AV 17th October 2020

FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE

inside: Home Office report notes record 8% increase in racial abuse and hate crime SEE PAGE - 13 R

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

17 - 23 OCTOBER 2020 - VOL 49 ISSUE 25

THE SILENT KILLER? Long Covid has devastating consequences on people's lives including 'brain fog'and even a change in the shape of hands

Frontline workers and community champions honoured in most ethnically diverse honours list ever SEE PAGE - 15

PM Modi among few world leaders to reach milestone of 20 years in office SEE PAGE - 26

Rhea Chakraborty freed on bail in drug case

EXCLUSIVE Rupanjana Dutta

The second wave of coronavirus is creating havoc in the country, especially in the North of England and Scotland, as the Prime Minister announced a threetier lockdown system across the nation on Monday.

Officials have warned that the rate at which the coronavirus is now spreading is faster than it was in the summer. Scientists say that colder temperatures, less sunlight and perhaps more rain in the North and Scotland may be responsible for them to suffer from a worse hit. But others have blamed dense population in the North, multi-generational families and poorer household where people cannot afford to work from home and return of almost 60,000 students to the universities as the main reasons behind this spike.

The Bombay High Court has granted bail to actress Rhea Chakraborty but rejected the bail plea of her brother Showik in connection with a drug case related to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

A single-judge bench of Justice Sarang Kotwal also rejected the bail pleas of alleged drug peddler Abdul Basit Parihar and granted bail to Rhea's associate Samuel Miranda and Rajput's personal staff Dipesh Sawant. They were all arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the case.

Continued on page 6

Continued on page 26

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17 - 23 October 2020

with Keith Vaz

Government accused of failure to prevent exploitation of garment workers

Dr Mala Dalal Dr Mala Dalal is a general practitioner in North West London.

She was born into a Jain family in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and moved to the UK after getting married to her husband, Gautam Dalal, in 1987. Her parents were both eminent gynaecologists and medical professors, inspiring an early appreciation of medicine.

She studied medicine at VS Medical College in Ahmedabad and has since worked as a GP in the UK for nearly 30 years, including teaching and examining medical students at Imperial College London. Recently, she has become interested in lifestyle medicine, after learning about the power of plant-based nutrition. In addition to the health benefits, she is motivated by her Jain principles, which emphasizes non-violence to all sentient beings. She has two daughters, one of whom is a lawyer and the other a tech consultant, both of whom are vegan.

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

Culturally and spiritually, probably India.

But home is where my family is, which has been London for the past 30 years. Besides, I do love London as a city - most cosmopolitan diverse green and culturally vibrant city in the work in my opinion. It is indeed regarded as crossroads of the world. It has offered me the opportunities to experience wide range of cultural experiences whether it is theatres, art, music concerts or museums. If you are tired of London, you are tired of life. Important thing is opportunities out there it is up to you to take advantage of this incredible place which is ready to touch your heart and open your mind.

What are your proudest achievements?

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My proudest moments are when I manage to diagnose complicated patient cases with atypical presentation, which I sometimes put down to a gut feeling or sixth clinical sense. I also get great satisfaction from teaching junior doctors and was humbled to receive the best GP tutor award at Imperial College London in 2006. Most recently, I am proud of how we responded to the pandemic, introducing virtual consultations, Covid Hubs and remote monitoring, to manage the majority of patients in the community for as long as possible and minimise the strain on hospitals.

What inspires you?

3

Seeing people who are passionate, energetic and positive about their ambitions. My parents have always been an inspiration, never ceasing to stop learning and striving for their dreams, while remaining practical and positive about every situation in order to allow for the best outcome possible.

What has been the biggest obstacle in your career?

Juggling the demands of my career alongside my husband’s, which included having to relocate between India and the UK several times, while also nurturing a young family and caring for elderly parents.

4

5

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

My parents, both of whom were preeminent gynaecologists and medical professors in Ahmedabad. My mother taught me the meaning of patient care, discipline and dedication.

My father fed my curiosity for the world.

What is the best aspect about your current role?

I love to fix problems when practicing clinical work as they can be like solving puzzles. I get an adrenaline rush and feel immense satisfaction when I find solutions for my patients to help them feel better and motivate them to make often small changes to live a healthier lifestyle.

And the worst?

6

mum wages. Some of these factories allegedly did not even have due coronavirus health and safety measures in place. The Home Office had earlier been on record to state that they were looking into this investigation.

Now, in a second letter to the home secretary, the BRC and Dr Lisa Cameron MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Textiles & Fashion, said that there had been little response. The BRC said that although it had discussed the plight of garment workers with officials since July, it had not received an official response to its first letter. But the Home Office has denied such claims. In a statement to the BBC, the Home Office said, "Exploiting vulnerable workers for commercial gain is despicable and we expect businesses to do all they can to tackle abuse and exploitation in their supply chains.

"We are deeply concerned by the appalling reports of illegal and unsafe working conditions for garment workers in Leicester, and will ensure perpetrators face the full force of the law if evidence comes to light through the work of our new specialist Taskforce, led by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority."

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Birmingham woman stole over £600,000 from employer, siphoned money to romance fraudster

8

A 45-year-old woman from Birmingham stole and siphoned off over £600,000 from her employer and is now required to compensate over £650,000 it has emerged.

Ilyiea Ali was jailed in 2018 for two-and-a-half years after she admitted to stealing from Information Security Forum Ltd (ISF).

According to the Daliy Mail, she gave half the money to a

Dealing with “worried well” or anxious patients.

Although it can be very time-consuming and at times, mentally taxing to help these types of patients, seeing the change in mental and physical health through showing the benefits of a holistic approach to health, is very rewarding.

What are your long term goals?

Promoting lifestyle medicine, showing a holistic approach to medicine and increasing awareness that people are in control of their own health. The COVID pandemic has filled many with health anxieties. However, in order to boost immunity and prevent the vast majority of chronic diseases, one should consider and adopt healthy habits in the form of good nutrition, predominantly whole foods plant based diet, practising regular habits such as daily exercise, and positive thinking.

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

End government subsidies for the meat and dairy industries in the UK, for environmental, public health and ethical reasons.

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

Mahatma Gandhi, who spearheaded the campaign for Indian independence from Britain based on non-violent civil disobedience and non-cooperation. I have the utmost respect for his life, teachings and principles and it would be an honour to simply be in his presence.

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10

Shadow Foreign Secretary demands UK should oppose China’s seat at the UN for abuse of Uighur Muslims On Saturday 10th October, Shadow Foreign Secretary wrote a letter to the Foreign Secretary urging him to oppose China’s seat to the UN’s human rights body over the country’s failure to protect Uighur Muslims.

In her letter to Dominic Raab, Lisa Nandy referred to UN guidance whereby countries should “take into account the contribution of candidates to the promotion and protection of human rights” when voting for membership of the human rights council.

She wrote, “Labour is calling on the government to oppose China’s election to the UN human rights council…until such time as access

On 11th October, Sunday, a second letter issued by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has alleged that the government has failed to prevent exploitation of garment workers in the UK. In their letter to Priti Patel, BRC estimates that workers have lost equivalent of £27m in unpaid earnings since July and that there has been no "significant action... to bring this injustice to an end". The letter reads, "We are writing as a broad coalition of parliamentarians, businesses, investors and civil society organisations about our concerns regarding the unethical labour practices taking place in garment factories across the UK. We request that urgent action is taken by the government to implement a 'fit to trade' licensing scheme that ensures all garment factories are meeting their legal obligations to their employees."

According to the group over 10,000 garment factory workers are being paid an average of £3.50 an hour - well below the National Minimum Wage of £8.72. Over the last few months there have numerous controversial reports about certain businesses forcing their employees to work in “poor work conditions” with staff at Leicester based factories being paid below legal mini-

is granted – and make clear to the world the reasons for doing so. In the current circumstances, China cannot be regarded as meeting the required standards. You know, as well as anyone, that international law matters and that silence in the face of such horrors will be seen by some as complicity. The UK must take this opportunity to show solidarity with the Uighur people and demonstrate that we can still be trusted to defend human rights around the world.”

She has even asserted that China’s treatment of the Uighurs “appear to share features of genocide within the meaning of the 1948 convention”. MPs, Human Rights

Lisa Nandy

Watch advocates and other campaign networks have consistently called for China’s place on the council to be opposed. Elections will be held for 15 three-year terms on the council. The UK is already backing a call from an alliance of 39 countries for an independent inquiry. A resolution has been laid by Germany.

Iliyea Ali

romance

fraudster

from

Bradford, Tahmoor Khan, who was also jailed for eightand-a-half years in 2016.

On Thursday, 8th October the Bradford Crown Court issued a compensation order of £662,727 for Ali to pay to ISF. She is ordered to pay more than she stole after it emerged that she had siphoned away £610,144 from Information Security Forum Ltd (ISF) in 2015.

Man pleads guilty of manslaughter and “push” to death On Friday 9th October, a 22year-old man pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his friend’s 50-year-old father who died after being “pushed” to the ground during an argument.

Yashvant Pranlal, 22, was initially arrested on suspicion of Grievous Bodily Harm. He was later charged with manslaughter of Jentilal Deugi after being involved in a disagreement with a group of men in Redcar Road, Belgrave, Leicester. Jentilal died at Leicester Royal Infirmary two days after suffering a cardiac arrest caused by a brain injury he sustained in the row in Leicester.

Now, Yashvant has admitted to the offence at Leicester Crown Court and is expected to be sentenced on 16th October.

Leicestershire Police said Mr Deugi had been involved in a disagreement with a group of men in Redcar Road when he was pushed. In a statement, Det Insp Jonathan Blockley said,

"There are certainly no winners in this case. One family has lost their loved one and another will now face a considerable amount of time without their family member. One push led to the end of a life. My sympathies go to Mr Deugi's family, they have shown immense dignity throughout the investigation and this was in no way easy for them."

Jentilal Deugi

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17 - 23 October 2020

Novelty of a noble woman Traditionally, the nobility of a woman is recognised by her privilege of being born into the right class. That novelty is fast wearing off as female pioneers herald an era of meritocracy regardless of their social backgrounds.

This year’s Nobel awards have resonated with women's ongoing struggle to break through the class ceiling. Launched under the theme of Diversity Matters: Gender and inclusion in peace and war, Fawzia Koofi was one of the most prominent nominations at this year’s Nobel Peace Prize category. An Afghan politician and a negotiator at the peace talks with the Taliban in Doha, Koofi carried the legacy of Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai despite not winning the coveted honour. It is rather unfortunate but such high-profile nominations enable women like Fawzia to be considered seriously. Especially when regressive groups such as the Taliban deride them of all power and dismiss them as mere subjects and not stakeholders.

Commenting on how her nomination is a victory of Afghan women against the Taliban, in an interview with The Hindu, Fawzia said, “I think this nomination is a recognition of all the efforts that women have made to be included in the process and to be heard”. Women like Malala and Fawzia are beacons of hope and changing times. But while they are recognised for synthesising compassion into their outreach work at conflict zones, some are struggling to break ground in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. It has taken over a century for Dr. Jennifer Doudna, and Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier to be awarded a Nobel Prize in Chemistry. History was etched when for the first time a Nobel science prize was awarded to more than one woman but no men in a specific category. But perhaps, it may well be another decade before we applaud women from ethnic minority backgrounds despite laudable names including Asima Chatterjee and Shakuntala

Devi to name a few. In the meantime, women have excelled in clinching the top positions at other world-renowned institutes including the World Health Organisation (WHO). Dr. Soumya Swaminathan joined WHO as Deputy Director General (DDG) in 2017 and she became the first Indian to reach the designation, leave alone being the first Indian female to secure the prestigious leadership. With an illustrious career spanning 23 years in the field of paediatrics, Dr. Swaminathan’s medical expertise has helped forge crucial health partnerships between the UK and India. Her learnings during the Research Fellowship in Paediatric Respiratory Diseases at the University of Leicester can perhaps in small proportion be attributed to her present role in containing the spread of Covid-19 infections. In 2019, when WHO decided to form a public health division to modernise the organisation to be more effective in global public health interventions, it appointed Dr. Swaminathan as the Chief Scientist.

A latest survey by thinktank Compass, noted that women have more likely increased their working hours by 43% in comparison to men with 86% women who have children dealing with more mental health problems than last year.

But there is some respite in terms of improvement in financial compensation that women, especially from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds receive. According to a latest ONS report, in 2019, ethnic minority men earned 6.1% less than white men whilst the hourly pay of ethnic minority women was 2.1% more than white women. Additionally, the number of women chairing FTSE 100 firms have also increased from five to eight over the last year. Across the FTSE 250 also, women now make up 37.6% or 573 of part-time non-executive roles. While these companies are yet to appoint women from BAME backgrounds into their boardrooms, it appears that the novelty of a noble woman is already wearing off.

TRP scam: An infodemic within a pandemic According to indiantelevision dot com, India has 892 TV channels, out of which 403 are based on current affairs. Current affairs are readily available on TV in local languages or Hindi while social media is still primarily driven by English language.

One may have to pay a minimum of £1 for 1GB of internet data in India which most middle class folks tend to use for over a month, but in almost the same amount, a user can subscribe to almost 10 TV channels (in the pay per channel scheme) for a monthly subscription. Most people prefer the latter.

Manufacturing consent via TV is easier than it was when India only had one state owned TV channel. What further fuels it, is social media. "Fake news" became a thing after the last U.S. election. Viral social media posts containing outlandish claims about U.S. presidential candidates, published by hyper-partisan accounts and sketchy click-bait websites weeks before the 2016 election, were believed to have influenced voter sentiment.

The stupendous rise in fake news served as a daily soap drama rather than a piece of reporting has made it impossible for the general public to process the difference between a forwarded WhatsApp message and actual credible news reportage.

In the name of free-to-air (FTA) TV channels have aired everything from WhatsApp chats to phone calls as well as witch hunts in the name of media trials. In 2018, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee raised her concerns over fake news and regressive content on Bengali Television. She said, “Very often we see in television serials that even today one person has three wives and family members conspiring against each other. Please do not show such things. Such negative things often influence people.” However, a spokesperson from a leading channel said that this content is being aired for years and the viewers tend to like it. While India continues to grapple with mind boggling

number of rising Covid-19 cases, scarcity of hospital beds, an alltime low GDP, border dispute with China, alarming unemployment rates, and frightening level of crimes against women, TV news channels who sustain on ad revenue, have toppled the news agenda upside down. What trends on Twitter (after massive marketing gimmicks), becomes the news of the day.

A fake TRP scam came to light when rating agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) filed a complaint through Hansa Research Group, alleging that certain television channels were rigging TRP numbers. Mumbai police had claimed that Republic TV and two Marathi channels - Box Cinema and Fakt Marathi had manipulated TRPs. Republic TV rubbished Singh's claims. The fraudulently boosted viewership data was apparently calibrated by installing meters in just five homes and generating a TV viewing universe of 836 million.

Meanwhile more than 34 top film production houses of the country have filed a defamation lawsuit against all media houses who maligned the image of the Indian film industry. Late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty has also decided to go after these channels who raked TRPs by defaming her, resulting in a serious obsession amongst viewers to stay updated about the case. In the same chain of events, companies like Parle and Bajaj have refused to air their ads on ‘toxic’ news channels.While reporting the ongoing SSR death case, one news channel claimed that it spent 2000 hours in researching the story which was in many ways challenging the competency of the Mumbai Police and the CBI. If only the channels would let the third pillar do its job and mind the duties of the fourth, spending 2000 hours on more pressing news items, the nation wouldn't have been dealing with an “infodemic” within a pandemic.

India should continue to follow its nonaligned policy Amid growing US-China struggle, Washington is trying to consolidate the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, known as “the Quad”, with Japan, Australia and India. It has pushed New Delhi to play a bigger role in the Indo-Pacific region to counter China. Amid heightened India-China border tensions, top Indian and Chinese army officials are expected to meet for the third time in Leh. Experts say that China is keener than India to de-escalate as Beijing fears continued border tensions could get India firmly in the US camp, a scenario that Beijing dreads.

Chinese experts state that global anti-China sentiment has reached its zenith since the brutal Tiananmen Square crackdown, the secrecy surrounding the outbreak of Covid -19 pandemic and China’s belligerent diplomacy. China already has frigid ties with Australia and Japan; has been criticized for actions in the South China Sea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, and is undergoing the lowest point in its ties with the US and Canada.

Many Indians also accuse China for the spread of the coronavirus and have lamented Beijing for its aggressive behaviour at the India-China border.

Despite Washington pushing New Delhi to play a bigger role in the Indo-Pacific region, India has been apprehensive not to provoke China, even as it amplifies ties with the US. India should not join hands with any country for military alliance.

India should follow an independent policy which would be to the advantage of the nation. China is emerging as the world's number one economic power soon. India is also not far behind China and is progressing fast.

Study predicts that China would surpass the US in 2035 as the world's number one economy but would be superseded by

the US again in 2098. India will overtake Japan as the thirdlargest economy in the world by 2050 after the United States and China, according to a study that constructed GDP scenarios using the working age population of countries. Currently, with a gross domestic product estimated at $2. 8 trillion, India is ranked fifth global economic power after the US, China and Japan, and followed by France and the United Kingdom. China has a higher growth rate of GDP than India ever since 1980.

However, it should be noted that the gap has narrowed partly due to the slowdown of China’s growth rate since 2005, and partly because India’s growth rate rose during Narasimha Rao’s tenure as Prime Minister from less than 4% average during the 1980s to 8% in 1995-96. China’s higher growth rate was made possible by a much higher rate of growth of gross domestic investment (as a ratio of GDI) which was about 70% more than India’s. The rate of growth of GDP was double the rate in India.

One can therefore conclude that the wide gap between India and China in per capita incomes (which gap was about zero in 1980) was partly due to a lower population growth, but primarily due to a much great investment effort in China. China could achieve much more economic progress because of one party rule. There the Communist party is managing everything. But India is a democracy, and nothing can be imposed on its people.

To achieve economic progress, one should have peace on the border. India also wants to end the border tension as the country wants to progress in the economic field. So, for India nonalliance is the best policy. If India leans on the US, it will antagonise Russia and it is a fact that India and Russia both need each other to contain China.

If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that you can’t hear them anymore – Michele Ruiz

Alpesh Patel

The Debt of Honour and Your Purpose They say the two most important days in your life are the day you are born, and the day you find out why.

When you look back upon your life and look your maker in the eye, make sure you can say ‘I used every ounce of talent you gave me, I wasted nothing, and I stand before you exhausted, and others have breathed easier because I have lived.’

Leaving University and rushing into a job, relationship, home purchase, and making money – you will soon ask, ‘what is the purpose of my life?’

Let me tell you the story of a 12-year-old boy. He would sit at the top of the stairs in the evenings overhearing his family downstairs discussing how they would pay his school fees.

He had only that term been put into private school. They couldn’t afford it, even though they used to before that wake up at 4am, to start work at 6am and finish only at 11pm.

He was terrified each day at school, until each term the fees would be paid, in case he thought the teacher would throw him out.

And when his first set of exam results came – and he was out of his depth – and achieved only 10% in some subjects, he said to his father, ‘I will never let you down again’.

The day the exam results were published, he wrote the title of each subject he was studying on a separate textbook and started revising that night for his next exams – some six months away.

It took him three years to ace every exam, beat every student, and win school prizes – and sports prizes – because it was not enough to excel academically. Years later as success after success came through, from working with Prime Ministers to high honours from the best Universities, to raising funds for great causes and representing his country, he would remind his father of the promise he made, aged 12 ‘I told you I wouldn’t let you down, but you ain’t seen nothing yet!’. And his father would reply, ‘I know son, I know.’

That is a debt of honour. Find your debt of honour. Spend your life repaying your debt of honour.

It may be a child in India who has to work at midnight under a kerosene lamp; they should never be more deserving than you of the privilege you have.

They are your debt of honour.

Mine is not special or unusual story. My story is possible in other countries. But the giants on whose shoulders I stand are special and unusual.

You may be rich, but the richer you are, the more in debt of honour will be for that reason. Others must never be more deserving of all you have. Hear their voices whisper to you at night as you sleep and in the morning see them standing in front of you, asking ‘do you deserve all this?’

Find a cause, whether it is widows, orphans, people abused by injustice. Whatever it is and whatever cause resonates, that is your purpose in life, that is why you were born.

Howe'er it be, it seems to me 'Tis only noble to be good, Kind hearts are more than coronets, And simple faith than noble blood.

- Tennyson Asian Voice is published by Asian Business Publications Ltd Unit- 7, 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 October 2020

Drive-in marriages: A match made in heaven for couples and wedding planners The wedding industry had virtually grinded to a halt with a boom in “Zoom” weddings.

Whilst the country remained tied in knots over minimising the spread of infection, wedding planners donned their creative hats in ensuring that the D-day is the most perfect memory for all the couples and their families despite an on-going pandemic.

As the government keeps reviewing and updating its social distancing guidelines, Roma Popat and Vinal Patel decided to get married under the canopy of blessings from all their loved ones. Slated to initially get married on 20th April this year, the couple had to postpone their wedding in light of a nationwide coronavirus lockdown. In the meantime, the duo was excited about the numerous drive-in cinemas and open theatres that were popping up around the UK. Unable to wait any longer, they approached their wedding co-ordinator Saheli Mirpuri of Saheli Events to understand if they could have a drive-in wedding instead.

Speaking to Asian Voice, Mirpuri said, “The couple had seen a lot of drive-in cinemas popping up after the lockdown.

So, when they approached me next, they asked if they could do a drivein wedding. As we discussed, we realised that it was a feasible idea. We just needed the right location to make it happen. We started searching some venues and chanced upon Braxted Park.”

Elderly relatives celebrate a Covid-19 compliant Hindu wedding in their car Thus, on Friday 2nd

Bride Roma Popat and Groom Vinal Patel

October, Roma and Vinal married in the presence of their immediate family and about 250 relatives were able to celebrate their marriage at Chelmsford.

Over 100 cars were parked up, watching the ceremony unfold on a big screen as they celebrated the Covid-compliant Hindu wedding.

On arrival at the drive-in wedding, guests in cars were given welcome hampers containing anti-bacterial hand gel and requested to stay in their vehicles throughout the ceremony. Guests were able to order food through the wedding website app and meals were delivered by servers dressed in appropriate Personal and Protective Equipment (PPE). If they needed any help, they just flashed their lights or hazard flashers.

Discussing the safety element that had to be considered during the planning process of the wedding, Mirpuri, said, “We were really conscious about the safety of some of the high-risk elderly guests who were attending the wedding.

So, everyone was advised to stay in the car unless they were using the loo. We relied on contactless delivery mostly to ensure that there was no cross-

contamination and frequently sanitised all the washrooms.”

The Groom made a traditional entrance, travelling around the field before the ceremony, waving at guests in their cars. Horns were honked as he travelled past on a highly decorated golf buggy, driven by a member of venue staff wearing a protective mask.

After the intimate ceremony inside had been completed, the Bride and Groom then travelled around the field on the same golf buggy, waving to their friends and families inside their cars. The couple were also able to watch a specially filmed tribute for them on the drive-in screen made by guests unable to travel to be with them on the day.

Bride Roma Popat said, “When we had to postpone our wedding in April, we had no idea whether we would be able to get married this year or not.

We have so many friends and family and we wanted them to be part of our celebration. It literally meant everything to us to have everyone there, albeit in a slightly different way to the one we envisaged.

It’s a day we’ll never forget.”

About 400,000 people work in the UK's wedding

industry, contributing 14,7 billion to the economy each year.

As a seasonal sector, it acquires 79 per cent of its business between 1 April and 31 October. But this year, most couples have either deferred their ceremonies to next year or have given up their dreams of a big fat Indian wedding by organising it either in their homes or other venues with limited witnesses.

Saddened by the nature of the lockdown and how it has upended the Asian wedding market Saheli said, “Coronavirus has been awful for the Asian wedding industry. It has made things hard because we are very used to large numbers. We have always had huge celebrations and that is not possible with the current guidelines which allow gatherings of 15 people. All of the weddings that we were supposed to organise in 2020 are now postponed to 2021. Many of these couples are expected to get married during the first quarter of next year but are reconsidering their plans.

“Following our drive-in wedding, we have received numerous inquiries from couples and I do think that this will become a new trend.”

Hinduja Brothers attend Sanskruti Centre’s Shaandaar Sindhi event On 10th October the Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence organised “Shaandaar Sindhi” virtual event which highlighted the performing arts, culture and cuisine of Sindhi community.

The event began with an invocation by Singer, Songwriter-Composer Renu Gidoomal. She also presented Nangda Nimani Da, Sindhi Abani Boli and Mast Kalandar songs over the course of the session.

In his opening message, Gopichand P Hinduja said, “Despite being the biggest body of stateless refugees, Sindhis turned to sea and spread themselves all over the world and have succeeded. Today we would be the richest and most successful members of cultural state as we don't have a physical state to call ours post partition.

The world is our home and wherever we have established we contributed to our local community. Philanthropy is in our very nature. For instance, the education and healthcare infrastruc-

(L-R) Gopichand P Hinduja, Ashok P Hinduja and Prakash P Hinduja speaking at Shaandaar Sindhi event

ture of the city of Bombay is made by us Sindhis!! We are perhaps the only community in the world that continues Vedic form of worship even today. People in the Vedic period worshipped elements of nature. Sindhis are the only ones who have kept Varun's worship alive through Jhulelal, an incarnation of Varun God. You would find it hard to come across a temple dedicated to Indra or Agni or Vayu anymore, except us Sindhis who venerate Jhulelaal. Sindhis have survived and prospered because of their adaptability. We have assimilated so much into our host cultures that our mother culture today stands vulnerable...our next generation hardly speak our language, they don't know our

food beyond Sindhi Curry and our traditions are getting fast replaced. For the survival of Sindhiyat, or Sindhi culture, three things must be passed on to our next generation - our language, our cuisine, and our festivals & traditions, because the main ingredients of any culture are its language, food, and traditions.” Prakash P Hinduja commended the Sindhis’ contribution to business and spiritual sector and commended Sindhi community leaders in South East Asia, Europe, Dubai and America who are marking Sindhi culture with events and activities. Adding to it, Ashok P Hinduja emphasised on economic growth which will enable promotion of charitable and cul-

tural purposes further.

Chairman of Global Sindhi Council and Sahyog Foundation Dr Ram Jawhrani elaborated on what Sindhiyat means, and laid emphasis on celebrating Sindhi identity and restoring the Sindhi traditions and culture.

Dr. Nandakumara commended the support of people of Sindhi community to Bhavan and stressed on identifying scholars and recording their works for posterity. Raj Daswani recounted the formation of SAUK and highlighted the Sindhi drama & theatre arts.

Gulshan Makhija, Hero Parwani and Kishan Ramnani of Sindhu Sakha Sangam presented the beautiful Sindhi Bhagat performance. Chair of Harrow Interfaith Sonoo Malkani presented unique Sindhi cuisine.

Vote of Thanks was given by Ragasudha Vinjamuri, Founder of Sanskruti Centre and Sushil Rapatwar rendered technical support. The event was conducted in collaboration with Sindhi Association of UK and supported by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

in brief in brief BAME WOMEN LAUNCH MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME FOR ETHNIC MINORITY TO STUDY STEM SUBJECTS Two women from Ilford and Romford started a mentorship programme to encourage more black, Asian and minority ethnic students to break into STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). Jasneet Kaur Taak and Simran Sangla have launched Accelerate, a studentled STEM outreach initiative. Presently studying for their Master’s degree in Physics and Engineering at Imperial College London, they have created an educational platform with useful tips and advice as well as career opportunities. It targets A-level students, those in university or recent graduates who are looking to improve their prospects and land an internship or a full-time job through a one-to-one mentorship scheme which runs through the end of November.

In a statement to Ilford Recorder, Jasneet said, “Accelerate aims to create a supportive community of mentors and mentees, and to help students gain access to resources and opportunities that we wish someone had told us about when starting our own academic and career journey. “But more importantly, we realised there aren’t many initiatives focused on helping BAME students get into STEM related fields and degrees.

HINDU FORUM OF BRITAIN WITHDRAWS SUPPORT FOR EDINBURGH INTERFAITH ASSOCIATION The Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB) has withdrawn its support for Edinburgh Interfaith Association (EIFA) and called for the resignation of its co-chair, Professor Hugh Goddard. The organisation has disapproved of the “unfair and unjust” dismissal of Mr. Puneet Dwivedi, Vice President HFB Scottish Chapter from the board of directors of the EIFA (the EIFA Board. The EIFA Board board had earlier alleged that Puneet had breached the EIFA Code of Conduct and had acted contrary to EIFA’s mission statement. EIFA alleged that some of Puneet’s social media posts and his invitation to Dr. Subramanian Swamy to speak in Edinburgh conflicted with EIFA’s objective to “promote understanding, trust, and positive action” in Edinburgh.

Puneet has strongly denied any and all allegations and, despite repeated requests to EIFA to provide evidence of such wrongdoing, EIFA have failed to provide any such evidence.The matter was primarily handled by EIFA’s co-chair, Professor Hugh Goddard. The Board had reportedly not given any notice to Puneet and consequently denied him of his rights to hear any allegations and to address them in front of the board. A letter, signed by Trupti Patel, President of the HFB, is urging other members to stand in solidarity with Puneet. It notes, “Acting in such a manner, EIFA has failed to act in accordance with its own governance requirements, it has failed to maintain its own objective to “promote understanding, trust, and positive action” in Edinburgh and it has failed to treat Puneet with a basic level of respect and dignity which he deserves. HFB stands shoulder-toshoulder with Puneet and offers him our full and unreserved support in this matter.

Whilst HFB will continue to support all other interfaith associations both locally, regionally and nationally, it is with deep regret that we withdraw our support for EIFA until such time as a full independent enquiry is conducted into EIFA’s handling of this matter and appropriate steps have been taken to ensure that nothing similar can occur again.

We also call on Professor Hugh Goddard to resign as co-chair given the serious failings arising from this matter.”

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17 - 23 October 2020

THE SILENT KILLER? Continued from page - 1 As fear grips people about the increasing new cases of infections and its incapacitating effects, there are some already struggling with symptoms and bitter memories since their first encounter with the deadly Covid19.

The condition is commonly known as ‘Long Covid’ and it is having devastating consequences on people's lives. They still suffer from chronic fatigue, persistent pains and coughs, breathlessness for months, ‘brain fog’, anxiety and stress, even after six months of returning home. For some like 45-year-old Roweena Russell, from North Shields, Tyne and Wear, it has even changed the shape of her hands.

Estimates suggest that 10% of Covid patients may still be experiencing symptoms more than three weeks after infection, and perhaps 60,000 people could be suffering from Long Covid symptoms after more than three months. The head of NHS on 7 October announced that people who are suffering from Long Covid symptoms will be offered specialist help at clinics across England. Sir Simon Stevens also promised £10 million to be invested this year in additional local funding to help kick start and designate Long Covid clinics in every area across England, to complement existing primary, community and rehabilitation care.

But so far in reality, the focus has been on saving lives of Covid patients. As the attention shifts to new patients and a steady increase of cases in the UK, the ones who are suffering from Long Covid think that they will now have to live with these symptoms for a lifetime, unable to go back to work fulltime with mounting financial pressures.

Ash Balakrishnan: “You better start believing in God” Ash Balakrishnan, a 38-year-old entrepreneur from London was a relatively

Ash Balakrishnan

fit man, who went to gym at least thrice a week and did not smoke or drink much.

Though mildly asthmatic, a relatively active man, he thought coronavirus could not ever touch him. But he was proved very wrong. “I went about my life normally, going to meetings in London, and a month after I came back from my trip to India, I fell ill. I kept checking the BBC website for coronavirus symptoms, but I never had a cough, so I thought it was just a normal cold. I was advised to be on self-isolation when the paramedics visited me for the first time, but then after a few days of that visit, I struggled to breathe. So, I called an ambulance and I was taken in,” Ash told Asian Voice.

“I was in hospital for five-weeks,” he added. “I developed bedsores (pressure ulcers) under my heels, possibly from being in the same position in a hospital bed for long. 6 months since then, these wounds have still not healed. I go to hospital twice a week now, to get my wounds cleaned and dressing changed, but the skin is taking a very long to grow back. As a result, I cannot walk long distance like I used to.”

When Ash came home from the hospital, he was surrounded by loved ones and he did not want to think about his lonely and traumatic experience at the hospital. But when his daughter went back to school in September and his wife returned to work,

slowly life regained normalcy and he got a colleague said I did not look too well and chance to reflect on his near-death experiasked me to go home. I then saw a tweet ence. “It’s a scary experience, you know. I from Idris Elba, that he got tested for corothink there was a point the doctors thought navirus, and I thought to myself, ‘how did I was not going to make it. But I am very forhe get tested, when I could not even get tunate to be alive today. But sometimes through NHS hotline!’” when I stop and think about it, and when I He then rang the GP service and the go back to the Croydon University Hospital doctor dismissed it as a nasal viral infecto get my wounds cleaned or blood drawn, it tion. By the weekend, Sohail’s fever went brings back sad memories.”

When he was initially admitted in the hospital and got tested positive, no one confirmed that he had Covid-19.

The doctors told Ash that he would be put to sleep to help him with his breathing, but he woke up three weeks later! “I thought I would be Sohail with his mum Rashida Begum Mohammad (third from left) and family knocked out for 24 hours,” he said with a chuckle. “But I woke up. GP still dismissed it as flu. He then up three weeks later. While I was in coma, I went through NHS website and was asked had these vivid dreams of me dying and to call 111. They asked him to take paracgoing to temples, churches, mosques, gurudetamol and self-isolate and asked to call waras praying for my life. I saw my funeral; I 999 and yet again dismissed it as a flu like even saw speeches at my funeral- it was virus. As his shortness of breath grew, almost like a peek to the future- if it went Sohail called the GP who asked him to wait the other way! till the weekend and go to A&E if he did “So, when I came out of my coma on not feel better. So Sohail rang up his brothEaster Sunday, and heard about all those er and requested to take him to the A&E. “I prayers and best wishes from friends and registered and when they did my oxygen family, I felt strangely connected, as if I have level reading, they straight sent me into a been to all these holy places through their room.” prayers. Even the doctors told me, ‘We The next evening, he had a visit from thought we have lost you. So, if you do not the ITU surgeon and the team, who told believe in God, you probably want to start him that he would be put to medically believing in Him now’.” induced sleep (coma). “I had put my faith Ash is currently working part-time from in their hands. It’s like an operation when home, but when he first arrived back from they put you to sleep and you wake up two the hospital, he had lost 15 kgs and could not hours later. Only in my case, I woke up a walk or climb stairs by himself. “All that has month later! But when I woke up, I sensed passed now. I used to do high intensity onesomething did not feel right. I felt that my hour circuit training before I had coronmum has passed away and I was frantically avirus. I even played football. But on the looking for my phone.” other day to hospital, I ran to catch a bus.

A few days after Sohail was put on Probably ran for no more than 10 seconds induced coma, Sohail’s mother Rashida and I was gasping for breath. It will perhaps Begum Mohammad was admitted in the take time to rebuild my stamina and I am hospital feeling poorly and with shortness taking it slow.” of breath. On 30 March, 2 days after being Ash is undergoing a battery of tests, as he admitted in the hospital, she passed away. gradually recovers. Since the number of “She knew I was sick,” said Sohail with a Covid cases are low in his hospital, he is still sadness in his tone. “And she passed away expected to visit every week. “I am not worrying about me. When I was in the ITU, immune to coronavirus and I know that. But my vitals were not so good. I even got septhe hospital is happy for me to go in at the ticaemia and my oxygen requirement was moment. If the number of cases increase in 80%. When my mum passed away my vitals the future, then I have to start doing the started improving and the doctors took me dressing myself at home.” off the ventilator. It was my mum’s prayers that pulled me through!”

Sohail Anjum: “Even in my coma, I knew Since Sohail has been on an induced something had happened to my mum” coma for a month, the consultants have asked him to build on his strength first.

Sohail Anjum, a 47-year-old photog“Even being at home, I have to get used to rapher who lives down the road from not seeing mum around or hearing her Ash, was greeted with applauds as he left voice,” he added. the hospital. Sohail lived in Dubai for six Speaking about the complications of years and moved back to the UK to spend Long Covid especially for patients with time with his 81-year-old mum and 85pre-existing illnesses, Dr Umesh Prabhu year-old dad. said, “It is very rare for patients to be reSohail suffered from coronavirus and infected with coronavirus. If the patient’s was in a coma for a month. As he gradually lungs or heart have been infected, patients recovers, planning a phased return to can have chronic symptoms and that is work, he still has a wheezing cough, which long coronavirus. The virus has left them has been there in him since leaving the and the patients won’t infect anyone hospital. “I get short of breath even after around them. But if they are suffering daily exercise. I suffer from fatigue and from other existing illnesses such as canmuscular pains. But my doctors said that cer, or have transplant surgeries scheduled my body is going to take twice as much as then the Long Covid is likely to worsen time to recover- which could be from six their conditions. We cannot operate on months to one year,” Sohail told the these patients until they fully recover. And newsweekly, as he continues his once a we don’t know how long they will take to week exercise in the post-Covid rehab. recover but usually the Long Covid-19 can He was in fact admitted at the same last upto six months “We know that only time and in the same intensive care as Ash, 13% of the population in this country is in the bed opposite him. from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. But 38% of patients admitted In the beginning of March, Sohail due to coronavirus are from BAME backstarted getting migraine and a bit of an grounds and naturally some would have itchy throat. There was no lockdown in long-term effects of Covid-19." place at that point, “One day at work, my

in brief MAN REPORTEDLY STABBED HIMSELF TO DEATH AFTER ALLEGEDLY KILLING WIFE AND SON A 42-year-old man believed to have killed his wife and three-year-old son has reportedly stabbed himself to death.

The BBC reported that Kuha Raj Sithamparanathan apparently stabbed Poorna Kameshwari Sivaraj himself to death in his Brentford apartment after killing his wife Poorna Kaameshwari Sivaraj, and son Kailash Kuha Raj. The case has been reportedly referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. In a statement to the BBC Det Ch Insp Simon Harding said, "We now know how this family tragically lost their lives, but we still need to find out why. Our initial inquiries established that Poorna and Kailash had not been seen or heard from for some time; Poorna since around Monday, 21 September, and Kailash since around Thursday, 24 September."

BAME AND ELDERLY VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED FOR COVID-19 VACCINE TRIALS Researchers are calling on more people from BAME backgrounds and the over 65s to volunteer for clinical studies through the NHS Vaccine Registry to ensure potential candidates work for all. Currently, ethnic minorities are under-represented in vaccine clinical trials taking place across the UK. Of the 270,000 people who have already signed up to the NHS Registry, only 11,000 volunteers are from Asian and British Asian backgrounds, and just 1,200 are Black, African, Caribbean or Black British.

This is in contrast to 93% people from nonethnic minority groups that have already signed up.Large-scale clinical studies with a diverse pool of volunteers will help researchers better understand the effectiveness of each vaccine candidate. With six different Covid-19 vaccines currently progressing in the UK, including the University of Oxford/Astrazeneca and US biotech company Novavax candidates, thousands of people from different ages and backgrounds are urgently needed to help speed up their development and ensure they work effectively for the whole population.

This includes people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities who are disproportionately affected by Covid-19.

According to Public Health England, people from Black backgrounds are statistically more likely to be diagnosed with Covid-19, while death rates are higher for Black and Asian ethnic groups.In addition, other vulnerable groups such as people with chronic diseases or over the age of 65 years are needed to take part in trials and also being urged to volunteer for clinical trials.Business Secretary Alok Sharma said, “Coronavirus can affect anyone regardless of their background, age or race. To ensure we can find a safe and effective vaccine that works for everyone, we all need to get involved.“That’s why we are urging more people to support our incredible scientists and join the 270,000 people who have already signed-up so we can speed up efforts to find a vaccine to defeat this virus once and for all.” Dr Maheshi Ramasamy, Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Acute General Medicine and Principal Investigator at the Oxford Vaccine Group said, “We know that people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are disproportionately affected by Covid in terms of severe disease and mortality. So, when we do have a vaccine that we roll out to the general population, it's really important that we can demonstrate to people from these communities that we have evidence that the vaccine works.”

More on www.nhs.uk/researchcontact.

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17 - 23 October 2020

in brief in brief PAPA JOHN’S PIZZA FRANCHISEE IN FRAUD ALLEGATIONS OVER EAT OUT TO HELP OUT SCHEME

Raheel Choudhary

A Papa John's Pizza franchisee has been embroiled in fraud allegations over Chancellor’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme it has emerged. According to the Daily Mail, Raheel Choudhary is being investigated by the pizza chain following allegations that his restaurants claimed taxpayer funds for "fake" meals via the discount dining scheme. Raheel has denied all such accusations that his stores improperly claimed around £250,000 in funds from the government scheme.The Mail also reported that Choudhary held the franchise rights for 61 outlets and had been advised by Papa John's not to take part in Chancellor Rishi Sunak's scheme. The 50% discount applied for diners eating in at establishments between Monday and Wednesdays during the month of August, and was capped at £10 per person per meal.Mr Choudhary's representative told Mirror Online many of his restaurants had added seating to allow dining in, and complied with the scheme's rules - adding that the figure claimed the scheme was £185,015.

Luisa Porritt appointed the new Liberal Democrat candidate for London Mayoral elections On Tuesday, 13th October Liberal Democrats announced Luisa Porritt as their candidate for Mayor of London in the 2021 election.

Luisa’s appointment follows after Indian-origin candidate Siobhan Benita resigned from the party earlier this year citing “serious errors” in the party in its “London region” which needed to be fixed. Siobhan had also previously announced that she was “stepping down from the race due to financial issues”.

Following her resignation, the party was contesting a choice between Luisa Porritt and Indian-origin Geeta SidhuRobb.

But a video surfaced on social media where Geeta SidhuRobb was seen urging her Muslim voters to not vote for the Jews. She had immediately issued an apology, tweeting, "I urge you to judge me on who I am today, a campaigner committed to eradicating inequality and discrimination in all its forms. And I am actively reaching out to the Jewish community to listen and learn. I particularly wish to acknowledge the hurt that these comments and actions would have inflicted on members of the Jewish community and of a Jewish heritage.

Please know that my regret is sincere."

Yet, Geeta had been sus-

Siobhan Benita

Luisa Porritt

pended from the Party and an investigation was underway on her code of conduct. Now, Luisa Porritt has been unilaterally elected as the Party candidate challenging Sadiq Khan of Labour, Shaun Bailey of Conservative and Sian Berry of Green Party.

Luisa Porritt, who was born

and raised in London, is Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Camden Council and was previously Deputy Leader of the party’s MEPs. Commenting on the huge challenges before London in the aftermath of coronavirus, Luisa said, “The pandemic will change our city forever. We need big

ideas and urgent action to rise to the challenge. From putting homes in the heart of the city to reinventing our high streets for the future, we can renew every area in London to become thriving, green, and affordable places to live and work.”

Ed Davey, Liberal Democrat Leader, said, “I am delighted Luisa Porritt has been selected as our candidate for Mayor of London. The capital faces a pivotal moment as it seeks to plan its recovery from Covid-19 and Luisa has the energy and ideas we need to reshape London for the better.

“Having beat the Tories in Camden and winning Londonwide in the European elections last year, Luisa knows how to defy the odds and win.”

Tata Steel denies reports of takeover by Jingye Group, still in talks with the Government On Thursday 8th October Tata Steel UK reportedly denied all speculation around a potential takeover bid from Chinese steelmaker Jingye Group.

According to information available with BusinessLive, Jingye’s interest in Tata Steel is “speculative and untrue” and that the company is still in talks with the UK government over potential bailout schemes.

For the last few months there has been heavy speculation over the closure of Tata Steel UK’s outlets, which employs 8,000 in Wales and around 4,000 at its primary steelmaking operation at Port Talbot. Sanjeev Gupta, executive

chairman of Liberty Steel Group, has also expressed his interest in an acquisition of the Port Talbot steelworks earlier. Liberty Steel, part of the GFG Alliance owned by the Gupta family, was one of a number of bidders for Tata’s UK steel business back in 2016, before the sales process was abandoned. The Indian loss-making subsidiary of Tata Steel Europe however remains in regular talks with the UK Government over a financial lifeline of £500m, it has been confirmed. Tata then pursued a joint venture of its European steel business with German conglomerate Thyssenkrupp, before that was dissolved last year.

®

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ITV VISITS NEASDEN TEMPLE

Accountability towards a newly made commitment Rohit Vadhwana

Paresh Rughani BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, popularly known as Neasden Temple was featured recently on ITV, in a special documentary called “All Around Britain”, which takes viewers on a tour around Britain for the best stories with uplifting tales of human endeavour, stunning landscapes and local history.

In episode 4 of this new series, presenters Ranvir Singh and Alex Beresford were welcomed into the breath-taking Neasden Temple in London, one of the UK’s most popular attractions and world-famous landmark, honoured with various awards and accolades, since it was opened on 20th August 1995.

In the 2002 edition of the Guinness Book World records, Neasden Temple had the distinction of being mentioned three times, and the spiritual Guru of BAPS, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the inspirer of the temple, hailed as the master builder of the largest traditional Hindu temple outside India. Even the prestigious Readers Digest publication mentioned the temple as “one of the wonders of the 20th Century”.

So, it was no wonder that both Ranvir and Alex were greeted with the Indian tradition of ‘NAMASTE’ – a salutation of respect and reverence, by Nisha and Tarun – both dedicated volunteers of the temple.

Removing their shoes as per the old adage “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”, they all ascended to the main marble staircase, made from the creamy white Bulgarian limestone. Stepping inside the main temple, both were simply mesmerised with the splendid art and architecture, and seeing sanctuary of Italian Carrara marble, covered with a froth of beautiful carvings.

Furthermore, both Ranvir and

Alex were literally flabbergasted, when Tarun explained how over 5000 tonnes of stone was hand carved by more than 1,500 skilled artisans in India, into 26,300 pieces, which were coded, packed and sent on a final 6,300 miles long journey to London. Here each piece was assembled like a giant 3-dimensional jigsaw puzzle, by thousands of volunteers, all within a record 2.5 years!!

Ranvir Singh and Alex Beresford

ple, to sincerely thank him, the board of trustees and volunteers, for giving them all the warmth and hospitality. Yogvivek Swami decided to become a monk to serve God and focus on humanitarian activities. Today, as the head of Neasden temple, he addresses many contemporary issues and is able to inspire society through his knowledge of Vedic scriptures, ancient philoso-

Tarun Patel

phy and world reliAnd as per the gions.

Moreover, ancient Hindu appreciating all the scriptures (Shilpa community service shastra), not a sinperformed by the gle piece of metal temple, including the or steel was used! recent programme Following on, both Alex Beresford with Yogvivek Swami mobilising more were invited to than 1,100 volunteers and 19 resitake part performing the ‘Arti’ (ceredent Swamis, helping and preparing mony of light), waving lighted wicks daily food, for the elderly and vulbefore the sacred images, and receivnerable, in response to the coroning blessings from the Gods. Straight avirus pandemic call from the preafter this, Ranvir descended to the sent BAPS spiritual leader – Mahant lower floor of the mandir, to perSwami Maharaj. form ‘Abhishek’ – the ancient Hindu Finally, though both Ranvir practice of pouring water over the and Alex came as visitors, they left sacred image of Lord Swaminarayan, as family members, as per the whilst offering personal prayers.

Hindu Sanskrit phrase ‘vasudhaiva They were invited, along with kutumbakam’ (the whole world is their television crew, inside the one big family). And after enjoying modern gym – built to promote the lovely vegetarian meal pregood health and fitness, because the pared by the resident Swamis, both founder Pramukh Swami Maharaj, left the temple very happy and was a strong believer that “healthier spiritually fulfilled – resonating minds must be supported by a with the life mantra of the healthier body!” founder/ inspirer Pramukh Swami Towards the end, Alex joined Maharaj: “In the joy of others, lies Yogvivek Swami, a British born our own” doctor, and head Sadhu of the tem-

Brent road set to be renamed after Pramukh Swami The Brent Council’s cabinet will assess Neasden Temple’s application to rename part of Meadow Garth to Pramukh Swami Road, it emerged on Wednesday 7th October.

According to Harrow Times, some Representatives from Brentfield Primary School have flagged up concerns that any change would split its address and suggested it “does not reflect our community or the school community”. The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority have also raised concerns around the spelling and pronunciation of the proposed new name which “could cause confusion and possible delay in the event of an emergency”.

Brent Council officers have

Pramukh Swami

reportedly acknowledged these concerns and said councillors would make a “finely balanced decision” given the positive impact of the mandir on the Borough.

The report stated, “The temple is an important asset to Brent, both for residents and as a visitor attraction.

“Although the rationale for applying for the name change has not been clearly set out in the application, it is important to recognise the desire of the temple to have a street presence which reflects its culture and that of its thousands of attendees and visitors.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj was president of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) movement, which considered him to be the fifth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan. He died in 2016 aged 94.

Are we committed to ourselves?

Can we do a task diligently, with full accountability? Or we shy away from such commitment and regularity? When we decide to go to the gym regularly, do we maintain a calendar? When we start a diet plan, can we record our schedule and maintain it? This accountability is a big landmark which decides our progression or regression on any path. If we intend to stop eating junk food, can we declare it?

If we don't want to gulp down a pint of beer, can we announce it to our peers? Sometimes we do such resolutions in our mind but keep them to ourselves, fearing that if we fail to follow, others may laugh at us.

This fear comes from a lack of accountability towards the newly made commitment.

Any resolution or commitment can be best implemented only after we have followed it regularly for at least three weeks. Ditching once maybe the occasional but second time it becomes failure and the third time it is cheating ourselves. If it happens frequently, we lose confidence to commit for anything.

Best cultivated habits are those which happen as a routine. But for them to become a routine, disciplined adherence is necessary. A regimental commitment and unwavering accountability to the newly made resolutions can be the only successful way. It can come with a diarised schedule which is hanged on the wall and shows us what to do at what time. In the schedule, we need to make red or green tick marks. As the table becomes greener, our habit gets inforced and our commitment and accountability become successful and gets strengthened.

Lord Loomba questions the government on its pandemic response Lord Loomba, speaking in the House of Lords last week, questioned the government on issues ranging from care sector assessment to the number of GPS, privacy issues, the track and trace system, and the rule of six.

On the accountability of care home Lord Loomba providers to their residents when problems arise, he queried about protections for residents when homes are forced to close.

He asked what measures the Government is taking to ensure that existing residents are not traumatised by being forced to move home due to financial pressures, forcing the closure of their current care homes.

Regarding payments to victims of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, he asked if the Government was committed to shortening the time that it will take before payments are made. On the shortage of GPS in England Lord Loomba stated that waiting times to see a GP have always been long, and appointments limited to five or six minutes only. Pointing out that now many patients are only given a telephone appointment, Lord Loomba asked the Minister how and when these vacancies will be filled.

He also queried the robustness of the track and trace system as well as privacy issues. Lord Loomba wanted to know, what measures are in place to protect citizens from data loss and breaches of privacy, so that they can have faith in using the system.

He also challenged the government on the rule of six.

The legislation underpinning the rule required any measure to be proportionate. According to him, there does not appear to be any scientific basis for the number of people being curtailed to six.

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Why ethnicity matters in organ donation There are over 6,000 people waiting for an organ transp plant, whilst they wait their lives are on pause. Black, Asian and minority ethnic patients make up a third of the waiting list due to a higher incidence of conditions that make you more likely to need a transplant, like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

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10 READERS' VOICE

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Alpesh Patel OBE

Bollywood blues

Like so many of Asian Voice’s readers, I was thrilled to hear that Alpesh Patel was awarded an OBE in Her Majesty’s 2020 Birthday Honours list.

Alpesh is one of Britain’s leading and most inspirational British Indians and I am so pleased that his tremendous contribution in strengthening relations between the UK and India has finally been acknowledged. He is a proud mascot for British businesses and has been a trailblazer in attracting global businesses and entrepreneurs directly to the UK. In addition to this, Alpesh remains one of the UK’s principal British Indian writers, with many of us waking up to his reviews on BBC News, as well as avidly reading his weekly column in this paper. He has an exceptional ability to articulate his views in a constructive, fair and non-partisan manner. To date he has written over 1000 newspaper columns for papers such as the Financial Times and Asian Voice newspaper for over 15 years. But most importantly, Alpesh’s contribution will encourage other young British Indians to follow in his footsteps to excel and contribute to this great country.

My warmest congratulations to Alpesh on this remarkable achievement. I am sure that Alpesh and his family will be incredibly proud of this honour. It is absolutely no more than he deserves.

Lord Dolar Popat By email

Since BJP has come into power in 2014, leading Muslim stars and associates in the film faculty have become vocal in expressing their displeasure in the Modi's rule. Some feel threatened and unsecured with a pretext that the Hindus are getting intolerant. Modiji's democratic actions in the best interest of the nation hardly ever meet with their approval and support. Accusations are made that Modiji is in violation of the secularism policy enshrined in the constitution of India. Muslims have become such a dominant force in Bollywood that unfortunately, some Hindu stars lean with them for their vested interest in anti-Modi rhetoric and others have chosen to keep quiet to the utter dismay and anger of Hindus.

Congress has ruled India since independence with a policy of appeasement to the Muslim minority, empowering Muslims and treating majority Hindus with contempt.

This has become an acceptable norm for the vast majority. Bollywood is synonymous with India and this multibillion industry makes significant contributions to the economic, cultural, and social values of the country.

However. The nation cannot tolerate any agenda in Bollywood that undermines the nation's safety, security, Hindu religion, rich culture, heritage, and values.

Sushant Rajput's tragic death has shocked India. The brave and bold Kangana Ranaut’s revelations have put Bollywood in the spotlight. Shocking truths are coming out. No doubt some good will come out of this.

Hindu Mandir Executive Conference UK The Hindu Mandir Executive Conference was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my work within the Hindu community over last 49 years. I must say I was privileged to be part of such a seminar conducted over Zoom. To have the participants from well over 135 organisations was a landmark in itself. It was very professionally conducted and had 3 hours allocated. It was a historic day for Hindus in this country. It is estimated there are around 250 Hindu Mandirs in UK representing various sampradayas.

This conference was organised by VHP (UK). There were many eminent speakers including Trupti Patel, President of Hindu Forum of Britain, Rajnish Kashyap, General Secretary, Hindu Council UK and Satish K Sharma, General Secretary, National Council of Hindu Temples UK. List of issues discussed in various workshops varied from Mandir and governance to Mandir and youth promotion of Hindu culture within Hindu community, school visits, celebration of festivals, types of sewa etc. The concluding speech by the head of HSS in UK, Dhiraj Shah exemplified the key values and was quite inspiring.

Some of the keynote features of his speech included sharing of thoughts such as a Mandir not just a place of worship but a vibrant centre of social and cultural activities, youth participation, progressive leadership, co-operation and collaborations, external engagements and raising awareness in the community. The concluding remark highlighted that in kalyug only collective efforts are successful.

I was very impressed by the convenor Bharatbhai Mistry and Dr Tribhowan Jotangia. Well done VHP for having organised this historic conference.

Dinesh Chauhan By email

Nobel Peace Prize For WFP This year’s Nobel Peace Prize” (NPP) was awarded to UN humanitarian organisation “World Food Programme” (WFP) for the excellent work it is doing in keeping millions of people alive, with food aid, without which many would die of hunger and starvation. Thanking Norwegian Nobel Prize Committee, WFP stated that there will be no peace, as long as hunger, starvation and extreme poverty exist in the world.

The refugees from Africa and Asia are the result of poverty, as well as internal strife, civil war that the West has propagated for their own selfish interest. Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Yemen and Somalia are the prime example.

WFP was created in 1962 at the request of then US President, Dwight Eisenhower. It is a voluntary organisation, depending on the generosity of the world’s prosperous nations, especially America. It is high time that contribution is made mandatory, based on the prosperity of the participating nations, as some of the richest nations like Germany, Japan and China, a few among many pay the least, unless it is in their interest.

One of the most appreciative steps WFP inaugurated was school meals, fully pledged UN commitment that has helped millions of children worldwide since 1965 when it came into existence. WFP also helps nations when they are struck with natural disaster, like earthquakes, Tsunami and self-inflicted wounds, like the situation in Yemen where Saudi Arabia uses British and American arms and ammunitions! WFP employs some 17,000 people, mainly in countries where they are on the ground, distributing food aid. Although WFP is a worthy recipient of NPP, I feel it should have been shared with health workers, doctors, nurses, ambulance crews, ancillary workers and Care Home Assistants and many more who put their lives in danger every day!

Bhupendra M. Gandhi By email

Niranjan Vasant By email

Nobel prize The internationally acclaimed and most prestigious Nobel Prizes were first awarded in 1901 as per the will of the Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel.

This year's Nobel Prize for Physics has been awarded to the UK physicist Sir Roger Penros along with 2 other scientists. This is in recognition of his research findings in the area of black hole theory. But it is widely known that Sir Penros' work is based on Roychowdhury Equation that was developed by an Indian physicist Prof Amar Kumar Roychowdhury in 1955 and the former has also acknowledged this.

This year's Nobel Prizes once again confirm how the Royal Swedish Academy, the apex body that decides the awardees, is prejudiced in favour of the western world and frequently ignores the contributions made by the Asian luminaries. No wonder then Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Jai Prakash Narayan and several others in this list were forever ignored in spite of their immense contribution.

Dr Bharat Shah By email

Political Posturing Keeps NHS Under Pressure!

KHICHADI Kapil’s

Follow me on Twitter: @kk_OEG

The Church and the Devil Kapil Dudakia The Church is a sinner, set up by sinners and followed by sinners. In fact, the membership to this club is only for sinners. I say so since the Church itself has declared it as original sin, also called ancestral sin, which is a doctrine of sin in which humanity has existed since the fall of man, stemming from Adam and Eve's rebellion in Eden.

This week we saw the Archbishops of Canterbury and York in the UK apologising to survivors of abuse, as the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) prepared to publish its overarching investigation report into the Church of England. Thousands of young innocent children sexually abused by the ambassadors of Christ. And this has been happening for many years. It seems their collective sins overflowed to such a degree that even the all-powerful Church was unable to contain it any longer.

Of course, the same is true for the Vatican and the Catholic Church, lest people think it only happened in one part of this sinful man-made creation. In 2014 the UN accused the Vatican of "systematically" adopting policies allowing priests to sexually abuse thousands of children. Think about it, the Vatican, the abode of the infallible, accused by none other than the UN of systematically creating conditions whereby the representatives of Christ on Earth could abuse children for their own deviant and perverted sexual pleasure.

Abuses by the Church have been on-going for centuries. Do you know that it took several hundred years for the Church to figure out what would go into its Bible! Yes, and they want you to think that’s the word of God. It is nothing but the word of men, men who want to control the masses by putting the fear of God into people. And by putting the fear of God, I mean the sheer brutality of the Church, the wars it took part in and engineered through the centuries, and the decimation of countless civilisations and its people in the name of their ‘loving’ God. Look around you, and you will see utter devastation by these sinners who in the name of their religion took it upon themselves to convert the innocent by any means necessary, and to destroy any culture that stood in its way. Is there any place in the world where the sins of the Church cannot be seen?

I often wonder if the Church is in partnership with the devil. Of course, the devil is a creation of the Church as well. It’s almost as if the devilish behaviour is encouraged to sustain the narrative of the Church.

The IICSA report states, ‘the context of child sexual abuse, the Church’s neglect of the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of children and young people in favour of protecting its reputation was in conflict with its mission of love and care for the innocent and the vulnerable’.

In the words of Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, ‘The report published today is a stark and shocking reminder of how so many times we have failed — and continue to fail — survivors. Apologies are vital, but they are not enough. We have to listen.

We have to learn. And we have to act’.

The Church stands exposed, but lest people forget, in the name of religion abuses of many types has taken place across the world. I am a great believer of human rights before religious rights. The law must ensure there is no get out of jail card for those who use religion to disguise their crimes.

With coronavirus taking so much time and occupying much needed beds, it is no wonder that the waiting list for operations have soared, well over two million, many people die, go blind before their turn come up. Even then so many such operations are cancelled at the last minute.

Pain and worry oblige some patients to go private, borrowing money from friends and relations, even raise money on their homes, thus depriving their children the legacy to inherit their family homes.

Politicians know this scenario. It is in their power to ease pressure on NHS and help the elderly at the same time. In many countries, NHS has cost chart for every operation, say hip replacement cost NHS £6000 and privately £7500. Patients are allowed to go private, NHS paying £6000 and rest, the difference paid by patients themselves.

This scheme will not only reduce NHS waiting list, benefiting the rest on waiting list but will give OAPs better life in their declining years without borrowing on their homes. But people are brain-washed by politicians that every NHS treatment is free at the point of delivering, a complete lie, as many patients pay through the nose for dental treatment, prescription charges, as well as for eye check and spectacles!

One reason put forward is that it will create two tier systems, those who can afford to pay the difference will be privileged patients, left-wing propaganda! We already have vast differences in living standard between Have and Have Not generation. We all do not drive top of the range Mercedes, BMW or Jaguar cars, many have to do with Ford, Toyota and Honda, same goes to the housing, flats, terrace, semi-ditched, detached and bungalows. It is time politicians show the courage of their convictions and help NHS overcome the daily struggle of over-work, fatigue and even occasional suicide brought on by “Work Pressure”!

The passing away of Union Minister for Consumer Affairs Ram Vilas Paswan on October 8, 2020 is indeed a great loss not only for the BJP but for the entire nation.

His death is a loss not only to politics but also to those who are marginalised. Mr Paswan had a successful stint with the current dispensation, thus dispelling the notion that Dalits may not fit into right-wing politics. He struggled relentlessly to champion the cause of Dalits. May his soul rest in peace.

Kumudini Valambia By email

Jubel D'Cruz, Mumbai, India

A great loss to India

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Virtual Navratri is the Diaspora demands apology for calling Hindus 'terrorists' in a GCSE religious studies workbook flavour of the season Indian diaspora in the UK has raised concerns against a GCSE religious studies workbook which called Hindus ‘terrorists’ trying to protect their beliefs.

The publisher withdrew the book titled ‘GCSE Religious Studies: Religion, Peace and Conflict’, bearing AQA logo, from the curriculum section of Langley School, in Solihull, West Midlands. The book, which was downloadable from the school’s website, was removed after widespread outrage from the community, especially on twitter, when British Indians Voice first tweeted about it.

On Page 4 of the now withdrawn book it stated, "Holy books teach that it is necessary to be able to morally justify war in order to preserve dharma.

Arjuna, as a Kshatriya, is reminded of his duty to uphold a righteous cause and that in fact there is nothing better than a righteous war.”

"If the cause is just, Hindus will take up arms. Self-defence is justifiable; hence India has nuclear weapons to protect from aggressors. Some Hindus have turned to terrorism to protect Hindu beliefs.”

"The Arthashastra scriptures state that governments must act with a suitable moral approach, which implies a just one."

Dr Ramesh Pattni OBE, Chair of religious Education and Trupti Patel, President of Hindu Forum of Britain have written to the AQA Board, saying, “The Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB) is extremely disappointed and exasperated about the content of this workbook regarding Hinduism. The statement regarding Hinduism in the section on

photo courtesy: Twitter @British Indians Voice

‘Religious beliefs, teachings and attitudes about the meaning and significance of justice’ on page 4 is completely misrepresented, vexatious, inaccurate and meant to teach wrong beliefs about Hindus to impressionable children.

The statement that Hindus have turned to terrorism is completely and falsely put in the context of this section and there is no rationale that links this to any aspect of Hindu philosophy. It shows a superficial understanding of the matter and even the interpretation about the Arjuna is totally misinterpreted in the context of dharma and war.

This is a specific instance of the dharma of a kshatriya as the warrior and the argument definitely does not extend to

lawlessness in the community using dharma as the basis.

“You have completely misrepresented the meaning of dharma and linked it to what you describe as terrorism. In fact, dharma works exactly in the opposite direction of the greater good for the society when understood and interpreted properly.

“We suspect that there may a political agenda behind how Hindu beliefs and practices have been portrayed in your workbook, especially in relation to another religion. It’s clear that not having a Hindu scholar on board, you have relied on hearsay and not facts. We believe that whoever wrote on Hinduism is ignorant and would suggest you refer any matters on Hinduism to us.

“We demand that you immediately remove the reference to terrorism in this section and if there is no action taken, we will have no choice but to take necessary measures to have it removed. We require a prompt response from you in this matter.”

AQA in a statement said, “We can confirm that we didn’t produce this workbook and our logo was used on it without permission. Some of the material seems to have come from a textbook- we have spoken to the publisher, which has withdrawn the book from sale, while it addresses the issue. In a statement Langley school said, “Unfortunately this document was purchased externally several years ago and not produced by our staff at our school.

We can assure you that it is not used in school...We apologise for any offence caused.”

Navratri is a Hindu festival, that spans over nine nights ten days, and is celebrated every year during autumn. It is observed differently in different parts of India.

In the UK, Navratri has always been a much-celebrated occasion with raas garba organised by many organisations. It is equally popular among young Indians and this year Navratri starts from 17 October and goes on till 25 October.

BBC Asian Network’s Parle Patel has been brining young listeners the biggest Navratri vibes over the years. On 1 October he tweeted, “Are you British and Asian, Indian, Gujarati, Hindu or Jain? Is Navratri religiously, spiritually, culturally, socially important to you? Like this tweet &RT! I'm going to do our best to be seen in the UK media this season. Its officially Navratri month, Jai Ambe, Eh Halo!”

This year, with the pandemic robbing people off their normal lives, Navratri will not be observed traditionally. But many organisations are organising virtual Navratri to ensure that tradition and community spirit remain strong among those celebrating.

Velji Vekaria, from SKLPC (UK) told Asian Voice, “We organise the largest Navratri festival in Europe and this year would have been no different. However, due to Covid 19 restrictions in place, this year’s festivities have been cancelled. But SKLPC (UK) has organised FREE online Navratri Daily Darshan on the following dates: Mataji Aarti – 17th to 25th October, Dussehra Aarti – 26th October, Sharad Poonam Aarti – 29th October. The daily Aarti will commence at 8pm (UK time). Please visit www.sklpc.com/navratri for further information on how to take part. "Online Aarti donation will be accepted, so please visit www.sklpc.com/donate for that. Aarti donation funds will be donated to St Luke’s Hospice Harrow & Haven House Children’s Hospice Essex.” Marathi Ladies UK is presenting their online Garba on 23 October at 5pm. They are also doing a Garba workshop on this Sunday from 6:30pm.

On the other hand, London Sharad Utsav last weekend organised an online/virtual mela, to help people get ready for Durga puja festivities.

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SCRUTATOR’S Writer stages protest as jeweller refuses to speak in Marathi Marathi writer Shobha Deshpande staged a 20-hour protest in Mumbai after a city-based jeweller allegedly refused to speak in the Marathi language and asked her to leave his shop where she had gone to make a purchase. The jeweller has apologised to the writer, who staged the protest overnight on the footpath outside his shop. Deshpande was later taken to a hospital for a medical check-up by the police. Speaking about the incident, Deshpande said she had gone to the jewellery shop in Colaba to buy earrings. During their conversation, the author asked the shopkeeper Jain speak to her in Marathi. The jeweller said he cannot speak in Marathi. "Since I did not speak in Hindi, he refused to sell me the earrings. He arrogantly asked me to leave the place," Deshpande alleged. The writer said she demanded that the jeweller show the licence required to run the shop, but he refused. "When I called the police, they too took the jeweller's side. Then I staged the protest," Deshpande alleged. Jain later apologised to the writer. Some MNS workers, who had arrived at the spot to express solidarity with Deshpande, were seen slapping the jeweller as he apologised to the writer. (Agency) Govt rewriting report on Chinese aggression Ministry of Defence has removed all monthly reports since 2017 from its website, including the one about “unilateral aggression” by China in Ladakh and the ones that recorded the Doklam crisis in 2017. According to a report, the Ministry said the earlier reports will be back on the website “soon.” The article said the mechanism for preparation and sharing of reports publicly is being cleaned up to make them more “comprehensive.” Three months after the standoff started and two days after it was uploaded, the document on the MoD website that admitted to Chinese intrusion into Indian territory in eastern Ladakh was removed on August 6. Each report is whetted by senior officials before it is made public.

These reports are usually silent on major operations – for example, the Balakot air strike, the India-Pakistan dogfight, the Doklam deployment. Before all the monthly reports since 2017 – those prior to it were never available on the website – were removed, the Ministry had taken down the report for June 2020 in August. That report said, “Chinese aggression has been increasing along the LAC and more particularly in Galwan Valley since 5th May, 2020” and “the Chinese side transgressed in the areas of Kugrang Nala, Gogra and the north bank of Pangong Tso lake on 17–18 May, 2020”. (Agency)

dryfruit cookies, butter cookies and khari among others was working overtime to meet the demand both at home and abroad. Recently, this bakery received an order of 200 kg of bakery items from Canada! The bakery was started by the forest department as a means of livelihood for the local people.

The items were sold under the brand name of ‘Van Shree’ and it has become an instant hit with local market. It’s fame has spread overseas with them getting ‘foreign’ orders for the high quality bakery items as well,” said Puneet Nayyar, deputy conservator of forests, Surat division. (The Times of India)

Cookies from Gujarat to flavour Canadians’ teatime

Fake universities galore in India Education has become a money spinning business and some interested parties are opening universities at their will to entice the students. The University Grants Commission (UGC) said that there are 24 'self-styled, unrecognised institutions' in India, terming them as 'fake' with the maximum of them operating in Uttar Pradesh followed by Delhi.

'Students and public are informed that currently 24 selfstyled, unrecognised institutions are functioning in contravention of the UGC Act, which have been declared as fake universities and these are not empowered to confer any degree,' UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain said. Eight of these universities are functioning from Uttar Pradesh. Delhi has seven fake universities. Odisha and West Bengal have two such

Cookies prepared at Visdalia village, a tribal hamlet 60 km away from Surat, has bagged international attention recently.

The recently-started bakery unit prepares items like chocolate cookies, coconut cookies,

universities each. Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Puducherry and Maharashtra have one fake university each.

'The UGC Act, 1956 provides that a degree can be awarded, only by a university established

under a central, state, provincial Act or an institution especially empowered by an Act of Parliament to confer the degree,' Jain said. (Agency) Tripura Chief Minister's

prediction Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has said that the BJP government in the northeastern state would remain in power for the next three decades if 80 per cent houses hang pictures of Swami Vivekananda and his message.

Addressing the members of the BJP Mahila Morcha, Deb called upon the activists to spread the message of Swami Vivekananda and distribute his pictures to inspire the people of the state. "I have seen, even in my village, people hanging pictures of communist leaders - Jyoti Basu, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong - in their drawing rooms. Could we not hang pictures of Swami Vivekananda? Our party will keep our ideologies and sanskars (values) - if 80 per cent of Tripura houses hang pictures of Swami Vivekananda, then this government will remain for another 30-35 years," Deb said.

"Swami Vivekananda said talk less, keep silent and concentrate on work. Our energy gets wasted if we talk much. So, we should not waste our energy," Deb said. He asked the mahila morcha activists to highlight Indian culture, sanskriti among the people. Earlier Deb had distributed books on Swami Vivekananda to Covid patients to keep them mentally strong and motivated. (Agency) Govt backs ayurveda, yoga to fight Covid India's health minister Harsh Vardhan and Ayush minister Shripad Naik have recommended use of common

ayurvedic formulations such as Guduchi, Ashwagandha, Kadha, boiled water with herbs and milk with turmeric in treating mild and asymptomatic Covid19 patients as part of the national clinical management protocol for Covid-19 based on Ayurveda and Yoga. Specific measures were also prescribed for preventing the disease in high risk people and primary contacts of infected people. The protocol suggests use of ayurdeva medicines such as Ashwagandha, Guduchi Ghana Vati or Chyawanaprasha as prophylactic care for high risk population and primary contacts of patients. “All the medicines included have shown good results and are scientifically validated by the task force and committees created to review them. It will be added as an exclusive chapter in our national Covid-19 management protocol,” said Harsh Vardhan.

Dr Vardhan also released National Clinical Management Protocol for management of Covid-19. The guidelines offer standard treatment protocol to be followed by all Ayush practitioners treating mild to moderate Covid-19 cases, in line with the Union health ministry’s National Clinical Management Protocol for Covid-19. (Agency) India test-fires anti-radiation missile 'Rudram' India successfully test-fired the "Rudram" anti-radiation missile, developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), from a Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft off the east coast.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took to Twitter to congratulate DRDO and other stakeholders for the test's success. Rudram is India's first indigenous anti- radiation missile for Indian Air Force, being developed by DRDO, and is integrated on SU-30 MkI fighter aircraft as the launch platform, having the capability of varying ranges based on

launch conditions. "It has INSGPS navigation with Passive Homing Head for the final attack. The Rudram hit the radiation target with pinpoint accuracy. The Passive Homing Head can detect, classify and engage targets over a wide band of frequencies as programmed," it said. The statement added that the missile is a potent weapon for the Indian Air Force for suppression of enemy air defence effectively from large standoff ranges. "With this, the country has established indigenous capability to develop long-range air-launched antiradiation missiles for neutralising enemy radars, communication sites and other RF emitting targets," the statement said. (Agency) Lion gets stuck in snare, fence freed The forest department had to struggle hard for more than three hours to free a lion stuck in the fence of a Palitana farmer in the Bhavnagar district of

Gujarat. While the task itself was daunting, what added to the foresters’ worries was that the stressed lion was also caught in a snare. According to the forest department, the lion first stuck in the snare. Frightened, the lion started running with the cable in its leg which got stuck in the fencing of the farm. The agitated lion uprooted three fencing poles while trying to free itself. The farmer who saw the incident informed the forest department. A team immediately reached the spot and realised the need to tranquilize the stressed and hurt lion. It took three hours for the foresters to immobilise the animal. The lion was treated for the minor injuries and shifted to the animal care centre. Later it was released in the forest. (The Times of India)

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17 - 23 October 2020

in brief in brief FAMILY-RUN CHARITY SUPPORTS VILLAGES IN EAST AFRICA DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

A London-based family run charity are supporting the vulnerable in East Africa, India and the UK to weather through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Avasara Foundation, a family-run initiative, was established earlier this year and has already provided relief to 67 families across East Africa whose lives have been disrupted by coronavirus. The charity prides itself on maximising the amount of donations that reach those in need. Currently 94p of every pound donated goes directly to beneficiaries.

This year, over 7 months’ worth of food has been distributed to over 380 people in Rwanda, Malawi and Kenya at an average cost of £7 per person per month.

Led by Meenal Patel, Amit Patel and Bhavik Patel, the family, of Gujarati origin, are now settled across the South of the UK including Dorset, Swindon and London. Commenting on her motivations for starting the Foundation, Meenal said, “Having been given opportunities at different stages of our family’s history, after three generations we have been able to create a world for our family that was a distant dream for our ancestors.”

Coronavirus measures in some countries, such as Rwanda, are now easing and the food distributions have allowed families to bridge the gap while they have been out of work. Abraham, 24, from Rwanda, is a beneficiary from the programme and says: “I was alone, no one to hear me, I was hopeless. But today, I’m able to live and work hard.”

DUCHESS OF SUSSEX “MOST TROLLED PERSON IN THE ENTIRE WORLD” On Sunday 11th October the Duchess of Sussex revealed she was told last year that she was the “most trolled person in the entire world”.

In a podcast, Teenager Therapy, Meghan Markle joined three high school students in California where she opened up about the “almost unsurvivable” online abuse she had experienced.Meghan and Prince Harry discussed topics including mental health stigma, self-care and online abuse in the aftermath of the World Mental Health Day. The duchess said the Covid-19 pandemic, which has closed schools around the world, has meant more time online for many. She said, “Yes, it’s a great way to connect, but it also ends up being a place where there’s a lot of disconnection, you know, I can speak personally to.“I am told that in 2019 I was the most trolled person in the entire world, male or female.

Now, eight months of that I wasn’t even visible, I was on maternity leave or with a baby. But what was able to just be manufactured and churned out, it’s almost unsurvivable, that’s so big, you can’t think of what that feels like, because I don’t care if you’re 15 or 25, if people are saying things about you that aren’t true, what that does to your mental and emotional health is so damaging.”

Home Office report notes record 8% increase in racial abuse and hate crime Priyanka Mehta Coronavirus has fuelled an increase in hate crimes with the Home Office noting an 8% increase in such incidents from last year across Wales and England.

Statistics published on Tuesday, 13th October during the national hate crime awareness week indicated that racial hate crimes had increased by a whopping 4,000 incidents in the last year. In comparison religious hate crimes climbed down by 5%, the first highest fall since 2012-13. The Home Office defines hate crime as any criminal offence which is perceived, by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards someone based on a personal characteristic.

Over the last few months and especially during the height of the pandemic, there have been countless reports about pharmacists and key frontline workers, especially from black, Asian and minority ethnic being subjected to verbal and physical abuse. Almost a month ago an Indian Sikh taxi driver had reported an incident whereby passengers had asked him if he was “Taliban”. 41-year-old Vaneet Singh was driving four passengers from the Grosvenor casino in Reading when along the journey on the M33, they had pulled at his turban and subjected him to physical and verbal abuse.

Speaking to the BBC, he had said "It was horrible, really frightening, I will never work the nightshift again. I am still very scared."

Consequently, an investigation was launched into the incident with the Thames Valley Police requesting for any witnesses to step forward and provide leads. Asian Voice has now learnt from the Thames Valley

Vaneet Singh

Police that his case has been transferred over to Hampshire Constabulary.

19-year-old Bramley man was arrested on suspicion of racial and religious assault on Indianorigin Sikh Taxi driver A spokesperson for the Hampshire Constabulary disclosed exclusively to Asian Voice, "A 19-year-old man from Bramley has been arrested on the suspicion of racially abusing and assaulting a taxi driver. The racial abuse and assaults are alleged to have taken place between 10.20 pm and 11.45pm on September 19 during a journey from Reading to the Basingstoke area.

The 19-year-old was arrested on suspicion of racially and religiously aggravated assault, criminal damage and public order offences. He has been released under investigation while police enquiries are ongoing. Another man, a 20 year old from Swindon, has been voluntarily interviewed by police in relation to the same incident and released under investigation.

Police enquiries continue."

Academics and experts believe that the increase in racial hate crimes have surfaced in the light of Black Lives Matter protest. Yet, the Home Office appear to have failed to take into account some of the statements issued by certain parliamentarians during the height of the coronavirus lockdown. Craig Whittaker’s allegations around Muslims and members from ethnic minority communities

Nazmin Akhtar

violating lockdown rules were not backed by any substantial evidence and were instead seen to “divide the community”.

Some even accused the Tory MP of fuelling hate.

Commenting on the subject, Nazmin Akhtar, Co-Chair of Muslim Women Network UK said, “The pandemic has augmented many very real issues we deal with on a daily basis, whether that is domestic abuse, poverty or mental health matters. We have seen and heard many positive stories, such as neighbours and communities coming together to support one another. Sadly, there has also been an increase in racism and Islamophobia.

“It is unfair to make blanket statements that suggest one community is not following the rules as much as others. There are individuals across the board that need to do better. It is also vital that we look beyond the headlines and consider the factors that are exacerbating Covid-19 risks and cases for some communities. We need to work on addressing these inequalities, rather than get distracted playing the 'blame' game.”

Statistics remain same for two years, only 2% hate crimes reported against the Hindus Off the 6,800 cases the Home Office report has noted that there are only 114 hate crimes recorded against the Hindu community. The statistics apparently stand stagnant since 2018 and at the lowest in

Sadiq Khan

comparison to hate crime reported by other religions.

Some Hindu organisations have reportedly picked this subject with the Metropolitan Office.

In the meantime, the Mayor of London has declared City Hall a committedly anti-racist organisation while unveiling a toolkit to help businesses cultivate genuinely inclusive working environments. One in five men in the capital is Black, but Black men are significantly more likely to experience unemployment than their White counterparts, with 33 per cent of Black men out of work compared to 15 per cent of White men. Sadiq Khan has set targets by gender and ethnicity for the proportion of Black male and Black female staff across the GLA and MOPAC, and specifically the senior leadership teams to, reflect the wider London working age population.

Sadiq Khan said, “Our capital’s diversity is its greatest strength, but the makeup of too many organisations, especially at their highest levels, fails to present a true picture of modern London.

“Your background, gender and ethnicity should have no bearing on what you can achieve which is why part of becoming actively anti-racist involves acknowledging the fact systemic racism remains pervasive across society. Employers and businesses must do more to embed anti-racist practices in their operations and their company culture.”

World Curry Week: ‘Indian cuisine is the best soft power India has’ Shefali Saxena The 22nd National Curry Week will take place from the 5th to 11th October 2020. According to the National Curry Week’s website, the very first National Curry Week took place in October 1998 and was founded by the late Peter Grove. Peter was a prominent journalist who had fallen in love with curry. His vision was to drive awareness and appreciation of the burgeoning Indian restaurant industry, whilst also raising funds for charity.

Speaking to Asian Voice, Chef, Author, Restaurateur Vivek Singh of Cinnamon Club and Kitchen said “Curry isn’t just a dish or a genre of cooking here in the UK, it’s far more, much bigger, greater and gratifying than just a meal! UK’s affinity, affection and understanding for spice and its love of the Indian subcontinent, it’s search for exotic journeys, tastes and flavours and experiences makes eating in an Indian restaurant a social and cultural phenomenon- Otherwise known as ‘Going out for a Curry’.

Chef Sriram Aylur

I love the love that our food receives and the interest that something like World Curry Week generates here- it’s something I could only have yearned for and never experienced cooking back in the sub-continent!”

A latest study by takeaway food delivery app Foodhub for National Curry Week stated that 24 per cent of those surveyed are now eating hotter curries than when they first tasted Indian food, 23 per cent eat both hot and mild curries, and seven per cent say they have always eaten hot curries. A total of 45 per cent have stayed with mild curry like Tikka Masala. The Foodhub data shows that 11 percent Brits eat curry between three to seven times per

Chef Vivek Singh

week, with a further 22 per cent eating curry at least once a week and only 10 per cent never eating curry. It also states that more than one in five people (21 per cent) are enjoying their first taste of Indian food before their 10th birthday.

Chef Sriram Aylur, is the executive chef at Quilon, the only south Indian restaurant to be Michelin-starred. Chef Aylur said, “In my opinion, the importance of Indian food or the importance of Spices would be more apt as curry seems to limit the repertoire of the Indian cuisine. Indian cuisine has been accepted in countries like the U.K. , Singapore, Malaysia . In fact in the U.K. it has become part of the culinary spectrum. It

has also been steadily growing in Europe and the US. Indian cuisine is the best soft power India has and this is being represented very well by a lot of talented chefs across the country and the world.” He also explained that the amount of space in the supermarket shelves seem to be increasing for Indian cuisine and this is a very good indication of the popularity and fondness for the cuisine.

“Indian cuisine is growing to be a very important cuisine in the culinary world, this is also reflected by the number of Indian restaurants and Indian inspired restaurants being recognised by various culinary experts including Michelin. I believe this is just the beginning, Indian cuisine will be a very important cuisine across the world also because of its health aspects. Regional cuisines have a great opportunity in matured culinary cities like London. I also wish and pray and urge colleagues in the industry to pledge to be able to take care of every single hungry child on this planet on this World Food Day,” he added.

14 WOMEN’S VOICE

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'Every family is likely to have a direct experience with mental illness' Shefali Saxena “Expressions of distress are different in the South Asian community. It is imperative that health services adapt to meet the needs of the largest ethnic minority group in the UK," said Dr. Husain. Dr. Mina Husain is a psychiatrist currently practising across various clinical settings in London and an adviser to Colourful Minds, a non-profit organisation that aims to improve the mental health of children and adolescents in the BAME community.

She is striving to create awareness about the specific mental health issues and challenges that BAME communities face particularly during lockdown. Inspired by a need to bring awareness around mental health issues both within South Asia and in South Asian communities in the West, Mina produced the acclaimed short film DIA in 2018.

Premiering at next month's BFI London Film Festival, ‘Stray Dogs Come Out At Night’ is Mina's second film. She spoke to Asian voice about mental health in the South Asian community and her upcoming film.

What role can films play in spreading mental health awareness?

Film is our generation’s most influential art form and can both reflect and shape our attitudes towards mental illness. It is well known that those suffering with mental disorders are not only dealing with the burden of their illnesses but many are also enduring the effects of stigma from wider society.

Stigma is thought to be caused by a lack of awareness about mental illness and can be influenced by portrayals in the media. Film is an extremely effective yet underused resource to spread awareness, reflect, edu-

Dr Mina Husain

support for their children. They should create an environment which is secure and loving and builds up the self-esteem of a child.

What can one do to gather the courage to initiate dialogue around mental health issues without being ashamed of it? What is the right approach?

The first step is recognising that we’re all vulnerable. Every family is likely to have a direct experience with mental illness. Once we recognise and accept this we can seek support from our friends, family or from a professional. Mental health is extremely underfunded in many low income countries but also in high income countries, though it is increasingly being recognised as a priority.

Here in the UK, mental health care is available through the NHS. You can see your GP for an assessment, who may refer you to a community mental health team and/or for psychological therapy. There are mental health apps that are available (I personally use “Waking Up” with Sam Harris“Headspace” and “Calm” are also popular). In an emergency A+E is open 24 hours a day, there are crisis lines and charitable organisations.

Please tell us something about Stray Dogs Come Out at Night.

This film has been directed by Hamza Bangash and it was an absolute pleasure to work with someone so talented. The film stars Mohammed Ali Hashmi and Adnan Shah Tipu. Hamza and Mohammed Ali Hashmi were extremely dedicated and spent 8 months doing research into the subject matter, conducting interviews and reading reports. The film is about Iqbal, a young man, who comes to Karachi from a village in Pakistan to work as a roadside masseur. It explores some of the psychological challenges he faces and we hope it builds empa-

cate ourselves and ultimately tackle the stigma attached to mental illness.

When it comes to mental health how much do you think men and women are at fault in terms of their approach and understanding?

I think that mental health can often be more confusing for people than physical ailments.

Our research in Pakistan has shown that even amongst healthcare professionals and students there are higher levels of stigma associated with mental illnesses than physical health conditions. We need strategies to address this. These include public health initiatives like workshops, discussion groups and film screenings. We found it incredibly rewarding to screen our first film “Dia” across Pakistan, creating a safe space for individuals to share their experiences.

Furthermore, a stronger emphasis on mental health training in healthcare students would be beneficial.

What according to you are the practices in the Asian community that have time and time again accelerated mental health issues in men and women?

I’ll first talk about the strengths in our communities.

South Asian communities are usually very family orientated which can provide a pillar of support for many people. Many people in the South Asian community also have strong religious values and faith. Religion can be a protective factor and a A still from 'Stray Dogs Come Out at Night' source of hope. There are of course areas that we can work on. These thy and tolerance in our audiences. Stray include the concepts of shame and the hesiDogs Come Out At Night will be available to tancy to talk about challenging topics. stream for UK audiences on the 64th BFI Mental health campaigns are known to be London Film Festival virtual portal from effective and can help open up the dialogue October 7th – 18th. Audiences will be able to within the South Asian community. The vote in the festival’s Virtual Audience community should continue to remain tight Awards. https://www.bfi.org.uk/londonknit and provide strong family values and film-festival

‘BAME men and women are still underrepresented in the UK travel industry’

Women in Travel (CIC) has launched a podcast on series ‘Breakthrough to Excellence' which aims to highlight the current exceptional female talent in the travel industry. It will spotlight women from the BAME community to record podcasts and share their

perspective on the underrepresentation and future prospects of women in the travel industry.

The social enterprise dedicated to empowering women through employability and entrepreneurship in the travel and hos-

pitality industry, will be celebrating Black History Month by showcasing senior BAME talent and sharing ways to grow more BAME talent within the travel industry.

Their October line-up includes: Ola Fadipe - Head of Recruitment, Google EMEA, Patrice Mantey - Head of Joint Ventures and Commercial Planning, Virgin, Mo Talukder - Sales Director, Geo Tourist, Dee Gibson - Hotelier and Interior Designer, Farina Azam - Partner and Travel Lead, Kemp Little and Laverne Walker - Managing Director, Sackville Travel.

Speaking about BAME Women in Travel’s October offering, Executive Director, Jamie-Lee Abtar, said: "BAME men and women are still underrepresented in the UK travel industry, and often young BAME talent overlooks the travel industry as they don’t see many who ‘look like them’ in positions of authority. This podcast series aims to address that. In a similar vein, we are calling on other BAME senior role models to get in touch and volunteer to become mentors.

The podcast series is available on Spotify, SoundCloud and Apple Podcasts.

in brief INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL 2020

Oct 11 is being celebrated as the International Day of the Girl for the past eight years to the needs and challenges of girls, thereby promoting their activism and human rights. WOW – Women of the World, Mulberry Schools Trust and Purposeful announced online plans to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl that took place across the weekend of 9 – 11 October 2020.

Mulberry Schools Trust in partnership with WOW curated a day of digital panel discussions and workshops using its Global Girl Leading platform to focus on activism in an ever-changing world to mark International Day of the Girl. It included live webinars intermixed with pre-recorded interviews to over 20 different schools from Somerset to Singapore,as well as schools in the Mulberry family The speakers included founder and chair of the Women of the Future Awards and Asian Women of Achievement Awards Pinky Lilani; Jude Kelly founder of The WOW Foundation, which runs WOW Women of the World; human rights and equality barrister Schona Jolly QC; human rights campaigner Rahima Begum; girls education activist Nusrath Hassan; actress Jing Lusi; creative director, artist activist and DJ Saliah M Bryan; youth sports ambassador and podcast host Lipa Nessa; CEO of UK Youth Ndidi Okezie and multiaward-winning broadcaster, social impact entrepreneur and diversity champion Dr Joanna Abeyie MBE. A panel discussion exploring being a girl activist, hosted by Jude Kelly and featuring three influential young activists, premiered via WOW’s YouTube Channel and website on 11 October which was chaired by Amika George, founder of Free Periods campaign, who was joined by Hayat Muse, youth activist and co-founder of Kow iyo Labo, and Heba Rose Ahmed, a human rights and anti-racist activist who was responsible for 15,000 people attending the Black Lives Matter protest at Piccadily Gardens in Manchester earlier this year.

Others who participated in the convenings were; education activists Maryam and Nivaal Rehman (Pakistan); climate justice, gender equality and human rights activist Ariadne Papatheodorou (Greece); sustainability advocate and founder of BYO Bottle Singapore campaign Kate Yeo (Singapore); climate and social justice activist Theresa Rose Sebastian (Ireland); youth activist and Teen Advisor for Girl Up Rym Badran (Lebanon); founder of Youth Advocates for Sustainable development and Malala Fund Girl child advocate Peace Ayo Adegbola (Nigeria); climate activist Lola Fayokun (UK); Youth Activist with Plan International Australia Maya Ghassali and co-host of podcast Refugees on Air Sarah Ghassali (Syria / Australia); child marriage activist and member of the national child forum Dola Akter Reba (Bangladesh); environmental activist Catarina Lorenzo (Brazil); gender, youth and climate activist Seravi Silva Harris (Sri Lanka), coding and tech activist Selin Ornek (Turkey); gender-based violence activist Mariam Hussein (Somalia); girl empowerment activist Saru Khadka (Nepal); and gender activist Viktorija Milosevic (Serbia).

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The Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2020 FRONTLINE WORKERS AND COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS HONOURED IN MOST ETHNICALLY DIVERSE HONOURS LIST EVER Shefali Saxena The Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2020 awarded 1,495 honours, to people across the UK for their outstanding contributions to the society, out of which approximately 116 are British Asians and around 34 are Asian women and 45 are approximately of Indian origin. 740 women have been recognised in the list who represent 49 percent of the total.

According to the Cabinet office, 14 percent of the names in the list this year belong to healthcare and social care workers who contributed in an immeasurable capacity in setting up the Covid-19 hospitals for medical care on the frontline.

A number of special honours were awarded to recognise the exceptional contributions of frontline workers and people in community service who have been working during the Covid-19 pandemic. The list that awarded the unsung heroes and is being declared as one the “most ethnically diverse list to date�, with 13 percent of recipients belonging to minority ethnic background.

Most of the Queen’s Birthday Honours List was compiled before the ongoing pandemic, but it was deferred in order to consider nominations for people playing crucial roles during Covid-19 and prioritised frontline workers and community heroes. 72 percent awards went to those who have worked tirelessly for their local community. The UK Cabinet office also highlighted the importance of voluntary efforts during the ongo-

Covid-19 relief. Our regular columnist and also been awarded MBE. Chief inspector ing Covid-19 pandemic across the country as Founder, Praefinium Partners Alpesh Patel Manjit Kaur Atwal of Leicestershire Police a part of which, millions of free meals and has been awarded QPM. has also been awarded an OBE. Zubair voluntary community service was proand Mohsin Issa, (founders of the vided by volunteers to support Community services honoured EG group who recently bought those who were vulnerable to the Vinod Bhagwandas Tailor was awarded supermarket chain Asda) have Coronavirus. for services to the community in received CBEs for services to Traditionally published in Bedfordshire during Covid-19 (Luton, business and charity.

June as a part of the 94-yearBedfordshire) and Ashraf Uddin, for services Veteran British broadold-British monarch’s official to the St John Ambulance during the Covidcaster and historian Sir David birthday celebrations, the 19 response (Chelmsford, Essex). Lavina Attenborough has received the Queen’s Honours List included Mehta from Watford, Hertfordshire who 414 names of unsung heroes from highest honour of a Knight provided workout sessions free of charge for all the four nations of the UK in Grand Cross (GCMG) in the Asian community groups, with her 72response to the Coronavirus Rajinder Singh, MBE Order of St Michael and year-old mother-in-law, in Gujarati pandemic.

Saint George for his and English and 74-year-old incredible contribution to Professor Nasser David Khalili, Rajinder Singh Harzall the environment, natural history ‘Skipping Sikh’ received MBEs Philanthropist has been awarded and broadcasting.

Best Knighthood for services to interfaith relafor encouraging people to stay known for playing Agatha active and mentally fit during tions and charity in London. Captain Sir Christie’s detective Hercule Tom Moore was recently awarded the lockdown. Farmida Bi, the Poirot, English actor David Knighthood in a special ceremony, one of UK’s first female chair of a major Suchet has been honoured with the firsts after the lockdown in July 2020 by law firm, also received a CBE for a Knighthood for his services to the Queen. According to the BBC, “Captain her services to law and charity.

Alpesh Patel, OBE the arts.

Sir Tom, who was given the honorary title of Dr Sanjiv Nichani, Founder and Britain’s Sikh Community wins a colonel on his 100th birthday, had initially Chief Executive Officer of Healing Little record number of honours set out to raise £1,000 for NHS charities by Hearts for services to medicine and charity, repeatedly walking an 82ft (25m) loop of his Nilay Shah, Professor of Chemical More than 20 Sikhs have been awarded garden. But he eventually raised £32,794,701 the Queen’s Birthday Honours this year.

Engineering at Imperial College London, from more than one-and-a-half million supSome of the names include Dr Carter Singh, whose services to the decarbonisation of the porters.�

UK economy are much revered to, are the General Practitioner Healthcare in 100-year-old Dabirul Choudhury British Indians who have won an OBE Nottinghamshire and Dr Gurjinder Singh Sandhu, Consultant Infectious Diseases, (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the received an OBE for walking 100 laps around British Empire). Professor of Ecosystem his garden while fasting during the holy London North West University NHS Trust.

Sandeep Singh Daheley who created an Science at the University of Oxford, month of Ramadan to raise money for Yadvinder Singh Malhi has been awarded a online portal for prayers whilst the Gurdwara was closed for services to the Sikh CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent community during Covid-19 in London has Order of the British Empire).

COVID-19 RECIPIENTS IN QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST 2020 Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) Professor Ramesh Pulendran Arasaradnam: Consultant Gastroenterologist, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust.

For services to the NHS during Covid-19 (Stamford, Lincolnshire) Dabirul Islam Choudhury: For charitable service during Covid-19 (London) Ali Ghorbangholi: Co-Founder and director of GoodSam. For services to Volunteering during the Covid-19 response (London) Ganeshalingam Suntharalingam: President, Intensive Care Society & consultant, London North West University Healthcare. For services to the NHS during Covid-19 (London) Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) Sufina Ahmad: Director, John Ellerman Foundation. For charitable service particularly during Covid-19 (London) Hans Ahmed: Sessional Muslim Imam, Her Majesty’s Prison/Youth Offenders Institution Brinsford. For services to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service during Covid-19 (Wednesbury, West Midlands) Harmohinder Singh Bhatia: For services to Race Relations in the West Midlands particularly during Covid-19 (Smethwick, West Midlands) Zahid Hussain Bhatti: Managing Chaplain, Her Majesty’s Prison Wormwood Scrubs. For services to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service during Covid-19.

(London) Dr Sarbjit Clare: Deputy Medical director, Clinical Lead Acute Medicine, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust. For services to the NHS during Covid-19 (Birmingham, West Midlands) Sandeep Singh Daheley: For services to the Sikh community during Covid-19

(London) Imran Rashid Davji: Human Resource Administrator, Asda Ltd. For services to the Covid-19 response (Batley, West Yorkshire) Jatinder Singh Harchowal: Chief Pharmacist and head of Quality Improvement, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. For services to the Pharmaceutical Profession particularly during Covid-19 (London) Manvir Hothi: Social Worker, Hammersmith and Fulham Council. For services to Social Care particularly during Covid-19 (Biggleswade, Bedfordshire) Oli Khan: For services to the Hospitality Industry and charity in the UK and Abroad particularly during Covid-19 (Luton, Bedfordshire) Sanjeev Kumar: For services to the BAME community during Covid-19.

(Luton, Bedfordshire) Lavina Mehta: For services to Health and Fitness during Covid-19 (Watford, Hertfordshire) Mohamed Omer: For services to the British Muslim community during Covid19 (London) Reza Rahnama: Director, Core Voice Services, BT. For services to Telecommunications during the Covid-19 response (London) Dr Gurjinder Singh Sandhu: Consultant, Infectious Diseases, London North West University NHS Trust. For services to the NHS during Covid-19 (Slough, Berkshire) Chandni Sejpal Shah: For services to the community in North West London during Covid-19 (Bushey, Hertfordshire) Dr Carter Singh: General Practitioner.

For services to Healthcare in Nottinghamshire particularly during Covid-19 (Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire) Continue on Page 16

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The Queen’s Birthda Continued from Page 15 Rajinder Singh Harzall: For services to Health and Fitness during Covid-19 (London) Vinod Bhagwandas Tailor: For services to the community in Bedfordshire during Covid-19 (Luton, Bedfordshire) Ashraf Uddin: For services to the St John Ambulance during the Covid-19 response (Chelmsford, Essex) Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) Ibrar Akram: Service Delivery manager, Transport for London. For service to Transport and the community in London during Covid-19 (London) Dr Mahaboob Basha: External Relations and Engagement manager, Energy Safety Research Institute, Swansea University. For services to the community in Sketty, Swansea during Covid-19 (Swansea, West Glamorgan) Rita Chohan: For services to the NHS during Covid-19 (Swansea, West Glamorgan) Dr Hareen De Silva: For services to General Practice during Covid-19 (London) Ahmud Raza Domah: General manager, Hill House Care Home.

For services to Social Care during Covid-19 (Watford, Hertfordshire) Ghulam Farid: For services to the community in Grangemouth during Covid-19 (Grangemouth, Stirling) Theivandiram Jeevathasan: For services to the community in Graffham, West Sussex during Covid-19 (Petworth, West Sussex) Rani Kaur: Food Services Assistant, J Sainsbury’s plc. For services to the community in Bedfordshire during Covid-19 (Bedford, Bedfordshire) Hasnain Qamar Rashid Bhatti Khan: Medical Student Volunteer Coordinator. For services to Healthcare in South Yorkshire during Covid-19.

(Nuneaton, Warwickshire) Mustafa Kemal Koksal: Supervisor, First Buses. For services to the community during Covid-19 (York, North Yorkshire) Vajid Mahmood: PPM Strategy and Implementation Lead, NHS England and NHS Improvement.

For services to the NHS during Covid-19 (Bury, Greater Manchester) Manju Malhi: For services to the community in London during the Covid-19 response (London) Nilima Rahman: Bank employee, Virgin Money. For services to the Financial Services sector and the community of South Shields during Covid-19. (South Shields, Tyne and Wear) Ajitha Sajeev: Street Population manager, Newham Council. For services to the Vulnerable and Homeless in Newham during Covid-19. (London) Shagufta Shamim: For services to the community in Grangemouth during Covid-19. (Grangemouth, Stirling) Neeraj Kumari Singadia: Branch manager, Lloyds Banking Group.

For services to the Financial Sector and the community in Birmingham

during Covid-19. (Birmingham, West Midlands) Faisal Tuddy: Superintendent Pharmacist, Asda Ltd. For services to the Pharmaceutical Sector during Covid-19. (Leeds, West Yorkshire) Order of the British Empire, Civil Knights Bachelor : Knighthoods Professor Nasser David Khalili: Philanthropist. For services to Interfaith Relations and charity (London) Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) Farmida Bi: Chair, Norton Rose Fulbright (Europe, Middle East and Asia). For services to Law and charity (London) Zuber Vali Issa: Co-Founder, EG Group. For services to Business and charity (Blackburn, Lancashire) Mohsin Issa: Co-Founder EG Group. For services to Business and charity (Blackburn, Lancashire) Mohammed Khan, OBE: Leader, Blackburn with Darwen Council.

For services to Local Government (Blackburn, Lancashire) Professor Yadvinder Singh Malhi, FRS: Professor of Ecosystem Science, University of Oxford. For services to Ecosystem Science (Oxford, Oxfordshire) Professor Sa’id Mosteshar: Director, London Institute of Space Policy and Law. For services to Space Law and Policy (Oxford, Oxfordshire) Neeta Patel: For services to Entrepreneurship and Technology (London) Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) Abu Ahmed: Head, Local Delivery and Communications, Office for Security and Counter Terrorism, Home Office. For public service (London) Dr Deesha Chadha: Co-Chair, Faiths Forum for London. For services to Faith communities (London) Herminder Kaur Channa, JP: Principal, Ark Boulton Academy.

For services to Education (Birmingham, West Midlands) Yasmine Chinwala: Partner, New Financial, HM Treasury. For services to the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter (London) Muhammad Naveed Idrees: Headteacher, Feversham Primary Academy, Bradford. For services to Education (Halifax, West Yorkshire) Dr Sanjiv Nichani: Founder and chief executive Officer, Healing Little Hearts. For services to Medicine and charity (Leicester, Leicestershire) Mehri Niknam, MBE: For services to Jewish-Muslim Inter Faith Relations (London) Alpesh Bipin Patel: Founder, Praefinium Partners. For services to the Economy and International Trade (London) Sarabjit Singh Purewal: Principal Specialist Inspector, Health and Safety Executive. For services to Health and Safety and to Cyber Security (Stockport, Greater Manchester) Imran Rasul: Professor of Economics, University College London. For services to Social

Sciences (London) Ahmereen Reza: Founder and Trustee, Developments in Literacy Trust, and director, Conservative Friends of Pakistan. For public and political service, and Interfaith Work (London) Professor Nilay Shah, FREng.: Professor of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London. For services to the Decarbonisation of the UK Economy (London) Anant Meghji Pethraj Shah: For services to Education, Health and Animal Welfare (London) Farouq Rashid Sheikh: Founder, CareTech. For services to Specialist Social Care (London) Mohammed Nizam Uddin: Senior head, Mosaic, The Prince’s Trust. For services to Social Mobility and Community Integration (Barking, Essex) Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBEs) Shanika Amarasekara: General Counsel, British Business Bank. For services to Business and the Economy (London) Neeta Avnash Kaur Atkar, JP: Non-Executive director, British Business Bank. For services to Small Business Finance (Marlow, Buckinghamshire) Rashida Baig: Head of Service, London Borough of Croydon. For services to Child and Family Social Work and Race Equality (Slough, Berkshire) Yadvinder Bolina: Formerly Area Communications manager, Crown Prosecution Service, West Midlands. For services to Law and Order (Birmingham, West Midlands) Islamuddin Chowdhary: Barrister. For services to the Legal Profession in London Khadija Buke Coll. : For services to Diversity and Equality in Scotland (Glasgow) Dr Bijna Kotak Dasani: Executive director, Morgan Stanley.

For voluntary services to Diversity and Inclusion in Finance (Leicester, Leicestershire) Aurangzeb Farooq: Mentor, North West Regional Leadership Group, Mosaic. For services to Young People in Manchester (Manchester, Greater Manchester) Kadija George (Sesay): Literary Activist, Editor and Publisher. For services to Publishing (Haywards Heath, West Sussex) Manjit Kaur Gill: Founder, Binti. For services to the Provision of Menstrual Products to Women in Developing Countries, the UK and the US (Weybridge, Surrey) Pushkala Gopal: Dance Teacher. For services to South Asian Dance (Chigwell, Essex) Dilip Kumar Gurung: For services to the Nepalese community in the UK and Abroad (Blackpool, Lancashire) Rita Hindocha-Morjaria: Executive Principal and director of Secondary Education, Mead Educational Trust. For services to Education (Leicester, Leicestershire) Councillor Mohammed Iqbal: Member, Pendle Borough Council and Lancashire County Council.

For services to Local Government in

East Lancashire (Nelson, Lancashire) Farrah Khan: Head, Service Delivery, Children’s Services, Leeds City Council. For services to Children and Families (Wakefield, West Yorkshire) Nasir Ahmed Khan: CoFounder, Muslims in Rail. For services to Muslim Representation in the Rail Industry (Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire) Parminder Kaur Kondral: Coordinator, UK Sikh Healthcare Chaplaincy. For services to the Sikh community (Ilford, Essex) Dr Ibrar Mohammed Majid: For services to Healthcare and Community Development in Manchester (Stockport, Greater Manchester) Sajjad Miah: For services to the community in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (London) Asgher Mohammed: Managing director, Abbey Chemist, Paisley and Founder, Scottish Sadaqah Trust, Glasgow. For services to Pharmacy and charity (Glasgow, Lanarkshire) Vasant Patel: Senior Policy Officer, Department for Education.

For services to Adopted Children and their Families (Mirfield, West Yorkshire) Hemantkumar Kiritbhai Patel: Formerly Trustee and Interim Chair, Royal Armouries. For services to Museums and Heritage (Ingmanthorpe, North Yorkshire) Baljeet Kaur Sandhu: Founder, Centre for Knowledge Equity. For services to Equality and Civil Society (London) Jayantilal Shah: Founder, Positive Message Ltd. For services to promoting Anti-Racism in Southampton and Hampshire (Southampton, Hampshire) Qaisra Shahraz: Founder, Curator and Executive director, Muslim Arts and Culture Festival.

For services to Gender Equality and Cultural Learning (Manchester, Greater Manchester) Mawlana Mohammed Tayyab Sidat: Founder, IMO Charity. For charitable services (Blackburn, Lancashire) Julie Siddiqi: Founder, Sadaqa Day. For services to Promoting InterFaith Understanding (Slough, Berkshire) Gurpreet Singh: Non-Executive director and lately consultant Urologist, Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust. For services to Healthcare, Equality and Fairness (Southport, Merseyside) Kiruba Sri Shanmuganathan: Executive Support, Department for Exiting the European Union. For public service (London) Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) Amolak Singh Dhariwal: CFO Global Supply Management and Service Operations, Sodexo. For services to Business (Langley, West Midlands) Hera Hussain: Founder and chief executive Officer, Chayn. For services to charity (Manchester, Greater Manchester) Parbir Kaur Jagpal: Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, University of Birmingham. For ser-

vices to Diversity and Inclusion in Health (Birmingham, West Midlands) Yasmin McGrath: For services to the community in Ellesmere Port and West Cheshire (Liverpool, Merseyside) Sufu Miah: For services to the community in Oswestry, Shropshire (Oswestry, Shropshire) Kurshida Mirza: Volunteer Organiser, Great Get Together Iftar and Truby’s Garden Tea Room (Inter Faith Cafe). For services to InterFaith and Community Cohesion in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire) Parminder Singh Purewal: Director, The Normandy Hotel. For services to Hospitality in Renfrew (Bearsden, Glasgow) Farzaneh Saadat: Manager, Cecil Court Residential Home. For services to Older People with Dementia (George Green, Buckinghamshire) Parveen Sajid: For services to Vulnerable People in Lebanon and to the community in Glasgow Dr Satyavir Singhal: For services to the community in Belfast (Newtownabbey, Co Antrim) Rina Surjan: For services to the BAME community in Greater Manchester (Oldham, Greater Manchester) Bharat Thakrar: For voluntary and charitable services in the UK and Abroad (Harlow, Essex) The Royal Victorian Order LVO Minal Patel: Financial Controller of Operations, Royal Household.

Royal Victorian Medal CMG Paul Chakravati: Deputy director, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to National Security.

MBE Jamil Ahmed Malik: Consular manager, British Consulate General, Toronto, Canada. For services to British Nationals in Canada.

Farhana Haque Proma: ProConsul, British High Commission, Dhaka, Bangladesh. For services to British Nationals in Bangladesh.

Indira Rao: Assistant Legal Adviser, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy.

Order of the British Empire Queen's Police Medal (QPM) Chief Inspector Manjit Kaur Atwal: Leicestershire Police.

Constable Rani Kaur Gundhu: West Midlands Police.

Sgt Mohammed Najib: West Midlands Police.

Queen’s Volunteer Reserves Medal (QVRM) Capt Hisham Bahjat Halawi: General List, Army Reserve British Empire Medal Papua New Guinea Knight Bachelor Mahesh Patel: For services to Commerce and to Healthcare.

British Empire Medal BEM Miriam Maina: For services to the Community.

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UK

17

ay Honours List 2020 Issa Brothers awarded CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2020 Brothers Zuber Vali Issa and Mohsin Issa, Co-Founders EG Group have been awarded a CBE (Commanders of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2020, for services to Business and charity (Blackburn, Lancashire).

British billionaire Issa brothers, the petrol station tycoons have a heartening success story to inspire the community. Zuber, 48, and his brother Mohsin, 49 were born in Blackburn after their dad came to the UK from Gujarat, India, to work in the textile industry. Mohsin and Zuber Issa founded petrol station operator EG Group two decades ago across the United Kingdom and Europe. What started as Euro Garages in 2001 with a single petrol station in Bury, Manchester at £150,000 is now spread across 6,000 sites in 10 countries.

Their net worth stands around £3.56bn according to Sunday Times Rich List, 2020. The brothers have invested £100mn in Frontier Park business estate on Blackburn/Hyndburn border which also includes Hampton by Hilton Hotel.

Mohsin and Zuber Issa

Headquartered at Blackburn’s Haslingden Road, the company headquarter building is worth £35mn. They were also the buyers of a 25mn mega mansion in Knightsbridge in 2017.

The Issa brothers recently bought the British supermarket chain Asda from Walmart for an enterprise value of £6.8billion and plan to roll out more smaller stores. This is the first time since 1999, that Asa will be back under a British ownership. The brothers plan to invest more than £1bn in the next three years to keep prices at Asda low and to protect its supply chains.

They aim to drive growth by upscaling to beat competitors Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

According to a news por-

Neeta Patel , CBE Neeta Patel has been awarded a CBE for services to Entrepreneurship and Technology (London). Neeta had won Woman of the Year at Asian Achievers awards in 2019. She is the CEO of the Centre for Entrepreneurs, home of NEF Fast Track, of which she was the founding CEO. Neeta’s career spans over 30 years of innovation, strategy and operational leadership experience across financial services, media & publishing, education, arts and the creative industries. She is an entrepreneur and mentor-inresidence at London Business School and a board adviser to a number of technology start-up companies. Neeta has been appointed as the Non-Executive Director at the Allianz Technology Trust. She was also listed as Computer Weekly’s ‘50 most influential women in UK technology’ in 2018; was also listed in the ‘Hall of Fame’ by Diversity UK as one of the ‘Top 100 Asian leaders in Tech’ in 2019 and named as one of the top ‘100 BAME Leaders in UK Business’

by The Financial Times and Inclusive Board in 2019. Neeta is digital entrepreneur Lopa Patel’s sister.

Lavina Mehta, MBE Lavina Mehta (previously Shah), is a 42-year-old British Asian award-winning Personal Trainer and a mother of three. Lavina has been awarded an MBE for services to health and fitness during Covid-19.

She told Asian Voice, “I feel totally blessed and truly honoured. It still feels like a dream! I never expected to receive this honour from Her Majesty the Queen. As I have only been a Personal Trainer for 2.5 years (having requalified after giving up my previous corporate career with my third son 12 years ago,) its surreal and humbling to know that I share the honours

tal, The Issas’ wish to focus on British-sourced products, such as meat, in Asda supermarkets, a strategy that may be key as the UK heads towards its exit from the European Union later this year. Their company cares about the environment too.

To help consume less energy, Euro Garages invested £3.2m in the installation of LED lighting across its UK sites to consume less energy, according to the company's website. A further £2.6m provided solar panels for more than 20 percent of EG sites to reduce their carbon footprint. Six of its motorway service stations feature rainwater harvesting systems, while the company invested £6m on renewable energy sources across its UK sites.

“For a boy from Armley, Leeds it’s an honour” Founder, Praefinium Partners, Author, Fund Manager and Visiting Fellow Business at the University of Oxford, Alpesh Patel has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2020 for services to the economy and international trade (London).

Speaking to Asian Voice on winning this honour, Alpesh Patel said, “It’s been an honour to represent my country since 1999. Role models like CB Patel have elevated me and it’s a privilege to be part of our community. For a boy from Armley, Leeds it’s an honour. From Karamsad more and more is expected to always be deserving. For God, Queen, Family, Faith and the Country of my birth and the country of my proud glorious heritage.”

Alpesh Patel has been Asian Voice’s Columnist since the past ten years. Patel has been empowering everyone globally to Invest for superior returns using free tech and training from some of the best investors in the world.His media profile and business, political and economic expertise have been utilised by the UK Government as their Dealmaker covering Asia and Middle East for over a decade. As the senior and longest serving member of a

15-20 strong team, he has delivered over £1BN of investment to the UK since 2005.

Alpesh has written over 200 columns for the Financial Times, and building a worldwide reputation as an authority on economic, business, political issues, with over 18, best-selling books on business, entrepreneurship topping the charts in UK and international Amazon stores and his political and economic paper review on BBC World TV reaching 300m viewers. He is also recognised as an industry expert by international corporate giants, including Barclays, Lloyds Bank, Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs and ICICI Bank, to deliver advice at C-level on the global economy and growth strategies.

As a businessman Patel has built a successful private equity fund with a record of penetrative analysis of FTSE 100, 250, mid-cap companies, as well as global companies and economics and advising investors on successful strategies – with a track record commended by FT. Alpesh is the Co-founder of Indus Enterprises - the UK Chapter of one of the world’s largest entrepreneur mentoring organisations.

His philanthropic efforts

Alpesh Patel

range from his position as Co-Chair of the Advisory Board of The Loomba Trust which supports Widows and Orphans. He also helped in raising funds through rowathons at Barclays Bank using his financial networks for MAITI Nepal, which was born out of a crusade to protect Nepali girls and women from crimes likes domestic violence, trafficking for flesh trade, child prostitution, child labour and various forms of exploitation and torture . Alpesh has also raised funds for Akshay Patra’s Mid -Day Meal Programme. He has served as a director of the UK India Business Council for a decade since its inception where he helps UK companies to reshape their strategy and make informed decisions about investing in and growing in India. Patel is also a part of the CHN (City Hindu Network) Advisory Board to promote organ donation among the community members.

Vinod Bhagwandas Tailor , MBE

Professor Ramesh Pulendran Arasaradnam , OBE

Vinod Bhjagwandas Tailor has been awarded an MBE for services to the community in Bedfordshire during Covid-19 (Luton, Bedfordshire). He arrived in the UK in 1972 from Uganda at age of 14. He has worked in the banking/finance sector for over 40 years. Tailor is a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Bankers, Fellow of Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment, Deputy Lieutenant of Bedfordshire and Past High Sheriff of Bedfordshire 2017-2018. He said, " I was humbled by the Honour in The Queen's Birthday Honours with an MBE. I dedicate the Award to the Charities and Communities who gave the opportunity to serve. I felt it was necessary to help the needy, elderly and the front line workers in hospitals, police, Ambulance Services, nurses and the Fire and rescue services.”

Prof Ramesh has been awarded Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the NHS during Covid-19 (Stamford, Lincolnshire). Professor Arasaradnam said, "I am hugely shocked and massively proud to be bestowed with such an honour. I am still trying to digest the news and am delighted to have received national recognition for our work to help protect the greater good of the nation. It is very much a team effort in healthcare and I am hugely grateful to all of my colleagues for their support during the Covid-19 pandemic." Professor Arasaradnam, who has been working at UHCW NHS Trust since 2007, specialises in gut physiology, inflammatory and cancer biology. He is also chair for the Research Committee of the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) to determine national research strategies for the specialty. Professor Arasaradnam is an honorary clinical academic at Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick, where he has collaborated on research and acts as a Clinical Personal Tutor to students while supervising postgraduate students.

list with so many incredible people. I hope this inspires women, mothers & Asians to pursue their passion and follow their dreams.” As a British Asian Lavina was inspired by statistics indicating Asians are less physically active, with a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease, in comparison to the white population. She has been passionately promoting the health benefits of exercise to treat, prevent and reduce risks of these rising chronic diseases. Just before lockdown she launched a national campaign to “Get UK Asians Fit”. Lavina’s free home workouts for seniors, in English and Gujarati, which her 72-year-old mother-in-law joined in with featured on national TV and radio and inspired thousands of elderly members of the community to get involved.

Dr Sanjiv Nichani, OBE

Bharat Thakrar, BEM

Dr Sanjiv Nichani has been awarded an OBE. He’s a Senior Consultant Paediatric Intensivist Leicester Children’s Hospital and East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre, Honorary Senior Lecturer, The Leicester Medical School and the Founder Healing Little Hearts UK Registered Charity. Dr Nichani told Asian Voice, “I’m absolutely delighted and thrilled to have received an OBE from the Queen. It is an incredible honour to be recognised by Her Majesty for services to Medicine and Charity. I hope this honour will give me a platform to focus on the plight of the millions of children across the world living with and dying from untreated heart disease.”

Bharat Thakrar has been named in the list of Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) for voluntary and charitable services in the UK and Abroad (Harlow, Essex). He told Asian Voice. “It is unbelievable to be recognised for my passion in voluntary and charitable services over the years in the UK and abroad. I am so grateful to the Honours Committee, Prime Minister and Her Majesty the Queen for recognising my efforts and awarding me with such a prestigious honour. Special thanks and appreciation to my parents – as it is because of them that I have become the person I am today. In such unprecedented times during Covid-19, this is amazing news!” Helping the less fortunate has motivated Thakrar since a very young age and he has been involved in numerous voluntary and charitable work both in the UK and overseas. He was fortunate enough to have been nominated for work he carried out in his local community and selected to carry the Olympic Torch in the lead up to the London 2012 Olympic Games. He went to Tanzania for 3 months (with VSO, ICS) for a project titled ‘Making Education More Relevant’ potential for youth.

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Dear Financial Voice Reader, Alpesh Patel You may not know the Chairwoman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management is a Mrs Patel.

There can be little doubt about male dominance when only one out of a hundred of the UK’s largest companies are headed by a woman. Even in the US, it’s a similar proportion of women who head Fortune 500 companies.

Eighty per cent of women-owned businesses that need credit are under-served worldwide, creating a £1.3 trillion financing gap according to research last week. Also according to the Rose Review “only 13pc of people on UK investment teams are women and 48pc of investment teams have no women at all. This is reflected in the fact that less than 1pc of UK venture funding goes to all-female teams and just 4pc of deals.”

Not only does research show women run business do better, but also those with a more gender balanced board – basically on every metric it makes sense investing in women. But it doesn’t happen. So women have started their own funds, their own investor groups to invest in women led businesses. And now head up Goldman Sachs.

Research shows 46 per cent of all US businesses are owned by women, and employment at women-owned businesses is growing at 18 per cent, compared with 8 per cent for all companies, according to business magazine Forbes. Actually, US women have an average net worth of £1.96 billion compared with the men, at £1.45 billion.

And when it comes to investment, research also shows women make better investors than men. Women’s portfolios earned 1.4% annually more than men’s did in a study of over 35,000 investors by the University of California at Davis. Indeed, single women earned 2.3% annually more than single men.

Poor male performance is due to over-trading, according to the study. Men trade their accounts 45% more often than women. And single men shuffle their holdings 67% more than single women. Perhaps the adage about men’s fear of commitment is true after all.

A National Association of Investors Corporation tenyear study found all-female investment clubs outpaced allmale investment clubs by producing 23.8% average compounded lifetime annual returns compared to 19.2% for male clubs.

So what lessons are there for men? Fear of making a mistake was 50% to 60% higher among women than among males according to the US National Center for Women & Retirement Research. Consequently, women spend 40% more time than men researching and are also less likely to trade on a ‘hot tip’. Men need to reign in their overconfidence. 52% of men express confidence in their ability to invest wisely, compared to just 38% of women according to the American Savings Economic Council.

Men are overconfident in their abilities to pick market beating stocks.

The over-confident are beating the those with substance.

UK financial black hole to be ‘three times higher than 2019’ by next election The British government will head into the next election with a black hole in the public finances almost three times bigger than when Boris Johnson came to power, a leading thinktank has warned.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the scale of the Covid recession and Britain’s slow economic recovery would inflict lasting damage for the exchequer, leaving borrowing about £100bn higher by the time of the election in 2024 than forecast before the pandemic struck.

In more pessimistic scenarios, with the effects of Covid19 lingering for longer, IFS said the government deficit – the gap between spending and tax income – could exceed £200bn in that year. Such a borrowing figure would easily outstrip the scale of the deficit inflicted by the 2008 financial crisis, which was used by the Tories as the basis for unseating Gordon Brown’s Labour government at the 2010 election.

Setting the scene for a delicate economic backdrop for the Conservative campaign to win a fifth consecutive term in power, the IFS said the government would probably need to make “tough decisions” over whether to raise taxes or reduce spending if it wanted to bring down borrowing levels. It said the budget deficit was set to remain at about £151bn in 202425, almost three times higher than the £58bn forecast before the pandemic struck, as the fallout from the crisis leaves lasting scars for the economy. As government spending increases in response to the pandemic and income from taxes drops during the deepest recession on record, the IFS said public borrowing this year was set to hit £350bn – the highest peacetime borrowing figure since the 1700s.

Trade Envoy programme relaunched The Prime Minister relaunched his Trade Envoy programme last week, making fifteen new appointments.

The Government’s Trade Envoy programme first introduced in 2012, are appointees made by the Prime Minister to engage with one or more emerging markets where substantial trade and investment opportunities have been identified by UK government.

They support the drive for economic growth by building on the UK’s existing relations with these markets and maximising bilateral trade, thereby gen-

Lord Dolar Popat

erating real and long term benefits for the UK. These new appointments will extend the total number of Trade Envoys to 31 parliamentarians covering 69 markets.

New appointees include Theo Clarke MP as Trade Envoy for Kenya, Lord

Austin of Dudley for Israel and Lord Davies of Abersoch CBE for Sri Lanka.

Rushanara Ali MP remains the Trade Envoy for Bangladesh and Andrew Rosindell MP for Tanzania.

Lord Dolar Popat, one of the long standing and most successful Trade Envoy’s currently serving Uganda and Rwanda, was appointed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to represent the also Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is widely considered to be the richest country in the world regarding natural resources; its untapped deposits of raw

minerals are estimated to be worth in excess of U.S. $24 trillion. Congo has one of the world’s highest supplies of Cobalt, which is primarily used in lithium-ion batteries for phones and electric cars. Speaking exclusively to Asian Voice Lord Popat said, “I am very excited about the new appointment and look forward to strengthening bilateral trade with Congo, through supporting British businesses by encouraging investment from all regions of the UK.” Trade Envoy’s are set to play a key role in supporting the UK’s ambitious trade and investment agenda in global markets post Brexit and Covid-19.

Reim Capital completes bridging loan for care home acquisition Reim Capital has just completed a £370,000 bridging loan to fund the acquisition of a former family-run, care home in Newent, Gloucestershire.

The borrower, an experienced London developer, has purchased the care home and applied for planning permission to convert the site to a residential scheme, featuring 4 houses.

In towns and cities across Britain, ex-care homes have been coming onto the market for commercial or residential property redevelopment. Last year saw Britain’s biggest care provider, HC-One, sell

Amar Khiroya

its 369 care homes, while Four Seasons was taken over after substantial losses and Care-UK’s 114 care homes were sold off.

Amar Khiroya, Principal and Co-Founder of Reim Capital commented: “We are delighted to be working with the developer on this residential conversion.

Kunal Vaitha

This is our first bridging loan for a care home, and we are thrilled to be involved in this acquisition.

“As this residential scheme will meet the requirements of permitted development, the developer is confident that planning permission will be given.

The site comes with full ser-

vices and good site access.”

Reim Capital, based in Piccadilly is planning to write £2-3m per month during 2020 and expects to surpass these figures later this year by growing its broker distribution.

Funded through a joint venture with a real estate debt fund, Reim Capital provides various bridging and commercial products, including residential and commercial bridging, auction finance, semi-commercial bridging, land with planning bridging and development exit finance.

For further information, please visit http://reimcapital.com.

Indian luxury silk firm opens first saree store in London Rupanjana Dutta Indian luxury silk firm, Nalli Silks, has opened its first UK store in London with support from the UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) to meet the demand ahead of the busy wedding and festive season later this year.

Indian luxury silk firm, Nalli Silks, has opened its first UK store on 7 October in Wembley, London with support from the UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) to meet the demand ahead of the upcoming festive season such as Diwali, later this year.

The investment of approximately £300,000 includes a 2,500 sqft store at 5 Ealing Road, Wembley with up to 8 members of staff. The firm, which previously gifted sarees to King George V and Queen Elizabeth, is expected to open more stores in London and Birmingham to serve UK customers.

With a presence in the US, Singapore and Canada, the firm began searching for opportunities to expand in the UK prior to the Covid-19 outbreak.

DIT officials in Chennai and London have been working with Nalli over the past 18 months to help facilitate site visits in the UK, introductions to key accounting and tax services, and updates on Covid-19 related support measures – including the Retail Bounce back announced by Exports Minister Graham Stuart in September.

Established in Chennai in 1928, Nalli is a textile brand steeped in tradition. When King George V visited India in 1911, the Indian state of Tamil Nadu

gifted the king a hand-crafted Kanchipuram Silk Saree from the company as a souvenir. As this was the year of the King’s coronation, Nalli wove a rich silk saree with a special coronation-themed border to mark the occasion. Similarly, Queen Elizabeth II was gifted with a Nalli Silk saree by the state of Tamil Nadu for her coronation in 1954. This investment follows a number of positive DIT-supported Indian retail investments into the UK, including Dehli-based heritage occasion wear retailer Frontier Raas, and Mumbaibased luxury fashion house Purple Style Labs. Vice Chairman Ramnath Nalli said, “Our South Asian customers living in the UK are some of our most vocal and passionate patrons. When our friendly skies were still friendly, almost every week we would greet a few UK customers at our flagship stores in

India, requesting for a Nalli store nearby. Soon we started receiving social media requests from non-Indian brides asking advice on saris for their bridesmaids (or themselves) as more and more people go in for themed Indian weddings held in their own locales, or as a destination wedding.

“We are very happy on this joyous occasion to finally be coming to the UK – London first, and then Birmingham soon after! We are bringing our very best, hand selected pieces just for this market and are excited to see the reception.”Minister for Investment Gerry Grimstone said, “I am delighted to welcome Nalli Silk to the vibrant cadre of many Indian companies present in the UK, which support jobs in this country across all sectors.

“As both the Indian and UK economies recover from the impact of Covid-19, increasing investment in each other’s markets is more important than ever. Brands like Nalli Silk are sterling examples of the opportunities available to Indian businesses if they wish to sell high-quality goods to a strong base of customers in the UK, including an Indian diaspora of 1.5 million people. “I look forward to seeing their continued success, and supporting other businesses looking to the UK as their next market.”

Trade between the UK and India increased by 10% from the previous year, to £24bn in 2019. At this year’s Joint Economic Trade Committee, the UK and India agreed to deliver an Enhanced Trade Partnership to deepen this important trade relationship.

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17 - 23 October 2020

Amazon sends legal notice to Future Group on Reliance deal Online retail giant Amazon has sent a legal notice to Future Coupons, one of the holding companies of Kishore Biyani’s Future Group, citing breach of terms due to its sale of retail assets to Reliance Industries.

Amazon has also sent the legal notice to the relevant authorities, including securities market regulator Sebi and the stock exchanges, as the battle between the world’s richest man, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani takes a new turn.

The dispute comes from Amazon’s £143.1 million investment in Future Coupons, which held about 10% stake in the flagship Future Retail, in August last year. As a part of the deal, Biyani had also entered into a restriction on transfer of shares to specified persons and right of first offer of shares (ROFO) to Amazon as well, according to filings made by Future Retail at the time.

This list of “specified persons”

Kishore Biyani

included Reliance Industries, said one of the sources. The deal also gives a right for Amazon to acquire the entire or part of the shares of promoters of Future Retail after three years of the deal and before 10 years, in “certain circumstances” and subject to the law.

But after the deal, the performance of Future Retail languished and Biyani’s personal debts put pressure on the share price of Future Retail as he was not able to meet repayment obligations. In August, Reliance Retail announced the deal to acquire the Kishore Biyani’s retail assets. The sale would include

brands like Big Bazaar, Foodhall, fbb, Nilgiris, Easyday, Central and Brand Factory.

Sources said that Amazon learned about the deal “publicly” once the terms with Reliance were finalised. Even before when Biyani was facing issues with lenders, there was “no constructive engagement” despite clauses that were entered into, putting into question rights of foreign investors, said the source. “The deal is about saving the promoters and to hell with the shareholders. The company could have been saved by other investors with or without Amazon,” said one of the sources.

The matter may go for arbitration between the parties according to the contract, said the source, though the future course is yet to be determined. The share price of Future Retail has fallen from over Rs 400 when Amazon signed the deal last year to Rs 88 at close of trade on Wednesday last.

Indiabulls dilutes stake in UK arm After raising £220 million through a combination of institutional offers and stake sales in its business arms in the September quarter, Indiabulls Housing Finance said it raised another £44.1 million through part-sale of its stake in the UKbased bank OakNorth. It is also planning another institutional placement in the current quarter to further bolster its reserves, sources said.

Indiabulls Housing has further sold a portion of its stake

in OakNorth Holding, the wholly-owning parent company of OakNorth Bank to Riva Capital Partners V of the US, the company said. “The sale proceeds will be accretive to the regulatory net worth” and the capital adequacy ratio, it said.

With the latest stake sale, Indiabulls Housing has raised a total of £227.3 million as fresh equity during September and October this year, adding to the regulatory equity capital of the company. “Indiabulls Housing in its category of AA/AA+ rated

housing finance/NBFCs is at the top position for both raising bonds and fresh equity in the current fiscal,” it said. During FY21, it has already raised £278 million through bonds.

Of late, banks and NBFCs have been on a capital-raising spree, anticipating higher levels of defaults once the economy opens up and the moratorium ends, analysts have said.

RBI keeps rates unchanged, sees FY21 GDP shrinking by 9.5% The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) monetary policy committee voted unanimously to keep key interest rates unchanged but the central bank unleashed steps to reduce borrowing costs by making it cheaper for banks to provide highvalue home loans and announced a £10 billion liquidity infusion.

Governor Shaktikanta Das made it clear that he was prioritising growth, asserting that the economy will bounce back to positive territory in the fourth quarter with 0.5% growth but overall for the current financial year GDP will still decline by 9.5%. RBI’s assessment on growth is in line with most agencies and economists and is closer to the World Bank’s estimate of a 9.6% contraction for 202021. “Indian economy is entering into a decisive phase in the fight against the pandemic. Relative to preCovid levels, several highfrequency indicators are pointing to easing of

Shaktikanta Das

contractions in various sectors of the economy and emergence of impulses of growth,” Das said. “By all indications, the deep contractions of Q1/2020-21 are behind us, silver linings are visible in flattening of the active case load curve across the country. Barring the incidence of a second wave, India stands poised to shrug off the deathly grip of the virus and renew its tryst with pre-Covid growth trajectory.” Announcing its decision to hold rates, the MPC said that it will look through the current high inflation. “While inflation has been above the tolerance band for several months, the MPC judges that the underlying factors are essentially supply shocks,

which should dissipate over the ensuing months as the economy unlocks, supply chains are restored, and activity normalises,” RBI said in its statement.

Going ahead, prices are expected to ease in the fourth quarter. “Consumer price index inflation is projected at 6.8% for Q2/2020-21, at 5.4-4.5% for H2/ 2020-21 and 4.3% for Q1/2021-22, with risks broadly balanced,” according to the statement. On growth, the MPC said GDP in 202021is expected to contract at ()9.5%, with risks tilted to the downside - (-)9.8% in Q2/2020-21, (-)5.6% in the third quarter, and 0.5% in the fourth quarter. GDP growth for the first quarter of 202122 is placed at 20.6%.

The governor said the central bank would continue to retain its accommodative policy for the whole of 202021 and well into 2021-22.

According to bankers, despite the 9.5% decline forecast by the governor, RBI has given an overall positive outlook.

The Mirage Deal Suresh Vagjiani, Sow & Reap Properties Ltd

Last week I wrote about a piece of land we were looking to purchase, where the agent kept changing the goal posts of the deal. It transpired he was also selling a myth, a dream which could never be manifested.

The site consisted of 1/3 acre upon which, the agent claimed, one could obtain planning for 15-20 units on the site.

He claimed to have got this information from a planning consultant, whom they have a long standing relationship with and who furnishes them with complementary advice.There was nothing provided in writing to confirm the basis on which they arrived at this conclusion from the planning consultant.The agent even had the audacity to put this on their brochure. One wouldn’t expect them to print something untrue, why would they as this would come out in the wash when the buyer does their own due diligence.The cost of the site was £650K, with planning the value would have jumped to about £1M, conservatively.

A six month completion was offered. Seeing as this was offered, perhaps with a little negotiation this could be pushed to 7-8 months.

This meant the structure of the deal was very good for a planning gain, as for an exchange amount of £65K you could potentially make about £350K. This is an excellent return on the cash used for the length of time.

This would be an impressive return. The site could be funded with the benefit of planning or resold, probably via auction, to ensure the certainty of sale.This is why we were pursuing the deal with some vigour. The packaging looked good, and it seemed worth trying to look past the changing of goal posts. Unfortunately, agents are known for massaging the truth, however, one would not expect an outright lie, even less would you expect this lie to be put into print.

It was on the assumption the sales particulars were true that we agreed the deal.When we consulted our planner, his opinion, based on many years of experience and the parameters for density criteria, was you could only get 4-8 properties on this site.

This meant it was a dud deal. It is ludicrous for an agent to assume a buyer would not do a certain level of due diligence.

Saying this, I have seen investors turn to architects for planning advice and architects giving it. This is likely to be half baked, speculative advice, as they are not planning consultants.

It is not their forte. They draw the pictures, once they have been given the framework to draw them in.

So, it’s possible if the agent keeps punting the story they will find the one sucker who will close this deal, on half baked advice; it’s possible, I’ve seen worse.

It won’t be us though.

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Hindu temple vandalised in Sindh, holy books, idols burnt ISLAMABAD: A Hindu temple was vandalised in Pakistan's southern Sindh province after miscreants set fire to holy books and idols inside the premises, leading to shock and fear among the community. The arson attack took place in the Sham Sundar Shewa Mandli Temple situated in Kumb, a town in Khairpur district of Sindh province last week, Samaa TV reported.

The suspects entered the temple and set fire to idols and three sacred books, including Bhagwad Gita and Guru Granth Sahib, which were kept in separate rooms. The fire destroyed the books and the idols. The miscreants fled from the scene after committing the crime. An FIR has been registered against the unidentified persons.

The police found fingerprints from the window of temple and have taken three persons into custody, said Vijay Kumar, incharge of the temple.

Surprisingly, there is no caretak-

er at the temple, located in a Hindu populated neighbourhood. The community believed that the place of worship was safe enough and it is situated near their respective houses.

Also, the door has not been locked as many people come and visit the temple. The Hindu community said it had not received any threats. Expressing concerns over the security of Hindu temples, Rajesh Kumar Hardasani, the adviser of the Pakistan Hindu Council, has sought the constitution of a special task force for enhanced protection of other

Hindu temples.

Attack condemned Condemning the attack on the temple, London-based Pakistani human rights activist and spokeswoman for Justice for Minorities in Pakistan Anila Gulzar said that only 20 temples out of 428 are left. "I strongly condemn the brutal act of vandalism committed against Shri Ram Mandir in Badin Sindh Pakistan on 10 October. Out of 428 only 20 mandirs are left in Sindh," Gulzar said in a Facebook post.

The case is yet another exam-

ple of deplorable conditions of minorities in the state of Pakistan. Hindus constitute the largest minority community in Pakistan but there have been repeated reports of vandalism committed against Hindu temples. The Hindu community has expressed anger and outrage at this attack.

Sindh region has been constantly witnessing attacks on the minority Hindus over their faith.

Hindu girls are being raped or forcibly converted and married off to Muslim boys. In May, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) had condemned the razing of houses of people from the Hindu and Christian communities in Punjab province's Bahawalpur city.

"HRCP is gravely concerned at reports that houses belonging to the Hindu and Christian communities of Yazman in Bahawalpur have been demolished, allegedly by local authorities with political influence," said HRCP in a tweet.

Pak hires lobbying firm to wriggle out of FATF grey list ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is now relying on American lobbying firms to wriggle out of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog meets virtually this month to decide Islamabad’s fate. Government officials representing India at FATF said that Texas-based Linden Strategies has been hired by the Pakistan government to lobby with the Donald Trump administration.

"Pakistan needs the support of 12 out of 39 countries to get its name dropped from the grey list. US alone controls a block of 20 countries," an official said.

The Paris-based FATF is scheduled to meet from October 21 to 23. Pakistan has been under pressure to prove action taken against UN pro-

scribed terrorists like Maulana Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed, Zakir ur Rehman Lakhvi as well as international terror organisations like Al Qaeda, Jaish-eMohammed, Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Haqqani Network.

The US had earlier dismissed Pakistan's claims of acting against these individuals and organisations. The US State Department Country Reports on Terrorism 2019 had punched holes in a claim that Pakistan made to the FATF earlier this year - that terrorist Masood Azhar is “missing”.

The US report published just before FATF retained Pakistan on the grey list said that the country “did not take action against other known terrorists such as JeM founder and UN-designated terrorist Masood Azhar and 2008 Mumbai attack 'project manag-

Pak court acquits Christian convict in blasphemy case LAHORE: A Pakistani court last week acquitted a Christian man who was sentenced to death on blasphemy charges six years ago. Sawan Masih was sentenced to death by a trial court in Lahore for allegedly insulting the Prophet during a conversation with a Muslim friend in March 2014. He had filed an appeal against his death sentence.

'A Lahore High Court division bench headed by Justice Syed Shehbaz Ali Rizvi acquitted Sawan Masih,' a court official said.

He said the LHC admitted the application of Masih and ordered his release.

More than 3,000 people rampaged through Joseph Colony where Masih lived, torching some 100 Christian homes in Pakistan's second-largest city, after the allegations emerged. The Christian families had to flee the area to save their lives. Masih had filed an appeal in LHC against the death sentence raising objections on police investigation and prosecution. He pleaded that the blasphemy charges were fabricated by the elements who wanted to occupy the property of the Joseph Colony.

er' Sajid Mir, both of whom are believed to remain free in Pakistan”.

The US has indicted Pakistan for continuing to act as “safe harbour” for other regionally focused terrorist groups. It is this assessment of the Trump administration that Pakistan is trying to change through lobbying firm Linden Strategies which calls itself a "government relations and business development firm providing strategic analysis and advisory to domestic and international clients, including sovereign nations”.

However, Indian government officials were skeptical whether the firm will be able to deliver the desired results for Pakistan. "This seems like another money-making project for corrupt entities in Pakistan," an official said. A report said Pakistan was keen to impress

upon the Trump administration the action taken against terrorists. According to the report, Pakistan want to establish that there is no hand of Pakistan in al Qaeda and the Islamic state in Afghanistan; that LeT is a defunct organization whose leaders have been charged with terror financing; JeM’s key leaders are not in Pakistan; and that the country has successfully convicted four designated persons and two other senior leaders, along with terror financing cases against 11 designated persons and eight others.

India, however, has repeatedly busted these claims, proving in FATF how the JeM and LeT leadership have changed hands from one family member to the other. The Indian assessment is that Pakistan may not escape the grey list any time soon.

Sedition law invoked against Pak opposition leaders ISLAMABAD: As opposition parties in Pakistan form a united front for a "political revolution" to "bring law and order" in the country, the Imran Khan-led government has launched multiple crackdowns against opposition leaders using sedition law. The latest case under the sedition law was filed against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam, and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir "premier" Raja Mohammad Farooq Ahmed Khan on October 1.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by a local resident in Shahdra police station against the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader on the charges of criminal conspiracy for the "provocative speeches" he made in London to "defame Pakistan's institutions".

Sharif's daughter, Khan and three retired generals among 40 PML(N) leaders have also been named in the FIR. As many as 11 Pakistani opposition parties, prominent among which are the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), PML(N), Awami National Party, and Jamiat Ulema-eIslam-Fazl (JUI-F), at the conclusion of an All Parties Conference (APC) on September 20

announced the formation of a joint platform, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). A 26point resolution adopted by the APC pledged to ensure that all organs of the state are run strictly as mandated under the law. It called for the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission to probe abuses against the people since Pakistan's independence in 1947.

Such an investigation can reveal a long, sordid history of military abuses, it said.It also demanded that Prime Minister Khan and his ruling Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf party step down and announce fresh nationwide elections. Soon after the APC, PML(N) president and Sharif's brother Shahbaz was arrested in a money laundering case from the Lahore High Court. Shahbaz is currently on a 14-day physical remand.

in brief 3 JUD ACTIVISTS HELD IN POK FOR TERROR FINANCING Three suspected members of proscribed Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) were arrested in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on charges of terror financing. The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), in a statement, said that two activists of the Hafiz Saeed-founded organisation were picked on terror financing charges. 'They were collecting and arranging funds for JuD. On this information, the CTD team raided the place and arrested the two activists namely Wajidullah and Muhammad Ali,' it said. Terror financing pamphlets and receipt books were recovered from them.

'Investigation has been launched and further disclosures are expected regarding JuD and FIF (Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation) networks in the area,' the CTD said. The FIF is a related organisation of the JuD, also founded

by Saeed. Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan indicted four leaders of the JuD in terror financing cases. In February, Saeed had been sentenced to jail for 11 years on terror finance charges by the Lahore AntiTerrorism Court under sections 11-N of AntiTerrorism Act 1997.

ZARDARI SHIFTED TO HOSPITAL AFTER FEELING UNWELL Former Pakistan president and Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari was shifted to a hospital, after he felt unwell on Sunday, according to a statement by the party. "Doctors are conducting his medical check-up and necessary medical tests," PPP said in its statement. Zardari, who is named in multiple corruption cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court on medical grounds last year. During a hearing of Zardari's bail petition, his legal counsel advocate Farooq H Naek told the court that the former president is a chronic patient suffering from multiple ailments. On June 30 this year, an accountability court in Islamabad issued bailable arrest warrants against Zardari in the Toshakhana gifts case which also involves former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Yousuf Raza Gilani. The NAB has accused Zardari and ex-prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Yousuf Raza Gilani of misusing official gifts by foreign heads of states.

PAK HC STOPS AUCTION OF GURDWARA LAND A high court in northwest Pakistan has stopped the auction of a portion of land belonging to an ancient gurdwara and directed the country’s anti corruption watchdog to probe the matter. A bench of the Peshawar HC stopped the auction of the land on a writ petition filed by Sahib Singh through his lawyers. Singh had challenged the auction of the gurdwara land. The bench during the hearing of the petition directed the National Accountability Bureau to take action against those involved in the auction process.

PROMINENT SUNNI CLERIC SHOT DEAD IN KARACHI A prominent Pakistani Sunni Muslim cleric was shot dead along with his driver by unidentified assailants in Karachi, police said on Sunday.

Maulana Dr Adil Khan, head of Karachi’s Jamia Farooqia seminary, was attacked in a market on Saturday, they said. Police said that when the cleric’s vehicle stopped in front of a busy shopping area, gunmen opened fire targeting the driver before firing three bullets that struck Khan’s head, neck and chest. The three attackers then fled on the back of a shared motorcycle. Police said it appeared to be a targeted attack. “We are gathering statements from witnesses,” police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon said.

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in brief TWO-YEAR-OLD ASSAULTED AND KILLED IN PAK In a seemingly unending episode of rape and child abuse across Pakistan, a two-anda-half year-old girl was abducted, assaulted and raped before being killed in the district of Charsadda. The minor had gone missing while playing outside her house. Police got information about the body of a girl being found, following which they shifted it to a Peshawar hospital for post-mortem. Police said that initial probe “suggests that the minor was assaulted before her murder”.

“There were torture marks,” it said.

IRAQI MILITIAS OFFER TRUCE FOR US TROOP WITHDRAWAL Iraqi militias backed by Iran have agreed to temporarily halt attacks targeting the American presence in Iraq on the condition that US-led coalition troops withdraw from the country in line with a parliamentary resolution, three of the militia officials said. The officials spoke just hours after a roadside bomb targeted a convoy transporting equipment for the US led coalition on a highway south of Baghdad, damaging one vehicle, an Iraqi army statement said. Roadside bombs and rocket attacks targeting the US embassy have become a frequent occurrence. The militia factions offered a truce and will refrain from targeting the US in Iraq, including the US embassy, on the condition that American forces withdraw within an “acceptable time frame”, said Mohammed Mohie, a spokesman for the powerful Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah.

AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA REPORT SHELLING OF CITIES Azerbaijan and Armenia on Sunday accused each other of serious violations and crimes against civilians as a day-old humanitarian ceasefire in NagornoKarabakh looked increasingly frayed on Sunday. Azerbaijan said it had carried out airstrikes against an ethnic Armenian regiment, inflicting heavy losses. A spokesman for the leader of NagornoKarabakh said he did not have information about the alleged attack. Earlier, Azerbaijan accused Armenia of heavily shelling a residential area in Ganja, its second largest city, in the early hours of the morning, and of hitting an apartment building. The Azeri prosecutor general’s office said nine people had been killed and 34 wounded in the attack.

Why Uganda is yet to become fully independent?

KAMPALA: 9th October, 2020 marks the 58th anniversary since the British colonial masters handed over the Constitutional Instruments of Independence to Ugandans to run the state affairs of their country politically, economically and socially. In 58 years, a lot has happened and according to some political analysts, the harvests of 58 years still show that Uganda is not fully independent.

According to human rights activist, Sarah Bireete, people’s freedom is still not respected like how it was before independence. “People’s freedom is not respected. Ugandans are not independent because their freedoms have not been respected.

Many people have been arrested and are waiting for justice, therefore you cannot tell such

people that they live in an independent country. People have been put under safe houses, tortured and others killed but the perpetrators are free! And you tell me that Ugandans attained independence?” she wondered.

Bireete added that an increased number of young Ugandans going to Middle East looking for greener pastures is a clear example of modern day slavery which is definitely a sign

of a country that is not independent. In the same line the Principal of Makerere Business School (MUBS) Prof. Waswa Balunywa has also said that the spirit of colonialism is still governing Uganda. “We attained independence from the British to lead ourselves but they did not give us independence in the business and economics sectors of the country. They are the ones who decide what we must get, how we must do our businesses and what we must not do, that is why we have the IMF giving us policies to follow,” he said.“That is why when you analyse our banking sector, apart from Centenary Bank, other banks are owned by foreigners, therefore they drive our economy basing on their foreign interests. If we had most of Banks owned by Ugandans, their

policies would be focusing on a common Ugandan which is not the case with the banks at present.”

Patrick Amuriat Obo, the presidential flag bearer Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), also said that given the escalating percentage of loans from the West, Uganda is still in the hands of the colonialists.

“Looking at our economy today with this big debt burden on us it reflects a big crisis on us.

When you assess the poverty levels in this country and the over-reliance on the west, it is overwhelming for one to think that we are free and independent,” he said adding that the continued political persecutions by those in power since independence have continuously left the country in deep struggles of development.

Equal Opportunities Commission boss Sylvia Ntambi skips court again KAMPALA: The Chairperson of Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi has skipped court again following summons extended against her.

Ntambi was expected to appear in Anti-Corruption Court on 7 October 2020 to answer 25 charges of graft. Through her lawyers Ntambi adduced medical forms indicating that she is sick and therefore she couldn’t attend the court proceedings. She further presented a letter from her doctor at Medik Hospital Kawempe confirming that she is suffering from hypertensive crisis.

She first refused to show up in court earlier when the AntiCorruption Court chief magistrate, Pamela Lamunu Ocaya issued criminal summons against her to pronounce herself over several charges of causing finan-

Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi

cial loss, embezzlement, corruption, abuse of office and conspiracy to defraud. A day before Ntambi was at speaker Rebecca Kadaga’s office in person. She went to parliament to lobby for the Speaker’s protection from the looming prosecution.

Kadaga is a renowned defender for women, despite the fact that many have disappointed her by performing below par.

Many women run to Kadaga when they face problems in their

work citing witch hunt from their male colleagues. However, Kadaga is not known for defending corruption. And it is unlikely she will this time round intervene to save Ntambi from answering to charges levied against her.

She is the accused number 10 on the charge sheet. The 9 others appeared before the same court on 21st September to plead to the charges. The accused face 25 counts of causing financial loss, conspiracy to defraud, embezzlement, corruption, and abuse of office. Her co-accused are Ms Agnes Enid Kamahoro, 48, the senior personal secretary, Moses Mugabe, 38, a senior monitoring and evaluation officer, Mujuni Mpitsi, 49, secretary, Harriet Byangire, 37, a senior accountant, Ronnie Kwesiga, 33, acting accounts assistant, Evans Jjemba, 35, principal compliance officer,

Manasseh Kwihangana, 39, a senior compliance officer.

Others are Sarah Nassanga, 43, an office attendant and Nicholas Sunday Olwor, 51, an undersecretary. The chief government prosecutor said Ntambi’s negligence led to gross mismanagement of the commission’s funds between July 2018 and April 2019.

Ntambi, Kamahoro and Mpitsi between January 6, 2019 and April 30, 2019, allegedly conspired to defraud government of more than Shs9m. Under the charge of abuse of office, Mugabe, Mpitsi and Kwihangana are accused of abusing their authority when they fraudulently processed, requisitioned and approved Shs29m in January last year purportedly for undertaking sensitisation programmes in Karamoja Sub-region.

China grants $90 mn to Lanka after visit by top official COLOMBO: China announced that it was providing a $90 million grant to Sri Lanka, two days after the island nation’s president sought help from a visiting Chinese delegation in disproving a perception that Chinafunded megaprojects are debt traps. Calling the financial assistance a timely grant, the Chinese Embassy in Colombo said that it would be used for medical care, education and water supplies in Sri Lanka’s rural areas. and that it would contribute to the wellbeing of (Sri Lankans) in a post-Covid era.

The announcement follows a visit to the Indian Ocean island nation by a Chinese delegation led by Yang Jiechi, a Communist Party Politburo member and a former foreign minister. During talks with Yang, Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa asked China to help him in disproving a perception that China-funded megaprojects are debt traps aimed at gaining influence in local affairs.

China considers Sri Lanka to be a critical link in its massive Belt and Road global infrastructure building initiative and has provided billions of dollars in loans for Sri Lankan projects over the past decade. The

projects include a seaport, airport, port-city, highways and power stations. Critics say that the Chinese-funded projects are not financially viable and that Sri Lanka will face difficulties in repaying the loans.

In 2017, Sri Lanka leased out a Chinesebuilt port located near busy shipping routes to a Chinese company for 99 years to recover from the heavy burden of repaying the Chinese loan the country received to build it.

The facility is part of Beijing's plan for a line of ports stretching from Chinese waters to the Persian Gulf. China has also agreed to provide a $989 million loan to Sri Lanka to build an expressway that will connect its teagrowing central region to the Chinese-run seaport.

China expanded its footprint in Sri Lanka during the leadership of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the older brother of the current leader. Mahinda Rajakapaksa, who is currently prime minister, held separate talks with Yang on Friday.

China's economic influence over Sri Lanka has worried its closest neighbor, India, which considers the Indian Ocean region to be its strategic backyard.

High Commission of India invites bids for supply and installation of two boilers at the High Commission of India India House, Aldwych, London WC2B 4NA

Last date of bid Submission is October 23, 2020

Tender documents may downloaded from www.hcilondon.gov.in/tenders.php

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WTO to be led by a woman for first time GENEVA: The World Trade Organization (WTO) announced that South Korea's trade minister and a Harvardtrained former Nigerian finance minister have qualified as the two finalists to become the next director-general, ensuring a woman in the top job for the first time.

A selection committee said that Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria and Yoo Myung-hee of South Korea qualified for the final round in a race expected to end in the coming weeks. They were picked out of a pool of five candidates.

"Both of the women that are in the final round are remarkably well qualified. This is something on which everyone has agreed," WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell told reporters. "We've been impressed with them from the very beginning." The Geneva-based WTO's General Council, made up of envoys from the 164-member body, eliminated Amina Mohamed, a former trade minister from

Yoo Myung-hee and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Kenya; Mohammad Maziad AlTuwaijri, a Saudi former economy minister, and British former International Trade Secretary and Brexit proponent Liam Fox. The previous WTO director-general, Roberto Azevedo of Brazil, made a surprise announcement in May that he would leave the job a year early, citing a "personal decision." He left without a successor on August 31.

Azevedo's seven-year tenure was marked by intense pressure

from US President Donald Trump, who repeatedly accused the WTO of "unfair" treatment of the US and started a trade war with China in defiance of the WTO system. In the past, Trump has threatened to pull the United States out of the trade body altogether.

The WTO's dispute settlement system is perhaps the world's best-known venue for resolving international trade disputes - such as those pitting plane-makers Boeing and

Airbus in recent decades. But the United States has clogged up the dispute settlement machinery by blocking any new members for its highest court, the Appellate Body, which has unable to address new disputes since last year.

The next director-general will face the daunting task of keeping the United States on board if Trump wins a second term, amid Washington's allegations that China is engaged in unfair practices such as excessively subsidizing industries and stealing intellectual property - notably at the expense of Western businesses hoping to tap the expanding Chinese market.

China rejects the allegations.

The WTO, which was created in 1995 out of the former General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, has never had a woman director-general or national from Africa as its leader. It operates by consensus, meaning that any single member country can block decisions.

Accused of fraud by Danish authorities, Dubai based billionaire amasses $700 million by renting out London properties Dubai based British billionaire has aggregated nearly $700 million in exile and continues to reap benefits from his extensive property portfolio in London despite an ongoing pandemic it has emerged.

Reports suggest that Sanjay Shah, Founder of Solo Capital Partners LLP, still reaps about $250,000 a year from renting out his properties, less than half of what he accrued before Covid-19. Shah has been embroiled into accusations of dividend tax fraud in Denmark in 2015 which meant that the European country had lost equivalent of $2 billion and nearly 1% of its Gross Domestic Product.

Originally from Marylebone, London, Shah attended King's College London for a degree in medicine, and eventually qualified as a chartered accountant. With over 20 years of banking experience in London with Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse and Rabobank, Shah had founded his own hedge firm employing financial experts across London and Dubai. But the firm closed in

Sanjay Shah

2016 following allegations of tax fraud.

Shah and Solo Capital Partners LLP are currently under the radar of the Danish authorities in the Danish Cum-Ex scandal.

According to him, his company helped investors to rapidly sell shares and claim multiple refunds on dividend taxes.

Authorities have been probing hundreds of bankers, traders and lawyers in several countries as they try to account for the billions of euros in taxpayer funds that they say were reaped. But Shah says he’s being made a “scapegoat” for figuring out how to legally profit from obscure tax-code

loopholes that allowed Cum-Ex trades, named for the Latin term for “WithWithout.”

The Danish tax agency, Skat, have reportedly frozen as much as $3.5 bn Danish kroner of Shah’s assets, including a $20mn London mansion in a lawsuit against the former banker and his alleged associates.

Reports note that the agency hasn’t seen “evidence that supports that real shares were involved in the trades relating to the dividend refunds reclaimed in the Shah universe. It looks like paper transactions with no connection to any real holding of shares.” His lawyers have outlined that he would be arrested if he tried to fly home to London or anywhere across the Europe and must remain put in the Gulf. Denmark has not yet brought any criminal charges against Shah. In the meantime, he has denied all such allegations. In an interview with The Print, he said, “Bankers don’t have morals. Hedge-fund managers, and so on, they don’t have morals. I made the money legally.”

Top lawyers join all-star team to defend Isis ‘Beatles’ WASHINGTON: Jihadists from Britain known as the Isis “Beatles” are assembling top legal team to defend them in America against charges of kidnapping and murdering western hostages. One of the experts hired by El Shafee Elsheikh, 32, and Alexanda Kotey, 36, previously represented Rose McGowan, the actress who accused disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of rape. Another member of the team has represented a Catholic archbishop Theodore McCarrick defrocked by the Pope.

Kotey and Elsheikh were secretly flown to America last week from a US military base in Iraq after their capture in Syria in 2018. The Londoners, who have been stripped of their

British citizenship, appeared via videolink at a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, to face eight counts each of involvement in the torture and murder in Syria of western hostages. They pleaded not guilty.

If convicted, they face life behind bars in solitary confinement at a maximum security prison in Colorado.

Although their trial will focus on the torture and murder of four American citizens, other alleged victims of the Beatles gang included the British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning. The fate of another hostage, John Cantlie, a British photojournalist, remains unknown.

The leader of the gang was Mohammed Emwazi, 27, a

fellow west Londoner known as Jihadi John, who was killed by a US drone strike in Syria in 2015.

Elsheikh’s lawyers include a roster of terrorism experts. His trump card is likely to be Edward B MacMahon, who travelled to Guantanamo Bay to represent Walid bin Attash, a key planner of the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington in 2001, and the bombing of the USS Cole warship in Yemen a year earlier.

Moussaoui, a former student at South Bank University in London, was spared the death penalty in 2006 after a trial at the same court in Alexandria where Elsheikh and Kotey will go before a jury next year.

However, they will not face capital punishment if convicted

after an assurance given in summer by William Barr, the US attorney-general, to the British government in return for evidence on the two suspects gathered by Scotland Yard and MI5.

Elsheikh’s defence team also includes Jessica Carmichael, who acted last year for Nicholas Young, a former US police officer and convert to Islam convicted of providing support to Isis. A third attorney hired by Elsheikh is Nina Ginsberg, a leading criminal lawyer based in Virginia with experience of sensitive national security cases.

Kotey, meanwhile, has appointed Barry Coburn, another veteran, best known for defending the former archbishop McCarrick, 90, of Washington.

in brief NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR UN WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME The United Nations' World Food Programme won the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to fight hunger in regions of conflict and hardship around the globe. From air-dropping food in South Sudan to creating an emergency delivery service to keep aid flowing despite coronavirus travel restrictions, the Romebased organisation has long specialised in getting assistance to some of the world's most dangerous and precarious places. It provided assistance to almost 100 million people in 88 countries last year. “With this year's award, the (committee) wishes to turn the eyes of the world to the millions of people who suffer from or face the threat of hunger,” said Berit Reiss-Andersen, the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, announcing the award in Oslo. “The World Food Programme plays a key role in multilateral cooperation on making food security an instrument of peace.” The head of the organisation said his entire team deserved the award.

N KOREA UNVEILS ‘MONSTER’ ICBM AT PARADE North Korea unveiled previously unseen intercontinental ballistic missiles at an unprecedented predawn military parade that showcased the country’s long range weapons for the first time in two years. Analysts said the missile, which was shown on a transporter vehicle with 11 axles, would be one of the largest road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles in the world if it becomes operational.

“This missile is a monster,” said Melissa Hanham, deputy director of the Open Nuclear Network. Also displayed were the Hwasong15, which is the longest-range missile ever tested by North Korea, and what appeared to be a new submarine-launched ballistic missile.

A senior US administration official called the display of the ICBM “disappointing” and called on the government to achieve denuclearisation. “We will continue to build our national defence power and self defensive air deterrence,” Kim declared at the parade.

MEXICAN PREZ ASKS POPE FRANCIS FOR CONQUEST APOLOGY Mexico’s president published an open letter to Pope Francis calling on the Roman Catholic Church to apologise for abuses of Indigenous peoples during the conquest of Mexico in the 1500s. In the letter published on Saturday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador also asks the pope to lend Mexico ancient pre-Hispanic Mexican or colonial-era documents. “The Church, the Spanish monarchy and the Mexican government should make a public apology for the offensive atrocities that Indigenous people suffered,” the letter states. Obrador asked the pope to make a statement in favour of Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico’s 19th century independence leader who was once believed to have been excommunicated by the Church for his involvement in the uprising. But, researchers later said it appeared that Hidalgo had confessed his sins before he was executed.

2020 SAW WARMEST SEPT ON RECORD Worldwide, last month was the warmest September on record, topping a record set just a year before, European scientists said.

It was also the hottest September on record for Europe. Northern Siberia, western Australia, west Asia and parts of south America recorded above-average temperatures. The announcement, by the Copernicus Climate Change Service, an intergovernmental agency supported by EU, comes after nine months of wildfires. The agency said last month was 0.63° Celsius warmer than average.

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in brief in brief CBI EX-CHIEF ASHWANI KUMAR FOUND HANGING Former CBI director Ashwani Kumar (69), who had also served as governor of Manipur and Nagaland, was found hanging at his Shimla residence. Police said they had found a suicide note. Kumar, is survived by his wife and son. Kumar, who came from Nahan in Sirmaur district of Himachal. In the suicide note which he wrote that he was suffering from disease and disability, said Himachal DGP Sanjay Kundu. The suicide note ended with the lines: “I am ending my life. Everyone be happy. My soul embarking on a new journey.” There was no immediate clarity on which disease or disability Ashwani Kumar suffered from. His wife, son and daughter-in-law were at home the whole day and told police the family had lunch together as usual. After the meal, Kumar went for a walk and also visited the Kali Bari temple. On returning home, he completed his puja and also meditated.

The body was discovered by his son and daughter-in-law when they noticed he was missing from his usual meditation spot.

The family broke down two doors before reaching the attic, where they saw him hanging.

RAJASTHAN PRIEST BURNT ALIVE A priest in Rajasthan's Karauli district, round 177 km from state capital Jaipur, died due to burn injuries after he was attacked by a group of people over a land dispute. The temple had given the priest about 13 bighas of land which belonged to the Radha Krishna temple trust in a village to cultivate as a source of income for his services. But this land became the source of a dispute. The village priest, Babu Lal Vaishnav, wanted to build a house for himself on a plot close to his land. In order to start construction, he had the land levelled. Another group of people from the Meena community objected to this and claimed the land as their own. The dispute was taken to the village elders who ruled in favour of the priest. The priest then went ahead and placed bales of millet on the land as a sign of ownership. But the accused allegedly started building their own hut on the land that the priest had levelled. This led to an altercation. The priest said six people poured petrol on his bales of bajra (millet) which were lying at the disputed site and set it on fire. He claimed they also poured petrol on him and tried to set him on fire. Suffering burn injuries, the victim was rushed to a hospital where he died. The police have registered a case and also taken into custody Kailsah Meena, the prime accused into custody.

KHUSHBU QUITS CONG TO JOIN BJP Actor-turned-politician Khushbu Sundar quit the Congress and joined the BJP, asserting that she had come to realise that if the nation has to move forward, then someone like Prime Minister Narendra Modi is needed to take the country “in the right direction and to its glory”. This will be her third political innings after serving first in the DMK, then in the Congress, and now in the BJP, a marginal force in Tamil Nadu that hopes its political standing will get a boost with her induction in a state where film stars have enjoyed relatively big influence compared to most other regions of the country. Khushbu, who also met BJP president J P Nadda, joined the saffron party at its national headquarters in New Delhi hours after resigning from the Congress' primary membership protesting in a letter to its interim president Sonia Gandhi against what she described as some leaders "dictating terms" and "suppressing" her.

Farooq wants China's help to restore Article 370 in J&K Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Congress president Farooq Abdullah sparked yet another controversy when he hoped for China’s support in restoring Article 370 in the valley. In an interview with 'India Today', Abdullah said that the Modi government’s move to abrogate Article 370 which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir, had angered China and the recent aggression at Line of Actual Control (LAC) is a result of that.

"Whatever they are doing at LAC in Ladakh is all because of the abrogation of Article 370, which they never accepted. I am

Abdullah.

This is not the first time when Abdullah had made a provocative remark seen by many as being against India. In a recent interview with The Wire, he Farooq Abdullah said that the Kashmiris felt like hopeful that with their support, ‘slaves’ in India and they would Article 370 will be restored in rather have the Chinese rule J&K," Abdullah said. “As far as over them. The Centre, on China is concerned, I didn’t August 5, 2019, revoked Article bring the Chinese President 370 of the Constitution. It said here. Our Prime Minister invitthat Article 370 had halted the ed him to Gujarat and even did development of the state, prejhoola sawari with him. He [PM proper education, vented Modi] even took him to Chennai healthcare and growth of indusand had food with him,” added tries and also did not help in

curbing terrorism in J&K. Soon after the revocation, the government imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in the Valley prohibiting more than five people to gather at one time in a particular place and placed Abdullah under preventive detention for 221 days.

Nearly all of Kashmir’s mainstream political leaders were detained on August 5, 2019, hours before Parliament nullified Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcated the state into two union territories.

After being incarcerated for months, Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, both former chief ministers, were released on March 13 and March 24, respectively.

India records lowest new Covid cases in 63 days India recorded its lowest Covid19 cases in 63 days and the lowest casualties in 77 days as the dip from the peak levels of the disease in September, which is being witnessed in the last few weeks, continued on Monday. Fresh cases on Monday at 53,082 are the lowest since August 10 when 51,296 infections were recorded.

Fresh casualties at 696 are the lowest since July 27 when 638 deaths were recorded.

Though the figures on Monday have been lower than other days of the week since the outbreak of the pandemic and the dip has been attributed by experts mainly to fewer testing on Sundays, data from covid19.org showed that nearly a million tests (9,94,851) were conducted across the country on Sunday (October 11). This was marginally higher than 9,89,860 tests the previous Sunday (October 4), but far higher than the preceding two Sundays – 7,09,394 on September 27 and 7,31,534 on September 20.

Though most states showed a huge dip in fresh cases, the situa-

tion continued to be alarming in Karnataka, Kerala and Bengal which are yet to see a slowdown in the spread of the virus.

Karnataka recorded 7,606 fresh cases which was higher than 7,089 cases registered by Maharashtra. This is the first time in many months that any state has recorded more cases in a day than Maharashtra. India’s active cases continued to slide for the eleventh consecutive day, and went below the 850,000 mark at 8,41,668.

Presence of ‘foreign-returned’ Covid-19 strain found in Gujarat An analysis of nucleotides (NT) of Covid-19 DNA from the virus found in Gujarat by the state government-funded Gujarat

Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) revealed that the dominant NT sequences were closer to virus strains from North America and Africa rather than Asia.

Two research projects by scientists at GBRC analysed the dominant genes and NTs across continents to ascertain the viral infection pattern and find correlations with gender and age. One gene can be made up of thousands of NTs, said researchers, adding that analysis of genes can give an insight into the virus’ composition and help develop a vaccine.

“NTs C3037T and A23403G were found in 93.45% of the samples in Gujarat and NT C241T was found in 92.7% samples.

C3037T was found in 87.7% samples in Africa and 85.1% samples in North America. On the other hand, in Asia the prevalence was 49%. Likewise, A23403G was found in 89% samples in Africa

and 85.1% in North America. In Asia, it was 49%,” said a senior researcher from GBRC. In an earlier study, GBRC had pointed that the clades (wider group of genes) for Gujarat were different to the overall composition in India – while GH was found to be most dominant clade in Gujarat, present in nearly 50% samples, in India O, GR and GH had nearly similar shares.

“On the other hand, C18877T NT, prevalent in 57% of samples in Gujarat, has a less-than 12% share globally. At least eight NTs in G, C and A clades are also found more in Gujarat compared to other countries,” said another researcher.

About possible reasons for the phenomenon, researchers said movement between the continents in the initial phase of the pandemic could have resulted in the dominance of specific NTs and genes in specific regions.

“Factors such as climate, viral load, age of the carrier and receiver, also play a part in deciding the dominant type of Covid-19 virus,” said a senior GBRC official.

India, Japan finalise key cyber-security deal to boost cooperation on 5G, AI India and Japan have finalised an ambitious agreement on cybersecurity to boost cooperation on 5G technology and critical information infrastructure, and the two countries pledged to work for a free and open Indo-Pacific with diversified supply chains.

The readouts issued by India and Japan after a meeting between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Tokyo made no mention of China, though many of the issues discussed by them appeared to be a response to Beijing’s actions across the region.

The proposed cyber-security agreement will promote cooperation in capacity building, research and development, and security and resilience in critical information infrastructure, 5G, internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), the external affairs ministry said.

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, left, and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi, right, smile at the start of their luncheon meeting at the Iikura Guest House in Tokyo, Japan

“Recognising the increasing role being played by digital technologies, the two ministers highlighted the need for robust and resilient digital and cyber systems and in this context, welcomed the finalisation of the text of the cyber-security agreement,” the ministry said.

A cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the agreement, and an official statement said the two sides will also share information

on countering cyber-security threats and develop joint mechanisms to mitigate threats to information communication technology (ICT) infrastructure.

The two sides will also cooperate on cyber-security at international bodies such as the UN. The ministers “emphasised that a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region must be premised on diversified and resilient supply chains; and in this context, welcomed the

Supply Chain Resilience Initiative between India, Japan, Australia and other like-minded countries,” the ministry added.

The ministers met a day after they participated with their Australian and US counterparts in the second ministerial meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, which pushed for a rules-based global order and peaceful resolution of disputes in the face of China’s growing aggression across the IndoPacific. Sameer Patil, fellow for international security studies at Gateway House, said the proposed agreement is also important as it covers critical information infrastructure, including infrastructure for banks and payment systems, telecommunications and internet, nuclear reactors and energy transmission systems, transport systems such as air traffic control, and water supply systems.

24 INDIA

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SOUTH INDIA

in brief

EPS named AIADMK’s CM candidate CHENNAI: Putting at rest the confusion that prevailed in the AIADMK for quite some time, the party last week unanimously elected incumbent Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami as its chief ministerial candidate for the 2021 Assembly elections.

Besides, the 11-member steering committee became a reality after three years wherein Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam had their members in the ratio of 6:5.

However, the powers of this committee have not been announced. Senior leaders said it would be finalised during the ensuing general council meeting.

"With joy, I announce that Palaniswami has been unanimously elected as the victorious CM candidate of the party for 2021 elections," Panneerselvam announced

Edappadi K Palaniswami

amidst cheers from party functionaries. Cadre burst crackers and distributed sweets to celebrate the moment.

Thanking the party for announcing him as the CM candidate, Palaniswami, in his tweet, promised that he would work tirelessly for making the AIADMK as a victorious political movement and that he would lead the party in accordance with the views of the party cadre.

At the press meet, firstly, Palaniswami announced the

names of the members of the steering committee, and following this, Panneerselvam announced the election of Palaniswami as the CM candidate. The announcements came after marathon talks. For the first time, the AIADMK has announced its chief ministerial candidate as well as a steering committee for the party. Besides, there is no representation for women in this committee since former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa used to appoint women in all fora of the party at the State level and at the grassroots level. Asked why seniors like KA Sengottaiyan were not inducted into the steering committee, R Vaithilingam, Deputy Coordinator of the party said, "Already he has some key posts including organising secretary.

But many more opportunities are there for others like election

committee etc." Questioned whether the same situation would prevail even after the release of VK Sasikala from the prison, SDCP Council chairman C Ponnaiyan said "She has no connection with the AIADMK as she is not a member of the party."

After the announcements, Palaniswami and Panneerselvam accompanied by all Ministers and functionaries visited the memorials of former Chief Ministers MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa and paid their respects. In the evening, Palaniswami called on Panneerselvam at the latter's residence and thanked him for announcing him as the party's CM candidate. Most of the members of the steering committee and P Ravindranath, son of Panneerselvam were also present during the meeting which lasted for around 45 minutes.

PUNJAB

Farmers divided as Centre, Punjab invite them for talks CHANDIGARH: With both the Central and Punjab governments inviting protesting farmers for talks, the first chinks in the unity of kisan unions have begun to show.

The largest kisan Union— Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) is in no mood to relent on the farm laws enacted by the Centre and remain steadfast in their stand that the laws be repealed. They say they will not be going in for talks with the Centre. The other Unions, however, are yet to decide on whether they want to go in for the meeting with the Centre, scheduled for October 14.

A meeting of the farmer unions has been convened to decide the next course of action, though BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) says it is not part of this meet.

Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president of the largest kisan union, said that their protest was on at 51 places, and would continue till the time the laws

were revoked. “Our union is not going for the meet. We have our own protest programme charted out,” he said.

Last week, another kisan Union, BKU (Lakhowal), had been asked to stay out from the joint protest, after they approached the Supreme Court against the agriculture laws, without taking other protesting unions into confidence. The consortium of farmers’ unions (other than Ugrahan and Lakhowal factions) have also been taking legal advice on whether a constitutional guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) would act as protection against corporatisation, as intended in the new laws passed by Parliament last month, confirmed Jagmohan Singh, general secretary of BKU (Dakaunda).

He said a middle path would have to be found, but one where there is a complete guarantee on protesting for the economic and other interests of farmers. The Centre, through its Secretary,

Farmers holding dharna

Agriculture, Sanjay Agarwal, had invited farmers for talks last week. The proposal was rejected by farmers’ unions. In a fresh invite for talks, sent on Sunday, the Centre has said, “...the Indian Government is serious about agriculture, this is the reason they want to talk to you....”

Darshal Pal of Krantikari Kisan Union, however, said they were to take a final call on going for the meeting with the Centre.

“We had rejected the first offer because we wanted to talk only to the Prime Minister or a group

of ministers deputed by him. We are still not sure who will be talking to us,” he said.

Punjab govt proposal to farmers On Sunday, the Punjab government had sought a meeting with the protesting farmers, who have occupied rail tracks at more than 200 places in Punjab.

A three-member committee of the government wanted to discuss the further course of action with the protesting farmers, who have so far not given any consent to the meeting.

WEST BENGAL

Row erupts in Bengal after Sikh man’s turban falls off during clash KOLKATA: A major row erupted in West Bengal after a video of the police removing the turban of a Sikh man during a Bharatiya Janata Party rally in Howrah last week was widely shared on social media. The BJP accused the police of hurting the religious sentiment of the Sikh community by pulling off the turban of Balwinder Singh, a 43year-old resident of Bhatinda, who is a personal security guard of BJP leader Priyanshu Pandey.

Hours after the event, the police said they did not wish to hurt the sentiments of any community. They said the incident took place as they were trying to seize a pistol in possession of Singh.

“The pagri [turban] had fallen off automatically in the

government following the incident. BJP National Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya called the incident saddening and said the police humiliated Singh. BJP National Secretary Arvind Menon condemned BJP supporters clashed with the police at a protest in Bengal the incident. “By scuffle that ensued, without any removing the turban of attempt to do so by our officer Balwinder Singh, the West (visible in the video attached),” Bengal Police have insulted the the West Bengal Police tweeted. entire Sikh community,” he “It is never our intention to hurt tweeted. “It seems like Mughal the sentiments of any rule in Bengal. Except for one community.” The police added community, is there no respect that an officer specifically asked left for the religious sentiments Singh to put back his turban of anyone in Bengal.” before his arrest.

BJP state president Dilip Various BJP leaders targeted Ghosh said that Singh was the Mamata Banerjee-led state carrying a licenced gun and that

the protests were “peaceful”.

“Our workers did not hurl bombs,” he said. “We were holding a peaceful protest. The police used force on us without any provocation.”

Trinamool Congress leader Firhad Hakim, defended the police action against the crowd.

“We have never seen bombs and guns being used in political rallies,” he said. “If you carry a pistol in a rally, what do you expect. [The] police have to do its job.”

The incident happened when hundreds of BJP workers clashed with the police during a protest in Howrah district. The workers marched to Nabanna, the state secretariat, to protest against the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

DALIT TN PANCHAYAT PRESIDENT MADE TO SIT ON FLOOR A panchayat secretary in Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore district was suspended after a photo that went viral showed a woman panchayat president, who belongs to a lower caste, sitting on the floor during a meeting, while the rest are seen seated on chairs.

Rajeshwari Saravana Kumar, president of Therku Thittai panchayat, belonging to a Scheduled Caste, was elected to the panchayat president's post last year.

Alleging caste discrimination and harassment from upper caste members, Rajeshwari said: “because of my caste, the vice president does not let me preside over meeting. He did not even let me hoist the flag. He made his father do it. Although I was cooperating with the upper castes all these months, it is going overboard now.” The police also booked a case against panchayat vice-president Mohan Raj under the Prevention of Atrocities Act.

I-T ATTACHES JAYA’S PROPERTIES HELD BY SASIKALA KIN The Income Tax Department (benami transactions prohibition unit) has attached former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa’s Kodanad and Siruthavur property worth £200 million. These assets were purchased in the name of two benamis VK Sasikala's sister-in-law Ilavarasi and VN Sudhakaran - who are currently serving their four-year prison term in the disproportionate assets case. The properties attached under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 includes 44.3 acres at Siruthavur village and other properties in Kodanad. The copies of the IT notices were also sent to Deepa and Deepak Jayakumar, Jayalalithaa’s legal heir. However, it is to be noted here that a message sent from the I-T department to the media said that ‘assets belonging to former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s aide Sasikala in Kodanad and Siruthavur areas have been attached.’ The notices clearly show that the properties, however, belonged to the late Chief Minister and the others were benamis.

RAHUL HITS BACK AT SAD OVER ITS ATTACK Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit back at Shiromani Akali Dal over his absence from Parliament when agriculture bills were passed and said he was with his mother Sonia Gandhi helping her through medical checkup and has duties as a son. Sonia Gandhi had gone abroad for her medical check-up last month and Rahul had accompanied her. Rahul said his sister Priyanka couldn't go because some members of her staff having Covid-19. "That is why, I was with my mother, helping her through a medical checkup. After all I am her son and have to look after my mother," he told reporters.

MAMATA WARNED OF MASSIVE COVID-19 SPIKE Expressing concern over the unrelenting surge in Covid-19 cases in Bengal, doctors in Kolkata have written to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, urging her to take stricter measures to restrict public gathering during Durga puja, as it might "lead to a tsunami" of infections. BR Satpati, an advisor at the health department and member of the state's Covid -19 expert committee, however, asserted that the government was taking requisite measures to ensure people's safety.

Members of Joint Platform of Doctors, in their letter to Mamata, referred to the steep rise in coronavirus cases in Kerala after the recent Onam festival, and a similar situation in Spain following International Women's Day celebrations and a football match to make their point.

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17 - 23 October 2020

Govt to spend £3.7 bn, give Fresh FIR filed against main sops to spur festive demand accused in Hathras case Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday announced additional allocation of £3.7billion towards capital expenditure, and put money into the pockets of government employees ahead of the festival season, hoping to trigger demand of £10 billion in her latest bid to revive economic activity. much-awaited The “stimulus”, however, did not contain measures to address the lack of demand in sectors such as hospitality and tourism that have been hit hard by Coronavirus with demand remaining tepid even after opening.

PM Narendra Modi had held consultations with his top economic advisors as far back as July on boosting spending on core sector projects in a bid to spur demand for cement, steel and other inputs, which culminated in Monday’s announcements.

Centre hopes states, pvt cos too will offer LTA scheme The additional capex and leave travel concession and festival loan benefits for central government employees come with riders, and the impact will depend on how many emplyees opt

Nirmala Sitharaman

for this scheme. For instance, the £2.5 billion allocation for additional capex by Marchend will be made for defence infrastructure, roads, water supply and urban development, provided the equipment is manufactured locally.

There was another £1.2 billion support to the states, which is to be provided in the form of interest-free loans for 50 years. But the rider is that the money has to be spent by March and there is a £ 200 million allocation for states which meet three of the reform criteria announced earlier such as power sector reforms or onenation one ration card related initiatives.

Similarly, those availing of the LTC benefit need to spend three times their entitlement in purchasing cars, fridge, mixers or

vacuum cleaners.

The measures marked the government's fresh efforts to revive sentiment and give some push to the economy which has been battered by the Covid-19 induced lockdown and growth has plunged nearly 24% in the June quarter and full year GDP contraction is estmated at 9.5% in the current fiscal year.

Along with the conditions, Sitharaman has placed a lot of reliance on state governments and the private sector taking a cue from the Centre to and come up with similar schemes.

Using “conservative estimates”, the Centre pegged the cost of the LTC cash voucher scheme at around Rs 5,675 crore with another Rs 1,900 crore coming from state-run banks and companies.

A week after the UP government had recommended a CBI probe into the alleged gangrape and murder of a 19-yearold Dalit girl, the investigating agency registered a fresh FIR against one of the four accused. A CBI team also visited Hathras and is expected to begin the investigation soon.

“The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case against an accused and taken over the investigation of the case, earlier registered ... at ...

Hathras (Uttar Pradesh) on a complaint.

The complainant had alleged that on 14.09.2020, the accused tried to strangulate his sister in the millet field ... A team has been constituted. Investigation is continuing,” a CBI press note said. The investigating officer in the case is DSP (ACB, Ghaziabad) Seema Pahuja.

The CBI registered an FIR against main accused Sandeep under sections 376D (gang rape), 307 (attempt to murder) and 302 (murder) of the IPC and Section 3 of the SC/ST Act (offences of atrocities). “In pursuance of UP government’s

consent and Union government’s order dated 10 October, the CBI takes over the investigation of the case,” the FIR said.

It was based on the police FIR at the Chandpa station that followed a complaint by the victim’s brother on September 14, the day she was allegedly gangraped. She died 15 days later in a Delhi hospital.

‘All case-related documents given to CBI’ A senior police official in Hathras confirmed the CBI team had visited the village on Sunday. Police handed over all caserelated documents to the CBI. “All paperwork has been wrapped up today.

Their investigation will begin tomorrow,” the senior official said, adding that the team has not met the victim’s family yet.

Fifteen CBI officials are expected to be in Hathras for the next couple of weeks, a senior cop said. The SIT formed by the government, meanwhile, will continue its probe into police’s role in the incident. “That investigation is not related to the main case,” the senior cop added.

Girl cremated sans its consent Family members of the victim requested the high court to shift the case out Uttar Pradesh. of Appearing before the Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court, which took suo motu cognizance of the case, the parents and siblings of the victim also said that their consent was not taken for her cremation.

The bench of Justice Pankaj Mittal and Justice Ranjan Roy heard the depositions of the victim's family members and top UP government officials who were summoned by the court while taking suo motu cognizance of the incident, in which the alleged rape victim was hurriedly cremated by the local police after September 29 midnight.

Hathras DM, Praveen Kumar Laxkar, who also appeared before the court, took full responsibility of the cremation. He told the court that there was no pressure from the government and it was the decision of the local administration, keeping in mind the law and order situation and also because the body was decomposing.

Filmmakers file case against two TV channels IIM-A alumnus Srikant Datar Leading Bollywood filmmakers have filed a lawsuit in the Delhi High Court against "irresponsible reporting by certain media houses", in the latest fallout of the Sushant Singh Rajput investigation.

Some of the film industry's biggest names, including Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Karan Johar, Aditya Chopra and Farhan Akhtar, have come together in the unprecedented legal action against two channels - Republic TV and Times Now. The suit has been filed against Republic TV, and Arnab Goswami and Pradeep Bhandari of the channel; and Times Now and its top faces Rahul Shivshankar and Navika Kumar.

The channels used "highly derogatory words and expressions for Bollywood", said the producers, listing terms like "dirt", "filth", "scum" and "druggies" used over the past few months. The producers also complained about the channels using provocative expressions like - "It is Bollywood where the dirt needs to be cleaned"; "All the perfumes of Arabia cannot take away the stench and the stink of this filth and scum of the underbelly of Bollywood"; "This is the dirtiest industry in the country"; and "Cocaine and LSDdrenched Bollywood".

The film industry has been in the spotlight over a drugs probe linked to the investigations into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput on June 14.

Amid revelations of drug chats on phones, stars and their parties have been subjected to searing, no-holdsbarred media scrutiny.

The channels as well as social media platforms must "refrain from making or publishing irresponsible, derogatory

and defamatory remarks against Bollywood and its members", the producers say. They also want the channels to stop carrying out media trials and infringing upon the privacy of members of the film industry.

While the producers don't call for blanket media gag in the Sushant Singh Rajput investigation, they want the court to stop reportage that violates the law. They want the channels to "withdraw, recall and take down all the defamatory content published by them against Bollywood". The filmmakers say Bollywood is a "distinct and wellrecognised class" that is a huge source of revenue, foreign exchange and employment. The film industry is dependent almost solely on goodwill, appreciation and the acceptance of its audience, says the lawsuit. "The livelihood of persons associated with Bollywood is being severely impacted by the smear campaign being run by the defendants. This is in addition to the ongoing pandemic which has resulted in extreme revenues and work opportunity loss. The privacy of the members of Bollywood is being invaded, and their reputations are being irreparably damaged by painting the entire Bollywood as criminals seeped in drug culture and making being part of Bollywood as synonymous with criminal acts in the public imagination," the producers say.

Those in the industry who have filed the case include the Producers Guild of India, the Cine and TV Artiste Association, Ad-Labs Films, Ajay Devgn Films, Anil Kapoor Film and Communication Network, Arbaaz Khan Productions, Ashutosh Gowariker Productions, Excel Entertainment, Kabir Khan Films, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Pictures, Reliance Big Entertainment, Rohit Shetty Pictures, Roy Kapur Productions, Vinod Chopra Films and Vishal Bhardwaj Films.

Times Now Editor-in-Chief Rahul Shivshankar, in response, said cases against his channel's journalists were "bad precedent". "Cases against journalists of Times Now that have only sought justice for those who are wronged are a bad precedent. The mighty may think they can weaken the resolve of the fearless but they are wrong," he tweeted.

The media houses in question had been reprimanded and penalized earlier too and had been found guilty of defamatory, unsubstantiated and incorrect news, says Bollywood, pointing out that the channels "indulged in frenzy suggesting that the CBI would start making arrests" after the agency took over the Sushant Rajput investigations.

"These defendants are conducting and publishing parallel private 'investigations' and effectively acting as 'courts' to condemn persons connected with Bollywood as guilty based on what they claim is 'evidence' found by them, thereby trying to make a mockery of the criminal justice system," said Bollywood.

named dean at Harvard Indian-origin academician and economist Srikant Datar, who is an alumnus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, has now been appointed the new Dean of the Harvard Business School. He will assume this position from January 1, 2021.

Srikant Datar Datar, who is set to assume charge of the prestigious 112-year-old business school in Boston, will be the second consecutive dean of Indian origin after Nitin Nohria. Harvard President Larry Bacow described Datar as an innovative educator, a distinguished scholar, and a deeply experienced academic leader and has recently played an essential role in HBS’s creative response to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

He further added that Datar has served with distinction in a range of leadership positions over his nearly 25 years at HBS, while also forging novel collaborations with other Harvard Schools.

Srikant Datar’s distinguished career Srikant Datar completed his graduation from the University of Bombay in 1973 and assumed a career as a chartered accountant. He then received his postgraduate diploma in business management from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad.

He then completed his master’s degrees in statistics and economics and a Ph.D. in business from Stanford University.

He was an assistant professor and then associate professor at the Carnegie Mellon Graduate School of Industrial Administration from 1984 to 1989, where he was honoured with the George Leland Bach Teaching Award.

Currently, he is serving on a governing body of the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta.

Datar has also held a lot of key positions in Harvard Business School, after joining the institute as a faculty member in 1996. He was the school’s senior associate dean responsible for faculty recruiting, for faculty development, for executive education, for research, and currently for University affairs.

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PM Modi among few world leaders to reach milestone of 20 years in office PM Narendra Modi who earlier headed the Gujarat government as the chief minister has become one of the longest serving heads of an elected government as he enters the 20th year in office. In a tweet, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become one of the longest serving head of an elected government in the world. It is a matter of great pride for every Indian. May he get all the strength so that India and the world grow prosperous with peace and sustainability.”

Ravi Shankar’s tweet goes on to compare PM Modi with some of the world leaders, including former US Presidents Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Franklin Roosevelt and late UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher among others.

Several other BJP leaders and ministers also took to Twitter to celebrate the ‘20th year of NaMo’.

Before being elected as the Prime Minister in 2014, Narendra Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat for 13 years starting 2001.

He has now entered the 7th year as the Prime Minister of India.

In an article in Indian Express, BJP president JP Nadda

describes Narendra Modi as someone who has “never lost an election as the head of a government and taken on a national role as Prime Minister”.

In a tweet, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said, “Uninterrupted power supply, agricultural reforms, industrial growth, steps to promote girl education. Shri Narendra Modi transformed Gujarat in more than one way. Now under his leadership as Hon'ble PM, our India is transforming into New India.”

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has said, “PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji has been working tirelessly for cause of

Narendra Modi

India. Opposition banter has not stopped him, neither has criticism dented his determination in serving mother India. His Family of 130 cr.

Indians trusts him & his resolve is as strong as ever.”

Modi’s second and current stint as Prime Minister has been the most happening as he has delivered several poll promises, the latest being the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya ending decades of litigation and communal strife. The PM laid the foundation stone for the temple on August 5 this year,

Rhea Chakraborty freed on bail in drug case Continued from page - 1

Sushant as to how he procured his drugs for his own consumption, rather than blaming his entire staff, Rhea, and Showik," the plea read. Meanwhile, the case, which dominated headlines for months, came at a new juncture last week when an AIIMS panel declared that Sushant wasn't murdered, but died by suicide.

Led by Dr. Sudhir Gupta, the team was tasked with a re-examination of the autopsy, other medical reports, and the crime scene. Dr. Gupta said the seven-member team arrived at the conclusion after assessing all angles. Moreover, CBI, which is probing the "abetment of suicide" angle, has not found conclusive evidence to suggest that Rhea drove the actor to suicide for "financial gains."

A forensic audit of Sushant's accounts revealed that of £7 million in transactions, an expenditure of Rs 55,00,000 was linked to Rhea. Sushant's father had earlier claimed Rhea cheated him of £1.5 million.

"Rhea continues to be under scanner for abetment to suicide. But it is true CBI hasn't yet found any motive for abetment. There is nothing concrete in the audit report to suggest that she siphoned off funds," an official said.

The bench granted bail to Rhea on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 100,000. "Rhea should mark her presence for 10 days in the police station after release, deposit her passport, not travel abroad without court permission and inform the investigating officer if she has to leave Greater Mumbai," the bench said.

Notably, a special (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) court in Mumbai had extended till October 20 the judicial custody of Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and others. The NCB had launched an investigation after it received official communication from Enforcement Directorate (ED), in which there were various chats related to drug consumption, procurement, usage and transportation in connection with Rajput's death case.

The ED had on July 31 registered an Enforcement Case Information Report in the late actor's death case after a First Information Report was filed by Rajput's father KK Singh against Rhea Chakraborty in Bihar on July 28. Rajput was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14.

The family was also displeased with Mumbai Police's probe; after a concerted online and offline campaign, the Supreme Court handed over the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Rhea, who was in a relationship with the deceased Smt. Pushpa Anand Mudholkar (86) actor, was accused of procuring banned passed away on 10th October (Saturday) substances like marijuana and being in after a brief illness in Ahmedabad. She touch with drug peddlers. NCB also was the mother of Pankaj Mudholkar summoned Bollywood biggies like Deepika and Sharadini Mudholkar, Managing Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor, and Sara director & Director of Aakriti Khan. Last month, Rhea had filed a bail plea, Promotions & Media Ltd respectively. solely blaming Sushant for exploiting people She was born in 1935 at Vadodara and close to him to sustain his drug habit. after the completion of education, she She claimed Sushant was careful enough preferred to join as a teacher. She worked not to leave a paper trail and "thought it fit Smt. Pushpa Anand Mudholkar with various educational institutions and to expose" people close to him to the perils left behind a huge family-tree of two Pushpaben best. her gave that his actions would entail. The 29-yearold celebrity also slammed the "witch-hunt" sons and daughters-in-law (Pankaj-Deepa & Vivek-Anagha) and three daughters (Sharadini, Anjali Paresh Wani in Ahmedabad, she was subjected to.

"The prosecution surprisingly has not and Gitanjali Kaustubh Tambe, who is based in Singapore). disclosed a single phone call, mobile call, Grandchildren and great grandchildren have been mourning the SMS, WhatsApp message or email of death of this soft-spoken lady who was in inspiration to all.

Obituary

Pushpa Mudholkar

fulfilling the promise the party had been making through legal means. The temple construction followed the repeal of Article 370 and banning the practice of triple talaq, which the ruling party considers a major social reform and also reflects that the party feels concerned about all sections of the society.

“Prime Minister has ensured that the election manifesto should be adopted as a vision document for governance and promises made during the polls should be taken seriously and must be delivered,” said a senior

party leader.

Although his tenure has witnessed delivery of several poll promises, some of the NDA partners’ exit from the alliance could be a cause of worry for the BJP leadership even as the party has won the last two general elections convincingly. “Passage of the farm bill cost the alliance hugely as an old ally Shromani Akali Dal walked out. However, the PM was firm on his decision that the move was crucial to empower farmers and double farmers’ income by 2024,” said a BJP leader. Modi had taken over as Gujarat chief minister in 2001 soon after the state was devastated after the Bhuj earthquake. However, several moves taken by him like the “Vibrant Gujarat” event played a crucial role in restructuring of the state.

Later the state became selfsufficient on several fronts, including the power production after which the “Gujarat Model” term for development gained popularity, playing a key role in Modi’’s country-wide popularity after which the BJP announced him as prime ministerial candidate in 2013.

Obituary Sad Departure of our D.R (Dineshchandra R. Shah) D.R. Shah and Jyotsnaben Shah were a uniquely devoted couple. They first came to Karma Yoga House on 3rd July 1983.

Jyotsnaben joined Gujarat Samachar as a budding journalist, who is still giving her honorary service as a consulting editor.

D.R. became a close friend, adviser, valued and much loved member of our Family.

D.R. Shah arrived in London as a D.R. Shah manager with the Bank of Baroda. After a successful banking career, he became a D.o.b : 05th April, 1943 financial advisor and was very well known Demise : 07th October, 2020 in his field.

Around 3 weeks back, after facing continuous pain in the stomach, he was admitted at St. Mark's hospital, Northwick Park. He had to undergo an operation on 1st October, 2020, which initially was successful. Subsequently, there were some complications and he left for heavenly abode in the early hours of 7th October, 2020.

He had learned classical music and even sang folk songs. He was a cheerful person with lots of positivity in him. He will always dwell in our hearts with many of his sweet memories to cherish.

He leaves behind Adarniya Jyotsnaben Shah, Sons Jigar & Hardik and daughter Hema along with their spouses and 5 grandchildren.

ABPL family mourns the sudden departure of Shri D.R. Shah.

May Lord help and comfort his entire family and hasten the journey of his soul to Heaven.

Jay Jinendra, Jay Shree Krishna and Om Namah Shivay to his extended family in the UK, India and abroad.

Om Shanti.........Om Shanti,,,,,,,,,,Om Shanti..........

Obituary Smt. Krushnadevi Omprakashji Arora

Smt. Krushnadevi Omprakashji Arora

Smt. Krushnadevi Omprakashji Arora, the mother-in-law of Jagdish Arora, graphic designer of Asian Voice, Ahmedabad, passed away on Tuesday, October 13, 2020. She leaves Shri husband behind Omprakashji Arora, daughter Shubham Jagdish Arora (wife of Jagdish) and two grandchildren.

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HEALTH VOICE

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17 - 23 October 2020

High doses of favipiravir counter SARS-CoV-2 in hamsters Researchers report that treatment with high doses of favipiravir, an antiviral drug that has been used to treat pandemic influenza in Japan, significantly reduced SARS-CoV-2 levels in the lungs, improved lung pathology, and reduced virus transmission by direct contact in a hamster model, whereas treatment with the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine had no significant effect on virus levels or transmission, suggesting that favipiravir, but not hydroxychloroquine, merits further study for Covid-19 treatment in humans, according to the authors.

The study led by Suzanne J. F. Kaptein, Sofie Jacobs, ana Langendries, Laura Seldeslachts among a team of researchers was published in the peer previewed journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America).

The previous lack of consensus around the use of hydroxychloroquine for Covid-19 patients underlines the need to thoroughly assess the in vivo efficacy of drugs against SARS-CoV-2. Small animal infection models, such as the hamster model, have a pivotal place herein. We here show in vivo preclinical results with favipiravir which indicate that antiviral efficacy against SARS-

CoV-2 might only be achieved with a very high dose.

Hydroxychloroquine, on the other hand, completely lacks antiviral activity, thus providing no scientific basis for its further use in Covid-19 patients. With this study on two key antiviral candidates, we establish the baseline for SARS-CoV-2 antiviral treatment, which will allow us to identify superior antiviral candidates in the near future.

Abstract Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) rapidly spread around the globe after its emergence in Wuhan in December 2019. With no specific therapeutic and prophylactic options available, the virus has infected millions of people of which more than half a million succumbed to the viral disease, Covid-19.

The urgent need for an effective treatment together with a lack of small animal infection models has led to clinical trials using repurposed drugs without

preclinical evidence of their in vivo efficacy. We established an infection model in Syrian hamsters to evaluate the efficacy of small molecules on both infection and transmission. Treatment of SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters with a low dose of favipiravir or hydroxychloroquine with(out) azithromycin resulted in, respectively, a mild or no reduction in virus levels. However, high doses of favipiravir significantly reduced infectious virus in the lungs and markedly improved lung histopathology. Moreover, a high dose of favipiravir decreased virus transmission by direct contact, whereas hydroxychloroquine failed as prophylaxis.

Pharmacokinetic modelling of hydroxychloroquine suggested that the total lung exposure to the drug did not cause the failure.

Our data on hydroxychloroquine (together with previous reports in macaques and ferrets) thus provide no scientific basis for the use of this drug in Covid-19 patients.

In contrast, the results with favipiravir demonstrate that an antiviral drug at nontoxic doses exhibits a marked protective effect against SARS-CoV-2 in a small animal model. Clinical studies are required to assess whether a similar antiviral effect is achievable in humans without toxic effects.

India rejects large scale trial of Russia's Covid-19 vaccine India's drug regulator has refused to allow a large scale clinical trial of Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine. The decision comes as a setback for the Vladimir Putin-led nation, which had given the shot a fast-tracked approval in August to provide its own as well as other nations' citizens a way to fight the ongoing pandemic.

A few weeks back, India's Dr Reddy's Laboratories and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) struck a trial-and-supply deal to take the Sputnik V Covid19 vaccine to the Indian population. However, when the lab applied to conduct a large scale

clinical human study with the shot, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) refused to accept the proposal.

The expert panel of CDSCO told Dr. Reddy's Laboratories that it cannot give the permission to conduct trials on a large scale, as the early-stage safety and immunogenicity data on Sputnik V is available from smaller studies conducted on foreign population.

It advised the lab to first con-

Covid-19 virus may linger on human skin for nine hours The Covid-19 causing SARSCoV-2 may linger on human skin for nine hours, according to a study. Published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, the study found that both, the coronavirus and the influenza A virus (IAV) were rapidly inactivated on skin with a hand sanitiser.

The finding underscores the importance of hand washing or using a sanitiser to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The researchers noted that the stability of SARS-CoV-2 on human skin remains unknown.

The researchers wrote in the journal they evaluated the stability of SARS-CoV-2 and IAV, mixed with culture medium or upper respiratory mucus, on human skin surfaces. They said, “We generated a model that

allows the safe reproduction of clinical studies on the application of pathogens to human skin and elucidated the stability of SARS-CoV-2 on the human skin.” The researchers also evaluated the disinfection effectiveness on skin of 80 per cent ethanol against SARS-CoV-2 and IAV. The study found that SARSCoV02 and IAV were inactivated more rapidly on skin surfaces than on other surfaces such as stainless steel, glass and plastic.

Scientists said the survival time was significantly longer, 9 hours, for the Covid-19 virus than for IAV.They wrote in the journal, “The nine hour survival of SARSCoV-2 on human skin may increase the risk of contact transmission in comparison with IAV, thus accelerating the pandemic.”

sider a smaller clinical trial instead of jumping directly to the large Phase-3 study. "After detailed deliberation, the committee recommended that the firm should follow the regulatory requirements and conduct phase-2/3 trial in the country with proper monitoring for humoral and cell-mediated immune response," the committee said. Previously, the lab had said it would conduct the Phase-3 trial to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of Sputnik V on the Indian population and make about 100 million doses available to the local public starting the end of this year. Now, with segmented trials, it could take more time.

Developed by Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology and backed by RDIF, Sputnik V was registered on August 11, with Putin claiming that the shot forms stable immunity and one of his daughters had already been inoculated. However, as the approval was given after just two-monthlong trials and no public data, many claimed that Russia may have cut necessary corners, risking people's safety. Despite the questions, Russia has been moving ahead with the internal production and distribution of Sputnik V. The company started production in August and has already released the first batch of the shot in civil circulation, following necessary quality tests in the laboratories of Roszdravnadzor [Russia's medical device regulator]. The country had also expressed willingness to partner with India for scaling up its production.

Remember, all doctors are bound by patient confidentiality rules Shefali Saxena

Dr Sohom Das

According to Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist Dr Sohom Das, although the overall prevalence of mental illness is roughly comparable between men and women, the patterns of disorders they suffer are different, depression is twice as common in women. By contrast, alcoholism is twice as common in men. On World Mental Health Awareness Day, Asian Voice spoke to Dr Das to explore the scientific aspect of mental health issues, the stigma related to seeking therapy and how one can identify signs of deteriorating mental health and act upon it.

What are the barriers for people seeking therapy or help from a professional?

This is often related to cultural issues and also embarrassment. Some Asian cultures in particular believe that mental illness is shameful and should not be discussed openly. Instead, they are kept within the family. In my view, this can be dangerous. Chronic severe illnesses, such as schizophrenia, tend to deteriorate without professional treatment, including medication or therapy. This needs to be overseen by a professional, such as a psychiatrist.

Since therapy can be expensive, what options are there, especially for women who may not have the financial support to go to therapy or take the right medication.

Both medication and therapy are provided free by the NHS. Private treatment is much quicker, but can be expensive. In London, private weekly sessions with a psychologist typically tend to cost around £120 to £140 each. The patient often requires a minimum of 8 sessions. Private psychiatrist can prescribe medication (such as antidepressants). They would cost in the region of £250 for the initial assessment and around £100 for follow-up appointment.

However, there are some charities, including women’s charities, who are willing to contribute to these costs, or even take on the full burden of payment.

What are the ways to identify mental health issues in children and men, since they are less likely to be vocal or articulate about owning or identifying them?

One way would be to talk to those who know them well, such as work colleagues or school friends, to determine if others have noted a change in the sufferer’s overall happiness, presentation and daily performance. One has to identify any major changes in behavioural patterns, such as whether the person is more withdrawn and isolative, or is avoiding particular activities.

Another helpful tool is the psychological screening questionnaire. These ask about a range of different recent symptoms.

Please tell us about your mental health podcast and elaborate on ‘Drug induced psychosis’ and what the community needs to know about it, since there’s information overload and manufactured consent about this topic online - which may or may not be true.

I have recently launched a free weekly podcast which is also a YouTube video series named ‘A Psych for Sore Minds’. This explores a range of mental health topics and issues. This includes relatively common mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety and also much more severe chronic disorders, such as schizophrenia and Bi-Polar-Affective Disorder. As I am a specialist in forensic psychiatry, some of the episodes explore the relationship between the symptoms of these illnesses and offending; such as people who hear voices or suffer from intense paranoia who lash out with violence.

Drug-induced psychosis is a temporary form of psychosis which usually comes in the form of hallucinations (mostly hearing voices), and also delusions which can include paranoid beliefs (e.g. fears that random people are talking about the sufferer or wish to harm them) or grandiose delusions (e.g. that the sufferer has special powers, such as the ability to fly or is a reincarnation of God). They are caused by illicit drug use; typical culprits include very strong skunk cannabis, and also amphetamines.

How much do you think the internet and Television have contributed to spreading awareness/myths about mental health? How much of it is safe to consume and where can one draw the line?

There has definitely been an increase in the types of programmes, podcasts and internet shows, such as YouTube videos about mental health. I think overall this is a step in the right direction, as it encourages people to speak about psychiatric disorders openly and also helps reduce the stigma.

However, most content is unregulated and I personally have seen lots of videos which are factually incorrect and spread misinformation. I think the key is to check the credibility of the sources of who makes the content. Some videos have very good production value and look very polished. My advice would be to focus on content that is made by people with professional experience, especially those who have been in the business for a long time.

What is your advice for the Asian community on approaching mental health with sensitivity - leaving the taboo associated with it in the past? What is the biggest myth that you’d like to bust for them?

I have three pieces of advice: Firstly, to actually seek help. Although this is a big step and can often be a slow process, it is necessary. As I said earlier, some mental illnesses will not go away without professional intervention.

The earlier you seek help from a professional, the shorter time you have to deal with a range of horrible symptoms of mental illness. I understand that it may be difficult to seek advice, due to feelings of embarrassment or fears that the wider community might find out. Remember; all doctors are bound by patient confidentiality rules which means they are not allowed to discuss your case with anybody else without your permission. If they do, they can be in serious trouble from the General Medical Council.

My second piece of advice is for people to understand that mental states do change. People do get better. If you are feeling extremely low or anxious now, it doesn’t mean that it will always be like this. People get better by seeking professional help but also because mental illnesses tend to fluctuate over time. This isn’t you for the rest of your life.

Finally, as I previously mentioned there are a lot of free online mental health resources you can access, including therapy programmes. There is also a lot of helpful advice. NHS websites are a good place to start.

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A page from a daughter’s memoir of her mother's past after her death In her first book “Remember Me?: Discovering My Mother As She Lost Her Memory”, from Coronation Street, dinner ladies and Loose Women star, Shobna Gulati, captures the powerful emotions that these memories hold to both Shobna and her mother; secrets they had collectively buried and also the concealment of her mother's condition.

In December 2019, soon after her mother's untimely death, Shobna discovered bags and bags stuffed with press clippings, spanning Shobna’s life from childhood right up until her mother died, in her family home. As Shobna sat in the midst of a sea of clippings she began to think over her mother's life and the stories that had only begun to surface from her past as she lost her to dementia.

In this moving yet humorous memoir, a daughter sets out to reclaim her mother's past after her death, and in turn, discovers a huge amount about herself and their relationship. What ensues is a story of cultural assimilation, identity and familial shame. Shobna shared an excerpt from her book for the readers of Asian Voice. It is as follows:

in brief in brief THE NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE BROADCAST OF ‘WAR HORSE’ RETURNS TO CINEMAS THIS NOVEMBER

remembered?

These questions enter my mind, as I remember my life and my mother’s, and wonder how she would want to be remembered. I believe I have a clear idea of who I’ve become and in turn discovered who my mother was, both to me but also as a woman in her own right.

But the truth is, we never really know ourselves or each other fully; as our memory is an imaginative, creative, destructive and selective place.

The memories the brain builds and designs are never quite representative of the life we have lived, it’s not even in the stuff we collect and leave behind. As my mother’s memory began to fall apart, I began to see behind the created memories and I found a woman who was able to make clear choices grown from a deep, quiet love for her husband and family, to live her life fully with fairness and sincerity even when her world fell apart.”

On Remembrance Day, November 11, the National Theatre Live broadcast of Olivier and Tony Award winning ‘War Horse’, which is based on Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel, will return to cinemas around the UK and Ireland. This return marks the first time since its original live broadcast in 2014 from the New London Theatre in London's West End. Lisa Burger, Joint Chief Executive of the National Theatre said, ‘We are so pleased to be able to support our cinema partners during what continues to be an extremely difficult time for the industry. They have worked tirelessly to ensure safety is a priority but without content to broadcast and support from audiences they face a very tough future.”

War Horse is designed by Rae Smith, with puppet direction, design and fabrication by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company, lighting by Paule Constable, and movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick, with video design by Leo Warner and Mark Grimmer for 59 Productions, songmaker John Tams, music by Adrian Sutton and sound by Christopher Shutt.

War Horse will then be released to cinemas internationally for a limited time from 24 February 2021.

“You don’t actually need that much money in real life to be happy” - Sudha Murty

THE STORY OF A REFUGEE GIRL TO OPEN THE MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL IN 2021

“This is a story of things that are lost, but can also be found in the most unexpected of places. It is a story of the things you remember and the things you had once forgotten, the stories we then tell ourselves and what we choose to share with others.

It is my story and it is my mother’s and it is about being her daughter. It is about the function of memory within the human construct of time, where we give our daily lives a beginning, a middle and an end. It is also a story about the assumption of shame and the presumption of it too, racial bias and prejudice, based only on the colours of our brown skins. We spend our entire lives trying to figure out the answers to questions that are presented to us: Who are we when no one else is around? Whose lives have we affected? How did it end up like this? Have we done the right thing? How will we be

Shefali Saxena The Khushwant Singh Literary Festival took place between Oct 9 - 11 last week. Indian author, social worker, Chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, Smt. Sudha Murty was a part of the litfest and in conversation with author Chetan Bhagat. They discussed ‘The Art and Science of Giving’.

progress.” She also insisted, “Don’t look down upon social work. It requires 100 percent commitment. I travel 20 days in a month and I will be in the deep forest or tribal area. Unless you give that commitment you cannot see the results. So please understand that if you have great compassion and that means you devote your time.”

Chetan asked her that aren’t we letting the government off the hook by doing their job in the name of social work? “I always look at this as - whatever I can do, let me do. Is it my duty or not, I don’t worry, I feel if I wait for somebody to do it, they may or may not survive. Like for migrant workers, we made 100,000 ration kits. I believe we must do what we can do, the government should do what they can do, together we should survive,” she answered.

“You don’t actually need that much money in real life to be happy.

To be happy in life with your wife or husband, you require great understanding, and when you do not have that, what is the use of having a big wedding?” Murty said.

She also feels that whatever we do, the next generation will not remember, or after a 100 years, people will not remember. “You should never work so that somebody should remember your great work or sacrifices,” she added. In a lighter exchange she told Chetan how she told her daughter Akshata Murty (who is married to UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak) that her wedding was similar to 2States (Chetan’s book where a south Indian girl marries a Punjabi). Chetan admired her simplicity and chuckled that if a Punjabi family had someone like Sunak in their family, all of them would run around in VIP cars with red sirens.

Manchester International Festival (MIF) has announced its first event for the 2021 edition of the Festival. The festival will take place between July 1-18, 2021. It’ll begin with The Walk, the journey from Gaziantep in Turkey to Manchester of nine-year-old refugee girl, Little Amal in the form of a giant living artwork. The Walk will see Little Amal – a 3.5 metre tall puppet and an emblem of the millions of displaced refugee children separated from their families - travel 8,000km across Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and the UK in search of her mother. It will embody the urgent message ‘Don’t forget about us’ and Little Amal will go around 70 cities, towns and villages with art between April and July 2021.

Sudha Murty uses a landline phone to coordinate with people she works with, especially who are frontline workers helping in Covid testing, ambulance services and more healthcare facilities. Chetan said, “For youngsters who don’t know what a landline is, please Google it.”

Murty’s book ‘3000 Stitches’ starts off with Sudha’s journey into Philanthropy which started with her helping the Devdasis.

Commenting on giving money versus giving your own attention and writing a cheque versus choosing to be involved in actual philanthropic work, she said, “You will not understand people if you don’t get involved. If you really go on the spot, work with them, then you realise what their aspirations are. We should never underestimate that we know everything and they do not know.

They also know their priority and you should understand that. I learnt a lot more about people by mixing with people, staying with In times when young kids are being lured into online courses, coding sessions them, eating with them. Poverty means helplessness. It removes and a mad race to secure a place at a premium institution, we’ve ought to take your courage. And then, how one can improve and education is the into account that the post pandemic era will never be the same. While finding only key and how you can use that key.” jobs, scoring high will be challenging, the same rat race may take a toll on your “My father told me, if you could change ten Devdasis in your child’s mental health and well being. At a point like this, Chetan Bhagat’s Five life, I’ll be very proud if that I gave birth to a daughter who worked Point Someone is a good read for parents and children who haven’t read it yet. for changing the lives of ten people. I took 18 years to change the Five Point Someone is Chetan Bhagat's debut novel which revolves around lives of 3000 people,” she added. the lives of Ryan, Alok, and Hari. The three lads become close friends while trying Sudha Murty also said, “When I was married to my husband hard to survive in an exceedingly competitive environment. The three boys join (Narayan Murty, Infosys Founder), he was unemployed. I don’t IIT with a passion to excel and come out successfully as the best graduates. belong to a rich family. My father was a doctor. When money came However, their life turns upside down when their grades fall lower than they had to me I used to ask this question to myself. When I worked with ever expected. Meanwhile, Hari falls in love with his professor's daughter, and 3000 Devdasis, is when I realized that probably this was the reason Alok and Ryan cannot stop arguing with each other. Five Point Someone was money was given to us, to help them.” From going to male successfully able to strike a chord with the millions of youngsters across India. dominated engineering college and being the girl who bobbed her Hari, Alok and Ryan have to deal with unpleasant and cynical teachers, hair, Murty said that people in her society looked down upon her assignments and projects, stress of unending examinations, and a stringent in a doubtful manner. She said, “A girl who has cut her hair, how academic schedule. Will they be able to survive the IITs? Or will they succumb to the tedious and age-old education system of India? Five Point Someone has been could she walk the streets with that hair?” But she did. adapted into hugely successful motion pictures both in Tamil and Hindi. The But why does it take commitment and persistence to help book was also an inspiration for producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s blockbuster film someone? Murty said, “It is easy to help to start, but if you have to starring Aamir Khan, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi, titled 3 Idiots. The book is get the correct results, you have to work very hard and monitor the available on Amazon.

Book Recommendation

Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat

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17 - 23 October 2020

Nargis Fakhri reminisces growing up in the projects Actress Nargis Fakhri took a short trip down memory lane recently, reminiscing about growing up in public housing projects for low income families. Sharing a childhood photo, she appreciated how everyone supported each other despite being “dirt poor”. Fakhri wrote, “Here's a little piece of me I'm sharing with all of y'all: This is my family. Growing up in the projects wasn't easy but we always made the best of things. Even though we were dirt poor, we had each other.

Sometimes there wasn't food and we would share an egg or some milk. Whoever had shared.

We had community, we looked out for each other.”

She added, “Lately i feel sad because as we grew up & we grew apart because life took us in different directions. But no matter what, even today you are my family. #community #sisterhood #hood #projectlife #piecesofme #hardknocks #life #growth #iloveyou.”

After launching a career in modelling at the age of 16, Nargis made her Bollywood debut with Imtiaz Ali's 'Rockstar' in 2011. On the work front, she will be next seen in Girish Malik's 'Torbaaz'.

KJo pays tribute to his late father and filmmaker Yash Johar Ace filmmaker and producer Karan Johar paid a tribute to his late father and famed film producer Yash Johar as his Dharma Productions completed 40 years in the industry. Forty years ago, Yash released his first production – Amitabh Bachchan, Shatrughan Sinha, and Zeenat Aman starrer 'Dostana'. In a heartfelt note, Karan wrote though Yash is missed, they feel his blessings and find the “courage to combat and to create”.

Johar wrote, “40 years ago on this date you released your first film Dostana and thus began a company that was so close to your heart....all your tremendous karma is in every sunshine ray of @dharmamovies ....all we have done is bask in the glory of your goodwill.... we stand tall because of your teachings and pray every day

that you are proud of all of us Papa!”. He added, “Dharma is a result of so many of us who strive everyday to spread cheer at the movies...we miss you ...but we feel your hand on our head and that gives us the courage to combat and to create ....I love you so much Papa.”

On the work front, KJo has special plans to celebrate 75 years of independence, as tweeted by him to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

His initiative will be joined by major players of the film fraternity including Rajkumar Hirani, Aanand L Rai, Ekta Kapoor, Sajid Nadiadwala, Rohit Shetty and Dinesh Vijan.

Amitabh joins PrabhasKangana says will return Deepika starrer magnum opus awards if proven wrong

Actor Amitabh Bachchan has been roped in to play a key character in director Nag Ashwin's magnum opus starring Prabhas and Deepika Padukone in the lead. Ashwin took to Twitter to confirm Bachchan would be seen in a full-length role and not a cameo. He tweeted, “Not a guest role or a special appearance... but a full length role so important, tht his characters name was the working title of an early draft...thank you @SrBachchan sir for the privilege... we will make it worthy of your time #Prabhas #DeepikaPadukone.”

Amitabh too tweeted about the role and wrote, “An honour and a privilege to be a part of this momentous & most ambitious venture .. and my greetings for the completion of 50 years for @VyjayanthiFilms.. may you celebrate another 50 .. and on !! Folded hands#Prabhas @deepikapadukone@nagashwin7.”

Currently dubbed 'Prabhas 21', the project commemorates the 50th year of Vyjayanthi Films, and marks Deepika's Telugu debut.

Actor Kangana Ranatu responded to Swara Bhasker's veiled comment, yet again stating she will return her awards if her accusations are found wrong in the Sushant Singh Rajput case. Taking to Twitter, she wrote, “This is my interview, if your memory is weak then watch it again. If I have made a single false accusation, then I will return all my awards, this is the promise of a Kshatriya, I am a devotee of Lord Ram. I will give my life for a promise. Jai Shri Ram.” The AIIMS medical board submitted a report on Sushant's death case directly to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Headed by Dr Sudhir Gupta, the panel said in the report that Sushant died by suicide. Kangana has mentioned in an interview that Sushant was “murdered by movie mafia.”

Swara mentioned in her tweet how “some people” have proclaimed that they would return their awards if their claims in the Sushant death case were proven wrong. She wrote, “Hey! Now that both CBI and AIIMS have concluded that #SushantSinghRajput tragically died by suicide... weren't some people going to return their government bestowed awards???”

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Not doing anything special this year: Sayani Gupta Sayani Gupta is in Goa to bring in her birthday. The actor turned a year older and enjoyed “being away from the city”. “I have some lovely friends here so it is nice and I am happy to be in a place that is quite calming,” she says, adding she didn’t do anything special for her birthday.

“I am not a person who enjoys celebrating birthdays. It is a weird day as you feel pressure to do something while actually it is a normal day. I hate cutting birthday cakes and it is not something I love (laughs). Moreover, I hate planning.

Just chilling in the Jacuzzi, the pool and going for drives works for me.

Having a chill and peaceful day with

some good food is the best,” she shares.

While she is not in Mumbai, on her birthday, she made arrangements to distribute sanitary pads for girls at an orphanage. Sayani says, “We’re still far from making affordable pads for women and it’s distressing to think that some of us use cheap alternatives because of lack of affordability. In fact, it’s my goal to reach safe organic sanitary pads to girls all over Mumbai and then eventually all-over India. It’s a relief to have people who want to make the world a slightly more liveable place and want to help the underprivileged.”

Akshay's 'Laxmmi Bomb' trailer finds praise from trans rights activist

Actor Akshay Kumar's trailer for 'Laxmmi Bomb' is getting a lot of attention from his fans and industry peers.

However, it was trans rights activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi's praise for the trailer that caught everyone's eye.

Sharing her thoughts on Twitter, she wrote, “What a Diwali dhamaaka @akshaykumar and @advani_kiara!! #laxmmibombtrailer dekh ke maza aa gaya! Shayad naam mein hi kuch khaas hai (I really enjoyed the trailer of Laxmmi Bomb! Maybe there is something special in the name).”

Tripathi went on to write, “Barasne aai hai Laxmi. Bahut accha lagta hai ye sun ke, mera bhi naam Laxmi hai aur maine abhi voh trailer dekha Laxmmi

Bomb ka. Bahut interzaar tha us trailer ka.

Dhamaakedaar... live life queen size. Hum toh apni zindagi queen size jeete hai aur is waqt toh sabko Laxmi ki zaroorat hai par yeh ek refreshing mind hua aaj trailer dekh ke. Main dhanyawad karti hun Akshay ji ka aur unki poori team ka itni sunder picture banaye hai aur trailer hi voh kehte hai na bacche ke pair paalne main hi dikhai dete hai toh trailer se hi pata chalta hai ki film kitni acchi hai. Bahut dhamal ho gaya hai. Thank you (‘Laxmmi is coming to rain on you’. It felt so nice on hearing this. My name is also Laxmi and even I watched the trailer for Laxxmi Bomb. I was eagerly waiting for it. Explosive. We do live our lives queen size and every one needs a Laxmi these day. This trailer did refresh me. I thank Akshay and his team that they made such a beautiful film. They say you can guess what a baby will grow up to be right when he is in his crib. So I can guess from the trailer how good the film will be. It will be a blast)”.

Akshay was quick to respond to the praise. He wrote, replying to her, Akshay said, “This means a lot Itna pyaar

barsane ke liye thank you, from one Laxmmi to another Naam sach mein bahot khaas hai (The name is indeed very special).”

Directed by Raghava Lawrence, 'Laxmmi Bomb' stars Akshay as a man in Dubai who returns to India to impress his wife's family. However, he is possessed by a spirit and starts behaving differently.

Shah Rukh reveals secret about iconic 'DDLJ' scene Bollywood classic 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge' celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and actor Shah Rukh Khan talks about the secret for you. Lead actor in the movie, Shah Rukh reveals many scenes in the film were improvised.

Shah Rukh, along with Kajol, Anupam Kher, and several others who were involved in the making of the film, such as designer Manish Malhotra and music composer duo JatinLalit, took part in an oral history of the movie.

Shah Rukh said, “There were several improv moments.

They enhanced the script, for sure. There was this scene with Amrish Puri where he was feeding the pigeons. And we had this really funny scene where we are both awkwardly going 'aao, aao' to the pigeons. It is a call for pigeons I had heard in Delhi, so I added it. Even the flower that sprays water on Kajol's face, we hadn't told her what would happen.”

Shah Rukh added, “It was a set of friends just having fun...with the material. Adi had a much clearer vision where he was going with it and what he wanted to say in it. So the voices belong to us, but the words and feelings are all his, to

be honest.” Released in 1995, 'DDLJ' became a runaway hit cementing Shah Rukh and Kajol as a romantic pair.

Genre: Romantic Comedy Duration: 125 minutes

When a headstrong girl meets a lovable guy What happens when you’re a guy who wants to get married and every girl is turning you down and you’re a girl who every guy wants to be with, but they are arranged and you want a love marriage. Meet Ginny and Sunny.

Sunny is a bachelor who loves to cook and wants nothing more than to get married as his dad has promised him a restaurant to run if he does. He keeps getting turned down by all the women in his life.

Ginny is a fun-loving girl whose mother owns a match making service, but Ginny wants a love marriage not an arranged one like her mother is pushing for. Ginny is also friends with her ex who still treats her like his girlfriend but doesn’t want to accept a relationship with her.

When Sunny’s father suggests he speak to Ginny’s mother about setting them up Sunny is happy as he has had a crush on Ginny since they were in school together.

Ginny’s mum explains to Sunny that her daughter wants a love marriage and he needs to make her fall in

love with him. Sunny sets out to get to know Ginny with the help of her mum. Just as Ginny is about to fall for Sunny her ex Nishant turns up and proposes to her and Ginny accepts.

Ginny then tells Sunny that she wants to get to know him better and that she didn’t actually want to marry Nishant. But in all the confusion Ginny finds out that Sunny had already met her mum and was being guided by her as to how to win her heart. This angers Ginny and she tells Sunny she doesn’t want anything to do with him.

After Ginny turns him down Sunny decides to get married to another girl but Ginny finally realises how much she loves Sunny and that she wants to be with him.

Will she be able to win Sunny’s heart back and stop the wedding?

Ginny weds Sunny is a fun film to watch which is exactly what we need at the moment with the new lockdown measures in place. It will make you laugh and cry at the same time as we watch Yami Gautam and Vikrant Massey navigate through the film. As you watch how Sunny tries to make Ginny fall in love with him you will laugh at his persistence and her resistance. Ginny weds Sunny will certainly entertain you during these cold Autumn nights.

You can get in touch with Vallisa: djvallisa@gmail.com

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Shruti Haasan responds to latest row, says words 'misinterpreted' Actor Shruti Haasan took to Twitter lately to clarify her recent comments on being part of commercial films in the south. In a recent interview, Shruti opened up about her absence from Bollywood and her choice of cinema over the years. She went on to say, “I no longer listen to people who say we need to do only commercial films. I've been a part of some blockbusters, but didn't have a great time doing them. I am making more honest choices now.”

Her comments soon roped in a wave of criticism online with many saying her words made it seem she didn't enjoy being part of commercial films like 'Gabbar Singh' and 'Race Gurram'. Shruti took to Twitter to clarify. She wrote, “Certain Telugu publications have misinterpreted a quote from a national

interview I gave and are writing articles that are untrue. Just to clarify I am extremely proud of having been a part of films like Race Gurram and Gabbar Singh- GS with Pawan Kalyan Garu was life changing”.

“Being a part of the Telugu and South Indian film industry is a part of my heart, truly.

That interview was given in context to the Hindi films I did and perception of north V south in Indian films which in itself I’ve never liked - hope that clears things up for everyone,” she added.

On the work front, Shruti has a project each in Tamil, and Telugu in her kitty. She will be seen in Vijay Sethupathi's 'Laabam', and will reunite with Ravi Teja for upcoming Telugu actioner 'Krack'.

SS Rajamouli resumes shooting for 'RRR'

Rana Daggubati's 'Hiranyakashyap' takes a backseat

Filmmaker SS Rajamouli released a tiny teaser last week revealing the shoot of upcoming Telugu magnum opus 'RRR'. He tweeted, “Life has already become a new normal. We have to adapt to it and move on. And so our shoot resumes.” The teaser gives us a peek into the crew preparing to get back to shoot after several months. It also confirmed that a teaser of the movie will be unveiled on October 30 to introduce Jr NTR's character of Bheem from the film.

The shoot resumed last week after a long hiatus in Hyderabad.

While neither Ram Charan nor Jr NTR are likely to join the sets

Actor Rana Daggubati's Telugu magnum opus 'Hiranyakashyap' has taken a backseat due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, confirmed director Gunasekhar over the weekend. Taking to Twitter to make the announcement, Gunasekhar wrote, “Amidst this global pandemic, despite 'Hiranyakashyap' pre-production work completed, the massive scale shoot will take off later than anticipated. In the meantime, I've embarked on another film.”

Rumours emerged last December that the project has been shelved. However, the actor later clarified the project will take off from mid-2020. On the work front, Daggubati awaits the release of his upcoming

immediately, the team will shoot crucial scenes with the rest of the actors. 'RRR' is a fictional story set in the 1920s pre-independence era and it will be based on the lives of two real heroes and well-known revolutionaries – Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem.

Telugu film 'Virataparvam', in which he's rumoured to be playing a cop. Directed by Venu Udugala, 'Virataparvam' also stars Sai Pallavi, Priyamani, and Nandita Das in important roles.

TV Listing

Samantha Akkineni, Naga Chaitanya celebrate third wedding anniversary Actor Samantha Akkineni took to Instagram to share a mushy post to commemorate her third wedding anniversary with Naga Chaitanya Akkineni.

Sharing a set of pictures, she wrote, “You are my person and I am yours, that whatever door we come to, we will open it together. Happy Anniversary husband @chayakkineni.”

Both the actors met each other on the sets of Gautham Menon's 'Ye Maaya Chesave' in 2010 and after dating for a while, they got married in 2017 in Goa. On the work front, Samantha has two projects in her kitty. She recently completed shooting for the second season of 'The Family Man', signed a Tamil horror flick with Ashwin Saravanan, and upcoming Tamil

MON 19 OCT FRI 23 OCT 2020 6:30: INTERNET WALA LOVE 14:30 KASAM 16:00 THE GREAT INDIAN GLOBAL KITCHEN 16:30 BIGG BOSS (SEASON 14) WEEKEND KA VAAR 18:30 SHAKTI 19:00 ISHQ MEIN MARJAWAN 2 19:30 CHOTI SARDAARNI 20:00 SHAKTI 20:30 SHUBHARAMBH 21:00 PINJARA KHUBSOORTI KA * Schedule is subject to change

* Schedule is subject to change

romantic comedy 'Kaathu Vaakula Rendu Kadhal' starring Vijay Sethupathi and Nayanthara.

MON 19 OCT FRI 23 OCT 2020 8:30 BHARADWAJ BAHUEIN 14:30 OM NAMAH SHIVAY 15:30 JAI SHRI KRISHNA 16:00 SILSILA BADALTE RISHTON KA 16:30 THE RASOI SHOW 17:30 CHHUTA CHHEDA 18:00 TUM KAUN PIYA 18:30 DIL KA RISHTA 19:00 BIGG BOSS (SEASON 14) WEEKEND KA VAAR 21:00 BALIKA VADHU - LAMHE PYAAR KE

21:30 BIGG BOSS (SEASON 14) SATURDAY 17 OCT 18:30 NAMASTE BREAKFAST 19:00 ISHQ MEIN MARJAWAN 2 19:30 CHOTI SARDAARNI 20:00 NAAGIN (SEASON 5) 21:00 DESI BEAT RESET 21:30 BIGG BOSS (SEASON 14) WEEKEND KA VAAR SUNDAY 18 OCT SEP 13:30 COLORS SHANDAAR RAVI VAAR 15:30 DESI BEAT RESET 17:00 BIGG BOSS (SEASON 14) WEEKEND KA VAAR 19:00 ISHQ MEIN MARJAWAN 2 19:30 CHOTI SARDAARNI 20:00 NAAGIN (SEASON 5) 21:00 DESI BEAT RESET 21:30 BIGG BOSS (SEASON 14) WEEKEND KA VAAR

22:30 MERE HUMRAHI SATURDAY 17 OCT 11:00 DESI BEAT SEASON 2 16:00 SILSILA BADALTE RISHTON KA 16:30 THE RASOI SHOW 17:30 DESI BEAT SEASON 3 18:00 KHATRA KHATRA KHATRA 19:00 BIGG BOSS (SEASON 14) 20:30 BARRISTER BABU 21:00 BALIKA VADHU SUNDAY 18 OCT 11:00 DESI BEAT SEASON 2 16:00 SILSILA BADALTE RISHTON KA 16:30 THE RASOI SHOW 17:30 DESI BEAT SEASON 3 18:00 KHATRA KHATRA KHATRA 19:00 BIGG BOSS (SEASON 14) WEEKEND KA VAAR 21:00:00 BALIKA VADHU

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AB de Villiers delivers for RCB Royal Challengers Bangalore bowlers demolished the Kolkata Knight Riders’ hope of their third win on the trot. At the halfway stage of their IPL campaign, Virat Kohli’s men, powered by a red-hot AB de Villiers, first fired with the bat before spin duo Washington Sundar (2/20) and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/12) strangled the former champions with guile and control. The pacers didn’t disappoint either. Chasing 195 for victory, the powerpacked KKR batting line-up failed to stand up to the count and mustered 112/9 as the fiery Bengaluru team cruised to an 82- run victory to collect two points.Opting to bat in their maiden outing at the venue, RCB recovered from midinnings blues to post 194 for 2 in 20 overs. The score was courtesy De Villiers daredevilry and skipper Kohli’s (33 n.o ) support.

MI batting delivers again Mumbai Indians’ batting continues to light up IPL-2020.

On Sunday night at Abu Dhabi, they chased down 163 to beat the Delhi Capitals by five wickets and snatch back the No 1 spot from their rivals. It was their fourth win on the trot, and fifth overall, with each win erasing their poor memories of UAE, where they lost all five in a row in the UAE in 2014, before the tournament was moved to India. MI’s bowlers did their job well to restrict the Capitals’ to 162 for four, which was built around an unbeaten 69 by Shikhar Dhawan and 42 by skipper Shreyas Iyer. Half centuries by Suryakumar Yadav and Quinton de Kock and quick-fire cameos by Ishan

Kishan and Krunal Pandya then saw them home despite a few hiccups. In the end, they needed seven from the final over, but two fours by Krunal Pandya off Anrich Nortje sealed the issue.

Parag & Tewatia power RR home Desperate situations call for desperate measures. Rajasthan Royals were in that sort of a situation as they made four changes to the team. Ben Stokes came into the team after just one training session and was quickly in the middle to open the innings along with Jos Buttler.

The situation necessitated it as Sunrisers Hyderabad weathered their worst power play this season 26/1 - to post 158 for four.

Ryan Parag was another change and he made light of the target in the company of Sharjah hero Rahul Tewatia as Rajasthan Royals cruised to 163 for five, a five-wicket win and the two points that they desperately needed. The duo smashed 85 runs in 49 deliveries when it nearly looked over for their team. Rashid Khan went

for 17 in the 17th over as they pared down the chase to 22 from the last two and wasted no time in closing out the match.

Kohli shines in RCB super show After a slow start to his IPL season, Virat Kohli seems to have got into his stride in the UAE. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper led from the front and hit an unbeaten 90 off 52 balls in challenging circumstances to help his side notch up a 37-run victory in Dubai on Saturday.

The win was RCB’s fourth in six matches while MS Dhoni’s boys slumped to their fifth loss in seven games. In response to RCB’s total of 169/4, CSK limped to 132/8 in 20 overs.

Ambati Rayudu was not at his best in his innings of 42 while the rest of the batsmen did not produce a meaningful contribution. Aside from Kohli with the bat, all the RCB bowlers did their job. Chris Morris and Washington Sundar were particularly impressive.

Rahul struggles for answers Kolkata Knight Riders spinner Sunil Narine said he

was feeling the pressure but managed to keep his calm while bowling a successful final over that earned his team a narrow two-run win against Kings XI Punjab in an IPL match here on Saturday. KKR were seemingly down and out when KXIP needed 22 from the final three overs but Narine tilted the match in his side's favour by dismissing Nicholas Pooran and conceding just two runs in the 18th over. Narine also bowled the final over of which KXIP needed 14 runs. They needed a six off the final ball to take the match to Super Over but Glenn Maxwell could only score a boundary to hand KKR a tworun win.

Good show by Delhi Capitals Delhi Capitals overwhelmed Rajasthan Royals as Steve Smith’s team sank to a 46-run defeat on Friday. In a surprising turn of events, Sharjah didn’t resemble the batting paradise it has proved to be so far in this IPL, and after Delhi had done well to post 184 on the board, thanks to Marcus Stoinis and Shimron Hetmyer’s heroics, the Royals batsmen put in a stopstart, perplexing performance against a formidable bowling attack to be all out for 138 in 19.4 overs. Royals opener Yashaswi Jaiswal never really got going, chewing up the strike for poor returns before being bowled by Stoinis. Rabada, Nortje and Ashwin all contributed to the spoils but the all-round star of the show for Capitals was once again Stoinis (39 off 30 balls; and 2/17 with the ball), who is fast turning this IPL into his own spectacular success story.

Women's T20 Challenge: Mithali, Harmanpreet, Furious Allan Border blasts BCCI Smriti Mandhana to lead teams Former Australia captain Allan Border says his country's cricket board must not bow down to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on the scheduling changes the Sydney Test in particular - regarding the upcoming tour by India. The Sydney Test, usually known as the New Year's Test, begins in the first week of January but has been pushed back to January 7 in the planned schedule.

As per the schedule, yet to be ratified by the BCCI and Cricket Australia, the ODIs will be followed by three T20 internationals in Adelaide between December 4-8 and then the four-match Test series with the opener in Adelaide from December 17 instead of the traditional Brisbane.

Border is not amused by the change in schedule. “I don't think it should be a negotiated scenario,” he told Fox Sports News. “If it's necessary because of what is happening globally with the virus then fair enough, but if it's just because they want a bit of a spell off between Boxing Day and the New Year's Test match then that's rubbish.”

“We've been doing this for how many years now, back-to-back Test matches? It works a treat through that ChristmasNew Year period and I wouldn't be comfortable with it moving just because India want a couple more days off,” Border said. Even broadcasters Seven West Media, the owner of Channel 7, are crying foul over the schedule that Cricket Australia has prepared.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, and Mithali Raj as skippers of Supernovas, Trailblazers, and Velocity respectively. The three teams will compete in the upcoming Women's T20 Challenge to be played from November 4-9 in the UAE. The 2020 Women's T20 Challenge will begin with last year's finalist Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana Supernovas taking on Priya Punia, Anuja Patil, Radha Yadav, Velocity in the opening game on Taniya Bhatia, Shashikala Sriwardene, November 4.

Poonam Yadav, Shakera Selman, It is believed the games will be played at Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Ayushi the historic Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The Soni, Ayabonga Khaka, Muskan Malik. best of Indian women's cricket will Trailblazers - Smriti Mandhana (c), combine with some of the leading stars Deepti Sharma, Punam Raut, Richa Ghosh, from England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, D Hemlatha, Nuzhat Parween, Rajeshwari West Indies, Bangladesh, and New Zealand Gayakwad, Harleen Deol, Jhulan Goswami, in a four-match tournament.

Simaran Dil Bahadur, Salma Khatun, Thailand's Natthakan Chantham, who Sophie Ecclestone, Natthakan Chantham, scored her country's first Women's T20 Deandra Dottin, Kashvee Gautam.

World Cup half-century, adds another Velocity - Mithali Raj (C), Shafali feather to her cap as she will become the Verma, Veda Krishnamurthy, Sushma first Thai cricketer to feature in the Verma, Ekta Bisht, Mansi Joshi, Shikha tournament.

Pandey, Devika Vaidya, Sushree The squads for all three teams are as Dibyadarshini, Manali Dakshini, Leigh follows: Kasperek, Danielle Wyatt, Sune Luus, Supernovas - Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jahanara Alam, M Anagha.

Jemimah Rodrigues, Chamari Atapattu,

in brief NADAL ROUTS DJOKO, EQUALS ROGER’S GRAND SLAM RECORD Rafael Nadal went down on his knees, pumped his fists and lit the Philippe Chatrier court with a smile that sang, ‘I’m home’. The 34-year-old, who outplayed top-seeded Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 in two hours and 41 minutes, reeled in a racket full of records - a century of wins at Roland Garros, 13 French Open crowns and the epic, equalling Roger Federer’s haul of 20 Grand Slam titles. Nadal pointed at the court, the most significant rostrum of his career. He called it a love story.

The champion said: “For me, today is just about Roland Garros, not 20 Grand Slams, equalling Roger. Winning here another time is I cannot say a dream. It’s something that’s out of my better thoughts.” Nadal sent out words of encouragement to people around the world. “We are facing one of the worst moments,” he said of the pandemic, “just keep going, stay positive. Together we will get through this, we will beat the virus.”

BARBIE DOLL MODELLED AFTER PARA-BADMINTON CHAMPION World para badminton champion Manasi Joshi has a Barbie doll modelled after her.

On the occasion of international day of girl child on Sunday, Joshi joined the select club of women – Barbie Sheroes who have had Barbie dolls modelled to their likeness. Manasi Joshi is only the second Indian woman - and the first paraathlete – to have a Barbie doll modelled after her. The only other Indian to have received this laurel is gymnast Dipa Karmakar in 2019. Joshi has received the one-of-a-kind (OOAK) Barbie doll modelled to her likeness. “It is an immense honour to be felicitated by Barbie and having a doll modelled after me.

Recognitions like these will help me change perceptions among people about disability,” Manasi Joshi said. Commenting on Barbie’s tagline – “You can be anything”, Manasi said, “Yes, it does apply to me to a large extent. This is about converting situations into those of advantage.”

INDIAN BOXERS TO TRAIN OVERSEAS DURING PANDEMIC India’s elite Tokyo Olympic-bound boxers and others harbouring hopes of making the cut for the Games will head to Europe this month for a two-month long trainingcum-competition sojourn. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) cleared the proposal at a cost of £131,000. A 28member contingent, including 10 male and six women boxers along with the coaching support staff, will station itself in Assisi, Italy for a period of 52 days from October 15 to December 5, with the aim to assess where they stand vis-à-vis their European counterparts and what aspects of their game need improvement. A group of 13 boxers will separately participate in the Alexis Vastine International boxing tournament in Nantes, France from October 28 to 30. The Covid-19 tests of all 28 boxers, coaches and support staff will be done before leaving India. Thier expenses will be covered by SAI. Among those who would be travelling are Amit Panghal, Ashish Kumar, Satish Kumar, Simranjit Kaur, Lovlina Borgohain and Pooja Rani.