G'Day India Jul 2022 Issue 183

JUL 2022

w w w. g d a y i n d i a . c o m . a u

VOL 16 ISSUE 183

FREE

AUSTRALIAN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

FAREWELL TO A LEADER

COMMON VISION FOR A FREE INDO-PACIFIC

MORE THAN A WOMAN

QATAR AIRWAYS ADDS MELBOURNE FLIGHTS

THE DALAI LAMA TURNED 87

FATHER-DAUGHTER DUO CREATE HISTORY

2026 COMMONWEALTH GAMES DATES LOCKED

DIRECTOR CONTROVERSY WITH POSTER OF 'KAALI'

RBA RAISES INTEREST RATES

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NEWS VICTORIA

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Anmol Anand, Debasree Das, Dileep Narayan, Dr Raj Kotharu, Gary Nair, Harpal Sandhu, Manjit Sethi, Narisa Dawar, Sanchita Abrol, Karthik Arasu, Abhi Narayan, Gurpal Singh, Monisha Iswaran, P. Harsora, Nandita Chakraborty, Archita Baweja, Barinderjeet Kaur, Gurpal Singh, Muktesh Chibber, Shivani Prabhu, Payel Ghosh Disclaimer: Opinions published in G’Day India are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher. No advertising design or material is to be reproduced without the written consent of the editor. All copyrights reserved to G’Day India.

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G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Commonwealth Games Dates Locked in for 2026

MELBOURNE, Jul 6: The Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games dates are locked in and a process is open for additional sports to be added to the program.

The Commonwealth Games will be held between 17-29 March 2026, beginning with the Opening Ceremony at the Melbourne Cricket Ground where athletes and visitors from around Australia and the world will gather to celebrate the start of the Games.

The Opening Ceremony will be followed by 12 days of competition between the Commonwealth’s best athletes across regional Victoria, allowing our regions to shine on the world stage.

The Andrews Labor Government will work with the education sector in relation to the school term dates that year to ensure the participation of as many Victorians in the Games as possible.

An expressions of interest process for additional sports to be included in the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games has commenced and will involve submissions from international sporting federations with support from recognised or affiliated Australian organisations. The period for consideration will close on 19 August.

In a Commonwealth Games first, Victoria 2026 will introduce a multi-city model that delivers global sport to four regional hubs in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland. Each of those hubs will have its own athletes’ village and host a range

of sports that will create a legacy for Victoria that extends well beyond the competition period.

International Federations wanting to express an interest in participating in Victoria 2026 should contact Victoria2026Sports@sport.vic.gov.au

Transforming Victoria’s Waste and Recycling System

MELBOURNE, Jul 1: The Andrews Labor Government is launching a new government body to support the transformation of the state’s waste and recycling systems.

Recycling Victoria will strengthen the state’s waste and recycling sector, driving innovation and industry security, helping circular economies to thrive and supporting

the introduction of the new container deposit scheme.

The new entity will oversee new standards, regulations and reporting in the waste and recycling sector, to build community confidence and encourage businesses to innovate, invest and grow Victoria’s circular economy.

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Recycling Victoria will work with councils, industry, regional communities and Traditional Owners, to create a better and more reliable waste and recycling system, reduce landfill waste, improve resource recovery and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Delivering state-wide stewardship, planning, regulatory and market oversight functions, Recycling Victoria will have a strong regional focus and presence across the state.

Recycling Victoria will also work closely with partner agencies, including Sustainability Victoria and the Environment Protection Authority.

Victorians’ transition to a state-wide four bin household waste and recycling system will be monitored and enforced by Recycling Victoria.

The Labor Government’s transformation of the recycling and waste sector is fostering new industries, boosting the state’s economy by up to $6.7 billion by 2030, creating nearly 4,000 jobs and helping divert 80 per cent of all waste from landfill, supported by the new body.

For more information visit www.recycling. vic.gov.au

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Win For Business and Jobs as Qatar Adds Melbourne Flights MELBOURNE, July 7: More than 900 jobs will be created and tourism businesses boosted as Qatar Airways expands its services to Melbourne, thanks to support from the Andrews Labor Government.

Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Ben Carroll today announced the airline will fly a second daily service from Doha to Melbourne starting from Saturday, 1 October, bringing more visitors to the state and boosting outbound airfreight capacity for exporters on the airline’s Boeing 777 aircraft.

The new service is backed by both the Victorian Government and Melbourne Airport and will see Tullamarine as the only Australian airport the airline flies to twice a day.

Once fully operational, Qatar Airways’ two daily flights to Melbourne will provide 250,000 seats to Victoria each year, generating around $82 million in economic activity and creating an estimated 910 jobs in the aviation and tourism sectors.

The large freight capacity of the Boeing 777 means the flights will also provide over 10,000 tonnes of air freight capacity each year, boosting Victorian exporters’ access to markets in Europe and the Middle East.

Qatar is one of the richest economies in the world by GDP per capita and a growing consumer of Victorian products. Meat and dairy are Victoria’s most valuable exports to Qatar by airfreight, valued at over $47 million in 2021.

Qatar Airways joins other major airlines including Singapore, United, Qantas,

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Emirates and Etihad in expanding direct services to Melbourne with the support of the Victorian Government.

Victoria’s international aviation sector directly employs 6,700 people and supports thousands of other jobs.

(MEDIA RELEASE)

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NEWS VICTORIA

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Announcing The Return Of The 2022 Indian Film Festival - Back In Cinemas & Online

MELBOURNE – 7 July 2022: After a twoyear in person hiatus, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) is delighted to announce its triumphant return to in-person screenings this year, with ‘Revival’ as the chosen theme for 2022.

The last two years have seen IFFM shift to online with its 2021 festival garnering over 147,000 views. This year IFFM’s 13th edition is set to take place from the 12th - 20th August, as a hybrid festival incorporating in-person screenings, much-loved IFFM events, and an online program - which can be accessed via the IFFM app, ensuring film lovers everywhere can enjoy the hottest cinema offerings from both India and the Indian subcontinent. Today the festival has also announced a sneak peek of its diverse program in advance of the full program launch to be held in Melbourne on Tuesday 19th July.

In the 75th year of India’s independence, the festival is proudly presented by the Victorian Government via VicScreen, which is a principal partner of the festival and further cements Melbourne as a destination which celebrates India and the Indian subcontinent.

The festival remains one of the most popular Indian Film Festivals outside of India and continues to celebrate diversity through cinema.

This year’s program will include more than 100 feature films, documentaries, and shorts, with some of the early highlights including: ● Award-winning feature film, The Rapist, which was recently awarded the prestigious Kim Jiweok Award at the Busan International Film Festival. The film’s Director, Aparna Sen and her daughter, actress Konkona Sen Sharma will be amongst the festival’s well regarded cinematic guests this year. ● The festival’s centrepiece event, the star studded IFFM Awards will return this year and will now include new awards such as Best Film from the Subcontinent and in an exciting addition, the awards will now include streaming services, with a new award for Best Streaming Series. ● As a result of the festival’s growing popularity, IFFM has also announced a brand-new exciting chapter for

the festival, the IFFM Summer Chapter, which take place in Melbourne in January 2023.

In exciting news for cricket and cinema fans alike, the festival will welcome as one of its celebrated guests, legendary Indian cricketer, Kapil Dev, who was India’s firstever World Cup winning captain. Kapil Dev has been immortalised in the recent Indian film, 83, written and directed by sought-after Indian Director, Kabir Khan. The festival is also delighted to announce that Kabir Khan will be one of its esteemed guests this year.

IFFM Festival Director, Mitu Bhowmick Lange said, “We are absolutely delighted to have IFFM come back physically this year alongside an exciting virtual programming. To have with us a legendary cricketer, Mr. Kapil Dev in honour of a film based on his iconic 1983 World Cup Win, we are excited to have him in Melbourne. Being a city of cinema and cricket lovers alike, we are certain the audiences will be excited to see him here.

The festival this year has over 100 films from across the India sub-continent and we are excited to celebrate Indian cinema in all its glory and diversity”.

Kapil Dev said, “I look forward to being part of IFFM 2022. It’s a great platform celebrating the best in Indian cinema.

I truly do believe that sports and cinema are two major cultural experiences for not only Indians but various communities and countries ,that bind us together. It’s something for decades now that has united people. It’s a deep rooted emotional connect and love we have for both cinema and sports, and when they come together it’s a rewarding experience for everyone.”

As ever, IFFM will continue to showcase the best of cinema from this enormous industry that encompasses not only Bollywood, but a mosaic of different regions, tastes, and cultures. The festival will also continue to provide a platform to upcoming film makers through its Short Film Competition, as well as bring all the glamour and excitement of Indian cinema’s most talked about talent to Melbourne at its

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red-carpet event, the IFFM Awards night.

Established in 2010, the festival consistently strives to program films which provide a robust forum for conversation and that enhance not only India’s rich storytelling tradition, but also looks to challenge people’s notions of this country which has emerged in recent years as the fastest-growing major economy in the world.

Minister for Creative Industries, Steve Dimopoulos said: “From its diverse program of film and joyous celebration of culture to the star power it attracts, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne is an unmissable event. The Victorian Government is a proud, longstanding supporter of IFFM, this year boosting our support for the festival to extend its reach and impact, and we look forward to seeing Victorians from all communities join the celebration.”

Throughout August, IFFM will take over multiple key venues in Melbourne’s CBD and suburbs including Federation Square, Arts Centre Melbourne, and the Palais Theatre.

This year IFFM has chosen the Royal Children’s Hospital as its charity partner, and IFFM online viewers will be encouraged to donate to support this essential hospital service.

Key Dates Announced: Friday 12th August: ● IFFM Press Conference, 55 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000 ● IFFM Opening Night @ Hoyts District Docklands Saturday 13th August : ● Flag Hoisting Ceremony for the 75th Anniversary Indian Independence @ Federation Square, Melbourne ● Bollywood Dance Competition @ Federation Square, Melbourne ● IFFM Talks @ Arts Centre, Melbourne Sunday 14th August: ● IFFM Awards Night @ Palais Theatre, St Kilda Saturday 20th August: ● IFFM Closing Night @ Hoyts District Docklands

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Giving Employers Options to Keep Workers COVIDsafe

MELBOURNE, Jul 6: Changes made under the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (COVID-19 Vaccination Information) Regulations 2022 will allow employers to collect the vaccination information of workers if they choose to have vaccination requirements to keep their workplaces CovidSafe.

These updated regulations will help employers decide on what measures are most appropriate to keep their workplaces and workforce as safe as possible from COVID-19.

They follow advice from the Chief Health Officer that following the removal of some vaccination requirements under Pandemic Orders, businesses and employers should consider their own policies based on their own assessment of risk.

These regulations do not require workers to be vaccinated, but ensure employers have the information they need to make decisions on necessary control measures at their workplace, which may include vaccination.

In line with other jurisdictions around Australia, COVID-19 vaccination policies will be the responsibility of individual workplaces to consider as part of their workplace

conditions.

In line with the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 Pandemic (Workplace) Order 2022 (No. 9) workers who work in high-risk settings are still required to be vaccinated.

Vaccination of workers remains strongly recommended, and employers are encouraged to actively promote and encourage staff to maintain an ‘up-to-date’ vaccination status.

COVID-19 vaccinations have proven to be effective at preventing serious illness and hospitalisation and although workplace vaccination policies will transition to being

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at the discretion of individual workplaces, vaccination of workers remains an important control measure.

Under the OHS Act employers must identify whether there is a risk to the health of their workers from exposure to COVID-19 at their workplace. If identified, employers are required to eliminate risks as far as reasonably practicable and when elimination is not possible, employers are required to implement measures to reduce risks.

The regulations will be in place for 12 months from 12 July 2022.

(Media release)

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NEWS AUSTRALIA

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

NSW commits to 'historic' handover of parkland to indigenous owners

Indigenous Australians experience lower levels of employment, shorter life expectancies, and reduced access to education compared to their non-indigenous counterparts.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister of NSW Ben Franklin said the state government would be seeking input from Aboriginal people on how to make joint management arrangements work best for them while also giving them pathways to employment.

CANBERRA, July 4: The government of New South Wales (NSW) has commenced a programme that would see management of national parkland gradually transferred to the indigenous population.

The joint management model would see the handback of national parkland, which covers nearly 1 per cent of NSW's total area, over a 15-to-20-year period.

NSW Environment Minister James Griffin said that 30 per cent of the state's national parks is already under Aboriginal joint management but Aboriginal people only hold title to just over 4 per cent of national parkland.

"Expansion of the joint management model in this way would be a historic step that no other Australian jurisdiction and few other countries, if any, have taken," said Griffin.

The programme would also provide job opportunities for Aboriginal people and new business opportunities.

About 3.2 per cent of Australia's population, 812,000 people, were identified as being of Aboriginal and, or Torres Strait Islander origin in the country's most recent census data released at the beginning of the month.

"Developing a new model for joint management is one way to make meaningful progress on improving outcomes for Aboriginal people and communities in New South Wales," said Franklin.

While giving Aboriginal Australians new opportunities to engage with the land, the programme would also bring new knowledge into the conservation of bushland in the state.

"This is about reconnecting people to country, aligning with native title processes and integrating Aboriginal knowledge in caring for country in the way they've been doing for tens of thousands of years," added Franklin.

(IANS)

Samsung fined $14 mn in Australia for misleading water-resistance ads

SYDNEY, Jun 24: South Korean tech giant Samsung has been fined $14 million by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for misleading claims about its Galaxy smartphones.

According to GizmoChina, the fine relates to a 2019 investigation of Samsung after it released several ads for various Galaxy smartphones.

The main thrust of the ads was that the phones were water-resistant when in water

for up to 30 minutes, the report said.

The tech giant also depicted in the adverts the Galaxy phones being dipped in swimming pools or getting splashes on the beach, it added.

The ads were aired on national TV in Australia and the consumer watchdog took Samsung to task for some of these ads.

Samsung inherently gave a false notion of the water-resistance capability of the models.

These smartphones were only water-

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resistant in fresh water, not seawater or chlorinated water. The charging port was prone to corrosion under such circumstances, as per the report.

Samsung has now agreed to pay the fine of $14 million to ACCC for the misleading claims. It has also made software and hardware changes to its phones to provide a more realistic claim of water resistance.

(IANS)

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Aussie health authorities warn against local transmission of monkeypox

SYDNEY, July 6: Health authorities in Australia's most populous state of New South Wales (NSW) warned on Wednesday that monkeypox is likely to be transmitted within the country, as two cases may have been acquired domestically.

The NSW health department said 11 cases of monkeypox have been identified in the state, among which nine cases are likely to have been acquired overseas.

NSW Health's Executive Director of Health Protection Dr Jeremy McAnulty said the local transmission of the virus may be occurring, particularly among men who have sex with men.

"The virus is mainly spread through

skin-to-skin contact with the lesions or rarely through close contact with large respiratory droplets from a person early on in their infection," Xinhua news agency reported quoting Jeremy McAnulty.

"So far, in the cases we have seen in NSW, monkeypox is not presenting the way some people expect, such as an extensive rash or lesions all over the body."

"It could just be a couple of what seem to be pimples in the genital area or buttocks, so people need to pay careful attention to any potential symptoms. Most of our cases to date have presented to sexual health clinics, rather than GPs."

alert for all monkeypox symptoms, which can include fever, headache, body aches, and a rash or lesions on the genital area. Patients should immediately get access to health services and make sure they wear a mask as a precaution.

The NSW Health statement said monkeypox is a rare viral infection previously associated with travel to Central and West Africa.

However, thousands of cases of monkeypox have been reported from several countries that are not endemic to the virus this year, including several European countries and the United States.

But McAnulty warned people to be on

(IANS)

Requirement to declare Covid Australia's most vax status for international populous state faces arrivals scraped new Covid wave

CANBERRA, July 4: The Australian government has announced an end to requirements for international travellers to declare Covid-19 vaccination status.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil and Health Minister Mark Butler on Sunday announced that, from Wednesday, travellers arriving in Australia will no longer have to complete a Digital Passenger Declaration (DPD) to declare vaccination status.

It marks an end to all Australia's international travel restrictions more than two years after they were first introduced in March 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

"As more and more of us travel internationally and we get more confident in managing our risk of COVID, our airports are getting busier," O'Neil said in a statement.

"Removing these requirements will not only reduce delays in our airports but will encourage more visitors and skilled workers to choose Australia as a destination."

All people flying to Australia will still be required to wear face masks for the duration of the flight.

The announcement came when Covid-19 case numbers continue to rise in Australia.

On Monday morning, Australia reported more than 25,000 new Covid-19 cases and 25 deaths, 24 in Victoria and one in New South Wales.

Butler said "it is pretty clear" that the cases are going to rise in the next couple of months.

"It is putting pressure on hospitals with more than 3,000 people in hospital today with Covid. We are still seeing around 300 or more deaths every week with Covid," Butler told reporter on Sunday.

"We are not through this virus yet so that's why I continue to reinforce to people to get their third dose of the vaccine."

SYDNEY, Jul 5: Health authorities in New South Wales (NSW) on Tuesday warned that the most populous state of Australia is facing a new wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, urging the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

"We are at the beginning of the third wave of Omicron which is likely to peak in late July or early August. This increase in community transmission brings with it greatly increased risks for those not up to date with their vaccines," NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said.

The state health department recorded 10,504 new cases and 14 deaths in the past 24 hours, while hospitalisations also grew to 1,782.

(IANS)

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Hazzard said the current wave of infections was driven by the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, and figures show 56 per cent of Covidrelated deaths in the state this year were in people who have had two or fewer doses.

"The best way you can protect yourself from serious illness or worse is to get every vaccination that is available to you," the Health Minister said.

The warning cited data from Australia's National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, which stressed that "fully vaccinated people could get 65 percent greater protection against hospitalisation or death from Omicron than two vaccine doses alone afford".

(IANS)

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NEWS AUSTRALIA

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

India, Australia share common visions for free, open Indo-Pacific: Rajnath Singh NEW DELHI, Jun 22: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that Australia is a proven and trusted partner of India and both the nations share democratic values and common visions for a free and open IndoPacific.

While addressing the first bilateral Defence Ministers' meeting with Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, Singh said, "India and Australia share democratic values, having common visions for a free and open IndoPacific." He further said that relations between India and Australia were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership in June 2020 during the Prime Minister-level virtual summit meeting.

Defence Minister said that the close defence and security cooperation is an important factor of stability in Indo Pacific region.

"Australia is a key partner in India's IndoPacific Ocean initiative," Rajnath Singh added.

The minister also noted that India is one of Australia's closest security partners and the Government is focused on revitalising Australia's historically deep engagement with our partners across the Indo-Pacific.

"The rules-based international order that has brought peace and prosperity to the IndoPacific for decades is experiencing pressure, as we face shifts in the geostrategic order,"

he said. "Australia stands ready to work closely with India in support of an open, inclusive and resilient Indo-Pacific".

Earlier, the Australian PM Albanese had said that the relationship with India is very important and ties between the two countries have never been closer.

(ANI)

Reserve Bank of Australia raises interest rates

were beginning to put pressure on household budgets and presented a "source of ongoing uncertainty" for Australia's economic outlook.

"Although household budgets are under pressure from higher prices and higher interest rates... The household saving rate remains higher than it was before the pandemic and many households have built up large financial buffers," he said.

The Australia New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) has forecast that inflation would peak at 7 per cent in the second half of the year, and the RBA would steadily lift the cash rate to 2.6 per cent by early 2023.

CANBERRA, July 5: The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) on Tuesday raised interest rates by 0.50 basis points (BPS), bringing the new rate to 1.35 per cent as the country continues to battle rising inflation.

The 0.50 per cent increase marks the third consecutive month the RBA has lifted interest rates from their "emergency" level of 0.10 per cent maintained through the Covid-19 pandemic.

RBA Governor Philip Lowe, in the monthly statement about monetary policy decision, once again said the move was a withdrawal of "extraordinary monetary support" put in

place to support the Australian economy during the pandemic.

"The Board expects to take further steps in the process of normalizing monetary conditions in Australia over the months ahead."

Headline inflation in Australia currently sits at 5.1 per cent, more than double the rate of wage growth which was at 2.4 per cent in the year to March, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Lowe acknowledged that this disconnect as well as the increase in mortgage prices

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Rising interest rates have begun to prompt a correction in Australia's housing market.

Data from property analyst firm, CoreLogic, showed that house prices dropped for their second consecutive month in June with a fall of 0.6 per cent nationally.

A number of private banks have forecast that the decline in house prices would continue into the double digits as monetary conditions normalize.

(IANS)

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Canberra commits AUD 5.8 million to 3-year India-Australia Critical Minerals Investment Partnership

CANBERRA, July 4: India and Australia agreed to build a stronger partnership in the field of critical minerals which are crucial for clean energy technologies such as batteries, electric vehicles, as well as mobile phones and computers.

Australia confirmed that it would commit the Australian Dollar (AUD) 5.8 million to the three-year India-Australia Critical Minerals Investment Partnership. The deal comes following the first meeting between Resources and Northern Australia Minister Madeleine King and her Indian counterpart, the Minister for Coal and Mines, Pralhad Joshi.

Australia and India have strengthened cooperation on the development of critical minerals projects and supply chains since the election of the Anthony Albanese Government.

"Australia is a trusted supplier of resources and energy to India, and we can build on the success of those established supply chains as Australia's critical minerals sector grows," King said.

"Australia has the resources to help India fulfil its ambitions to lower emissions and meet the growing demand for critical minerals to help India's space and defence industries, and the manufacture of solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles," she added.

King said that Australia welcomed India's strong interest and support for a bilateral partnership which will help advance critical minerals projects in Australia while

diversifying global supply chains.

Meanwhile, the Indian minister said that India is among the fastest-growing economies in the world and there is huge scope for collaboration in the mineral sector.

Technology transfer, knowledge-sharing and investment in critical minerals like lithium and cobalt are strategic to achieving clean energy ambitions.

"We have recently signed an MoU between Khanij Bidesh India Ltd, and the Critical Minerals Facilitation Office (CMFO), Australia, which aims to ensure reliable supplies of Critical and Strategic Minerals to India," he added.

Joshi further said that India and Australia are natural partners. Not only are both the nations rich in minerals, but the trade relations have witnessed robust growth in recent years, which can be leveraged for strengthening the economies of both countries.

He lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to take the IndiaAustralia relationship to new heights.

"The MoU includes joint due diligence in Lithium and Cobalt mineral assets of Australia. Both CMFO and the Indian JV KABIL will jointly fund the due diligence process with an initial total amount of USD 6 million. Once the due diligence is completed and potential projects are identified, we will explore investment opportunities through different methods as envisaged in the MoU," said Joshi.

He also focussed on technology transfer, knowledge-sharing and investment in critical

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minerals like lithium and cobalt are strategic to achieving clean energy ambitions.

Australia hosts vast reserves of critical minerals, such as lithium and cobalt, which are crucial for clean energy technologies such as batteries and electric vehicles, as well as mobile phones and computers.

Following the talks, both ministers toured the Tianqi Lithium Refinery at Kwinana.

Joshi's visit comes as the latest quarterly snapshot of Australia's resources and energy forecasts ongoing strong demand for lithium and other critical minerals on the back of growing global demand for electric vehicles.

The June 2022 Resources and Energy Quarterly publication by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, projects the value of Australia's lithium exports will double from USD 4.1 billion in 2021-22 to USD 9.4 billion in 2023-24. Lithium exports were worth only USD 1.1 billion in 2020-21, read King's press release.

The deal comes amid growing global demand for electric vehicles and clean energy technology.

The Albanese Government has a longstanding commitment to building a stronger relationship with India. The Government has committed to an update of the 2018 India Economic Strategy, an annual India-Australia Economic Dialogue, and developing Indian language capabilities in Australia, added the release.

(ANI)

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NEWS INDIA

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Dalai Lama, an icon of reviving ancient Indian wisdom

DHARAMSALA, July 6: Globetrotting Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama -- an icon of ahimsa (non-violence) and karuna (compassion) -- turned 87 on Wednesday.

As the world celebrates his birthday, we look at the commitments of the globe-trotting Tibetan spiritual leader, the global face of the Tibetan exile movement, and his vision and love for India.

Besides promoting human values, nonviolence and religious harmony, one of His Holiness' commitments is to introduce and revive ancient Indian knowledge in modern India through education and with a secular approach, says an aide of the Dalai Lama.

The Buddhist scholar, known for his simplicity and typical jovial style and for whom Mahatma Gandhi is the most influential leader of the 20th century for his idea of nonviolence, prefers to participate in meetings with religious leaders, and lectures students and businessmen on ethics for the new millennium and the art of happiness.

He believes India is the only country with the potential to combine its ancient knowledge with modern education.

Talking to a congregation of Tibetans, who organised the long-life offering ceremony of His Holiness here last month, the spiritual leader said, "I'm in my eighties now, but I'm determined that even when I'm in nineties or past one hundred, I will strive to work for Tibet.

"I'm in good health and my brain is clear, so I intend to live for at least the next 25 years. The sun will shine once more on Tibet.

Freedom will recover."

At the same time, the Dalai Lama, often quoted as saying "although physically I am in India, my mind often goes to Tibet", said he has retired from political responsibilities and he remains a guest of the government of India here in the Kangra Valley, a location chosen for me by Pandit Nehru, the first Prime Minister.

According to a Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) post of October 2019, His Holiness, referring to his fourth commitment, remarked he has been focusing on the revival of ancient Indian knowledge in the latter part of his life that mainly promotes ahimsa and karuna.

"The world needs more of this knowledge," he said while addressing students and faculty members of a six-month certificate course in ancient India wisdom started by a government college in his abode in Dharamsala, a town in Himalayan foothills where a community of Tibetans live in exile with the Dalai Lama, hoping to sustain their

struggle to secure complete autonomy in Chinese-ruled homeland Tibet.

The Dalai Lama apprised the students and the faculty that ahimsa and karuna cannot be revived through prayers or rituals but rather through education.

In 1959, the occupying Chinese troops suppressed the Tibetan national uprising in Lhasa and forced the Dalai Lama and over 80,000 Tibetans into exile in India and neighbouring countries.

On reaching India after a three-week-long treacherous journey, the Dalai Lama first took up residence for about a year in Mussoorie in Uttarakhand.

On March 10, 1960, just before moving to Dharamsala, which also serves as the headquarters of the exiled Tibetan establishment, the Dalai Lama said: "For those of us in exile, I said that our priority must be resettlement and the continuity of our cultural traditions. We, Tibetans, would eventually prevail in regaining freedom for Tibet."

Currently, India is home to around 100,000 Tibetans and the government-in-exile, which has never won recognition from any country.

As the world wrestles with instability and crises, India is the only country which has the ability to combine modern technology and science with ancient knowledge and train minds with more compassion and peace, says another post quoting the spiritual scholar.

Commenting on fourth and final commitment of the Dalai Lama on revival of the ancient Indian wisdom, Geshe Ngawang Samten, Vice-Chancellor of Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in Sarnath, explained His Holiness belief that ancient Indian knowledge is more than a study

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of religion and its relevance beyond the religious doctrine to contribute significantly to the well-being of human beings.

"Given every talk and teachings, His Holiness has always lauded the ancient tradition of the Nalanda institution and expressed his earnest pursuit to restore and revive the ancient Indian knowledge," added Samten.

The Nalanda tradition, in particular, considers His Holiness a great potential of making a significant contribution in the fields of philosophy, epistemology, and logic, etc., thus making it a highly intellectual and spiritual tradition.

The Dalai Lama, whom Beijing regards as a dangerous "splittist", or separatist, considers himself a son of India.

"All particles in my mind contain thoughts from Nalanda. And its Indian 'dal' and 'chapati' that has built this body. I am mentally and physically a son of India," the Dalai Lama, recipient of over 150 global awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize and the US Congressional Gold Medal, in his addresses is often quoted as saying.

"India and Tibet share a relationship of 'guru' (teacher) and 'chela' (disciple). When I see some part of my 'guru' being corrupt, as a 'chela' I feel ashamed."

Time and again, a demand from Indian parliamentarians and his believers is being raised that India should confer its highest civilian award -- Bharat Ratna -- on him in recognition of his services to humanity.

The 14th Dalai Lama was born on July 6, 1935, in a small village in the remote Amdo region of Tibet.

By Vishal Gulati

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

17

Father-daughter duo create history, fly Hawk-132 aircraft in same formation

NEW DELHI, July 6: A father-daughter duo recently created history in the Air Force by flying as part of the same fighter formation.

Air Commodore Sanjay Sharma, who is a seasoned fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force, and his daughter Ananya Sharma, who was commissioned as a fighter pilot in December 2021, flew in the same formation of Hawk132 Advanced Jet Trainers (AJT) at Air Force Station, Bidar on May 30, 2022.

"Father-daughter duo created history on 30 May 2022, flew in same formation of Hawk-132 ace at Air Force Stn Bidar, where Flying Officer Ananya Sharma is undergoing training before graduating onto faster & more superior fighter aircraft of @IAF_MCC," said IAF. It added further that there has not been any previous instance in the IAF where a father and his daughter were part of the same formation for a mission. "They were comrades, who had full faith in each other as fellow wingmen would," added the statement.

Air Commodore Sanjay Sharma was commissioned in the fighter stream of the IAF

in 1989 and has had an extensive experience of fighter operations, having commanded a Mig-21 Sqn as well as a frontline fighter station.

With the induction of the first batch of three women pilots, the fighter stream of the IAF was opened for women in 2016.

(IANS)

Delhi to host big shopping festival in Jan-Feb 2023

NEW DELHI, Jul 6: Delhi will host a mega shopping Festival from January 28 to February 26, 2023, the first of its kind in the country, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced.

The Chief Minister said that people from across the country and the world will be invited to the shopping festival. The extravaganza is expected to give a thrust to the economy of the city and provide a huge opportunity for the businessmen to increase their business. "A 30-day Delhi Shopping Festival will be organised from January 28 to February 26 (in 2023). This will be the biggest shopping festival in India. We are starting it now. I expect that in a few years, we will make it the biggest shopping festival in the world. People from across the country and the globe will be invited to experience Delhi and its culture," Kejriwal said.

"Through this festival, Delhi's economy will receive a major boost. It'll be a huge opportunity for Delhi's businessmen, an opportunity for them to increase their business. It'll be a huge opportunity to present Delhi on an international level. It'll generate thousands of jobs," he added.

Elaborating on the government's plans

to organise the festival, Kejriwal said that it will have something for every section of the society giving an "unparallel shopping experience" to the customers.

"It will have lots for the youth and the families, kids and the old-age ones. It will have an unparallel shopping experience during this festival. Heavy discounts will be provided. Entire Delhi including the shops and malls would be decorated," he said.

"It will also have exhibitions on spirituality,

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games, wellness. A lot of programmes of entertainment will be organised. Top artists of the country and the world would be invited.

200 concerts of entertainment would be organized in one month. There will be special opening and closing ceremonies. Food belonging to every culture of India would be available," Kejriwal added.

The Shopping Festival was a part of the announcement in the 'Rozgaar Budget' of the Delhi government.

(ANI)

18

NEWS WORLD

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Director Leena Manimekalai courts

controversy with poster of her 'Kaali' film

NEW DELHI / TORONTO, Jul 4: A poster for a documentary directed by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai has drawn flak on social media for hurting religious sentiments with the depiction of Goddess Kali.

ban on the objectionable photo and the clip from the documentary

The Madurai-born, Toronto-based filmmaker had earlier taken to Twitter to share a poster of her film which depicted a woman dressed in a costume portraying the goddess and smoking. A flag of the LGBT community is seen in the background. The film was part of the "Rhythms of Canada" segment at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, according to a tweet by the filmmaker.

Urging people to choose 'love over hate' amid the negative feedback, she tweeted, "The film revolves around the events that take place one evening, when Kali appears and strolls the streets of Toronto. If you see the picture, don't put the hashtag "arrest Leena manimekalai" and put the hashtag 'love you Leena manimekalai.'

"Super thrilled to share the launch of my recent film - today at @AgaKhanMuseum as part of its 'Rhythms of Canada'. Feeling pumped with my CREW," Leena tweeted.

The portrayal of Goddess Kali in the poster did not go down well with a section of social media users who have demanded the poster be withdrawn.

Some even demanded strict action against her and the hashtag '#ArrestLeenaManimekal' is trending on Twitter.

"Leena Manimekalai a filmmaker portraying Hindu God as cigarettes smokers.

She is Insulting Maa Kaali," a Twitterati wrote.

After facing flak over her poster, Leena took to Twitter and defended herself.

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said that the government will think about banning the Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai's documentary Kaali in the state as it contains insulting remarks about Goddess Kaali.

Mishra said, "Maa Kaali's insult will not be tolerated, strict action will be taken. We will ask for the registration of an FIR. We will also think about getting this film banned in MP. Strict action will be taken if the posters are not removed." A massive controversy has erupted over the poster of Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai's documentary Kaali.

Some even demanded strict action against her.

The Toronto-based Aga Khan Museum, which landed in trouble for the inappropriate depiction of Hindu Gods, has expressed deep regret for "inadvertently causing offence" to members of the Hindu and other faiths.

A lawyer from Delhi, Vineet Jindal, registered a complaint against Leena over the controversial poster. He has demanded a

In a statement, the museum said Toronto Metropolitan University brought together works from students of diverse

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ethnic and cultural backgrounds, as part of Canadian multiculturalism for the project 'Under the Tent.' The museum said one of 18 short videos from 'Under the Tent' and its accompanying social media post inadvertently caused offence to members of the Hindu community.

An India-born parliamentarian from Canada, Chandra Arya said that anti-Hindu and anti-India forces have joined hands in Canada.

The Canadian parliamentarian, who originally hails from Karnataka, made these remarks in connection with an offensive poster by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai on Hindu goddess Kaali that has created outrage and condemnation throughout the country.

"Painful to see Kaali poster by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai. Past few years, traditional anti-Hindu and anti-India groups in Canada have joined forces resulting in Hindu phobic articles in the media and attacks on our temples," Chandra Arya stated on his social media handle.

He also said that an apology from the Aga Khan Museum "is welcome and appreciated" in connection with the poster.

The offensive poster has created outrage in India. Goddess Kaali is revered across India and represents the powerful spirit which finishes off evil.

(ANI)

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Toronto apologizes for 'no-beard' mandate; Terminated Sikh security guards to be reinstated

19

TORONTO, Jul 6: The City of Toronto has formally apologized to the World Sikh Organization of Canada for "any delay" in reinstating the Sikh security guard whose services were terminated over a "no-beard" policy.

Effective from Tuesday (local time) the city will immediately permit "undermask beard covers" as a reasonable accommodation option for individuals who maintain facial hair as a tenet of their faith, according to an official statement. It has also asked contracted security service providers to accommodate any Sikh security guard employees who have requested religious exemptions and reinstate any employee whose employment was terminated.

Notably, the World Sikh Organization of Canada had demanded the City of Toronto change the rule requiring all security guards to be clean-shaven.

Toronto Sun had in its report cited WSO as saying that over 100 Sikh security guards had lost their positions at City of Toronto sites over the rule that requires them to be clean-shaven, so they can wear N95 masks.

Contracted employees who maintain facial hair were not fitted for protective N95 respirators required by public health directives in shelter settings where a COVID-19 outbreak is suspected or present.

The Toronto Sun cited WSO Legal Counsel Balpreet Singh as saying that private contractors that employed the guards told them that they were following city orders and when the guards were told they could ask for an exemption based on religious requirements, companies either moved them to lesser-paying positions or laid them off rather than deal with the city's demands.

Addressing the complaint of the organization, the City of Toronto released a statement. "Effective Tuesday, the City of Toronto said that it will immediately permit "under-mask beard covers" as a reasonable accommodation option for individuals who maintain facial hair as a tenet of their faith and are required to be present at City sites with protective N95 respirator requirements."

This includes contracted security guards at City shelter locations. Under-mask beard covering is a method of applying a tightfitting mask over a beard that covers the chin and cheeks, and ties in a knot at the top of the head.

An N95 mask is then worn over the cover.

The technique, also known as the Singh Thattha Method, is used by many Sikh

people in the medical community and has been found to be highly effective in respirator fit testing.

Toronto also apologized to the World Sikh Organization of Canada for any delay in addressing this issue and ensuring security contractors were offering religious accommodations.

The City formally contacted its contracted security service providers and restated its expectations that they appropriately accommodate any Sikh security guard employees who have requested religious exemptions and reinstate any employee whose employment was terminated, immediately. The City will not accept any contractors failing to accommodate religious freedoms.

"The City abides by all human rights legislation and requires all contractors to also comply with City's Human Rights and AntiHarassment/Discrimination Policy (HRAP) and all applicable human rights legislation," the statement added.

As per the release, the City has been investigating a complaint from the World Sikh Organization of Canada that it received in June that some of the City's contracted security service providers did not offer appropriate accommodation to their employees who maintain facial hair for religious reasons.

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City officials reached out to the World Sikh Organization of Canada to provide an update on the under-mask beard cover accommodation option that is being put into practice effective immediately.

This accommodation option was proposed by the World Sikh Organization of Canada and the City said it is grateful to the organization for this information. The City also committed to follow-up meetings with the organization.

Toronto has also communicated its expectations to its security services contractors, including that they provide appropriate accommodation to their employees. The City has confirmed to its contractors that with the option of undermask beard covers now available, any impacted contracted security guard staff should be reinstated to these City shelter locations immediately and they should be appropriately compensated for any financial impact.

The City is committed to ensuring its policies are inclusive, read the release.

"They are assessed routinely to ensure they respect the rights and freedoms of all those who work for the City - be they full-time or part-time employees, or employees of contractors," it added.

(ANI)

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

20

Getting married in Australia

G’Day Mate

!

Interesting questions from clients (Part-II) A woman approaches me to solemnise her marriage. Her name on her birth certificate was "Madeleine Stone".

However, she told me that she took her previous spouse's surname of "Churchill", and wishes to be married under this name. She provides her previous marriage certificate to a gentleman with the surname "Churchill". Her passport and driver’s licence have the surname "Churchill". She asked me what name should I record on the Notice of Intended Marriage.

I will use “Madeleine Churchill” as each person’s name should be an exact match with their identification documents provided for the purposes of getting married.

A couple submitted me their completed Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) on 28th February. What is the earliest day on which their marriage can be solemnised without obtaining authorisation from a prescribed authority to solemnise a marriage with a shortened notice? The correct answer is on 28th March.

While discussing an upcoming

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wedding with two of my clients, they ask when the best time to sign the Declaration of No Legal Impediment would be.

My response was as close as possible to the date of the marriage ceremony but before the marriage is solemnised.

It is true that the Marriage Act 1961 does not prohibit a witness to a marriage ceremony also acting as an interpreter.

If a Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrant solemnises a marriage where there is reason to believe that there was a legal impediment to it. The penalty is Imprisonment for 6 months or 5 penalty units.

BAPS

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

www.gdayindia.com.au | M: 0412-114-383

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22

FEATURE

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Farewell to a leader As we draw curtain to Consul General Raj Kumar’s tenure in Melbourne After this, I’ll be staying in Delhi. So, I want to say to all the Indian diaspora that your friend is in India now. You have a friend in your motherland. I will take care of all the Indian diaspora from your homeland if you have any issues in India, and I will be your representative. I can assist you, whatever my capacity is.

What are some unique experiences you had in Melbourne?

When I came here in July 2019, it was a remarkable period. Then I returned to India in January 2020, only to return in February and soon after COVID started. That wasn’t easy.

I

t has been almost three years since Mr Raj Kumar made his way to Melbourne, and now the time has arrived to bid him goodbye. “I won’t forget you, and I won’t let you forget me,” he says with nostalgia as he sits down with G’day India to talk about his term, his work here and his experience with the people of Australia.

How was your term in Melbourne?

When I came to Melbourne, it was challenging for me to go home because there were so many events on weekends and even during the weekdays compared to my previous posting in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, where I could hardly go out because of security reasons.

The Indian kind of love and affection I got from the Indian community here in Melbourne, who was warm and friendly, would always be unforgettable.

Soon, after COVID hit and made things difficult not only here but worldwide, it was again hard to go outside because of the restrictions.

I have always engaged with the Indian diaspora, so I’m leaving Melbourne with a heavy heart as I have made many friends for life.

I’m still in touch with many of my loved ones worldwide, but the kind of love and affection I have got from the Indian community here in Melbourne is memorable. It is not only just over three years of my tenure; this is lifelong, lifelong friendships.

The entire world was suffering, including people in Melbourne, particularly a lot of parents of the Indian diaspora who had just come to visit their children could not go back.

Many had to overstay, some had brought a limited stock of their particular medications and had completely run out, and nothing was coming from India.

Some vulnerable parents had extreme personal circumstances which were crucial for them to be in India. All desperately wanted to go back to India and there were no flights to take them.

Then we opened up registration for the ‘Vande Bharat’ mission to repatriate them to India and within a few days, there were about 13,000 registrations for this repatriation mission.

The first Vande Bharat mission flight started from Melbourne, and then the first chartered flights from Melbourne to India also got started from Melbourne.

I could do this with the cooperation of my colleagues, my office, and the entire Indian diaspora because there was so much understanding of their trust in me and what I could achieve for them.

The kind of sincere faith the Indian community embedded in me was an

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excellent feeling.

What has been your most memorable moment in Melbourne?

Soon after the borders of Australia was open within a couple of months two memorable visits of ministers were organized from India.

Firstly, the Honourable Minister for External Affairs, Shri Jai Shankar, visited to attend the Quad meeting and the signing of the ECTA trade agreement between India and Australia.

Soon after the treaty was signed, the Minister for Trade, Hon’ble Piyush Goyal, visited, and we got one day to organize his welcome, but that was indeed a joyful moment and indeed a surprising moment for all of us.

Generally, organizing a minister-level ‘VIP’ visit takes a lot of preparation and heaps of notice in advance.

The minister’s visit was for all of Australia,

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

but his first stop was Melbourne.

It was a glorious and rather happy moment when a Minister came to my constituency and gave me, my team, an immense pleasure to host and assist them in bilateral relations.

Any message for the Indians of Melbourne?

not in a position to assist them in case of an emergency.

Also, the Indian diaspora who have taken the Australian citizenship I kindly request them to obtain OCI, your lifelong visa to India. This process will assist anyone going to India at any moment especially in the case of emergencies.

I like to request to all that you must register with the concerned diplomatic nation when visiting from India to Australia or any other country.

As most are first generation Indians in Australia, with most of their family members in India. Now and then, they would need to visit India.

Mainly for the students, and whenever a student or anybody visiting from India, they must register with the Consulate. If anyone is visiting Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra or wherever they want to stay the most, it is essential to register with the Consulate there.

How many years have you been serving the nation, and how many countries have you been posted to?

As I have been saying from each platform, the Indian Consulate is the pulse point for the Indian diaspora here. It is your ‘Maika’ here and you need not get the approval of anyone to visit your ‘Maika’ (Maternal home).

This is ‘Hindustan,’ this is ‘Bharat,’ and this is ‘India’ for them, and we want to give the same feeling to a person after many days or many years when he or she visits his own Maternal home. We are here to serve, support them and help them in a positive way and not to harass them.

Any advice you like to give to the people of Victoria?

I request that most of the community members hold Indian passports. I want to advise them that they can get their passport renewed within one year of the expiry of their passport anytime. Once your passport is expired you are illegal.

‘Your visa is valid when your passport is valid. Don’t put yourself in that situation with your access, and then come to the Consulate to say there is an emergency. Since the passports are printed from India, we are

23

I joined the ministry at the age of twentytwo. Now it is going to be thirty-eight years of my service.

My first posting was in Libya, and then I went to Malaysia, Kenya, UK, Nigeria, Panama, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Australia this is my journey so far.

What is next for you?

I am going to India; I’m going to start my new life in India, and let’s see what comes my way and then we will decide accordingly.

What is the possibility you coming back to Melbourne?

It’s tough to say that now, but I’ll certainly be in touch with the Indian diaspora here. I’ll be there for our system; whatever opportunity comes my way, I’ll see, analyse, and take it. As I told you, I love the people in Melbourne, so I’ll keep coming.

How would you like to remember Melbourne and its people forever?

Thank you very much to the Indian diaspora for all their love, affection, and assistance, which I will never forget.

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I’m taking with me all the loving moments they have bestowed as I told you, “I will never forget you, and I will make sure you never forget me.

The cooperation I have received from each and everyone is going to live with me forever.

Once I leave Melbourne, I will always cherish lifelong friendships, which will be a treasure for my heart. This is something that I will be taking with me when I depart from here.

Your last note to Melbourne?

I want every person to be happy, and whatever they are doing, they should be comfortable doing that, and that’s the most critical one in life. It does not matter how many millions or billions you earn; if you are unhappy, it has no value for you. Enjoy your life. Money cannot replace happiness, your family’s happiness, and your health. That is the essential thing in life.

By Tonee Sethi

24

FEATURE

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

More Than a Woman

A

Durga’

The fight for women’s justice continues…

hard-hitting book on transnational abuse and exploitation of women

by Dr Manjula O’ Connor, twelve years in the making - ‘Daughters of

How can we go back to the golden Vedic period where women were equally influential as Goddess Durga is to men and women today?

The answer is in the debut book of Dr Manjula O’Connor’s ‘Daughters of Durga’.

We at G’day India and The Indian Weekly couldn’t be more excited to speak with the author herself. She wears many hats- a clinical psychiatrist, activist, and now an author. What ticks her? To be a woman and her journey writing this book, she then understood the persecution in her identity conceding in her past.

How has Melbourne changed from 1975 to 2022? Can you share with us one such change you have noticed?

I arrived in Australia before 1975 just after the white Australia policy finished in March 1966, but the air was laden with racism. You felt different. No one looked like you. My name was ‘foreign’. People did not take the time to learn how to pronounce it.

However, the migrants coming in were still predominantly white- they were from the Baltic region or Mediterranean, displaced people from World War II. The first Indian Tandoori restaurant opened in Carlton in 1978. It became trendy. It is so different today. Now there is an Indian restaurant in every suburb, and it is a sporadic person who does not like Indian food.

The following significant change occurred with Indian students’ entry into Victoria in 2005-6. There were forty thousand students in 2006, and the racism against them became visible. One male journalist asked me why all the petrol pump attendants and taxi drivers are Indian.

Today Indian students have become an integral part of Victorian and Australian society. Their enormous financial contribution to the Australian economy became clear during COVID lockdowns and is now appreciated by the Australian public.

You are a clinical psychiatrist by profession as you always focused on women’s mental health and family violence, but then NGO you co-founded, the Austral-Asian Centre for Human Rights and Health, what was the shift?

As a clinical psychiatrist, I have been in

private practice for thirtyfive years. My clinic is located in the city, which exposed me to corporate clients. Although I had male patients, the majority were women.

During the 90’s I saw Caucasian, Jewish, and migrant women from the Mediterranean and Baltic states.They often spoke about the mental trauma caused by being bullied at school for eating smelly foods like salami and olives.

Today the same foods are classed as delicacies.

Their parents were not as educated as their children, and they internalised racist attitudes against their parents and embarrassment.

They suffered from ‘Anxiety Disorders’, ‘Depression’, ‘Premenstrual Syndrome’ and ‘Panic Disorder’ caused by the pressures of conforming to their culture versus assimilating with white Australia, the forces of marrying within their culture were strong.

Family violence was very much an issue, but it was not a prominent public health issue as it is today. There were no government campaigns, and its role in women’s mental health problems was not given as much importance as today.

In 2008 the number of Indian international students increased, and I started seeing them in my practice. They presented with various mental health problems. One day, a woman in a highly distressed state started talking about domestic violence perpetrated against her by her husband and his sister-in-law.

She told me, “You would be surprised the dowry problem is rampant in our community” Sure enough, I saw a run of female Indian students and Indian women presenting with the trauma of dowry-related abuse and domestic violence.

From 2012-to 2016, with a run of murders and suicides, it became clear that domestic violence was a problem in our community. But the silence around it was profound. Society did not allow discussion and women were afraid to talk about it.

I gathered information and data from several sources- from the community, clinical data from my practice, research, and talking with service providers and activists. I started understanding the drivers of domestic violence

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in India and the broader South Asian migrant community.

I found dowry and economic abuse were crucial in most domestic abuse.I published several papers in peer-reviewed academic journals (documents can be seen at www. manjulaoconnor.com).

I co-founded Australasian Centre for Human Rights and Health in 2012 to begin a campaign against dowry abuse and domestic violence in India and the broader South Asian community.

We successfully campaigned to change the laws, and dowry abuse got incorporated into the Victorian Family Violence Protection Act in 2019.

Why 2005 was a signal moment when you began commuting to India to re-embrace your heritage and become immersed in the cultural ecology of family violence?

In 2005, I was invited to speak at a global Indian psychiatrist conference in Melbourne 2006. The topic was ‘Suicide in Indian women’.

I started doing research and found to my horror, that the suicide rate of Indian women in India was the highest in the world. I began researching it and came across Professor Amartya Sen’s book ‘The Argumentative Indian’ and learnt about the “missing women” – It was a new concept then. It means the

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

women who have been killed-murdered.

Women in India are being killed before birth- female feticide. It spurred me to connect with my heritage and learn about domestic violence, female foeticide, and dowry abuse.

I started to make regular trips to India and in 2005 to communicate with Dr Ranjana Kumari, a famous activist, and her NGO Centre for Social Research in Delhi. They would hold traditional public campaigns against female feticide and domestic violence, and I joined them.

I started teaching at Dev Sanskrit Vishwa Vidyalaya University in Hardwar. I learnt Hindi, the Indian culture and how people conceptualise gender norms while preparing the PhD and Master’s Psychology students about mental illness.

Tell us about your book ‘Daughters of Durga’? It is about the women you met through practice, and how long did that take you to formulate it?

More than twelve years ago, I began my work supporting victim-survivors of domestic family violence in Australia. The most hardhitting stories were transnational abuse, dowry exploitation, economic exploitation, domestic servitude, and sexual exploitation.

I pondered with many questions such as, how could these things be stopped? What makes women travel to Australia? What are the roles of globalisation, culture, migration, acculturation stress and What are the pressures of moving into a new country?

The question this book seeks to answer is how can we enhance the living conditions of women such that both halves of a heterosexual relationship, woman and man, are both recognised as equal and essential for each other’s survival?

Domestic family violence is an enormous

and complex issue to explore. The women I have seen over the last decade reveal to me that while victims of abuse suffer, they are not passive; they have strengths, and they use them to survive the unspeakable abuses caused by this crime called family domestic violence.

Gender relations are largely power-based in societies globally—largely patriarchal systems devised by men.

But in India, women were educated and mixed with educated men, according to ancient Indian traditions dating back more than five thousand years.

25

changed in more than a thousand years.The male to female ratio at birth in Australia for Indian mothers is one hundred and twentytwo boys for hundred girls. Chinese mothers, it is one hundred and thirty-four to hundred.

Why the obsession with having sons?

I have written the book, so we as a society recognise the need to speak openly and examine the issue of the position of Indian women in society. It must be stated that most Indian homes respect women, and families are harmonious. Though many don’t have a voice, migration makes them more vulnerable.

The national character of modern Indian womanhood is strongly influenced by its educated women: religiously equal, politically savvy, fearless warriors and queens, poetesses and ones who were allowed to choose their partners in a ceremony called swyamvar depicted in poems of Rig-Vedas, the dramatic stories in Puranas, the tales of Mahabharata.

What does women empowerment mean to you?

Women empowerment means the freedom to make decisions, to make choices and be respected for that.

Women empowerment means that women and girls are not seen as a burden by their parents and their in-laws because, if allowed, they are capable of making more than the equal contribution

Today’s customs of son preference have not

By Nandita Chakraborty

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26

LEGAL

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Overseas Assets and Property Division BY GURPAL SINGH

A

ustralian courts are increasingly dealing with situations where assets that fall within the scope of ‘matrimonial pool’ are held or allegedly held overseas. This has become more common as people migrate to Australia, come here to study, or work, find a partner and settle here, work overseas, and accumulate assets, invest overseas, or inherit or receive gifts of assets from overseas.

It can be a little complicated even when people do abide by the principle of full and frank disclosure. It gets very complicated where assets are not disclosed or the other party refuses to play by the rules.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia have jurisdiction to deal with persons or things/assets outside of Australia.

Proceedings for adjustment of property interests are proceedings in personam.

Once the jurisdiction is invoked the court can deal with property situated in Australia or overseas.

The first question to ask in a property case involving overseas assets is does the court have jurisdiction? If there is the jurisdiction the next question is what the advantages and disadvantages of your client of issuing in Australia are as opposed to the overseas country.

Section 39(4) of the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) (“the Act”) provides that property proceedings may be issued in Australia if either party is an Australian Citizen, is

ordinarily resident in Australia or is present in Australia at the relevant date. The relevant date is the date the application is made to the Australian court.

In de facto cases, there are additional requirements for the court to have jurisdiction in property cases. These include either or both of the parties being resident in Australia for at least one-third of the relationship or having made a substantial contribution to the jurisdiction, being in the jurisdiction when the application is made or being in the jurisdiction when the relationship broke down or having a child of the relationship.

The jurisdiction is not limited to property.

For example, it can be exercised in relation to companies incorporated overseas that were never registered nor carried on business in Australia.

The duty to provide full and frank disclosure in family law proceedings in Australia is fundamental. It is different from the requirements of disclosure between strangers to litigation. Full and frank disclosure ensures an equal playing field, enables the agreement to be reached and allows a court to hear the matter, and in doing so, is required to exercise considerable discretion, to do so on a proper basis. It is a duty owed to the other party and to the court.

It is a duty that is also intended to ensure a matter is heard in a timely manner at a reasonable cost to the parties and the court.

The onus is on the party alleging that there are overseas assets

to prove their existence on the balance of probabilities. Also, where loans are alleged to be owed overseas the onus is on the person claiming the loans to prove them on the balance of probabilities.

The kind of evidence is no different to that required to prove the existence and value of assets held in Australia.

If there is property held overseas there must be some reliable evidence as to its value. There are reputable international valuers or valuer companies who can be engaged. Some well-known ones are Colliers International, Horth Integrated Valuers Limited Company and Frank Knight.

Take care with valuers who are not jointly appointed or who are not reputable. Your overseas lawyer contact will help here.

Other documents such as sales contracts, loan applications and rate notices if they exist in the other jurisdiction may assist with the value.

There are many tools, tricks, and creative options in overseas assets cases. First one must find the assets, decide if Australia has jurisdiction, find out the law in the foreign jurisdiction, get some advice from a lawyer in that country, appraise with the client the costs, decide as to where is most advantageous for the client to issue and then look for good hard evidence.

Most courts will try and assist a party in proving their case. If a court takes the view that a party not giving full and frank disclosure and is hiding assets overseas, you should get action from the court.

If all else fails and your find the evidence later then s79A is likely to apply to have the case reopened.

Gurpal Singh is the principal lawyer of Melbourne law firm, Saundh Singh & Smith Lawyers | W: www.sssl.com.au

www.gdayindia.com.au | M: 0412-114-383

OPINION

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

27

Six Months to Correct A Century of Misinformation BY KARTHIK ARASU President of “Australia India Sports Council

-Swastika, a symbol of purity, was misinterpreted as a Nazi symbol Hakenkreuz!

T

he Victorian Government has recently passed the Summary Offences Amendment (Nazi Symbol Prohibition) Bill 2022. A Parliamentary Committee Inquiry into antivilification protections tabled the report in the Victorian Parliament in September 2021; most recommendations were accepted except one.

The Bill has passed in the Victorian Parliament and Royal Assent in June 2022.

In a statement, the Victorian Government said, "Victoria has become the first Australian state or territory to ban the public display of the Nazi symbol in recognition of its role in inciting antisemitism and hate. The Summary Offences Amendment (Nazi Symbol Prohibition) Bill 2022 was passed, which makes it a criminal offence for a person to intentionally display the Nazi symbol (the Hakenkreuz, often referred to as the Nazi swastika) in public." Source : https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/nazi-hatesymbols-now-banned-victoria The vital part of the statement, "The Bill recognises the cultural and historical significance of the Swastika for the Buddhist, Hindu, Jain and other faith communities as an ancient and sacred symbol of peace and good fortune. The Bill does not prohibit the display of the Swastika in such religious and cultural contexts."

If you read just as lines, it will not probably register the impact and the daunting task ahead for the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and other faith communities living in Victoria.

The Swastika is often misunderstood, misinterpreted and miscommunicated as the Nazi symbol Hakenkreuz. Hitler or the Nazis never used the word "Swastika". Hitler created a symbol inspired by an important symbol of early Christendom and called it Hakenkreuz ("Hooked Cross").

The first mention of Swastika as Hitler's symbol of hate comes when Hakenkreuz, instead of the proper English translation of 'Hooked Cross', was maliciously translated in 1939 by Irish Priest and journalist James Vincent Murphy. Murphy, one of the early translators of Hitler's autobiography Mein Kampf in English, deliberately misinterpreted Swastika, a Sanskrit word, as an English translation of the German word Hakenkreuz.

Since then, western media, academicians and the community at large have misinterpreted and referred to Swastika as the Nazi symbol.

While it is not uncommon to use words from

the language of origin for translation for words that don't have any English equivalent, it is nothing short of vilification to use Swastika, a Sanskrit word, instead of the direct English equivalent Hooked Cross.

If you further notice, other German symbols used by Hitler and Nazis at that time for their military emblems and awards, such as "Ritterkreuz, Balkenkreuz, Winkelkreuz & Krummkreuz", were translated adequately with their English equivalents; "Knight's Cross, Beam Cross, Angled Cross & Crooked Cross".

But Hooked Cross didn't make the cut as an English word for Murphy, and his choice was to misinterpret it as Swastika and demonise a Holy symbol of many religions.

Just it makes it clear; Edgar Dugdale, in 1931 was one of the first to complete the first English translation of Mein Kampf. In his translation of Mein Kampf, Edgar Dugdale, who was fluent in German and had done work for the German government, never once used the word Swastika, "Hooked Cross" the actual English translation for Hakenkreuz was used as reference.

Now nearly a century of this malicious misinformation has to be corrected within six months, as the new Victorian legislation will come into effect by then. Clear and thorough education about Swastika needs to be done urgently, so no Hindu, Buddhist, Jain or any other faith community who worships Swastika as their faith symbol will be persecuted due to the misunderstanding between the two symbols.

The Swastika is the core symbol and an integral part of many faiths such as Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism and has been widely used worldwide for many thousands of years.

Whereas Hakenkreuz is the symbol used to represent their hatred and persecution by the monstrous Nazis, the two symbols are worlds apart in their meaning and representation.

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There is no doubt any Nazi symbol such as the Hakenkreuz should be banned; there should be no place or representation of hate anywhere; in that context, this Bill is a much needed one for the society. However, all measures should be taken with utmost sincerity to ensure this Bill, while protecting one faith community, should not turn on the other faith communities and persecute them intentionally or unintentionally.

No one should be made to apologise for practising their faith; unfortunately, due to the misinterpretation and misunderstanding of Swastika - Hindus, Buddhists and Jains in the western world have been apologetic and even fear displaying or worshipping their auspicious symbol, Swastika. The onus is not just on the Victorian Government to educate the community; yes, they are the primary stakeholders; their communication, as we know from the past, will not be enough. Law enforcement agencies, community volunteers, social workers, politicians, organisations, businesses, members of parliament, councillors, council workers, and all frontline workers should do their part in educating the wider community. Most importantly, the most significant and influential educator "Media" should do their part with sincerity, starting with their own reporters who still refer to Hakenkreuz as Nazi Swastika.

As a community, we need to start educating even our own in some cases on the actual differences, representations and the importance of Swastika. So, the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain Australians can be protected from any persecution to follow their faith and allow them to worship in peace.

Just remember loudly and clearly, Nazi and Swastika don't belong in one sentence; they are polar opposites. "Swastika ≠ Hakenkreuz", Hakenkreuz – Nazi Symbol of Hate! Swastika – Faith Symbol of Well-being!

28

TRAVEL

Chasing the Silo

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Art Trail of Victoria

H

BY DEBASREE DAS

ungry for adventure? Today I am taking you on a virtual tour to the unique silo art trail of Victoria. Yes, you heard it right. I have been a tourist in my own state and this time, I took a drive to explore the northeast of Victoria to the Murray trail surrounding the borders of New South Wales up north of Victoria.

Benalla’s famous silo art trail speaks volumes about its rich history and takes you back to a time that is worth discovering.

Situated less than three hours drive from Melbourne, this small town offers you nothing less than a wanderlust trail. Meander through the street of Benalla, as you take in the town street art. Benalla is home to over 70 murals by well-known street artists.

North-East Victoria Silo Art Trail The high country of Victoria resounds with a dozen forms of art and the below trail is worth the drive.

In less than 45 km, which you can cover

in less than an hour, you will be able to explore the unseen and beautiful art of the local artists of Benalla. Benalla has been recognised as Victoria’s leading arts and cultural centre.

• Goorambat silo • Sophia of Goorambat • Devenish silo • St James silo • Tungamah silo Every art is a creation of an artist whose name you will find engraved on the mural/ silo art.

In Benalla, they say there is art in everything, and you got to see it to believe it! Make sure to support the local cafes and eateries when you visit them.

Just when you think you have seen enough, head towards the north of Victoria, the Murray River trail is waiting to show you a bit of medieval history.

Echuca Moama, Murray River trail take a cruise past the historic port of

Echuca and under the 150-year-old Echuca Moama bridge.

I took an evening sail with some refreshment, while seeing the sun go down the mighty Murray, the feeling was unique. minimal crowd and an absolute countryside feeling. make sure to explore the port of Echuca Museum, to learn all about the rich history.

The Silo Art Trail from the freezing border of Victoria, which offers you amazing boutique coffee, also offers you an amazing art trail.

While driving towards Echuca, make sure to spot over in the following places to grab some Instagram-worthy shots.

1) Rochester 2) Colbinabbin 3) Tongala 4) Rushworth Their stunning wetlands with art in the background promises to wade off your winter blues away, along with the captivating silo art trails.

Laid back, rustic northern towns of Victoria, offers an idyllic country life. Grab a bite at the local café or explore the port of Echuca all day long while settling in during the sunset at the local pub. Or take the last cruise across the mighty Murray while the sun goes down on the historic port of Echuca.

Therefore, this following school Holiday, when you run out of ideas about where to head, give a try to explore this unique Silo Art trail of Victoria.

Have you ever explored a hidden place in Victoria? Share your pictures with me and tag me on my Instagram @travelinstylewithdebs

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @travelinstylewithdebs for your daily fashion inspiration. travelinstylewithdebs

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FESTIVALS

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

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THE JAGANNATH RATH YATRA BY ARCHITA BAWEJA

I

ndia is a land of varied cultures, traditions and beliefs which reveal our rich heritage. Amongst these contrasts, countless festivals bind us together, with the festive spirit profoundly imprinted in people’s hearts and souls.

Festivals mark those unique times, that connect the dots between our past, present and future. The culture and history from the past touch our present moment in the form of an ecstatic spirit of celebration and creates a distinct legacy for our future generations.

Following this legacy, Rath Yatra, also known as the chariot festival of the Lord Jagannath is held annually in Puri, Odisha. It is considered as world’s largest car festival.

It is also organised in other Jagannath temples across the world. On rath yatra, Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and his beloved sister Subhadra visit his aunt’s place every year on three majestic chariots with a lot of pomp and show which starts from the Jagannath Temple Puri. In 2022, Jagannath rath yatra starts on Friday, 01 July.

An interesting fact about Hinduism and how they worship Gods is that the Gods have different forms, depending on the depicted emotion or even on different parts of the country. The Rath Yatra is a religious festival depicting Lord Krishna in his jubilant form, in

which state he is also known as Jagannath.

One of the grandest festivals in Odisha's cultural calendar this show draws lakhs of devotees every year. With the festival being held without any COVID restrictions this time, the district administration is expecting a crowd of 12 lakh to 15 lakh devotees.

The Rath Yatra signifies the journey of Lord Jagannath (Lord Krishna) from Gokul to Mathura. The devotees believe that whoever pulls the rath will be blessed with good

fortune and will get their wishes fulfilled.

The three idols are bathed and dressed and taken from Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha temple. The decorated chariots, sound of millions of devotees chanting and the blowing of conches, all these are unforgettable experiences one can have at the festival.

As with most Indian festivals, the food and the specific delicacies consumed in Puri during the Rath Yatra festival are fascinating.

The food is cooked in what appears to be the world’s largest pressure cooker, essentially created by placing large pots of food atop one another and then cooking the food on a wood fire and steaming it. All the food is then made available to every person at the festival in markets adjacent to the temple where the idols have been brought. Traditionally, the food consisted of ‘khichdi’, vegetables, dal and sweets and was served on a banana leaf. However, today the food served is a lot more extensive, consisting of dal, rice, khichdi, vegetables, flatbread, namkeen, drinks like lassi, chaas, and jal-jeera; and it is served in a thali, which is a large, steel plate.

The festival is a wonderful show of rigour and colourful vibrancy, owing to which millions of Hindu devotees worldwide flock to observe the same. In contemporary times, the festival has also become famous worldwide, with visitors from across the world flying down to India to witness it for themselves.

Archita Baweja of Melbourne is an engineer by profession but a writer at heart

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30

TECH

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

AMAZON ALEXA TO SOON READ STORIES IN YOUR GRANDMA’S VOICE Amazon is working on a new Alexa feature that will let the virtual assistant mimic the voice of your family member and then speak or read your favourite bedtime stories at sleep time.

attendees with a deep dive behind the science powering the next generation of “ambient intelligence”.

“Our vision for ambient computing can only be realized by extensive collaboration between teams at Alexa and all of our partners,” said Kelly Wenzel, Director of Business to Business and Developer Marketing at Alexa.

Rohit Prasad, Amazon’s Senior Vice President and Head Scientist for Alexa, said that we are unquestionably living in the golden era of AI, where our dreams and science fictions are becoming a reality.

At the company’s annual ‘re:Mars’ conference in Las Vegas late on Wednesday, Prasad said that to achieve this feat, Alexa team used just one minute of speech.

added.

“This required inventions where we had to learn to produce a high-quality voice with less than a minute of recording versus hours of recording in the studio,” Pradas told the audience.

Alexa said yes and then immediately changed her voice, sounding like the kid’s grandmother in real life.The Alexa feature is currently in the works.

“The way we made it happen is by framing the problem as a voice conversion task and not a speech generation path,” he

During a presentation, a child asked, “Alexa, can grandma finish reading me the Wizard of Oz?”

Amazon has announced to host its annual Alexa Live event for developers on July 20 and we may hear more about it then. Alexa Live 2022 will provide

“Alexa Live 2022 is our opportunity to showcase the many products, programs, and services we’ve designed specifically to help brands and builders leverage Alexa’s growing footprint to innovate on behalf of customers,” Wenzel added.

There are now hundreds of millions of Alexa devices out there with customers around the world. People are using Alexa to play their favourite songs, read the latest headlines, dim the lights in their living rooms, and lots more.

(IANS)

WEARABLE TRACKER WITH AI MAY DETECT COVID BEFORE SYMPTOMS APPEAR

Wearable activity trackers that monitor changes in skin temperature and heart and breathing rates, combined with artificial intelligence (AI), might be used to pick up Covid-19 infection days before symptoms start, claimed preliminary research.

Typical Covid-19 symptoms may take several days after infection before they appear, during which time an infected person can unwittingly spread the virus.

But in the study, published in the open access journal BMJ Open, the researchers found that overall, the health tracker, in combination with a computer algorithm, correctly identified 68 per cent of Covid positive people two days before their symptoms appeared.

The international team including from University of Basel (Switzerland) and Imperial College London, pointed out that while a PCR swab test remains the gold standard for confirming Covid-19 infection, “our findings suggest that a wearableinformed machine learning algorithm may serve as a promising tool for presymptomatic or asymptomatic detection of Covid-19”.

The team conducted a trial, on an AVA bracelet and included 1,163 participants all under the age of 51 who wore the tracker at night. The device saves data every 10 seconds and requires at least 4 hours of relatively uninterrupted sleep.

The bracelets were synchronised with a complementary smartphone app on waking.

All participants took regular rapid antibody tests for Covid infection. Those with indicative symptoms took a PCR swab test as well.

Some 127 people (11 per cent) developed Covid-19 infection during the study period, of which 66 (52 per cent) had worn their bracelet for at least 29 days before the start of symptoms and were confirmed as positive by PCR swab test, so were

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included in the final analysis.

The algorithm was ‘trained’ using 70 per cent of the data from day 10 to day 2 before the start of symptoms within a 40day period of continuous monitoring of the 66 people who tested positive for SARSCoV-2. It was then tested on the remaining 30 per cent of the data.

Some 73 per cent of laboratory confirmed positive cases were picked up in the training set, and 68 per cent in the test set, up to 2 days before the start of symptoms.

The researchers acknowledge that their results may not be more widely applicable.

But “wearable sensor technology is an easy-to-use, low-cost method for enabling individuals to track their health and wellbeing during a pandemic”, they wrote in the paper.

Further, “these devices, partnered with artificial intelligence, can push the boundaries of personalised medicine and detect illnesses prior to (symptom occurrence), potentially reducing virus transmission in communities”.

(AGENCIES)

DIGITAL

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

31 31

Instagram tests new feature for disappearing content

Meta-owned photo-sharing platform Instagram is experimenting with another new feature, Notes, that would allow users to post disappearing content.

The feature, being tested with a limited set of users, for the time being, allows users to post quick notes, like announcements, to their “Close Friends” circle or to followers who also follow them, reports TechCrunch.

Unlike Twitter’s new Notes feature, which allows writers to post long-form content, Instagram’s version is more like sticky notes that disappear in 24 hours.

The feature was first spotted by marketer Ahmed Ghanem, who published screenshots on Twitter that suggests Instagram Notes will appear on the app’s direct messaging screen in a new row above the messages themselves.

According to screenshots, users will not get a notification about Notes but will be able to see them for 24 hours in the app, as well as reply to Notes via messages.

The feature could help to highlight important messages from friends that they do

not want to be lost in the inbox and could offer more visibility than posting to Stories.

The platform’s tests will work to determine how users respond to the feature and if it makes sense to roll it out more broadly, the report said.

Through these notes, users can share details with close friends like if they would be unavailable on call for the next day or can be reached at an alternative number because they are travelling.

(IANS)

Facebook Watch video app no longer works on Apple TV

Meta has discontinued Facebook Watch, an app for streaming Facebook videos, TV shows and livestreams, on Apple TV. Apple TV users will no longer have access to Facebook Watch as it has discontinued the app for tvOS, reports 9to5Mac. “The Facebook Watch TV app is no longer available, but you can still find lots of videos on Facebook at www.facebook. com/watch,” a user shared the notification.

Since tvOS lacks a web browser, there’s no other way to watch Facebook videos on Apple TV, except by using AirPlay from another device, the report said late on Sunday.

Facebook announced Watch app for videos on Apple TV in 2017, after first rolling it out on Samsung smart TVs. The app is also available on various other smart TVs and consoles, as well as on Facebook’s mobile app and desktop site.

“On Facebook Watch, you can discover videos and original shows on subjects like sports, news, beauty, food and entertainment,” according to the company.

To watch these videos on TV, you can download the Facebook Watch TV app, or

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stream to a TV from the Facebook mobile app, it added.

It’s unclear why Facebook Watch app was discontinued on Apple TV. (AGENCIES)

32

RELATIONSHIPS

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Why speed dating is relevant in today’s time What if there was another way to give love a shot than to swipe on hundreds of profiles online? Well, for those who are app-fatigued or believe in old school meet-cutes, speed dating could be a refreshing change to speed-meet a potential match in a physical setting, on a quick date that’s just a few minutes long.

While most singles are no stranger to an array of dating apps, speed dating is still very much relevant, and here’s why while getting a date may not be so difficult in today’s times, finding a good match definitely is.

Priyanka Kuka, Co-Founder of Not So Arranged explains why speed dating is now more relevant than ever, as singles look for their perfect match while skimming through an array of profiles - just in the physical world.

The idea of speed dating is fairly simple: Singles will register with the organiser ahead of time, fill out a form about themselves and answer questions about what they’re looking for. Then in a restaurant or a similar setting, an even number of men or women will take turns going around the tables in a circle, introducing themselves and finding a ‘click’ with the person they are speed-meeting.

Both parties keep a list of people they’d want to take things forward with, and then a real date is set up, or their contact information is mutually shared.

A much-needed face experience: Sure, one can swipe away endlessly on an app, but nothing will ever compare to an inperson experience. That’s when you actually gauge the other person’s vibe as well as your connection together. After all, chemistry really does happen in person!

When we spend so much of our time online right from work and entertainment to even banking and ordering essentials etc, meeting someone online can feel like a disembodied transaction - something similar

to ‘shopping’ for a match.

A face-to-face connection that comes with speed dating can be incredibly refreshing. And especially after the past couple of years, when even the skeptics had no choice but to go online to find love, people are more than happy to finally step out and meet potential interests in real life.

Your chance to have love at first sight: There’s nothing that gets people talking than instant attraction, that electric spark that gets your love hormones flowing. If you’re the type that looks for a story to tell your grandchildren, speed dating has an equal amount of unpredictable thrill within a moderated and respectful setting.

Quick and guilt-free: Speed dating is quite an efficient concept to help meet people in a short amount of time.

You get a few minutes to see if there are any first sparks or vibes with a person, if so, you have the option to connect and explore it with them after, and if not, that’s absolutely fine since you haven’t invested much time or effort into it it’s easy to

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move on to the next. If your match isn’t a mature communicator, speed dating also eliminates chances of getting ghosted or being ‘left on read’, if there are no sparks.

No catfishing: Catfishing and online impersonation are more common than we think. With people pretending to be someone they’re not - ranging from a spectrum of using old images to image filters that enhance bodily features and even stolen images to create a fake identity - meeting someone in person can be a safer way to date. Research also suggests that it’s easier to ascertain physical characteristics like height, eye color, and body language while meeting in person.

One would agree there aren’t too many options available for single people looking to establish a meaningful connection and that’s what makes speed dating very much relevant. Whether you’re app-fatigued or just open to exploring new avenues, it can turn out to be quite a fun experience, whether you actually meet someone or not.

By N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe

LIFESTYLE

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

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Does your job offer you a Hybrid Workplace?

Due to shifting demands on both employees and employers since the start of the pandemic, the significance of employee engagement has increased dramatically. Organisations have understood they must develop employee engagement tools and procedures in accordance with this growth because the hybrid work paradigm has become standard across many large firms.

Organisations in a variety of industries are aware of the benefits that employee engagement can provide, including access to better talent and employee retention. Although they may have various ends in mind, they all end up there.

Work Engagement & Hybrid Workplace Report 2022 by Leena AI, an innovative technology solution revolutionising the employee experience, was just published.

The bi-annual research provides insight into employee engagement at more than 250 businesses throughout the world, including those in India and the US. Annual surveys: still the norm!

Although yearly surveys of employee engagement have long been the norm for firms, half of the respondents to the report predicted a rise in the frequency of such surveys. Only 8 percent of firms said they conducted employee engagement surveys on a monthly basis, whereas 25 percent said they did so.

In the workplace, where shorter and more regular pulse surveys have become the norm, there is an increasing need for an active listening approach in India and the rest of the world. Continuous listening has been shown to be crucial in a mixed work style where employees are frequently scattered.

Technology: a distant dream The necessity for advanced technologies and technology techniques in the workplace has also been influenced by the rise in the frequency of employee engagement surveys. According to the data, more over 50 percent of respondents acknowledged using straightforward questionnaires and feedback

forms to determine employee engagement, while 25 percent said they only used manual techniques.

The necessity for technological tools to identify employees’ demands and requirements, such as potential areas for improvement in their organisations, steps that their workplace should do to promote inclusion and mental well-being, etc. was also highlighted by a sizeable 30 per cent of organisations.

Additionally, 25 per cent of the firms said they were interested in learning more about the trends in the engagement scores over a certain time frame.

Rewards and recognition = Employee engagement In the hybrid workplace, rewards and recognition are still one of the most wellliked and effective tactics. Nearly 50 per cent of the respondents, according to the research, acknowledged relying on this strategy to engage their individual staff.

HR: owner of employee engagement initiatives Even though it is crucial for influencing an organisation’s culture, the HR department cannot be considered solely responsible for employee satisfaction.

The majority of firms currently silo their employee engagement activities, especially now that remote working is the norm.

Employee productivity has been found to rise in businesses when CXOs set the groundwork for establishing a more favourable work environment.

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Employee engagement to attract talent Organisations can profit by reviewing their employee engagement rules, developing a more inclusive work environment, forecasting attrition, and other practises with India on the verge of its Great Resignation period.

Employee engagement is used by 42 percent of businesses in the IT and software sectors to enhance the employee experience in a hybrid work style.

Adit Jain, Co-Founder and CEO, Leena AI, commented, “While the pandemic brought about some uncertainties, it also facilitated in shifting our focus to the core of every organization i.e., its employees. It is interesting to observe whether organizations manage to engage their employees regularly and actively. For a while now, employee engagement has been considered a secondary activity conducted on a need-only basis. However, in the post-pandemic world, employee engagement’s importance has skyrocketed with the changing needs of both employers and employees.

“Today, organisations must implement an effective HR strategy to build a positive work environment and retain valuable talent. This report has been developed to identify patterns that employee engagement initiatives face around the world, whether the right tools are being implemented, whether the final impact is successful, and so on. We endeavour to support organisations, thought leaders, and decision-makers to make informed decisions towards a successful employee engagement strategy.”

(IANSlife)

34

FEATURE

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

RUBY - THE BIRTHSTONE OF JULY

The birthstone for July is ruby, whose vibrant red hue perfectly encapsulates the spirit of this sultry summer month, when days are long, hot, and intense. These rich red gemstones, known as “the heart of Mother Earth,” are versatile and elegant, and have long been associated with passion, prosperity, and protection.

the foundations of buildings to protect those who lived and worked there.

Rubies are regarded as a fashionable alternative and complement to diamonds.

They sit beautifully alongside their colourless counterparts, in bracelets, necklaces, rings, and earrings, and also hold their own in a statement piece: the Sandy Leong x Gemfields Halo ring, featuring a large, striking Gemfields’ Mozambican ruby, is one perfect example.

They range in colour from orangey to bluish reds, with pure intense, or even fluorescent, red gemstones being the most sought after.

Rubies have been treasured by everyone from ancient warriors and Hindus to the Chinese, who revere the “lucky” colour red, since they were formed deep beneath the earth’s crust 500 million years ago - an amazing feat of nature involving intense heat and pressure. They’re still a favourite of A-listers like Jennifer Garner and Gigi Hadid, There is no better way to add a playful and they’re frequently seen on the aptly named element to an outfit while also harnessing the “red carpet.” Much has been written about power of colour their talismanic properties: in ancient times, than by warriors wore them into battle, and they were frequently placed beneath

a flower formation, exudes confidence as well as concern for the environment. The AYA x Gemfields Chete ring, on the other hand, is understated and ideal for stacking.

Gemfields is a world-leading miner of responsibly mined coloured gemstones and the majority owner of the most significant recently discovered ruby deposit: Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) in Mozambique, where rubies were first discovered in 2009 and where some of the world’s largest and most exceptional rubies have originated, including an extraordinary pair that were recently auctioned off.

When it comes to purchasing rubies, there are “6 Cs” to keep in mind. Diamonds have traditionally been measured and defined by the famous “4 Cs” - colour, cut, clarity, and carat - and with rubies, two more are added to the mix, character and certification, in recognition of the many subtle features of coloured gemstones. Each ruby has its own set of values and personality, making the purchasing process both fascinating and personal.

incorporating coloured gemstones. Rubies are ideal for adding a Top buying tips include looking for evenness splash of fiery red fun of colour and saturation, viewing a gem in and glamour to any outfit. daylight, and accepting inclusion as part of a gemstone’s unique character. The most Coloured gemstones, particularly rubies, important rule, however, is to simply follow your are an excellent way to make a strong heart and choose the ruby that you fall in love personal statement. To that end, the Francis with. de Lara x Gemfields Safari Sunset Bloom (IANSlife) Ring, which features petal-shaped rubies in

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FEATURE

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

35

MILLENNIALS SEEK COMPANIES WHOSE VALUES ARE AN EXTENSION OF THEIR OWN This generation prioritises purpose over money. They want to be a part of something bigger than just a job; they want to be a part of something meaningful.

They are willing to leave if the organisation does not align with their goals.

and hobbies.

The days of employees adhering to what is comfortable, normal, and safe are long gone. The Millennial seeks and continues to work for a company whose beliefs and ethos are an extension of or aligned with their own. This generation, which makes up the majority of an organisation’s workforce, is goal-oriented and prefers to be contributors rather than employees who meet their KRAs. This generation questions the very foundation of traditional employee behaviour, which serves the individual/company rather than the cause/contribution.

work environment. The millennial generation’s technological prowess is a huge asset to the organisation today.

According to Michael Page, nearly 86 per cent of Indian employees planned to resign by the end of 2021. Employees do not want to work for a company that does not share their values and aspirations, and they are more concerned with their overall wellbeing and satisfaction. Millennials are also expected to make up 75 per cent of the global workforce by 2025. As a result, the sooner organisations understand how millennials think, the better their chances of attracting the cream of the crop.

Given that they constitute a sizable proportion of the workforce, organisations and managers must align themselves with the hopes and aspirations of Let’s take a closer look at the the millennial workforce, which is qualities that motivate millennials eager to make a difference through to work for a company their work.

Millennials are purpose-drivenHow do these attributes align with You are wrong if you believe that the company’s needs? money motivates employees. This The millennial workforce has the generation is investing where their potential to be a complete package. hearts are. They are even willing They are technologically savvy, to work for lower pay if it means ambitious, cause-oriented, socially helping a greater social cause. responsible, and collaborative, which are all qualities that an Flexibility is the key to stabilityemployer looks for in an employee. The majority of Millennials, favour With technology at the forefront, a hybrid working pattern, and a the world is more complex than flexible working environment. ever.

According to the report by Deloitte millennial survey 2021, 67 per If an organisation does not make cent of Indian millennials would good use of technology, it is likely prefer this arrangement. There is a to fall behind. Employees who can growing desire for hybrid/remote take on these complex challenges work arrangements since it allows and turn them into opportunities individuals to save money and for businesses are needed in this spend more time with their families

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Socially and environmentally responsible-Millennials are socially conscious beings. They believe it is their responsibility to contribute to making the world a better place.

Working for a purpose-driven company satisfy their desire to contribute to society. According to Deloitte’s millennial survey in 2022, “About 95 per cent of millennials try to minimise their impact on the planet. Millennials want their companies to invest in areas such as eliminating single-use plastic and offering training and incentives to encourage individuals to make better environmental decisions.”

Work-life balance- Millennials are the first generation to have grown up with technological advancement. As a result, people do not regard the office to be the only place where they can work or the location where one can be productive and successful.

They also prefer quality of life over money. Being technological prowess, they take advantage of technology to promote worklife balance and be productive.

As a result, organisations and business leaders must play a role in assisting their employees in establishing boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Upskilling-Millennials will not work for a company that does not invest in their professional development. Most employees leave their jobs because it seems unproductive. According to Deloitte’s 2022 Millennial Survey, learning and upskilling possibilities are the most important factors to consider while looking for a new job.

As a result, this workforce generation is resilient and determined, and they will only work with an organisation that shares their vision for a better future, supports these qualities, and facilitates their aspirations in any way they can.

By Sandeep Budhiraja

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HEALTH

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

SCIENTISTS USE HUMAN BREAST MILK TO TREAT PROLONGED COVID In a rare case, Brazilian scientists used breast milk to treat Covid-19 in a woman with a rare genetic disease that makes her immune system unable to combat viruses and other pathogens.

The patient who was diagnosed with Covid-19, in March 2021, tested positive for 124 days by RT-PCR. She was advised by the team from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Sao Paulo, to take 30 millilitres of breast milk every three hours for a week. The breast milk was donated by a woman who had been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2.

The breast milk improved her immunity levels and helped her test negative within a week, according to the case reported in an article published in the journal Viruses.

“I’ve followed this patient since she was a child, and I was very concerned when she told me she had Covid-19. The innate immunity error from which she suffers dysregulates her entire defence system.

Her inflammatory response is defective, with few cells going to the site of the inflammation and low antibody production.

Depending on their virulence, infectious agents can lead to two outcomes in such cases - chronic infection or death,” said paediatrician Maria Marluce dos Santos Vilela, a professor at UNICAMP’s Medical School.

Vilela explained that the immune system in humans and other mammals normally produces five types of immunoglobulin antibody (IgM, IgG, IgA, IgE and IgD).

Patients with immune dysregulation syndromes have a deficiency of IgE and in some cases a complete absence of IgA, the main antibody that neutralises viruses and other pathogens. IgA is usually present in breast milk, as well as respiratory and gastrointestinal secretions.

The syndromes also entail very low production of IgG, normally the

most abundant antibody in blood and responsible for recognising and neutralising antigens with which the organism has had contact before.

Only 157 cases of the same kind as this patient’s have been described worldwide, as reported in an article published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Vilela said the patient was deliberately treated at home to avoid hospital-related bacterial infection, which would have made her condition much worse.

In the first 15 days of the infection, the patient had fever, loss of appetite, coughing and asthenia (lack of energy, weakness), but to Vilela’s surprise and relief, her lungs and other systems remained unaffected.

After two months, her condition was the same, and the researchers decided to treat her with convalescent plasma.

The treatment entails a transfusion of IgG and other antibodies produced by people who have recovered from Covid.

While her symptoms improved, with a

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reduction in blood inflammatory markers, after the procedure, her RT-PCR test remained positive even after 15 days. The patient still had mild symptoms, as well as signs of adynamia, general muscle weakness associated with prolonged infectious processes.

It was at this point, the team decided to do an experimental treatment using breast milk to boost her IgA levels. The experiment was based on an article that showed breastfeeding women immunised with Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine produced milk with a reasonable amount of IgA. “We asked her to take the milk orally and keep it in her mouth for several minutes. IgA works like a broom in the sense that it sticks to pathogens throughout the gastrointestinal tract so that whatever is improper is eliminated in the faeces. We decided on a three-hour interval between doses, except at night, in order not to give the virus a chance to replicate,” Vilela said.

The patient tested negative after a week, and twice again at 10-day intervals.

(IANS)

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

ASK DR. RAJ… This months Q: DRY SCALP Q: Hello Dr Raj, I have been suffering from a very bad condition of my scalp for the last 6 years. The scalp becomes totally dry and itches intensely after I take my shower. How can Homeopathy help me?

Mr A

Health tip:

ural therapy. This has proved to be extremely effective for several people but I strongly suggest that you consult your practitioner or visit a Homeopath to check out your existing condition thoroughly.

Take a cup of olive or coconut oil and heat it gently. Add dried flowers of hibiscus (shoe flower) and curry leaves, methi seeds, A: Dear Mr A, scalp disorgarlic skins and neem leaves if ders are also skin conditions. you can get them. Pour into a There are a few conditions like bottle and seal. Apply to hair 1 tinea of the scalp, psoriasis hour before you shower. Also and seaborrhic dermatitis etc. once a week apply a mixture In Homeopathy along with Hoof washed hibiscus leaves and meopathic creams and oils we use indicated remedies to treat young buds (made into a paste) the condition which are effective and leave for ½ hour. Gently massage scalp well and Wash and may relieve you of the condition in a few months time. hair with warm water only. This Stop using any chemical based is great as a shampoo and conditioner and nourishes your hair products like gels, and hair thoroughly. sprays. You may apply warm coconut hair oil for 2 hrs before you take a shower and use only Seershasana and Sarvangasana are the Yogasanas that mild herbal shampoos. Take might help combat several excess of fruits and vegies. In specific amla, soaked fenugreek scalp related problems. seeds and curry leaves are

By Raj Kothuru good for scalp conditions.

Please send any of your health related questions to You might want to try this nat-

drraj@aurahealth.com.au with Ask Dr Raj as the subject line or ph: 94788649 / 0425761826. The questions will be published with your identity protected.

T

37

Stretching joints, muscles, and nerves is important to ensure that there are no imbalances throughout the musculoskeletal system

The Pros and Cons of All-on-4 Dental Implants

he secret to a sparkling smile is impeccable teeth.

We know how much our teeth matter when it comes to looks and missing some of our teeth is not only bad for the looks but also affects proper chewing. It is a pain going through teeth loss, but on the bright side for those of us suffering from teeth loss, dental implants work just like natural teeth.

Read on to know more about Allon-4 dental implants.

Dental implants are teethrestoration treatment. It includes inserting tiny posts of titanium fused with other friendly metals into your jawbone in a quick surgical procedure. These posts serve as anchors for the overlay dentures, which are a set of artificial teeth for a whole jaw.

To support the dentures, the dental implants are inserted into four places that are strategically designed. This method is known as All-on-4 dental implants.

It takes a period of up to three-six months for healing after inserting the implants. Once the implants are fused in with the jawbone, overlay dentures are secured on them using screws. Let us look at some of the pros and cons of the All on 4 implants.

PROS 1. Fewer Insertions All on 4 dental implants require minimum insertions. An overlay denture is supported by only four titanium implants. The positions of these implants are strategically designed to withstand all the chewing forces and pressures in the oral cavity. Other options of dental implants for multiple teeth include All-on-6 and All-on-8.

2. Enjoy All Your Favourite Food After getting All-on-4 dental implants, you can eat all your favourite foods that you could not do without the full set of teeth in your mouth. You must have craved some foods and drinks in the teethloss phase, and now you can eat them to your heart’s content. Just remember that the food should not be too hard to chew and clean your teeth after eating.

3. Better Aesthetics Dental implants look better than temporary dentures or other teeth restoration methods as they have a positive impact on your looks.

Dental implants enhance your jawline and make you look younger.

4. Reduces Jawbone Deterioration The friendly amalgam of titanium

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and other metals merge with the jawbone over time. This process is known as osseointegration. Due to the presence of these metals, the bone deterioration seen in normal individuals as a side-effect of aging can be reduced.

5. Better Longevity When cared for properly, All on 4 dental implants last much longer than other methods. There are even cases where dental implants have lasted a lifetime.

6. Easy to Care For Looking after All-on-4 dental implants is as easy as your natural teeth. A normal oral hygiene routine of brushing twice and flossing once a day would suffice. As they are not your natural teeth, any food particles stuck between the artificial teeth cannot decay them. However, care must be taken as the food particles can decay the tissues of your gums which can lead to a bad situation.

CONS 1. Must be precise When going for All-on-4 dental implants, make sure you are consulting an experienced dentist since the success of dental implants depends greatly on the skill and expertise of your dentist.

Dental implant surgery needs to be effective. Visit our dentists at Healthy Smiles Dental Group for a detailed analysis and check-up. Our expert dentists will be more than happy to help you out with your dental needs.

Bottom Line As with any surgical procedure, the surgery for a dental implants procedure also has its risks and precautions involved. Make sure you follow the guidelines provided by the dentist. To decide if All-on-4 dental implants are a treatment option for you, visit our dentists at Healthy Smiles Dental Group. Feel free to contact us on 03 9877 2035.

Dr Ved Berani BDS(Mum), ADEC(Aust), MBA(Melb), FIADFE, MFGDP(UK) Principal Dentist & Clinical Advisor Healthy Smiles Dental Group 150-152 Canterbury Rd, Blackburn South VIC 3130 Call us: (03) 9877 2035 www.healthysmiles.com.au

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HEALTH

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Intermittent fasting may help heal nerve damage: Study

Intermittent fasting helps change the activity of gut bacteria and increase their ability to recover from nerve damage, according to a study conducted in mice.

Researchers from the Imperial College London observed how fasting led to the gut bacteria increasing production of a metabolite known as 3-Indolepropionic acid (IPA), which is required for regenerating nerve fibres called axons -- thread-like structures at the ends of nerve cells that send out electro-chemical signals to other cells in the body.

This novel mechanism was discovered in mice and is hoped to also hold true for any future human trials. The team states that the bacteria that produces IPA - named Clostridium sporogenesis -- is found naturally in the guts of humans as well as mice; and IPA is present in human’s bloodstreams too.

“There is currently no treatment for people with nerve damage beyond surgical reconstruction, which is

of mice where the sciatic nerve -- the longest nerve running from the spine down the leg -- was crushed. Half of the mice underwent intermittent fasting (by eating as much as they liked followed by not eating at all on alternate days), while the other half were free to eat with no restrictions at all.

These diets continued for a period of 10 days or 30 days before their operation, and the mice’s recovery was monitored 24 to 72 hours after the nerve was severed.

only effective in a small percentage of cases, prompting us to investigate whether changes in lifestyle could aid recovery,” said Professor Simone Di Giovanni from Imperial’s Department of Brain Sciences.

The length of the regrown axons was measured and was about 50 per cent greater in mice that had been fasting.

“Intermittent fasting has previously been linked by other studies to wound repair and the growth of new neurons - but our study is the first to explain exactly how fasting might help heal nerves, “Di Giovanni added.

Importantly, when IPA was administered to the mice orally after a sciatic nerve injury, regeneration and increased recovery was observed between two and three weeks after injury.

The study, published in the journal Nature, assessed nerve regeneration

(AGENCIES)

INSUFFICIENT SLEEP NOW A KEY FACTOR FOR HEART ATTACKS Proper sleep is now considered an essential component for ideal heart and brain health, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

“The idea of optimal cardiovascular health is important because it gives people positive goals to work toward at any stage of life,” said Lloyd-Jones.

The Association, this week, added sleep duration to its cardiovascular health score -- known as Life’s Essential 8 that consists of diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, weight, cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure.

Each component of Life’s Essential 8, which is assessed by the My Life Check tool, has an updated scoring system ranging from 0 to 100 points. The overall cardiovascular health score from 0 to 100 points is the average of the scores for each of the 8 health measures.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally.

An estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2019, representing 32 per cent of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85 per cent were due to heart attack and stroke, according to the World Health Organisation.

Over three quarters of CVD deaths take place in low- and middle-income countries.

Various research studies over the past two decades indicate more than 80 per cent of all cardiovascular events may be prevented by healthy lifestyle and management of known

cardiovascular risk factors.

“The new metric of sleep duration reflects the latest research findings: sleep impacts overall health, and people who have healthier sleep patterns manage health factors such as weight, blood pressure or risk for Type 2 diabetes more effectively,” said Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, President at AHA. “In addition, advances in ways to measure sleep, such as with wearable devices, now offer people the ability to reliably and routinely monitor their sleep habits at home,” added Lloyd-Jones, also a Professor of Heart Research at North-western University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

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Overall scores below 50 indicate “poor” cardiovascular health, and 50-79 is considered “moderate” cardiovascular health. Scores of 80 and above indicate “high” cardiovascular health, according to the advisory, published in the journal Circulation.

“Life’s Essential 8 is a major step forward in our ability to identify when cardiovascular health can be preserved and when it is suboptimal. It should energise efforts to improve cardiovascular health for all people and at every life stage,” Lloyd-Jones said.

(AGENCIES)

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

39

Poor sleep may worsen lung disease more than smoking Insufficient or interrupted sleep may have more of an impact than smoking history in patients with a progressive lung disease, according to a study.

with confirmed COPD. They recorded flareups, defined as short-term worsening of symptoms requiring treatment, and compared their incidence with self-reported data on sleep quality.

Researchers at the University of CaliforniaSan Francisco found that for patients with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), inadequate sleep may boost their risk of a flareup by up to 95 per cent compared to those with good sleep.

Over time, these flare-ups, which manifest with worsening shortness of breath and cough, may cause irreversible lung damage, and accelerate disease progression and mortality.

The findings appeared in the journal ‘SLEEP’.

Pulmonologist Neeta Thakur from the UCSF School of Medicine said that questions about sleep are often overlooked by physicians evaluating patients with COPD. The research shows sleep deprivation is associated with a drop in infection-fighting antibodies and protective cytokines, said Aaron Baugh, a clinical fellow at the UCSF Division of Pulmonary Research Institute.

The researchers followed 1,647 patients

“Sleep hygiene and sleep aids may significantly improve their health,” she said, adding: “Sleep should be considered both in the clinic and at the wider community/ neighbourhood level, where the structural factors that contribute to worse sleep can be addressed.”

(AGENCIES)

MALE INFERTILITY RISING DUE TO TIGHT CLOTHING, CLIMATE: EXPERTS The infertility and the impaired fecundity have been a concern through ages and is rising for various reasons. The prevalence of infertility in the general population is 15 to 20 per cent, as per the World Health Organisation and the male infertility factor contributes around 40 per cent to this rate.

“There is a trend of declining sperm count across the globe and accordingly, the WHO has also reduced the acceptable value for normal sperm count. From 45 million sperm count, it has been reduced to 15 million sperm count which is supposed enough for pregnancy”, said Delhi-based fertility expert Dr Archana Dhawan Bajaj.

Talking about the rising male infertility, Dr Neeta Singh, Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, said that Sperm DNA fragmentation is an important factor for this.

“The parenting age has considerably increased compared to last 25-30 years because of late marriage trends. Now, males generally marry after 30-33 years and more or less, there is same pattern for females also. So, with the advancement of the ages, there happens DNA fragmentation in the sperm which is primarily responsible for the male infertility,” said Dr Singh.

Among other reasons, the rising temperature is also an important factor for the male infertility, she said, adding that, “Our clothing patterns have also an impact on the infertility.”

“The testes are naturally placed outside the body because it even cannot tolerate the body’s normal temperature. But tight dressing trends and hot geographical location causes severe infertility,” said Dr Singh of AIIMS, adding that it also affects the blood circulation of the body.

She continued saying that the tight dressing is for the nations like US where temperature is normally cold, but in Indian context, it may be fatal. The effects of elevated testicular temperature may result in abnormal spermatogenesis and impaired sperm morphology and function, she said, while adding that “our ancestors used to wear loose and airy dresses like ‘dhoti’ and ‘lungi’”.

“In the semen analysis, good count was considered above 60 million a decade ago, but in today’s environment, we find maximum normal sperm count around 30 to 40 million and it has considerably decreased,” she added. Dr Bajaj said that around 40 per cent of total infertility is caused by male infertility, adding that if sperm count is above 15 million, pregnancy can be achieved.

“The internal rhythm of the body has been broken due to work pressure of global lifestyle.

People living in India work as per the timing of European countries or other nations which adversely affect the rhythm of the body and results into the performance pressure affecting their sperm quality”, added Dr Bajaj.

Prolonged heat can create a problem on that part, she said, adding that it is advisable to wash the male part with cold water after several intervals if exposed to high temperature.

Meanwhile, India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is currently below the replacement level of fertility of 2.1 children per woman. The TFR is the average number of children born to a woman in her lifetime.

She also underlined the late-night working culture as prime factor for infertility because it affects the secretion of Melatonin hormone that is produced by brain in response to darkness.

The below-replacement fertility results eventually in negative population growth and extinction of the population in the long term.

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By Avinash Prabhakar

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

40

SAMANTHA AT TOP SPOT AS SOUTH DOMINATES INDIA’S MOST POPULAR FEMALE STARS LIST

South stars continue to dominate in the popularity stakes if the results of the Ormax Stars India Loves study are any indication.

The top 10 female stars list has 5 Telugu, 3 Hindi and 2 Tamil stars sharing the honours. Samantha tops the list followed by Alia Bhat. Incidentally, Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif are the three Bollywood names on the list. While Alia ranks second, Deepika figures at the fifth spot and Katrina coming in at seventh spot.

The other stars from South industry include Nayantara at third place, Kajal Aggarwal at fifth, Keerthy Suresh at sixth, Rashmika, Pooja Hegde, and Anushka Shetty at eight, nine, and ten positions respectively.

Thanks to her diverse roles and acting chops, Samantha Prabhu’s talent as an actor is well known. And now, she has also emerged as the most popular female star of India.

As per a recent research report conducted in India by Ormax beginning April, Samantha Prabhu has topped this list which includes other big names of the film world as well from across India.

The result of this research indicates the shift in the preferences of the audience post the

WHENEVER I’M AROUND A SPORTS STAR I GET STAR STRUCK: TAAPSEE PANNU

pandemic.

The methodology involves asking film audiences in multiple languages to name their favorite stars in each language separately. Every month, more than 10,000 people are polled in the exercise. The target group is chosen from metros, mini metros and small towns, in proportion of their contribution to theatrical footfalls over the last two years.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu is one of India’s biggest actresses today who has captured the entire audience with her charm, uniqueness and talent. Two of her recent performances, the antagonist Raji in The Family Man 2 and the sensuous number from Pushpa, Oo Antava have been the talk of the town.

Besides being a popular actress, Samantha is a philanthropist, entrepreneur and avid social media influencer. Her mesmerising looks and acting skills has built her a dedicated loyal fan base nationwide over the years. From Jessie in Ye Maaya Chesave, to Raji and Oo Antava, one can witness her massive range, proving her versatility with every new venture.

Rashmika has been dominating the scene after the pathbreaking success of ‘Pushpa’.

(IANS)

Actress Taapsee Pannu, who is all set to bring the story of veteran India batter Mithali Raj on the big screen, has admitted to the fact that she gets star struck being around sports stars.

Speaking about her love for sports Taapsee said: “I am star struck with sport stars. I haven’t seen many movies while growing up until college, but I followed sports since my childhood.”

She added: “So, whenever I see a sports star, I am always star struck which comes with huge amount of respect that I have for each one of them. I always ensure that I don’t trespass a line when I have a sports star around me and avoid being my usual chirpy self.”

‘Shabaash Mithu’ is set land in theatres on July 15. The film, directed by Srijit Mukherji and written by Priya Aven, is based on the life of Mithali Dorai Raj, the celebrated skipper of the Indian women’s cricket team.

In a career spanning 23 years, Mithali boasts of 7 consecutive 50s in ODIs and has led India in 4 World Cups. The story tracks her journey from being an 8-year-old girl with a dream to becoming a cricketing legend.

(IANS)

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G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

41

FAME IS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD

SHILPA SHETTY

Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty Kundra, who made her big screen comeback with the latest release ‘Nikamma’, said fame is a doubleedged sword.

where people don’t know when to draw the line because we are not monkey’s in a zoo, we are here to entertain and I have a heartfelt gratitude for all the love that comes my way.

Talking to IANS about the cons of stardom, Shilpa said: “Fame is a double-edged sword but you have to appreciate it and the cons are something that you need to take in your stride...

It would be the end of your career or stint in the industry if people allow you to eat ‘pani puri’ without bothering you, I would say that would be something that would be worrisome.”

“But sometimes when you have worked very hard and you try to a take a break with your family and sometimes when you are at the airport and you are holding your two-year-old’s hand and somebody just comes in and wants a selfie... It is scary sometimes but otherwise it is all the part and parcel of the fame game.”

Shilpa said she is “grateful for all the love and appreciation”.

Shilpa will next be seen in Rohit Shetty’s ‘Indian Police Force’, a cop action-drama web series streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

She added: “It does get a little daunting

(IANS)

FINDING BALANCE BETWEEN CONTENT AND COMMERCE IS TOUGHEST: VARUN DHAWAN While in his 10 years of career in Bollywood, he is known for being part of all the mainstream commercial potboilers and pop-corn entertainment, Varun Dhawan is also the actor who worked in films like ‘Badlapur’, ‘October’ and now working with filmmakers like Nitesh Tiwari and Amar Kaushik.

all films are for number games, some are small, beautiful heart-warming.

‘October’ was that,” said the actor.

Recently Varun finished shooting for ‘Stree’ famed director Amar Kaushik’s upcoming directorial ‘Bhediya’ that is produced by Dinesh Vijan and it is also starring Kriti Sanon.

The actor shares how he has reached the stage of his career where he is choosing to work with filmmakers who would give him challenges to grow as a creative person.

In a conversation, keeping the pressure of his latest released ‘Jug Jugg Jeeyo’ aside, the actor opens up. Varun said: “When you are part of a big-budget commercial film, it is only natural that the pressure is huge and we all want to play safe to recover the investment. But that at times could stop my growth as an actor, as a performer. When I worked with Soojit da in ‘October’ and Sriram sir in ‘Badlapur’ they helped me to discover a side of me as an actor that I did not know; it was challenging and they pushed me to extract something different.”

“When we are working on a content-heavy film, we take the liberty of doing more experimental work. If it is a comparatively smaller

“We shot the film in the NorthEastern part of India and it is a unique story. We shot in some beautiful unseen locations and it is also a VFX-heavy film. It is not a small budget film but surely a very different one. Then I will start shooting with Nitesh Tiwari for ‘Bawaal’,” he said.

budget film, the risk is lesser. I am always trying to balance that.”

“Having said that, I am also aware that if I am becoming part of any film, chances are, that critics and trade analysts would think it’s a commercial film and they would expect a certain number from it. Not

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Highlighting how he is changing strategy in choosing projects now, Varun mentioned: “I am trying to work with filmmakers who will give me creative challenges. I have done commercial potboilers. I have built an emotional connection with my audience. Now that the audience is evolving, it is time that I also evolve, focusing on experimental content. I think these days, audiences come to the theatre for directors, or to watch the combination of director-actor.

With Amar and Nitesh sir, I would also like to create such an equation.”

(IANS)

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

42

ALIA CHANGES INSTAGRAM PROFILE PIC AFTER PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENT After announcing her pregnancy through an Instagram post recently, Alia Bhatt also changed her Instagram display picture to the one where she can be seen embracing her husband Ranbir Kapoor, as infectious smiles light up the couple’s faces.

Incidentally, the new picture was earlier shared by Alia’s mother-in-law and Ranbir’s mother, Neetu Kapoor on her Instagram. She had captioned the picture, “God bless”. Alia had taken to the comments sections of Neetu’s post as she wrote, “My favourite picture” followed by heart emojis.

Alia has since then put up the picture in question as her profile picture. Earlier, Alia’s mom Soni Razdan expressed happiness over Alia and Ranbir’s announcement of their baby’s arrival.

She told ‘India Today’, “We are simply overjoyed and over the moon with happiness. Both for the soon-to-be parents as well as for the whole family. There is nothing more profound, more joyful and more significant in life than having a child and bringing another being into this world.

Our cup runneth over.

(IANS)

CHUFFED TO COLLABORATE WITH RANBIR KAPOOR FOR ‘SHAMSHERA’: VAANI KAPOOR Bollywood actress Vaani Kapoor, who is gearing up for the release of her upcoming film ‘Shamshera’, is extremely happy to collaborate with Ranbir, and feels that Karan Malhotra, the director of the film, is a visionary story-teller.

Set in the fictitious city of Kaza, the period actioner will see Ranbir playing the titular character. Sanjay Dutt plays Ranbir’s archenemy in this huge casting coup.

About working with Sanjay Dutt, Vaani

Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt who is to appear as an interesting character in the upcoming Ranbir Kapoor-starrer ‘Shamshera’ says as an actor, he is submissive to the director, and his character Shuddh Singh is both funny and dangerous. The film has been directed by Karan Malhotra.

In a BTS video released by the makers, Sanjay Dutt is shown preparing for the character and declaring: “I am an actor and if I believe in a script or character, then I leave it to the director.

His interpretation of Shuddh Singh, I can portray on the screen to the best of my abilities. Yes, I have my suggestions that I give and it enhances the character even more. Shuddh Singh is funny and dangerous. The audience should love him!” Karan also shared how he was able to direct a veteran actor like Sanjay.

He said: “I think what happens with me is, when I think of Sanjay sir to play a part in my film which I am doing, especially if it is a negative part, a good kind of madness grips me from inside.

It’s just that automatically I start getting ideas of how to present him in the most menacing and the most unnerving way possible.”

Elaborating the same, Vaani said, “’Shamshera’ is a dream project for me. To be directed by someone like Karan Malhotra, who is a visionary story-teller, is an opportunity that no actor would ever miss out on. I’m fortunate that he felt I was apt for the part. Karan is obsessed with his craft and the story that he is trying to tell. I’m a director’s actor so I had an amazing time soaking in his vision and plan to make Shamshera a truly larger than life big screen spectacle.”

Talking about her pairing opposite Ranbir Kapoor, the actress added, “I’m also teaming up with one of the best actors of our generation, Ranbir Kapoor in the film. This is the first time that we have been paired together on screen and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that people love our chemistry in the film. Our characters have an amazing graph and I hope people love and root for it”

‘Shuddh Singh’ is funny and dangerous at the same time: Sanjay Dutt

shared, “I got an opportunity to work with Sanjay Dutt and I have been a big fan of his over the years. I loved him in Agneepath.

You have to wait and watch out for him in Shamshera because he is again going to give us a villain for the ages in Hindi cinema. He is just menacing and cunning and pure evil.”

Produced by Aditya Chopra under the banner of India’s premier studio conglomerate YRF, ‘Shamshera’ is set to release theatrically in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu on July 22.

(IANS)

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Adding to that, Ranbir, who is playing the protagonist in the film, said: “He is extremely spontaneous and I think he behaves like he is not working hard but he is working hard, he is constantly on set thinking about it. I believe that he does work hard though he gives the impression that he doesn’t care, but he cares a lot about work.”

The story of ‘Shamshera’ is set in the fictitious city of Kaza, where a warrior tribe is imprisoned, enslaved and tortured by a ruthless authoritarian general named Shuddh Singh. This is the story of a man who became a slave, a slave who became a leader and then a legend for his tribe. He relentlessly fights for his tribe’s freedom and dignity.

Produced by Aditya Chopra under the YRF banner, ‘Shamshera’ is being released in theatre on July 22. (IANS)

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

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KARTIK AARYAN GETS INDIA’S FIRST GT ORANGE MCLAREN AS GIFT FOR ‘BHOOL BHULAIYAA 2’ SUCCESS collection includes a Lamborghini and the Mini Cooper he gifted his mom.

From ‘Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety’ to the blockbuster of the year, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’, T-Series and Kartik Aaryan have given the audiences some of the biggest successes and are all set to unite for ‘Shehzada’ too.

Celebrating the historic success of their latest, Bhushan gifted the car to Kartik as a token of appreciation and gratitude.

Bhushan had said recently that his bond with Kartik Aaryan has developed the professional relationship they initially shared. The sports car is a token of appreciation for Kartik’s determination, he said.

Actor Kartik Aaryan has been riding the box office wave super high and is now all set to ride his swanky new sports car gifted to him by his ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’ producer, Bhushan Kumar.

The GT, a posh Orange McLaren is the first of its kind set of superwheels to be delivered in India, sources said.

Kartik looked super casually cool with his swanky new orange sports car, wearing

a grey sweatshirt and blue jeans with black shoes.

He shared on his social media, “ Got a new table to eat Chinese as a gift. Had heard that fruit of hard work is sweet but did not know it can be so big. Next gift should be a private jet, sir #Gratitude”.

The young superstar is known for his fondness for supercars and enjoys driving to his shoots and the airport on his own. His

The actor recently took to his social media to mark the successful run of the film at the box office with a super fun game edit, writing, “#BhoolBhulaiyaa2 starting its UNREAL RUN of the 6th WEEK now. In a Theatre near you ZigZagger #RoohBaba vs Bonecracker Manju.”

With ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’ busy taking over OTT along with the box office, Kartik also has ‘Shehzada’, ‘Captain India’, ‘Freddy’ and Sajid Nadiadwala’s untitled next in his kitty.

(IANS)

BIG DREAM TO PLAY VILLAIN ONCE IN MY LIFETIME: RANBIR KAPOOR

Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor, who is set to return to the silver screen four years after his last outing ‘Sanju’ with the upcoming period actioner ‘Shamshera’, harbours the dream of essaying a negative character.

The actor expressed his wish to do so and spoke about his love for the bad boys of Hindi cinema, the towering villains who make the hero bigger, in the third episode of ‘RK Tapes’, a special promotional video series.

The actor listed out some of his favourite on-screen villains -- the iconic Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh in ‘Sholay’, Amrish Puri as Mogambo in ‘Mr. India’, Sanjay Dutt as Kancha Cheena in ‘Agneepath’, Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji in ‘Padmaavat’ and Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Darr’.

“We invariably side with the hero,” Ranbir said in the video. “But if there was no villain for the hero to show his heroism, how would a hero be a hero? I have a dream that once I will do a negative role and people will tell their kids ‘so jaa, so jaa nahi toh Ranbir aa jayega’!”

He added: “As our cinema evolves, the villain’s character too is becoming more and more complex and interesting. I’m looking forward to the bad guys we are yet to watch, to the actors who will scare us out of our seats and to the villains that will redefine evil.”

‘Shamshera’, which also stars Vaani

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Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt, has been directed

by Karan Malhotra and has been produced by Aditya Chopra under the banner of YRF. The trilingual film is arriving in cinemas on July 22 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

(IANS)

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FOOD

bon appétit

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Did you know:

Lemons contain pectin fibre which is beneficial for colon health. It also serves as a powerful antibacterial

Adding herbs to your tea is the best thing you could do

T

he cold winter season is all about hot tea. But the temperature comes with it its fair share of colds, coughs, and sneezes. How can avoid falling sick? Well, herbs can come to your rescue!

This winter

Tea is one of our favourite beverages, adding the power of herbs can do wonders.

To boost wellness throughout the rainy season, these wonder plants are simple to combine with our beloved cup of tea.

Here are a few herbs that add taste to tea and also look after your body: TURMERIC When it starts to rain, turmeric, which contains the strength of curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin, and bisdesmethoxycurcumin, can fortify the inner core of our bodies. Due of the herb's antibacterial characteristics, it can treat numerous infections that arise during the monsoon season. Turmeric tea has additional advantages for our weight loss programme.

TULSI In the realm of therapeutic herbs, Tulsi is a legendary rockstar. One cup of Tulsi blended tea will alleviate chest congestion, unclog our noses, and put an end to the illness. Vitamin A, D, iron, fibre, and other components found in tulsi help destroy bacteria and improve immunity. Additionally, tulsi is a fantastic herb for maintaining good oral and dental health.

SATAPARNA Mosquito population growth and malaria threat are both exacerbated by monsoon.

The ancient Sataparna tree is a potent herbal weapon in the fight against this illness. This herb, also referred to as white cheesewood, has potent antimalarial properties. The antipyretic effects of it can lower a fever.

Additionally, it can strengthen the body's overall resistance to malaria. Last but not least, it can aid in the relief of numerous skin issues as well as gastrointestinal pain.

GINGER While eating on the street during the rain may be highly attractive, the allure comes with a terrible case of stomach pain.

Because of this, adding ginger to our tea is a

fantastic idea! Ginger is a herb that enhances digestion and metabolism, which helps our gut function. It is also a great beverage for controlling nausea brought on by motion sickness or morning sickness.

HIBISCUS Hibiscus is a crucial ingredient to include in tea, especially when it rains, as it is rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and anthocyanin.

The herb keeps our internal immune system in equilibrium, thwarting the emergence of an unwelcome illness or infection.

Additionally, it contains a lot of antioxidant and antibacterial effects.

By Ekta Jain

In a first, states ranked for food & nutrition

NEW DELHI, Jul 5: In the first ever 'State Ranking Index' under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) released, Odisha has topped the list of general category states while Tripura topped the list of special category states.

no one goes hungry.

Odisha is followed by Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat in the general category states, while in the special category comprising the North-eastern states, Himalayan states, and Island regions, Tripura is followed by Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Nagaland.

It was released by Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Piyush Goyal at the conference of Food Ministers on the theme of 'Food & Nutrition Security of India'.

This ranking is generated by data provided by the states about their food and public distribution processes, vital for ensuring that

The ranking, that is based on the food and security index, has been generated for the first time. A similar exercise would be carried out every year.

"The Index has been developed with the objectives of creating an environment of competition, cooperation, and learning among the states; states learning from each other their best practices while addressing

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grave matters of food security and hunger," Goyal said.

The ranking will also help create transparency in the system to publish reliable and standard data in the public domain for citizens, the government said.

The conference also saw presentations from multiple states on their best practices.

Goyal lambasted the states that abstained from the conference, physically or virtually, and said: "It shows that the states are not serious about the important issue of food security."

(IANS)

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Healthy Eating Habits as You Age Stick to the Indian dietary thali & regular exercise Our Indian style of cooking uses everything from fruits and vegetables to legumes, all of which are necessary to consume to meet your nutritional needs. Some humble Indian recipes, such as khichadi and dalia with the addition of seasonal vegetables, are packed with nutrients and fibre and are ideal for maintaining the health of families, including the elderly with dental problems. About 33 per cent of adult men have a low body mass index (BMI) and therefore, while observing their diet it is also important to include aerobic exercises such as walking, cycling, swimming and resistance training such as lifting weights to burn calories, muscles and stay active.

Balance your nutrition with right supplements

A

s we age, the involuntary loss of muscle mass and muscle function has a major impact on quality of life. Based on research, muscle loss is faster in men than in women and can lead to a number of health problems.

While healthy eating and staying fit are essential at all stages of life, eating right is especially important for aging adults, as their bodies restrict what can and cannot be digested. Here are some tips for men to adopt healthy eating habits.

The Simplest Health Mantra: Eat Fresh The simplest mantra for healthy eating is to eat freshly prepared foods and fruits that are available in season. The diet should include regular foods, with fresh fruits and vegetables in their purest and most basic form being an essential part of the diet.

The Whole30 Diet The Whole30 diet, which has recently gained popularity, works on the principle that emphasises the need for whole foods in their natural form with minimal added ingredients.

This diet programme prohibits sugar in all its forms and recommends avoiding dairy products, grains, legumes, and all types of processed foods.

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A regular and balanced diet is essential to meet daily nutritional needs. However, there may be some nutritional gaps, which can fill these gaps with the help of supplements.

Even if you eat your serving of fruits and vegetables, you may still be deficient in vitamins and minerals, and these deficiencies can manifest themselves in a variety of minor ways, such as making the elderly weak, forgetful, or generally tired.

To fill these gaps, one can add a balanced supplement like Certain to increase muscle mass and energy, improve digestive health and boost immunity. For diabetics, a specific oral supplement like Career Diabetes Care works well between meals because it has a slow-release energy system to control blood sugar and help with weight management.

(IANSlife)

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DIET

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

Comparing

Oils and Fats

BY DEEVYA GUPTA

WHAT TO USE? A controversial topic for some as we look into the evidence for uses of different types of oils and fats. Research is always changing and as science evolves, the recommendations also evolve.

Some of the most common oils for cooking used by Indian’s include: • Ghee • Coconut oil • Mustard oil • Sunflower oil • Rapeseed oil • More recently Extra virgin olive oil WHAT OILS SHOULD I BE USING? The answer would be simple if we all cooked the same, however Indian cuisines and living abroad, we adapt to a variety of other cooking methods. This makes a difference in the types of oils and fats that are recommended to cook with. Certain fats can be heated up to a higher temperature and maintain their benefits, other fats not so much. Extra virgin olive oil is readily available in Australia and has very well-researched benefits. Extra virgin olive oil is best when used with salads, or drizzled on top of foods, rotis and vegetables however may not be as appealing when deep-frying puris and pakoras for some. Despite this, even at temperatures up to 190-200C degrees, extra virgin olive oil was found to maintain some nutrients.

Try and opt for unrefined oils as these

as not as processed. Ideally, we want to have more oils in our diet that are lower in saturated and trans fats as our body cannot break these down easily and higher in poly and monounsaturated fats as these are protective for our body.

Here are some facts: Indians have one of the highest rates of heart disease and chronic conditions in the world. Consumption of higher saturated fats such as ghee and coconut oil is commonly used for Indian cooking.

There is more research being done in this area, regarding ghee and its health effects including effects on cholesterol.

SHOULD I RE-USE THE OIL I HAVE ALREADY FRIED WITH? It is recommended to avoid reheating

and reusing the same oils that have already been used to fry foods with. There is ample research on the effects of reusing cooking oils, the oils breakdown with each use and release toxic substances which may cause inflammation and other chronic diseases.

Trans-fats usually form when oils are regularly reused, these fats are very difficult for the body to remove and increase the chances of heart disease. Overall, it’s best said to avoid reusing, however in the context of cooking it will all depend on how often and how much you use the oils.

WHAT CAN I DO TO REDUCE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FATS AND OILS USED? Consider other cooking methods. Deep frying uses the most oil however baking and air fryers use just a small fraction of this.

Many fried foods can actually also be made in the air fryer -even Gol gappe!

In summary: • Use unrefined oils wherever possible • Extra virgin olive oil is able to be used in cooking curries and hot food as well as salads • Consider other cooking methods to use less oils if you usually fry a lot of foods • Find a balance in everything you use, even if it means using a variety of oils and not too much of just one type.

Please note this advice is provided for the general population. Specific advice should be sought your from your health care provider or Dietitian. If you are needing a Dietitian, feel free to get in touch with us.

Deevya Gupta is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian in Melbourne | W: www.abcofnutrition.com.au

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RECIPE

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

47

Seafood Stew This healthy, delicious Seafood Stew is one pot casserole. Quick and easy to make, ideal for cold winter nights. The herbs and spices used in this recipe aren’t overpowering and allow you to appreciate the natural flavours and textures of the flaky fish and meaty prawns. If preferred, add a dash or two of Tabasco for a little extra kick.

Ingredients: • 500g firm white fish, cubed • 300g peeled raw prawns • 500g potatoes • 2 dried red chillies, deseeded • 1 large onion, chopped • 4-6 garlic cloves, chopped • 3 med tomatoes, chopped • 1 ½ tsp ground cumin

Method: • 1 -2 tsp paprika • Salt to taste • 1 tbsp. olive oil • 3 cups chicken stock • Juice 2 limes • 3 tbsp. coriander, chopped finely

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and salt and cook for 3 mins.

2. Break and deseed the dried chillies and add to saucepan along with the cumin, paprika and tomatoes. Stir to mix well.

3. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 mins.

4. Puree the stock mixture until very fine. Pour the mixture back into the pan and bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.

5. Gently add the fish, prawns and potatoes and stir. Cover and cook until tender, for about 10 mins.

6. Add the lime juice and chopped coriander.

7. Serve hot.

BY MANJIT SETHI

from the private collection

Variation

Add clams, mussels, squid or any of your favourite seafood

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Garnish:

with coriander and lime wedge

Serve:

serve with crusty bread roll, garlic bread or corn chips

48

ASTROLOGY

G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

By D. Narayan (Tantracharya) Mesha (Aries)

Vrishabh (Taurus)

There are practically no encouraging signs for your financial prospects this month. Most of you could well find yourselves working quite hard and struggling to realize your pending targets, and not getting anywhere because of a set of adverse circumstances. the time is not very good for expansion of operations or for the launching of new ventures.

The times are not favourable, and it would be best to maintain a low profile till the adverse spell is over.

There would be a fair amount of travel, which would, however, also fail to deliver according to expectations, though there is reason to expect some beneficial results from a sojourn towards the south. Contacts also would not be as helpful as usual. Therefore, it would be a good idea to rely mainly on your own skill and resources.

Overall, a month, during which you would have to be quite careful in handling difficult situations.

Simha (Leo)

Kanya (Virgo)

Best days: 3, 12, 30 Lucky Colour: Red, Orange, Cream

Best days: 9, 18, 27 Lucky Colour: Green, Blue

A month that promises favourable financial prospects.

Good fortune would further help some of you in that a partnership or a professional association with a member of the female sex would prove to be extremely beneficial.

Some of you would also have a way of handing your workers or subordinates in a manner that will enable you to derive optimum benefit from their services. This would be a big gain.

Career prospects are fairly bleak during the coming month. You would be working quite hard for relatively meagre return.

Travel also would not bring in gains you would look forward to though, here again, a sojourn, may bring in some advantages.

Contacts, too, would be unhelpful, and it would be a good idea to rely mainly on your own skill to handle difficult situations.

Dhanu (Sagittarius)

Makara (Capricorn)

Best days: 5,3 Lucky Colour: White & Orange

Best days: 3, 12 Lucky Colour: Orange, Green

The coming month is quite good for your career prospects. You may look forward to reaping expecting gains, though the effort put in by you would have to be much more than normal. Travel of short duration would also help in bettering your prospects. The working climate would also be quite pleasant with no trace of conflict. This would make work a pleasure, giving you much satisfaction.

This month you have a favourable combination of stars, which is out to help in your career advancement.

With little or no travel, and with the work-load lighter than usual, you would successfully carry out your pursuits and realize the expected gains. Those renowned in writing, painting, music, and the other fine arts would do exceedingly well.

Best days: 9, 18 Lucky Colour: Red, Blue

Best days: 1, 3, 4 Lucky Colour: White, Green, Blue

Mithuna (Gemini)

This month would bring excellent opportunities to promote yourself financially, since the stars appear to be in a fairly obliging mood. Existing operations would yield the anticipated gains and these would be realized in full.

Further, those planning fresh investments or new ventures should go ahead since the time is quite propitious for such a step. Those seeking loans from financial situations would succeed in their efforts.

Best days: 2, 7, 9 Lucky Colour: Red, White, Yellow

Tula (Libra)

M: 0425 660 220

Karkat (Cancer)

A month during which you would achieve fairly beneficial results financially, though not entirely without difficulties. Most of you would be able to derive most of your objectives and derive full profit from this success. Yet it is very likely that you would face some problems on the way. There are also some chances of delay.

But success is sure. Overall, a beneficial month.

Best days: 9, 18 Lucky Colour: Red, Blue

Vrishchik (Scorpio)

Despite the association of several gifted people of learning and spiritual stature, this month would be far from favourable for your financial prospects. There is every chance that most of you would have to struggle a great deal for your objectives, and yet not achieve much success in your efforts. The climate would also not be particularly favourable for investment and the launching of new ventures. These could get stuck up.

A month of fairly beneficial results which would help you in your professional attainments.

Any sojourn to the south would be particularly beneficial. There is also a distinct possibility of deriving substantial gains through a favour done to you by some female colleague or associate.

There would also be a lot of work, but this would tend to be a pleasure because of an excellent working climate.

Kumbha (Aquarius)

Meen (Pisces)

Best days: 9, 18 Lucky Colour: Red, Blue

There is very little of an encouraging nature in the stars this month for your professional prospects.

Despite a lot of hard work, there is little likelihood of realizing expected gains. In fact, you would find it hard to get things done, with subordinates not being very compliant, and superiors uncooperative.

Such leadership qualities as you possess, may not be of much use in carrying out your tasks.Lucky Colors – White, Green & Blue.

Best days: 5, 3, 6 Lucky Colour: White, Green

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Best days: 1, 3, 4 Lucky Colour: Red, Orange

There is nothing particularly encouraging about your financial prospects this month. Most of you would have to struggle quite a bit to realize planned objectives and even after this, may achieve little success.

Artists of all descriptions would do well to make allowances for a lean period, because such a provision would come in handy this month.

The period ahead is not favourable and, therefore, you should maintain a low profile till this spell is over.

Best days: 2, 7, 9 Lucky Colour: Red, Yellow, White

Have a laug h

HAVE A LAUGH

MANAGEMENT

Gabbar Singh was a MANAGEMENT GURU as is reflected in some of the timeless management lessons he delivered through the movie Sholay.

1. Jo Darr Gaya - Samjho Mar Gaya!

Courage and enterprise are important factors for laying the successful foundation of a growthoriented business.

2. Kitne Admi Theh...??

It's important to know the competition and its size. He understood that even a small team can make a difference.

3. Arey O Sambha, Kitna Inaam Rakhe Hai Sarkar Hum Par? Know your market value. Promoting one's own brand is very important and to be reiterated always.

4. Goli 6 Aur Aadmi 3!

Create an illusion where his subordinates had a chance of survival but kills them in the next scene.

Moral - Perform or perish.

5. Le Ab Goli Kha Sometimes in the interest of the organisation you have to take hard and unpopular decisions....

So sometimes a leader has to 'fire' some employees.

6. Yeh Ramgarh Waale Apni Betiyon Ko Kaunsi Chakki Ka Aata Khilate Hai Re. Market research is important to understand value propositions!!

7. Yeh Haath Mujhey Dedey Thakur.

Identify elements of threats in the market and take measures to minimise them.

8. Holi Kab Hai, Kab Hai Holi ?

Conduct advance mapping of key events within the industry and devise penetration strategy to have a competitive edge over your rivals. and very important....

9. Basanti, Naach!

Motivate your team through rewards beyond just salary and bonus Interestingly written.

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G’DAY INDIA | JUL 2022

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