AV 17th November 2018

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FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE

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Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

17 - 23 NOVEMBER 2018 - VOL 47 ISSUE 28

"REMEMBER THE BLOOD OF MY MARTYRED SONS" Rupanjana Dutta

inside: Modi unveils Sardar Patel's 'Statue of Unity' SEE PAGE 26

This Armistice Day (November 11th), thousands across the country remembered the heroism and bravery of those who served in World War I. More than 1.5million soldiers from undivided India joined the army to serve for a country that wasn't their home. No one can underestimate the scale and significance of the British Indian Army, though it has not been talked about sufficiently in press or otherwise- for example in history syllabus for UK schools.

PM Modi inaugurates first multi-modal terminal in Varanasi

Continued on page 8

SEE PAGE 26

UK celebrates Diwali with pomp and gaiety SEE PAGE 16-18

Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band at the Cenotaph, Whitehall on Remembrance Day

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17 - 23 November 2018

onetoone WITH KEITH VAZ, MP

Udai Patel Udai Patel was born in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania under the regime of the late Mwalimu Nyerere.

His origins however were firmly from capitalist stock, both on his maternal and paternal side, with his grandfathers owning very successful businesses in Tanzania.

Having been sent to the UK at the tender age of 11, Udai completed his BA (Hons.) degree in Business Studies, became a Fellow of the Chartered Certified Association, and an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute. He has worked in the fields of accountancy, advertising and Public Affairs, and has taken various management consultancy roles on business growth. He is currently the Managing Director of Afro-Asian Insurance Services Ltd., a boutique UK based reinsurance broking firm accredited at Lloyd's of London which focuses on African & South Asian territories, and has offices in Nairobi, Harare, Accra and Mumbai. The company celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2018, and has clients in 40 countries in Africa, the Indian Sub-Continent and Middle East. Udai lives in North London with his Wife, Priti and Mother, Kunj. He also has two daughters, Tanya and Anushka who have successful careers in insurance underwriting and risk management, but have flown the nest.

1

Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?

I am a person of Indian origin, born in Tanzania, but welcomed in Britain.

Whenever my aircraft approaches London Heathrow airport after a business trip, I know that I have come home. I have friends everywhere, but my family is in London.

Domino’s peer Lord Verjee eyes Sir Philip Green’s former base Sir Philip Green is believed to be considering selling a property central to the BHS scandal to an entrepreneur backed by Domino’s Pizza owner Lord Verjee.

Sir Green is facing allegations of bullying and sexual harassment, which he denies — is understood to have received several approaches for Marylebone House, one of BHS’s two London headquarters.

The BHS building in question was originally intended to be a key component of Green’s £1 BHS deal with Dominic Chappell, a serial bankrupt, but the tycoon kept ownership. It was held by his wife, Tina, through the offshore com-

Sir Philip Green

Lord Verjee

pany Wilton Equity, until it was transferred to Green’s Arcadia Group retail empire for £53m in 2016.

Green, 66, is now considering the £60m sale after receiving several offers from prospective buyers interested in converting it to serviced offices.

One of the approaches is said to have come from David Alberto, who created

the Avanta serviced offices group. He is backed by Verjee, the Uganda-born Liberal Democrat peer who made his first fortune through the Domino’s Pizza franchise in the 1980s.

Lord Verjee has invested in property before and previously owned the Thomas Goode china and silverware shop in Mayfair between 1995 and 2015, before selling it to US investment firm Cain International.

2

What are your proudest achievements?

My two daughters, Tanya and Anushka.

My wife and I have invested in their development as socially confident, able and intelligent individuals. Today, they can think and act for themselves, and question everything.

They are ready for their tomorrow.

3

What inspires you?

Individuals who have overcome personal adversity inspire me. Watching the 2018 Invictus Games, I am totally inspired by all the physically challenged athletes who are ready to give 200% for their sport. Travelling in parts of Africa, I am inspired by the daily challenges of putting food on the table.

4

What has been biggest obstacle in your career?

People tend to judge by appearance. This used to be an obstacle in my career, but no longer. Age and experience is a great equaliser, and having been in business in a competitive and fluid environment, I now know how to overcome most obstacles that come my way.

5

Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?

My late father, Rasik Patel. He was my mentor, my teacher, my shining light, and I miss him. I once asked him what the secret to success was - his answer was simply how fast can you pick yourself up after being knocked down in business !

6

What is the best aspect about your current role?

Loyalty from the people around me in the "Afro-Asian" Group. This has been hard earned over time. I also enjoy meeting people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, religions and traditions. Today, if you walked

into our City of London Head Office, you would overhear conversations in English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, French, Arabic, and a multitude of accents.

7

And the worst? Being involved in wholesale insurance, we get to see the financial consequences of natural catastrophes and large scale human tragedies. We sometimes focus too much on the financial loss and forget the human side of the loss. There is a constant battle between running a business and maintaining your humanity.

8

What are your long term goals?

I admire the dexterity and culinery knowledge of the top class professional chefs. As someone who can just about boil an egg, I would like to one day be able to prepare a 3-course gourmet meal without any interference in the kitchen and be commended by my peers.

9

If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?

Introduce a probationary period for cabinet colleagues. Theresa May has a difficult enough task negotiating the best deal for Brexit without having to watch her back with cabinet colleagues. It creates uncertainty, which is the enemy of business.

10

If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why.

Winston Churchill. I would not be bored because he would always take charge of the conversation, and I would share in his stock of cigars and cognac. Also as someone who has survived adversity, he would find a solution evetually to our desert island problem.

Baby delivered by paramedics after pregnant mother dies in crossbow attack A father screamed at his family to run as a crossbow attacker chased him into their home and fired an arrow, killing his pregnant wife and leaving their unborn baby fighting for his life.

Eight months pregnant Sana Muhammad was killed in front of her five children as she did the washing up at the family home in Ilford yesterday morning. Her husband, Imtiaz Muhammad, went to the shed at 7.30am to put a box away and discovered the armed attacker hiding inside.

The 35-year-old motherof-five was hit in the chest and rushed to hospital where medics delivered her baby son with the arrow still lodged in her abdomen.

The tiny baby, who rela-

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tives have named Ibrahim, is now critically ill in hospital.

The victim's husband told The Evening Standard: 'I can't help thinking she took my arrow. Maybe it should have hit me. The kids were all there, it was horrific.' The arrow is said to have passed just inches from the unborn baby's body.

Mr Muhammad added: 'The arrow went up into her heart but did not touch the unborn baby. The baby wLoras due in four weeks.

They operated with the arrow still in because it would have been too dangerous to take out.'

Neighbours said Mrs Muhammad's ex-husband, R a m a n o d g e Unmathallegadoo, was taken away by police. He has since been charged with murder. Heartbroken Mr Muhammad described his partner of seven years as a 'wonderful mother and wife'. Friends said she had five children, two with her previous partner, aged 12, 14 and 18, and two with Mr Muhammad, aged two and five.

Mrs Muhammad, who was born in Mauritius, had been a Hindu but converted to Islam in order to wed builder Imtiaz, who is originally from Pakistan.

The couple met and fell in love after her marriage to Mr Unmattallegadoo, who is also from Mauritius, fell apart.

Sana Muhammad was shot and killed with a crossbow but her unborn baby boy was delivered by emergency Caesarian and is now in intensive care

Friends said the victim converted to Islam seven years ago, shortly before she remarried.

A Met Police spokesman said: 'A man has been charged with the murder of a woman in Ilford. This follows an incident at an address in Applegarth Drive, Ilford at approximately 07:40hrs on Monday, 12 November.

'The victim was found suffering an abdominal injury. She was taken to hospital where she later died. Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command are investigating.

'No other persons are sought in connection with this investigation. The arrested man and woman were known to each other.

Enquiries into the circumstances continue.'

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17 - 23 November 2018

India Japan Summit a watershed The turbulence in global order may well be likened to an earthquake high on the Richter scale. US President Donald Trump’s solution to every problem, great and small, facing his country is a quantum increase in the country’s defence budget and the imposition of arbitrary economic sanctions on a range of countries, from Russia, China, Iran, et al for myriad sins of omission and commission..

Global volatility has forced the world’s leading powers to take stock of their relationships and cast anchor in peaceful waters. India and Japan are two such powers in the strategic Asia Pacific region. Japan is the world’s third largest economy and long a technological and industrial power house off the Asian mainland. India is its pivotal peninsula surrounded by Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf on the west, the Bay of Bengal in the east and the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean in the south.

India is Asia’s geographical fulcrum, the third largest economy after China and Japan engaged in an epic sweep of economic and social transformation that will take decades to fulfill.. Hence the Indo-Japan partnership is one of depth and continental scope, multifaceted and set to grow. Japan has recently reset its China button during Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s recent visit to Beijing – the first such visit in seven years - for talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang. Mr Abe, while keeping faith with his country’s security ties with the United States, was keen to normalize political ties with China following verbal battles over territorial disputes in the Sea of Japan. It is part of the Great Game fit for 21st century purpose. China, faced by American pressure, is compelled by circumstances to ease its relations with regional rivals.

India, for its part, has put its relations with China on an even keel – doing business, when and where possible, and engaging in a conversation with Beijing to keep things ticking over. There are no illusions of deeper trust. Rivalry is refracted through wariness, not by force of arms. Beijing’s all-weather friendship with Pakistan will continue.

Pakistani-armed jihadis keep India preoccupied, and hence contained.

Such considerations do not bedevil Indo-Japanese relationship. Both countries and their leaders speak from the same page. India’s has much to gain from a stronger Japan, and Japan, likewise, is reassured by deepening ties with India in all sectors, and by taking this forward in a partnership in Africa as a possible hedge against Chinese heft.

Prime Ministers Modi and Abe in their Tokyo Summit signed a bilateral currency swap of $75 billion, which will help in bringing greater stability in India’s foreign exchange and capital markets. This facility will enable the agreed amount being available to India for use as and when the need arises, said a joint statement by the two leaders. The impact of the currency swap was dramatic. The slide of the rupee halted; its recovery followed as did the country’s stock exchanges.

India and Japan are to commence a 2+2 Dialogue between their respective Defence and Foreign Ministers to give strategic content to the relationship. ‘Without the the cooperation between India and Japan, the 21 st century cannot be an Asian century, said Mr Modi during a joint address to the media with Prime Minister Abe. Both leaders spoke of their agreement on the core issues of digital partnership, cyberspace, health, naval tie-ups, space etc. Mr Abe reaffirmed Japanese commitment to India’s bullet train project from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, for which Japan will grant India soft loans.

Prime Minister Modi met with Japanese business leaders and appealed them to make India a primary investment destination. Japanese CEOs were appreciative of India’s continuing economic reforms which promised richer dividends going forward. Indian and Japanese businessmen held separate meetings on subjects of common interest, underlining a relationship that is set to strengthen with time.

Counting the cost of appeasement Pragmatism in foreign policy as a general principal is a recipe for success. But there are limits beyond which pragmatism loses its shape; in other words, it fails to yield the expected dividends. India, like countries across continents, is learning to navigate the rapids of uncertainty, bluster and threats that keep emanating from the Trump Administration in Washington.

President Trump’s economic sanctions against countries that fall foul of his administration are absurdist. The Administr ation’s Rottweiler John Bolton has cast Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua beyond the pale, along with Iran, for their alleged lack of democracy. Saudi Arabia, in contrast, is still a favoured US ally, notwithstanding the hideous murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi in the country’s Consulate in Istanbul.

Such is the backcloth to the crippling sanctions announced on Iranian oil exports beginning from e arly November. The reason behind America’s ire is Iran’s alleged development of nuclear weapons. Stringent safeguards are in place following prolonged negotiations between Iran and six major powers including the US (during the Obama administration), the UK, EU, France, Germany and Russia. The signatories have held fast to the deal. The US game, as Secretary of State Mike

Pompeo unabashedly proclaimed, tha t regime change in Tehran was the name of the game.

India has bent over backwards to assuage American sensibilities, hoping no doubt that good sense would prevail in Washington. New Delhi invited President Trump to be the guest of honour at India’s Republic Day celebrations on 26 January 2019, which he regretfully refused for scheduling problems. The Indian government was amiss in not clearing this privately with the White House prior to the official notification. The haste reflected a neuralgic craving to please.

India is a sovereign nation, with its own democratic institutions including a constitution. It cannot barter the national interest at the pleasure of a third power, even if that power be the United States of America.

Indian purchases of Iranian oil must continue regardless. The US has now exempted eight countries from its embargo, with India, China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan heading the Asian list. Indeed, the $500 million India-financed development project for the Iranian port of Chabahar as India’s ambitious gateway to Central Asia and Russia is thus safe, at least for now. US sanctions against Iran have also been rejected by the European Union.

Khadi Poppy Day November 11, 1918 marked the end of World War I or the Great War, as it is often referred to in historical records.

The received wisdom at its outbreak was that the war, which started at the end of July 1914, would end by Christmas. Instead, it dragged on for four years and more, having decimated victors and vanquished alike in the carnage of battles of the Marne, Somme, Gallipoli and others that still evoke horror at the loss of lives in the hells of trench warfare. The poppies on the graves of the fallen have become symbols of remembrance. It was fitting that the 1.7 million soldiers who enlisted for service in defence of the British Empire, thus of Britain herself and the Allied cause, should evoke fresh respect for their contributions to the war effort.

This was the first time that the British Indian Army

would be called upon to fight in Europe. The cold and unfamiliar terrain and a well trained enemy in German troops would present challenges never encountered before. Men from undivided India held one-third of the British line for a year in Belgium and France, until Britain had fully mobilized. German forces were taken aback by the valour and discipline under fire of their Indian foes.

These were later switched to the Middle East, where they outfought the Ottoman Turks, liberating Syria, Mesopotamia and Palestine.

Prime Minister Theresa May remarked movingly on the eleven Victoria Crosses earned by these men, the khadi Poppy a worthy tribute to the 74,000 who died in performance of their duty on battlefields far from home.

Theirs not to question why/Theirs but to do and die.

A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week.

-Second World War General George S Patton (1885-1945)

Alpesh Patel

Remembrance – One Community It was my first time of being on a plane when the two minute silence for Remembrance occurs. On a plane, you cannot stand of course. Instead the Captain makes the announcement. You should, as I did, turn off the in flight entertainment, put down the paper, stop snoozing, and all the other things we do on a plane, and instead, remember the fallen.

But as I recalled the fallen, I also thought of community of humanity that comes together at this time. Community cohesion.

The two key complaints Hindus make about each other - first that we do not help each other, secondly we actively put obstacles in the path of each other. Of course these are generalisations and like all communities we could do more.

Hindu’s often point to the Jewish community as a role model for co-operation. And indeed when I worked in Congress I studies the Israeli lobby group, AIPAC, as the admirable role model on how a community working together can effectively influence Government policy.

A while ago a friend of a friend came to see me. He had been out of work for 7 years. He was Jewish. He was beaten by rejections. His attitude smelt of defeat. Every time I gave him advice on finding a job, he would interrupt about how it wouldn’t work.

I told him, he is sucking the energy out of the room. Why would anybody employ him? But I also remembered the words from the week before I had read in New Delhi, at Birla House, the place where Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated – ‘the job of a leader is to inspire fearlessness’.

And so it was for one hour I sat with this stranger and gave him idea upon idea on getting a job. But the best idea I had – I told him that I would write to some wealthy Jewish friends of mine, and say to them, ‘My Indian community holds your Jewish community up as a role model for co-operation. I met someone from your Jewish community.

He’s a good man. I’m going to help him. But I want you to prove me right, and meet him and help him too. And then, when you do, I am going to write about it, and give my own community a specific example of the role models you are and indeed an example that if we Indians and Hindus do not help each other, then those that do will ensure we are left behind.

So prove yourselves to be the role models we believe you to be, and motivate the best in my Indian community to be like the best in yours.’

How does this story end? My Jewish friends did indeed write back. They couldn’t offer jobs – which is fair enough. But they made the effort.

Just as with the act of remembrance, we make the effort. We can’t stop bad things from happening, or helping everyone, but at least we make the effort, the reply, the call back…we give some thought. That’s how communities are built.

Editor: CB Patel Asian Voice is published by Asian Business Publications Ltd Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, (Off Coronet Street) London N1 6HW. Tel: 020 7749 4080 • Fax: 020 7749 4081 Email: aveditorial@abplgroup.com Website: www.abplgroup.com INDIA OFFICE Bureau Chief: Nilesh Parmar (BPO) AB Publication (India) Pvt. Ltd. 207 Shalibhadra Complex, Opp. Jain Derasar, Nr. Nehru Nagar Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad-380 015.

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17 - 23 November 2018

Jet Airways’ Manchester-Mumbai set to bring £400m to northern economy Dhiren Katwa Jet Airways’ first ever nonstop flight connecting Mumbai, India’s economic capital, and Manchester is now operating. Launched on Dhan Teras (Nov 5) - the most auspicious day for businesses, and second day of Diwali, in the Hindu calendar - our roving reporter Dhiren Katwa was on board the fully booked inaugural flight.

To mark this historic event a series of vibrant celebrations took place at both Manchester and Mumbai airports, as well as on board.

The latter featured a cakecutting ceremony and premiere class passengers were each presented with a certificate and a personalised card handcrafted by the inflight team.

The ManchesterMumbai five-times-a-week service is predicted to deliver £400m to the northern economy and builds on the existing Manchester-Goa route. Answering a clear demand for a bridge between the regions, the Manchester-Mumbai service is seen as a boon to holidaymakers and potentially to some of the 500,000 people of Indian origin living in the region.

The clear benefits that this flight could bring are documented in a new report, ‘The Northern Powerhouse and India’, which was launched to coincide with the inaugural flight. Baroness Liz Sugg, aviation minister, said that connections like the one being launched were “key to

will turn 70 next year, founded Jet in 1992. The airline began its operations in May 1993 to 12 destinations. Today it operates flights to 65 destinations, globally.

Jake Berry MP, minister for the N o r t h e r n Powerhouse, believes the new service is “fantasDr Nandhini Prakash & Neelima Kirkham cut cake tic news” for the on board initiative.

Britain’s economic future”.

Among passengers travIndia is the UK’s seventh elling on the inaugural flight largest trade partner in was Indian citizen Sarlaben goods outside of Europe and Patel. Mrs Patel, 83, was on third largest exporter of serher way to see her sister in vices to the UK. Its current Dewsbury. “The staff are economic growth has seen ever so caring and friendly,” foreign direct investment she said. Rajesh Gupta, a into the UK create around businessman from Calcutta 6,000 new jobs. was on his way to see his son Andrew Cowan, CEO of at Huddersfield University.

Manchester Airport, He said: “It’s awesome. I’m described India as ‘one of really delighted at this new the world’s most important route and I wish Jet Airways markets’. every success.” Nadeem The launch is likely to be Majid, MD of a Manchesterpopular with the student based travel agency, now in population too – and the its 25th year, described the universities who rely on new route as “fantastic news their custom. for the North”. Couple Tony Commenting on the and Neelima Kirkham said launch, Sir Richard Leese, they enjoyed the inaugural Leader of Manchester City flight experience but were of Council, said the announcethe opinion that the layout ment “further strengthens of the premiere class cabins Manchester Airport’s status and features could be and Manchester’s position improved. Tony, originally as a global hub”. from Leeds, moved to Describing the UK as an Vadodara, Gujarat, 28 years important destination, ago.

Naresh Goyal, chairman of Jet Airways has been a Jet Airways, said he hoped personal favourite between the Manchester route would UK and India, also internally contribute to tourism and in India, for many years. trade between the two Reasons include, reliability, countries. Mr Goyal, who

Dhiren, centre, with Jet Airways crew in terms of flight times; excellent on-board customer service and experience; staff are friendly, helpful and will go the extra mile to accommodate reasonable passenger requests.

For more information visit www.jetairways.com or download the Jet Airways mobile app.

The Leela Mumbai During my weekend in Mumbai, I stayed at The Leela Mumbai, located just 5 minutes from Mumbai Airport. Having experienced stays at hotels of the same rating The Leela Mumbai is a cut above the rest. While its services are unmatched and amenities are of an ultra-premium quality, I was most struck by the professionalism, friendliness and superior guest service of all staff whom I came in contact with. The hotel’s PR Manager is Shradha Bhat, an outstanding champion of the hotel, but a role model in her industry. Shradha and

her senior leadership colleagues are continuing the legacy of Captain C.P.Krishnan Nair, Founder Chairman, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts.

Captain Nair was honoured l l l l l

l l l l l

Jet Airways A major Indian international airline based in Mumbai Flies to 65 destinations, globally Founded in 1992 by Mr Naresh Goyal, current Chairman As of this month, flies direct from Manchester- Mumbai five days a week www.jetairways.com In a text box as bullet points

The Leela Mumbai Mumbai’s only resort style 5* business hotel Just 5 minutes’ drive from Mumbai International Airport Opened in 1986. Founded by Captain C.P. Krishnan Nair Set amidst 11 acres of lush landscaped gardens, cascading waterfalls and lotus fountain www.theleela.com

with the Padma Bhushan Award in 2010 by the then President of India in recognition of his distinguished service of a high order in the field of trade and industry.

He built his eco-friendly hotel empire on the Sanskrit

Loving father-of-three, 35, killed in crash alongside baby son and two friends during police chase Police were chasing VW Golf through Sheffield's suburbs when it crashed into car The family of a baby boy killed alongside three adults in a horrific car crash have criticised police over the high-speed chase which led to their deaths.

Adnan Ashraf Jarral, 35, died along with his one-year-old son, Usman, when a car fleeing the police smashed head-on into his people carrier in a quiet Sheffield suburb on Friday night.

Mr Jarral's wife Tahreen was cut out of the vehicle's mangled wreckage and is in hospital with a broken leg and back injuries.

Her 22-year-old friend, named locally as Nikola Dunova, was also in the VW Touran along with her parents Miroslav Duna, 50, and Vlasta Dunova, 41, who both died at the scene.

Miss Dunova and her three-

Toddler Usman Adnan Jarral, aged one, died alongside his dad Adnan Ashraf Jarral on Friday

year-old daughter Livia were fighting for their lives in hospital last night.

The two families were returning home from a day trip to London when their vehicle was hit by a speeding VW Golf, which was travelling on the wrong side of the road while being chased by a police BMW. Three men in the Golf – aged 17, 18 and 23 – were arrested at the

scene and are being held in custody on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Mr Jarral's uncle Shafqat Mirza questioned the police's decision to pursue the car through a residential area and said 'the tragedy had left a gap which can never be filled'.

Mr Mirza said: 'It may be that police ought to have laid off and let it go and found some other ways and means of chasing the car, knowing that it was a wet and dangerous road.

motto “atithi devo bhava”, which translates to ‘Guest is God’. Over 70% of each Leela property features greenery, that is plants, flowers and trees, which makes it stand out from any

'Maybe if police had handled things differently then the accident wouldn't have happened.

'I'm not wholly blaming the police but if there are ways and means of doing the chase in a different way, then the police ought to take that into consideration.'

Tariq Mirza, 57, another of Adnan's uncles, refused to blame the three occupants of the VW Golf for the fatal crash, who are all in police custody. He said that in his religion: 'We believe what will happen will happen'.

However Tariq said wanted the tragic events to be a lesson to the public.

It is thought Mrs Jarral was originally from Slovakia and had converted to Islam and changed her name. The couple were said to have been planning a trip to Mecca at the end of the month.

The seven occupants of the VW Touran included Adnan's wife Tahreem, who is in hospital, and her friend, who also remains in hospital.

Tahreem's friend's parents both died in the fatal crash, while her friend's three-year-old daughter is said to be in a critical condition in hospital.

hotel chain in India. Captain Nair’s is a remarkable and inspiring story, one I’d encourage everyone to read his autobiography. To find out more about The Leela Mumbai visit www.theleela.com

Fake Immigration advisor in Birmingham busted Safhir Majid, posed as a fake immigration adviser from Birmingham, was sentenced for taking thousands from unsuspecting members of the Pakistani community and intimidating his victims. The Birmingham Crown Court, sentenced him to a total of 27 months imprisonment plus a victim surcharge.

Mr Majid, 38, and his partner Mr Shahid Ahmed Bhatti, 39, founded Empire Legal Solutions Ltd in Walsall, West Midlands, where they pretended to be qualified immigration advisers with Mr Majid posing as a fake solicitor.

His Honour Judge Mayo said to Mr Majid, “You posed as a lawyer, you knew you were not qualified” and to Mr Bhatti, “Your role was lesser but when required you were able to offer enforcement.

“Offences of this type prey on vulnerable people. Immigration relies on people being properly represented, you were incompetent and greedy. You have made a good deal of money from these frauds”.

His partner, Shahid Ahmed Bhatti, a former businessman, of Great Barr, was given a 16 month sentence suspended for 24 months plus a victim surcharge.

While, Mr Majid is to serve half the sentence in custody and half on licence.

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17 - 23 November 2018

IVF Education Seminar with Nova IVI clinic Priyanka Mehta The ABPL group along with Nova IVI fertility clinic in India had hosted an IVF education seminar at Novotel Hotel in Wembley on 2nd November. The main objective of this seminar was to create awareness about IVF among the Asian community and present forward the challenges and options for couples who cannot conceive naturally.

Dr. Madushree Ghosh The panel discussion included Dr. Madushree Ghosh, MBBS, DRCOG, MFSRH and an IVF Expert at NHS Wales who shed light about the challenges that British Asian couples face in the UK while going through IVF under the NHS. Stressing about the identification of the cause of infertility Dr. Ghosh highlighted, how factors such as heat, stress, alcohol, ovaries or even fallopian tubes is important to undertake the right process of treatment.

“In my experience the outcome of medical treatment may not be as prosperous as it sounds!”

Referring to it as “Postcode-lottery” Dr.

requires that the patients will have to travel to India for a specific treatment period of about 20 days.

But Dr. Madushree Ghosh will be present here for initial consultations. All treatment and medical procedures here will be in accordance with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) guidelines.

The cost of the treatment at this clinic unlike (L-R) Santosh Shetty, L George, Dr. Richa Jagtap, Dr. Madushree Ghosh, other places is inclusive of Vinesh Gadhia, Dr. Sandeep Shah, Samit Biswas and K. Shriram medical tests and medicines as well. smoking.

Ghosh explained how However, the cost of travel Dr. Jagtap shed an depending on the area and accommodation in insight into the scientific some clinics allow you up India or the cost of storing process of IVF and pointed to 3 chances in one cycle the egg is separate. out several procedures but that may not always be Vinesh Gadhia, COO used during the treatment the case!” of the Nova Clinic said “It “Polycystic Ovary and the advantages of one is about time we break the Syndrome (PCOS) and over the other. Addressing silence over IVF and as per Body Mass Index (BMI) the problems of those couthe WHO perceive the display a significant common ples wherein the male ease like any other and factor among most South partner might be suffering accept the concept of Asian women. The ideal through a genetic disorinfertility. There is nothBMI being between 19-30” der, Dr. Jagtap explained ing to be ashamed about the different options that it.”

Dr. Richa Jagtap such couples should opt Talking about how his Identifying the dietary and for. Talking about the clinic has over recent Magnetic Activated Cell lifestyle habits Dr. Richa times established with a Sorting (MACS), she Jagtap, MBBS, MD (OBG), Pan-India presence with explained how “this proDGO from Mumbai said 20 centres across 15 cities cess helps in picking out a “how 1% of everything that he said “There are more healthy looking sperm in a pregnant woman conthan 22,000 successful IVF comparison to ICSI which sumes goes to the baby pregnancies in India is usually a preferred and so, it becomes necestoday!” sary for a woman to watch course of treatment for Dr. Sandeep Shah who what she eats and the picking out a good looking was also present at the atmosphere she is in” sperm.” education awareness camwarning against passive The Nova IVI clinic

paign even said how "the NHS data released for women over 35 years is applicable more for Caucasian women as opposed to the Asian women." It was the first ever awareness campaign that they have done in the UK. The main of 'My life my choice' is to support women and men of all ages in making the fertility and childbearing decisions that best fit with their unique life situations, based on their personal circumstances, needs and values. They provide professional, and reliable information about fertility, assisted human reproduction, and various lifestyle and family building options, including childfree living.

Michelle Obama in her latest memoir “Becoming” reveals about how women should talk about miscarriages and how later she conceived her two daughters through IVF. This subject forms the core of discussion more significantly among the Asian community where infertility is still a taboo. It is time we as a society break out of the stereotype and educate ourselves about the causes of infertility and the options available to us.

UK OPENS UP RECRUITMENT ALLOWING FOREIGNERS TO JOIN ARMED FORCES The UK government on Monday has announced a relaxation of the recruitment allowing applicants from Commonwealth nations, including those not living in the UK, to apply for jobs in Her Majesty's Armed Forces to combat a shortage in its ranks. A National Audit Office report revealed a shortage of around 8200 soldiers, sailors and air personnel. To meet the shortage women are now allowed to apply for all roles in British military for the first time.

The Commonwealth is an association of 53 countries, including India.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) hoping to recruit 1350 extra personnel from foreign countries every year, to Army, Navy and Air Force. It comes after they have been struggling to recruit soldiers in their forces. The Royal Navy and RAF will start the recruitment procedures immediately.

The Army applications will open from early 2019. People from outside Commonwealth will require British citizenship to be accepted except the Gurkhas and from republic of Ireland. A limited waiver to the recruitment was introduced in May 2016 to recruit upto 200 Commonwealth people per year to fill in the skill shortage posts, which has now been widened.

In a statement the Ministry of Defence said, “Citizens from the Commonwealkth have a long tradition of serving with distinction in the Armed Forces.”

Britain currently employs 4500 Commonwealth citizens in the Armed forces with 3940 in the Army, 480 in Royal Navy and 80 in the RAF.

6 UK

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THE LONDONER - Leicester Square Celebrates 'TOPPING OUT' Cecil Soans On 8 November UK's leading hospitality chain Edwardian Hotels London celebrated the ‘Topping Out’ of its ambitious new £300 million development in Leicester Square, The Londoner. The ceremony was led by Edwardian Hotels London Chairman and CEO Jasminder Singh OBE. The ‘Topping Out’ was held on what is set to become the spectacular roof-top bar area, boasting unrivalled views across Leicester Square and the surrounding neighborhood.

The five-star, 15 level hotel is set to transform London’s hospitality scene complementing the capital and the West End neighborhood.

What is considered to be a pivotal construction milestone, the 'Topping Out' started the countdown to the official opening of The Londoner which is scheduled to take place in early 2020.

Calling it an expression of the

The Londoner on completion - an artist's impression

drama and heritage of its West End setting whilst retaining the high standards and quality our guests have come to expect. The Londoner demonstrates our pioneering and ambitious vision in its ability to conceptualise, design and develop a world-class London landmark.’ Despite the Brexit uncertainties the development demonstrates Edwardian Hotels London’s continued commitment to the UK and unwavering confidence in its future.

At 30 meters the property has one of the deepest commercial basements in Europe and will include leisure facilities, two ODEON Luxe cinemas, spa, and state-of-the-art conference facilities. It required the excavation of 75,000 cubic meters of soil.

There will be 350 bedrooms, including 35 luxury suites, concept restaurants, lounges and will create more than 500 new jobs when open.

Woods Bagot are the Architects along with project engineers Arup; project devel-

opers McGee; and interior design team Yabu Pushelberg.

About Edwardian Hotels London Edwardian Hotels London is a privately-owned hotel group, which has been owning, operating, and developing an upscale and luxury hotel and hospitality portfolio since Jasminder Singh OBE began his career within the hospitality industry in 1977 – forming the beginnings of what would become Edwardian Hotels London. Across multiple cities in the UK group employs more than 2,500 staff. They also support a number of charitable causes contributing to the fabric of the city. Today, Edwardian Hotels London owns and operates eleven Radisson Blu Edwardian London hotels in London and central Manchester, The May Fair Hotel and a collection of restaurants and bar brands including the May Fair Kitchen, Monmouth Kitchen and May Fair Bar.

Iype Abraham, Commercial Development Director of Edwardian Hotels London addressing the gathering

vision and leadership of Chairman Jasminder Singh whose ambition is to own hotels on the 'perfume trail' London, New York and Paris, Iype Abraham Commercial Development Director Edwardian Hotels London said that the hotel group aims to cement its position as the leader in UK's hospitality industry. The group, he said,

is committed to the capital and its position as a globally competitive city.

Architecturally The Londoner is designed to be sympathetic to the surroundings of its historic and iconic location and sit graciously and seamlessly with Leicester Square. The building has gained recognition for its exceptional environmental credentials on par with some

of the highest performing sustainable buildings in the world. At peak construction the development will have employed 700 people.

Commenting on the milestone moment Iype Abraham, Commercial Development Director Edwardian Hotels London said, ‘As Edwardian Hotels London’s first purpose-built hotel, The Londoner will embrace the

Jasminder Singh, Chairman and CEO of Edwardian Hotels London, adding final cement on the Topping Out ceremony of The Londoner

Panoramic views of the city at the Topping Out ceremony from The Londoner

Bottoming Out in Feb 2017

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Axiom Stone celebrates 10-year anniversary

British Foreign Policy Group Discusses Diaspora Communities Priyanka Mehta

Pragnesh Modhwadia addressing the guests

Axiom Stone Solicitors has reached an exciting milestone as the firm celebrated reaching 10 years of delivering innovative, commercial, client-driven legal solutions. The firm celebrated in style at The London Reign Showclub in Piccadilly, W1 and as a 'big thank you' invited hundreds of valued clients and partners.

The firm’s managing director and founder, Mr Pragnesh Modhwadia, led the evening’s celebrations and addressed the firm saying, “here’s to you guys and all your hard work and support that makes Axiom Stone the success that we are.”

On 31st October the British Foreign Policy Group came together to discuss about the role of diaspora communities in the UK and their potential in the establishment of an integrated society by means of extending their soft powers.

Panellists included members from diverse backgrounds of governmental institutions, foreign policy think tanks, academics among various others.

The discussion formed around the significance of the contributions both financially and culturally made by the various South-Asian, Caribbean and African diaspora communities present in the UK. Members discussed how more voices from these communities needed to be brought to the forefront through

net-working as ways of strengthening the multi-national identities and bilateral relations.

“Framing the narrative is very important, we need to be very clear ourselves about who we talk to, why, what is our agenda and how we approach the subject we are discussing.

And it is equally important that they are on the same page as us as well” said one of the members present at the forum.

Narrative in today's world of multiple identities forms a vital part of how we address the various issues pressing before us.

Immigrant or a refugee? Expats or a diaspora community, these little framings form the invisible core of the political mood both at a domestic and international platform.

In a global world village internet has not just provided

inter-connectivity but also helped in the various processes of cash remittances that drive the economy of various countries to helping combat the evils of slavery and human exploitation. However, often these remittances do not go through official channels. In light of such technological revelations, it is important to engage with the diaspora communities in the UK such that they are made aware of the Government initiatives with respect to the aid and funding given to the various world countries.

As the world stands further divided today with Brexit as the proverbial sword hanging above our shoulders, an extension of soft powers through community engagements becomes the fundamental source of an integrated society today.

Southall Travel promotes Jaymin Borkhatria to CCO UK's leading travel organisation, Southall Travel Group has stepped sales director Jaymin Borkhatria to the company's chief commercial officer. He will now be responsible for the group's consumer facing brands including Southall Travel, Away Holidays, Travel Trolley and the recently launched ST Fly and ST Sports, along with its B2B brands, Applehouse Travel and The holiday Team. CEO Kuljinder Bahia praised Borkhatria saying,

“Since joining us in 2005, Jaymin has been instrumental in the growth of this business and I am delighted to announce his appointment as our chief commercial officer.”

Established in 1984, the company is now one of the largest travel companies in the UK and was recently even named 11th in the annual Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 league table.

Jaymin Borkhatria

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17 - 23 November 2018

"REMEMBER THE BLOOD OF MY MARTYRED SONS" Continued from page 1

On 4th November, to commemorate the end of 100 years since World War One (WW1), a 10 feet statue of a Sikh soldier was unveiled in the town centre at Smethwick, in West Midlands. This new 'Lions of the Great War' monument is part of a community project and collaboration between the Gurdwara and the local Sandwell Council. The cost of the statue (£20,000) has been covered by Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Smethwick to honour the millions of men from the British Indian Army who served in the two world wars.

Hundreds of people gathered at High Street, to witness the moment the finished sculpture, designed by Black Country sculptor Luke Perry, was revealed for the first time. It was met with rapturous applause as it was unveiled. But within days of unveiling and just couple of days before the Remembrance Day, the statue was vandalised with black ink and written "Sepoys no more". The term "sepoy" refers to Indian soldiers who served in the British or other European armies.

The words "of the Great War" from the statue's title was sprayed with a black line, while the words "1 jarnoil" had been graffitied on to the memorial. There was speculation on social media that the phrase could refer to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale a controversial figure in Indian history considered by some to be a terrorist who wanted to create a Sikh state. He was killed in 1984 in a gun battle with the Indian army after his organisation occupied the famous

happened and identify whoever is responsible. I’d urge anyone who recognises the people in this CCTV to get in touch as soon as possible.

“Local officers continue to work closely with communities and have increased police presence in the area

Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band, London, outside Buckingham Palace

to provide reassurance and be on hand to answer any questions or concerns that people may have.”

Jatinder Singh, President of Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick was extremely disappointed with the actions of the vandals but remained resolute.

He said, "There was some vandalism to the back wall overnight which is very disappointing. The graffiti was cleaned off and the matter was reported to the police.

Working with the council we won't

Indian soldier statue at Smethwick and the vandalised 'Lions of the Great War' monument

Golden Temple complex in the city of Amritsar.

This incident showed the other face of our Britain's multicultual society. While one commemorated the contributions of Indian soldiers by a statue, the other completely disregarded and showed no respect for the significance of the statue and its inscriptions installed, to commemorate the pain felt by many South Asian families, who lost their dear ones during the WW1.

allow this vandalism to undermine the very strong message created by this new monument and the overwhelmingly positive reaction to its unveiling.”

The Sikh Federation (UK) also condemned the senseless and cowardly act of vandalism by a statement.

[Anyone with any information is urged to contact West Midlands Police or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111].

Smethwick statue vandalism

Prince Harry and Marigold wreath to commemorate the Indian soldiers

West Midlands Police reportedly said they were treating the incident as aggravated criminal damage. The force released the CCTV footage and officers were working with worshippers and management at the temple.

Superintendent Martin Hurcomb, from the Sandwell Police, said, “Officers are working closely with the congregation and management at the nearby Guru Nanak Sikh Temple as we understand that this attack has caused a lot of concern in the community.

“Work continues to try to understand the reasons behind what

a gesture whose significance was immediately recognised by the duke, who said that it was to honour the sacrifice of Indians during the war.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge laid a marigold wreath at India Gate in New Delhi in 2016. A

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex just before November 11th said that bif he could, he would like to lay a wreath of marigolds in honour of the Indian troops who served in the war. Prince Harry’s remarks came as he made his annual visit to the Field of Remembrance outside Westminster Abbey. When he passed a plot marking the Indian troops who served in the war, Suraj Samant, 23, a youth representative on the Hindu Council UK gave the duke a small marigold bloom. It was

campaign is under way for India to adopt the marigold as the nation’s flower of remembrance, to sit alongside the poppy as a symbol of the sacrifice made by India’s soldiers.

civilian bands who had the honour of commemorating war heroes past and present, as part of the Nation’s Thank You procession along Whitehall (London, UK) on the Centenary of the Armistice.

During the procession, a special Wreath was laid at the world famous Cenotaph on Whitehall, on behalf of Acharya Swamishree Maharaj, global spiritual leader of Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan.

The Band, based at Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury (the world’s first eco-temple, located in northwest London) has a long history of participating in local Remembrance Parades, and its participation this Sunday is the climax of the temple’s 2018 Remembrance campaign; the community has been marking the Armistice centenary during its recent Diwali and Hindu New Year celebrations.

Members of the Band, proud British Indians, have been preparing for several weeks for this once-in-ageneration honour – looking for-

London, Greater Manchester, Kenya, USA and India.

Armistice centenary remembrance assembly at Neasden temple A special assembly to pay tribute to soldiers from India and the Commonwealth who served during the First World War will be held at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London – popularly recognised as the ‘Neasden Temple’ – on Friday 16 November 2018.

This year marks the 100th anniversary since Armistice Day (11 November 1918) – the day when the War formally came to an end. To commemorate this occasion, the assembly will hold a programme of prayers, recitals and addresses that will be delivered by guests and representatives of various countries and faiths. The event coincides with National Inter Faith Week in the UK. The Mandir also recently paid homage to the heroes of the First World War by installing a poppy display outside the Mandir. It was one of 14 locations selected by the Royal British Legion to display large poppies featuring moving messages from the First World War generation woven along threads that pointed to 20-ft installation at the

Khadi poppy and the Indian story The Red “Khadi” Poppy & the Indian story was hosted by Lord Jitesh Gadhia at the London School of Economics on Friday 9th November, to remember the Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives for Britain in World War 1 as the UK commemorates the centenary of the first world war.

Author Shrabani Basu, Major S S Gogna, Field Marshall Sir John Chapple and Dr. Mukulika Banerjee head of the South Asia Centre all came together to remember the forgotten soldiers by going back in history and talking about the conditions in which these soldiers were recruited in the army by the French and the English.

Lord Jitesh Gadhia on a sombre note said, “Sarojini Naidu once said remember the blood of my martyred sons. And today we shall.”

School students mark Armistice Day Pupils at Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School (TIGHS) in Blackburn have marked Armistice Day by remembering the fallen heroes who gave their lives in the cause of freedom. The Olive School, Bolton, also

Remembrance Day activities by children at The Olive School, Bolton

had children's activities around the time, to commemorate the event.

Swaminarayan Pipe Band thanks the Armed Forces at the Whitehall Cenotaph Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band, London was one of only six

People dressed as Indian soldiers at the the India v/s England Test match in Oval, to recognise the contribution of the Indian Army in WW1

ward in particular to remembering the contribution of the Indian Army to WW1.

The Wreath from Acharya Swamishree Maharaj was laid by trustee of Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury, Dr Mahesh Varsani. Speaking at the event, he said, “Acharya Swamishree Maharaj teaches us to always remember the sacrifices made for us by our forefathers, in every respect. It is a matter of great pride that our Band is able to honour all of the Armed Forces, and the very significant Indian contribution to the Great War. Remembrance is our opportunity as a society to recognise the sacrifice made by all soldiers, no matter their backgrounds. We all have a duty as citizens of the free world, as human beings, to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice.”

Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe is made up of 250 members around the world, including

National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.

An interactive exhibition on the Role of Indian soldiers during The Great War (WW1) the bus (owned by Golden Tours but loaned to the project) has brought to the participating community centres, a shared remembrance of their communities’ contribution in shaping the Great Britain of today. It was also present at the Diwali in Trafalgar Square on Sunday 28th October.

Jains at the Cenotaph

Many Jain communities participated in local Remembrance Day services.

However for Jains, this was also a historic day. After several years of campaigning with the Jain All-Party Parliamentary Group, they were finally given a place at the Cenotaph alongside the other faiths and the Royal family. Bells were rung, two minutes silence was observed and Brahid Shanti was recited at Jain Derasars throughout the country. Many OneJAIN member organisations also participated in Remembrance Day celebrations locally.

Nemubhai Chandaria, Chair of the Institute of Jainology represented OneJAIN to pay respect to the fallen, on behalf of the UK's Jain community. The Cenotaph ceremony was followed by a remembrance service at Westminster Tauheedul Islamic Girls’ School’s Remembrance Abbey in the presence of Her commemorations Majesty the Queen.

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17 - 23 November 2018

As I See It CB Patel

Mistrys win the BBC 2 Family Cooking Showdown

Prudent placement of your pile: With a bit of providence In the eastern world, some people feel that British, with their stiff upper lip have always some reservation about people from Asia. What happened in Leicester in the last 3 weeks surely has a different resonance. Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, a Thai entrepreneur died in a helicopter accident, just outside the Club ground on October st 27th. He had bought the Leicester City Football Club in 2010 with £39.3mn and continued to invest and the team reciprocated with unprecedented success in the Premier League after 10 years of absence. Chairman Vichai (or Boss) as he was lovingly called, by everyone in Leicester, players, fans, and common man alike.

His funeral took place in the far off Thailand.

Last weekend prior to a match the Leicester team members and many many thousands of Leicester's citizens marched through the City in his honour.

Why? What made them move?

It was Vichai's generosity, his faith in his Buddhist traditions but more importantly his faith in the manager, captain, team members of the Club and the city of Leicester. He contributed £100,000 for the remains of Richard III excavation. He had earlier promised that he would spend as much as £180mn to ensure that the Club broke into the top 5 within 3 years from 2014.

At the start of the 2015/16 season the book makers offered odds of 5000-1 on winning the Premier League. On May 2nd 2016, surprise surprise!

Leicester City Football Club had won the Premier League. It had taken two years and Vichai had spent only a third of the money he had pledged.

Before important matches, Buddhist monks would be flown in from Thailand in Vichai’s private jet to offer prayers and spiritual support before the game. There is a Buddhist shrine at the ground.

According to Forbes, Vichai was the seventh richest person in Thailand, worth estimated £2.5bn, which means with around 1.5 percent of his wealth

Vichai made a mark on the English football.

Now we know in India every week, one if not two billionaire are added to the national league. In Britain there are dozens if not more people of Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan origin who are billionaires. Many think they are, or pretend to be so.

Equally, there are some who really are- who are but in the Rich lists. Just a thought, in the spirit of Diwali, 2 percent or 5 percent create reverberations far beyond our immediate circle of influence. The most inspiring example is of the British Jewry, numbering around 250,000. Their generosity can be seen in so many institutes, in education, health, art and culture et al. Fortunately some Indian philanthropy or prudent placement of wealth is coming along.

There is a scope for much more.

Armistice day We are celebrating centenary of the Armistice day world wide. It’s noteworthy that at the Cenotaph on Sunday, the German President was side by side with the Prince of Wales. The modern Germany has done normally unimaginable. Their absolute ownership of the war mongering in the past, apology, corrective steps have enabled them to move on with firm footing and dignity.

The First World War, demolished 4 empires viz.

Russian, Ostro-Hungarian, German and the Ottoman. The geography has changed in Middle East and Europe. In Europe with better, overall, peace and harmony. In the Middle East, sadly completely opposite in that sense. Whose fault? Victors cannot wash their hands off!

India unexpectedly has risen as a united, federal, republic with democracy well entrenched after several centuries of foreign domination. The Gandhian teaching of peace and non violence have been truly well rewarded.

(L-R) Prachi Mistry, Mitesh Mistry and Anup Mistry

Priyanka Mehta About four and a half years ago Prachi Mistry shifted from Mumbai to London and like most Indians she felt very strange when she first came here. “Indian food boiled down to curry. What most pass off as Indian food here tends to be Bangladeshi/Pakistani/British Indian food!” That thought of showcasing authentic Indian cuisine maybe considered as the beginning of the journey for the Mistry family who won the BBC 2 Family Cooking Showdown. There were a total of 16 teams participating in total with each having a total of 3 members and Prachi's team comprised of Prachi, her husband Mitesh and his nephew Anup Mistry.

“I filled out the application for the show and wasn't even expecting a call. On a Sunday afternoon BBC called up to say that we were

selected and winning was a surreal experience.”

For the unprepared one-pot meal round only 3 minutes were given and they had to think of a dish in a budget of £10. They made Prawn Biryani by substituting red chilli powder with Paparika based on the availability of the ingredients. One of the judges even said“I can eat that three times a day!”

But the biggest hit for the Mistry family was the Chocolate Pani Puri that they served with a trio of Lassi shots. They fried the puris and coated it with dark chocolate to maintain a balance of the sweetness of the white chocolate mouse stuffed inside it. The lassi shots came in different flavours of mango, rose and cardamom. The Mistry family after winning the show are now excited to start their own blog and perhaps in the future conduct some cooking classes as well.

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A great Diwali party The Hinduja Family’s Diwali Party has become one of the most important event’s in the London Calendar.

Each year the Hinduja brothers, Srichand, Gopichand, Prakash and Ashok along with their families host a memorable Diwali Party and inviting the who’s who of society.

Last Thursday was no exception and guests were entertained with an array of drinks, delectable food dishes and sweets. Approx. 400 elite guests were present along with members of every political party as well as the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan to celebrate Diwali with them.

The Guest of Honour was the International Development Secretary, the Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP, who read the Prime Minister’s special Diwali message.

Baroness Sandip Verma was the Master of Ceremony and conducted the proceedings. Guests also included, Lord Archer, the Rt Hon. Vince Cable MP, Leader of the Lib Dem Party, Lord Bates, Lord Ahmad, Lord Gadhia, Mr Rajan, Minister Coordination at the High Commission of India, Baroness Lynda Chalker, Dr Rami Ranger CBE, Co Chairman of the Conservative Friends of India, BBC presenter, Zeinab Badawi, Mr CB Patel, Chief Editor of Asian Voice, the High Commissioner of Canada, HE Janice Charette and many more.

The speeches from Mr GP Hinduja, Mayor Sadiq Khan and Penny Mordaunt MP were full of humour and goodwill to all.

After the scrumptious dinner the guests were treated to entertainment from the legendary Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. All in all a night of celebration.

Rami Ranger By email

The essence and significance of Diwali and fireworks From darkness into light, from ignorance to knowledge, from unhappiness into bliss, this, indeed, is the true and deep message that the festival of Diwali brings every year with its joyous celebrations.

The festival of Diwali is the most celebrated and much awaited festival that inspires people to believe in the power of good. Diwali is heralded as one of the most significant festivals of Hindus and is celebrated across India and throughout the world.

Hindus in the North mainly celebrate this festival to commemorate the legend of Lord Rama's return to the Kingdom of Ayodhya after an exile of 14 years while in the South, it is celebrated to mark the vanquishment of a demon named Narakasura at the hands of Lord Krishna.

However, the festival of lights holds great significance in other religions as well, which include Sikhism and Jainism, though for different reasons. This article explores the deep rooted significance of Diwali in context of various faiths and belief systems.

The festival of lights, Diwali is the harbinger to hope and inspires one and all to take initiative and light a candle rather than to curse the darkness.

Diwali is not just about outer illumination, but it promotes the awareness of the inner light that is the core of every human being. The spirituality is the true essence of Hinduism and it prophesizes that a person is not just a body or a mind but something beyond it - a pure, powerful and eternal source of energy, called the Atman.

Diwali is the celebration of the realization of this inner light, which has the power to show one the path of righteousness even at the darkest of the times.

The awakening to one's true self “Atman” introduces one to immense peace, universal compassion, love, and awareness of oneness of all things (higher knowledge). This is a state of true happiness that Diwali commemorates, the stories and legends about this festival may change from region to region but this underlying essence remains the same.

Another profound symbolism of Diwali is in lighting firecrackers. In life, you often become like a firecracker, waiting to explode with your pent-up emotions, frustration and anger.

When you keep suppressing your emotions, cravings and aversions are bound to reach a point where they explode.

Bursting crackers is a psychological exercise from ancient times to release bottled-up emotions.

When you see an explosion outside, you feel similar sensations within as well. Along with the explosion, there is a lot of light as well. When you let go of these suppressed emotions, the light of knowledge dawns.

Baldev Sharma Rayners Lane, Harrow

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Sardar stands tall

Name calling

A tallest bronze statue measuring 182m high, costing some £350 million pounds erected in Gujarat at the river island facing Sardar Sarovar Dam on river Narmada in Rajpipla ,62 miles from Vadodra has been initiated and proudly unveiled

by Narendra Modi. There has been lot of criticism and protest for justification of the staggering cost. This statue is the symbol of unity. Annexation of 565 states into new forming country India was not an easy task at the time. Sardar, a selfless, determined statesman accomplishment of the noble deed of unification is invaluable, priceless.

Sardar had a strong conviction that unity is of paramount importance to India without which it will fall.

The country has sustained the unity in the adverse situation, progressed and is stronger than ever. There is no doubt that at the level of progress India is making it is set to reach a great height in not too distant future. Congratulations to Modi in honouring the great son of India for his unparallel contributions to the country.

Niranjan Vasant By email

Why do Pakistanis hate being called “Pakis” when Australians are happy to be called “Aussies”, ditto New Zealanders “Kiwis”, Americans “Yanks”, British “Brits” and people from Thailand “Thais”?

Rudy Otter By email

Call a Spade a Spade-Media Terminology The conviction of the 11 Paedophiles in Huddersfield for rape offences were correctly described by BBC News as men of Pakistani heritage. This is the first time that the BBC has accurately reported on the ethnicity of the perpetrators instead of using the all pervasive and generic term “Asians” and is a welcome development. Many of your readers have rightly called for the accurate and more precise reporting of the ethnicity of the perpetrators of these terrible crimes, as they felt that the use of the term “Asians” unfairly implicated us all. Many of your readers are very perturbed when the media uses the term “Asians” to lump everyone under that category, especially when reporting criminal activities, as it creates a negative stereotype/image of all “Asians” in the minds of the indigenous population. This is something that we should all be very concerned about as such a negative image/perception can affect our safety and well being as we all go about our normal daily business in life.

Thanks to those in our community who have made representations to the media houses and managed to persuade them for more accurate reporting of ethnicity. Hopefully, this small but important change in reporting will lead to a more safer environment for our children and grand children in the UK. However, no sooner than the breaking of this story on national media last week, the Home Secretary tweeted referring to the convicts as “sick Asian Paedophiles”!

Was he seeking to deflect the blame from men of Pakistani heritage, as reported? I wonder!

Dinesh Rai By email

Sour Grapes for British Press?

While people of Gujarat, India and indeed rest of the world appreciate and admire 182 meter high Sardar Vallabhai Patel’s “Statue of Unity” as one of the wonders of modern world, dwarfing the popular tourist attraction in New York harbour, “Statue of Liberty” a gift to American people from people of France; as well as 153 meter tall “Spring Temple Buddha” in China; English media, as usual were critical of BJP government and in particular PM Narendra Modi.

Their allegedly main concern is cost and the land government acquired to build “Narbada Dam and Sardar Sarover” paying full compensation and resettling displaced people near-by, on 1200 acres of land, fair and generous compensation most were willing to accept, although tiny minority, puppet on the string, in hands of opposition, mainly Congress party, were opposed to resettlement.

Then India is a vibrant and free secular democracy in the region where religion, tribalism and military rule prevails.

Another concern of West and especially of Gandhi, Nehru clan is that at last history will recognized and appreciate Sardar Patel, not Nehru, as jewel in India’s struggle to free itself from clutches of British Raj, as history of independence struggle was written first by British and then Nehru dynasty, distorting facts beyond belief.

Sardar was the first and favourite choice of Congress Executive Council members to be first PM of India. But due to Nehru’s tantrum and personal ambition compel Gandhiji to request Sardar to step down and let Nehru to be the first PM of India. Gandhiji commanded such a respect and moral authority that no one could go against his wishes, his command. India has paid heavy price of this folly, depriving India of the rule of Bismarck, the iron man of Germany.

Sardar’s Statue, standing alongside the reservoir, surrounded by landscaped gardens, long modern promenade on the river bank, with rows of shops intended to take care of tourists’ every need, will become prime attraction, when fully completed, drawing tourists from all over the world, in line with Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in New Delhi, which attracts more visitors than Taj Mahal!

Although this project cost £314 million but compared to the cost of £900 million for millennium dome, a white elephant, this is a bargain, giving jobs to many. It will recover cost within couple of decades from entrance charges and relevant commercial developments to cater for mass tourism. No wonder this is sour grape for British media, in Donald Trump’s words “Fake News.”

Bhupendra M. Gandhi By email

Sense of belonging In retirement, most people have nothing much to do especially when it comes to putting pen to paper. People join clubs and groups to spend time at leisure and feel that they belong to that group.

I regularly take part in the activities of two local groups, “Redbridge Asian Mandal” and “Redbridge Gujarati Welfare Association.” Where I meet with peer groups and participate in their activities.

The other group that I feel that I belong to is the letter writers of Asian Voice’s “Readers Voice” and Gujarat Samachar’s “Amare pan kain kahevun chhe” columns. But for these two columns, I would lose my command in English and Gujarati.

I hope to continue to write for these columns till I really become old in the tooth. Hopefully, this will enable me to keep my marbles for longer and the brain to continue ticking.

In these days and age when people live much longer, the grey cells in the brain die out if they are not properly exercised. Reading and writing are a couple of activities which act as food for the brain.

We need to keep our brains ticking through mental exercises like solving the puzzles like sudoku or doing the weekly crosswords in Gujarat Samachar: by taking part in various activities at social gatherings or mixing with a lot of people in our peer groups. Going for long walks and consuming lots of almonds also helps to release good hormones and lubricate the brain.

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

Racism alive and kicking Your front page article, “Marginalisation angers British Sikhs” (AV dated 27/10/2018) is timely reminder that racism is alive and kicking, although compared to what we suffered in late sixties when we first arrived, it is less open and more subtle, moving with time and political as well as social environment. But that does not mean it is in any way less menacing.

While a white man abusing black, elderly lady on Ryanair flight caught imagination of public, in the year when we should be celebrating 50th anniversary of “Race Relations Act 1968” and confining racism to dustbin, relic of unsavoury past, instead racism has raised its ugly head once again, to the dismay of ethnic minorities.

One section where we have come across racism more often than anywhere else is “Air Travel” not only by fellow passengers, as was the case with Mrs Delse Gayle, but more importantly from employees, mainly female air hostesses in charge of Cabin crew. Being disable person in our party, we always book front line seats, paying for it, although some airlines provide it free to registered disable passengers.

So often, late arriving white disable person may demand our front-line seats through air hostess who would ask us whether we would like to give up our seats and if we have paid for it, she would arrange refunds through normal channel.

Our answer would be, we booked and paid for these seats because we need it. Why they did not book and pay for it if they need it that badly and now expect it free! Although this would be end of conversation, sometimes we are made to feel uncomfortable, as if we are the culprits.

In one case our seats, reserved and paid for, allocated to us on boarding passes, were given to an English couple before we boarded the plane, by racist air stewardess in charge. Her explanation was beyond belief, that she thought we were not boarding the plane, although as we were issued with boarding passes and logged on the computer, she was aware of our presence. In any case, she is not allowed to reallocate seats until flight is airborne. Although we bitterly complained, she did not remove passengers who were illegally occupying our seats.

As the plane was half empty, she allocated us full raw and free drinks, to ease her conscious. On return we complained, got refunds and apology. But we do not think she was admonish or reprimanded in any way. We could have gone to ombudsman but as we used to go on holidays with them so often, we felt it was wise not to go further.

Kumudini Valambia By email

We are grateful to all letter writers for more and more versatile letters well within word limit.

Please keep contributing as always.

If you are new, then write to Rupanjana at rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com - AV

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AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

17 - 23 November 2018

The Life-changing magic of numbers with the mathe-magician himself Priyanka Mehta What is the probability of Mathematics and Love Island having anything in common?

Zero. To me at least it was zero until one afternoon I binge-read a series of articles that this secondary high school maths teacher writes.

Bobby Seagull, his unique name had me googling him and my quest to know more about his mathe-magician tricks brought us to a discussion on the importance of number literacy among today’s youth on a Sunday afternoon at a café in East Ham. “Table no. 9- it’s a square of 3!” he quickly notes, with an eyebrow raised.

“And that means 9 is not a prime number!” I finish off and he laughs at my reminder of his FT article. But how did this maths teacher venture into a tangential journey of writing Mathematical content for the newspapers that eventually culminated into a book for the budding author?

“Well I once went to a financial awareness campaign where I happened to meet this money editor and she told me about how they wrote financial content over mortgages and housing loans etc.

And that they didn’t run anything about number literacy.

Why don’t you write for us? she asked!”

And the writing solution was as simple as finding ‘x’ for this South-Indian guy of humble origins. Born and brought up in London, he talks about how in the UK, Maths is seen as a subject of the elite. This perception extents to such a degree that as many as 17 million adults, nearly 50 per cent of the working-age population of England, have the numeracy levels we would expect from primary school children.

But where does this anxiety about numbers stem into a child's psychology and more importantly have we as an education system failed to understand the basic needs of a child, I wonder aloud. To me the Pythagoras theorem is as important thought that leaves Bobby silent for a minute.

“I'm torn in two worlds.

As a mathematician I want to say that trigonometry and other theorems should remain part of the curriculum. But my other half, the teacher in me is cognizant of the fact that not everybody wants to go ahead and become an engineer in life...!” he shrugs off and animatedly delves into explaining the basic maths that every adult should have a grasp of.

To Bobby, the concept of number literacy centres around the idea of youngsters not getting fleeced while out on shopping sprees when they cannot calculate the percentages off their heads and don't understand the differ-

ence between “upto 60% off” and “60% off”. He intends for the “Pay-as-you-go” youth to Author and Teacher: Bobby Seagull

make comparative analysis of the interest rates offered, calculate their savings and take prudent investment decisions in terms of mortgages and car insurance.

While these concepts don't stretch to hard to be taught, most of the days trying to getting children interested in the subject is an uphill task in itself. So how does this Mathe-magician come up with abstract “twitter-trending ideas” and throw them into his ratio and proportion equations in class?

“Social media is the best thing. Instagram is the most approachable way of getting in touch with today's generation!” he says matter-of-fact.

“But I also spend time with my students after class. I ask them

about their plans for the day, and what's going on in their life and while talking to them if something strikes me...then that's that!”

And although, the idea of using Love Island as an engaging theme to teach probabilities and venn diagrams sounds interesting, Seagull's unconventional methods are quiet awhile met with skepticism from teachers across the board.

“It is unconventional but confrontation solves nothing.

Rather if and when the teachers are present during my teaching sessions and if they see that the kids are more responsive to my way of learning methods then perhaps, they might deviate slightly from the patterns of strictly following the textbook!”

Today's GCSE syllabus has Bobby says amended quite where the questions now have more to do with the maths of day-to-day life. But he is quick to add how a lot more needs to be done.

“If there was one thing that I would change immediately after coming to power was ensuring that I made it mandatory for the kids to remember their times tables!

They are somewhat comfortable upto five but beyond six and I see them struggling. I

Bobby Seagull's book: The life changing magic of numbers

can bring in all elements of the great British Bake Off and things related to the teens but if they don’t have their basics ready then there is only so much that I can do!”

The young author who now has a logical formula to solving the rubric is intent on following through his new year's resolution of starting his own Wordpress Blog and possibly his own Youtube channel as well to release explainer videos. These initiatives are likely to save the day for those like me who struggle with compound interest calculations and in the meantime, then dive into The LifeChanging Magic of Numbers is published by Virgin Books.

EDUCATION

11

Does your Accountant help you give your business the chance to grow like Chinese bamboo?

At Liberty Williams we take a personal approach to each and of our clients, we don’t just look at their accounts once a year and bill them. A lot of the clients at Liberty Williams have started a business and in the first year they get frustrated and don’t see results they would like.

With other accountants this leads to directors who are left to their own devices stretching themselves to thin to try James Backhouse and gain a healthy profit.

Without knowing what is going on with their back-office financials. At Liberty Williams with our hands on and personal approach, we are always there to help achieve growth and goals to ensure our clients dream is a success. When clients get down and don’t see instant gratification, we like to share a story which helps our clients see the bigger picture and not get caught up in the frustrations which happen when starting a business. Are you letting your business grow like a Chinese Bamboo Tree? Like any plant, growth of the Chinese Bamboo Tree requires nurturing – water, fertile soil, sunshine. In its first year, we see no visible signs of activity. In the second year, again, no growth above the soil.

The third, the fourth, still nothing. Our patience is tested, and we begin to wonder if our efforts (caring, water, etc.) will ever be rewarded. Finally, in the fifth year – behold, a miracle! We experience growth.

And what growth it is! The Chinese Bamboo Tree grows 80 feet in just six weeks! But let’s be serious, does the Chinese Bamboo Tree really grow 80 feet in six weeks? Did the Chinese Bamboo Tree lie dormant for four years only to grow exponentially in the fifth?

Or, was the little tree growing underground, developing a root system strong enough to support its potential for outward growth in the fifth year and beyond?

The answer is, of course, obvious. Had the tree not developed a strong unseen foundation it could not have sustained its life as it grew. The same principle is true for people. People, who patiently toil towards worthwhile dreams and goals, building strong character while overcoming adversity and challenge, grow the strong internal foundation to handle success. Had the Chinese Bamboo Tree farmer dug up his little seed every year to see if it was growing, he would have stunted the Chinese Bamboo tree’s growth as surely as a caterpillar is doomed to a life on the ground if it is freed from its struggle inside a cocoon prematurely. The struggle in the cocoon is what gives the future butterfly the wing power to fly, just as tension against muscles as we exercise strengthen our muscles, while muscles left alone will soon atrophy. The Chinese Bamboo Tree is a perfect parable to our own experience with personal growth and change It is never easy. It’s slow to show any progress. It’s frustrating and unrewarding at times. But it is so worth it…. especially if we can be patient and persistent. Liberty Williams are always on hand to share their experience with clients to ensure a business has strong foundations from the start so the business can grow and reach the levels dreamt of by the director.

Offices in Harrow, Birmingham & Cambridge For more information please call 020 3763 8500.

262 High Road, Harrow Weald, HA3 7BB

12 MEDIA WATCH

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

17 - 23 November 2018

SCRUTATOR’S Prime Minister Narendra Modi and veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani played out a pantomime at Delhi’s iconic Red Fort. Dressed in military uniform they indulged in a mawkish masquerade of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s formation of an Indian government in exile on 24 October 1943 (Times of India October 25).

The goal of this charade was the silent denigration of Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister and the exaltation of his colleague home minister Sardar Vallabbhai

Subhas Chandra Bose

conman Shashi Tharoor is a prime example.

Ease of Doing Business: World Bank

Dr Reddy’s in 70 per cent surge

India has surged forward 23 places in the World Bank’s global rakings of Ease of Doing Business. India stood 130 in a list of 190 countries when the Modi government was voted to power in June 2014. In June 2017, the country had jumped to 100; now it stands at 77. Among BRICS countries Russia, 31, and China, 46, are ranked higher. The Index ranks 190 countries on 10 indicators across the life-cycle of a business, from its start to ‘resolving insolvency.’

An improved performance in India and North American and European markets helped Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s Laboratories post a net profit of 70 per cent during the second quarter ending September 30. Describing the progress as encouraging, Co-Chairman and CEO G.V. Prasad said a continuous focus on execution, operational efficiency and cost optimization were displaying results (Hindu October 27).

Strong agenda ‘India’s strong reform agenda to improve the business climate for small and medium enterprises is bearing fruit. It is also reflected in the government’s strong commitment to broaden the business reforms agenda at the State and now even at the distant level, said Junaid Ahmad, World Bank country Director in India.

Arihant’s deterrence mission

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gives a helping hand to INA veteran Lalti Ram during a flag hoisting ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of the ‘Azad Hind government’ at Red Fort in New Delhi

Patel, architect of the Indian Union through the integration of an assortment of princely states into the unified nation state that is today’s Republic of India - an achievement with few parallels in modern history. The most enduring monument to Patel’s achievement (as he himself recognized) was his aide V.P. Menon’s masterly book (dedicated to his minister) entitled, The Integration of the Indian States.

Statues, however formidable their height, are a very poor second; while the general social media of the BJP faithful is simply a swamp of political illiteracy, malevolence and falsehood about a complex and challenging past.

Unlike souls Mr Modi in his statement lauded Patel and ‘Subhasbabu,’ that is Subhas Chandra Bose, as if they were kindred souls. They were not.

Patel was responsible for Bose’s expulsion from the Indian National Congress after its Tripuri session, when Bose defeated Gandhi’s candidate Pattabhi Sitaramiyya, for the post of party president. Bose formed his own party named the Forward Bloc. The rest is history.

Primitive minds A further excursion into history emanated from Vice President Venkaiah Naidu’s observation on Robert Clive’s conflict with Indian patriots. Clive’s battle with Nawab Siraj-u-daulah at Plassey in June 1757 was funded by the Hindu bankers of Calcutta, including the legendary Jagat Seth, while the Nawab’s top general was a Hindu. The complexities of history and culture are clearly beyond the limits of primitive minds, BJP and Congress alike. Congress poseur and cut-price

Polarized India India is politically more polarized than it has ever been under Prime Minister Modi’s watch, notwithstanding his work (still in progress) in reforming and modernizing India’s economy and conducting its foreign policy with deftness, verve and grasp of the larger game.

Emergence of modern India It would be wise to delve into the writings of Jadunath Sarkar and Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, two of India’s pre-eminent historians, who tell us that the development of an Indian consciousness was seeded in the nineteenth century during British rule. The emergence of an educated pan-Indian middle class, owed most to the higher educational system devised by British administrators. Whatever their shortcomings, they were fit for purpose. Scientists such as J.C. Bose, Satyen Bose, Megnad Saha, C.V. Raman, Homi Bhabha and the mathematical genius S. Ramanujan et al rose to global eminence during the British era of Indian development, among which can also be listed Asia’s free press, the genesis of parliamentary democracy, the rule of law and the present Indian Constitution. The light of truth will always dispel the darkness of political correctness, much of it the false constructs of cut price demagogy.

INS Arihant, India’s 6000 tonne nuclear submarine has completed its first deterrence mission heralding India’s entry into an exclusive club of nations – including the US, Russia, Britain, France and China - possessing a triad of nuclear deterrence on land, air and now underwater sea, where it will be impossible to detect. Its nuclear-tipped missiles have a range of 750 km. India is committed to a ‘No first use’ of nuclear weapons. India’s second nuclear submarine, the 8000 tonne INS Arighat is currently undergoing sea trials. It is larger than Arihant and its missiles have a longer range (Hindu, Times of India, Mint (November 6).

Indian Institutes of Skills coming up The Cabinet has given its approval for the setting up of Indian Institutes of Skills across the country. These will be publicprivate partnerships. Their goal will be to enhance the competitiveness of key sectors of the economy to reach the best global standards.

The Cabinet approved the signing of bilateral Investment Agreements between the India-Taipei Association in Taipei and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in India.

As good as new: Sukhoi-30MKI The Indian Air Force Base Repair Depot, Oijhar in Maharashtra completed its first overhaul of the Russian built Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft, the mainstay of the IAF, was handed over to Air Marshal H.S. Arora, Air Officer Commanding in a ceremony. The aircraft had undergone stringent test from April onwards before induction into the (Hindu October 27).

to Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor and Smart Cities besides railways and public transport., said Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu. The Minister explained that in the forthcoming meeting on November 23 all such issues are expected to be resolved, especially that pertaining to the North South Corridor – an India, Russia, Iran initiative - so that could be made operational as soon as possible.

Indian goods would move from the Iranian port of Chabahar to Bandar Abbas at the terminus of the Persian Gulf, and thence by rail to Armenia to Moscow and Belarus and beyond, on the one hand, on the other in the opposite direction, to the Central Asian states in the east. The project will greatly enhance trade, cut time to market and reduce travel costs by 30-40 per cent (Business Line October 30).

India, Italy reset buttons

Rupee trading on Moscow bourse After Singapore, Dubai and the US, the Indian rupee has now started trading in Russia. Moscow Exchange announced the launch of rupee/dollar futures on its platform, citing their global popularity. The move is likely to make the rupee more acceptable in Russia as a risk mitigation tool in the commerce of crude oil and other large-scale transactions between the two countries. This is a significant move to reduce dependence on the US dollar: in Russia’s case to circumvent US sanctions. India is among the largest buyers of Russian arms, and hence both countries recently signed a deal to promote trade in local currencies (Business Line October 25).

Rupee popular in Dubai The rupee has emerged as the largest traded currency in Dubai with many international traders in the offshore market (Business Line October 25).

Russia keen to invest in India Russia has expressed an interest in the opportunities presented by Indian projects presently under development. Reference was made

Giuseppe Conte

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte visited India to reset the buttons of a frayed relationship.

His one-on-one talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi went off very well, with both men buoyantly optimistic that bilateral ties were ready for takeoff.

Mr Modi invited Italian industry to seize the opportunities presented by the 1.3 billion consumers of the Indian market. Italy is the thirdlargest economy in the European Union with a large industrial base encompassing science and technology, automobiles, aerospace, food processing healthcare et al. The India-Italian business group will meet to strengthen collaboration with India in defence and other sectors to take theier bilateral relationship forward. Italy expressed support for Indian membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Prime Minister Conte was alive to Indian concerns on the export of terrorism (Business Line October 31).

IIT-Bombay tops chart The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) – Bombay has topped the first ever standalone ranking of Indian higher education institutions by QS, a think tank famous for its ranking of world rankings of institutions. The Indian Institute of Science, Bangaluru, which tops Indian institutions, in almost all rankings stands second here.

BJP routed in Karnataka

IITs pre-eminent

The B JP would do well to heed the result of the Karnataka by-elections in which the party lost four of the five seats contested to the ruling JJD (S)-Congress alliance (Times of India, Mint, November 7).

The top 10 Indian institutions include seven IITs, with IItsMadras, Delhi, Kharagpur and Kanpur standing third, fourth, fifth and sixth respectively. (Hindu October 16)

Modi in Japan Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew into Tokyo for a Summit with Prim e Minister Shinzo Abe, which, according to informed observers, was a landmark in IndoJapanese relations and the politics of the Asia Pacific region (Hindu October 30) See page 3.

PM Modi with Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe

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AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

17 - 23 November 2018

Sheikh to appear in High Court over unpaid £25m to meet Bollywood stars A member of the Bahraini Royal Family is set to appear at the High Court in London in a bizarre case involving payments of millions of dollars in cash to meet his Bollywood idols.

Sheikh Hamad Isa Ali alKhalifa is alleged to have reneged on an exclusive agreement worth up to $33.5m to meet 26 Bollywood stars at $1.5m per meeting, with a $500,000 bonus for every third meeting. The agreement was with Egyptian businessman Ahmed Adel Abdallah Ahmed, who set up five meetings between the Sheikh and four Bollywood stars in 2016. But Ahmed alleges that the Sheikh backed out of the deal after paying only $3m, and then retained a different agent contrary to their allegedly

Sarosh Zaiwalla

exclusive agreement.

Representing the claimants, Sarosh Zaiwalla, Senior Partner at law firm Zaiwalla & Co, said, “This extraordinary case is due to come to trial next week, when we look forward to the cross-examination of

the Sheikh over his contradictory evidence”.

The first claimant, Ahmed Adel Abdallah Ahmed, commented, “In spite of the endless amounts of cash he was willing to spend on his obsession, including on one occasion handing me a dark grey Samsonite suitcase and a Cartier or Rolex carton containing £600,000 and US $250,000 in cash, the payments suddenly dried up.

“The Sheikh claimed that the payments had stopped because the Bahraini Royal Family had taken over his funds and stopped him spending as they did not approve of his passion for Bollywood. I was shocked then to find he had met with 15 further Bollywood stars in eight

days shortly after he terminated our agreement.

“Mr Saffy, the Sheikh’s assistant, menacingly said that I would be in “big trouble” if I did not leave the Sheikh alone after it became clear he would not pay.

Indeed, I have been a victim of further threats of violence and intimidation since my solicitors’ first letter to the Sheikh. Given the positive relationship I felt we had built up during our work, I feel betrayed.”

The Sheikh’s vast wealth was inherited from his father, who was chairman of Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. and a close adviser of the prime minister of Bahrain.

The five-day trial is due to begin on Monday 12th November, at the High Courts of Justice.

Burglary at Willesden Swaminarayan Temple At 12:30 am on a Friday morning, an unidentified robber broke through the Swaminarayan Mandir in Willesden and stole 3 Murtis (portraits) of the Hare Krishna Maharaj along with 3 of his gold chains and small Mukuts. These Murtis appear to be made of gold however, they are actually made of Brass. The other Gold Murtis are safe and nothing else appears to be damaged.

The robber appears to have broken through the scaffolding of the nearby Regeneration building.

However it was only at 01:30 in the morning that the Mandir's priest heard a noise and woke up 4 other people to look at the source of disruption. According to Kurjibhai Kerai, Swaminarayan Temple, Willesden - "This looks like a motivated robbery as if almost someone had come

to survey the area before in the afternoon and then planned the robbery at night" The Alarm system had been disabled on Thursday afternoon when a false alarm had gone off amidst celebrations and needed to be reset. However, due to some technical engineering process, it failed and therefore, there wasn't any immediate knowledge of the burglary.

The police arrived at the scene within minutes of reporting the crime at about 01:30 at night. The details about the robber or the valuation of the robbed gold is still unknown as the police continue to investigate the CCTV footage.

"Police were called at 01:50hrs on Friday. Cash and other items are believed to have been stolen.

Although, no arrest have been made yet, enquiries

HOUSE OF LORDS BY-ELECTION A 'LAUGHING STOCK' Voting for the current hereditary by-elections have begun for the replacement of the retired crossbencher Lord Northbourne where the applicant will be chosen by 31 hereditary peers of the Crossbench group and barring Countess Mar all of them are men.

Out of 211 on the hereditary peerage register held by the Clerks of Parliament, there is only one woman – effectively reserving the 90 electable hereditary seats in the House of Lords for men. This comes at a time when on Wednesday we mark the centenary of women's right to stand for elections to the Commons.

This is why campaigners have described the House of Lord by-election as a 'laughing stock' and Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Soceity said“In the centenary year of women winning the right to stand for the Commons, it is a gross injustice that 90 seats in Parliament are effectively reserved for men.

It’s time we called it a day on this bizarre experiment.

The government must back Lord Grocott’s reform bill as the first step towards a fairly-elected Lords. Let’s end this silly side-show once and for all.”

still continue." said Met Police in a statement to Asian Voice.

Yesterday, the temple celebrated the Hindu New Year in the eminent presence of Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, councillor of Brent Muhammed Butt among others.

Similar burglary at Swaminarayan Mandir in Harrow In the early hours of Tuesday morning on 13th November there was a similar robbery that was reported at the Swaminarayan Mandir in Harrow. No murtis have been stolen according to the Mandir officials however, they haven't yet

inspected through all the valuables to estimate if and how much of the valuables are stolen.

The Mandir is open and so far, no damage has been reported.

MP Gareth Thomas tweeted about the incident"Very concerned to hear of break-ins at two important local temples in Kenton & Willesden Green. I welcome the prompt police response and I hope the individuals responsible are caught & properly dealt with quickly!"

No further information has been provided about the robbers and update is awaited on the police investigation.

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13

Does your Accountant help you give your business the chance to grow like Chinese bamboo?

At Liberty Williams we take a personal approach to each and of our clients, we don’t just look at their accounts once a year and bill them. A lot of the clients at Liberty Williams have started a business and in the first year they get frustrated and don’t see results they would like.

With other accountants this leads to directors who are left to their own devices stretching themselves to thin to try James Backhouse and gain a healthy profit.

Without knowing what is going on with their back-office financials. At Liberty Williams with our hands on and personal approach, we are always there to help achieve growth and goals to ensure our clients dream is a success. When clients get down and don’t see instant gratification, we like to share a story which helps our clients see the bigger picture and not get caught up in the frustrations which happen when starting a business. Are you letting your business grow like a Chinese Bamboo Tree? Like any plant, growth of the Chinese Bamboo Tree requires nurturing – water, fertile soil, sunshine. In its first year, we see no visible signs of activity. In the second year, again, no growth above the soil.

The third, the fourth, still nothing. Our patience is tested, and we begin to wonder if our efforts (caring, water, etc.) will ever be rewarded. Finally, in the fifth year – behold, a miracle! We experience growth.

And what growth it is! The Chinese Bamboo Tree grows 80 feet in just six weeks! But let’s be serious, does the Chinese Bamboo Tree really grow 80 feet in six weeks? Did the Chinese Bamboo Tree lie dormant for four years only to grow exponentially in the fifth?

Or, was the little tree growing underground, developing a root system strong enough to support its potential for outward growth in the fifth year and beyond?

The answer is, of course, obvious. Had the tree not developed a strong unseen foundation it could not have sustained its life as it grew. The same principle is true for people. People, who patiently toil towards worthwhile dreams and goals, building strong character while overcoming adversity and challenge, grow the strong internal foundation to handle success. Had the Chinese Bamboo Tree farmer dug up his little seed every year to see if it was growing, he would have stunted the Chinese Bamboo tree’s growth as surely as a caterpillar is doomed to a life on the ground if it is freed from its struggle inside a cocoon prematurely. The struggle in the cocoon is what gives the future butterfly the wing power to fly, just as tension against muscles as we exercise strengthen our muscles, while muscles left alone will soon atrophy. The Chinese Bamboo Tree is a perfect parable to our own experience with personal growth and change It is never easy. It’s slow to show any progress. It’s frustrating and unrewarding at times. But it is so worth it…. especially if we can be patient and persistent. Liberty Williams are always on hand to share their experience with clients to ensure a business has strong foundations from the start so the business can grow and reach the levels dreamt of by the director.

Offices in Harrow, Birmingham & Cambridge For more information please call 020 3763 8500.

262 High Road, Harrow Weald, HA3 7BB

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17 - 23 November 2018

Statue of Unity and Rashtriya Ekta Divas Priyanka Mehta “By far the most important achievement of the present government is the unification of the States into the Dominion of India. Had you failed in this, the results would have been disastrous.” These were the words of praise that Lord Mountbatten, the last viceroy of India, had showered for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and his contribution to the making of India.

These words were echoed once again by Lord Jitesh Gadhia at India House where the Indian High Commission in association with the Sardar Patel Memorial Society, UK celebrated the National Unity Day. This day commemorates the birth anniversary of the Iron man of India, from the small village of Karamsad, who unified 652 princely states after India achieved its independence from the British Raj. This comes at a time when the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the largest statue in the world-'the statue of unity'. Indicative from its very name this statue, is a tribute to the former Home Minister of India that stands tall at 182 metres facing Narmada dam in Gujarat, India.

The 143rd birth anniversary of Patel was celebrated in the distinguished presence of- Lord Jitesh Gadhia, Lord Meghnad Desai, Deputy High Commissioner Charanjeet Singh, Mayors and Mayoress of Brent and Harrow, C B Patel, chairman of Sardar Patel Memorial Society, UK, Manoj Ladwa founder of India Inc Corporation, Sudheendra Kulkarni, Rami Ranger among others.

The amalgamation of “Jana Gana Mana” followed by “God Save The Queen” captured the essence of the ceremony where both the

Alpesh Patel with mother Ramilaben, next to the statue of Sardar Patel at the High Commission of India, London

responisbility to establish historical Sardar Patel's Ek Bharat as speeches delivShresth Bharat.” ered to perfect i o n .

Indira Gandhi's Charanjeet martyrdom Minister for Coordination in High Commission of India- A S Rajan, Manoj Ladwa, S Kulkarni, Krishna Pujara, Acting Indian High Singh, the Commissioner Charanjeet Singh, CB Patel, Dr Rami Ranger and Lord Meghnad Desai deputy high But while we all rememcommissioner bered Nehru for his in the UK in fact brought immense contribution, some chuckles into the Sudheendra Kulkarni was crowd as he delivered a the only one who reminded witty remark about howus about Indira Gandhi's “Everyone might not be death anniversary. Speaking able to see him on the stage at the forum, Mr. Kulkarni as he is not a tall man like saidSardar Patel” “We should respect all But Mr. Singh however, martyrs & patriots including took a step further from Patel, regardless of political, delivering his speech and ideological or religious idengetting the crowd to take a tities." pledge called the “Rashtriya But also talking about Ekta Divas Shapath.” the perception that Sardar Patel was anti-Muslim, Dr. The Shapath which was Kulkarni spoke about his a solemn pledge to stand own book and saidunited more so, at a time “Sardar Patel was not when the world is facing partial to Hindus and he increasingly difficult times Lord Jitesh Gadhia delivering the keynote address was not partial against with anti-semitic and hate Muslims, Sardar Patel was incidents.

British and Indians stood of the bronze statue. is visible, vibrant and everonly partial to India.”

Prime Minister Modi's together to pay their tribHowever, at this celelasting.”

Souvenirs and short Message utes to Patel. What followed bration Lord Jitesh Gadhia, Sardar Patel Memorial documentary next was the garlanding of Society, UK was founded in who is perhaps the most Manoj Ladwa, is the Sardar Patel's miniature 1985 and has remained vocal advocate of Indian founder of India Corp, a The event also saw the disactive since with the help of interests in the UK, tore statue at the Indian embassy media publishing house in tinguished guests unveiling contributions from volunapart the controversy in his and eye-opening speeches London that focuses on the Sardar Patel magazine teers around the UK. Mr. C three-fold justification of that shed light on the histoIndian trade, policy and wherein journalists and artiB Patel even provided an the significance of the statry and significance of Patel investment matters. Mr. cles have contributed artiinsight into Satyendra ue. He explained how the in contemporary India.

Ladwa who has previously cles on Sardar Patel and his Swami's experience in statue is built out of scrap worked closely with Mr. work in the formation of Man of humble origins Mauritius where he saw the iron that is collected from Modi was present at the India. Following this, a short Shankar statue and got farmers across the country C B Patel, the chairman of documentary and a presenevent to deliver a special who have donated one of inspired for creating a Patel the Sardar Patel Memorial tation was also screened message from PM Modi their used agricultural tools. statue. Mr. C B Patel said- “If Society, UK, spoke about the charting Patel's political himself.

According to him, we forget our history then humble origins of Sardar journey and more informaMr. Ladwa even said“This statue will not just we cannot create history!”

Patel. tion about the unveiled stat“Today it is our collective help in generating tourism “He [Sardar] left Rs 233 ue. responsibility to establish £330 million controversy but is a step in extending in his bank balance. No property, no other financial India's soft powers in the But many argue that history asset; none of his children's world!” is best learnt at schools from relations were elevated to the textbooks that don't add Rashtriya Ekta Divas the burden of some £300mn the positions of profit or Pledge on the 1.2 billion people of power; he was marginalised the country, an amount from highest offices more But the celebration was not A bus driver is suspected to be driving 198 Arriva doublespent into the construction than once and yet, his legacy just a monotonous series of decker under the influence of drugs after a crash collision with another bus leaving 20 people injured.

18 out of those 20 were taken to hospitals for their injuries including a 15-year old girl who is said to be in a critical condition. The male driver had taken the road-side drugs test and was in custody at a police station yesterday.

BUS DRIVER SUSPECTED DRIVING UNDER INFLUENCE

Becoming:

Michelle Obama Michelle Obama's memoir "Becoming" is due to release on Tuesday and the former first lady of the United States is expected to talk about it at Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall.

In her forthcoming book, Michelle reveals about suffering a miscarriage and how she later had her two daughters Malia and Sasha through IVF. She discloses about the difficulties of a marriage and the significance of couple's counselling.

The book is published by Penguin Random House and as part of the deal, she is slated for a 10-city tour including London where she is going to arrive for the book promotion on 3rd December.

HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN AND BLACK PARTNERS IN GOLDMAN Beat Cabiallavetta and Niharika Cabiallavetta have been named among its 17 executives to join the partner ranks of the company in London.

This year the company made only 69 partners in comparison to 84 in 2016. However, this year also includes the highest percentage of black partners and 26 percent women, created the record of highest women representation in the company.

The pair joined Goldman in 2005 and became managing directors in 2013.

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17 - 23 November 2018

UK

Sharon Duggal:

LORD LESTER SUSPENDED OVER SEXUAL HARRASMENT ALLEGATIONS

on The Book of Birmingham and the pertinent Power of Authorship Sunetra Senior

types e.g. contesting the Muslim individual as a bomber, or the South Asian he concept explored in this woman being compliant and a victim exciting, new short story coland simply being more inclusive of lection, The Book of other races, as our daily lives are, and Birmingham, featuring up and comthe inequality and dissent happening ing writer Duggal, and skillfully editaround them.” The author’s piece in ed by Bhanot, is starkly modern. It is The Book of Birmingham specifically also strikingly framed by the setting illustrates the emotional awakening of of one of Britain’s largest Northern a female character in the face of tradicities. Seamless interaction of spaces tional constraints where “the character, – physical, social and emotional – crewho would have been the age of my ate the best compendiums, and is why mother's generation, would not have these particular titillating segments – had the same public freedom.' Her illuminating “snapshots of people’s grandparents’ house informs her expelives” as described by Duggal– make rience of her world too – shared quarsuch powerful comment. ters due to financial limitations, a widespread local issue, as well as the The geographically marginalised yet need for solidarity.” emotionally eventful metropolis of Duggal’s first novel, The Birmingham poignantHandsworth Times, ly emphasises the which was also set in intersecting narratives the same area, and of class, race and genchosen as The der that could form Morning Star’s Fiction today’s British multibook of the year in culturalism, but tragi2016, “has women who cally have been, as eviaren’t perceived as denced through the strong on the outside current divisive develbut demonstrate a real opment, politically resilience and strength obscured.

Often on the inside. That described as a disafstory is set in the early fected city via sensaEighties and deals tionalist news headwith the different lines, and being one of journeys each person the few major urban in one family goes on, places to have voted reacting to the Leave ‘By A Whisker’ in inescapable social the referendum, events around them Bhanot’s creative Book of birmingham jacket very differently. That exploration of the novel also delves into bemoaned Birmingham then aims to relationships with the black communimap the raw state of interpersonal relaty in the area and the challenges of tions to help draw conscious connecinequality.” Thus, the locus of a grittier tions between communities who might melting pot can be paradoxically celeactually be avoidably at odds. brated as a conduit for redefining a multi-layered society: one which tran*** scends mere skin colour to a universal Whether it is an inside look at millenhuman experience. As a socially connial nationalist meetings in an especialscious author, Duggal stated: “interestly poverty-stricken part of town, or ingly, writers such as Toni Morrison writer Duggal’s own vignette, Seep, a and Maya Angelou said that when they story of the daughter of a Punjabi famwrote, they weren’t reading narratives ily in 1960s working class Britain where which were similar to theirs. I love that. cultural in-fighting results from the I don’t simply want to write about need to survive, the editor brings Asian communities but also about othtogether pointed detailed perspectives ers who are surrounded and shaped by that bring forth a distinct commonality hardship; brilliant results can come of in the desire to be truly valued, but that – new types of music, food, and struggling at once against human pitways of interacting.” falls. Duggal commented on the subject The Book of Birmingham’s rebelof shared grand obstacles: “class, for lion also clearly juxtaposes with its example, is an important issue and is counterpart of London: a place which often omitted from ethnic narramight be highly functional and a tives. When there is talk about well-known cosmopolitan the working class, it's very hub, but cannot recognise much about white people, the wider gaps that are Not all our and often men. Twitter is endemic because of that stories revolve aflame with working very sheen. Duggal class voices, but they emphasised the detriaround lawyers often seem not to be mental effect of pretenwho live in culturally inclusive. sion in social represenIndeed, class as a whole is tation and disconnect in London! underrepresented - not all her profession: “the pubour stories revolve around lishing industry can be quite lawyers who live in London!” elitist too, promoting narraIn short, identifying overlapping tives that are removed from everyday experiences matter as much as the life and sometimes impenetrable . I overlooked communities themselves. want to write about untold experiences Having grown up in inner city and use the inner life of characters to Birmingham, Duggal elaborated on her drive me. For example, in Seep, I kindred contribution to the purposeful explore the younger female character’s anthology: “we are all complex in our inner desires. Good detail in character own way. Personally, I enjoy writing can be better than overblown theorisabout people who are invisible in real ing and plot. A connection to inner life, and breaking the mould of stereowants means you can transport people

T

Sharon Duggal

to places which make them really care about the people.” Thus, by exploring an area that specialises in psychological depth and meaningful subjectivities, Duggal and the examination of a microcosmic yet authentic account of national consciousness bestow some comforting unity through sensitive acknowledgement. While there may still be big unanswered questions, the building of new, ideological bridges through the mental landscape is a promising start.

What else do you enjoy writing about?

People who are socially overlooked, which is particularly true of immigrant families and especially women. I enjoyed writing Seep as a story on the coming of age of a young Inidan woman in the sixties.

In your story, Seep, I felt an awakening in Bina which perhaps the instigating character, Suresh, begins.

Is that right?

Yes, I wanted to say more about Bina, the main character and show the richness of her inner world. She is teetering on the edge of two worlds: looking out from windows, limited by space. She experiences that push and pull that a lot of us as Asian women feel even now.

Do you let Bina’s character tell you where to go?

Yes, I always follow characters. You avoid stereotypes and incomplete narratives by delving deeper.

Do you see an intergenerational clash in your work?

It’s less a clash between parents and kids, and more about conflicts within ourselves and wider society. In The Handsworth Times, for example, there are conflicts with a mother being an Asian woman and expected to respond a certain way but then takes on a role of wanting to change her community in a radical way.

Who are some modern writerly influences?

A couple are Jhumpa Lahiri and Hanif Kuresishi Short story is an underappreciated artform. What do you feel it brings that longer fiction cannot?

It’s an easily digestible glimpse into someone’s world Loose ends don’t need to be tied up, rather you they should leave you with a discomfort, a slight shift in yourself.

Finally, what’s some advice to other young writers starting out?

Keep going and finish. It’s competitive but actually if you’re a true writer, you are going to do it anyway. Most people start but don't finish and it's hard to get anyone interested in halfcompleted work so don’t pontificate, don’t spend half your day comparing yourself to others on Twitter. ‘Don’t compare and despair’ as they say. Read too. To not read as a writer is to not taste food as a chef. Don’t listen to the doubters and believe in yourself.

Lord Anthony Lester, a human rights barrister and former government adviser who has been a peer since 1993, will be suspended until June 2022 after a committee found that he tried to pressure Jasvinder Sanghera into sleeping with him and threatening her with repercussions if she refused.

Ms Sanghera, founder of an award winning charity was contacted by Lord Lester of Hern Hill to formulate laws over forced marriages and categorize them as a civil offence. In the process of draft meetings when one evening she had missed her train the peer offered her to stay over at his house assuring her that his wife would be present.

But the next morning after his wife left for work, he physically harassed her until she eventually evaded. However, later he continued to proposition her going to the extent of telling her that he would “make her a baroness within a year if she slept with him!” implicitly threatening that repercussions would follow on her refusal.

That was the time when she looked back at how she campaigns for women empowerment by opposing forced marriages and ultimately decided to break her silence.

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17 - 23 November 2018

Hindujas celebrate Diwali at their London residence with family and friends Rupanjana Dutta It was perhaps the most grand Diwali celebration of London.

On the evening of Thursday 8th November, the Hinduja family residence in Carlton Terrace was decked up, to host hundreds of guests at a fantastic Diwali party, that was attended by London's Mayor Sadiq Khan, Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt, MP, Secretary of State for International Development, Women and Equalities and Sir Vince Cable, the Lib Dem party leader. The evening ended with a gala dinner and a musical performance by the legendary Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, accompanied by local musician Sandyman on tabla.

Many other MPs, Peers, business tycoons, community leaders were present at the party, including business tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, Seema Malhotra MP, Deputy Mayor of London for Business Rajesh Agrawal, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Lord Loomba, Lord Gadhia, Minister for Community at the High Commission of India- A S Rajan, Dr Rami Ranger, Vijay Patel, Dr Kartar Lalvani, Tej Lalvani, to name a few.

From the door till the area of reception, men in black suit and women in a combination of Indian traditional

excelled, bringing our culour country as a whole. where there are so tures and communities much Diwali’s central message of much of uncertainties, closer.” peace and mutual respect is whether it's UK, Mayor Sadiq Khan said, one that I know all Londoners Europe, Middle East or “The story of Diwali is the support – we are a city that India. Let's all pray to story of Rama, Sita, Lakshmi celebrates our differences, Goddess Lakshmi who and when you read these stoand London is open to all...” has many qualities ries, it reminds you of good Silver idols of Goddess besides prosperity triumphing over evil, light Lakshmi was given away as a such as nobility, over darkness, knowledge token of appreciation to some enlightenment, to help overcoming evil. In 2018 that key guests such as Rt Hon people see the reality lesson is as important now as of this life. This world Penny Mordaunt, London's it was 2000 years ago. The is so beautiful, everyMayor Sadiq Khan, Lord contribution of GP's family to one should be allowed Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon to have a peaceful and and Rt Hon Lord Bates our city is quite remarkable, Minister of State at the and I thank them for the good life.”

Department for International amazing contribution they He spoke about Development. make to the capital and to and their life journey, why they chose London over settling anyLondon’s Mayor Sadiq Khan addressing the audience standing next to G P Hinduja where in the and his wife Sunita world, and went on to describe clothes and black dress and wonderful news of the arrival Sadiq Khan as the pearls welcomed people with of his grandson 'Jian', son of 'pride of Asia' to folded hands (as namaste).

Sanjay and Anu Mahtani. become the first The dinner included a buffet Speaking on the podium, Asian-origin mayor spread of a minimum of 20 G P Hinduja spoke about of London. vegetarian dishes from varifamily love, bonding and the Rt Hon Penny notion of giving away to charous regions of India, as well as Mordaunt said, “You ities. He said, “In my life I Chinese. Desserts included all are the personifihave never thought about Indian delicacies of Rabri and cation of what has money. Our parents' blessing Besan ka laddoo. made the world a was more important than GP Hinduja, personally better place.” She anything. They taught us only welcomed everyone into his then read out a mesone thing. Nothing belongs to home, and then guests were sage from PM us, everything belongs to ushered into the first floor Theresa May saying, everyone in the family and reception area. As the family “I would like to thank the rest is for the society.” gathered, to welcome everyyou for many contriSpeaking about how one formally, Baroness butions to our counSandip Verma wished all a Diwali for him stands for try, and every single Sanjay Hinduja with wife Anu Mahtani, Dr Rami Ranger and wife Renu Happy Diwali and introduced 'enlightenment of soul', he sphere you have the hosts to all and shared the said, “Today in politics every-

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan singing at the Diwali reception

Lakshmi Mittal at the Diwali party

A S Rajan, Sadiq Khan and CB Patel at the party

Ashok Hinduja presenting a silver idol of Goddess Lakshmi to Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP

Neasden Temple celebrates Diwali and Hindu New Year The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, visited BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden on Diwali to celebrate it with the diaspora.

More popularly known as the ‘Neasden Temple’ also welcomed tens of thousands of people along with MPs, Peers and other dignitaries, to celebrate the traditions, colours and rich culture of Diwali on Wednesday 7 November 2018.

The celebrations at the Mandir – the largest in the country – included a special ceremony in the evening in the presence of Sadguru Pujya Tyagvallabh Swami, a senior swami visiting from India.

During the ‘Chopda Pujan’ ritual, business owners closed their existing ledgers and opened new ones in preparation for the year ahead. The

17

Sadiq Khan taking part in the Diwali puja

ceremony also symbolises how one should take stock of one’s spiritual relationship with God. A grand fireworks display outside the Mandir brought together thousands of worshippers, visitors and members

of the local community thereafter for a colourful exhibition of music and light that illuminated the skies of North London high above the Mandir domes. It also featured live on BBC One’s The One Show.

The day following Diwali

marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year.

The first ceremony began at 5.00am, followed by prayers for world peace and wellbeing. The ceremonial Rajbhog Arti (Hindu ritual) followed at midday, first in the upper sanctum of the Mandir and then in the Haveli assembly hall where the annakut – literally, ‘mountain of food’ – was artistically arranged as an offering of the first meal of the New Year in thanksgiving to God and to seek his blessings for the year ahead.

In his address, Mr Khan spoke of the ‘contribution that the Hindu community has made to the diversity of

London’. The Mayor added, “When I walk around this temple and I meet the volunteers, it inspires me. You show that is it possible to be a proud Hindu, and it is also possible to be a proud Londoner and to be proudly British.”

Reflecting on the contribution of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the creator of the Mandir, The Mayor said: “I am aware of the importance made not only to the life here in Neasden, not just to life in Brent, not just in London but around the world

by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj.” In recognition of this, the Mayor announced that a name of a road around the Mandir would be named in honour of Pramukh Swami Maharaj: “Let the message be sent out loud

and clear – this remarkable Hindu temple, working in partnership with the council, working in partnership with local residents of all different faiths and backgrounds – today, the Mayor of London, of Islamic faith is here in this temple, sharing with you this good news.”

Fittingly, this year’s decorative lamps and artwork inside the Mandir reflected the theme of ‘unity’. Yogen Shah, a volunteer at the Mandir, further explained, “His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj regularly speaks about the importance of unity within families, the local community and across the world. This year, our celebrations will bring out the key messages of unity and encourage everyone to imbibe this virtue in their daily lives.”

Local volunteers gift food Good over evil: Mayor of London celebrates Diwali at hampers for Diwali to the Willesden temple vulnerable households Priyanka Mehta

was greeted in the traditional Indian manner If you had visited the with a garland and a tilak Swaminarayan Mandir at on his forehead. After Willesden on the Hindu New delivering his Diwali Year you would've probably wishes to the worshipfelt as though you had been pers present at the temtransported straight to the ple, he proceeded to offer Indian heartland. The Ankut the quintessential ankut ceremony like every year saw aarti. a selection of sticky sugar Talking about how Kurjibhai Kerai, President, Swaminarayan cubes called mithai, fruits Diwali is the celebration Temple, Willesden with London Mayor carved and hung up in strings of the victory of the good Sadiq Khan and a plethora of savouries over the evil, and in light councillor, Muhammed Butt served before the Gods. Yarn of the recent spate of knife said to Asian voice. globes covered every space on crimes, the Mayor saidBut at the same time the the ceilings made by kids as “We can't have a situation council has also not been young as two year olds who where the young people think assisting when it comes to volunteered for the Diwali it's okay to pick up a knife or a renting out the community preparations. good thing to join a criminal spaces.

The celebration was held gang and for then assume that “There are staffing costs on a grand scale in the emithey will not be caught. And associated with these celebranent presence of the Mayor of it's important that we are tions that you cannot do away London, Sadiq Khan, assemtough on those carrying knife! with and that need to be met bly member for Brent Navin The police are working which is why at the Brent Shah, councillors Muhammed incredibly hard with the stop council we have charity rates Butt and Krupesh Hirani and and search and one of the reamayor of business sons why I am so Rajesh Aggarwal supportive of this among others. temple here is Everything prepared because they help from the scratch was the youth by givstarted 6 weeks in ing them conadvance and on averstructive things age the ankut prasad to do and things is distributed among to do after class!”

10,000 people every The ankut year on this day. This c e r e m o n y year however, due to resumed the the regeneration same after the project beside they Mayor's depardid not have the Sadiq Khan offering Annakaut aarti with Deputy Mayor for ture with more seating arrangement Business Rajesh Agrawal, Navin Shah AM and swamiji from India families turning to accommodate as up in the afterof renting out these commumany people. At a time when noon. nity spaces.” funding for these celebrations Sanjay Khetani, “We are much more have massively suffered due to Swaminarayan Temple stronger than what the govthe government's cuts on the Willesden, said, "It was great ernment is doing to us. The austerity drive, councillor meeting the Mayor of London council has been working Butt had praised the Hindu today. To me, Diwali is the with the mandir and we are Society for celebrating the time when we spend time helping support with infrasevent regardless of the budwith family members and tructure in terms of parking, geting issues. friends. We exchange gifts making sure of road closures “We will have to rememwith each other and look forand ensure that events like ber that for the last 8 years ward to the year ahead. these happen in a safe atmothis government has been cut“Diwali is celebrated sphere.” the councillor conting off the austerity. In Brent when Ram, Sita and tinued. council by 2020 I will have Lakshman return from their But unlike every year, this lost 79% of my funding. Since 14 years in exile. Upon their year the Mayor of London, 2009, I have lost £164mn so I return, candles were lit on the Sadiq Khan graced his preshave to prioritize education, ground so they could see the ence for the first time after social care among others.” road ahead in the dark.” assuming office. The mayor

Rupanjana Dutta

food items (e.g. tinned soup, rice, pasta, pulses etc), a A community initiative run small Diwali lamp and a by local volunteers called handmade Diwali card made Diwali Basket Brigade (DBB) by children. Basket contents took place on Saturday 3rd were paid for through comNovember 2018 across bination of funds Birmingham. This first raised and donations of its kind community from local well known effort involved over 150 food suppliers includcommunity volunteers ing East Ends Foods of all ages preparing and Ltd and KTC Edibles packing 331 food hamLtd. pers and then personalBaskets were prely delivering them to pared by the volunteer vulnerable and socially team on the grounds deprived households of the Balaji Temple from all faiths and backin Oldbury with the grounds in and around kind support of the Birmingham ahead of temple management Diwali. team. Surti Foods The event organiskindly sponsored and ers worked closely with provided a wholesome charities, councils, lunch for all the volunschools and various teers. other organisations to The families to identify the recipient whom food hampers families. DBB raised were delivered were over £6500 in donations nominated by various from ordinary members charities and commuof the community to nity based organisaDeepak & Raksha Parekh with the final basket support this project. tions in and around DBB founder Deepak West Midlands includParekh said, “Diwali is a time hope, happiness, and giving Barnardos, Compass of celebration and happiing”.

Support, B’ham City Council ness. But unfortunately The food hampers and Mind amongst others there are many people in our included vegetarian food this ensures that those who communities who for whatitems and comprised both are in most need of support ever reason don’t have much perishable (e.g. fruit and vegare directly benefiting from to cheer about. etables), non- perishable the initiative.

“Some families struggle to make ends meet, others are simply feeling lonely or rejected by society. DBB is our small effort to support and spread the message of

Diwali Basket Brigade volunteers

Diwali fireworks by the Swaminarayan Temple, Stanmore

The Diwali fireworks by the Swaminarayan Temple in Stanmore was attended by over 9000 people on 7th November, which started by 8pm and lasted for 20-25 mins. By 7:30, the car park was full as people came from as far as Luton, Milton Keynes and all over London. Pure vegetarian fast food were sold at the food stalls and people enjoyed the carnival atmosphere it created.

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17 - 23 November 2018

17 - 23 November 2018

Hindujas celebrate Diwali at their London residence with family and friends Rupanjana Dutta It was perhaps the most grand Diwali celebration of London.

On the evening of Thursday 8th November, the Hinduja family residence in Carlton Terrace was decked up, to host hundreds of guests at a fantastic Diwali party, that was attended by London's Mayor Sadiq Khan, Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt, MP, Secretary of State for International Development, Women and Equalities and Sir Vince Cable, the Lib Dem party leader. The evening ended with a gala dinner and a musical performance by the legendary Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, accompanied by local musician Sandyman on tabla.

Many other MPs, Peers, business tycoons, community leaders were present at the party, including business tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, Seema Malhotra MP, Deputy Mayor of London for Business Rajesh Agrawal, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Lord Loomba, Lord Gadhia, Minister for Community at the High Commission of India- A S Rajan, Dr Rami Ranger, Vijay Patel, Dr Kartar Lalvani, Tej Lalvani, to name a few.

From the door till the area of reception, men in black suit and women in a combination of Indian traditional

excelled, bringing our culour country as a whole. where there are so tures and communities much Diwali’s central message of much of uncertainties, closer.” peace and mutual respect is whether it's UK, Mayor Sadiq Khan said, one that I know all Londoners Europe, Middle East or “The story of Diwali is the support – we are a city that India. Let's all pray to story of Rama, Sita, Lakshmi celebrates our differences, Goddess Lakshmi who and when you read these stoand London is open to all...” has many qualities ries, it reminds you of good Silver idols of Goddess besides prosperity triumphing over evil, light Lakshmi was given away as a such as nobility, over darkness, knowledge token of appreciation to some enlightenment, to help overcoming evil. In 2018 that key guests such as Rt Hon people see the reality lesson is as important now as of this life. This world Penny Mordaunt, London's it was 2000 years ago. The is so beautiful, everyMayor Sadiq Khan, Lord contribution of GP's family to one should be allowed Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon to have a peaceful and and Rt Hon Lord Bates our city is quite remarkable, Minister of State at the and I thank them for the good life.”

Department for International amazing contribution they He spoke about Development. make to the capital and to and their life journey, why they chose London over settling anyLondon’s Mayor Sadiq Khan addressing the audience standing next to G P Hinduja where in the and his wife Sunita world, and went on to describe clothes and black dress and wonderful news of the arrival Sadiq Khan as the pearls welcomed people with of his grandson 'Jian', son of 'pride of Asia' to folded hands (as namaste).

Sanjay and Anu Mahtani. become the first The dinner included a buffet Speaking on the podium, Asian-origin mayor spread of a minimum of 20 G P Hinduja spoke about of London. vegetarian dishes from varifamily love, bonding and the Rt Hon Penny notion of giving away to charous regions of India, as well as Mordaunt said, “You ities. He said, “In my life I Chinese. Desserts included all are the personifihave never thought about Indian delicacies of Rabri and cation of what has money. Our parents' blessing Besan ka laddoo. made the world a was more important than GP Hinduja, personally better place.” She anything. They taught us only welcomed everyone into his then read out a mesone thing. Nothing belongs to home, and then guests were sage from PM us, everything belongs to ushered into the first floor Theresa May saying, everyone in the family and reception area. As the family “I would like to thank the rest is for the society.” gathered, to welcome everyyou for many contriSpeaking about how one formally, Baroness butions to our counSandip Verma wished all a Diwali for him stands for try, and every single Sanjay Hinduja with wife Anu Mahtani, Dr Rami Ranger and wife Renu Happy Diwali and introduced 'enlightenment of soul', he sphere you have the hosts to all and shared the said, “Today in politics every-

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan singing at the Diwali reception

Lakshmi Mittal at the Diwali party

A S Rajan, Sadiq Khan and CB Patel at the party

Ashok Hinduja presenting a silver idol of Goddess Lakshmi to Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP

Neasden Temple celebrates Diwali and Hindu New Year The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, visited BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden on Diwali to celebrate it with the diaspora.

More popularly known as the ‘Neasden Temple’ also welcomed tens of thousands of people along with MPs, Peers and other dignitaries, to celebrate the traditions, colours and rich culture of Diwali on Wednesday 7 November 2018.

The celebrations at the Mandir – the largest in the country – included a special ceremony in the evening in the presence of Sadguru Pujya Tyagvallabh Swami, a senior swami visiting from India.

During the ‘Chopda Pujan’ ritual, business owners closed their existing ledgers and opened new ones in preparation for the year ahead. The

17

Sadiq Khan taking part in the Diwali puja

ceremony also symbolises how one should take stock of one’s spiritual relationship with God. A grand fireworks display outside the Mandir brought together thousands of worshippers, visitors and members

of the local community thereafter for a colourful exhibition of music and light that illuminated the skies of North London high above the Mandir domes. It also featured live on BBC One’s The One Show.

The day following Diwali

marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year.

The first ceremony began at 5.00am, followed by prayers for world peace and wellbeing. The ceremonial Rajbhog Arti (Hindu ritual) followed at midday, first in the upper sanctum of the Mandir and then in the Haveli assembly hall where the annakut – literally, ‘mountain of food’ – was artistically arranged as an offering of the first meal of the New Year in thanksgiving to God and to seek his blessings for the year ahead.

In his address, Mr Khan spoke of the ‘contribution that the Hindu community has made to the diversity of

London’. The Mayor added, “When I walk around this temple and I meet the volunteers, it inspires me. You show that is it possible to be a proud Hindu, and it is also possible to be a proud Londoner and to be proudly British.”

Reflecting on the contribution of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the creator of the Mandir, The Mayor said: “I am aware of the importance made not only to the life here in Neasden, not just to life in Brent, not just in London but around the world

by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj.” In recognition of this, the Mayor announced that a name of a road around the Mandir would be named in honour of Pramukh Swami Maharaj: “Let the message be sent out loud

and clear – this remarkable Hindu temple, working in partnership with the council, working in partnership with local residents of all different faiths and backgrounds – today, the Mayor of London, of Islamic faith is here in this temple, sharing with you this good news.”

Fittingly, this year’s decorative lamps and artwork inside the Mandir reflected the theme of ‘unity’. Yogen Shah, a volunteer at the Mandir, further explained, “His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj regularly speaks about the importance of unity within families, the local community and across the world. This year, our celebrations will bring out the key messages of unity and encourage everyone to imbibe this virtue in their daily lives.”

Local volunteers gift food Good over evil: Mayor of London celebrates Diwali at hampers for Diwali to the Willesden temple vulnerable households Priyanka Mehta

was greeted in the traditional Indian manner If you had visited the with a garland and a tilak Swaminarayan Mandir at on his forehead. After Willesden on the Hindu New delivering his Diwali Year you would've probably wishes to the worshipfelt as though you had been pers present at the temtransported straight to the ple, he proceeded to offer Indian heartland. The Ankut the quintessential ankut ceremony like every year saw aarti. a selection of sticky sugar Talking about how Kurjibhai Kerai, President, Swaminarayan cubes called mithai, fruits Diwali is the celebration Temple, Willesden with London Mayor carved and hung up in strings of the victory of the good Sadiq Khan and a plethora of savouries over the evil, and in light councillor, Muhammed Butt served before the Gods. Yarn of the recent spate of knife said to Asian voice. globes covered every space on crimes, the Mayor saidBut at the same time the the ceilings made by kids as “We can't have a situation council has also not been young as two year olds who where the young people think assisting when it comes to volunteered for the Diwali it's okay to pick up a knife or a renting out the community preparations. good thing to join a criminal spaces.

The celebration was held gang and for then assume that “There are staffing costs on a grand scale in the emithey will not be caught. And associated with these celebranent presence of the Mayor of it's important that we are tions that you cannot do away London, Sadiq Khan, assemtough on those carrying knife! with and that need to be met bly member for Brent Navin The police are working which is why at the Brent Shah, councillors Muhammed incredibly hard with the stop council we have charity rates Butt and Krupesh Hirani and and search and one of the reamayor of business sons why I am so Rajesh Aggarwal supportive of this among others. temple here is Everything prepared because they help from the scratch was the youth by givstarted 6 weeks in ing them conadvance and on averstructive things age the ankut prasad to do and things is distributed among to do after class!”

10,000 people every The ankut year on this day. This c e r e m o n y year however, due to resumed the the regeneration same after the project beside they Mayor's depardid not have the Sadiq Khan offering Annakaut aarti with Deputy Mayor for ture with more seating arrangement Business Rajesh Agrawal, Navin Shah AM and swamiji from India families turning to accommodate as up in the afterof renting out these commumany people. At a time when noon. nity spaces.” funding for these celebrations Sanjay Khetani, “We are much more have massively suffered due to Swaminarayan Temple stronger than what the govthe government's cuts on the Willesden, said, "It was great ernment is doing to us. The austerity drive, councillor meeting the Mayor of London council has been working Butt had praised the Hindu today. To me, Diwali is the with the mandir and we are Society for celebrating the time when we spend time helping support with infrasevent regardless of the budwith family members and tructure in terms of parking, geting issues. friends. We exchange gifts making sure of road closures “We will have to rememwith each other and look forand ensure that events like ber that for the last 8 years ward to the year ahead. these happen in a safe atmothis government has been cut“Diwali is celebrated sphere.” the councillor conting off the austerity. In Brent when Ram, Sita and tinued. council by 2020 I will have Lakshman return from their But unlike every year, this lost 79% of my funding. Since 14 years in exile. Upon their year the Mayor of London, 2009, I have lost £164mn so I return, candles were lit on the Sadiq Khan graced his preshave to prioritize education, ground so they could see the ence for the first time after social care among others.” road ahead in the dark.” assuming office. The mayor

Rupanjana Dutta

food items (e.g. tinned soup, rice, pasta, pulses etc), a A community initiative run small Diwali lamp and a by local volunteers called handmade Diwali card made Diwali Basket Brigade (DBB) by children. Basket contents took place on Saturday 3rd were paid for through comNovember 2018 across bination of funds Birmingham. This first raised and donations of its kind community from local well known effort involved over 150 food suppliers includcommunity volunteers ing East Ends Foods of all ages preparing and Ltd and KTC Edibles packing 331 food hamLtd. pers and then personalBaskets were prely delivering them to pared by the volunteer vulnerable and socially team on the grounds deprived households of the Balaji Temple from all faiths and backin Oldbury with the grounds in and around kind support of the Birmingham ahead of temple management Diwali. team. Surti Foods The event organiskindly sponsored and ers worked closely with provided a wholesome charities, councils, lunch for all the volunschools and various teers. other organisations to The families to identify the recipient whom food hampers families. DBB raised were delivered were over £6500 in donations nominated by various from ordinary members charities and commuof the community to nity based organisaDeepak & Raksha Parekh with the final basket support this project. tions in and around DBB founder Deepak West Midlands includParekh said, “Diwali is a time hope, happiness, and giving Barnardos, Compass of celebration and happiing”.

Support, B’ham City Council ness. But unfortunately The food hampers and Mind amongst others there are many people in our included vegetarian food this ensures that those who communities who for whatitems and comprised both are in most need of support ever reason don’t have much perishable (e.g. fruit and vegare directly benefiting from to cheer about. etables), non- perishable the initiative.

“Some families struggle to make ends meet, others are simply feeling lonely or rejected by society. DBB is our small effort to support and spread the message of

Diwali Basket Brigade volunteers

Diwali fireworks by the Swaminarayan Temple, Stanmore

The Diwali fireworks by the Swaminarayan Temple in Stanmore was attended by over 9000 people on 7th November, which started by 8pm and lasted for 20-25 mins. By 7:30, the car park was full as people came from as far as Luton, Milton Keynes and all over London. Pure vegetarian fast food were sold at the food stalls and people enjoyed the carnival atmosphere it created.

18 DIWALI

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HFB hosts Diwali reception at the House of Commons

Diwali lights up PwC PwC Hindu Network hosted their 16th Diwali celebration at the Embankment office on Tuesday 30th October. The event was attended by more than 250 people, representing more than 100 organisations from across the city, such as UBS, EY, KPMG, Deloitte, BBC, RBS, HMRC and others.

The celebrations focussed on topics such as the personal significance of festivals and the interaction of culture and readiness for technological change.

The speakers included Jon Andrews Partner - UK Executive Board, Head of Technology & Investments, Chitra Stern – Entrepreneur. Sunil Patel Partner - COO Technology & Capabilities, Sarah Churchman OBE - HC Director - Chief Inclusion, Wellbeing & Mental Health Officer, Lisa Dhanani Director Consulting and Nilesh Solanki - PwC Hindu Network – Founder/Leader.

Hosted by Isha Gupta and Prashil Shah, the evening was intermingled with inspiring talks, a variety of live fusion

Sarah Churchman OBE, Chitra Stern, Lisa Dhanani, Nilesh Solanki, Sunil Patel and Jon Andrews

entertainment such as Indian flute led musical performances, singing and dancing as well as some magic tricks. It concluded with an Indian buffet dinner and the opportunity to learn about Hinduism through an exhibition.

Spaking about the event, Sunil Patel said, "PwC's annual Diwali celebrations hosted by the Hindu Network demonstrated diversity in action by shining a spotlight on our respective values, culture and personal stories.”

Jon Andrews said, “It was incredibly colourful,

entertaining and moving in equal measure. I also feel richer from the learning I got.

Above all for me it was exactly the sort of event that makes me so proud to work with the people that make PwC so special.” The evening was summed up by Nilesh Solanki.

He said, “PwC has enabled me to embraced my identity and cultural values at work. We can truly see diversity in this room tonight, together with our individual values and our cultural values, we can as a collective make a difference to the people around us, society and the world.”

The audience at PwC Diwali

The Hindu Forum of Britain organised their annual Diwali celebration at the House of Commons, on Wednesday 31st October, in presence of the community leaders, MPs, Peers and other dignitaries. The event was cohosted by an all parliamentary representation including Lord Navnit Dholakia, Bob Blackman MP and Virendra Sharma MP. Other dignitaries present were Nigel Dodds MP, Ian Blackford MP, Lord Jitesh Gadhia, Lord Swaraj Paul, to Velji Vekaria, Dr Mahesh Varsani, Bob Blackman MP, Anjana name a few.

Patel, Trupti Patel and other guests and performers Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury provides the centrepiece of Diwali Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury, the London branch of Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sanstha, provided the magnificent centrepiece. The Annakut - mountain of food – was hand prepared by the community at Kingsbury Mandir, and consecrated sweets and savouries were given to all attendees on their behalf. Key dignitaries who attended the event Annakut display included Bob Blackman MP, Lord Navnit Dholakia, Virendra Sharma past and present.

MP, Moreover, the Mandir’s own Shree The Annakut this year included a poppy Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band theme: Kingsbury Mandir’s global spiritual performed at the Nation’s official leader, Acharya Swamishree Maharaj, has Remembrance Day event on November 11th inspired the community to use the Diwali at Cenotaph, Whitehall. and Hindu New Year period to mark the Several members of the Band were centenary of the Armistice since the end of present at the House of Commons event to the First World War, and use the occasion highlight that link. Speaking at the event on to honour all those that had made the behalf of the Mandir, Trustee Dr Mahesh ultimate sacrifice in defending our values Varsani told Asian Voice,, “Just as we and ideals. The grand Annakut that was on enlighten our homes with lamps and divas display at Shree Swaminarayan Mandir on this occasion, we must equally enlighten Kingsbury on 8th November carried this our hearts with morality, peace and truth. If important sentiment – reminding the we hold that light in our hearts, it is Diwali expected 20,000 visitors of the debt of all year round.” gratitude that we owe to the Armed Forces

Leading Asian businesses join for KPMG’s annual Asian Festival Dinner Over 200 leading ambassadors from the Asian Business community gathered in London last week for KPMG’s annual Asian Festival Dinner to celebrate the festivals of Eid and Diwali.

The event, which is now in its 15th year, was held at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel and brought together some of the most successful Asian business and political figures from across the UK. The annual event is part of a suite of KPMG programmes supporting Asian Businesses and next generation successors in the UK.

Nina Amin and Bill Michael, KPMG (centre) with Dame Mary Archer DBE, Nikhil Rathi and other guests

Guests were welcomed by KPMG senior partner Bill Michael and special guest speakers on the evening were Dame Mary Archer DBE who spoke of her passion for science and the importance of encouraging more students to study STEM subjects at school, and Nikhil Rathi from the London Stock Exchange.

Commenting on the event, organiser Nina Amin, MBE said, “Asian businesses play such an important part in our economy providing jobs to thousands of people across the UK. Their role as wealth creators and forward looking innovators is set to become increasingly more important as the UK leaves

the EU and economic conditions potentially become more challenging.

“As a firm we feel it is important to celebrate them and their successes and this event is one that our clients and contacts look forward to attending. I would like thank our guest speakers, Dame Archer and Nikhil Rathi, who joined us on the evening. It is important to stay close to our clients and support them with the ambitions they have to grow, not just in the good times, but also for the potentially challenging road ahead and any opportunities our new relationship with Europe might bring them.”

Welsh First Minister joins in the dance at Diwali in Cardiff said, “There’s never been a better time to The Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones strike a trade deal with India. The Indian really got into the spirit of Diwali economy is booming and there is huge celebrations in Cardiff on Monday 12th demand for quality goods manufactured November and joined in with the dancers in Wales. It is clear that Brexit is going to at the event, and even wore traditional happen and whatever you standpoint on Indian pots on his head for one of the that, Wales must use this opportunity to dances. strike deals overseas.

The 51-year-old Labour politician “There are clear advantage to trade took to the stage to join in with the with India – there is the shared business dancers that had performed at the event language, the historical association and to celebrate the high point of the Hindu also the links forged by the Indian spiritual year. diaspora who have settled and become The event at the Wales Millennium prosperous in Wales.”

Centre which was organised by Indian He added, “The government in India diplomat Raj Aggarwal was a sell out and has already made trade easier and has cut there were over 300 people in attendance Diwali in Cardiff - at back First Minister Carwyn Jones, Cardiff Lord down on the bureaucracy and red tape for the night of traditional Indian music Mayor Elizabeth Rees, Raj Aggarwal, Brigadier Jock Fraser and needed for Welsh companies to start to and dancing. dancers from the event. export there but now we need to Honorary Consul to India in Wales encourage this trade by breaking down Raj Aggarwal said, "It was fantastic to see During speeches at the event Honorary any barriers whether they be tariffs or the First Minister getting involved in the Consul for India Raj Aggarwal said that biimport restrictions. dancing to celebrate Diwali, it was such an lateral trade talks with India must start “We also need to have more movement amazing event and everyone had a great soon to enable stronger trade relations with skilled workers and reduction of Visa night." between the two countries post Brexit. He

restrictions especially for Indian students wanting to go to Welsh universities. They are a huge source of revenue for our universities and several stay on to provide the community and business with highly skilled workers. “I’m sure I don’t need to remind people who many amazing Indian doctors and pharmacists we have in the Welsh NHS and the vast majority of those went to universities in Wales.”

The Wales Millennium Centre was lit up for the event in the orange, white and green, colours of the Indian flag, which also raised on a flag pole above the building.

The event was attended by the First Minster of Wales Carwyn Jones, leader of Cardiff Council Huw Thomas, the Royal Navy’s Wales commander Brigadier Jock Fraser as well as several other local dignitaries. At the end of the event Raj Aggarwal presented the First Minister with a gift, a beautiful book all about traditional Indian block printed textiles.

REAL ESTATE VOICE

SOMETIMES IT IS BETTER NOT TO ENTER THE RING

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AGONY AGENT IS HERE TO HELP!

There was a deal lined up which was exceptional, on paper at least. A flat in Bounds Green, literally a few minutes from the station. Worth about £350K with a lease extension, which would cost about £25K.

Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap London Property Investment

We were picking up the deal for £200K. It was an obvious deal, nothing really complicated about it at first glance. It was at the bottom end of the property pyramid. Yes, £350K for a property in London is classified as nearly scraping the floor. You would be hard pressed to find boroughs in London where the average property price is below £300K. At this price range, the demand comes from more of a need for shelter, rather than those looking for an investment and speculating.

The kicker in this deal is we could have exchanged for £1 and had a delayed completion of six months. Enough time to negotiate the lease and resell the apartment back on.

However, the circumstances surrounding the deal were very precarious. The deal was a probate. Probate had been granted overseas and converted so it could be exercised in the

Q: Is it necessary for me to get an electricity certificate for my BTL property?

UK. The claimant was an overseas person, and she was in a position to sell the property here.

However, it transpired there was a parallel will floating around, and the other party was of the intention to also put a claim on the property. If this was done between exchange and completion it would have scuppered the deal, as we would not be in a position to resell the contract.

Hence the reason to exchange with £1, and that too in a separate company which we could simply close down and forget about the property, should any issues come to surface. IF we did manage to sell the property on and a claim did arise, it could put us as sellers at risk, since we had knowledge of the situation.

We were told in order to secure

THE POWER OF GOOD DECISION-MAKING In the 15th century, Portugal was the first European state to start traversing the world building the first of several European empires which vastly enriched this continent.

The Portuguese arrived at this table of riches before the Spanish, before the French, before the Dutch and before the British.

When Christopher Columbus sought funding for the voyage that discovered the entire Americas, he first approached King John of Portugal.

King John turned him down.

19

our position we should put a tenant in the property immediately from the date of exchange, as the saying goes, possession is nine-tenths of the law.

The potential upside in comparison to what we had to put in, and the structure, seemed like this was a great deal to be in.

However, once you enter any legal issues, costs mount up and it takes a lot of time and energy, irrespective of whether you are correct or not.

Perhaps five years ago I would have jumped into this deal, without a second thought.

However, having more experience under my belt, I have learned that it’s very easy to enter a deal, but when things don’t go to plan it can be tough to exit.

Columbus did sail. His voyage was funded by the Spanish monarchy. His discoveries led to an enormously wealth laden Spanish empire. As soon as his voyage had completed triumphantly King John realised his massive mistake.

The Spanish empire soon eclipsed the Portuguese.

The fate of a nation, like that of an individual, can be determined by a single decision.

A: Yes. Your electrics should always be covered by an in date Electrical Inspection Condition Report (EICR). It is not a legal requirement to have one, however, if you rent out a property and your tenant is electrocuted due to unsafe electrics then you could be prosecuted.

Claiming that you were unaware of the condition of the electrics will not be a valid defence by the way. In many areas, the local council will insist on a Condition Report for licencing rental properties such as HMOs. Having an EICR is great practice to have done at the start of any purchase or refurb, as this should show up any hidden dangers! I was asked to let a property, which had undergone a quick mini refurb, the owner had not arranged for an EICR. The property looked very nice, but for some reason the kitchen had not been touched and was very outdated. The property wasn’t letting due to the kitchen, so it was decided that the kitchen should be replaced. It was only when we did this did we notice a series of electrical death traps hidden within the walls. A check at the start would have saved some costly work.

You should also check your insurance, as many landlord’s insurances will require an electrical report or a visual report at the very least.

make the right decision, but to be conscious enough to recognise the significance of the decision that is in front of us before making it.

Do get in touch if you need any property management assistance.

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An empire may depend on it.

This is the nature of life.

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20 FINANCE - UK

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Consultant Editor Financial Voice Alpesh Patel Dear Financial Voice Reader, On Her Majesty’s Service: A British Government Dealmaker covering India, Singapore, Malaysia, China ‘We’re not going to get arrested are we when we land in Delhi?’ said my British Government colleague, Mark, just as the tyres of the British Airways jumbo jet smacked hard on the runway tarmac late in the Delhi night on my first visit to India as a British Government Dealmaker. Yes ‘Dealmaker’. I tried to resist the title but Mark had insisted that a UK Government card, with the Crown insignia and that title would be remembered. He was right.

So why his question on being arrested? To answer that I have to first explain what a Dealmaker does. My role, approached by the Government as a businessman with an asset management company, was to find technologies of exceptional potential and the entrepreneurs behind them and of strategic importance to the United Kingdom and land their HQs in the UK. But that doesn’t get you arrested. No, the question was raised because minutes before landing I told Mark as well as the appointments at the British High Commission and a reception hosted by the High Commissioner for me, I had fitted in some of my own.

One with MK Narayanan. Between my fixing the meeting, and our arriving in India, MK had been appointed India’s National Security Advisor. I’d met him previously at Ditchley Park in the UK at an away day to discuss with UK and Indian Foreign Service officials the UK India relationship.

Since that trip, over the past 13 years in this role I have seen over 1000 innovative companies, brought numerous HQs to the UK, whilst always ensuring the companies continued growing out of India too. I’ve advised hundreds of entrepreneurs, mentored dozens of the them, helped find funding and clients for others.

Making deals has meant explaining private equity termsheets, putting pressure on the investor, the customer, the entrepreneurs, the shareholders, the lawyers, the brokers. And never once got arrested.

I have visited every major Indian city in search of the technologies and met all the major banks and VCs and incubators – from Chandigarth to Chennai and Mumbai to Kolkotta. I’ve even squeezed personal time to visit Leh in Ladakh and Srinagar in Kashmir. We even had an emergency landing in Pakistan. I’ve been ill enough in Chennai to be on a medical drip in my hotel. All part of the adventure.

When I was a child, my family drove me from the UK to India by road. From Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afhganistan, Pakistan to India. My destiny is tied to the UK and India.

As a Dealmaker you are a modern day explorer – seeking out new shores and having adventures along the way.

There was the time when I was due to speak at the Trident Hotel the day of the terrorist attack, congratulated by the British PM who launched an initiative of mine, seen ‘computational fluid dynamic’ systems which make missiles more accurate and fly further – indeed technologies from software to cleantech to pharmaceuticals. I’ve had a Minister of the Crown, Lord Digby Jones, ask me to expand my role to include China (now that really did risk arrest – who goes around China asking to see their best technologies on behalf of the British Crown?!) and now Malaysia and Singapore too.

Why does the British Government do this? Because in the post-Imperial and even more so a post-Brexit era, wealth is dependent on a nation owning intellectual property. But IP without entrepreneurial talent is worthless. So I have to bring the IP and the entrepreneur over. Why the UK. Simple, it is the 6th largest economy in the world.

Evaluating if an innovation will work depends on your ability to pick high-flying companies – I’ve luckily won competitions in the FT and Bloomberg on picking winning companies – and written 16 books on the subject too. But the best due diligence is to ask if they have sales. I used to present for Bloomberg TV a show as their inhouse tech expert – so that helps when you are evaluating the latest developments in nanotech, or cancer detection! Yes hours spent with scientists in IITs, IIMs, business schools, and of course with entrepreneurs. The big lesson: First – can this person execute? Second, do they have some intellectual property protection? Third, is there sales? Or just an idea? Fourth, is it investor ready – or are they asking for too much money? Ie would I invest? Five, can it scale? It is global in appeal, better than others out there? Will it enhance Britain?

Alpesh Patel Her Majesty’s Government’s Dealmaker For a free online trading course visit www.alpeshpatel.com

No-deal Brexit MAY be a big food deal Priyanka Mehta Pinky spends roughly £20-30 for her weekly purchase of vegetables for her family of four. And Okra and Coriander are a mandatory buy among other vegetables that the Indian family prefers for their dinner. Pinky's one stop shop, Kingsbury Fruit and Veg, UK's largest wholesaler of fresh fruits and vegetables that imports a chunk of its produce from India and EEA countries. A no-deal Brexit may impose restrictions upon consumptions of families like that of Pinky's with an S&P report warning that the inflation could rise to 4.7% in mid-2019 as compared to 2.7% in August this year, the highest level recorded in six months.

“But the things that you need, basic vegetables, you can't do anything about it whatever is the price because for us Indians specially for the vegetarians leafy green vegetables are the only source of proteins!”

Pinky shrugs off. Today Pinky including the grocers doesn't know what deal Mrs. May is going to bring back home after pulling Britain out of the EU and further more what impact is it likely going to have on the food industry.

From food shortages to stock-piling of produce and inflated prices, the domain effect of Brexit on the food industry runs endless. And aside from the consumers, caught in uncertainty are local cash&carry shops, retailers and wholesalers who rely heavily upon third party agents to supply them with essentials or directly on the import of fresh produce from EEA. Kingsbury Fruit and Veg Hirjibhai Kunvarji is the owner of Kingsbury Fruit and Veg and they import close to 50% of their produce from India and the remaining half comes from Europe and Africa including seasonal vegetables like Spinach, Coriander and Okra among others. “Importing vegetables

from India is far more expensive than sourcing it from the EU because the produce has to come on a daily business by air from India rather than the trucks which bring in the food from the EU!” Today, Hirjibhai imports a weekly stock of close to £40,000 and with the UK entering the last few weeks into Brexit, Mr. Kunvarji expects “the prices are likely to go up by somewhere between 10- 15% today even if a Hard Brexit takes place but then again it depends on the customs and

the VAT duties imposed as of now it is very difficult to say!” The City Analysts had anticipated at least an 8% increase in the food prices by the end of the transitional period of Britain's leave from EU. Forex and crude prices However Mr. Ronak Pandya, an IT expert for a major retail company believes that Brexit will not directly have an impact on higher food prices at least not for groceries and authentic spices that come in from India.

“In case of vegetables, it is a different case because they are perishable items and they need to be brought in on a daily basis so it incurs more cost. Plus factor in the crude prices that have been up approximately by 6% in the global market in the last few weeks.” Mr. Pandya said.

But what about other essential commodities of oil, rice, wheat and nuts among other commodities that can be stock-piled?

“Say for example the nuts, their prices have gone down in recent times but then factor in the international forex market.

The pound has depreciated Hirjibhai Kunvarji, owner of almost up to 10% since June Kingsbury Fruit and Veg. and the volatility of the currency is a fundamental factor in any import-export business. This way, the nuts have become costlier. So, it is all about finding that right balance!” he explains. While Brexit may not directly impact the import and export of food produce from other countries outside of the EU, the drop in the currency may implicitly affect the food prices and effectively result in a higher Consumer Price Index and inflated prices. But what about the food that comes in from the European countries? In what way would the import of frozen fruits, meats and other produce be impacted with an imposition on customs and VAT? “At this stage it is too early to predict an increase or a decrease in terms of percentages but it all depends upon on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that the government signs with the respective European countries.”

Third party agents and local cash and carry Murugan Arumurugan is the owner of Lakshmi Brand Ltd. who imports 25% of his groceries directly from India and other countries which includes products like rice, lentils among other items. However, the same does not apply to the import of 15% of fresh vegetables.

“We indirectly source them from third party agents present in the UK because procurement of fresh produce is an expensive affair on a daily basis. Plus we don't even know if we are likely to sell out everything immediately as these perishable products cannot be stored for a longer while.” he said.

However, Murugan is not concerned about the impact of Brexit as he feels that once Britain is free from the EU there will be more interface with the Asian markets because there is no real substitute for the Asian products.

“There could be little changes in the pricing of the goods and not more than 5%” he expects. But amidst all the confusion and uncertainty that lingers with Mrs. May's Brexit negotiations, what does this mean for Pinky and other families like her? Regardless of a no-deal or a Hard Brexit, prices are expected to rise in the coming days whether because of the duties levied as customs and VAT or a downfall in the Pound.

UK’s HKS Retail sold to multinational Prax group Britain's leading Asian-owned business, Leicester-based HKS Retail has been sold to international petroleum products retailer and energy company, Prax at an undisclosed amount. Founded by Hasmukh, Kamlesh and Sailesh Thakrar, in 1984, HKS has around 70 petrol stations in the UK and employs over 600 people across the nation. It began operations in Coalville, with a filling station, and earlier this year, was ranked Sunday

Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 league list.

In the 2018 Top 50 Indies, Leicester-based HKS had 68 sites and claimed a turnover of £250 million. A Prax spokesperson said, “Prax has confirmed the acquisition of HKS Retail, a leading retail petrol station business. The acquisition reflects the group's strategic objective to move into a new stage of accelerated investment, growth and development.”

Prax Group is involved in petrol trading, storage, distribution and retail business. At the end of last year Prax Group bought Retail Fuels Limited, which was ranked 35 in the 2017 Top 50 Indies listing with nine sites. At that time, Sanjeev Kumar, co-founder and chief executive officer of the Prax Group, told Forecourt Trader: “We look forward to working together to become one of the UK forecourt sector’s most successful operators.”

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in brief INDIA JUMPS 23 PLACES IN EASE OF BUSINESS RANKING India has leaped 23 places in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business rankings. India is now 77th from 100th in the previous rankings. There have been improvements in Six out of 10 indicators, and India has jumped 65 places in the last four years, but Prime Minister Modi wants India in the top 50. India's leap in ranking is significant considering that last year the country had improved its rank by 30 places, a rare feat for any country of the size of India. India has improved its rank in 6 out of 10 indicators. But, the most dramatic improvements have been registered in the indicators related to 'Construction Permits' and 'Trading across Borders.' The important features of India's performance this year are: The World Bank has recognized India as one of the top improvers for the year.

This is the second consecutive year for which India has been recognized as one of the top improvers. As a result of continued performance, India is now placed at first position among South Asian countries as against 6th in 2014.

MODI GOVT PLANS ORDINANCE TO AMEND COMPANIES ACT The Indian government is looking to promulgate an ordinance to amend the Companies Act to tighten rules around independent directors, while reducing penalties on minor violations. The Ordinance, based on a report of a committee headed by corporate affairs secretary I Srinivas, is listed for discussion by the union cabinet. The government was earlier toying with the idea of further tightening the rules for independent directors, including making them ineligible for few assignments in case a company’s board is superseded, like in the case of IL&FS. But the plan has been put on the backburner, following intense lobbying by stakeholders. At the moment the focus is on implementing the committee’s recommendations, which have already undergone public discussion. The panel had suggested simplifying levy of penalties for violation of Companies Act for minor offences, including some related to technical defaults and corporate governance.

INDIA'S MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY GROWS AT QUICKEST PACE India's manufacturing sector activity improved in October, as firms scaled up production and employment levels amid strong rise in new business order flows, a monthly survey said. The Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index strengthened from 52.2 in September to 53.1 in October as new orders and production increased at the quickest rate in four months. This is the 15th consecutive month that the manufacturing PMI remained above the 50-point mark. In PMI parlance, a print above 50 means expansion, while a score below that denotes contraction. New orders increased at a sharp rate during October and panelists attributed this rise to successful advertising efforts, strengthening underlying demand and competitive price-setting. The rise in new order flows was the fastest since June.

“A combination of domestic and foreign orders fuelled the upturn in overall activity, although export orders displayed the slowest expansion since July, total new work rose at the sharpest pace since midyear,” said Pollyanna De Lima, Principal Economist at IHS Markit and author of the report.

Modi promises loans for small businesses in less than an hour Prime Minister Narendra modi has unveiled a 12-point action plan for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). It includes subsidised loans, higher procurement and easier labour and green rules, as he sought to address concerns of small businesses, many of which have been rather critical of demonetisation and the goods and services tax. The outreach comes against the backdrop of a credit crunch, sluggish manufacturing activity and increased competition from imports, especially from China.

Modi said, “In this age of globalisation, the 12-point action plan will strengthen MSMEs and help write a new chapter for them.” In the coming 100 days, the PM also intends to monitor implementation of the package across 100 districts. In the action plan, the provision for a 2 per cent interest subsidy for new or incremental loans of up to £100,000 taken by MSME units through a new portal that promises to approve loans in 59 minutes is seen to be most significant. He also announced an additional 2 per cent

Narendra modi

subsidy for small exporters for pre and postshipment credit. The announcement comes as an attempt to boost exports and bridge the current account deficit to ease pressure on the rupee that has depreciated around 15 per cent in 2018.

The subsidy is seen as a move to address credit woes of small businesses that have been adversely impacted by the liquidity crunch in the system after IL&FS defaulted on repayment and banks and mutual funds

became wary of lending to the sector. The government has been trying to get RBI to ease rules for non-banking finance companies that are a major source of funding for MSMEs, something that the central bank has been unwilling to do.

PSUs asked to procure 25% of goods from SMEs Apart from credit, the bouquet of steps focused on enhanced market access for which the government has decided to tap public sector companies and government departments. As part of the scheme, public sector units have been asked to procure 25% of their goods from small enterprises, instead of 20% at present, with a new quota of 3% purchases introduced for women entrepreneurs. Similarly, the Prime Minister asked all state-run firms to register on the government e-marketplace, or GeM, the online procurement platform for government agencies, and also get their vendors to register. This will help MSME units to provide goods and services through the platform.

Moody’s asks India to tighten monetary policy in ’19 Moody's Investors Service has stated larger emerging markets like India are expected to continue to tighten their monetary policies next year. In its Global Macro Outlook for 2018-19, released in August, it wrote, “India, and Indonesia are likely to grow near trend despite external and domestic challenges. We expect larger emerging markets, like India, Indonesia, Brazil, Turkey, and Argentina, to continue monetary tightening in 2019.”

The US-based agency had said that it expects Indian economy to grow by around 7.5 per cent in 2018 and 2019 as it is largely resilient to external pressures like those from higher oil prices. Indian economy grew by 7.7

per cent in the January-March quarter, and touched a two-year high of 8.2 per cent in the April-June quarter. Moody's said India could also face political risks, as also uncertainty around economic and fiscal reforms, on account of upcoming general elections next year. The report also noted that the outlook for global sovereign creditworthiness in 2019 is “stable”, balancing the slowing growth momentum against rising uncertainty over longer-term economic and financial stability.

Managing Director- Global Sovereign Risk, Alastair Wilson said, “Our stable outlook for sovereign ratings in 2019 balances the benefits of continued global growth against

emerging domestic and geopolitical risks.”

He added, “Despite the stable outlook overall, we are more mindful than in previous years of the potential for unforeseen shocks to disrupt economic and financial stability over the next 12-18 months.” The agency expects G-20 growth to peak in 2018 at 3.3% before slowing to 2.9% in 2019. For advanced economies in the G-20, Moody’s believes growth will fall to 1.9% in 2019 from 2.3% in 2018, a pattern that is mirrored in key economies, including the US and Germany.

Emerging markets in G-20 would see a slower growth at around 4.6% in 2019 than 5% in 2018.

RBI board should not intervene in operational decisions: Raghuram Rajan Former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has come out in support of professionals leading the central bank, stating the regulator’s board should only ensure governance and not intervene in operational decisions. In an interview, he said, “The RBI's board is not an operational board. It is not led by professional supervisors or central bankers.

These are all people from different walks of life whose main role is to play the wise people to advise, to counsel, to play a Rahul Dravid, to coach in some sense but not to make operational decisions and certainly not be loud like Navjot Sidhu.”

He pointed out at earlier members such as cooperative organiser Ela Bhatt and nuclear physicist Anil Kakodkar, saying they limited their role to giving direction. “I think that is the role of the board rather than to intervene in operational decisions and to substitute their judgment for the judgment of the professionals who actually manage the RBI.” The statement came at a time when there is friction between the top rung of the central bank and its board. The boards'

Raghuram Rajan

behaviour changed after the government brought in new members, including Swadeshi ideologue S Gurumurthy and removed veteran banker Nachikent Mor. Rajan said it is not practically possible for the government to meet its fiscal targets by getting the RBI to transfer a larger amount from its reserves. He said, “The RBI is not like any ordinary PSU, it actually prints the money which means that if I pay an extraordinary dividend, let's say Rs 3,00,00,000, it essentially means Rs

3,00,00,000 more of money is there in the capital markets and that is going to be inflationary.” He said that he hoped that people “back off from the cliff edge” and take the right lessons. “Both sides have to listen to each other, but there also has to be a respect of each one’s turf. What to my mind is most worrisome is the change in the role played by the RBI’s board in all this,” said Rajan.

According to Rajan, a good analogy is the central bank is a seat belt for the government, which is the driver. “The driver can decide whether to put on the seat belt or not. The driver may not put on the seat belt, but the seat belt is useful in times of a crash,” he said. “There are still very good people on those boards and I would hope that they would come together to bridge these differences and reduce some of the noise that is coming.

I do not think India should have a breakdown in dialogue between the central bank and the government. I do not think it needs to happen. I do not think, if wiser minds prevail, it will happen,” said Rajan.

Choksi sues Antigua govt amid extradition attempts by India Absconding diamantaire Mehul Choksi has sued the Antigua and Barbuda government over its foreign ministry examining a plea by Indian authorities requesting his extradition. A letter dated November 7 from the office of Deputy Solicitor General to the Prime Minister's office, shows Choksi has named the Minister Responsible for Citizenship and Minister Responsible for

External Affairs of the Antigua and Barbuda government. The letter asks named parties to be present in the court for hearing in the lawsuit, or send the Permanent Secretary within their ministries.

India has been making steady efforts to extradite Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, both wanted in the £1.4 billion scam at the Punjab National Bank. A statement by

India's Ministry of External Affairs last month reveals the Antigua and Barbuda authorities are presently looking into extradition plea for Choksi submitted by Indian probe agencies. Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will question arrested businessman Deepak Kulkarni on diamond merchant Choksi's financial transaction in offshore companies.

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PAKISTAN-SRI LANKA

Lanka SC stays dissolution of parliament by President COLOMBO: In a major boost to sacked Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Supreme Court in a landmark ruling on Tuesday overturned President Maithripala Sirisena's controversial decision to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls on January 5.

The apex court's decision deepened the political crisis in the island nation after president Sirisena fired his coalition prime minister Wickremesinghe on October 26 and installed former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new premier. A threemember apex court bench, including country's chief justice Nalin Perera, delivered its verdict after two days of deliberations on as many as 13 petitions against and five for Sirisena's November 9 decision to dissolve Parliament.

The apex court said Sirisena's dissolution of Parliament will be suspended until December 7 and it will consider all the petitions filed on the President's decision next month before giving a final ruling. The Supreme Court ruling means Parliament can be convened and a floor test can be taken to determine whether the President appointed Prime Minister Rajapaksa has a majority in the 225-member parliament.

Reacting to the Supreme Court's ruling, Wickremesinghe said, "The people have won their first victory. "Let's go forward and reestablish the sovereignty of the people in our beloved country," he tweeted. Sirisena dissolved Parliament after it became clear that he lacked support from lawmakers to

Maithripala Sirisena

instal Rajapaksa as the new Prime Minister following his sacking of Wickremesinghe as premier.

All petitions filed against Sirisena's decision will be heard on December 4, 5 and 6, the apex court ruled, in a historic judgment that could upset the 67-year-old president's political ambitions. While sacking prime minister Wickremesinghe, president Sirisena had also suspended Parliament till November 16. He, however, advanced the convening of the House to November 14 amid international and domestic pressure against the move.

Major political parties, including the United National Party and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and an election commission member Ratnajeevan Hoole, on

Monday dragged Sirisena to the Supreme Court, challenging his decision by filing fundamental rights petitions against the move, which they said violated the Constitution. Sirisena dissolved Parliament last week, almost 20 months before its term was to end, and ordered snap election on January 5, plunging the country's into an unprecedented political and constitutional crises.

Wickremesinghe has maintained that his sacking by Sirisena was unconstitutional and illegal and he was still the prime minister.

Wickremesinghe demanded that Parliament be convened to hold a vote among the lawmakers to decide who enjoyed majority support in Parliament to be the Prime Minister. As pressure grew and both sides claimed they had the numbers, the President dissolved Parliament and called for elections.

Rajapaksa needed the support of minimum 113 parliamentarians in the 225member House to prove his majority.

Sirisena on Sunday stoutly defended his move to dissolve Parliament, saying it was taken to prevent clashes among rival lawmakers. He said there were reports that politicians would clash during the floor test, which was due on November 14. At the hearing on Tuesday, Attorney General Jayantha Jayasuriya, on behalf of the State, justified Sirisena's action, saying the powers of the President are clear and unambiguous as provided for in the Constitution and the announcement of the dissolution of Parliament was done by the President in accordance with the Constitution.

Turmoil in Pak over acquittal of Christian woman in blasphemy case ISLAMABAD: Radical Islamists held protests across Pakistan against the acquittal of a Christian woman sentenced to death for committing blasphemy, defying Prime Minister Imran Khan’s stern warning. Aasia Bibi, 47, was convicted in 2010 after being accused of insulting Islam in a row with her neighbours. The apex court’s judgment triggered protests across Pakistan with protesters led by Islamic political party Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan and other groups blocking major highways and roads in different parts of the country.

PM Khan and Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa held a meeting to discuss “the overall situation in the country and other important issues”, information minister Fawad Chaudhry said. Following the protests, Section 144 was imposed across Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan barring the

gathering of more than four persons in public places.

Major disturbance was witnessed in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.

Meanwhile, Bibi remained at an undisclosed location where the 54-yearold mother of five was being held for security reasons, awaiting her formal release, her brother, James Masih said. Masih said his sister simply would not be safe in Pakistan. “She has no other option and she will leave the country soon,” he said.

Masih would not disclose the country of her destination but several countries, including Canada, France and Spain, have offered asylum. Bibi’s husband, Ashiq Masih, had returned from Britain with their children in mid-October and was waiting for her to join them, the brother added.

Bibi’s case has been deeply divisive in Pakistan where there is strong support for Aasia Bibi

the controversial blasphemy laws. Talking tough, PM Khan told hardliners not to “confront the State” and refrain from vandalism. Radical Islamists demanded that Bibi be publicly executed. They've also filed a petition to repeal her Supreme Court acquittal. The government says Bibi remains in Pakistan, at a secret location for her own protection, until the review process is finished.

Asia Bibi’s lawyer flees Pakistan The lawyer of Asia Bibi fled Pakistan after fearing for his life amid countrywide protests. Her lawyer Saiful Malook claimed that he was facing life threats from sections of lawyers and it was difficult for him to practice in the prevailing situation. He, however, clarified that he would return to Pakistan to represent his client at the hearing of the review petition if the army provided him security. "My family is also facing immense security threats and the federal government should provide security to them," Malook said.

After Saudi, China set to give $6bn aid to Pak BEIJING: China has reportedly agreed to provide $6 billion in aid to Pakistan to minimise the cash-strapped country’s dependence on an IMF bailout package as Prime Minister Imran Khan held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Khan, who was on his maiden visit, met Xi in the Great Hall of People where the two leaders also held one- on-one meeting besides delegation-level talks, Pakistani media reports said. A loan of $1.5 billion is also expected to be offered, along with an additional package of $3 billion for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC),

the report said. The loan and the investments were reportedly part of the $6 billion package. There is no official comment from Beijing yet on the report.

Pakistan’s government has “inherited a very difficult economic situation,” Khan told Xi. “Unfortunately our country is going through a low point at the moment with two very big deficits, a fiscal deficit and a current account deficit,” he said. Xi assured Khan that China considers its relations with Pakistan a “diplomatic priority. China has always placed Pakistan as a diplomatic priority for China, supported Pakistan’s

safeguarding of national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and supported the new Pakistani government’s smooth running of the government and advancement of national construction,” the Chinese President said.

China’s expected assistance is the second $6 billion package which Khan has managed to obtain in the last few weeks as Pakistan reeled under severe financial crisis. During his visit to Saudi Arabia last month, Riyadh committed $6 billion in funding which included $3 billion in deferred payments for crude oil imports.

2,400 INDIANS IN US JAILS OVER ILLEGAL ENTRY Nearly 2,400 Indians are languishing in various American jails for illegally crossing the US border to seek asylum in the country, according to the latest figures. These detainees, a significant number of whom are from Punjab, are seeking asylum, claiming that they “experienced violence or persecution” in India. As many as 2,382 Indians are lodged in 86 jails in the US, according to the information obtained by North American Punjabi Association. As of October 10, a total of 377 Indian nationals are detained at California’s Adelanto Immigration and Customs Enforcement Processing Centre, 269 at Imperial Regional Adult Detention Facility, 245 at the Federal Correctional Institution Victorville, and 115 at Washington State's Tacoma ICE Processing Center. The Trump administration has introduced a number controversial policies in line with its hardline stance on immigration. Last week, the administration decided to restrict the entry of illegal migrants who cross the border with Mexico.

MOON THANKS PM FOR 'MODI JACKETS' South Korean President Moon Jae-in thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sending him some "Modi jackets." Moon uploaded photos of him wearing the jackets in a Twitter posting, saying they "fit great."

"This is a Modi jacket modified from a traditional Indian outfit so that it can be worn with ease in South Korea too," Moon said in the message. "During my visit to India, I told Prime Minister Modi that what he was wearing looked great and he sent me some exactly my size. I thank him for his great kindness." Moon made a state visit to India in July. Moon also congratulated Modi on his selection as winner of this year's Seoul Peace Prize in recognition of his contribution to world peace through his economic vision.

INDIAN AMERICAN NAMED MEMBER OF NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MEDICINE The National Academy of Medicine announced its latest cohort of 85 members with Indian American Prof John Kuriyan among those named. Included in the group of new members were 75 regular members and 10 international members. Election to the Academy is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. Kuriyan is professor of the departments of molecular and cell biology and chemistry at U.C. Berkeley. He was named for pioneering contributions to understanding the regulation of eukaryotic cell signaling by proteins such as Src-family kinases, and for determining the structural and molecular origin of the specificity of the first precision medicine, the cancer drug Gleevec, the academy said.

INDIAN STUDENT CREATES SPACEDETECTING ALGORITHM An Indian student in the US has created a space-detecting algorithm that can help tackle the problem of finding a parking spot by using big data analytics and save a person’s time and money. Sai Nikhil Reddy Mettupally, a student at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, has also won second prize at the 2018 Science and Technology Open House competition for his creation.

According to a university presser, Sai’s creation relies on big data analytics and deep-learning techniques to lead drivers directly to an empty parking spot. Sai conceived the idea shortly after the university transitioned to zone parking last fall.

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in brief INDIAN-AMERICAN SIKH ELECTED MAYOR OF ANAHEIM Successful Indian American businessman Harry Singh Sidhu has been elected as mayor of Anaheim, one of the largest cities in the state of California. Sidhu who served as member of the Anaheim City Council for eight years from 2002 to 2012, defeated Ashleigh Aitken in the November 6 mid-term elections. He would be the first Sikh mayor of the city. Born in India, Sidhu moved to the US along with his parents in 1974 as a permanent resident and settled in Philadelphia. Once sworn in, mayor-elect Sidhu will be one of the few Sikh mayors in the US, which includes Mayor Ravinder Singh Bhalla of Hoboken and Mayor Preet Didbal of Yuba City.

BANGLADESH EC DEFERS POLLING DATE TO DEC 30 The Bangladesh Election Commission has postponed the polling date for the country's general election from December 23 to December 30 amid calls for a deferral from the new opposition alliance Jatiya Oikya Front and other parties. Chief Election Commissioner K.M. Nurul Huda made the announcement in Dhaka, a day after the opposition alliance, including former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), decided to contest the polls. The alliance also called for the election to be deferred by a month. Huda said the poll body welcomed the opposition alliance's decision to contest the polls. BNP SecretaryGeneral Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had earlier urged the government to ensure a level playing field for holding a free, fair and neutral election.

The Election Commission will now accept nominations till November 28, said Huda.

NASHEED ENDS EXILE, RETURNS TO MALDIVES Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed returned home from exile last week, two days after the country’s Supreme Court withdrew a warrant for his arrest. Nasheed, who had been jailed for 13 years on a controversial terrorism charge, was welcomed at Male airport by president-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and hundreds of supporters. It was not immediately clear what role he will have in the new government to be constituted by Solih this month. The 51-year-old democracy champion was branded a fugitive when he went into exile in 2016 after seeking medical treatment abroad while serving the jail sentence. He risked arrest if he ever returned to the Maldives under outgoing President Yameen, who jailed most of his opponents.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE KILLS 42 PEOPLE, RAZES 6,500 HOMES The number of people killed by a massive blaze in northern California rose to 42 on Monday, making it the deadliest wildfire in the history of the state. Thousands of firefighters spent a fifth day digging battle lines to contain the "Camp Fire" in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains north of Sacramento, while search teams were on a grim mission to recover the dead. "As of today, an additional 13 human remains have been recovered, which brings the total number to 42," Sheriff Kory Honea said.

The blaze is "the deadliest in California history," Honea said. The fire also forces evacuation of 75,000 homes. In addition to the loss of life, the fire blaze also razed 6,500 homes in the town of Paradise.

FLIGHT RECORDERS OF LION AIR JET RETRIEVED FROM SEA Indonesian investigators said they found the flight data recorders from the Lion Air Flight JT610, a discovery that should help explain why the new Boeing 737 crashed, killing all 189 people on board, four days after the Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet disappeared off radar during a routine short-haul flight. Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency BASARNAS confirmed that they had found the flight recorders. So far, Basarnas, military and police personnel have retrieved 49 body bags with human remains of at least a dozen people, said the Director of the National Police Hospital in Jakarta.

Kamala Harris, Tulsi Gabbard among White House aspirants WASHINGTON: California senator Kamala Harris and Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard were among two dozen aspirants for Democratic ticket to run against Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Both Harris and Gabbard have made early moves, reaching out to party workers and voters in Iowa whose caucuses kick off the 2020 presidential cycle on February 3, 2020. Although that’s more than a year away, such is the tortuous and extended nature of the US elections that presidential hopefuls begin connecting with party leaders, donors, and activists months in advance as they lay groundwork for Kamala Harris and Tulsi Gabbard the campaign. the next president.

Kamala Harris, 49, spent several days in “Amid the clamor of Trump headlines Iowa during the mid-term poll canvassing and focus on higher profile candidates, for Democratic candidates, and reminiscing Gabbard has been quietly making the about her own work there during the traditional moves of a presidential historic 2008 Obama campaign when she candidate. She recently visited Iowa, where said that in addition to door-knocking, she locals urged her to run for president. She became the Obama campaign’s de facto keynoted a progressive gathering in New pizza-delivery person because “no job was Hampshire in September. And she’s writing too small.” Elsewhere this past week, Tulsi a book due out this spring titled, ‘Is Today Gabbard, 37, fresh from a fourth-term the Day?: Not Another Political Memoir’,” victory in the congressional elections, was the journal noted. introduced at a Los Angeles conference as

California-born Kamala Harris, whose mother Shyamala Gopalan was a cancer researcher from Tamil Nadu (her father Donald Harris was an economics professor from Jamaica), is a first-term Senator but is considered a consummate Democratic insider given her stints as a district attorney in San Francisco and attorney general of California.

Tulsi Gabbard is a Caucasian born in American Samoa to a Catholic father (Hawaii state senator Mike Gabbard) and a mother (Carol Porter Gabbard) who embraced Hinduism, as did the daughter when she was young. A selfdescribed Hindu, Gabbard, if she wins the nomination, would be the first Hindu candidate ever from a major political party to run for president.

Indian American representatives win re-election The four Indian American members of Congress – Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, Ami Bera and Raja Krishnamoorthi – affectionately known as the “Samosa Caucus,” have all been re-elected in their respective races in the Nov. 6 midterm election.

Jayapal, Khanna and Krishnamoorthi all won in landslides, while Bera, the longtime US representative in California’s 7th Congressional District, won in a more closely-contested race.

Over a dozen Indian Americans win state legislature seats WASHINGTON: An astounding 34 Indian American and South Asian candidates made bids for state Legislature seats in the Nov. 6 midterm election, catching the ‘Blue Wave’ that spread across the nation, as 13 Democrats and one Republican won or retained their seats.

In Kentucky, Democrat Nima Kulkarni overwhelmingly defeated Republican Joshua Neubert for Kentucky House of Representatives District 40, grabbing more than 74 per cent of the votes.

In Michigan’s House District 41, Democrat Padma Kuppa won against Republican Doug Tietz. Kuppa collected 51.3 per cent versus 48.7 per cent for Tietz. Kevin Thomas, who initially had sought a seat in the 2nd Congressional District in New York, refocused his campaign on the state Senate in District 6. It was a good move for Thomas, a Democrat, who prevailed over the Republican incumbent, Kemp Hannon, 50.6 per cent to 49.3 per cent.

In New York, Republican Khorshed Chowdhury was hoping to unseat Democratic incumbent Erik Dilan for the state Senate seat in the 54th Legislative District. But the race wasn’t close, with Dilan receiving 91.4 per cent of the vote in gaining re-election. Democrat Jeremy Cooney, who was born in India and adopted by an Irish

family, lost his bid for the New York state Senate. Incumbent Republican Joe Robach kept his seat, defeating Cooney by a 56-44 margin.

In California, state Assembly member Ash Kalra, in the 27th Legislative District, was seeking re-election for a second term.

Republican challenger Burt Lancaster was hoping to unseat the incumbent, but the Indian American received 72.2 per cent in winning the seat. In North Carolina, Democrat incumbent Jay Chaudhuri overwhelmingly defeated Libertarian challengers Brian Lewis and Republican Alan David Michael to retain his seat in the state Senate. Chaudhuri received more than 73 per cent of the vote. Also in North Carolina, Democrat Nasif Majeed, making his second bid for a state House seat, handsomely beat Republican Joshua Niday, capturing more than 82 per cent of the votes.

Mujtaba Mohammed, a Democrat, ran for the 38th District seat in the North Carolina state Senate. Up against Republican Richard Rivette, Mohammed received 81.7 per cent of the vote, winning handily over Rivette. In Ohio, Niraj Antani, who has been named among the rising stars of the Republican Party, was seeking a third term to represent Ohio’s House of Representatives in the 42nd Legislative

District. In Wisconsin, Josh Kaul, a Democrat, was successful in his pursuit to win the state Attorney General’s seat. Taking on Republican incumbent Brad Schimel and the Constitution Party’s Terry Larson, Kaul shocked the incumbent.

In Maryland, Kumar Barve was among three candidates who were voted into the state House of Delegates in the 17th District.

In Georgia, Bangladeshi American Sheikh Rahman, who won the District 5 seat in the Georgia state Senate, ran unopposed.

Running unopposed, Ram Villivalam won the District 8 seat in the Illinois state Senate.

In March, Villivalam won the primary election – 51 per cent to 30 per cent – over the incumbent Ira Silverstein.

Two seats were up for grabs in the 24th District of the Arizona House of Representatives, which Amish Shah was running for. Shah, a Democrat, along with another Democrat Jennifer Longdon, won the two seats, receiving 39.2 per cent and 40.3 per cent, respectively.

In Washington state, Vandana Slatter hung on to her position in the state House, in an uncontested race. Mona Das was hoping to win the state Senate seat in Washington’s 47th Legislative District. A Democrat, Das had advanced in the primary to face Republican Joe Fain in the general.

Bangladesh plans to repatriate Rohingyas from Nov 15 DHAKA: Bangladesh will begin to repatriate hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who last year fled a violent military crackdown in Myanmar, from Thursday onwards, an official said. "As of now the decision is that the repatriation will start on November 15," Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Abul Kalam said. The two governments agreed to repatriate 2,251 of over 700,000 Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh camps, in the first of a phased process.

Kalam added that the initial phase of repatriation that begins on Thursday could be completed in two weeks with around 150

Rohingyas going back to Myanmar each day.

Kalam, however, added that local authorities were yet to get the consent of Rohingyas who would be repatriated in the initial phase. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has warned that conditions are not safe for the repatriation of Rohingya to Myanmar, even as the two countries were preparing for the return process.

A UNHCR spokesman in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar, where Rohingyas are living, said their role in repatriation is only to assess the "voluntariness of the refugees." "UNHCR will assess the voluntariness of the refugees.

We will start this process very soon and we can't speculate about the outcome," said UNHCR spokesman Firas al-Khateeb. "The government of Bangladesh has also emphasized that any returns will be voluntary," he added. The announcement of the Rohingya repatriation comes nearly a year after the two countries inked an agreement on November 23, 2017, to begin the process, following verification. The exodus of the Rohingyas began on August 25, 2017 when a rebel group of the Muslim minority community launched a series of attacks on government posts in Rakhine state in western Myanmar.

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17 - 23 November 2018

in brief

SOUTH INDIA

Union minister Ananth Kumar passes away BENGALURU: Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Chemicals and Fertilizers H.N. Ananth Kumar, also a senior BJP leader from Karnataka, passed away at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Monday morning. He was 59. According to the hospital, Kumar was diagnosed with lung cancer at an advanced stage in June.

He underwent initial treatment in Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre and then went to the US for further treatment. He returned 25 days ago and continued treatment in the hospital.

Hospital Managing Trustee B N Srinath said that he battled cancer bravely, however, the infection had spread to other organs and he H.N. Ananth Kumar and accorded state funeral. A six-time succumbed to the disease. He breathed his member of parliament from Bengaluru last around 2 am on Monday. His wife South Lok Sabha seat, Kumar was Tejashwini and both daughters were beside representing it continuously since 1996. An him. He was cremated later. The State RSS worker, Kumar was arrested during government has announced three-day Emergency. He held civil aviation, urban mourning as a mark of respect for the leader

development and tourism portfolios in Atal Behari Vajpayee cabinet during 1999-2004. He was State president of BJP during 2004 Assembly elections when the party for the first time emerged as the single largest party in the State. He was a national general secretary of BJP for nine years. Kumar and former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa were two prominent leaders credited with building the BJP in Karnataka. Yeddyurappa, in a condolence message, said that he had lost "a personal friend."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman condoled the demise of Kumar. “Extremely saddened by the passing away of my valued colleague and friend, Shri Ananth Kumar Ji. He was a remarkable leader, who entered public life at a young age and went on to serve society with utmost diligence and compassion. He will always be remembered for his good work,” Modi tweeted.

PUNJAB-HARYANA

SGPC asks Amarinder to apologise to Sikhs over textbook CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has asked Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to “apologise” to the Sikh community for the distortion of Sikh history in revised textbooks of senior classes of Punjab School Education Board (PSEB). After a meeting held in Amritsar, a resolution was passed asking Amarinder to apologise for the controversial contents in the Class 12 textbooks.

SGPC President Gobind Singh Longowal spoke to the Amarinder Singh media. He said, “This is a grave chairman of the expert committee, Dr Kirpal sin that has been committed by distorting Singh, should have apologised for the wrong Sikh history. The responsibility for this lies done but he has tried to justify the on Chief Minister Amarinder. distortion. We have removed him from the He should apologise to the Sikh Sikh history project being undertaken for the community. Action should be taken against SGPC.” the expert committee which allowed such The SGPC and other Sikh organisations glaring distortion in Sikh history to take and experts have objected to the distortion place and be published in textbooks. The

of Sikh history in textbooks in the portrayal of Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Hargobind, Guru Tegh Bahadur, and the 19th Guru, Gobind Singh. Former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had earlier said that no Sikh could tolerate the claim as written in the new book that Guru Gobind Singh fled from Chamkaur Sahib without informing anyone and that the Mughals did not order the martyrdom of the fifth Guru, Arjan Dev, but had merely “fined” him.

Meanwhile, Amarinder has directed the Punjab School Education Board to continue with the old history textbooks for Classes 11 and 12, till the completion of the review by an expert group. A government spokesperson said the CM had asked the Education Minister to ensure a comprehensive review by the group, taking into consideration all complaints and suggestions.

WEST BENGAL

Bengal BJP plans 'rath yatra' to restore democracy MADLA: Actor-turned-politician Locket Chatterjee has issued a warning stating that those trying to stop BJP's rath yatra in West Bengal, “will get crushed under the wheels of the chariot”.

Speaking at a public meeting in Malda district, the chief of BJP's women's wing in Bengal, said, “The main purpose of the rath yatras is to restore democracy in West Bengal.

We have said this earlier too that the heads of those who try to stop the 'rath yatras' will get crushed under the wheels of the chariot.” The BJP has planned Locket Chatterjee three rath yatras in West Bengal in Kolkata at the conclusion of the yatras, on December 5, 6, and 7. which will most likely be addressed by Prime They will be kicked off by party chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Amit Shah, and cover 42 Lok Sabha Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress constituencies in the state. secretary general Partha Chatterjee The party intends to hold a massive rally

condemned Locket's comments, and said the BJP leaders are making provocative statements to disturb peace and stability of the state. He said, “The BJPs' main aim is to push its communal agenda in Bengal.

That is why they are making these provocative comments.

But the people of Bengal will defeat the divisive politics of the BJP.” Chatterjee had triggered a controversy in August, after demanding an Assam-like National Register of Citizens or NRC in Bengal as well. Her controversial remarks have in the past, angered the Election Commission too. The poll panel had filed a First Information Report or FIR against her in 2016, for allegedly threatening the presiding officer of a booth in Birbhum district.

TELANGANA ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS ON DEC 7 The Election Commission has issued notification for the December 7 election to the Telangana Legislative Assembly. As per the announcement, nominations would be accepted from November 12 to 19, while the date for scrutiny of papers has been fixed on November 20. The last date for withdrawing nominations is November 22.

Polls are scheduled to be held on December 7 and counting would be held on December 11. The 119-member Assembly was dissolved on September 6, following the recommendation of the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led government, more than eight months ahead of the expiry of its term. The TRS has already announced its candidates for 107 segments. Main opposition Congress forged an electoral pact with the Telugu Desam Party headed

by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the Telangana Jana Samiti and the Communist Party of India.

MADRAS HC QUASHES PLEA OF MARAN BROTHERS Madras High Court has rejected a plea by Kalanithi Maran and Dayanidhi Maran, asking to quash charges framed against them by a CBI court in an illegal telephone exchange case. Back in August, a CBI court had framed charges and ordered trial of former Union Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran and others in the case of alleged setting up of “illegal” telephone exchanges to benefit the Sun TV Network of his elder brother Kalanithi Maran during 2004-06.

Special Judge R Vasanthi framed the charges over a month after the Madras High Court quashed the CBI court's earlier order discharging all accused.

PUNJAB AAP ANNOUNCES NAMES OF 5 TO FIGHT LOK SABHA POLLS The Aam Aadmi Party has announced names of five candidates in Punjab for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Party's core committee chairman Budh Ram addressed the media, saying sitting MPs Bhagwant Mann and Sadhu Singh will contest from Sangrur and Faridkot. Ravjot Singh, who had contested 2017 Assembly polls from Sham Chaurasi seat, will contest from Hoshiarpur seat. Party's Majha zonal incharge Kuldip Singh Dhaliwal will contest from Amritsar seat and Narinder Singh Shergill, who had contested 2017 Punjab Assembly polls from Mohali, has been given ticket from Anandpur Sahib seat.

Ram said names of candidates for the remaining eight seats will be announced later. The AAP had won four out of total 13 seats during 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

MID-AIR CRASH OF TWO INDIGO PLANES AVERTED Two IndiGo planes carrying approximately 300 passengers came within 45 seconds of a mid-air collision in Bangladeshi air space, before an air traffic controller in Kolkata spotted the prospective disaster and instructed one of the pilots to take evasive action. A senior ATC official said, “The Chennai-Guwahati flight was assigned 35,000 feet by the controller in Kolkata while the other (Guwahati-Kolkata) flight was traveling at 36,000 feet. The controller saw the second flight suddenly started a descent. The radar screen analysing speed, distance and coordinates of various aircraft flashed an alarm indicating a conflict. The controller immediately decided to take the matter in his own hands and, with barely 45 seconds left for impact, asked the Guwahatibound aircraft’s pilot to veer sharply to the left. This averted certain disaster.”

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HERITAGE HISTORY

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17 - 23 November 2018

Sardar Patel managed to Retain Lakshadweep • Mudaliar brothers were prompt to take over before Pak ship reaches • 4200 sq.kms. of lagoon, rich in marine wealth, spread over 36 islands

W

hile interacting with Ravindra Vaishnav, 80, an old hand from Amul, he told an interesting story which gave a pleasant surprise to my mind on how India took over the Territory of Lakshadweep, a Muslim majority group of islands of just 32.69 Sq. Kms. It is not only a strategically important territory but does attract global tourism even today. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the then Deputy Prime Minister of independent India in charge of Home as well as States Ministry, had sent an SOS message to Mudaliar brothers to convey the collector of Travancore to instruct the police officials and the employees to go to Lakshadweep with whatever arms were with them. His instruction was to take possession of the islands closer to the border and hoist the national flag there. “If the police forces no firearms with them, they can take lathis with them but somehow take possession of the area.”

Sardar Patel was farsighted.

When the people from Travancore Police reached Lakshadweep and hoisted the Triranga, they found a ship with Pakistan flag sailing towards Lakshadweep with the intention to take over the Muslim majority area in the Arabian Sea. The Pak dream to capture Lakshadweep was shattered after they watch the Indian National Flag and preferred to take U-turn.

But for promptness in the action on Indian side, the strategic area of Lakshadweep must have been part of Pakistan forever. The incident took place immediately after India got independence in August 1947 when British left and Pakistan took a shape of a Muslim State.

Lakshadweep is a group of about 36 islands. Kavaratti is the capital township. Andrott, Amini, Agatti, Bitra, Chetlat, Kadmat, Kalpeni, Kavaratti, Kiltan and Minicoy are only ten islands inhabited and a total land area of 32.69 Sq. Kms. which is scattered over 30,000 Square Miles of Arabian Sea is of great importance for the national security. It has only one Jilla Panchayat, languages i.e. Malayalam with Arabic, Jeseri (Dweep Bhasha) and Mahl. It has only 10 village panchayats. The total population of Lakshadweep, according to 2011 census, is 64,473 of which male and female are 33,123 and 31,350 respectively. Earlier the Member of Parliament was nominated in the Lok Sabha but since 1967 the voters have been electing the MP. The Administration is run by the Administrator, the Collector and the Police Chief, normally they have been IAS or IPS officials.

Lakshadweep Map

One of world's most spectacular tropical island systems, Lakshadweep is tucked away at 220-440Kms off the Kerala Coast.

The islands offer a precious heritage of ecology and culture.

The unique feature of the Islands is its coral reef, making it a pristine leisure spot to come back to 4200 sq. kms. of lagoon, rich in marine wealth, is spread over 36 islands in an area of 32 sq. kms. The underwater view at Lakshadweep is kaleidoscopic and breathtaking.

The lagoon offers excellent potential for water sports like swimming, wind-surfing, diving, snorkeling and kayaking. Each island is fringed by snow white coral sands. The crystal clear water and the abundant marine life enhance the beauty of these islands. Against the vast expanse of the blue sea, the island look like emeralds. The huge shallow calm lagoon on one side with wall like reef made of marine live coral

boulders blocks the incoming swells of the outer sea. The islands are linked to the mainland by ship, helicopter, Indian Airlines, Kingfisher Airlines and mechanized sailing wooden vessels.

Early history of Lakshadweep is unwritten. What now passes for history is based on various legends.

Local traditions attribute the first settlement on these islands to the period of Cheraman Perumal, the last king of Kerala. It is believed that after his conversion to Islam, at the behest of some Arab merchants, he slipped out of his capital Cranganore, the present day Kodungallor – an old harbour town Kochi, for Mecca.

Even after the conversion of the entire islands to Islam, sovereignty remained in the hands of the Hindu Rajah of Chirakkal for some years. After the battle of Seringapattom in 1799 the islands were annexed to the British East India Company and were administered from Mangalore. In 1847, a severe cyclone hit the island of Andrott and Raja of Chirakkal decided to visit the island in order to assess the damages and for distributing relief. An officer of the East India Company Sir William Robinson volunteered to accompany him.

On reaching Andrott, the Rajah found it difficult to meet all the demands of the people. Sir William then offered the Rajah help in the form of a loan. This was accepted.

This arrangement continued for about four years but when the interest started mounting, the English asked the Rajah to repay them which he could not. In 1854 all the remaining islands were handed over to the East India Company for Administration. so, came the British rule. After India became independent in August

Next Column: India too a Country of Immigrants 1947 and Lakshadweep, which was known as Laccadive, Minicoy and Aminidivi Islands, was merged with India, the Union Territory

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were seasoned parliamentarians.

They received honours both from the British Government and the post-freedom Indian regime.

Despite not belonging to the Congress school of political thought, they protected and promoted the interests of the nation. Even in death, they were pretty close: A.R. Mudaliar lived about two more years after his

Lakshadweep, the heaven on the earth

accomplishments and contributing enormously to public policies in a variety of areas. “This summarises the life history of Arcot Ramaswami (A.R.) Mudaliar (18871976) and Arcot Lakshmanaswami (A.L.) Mudaliar (1887-1974).

Famously called the twin stars of Arcot, the brothers had long innings in public life, spanning over 50 years. Both were educationists and vice-chancellors, one still holding the record of having the longest tenure of 27 years as V- C in any Indian university. Both occupied several positions at the national level, before and after Independence and

brother A.L. Mudaliar died. And they were institution-builders and visionaries.” It is the right time to pay tribute to not only the Sardar, but also to the Mudaliar brothers, the then Collector and police personnel of the Travancore ( now Kerala) thanks to their timely efforts India could save Lakshadweep, the heaven on the earth, from being grabbed by Pakistan. Today Lakshadweep is one of the global destination for tourism.

Dr. Hari Desai (The writer is a Socio-political Historian.

E-mail: haridesai@gmail.com)

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Mudaliar brothers: A. Ramaswami Mudaliar and A. Lakshmanaswamy Mudaliar

was formed in 1956 and it was named Lakshadweep in 1973.

Mudaliar brothers contributed a lot to take over Lakshadweep in time under the instruction of Sardar Patel. Mudaliar brothers, as T. Ramkrishnan prefers to call them, “the twin stars of Arcot”.

They were born as twins brothers becoming leaders in their chosen field, vying with each other in

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17 - 23 November 2018

PM Modi inaugurates first multimodal terminal in Varanasi Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first inland port, in Varanasi, on the Ganga River as part of the Centre's push to develop inland waterways. The project which was unveiled as the PM, along with Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, received the country's first container vessel that sailed from Kolkata on the inland waterway on October 30, carrying cargo belonging to food and beverage giant PepsiCo India. This is the first of four multimodal terminals being constructed on the River Ganga dubbed the National Waterway1 as part of the World Bank-aided Jal Marg Vikas project of the Inland Waterways Authority of India.

At the launch, Modi said, “This is a historic day for Varanasi and India. For the first time since Independence, we are using our extensive river network for commerce at this scale. It should have happened decades ago but we have finally made it happen now.” The vessel received by Modi carried 16 truckloads of food and beverage consignments in containers.

“The movement of this container vessel means the eastern Uttar Pradesh, Poorvanchal and country's eastern part have been linked to the Bay of Bengal,” Modi said.

The Modi government is developing the entire 1,620 km between Allahabad and Haldia as National Waterway-1, which can be used for transport of goods and passengers throughout the year. Modi took digs at the previous government for neglecting the development of waterways in

Obituary Pravinbhai Varsani It is with great sadness that we announce the passing away of Shri Pravinbhai Laljibhai Varsani on October 29.

Taking on several roles throughout his lives, his primary two roles were as husband to Jashodaben Pravinbhai Varsani, and father to Jitenbhai Varsani, Jainaben Panchani, and Varshaben Kerai. Born in Mombasa, Shri Pravinbhai was instrumental in commencing BAPS Satsang activities in Bolton, where he served as Centre Coordinator for many years. Those who wish to contact the family, may call Jitenbhai on 07812 111 839.

Gordhanbhai Patel

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the dedication of the India’s First Multi-Modal Terminal on river Ganga to the Nation, in Varanasi

the country. He said, “There was a time when big vessels used to ply on our rivers.

But after independence we neglected these routes rather than develop them...The waterway will not only be used for transporting cargo but this will also promote tourism and will also connect the religious places in east India to the east Asian countries. Varanasi and other areas in the eastern region will also be popular for cruise tourism.”

He also said that products including

handloom and textile products from Varanasi and nearby regions can be transported to other parts through the waterway.

Historian Prof Rana P B Singh said, “As per English scholar James Prinsep, goods transportation through waterway up from Kolkata to Varanasi and other eastern destinations had remained till 1832. Wood, sandalwood, silk, spices and salt were mainly brought to Varanasi market by traders through the waterway.”

Modi unveils Sardar Patel's 'Statue of Unity' cement, 18,500 tonnes of reinforced steel, 6,000 tonnes of structural steel and 1,700 metric tonnes of bronze, which was used for the outer cladding of the structure. It has been described as the world’s tallest statue as it is 177 feet higher than China's Spring Temple Buddha, currently the world’s tallest statue. It was built by India's major infrastructure and engineering conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T), based on the design etched by Padma Bhushanwinning sculptor Ram V Sutar. It took about 250 engineers and 3,400 labourers to construct the statue in 33 months.

The statue has a viewing gallery at a height of 193 metres from the sea level that can accommodate 200 visitors at a time.

This gallery, at 153 metres height, will offer a view of the Sardar Sarovar Dam, its reservoir, and the Satpura and Vindhya mountain range.

Shri Gordhanbhai Patel of London passed away peacefully on October 31, at the age of 89. Born in Minakulu, Uganda, he subsequently moved to London where he settled for most of his life. A warm and approachable person, Gordhanbhai had dedicated most of his life to Satsang and seva in Uganda and UK. Brahmaswarup Yogiji Maharaj resided at his house during his 1970 Uganda vicharan.

Shri Chhaganbhai Patel Shri Chhaganbhai Patel, fondly called Bhulabhai, passed away on November 1, at the age of 79. Based in AshtonManchester, he was the husband of Sardaben Patel, and father to Shailesh Patel and Yogesh Patel. Chhaganbhai was a dedicated devotee of BAPS and one of the pioneers of Ashton Satsang Mandal in the early 1970s. He was the purvashram uncle of Pujya Vimaljivan Swami (Gandhinagar). Shri Bhulabhai's funeral was held on November 10, in Stockport.

Those who wish to contact the family, may call his son Shailesh Patel on 07884 495 959

Kanubhai Ambalal Patel It is with utmost regret that we announce the tragic demise of Kanubhai Ambalal Patel of East London. Husband of Pushpaben Patel, father to Dharmistaben, Jayminiben and late Jigneshbhai, and father-in-law to Harishbhai Desai. He passed away on November 5, at the age of 82. Those who wish to connect with the family, may call Harishbhai on 07932 598 790

PM Modi on 31st Oct 2018 dedicated to the nation a 182-metre statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

The tiny tribal hamlet of Kevadiya, settled between Satpura and Vindhya ranges, in Gujarat, has found its place etched in history as Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the world's tallest statue, the Statue of Unity, built in honour of India's Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, to the nation. The 182m tall statue of Sardar built on Sadhu Beyt near Sardar Sarovar Dam was conceptualised by Modi in 2010, when he was chief minister of Gujarat. The figure was built in a record 42 months and unveiled in a spectacular show that included fly past by Jaguar IAF planes colouring the skies in Indian tricolour, and MI-17 helicopter Dignitaries for the inaugural function remained limited to Gujarat leaders, including Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, Karnataka governor Vajubhai Vala, Madhya Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel and national BJP president Amit Shah. Modi, in his address to the nation following inauguration of the statue, said the

imposing structure will be a global inspiration and a reminder of Sardar's valour that had won over all pessimism and vanquished conspiracies to disintegrate India. He urged people to rise above caste, class, and religion and imbibe the sole feeling of “being Indian” to realise the dream of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat'.

Modi said it was the responsibility of the people to give a befitting reply to divisive elements who are trying to break the nation.

“The world's tallest statue will remind the entire world, the future generations about the courage, capabilities and determination of the person who did this holy work of vanquishing the conspiracy to disintegrate India into pieces.” The PM also lashed out at his critics who questioned the construction of the monument. “We are criticised for praising the contributions of national heroes like Sardar Patel. We are made to feel as if we have committed a serious crime. Is it crime to commemorate national heroes?”

The £298.3 million statue of Sardar Patel has been built using over 70,000 tonnes of

World War I memorial celebration at St. George church - Shahibagh Cantt. in Ahmedabad with war veterans and Geoff Wain, British Deputy High Commissioner in Gujarat.

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17 - 23 November 2018

in brief WHO reveals 'dangerous' misuse of antibiotics YOU SHOULD across the world as it lists the countries using too WHY THINK TWICE BEFORE many, too few or the wrong types of medicines DRIZZLING MORE Experts say prescribing too many or too few medications can be damaging ‘Urgent’ action is needed to tackle the global misuse of antibiotics, the World Health Organization today warned.

The UN body has compared data from 65 countries to reveal the nations which dish the drugs out the most and least often.

Doctors in Mongolia are guilty of prescribing the most antibiotics per person, according to the WHO analysis. At the other end of the scale, Burundi in Africa had the lowest rate.

Antibiotics have been doled out unnecessarily by GPs and hospital staff for decades, fuelling once harmless bacteria to become superbugs.

And countries using too many, too few, or the wrong types of antibiotics may all be adding to the risk of medicines becoming less effective against common illnesses.

'The large difference in antibiotic use worldwide indicates that some countries are probably overusing antibiotics,' the World Health Organization warned.

'While other countries may not have sufficient access to these life-saving medicines.'

There is a need to 'take urgent action, such as enforcing prescription-only policies, to reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics,' said Suzanne Hill, the head of the WHO's essential medicines unit.

The WHO, which wrote the report, warned that both too many antibiotics or not enough can contribute to antibiotic resistance. Europe has an average of 18 defined daily doses per 1,000 people – whereas

Mongolia has more than 64.

This suggests a figure which is too high, overuse of medicines allows bacteria and viruses to get used to the constantly-used drugs.

But in Burundi, near the Democratic Republic of the

Congo, the rate is just 4.4 daily doses – suggesting people don't have enough access to medicines.

Not having enough can be just as damaging because people may only take half a course, meaning what's left of the infec-

tion will learn to survive.

Ms Hill added: 'Overuse and misuse of antibiotics are the leading causes of antimicrobial resistance. Without effective antibiotics and other antimicrobials, we will lose our ability to treat common infections like pneumonia.'

Other countries with particularly high use of antibiotics are Iran, with 39 daily doses per 1,000 people, Turkey with 38, Sudan with 35 and Greece with 33.

The data is incomplete and only includes 65 countries, with the US, Australia, China and India left out.

The most commonly used drug worldwide is amoxicillin – a member of the penicillin family, which is the first line of defence but can already be resisted by bacterial infections like MRSA. And some countries are more guilty than others of readily using back-up medicines, which are stronger versions supposed to be saved for when frontline drugs fail.

Italy, Spain and Japan are heavy users of these drugs, which the WHO says need to be preserved for future use.

In Italy, two per cent of all antibiotics given are taken from the 'reserve' category, more than six times as many as in Britain, where the figure is just 0.3 per cent.

Drinking a cup of tea or eating a handful of berries a day may protect against heart disease Drinking a cup of tea or eating a handful of berries a day may protect against heart disease, research suggests.

A study of nearly 53,000 people over 23 years found people who include tea and blueberries in their daily diets are less likely to suffer from conditions such as stroke. Scientists believe this is due to them being rich in antioxidants that are thought to be anti-inflammatory.

In one of the largest trials of its kind, researchers from the University of Western Australia analysed participants of the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health Study. When the study began in the 1990s, the participants completed a questionnaire about their diets.

Their health was then tracked over two decades, during which time around 12,000 developed a heart condition.

But the researchers found

those who ate 500mg of the antioxidants flavonoids a day were less likely to develop coronary heart disease (CHD).

This occurs when the arteries narrow, causing less blood and oxygen to reach the heart.

A high intake of flavonoids also reduced their risk of peripheral artery disease - the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries that restricts blood supply to the leg muscles - and stroke.

Co-lead author and research associate Nicola Bondonno claimed 500mg of flavonoids is 'very easy to eat in one day' and could come from 'a cup of tea, a handful of blueberries, may be some broccoli'.

The results further found that for an otherwise healthy person, consuming more than 500mg of flavonoids a day did not carry much benefit.

But smokers and heavy drinkers required more

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flavonoids for the same effect.

Men also needed to consume more flavonoid-rich foods than women.

These three groups stand to benefit the most from including flavonoids in their diets, according to the researchers.

The study was presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions in Chicago. The scientists stress, however, a person's overall diet is likely more important than just eating lots of flavonoid-rich foods. They also note the study was only carried out in Danish people but add 'these kinds of

associations have been seen in other populations'.

More than 1.6 million men and around million women are living with CHD in the UK. The disease is responsible for one in four deaths in the US. The build up of plaque in the arteries is thought to trigger inflammation, which can irritate the blood vessels.

Over the long term this inflammation can also loosen plaque and lead to blood clots.

This comes after research released earlier this month found that exposure to blue light lowers a person's blood pressure.

HONEY ON YOUR BREAKFAST

Honey has a glowing reputation. The Ancient Greeks believed that honey instilled poetry and wisdom in us, carried to Earth by the gods. In more modern times, many honey has been hailed as the healthy alternative to sugar, a promoter of overall wellness, and a purported natural 'treatment' for everything from sore throats to bacterial infections and even fertility.

And many go so far as to advise that raw honey is the only way to get the real health benefits of the ingredient. The honey market's value has climbed - even amid concerns over sustainability - and specialty supermarket sections and free-standing stores have cropped up. But honey may not be all it's cracked up to be. As obesity continues to plague the US (and much of the world), sugar has been identified as a primary culprit in the epidemic. Sugar is quickly absorbed into the blood stream, and is considered empty calories. There are about 16 calories in each of those teaspoons and carbohydrates are about all your body can glean from the sweet crystals. And high-sugar diets are a common theme in the unhealthy Western Diet, raising risks for heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

NHS BOSSES AND GPS BLAME EACH OVER FLU JAB SHORTAGE AS THOUSANDS OF OVER65S WAIT ON VACCINE NHS bosses and GPs are blaming each other for failing to provide enough flu jabs for the over65s. Thousands of elderly patients have not yet been vaccinated after surgeries and chemists ran out of stock. One pharmacist in Bristol said he was turning away 15 elderly patients a day and shortages have also been reported in Surrey, Kent, Middlesbrough, Birmingham and Bolton.

The problems were triggered by the rollout of a new jab.

GP leaders said NHS England only told them to switch vaccines in February after they had placed orders in September and October 2017 to be used this autumn.

But NHS England has criticised doctors and pharmacists for failing to act quickly enough to switch stocks once the guidance went out. It gave them until the end of March to place orders for the vaccine, manufactured by Surrey-based firm Seqirus, which it claims was plenty of time.

NHS England said that there is enough of the new vaccine, Fluad, to go around and a batch is expected to arrive in surgeries next week. The flu season usually starts to take hold in December.

Richard Vautrey, the chairman of the British Medical Association’s GP committee, said that NHS England had to learn from its failings to avoid similar shortages next year.

While Judith Jolly, the Lib Dems’ health spokesman, said: ‘It is disgraceful that the most vulnerable people in our society are being left at risk.’

28 BOLLYWOOD

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Kat's idea of love revealed on KJo's show

Seated on the red hot couch of Bollywood's scandalous TV show 'Koffee With Karan', actress Katrina Kaif unhesitatingly spoke about love and her definition of it. She said love should be liberating and that people should free themselves from judging themselves based on how their partner makes them feel. Kaif and Johar speak openly about how it is widely accepted that it is necessary for a woman to have a man while she believes that this is not true for everyone.

Kaif said she feels people tend to burden their partners with the responsibility of making them happy and that's where relationships go wrong. “You somehow

always judge yourself based on how much love or attention you're getting from your partner. Your relationship suffers just a little bit, and your self esteem and your image take a beating, which is not a good thing,” Kaif said. She added that one shouldn't feel anything on the basis of how somebody else is trying to make them feel. “When neither of you need each other, when there's no great dependency on the other person.

There's just admiration, there's respect, there's companionship and there's a space of ease between you.” Kaif features in an episode of 'Koffee With Karan' Season 6, with actor Varun Dhawan, with whom she will star in the upcoming movie 'ABCD 3'.

Deepika, Ranveer say no to wedding gifts, urge guests to donate

Wedding bells near for Bollywood's favourite power couple Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh. The couple is all set to marry at the luxurious Villa del Balbianello in Italy's Lake Como.

While the couple is getting married in a private ceremony at one of the most expensive destinations in the world, their e-invite has all the details about the grand event. From a nomobile phones policy to security that could put Fort Knox to shame, the stars are doing everything to keep their wedding a small and pristine affair.

Now, the latest update is that couple won't be accepting gifts. “Ranveer and Deepika are committed to the cause and want to involve their guests in the act of kindness.” The two have reportedly have requested their guests to send cheques to Deepika's charity, The Live Love Laugh Foundation, instead. Only close family and friends have been invited to the wedding including Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Farah Khan.

Netflix announces nine Indian originals produced by stellar women of the industry

As Netflix continues to expand around the world, the streaming giant's raging popularity in India is a sight to see. With the success of it's Indian original 'Sacred Games', Netflix is now aggressively targeting India for a couple of new originals that will be produced by none other than the leading ladies of Bollywood- Anushka Sharma, Priyanka Chopra, and Madhuri Dixit.

At Netflix's 'See What's Next: Asia' event, that concluded in Singapore, it announced nine Indian originals including eight films and one series. a and a Sharm Anushk Sharma Anushka Sharma h Karnes and Karnesh Sharma's Clean Slate films is set to produce 'Bulbul', a period drama set in a vibrant atmosphere midst age-old beliefs and superstitions. Chopra will produce

'Firebrand', a Marathi film that follows a successful lawyer, a sexual assault victim as she deals with family cases while also facing intimacy issues in her own marriage. The movie stars Usha Jadhav, Girish Kulkarni, Madhav Patkar, Sachin Khedekar, and Rajeshwari Sachdev, and will be directed

by Aruna Raje.

Madhuri Dixit's production is '15th August', a film that revolves around the struggles of middleclass people in India. Other films and series to debut include Hotel Mumbai, a film based on the November 26 terrorist attacks in Mumbai featuring Dev Patel and Armie Hammer. 'Music Teacher' a story about an emotionally troubled music teacher, will release alongside 'Chopsticks', 'Upstairs', and 'Cobalt Blue'.

A drunk Dutt hurls abuses at paps on Diwali eve

True to tradition, Bollywood saw a string of glamorous and glitzy Diwali bashes across the festival season this year too. Actor Sanjay Dutt and wife Maanyata too hosted a party at their residence on Diwali eve. However, it wasn't only the extravaganza that caught everyone's attention. In a video that surfaced on the internet lately, and has gone viral, Dutt can be seen hurling abuses at photographers and reporters clustered outside his home, and asking them to leave.

In the video, a visibly drunk Dutt can be seen asking the paps to go home and celebrate Diwali. He swears at the

photographers and when one tells him they have been instructed by their bosses to work, he uses more swear words. The Twitter user who shared the video on his account, captioned it, “Few months back, Biopic of this guy made 300 Crores.”

Journalists and the media has slammed the actor for his behaviour, calling him “rowdy” and “spoilt brat”. On the work front, Dutt is busy working for his upcoming film 'Torbaaz', which also stars Nargis Fakhri and Rahul Dev. He will also be seen in Telugu remake 'Prasthanam', Karan Johar's 'Kalank', and Mahesh Bhatt's 'Sadak 2'.

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SS Rajamouli’s ‘RRR’ launched in Hyderabad

Shooting of Tollywood's most-anticipated multi-starrer 'RRR' has been kick-started in Hyderabad with a formal puja ceremony.

Helmed by 'Baahubali' director SS Rajamouli, the film stars Jr NTR and Ram Charan, and is directed by legendary director K Raghavendra Rao. Present at the event were megastar Chiranjeevu, Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Kalyan Ram, Koratala Siva, Boyapati Srinu, Vamshi Paidipally, Venky Atluri, Suresh Babu, Allu Aravind, Shobu Yarlagadda, KL Narayana, and Shyam Prasad Reddy.

Producer DVV Danayya spoke at the launch. “It is a matter of honour to be producing probably the most awaited film of Indian cinema. This whole project is like a dream or maybe I can call it a dream come

true. Working on a film in the combination of stars like NTR, Ram Charan and Rajamouli is something that is really exciting for me. There are already great expectations from the film with both the Nandamuri fans, mega fans and all movie goers expecting something out of the ordinary. I promise I will make sure no stone is left unturned from my side in that regard.” He added, “We will make no compromise on anything the team requires. This film will surely remain as the pride of Indian cinema. The shooting of the film will commence on November 19. The first schedule will contain NTR and Ram Charan shooting for a high-octane action episode. We will soon announce the rest of the cast.”

Nithya Menen speaks up on #MeToo Popular south Indian actress Nithya Menen spoke up about sexual harassment in the industry and her ways of protecting herself. The south film industry has their own cross to bear, with incidents like an actor being abducted and assaulted in Kochi, a plan masterminded by Malayalam superstar Dileep. Consequently, actors like Parvathy and director Anjali Menon joined hands to launch the 'Women in Cinema Collective' to identify the problems faced by women in the Malayalam film industry and explore ways to address them.

Nithya, who has worked in Malayalam films like 'Akasha Gopuram', 'Apoorvaragam', and 'Ustad Hotel', did not join the organisation. When asked why she didn't feel like joining the fraternity members who formed a collective, especially after women from Malayalam cinema came out with stories of being assaulted, Menen said, “I completely understand the thing that people are facing. I do everything possible to counter it. Just because I am not doing it one way, doesn't mean that I am not countering those things or I am not against it. I am, but I have a different approach.”

She added, “I believe that my way is only through my work. The way that I work and the kind of things that I do, the way that I approach people when I am working... all of this gives a strong message to people that I am working with, and to people who are watching my films. I have the same view as everybody else, but I prefer doing it my way.”

Jyothika set to slay in 'Kaatrin Mozhi' Jyothika who is seldom seen in the limelight never fails to impress her fans on screen, and in good news for her followers, the actress is set to entertain the audience with a Tamil remake of Vidya Balan's 'Tumhari Sulu'. Directed by Radha Mohan, 'Kaartin Mozhi' will remind you of the original, and Balan's sultry and now iconic style of saying “Hello” as an RJ. Trailer of the film has

dropped and by the looks of it, everybody already loves it.

The short clip shows the life of Vijayalakshmi Balakrishnan, a homemaker trying to maker her life happier and more interesting. This is Jyothika and M o h a n ' s second outing, after 2007's superhit hit 'Mozhi'. 'Kaatrin Mozhi' releases in cinemas on November 16, this year.

* Schedule is subject to change

MONDAY 19th - FRIDAY 23rd November

TIME

TV PROGRAM NAMES

16:00:00 RASOI SHOW

17:00:00 THE GREAT INDIAN GLOBAL KITCHEN 2 17:30:00 THE GREAT INDIAN GLOBAL KITCHEN 18:00:00 RADHA PREM KI DEEWANI 18:30:00 UTTARAN

19:00:00 DIL KI PUKAR 19:30:00 SWARAGINI

20:00:00 ISHQ MEIN MARJAWAN 20:30:00 INTERNETWALA LOVE

21:00:00 BALIKA VADHU - LAMHE PYAAR KE 21:30:00 SHAITAAN - A CRIMINAL MIND

22:30:00 ZINDAGI KI HAQEEQAT SE AAMNA SAAMNA

TIME

SATURDAY 24th November TV PROGRAM NAMES

17:00:00 DIL KI PUKAR 18:00:00 PADMAAVAT

21:30:00 DANCE DEEWANE

23:00:00 INTERNETWALA LOVE

TIME

SUNDAY 25th November

TV PROGRAM NAMES

17:30:00 ISHQ MEIN MARJAWAN - WEEKEND KA MAHA EPISODE 18:00:00 IIFA AWARDS 2018 21:30:00 DANCE DEEWANE 23:00:00 SWARAGINI

* Schedule is subject to change

SATURDAY 17th - SUNDAY 18th November

TIME

TV PROGRAM NAMES

16:30 Crime Patrol 17:30 Crime Patrol 18:30 Indian Idol 20:00 Indian Idol

22:00 Comedy Circus 23:00 Crime Patrol

MONDAY 19th - Thursday 24th November TIME TV PROGRAM NAMES 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 23:00

TIME

18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 23:00

Vighnaharta Ganesh Mere Sai Yeh Un Dinon Ki Baat Hai Chandragupta Maurya Main Maayke Chali Jaaungi Kaun Banega Crorepati Crime Patrol

FRIDAY 23rd November

TV PROGRAM NAMES

Vighnaharta Ganesh Mere Sai The Kapil Sharma Show Chandragupta Maurya Main Maayke Chali Jaaungi Kaun Banega Crorepati Crime Patrol

* Schedule is subject to change

TIME

MONDAY 19th - FRIDAY 23rd November

TV PROGRAM NAMES

19:30:00 UDANN

20:00:00 SHAKTI ASTITVA KE EHSAAS KI

20:30:00 DASTAAN-E-MOHABBAT SALIM ANARKALI 21:00:00 BIGG BOSS (SEASON 12) 22:00:00 SILSILA

22:30:00 BEPANNAAH 23:00:00 ROOP

23:30:00 BIGG BOSS (SEASON 12) - WEEKEND KA WAAR 23:30:00 STRICTLY STREET (Friday only)

TIME

SATURDAY 24th November

TV PROGRAM NAMES

18:00:00 INDIA'S GOT TALENT - SEASON 8 19:30:00 DESI BEAT 3.0

20:00:00 NAAGIN - SEASON 3

21:00:00 BIGG BOSS (SEASON 12) - WEEKEND KA WAAR 22:00:00 INDIA'S GOT TALENT - SEASON 8 23:30:00 UDANN

TIME

SUNDAY 25th November

TV PROGRAM NAMES

18:00:00 INDIA'S GOT TALENT - SEASON 8 19:30:00 DESI BEAT 3.0

20:00:00 NAAGIN - SEASON 3

21:00:00 BIGG BOSS (SEASON 12) - WEEKEND KA WAAR 22:00:00 INDIA'S GOT TALENT - SEASON 8

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Gondal celebrates Diwali in the divine presence of Pujya Mahant Swami

Head of Bochasanvasi Sri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), Param Pujya Mahant Swami is currently in Bhadra on a vicharan. Earlier, he was in Gondal till November 8. In his presenec, Diwali was celebrated spectacularly. On November 5, Dhanteras, Mahant Swami urged his devotees to find divinity in every one, and that is true wealth. On November 6, Kali Chaudas, Swami conducted Hanumant Pooja, and in the evening, children's day was celebrated. Children presented dialogues on the topic 'Key to Akshardham'. In his address, Mahant Swami asked his devotees to think before acting, and to do only what makes the Gods happy. On the occasion of Diwali, he visited beautiful and scenic places in Gondal. In the evening, after Chopda Pujan, he urged his devotees to remain happy in the mind, body, and soul, and to live a life that pleases God. On November 9, New Year, a lavish annakut was served to the Gods, including 851 different items. Later that day, Mahant Swami reached Oujya Gunatitanand Swami's divine place in Bhadra.

LEICESTER EXPLOSION MURDER TRIAL JURY SWORN IN A jury sworn in Wednesday for the trial of three men accused of murdering five people in the explosion which rocked Leicester's Hinckley Road earlier this year. The trio is also accused of conspiracy to commit fraud. The Leicester Crown Court hearing, which got underway Tuesday, is expected to last for up to six weeks. Prospective jurors were given questionnaires about their availability for the period, and their eligibility to hear the trial. The questionnaires will also establish whether the potential jurors know anyone on a long list of witnesses who might appear in court during the trial, or have their statements read out. The explosion on the evening of Sunday, February 25, killed a mother, her two teenage sons and one of their girlfriends in the flat above the store. The shop owner, Aram Kurd, 34, Arkan Ali, 37, and Hawker Hassan, 32, are standing trial accused of murdering all five deceased. They also face alternative counts of manslaughter.

Those who lost their lives in the two-storey flat above the shop were Mary Ragoobeer, 46, along with sons Sean Ragoobeer, 17, Shane Ragoobeer, 18, and his girlfriend, Leah Beth Reek, 18.

Sneh Joshi

Amidst growing global interest in the study of the Sanskrit language, Chinmaya Mission UK is delighted to welcome renowned Sanskrit teacher Swami Ramakrishnananda to London from 17-26 November 2018 to conduct a range of unique sessions aimed at bringing out the depth and beauty of Sanskrit to all ages.

Often cited as the world’s most computerfriendly language, Sanskrit has a larger vocabulary than any other language thanks to its dynamic grammatical structure.

And it’s because of this that an expert in the language can typically work out the meaning of any word without a dictionary. In fact, various studies have shown that learning and chanting Sanskrit improves brain functioning and enhances memory power.

Rather than approach-

PROUD TO BE HINDU: First-year students from Aston University, from left, Rohit, Itisha, Nikesh, Vikash, Meha, Anjali

By Dhiren Katwa Swami Ramakrishnananda

ing Sanskrit in a dry, academic manner Swami Ramakrishnananda brings humor and a wealth of experience teaching and producing educational materials to help others learn Sanskrit more easily.

Most uniquely of all, Swami Ramakrishnananda will conduct a range of sessions for children including ‘Easy Sanskrit for Children’.

Junior chess champ Shreyas Royal beats 16 rivals in one go An incredibly talented nine-year-old schoolboy who is already conquering the world of chess, helped inspire a whole new generation of young players when he showed off his mind-blowing skills at Uxbridge Chess Club.

In the process I learnt how chess is helping transform children in west London into responsible, disciplined and wise little people.

Decked out in a smart suit which is just a little too big for him, Shreyas Royal who is already the best player in the under12 age group in the UK, and the second best

Shreyas Royal completed all of his 17 matches at Uxbridge Junior Chess Club in under 90 minutes (Image: Martin Elvery)

under-10's player in the world, took on 17 very keen players from the Uxbridge Junior Chess Club on Monday, October 29.

The diminutive maestro played 17 juniors simultaneously, which

16th November to the 6th December in your ninth house of travel and adventure, slowing down your pace. Double check your passport and tickets before you embark on any long distance journeys. Your mental focus could be anywhere other than your normal routine which could create chaos - discipline yourself.

The planet Mercury turns retroTAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 grade from 16th November to the

6th December in your eighth house of joint resources, taxes, wills, legacies and alimony, creating confusion and complications for you..

Seek professional help when making important decisions. Plenty of focus is needed when reading the small print.

Your closest relationships come GEMINI May 22 - June 22 under scrutiny as Mercury, the

planet of communications goes retrograde from 16th November to the 6th December in your seventh house of marriage and partnerships. There can be a lot of misunderstandings and confused signals. You'll need to listen carefully to what your partner is saying.

Try to resolve issues diplomatically, instead of being rash.

The next few weeks may bring confusion and misunderstandings at work and troubles with your health as Mercury turns retrograde from 16th November to the 6th December in your sixth house. You'll need to pay more attention to detail and double check everything before finalising important matters. Health problems should also be taken seriously.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23 The planet Mercury turns retrograde from 16th November to the 6th December in your solar fifth house.

Extra care should be exercised when it comes to matters surrounding romance, children, and creativity. Be as non-judgemental as possible and you should avoid jumping to any premature decisions. Speculation and gambling are not advised right now.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

B i r m i n g h a m .

Entertainment was provided, as ever, by Echoes International, led by Ramesh Jilka and his sons Sagar and Kumar.

GHAB’s Secretary of 38 years, Subhashbhai Patel, paid tribute to the Committee and thanked attendees for their continued support.

GHAB’s annual Diwali function will take place on 17th November. For more information visit www.ghab.org.uk

Once again, the Gujarati Hindu Association Birmingham (GHAB) was host to hundreds of participants, particularly students, during Navaratri, the ninenight Hindu annual folk dance festival, which ended last week.

This year, non-profit making GHAB, in partnership with Patidar Samaj & Friends West Midlands, held its event at the New Bingley Hall in Hockley,

means he literally had to walk between 17 different chess boards, and played each game against the clock. He beat all but one in 90 minutes, drawing one match with delighted club member Rudra Debnath, aged just eight.

The UK’s leading Vedic writer and TV personality

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20 Mercury turns retrograde from

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22

Renowned Sanskrit Festival of fun and teacher visits London colour in November

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SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

The planet Mercury turns retrograde from 16th November to the 6th December in your solar first house, extra care should be exercised when it comes to your body language. Others may misinterpret whatever you say and you should be aware that you can give off mixed signals. Good time to review the manner in which you come across to others.

The planet Mercury turns retrograde from 16th November to the 6th December in your solar fourth house. Extra care should be exercised when it comes to family relations, real estate matters, and domestic issues. Be as diplomatic as you can with family members. Try to put off major decision-making with regards to home improvement, moving, and family matters for the time being.

The planet Mercury turns retrograde from 16th November to the 6th December in your solar twelfth house, extra care should be exercised when it comes to private and personal matters. Be as non-judgemental as you can, but do keep an eye out for deceptiveness and falseness in others. Good time for yoga and meditation.

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22 The planet Mercury turns retrograde from 16th November to the 6th December in your solar second house, extra care should be exercised when it comes to new financial initiatives. There may be the need to resolve old, nagging issues regarding personal finances. Take this time to re-budget and re-think how you want to spend your cash during this period.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20 The planet Mercury turns retrograde from 16th November to the 6th December in your tenth house of career and status, slowing down your progress at work. It is important for you to be steadfast and focused as misunderstandings and confusion reign. Stay as organized as possible while Mercury, the planet of communications does its best to trip you up.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

The planet Mercury turns retrograde from 16th November to the 6th December in your solar third house, extra care should be exercised when it comes to composing letters, emails, making phone calls, and with communications in general. Issues with siblings or neighbours - these should be resolved sympathetically. Relationships are also sensitive, try to resolve them amicably.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19

The planet Mercury turns retrograde from 16th November to the 6th December in your solar 11th house. Sometimes when you choose to lean on friends, you find they're leaning on you already.

The next few weeks give you the chance to discover who your true friends are. Planetary activity in your chart signals a time of mixed emotions as well as personal issues to be dealt with.

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in brief ICC SUSPENDS LANKA BOWLING COACH Nuwan Zoysa

The International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended Sri Lankan bowling coach Nuwan Zoysa for breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. He was charged by ICC with three counts of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code (for match-fixing). ICC has given Zoysa 14 days to respond to his charges. Zoysa has been charged with articles which relate to match-fixing and encouraging players to influence results. The ICC is currently conducting a full-scale investigation into the alleged corrupt activities in Sri Lankan cricket.

It recently charged World Cup-winning batting legend Sanath Jayasuriya with noncooperation in the probe. Zoysa was appointed Sri Lanka's bowling coach in September 2015. Sri Lanka Cricket earlier suspended Galle groundsman Tharanga Indika and professional cricketer Tharindu Mendis, who allegedly spoke about fixing the pitch to ensure a result in under four days in a sting operation by a TV channel. SLC also suspended provincial coach Jeevantha Kulathunga in the same case. In 2016, Galle curator Jayananda Warnaweera was suspended for failing to cooperate with the ICC's anti-corruption probe.

JAMES ANDERSON HANDED A DEMERIT POINT England bowler James Anderson has been handed a demerit point during the Test match against Sri Lanka. He has been charged after he threw the ball to the ground after umpire Chris Gaffaney warned him against running on the pitch. Earlier, during the Test against India at the Oval, Anderson was given a demerit point for dissenting with the umpire. He was found guilty of breaching Article 2.8 of ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. Further, 15% of Anderson's match fee has also been deducted for his conduct. A 'Level One' offense generally gets one demerit point, and if a player accumulates four demerit points in two years, he gets suspended for one Test or two ODI/T20I matches.

PAKISTAN PULL OFF THRILLING T20 WIN Left-arm pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi defended 17 runs in the last over as Pakistan defeated New Zealand by two runs in a thrilling finish to the first Twenty20 international. New Zealand needed six off the last delivery to tie the match but experienced batsman Ross Taylor managed just a boundary as New Zealand - set 149 to win finished at 146-6 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Mohammad Hafeez top-scored with 45 in Pakistan’s 148-6 after they won the toss and batted.

AZHAR ALI RETIRES FROM ODIS Senior Pakistani batsman Azhar Ali announced his retirement from one-day internationals to allow youngsters more chances to play for the national team while he focuses more on his Test career. The 33-yearold had been dumped from Pakistan’s oneday side since a flop series in New Zealand in January, where he earned just 12 runs in three matches - including a duck at Dunedin.

Indian women ease to 7 wicket win over Pak India notched up an easy seven-wicket win over Pakistan for their second victory in two games in the World Women's T20 at Providence in Guyana on Sunday. Needing to make a modest 134 after restricting Pakistan to 133/7, India rode on a measured 56 by veteran Mithali Raj and her 73-run opening stand with Smriti Mandhana (26) to reach the target in 19 overs.

Mithali was her assured self and hit seven fours in her knock. Mandhana was also looking good before she was caught by Umaima Sohail in the deep off Maroof, yet another instance of her getting out after getting set. Indian bowlers pinned Pakistan down for most part of their innings before allowing them to wriggle out for 133 for 7.

Opting to field after winning the toss, India made a great start with the ball, reducing Pakistan to 30 for 3 in the seventh over. But Pakistan made a fine recovery thanks to half-centuries from Bismah Maroof (53) and Nida Dar (52) as the duo stitched 93 runs for the fourth wicket.

India also dropped at least three easy catches, which allowed Pakistan to make a comeback in the Group B match. Opening bowler Arundhati Reddy gave India an early

Team India women players celebrate during the match against Pakistan

breakthrough by having Ayesha Zafar caught at the slips by Veda Krishnamurthy for nought in the first over.

Pakistan could have been in a worse

situation had Mandhana not dropped captain Javeria Khan in the third over. But two runouts in the space of three overs gave India the upper hand.

Hockey India names 18-member team for World Cup Manpreet Singh who played a Hockey India named an 18pivotal role in India's campaign member team that will represent as defending Champions at the the host nation at the Odisha Hero Asian Champions Trophy.

Hockey Men's World Cup Chinglensana Singh Kangujam Bhubaneswar 2018 to begin on will add to the experience in the November 28 at the Kalinga center along with young guns Stadium. The team will be led by Sumit, Nilakanta Sharma also of Manpreet Singh while the Junior World Cup team and Chinglensana Singh Kangujam will Hardik Singh, who made his be his deputy. The Indian team is Manpreet International debut last month. scheduled to begin their campaign Singh The forward line will see the against South Africa on the experienced Akashdeep Singh, opening day features PR Sreejesh Dilpreet Singh, Lalit Upadhyay and Junior and Krishan Bahadur Pathak as goalkeepers.

World Cup winners Mandeep Singh, Odisha's experienced defender Birendra Simranjeet Singh.

Lakra, who makes a comeback into the team SV Sunil and Rupinderpal Singh missed after missing out the Hero Asian Champions the cut. India grouped in Pool C along with Trophy in Muscat last month due to World No. 3 Belgium, Canada and South rehabilitation and will be joined by fellow Africa will need to finish on top of the pool to Odia Amit Rohidas, Surender Kumar, secure a place in the Quarter Final.

Kothajit Singh and 2016 Junior World Cup "We have chosen the best available winners Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar to combinations for the Odisha Hockey Men's form India's defence with three of them World Cup. We had to make some tough specialized as dragflickers. decisions to select 18 out of a very strong pool The midfield will see the dynamic

of 34 players. The final 18 are a mix of experienced and youth and have been selected on the basis of their current form and fitness. These players have consistently shown their potential in the lead up to the showpiece event and I am confident India will put up a fighting performance," asserted Chief Coach Harendra Singh.

The core group of 34 will continue to train in Bhubaneswar till November 23 after which the team will finalise its preparations for the World Cup. The team: GOALKEEPERS: PR Sreejesh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak. DEFENDERS: Harmanpreet Singh, Birendra Lakra, Varun Kumar, Kothajit Singh Khadangbam, Surender Kumar, Amit Rohidas.

MIDFIELDERS: Manpreet Singh (Captain), Chinglensana Singh Kangujam (Vice Captain), Nilakanta Sharma, Hardik Singh Sumit FORWARDS: Akashdeep Singh, Mandeep Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Simranjeet Singh

Former India U-19 star now leads US cricket team Saurabh Netravalkar, the 27-year-old former Mumbai medium pacer, who had left the game to study computer science in Cornell University, became the captain of the US national cricket team. The six-foot-tall leftarm seamer was India’s highest wicket-taker in the team’s ill fated U-19 World Cup campaign in 2010. Two of his notable victims were England’s future captain Joe Root and Pakistan’s turbulent opener Ahmed Shehzad. Three years later, Netravalkar played his only Ranji Trophy game for Mumbai against Karnataka and claimed three wickets. But Netravalkar wasn’t gungho about his future. “I gave two years full-time to cricket but felt I wasn’t making it to the next level,” he said.

An engineering graduate from Sardar Patel Institute of Technology in Mumbai, he took GRE and TOEFL exams and went to Cornell for a Master’s in 2015. He rediscovered cricket during his Cornell years, and padded up for a new innings. Even after joining Oracle as a software engineer, Netravalkar kept up his passion, driving six hours from San Francisco to Los Angeles during weekends.

Saurabh Netravalkar

He says, “On Fridays, I used to leave a little early from office with a fellow player and drive to LA. We would play a 50-over game in LA on Saturday. Then we would drive back in the night and play a 50-over game in San Francisco on Sunday. It was back to work on Monday. I put in a lot of effort which was noticed by the selectors. I got picked this January when I became eligible for national selection.”

Cricket is growing fast in the US. As per ICC statistics, the game is played in 48 states with 400 leagues, 6,000 teams and more than 200,000 participants. The game has a fan following of anywhere between 22 million and 36 million. The national team is a mix of players mostly from the West Indies, India and Pakistan. In the past, Maharashtra’s Sushil Nadkarni and Hyderabad’s Ibrahim Khaleel have also captained Team USA. “Our coach, Pubudu Dassanyake, has kept wickets for Sri Lanka in both Tests and ODIs,” says Netravalkar, who was picked to play for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League. He didn’t get a game though.

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17 - 23 November 2018

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India notch up last-ball victory over Windies Blitzkriegs from Delhi duo Shikhar Dhawan and Rishabh Pant enabled India complete a 3-0 sweep against West Indies in the T20I series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. Dhawan and Pant cut loose when the match seemed in the balance.

Then came a twist in the tale. Pant (58) was castled by Keemo Paul and it boiled down to five runs off the last over from left-arm spinner Fabian Allen. It became one off three when Allen, holding his nerve, delivered a dot ball and had Dhawan (92) caught in the deep off the fifth. With a single needed off the last ball, Manish Pandey and Dinesh Karthik scampered for a single. What a finish!

For large parts of the game, it seemed India would run away with an easy win till things got tight in the last over bowled by left-arm spinner Fabien Allen. The spinner had five runs to play with and Shikhar Dhawan (92) was well entrenched. The southpaw, who batted confidently till then, stroked a couple and a single off the first two deliveries before his partner Manish Pandey rotated the strike again with a run to tie the score.

Dhawan, though, failed to hit the winning run from the fourth delivery. Now, with one needed off the last two, the pressure built and Dhawan crumbled as he holed out to long on. The batsmen crossed and it all came down to Pandey. The 29-yearold, though, held his nerves and tapped Allen’s last ball gently towards mid-on. If Allen had not misfielded off his own bowling, a run-out was on the cards, but luckily for Pandey, he did and the Karnataka batsman completed the run to ensure the

in brief TEAM INDIA MAKES A BIZARRE REQUEST Ahead of the 2019 ICC World Cup, the Indian cricket team has sent the BCCI a list of their requests, while on tour. Earlier, the CoA (Committee of Administrators) had approved that the wives and girlfriends of players can join them on tours after a period of 10 days. Now, the team has forwarded more requests, and one of them is quite bizarre. The members of the Indian cricket team have asked the BCCI to allow wives and girlfriends throughout the entire length of the 2019 World Cup. They have also requested that they should be allowed to travel by train between cities, so that their partners can accompany them.

Amusingly, the players also want a steady supply of bananas, apparently their favorite fruit, during the World Cup. However, raising security concerns, the BCCI has stated that neither the board nor the CoA could be held responsible if anything unwarranted happens.

Shikhar Dhawan and Rishabh Pant during the 3rd and final T20 match against West Indies in Chennai

six-wicket win for India. The victory meant a clean sweep for Rohit Sharma’s boys in the T20 series.

Before the last-over drama, Dhawan and Rishabh Pant looked in control. While Dhawan took India close to the finish-line, Pant, who had scored only 79 runs in six T20Is till Sunday’s game, finally hit form by smashing his maiden half-century (58) in this format. The two southpaws shared a stand of 130 runs for the third wicket after Rohit and KL Rahul departed early.

Batting with authority, Dhawan and Pant handled the West Indies bowlers well on a slow pitch. The way Pant hit Pollard for

a six towards mid-wicket with only a swing of his bottom-hand was a treat for the 21,000-odd crowd. Dhawan, on the other hand, took a more cautious approach.

The two batsmen’s good work overshadowed the efforts of the West Indies batsmen earlier in the match. Spearheaded by the young Nicholas Pooran, the Windies finally came to the party. With India already winning the series, the West Indies had nothing to lose and it enabled their batsmen to bat with freedom. They were also aided by the absence of pacer Jasprit Bumrah and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav - bowlers who tormented their batsmen relentlessly.

Dravid inducted into ICC Hall Of Fame Former India captain Rahul Dravid was officially inducted into the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Hall of Fame ahead of the fifth and final One-day International between India and the Windies in Thiruvananthapuram recently. The ICC, on July 2, announced Dravid and Australian legend Ricky Ponting's induction into the Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Dublin. However, the memento was presented to Dravid by the legendary opener Sunil Gavaskar at the Greenfield International Stadium.

Dravid became only the fifth player from India after Bishan Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev, Gavaskar and Anil Kumble to be named on the elite list. Ponting is the 25th from Australia to receive the honour. Dravid aggregated 13,288 runs in 164 Tests with 36 centuries and 10,889 runs in 344 ODIs with

12 centuries. In 2004, Dravid was named the ICC Cricketer of the Year as well as the ICC Test Player of the Year.

Dravid, who played a just one Twenty20 International, was a brilliant slip fielder and finished his Test career in 2012 with 210 catches, which is a world record. "It is a

matter of great honour to be named by the ICC in the Cricket Hall of Fame. To find your name in a list of all-time greats across generations is something one only dreams of while setting out on a cricket career and the kind of recognition that would delight any player," Dravid was quoted as saying in an ICC media release after the induction.

"The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame is our way of honouring the greats of our game. Only the very best players in the world are recognised for their contribution to cricket in this way and I would like to congratulate Rahul, Ricky and Claire who are wonderful additions to the list of cricketing luminaries in the Hall of Fame," ICC Chief Executive David Richardson had said.

PRIYANSHU, 13, BETTERS SHAW’S MARK When Priyanshu Moliya came to bat in the middle, his team mates had expected a blistering inning from him in their Under-14 D K Gaekwad Cricket Tournament against Yogi Cricket Academy in Vadodara. Little did they expect, though, that Priyanshu would end up playing a mammoth 556-run knock spread over two days.

The opposition bowlers had simply no reply to Priyanshu’s batting that displayed both patience and abundance of talent. He made the record score Priyanshu Moliya with off 319 balls and Mohinder Amarnath his innings included 98 boundaries and a six. In 2013, Prithvi Shaw had scored 546 runs in the Harris Shield (U-16) Elite division school cricket tournament when he was just 14. “I had set no target when I took the field. I just played my normal game and timed the ball well. Runs kept coming and my confidence also grew,” said 13-year-old Priyanshu, who plays for Mohinder Lala Amarnath Cricket Academy (MLACA).

Priyanshu, who bowls both pace and offbreaks, didn’t just make a record score but also bagged four wickets in the two-day match. Interestingly, this is Priyanshu’s third double century in the last two years.

He scored two double centuries in the D K Gaekwad Cricket Tournament last year.

Indian grappler Bajrang becomes World number one in 65kg category Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia touched a new high in his career by achieving the number one rank in the world in the 65kg category. The 24-year-old Bajrang, who has won five medals this season, including CWG and Asian Games gold and a silver at the World Championship, was placed atop the ranking table with 96 points in the UWW list.

It has turned out to be a remarkable season for Bajrang, who was also the only Indian grappler to be given a seeding at the Budapest World Championship. Bajrang is comfortably leading the table and Cuban Alejandro Enrique Vlades Tobier is a distant second with 66 points. Bajrang had won a close semifinal against Tobier in the

Budapest Worlds. Russia’s Akhmed Chakaev (62) is in third place and the new world champion Takuto Otoguro (56) is at number four, followed by Turkey’s Selahattin Kilicsallayan (50).

Interestingly, Bajrang is the lone male Indian to figure in top-10 but the country has five female wrestlers who are in top-10 bracket in their respective categories. Pooja Dhanda, who became only the fourth Indian woman to win a World Championship medal, is now ranked sixth in the women’s 57kg with 52 points. She had taken a bronze. Ritu Phogat completes the top-10 in the women’s 50kg, with 33 points. Sarita Mor is ranked seventh in 59kg with 29 points while Navjot Kaur (32) and Kiran (37) are ninth in 68kg and 76kg category respectively.