.”

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Fawad Ahmed: My life would be different without cricket

awad Ahmed is unequivocal in his assessment of cricket’s role in his life. Simply, he says, “If there was no cricket my life would have been completely different.” Arriving from Pakistan in early 2010, having fled his home country for fear of persecution by the Taliban, Ahmed doesn’t understate cricket’s defining role in his

February 2015 Edition

new life in Australia. “I wouldn’t be here (in Australia). I came here for cricket because I got a contract with a club,” he says. Cricket, and sport in general, is known for its societal benefits, but few have experienced them as profoundly as Ahmed. His move from the Subcontinent to Hoppers Crossing in Victoria’s West was for club cricket, but his leg-spinning talents soon took him beyond the suburban grounds in Melbourne’s outer suburbs. Wickets upon wickets led Ahmed on a rapid course through grade and state cricket, and soon piqued the interest of national selectors. Thanks to a rare federal legislative change, Ahmed received Australian citizenship in 2013, completing his hasty ascent through the rungs of Australian cricket with his debut for Australia in a One-Day International against Scotland in 2013. Ahmed hopes his achieve-

ments since arriving in Australia act as motivation for others from diverse backgrounds to get involved in cricket. “If I can play within three years for Australia everyone can play,” he says. “It’s (playing for Australia) a great feeling. I’m so happy here.” “I [hope I] can be a role model for the community; not just my community but for all youngsters in Australia. “Things can happen to anyone; there are no impossibles here in this world. You can make it possible if you work hard and believe.” Cricket’s ability to engage communities is at the forefront of Ahmed’s perspective on life. He has become accustomed to fielding inquiries from Australia’s diverse communities, having been quickly anointed a role model by them. “I’ve been approached by so many parents... my message is always going to be the same: ‘any sports, not just cricket is good for the kids, especially for their future.” “Cricket here (in Australia)

is for everyone. Everyone is similar; everyone has got the right [to play]. Beyond immediate plans to return to the Australian team, Ahmed dreams of someday coaching full time. Soon after arriving in Australia, he began working for Cricket Victoria as a coach working primarily in multicultural communities but has cut back coaching due to playing commitments. “My dream is to coach,” he says. “I love coaching, especially spin bowling. I would love to do it on my own, or maybe in cooperation with Cricket Australia to produce some good cricketers for Australia.” In Australia he sees an enviable cricket system that provides opportunities vastly unlike those available to kids in his native Pakistan. Talking about Australian Cricket programs like MILO in2CRICKET and MILO T20 Blast, which have been specially designed for multicultural communities, Amhed says: “The [cricket] programs in Australia are unbelievable.”

“When I go to schools for a speech or a gathering, I am always saying to them ‘You people are really lucky to have such a beautiful system and opportunities in this country’.” Ahmed has experienced the world thanks to cricket. His playing days began in rural Pakistan and his abilities have taken him to grounds in the UK, Australia and even the unlikely destination of Holland. This worldly experience demonstrates cricket’s universal appeal. It brings with it access to new clubs, communities and countries. And herein lies the enduring beauty of cricket for Ahmed. “The good thing about cricket is that it is an international game – that is why they call it the king of sports. “It has really helped me make so many friends and connections.” To get involved in free come and try cricket days in your community and enjoy the action of MILO in2CRICKET and MILO T20 Blast, visit www. playcricket.com.au

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CRICKET A SPORT FOR ALL COME & TRY DAY

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egendary Australian striker Jamie Dwyer feels Hockey India League (HIL) has played a “big part” in the resurgence of the game in India, a country which has a rich history of eight Olympic gold medals. “The HIL has played a big part in the recent improvement of the Indian team. They (India) missed the Olympic berth in 2008 Beijing and had touched a low, but now they are getting better. The best I have seen them play in a long time was in Australia last year where they won the historic Test series,” the 35-year-old Dwyer, who is currently captaining Jaypee Punjab Warriors in HIL, said on Tuesday. Insisting that “consistency” was the biggest problem of the India team, Dwyer said things have now started to change. “It was great for them to win the Asian Games (last year). I think it is a huge step for Indian hockey to beat teams like South Korea and Pakistan. They need to consistently beat those teams to compete with Belgium, Australia, Germany and Holland,” the Australian said about India’s recent performances. Dwyer had words of praise for young midfielder Manpree Singh. “I think Manpreet has been the best player in India for over a year now. He is a quality player. He is a dangerous player in the midfield. He plays particularly good in HIL for Ranchi. I think he needs to play better when he plays overseas,” he said.

Talking about next year’s Rio Olympics, Dwyer feels it would be a tough contest but looking at their constant upward movement, one cannot rule out India’s chances in the quadrennial event. “Every game you play here (in Olympics) is really hard. There is not much difference between the top team and the bottom team. It’s always very close,” he said. “India have got a chance. I am not sure who their coach is going to be and what sort of style they are going to play now, which could interrupt the team a little bit. But I think they have got a great squad and some very good players.” Meanwhile, Jaypee Punjab Warriors might have registered two wins and a draw from three games in the ongoing HIL so far, but Dwyer feels there is still lot of scope for improvement. “First three games are always probably the toughest because the team just gets together. We are still gelling together as a team. We are happy with the two wins and a draw but we need to make lot of improvement in our game if we are serious about winning the title,” Dwyer said. Punjab Warriors drew their opening game against Dabang Mumbai and notched up back-to-back wins at their home turf in Mohali against Kalinga Lancers and Uttar Pradesh Wizards. Dwyer admitted that the Uttar Pradesh Wizards dominated for a good part of the game yesterday.

“Yeah, they had the ball possession for long periods, that’s for sure. Like I said it could have been fatigue because we played in Mumbai, then we travelled to Mohali and played back-to-back games. But at the end of the day we got a win and I rather play bad and win than play good and lose.” Dwyer also said that the youngsters were gaining a lot of exposure by rubbing shoulders with senior Indian and international players in the HIL. “They are gaining a lot. We try to give them as much experience and knowledge as we possibly can. They are listening and learning a lot, that’s for sure. In our team we have got lot of experience and we have got a great balance. There is good chemistry in the team. Hopefully, that reflects on to the field. I know everyone’s learning, I am learning still, the younger guys are learning,” he said. The Australian legend also feels that playing along side players from India and other countries helps one to have a better insight into each other’s strengths and weaknesses. “Definitely, I am used to that because I have played five years in Holland. In hockey, Australia and Holland have had a big rivalry. After playing in this league in India, I now know the strengths and weaknesses of (SV) Sunil, Sandeep (Singh), Dharamvir (Singh) and other players. I am sure they do the same,” Dwyer said.

Photo source: PTI

HIL played a big part in Indian hockey’s resurgence: Dwyer

On a different note, Dwyer is also excited about the upcoming cricket World Cup to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. “Everyone back home is excited about the World Cup. Australia has a good chance. South Africa and New Zealand will also be tough

teams to beat,” he said. Asked about India’s chances in the cricket World Cup, he said, “India, I am not too sure. They haven’t been in real good form lately. But if (Virat) Kohli fires, then who knows, the game is on. I am looking forward to watching few games”.

ustralia will head into the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup as the world’s No 1 ODI team, an International Cricket Council press release confirmed on Monday. Australia remained undefeated

February 2015 Edition

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Australia enter home World Cup as No 1

in their Carlton Mid Tri-Series triumph to move six points clear of defending World Cup winners India and seven ahead of South Africa, who are seen as title contenders this year. Australia batsman Glenn

Maxwell, who turned in careerbest performances in both batting (95) and bowling (4 for 46) against England in the tri-series final at the WACA on Sunday, jumped 19 places to 17th place in the rankings for ODI bats-

men. Steven Smith, who made a century on his captaincy debut against England in the league stage, move up 16 places to occupy 30th spot. Allrounder James Faulkner, who is a doubt for the World Cup after suffering

a rib injury in the final, is another player to gained; he moved up 14 places to a career-best 21st. Among the Indian batsmen, Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan went down one spot each to third and seventh respectively, having failed to make any impression with the bat in the triseries. However, India captain MS Dhoni registered a one-spot jump to eighth. Kane Williamson, on the back of 295 runs in New Zealands 4-2 triumph over Sri Lanka recently, took the sixth spot after a rise of four places. South Africa’s AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla occupy the top two positions. In the bowlers’ rankings, Australian left-arm medium pacer Mitchell Starc, who took 12 wickets to win the Man-of-theSeries award, rose five places to seventh, and was two positions behind fellow left-armer Mitchell Johnson, who returned from a hamstring injury to take three wickets in Sunday’s final. England fast bowler James Anderson also moved two places to fourth. Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal, who withdrew from the World Cup having failed to fix his bowling action in time, remained at the summit and was followed by West Indies spinner Sunil Narine, who will also miss the quadrennial tournament on account of a suspect bowling action.

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Dr. C.R.S. Kumar

heumatoid arthritis (RA) is a form of arthritis that causes pain, swelling, stiffness and loss of function in the joints (Deformity). It can affect any joint, but specifically common in smaller joints and the lining of joints or lining of internal organs will get inflamed. Women are more susceptible than men, often starts between ages 25 and 55. Rheumatoid arthritis in Ayurveda is called as “Ama vata”. In Ayurvedic Medicine there is very detailed description about the disease process (etio-pathology) and its treatment methods. The treatment methods include internal medication such as herbal preparations as well as external treatments such as abhyanga (Ayurvedic rejuvenation treatment), swedam (fomentation) etc. In Ayurveda it is mentioned as, “Sa Kashtaha Sarvarogaanaam yadaa prakupito Bhavet | Hastha paada shiro gulpha trika jaanu uru sandhishu || Karoti sarujam shopham yatra doshaha prapadyate | Sa desho rujate atyatham vyaviddha iva vrishchkaihi ||“ This means “the disease Amavata (Rheumatoid arthritis) is a chronic disease, if it becomes chronic the joints (Snadhi) of hands (Hastha), legs (Paada), ankle and elbow joint (Gulpha), Low back (Trika), Knee joint (Jaanu) and Hip joint (Uru) will

get inflamed and painful. Moreover, the pain resembles the pain of “scorpion sting”. According to Modern medicine the exact cause is not yet known, whereas, according to Ayurveda the cause is well explained. The disease is mainly due to the formation of “AMA”. It will not only affect the joints but also spreads all over the body through srotas (Channels) and obstructs the channels which in turn reduce the flow of nourishment to the body tissues. Due to which the immune levels and appetite reduce in the body. The main reasons for the formation of AMA in the body are, consumption of opposite foods, persevered foods, food items cooked one day before, poor digestive fire, sedentary life styles and imbalance in the DOSHAS (Humors). According to Modern Medicine, in rheumatoid arthritis, multiple joints are usually inflamed in a symmetrical pattern (both sides of the body affected). The small joints of both the hands and wrists are often involved. Simple tasks of daily living, such as turning door knobs and opening jars, can become difficult during flares. Also during flares, joints frequently become red, swollen, painful, and tender. This occurs because the lining tissue of the joint (synovium) becomes inflamed, resulting in the production of excessive joint fluid (synovial fluid). The synovium also thickens with inflammation (synovitis). The small joints of the feet are the commonly involved parts in the

body; especially the muscle and joint stiffness are usually most notable in the morning and after periods of inactivity. Chronic inflammation can cause damage to body tissues, including cartilage and bone. This leads to a loss of cartilage and erosion and weakness of the bones as well as the muscles, resulting in joint deformity, destruction, and loss of function. According to Ayurveda the signs and symptoms include such as, Manya prishta kati jaanu trika sandheenvikunchayan | Sashabdaha srastagaatrashcha aamavaataha sauchyate || “ This means the joints of neck (manya) , back (prishta) , hip (kati) , knee (jaanu), sacral region (trika) and other joints get inflamed. The joint movements are often accompanied with sounds. This disease which also makes body weak is known as amavata . Systemic symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis Include, Angamarda aruchi trishna aalasyam gouravam jwaraha | Apaakaha shoonataangaanam amavatasya laxanam || This means “the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are 1. Body pain (angamarda) 2. Distaste to food (aruchi) 3. Thirst. (trishna) 4. Malaise. (aalasya) 5. Fever. (jwara) 6. Indigestion. (apaaka) 7. Weakness (shoonata) Ayurvedic treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis involves both external

A probiotic pill that’ll make diabetes history

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RHEUMATOID ARTHIRITS (RA): AYURVEDA

and internal medicines. The main treatment is done to reduce the AMA by stimulating the digestive fire. Appetizers and carminatives mentioned in Ayurveda as well as Vata pacifying drugs are highly essential in reducing the pain and intensity of Rheumatoid Arthritis. The external treatments such as abhyanga with rooksha swedam are highly beneficial. Ayurvedic tips for the prevention. · Avoid curds, fish, milk, urad dal, jaggery, and constipating food. · Consume horse gram, ginger, bitter gourd, drum sticks. · Remove the sprouts (which will be present inside garlic cloves) of garlic by splitting, Soak these garlic in buttermilk over night. Next day morning wash the garlic with plain water. ground this garlic to thin paste. Consume 1/2 tea spoon of

this paste with warm water every day morning in empty stomach. · Always use hot water to bathe and to drink. · Avoid cold breeze. · Do not consume opposite foods. · Empty bowels regularly. · Do not control natural urges. · Avoid late nights and afternoon naps. You may ask your personal query to Dr Kumar via Email drkumar@ jeevahealth.com.au or by phone 040 282 745 / 03 99399474 or 02 6156 0618 regarding any of your health problems. You will be offered authentic Ayurvedic information and an opinion, as to what best can be done pertaining to your ailment. Ayurveda, naturopathy, yoga and meditation related appointments in Melbourne / Canberra Ayurveda Clinics, please ring 03 99399474.

AYURVEDA Melbourne CBD, Surrey Hills & Canberra

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Live life...Naturally

his could well be the best news you’d have heard in a long time if you are a diabetic. A new research has revealed that probiotic helps diabetes treatment in rats, suggesting that it can lead to human remedy. The Cornell University researchers engineered a strain of lactobacillus, a human probiotic common in the gut, to secrete a Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and then administered it orally to diabetic rats for 90 days and found the rats receiving the engineered probiotic had up to 30% lower high blood glucose, a hallmark of diabetes. The study was a proof of principle and future work will test higher doses to see if a complete treatment can be achieved, said senior author John March. The researchers found that upper intesti-

February 2015 Edition

nal epithelial cells in diabetic rats were converted into cells that acted very much like pancreatic beta cells, which monitor blood glucose levels and secrete insulin as needed to balance glucose levels in healthy individuals. March added that the amount of time to reduce glucose levels following a meal is the same as in a normal rat and it is matched to the amount of glucose in the blood, just as it would be with a normal-functioning pancre- ! as. It’s moving the centre of glucose control from the pancreas to the upper intestine. Also, though it replaces the insulin capacity in diabetic rats, the researchers found no change in blood glucose levels when administered to healthy rats. If the rat is managing its glucose, it doesn’t need more insulin, March said.

Specialized treatments available for: • Arthritis • Psoriasis • Erectile Dysfunction • Premature ejaculation • Impotency • Depression • Anxiety • Knee pain • Back pain/sciatica • UTI • PMS • Pregnancy care • Weight loss • Paralysis • Haemorrhoids • Fistula-In-Ano • & various ailments

Dr. Kumar CRS BAMS (Gold Medallist), MPH(Deakin), MHP(Deakin). Principal Ayurvedic Physician and Panchakarma Specialist Jeeva Health

Other Services:

Homeopathy Consultations Remedial Massage

JEEVA HEALTH PTY LTD

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SUITE 412, LEVEL 4, 480 COLLINS ST 3000 1103, RIVERSDALE ROAD, SURREY HILLS, 3127 1ST FLOOR DICKSON CHAMBERS, DICKSON, ACT

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Now a saliva test to detect dengue in 20 minutes

ere’s one potent weapon in your fight against Dengue. A team of researchers in Singapore has developed a paper-based disposable device that will allow dengue-specific antibodies to be easily detected from saliva within 20 minutes. The rapid diagnostic kit can detect a key dengue antibody from saliva that is present in earlystage secondary infection, said researchers from the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN). “The ability to differentiate between primary and secondary dengue infections makes it a

lenges faced by existing lateral flow designs such as those used in pregnancy test kits. Patients with secondary infection, who have previously been infected with other serotypes of dengue virus, stand a higher risk of developing dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome. The diagnostic kit can also be adapted to detect other infectious diseases such as HIV and syphilis, the researchers noted. They are also investigating the use of other common fluid samples, such as blood, urine and serum for rapid, high-sensitivity test kits.

cientists have claimed that sex and having good communication can have a significant influence on relationships but factors like knowing partner’s favourite pizza topping, being employed and ability to support yourself also matter. Scientists tested 2,201 participants, head to head, in seven “relationship competencies” that previous researchers had found to vital for promoting happiness in romantic relationships. The researchers’ idea was to rank them in order of vitality to start building data on the aspects of relationships most important to keep them healthy. The researchers, in addition to communication and conflict resolution, also looked out for lovemaking or romance, stress management, life skills, knowledge of

partners and self-management to find the best predictors of relationship satisfaction. Couples were queried about their competency in these areas and then asked how satisfied they were in their relationships; the researchers then correlated each partner’s strengths and weaknesses in each area with the relationship satisfaction of the person. Couple, reporting communicating effectively, showed highest satisfaction with their relationships. Study’s lead author Robert Epstein, a professor of psychology at the University of the South Pacific, in Fiji, said that learning more about partner is also important for a successful relationship, Time Magazine reported. He added that even more important was to know critical things like whether partner wants kids.

The terrors of Sleep Paralysis

ou wake up in the middle of the night and feel like something heavy is sitting on your chest, crushing the breath out of you. It’s a scary, overwhelming feeling, and the worst part is that you can’t even scream or move, because you find yourself in a paralysed state completely gripped by fear. Sounds familiar? Welcome to the world of sleep paralysis. A common yet eerie experience that occurs when the body and mind aren’t on the same page while sleeping. We give you a rundown. Why does it occur? Experts believe that sleep paralysis is merely a phenomenon where the body transitions between deep sleep and complete alertness. While speculation on the same has varied from people believing that they are sharing the room with some demonic presence to some thinking that it is our body’s way of preventing us from acting out our dreams. Being aware of having woken up while the body is still asleep can be a mortifying experience, especially when the phenomenon is coupled with having strange visions and the feeling of breathlessness. It is also more common in people who have sleep disorders. “It occurs when a person passes between stages of wakefulness and sleep. Sleep paralysis may accompany other sleep dis-

February 2015 Edition

orders such as narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is an overpowering need to sleep, caused by a problem with the brain’s ability to regulate sleep,” says Clinical Psychologist and author, Seema Hingorrany. While some believe that severe stress or a past tragedy might activate this phenomenon, spiritually inclined thinkers are more drawn towards supernatural explanations. Studies have also suggested that it is merely our body’s way of preventing us from moving around in our sleep. The causes There are several causes of sleep paralysis. The most common one being stress and lack of proper rest. An erratic sleeping schedule may be another reason for the same. Most sleep experts conclude that sleep paralysis, simply put, arises when your body does not move smoothly between the stages of sleep. Many cultures staunchly believe in an evil presence in the room that lurks around and terrifies helpless people in their sleep. In some cases, a family history of the same has been noted, even though the condition doesn’t seem to have any genetically transmitted symptoms. Says Dr. Preeti Devnani, specialist in sleep medicine and neurology, “A young girl had three episodes of sleep paralysis. In one of these she saw her cousin sitting next to her and talking. She related this experience to an er-

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valuable early diagnosis tool that would help to ensure timely treatment and proper care of patients,” explained professor Jackie Y. Ying, executive director of IBN. Currently, dengue infection is diagnosed in the laboratory by testing the patient’s blood sample for the presence of dengue antigens or antibodies. The new device is capable of detecting IgG, a dengue-specific antibody found at the onset of secondary infections, directly from saliva in one step. To make the device, the IBN researchers used an innovative stacking flow design to overcome key chal-

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ratic work schedule and lack of sleep. All these symptoms point to an experience of sleep paralysis.” Treatment and cure The most important and possibly simplest cure for this is following a regular sleep pattern. Most experts claim that the condition is temporary without having any long-lasting consequences. How-

ever, if it occurs more frequently and you find it bothersome, it is advisable to consult a doctor. “Taking out some time from your schedule to exercise regularly is beneficial too. Eating healthy is another simple yet sure shot way of ensuring that you don’t fall prey to sleep paralysis. Make sure you consume wholesome and nutritious food and avoid substances

that can potentially harm your sleep cycle, like coffee or alcohol,” says health expert Neha Sinha. Indulge in activities that relax you like listening to music, walking, playing with pets; basically activities that de-stress and unwind you as stress is one of the greatest contributors to triggering an episode of sleep paralysis.

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Living with mystery pain

xcruciating pain that can’t be traced back to a physical ailment could be the result of suppressed rage. For three years, Rohan Puri (name changed) would experience a debilitating headache that would miraculously appear every March. The signs were a classic migraine’s. He’d follow the routine -land up at the doctor’s “only to go through the same set of tests, all of which would say that things are normal”. The pain in the head would persist for a couple of weeks before disappearing. This year was different. The 32-year-old Lower Parel-based restolounge proprietor suffered an ache all over his body that lasted 15 days straight. “Life came to a standstill. By now, I was hyperventilating and ready to check into a hospital,” he recalls. A battery of tests later, there was still no diagnosis. Puri approached Juhu-based orofacial pain specialist Dr Raashi Khatri-Panjabi, whose diagnosis was a googly for Puri, who was expecting to be told about a physical ailment. “We figured, that the pain returned during the financial yearly closing. That’s when things got extremely stressful for him at work. The ache was a result of muscle dysfunction owing to suppressed emotional tension,” she says. On his website, the US-based professor of rehabilitation medicine, Dr John Sarno, maintains

that pain, a sensation we usually relate with the physical, can be actually psychosomatic and initiated by the pressures of life and certain personality types. He calls it the Tension Myoneural Syndrome, a harmless condition characterized by pain caused by mild oxygen deprivation due to stress to the muscles, tendons or spinal nerves. The success of his treatment relies on the belief that mind-body symptoms usually cease when we understand what’s going on in the mind, and how the two are related. Psychiatrist Dr Anjali Chabbria adds that your personality type can determine how vulnerable you are to pain. “Certain personality types grapple with high-stress situations, suppressing emotion instead of figuring a solution to the problem on hand,” she says. “In such cases, emotional pain transforms into physical pain.” Not imagined It’s not uncommon, say experts, for pain that can’t be linked directly to a physical cause to be dismissed as `imagined’ since reports and tests cannot corroborate or measure the patient’s claim. “Unlike a fever, there is no thermometer to measure the intensity of pain. It is the only symptom that cannot be quantified. We have to rely entirely on the patient’s version,” says Khatri Panjabi. Michigan-based Dr Howard Schubiner, who is deeply inspired by Dr Sarno’s theory, calls it the

Mind Body Syndrome. The symptom -pain in this case -is real and not “in your head,” he clarifies, on his website. It’s the body’s way to react to an emotional challenge, by producing physiological changes. Stress, rage, triggers The body, explains Khatri-Panjabi, undergoes changes when it reels under stress, anxiety, nervousness or depression. Chemicals including adrenalin are produced in excess, the heart rate goes up, blood vessels dilate, breathing and sweat production increases, metabolism slows down and the muscles turn tense. “Besides, the anxious personality tends to experience shallow breathing in any case. This causes the neck muscles to tighten and form muscle knots or trigger points.” Myofascial pain or chronic muscle pain is characterised by tight knots or trigger points often found in the neck and back region. “When the muscles here tighten, they refer pain to the extremities of the body. You experience these as low back pain or tingling and numbness in the fingers,” says KhatriPanjabi. Earache, dizziness, nausea, heartburn, congestion, palpitation, tennis elbow, sinus, tinnitus, colic, bed-wetting, and pain in the chest and genitals are common results. Turning the process on its head, trigger points can also lead to chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and

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lowered resistance to infection. “And because trigger points can be responsible for chronic pain and disability, the reverse is also possible; prolonged undiagnosed pain can cause depression and anxiety,” she says. Sleep and nutrition According to Schubiner, stress, extreme anger or bitterness settles in your subconscious, affecting your sleep pattern and invariably taking a toll on the muscles. “It’s common sense, really,” says Khatri-Panjabi. “When you sleep sound for seven to eight hours, your body is able to go in to repair mode. That’s the basic function of sleep.” If you are stressed, you tend to sleep a lot or very little. In either case, you wake up to a numb bodily discomfort. A stressed person tends to sleep in a stiff, scrunched posture, leading to muscle contraction that can result in pain.

Stress also affects your eating pattern, which in turn has a role to play in the functioning of the muscles. For instance, those suffering from trigger points could also be lacking in certain vitamins or minerals, including vitamins B1, B6, and B12, C, folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium -all necessary for pain relief. “The problem may be inadequate ingestion or a stressed person reaching out to substances like tobacco, caffeine, alcohol, drugs/nutrient interactions, tea, sugar and processed foods that all lead to elimination of these nutrients from the body,” she says. The tell-tale sign The medical tests won’t throw up red flags. If you experience back or neck pain, and the MRI doesn’t show a serious abnormality, it’s possible that you have Myofascial pain.

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February 2015 Edition

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How to take care of chemically treated hair

hen it comes to coloured, straightened or texture altered hair it is really difficult to take care of it. Creative director of Monsoon Salons, Rod Anker says that protecting the hair from heat is most important and hence one should avoid any heating tools including the blow dryer and should use the cool blast option instead. Hot water will robs the hair off its natural moisture and hence cold water should be used for while washing, he added. Experts also suggest liberal use of condi-

tioner on chemically treated hair and advice to leave the conditioner on for extra minutes as it restores the moisture that may have been depleted by chemicals in hair strands, added Dr Sonal Shah from Richfeel. Anker also stated that wide toothed hair comb are helpful in separating the strands and a wooden comb is preferable since plastic ones create frizz due to static. Needless to say, don’t mess with your hair for at least six months as your hair needs to relax after the high dose of straightening chemicals.