Brisbane Indian Times - January 2019

Brisbane

Contact Sameer today 0433 128 585 sameer.g@harcourts.com.au Volume 15, Number 5 Saturday, January 12th, 2019

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India Wins Historic First-Ever Test Series Against Australia

The Indian Cricket Team celebrate winning their first-ever test series against Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground on Jan. 7 in Sydney, Australia. (Mark Evans/Ge y Images)

SYDNEY — India celebrated a historic test series victory in Australia Jan. 6 after the weather-affected fourth match at the Sydney Cricket Ground finished in a draw.

Captain Virat Kohli’s team entered the final day with hopes of a 3-1 series victory and also its first win at the SCG since 1978, but rain meant there was no play on Monday and umpires called it off early. The draw gave India a 2-1 series win.

“A very proud moment,” Kohli said. “More so because for the last 12 months we understand what we have gone through as a team, we understand the kind of cricket we have been able to play.

“But the fact that the reward has come in the most historic series for Indian cricket is the cherry on the top of the cake.”

Six hours of play was also lost Jan. 6 because of poor weather, but Kuldeep Yadav Continued on Page 4

From the Publisher 2019, has begun with a bang literally the spectacular fireworks throughout the world was bigger than ever, new year’s eve celebra on has gained popularity throughout the world and the celebra ons have made inroads into previously uncharted waters. Even remote villages have their own makeshi par es going on into the wee hours of the morning. There has been some opposi on by the more conserva ve groups who do not necessarily agree with all that supposedly goes on at these mid night

• Local News ...................................4-31 • Migration Matters ............................ 4 • Who, What, Where, When ....... 32, 40 • Health & Well Being ..................34-35 • Real Estate ....................................... 38 • India News ....................................... 36 • What’s On........................................ 42 • Business Directory/Classified......... 49 • Sport................................................. 50

par es. They claim that their youth are being spoilt and a racted towards foreign culture, they would like to see more effort in preserving their own culture. Well I would like to wish everyone a very happy and prosperous 2019.

January is Pravasi Bhara ya Divas, normally the ninth of January, but this year it has been shi ed to coincide with Kumbh Mela in Varanasi, GOPIO Interna onal always holds its annual conven on during the PBD, so that is happening in Varansai as well, a lot of effort has gone into a rac ng the largest gathering of NRI’s and PIO’s at PBD/Kumbh Mela. A er Kumbh Mela Government of India has arranged special trains to transport everyone to Delhi, for Republic day parade, special passes and sea ng have been arranged for all delegates, this is a truly historic event, large numbers of overseas visitors are expected to take part. Govt. of India has worked round the clock in readiness for the mega event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken keen and personal interest in the combined celebra ons The Kumbh Mela is held once in 12 years. There is a difference of around 3 years between the Kumbh Melas at Haridwar and Nashik; the fairs at Nashik and Ujjain are celebrated in the same year or one year apart. The exact date

is determined, as per Vikram Samvat calendar and the principles of Jyo sha, according to a combina on of zodiac posi ons of the Jupiter, the Sun and the Moon. At Nashik and Ujjain, the Mela may be held while a planet is in Leo (Simha in Hindu astrology); in this case, it is also known as Simhastha. At Haridwar and Prayag, an Ardha («Half») Kumbh Mela is held every sixth year; a Maha («Great») Kumbh Mela occurs a er 12 years.

The fes val of Pongal is just around the corner and everyone is excited about it! It is a major fes val for South Indians, however, it is celebrated with equal enthusiasm in other regions of India as well. On this fes val, a special dish is prepared which is named a er the fes val only, and the term ‘Pongal’ means ‘to boil over’. Queensland Tamil Mandram and Thaai Tamil School Pongal will be celebrated at Robelle Domain on 19th January, while Bala Samskar Kendra will hold its Pongal on 12th January at Sunnybank State High School.

January is Australia Day and Indian Republic day, for Australia Day, there are many ci zenship ceremonies held, Lord Mayor of Brisbane Graham Quirk holds a special Australia Day Awards ceremony where a lot of community workers and outstanding ci zens are

Brisbane

Indian Times A Division of Qld Multicultural Times

Published Monthly OWNERS / PUBLISHERS: Umesh & Usha Chandra ADVERTISING: Sugandh Chaturvedi prod@indiantimes.com.au JOURNALIST/ CORRESPONDENTS Ram Jattan (UK) / Thakur Ranjit Singh (NZ) Thilliar Varnakulasingham (NZ) Shalendra Prasad (Fiji) / Dhaval Vyas (India) Rama Gaind (Canberra) • ML. M. Nawaaz Ashrafi • Imam Muhammad Aslam • Pastor Joseph Dass • Haji Abdul Rahman Deen • Jitendra Deo • Nimisha Modi • Ranjita Pillai (Immigration Matters) • Peter Lane Rai • Awadhesh Sharma • Shailendra Singh • Gagan deep Tandon • Ravi Vastrad • Cartoon Corner: Merwyn Machado • Brian Sullivan (Photography)

From the Editor: If you would like us to publish your letters, feedback, comments on any of our stories or suggest ideas columns or features, please send your submissions to: Brisbane Indian Times Suite 1, 2281 Sandgate Road Boondall Qld 4034 or E-MAIL: prod@indiantimes.com.au

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Opinions carried in Brisbane Indian Times are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Brisbane Indian Times. Brisbane Indian Times will not be held liable for any advertising / editorial content - Advertisers supply/approve content therefore should any content be deemed inappropriate it is the advertisers responsibility. While every effort has been made to capture the true likeness to colour printing is an art and therefore we cannot guarantee an exact matching of product to image. Refund / Credit is not given as a result of the previous mentioned.

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recognised. Indian consulate office holds a flag raising ceremony at the consulate office at Swan Rd Taringa. Federa on of Indian Communi es of Queensland holds a Republic Day celebra on and Hindu Society of Queensland holds its anniversary celebra ons, so yes 2019 has begun with a big bang.

Moving on to February we embark upon the Lunar new year celebra ons, The year of the pig 2019 will be big, on the similar concept of lunar new year, Divya Jyothi Jagri Sansthan launched Hindu new year “Navwarsh” celebra on in Brisbane over the last few year they have tried different formats, I truly hope that our community will really get behind the project and support it.

We all know that there is no single day as the celebra on is known by various names in various parts of India, and is celebrated on different days Hindu New Year is one of the widely celebrated fes vals in India. It is celebrated in accordance to the Hindu Lunar Calendar - Pachaganga. This day marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. This day is also celebrated as Vikram Sawant. According to the Hindu calendar, the New Year commences from the first day of Kar k month. While in Bali One of Indonesia’s most unique holidays is Hindu New Year. Hindu New Year is also known as Hari Raya Nyepi. Hari Raya Nyepi is a day of silence and self-reflec on. Hari Raya Nyepi is celebrated on the first day of the Saka lunar calendar. The Hindu celebra ons in Bali can last up to several days.

For Brisbane Indian Times our focus will be on wider distribu on and maintaining a good balance of editorial and adver sements, upcoming community events s ll remains a big focus, and we would extend the wide coverage via various mediums to organisa on who recognise us as exclusive or main media partners. We are the longest established, most widely distributed and most recognised medium in our category. With Australian Indian Radio we are on track with more presenters joining the team in 2019, a wide variety of specialist ad free segments will be added. Plans are under way for more listener engagements, some exci ng giveaways for listeners. More shows will be added to the on demand sound cloud. Our Marke ng team is ready to offer you the best possible bundled print and Radio deal, so call our sales team today to find out.

With wishing everyone a very happy 2019, I will pen off now, Un l next month, Happy Reading Umesh Chandra

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 3

Major Upcoming Changes to Partner Visa A NEW bill has been introduced that will limit who can lodge a partner visa application while they are still in Australia. The Bill was passed through parliament in December 2018 however is yet to come into effect. Till this new bill comes into effect, applicants may lodge a Partner Visa under the Current Rules.

CURRENT RULES Currently partner visa applications, which consist of a sponsorship and visa application are lodged together by the applicant and their Australian Partner. In most cases immediately upon lodging the application, the partner is granted a Bridging Visa A which gives the partner full work rights and additional benefits like access to Medicare etc. BVA normally come into effect when the current visa held by the partner expires, so it gives a smooth transition to the partners, without any major disruption to their life and provides them the ability to remain legally onshore while their application is decided.

UPCOMING CHANGES Under the new legislation, the Australian partners will be required to first lodge a sponsorship application and have it approved, before their partner can lodge a visa application. Processing times of approval of sponsorships are unknown at this stage but could range from 12 to 18 months.

The impact of this change will imply that partners who have relatively short duration left on their current visas, will either have to lodge and hold another substantive visa while the partner sponsorship application is approved or travel back to their home country while the sponsorship is approved, and a partner visa can be lodged. This will imply that the partners can no longer get a BVA or full work rights / Medicare instantly upon lodging a partner visa, thus cutting out applicants who leave their application till the last minute.

TIMELINE The proposed changes can come into effect any time, the date is yet to be announced.

So, if you are interested to know more about

2019 News DEAR reader, it is with great joy we bring to you the word of God. 2018 has come and gone. Some of you may have been through a difficult 12 months. Your health wasn’t the best. The Pastor Joseph Dass business didn’t work out the way you planned. The relationship was over. If you are not careful you may go through the same pain in the coming year as you have been before. God already has blessed 2019, and the way you start this year will determine how much of God’s blessings and favour you will see come to pass in your life, in this coming year.

In the scriptures (Joshua 1) we read that God promised the children of Israel, a new season, a return, back to their homeland.

Joshua, their leader had been there before as a spy and was leading them towards it.

But after witnessing the suffering, the pain, the setbacks and finally the death of their previous leader, Moses, he was feeling the pressure to continue leading the people.

God spoke to Joshua reminding him of his future victories, breakthroughs, seasons of favour, protection, success and blessings.

On Joshua’s part, he had to be strong and courageous and live in obedience and agreement with God’s word.

Joshua’s new season started with a word from God. Just like Joshua, God never promised lack and failure to be your destiny.

You cannot let fear, disappointment, failure, discouragement and wrong opinions to be part of your future. Your due season is here, and as you keep honouring, believing and expecting, then you too shall enter, into your season of blessing and favour.

Here are 4 things that you can learn from Joshua and have great success in 2019.

• It's only after you step out of your comfort

partner visa, or thinking of lodging one, you must act now before it is too late.

Whether you or if you know someone who can apply for partner visa, encourage them to contact Migration Guru to see how we can assist. Migration Guru has assisted in countless visa applicants and has more than 50 years of collective experience in a dynamic team of Solicitors and Migration Agents in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Canberra and Hobart. This experience ensures that staff can advise and navigate client’s through the new changes to find their best visa options. We wish to remind readers that the first consultation with Migration Guru is free of charge.

Our team may be contacted by via email on info at migrationguru.om.au or by calling 07 3036 3800. Readers are encouraged to follow us on Facebook for all the updates to Migration Law - https://www.facebook.com/ migrationguru/ Migration Guru Pty Ltd, Level 18, 127 Creek Street, Brisbane, QLD. Phone: 07 3036 3800 Migration Guru Pty Ltd, 31002, 27 Garden Street, Southport QLD. Phone: 07 5606 6160 Migration Guru Pty Ltd, Level 3, 85 Macquarie Street, Hobart TAS. Phone: 03 6281 8008 Migration Guru Pty Ltd, Level 5, 490 Northbourne Avenue, Dickson, ACT. Phone: 02 6109 9110 Migration Guru Pty Ltd, A144, Sector 8, Dwarka, New Delhi 110077, India Phone: + 91 84482 99277 Migration Guru Pty Ltd, 204, DLH Plaza, S.V. Road, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400058, India MARN 0324607, 1175591, 1382609, 1386041, 1683052 & 1466522. www. migrationguru.com.au Disclaimer: - The above article constitutes only generic information on migration issues, and does not constitute specific migration advice to any entity or individual zone, that you begin to change, grow and transform. God told Joshua to arise and crossover the river Jordan and into the promised land. Have a vision of how and where you want to finish in 2019.

Plan, ahead and prepare yourself well. It may be in the area, of health, education, relationships, finance or spiritual growth.

Have a diary or a year planner. You will not arrive at your destination if you don’t have a vision for 2019.

• Do not compare yourself to others, it will give you pain in life. Compliment others, it will give you purpose in life. For a while Joshua saw how small he was in comparison to Moses. He was afraid to lead and could not move forward. Then God said, “Moses is dead, and now you get on the move.” Meditate on the word of God, read a new book this year that builds and inspires you. Get involved in the local church, so your God given gifts and talents are recognised and become useful.

• Do not wait for a good day. Do something good in the day you have. Do not let go of opportunities that God is presenting to you. 2019 comes with abundance of opportunities. God given opportunities always lead us to success.

• A lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinion of a sheep. Do not permit others, opinions from moving towards your goals and destiny. Be prepared to make some wise choices and be willing to take risks.

Not everyone is going to celebrate you, so stay clear of discouraging, negative and pulling down words. Some people won’t be moving to where you are going.

Joshua, believed God, then got prepared with his people, made the move and started living in the land of promise, soon after.

Let us pray “Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for guiding and leasing me throughout this year, as I trust in you, in Jesus name, Amen.”

My prayer is that you have a blessed and wonderful 2019.

God bless you, Pastor Joseph Dass

4 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

India Wins Historic First-Ever Test Series Against Australia Continued from Page 1

still had time to take his second five-wicket haul in tests as India rattled through Australia’s lower order with only a late 42-run rally by Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood taking the hosts to 300 for just the second time this series.

Marcus Harris topscored for the hosts with 79, Australia’s highest individual score in the series.

Leading by 322 runs, Kohli had little hesitation in enforcing the follow-on and Australia reached six without loss in its second innings — with Harris unbeaten on two and Usman Khawaja on four — when bad light stopped ended play on day four.

The last time Australia was required to followon at home was in 1988 against England at the SCG, a match which finished in a draw.

“We’re really disappointed,” Australia captain Tim Paine said.

“We know we had some guys missing but we honestly felt coming into this series that in Australia, we could beat India.

“Throughout the series,

more often than not when those big moments came up, Virat (Kohli) scored a century or (Chetweshwar) Pujara scored one or (Jasprit) Bumrah bowled a great spell and got them through those moments.”

India, which only needed to avoid a defeat here to clinch the series, effectively ended this match as a contest by scoring 622-7 declared over almost two full days after Kohli won the toss and batted.

Man-of-the-series Pujara (193) scored his third century of the tour and Rishabh Pant made 159 not out as the India squad demonstrated it was a class above an Australian team weakened by the absence of the banned senior batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner.

Underscoring the current malaise of Australian cricket without its star players, Australian batsmen have scored only one century — Khawaja’s 141 against Pakistan in Dubai — in a year, while India had five centuries in this series alone.

“Clearly, we know we’re not going to win too many test matches without scoring hundreds,” Paine

said. “But when guys are in their third, fourth test matches, it’s hard. We had so many starts, throughout this series, it’s just the experience of learning how to convert them.”

India won the first test at Adelaide by 31 runs and last week’s Boxing Day test in Melbourne by 137 runs to retain the BorderGavaskar trophy.

Australia won the second test in Perth by 146 runs.

Harris’ series-high score of 79 for Australia made it the first first time in any test series of three or more matches since 1958 that a team had a highest score below 80, according the Australian Associated Press.

It was also the first time ever Australia has gone through a four-test home series without a single batsman scoring a century.

While India goes home to celebrate its first test series win here in 12 attempts, Australia’s selectors have a matter of days to consider an overhaul of the Australian batting lineup for the upcoming two-test series against Sri Lanka in Brisbane and Canberra.

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 5

Maldives ‘overwater’ wedding ceremonies at Jumeirah Vittaveli

Your very own private retreat at the Jumeirah Vi aveli Maldives!

Even on the beach at Jumeirah Vi aveli you’ll be surrounded by the stunning vistas of the Indian Ocean.

By Rama Gaind WEDDING ceremonies are special, so why not choose a special location like the Maldives. Here you are sure to have a fairytale ceremony on a glass floor aisle in an enchanting overwater chapel.

Solemnise your love in this award-winning resort that is an ideal location for wedding ceremonies and

vow renewals. You will be surrounded by the stunning vistas of the Indian Ocean at Jumeirah Vittaveli!

Graciously nestled in South Male atoll, Jumeirah Vittaveli sits just 20 minutes away from Male International Airport.

As you make your way onboard the motorised catamaran across the crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean, your expectations are heightened about this luxurious accommodation.

Suitable rewards await you.

It is the perfect place for all the family to speed things up or slow things down.

Everything the Maldives has to offer is served up in the way only Jumeirah can.

A traditional Maldivian welcome is a forerunner to the many activities that await you: watersports, wellness, diving, beachside havens – there’s everything.

According to the general manager Amit Majumder, the Maldives provide a wonderful, romantic location for weddings.

“We have arranged a number of stunning ceremonies, on a secluded beach, a remote and deserted sandbank, and even an underwater exchange of vows,” Amit said. “We can now offer this spectacular new venue to guests who wish to celebrate in style at Jumeirah Vittaveli. Imagine watching your partner

appear to walk on water and down the glass floored aisle that stretches over the shimmering turquoise lagoon.”

The wedding chapel sits serenely tucked away in the resort’s overwater fine dining complex, adjacent to French fine dining venue Fenesse, the wine library Cuvée, and the tranquil overwater lounge Cyan.

Panoramic glass doors provide 360-degree views, and decorations can be adjusted to suit the wedding couple’s personal wishes.

While the wedding chapel can be booked for ceremonies, please note marriages at the resort are purely ceremonial and not legally binding.

Impeccable accommoda on Whether it’s an intimate escape or an indulgent family retreat, Jumeirah Vittaveli offers unmatched

diversity, subtle luxury and personalised exploration.

Accommodation choices are impeccable.

Enhance your romantic escape and stay at the picturesque private ocean retreats. Cocoon yourselves into this indulgent hideaway with a loft-style bedroom upstairs, overwater hammocks, private infinity pool and full outdoor daybed. The villas are freestanding in the lagoon ensuring maximum privacy while only a two-minute ride onboard the complimentary boat service from the main island.

The private ocean retreats are designed to offer all the resort services at your fingertips, from in-villa dining, to yoga on your own open-air deck, to an indulgent couple’s massage.

Every detail has been meticulously crafted to inspire journeys of discovery and enjoyment. Whether it’s

beachside or over water, all villas feature stunning interiors with private pools and access to the sandy shores or glistening waters.

Jumeirah offers romantic escapes, as well as, a variety of land- and water-based activities, including a PADI Dive base, water sports centre, six restaurants and bars and two lounges and an underground tasting room.

The island country’s first ice rink invites guests for a world first – ice skating on an eco-friendly synthetic ice rink, overlooking the powder soft beaches and crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean.

It seems Jumeirah Vittaveli has succeeded in securing a collection of all of the most remarkable experiences the republic has to offer – into the one place. Now, you too, can shape your own unique Maldives experience … and remember it always.

Indian community urged to continue to ‘stop it at the start’ THE highly effective Stop it at the Start campaign to reduce violence against women continues to change the way we understand the link between disrespect and violence against women.

Jointly funded by the Australian, state and territory governments, the campaign encourages all adults – parents, family members, teachers, coaches, employers, community leaders and other role

models – to think about the impact of what they say and do and talk to young people about respect.

Violence against women and their children is a serious issue in Australia and the statistics on the issue remain shocking: nearly one in four women has experienced violence from a current or former partner, boyfriend, girlfriend or date and one in four young people are prepared to excuse violence

6 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

from a partner.

Evaluation research from the first phase of the campaign found that twothirds of adults who saw it took action, and started to change some of their deeply-held attitudes. The results demonstrate that when the community works together on this issue, we can make a difference.

Phase two aims to move the conversation forward, encouraging audiences to

ask themselves – could we be teaching our children disrespect? The advertising and supporting activities show how young people can misinterpret words and actions, and how small changes can make a big difference.

The $30 million Stop it at the Start campaign is an initiative under the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children 2010-2022.

To help continue the conversation, online tools have been developed for the Indian community and in many languages, which can all be found on the campaign website. These resources help parents and other influencers role model positive behaviours and have conversations with the young people in their lives.

Broadcast-quality television commercials and high-resolution versions of

other advertisements are available at www.respect. g o v. a u / t h e - c a m p a i g n / translated-material/ Visit https://www. respect.gov.au/resources/ cald-materials/ for more information. If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org. au.

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 7

Dayanand Saraswati SWAMI Dayanand Saraswati was a reformist religious leader who endeavoured to eradicate misconceptions and detrimental religious practices from Hinduism.

He founded Arya Samaj, a society of nobles, to propagate and implement his ideas in practice.

Dayanand was born on 12th February 1824 in Tankara village, Morbi district, Gujarat in a wellto-do family. His father’s name was Karshanji and mother Yashodabai, also known as Amritbai. At birth Dayanand was named Mool Shankar as he was born in Mool Naksatra, 19th lunar mansion, according to the Hindu calendar.

At the age of five, Mool Shankar started his education. He had a sharp mind and could remember a text by heart in a short time.

By the age of fourteen, he had mastered Yajur Veda, some sections of other Vedas and Sanskrit grammar.

Mool Shankar’s family members were devotees of Lord Shiva. Once on a Shivaratri night, his father took him to a Shiva temple to participate in the all night celebration, where devotees sang devotional songs. By midnight, most of the other believers had fallen asleep but Mool Shankar remained awake, truthful to his dedication to Shiva. In the night, he observed a mouse, which scrambled over Shiva’s Linga and started eating offerings made to Shiva. Mool Shankar was puzzled over this scene.

Believing the Shiva Linga to be a direct representation of the almighty Shiva himself, as taught by his father, his mind started arguing with itself. If Shiva cannot protect himself from a rat, then how he can be almighty and defend his devotees? He discussed his doubts with his father, but could not get

a satisfactory explanation.

Some time later, his sister and paternal uncle died of cholera. Their untimely death was a tragic blow to the family. Mool Shankar’s mind became agitated with these events. He wanted to find solutions to untimely death, and obtain a greater understanding of the almighty Shiva, whose stories his father used to tell him. Somebody suggested to him that solutions to his concerns could be found through living the virtuous lifestyle of a Brahmachari, celibate and mastering Yoga.

He exhibited detachment from normal family life.

Noticing Mool Shankar’s indifference towards domestic affairs, his father arranged for his wedding to keep his mind engaged in family activities. Realising his father’s intention to marry him, Mool Shankar left his home at the age of nineteen in search of a Guru, a spiritual teacher, who could help him achieve his objectives. He became known by the name Shuddh Chaitanya.

In search of a Guru, he encountered many episodes that shaped his future activities.

During his departure from home, he met a group of fraudulent Sadhus who gained his trust and robbed him of the valuable ornaments that he wore. He visited many Maths, Hindu monasteries, and noticed that the heads of many such revered institutions were involved in immoral acts and hankered after pleasure, wealth and fame. He observed a Yagya, fire sacrifice ritual, where non-vegetarian foods were being offered as Prasad to deities. He saw animals being slaughtered as offerings. He travelled mountains, hills and forests in search of medicinal herbs and practiced Yoga to find solutions to his queries.

FIJI Senior Citizens Association of Qld, celebrated their Christmas Party on 22nd December, 2018 at the Centre Multicultural Hub, Annerley. Over 60 members and their families attended Christmas Dinner.

Surendra Prasad proudly informed the members that the Association have fourteen Life Members who have attained the age of 80 year and over, under FSCAQ constitution section 5 sub section 3 allows any member age over 80 year eligible for 8 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

Swami Purnanand initiated him to Sanyas order and he became known as Dayanand Saraswati.

At the bank of River Narmada, Dayanand met Swami Shivanand Giri and Swami Jwalanand Puri. From both of them, Dayanand learnt Patanjali Yoga. He expressed his lifelong indebtedness to them for their teaching of Yoga. Still, Dayanand was not satisfied and continued searching for a proper Guru.

His long search ended when he met Swami Virajanand in Mathura. Virajanand was a blind man. He was a scholar of the Vedas and Sanskrit grammar. Dayanand stayed with him for two and half years and completed his spiritual study.

Virajanand had realised that the pitiable condition of Hindu society was due to dominance of false scriptures, superstitious beliefs and fake religious leaders. During offering of Guru Dakshina, Virajanand emphasized to Dayanand that spreading the true Vedic scriptures using a rational interpretation of the sacred texts, and working towards the spiritual and social upliftment of Hindu society would be his preferred Guru Dakshina. Dayanand promised to fulfil his Guru’s expectations and worked towards these broad goals throughout his remaining life.

During his wandering, he

life membership. Harmony Day On the 21st March,2019 we combine Harmony day Celebration and Life Membership Certificate presentation Ceremony to this 14 life members at the Harmony Day Dinner organised by the Association. This will give us opportunity to acknowledge and thank these fathers of our Association.

Surendra Prasad also announced at the dinner that the Fiji Senior Citizens Association of Qld were given opportunity

noticed utter poverty among the general population.

Christian missionaries and Islamic Mullahs were converting the uneducated and economically backward people of Hindu society.

Even educated individuals were being attracted to foreign religions.

He realised that shortcomings in Hindu society were amongst the major reasons for this situation.

Hindu society was divided into castes, with infighting on petty matters.

Education was limited to some privileged groups only. Religious leaders were using religion for their own personal benefit.

Immoral behaviours were widespread. Killing of baby girls, witchcrafts, offering of human sacrifice, child marriage, marrying of old men with young girls, restrictions on marriage of widows and many other socially and morally dishonourable practices were rampant. Dayanand decided to publicly denounce these customs and promote the value of following guidelines provided in true scriptures and correct religious rituals.

He called for return to the Vedas and genuine Vedic instructions.

He propagated Nirgun Brahma, the God without attributes. He opposed idol worship including worship of structures, directions and other material objects. He declared that

Scriptures other than the Vedas were mythological stories with no religious significance. Superstitions and evil practices were to be removed. Independence of the country was paramount for removing poverty.

He exposed evil practices prevalent in Hinduism during major religious gatherings. During the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar in 1867, Dayanand unfurled his Pakhand Khandini Pataka, the flag of truth. There he exposed the drawbacks of religious and social practices in Hindu society and called for return to the Vedas and Vedic teachings.

He had major Shastrarth, spiritual discourse, in Varanasi in 1869 with various denominations of Hinduism and he won many admirers of his teachings.

He travelled throughout north India to spread his philosophy.

He founded Arya Samaj in 1875 in Mumbai and laid down ten guiding principles.

According to Arya Samaj, Havan, the fire sacrifice is the main ritual. Om is the most important symbol.

Krinvanto Vishwaryam, make the world noble, is a universal call from Arya Samaj. Arya Samaj became popular over many parts of India within a relatively short period of time.

Dayanand advocated for the equality of human beings and worked towards the eradication of untouchability and caste based division of society. He promoted the view that people are to be distinguished only on merit. He introduced widow marriage among Hindus.

He encouraged educating the population. He inspired youth to become patriotic and work for freedom from foreign rule. He placed importance on the concept of Swarajya, self-rule, for the nation, which was later adopted by political freedom fighters.

Dayanand introduced

to organise the Citizenship Ceremony for the first time at our facility at The Multicultural Hub Annerley on Australia Day 26th January. This will be huge challenges for our members as we have to abide by the Australian Citizenship Ceremony code and other rules laid by the

Shuddhi-karan, a purification ritual to bring back the people who had converted to other religions from Hinduism as well as those willing to adopt Hinduism.

He wrote many books, including Satyarth Prakash, Sanskarvidhi and Bhasyas, which provide explanations on Veda. Satyarth Prakash is the main text highlighting principles of Arya Samaj. It also contains scientific and critical analysis of major faiths and concludes the supremacy and relevance of Arya Samaj in the modern age.

Dayanand’s fearless criticism of prevalent Hindu practices and other religions made many enemies. He was poisoned and attacked a number of times by his opponents.

He survived their attacks and pardoned the wrongdoers. Finally, he was poisoned in the palace of Maharaja of Jodhpur which led to his death on Diwali, 30th October 1883, at the age of fifty-nine.

To promote his philosophy, his disciples set up educational institutions known as Dayanand Anglo Vedic (DAV) School/ College. Many prominent men and women have graduated from these institutions. Arya Samaj Mandir, Arya Orphanage, Arya Samaj Ashram/ old age homes, Gurukul and Goshala are other institutions aligned with Dayanand’s philosophies which work for the welfare of the common people. Arya Samaj as a religious sect has spread over many countries including Fiji, Australia, UK and the USA. Its followers perform regular Havan, religious discourses and community development and relief works.

More information on Hinduism will follow in the next edition of BIT. Awadhesh Sharma.

Department of Home Affairs.

This will also give us the opportunity to welcome our newest Australian Citizens into the community and will also provide friends, relatives, and other invited guests with an opportunity to affirm their loyalty to Australia.

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 9

Good News 2019

GOOD NEWS -2019

G

GOD HAS GOOD PLAN FOR YOU IN 2019!

O

seek the peace and prosperity of the city you live in!

D

Key Scripture: Jeremiah 29:7,11 New International Version (NIV) 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will pros-per.

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Dear Reader, WELCOME TO A GOOD YEAR 2019!

We are excited to bring you the Good News of Great Joy. Our theme simple and clear. It is to make God real and personal. And to present God as a Living and Loving Person; so you may understand His nature and relate to Him personally.

God is not an object or an image or imagination of human mind. God is a living and loving person. We find this amazing revelation in

the pages of Holy Bible.

Keep reading with an open heart and humble spirit.

It our hope that you will encounter your Creator today. You don’t need a thou-sand years for your Salvation (Mukti). You can receive your greatest miracle ‘Mukti’ today. This is the confidence you can have in Christ alone.

We all wish each other a happy new year to a new digit number after 365 days.

But often we are cynical of the year that has passed

by. We carry disappointments, bitterness and many other emotions of the past years. How can we ex-pects a happy new year when we have not learnt let go or delete our past nega-tive experience and hurts?

Only when we understand that we all are fallen short of God’s perfect standards and we no longer able to walk in perfect love for each other; We also need to know that God has provided a perfect solution for the condition of human soul.

When we know that we are completely forgiven by a loving God, who alone knows all about life; then we no longer walk in shame or guilt. We walk in love for God each other. The essence of message of Good News of Christ is; we have been given an invitation to reconcile to God. Sin is living in independence of God and His plan for us. Sin separates us from a loving relationship with our Creator. But the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone can reconcile all mankind to a life style of peace and prosperity.

God gave is only son as an atonement to pay the price of our sins. Our role is to repent and return to God to

be reconciled and restored to a hope filled life.

Prophet Jeremiah, told the people of Israel to seek the peace and prosperity of the city where they were carried into exile. We may have not come to this city in exile but by our choice. But we have God given responsibility to seek the welfare of this City and Nation of Australia. We must promote peace, justice and love. When we learn to do that by God’s grace, we will understand the plan God has for us. His plan for you and your family is to give peace and prosperity. His plan is to give you hope and a good year 2019.

But you a choice and role to play in making 2019 a good year. This is your

year of learning to walk in peace and prosperity. The resolution is simple and clear; be reconciled to your Creator.

Therefore, we invite you to pray this with a sincere heart; and experience the sweet aroma of Christ in your life. Do not harden your heart but humble yourself to your Creator and make Him your Saviour and Lord. Please Pray, “Dear Father God, Today I thank you for your word that has touched my heart. I choose to repent of my wrongs and I confess with my mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’ and I believe in my heart that Jesus died for my sins, God raised Jesus from the dead for my Mukti (Salvation). Now help me to know Jesus and His sweet fragrance more and more so that I can grow in the knowledge of your grace and mercy. Teach me your ways so that I can be person who will learn to honour you and learn to love each other. In Jesus name I ask and pray, so be it (Amen).

Is It Wrong To Be Motivated By Jealousy?

Sadhguru, Isha Founda on

SADHGURU answers a question on being motivated by jealousy of others, and looks at the consequences of being driven by this mentality.

Question: Sadhguru, jealousy is always considered as a really cynical emotion. But to be

honest, for me, it has worked so well. It motivates me. So, every time my friend learns something new, I just get this innate urge to perform better. And it’s probably why I have landed up in my dream college. So, do you think that jealousy is actually a negative emotion, or does it motivate you to do better?

Sadhguru: Fortunately, these days it is gone but when we were growing up, in small towns one of the things people would do to have fun was to take a can full of firecrackers and tie it

Indian Senior Citizen Association. Inc Notice of Annual General Meeting NOTICE is hereby given that the AGM of the Indian Senior Citizen Association will be held at 1.00pm to 3.00pm on Sunday 27th January 2019 at BCC Library Meeting Room, Sunnybank Hills Shopping Centre., corner of Mains and Compton Roads Sunnybank Hills.

All executive positions will be declared vacant and nominations are invited for the following positions: • One President • Two Vice Presidents • One Secretary

• One Treasurer • One Publicity Officer • 5 Committee members

Nomination forms are available from the secretary, Shakuntala Mohan. Ph 3209 3235 or email: babu. mohan@hotmail.com All nominations should reach the secretary at least 7 days before the AGM. You will need to be a paid financial member to stand for an official position.

Secretary, Shakuntala Mohan 10 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

to a donkey’s tail. This was especially popular during the Diwali season. When the firecrackers would go off, the poor donkey would run all over the place faster than a horse. Do you think that is the way to motivate life?

There are better and more intelligent ways of doing things.

When you feel like your tail is burning, you may run.

People say that if a dog is chasing you, you will really run fast. But Usain Bolt did not run because his tail was on fire. He runs because he has prepared his legs and

lungs in such a way that whichever way he runs, he is faster than everyone. Isn’t that the way to run? Now, you want to run because a dog is chasing you or because your tail is on fire – that is not a pleasant way to run.

One aspect is that you run fast. That is important.

But another aspect is that your experience of running is fantastic. Isn’t that important too? You got into your dream college, but it could be three years of hell. Is it not important that these three years are

a fantastic experience for you? Running is not the only important thing. How you experience it and what comes out of it tomorrow is equally important.

Suppose we ran because our tails were on fire. Then we will understand that the only way to make people

run is to set their tails on fire.

Just see how much damage we will cause to everyone because of this!

I have seen these donkeys running faster than a race horse, because they are terrified. That is not the way to run. Please don’t do that to yourself.

Ranked amongst the fi y most influen al people in India, Sadhguru is a yogi, mys c, visionary and bestselling author. Sadhguru has been conferred the “Padma Vibhushan” by the Government of India in 2017, the highest annual civilian awards, accorded for excep onal and dis nguished service.

Meet Fiji's entrant in 2019 Ms Universal 2019 Pageant

By Navneeta Hinz

GREETINGS to all the readers, to those of you who may not know who I am, my name is Navneeta Hinz and I have the honour of representing Fiji in the 2019 Ms Universal Pageant.

I would like to share a moment about myself, as to the woman that I am today.

My hometown is Lautoka, Fiji, like most I grew up living with extended family and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I moved to Australia in 1996 with my family and started another journey. I have lived a very privileged lifestyle growing up in Australia, I have had the opportunity of an incredible education and I graduated university with a Bachelor of International Business majoring in Economics and International Business, travelled with my family, have accomplished many goals I otherwise would not have been able to achieve.

I have a successful career working for a privately-

owned company as a Client Alliance Advisor.

This does not mean that I have not had any personal struggles. Personally, I struggled a lot, mostly through my university years as while I was trying to figure out where I fitted in this world, who I was compared to who I was supposed to be.

I want to use my personal experience to encourage younger generation to overcome their personal challenges. This is one of my reasons for accepting the title as Ms Fiji Universal 2019.

The Universal Pageant has been established as an organisation that prides itself with high integrity, values, resilience and charitable work with the community. It encourages women to go beyond their aspirations and achieve a higher standard for themselves.

It gives them the opportunity to represent who they are and what each

individual stands for whilst providing a platform to achieve their goals.

I want to use this platform to support, guide and encourage others to step out and be he best they can be, be successful in their own way.

I want to show them the importance of education and how it can help as a way to achieve their personal goals.

I truly believe that the women I am today is

because of my heritage, strong multicultural upbringing by my parents, education, my community involvement and guidance from many people around me.

I hope to make you all proud as I set out on this journey. If you would like to know more and show your support, please see my contact details as per below.

Email: Navneeta.work@ outlook.com; Facebook: Ms Fiji Universal 2019; Instagram: neetahinz.

AVOID COSTLY FINANCIAL AND LEGAL PENALTIES WITH WORKCOVER INSURANCE Running a small business, particularly a family small business, is a labour of love that is built on hard work and a sense of pride and achievement.

That is why it’s important to ensure the safety of those people who work for you and who make your business successful.

If you own a business and employ workers in Queensland, even members of your family, it is compulsory to have an accident insurance policy with WorkCover.

If one of your workers is injured at work, they can apply for workers’ compensation no matter whom or what caused their injury, so it’s important to be covered.

It’s easy to take out a WorkCover policy. Visit WorkCover online at www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/apply or call 1300 362 128 to get the right advice.

In 2017/18, uninsured businesses lodged 180

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workplace injury claims with WorkCover, costing policyholders approximately $5.9 million.

WorkCover Queensland Manager Financial Control and Reporting, Mr Robbie McLean said the vast majority of businesses do the right thing by having an accident insurance policy and paying the right amount of premium, yet non-compliance remains a concern. “Any Queensland business who employs a worker is breaking the law if they don’t have a WorkCover Accident Insurance policy,â€? Mr McLean said. “Uninsured employers who lodge WorkCover claims are being held to account. These businesses can be LVVXHG ZLWK VLJQLĂ€FDQW Ă€QDQFLDO SHQDOWLHV LQFOXGLQJ the cost of the claim, which can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars for severe injuries.â€?

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“If employers are confused about their obligations to insure their workers against injury or who they need to cover, WorkCover is here to help,� Mr McLean said “It’s never too late to start complying and doing so can reduce the costs should one of your workers or family members get injured.

Having a WorkCover policy gives small businesses VHYHUDO EHQHĂ€WV LQFOXGLQJ SURWHFWLRQ IRU \RX DQG your workers against injuries and protection against penalties for employing workers without having a policy with WorkCover.

If you need help translating or interpreting information about why you need to insure your workers or how to apply for a WorkCover policy, phone WorkCover’s free translation service on 131 450.

For more information on applying for a policy, visit www.workcover.qld.gov.au/apply or call WorkCover on 1300 362 128.

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 11

APT9 exhibition at QGOMA and QAG

QGOMA and QAG has lots in store for the Indian Community this summer.

By Amrita Deshpande, New Media Ar st, Brisbane

THE 9TH Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art’ (APT9) opened in November with a fabulous show. It was a good mix of folk based art, contemporary art and cultural traditions coming together. There was a wide range of art right from found objects to mix media to abstraction to minimalism.

A variety show where one gets to see the artistic genres standing tall alongside each other with the cultures and aesthetics, the emotions and artistic expressions mixing and mingling with each other. It is a treat for the viewers young and old, locals and visitors, as well as the amateurs and connoisseurs.

The show spans across both the galleries QGOMA and QAG. It is open to all for free, however there are special events and talks that are arranged for a fee. The show will run till 28th April, 2019. If you would like to learn about the art and the artist, it is a good idea to join the guides for a guided tour of the show. I recently joined one such guided

tour and collected plenty of information on the art, artwork, and the artist. Few of the works those mused me were Tolai people’s majestic rings Tutana, Aaisha Khalid’s Tapestry, Vincent Namatjira’s portraits, Jonathan Jones understanding wind experiment, Vuth Lyno, Spirit House, and Shilpa Gupta’s For, in your tongue, I cannot fit 201718 / Sound installation with 100 speakers, microphones, printed text and metal stands.

Shilpa Gupta is an artist who lives in Mumbai, whose artwork particularly showcases perception and the way we understand the information presented to us. She has two pieces installed in the exhibition, out of which I was highly drawn towards the Sound Installation with 100 speakers. The soundscape takes you into a world of voices which are less heard, waiting to speak out loud, however shut and silenced.

These are 100 poets who have been jailed and Shilpa Gupta voices their poetry, the agony, the frustration, the living of these poets,

12 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

the fight they put up for the freedom of expression very well captured in her soundscape installation. It is an installation that gives you an experience of living and sharing the space with these 100 poets.

Shilpa often uses the element of the viewer participation in her artwork which was also evident in her other work installed for this exhibition. Her Untitled piece showcases a flap board which picks phrases from a poetry and displays them to the viewer leaving the viewer puzzled to make sense of it all. The flip board changes every few seconds, displaying the next phrase, word or sentence. It is a take on the various flip boards we see on train stations, airports, as we migrate and emigrate from one place to another, making sense of it all trying to play catch up with our destinations. One must linger for a while around this flip board to immerse yourself and understand the true meaning of this piece.

The exhibition showcases about 80 artists from 30 countries and Shilpa Gupta is one amongst them. There are many references to Indian culture and Indian art in art pieces rendered by other artists who have their art work in this exhibition.

Artist such as Aisha Khalid from Pakistan who has created her tapestry based on the Charbagh concept and miniature paintings of India, while Zheng Guogu from China uses the Maitreyi Sculpture to create his Thanga painting, delving into the buddhist spiritual consciousness, Harit Shrikhao’s Churning of the Ocean Milk, and Rasheed from Pakistan who uses abstraction to create spaces of art in the minimalist structure.

Another intriguing and engaging event the Indian community must look out for at QGOMA and QAG is the Indian Cinema event unfolding from December 1st to April 27th, 2019. It is an excellent line up of films from current Bollywood films, regional films as well as independent Indian cinema. All the films are free of cost and repeated so that a large audience could take advantage of the shows.

These films are listed on QGOMA’s website. No registration is needed, just show up and enjoy the show.

Among the list, there are quite a few films you may have already seen however it is a good opportunity for the family and friends to come together and enjoy a day of Bollywood Cinema. I would personally recommend the following films as must watch: Newton, Pink, Udta Punjab, Margarita with a Straw, Dabba (Lunch Box), Gangs of Wassepur, Court (Marathi Movie), Sexy Durga, Queen, Kapoor and Sons, Nh10, Manmarziyaan and Village Rockstar which won the national award regional film this year.

Along with Bollywood

films APT9 Cinema also is showing films from Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Having this treat of Bollywood Cinema right in our city of Brisbane is a fantastic effort on part of the multicultural scenario of Brisbane. As residents of Brisbane we must acknowledge this fact

and avail the opportunity given to us by attending at least one movie or the art show. I am sure you will not be disappointed, satisfaction is guaranteed.

For more information on Cinema visit https://www. qagoma.qld.gov.au/whatson/cinema/programs/apt9cinema-new-bollywood

Women’s Sahara House update

Today the Labour opposi on MP Shayne Neuman and MP Julian Hill visited the Women’s Sahara House and spent me to hear first hand Indian vic ms of dowry abuse and domes c violence. We were also very thankful to Mr Rob Ryan, CEO of Key Assets for their generous dona on of $8887.89 for the Women’s Sahara House.

The Brisbane Sikh Temple (Gurdwara) president Jasjot Singh and treasurer Mandeep Singh we’re present to accept the kind dona on checque. These funds will assist us to provide emergency relief, crisis support and assistance to vic ms of DV (who are not eligible for Centrelink support).

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 13

Renowned holistic health specialist Dr Issac Mathai urges Australians to consider holistic treatments RENOWNED holistic health and wellness consultant and Chairman and Managing and Medical Director of SOUKYA Dr Issac Mathai has called on Australian health, wellness and wellbeing experts to consider holistic treatments and methods during his recent trip to Australia. Addressing two high-profile boardroom luncheons in Sydney and Melbourne recently, Dr Mathai highlighted holistic solutions’ role in restoring the natural balance of mind, body and spirit.

Dr Mathai said: “In recent years, there has been growth in western research into complementary and alternative health products and services. For example, it is heartening to note that UTS has recently added a research centre on complementary and integrative medicine.”

“As more and more academics, health professionals and influencers become attuned to the ancient wisdom of holistic medicine, I see immense potential that can only benefit the industry and, more importantly, patients in Australia and around the world.”

“As a truly multicultural

melting pot, Australians have the potential to lead the world through embracing complementary and alternative health products and services. For many cultures their traditional medicines are their primary health care providers. We often find that people from other cultural backgrounds are comfortable using these treatments and prefer them to the purely western medical approach.”

Among the high-profile attendees of the boardroom luncheons were: Consul General of India – Sydney Mr B Vanlalvawna, who shared the importance of holistic health and India’s contribution to Ayurveda and holistic health solutions; Sheba Nandkeolyar, CEO

of MultiConnexions and Immediate Past National Chair of the Australia India Business Council, who shared the opportunity for Australians to embrace holistic health solutions and urged Australians to go out and discover these solutions by visiting India as well as Dr Mathai’s SOUKYA health centre; and Mr Joseph Assaf AO, Chairman of Ethnic Business Awards, who shared his personal experience of visiting India as well as his experience SOUKYA and the health benefits he derived of it.

Dr Mathai is a holistic health consultant to the British royal family, with the family frequenting the private health resort.

Located in Bangalore, India and awarded ‘Best Wellness Centre 2010’ by the Government of India, SOUKYA’s one-ofa-kind residential facility combines modern medical advancements, ancient medical techniques and complementary therapies used worldwide to help in patents’ healing and rejuvenation process.

SOUKYA offers traditional Indian cures for conditions from hay fever to diabetes.

Procedures include massage, yoga, mud baths, and ayurvedic detox among others.

Padmavat representing Padmavati, the film, the character, and the expression!

By Amrita Deshpande, New Media Ar st, Brisbane

A LOT was said and has been said about Padmavat and Padmavati the character and the act of Johar, yet the discussions remain only at the discussion level. Having had the chance to see the film, read all the controversy that surrounded the film at that time regarding Karni Sena stopping the release of the film and changing of the name as well as the out pouring of emotions

by Swara Bhaskar on her blog, I am not sure what Karni Sena thought they were doing? Also, I fail to understand What Swara Bhaskar, really meant. But I must acknowledge the fact that having read about the controversial outbursts of Karni Sena and Swara Bhaskar’s open letter to SLB, it sure built my curiosity to watch the film and watch it with a critical eye. It also motivated me to write this article and voice my opinions on the film.

Moreover, with the recent Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone marriage photos, post and articles being floating around, it made be go back to their most controversial film “Padmavat” and the relation they shared on the silver screen as Padmavati and Khilji.

Believe me, my faith in the censor board has increased as they have done their job well in monitoring any

objectionable portrayals in the film Padmavat/i. Sanjay Leela Bhansali remains a favourite film maker and I think the story is very well adapted to the film medium.

The cast has also given a jaw dropping performance.

The portrayal of Padmavati

by Deepika Padukone, itself was well carried out which rules out any controversies surrounding this film. The recipe was just perfect with Rawal Ratan Singh’s Rajput Pride adequately added to the agony of Khilji along with the spice of his lust being extremely well executed through both Shahid Kapoor’s and Ranveer Singh’s performances respectively.

The characterization of “Mehrunisa” and Khilji’s relationship in the film does make woman feel like dropping down to a Vagina and that is what I am guessing that Swara Bhasker may have felt. A Film often has an impact value because of the portrayal of the characters, in this case we can say that Khilji was well written, executed and performed.

I also felt that in depiction of Mehrunisa, under the feelings of suppression, the helplessness, there was yet the “shakti” in her that aptly triumphed at the right moment and the right time. The same “shakti” also helped other women defeat the enemy (Khilji) by collectively making a choice to end their lives instead of

14 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

falling prey to Khilji who made them feel disgusted.

The right to free will and the right of choice being aptly executed here.

Swara Bhaskar’s reflection about the film, did make me think of the whole issue about “Saving Brown Women”. But the question must be posed as, Do Brown women really need saving? and do they not have the choice to take their own decisions, even if it means giving up their life? Can they really speak out and have a voice? Would those decisions be respected?

Having said that, I also would like to quote what Siddharth and Garima, script writers of the movie, wrote in response to Swara Bhaskar’s letter “They must have felt like a ‘vagina’ when she chose ‘fire’ over ‘rape’? It was her ‘call’, her ‘decision’ as a vagina. Right, wrong, strong, weak is up to you to interpret as a ‘penis’ or as a ‘vagina’.

The word feminism is so misused and so misinterpreted off late that it feels like an abuse. To women, to the ‘vagina’... to the great feminine power. To the only gender that has the power to procure life.”

Women have often been challenged about their views on Feminism and I would say each her own. But I can relate to what Siddharth and Garima are talking about when they say, “It was her call, her decision as a Vagina” (more respectable

as a “Woman who has a choice”) I have had many arguments with men regarding the issues of women having the freedom to decide on their own, even if it means performing Johar. By Johar, I mean the freedom and the choice to protest and self-immolate as oppose to the popular British coined connotation of “SATI”: A barbaric act imposed by Brown men upon Brown women. In fact, it was quiet interesting that in the film Siddharth and Garima thus felt the need to put in dialogues and scenes where Padmaavati takes permission from Rawal Ratan Singh to perform Johar and she says (to the effect that), “I can’t perform Johar without your consent”. It sure is seeking approval from the male gender but certainly not as being imposed on to her

by Rawal Ratan Singh. It remains as Rani Padmini’s choice which Rawal Ratan Singh respects and supports.

It is her decision to outdo the enemy by burning herself.

The last scene of Johar to me did not come across as glorification of the practice of Johar at all, in fact the creative re-enactment puts Rani Padmini at the centre of it all making her own decisions along with other women not glorifying the act of jumping into the fire but as trying to find strategies and solutions to retaliate the lecher against whom the entire Kingdom of Mewar

was fighting. That’s what the author writes in the poem Padmavat and that’s what the guides in Chittorghad will also tell you. The film brings up issues of gender no doubt but they are valid portrayals of the time and era the story is set in as well as what Malik Muhhamad Jayasi wrote. Had those not been highlighted, neither would it have been a convincing period film, nor would have done justice to the poet’s expression.

Infact, the last scene reminded me of the Ketan Mehta directed film “Mirch Masala”, where the village women collectively throw the Mirchi powder on the subhedar to save Sonbai.

Fortunately, the Subhedar is not so strong and Sonbai is saved. In Padmavat the women are shown throwing burning coal on Khilji, however the poet renders him stronger and thus the inevitable Johar occurs. According to me, it is a decision taken at the time when nothing else has worked out. An obvious psychological trait in a desperate situation. Yet, a pre-decided one taken at will. Both those scenes are impactful, giving two different scenarios or outcomes to the same situation. However, in the former the audience is relieved that the woman lives and the evil dies but in the later it leaves the audience feeling uneasy and helpless as the woman dies

but the evil lives on. There is no happy ending but one that lingers in the mind and hearts of the audience making one feel restless.

Such endings often have lasting impacts beyond the experience of the sight and auditory senses. A kind of ending most indie films will bank on for a better impact.

Apart from Padmavati’s portrayal, there is one other character in the film named “Malik Kafur”, who was quiet interestingly portrayed.

In the film the emphasis of his presence was attributed to yet another alternative for Khilji’s lust rather than the strong, intellectual, strategic yet cunning and vicious person Malik Kafur really was sketched out to be. His character could have been developed more as a warrior and strategist rather than a mere slave facilitating Khilji’s lustful life. The transgender issue left untouched making no controversies there.

Overall the film plays on the emotions of audience.

It does make you question your own ideologies as you see the film and the story unfolds. History comes alive through the fictional medium in bits and pieces leaving you confused though to decipher what was real and what was not. Hence a strong advice that the film should be viewed as a work of fiction based on a poet’s expressions. An immersive medium of entertainment and storytelling.

Contact Dipak Maharaj

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How an Indian sees an Australian Christmas

By Sekar Chinnaswamy

WHEN Peter Lane Rai , our correspondent, met Sekar Chinnaswamy and his wife Elizabeth when he was doing voluntary work in bustling Bengaluru, the home of hot mail he was surprised to know that their daughter lived in Ipswich.

So they became friends and when Sekar and his wife visited their daughter, Pete and his wife reconnected with them.

Sekar was back in Ipswich in December

so Pete asked him to give his impressions of an Australian Christmas.

Around the World most people go on into celebration mode… I saw a T-Shirt stating, “I am on Christmas Mode” Christmas has become commercial and comical worldwide. The real meaning of Christmas has been lost! It is not the decorations, Santa, wine or Turkey but the meaning is Christ.

Coming from India to Australia during the

Christmas and New Year season, it amazes me to learn ,over the radio, that $ 41 million dollars was spent by Australians, mostly on food and gifts. Yet 25% of food is being wasted daily in Australia, and even more during this season.

Celebration in India means, inviting family and friends over for dinner or lunch. But, most Christians will go to church, some as a tradition, some to seek the blessings and a few who go to worship Christ Who is the real reason for Christmas! Afterwards there is feasting.

In urban India all religious people join in the celebration…decorating their shops to attract the Christian customers… some others decorate their house because their Christian neighbour has decorated theirs.

How important it is to recognize the real meaning of Christmas. Christ should be born into our hearts and we need to give ourselves as a gift to Him.

Bangladesh Association in Brisbane (BAB) Welcomed the new year with an exceptional arrangement BY handing out the very last pack of food, we felt a great accomplishment and satisfaction by assisting those who are in need during the new year eve.

Around a month-long work, including collection of food, arranging legalities and permissions, Bangladesh Association in Brisbane Inc. (BAB) successfully arranged & distributed most essential needs for those are in need and guaranteed few days’ worth of food for the new year 2019.

Maybe it’s not a significant contribution for those who are in need, but we see this is a start and a small step towards a greater transformation.

Bangladesh community members were highly delighted and appreciative of this initiative and assisted thoroughly during the various processes.

On the New Year’s Eve, BAB in association with the Society of Bangladeshi Doctors Queensland (SBDQ) and Rohingya Support Group Australia distributed non-perishable canned food and hygiene products to nearly 100 needy people around the Brisbane City Area.

Queensland Police Service (QPS) and Rosies - Friends on the Street (www.rosies. org.au) were also present at the time to support this initiative.

During this time Rosis

also carried out their regular Free Coffee & Tea services. The distribution place was Emma Miller Place near Roma Street in the city.

For nearly one-month BAB was collecting canned food and hygiene products through multiple collection points around Brisbane as well as through home visits. A day before, BAB team gathered all foods and made mixed packs for distribution.

The program was announced by social media (Facebook Community Group) and emails and the response of the Bangladesh Community Members were outstanding. They came forward, they donated

as well as praised the initiative.

As a responsible community group, we

combinedly worked towards a better cause and tried to bring some positive change in the community as well

as in the lives of those who are in significant need and assisted them for their survival.

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focus on fiji Fiji Water girl steals the spotlight at the Golden Globes

By Lena Reece

WITH so many celebrities at the Golden Globes, it’s hard to determine who was the biggest star on the carpet.

But the internet has another theory of who really stole the show and it was the Fiji Water girl!

The young woman, sporting a strapless, royal blue gown at the awards ceremony, appeared in the background of several photos, proudly holding up a tray of Fiji water bottles.

To make things better, for each shot that the woman strategically photobombed, she made direct — and sultry — eye contact with the camera, often posing right over the

shoulders of the stars, including Judy Greer, Idris Elba, Eric Lange and Jim Carrey, on the red carpet.

Her show-stopping performance kept the internet amused for the entire duration of the pre-show and carpet, with fans commenting on the way she looked at the camera, referring to her as the “best part of the Golden Globes” and even joking about ideas for next year’s Halloween costumes.

According to Time Magazine, Fiji Water has served as the official water brand of the Golden Globe Awards since 2015.

For this year's Golden Globes, Fiji Water sent out four women to offer stars some refreshment, but only one stole the spotlight.

The 'Fiji Water Girl' posing behind many celebri es at the Golden Globes red carpet

Company fined $10,000 for Rabuka confirms resolving smuggling goods into Fiji of differences between Tabuya and Bulitavu

By Pra ka Mala

A COMPANY has been issued with a Customs Infringement Notice of $10,000 as Fiji Revenue and Customs Officers have intercepted goods that were smuggled into the country last week.

Customs Officers in Lautoka discovered surplus and undeclared goods found in a container.

The goods were shipped from China and were consigned to a newly

established family supermarket and findings indicate that overseas family members of the importer assisted in purchasing and packing extra goods.

Fiji Revenue and Customs Service Chief Executive Officer Visvanath Das says the total value of surplus and undeclared goods is just above $18,000 with applicable duty of $7,613.30 which excludes the penalty.

He says items such as chocolates, supermarket shelves, tea towels, cables,

plastic basin and bowls were some of the items that were not declared all of which attract fiscal duty of 32%.

He has reminded traders and importers that they must declare all the goods in their consignment and failure to do so now incurs fixed penalties of up to $25,000.

Das says they may also prosecute offenders involved in fraudulent evasion of duties and taxes and those found guilty may face imprisonment to a maximum of 10 years.

Ba striker Abbu Zahid applies for transfer to Lautoka

Leader of Opposi on Si veni Rabuka with SODELPA MP’s, Lynda Tabuya and Mosese Bulitavu [Photo: Opposi on Chambers]

By Iva Danford

LEADER of Opposition Sitiveni Rabuka confirms that he met with SODELPA MP’s Lynda Tabuya and Mosese Bulitavu today where the differences between the two members were amicably resolved.

This was after reports emerged about Tabuya and Bulitavu’s alleged heated exchange.

It is alleged that Tabuya questioned Bulitavu’s authority when he allegedly sent an email to SODELPA members about the ireguregu for the late Speaker of Parliament, Dr Jiko Luveni.

Rabuka says that SODELPA is a multiracial political party having its own institutional and structural mechanism to resolve any differences between its members.

He says that there is bound to be differences in opinions which are normal

and encouraged a diverse political party like SODELPA to foster better communications, an essential characteristic of any truly democratic institution.

Rabuka says that it his duty to defend the freedom of speech and expression of citizens.

Rabuka says that it was an attempt in vain to destabilize the Opposition and project them as divided.

He says that SODELPA is stronger and more united than ever before.

Rabuka says that they will always place issues of national importance first and foremost than issues of political expediency used by their detractors to paint an adverse picture about them.

He says that any attempts to revive the past or to divide and destabilize SODELPA or the Opposition would be proven futile as in this case.

Fiji achieved $1.9M in tourism earnings in 2018 - Tourism Ministry

By Semi Turaga

By Dhanjay Deo

BA SOCCER team’s top marksman Abbu Zahid has applied for his transfer to join Lautoka.

Fiji Football Association’s CEO Mohammed Yusuf has confirmed this to Fijivillage saying they have received Zahid’s application.

Zahid is an integral figure for the Men in Black and it will be seen in the coming days whether the Ba Soccer Association will hold

talks with Zahid to stay back for the OFC Champions League campaign.

It has also been confirmed that the Lautoka Soccer Association has applied for the International Transfer Certificate of three overseas based players including 21-yearold sensation from Vanuatu, Bong Kalo.

Meanwhile, Tavua’s Ratu Dau has applied for his transfer to join Ba. The player transfer window closes on the 30th of this month.

20 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

Fiji achieved $1.9 billion in tourism earnings last year.

The Ministry of Tourism says for the period of January to November 2018, total arrivals recorded 793,239 or a 3.6% increase over the same period in 2017.

Minister Premila Kumar says for the first time ever, in July 2018, visitor arrivals to Fiji exceeded the 95,000 mark for a given month.

She says investment Fiji has also reported an additional 28 tourism projects registered

in 2018.

This was from January to September and it was valued at over $230 million and potential employment for more than 1,800 Fijians.

Kumar says in line with the Fiji Tourism 2021 Plan, the Fijian Government through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, would like to keep the industry on track to achieving its $2.2 billion target.

She says if the latest visitor arrivals and visitor spend statistics are anything to go by, then Fiji is projected to achieve this milestone.

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 21

world news High Court Imposes Life in Jail on Congress Leader Sajjan Kumar for Role in 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots NEW DELHI — Thirtyfour years after the gruesome killings, the Delhi High Court Dec. 17 convicted Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in an anti-Sikh riot case of 1984 here and sentenced him to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life, holding that the violence was a "crime against humanity" engineered by politicians with assistance from police.

Setting aside the acquittal of Sajjan Kumar, the court convicted him and five others saying that the "criminals" had escaped prosecution and punishment for over two decades.

"This court is of the view that the mass killings of Sikhs in Delhi and elsewhere in November 1984 were in fact 'crimes against humanity.’

They will continue to shock the collective conscience of society for a long time to come," a bench of Justice S. Muralidhar and Justice Vinod Goel said.

Sajjan Kumar, 73, was asked to surrender by December 31 and directed not to leave Delhi.

"In the summer of 1947, during partition, this country witnessed horrific mass crimes where several lakhs of civilians, including Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus, were massacred," the bench said.

"Thirty-seven years later, the country was again witness to another enormous human tragedy.

Following the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister, on Oct. 31, 1984, by two of her Sikh bodyguards, a communal frenzy was unleashed.

"For four days between November 1 to November 4, all over Delhi, 2,733 Sikhs were brutally murdered. Their houses were destroyed. In the rest of the country too, thousands of Sikhs were killed," the bench observed in its 203-page order.

The court said: "A majority of the perpetrators of these horrific mass crimes enjoyed political patronage and were aided by an indifferent law enforcement agency."

The court convicted the Congress leader under various counts of Indian Penal Code including murder, criminal

conspiracy, delivering provocative speeches instigating violence against Sikhs, mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house and injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class.

The CBI had filed an appeal challenging the acquittal of Sajjan Kumar and said that the trial court “erred in acquitting Sajjan Kumar as it was he who had instigated the mob during the riots.”

In October, the High Court reserved its order on the pleas challenging that trial court judgement on Sajjan Kumar but convicted the other five in the killing of five people in Delhi Cantonment area following Indira Gandhi's killing.

The HC Division Bench upheld the trial court April 30, 2013 judgement convicting five other accused — former councillor Balwan Khokhar, former legislator Mahender Yadav, Krishan Khokar, Girdhari Lal and Retired Captain Bhagmal —for their involvement in the case.

The five have filed appeals

against their conviction.

Khokar, Bhagmal and Lal, who were sentenced to life imprisonment, are currently in jail while the HC has asked Yadav and Krishan to surrender by Dec. 31 and not to leave Delhi.

The HC enhanced the punishment of Yadav and Krishan to 10 years in jail and slapped a fine of Rs 1 lakh on each convict.

Sajjan Kumar and the others were charged with the killing of five Sikhs — Kehar Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Raghuvender Singh, Narender Pal Singh and Kuldeep Singh, who were members from the same family — by a mob in Delhi Cantonment's Raj Nagar area on Oct. 31, 1984.

The HC said the accused had been brought to justice primarily on account of the courage and perseverance of three witnesses: Jagdish Kaur, whose husband, son and three cousins were the five who were killed; Jagsher Singh, another cousin of Jagdish Kaur, and Nirpreet Kaur, who saw the Gurudwara being burnt down and her father

An Indian protestor holds a placard as he sits alongside a poster depic ng the image of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar during a rally seeking jus ce for the massacre of Sikhs following the 1984 assassina on of then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. (Sam Panthaky/AFP/Ge y Images) being burnt to death. the confidence of the witnesses The court appreciated the who spoke up and remained CBI, saying it was able to win glued to truth at the trial.

'Racist' Gandhi statue removed from University of Ghana A STATUE of Mahatma Gandhi, the famed Indian independence leader, has been removed from a university campus in Ghana's capital, Accra.

University of Ghana lecturers began a petition for its removal shortly after it was unveiled in 2016 by India's former President Pranab Mukherjee.

The petition said Gandhi was "racist" and African heroes should be put first.

In the wake of the row, Ghana's government at the time said the statue would be relocated.

Lecturers and students told the BBC that the statue, originally located at the university's recreational quadrangle, had been removed on Wednesday.

The university confirmed this, saying that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration was responsible.

Law student Nana Adoma Asare Adei told the BBC: "Having his statue means that we stand for everything he stands for and if he stands for these things [his alleged racism], I don't think we should have his statue on campus."

Mahatma Gandhi was one of

the most celebrated figures of the 20th Century. He is best known for leading non-violent resistance to British colonial rule in India.

However, as a young man he lived and worked in South Africa, and although he has inspired people throughout the world his comments on black Africans have been controversial.

In his early writings he referred to black South Africans as "kaffirs" - a highly offensive racist slur. He also said that Indians were "infinitely superior" to black people.

China’s moon landing another giant leap for mankind The successful soft-landing of China’s Chang’e-4 lunar spacecraft on the far side of the Moon promises further space development to benefit all nations, just as NASA’s Apollo Program (196372) made technological breakthroughs from which all nations on Earth have reaped the rewards.

After launching on 8 December 2018, the Chang’e-4 probe, comprising a lander and a rover, touched down at a preselected location at 177.6 degrees east longitude and 45.5 degrees south latitude on 3 January at 10:26 AM (Beijing Time), the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced. The probe’s relative velocity to the Moon was lowered from a blisteringly fast 1.7 km per second to close to zero, an amazing feat made possible

with a lunar-orbiting communications satellite as radio signals cannot directly reach the far side of the Moon from Earth.

The landing site, in the Von Kármán lunar crater, is part of the South Pole-Aitken basin, and at roughly 2,500 km in diameter and 13 km deep, it is one of the largest known impact craters in the Solar System.

Any new discoveries about the mineral composition at such a deep level have great potential for scientific advancement.

In particular, this deep basin is expected to contain large quantities of helium-3, an isotope suited for fusion power that is exceedingly rare on Earth. This energydense resource could potentially power a global economic renaissance for many thousands of years.

22 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

The Chang’e-4 probe, carrying eight payloads including two developed through international cooperation, will conduct low-frequency radio astronomical observation, survey the terrain and landforms, detect the mineral composition and shallow lunar surface structure, and measure the neutron radiation and neutral atoms to study the environment on the far side of the moon, according to CNSA. Ground stations for deep space communications in Namibia and Argentina played an important role in the Chang’e-4 mission.

China’s successful economic model of gover n ment-directed credit into high-technology projects has made this space achievement possible, not to mention lifting 800 million people from poverty since

1978. Andrew Jones in the GBTimes of 28 December summarised China’s accomplishments in space in 2018. They include: China’s record 38 launches, “smashing” its 2016 record of 22 launches in one year.

These included civilian, commercial, and military payloads. The payload mass was half that of the USA, as there were a number of smaller satellites.

By far, the most exciting launches were the two for this lunar far side mission— the relay satellite launch, and then the spacecraft holding the lander and rover.

China’s first commercial launches took place, with two companies succeeding in suborbital launches.

A “second wave” of commercial companies was also created.

In addition to launches,

China opened up the manufacture of small satellites to the private sector.

A new round of astronaut selection to choose 18 new astronauts for the upcoming space station is under way, and in May, 15 Chinese astronauts completed a 19-day program of field survival training in the Badain Jaran Desert in the northwest of the country, simulating an emergency return to Earth and landing scenario.

There was increased international cooperation in space during 2018, including foreign cooperation on the Chang’e-4 spacecraft.

A joint program with the UN was created to have emerging space nations contribute experiments on the upcoming space station. CNSA Director

Zhang Kejian announced in September that China will invite international partners to place a 10 kg payload for small experiments on the planned Chang’e-6 lunar return mission.

(Unfortunately, US law prevents NASA cooperation with China on space projects and therefore prohibits China from participating in the International Space Station—making China’s achievement even more impressive.)

As Wu Weiren, chief of China’s lunar program, stated so eloquently right after the Chang’e-4 landing: “Exploring the unknown is human nature. The Moon is a mysterious world to us.

We have a responsibility to explore and to understand it. Exploration of the Moon will also deepen our understanding of Earth and ourselves.”

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 23

The Holy Quran and Modern Scientific Discoveries

By ML. M. Nawaaz Ashrafi “Behold! In the creation Of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of Night and Day – There are indeed Signs For men of understanding.” [Al-Quran 3:190] INTRODUCTION: There are scientific and historical facts found in the Holy Quran which were unknown to people at the time, and have only been discovered recently by contemporary science. This article lays out and explains some of these scientific facts that are found in the Quran, centuries before they were ‘discovered’ by contemporary science.

1. Sun, Moon, Earth, Planets, Stars and all which are all in rota on, men oned in the Holy QURAN 1400 years ago, discovered recently: “It is He Who created The Night and the Day, And the Sun and the Moon: All (the celestial bodies) Swim along, each in its Rounded course.” [Al-Qur’aan 21:33] “It is not permitted To the Sun to catch up The Moon, nor can The Night outstrip the Day: Each (just) swims along In (its own) orbit (According to Law).” [Al-Qur’aan 36:40] In fact, the Sun travels through space at roughly 150 miles per second, and takes about 200 million years to complete one revolution around the center of our Milky Way Galaxy.

For a long time European philosophers and scientists believed that the earth stood still in the centre of the universe and every other body including the sun moved around it. In the West, this geocentric concept of the universe was prevalent right from the time of Ptolemy in the second century B.C. In 1512, Nicholas Copernicus put forward his Heliocentric Theory of Planetary Motion, which asserted that the sun is motionless at the centre of the solar system with the planets revolving around it. In 1609, the German scientist Yohannus Keppler published the ‘Astronomia Nova’.

In this he concluded that not only do the planets move in elliptical orbits around the sun, they also rotate upon their axes at irregular speeds. With this knowledge it became possible for European scientists to explain correctly many of the mechanisms of the solar system including the sequence of night and day.

After these discoveries, it was thought that the Sun was stationary and did not rotate about its axis like the Earth. I remember having studied this fallacy from Geography books during my school days.

The Arabic word used in the above verse is yasbahûn . The word yasbahûn is derived from the word sabaha. It carries with it the idea of motion that comes from any moving body. If you use the word for a man on the ground, it would not mean that he is rolling but would mean he is walking or running. If you use the word for a man in water it would not mean that he is floating but would mean that he is swimming.

Similarly, if you use the word yasbah for a celestial body such as the sun it would not mean that it is only flying through space but would mean that it is also rotating as it goes through space. Most of the school textbooks have incorporated the fact that the sun rotates about its axis. The rotation of the sun about its own axis can be proved with the help of an equipment that projects the image of the sun on the table top so that one can examine the image of the sun without being blinded. It is noticed that the sun has spots which complete a circular motion once every 25 days i.e. the

sun takes approximately 25 days to rotate around its axis.

This verse mentions an essential fact discovered by modern astronomy, i.e. the existence of the individual orbits of the Sun and the Moon, and their journey through space with their own motion.

The ‘fixed place’ towards, which the sun travels, carrying with it the solar system, has been located exactly by modern astronomy. It has been given a name, the Solar Apex. The solar system is indeed moving in space towards a point situated in the constellation of Hercules (alpha Layer) whose exact location is firmly established.

The moon rotates around its axis in the same duration that it takes to revolve around the earth. It takes approximately 29½ days to complete one rotation. One cannot help but be amazed at the scientific accuracy of the Quranic verses.

2. It is possible to split even an Atom men oned in Quran 1400 years ago, discovered recently “They say, never to us will come the Hour: say, ‘Nay! But most surely, By my Lord, it will come Upon you – by Him Who knows the unseen – From Whom is not hidden THE LEAST LITTLE ATOM In the heavens or on earth: Nor is there anything less than that, or greater, but Is in the record perspicuous.’” [Al-Qur’aan 34:3] In recent times modern science has discovered that it is possible to split even an atom. That the atom can be split further is a development of the 20th century.

Fourteen centuries ago this concept would have appeared unusual even to Arabs. For them the ‘dharrah’ was the limit beyond which one could not go.

This verse refers to the Omniscience of God, His knowledge of all things, hidden or apparent. It then goes further and says that God is aware of everything, including what is smaller or bigger than the atom.

Thus the verse clearly shows that it is possible for something smaller than the atom to exist, a fact discovered only recently by modern science.

3. Milk in animals is produced by conjunc on between the contents of Intes ne and Blood, men oned in Quran 1400 years ago, discovered recently: “And verily in cattle there is A lesson for you. We give you to drink of what is inside their bodies, Coming from a conjunction Between the contents of the Intestine and the blood, A milk pure and pleasant for Those who drink it.” [Al-Qur’aan 16:66] “And in cattle (too) ye Have an instructive example: From within their bodies We produce (milk) for you To drink; there are, in them, (Besides), numerous (other) Benefits for you; And of their (meat) ye eat.” [Al-Qur’aan 23:21] William Harwey brought this understanding to the Western world in 16th Century before it was known what happens in the intestines to ensure that organs are nourished by the process of digestive absorption, a verse in the Qur’aan described the source of the constituents of milk, in conformity with these notions.

The Quranic description of the production of milk in cattle is strikingly similar to what modern physiology has discovered.

4. Fetus protected by 3 Veils of darkness men oned in Quran 1400 years ago, discovered recently: “He makes you, In the wombs of your mothers, In stages, one after

24 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

another, In three veils of darkness.” [AlQur’aan 39:6] According to Prof. Keith Moore, these 3 veils of darkness in the Qur’aan refers to: (i) anterior abdominal wall of the mother (vaginal wall) (ii) the uterine wall (iii) the amnio-chorionic membrane

8. Universe is expanding men oned in Quran 1400 years ago, discovered recently:

5. Pain receptors present in the Skin discovered recently, men oned in Quran 1400 years ago: “Those who reject Our signs, We shall soon Cast into the Fire; As often as their skins Are roasted through, We shall change them for fresh skins, that they may taste the Penalty: for Allah Is Exalted in Power, Wise.” [Al-Qur’aan 4:56] Professor Tagatat Tejasen, Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at Chiang Mai University in Thailand, has spent a great amount of time on research of pain receptors. Initially he could not believe that the Qur’aan mentioned this scientific fact 1,400 years ago. He later verified the translation of this particular Qur’aanic verse. Prof. Tejasen was so impressed by the scientific accuracy of the Qur’aanic verse, that at the 8th Saudi Medical Conference held in Riyadh on the Scientific Signs of Quran and Sunnah he proclaimed in public: “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His Messenger.”

10. 7 layers of Earth men oned in QURAN confirmed by modern Science “It is Allah Who created the 7 heavens and of the Earth the same number, the Command descending down through all of them, so that you might know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah encompasses all things in His knowledge.” (Qur’an, 65:12) As per Scientific sources the Earth consists of seven stratas: 1st layer: Lithosphere (water) 2nd layer: Lithosphere (land) 3rd layer: Asthenosphere 4th layer: Upper Mantle 5th layer: Inner Mantle 6th layer: Outer Core 7th layer: Inner Core

6. The first sense to develop in a developing human embryo is hearing.

The fetus can hear sounds after the 24th week. Subsequently, the sense of sight is developed and by the 28th week, the retina becomes sensitive to light.

Consider the following Qur’aanic verses related to the development of the senses in the embryo: “And He gave You (the faculties of) hearing and sight and feeling (And understanding).” [Al-Qur’aan 32:9] “Verily We created Man from a drop Of mingled sperm, In order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), Of Hearing and Sight.” [Al-Qur’aan 76:2] “It is He Who has created For you (the faculties of) Hearing, sight, feeling And understanding: little thanks It is ye give!” [Al-Qur’aan 23:78] In all these verses the sense of hearing is mentioned before that of sight. The Quranic description matches with the discoveries in modern embryology.

What modern science confirms today was known to Islam, 1400 years agoProphet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has said: “After the drop (nut.fa) has been [in the uterus] for 42 days, Allah sends an angel that gives it form and fashions its hearing, sight, skin, flesh, and skeleton (of baby child).”

As per modern science, the Organogenesis peaks precisely at 42 days. The time frame given cited above is in conformity with embryological observation. The embryo reaches the sixth week without showing the semblance of human form but by the seventh week of its life – about three centimeters in size and beginning to move – that semblance becomes visible in the formation of the essential organs including the sensory organs and grown bone tissue. The arms and legs have lengthened. The foot and hand areas are distinguishable and they have digits. And the first recordable brain wave activity occurs.

12. Iron did not form on Earth and came from outer space men oned in QURAN 1400 years ago discovered by Astronomers recently: “And We also sent down Iron in which there lies great force and which has many uses for mankind…” (Quran 57:25)

7. The Barrier between two Seas of Water

9. Area of Cerebrum responsible for Planning, Mo va on and Behavior, what science confirms today was already men oned in the Quran 1400 years ago:

11. Scien fically correct shape of Earth men oned in QURAN 1400 years ago:“He made the Earth Egg (Geoid) shaped.”

Quran : 79

13. Preserva on of Egyp an Pharaoh’s body correctly predicted in Quran 1400 years discovered recently: “Today we will preserve your body so you can be a Sign for people who come after you. Surely many people are heedless of Our Signs.” (Qur’an, 10:91-92)” 14. Explora on of Space and Earth correctly predicted in Quran 1400 years ago: “O company of jinn and human beings. If you are able to pierce through the confines of the Heavens and Earth, pierce through them. You will not pierce through, except with a clear authority. (Qur’an, 55:33)” 15. ‘Rose e Nebula’ men oned in QURAN 1400 years ago, discovered recently: “When the Heaven shall be cleft asunder, and become rose red, like stained leather”.

(Surat ar-Rahman, 16. ‘Black Hole’ men oned in Quran 1400 years ago, discovered recently: “[I swear] by Heaven and the Tariq! And what will convey to you what the Tariq is? The Star Piercing [the darkness]!”

(Qur’an, 86:1-3) “When the Stars are extinguished…”

(Qur’an, 77:8) “And I swear by the Stars’ positions-and that is a mighty oath if you only knew.”

(Qur’an, 56:75-76).

17. Mountains have deep roots men oned in Quran 1400 years ago, discovered recently “Have We not made the earth as a bed, and the Mountains as pegs?” (Quran 78:67) “And He has set firm Mountains in the earth so that it would not shake with you…” (Quran 16:15)

BEMAC & SAIKAT BHATTACHARYA PRESENT

BEMAC LIVE

FEATURING INDIA’S GREATEST LIVING CLASSICAL INDIAN MUSIC PERFORMER

Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan (sitar) with accompaniment by

Shri Hindole Majumdar (tabla) AS PART OF BRISASIA FESTIVAL 2019

SAT FEB 23 2019 6.30PM Call 07 3865 6533

Tickets: Premium $90 | General $50 QMC – 102 Main Street, Kangaroo Point www.bemac.org.au

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26 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 27

of s r a e y 10 ion g t n a i l t s i a g r e yl c celeb a v i r p nd a s s e c c na o i t a and m l r s n e e info u in Q

,Žǁ ĚŝĚ ĂĐĐĞƐƐŝŶŐ ŐŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ŚĞůƉ LJŽƵ͗ !

deal with a ŵĂƩĞƌ͍

resolve an issue?

get a ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ outcome?

Ten year anniversary

Get involved today!

2019 is the 10th anniversary of the Right to /ŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ Đƚ and /ŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ WƌŝǀĂĐLJ Đƚ. This milestone presents an opportunity to showcase YƵĞĞŶƐůĂŶĚ͛Ɛ ĐŽŶƟŶƵŝŶŐ ũŽƵƌŶĞLJ ƚŽǁĂƌĚƐ Ă ŵŽƌĞ ŽƉĞŶ͕ ƚƌĂŶƐƉĂƌĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚĂďůĞ ŐŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚ ƚŚĂƚ ƉƌŽƚĞĐƚƐ ĂŶĚ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƚƐ ƉĞƌƐŽŶĂů ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ͘

tĞ͛ƌĞ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƐŚĂƌĞ LJŽƵƌ ƐŚŽƌƚ ƐƚŽƌŝĞƐ͕ ĐĂƐĞ ƐƚƵĚŝĞƐ Žƌ ƚĞƐƟŵŽŶŝĂůƐ͘ Please submit story ideas at www.oic.qld.gov.au/your-stories by 31 January 2019 or contact events@oic.qld.gov.au ĨŽƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ͘

The journey th

ĨƵŶĚĂŵĞŶƚĂů ƐŚŝŌ ŝŶ ŚŽǁ ŐŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚ ŚĂŶĚůĞƐ͕ ƵƐĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĚŝƐĐůŽƐĞƐ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ďĞŐĂŶ ŝŶ ϮϬϬϵ͘ Queensland moved to a push model where ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ŝƐ ƌĞůĞĂƐĞĚ ƉƌŽĂĐƟǀĞůLJ͕ ƵŶůĞƐƐ ƚŚĞƌĞ ŝƐ Ă ŐŽŽĚ ƌĞĂƐŽŶ ŶŽƚ ƚŽ͕ ǁŚŝůĞ ƉƌŽƚĞĐƟŶŐ ĂŶĚ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟŶŐ ƉĞƌƐŽŶĂů ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ͘ 28 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

10 2009-2019

07 3234 7373 1800 642 753 www.oic.qld.gov.au

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Busting Myths Behind Opposition to Adani Mine

86 Scott lane, North Maclean /www.shreevishnumayamandir.com.au. Ph: 55486814

Celebrates Second Anniversary of the Temple Sunday the 20th of January 2019.

Program: 4:00pm: Bhajans & Kirtans by various very soul soothing singers.

6:00pm: Garba by Special Garba Singers.

Then: A short Prawachan by Dharam Guru Tripathi Ji & Aarti.

Finally: The first BHOG of the year served.

Snack 3 to 5 pm: Pakoda, Tea , Coffee & Juice.

Please come and join us for this very joyous celebration!

Pehla Bhog Sponsor: $111.00 Complete Maha Prasad Sponsor: $400.00 Dhiru Desai: 04062 13153, Sudha Maharaj: 04054 81231, Devika Maharaj: 04248 91159 Bharat Solanki: 04111 31485, Avinesh Maharaj: 04236 09716, Ranil Dayal 0403 146575, Rajesh Gopal: 04223 44046, For secured online donation facility visit: www.shreevishnumayamandir.com.au

30 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

By Dr Ashutosh Misra, CEO and Execu ve Director, Ins tute for Australia India Engagement IN recent weeks in Australia, two incidents made media headlines. First, public protests against the proposed Carmichael mine by Adani in the Galilee Basin in Central Queensland flashing placards “Stop Adani”, “Coal Kills” and “Quit Coal”. And second, protestors disrupting Labour leader Bill Shorten’s speech at a Labour conference in Adelaide, waiving the “#Stop Adani” flag.

These are very compelling stories.

It is a no brainer as to why a project that would allegedly wreck such environmental havoc and cultural devastation would be given a bipartisan endorsement at the state and commonwealth levels.

Following the dismissal of the last litigation in August in the court, the news came that Adani mining will self-fund the project and construction commence as early as before Christmas.

So is there any substance to the key charges levied by the Greens and environmental protestors? Let us analyse these charges: coal kills; robs our water; destruction of the Great Barrier Reef and destruction of ancestral lands, waters and cultures of the indigenous people.

These charges have been scrutinised exhaustively in court in nine litigations, all of which now have been dismissed by the courts, the last one being in August.

Let us delve into these charges to ascertain their veracity.

Coal Kills: A myth in Australia among the Greens and environmentalist lobbies has been perpetuated that coal fired power generation is decreasing globally, which is a European centric assertion.

According to the International Energy Agency Energy Outlook 2017 figures world coal production has increased by 3.2%, which is driven by the 3.6% and 6.9 % percent output in China and US, respectively.

Driven by rising urbanisation and population, global coal consumption has risen by 1% in 2017, with 4.8% consumption growth in India. In China, India, Middle East, South East Asia and Central/South America coal based power generation is growing.

The environmental activists claim that Carmichael mine is a ‘super/ mega mine’ which will produce more coal than any mine in the world. The fact is it constitutes a mere 2.5% of the total world thermal coal traded in 2018 and 0.5% of the world thermal coal demand in 2017.

Albeit in India, and many other countries the share of renewable energy, hydro, gas and nuclear powered electricity generation has increased, yet, coal remains the predominant source for power generation. One must be mindful that for a Munni, sitting in a remote Indian village where electricity is yet to reach, climate change campaign is a luxury. The Carmichael mine carries hope for millions of Munnis in India and Queensland people can potentially change their lives forever.

Robbing of our water: Another charge laid against the project is that it will rob us of our water. In fact, water will be used for washing approx 30% percent of the coal to increase its energy efficiency, for human use in workshops, offices and accommodation village, and for dust suppression to minimise any adverse impact on the health of the employees and neighbours. Water will be acquired from multiple sources: ground, rain, recycled and Sutton/ Belyando river.

The ground water will come from local aquifers connected to the coal seams beneath the mine site and not from the Great Artesian Basin (GAB), which is separated by a 250-300 metre thick layer of claystone called the Rewan Formation which prevents water from moving between the GAB and the mine. Safeguards are in place to check seepage from GAB to the mine and the potential seepage is predicted at 730 ML per year, if the mine was producing 60 MT per annum. Phase one will produce less than 27.5 MT per annum.

GAB water has been extracted o ver a century for farming, town water supplies and industrial use by drilling bores. Since the 1950s there are government regulations which require new bores to be tapped to control the flow. The mine will not extract any water from GAB and to offset any

seepage, Adani will cap free-flowing GAB bores meant for agricultural users, totalling 730ML per year for the first five years. In total, 3,650ML water will go back to the GAB. The Sutton river water will only be pumped during floods and after the farmers and other users have taken their shares, and when the flow rate is higher than 2.592 ML per day.

The Carmichael project has been granted license to use a maximum of 12.5 GL of water at a fee applicable to other local industrial users as well.

The Department of Natural Resource, Mines and Energy spent nearly two years assessing the water license, and in the end attached over 200 conditions to the project to protect the natural environment, interests of landholders and traditional owners. The Carmichael project water management plan adheres to a regulation based on six years of environmental assessment.

The Doongmabulla Springs, located 11 km away from the mine activities will be regularly monitored and reported for maintaining specified water levels (20 cm). Besides, a levee wall and 1km of buffer zone will separate the mine from the Carmichael river to protect the riverine environment.

Destruction of the Great Barrier Reef: One of the most potent charges that caught the public eye is the potential destruction of the GBR from mining activity. Perhaps, few know that the distance between the mine and the GBR is the same as between London and Paris i.e., 350 km. There are four other mines, Clermont, Goonyella, Blackwater and Mt Arthur, operating much closer to the GBR and Carmichael mine is located the farthest. Last year, environmental activists charged that Adani polluted a nearby wetland at Abbot Point in the wake of the Tropical Cyclone Debbie. An environmental sediment investigation was conducted in April 2017 by the Queensland Government, supported by CSIRO, which established that the license was fully complied with and there was no damage to the wetland. The charge was based on an aerial imagery of the Abbot Point Terminal, mistaking the cloudy reflection in the water as seeping coal sediments.

Many are unaware that Adani is developing the largest private conservation area in Queensland which will have medium length native grass, variety of seeds, particular types of trees to enable nesting of birds and water puddles, troughs and dams for water conservation. This conservation area is 33,000 hectares, 25 times the size of the open cut mine area (1,300 hectares) in phase 1.

Adani Renewables Australia is also developing a 300MW Rugby Run Solar Farm project in Queensland which will supply 65MW of RE power in phase 1 and gradually expand to 170MW. More than 247,000 panels have been installed which will generate 185,000MWh of power annually from phase 1.

Whyalla Solar Project is another initiative in South Australia that was granted pre-construction approval in August 2018 which will deliver up to 140MW of RE power and 300,000MWh of power annually.

Environmental campaigners must consider these RE initiatives too in their narratives.

Destruction of ancestral/indigenous lands, waters and cultures: Environmental and pressure groups have long alleged that Carmichael project will destroy ancestral lands, waters and cultures of the indigenous people, and the promise of 10,000 jobs is a mere hogwash. A close scrutiny reveals that the project will create multi-generational benefits for the Traditional Owners and since 2010 it has been working with four Traditional Owners of the land on which the project will operate.

Perhaps, a lesser known fact to the public is that in 2016 the Wangan and Jagalingou People voted 294 to 1 to endorse the Indigenous Land

Use Agreement for the Carmichael project. ILUA are in place with all four claim groups and are registered by the National Native Title Tribunal.

In fact, the courts have dismissed cases saying “lacking no merit”, and some federal liberal leaders have described the opposition to the mine as an “ill-informed protest activity”.

The Carmichael project has committed to a minimum of: $7.5 million for indigenous educational bursaries/pre-employment programs, $250 million for indigenous business development and contracts, 7.5% indigenous employment target and 10% indigenous trainee target. The initial construction and ramp-up of the project will generate 8,250 total jobs including 1,500 direct mine and rail jobs and 6,750 indirect jobs in equipments, hospitality and engineering.

The expected jobs for Queenslanders would range from office workers, scientists and miners to food preparation, truck drivers, waste removalists, cafes and gas stations.

As per the Queensland Resource Council’s economic modelling estimates, for every one direct job 405 additional indirect jobs are supported.

Bill Shorten too has dismissed calls for cancelling the Adani license on grounds of ‘sovereign risks”, which means a possible adverse impact on the investors’ confidence from entering into Australia for business.

Some speculate that Adani may also sue the Australian government to pay multi-million dollars in damages, at the cost of the tax payers as per the provision enshrined in the AustraliaIndia Bilateral Investment Treaty, which was scrapped by India on 23 March 2017. It has been replaced by the Investor-State Disputes Settlement (ISDS) process and the AIBIT remains in force for another 15 years covering agreements reached before 23 March.

While public protests continue against the Carmichael project, there is a discernible shift in public mood, both in electoral domain, as seen in the recently concluded Victorian elections and also the Batman byelection as well as social media.

Five years ago, finding a consenting voice for the project in the social media was a rarity. But now more and more are openly backing the project. On one the social media posts by Green Peace Australia, some comments capture the changing public mood and Green’s rapidly shrinking public support.

Consider the following social media comments: “Greens are against it but I bet they sit at home using power and enjoying it”; “wonderful, more jobs with stringent controls -win win all round”; “great news for North Queensland”; “stop bloody Greenpeace”; “they seem to be a law unto themselves, useless mongrels”; “Adani will be great for the local economy and a win against the fascist greens”; and finally, “Greens don’t worry about Australian jobs. Greens never work. Why should they? They get dole and heaps of “research grants”. Life is great when living off the tax payers”.

So why this change in mood and public perception? The answer is simple. To advance Australia fair, people feel everyone deserves a fair go, including the project. After years of litigations, environmental and legal audits and putting hundreds of checks, balances and monitoring mechanisms in place, and courts endorsement that the project complies with all the laws and norm of the land, Adanis deserve a fair go.

While environmental protestors have the right to protest, a line needs to be drawn here. Living in developed societies it is lost to us what it means not having basic amnesties. There are millions clamouring for electricity and other associated basic amenities in India, and for Queensland it beckons a dual opportunity: creating jobs for the locals and lighting up the world of Munni 10,000 km away.

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 31

Who, What, Where, When…

Students of Bala Samskar Kendra (BSK) receive their cer ficates of apprecia on from Swami Atmeshananda a er their Bala Utsav func on on 25th November 2018, the drama this year was “Vibhishana Sarnaga ”.

Swami Atmeshananda launched the book of Shlokas and presented the forst copies to Umesh Chandra Vishnu Narayan

From le ; Mrs Vinita Khushal – president GOPIO Qld, Navneeta Hinze – Ms Fiji Universal, Mrs Usha Chandra immediate past president GOPIO Qld and Nayda Hernandez

Vibhishana Saranga ac on by students of Bala Samskar Kendra

Umesh Chandra, President Queensland Mul cultural Council officially crowned Navneeta Hinze – Ms Fiji Universal 2019

Fashion Parade par cipants at Bula Entertainments Bollywood Dinner and Dance, pictured with Mrs Australia Universal Upma Kite with her sash and crown Le : Dr Maha Sinnathamby presented a special “Arise-Awake” plaque to Chancellor Viswanathan during his 80th birthday celebra on.

Right: Chancellor Viswanathan celebrated his birthday with academia, family and friends , chief organiser was Prof Prasad Yarlagadda 32 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

Jitendra Prasad, Rotary district governor district 9630, presented the official sash to Naveeta Hinze at the QMC annual dinner

Vijay Kumaran, singer extraordinaire all the way from Melbourne entertained everyone, while the main organiser Adwin Awadh celebrated his surprise birthda .

SRI SELVA VINAYAKAR KOYIL (GANESHA TEMPLE) BRISBANE (South Maclean)

Newsletter 144-96 Thai/ Magha Month (mid-January 2019 to mid-February 2019) Festivals Dear Sri Selva Vinayaka devotees, Hindu Ahlaya Sangam Qld Inc (HASQ) cordially invites you to Sri Selva Vinayakar Temple Brisbane (South Maclean) for the Thai / Magha Month Festivals.

Sri AyyapaSwamy Makara Jyothy/ Thai Pongal Festivals on Tuesday 15 January 2019 Pirathosha Viratham on Friday 18 January 2019 & Saturday 2 February 2019 Full moon/ & Sathya Narayanar Poojai /Sri Lalitha Sahastranama Stotram Chanting on Sunday 20 January 2019 Thai Poosam Festival on Monday 21 January 2019 Sankatahara Chathurthi on Thursday 24 January 2019 Monthly Bajans on Friday 01 February 2019 Maha Sutharsana Homam/Sri Vishnu Sahastranamam & Paaraayanam on Sunday 03 February 2019 Chathurthi Viratham on Friday 08 February 2019 Ratha Sapthami on Tuesday 12 February 2019 Visit Brisbane Sri Selva Vinayakar (Ganesha) Temple and get the Blessing of Lord Ganesha.

For further information please contact our Temple or the Vice president Mr: M.Surendra on Mobile0407-753991

Temple Website: http://www.sriselvavinayakar.org Follow us on (click the icons): 4915-4923, Mt Lindesay Highway, South Maclean, Queensland-4280, Australia, Phone: +61 7 5547 7302 02

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 33

Health Beauty Wellbeing

Home remedies for skin tightening and cleaning Nimisha Modi Hetvi Hair & Beauty 0412 350 013

HEY GIRLS! Hope you’ve had a HAPPY NEW YEAR. This time of the year is best time to nourish your skin, especially after all the Christmas and New Year’s parties.

Facial masks should be a part of your skin care routine for fair, glowing skin at home without spending too much. There are many home remedies with the help of which you can make face masks and still yield wonderful results.

Remember to clean up your face before you proceed with these face masks to get good results.

Almond face mask: This mask almonds can do wonders with the colour of your skin. Use daily for a fortnight and see the result yourself. Better than any skin care product in the market. I have tried it and you can see the result the very first day.

Ingredients: 3-4 almonds and milk

Check your Lifestyle You may be surprised to learn that your diet, lifestyle and environment all have a profound bearing on your individual reproductive health. There are a number of things you can do to maximise your chances of conception and encourage a healthy pregnancy.

Fer lity Window The days leading up to ovulation are the most fertile in your menstrual cycle. You have a greater chance of conceiving if you time having intercourse one to three days before ovulation or every two days around it.

The days leading up to ovulation (when the egg is released from the ovary) are the most fertile ones in your menstrual cycle. This corresponds with the second week, and the beginning of the third, in a 28-day cycle with a 14-day luteal phase. During this fertile time, the egg is moving down the fallopian tube, waiting to be fertilised.

You have a greater chance of conceiving if you time having intercourse one to three days before ovulation or every two days around it. This means that sperm are ready and waiting for the egg when the female ovulates. If you wait until after ovulation before you have sex, you probably will have missed the opportunity for conception that month.

The egg can survive for 12 hours post ovulation, while

Preparation: In the morning soak your almonds in the milk. At night mash these almonds in the milk, you can add some more milk.

Mash it to form a very fine paste. Apply to the face.

Leave for whole night. In the morning wash face with cold water. With this face mask your skin becomes lighter and glows. This homemade remedy for getting fair and glowing skin also leaves your skin smooth and silky.

For dry skin, you can use daily. For oily skin use twice in the week.

Cucumber and lime juice face mask: Cucumber also has great skin lightning effect. It helps in healing the sunburn too.

Combined with lime juice is best skin lightning face pack for oily skin.

Ingredients: One tablespoon cucumber juice, One teaspoon lime juice, One teaspoon turmeric powder, One teaspoon glycerine (for dry skin) Preparation: Mix all the ingredients and apply on your face with cotton balls.

It can be applied under and around eyes also. Leave it

for 15 minutes. Wash with cold water. For best results use this face mask daily for a week. Best for oily skin. For dry skin add some glycerine.

Gram flour face mask: Ingredients: One tablespoon Gram flour (Besan), One teaspoon lime juice, One teaspoon turmeric, Rose water for mixing Preparation: Mix all the ingredients and make a paste. Apply on your face.

Leave it to dry. Wash with cold water. This homemade face mask can be used on all skin types. Also leaves the skin smooth and silky.

Banana face mask: Ingredients: Half a ripe banana mashed, One tablespoon curd Preparation: Mash the banana mix well the curd in it. Apply on face. Wash after fifteen minutes. Banana is best for glowing skin. It makes your skin beautiful like one you get after facial.

Try it for a glow on your face.

Chamomile tea face mask: Ingredients: Chamomile tea, Oatmeal powder 1tblsp, Honey 2 tblsp, Almond oil 2 drops

Preparation: Make a mixture of chamomile tea and oatmeal in equal proportions (1/4 cup), 2 drops of almond oil and 2 tsp of honey. Apply this face mask for 10-15 mins for a naturally fair and glowing skin.

Honey and Lemon Face mask: Ingredients: Honey 2 tblsp, Lemon juice 2 tblsp Preparation: Mix both the ingredients and apply on your face for about half an hour. Wash your face with water for fair and glowing skin naturally at home instantly.

Cucumber and watermelon face mask: Ingredients: Cucumber juice 2 tbsp., Watermelon juice 2 tbsp., Yogurt 1 tsp, Milk Powder 1 tsp Preparation: Mix all the ingredients and apply on your face for about fifteen minutes. Watermelon helps in clearing the skin. It removes blemishes and act as a toner. Cucumber juice is well known for its skin lightning effect. Yogurt softens and tightens the skin. Milk powder act as a binding agent as well as it

helps in cleansing the skin and lightening the skin tone.

This is a wonder full face mask for fair and glowing skin. You must try it and see its wonderful effects.

Bu ermilk face mask: Ingredients: Butter milk 1 cup, Flower blossoms 3 tbsp.

Preparation: Add the flower blossoms in butter milk and heat it for 30 minutes on low heat. After that allow the mixture cool down completely. Apply this face mask on face. It helps in cleansing the pores and also gives you fair and glowing skin.

Sunflower seeds face mask for fair and glowing skin: Ingredients: Sunflower seeds 3 tbsp., Milk to soak Preparation: Soak the sunflower seeds in milk overnight. Grind it in the morning and mix a few strands of saffron in it. Apply this face mask daily. This face mask is excellent for making darker skin fairer. If used for a long time it makes very dark complexion light also.

Milk face mask: Ingredients: Milk 3 tbsp.,

Are you Doing all the Right Things? sperm are able to survive and fertilise an egg for two to three days in the fallopian tubes.

Fer lity facts you should know: If you have not achieved a pregnancy after a year (or six months if you are over 35), you should seek medical advice.

• In six months, only 60% of fertile people conceive.

• By 12 months, 80% of fertile people will have conceived.

• By two years, 95% of people (female aged under 38) will have conceived.

• Once a woman is over 35, her chances of becoming pregnant reduce significantly.

It is important for couples to understand that even if they are doing everything right to conceive, it may still take a while to fall pregnant.

Factors that may Contribute Age and Fer lity Conception rates for normal, healthy couples are, at best, 20% to 25% per menstrual cycle. Once a woman reaches the age of 35, her fertility begins to decline. By age 40, it is estimated that her conception rate is in the range of 8% to 10% a month and at age 43, the pregnancy rate is thought to be as low as 1% to 3% a month.

34 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

Why Does Fertility Decline With Increasing Age? Ageing of the ovaries is the main reason why fertility declines as we grow older, and it is part of the normal changes that affect all organs and tissues as time passes.

Most women have about 300,000 eggs in their ovaries at puberty. For each egg that matures and is released (ovulated) during the menstrual cycle, at least 500 do not mature and are absorbed by the body. As the woman ages, her remaining eggs also age, making them less capable of fertilisation and their embryos less likely to implant.

Ageing also affects men, but to a much lesser degree.

It impacts on sperm and coital frequency. There is no maximum age after which men are not capable of conceiving a child.

Irregular Menstrual Cycles The average length of the menstrual cycle is 28 days, but it can range between 25 and 35 days.

The length of the cycle is calculated from the first day of the period to the day before the next one starts.

The menstrual cycle is determined by a complex interaction of hormones, so any hormonal imbalance can make your period irregular.

Although irregular cycles are not dangerous in most cases, it

is important to determine the cause. Irregular periods can indicate that ovulation isn’t taking place every month.

Women with irregular cycles, suggesting a problem with ovulation, should consider evaluation and treatment as soon as possible.

Medical Condi ons Certain female conditions can hinder a couple’s attempts to conceive.

These include: • Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

• Endometriosis.

• Blocked fallopian tubes.

• Premature menopause.

• Insulin resistance.

• Thyroid disorders.

• Genetic conditions.

Sperm The quality of the sperm (motility, morphology, count and vitality) can affect a couple’s likelihood of falling pregnant.

Many factors can affect male fertility, including: • Sexually transmitted infections.

• Zinc deficiency.

• Alcohol and smoking.

• Recreational drugs.

• Excessive heat.

• Constant exposure to toxic substances.

• Genetic conditions.

Women Your treating doctor may request a blood test to measure estrogen,

luteinising hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and thyroidstimulating hormone (TSH) levels to ensure these are normal. This test is usually performed in the first week of your menstrual cycle.

A pelvic ultrasound can check for ovarian cysts and determine whether there are any physical changes, such as fibroids or polyps, that may affect your cycle.

Your treating doctor can also request the AntiMullerian hormone (AMH) test, also called the “eggtimer test”. This is a blood test that can be performed at any time during the menstrual cycle. It may be used with other blood tests and transvaginal scans to predict ovarian reserve. AMH is produced by small follicles that are in the ovary and contain eggs. The amount of AMH gives an indication of the number of eggs you are producing, or your ovarian reserve. However, this test cannot predict the quality of the eggs.

Men Usually, doctors request a basic physical exam and a semen analysis, and often a blood test to assess hormone levels such as FSH, LH and testosterone.

Depending on the results of these tests, your treating doctor may want you to have more checks, such as

Lemon Juice 1 tbsp., Turmeric (a pinch off) Preparation: Make the paste of all the above ingredients.

Apply and leave it to dry.

Wash with cold water. This home remedy is quick and easy to use.

Tomato and Oatmeal face Scrub: Ingredients: Oatmeal 2 tbsp., Tomato juice 1 tbsp., Yogurt 2 tbsp.

Preparation: Like oatmeal, tomato is also good for skin.

Prepare the paste of oatmeal, tomato juice and yogurt or curd. Apply on your face for 20 minutes and wash with cold water. It will scrub away the dead skin and all the dirt from your face. This oatmeal and tomato face pack will also help you to get lighter skin.

Note: If you are using lemon or turmeric please don’t expose yourself to the sun on that day. Do a patch test first before using any of the home remedies to test for skin reaction.

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sperm DNA fragmentation or a testicular biopsy. For more information about these tests, visit our Sperm Test and Semen Analysis page.

It is important for couples to understand that general practitioners are usually reluctant to request a series of fertility tests unless a couple has been trying to conceive for a year (or six months if you are over 35).

When Should I Seek Medical Advice?

If you have not achieved a pregnancy after a year (or six months if you are over 35) of unprotected intercourse, you should seek medical advice from your GP or a specialist.

Infertility affects men and women. It results from a male factor in about 30% of cases, a female factor in 30% and both male and female factors in 30% of instances. About 10% of infertility problems remain unexplained even after complete medical evaluations.

While infertility can be a devastating experience for you and your partner, the good news is that it can be treated.

Several medical conditions can be treated with assisted reproductive technology (ART).

City Fertility Centre provides treatment for a number of infertility conditions.

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 35

indian news Bharat Bandh: Who is supporting the strike and who is not NEW DELHI: Around 20 crore workers of the Central Trade Unions will from Tuesday begin a 48-hour nationwide strike to protest against the government's alleged anti-worker policies.

The BJP has, meanwhile, opposed the Bharat Bandh calls.

According to AITUC general secretary Amarjeet Kaur, 10 CTUs have joined hands to go on the strike and 20 crore workers are expected to join the Bharat Bandh. "This is the largest number of workers from formal and informal sectors joining the strike against anti-people and anti-worker policies of the BJP-led central government," added Kaur while addressing a joint press conference of the 10 CTUs. As per the AITUC general secretary, sectors like banking, education, coal, steel, telecom, health, electricity, insurance and transport, inter alia, are

likely to extend support to the strike.

"We will go on a protest march from Mandi House to Parliament in New Delhi on Wednesday. Similar protests would be done across the country," she said.

Underlining that the CTUs are against unilateral labour reforms, Kaur said: “We have given suggestions on labour codes. But during the discussion...trade unions' demands were rejected. We went on strike on September 2, 2016. We also did 3-day 'Mahapadav' (agitation) from November 9-11 in 2017. But the government did not come for dialogue rather went ahead with unilateral labour reforms.”

Bharat Bandh 2019: Who is supporting the strike and why Farmers across the country will also join the strike. According to Hannan Mollah, the general

secretary of the CPI(M)affiliated All India Kisan Sabha: "AIKS and Bhumi Adhikar Andolan will observe 'gramin hartal', rail roko and road roko on January 8 and 9, the day trade unions are observing a nationwide general strike.

This move is against the Modi government's failure to address rural distress issues, to save rural farmers' lands from the corporate.

The farmers will extend all support to the ensuing general strike."

Bharat bandh today by trade unions and farmers The 10 Central Trade Unions going on strike include Indian National Trade Union Congress, All India Trade Union Congress, Hind Mazdoor Sabha, Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Trade Union Coordination Centre, Self Employed Women's Association, All India

United Trade Union Centre, All India Central Council of Trade Unions, Labour Progressive Federation, and United Trade Union Congress.

"The government has failed to create jobs and grossly ignored unions' 12-point charter of demands. The Group of Ministers headed

by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on labour issues has not called unions for any discussion since September 2, 2015 strike. This has left us with no other option but to go on strike," Kaur said.

The CTUs also claimed that the government went on with its "aggressive attack with arrogance on the lives and livelihood of the working people". They also raised their voice against the proposed amendments in Trade Union Act, 1926, calling them irrational.

Student and teacher organisations of various universities are also

Representa onal image | Photo Credit: PTI

supporting the strike.

Who is opposing the tomorrow’s bandh A number of trading organisations have rejected the call by the Central Trade Unions, saying they will keep their establishments open on January 8 and January 9. RSS’ affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) will not participate in the strike tomorrow.

Officials in the Kerala Trade and Industries Coordination Forum have vowed not to participate in tomorrow’s strike.

The Kerala Hotel and Restaurants Association, Kerala Textile and Garment Dealers Association, Kerala Travel Mart Society, and Bakers Association have also announced their decision to stay away from the strike.

Manipur comes to standstill, protesters block roads PROTESTERS say the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill scheduled to be tabled today in Lok Sabha is a 'threat' to the state and against the basic principles of the 1985 Assam Accord.

The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) along with 30 other organisations called for a state-wide 11 hours shutdown on Tuesday, from 5 am to 4 pm, protesting against the scheduled tabling of the Citizenship (Amendment)

Bill, 2016 in Parliament.

On Monday, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) withdrew from the alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party in Assam as it failed to convince the Centre that the Bill would “nullify the ongoing updating of the National Register of Citizens”, AGP president Atul Bora said on Monday.

Referring to a meeting he had with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Bora said that the Bill will

be passed in the Lower House today.

Assam, on Monday, witnessed public protests and demonstrations by civil society groups and AASU against the Bill and black flags were raised in Guwahati against the NDA government.

Assam bandh LIVE updates: AMSU volunteers blocked roads by piling stones to hinder early morning traffic in Manipur. (Express photo)

At 7.2% growth, India to stay Kumbh Mela fastest growing economy

At 7.2%, India to stay fastest growing economy TNN

NEW DELHI: In some welcome news for a government heading into national polls in a few months, the Central Statistics Office on Monday forecast that the economy will grow 7.2% in 2018-19, faster than the previous year’s 6.7% expansion.

The estimate is a shade lower than the RBI’s, which expects the economy to grow 7.4% in the current fiscal year that ends in March.

The forecast will help India keep the fastest growing economy tag as growth in China is expected to slow.

“Very healthy advance GDP growth numbers for 2018-19. India remains fastest

growing major economy globally,” said economic affairs secretary S C Garg.

The manufacturing sector is estimated to grow by 8.3% in 2018-19, faster than the previous year’s 5.7% while farm sector is set to grow by 3.8% compared with 3.4% in 2017-18. Construction is expected to show signs of a turnaround growing by an annual 8.9% compared with 5.7% expansion in the previous year.

“Revival in private investment is critical to sustaining the upswing in overall investments. Improvement in private consumption demand and a stable election outcome will play an important role in that,” said D K Joshi, chief economist at ratings agency Crisil.

“Private consumption was a sore spot with its growth slipping a new to 6.4% from 6.6% as farm incomes and rural wage growth remained weak. Real agriculture GDP growth was strong at 3.8% but nominal growth fell to 3.8% from 4.5% suggesting farmers are realising less from their produce,” he added.

Economists said on the consumption side, the FY15-FY19 private final consumption expenditure average growth of 6.8% is 40 basis points higher than the previous 5 year average.

36 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

KUMBH Mela is the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrims on earth, during which participants bathe or take a dip in a sacred river.

The founding myth of the Kumbh Mela—attributed to the Puranas (collections of myth and legend)— recounts how the gods and demons fought over the pot (kumbha) of amrita, the elixir of immortality produced by their joint churning of the milky ocean.

During the struggle, drops of the elixir fell on the Kumbh Mela's four earthly sites, and the rivers are believed to turn back into that primordial nectar at the climactic moment of each, giving pilgrims the chance to bathe in the essence of purity, auspiciousness, and immortality.

The festival is held at Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik every four years by rotation and

is attended by millions of people irrespective of caste, creed or gender.

Its primary bearers, however, belong to akhadas and ashrams, religious organizations, or are individuals living on alms.

Kumbh Mela plays a central spiritual role in the country, exerting a mesmeric influence on ordinary Indians.

The event encapsulates the science of astronomy, astrology, spirituality, ritualistic traditions, and social and cultural

customs and practices, making it extremely rich in knowledge. Knowledge and skills related to the tradition are transmitted through ancient religious manuscripts, oral traditions, historical travelogues and texts produced by eminent historians.

However, the teacherstudent relationship of the sadhus in the ashrams and akhadas remains the most important method of imparting and safeguarding knowledge and skills relating to Kumbh Mela.

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Real Estate News

REIA elects new president Housing finance numbers on slippery slope: REIA THE Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) has welcomed the election of a new President, Adrian Kelly from Tasmania.

Mr Kelly was elected as the 45th President of REIA, the national professional association for Australia’s real estate sector at the Annual General Meeting held in Canberra yesterday (13 December), effective immediately.

Hayden Groves from Western Australia was re-elected Deputy President for another 12 months.

Adrian was born and raised in Hobart and has worked in the Tasmanian real estate industry since 1990. He is the founder and CEO of View Real Estate, an independent agency comprising seven sales and property management offices across Tasmania. Adrian’s real estate experience includes residential sales, property management and commercial sales including hotels and motels. He is also an accomplished auctioneer having spent a number of years as a fulltime auctioneer within his own business specialising in plant and equipment

and asset sales for local councils, finance companies among others.

Adrian is a licensed Estate Agent, Board Member of the Real Estate Institute of Tasmania (REIT) as well as the immediate past President of the REIT having served in that role for four years. He also sits on the Property Agents Board which is the regulatory authority in Tasmania and is an Associate of the REIA. He is the seventh President to be elected from Tasmania and the first since Peter Bushby who served from 2012 to 2014.

In accepting the role, Mr Kelly thanked outgoing President, Malcolm Gunning, from New South Wales, who has held the position for two years.

“Malcolm has provided excellent stewardship of the organisation since 2016 and during that time he has achieved much in ensuring that our members have a strong national voice,” Mr

Kelly said.

“On behalf of the REIA Board and the REIA Secretariat, we extend our sincere thanks to Malcolm for his professionalism and commitment to the role during his tenure.”

Mr Kelly said next year will be an equally important one for the sector with the upcoming Federal Election and the public debate continuing on taxation of housing and affordability.

“REIA will continue to be a strong advocate for the retention of negative gearing, will continue to lobby for taxation reform at all levels and for the appointment of a dedicated Minister for Property Services,” Mr Kelly said.

Australian Dwelling Values Fell 4.8% Through 2018, Marking The Weakest Housing Market Conditions Since 2008

By Tim Lawless

HOUSING market conditions ended the 2018 calendar year on a weak note, with the rate of decline consistently worsening over the year. National dwelling values were down 2.3% over the December quarter; the largest quarter on quarter decline since the December quarter of 2008 According to the CoreLogic December home value index results, the downturn in Australian housing conditions accelerated through 2018, driven by consistently larger quarteron-quarter declines in Sydney and Melbourne together with a reprisal in Perth’s rate of decline and slowing conditions across the remaining capital cities and most regional markets. The year finished with national dwelling values down 4.8%, ranging from an 8.9% fall in Sydney values through to a 9.9% rise in values across regional Tasmania.

Most regions of Australia recorded a weaker housing market performance in 2018 relative to 2017. Four of the eight capital cities recorded a decline in dwelling values over the calendar year led

by Sydney (-8.9%) and Melbourne (-7.0%), while values were also lower across Perth (-4.7%) and Darwin (-1.5%). The remaining

capital cities recorded a rise in values, although conditions weren’t as strong as 2017 with every capital city recording a weakening in the pace of growth or an acceleration in the rate of decline over the year.

According to CoreLogic head of research Tim Lawless, the broad weakening in housing market conditions in 2018 highlights that this slowdown goes well beyond the correction in Sydney and Melbourne.

He said, “Although Australia’s two largest cities are the primary drivers for the weaker national reading, most regions around the country have reacted to tighter credit conditions by recording weaker housing market results relative to 2017.

“The two exceptions were regional Tasmania, where the pace of capital gains was higher relative to 2017 resulting in a nation leading 9.9% gain in values over the 2018 calendar year, and Darwin, where the annual

38 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

rate of decline improved from -8.9% in 2017 to -1.5% in 2018.”

The December CoreLogic housing market results take national dwelling values down by a cumulative 5.2% since peaking in October 2017. Values across the combined capitals are down a larger 6.7% since peaking, while regional dwelling values have been more resilient to falls, down by 1.5%.

Although Sydney and Melbourne recorded the weakest conditions, the peak to current declines are much less severe relative to Perth and Darwin where values have been falling since mid-2014. Sydney values are now 11.1% lower relative to the July 2017 peak and Melbourne values are down 7.2% since peaking in November 2017.

The downturn has been running much longer in Perth and Darwin, resulting in cumulative falls of 15.6% and 24.5% respectively.

At the end of 2018, Sydney values were back to where they were in August 2016, while Melbourne values are back to February 2017 levels. Perth values are back to levels last seen in March 2009 and Darwin dwelling values are at October 2007 levels.

THE October 2018 housing finance figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show the number of loans for housing continues to decline, according to the Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA).

“Overall the figures for October 2018 show, in trend terms that the number of owner-occupied finance commitments decreased by 0.1 per cent –the thirteenth consecutive month of decreases,” REIA President Malcolm Gunning said.

“If refinancing is excluded, in trend terms, the number of owner-occupied finance commitments decreased by 0.3 per cent –also the thirteenth consecutive month of decreases and the lowest since November 2014.

“In trend terms decreases were recorded in Victoria,

New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory.

The largest decrease of 2.6 per cent was in the Northern Territory.

Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory had modest increases with the largest of 2.3 per cent in the Australian Capital Territory.

Mr Gunning said the value of investment housing commitments decreased by 1.9 per cent in October, in trend terms.

“The dollar amount approved for the purchase of dwellings by individuals for rent or resale is at the lowest level since June 2013,” he said.

“In trend terms, the number of established dwellings purchase commitments remained unchanged

while the purchase of new dwellings decreased by 1.5 per cent and new dwelling construction fell by 0.5 per cent.

“The proportion of first home buyers, as part of the total owner-occupied housing finance commitments increased in October to 18.1 per cent from 18.0 per cent in September and the number of loans to first home buyers increased by 15.7 per cent.

“The continued decline in housing finance reflects the slowing market, APRA restrictions on investors which went too far for too long, the fallout from the Royal Commission into Banking and concerns about changes to property taxation and its impact should there be a change in Government,” Mr Gunning concluded.

House price drop largest in 7 years HOUSE prices have seen the largest decrease since December 2011, according to the latest research from the Real Estate Institute of Australia.

REIA Real Estate Market Facts for the September quarter 2018 shows weighted average median prices fell by 1.6 per cent for houses, the most in almost seven years and by 0.8 per cent for other dwellings, their largest decline in 12 months.

REIA President Malcolm Gunning said the weighted average median price for houses for the eight capital cities decreased to $751,411 over the quarter, with prices decreasing in all capital cities except for Brisbane and Adelaide and remaining stable in Melbourne.

“The weighted average median price for other dwellings decreased to $587,959 over the quarter, with prices decreasing in all capital cities except for Melbourne and Canberra.

Hobart had the largest fall in house prices and Darwin

had the largest fall in other dwellings. Hobart has the lowest median price for houses at $475,000 and Adelaide the lowest median price for other dwellings at $344,000.

“Over the quarter, the median rent for threebedroom houses increased in Melbourne and Hobart, remained steady in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Canberra. Darwin was the only capital where the median rent for threebedroom houses declined.

Mr Gunning said the median rent for twobedroom other dwellings increased in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, remained steady in Sydney, Perth and Canberra and, decreased in Hobart and Darwin. Melbourne had the largest increase while Hobart had the largest decrease.

“The weighted average vacancy rate for the eight capital cities increased to 2.6 per cent during the September quarter

indicating a slight easing of the rental market.

“The markets of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Hobart have vacancy rates below the 3.0 per cent benchmark indicating a strong demand for rental accommodation in these capital cities.

“Reflecting the squeeze on loan approvals, over the past 12 months, loan numbers have decreased by 11.9 per cent across the country with loans to first home buyers decreasing by 3.7 per cent.

Mr Gunning said the size of loans has also fallen with the average loan across Australia dropping by 1.8 per cent, the largest quarterly decrease since March 2017.

“Loans to first home owners are also reducing in size. Up until a year ago the average loan to those entering the market was above 90 per cent of the rate of non first home buyers. Since June 2017, this rate has decreased to 80 to 85 per cent," Mr Gunning concluded.

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 39

Who, What, Where, When…

Robert Mokumbozi of QPASTT welcomes everyone to the last community leaders dinner of 2018 held at their centre in Woolloongabba

Kerrin Benson of MDA addressed the gathering as co-host of the event

Pastor Joseph Das at the studios of Australian Indian Radio for his annual Christmas message.

Fireworks brighten Brisbane Skyline – welcoming 2019 with a bang.

Aunty Be y McGrady, Indigenous elder and QMC secretary welcome everyone to QMC annual Dinner.

Ma hew Gregg , White Ribbon ambassador and Community Hero award winner came all the way from Toowoomba to address the guest at Queensland Mul cultural Council’s annual dinner.

Honourable Minister Sterling Hincliffe , joins in the milestone celebra on of MDA and QPASTT

Elijah Buol, 2019 Qld local hero in the Australian of the year Award, also addressed the guest at QMC annual dinner func on

Great community representa on at Queensland Mul cultural Councils annual dinner

Councillor Vicky Howard joins the locals at Howard Street wharfs during the cocktail recep on for Federal Minister for Immigra on, Ci zenship and Mul cultural affairs, Hon David Coleman MP 40 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

Trevor Evans MP, member for Brisbane welcomes everyone to Howard street Wharfs for the recep on for Federal Minister for Immigra on, Ci zenship and Mul cultural affairs, Hon David Coleman MP.

New year’s celebra ons at Howards Street wharfs

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What's On! Every Sunday Bhajans and Kirtans start from 4:00pm Dharam Guru Pundit Tripathi Ji’s Prawachan from around 6:00pm, Then Aarti & Bhog is sung and finally Maha Prasad (dinner) is served to everyone Aa Shree Vishnumaya Mandir, 86 Scott Lane, North Maclean, www.shreevishnumayamandir. com.au Ph: 5548 6814. This programme is held every Sunday.

12th January Pongal & Makara sankranti Celebration 2019 Organized Vishwa Hindu Parishad of Australia From 9am – 1pm Sunny Bank State High School, Turton Street, Sunnybank QLD.

12th January to 18th January Shree Bhagwad Saptah.

18 Catalpa Street, Eight Mile Plains

19th January 2018 Pongal Festival organized By Tamil School From 3pm onwards Robelle domain Parklands, Springfield Central 4300

Sunday 20th January Shree Vishnu Maya Mandir Celebrates Second Anniversary of the Temple From 4pm – 6pm 86 Scott Lane, North Mclean. www.shreevishnumayamandir.com.au

25th January – 29th January 2019 Shree Hanuman Katha Organized By Hindu Society of Qld. INC Gayatri Mandir- 178 Lyndhurst Road, Boondall QLD 4034.

9th February 2019 Bollywood Trivia & Karaoke Night Presented By JK Events From 6pm – Midnight Delights of Paradise, 43 Ipswich road, Woollongabba.

Tickets Available: www.eventbrite/ bollywoodtrivia

10th February 2019 Dumpling Day Bris Asia Festival From 12pm – 7pm.

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23rd February 2019 BEMAC LIVE From 6:30pm onwards Featuring India’s Greatest Living Indian Classical Music Performer Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan.

QMC- 102 Main street, Kangaroo point. www.bemac.org.au

2nd March 2019 Bris Asia Festival of Colours. Brisbane Holi Festival.

From 12pm – 6pm.

Rocks Riverside Park, Seventeen Mile Rocks. Free Entry.

9th and 10th March 2019 Yoga Retreat organized By Vedanta Centre Sydney Saturday and Sunday www.vasudevakriyayoga.com Ph: 07 3818 9986

16th March 2019 World Harmony Day Organized By World Harmony Incorporation From 3pm - 8pm Robelle Domain Parkland, Education City Drive, Springfield Central. Q4300

30th March 2019 Sangeet Mela 2019 (Indian Classical

Music & Dance Festival) From 2:30pm - 9.30pm.

Tickets & info: www.sangeetmela.org QMC: 102 Main Street, Kangaroo point.

30th March 2019 Varnam Cultural Society QLD INC Presents CHITHIRAI KALAI VIZHA From 3pm. Free Entry Robelle Domain parklands Springfield Central Swapna: 0422 344 248 ec.varnamqld@ gmail.com

6th April 2019 Indian New Year Celebration Presented

By DJJS Australia Contact: Sanjiv Sharma 0431 383 002 djjsaustralia@gmail.com GOPA KUTEERAM (Working towards spiritual, moral emotional, social & creative development of Children).

Dates include: February 25th, March 25th, April 22nd, May 27th, June 24th, July 22nd, August 26th, September 23rd, October 28th and November 25th.

Taigum State school Hall: 266 Hanford Road.

Contact: Dr Aparna 0430117994/ Email: brisbane@godivinity.org.au

Weekly Events...

Mondays…

Brahma Kumaris Australia – Meditation & Positive Thinking Sessions – Mondays 10.30am to 11.30am: Regular meditation should improve your ability to focus and think clearly. By practising mediations which cultivate our ability to sense and care for our natural energy we are able to live life with greater awareness and confidence.

Each class includes guided meditations, discussions, short talks and the introduction and practice of techniques. Each session is a different topic. Meditation sessions Tuesdays 6.30pm to 7.30 pm and Sundays 5.30pm to 6.30pm. During these sessions there will be meditation commentaries, music and periods of silence. You can come and go at any time during these sessions. Venue: 27 Bordeaux Parade, Mermaid Waters. Please phone to register – 5575 2126. Email goldcoast@ au.brahmakumaris.org or visit www. brahmakumaris.org/au/whatson for more information Brisbane Good Samaritan Prayer Fellowship (Malayam Service) – Congregation on every Sunday from 10am to 12pm at Stafford Scouts, 38 Appleby Road, Stafford, Qld 4053.

For further information contact 0468 358 646 or 0411 269 322. Come and hear the message of your eternal life, GOD BLESS Picabeen Community Centre – you’re invited to playgroup! – For parents with children aged 0-5 years from all cultures and backgrounds. Come along and meet families from all backgrounds in your community.

Every Monday (Except public holidays) 10am – 12pm. Picabeen Community Centre, 22 Hoben Street, Mitchelton Qld. Phone 3354 2555 Zi Za Dong Zen Association – Energy Healing to improve health and well beings – ZZDZ Assn. Inc is a not for profit charity foundation based in Brisbane. Focusing on energy healing named Qi Gong through meditation, it provides free energy healing sessions and guidance. Practicing Qi Gong will encourage you to achieve a positive outlook on life, by helping to reduce stress and calm your mind. It also increases vitality, enhances your immune system and helps to eliminate negative attitudes and behaviours. Session Times & Locations: Mondays-Thursday & Saturday 9am – 12pm at 10 Cognac Court, Calamvale. Thursday afternoon (except 1st week) 3.30pm – 6pm at Sunnybank Hills Shoppingtown Library. 67 Level 2, Cnr Calam & Compton Road. Friday afternoon 2pm-5pm at Logan West Library – 69 Grand Plaza Drive, Brown Plains. For more information email zzdz.aus@gmail.com or visit www.zzdz.org.au

42 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

Tuesdays…

Ramayan Recital and Satsang. From 7.00pm at Sanatan Qld Centre (SSDHAQ), 550 Wembley Road, Berrinba Qld.).

Shree Sanatan Dharam Hindu Association of QLD invites devotees to weekly Ramayan Katha. Held at Sanatan Qld Centre, 550 Wembley Road, Berrinba every Tuesday, from 7pm. All welcome to participate in the recital of the Ramayan. Furter enquiries ssdhaq@gmail.com

Wednesdays…

Brisbane Good Samaritan Prayer Fellowship (Malayam Service) – Cottage Meeting on every Wednesday from 6.30pm to 8pm at Stafford Scouts, 38 Appleby Road, Stafford, Qld 4053. For further information contact 0468 358 646 or 0411 269 322. Come and hear the message of your eternal life, GOD BLESS The Mantra Room – Live Kirtan – Spend an evening of sacred Yoga chant with Gayatri, Ishvara, Jayadharma and friends Fridays 6pm, Sundays 5pm and Wednesdays 7pm at Australian School of Meditation & Yoga, 236 Montague Road, West End. Amazing Vego Food $5. Come celebrate, meditate and let the music set you free. For more information call 3844 8441 or email brisbane@asm.org.au

Thursdays…

Sai Baba Aarti Program – Every Thursday 7.30pm – Virginia State School, 1678 Sandgate Road, Virginia (next to Virginia Train Station) Aarti & Archana opportunity for all attendees, Prasad & Dinner provided. Enquiries call 0405 392 793 / saibababrisbane@gmail.com / Like on Facebook www.facebook.com/ SaiBabaBrisbane

Sundays…

Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Qld Inc – Vedic Yaj (Havan) – The Sabha performs Havan Yaj every Sunday from 2-4pm at Queensland Vedic Cultural Centre, 198 Learoyd Rd, Willawong and the public is welcome to be part of it. The members of public now can perform Havan Yaj at the centre. The fee of $50 is required for use of centre facilities to cover operating costs.

The Havan Kund, utensils are available for use as well The Havan ingredients can be supplied if you are unable to get them.

Mango sticks, Ghee, Samagri, Chamfor etc is available at the centre as well for $25.

The seating capacity of the Yajshalla (Havan Hall) is 100. Contact Vice President Mrs Sushila Pathik for further information and bookings on 3314 6059. Contact Jitendra Deo 3263 1914 or Hari Chand 3345 4716 or visit www.aryasamajqueensland.com for further information.

Australian Pentecostal Assembly Brisbane – Sunday Worship every Sunday 9am11.30am at 84 The Community Place, 84 Kedron Park Road, Wooloowin Qld with Pastor Prakash Jacob. Cottage Meeting every Tuesday 7.30pm-9pm / Kids Bible Study every Friday 7pm-7.45pm / Intercessory Prayer every Friday 7.45-9pm.

Worship in Hindi, English, Malayalam and other Indian Languages. For more information Phone 07 3315 5597 / 0413 347 562 or email info@apabrisbane.com.au / www.apabrisbane.com.au Bala Samskar Kendra – Hindu Scripture Classes for Children – The aim of Bala Samskar Kendra (BSK) is to provide an opportunity to the children to learn about rich Hindu culture through value based education from various Hindu scriptures and let them gain self-confidence and grow up in to individuals who are proud of their tradition. Every Sunday 2:30pm-5pm at Sunnybank State High School, Sunnybank (use Turton Street entrance). Contact bskqld@live.com.au / Hari 0411 137 396 / Krrishna 0411 776 509 / Ram 0416 813 747 Brisbane Multinational Church Service – Every Sunday 9.30am at 757 Gympie Road Lawnton. Come and join us for a great time of Praise and Worship plus inspired preaching of God’s word. We thrive for the presence of God and are passionate to see people be trained up and grow in the knowledge of the word of God. Special service time to pray for healing, deliverance and other spiritual needs.

Enquiries 0424 1802 40.

Star Christian Church – Clontarf Beach State School Hall. Every Sunday – Morning Service at 9.30am. Evening Service at 5pm.

Come fired up and expectant! Star Church is a great, young church located on the beautiful Redcliffe Peninsula. A Pentecostal community connected with the Australian Christian Churches. We passionately want God’s presence in our lives, desire to be trained and knowledgeable in His Word, hungry for the supernatural, excelling in our service and hospitable at life. For more information visit www.starchurch.org.au

Monthly Events...

Hindu Cultural Hub (HCB) at Clayfield – Monthly Cultural congregation – Bar-Jai Community Hall, 178 Alexandra Road, Clayfield Qld 4011. Pooja by Hindu Priest, Bajan and Kirtan by devotees, monthly religious updates / guest speakers on spiritual (or) yoga techniques. Prasatham with vegetarian dinner served. For more details contact 0469 016 416 or visit www. hinduculturalhub.org The John Oxley District Orchid Society – Meeting – We pride ourselves on being a friendly Society and new members and guests are always welcome at our meetings held on the second Wednesday of each month starting at 7.30pm. Venue is Oxley Bowls Club, 24-30 Englefield Road, Oxley. Please contact Sonia Addison 3277 5825 or jodos-inc@hotmail.com for more information The Gold Coast Hindu Cultural Association – Gold Coast Bhajan – monthly Bhajans held every third Friday of the month starting at 7.15am at the Helensvale Community Centre - 31 Discovery Rd, Helensvale.

Activities include Bhajan recitals, short educational presentations and free vegetarian dinner. All are cordially invited to attend. For further information please contact Director/Religious Activities, Mr S Barataraj on 0417 588 839 or gchcan@ gmail.com or visit www.goldcoasthindu. org Organization of Hindu Malayalees Queensland (OHM Queensland) – Monthly Bhajans held every first Saturday of Malayalam calendar. Activities include Bhajans, Malayalam Class, Library service, religious short educational presentations, vegetarian dinner etc.

For further information please contact President Krishnan AK on 0418 727 570 or ohmqueensland@gmail.com Shirdi Sai Sansthan Brisbane Ltd – Shirdi Saibaba Bhajans and Aaratis – last Saturday every month. 5.30pm at Runcorn Heights State School, 200 Nemies Road, Runcorn Qld 4113. Dhoop Aarati, Bhajans, Ashtotaram, Shej Aarati and Mahaprasad at 7.40pm. For more details contact 0416 813 747 or 0479 143 724 – visit www. shirdisaibrisbane.org or follow on facebook Shirdi sai baba Brisbane Mata Amritananadamayi Centre – Brisbane: Regular Satsangs are held at 32 Burnside Crescent, Westlake on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month at 4 pm.

Spiritual chanting, singing, reading and Arati are followed by a prasad meal. Sri Lalitha Sahasranamavali chanting takes place at the Sri Selva Vinayakar Kovil at South Maclean on the 3rd Sunday of each month at 10:30 am. Register your interest for IAM Meditation courses. www. ammaaustralia.org.au; facebook: Amma Brisbane Satsang. Contact: brisbane@ ammaaustralia.org.au; ph: 07 3715 8278 Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) Brisbane (South Maclean) – For full list of upcoming events please visit www.sriselvavinayakar.org Yoga in Daily Life – Satsang and Full Moon Meditation – Satsang every last Saturday of the Month from 5-7pm with Rajastani Bhajans, meditation & Prasad. Purnima Full Moon Meditation from 7:45pm - 8:30pm (see our website for dates).

Regular daily Yoga & Meditation Classes.

Shiv Mandir is open daily for Darsan.

Website: yidlbris.org, Email: brisbane@ yogaindailylife.org

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Budget-friendly school holiday fun to start 2019

THE fun and excitement of Christmas and New Year celebrations may be over, but Brisbane City Council is offering free and low-cost activities to keep the kids entertained before school starts.

Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner said with more than two weeks of school holidays left there was still plenty of Council-led activities for kids to enjoy.

“We are committed to creating more to see and do right across the city, and there are plenty of lifestyle and leisure opportunities for the whole family to enjoy these school holidays,” Cr Schrinner said.

“Activities still on offer these holidays include the favourite Laser Tag, the popular It’s Rocket Science where kids can build and launch their own water Call 07 3865 6533

rocket, and fishing lessons at our river fishing platforms.

“We’ve been blown away by the positive response to this summer’s program with some activities ‘booking out’ the same week we launched the schedule online.

“There’s still a great variety of school holiday fun to be had and plenty of activities to get the kids out from behind the screens and into the great outdoors including bee keeping for kids in the surrounds of Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens.”

Cr Schrinner said the school holiday program was also a fantastic way for parents to not only keep the kids entertained without breaking the bank, but also to let them try a new hobby and potentially ignite an interest that becomes a passion.

“One BMX skills workshop could open a door to Olympic

Gold,” he said.

“Council’s school holiday activities are always popular, with diverse events held each holidays, and I encourage parents to keep an eye on our event schedule as most events are free or no more than $10 to attend.

“We are committed to providing year round opportunities for residents of all ages to do more of what they love, including spending time enjoying our beautiful climate all year round.

“While these activities are great boredom busters for holidays, I encourage residents to look at our calendar throughout the year, as there’s always plenty of activities happening across Brisbane.”

Bookings are encouraged for several activities in the summer school holiday program. www.indiantimes.com

THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 43

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THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019 — 47

Sports News IPL 2019 scheduled to be played in India with a proposed start date of March 23 Timesofindia.com

NEW DELHI: The speculation over where the 12th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be held has finally ended.

The Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) on Tuesday decided that IPL 2019 will be scheduled to be played in India itself.

The CoA met in the capital to discuss the IPL 2019 venues and window and based on preliminary discussions with the appropriate central and state agencies and authorities took the decision.

According to a BCCI press release, it has also been proposed that IPL 2019 will commence on March 23, 2019 and the detailed schedule will be finalised in consultation with the appropriate authorities.

The CoA will also have detailed discussions

with all the stakeholders before releasing the full IPL 2019 schedule.

"We will have all the primary venues backed up by alternate venues in case there is a need to shift matches. This will be done in consultation with central and state government authorities as well as security agencies," CoA chairman Vinod Rai said.

"The specific reason for having a backup venue is to ensure that we don't have any issue if there is polling or recounting or PM's rally in any of the states once the election dates are announced," he added.

Rai said the specific venues and match dates will worked out later after due consultation with government agencies.

"Once we chalk out the itinerary, we will get the dates and venues cleared by various

govt agencies," he said.

The IPL has twice been hosted abroad in 2009 (South Africa) and 2014 (partly in UAE) - because of general elections.

The IPL this time has to contend with the World Cup also, which will be held from May 30 to July 14 in England. Usually, the IPL starts in the first week of April and concludes in the last week of May. But that won’t be the case this time.

According to Justice Lodha committee recommendations, a 15-day window is mandatory between the IPL and any upcoming international fixture.

Now, adhering to this recommendation and to avoid a clash with the World Cup, the IPL has to start in the last week of March, so that the tournament can conclude by mid-May

Coach fiasco the most difficult phase of my career: Mithali Raj TNN

that and will continue to do so.

HYDERABAD: Mithali Raj has had a mixed last year. She went on to become the highest run-getter for the country in T20 Internationals (2283 runs in 85 matches) more than Rohit Sharma (2237) and Virat Kohli (2167).

But she was more spoken about because of the fiasco in the Caribbean at the ICC Women's World T20. The 36-year-old Hyderabadi, however, has put all that behind and looks ahead to the challenges in the New Year. First up for Mithali is the tour of New Zealand where she will lead the ODI team.

Mithali shared her thoughts during a chat with TOI at the St John's Sports Coaching Foundation on Tuesday, the last day of her practice in the city.

New coach in WV Raman...

I am not here to judge him, that's not my job. I am here to get the team together and get them to perform as a unit. He has a lot of experience and if you look at his credentials, he has coached at every level and comes with a lot of expertise. It will only do good for the team.

Seniors vs Juniors debate:

Fresh beginnings: A fresh start, I think. Obviously this tour is important but I don't have any different way of looking at it. I want to work hard and invest more time in my preparation.

Flashback 2018 and the coach fiasco: A reasonably good year in terms of performances - South Africa tour, Australia, Asia Cup, Sri Lanka and the World Cup in the West Indies. Of course, a lot of people are interested in what happened during the World Cup and I would like to sum it all up by saying that it was not a very good experience. Definitely, it was the most

Mithali Raj

difficult phase of my career off the field. A lot has been spoken about my batting and it has been dissected. But I don't need to justify after all these years what I have done and what I am as a player. I can't change people's perceptions. It is not in my control. But what is in my control is that as long as I am playing, as long as I take the field as a player or as captain of Team India, there will not be any less percentage of commitment for the team or country. I have always played like

Gymnasts Mohammed Rafey, Prathista claim gold medals at Khelo India Youth Games 2019 PTI

PUNE: Uttar Pradesh's Mohammed Rafey and West Bengal's Prathista Samanta became the first gold medal winners of the Khelo India Youth Games 2019, emerging victorious in the men's and women's under-17 all-round artistic gymnastics events respectively on Tuesday.

Uttar Pradesh were dominant in the men's category with gymnasts Rafey and Raj Yadav grabbing gold and silver with scores of 68.25 and 67.50 respectively.

Delhi's Tushar Kalyan clinched the bronze medal with an all-round score of 66.90. Tushar had won the bronze medal at the Khelo India School Games last year.

Pratishta staved off a challenge from Maharashtra's twin sisters Siddhi and Riddhi Hattekar to emerge on top in the women's under-17 competition.

It was her vault that helped to keep her nose ahead of the Aurangabad twins. She scored 13.00 on the vault to compensate for the uneven bars score of 7.10.

48 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

The results: Men's under-17 all-around: 1.

Mohammed Rafey (Uttar Pradesh) 68.25 (floor 11.90, pommel horse 9.75, roman rings 11.05, vault 12.40, parallel bars 11.30, horizontal bar 11.85); 2.

Raj Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) 67.50; 3. Tushar Kalyan (Delhi) 66.90.

Women's under-17 allaround: 1.

Pratishta Samanta (West Bengal) 42.05 (vault 13.00, uneven bars 7.10, beam 11.30, floor 10.65); 2. Siddhi Hatekar (Maharashtra) 40.85, 3. Riddhi Hattekar (Maharashtra) 40.45.

Even I am not a believer in that. Right from my debut, I always believed that if someone is picked to play for the country then that player is capable and is in the team purely on ability and not on age or whether they are senior or junior. When 15 of us are picked, all are equal in terms of ability and it's important that each one of us gets the respect that we deserve. Let's see how things will go as I haven't trained under him (Raman). Just met him a few times at the academy when he was a batting consultant.

We had a few discussions but nothing major as such. I am positive that this is a very good beginning of a fruitful season for India.

Will the team gel a er the controversy?

I am not sure how things will be off the field, but as professional cricketers, who have been playing for so many years, each one of us understands what it takes to get the team together on the field and perform.

Also these things are secondary when you have a job on hand to represent the country at the highest level. I am sure everyone knows that they have to put their head down and perform for the team. I don't think there will be any team which has everyone on the same page. It is like a family where everyone has a different perspective. At the end of the day, you figure out a common goal and strive towards it.

Your scoring rate in T20Is...

When you have to put down someone you will find ways to do it. Even if that person has some good qualities it gets overshadowed by the dislike of that person.

I don't intend to justify anything about my scoring rate as there are people who score at a faster rate but are not that consistent.

So it works both ways, but people don't see it that way when they are negative about the player. If you see the percentage of matches that India won with me scoring runs it will be a testimony to my abilities. But I am not someone to justify why or what it is. I play the way I think best suits the situation and the way the team requires me to bat.

Challenges for the team?

The conditions will be a definite challenge as we are touring New Zealand after a

decade. The last time we went there was in 2007 and only Jhulan (Goswami) and me were there. The rest are touring for the first time. But again because it is summer there, the only factor will be the breeze. But with the kind of experience all of them - barring two or three youngsters - have, it shouldn't be a problem in adjusting to the conditions.

Anyhow we are going there early and that will give us time to adjust and it will be good for the team.

Inspira on from the men...

Whenever we tour abroad, we always want to do well. As a cricketer you want to perform well where the conditions are the toughest. We look forward to do well as a team and yes we take inspiration from the men's team because it's never easy to tour Australia and beat them in Test cricket on their own soil.

Test cricket for women...

I would have liked because playing with the red ball and the feel of actual cricket gives a different thrill. Playing for those four/five days and seeing momentum shift from one session to another and how you challenge situations. And some bowlers are really good in spells. You are always trying to strategise whereas in one-day and T20 you have few strategies and you know how it all works. After a time you can guess where it is heading, but in Tests a lot of factors come into play. But if things have to be promoted like have more people watch the games, then a shorter format is always viable.

What keeps her going?

At the international level all players are competitive. I may not be forthcoming with my expressions and my body language, but when it comes to preparation I am quite aggressive. At this level I always want to be the best and wouldn't want to push on just because there is no one else in the team etc.

That drive is still there. I don't like anyone getting me out even in the nets. At the end of the day, I cannot be playing in the 40s because my body wouldn't, but at least I can push it to an extent that I can. I shouldn't regret that I could have pushed it more and that is the reason why I am trying to play as long as I can. Whenever I call it a day I should be happy and content that I have given my best. It doesn't matter whether the stats support it or the people like me or not; whether my batting is appreciated or not. I started cricket when nobody knew about me.

I have lived with my conscience all through my life and when I call it off, I should be proud that I have given it all. When I reach that stage I will call it a day.

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BOLLYWOOD & ENTERTAINMENT

Rai Suri Miss India Australia 2018

Sakshi Singh - Miss India Australia 2018 with mentor Raj Suri

SAKSHI SINGH, a young doctor from Melbourne is the Raj Suri Miss India Australia 2018 winner.

Sakshi completed her medicine from University of Melbourne. In addition to English, Sakshi can speak Hindi and learning Bengali.

The Miss India Australia winner and the eight finalists were selected on the basis of their overall and talent performances after the extensive face to face auditions, real casting experience and the talent workshops in Melbourne and Sydney.

Sakshi Singh, as Miss India Australia 2018, will represent Australia in the 27th Miss India Australia Worldwide grand finals in New Jersey, New York, USA from 9 - 14 December 2018.

Also representing at the same time will be the 3rd Mrs India Worldwide 2018.

The Mrs India Worldwide Australia 2018 was taken out by a working doctor from Melbourne, 36 years old, Manisha Rojha. Dr Manisha is passionate about using her profession in helping women in her native Haryana in India.

The Miss India Australia 2018 sub tles announced are: Miss India Australia 2018 – Photogenic – Parul Melbourne Miss India Australia 2018 – Best Talent – Sakshi Singh - Melbourne Miss India Australia 2018 - Model - Amulya Ragam Sydney Miss India Australia 2018 – Beautiful Eyes – Sohni Singh - Newcastle Miss India Australia 2018 - Professional - Aanchal Shankar - Sydney Miss India Australia 2018 - Fashionista - Mehr Anand - Melbourne

Miss India Australia 2018 – “Public Choice” – online voting is currently underway and the subtitle winner will be announced on 21 December 2018 This year there were eight Miss India Australia 2018 finalists who showcased their talent ranging from singing, dancing, artistic roller skating, acting and public speaking.

Sakshi Singh is being sponsored, trained, mentored by Sydney based image and Bollywood consultant Raj Suri and will be exclusively represented via Raj Suri associate talent office in Mumbai and in Australia through the firm, Karigar Australia.

Miss India Australia is more than just a contest, it celebrates Australian diversity. Founder Raj Suri conducts women empowerment workshops helping with self confidence and image, career coaching and cross culture integration for young women in Australia.

About Miss India Australia (est.2001) Founded in 2001 by photographer/media/film producer Raj Suri, Miss India Australia is the first ever-national talent search in Australia for women of Indian origin, affiliated to the Miss India Worldwide which is celebrating its 27th year in 2018 represented by over 20 countries. “Miss India Australia embraces the best of Australian and Indian culture presenting a unique opportunity for Australian women to engage with and celebrate rich heritage with contemporary Australian identity.

The Miss India Australia Talent Search has had participation from the local Australian Indian community and is now evolved into the platform of choice for the young

50 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, January, 2019

culturally aware Australian women especially to make inroads into the Indian Films (Bollywood), Fashion industries and become role models in Australia.

Former Miss India Australia WINNERS and Finalists in the Indian Film and Australian TV Industry: Zenia Starr - Miss India Australia 2013 - Australian Film Backyard Ashes - TV Commercials - 3 releases in 2018-19 including one featuring Dev Patel in the film Hotel Mumbai.

Sharon Johal, Neighbours Australian TV. Pallavi Sharda - Miss India Australia 2010, is now an accomplished actor in Australia and in Bollywood - seen in (2017 ABC Series Pulse) Australian film Save Your Legs and the Bollywood blockbuster film in 2013 in the film Bessharam and 2015 release Hawaizaada.

Recently completed a film directed by accomplished director Gurinder Chadha.

Miss India Australia 2004, Australian born, Sydney’s Vimala Raman, has already made her mark in the Indian film industry. Vimala has completed over 42 films as the lead and is now in the midst of a hectic acting career. Vimala’s Oppam, opposite Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, released in 2017 has been a box office hit.

In 2017 Vimala Raman featured on the cover of Australian The Good Weekend Magazine.

The eight finalists in Miss India Australia 2018

Sakshi Singh - Miss India Australia 2018. Picture: Raj Suri

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