CREATOR OF EXPERIENCES
Arun Chandran’s world that aims to unravel hidden facets of world beauty
ECHOES OF THANJAVUR
HEADHUNTING TO BEATBOXING
AR Rahman backed documentary to premiere at IFFM 2024
POST T20 WORLD CUP WIN
India Looks to Future without Kohli,
G’DAY INDIA PTY LTD
CALL: TONEE SETHI
Tel: (03) 9841 6263
Mob: 0412 114 383
Email: info@gdayindia.com.au
Postal Address: PO BOX 1500, Doncaster East, VIC, 3109
Editor in Chief: Tonee Sethi E: editor@gdayindia.com.au
Advertising: Amandeep Sethi E: info@gdayindia.com.au
Contributors:
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:
MELBOURNE, Jul 8: The final countdown is on to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games for Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) athletes, with final preparations taking place at Melbourne’s high-performance sport institute before they set off for France.
Minister for Jobs and Industry Natalie Hutchins joined VIS Chief Executive Officer Anne-Marie Harrison to wish a host of local Olympians and Paralympians well as they complete their training at Lakeside Stadium in Albert Park.
With the 2024 Paris Olympics under a month away and the 2024 Paris Paralympics beginning a month after that, these final training sessions could prove crucial for the more than 85 VIS athletes who will represent Victoria and Australia on the world stage.
Backed by the Allan Labor Government, the VIS supports and develops Victorian athletes with the resources, services and facilities they need to pursue and achieve excellence in sport at the highest level.
That’s why we’ve invested an additional $32.7 million over the next four years in the VIS through the Victorian Budget 2024/25
– boosting the Labor Government’s total investment in the VIS to more than $58 million over the next four years to recognise the vital role the institute plays in nurturing the state’s top athletes.
This investment will support the expansion of VIS programs and services so that more of our sporting stars choose to stay in Victoria when they train for gold medal moments.
Catherine Skinner will be looking to follow up here incredible gold medal winning performance in the trap shooting at the Rio De Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games and heptathlete Celeste Mucci will run for glory in the hurdles.
Both making their Olympic debuts in Paris, Para athlete Reece Langdon and archer Laura Paeglis will represent their state and country on the world stage – with Reece holding the Australian record for the T38 1500 metre.
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games will be held between Friday, 26 July – Sunday, 11 August 2024 and the Paralympic Games will be held between Wednesday, 28 August –Sunday, 8 September 2024.
(MEDIA RELEASE)
MELBOURNE, Jul 4: The Australian Open – the country’s most prestigious golfing tournament – will return to Melbourne, cementing Victoria’s title as the major events and sporting capital thanks to the Allan Labor Government.
Acting Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Ros Spence announced that the Australian Open will be co-hosted at Kingston Heath and Victoria Golf Clubs from Thursday, 28 November to Sunday, 1 December 2024.
The Australian Open is the most prestigious golf tournament in the Australasian region, and over its storied history has been won by some of the most famous names in the sport including Jack Nicklaus, Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy, Karrie Webb, Laura Davies and Nelly Korda.
Supported by the Labor Government, the 2024 Australian Open will see some of the world’s best golfers return to take part in the tournament’s innovative format that showcases elite men, women and all abilities golf in the same tournament, over two courses.
This epic event will showcase the Sandbelt on the global stage, with more than 520 million people from across the globe tuning in to last year’s broadcast event, helping to promote Victoria to the world.
The tournament is backing Victoria’s unrivalled major events calendar and reinforces our leadership position in major events and golf tourism – cemented when the Presidents Cup comes to Kingston Heath in 2028.
The Australian Open golf tournament joins a long list of premier events held in Victoria – the major events capital of Australia - including the Australian Open tennis, Formula 1 Grand Prix, MotoGP, AFL Grand Final, Spring Racing Carnival and the Boxing Day Test.
The Australian Open will flow on from Victoria’s stellar calendar of sporting and cultural events this winter, including Wallabies vs Wales, the RISING festival and NGV’s Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition, Pharaohand Australian Diamonds netball Tests that will be played in Bendigo and Melbourne later this year.
Victoria’s jam-packed calendar of major events injected a record $39.3 billion into the state’s economy during the year ending March 2024 - boosting local jobs, businesses and attracting thousands of visitors to Melbourne.
For more information about the 2024 Australian Open visit golf.org.au/ausopen.
MELBOURNE, Jul 7: In an Australian first, the Allan Labor Government is helping more Victorians invest in a wide range of renewable technologies to achieve cheaper power bills and an all-electric home.
Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio announced the projects that will be funded as part of the Residential Electrification Grants program, helping households make the switch to all-electric and slash their energy bills.
By phasing out expensive fossil gas and going all-electric, households can slash around $1,400 per year off their energy bills or up to $2,700 if paired with solar panels.
More than $4 million will be delivered to seven approved providers to deliver 1,875 solar and 1,545 hot water rebates which will reduce the upfront costs of installing solar and energy efficient heat pumps.
Successful projects will help provide more comfortable, cheaper all-electric homes across the state, including for first homeowners, aged care residents and vulnerable customers.
The program also supports local manufacturing and technologies that back Victorian workers and manufacturing jobs.
More Victorians are starting the journey
to making their home all-electric. In Solar Victoria's recent customer surveys, 69 per cent of respondents said that they are keen to or have been thinking about transitioning to an all-electric home, while 13 per cent have already fully transitioned thanks to Solar Victoria’s rebates and loans.
Since 2018, Solar Victoria has provided
more than 350,000 rebates and loans to households across the state to install solar panels, energy efficient hot water systems, and solar battery systems.
For more information on the Residential Electrification Grants program, visit solar.vic. gov.au/electrification-grants
MELBOURNE, Jul 9: Treasurer and Minister for Economic Growth Tim Pallas has embarked on an intensive two-week trip to North America to promote Victoria’s robust economy, trade and investment opportunities.
The Treasurer is travelling to the United States and Canada to engage with key investors and government counterparts in the region, including major pension funds, ratings agencies and companies supporting our bilateral trade and investment.
The United States is Victoria’s largest source of foreign direct investment valued at $1.2 billion in 2022-23 – and second largest trading partner, with total two-way merchandise trade in 2022-23 valued at $17.3 billion.
Victoria’s trade and investment relationship is supported by the AustraliaUnited States Free Trade Agreement and diplomatic partnerships including the Quad and AUKUS.
Canada is an increasingly important source of foreign direct investment in Victoria with two-way merchandise trade valued at $1 billion in 2022-23.
While in the US, the Treasurer will meet with global credit ratings agencies including Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch to discuss global credit trends and promote Victoria’s strong economy and qualities as a leading financial services and global
investment destination.
The Treasurer will also attend engagements to discuss supply chain opportunities for Victorian manufacturing companies, as well as meetings to explore future workforce and skills development and drive the state’s thriving innovation ecosystem.
Canadian pension funds are some of the largest in the world and have made significant investments in Australia. In Canada, meetings are scheduled with Canadian pension funds including the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan Board and Ontario Municipal Employees’ Retirement System.
Victoria’s economy grew by 9.1 per cent over the past two years, stronger than
Victoria’s business investment grew by more than 13 per cent last year, the largest increase of all the states, and almost 6 percentage points higher than in the rest of Australia.
(MEDIA RELEASE)
New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) The government on Thursday announced successful grants under the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) to five Indian organisations for their projects in emerging technologies. This year, the AISRF funding went to five projects across various disciplines, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, biotechnology, urban mining and electronic waste recycling, ultra low-cost
solar and clean hydrogen technologies.
The recipients are -- Punjab Remote Sensing Centre, Ludhiana; IIT-Delhi, IITBombay; IISc Bangalore and AbGenics Life Sciences Pvt Ltd in Pune.
These projects were selected through a rigorous evaluation process, ensuring they met the highest standards of scientific excellence and have the potential for significant impact, said the Ministry of Science and Technology.
“I feel collaboration is crucial in this modern era to address critical global challenges and in fostering sustainable development. The AISRF is a testament to the enduring partnership between India and Australia,” said Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology.
“While reinforcing our commitment to build
a vibrant innovation ecosystem with Australia, I congratulate all the researchers involved with these projects for a prosperous and sustainable future,” Dr Singh added.
The AISRF is a bilateral programme that supports collaborative research projects between Australia and India.
It aims to strengthen the scientific relationship between the two countries and address common challenges through joint research efforts.
“From tougher strains of bacteria to e-waste and AI, our bilateral research partnership puts Australia’s brightest minds to creating better solutions for the world’s ongoing and emerging challenges,” said Ed Husic, Minister for Industry and Science, Australia.
“The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund has delivered more than 360 collaborative research projects in the last 18 years, ensuring our nation’s universities and research institutions have remained at the forefront of global research,” Husic added.
NEW DELHI, Jul 5: Cricket Australia has announced a record-breaking surge in ticket sales from India for the upcoming BorderGavaskar Trophy series. The excitement surrounding the fierce rivalry between India and Australia has led to a record-breaking six times increase, compared to last season, in the number of tickets bought by fans in India. The Boxing Day Test has seen a tenfold increase in ticket sales to Indian purchasers compared to 2018/19 at the same time.
“We are thrilled to see so many Indian fans planning to travel to Australia for the BorderGavaskar Trophy series. They can expect a very warm welcome here. We are committed to providing an enjoyable and memorable experience for everyone attending, and we’re confident this series will be remembered for many years to come,” said Joel Morrison, General Manager of Events & Operations at Cricket Australia
Adding a unique touch to the experience, Cricket Australia is introducing Indian Fan Zones for the first time in a Test series in Australia. These specially designed zones aim to create a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere
for Indian supporters, fostering a sense of community and celebration among fans at all venues during the series.
Additionally, there has been a strong demand from corporate groups travelling from India, particularly for Hospitality and Premium Experience packages for the Boxing Day Test.
The highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy will kick off with the First Test from November 22 to 26 at Perth Stadium in Perth, a day match setting the stage for the series. The Second Test will be played from December 6 to 10 at Adelaide Oval, featuring a thrilling day-night format under the stadium's lights. Fans will then turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane, where the Third Test will take place from December 14 to 18 during the day.
The series will reach a crescendo with the traditional Boxing Day Test, scheduled for December 26 to 30 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne. The series will culminate with the Fifth Test from January 3 to 7 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, promising an intense finish to what is expected to be a gripping contest.
(IANS)
NEW DELHI, Jul 4: India and Australia reviewed a range of issues pertaining to bilateral defence cooperation with a clear
focus on closer collaboration between the two countries in the Indo-Pacific region. "We place great value on the India-
Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said after a telephonic conversation with Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, who also holds the Defence portfolio.
Australia considers India a top-tier security partner in its National Defence Strategy document, which was released in 2024.
The Indian Defence Ministry said that both ministers noted the "transformative progress" in defence cooperation under the comprehensive strategic partnership, and appreciated the momentum achieved in the ties since the last India-Australia 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, which the two ministers attended in November 2023.
Richard Marles congratulated Rajnath Singh for taking charge as the Defence Minister for a second consecutive term and appreciated the functioning of the Indian democratic system wherein people voted in large numbers.
He also congratulated Rajnath Singh on Team India winning the T20 World Cup.
MOSCOW, Jul 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India, having always stood on the side of peace, is ready to assist Russia in any possible way to establish peace in the region.
"Yesterday, at your residence, we had a wonderful opportunity to spend four or five hours. We discussed all the issues in a
homely atmosphere, and I am very glad that on the topic of Ukraine, we exchanged opinions in an open manner, respected each other's opinions, and talked calmly," said PM Modi while making his opening remarks during the bilateral with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Grand Kremlin Palace.
While highlighting India-Russia friendship, his personal camaraderie with the Russian leader, his several visits to Russia and 22 summits between the two countries over the past 25 years, he said that the whole world is currently watching with great interest his ongoing visit to Moscow.
"As your friend, I always tell you that peace is necessary for the bright future of our future generations. That is why we believe that war is not a solution. There can be no solution through war. Bombs, missiles and rifles cannot ensure peace, which is why we emphasise
dialogue, and dialogue is necessary," PM Modi remarked.
He added that, during his informal talks with Putin at the latter's residence in NovoOgaryovo on Monday, some "very interesting ideas and completely new views" have emerged.
"I am very glad that yesterday we had such an informal conversation, and you expressed your opinion very openly, without any colouring... Let's take war, any conflict or terrorist acts: any person who believes in humanity feels pain when people die, and especially when innocent children die. When we feel such pain, the heart simply explodes, and I had the opportunity to talk about these issues with you yesterday," Prime Minister Modi mentioned.
PM Modi reiterated New Delhi's stance that no solution can ever be arrived at the cost of human lives and that escalation of hostilities and violence is in no one's interest.
"Yesterday we also agreed to establish peace as soon as possible and we are ready to assist in any way in this regard. I have heard your position, your positive views and thoughts. And I can assure you that India has always been on the side of peace. When I listened to you, I felt optimistic and hopes for the future arose. So, I want to thank you for that," he said.
NEW DELHI, Jul 4: A new global survey has ranked India among the top three most optimistic nations, along with Singapore and Indonesia, based on the economic outlook of the people interviewed across various countries.
The Ipsos "What Worries the World" survey for June states that as many as 69 per cent of surveyed Indians believe their country is moving in the right direction, a sentiment echoed by 79 per cent in Singapore and 70 per cent in Indonesia. This stands in stark contrast to the global average, where only 38 per cent of citizens share this positive outlook.
The survey found that 38 per cent of urban Indians cite inflation as their top worry, followed closely by unemployment at 35 per cent. However, there has been a notable decrease in anxiety levels compared to the previous survey, with worry about inflation dropping by 3 per cent and unemployment by a significant 9 per cent.
Globally, the picture is far gloomier. Inflation (33 per cent) and crime and violence (30 per cent) emerged as the top concerns, followed by poverty and social inequality (29 per cent),
unemployment (27 per cent), and financial and political corruption (25 per cent).
The survey was conducted between May 24, 2024 and June 7, 2024, through the Ipsos online panel system among 25,520 adults in 29 countries. The sample consists of approximately 1,000 individuals in several countries, including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, and Canada, while approximately 500 individuals were surveyed in India, Argentina, Chile, Indonesia, and Israel among others.
Commenting on India's optimistic outlook,
mitigating the impact of global economic headwinds.
He mentioned measures taken by the government to control fuel prices and inflation, India's emergence as the world's fifth-largest economy and its growing influence on the global stage through forums like BRICS and G7 Summit as factors leading to the positive outlook for the future among Indian citizens.
NEW DELHI, Jul 3: As the world leaders aim to control artificial intelligence (AI) and the user harms associated with it, India and Japan will work together in order to achieve safe, secure and trustworthy AI, said Japanese Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination (Internal Affairs), Hiroshi Yoshida.
Lauding India’s prowess in the technology field, especially AI, Yoshida said they are delighted that India is one of the first countries to announce its participation in AI and how to harness its true potential.
“We believe India and Japan together, with all the other members, are working closely together to achieve
safe, secure and trustworthy AI around the world,” he said during the ‘Global IndiaAI Mission 2024’ summit in the national capital.
“By working together, Japan and India can contribute further to the responsible development, deployment and use of AI in the world,” Yoshida noted.
The two-day event is hosted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to discuss issues related to AI with India firmly committed to the ethical and inclusive growth of AI.
Yoshida echoed the importance of secure and trustworthy AI at the event, which is being attended by global leaders, and AI researchers from at least 50 countries.
"Japan is convinced that India's AI initiatives will create synergy with the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI). We've been advocating for a safety code and guidelines to mitigate risks like misinformation and intellectual property protection," Yoshida emphasised.
(IANS)
BENGALURU, Jun 19: NV Raghuram, yoga teacher of Indian astronaut Rakesh Sharma and the founder of Yoga Bharati, on Wednesday revealed that yoga made Sharma "fearless and more adaptable than any other astronaut" in his team.
He was sharing some of Sharma's encounters in space at a conference on 'Yoga for Space' here.
The Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy (CCRYN), in collaboration with Svyasa, organised the conference at S-Vyasa University, Bengaluru, to mark the 10th edition of International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2024.
The conference's focus was on the convergence of experts from various fields to enhance society, including astronauts.
According to Ministry of AYUSH, these initiatives aim to raise awareness in society and promote vigorous yoga practice, recognising that a healthy individual fosters a healthy society, as proclaimed by the theme of ‘IDY 2024’.
Dr Raghavendra Rao, Director of the Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy, Delhi, shed light on the inclusivity and diversity inherent in the IDY journey, showcasing yoga practices in extreme conditions on land, in the ocean, and throughout a day spanning from Japan to California,
culminating in the exploration of yoga in space with this conference.
Dr BR Ramakrishnan, ProChancellor of S-Vyasa University, spoke about the amalgamation of ancient wisdom with space science, stressing the convergence of the best from the East and the West.
This year's IDY celebrations will be held in Srinagar, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again at the helm.
In the last 10 years, IDY has set four Guinness Book of World Records.
As a special initiative, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will organise 'Yoga for Space' to mark the 'IDY 2024'. All scientists and officials of ISRO will perform yoga together as per guidelines.
(IANS)
Celebrating the best of Indian cinema and fostering cultural exchange through the universal language of film.
The Awards Night is always a coveted date on the events calendar, where audiences can step into the world of Bollywood glitz and glamour for an unforgettable night. The spectacular celebration is graced by India's brightest luminaries, acclaimed filmmakers, and a dazzling array of celebrities. IFFM’s fabulous Awards Night will highlight some of the greatest films in the business, from compelling stories to striking cinematography, bringing the spirit of Bollywood to Melbourne.
The star-studded event will see filmmakers honoured with seven award categories. The gala will showcase captivating dance routines and musical presentations, highlighted by stunning performances from local artists.
Tickets to the prestigious Awards Night are on sale on ticketmaster.com with a 20% off early-bird ticket price for those who get in quickly.
The Awards Night is always a coveted date on the events calendar, where audiences can step into the world of Bollywood glitz and glamour for an unforgettable night. The spectacular celebration is graced by India's brightest luminaries, acclaimed filmmakers, and a dazzling array of celebrities. IFFM’s fabulous Awards Night will highlight some of the greatest films in the business, from compelling stories to striking cinematography, bringing the spirit of Bollywood to Melbourne.
The star-studded event will see filmmakers honoured with seven award categories. The gala will showcase captivating dance routines and musical presentations, highlighted by stunning performances from local artists.
Tickets to the prestigious Awards Night are on sale on ticketmaster.com with a 20% off early-bird ticket price for those who get in quickly.
Entries for IFFM Dance Competition are now open, the highly anticipated IFFM Dance Competition is happening on the 17th of August. Whether you're a solo dancer, part of a duo, or have a crew ready to set the stage on fire, this is your chance to shine. Show off your style, creativity, and passion for dance as you compete for the title and amazing prizes. Don't miss out on the opportunity to be a part of this exciting event where talent takes centre stage. Register now and let your dance speak louder than your words!
Music maestro AR Rahman serves as a producer on 'Headhunting to Beatboxing'. Interestingly, the documentary is now all set to be screened at the upcoming edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM).
Excited about the film's premiere at IFFM, Rahman said, "The film is very special to us, as it throws light on the beautiful state of Nagaland and highlights the rich cultural and musical history it contains. Rohit and I are looking forward to the premiere and showcasing it to the audiences in Melbourne."
The film explores the fascinating journey in Nagaland, of rhythm and sound, tracing
the evolution of music across cultures, tribes and generations. From the ancient traditions of headhunting tribes to the musical renaissance in the state (Nagaland).
Directed by Rohit Gupta and produced by AR Rahman, 'Headhunting to Beatboxing' will premiere at the festival, where it is also competing for the best documentary film award.
Director Rohit also expressed excitement over the film's screening at IFFM.
"We are honoured to be selected in competition at IFFM. I feel the narrative holds global relevance, along with the incredible healing power of music. The film has been
painstakingly made over 5 years and I am excited to see the audience's reactions to it and for them to explore the rich cultural and musical tapestry of Nagaland. Especially to hear a completely new sound coming from India," Rohit shared.
Mitu Bhowmick Lange, IFFM Festival Director, added, "When we saw the documentary, we knew there was something special about it. We are delighted to have the world premiere of the film at IFFM and have Dr Rahman and filmmaker Rohit Gupta present it to our audiences."
IFFM 2024 will take place from August 15 to August 25.
Mitu is a key figure in film and cultural events, notably as the founder and director of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM). Her efforts have made IFFM a globally recognised platform for Indian cinema, showcasing everything from mainstream Bollywood to independent and regional films. Mitu's leadership emphasises cultural exchange, inclusivity, and collaboration, turning the festival into a hub for filmmakers and enthusiasts worldwide. Beyond IFFM, she champions Indian arts globally, fostering connections between Indian filmmakers and international audiences, significantly boosting the global recognition of Indian cinema.
Remote witnessing of NOIM form – Marriage
amended
The Marriage Act has been amended to provide couples with the option to have their Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) witnessed remotely, via audio-visual link, as well as in person. The requirements for authorised witnesses will remain unchanged and location-dependent. To be clear, celebrant cannot witness online a NOIM for a person or couple outside Australia.
It is great to see that remote witnessing is now here to stay – this will be a great advantage to the celebrant’s role. This is almost the same as it was during COVID. In a nutshell, NOIMs can now be witnessed in person or via videoconferencing means.
If the couple is in Australia, then the person remotely witnessing the NOIM, which can include an authorised celebrant must also be in Australia. Here is list of authorities who can witness a NOIM in Australia: An Authorised Celebrant, Justice of the Peace, Barrister or Solicitor, a member of the Australian Federal Police or the police
force of a State or Territory, and a medical practitioner. This means a person who is registered as a licensed practitioner with the Medical Board of Australia. The category is limited to GPs and specialist doctors, but does not include pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists or dentists. If the couple is outside Australia, the authorised witness which cannot be a celebrant must also be outside Australia. The list include: A Notary Public, an Australian Diplomatic Officer, an Australian Consular Officer, an employee of the Commonwealth and an employee of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission authorised under the Consular Fees Act 1955.
NEW DELHI, Jul 5: It is a moment of immense pride for 1.5 billion Indians that for the first time in the history of independent India, a Hindi film based on "Socio-Economic" issues has been officially invited for screening at LISD, Oxford University Club. The film "Nafisa" directed by Kumar Neeraj has attracted the attention of audiences from all over the world due to its content and its humanitarian theme. The documentation of precedence for legal work have been compiled by Dr. Abhinav Kumar Shrivastava. Audiences from all over the world are eagerly waiting to watch the screening of the film Nafisa. Let us tell you that the teaser of director Kumar Neeraj's film "NAFISAA", based on the sexual harassment incident in Muzaffarpur Shelter Home in Bihar, has increased a lot of curiosity among the audience.
Some scenes and dialogues of the teaser released on Riddhima Records are so sharp that the audience is stunned to see it.
This teaser showing the truth of the Muzaffarpur Balika Grih incident of Bihar has shocked the audience. The story of the pain and suffering of its victims is now going to be presented on the big screen soon. Writer-
director Kumar Neeraj's film "NAFISAA" presented by Spark Media is produced by Vaishali Dev and Bina Shah. Its co-producers are Naseem Ahmed Khan and Khushboo Singh. Its cameraman is Najeeb Khan of Sunny Deol's film Gadar fame. And the Choreographer is Ganesh Acharya.
This film reminding us of the painful incident of Muzaffarpur has Rajveer Singh, Akshay Verma, Nishad Raj Rana, Anamika Pandey, Nazneen Patni, Manisha Thakur, Divya Tyagi, Anil Kumar Yadav, Jai Shukla, etc.
BY GURPAL SINGH
The company is the most acceptable mode of business operating in the present-day enterprise. Most of us are otherwise aware that a company carries an independent identity of its own, is a person in the eyes of law who is capable of sue and being sued in its own name. The shareholders and the directors of the company are different from the company although they hold the stake in the formation of the company, the business of the company an managing its routine management to the final closure generally called winding up of the company.
The most important communication with the company is directed to its registered office which as seen from practical practice, is the office address of the accountant given the task of filing relevant papers on behalf of company and receiving the most important correspondence on behalf of the company. It is further seen that the registered address and the principal place of the business of a company are situated differently. The people concerned with the day to day running of the company attend to the principal place of the business, however, don’t go to the registered office of the company. The accountant remains responsible for the attendance of company’s affairs which require the communication or correspondence including various legal letters of demand to be sent at the registered place of the company.
In a normal routine, the company would receive different demands for payment of the monies. Some demands are sent at the principal place of business in routine. Such demand may require the compliance or payment of an invoice or otherwise compliance within a stipulated time which in normal business practice may vary from 7 days to 30 days depending on the individual case.
One such demand is knowns as ‘creditors statutory demand’ under section 459E of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). I request all the business holders who operate their business in a corporate structure must be cautious and careful about the creditors’ statutory demand which requires a company to pay the specified debt or more than one debt. The creditors’ statutory demand must be in writing and a prescribed form and must be signed by the creditor. and verified by way of an affidavit of the appropriate person, seeking the
company to pay the amount of debt or the total amount of the debts to the reasonable satisfaction of the creditor within the statutory period after the demand is served on the company. The demand for payment of the debt can be owed to the person as an assignee and may relate to a liability even under the provisions of Income Tax Assessment Act 1936.
The creditors’ statutory demand requires the company served with the demand as per the rules to comply with the demand and pay the debt within 21 days of the service. If the company believes that the debt is disputed and / or the creditors’ statutory demand was drawn or served in a defective manner, the only legit recourse available to such company is to make an application in accordance with the provisions of s459G of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
The company may apply to the Court for an order setting aside a statutory demand served on the company if it believes that there is a genuine dispute between the company and the creditor about the existence or the amount of a debt to which the demand relates and/or the company has an offsetting claim. Such application for setting aside the demand is strictly required to be made with in statutory period, is to be accompanied by the affidavit requiring
proper description of the dispute or inherent defect in the service of the demand.
The most important aspect of the creditors’ statutory demand which every entrepreneur must know is the technical dimensions and expectation of strict compliance of the law. Firstly, the creditors statutory demand is served on the registered office rather than the principal place of business. Such address generally is an accountant’s office This implies that your accountant cannot miss the letter or go on a vacation leaving the office closed for few weeks. Secondly, the action must be taken within 21 days and from action we mean challenging the demand in the court which has been defined being a Federal Court of Australia or the Supreme Court of the particular state where the company was registered.
If no action is taken within 21 days by challenging the creditors’ statutory demand, it will be assumed that the company had no capacity to pay and the company was trading insolvent. We have seen such situation happen by a mere lazy approach of the people supposed to take the steps in this regard. The creditors’ statutory demand acts as a death warrant for the company and may result in a very expensive court litigation by mere negligence in challenging the same within the stipulated time.
Cold winter has set in and our hot cuppas are ready to warm us, but if you are looking for something to warm your hearts then walk down the alley of time with the Thanjavur Rhythms, a Sindhubhairavi Centre for Indian Arts and Culture’s presentation with artists Sridhar Chari and Chandana Brijesh presenting solo Mridangam and solo Bharatanatyam.
The uniqueness of the Thanjavur Parampara
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, a beautiful place in southern India, has been a cultural hub for centuries, patronised by various dynasties including the Cholas, Nayakas, and Marathas. Scholarly discourses backed by royal patronage helped in the shaping of a distinctive tradition.
The Thanjavur Parampara of music and dance holds a unique and revered place in the cultural heritage of India, particularly in the realms of Carnatic music.
To understand further, we asked Sridhar about the unique characteristics of the Thanjavur style in Mridangam. He shared, “it is known for its emphasis on complex rhythmic patterns, intricate gamakas (ornamentations) oriented by nadam or the sounds, where the rhythms camouflage with the sounds that emanate from the instrument.” He also emphasised on the rich cholkattu or the vocal percussions of rhythmic syllables which when recited feel like playing Mridangam itself.
Beyond its regional significance, the Thanjavur Parampara has exerted a profound influence on the wider Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam traditions, shaping pedagogical methods, performance aesthetics, and repertoire choices globally.
“Bharatanatyam from Thanjavur is noted for its technical precision, expressive abhinaya (interpretation of emotions), and intricate footwork (adavus). The Tanjavur
Quartet or the four brothers from Tanjavur (Thanjavur) significantly contributed to the development and popularisation of Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form of South India. The brothers - Chinnaiah, Ponniah, Sivanandam, and Vadivelu - lived during the 18th and early 19th centuries. They codified and structured Bharatanatyam by systematising its repertoire, composing numerous dance pieces (padams and varnams), and refining its technique and presentation. Their contributions laid the foundation for the modern Bharatanatyam repertoire and pedagogy, shaping its stylistic conventions and influencing generations of dancers and choreographers” shared Chandana.
While preserving its core principles, the Thanjavur Parampara has also adapted to modern contexts, incorporating new themes, compositions, and choreographic innovations. This adaptability has ensured
its relevance and vibrancy in contemporary times.
Shridhar Chari, a leading Mridangist, is a known name in the Indian classical fraternity in Melbourne. However, when speaking about this performance he shared, “Mridangam in its current form was basically established in Thanjavur. This is the first time in Melbourne that I will be presenting for a good 45 minutes on the rich Thanjavur traditions in Mridangam moving from slow to fast tempo with some of the extraction from my Guru’s padhaantram (lessons), his guru’s padhaantram and extending it beyond”. The Tanjavur style of Mridangam playing has ancient roots and is associated with the musical legacy which flourished under the patronage of the Maratha rulers of the Tanjavur province of India during the 18th and 19th centuries.
This style is characterised by its unique tonal quality, intricate rhythmic patterns, and nuanced playing techniques. It emphasises a melodic approach to percussion, with a focus on intricate rhythmic compositions (known as korvais and nadais) and improvisation within the framework of the Carnatic music system. Sridhar also added, “Mridangam playing can also be adopted beyond the Carnatic system. It can also be adapted to other rhythmic structures like Chenda form from Kerala or narrating syllables of Tabla through Mridangam.”
– the dance segment of the concert, Chandana will be presenting three traditional Kavutwams – which are invocatory dance pieces unique to Thanjavur style and were performed in the temples by the dancers of the royal court.
She will also be presenting a Varnam, a central and elaborate piece that combines expressive dance (abhinaya) with complex rhythmic patterns (nritta). She shares, “the composition ‘danike’ by Thanjavur Sivanandam, which was performed by the well-known royal dancer, Mannargudi Meenakshi for Serfoji II, the Maratha king of Thanjavur will be restaged for the first time in Melbourne.” When asked about Shridhar Chari’s ties with the Thanjavur traditions, he shared about his lineage. He spoke about Pitamha of Mridangam or Father of Mridangam, Thanjavur Vaidyanathan Iyer who created a unique pedagogy and concert playing format for Mridangam and setting up of its rhythmic structures which was different from his forerunners
music. This pedagogy of Mridangam is followed till date. Further he added, “I am honoured that I learnt from Umayalpuram Sivaraman, who learnt from Thanjavur Vaidyanatha Iyer and his primary disciple Palghat Mani Iyer. Likewise, Chandana shared that she is also an offshoot of this beautiful Thanjavur traditions. She is the disciple of Guru Dr. Padmaja Suresh, a disciple of Guru Padmasri K. Kalyanasundaram Pillai who was the direct lineage of the Thanjavur Quartet.
Offering a tribute to their gurus and the rich traditions of Thanjavur, the two artists have come together to ensure the continuing of the authenticity in Thanjavur artistic expression while preserving its cultural integrity, historical significance, and unique aesthetic qualities that have evolved over generations. Enriching the cultural landscape, this event will surely contribute to the diversity and vibrancy of Melbourne's arts scene.
By Sanchita Abrol
Event details
THE TANJAVUR RHYTHMS
Date: 21st JULY 2024
Time: 5.00 pm to 7.30 pm (Includes a 15-min intermission)
Venue: Doncaster Secondary College Auditorium, 123 Church Rd., Doncaster VIC 3108
Tickets: - https://www.trybooking.com/ events/landing/1213485
Growing up in the sleepy foothills of Ooty, a wonder-eyed Arun Chandran spent many a night being enthralled by his father’s love for astronomy and telescopes. Fast forward to over three decades later, and Arun now runs a community of over forty thousand members who join his passion for exploring new destinations and experiences. This has been an organic self-discovery of a gentleman whose life journey began like any other child’s – with the quest for a good education.
After having moved to Bengaluru in his formative years, Chandran completed his
Bachelors in Computer Engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University before pursuing his first job with Infosys. As well as the IT tropes that continue to hold him in good stead, this employment also helped him get rid of his shyness, he explains – for in those long bus rides to and from the office, he made a new friend enroute every day. He spent a little over six years climbing the corporate wall, after which he made the gutsy decision to take a career break to harness a growing passion for world travel. A conscientious young lad, he determinedly self-funded his travel
through his savings from the job and a side hustle he harboured in search engine optimization and online content generation.
In 2015, Arun moved bag and baggage to Australia. In his bag were a valuable MBA degree from Taiwan and a priceless camera that then gave birth to his dream venture of creating ‘Explore Melbourne’ with a vision to create a vibrant community where people could come together and explore the hidden gems of Melbourne and its surrounds in a friendly and safe manner.
From modest beginnings that were also briefly marred by impostors attempting to hijack his brand name and offerings, Chandran has made leaps and bounds to the point of successfully conducting over two thousand events. To top it all, he has taken his venture to international zeniths, proudly hosting travel for his members to several countries across the globe from Japan to Iceland. “It is the ethics and the warmth that keeps them coming back,” he says. “Our group has strict principles to be adhered to. We will go the distance to ensure you have an experience of a lifetime. You (the group members) do your bit by remembering to respect your fellow group members and to follow your boundaries.”
One of his signature events, which
he is widely known for, is tracking the Milky Way and photographing his customers under the white sheet of stars in various parts of Regional Victoria. Thanking his father for generating an early interest in star-gazing, he admits he is now highly tuned in to calendars that foretell the sighting of asteroids, eclipses, and even the more recent Southern Lights that had turned the Victorian skies into brilliant shades of all things bright and beautiful. Head on to his Facebook page ‘Explore Melbourne’ to view his past and his upcoming events. He is an unassuming personality, he will take you on board with a smile and leave you spellbound with several hidden aspects of Melbourne’s beauty that you might not have noticed thus far. And when he has some time on hand, he might help you with custom requests for event photoshoots or even an urgent LinkedIn headshot!
By Nishant Kaushik
A lot of people like to eat, but Shashank ‘Shanky’ Jayakumar and Sid Mewara, who are more famous as The Big Forkers (sorry, they are not exactly politically correct!), have travelled the world, talking all the way, for their love of food.’ Sid, a Florida chef-turned-Whartontrained-investment-banker living in Goa, was in Italy some years ago, getting hard-nosed over a business deal, when he received a call from Shanky, his first cousin (their parents are brother and sister), who’s also a techpreneur and World Bank consultant, asking for his opinion on where to have the best paella in Spain.
Sid not only had the answer, but also got so excited about his cousin getting to have the best paella in Spain, that he flew off to Valencia to join Shanky and partake of the treat. They then joined a group of friends who were travelling in the footsteps of chef, television star and bestselling author Anthony Bourdain to discover the culinary secrets of Southern Spain. During the trip, seeing the lengths they were prepared to go to have the best Paella, one of their mates, who’s a social media influencer, suggested that Sid and Shanky should launch their own YouTube channel so that they could keep travelling for food and talking about it, and perhaps, also make some money out of their work.
Shanky may have travelled, eaten well and developed a personality that reflects his passion for all things edible, but he had no media experience. And the closest that Sid ever came to becoming famous was to dash off an email on Yahoo! to Discovery Channel pitching for a programme. That was 23 years ago -- and Discovery did not bother to reply. But they were confident they could talk non-stop, and Shanky, being a techie based out of Mumbai,
knew enough people who could do a decent job producing YouTube videos.
Covid and the lockdowns intervened, forcing them to can their plan, but they used the time to seed the idea of ‘The Big Forkers’, a YouTube channel that makes an immediate impression for its superior production values, conversational format and creative use of graphics to convey information that channel hosts tend to meander with (often exposing their rather limited knowledge of the language of food). On their channel, as the irreverent and voluble Sid and Shanky travel from the Shetty bars of Mumbai to Singapore, where they find out what real Chilli Chicken looks and tastes like, and to the barbecue haunts of ‘brisket country’ Austin, North Texas, they also make sure they do not miss the laphing at Humayunpur in New Delhi or the ‘holige’ at Nalapakkas in Bengaluru.
In between, they take viewers on food journeys that definitely leave them salivating, but if Sid and Shanky find Natraj’s ‘aloo tikki’ to be underwhelming, they won’t hold back their punches and try to be polite. They don’t overload the episodes with ‘gyan’, leaving that job to graphics that have a street art feel to them. Not that their viewers are allergic to knowledge. We stumbled upon one who explained why the word ‘habashi’ in the name of the popular halwa selling near Delhi’s Jama Masjid isn’t a pejorative reference to its dark colour because of the caramelised sugar, but points to its possible origin in Ethiopia (Al Habash), a country with which India has had old ties.
Their most recent season has brought them to Delhi, where they travel from the by lanes of Chandni Chowk, sampling the chaats and Jung Bahadur’s kachoris, to the Jama Masjid
neighbourhood populated by such legends as Kallu (nihari), Aslam (butter chicken), Haji Kallan Bawarchi (dal gosht), and of course, Karim’s and Al Jawahar. And then they go to Delhi’s NorthEast hub, Humayunpur, where they take us to on delicious journey across Yo Tibet, Lha Kitchen, Ao Assam and Hornbill -- restaurants that stand out for pork with laal shaak, duck curry and meat laphing, apart from the more predictable momos and thukpas.
It is not just their passion for food, and the unscripted nature of their channel, but their head for business that also makes Shanky and Sid stand apart. As Sid put it, most people driving Indian YouTube channels aren’t able to monetise their work even if they have a massive reach because vast audiences don’t necessarily translate into significant ‘wallet power’. What they have successfully shown to their partners, notably alcohol brands, is that they may have a subscriber base that can be measured in tens of thousands, but they are all people with wallet power, with whom they engage through events and the Forkers Dining Club, a celebratory WhatsApp group, where members from across the country share information about food and also their meal experiences.
Shanky and Sid now plan to set up a media company to advise people like them, who have a passion for food and knowledge to share, about how to maximise returns from their YouTube channels. They wish to put their knowledge of business to good use not just for themselves. Will their head for business get to bond with what their heart dictates? If they are able to seal the marriage between heart and head, they may just end the eternal existential dilemma of food YouTubers, who are forever torn between extravagant love and elusive money. (IANS)
A team of US researchers has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model that could help electrical grids prevent power outages by automatically rerouting electricity in milliseconds.
The automated system, published online in the journal Nature Communications, is an early example of “self-healing grid” technology, which uses AI to detect and repair problems such as outages and storm-damaged power lines on its own without human intervention.
Researchers from the University of Texas at Dallas demonstrated that their solution can automatically identify alternative routes to transfer electricity to users before an outage occurs. It is because AI has the advantage of speed, the team said. Unlike human-controlled processes that can take minutes to hours, the system can automatically reroute electrical flow in microseconds.
“Our goal is to find the optimal path to send power to the majority of users as quickly as possible,” said Dr Jie Zhang, associate professor of mechanical engineering at the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.
“But more research is needed before
this system can be implemented.”
Roshni Anna Jacob, an electrical engineering doctoral student at the varsity, said that electricity blocked due to line faults can be reconfigured using switches and power from available sources nearby,
such as from large-scale solar panels or batteries.
The researchers next aim to develop similar technology to repair and restore the grid after a power disruption.
Using artificial intelligence (AI), Google announced to add 110 new languages to Google Translate, including Cantonese, NKo and Tamazight.
These new languages represent more than 614 million speakers, opening up translations for around 8 per cent of the world’s population.
“Some are major world languages with over 100 million speakers. Others are spoken by small communities of Indigenous people, and a few have almost no native speakers but active revitalisation efforts,” the company said in a statement.
About a quarter of the new languages come from Africa, representing the largest expansion of African languages to date, including Fon, Kikongo, Luo, Ga, Swati, Venda and Wolof.
In 2022, Google added 24 new languages using zero-shot machine translation, where a machine learning model learns to translate into another language without ever seeing an example.
“We announced the 1,000 languages initiative, a commitment to build AI models that will support the 1,000 most spoken languages around the world,” the company informed.
Among the new languages, Punjabi (Shahmukhi) is the variety of Punjabi written in Perso-Arabic script
(Shahmukhi) and is the most spoken language in Pakistan.
“Tok Pisin is an English-based creole and the lingua franca of Papua New Guinea. If you speak English, try translating into Tok Pisin — you might be able to make out the meaning,” said Google.
(IANS)
When Anrich Nortje’s heave off Arshdeep Singh on the last ball of South Africa’s innings went to the mid-wicket fielder for a single, Rohit Sharma fell flat, with his face towards the ground and punching the grass with his hand. Hardik Pandya went down on his knees and began to tear up once the inevitable -– of India winning the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup -- was confirmed a little after 2 pm at the Kensington Oval.
Soon after, the entire Indian team, and support staff running in from the dugout began the jumping and hugging of lifting a major trophy after 11 years. A full 13 years after the magical night of April 2, 2011, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai to lift the ODI World Cup and 17 years since the unprecedented evening of winning the T20 World Cup in 2007, India got to experience that feeling all over again on June 29, 2024.
The skies, which were supposed to rain during the final amidst a hurricane warning, opened and made one feel as if the weather Gods were waiting for a billion dreams and prayers to be fulfilled. Cheeks welled down the eyes of adults like Rohit, Pandya, and Virat Kohli, who broke down, as years of heartbreaks when it mattered the most finally on previous occasions made way for ultimate glory.
The theme song of this T20 World Cup was all about experiencing a moment their souls had been waiting for. It was very fitting that India got to revel in the ‘out of this world’ feeling at the end of the
competition. Back home, the party began on the streets of every city and town.
India Gate in New Delhi – the hometown of Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant - was choca-bloc, with thousands of people coming out and unfurling flags as well as smoke guns -– some even stood atop the police van to dance and sing over the T20 World Cup coming home. The chants ranged from, ‘India, India, India’, to ‘Jeet Gaya bhai Jeet Gaya, India World Cup jeet gaya’, ‘Humara captain kaisa ho, Rohit bhai jaisa ho’, ‘Surya, Surya, Surya’.
There were some grateful people who thanked God by saying, ‘Zor se bolo jai mata di’. In Mumbai, the residences of Rohit, Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav -- it was a sea of utter jubilation filled with fans coming out in large numbers to celebrate the triumph.
In Mumbai’s local trains, people glued to their mobiles clapped in unison, while a sangeeth ceremony turned into a World Cup win celebration party. Similar scenes of ecstatic frenzy came from the streets of Ahmedabad, Nadiad, and Hyderabad –hometowns of Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, and Mohammed Siraj respectively.
“Everybody was elated and they just started jumping and shouting that ‘at last, we have got the World Cup back. The celebrations from the 2007 World Cup triumph in Johannesburg after Joginder Sharma’s last over was done were just going on through my mind when Hardik Pandya bowled the final over,” says
Lalchand Rajput, the manager in India’s 2007 T20 World Cup triumph, from Mumbai.
You couldn’t fault the Indian fans for getting that sinking feeling in their mind and heart when 30 runs were needed for South Africa to win off 30 deliveries. An on-song Heinrich Klaasen the last Patel. The gave chance to final, making a South African victory a foregone conclusion.
The Indian fans, mainly Gen Z fans, had their heart rate racing with the feeling that the trophy may be missed again.
A tiny part of them had the belief of the side conjuring up a miracle outta nowhere – remember how on a shining afternoon in New York, they defended 119
against Pakistan on a tough pitch?
Once Pandya took out Heinrich Klaasen, Bumrah took out Marco Jansen and Suryakumar Yadav took a ‘hang-it-inthe-louvre’ catch for ages of David Miller, it began to hit home that a World Cup win for India wasn’t far after years and years of heartbreaks and that emotion of winning a big final is something they will carry for the rest of their lives.
Seeing adults –- highlyrevered professional cricketers -- cry and roar in ecstasy on realising the pure joy of winning the World Cup and becoming champions, it was a pure feeling and emotion which had the entire country tear up and be happy in the happiness of their idols.
“Somewhere down the line, I had this feeling that ‘Yeah, it is ours’. So, I was very assured that India is going to win. I knew it. There was no tension.
Firecrackers were burst, and people were going crazy, driving rickshaws around the colony, and blaring music. My aged fatherin-law and my wife were discussing cricket till 4 a.m., and they didn’t let me sleep,” recalled Biju George, the Delhi Capitals’ fielding coach, from Thiruvananthapuram.
For many years, despite the riches and vastness of domestic structure, a major trophy eluded Indian cricket, raising questions over its ability to cross the final hurdle. Off the field, toxic fan wars, and trolling of certain players based on their religion made things horrible.
It became worse when Pandya’s incessant trolling in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 didn’t have a full stop. On social media, when cricket, IPL, and T20 World Cup action dominated headlines in posts and reels, other issues related to the common man in India also grabbed headlines.
But June 29, 2024, united the entire India with an electric and genuine feeling of nothing in the country bringing people together like cricket does.
“At least cricket is one unifying force in India where we are not divided. You don’t say things like you are a Muslim or a Hindu or a Christian. We are cricketers basically, and at least that is one thing which politics has been kept away from,” adds George.
It’s already two days since the triumph
was achieved at Barbados and people in the country haven’t stopped talking about the win, the runs from Kohli, Axar, and Shivam Dube.
They don’t feel tired of talking about how Bumrah, Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh kept their calm in the last five overs. They can’t get over how Suryakumar unleashed the Superman and Ballerina in him to take a catch for ages.
Every time they open social media, pictures captioned with ‘woke up as world champions’, and ‘this feels so good’ gladden their feed. Algorithms are buzzing with reels of Rohit doing Ric Flair strut to lift the title, players walking with trophy aloft, Virat and Arshdeep doing bhangra while sharing this special moment with their families in person or virtually come up, reminding fans of the feeling they forgot to cherish in these 13 years.
For the next few days, months, and years, the glory moment and on-field celebrations thereafter will be played on a loop on television sets in India and social media plus YouTube screens.
Whenever it pops up, everything else will be forgotten as fans get their minds, hearts, and souls drawn to that winning emotion, serving as a sweet reminder that cricket and emotions are a great unifying force in India, which anything else can’t ever come close to replicating it in this part of the world.
As fans and the cricket ecosystem in India continue to revel in the joy of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 victory, they are also coming to terms with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja announcing their retirements from the format on a high.
Shortly after India edged South Africa by seven runs to clinch its second T20 World Cup title at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday and ended a 13-year drought for a global championship title, Kohli and Rohit bowed out from the format, with Jadeja following the same route on Sunday.
Both Rohit and Virat had been the fulcrum of the Indian batting line-up for more than a decade while Jadeja was the dependable spin-bowling all-rounder. The trio’s quick retirements give India the room to try out players and see who the best picks for a solid combination for the 2026 T20 World Cup are, which they are supposed to co-host alongside Sri Lanka.
But the riches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and a robust domestic system mean India do have a good pool of T20 players to see who can fill in the huge shoes of Rohit, Virat, and Jadeja. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was a part of the World Cup-winning unit at Barbados, Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Abhishek Sharma are the next in line opening options.
All four players are a part of India’s squad for the five-match T20I tour of Zimbabwe happening from July 6-14. India also has a T20I series against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa, and England till February 2025, which gives the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee ample room to try out various combinations and other players in the fray.
“If you look at the side which will be touring Zimbabwe, there is a lot of talent there. From Shubham Gill to Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Sanju Samson. So, the Indian team is going to dominate well.”
“Plus, there will be a lot of retirements around world cricket post this World Cup, and India will be the least affected. So, we are going to dominate, as for next 5-6 years, there will be no competition,” Biju George, the former India women’s fielding coach, said. Lalchand Rajput, the manager of the youthful Indian side that won the 2007 T20 World Cup in Johannesburg, said that youngsters are there to grab the vacant spots in the team but felt it will take time for them to grow into their vast shoes in the playing eleven.
“There will be challenges because you have lost the top three guys in Rohit, Virat, and Jadeja. But there will be somebody who will take up the challenge to fill in for them
because we have got a lot of youngsters who are coming up.”
“We have people like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Shubman Gill at the sidelines, who have to take the mantle forward. It will be difficult for anyone to fill their shoes immediately. But I am sure that over a period of time, definitely there will be some new players who would fill in for those three.”
In all probability, Jadeja’s retirement from T20Is means Axar Patel becomes the lead spin-bowling all-rounder in the side. In the T20 World Cup, Axar had outperformed Jadeja with bat, ball, and in the field to show that he’s now good enough to be an automatic starter in the format for India after lots of years of being an understudy to the veteran.
“With Jadeja retiring, Axar will get an extended run in the format. Some of the other left-hand spinners should also come through. It is high time now. Those three have been there and they have done it. Let them enjoy playing the rest of the time in cricket - IPL or other formats. I wish they play domestic cricket a little more,” concluded George, who’s the fielding coach for Delhi Capitals in IPL and WPL.
In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, the concept of living spaces has undergone a remarkable transformation. Millennials and Gen Z, known for their dynamic lifestyles and desire for meaningful connections, have embraced a new way of living: co-living. Gone are the days of traditional apartments and isolated living arrangements. Co-living, with its emphasis on community, affordability, and flexibility, has emerged as a powerful trend reshaping the real estate landscape. In this article, we explore the rise of co-living and how it is redefining shared spaces for millennials and Gen Z, offering a fresh perspective on modern living that aligns with their values, aspirations, and sense of belonging.
The Evolution of Co-Living: From Communal Living to a Lifestyle Choice
Co-living is not a new concept, but it has evolved significantly to meet the needs of millennials and Gen Z. What once represented communal living has transformed into a lifestyle choice that prioritizes community, convenience, and shared experiences. Co-living spaces now offer a range of amenities and services that foster a sense of belonging and enhance the overall living experience.
Community and Connection: Building Stronger Social Bonds
One of the primary drivers behind the rise of co-living is the desire for meaningful connections and a sense of community. Millennials and Gen Z, often faced with the challenges of urban living and the prevalence of digital communication, seek
genuine human interactions. Co-living spaces provide opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals, creating an instant support system and fostering lifelong friendships.
Affordability and Flexibility: Overcoming Housing Challenges
The high cost of living, soaring rental prices, and financial constraints have made it challenging for millennials and Gen Z to find affordable housing options. Co-living addresses this issue by offering more affordable rents through shared spaces, utilities, and amenities. Additionally, the flexibility of co-living arrangements allows for shorter lease terms and easy relocation, catering to the ever-changing lifestyles and career paths of this generation.
Amenities and Services: Elevating the CoLiving Experience
Co-living spaces go beyond the basic amenities found in traditional apartments. They often include fully furnished units, communal lounges, fitness centers, coworking spaces, event areas, and on-site staff. These well-designed spaces cater to the needs and preferences of millennials and Gen Z, fostering a sense of comfort, convenience, and enjoyment within the community.
Design and Personalization: Creating Spaces for Individual Expression
Co-living spaces prioritize thoughtful design that balances privacy with communal living. Architects and interior designers are incorporating innovative solutions to
create private and shared spaces that reflect individuality while encouraging social interaction. Customizable rooms and common areas allow residents to personalize their living environments, enhancing their sense of ownership and belonging.
Sustainability and Eco-Consciousness: Embracing Green Living
Millennials and Gen Z have a strong inclination toward sustainability and ecoconsciousness. Co-living spaces often incorporate sustainable design elements, energy-efficient systems, and eco-friendly practices. By adopting sustainable practices and promoting responsible living, coliving offers an attractive choice for those committed to reducing their environmental footprint.
The rise of co-living is transforming the way millennials and Gen Z approach shared spaces and redefining the concept of modern living. With its emphasis on community, affordability, flexibility, and thoughtful design, co-living has become a compelling alternative to traditional housing options. It offers a sense of belonging, fosters meaningful connections, and addresses the challenges faced by these generations in an increasingly fastpaced world. As the demand for co-living continues to grow, real estate developers and operators.
By Shrenik Siroya
While beauty trends may come and go, there’s one thing that never goes out of style - taking care of your skin. Part of taking good care of your skin is finding out which natural ingredients benefit you and help improve your skin health. The ingredients that will work best for you depend mainly on what skin type you have. If you have dry skin, you’ll want to choose skincare products that are moisturising and hydrating on the other hand if you have oily skin, you might need skincare ingredients that unclog pores, refine skin texture and control excess oil.
o get glowing skin naturally and to liven up dull, uneven complexion what you need is natural ingredients as a part of your skincare products that take care of your skin and provide myriad nourishing, anti-aging, and skin brightening benefits.
To make your skincare regime easier, Quench Botanics takes you through some skincare ingredients and list their benefits and properties.
Vitamin C
A powerful antioxidant and ideal for strong immunity and healthy skin and eyes, Vitamin C is works wonders for your skin and hair. It lightens spots and prevents acne. This ‘brightening’ vitamin aids treats uneven skin, and pigmentation and leaves skin glowing.
Packed with anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, tea tree oil is a medicinal essential oil derived from the leaves of a small tree native to some areas of Australia. Tea tree oil has numerous skin benefits and is known to treat acne, blemishes, and irritation and help improve skin conditions. Suitable for all skin types except sensitive skin, tea tree oil is known for its versatility and can be used to treat hair and scalp problems like dandruff, flakes, and itching and also helps get rid of nail fungus.
Birch Juice
Packed with the healing properties of vitamin B5 and vitamin B3, 17 amino acids, minerals, enzymes, proteins, and antioxidants, birch juice is the answer to healthy, glowing skin. Birch juice has very high amounts of purifying and healing properties. It contains natural forms of niacinamide and vitamin C that visibly brighten and stimulate cell turnover. It also evens out skin tone, improves skin texture, and protects against free radicals.
Yuzu
Apart from being a gastronomical delight, Yuzu’s benefits for skin care are responsible for making it the buzziest skincare ingredient that the beauty world cannot get enough of. Given the fact that this awesome citrus fruit has three times the vitamin C of its fellow citrus friends, it easily tops the antioxidant list. It restores your skin’s moisture barrier and keeps it looking supple all the time! Yuzu really helps with collagen
production, which in turn blurs the fine lines, and wrinkles, and improves the skin’s elasticity. It hinders the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which considerably slows down the skin’s aging process.
Ginseng
Packed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, ginseng is known for brightening skin, boosting collagen, and calming down irritated, stressed-out skin. Popular in Korean skincare and long known for its usage as a medicine in China, ginseng firms and enhances skin texture, reduces the appearance of dark circles, and helps prevent signs of aging.
Rice water
Rice water is rich in antioxidants and is an excellent skin-brightening ingredient. It not only brightens but also fades dark spots and pigmentation when used regularly. Korean women since ages have been using rice water for skin whitening and brightening. Rice water has ‘time-turning’ properties that blur away premature signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles and even delay their appearance by a substantial amount of years.
Centella Asiatica (Cica)
Known for its moisturising and anti-aging benefits, Centella Asiatica (Cica) also known as gotu kola is a skin-healing herb rich in amino acids, beta carotene, essential fatty acids, and phytochemicals. Cica is quite beneficial for improving skin elasticity, improves collagen synthesis, and blood circulation. It helps repair the skin barrier to resist visible signs of aging, prevents sagging of skin, and is best suited for blemish and acne-prone skin. It is also known for skin healing, preventing scarring, and lightening dark spots.
One of the top pomegranate benefits is that it contains about 48 per cent of the daily vitamin C, making it the ultimate blocker of free radicals. It also contains three types of antioxidantsanthocyanins, ellagic acid, and tannins, that work to detox as well as repair the skin from the damage caused due to environmental factors. Pomegranates help reduce the signs of skin aging like age spots, fine lines, and wrinkles. Studies have shown that this superfood can stimulate Keratinocyte skin cells which help with cellular regeneration, making it a fantastic antiaging ingredient.
A great skin-brightening ingredient, licorice prevents free radicals that can lead to aging, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. It is known for its superb skin soothing, oil-control properties and suits all skin types. Licorice root helps in regulating oil production and gives you shinefree, healthy skin. A reduction in excess oil also benefits acne-prone skin, which otherwise becomes one of the reasons for pimples. This is possible because of Licochalcone A, an active ingredient that protects and repairs skin.
This thorny plant is extremely rich in carotenoids and fatty acids, which allow it to penetrate deep into the skin and nourish it from within. It is anti-fungal in nature and helps fight off acne breakouts while soothing the skin. It contains vitamins C and E that repair damaged skin and makes it deeply hydrating - which is what makes it a great choice for dry, aging skin. It is also rich in antioxidants and protects the skin from freeradical damage. (IANSlife)
At an age when most are hungover in nostalgia and melancholy takes over, this couple would rather be on four wheels and cross borders to soak in new adventures, acquaint themselves with distant cultures and speed up in rallies competing with those half their age.
Chandigarh-based Pardeep Gupta (71) and his wife Rekha Gupta (67) started participating in major Indian rallies including Raid De Himalaya, Desert Storm, and Mughal Rally, with Rekha playing navigator in some, at an age when people half their age retire, owing to slowing of reflexes had exited the circuit.
Now that most major rallies are nowhere on the scene owing to a lack of sponsors, the couple have not given up on their passion and consistently go on international drives in their car.
Just back from Chandigarh-Everest base camp (from the China side) via Kathmandu and covering Lhasa in Tibet, the duo drove 7500 kilometres at an altitude of around 17,000 feet.
“Before this, we completed a self-drive trip to London in 2018 crossing 18 borders, covering 26,000 kilometres in 56 days,” Pardeep tells. While their first international road trip was in Australia in 2012, where they hired a car and covered the coastal route from Melbourne to Adelaide, the couple also explored North New Zealand’s coastal road a few years later.
“These both drives gave us immense confidence, and taught us how to survive long international trips,” says Rekha, who prefers to sit on the passenger seat. “Not that I do not know how to drive,” she quickly adds.
Stressing that the multiple international trips they undertake are not to ‘prove’ anything but, an intense desire to see new places at their own pace, Pardeep stresses: “To use the cliche, that the journey is more interesting than the destination -- when one uses a conventional form of transport, you are forced to follow an itinerary -- go to the airport, put the luggage at the hotel room and then explore.”
“When we travel in our car, we are free to stop anywhere, make a cup of tea in the middle of nowhere and soak in the beauty of the surroundings. There is a certain sense of independence.”
For the couple who have also undertaken selfdrive trips covering Singapore, Laos, China,
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Czech Republic, Poland, Germany and France, these journeys are not a ‘retirement’ dream come true.
Pardeep, who runs a manufacturing business says: “It is all about time management -- making time for your passion along with working hard. Of course, this requires a lot of planning, but it is worth it.”
And it is not that these trips are without hiccups. During the recent Lhasa journey, Rekha experienced intense altitude sickness and had to be administered oxygen frequently. The husband even booked plane tickets back to India for her. However, she wanted to continue.
“I could not afford to be part of the adventure. Despite the discomfort, I kept reminding myself that it was worth it.”
The couple assure their children and relatives have always encouraged them for such long journeys. “Of course, they get a little concerned, but they are happy that we are living our lives on our terms and not just sitting at home and brooding.”
To stay in shape, both of them are regular at the gym and make it a point to go for long walks every day.
“We spend at least two hours working out. It is paramount not just for physical fitness but also for mental alertness. This is something we do not compromise on as we want to ‘stretch’ this phase of our lives as long as we can,” smiles Rekha.
Planning to embark on the Mongolia Desert expedition next, the duo smiles, “Life is too short to sit at home.”
(IANSlife)
In marriages, conflict is unavoidable. When it explodes in families with children, worried or furious parents may project their anger or withdraw emotionally or physically from their children. In the worst-case situation, children’s socioemotional development may suffer. According to a recent study by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, how parents, particularly men, deal with marital problems can have an impact on their children.
“In the past, marital conflict has always been considered a negative thing in reference to various aspects of child development. But what’s more important than having conflict is how people deal with it. Our study looked at whether constructive conflict resolution could buffer some of the negative influence of marital conflict on parenting practices,” said lead author Qiujie Gong, a doctoral student in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at Illinois. Some studies have shown father-child relationships may be more impacted by conflict than mother-child relationships and can lead to negative development for kids. That’s why the authors chose to focus on fathers in their study.
“We wanted to pay more attention to fathers, because while mothers have always been considered the main caregiver, fathers can also significantly influence children’s development,” Gong said.
The authors, including HDFS professors Karen Kramer and Kelly Tu, accessed a longitudinal dataset from the U.S. Department of Education tracing children’s experiences from 9 months to kindergarten. Recognizing the importance of the preschool years for learning socioemotional skills, they analyzed the subset of data for families with 4-year-olds and, controlling for mother’s parenting styles, honed in on fathers’ responses to survey questions about marital conflict and resolution strategies. Building links in a chain, they connected fathers’ reports of conflict to their parenting practices, then to the socioemotional impacts of those practices on children.
“Beyond looking separately at mothers, fathers, and conflict, as previous studies have done, we put it all together in one model, not only to see the family as an interconnected system but also to not forget the father: How his perceptions of conflict and approaches to resolution affect child socioemotional development,” said Kramer. “That’s the uniqueness of this study.”
Analysing a diverse sample of 3,955 heterosexual families with resident fathers,
the authors found when fathers reported more frequent marital conflict, it increased their parenting stress and decreased their warmth toward their child. According to the analysis, those factors then decreased the child’s socioemotional skills reported by mothers in the surveys.
Gong emphasizes preschool-age children are at a crucial stage for developing socioemotional skills. These early experiences set the stage for later peer relationships, mental health, and more, so parents of small children should consider how their interactions may spill over to their kids, she says.
Next, Gong factored in how fathers resolved conflict.
“We found fathers who reported using more constructive conflict resolution - like open communication and reaching compromise, as opposed to hitting, criticizing, or throwing things - showed more involvement and warmth toward their kids, compared to their counterparts,” she said.
Not surprisingly, children benefited from these warmer interactions with their dads.
“Fathers using constructive conflict resolution led to more parental involvement, which led to more positive child development,” Kramer said. “Destructive conflict has the
opposite effect on kids.”
In the end, Gong says parents shouldn’t shy away from conflict. Instead, what’s more important is to find constructive resolution strategies that minimize stress and maintain a father’s ability to interact warmly with his children.
“If we could have more clinical or educational programs that teach parents how to openly communicate with each other, how to listen to each other, and maintain good relationships with family members, it might be effective in promoting healthier family and child development,” Gong said. “It’s also important to not only consider the amount of parenting, but the quality of parenting. Even if fathers have a lot of involvement, if their warmth is super low, that might not be beneficial for the child.”
Kramer adds that although the study focused exclusively on married couples, fathers in other family arrangements can still learn from the study.
“These lessons don’t only apply to married couples. In fact, I would say they are even more important when you are not living together, or you’re separated or divorced,” she said. “You might have even more conflict in those cases, so the process of solving it might be even more important to the development of the child.”
Having meaningful social interactions with peers is associated with lower loneliness and greater affective well-being, a new study has shown.
To conduct the study, published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, the researchers followed three cohorts of university students over three years, collecting data on their social interactions and momentary well-being.
“Our research indicates that engaging in meaningful social interactions has net positive outcomes for affective well-being, stress, and loneliness,” said lead author Mahnaz Roshanaei, of Stanford University.
“Spending more time in substantive and deep conversations with anyone with either strong or weak ties, results in benefits for the average person’s well-being outcomes,” she added.
The study found greater benefits for well-being when meaningful social interactions happened in person (or faceto-face), compared to other communication channels like direct messaging and texting.
Meaningful social interactions while resting resulted in higher well-being than those occurring during activities such as studying or dining.
The researchers acknowledged that their study had limitations, including the fact that it focused on university students and may not be generalisable to the general population or outside of the US.
“In the future, the results of this study can be used in designing personalised intervention-oriented strategies for encouraging healthy social lives, such as personalised recommendations for maintaining social support and connections,” said Roshanaei.
(IANS)
Social media use does not raise the risk of depression in all adolescents, revealed a study on Wednesday which found parental hostility and peer bullying as major risk factors driving teenagers to mental health conditions.
Early social media use has previously been linked with an increased risk of depression among teenagers and young adults.
The findings, published in the Journal of Adolescence, suggest that social media use does not impact all adolescents in the same way.
Researchers from Brigham Young University in the US found certain factors may make social media more risky or protective regarding depression.
These include greater parental hostility, peer bullying, anxiety, reactivity to stressors, and lower parental media monitoring.
“If the teenager is already in a vulnerable position (being bullied or having hostile parents or parents who don’t monitor their teenager’s media), then social
media is much more likely to be harmful,” said corresponding author W. Justin Dyer, from the varsity.
Dyer said, “This is especially true if there is more than 3 hours of use a day.”
On the contrary, warm and supportive friends and parents and “moderate amounts of social media use (less than 3 hours a day) may be a good thing.”
They stressed individualised approaches to determine the benefits and
harms of social media on young people’s mental health. Dyer noted that adolescents can greatly benefit if parents guide them “as they navigate social media. That guidance may make all the difference.”
The study is based on 488 adolescents living in the US who were surveyed once a year for 8 years (beginning in 2010 when the average age for participants was 13 years old).
Regular junk food consumption and inactive lifestyles are fuelling cases of painful piles, fistula and fissures in young adults aged between 18 and 25 years, said doctors. People with piles and fissures -- common disorders concerning the anal region -- suffer from symptoms like passing bloody stools or having trouble passing stools, itchy and irritable anal cavity, inflammation, rectal bleeding, and discomfort when sitting for a long time, among others.
A fistula is an unusual opening near the anus that connects to the inside of the anal canal in the colon. It typically arises due to factors like injury, surgery, infection, or inflammation of anal glands. Pain, swelling in the anal area, boils, skin irritation around the anus, bleeding, and discomfort during bowel movements are the major symptoms.
“‘Haemorrhoids or piles happen when veins inside and outside the anus become swollen and enlarged. This condition is now seen in adults between 25-55 due
to obesity, pregnancy, a diet low in fibre, constipation, diarrhoea, lifting heavy objects, and straining during bowel movements,” Lakin Vira, General Surgeon, Apollo Spectra Mumbai, said.
“An anal fissure is a result of a tear in the lining of the anus or anal canal. This problem occurs because of constipation, straining during bowel movements, and ulcerative colitis,” he added.
Lakin said that in the past 2-3 months, approximately 50 patients have visited with complaints of piles and fistula, and for fissures, the number is higher than 80. About 60 per cent of males while 40 per cent of females suffer from fistula and piles. Whereas 70 per cent of females and 30 per cent of males tend to have fissures.
“There is overall over 10 per cent in these conditions when compared to previous years. The incidence of these conditions is recently seen in age groups of 18-25 due to junk food consumption,” the doctor noted. Hemant Patel, Laparoscopic
and General Surgeon, Zynova Shalby Hospital said that “cases of piles, fistula and fissures are increasing in younger age groups mostly in males. There has been a significant rise in these patients in the past few years”.
He noted seeing 5-6 patients with such conditions daily. According to health experts, eating a balanced diet, exercising daily, preventing constipation by incorporating fibre-rich foods into meals, maintaining proper hydration by drinking sufficient water, quitting smoking and alcohol consumption, and avoiding straining during bowel movements can help ease the condition.
Other ways to manage the condition include “medications, creams, and a sitz bath. If the conditions get severe then one will have to undergo a minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery,” Lakin said.
Acupuncture may significantly reduce hot flashes and other hormonal side effects of endocrine therapy taken by women with breast cancer, claimed a study, based on a po oled analysis of three clinical trials. Endocrine therapy helps block hormone signalling that drives some forms of breast cancer. Although a life-saving treatment, up to 80 per cent of women experience hot flashes -- a sudden, temporary sensation of body warmth, flushing, and sweating -- and other side effects after taking it, leading to discontinuation, while elevating the risk of cancer progression and death.
To probe acupuncture’s potential, researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, US, conducted a coordinated, multinational project consisting of three independent randomised controlled trials in the US, China, and South Korea. The analysis, published in the journal CANCER, included 158 women with stage 0-III breast cancer. These women were randomised to immediate acupuncture (IA) who received acupuncture twice a week for 10 weeks and were followed for an additional 10 weeks without acupuncture
or delayed acupuncture control (DAC).
DAC participants received usual care for 10 weeks, then crossed over to acupuncture with a reduced intensity (once per week) for 10 weeks. After week 10, 64 per cent of people in the IA group reported improvements in the number and severity of their hot flashes, compared with 18 per cent in the DAC group. Further, the DAC participants who received weekly acupuncture showed significant improvements in symptom scores relative to week 10. No side effects were reported by any of the participants.
“By managing side effects, our approach makes it easier for patients to continue their prescribed medication, which has the potential to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence and improve long-term outcomes for breast cancer survivors,” said lead author Weidong Lu, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Weidong also suggested people interested in using acupuncture start with “a short trial period” and based on the results “engage in a longterm programme”.
(IANS)
Every parent knows that taking children to a dentist often involves a lot of will power and coaxing. And at times, you might even be compelled to drop the plans. Dr Ved, principal dentist, and the founder of Healthy Smiles Dental Group have provided us few tips to ease out this hurdle in parenting.
Injex For Needle Phobia
Most of the fear in children arises out of seeing the needle. How wonderful it would be if we remove it at once! Healthy Smiles offers to inject local anaesthesia through a needle-free device known as injex. It sprays the medicine onto the target area to be absorbed by the tissues. The uptake time may vary from child to child but is generally fast. Injex is definitely a better option than injections as it doesn’t cause pain.
Start Their Consultations Early
It is all about conditioning. Children grasp things fast and get used to habits faster than you may think. It is advised to start visiting the dentist, for your child, as early as they reach 6 months of age. Dentists can keep a track of the growth of teeth and prevent tooth decay right from the beginning. Doing so is important for healthy teeth as well as instilling good oral hygiene habits into kids. Visiting the dentist from the beginning makes it a norm and is easily acceptable by children.
Most adults do not like to visit dentists either and speak badly about their dental care experiences. But remember, you can only make a change if you stay positive. Do not use words like “painful”, “hurting”, “boring”, etc. Use words such as “wonderful”, “important”, and “healthy”. They might have heard someone else speak negatively
about a dentist visit. Help them forget that and choose a paediatric dentist who treats them thoughtfully.
Strictly Avoid Bribery
People are often seen bribing their children for doing things, especially visiting the dentist. Bribery doesn’t only make the task seem difficult for children but can also create serious behavioural issues as grownups. It is better to explain to them the need for dental hygiene and visiting a dentist, rather than offering them toys and sweets in return.
Take Help from Animated Friends
As you know, being a child has its own perks. Watching lots and lots of cartoons or reading story books filled with images are a couple of them. Your child must have one or two favourite cartoon shows or characters. Take examples from these stories and relate it to help your child understand how they, like their favourite characters, must go to the dentist.
Choose the Right Dentist
In the end, it all comes down to a single factor. Selecting a dentist who can understand the mindsets of children is very important. This ensures a better experience for everyone. The right dentist can help a child forget past bad experiences. Healthy Smiles Dental Group has enthusiastic and cordial dentists who specialise.
Dr Ved Berani BDS(Mum), ADEC(Aust), MBA(Melb), FIADFE, MFGDP(UK)
Principal Dentist &
Doctors may soon be able to detect and diagnose cancer in patients using artificial intelligence (AI) that will allow for earlier treatment, a new study.
According to the study published in the journal Biology Methods and Protocols, the researchers from Cambridge University and Imperial College London trained an AI mode, using a combination of machine and deep learning, to look at the “DNA methylation” patterns and identify 13 different types of cancer, including breast, liver, lung, and prostate cancers -- from non-cancerous tissue with 98.2 per cent accuracy.
“Genetic information is encoded in DNA by patterns of the four based -- denoted by A, T, G and C -- that make up its structure. Environmental changes outside the cell can cause some DNA bases to be modified by adding a methyl group. This process is called ‘DNA methylation’,” the researchers explained.
Each cell possesses millions of these DNA methylation marks. Researchers have observed changes to these marks in early cancer development; they could aid in early cancer diagnosis.
“Computational methods such as this model, through better training on more varied data and rigorous testing in the clinic, will eventually provide AI models that can help doctors with early detection and screening of cancers,” said the paper’s lead author, Shamith Samarajiwa.
“This will provide better patient outcomes,” he added.
In addition, the researchers mentioned that identifying these unusual methylation patterns (potentially from biopsies) would allow healthcare providers to detect cancer early.
This could potentially improve patient outcomes dramatically, as most cancers are treatable or curable if detected early enough, they added.
Eating junk food like a samosa or burger when feeling stressed out can actually elevate anxiety levels, researchers said. When under stress, people tend to turn to high-calorie food for solace. The study by researchers at University of Colorado at Boulder found that in animals, a high-fat diet disrupts resident gut bacteria, alters behaviour and influences brain chemicals in ways that increase anxiety.
Lead author Christopher Lowry, a professor of integrative physiology at CU Boulder, said that to think that just a high-fat diet could alter expression of these genes in the brain is extraordinary. “The high-fat group essentially had the molecular signature of a high anxiety state in their brain,” Lowry added in the study published in the journal Biological Research. Throughout the study, the researchers assessed the animals’ microbiome, or gut bacteria. When compared to the control group, the group eating a high-fat diet gained weight. But the animals also showed significantly less diversity of gut bacteria.
The high-fat diet group also showed higher expression of three genes involved in production and signalling of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is associated with stress and anxiety. While serotonin is a
called a “feel-good brain chemical,” certain subsets of serotonin neurons can, when activated, prompt anxiety-like responses in animals. Lowry suspects that an unhealthy microbiome compromises the gut lining, enabling bacteria to slip into the body’s circulation and communicate with the brain via the vagal nerve, a pathway from the gastrointestinal tract to the brain.
“If you think about human evolution, it makes sense,” Lowry said. “We are hard-wired to really notice things that make us sick so we can avoid those things in the future.” Not all fats are bad, and healthy fats like those found in fish, olive oil, nuts and seeds can be anti-inflammatory and good for the brain, said researchers.
(IANS)
For people at risk of developing insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, here is some good news. Physical activity in the evening has been found to improve glucose regulation, especially in overweight and obese adults.
The results of the new study, published in the journal Obesity, showed that accumulating more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in the evening -- between 6 p.m. and 12 midnight -- appears to have a positive effect on glucose regulation in men and women who are overweight or obese.
“Choosing the ideal time of day seems to be an emerging strategy to enhance the benefits of physical activity on glucose metabolism, especially for those with insulin resistance or at risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” the researchers note.
In addition, the benefits of physical activity are greater in people who have some form of impaired glucose metabolism, such as elevated levels of glucose or fasting insulin resistance, according to scientists from the University of Granada (UGR) in Spain.
The results were similar for both men and women. A total of 186 overweight or obese adults (50 per cent of whom were women) with an average age of 47 years took part
in the study. These participants wore an accelerometer and a continuous glucose monitor for 14 days in order to measure their physical activity and glucose levels 24 hours a day.
The results highlight the importance of considering the time of day when prescribing physical activity. “This information may be
crucial in improving the effectiveness of exercise interventions in these groups,” the authors noted.
It was previously unknown whether being more active at a particular time of day (morning, afternoon or evening) could maximise the cardio-metabolic benefits of physical activity. (IANS)
If you have ever had backache, you may know the initial relief when the pain subsides, only to suffer a nasty shock when it comes back. Those who are in the habit of taking a walk will find their back aches much less frequently, according to new medical research. And the great news is that your walk need not be especially athletic.
Scientists in Australia prescribed a walking programme for a group involving hundreds of non-athletic adults who had recovered after suffering from non-specific lower back pain. Half undertook the exercise -- walking for at least 30 minutes, five days a week -- while the other half of the group of 701 did not. Physiotherapists helped individually tailor their walking programmes.
On average, those who followed the exercise programme had such severe low back pain again after 208 days that they had to restrict their regular activities. But for those people in the control group, their back pain only returned and forced them to stop doing their usual activities after just
112 days.
That means those included in the walking programme had almost twice as long until their pain returned. They also experienced less pain overall, said Mark
Hancock, co-author of the study led by Natasha Pocovi from Macquarie University in Sydney and published in the Lancet medical journal. “We don’t know exactly why walking is so good for preventing back pain,” said Hancock. “But it’s probably a combination of the gentle oscillating movements, the strain and strengthening of the spinal structures and muscles, the relaxation and stress relief and the release of feel-good endorphins.”
Doctors have long been recommending that people with back pain exercise regularly and do sport. However, not everyone has the money, time or access to exercise programmes, said Pocovi. “Walking is an inexpensive, easily accessible and simple exercise.”
The researchers hope that their findings can help as many people as possible around the world, especially given that more than 600 million people worldwide suffer from lower back pain. (IANS)
Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar is over the moon that students from his martial arts academy got placed in the Income Tax (IT) Department in Mumbai. Akshay took to Instagram, where he posted pictures posing alongside the newly appointed students holding their appointment orders.
The “Khiladi” of Bollywood said that he is “immensely happy”.
He captioned the image: “I’m immensely happy that Kudo, the martial art my company has been providing training for, has been recognised for appointment under Sports quota.”
“Just look at the smile of my students when they get their appointment letters from the Income Tax Department in Mumbai. Made me so emotional and so proud,” added the actor. The 56-year-old star, who has been in the industry for over three decades, and himself trained in several martial arts forms such as Karate, Taekwondo and Muay Thai, is one of the highest-paid actors in Bollywood.
After starting his career in 1991
with “Saugandh”, he featured in several genres of film. He paved the path for himself with the “Khiladi” series. He was then seen in movies including “Mohra”, “Dhadkan”,
“Andaaz”, Namastey London”, “Hera Pheri” franchise, “Mujhse Shaadi Karogi”, “Bhool Bhulaiyaa”, “Singh Is Kinng”, “Ajnabee”, “Garam Masala”, “Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty”, “Rowdy Rathore”, “Kesari” and “Sooryavanshi” to name a few.
On June 24, Akshay joined Mumbai’s tree plantation drive to honour his late parents, Hari Om Bhatia and Aruna Bhatia, by participating in a tree plantation drive in Mumbai. Looking forward, the actor, whose latest release was “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan” with Tiger Shroff, will next appear in ‘Sarfira’.
The film showcases the journey of Veer Mhatre whose main goal is to introduce low-cost aviation carriers.
It is inspired by the life of G. R. Gopinath, the founder of the Indian low-cost airline Simplifly Deccan. “Sarfira” is a remake of star Suriya’s Tamil hit film “Soorarai Pottru”.
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan said that he is constructing a mobile platform to allow fans and well-wishers from various locations to connect with him.
The cine icon took to his daily blog and shared the details.
“Sunday specials were on and consumed with glee... and effort to be able to construct a platform, a mobile platform, so that the fans and well-wishers from across the location get an opportunity to see... to put wheels on it to move closer and roundabout to the well-wishers.”
The thespian, who meets his fans outside the gates of his Mumbai home every Sunday, shared that his initial attempt didn’t work.
“Tried, but it did not work... more effort to be put in, by the manufacturing department...!!”
Big B, an avid user of social media, regularly shares updates about his work and personal life with his fans.
The actor earlier shared on his blog that he shies away from promotional work.
“My presence for promotional work is one that I shy away from... but for the sake of the most humble Production team... and more particularly, a team that is run by daughters of the Head... it is a justification beyond personal choices...”
(IANS)
Actor Chunky Panday, who is receiving a lot of praise for his streaming series ‘Industry’, has said that the film industry is very resilient and knows how to reinvent itself.
The actor quoted examples from a bygone era when the film industry was written off in the time of VHS and television but then it made a terrific comeback with film earning Rs 100 crore and eventually now eyeing Rs 1000 crore, case in point is the recently released ‘Kalki 2898 AD’.
Chunky, who essays the role of Rakesh Raman in ‘Industry’, said: “In 1987, when VHS became a sensation, a lot of people predicted the film industry was going to shut down because everyone would switch to watching video cassettes. But, in turn, the industry only grew bigger. Then came
television, and they said no one would go to theatres anymore, that people would just watch TV channels at home. But, to everyone’s surprise, our film industry expanded even further. Then came OTT platforms, and they said it was over.”
He further mentioned: “However, ‘Baahubali’, ‘Pathaan’, ‘Jawaan’, ‘War’, and many other blockbusters proved them wrong, and how. The industry has expanded, improved, and evolved significantly. One of the greatest strengths of our industry is that we continue to reinvent ourselves to resonate with the audience, whose preferences keep shifting with time.”
As his film “New York” clocked 15 years since its release in Hindi cinema, actor Neil Nitin Mukesh said the movie was a “turning point” in his career” and that it allowed him to explore a “complex character”.
“New York was a turning point in my career. It allowed me to explore a complex character and showcase a different side of my acting,” Neil said.
Released in 2009, “New York”, a thriller directed by Kabir Khan, also stars John Abraham, Katrina Kaif, Neil Nitin Mukesh and late star Irrfan Khan. The film tells the story of three friends studying at a university in New York. However, their life takes a turn after the September 11 attacks.
“Fifteen years later, the story feels just as relevant, and I’m proud to have been a part of it. Working with Kabir Khan and acting alongside John, Katrina, Irrfan ji
and the rest of the cast was an incredible learning experience, and I’m grateful for the friendships we formed,” he said.
Neil is the son of playback singer Nitin Mukesh and the grandson of singer Mukesh. He made his debut as a child actor in the 1988 films “ Vijay” and “Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharnii”. The actor made his leading role debut in 2007 in “Johnny Gaddaar”.
He has also worked in movies such as “Golmaal Again”, “Prem Ratan Dhan Payo”, “Saaho”, “Kaththi”, “Kavacham”, “Aa Dekhen Zara”, “Players”, “Lafangey Parindey” and “7 Khoon Maaf”.
Neil was last seen on screen in the 2019 film “Bypass Road” a thriller-drama film directed by his brother Naman Nitin Mukesh. It also stars Adah Sharma and Shama Sikander in lead roles. (IANS)
Actress Parineeti Chopra engaged in an interactive session with fans on Instagram, aiming to debunk common myths about the country. The actress, who has 44.2 million followers on Instagram, took to the Stories section for a lively interaction with her fanbase, encouraging them to share myths about India.
In her post, she wrote: “Loved that! Let’s break common myths about India... Send me videos/myths!”.
One fan debunked the myth, stating, “Sardars and Punjabis don’t use Balle Balle in their conversations!”. Parineeti responded, “YES! And everything is not chak de phatte... Lassi is not our only beverage.”
Another user wrote: “Everyone who lives in Rajasthan carries multiple pots of water on their head through the desert.”
The ‘Ishaqzaade’ actress clarified, “It’s a beautiful traditional image! But Rajasthan also has commercial and modern cities.”
One fan said: “Completely unrelated to what you have asked, but Raghav is the cutest husband one can get.” Parineeti responded with humour, “Small break for FACTS”, accompanied by a kiss emoji.
Parineeti tied the knot with Aam Aadmi
Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha on September 24, 2023, at a private luxury hotel in Udaipur.
On the professional front, Parineeti recently portrayed Amarjot Kaur in the biographical musical drama ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’. Directed by Imtiaz Ali, the film stars Diljit Dosanjh as the titular character.
It charts the untold true story of Punjab’s original rockstar of the masses, the highest
record-selling artist of his time, Amar Singh Chamkila. Parineeti began her acting career in 2011 with the romantic comedy ‘Ladies vs Ricky Bahl’, alongside Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma.
The actress has since appeared in films such as ‘Shuddh Desi Romance’, ‘Hasee Toh Phasee’, ‘Jabariya Jodi’, ‘The Girl on the Train’, ‘Golmaal Again’, ‘Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar’, and ‘Mission Raniganj’.
RICHA CHADHA IS ALL SET TO WORK ON NEXT PROJECT AND IT’S GOING TO BE A COMEDY FILM
Actress Richa Chadha, who is all set to welcome her firstborn in July, has signed her next, a comedy film and the work is set to begin in October. The script of the film, which is a comedy genre, is already ready and has been written by Amitosh Nagpal. The film is set in North India.
Richa commented on her work during her maternity break: “While I can’t speak for all women, because it depends on each individual what their journey is like, I am determined to get back to work as soon as possible, and not take a long break, as I have pending commitments.”
The actress, who is married to star Ali Fazal, said that she takes inspiration from her own mother, who managed both roles with grace and efficiency. “I believe I can handle both duties effectively as well because it depends on the kind of support
system you have around you and how hands-on your partner is. In my case, I feel blessed to have both those things figured out,” she said.
She doesn’t feel it is out of the ordinary.
“I have seen the badass women of Mumbai take local trains well into their 9th month, heading to work, looking perfectly groomed with their gajras intact. I am very inspired by the average Indian woman and don’t want this to be treated as a medical condition, it is not. It is a natural part of life”.
A source close to the production of the film said that Richa loved the script and it’s a really fun concept. “The pre-production work is set to take place in August and will go on floors in October. The film is meant to be shot at the brink of winter in the north,” she added.
The first look of Rashmika Mandanna from the upcoming film ‘Kubera’ was unveiled. In the film, the actress is set to portray a character that promises to be both intriguing and refreshing. The poster shows her dressed in an Indian suit, holding a suitcase against the backdrop of a forest.
Rashmika’s appearance in the poster exudes a blend of mystery and allure, setting the stage for what could be another memorable performance.
The teaser video shows Rashmika’s character digging in the ground of the dark forest, discovering a large suitcase full of money. This compelling scene, combined with DSP’s electrifying music, heightens the sense of anticipation and curiosity.
National Award-winning director Sekhar Kammula said: “In storytelling, fortune favours those who embrace the unexpected. The best moments often come when and from whom you least expect it. Rashmika’s character captures this essence, adding surprise and depth that are crucial to our film ‘Kubera’. I am sure that her performance will leave a lasting impact.”
Earlier, the first looks of Dhanush and Nagarjuna Akkineni from the film were also revealed. The film also stars Jim Sarbh. It is jointly produced by Suniel Narang and
Puskur Ram Mohan Rao under the Sri Venkateswara Cinemas LLP and Amigos Creations Pvt. Ltd. banners. ‘Kubera’ is a pan-India multilingual film, being shot simultaneously in Tamil and Telugu. (IANS)
Actress Rakul Preet Singh, who is currently gearing up for the release of her upcoming Tamil vigilante action film ‘Indian 2’, conducted an ‘Ask Me Anything’ (AMA) session with her fans on social media, and revealed about her mantra of energy, good looks, her favourite holiday spot in India, and her favourite cricket players.
Taking to Instagram Stories, Rakul answered the fun questions of the fans. She wore an off-shoulder blue jumpsuit, while she was promoting ‘Indian 2’.
During the AMA session, a fan asked the diva about her mantra of energy and good looks. Replying to the same, Rakul said: “The mantra of my energy is to keep myself away from all the negativity. I just focus on my job, my people, my life, and I am really not worried about who is thinking what, and I try to keep my karma clean.”
“And I think that what keeps me positive and kind of reflects on your skin. So, I think for each one of us, if we have a clear conscience, if we are happy from
within, I think that’ what is going to reflect on your face,” she shared.
Speaking about her favourite cricket players, Rakul said: “It has to be Virat Kohli. I think he is amazing. And also Rohit Sharma.”
Rakul also revealed her favourite
holiday spot in India, saying, “Goa. I just love Goa.” Rakul married actor-filmmaker Jackky Bhagnani on February 21, 2024, in Goa.
On how much time she spends in the gym, the ‘Doctor G’ actress added: “I spend about one hour and 15 minutes maximum, which also includes my mobility, and stretching in the end.”
‘Indian 2’ is directed by S Shankar, and is jointly produced by Lyca Productions and Red Giant Movies. The movie is a sequel to the 1996 film ‘Indian’, and Kamal Haasan reprises his role as Senapathy.
Apart from Rakul, it also features Siddharth, SJ Suryah, Bobby Simha, Vivek, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Gulshan Grover, Samuthirakani and Nedumudi Venu in pivotal roles.
Meanwhile, she next has ‘Meri Patni Ka Remake’, and ‘De De Pyaar De 2’ in the pipeline.
(IANS)
Eat two bananas before a strenuous workout to pack an energy punch and sustain your blood sugar level
On 'World Biryani Day', which was on 7th July, celebrity chef Harpal Singh Sokhi has shared some biryani cooking hacks taught to him by Ustad Habib Pasha, emphasising that it is one dish that represents the country.
Harpal, who is part of the show ‘Laughter Chefs', shared: "I think biryani is a complete food in itself. It's a one-pot meal with protein, carbs, and the right kind of flavours. Biryani is one dish that represents India very well and is a wellsought-after dish across the country."
"Each state or place has its own flavour depending on how they have adapted themselves to biryani. So it is, in a way, I think, the perfect dish that represents Indian culture and the country itself," he added.
When asked about a specific biryani hack, the chef said; "Few cooking hacks
that Ustad Habib Pasha taught me is that biryani is actually mutton biryani. There is no other biryani, I don't think so. Chicken is more like a pulao. It never existed in the early days. The first cooking hack that Habib Pasha taught me was, 'you need to select the right kind of meat and marinate it with dry spices, and you actually have to kind of hammer them by lifting the meat up'."
"After mixing the dry spices, you have to lift the meat up and throw it back into the pot. This thumping, which keeps happening for at least 20-25 minutes, breaks up the protein structure of the meat and adds to the cooking time. And the second thing Habib Pasha would do is, when he would cook the rice, he would add a little bit of milk to it. This would brighten up the basmati rice and add to the end flavour and consistency of the biryani," he said.
Harpal continued, "He would also always say, chef, you need to boil the water with shahi jeera and add salt to it. And the salt taste of the water should be higher so that the rice absorbs the right kind of salt in it. And then the end product gets the right taste of salt. It is not salty, but it brings in the right taste of salt. And that is the most important. Layering of Biryani should be such that the end product gets you a fluffy rice Biryani."
The chef added: "I learnt to make Biryani in Nizam's kitchen. It is the epitome of perfection. The true Biryani, in my opinion, comes from the Hyderabadi tradition. Begum Mumtaz Khan taught me the art of using spices. The Hyderabadi Biryani stands out because it has just the right amount of spices, providing great flavour without being overpowering, unlike the Awadhi or Calcutta Biryanis."
(IANS)
Tresind Studio, the Progressive Indian restaurant in Dubai steered by Delhi-born chef Himanshu Saini, has become the newest entrant into the World's 50 Best restaurants list announced in Las Vegas.
It is four notches below Gaggan, the Bangkok restaurant led by Kolkata-born Gaggan Anand, which is ranked No. 9. Anand is considered to be a pioneer of avant garde Indian cuisine.
The list is topped by the Barcelona restaurant, Disfrutar, which is the baby of chefs Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casanas. It just celebrated its 10th anniversary. The chefs presiding over the restaurant's kitchens are all graduates of El Bulli, long-time No.1 restaurant (now closed) of the visionary, Ferran Adria.
Saini trained under the maestro, Manish Mehrotra of Delhi's Indian Accent restaurant, and considers his guru to be the most decisive influence in his life. He moved to Dubai in 2014 and opened Tresind Studio as the Progressive version of the Tresind restaurant in 2018. Apart from its latest recognition, Tresind Studio already has two Michelin stars.
Announcing the arrival of Tresind Studio, the London-based 'Restaurant' magazine, which created and still runs this list based on recommendation of judges from all over
the world, writes: "An ode to India's rich and diverse culinary heritage, Himanshu Saini and his team guide diners with the most personal service possible through a nuanced yet approachable exploration of 17 dishes."
Describing the restaurant, it says, "The 20-seater restaurant resembles an intimate theatre where the open kitchen is the stage. Natural elements such as fresh flowers, leaves, shells and butterflies play the main characters of a four-act show that highlights the best of every region."
The restaurant is located at St. Regis Gardens, Dubai.
The 17-course degustation (tasting) menu at Tresind Studio represents each part of India.
As 'Restaurant' magazine puts it, "From the humble pani puri, to the ceremonial Sadhya and a Studio version of a comforting curry, all bases are covered."
Responding to the honour bestowed upon Tresind Studio, Saini said in a press statement: "This recognition is a testament to our team's dedication and passion for elevating Indian cuisine. We are honoured to bring this accolade to Dubai and proud to represent Indian culinary arts on the global stage."
The cost of the home-cooked vegetarian thali has been on the rise since November 2023 and in June, the cost of a home-cooked veg thali rose 10 per cent (year-on-year) while the cost of the non-veg thali declined 4 per cent, a report showed in India.
The cost of the veg thali increased due to a surge of 30 per cent, 46 per cent and 59 per cent in prices of tomato, onion and potato, respectively, largely due to the low base of last fiscal.
“Tomatoes, onions and potatoes have been the key contributors to this rise as adverse weather conditions have impacted their supply,” said Pushan Sharma, DirectorResearch, CRISIL Market Intelligence and Analytics.
Going forward, thali prices are expected to be lower on-year due to the high base of last fiscal, when tomato prices had surged.
“Sequentially, though, tomato prices will rise before correcting at the end of August as fresh supplies arrive from southern and western states,” said Sharma.
According to the CRISIL report, the prices surged because of lower onion arrivals due to significant drop in rabi acreage, decline in yield for potato crop due to unseasonal rainfall in March, and virus
infestation in tomato summer crop due to high temperatures in key growing regions of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh that tamped tomato arrivals down 35 per cent on-year. For non-veg thali, the decrease in cost was due to an estimated decline of 14 per cent on-year in broiler prices on a high base
of last fiscal, coupled with an oversupply situation and lower feed cost on-year. However, the cost of both veg and non-veg thalis increased month-on-month, by 6 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively, said the report.
SBY DEEVYA GUPTA
nacking has many benefits, including keeping your appetite in check for meal times as well as providing your body with nutrients for the day. It’s important to keep nourishing snacks prepared so that you can maximise the benefits and enjoy it at the same time. The only times we want to cut down on snacking if it consists mainly of processed foods or if you are having it in addition to what your body requires. Here are some tips for snacking:
Eat mindfully
Before you eat, ask yourself – Am I hungry? Or am I eating purely out of habit? If your answer is habit, this is something which may take a little practice in trying to reduce over time.
Nutrition-packed snack ideas
Snacks high in fibre and protein keep you satisfied for longer. Fibre helps keep our appetite content and keeps the bowels moving.
At times we feel hungry because we may be missing out on certain nutrients for example, protein, especially vegetarians.
Some daily examples of these foods include:
• Fruits (2 fresh, frozen or dry fruits 3
tablespoons approx.)
• Popcorn 1 cup (unsalted and made with canola oil)
• 1 small bowl of cucumber and tomato chaat (can also add ½ cup of bhel, poha or moong to your salads)
• Hummus and vegetable sticks*
• Handful of roasted gram or chickpeas*
• Nuts (1 handful of unsalted nuts or seeds)*
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 1-2 rice thins*
• 2 slices of cheese*
• 1 cup of milk*
• ¾ cup of yoghurt*
• 1 egg*
*Indicates foods containing protein also.
Snacks for occasions
We never suggest altogether avoiding any food, however, there are foods which would be considered a ‘sometimes food’ for consumption in small amounts only occasionally. Normally these snack options are a ‘quick fix’ and offer the body very limited nutrients other than sugar, fat or salt. The more we have these foods, the more our body will start craving for them.
Examples include:
• Biscuits (sweet or savoury)
• Cakes and pastries
• Chocolates
• Lollies
• Chips
• Fried foods (samosa, pakora etc)
• Salty namkeen foods
• Soft drinks
• Juices
• Ice cream
• High-sugar desserts
Keep up your regular routines.
It is important to make sure you are eating your meals spread out throughout the day and don’t miss meals. Don’t forget to drink water!
Plan your shopping
Planning what snacks you bring home in advance will help make snack time a lot easier.
Please note this advice is of a general nature. If you have any concerns or queries you should get tailored advice from an Accredited Practicing Dietitian and always consult with your General Practitioner before making and changes.
For a really quick meal try this chicken dish cooked with vegies in a mild sauce.
Making chicken doesn’t has to be always an elaborate process.
I have used skinless chicken breast fillet with a mixture of Indian spices and cooked it like Chinese style stir fry! It’s different, tasty, easy, quick and makes a wonderful dish.
A must try chicken with vegies
500 gm chicken fillet cubed or sliced handful of beans sliced
1 med red onion sliced
1 red capsicum sliced
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tbs ginger sliced
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground chilli
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste each little grated rind of lime (opt)
salt to taste
olive oil to cook
1 cup stock
SAUCE
2-3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tsp ground all spice
1 tbsp lime juice
pinch nutmeg
1 tsp arrowroot or cornflour
Salt to taste
Olive oil to cook
Tasty chicken in no time!
Marinate chicken with ginger,garlic. coriander,chilli and lime rind for about 30 mins.
Heat oil in wok or pan. Add sliced ginger, onion and capsicum and stir fry about 2-3 mins. Set aside. In the same wok heat a little oil and stir fry the chicken pieces till tender.
Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl
and pour over the chicken and mix well. Add the veges to the chicken and toss well. Pour cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water and cook until thickens.
GARNISH: chopped spring onion or coriander leaves
SERVE: Hot with basmati rice or brown rice.
BY MANJIT SETHI
Mesha (Aries)
In a relationship: You strengthen bonds through improved, more creative, and constructive communication. Make use of your increasing charisma to reignite the flame and enjoy intimate moments with your partner.
Vrishabh (Taurus)
You're determined to assert your talents and convince your superiors to trust you. You may be deploying a strategy conducted in the shadows, but it's purposeful and will bear fruit. Rely on your potentials and talents to advocate for yourself to your demanding hierarchy.
By D. Narayan (Tantracharya) M: 0425 660 220
Mithuna (Gemini)
Determined to stand firm, you're aided by Jupiter, which boosts your energies a You're channeling your energy to strengthen your career plan and showcase your skills. You're convincing your superiors that you're someone they can rely on, no matter what obstacles arise.
Karkat (Cancer)
While you take your responsibilities seriously, you lighten the atmosphere. Your eloquence charms those around you. You intend to defend your ambitions firmly. Your charisma allows you to convey your messages effortlessly. Remember to acknowledge those who discreetly support your interests.
Best days: 3, 12, 30
Lucky Colour: Red, Orange, Cream
Simha (Leo)
You're negotiating significant changes in your life, crossing a positive threshold. You're also taking a step back to negotiate structures undergoing transformation. Extend a hand towards others for your relational universe to evolve harmoniously.
Best days: 9, 18, 27
Lucky Colour: Green, Blue
Kanya (Virgo)
Jupiter puts you in the spotlight to progress in your projects. You ask for more, but not too much, to avoid encountering difficulties in the future. You regain a combative energy and optimism that have been lacking lately. If you felt like hitting a wall in your exchanges, rely on your ideas and proposals to attract attention and connect with your interlocutors.
Best days: 2, 7, 9
Lucky Colour: Red, White, Yellow
Tula (Libra)
You compare your prospects to the expectations of your loved ones to find common ground. You successfully manage your projects to integrate your loved ones without provoking reluctance. You mobilize to innovate and align your daily life with your ideals.
Best days: 9, 18
Lucky Colour: Red, Blue
Vrishchik (Scorpio)
Saturn slightly darkens your mood and frustrates your desires, but count on Jupiter's support to provide you with some occasions for rejoicing. A small success in society, professional recognition, or good news capable of bringing a smile back to your face.
Best days: 5,3
Lucky Colour: White & Orange
Dhanu (Sagittarius)
If you're currently feeling constrained by obligations and responsibilities in your private sphere, you'll find a method to lighten the mood. Count on Jupiter to bring back your smile and desire to have fun.Dhanu (Sagittarius)
Best days: 3, 12
Lucky Colour: Orange, Green
Makara (Capricorn)
You cultivate a responsibility It's not that you spend without restraint, but you're tempted to squander your money. Able mindset and avoid dispersal. People can rely on you to base your intuitions on solid ground. You might be less inclined to party, but Jupiter warms up the atmosphere.
Best days: 9, 18
Lucky Colour: Red, Blue
Kumbha (Aquarius)
You're keeping an eye on your accounts and not throwing money out the window. Kumbha (Aquarius),
While you're eager to fulfill your duties, the atmosphere changes drastically when Jupiter invites you to indulge. Whether in love or in your professional life, you garner admiration from all around.
Best days: 1, 3, 4
Lucky Colour: Red, Orange
Meen (Pisces)
Clarify your intentions and desires to avoid any misunderstandings and to strengthen your family bonds in the long term. You want to prove to your loved ones that they can rely on you and your solid emotional commitment that has withstood the test of time and turmoil. You feel in harmony with an ideal you've long sought, preserving it by avoiding putting too much pressure on those around you.
Best days: 9, 18
Lucky Colour: Red, Blue
Best days: 1, 3, 4
Lucky Colour: White, Green, Blue
Lucky Colour: White, Green, Blue Lucky Numbers - 5, 3, 6
Best days: 2, 7, 9
Lucky Colour: Red, Yellow, White
Last winter, I was laid off from my job. In order to make ends meet, I had to take up a temporary job as a newspaper delivery person. One of the houses I delivered had its mailbox blocked, so I had to knock on the door. Mr. Prabhu, an elderly man with unsteady steps, slowly opened the door. I asked, "Sir, why is the mailbox entrance blocked?"
He replied, "I intentionally blocked it." He smiled awkwardly and continued, "I want to discuss something with you. When you deliver the newspaper to me every day, please knock on the door or ring the bell and hand it to me in person."
I replied, "Sure, but that seems inconvenient for both of us and a waste of time." I was puzzled by this arrangement. He said, "It's alright, I'm at home every day. How about this... I'll give you an extra 50 dollars, each month as a knocking fee." With a pleading expression, he added, "If there ever comes a day when you can't knock on the door, please call the police!" I was shocked and asked, "Why?"
He replied, "My wife passed away, my son is abroad, and I live here all alone, who knows when my time will come?"
At that moment, I saw the old man's misty,
moist eyes. I asked, "Don't you subscribe to the newspaper to read it?"
He answered, "I never read the newspaper... I subscribe for the sound of knocking!"
He clasped his hands and said, "Young man, please do me a favour! Here's my son's overseas phone number. If one day you knock on the door and I don't answer, please call my son to inform him..."
After reading this, I believe there are also solitary, lonely elderly people among our circle of friends. Sometimes, you might wonder why they, in their old age, still send messages on WhatsApp, just like they are still working. Actually, the significance of these morning and evening greetings is similar to the meaning of knocking or ringing the doorbell; it's a way of wishing each other safety and conveying care.
Nowadays, WhatsApp is very convenient, and we don't need to subscribe to newspapers anymore. If you have the time, teach your elderly family members how to use WhatsApp!
One day, if you don't receive their morning greetings or shared articles, they might be ill, or something may have happened to them. Please care for your friends and family. After reading this, my eyes welled up with tears!!! I deeply understand the significance of our WhatsApp messages to each other!!!
