hi INDiA East Coast Edition 01.20.2015 by hi INDiA Weekly

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

THE UNCOMMON MAN INSIDE

Legendary cartoonist R.K. Laxman, creator of the iconic ‘The Common Man,’ left no 1 politician or minister, however high or mighty, escape his pointed satire. A tribute...

QUAID NAJMI, MUMBAI

story in the media goes that one day a few decades ago, The Times Of India (ToI) cartoonist and creator of The Common Man, R.K. Laxman, retired. The following day, the legend’s cartoon was not to be found as readers rubbed their disbelieving eyes over their morning cuppa. Sustained letters and calls to the ToI offices from the loyal and casual readers finally led to Laxman being dragged out of retirement and reinstating the uncommon, signature cartoons to their dedicated slot on Page 1. That was the command Laxman’s Common Man in “You Said It” pocket cartoons held over masses, having regaled several generations of ToI readers in Mumbai and elsewhere in the country, for decades. ToI management rewarded Laxman with lifetime employment, while his son Srinivas Laxman, considered India’s only journalist specializing in space reporting, retired in 2009. “He continued as a regular fulltime employee and drew his salary till the end…” Laxman’s wife Kamala told IANS. After a rich life, the creator of the man with a bushy moustache, tufts of hair on the rim of a balding head and perennially donning a chequered coat with patch-work — The Common Man, immortalized as a statue in front of an educational institute in Pune, died Monday at the age of 94. Born on October 24, 1921, in Mysore, Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Iyer Laxman and his brother R.K. Narayan, who later became a leading Indian English writer had an ordinary childhood, as evidenced from Narayan’s books, The Malgudi Days. At an early age, he lost his father, a school headmaster, his elder broth-

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Desai was one tall thin, grim man, standing ramrod, both in Laxman’s creations and in real life. Who can forget the short and roly-poly perpetually grinning image of former deputy prime minister Jagjivan Ram or the potbellied S.B. Chavan with a stern, headmaster expression always on. Once Laxman said at an informal gathering that politicians of every genre used to approach him and begged of him to make their caricatures, that would make them famous and ‘noticeable’. His severe criticism of successive governments at the states and the centre, always highlighting their glaring acts of omission and commission in his typical wry humor, earned him fans and admirers even among his worst detractors. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paying homage to RK Laxman during Later, his works were compiled xthe funeral in Pune. (Right) The “Common Man.” (Photo: Nitin Lawate/IANS) into a whopping nine volumes of ers took up the responsibility for living. Alongside academics, he pur- cynical, humorous, and hapless, pocket cartoons and a book of select managing the house while Laxman sued drawing, first with freelance view of the country rising from the political cartoons, The Eloquent BJP leader LK contributions Advani, philanthropist Dilip Kumar so-calledKhan, jewel in theactors completed schooling. to local publications ruins of theAga Brush featuring his best commen- and Amitab to Rajiv of the British Empire into a taries from HeBachchan applied to Mumbai’sand famed Punjab and later sketched for crown the Nehru Vibhushan CMcartoons Parkash Singh Badal among Padma awarde Sir J.J. School of Arts, but was brother R.K. Narayan’s stories pub- force to reckon with in the global Gandhi eras. However, the governrejected — his drawings failed the lished in The Hindu and arena — through the eyes of The ment mandarins and politicians Common Man, his vocational whom he slaughtered with his pen high expectations of the other newspapers. and brush, proved a forgiving lot renowned institution. Laxman later got an offer with the trademark. Rajiv Gandhi was depicted as a when they honored him with top Disappointed but not disheart- ToI — which proved to be the turnened, Laxman joined Maharaja Col- ing point in his career and made confused, cherubic baby-faced civilian awards like Padma Shri and youth, while younger brother Sanjay Padma Bhushan, and on the interlege, Mysore, and earned his B.A. him a living legend. degree from the University of As the ToI’s cartoonist, Laxman Gandhi was the naughty, enfant ter- national stage, he bagged the Mysore, and came to Mumbai for a had a field day — always taking a bit rible of Indian politics, and Morarji Magsaysay Award.

THE UNCOMMON MAN Legendary cartoonist R.K. Laxman, creator of the iconic ‘The Common Man,’ left no politician or minister, however high or mighty, escape his pointed satire. A tribute...

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INDIA’S INDIA’SJEWELS JEWELS

R.K. Laxman, nation’s uncrownedx conscience keeper KOLKATA: R.K. Laxman, considered by many as one of the world’s greatest cartoonists, was an institution unto himself, indisputably the uncrowned conscience keeper of the nation. No politician or minister, however high or mighty, escaped his pointed satire, conveyed through a few deft strokes of his brush, especially if they committed an act of impropriety or indiscretion. Laxman’s Common Man, who graced the front pages of The Times of India for more than five decades, under “You Said It” acquired an iconic stature of its own. These pocket cartoons not only conveyed the pulse of a nation,

but also unfailingly delivered powerful messages. At the same time they mirrored the hopes and aspirations, follies and foibles of a society in transition. The cartoons of Laxman, who died Monday, became the defining moments in nation’s history, as for instance, the one on Aryabhatta, India’s first satellite. A couple of middle-aged officegoers are waiting at a bus stop. One of them wants to know the time. As soon as the other looksAga at his watch and Khan answers, the questioner looks skywards, exclaims: “Aryabhatta must IANS, NEW DELHI have completed one orbit by now.”

JP leader L.K. Advani, spiritual leader and philanthropist Aga Khan, actors Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal are among the nine named for India’s second highest civilian honor, the Padma Vibhushan. The awards, declared on the eve of Republic Day, are the first Padma honors announced by the Narendra Modi government which assumed office last May. It had last month conferred the nation’s highest honor - the Bharat Ratna - on former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and educationist Madan

His huge canvas spanned local, national and global personalities and issues, born out of his deep understanding of the cross currents shaping the world. His take on Angolan crisis in which both the super powers fought through proxies, at the height of the Cold War, shall remain among his many unforgettable cartoons. The three-column illustration depicts Leonid Brezhnev and Jimmy Carter, presidents of erstwhile USSR and US, L.K. Advani who are stealthily stepping across the coast of Angola, both armed and inminthe Mohan Malaviya. A home guise burglars.said Carterthat criesPresident “thiefistryofrelease

Pranab Mukherjee has approved conferment of Padma awards to 104 people — nine for Padma Vibhushan, 20 for Padma Bhushan and 75 for Padma Shri. Seventeen of the awardees are women. Four have been named for Padma awards posthumously. Also among the Padma Vibhushan awardees is senior nuclear scientist M.R.Srinivasan, 84, who had negotiated on behalf of India with Russia for supply of reactors for Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP). Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates and his wife Melinda, journalists Swapan Das-

‘Don’t make religion a cause for conflict’ IANS, NEW DELHI

thief” as soon as he spots his burly opposite number. It exposes their double-speak and evokes laughter at the irony. These cartoons speak volumes about Laxman’s capacity to convey complex geopolitical realities in his characteristic style. Laxman’s cartoons, undoubtedly the outcome of a brilliant mind, also entailed sheer hard work. It meant isolating himself for six hour daily, neither speaking nor listening to anyone during the period.Dilip “Se Kumar Laxman showed promise very early ingupta life. The illustrations in The Strand, and Rajat Sharma, lawyer Punch, Tit-Bits, reputed HarishBystander Salve, and filmmaker Jahnu

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British magazines, spurred his innate talent which found an outlet in his own house. He drew on its floor, walls and doors, sketched caricatures of his school teachers. Sir David Low, the world-famous cartoonist whose sketches also appeared in the Hindu, also influenced him. Refused admission to the J.J. School of Art in Mumbai, on the grounds that he lacked requisite talent, Laxman joined the Maharaja’s College in Mysore. Amitabh While doing his graduation Bachchan in arts, he began to illustrate the stories of elder sibling R.K. Narayan, director for India’s Mars mission whichS.K. appeared in The Hindu.. and Shivkumar, director of

BJP leader LK Advani, philanthropist Aga Kha Bachchan and Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal

INDIA’S J

Barua, former chief election commissioner N.Gopalaswami, wrestler-turned-coach Satpal, maths “Nobel Prize” winner Manjul Bhargava and Carnatic singer Sudha Raghunathan are among the 20 recipients of the Padma Bhushan. Barua, who is one of the six from the northeast to figure in the awards, told IANS: “It makes me happy. I feel that such recognition is necessary. A lot of good work is being done and such recognition Khan will do good Aga to the region.” Economist Bibek Debroy, badNEW mintonIANS, player P.V.DELHI Sindhu, space scientists S. Arunan - the project JP leader L.K. Advani, spiritual leader and philanthropist Aga Khan, actors Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal are among the nine named for India’s second highest civilian honor, the Padma Vibhushan. The awards, declared on the eve of Republic Day, are the first Padma honors announced by the Narendra Modi government which assumed office last May. It had last month conferred the nation’s highest honor - the Bharat Ratna - on former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and educationist Madan

the Indian Space Research Organisation Satellite Centre and having a key role in building the deep space network (DSN) that was used in tracking the Chandrayaan and Mars Orbite inter-planetary satellites, are among those named for Padma Shri. The list of Padma awardees includes some spiritual leaders Swami Rambhadracharya (Padma Vibhushan), Swami Satyamitranand Giri and Shivakumara Swami (both Padma Bhushan) and AdvaniGuru Amrta Prtugal-basedL.K.Jagat Suryananda Maha Raja (Padma Mohan Malaviya. A home minShri) were in the list. Art of Living istry release saidRavi thatShankar President founder Sri Sri and Pranab Mukherjee has approved conferment of Padma awards to 104 people — nine for Padma Vibhushan, 20 for Padma Bhushan and 75 for Padma Shri. Seventeen of the awardees are women. Four have been named for Padma awards posthumously. Also among the Padma Vibhushan awardees is senior nuclear scientist M.R.Srinivasan, 84, who had negotiated on behalf of India with Russia for supply of reactors for Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP). Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates and his wife Melinda, journalists Swapan Das-

BJP leader LK Advani, philanthropist Aga Khan, actors Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan and Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal among Padma Vibhushan awardees >>PAGE 17

impacts the law-making role of the parliament and breaches the trust reposed in it by the people. “This is neither good for the democracy nor for the policies relating to those laws.” Recently the president had raised strong objections to a string of ordinances - executive orders passed by the union cabinet, including the one on the land acquisition act. President Pranab Mukherjee addressing the nation on the eve of the Republic Day. While acknowledging that the constitution provided for promulga- the people. It is the platform where also found mention in the presition of ordinance in extraordinary progressive legislation using civilized dent’s speech on January 25. Mukherjee said: “...it pains me situation, Mukherjee had said this dialogue must create delivery mechroute cannot and should not be anisms for realizing the aspirations to see that Mother India is not taken for normal legislation. In his of the people. It calls for reconciling respected by her own children thecomes law-making of theof IANS, NEW DELHI address, the president also stressed the differences amongst stakeholders impacts when it to therolesafety and breaches the trust on the importance of the parliamen- and building a consensus for the law parliament women. “Atrocities of rape, murin it by theonpeople. Mukherjee tary process in making laws saying to beresident enacted,”Pranab he said in his address reposed ders, harassment the roads, kid“This isand neither political discourse that good for have the there can be no governance without that said was aired in Doordarshan, the napping dowry deaths “cutsbroadcaster. and wounds” people’s democracy norfearful for the a functioning legislature. national made women evenpolicies in their “abhorrent” to security India’s relating to those the laws.” “The legislature reflects the will of hearts Thewas aspect of women’s own homes,” president said, traditional ethos. Recently the president had In his customary address to the raised strong objections to a string nation on the eve of Republic Day, of ordinances - executive orders Mukherjee said: “The freedom passed by the union cabinet, inherent in democracy sometimes including the one on the land generates an unhappy by-product acquisition act. when political discourse becomes a While acknowledging that the competition in hysteria that is constitution provided for promulgaabhorrent to our traditional ethos.” tion of ordinance in extraordinary “The violence of the tongue cuts situation, Mukherjee had said this and wounds people’s hearts,” he route cannot and should not be added. Quoting Mahatma Gand- taken for normal legislation. In his hi, he said: “Religion is a force for address, the president also stressed unity; we cannot make it a cause of on the importance of the parliamentary process in making laws saying conflict.” Mukherjee once again objected there can be no governance without to government enacting laws with- a functioning legislature. “The legislature reflects the will of out discussion, saying that it

P The landmark civil nuclear deal, US support for an “early decision on India’s entry” into the four multilateral export control regimes make religion and $4 billion worth of new initiatives, the Obama ‘Don’t visit has a cause for conflict’ elevated India-US ties to a new level resident Pranab Mukherjee said political discourse that “cuts and wounds” people’s hearts was “abhorrent” to India’s traditional ethos. In his customary address to the nation on the eve of Republic Day, Mukherjee said: “The freedom inherent in democracy sometimes generates an unhappy by-product when political discourse becomes a competition in hysteria that is abhorrent to our traditional ethos.” “The violence of the tongue cuts and wounds people’s hearts,” he added. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, he said: “Religion is a force for unity; we cannot make it a cause of conflict.” Mukherjee once again objected to government enacting laws without discussion, saying that it

*NOTICE

‘Natural partner’ to ‘best partner’ P

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Parkash Singh Badal

yoga guru Ramdev had decl receive the awards after names appeared in the medi The Padma Bhushan aw also include former Lok Sab retary general and constit expert Subhash C. Kashyap. Bhargava is settled in the U others in the list are foreign n als. Prominent among thos have been conferred Padam include Bollywood director Leela Bhansali, lyricist P Joshi, music director Ra Jain, Gujarati writer Tarak and cartoonist Pran Kumar Kumar ma or PranDilip (posthumously Mohandas Pai (trade and gupta and Rajat Raj Sharma, (sports) al try), Mithali Harish filmmaker Rajput Salve, (literature and educaJ Barua, former chief election missioner N.Gopalasw wrestler-turned-coach adding every Indian mustS maths Prize” winner pledge“Nobel to protect the ho jul Bhargava Carnatic women fromand violence of ans Sudha Raghunathan are am Commenting on terroris the 20 recipients of theis Ps president said “violence Bhushan. across our borders”. Barua, who is onenon-violen of the six “While peace, the to intentions figure in goodnortheast neighborly awards, IANS: “It make remain told the fundamentals of o happy. I feel that such recogn eign policy, we cannot afford iscomplacent necessary. Aabout lot ofadversarie good w being done and such recogn will stop at nothing to disru will do good to thea region.” progress towards prospero Economist Bibek Debroy, equitable India,” he added. minton P.V. strength, Sindhu, Indiaplayer has the S. determination Arunan - the to p scientists dence and architects of this war agai people, he said. “Repeated violations o ceasefire along the Line of C and terrorist attacks must integrated response throug sive diplomacy and impre security mechanisms. The must join India in fightin menace of terrorism,” he sai The president also said th results of last year’s genera tions have been remarkable ple have voted a single pa power after three decades.

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President Pranab Mukherjee add

the people. It is the platform progressive legislation using civ dialogue must create delivery m anisms for realizing the aspir of the people. It calls for recon the differences amongst stakeh and building a consensus for th to be enacted,” he said in his ad that was aired in Doordarsha national broadcaster. The aspect of women’s se

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SPECIAL REPORT

obama in india

‘Natural partner’ to ‘best partner’ The landmark civil nuclear deal, US support for an “early decision on India’s entry” into the four multilateral export control regimes and $4 billion worth of new initiatives, the Obama visit has elevated India-US ties to a new level RANJANA NARAYAN AND ARUN KUMAR, NEW DELHI/WASHINGTON

ndia and the US saw the forging of a closer partnership, helped in great measure by the personal and visible bonding between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Barack Obama, as the two sides elevated their ties with a new ‘Declaration of Friendship’ and also managed to pull off a “breakthrough” agreement on their stalled civil nuclear deal. As Obama accompanied by wife Michelle wound up three days of packed diplomatic and public engagements, his state visit where he was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day parade has been termed as paving the way for a “new era” in India-US relations. US Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said the signal being sent from Obama and Modi to their own respective governments “is going to catalyze a lot of activity”. “It also sends a message to the world, I think, that the US and India are going to be closer partners going forward,” he said. “And that’s entirely consistent with the president’s focus on the Asia-Pacific region and building closer relations with emerging powers, particularly the world’s largest democracy here in India.” Modi and Obama, who

held over three-hour long talks, within hours of Obama touching down in New Delhi, announced the much-anticipated breakthrough agreement on implementation of their landmark civil nuclear deal, six years after it was signed. That the two leaders had played a major part in getting the nuclear contact group to tide over their disagreements was indicated by Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, who said the “political leadership played a key role” in pushing forward the agreement for setting up US-built civil nuclear reactors in India. The US also signaled its sup-

gy security in the coming years. Noted strategic expert C. Uday Bhaskar termed the Obama visit “very successful”. “I would characterize this as a very successful visit, and also a reflection of PM Modi’s ability to bring about a definitive change in the bilateral relationship in a very short time from September 2014 to now. On the nuclear issue, the way the roadblocks have been removed, it came about after Modi came into the chair and brought in the problem-solving mechanism into the relationship. The fact that he was able to infuse the political direction

India and the US have also agreed to work closely in the Asia- Pacific region, bringing together India’s ‘Act East Policy’ and the US’s re- balance to Asia. port for an “early decision on India’s entry” into the four multilateral export control regimes — the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Australia Group, and the Wassenaar Arrangement — that would facilitate global business with India in the field of civil nuclear energy on which India, which has been largely dependent on energyinefficient and climatically harmful fossil fuels, is hoping to pin its ener-

and energy has made all the difference,” Bhaskar told IANS. India and the US have also agreed to work closely in the Asia-Pacific region, bringing together India’s ‘Act East Policy’ and the US’s re-balance to Asia. “The US welcomes a greater role for India in the Asia-Pacific,” Obama said at a town hall-like address before winding up his India visit Tuesday. Bhaskar, director of think tank Society for Policy Studies (SPS), said

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama during a stroll after lunch at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. (Photo: IANS)

the Indo-US joint statement on working together in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean “gives a better understanding of the political contours of the relationship”. Obama and Modi had “turned a corner for the United States and India” by resolving “issues in a longstalled nuclear deal that for years kept US nuclear power companies from doing business in India”, noted Alyssa Ayres, senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the

Council on Foreign Relations. The two sides renewed the 10year Defense Framework Agreement for enhanced defense engagement, and also inked the Defense Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI). These include the Raven unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and the “roll-on, roll-off” intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance module for the Lockheed Martin-manufactured C-130 J transport aircraft.

In India visit, US media sees geopolitical implications WASHINGTON: Taking a generally positive view of US President Barack Obama’s India visit, the US media has suggested that his personal chemistry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi had opened a new chapter in India-US relations. “After years of near misses and unfulfilled promises,” Obama and Modi “appear to have set relations between their democracies on a deeper, perhaps even revolutionary, path,” the influential New York Times commented. “Part of the improvement in bilateral relations has to do with the personal chemistry between the two, which by all accounts appears warm and genuine,” it said in an editorial titled “A New Chapter for America and India.” Apart from “plenty of colorful symbolism” the Times said “There are strategic

imperatives at work as well.” “Both leaders need to expand their economies, and both see the other as a crucial partner in offsetting China’s increasingly assertive role in Asia,” it said suggesting “The potential for cooperation is considerable.” With their talk of an “enduring commitment,” Obama and Modi “have raised expectations and set a firm basis for moving forward,” the Times said. But “Building a true partnership will take sustained efforts over many decades.” The Wall Street Journal in a review titled “A US-India Nuclear Test” suggested “Obama’s visit leaves Modi with a chance to show his reform chops.” “Given the once-frosty relations between the US and India, it is worth

Modi and Obama hug each other during the Joint Press Interaction held at the Hyderabad House. (Photo: IANS)

celebrating the bonhomie displayed by Messrs. Modi and Obama this week, along with the growing cooperation between US and Indian defense planners,” it said. “Yet protectionist policies and political dysfunction in New Delhi continue to limit India’s growth as an economic and diplomatic power,” the Journal said. “The latest US-Indian civil-nuclear pact is a test of Mr. Modi’s ability to overcome political resistance to promarket reforms,” it said. CNN also wondered “Is ObamaModi ‘bromance’ a turning point in US, Indian relations?” “The biggest takeaway from Obama’s three days in India was the symbolism of the leaders of the world’s two biggest democracies cozying up,” it said.

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

SPECIAL REPORT

obama in india

Touching the horizon Narendra Modi and Barack Obama unveil steps for new high to business, trade ties

US President Barack Obama addressing at the India-US Business Summit in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on January 26. (Photos: IANS) IANS, NEW DELHI

ndia-US business links were set for a quantum jump with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance of “consistent policies” and “welcoming environment” leading to US President Barack Obama announcing steps to lead to $4 billion trade with and investment in India. “Over the next two years, our Export Import Bank (EXIM) will support $1 billion Made In America goods exports to India. Our Overseas Private Investment Corporation will support lending small and medium businesses across India in more than $1 billion in loans. And our US Trade and Development Agency will invest nearly $2 billion in renewable energy in India,” the US President said in his address at the USIndia Business Summit here on January 26. Listing out more steps, he said the US was ready to help in broadband connectivity and build better roads. “We need to make sure that economic growth in both India and US is inclusive. Diaspora investment initiative will aid India,” he said. “US exports to India is nearly 35 percent. Indian investments in our country is growing as well. Those Indian investments are supporting jobs across America. Our growing trade relations are also a win for India. Both Indian and US workers are benefiting from the ties,” Obama added. Saying that there is a lot of “untapped trade potential”,

he added: “PM Modi agrees that there is a lot of scope to improve the trade relations. We have to focus on making doing business easier in both our countries.” In his address earlier, Modi said the state should be driven by policies which should be consistent so as to draw more investments, while revealing US investments in India jumped by 50 percent in the first six months of his government. “State should be policy-driven. That will help investment. Consistency is another very important aspect that will bring more investments in the country. These things will address many problems,” Narendra Modi said. He assures US business that they “will find environment that is not only open, but also welcoming”. “We will guide you and walk with you in your projects. You will find a climate that encourages

investment and rewards enterprise; it will nurture innovation and protect your intellectual property,” Modi said. “It will make it easy to do business; our immediate target is to bring us from the rear ranks of the world into the top 50. You will find a tax regime that is predictable and competitive. We have removed some of the excesses of the past. We will now soon address the remaining uncertainties. Our goal is an economy where skills, infrastructure and resources will not be constraints to growth,” he said, adding heavy investments in infrastructure and agriculture will improve the economy. Noting that “in the world of economics, numbers are often an unforgiving mirror to performance,” Modi said: “They are telling us that we are on the right path. Our economic growth has

increased by a percentage point. Today, business sentiments in India are the strongest among major Asian markets. Consumer confidence in India has turned positive after three years. “Growth in the eight core sectors of the economy has increased sharply. Inflation is at a five-year low. And, 110 million new bank accounts have opened in the last four months. Investments from the United States have jumped by 50 percent in the first six months of my government. And, I know that some of the pledges made in September in Washington have begun to flow in.” Stressing the India-US partnership “will be vital for prosperity at home and our economic leadership abroad”, he held it will also help address “global challenges of our times”. Turning to President Obama, Modi said that with his

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama at the India-US CEO Forum Meeting. (Photo: IANS/PIB)

support, “quite simply, the joined hands of India and the United States will make this world a better place for all. With your leadership, Mr. President, and with the support of our gifted people, we will turn our commitments into concrete action”. The US-India Business Council (USIBC) along with India’s department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) organized the summit. Before this meeting, Modi, speaking at the interactive India US CEO Forum, highlighted key priorities of his government including improving “Ease of Doing Business”, and the “Make in India” initiative. He also added it is extremely important to listen to investors, as this helps speed up decisions. Reacting to the statements by Modi and Obama, CII president Ajay Shriram expressed hope that the newly-announced US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue will convene soon to chart out the path for enhanced bilateral economic cooperation. He also welcomed Modi’s commitment to making the business environment in India easier and more predictable. In this regard, he welcomed the new cell being set up in the PMO to fast track US investments in India. It is these steps, he noted, that will help step up the US’s engagement in the Indian economy.

Obama

SPECIALinREPORT obama india

pumps flesh

American-style The hour-long, townhall-meeting style event in New Delhi was punctuated by repeated applause as Barack Obama spoke about the dreams and opportunities for the young TARUN BASU, NEW DELHI

hat US President Barack Obama knows how to work the crowds was evident from his address at the Siri Fort Auditorium here where he had a predominantly young crowd screaming out his name, repeatedly applauding him and vying with one another to clasp his hands as well as that of his wife Michelle when both of them came down to interact with the audience. The hour-long, townhall-meeting style event, was punctuated by repeated applause — almost every few minutes — as Obama spoke

ARUN KUMAR, WASHINGTON

resident Barack Obama’s historic visit to India received prominent coverage in US media with major newspapers focusing on the breakthrough on the nuclear deal and splashing pictures of the pomp and pageantry. The influential New York Times carried on top of the front page a four-column picture of Obama reviewing the guard of honor at Rashtrapati Bhavan captioned “Pomp and Progress”. A detailed story inside was headlined “Obama clears a hurdle to better ties with India”. The web editions of the Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and some other papers splashed several pictures of the visit in separate photo galleries. The Post pointed to the coverage inside with a small single column picture of Obama sipping tea with a laughing Prime Minister Narendra Modi by his side. The caption read: “An understanding: President Obama begins a three day trip to India and cites a breakthrough on nuclear

about the dreams and opportunities for the young, the diversity of both the US and India and the time for the US and India not just to be “natural partners” but “India’s best partner” on a range of issues from education to environment, from infrastructure to counter-terrorism. Right from the beginning, when Neha Buch, a young representative of Indian NGO Prabha, introduced Obama to the audience as a man who is known for his empathy with common people, Obama was at his best as he connected with the crowd at the over 1,900-capacity tiered hall, talking about a greater role for India in the Asia-Pacific region, and

Barack Obama meeting members of the audience at the Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi. (Photo: IANS)

immediately with the audience by talking about his own humble roots which he said were in many ways similar to the roots of the Indian prime minister. “If the grandson of a cook can become president, and the tea seller can become the prime minister, so can young people from the humblest of origins dare to dream big and realize their aspirations,” he said to loud cheers and applause. He also talked about the importance of women in society and said a “nation is successful when its women are successful”, a remark which again drew strong applause as he talked about how impressed he was with the “incredible women

in (India’s) armed forces” that he witnessed at the Republic Day parade on January 26 and also mentioned about the women officer — Wing Commander Pooja Thakur of the Indian Air Force — who led the guard of honor at Rashtrapati Bhavan at his official welcoming ceremony on January 25. After the address, the Obama walked the stage to loud applause, came down and then went around meeting the audience in the first row with excited youngsters particularly jostling to reach out to their hands, as they happily pumped flesh for nearly 10 minutes, and taking their pictures on their mobile phones.

US media makes a splash

Barack Obama inspects Guard of Honor at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi. Wing Commander Puja Thakur walked Obama for the inspection of the tri-service Guard of Honor. (Photo: IANS)

impasse.” Inside under a six-column center spread in the middle, the Post spoke of “A ‘break-

through’ understanding on nuclear issues in India”. Underneath was a six-column

bottom spread about Modi’s wife headlined “If he comes I will go: wife of India’s leader, a child bride

As the Obamas went around, the sound system erupted with popular song from the hit Aamir Khan starrer Lagaan — O mitwa, sun mitwa, tujhko kya darr hai re haratee apanee hai, apana ambar hai re, tu aaja re — which extols the virtues of friendship and partriotism, making it a day that many in the audience would remember. As a young woman was overhead remarking excitedly later on, “If Obama would stand for an election in Delhi, I would definitely vote for him.” A US journalist, who was part of the White House press corps traveling with the president, said: “Looks like he is a highly popular man here!”

was kept a secret” with a single column picture of Jashodaben in a red sari. The Washington Times carried on the front page a three-column picture of Obama showering rose petals on Mahatma Gandhi’s samadhi at Raj Ghat with the caption reading “Making history in India” and a detailed story inside. The Chicago Tribune published from Obama’s home town too carried a small single column picture of Obama sipping tea on the front page with the caption reading “US, India declare a new partnership” with a detailed story inside. The Los Angeles Times, however, chose to focus on lack of progress on climate change with a two-column front page picture of the smog-covered Indian capital. Under the picture captioned “A layer of smog shrouds New Delhi” was a story headlined: “India’s premier rejects US call for climate goal”. The ‘breakthrough’ on the nuclear deal took the back seat with a smaller type subheading reading: “Obama does manage to make progress on a deal to build nuclear reactors for energy”.

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

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SPECIAL REPORT obama in india

Obama’s presence big boost: Pranab

(PHOTO LEFT), Barack Obama and First Lady at the banquet hosted by the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee. (ABOVE) Obama with Mukherjee.

I’m glad that the two nations are deepening strategic, security and defense cooperation, says Indian president IANS, NEW DELHI

resident Pranab Mukherjee said on January 25 that the presence of US President Barack Obama at the Republic Day parade will demonstrate to the world the growing ties of friendship and trust that bind the two democracies closely. In his banquet speech in honor of Obama, who is on a three-day state visit, and his wife Michelle, the president said Obama had made history thrice-over by becoming the

first US president to be chief guest at the Republic Day, the first US president to visit India twice while in office, and by holding a second summit-level meeting with the prime minister in the shortest-ever time span of four months. “These

milestones make this a truly historical visit. While I am proud that we are creating history together, I am even more pleased that we are creating a brighter future together — for our two countries and the world,” he said.

“While I am proud that we are creating history together, I am even more pleased that we are creating a brighter future together — for our two countries and the world,” said the Indian president.

The Indian president said the relationship between India and the US is a special one because “it is a relationship forged in the hearts and minds of our two people, in the commercial ties between our two businesses, in the exchanges between our two scientists and engineers and in the enduring linkages between hundreds of our institutions”. “This is one relationship where the two governments can rightfully take pride in acknowledging that they have successfully put in place

Obama praises Modi’s work ethic IANS, NEW DELHI

S President Barack Obama praised Narendra Modi for his “legendary work ethic”, and described him as tough and stylish. He praised the Indian prime minister’s sartorial elegance and said he was also thinking of wearing a “Modi kurta”. Speaking at the dinner banquet hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Obama marvelled at how Modi, the son of a tea vendor, became prime minister of the world’s largest democracy. “Here this evening, we think back to all these years ago... your (Modi’s) father selling tea at the train stations, your mother working at other’s families homes to support and earn. Tonight, their son welcomes us as the prime minister of the world’s largest democracy,” Obama said.

Visibly impressed with Modi’s work style, President Obama said: “We all know about the prime minister’s legendary work ethic. He was explaining to me today how he only needed three hours’ sleep which made me feel bad. I thought I was doing okay with five.” “What I didn’t know until now is that he once survived an attack by a crocodile. So he is tough,” Barack Obama said. Praising Modi for his “style” and sartorial elegance, Obama said “tonight, I was thinking about wearing a Modi kurta myself” to smiles around. President Pranab Mukherjee, in his banquet speech, said the presence of Obama at the Republic Day parade will demonstrate to the world the growing ties of friendship and trust that bind the two democracies closely. The president said Obama had

Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

made history thrice — by becoming the first US president to be chief guest at the Republic Day, the first US president to visit India twice while in office, and by

holding a second summit-level meeting with the prime minister in the shortest-ever time span of four months. “These milestones make this a

a ‘Strategic Partnership’ simply by following the lead shown by their people!” He said while both countries are collaborating in practically every sphere of human activity, but the relationship “has infinite potential, there is so much more that we can and should do”. Mukherjee said he was glad that the two countries are deepening strategic, security and defense cooperation to make our two countries, the region and the world a safer place. truly historical visit. While I am proud that we are creating history together, I am even more pleased that we are creating a brighter future together - for our two countries and the world,” he said. The event was graced by a galaxy of personalities from various fields, including politics, business and art. Mukherjee, Obama and his wife Michelle met the invitees which included former prime minster Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and BJP leader L.K. Advani. The dinner had both non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes. The main course included mustard fish curry, chicken korma, gushtaba, roast leg of lamb, mutton rogan josh (all non vegetarian dishes) and kadhi pakori, dal raisina, achari paneer, chhole, haak ka saag, chaunka matar and bedmi aloo (all vegetarian dishes). The menu included vegetarian and non-vegetarian tandoori platters, curd, saffron rice, papad, soup and a variety of Indian bread. The desserts included malpua with rabri, date steam pudding and cut pudding.

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

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SPECIAL REPORT

Obama in india

He came, he conquered

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

The friendly warmth and camaraderie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Barack Obama was on full display during the three-day official visit to India by the US President. Share some memorable moments here...

s US President Barack Obama on airport in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hug

his arrival at the Palam

Barack Obama and Naren

dra Modi during a meeti ng at the Hyderabad Ho use in New Delhi.

ack Obama during ‘chai pe Modi and US President Bar hi. Prime Minister Narendra House garden in New Del charcha’ at the Hyderabad

Obama during

the ‘At Home’ fu

nction organize d by President Pranab Mukherj Rashtrapati Bhaw ee at an.

y at a banquet at comes Obama and the First Lad President Pranab Mukherjee wel ) IANS tos: hi. (Pho Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Del

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

11 A

Mann ki baat

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

12 x

SPECIAL REPORT obama in india

OPENS THEIR HEARTS The radio program reflected the personal warmth and admiration of two leaders for each other IANS, NEW DELHI

t was history being made on radio. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama addressed a joint “Mann ki Baat” program on radio, talking about their humble origins, their inspirations, on women empowerment and youth and values shared by two of world’s largest democracies. The program, which was recorded on January 26 but broadcast on January 27, amply reflected the personal warmth and admiration of two leaders for each other and their common view on some problems. Obama, taking a veiled dig at China and some other countries seen to regulate information flow through the internet, said he had much greater faith in open societies in their ability to succeed and thrive in the new information age than the “closed societies” which try to control information that citizens receive. The personal chemistry between the two was evident with Modi referring to Obama by his first name. Obama said it was apparently the first joint radio broadcast by leaders of the two countries.

No hard questions relating to politics or economy were taken up, though queries came from people in different parts of the country. Modi set the tone for the over 30-minute broadcast saying that some questions “touch the heart” and through them the two leaders will be able to reach out to the common man in different parts of the country. He also said he looked up the meaning of Barack, which means “one who is blessed” in Swahili. “Along with a name, his family has given him a gift,” Modi said, adding African countries have lived by the ancient idea of “Ubuntu” which alludes to “oneness in humanity” and reflected the spirit of “Vasudhaiva kutumbakam (the world is a family).” Obama, who spoke of the two countries being natural partners, added a personal touch, saying that he would bring his two daughters to India even if it happens after his presidency. He said his daughters are fascinated by India but have not been able to come on his two visits to the country due to their examinations. “So when I go back I am going to tell them that India is as magnificent as they imagined,” Obama said.

Narendra Modi and Barack Obama recording the special radio address of ‘Mann ki Baat’ in New Delhi. (Photo: IANS/PIB)

Modi said when he took a photograhph outside White House in his younger days, he could never imagine he would get to see the building from inside. Referring to his visit to the White House in

House the first time he visited the building. “The notion that a tea seller or somebody who’s born to a single mother like me, could end up leading our countries, is an extraordinary example of the

Asked about the American leader who inspired him the most, Narendra Modi named Benjamin Franklin, one of the country’s founding fathers. September last year, Modi said Obama gave him a book of speeches delivered at the World Religions Conference in Chicago in the last part of nineteenth century. Swami Vivekananda, who delivered a famous speech at the conference, was “the inspiration” of his life, he said. Obama said he too never imagined he would be occupying White

opportunities that exist within our countries,” he said. Obama revealed though there were days when it is tough and frustrating, he gets succor from change he is able to make in people’s lives. “If you are helping somebody, the expectation you get from that is exceeds anything else you can do,” he said. He also also talked of improving

health standards and his wife Michelle’s work in tackling obesity. Asked about the American leader who inspired him the most, Modi named Benjamin Franklin, one of the country’s founding fathers. He also revealed that the hospitality he received at a house of a poor person who could not afford milk for his son inspired him to devote his life to the service of the poor. On the need of changing attitude towards the girl child to improve India’s sex ratio, he termed Obama an inspiration, referring to the way he brought up his two daughters. He also sought to give youth a slogan of uniting the world. Modi said there will be an ebook of their talk and invited thoughts, through various modes of media, promising the best 100 will find a place in the book.

India, US to identify sectors for investments: Sitharaman IANS, NEW DELHI

ommerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on January 27 said that the US and India will identify priority sectors for attracting investment after the upcoming budget session. The minister, who met US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzke here, revealed that senior officials from both sides will meet to discuss and identify the sectors that can attract investment and technology. “They (officials) will sit and identify sectors where priority

Minister of State for Commerce & Industry Nirmala Sitharaman meeting the US Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker, in New Delhi on January 27.

investments can come in,” the minister told reporters after the meeting here. Sitharaman called for enhanced technology sharing and investments in India’s small and medium enterprises. “We have asked for possibilities where technology could be shared and to bring in investments to help small and medium enterprises,” she said. The minister pointed at the need for creation of a task force to usher in investments and identify sectors that have the possibility to attract influx of funds from the US.

“We need to have a task force working on getting investments, identifying and prioritizing sectors where investments can come in.” Sitharaman also discussed issues regarding the totalization agreement and visas, apart from inviting US views on the draft intellectual property right (IPR) policy. “We invited the Americans to have a look at the policy and invited inputs from them on the draft policy,” she added. IPR protection was one of the major issues that was discussed between the two countries in the just finished three-day state visit of President Barack Obama.

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

SPECIAL REPORT

special report

THE UNCOMMON MAN

Legendary cartoonist R.K. Laxman, creator of the iconic ‘The Common Man,’ left no politician or minister, however high or mighty, escape his pointed satire. A tribute... QUAID NAJMI, MUMBAI

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paying homage to RK Laxman during the funeral in Pune. (Right) The “Common Man.” (Photo: Nitin Lawate/IANS)

ers took up the responsibility for managing the house while Laxman completed schooling. He applied to Mumbai’s famed Sir J.J. School of Arts, but was rejected — his drawings failed the high expectations of the renowned institution. Disappointed but not disheartened, Laxman joined Maharaja College, Mysore, and earned his B.A. degree from the University of Mysore, and came to Mumbai for a

living. Alongside academics, he pursued drawing, first with freelance contributions to local publications and later sketched cartoons for brother R.K. Narayan’s stories published in The Hindu and other newspapers. Laxman later got an offer with the ToI — which proved to be the turning point in his career and made him a living legend. As the ToI’s cartoonist, Laxman had a field day — always taking a bit

cynical, humorous, and hapless, view of the country rising from the ruins of the so-called jewel in the crown of the British Empire into a force to reckon with in the global arena — through the eyes of The Common Man, his vocational trademark. Rajiv Gandhi was depicted as a confused, cherubic baby-faced youth, while younger brother Sanjay Gandhi was the naughty, enfant terrible of Indian politics, and Morarji

R.K. Laxman, nation’s uncrowned conscience keeper KOLKATA: R.K. Laxman, considered by many as one of the world’s greatest cartoonists, was an institution unto himself, indisputably the uncrowned conscience keeper of the nation. No politician or minister, however high or mighty, escaped his pointed satire, conveyed through a few deft strokes of his brush, especially if they committed an act of impropriety or indiscretion. Laxman’s Common Man, who graced the front pages of The Times of India for more than five decades, under “You Said It” acquired an iconic stature of its own. These pocket cartoons not only conveyed the pulse of a nation,

but also unfailingly delivered powerful messages. At the same time they mirrored the hopes and aspirations, follies and foibles of a society in transition. The cartoons of Laxman, who died Monday, became the defining moments in nation’s history, as for instance, the one on Aryabhatta, India’s first satellite. A couple of middle-aged officegoers are waiting at a bus stop. One of them wants to know the time. As soon as the other looks at his watch and answers, the questioner looks skywards, exclaims: “Aryabhatta must have completed one orbit by now.”

His huge canvas spanned local, national and global personalities and issues, born out of his deep understanding of the cross currents shaping the world. His take on Angolan crisis in which both the super powers fought through proxies, at the height of the Cold War, shall remain among his many unforgettable cartoons. The three-column illustration depicts Leonid Brezhnev and Jimmy Carter, presidents of erstwhile USSR and US, who are stealthily stepping across the coast of Angola, both armed and in the guise of burglars. Carter cries “thief-

thief” as soon as he spots his burly opposite number. It exposes their double-speak and evokes laughter at the irony. These cartoons speak volumes about Laxman’s capacity to convey complex geopolitical realities in his characteristic style. Laxman’s cartoons, undoubtedly the outcome of a brilliant mind, also entailed sheer hard work. It meant isolating himself for six hour daily, neither speaking nor listening to anyone during the period. “Se Laxman showed promise very early in life. The illustrations in The Strand, Punch, Bystander and Tit-Bits, reputed

British magazines, spurred his innate talent which found an outlet in his own house. He drew on its floor, walls and doors, sketched caricatures of his school teachers. Sir David Low, the world-famous cartoonist whose sketches also appeared in the Hindu, also influenced him. Refused admission to the J.J. School of Art in Mumbai, on the grounds that he lacked requisite talent, Laxman joined the Maharaja’s College in Mysore. While doing his graduation in arts, he began to illustrate the stories of elder sibling R.K. Narayan, which appeared in The Hindu..

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

66TH REPUBLIC DAY

66th republic day

Pomp, pageantry mark R-Day across India The 66th Republic Day was celebrated with gaiety and patriotic fervor in states

IANS, NEW DELHI

epublic Day was celebrated across India with gaiety and patriotic fervor, as leaders stressed the need of rooting out corruption and working for development and asked insurgents to shun violence. The day was largely peaceful, barring two blasts in Assam and four in Manipur. Two blasts were triggered by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) near Assam’s Digboi town, while four low intensity blasts took place near the venue of the main Republic Day function in Manipur capital Imphal. No one was injured in the two places, officials said. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi reiterated the government’s tough stand on militancy, and urged insurgents to shun violence, while Governor P.B. Acharya expressed concern over the killing of rhinos and said preservation of the state’s symbol was a collective responsibility. Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra hoped an elected government would soon take over the reins in the state, and also expressed concern that the past year saw repeated violations of the ceasefire by Pakistan and attempts at infiltration. Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh also appealed to militants to shun violence and join the mainstream for development of the state. “Violence will bring nothing good for the state and make people suffer,” he said. In Mumbai, Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao unfurled the tricolor at Shivaji Park, and spoke about the Devendra Fadnavis government’s various initiatives. In Bengaluru, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala unfurled the tri-

(FROM CLOCKWISE), students march during the R-Day celebrations in Mumbai; West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at R-Day celebrations; schoolgirls in Srinagar join the celebrations and Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal in Mohali. (Photos: IANS)

color, as an air force helicopter showered rose petals at the Field Marshal Manekshaw parade ground, where Chief Minister Siddarmaiah was also present. The armed forces, police, National Cadets Corps and hundreds of school children took part in the parade. In Aizawl, Mizoram Governor Aziz Qureshi said the state was fully committed to root out corruption in all its forms. In Panaji, Goa Governor Mridula Sinha blamed tourists for the cultural intrusion in the tourism-friendly state. “Tourists who come here bring with them some kind of culture.

ment. I can say there are some social diseases which need control. We should know what to accept and what not to accept from them (tourists),” she said in her address. In Tura, Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said the government has adopted new developmental initiatives to bring in rapid socio-economic transformative changes, and lauded the security forces for their achievements in the fight against militants. In Jaipur, Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh said everyone should work for the state’s development, and that the state was working on

In Mumbai, Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao unfurled the tricolor at Shivaji Park, and spoke about the Devendra Fadnavis government’s various initiatives. We welcome all good things which they bring. But some things which they bring distract our youth. For Goa, tourism is an important industry. People who come to Goa think it is a place only for enjoy-

a strategy to provide employment to 1.5 million youth. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said the Left Front government will not allow any attempt to divide the northeastern state.

“A section of people are trying to split the state and disturb peace. The government will resist the move,” he said after unfurling the tricolor in Agartala. He said that despite the best efforts of security forces, terrorism was yet to be curbed, as militants still have camps in neighboring Bangladesh. In Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam asked people to improve the quality of education and be concerned about the environment. Kerala has made big strides in education but it still remains a case of “a little done and vast undone”, he added. West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi unfurled the tricolor in Kolkata. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee watched the proceedings, and later posted on Twitter: “On this Republic Day let us again rededicate ourselves to being a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic.” Republic Day was also celebrated across Bihar with joy and enthusiasm, while Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi appealed to peo-

ple to maintain communal harmony and peace. Maoists had put up black flags in Gaya, Aurangabad, Jamui and Banka districts to protest against Republic Day. In Andhra Pradesh, Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan exuded confidence that the state would recover the lost ground and move on a trajectory of growth and development. He also paid tributes to Pingali Venkaiah, who designed the national flag and hailed from this region. Republic Day was celebrated across Odisha with gaiety and enthusiasm despite intelligence inputs about a possible terror strike and amidst a Maoist boycott call. Hoisting the tricolor in Cuttack, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reaffirmed his commitment to building a prosperous state. Tamil Nadu Governor K. Rosaiah unfurled the national flag in Chennai. Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, his ministers and a large number of people enjoyed the various floats and dances by colorfully-attired school students.

66th republic day

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

16 x

66TH REP

SHOW OF STRENGTH

India showcased its women’s power during the 66th R-Day parade and impressed Barack Obama VISHNU MAKHIJANI, NEW DELHI

f the annual Republic Day parade is known for its pomp and splendor, the 66th edition will remain etched in the memory for two other factors - the women’s power showcased during the two-hour event and the presence of US President Barack Obama as the chief guest on the occasion. Quite appropriately, the honor of leading the marching contingents was given to the one drawn from the three services, while the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force also fielded all-women’s contingents. A woman led the Indian Navy contingent while a tableau depicted the success achieved by an allwomen’s team in scaling the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest. All this, coupled with a woman leading the contingent that presented a guard of honor to US President Barack Obama is reportedly Modi’s way of showcasing women’s power in India - despite the many stories of atrocities on women and the odds stacked against them socially. The day began cloudy and rainy and there were apprehensions that the flypast, one of the most-eagerly awaited events at the parade, would be curtailed but, in the end, the weather cleared sufficiently for this to take place though the sky remained overcast.

US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian President Pranab Mukherjee at 66th Republic Day at Rajpath in New Delhi. (Photo: IANS)

Before the proceedings began, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, resplendent in a tricolor turban and for whom it was his first Republic Day parade, drove to India Gate to lay a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial to the unknown soldier. He later drove back to the saluting base at Rajpath to welcome Obama and President Pranab Mukherjee, who took the salute at

the two-hour parade. Before it commenced, Mukherjee handed over posthumous Ashok Chakras — the nation’s highest military award in peacetime — to the widows of Major Mukund Vardarajan and Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh, who were killed in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir. As in the past, the marching contingents stole the show with

their dazzling array of ceremonial uniforms, leaving the audience in the jam-packed stands — despite the cold — spoilt for choice: the blue and gold trimmed tunics of the 61 Cavalry contrasting with the vivid red turbans of the Brigade of the Guards, the red-gold turbans of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry and the green-blue turbans of a Territorial army unit attached to the Punjab Regiment.

They chatted like old friends... NEW DELHI: The friendly warmth and camaraderie between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama was on full display on January 26 as the two chatted and laughed like old friends over a two-hour period while watching India’s Republic Day parade and pageantry. A day after the two leaders - one the prime minister of the world’s largest democracy and the other the president of the world’s oldest democracy - got down to referring to each other in first person terms - “Barack” and “Modi” respectively - their easy friendship was visible for the world to see. Amid a steady drizzle that at times almost threatened to spoil the celebration of India’s military might, cultural diversity and technological prowess, Modi was seen carrying on a steady conversation with Obama, explaining to him the different facets of the

Republic Day parade as it marched down Rajpath. The two leaders chatted, mostly without the help of an interpreter, who was seated within the bullet proof enclosure. Within the enclosure was also President Pranab Mukherjee, US president’s wife Michelle Obama, Vice President Hamid Ansari and his wife Salma. Modi, whose sartorial vibrancy was also remarked on by Obama, was attired in a dark bandhgala and topped with a colorful tricolor Rajasthani turban. Modi is known to pay special attention to his attire and has become known for changing his dress for different occasions. While Obama was wearing a formal dark grey suit, with a lavender colored tie, Modi topped his attire by donning a pair of stylish shades. Michelle was seen chatting with Salma Ansari, but mostly kept quiet

Modi, Obama and First Lady wave to the crowd at Rajpath.

and watched the proceedings. In the initial moments of the parade, when the tanks, missiles and armored cars were wheeled on Rajpath, Obama looked on with interest, and

continued to look interested in the long march past by different wings of India’s armed forces. Towards the end of the march past, when the mounted floats from different

Most of the paramilitary and police contingents were in regulation khaki but they too got a lookin, thanks to their ceremonial cummerbunds, sashes and turbans. The music, as usual, made for considerable patriotic fervor, what with rousing tunes like Sare Jahan Se Aacha, Hanste Lushai, Kadam Kadam Badahe Ja and Sound Barrier, many of which had Obama keeping time — which he also did when the tableaux came on with their wealth of folk music. This also made for a seamless blend of military might and heritage as 25 tableaux - 16 from the states and nine from various ministries — graphically displayed India’s rich cultural diversity. Andhra Pradesh chose to do this through a harvest festival; Madhya Pradesh highlighted the Bhagoria festival of love and matchmaking; Uttarakhand through the pilgrimage to Kedarnath; Sikkim through cardamom farming, Assam by recreating Majuli, the world’s largest river island; Telangana by re-creating the Golconda fort and Haryana with likeness of the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary — quite naturally, with twittering birds. The ‘Make in India’ tableau by the department of industrial policy and promotion depicted a mechanized lion against the backdrop of a smart city. The campaign aims to promote manufacturing in India.

states and the folk dancers came in a steady stream to showcase their cultural splendor, the attention of the US president appeared to flag. But his companion, in Modi, kept up a lively chatter - explaining each bit with an expressive show of his hands. Obama did get to see some of the US-made acquisitions of India - the Indian Air Force’s C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III - that flew down at low level formation over the Rajpath. The daredevil motorbike stunts by men of the Border Security Force had the US president and his wife visibly interested and both clapped with enthusiasm. The successful holding of the Republic Day parade, which marks perhaps the longest period of time that the US president has spent in the open in any country, went off without a hitch -- marking a high point for the security detail put in place for the VVIP guest who has the highest level of security in the world. Obama did come in his own car, The Beast, to the Rajpath, in a break from protocol and not in President Mukherjee’s black limo.

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

PUBLIC DAY x

66th republic day

BJP leader LK Advani, philanthropist Aga Khan, actors Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan and Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal among Padma Vibhushan awardees

INDIA’S JEWELS Aga Khan IANS, NEW DELHI

L.K. Advani

Mohan Malaviya. A home ministry release said that President Pranab Mukherjee has approved conferment of Padma awards to 104 people — nine for Padma Vibhushan, 20 for Padma Bhushan and 75 for Padma Shri. Seventeen of the awardees are women. Four have been named for Padma awards posthumously. Also among the Padma Vibhushan awardees is senior nuclear scientist M.R.Srinivasan, 84, who had negotiated on behalf of India with Russia for supply of reactors for Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP). Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates and his wife Melinda, journalists Swapan Das-

Dilip Kumar

Amitabh Bachchan

gupta and Rajat Sharma, lawyer Harish Salve, filmmaker Jahnu Barua, former chief election commissioner N.Gopalaswami, wrestler-turned-coach Satpal, maths “Nobel Prize” winner Manjul Bhargava and Carnatic singer Sudha Raghunathan are among the 20 recipients of the Padma Bhushan. Barua, who is one of the six from the northeast to figure in the awards, told IANS: “It makes me happy. I feel that such recognition is necessary. A lot of good work is being done and such recognition will do good to the region.” Economist Bibek Debroy, badminton player P.V. Sindhu, space scientists S. Arunan - the project

director for India’s Mars mission and S.K. Shivkumar, director of the Indian Space Research Organisation Satellite Centre and having a key role in building the deep space network (DSN) that was used in tracking the Chandrayaan and Mars Orbite inter-planetary satellites, are among those named for Padma Shri. The list of Padma awardees includes some spiritual leaders Swami Rambhadracharya (Padma Vibhushan), Swami Satyamitranand Giri and Shivakumara Swami (both Padma Bhushan) and Prtugal-based Jagat Guru Amrta Suryananda Maha Raja (Padma Shri) were in the list. Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and

‘Don’t make religion a cause for conflict’ IANS, NEW DELHI

resident Pranab Mukherjee said political discourse that “cuts and wounds” people’s hearts was “abhorrent” to India’s traditional ethos. In his customary address to the nation on the eve of Republic Day, Mukherjee said: “The freedom inherent in democracy sometimes generates an unhappy by-product when political discourse becomes a competition in hysteria that is abhorrent to our traditional ethos.” “The violence of the tongue cuts and wounds people’s hearts,” he added. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, he said: “Religion is a force for unity; we cannot make it a cause of conflict.” Mukherjee once again objected to government enacting laws without discussion, saying that it

President Pranab Mukherjee addressing the nation on the eve of the Republic Day.

the people. It is the platform where progressive legislation using civilized dialogue must create delivery mechanisms for realizing the aspirations of the people. It calls for reconciling the differences amongst stakeholders and building a consensus for the law to be enacted,” he said in his address that was aired in Doordarshan, the national broadcaster. The aspect of women’s security

also found mention in the president’s speech on January 25. Mukherjee said: “...it pains me to see that Mother India is not respected by her own children when it comes to the safety of women. “Atrocities of rape, murders, harassment on the roads, kidnapping and dowry deaths have made women fearful even in their own homes,” the president said,

Parkash Singh Badal

yoga guru Ramdev had declined to receive the awards after their names appeared in the media. The Padma Bhushan awardees also include former Lok Sabha secretary general and constitutional expert Subhash C. Kashyap. While Bhargava is settled in the US, four others in the list are foreign nationals. Prominent among those who have been conferred Padama Shri include Bollywood director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, lyricist Prasoon Joshi, music director Ravindra Jain, Gujarati writer Tarak Mehta and cartoonist Pran Kumar Sharma or Pran (posthumously), T.V. Mohandas Pai (trade and industry), Mithali Raj (sports) and J.S. Rajput (literature and education). adding every Indian must take a pledge to protect the honor of women from violence of any kind. Commenting on terrorism, the president said “violence is seeping across our borders”. “While peace, non-violence and good neighborly intentions should remain the fundamentals of our foreign policy, we cannot afford to be complacent about adversaries who will stop at nothing to disrupt our progress towards a prosperous and equitable India,” he added. India has the strength, confidence and determination to defeat architects of this war against its people, he said. “Repeated violations of the ceasefire along the Line of Control and terrorist attacks must get an integrated response through incisive diplomacy and impregnable security mechanisms. The world must join India in fighting the menace of terrorism,” he said. The president also said that the results of last year’s general elections have been remarkable as people have voted a single party to power after three decades.

SPORTS sports

Double delight for India

Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap clinch the women’s and men’s singles titles, respectively, at Syed Modi International Badminton Championships o f

IANS, LUCKNOW

Final results (in order of play):

orld No.3 Saina came out with a stupendous show first to save two matchpoints and, then to defeat reigning World Champion Carolina Marin of Spain to retain the crown she won last year at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium. The top seeded defending champion outplayed the Spanish World No.7 to win the one-hour and 19-minute marathon final 1921, 25-23, 21-16 and clinch the Grand Prix Gold crown. With the victory, Saina completed a hat-trick of wins against the second seeded Carolina in as many meetings between them. Also, this is Saina’s first title of 2015. Later in the day, 2012 edition winner Kashyap beat compatriot and World No.5 Kidambi Srikanth in two evenly contested games to come out on top 23-21, 23-21 in

Women’s doubles: 4-Amelia Alicia Anscelly/Fie Cho Soong (Malaysia) beat 1-Vivian Kah Mun Hoo/Khe Wei Woon (Malaysia) 22-20, 21-15 Women’s singles: 1-Saina Nehwal (India) beat 2-Carolina Marin (Spain) 19-21, 25-23, 21-16 Men’s doubles: 1-Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen (Denmark) beat 4-Vladimir Ivanov/Ivan Sozonov (Russia) 21-9, 22-20 Men’s singles: 3-Parupalli Kashyap (India) beat 1-Kidambi Srikanth (India) 23-21, 23-21

52 minutes. Though the duo have played several matches in the past, this was their first meeting in an official Badminton World Federation (BWF) match. Both the Pullela Gopichand proteges know each other’s game pretty well and it was a mental contest

which player had stronger nerves. Eventually, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion came out on top over the reigning national champion. In the women’s singles final, Saina did not start the match on a positive note as Carolina raced away to a 5-2 lead. However,

the Hyderabadi came back strongly to win a number of points in the next few minutes to take a vital 157 advantage. Just when it was looking that the Olympic bronze medallist will seal the game, Carolina showed her class to close the gap at 17-all.

The Spaniard carried the momentum with some deceptive shots and went on to bag the first game 19-21. The second game was a neck-and-neck affair from the word go. It was here when the 24year-old Indian crucially saved two matchpoints.

Sania-Bruno enter Australian Open semis IANS, MELBOURNE

T Washout helps India keep tri-series final hopes alive SYDNEY: India received two precious points that kept their ambitions of advancing to the final of the One-Day International (ODI) tri-series cricket tournament alive after their match against Australia was called off due to a downpour here on January 26. Earlier, Australia captain George Bailey won the toss and put India in to bat at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The visitors struggled to post 69 for two after 16 overs, losing outof-form opener Shikhar Dhawan (8) and Ambati Rayadu (23). Opener Ajinkya Rahane (batting 28) and Virat Kohli (batting 3) were at the crease when rain stopped play. For Australia, Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Marsh were the two bowlers to claim the wickets that fell. After a lengthy halt, the umpires

decided to call off the game. The match had already been reduced to a 44-over affair after rain delayed the start of the match. The two points earned with the abandonment were India’s first points in the tournament, after having lost their first two matches against Australia and England, respectively. They are still third on the points table with England on five and Australia having already booked a final berth with 15 points. The washout made India’s last league match against England at Perth Friday a virtual semi-final with the winner qualifying to play against Australia in the final. India named two of their injured players, Ishant Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja in the team.

op-seeded mixed doubles duo Sania Mirza and Bruno Soares marched in to the semi-finals of the Australian Open, beating local pair Casey Dellacqua and John Peers 6-2, 6-2 in a lasteight match here on January 28. The Indo-Brazilian pair started the match on a bright note, breaking their opponents twice to claim the first set 6-2 in just 23 minutes at Melbourne Park. They continued their ascendancy in the second set leading 4-2, going on to win the second set by an identical first set score, taking a mere 30 minutes to claim the second set on Court 2. The victors hit 18 winners and committed 10 unforced errors on

their way to victory. They are scheduled to play the winner of the quarter-final between Kristina Mladenovic of France and Canada’s Daniel Nestor and Cara Black

of Zimbabwe and Juan Sebastian Cabal of Colombia. In boys’ singles, India’s Sumit Nagal went down to Australia’s Marc Polmans 1-6, 1-6 in third round.

Builder confesses assaulting Jesse Ryder IANS, WELLINGTON

builder from Canterbury on January 28 admitted that he assaulted New Zealand cricketer Jesse Ryder outside a Christchurch bar two years ago. The 39-year-old was initially charged with assault and injuring, with reckless disregard for safety, Ryder, who was in a medicallyinduced coma for three days following the assault, reports The New Zealand Herald.

New Zealand cricketer Jesse Ryder

The assaulter was due to stand trial in March but pleaded guilty at Christchurch District Court. The man’s nephew earlier admitted charge of assault in the aftermath of the argument with Ryder outside a Merivale bar on the night of March 28, 2013. After months of painstaking rehabilitation from his injuries, Ryder made an emotional return to New Zealand’s one-day side on Boxing Day 2013 against the West Indies.

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

18 x

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

DIASPORA

diaspora

Indian connection to US science A third of America’s Intel Science Talent Search 2015 are of Indian origin ARUN KUMAR, WASHINGTON

early one-third of the 40 high school seniors named finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search 2015, America’s oldest and most prestigious pre-college science and math competition, are of Indian origin. The finalists receive an allexpenses-paid trip to Washington, DC from March 5 to 11 to compete for more than $1 million in awards from the Intel Foundation. Run by the Society for Science & the Public, the contest recognizes the most promising young US innovators creating the technologies and solutions that will that will make people’s lives better. “Intel invests in engineering,

The Intel contest recognizes the most promising young US innovators.

math and science education to support the next generation of innovators, who will create the products and services to enrich our

daily lives,” said Justin Rattner, president of the Intel Foundation. Selected from 300 semifinalists and more than 1,800 entrants, the

finalists are from 36 schools in 18 states. Among the 13 Indian-American finalists, the important ones are: Anandapadmanaban, Eswar, Jersey City, New Jersey; The ThereNIM: A Touch-less Respiratory Monitor. Chemparathy, Augustine George, San Ramon, California; Accumulation of the Biodiesel Precursor Triacylglycerol Offsets Oxidative Stress in the Model Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. D’Mello, Ryan, Lisle, Illinois; A New Result on Gaps Between Integer Points on Elliptic Curves with Coverage of Applications to Cryptography. Gupta, Anvita, Scottsdale, Arizona; Computational Drug Discovery for Cancer, Tuberculosis, and Ebola by Targeting Intrinsically Dis-

ordered Proteins. Khare, Somya, San Jose, California; Changes in Growth Rate and Cytoskeletal Activity During the Starvation Response in E. coli. Kishore, Shashwat, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania; Multiplicity Space Signatures and Applications in Tensor Products of sl2 Representations. Kuditipudi, Rohith, San Jose, California; Network Based Integration of High Throughput Gene Expression and Methylation Data Reveals New Insights into NAFLD Progression. Lall, Kriti, Palo Alto, California; A Novel Bacteria Strain and Bioreactor for Practical Arsenic Water Bioremediation. Pandya, Dhaivat Nitin, Appleton, Wisconsin; Minimum Cost Linear Network Coding Design for General Connections.

Saraswathy Menon in US south has motels where you peacebuilding panel are greeted with ‘Kem Cho’ UNITED NATIONS: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Indian sociologist Saraswathi Menon to a panel that will review peacebuilding activities. Menon, a former lecturer at Madras University, has extensive experience in women’s and development issue. She has been the director of the Policy Division of UNWomen, the UN body for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, and the director of the UN Development Program’s Evaluation Office. Her other UNDP assignments included postings in Mongolia and Nepal. She has a doctorate in sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi. The announcement said, “Menon brings an extensive experience as a researcher and academician as well as in the United Nations system.” The others on the seven-member

VIKAS DATTA, JAIPUR

panel, formally known as “advisory group on the review of the peacebuilding architecture”, include a retired Pakistani major general, Anis Bajwa and Charles Petrie of France, who headed an internal review panel on UN actions in Sri Lanka.

here are motels in America’s south where you are likely to be greeted not with “How are you?” but “Kem Cho” or “Kya Haal hai?” and the owner is likely to be a Mr. Patel, says acclaimed American travel writer Paul Theroux while talking about his new work which takes the inveterate globetrotter to one part of the world he has so far not visited - his own country. “At least 80 percent of motels in the deep south - be it South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississipi or part of Louisiana - are run by Indians, likely to be a Mr. Patel. “Indians moved up from running convenience stores, gas stations, which you call petrol pumps, to motels - one off and then

Travel writer Paul Theroux reading from his forthcoming book at Jaipur Lit Fest.

chains. I asked one of them ‘how?’ and he replied ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family),” he said at a session titled “Wanderlust and the Art of Travel Writing” on day three of the Jaipur Literature Festival 2015 Friday.

Americans know nothing about Sikhism: Study ARUN KUMAR, WASHINGTON

lthough more than half a million Sikhs live in the US, a majority of Americans are unaware of what Sikhism is and some admit wariness when seeing their Sikh neighbors, according to new study. Conducted by Washington-based Hart Research Associates, the study released here on January 27, shows that there is enormous potential to increase awareness and enhance pos-

itive sentiments toward Sikhism within the broader American public. In particular, greater understanding can be achieved by sharing information that emphasizes Sikhism’s belief in equality regardless of gender, race, or religion, highlighting the strong parallels between Sikh values and American values, and explaining the significance of the turban, it said. The report, “Sikhism in the US: What Americans know and need to know,” was commissioned by the

The study was conducted by Washington-based Hart Research Associates.

National Sikh Campaign (NSC) to analyse Americans’ current view of Sikhism and identify key messages to increase their acceptance of Sikh

Americans. The study was developed to provide Sikhs a foundation for awareness-based initiatives that dispel the misperceptions that have

But Theroux noted that the Indians do not run restaurants. “I asked one why, and he said that if you run restaurants, you might have to taste the food you make, and it might have meat,” he pointed out. driven the dramatic rise of hatebased violence against Sikhs since 9/11. “This landmark study will help the Sikh community by giving us the ability to educate Americans in a way that is both relatable and effective,” said Gurwin Singh Ahuja, Co-Founder of NSC. “We want to make sure that we pave a way for a conducive environment for our future generations so they don’t have to take off their turban to hide or to feel sorry for their identity,” said Rajwant Singh, a cofounder of the NSC. Researchers found that when survey respondents were given information about Sikh history and beliefs, their impressions grew from “neutral” to “warm.”

FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

COMMUNITY NEWS

MARTOMA MAY LOSE FLORIDA MANSION

BY A STAFF WRITER

LORIDA -- Federal prosecutors have filed a legal brief seeking to support its claim on a $1,960,000, 6,150-sq.-ft. mansion in Boca Raton, Fla., and other financial assets owned by convicted inside trader Mathew Martoma and his wife, Rosemary. The Indian American stock trader, a former SAC Capital hedge fund portfolio manager, was convicted in February 2014 of conspiracy and securities fraud for illegally trading on non-public information about tests on an experimental Alzheimer’s disease drug being developed by pharmaceutical

Gunman robs customer BY A STAFF WRITER

WINNETT COUNTY, GA - A customer at a Gwinnett County Kroger was robbed at gunpoint in the morning on January 16. It happened at around 11 a.m. at the store in the 6000 block of Singleton Road, near Jimmy Carter Boulevard. Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Michele Pihera said investigators were looking for two or three suspects, including at least one man and one woman. Witnesses said the suspects were all black and in their 20s. One suspect pointed a gun at the victim and took the latter’s phone, wallet and cash. The suspect also fired the weapon, but no one was hit; a shell casing was recovered in the Kroger parking lot. The suspects drove away in a brown or gold sedan.

Young driver jailed for killing elderly woman

Raj K Chohan

BY A STAFF WRITER

EW YORK -- A New York City judge has sentenced a Schenectady man to prison for a crash that killed a woman

in 2013. Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown earlier this week announced the 1½ to 4 year sentence for 24-year-old Vishwanand Subryan He pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter in November. Prosecutors said he had been drinking before the crash. The victim, 59-year-old Raj K. Chohan, was found on the ground between two parked cars. She was pronounced dead at a hospital. Officers pursued the defendant, who ran a stop sign and a red light before they pulled him over. He will be required to use an ignition lock for three years after he gets out of prison.

Mathew and Rosemary Martoma firms Elan and Wyeth.

US District Judge Paul Gardephe in September sentenced Martoma to a nineyear prison term, which he is currently serving in a Miami correctional facility. Gardephe also ordered him to forfeit nearly $9.4 million, representing the 2008 hedge fund bonus he received from insider trades that generated $276 million in profits and avoided losses for the hedge fund founded by billionaire Steven Cohen. Rosemary Martoma filed her petition in October, in which she claimed joint ownership interest in the property and said it and other assets should be kept out of any settlement proceedings, because she used

$20,000 PRIZE FOR ATLANTA STUDENT FOR MOBILE APP

her own funds to purchase the property. But in the brief filed on January 9, Christine Magdo, assistant US attorney, argued that Rosemary Martoma “is not entitled to re-litigate this court’s finding that the specific properties were proceeds, or traceable to proceeds, of the defendant’s crime.” “Her backdoor attempts to do so — by, for example, claiming that she used her own funds to purchase the Florida property — are procedurally barred and factually unsubstantiated by the record.” Martoma’s attorneys are scheduled to file legal arguments opposing the government’s dismissal motion by February 27.

Illegal transactions from ATMs in Watertown

BY A STAFF WRITER

TLANTA, GA -- Atlanta student Aditya Suri recently won the National Grand Prize of $20,000 from Samsung App Academy at the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), a global consumer electronics and consumer technology tradeshow that takes place every January in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sixteen-year-old Aditya is an 11th grade student of George Walton High School, Marietta, GA. His app is called “Mobi Sense” which facilitates effortless and equable communication between people with visual, vocal and auditory impairments. The several functions of the App helps customize the application to user specific needs, hence facilitating accessibility of technology and extending their reintegration into society and community on both social and technological fronts. It allows individuals with impairments to fit right in, in this technologically contracting global community. Over 300 students participated across the nation this year in the Samsung’s App development and coding program. “As app development continues to surge as one of the most in-demand STEMrelated (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) occupations, Samsung continues to drive programs like Samsung Mobile App Academy to encourage young professionals to pursue careers in this critical field,” said a press

BY A STAFF WRITER

Aditya Suri release issued by Samsung Mobile. In the summer of 2014, 300 11th and 12th grade students across 10 US cities were selected to participate in a three-day hands-on learning session. During the program, students worked with STEM industry leaders and collaborated within teams to learn real-world mobile app development and coding skills applicable in mobile technology. Throughout the sessions, students used the Samsung Galaxy Note™ 10.1 – 2014 Edition tablet as their portal to the program curriculum and tool for researching the digital landscape. Upon completion of the program, students submitted their own mobile app concept proposal that focused on bettering their community for a chance at scholarship prizing. Scholarships included, $20,000 for the grand prize winner; $10,000 for the 2nd place winner and $5,000 for the 3rd place winner.

ATERTOWN , CT – The Watertown police are seeking the public’s help to identify two males responsible for illegal ATM transactions. There are two males together that were caught in an ATM surveillance video illegally using an ATM debit card. Last week, the illegal transactions took place at an ATM at the Waterbury Plaza at 7:14 pm and at an ATM located on North Main Street in Waterbury just before 3 am. One of the suspects is described as one white possibly Hispanic male, in his late teens or early 20s, wearing a dark hoodie/ jacket with no facial hair or markings. The other male is black wearing a twotone hoodie/jacket, also with no facial or identifiable markings Anyone with information is asked to contact the Watertown Police Department at 860-945-5200.

Nualgi is bent on eliminating water pollution

BY A STAFF WRITER

AN DIEGO (CA) -- After a successful launch earlier this year of nanotech solutions to manage out-of-control algae in aquariums and ponds, Nualgi Nanobiotech founder Sampath Kumar has announced his intention to eliminate water pollution in America’s lakes, rivers, bays, and oceans. Following a summer filled with toxic algae blooms across the country, Kumar is seeking approval to control large-scale toxic algae in the United States utilizing Nualgi’s patented formula. Nualgi’s formula is certified non-toxic by the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research and has successfully been used in large lakes and rivers in India for over ten years. However, adoption in the US has been limited to private buyers of their Nualgi AquariumTM & Nualgi Ponds TM products due to regulatory approval procedures.

Nualgi founder Sampath Kumar

“When toxic algae in Lake Erie caused a ban on tap water this summer, I tried to donate the necessary Nualgi to treat the lake, but the lake managers weren’t permitted to use our product, so the lake went untreated and 500,000 residents of Toledo, Ohio, were unable to access tap water,” Kumar stated in a

press release. While the CEO states that their water treatment can “easily control large-scale algae blooms,” in order to gain government approval Nualgi needs an independent university study based in the US. Taking the first major step towards getting the US to approve Nualgi’s use in fighting the water pollution in our lakes, rivers, bays, and oceans, Nualgi has secured facilities and a team of research scientists from the Mississippi State University (MSU) to perform a yearlong study. In order to help fund the university research study, they launched a Kickstarter campaign that ran for from November 24 to December 8. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness as well as generate $100,000 to fund the doubleblind research study at the MSU. Kumar is excited to begin this study, claiming, “With this research study, we can get on with our real mission – cleaning up the world’s waterways.”

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

21 FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015

COMMUNITY NEWS

3-YEAR-OLD INDIAN SETS WORLD RECORD BY A STAFF WRITER

EW YORK -- For a great many people, geography is not their strong suit, but Vihaan Chamala, an Indian American kid from New York, is adept in identifying all 196 countries plus some dependencies and territories on the world map (a total of 202), in a mere four minutes and 42 seconds. And he is only 3 years old. Judges from the Record Setter Organization were so impressed with his performance that they honored the little toddler with a world record. He is about to secure a world record

Cabbie robbed at knife point

BY A STAFF WRITER

ROOKLYN (NY) -- A livery cab driver barely escaped with his life when a goon held a knife to his neck during a robbery in Brooklyn. The police said the robber got into the livery cab at 41st St. and 9th Ave. in Boro Park and asked to go to 48th St. and 8th Ave. around 1:38 am. When they reached the destination, instead of a tip, the mugger held a blade to the right side of 48-year-old driver’s neck and forced him to fork over $120 dollars and his iPhone 5. The hooded robber, clad in a black jacket, fled the scene, but not before he was caught on the car’s surveillance camera. The driver suffered a cut to his middle finger.

FAA worker held at Hartsfield with gun in bag

BY A STAFF WRITER

TLANTA, GA -- A worker with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was arrested at HartsfieldJackson International Airport last week for having a gun in a carry-on bag. It has been a turbulent last month for the airport, not with the planes, but with the security to keep them safe. The latest incident happened on January 14 on a flight from Atlanta to New York, when an FAA employee was caught with a weapon in his carry-on bag. The incident comes just weeks after a major gun smuggling ring was broken up in Atlanta involving past and present airline workers. Investigators said they were running guns from Atlanta to New York City. According to the Transportation Security Administration, the FAA would stand down the program while it conducted improved training for all its inspectors. “The agency will also require inspectors to sign a new agreement that details each inspector’s responsibility, and clearly states that any infraction related to a weapon will result in an immediate and permanent suspension of privileges and possible further disciplinary action.”

Vihaan Chamala

even with other world record organizations like Asia Book of Records, India Book of Records, Miracle World Records, etc. It all began after a vacation to India when one evening his mother Jayasree Appannapally bought a world map to show Vihaan some major countries in the world. She showed him eight major countries on the first day, and was pleasantly surprised to see that he remembered all eight countries the following day. Day by day, he grew curious about learning more countries. With his ability to learn, retain and swiftly recall the information, he mastered the entire world map in approximately two months. While

INDIAN ON SAN ANTONIO FEDERAL RESERVE’S BOARD

teaching him the map, his mom had more than one jaw-dropping moment when he pointed out that she forgot to ask about a couple of countries while quizzing him. Born in New York on January 9, 2012, Vihaan is the only child of Jayasree, a clinical physical therapist, and Dr. Raghu Ram Chamala, who came to the United States to earn his Ph.D. in chemistry. Because his parents and grandparents always encouraged him to speak Telugu at home, Vihaan is able to recite some Telugu words, saraswathi slokam (yakundedu tushara), names of planets, days, months, chemistry elements (hydrogen to neon), Telugu and English alphabets and words.

Man held: bomb threat to Mohegan Sun club

BY A STAFF WRITER

AN ANTONIO , TX -- The Fe d e r a l Re s e r v e B o a rd o f Governors in Washington, D.C., has appointed Manoj Saxena of Austin, Texas, to the San Antonio branch board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. He will serve a three-year term ending December 31, 2017. The Indian American has served on the San Antonio branch board as a Dallas Federal Bank appointment since 2012. He currently is chairman of Cognitive Scale, founding managing director of The Entrepreneur’s Fund IV, and a special advisor to the senior leadership at IBM. Saxena’s responsibilities will include providing input on regional economic conditions as part of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy functions. Before joining The Entrepreneur’s Fund IV, he was a general manager at IBM Watson, where he received the IBM Chairman’s award for Watson commercialization and helped form the Watson Business Group in January 2014. The holder of two US patents for web services technologies, Saxena has an MBA from Michigan State University and a master’s in management sciences

Mohegan Sun Casino building

BY A STAFF WRITER

Manoj Saxena

from the Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani.

NCASVILLE (CT) -- A 28-year-old Manchester man has been arrested on charges of threatening and terrorism after he phoned in a bomb threat to Mohegan Sun casino, using the name of The Islamic State group. The police arrested Gary L. Kalinsky last week in connection with a call on November 18 to an unlisted number for lost items. An arrest warrant says the caller claims he is the front of IS and a lost briefcase contained a bomb and could explode in minutes. No briefcase was found. The police identified Kalinsky’s number because he called a day or two earlier to report a missing jacket but the man denied making a threatening call. He’s represented by a public defender and is due to appear on January 28 in the Norwich Superior Court

Many Indian channels off from Chitram TV app

BY A STAFF WRITER

n a major breakthrough, sending a strong message to organised pirates of content in the digital space, certain members of Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) have succeeded in their efforts to remove their channels from recently launched android and ios applications of ‘Chitram TV’ on Google and Apple play stores. Chitram TV is an IPTV/OTT service provider which has been illegally broadcasting the signals of the Indian origin channels Zee, MSM (Sony), Star and Viacom and certain other regional Indian television networks which are members of IBF) for quite some time. Recently Chitram TV launched its mobile application on android and ios devices in an attempt to widen its distribution and reach. The broadcasters took up the issue of Chitram’s illegal broadcast and Apple and Google have now removed these channels from their ios and Android platforms.

This is a major victory for the members of IBF in their fight against online piracy. These Indian broadcasters, who have joined hands to collectively fight digital piracy, are considering initiating legal proceedings against Chitram TV and other pirate platforms in multiple jurisdictions outside. None of the members of IBF (viz. Zee, MSM (Sony), Star and Viacom) has authorised Chitram TV to carry their channels on any media platform let alone digital. IBF understands that Chitram TV continues to

distribute the Indian channels via IPTV/OTT particularly outside India. IBF members have buckled up to fight the pirates like Chitram TV to preserve the integrity of their channels and content. With the rapid advent of technology enabling the dissemination of content across digital platforms, there are enormous revenue opportunities for broadcasters and other content owners. The Indian channels which are available in more than 100 countries around the world are extremely popular amongst the South Asian diaspora. All of these channels have launched their own digital platforms and mobile apps but piracy has been a major stumbling block in revenue monetisation. Isolated efforts of the broadcasters could have achieved little. Now that the Indian broadcasters stand united in their fight against digital piracy, their efforts will provide a greater impetus in the global effort to combat digital piracy.

COMMUNITY NEWS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY HONORS JASJIT AHLUWALIA BY A STAFF WRITER

EW YORK -- An eminent Indianorigin researcher and academician has been appointed as dean of the public health school at the prestigious Rutgers University in the US state of New Jersey, Jasjit Ahluwalia will assume his new role as dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health from April 2015, the school’s Chancellor Brian Strom said. An alumnus of New York University and Harvard, Ahluwalia is a nationally recognised researcher in health disparities and minority health, and nicotine addiction. He is also engaged in global health work with two active research projects in Mumbai and New Delhi. Strom expressed confident that Ahluwalia’s “exceptional experience, expertise, and energy will build on the existing strengths of the School of Public Health, develop new areas of study and exploration, and foster the growth

Jasjit Ahluwalia

of junior-level researchers.” Ahluwalia is currently professor of internal medicine and epidemiology at the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center, where he was recruited in 2005 to become the founding executive director of the Office of

Clinical Research. Ahluwalia joins a long list of Indian-origin academicians assuming leadership roles at renowned US and global universities. Ahluwalia recently completed his term as chair of the National Advisory Council for Minority Health and Health Disparities at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), having been appointed to the council by former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. He has received more than $21 million in funding as principal investigator and more than USD 80 million as co-investigator and is widely published. In 2009, he received a $6.2 million NIH grant establishing the Center for Health Equity. According to his University of Minnesota profile, Ahluwalia has devoted the past 21 years to improving the health of high risk populations, and is known nationally for his work with the underserved and ethnic minorities.

United Airlines, Orbitz pull up Skiplagged BY A STAFF WRITER MANHATTAN, NY -- Bangladesh-born Aktarer Zaman, 22, the founder of website Skiplagged, which uses a strategy called “Hidden City” to provide consumers cheaper airfares, is being sued by United Airlines and travel booking site Orbitz to recuperate what they claim is $75,000 in lost revenue. Skiplagged helps passengers find cheaper flights by finding tickets where the actual destination of the traveler is a layover. “In its simplest form, a passenger purchases a ticket from city A to city B to city C but does

not travel beyond city B,” “Skiplagged’s sole purpose has Orbitz and United Airlines always been to help you become savvy said in their complaint. travelers,” he said on gofundme.com, a fundraising website. Zaman, who currently lives in Manhattan, claims that “Unfortunately, we have been his site just displays airfares, doing too good of a job so United but doesn’t book tickets. “I Airlines and Orbitz recently teamed haven’t made any money from up with a lawsuit to get in the way.” this,” he said, adding that he Zaman maintains he can prove self-funded the company. Aktarer Zaman Skiplagged’s legality with legal help. Zaman has a bachelor’s He initially hoped to raise $15,000 degree in computer science from the Rensselaer for his defense on the website and has raised Polytechnic Institute. $23,000 so far.

UPCOMING

Agraj Seva Kendra to host India Republic Day Festivities: Jan 31, noon at North Brunswick High School, 98 Raider Road, North Brunswick, New Jersey.

NJ Summer Camp. On Jan 17th at Quaker Bridge Mall, Lawrancevill, Jan 18th at Bridgewater Marriotte, Jan 24th Bridgewater Livingstone Mall, Livingston, Jan 25th at Livingston Mall, Livingston and Jan 31st at Monmouth Mall, Eatontown. www.njcampsfairs.com

Republic Day: Indian Republic Day Celebrations hosted by Town of Hempstead Supervisor Karte Murray: Flag Ceremony: Jan 26, 9:00 am Awards Ceremony: Jan 27, 6:00 pm Both events held at the Nathan L H Bennett Pavilion, Washington Street, Hempstead New York.

Rupesh Srivastava is on Ferris University board

Rupesh Srivastava

BY A STAFF WRITER

ASNING, MI -- Governor Rick Snyder has announced the appointment of Rupesh Srivastava, of Franklin Village, to the eightmember Ferris State University board of trustees, the governing body of the varsity. Srivastava is president, CEO, and founder of Youngsoft Inc. and H2H So l u t i o n s . T h e In d i a n A m e r i c a n entrepreneur also serves on the board of Lawerence Tech University, ESSPL and Car4nurses . He was a TIE Detroit president (2010-2014) and a charter member for the organization. Srivastava is a founding member of Ynotlearn, Car4Nurses, Youngtronics, and ESPPL. The businessman was a Crain’s Detroit Business’ 40 under 40 honoree in 2005, was awarded the Pride of India Gold Award in 2006, and received the Salute to Excellence Award from the Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce in 2007.

EVENTS

in the East Coast area

Aum Events presents 7th Luxury Bridal Show “Shaadi Trend” Jan 25, noon at Hanover Marriott, 10 Whippany Road, Hanover, New Jersey: Brides pre-register at www.shaadi trend.com

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents ‘Treasures from India- Jewels from AlThani from Collection’ Through Jan 25,2015 at Gallaery 464, 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York Featuring Friday Focus talks by Michael Spink

Science of Spirituality to host following events in February: ‘Adhyatma Ka Surya”:Feb 1, 10.30 a.m ‘Vigyan aur Santmat’: Feb 1, 10:30 a.mVigyan aur Santmat’ (Science and spirituality): Feb 8, 10:30 a.m ‘Jeetay Ji Marna’ (Dying while Living) Feb 15, 10;30 a.m All events held at Eato Science of Sprituality, 15 Market Street, PerthAmboy, New Jersey.

Dance Pe Chance: Jan 31, 4:00 p.m at State Theatre, 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Hosted by the Federation of Indian Associations.

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

HEALTH

JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

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JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

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YOGURT STORE FOR SALE

Addison based PC Board manufacturing firm has following openings, Drilling and Routing operators in second shift, Solder mask technicians in first and second shift and part time opening for Book Keeper with 10 or more years of experience. For prompt reply,

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JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

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JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

CLASSIFIEDS

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HIRING

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NANNY WANTED

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JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

COMMUNITY NEWS

27 FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015

INDIAN IS DEMOCRATIC FLOOR LEADER Salem county’s BY A STAFF WRITER

ASHINGTON, DC -Democratic Michigan State Representative Sam Singh, the first IndianAmerican lawmaker, will serve as the minority floor leader for the 2015-2016 legislative session acting as a liaison between the Republican and Democratic delegations. “My position works very closely with the Republican floor leader to make sure, as we discuss policy, that ideas from both sides of the aisle are being heard, and work closely with my Democratic colleagues to make sure our ideas and voices are heard here at the Capitol,” says Singh. Although only 49 of the 110 state representatives are Democrats, Singh said things could be achieved working in a bipartisan way. “Last term I think we did a number

Sam Singh of good things in a bipartisan fashion.” Singh, however, acknowledged that working in a Republican-led House of

Representatives could be difficult. “When there is one party in control and they are actually in control of the House, the Senate and the governorship, it is up to their lead, to some extent, to work with us,” believes Singh. “To some degree they don’t have to because they have enough votes to pass their bills without our votes.” As his second legislative term starts, Singh said he Would also reintroduce the expansion of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to members of the LGBT community. The expansion will prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, identity and gender. “You don’t want to have laws in your books or have a perception of your state that is not open, that is not welcoming,” Singh was quoted as saying. “And if that’s the case, we are losing our economic edge.

SnapsIndia’s photo editor part of Obama press team BY A STAFF WRITER

EW YORK -- Mohammed Ja f f e r, p h o t o e d i t o r o f SnapsIndia, will travel as a member of the White House Press Corps on the President’s trip to India during January-28. Jaffer is the only India American photojournalist who has traveled with President Bill Clinton to South Asia, including India and Pakistan in 2000. Hailing from Hyderabad, he also traveled with President Obama in November, 2010 to India. Jaffer has covered many visits of secretary of State, Hillary Clinton to India. His father, the late M. A.Rahim, is the founder of SnapsIndia News photo Service established 58 years ago. Former President Bill Clinton inaugrated Jaffer’s photo exhibition at Regent Wall Street hotel, in New York,

Suspected Oklahoma City ‘pill mill’ raided BY A STAFF WRITER

K L A H O M A C I T Y, O K -- State investigators raided a suspected pill mill on January 26 in south Oklahoma City. Agents with the Attorney General’s office and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control began the raid early morning at Aria Orthopedics, 8603 S Western Ave. Aria Orthopedics is the practice of Dr. Harvey Jenkins, one of the state’s biggest prescribers of oxycodone and hydrocodone. Jenkins has been disciplined in the past by the state Medical Licensure Board. Agents seized patient records, contracts and computer hard drives during the search. The attorney general’s Medicaid fraud control unit has been investigating Jenkins since 2012. “The business practices of Dr. Jenkins are questionable,” Attorney General Scott Pruitt said. “The fact Jenkins abused his title and position as doctor for his own benefit is troubling and undermines those doctors who work each day to protect the health and safety of Oklahomans.”

Mohammed Jaffer with President Barack Obama on June 12, 2001. That same year, Mr. also covered Prime Minister Manmohan Jaffer covered the inauguration and oath Singh’s State visit and Prime Minister ceremony of President George W. Bush in Vajapyee ‘s visit to the White house. Washington DC. Jaffer was honored by the New York Jaffer’s photo of Clinton sitting cross- City Council the ‘Outstanding Citizen’ legged under a tree in Gandhi’s Sabarmati award in august 2007, for his ‘exemplary Ashram hangs at Presidential Library. He services’ to media in the US and India.

first rabies case BY A STAFF WRITER

ITTSGROVE TWP (NJ) -- The first rabies case of the year in the county was confirmed after a township resident reported that his dogs had contact with a dead raccoon last week, according to the Salem County Health Department. On January 12, the resident contacted animal control after his dogs found the dead raccoon in his yard. He was unsure of how long the animal had been there, but it was removed from the yard and sent away for testing. The health department later received a positive result for the rabies test. Salem County had 11 confirmed rabies cases last year, according to Freeholder Bob Vanderslice, Chairman of the Health and Human Services committee. “While we are making strides in educating the public, we need to remain vigilant during the winter months when wild animals are scurrying around residential properties looking for food,” he said. Freeholder Director Julie Acton urged county residents to take advantage of upcoming free municipal rabies clinics. “We can protect our pets from the virus, but we can take action ahead of time,” she said, adding that the county health department assists municipalities in offering free vaccination clinics for licensed pets. Clinics are scheduled to be held in Woodstown on January 25, and in Alloway on January 31.

Hotel owner jailed for cheating bank BY A STAFF WRITER

EW YORK -- An Indian American hotel owner has been sentenced by a US court to over three years in prison and ordered to pay a hefty fine of $2.8 million for bank fraud. Jayesh Dahyabhai Patel, 49, of Tennessee, was sentenced by US District Court Judge Leon Jordan to serve 42 months in federal prison. Patel was also ordered to pay restitution of $2.8 million to a local bank in Tennessee and serve five years of supervised release after he serves his prison term.

Patel was indicted last year and he pleaded guilty to bank fraud. He admitted

engaging in a scheme from January 2009 to August 2011 to defraud the Tennessee bank in connection with an application for a loan to his business. Patel provided false tax returns to induce the bank to issue the loan for the purchase and renovation of a hotel. Patel further schemed to defraud the bank by providing false invoices to induce the bank to disburse loan funds and by providing additional false tax returns in order to increase the amount of the loan. As a result of the fraud, the bank suffered losses of $2.8 million.

Newark man hits Subway woman staff with chair

BY A STAFF WRITER

UMMIT, NJ -- A female employee at the Subway on Union Place in Summit was punched and struck with a chair by a Newark man on January 17. The police said that around 5:30 pm, Muhammad Sharif, 36, of Newark, asked for a manager and became aggressive when

the 21-year-old female employee working the counter told him a manager was not available. She then threatened to call the police. Sharif then punched the employee, knocking her to the ground. He also hit her with a chair while she was on the ground. Sharif was seen assaulting the woman on surveillance.

Sharif fled the store when a customer tried to intervene but was apprehended by officers minutes later near the intersection of Summit and Railroad avenues. Sharif was charged with third-degree aggravated assault and taken to the Union County Jail. Bail was set at $50,000. The employee was treated at Overlook Hospital and later released.

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cinema news COMMUNITY NEWS Next time ‘Chaiyya chaiyya’: SRK to Barack Obama

Now, Haasan’s turn to give back to fans The actor asks fans to post details and pictures of a good deed they have done on social media IANS, CHENNAI

ctor Shruti Haasan, who turned 29 on January 28, has decided to celebrate her birthday with her fans on a social networking platform. She has asked her fans to post details and pictures of a good deed they may have done. “Shruti has always believed in doing things that matter and help make a difference to others’ lives. On her birthday, she wants to share this very belief with her fans for which she will run a special online birthday exercise,” a source close to Shruti Hasan told IANS. “She has asked her fans to send her information and a picture of their act of kindness — something nice they did for someone

B-Town mourns death of Laxman MUMBAI: India has lost its morning smile, said Bollywood in tweets: Anupam Kher: With RK Laxman’s demise India has lost it’s morning smile. Rahul Bose: So very sad to hear of Mr R K Laxman’s passing. Shruti Seth: Now we’ve totally lost our sense of humor RIP #rklaxman Vikram Bhatt: The illustrator of the common man passes away. Manoj Bajpayee: Aam aadmi is grieving today.

else lately, via social media. From those entries, she will pick the best five and send them personalized autographed merchandise with a special message from her,” the source said. Shruti believes “the greatest gift is the gift of giving”. “The best gift is being there for someone who needs you. Hence this year for my birthday, I’m asking my fans to gift me a good birthday by being kind to someone who really needs it. The fans and audience are the reason why you are who you are, so why not celebrate them and their deeds on my birthday,” she said in a statement. Shruti has projects such as Rocky Handsome, Welcome Back, Main Gabbar, Yaara, Puli and yet-untitled Telugu project with Mahesh Babu in her kitty.

Don’t miss Ranbir’s street-fighter look Ranbir was reported to have shot some cage-fighting scenes in the Anurag Kashyap-helmed romantic thriller for which he went through intensive boxing coaching. And the teaser image plays on his edgy avatar in the film. Ranbir plays the character of the risk-taking daredevil Johnny Balraj. His co-star Anushka Sharma plays his love interest in the film. Student of the Year director Karan Johar will be seen playing a negative role in the film, which is set for a May 15 release.

IANS, NEW DELHI

onning soiled clothes and sporting hands wrapped in bandages, actor Ranbir Kapoor looks convincing as a street-fighter in his forthcoming film Bombay Velvet. The film’s makers Fox Star Studios and Phantom Films unveiled a teaser image of Ranbir this week to build excitement around the movie’s first poster that is set to release later during the weekend, read a statement.

‘Baby’ — Miss it at own risk

on’t move! The concept of the edge-of-the-seat thriller seems to have been invented for Neeraj Pandey’s enormously engaging take on international terrorism. It takes guts to make a film which calls a spade a spade...Or Pakistan the hub of terrorism in the Asian subcontinent. With Baby, Pandey immediately and irreversibly joins the ranks of the finest contemporary filmmakers of our times. Outwardly Baby, with its theme of a bunch of bravehearts apprehending international terrorists at the risk of their own lives and their family’s well being, has nothing

Film: “Baby”; Actors: Akshay Kumar, K K Menon, Tapsee Pannu, Anupam Kher, Rana Daggubati, Mikaal Zulfikar, Rashid Naaz; Writer-Director: Neeraj Pandey; Rating: ****1/2 to offer that we haven’t seen in several films in the counter-terror genre before. What places Baby far above the routine thrillers is its refreshing lack of circumvention in the storytelling. Straight away Pandey’s film takes us inside the life of counter-terrorism expert Ajay (Akshay Kumar) as

he grapples to locate a colleague who has been betrayed by one of their own and taken hostage by terrorists. In Baby there is a palpable predilection for building unbearably

suspenseful action sequences without losing the essential authenticity of the situation. All through the riveting drama, Ajay and his team (Tapsee Pannu, Rana Daggubati

MUMBAI: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is delighted that US President Barack Obama incorporated his famous “Senorita” dialogue during an address in the national capital. Now King Khan hopes that Obama will groove to his hit number Chaiyya chaiyya some day. Obama, who was in India on a three-day state visit, recollected that when he had first visited India in 2010, he had experienced some ‘bhangra’. Giving his speech a Bollywood twist, he delivered Shah Rukh’s dialogue from the 1995 movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. “Senorita, bade bade deshon ... You know what I mean,” he said. Even though he cut the popular dialogue short, Obama managed to draw a huge applause and cheer from the audience. For SRK, one of Bollywood’s toprated filmstars and a global icon, it was a moment to feel proud. “Proud 2 b part of the gender & religion equality speech of Pres. Obama. Sad he couldn’t do the Bhangra... next time Chaiyya Chaiyya for sure,” Shah Rukh Khan tweeted. Composed by Oscar-winning music maestro A.R. Rahman, the popular dance number is part of the Dil Se sound-track.

and other splendidly in-character actors who show up with him in different sections of the narrative) push the envelope of counter-terrorism without toppling into the abyss of self-congratulation. We sense we are in the midst of a very important docu-drama on the violence of our times. A part of the film’s edifying mood of bridled energy comes from Akshay Kumar’s screen presence. He is in control, powerful and effective without throwing his muscles around the screen to prove his heroic stature. One of the film’s most interesting sub-texts is its attitude to heroism and machismo. Baby is one helluva roller-coaster ride. Miss it at your own risk.

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JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION

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JANUARY 30, 2015 EAST COAST EDITION