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VOL 44. ISSUE 12

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

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25th July to 31st July 2015

All that glitters: market hits 5 year low

Reshma Trilochun

Prime Minister, David Cameron has finally woken up. He announced his 5-year plan to tackle extremism in the UK, at Ninestiles School, in Birmingham.

In his landmark speech, David Cameron addressed the failure of integration by many UK citizens who although were born and brought up in Britain, somehow do not feel that they can identify with this country, and are “hostile to basic liberal values.”

The Prime Minister has specifically focussed on those Muslims who are quick to defend and blame other sectors of the community, such as blaming the Jews for exercising malicious and vindictive power; or the ideology that the 9/11 attack in the US were inspired by an Israeli intelligence agency, or suggesting how Britain had allowed the 7/7 attacks ten years back as they wanted an anti-Muslim backlash.

Cameron stated, “When you look in detail at the backgrounds of those convicted of terrorist offences, it is clear that many of them were first influenced by what some would call non-violent extremists. It may begin with hearing about the so-called Jewish conspiracy and then develop into hostility to the West and fundamental liberal values, before finally

Gold prices worldwide have slumped for the sixth consecutive session, sliding into a five year low as data showed China's gold reserves

lower than what the market expected. The metal is down more than 40 per cent from its 2011 figures.

Continued on page 26

Big B tangled in DD Kisan campaign controversy David Cameron met students at Ninestiles School, Birmingham, prior to his speech

becoming a cultish attachment to death.”

To clarify his stance, he asserted that he was not targeting or attacking a particular group or religion; he aims to combat extremism. He said, “As we debate these issues, neither should we demonise people of particular backgrounds. Every one of the communities that has come to call our country home has made Britain a better place. And because the focus of my remarks today is on

tackling Islamist extremism – not Islam the religion – let me say this.”

The Prime Minister underlined how it was important to pinpoint the reasons behind someone joining extremist groups and how one gets radicalised. He also stressed how the causes of these groups should be deglamourised and people, especially the youth, ought to know the barbarities that these extremist groups represent.

Continued on page 16

Fuelling the issue over Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan charging Rs 6.31 crore to promote Doordarshan

Kisan channel, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has issued a probe into Continued on page 26

2

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Andrew JM Boulton,

Professor Boulton is a graduate of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and subsequently trained in Sheffield, and Miami prior to accepting an appointment at Manchester University. He has authored more than 450 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters, mainly on diabetic lower limb and renal complications. Among his many awards, he has received the ADA’s Roger Pecoraro Lectureship, the EASD Camillo Golgi prize and was the first recipient of the international award on diabetic foot research. He was the 2008 winner of the ADA’s Harold Rifkin award for distinguished international service in diabetes. Most recently he received the 2012 Georgetown distinguished achievement award in diabetic limb salvage.

He is a previous editor of Diabetic Medicine and is currently an associate editor of Diabetes Care. He was the founding Chairman of the Diabetic Foot Study Group and was previously Chairman of Postgraduate Education and then Hon. Secretary/ programme chair for the EASD. He is currently President of the EASD. 1) What is your current position?

I am currently a Professor of Medicine (Diabetes) at the University of Manchester and a Consultant Physician at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK. I am also a Visiting Professor of Medicine (Diabetes) at the University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA and am also President of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD).

2)What are your proudest achievements?

My graduation with honours from Medical School!

Thereafter, my best move was probably entering the field of diabetes which offers so many challenges to the research clinician. Naturally I was proud to receive the first International Award for Research in the

Diabetic Foot in 1995, the Golgi prize and lectureship of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in 2003, and the Harold Rifkin Award of the American Diabetes Association for distinguished international contributions in the field of diabetes.

3) What inspires you?

The facts that I have learnt from patients with diabetes over the last 35 years.

Listening to patients’ comments about complications of diabetes has resulted in many ideas for research projects, many of which have in the long-term helped us better understand the pathways that lead to the complications, and thereby help us in a better way to prevent them.

MB, BS (Hons), MD, DSc (hon), FACP, FICP, FRCP

obstacle in your career?

I fear that the increasing burden of administration in the NHS is having an adverse effect on the willingness and ability to perform clinical research. I never thought, having worked in the United States, that I would see the day when the forms to obtain ethical permission for a simple study are more complex now in the UK than they are in the USA 5) Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?

As a young junior doctor working at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield in the late 1970s, I was considering a career in Primary Care (general practice). It was Professor John Ward, later my mentor, who persuaded me to go into clinical research in diabetes and I have come to realise that “knowing diabetes is knowing

Youngsters are ditching owning cars

Many elderly people have been retaining their licences, while on the other hand, many youngsters are no longer lured by the concept of having a car.

According to a new study, young people were avoiding owning a car due to the rising cost of insurance. There are also taxisharing apps, internet shopping and better public transport that does not make them feel the need to own a car.

Elderly drivers have kept onto their licences and cars in order to “preserve their independence.”

The results showed that the number of 17 to 20-year-olds with a driving licence had decreased

4) What has been the biggest

in the last 20 years.

In 2013, 31% held a licence, compared with almost half in 1992.

The number of driving licence holders among people over 70 had increased from 33% to 62%. The statistics in the mid1970s was 15%.

The commission's study said, “The research demonstrates that young people are 'falling out of love' with the car, and place greater weight on alternative consumer products, while older people see the car as an important part of their lifestyle.”

The researchers also

Source: Gov.uk

found that pensioners in the urban areas often owned a car, however, they were much likely to travel by public transports to use their free bus passes and senior rail discounts.

medicine”.

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

I do believe that the ability to combine leading a large multinational diabetes association such as the EASD with caring for patients whom I have known for many years at the Manchester Royal Infirmary and the Manchester Diabetes Centre is a delightful combination. Moreover, my work in the clinical aspects of diabetic complications particularly pertaining to the lower limb and the kidneys, has enabled me to perform collaborative research with many excellent Centres across the world, and to visit many of these lecturing and doing hands-on clinical teaching in both developed and developing countries.

7) And the worst?

Having worked in the NHS since 1976, I fear that the bureaucracy has increased exponentially in recent years.

For example, having to be signed off to be safe to use implements such as a tendon hammer and a tuning fork on an annual basis seems to me a little excessive!!

8) What are your long term goals?

One particular goal is to help the lot of those people with diabetes in India and in this regard I am already involved in planning some projects to help identify the true number of people with diabetes and to see what

we can do to help in early diagnosis and management to prevent the devastating late complications.

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

I think a tax on sugary drink, high fat fast foods, etc, is a must if we are going to curtail the epidemic of type 2 diabetes, obesity and children’s dental decay. In addition, I would consider bringing in a basic low charge for attendance at GP and hospital outpatient appointments.

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

Dr Paul Brand who was born to parents who were missionaries living in the hills just west of what was then Madras, now Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

His work in leprosy in south India in the 1950s and 60s has informed the way we manage patients with certain diabetic foot problems because the loss of sensation with leprosy, though of different cause, is similar to the end stage of diabetic peripheral nerve disease.

He stated, “Because of where I practice medicine, I never made much money: but as I looked back over a lifetime of surgery, the host of friends who were once my patients bring me more joy than wealth can ever bring”.

He was an inspiration to all of us and it was my great honour to give the first Paul Brand Memorial Lecture celebrating his life.

Hospital consultants forced to work on weekends

Polls shows Corbyn likely as Labour leader

Health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, is to lay down an ultimatum to the doctors' union, ordering that they discuss a radical improvement of hours and pays or face having new terms imposed.

Hunt announced that hospital consult- Jeremy Hunt to ants will have to work lay down on weekends. ultimatum to the Jeremy Hunt will doctors' union claim that 6,000 patients die unnecessarily per year due to the lack of an adequate seven-day service at hospitals. According to the research in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, It is said that patients are 16% more likely to die in hospital on a Sunday, compared to being admitted during the week.

According to a leaked private polling, leftwing MP, Jeremy Corbyn, is set out to win the Labour party leadership race. It is reported from a poll that Corbyn is 15 points Jeremy Corbyn ahead of his competitors.

The results are said to be from two rival leadership campaigns. The results have prompted bookmakers to change the payout of the outcome from high odds to lower odds. Bookies such as Ladbrokes have put the chances of Corbyn winning as 5-1, compared to the 100-1 at the beginning of the contest in the previous month.

Corbyn, who is the MP for Islington North since 1983, also received 43 nominations from constituency Labour party (CLP) groups. This leaves him behind Andy Burnham, who is considered as the favourite to win.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

COMMENT

India’s opening as Iran sanctions lifted

The US-led sanctions against Iran have been lifted following years of tortuous negotiations between Washington and its allies, Britain, France and Germany, and the two other major powers, Russia and China. Under the deal, Iran will cap its nuclear programme to exclude the manufacture of a nuclear weapon, the process to be strictly monitored by international inspectors. There has been relief and joy in Iran, and welcomed in most corners of the world, barring the Israeli government of Prime Minister Netanyahu, the Republican party leadership in the United States, and the Saudi monarchy. Iran has long been an obsession with Mr Netanyahu, one that was ridiculed by his own intelligence chiefs in Mossad and Shinbet.

Republican party backwoodsmen in the United States are rarely at peace unless their country is at war: witness the desolation of Iraq, Syria, Libya and Afghanistan created by the Republican administration of George W. Bush. Iraq was bombed, invaded and destroyed in the futile search for Saddam Hussain’s non-existent weapons of mass destruction; and it is more than likely that Iran was telling the truth in its denial of ever having a plan to acquire nuclear weapon capability. Truth, alas, is the first casualty of war, hence a largely sceptical international community limped behind Washington’s diktat for fear of being sanctioned.

The country that purloined nuclear weapon technology in the West and was rendered critical aid, then gifted a readymade nuclear device was Pakistan’s “all weather friend,” China. This has been well documented in a number of authoritative publications, yet neither Pakistan nor its benefactor, China, has been called to account. It was Iran that was placed on the dock for reasons that are beyond the scope of our present discussion.

India’s relationship with Iran is vital on a number of counts, the first of which stems from Iran’s role as a global and regional energy supplier. India was forced to cut its imports of Iranian oil and curtail its trade and investments with that country because of the sanctions regime. The elimination of this enforced anomaly permits India and Iran to plan a new economic and strategic partnership.

Both countries have patiently awaited the arrival

of a new regional order. With this now in place, they can move forward with the development of the Iranian port city of Chabahar, located at the terminus of the Persian Gulf, within easy reach of the Shia-populated region of western Afghanistan through a rail network. A rail hub at Chabahar will open a crucial link to Central Asian markets for Indian goods and services, and those of Iran, thence to Armenia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) including Kazakhstan, Belarus and the Russian Federation [See page 12 for Prime Minister Modi’s tour of Central Asia].Furthermore, an Eurasian Economic Union is taking shape under Russian leadership, to which has been invited to join. The possibility of Indian membership will shortly come under close scrutiny

by Indian and Russian experts working together.

This is a significant aspect of Mr Modi’s foreign policy. Its fulfillment will require a closer integration of the BRICS economies including an expanding reach of the BRICS Bank. With Iran freed of its previous fetters, one cannot exclude the possibility of it joining BRICS, so giving the group additional weight in the world. A new BRIICS with Iran on board may be something for the future, but it is no pipedream. Indeed, the omens are promising.

Iran’s Ambassador to India Gholamreza Ansari, told reporters in New Delhi of India’s active cooperation with Tehran during the West’s sanctions regime. Iran was now prepared to show its appreciation by “welcoming Indians [investors], even without the bidding process.” He revealed that Prime Ministers Modi and Rouhani had discussed major projects during their meeting in Ufa on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, with the development of Chabahar on top of the list of priorities.

The Greek economic meltdown and the contentious German-led bailout point to a problematic Eurozone, and to the increasing fragility of the European Union. In this context, a closer IndiaIran alignment on the international chessboard opens inviting opportunities, in the longer-term, for the evolution of an improved equitable global order - a goal worthy of enthusiastic support, whose time will surely come.

Anti-India speeches and demonstrations in the jihadi-infested districts of the Kashmir Valley have long been a ritual among the faithful following Friday prayers in local mosques. Their intensity last week, however, was a new and disturbing development, with ISIL brazenly held aloft with those of Pakistan, the Laskar-e-Toiba, accompanied by anti-Indian hate speeches and incendiary slogans lending a combustible dimension to the proceedings that don’t bode well for an enduring peace in the State. The Friday in question was Al Quds Day and the last day of Ramadan. The zealots had much to celebrate, beginning with the liberation of Jerusalem and the intensification of the struggle against Israel, the establishment of an independent Islamic Palestine, plus the expected call for the expulsion of India from Kashmir.

Many of the demonstrators were teenagers flexing their adolescent muscles with bursts of stone throwing at the police and paramilitary forces.

The more things change the more they remain the same is a time-tested French saying. The senior politicians hope to keep insure political lives alive,

but beyond the inebriated demands for azadi or independence and the infantile stone throwing nothing useful was achieved. An Islamic Kashmir, independent or allied to Pakistan, will surely lead to a second ethnic cleansing of the remnants of the State’s Hindu Pandit population. The waving of ISIL flags may even signal the intent to commit atrocities against unbelieving infidels in the prescribed ISIL manner, as demonstrated on camera in the Middle East and North Africa.

Orchestrated assaults with bullets and bombs from across the Pakistan border are, calculated, no doubt, to increase the pressure on India to submit to the jihadi diktat will continue to be an exercise in futility. Hurriyat leaders are much given on Indian Independence Day or Republic Day to writing prolix pieces as guest columnists in Indian newspapers, begin their discourse on an emollient note; this soon gives way to blood-curdling threats of vengeance against a perceived feeble Indian adversary. The delusional farce has frayed cat the edges through constant repetition. Time to end the farce.

Indian cricket is in an advanced state of decomposition and the stink covers the entire country. The symptoms of decay are recorded in a recent Supreme Court judgment on the malfeasance among senior administrators in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) clubs in the Twenty/20 Indian Premier League (IPL). Both clubs have been banned from the tournament for two years. Where the game of cricket in India goes from here is anybody’s guess, but money and greed have led to this sorry pass.

The true and enduring test of skill for an international cricketer is the Test match against high class opponents. The ODI or the Twenty/20 format do require quick silver adeptness minus the test of endurance, which is the hallmark of the five-day game. If this were not so, we would be toasting the Australian batsman Michael Bevan and not the peerless Don Bradman as the supreme exponent

of the art of batsmanship. India’s record against the top Test teams has been poor at home and abysmal abroad. But the same faces who have regularly failed the test in this most demanding form of the sport keep reappearing as stars in a bad film. A quick fire 30 or 40 is extolled by a craven media in contrived applause as part of the registered racket. The ability to score a hundred, double or triple hundred when the need arises is what counts in the team results and not momentary pleasure or the passing thrill. The Indian cricket board’s lack of ambition is subject to indecent exposure in its lack of attention to the eternal verities of cricketing quality. The selectors reflect these twisted values in the men they choose to trust in national colours. The wonderful Ashes series on display at Lord’s is a riveting spectacle for true lovers of this great and wonderful game.

Indian cricket mandarins prefer the tawdry circus.

ISIL, Laskar, Pakistan flags at Srinagar demonstration

Rotting state of Indian cricket

3

Difficulties in your life do not come to destroy you, but to help you realise your hidden potential and power.

Let difficulties know that you too are DIFFICULT. - Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Lord Dolar Popat

of Harrow, Government Whip and Lord-in-Waiting with responsibilities for Business and Transport

Caste Discrimination Amendment

Controversial plans to introduce a Caste Discrimination Law re-entered Parliament last week.

Lord Harries of Pentregarth, who introduced the plans last year against the wishes of the Government, raised a question in the House of Lords about when the Government intends to amend the Equality Act 2010 to include caste.

Responding on behalf of the G o v e r n m e n t , Baroness Williams said that whilst the Government “oppose caste discrimination” did not commit to amending the Equality Act and noted that there was potentially “an existing legal remedy for claims of caste-associated discrimination under the ethnic origins element of Section 9 of the Equality Act 2010.”

Responding to Lord Harries’s question, Lord Popat voiced strong concerns against the amendment, stating that, “the vast majority of the British Hindu and Sikh community are outraged at this amendment to the Equality Act. He went on to ask “Does the Minister agree with the Hindu organisations that implementing this

amendment would be a blow to community cohesion in this great country and that the Government should legislate to remove it from the statute book?”

Speaking exclusive to Asian Voice, Lord Popat said “I’ve never known the British Indian community be so opposed to a change in the law.

So many people cannot understand why this change has come about; discrimination by caste is something that has rightly been left behind and to try and make it a factor in 21st century Britain seems utterly outrageous.”

However a number of Peers spoke out in favour of the implementing the caste discrimination amendment included Lord Desai, Baroness Flather and Lord Singh.

In response to the opposition against the amendment, Baroness Flather said, “If there is no caste discrimination then fine…But because they are fighting so hard, it leads me to believe that there is discrimination.”

Lord Singh argued that, “the whole Sikh community and the whole thrust of Sikh teachings are totally against the notion of caste.”

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MIDLANDS VOICE

Coventry University graduate to release herbal cosmetic products 23-year-old graduate from Coventry University, Maitrayee Kulkarni established her own company called Embuce Intercorporate and is now gearing up to release a range of herbal cosmetic products, starting with a herbal hair colour.

Her inspiration for her business drew from her own passion for the cosmetics and beauty industry, as well as her struggle to find the right products.

Maitrayee Kulkarni stated, “It is my mission to have herbal products on the shelves of the high-end retailers to compete with all the other cosmetics, which have already made a niche for themselves. I want to make sure people understand that herbal cosmetics are not as expensive,

Maitrayee Kulkarni (right) to release herbal cosmetic products, after having established Embuce Intercorporate

and that all the stigmas and myths attached do not exist.”

Robin Underhay, of Coventry University's Institute of Applied Entrepreneurship said, “The detail in Maitrayee’s business plan demonstrated the

potential her products have and we are delighted to have been able to assist her in her first steps into the industry.

Maitrayee has discovered a real niche, and with her in-depth knowledge of the market is well-equipped for huge success.”

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Teachers praised at Sparkhill Gujarati School

United: Teachers and pupils of Sparkhill Gujarati School, Birmingham

H e a d t e a c h e r, Ramanbhai Parmar and the deputy head teacher, Sumanbhai Mianger, at Sparkhill Gujarati School in Birmingham, praised staff for their outstanding contributions.

Sparkhill Gujarati School has over a dozen

Take a bow Team India

Guests travelled thousands of miles and helped to raise thousands of pounds as Bollywood came to Oldham. More than 700 people flocked to the Queen Elizabeth Hall for the “Bollywood Dhamaka” event, which raised £50,000 and saw the Indian Association Oldham reach its target to build an extension at its base in Schofield Street.

The hugely successful dinner dance in aid of the project welcomed guests Team India members who helped raise money for community centre extension from far and wide, including Sisodia said: “I am grateful to the The association’s development London, India and Canada to supmembers of Team India — Sasi and will see a large annexe added to its port the cause.

Sonal Patel, Nila and Suresh existing community centre to cater Team India — a group of dediGarara, Shashi Mohandas and for its increasing activities. cated young association members Gouri Gosh — whose selfless hard The cost of the extension — who staged this event — were overwork has paid off. We feel proud to estimated at £395,000 — has been whelmed by the generosity of the have raised the necessary funds met by contributions from the com750-strong sell-out crowd. ourselves for the community activimunity, with no grants secured from Along with raising funds for the ties. outside organisations. building extension, the night also “Our heartfelt thanks go to all The Indian Association had raised over £4,000 for the Nepal the people of Oldham and around already raised more than £300,000 earthquake appeal. the country for their huge generosiover the last few years and had a The event brought some wellty for our community project. Their shortfall of about £50,000, which known artists to Oldham from contributions will go a long way in has now been bridged thanks to London, including DJ ICONIK, providing a range of facilities and “Bollywood Dhamaka”. veteran reggae artist Don Dee and activities for our community.”

Association president Bharat DJ Krash, a Bollywood celebrity.

EastEnders' star Rakhee Thakrar visits Rainbows Hospice A soap star returned to her roots to visit the "inspirational" families and staff at Rainbows hospice. Actress Rakhee Thakrar, best known for playing Shabnam Massood in EastEnders, took time out from her schedule to spend a day at the Loughborough hospice for children and young people.

The 31-year-old, who grew up on Leicester's St Matthew's estate but now lives in London, joined the children in arts and crafts activities. She took part in a TV quiz organised in her honour, enjoyed a performance by the Rainbows Choir, posed for photographs and signed autographs. Speaking during her visit, Rakhee, whose

Rakhee with Rainbows patient Aiden Kavanagh

She said: "The staff at Rainbows are incredible.

It's amazing how much actually goes on at the hospice and how far the staff go to make things happen. Really and truly inspiring."

teachers, some of whom have been volunteers since the school was established in 1979.

Last Friday's parents evening heard from Ramanbhai, Sumanbhai, Gopalbhai Champaneri, also from our senior news editor, Dhiren Katwa and Mukeshbhai

Ladwa, President of Shri Lakshminarayan Temple where the classes are run.

The key message to parents was to encourage your child to learn their mother-tongue, which is the foundation of one's culture and way of life.

£1 scratchcard given by boss wins worker £100,000

From left: Lewis Gill, with boss Chris Vickers

Little did 22-year-old insurance adviser know that a £1 scratchcard rewarded by his new boss would actually make him the winner.

Lewis Gill, had joined Lifesearch Ltd, West Yorkshire, three months back and was gifted the scratchcard by his manager, Chris Vickers, for going “above and beyond” with a client. The scratch card landed him the jackpot of £100,000.

Lewis Gill said, “I'm not particularly superstitious or anything but I can't help thinking that this win was some kind of cosmic pat on the back.

That morning, on my way to work, I was in a good mood and wanted to pass on some positivity. So I gave up my seat on the bus for instance, I let a

couple of people ahead of me on the queue and I helped a fellow passenger with his bags. I even joked with colleagues when I got to the office that maybe the universe would repay me, and we all laughed and agreed that karma probably didn't work like that.”

The 32-year-old boss was unaware that he had the winning scratchcard among another 30 on his desk for two weeks.

Chris Vickers stated, “I couldn't have been happier for Lewis because of the way that he is, he could have walked out. If you imagine most people 22 years of age and won £100k, they would be gone. But he just did his job. He's got his head screwed one and is going to stick around.”

'Bogus' taxi driver alert as three women sexually assaulted in Manchester character in the hit BBC One show is at the centre of a major pregnancy storyline, said: "Meeting the children and young people was amazing. What a special day it's been. I never expected a hospice to be so happy. It really is a place where families can make memories."

Rakhee has also appeared in popular TV

series such as Doctors, Holby City and Peep Show – and played a lead character in British-Asian drama Cloud 9. She landed her role in EastEnders in January, last year.

Rakhee said she was impressed by the work of the care team, who look after children with terminal and life-limiting conditions, and their families.

Three women were sexually assaulted after being picked up by a ‘bogus’ taxi driver.

All three victims were picked up in Manchester city centre in the early hours then driven away and attacked at isolated locations.

Police chiefs said that on each occasion, they were led to believe that the car they were getting into was a genuine taxi.

A major investigation to

determine whether the incidents are linked is continuing. The attacks took place over a 72-hour period. Police have issued an alert over bogus taxi drivers as a result and issued crucial safety advice to women about getting home following nights out in Manchester city centre.

The man behind the wheel is described as being Asian and aged in his 30s.

He was possibly wearing glasses and had short dark hair.

Det Sgt Astbury said: “We are working to establish whether all three incidents are connected or not, but clearly this is a worrying set of circumstances. In all three incidents, the victims have been led to believe they are getting into a genuine taxi before they have been sexually assaulted.”

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Hundreds of Sikhs protest outside parliament

Spriha Srivastava

AMC brings Umrao Jaan to London

The thought of Umrao Jaan takes us back the memory lane and reminds us of the beautiful performance by famous actress Rekha in the year 1981. Based on the novel Umrao Jaan Ada, written by Mirza Had Ruswa, the story was based on a famous Lucknow courtesan.

Many years later, the film still reminds us of the beautiful story and a power-packed performance by Rekha.

The Asian Music Circuit (AMC) of London have brought back Umrao Jaan, as a stage adaptation. As part of a dedicated season about the 19th century, the stage adaptation brings the story of Umrao Jaan to life in London's Cockpit Theatre and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The play has been rewritten in English by renowned author and poet Simon Mundy for a new generation of audiences.

Directed by Vasilios Arabos, the play is interspersed with beautiful music composed and directed by Viram Jasani in the traditional style of thumri and

ghazal. Using contemporary theatre techniques, light, sound and live music, Umrao Jaan will be given the makeover of modernity, yet will still retain its traditional Lucknowi culture with its beautiful poetry, stunning music and captivating Kathak dance sequences.

“Mughal India is one of the most interesting periods in history because it is immersed in so much culture and opulence. It’s fascinating to think about how the courtesans slowly became outcasts in society as a result of the impact of the English presence in India and Indian conservative society. Not many people are aware of their noble beginnings. Of course, a lot of people in India are familiar with the story of Umrao Jaan – one of the most iconic stories in courtesan history. I felt it was time to bring it to the UK in a very different way,” says Viram Jasani, from the AMC, the producer of the Lost Traditions season.

The theatre adaption is part of the AMC’s Lost Traditions season of

events based around 19th century courtesans in India. Through a series of spectacular experiences, including an exhibition and concerts of Thumri, Ghazal and Qawali concert, The AMC aims to answer who the Tawa’ifwere, how their role in society was defined and even looks at their journey from “salons to the concert stage.”

The story of Umrao Jaan was adapted for a second time by J.P Dutta in 2006 starring the husband-wife duo Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai. The film, dutta claimed is based on a script written bus his father O.P Dutta, which in turn was adapted from the classis Urdu novel by Mirza Hadi Riswa.

But watching in a film and watching on stage are two different things.

AMC’s idea of stage adaptation is indeed unique and one that has brought one of India’s famous stories to real life. Viewers can experience a leaf out of India’s Mughal era while sitting in London and sipping their cold drinks under a sunny sky!

Draping elegance

London-based Be Kind Movement brought a fun saree cultural event depicting multiple ways in which a saree can be draped. Organised by Premila Puri Mukh and Deepa Nair the event brought together a number of people and aimed at raising funds for homeless women.

Organised at the Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, it was a ladies only event and explored different ways in which women can wear a saree. A ticketed-event along with some donations from

those who attended, it raised money for EAVES charity that supports homeless women. It provides service for women who are affected by violence or are at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

The event focused on promoting the beauty of the saree and get women to experiment with different styles and drapes.

Monika Dhamuja Kalra, a saree stylist was present at the event to provide guidance on how to wear saree in different forms. Also present at

the event was fashion designer Jyoti Chandok to talk about fabrics, textures and types of sarees such as chanderi, gota amongst others.

A number of vendors put their stalls selling everything from beautiful sarees to jewellery and other accessories to those present.

An extremely well-thought event, it not only brought so many women together to celebrate India’s famous attire but also brought them together to raise money for a brilliant cause.

Let us know what you think.

Email Spriha at aveditorial@abplgroup.com

Another 24-hour Tube strike to take place

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union members will be joining the 24-hour Tube strike scheduled for 5th August 2015, from 9:30pm. The prospective strike follows the walkout of Tube drivers on 8th and 9th July 2015. The strike is over the ongoing row about the introduction of the night Tube. Members of staff are unhappy about the shifts and wages for the overnight Tube service, due to start on 12th September 2015.

The disagreement is

over a 2% average pay rise offer for the London Underground (LU) members, as well as workers' terms and conditions associated to the plans to introduce all-night Tube services on the Jubilee and

Victoria lines and most of the Northern, Piccadilly and Central lines. RMT general secretary, Mick Cash said, "Workers in all grades are furious at the attempt to rip up longstanding agreements in an effort to bulldoze through these wholly unacceptable new working patterns.

RMT also remains in dispute over the parallel issue of the axing of 850 station staff jobs, cuts which make a mockery of the safe delivery of the night tube in just a few weeks time."

Sikhs gather outside the parliament to demand the release of political prisoners in India

Hundreds of Sikhs from all over the UK had gathered at Parliament Square on Wednesday 15th July 2015, to protest and seek answers from the British government over the release of what they referred to as “political prisoners in India.”

Roads outside the parliament were blocked by the protestors as they demanded the release of Sikh political prisoners who had been imprisoned for decades.

The Sikh Federation UK were eminent in organising the protest.

They said, “Some of them have been in prison for

decades and most are in the sixties and seventies and should be released given their impeccable behaviour and on humanitarian grounds.”

The group had also written to David Cameron, foreign secretary, Phillip Hammond, in May. They also met with Foreign and Common wealth Office.

The protest was also regarding the Sikh activist, Bapu Surat Singh who has reported to be on hunger strike for more than six months. 82year-old Singh is a US resident and has been on hunger strike in India for

nearly 180 days for his son. His son, a US citizen has been reportedly detained by the police for over two months and was subjected to torture when he went to visit his father in hospital.

The Sikh Federation UK further stated, “The plight of Sikh political prisoners is an emotive one for British Sikhs and Sikhs across the globe.

The likely death of Bapu Surat Singh will create further agony and could result in serious unrest as the police in India are likely to use heavy handed techniques that will result in further loss of life.”

Sadiq Khan accused of misrepresenting meeting with Blair The Labour MP, Sadiq Khan has been accused of misrepresenting a meeting which took place with the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, after the 7/7 bombings for political gain.

Sadiq Khan was one of the four Muslim MPs who was invited to see Tony Blair after the attacks in 2005. It is said that Khan has claimed that he had rebuked Blair at the meeting for attempting to blame all Muslims for the attacks in London.

Sadiq Khan has allegedly claimed that

Malik and myself- it is our responsibility. I said: 'No, it's not. Why have you called us in?

I don't blame you for the Ku Klux Klan'.”

However, Khalid Mahmood and Shahid Malik have expressed that they were “extremely troubled” Sadiq Khan accused of distorting by Khan's account, Blair meeting in 2005 after 7/7 which they stated was bombings in London “completely at odds: Tony Blair had “called the with what they could recfour MPs of Islamic faith ollect. into No 10 and sat us Sadiq Khan stated, round the table and said“We will have to disagree to Mohammad Sarwar, on what Tony said, as I Khalid Mahmood, Shahid have a clear recollection.”

The Queen drives herself to church

It is said that Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II drove herself to church, on the Long Walk on Windsor estate, on Sunday. She even veered onto the grass to avoid a family strolling through Windsor Great park. The couple, Scarlett Vincent (23), and Toby Core (30), were laughing when they realised who had just driven past them.

Scarlett Vincent said, “We didn’t actually have time to get out of the way as we were in a world of our own so she had to swerve around us,’ Miss Vincent said. Toby was pushing the trike and I

and she just smiled at us and waved."

H e r Majesty, who is a keen motorist, has been a driver and mechanic in the Wo m e n ' s The Queen drove from Windsor Castle to A u x i l l a r y Te r r i t o r i a l attend church Service in was pushing Teddy’s World War II. pram when I realised The Queen is the only what had happened. I person in the UK to be turned to him and just permitted to drive withsaid 'Oh my god, it’s the out a licence. She is also Queen.' He was as the only person allowed shocked and surprised as to drive down Long Walk, I was. I pointed at the car apart from park rangers.

UK

Ramesh Parmar 10th Eid Festival at Trafalgar Square District Governor of

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Lions Clubs International

The 10th annual Eid festival will be taking place in Trafalgar Square, on Saturday 25th July 2015, from 12pm to 6pm. This free event will give Londoners and visitors the opportunity to sample music and food from around the world, alongside a variety of special activities.

The Eid festival has been organised by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, with support from Lebara Mobile, Zee TV and the Embassy of the State of Qatar.

The festival welcomes people from all communities and faiths.

There will be an array of entertain-

Prime Minister David Cameron: “This Ramadan, we’ve seen the very best of British Muslim values... So as families and friends come together this Eid to share food and presents, to think of others, to mark the end of Ramadan let’s think about the better Britain and world we must build together. Once again, let me wish you a happy and peaceful Eid. Eid Mubarak.”

Ramesh Parmar

I am very proud to have been elected to serve as the District Governor of Lions Clubs International, District 105A for the year 2014 – 2015. The District comprising of 78 Clubs with 1500 members spread over Boroughs of Greater London, north of the River Thames and the counties of Bedfordshire, H e r t f o r d s h i r e , Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

Lions Clubs International was founded in Chicago in 1917 by Melvin Jones – a local businessman. Since then Lionism has grown steadily and now there are over 1.4 million Lions in 46,000 clubs over 209 countries and territories throughout the world Lionism came to Europe in 1948 and the 1st Lions Club was formed in Stockholm. The 1st club formed in London was London Host Club which then grew to over 900 clubs in British Isles, with membership of nearly 15,000. LIONS stand for LIBERTY, INTELLIGENCE, OUR NATION’S SAFETY

The main Objective of Lionism is to volunteer their time to the humanitarian causes in their local and world communities.

By conducting service projects and raising funds, Lions strive to help those in need, wherever need arises. The Lions motto is ‘We serve’.

100% OF MONEY RAISED GOES DIRECTLY TO CHARITY ALL ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS ARE MET BY THE MEMBERS LIONS RAISE 88 Million FOR HUMANITARIAN CAUSES EVERY YEAR LIONS DONATE 5.7 Million HOURS TO COMMUNITY SERVICES When it comes to meeting challenges, our response is simple: We serve. In over 200 coun-

tries, in hospitals and senior centers, in regions battered by natural disaster, in schools and eyeglass recycling centers, Lions are doing community volunteer work, helping, leading, planning and supporting. Because we're local, we can serve the unique needs of the communities we live in. And because we're global, we can address challenges that go beyond borders.

We want everyone to see a better tomorrow.

That's why we support sight programs and services including vision screenings, eye banks and eyeglass recycling. Provide eye care services to those at risk of losing their sight. And raise donations through campaigns like SightFirst and Campaign SightFirst II. We believe everyone deserves a healthy life.

From providing health programs that focus on hearing loss to supporting efforts to control and prevent diabetes, Lions volunteers are working to improve the health of children and adults around the world.

We empower the next generation. Whether it's providing youth volunteer opportunities and leadership experiences in a Leo club or sharing a message of peace through our Peace Poster contest, our youth programs invest in the future by reaching out to young people.

We serve local communities – and protect the planet. From performing hands-on community work and service projects to providing emergency assistance, our community and environment programs improve our communities – and protect the environment.

Becoming a Lions club member gives you the opportunity to volunteer locally, or internationally.

Make new friends and professional connections.

Lead projects that make your community a better place to live. Have fun doing it! www.lionsclubs.org

Justine Greening, Secretary of State for International Development:

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ment and attractions for you and your whole family to enjoy, such as live music and performance, arts and crafts, henna, face painting, exhibitions, calligraphy and much more.

For more information, visit www.london.gov.uk/eid

Philip Hammond, The Foreign Secretary: "I send my best wishes to Muslims in the United Kingdom and across the world as they come together to celebrate Eid ul-Fitr. In many places this Ramadan has been marked by tragedy and violence rather than a peaceful reflection. We offer our thoughts and prayers to all those who have been caught up in conflict over this period. Eid ul-Fitr is a special time for millions of people, with celebrations that highlight the diversity and reach of Islam. I wish you all a peaceful Eid ul-Fitr. Eid Mubarak.”

Sadiq Khan MP: “I wish Eid Mubarak to Muslims in Britain and across the globe who are celebrating the end of Ramadan. It is a special moment following an important period of reflection for Muslims everywhere and our thoughts at this time are with the many people suffering unimaginable hardship around the world."

"I would like to wish everyone celebrating the end of Ramadan, Eid Mubarak. With the hot weather and the long days, it's been a tough month and I hope you have a great time with family and friends."

Flying the Flag for Equal Rights

Dhiren Katwa

Two distinguished equal rights activists have been honoured for their outstanding achievements as part of a new awards scheme.

Pragna Patel, Director of Southall Black Sisters and Mauro Cabral, CoDirector of Global Action for Trans Equality, or GATE, were announced winners of the inaugural Bob Hepple Equality Awards at a lavish ceremony in London. Held last Thursday (Jul 16) at the offices of law firm Reed Smith, guests admired the beautiful views, including a timely sunset, from the 32nd floor of The Broadgate Tower, capturing these on their mobile phones as a backdrop to selfies.

Sir Bob Hepple, who was due to present the awards, was taken ill earlier in the day and sent his best wishes to the winners from his hospital bed.

Instead, an eloquent Saphieh Ashtiany, Head of Employment at a law firm and a trustee of event organiser The Equal Rights Trust, did the honours.

Also on the panel, in addition to the two award winners and Saphieh, were Shami Chakrabarti CBE and Dr Dimitrina Petrova, Directors of Liberty and The Equal Rights Trust, respectively.

Dr Petrova said: “We are delighted that this inaugural award will celebrate two activists who have different equality focuses, located in differ-

Mauro Cabral, Dr Petrova and Pragna Patel

ent parts of the world, but are united by one commonality – their enduring commitment to enhance equality among their contrasting communities.”

Pragna described her award as “recognition of collective endeavours and achievements.” Founded in 1979, Southall Black Sisters campaigns for, and offers practical support to women escaping domestic violence and forced marriages. In her “extremely moving” speech, Pragna shared with attendees ‘tip of the iceberg’ stories from her portfolio.

Shami’s “illuminating” speech won rapturous applause. Her pitch, way with words and her natural ability to grab the audience’s full attention was obvious. Shami, an outstanding communicator, who is of Hindu-Bengali parentage, has been Director of Liberty, the British civil liberties advocacy organisation, since 2003.

South African-born Sir Bob Hepple, who will turn 81 next month, is

Honorary President of The Equal Rights Trust, an independent, global organisation set up in 2007 to combat discrimination and promote equality as a fundamental human right and a basic principle of social justice. Sir Bob, described by Pragna as “an illustrious human rights defender”, was active in the antiapartheid struggle. As an

Sir Bob Hepple

advocate at the Johannesburg Bar he defended African National Congress leaders including Nelson Mandela. In 1963 he was indicted with Mandela and others on charges which carried the death penalty. He managed to flee the country and was a banned person in South Africa for 27 years.

The evening concluded with a buffet dinner, drinks and networking.

Indian nationals can now visit the UK and Ireland on single visa

It is now said that Indian nationals will be the first to benefit from the new UKIreland visa deal, a new scheme which has been introduced in hope of boosting tourism and business for the UK and Ireland. The scheme was launched from 10th February 2015. Indian nationals can now apply for their UK or Irish visitor visas under the single British-Irish Visa

Scheme. Indians will now be able to visit both countries on the same trip.

Those who will be using the British-Irish Visa Scheme will however, need to arrive and travel to the country which had first issued their visa, before being able to travel to the other country. Visitors transiting via the UK to Ireland will not require a separate transit visa.

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UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

As I See It

Commissioner, why not Gujarati?

Scotland Yard has launched a drive to recruit more officers who speak a second language, in an effort to increase confidence among London’s minority community, in the Police.

This is surely a welcome initiative which will offer additional advantage to the police officers. The police officers will know more about the day-today happening within the minority communities, which is most needed at the moment.

The languages which will feature in the month long pilot campaign that began on Monday (July 20th, 2015), include Yoruba, Hebrew, Arabic, Hindi, Punjabi, Italian, German, Turkish, Greek, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Sinhala and

Bengali.

Besides these 14 languages, a large number of Londoners also speak Gujarati and Urdu. “We need to recruit and deploy officers with knowledge of secondary language in areas and localities where these languages are spoken,” said Sir Bernard HoganHowe, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

Not perhaps even brass.

Gold is losing its value worldwide! On Tuesday, Chancellor George Osborne in the Parliament announced further cuts of around 20 million pounds. Yes, the Conservative Party has a mandate. Albeit, a very tiny majority in the Commons.

In the last five years, the British exchequer has improved its position, primarily, because of severe cuts, to drastically reduce budgetary deficit. It was to an extent necessary also.

On Monday, more than 40 Labour MPs defied the leaders to vote against the welfare cuts, proposed in the budget.

If the MPs represent their constituents’ point

of views, then they have expressed people’s pain and anxieties. This is not surprising. Let us look at some detailed study of ‘the austerity.’

According to Financial Times, £18 bn were cut by local authorities, in real terms, from 2009-10 and 2014-15.

This amounted to a reduction of 19 per cent.

The first casualty was the care provided to the elderly people, aged above 65 years. Again, almost 20 per cent elderly people have lost access to the care services.

Similarly, the numbers have gone up for the children in need, which has increased from 695,000 to 7,81,200. This again is an increase of 12.5 per cent.

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe

Commissioner, you must be aware that in Harrow, Brent, Barnet, Haringey, Newham, Wandsworth and several other Boroughs in London, almost 400,000 people of Gujarati origin reside.

According to a study

by Oxford University, Gujarati language has a wider reach and is more popular than Hebrew, Greek, Spanish, Sinhala and several other languages. The question arises-why have you (THE COMMISSIONER) not included Gujarati language? The London based BritishGujaratis also need to be part of your language strategy to increase their confidence in policing of this great city called London.

All that glitters is not gold

Numbers of Health and Safety Inspectors have depleted by 18 per cent. Local authority road in disrepair have increased substantially.

Budget proposal are going to hit hard the poorest of the poor. The chancellor and the government perhaps are losing the essence of a mature and conscientious democracy of a fairly prosperous country.

If have-nots have to sacrifice more, then the social fabric will damage beyond repair. The objective may not totally be unacceptable, but, the route or strategy devoid of compassion is not befitting of the Great Britain, today.

91 courts and tribunals face closure

The government is believed to be considering a closure of 91 courts and tribunals in England and Wales, to reduce what Justice Secretary Michael Gove has identified as "surplus capacity".

Courts under threat include 57 magistrates' courts, 19 county courts, two crown courts, four tribunal hearing centres and nine combined courts. Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service operates 460 courts and tribunal hearing centres.

The government has also announced it is "integrating" a further 31 tribunals in England and Wales. In a written statement, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Courts and Legal aid, Shailesh Vara, said "Last year over a third of all courts and tribunals were empty for more than 50% of their available hearing time. "The buildings being consulted on represent

Shailesh Vara

16% of hearing rooms across the estate which are, on average, used for only a third of their available time.

"That is equivalent to fewer than two out of five days in a week."

He added, Technology such as video, telephone and online conferencing would reduce the need for face-to-face hearings, which should be reserved for "the most sensitive or complex cases.”

He further suggested that in rural locations, public buildings, such as town halls, could be used for hearings instead of "underused, poorly-main-

- CB

tained permanent courts".

According to the plans, after the changes, more than 95% of citizens would still be able to reach their required court within an hour by car.

However, the Public and Commercial Services union, which represents many court workers, said the proposals would restrict access to justice. It promised to challenge the Ministry of Justice's method for calculating underuse of courtrooms.

General Secretary Mark Serwotka reportedly said: "With courts closures and cuts to legal aid, access to justice has been significantly restricted by the previous government and now this one.

"We do not believe it is in the interests of justice to leave our communities without easy access to courthouses and tribunals." The consultation will run for 12 weeks until 8 October.

Former Indian Cabinet Secretary receives Honorary Doctorate from University of Birmingham Mr Ajit Kumar Seth, former Cabinet Secretary of the Republic of India, has received an honorary doctorate from the University of Birmingham, UK. He was named Doctor of the University on Wednesday 15 July, in the University’s historic Great Hall, in the presence of hundreds of graduands and their families.

Mr Ajit Seth, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, was the 30th Cabinet Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India from June 2011 and was superannuated in June this year. Mr Seth has the unique distinction of being among the longest serving Cabinet Secretaries and the only Cabinet Secretary in India to have served in two successive dispensations.

Prior to this appointment as India’s principal bureaucrat, he spent two years as Secretary for Coordination in the Cabinet Secretariat. Mr Seth is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1974 batch (Uttar Pradesh cadre).

Mr Ajit Kumar Seth

Mr Seth is already an alumnus of the University of Birmingham, being awarded a Master’s in Development Finance in 1993, when he was also awarded the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Prize for his outstanding academic performance.

Prior to this he received a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s in Chemistry at St Stephen’s College, New Delhi, and an MPhil in Life Sciences from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), also in New Delhi.

The University’s Chancellor, Indian-born

Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea CBE, said, “It is a matter of great pride that Shri Seth is an alumnus of the University of Birmingham, where he graduated in an MSocSc in Development Finance. I am privileged to confer this honorary doctorate on someone whose achievements are not only a matter of great pride to the University, but also as an individual who personifies the strong links between not only the University of Birmingham and India, but the UK and India.’

On receiving his honorary degree from the University of Birmingham, Mr Seth said: ‘I am deeply honoured by the decision of the University of Birmingham to award me an honorary doctorate’.

He also thanked the Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor for bestowing this honour upon him.

The Bob Blackman Breakfast Club gives opportunities to local businesses

The Bob Blackman Breakfast Club offers an opportunity for local business people from Harrow and the surrounding area, a platform to promote products and services, and encounter new opportunities for collaboration. More uniquely, it is a forum in which one can express their views of the problems facing small and medium sized businesses, as well as discussing changes that Government needs to make to support growth and success.

The club is run by Councillor Mina Parmar, who represents Belmont Ward. Alongside running her own small business, 'Parmar HR Solutions', Mina Parmar has run Bob Blackman's business club for almost 2 years.

Members of the club are invited to attend monthly

breakfast meetings throughout the year featuring topical speakers from the worlds of business and politics.

In May, Bob Blackman was re-elected with over 50% of the vote

share of his constituency Harrow East and doubled his majority. This morning saw the re-launch of the club. The guest speaker was our very own C.B. Patel, chairman of the ABPL group.

Two men from Luton have been charged over an alleged plan to attack US military personnel in the UK, as well as for attempting to join IS in Syria. The were charged with the intention of committing acts of terrorism.

24-year-old Junead Ahmed Khan, along with his 22-yearold uncle, Shazib Ahmed Khan appeared at

Westminster Magistrates' Court. The deputy head of counter-terrorism at the Crown Prosecution Service, Deborah Walsh said, “It is alleged that Junead Khan and Shazib Khan had been planning on travelling to Syria to join the proscribed organisation Islamic State in Levant (Isil). It is further alleged that Junead Khan was plan-

ning a terrorist attack on US military personnel in the UK and he has been charged with an additional terrorism offence to reflect this."

Another man in his 30s was also arrested, however, he was released without charge.

From left: Bob Blackman, C.B. Patel and Mina Parmar

Two Luton men charged for allegedly planning terrorism attack

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Rani Singh, Special Assignments Editor

India’s First Boxing Olympics Medallist On Turning Professional 29-year-old Vijender Singh is one of the hottest stars in Asian sport and after a rigorous testing week recently in the UK, he is returning in July to start training with Lee Bird, who also coached the famous Ricky Hatton.

Singh’s bronze medal victory in Beijing was a landmark event in India’s sporting history as it was the nation’s first ever boxing medal in the Games.

He is credited for the consequent surge in boxing’s popularity in his home country.

The highly decorated former amateur star has a sparkling resume that includes silver at the 2006 and 2014 Commonwealth Games; bronze at the 2006 Asian Games, 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2009 World Amateur Championships and 2010 Commonwealth Games; gold at the 2010 Asian Games, and he was rated as the world’s number one ranked middleweight in 2009. He also competed in the 2004 and 2012

Olympic medal for his country, a lot youngsters following him adopted boxing as a career.

Frank Warren visited India in 2009 and went to Patiala to watch Vijender Singh. He was impressed with his tactics and level of fitness.

Frank Warren was accompanied by Neerav

Vijender Singh

Olympics.

Vijender is from a small village called Kaluwas, in the Bhiwani district of Haryana state.

He started to box when he was 12. His brother was already into the sport, and Vijender took to it enthusiastically, boxing with coaches at the Bhivani Boxing Club near his village. “My family was supportive,” he said. He enjoyed being out in the

natural environment as much as possible.

From a small village with few facilities, “Somehow I got a place in the national camp. Then I shifted to the National Institute of Sports Patiala, a training centre, and thereafter I was picked for other major tournaments,” he explained.

Vijender fought his first match in 1997.

After Vijender won an

Tomar, the MD and CEO of IOS Sports and Entertainment, the company that now manages Vijender Singh. It has been managing him since 2005.

Talks between Neerav and Frank Warren have been going on since then, we are told.

“I have spent enough time in amateur boxing, so now I want to enter professional boxing too,” said

Vijender.

Five or six Indian boxers have tried to turn pro but they have not succeeded.

Even for him, he had to undergo an intense week of mental and physical tests before he was signed.

Some mistakenly think that he came to the UK and legendary promoter Frank Warren was ready with a deal.

No; he was made to test through six tough days of running with other grueling challenges, with Lee Bird examining him closely to check his ability to respond quickly, his reactions and what tactics he used. After the six days of Lee Bird conducting the tests, he then issued a “No objection” certificate.

“Now I want to do something for the country and win titles,” said Vijender.

The day Vijender signed the deal, IOS Sport and Entertainment received a lot of requests from youngsters and even senior boxers who also now want to turn pro.

“I was not ready before, but now is the best time for me to turn professional and give the Olympics opportunity to other youngsters,” Vijender said.

He knows he faces challenges ahead as professional training is tough. It means starting

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early at the fitness centres and going home late.

“I have to work a lot on my mental and physical fitness; there is a lot for me to do now. Earlier on I fought three rounds, pro boxing mean 12 rounds. I am excited to start training on July 27th, he said.

“I was not ready before, but now is the best time for me to turn professional and give the Olympics opportunity to other youngsters.”

Vijender Singh Vijender’s regime will be at least six-eight hours a day, six days a week.

Every Saturday, he will do mountain running, carrying heavy weights on his back and shoulders.

Champions work hard.

He feels that boxing and other sports like tennis are always in the shadows of the great God Cricket in India, though through him, boxing’s profile has risen.

Multi-talented Singh is not only a star in the boxing ring, the 29-yearold has also starred on the big-screen in the Bollywood smash hit movie “Fugly” and is a judge on MTV’s “Roadies.”

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UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

EU vs national sovereignty

Act over austerity

Our uncaring charities

A leading newspaper reported awhile ago that Britain benefits very little from the membership of EU. The union of 28 countries is a very large organisation.

And as such its policies are cumbersome and irrelevant for individual country, which leads to crisis as in the case of Greece. In the 21st century banks run out of money, people can’t use their own money, the country can’t print its own currency! Britain faced similar crises about 20 years ago when it entered European exchange mechanism.

Businesses and housing market collapsed. However, it is not prudent to leave the alliance. Freedom of migration and work within the EU is too good an advantage to let go.

In view of the planned referendum, Mr Cameron is right in renegotiating the opt-out of employment, migration and entitlement to benefit directives of EU. He should also seek authority for trade with non-EU countries without any conditions from Brussels. So that Britain can make trade agreement with a non-EU country as per mutual requirements. e.g.

India. If Mr.Cameron is not successful he can put it to voters if they want to stay in EU as it is now or only if Brussels is ready to change policies in favour of increased Westminster power. If member states are reluctant to let Greece leave EU, they certainly would not want Britain to leave where migrants from Europe are flocking the streets of our country.

The opposition parties should realise that some of the proposed cuts are necessary in the budget and the Conservatives got into power in order to save the country from becoming bankrupt like Greece due to economic mismanagement.

People voted for the present government since they have a reasonable policy on immigration, education and welfare and it is the duty of the government to carry out policies laid down in the manifest. Some of these cuts should have been done in the previous coalition government but was not done due to a Lib Dem partner.

In the name of poverty the Labour government handed out thousands of pounds to families through family working tax credits, housing benefits and child tax credits which discouraged people working full time.. If only one member of the family works part time (17 hours), the family gets more money than what they contribute. This has created dependency culture among the working population.

We should have a system like in Germany or France where one has to work 35 hours a week to get full benefit.

Since our benefit system is very good compared to Germany or France, asylum seekers risk their lives to come to Britain illegally from France and there is no need for them to come here if the European system is better. Black and Ethnic Minorities settled in European countries want to come here due to better benefits.

Some sections of the labour MPs agree with welfare cuts and restrict the child benefit to three children. Some political parties were interested in removing free TV License fuel grant, pension benefits and free bus pass for old age pensioners even though they are entitled to them.

Normally we associate our renowned, well-established charities, household names like Red Cross, NSPCC, Oxfam and Macmillan as caring and considerate organizations that are there to serve humanity at large. So the report in Daily Mail exposing their “boiler-room techniques” targeting old, infirm regular donners to raise cash comes as unbelievable shock to most British people. It will do immense harm and many will be put-off for life from donating. Most charities do excellent job helping venerable people throughout the world.

Outsourcing fund-raising is a grave mistake, especially if these agents work on commission basis. They constantly bombard regular, venerable donners with several phone-calls a day; never take “NO” for an answer.

Some are even aggressive, using graphic language to describe poverty in “Third World” somehow making them feel responsible for their sufferings. One such venerable lady with 22 standing orders to various charities, committed suicide. It has brought such callous act to light, to PM’s attention. If charities do not mend their ways, PM would not hesitate to bring in laws to curb their uncharitable acts.

I regularly donate to ISKCON and SHM temples who send me calendars and “Prasad” at festive times but I never receive begging telephone calls. Their behaviour is implacable; donating is pleasure and a privilege. British charities should learn from them the art of benevolent donations!

Ila Kapadia By email

A Spoonful of Sugar

The British Medical Association (BMA) is reported to have said that the Government should introduce an extra 20% tax on sugary drinks in order to tackle the obesity crisis which is taking a grip on people. It has estimated that poor diets are causing around 70,000 premature deaths each year. In a major report on unhealthy diets, the BMA says that the extra money which would be raised by the imposing of the tax could be used to subsidise fresh fruit and vegetables.

The damaging impact of sugar on people’s health especially type 2 diabetes and obesity is becoming a cause of great concern. It is reported that one regular size (330 ml) can of a soft drink contains as much as 9 teaspoons of sugar and hence we should cut down or totally avoid sugar loaded soft drinks.

But are sugary drinks alone the culprits? Diabetes is more prevalent in us South East Asians. We consume more sugar in our ladoos and jalebis than your cokes and lemonades! We also consume more fat in our samosas and kachoris than others use in buttering their breads.

We are so used to the taste of sugar that it has become an addiction and we want more and more of it. Hence taxing on sugary drinks may be a waste of time. We need to educate people to slowly cut down. For people with a sweet tooth, diet drinks containing sweetners may be an alternative.

Arun vaidyanathan By email

Let’s face it

Sorry but I don’t think it’s a good idea for Asian Voice’s regular letter writers to meet up and exchange views over a coffee. I would prefer to share my views not with a handful of people but the many thousands who read this lively and informative newspaper all over the world every week.

Those who feel they would like to meet one another must realise that once they express a view in such company it is dead and not worth repeating in the letters page. The essential appeal of a letters page is that everything in it is fresh, original and full of surprises.

If readers want to know what the regular letter writers look like, that is another matter and could easily be resolved by each writer submitting a close-up photo of his or her face with their letter. Such an innovative idea (putting faces atop published letters) could make us regulars famous and pursued by autograph hunters across the globe, thanks to Asian Voice.

Subscribe Today Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

Asian Voice in UK for only £28.50 for one year

Rudy Otter By email

ASIAN VOICE

Bhupendra Gandhi By email

Importance of celibacy

We Hindus are mostly not aware about our good heritage. And, hance we lack an appreciation of our good values. One such exemplary attributes of Hinduism is celibacy. Hindu children were brought up under the glare of celibacy as our motto up to the age of 25 years. Our role model was known as ‘Brahmacharya’ and we had an immense faith that a clean and restrained sex life up to 25 years will bestow great powers on us. Hindu girls were expected to follow suit up to their marriageable age of 16.

Compare life in the West where no restraint is advised. Both girls and boys are free to indulge in sex from the age of puberty. Promiscuity has become a big problem in the West with the resultant sexual diseases. Pornographic literature is also available inevery newsagents. We know sex is the most common weakness of humanity.

Hinduism has suffered from slavery for thousands of years from 1000 AD to 1947 under Muslim and British rule and then under the Nehru/Gandhi dynasty misrule for sixty years up to 2014. All evidence goes to show that discipline and restraint is required in every field of human endevour, be it eating, drinking, sleeping, working or sex.

Pran C Aggarwal MA FCA By email

Please detach the form and send it with your payment or credit card instructions to address below

Tel: 020 7749 4080

Karma Yoga House Fax: 020 7749 4081 E-mail: support@abplgroup.com 12 Hoxton Market, (Off Coronet Street)

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Letter writers Seminar

UK EUROPE WORLD 1 Year £28.50 £75 £85 2 Years £51.50 £140 £160 Subscriptions are non-refundable after 30 days

Dear Letter Writers/Readers It is about time we meet again.

How about a Saturday in August (22 or 29 August) at Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, London N1 6 HW between 3-6pm.

Please let us know your preference (22 or 29 August) on email to kamal.rao@abplgroup.com.

- AV

Cousin marriage

The Muslim Council of Britain has accused Baroness Shreela Flather of ‘bigotry’ because of her observation that Muslims, especially from the Kashmir area have more than normal share of disable children possibly due to marriage between cousins and long term consequence of its effect on families (AV July 18). What she said was based on statistical data and scientific evidence. But why did she suggest taking a DNA test?

DNA testing is done to ascertain personal identity because DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules exist in chromosomes. Without going into details of genetic theory, these molecules are found to be responsible for storing the genetic code, the code by which inherited characteristics are passed on from one generation to the next. Scientific and statistical evidences suggest a higher probability of disability at conception if both parents had identical DNA. Cousins, especially first cousins, are likely to have the same DNA, hence a higher probability of producing disabled children.

Baroness Flather’s observation was not a criticism of Islam or Muslim society. It was meant to help people to plan a better life. Social practice and religious belief are not answers to scientific evidence and statistical data. The way forward is to ascertain the truth and address the issue.

Jatindra Saha By email

Great writing

I agree with the letter by Kumudini Valambia in which she says standard of letter in the Asian Voice must be kept up.

My English is improving week by week but friends say otherwise, however my meanings are understood fully. That is encouraging. If I continue to persist I will one day be on a level with my favourite letter writer icons Ramesh Jhalla, Dinesh Sheth, Bhupendra M. Gandhi, Rudy Otter, Jatindra Saha, K. Parmar, Upendra Kapadia, Niranjan Vasant, Dharam Sahdev, Arun Vaidyanathan, Nagindas Khajuria, Kumudini Valambia and many more suchlike figures showing great skill of pen.

Vijay Joshi By email

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

EU vs national sovereignty

Act over austerity

Our uncaring charities

A leading newspaper reported awhile ago that Britain benefits very little from the membership of EU. The union of 28 countries is a very large organisation.

And as such its policies are cumbersome and irrelevant for individual country, which leads to crisis as in the case of Greece. In the 21st century banks run out of money, people can’t use their own money, the country can’t print its own currency! Britain faced similar crises about 20 years ago when it entered European exchange mechanism.

Businesses and housing market collapsed. However, it is not prudent to leave the alliance. Freedom of migration and work within the EU is too good an advantage to let go.

In view of the planned referendum, Mr Cameron is right in renegotiating the opt-out of employment, migration and entitlement to benefit directives of EU. He should also seek authority for trade with non-EU countries without any conditions from Brussels. So that Britain can make trade agreement with a non-EU country as per mutual requirements. e.g.

India. If Mr.Cameron is not successful he can put it to voters if they want to stay in EU as it is now or only if Brussels is ready to change policies in favour of increased Westminster power. If member states are reluctant to let Greece leave EU, they certainly would not want Britain to leave where migrants from Europe are flocking the streets of our country.

The opposition parties should realise that some of the proposed cuts are necessary in the budget and the Conservatives got into power in order to save the country from becoming bankrupt like Greece due to economic mismanagement.

People voted for the present government since they have a reasonable policy on immigration, education and welfare and it is the duty of the government to carry out policies laid down in the manifest. Some of these cuts should have been done in the previous coalition government but was not done due to a Lib Dem partner.

In the name of poverty the Labour government handed out thousands of pounds to families through family working tax credits, housing benefits and child tax credits which discouraged people working full time.. If only one member of the family works part time (17 hours), the family gets more money than what they contribute. This has created dependency culture among the working population.

We should have a system like in Germany or France where one has to work 35 hours a week to get full benefit.

Since our benefit system is very good compared to Germany or France, asylum seekers risk their lives to come to Britain illegally from France and there is no need for them to come here if the European system is better. Black and Ethnic Minorities settled in European countries want to come here due to better benefits.

Some sections of the labour MPs agree with welfare cuts and restrict the child benefit to three children. Some political parties were interested in removing free TV License fuel grant, pension benefits and free bus pass for old age pensioners even though they are entitled to them.

Normally we associate our renowned, well-established charities, household names like Red Cross, NSPCC, Oxfam and Macmillan as caring and considerate organizations that are there to serve humanity at large. So the report in Daily Mail exposing their “boiler-room techniques” targeting old, infirm regular donners to raise cash comes as unbelievable shock to most British people. It will do immense harm and many will be put-off for life from donating. Most charities do excellent job helping venerable people throughout the world.

Outsourcing fund-raising is a grave mistake, especially if these agents work on commission basis. They constantly bombard regular, venerable donners with several phone-calls a day; never take “NO” for an answer.

Some are even aggressive, using graphic language to describe poverty in “Third World” somehow making them feel responsible for their sufferings. One such venerable lady with 22 standing orders to various charities, committed suicide. It has brought such callous act to light, to PM’s attention. If charities do not mend their ways, PM would not hesitate to bring in laws to curb their uncharitable acts.

I regularly donate to ISKCON and SHM temples who send me calendars and “Prasad” at festive times but I never receive begging telephone calls. Their behaviour is implacable; donating is pleasure and a privilege. British charities should learn from them the art of benevolent donations!

Ila Kapadia By email

A Spoonful of Sugar

The British Medical Association (BMA) is reported to have said that the Government should introduce an extra 20% tax on sugary drinks in order to tackle the obesity crisis which is taking a grip on people. It has estimated that poor diets are causing around 70,000 premature deaths each year. In a major report on unhealthy diets, the BMA says that the extra money which would be raised by the imposing of the tax could be used to subsidise fresh fruit and vegetables.

The damaging impact of sugar on people’s health especially type 2 diabetes and obesity is becoming a cause of great concern. It is reported that one regular size (330 ml) can of a soft drink contains as much as 9 teaspoons of sugar and hence we should cut down or totally avoid sugar loaded soft drinks.

But are sugary drinks alone the culprits? Diabetes is more prevalent in us South East Asians. We consume more sugar in our ladoos and jalebis than your cokes and lemonades! We also consume more fat in our samosas and kachoris than others use in buttering their breads.

We are so used to the taste of sugar that it has become an addiction and we want more and more of it. Hence taxing on sugary drinks may be a waste of time. We need to educate people to slowly cut down. For people with a sweet tooth, diet drinks containing sweetners may be an alternative.

Arun vaidyanathan By email

Let’s face it

Sorry but I don’t think it’s a good idea for Asian Voice’s regular letter writers to meet up and exchange views over a coffee. I would prefer to share my views not with a handful of people but the many thousands who read this lively and informative newspaper all over the world every week.

Those who feel they would like to meet one another must realise that once they express a view in such company it is dead and not worth repeating in the letters page. The essential appeal of a letters page is that everything in it is fresh, original and full of surprises.

If readers want to know what the regular letter writers look like, that is another matter and could easily be resolved by each writer submitting a close-up photo of his or her face with their letter. Such an innovative idea (putting faces atop published letters) could make us regulars famous and pursued by autograph hunters across the globe, thanks to Asian Voice.

Subscribe Today Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

Asian Voice in UK for only £28.50 for one year

Rudy Otter By email

ASIAN VOICE

Bhupendra Gandhi By email

Importance of celibacy

We Hindus are mostly not aware about our good heritage. And, hance we lack an appreciation of our good values. One such exemplary attributes of Hinduism is celibacy. Hindu children were brought up under the glare of celibacy as our motto up to the age of 25 years. Our role model was known as ‘Brahmacharya’ and we had an immense faith that a clean and restrained sex life up to 25 years will bestow great powers on us. Hindu girls were expected to follow suit up to their marriageable age of 16.

Compare life in the West where no restraint is advised. Both girls and boys are free to indulge in sex from the age of puberty. Promiscuity has become a big problem in the West with the resultant sexual diseases. Pornographic literature is also available inevery newsagents. We know sex is the most common weakness of humanity.

Hinduism has suffered from slavery for thousands of years from 1000 AD to 1947 under Muslim and British rule and then under the Nehru/Gandhi dynasty misrule for sixty years up to 2014. All evidence goes to show that discipline and restraint is required in every field of human endevour, be it eating, drinking, sleeping, working or sex.

Pran C Aggarwal MA FCA By email

Please detach the form and send it with your payment or credit card instructions to address below

Tel: 020 7749 4080

Karma Yoga House Fax: 020 7749 4081 E-mail: support@abplgroup.com 12 Hoxton Market, (Off Coronet Street)

London N1 6HW

Letter writers Seminar

UK EUROPE WORLD 1 Year £28.50 £75 £85 2 Years £51.50 £140 £160 Subscriptions are non-refundable after 30 days

Dear Letter Writers/Readers It is about time we meet again.

How about a Saturday in August (22 or 29 August) at Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, London N1 6 HW between 3-6pm.

Please let us know your preference (22 or 29 August) on email to kamal.rao@abplgroup.com.

- AV

Cousin marriage

The Muslim Council of Britain has accused Baroness Shreela Flather of ‘bigotry’ because of her observation that Muslims, especially from the Kashmir area have more than normal share of disable children possibly due to marriage between cousins and long term consequence of its effect on families (AV July 18). What she said was based on statistical data and scientific evidence. But why did she suggest taking a DNA test?

DNA testing is done to ascertain personal identity because DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules exist in chromosomes. Without going into details of genetic theory, these molecules are found to be responsible for storing the genetic code, the code by which inherited characteristics are passed on from one generation to the next. Scientific and statistical evidences suggest a higher probability of disability at conception if both parents had identical DNA. Cousins, especially first cousins, are likely to have the same DNA, hence a higher probability of producing disabled children.

Baroness Flather’s observation was not a criticism of Islam or Muslim society. It was meant to help people to plan a better life. Social practice and religious belief are not answers to scientific evidence and statistical data. The way forward is to ascertain the truth and address the issue.

Jatindra Saha By email

Great writing

I agree with the letter by Kumudini Valambia in which she says standard of letter in the Asian Voice must be kept up.

My English is improving week by week but friends say otherwise, however my meanings are understood fully. That is encouraging. If I continue to persist I will one day be on a level with my favourite letter writer icons Ramesh Jhalla, Dinesh Sheth, Bhupendra M. Gandhi, Rudy Otter, Jatindra Saha, K. Parmar, Upendra Kapadia, Niranjan Vasant, Dharam Sahdev, Arun Vaidyanathan, Nagindas Khajuria, Kumudini Valambia and many more suchlike figures showing great skill of pen.

Vijay Joshi By email

Have something to say about the stories featured in Asian Voice?

Letters are welcome at: aveditorial@abplgroup.com Word limit: 200 words.

Visit our website: www.abplgroup.com

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Please charge my VISA / ACCESS / MASTERCARD for £

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Nursery in Cambridgeshire host American-style graduation ceremony for kids

Mother Goose Nursery in Cambridgeshire, arranged its fourth graduation ceremony for the pupils. This has sparked many debates about whether school pupils aged 3 and 4 should be participating in these American-style graduation ceremonies.

Graduation ceremonies for children seem to be a craze rapidly spreading across Britain.

A leading psychologist thinks these type of ceremonies are “ridiculous” and make children perform “like monkeys”.

Child psychologist and member of the British Psychological Society, Emma Criton said, “Parents put their own sense of quirky fun and expectations on very young children and this is ridiculous because it is a very narrow view of education. Teaching under five-year olds is about the social interactions and growing through play and

“We celebrate their achievements in a holistic way. It’s about the things they love and their personality. We believe the graduation ceremony is a lovely way to teach children about change as they move up to school and how it can be a positive thing.”

Jo Baranek, early years advisor at the Mother Goose Nursery held its National Day Nurseries 4th American-style graduation Association expressed, ceremony for the pupils “A lot of children get anxious about going to not about academic school and have been at achievement.” nursery since they were She further stated, babies. This is a way of “Parents can sit in the helping them make the audience and laugh and transition to have cloclap at the children persure.” forming like monkeys. It Frank Furedi, profeshas become like a show for sor of Sociology at the parents. They have lost University of Kent stated, the plot.”

“Usually it is children that However, the operahave make-believe play. tions and HR manager at Now it is nursery workers the nursery, Beverley playing at being professors Taylor- Carson has defendor teachers.” ed the ceremony. She said,

New smoking rules to be applied from October

The government are bringing in new changed to the rules of smoking in vehicle from 1st October 2015.

As per the new rule commencing in October, private vehicles must remain smokefree if they are enclosed, there is more than one person present and one of them is under 18.

An enclosed car is wholly or partly covered by a roof. A convertible car with the roof completely down is not enclosed, hence, is not covered by the legislation.

It would be an offence for a person of any age to be smoking in a private vehicle that is

£50 penalty notice fine for b o t h offences. If someone commits both offences, they could be fined twice.

T h e changes are coming into New rules for smoking in vehicles to be action due to applied from 1st October the serious carrying someone under conditions caused by the the age of 18. It would secondhand smoke on also be considered an children, as well as adults offence for a driver, in general. The smoke including provisional can cause conditions drivers to not stop somesuch as meningitis, canone smoking in their cer and respiratory infecvehicle. However, these tions, such as bronchitis rules do not apply to eand pneumonia, while cigarettes. also making asthma There will be a fixed worse.

North Yorkshire school bans hot chilli crisps George Pindar School in Scarborough, North Yorkshire has banned Doritos Roulette chips after a pupil suffered from breathing difficulties as the crisps were too hot.

Considered as Britain's hottest crisps, the Doritos Roulette chips are 20 times hotter than a jalapeno. Teachers at the secondary school have considered the snack as a health and safety risk.

The school have even sent a letter to parents warning them about the crisps, and how it could cause “severe distress.

A school spokesperson said, “In relation to the cautionary note in our newsletter with regard to the Dorito Roulettes it

was places in there after an incident with a student where they had experienced some difficulty breathing after eating one. The student had a preexisting respiratory condition which clearly made them sensitive to the hot element of the Doritos chip.”

A Doritos spokesperson has stated, “We warn people to expect a seriously spicy experience with Doritos Roulette and we make this clear on the pack and in our adverts.

We also warn that George Pindar School bans Doritos Doritos Roulette are Roulette chips as a student suffered not recommended for berating difficulties young children.”

UK

11

EXTENDED FAMILY MEMEBERS EUROPEAN APPLICATIONS UNDER EEA LAW POSSIBLE AND VALID ROUTE FOR OVERSTAYERS Many people are not aware of this category which provides a right to the European National to sponsor their family members or extended family members. The examples for family members are parents, spouses, siblings. The categories fall under the extended family members can be cousins, uncles and aunts.

The main factor is to prove the genuineness of the relationship.

The criteria to be met is that the European National has to be settled in the UK. He or She may be working, self-employed or a student. By showing that they are proving that they are duly exercising free movement rights as a national of one of the European Countries. The EEA must be contributing to the economy and the society of the UK. Another limb of the criteria is that the EEA National has been providing financial help to this family member previously which really conforms the genuineness of sponsorship and non-European nationals’ depend-

ency on an EEA National. No need to say that if the Non-European national is dependent on the EEA National then he would be residing with the EEA National.

There are few and noticeable more factors to be aware of to fulfil the criteria to make this application. Many of the people are meeting the above said criteria but they have no idea of their rights to claim permission to stay here in the UK. If such application is approved by the Home Office then the applicant may be granted 5 years visa and after these 5 years by proving the continuity of the above said criteria the Non-European may be granted Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK.

Fehmina Farani

Farani Javed Taylor Solicitors Verulam House, 60 Grays Inn Road London WC1X 8LU

Mob.: 07773 706 866

12

MEDIA WATCH

The much touted India-Pakistan breakthrough of a week ago, it now appears, was no more than a one night stand. There has been firing on the Jammu & Kashmir border, with Pakistani claims to have shot down an Indian drone aircraft which, says a report in the People’s Daily in Beijing, was of Chinese make. Cricket matches are routinely sold to the Indian public as bridge-builders to everlasting brotherhood until the next time; the same rancid pieties and clichés are repeated ad Wreckage of drone aircraft on Kashmir border nauseam on television and in newspapers by columnists as bankrupt of ideas as the Greek banks are of money.

Prime Ministers Modi and Nawaz Sharif met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization at Ufa, in Russia, and told of their commitment to the abracadabra, of what is described as the IndiaPakistan ‘dialogue.’ It has turned into a dialogue of the deaf. Iftar sweets offered by Indian border guards at the Wagagh check-post were spurned by their Pakistani counterparts. Pakistan is in denial over the authenticity of India’s voice recording of the Pakistani terror mastermind Rehman Lakhvi as evidence of his culpability in the jihadi assault on Mumbai on 26/11/2008. Sartaz Aziz, Nawaz Sharif’s National Security and Foreign Policy Advisor, is due to parley with Ajit Doval, Narendra Modi’s National Security chief: Aziz has been pouring vitriol on India, signifying a long familiar tale of sound and fury, of malice aforethought and unremitting hatred. Hiding one’s head in the sand as mainstream Indian politicians and the political class are wont to do has yielded no worthwhile dividends in the past and are unlikely to do so in the future(Hindu, Business Line, Telegraph, Times of India July 14, 15,17,19)

Living with reality

A true understanding of this vexed subject can be garnered through a perusal of the American scholar Christine Fair’s meticulously researched work on the Pakistan Army – the country’s abiding power – and its supremacist vision of a triumphant regional caliphate.

Peace with India would require the Pakistan military’s self-liquidation, or assisted suicide, which is unlikely anytime soon.

Hopes of a shift in the template of Indo-Pakistan relations are dead in the water. A reality check IS better than clutching vainly at straws.

PM’s deft move in Turkmenistan

It would be unwise to rule out the possibility that Prime Minister Modi is using his newly acquired diplomatic skill to make a move of far-reaching significance.

His three key stopovers on the journey home from the BRICS Summit were historic. His first stop was in Turkmenistan for talks on energy, trade, anti-terrorism and military cooperation, with

Modi in Turkmenistan

President Gurbanguly Berimuhameov, were climaxed by seven far-reaching pacts between the two sides. (Hindu July 12)

Kyrgyzstan shares India’s terror concern

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

So does Tajikistan

Prime Minister Modi’s every conversation with Central Asian leaders included counter measures against jihadi forces in the region [normally code for Pakistan].

F i n a l l y , S e n a t o r Hussain might consider taking elementary Modi with President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan lessons in geopolitics. If India and Russia Mr Modi’s third stop in his share an air base in Tajikistan, it Central Asian tour was surely means that President Tajikistan, which borders Putin was in full accord with Mr Afghanistan, where he was phoModi’s Central Asian diplomacy tographed with and its policy goals, one of President Emomali Rahmonov at the India- which is to deny Pakistan and China this dominating strategic Tajik Friendship space.

Hospital in the capital, Dushanbe. Once again terrorism topped the India-US naval agenda of the two leaders, as tyhey discussed Having bent over backwards to closer cooperation. accommodate Chinese sensitiviThey decided to intenties, India has affirmed that sify bilateral cooperaJapan would be invited to partiction in the framework ipate in the prized Malabar of a Joint Working naval exercise in October with Group on Counter the United States in the Bay of Terrorism which, said Bengal. Beijing’s protests in the the two leaders, should past had precluded the invitameet at the earliest tion to Japan. However, a sepaopportunity (Hindu rate bilateral exercise will be July 14). It is worth mentioning held with Australia, also in the in this context that India and Bay of Bengal, towards the end Russia jointly operate a giant air of September (Times of India base at Dushanbe for their July13) respective air forces. (Hindu July 15)

Iran jigsaw.

Mr Modi’s Central Asian tour – the first by an Indian prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehru visited these parts way back in 1955 – carries a message for the region and the wider world: India is now a player in the Great Game, with a grandmaster at the helm making the moves. The US-Iranian nuclear deal opens the door for India to press ahead with plans to make the Iranian port city of Chabahar its railway hub to Central Asia, Modi welcomed at Kyrgyzstan thence to Armenia and the Russian Federation (See ed a wide-ranging discuss issues page 3) of common concern such their shared threat perception on jihadi terrorism. Among the four Isolating India agreements signed were deeper defence cooperation, including Pakistani columnist and defence an agreement to hold annual specialist, Marian Babbar, was military exercises. A statue of told by the Chairman of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled, Pakistan’s Senate Standing with India congratulating Committee, Syed Mushahid Kyrgyzstan for upholding the Hussain, that Islamabad’s “outsecular character of the country. reach to Russia and China had Summing up the importance of changed the regional dynamics,” his visits to all five former Soviet that Pakistan was isolating republics in Central Asia (two India, hence India’s willingness on his way to Russia, three on to open talks with Pakistan the return journey), Narendra (Hindu July 15).

Modi said his tour “demonstrates the importance that we Second thoughts attach to a new level of relationin order ship with Central Asia.

Kyrgyzstan is a key part of that Hussain Sahib would do well to vision.” (Hindu JJuly 13) think again, and think hard.

Mr Modi’s second stop at Bishek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, to meet with President Temir Suriyev includ-

Defence deals with US

India Inc investments create 91,000 US jobs American legislators debating foreign investments in their respective states thanked Indian companies for setting up businesses that leave an even larger footprint in the coming years.

They were speaking at a function in Washington organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CIII) and the US auditing firm Grant Thompson, which released a report showing India-based companies having invested $15 billion in the United States and created 91000 jobs across the country. This runs counter to the popular American perception that India Inc is simply a recipient of US outsourcing and thus fleecing American jobs. Hopefully, this will lead to a course correction, for jobs and employment are issues that can make or break a senator’s or Congressman’s career in elections. (Times of India July 16)

GPS Navigation Satellite launch

India has successfully launched its Global Position System (GPS) known as GAGAN, which will offer seamless navigation to the country. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) developed the system – only the fourth in the world – at a cost of Rs 774 crore over 15 years.

India is set to order another four P81long range maritime surveillance aircraft from the United States for almost $1 billion. The Indian Navy has inducted seven of these aircraft, which are equipped Harpoon missiles and lightweight torpedoes and depth charges for submarine warfare.

Meanwhile, the Indian Army will be ordering $770 million 155mm/39-calibre lightweight howitzers specially designed for operations in the Himalayas (Times of India July 13)

People-to-people relationship

The US Ambassador to India, Richard Verma, in a newspaper interview said “the people-topeople ties are at the heart of our strategic relationship. For many years the governments have tried to catch up with to where the people are.” He recalled the emigration of his parents to the US in the 1960s, when his father got an academic scholarship. He had visited the village where his mother and grandmother once lived. “I am a big proponent of our academic exchange programme, for example, which is increasing across India including southern India,” said Ambassador Verma. He emphasized cooperative ventures in health, which had spread to 10 countries, a tribute to joint India-US endeavours abroad. He concluded: “Defence is a major area of cooperation across southern India. Clean energy is another area, so is space cooperation……The potential is limitless.” (Hindu July 15)

Indian GPS Navigation satellite

GAGAN will provide augmentation service for the GPS cover over India, the Bay of Bengal, South East Asia and the Middle East up to Africa. A.S. Ganesan, Project Director, GAGAN, ISRO Satellite Centre, said South Korea and Japan had evinced interest in the system (Hindu July 14)

Tata Motors wins Army contract

Tata Motors has been contracted to supply the Indian Army 6X6 transport vehicles worth over Rs 900 crore. “We decided to take a deep dive into the segment and encompass the entire range of land force equipment.

The first target was indigenization and we targeted light combat vehicles,” said Vernon Noronha, Vice President , Defence & Government Business, Tata Motors (Hindu July11)

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

The Royal Society elects its first Indian President

7 Lessons on Productivity That Have Nothing To Do With Working More Which I Learnt From Being Indian

are teaching this now. Good.

Four: Yoga Again, like meditation, this boosts productivity. And again Indians wrote the book on it. There are studies upon studies to prove it. The Japanese know – their corporations used to have mass morning classes for such gentle exercise. Yoga is meditation – your mind is cleared and focussed on something other than chattering head voices. More companies need to practice this.

Five: Exercise Again, nothing to do with work. Not sure about an Indian angle here, but health is wealth, and a healthy body is a happy body is a more productive worker.

There is a reason corporations have gyms.

And in India the boom in fitness is not just for the body beautiful, but because competition in the workplace means you have to be fitter to handle stress and be more productive.

Six: Do as I say, not as I Do The clever ones will have realised I said I am writing from Amalfi. Like most people I am good at advising, but poor at practicing. This is not just an Indian trait, but we do have more Gurus than most countries! So stop just reading about selfhelp and productivity, and spend more time doing it, being it. That too in itself will allow you to be more productive!

The Royal Society has elected Sir Venkatraman (Venki) Ramakrishnan as their new President, after their current President Sir Paul Nurse finishes his 5 year term on November 30th this year. Sir Venki will take up the post from 1st December 2015 for 5 years. The President's role involves presiding over meetings of the Council

Association along with Dr Yusuf Hameid had organised a lunch at the Bombay Brasserie on June 25th, to honour him for acquiring his new role.

The lunch was attended by veteran journalists and other prominent guests including Bollywood actress Sharmila Tagore and Great Bake-off semifinalist Chetna Makan.

264,000 come to live in the UK "by back door" Research by Oxford University's Migration Observatory has shown concerns regarding nonEU migrants coming to live in the UK “by the back door”. It is said that the number of immigrants outside of Europe who come to line in the UK after receiving EU citizenship elsewhere has tripled in the last 10 years.

Figures show that there are currently 263,000 foreigners in Britain who were born

outside Europe and received “free movement” rights by living in another European country before moving to the UK. It is said that more than a fifth of the total

(54,000 migrants) came to the UK after having lived in Portugal first. The second largest group were 36,000 people via Italy, 33,000 from France, 30,000 from Spain, 21,000 from Ireland and 19,000 from the Netherlands.

The largest group detailed in the research came from India, with 24,000 arrivals, 15,000 from South Africa, 14,000 from North America, 13,000 from Brazil and 11,000 from Sri Lanka.

Alpesh Patel Ps. I said ‘7’ in the title and only have you ‘6’. The last one is – when the work is done, stop. So I have. Now back to the sea.

Summer-born kids may be allowed to join school a year later Ministers have ordered a review after seeing evidence that children born in the summer fall behind in class, simply because they are younger than their peers. Summer-born children may be able to start school a year later.

It was also suggested that 50% of these children were more likely to have “special needs.” Nick Gibb, the education minister stated, “It is fair that children who are born in the summer have the opportunity to excel at school, and if that means starting reception a year later, that option should be available. It is important that children do not miss the vital teaching teaching that takes place in the reception class, particularly reading and early arithmetic.”

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and he is Chairman of the Trustees. He will also need to preside at other meetings of the Society including the Annual Meeting for the election of Fellows and Foreign Members and the Meeting on Annual Admission Day. He would also need to address the audience at the Anniversary Meeting.

The Indian Journalists

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I write to you from Amalfi, the beautiful azure Italian riviera of expansive sapphire ocean and emerald green hills.

The British Chancellor has announced a slew of spending to improve productivity in the UK which famously lags behind the Germans and the Americans. So what can we do to make sure we get more work done in less time – that is, be more productive.

These are my 7 lessons – which have nothing to do with working more, but still are about being productive.

One: Do Less – Holiday I remember being shocked that Richard Branson suggested holidays were a good thing to get a productive workforce. And then he even had limitless holidays for staff – they could take as much as they wanted. A break from work stops you getting into a rut. Stopping work, allows you to get more done when you return, then just ‘ploughing’ through.

As an Indian – I didn’t believe in holidays. I never knew Indians who took them –except to back to India – and that really as a child was not a holiday – not 9 hours in economy on Air India in the 1980s with a bunch of male passengers who had not experienced ‘free alcohol’ on flights – and then would hit everything in the lavatory except the bowl.

But ‘holidays’ might even just be a weekend without the phone and laptop. It may be that after 5pm – that’s it, you are out. And this applies to the self-employed too – like me.

Chancellor – our schools need to have breaks at different times so their parents are not priced out of breaks. And the higher living wage certainly helps for affordability – full marks on that one!

Two: Sleep More Again, as an Indian – sleeping was just illegal. If you were sleeping you were lazy or underemployed – both things were strictly forbidden as a child. And how many Indian families put their children to bed before midnight? Let alone the mandatory 12 hours for under 8s?

Apparently every study of the past two decades now shows sleep is the answer to everything. Want to avoid cancer? Sleep more. Want to be thinner? Sleep more.

Want to be better looking, younger looking? Sleep more. Want to reduce blood pressure? Sleep more. Want to be more productive? Sleep more.

Chancellor – affordable childcare please!

Three: Meditation The calming effects of meditation are well known. And nothing is more Indian.

We wrote the book on it. Even MRI scans prove it. They even teach it in business schools. Meditation helps you be more productive. Got a business problem?

Meditate. Clear your mind. Want to be more productive – do it. Meditation can be even as you walk. Just clear your mind and internal chatter. If you manage it for more than ten seconds – tell me how.

The Chancellor will note some schools

13

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UK

London Comedy Store to host its first ever Muslim Eid comedy show

14

The world renowned Comedy Store in London, will on July 20th host its first ever comedy show commemorating the Eid, the biggest holiday in the Muslim calendar (which will begin on Friday July 17th and continue for three consecutive days).

Hosted by the lyrical and energetic Imran Yusuf, popular acts such as Tez Ilyas, Shazia Mirza, In Cahoots, Pete Johansson, Nabil Abdul Rashid, Tamer Kattan and Sol Bernstein, will all be showcased.

Starring in BBC Three’s new sitcom 'Fried' and nominated for best newcomer in 2010 at the Edinburgh Festival, Imran Yusuf will be hosting the Eid Special Comedy Night on Monday 20th July at The Comedy Store London.

Halol Entertainment aims to use l Pete Johannson: Pete Johansson is a UK-based comic from Canada who performs all over the world.He gigs regularly in The Comedy Store, Glee

Apollo.

Tamer Kattan: A regular at the Comedy Store, Improv and Laugh Factory in Los Angeles. This is one comic you do not want to miss live. l Sol Bernstein: The oldest living Jewish comedian – Sol has done it all and does it again. A legend in the midst.

The twenty-first century has witnessed the development and nurturing of British Muslim comedy, bringing the Muslim experience into the mainstream and entering the homes of all Britons through the internet, TV shows, live musicals and plays, radio, and film. From Omid Djalili’s The Infidel, to BBC’s Citizen Khan, and the satirical web series Diary of a Bad Man, British ethnic minorities are using humour and farce to address issues affecting British society today. This night hopes to illustrate how the same has now been achieved for stand up comedy.

Empowering Donors. Supporting Charities. Help us change the world.

l

Shazia Mirza

Clubs, Komedia, Highlights and The Stands in the UK. l Nabil Abdul Rashid: In 2010, at the age of 22, Nabil became the youngest black comedian to perform stand-up at the Hammersmith

Magical evening of poetry and music pays tribute to Bengali icon Rabindranath Tagore

What is Asian Charity Clarity?

When you donate money to charities, how do you know you are giving it to the most effective ones? If you are a charity, how do you stand out and best showcase the great work you do? Empowering Donors. Supporting Charities. That's what Asian Charity Clarity is all about. ACC have come up with a special rating system which assesses a charity across 18 metrics for Financial Health, Accountability and Transparency, and Accessibility.

We have 110 charities on ACC right now, and will have around 500 in July. Every week, we will publish a Top 10 list looking at different aspects of Asian charities.

Top 10 Charities by Financial Health

These are the Top 10 Charities in the category of Financial Health from the ones we have measured, according to Asian Charity Clarity. They are assigned a rating out of 3, based on 5 metrics assigned different weights.

Divine Onkar Mission 3 out of 3 Lohana Charitable Foundation 2.80 out of 3 Shree Kutch Leva Patel Community (UK) 2.80 out of 3 Sivayogam 2.80 out of 3 Anti-Caste Discrimination Alliance 2.60 out of 3 Ayries Trust 2.60 out of 3 Bridge Of Love Trust 2.60 out of 3 Calcutta rescue fund 2.60 out of 3 Christian Missions Charitable Trust 2.60 out of 3 Devdaya Charitable Trust UK 2.60 out of 3

www.asiancharityclarity.org.uk

Judge grants millionaire up to £500,000 Photo credit: Vipul Sangoi

Stylish and historic Hampstead was resplendent in history on Friday 10 July as the enclave’s famous Town Hall played host to a very special musical tribute to one of the area’s most famous visitors – the Bengali cultural icon Rabindranath Tagore.

The intimate evening marked the UK launch of ‘ANANT’, a compilation of songs first penned by Tagore – regarded as India’s greatest ever poet – translated into Hindi by arguably India’s greatest living poet Javed Akhtar, and brought to life through the voice of writer, filmmaker and singer Sangeeta Datta with music provided by the talented, London-based musician and composer Soumik Datta.

Two years in the making, ANANT is intended to take Tagore’s precious and much-loved ‘Rabindra Sangeet’ (“Tagore’s Songs”), which form an important part of Bengali culture, to a wider, global audience and coincides with Tagore’s Nobel Centenary.

In Akhtar’s masterful hands, the songs have retained their famously classical romanticism, evoked splendidly by Sangeeta Datta who is trained in the pure tradition of Rabindra Sangeet.

Speaking of the challenge of translating Tagore’s iconic poems, Javed Akhtar said: “The very idea of translating Tagore is intimidating because the name really overwhelms you. When you listen to his poetry carefully, even if you don’t know Bengali, the words overwhelm you in a very gentle manner, so much so that it is difficult to be certain if you would be able to translate that magic that is inherent in his poetry.

“And then when you come to the translation, when you understand what he is writing, then you realize he is saying the most heart-wrench-

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Sangeeta Datta, Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi and Soumik Datta

ing things in the simplest language.

He’s not being ‘clever’ with words at all. He merely relates what he feels in the simplest manner and that simplicity is much more effective than any complicated or any intricate or ornate language. As a writer, I know that that simplicity is the most difficult to achieve”.

Soumik Datta – the gifted Sarod player best known for his ‘Circle of Sound’ compositions – was tasked with composing the music for ‘ANANT’.

For the unenviable task, Soumik signed up some of the best young musicians in London, including pianist Zoe Rahman and her clarinettist brother Idris and tabla player Sandy Man. “With this project I couldn’t take the traditional route of just sitting down and imagining the compositions in my head and then writing it out as I would normally do. When I read the translations, something moved me in each song. And that feeling equated to a certain kind of

sound or an instrument and I could feel it. So what I did was to bring all these amazing musicians together and unleashed them to try and get that energy on tape”, Soumik said.

The result is a wonderfully evocative amalgamation of 100-yearold poetry and classical and contemporary music styles.

Each song was preceded by a recitation – in English – of the original poem by a host of different wellknown personalities, including the legendary actress and campaigner Shabana Azmi, storyteller Seema Anand, academic Mukulika Banerjee and the award-winning photographer Souvid Datta.

ANANT was presented by BAITHAK UK, a not-for-profit arts organization that brings the best of South Asian arts legacy to young audiences in the UK, encouraging dialogue and debate with masters and young practitioners to create new work.

The album is published by Zee Music and distributed by Sony.

Ketan Somaia

Murli Mirchandani

A judge granted multi-millionaire, Indian-born Murli Mirchandani, nearly £500,000 of taxpayers' money after he brought the private prosecution against Ketan Somaia, a former business associate.

Ketan Somaia was sentenced to eight years imprisonment at the Old Bailey, London. As he was convicted of nine counts of fraud.

Judges awarded Mirchandani £461,362 in cost which would help him bring a confiscation hearing against his former business partner.

Somaia had allegedly wooed victims with champagne parties, flights on private jets, extravagant dinners and trips to South Africa, Kenya and Dubai.

At the hearing, Judge Richard Hone QC said, “He [Mirchandani] is not in good health and there comes a time where perhaps there should be reimbursement from expenditure in prosecution and confiscation costs.”

It is said that lawyers for Mirchandani are hoping to regain some of the £13 million defrauded by Ketan Somaia.

2-year-old Elsie desperately in need for a blood stem cell transplant Helen and Arun Kumar are desperately in search of a blood donor to keep their two-year-old daughter alive.

Two-year-old Elsie has Down's syndrome and developed myeloid leukaemia in October

2014. She was admitted at Great Ormond Street hospital in June for chemotherapy.

Her parents are hoping for a blood stem cell transplant in order for Elsie to beat blood cancer.

However, the chances for

Elsie Kumar

Elsie finding a matching donor seems difficult as she has no siblings and she has a mixed heritage. Her father is of Indian ethnicity while her

mother is white.

Mr and Mrs Kumar have launched a donor search through Facebook and Twitter (@AMatchForElsie); they are also being helped by Delete Blood Cancer UK. However, they need more

people to register as donors. Your blood stem cell could save someone's life; in this case, Elsie's.

Help save a life. Visit http://www.deletebloodc a n c e r. o r g . u k / e n / a match-for-elsie

15

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Royal College of Art gets an Indian origin Director

Dimmi Khan

The Reality of Writing

Sunetra Senior

The Royal College of Art has announced that Rama Gheerawo will succeed Professor Jeremy Myerson as Director of The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design. As a world leader in the field of Inclusive Design, Rama Gheerawo takes on this role after almost two decades of leadership in the design industry.

Gheerawo has been Deputy Director of the Helen Hamlyn Centre for the past five years, where he has been instrumental in building the Centre’s current reputation globally.

A graduate of Imperial College London and the RCA, Gheerawo is a designer, researcher, curator and writer who has an international presence and is known for his work within academia, industry, government and the public sector. He has delivered keynote speeches across the world, published papers, and edited and contributed to books for Routledge and Springer.

He also leads the Centre’s External Education programme, which has trained over 200 civil servants, over 400 designers and over 100 executives from businesses such as Samsung, Hong Kong Government’s Civil Service Bureau, BlackBerry and Stannah.

During his role as Deputy Director of the Helen Hamlyn Centre, Gheerawo has led the Centre’s Age and Ability research lab, where he has created new processes that look at how inclusive design can become more business-ready and engaged with critical social issues such as population aging.

He leads the Research Associates programme, where over 180 projects have been successfully completed with over 120 organisations including Samsung, Toyota,

Panasonic, B&Q, the NHS and GlaxoSmithKline. He has worked on major industry projects, including a redesign of the emergency ambulance and currently co-leads a new London taxi project with RCA Vehicle Design.

As one of the world’s few Readers in Inclusive Design, Gheerawo is in demand as a keynote speaker, most recently presenting on the Olympics to HRH Princess Yohko of Japan and Tokyo’s Mayor. He works globally with organisations from California to China, and collaborated with the Norwegian Centre for Design and Architecture to create a landmark publication Innovating with People: the Business of Inclusive Design, which has now sold to 42 countries. He reviews and guest-edits journals and sits on international conference and award committees, including his membership of the EPSRC Review College.

He works on initiatives and awards with a number of other design institutions including the UK Design Council, the Hong Kong Design Centre, the UK Design Museum and Spain’s Design for All Foundation.

Rama Gheerawo said, “I am incredibly excited to take on leadership of the Centre, building on the excellent reputation established by Jeremy Myerson. My vision is called Inclusive Design 3.0, signalling the next phase of socially inclusive practice and positioning the Centre as a lighthouse organisation in its field for years to come. I look forward to working with the RCA team to make this happen.”

Gheerawo’s appointment marks the culmination of a comprehensive international search. He will begin the directorship in October 2015.

Talking to Dimmi, we discover the everyday mystique that is writing. As in the plot of his new debut novel, ‘When Ali Met Honour’, where a British-Pakistani man falls in love with an English woman, stories highlight, remind us even, of the infinite possibilities around us. As we discussed Dimmi’s process – working in IT by day, and creating by night, his book’s unique approach – a dual from perspective both romantic partners, and his unruffled patience in the face of frustrating odds, we see that authors are part and parcel of their twilight worlds of wonder:

Tell us about your new novel ‘When Ali Met Honour’?

Well, it was a joint venture and turned out to be a modern-day, cultural epic of a love story. I co-wrote it with Anstey Spraggan, a fellow student on my Creative Writing Masters Programme, under the pseudonym Ruth Ahmed.

It’s told from two different points of view, informed by separate backgrounds. The two characters meet one day in a pub in London and we begin to see what happens when they deal with life events: marriage, death.

The story isn’t based on personal experience, but rather our cultural heritage.

Would you say creating characters is similar to acting in that they both require empathy?

Yes, Ali is very different to me. It always sounds a little strange to say the character takes over, but it’s true.

There are times I would never do what he does in the book. My inspiration is also like a physical stage: it sets the scene.

You also write Short Stories.

Is there a difference between these and longer works?

I actually prefer bigger, saga-like novels because they allow the freedom to write. With short stories you have to capture huge ideas using fewer words. But that also has value in that you’re forced to do away with superfluous description. That’s good for discipline, especially if you’re a beginner.

Many turn their short stories into novels too. Ann Rice with her Vampire chronicles for example, and Tony Morrison too.

What was it like to collaborate on a novel?

It worked really well! We would com-

‘I’m a big believer in fate’

plete our individual sections and then send them on to each other. Anstey would edit mine a little, and I hers. It really helped because you do get those voices on your own- ‘am I writing rubbish?’- and it was good to have immediate feedback.

‘Her eyes were dark berries’ (from Dimmi’s ‘The Final Mutation’) is an original metaphor. How do you avoid clichés?

Don’t overthink it! If you do that, it becomes forced. If all you want to say is ‘the sky is blue’ than say that.

Go with what you’re feeling, Don't it should just flow. Also overthink it! write ideas down as Otherwise writing they’re coming to you.

How do you Balance becomes your day job with Writing?

It’s my passion so it doesn’t feel like a chore. I would love to be a full time writer but you do have to have a practical head on your shoulders.

Right now, I just enjoy it, even if I’m tired.

‘It always sounds a little strange to say the character takes over, but it’s true’

Do you always make a comment on Multiculturalism with your work?

I think so but that’s just my opinion. I don’t wake up and think, ‘Oh I’m a member of diverse Britain- let me write!’ it just comes out of experiences. Other British-Asians may have a different view. ‘When Ali Met Honour’ and a lot of my short stories do mine a lot of my past and that inevitably involves identity.

forced

What’s your proudest accomplishment?

Definitely the novel; it took a long time to get published. We’d actually completed it back in 2011 and were receiving a lot of positive feedback, mainstream publishers included, but they had a lot of trouble marketing it.

One even said it was the best novel they’d seen all year. It was so different that they didn’t know how to place it.

But I’m a big believer in fate. When Dahlia publishing picked it up, it seemed really right. They reacted to it the way our friends and family didit was given a lot of love and attention.

Name a good book you’ve read recently: Ben Aaronovitch’s ‘Rivers of London’

Finally, what’s your advice to other aspiring writers?

A quote from Ann rice: there are no rules on how you should write.

Another thing is to develop a thick skin. There’s rejection before success.

If things aren’t working out, and you know you’ve got something to say, don’t give up.

W

www.dimmikhan.com

16

UK

Black and Minority Ethnic Members of Parliament and Peers to have iconic photograph

In the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday 15th July 2015, the black and minority ethnic Members of Parliament and Members of the House of Lords were photographed with the Speaker and Lord Speaker, in a demonstration of the progress of minority representation in the Houses of Parliament.

This photograph will be the front cover for the ‘Rainbow Book’, which documents every minorityethnic MP, MEP or Peer ever elected or appointed to Parliament. The Rainbow Book is edited by Keith Vaz. Rt Keith Vaz MP said: “The progress in improving the level of minority representation in the Houses of Parliament has been remarkable during the 28 years in which I have been an MP. When myself, Bernie Grant,

Diane Abbott and Paul Boateng were elected in 1987, we alone represented the minority representation in the House of Commons.

Today, we have a record 41 Members of Parliament from minority backgrounds.

We can be so proud of this achievement. Of course, there is still more work to be done, but this photograph will immortalise the victory of progression over the past, and the modern face of British politics.

Prime Minister targets "anti-British" Muslims in landmark speech

Continued from page 1 Cameron expressed, “And here’s my message to any young person here in Britain thinking of going out there: You won’t be some valued member of a movement. You are cannon fodder for them. They will use you. If you are a boy, they will brainwash you, strap bombs to your body and blow you up. If you are a girl, they will enslave and abuse you.

That is the sick and brutal reality of ISIL.” He also suggested that it was their failure of integrating in the UK and the lack of sense of belonging which ultimately lures them into joining groups such as Islamic state.

Cameron also implied that schools and housing estates dominated by a single Muslim community must become ethnically mixed in order to put an end to segregation in Britain.

While some may agree with the Prime Minister, others have reacted against him. Naz Shah, Labour MP for Bradford West said that his plan was

“not the right approach.”

She said, “Do we then say, ‘we are going to make social housing but we have to put a cap here, and we’re going to make it 30 per cent or 40 per cent of [black and ethnic minority] people’? Is that how we force integration?”

Paul Cheshire, emeritus professor of economic geography at the London School of Economics (LSE) said, “There is absolutely no evidence that this sort of social engineering, to generate social mixture, improves anybody’s welfare.”

In order to combat extremism, David Cameron spoke about giving the power to parents to cancel their children's passports if the suspect that they had plans of joining Islamic State, in order to curb radicalisation, as well as preventing their children from being exploited and attracted to these vengeful extremist groups.

However, Lord Dolar Popat agrees to the strategies that Cameron has proposed in tackling

extremism in Britain, in order to prevent more home-grown terrorists to be born.

He said, “David Cameron has rightly identified that countering extremist ideology, particularly in the Muslim community, is the 'struggle of our generation'. For too long politicians have been afraid to stand up for Britain and British values.

As the Prime Minister’s speech acknowledged, too often we let the extremists set the agenda, rather than setting out ourselves the overwhelming positives that our country offers. The Hindu community have, almost universally, settled in Britain without issue. We have integrated, upheld and adhered to British values and always spoken positively of the place we call ‘home’.”

He went on to add, “So too have the vast majority of the Muslim community. It is easy to forget that the people who have suffered the most because of these extremists are innocent and law-

Family Firms crowned winners

On Friday 10 July 2015, over 300 family business guests descended upon Shakespeare’s Globe in London for the sixth annual Red Ribbon Awards – celebrating the achievements of Britain’s finest family-run businesses.

After months of searching, interviewing and filming, 11 family firms were crowned the winners of the UK’s most prestigious family business accolade. With over 3 million family firms in the UK as well as hundreds of entries for the Awards, the winners had to be exceptional. Rami Ranger MBE, Chairman of Sun Mark was crowned winner of the Corbett Keeling ‘Lifetime Achievement’ Award, and his daughter Cllr Reena

abiding Muslims, tarred by the same brush. The Prime Minister’s speech acknowledged this, and – in perhaps the most comprehensive speech of this nature by a politician in living memory – looked at the causes of extremism, and outlined how the Government will tackle them.”

In order to win against the struggle of extremism, the Prime Minister's propose strategy includes enabling the communications watchdog Ofcom to nail foreign television channels that broadcast extremist messages; make “incentivise” schools to become more mixed; demand that the internet service providers do more to remove extremist material, as well as identify those who are responsible for it; improve the strategy of combatting extremism in prison; launch a study looking at how extremism spreads, plus much more.

David Cameron's proposed strategy will be reviewed and will be implemented from October 2015.

consecutive Queen’s Awards for Enterprise and it’s not hard to see why Rami Ranger deserves to win the ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award.”

Rami was abroad and his award was collected on his behalf by his daughter, Reena.

Hosted by Family Business Place, and now in their sixth year, the Cllr Reena Ahuja, daughter of Dr Rami awards seek to recognise Dr Rami Ranger Ranger MBE, FRSA, collected the Lifetime and honour some of the MBE, FRSA Achievement Award on his behalf most exciting, innovative Ahuja collected the fought hard for his place in and longstanding family award on his behalf. The British business society. businesses around the UK. judges commented –“As a On top of this, he has gone From 200 year old cheese young man Rami came to on to become a political makers in Yorkshire to secEngland to pursue a dream reformist, a generous phiond generation perfumers and in his single lifetime lanthropist and someone in London and sibling has risen to become one of who is passionate that start-ups in Devon, the the most inspiring and everyone in life, no matter awards have become one respected business leaders their race or background, of the most sough-after the UK has ever seen. Not should have a chance to accolades in business. only did he have the vision make a contribution. Add Amalia Brightleyto see opportunities that to this his decoration from Gillott, Director of Family other people missed, he Buckingham Palace and Business Place says, worked harder than other an unprecedented five “Family businesses are the people were willing to and

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities still wait longer for kidney transplants The latest Organ Donation and Transplantation Activity Report published by NHS Blood and Transplant has revealed that three out of ten patients on the UK’s active kidney transplant waiting list at the end of March 2015 were from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. However, only 26% of patients who received a kidney transplant during 2014/15 were from these communities. On average, they will wait almost a year longer for a transplant than a white patient.

Last year only 553 people from BAME communities received a lifesaving kidney transplant, despite there being 1,797 BAME people currently waiting for such an organ.

Kidneys are allocated according to many factors, with blood and tissue type among the most important and matching is likely to be better when the ethnicity of the donor and recipient are closer.

As only a small percentage (6%) of deceased donors are from BAME communities, this can delay a suitably matched kidney being found for BAME patients.

Last year in the UK, the number of deceased organ donors from

BAME communities increased slightly, but the number of people overall who donated organs after their death fell for the first time in 11 years.

The number of deceased donor transplants has decreased from 4,655 in 2013/14 to 4,431 in 2014/15. This is a 5% decrease on last year and means that 224 fewer people received an organ transplant.

There were 1,282 deceased donors in the UK. Only 80 of them were from BAME communities. Of those: l 32 were Asian l 20 were Black l 28 were from other ethnic backgrounds Figures from NHS Blood and Transplant reveal that families are more likely to agree to organ donation going ahead if they were aware of their loved ones decision to be a donor.

In the past year there has been a slight increase in consent among BAME families. 36.5 per cent approached about organ donation said yes in 2015/15 compared to 35 per cent a year ago.

Although this is encouraging progress, this figure still lags behind the consent rate seen in white families which currently stands at 60.7 per cent.

Keith Vaz calls for a Monument to the Contribution of Commonwealth Countries in the World Wars shortlisted for Rt Hon Keith Vaz, the Heritage catthe longest serving egory of the Member of National Lottery Parliament of AsianAwards. Quite origin, has called for simply, it tells a a monument to be story deeply erected in Leicester important to the to highlight the cruKeith Vaz history of the cial contribution of United Kingdom and African, Caribbean and many other countries Asian soldiers in the First which has not be told and Second World Wars. before. "In honour of Mr Vaz’s call comes those brave men and after the ‘Together We Won women, I feel it is only the War’ exhibition staged right for a monument to by Leicester’s Race be erected immortalising Equality Centre. their sacrifices and contriKeith Vaz said: “Not bution. "I would be enough people know how delighted for this monusignificant a contribution ment to be based in Asian, African and Leicester, and I know our Caribbean Commonwealth local community would soldiers made in the First welcome with open arms and Second World Wars. this testimony to our fore"This exhibition at bears, who gave so much Leicester’s Race Equality for us.”

Centre has rightly been lifeblood of the British economy and the beating heart of our local communities, employing 1 in 3 people.

Despite their impressive contribution they are often modest and shy about publicising their

achievements and so we founded the Red Ribbon Awards. This year’s winners are a treasure trove of incredible companies who all excel in their field and are true beacons of British commerce.”

RATH YATRA 2015

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Re-birth of Lord Jagannath: Country celebrates

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India rejoiced in the celebrations of what marked the century's first Nabakalebara Rath Yatra. The religious festival concurred with the holy month of Ramadan. The yatra attracted over 17 lakh visitors who flooded from all parts of the country, to the pilgrim town of Puri, for a glimpse of the holy Trinity. The Nabakalebara symbolises the new birth of Lord Jagannath. Devotees saw the Lord's new idol for the first time in 19 years.

West Bengal takes Lord in a grand rally

More than 10 lakh visitors call into Puri for Jagannath darshan

Swaminarayan temples celebrate Rathayatra festival

From artistes to dancers, country catches the spirit of the Yatra

The Swaminarayan temples have celebrated Rathayatra on 19 July.

Poojan and Maha Aarti begun at 11.00am at SKS Swaminarayan Temple Kenton, followed by a procession back to Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Dharma Bhakti Manor. Everyone got an opportunity to serve the Lord by pulling the Rath across the streets of Harrow. A divine celebration was held upon arrival at the Temple at 3.30pm, followed by Maha Prasad. Offerings of flowers, fruits & nuts can be made throughout the procession, whilst blissfully singing and dancing to the Maha Mantra.

The procession was joined by local MP Bob Blackman, Councillor Ameet Jogia, Ajay Maru, London Assembly Member Navin Shah and Mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith among others.

Crowds swamp in for a glance of the Lord

Lord Jagannath, Subhadra and Balaram idols at the temple

Cllr Ajay Maru, Navin Shah AM, Bob Blackman MP, Cllr Ameet Jogia and others at the procession

Zac Goldsmith and Ameet Jogia lifting an idol at the procession

Children at the Rathayatra festival, pulling the chariot

18

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Dear Financial Voice Reader, I write to you a column started in Paris and finished in Rome. Throughout Europe investors are looking for the next Uber, Google. If you are looking to make angel investments into a company these are 5 essential ways to follow to find a unicorn (a billion dollar company).

One: Crowdfunding Sites: These make it easy to make small investments into pre-due diligence companies. Always start small. Try invest in something you know a little about, rather than relying on their sales pitch alone. Diversify across many small investments.

You will be a passive investor – such as in Crowdcube.co.uk.

Likelihood of finding a unicorn: 1 in one hundred thousand.

Likely average return across 10 investments: 20%pa Two: Co-investment Sites: These are really crowdfunding sites, but ones like Angel.co allow you to invest alongside established known celebraty angel investors like the backers of Twitter. So they reduce your risk. Remember you’re unlikely to get to meet the founders. So you will be a passive investor.

Likelihood of finding a unicorn: 1 in ten thousand Likely average return across 10 investments: 30%pa Three: Angel Investments: Companies like Envestors allow you to meet the companies they’ve due diligence and their owners and be an active investor. Do this is you think you have something to add to the company which would then let you get your money back pretty quickly, example being through an introduction. Here you will want a company you know something about and expect to be active. The danger is you put too much money into the company.

Likelihood of finding a unicorn: 1 in ten thousand Likely average return across 10 investments: 30%pa Four: Small Business Lending Sites: Here you are simply a bank. You are lending money to a company and expecting to get a return on your money. You’re money is spread across many companies to reduce your risk of default. This is a safe option.

Likelihood of finding a unicorn: Zero (you don’t own the company) Likely average return across 10 investments: 1014%pa Five: Be a Limited Partner: These are investors into a venture capital or private equity fund. Minimum investments sizes are around $100,000 and you pay fees of 2% annually of the capital you give them plus 20% typically of your profits. Again you’re a passive investor because you are investing in a fund managed by experts which invests in a number of companies.

Likelihood of finding a unicorn: 1 in thousand Likely average return across 10 investments: 2024%pa Key Points: The key things to ask yourself are whether you have some secret knowledge to help grow the company. If not, then you will be a passive investor spreading their money across multiple investments and reducing your risk further by investing alongside wellknown investors with a good track record. Even this is a ‘spray and pray’ approach.

The good thing with all these innovations are the ability for people to rely on more than just the paltry rates they get at a bank, and given the need for alternative forms of financing, these are a great innovation and genuinely allow you to get involved in multiple businesses – potentially everyone wins.

BRICS NDB opens in China

The New Development Bank launched by the BRICS nations has started operations in China.

Bank president K V Kamath attended the opening ceremony along with China's finance minister Lon Jinei and Shanghai mayor Yang Xiong.

The NDB will promote the existing international financial system and explore innovations in governance models. It will receive an initial capital of USD 50 billion, with each

BRICS member contributing an equal share. The investment will later expand to USD 100 billion in the next couple of years. It was conceived as a counterbalance to western-led financial institutions like the World Bank and the IMF by providing funding for infrastructure and development projects in BRICS countries.

Each nation will have an equal say in the bank’s management, regardless of GDP size, according its officials.

Hisao Tanaka quits Toshiba over accounting transgression

Toshiba Corps's CEO Hisao Tanaka and a bunch of senior officials resigned for their involvement in Japan's biggest accounting scandal in years. “I see this as the most damaging event for our brand in the company's 140 year history,” Tanaka addressed a news conference. “I don't think these problems can be overcome overnight.”

He will be temporarily replaced by chairman Masashi Huromachi, who is considered best to steer the company through its

Hisao Tanaka

current unrest, until a Tanaka successor steps in.

A total of eight officials resigned on Tuesday and Tanaka said that the company is now considering appointing outside directors to over half of its

board seats. Presidents of the laptops to nuclear conglomerate, Vice Chairman Norio Sasaki and adviser Atsutoshi Nishida, will also step down after the third-party report proved their part in the overstatement of profits dating back to the 2008 financial year.

Report by an outside panel of accountants and lawyers said Toshiba had overstated its operating profit by 151.8 billion yen , roughly three times Toshiba's initial estimate.

It said Tanaka and Sasaki pressured business divisions to meet difficult targets and knew they were overstating profits and delaying the reporting of losses, amid a culture of not going against the wishes of superiors.

Even though the former CEO did not dispute the allegations, he said, “It's not my understanding that I gave orders for improper accounting, but the reality is that such an observation has been made.”

Anil Ambani pitches Rs 5000 crore more in Pipavav project

Industrialist Anil Ambani has announced an additional investment of Rs 5,000 crore in the Pipavav shipyard project over the next few years. The ADAG (Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group) Chairman who spoke on the company's acquisition of the Pipavav Defence Company in Gujarat, called it the company's contribution towards self reliance in the defence sector. “We will invest an additional Rs 5,000 crore over the next few years as part of our commitment towards indigenisation efforts.”

“Transparent, fair procedures and processes create a favourable climate, encourage competitiveness and eventually deliver the best overall value for the country,” he said. He added that specific measures towards ease of doing business will encourage industry participation to boost the confidence of the private sector in the new 'Make in India' initiative.

“This is necessary as the Ministry of Defence is the sole domestic customer.”

In the speech, he emphasised on self sustenance for flexibility to pursue the country's foreign policy objectives.

Accentuating the fact that Pipavav has the largest dry dock in the country, and the second largest in the world, he said, with more than 30 lakh square feet of covered for fabrication and integration alone, it could perhaps be the largest single location defence manufacturing facility in the country.

“We are committed to making it a Global Centre of Excellence in ship building. This facility will be capable of delivering all requirements of the Indian Navy from frigates to aircraft carrier to submarines.”

Stressing that ADAG will equip country's armed forces with the best technology, weapons and equipment, all Made in India, he said it's heartening to see a paradigm shift in country's approach to achieving this. “For a country with one of the longest coastlines in the

region and vast expanse of territories over the seas, self-reliance in naval capabilities is an ever-challenging imperative. Given the current geo-political environment, we have no option, but to be in the lead with a potent 'Blue Water Presence'.”

Ambani said talked about his dedicated facility in Noida that works solely to develop 'Combat Management Systems' for future naval vessels. “We are working with market leaders like SAAB to offer the best solutions for our Navy,” he said. He also promoted the pooling of resources between the private and public sector, besides DRDO. “The future belongs to Public Private Partnerships (PPP). We are enthusiastic about working together, specifically with the Navy, public sector shipyards and DRDO to develop innovative solutions. The key is a combined national effort to achieve our goal.”

attend the three week festival, which runs between 13 June and 1 July 2016.

“The UK India British Business Council is delighted to be IFB’s international partner for India. 2014 was a fantastic experience – generating £300 million of business – and we’re sure that 2016 will be an even

greater success!” said Rt Hon. Patricia Hewitt, chair, UK India Business Council Ian McCarthy, festival director of IFB 2016, said: “IFB is very pleased that it can rely on the respected UKIBC, which provides a vital link to the international business community in both India and Britain. Their members are exactly the sort of motivated people we want to see attending our three week festival, which covers manufacturing, environment and energy and creative and digital.

“We are also delighted that UKIBC recognises the benefits we offer their large membership. But benefits don’t just start

when the festival launches; numerous benefits can be accessed by any motivated business during the coming months when they activate free membership to our Business Club.

“Subscription to IFB’s Business Club opens doors for any business by offering Business Support Services, which includes advice, guidance and signposting to essential professional services such as market research, patents, banking and financial as well as international digital matching service and a comprehensive Meet the Buyer programme. This will be launched on ifb2016.com in the coming months and we expect demand to be high.”

Anil Ambani

UK’s India Business Council signs partnership to support IFB 2016

One of the UK’s most significant international business councils, United Kingdom India Business Council has signed up to a working partnership with International Festival for Business 2016 (IFB 2016) to help promote the festival and the benefits of attending to its corporate members across India and the UK. UK India British Council’s chair, Rt Hon. Patricia Hewitt, met with festival director, Ian McCarthy, to officially sign the agreement. This supports IFB 2016’s objectives to encourage UK businesses in manufacturing, environment and energy, and creative and digital sectors to

REAL ESTATE VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

19

You cannot go wrong with bread and butter property

Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap A Property Investment Company

Last week Friday we exchanged on a small property in Kilburn NW2. The property is on the 8th floor of a purpose built block, consisting of two bedrooms and 800 sq. ft. It’s an ideal BTL. Being ex-council means it has low service charges and a long lease, with large well portioned rooms. The views from the property are stunning, you can see both the Shard and the Gherkin from the balcony.

In truth the block looks ugly from the outside, it is a concrete monstrosity and an eye sore, however the internals make up for it.

There is hardly any work to be done surprisingly, and it comes in good condition. The prospective tenant will care more about the location and the internals of the flat than the way the block looks from the outside. It’s only minutes away from two stations in Kilburn which means it will rent in days.

I had offered £325k on the property last year, at the time the owner wanted £360k and the offer was rejected. The rental on this property is expected to be £400pw which gives an impressive 7% yield, which is good for this location. Yields have dropped heavily in London the closer you go into the centre the lower the yield.

The reason is that the rentals have not kept pace with the huge uplift in property prices; 2 -3% in central locations is not uncommon.

T h i s ye ar s u r p ri s i n g l y a s a l l p ro p e rt y p r i c e s h a v e i n c re a s e d we w e re ab l e t o c l o s e t h e d e a l a t £2 7 9k , w h i c h e q u at e s t o o n l y £ 34 8 p e r s q . f t . , £ p e r sq . f t . wi l l g i v e y o u a g o o d ru l e o f t h u m b e s t i m a t e o f w h e t h e r t h e pro pe r t y i s a g o o d d e a l . It b y n o m e a n s i s a n a b s o l u t e i n d i c a t o r a s i t t a k e s i n t o n o a c c o u n t t h e vi e w s, c o n d i t i o n , o r t h e c e i l i n g h e i g h t s .

On this property you will require £70k on a BTL basis as your 25% deposit, the rest will cost you about £10k per annum in interest payments. This means on the basis of a £400pw rental you should be making about £8k per annum allowing for service charge and management fees. This is a healthy income; however the main money in London property is not on the income but on capital growth. This area is still growing due to its vicinity to Central London, therefore the future looks bright. It is helpful that this investor has entered the deal at least £45k below market value.

The property was due to go into auction on the 22nd of July and so it was imperative we do the deal quickly. The lawyer was told the auction was on Monday, a little white lie to get the deal over the line. The management pack was dropped by hand on the Thursday. Management packs are provided by the managing agent of the block, they contain information on the works which have been done and are due, and service votaries - basically they are to do with the running of the block. The managing agents typically like to overcharge every time a pack is requested and they tend to take their time over providing it. For this reason we insisted for it to be brought over by hand to avoid unnecessary delay.

Our lawyer picked out that the works to the lift had been done

but not been paid for. He therefore suggested a retention of £20k.

This means the buyers hold on to the money until this has been settled. After this was suggested I received a call from our contact who passed the deal to us to say he understood we were trying to chip the price. This is a common practise amongst some property traders, as the property is about to exchange they drop the price.

If time is an issue to the seller he may take the hit.

T h i s i s n o t s o m e t h i n g w e f o l l o w, u n l e s s s o m e t h i n g h as c o m e o u t o f t h e wo o d wo rk . I e x p l a i n e d t h i s w a s a c a s e o f C h i n e s e w h i s p e r s , t h e re w e re f o u r p e o p l e i n t h e l i n k an d t h e m e s s a g e h ad b e e n c o r r u p t e d .

We finally agreed on a retention of £5k, which the seller agreed to.

Works are apportioned between the seller and the buyer, and paid for according to the completion date.

The market is heating up partly fuelled by credit which is coming strongly into London, prices are starting to heat up. I have heard many traders are now sitting back and taking things easy, waiting for things to turn downwards; at this point they will enter the market. When the property market is this bullish, if you are going to invest it should be done so with a ‘correction’ in mind.

Avoid the high end and developments. The high end because if things go down these types of properties will be hit first, and developments as you may just come to market when the property market becomes dampened.

The Real Deal

Marylebone, London, NW8 Purchase Price: £530k l A spacious three bedroom flat within a purpose built block l Long lease l Properties in this location are being sold for around £650 per sq. ft. and above while this is coming in at around £530 per sq. ft. l Close to Marylebone station and the open spaces of Regent’s Park l Excellent buy and hold opportunity

Wi t h b re a d a n d b u t t e r p ro p e r t i e s w h i c h are b o u g h t a t a d i s c o u n t t o t h e c u rre n t m ar k e t p r i c e s y o u c an n o t re a l l y g o w ro n g . T h e b o t t o m l i n e i s e a c h p ro p e rt y i s u n i q u e an d t h e re f o re y o u m ay o n l y h av e o n e c h a n c e t o a c q u i re it.

We have a few properties which fit this description in the pipeline and are in the stage to exchange, these range around the £500k mark. We have one particular one which is priced at around £700k and in a very very prime location, it is 500 sq. ft., which means you’re paying £1,200 per sq. ft., in a location close to Regent’s Park and the embassies - this is ready to exchange now.

Call us now to reserve!

0207 993 0103

We provide a turnkey solution. Contact us now:

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info@sowandreap.co.uk

www.sowandreap.co.uk

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

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SowandReapProperties

Tips of the Week The money you invest in property will grow in direct proportion with the location you invest in.

Always focus on the capital growth of an investment property - never sacrifice this as this is how the bulk of your money will be made in property; rental income is secondary.

20

LEGAL VOICE

Rupee strengthens against Dollar, confirms at 63.55

The rupee recovered 11 paisa against US dollar, closing at 63.55 against on fresh selling of dollars by banks and exporters owing to good foreign capital inflows into the equity markets.

Initially it resumed lower at 63.70 per dollar as against previous closing of 63.66 at the Interbank Forex, dropping further to 63.75. However, it recovered to 63.54 on fag-end selling of dollars by banks and exporters before concluding at 63.55 per dollar, flaunting a 0.17 per cent gain.

Dealers said, it moved in a range of 63.75 and

63.54 per dollar during the day and, that the somewhat stable situation in Greece and chances of a Fed rate hike, which sent dollar soaring and Gold hitting a 5-year low also effected the rupee

value.

Overseas, the dollar neared a five week high versus the yen in early Asian trade after a top Federal Reserve official added to expectations that US interest rates could be

Raj Aggarwal Awarded Fellowship of University of South Wales

Continued on page 30 Cardiff-based entrepreneur and pharmacist Raj Aggarwal has been awarded an honorary fellowship of the University of South Wales.

The fellowship was awarded to Mr Aggarwal at the university campus on Wednesday 15th July

by Lord Rowan Williams, Chancellor and Professor Helen Langton, Deputy Vice Chancellor in recognition for his “outstanding contribution to pharmacy”.

Raj Aggarwal has built up a hugely successful chain of pharmacies in Cardiff and the surrounding area. He is also a fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

William Callaway of the University of South Wales said: “Raj Aggarwal has made a valuable contribution to pharmacy and we believe that his career as a successful public heath expert will be an inspiration for current and prospective students of the University of South Wales. We would also like to recognise his highly effective community work and fundraising activities.”

Raj Aggarwal was

Raj Aggarwal (centre) with Lord Rowan Williams, Chancellor (left) and Professor Helen Langton, Deputy Vice Chancellor

granted an OBE back in 2007 for his charitable work and he is currently President of the Honorary Consular Association of Wales, which is instrumental in building business links with foreign countries, and in Mr Aggarwal’s case specifically with India. He is also the Chairman of Kidney Wales Foundation and under his leadership, the foundation has campaigned for ‘soft opt out’ which will be implemented in Wales with effect from 1st December 2015.

This will increase the number of organs avail-

able and certainly save more lives.

Raj Aggarwal graduated with a B.Pharm (Hons) 2.1 from the Welsh School of Pharmacy at Cardiff University in 1972. He was honoured with a fellowship from Cardiff Metropolitan University and sits on the Governing body, the Council of Russell Group, Cardiff University. The Pharmacy department at Cardiff University where Mr Aggarwal studied was voted 2nd best in the country in the Guardian newspaper’s University Guide 2015.

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raised as early as September. The dollar index was down by 0.16% against the major currency.

Analysts reported the fall of crude oil prices in the Asian continent, with the US crude falling below $ 50 a barrel, due to the demand for the dollarpriced commodity taking a hit from a strong US currency. The dollar got a boost after Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen last week stuck to her forecast for an increase in the US central bank's key interest rate later this year, as the economy picks up pace.

Paytm eyes mobile economy with investment of Rs 1000 crore

Mobile payment and commerce company Paytm which is backed by the world’s largest e-tailer, Alibaba Group, has announced an investment of Rs 900 to 1,000 crore over the next 6-8 months, to boost margins in the sector dominated by Flipkart and Amazon.

“Our GMV has increased from Rs 2,500 crore in 2014 to around Rs 9,500 crore now, and we hope to touch Rs 10,000 crore by monthend,” Paytm CEO and founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma said.

The company that offers apparels, home appliances, car accessories, toys and books, among other things, is looking for a change. It started a bus ticket marketplace earlier this month and claims to be doing around 20,000 bus bookings daily. It also plans to start airline and train ticket bookings in the coming months.

Next, it will initiate a marketplace where one can book hotels. It will partner with other online and offline travel firms as well as aggregators to offer the service. While Sharma refused to divulge further details on the launch plans, sources said the hotel booking service could go live as early as next month.

From 20 million users last year, the mobile wallet now boasts of a database of 90 million users, and has 70,000 sellers on its platform.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

An assault on students: the details

Maria Fernandes

Changes being introduced for students from the 13/07/2015 The main changes are as follows: • New students at publicly funded colleges can no longer work in the UK; • College students ( which is not defined) will not be able to switch to a work visa category • Extend their study visa whilst they are in the UK. • The rules around academic progression are being tightened so that university students will only be allowed to extend their studies at the same academic level if the course they wish to study is linked to their previous course, or if the university confirms the course “supports” the student’s career aspirations (not clear how this will translate into the rules).

• The time limit on further education study will be reduced from three years to two years in "the autumn"( no date provided yet).

• The application of the rules on time limits is being "clarified" so that the time a student has already spent studying in the UK is calculated using the full length of the leave they have previously been granted.

• The maintenance requirement for Tier 4 students will increase.

• The rule around “established presence” which allowed students applying to extend their leave within the UK to show only two months’ maintenance is being removed.

• Changes are being made to allow a Tier 4 visa to be issued in line with a student’s intended date of travel.

• Conditions of study are being changed, to prevent those in Tier 4 from studying at academies or schools maintained by a local authority. Those who wish to study a foundation course to prepare for entry to higher education are also being prevented from doing so under the Tier 4 (Child) route.

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

All that glitters: market hits 5 year low

Continued from page 1 International gold prices fell to $ 1,088.50 per troy ounce which somewhat steadied to $ 1,109.75 ounce, later. Taking the cue, India's MCX gold touched a low of Rs 24,904 per 10 gm for the August contract, down 2.3%, the lowest since having hit Rs 24,830 on

ing in equity and other financial instruments where they are getting good returns. Those who have weddings in the family in the NovemberDecember may buy some jewellery right now,” said Bachhraj Bamalwa, director, Nemichand Bamalwa & Sons. However, leading jewellers and a banker

June 28, 2013. It however, did bounce back to Rs 25,113 per 10 gm.

“The price drop will not trigger a rise in imports as banks and the trade have huge stocks of gold with them,” said Manish Jain, chairman, Gems & Jewellery Trade Federation.

“Investors are not keen to participate in the gold market as the precious metal has given negative returns in the last two years. They are invest-

sounded optimistic amid the fall.

International gold prices are down 6.12% year-to-date, while Indian gold prices are down 6.2% in the same period. US Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen reaffirmed that US interest rates were likely to rise later in 2015, and, data pointed to a strong pick up in US consumer prices and housing starts, adding to the confidence regarding growth in the United States.

CURRENCY VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

21

Foreign Exchange

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

Labour market loses some momentum This week in the UK, surveys revealed interest rates on personal loans have dropped to the lowest levels on record in the latest evidence that the cost of borrowing is continuing to fall for consumers. There has been no change to the banks 0.5% interest rate since March 2009, the bank of England pointed to increased competition among lenders for the fall in borrowing rates and rise in consumer confidence. While some prices such as motor fuels, audio/visual and related equipment, and food are lower than they were a year ago, others such as restaurants, hotels and rents are higher.

Taken as a whole, prices for services increased by 2.2% in the year to June 2015 while prices for goods decreased by 2.0% historically, price movements for food and motor fuels have been among the main causes of inflation.

The UK also enjoyed a big pay rise in spring, with average earnings 3.2% higher in the period from March to May 2015 than a year earlier, highlighting the increasing skills shortages forcing employers to offer higher wages. Although the growth in wages is strong, it did slightly miss economist’s forecasts of 3.3% growth, however this

should be welcome news for Mark Carney after yesterday’s comments that interest rates will be looking to increase in the near future. However, the better earnings figures came as the unemployment rate rose for the first time in two years, sparking fears that Britain’s booming labour market has lost some of its momentum.

UK consumer price index inflation report fell to 0% for 0.1% in May, clothing and food prices were the main contribution to the change along with a smaller rise in air fares in June since the same time last year. Inflation is expected to remain low for the moment but bank experts say it should start to pick up by the end of the year.

Core inflation which includes energy, food, alcohol and tobacco prices fell to 0.8% from 0.9% the lowest level seen since 2001.

Eurozone leaders have finally reached an agreement after marathon talks over a third bailout package for Greece, officials say. EU President Donald Tusk said the agreement was unanimous. He tweeted that a

bailout programme was "all ready to go" for Greece, "with serious reforms and financial support". European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker stated "There will not be a

Grexit" referring to the fear that Greece would have to leave the euro. Parliaments in several Eurozone states also have to approve any new bailout.

Mario Draghi announced that the ECB had raised its Emergency Liquidity Assistance to Greek banks for the first time since late June, by €900 million.

Mr. Draghi said the amount was as advised by the Bank of Greece. It’s a move that could lead to a reopening of the banks

in coming days, but the return to normality will take much longer. Also Mr Draghi said recovery is “broadening” but it is still less than satisfactory.

Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen last Thursday said the U.S labour market had moved demonstrably closer to a more normal state, a reason why the central bank is likely to raise short-term interest rates later this year. Ms. Yellen again avoided specifying exactly when the Fed is likely to start lifting its benchmark rate from near zero. Most of the U.S. central bank’s policy makers have said they expect to start raising the rate this year if the economy continues to strengthen as they forecast, and many private economists consider September the likely time for a rate rise.

Sales at U.S. retailers unexpectedly dropped in June, curbing optimism about the strength of the rebound in consumer spending during the second quarter.

Purchases decreased to -0.3 percent after a 1 percent advance in May which was smaller than previously reported.

Weekly Currencies As of Tuesday 21st July 2015 @ 5.30pm

GBP - INR = 98.90

USD - INR = 63.57 EUR - INR = 69.57 GBP - USD = 1.56 GBP - EUR = 1.42

EUR - USD = 1.09 GBP - AED = 5.71

GBP - CAD = 2.01

GBP - NZD = 2.34

GBP - AUD = 2.09

GBP - ZAR = 19.18

GBP - HUF = 437.64

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.

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22

WORLD

IS bombs market in Iraq

Baghdad: While the world rejoiced in the celebrations of Eid-ulFitr, Iraq mourned over the loss of 115 lives that included women and children, in the one of the gravest terrorist attacks. Terrorist group Islamic State bombed a crowded market in the Diyala province of Iraq killing 115 people, mostly Shiite. Sources said a small truck detonated in the town of Khan Beni Saad, instantly turning the place into a scene of horror. At least 170 people were injured in the attack as per police officials. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on Twitter accounts associated with the militant group.

The Sunni militant group has provoked several similar largescale attacks on civilians or military checkpoints as it seeks to expand its territory.

The group currently controls about a third of Iraq and Syria in a self-declared caliphate.

China detains Britons, SA and an Indian national for terror links

Beijing: China formally detained nine foreign tourists for alleged ties to a terror group after authorities caught them viewing banned videos.

The accused include South Africans, Britons and an Indian. The country's foreign ministry said they will be criminally detained and most likely charged and then prosecuted.

“The case is under investigation. China will guarantee the legitimate rights of relevant people in accordance with law, and will continue to provide necessary convenience and assistance to counselor officials of foreign embassies,” the ministry had said when the news caught on worldwide.

As the Foreign Office demanded an explanation from the Chinese authorities, a charity involved in the group’s 47-day tour of ancient China said police had accused the tourists of links to a terror group and of watching banned videos in their hotel room. Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers, a South African charity working to secure the tourists’ release, said they had

probably been watching videos of Islamic prayers during Ramadan, and denied any terror links.

Initially, a total of 20 tourists were arrested, and the Chinese authorities agreed to release 11 of them, holding the remaining 9.

Representative from Britain, South Africa and India met together to secure release of the tourists. A British Foreign Office spokeswoman said, “Consular staff have visited the group to provide assistance and we are liaising with Chinese authorities.” The embassy of South Africa declined to comment and an Indian embassy spokesman said he had no information on the matter. Reports in Delhi suggested the Indian national was arrested under article 120

of China’s criminal law governing those who “form, lead or actively participate in a terrorist organisation,” a charge punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The entire situation concluded when Chinese officials released the remaining captive, deporting the Britons and the Indian. Gift of Givers said in a statement, “No charges have been put to the group but the Chinese have been very vague saying that someone in the group has some links to a suspected terror group and that someone has some links to a banned group and that the real reason for the incarceration is that someone was watching propaganda videos in the hotel.”

The 46 year old Indian, Rajiv Kulshrestha's release was propagated by the Indian embassy who kept in close contact with the Chinese government.

They were given consular access before his release and were present at the airport during his departure. Kulshrestha return came only after China had released the British and South African nationals.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

In Brief

Pakistani supermodel behind bars

Rawalpindi: Pakistan supermodel Ayyan Ali was recently detained at Islamabad airport on charges of money laundering as $500,000 was found in her suitcase, an amount that exceeds the legal limit of cash permitted to be carried out of the country.

Quick to deny the charges, she said the money was acquired legitimately from the proceeds of property sales and that she was unaware of these customs rules. She spent two weeks in Adiala jail until her 'robkar' documents were issued, clearing her release.

Man of Indian origin knighted by France

Johannesburg: Ahmed Kathrada, South Africa's freedom struggle veteran who also was a confidante to anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, has been knighted by the French government for his lifelong service to the community. He has now joined former President Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and author Nadine Gordimer as the only South Africans to receive French national honours. The 83 year old who spent 26 years in prison alongside Mandela, joked about this being one year less than the prisoner who became the country's first democratically-elected President because “Indians always negotiate a discount”.

Huma Abedin, highest paid in the US prez campaign

Washington: Hillary Clinton's longtime associate Huma Abedin is the highest paid staffer in the US presidential campaign, taking home an annual salary of more than US$ 277,000. Abedin was paid US$ 69,263.09 in the first quarter, according to the quarterly financial figures submitted by the Clinton Campaign to Federal Election Commission. She is of Indian-Pakistani origin and has worked for Clinton for the last two decades. Her late father, Syed Zainul Abedin, was a graduate of Aligarh Muslim University and a university lecturer and her mother was a sociology professor.

I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H

PRESENTS

NOMINATION FORM

The prestigious Asian Achievers Awards is hosted every year by UK’s leading news weeklies Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar to honour British Asians par excellence. If there is someone you know who has broken boundaries and deserves recognition for their unique contribution to the community and the nation then please nominate them for one of the awards listed below.

Make sure that you fill in this application form and send it on or before 31st July, 2015 by post, fax or email to Mr. L George, Tel: 020 7749 4013, Fax 020 7749 4081, Email: aaa@abplgroup.com. If you are sending it by post the address is Mr. L George, ABPL Group, Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, London N1 6HW.

Please tick the appropriate category Uniformed and Civil Services For outstanding achievements in uniformed and civil services or contribution to the community through any of the above services.

Entrepreneur of the Year Awarded to an entrepreneur with a proven track record of operating a successful business enterprise.

Professional of the Year Professionals in the field of medicine, law, education, banking, finance and others, who have scaled the heights of their chosen profession.

Achievement in Media, Arts and Culture Someone who has made a mark in media including print and broadcast media; cinema, art and culture.

Achievement in Community Service In recognition for an individuals service to community.

Woman of the Year The award will recognise and honour a woman who has made a significant mark in any chosen field.

Sports Personality of the Year Awarded for excellence in sports.

Business Person of the Year Awarded to a business person who is a success in every sense of the word and can demonstrate a genuine passion for social issues.

International Personality of the Year Awarded to those who have acclaimed popularity internationally for his/her contribution in any particular sector and is recognised for their timeless philanthropic activities.

Lifetime Achievement Award To honour those individuals, who during their lifetime, have made immense contributions in any given field. This remarkable individual can be marked as an example for the younger generation.

Application Form Full Name of the Person you are Nominating: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ His/Her Contact Details (Tel & email): ___________________________________________________Occupation of the Nominee:____________________________________________ Please attach the Nominees's CV which includes the following information (Please do not exceed a limit of 1000 words) (1) Personal background (2) Most important career achievements till date.

(3) Nominee's contribution to the community and nation.

(4) Future Plans, ambitions and visions.

(5) Any notable obstacles in the Nominee's career that has helped him/her to reach where they are today.

Summary- (Please include a summary in not more than 150 words why the nominee is worthy of winning the particular award in a separate sheet) Your name and contact details: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Your current Occupation/Company: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Your contact ____________________________________________________________ Email: ____________________________________________________________________________ Sponsors

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

In Brief

Former President George H.W. Bush hospitalised

Maine: Oldest living former US President, George H W Bush has been hospitalised after he slipped and broke his neck bone. The 91 year old was rushed to a medical centre and is said to be “fine” and in a stable condition, but will have to wear a neck brace. A spokesman said the former president fractured his C2 Vertebrae. “The president never lost consciousness and the injury he sustained neither impinged on his spine nor resulted in any neurological deficits,” he said.

“He continues to have normal use of his limbs. The plan is to let this injury heal on its own without surgery. President Bush will remain at Maine Medical Center to be fitted for a brace to immobilize the injured area, to continue physical therapy and for further evaluation.”

Charlie Hebdo to quit Muhammad cartoons

Washington: Laurent Sourisseau, editor of the infamous French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has revealed the publication will no longer publish cartoons on the Prophet Muhammad. In an interview, he said, “We've done our job. We have defended the right to caricature. We have drawn Muhammad to defend the principle that one can draw whatever they want,” he said. “It is a bit strange though: we are expected to exercise a freedom of expression that no one dares to.” The decision comes almost 6 months after the magazine's Paris office was attacked by two militant brothers. The magazine's first edition following the event showed a teary eyed Muhammad with a caption that read, “Tout est pardonné” (All is forgiven).

Airport that operates solely on wind and solar energy

Baltra: The Galapagos island has, what is believed to be, the only airport in the world that functions solely on wind and solar energy. The airfield that was built by the US during World War II, underwent a 15 month engineering work that costed over $ 40 million. It works with solar panels and three giant wind turbines.

The terminal has no glass panes in its windows, leaving it open to strong winds. Some 400,000 people pass through the Baltra airport, annually.

Japan's Olympic venue, the costliest stadium in the world

Tokyo: Venue for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, could be the most expensive sports stadium in the world, crossing MetLife stadium's record of $ 1.6 billion. The last estimate derived was a 55 per cent increase over the previous calculation of 163 billion yen. The design of the stadium's ribbed roof on huge steel arches resembles a bicycle helmet. To support a natural grass field, the roof's southern end will be translucent to let in sunlight and, underground will be soil ventilation and temperature control systems.

Movable seats will bring the crowd closer for more intimate events, and this being Japan, the stadium will have earthquake-resistant features.

Mitsubishi apologises to US prisoners of war

Los Angeles: Japanese company Mitsubishi has issued an apology for forcing American prisoners of war to work in its mines during World War II. The war saw 12,000 American prisoners shipped to Japan and employed as slave labourers. 500 of them were forced to work for Mitsubishi Mining Co. While Japan's government has already apologised for the POWs, this is the first time a corporation extended such an action.

Senior executive of the firm, Hikaru Kimura extended a “most remorseful” apology to 94 year old James Murphy of California, who is among only two of the surviving US prisoners.

US-Cuba flag off new bilateral ties

Washington: US state department raised the Cuban flag in a historic gesture marking renewed diplomatic ties between both the countries as the Havana and Washington embassies were re-established in their respective capitals. The new era began without ceremony in the pre-dawn hours, when maintenance workers hung the Cuban flag in the lobby of the State Department alongside those of other nations with which the U.S. has diplomatic relations. The Embassies re-open after a diplomatic freeze that lasted more than five decades. However, both the countries still face a rough road ahead. Secretary John Kerry said, “This milestone does not signify an end to the many differences that still separate our governments. We are sure to encounter bumps here and there, and moments of frustration. Patience will be required. But that is all the more reason to get started now on this journey.”

WORLD

Chattanooga shooting: four marines killed, suspect shot dead

Skip Wells, Sgt. Thomas Sullivan, David Wyatt and Sgt. Carson Holmquist

Chattanooga: A gunman opened fire on a military recruiting station after which he ran to a second nearby military base, killing four United States marines before he was gunned down by the police.

The shooting started at the military recruiting centre on Old Lee Highway Road, where the suspect fired about 25 to 30 shots before he got into his car and drove 7 miles to the the Navy Operational Support Center and Marine Corps Reserve Center Chattanooga, where he killed the 4 Marines, the entire scene unfolded in under 30 minutes. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified the gunman as Mohammod Youssef Abdulazeez, a naturalised US citizen who went to

Greek banks re-open amid tax rise

Athens: An almost washed up Greece woke up to a new beginning as banks across the country reopened after 3 weeks of shutting down. The deal signed between the government and the Eurozone however, brought more taxes on the people.

People queued up outside the banks as the doors unlocked at 8 in the morning. The government has kept the daily cash withdrawal limit at € 60, adding a weekly allowance of € 420. Bank customers will still not be able to cash checks, and only deposit them into their accounts.

They will not be able to get cash abroad with their credit or cash cards and can only make purchases.

There also are several restrictions on opening new accounts or activating inactive ones.

VAT rose from 13 per cent to 23 per cent, upping the prices of several meats, cooking oil, olive oil, cocoa, vinegar, salt, flowers, firewood, fertilisers, insecticides, sanitary towels and other basics.

school in Chattanooga.

Abdulazeez hadn't been under the federal authorities' radar, however, his father was investigated for funding an organisation with possible terrorist ties.

SITE Intelligence Group said Abdulazeez had recently posted Islam centred writings in two different blogs; in one of which he called life “short and bitter” and the other said Muslims should not miss “the opportunity to submit to Allah.”

The attacks on the army recruitment base and the naval reserve facility come as the highest profile episode of violence at domestic military installations after 2014, when three people were killed and more than a dozen were wounded at Fort Hood.

In what has become an unnervingly familiar and

frequent sight, US President Barack Obama offered his condolences to the families of the deceased. “My main message right now is, obviously, the deepest sympathies of the American people to the four Marines that have been killed. It is a heartbreaking circumstance for these individuals, who have served our country with great valor, to be killed in this fashion.”

How the suspect died has not been revealed by the authorities but reports from forensic investigations confirm the 24 year old was shot by the police.

The US National Counterterrorism Centre said it has nothing so far to connect him to any terror organisation, but intelligence officials are monitoring the investigation closely.

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Akshaya Patra UK collects fund to aid Nepal victims

London: In response to the cry for help from earthquake struck Nepal, the UK kitchen of the Akshaya Patra Foundation collected £150,000 raised from their Art Auction and Exhibition that was sponsored by Heathrow VIP, held at Cafe Royal in London. With dedicated support from the Jamshetji Tata Trust and Sipradian Sahayatha Sanstha, the foundation built a field kitchen facility near Kathmandu to reach out to the earthquake victims. The provision was functioning within 5 days and began serving meals from 19th June. They produced up to 100,00 meals daily in cycles of 10 per day, sending delivery vans to near by towns with freshly cooked food packages consisting of rice, lentils and vegetables. In the noble endeavour that is expected to continue for at least the next 6 months, Akshaya Patra aims to provide at least 1 million food packages in the disaster struck region.

For more details, visit www.foodforeducation.org.uk

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INDIA

Andhra signs credit agreement with World Bank for state revamp

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Government has signed a major credit agreement for Rs 15871.01 crore with the World Bank for the AP Disaster Recovery Project which is aimed at restoring, improving and enhancing the resilience of public services and livelihoods of communities affected by Hudhud in the State.

The agreement was signed by Selva Kumar, acting joint secretary of Department of Economic Affairs on behalf of the Central Government, State Revenue Department Principal

Secretary J.C. Sharma and World Bank country director Onno Ruhl.

The project views an underground power distribution system to reduce the vulnerability of

Vishakhapatnam's electrical network . Reports say around 700 km of 33 kv, 11kv, and 415 vlots network lines would be converted to underground cable network. About 800

Chennai: CPI (M) state party has strongly propagated for a separate reservation for children born of inter-caste marriage couples, in education and employment opportunities, arguing that such an arrangement alone could prevent casteism from taking a deep root in society and honour killing of inter-caste marriage couples.

CPI (M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan said the government should come forward to implement the recommendations of Justice S. Mohan Commission that “the government may consider the children born out of inter-caste marriage as a special category under priority in the matters of admission to educational institutions and government services provided

they possess the prescribed qualification.”

“In the past, the family of the girl or the boy indulged in honour killings. Now the situation has come to such a pass that the community of the boy or the girl involves itself directly against inter-caste marriages. The murder of Gokulraj explains the trend,” he said.

In Tamil Nadu, children born out of intercaste marriage can choose for either of the castes of their parents. “Children normally chose the community that is eligible for reservation. There is no problem in opting for the father's community and sometimes a dispute arises while getting certificate of the mother’s community,” said advocate Sudha Ramalingam.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy and officials of Adani Ports, including the company's Executive Director Karan Adani, have taken a massive step for their ambitious Rs. 7,500 crore Vizhinjam deep sea port project.

Karan Adani said that even though the construction period is four years as per the agreement, the company plans to complete the work in two years. The CM would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking exemption of cabotage law for the project as it is one of the issues raised by the Adani group. The company has also sought for complete land acquisition of which 90 per cent is

km of rural roads and major district roads would be rehabilitated. Old cyclone shelters would be repaired with for the elderly, women and children friendly design features.

Investments would be made along the beachfront of the region which would include pedestrian walk ways, streetlighting, public toilets and landscaping for protection from erosion.

The project would specifically benefit over 13 million people in the four severely affected districts of Srikakulam, V i z i a n a g a r a m , Visakhapatnam and East Godavari.

CPI (M) advocates quota Adani and Kerala for inter-caste born kids govt. collaborates for Vizhinjam Port

Amarinder wants Bajwa out

New Delhi: After the return of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, from his two month sabbatical, the party has initiated its nationwide “expansive changes” approach. The party most recently changed former Lok Sabha MP Hamdullah Sayeed as the Congress chief in Lakshwadeep, similarly, many Pradesh Congress Committee chiefs are settled to be replaced.

High on the list is Punjab, owing to the awkward irreconcilable differences between PCC Partap Singh Bajwa and former chief minister Amarinder Singh. The latter has since long been pressing for Bajwa to be removed, looking forward to appoint one of his own people. Names of senior party leader Ambika Soni, Lal Singh, and Ravneet Bittu are doing the rounds

Amarinder Singh

for the post of the state party chief.

A Bajwa supporter has however, rubbished the issue saying, “There is no danger. Bajwa enjoys the support of Rahul Gandhi.

There is no move to replace the party president.” Party in-charge of Punjab Shakeel Ahmad said, “Bajwa continues to enjoy the confidence of Congress chief Sonia gandhi and vice-president Rahul gandhi. If there is any change, we will let you know.”

Oommen Chandy o v e r. Vi z h i n j a m International Seaport Private Ltd is the Special Purpose Vehicle of the state government formed to implement the project.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 7,500 crore which includes investments made by the Kerala government. The port, a long pending project of the state, was first proposed in 1991, but did not materialise due to various reasons. It only got a push after the present UDF government came to power in 2011.

Haryana's VAT hike puts petrol pump dealers on strike

Gurgaon: Petrol pump dealers in Gurgaon have decided to go on an indefinite strike, as resolved by the All Haryana Petrol Pump Dealers Association, in protest against the recent VAT hike implemented on diesel.

The protest had started earlier, when the dealers stopped selling fuel on credit to the government.

Now, they will also refuse to take delivery of petroleum products from oil companies, the association said. 123 petrol pumps in from Gurgaon, and 2310 pumps across the state will participate in the strike. “Our strike is definitely on. The hike in VAT is unjust and will hit us hard because the rate in Haryana will be higher than other states. We had been assured by the state gover nment that the prices would be less or similar,” Dinesh Goyal,

president of All Haryana Petrol Pump Dealers Association said.

In the last seven months, the Haryana government increased VAT on diesel from 8.8% to 16.4%. The government also charges 5% surcharge per litre on diesel, and another 1.5% entry tax on crude oil for every litre.

These changes have taken the cumulative tax rate to 17.22%. The dealers have pointed that the BJP government doubled the VAT despite promises of a minor hike. The association has demanded oil tankers in Haryana be allowed to run for a period of 15 years instead of the present 10 years.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

South Brief

Chandy feels the heat from 2013 Solar Scam

Kochi: Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy is served a notice by a commission probing the solar panel scam which had hit the state in 2013. The charges are based on Section 8 (B) of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, which says that persons likely to be prejudicially affected by the inquiry to be heard. The Justice Sivarajan Commission has issued notices to several politicians, legislators and state ministers, besides Chandy, all against whom several witnesses gave statements and submitted evidence during their examination. The solar case relates to the duping of several people by two prime accused, Saritha S Nair and Biju Radhakrishnan, who promised to install solar power panels.

Kanimozhi admitted for medical surgery

Chennai: Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Kanimozhi underwent a procedure to remove a parathyroid gland at a private hospital. According to a release issued by her family, she needed a procedure to remove a gland. “She is doing fine and will return home in a couple of days,” they said. “It is a curable malady. There are four parathyroids and removal of one gland will not cause any problem.

The diagnosis and treatment of parathyroid has been around for the two decades now. When hypercalcemia or increased calcium level is detected, you have to investigate to rule out parathyroidism,” endocrinologist S. Vittal said.

Supreme Court pulls together petitions against Amma

New Delhi:The Supreme Court has clubbed two different leave petitions against Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa and three others, issued by the Karnataka government and DMK leader K Anbazhagan, in association to the disproportionate assets case. The Karnataka government had challenged the decision calling it a “gross miscarriage of justice.” It described the High Court judgment as “cryptic, lacking reasoning and illogical,” and contended there were serious mathematical errors resulting in the exoneration of Ms. Jayalalithaa and three co-accused; Sasikala, Sudhakaran and Ilavarasi, in the corruption case.

North Brief

Punjab heads solar power utility in the nation

Sangrur: Punjab has become the first state in India to operationalize projects of 117 megawatts, after a company called Omega Solar Projects Private Limited built a power plant of 10.50 MW at Sangatpura village in Sangrur district. The project cost over Rs 84 crore and is buitl across 45 acres of land.

Punjab's renewable energy minister Bikram Singh Majithia said another firm, Acme Group will set up their 100 MW solar projects in Mansa district by 2016 and, French solar giant Solaire Direct shall add 54 MW solar power in Fazilka district.

Thieves flee with ATM and CCTV camera

Gurgaon: Unidentified men fled with an HDFC ATM along with a CCTV camera installed in it. Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajesh Kumar said the security guard had locked the shutters and gone to sleep, only to return to find the locks broken. The police are currently trying to retrieve the CCTV footage from the bank. A similar robbery attempt had taken place in the past at the same ATM. Apart from ATM robberies, the police have also been registering cases of fraud wherein complainants alleged that their ATM/ debit cards were switched and money was withdrawn from their accounts.

Tota Singh faces protests in New York

Chandigarh: Punjab minister for NRI Affairs, Tota Singh took a shoe from protesters in New York during his visit. Singh and other Shiromani Akali Dal leaders were scheduled to address a meeting at Richmond Hill in the Queens, but had to face hundreds of Sikhs protesting the visit by pelting stones. The standoff between the people and Singh’s delegation continued for more than three hours when a heavy contingent of New York Police was summoned at the scene. “The North American Sikh groups are opposing SAD (Badal) for their failure to convict Indian police officers, who were involved in extra judicial killings of thousands of innocent Sikhs during counter insurgency operations in early 1990s,” a source said.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

BJP-Cong war of words, jibes about 56 inch chest and political damaad

In his latest visit to Jammu to participate in late Girdhari Lal Dogra's centenary celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a swipe at the nation's first family, and what ensued was a dramatic siege of words between Congress and the Bharatiya Janta Party.

Obliquely comparing Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra to Dogra's son-in-law, finance minister Arun Jaitley, Modi said, “I'm very sure that Girdhari Lalji's judgement of character was very sharp, it shows in his choice of son-in-law.

Otherwise we all know what embarrassment sons-in-law have become for their in-laws nowadays.”

The statement did not go down well Congress' throat for obvious reasons and shortly afterwards, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi retorted during a rally in Jaipur, referring to Modi's land acquisition bill. “The farmers, Congress and people of India will turn the ‘56-inch chest’ into a 5.6-inch chest, you will see. We won’t give a single inch of land,” he said.

“Now that he has become the PM, why would he be concerned about farmers?

He made several promises, but they were all empty ones,” Gandhi added. “I liked the film Lagaan. In the movie, the farmers were disunited, but then they got together and protested against tax,” he

Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi

said. The young Gandhi did not stop there, making allegations on NDA leaders being involved in corrupt practices. “It is a Lalit Modi government in Rajasthan, Vyapam government in MP, Munde government in Maharashtra,” he said.

“Like during the British Raj days, the remote control of the government in India was in London, the remote control of the Rajasthan government is in London.” Tsk tsking over the temperamental statements of the Congress vice president, BJP heavily rained on him, asking him to give up his “toddler” politics and “grow out of diapers”. BJP secretary Siddharth Nath Singh said, “It is high time that Rahul Gandhi grow out of diapers he is wearing. He is no longer a toddler politician now.” In reference to the 56 inch chest comment, he said, “It is good that Gandhi has got a measurement tape, but he should not dare to measure the chest that has the blessings and pride of the crores of people in this country.”

ISIS singer allegedly killed in US drone strike

ISIS fighter allegedly killed in drone attack, Maher Meshaal

It is said that the sing/songwriter who was an ISIS fighter, Maher Meshaal has been killed in a drone attack led by the US forces, in Hasakah, Syria. Maher Meshaal used to live in Saudi Arabia before joining ISIS in 2013. He used to write songs and sing for the

propaganda and execution videos which were released by the terror group.

Ara News have alleged that Meshaal was also known as Abu Zubair alJazrawi and had hit songs, such as 'Saleel alSawarem', a song that celebrates martyrdom.

INDIA - WORLD

Pak ceasefire violations give India sleepless nights

The 2003 ceasefire agreement signed between neighbouring countries India and Pakistan seem to mean nothing to the latter as it has taken to constantly violate the pact.

The recent violation was along the line of control in the Nowshera sector in Rajouri, 150 km from Jammu, where Pakistan army fired at Pokhra post in Kalal subsector and both the sides reportedly fired about 160 rounds all together. Before this incident, the other side had opened fire just a day prior to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state. Rangers indulged in heavy firing and mortar shelling on 5 border outposts and some villages in Jammu district, leaving 4 people injured and a woman dead.

“Pakistani Rangers resorted to small arms firing and mortar shelling

along IB in R S Pura sector of Jammu district since 0115 hours today,” a BSF officer said. They targeted five border outposts and some civilian areas in R S Pura and Tawi forward belts, he said. “BSF troops guarding the border line retaliated effectively and

the firing exchange continued till 0530 hours today.”

There are a total of 9 ceasefire violations in the month of July alone. India lodged protest both in Islamabad as well as in Delhi over the incident.

“Our High Commissioner in Islamabad raised the

The bubbling issue of Net Neutrality that flared up in the country after Airtel launched platform; Airtel Zero that will allow free access of websites on its network, shows no signs of cooling down. If anything, the situation has only worsened with corporates, individuals and the government pitching in to make a pretty big pot of hot mess.

Taking a middle of the road approach, the Department of Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s appointed committee on net neutrality recommended that OTT apps like Skype, WhatsApp and Viber can continue to be

used for making international calls or for messaging, but they will have to be licensed when they are used for making either local or national long-distance calls. While partial regulation of OTTs has been recommended by the DoT panel, it openly promotes against the principles of net neutrality when it comes to sponsored data plans. The details of the report sent Congress instantly pointing its finger at Modi while the 'aam janta' looked lost.

Meanwhile, CCI member MS Sahoo said, the Competition Commission is not looking into the

issue of Net neutrality as sectoral regulator Trai hasn't finalised its view.

“We are not concerned about Net neutrality at this point of time as the sectoral regulator is yet to firm up its mind ... But we are keeping a watch on it and will act if it is found to be anti-competitive,” Sahoo said. The Competition Commission of India looks after anti- competitive practices of companies and various agencies.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has meanwhile started the consultation process on the issue of Net neutrality.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's busy schedule will take him back to the United States in September this year. He is logged to visit the Silicon Valley, marking the second time an Indian head of government will travel to California after Jawaharlal Nehru in 1949. The term “Silicon Valley” was not even coined during Nehrus' time and San Fransisco was better known as the centre for political activism

by NRIs. Officials of IndianAmerican organisations have commenced preparations to recreate the Madison Square Garden magic as the PM will address them and technology entrepreneurs at the Valley. “We have planned a community reception on the evening of September 27 at the SAP Centre, San Jose where close to 20,000 people are expected to

gather to hear him speak,” Khanderao Kand of the I n d o -A m e r i c a n Community said. “The event is a historic moment for the Indian community in Silicon Valley and the diaspora in general,” Dr Vijay Chauthaiwale, incharge foreign relations, BJP said.

Modi's visit will be more business than politics, and focused on the 'Digital India' intiative. The San Fransisco Bay area is home to more than half a million influential Indian Americans; a profitable target audience for what the prime minister has in mind. He is expected to visit offices of king brands such as Google, Intel, HP, Oracle, Facebook and Twitter.

There also are speculations that Modi will contribute enough time to start up companies as they make for a big chunk of the

Valley. A survey accounts that 15 per cent start up companies in the Silicon Valley have Indian founders or co-founders.

“I hope his time is not monopolized by billionaires and big companies.

Silicon Valley is so much more than that. It is the culture of start-ups and the enabling ecosystem that makes it what it is,” says Vinod Dham, a former Intel vice-president, also known as the Father of the Pentium Chip.

Ever since he took the seat as the head of the country, Narendra Modi has held several bilateral meetings with governments of different countries, marking several firsts in Indian history. His Nepal visit made him the first prime minister to visit in 17 years and his upcoming trip to Israel will mark him as the first Indian PM to visit the country.

Net Neutrality debate: CCI waits for TRAI report

Modi scheduled to visit Silicon Valley in September

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issue with the Pakistan Foreign Office and Pakistan High Commissioner in Delhi was also conveyed India's concerns regarding ceasefire violation in which one woman was killed and some people injured,” a source said.

Panel suggestion to make marital rape a crime

Centre appointed Pam Rajput committee has recommended marital rape be considered as an offence, in a report submitted to the Women and Child Development ministry. The suggestion comes in strong contradiction with the government's opinion as the Ministry of Home Affairs informed the Parliament that marital rape cannot be considered an offence because marriage is sacred in India. The 14-member high level committee, headed by women rights activist and former Panjab University professor Pam Rajput, was set up in May 2013 by Krishna Tirath, the then WCD Minister, to study the status of women in India since 1989. Under current Indian Penal Code provisions, a husband can be charged with raping his wife only if she is below 15 years of age.

WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi had strong opinion on marital rape as a form of violence against women and called it “unacceptable”. “My opinion is that violence against women shouldn't be limited to violence by strangers. Very often a marital rape is not always about a man's need for sex; it is about his need for power and subjugation. In such case, it should be treated with seriousness,” she had said.

INDIA

First Anniversary of Modi Government

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Sir Jayant (Andy) Chande

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

India was recently included in the list of most outstanding establishment world-over. Three Mega Life Insurance and Pension Projects have been set in motion. One billion people will soon have a unique digital identity number, linked to biometric database. 850 million are enrolled so far.

Modi has increased the share of taxes given to States to 42% from 32%.

On that basis States will this year receive about $28 billion taxes than $18 billion which they were earlier receiving from the Central government. The biometric attendance system will improve working hours of officials of the Central Government.

Coalfield leases, found to have been sold at artificially low prices, are reallocated through a transparent process; so was telecom spectrum allocation. The Government has deregulated prices of diesel, petroleum and cooking gas and raised limits on foreign investments in the defense and insurance sectors to 49 percent.

Government now requires business deals to be reviewed through a centralized system. Gone are the days of informal meetings that business leaders used to hold with ministry officials, often to harsh out policies regulating their sectors.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India at the end of May completed its first year in office. This has been a period of high expectations and huge challenges, both in foreign and domestic policies.

Despite obstacles created by opposition parties, particularly by the Congress Party, which adopted anti-growth, antigovernment approach and inspite of constraints occasionally caused by some elements in the BJP, Modi’s Government has successfully addressed many challenges and Modi continues to steadfastly promote the Party’s objective to make India economically prosperous and militarily a strong nation.

Some of the important initiatives taken by the Government include 125 million poor people now holding bank accounts which was considered almost impossible for them one year ago. This will facilitate replacing food and fuel subsidies with cash transfer to prevent corruption. One hundred Smart Cities have been planned. Great priority is given by Modi’s Government in widening the customer base of the banks. The State Bank of

Narendra Modi

Modi Government’s objective is to function in a clean and decisive manner. I believe the present Government is the cleanest in many years. In order to reduce corruption Digital India Project has been launched. As a result T r a n s p a r e n c y International has announced that in the 18 years this is the first time that India ranks below China in corruption list.

India has also improved in the index, jumping 10 places.

The goal of “Make in India“ project is to make India self-reliant in manufacturing including production of arms and creation of jobs. To that end, despite global financial crisis and consequent economic slow down, 330 FDI projects are being actively pursued. Foreign companies, which have long despaired at levels of taxation and corruption, have welcomed his drive to make India a manufacturing hub. FDI has risen by more than 25 percent to

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28.8 billion in the 2014-15 fiscal year. The Chairman of Niti Aayog (Policy Commission which replaced the Planning Commission set up by India’s first Prime Minister) who advocates fiscal stimulus to invest in infrastructure is of the view that it will help finance health and other social expenditure.

Inflation is at all time low. U.N World Economic Report says that India’s economy is projected to grow at 7.6% this year and 7.7% in 2016 overtaking China. According to World Bank‘s Chief Economist, India is, for the first time, leading the World Bank’s growth chart of major economies. There are more than 330 billion dollars in foreign reserves.

Inflation fell to 4.87 percent in April.

India now decisively moves into global era.

Modi has put India on the track of a super power. He has changed India from a very weak country to an assertive nation. The international community is following India’s progress with interest and in the last one year world perception of India has changed. Representing the largest political party in the world, Modi’s 30 million followers on Facebook are watching his performance. Prime minister Modi recently told the Time magazine “You will actually see that, internationally, the whole world is, once again, excited about India and enthusiastic about India and the opportunities that India represents.”

According to the Centre for Strategic Studies, Modi’s first year in the office was the best for India in terms of economic recovery. Christine

Lagarde, Managing Director of International Monetary Fund says that India is fuelling global economic growth.

Indians are looking towards Modi as the harbinger of hope who has reenergised them. He is also galvanising support of NRIs and of diaspora to help in developing India’s economy.

His Government has embarked on strengthening and diversifying defence capability which includes construction of a new naval base near Porbandar in Gujarat which will enhance security capacity in the Region.

India is also establishing facility to monitor warships and submarines in North and North East as well as in the Indian Ocean.

Modi’s Government has placed emphasis on infrastructure and in social strengthening schemes such as development of housing for the poor. In this he want to place India at par with infrastructural economy like in Japan and in the USA. Modi feels that infrastructure investment will generate dividends for the poor by increasing the economy’s capacity to grow through better roads, ports and railways. He has saved money on federal social and subsidy expenditure and pumped it into infrastructure stimulus he hopes will trigger a spurt in economic growth.

Launching the Integrated Power Development Scheme will require insightful planning.

Modi who is gifted at diplomacy has established cordial relations with many countries including America, Russia and China and has contracted for supply of equipment

and has signed agreements for investment in critical sectors including in nuclear field. With this and with other investments in the sector it will not be too long before India becomes a military giant. He has executed a land boundary deal with Bangladesh which settles the ownership of 162 enclaves – essentially islands located in each others country. This complex ownership arrangements made centuries ago by local Princes had proved elusive for decades.

Modi has positioned India at the centre stage of the world and the country is on the way to progress in all fields. There is still a great deal that remains to be tackled including pressing issues such as land legislation, irrigation which is a priority as well as mining.

I hope Joint Parliamentary Committee can help to achieve desired action on these matters so that India will enhance progress on these structural reforms.

Modi’s thirst on minimum government, maximum governance targets to make India more market friendly but his mission to reform India and to make its economy grow faster he needs much cohesive support & cooperation of his colleagues in the Party and in the Government. Since he will be dealing with nearly 1.3 billion people and 36 states and union territories he will need the powers of one of India’s multilimbed deities to meet the expectations of the Nation.

Sir Jayant (Andy) Chande is a most prominent member of the Indian community in Africa.

Continued from page 1 the matter.

After Bachchan denied charging any money and vouched to have done the project pro bono, the ministry will now look into why the payment was made.

Meanwhile, the ad agency has issued a statement saying it has initiated a refund of the amount.

“I wish to state that I have not entered into any contract with Doordarshan on the endorsement of their channel DD Kisan, and neither have I received any money from them. I worked with the advertising agency Lowe Lintas on the campaign for DD Kisan and have not entered into any contract with them either, nor have I received any money from Lintas, as being stated,” Amitabh Bachchan said in a statement.

“My ‘deliverables’ on this campaign have been executed by me many days ago. I work pro bono on

various issues and DD Kisan channel is one of them,” the actor said.

“What money transactions transpired between DD and Lintas, is between them. I shall not be able to shed light on that.”

While he denied the charges, the ad agency said they had been negotiating with the actor and was told he won't charge anything. They even had a detailed break up of how the funds would be paid to the actor including the fact that Rs 3.89 crore was to be paid during the con-

firmation of the advertisement.

Information and Broadcasting minister Arun Jaitley has inquired for and issued a probe into the matter. “It has come to light that Prasar Bharati did pay a sum of Rs 6.21 crore to Lintas to get promotional work done for DD Kisan. But with Amitabh Bachchan having denied charging anything, it now needs to be probed as to why & how this money was paid,” ministry sources reported.

Big B tangled in DD Kisan campaign controversy

27

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Fifteen healthy foods that will curb your appetite

The next time you find your stomach grumbling between meals, it's worth knowing that there are many healthy snacks that naturally stave off hunger. Options like edamame beans or avocado can stop us grazing on foods laden with fat and calories - and even smelling a bar of dark chocolate could be enough to satisfy cravings.

1. NUTS: As well as containing healthy fats, nuts are packed full of fibre and protein, which release their energy slowly into the body, keeping you fuller for longer.

According to studies, pine nuts also contain a unique fatty acid called pinolenic acid which also reduces appetite signals in the body.

2. OATS: Oats contains the hormone cholecystokinin, which according to experts helps digestion and reduces appetite in the body.

The starch's slow impact on blood sugar, along with its soluble fibre, is the key - particularly if you eat them raw.

5. LEAFY GREENS: Nutrient-rich leafy greens such as kale and spinach contain sac-like membranes called thylakoids, which, according to researchers at Lund University in Sweden, decrease feelings of hunger and help us feel sated.

6. APPLES: The antioxidant pectin is found in high-concentration in apples. As well as regulating digestive movements, it reduces the amount of sugar and calories absorbed into the blood stream after a meal. This prevents the sugar 'crash' that can often leave you craving more food.

3. AVOCADO: Packed with hearthealthy monounsaturated fats, avocados are experiencing a boom in popularity. Scientists at Yeshiva University in New York have also looked at how the oleaic acid contained in avocados activates a brain area that increases the feeling of fullness and satiety.

4. EDAMAME: The little green beans contain folate, manganese, phosphorus and vitamin K, which promote good bone health and weight loss. They are also high in protein, fibre and water content, which all contribute to sustained feelings of fullness.

7. DARK CHOCOLATE: In a study in 2010, it was shown that women who ate or even smelled dark chocolate displayed decreased appetites and also showed decreased levels of the 'hunger hormone', ghrelin. It is shown to be a far better option than milk chocolate, which is laden with calories and sugar - and its rich flavour boosts the sense of satiety, which means you consume less.

8. FLAX SEED: Packed with vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, flax seed contains dietary fibres which are shown to increase feelings of fullness. Sprinkle over your cereal or porridge at breakfast to decrease your desire to delay your next bout of hunger pangs.

9. CHIA SEEDS: With its mild, nutty taste chia seeds are easy to incorporate into a diet or sprinkle on to a snack. The tiny seeds expand in the stomach once consumed which helps fill you up and prevent mindless snacking. Stir into a yoghurt to added goodness.

10. GREEK YOGHURT: Greek yoghurt has the whey strained out of it, which creates its thicker texture. It also has about twice the amount of normal protein as regular yoghurt, which makes for a more stomach-satisfying snack. Add bananas and honey to sweeten it up.

Taking omega-3 fish oil supplements daily can improve cardiovascular health in older adults, scientists have found. The risk of cardiovascular disease increases with age because the arteries become stiffer. Arterial stiffness affects how blood travels through them and ultimately how strongly the heart needs to pump it. The most commonly used measures of arterial stiffness are pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index. When the heart ejects blood into the blood vessels, pressure increases, creating a bulge in the vessel. PWV is the speed at which the bulge ripples through the arteries.

When the pressure pulse hits a fork in the arteries, part of the pressure pulse bounces back towards the

heart and combines with the new pulse coming out of the heart. How much the reflected pulse enhances the new one is called augmentation index. High PWV and high augmentation index values reflect stiffer arteries. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine examined whether omega-3 supplements could reverse the effects of ageing on the blood vessels in healthy older adults and reduce PWV and augmentation index. Healthy subjects aged 60 to 80 took two omega-3 capsules twice daily for 12 weeks. Each capsule contained 1,000 mg of omega-3. The researchers measured PWV, augmentation index and blood pressure before and after the 12-week regimen. The results were compared to young healthy subjects, aged 21 to

11. BEANS: As well as peas, lentils and chickpeas, beans are an excellent source of slow-digesting protein and extremely versatile.

Packed with fibre and with a low glycaemic index, so they don't cause a blood sugar spike, they will help keep cravings or sugar urges at bay.

12.

VEGETABLE JUICE: Vegetable juice has a high vitamin, antioxidant and mineral content, that will not only boost the immune system but also help keep hunger pangs at bay. Its thought to pack the body with the necessary enzymes in order to stabilise blood sugar levels and reduce cravings.

13. PICKLES: Pickles may be sizable, but an entire jar contains less than 100 calories in total, leaving you feeling satisfied without having overdoing it. Opt for organic natural pickles only, to avoid additional sugars and artificial food colouring.

No more finger pricking for diabetics!

A new technology developed by an Indian-origin scientist, which uses a laser device may be able to non-invasively monitor blood glucose levels and eliminate the need for daily finger pricking for diabetics.

Currently, many people with diabetes need to measure their blood glucose levels by pricking their fingers, squeezing drops of blood onto test strips, and processing the results with portable glucometers.

The new technology, developed by Professor Gin Jose and a team in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Leeds, uses a small device with low-powered lasers to measure blood glucose levels without penetrating the skin. It could give people a simpler, pain-free alternative to finger pricking. The technology has continuous monitoring capabilities making it ideal for development as a wearable device. This could help improve the

lives of millions of people by enabling them to constantly monitor their glucose levels without the need for an implant.

At the heart of the new technology is a piece of nano-engineered silica glass with ions that fluoresce in infrared light when a low power laser light hits them. When the glass is in contact with the users' skin, the extent of fluorescence signal varies in relation to the concentration of glucose in their blood. The device measures the length of time the fluorescence lasts for and uses that to calculate the glucose level in a person's bloodstream without the need for a needle. This process takes less than 30 seconds.

After diamonds, high heels are a woman's best friend.

They add flair, charm and elegance to both your attire and your personality.

But according to a new study, high heels could also turn out to be your biggest enemy.

Excess use of high heels both in men and women is fast becoming the cause of osteoarthritis, said health experts. High heels cause unequal weight distribution on the metatarsals (foot bones) exposing those areas of foot joints which normally are not designed to bear weight, and this results in painful foot conditions like bunions and metatarsalgias (fore-foot pain).

"High heels are the growing cause of prema-

ture osteoarthritis.

Wearing high heels has also been associated with plantar fasciitis -- one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves pain and inflammation of a thick band of tissue," said Abhay Nene, consultant spine surgeon, Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai. He also said that one should wear heels of one inch maximum and that the duration for which a high heel is worn is directly related to the pain.

High heels can put you at risk of osteoarthritis

14. PRUNES: In a 2009 study by San Diego State University, scientists suggested that a prune is more successful at curbing appetite than a biscuit. The dried plums are thought to lower 'glucose or appetite-regulating hormones' to help take your mind off your stomach.

15. SPICES: Spices such as cayenne pepper increase body temperature, metabolism and the rate at which the body burns calories. On top of that a 2011 study showed that participants were less hungry after eating the spice, and even had fewer cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods.

Fish oils can boost heart health in older adults

35, who also followed the same omega-3 supplement schedule.

The researchers found that 12 weeks of supplementation significantly decreased PWV in the older subjects, supporting improvement in vascular health, although PWV was still higher than in young subjects.

While PWV improved, augmentation index and blood pressure did not.

The omega-3 supplements also did not improve either index of arterial stiffness in the young subjects.

"These findings provide support to the concept that increased omega3 intake may be an efficacious therapy in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in ageing humans through effects on central arterial stiffness," researchers said.

The study is published in Physiological Reports, a joint journal of the Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.

Children consuming three times too much sugar

Advisers to the Department of Health will be publishing an eminent study recommending a reduction to the amount of sugar allowed in a healthy diet.

The report will guide families on how to deal with and tackle the problem of childhood obesity.

It is said that children under the age of 11 are consuming three times as much sweet food and drinks.

The most recent

reports suggest that children gain 15% of their daily energy from added sugar or present naturally in products, which is the equivalent to about 60g of sugar daily or two cans of fizzy drinks.

28

Maari gives Dhanush the BO opening he deserves

D

hanush's 'Maari' opened to packed houses running all over the weekend, giving the actor a box office hat-trick. His movie 'Vellaiilla Pattathari' had a box office opening of Rs 4.4 crore and went on to become one of the biggest hits of 2014.

'Anegan' collected Rs. 5.8 crore on its first day and now, with 'Maari' and its Rs 6.2 crore opening, the actor has broken his own records.

While Dhanush has not officially tweeted the BO figures, he tweeted, “Thank u thank u thank u all for this phenomenal opening. Biggest opening of my career. Celebrations r in order.

Happiest day.” Music director Anirudh also tweeted, “#Maari Thank u for #DnA's highest opening till date! Thanks to @directormbalaji for making us go #TharaLocal” Dhanush plays a local don in the movie and his own catchphrase “Senjudiven” which has found popularity on Twitter. Robo Shakar has also received praise for his acting in the film. After an initial decision to release on a Thursday, the makers cancelled and rescheduled statewide release to Friday.

Maari released to over 300 screens in Tamil Nadu and is said to be going strong this weekend too.

Masaan

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Hindi drama film directed by Neeraj G h a y w a n , Masaan follows two different storylines that meet in the end, with four prominent lives, all settled on the shores of the Ganges. A low caste boy, a girl riddled with the guilt of a sexual encounter, a miserable father and an exuberant child. The movie is written by Neeraj Ghaywan and Varun Grover, and music is given by Indian Ocean.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Amala Paul turns producer Baahubali creates box-office history, crosses 200 crore in 5 days for Priyadarshan A S

.S. Rajamouli's masterpiece 'Baahubali' has taken the entire industry by storm since it day it opened to a box office collection of Rs. 60 crore. The action drama's spectacular run has pushed the film beyond expectations. Grossing Rs. 200 crore in just 5 days, it has created such a milestone in the history of Indian cinema that it will take more than the famous Khans to touch it.

In the first 3 days, 'Baahubali' grossed Rs. 166 crore, and then easily inched towards 200 in the next 2 days. The movie

released in more than 3000 screens across India in four languages; Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Malayalam and is the most expensive project to be made in the

Indian industry with an approximate budget of Rs. 250 crore. It took more than 500 days for the makers of Baahubali to complete the film’s shooting. Directed by S. S. Rajamouli and produced by Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni, it stars Prabhas, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia and Rana Daggubati.

'Baahubali' will be presented in two parts.

The Hindi version of 'Baahubali' is also performing well and its collection summed to Rs. 22.35 crore.

Dulquer, Ratnam team up again for Tamil project M

alayalee actor Dulquer Salman and versatile filmmaker Mani Ratnam who had last worked together in the Tamil romantic drama 'O Kadhal Kanmani' are set to collaborate again with a yet untitled Tamil project that also features Karthi.

“Both Dulquer Salmaan and Karthi are on board.

The regular shooting starts from September. The makers have recently registered the title 'Komaali', but it's not sure if it's for this film,” a source reported. It is said the movie was initially planned with M a h e s h Babu and Akkineni Nagarjuna as a TamilTe l u g u bilingual.

Speculations

also chirp on whether this film will feature music by Oscar winning composer AR Rahman who is a regular collaborator with Ratnam.

'OK Kanmani' based on the theme of live in relationships had enjoyed r a v e

also called Think Big studios. With an array of best performers and technicians for the flick, we hope to bring quality cinema that can appeal to the international audience,” said Paul.

With Sabu Cyril on board, Think Big Studios will commence the shooting of the film with Prakash Raj and Sreya Reddy by mid August. Santhosh Sivan will handle the cinematography. There was a simple ceremony to mark the beginning of this film in Chennai.

reviews and popularity across states.

Dulquer's performance in the movie

impressed people, even Bollywood's veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan.

Bajrangi Bhaijaan creates box office uproar

I

fter Fahadh, Prithviraj and Nivin Pauly, South Indian actress Amala Paul is stepping into the world of movie productions. She will make her presence as the producer for veteran director Priyadarshan's untitles film, along with A.L. Alagappan, under production house Think Big Studios.

“I always have the habit of thinking big and it is not just coincidence that my production house is

t was an outstanding Eid for Mr. 100 Crore Khan as his new release 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' crossed Rs 100 crore over the weekend. Bajrangi has broken Aamir starrer PK's record of making the quickest Rs 100 crore in box office collection. The movie is now the year's biggest Bollywood film, outstripping 'Tanu weds Manu Returns' and 'ABCD2'. Salman has reunited with 3 of his previous collaborators for the movie, Kabir Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Nawazuddin Siddique. The movie is about a Hanuman devotee who goes on a mission with a little girl to see her home in Pakistan.

Fawad Khan and Siddharth Malhotra play brothers in Kapoor & Sons

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harma Production's upcoming 'Kapoor & Sons' will feature popular Pakistani actor Fawad Khan and Bollywood actor Siddharth Malhotra as brothers. Both of them play characters competing with each other as authors or writers. The film, directed by Shakun Batra, has a great line up of other actors in the film like, Alia Bhatt, Rishi Kapoor, Ratna Pathak and Rajat Kapoor. “All of them are fantastic actors and great people to work with. We're hoping to see that it releases sometime in the first quarter of next year,” Fawad Khan said.

29

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Nach Baliye 7 Finale to telecast UK's biggest Bollywood flashmob

Pakistan's Bin Roye faces protests in Maharashtra

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a k i s t a n i a c t r e s s Mahira Khan's 'Bin Roye' has hit a roadblock in India after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena strictly demonstrated against the release of the movie.

Bowing to the demands from the Maharashtra N a v n i r m a n C h i t r a p a t Karmachari Sena, distributor of B4U Films, has shelved the release of the film in the state, as per an official.

The distributor submitted a letter to MNCKS president Amey

Khopkar confirming the decision.

However, the movie would be released as scheduled in other parts of the country on July 17.

The MNCKS had written to B4U raising objections to the movie's release in the state and also threatened to stop the film, 'MNS style'. Khopkar argued that Pakistan sponsors terror in the country, particularly Maharashtra, and its people do not permit Indian artistes to work in their country. He said that the

Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai liberated me from fear of failures

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eteran actor Anupam Kher's autobiographical play, 'Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai' which will run for its 325th time in Mumbai, self admittedly, freed the actor from his fear of failures and helped him be comfortable in his own skin. The actor tweeted, “My play #KucchBhiHoSaktaHai started 10yrs back when I was going through tough times. I decided to do a play where I laugh at my failures. Laughing at my failures, setbacks, disasters, wrong decisions made me stronger & peaceful. I became ME. Comfortable with who I am.” The play narrates the story of a man emerging from a series of failures, and relates with every active struggler in the industry.

MNCKS had no objection if the movie released elsewhere in the country.

'Bin Roye' is a romantic drama directed by Momina Duraid and stars Mahira Khan, Humayun Saeed, Armeena Rana Khan, Zeba Bakhtiar, and Javed Sheikh.

Most of the songs in the movie are sung by artists from India like Rekha Bharadwaj and Ankit Tiwari.

It is after a gap of several years, that a movie from the neighbouring country is up to release in India.

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video of a flashmob of more than 50 dancers went viral recently attracting media attention. Recognising themselves as the BollyMobUk, the participants are mainly members of Shiamak Davar's London Dance Academy, who shared they were inspired by celebrity dance reality show, Nach Baliye.

The zippy performance put together by the group created waves on social media and the video reached over 100K cumu-

Nach Baliye has generated across the UK and as a humbling tribute to the love of dancing, the London flash mob will be showcased during the grand finale of Nach Baliye on the 19th July on Star Plus.”

Dance reality-television series, Nach Baliye 7 features celebrity couples compete to win the title. This year the show was judged by actress Preity Zinta, author Chetan Bhagat and choreographer Marzi Pestonji.

Bipasha attracts criticism over scary lesbian encounter statement

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fter actress Bipasha Basu shared her 'life-scarring' incident in an interview with a magazine, she has been on the receiving end of endless criticism and flak from the Twitterati.

She said, “Yes, I have been propositioned. For Valentine's Day, one lesbian had bought me a diamond necklace. She was in love with me. I freaked out. I was so scared, I started crying. I was really young. Even now in parties, when I notice people coming towards me and dancing strangely, I just push them and run away. I am still petrified.”

The 'heart to heart' did not go down well people's throats as

Le Panga with Amitabh Bachchan!

S

lative views within 2 weeks. In 24 hours of being shared on Star Plus' Facebook page, it crossed 40,000 viewers and generated shares from around 100K viewing audience, only to grow by the day. BollyMobUK made such an impact, the makers of the show have announced they will broadcast the video on the Grand Finale on 19th July. President of Star International, Gurjeev Singh Kapoor said, “We are very pleased with the fan following

econd season of Pro Kabaddi is around the corner and a promot i o n a l song has been composed and sung for the game by none other than Amitabh Bachchan himself. Creating a legendary track, Sr Bachchan has lent his voice to the fast and energetic song, 'Le Panga'. He said, “ The early years of one’s life are the moments deeply ingrained in us. Kabaddi formed an integral part of our daily sport. When Star asked me for my participation in its promotion under Pro Kabaddi, I readily agreed for one simple reason; an opportunity to relive our younger exciting days. The composition of the song, its tune and its singing by me, has been an absolute delight. During its recording, helped by music director Aadesh Shrivastava, I actually felt I was playing the game.”

Shraddha to sing in Rock On 2

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hraddha Kapoor who was praised more for her singing than her acting skills in 'Aashiqui 2', will once again treat her fans with her voice for the upcoming 'Rock On 2'. She is currently being trained on voice modulation by a well known voice coach. Sources say one of the main reasons for roping in the young Kapoor was her vocal command and skills. Not many know but the actress is related to singer Asha Bhosle, who is her mother's aunt.

Twitter fumed with vehement criticism. Many also went as far as to call her homophobic.

Rohan Bhatt of AIB fame tweeted, “Bipasha Basu is scared of lesbians? Why? Does she think one of them will offer her a good script?”

It was Buzzfeed editor, Rega Jha's tweet that brought the absurdity to notice. Not making the matter any better was the magazine who printed the interview with the headline, “I am petrified of lesbians.” Even though the actress seems unfazed, she seriously needs to think before putting her ignorance on display.

Sonakshi Sinha as RAW Agent in Force 2

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ctress Sonakshi Sinha will play a RAW agent, opposite John Abraham in Force 2, sequel to 2011 movie Force.

The 28 year old 'Dabangg' star tweeted, “Yep yep! Told you I had news for you...

Super excited to be playing a RAW agent in my next film — FORCE 2.” Abraham said, “You can expect lots of action in the film. It’s a fresh cast and Sonakshi is there, I am excited to work with her. She is a great actress.” While Force was directed by Nishikanth Kamath and featured Genelia D'Souza and Vidyut Jamwal, along with Abraham, Force 2 will be directed by Abhinay Deo.

30

UK

Professionals in London forced to live like students

Rupa Huq, Ealing Central and Acton MP, has claimed that professionals earning good money are now forced to live “12 to a house”, due to the London's property market crisis. The 30-year-old MP said that previously, professionals were about to afford living alone but now they are pushed to living a lifestyle similar to students. Rupa Huq stated, “Renting is no longer just a transitory thing for those who are in their twenties.

It’s becoming routine for

people further up the age scale. Many in my constituency in their 30s on good money find themselves sometimes 12 to a house with shared sitting room and kitchen. At that age, ‘who stole my cheese?’ should not be a way of life.” Huq further added, “It’s no wonder that only 50 per cent of London’s households are owner-occupied compared to a national average of 64 per cent. The average age of a first time buyer unaided in London is now 37.”

Coming Events

l Manika Kaur- Kirtan for Causes Benefit Concerts. Saturday 22nd August, 7pm. Union Chapel, Compton Terrace, London N1 2UN. For ticket enquiries, visit: www.unionchapel.org.uk l Anoopam Mission Welcomes you to Shrimad Bhagavat Katha by Pujya Bhaishri Rameshbhai Oza. Wednesday 5th August- Wednesday 12th August, 3pm- 7pm. Anoopam Mission, The Lea, Western Avenue, Denham, Uxbridge, UB9 4NA. Contact Surendrabhai Patel: 07941 975 311 l The Wanza amaj UK present Marafiki Watu.

Sunday 2nd August, 2pm. Watersmeet High Street, Rickmansworth, WD3 1EH. Contact Arun Bhundia: 07852 773 802 l Gujju Bhai Banya Dabang. Sunday 26th July, 7pm. Harrow Leisure Centre.

Contact: 020 8907 0116 l Gujjubhai Retire Thai Chhe. Sunday 26th July, 2pm and 7:30pm. Winston Churchill Hall, Pinn Way, Ruislip, Middlesex, HA4 7QL. Contact Bhanubhai Pandya: 07931 708 026 l Annual General Meeting. Saturday 15th August, 2pm. Apple Tree Centre. Ifield Avenue, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 0AF. Contact Bharat Lukka: 07967 339 790 l Exhibition: Art Arena by Kiran Pundir. Monday 27th July, 6:15pm. Dance by Avantika Kochar.

Monday 27th July, 6:30pm. The Nehru Centre, 8 South Audley Street, London, W1K 1HF. Contact: 020 7491 3567 l Relevance of Yoga in 21st Century. Sunday 26th July, 6pm- 7:30pm. Harris Academy Purley, Kendra Hall Road, South Croydon, CR2 6DT. Contact Jogendra Patel: 07956 952 756 l Cultural Summer Camp for kids aged 5+.

Monday 3rd August- Friday 7th August, 9am3pm. Jaspar Centre, 2A Rosslyn Crescent, Harrow, HA1 2SU. Contact Sonal: 07960 081 452 l Chinmaya Mission UK: Timeless Questions Eternal Answers. Wednesday 5th August- Sunday 9th August, 7:30pm- 9pm. Logan Hall, Euston, London, WC1H 0AL. Contact: 07810 384 311 l Subrang Arts present Janak Dulari Sita. Sunday 2nd August, 4:30pm. The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ. Contact Manilal I Mistry MBE: 07930 557 840 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 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 Leicester Distributors: Shabde Magazine, Shobhan Mehta Mob: 07846480220 (BPO) AB Publication (India) Pvt. Ltd. 207 Shalibhadra Complex, Opp. Jain Derasar, Nr. Nehru Nagar Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad.

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Many amused by Prince Philip's sense of humour The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip's sense of humour and wit has seemed to amuse many.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had visited Barking and Dagenham as part of the London borough's 50th anniversary. A trustee if the Chadwell Heath Community Centre, Nusrat Zamir (35), was subjected to the Prince's wit. Nusrat Zamir is also the founder of the

Chadwell Heath Community Centre. She stated, “The Duke said to us, 'Who do you sponge off?' We're all married so it's our husbands. He was just teasing and it's similar to what I call my husband'the wallet'.”

Zamir had also presented the Queen with iced sponge cake. She added, “He also said to us, 'Do you meet to have a gossip?'”

Raj Aggarwal Awarded Fellowship of University of South Wales

Continued from page 20 Raj Aggarwal said: “I studied for my Pharmacy degree at the Welsh School of Pharmacy, and this set me up for my career in public health. It was the best start I could have hoped for and the welcoming nature of the region made me want to come back to start my business here after a short time away in London.

“The University of South Wales has a world class reputation and I have no doubt that it will provide top quality graduates

for Wales in the future.”

After graduating Raj was fast-tracked by Boots into senior management and was one of the company’s youngest-ever regional managers, looking after high-profile stores in Cardiff and Central London. He came back to Cardiff in 1982 and built up his Central Pharmacy business which grew to six pharmacies in and around Cardiff. In 2010 he has received numerous accolades and was named UK Pharmacy Business Entrepreneur of the Year.

Congratulations

Thank you for participating in the competition to win a copy of "The House of Hidden Mothers", by Meera Syal.

The names of the winners are as follows: Bharti Kara, Rashmita Patel and Nilesh Shah. You'll soon be receiving your copy of the novel.

Congratulations!

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20 At work sometimes a little upheaval and chaos is exactly what you need to set things right again. There’s no need to be complacent: the time is now. Unpredictable energies continue to influence your health sector, bringing erratic highs and lows. The key for you as always is to remain calm and collected.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21

Whether you’re single or attached you’ll have to go through a lot, as deep psychological transformations are taking place in all types of relationships.

Don’t be afraid to experiment, trust your hunches, go with your gut feeling. Solutions to minor problems should be considered very carefully.

At home, be at your GEMINI May 22 - June 22 diplomatic best and try

not to tread on anyone's toes. Passions will run from hot to cold, and relationships may suffer. Even the most strong-willed Geminis will be more open to compromise to keep the peace. Plan your spending and set sensible budgets.

You are in a brilliant period for increasing your earning power and you'll be busy taking charge of your finances. Achieving a sense of security becomes a priority. Although there is a lot of sorting out to be done in your relationship sector, it will not phase you as so many issues have already be dealt with.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22

Charm will be your ally in this week' s activities.

Others will be responsive to you and your ideas.

You are extremely warm and affectionate as a person and you look for just as strong a response from your partner. You will achieve success by being responsible and diplomatic.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23

There is an element of disruption or stress which may be hard to avoid, but it appears that there is a strong sense of purpose in the background. A certain amount of sheer hard graft will be necessary for a short while, but the final result will be extremely pleasing. An exchange of opinions ought to prove very enlivening at this time.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

It is a good time to get away from usual routines and seek a retreat for a few days. All the better if you are interested in such things as meditation, yoga and therapies that help you to get in closer touch with your inner self. This will have a beneficial effect on your physical and psychological wellbeing.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

Work is going to play a great part for some of you, who are widening their horizons. An important time to build too, as Saturn can be very severe and cold especially regarding relationships. Regardless of the limits, you have the capacity to turn the course of your life in a more fulfilling direction.

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22

You need to pay more attention than usual to your everyday work dairy. Meetings, work hours and organised breaks could play havoc, unless you're prepared to re-group on the spur of the moment. Try to be meticulous but flexible about your schedule. Play your cards right and you can pull strings in you favour.

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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You have been feeling disconnected for some time and this will be the week you will finally feel a sense of grounding. If unclear about what path to take you will soon realize exactly what you must do to fulfill your plans. Financially you will implement your plans to bring in the cash.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

There seems to be some pressure on financial affairs and maybe a problem to contend with in regard to a joint venture. If you feel that something has been hanging in the balance, whatever happens you will get a clearer picture of the situation eventually. Allow matters to ride as impatience will not give you the whole picture.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19

It would be a mistake always to blame the other person if your experience and expectations of love turn out to be disappointing. It is said that if you do not learn from past experience you will be condemned to repeat it until you do learn. You now have an excellent opportunity to sort out where things may be going wrong. The hard part is that you will have to be honest with yourself.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20

Man of the series turned farm hand: Bhalaji Damor

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

(Left) Damor being honoured by President K R Narayanan (Right) Tends buffaloes striving to make ends meet

Man of the series in the first cricket world cup for the blind, Bhalaji Damor's life is not as impressive as his career record. The allrounder who took India to the semi-finals of the 1998 tournament, now tends buffaloes and does odd jobs in farms.

With a record of 125 matches, 3,125 runs and 150 wickets, to this day, he remains India's top wicket taker. “After the world cup, I had hoped to get a job.

But I couldn't get in anywhere even through the quotas for sports or the handicapped,” he says. All he got from the Gujarat

government was a citation many years ago. Today, the one-acre farm he shares with his brother in Piprana village in Aravalli does not help him meet his family's basic requirements and his physical impairment makes it difficult for him to get outside work. His wife is a casual farm worker.

He occasionally goes to the blind school at Idar and coachs students for a small fee. All put together, the family earns around Rs 3,000 per month which is less than the Rs 5,000 cash prize he got as the player of the 1998 world cup 17 years back.

“It is a sad truth that sportsmen in the special category are not recognized or rewarded at all,” says Bhushan Punani, president of Blind People's Association of India.

Bhaskar Mehta, vice president of National Association for Blind said, “Bhalaji used to herd goats as a teenager and had a rare gift for cricket, so we encouraged him to play local tournaments.

Unfortunately, it didn't get him anywhere after the world cup finals.”

The completely blind cricketer, who played eight international matches, was

once honoured by President K R Narayanan after India lost in the semis to South Africa.

The incident brings to light the difference between the lives of mainstream cricket players and others. While cricketers with normal vision are applauded and commended for knocking down stumps from square leg or gully with just one wicket in sight, Bhalaji as a bowler could hit the stumps, ball after ball, with zero visibility. His heightened sense of hearing helped him time his shots cleanly.

begun our preparations in right earnest. We want this World Twenty20 to be a memorable experience for our participants and fans.

I am confident that all the venues nominated will deliver a world class event.”

BCCI's general manager, cricket operations, MV Sridhar, has been appointed tournament director for the World T20.

Former Bihar left-arm spinner Prasad Rao has been appointed manager, cricket operations while Neeraj Kumar, the former Delhi Police commissioner, will be Director of Security and Anti-Corruption Security Unit. Other members of the organising committee are, Amrit Mathur (princi-

pal coordinator), RP Shah (tournament manager, finance), Mayank Parikh (manager, logistics and hospitality) and Nishant Arora (tournament media manager). BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya will head the managing committee for the 16-team tournament featuring 10 test playing nations and six associate teams.

India last hosted the tournament in 2011, along with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and proceeded to win the tournament.

Kolkata to host 2016 World T20 Finals

The final of the 2016 World Twenty20 Cricket tournament is settled to be held in India's iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Other venues will be Bengaluru, Chennai, Dharamsala, Mohali, Mumbai, Nagpur and Delhi for the March 11 to April 3 event.

“BCCI is extremely proud to host this prestigious event. All the venues identified have hosted many prestigious matches,” said board secretary Anurag Thakur. “With this announcement, we have

Young Indian driver bags maiden pole position in Formula car race

Rising Indian driver Jehan Daruvala has proved to be an ideal for the upcoming young ambitious Asian sportsmen, all around the world. He has bagged his maiden pole position in Formula car racing before slipping to finish third in race one in the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps series in Italy.

Racing in only his second event as a guest driver of the series, the 16year-old Indian went fastest in qualifying at the Misano Adriatico circuit.

The Mumbai boy mounted an attack on the third

placed Romanov of Russia, soon passed him and sealed the final podium position behind British race winner Jack

Aitken and Russian Matevos Isaakyan.

The Mumbai born star later said, "I am really happy with my pace this

weekend and a big thank you to the team for a fantastic car. It has been tough racing against the very best racers at the top. I still have a lot to learn and also need to improve my race starts. I am positive about how things are working out and would like to thank Sahara Force India Academy and my family as well.

His next event will be at the famous Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium as part of the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC series.

SPORT WORLD

Harrow wins bronze at London Youth Games

31

Harrow has won trampolining bronze medals on Sunday at the London Youth Games. Taking place at Harrow Leisure Centre.

The team secured third spot this year, after last year’s

seventh place.

An individual gold medal winning routine from Noah Gill and a bronze for Amanda Tropp ensured the borough finished higher than they ever have done before.

Arsenal launched new kit in Mumbai

For the first time time in Asia, Arsenal's 'Invincibles' documentary was screened on a public forum on July 21 in Mumbai. The team was nicknamed the 'invincibles' after they remained unbeaten to clinch the English Premier League title in the 2003-04.

Arsenal legends Ray Parlour and Sol Cambell were present in the city while this documentary was screened. The two legends as well as apparel giants PUMA launched Arsenal's home and away kits for the coming season.

In addition, the Invincible trophy that Arsenal won was also brought to Mumbai for the launch.

India's new hockey coach fired

Paul van Ass, the much talked about Dutch hockey coach for Indian men's team, appointed in March, wouldn't have dreamt that his coaching spell would last only four months.

In a move which will hit the Indian hockey hard, the 54-year-old has been allegedly fired by Hockey India, following his alleged public altercation with federation president Narinder Batra.

The theory that Van Ass won't be continuing as the coach gathered further steam when he allegedly failed to submit his report on India's performance at the recently concluded World Hockey League semifinals in Antwerp, Belgium.

From The Netherland, Van Ass told PTI, "As far I know I was fired one week after the Hockey World League Semi-finals in Antwerp, Belgium...

"I am yet to get official confirmation but I expect it to get it by the end of this week...”

British and Pakistan Army Cricket Teams take to the crease in Aldershot

On the invitation by the British Army’s Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Nick Carter, the Pakistan Army Cricket Team is to tour the United Kingdom (22nd - 30th July) in a series of matches designed as much to further foster relationships between the two nations’ military communities, through the Defence Engagement initiative, as it is to test each others’ teams at the crease.

The stand out match of the series will undoubtedly be the British Army first XI vs The Pakistan Army’s first XI to be played at the Army Cricket Ground at the ‘Home of the British Army’, Aldershot on Monday 27th July. Among the principal guests invited to watch the match will be senior British and Pakistan Army Officers, His Excellency, Syed Ibne Abbas, the Pakistan High Commissioner along with fellow members from the Pakistan High Commission, business and regional communities.

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SPORT

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 25th July 2015

Indian naval ship Tarangini visits Plymouth

he Indian naval ship INS Tarangini which visited Plymouth hosted an onboard reception. INS Tarangini, the Sail Training Ship of Indian Navy, has commenced an eight month voyage to participate in the annual Tall Ship Races and other events at Europe, organised under the aegis of Sail Training International. During these eight months (04 May – 03 Dec 15), the ship will travel approximately 17,000 miles under sails.The ship’s voyage to 17 ports in 14 countries will showcase India to the world and demonstrate the Indian Navy’s global reach. The theme for the voyage, codenamed Lokayan -15, has thus been chosen as “Tacking for a Broader Reach”.

INS Tarangini arrived Plymouth on the morning of 15 July and was received and hosted by the Royal Navy. During the stay the Commanding Officer called on various dignitaries including the Lord Mayor and the Naval Base Commander. The cadets visited ‘Britannia Royal Naval College’ Dartmouth and interacted with their

The High Commissioner of India Mr Ranjan Mathai presenting a book to Commodore Ian Shipperley, the Naval Base Commander of HMS Drake at Devenport on board the Indian naval ship INS Tarangini at Plymouth Fully decked INS Tarangini

counterparts and also played sporting events. The ship hosted a reception for the Royal Navy and local dignitaries on 16 July. H.E. High Commissioner of India to UK Mr. Ranjan Mathai and Mrs Gita Mathai graced the occasion as Chief Guests. The reception has well attended.

The ship set sail for ‘Kristiansand’, Norway on the morning of 18 July. Two midshipman form Royal Navy have also embarked the ship for the leg from Plymouth to ‘Kristiansand’.

Haryana milkman's son makes country proud

Shubham Jaglan, 10 year old from rural Haryana putted his way to the Junior World G o l f Championship, at the Welk Resort Fountain Course in San Diego.

With a three day total of seven under par179, his score was better than the rest of the field.

He blitzed the golf course over the course of three days of the tournament with as many as thirteen birdies in three rounds. Five of them came during the final round, which made the difference as he was in the joint lead at the end of round 2.

An ecstatic Shubham said, “I have finally done it! I have won one of the most prestigious tournaments in junior golf. All the credit goes to my family, Delhi Golf Club for giving my facilities to play and practice, The Golf Foundation for giving me everything that I needed and the most important is my coach Nonita Lall

Qureshi who pushed my game and mind to this level and got me all the way to winning this prestigious tournament.”

“It means a lot to me and my dad especially, who was with me 24/7 and worked harder than I did. Last but not at all the least, Amit Luthra Sir who has giving me all day the support that I needed!

Thanks to all my friends and family for pushing for me and making me who I am.”

Shubham was taken under the Golf Foundation, pioneered by Arjuna Awardee and Asian Games gold medallist, Amit Luthra. The foundation saw his potential and gave absolute support to make the game accessible to him.