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Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

VOL 43. ISSUE 24

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18th October to 24th October 2014

25 killed in Andhra cyclone

Secretary of State visits India to strengthen cultural ties

Modi announces Rs 10 billion immediate assistance

The death toll from a powerful cyclone which battered India's eastern coastline rose to 25 on Tuesday, as the storm weakened and moved inland, leaving a swathe of destruction and triggering fears that heavy rains would bring flash floods. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi who made an aerial survey of the affected areas announced an immediate assistance of 10 billion rupees.

Packing wind speeds of up to 195 kph (over 120 mph), cyclone Hudhud hammered the coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on Sunday, forcing

tens of thousands of coastal inhabitants to seek safety in storm shelters.

In the port city of

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Visakhapatnam, home to two million people, government workers began removing uprooted trees

which had blocked roads, restoring snapped power and telecoms lines and clearing up debris including sign boards and corrugated iron roofs which had been ripped off buildings by the strong gusts.

"I do not know how many days it will take to restore my business. I have lost everything," said Heusikeswa Rao, a trader in Visakhapatnam, as he tried to gather the pieces of wood and metal which once formed his stall.

Huge lines were seen at the few petrol stations which reopened after a two-day closure as people carrying jerry cans jostled to get fuel which was in Continued on page 26

Nobel peace prize for Malala, Satyarthi Indian anti-child labour activist Kailash Satyarthi and Pakistan's Malala Yousafzai shared the Noble peace prize for “showing great personal courage and in their struggle against the suppression of children and for the right of all children to education.”

Continued on page 26

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Rupanjana Dutta

Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport visited India to promote business and tourism from 13-15 October 2014.

On Monday he addressed an audience made up of cultural entrepreneurs, media and arts people at the 'Culture is GREAT' reception.

On this trip he was accompanied by departmental heads of the British Library, various museums and galleries, who attended a roundtable as part of Mr Javid's official visit to Kolkata. 15 directors of leading museums in India also participated in this.

In a statement given to Asian Voice, Culture Secretary Mr Javid said, “Britain has a huge amount to offer as an exciting, cutting-edge place to visit, to work and to study. In 2014, British culture has been

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all about hi-tech innovation and creativity and our door is very much open to all those Indians who want to come and experience that for themselves.” With regard to tourism, Mr Javid went on to say that Britain would like to invite Indians to visit as tourists. In 2013, visits to Britain from India and the amount that was spent on them both reached record levels 375,000 visits (more than 11% in 2012)- and these tourists spent £441 million (more than 32% in 2012) and average spend per visit being £1,174.

Continued on page 17

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

Dr Richie Nanda

Dr. Richie Nanda is the Executive Chairman of The Shield Group and Topsgrup. He is very much the rags to riches entrepreneur, and started his business empire with just £10 in his pocket when he took over his first family business, which consisted of a chain of Chinese restaurants in Mumbai called TUTKUKS. Turning his attentions to the global security arena, Richie is widely credited with rescuing the ailing security industry in India in the early 1990s. He ushered in a new era of change by introducing a series of strategic initiatives. He also corporatised private security not only for TOPSGRUP but for the entire Indian security industry.

Under Richie’s stewardship, TOPSGRUP became the first Indian multinational company to acquire a British security company, The Shield Group in 2012, resulting in his entry in The Sunday Times Rich List. This was a feat he achieved again in 2013 and 2014, when he made it into the prestigious list twice more, with a current wealth of £195 million.

1) Please tell me about your current position?

As the Executive Chairman of Topsgrup, India's largest security group, and The Shield Group, UK's largest independent total security solutions provider, it is my responsibility to ensure that the business continues to thrive. Since I first joined Topsgrup twenty years ago, I've witnessed the company experience exponential growth across the globe and my aim is to take that further, hoping to achieve a billion dollar revenue soon.

2) What are your proudest achievements?

When I look back at where I first started when taking on the family business, Tops Security Guard (TSG), to where it is today, I am immensely proud of the work we have achieved. We literally rewrote the rules for the security

business not only for TOPSGRUP, but for the entire Indian Security Industry at large. I trusted my instincts and in my heart I knew that I had a winner on my hands when I joined TOPS. Today the company generates a staggering turnover of £150 million and employs over 93,000 employees spread between India and the UK. We've certainly come a long way from my £10 a month earnings.

3) What inspires you?

I would consider my father to be one of my biggest inspirations. He instilled in me the correct values and ethics that have brought me to where I am today. I hope that all the hard work I have poured into the business continues to make him proud. I was also inspired by Sir Richard Branson (Virgin Group) - I admire his personal brand and his success despite the challenges he has had to face over

the years. He was an inspiration to me growing up in the streets of Mumbai and over the years, as we established our business and brand in India, the media, our customers and our employees occasionally compared my entrepreneurial style to his and I revelled in that praise.

4) What has been the biggest obstacle in your career?

My introduction to the business world was a huge obstacle that I had to overcome. When I was sixteen, my father suffered from a stroke, forcing me to take control of his share in a chain of Chinese restaurants. Instead of feeling beat, I used this opportunity to prove myself and with just one restaurant left, I worked hard to improve the business and it really taught me how to build something from scratch which gave me the confidence in later business ventures. My family members were so impressed that after two years they decided I should run

the other family business - a security firm called TOPS Security Guard (TSG).

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

With every decision I make, I always follow my own intuition.

You have to believe in your own strategy before you can convince others to follow suit and I have never doubted my intuition for business.

6) What is the best aspect about your current role?

As the company continues to expand, it's great to expose our services to more and more clients across the world. Providing top notch security has always been a priority to me, and it's fantastic to know that you're making the world a safer place.

7) And the worst?

In my position, you're not always going to get it right and there will definitely be highs and lows.

Every decision you make is absolutely crucial, and sometimes the pressure of making the wrong one can be daunting. However, I have a clear vision for the future of the company and I'm committed to making that vision a reality.

8) What are your long term goals?

Three years from now, I would like to see the business achieve even more. Since acquiring The Shield Group in the UK, I have become more motivated in expanding our business across all security verticals and explore new markets. One of our priorities is

to expand into the UK market and continue our market domination in India. We have recently started our offices in Netherlands and France and slowly, we are exploring other European markets as well. Whilst it will be challenging, I really believe that this is a market that needs to be tapped and will allow the company to expand further.

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

I believe that some changes definitely need to be made to the business world, and I would definitely work on providing more opportunities for educated, trained and experienced people of all backgrounds to work and contribute to the economy of our country.

The corporate world and international economies around us are changing and evolving all the time; and unless we don't open our doors, invite and acquire exceptional talent from the field of business, art and sports around the world, we will face impediments to growth and leadership.

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

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

He is the one historical figure that I tremendously admire. I think the intelligence, spirituality, compassion and tolerance that he demonstrated throughout his life, are attributes that we should all aspire to learn from.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

COMMENT

Jihadi terrorism in India

The spectre of jihadi terrorism continues to cast its baleful shadow across India, but nowhere more menacingly than in West Bengal. The recent Burdwan bomb blasts [see Media Watch, page 12] has been a wake-up call for the authorities in Delhi to a threat that is now deeply embedded in the State, thanks largely to the deliberate policy of the State government to mollycoddle hydra-headed Islamist elements with tentacles spreading to its farthest corners. The senior-most officers of the State police kowtow at all hours to ruling Trinamool Congress politicians, including government ministers, the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee among them. They appear to be under orders not to infringe the principles of vote bank politics laid down by the State authorities. That the bomb blast was confined to a flat was a stroke of luck. What is truly disturbing is the role of the West Bengal police. Instead of waiting for the anti-terror sleuths of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to arrive from Delhi and examine the unexploded ordinance for clues, the DIG instructed that the unexploded devices be taken to the banks of a nearby river and destroyed through controlled explosions.

The Superintendent Police of Burdwan, SMH.Meerza, was grilled for three hours by NIA officers., who wished to know, in particular, why this was done before the arrival of an anti-terror squad from Delhi. The standard practice is to store such ordinance in pits for experts to examine for possible clues on their origin, and the imprint of the source. The Intelligence Branch (IB) in Delhi has laid the following charges against the State police:

1 An attempt at a cover-up to make it appear that the explosion was a cylinder blast; 2. Did not cooperate with the central agencies; 3. Burnt documents linking certain local personages to the Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh; 4. Coached the accused arrested at the site to reveal nothing; Ignored IB alert following the trail linking the Jamaat to the Sarada ponzi scam; 5. Resolutely obstructed the NIA investigation. These charges are of the utmost seriousness. If proved, they would amount to nothing less than treason, a betrayal of national security. Such accusations must surely be investigated at the highest national level, with those having a case to answer brought to trial and sentenced, if found guilty by the courts. The law has to take its course. The country has to be protected from villains within who conspire to destroy it. Naivety is out of place in a combustible world riven by discords fed by the unbridled ambitions of certain great powers and their local minions. There are signs that the Centre in Delhi means business. The first meaningful step has been taken with the application of the Unlawful Activities Act, which paves the way for the NIA to take full charge of the inquiry as an anti-terror operation. Mamata Banerjee and Jayalalitha protested the establishment of the NIA by the previous Congress-led regime of Manmohan Singh, on the ground that its creation violated states’ rights in a federal structure. Their self-righteous opposition has been exposed as a squalid manoeuvre. There is something truly rotten in the state of West Bengal. An accidental bomb blast has revealed its cancerous growth.

The week-long cannonade along the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistani forces have led to lost lives and property on the Indian side.

This resulted in a vigorous riposte from Indian troops, according to TV reports, and a warning from the Indian Defence Minister, Arun Jaitley that Pakistani adventurism would have consequences that Islamabad would find difficult to bear. There would be no flag meetings between local commanders, no talks between officials as was the standard practice in former times. Tough words are being complemented by tough action.

Where this will end is difficult to say at this stage.

But the larger picture deserves close critical scrutiny. A few weeks ago al Qaeda announced that India was in its sights, that jihadi activity in the country would be intensified. An ISIL flag was unfurled from a Srinagar mosque. The Pakistani assault started thereafter in a bid to bring international pressure on India through the auspices of the United Nations. Two visiting US senators Timothy Kaine and Angus King issued a statement in New Delhi welcomed the prospect of a UN-sponsored India-Pakistan dialogue on the status of Jammu and Kashmir. Simultaneously came Pakistan’s call for an “international role” by outside parties to expedite a settlement of contentious issues between the two countries. India has resolutely rejected any third party role on the Kashmir dispute. This has been the position of every Indian government, since Indira Gandhi

enunciated this poicy in 1972 at the Shimla talks with Pakistan in the aftermath of the Bangladesh war. Fast rewind to 1989-90, when a Jihadi insurgency broke out in the Kashmir valley and the uncertain domestic scene put India under pressure. Then New York Times Correspondent in South Asia, Barbara Crossette, quoting a “senior Western diplomat in Islamabad”, anticipated a “change in the power equation in the subcontinent,” since the Soviet Union no longer existed to help India out as it did in 1971, when the Nixon administration in Washington, and its new de facto ally, Chairman Mao’s regime in Beijing, backed Pakistan’s military dictator, Yahya Khan.

India duly withstood the jihadis, thus aborting the Crossette prediction. Echoing the fraught past, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, heir to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto legacy of a 1000-year war against India, has promised that Pakistan under his rule would liberate and occupy Jammu and Kashmir. His grandfather Zulfiker Ali ended his days dangling at the end of a rope in a Pakistani prison, so one must hope that the young grandson’s exuberance doesn’t lead to a kindred fate, or the assassination, near Islamabad, suffered by his mother Bernazir. The question here – and it is only a question, but it does require cogitation - are there linkages between the current events in Kashmir and those in Burdwan in West Bengal, with foreign powers muddying the waters, as has happened before? Old habits die hard, do they not?

Jammu-Kashmir border on fire

UKIP star in the UK firmament

The Conservative and Labour party establishments can ignore the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) at their peril. To have thrashed their rivals in the Clacton by-election, and come second to Labour in its stronghold of Heywood, in north of England, by a mere 600-odd votes is an achievement that brooks no denial, nor sneers about a party of nuts and fruit cakes. UKIP is rabidly anti-EU, advocating an immediate UK withdrawal from Europe; UKIP calls for even more stringent immigration controls than those already in place. UKIP has outbid the Cameron government in the auction of fear of the Other. Following the Scottish referendum, UKIP’s arrival is yet another blow to the closed shop Westminster political culture. UKIP, like many hitherto fringe parties in Europe, is garnering a substantial protest vote, but it would be a grievous error of judgment to believe that the trend can go no further, that things will get back to normal, given time. The European Union is discrediting itself with stagnating economies, high unemployment levels and continuing austerities.

Germany, long the European powerhouse, is heading for a recession. Worse: EU leaders were whipped

into imposing sanctions against Russia, boasted the US Vice President Joe Biden to a Harvard University audience.. The EU’s cringing impotence before a swaggering bully sullies its image. The sanctions regime against Russia is now backfiring.

Russia’s putative diplomatic isolation is an absurdist invention, as it excludes China, India, South East Asia, Latin America and tiny, but hugely productive Israel, which refused to align with America and Europe at the UN against Russia over developments in Ukraine. [Refer Le Monde diplomatique September]. UKIP leader Nigel Farage has trashed David Cameron’s Russia-Ukraine policy. When you bait the bear, he said, expect to be mauled. The UKIP package has to be scrutinized with care if we are to grasp the UKIP phenomenon. The Cameron government’s scaremongering immigration policy set the UKIP ball rolling. Oxford and Cambridge Universities lament the declining student visa applications from China and India, from the latter in particular. A globalized world requires that the UK’s best universities can compete for the best global talent, a point most recently made by Andrew Hamilton, the Vice Chancellor of Oxford University.

3 The value systems of those with access to power and of those far removed from such access cannot be the same. The viewpoint of the privileged is unlike that of the underprivileged - Aung San Suu Kyi

Of immigration, Innovation and Inspiration

The UKIP political earthquake based on among other things immigration arguments – what does it mean to us – children of immigrants.

“I need a white face to interview who is looking for money for his company from India and has come especially for that” said the BBC interviewer to me last year as I hosted in a UK Birmingham Government India Day with Jaguar Land Rover and other Indian companies in the UK. “Between 1980 and 2005, virtually all net new jobs created in the US were created by firms that were 5 years old or less.

That is about 40 million jobs. Established firms created no new net jobs during that period”. This is a quote from an outstanding piece in the New York Times this week by Friedman, who wrote the book The World is Flat which talks much of India and outsourcing.

The point: If you want to create jobs then bank bailouts aren’t the way to go. You need new companies. And you need them now. You need them so they can pay taxes, to pay down our national debt, to pay pension contributions.

But jobs come from new companies. From start-ups. And where are these start-ups going to come from? They come from entrepreneurs. And you can either grow entrepreneurs through our schooling (we haven’t got the time), or you import them – immigrants.

And you don’t attract risk-taking entrepreneurial job-creating entrepreneurs by taxing them to death and bashing immigrants.

‘Britain’s borders are open – open to talented proven risk-taking entrepreneurs’ should be the political message. Because longafter the May 2015 election when the domestic audience is no longer listening, the rest of the world will remember the words which will be spoken by our political masters that month. And if those words are purely for winning the election by immigrant bashing, then they will inherit the shortterm prize and lose the long-term reward.

Why do immigrants so

often succeed? The readers of this paper for instance?

Because you do not travel 7000 miles only to fail.

Immigration self-selects risk-takers. Risk-taking entrepreneurs create new companies which create jobs.

But you know what else creates jobs with immigration? Foreign students studying at our Universities. So what’s the last thing you want to do?

Kill University funding.

It’s almost as if periodically Britain decides to write a suicide note. Things get a little good and it’s time for a death-wish. The late 70s were one period, as were the early 90s.

Friedman notes the ‘job-creators’ visa – create a certain number of jobs, and you get leave to remain in the country. I visit India every two months to look for high growth intellectual property rich Indian companies to establish in the UK to go global from here. It’s a tough job because India has growth approaching 10%. Why would they want to go global from here? Because we still in the UK have a competitive advantage; research facilities, access to the EU, skilled employees, access to capital. Each of those advantages is vanishing fast.

Get the entrepreneurial immigrants in here quick; keep up University funding, slash the cost of new jobs in new companies. That’s why I work with the Government on its UKTI Global Entrepreneur Programme.

Raise taxes if you want. But for god’s sake don’t raise it on new companies. Make it cheap to employ people. If they earn a wage, they will spend a wage. Combat illegal immigration, but flood the country with entrepreneurs, open the floodgates, let them pour in and let prosperity reign.

Remember: ‘Britain’s borders are open – open to talented proven risk-taking entrepreneurs who will create companies and jobs.’ What the BBC guy should have said is, ‘I want to interview brown faces who have come here as entrepreneurs, not white faces asking for money.’

4

MIDLANDS VOICE

Husband attacks pregnant wife for withholding drugs

24 year-old Haroon Ashraf Bordesley Green of stabbed his wife after three years of marriage when she refused to let him have his cannabis. The mother, Neelam Ashraf wanted to protect her children. Judge Murray Creed ruled that 'she did not want you taking drugs in her presence or the presence of your son (…) you lost self control and lunged at her, she put her arm up to protect herself from the knife (…) you would have hit her in the

face if she had not put her arm up.' Neelam had found the drugs stash and hid them in a kitchen cup-

UKIP won the Clacton byelection on 9th October which now lands the party a seat in the House of Commons. The party's leader Nigel Farage, pictured, told the BBC that the outcome has 'shaken up British politics.' This also means that Douglas Carswell, who recently joined UKIP after leaving his Conservative seat as MP of Clacton in August, will now continue as the

anti-immigration's party's representative in parliament.

Carswell gained 60% of the vote, dethroning the Conservative's candidate into second place. In the speech that followed the results Carswell told constintuents 'I resigned from parliament to face this election because I answer first, foremost and last to you. You are my boss.' In a related 'shake-up' Labour

managed to secure its Heywood and Middleton seat, but with a diminished number due to an increase in UKIP support.

Martin&Co for which he recently won 'Best Young Business Award' at the Martin and Co Annual

Awards in 2014.

Proud mum Rekha gushed that her son 'is extremely hard-working and always has been. He thoroughly deserves a nomination. She said that Mitul 'employs four full time team members and is continuing to grow the business. He’s also offered training and guidance to two school leavers in the form of apprenticeships.'

Haroon Ashraf

board the court heard. On this day Ashraf carried out a three hour attack in which he sprayed her in the face, throttled her and pulled her hair. Five days later, after a heavy night of drinking, he attacked again with a knife as Neelam continued to refuse him the cannabis.

Ashraf claimed that his wife had stabbed herself in a jealous rage because she thought he was having an affair. He has been sentenced to jail for five years.

UKIP gains first seat in Commons

Mitul Gadhia: emerging entrepeneur

Twenty-four year old Mitul Gadhia of Mountsorrel in Leicestershire has been nominated for a Leicester Mercury Young Achiever Award in the Business and Enterprise category.

The young businessman has already established his own estate and letting agency in Loughborough and is part of the franchise group

Keith Vaz disputes Belgrave roadworks MP for Leicester East Keith Vaz is debating the over-running of roadworks on Belgrave Road by Sainsbury's.

The £4 million development is being paid for

by the food-store giant who are relocating from Belgrave to a larger location in Rushey Mead.

The project is being overseen by Leicester City Council who say the road-

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works will continue into March of next year.

Vaz is set to pursue a Private Members Bill that will ensure that developers address the issue of community regeneration before they build the agreed project. In a public meeting held with 70 residents, he explained how Sainsbury's had refused his invitation to participate in the discussion: 'they explained to me at length why they would not be sending anyone. The arrogance of Sainsbury’s has been seen on many occasions. A letter will be sent to Sainsbury’s telling them that if they don’t engage with residents and business people about compensation with regard to this issue then a class action law suit may follow.

The residents and business people will look to sue them.'

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

Police and city praised for EDL calm Birmingham police were commended for the way they handled the EDL demonstration which took place on Broad Street last week.

Unlike last year's abysmal protest which saw mass violence and numerous arrests on the grounds of public order, this year's protest was calm and controlled with police making only 5 arrests.

Broad Street boss Mr Olley said Saturday’s rally had a “minimal” impact on businesses and said that 'it was down to the way the police handled the protest. I have to credit them for a having a brilliant plan in place – although it wasn’t utilised as there were only around 400 protesters. I also credit the council for the way they handled the operation.'

Interestingly the EDL turnout was indeed lower than last year's. Supt Rich Baker, of West Midlands Police, stated: 'the force has no power to

city on the day.'

Adil Ray who is star of the BBC's popular sitcom 'Citizen Khan' which celebrates the city of Birmingham and the area

ban protest groups from exercising their democratic right to express their opinions but we have been planning for weeks to minimise disruption to those who live, work or were visiting the

of Solihull where it is based, tweeted “I might go and join the EDL rally and shout ‘itoes’ after each time they chant ‘no more mosques’– turn it into an anti-malaria demo.”

Kershaw had with officials, none of them at any time made reference to that earlier correspondence,' Clarke said. What is more suspicious is that the investigator was originally discouraged from probing further into case.

He said that parts of Whitehall had tried to 'intimidate' him out of the inquiry despite evidence and instinct that was indicating otherwise: 'What I put in my report was the tip of the iceberg. There is a huge amount of material

which I didn’t put in. I deliberately focused on what appeared to be the epicentre. There were problems elsewhere which I couldn’t evidence sufficiently in the time available.'

This was part-way in response to the Nicky Morgan, the new Education Secretary who assured that 'ministers had gotten to the bottom of the issue.'

In light of Clarke's comments an authority spokesman said: 'Both Peter Clarke’s and Ian Kershaw’s full reports have been received, and both have fed into a strategic action plan which is being overseen by the Education Commissioner, Sir Mike Tomlinson.'

'Just the tip of the iceberg': Trojan Horse plot thickens

The Birmingham City Council knew about the Trojan Horse plot which saw the infiltration of several schools' teaching by Islamic state radicals, announced investigation leader Peter Clarke, pictured.

Clarke told the Sunday Telegraph: 'very late in my inquiry, my team found an email buried in a mass of documentation submitted by the council which showed they had known about it all along.' He described the conduct of the council who had denied their knowledge to him and associate Ian Kershaw at several points during the inquiry, as 'extraordinary.'

'Despite all the interviews that both I and Ian

'Diwali is here' pronounces the city of Leicester!

Belgrave Circle was set alight with festivity last Sunday 12th. With last year's celebration seeing more than 35,000 people filling the city's Golden Mile, a collection of new lighting columns should guarantee at least a few hundred more in 2014.

Councillor Piara Singh Clair, Assistant City Mayor and chair of the Diwali working party, said: 'We're incredibly proud to host these hugely-popular celebrations which draw thousands of people to the Golden Mile every year.

Diwali really shows Leicester at its best, and is a real treat for anyone, especially those who have

Belgrave Circle

never experienced the spectacle for themselves.'

Melton Road used every medium available to announce the beginning of the Hindu festival of light; bulbs, dance moves and fire ignited the streets and sky as the event switch was flicked on at 7.30pm by a gathering of dignitaries including City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby

and president of Leicester Hindu Festival Council Maganbhai Patel. A firework and laser show carried the celebrations forward at 8pm.

The Diwali lights will come on at 6pm and go off at 11pm each day, apart from Diwali Day on the 22nd of October when they will remain on until midnight.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

5

6

UK

Leading Lights

Rani Singh, Special Assignments Editor

CII President Predicts a Hopeful Business Environment for India Mr. Ajay S. Shriram is the President, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Chairman and Senior Managing Director, DCM Shriram Limited. He is also the Chairman of its subsidiary company, Shriram Bioseed Ventures Ltd. DCM Shriram Limited is a leading business conglomerate with a group turnover of over US$ 1 Billion. The Group’s research and development based Hybrid Seeds business has a presence in India, Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia.

DCM Shriram is also in a joint venture with Axiall Inc., U.S. for PVC compounds.

After The Doon School, Dehradun (India), Mr. Shriram obtained a Bachelors degree in Commerce from Sydenham College, Bombay. He attended various training and management development programs in India and overseas.

He participated in the "Programme for

Mr. Ajay S. Shriram

M a n a g e m e n t Development� at the Harvard Business School, Boston USA. Mr Shriram is also the Chairman of the Governing Body of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), a Trustee of SOS Children Villages of India and a Patron of Save the Children India.

He was President and Chairman of International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA), Paris; and was Chairman, Agriculture Committee,

International Fertilizer Industry Association, Paris.

He has chaired numerous other boards.

He talked to Leading Lights on a recent CII visit to London, describing what he feels about prospects for the coming years of the BJP government. This week another major CII conference hits town.

Ajay said that development and growth were objectives for PM Modi. Also, having been a chief minister for over 12 years, “He has shown what good governance can do. He has brought Gujarat to among the highest developed states in the nation. Gujarat in the last 10 years has had an average GDP growth in agriculture of over 10%.

He’s aware of the need for inclusivity- at the farmer or villager level- and that agriculture needs a focus because 65% of India’s

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

population lives there.

This is one state where about 900,000 hectares of land, he has ensured, has irrigation so water conservation is better and productivity is higher.

When the Tata group was having problems in west Bengal, he got in touch with the Tata chairman and within 24 hours gave him land. He’s focused and knows what he wants. He isn’t planning big bang announcements, but structured, planned development over the next three or four years.�

The Asian Voice pointed out that managing India is a different proposition to managing a state, with a rampant middleman problem. “It is complex as we have 29 states and another seven union territories. We’ve got a PM who knows state issues and who knows the problems with the Centre. His was an opposition state.

So he knows how difficult it is. The focus of Centrestate collaboration is their focus. I believe they are setting up secretary, minister and chief minister fora, for interaction with timeframes. For example, he has said that there should not be more than

four levels of permissions and two weeks of decision making. His memory is phenomenal and he has good people, so we are optimistic. We expect to see outcomes within months.�

“Streamline the legal framework, so that you have streamlined decision making.�

Pressing Mr Shriram, we asked about his wish list for India. “We require investments to go up and to deliver what they are scheduled to deliver. On a World Bank rating for ease of doing business, out of 189 countries, India ranked 134. The PM took up this issue with us when he was CM. Our remit has been; what is the best in each state and how other states can copy the best.

Let’s not reinvent the wheel.

There are also the procedural requirements for starting business, getting power and items for starting a business; the regulatory environment. How can that be simplified? We suggest bringing in more self- certification.

Streamline the legal framework, so that you have streamlined decision making. For instance we were discussing recently with an American company in India; Starbucks.

They said they required 51 signatures!

Posco, a South Korean company, has been in India for nine years trying to do business. Who is going to wait that long?

A transparent road path of government policy is important. There needs to be a change of sentiment; the government has to work with business and industry as partners.

Business is a partner for the country’s growth.�

Mr Shriram mentioned that India requires 10-12 million jobs to be created over the next ten years. He said that when the PM met 75 secretaries recently, he asked them each to identify 10 laws which are redundant, obsolete, that can be removed.

Finally, he said, visa restrictions need changing-especially in business. “We have to make sure that where a person is required to come for economic activity it should be ensured that they are not hindered because of visas.�

Joanna Lumley calls for Nepal to stop mass animal sacrifice

Rupanjana Dutta

Actress Joanna Lumley rallied outside the Nepalese embassy in London on Saturday 11 October, for an end to an animal slaughter festival due to be held in Nepal in November. The protest was attened by Anil Bhanot Managing Director of Hindu Council UK and Nitin Mehta MBE founder of the Young Indian Vegetarians, amongst others.

The actress said: “I love Nepal – both the land and its people. The Gadhimai animal sacrifice festival entails horrendous

animal suffering and is a complete anomaly in this wonderful country. I urge the Nepalese Government to end it as a matter of urgency. I hope that our voices of protest will curtail this year’s festival so that Hindus in Nepal and elsewhere can once again

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be proud of their true tradition of compassion and concern for animals.�

This November as many as 250,000 farm animals will be brutally slaughtered at the festival, which happens every five years. Gadhimai is a Hindu festival but is widely opposed by the global Hindu community.

Tens of thousands of animals at a time are corralled into a giant open air pen where their heads are hacked off in full view of each other. This bloodsoaked event causes untold suffering to its terrified animal victims.

Surya Upadhya, Chairman of the Nepalese Hindu Forum in the UK, said: “The Nepalese Hindu Forum in the UK completely opposes animal sacrifice as Hinduism does not sanction the killing of living beings. “There should not be any place for this inhumane, barbaric sacrifice of innocent animals in the name of any religion�.

More than 75,000 people have signed a petition urging the Nepalese Government to stop the festival and to stop funding the festival. Sign the petition at www.ciwf.org/gadhimai.

The last festival was sponsored by the Nepalese Government to the tune of ÂŁ36,500, which is nearly 50 times the minimum Nepalese annual wage.

Photo courtesy: Jim Philpott Photography

7

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High Commissioner of India organises reception at the Conservative party conference

High Commissioner of India, HE Ranjan Mathai with (From L-R) Paul Uppal MP; Rt. Hon. Theresa Villiers MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; Rt. Hon. Michael Gove MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and Chief Whip, House of Commons; Mr. Shailesh Vara MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Minister for the Courts and Legal Aid; Mr. Alok Sharma MP, Co-Chair, Conservative Friends of India (CFIN); Rt. Hon. Nicky Morgan MP, Education Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities and Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

Diwali on the Square

The overcast skies and continuous rainfall could not dampen the spirit of people celebrating Diwali in Trafalgar Square on Sunday 12th October.

Organised by the Mayor of London, the party began with a procession from the South Bank where local children dressed up as Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, and their army of devoted monkeys and made their way down to Trafalgar Square. From garba to classical dances, the afternoon filled with music in the air.

There was also a fashion show and free mehndi designs from the office Guinness Book Of Records world’s fastest

henna artist, Ahluwalia.

Pavan

Photo credit: Raj D Bakrania, Prmediapix

Paul Uppal opens new FairTrade shop

Paul Uppal, a Member of for Parliament Wolverhampton South West, recently opened the new FairTrade shop.

Run by the Wolverhampton City FairTrade Partnership, the shop was originally located at Darlington Street Methodist Church but had to relocate after a fire hit the Church back in March. The new store continues to offer a wide variety of FairTrade produce form coffee and cookies to craft goods

including jewellery and gifts.

The opening ceremony also included a poem by pupils from Bilston CofE Primary School, and a talk from the shop's manager David Fulljames.

Diwali celebration by Zee TV on Friday 10 October 2014. It was attended by creme de la creme of the Asian community including Deputy Indian High Commissioner Dr Virander Paul, Ranjit Baxi, Co Chairman, Conservative Friends of India, CB Patel, Publisher/Editor of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar and many other dignitaries.

Photo courtesy: Raj D Bakrania, Prmediapix

Villagers to vote UKIP after Sikh school is reinstated Residents of the wealthy village of Stoke Poges in Buckinghamshire are

threatening to vote UKIP after the decision to reinstate the permit of a Sikh faith school on the 18th September.

After listening to both arguments posed by officials of the Khalsa secondary school and the South Bucks District Council, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles ruled that the Khalsa faith school would be allowed to continue its session from the £4.5 million office building it was granted to operate from last year. This debate followed through Michael Gove's, former Secretary of State for Education, appeal for allowing the Sikh school to stay on a permanent basis.

At a meeting last week 200 villagers are continuing to oppose the Khalsa

Sikh institution. Tory councillor Trevor Egleton insisted this was due to environmental reasons as the village is in the green belt area. The district council had originally only given the school a oneyear permit stating that there were problems with traffic and noise pollution.

Local Tory MP, the former attorney general Dominic Grieve, is already under threat from a rise in UKIP support in the village. The incident with the school is now triggering further anxiety around Tory defectors.

Grieve said he was 'very disappointed' with Pickles' decision. 'The planning inspector said they shouldn’t build here because of the noise. For him to overrule something

A physical education teacher who was working at one of the schools linked with the Trojan Horse scandal was suspended after allegations of posting racist jokes online.

Jonathan Parker of Washwood Heath Academy, one of the Trojan Horse-linked schools, posted comments such as 'Muslims cause paedophilia’, and ‘Sainsbury have run out of pork chops. I blame the Muslims. Vote UKIP' during the European elections in May on his Facebook page. Parker alleged that the comments, another of which read 'Bloody tax dodging immigrants. If they paid their own way

we’d have more money for health, education, public services and pensions.

Right I’m off for a STARBUCKS. Vote UKIP,' were meant to be satirical and undermine the anti-immigration party.

Washwood Heath Academy is a privately-run institution and consists of predominantly Muslim students out of some 1,400 attendees. One pupil said Parker has 'always been a nice teacher. It’s a big shock to us all. Some pupils are very angry.” A friend who came to Parker's defence stated that 'the messages were to friends only' and were 'directed against UKIP by sending up the

so basic makes a mockery of the planning process.'

Ranjit Sandhu of the Khalsa Academy Parents Group said: 'It’s been a long hard fought battle but we are just very pleased about the decision.

Unfortunately it’s been very sad because it’s not something we wanted to go through but we’re glad it’s over now and the decision has been made.

Hopefully we will be able to build some bridges with the local community and show them that it’s the right decision.'

The school which buses students into Stoke Poges from Slough and west London, offers Punjabi and Sikh studies and a meditation programme in addition to the national curriculum.

Birmingham school suspends teacher for racist jokes Jonathan Parker

anti- Islamic aspects of their campaign. The posts were gained illegally and doctored to appear out of context and offensive.”

Senior members of Washwood Heath Academy are still considering the messages and their gravity while Parker remains suspended for one month at the start of the academic year.

9

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

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10

YOUR VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

Nobel Prize and historical blunder

Is there a place from Muslim in India?

Improving quality of life for rural community

Nobel Prize of Peace is a symbolic gratitude to one’s life long devotion to humanity and peace and more than an honor for the nation that owns the honored man who deserves it.

The Nobel Prize for Peace has awarded 95 peace awards from 1901-2014 and many to honor in future but how many of them were given to people stood purely for peace in litterly terms, is still a reasonable question. There must be some valid criterion for the nominees and winner and probably a responsible team to take historically decisions but still some historical blunders and omission can be seen in the history of this world famous award.

Mahatma Gandhi and Abdul Sattar Edhi are a few cases that can be argued with pragmatic evidences. Gandhi, who has transformed Hinduism, inspired Martin Luther King to liberate Americans from their Bigotry and is now called the apostle of peace, was rejected four times declaring pure Indian nationalist.

Dr Abdul Sattar Edhi is the most eligible personality for such reorganization on the parameters of contribution to society and humanity. Dr Abdul Sattar Edhi was recommended by then Prime Minister of Pakistan in 2011, for his wide association with social services through his world famous foundation Edhi; imparting social awareness and courage to humanitarianism, but never chosen.

Malala Yousaf Zai is said to be awarded the 2014 peace award for her struggle for child education at the age of 17. In fact this may be a good news for many Pakistanis but I am totally bewildered at the decision of the Nobel Committee who could see Malalas’s four years struggle for children but were not bother to think about Abdul Sattar Edhi life long struggle. Could Malala have done more than Edhi has in last 60 years and was she more devoted than Gandhi and Edhi?

Tauqeer Ahmad Peshawar, Pakistan

A question was recently put to PM Modi: When you see the future of India do you see India that is purely Hindu or do you see a place for 'Muslims' also in it? PM Modi's left the questioner aghast.

"This question is a problem faced by those people who do not have a proper understanding of what Hindu or Hindutva means and never try to grasp it either. Hinduism always believes in (quoting Sankrit hymn) 'ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti' which means the "Truth is one but there are many paths to understand and get it".

Hinduism is the only religion that says that 'God is one' and never says that the Muslim God is different, Christian god is different or Sikh god is different. A Hindu does not believe in the absolutism of his own God. He says each God is suitable and made for His believer.

Hence what a Muslim believes in is his own faith and if he wants to pursue his God that way then he should be welcomed that way. Israel has an official book in which they say that they had been persecuted in every part of the world (especially in Germany). It further says that if there is a land where Jews were welcomed and never persecuted in its history, than it has been India where Jews have been living for centuries peacefully.

Similarly when the Parsis arrived in India in 7th century having been driven out of Persia by the invading Muslim armies, they arrived in Gujarat where they were welcomed by the local Hindu King. They pleaded to the King that they had brought their God also with them and wish to build a temple. In addition they requested that no non-Parsis should be within 5 km of their fire God. The Hindu King allowed this. So Hindus give protection to all other faiths.

Niranjan Vasant By email

I found your article on Modi’s “Swarcch Bharat Abhiyan”, which was published last week but I am laid to wonder if is this a total commitment or just a tokenism?

I was reading an article on the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA), and I must say that I am shocked. It seems that in 1986, the Central Government initiated, the Central Rural Sanitation Programme (CRSP), primarily with the objective of improving the quality of life of the rural people and also to provide privacy and dignity to women.

The concept of sanitation was expanded to include personal hygiene, home sanitation, safe water, garbage disposal, excreta disposal and waste water disposal.

28 years on, from 1986 to 2014, nothing has changed apart from coming up with new names to the scheme/s. Rather than eradicating, Indians still treat India as garbage dump in both urban and rural areas. It still has antiquated drains that get blocked with garbage which cannot cope during monsoon, flooding and bringing up sewage. Rural people still using open fields as latrines, where, especially women can be exposed to dangers.

Embarrassingly, it takes Mr Modi to bring this up to the fore again in 2014.

Regarding the current situation, I have noticed and find it shocking that no one, including the Indian politicians or your paper bringing forth the plight of the Karamcharis, mainly dalits, who are the real heroes/heroines in this matter. They are the ones who clear all the garbage.

Nobel Peace Prize

I congratulate from the very core of my heart both Sri Kailash Satyarthi and Miss Malala Yousafzai for receiving Nobel Peace Prize of 2014. Both of them deserve the award.

However, one of the most deserving candidates Mahatma Gandhi was not awarded the coveted prize. It is nice to see Nobel Peace Prize committee taking the right decision this time. I hope both the recipients can successfully achieve the goal they have set for the good of children in both India and Pakistan. It would be wonderful if they can work cooperating and helping each other as Malala has said in her press address in Birmingham Library that Sri Satyarthi has already spoken to her and they have discussed the possible way forward for their work.

Whether a programme of this kind can come into effect and be fruitful that is another matter.

But the situation with Sri Satyarthi is quite the opposite. Not only is he encouraged in his work he is actively supported

Butter v/s margarine

I agree with Dinesh Sheth's letter about Butter being better than Margarine. I actually tried putting out in my garden a tub of margarine to see if any ants, insects, birds, etc are attracted by it but, even after 3 days, not a single creature was interested in the margarine!

Butter is derived from an animal product but I prefer plant derived products so may I suggest virgin coconut oil instead. Both are saturated fats but coconut oil is plant based and is an alternative for those with food intolerance/allergy to dairy products.

Rashmi Jeshang

By Email by all Indians. He has no fear for his life.

In view of what Malala has said about possible Indo-Pakistan relation, would she be able to return to Pakistan and be a politician there? Only time will tell. The main point is why a Pakistani man has not been taking any initiative for girls’ education in Pakistan?

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Dr Jatindra Saha By email

ASIAN VOICE

Mohindra Master By email

Ebola knocking at our doors

With the onset of winter, the usual influenza season is now upon us. Some of us will take the ‘flu jab to protect ourselves from the dreadful disease. The elderly and other vulnerable groups will get free inoculations and should be encouraged to take advantage of this.

Now there is the added danger of the Ebola virus invading our shores with the first case reported in Spain. There are confirmed reports of a nurse who treated two victims of Ebola has tested positive for the disease. The nurse is said to be the first person in the current outbreak known to have contracted Ebola outside Africa. We must also not forget that the flu virus was imported here from Tanzania and that Aids first appeared in the Congo.

It has been said that there is a small but real danger of the virus taking hold here and that the Cabinet’s Cobra committee will be meeting to consider how to tackle the potential danger.

There have been nearly 7,500 confirmed infections worldwide. Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia have been hardest hit. Some 3,400 people have died as a result. There are reports saying that burial teams dealing with Ebola outbreaks in Sierra Leone are on strike with dead bodies being left in the streets. Ebola spreads through contact with bodily fluids of

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Image of religion

The word “religion” simply means, “union with God”. Definition is complicated by different interpretations by various genuine/ fake personalities. Their teachings become dogmas to be implemented by force, to form a cult. Dogmas interplay with greed, and power struggle ensues. These power struggles are fuelled by vested interests. They sermonize peace but supply arms and ammunition to hostile adversaries. False facade of religion is an excuse to hide evil motives of war mongers and perpetuate tension.

Turmoil is alter ego of altruistic humanity. Therefore one must never associate religion with uncontrollable energies and vices that drive human beings. But ultimate image of any religion depends on implementation by the followers. Islam may be teaching compassion but followers practice rampant violence. Christians have balanced violence by precept of eye for eye etc, and non violence by precept of love thy enemy, compassion and forgiveness!

Hindus/Jains/Budhhists, have realised that violence begets violence in a vicious unending circle. So they have built a brick wall of non violence, tolerance and equal respect to non Hindu religions. Therefore, violence by volatile Hindustani and Pakistani/Bangladeshi Muslims is smashed to smithereens by this brick wall. God being 100% compassionate will not allow humans to self destruct.

Ramesh Jhalla By email

Conservatives should wise-up

David Cameron may have healthy lead over Miliband when it comes to choosing the PM. But unless Tories form pact with Nigel Farage’s UKIP, Tories will let Ed in through back-door. Douglas well’s thumping win for UKIP in Clacton by-election, once Tory stronghold should send shivers to Conservative MPs in Shire Counties. PM had narrow escape on Scottish independence, due to George Brown’s intervention.

Tories’ misconception of UKIP as one day wonder, Farage masquerading as serious politician, an equivocator is contemptuous. Farage will have easy victory in South Thanet constituency, come next May. Die-hard, dissatisfied Conservatives regard luminous Farage as true Conservative and will leave in droves for UKIP which will become the third largest party. UKIP will split Tory votes, thus enabling Labour to take-over the reign.

But alliance with UKIP will give Conservatives safe majority, tenure of Office for another term country so badly needs to mend the economy, complete the job and make quantum improvement in our living standard.

Let us hope PM will modulate, as dinosaurs have no place in modern politics.

Bhupendra M Gandhi

By Email someone who has the virus and the only way to stop an outbreak is to isolate those who are infected.

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

EDUCATION/COUNCIL VOICE

11

Much to learn through volunteering Former Labour MP to stand as a UKIP PPC

Dhiren Katwa

Volunteering can give an “indescribable experience”, according to university student Amit Puntambekar who recently returned from a fiveweek charity mission in Uganda.

Amit, 22, was part of a group of fellow students from the University of East Anglia (UEA) who were joined by students from York St John University. Asked how their trip was funded: “We had to raise £700,” said Amit, who ran a sponsored half marathon. Funds were raised through the use of social media, thanks to the local community in Fenstanton, a small village in Cambridgeshire with a population of around 3,000. During their assignment, the team supported the work of East African Playgrounds, or EAP, a UK registered charity that aims to change the lives of children across East Africa by developing children’s learning opportunities and environments.

“We had a strict work schedule Monday to Friday, with Wednesday afternoons off” said Amit. He explained how they spent the first two weeks digging the foundations for a playground at Wansimba Primary School, a governmentowned school with over 1,500 pupils in Bugiri, a district in Eastern Uganda. “Once the foundations were dug, we made cement from ground rocks, sand and actual mixture. We then had to sand all the metal so we could start on the design and painting,” added Amit.

Weekday afternoons were devoted to teaching arts and crafts to around 100 children. This involved simple games like ‘duck, duck, goose’, ‘limbo’, ‘bulldog’, ‘rope

Amit, centre, with pupils from Wansimba Primary School, Uganda

jump’ and parachuting. “The arts lessons I found difficult, as I’m no Vincent Van Gogh,” laughed Amit.

“We made animals such as fish out of items we found on the ground.

The children played with plastic cups and other simple items that we take for granted in the UK,” he added. Amit explained how over the weekends they enjoyed leisure activities including white water rafting and quad biking and also managed to go on a water and land safari.

They also visited Murchison Falls, also known as Kabarega Falls, a waterfall on the River Nile.

Now back at home in the UK, I asked Amit what he found most amazing about his experience: “The culture in Africa is so different to that in the UK.” He explained: “The people have so little, yet are so happy and for me it raised questions about the materialism we have in the West, we have so much, yet people are so unhappy.” Amit, son of

Prakash – whose family originate from Uganda - and Jo Puntambekar, is currently studying Politics at UEA. He hopes to go on to do a Masters and then a PhD in International Relations.

Fellow volunteers on this charity mission from UEA were Ellen Blessington, 19, Harriet Rosier, Kirsten Abo Henriksen, Hannah Utting, all aged 21, IIona Moore, 22 and Sam Overy, 25. And from York St John University – Laura Bee, Jannah Robson, Hannah Buckingham, all aged 21, and Nyma Beg, aged 19.

Over two-thirds of volunteers aged between 16-24 see volunteering as a way of enhancing their career prospects and when recruiting, 80% of employers value volunteering on a CV, according to a survey of 700 volunteers across the UK by charity TimeBank. To find out more about EAP visit www.eastafricanplaygrounds.org

A former Labour Parliamentary candidate has been adopted as a p r o s p e c t i v e Parliamentary candidate for Hertsmere by the UKIP for next year's general election.

The Hertsmere used to be represented by Conservative MP James Clappison since 1992, who has announced earlier this year that he would like to resign from politics.

Councillor Richard Butler has now been announced as the Labour party candidate.

Frank Ward, 75, who had been a member of the Labour Party for 45 years, joined UKIP in October 2013 after the Labour party refused to re-elect him in 2006.

Mr Ward is well known for his campaign to prevent the closure of

the Hare Krishna Temple Bhaktivedanta Manor in Aldenham, which he believes caused his rift with the Labour. On his appointment, the retired chartered builder and chartered manager reportedly said, “The reason I agreed to stand was to give the people of Hertsmere the opportunity to express their judgement on the other parties and find an alternative.

“I’ve got enough fire in my belly for this.”

Virendra Sharma, MP for Ealing Southall, appeared at Ealing Law Centre for their official opening.

Also attended by such figures as Shadow Justice Minister, Cllr Julian Bell Leader of Ealing Council and Dr Rupa Huq Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Ealing Central & Acton.

The Centre provides free legal advice and representation to the people of Ealing. This is a timely gesture as cuts are being made to legal aid.

Run by volunteer trustees and as part of the Law Centres Network, the formal opening showcased much of the Centre's philanthropy.

Virendra Sharma MP officially opens Ealing Law Centre

MEDIA WATCH

12

Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the tone for the Gandhi Jayanti celebrations across India by, among other things, visiting a slum to participate in a cleanliness drive, a national programme on which he has clearly set his heart. To associate this with the Mahatma’s birth anniversary was an appropriate act of remembrance, for public cleanliness and good hygiene are the hallmarks of a socially aware community. The squalor that disfigures much of urban and rural India amid the general indifference are living proof of a serious deficiency in civic sense., of which Mahatma Gandhi was painfully conscious and sought to remedy through personal example and unceasing exhortation.

The ashrams in which he lived were run on principles of cleanliness and proper hygiene. Then came individual and collective probity, living the good life within the framework of mutual care and collective responsibility.

Unbridled greed, according to

Shashi Tharoor

the Mahatma was one of the major causes of violence, to which the Mahatma was opposed in a life of constant endeavour for the betterment of the poor and needy. Modi has taken up this cause in earnest and called on the young people of the country to make cleanliness their and the nation’s mission on the birth anniversaries of Jawaharlal Nehru on November 14 and Indira Gandhi on November 19 respectively.

The Prime Minister sought to enlist a number of eminent persons to help in whatever they could to make this goal a reality.

Among these personalities was Shashi Tharoor.

Tharoor responded to the call with affirmative grace dignity, for which he has been pilloried by the Kerala wing of the Congress party. How petty and absurd. To what depths has this once great party, which took India to its independence, now sunk. O tempora O mores! (Times of India, Hindu, Telegraph October 8).

(Mr Tharoor has now been sacked as a spokesman of the Party by the Congress President Sonia Gandhi for their “sin”)

Jayalalitha in the pits

The former Tamil Nadu Chief minister, Jayalalitha, who for

Jayalalitha

years been the monarch of all she surveyed, has earned a 4year prison sentence and a hefty fine of Rs 100 crore, having been found guilty of massive corruption and the gross abuse of power by a Sessions Court judge. Her appeal for bail was turned down by the Karnataka High Court. The case was transferred to Bangalore from Tamil Nadu because the judicial authorities felt that due process, in this instance, would have been tampered with. The plea for bail by the high profile lawyer, Ram Jethmalani, appearing for the defence, was rejected by the court. The law, being no respecter of status or reputation, had to take its course. It seems unlikely that Jayallitha, once so mighty and imperious, will escape imprisonment when the appeal against conviction is heard in the Supreme Court.

Her political career, it would appear, has hit the buffers. The wheels of justice grind slow, they grind exceeding well. This should serve as a warning to other politicians who think they are above the law, and it should strike a blow for honesty in India’s public life. (Hindu, Times of India, Telegraph October 8)

Jihadi terror in West Bengal

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has been in the wars lately. Her untutored mind, capricious ways and an

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

scent grows stronger by the day and the noose tightens.

Trinamool cries of a conspiracy against the BJP and the Communist party have a hollow ring.

Bomb blasts

If this wasn’t enough, worse was to follow. Two bomb blasts in a flat in the State’s second city, Burdwan, in which two men were killed, and one seriously injured, revealed that the occupants, including the wives of the deceased, were running a bombmaking establishment, with all the necessary tools of the trade on the premises. The accidental

Mujahideen. The bombers and their handlers – some still at large and sought by the police – were apparently preparing to hit targets in Kolkata. The investigation has some way to go. The State government is desperate to keep the NIA out of the investigation. National security is involved. Bengal has become staging post for jihadi terrorism in the rest of India. (Telegraph, Times of India, October 6) [see page 3 for comment].

$2 trillion economy in India’s sight

India’s economy is poised to reach a $2 trillion value by the end of the current financial year, 2014-15.

The challenge is to achieve 5 per cent growth for period this (the growth thus far is 5.5 per cent) and the value of the rupee r e m a i n s broadly constant until Burdwan Blast: Burqa Factory Front for Bomb-Making Plant then. At the turn of the explosion brought the police and millennium, the Indian GDP the local fire brigade hotfoot to was about $480 billion, by 2007 the site. It transpired that the it stood at $1.2 trillion – a period building in which the flat was of exceptionally high growth located belonged to a Trinamool which continued to 2010-11.

Congress bigwig, who had rentThe global financial meltdown ed his property at a high price was a major factor behind without asking questions of a India’s declining growth figures tenant whose livelihood thereafter, touching a low 4.7 appeared none too secvure. per cent in the last financial year Undetonated bombs were taken 2013-14. Delayed structural to the Damodar River nearby reforms also played a role in and disposed through controlled India’s economic downturn explosions. The DIG Police gave (Mint October 9) permission for this, although the National Investigation Agency Declining poverty (NIA) anti-terror squad hadn’t arrived on the scene to examine The rapid growth of the Indian the evidence. Possible clues economy has led to a significant were thus lost. The plot thickfall in Indian poverty levels. In ens. Watch this space Telegraph, 2005 the basic poverty benchTimes of India October 6-10) mark was an income of $1.25 per day, the number of poor at that level has declined from 41.6 per cent of the population to 32.7 per cent of the population in 2010, according to World Bank estimates. The rapid economic growth has spurred urbanization. However, employment generation has yet to keep pace with the high GDP figures.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has admitted that its growth forecasts for India

were excessively low due to faulty methodology in the calculation of the statistics. IMF projection for India’s growth for the current financial year 2014-15 is 5.6 per cent, up from its earlier estimate of 5.4 per cent. India’s second quarter growth this far has reached 5.8 per cent. (Mint October 9).

China, Japan, Korea banks ease lending

Chinese, Japanese and South Korean banks in search of greater returns on their capital have increased lending to Indian companies, stepping into the space vacated by Western banks squeezed by the Wall Street financial meltdown in 2008.

Three recent loan deals bear out this reality.

Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJIL), the Reliance Industries Ltd-owned telecom services provider said it had signed up for a $750 million loan backed by Korea Exim Bank.

The loan will be used primarily to finance goods and services from Korea’s Samsung Electronics for RJIL’s roll-out.

IndiGo airline has taken out a loan of $2.6 billion to finance its purchase of 30 new aircraft, while India’s largest power plant NTPC Ltd has $250 million from Japan’s Mizuho Bank to finance NTPC’s capital expenditure on ongoing projects renovation and modernization of power stations. (Mint October 6)

Mahindra’s 51% Peugeot stake

In a bid to extend its global reach, Mahindra Two Wheeler Ltd (an arm of Mahindra & Mahindra) is set to acquire a 51 per cent stake worth 28 million euros in the French company, Peugeot Motorcycles, which manufactures scooters and mopeds across the world. “India accounts for 21 per cent of the global two-wheeler market. The focus will be on Europe and India,” said Mahindra Executive Director, Pawan Goenka.

(Business Line October 8)

Apology

Apropos of the overwhelming presence of scientists and engineers on India’s Mars mission being from the country’s southern states, the sentence should have read “where life is less burdened by petty politics….”

Mamata Banerjee, see comment page 3

inflated ego gave her the exalted idea that she could be a power broker in Delhi. She had a rude awakening that this was far from true. The good lady is now confronted by a sea of troubles. The Sarada ponzi scam, run by a man named Sudipto Sen, presently under arrest, has led a trail to the Trinamool Congress top brass. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the investigation of this murky affair, putting Ms Banerjee and her cohorts very much on the back foot. The

National security imperilled

Four arrests have been made, including the widows of the two dead bombers, Gulshan Bibi and Alima Bibi. Both are hardened operatives who have withstood the interrogation and given misleading answers to investigators in a bid to throw them off the trail, which appears to have a Bangladeshi angle.

Media reports suggest that their group has links with the Bangladesh

J&K CM Omar Abdullah visited border area on Eid-ul Azha Festival and has strongly condemned the killing of innocent civilians in the shelling from across the border in Arenea sector of Jammu district.

See comment page 3

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13

14

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

Foreign Office to host ‘Are we too tolerant of intolerance?’: Journalist Abdul-Rehman Malik Investigates major celebration of UK Indian diaspora

Sunetra Senior

Cheltenham Literature Festival has been host to many great writers and celebrities alike and this year is no exception.

Journalist Abdul-Rehman Malik writer for such publications as Q-News, a current affairs Muslim magazine, led a varied panel in a debate about the limit of tolerance at Cheltenham town hall on the 3rd of October. The panellists addressed recent political developments such as the UKIP surge and the disciplinary proposal of “extremist disruption orders” and discussed the best way to deal with angry ideologies in a democratic yet multicultural nation.

‘Tolerance is a cornerstone of our society,’ announced adjudicator Malik at the start of the evening. ‘Yet if we scratch beneath British civility are there not currents of anger?’ He stated that a survey done of British voters showed intolerance towards Islam and immigration, but also cautioned about using the law as a response to such dissent: ‘when we talk about enhancing the power of the state in these matters that makes me nervous.’

Comedian Shazia Mirza not only provided the voice for Muslim women but the Indian community as a whole while David Aaronovitch of ‘The Times’, Claire Fox the Director of the Institute of Ideas and Matthew Goodwin,

Malik and the panellists

author of the book 'Revolt on the Right', outlined the main political concerns.

These included the accurate representation of ethnic minority groups, the role and responsibility of the media in circulating extreme ideas and the issue of ignorance in both right-wing and liberal activism.

The speakers came to the conclusion that generating a more equitable dialogue was the biggest priority and that we needed to work harder to achieve this before resorting to the ultimate show of western intolerance; censorship. Fox stated: ‘with Theresa May’s proposal we will be censoring social media.’ In response to the murderous activity of ISIL ‘we are not allowing a battle of ideas. It is cowardly on our part.’

However, she also dismissed the ‘soppy multiculturalism’ that says ‘all

opinions are equal and we need to always respect each other’ which sidesteps a genuine meeting of the minds in different way: ‘we need to be more aggressive intellectually and take these issues head on. People forget that to tolerate does not mean to accept. I will tolerate but I am not going to say that it’s the best.’

Mirza elaborated on the need for details and a clearer understanding of each other’s social positions when she questioned the definition of British values: ‘first we have to know what they are.’ She gave the bold example that a woman in a burka can feel as empowered as someone in a mini-skirt. In another cultural parallel one can consider why an arranged marriage that is conducted respectfully is any different to online dating.

Aaronovitch added to

the consensus for proper discourse, commenting on the anti-immigration feeling in the local elections: ‘there is a problem with scared politicians who agree that people are raising genuine issues when they are the wrong.’ He was also the one to point out the impossibility of talking to a terrorist group that was as ‘nihilistic, apolitical and irrational’ as ISIL: ‘what are we going to talk about!?’

However, all in all, facilitating and striving for more in-depth discussion remained the ideal solution for tackling the issue of tolerance. This was corroborated by the success story of Luton’s Council of Faiths.

Because of the Council, said the cultural ambassador for Luton, ‘the city has only known of the problem of racism as projected from the outside world.’

On Friday 17 October, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will host a UK Government reception celebrating the UK’s Indian diaspora community.

The reception will mark the first ever regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas event – the Indian Government’s flagship diaspora convention – to be held in the UK. The Foreign Secretary, the Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, will open the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas diaspora convention (taking place from 17–18 October) alongside the Indian Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs and External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj.

At the reception, the Deputy Prime Minister the Rt Hon Nick Clegg will present the very first UK-India Dadabhai Naoroji Awards to the 2014 winners. Speaking before the event, he said: “The UK-India relationship is going from strength to strength, as I saw in August when I visited Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. The Indian diaspora community is an integral part of British life, contributing to every aspect of our society and helping to strengthen ties between Britain and India.

“The Dadabhai Naoroji Awards celebrate individuals and their contribution to the UK-India

relationship, and I was proud to launch them during my trade mission to India in August. I am really looking forward to meeting the winners, and hearing their inspirational stories.”

Ahead of the diaspora convention, the Prime Minister’s UK Indian Diaspora Champion, Priti Patel MP, said: “I am immensely proud that the UK is home to such a talented and ambitious Indian diaspora.

We are absolutely delighted that the UK – home to 1.5 million members of the global Indian diaspora – has been chosen as host nation for this first diaspora convention under the new Indian Government.

“Building ties between our two great nations – the UK and India – isn’t just an activity for governments.

Every member of the UK Indian diaspora community plays a part. This reception will celebrate their rich contribution both to the UK itself and to making the UK-India relationship even stronger.

“As the Prime Minister’s Indian Diaspora Champion, I am honoured to be an advocate and an ambassador for the UK’s Indian diaspora at the heart of government. It’s a unique role that is unmatched anywhere in the world.”

LSBU receives generous gift from global entrepreneur London South Bank University's dedication to graduate entrepreneurship has attracted a £250,000 gift from successful entrepreneur and social reformer Dr Raminder (Rami) Ranger MBE. Dr Rami Ranger MBE is chairman and founder of Sun Mark Ltd and Sea, Air & Land Forwarding Ltd. He started his business career in the 1980's with just £2 and a typewriter from a self-storage unit.

Sun Mark Ltd is marketing its fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) in 115 countries with staggering results and has won the Queen's Awards for Enterprise for International Trade an unprecedented five consecutive years and is the only company in Britain with this accolade.

Dr Ranger himself was named the Institute of Directors' Director of the Year in 2013.

The generous £250,000 gift to LSBU will

The centre was opened on Friday 3rd October by the Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and guests included the Rt. Hon. Keith Vaz MP, Richard Harrington MP, Stephen Pound MP, Lord Sheikh, Dr Virander Paul, Deputy High Commissioner of India and Mr SS Sidhu, Minister Dr Rami Ranger MBE making his Coordination at the keynote speech Indian High Commission. be used to set up a fund Ms Villiers unveiled a for Enterprise Excellence plaque that officially in Dr Ranger's name to marked the beginning of support student entreprethe new partnership, neurship activities at the which the Secretary of university.

State praised by saying "I In addition, LSBU will am sure that the work that establish the Dr Rami will be done here will benRanger MBE Centre for efit the students by giving G r a d u a t e them the important skills Entrepreneurship, which that they will need. It is a will provide a hub and great project and I would workspace for students like to congratulate Rami and graduates on enterRanger and London South prise programmes.

The. Rt. Hon. Theresa Villiers MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, addressing the guests

Bank University."

In a speech to the guests, Dr Ranger said: "I am humbled to have this opportunity to speak to you about two subjects that have been so critical to my success – education and entrepreneurship.

Where I am today is a far cry from where I started.

Education enriched and shaped the futures of myself and my siblings. I started with nothing and now have the opportunity to help others make the

most of their lives. I believe in a strong educational foundation, and have been impressed by London South Bank University which plays a great part in raising the aspirations of its students."

He made special mention of his late mother for her emphasis to education and to his wife for her support. He said that he hoped the centre would empower people through education and enable them to free their imaginations and that would play a part in making their aspirations come to fruition.

He further added that he hoped other entrepreneurs would follow suit and support our educational institutions.

Both Mr Stephen Pound MP and Mr Richard Harrington MP praised Dr Ranger for his work in both the fields of business and for social causes.

LSBU Vice Chancellor Professor David Phoenix

LSBU Vice-Chancellor Prof. David Phoenix welcoming the guests

added: "The University thanks Dr Rami Ranger for his generous donation to support our enterprise activities. His entrepreneurial spirit is shared by LSBU and is something we embed in our own ethos by building real world experience into every aspect of our curriculum, nurturing the student's confidence and selfbelief – the very strength that has helped to make Rami Ranger the success he is today."

Prime Minister celebrates Eid at 10 Downing Street

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

The Prime Minister praised British Muslims for their “enormous contribution” to the UK at an Eid celebration in Downing Street on Wednesday 8 October.

David Cameron spoke of the “kindness and generosity” of British Muslims at the event where he was joined by over a hundred guests from Britain and overseas, including faith, community and business leaders and members of the British armed forces Muslim association.

Speaking at his 5th annual reception to mark Eid al-Adha the Prime Minister also condemned ISIL and expressed his pride for British Muslims for their response to recent events; he praised the Muslim community for their continued work to help those in need at home and overseas. He also highlighted the UK Government's continued commitment in helping people in crisis in Syria, Iraq, Gaza and other regions.

At the reception the Prime Minister also presented a young Muslim woman a Points of Light award for her work in getting more young people involved in politics. Fifi

Prime Minister Cameron meeting Muslim service personnel

Kara, a 20 year old Londoner was commend-

ed for her work which has inspired 250 young people to get more engaged in democracy by launching M o d e l Westminster.

The organisation launched just last year but is already thriving and working with a number of Government departments, t h e Parliamentary Outreach Service and the Digital Democracy PM giving the Points of Light award Commission.

15 UK Jobseeker names will be blanked out to avoid discrimination

Rupanjana Dutta

Names of jobseekers could be hidden from employers in a bid to cut discriminathe Liberal tion, Democrats have a n n o u n c e d .

Unemployment rates among ethnic minority women have remained consistently higher than for white women since the 1980s.

An All-Party Parliamentary group on race and community published a study showing that women who "whitened" or "anglicised" their names on job applications had to send half as many job applications before being asked for interview.

The report also said: "Inactivity rates could be high partly because some women may be giving up searching for work due to difficulties in finding and the employment

decreased confidence this brings."

Vivienne Hayes, head of the Women's Resource Centre charity, has said that ethnic minority women were facing "a double jeopardy' of oppression for both their race and their gender: l Some employers' attitudes worsened when they realised women with European-sounding names were black. l Some Muslim women were removing their hijab to increase their chance of getting work. l Black and Asian women complained of being asked during job interviews about their plans for marriage and having children.

Last week the party’s members backed a ‘nameblank’ application form in the public sector at its Glasgow conference.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Business

Minister and Minister of Women and Equalities Jo Swinson said: "Liberal Democrats are working towards a stronger economy and a fairer society, enabling everyone to get on in life. We believe in opportunity for all, regardless of age, gender, sexuality, race or religious views.

This policy will help to eliminate subconscious discrimination by ensuring that candidates are invited to interview based on their qualifications and not their gender or ethnicity. Good employers have nothing to fear from these changes.”

The move was part of an Equality Policy Paper which also set out plans to increase representation of women on boards, promote apprenticeships for groups who are under-represented in the labour market and to develop a strategy to end FGM within a generation.

Local talent shines on the mic Sanjna Vekaria from Harrow has made it through to the Regional Finals of the prestigious Open Mic UK singing competition, and will now be performing in the live showcases of the competition.

Open Mic UK 2014 is the biggest search for unsigned talent in the

UK. Those who made it through the audition stage will now perform in front of hundreds of audience members and a music industry judging panel in their bid to win a place at the National Grand Final where they have a chance to win the main prize of £5,000

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16

NOBEL PRIZE SPECIAL

All about Kailash Satyarthi, India’s Nobel winner

demonstrations, focusing on the exploitation of children for financial gain.

• In 1980, Kailash Satyarthi gave up his job as an electrical engineer to begin the crusade to end exploitation of children in India. As a grassroots activist, he rescued of over 78,500 children who were employed as child labours and devel-

oped a successful model for their education and rehabilitation.

• He was instrumental in making the problem of child labour in India as a human rights issue. He has established that child labour is responsible for the perpetuation of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, population explosion and many other social

evils.

• Satyarthi has also played an important role in linking the fight against child labour with the efforts for achieving 'Education for All'.

• The Nobel Laureate is a member of a high level group formed by UNESCO on Education for all comprising of select Presidents, Prime

The incident became a permanent marker in his mind even though he went on to become an engineer. The activist says that even as a student, he wanted to work against child labour but didn't know how. There was no study or legislation against the social evil.

"Even the agencies of United Nations never took up the cause till the 1980s. The notion of child rights came only in 1989 when the UN convention on the rights of the child was adopted," he says.

Later Satyarthi quit his job and started Bachpan Bachao Andolan, an NGO dedicated to rescuing children from bondage and working for their rehab across over 140 countries in the world.

His first rescue happened in 1981 at a brick kiln in Sarhind, Punjab.

Malala Yousafzai is not the usual type of Nobel peace prize winners. She is a real life heroine. She had to be told of her award by a teacher because she does not carry a mobile phone. Malala, known in her native Pakistan for her diary of life under the Taliban, became a global figure two years ago when she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman for advocating girls education.

When she was in intensive care her survival was in doubt, let alone a complete recovery. But operations and treatment, initially in Pakistan and then in Birmingham, pulled her through. Most of us would have opted for a quiet life but she is made of sterner stuff.

On her 16th birthday she addressed the United Nations and her campaign for education for all has been given the recognition it deserves. Now 17, she says that what she has done so far is “just a beginning” and there are still 57 million children who are not in school. She will continue the fight and work to overcome the scepticism about her motives from some groups in Pakistan.

Malala, and her fellow Nobel peace prize winner

India has hundreds of problems, but millions of solutions

Kalkaji, a middle-class locality in south Delhi, was suddenly abuzz with activity. It's barely an hour since the news flashed on TV screens. But everybody knows that L-6, a slim, unremarkable two-storey building, has become a very famous address. For word has gone around that it is the workstation of child rights crusader Kailash Satyarthi, who has been jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Pakistan's Malala Yousafzai, the spitfire teenage activist who defied the Taliban.

At a time when the chronically sparring neighbours are again trading gunfire on the northern side of the border, the symbolism and larger meaning of sharing the world's most coveted prize between the two is not lost on anybody, least of all Satyarthi himself.

"I know Malala personally and will definitely call to congratulate her. I will tell her that besides our fight for child rights, especially for girls, we must also work for peace in the sub-continent. It is very important that our children are born and live in peace," says the 60-

year-old activist, dressed in a sober sand-coloured kurta and standing bare feet, even as frenzied reporters jostle for his attention.

Satyarthi's association with child rights goes back to his first day in school in Vidisha, a small town in Madhya Pradesh, when as a five-year-old, he witnessed discrimination: a child sitting outside his school working with his cobbler father. "I asked my teachers and my headmaster and they said they are poor children but it was not very convincing. One day I went to the boy's father and I asked, since all of us were going to school, why didn't he send his son to school? He replied: 'We are born to work.' I could not understand why some people were born to work and some others were born to enjoy life," he says.

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I first realised I was losing my “hearing when I was struggling to hear the TV. I now wear hearing aids and no one complains about the volume on the TV anymore.

”

Kailash Satyarthi, the Indian children’s rights campaigner, are the kind of people who add lustre to this prize. They intend to invite their respective leaders, Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan and Narendra Modi of India, to Oslo for the awards ceremony in an effort to bring reconciliation between their two countries. Most of all, both have been working to improve the lot of children - in today’s troubled world the best route to lasting peace - without any expectation of reward. Better to give the prize to such inspiring individuals than to a war-monger or even a democratic political leader such as Barack Obama who was awarded his on entering the White House.

Recent Nobel peace awards - to the European

Union or the International Atomic Energy Authority have made people scratch their heads.

Malala and Satyarthi do their work because they want to improve the human condition. They do it because they believe it is possible to overcome prejudice and injustice. We applaud them for it as we celebrate their prize. The Nobel committee has got this one right at last.

Malala's main preoccupation now is her GCSE exams. She is worried about the lessons she will miss while attending the award ceremony.

The 17-year-old spent her first evening as the youngest Nobel laureate at home in Birmingham with her parents watching Pakistani television. “I had caught a cold and wasn’t feeling so good,” she said. Messages poured in from all over the world for the Pakistani girl who two years ago was critically ill after being shot in the head by the Taliban for standing up for the right of girls to go to school.

“I’m feeling really honoured and happy,” she said.

“People’s love really helped me recover from the shooting and be strong so I want to do all I can to contribute to society.”

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series, talk shows, advocacy and awareness films.

He has also won many international awards, including: 2014: Nobel Peace Prize, shared with Malala Yousafzai 2009: Defenders of Democracy Award (US) 2008: Alfonso Comin International Award (Spain) 2007: Medal of the Italian Senate (2007) 2007: recognized in the list of "Heroes Acting to End Modern Day Slavery" by the US State Department 2006: Freedom Award (US) 2002: Wallenberg Medal, awarded by the University of Michigan 1999: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Award (Germany) 1995: Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award (US) 1985: The Trumpeter Award (US) 1984: The Aachener International Peace Award (Germany)

Malala, a real life heroine

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Ministers and UN Agency Heads.

• Kailash Satyarthi has survived numerous attacks on his life during his crusade to end child labour, the most recent being the attack on him and his colleagues while rescuing child slaves from garment shops in Delhi on 17 March 2011.

• In 2004 while rescuing children from a local circus mafia, Kailash Satyarthi and his colleagues were brutally attacked. Despite of these attacks and his office being ransacked a number of times his commitment for the cause has been unwavering.

• Satyarthi has been honoured by the Former US President Bill Clinton in Washington for featuring in Kerry Kennedy's Book ‘Speak Truth to Power', where his life and work featured among the top 50 human rights defenders in the world.

• Satyarthi has been the subject of a number of documentaries, television

AV161014ESS8

Indian child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi is the eight Indian to win a Nobel Prize, and third Indian to win a Nobel Prize for Peace. He won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize along with Pakistan’s child rights activist Malala Yousafzai, who herself is 17 years old.

The Nobel committee said: 'Satyarthi, 60, has maintained the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi and headed various forms of peaceful protests, "focusing on the grave exploitation of children for financial gain.'

Here's all that you need to know about Kailash Satyarthi: • A human rights activist, Kailash Satyarthi has been at the forefront of a movement in India to end child slavery and exploitative child labour since 1980. He founded the Bachpan Bachao Andolan.

• Kailash Satyarthi has headed various forms of peaceful protests and

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Dr Chris Steele MBE

Quote AV1610

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Secretary of State visits India to strengthen cultural ties

Continued from page 1

Through this business envoy, the government aims to build on this success, as figures show that 55,000 Indians have already visited Britain between January and March, compared to 41,000 visits for the same period in 2013; an uplift of 34%.

The Government’s tourism agency predicts that by 2016, Britain will be welcoming some 425,000 visits from India and later on this year VisitBritain will be launching a countryside campaign, an element that resonates strongly in the Indian market.

On Tuesday morning Mr Javid attended a commemoration service for the martyrs of the WWI and laid a wreath at the 'Cross of Sacrifice' in Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Bhowanipore, Kolkata.

The Bhowanipore war cemetery in Kolkata contains 617 Commonwealth war graves of the Second World War and 95 war graves of the First World War. Expressing his gratitude to the Indian army and Commonwealth War Graves Commission for organising the event, the Secretary of State reportedly said, "Whenever we speak of First World War,

we should speak of one and a half million men of the Indian army who travelled thousands of miles to bravely fight for a country that was not their own.

Thousands of them did not return home. The sacrifice of the Indian army deserves to be properly honoured and the British

attended a performance by Folk Nations at the Kamani theatre, in New Delhi. The organisation highlights folk culture from the UK and Indiathe project brings together musicians, artists, and the wider creative community to share ideas and explore new work.

Sajid Javid at the Commemoration event on Tuesday morning in Kolkata

government is determined to make sure that it happens."

He added that a plaque bearing the names of those Indian soldiers who were awarded Victoria Cross will be unveiled soon.

The Secretary of State, also attended Goalz in Kolkata, a version of the Premier League’s successful Kicks programme that runs in the UK, encouraging young people in deprived communities to take part in football as well as providing them routes into employment and skills.

In the evening he

A concept that began in 2012, Folk Nations has now worked with over 60 artists from England, Scotland, Wales, and India in showcase performances, artist residencies, networking opportunities and outreach workshops. It continues to grow and embrace new and contemporary music with a folk core.

British Council and ACE jointly announced a new £1.5million lottery fund to build creative connections between the people of England and India.

Re-Imagine India will provide English artists and art

organisations with opportunities to develop collaborations and cultural exchanges with their Indian counterparts.

Museums Roundtable

The Secretary of State attended the Museums Roundtable at the National Library in Kolkata discussing the Societal attitudes towards museums and culture, attitudes to innovation through digital strategies, R&D and modernisation, opportunities for funding, partnership and sponsorship and International collaborations, attitudes and challenges.

Here, the British Council has been working with museums in India and the UK, facilitating training in everything from audience mapping, educational programming and communication to public engagement and collections management.

To further develop new and sustainable connections between UK and Indian museums, the Council embarked on a research project that would inform and enrich museum thinking, policy and practice in both countries.

The research is an opportunity to explore UK-India opportunities

and partnerships looking at the best practices in collections, policies, strategies, HR, education programming, audience profiling etc. in the museums and galleries of the UK and India. The research was presented at the Roundtable and digital versions was shared and made accessible.

In 2010, the British Library along with a number of other UK institutions, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a group of Indian national cultural institutions, to cement what was already a strong set of partnerships in South Asia that had been developed over many years.

Collaboration with these organisations remains at the heart of the partnership with India; they include the National Museum, National Archives and National Library of India, the Central Secretariat Library, the Archaeological Survey of India, and the National Gallery of Modern Art. The combined collections stemming from the India office and the British Museum offer the largest single resource for the study of South Asia outside the subcontinent itself. Of particular significance for researchers of South Asia are the collec-

17

tions of the former libraries of the East India Company and its successor, the India Office, and the holdings of the British Museum’s Department of Oriental Manuscripts and Printed Books.

The British Library has worked to build strong partnerships with Higher Education institutions, including Jadavpur University and Jawaharlal Nehru University, and other cultural institutions, for example Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) and Bhau Daji Lad Museum, in Mumbai. The British Library seeks to enable the widest possible access in India to material in British Library collections that originated in, or relates to, India.

Dr Catherine Eagleton, the Head of Asian and African Studies British Library, who accompanied Mr Javid, met with colleagues at many of the partner institutions, to update them on progress with current projects, as well as to discuss the possibilities for future collaborations across a range of areas. These included digitisation and displays, training and capacity-building, the possibility of internships and staff exchanges, and other initiatives to further strengthen these very productive partnerships.

18 oct 2014

BIG BASH

We would be delighted if you can join us on our BIG BASH on OCT 18 Saturday between 10 am to 5 pm at Travlin Style Limited , Stanmore.

Big Bash is a celebration to thank our suppliers, our staff, the travel community and most important of all our customers.

So be there to rub shoulders with the popular TV celebrity – Sanjeeda and Amir Ali of EK HASINA THI fame or catch FARAH AHMED and INDI SILK of SUNRISE radio broadcasting Live from our premises.

JOIN US AT TRAVLIN STYLE FOR A BIG BASH ENJOY A LIVE CHAT WITH YOUR FAVOURITE CELEBRITIES CHANCES TO WIN RAFFLES GOODY BAGS ON THE DAY

The lucky ones will have a chance to win raffles prizes that include flights for 2 to Europe or Diwali Hampers or a kindle.

TRAVLIN

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18

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

Dear Financial Voice Reader,

With the FTSE falling I’ve been asked if it’s seen the last of the highs for the year. And how do we profit from these falls if it has?

I fear that the highs a couple of weeks ago, may be the highs of the year. Although company profitability remains strong, which would push up prices, the markets move in herds and people will take money off the table and sell stocks and take profits because others are too. That seems what is happening and less to do with reports of a global slowdown.

So how do we profit. If your view is market falls, for say the next month, you don’t mind selling ‘short’.

That means selling in order to buy back cheaper later.

This is easy to do with all online brokers. What you would sell is the value of the FTSE 100.

But, how do you profit on a day to day basis, rather than just selling now and hoping for the best one month later. This is where your longer term one month view comes in very handy.

Brokers nowadays allow you to sell short and also at the same time have a long position. Why would you do that?

1. You may consider this when you have a longer term negative view, but on a, say, one minute chart, see the price rising, so you go long. The long position is for the short one minute chart and the short position is for the longer term down view. This way you are making more profit than the long alone.

2. The benefit of this is it allows you to make more profits than just a short position as mentioned, but also allows you to be hedged whilst the one minute chart is rising. So whilst the FTSE is rising temporarily you profit from the rises, even though your longer term short is losing by a corresponding amount. So you are hedged, but as soon as the price starts falling again, you close the buy/long position and hey presto have a profit pocketed even during the time the market moved against your short position.

Traders like this because it gives them the psychological pleasure of not closing a losing position (the short) whilst they think it will pay off in the longer term, but want to profit from the shorter term gain.

I like this because it allows me to hedge the FTSE when despite believing it will fall eventually it rises along the way.

Is this too complicated? Describing such things on paper can look complicated. One seconds practice shows you how easy it is.

I also wanted to mention this because I want readers to be aware of tactics used by professional traders and understand why the markets sometimes rise before resuming their falls – because some people will buy even when things are bleak!

Sebi bars DLF from market for 3 years

India's market regulator Sebi has barred Delhibased real estate major and six of its top executives, including promoter-chairman K P Singh, from the capital market for three years due to lack of disclosure in the company's IPO prospectus when it went public in 2007.

The Sebi order follows a Rs 6.30 billion fine imposed by fair play regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) against DLF for abusing its dominant position to seriously discomfit flat owners in three Gurgaon apartments. The case is now in the SC. The order, which relates to nondisclosure of an FIR against Sudipti Estates - a subsidiary of DLF -during

the IPO process, now curtails DLF's ability to raise funds from the market.

In its order, Sebi said that it found DLF and its directors, including Singh's son Rajiv and daughter Pia, guilty of “active and deliberate suppression” of material information at the time of its public offer. The three others banned by Sebi are T C Goyal (MD), Kameshwar Swarup and Ramesh Sanka, both former directors on its board.

Sebi, however, did not pass any order against G S Talwar, who was a nonexecutive director at that time, and gave him `benefit of doubt'. According to sources, DLF will likely contest the order in Securities Appellate Tribunal.

Vodafone wins $490 mn tax dispute in Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court ruled in favour of Vodafone in a long-running dispute with the Indian taxman, a boost for the British telecoms group whose tax battles have been seen as emblematic of the troubles facing foreign investors in India.

Vodafone, the biggest foreign corporate investor in India, has been caught in a string of tax disputes since it entered the country seven years ago, hoping to tap the world's second-biggest mobile phone market by customer numbers.

Vodafone's treatment, seen by many investors as heavy-handed, has fuelled debate over India's unpredictable rules and regulations.

In the case decided on Friday, India's tax office

had accused Vodafone India Services Private Ltd - a unit of the group - of under-pricing shares in a rights issue to its parent, and had demanded tax of about 30 billion rupees ($490 million).

The tax demand was for two financial years to March 2011, Vodafone said. "Vodafone has maintained consistently throughout the legal proceedings that this transaction was not taxable," the company said in a statement welcoming the ruling.

Transfer pricing is the value at which companies trade products, services or assets between units in different countries - a regular part of doing business for a multinational, but a practice which tax authorities often feel can be exploited.

Rules require all crossborder transactions between group companies to be valued at arm's length - or as if the transaction was with an unrelated company.

Several other multinational including IBM Corp, Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Nokia Oyj are also fighting transfer-pricing cases in India. Tax claims on foreign firms in the past year has been a major concern for investors.

"The decision will set to rest a lot of controver-

sies and would go a long way in encouraging foreign investments," S P Singh, a senior director at Deloitte Haskins and Sells, said after the court ruling.

Separately, Vodafone is contesting a more than $2 billion tax demand over its acquisition of Indian mobile operations in 2007 from Hutchison Whampoa.

The lure of India's growing market, however, has continued to attract Vodafone. This year it spent $1.7 billion to fully own its main Indian unit, Vodafone India Ltd, which is India's No.2 mobile phone carrier. Vodafone India bought radio airwaves worth more than $3 billion in a government auction in February to beef up services.

for investment.”

Now the closing down and stagnation of Nokia's mobile handset factory in Chennai - the company has been prevented from transferring assets in India to Microsoft and mothballing of the building will lose more than 6,000 people their jobs will fuel the ongoing question about the Indian government's multinational taxing policies.

Although India is not alone in its frustration with large US companies exploiting the structure of developing market economies, 'The Financial Times' comments that Prime Minister Modi 'has set about the problem in the wrong way. A particu-

lar bugbear has been unpredictability.'

This includes apparently picking and choosing when to file a suit depending on respective revenue targets rather than a blanket implementation of a financial regime, and opening cases retrospectively.

Acting on such advice is of course easier said than done, especially because of combating the re-routing of foreign and domestic investments through tax havens such as Mauritius or Monaco and the fact that ascertaining regional rights with transfer pricing is a nebulous area. However, as deputy chief executive of KPMG in India stated concessions such as the

ruling with Vodafone is “quite a momentous judgement” for keeping international investors interested.

An ever respectable authority on the matter, 'The Financial Times' implored Modi to address “capricious tax demands” first and foremost in the next budget plans.

In the wake of the “make in India” campaign that drives for manufacturers to set up in Asia's third-largest economy where Modi plans to increase the manufacturing sector's share of gross domestic product from 15 to 25 per cent, it is important that there is no enforcement dispute when there is tax-dispute.

2012. The moderation in price pressures was driven by cheaper food and fuel.

Wholesale food inflation dropped in September to 3.52 per cent on lower vegetable prices from 5.15 per cent a month ago.

Falling global crude oil prices, meanwhile, drove fuel inflation down to 1.33 per cent last month from 4.54 per cent in August.

Notwithstanding the deceleration in inflation,

the RBI is concerned that poor monsoon rains and geopolitical tensions that affect oil could drive up prices, making it tougher to reduce retail inflation to 6 per cent by 2016.

As a result, analysts widely expect it to keep interest rates on hold until the April-June quarter.

"Going into next year, we expect RBI to assess the diminishing upside risks to its 6 per cent target closely and press the trigger only when it is convinced of a meaningful correction in prices," said Bhardwaj.

The RBI sent a strong signal last month that it would hold off cutting rates until it was confident that consumer inflation could be reduced to a target of 6 per cent by January 2016.

Will India rise to corporate tax conundrum?

Sunetra Senior

The Indian government under Narendra Modi has been placed under corporate tax scrutiny again after another dispute with a mobile phone company; this time with Finnish multinational Nokia.

The news came forging into the headlines just as Vodafone won its seven-year long conflict with the New Delhi government. “It's a big deal because any company in any industry which is investing in shares of an Indian company, it impacts all of them,” confided Vijay Iyer, a tax expert at Ernst and Young in India, in a statement.

“It was kind of a barrier

India's Sept wholesale price inflation eases further

India's wholesale price inflation eased to a near five-year low in September, helped by a moderation in food and fuel prices, but the risk of price shocks is expected to prevent the central bank from cutting interest rates soon.

The wholesale price index (WPI) rose an annual 2.38 per cent last month, its slowest pace since October 2009, compared with a 3.3 per cent jump forecast by economists. In August, wholesale prices rose 3.74 per cent.

The reading for July WPI inflation was revised to 5.41 per cent from 5.19 per cent earlier. "The sharp moderation in inflation has been a culmination of a favourable base effect, moderation in food prices,

softening crude oil prices and weak growth," said Upasna Bhardwaj, an economist at ING Vysya Bank.

Data released on Monday showed consumer price inflation, which the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) tracks to set policy lending rates, dropped sharply to 6.46 per cent in September, the lowest since the latest data series started in January

REAL ESTATE VOICE

Different Strokes for Different Folks

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap A Property Investment Company

19

Currently we are gearing up for a fund raising spree, with the first location being in Geneva, then London, followed by Mumbai and Bangalore. The aim is to raise money for our new fund which will be listed in the AIM Market with a target of £40m.

This is a relatively small amount of money in the scheme of things, bearing in mind this is a property fund, the City is used to seeing and digesting far greater amounts by property funds. I see this as a stepping stone and wish to ensure we improve as we go on. Our first fund which was launched on the 13th December 2013 has to date made a net return in excess of 20%, we will be following a similar strategy with the up and coming fund. The focus as with the first fund will be on trading properties over a short period of time this will give the cash flow and allow us to offer generous rates of dividends to the shareholders. Unlike the first fund we will also be purchasing and developing properties with a view of holding them. These will only be those we perceive to be very lucrative developments which have a good IRR from the outset compounded by locations where there is growth over the term of the development.

I n v e s t o r s w h o a re s i t t i n g o n g o o d e q u i t y i n p ro p e r t y a r e t h o s e w h o w e re b r a v e e n o u g h t o p u rc h a s e i n a n d a ro u n d 2 0 0 9 . T h i s i s w h e n m o s t p e o p l e w e re s i t t i n g o n t h e f e n c e i n r e g a rd s t o d i v i n g i n t o p r o p e r t y i n v e s t m e n t . D u r i n g t i m e o f u n c e r t a i n t y i s t h e t i m e t o s t r i k e n o t b y f o l l o w i n g t h e m a s s e s . T h e re a r e c u r r e n t l y c l o u d s o n t h e h o r i z o n i n t h e p ro p e r t y m a r k e t a n d t h e re h a s b e e n a p e r cei vab le shift in deal flow from only a few months ago.

It’s i nteresting to note th e rental f igure on th is prop ert y i s £ 8 5 0 p w. W h i c h a l t h o u g h i s a l o t o f m o n e y, i t wo rks o ut to a 2 .21% o n a ma rke t pri c e o f £2m . Onc e you deduc t l et t ing and mana gem ent f ees and t he h igh s e rv i c e c h a rg e s y o u w i l l o n l y b e a b l e t o c o v e r a m o r t ga ge of £600,0 00 wh i ch i s less t h an 50 % of t h e purc h a s e p r i c e . Ye t p e o p l e a r e f a l l i n g o v e r t h e m s e l v e s t o p u rc h a s e h e re , I re m e m b e r a n a c c o u n t a n t t e l l i n g m e h e tel l s h is cl i ents not to inv est in any th i ng w hi c h h as a yield of less than 6.5% , I thi nk he should sti ck to his job of doi ng accounts.

It’s human nature to pigeon hole everything, this is also true of property statistics too. Everyone likes to say property has gone down/up X%. Even if you look at London there are many different pockets and each pocket has its own dynamics. Even during the credit crunch there were pockets which never went down in value and these were not only in Central London but also surrounding areas. Ethnicity has much to do with this, in areas where there is a high concentration of Jews or Indians living prices don’t generally tend to fall even during downturns.

My perception is there will be good deals to pick up over the next couple of years, and it will be the aim of this fund to capitalise on this anticipated downturn in the property market. The trading side will be less affected as you look at the current market value in comparison to the immediate purchase price and if the margin is wide enough you strike the deal. The exposure to the market is relatively short, typically your money will be out in a couple of months. A good example of this is a deal we recently purchased in Pont Street in Knightsbridge for £1.5m which comprised of a two bedroom property of 1,044 sq. ft. and a long lease of 85 years. We have already had an offer for £1.75m but being greedy people we are holding out for more, which if we do not get we will complete the deal and look to sell after a year for a price of £2.2m+ which will more than cover the added cost of stamp duty and holding costs.

In preparation for the fund raising seminars I was asked to give a demonstration of my presentation by a PR firm we appointed after which I was decimated in a very diplomatic way and sent back to the drawing board to more or less redo the presentation.

The crowd we will be presenting to need no convincing about the greatness of property as an asset class, they have been investing in property probably since I was in nappies and possibly before then. Many of them have amassed property portfolios which run into hundreds of millions and so they did not need any advice in regards to property being a good investment. There are families who got into buying property after World War II and haven’t stopped since.

Information about why property is sound, and why one should invest in property consisted of a large proportion of my presentation, I was politely told to dismiss with this portion as it could be seen as patronising. Instead I was told the focus should be on why they need to invest with us, why is it we are unique.

The Real Deal

T h e a n s w e r i s t h e t r a d i n g a n g l e w h i c h re q u i re s a l o t o f d u c k i n g a n d d i v i n g a n d u n l e s s y o u ’ re i n t h e l o c a t i o n 24/7 i t’s ver y difficult to do a t a rm’s length. Thi s is someth ing wh ic h i s uni que and ap parentl y no l i sted p ro p e r t y f u n d h a s a f o c u s o n . T h i s c a n b e e a s i l y d e m o n s t r a t e d w i t h o u r a u d i t e d t r a c k re c o rd .

London, NW1 Purchase Price: £5.8m l An off market development opportunity to convert a commercial building into four residential houses in a strong location which is rising l Close to Marleybone station l Planning permission in place l Approx 6,100 sq. ft. area l Freehold l Scope of adding another 1,200 sq. ft. area subject to planning l Expected resell price to be around £8.7m l Or you can buy and hold

This crowd would need to see a proper structure and who’s sitting on this structure, so if one part falls away it would still be stable. They would be interested in hard examples of the last deals we have undertaken and the returns, as well as an emphasis on the macro economic outlook and how we would look to mitigate risk in the event of things not going quite to plan.

This is going to be a very different crowd to our usual crowd consisting of mainly Gujarati businessmen whom we have done business with a hand shake or a nod of the head, despite the paperwork this is what governed the business we have been doing.

Now we are entering a very different territory, one where you almost have to learn a whole new language and skillset, even though the product hasn’t changed.

Call us now to reserve!

0207 993 0103

We provide a turnkey solution. Contact us now:

Specialists in

Central London Property Sourcing

info@sowandreap.co.uk

www.sowandreap.co.uk

55 Bryanston Street, Marble Arch Tower, London, W1H 7AA

Follow us online:

Sowandreapuk

SowandReapProperties

Tips of the Week l The rental yield in property is not where you make the bulk of your money, the capital growth is where you will see your money grow. l The market will not be rising in all locations from now onwards, therefore when developing property it is wise to have another exit plan besides reselling.

20

LEGAL VOICE

Investment worth 100 bn dollars has applied for visa to India: Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that following his recent summit level interactions with Japan, China and the US, "investment worth 100 billion dollars had applied for a visa to India."

Delivering the inaugural address at the "Invest Madhya Pradesh - Global Investors Summit - 2014" at Indore, the Prime Minister said that following his recent summit level interactions with Japan, China and the US, "investment worth 100 billion dollars had applied for a visa to India." It is now up to the states to grab a share of this investment, he added.

He also added that the Centre would stand shoulder to shoulder with all states, irrespective of political affiliation of the state government, to facilitate investment and eco-

Narendra Modi inaugrating the Global Investors Summit in Madhya Pradesh

nomic growth.

He also said he wanted the Centre and each state government to work together in the spirit of "one and one - eleven."

The Prime Minister emphasized that India's strength is inherent in its states, and if India is to be developed, states must go forward. He said he stands for Team India - a team consisting of the Prime

Minister and all Chief Ministers. If this team works together, a lot can be accomplished, he added. Prime Minister Modi said the Centre and states are not competitors or enemies; they are complementary.

Complimenting the Madhya Pradesh government and Chief Minister for rapid strides in development, the Prime

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

Minister said that the team of Shivraj Singh Chauhan deserves full credit for it.

He said Madhya Pradesh has ample land, good infrastructure, and effective governance; and therefore is an excellent investment destination.

He also complimented the state government for quick follow-up action to derive benefit from key policy initiatives of the Centre, such as the "Make in India" vision and defence manufacturing policy.

The Prime Minister said India is a country of youth, and therefore employment is the primary aim of all investment initiatives. The Global Investors Summit, which has seen participation by ambassadors of 28 countries, also has nine partner countries.

The love affair of Indians for gold

In this article, Deborah Gottlieb of Bullion Broker “Sharps Pixley” looks at the fascinating connection between gold in the Diwali festival.

With only a few days to go for October 23, Indians are eagerly preparing for the first day of the nation’s favourite festival: Diwali.

This ancient Hindu festival, also known as the “festival of lights”, is a reminder of how closely Indian tradition is tied with gold and how the love of Indians for the precious metal is timeless.

Many Indian festivals and auspicious days are linked to demand for gold and it comes as no surprise that India is one of the largest consumers of gold in the world (second largest after China).

It could be said that buying gold is in the DNA of Indians. Data provided

by Credit Suisse suggests that the current demand for gold in India is about 800 tonnes; a number expected to climb even higher following the upcoming festival. The uptake of gold will be of particular interest on the first day of Diwali or “Dhanteras” as there is a particular celebration around 'wealth' and giving.

This surge is also expected to have a profound impact on the price of gold in the short term. Speculators and investors who closely monitor the current bearish sentiment surrounding the gold market (including a stronger dollar and rising real US interest rates) are likely to follow demand predictions with interest.

It is, however, gold jewellery that is closely linked with India, as gold ornaments are regarded as a symbol of wealth, a fundamental part of many rituals and a store of value.

According to the World Gold Council (WGC), in the last decade, 75% of gold demand in India has taken in form of jewellery.

Moreover, the WGC car-

Underscoring the need for financial sector reforms, Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan has stressed that the "time to deliver begins now" and there is political will to undertake reforms and improve India's economic growth. "Financial reform is not difficult - we have the political will to improve," the Indian Consulate in New York tweeted the RBI governor as saying during an event.

The head of India's central bank addressed a select gathering of prominent

and influential IndianAmerican businessmen from the finance and investment banking sector at an event organised by the Consulate General in collaboration with the India-America Chamber of Commerce. Outlining the major areas that require change and immediate implementation, Rajan said it was a good time to invest in the Indian economy now.

Developing infrastructure, improving quality of human capital, optimum regulation for good busi-

ried out a survey in 2012 which showed that over 60% of Indian women and men approached intend to buy 22 carat jewellery as opposed to designer handbags, designers shoes, luxury cosmetics and personal electronic items.

Bars and coins are also favoured given that they are portable and easily exchangeable during poor harvests. This year was expected to be an El Nino year with a commensurate poor harvest in India; in the event, the crops were more than adequate across much of India and consequently demand has remained more robust than forecast. An unintended consequence of gold's popularity in India is the corrosive effect it has had on the country's current account deficit.

Hoping to reduce the CAD ($32.4 billion in the year ended March 31) and support the rupee, new taxes were introduced (including higher import duties, strict import quotas and limitations on gold-related lending and coin sales)

which has meant that Indians in India can be paying a premium of in excess of 12% over the price being paid by their colleagues here in England for a given gold item. Data provided by the WGC also shows that gold imports into India fell 44% to 350 tonnes in the first 6 months in 2014; however, the scale of illegal smuggling is hard to quantify and research at Sharps Pixley suggests that the overall level of total imports are actually rising.

With inflation in India running at over 8.5%, locals will appreciate gold's ability to maintain its value in inflationary periods. As said by Devendra Pant, chief economist at India Ratings & Research: “I don’t see the measures going away immediately”. In spite of these counter actions set forth, consumers in India continue to indicate a strong intention to purchase gold over the coming years, and the love affair is nowhere to be ended.

More stick than carrot

Maria Fernandes

There are a number of concerns about the way in which visits are conducted. When the visiting officers arrive for a visit, they approach whoever is on duty that day regardless of the fact that he/she may not be in charge of the human resources part of the business. It is a well known fact that Asians particularly do not question the reason for the visit or decline to answer if they do not have the knowledge or authority to do so. Many are too timid in the presence of Immigration Authorities.

It is quite common that a junior person has answered questions, as has happened on many occasions, and this has resulted in inaccurate information being given and relied upon. A sponsor licence has an Authorising officer who should be identified prior to the visit and should be the person who is questioned unless this responsibility is delegated by this person to someone else.

The other more worrying aspect of the licensing system is that suspensions and revocations are meted out when there are minor infractions.

Employers are expected to have experience of an online system and where they fail to report issues, they are dealt with severely. This is so even though the UKVI themselves continue to make mistakes on a regular basis. They want a gold standard that they are not able to meet themselves.

The unequal relationship should not give them an unfair advantage.

Employers are not immigration officers. Take one example that has come up again and again. On a visit the Immigration Officers concludes that

an employee concerned is an overstayer and not permitted to work. They only cave in once provided evidence from the helpline for employers that they set up, that the employee concerned is in fact allowed to work.

There is a recurring theme of employers accused of breaching their duties without evidence being presented to back up the claims. In many cases suspicion takes precedence over the facts. Immigration is a civil matter and as such the burden of proving a fact must be on a balance of probabilities, in other words more likely than not. Criminals are given better treatment and judges would not hesitate to throw out a case which did not strictly comply with the rules of fairness.

In immigration there is no right of appeal, no means of challenging a decision other than expensive proceedings in the High Court which does not consider the merits of the case as such.

The licencing system was brought in to allow employers the ability to employ staff providing they followed the rules.

When the system began there was a measure of collaboration and an opportunity to put right things that went wrong as they must in any organisation from time to time.

There has been a sea change in that attitude now with more emphasis on penalties for breaches.

As an employer recently remarked there are visits by other bodies but none are so punitive as the Immigration Authorities.

It is time that the employers who have licences make their views known as a body. Less of the stick and more of the carrot.

Good time to invest in India, says RBI governor Rajan

Raghuram Rajan

ness and extensive financial sector reform should

be the next steps for improvement and development of the Indian economy, according a press statement issued by the Consulate. Rajan encouraged the Indian-American business community to get involved in the "nitty gritty of the implementation process," saying such involvement was not difficult especially since the Indian government has the political will to reform.

"Over the years, India has outgrown its institutions," Rajan was quoted as say-

To contact Maria Fernandes, please email at: info@fernandesvaz.com

ing. "Such institutions only worked well when we had the practice of resource allocation, which was a source of revenue.

This was a time when coal could be extracted from the ground with your bare hands." Rajan said the Indian economy can no longer work with this model, adding that just as there were drastic democratic changes that reacted to the economic slump in the past decade, institutions also have reacted. He emphasized on the need to convert talk about change

into delivering and implementing reforms.

Making crucial recommendations to creating a more investment-friendly market in India, Rajan said stalled projects need to get back on track and "clearance should be from capital and on ground." He further said that complex labour laws need to be improved to benefit both employers and workers and self-certification should be allowed to eliminate the stressful and cumbersome process of inspections.

CURRENCY VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

21

Foreign Exchange

Paresh Davdra is the Dealing Director of RationalFX, Currency Specialists.

ECB Swelling Its Balance Sheet United Kingdom industrial production was unchanged in August as shut downs at some North Sea facilities sent oil and gas extraction down 1.7 percent.

The industrial output figure, matched the median forecast of economists. Manufacturing production rose 0.1 percent from July, also in line with forecasts.

On Friday the UK's trade deficit was reported to narrow by £1.3 billion compared with July 2014.

The main factor behind the deficit narrowing was not an increase in exports but a large fall in imports from non-EU countries. Between July 2014 and August 2014, exports of goods decreased by £0.7 billion to £23.2 billion mainly attributed to oil. Over the same period, imports of goods decreased by £2.0 billion to £32.3 billion reflecting falls in imports of aircraft, fuels and chemicals The US Dollar strengthened during last week Thursday 9th October, after data revealed the number of Americans filing applications for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week. This pushed the average

over the past month to the lowest level in eight years and signalling that employers are hanging on to workers as the economy improves.

Firings are hovering around the lowest in almost a decade as employers retained their workforce to meet rising demand.

This excellent jobs figure is continuing the positive trend from the first nine months of the year. It also lays the ground for stronger gains in hiring and wages that will give the world’s largest economy a boost even as global growth is expected to cool.

The U.S. economy is predicted to grow 2.2 percent this year, compared with a 1.7 percent projection in July, the International Monetary Fund said this week. Federal Reserve policy makers are watching for evidence the labour market has been restored to full health before raising interest rates, which have been held near zero since December 2008. Most Fed policy makers indicate they expect an initial rate rise next year.

Federal Reserve officials

sounded an alert over the threat to U.S. growth from a slowdown elsewhere in the world, warning it could make them an interest-rate delay increase. Fed vice Chairman Stanley Fischer said yesterday in a speech at the International Monetary Fund’s annual meetings in Washington “If foreign growth is weaker than anticipated, the consequences for the U.S. economy could lead the Fed to remove accommodation more slowly."

Mario Draghi and Jens Weidmann are clashing over how much more stimulus the ailing euro-area economy needs from the European Central Bank. As Europe’s woes again proved the chief concern at weekend meetings of the International Monetary Fund in Washington, President Draghi repeated he’s ready to expand the ECB’s balance sheet by as much as 1 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) to beat back the threat of deflation. Bundesbank head Weidmann responded by saying that a target value is not set in stone.

The ECB is swelling its bal-

ance sheet as it seeks to revive inflation of 0.3 percent; it’s lowest in almost five years by buying private-sector assets and accepts collateral from banks in return for cheap loans. Still unresolved is if the ECB will ultimately buy sovereign debt, a taboo subject in Germany where politicians worry it amounts to financing governments and removing pressure on them to act.

India’s rupee snapped four weeks of losses on optimism a retreat in oil prices will help narrow the nation’s trade deficit. Brent crude dropped to $88.11 a barrel today, the lowest level in almost four years, and is poised for a 3.1 percent loss this week.

India imports about 80 percent of its oil and its trade shortfall narrowed to $10.8 billion in August from $12.2 billion in July as prices fell. The International Monetary Fund this week raised its 2014 growth forecast for the nation to 5.6 percent from 5.4 percent and predicted Asia’s thirdlargest economy will expand 6.4 percent next year.

Weekly Currencies As of Tuesday 14th October 2014 @ 4pm

GBP - INR = 97.83

USD - INR = 61.41 EUR - INR = 77.78 GBP - USD = 1.59 GBP - EUR = 1.26

EUR - USD = 1.27 GBP - AED = 5.85

GBP - CAD = 1.79

GBP - NZD = 2.03

GBP - AUD = 1.83

GBP - ZAR = 17.83

GBP - HUF = 385.09

www.rationalfx.com

Information provided by RationalFX. None of the information on this page constitutes, nor should be construed as financial advice. The exchange rates used are the commercial foreign exchange rates provided by RationalFX. For a live quote or to find out more about how RationalFX can help you, call us on 0207 220 8181.

22

WORLD

Lanka resumes train services to war-battered Jaffna

Jaffna: Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse on Monday launched train services to the battlescarred city of Jaffna nearly 25 years after a bloody ethnic conflict destroyed the region's entire railway network.

Rajapakse boarded a special train from the town of Palai on the southern end of the Jaffna peninsula and travelled to the cultural capital of Sri Lanka's ethnic minority Tamils. His train stopped at three stations rebuilt as part of the reconstruction of 250-km of track across the former war zone, both in the Jaffna peninsula and the northern mainland.

"The resumption of the train service shows Jaffna is fast becoming a centre of development" after decades of war, Transport Minister Kumara Welgama said.

The train service from Jaffna, 400 km north of

the capital Colombo, came to a halt in June 1990 after the collapse of a truce between separatist Tamil Tiger rebels and government forces.

The Tigers ruled Jaffna as their de-facto separate state for nearly five years till they were driven out of the peninsula after a major offensive in 1995.

However, train services could not resume because of fighting in the rest of the northern mainland. Tiger rebels had also ripped up rails and sleep-

ers to build bunkers.

After the crushing defeat of the guerrillas in May 2009, the authorities began an ambitious reconstruction effort that included restoration of rail links - a key bridge between the Sinhalese majority in the south and the minority Tamil-dominated north.

The railways were restored under an US $800-million Indian credit line and Ircon International Ltd, India's leading public-sector con-

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

struction company, began the work in 2011.

The line to Jaffna was initially laid in the early part of the last century with the first train commissioned in 1905 by the then British colonial rulers.

Ircon project director Shyam Lal Gupta said the northern line is Sri Lanka's fastest track, capable of speeds of up to 120 km, triple the average speed elsewhere.

Workers have also relaid tracks to the northwest coast of Mannar on the northern mainland which could allow resumption of a train-andferry link to neighbouring south India.

The rail connection with India was disrupted three decades ago when fighting intensified in a conflict that eventually claimed 100,000 lives, according to UN estimates.

Vara speaks for Britain at EU Meeting

Luxembourg: Justice Minister Shailesh Vara MP last week represented the UK at a meeting of EU Law Ministers in Luxembourg. Vara was attending it as his responsibilities include the EU aspects of Ministry of Justice business.

The meeting was attended by law Ministers from all EU countries and discussed various legal matters including whether to have a European Public Prosecutors’ Office, Data Protection, the

Presumption of Innocence, Simplification of Public Documents as well as issues concerning the Freezing and Confiscation of goods.

This was Vara’s second such EU meeting, having previously attended one in June in Milan, Italy. Moreover, in May Vara also represented Britain at a Commonwealth Law Ministers’ meeting in Botswana where the subject for discussion was the Rule of Law.

Hong Kong: Hundreds of Hong Kong police used sledgehammers and chainsaws to dismantle prodemocracy barricades near government offices and the city's financial centre on Tuesday, reopening a major road for the first time since protests began two weeks ago.

In a setback to protesters, traffic flowed freely along Queensway Road after their sit-in and barricades were cleared from the road. But other major protest sites remained intact in the Admiralty and Mong Kok districts and pro-democracy demonstrators were defiant. "We will rebuild them after the police remove them," said protester Bruce Sze. "We won't confront the police physically."

Unlike Monday, which saw clashes between antiprotest groups and prodemocracy activists after police removed barricades, Tuesday's operation resulted in no such confrontations. However, tensions are expected to escalate on

occupy the heart of the city could undermine Hong Kong's stability.

They have remained largely silent since the protests kicked off.

Police, criticised for using tear gas and batons in the first 24 hours of the protests, have adopted a more patient approach, counting on protesters to come under public pressure to clear some of the city's major arteries.

The removal of barricades but not protesters

by Hong Kong police suggests a strategy of slow attrition, similar to that used against Occupy Wall St protests.

Protester numbers have dwindled significantly from their peak of around 100,000 at three sites, but observers believe they will sit it out.

"I don’t think the protesters, having suffered tear gas, endured the attacks by the anti occupy people, will just surrender unconditionally and leave," said Joseph Wong, political analyst at the University of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong police dismantle protest barriers, reopen major road

Wednesday when taxi drivers, who say business has dropped by around 50 per cent, have threatened to remove barricades if protesters have not cleared them by then.

Truck drivers have made similar threats.

Taxi and truck drivers were among those who tried to dismantle barricades on Monday when hundreds of people, some wearing surgical masks and carrying crowbars and cutting tools, tore down barricades and clashed with protesters.

"Reopening of (Queensway) is better than nothing at all as it allows more options to the drivers. But still it is not

good enough and traffic will still be very heavy," said 53-year-old taxi driver Li Hung-on.

"My income was down by half in the past two weeks and drivers like us are still the victims. It would be good if all the roads resume normal."

The protesters, mostly students, are demanding full democracy for the former British colony, but their two-week standoff has caused traffic chaos and fuelled frustrations in the Asian financial hub, draining some public support.

Some of the city's most powerful tycoons had warned prior to the protests that any moves to

In Brief

Indian cop wins UN's international female peacekeeper award

United Nations: An Indian police inspector has been named recipient of a prestigious international female peacekeeper award by the UN's police division for her "exceptional achievements" in her duty with the UN mission in Afghanistan, including her efforts towards helping victims of sexual and gender-based violence. Inspector Shakti Devi of the Jammu & Kashmir Police, currently deployed in the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), has been awarded the International Female Police Peacekeeper Award 2014. Devi has been honoured for her "exceptional achievements" in leading the establishment of Women Police Councils in several parts of Afghanistan, the UN Police Division said in a communication to the Indian mission here. It said Devi has contributed to the improvement of the status of female police and has effectively helped the police of Afghanistan move towards achieving their goals of fully adopting democratic principles of policing. "In addition, her consistent engagement in improving the service for victims of sexual and gender-based violence has led to successful investigation and prosecution," the UN agency said.

5 Afghan men hanged for gang-rape

Kabul: Five Afghan men were hanged for the gang rape of four women despite the UN and human rights groups criticizing the trial and calling for President Ashraf Ghani to stay the executions. The brutal attack in Paghman, outside Kabul, provoked a national outcry with many Afghans demanding the men be hanged, and then-president Hamid Karzai signed their death sentences shortly before leaving office recently. There was no immediate comment from the office of President Ghani, who faced strong public pressure to not stay the executions after he came to power on August 29.

US university names business school after Indian-American

Washington: A top private US university has named its first business school after an IndianAmerican real estate tycoon in the Midwest.

Rockford University announced the creation of the Puri Business School in recognition of a $5 million contribution to the university by First Rockford Group founder and president Sunil Puri, 1982 alumnus and 2013 recipient of an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the university. Puri Business School is the first named school at the University. "It is important to my family and me, that the Puri Business School offers not only an exemplary space where students, faculty and the community can interact and innovate, but where significant programmatic and curricular advances that will deepen the University's commitment to advance the university and partner in the economic revival of this region," Puri said.

First Ebola death reported in US

Dallas: The first person diagnosed with Ebola in the US, Liberian national Thomas Eric Duncan, died at a Dallas hospital, a hospital spokesman said.

Duncan became ill after arriving in the Texas city from Liberia on September 20 to visit family, heightening concerns the world's worst Ebola outbreak on record could spread outside the three worst-hit West African countries. About 48 people with whom Duncan had been in contact are being monitored. Ebola has killed more than 3,400 people in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea since the outbreak began in March, nearly half of all those infected, according to the WHO. While several American patients have been flown to the US from West Africa for treatment, Duncan was the first person to start showing symptoms of the disease on US soil.

Indian embassy in Kuwait simplifies visa procedure

Dubai: The Indian embassy in Kuwait has simplified the visa procedure for Kuwaiti nationals as well as expatriates living in the country with an aim to enhance travel to India for business, tourism, medical treatment and study purposes.

The embassy said it has issued 10,000 visas this year, as against 7,600 visas issued during the same period last year, registering a jump of 30 per cent.

"The embassy has been issuing five-year and oneyear business visa (multiple entry), one-year medical visa (multiple entry) and six-month tourist visas (multiple entry) for Kuwaiti nationals and expatriates resident in Kuwait so that they can visit India for business, tourism, medical treatment, as per their convenience," the embassy said.

WORLD

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

Gujarat-born Nadir Patel is Canada's new envoy to India

Toronto: Canada's new high commissioner to India - Nadir Patel is a Canadian, one who was born in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state of Gujarat and speaks Gujarati at home.

Patel is barely 44. His appointment was announced by foreign affairs minister John Baird and international trade minister Ed Fast.

Patel's appointment follows the appointment of Richard Rahul Verma, an Indian American, as America's next ambassador to India. "We are pleased to announce the appointment of Nadir Patel as Canada's new high commissioner in the

Toronto: Following a request from the US, Canada's Parliament has voted to authorize airstrikes against the Islamic State (ISIS) militant group in Iraq. Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative Party introduced the motion last week and it was debated this week.

Harper has a majority of seats in Parliament so the vote was all but assured.

The motion was later passed.

The motion authorizes air strikes in Iraq for up to six months and explicitly states that no ground troops be used in combat operations.

The combat mission includes up to six CF-18

ISIS publicly executes scribe, 12 others

Republic of India," said the two ministers. "Patel brings a wealth of experience and will strengthen even further the CanadaIndia relationship, including on bilateral trade and international security."

Parliamentary secretary to Baird, another Indian-Canadian Deepak Obhrai is also with the

two ministers, all on board Air Canada that's heading to India. "I am delighted Nadir Patel is our new high commissioner," Obhrai said. "He will join other distinguished Canadians who have had a strong hand in strengthening our relations with India, especially when my government has put relations with India as a priority.

Patel was born in Gujarat. He was rather young when his parents decided to emigrate to Canada. Patel went to Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, where he finished his under-graduate in 1993 with political science as

his major subject. After graduating, he joined the Federal Public Service and one after another he kept on incessantly moving in the rank.

Till three years back, Patel was Canada's consul-general in Shanghai.

On returning to Ottawa, he became assistant deputy minister for corporate planning, finance and information technology, and chief financial officer at foreign affairs, Trade and Development Canada.

In the meantime, Patel also finished his MBA from New York University and London School of Economics and Political Science and HEC Paris in 2009.

fighter jets, a refuelling tanker aircraft, two surveillance planes and one airlift aircraft. About 600 airmen and airwomen will be involved.

Canada is among dozens of countries that have joined the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State militant group.

"The threat posed by ISIS is real," Harper said in a statement, referring to the Islamic State by one of its acronyms.

"If left unchecked this terrorist organization will grow and grow quickly.

They have already voiced their local and international terrorist intentions and identified Canada as a potential target."

The White House welcomed Canada's deployment.

"Canadians and Americans have fought alongside each other in several major conflicts over the past century, and we are grateful for Canada's further contribution against terrorism," a White House statement said.

Canada has more than two dozen special forces advisers already in Iraq and has plans for up to 69 advisers as part of an effort to advise Kurdish forces against Islamic militants after a request from President Barack Obama.

The US followed that up with another request for an air combat role.

Although the mission didn't need parliamentary approval, the government submitted it to a vote to show consensus.

Harper's government won the support of the opposition parties for air strikes in Libya in 2011 but not for this mission.

Opposition New Democrat leader Thomas Mulcair said the Conservatives are plunging Canada into a prolonged war without a credible plan to help victims of Islamic State terror.

Nadir Patel

Canadian Parliament authorizes air strikes in Iraq

Samarra (Iraq): ISIS militants have executed an Iraqi news cameraman and 12 other people in several towns and villages north of Baghdad, officials, relatives and witnesses said. The jihadists on Friday shot dead Raad al-Azzawi, a 37-year-old cameraman for local news channel Sama Salaheddin, his brother and two other civilians in the village of Samra, east of the city of Tikrit, relatives of the journalist said.

According to the media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the father of three was detained by ISIS on September 7.

“They came to his home and took him and his brother,” the relative said.

“He did nothing wrong, his only crime was to be a cameraman. There must have been some people in the village who accused him of working for the government and tipped him off the jihadists... He

23

always had his camera with him,” he said.

According to an RSF statement issued last month, the ISIS had threatened to execute Azzawi on the grounds that he had refused to work for them. After targeting religious and ethnic minorities in the areas it took control during its broad Iraqi offensive four months ago, ISIS has recently executed dozens of people it suspects of any connection with the Shia-dominated government. ISIS executed nine other people north of Tikrit on Friday, all of them on suspicion of ties to anti-jihadist Sunni organizations, according to security officials. In the town of Az-Zab, 90 km west of oil hub of Kirkuk, six people were executed in public.

Meanwhile, 19 people have been killed in two car bombs in Shia parts of western Baghdad on Saturday night, police and medical officials said.

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24

INDIA

4 TDP MLAs, one MLC to join TRS

Hyderabad: In a major setback to the Telugu Desam Party in Telangana, four of its MLAs and an MLC have decided to cross over to the Telangana Rashtra Samiti.

Former Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav (Sanatnagar), Teegala Krishna Reddy (Maheswaram), Prakash Goud (Rajendranagar) and Ch.Dharma Reddy (Parkal) and MLC Gangadhar Goud met Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at the camp office.

Emerging from the meeting, they said they decided to quit the TDP and join the TRS only to help achieve the goal of ‘Bangaru Telangana’ (golden State). The four legislators and the MLC, sources said would be joining

the TRS officially in a week at a public meeting to be organised by the TRS. Though they intended to announce their joining the TRS, the formal announcement was kept pending. It was indicated that some more TDP legislators from Telangana could join the TRS shortly.

In the house of 119 in Telangana Assembly, TDP had won 15 seats and with the latest development, its number would dwindle to 11.

In the last few weeks, a number of Congress, TDP and the YSR Congress party MLAs have switched their loyalties forcing their legislature parties to file disqualification petitions with the Speaker.

Srinivas Yadav regretted that the TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, was goading them to undertake a ‘Bus Yatra’ protesting against the inefficiency of the TRS Government. “We know that the Krishnapatnam thermal power station is ready for inauguration, but it appears

that Naidu does not want it to be commissioned right away simply because he would then have to give 54 per cent of the power generated to Telangana,” he charged.

Yadav also referred to Naidu naming his son Lokesh to lead the party in Telangana. “He wants to make it look as if there is no TDP leadership in the new State. All this makes us feel bad and after decades of being with the TDP, we are disillusioned. We are confident Chandrasekhar Rao’s intention in transforming the fledgling state and take it to the pinnacle of development and hence we decided to throw in our lot,” he stated.

Jayalalithaa in transferring her to a prison in her home state.

The issue is taking a political twist with one section of the government adamant on shifting Jayalalithaa to Tamil Nadu while another section seems disinterested.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that his government could not take a decision on the issue as several decision-making bodies were involved in it. The Karnataka law and parliamentary minister T B Jayachandra said the government would explore the possibilities of transferring Jayalalithaa to Tamil Nadu only if her home state submitted a request.

New Delhi: Probing money laundering charges in the Aircel-Maxis case, the Enforcement Directorate will soon attach properties worth over Rs 7.42 billion belonging to former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, his family members and associates.

“The attachment of properties related to proceeds of crime allegedly received by Maran brothers and associates will be done shortly under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act,“ a source said.

The attachment will equal the amount allegedly received as bribe by the Maran brothers as claimed by the CBI in its chargesheet, the source added.

In its chargesheet, the CBI has accused the Maran brothers of having received Rs 7.42 billion as quid pro

quo after the then telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran “coerced entrepreneur C Sivasankaran to sell his telecom company Aircel to Malaysia-based Maxis“.

The ED had earlier issued showcause notices for Rs 17.67billion in the case.

CBI nailed the Marans on the basis of financial transactions of Maxis Communications. A UKbased subsidiary of Maxis had purchased shares at premium in Sun Direct Pvt Ltd, owned by the Marans, worth Rs 6.29 billon.

“Any additional attachment of properties will depend on information the ED receives from Malaysia and Mauritius,” sources said.

The ED is likely to send fresh letters rogatory (LRs) to Mauritius and Malaysia seeking information on entities related to Aircel and Maxis.

N Chandrababu Naidu

SC agrees to hear Jaya's bail plea on Oct 17

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's bail plea on October 17. The SC will also hear bail pleas of Jayalalithaa's co-convicts Shashikala and Sudhakaran.

Jayalalithaa was convicted and sentenced to 4 years imprisonment in the Rs 650 million disproportionate assets case. She has pleaded that she has been sentenced to only four years jail in the case and is also suffering from various ailments as grounds for her immediate relief. She said as chief minister she did not misuse her powers in this case. She also cited grounds of being senior citizen and woman for getting out of jail.

Transfer to TN jail in legal fix: Meanwhile, a day after the Karnataka High Court rejected her bail plea, the state government has expressed its "helplessness"

Parties using aggressive ad campaigns in Haryana

Chandigarh: The campaign by various political parties eyeing their share in the Haryana assembly elections has gained momentum, with each of them resorting to advertisements to woo voters and fire salvos at each other.

Besides Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), other players in the contest include former MP Kuldeep Bishnoi led Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) and former Union Minister Venod Sharma led Jan Chetna Party (JCP).

The three main contenders are using strong advertisement campaigns, especially using regional TV channels and FM radio.

Former Chief Minister Om Parkash Chautala led INLD, which is eyeing a comeback after a decade in the state, released a music video featuring Honey Singh, to attract young voters in the state. INLD has been targeting Congress over alleged Change of Land Use (CLU) scams, unemployment, cor-

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

ruption, law and order situation in the state and even hit out at Congress government's "Haryana No 1" slogan. On the other hand, advertisements issued by state unit of Congress highlight the development work undertaken by their government during the last 10 years with its slogan 'Sach Ko Jaano Sach Ko Pehchaano, Congress Sarkar Teesri Baar'. Congress ads also launched a veiled attack on INLD, asking voters to remember the time "when ransom was sought from jails, a reign of terror persisted, industry was shifting from the state".

BJP, which is contesting on all 90 assembly seats on its own for the first time, has also launched an aggressive campaign. The party is projecting itself as the only viable alternative to both the ruling Congress and INLD. Seeking a clear mandate from people, BJP's advertisements hit out at Congress government over alleged land scams, unemployment amongst other issues.

ED to attach Maran brothers' Rs 7.42 bn assets

Modi promises to transform 'scam Haryana to skill Haryana'

Mahendergarh (Haryana): Promising to transform "scam Haryana to skill Haryana," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the people of the state to elect a BJP government with clear majority, saying he wants to strengthen the state's ties with Delhi to transform its fortunes.

"I know that you are sad that Haryana is know as a state of scams. There are scams and then scams within scams. Our opponents are all involved in scams. Do you want a scam Haryana? I want to create a skill Haryana. You have to decided if you want a scam Haryana or a skill Haryana," he said addressing a rally.

Asking people to elect a BJP government that could lead the state on the path of speedy development, Modi lamented that in the last 25 years Haryana has not developed due to dynastic politics and questioned if the past elections or governments were run democratically.

"If dynastic politics continues, would your fortunes

Narendra Modi

change? If Haryana has to live with dignity, we need it to be freed from dynastic politics. For the last 25 years, four-five families have controlled Haryana and the common man's life has become difficult.

"You have to decide whether you want a Haryana free from corruption. Do you want to see Haryana freed from bahubalis (musclemen) and the corrupt? Then you will have to choose a new path. The only way left now is to elect a BJP government with full majority," Modi said. Stressing on the importance of centre-state ties, Modi said till now the centre and the state stood next to each other but were not close enough.

South Brief

DMK sees an opportunity

Chennai: DMK MLA J Anbazhagan in a letter requested state assembly secretary to declare Jayalalithaa's Srirangam constituency as vacant since the former chief minister stands disqualified after her conviction. DMK chief Karunanidhi, who had been keeping a low profile so that the initial outpouring of sympathy for Jayalalithaa died down, made his move through a frontal attack. He said there would be no comeback for Jayalalithaa and asked DMK partymen to launch a vigorous campaign to destroy their opponents. After getting trounced in the Lok Sabha elections, the DMK had been lying low. Keen to clear out the gridlock brought upon by factional fights that culminated in an attempted palace coup of sorts by son and heir, Stalin, Karunanidhi raised a war cry to rev up party cadres.

Two crocodiles enter Mysore zoo, uninvited

Mysore: Two crocodiles from the Karanji lake drifted into the neighbouring Mysore zoo when excess water was released into the storm-water drain that passes through the zoo premises following heavy downpour there last week. The zoo authorities, however, managed to rescue one of the crocodiles and released it back into the lake. Efforts were on to catch the second crocodile which is believed to be inside a pond in the zoo. Excess water from the lake had to be released to prevent flooding in the nearby residential areas. As the lake harbours crocodiles, a couple of them inadvertently drifted into the zoo environs, a source said.

North Brief

Chautala surrenders at Tihar Jail New Delhi: Former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, surrendered at Tihar Jail, after the Delhi High Court cancelled his bail and ordered him to discontinue his political rallies. He was convicted in January last year for running a graft-laden scheme to recruit teachers for government institutions when he was in office in 1999. Chautala, the chief of the Indian National Lok Dal or INLD, was sentenced to 10 years in jail. The INLD chief arrived at the jail accompanied by a number of supporters. He was sent to jail number two where he was lodged earlier. A top Tihar official said 7 pm is the "lock out time" and since Chautala came over an hour after the deadline ended, the matter would be reported to the court.

Elections keep policemen on their toes

Rewari: Security has been tightened in Haryana as the state is going to the polls on October 15. Several cases of money laundering and liquor distribution are reported during the election season. To check such notorious activities, the Election Commission has deputed policeman and district officials with cameras to ensure free and fair polls.

Rewari Executive Magistrate Naresh Yadav said that checking has been on since the day polling dates were announced, ie September 12, and will continue till the evening of October 15. The police personnel work 24X7 and check each and every vehicle for liquor and cash thoroughly. The Election Commission has also deployed three flying squads for surprise checks.

Khap leaders enter poll fray

Chandigarh: Haryana’s khap panchayats, which often make headlines with their diktats on matrimony, women’s rights and personal freedom, have for the first time mobilised politically. Apart from a move to mobilise all khap panchayats to collectively support a proJat party, several heads of khaps have also individually thrown their hats into the ring. A spokesperson of the Sarv Jatt Khap Panchayat (SJKP), a powerful conglomerate of khap panchayats, tried to rally some 100 active khap panchayats behind one party, so that their votes would not get divided. These khaps command influence in the districts of Bhiwani, Hissar, Jind, Rohtak, Sonepat, Kaithal, Jhajjar, Mahendragarh, Palwal and Gurgaon among others.

INDIA

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

25

Vince Cable seeks to boost Pakistan again asks UN to business ties with India intervene in Jammu & Kashmir

Vince Cable with Nitin Gadkari, India's Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Shipping, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water & Sanitation ufacturing presence another three years.

The UK is looking to beyond existing UK faciliIn a speech to the strengthen business ties ties in Coventry and Essex.

Federation of Indian with India and also welThe initial investment of Chambers of Commerce comes Indian students to £23 million will lead to and Industry in Delhi, study in the UK, Dr Vince 500 new jobs by 2018.

Cable highlighted the Cable, Britain's Secretary British dental compavaluable contribution of State for Business, ny, Prima Dental, is Indian students made by Innovation and Skills said investing £10 million in studying at UK universiat Panaji in Goa. Cable India to establish a sales ties. Cable said: “From was in Goa as part of his and distribution arm in Indira Gandhi - India’s India tour to pursue the the north of the country. first woman Prime twin goals of business and Prima Asia will supply Minister - to Olympic Park education. Besides meetburs to the dental professculptor Anish Kapoor, ing Goa deputy chief minsion across India and the UK universities have proister Francis D'Souza, subcontinent. UK Tech duced some of India’s Cable met with several company, Blippar, is most eminent and talented Goan businessmen includlaunching India Blippar. graduates and I want that ing Sreenivas Dempo, Blippar is a leader in auglegacy to continue. With Victor Albuquerque, mented reality, enabling no limits on overseas stuAshok Chowgule and othconsumers to bring to life dent numbers and scholarers. images and products via ships like the GREAT Later speaking to the smartphones and wearawards, the doors were media, Cable said Britain ables and are opening open to Indian students to has a highly sophisticated their first Asia office in benefit from our worldmanufacturing sector in Delhi. class universities. advanced technology like Cable said Britain and “This is not a shortaerospace, biosciences India have long enjoyed a term offer. There was huge and automotive sector and strong, collaborative busidemand from UK employwas looking for tie-ups ness relationship - demoners for the high level skills with Indian companies. strated by the fact that we Indian graduates can offer, While Tata has huge busiwere their largest investor and students that gain ness interests in the UK, in the G20 accounting for graduate-level employGoan businessmen like around 30% of their annument can stay here after Pai Kane and Chowgule's al investment - while India completing their studies.” also had businesses there, invests more into the UK Cable announced he said. than any other country. measures to encourage Cable said that though The government’s more Indian students to Indian students were highindustrial strategy is givcome to the UK: The est in the UK, their numing business the confilargest ever number of ber has now fallen due to a dence to increase investscholarships for Indian wrong perception that ment - creating more high students through the Indian students were not skilled, long term jobs in GREAT Scholarships prowelcome in the UK any the UK. So I am pleased gramme. The 2015 intake more. The UK government that Amtek is the latest will offer 396 new scholardid tighten rules to stop Indian company to ships at 57 institutions certain abuses and also increase investment into across the UK to study a acted against illegal unithe UK, creating 500 new variety of under-graduate versities. But Indian stujobs in Kidderminster. and post-graduate courses dents are most welcome Amtek Auto has benesuch as engineering and and can stay on in the UK fited from the Jaguar Land IT. if they get jobs, he said.

Rover success story, which He also announced a There are approxithanks to Indian investtotal £33 million investmately 25,000 Indian stument has created an extra ment in projects that dents studying in the UK. 11,000 new jobs over the would bolster the UK’s Genuine students studylast 3 years. Cable also business relationship with ing in genuine institutions addressed approximately India. These include: will get their visas. There 300 students at leading Indian company Amtek is no cap on the number of technology and sciences Auto investing in a new Indian students in the UK. institute, BITS Pilani’s foundry in Kidderminster There is provision to work K.K Birla Campus in Goa to meet the growing need after study in a graduate – as well as students at its for automotive parts from level job (UK pounds Hyderabad and Delhi Jaguar Land Rover and 20,000 per annum) for campuses via video link.

Ford, and grow their manthree years, extendable to

After two days of relative quiet on the international border, Pakistan upped the diplomatic ante as it wrote to the UN for an intervention in Jammu & Kashmir.

Addressing a letter to UN secretary general Ban Kimoon, Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif's foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz said UN had an important role in the peaceful resolution of the "core" issue of J&K and that UNMOGIP, described by India as a tool of a bygone era, needed to be strengthened under the circumstances.

The UN SecretaryGeneral, meanwhile, declined to entertain Pakistan's request and said that it was for both countries to resolve the issue mutually.

While Aziz accused India of deliberate ceasefire violations and blamed it for the deteriorating LoC security situation, there was no official reaction from the Indian government with sources saying India did not have to react to all frivolous charges or demands made

by Islamabad.

India last week accused Pakistan of har-

bouring former al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden, trying to drive home its point that Islamabad was wrongly accusing India of violating the ceasefire first. Aziz recalled that Sharif had underlined the need to implement UNSC resolutions on J&K in his meeting with Ban last month and went on to blame India for cancellation of foreign secretarylevel talks.

"As you are aware, J&K is one of the long outstanding issues on the agenda of the United Nations security council, whose resolutions promising the holding of a plebiscite, under the auspices of the United Nations, for self-determination of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, remain valid though unimplemented to date. For decades, Pakistan has been reminding the United Nations and the international community to fulfil that promise, in the interest of durable peace and security in the region," Aziz said in the letter.

"Unfortunately, India has adopted a policy that runs counter to its stated

desire to engage in a serious bilateral dialogue with Pakistan. India cancelled, unilaterally and without any plausible justification, the foreign secretary-level talks that were scheduled to be held on August 25, 2014," Aziz added. He demanded that the contents of the letter be circulated as an official UNSC document.

According to Aziz, persistent shelling and firing

by Indian forces had resulted in 12 civilian casualties on the Pakistani side.

"During the period October 1-10, 2014, 20 ceasefire violations along the line of control and 22 violations along the working boundary were reported, resulting in 12 civilian casualties, 52 injured civilians and 9 injured military personnel on the Pakistani side. From June to August 2014, there were 99 ceasefire violations along the line of control and 32 along the working boundary. In all, during 2014, 174 ceasefire violations along the line of control and 60 along the working boundary have been reported," Aziz said.

a village that is close to their city. "MPs can select a village in their state...This is not a scheme about money. It is people driven and guided by people's participation, guided by the MPs," he said.

The scheme, which has been inaugurated on the birth anniversary of social reformer Jaiprakash Narayan, aims to provide access to health, education, sanitation and smart schools to the adopted villages. Recalling the great leader Jai Prakash Narayan, the Prime Minister said that he took a lot of inspiration from him. "Today is the birth anniversary of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan. His contribution is indispensi-

ble in the history of India and he inspires us to a great extent," he said.

He also stressed on the need to formulate schemes in accordance with the changing times to make them more effective. "Each government has tried to make the conditions of villages better in their own unique way. Schemes must be formulated in accordance with the changing times and the speed of change must also increase," he explained.

"There are several villages that make model villages, but not all villages are a model village which means that there is a lot more to be done beyond implementing government schemes. We are around 800 MPs, if every year we make three model villages, then by 2019 we will reach about 2,500 villages," the Prime Minister said.

He also stated that if the states can also launch such a scheme for MLAs, there will be many more model villages.

Modi launches 'Gram Yojana', asks MPs to adopt a village

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana' under which Lok Sabha MPs will choose a village panchayat from within their constituency to ensure overall development of the village.

"I have toured for over 40 years and have visited about 400 districts. I got to see more than 5,000 villages outside Gujarat and that is why I know the ground reality. I too have to select a village in Varanasi and I have received the guidelines. I will go there soon, then discuss and decide," Modi said as he launched his another ambitious mission.

Asking every MP to adopt a village and work for their development, Modi said: "Whichever party the MP belongs to, he or she has to keep working among people and spent lot of his time to get work done for the government."

For the MPs elected from cities, the prime minister urged them to look at

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INDIA

25 killed in Andhra cyclone

Continued from page 1 short supply. Residents also resorted to panic buying items such as milk, candles and kerosene in some places.

Few shops were open and schools and many offices were closed due to poor telecoms and no power for the second day in a row.

Officials in Andhra Pradesh, which reported 25 deaths, said initial surveys found that thousands of houses had been damaged and there was widespread destruction to farm crops in the districts of Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, East Godavari and Vijaynagaram.

Tens of thousands of people spent a third night in cyclone shelters due to damage to their home or a lack of food or clean drinking water in their villages, officials said.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who visited Visakhapatnam on Monday, said he was fully confident that response to the disaster would be quick. "Visakhapatnam is a place I like very much. But,

it is painful to see the city this way today," Naidu told reporters. Authorities in Visakhapatnam said 19 helicopters had been dispatched to drop food and water packets to affected villages. Four naval ships were also being readied to sail to the coast, carrying relief material for 5,000 people, and four more ships were on standby if required.

The relatively low death toll reported so far followed an operation to evacuate more than 150,000 people

to minimise the risk to lives from Hudhud - similar in size and power to cyclone Phailin that struck the area exactly a year ago.

According to India's weather office, Hudhud has weakened into a deep depression but is expected to dump heavy rains in northern and northeastern India and, eventually, snow when it reaches the Himalayan mountains.

Aid workers warned the rains were likely to inundate large tracts of farmland, comparing it to Phailin's incessant rains last year which caused major rivers and tributaries to overflow, submerging villages and stranding hundreds of thousands of people for days after the cyclone had passed.

Modi announces Rs 10 billion interim relief Prime Minister Narendra announced Rs 10 billion as an interim relief

for cyclone-hit Andhra Pradesh. He made the announcement after visiting parts of the worstaffected port city and a review meeting with Chandrababu Naidu and top officials.

Modi, who made an aerial survey of the affected areas of both north coastal Andhra and Odisha, also declared Rs 200,000 from Prime Minister's Relief Fund for families of each of those killed and Rs 50,000 to every injured. He said the cyclone caused huge losses at a time when he was planning to develop Visakhapatnam into a smart city. He, however, exuded confidence that the central and state government will work together to overcome the challenge.

Naidu had earlier sought Rs.20 billion as interim assistance and also wanted Modi to declare it a national calamity.

Nobel peace prize for Malala, Satyarthi

Continued from page 1 At a time when India and its neighbour Pakistan were again trading gunfire on the border, the symbolism of the two sharing the world's most coveted prize was not lost on anybody.

The Nobel committee said it regarded it important for a Hindu and a Muslim, an Indian and a Pakistani, to join in a common struggle for education and against extremism.

Satyarthi becomes the second Indian after Mother Teresa to get the prize, which has previously been awarded to the likes of Nelson Mandela.

Malala, who at 17 becomes the youngest Nobel laureate ever, is the first Pakistani to get the honour.

Malala dedicated the award to the “voiceless.”

“This award is for all those children who are voiceless, whose voices need to be heard,” she said. She invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif to attend the Nobel award ceremony in Stockholm in December, when she receives the prize along with Satyarthi.

The two will split the $1.11m (Rs 68 million) prize announced by the

Norwegian Nobel committee. The Nobel committee said 60-year-old Satyarthi maintained Mahatma Gandhi's tradition and headed various forms of protests and demonstrations, all peaceful, focusing on the grave exploitation of children for financial gain. “He has also contributed to the development of important international conventions on children's rights,” the committee noted.

The Nobel committee said respect for childrens' right was a prerequisite for development. “Children must go to school and not be financially exploited. In the poor countries of the world, 60% of the present population is under 25 years of age... In conflict-

ridden areas in particular, the violation of children leads to the continuation of violence from generation to generation,” the committee said.

Malala, it said, had “through her heroic struggle ... become a leading spokesperson for girls’ rights to education”. In 2009, as militants blew up schools and intimidated teachers, Malala started an anonymous blog for the BBC recounting life under Taliban rule in northwest Pakistan. She gave interviews and speeches defending girls’ education and won nationwide recognition as a defiant campaigner.

Her religion, she said, had been perverted by those who “think Islam

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

means women sitting at home in purdah or wearing burkas while men do jihad.” She was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen two years ago this month on her way home from school. She was flown to the UK for treatment, and made a remarkable recovery.

Despite fame abroad and widespread praise for the Malala Fund she established to empower girls through education, there has been a hate campaign against her in Pakistan, where she is portrayed as a stooge of the west and even, in extreme versions, as a CIA agent who faked her own shooting.

The Taliban have repeated their threats against her, which were a factor in the Nobel Committee deciding not to award the peace prize to her last year, when she was a favourite to win.

Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan’s prime minister, congratulated Malala, calling her the “pride” of his country: “Her achievement is unparalleled and unequalled. Girls and boys of the world should take the lead from her struggle and commitment,” he said in a statement.

India set to enter global nuclear club

India has completed all the requirements for membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the US told the Indian side during the discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama.

This brings India much closer to becoming part of the global nuclear system, and essential if India has to access nuclear and dual-use technologies in fields as diverse as pharmaceuticals and space. India has been negotiating for membership to NSG, MTCR, Wassenaar Arrangement and Australia Group for the past few years.

Meanwhile, the contact group on civil nuclear issues will have its first meeting within weeks, said sources. On the Indian side, it will have key officials from MEA, DAE and NPCIL, while on the US side, it will involve officials from their department of energy (DoE), and lawyers and technical experts.

Modi has reportedly let it be known that he wants an early resolution to the outstanding issues, which can speed up the growth of nuclear power.

India has believed for a while that the quest for

clean energy, a big part of Modi's agenda, is not possible without nuclear power.

The two sides will wrestle through a couple of big issues. On the US side, the administrative arrangements on the civil nuclear deal with India involves the thorny aspect of their insistence that they have the right to track nuclear fuel through the entire nuclear process.

India will not agree. But a resolution on this is imperative because on this hinges the fate of two other nuclear agreements with Japan and Australia.

On the Indian side, the effort will be to convince the US that the liability law is not a constraint.

The Indian government is in the process of drawing up a detailed list of components, specifying the amount of liability and its timespan. Its supposed to define precisely the scope of the liability law, but so far even Indian companies are not impressed.

The Narendra Modi government got a slap on the wrist from the Supreme Court which said it behaved like 'Kumbhakarna', the mythological character who loved sleeping for long periods, and 19th century story character 'Rip Van Winkle', who shirked hard work.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and R F Nariman compared the Union government to these two characters while frowning upon the ministry of environment and forests' for failing to submit a report despite grant of two months time on the biodiversity impact of 24 hydro-electric projects on Alaknanda and Bhagirathi river basins in Uttarakhand. The court had stayed work on these projects awaiting the report.

"The report should have been here. It is the fault of the Union government. You are behaving like Kumbhakarna. We are at a loss to understand why the Union government has not placed the report before us. What is your intention? So much time was granted. You are like Rip van Winkle," the bench said.

The bench said there had to be a balanced approach. "Men must live

along with the fish and other aquatic creatures in the rivers on which these hydel projects are proposed to be constructed.

And we must also generate electricity. The question is how to maintain the balance," it said.

Some of the parties, including Bharat Jhunjhunwala and counsel for NGOs Prashant Bhushan and Colin Gonsalves, said the court had constituted a 13-member expert committee to examine the impact of these hydel projects, many of which were being constructed almost 'bumper to bumper' on the rivers.

Bhushan said two members, one each from Central Water Commission and Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, had given dissenting notes but the other 11 members had given a report unanimously faulting the mindless planning of hydel projects on rivers, endangering the environment and aquaculture.

Appearing for NTPC, senior advocate A M Singhvi said the public sector undertaking's Rs 15.27 billion Lata-Tapovan project was held up despite securing every clearance, both environmental and forest, because of the court's stay order.

SC calls Centre 'Kumbhakarna'

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HEALTH WATCH

Sushma’s Health & Beauty Blog

Muscle cramps and remedies

W

e use our muscles through out the day.

It is as important as breathing, but when your rhythm of breathing changes so do your bodily functions.

Similarly when your muscle contracts involuntarily, without warning, it causes cramps or spasms. These spasms can involuntarily contract a muscle or groups of muscles. A muscle cramp may last for anything from a few seconds to a few minutes.

Which muscles are affected by muscle cramps?

There are two kinds of muscles - the ones that you can control like those in the arms and legs that you can use when lifting, moving, bending etc, and the ones that you can't control.

The second kind of muscle falls under the involuntary muscles category. Your involuntary muscles (the heart being one of them) can also face spasms and cramps but the causes and results are extremely different from routine muscle cramps of limbs.

Cause of Muscle Cramps: Parents complain that their children are disconnected; this is exactly what happens with your muscles. Like excited hyperactive children, your nerve excites your muscles resulting in spasms.

Secondly, lack of calcium,

potassium and magnesium can stimulate muscle cramps. Dehydration can also result in muscle cramps. Injury to the nerve or muscle strokes can lead to muscle spasms.

Poor circulation to your muscles ignites muscle cramps, you may have experienced it after sitting crossed legged for extended time durations.

Can medication cause muscle cramps?

Yes, certain medicines can cause muscle spasms.

Certain medication used to treat Alzheimer's, osteoporosis, Parkinson's, high blood pressure and medicines to lower cholesterol can cause muscle cramps.

But these side effects are not common to all drug users; it will vary from person to person. Consult your doctor if you want to discontinue your medicines.

How to treat muscle cramps: Relax the muscle; apply heat on the muscle; slowly stretch the muscle; massaging works well; have calcium, potassium and magnesium supplements, if you lack these minerals. Drink water.

Have an electrolyte drink; try walking or standing up How to prevent muscle cramps?

• Stretching, warm up exercises and post workout exercises can help pre-

vent muscle cramps.

• If you are going to undertake strenuous activity, hydrate yourself.

• Electrolytes are the key especially when you perspire excessively.

Nocturnal cramps in elderly: With age, blood circulation slows down while you are asleep. This can cause cramps and disturb your sleep. Inactivity and lack of exercise are to be blamed too. But nocturnal cramps can also strike anyone; if you are seated at your chair for long hours or standing in one position for a long time, you may suffer from nocturnal cramps too. Even the wrong chair for you can result in spasms.

Leg cramps during pregnancy: Leg cramps start during the second trimester and as the baby develops in the womb. It is not clear why pregnant women experience cramps, but it may be linked to carrying excess weight. Consult your doctor if you want to follow certain exercise; exercise can help prevent muscle cramps. Water and a good massage can help prevent muscle cramps too. But beware of getting massaged by a non-qualified therapist. Wrong massage technique can cause worse problems than muscle cramps.

better at predicting mortality than a diagnosis of heart failure, cancer or lung disease. Only severe liver damage was a more powerful predictor of death. For those already at high risk, lacking a sense of smell more than doubled the probability of death.

Study's lead author Jayant M Pinto, MD, an associate professor of surgery at the University of Chicago, said that they think loss of the sense of smell is like the canary in the coal mine. It doesn't directly cause death, but it's a harbinger, an early warning that something has gone badly wrong, that damage has been done. Their findings could provide a useful clinical test, a quick and inexpensive way to identify patients most at risk.

iabetes isn't known as a silent killer just for kicks. The growing number of people falling prey to this metabolic disease has raised quite an alarm worldwide.

Being overweight, leading a sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise and consumption of high calorie, sugary and fatty foods are the reasons that give rise to this lifestyle ailment. Here's a list of foods that help in preventing diabetes.

Turmeric: Studies claim that curcumin, a compound found in turmeric may help delay if not prevent diabetes.

More research is needed to determine the longterm effects of turmeric.

However, early result show promise.

Strawberries: Strawberries look and taste delicious. So there's no reason why you should not eat them regularly.

Scientists are of the opinion that consuming strawberries helps activate a protein in the body which reduces LDL cholesterol and blood lipids.

Both these things play a factor in the development

of diabetes. Also, scientists who conducted experiments on mice found that consuming strawberries is beneficial in lowering blood glucose levels.

Cheese and yogurt: By this we mean low-fat cheese and yogurt.

Experts believe that the healthy bacteria found in these fermented dairy products are responsible for this healthy beneficial side-effect.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon has numerous health benefits. It helps in lowering fasting blood glucose.

Also, it is known to lower triglyceride levels, LDL cholesterol and improve insulin sensitivity too.

Sprinkle some powdered cinnamon in your coffee or toast.

Apples: Anthocyanin, a compound found in abundance in apples, helps in regulating blood sugar levels.

Spinach: Spinach is rich in many nutrients which makes it so healthy. A British study showed that consuming spinach daily cuts down the risk of diabetes by 14%.

Smell loss can predict death within 5 years

A

new study has revealed that decreased ability to identify odours can predict death within five years.

According to the study, 39% of respondents, who failed a simple smelling test, died during that period, compared to 19% of those with moderate smell loss and just 10% of those with a healthy sense of smell. The hazards of smell loss were "strikingly robust," the researchers note, above and beyond most chronic diseases.

Olfactory dysfunction was

To Our Readers

We are publishing these items in good faith, kindly consult your Doctor before you try to implement it. We do not hold any responsibility for its efficacy...

Eat these products to prevent diabetes D

Colourful Diwali!

So it seemed as if everyone had descended onto Trafalgar Square to celebrate Diwali. God was on our side, the day was sunny and bright. There was excitement everywhere as the stall holders were busy preparing for the visitors who would soon descend on to Trafalgar square.The whole square was a riot of colour, culture and tradiSushma Bhanot tion.

Indian High Pharmacist, Ayurvedic and Commissioner Mr Ranjan Homeopathic Consultant, Mathai along with an array Lecturer and Author. Heads Research and Development of invited guests inaugurated the festival. London at Coolherbals Mayor Boris Johnson conveyed his Diwali wishes through a video message.

Programme kick-started with an invocation to Lord Ganesha. Special part of this year’s Diwali is the Ram Yatra in which about 50 children participated. It signified a victory parade of Lord Rama, Sita, Lakshmana along with Hanuman.

The giving away of saris to the multicultural event was magical, with many leaving with a beautiful sari in their hands.

The calibre of the variety show acts was breathtaking.

The festival kicked off with Garba followed by the best Bollywood dancers in the country. The calibre of the classical dances was just breathtaking. The arti and coloured light show at 8 o’clock was moving. All in all it was an amazing event. Even the rain that fell after 6pm did not dampen the atmosphere at all.

Coolherbals were proud to be sponsoring the Well being Zone for this year’s Diwali on the Square, along with others. You could have had a Diabetes check and the Stroke Association were there offering help and advice.

The Coolherbals team were working flat out offering free Ayurvedic head massages, free Chin Firming treatment and a goody bag with ASIAN VOICE newspaper and a £5 GIFT VOUCHER from Coolherbals.

We are also offering all our readers a free invitation to one of our very popular Hair Loss/Hair Thinning Road Shows. This will show tell you possible causes for your hair problems and natural solutions. Ravi Bhanot, author of Hair Today Hair Tomorrow will be there to answer all your questions. Please post coupon below, email or phone to reserve your place.

Seats are limited.

Coolherbals showcased one of their new innovative treatments at this year’s Diwali Festival 2014. The Coolherbals Ayurvedically based Chin Firming or Double Chin Treatment was offered free to all visitors to the Coolherbals stand. This involved application of a marine paste, then a hydrocolloid chin support containing a special blend of invigorating essential oils to help the firming effect , was placed over the chin and left for 20 minutes. The treatment was finished off with a massage with the Chin Firming Serum. The treatment was a smash hit which saw a queue all day.

Results showed 98% found their chin felt softer and smoother, and almost 50% found their chin area felt tighter. We are offering this for just £20 for 1 month treatment pack. Gabrielle Lides said ’The treatment made my chin feel smooth and firm after only having the treatment for several minutes’.

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Catherine Tresa explores Asin plans comeback to S Indian films? her potential R

umour has it that “Ghajini” actress is all set to return to South Indian cinema soon. Last two years have been relatively quiet for Kerala hottie Asin Thottumkal. The actor who is one of the very few South Indian heroines who had successfully completed the transition from Kollywood to Bollywood, seems to be out of work in B-town. The only film which the bubbly beauty has in her kitty is Abhishek Bachchan’s “All Is Well.”

A little birdie tells us that Asin is planning to move back her focus to films down South. The diva’s recent tweet suggests that the actress might be returning to Tamil and Malayalam films soon. On

a social networking site, Asin wrote ,”Exclusive:There is a good news for all Asin south fans..!!! We would announce it when the right time comes.” Asin’s last film down south was Vijay‘s “Kavalan” in 2011. Rumours are rife that the actress might have faced a ban from Kollywood after her trip to Sri Lanka, when all the Tamil actors were requested to boycott the island nation after the civil war. The talented actress has not got many offers from South in past years, but that seems to be changing as Asin is suddenly showing a keen interest in Kollywood. As fans rejoice the comeback of Asin after exile, we would have to wait and watch when the diva discloses the details of her next project.

5 popular Tamil actors to work together in a film

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opular Tamil film actors like Vishal Krishna Reddy, Arya, Karthi, Jiiva and Jeyam Ravi will join hands to work in a yet-untitled Tamil film free of cost. The profits earned through the film will be invested in the construction of a new building for South Indian Film Artistes Association (SIFAA) aka Nadigar Sangam.

SIFAA was supposed to get a new building a few years back, but the

'Sonali Cable'

“Sonali Cable” is directed by Charudutt Acharya and produced by Ramesh Sippy and Rohan Sippy. The script, penned by Acharya himself, was one of the eight scripts selected for Mumbai MantraSundance Institute Screenwriters Lab 2012, chosen through an evaluation process of submissions from around the world, including the United States and France. Newcomer, Rhea Chakraborty, has been roped in to play a pivotal role.

Ali Fazal is paired opposite Rhea while Raghav Juyal makes his acting debut with this film. Set in the cable internet turf war of Mumbai, the film is the story of a ghetto girl and her ‘internet boys’, who take on a greedy conglomerate that’s out to decimate their spirit of enterprise.

'Mumbai 125 KM'

“Mumbai 125 KM” is a horror film directed by Hemant Madhukar and starring Karanvir Bohra, Veena Malik,

Vedita Pratap Singh, Joey Debroy, Vije Bhatia. Mani Sharma has composed the music. The film is shot entirely on Stereoscopic 3D cameras and will be released in 2D and 3D formats.

S

Madras High Court stayed the construction after receiving complaints that the association's premises was being lent out to a multiplex.

"All of us felt that the Nadigar Sangam needed a permanent building. We recently discussed this idea in the general body meeting of the association," Vishal said.

The director for the film is yet to be finalised. Vishal, who is currently shooting for Sundar C-directed Tamil action "Aambala", is gearing up for his Diwali release.

Kashmiri Pandits seek ban on film 'Haider'

T

aking exception to the alleged misrepresentaof tion ancient Sun in Temple Kashmir in Vishal Bharadwaj’s movie ‘Haider‘, a committee of displaced Kashmiri Pandits has sought a ban on the film. “The song ‘Bismil’ has portrayed the ancient Martand Temple (Sun Temple) of Kashmir as the den of devil. The portrayal of our religious symbol in bad light has not only hurt the religious sentiments of the Kashmir Pandit community, but also the sentiments of Hindus all over the world,” Vinod Pandit, chairman of the All Parties Migrants Co-ordination committee (APMCC) said. The committee held a protest against the film and its producers and burnt the film’s poster which included photographs of its director Vishal Bhardwaj, Central Board of Film and (CBFC) Certification Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

outhern actor Catherine Tresa, who will be seen in three varied roles in her upcoming films in Tamil as well as Telugu, says she’s exploring her potential as an artist with such diverse roles.

While she plays Princess Anambika in Telugu-Tamil period flick “Rudhramadevi,” she will also be seen in two different roles in her Tamil films “Madras” and “Kanithan.” “I’m extremely happy to be doing different projects, taking up diverse roles that allow me to explore my own potential as an actress. These films have given me the opportunity to push my own limits as an artist and set new benchmarks,” Catherine said.

Although she remains tightlipped about her roles in these films, she heaps praise on her Madras co-star Karthi. “I thoroughly enjoyed working with him.

He’s truly a fantastic actor and is extremely dedicated. I feel I have grown better as an artist working with Karthi,” she added.

Catherine says that 60 per cent of shooting for “Kanithan” has been completed and the team is likely to go abroad to shoot the songs. The film features Atharva Murali in the lead.

Jennifer Winget to romance filmmaker Kunal Kohli

F

ilm director Kunal Kohli will turn with actor “Phir Se,” a in set film London, which he will also helm. He has roped in popular TV actress Jennifer Winget as his leading lady. According to a source, Jennifer plays an independent, headstrong girl who moves from Amritsar to London to start her life from scratch after an ugly divorce. In London, she meets Kunal's character, also a divorcee.

The sources added that the film deals with the complexities of a new romance and a second attempt at a happily ever after.

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SRK, Salman, Saif to play double roles in their upcoming films

B

ack in the ’60s, double roles were a novelty. The formula became a hit in the ’70s and ’80s, with Amitabh Bachchan doing several of them in films like “Don,” “Geraftaar” and “Akhree Raasta,” among others. The ’90s naturally saw the Khans, Salman and Shah Rukh do “Judwaa” and “Duplicate” respectively. However, the 2000s saw a slowdown.

There were a few double roles now and then, but it’s only since mid-2012 that the formula has made a comeback with films like Abhishek Bachchan’s “Bol

Bachchan,” Arjun Kapoor’s “Aurangzeb,” Akshay Kumar's “Rowdy Rathore” and Aamir Khan’s “Dhoom 3.”

And now again it’s SRK, Salman and Saif Ali Khan, who are trying to make double roles the ‘in’ thing with their upcoming films. Salman has played a double role only once in his 25-year-old career.

It was 17 years ago in “Judwaa.” Now he is all set to star in not one but two back-to-back double roles at around the same time. Yes, the Dabangg Khan will promise the fun with his double avatar in Sooraj Barjatya’s “Prem Ratan Dhan Payo” and Annes Bazmee’s “No Entry Mein Entry.”

The last time we saw Shah Rukh play a double role was in “Duplicate.”

But like Salman, the King Khan is ensuring that his fans have twice the dhamaal with his upcoming film, “Fan,” which is being directed by Maneesh Sharma and produced

by Aditya Chopra.

Similarly, Saif will soon be seen as a flamboyant Hollywood writer named Yudi and also a failed philosophical rock star named Yogi in his upcoming film, “Happy Ending.”

Katrina not choosy, calculative about script

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atrina Kaif says that she neither thinks about the cast nor script while signing a film and adds that her decision is influenced by her thought process at that particular moment. "I don't calculate and choose scripts. At that moment of saying yes, I would have something in my mind that this is what I want to do," she said.

"When I signed Dhoom

Deepika floored by her ‘oldest’ fan A

Ranbir undergoes minor surgery

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ctor Ranbir Kapoor was discharged from a hospital in Mumbai following a minor surgery, said a source. According to a report, he was being treated for adenoid tonsil. Ranbir, who turned 32 on September 28, was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital. Apparently, because of the adenoid, Ranbir had to sometimes sleep with his mouth open, to facilitate breathing. Ranbir is currently shooting for ‘Roy’ along with Jacqueline Fernandez and Arjun Kapoor.

ctress Deepika Padukone was left impressed by a group of senior citizens’ wit and charm during a TV show.

Zee TV’s multi-city tour in search of happy souls who dance direct dil se - on “Dil Se Naachein Indiawaale” - recently started with a round of Mumbai auditions that witnessed spirited performances from contestants across all age groups and diverse backgrounds.

Amongst many dance enthusiasts, The Bold & The Beautiful - a group of eight senior citizens from a laughter club left the show’s panellists surprised with their dance. While they received a standing ovation from all the celebrity panellists and live audience, one of the senior most members of the group – Vinod, floored Deepika as he revealed that it has been his wish to dance with the actress since his “childhood.” He said: “Meri umar hai pachpan, par mujh mein abhi bhi hai bachpan” (My age is 55, but I am a child at heart).

Deepika agreed to dance with him and said that it was an honour for her to perform with him. She was blown away by Vinod’s energy levels when they shook a leg together on one of Deepika’s favourite songs “Balam pichkari”.

Karan Johar to produce biopic on Dhyan Chand!

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and ilmmaker producer Karan Johar is all set to produce a biopic on the life of Hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.

The film will be coproduced by Pooja and Arti Shetty. confirmed Johar about the same on a micro-blogging site.

"My friends Pooja...Aarti Shetty and I are honoured and proud to have the rights to tell the story of the legendary sportsman #DHYANCHAND," confirmed KJo. While no further details about the film have been revealed, it would be interesting to see which actor would be roped in to play Major Dhyan Chand. Well going with the trend, we hope this film creates the same impact as the likes of “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag,” “Mary Kom,” “Chak De India!”

Priyanka may act in Kiran Bedi biopic

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riyanka Chopra who has been winning accolades for her portrayal of boxing Mary champion Kom has now been approached to play another real-life achiever. If the actor gives the may she nod, reprise the role of retired police officer Kiran Bedi who was India’s first and highest ranking police officer and served in various capacities as New Delhi traffic postings, Deputy Inspector General of Police in Mizoram, Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau besides others. The news that the actress has been approached was confirmed by her spokesperson. Director Soham Shah (who made “Luck” in 2009, and “Kaal” in 2005) will reportedly helm the project.

3, I was sitting in my car. I was listening to a song and I thought I want to do something different with the songs I am doing and that I want to dance and that film (Dhoom 3) seemed to be the best space to do it in," added the actress whose latest film is “Bang Bang!”

In fact, in her last few releases she was seen with Bollywood's top notch Khans - Aamir was her costar in “Dhoom 3”, Shah Rukh in “Jab Tak Hai Jaan” and Salman in “Ek Tha Tiger.” When asked whether she was working with superstars by choice or design, she said the cast depends upon the script.

"I don't think anyone approaches me with a (predecided) cast. Out of my last five films, I was on board of two even before the male actors were signed on. If it's a good script, by default you would get a well known actor or big star."

"In terms of who comes with which actor, I don't see it that way. One of my next films is 'Fitoor' by Abhishek Kapoor. When he signed me on, there was no actor on board. Later they roped in Aditya Roy Kapur. That time I had not seen 'Aashiqui 2,' but I didn't question the director. That is his decision, his vision and I go by that. When I did 'New York,' Neil Nitin Mukesh was one-film-old. When I worked with Imran Khan and Ali Zafar (in 'Mere Brother Ki Dulhan'), they were new.

I have worked with new people as well," she added.

Ranveer has a new nick name for Parineeti

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hile a lot of p e o p l e a r o u n d Parineeti Chopra call Pari, her Ranveer Singh who will be seen romancing the actress “Kill in Dil” calls her with a different name now.

Not many people know that Ranveer calls Parineeti, Sweeta, but much to her irritation. It is for the second time that the two actors will be seen sharing screen space together. Both Ranveer and Parineeti are jovial and full of life. They share a very good rapport and had a great time shooting for the film. As co-stars they constantly keep pulling each other's leg and Ranveer calls her Sweeta, even today.

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UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20 An inspiring boost to matters of communication but make sure your curiosity on a range of topics does not lead to a scattering of mental energy. With a surge of energy and enthusiasm, this is a favourable time to make fresh starts. Personal relationships may be more intense.

Don’t forget that British Summer Time finishes on Saturday 25th October. So all clocks need to go back an hour on Sunday 26 October at 2am as the country reverts to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Although all kinds of opportunities are coming your way, there are many obstacles between you and the fulfilment of any of these. As you clear your path you will get closer to achieving your dreams.

Relationships and romance are both under scrutiny by the presence of Saturn in your 7th house.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21

MP Seema Malhotra pictured taking part in the aarti and garba during the Navratri festival held in Hounslow.

Photo credit: Raj D Bakrania, Prmediapix

Bollywood icon SRK given Foxes shirt

World-famous Bollywood Star Shah Rukh Khan was presented with a Leicester City Football Shirt by Keith Vaz MP on Saturday when he dropped into

Coming Events

l 19th October, 2014, Shree 108 Hanuman Chalisa 2014, 11am-5pm, Social Club Hall, Northwick Park Hospital, Watford Road, Harrow, HA1 3UJ, Sponsored by: Sanjaybhai and Artiben Vaswani.

Contact: 020 8459 5758/ 07973 550310 l Diwali Milan on Saturday 25th October 6.30pm to 11pm, At Compton School , Summers Lane North Finchley, London N12 0QG. Contact: Jay Inamdar jay.inamdar@outlook.com l Diwali with veg dinner and entertainment, saturday 18 October, 6pm at Archbishop Lanfranc School in Croydon.

Contact: Nabhinandan Das 020545 318772 l Diwali and New Year celebrations, Tuesday 21 October- 24 October. Shree Jalaram Mandir, Greenford, UB6 9LB. Contact: 020 8578 8088 l Lions Club of Golders Green presents dance, Mimicry, Play and much more, by Samarthan Sunadha on Sunday 26 October, Dhamecha Lohana Centre, HA2 8AX, 1:30-5:30pm.

Contact: Monika: 0208 204 2228 l Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 4a Castletown Road, West Kensington, London W14, 31 October 7pmShivam theatre presents Gujarati comedy: Chodna haathma chavi l Shri Venkataswara Temple, Oldbury, presents Diwali, 26 October, 3:30-6pm.

Contact: 01215444417 l Winter Festival of Lights (Diwali), Saturday 18 October, 1-8pm, Northampton Town Centre, NN1 2DN, Contact: 07791 618450 l Shri Sanatan Hindu Mandir, Diwali, Tuesday 21 October-Monday 3 November 12:30pm, Ealing Road. Contact: 020 8795 1051 l Fore works display at the Apple Tree Centre, Sanatan Mandir, Crawley RH11 0AF on Diwali, 23 October, 7:30pm, Dilip Limbachia: 07808 932858* Editor: CB Patel Associate Editor: Rupanjana Dutta Tel: 020 7749 4098 - Email: rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com Senior News Editor: Dhiren Katwa Freelance Correspondent: Rudy Otter Chief Operating Officer: Liji George Tel: 020 7749 4013 Email: george@abplgroup.com Chief Accountant: Akshay Desai Tel: 020 7749 4087 Email:accounts@abplgroup.com Advertising Manager: Kishor Parmar Tel: 020 7749 4095 - Mobile: 07875 229 088 Email: kishor.parmar@abplgroup.com Business Development Managers: Rovin J George - Email: rovin.george@abplgroup.com Tel: 020 7749 4097 - Mobile: 07875 229 219 Urja Patel - Email: urja.patel@abplgroup.com Graphic Designers: Harish Dahya & Ajay Kumar Tel: 020 7749 4086 Email: graphics@abplgroup.com Customer Service: Ragini Nayak Tel: 020 7749 4080 - Email: support@abplgroup.com (BPO) AB Publication (India) Pvt. Ltd. 207 Shalibhadra Complex, Opp. Jain Derasar, Nr. Nehru Nagar Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad.

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London to visit Parliament, receive the Global Diversity Award 2014 and headline the sell-out SLAM tour at the famous London O2 arena. Keith Vaz MP who hosted his visit to Parliament said: “Shah Rukh Khan is one of those rare individuals who is loved by millions wherever he goes. He was delighted to receive the

Do not kid yourself that emotional problems can always be solved by material means. This only covers the cracks and does nobody any good in the end. Be prepared to confront the issues. If love has left you feeling rather dejected or cynical, it looks as though soon events will pull you out of this mood of despondency.

GEMINI May 22 - June 22

It is certainly going to be a fortunate time for those in established relationships. The keynote is emotional enrichment through close interaction with a loved one. Facets of your life that have been a source of restriction and dissatisfaction will begin to loosen their hold.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22

shirt and congratulated Leicester City F.C. on their recent successes.”

Celebrate your Diwali with our SPECIAL magazine

Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar are proud to publish regular issues of the newspaper till 18th October 2014- a package of news and other features, that you love to read.

For the 25th October issue, in place of your regular newspaper, you will receive an EXCLUSIVE copy of our DIWALI magazine, absolutely FREE of cost for you, dear subscribers.

The regular issue of the paper will resume from 2 November.

Our offices will remain closed from Monday 20- Sunday 26 October 2014.

We wish you a very Happy Diwali and a Prosperous New Year!

You will have plenty of energy and drive to improve your status and at the same time achieve financial prosperity - you must make good use of the energy that is flowing, by channelling it positively! Creativity, romance and leisure all receive a tonic.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23

Disruptions in your home bring a new outlook with a search for security. There will be opportunities through partnerships. It is time to team up with others with the same desires and goals. It is time to take your plans to the next level with focus and planning.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

This is almost certain to be an eventful time for affairs of the heart. The transit of Venus through your sign augurs well for those hoping to meet the right partner. A party that you attend allows you to connect with interesting new people, one of whom may be interested in you as a romantic partner.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22

Sun's transit of your 12th Solar House indicates that experience will put you in a deeply reflective mood. This is a favourable time for getting away from usual routines and seeking a retreat for a few days. Meditation, yoga and therapies will help you to get in closer touch with your inner self.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

Urvashi Jagadeesan (India) Mumbai: Kanti Bhatt, Hemraj Shah (Jumbo Advertiser) Horizon Advertising & Marketing: 2012, Shalibhadra Complex, Opp. Jain Derasar, Nr. Nehru Nagar Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad. Tel +91 79 2646 5960 Email: horizon.marketing@abplgroup.com Business Manager: Hardik Shah (M) +91 99250 42936 Email: hardik.shah@abplgroup.com Advertising Manager: Neeta Patel (Vadodara) M: +91 98255 11702 Email: neeta_abplgroup@yahoo.co.in Business Co-ordinator: Shrijit Rajan M: +91 98798 82312 Email: shrijit.rajan@abplgroup.com International Advertisement Representative: Jain Group (South India) Tel: +91 44 42041122/3/4 Fax: +91 44 25362973 Mumbai: +91 022 2471 4122 Email: jain@jaingroup.net Delhi Office: Tel: +91 9311581597

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The fiery planet Mars, continues to occupy your sign. Its influence will help you to maintain a high energy level and achieve positive results in anything that requires drive and initiative. However, you will need to focus on what is most important in your life, otherwise mistakes will be made.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

The prevailing cosmic pattern packs a powerful punch early this week. Having such potent energies, make you feel positive and confident in whatever you do. This is not the time to hold back or underestimate your potential if you wish to further an important aim.

You are endowed with a level of determination that others sometimes find formidable. Once you set your mind on a goal you stay the course no matter what obstacles you encounter. Saturn's placement in your Solar 10th house often denotes a phase of restriction, sometimes frustration, in one's life.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20

Don't be afraid to act forcefully if your instinct tells you it's time for change. If you know your ground and are not afraid to stick your neck out, you can create your own opportunities. Besides spending time on domestic affairs, the focus can be on cultivating and nourishing your inner foundations, so to speak.

SPORT WORLD

Mohammed Shami shines in India's 2nd ODI victory over West Indies

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

India relied on their bowlers to stage a remarkable recovery scripting a comfortable 48-run win in the second cricket Oneday international against the West Indies to level the five-match series 1-1, at Ferozshah Kotla in New Delhi on Saturday.

Chasing a 264-run target, West Indies were cruising at one stage as they were 170 for two in the 36th over before their innings fell apart on a sluggish Kotla track.

India defended the total despite West Indies' early domination as opener Dwayne Smith hit a career-best 97. However, once Smith was dismissed Indian bowlers called the shots, causing a batting collapse. From a comfortable 170 for two, the Caribbean side lost their last eight wickets for just 45 runs to be all out for 215 in 46.3 overs.

Mohammed Shami (4/36) recorded his careerbest figures while allrounder Ravindra Jadeja (3/44) and leg-spinner Amit Mishra (2/40) snared five wickets between them as the inept technique of the Caribbeans against spinning deliveries was exposed thoroughly.

Electing to bat, India

had posted a competitive 263 for seven as Suresh Raina hit a sparkling 62 while Virat Kohli (62) returned to form with his first half-century in eight months.

Raina carried his splendid T20 form into the match and Kohli regained his lost touch partly at his home ground as the two batsmen added 105 runs for the fourth wicket after a sedate start by India.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni contributed in India’s total with his unbeaten 51 off 40 balls while Ambati Rayudu scored 32, batting at number three, a place where Kohli usually bats.

In his trademark style,

Dhoni hit a six and a four off paceman Jerome Taylor to complete his 56th halfcentury in the last over of the innings.

West Indies opener Smith missed out on his maiden ODI century by just three runs and his dismissal in the 36th over changed the complexion of the match.

The 3rd ODI at Visakhapatnam was abandoned due to the cyclonic storm there.

India humiliated in Kochi ODI India suffered a batting collapse losing five wickets for 63 runs as West Indies, riding an unbeaten century from Marlon Samuels, started the five-

match series with a massive 124 runs win in the first ODI at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi last week.

Marlon Samuels struck a superb unbeaten century to fire the West Indies to an impressive 321 for six in 50 overs.

Chasing a stiff target, India made a good start with openers Ajinkya Rahane (28) and Shikhar Dhawan (68) adding 49 runs for the first wicket.

Rahane was run out after a poor call that saw both the openers ending up at the same end and soon India were reduced to 83 for four. Dhawan, however, kept scoreboard moving and hit nine fours in his 92 balls knock but he saw wickets falling a regular intervals at the other end.

The Delhi batsman fell in the 29th over triggering a batting collapse as India lost last five wickets for 63 runs.

Ravindra Jadeja played a lone hand and remained unbeaten on 33 from 36 balls.

Samuels picked up two wickets with his off-spin and was adjudged as Man of the Match. Pacers Ravi Rampaul and Dwayne Bravo also picked up two wickets each.

Early, Samuels struck a crafty

126 not out off 116 deliveries, his sixth ODI hundred, as West Indies batsmen plundered the Indian bowling after being put in by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Samuels' 116-ball innings was studded with 11 fours and four sixes.

Denesh Ramdin also made 61 while Dwayne Smith scored 46.

Recalled for the series against India after being dropped for the recent tour to Bangladesh, Samuels scored freely and posted 165 for the fourth wicket with Ramdin, who struck five fours and two sixes in his 59 ball innings.

West Indies started the innings with skipper Bravo (17) promoting himself up the order to open with Smith. But the move failed as the allrounder was dismissed in the 8th over with 34 runs on board after scoring just 17 runs.

However, Smith and stylish left-hander Darren Bravo (28) added 64 for the second wicket to give the West Indies a stable start. Smith struck four fours and two sixes during his 45-ball stay but both the batsmen fell in quick succession to leave the West Indies at 120 for three in the 23rd over.

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Glittering start to Indian football league

The Indian football's new avatar - Indian Super League announced its arrival with a bang on Sunday!

With its exciting freshness and a never-seenbefore razzmatazz, the mass entertainment of Bollywood and football descended on the illuminated Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.

A restive crowd of 70,000 swayed to Bollywood beats in presence of top football stars from across the globe, corporate czars, politicians, filmstars and a host of other luminaries from different walks of life. And if the opening ceremony was anything to go by, the new league and perhaps through it Indian football, scaled new, noisy and neverbefore heights. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee started the proceedings. And it was left for Nita Ambani, chairperson of the ISL, to strike the right chord when she officially opened it before the world.

Speaking in Bengali, she said: “Ami Indian Super League-er shubho suchona korchi... Let the ISL be opened.“ The stadium, filled to capacity, accepted it with a thunderous roar.

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 18th October 2014

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