JUN 2022
w w w. g d a y i n d i a . c o m . a u
VOL 16 ISSUE 182
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AUSTRALIAN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE
A ROMANTIC AFFAIR WITH HINDI - p.24
NEW AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MINISTRY SWORN IN - p.12
INDIAN ART’S UTSAV AT THE NGV - p.25
MANUSHI CHILLAR’S DREAM DEBUT WITH SAMRAT PRITHVIRAJ - p.22
SAVING ENDANGERED FOLK ART - p.26
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NEWS VICTORIA
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G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
Free Flu Shots for All Victorians
MELBOURNE, May 31: The Andrews Labor Government is making it easier than ever to get your annual flu shot this year by providing free influenza vaccinations for Victorians throughout June. Cases of flu in Victoria have increased by more than 30 per cent in the past week alone from 10,000 to 15,000, after two years of COVID-19 and reduced international travel led to limited immunity to the common winter virus. To help make getting the jab as easy as possible, more than 3,000 GP clinics and community pharmacies across Victoria will be invited to offer the free flu vaccinations from this Wednesday as part of a $33 million package. The flu vaccination is already free for eligible groups including children under five years, people over 65 years, pregnant women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people with increased risk medical conditions. The Labor Government will reimburse GPs and community pharmacies for flu vaccines that are administered to any Victorians that are not usually eligible for free flu shots – so that immunisation providers can continue to use vaccine that they have already purchased. This will mean all Victorians aged six months and over will be eligible for the free flu shot between 1 and 30 June to help boost vaccination coverage as much as possible and avoid more
hospitalisations throughout winter. Flu vaccines have already been made available to children aged five years and over from their community pharmacy, taking pressure off GPs and keeping children safe and out of hospital this winter. As part of the push, the Government is also offering $2,000 grants to immunisation providers to help them manage the additional demand – such as rostering on more staff and opening for longer hours. The cold weather also serves as a timely reminder to make sure your child is up to date with all their vaccinations, including their COVID-19 jabs. There is no interval required between receiving a COVID-19 and flu vaccine. Victorians are encouraged to contact their local GP or community pharmacy from tomorrow, Wednesday, 1 June, to book their free vaccine. Anyone with cold and flu symptoms should get tested for COVID-19 and remain at home until their symptoms have resolved – regardless of whether it turns out to be COVID-19 or flu. People who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for seven days from the date of their result.
(MEDIA RELEASE)
Supporting Media Diversity and Jobs in The Regions
MELBOURNE, Jun 3: The Andrews Labor Government is supporting media diversity with a $2.7 million grant to Australian Associated Press - recognising the importance of regional media, local papers and an independent newswire. Regional media outlets play a crucial role in their communities, especially during
emergencies such as bushfires or floods, providing independent and localised news to give Victorians the detailed information they need. The Labor Government will provide a grant of almost $2.7 million over three years for Australian Associated Press (AAP) which supports print and broadcast journalism in regional Victoria. Grant funding has been provided to AAP in recognition of its position as a unique, trusted and recognised not for profit in the Australian media landscape. AAP’s work underpins almost 50 regional newspapers and radio stations across Victoria – as well as 34 national outlets that distribute or broadcast into the state – by filing stories and photographs every day, around the clock on politics, sport, courts, finance and major news events. In Victoria, AAP employs about 18 editorial staff, whose stories are run throughout Victoria, Australia and internationally. The grant builds on the Labor Government’s $20 million Regional Press Support Package, which has helped maintain regional jobs and public interest journalism through the COVID-19 pandemic. This grant will now ensure AAP can
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continue to employ the journalists and resources it needs to provide a strong, independent newswire service to other media outlets in regional Victoria and around the nation. AAP is a not-for-profit organisation with charitable status. Its revenue goes directly to achieving its charitable objectives through the creation of public interest journalism. Every day, AAP publishes more than 220 stories and captures more than 400 images for use by other media outlets across their websites, newspapers and radio and TV broadcasts. Its content is vital to regional media, which do not employ journalists in Melbourne. AAP was threatened with closure in 2020 before being purchased by a group of philanthropists determined to maintain an important voice that started more than 86 years ago. To help regional papers continue to recover from the global pandemic, the Government will extend its vital advertising support to regional papers until the end of the year. (MEDIA RELEASE)
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Skyrocketing energy prices leave Australia's smaller energy suppliers out in cold SYDNEY, Jun 1: As Australia heads into winter and people switch on their heating, energy costs have spiked due to surging demand, leaving smaller electricity retailers unable to weather price shocks. Peak national employer organisation, the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group), referred to the rises in energy prices as "apocalyptic" on Tuesday. "Apocalyptic rises in energy prices threaten chaos for industry and pain for households. They demand a national, integrated and strategic response," said Chief Executive of Ai Group Innes Willox. "The extraordinary price rises, including a 50-fold spike in wholesale gas prices in (the Australian state of) Victoria," said Willox. He added that the spike in prices was a combination of outages at local coal plants and international coal and gas shortages driven by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. As a result of the sudden price fluctuation, Australia's peak energy regulator, the
Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), has put a cap on price increases. This has left smaller companies like Queensland retail budget supplier, ReAmped Energy, unable to absorb costs and with no option but to send customers away. On Wednesday ReAmped Energy CEO Luke Blincoe urged customers to switch to larger retailers as soon as possible. "The truth is that the more customers we have, the higher our prices will need to go... staying with us could mean your prices have to double soon," said Blincoe. Willox said any solutions to the current price pain would not be simple, and noted that Australia's reliance on foreign commodities, which once had diversified Australia's energy needs, was now making it vulnerable to international conditions. "The most sensible steps on both the supply and demand sides to build for the future and reduce our exposure to fuel costs will take time to deliver. Short-term responses
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to help vulnerable industry and households will also be needed." Over the past week, Australia's state governments have issued varying support payments for residents struggling to pay their energy bills.
(IANS)
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NEWS VICTORIA
Victoria’s Strong Economic Performance Leads Nation
MELBOURNE, Jun 2: Victoria’s economic recovery is powering ahead with strong household spending demonstrating consumer confidence and driving growth in economic activity higher than in any other state. National Accounts data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows Victoria’s State Final Demand soared by 2.4 per cent in the March quarter – the best performance of all the states, twice the level of New South Wales and 50 per cent higher than the national average of 1.6 per cent. The March quarter result followed a 3.5 per cent increase in the December quarter and puts Victoria’s annual rate of growth at 6 per cent, dwarfing New South Wales’ 3.8 per cent. The ABS figures confirm Victoria has recorded the strongest growth of all the states in State Final Demand since November 2014, when the Andrews Labor Government took office. Household consumption was the backbone of the strong March quarter results as Victorians embraced the return
to activities, they love such as playing and watching sport, catching a movie with friends and going out to dinner. Spending in hotels, cafes and bars was up by more than 10 per cent in the quarter, while big increases were also seen in transport services and vehicle sales. The Labor Government provided more than $13 billion in support for small and medium-sized businesses and workers during the pandemic, laying the foundations for the strong economic and jobs growth now being seen. More than 11,000 jobs were added in Victoria in April, taking the total jobs created since 2014 to more than 575,000 – proportionally more than any other state. That number includes more than 430,000 full-time jobs and a significant jump in female employment, with over 900,000 women in full-time work. State Final Demand is a measure of economic activity that looks at the total amount of goods and services used in the economy.
Free Public Wi-Fi to Continue in Melbourne’s CBD
MELBOURNE, May 29: Free Wi-Fi will continue to be available in the CBD for Melbournians and tourists alike with the Andrews Labor Government extending the service. Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy Jaala Pulford announced the free public Wi-Fi throughout Melbourne’s CBD will continue for another two years. The VicFreeWiFi services available outdoors at more than 400 hotspots, including at all train stations, the Bourke St Mall, Queen Victoria Market, and South Wharf Promenade at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Users can assess up to 1GB per day per device, free of advertising and without the need to log-in or submit personal details. Free public Wi-Fi makes it easier for those in the CBD to access public transport time tables as well as booking nearby restaurants and tickets to major events. The VicFreeWiFi pilot in
Melbourne launched in 2016 and was one of the largest free public Wi-Fi network of its kind in Australia. Since then, the Melbourne service has been used more than 45million times with more than 430 terabytes of data downloaded. Free public Wi-Fi is also available in Ballarat, Bendigo and Shepparton, and work is underway to deliver free WIFI networks in Geelong, Latrobe Valley and Ararat. The Government’s $550 million Connecting Victoria program is fast-tracking improvements to mobile coverage and broadband access across the state. More connectivity projects in locations across the state will be announced throughout 2022. The service is delivered in partnership with telco TPG and to find the VicFreeWiFi hotspots in Melbourne’s CBD visit vic.gov.au/ find-vicfreewifi-hotspots-victoria
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Victoria’s economy is set to continue to expand and support more jobs, with forecasts in the Victorian Budget 2022/23 predicting a 5.5 per cent rise in Gross State Product in 2021 22 followed by growth of 3.25 per cent in 2022 23 and 2.75 per cent in each of the final two years of the forward estimates. (MEDIA RELEASE)
Victorians Claiming Rebates on Dining and Entertainment MELBOURNE, May 28: From pottery classes to museum exhibitions, hot springs visits and winery lunches, an Andrews Labor Government initiative is getting people out and about enjoying the best that our state has to offer. Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Martin Pakula confirmed that there have been over 580,000 successful claims since the Victorian Dining and Entertainment Program launched on 29 March. Over a quarter of entertainment claims, 28 per cent, so far are for theatre and performing arts, with popular choices including Hamilton and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Cinema purchases are close behind, accounting for 26 per cent of claims. Live music performances have featured prominently with 13 per cent of customers claiming for gigs. The dining rebates are available from Monday to Thursday anywhere in
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Victoria outside of the City of Melbourne municipality. Hai Di Lao, Dumpling Alley, Shanghai Red and Phoenix Soars take the top four spots on the claims list for customers dining in or collecting a takeaway in person. Almost two-thirds of claimants surveyed said the program was a key reason for making their purchase or spending more than they would have otherwise. Businesses and customers are encouraged to get in quick to benefit from the program before it closes on Thursday 30 June or when funds run out – whichever happens first. Individuals can claim a combined total of up to $125 back. The program is part of the Labor Government’s $200 million Victorian Business Stimulus Package supporting local businesses and jobs. For more information, including how to claim, go to vic.gov.au/dining-entertainment
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West To Welcome Victoria’s First HydrogenPowered Buses MELBOURNE, Jun 2: Melbourne’s west is set to become home to Victoria’s first hydrogen-powered buses as part of an expansion of the Andrews Labor Government’s $20 million Zero Emissions Bus Trial. Continuing its investment into greener technology, the Labor Government is working with Transit Systems to roll out two hydrogen fuel cell buses and nine electric buses to operate from its Footscray depot from March next year, adding to the 41 electric buses already announced as part of the trial. The Transit Systems trial buses will operate on 15 school services and 26 routes in the western suburbs including in Footscray, Sunshine, Yarraville, Newport, Melton, and Williamstown. Transit Systems joins five other bus operators selected to trial electric buses on existing bus routes in Melbourne, Seymour and Traralgon, with the first trial buses due to enter the state’s public transport network in August. The trial will provide practical information including how zero emissions buses perform and the energy and charging requirements for different types of routes. It will also give
insights into how the buses can improve financial and environmental sustainability and customer outcomes. In another development, Kinetic’s first two electric buses are now operating in the western suburbs, beginning its roll-out of an average of one electric bus per month over the next three years. Under current initiatives, Victorians will be travelling on at least 89 quieter, smoother and fume-free zero emissions buses each week
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by mid-2025, jump starting the plan for all new public buses to be zero emissions from 2025. Creating a greener fleet is part of Victoria’s Bus Plan to develop a modern and reliable network that attracts more passengers, with the new, greener buses critical to the Labor Government’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050. (MEDIA RELEASE)
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NEWS AUSTRALIA
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
New Australian government ministry sworn in
CANBERRA, Jun 1: The new Australian government's ministry has officially been sworn in. The 30 members of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's frontbench, which includes a record-breaking 13 women, were sworn-in to their portfolios by GovernorGeneral David Hurley at the Government House in Canberra. Of the 30, 23 will serve in Albanese's cabinet, the innermost sanctum of the government where major policy decisions is made. Wednesday morning's ceremony made history, with Ed Husic and Anne Aly sworn-in as Australia's first Muslim federal ministers and Linda Burney becoming the first Indigenous woman to serve as Minister for
Indigenous Australians. It comes 11 days after Albanese's Labor Party claimed victory in the general elections on May 21. A core team consisting of Albanese, Deputy PM Richard Marles, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher were previously sworn in on May 23, allowing them to work in the meantime. On Wednesday they were re-sworn in, with Marles moving from the employment to defence portfolio and Gallagher adding the roles of Minister for Public Service and Minister for Women. Announcing the ministry on Tuesday night, Albanese said it was "as inclusive as Australia itself."
Ten of 23 cabinet ministers are women. "This is the largest number of women who have ever served in an Australian cabinet," he said. "We have an overflow of talent on our side of the parliament ... It's the most experienced incoming Labor government in our history since federation." Mark Butler, who served as a minister in the last Labor government between 2010 and 2013, was sworn in as the Minister for Health and Aged Care, and Bill Shorten, Albanese's predecessor as party leader, as the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and Minister for Government Services.
(IANS)
Peter Dutton elected opposition leader
CANBERRA, May 30: Hardline conservative Peter Dutton was on Monday elected as the new Australian opposition leader. Dutton, 51, was officially elected unopposed to lead the centre right Liberal Party, replacing former Prime Minister Scott Morrison who resigned following defeat in the
general election held on May 21. A hardline conservative, Dutton served as the Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Defence under Morrison. Prior to entering Parliament in 2001, he worked as a police officer in his home state of Queensland. He became the leading candidate to replace Morrison after former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Morrison's deputy and the most prominent candidate in the Liberals' moderate faction, lost his seat in Parliament in the election. Dutton said on Monday that Liberal policies under his leadership would be true to its values. "Our policies will be squarely aimed at the forgotten Australians in the suburbs across Australia," he told reporters in Canberra. "I want our country to support aspiration and reward hard work, take proper care of those Australians who, short-term or long-
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term, can't take care of themselves," he said. Sussan Ley, the former Minister for the Environment, was elected as Dutton's deputy. The duo inherit a party still reeling from the May 21 election. The Coalition, which is made up of the Liberal Party and National Party, has been left with less than 60 seats out of 151 seats in the lower house of the parliament, down from 75 prior to the election. It experienced a collapse in its vote in metropolitan areas, particularly among women, at the election, with many voters abandoning the party over its climate policies. "We know that we didn't receive the support of all women at the last election and my message to the women of Australia is we hear you," Ley said on Monday. "We're listening, we're talking, and we are determined to earn back your trust and your faith." (IANS)
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
Australia's economy grows 0.8% despite floods, Covid surge
CANBERRA, Jun 1: Australia's economy grew by 0.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2022, beating economists' expectations. According to figures published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday, gross domestic product (GDP) increased 0.8 per cent in the March quarter and 3.3 per cent over the past year. Economists had forecast growth of approximately 0.5 per cent for the quarter and 2.9 per cent annually. The growth came despite a spike in coronavirus infections and catastrophic flooding hitting much of the country's east coast throughout January, February and March. The ABS noted that the better-thanexpected result was driven by a rise in household consumption and government
spending. However, Jim Chalmers, the treasurer under the new Labor government, said the economy is weaker than forecast by the previous government and his predecessor, Josh Frydenberg. "These are glimpses at the mess the former government has left behind for us to clean up," Chalmers told reporters in Canberra. "You can see in these figures, even with a number on the surface, when it looks relatively robust, is much lower in many instances and what the government was relying on in the forecast in the budget." The household income saving ratio, which measures the portion of earnings households were putting into their savings, fell from 13.4 to 11.4 per cent.
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"The 11.4-per cent household saving ratio was the lowest since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, but remains above pre-pandemic levels," Sean Crick, acting head of National Accounts at the ABS, said in a media release. (IANS)
Australian watchdog sues Mastercard for anti-market practices
SYDNEY, May 30: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on Monday started legal proceedings in the Federal Court against Mastercard for allegedly stifling competition in the supply of debit card acceptance services. The consumer watchdog said in a statement that it has instituted proceedings against Mastercard Asia/Pacific Pte Ltd and Mastercard Asia/Pacific (Australia) Pty Ltd. Mastercard's alleged anti-competitive conduct commenced in late 2017 in the context of the Reserve Bank of Australia's "least cost routing" initiative, aimed to increase competition in the supply of debit card acceptance services and reduce payment costs for businesses by allowing them to choose the lowest cost network to process their transactions. This enabled businesses to choose whether their debit transactions were
processed by Visa, Mastercard or eftpos, with eftpos often being the cheapest option. "We allege that Mastercard had substantial power in the market for the supply of credit card acceptance services, and that a substantial purpose of Mastercard's conduct was to hinder the competitive process by deterring businesses from using eftpos for processing debit transactions," said ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb. In response to the "least cost routing" initiative, Mastercard allegedly entered into agreements with more than 20 major retail businesses, including supermarkets, fast food chains and clothing retailers. The agreements gave these businesses discounted rates for Mastercard credit card transactions, provided they committed to processing all or most of their Mastercardeftpos debit card transactions through Mastercard rather than the eftpos network,
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said the consumer watchdog. This meant that these businesses would not process significant debit card volumes through the eftpos network even though eftpos was often the lowest cost provider. "We are concerned that Mastercard's alleged conduct meant that businesses did not receive the full benefit of the increased competition that was intended to flow from the least cost routing initiative," said CassGottlieb. The ACCC investigated allegations that Mastercard engaged in anti-competitive conduct by offering certain large merchants cheaper interchange rates (known as 'strategic merchant rates'), for processing credit card payments if they agreed to process Mastercard-eftpos debit card payments through the Mastercard network.
(IANS)
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NEWS AUSTRALIA
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
Australia's largest retail group to discontinue reusable plastic bags
CANBERRA, Jun 3: Following bans on single-use plastic bags across the nation, Australia's largest supermarket chain, Woolworths, has taken the transition one step further by pledging to phase out all types of plastic bags in their stores. The company has pledged that its supermarket stores and retail subsidiary, BIG W, would phase out all plastic bags across its Australian stores by June 2023, the change estimated to remove 9,000 tonnes of plastic from circulation annually. While making the announcement on Friday, Managing Director of Woolworths Supermarkets, Natalie Davis, said the reusable bags were originally introduced to help customers adjust to the removal of single-use plastic bags. "We've seen a huge shift in shopping habits since we stopped giving out single-use plastic bags, with eight out of 10 customers now bringing their own bags from home," she said. "The reusable plastic bags have played their part and now it's time to do away with selling plastic shopping bags at our checkouts for good." On Wednesday, New South Wales (NSW) became the last state or territory to prohibit
the use of single-use plastic bags, as the state looks to phase out all "problematic", single-use plastics. Over the following 12 months, a slew of "problematic" plastic items would join the ban, including plastic straws, plastic cutlery, cotton buds and other single-use plastic containers. "Single-use plastic items and packaging make up 60 percent of all litter in NSW," said
NSW Environment Minister James Griffin while announcing the ban on Wednesday. "By stopping the supply of problematic plastic in the first place, we're helping prevent it from entering our environment as litter or going into landfills." The bans in NSW are part of an "NSW Plastic Action Plan" that aims to stop 2.7 billion items of plastic from entering the environment over the next 20 years.
(IANS)
Australian bank sued for overcharging on customer transactions
CANBERRA, May 30: The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) moved to sue ANZ, the country's second largest bank, for allegedly misleading and overcharging customers. In a statement, the financial regulator said that in the span of two years of investigation, 165,750 ANZ customers were charged cash
advance fees and interest for withdrawing or transferring money based on an incorrectly displayed balance. The commission also said the bank had not adequately addressed the problem as customers continue to be affected. "We are concerned that, over a long period of time, ANZ overstated the available
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funds and balances on credit card accounts, and nonetheless charged fees and interest to customers who relied on this information when making withdrawals," ASIC Deputy Chair Sarah Court said. Court noted that in some cases single customers had been unjustly charged thousands of Australian dollars in fees, and the average cost to those affected was A$47 ($34). "This alleged misconduct is the result of system errors within ANZ and a lack of effort to comprehensively fix these issues," said Court. "We say that ANZ has been aware of the unlawful charging since at least 2018 and the problem is still occurring today." While ANZ has repaid losses of over A$10 million to customers affected up to November of 2018, the commission said they have yet to remediate customers affected after this date. The filing would see ASIC seek penalties from the bank, and also seek orders for ANZ to implement a system change that would correctly display customers' funds. (IANS)
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NEWS INDIA
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
I'm just 'Pradhan Sevak' of 130 crore people: Modi
SHIMLA, May 31: Donning a Himachali cap, Narendra Modi said in the last eight years of his government, he never thought of himself as the Prime Minister (PM), but as a 'pradhan sevak' (prime servant) of the country. Also, all these years were devoted to welfare of the people, good governance and security of each Indian. "In the last eight years not even once did I vision myself as the PM. Only when I sign documents do I have the responsibility of the PM but as soon as the file is gone, I'm no longer a PM. I'm just a pradhan sevak of 130 crore people who are everything in my life and my life is also for you," Modi said addressing a huge gathering at the historic Ridge. Amid the chants of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', Prime Minister Modi earlier reached Himachal Pradesh capital to participate in the Garib Kalyan Sammelan. On arrival, he was extended a rousing reception by party workers and sympathizers, some donning traditional dresses, who were awaiting his arrival for several hours. Many women were present en route, waving their hands at the Prime Minister's arrival. Amid the presence of Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, whom Modi described as his friend, and Union Minister Anurag Thakur on
the dais, Modi in his 40-minute address in Hindi said, "Today is a very special day in my life. I am privileged that I was given a chance to honour my motherland. I am thankful to you all who have come in such a large number to bestow their blessings." Saying that nearly 200 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in India so far, he said, "During this Covid-19 pandemic, I also got the chance to take care of the children who lost their parents to the disease. Our government took the decision to look after these children. I also sent some monetary assistance to these children through cheques yesterday." Sounding poll bugle in Himachal Pradesh later this year, Modi listed out the achievements of the BJP government in Centre. "Before 2014, there was concern about the security of the country, today we
are proud of surgical strike-air strike. "Our motto is to empower the poor and address each and every problem they face." During the roadshow, Modi came out of the cavalcade and accepted greetings of the people by taking a stroll on The Mall. Chief Minister Thakur was accompanying him. The focus of the visit is the Assembly polls, which are slated later this year, in the hill state. Modi often recalls his special bond with the state. He is also trying to keep his party's 'double engine government' on the track by recapitulating milestones the state achieved through Centre's welfare schemes. Speaking at the Garib Kalyan Sammelan, Thakur hailed Prime Minister Modi's leadership. "Under PM Modi's leadership, we have recovered from the Covid crisis. The double engine government in Himachal Pradesh has tried to work for the development of the state in the last four years. "With your blessings, we will form our government again in Himachal Pradesh," an elated Thakur said. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Thakur said, "I warmly welcome our PM on his visit to Devbhoomi Himachal. The relationship between PM Modi and the people of the state is very strong." (IANS)
UGC Chairman meets Australian Deputy High Commissioner, discusses effective collaboration between the two countries
NEW DELHI, Jun 3: Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar held a meeting with Sarah Storey, Deputy Australian High Commissioner to India and both sides exchanged views to promote effective collaboration between the two countries. Along with Storey, Mathew Johnston, Minister Counsellor (Education and Research)- South Asia and Brett GaltSmith, Counsellor, Education and Research, Australian Government joined the meeting. During the meeting, both sides exchanged views to promote effective collaboration between the two countries considering the fact that education has been recognised as one of the priority sectors for cooperation by the leadership of India and Australia. Kumar apprised the Australian side of the various progressive initiatives taken by the University Grants Commission and the Government of India for the internationalisation of the Indian higher education system, as envisaged in the National Education Policy, 2020. He also shared the key features of the UGC Regulations on Academic Collaboration between Indian and Foreign Higher Educational Institutions to offer Twinning,
Joint and Dual Degree Programmes. The Australian side appreciated the ushering in of the much-awaited UGC Regulations on Academic Collaboration and expressed that they would encourage the Australian higher education institutions to collaborate with the Indian HEIs under the ambit of these Regulations. The Charge' D'Affaires, Australian High Commission hoped that the task force on education qualification recognition will strengthen the mobility of students Chairman, UGC further shared that a committee, constituted by UGC has been working on various modalities for recognition of foreign qualifications in India. The Australian side also expressed its interest in the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) in Gujarat. Kumar assured the Australian side of the support and guidance of the UGC to facilitate Australian universities to set up their campus (es) and offer courses in diverse areas like Financial Management, FinTech, Science and Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in the GIFT City. He also shared that UGC would bring out a set of enabling Regulations so as to allow top-ranked foreign HEIs to open their campus
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(es) in India. The Australian side suggested that a self-regulatory framework for foreign HEIs might be developed for promoting their establishment and operations in India. The Australian side further agreed to explore opportunities for educational collaborations by reaching out to and bringing together eligible Indian and Australian HEIs through an online workshop. Both sides shared their commitment to commence Twinning, Joint and Dual Degree Programmes by the start of the next academic session. It was discussed during the meeting that as announced in the Budget 2022-23, establishment of a Digital University on a network hub and spoke model shall provide a platform for various higher educational institutions including foreign HEIs to provide an affordable, world-class teaching-learning ecosystem. Both sides also agreed to work together to ensure quality in the delivery of online academic programmes. It is expected that the talks will provide a greater impetus to academic collaborations between Australia and India in the fields of higher education and research. (ANI)
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
How Indian Army upheld its highest traditions even after 1971 War
KOLKATA, May 31: While 2021 was celebrated as Swarnim Vijay Varsh or the 50th anniversary of the 1971 IndiaPakistan War resulting in a crushing defeat for Pakistani forces and the Liberation of Bangladesh, 2022 can certainly commemorate how Indian armed forces upheld their ethos and traditions by punishing their own who fell out of line, even slightly, during the War. Nearly 93,000 Pakistani troops surrendered and were held as Prisoners of War by India after the 13-day War. Though a large number of them, including officers, were involved in the genocide that took place in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), not a single soldier was punished after the surrendered troops were returned to West Pakistan. That marks the difference between the armed forces of the two countries. In India, one case that comes to mind is the punishment meted out to a young Captain in the Army who may have felt that he was doing nothing wrong in robbing a bank at Hajiganj in Bangladesh where he was posted in 1971. After all, it was December 11, 1971 and the bank could well have been treated
as enemy property, the officer -- who we will simply call Captain HU here -- may have felt. A senior officer in the Army believes that such incidents about that great War need to be highlighted along with the gallantry and valour of our troops. The officer entered the United Bank Ltd Comilla District, threatened the staff with bodily harm and made off with Rs 11,222.91 in Pakistani currency, some 12 bore guns and cartridges, a wall clock, a couple of telephone sets, pens, winter uniforms of bank staff as well as personal property of the manager and the security guard. From the manager, he took away a Romer Popular wrist watch and from the guard, Rs 6 in Pakistani currency. Captain HU's seniors did not take too kindly to this and a general court marshal was convened. On May 3, after the military court pronounced him guilty, the then general officer commanding (GOC) of the 23 Mountain Division noted: "It should be clearly borne in mind that our Forces had been ordered to march into Bangladesh as the liberators of the oppressed people who had been subjected to untold torture and miseries at the hands of Pakistani troops.
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It is, therefore, clear that our Forces had gone there as guardians and custodians of the lives and property of the people of that country. The conduct of the accused by indulging in broad day light bank robbery is despicable and his stooping so low as to deprive the security guard of the paltry sum of Rs 6 in Pakistani currency was also taking away wrist watch from the manager is indeed highly reprehensible. Such actions on the part of responsible officer of the Indian Army are calculated to bring a blot on the fair name of the Indian Army. It is, therefore, our imperative duty to ensure that such cases dealt with firmly when a verdict of guilty has been returned by the court." The military court ordered that the Captain be 'cashiered'. This is a punishment every officer of the armed forces dreads. He is marched to the parade ground under guard and all his rank badges, ribbons and awards are torn off in the presence of all personnel. He is then made to leave the premises. His commanding officer, though, wasn't satisfied with such a light sentence and insisted that the Captain serve two years of rigorous imprisonment as well. This order was confirmed by the then chief of Army staff Gen (later Field Marshal) SHFJ Manekshaw. It was Manekshaw who had told his troops to uphold the highest traditions of the Indian Army while conducting themselves in Bangladesh. The Captain challenged the order before the Supreme Court on technical grounds but his petition was rejected on November 27, 1972. "Just as we celebrated Swarnim Vijay Varsh, we also need to celebrate such incidents. This will show the younger generation that the Indian Army doesn't spare even its own in case of wrongdoing," the serving officer said. (IANS)
Israeli Dy PM Gantz meets PM Modi, discusses defence cooperation
NEW DELHI, Jun 2: Visiting Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Benjamin Gantz called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and contribute to global stability.
encouraged Israeli defence companies to benefit from opportunities of co-development and coproduction in India.
The visit comes as 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of the formation of the official diplomatic ties between India and Israel.
During the meeting, Gantz emphasised the opportunity to invest further in defence cooperation between the two countries, while building on shared values in order to contribute to global stability.
Modi and Gantz, who is also the Defence Minister, reviewed the rapid growth in defence cooperation between their countries over the past few years, and the former
Earlier, he met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. (IANS)
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NEWS WORLD
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
Celebrations begin for Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee The four-day celebrations to mark Queen Elizabeth II's 70 years on the throne commenced on Thursday with thousands of people turned out in central London to witness the Queen's Platinum Jubilee - an unprecedented event in British history. The crowd cheered the Queen as she watched the Trooping the Colour parade - the military parade which marks the monarch's official birthday -- from Buckingham Palace. In a Jubilee message, the Queen said she was "inspired" by the goodwill of the nation, the BBC reported. Riding on horseback and wearing the Platinum Jubilee medal with his uniform, the Prince of Wales took the birthday salute from the troops on behalf of the Queen. However, as the soldiers marched towards the Buckingham Palace at the end of the parade, the 96-year-old appeared on the balcony with
First Qatari woman to conquer Everest scales another peak
DOHA, Jun 1: News of the first Qatari woman to summit Mt Everest has grabbed media headlines in the country of 2.7 million where close to 85 per cent of the population is expatriate. Less than 24 hours after conquering Mt Everest, Sheikha Asma bint Thani Al-Thani also became the first Qatari woman to scale Mt Lhotse, the fourth highest peak in the world at 8,516 m, the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) said. Al-Thani hoisted Qatar's flag on the highest peak in the world on May 27, saying on her Instagram post: "Everest-A dream I have been working on for quite some time." Al-Thani could not scale the 8,849-metre peak in May last year as the expedition was called off owing to adverse weather conditions. "Don't be shy to dream big. Once you do, you have a commitment to do everything you can to make it happen. Where there is a will there is a way!," she said on Instagram.
senior members of the royal family. In a statement ahead of the four-day Bank Holiday weekend, the Queen thanked the public for organising celebratory events and said "many happy memories" would be made. "I continue to be inspired by the goodwill shown to me, and hope that the coming days will provide an opportunity to reflect on all that has been achieved during the last 70 years, as we look to the future with confidence and enthusiasm," she said. After the parade, more than 70 aircraft - including Spitfires from World War Two, Apache helicopters, Typhoons and the Red Arrows - took part in the flypast over Buckingham Palace. Several jets flew in formation to form the number 70 in honour of the Queen's long reign.
Besides being the first Qatari woman to scale Everest, Al-Thani recently became the first Arab to reach the summit of Mt Kangchenjunga -- the world's third highest mountain located between Nepal and India at an altitude of 8,586 m. In January, she had become the first Qatari to ski to both North and South poles. Describing her experience of scaling Mt Lhotse, Al-Thani said on Instagram that the climb would not have been possible without the support and empowerment of QOC. "Within 24 hours of summitting Mt Everest, we headed towards Mt Lhotse (8,516 m), the fourth highest mountain in the world," she said. "With heavy snow for a couple of days, the ropes were buried deep in the snow on the Lhotse Couloir. But that did not stop us from getting to the top and back down safely." Al-Thani is attempting to become the first woman from the Middle East to complete the Explorers Grand Slam, which involves climbing all Seven Summits (Mount Everest, Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro, Vinson Massif, Puncak Jaya and Mount Elbrus) and reaching the North Pole and South Pole. She has now completed seven of the nine challenges - Kilimanjaro in 2014, the North Pole in 2018, Aconcagua in 2019, Mount Elbrus in 2021 and Vinson Massif, South Pole and Mount Everest this year. Qatar, which is going to be the first Middle Eastern country to host the FIFA World Cup at the end of the year, has invested heavily in sports infrastructure and pulls all stops to ensure that its citizens and residents take to sports with enthusiasm. (IANS)
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(IANS)
Tourism Fiji seeks to earn more money in next 2 yrs
SUVA, May 31: Tourism Fiji on Tuesday launched its Corporate Plan 2022-2024, setting a clear direction for the industry and its partners over the next few years to earn more money for the country. Tourism Fiji Chair Andre Viljoen said that the plan is a roadmap to take the industry towards the overarching target of reaching visitor expenditure of FJ$3 billion ($1.4 billion) by the end of 2024. Viljoen said while the global Covid-19 pandemic might have knocked the tourism industry off, it is now on the road to recovery. "The Tourism Fiji corporate plan is a comprehensive document that clearly outlines Tourism Fiji's strategic priorities and will guide our organization over the next two years. "It will prompt us to work more focused, more sustainably to channel our resources towards the right goals," he added. Tourism Fiji Chief Executive Brent Hill said their target is to return the industry to pre-Covid levels in terms of its contribution to the economy. Fiji has received more than 119,000 international tourists since the island nation reopened its borders in December last year. Over 46,000 visited the island nation in April, bringing the total arrivals this year to more than 95,000. Fiji is expected to receive 447,000 tourists this year. (IANS)
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
Biden battles with falling popularity; Trump staging a comeback?
US President Joe Biden is battling falling popularity among his voters, as several polls show his ratings have been plummeting since 2021 at 36 per cent; though it recovered 6 per cent to haul up to 42 per cent, he still remained unpopular among the electorate, especially the young Whites and Hispanic people. Though a slight cause for comfort, Biden's public approval rating rose six percentage points this week to 42 per cent, rebounding from a week earlier when it had sunk to the lowest level of his presidency, a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll completed on Wednesday found. Alarm bells have been ringing in the ruling Democratic Party with Biden's approval rating falling below 50 per cent since August 2021, raising fears about the prospects in at least one chamber of Congress in the November 8 midterm elections. The 2022 mid-term elections necessitated by the restricting of 2020 consensus (like India's delimitation of constituencies) shows that 35 seats out of 100 in the Congress are on the ballot, while all 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for grabs for the party that pitches high on rhetoric on how the country is being governed. The restriction based on population increase or decrease due to migration might throw up multiple candidates in a constituency or lessen the numbers. The Biden administration has a myriad of problems on its table, ranging from a surge in inflation, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine driving fuel prices (record high of $6 a gallon this week) higher, and global supply chains still hindered by the Covid-19 pandemic, baby food shortages, and the public outcry over the Buffalo and Texas shootings with 62.5 per cent of the country calling for 'Gun Control' legislation. Even among Republicans, the call for gun control has risen from 37 per cent to 44 per cent, even as Biden procrastinates a decision in the Congress for want of adequate support saying, "this violence has to come to an end". The President's popularity within his own party rose to 78 per cent from 72 per cent the prior week. In the opposition, only 12 per cent of Republicans approve of his performance in office.
Biden's overall approval rating last week rivalled the lows of his predecessor, Donald Trump, whose popularity bottomed out at 33 per cent in December 2017, said the Reuters/ Ipsos poll that's conducted online in English throughout the United States. The latest poll gathered responses from a total of 1,005 adults, including 435 Democrats and 371 Republicans. It has a credibility interval -- a measure of precision -- of four percentage points. As his political predicament worsens, Biden is pushing his staff for a more compelling message and a sharper strategy while puzzled how his staff tried to stifle his plain-speaking persona, his most potent asset, says a media report in the US. Rattled by plummeting approval ratings, Biden is looking to regain voters' confidence that he can provide the sure-handed leadership he promised during the campaign, reports quoting people close to the President said. Crises have piled up to make the Biden White House look inept: record inflation, high gas prices, a rise in Covid case numbers, and now a Texas school massacre that is one more horrific reminder that he has been unable to get the Congress to pass legislation to curb gun violence. Democratic leaders are at a loss about how he can revive his prospects by November, when mid-term elections may cost his party control of the Congress. However, if the Congress splits 50:50, Vice President Kamala Harris can still cast her vote to retain democratic power in the Congress. The US has already begun the mid-term polls for 2022, with several states electing new mayors and governors or retaining the incumbents, but the acid test is the run up to the 2024 elections as former President Donald Trump, still unpopular with majority of the black voters and senior citizens among the white population, is prepping a major attempt to stage a comeback to secure the Republican nomination. Here's how. At the recent National Rifle Association convention which followed the Texas shooting that claimed 19 children's lives besides two teachers, Trump made a personal appearance leveraging his advantage over
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Biden even as the Republican Texas governor preferred to stay away and sent only a video message. A lot of southern states don't favour gun control and they are the voting belts of the Republican party. The East and West favour as they feel this violence will not end in the near future. Will Biden shake up his admin? Speculation is rife that Biden might reshuffle the West Wing staff with strong indications that Chief of Staff Ron Klain might leave anytime during or after the mid-term polls. Anita Dunn, a White House advisor and Biden confidant, to whom he often turns to when his fortunes look bleak, is tipped to be the successor, news reports claimed. Dunn began working at the White House at the start of the term, then left and returned in early May at Biden's specific request. No woman or coloured person has ever been the White House Chief of Staff since after World War II when the post was created. The problem right now in the West Wing of the White House, which houses key staff and aides and advisors to the President, is that even though Biden is delivering succinct messages to be carried across the nation, his staff are failing to deliver, apparently returning with explanations that the President meant something else. This has annoyed Biden to contemplate changes as the Republicans seem to be leveraging on talking points that Biden is not in control in the White House among his own staff. Both Trump and Biden are fighting bitterly to regain whatever was lost in the 2020 presidential elections as the battle for supremacy reigns in the mayoral and gubernatorial elections that began in February this year. But it's clear that Trump is exploiting the situation to be re-elected as President in 2024 and his chances are best since he left the White House in January 2021, said CBS in a report. The odds-on Trump being favourite to win the 2024 US presidential elections at the moment seem bright as he leads the field of candidates with a 26.3 per cent likelihood of winning, which equates to +280, on the Smarkets betting exchange, based in the UK. It's too soon to predict as another two years have to go by and the Russia-Ukraine war has to end, which might change the scenario. Consequently, inflation too might recede to lower levels. Biden is given only a 15.1 per cent chance of re-election, which equates to +560, CBS said in its report. "Donald Trump has now hit an all-time high mark on the Smarkets exchange and is pulling away as the clear favourite to win the 2024 elections," Smarkets head of political markets, Matthew Shaddick, said in a release. "Polls continue to place him way ahead of any other Republican and Smarkets prices give him a 70 per cent chance to run again. Biden's chances are rated incredibly low for a sitting President, with the markets giving him only around a one-in-six chance of re-election." By Ashok Nilakantan
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
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G’Day Mate
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Getting married in Australia Interesting questions from clients (Part-I) A couple approached and inform me that 10 years ago they underwent a religious commitment ceremony. They want me to solemnise their legal marriage now. Yes, I can solemnise their civil marriage because their previous ceremony was a religious one. A gentleman approached me to solemnise his marriage. He informed me that his partner lives in Denmark, and want me to conduct a legal Australian marriage ceremony through Zoom. No, I am unable to do this as under Australian law, the marriage must be solemnised in Australia in the physical presence of an authorised celebrant and two witnesses. A marriage cannot be solemnised remotely. Two 17-year-old individuals approached me to solemnise their marriage. They present me with a signed letter from each of their parents, giving consent for the couple to marry. What should be the correct approach in responding to their request? I have refused to solemnise their marriage, as two people both under the age of 18, may not marry under any circumstances in
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Australia. A man and the daughter of his former adoptive parents wish to marry, who annulled the adoption when the man was 4 years old. The couple may not legally marry under the Marriage Act 1961. One of my clients wishes to change the wording of the MONITUM, under section 46 of the Marriage Act 1961, to replace "the union of 2 people" with "the union of a man and a woman". I have told my client that this is not allowed under the Australian law. If you have further questions, you may contact me on 0425 853 086 or navee64@gmail.com.
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
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FEATURE
Dream Debut
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
Manushi Chhillar on the pathway to becoming the most desired actress of 2022 with the release of ‘Samrat Prithviraj’
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iss World changed her world forever as the question of her being a doctor hung in limbo as she travelled the world. Still, things became clearer for Manushi Chhillar when Yash Raj Films came to this beauty queen to star in their latest venture, 'Prithviraj', starring opposite Akshay Kumar, an opportunity that is worthy for any newcomer. The ethereally gorgeous Manushi Chhillar is playing the role of Samrat Prithviraj’s beloved Princess Sanyogita, and her debut is definitely one of the most awaited launches of 2022!
if someone is pushing me into a new world in one or two years. I was in medical college to prepare as a doctor, and I happened to compete in Miss India and from there to compete in Miss World and fortunately won Miss world, and life changed after that night. A number of opportunities came after that night, the platform allowed me to travel the world and meet incredible people.
We at G'day India and the Indian Weekly couldn't be more excited to speak to her about her new role as an actor and all things Samrat Prithviraj.
The world became a gateway. I was in two minds about going back to studies or pursuing a career in films. When a project like Prithviraj came into my life, there was no looking back, and today I think I am glad I made that decision as I enjoyed the filmmaking process, love acting, and had so much learning during the filming Samrat Prithviraj.
From medicine to Miss World in 2017 and now your debut with Samrat Prithviraj, tell us how life has changed for you?
You refused a lot of offers for films. What was so special about Samrat Prithviraj that you decided to act?
Life has taken a total 360 on me; if I were to look at the last five years of my life, it is as
Well! I think that there are two aspects to it. Winning Miss world, I was clear that I
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wanted to go back to becoming a doctor, so I did not consider film becoming an actor and hence would not encourage any conversations regarding films and politely decline it. Somewhere in the middle of Miss World year, I started thinking about acting as an option, and I guess that's when Yash Raj films came into my life, and that's how the conversation started. I was auditioning for Yash Raj and still was not entirely sure, to be very honest, if this was the path for me. Of course, a project like this is a dream debut, and I had a lot of support from my family, college professors, and Miss World Team to look at things from a different perspective and not be so stubborn. They would always say life has changed for me, and so can my plans. What training did you take to fulfil this role? It was a demanding role saying that being a
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
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historical character and going on a lot building up a character like that, saying that acting is new to me, so I had to go back to the basics, doing introductory workshops. I had eight to nine months of preparation before we started filming. I had to learn Kathak and semi-classical, and then I had to understand filmmaking's technicalities and the nuances required to make a film. I mostly appreciate Sanyogita, the character, not only a feeling that the director has imagined her. There is a reference point used to break away from Prithviraj's life, and people's perception of how she was and to match that was a challenge for me and summarises my prep. What was it like working with director Dr Chandra Prakash Dwivedi on this period drama Samrat Prithviraj? I think I couldn't have asked for a better debut; the first thing for Dr Dwivedi is that he is a medical doctor, and we would always call each other doctor sahib onset; that was the familiarity with him. The unique thing about him is that he is so well-read, and his research is his care, that he knows so much about every character and lived with the scripts for eighteen years. For eighteen years, he has been building the script, adding, and understanding the characters, and he did half the homework we needed with the character. His working method is evident, and the film's made on facts. He knew what he wanted from each actor, and he had a goal. The remarkable thing about him is that his research was so strong. Any unforgettable moment during the making of the film? The wedding sequence in the film was the most elaborate shot as 25 people comprising costume, jewellery, hair, makeup, tailors,
etc dressed me in tandem for three straight hours! “So, the makeup would take 20 mins max because my director wanted to portray Princess Sanyogita as natural as possible, and hair and costume would take hours. I would be the first one to enter the set, it would still be dark! For the wedding sequence, though it is a short one, it took a really long time for me to get ready! There was an army of people working on me to get me ready and look the way I do on screen!” What I loved about the costumes is that they kept it very authentic. But they were heavy, the jewellery was very heavy. There was a dupatta for my Swayamvar which went on my head. It was really heavy, and I had a proper head, neck and upper back issue. I couldn’t keep my head straight. So, every time we would stop shooting for a scene two people would come and lift the dupatta so that the weight is not all on my head. Besides, I think the whole process of the filming is very unforgettable. It was my first film, a new challenge, and I discovered myself every day as a new actor. Every day, I made sure I was able to do an excellent job. Every day was a new day, memorable with new challenges and stress and equally fun whether a song, action or just one moment will not stand out as the whole experience has been just an unforgettable moment. Were you happier when you were crowned Miss World 2017 OR when you signed by YRF for Prithviraj opposite the Great Akshay Kumar? Honestly, in life, we always feel things will make us happy if we achieve this or if we achieve that. One thing that I have realised is that it's nice when things happen. I am so glad whether it is Miss India or Miss World or
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the film, there is a lot of hard work that goes into it. It definitely made me happy, but one thinks that life is full of change. Everything will become unicorns and rainbows after, but that point never comes, especially emotionally that never comes. If I had to look back, I would say the turning point in my life was when I was crowned Miss India. Genuinely I was equally happy whether it was Miss India or Miss World stage or signing for Prithviraj with YashRaj films working opposite Akshay sir. I have been similarly relieved and comfortable in all of these. Any pranks played on you during the filming of the movie by Akshay? He likes to play pranks with everyone, but he was more pleasant and easy on me, thinking it was my first film. I do remember harmless betting with food while playing Ludo and solving puzzles. Any actress that inspires you the most? There are so many beautiful, incredible women actors that inspire me, but I always enjoyed watching Madhuri Dixit on screen. But the storytelling and life journey Of Aishwariya Rai Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra not only had been Miss Worlds both achieving heights in their career, but they have never been intimidated by anything. We not only wish this ex-Miss World a roaring success for her debut, to the entire production of Yash Raj Films but also to the entire team of Mind Blowing Films a huge success. (By GDI Team) Interview courtesy Mind Blowing Films. www.mindblowingfilms.com
FEATURE
ROMANCING HINDI 24
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G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
Poetic slices with a Hindustani heart by Sydney poet Rekha Rajvanshi – making a significant contribution to literature and arts in Australia for the past twenty-one years.
breast cancer survivor came to Australia in 2001, making Sydney her home with poetry, literature, a husband (an ex merchant navy officer) a daughter who wrote for New York Times and a son; meet Rekha Rajvanshi, quite the quintessential when it comes to Hindi. We at G’day India and The Indian Weekly couldn’t give up the opportunity to discuss her life, her poetry and the awards revolving around this poet for more than two decades in Australia. Rajvanshi’s love for Hindi literature started with her father, who played the mentalist in her life and the reason for her falling in love with languages. With a Master of Education from Delhi University in 1981, she became a lecturer at South Delhi Polytechnic for Delhi between 1992 -1996. Still, her fling with Ghazals continued with various programs on All India Radio, especially Hawa Mahal and during a ghazals contest, Lakshmi Shankar Vajpayee encouraged Rajvanshi to continue with her writing. Since moving to Sydney, Rajvanshi finished special education and teaching at Macquarie University in 2004, teaching conversational Hindi to non – Hindi speaking Australian students from 2009 – 2018; she still had the discipline to be a published author and editor of twelve books out of which three are under publication. Rajvanshi is currently working with the NSW department of education; she supports students with additional needs; Rajvanshi runs literacy and numeracy programs at work. Rajvanshi supports children with special needs. When asked who inspired her all these years for her writing style, she credits Sarojini Naidu’s short poem ‘Indian Weavers, 1975 film ‘Aandhi’ written by Kamleshwar and evergreen writer and screenwriter Mannu Bhandari. Even during the tough lockdowns, Rajvanshi, like most artists and writers, didn’t let the pandemic from crushing her creative pen, and she completed a poetry book titled ‘Women Will Survive”, with twenty other Hindi women writers in April 2021. If we talk about Rajvanshi accolades, she has been winning since 1996, honoured by the then President of India Shri Shankar Dayal Sharma and was honoured for her poetry recitation with other female poets. With in-depth knowledge of the rich Indian literature, she founded a nonprofit organisation and has been the director of the 2010 Indian literary and Arts Society of Australia, encompassing all things festivals and events.
Winning the prestigious National level AUSIT award for translating the Aboriginal Dreamtime stories/ Dreaming animations from English to Hindi, re-shaping the humble folk-tale ‘Chandamaa’. Rajvanshi also attended a three-day IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association) poetry festival in 2014 on their invitation. Being a NAATI (National Accreditation Authority of Translators and Interpreters) accredited English to Hindi translator, along with other writers and poets, she got invited to Tagore International literary and Art Festival, ‘Vishwarang’ in Bhopal in 2019. In 2021, the bilingual writer and poet Rajvanshi was awarded two and a half lakhs of Indian rupees (four thousand six hundred Australian dollars) for her Hindi promotion work “Hindi Prasaran Samman “by UP Hindi Sansthan, Uttar Pradesh government of India. Rajvanshi is also very disciplined with her time when she decides to write something new and always chooses between five and six in the morning. Like most writers, she’s excited when a new line enters her mind and gasps when it exits, especially with no tools to record that word or thought of expression. Her worry with emerging writers these days is that they spend most of their time shaping prose with limericks rather than writing something thought-provoking. Her only advice to these young writers is to write from the soul, which is the best advice any writer can give because writers always end up writing for themselves anyways. Rajvanshi has proven that poetry is the window to the soul, and no obstacle can bring down a good woman and her power of the pen. Being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, it didn’t stop her from accomplishing all of the above.
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Every year in October, she donates her time, raising awareness among women about breast cancer by holding the big Pink Ribbon Morning tea. ‘Mahatma Gandhi Hindi Central University’ in Bihar and Wardha use Rajvanshi’s poetries and stories in their syllabus, singers like ‘Anoop Jalota’ credits her poetry to his ghazals, indeed, Rajvanshi has a few more surprises to gift us with her poetries, prose and stories in the future. Well, as all good things come to an end, so is the time for us to conclude our segment with Rajvanshi; we at G’day India and The Indian Weekly couldn’t be proud of all her achievements and take extreme joy she belongs here in Australia. We wish her huge congratulations for all her accomplishments and best wishes for the future. With that thought, we couldn’t help but quote Sarojini Naidu “She is twin-born with primal mysteries, and drinks of life at Times’ forgotten source.” By Nandita Chakraborty
UTSAV AT NGV
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Change and Tradition in contemporary India explores how artists and creatives use visual languages to respond to India’s rapidly changing social, environment, gender dynamics and the recent COVID-19 pandemic, thus transforming worlds
MELBOURNE: The word ‘Utsav’ says it all, and Sunday 22 May at the NGV was a day of celebration. Celebrating the unique artistic traditions developed by diverse indigenous and regional communities across India, drawn entirely from the NGV Collection, the exhibition showcases a crucial new collecting focus resulting in more than sixty recent acquisitions that have never before been on display. At G’day India and the Indian Weekly, we couldn’t say no to Himanshi Munshaw Luhar’s invitation to NGV’s Utsav, who closely works with the gallery. “The Indian Utsav Community Day is a day of art, dance, food and music plus free activities for kids. I am so excited!”, says Himanshi. Indeed, as Himanshi described, it was like taking a walk to India’s art with NGV’s two art curators and a touch of festivities. We sit to interview senior art curator Wayne Crothers, who’s been with the gallery since 2012 looking after Asian art and Sunita Lewis, Curatorial Project Officer Asian Art. She joined in November 2021 and came in the tail end of the curation of Transforming Worlds. Wayne tells us how lovely the Asian Gallery is, and as having three permanent galleries or galleries where NGV have permanent displays of Asian art, and that’s across Asia from Japan. China, India, Southeast Asia, etc. The Gallery always has work that represents Asia’s culture and diversity. “People of Asia on display so people can come and visit and enjoy the major as a cultural sort of entity.” says Wayne. A lot of work goes behind an exhibition: Wayne, Sunita, and the teams look after the collection and the displays, write the labels and write essays and publish online or in the gallery magazine a plan for future special exhibitions. “I came into this by way of conservation. So that’s my background. But as I was doing my Masters before, I became increasingly interested in the curatorial side of things as well as my cultural background, which drew me to apply for this role”, says Sunita. The special exhibitions have been curated in two types, one is the collection, which is mainly a collection of presentations accessible to the public, and the other is transforming worlds.
A project like this was to bring together a new collection of work. They acquired all the pieces of art from India over five years for the exhibition, and that was working out the themes that we wanted to work with the artists and how best to represent this new style of an old and unique style of artwork on the free exhibitions. Then also we work on the large presentations which are pay exhibitions. As initially scheduled for late 2020 or early 2021, the curators had the flexibility to be adaptable to those days. Their scheduling dates of exhibitions are often changing. Around five years ago, Wayne and his team started to contact advisors in India. They began the work to bring the world together and then work out what themes would be best to represent. The Gallery closed for probably about half of the COVID two-year COVID period. But in a sense, this allowed them to have the exhibition to be very up to date. The presentation features dynamic and thought-provoking works by established and emerging artists from distinct communities across India, including the Gond and Warli painters of central India; the Suthar, Jogi, Santal and Madhubani artists of northern India; and the Kalighat and Chitrakar painters of eastern India. Many featured artists share long intergenerational lineages with artist families and communities central to developing Indian vernacular movements and styles that have gained international recognition in recent years. Glittering a range of recent experiences from local perspectives – including urbanisation, environmental degradation, shifting gender dynamics, and public health issues, including the current COVID-19 pandemic – the exhibition divulges the emergence of increasingly socially and politically engaged art practices within regional communities. The show also highlights how artistic traditions have been strengthened and retained by engaging with contemporary themes. Highlights include large-scale contemporary examples of patachitra (picture cloth), and storytelling scrolls up to five metres in length traditionally used by travelling performers in Odisha and West Bengal. They sang accompanying stories as they unrolled. Customarily depicting narratives of mythological epics and local folklore, artists increasingly use the vibrantly coloured scrolls to illustrate contemporary events. Emerging patachitra artist Sonia Chitrakar uses the scroll format to document the introduction and spread of COVID-19 throughout India in COVID scroll 2020. In another response to the pandemic, artist Apindra Swain’s paintings Wash hands 2020 and stay home 2020 use traditional iconography and visual messaging to create community education tools promoting COVID-safe practices. Tony Ellwood AM, Director of the National Gallery of Victoria, said: ‘India is home to many distinct indigenous and regional communities
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renowned for developing unique artistic styles that incorporate specialised materials and techniques. With many of the works on display being created in the last three years and in response to pressing local and international events, some of which are still ongoing, this exhibition is a timely celebration of the continuing relevance of centuries-old artistic traditions.’ From the displays of “The quintessential Bengali Babu” by the Kalighat Chitrakar to the intricate drawings of the Jogi family in Ahmedabad, Gujrat. The exhibition features illustrations of the Jogi family in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The show features recent pictures by family members, including three generations of Jogi women, representing subjects of worship and natural history, scenes of urban development, and contemporary social and gender dynamics. Their ink drawing style on paper is renowned for its extremely fine, detailed line-work. The exhibition also features a major recent painting by Rajesh Chaitya Vangad, a thirdgeneration painter of the Warli tribe, one of western India’s largest indigenous groups. Based on artistic traditions traced back to the 10th century CE, Warli paintings depict daily life and rituals, traditionally rendered as rice paste murals on the internal walls of homes. Vangad’s work represents the art form’s transition to canvas and painting in recent decades: The natural world of Warlis 2017 uses the distinctive Warli pictorial language to illustrate the traditional lifestyle of his community. Including the robust and harmonious connection to the land increasingly challenged by urbanisation and environmental degradation. An attendance of 4,760 marked the special event at NGV on Sunday, and it was surreal to be sipping chai and munching on the samosas; young kids took the stage to bhangra at the Great Hall and dancers taught some Bollywood dance moves to the excited patrons. It’s been a long time since seeing an’ UTSAV’ dedicated to Indian artists. At G’day and the Indian Weekly, we wish the NGV and the team a successful exhibition. Transforming Worlds: Change and Tradition in Contemporary India will be displayed from 9 April to 28 August 2022 at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne. Entry is FREE. By Nandita Chakraborty
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FEATURE
From left: Rathna Senthil Vel (co founder), Mrs. & Mr. Chithambaram Srinivasan, (Board Member, Multicultural Arts former Commissioner, Victorian Multicultural Commission. Australia), Senthil (Founder and Promoter), Ms.Colleen Harki candidate for Macnamara), Mr Josh Burns, (Federal MP for Macnamara) G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
SAVING ENDANGERED
A
FOLK ART
A mission to save the folk art on the verge of extinction
n IT professional by job, Senthil came to Melbourne in 2005, and it was his Guru Sri Venketesh Raja who prompted him to save the dying art. Learning art from his Guru in 1992, he always wanted to pay the art forward but never knew until COVID hit in 2020. Artists were struggling very severely, unable to keep up with their professions. The Guru’s son told Senthil they wanted to stop their generation from getting into art. It triggered Senthil that he didn’t want his Shilpguru artists to stop practising art due to poverty or economic factors. With the sign of no tourists in the regional area of India during COVID, Senthil started buying art from artists, spending his own money, but soon he realised that just buying one art from one artist would not solve the problems of the artists or the art. He soon began reading books and researching and quickly found out that artists worldwide wanted to learn this art from India, and indeed, there is a potential to save this art. The International Indian Folk Art Gallery (IIFAG) was formed in 2020 with support from friends and volunteers. The organisation aims to shed light on endangered Indian Folk Arts while building a cross-cultural connection with Australian art lovers. India is a host to over fifty-thousand traditional folk arts, Indigenous and versatile, each style distinct and originating from various states across the country. Some of these beautiful folk arts have been passed on from generation to generation for over three thousand years. However, except for a handful, the rest of them are on the verge of extinction. The International Indian Folk Art Gallery, Australia, has been working hard to promote and uplift traditional Indigenous artists of India and help revive these beautiful folk arts. At IIFAG, the mission is to propagate the beauty of Indian Folk Art across the globe and continue the tradition of teaching the next generation. So far, they have done this through art classes for children, workshops for adults, art competitions and folk-art events. “We aim to give these arts the necessary platform to flourish,” says Senthil. As part of their 2022 initiative, hosting their first Australian event in St Kilda in May, they plan to host four similar events across Melbourne throughout the year. For this event in May, IIFG is collaborating with Space2B in St Kilda, where they will exhibit curated artwork. Space2B is a fantastic enterprise working closely with the City of Port Phillip, focusing on newly arrived migrants, refugees and local, community-based designers who can come together to exchange knowledge,
ideas, and skills. Artists, like Senthil or people in retired life or homemakers, were spending some time doing things incorrectly but he also had people learning from YouTube, which is half true and half not true as it’s also not just the colours, the composition, but also the stories behind it. So, if one doesn’t know why a particular subject is specific, let’s say, mantras, and so on, they end up with a completely wrong message before cohesively telling the story. It’s not about something one can put on the wall just for a show. Every painting has a meaning. It also has many moral stories behind such detection is very important as it comes straight from the traditional owners of these art forms. The artwork is known as the law of resemblance to traditional form, also known as manipulation like paintings. There isn’t a lot of closeness. For example, Madhubani paintings have rock and leaves, similarities to the GOND paintings. Senthil found that the entire Indian folk-art industry has the same problem starting with artists. Miniature painting art is so beautiful and linked to the culture of India, but unfortunately, people have just abandoned that. A culture that had been going on for thousands of years. Initially, he started buying a lot of artwork from an artist, but then Senthil realised that it was not sustainable as buying one painting made the artist come back again and persist in purchasing some more. Soon Senthil found a solution to this and created a platform, easy for the artist to sell. Just like that, it came about setting up state of the art learning management system, where they can create a gurukul, a learning art class
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like we have in universities and schools. The knowledge group brings to the class can be transferred anywhere without having a teacher sitting in front of people. An online learning platform launched last year. Today they have more than eight hundred enrolled students from all over the world. The gallery opened last Saturday, on the 7th of May, and will continue until the end of this month. Senthil plans to have one more exhibition focused mainly on Temple paintings and in more cities in Australia in Sydney and Adelaide. The problem is getting galleries as they have more than two hundred fifty paintings to grow from the current exhibitions with twenty-five paintings. A good cause will always find its way to eventuate. These paintings have at this event will be displaying around thirty selective and unique artifacts from all over the Indian subcontinent. These include artwork in the styles of Gond, Pichwai, Tal Chitra (palm leaf engraving), Tanjore, Pattachitra, Cheriyal scroll paintings, and more. With this interview, we, here at G’day India, learned that every painting has a meaning; the way it transforms into an image extends an artist’s impression. There are some auspicious days to do Temple paintings; they are strict in the way they eat and train, so it’s not just the painting you are buying but also the pathos that goes with the artist. As we conclude our interview with Senthil, we at G’day India and the Indian Weekly wish a roaring success for the exhibition and couldn’t help quoting his words, “You save the art, and you save the artist.” By Nandita Chakraborty
Victoria in (Liberal
BAPS
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
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28
TRAVEL
Winter Fashion
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
Wardrobe finds 2022 BY DEBASREE DAS Melbourne winter is finally here and it’s time for you to take your layering game up with style. Let’s see what’s trending in 2022 during this Aussie winter, bringing you some trends straight from the Runway. Oversized Outerwear: Trench coats, Jackets, and oversized denim jackets, you name it, in fact the boyfriend blazer too can come handy. Yes, the idea is to be comfortable yet trendy this winter. Spotlight-stealing attire with a joyous mood is taking over, from vivid colours, and prints to bold and curated silhouettes. Accessorise with a beanie, a pair of gloves and a warm scarf, and you are all set to rock the Melbourne winter in style. I love wearing colours that I have been hoarding across the autumn season, red, orange, pink, purple is good to choose. If you wish to stay the neutral way, camel or beige are wonderful choices. Voluminous Silhouettes: Exaggerated
Silhouette is the call for the season by the Fashion icons. Borrowing ideas from the Runway, grab some attention with this trend. Care to stand apart, well you must look different, supersized collars, exaggerated sleeves, bulbous hemlines, couture-like dresses. Colour block: Colour blocking has been one trend that has been a favourite; add some glorious and trending colours of 2022. Purple and pink have been the most favourite this year. Colour blocking is fun and easy to curate. Add any two colours from the same colour spectrum to create the experimental look. The best way is to style your business suits. Sweats: Sweatshirts, hoodies, Sweat Tees, sweat jumpers, you name it, easy to style and layer. They are great to complement denim, skirts, dresses and activewear too. Can’t decide what to wear simply add a layer with your favourite sweat to create your own look. I love wearing sweats with activewear and
runners with a scarf, and a beanie for a cute little coffee run look. Denims: Triple denim or double denim, take your denim game higher with triple denim look this season. Demin’s are for all seasons, and I love a bit of Melbourne’s sunshine with a carefree set of denim to roam around. My favourite is always a triple denim look, this is my weekend look. Be it to run errands or for a road trip. Just the perfect layer to keep me warm and trendy too. Boots: Last but not least, my Winter fashion is incomplete without an array of winter boots. UGG being the most famous and comfy boots for winter, here are some lists of boots that promise you to keep the trendy factor alive. Cowboy boots, knee length boots, casual ankle boots and thigh-high boots are my favourite. So go ahead and experiment with the layering game and remember to keep it stylish always.
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @travelinstylewithdebs for your daily fashion inspiration. travelinstylewithdebs
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FESTIVALS
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
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GANGA DUSSEHRA BY ARCHITA BAWEJA
India is a land of festivals and festivities here are not just religious in nature but they are linked to life and celebration. Among the myriad of festivals celebrated in this country, Ganga Dussehra is of great significance. Celebrated in the state of Uttarakhand, Ganga Dusshera or Dasar Festival is organised in the month of May-June. The festival is held for ten days where Ganga River is worshipped. As per Hindu mythology, the holy River Ganga descended from heaven to earth on this day. This festival in Uttarakhand starts on the Amavasya night of Hindu calendar and ends on Dashami (10th Day). An Aarti takes place on Ganga Dusshera, which is held on the bank of the river in the popular pilgrimage destinations of Haridwar and Rishikesh. Ganga Dussehra is all about cleansing the soul by taking a bath in the sacred River of Ganga. After taking the bat, people also meditate on the banks of the River Ganges. In the evening, earthen lamps are floated in the river along with the singing of devotional songs by the devotees. The great epic Mahabharata mentions the most significant tale of the emergence of the Ganga on Earth. It mentions that King Bhagirath brought Ganga to earth to free the spirits of his forefathers from the curse of Saint Kapila. It is said that Ganga told Bhaghirath that it would be physically impossible to control her mighty flow and for
that he should pray to Lord Shiva and ask for his favour. Brahma, the creator, blessed Ganga and let her out of his Kamandal or the holy pot. Ganga then rushed on to the barren land with all her might. Her flow was so strong that Lord Shiva had to hold the flow of the river with the strands of his hair. It is believed by Hindus that the holy river Ganga descended from heaven to earth on this day. Dusshera stands for the ten promising Vedic calculations. These
predictions signify Ganga's ability to wash ten sins associated with thoughts, speech, and actions. The Ganges is not only a sacred river but also the heart of India. Devotees worship this river for a better fortune. On the day of Ganga Dussehra, thousands of lamps are lit in the flowing river to bring peace and goodness. Haridwar, Prayag, and Varanasi are the most popular celebration spots of Ganga Dussehra in India. On the same day, the river Yamuna is also worshipped, and kite-flying events are organised. Devotees take a holy dip in the Yamuna at places like Mathura, Vrindavan, and Bateshwar, and give offerings of watermelon and cucumber. They distribute drinks such as lassi, sharbat and shikanji. The Ganga river arises from Gangotri in the snow-clad Himalayas, flows in the hot plains of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and meets in the Bay of Bengal. It also meets with Saraswati and Yamuna rivers in the Allahabad. The confluence of these rivers in Prayagraj known as ‘Triveni Sangam’, is the holiest spot in India. It is believed that taking a dip in the river on the day of Dussehra can bring the devotee to a state of purification and heal any physical ailments that they may have. In Sanskrit, Dasha means ten and hara means to destroy, thus bathing in the river at this time is believed to rid the person of ten sins or alternatively sins of ten lifetimes. It also helps gain health, wealth, and prosperity by performing personalised Rudrabhishekam Puja on the Ganga Dussehra. By Archita Baweja
Archita Baweja of Melbourne is an engineer by profession but a writer at heart
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TECH
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
GM-backed Cruise gets green light as driverless taxi service in US Autonomous vehicle venture Cruise, which is a majority-owned by General Motors, announced that it has received a green light for commercial driverless taxi service in San Francisco. The company said that in February it began welcoming members of the public to experience the service and now it is going commercial. “Today, we received the first-ever Driverless Deployment Permit granted by the California Public Utilities Commission, which allows us to charge a fare for the driverless rides we are providing to members of the public here in San Francisco,” the company said in a blogpost. The company mentioned that Cruise will be the first and only company to operate a commercial, driverless ride-hail service in a major US city. “Now with this approval, we will begin rolling out fared rides gradually, expanding in alignment with the smoothest customer experience possible. As always, our focus is on delivering a
magical and safe service for our riders,” the company said. According to CNBC, the company’s cars are fully electric and batterypowered, which is also a potential win for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases that cause climate change. The company told CPUC in an April 2021 letter that it aims to make California roads safer and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Earlier, the California Department of Motor Vehicles approved autonomous vehicle deployment permits for both
Cruise and Alphabet’s Waymo, the report said. Cruise was already offering night time rides to the public in San Francisco in its driverless cars, although it had not yet required passengers to pay a fare. Police previously pulled a Cruise driverless vehicle over in San Francisco, and a video of the incident went viral. The California DMV told that, despite that incident, as of late April the department had yet to issue a traffic ticket to any driverless vehicle operator. (IANS)
Woman implanted with 3D-printed ear made from her own cells
A 20-year-old woman has become the first in the world to get a human ear implant with a 3D-printed technology that uses her own cells. The AuriNovo implant, developed by 3DBio Therapeutics (3DBio) -- a clinicalstage regenerative medicine company -is a patient-specific, living tissue implant created using 3D-bioprinting technology. The implant is specifically for patients with microtia, a rare congenital deformity where one or both outer ears are absent or underdeveloped.
In the first clinical trial of the technology, doctors reconstructed the ear of the woman using the patient’s own cartilage cells. The construct was then printed in a size and shape matching the patient’s opposite ear for implantation. It is a “ground breaking reconstructive procedure”, 3DBio said. The current surgical methods for ear reconstruction requires the harvesting of rib cartilage or the use of porous polyethylene (PPE) implants. But, “the AuriNovo implant requires a less invasive surgical procedure than the
Drug Administration (FDA) approval of AuriNovo, which has also been granted orphan drug and rare paediatric disease designations by the regulatory body, meaning that it will receive a priority review when ready.
use of rib cartilage for reconstruction,” said Dr. Arturo Bonilla, who performed the transformational implant procedure. “We also expect it to result in a more flexible ear than reconstruction with a PPE implant. The AuriNovo living tissue implant is designed to provide a better solution for patients born with microtia by transforming their appearance and building their confidence and selfesteem,” added Bonilla, who is also the founder and director of the MicrotiaCongenital Ear Deformity Institute in San Antonio, Texas. The Phase 1/2a clinical trial, which aims to involve 11 people, will be conducted at Los Angeles, California and San Antonio, Texas Pending the outcome of this trial, researchers will conduct a second and larger trial before seeking US Food and
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“This is a truly historic moment for patients with microtia, and more broadly, for the regenerative medicine field as we are beginning to demonstrate the real-world application of next-generation tissue engineering technology,” said Daniel Cohen, 3DBio Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, in a statement. Cohen stated that the success of the technology could demonstrate its potential to provide living tissue implants in other therapeutic areas in the future. “Our initial indications focus on cartilage in the reconstructive and orthopaedic fields including treating complex nasal defects and spinal degeneration,” Cohen said. “We look forward to leveraging our platform to solve other high impact, unmet medical needs like lumpectomy reconstruction and eventually expand to organs,” he added.
(IANS)
DIGITAL
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
You may soon edit your sent messages on WhatsApp
After announcing that some major features are under development such as group polls and WhatsApp Premium, WhatsApp is now working on the ability to edit text messages for a future update of WhatsApp beta testers.
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Instagram announces new features, expands Reels to 90 seconds
According to WABetaInfo, the Meta-owned platform is now working on letting users edit their text messages for a future update of the app and this feature is under development, so it is not ready to be released to beta testers. A screenshot shared by the website showed that the messaging platform is developing a new option that will let users fix any typo after sending a message.
With an aim to help creators engage more with their audience, the photosharing platform Instagram has announced that it is rolling out new features, including 90 seconds Reels.
Probably there won’t be an edit history to check previous versions of edited messages but since this feature is under development, their plans may change before releasing the feature, the report said. In addition, details about the time window to let people edit their messages are unknown at the moment. WhatsApp is working on bringing the feature to WhatsApp beta for iOS, Android, and Desktop. Recently, a report said that it banned over 16.6 lakh bad accounts in India in April in
The Meta-owned platform said that it is now extending the length of Reels up to 90 seconds, which will help users express their most authentic selves on Reels.
compliance with the new IT Rules 2021. The platform banned over 18 lakh such accounts in the country in March. It also received 844 grievance reports in April within the country, and the accounts “actioned” were 123. (IANS)
Google TV app is now available on iOS platform Google TV app, which aggregates content recommendations from streaming services and lets users create a universal watchlist of their favourites, is now available on iOS.
“Use the import audio feature to add commentary or background noise from any video that is at least five seconds long on your camera roll,” the company said.
A new feature also lets creators poll their audience on what should happen in their next video so that they can help shape the storyline themselves.
The software, already available on Android, also allows users to rate what they have previously viewed to improve future recommendations.
Not every major streaming service allows its content to be included in Google TV’s rows of aggregated recs, Netflix is the big holdout, the report said.
Instagram also said that users can now import their own audio directly within Instagram Reels.
“Make sure that you like how your voice sounds in the recording because others might use it in their reels, too!” it added.
The tech giant said that it will replace the previous Google Play Movies and TV app in the App Store, so if users have already got that installed, they should be able to update it to the Google TV experience.
More important for Android TV or Chromecast with Google TV owners is that users can use the Google TV app as a remote control for those devices by tapping the remote icon.
“You will have more time to share more about yourself, film extra behindthe-scenes clips, dig deeper into the nuances of your content, or whatever else you want to do with that extra time,” the company said in a blogpost.
The company bowed out of Google TV integration very shortly after the release of the 2020 Chromecast, and Google has been unable to bring Netflix back into the fold ever since. The Google TV app will also contain a library of rentals and purchases from Google.
(IANS)
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The Meta-owned platform said that it has recently launched Templates, which allows users to easily create a reel using another one as a template. It pre-loads the audio and clip placeholders, so all users have to do is add and trim their unique clips. “We will continue to invest in building new ways for you to connect with your audience and entertain on Reels. We can’t wait to see what you come up with and the creative ways you use these new tools!” the company said. (IANS)
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RELATIONSHIPS
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
Being married may actually help you live longer
Have you ever thought if your marital status may affect your overall health? A study backs this, as it has found that people who are married are less likely to die young than those who are not. The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, found that being married was associated with a 15 per cent overall lower risk of death from all causes compared to singletons or unmarried people. And those who tied the knot also had a 20 per cent lower risk of dying from accidents, injuries and heart disease, citing the study. The new study said the ‘protective effect’ of marriage could also be due to partners encouraging their spouses to seek medical help and adhere to treatment.
623,140 people, who were aged 54 on average as well as their marital status. The vast majority (86.4 per cent) were married. Unmarried was defined as people who were single, separated but still married, divorced or widowed. A total of 123,264 fatalities were logged during the 15-year study. Most were caused by cancer (41,362), cerebrovascular diseases (14,563), and respiratory diseases (13,583). The results showed people who were not married were 12 per cent more likely to die from cerebrovascular disease -- which includes strokes and aneurysms -- than unmarried people.
Better financial circumstances and healthier lifestyles come with marriage, researchers, from Japan’s National Cancer Center, said. In 2010, the World Health Organisation found being in wedlock reduced the risk of suffering depression and anxiety compared to single people. However, the recent report mentioned that it is not clear exactly why marriage helps to keep people healthier, but experts said it could be because someone has another person looking out for them. US experts have also suggested single people are more likely to face loneliness or isolation than married ones. And men who are not married are more likely to drink alcohol excessively, eat unhealthily and engage in risky behaviour. For the study, the team examined data of
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Unmarried were 17 per cent more likely to die from circulatory system diseases, such as heart attacks, heart disease and heart failure. And they faced a 19 per cent higher risk of dying from external causes of death, such as an accident or injury. (IANS)
LIFESTYLE
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
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How rising temperatures may disrupt your
SLEEP QUALITY
Increasing ambient temperatures, caused by human-induced climate change, can negatively impact how humans sleep around the globe, finds a study. The study, published in the journal One Earth, suggests that by the year 2099, suboptimal temperatures may erode 50 to 58 hours of sleep per person per year. In addition, it found that the temperature effect on sleep loss is substantially larger for residents from lower income countries as well as in older adults and females. “Our results indicate that sleep - an essential restorative process integral for human health and productivity - may be degraded by warmer temperatures,” said first author Kelton Minor from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. “In order to make informed climate policy decisions moving forward, we need to better account for the full spectrum of plausible future climate impacts extending from today’s societal greenhouse gas emissions choices,” Minor added.
It’s long been known that hot days increase deaths and hospitalisations and worsen human performance, yet the biological and behavioural mechanisms underlying these impacts have not been well understood.
The study provides the first planetaryscale evidence that warmer-than-average temperatures eroded human sleep, “primarily by delaying when people fall asleep and by advancing when they wake up during hot weather”, Minor said. For the study, the team used sleep data collected from 7 million nightly sleep records from more than 47,000 adults wearing accelerometer-based sleep-tracking wristbands, across 68 countries spanning all continents except for Antarctica. The study suggested that on very warm nights (greater than 30 degrees Celsius), sleep declines an average of just over 14 minutes. The likelihood of getting less than seven hours of sleep also increases as temperatures rise. “Our bodies are highly adapted to maintain a stable core body temperature, something that our lives depend on,”
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Minor said.
“Yet every night they do something remarkable without most of us consciously knowing - they shed heat from our core into the surrounding environment by dilating our blood vessels and increasing blood flow to our hands and feet.” He added that in order for our bodies to transfer heat, the surrounding environment needs to be cooler than we are. The team also found that under normal living routines, people appear far better at adapting to colder outside temperatures than hotter conditions. “Across seasons, demographics, and different climate contexts, warmer outside temperatures consistently erode sleep, with the amount of sleep loss progressively increasing as temperatures become hotter,” Minor said. (ANI)
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FEATURE
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
A running guide for one and all Get Motivated The first step to anything new can be a tad bit intimidating, but once you put your mind to it, you can achieve wonders. Start small. You can only build your running journey if you take it one day at a time. Like they say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. Give your body enough time to adapt to running and gradually increase your speed. If this still feels like a mammoth task, find yourself a community to run with. Running with a community will give For many people, their approach to you a sense of belonging and, at the physical activity and exercise shifted same time, motivate you to clock those during the pandemic. From embracing miles together. You can also join ASICS’ home workouts to navigating how to running clubs across the country. return to exercise after recovering from ARC is an inclusive running group led COVID-19, the pandemic has reoriented by experienced runners who provide our relationships to physical activity. weekly training programmes with the Running has been a big part of this. The intention of helping you achieve your period of gym closures and shelter-inpersonal fitness goals. With various place guidelines led people to embrace training groups tailored to a runner’s running as a new part of their routinespecific needs, the club promises many for the first time. Personally, for exciting running sessions, optimised me, that’s why ASICS’s core philosophy to help you reach your personal of Sound Mind, Sound Body today is best. more relevant than ever. It continues to champion the benefits of sport and Invest in the right shoes and gear movement, not just on the body but A run can feel like a breeze if you also on the mind, having an everlasting choose the right pair of shoes - shoes impact on mental wellbeing. that fit comfortably and suit your running style. I would recommend trying the Here is a guide to incorporate ASICS FOOT-ID service at our retail running as part of your lifestyle and stores; it’s an advanced technology that reap the benefits on both mind and will help you pick the perfect shoe as body. per your foot shape and running style. American distance running legend Steve Prefontaine said, “Running is for everyone. That’s the beauty of it. The world of track and field is a symbolic one. It teaches you how to get through life’s hurdles with a goal in sight. Unlike other exercises, the only essential prerequisite to running is the right attitude. No matter what the weather conditions might be, it doesn’t deter runners from being up and about in marathons across the globe.”
It assisted me in locating the ASICS Gel-Nimbus shoes for my first runs and believe me when I say that running has never felt like an exercise since! running gear is equally important. Pick running shorts, tops, or tights that are made out of lightweight wicking fibres. While these garments aren’t necessary for running, they help you to stay dry and comfortable when you work out. Use a walk/run method If you are a beginner, I would recommend using the walk/run method for the initial days. This is the easiest way to build endurance with less stress on the joints and a manageable intensity level. Start by alternating one-minute intervals of running with one minute of walking, and then try to increase the time spent running. As you become more comfortable, cut down the time spent walking. Make time for that run Running workouts might be challenging in the beginning, but they shouldn’t be so hard that you never want to run again. During each workout, keep a comfortable, conversational pace. If mornings become too overwhelming for you, go for a night run. A pair of ASICS’ Lite Show collection can easily make that happen for you! The Lite Show is a collection that empowers runners to run on their schedule, day or night. The eyecatching bright colours and reflective details increase visibility and help runners feel safer and more confident when running in low-light conditions. Nutrition and hydration You’ll learn quickly that eating well and staying hydrated can influence your runs. You lose water through sweat, whether it’s cold or hot outside, so you need to drink before, during, and after your runs. When running, you should pay attention to your thirst level and drink when you feel thirsty. Similarly, it’s best to eat something light that’s high in carbohydrates but low in fat, protein, and fibre before a run. Aim to finish eating 90 to 120 minutes before you start running. Keep in mind, however, that every runner is different. Some runners can eat 30 to 60 minutes before a run and finish the workout comfortably. It may take some time to work out the best routine for you. In a world where stress is the norm, a running break is always a necessity.
By Rajat Khurana
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FEATURE
PROTECT your skin from a vacation tan
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
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To help you pick out the right sunscreen for your skin, Malini Adapureddy, Founder & CEO at Deconstruct, a science-backed skincare brand, has drawn up a list of ingredients that can be effective in reducing tanning. The thumb rule here is to always know and read about the ingredients before buying any skincare product: Alpha Arbutin Alpha Arbutin is a tyrosinase inhibitor, which means it inhibits tyrosinase and prevents Melanogenesis. It prevents tanning and treats hyperpigmentation by interfering with the production of melanin. Vitamin C Vitamin C is a skin-lightening ingredient that effectively gets rid of tanning, hyperpigmentation and dark spots. Moreover, Vitamin C is shown to have sun-damage protection as well. So, not only does it remove tanning, it prevents it to some extent as well. Kojic Acid Kojic Acid can remove tanning as it penetrates into the deeper layers of the skin and inhibits Melanogenesis, i.e., the synthesis of melanin. Azelaic Acid Azelaic Acid is effective in treating hyperpigmentation and tanning by slowing down the production of melanin.
Vacations mean fun, food, and fashion. Be it on the beachside or in the mountains, it leaves you with unforgettable memories and infinite pictures on your social media pages. You dress up in your best clothes, do touristy things, and click countless pictures. All these things are fun until the time you look into the mirror and realise your skin has paid the price. The intense heat of the sun affects our
skin in many ways. Direct sun rays make our skin look dull and tanned. There are multiple products available on the market that claim to effectively help you prevent tanning, but we always get confused while choosing the best one out of them. The right kind of sunscreen can protect your skin from sun damage and is the perfect companion for your vacation, especially in summer.
Glycolic Acid Glycolic Acid is an AHA, which works by sloughing away dead skin cells making the face look brighter. But, there’s a catch, using Glycolic Acid regularly can make your skin sensitive to sunlight, meaning you’d be more prone to tanning. So, it’s important to use sunscreen and avoid exposure to direct sunlight as much as possible while using Glycolic Acid. Whether you are at home or heading out these beauty ingredients ought to be part of your skincare routine no matter what the season is.
By Malini Adapureddy
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HEALTH
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
Shark antibodies may help fight Covid Sharks, known as ancient predators with prehistoric immune systems, may be key to developing effective Covid-19 treatments, suggests a study. Fossil evidence suggests sharks first existed 420 million years ago, predating humanity, Mount Everest, and even trees. Over the course of time, sharks and other fish with cartilage skeletons developed what is now believed to be the oldest adaptive immune system in the animal kingdom. Using the Advanced Photon Source’s (APS) extremely bright X-ray beams, researchers showed that variable new antigen receptors (VNARs) - the smallest unit of a shark antibody - can stop SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 and its variants. Professors Aaron LeBeau of the University of Wisconsin and Hideki Aihara of the University of Minnesota said that an antibody, whether human or shark, binds to a virus protein when a region of molecules called amino acids from the antibody encounters a similar region on the virus protein. In humans, these amino acid regions tend
to only bind one flat surface to another, just as a sticker would adhere to a bowling ball. In sharks, the VNARs’ amino acids bind not only to flat parts of a target protein, but also bind snugly inside deeper grooves.
than current treatments for Covid, and resilient to the changing structures of variants. This may help in the development of new treatments for SARS-CoV-2 variants, such as Delta and Omicron.
This means that instead of sticking only to the surface of the bowling ball, shark VNARs could bind tightly and flexibly into the ball’s finger holes as well. This heightened molecular dexterity means shark VNARs can access pockets in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that existing human antibodies cannot, they wrote in the study published in the journal Nature Communications.
The VNARs also showed promise as therapeutics for other known beta coronaviruses and future emergent diseases. They appear able to identify and bind to regions of amino acids that are the same among different coronaviruses.
In their study, the researchers put three shark VNARs to the test against SARS-CoV-2.
The small size of the VNARs, their resilience and their cost-effective availability are all reasons why the researchers believe there is more to learn from the study of shark adaptive immune systems.
“Structurally, it was surprising that the two VNARs had such different modes of recognition of the virus spike protein,” said Cornell University’s Surajit Banerjee.
It may even be possible to formulate VNAR “cocktails” to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection in individuals who are already infected or who are at immediate high risk of infection.
“The shark antibodies neutralised the proteins in ways we weren’t expecting.”
Such a therapy would not replace vaccination, but it would be a useful tool for critically ill patients, the researchers said.
Functionally, however, the shark VNARs proved highly stable, as effective as or better
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(ANI)
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
ASK DR. RAJ…
Health tip:
This months Q:
each day will help re moisturise the eye. Increase your intake of green leafy vegetables and try the combination of 3 carrots, a piece of beetroot, a small piece of ginger, a good squeeze of lemon juice and a piece of bottle gourd if you can find it. Also eat a piece of cucumber each day. Then see the wonder. Ensure that your eyes receive a break often. Rub both palms together quickly for 8-10 seconds. This friction creates a A: Dear Ms.B . Dry eye is bemild heat. Close eyes and cup coming a very common problem. your palms on them without presThis could be due to the nature sure to create complete darkness. of your work (excess computer exposure) or due to age (as lesser Each morning upon waking (either tears are produced), climate (such before or after using the toilet), fill as too much air conditioning), less your mouth with water and hold for a few seconds with your eyes blinking etc. closed. Spit it out and repeat 2-3 times. Homeopathy has excellent eye And also remember that dry eyes drops to help you in this regard. can be very effectively treated by Users have provided feedback Homeopathic remedies, combined that their vision is much clearer and they don’t suffer from dry eyes with proper eye care. anymore, but a continuous usage for a few months will be required along with some lifestyle changes. I insist on eye exercises to mainBy Raj Kothuru tain eye health. Please send any of your health related questions to DRY EYE RELIEF: Q: Hello Dr Raj, I have very dry eyes and because of this my eyes become very sore. My eyes burn, are irritated most of times and reading etc is very difficult. I have tried several over the counter remedies but of little help. Can Homeopathy help? Ms.B.
3 table spoons of flax seed oil
drraj@aurahealth.com.au with Ask Dr Raj as the subject line or ph: 94788649 / 0425761826. The questions will be published with your identity protected.
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Ayurvedic texts credit ginger with aphrodisiac properties. Add some to your dinner to beat bedroom blues
How Can Noise Cancellation Headphones Help You Get Good Teeth?
D
oes the noise of drills at the dentist’s make you run for life? You are not alone. The noise of dental drills cutting deep into your teeth is so scary people often avoid going to the dentist because of it. But what suffers the most from this dislike is your dental health. And you cannot compromise your dental health. To solve this issue, we, at Healthy Smiles Dental Group have introduced noise cancellation headphones at our clinic. Our principal dentist, Dr Ved Berani, says, “Noise cancellation headphones are becoming very popular these days. You can see hordes of people syncing to their favourite rhythms without disturbing others. So, we thought, why not use them for dentistry and provide comfort to our patients suffering from dental anxiety due to dental drilling noise. And it is working just fine. We treat many of our patients while they are using these headphones. Our greatest joy comes when we see them smiling carefree.” Noise cancellation headphones have positively comforted anxious dental patients. Let us learn more about how these noise cancellation headphones prove beneficial to the patients: 1. Music can uplift your mood faster As we all know this proven fact, music is one of the best remedies when it comes to uplifting spirits. No matter how stressed a person is, good music can soothe all the lines on the forehead. When it comes to dental patients who are anxious about their dental treatment, we use the same concept. Our Healthy Smiles clinic provides Spotify streaming in all rooms. You need to select your favourite genre and tune in while we operate on your teeth. Patients have had a great experience with noise cancellation headphones. 2. It works to distract you from worries
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Patients suffering from dental anxiety have all kinds of worries and troubling thoughts about a dental procedure. But when we explain the whole dental process in advance, it helps them feel in control of their surroundings with the knowledge of the proceedings in advance. And the noise cancellation headphones add to this comfort. They distract the patients from whatever that is left of the worries. Patients can relax throughout the whole dental procedure. 3. You can also watch a show of your choice on our screen These noise cancellation headphones can also be synced with a TV screen on the ceiling. You can watch a TV show while our dentists work on your teeth. When the patients are relaxed, our dentists can also concentrate more on the treatment. The aim behind using noise cancellation headphones for dentistry is to provide patients with a comfortable dental care experience. Our dentists enthusiastically work towards providing the best dental treatments using state-of-the-art technology so that you can leave all your anxieties behind and walk out with a confident smile. Do not neglect to look after your teeth and oral health because a lot of health issues can stem from oral health conditions. Contact us today to make use of this new method of cancelling out the drill noise and pay your teeth all the attention they need. Visit our Blackburn clinic or call us on 03 9877 2035.
Dr Ved Berani BDS(Mum), ADEC(Aust), MBA(Melb), FIADFE, MFGDP(UK) Principal Dentist & Clinical Advisor Healthy Smiles Dental Group 150-152 Canterbury Rd, Blackburn South VIC 3130 Call us: (03) 9877 2035 www.healthysmiles.com.au
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HEALTH
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
Calendula - The secret for reducing redness and blemishes
Everyone loves flowers, whether tied in hair, arranged in an antique vase or planted in the backyard but some flowers can be the ultimate skincare hero ingredient. These beautiful flowers contain a variety of useful characteristics that can help to relax, moisturize, and protect the skin. We have a new favourite flower- Calendula. Calendula officinalis, popularly known as pot marigold, is a Mediterranean flowering plant. Calendula is a popular decorative plant in home gardens because of its brilliant, cheery flowers and nice herbal perfume. The extract, made from the flower’s leaves, petals, and seeds, has long been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, but it’s also used in Western medicine to cure ulcers, prevent muscular spasms, and lower fevers, among other things. Because of its healing qualities, it can cure anything from inflammation to dryness, and it’s especially good for delicate skin. Speaking to Rajat Mathur, Manager, Education, Kiehl’s India, he reveals the healing powers of Calendula for skincare:
Say bye to inflammation: Inflammation can be quite damaging to the skin. Calendula is a natural medicine with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. It can relieve skin irritation caused by acne, sunburn, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, or even collagen breakdown. Flavonoids, saponins, and triterpenoids found in calendula have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.
and can neutralize free radicals, which helps to prevent wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging. Gives Sun Protection: Skin is exposed to a variety of issues if you don’t use sunscreen. Without protection, excessive sun exposure or UV light (such as tanning beds) can cause a painful burn. Calendula has skin rejuvenation benefits and can be used as a sunscreen cream to protect the skin from UV rays while still maintaining the skin’s natural pigmentation.
No more scars: Calendula is great for skin that is sensitive, oily, or acne prone. It can help to eliminate dark spots, blemishes, acne, and acne scars. It can also improve skin elasticity and provide a smooth, velvety texture. Moisturized skin: Failure to keep skin hydrated can result in a variety of skin problems, from itching to the onset of fine wrinkles. Calendula is an excellent way to moisturize skin. Calendula oil has a light texture, which allows it to quickly enter the skin and hydrate the deepest layers. Increases Collagen Production: Collagen is the key protein that enhances skin texture. Calendula is extensively used in cosmetic skincare products because of its capacity to accelerate the metabolism of glycoproteins, nucleoproteins, and collagen during the skin’s healing process. It contains a lot of antioxidants
Aids in skin health: Calendula oil contains anti-inflammatory effects and can assist with dryness, flaking, and etching. Calendula’s ability to improve blood flow and oxygen to the skin gives it healing powers. This improves blood flow to skin, which is just what one’s skin needs to function properly. Cures irritated skin: Skin irritation can be caused by a number of internal and external factors. The signs of irritated skin can be itchiness, redness and discomfort. The soothing quality of Calendula can help in removing any build-up on the skin and calm the problem skin. This flower has been used for centuries for its healing and calming characteristics, making it a popular choice among skincare formulators and DIY lovers. Calendula may be the component for you if you want to keep skin hydrated, reduce inflammation, and do a variety of other things. By N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe
High-intensity interval training can alter metabolism According to a study on men published in the journal, ‘eLife’, scientists have thrown fresh light on the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on human skeletal muscle. The findings suggest that HIIT boosts the number of proteins in skeletal muscle that are essential for energy metabolism and muscle contraction, and chemically alters key metabolic proteins. These results may explain the beneficial effects of HIIT on metabolism and pave the way for additional studies exploring how exercise impacts these processes. “Exercising has many beneficial effects that can help prevent and treat metabolic diseases, and this is likely the result of changes in energy use by skeletal muscles. We wanted to understand how exercise alters the muscles’ protein content and how it regulates the activity of these proteins through a chemical reaction called acetylation,” says first and co-corresponding author Morten Hostrup, Associate Professor at the Department of Nutrition, Exercise, and Sports at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Acetylation occurs when a member of the small molecule group, acetyl, combines with other molecules and can affect the behaviour of proteins. For their study, the team recruited eight healthy, untrained male volunteers to complete
five weeks of high-intensity cycling training. The men worked out three times per week, finishing four minutes of cycling at a target rate of more than 90% of their maximum heart rate followed by a two-minute rest. They repeated this pattern four to five times per workout. Using a technique called mass spectrometry, the team analysed changes to the composition of 3,168 proteins in tissue samples collected from the participants’ thighs before the study and after they completed the training. They also examined changes relating to 1,263 lysine acetyl-sites on 464 acetylated proteins. Their analyses showed an increase in the production of proteins used to build mitochondria, which produce energy in cells, and in proteins related to muscle contractions.
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The team also identified increased acetylation of mitochondrial proteins and enzymes that are involved in the production of cellular energy. Additionally, they observed changes in the number of proteins that reduce the skeletal muscle’s calcium sensitivity, which is essential for muscle contractions. The results confirm some well-known changes to skeletal muscle proteins that occur after exercise, as well as identify new ones. For example, the reduced calcium sensitivity may explain why it can be harder for muscle contraction to occur after an athlete becomes fatigued. The work also suggests that exerciseinduced changes in the regulation of proteins through acetylation may contribute to boosting metabolism. “Using state-of-the-art proteomics technology, our study provides new information about how skeletal muscle adapts to exercise training, including the identification of novel exercise-regulated proteins and acetyl-sites,” concludes co-corresponding author Atul Deshmukh, Associate Professor at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen. “We hope our work will stimulate further research into how exercise helps improve metabolic health in humans. (ANI)
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
SOOTHING TEAS
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to deal with painful menstrual cramps If you are on your period, you will experience moderate cramping. These cramps are excruciatingly unpleasant, and you must make adjustments to your normal routine. To get rid of it, most women use medication. But a cup of tea can also help to relieve pain, relax your abdominal muscles, and help you get through your period. A cup of tea can also help relieve other symptoms such as nausea, headaches, and diarrhoea that are common during menstruation. Harshada Bansal, Founder of The Tea Heaven shares teas to Help with Menstrual Cramps: Peppermint Tea Peppermint tea, which is pale and refreshing, is an excellent pickme-up for individuals suffering from unpleasant cramps and stomach problems as a result of inconvenient periods. Because peppermint tea is a muscle relaxant, it can help your
body release tension and relieve the pain caused by contractions almost immediately. Peppermint tea can also assist with bloating, diarrhoea, and headaches, which are all common side effects of menstrual cramps. In a teapot, combine 1 bunch of fresh or 1 teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves. Allow it to steep for 5 minutes in boiling water. Chamomile Tea Chamomile tea can help with menstrual pain relief, sleep improvement, and fatigue reduction. Add dried chamomile flowers to a kettle to prepare chamomile tea. Pour boiling water over the tea and steep for 5-6 minutes. Pour into teacups, top with raw honey, and enjoy a relaxing cup of chamomile tea. Ginger Tea Ginger has antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and energy-boosting
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properties. Ginger tea can also be used to treat anxiety, headaches, and mood swings. Make a hot cup of ginger tea by steeping ginger and tea leaves in hot water or milk for seven to eight minutes over low heat. For optimal benefits, consume it two to three times a day during your period. Green Tea Green tea helps to regulate blood flow, control iron levels, and maintain haemoglobin levels during periods. Green tea inhibits the production of lumps due to its low caffeine content. Green tea can also help with mood enhancement during menstruation. It includes theanine, which has calming and mood-lifting properties. Allow a teaspoon of green tea to steep in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes. if it’s too bitter, add some lemon and honey to sweeten it up. By N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
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I am addicted to the madness of Mumbai: Chitrangada Singh
Actress Chitrangada Singh, who made her web debut with the anthology “Modern Day Love: Mumbai”, says the show has given her a chance to reboot her relationship with the city.
Started career with ‘smallest roles’: Pankaj Tripathi
The actress is playing a housewife, with the desire to become a novelist, in the segment titled “Cutting Chai” opposite Arshad Warsi, also says that women tend to prioritise family over career most of the time. As the culture of ‘cutting chai’ is quite synonymous with the Mumbai city, Chitrangada, in conversation, shares how her relationship with the city and its energy, local trains, ‘cutting chai’ and other elements, shaped her as a professional actress.
Acclaimed actor Pankaj Tripathi, who comes from a humble background, has talked about starting his career from small roles in Hindi cinema to becoming face of brands today. Pankaj says, “I started my career with the smallest roles in movies. I have spent years essaying multiple roles assigned to me by filmmakers, while running my soles thin in pursuit of a big break on the big screen. I come from a place where there was no television in my growing up days so there was no mode of entertainment through TV forget what it looks like.”
“Being an outsider of Mumbai, as you know I lived in Delhi before, everything that I have achieved as a professional, is the result of my hard work and a gift of Mumbai. Mumbai is my Karam Bhoomi. Initially, when I came to the city it was a little overwhelming and fascinating at the same time because there is so much hustlebustle that everyone is dealing with. Mumbai is a city of enthusiasts, there is madness, and I am now addicted to it! “But there is a method to the madness, and we can enjoy it once we crack it. ‘Cutting Chai’ reboot my relationship with the city,” the “Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi” fame actress said.
“At that point I never thought of that some day I would be endorsing any brands or products. Today, I feel humbled and honoured that so many brands have given me the responsibility of representing them on such a large scale. It feels like my patience has finally paid off and that people still connect with simplicity and genuineness.”
In the anthology, she is playing housewife Latika who once wanted to become a novelist, but her dream and desire took a backseat like many women in our society due to the duty of looking after her family and child. Interestingly, Chitrangada also took a sabbatical from her acting career between 2005 to 2010 despite her successful debut with the Sudhir Mishra directorial.
The actor says he ensures to select brands on which he could lay his trust for his audience since it’s a great responsibility on my shoulders to represent a brand that falls truly on his vision and belief.
Drawing the similarities from her own journey, she said: “I think it is not always the men who stop us to pursue our career post marriage, we women also at times prioritise family matters over careers. You see our mental makeup is different, emotionally post marriage and motherhood... at times our priority changes. I stopped working for almost 7 years. It’s a complex emotion we have. That way my journey is similar to my character Latika.”
“The fact that the audiences connect with me and the kind of roles I play definitely has a part in getting me all of these new associations and opportunities and I shall make sure that I continue to do good work and try to maintain my connection with the audience with utmost honesty and dedication.
The segment is directed by Nupur Asthana. “Modern Love: Mumbai” streaming on Prime Video.” (IANS)
(IANS)
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G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
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I tend to feel too attached to characters I embody: Rasika Dugal Actress Rasika Dugal, who recently appeared in the short film titled ‘Miniaturist of Junagadh’, says as a performer she tends to get emotionally attached to most of the characters that she plays. She adds she has learned the best acting lessons from veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah. The story of ‘Miniaturist of Junagadh’ is set in the era of the partition of India where a Muslim family of a miniature artist was forced to leave their ancestral house in Junagadh for Karachi and how they go through an emotional journey with the hope that one day, they will come back. Asked about as an artiste if she too, gets attached to any characters she plays on-screen and Rasika told IANS: “Yes, I tend to get emotionally attached to characters that I embody for my performance; because the journey happens from words to screen, from moulding my mind to feel the character and then the magic between action and cut! Otherwise also I am an emotional person, so I feel a sense of void when the shooting gets over when I leave the character forever. “She went on adding, “In fact, there is a joke
in the family and especially with my husband, who actually gets prepared to welcome me home when I wrap a shoot. He knows that for that day, I will be constantly missing the character and the space where we shot. It is like, a part of me lived through those moments.” The short film ‘Miniaturist of Junagadh’ also features Raj Arjun and Padmavati Rao, along with Naseeruddin Shah. While in the film, she and Shah play father-daughter, the actress shares her experience of working with the legend. “One of the reasons I did the film was that it was a series of reunions with my teacher and fellow FTII friends. I worked with our director and DOP (Kaushal Oza and Kumar Saurabh, respectively) for their final year student project, I acted in that short film. I knew in the future they will become great professionals.” “On the other hand, Naseer sir was one of the guest lecturers in FTII and I attended his class. I think I have learned the best lesson from him that I have carried in my last 12 years of journey. I had to do this film to reunite with him! There are a few silent heart-warming moments between them, those are beautiful!” smiled Rasika.
The short film ‘Miniaturist of Junagadh’ is available on the official YouTube channel of Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films.
TIGER
(IANS)
gives a sneak peek into prep for his upcoming films Bollywood action star Tiger Shroff is going full steam with preparation for three action films that require him to achieve peak fitness and the physique to match his roles. Speaking about his prep, Tiger confides, “I’m currently preparing for a very challenging and interesting schedule planned for ‘Ganapath’. It needs me to get into a certain kind of physicality, for which I’m currently training.” He further adds, “Post
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that, we get into the prep for ‘Rambo’, which is very different from what is being done in ‘Ganapath’. And then, I will get into ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ with Akshay sir, and I’m really looking forward to it.” With three movie projects in the pipeline, Tiger Shroff is all set to charm the audience. Known for his charming smile and amazing dance moves, Tiger has a great fan following. (IANS)
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
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Akshay Kumar calls ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ his legacy project Bollywood star Akshay Kumar has said that his latest release ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ is one of the most important films of his career, in fact, it is his ‘legacy project’ that he is extremely grateful to have in his filmography. The actor says, “’Samrat Prithviraj’ is a very important film in my career. It is my legacy project because I’m getting to honour the legendary Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan. I’m fortunate that I’m getting to bring his heroism and life on screen.”
and relive the theatrical experience that they used to have. ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ will deliver on this in spates because it is truly an incredible family entertainer told with a scale that’s fit to honour the daredevilry of the brave Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan.”
‘Samrat Prithviraj’ has been directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwived. The film, which also stars Manushi Chhillar, released on June 3 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. (IANS)
“I hope this film inspires many to lead their life with strong values and get the courage to stand up against any and every evil. Samrat Prithviraj, to me, is a rare project.” Akshay explains why ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ is such a special film for him. He says, “It combines my love for India, enables me to tell a story that is rooted in India’s history and folklore and is also a film for every audience segment. As an actor, I love telling stories that can reach everyone and people can have a community viewing experience. Samrat Prithviraj is a film that sits at the top of the ladder. “It is also a spectacle that will leave audiences awe-struck.” He adds, “Coming out of the pandemic, people want to watch films with their families
‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ tested patience: Aamir Khan Aamir Khan’s upcoming film ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’, the trailer of which was released recently, is Aamir Khan’s labour of love and persistence as the actor invested 14 years of his life to make the film. The production of the film was never time-bound, and the makers gave the film a free space to grow, thrive, press, and bend. At a media event, Aamir Khan spoke about the film’s journey as he told the media that the idea for the film came to him from ‘Delhi 6’ actor Atul Kulkarni back in 2008 after the premiere of ‘Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na’. Atul Kulkarni had proposed an Indian adaptation of ‘Forrest Gump’ to Aamir Khan and that was when the first thought of the film was seeded. After that, Aamir approached the makers of ‘Forrest Gump’ to acquire the rights to the film, a process which took 10 years as Robert Zemeckis, the director of the 1994 Tom Hanks classic, was not ready to give up the rights of the film. Aamir then approached legendary
director Steven Spielberg who has been Zemeckis’s mentor. Eventually, the makers secured the rights of the film but then the pandemic took a toll on the film, and it got delayed. While time tested Aamir, his patience became his only pursuit which helped him complete the film despite the longstanding wait of 14 years.
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‘Laal Singh Chaddha’, produced by Aamir Khan Productions, Kiran Rao, and Viacom18 Studios, also stars Kareena Kapoor Khan, Mona Singh, and Naga Chaitanya. The film is set to arrive in cinemas on August 11. (IANS)
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Practising yoga, makes me feel the most centred,
balanced and grounded: Deepika Padukone
Actress Deepika Padukone has worked towards normalizing mental health to enlighten everyone that mental illness is not always critical but can be the reason our daily lives includes so much stress.
given the role of a yoga instructor. In short, it was an inner calling mixed with the professional requirement that eventually pushed me to look for the right instructor and get going on my yoga journey.
The actress now features in a Yoga Campaign, Yoga Make Space, leveraging an initiative which revolves around mental health and fitness. adidas and Deepika together celebrating what brings different people to the mat, no matter their background, ability, or reason to practice.
What is the connection between nature and practising yoga?
The Yoga Make Space collection has been consciously crafted, inspired by the elements of nature and aims to support through every move and practice, with apparel for women and men. The campaign Sharing about the significance of yoga in her life, global Indian actor Deepika Padukone speaks: When did you start practising yoga? Deepika: I started practising yoga with consistency about two years ago after what felt like a deep inner calling. At around the same time, I was also offered a movie where I was
Deepika: The beauty of yoga, apart from its numerous benefits, is that you can practice it in absolutely any space, in any part of the world. We often talk about being self-reliant. Yoga is one such practice. All you need is your mind and your body. What are your thoughts on the benefit of practising yoga? Deepika: I have, over the years, been exposed to many different types of workouts, exercises and practices. However, practising yoga, makes me feel the most centred, balanced and grounded. Feeling alive and connected from within, like I am in control, is something I have never experienced in any other practice, except for in yoga. What does ‘make space’ means to her?
Deepika: adidas’ Yoga Make Space has not only given me a chance to talk about fitness, but it is also giving me a space to discuss mental health which society still feels afraid of. When I hear the term ‘make space’ it reminds me of postures that I hold for a minute. Sometimes more. And when you truly tune in, you feel your body opening up and oxygen running into your bloodstream. That, for me, is making space within my body. Your favourite yoga postures Deepika: If I had to choose one, ‘Malasana’ would have to be my favourite posture. A hip opener that makes me feel like my chakras are aligned. (IANS)
Not necessary to cast real people for particular roles: Rajpal Yadav Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav, who is gearing up for web movie ‘Ardh’ in which he plays the character of a transgender, has opined that it’s not always necessary to cast real people for a particular character. Elaborating on the same, the actor said, “In a creative project, it is not real, it’s for the reel and, I don’t believe it’s possible for a real person to act in it.” Explaining his thought process, he furnishes a very simple example, “If a film is based on a farmer’s life, a real farmer won’t be cast in the film. Similarly, in ‘Ardh’ I play a transgender, but also play a father, a husband and a theatre actor that’s why real people need not be cast.” The job of an actor is to execute a particular character with absolute finesse. The farther a character is from the actor in terms of psychology, the better it is both for the audience and the actor performing the part as it points to the efforts that they have put forth for the sake of their characters. “An actor always takes inspiration from real life events but a film is majorly made for entertainment so I feel only an actor will be able to do justice to the multiple layers of one character”, Rajpal concludes. (IANS)
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FOOD
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bon appétit
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
Did you know:
Lactic acid in yogurt helps smooth and exfoliate skin. Use a thick kind with active cultures for the greatest benefits
A TASTY
ketogenic diet
D
o you want to give your taste buds a tasty ketogenic diet? Add these new dishes to your Diet menu for a more peaceful eating experience. The keto diet is a low carbohydrate, high fat, moderate protein diet. It's comparable to other grain-free, lowcarb diets. Your keto diet can add flavour to your life because it consists of eating meats, dairy, eggs, fish, nuts, butter, oils, and non-starchy vegetables. You can include these recipes in your menu if you want to try the keto diet for the first time or add new dishes to your routine. THAI BBQ PORK SALAD With shredded pulled pork and a creamy Thai peanut sauce, this recipe combines romaine lettuce, red bell peppers, and chopped cilantro. This teaches you a lot about healthy eating and weight loss, and it
also makes us realise that pulled pork doesn't have to be served on a bun. LOW CARB CHEESE TACO SHELLS It's difficult to think of ways to improve on tacos, which are already quite tasty. The cheese taco shell has arrived. In this recipe, cheddar cheese is used to form the taco shell instead of a tortilla, making it the ideal vessel for all of your favourite taco fillings. PESTO GRILLED SHRIMP These pesto grilled shrimp are a delicious keto-friendly addition to your grilling recipes. This recipe includes everything you need to make fresh homemade pesto, giving you complete control over the ingredients in your marinade. LOW CARB SESAME CHICKEN Many versions of sesame chicken
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contain batters or breading, making them unsuitable for low-carb diets. The blogger for Tasteaholics recreates the popular dish without all the carbs, using arrowroot to help the sauce stick. LOW CARB MEXICAN CAULIFLOWER RICE The ability to cook dishes that you enjoy is essential for maintaining a low carb lifestyle. When you're craving a stir-fry or beans and rice, cauliflower is an excellent rice substitute. KETO CHICKEN POT PIE It's difficult to imagine a pot pie without carbohydrates, but this chicken pot pie manages to keep the flaky crust and creamy centre of the dish. For added flavour and aroma, the sauce has a garlic base and thyme. By Olivia Sarkar
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'Short-form love is taking over our lives', says super chef and 'Modern Love' debutant Ranveer Brar Cooking is about expressing yourself on a plate. Similarly, acting is about expressing yourself in front of the audience through a different medium. And like acting, cooking involves a lot of performance." Brar mentioned that doing theatre courses came handy for him as someone who was embarking on a new journey of acting for the camera. "Hence, I took a leap of faith," said Brar, who has hauled coals for his first ustad in Lucknow and also launched a swish openair Spanish restaurant at The Claridges in New Delhi. "I had done a few theatre courses a few years ago so I had an idea of this space, and the leap of faith didn't come from the space of trying out something new, but it was more about bridging the gap between these two art forms," Brar added. Talking about how he viewed the digital space as an avenue for an artiste, Brar said, "I worked with television for seven long years before I made the switch to the digital
T
here are actors who are stars and superstars but seldom it happens that someone outside politics, entertainment and sports commands a celebrity status. Ranveer Brar is one such exception. A chef who has capitalised on a carefully cultivated television and digital persona, including two season as judge on MasterChef India, Brar has now taken "a leap of faith" and will shortly be seen playing a gay chef opposite 'Scam 1992' star Prateek Gandhi in the 'Mumbai' chapter of the Amazon Prime Video series 'Modern Love'. The segment, directed by the muchacclaimed Hansal Mehta, is titled 'Baai' and it is all about unconditional love. Interestingly, Brar's character, like the chef, is also from Lucknow and is named Rajveer. It is one thing to be a television chef, but being an actor is an altogether different story. Ranveer, who makes his acting debut with 'Baai', spoke about his creative journey, and about the merging boundaries of acting and cooking and love in modern times. Sharing what influenced him to take the plunge into acting, the Institute of Hotel Management, Lucknow, alumnus said, "I just felt that there were a lot of similarities between acting and the art of cooking.
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medium. What I realised about the digital medium was that it's more personal, it allows me to be myself and I think that is something you cannot take away." He makes a compelling argument about what bridges the gap between acting and cooking. "They say that each of your fingers is a 'rasa' -- sweet, sour, tangy, bitter and spicy -- and the collection of 'rasas' is called a 'rasoi' (kitchen). The 'rasas' are always in us, sometimes we use our hands to express them as in the art of making food, sometimes we use our face to express them as in the art of acting, 'navras aakhir hain toh hamare andar hi na (after all, the navrasas are inside us, aren't they?)." On love in our times, Brar doesn't have a very rose-tinted view. "Love in modern times is unfortunately an 'express' emotion. It is fleeting like a lot of things in modern times -- minus the pain, the time and the effort. Like how short-form content, short-form love is taking over our lives."
(IANS)
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DIET
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
Is your snack
making you moody?
BY DEEVYA GUPTA
A
n ongoing debate about snacks, some can go about their day with just their usual meals, others can’t make it between meals without eating. What does the research suggest? The definition of snacking varies. One of the most important questions to ask when thinking about snacks is, Am I hungry? Or am I eating purely out of habit? Aside from this, there has been research looking into the relationship between moods and snacks. You may find the answer to your question above is also determined by the mood you are in or it could even impact the way you feel directly after you have eaten. Interestingly, a study has found that consumption of chocolate and chips was associated with greater emotional eating and depression, whereas consumption of fruit was associated with lower anxiety, depression, and emotional distress. Similar results were seen when it came to feeling fatigued with the higher intakes of chocolate and chips. What are some things we can do to improve our snacking? Eat mindfully If your answer to the reason why you are snacking is anything other than hunger, this is something which may take a little practice of trying to reduce over time but can most certainly change. Awareness also brings to light hunger levels. If when you are eating, you are not paying much attention to your food or you are eating it fast, you may not feel full or
satisfied and end up eating more than what your body needs. Some examples include being distracted while eating in front of the TV or whilst working. This is one area where multitasking may not be in our favour. What snacks should I limit? We never suggest completely 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 crave 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 I am hungry, what can I eat? And how much? The first most important suggestion would be to look for foods that are high in fibre. 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. Keep up your regular routines and frequency of snacking 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! Frequent snacking has shown links to improved cholesterol levels (of course as long as the choice is mostly unprocessed foods). 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.
Deevya Gupta is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian in Melbourne | W: www.abcofnutrition.com.au
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RECIPE
Tandoori Tangdi Kebab Tandoori food is the food cooked over intense heat of the charcoal in the “Tandoor” (cylindrical clay oven) known for its unique sublime flavour, tandoori cooking is a very specialized job. One can achieve quite similar results by cooking various meat and vegetables over barbecue coals or under a pre-heated griller. The secret is in the marinade which is traditionally used to give the food that distinctive mouth watering taste.
recipe Ingredients:
1 kg chicken drumsticks 1 tsp kashmiri red red chilli powder 1-2 tbsp of lemon juice a little salt OTHER INGREDIENTS: Butter to baste Chaat Masala
Marinade:
250 gms yoghurt 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 21/2 tbsp ginger paste 21/2 tbsp garlic paste 2-3 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp garam masala 2 tbsp oil Handful of Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
Method:
Serves 2-4 BY MANJIT SETHI
from the private collection
Skin, clean and make slits on the chicken pieces. Season with red chilli powder, lemon juice and salt for 30 mins or longer. Mix all the ingredients of the marination with yoghurt. Apply this marination to the chicken pieces and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cook the chicken for 20 - 25 mins until tender. Baste with butter and cook for a further 5 mins till done. Serve hot.
Serve:
with a sprinkle of Chaat Masala and mint chutney
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G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
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ASTROLOGY
G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2022
By D. Narayan (Tantracharya) Mesha (Aries)
At the very beginning of the month, Mars will cultivate intense romantic intrigue. This will create passion, love, and jealousy- the components of a fantastic love affair. June will provide you with a once-in-a-lifetime romantic adventure. Venus and Mars will also bring out your inner charm and magnetism. You are going to feel an ever-increasing need to learn as much as you possibly can Best days: 3, 12, 30 Lucky Colour: Red, Orange, Cream
Simha (Leo)
You may have mixed fortunes this month. Initially, you may lose money, but by month-end, finances may improve. Luck may smile on you. But you may turn lazy and begin to take things easy. Hence, work may slow down. Also, you may become idealistic and stop being practical. Gains from foreign lands are possible. Travels abroad may bring money, success, and recognition Best days: 5,3 Lucky Colour: White & Orange
Dhanu (Sagittarius)
You may have a good time this month. Personal and professional lives may be smooth. Your status and lifestyle may improve. Overall earnings could also increase. Contacts with aristocratic people may benefit you. Luck may smile on you in June 2022. Travels abroad may bear fruit, and travel-related work may bring success. Domestic life may be harmonious. Family members may support you. Best days: 9, 18 Lucky Colour: Red, Blue
Vrishabh (Taurus)
Competing to complete your goals should always be priority number one. You cannot be lazy at the same time achieve anything. That’s why the ten of cups are insisting you work hard and earn a reward out of your sweat. But the ten of cups reversed shows the effect of not doing something meaningful, and you face downfall. Success does not come easy; you have to sacrifice. Best days: 9, 18, 27 Lucky Colour: Green, Blue
Kanya (Virgo)
Mithuna (Gemini)
You may be happy and satisfied with your personal and professional lives this month. Luck may smile on you, and there could be success in all endeavours. Important dealings and meetings may bring good results. Colleagues, seniors, and peers may show you respect and extend help. Work-related travel, too, may bring gains. Some of your wishes may come true. Best days: 2, 7, 9 Lucky Colour: Red, White, Yellow
Tula (Libra)
M: 0425 660 220
Karkat (Cancer)
Liquidity may be good in June 2022. Old debts may be repaid, and you may have more income and savings. Some may also make money from multiple sources now. Self-employment may bring ample wealth, while some may make money as nomad travellers. Money may come through your spouse, inlaws, or an inheritance. Some may get promotions and increments. Income might increase. The unemployed may secure good jobs. Best days: 9, 18 Lucky Colour: Red, Blue
Vrishchik (Scorpio)
Finances seem sound in June 2022. Overall earnings could go up, while expenses will be under control. Some may earn from many sources, including your hobbies. Liquidity may be good. There may be good gains from trading, import-export, and speculative activities. Investments may bring ample gains, while real-estate and construction-related work could be lucrative. Wealth may come through inheritance, as well as agriculture-related work or rental income.
You may have a progressive month. Gains are likely from all your endeavours. Career pursuits may prosper. Peace and happiness may prevail in your life. You or your children may do something that brings joy to your family. Long-distance travel may face hurdles, and some may face setbacks in foreign countries. Support may come from authorities, friends, colleagues, and relatives.
High expenses are likely. Some may incur debts this month. Liquidity may be good, and money may come from many sources. Also, you may get financial aid from your spouse, parents, siblings, friends, or in-laws. Lifestyle and status may get a boost at the end of the month. There may be some losses through speculative activities, stocks, and shares markets. But long-term investments or savings may bring relief.
Makara (Capricorn)
Kumbha (Aquarius)
Meen (Pisces)
Best days: 3, 12 Lucky Colour: Orange, Green
You may have a happy and prosperous month. Growth and success are likely in your career and education. Fortune may favour you. Status and lifestyle may improve. A rise in your popularity is possible. Some of your ambitions and goals may be realized. Harmony may prevail in family life. Friends and colleagues may extend help. Legal issues may get resolved. Victory over rivals and enemies is possible. Best days: 1, 3, 4 Lucky Colour: White, Green, Blue
Best days: 9, 18 Lucky Colour: Red, Blue
Best days: 1, 3, 4 Lucky Colour: Red, Orange
Aquarians are likely to have a fruitful month. In June 2022, things may work out in your favour. But finances might not be stable. Family life may be happy and harmonious. Your relationships may become stronger. Gains may come from traveling. Some may travel to a foreign land for studies or work. A celebration is likely in your family. You may achieve victory in conflicts.
You may have a happy and prosperous month. They may thrive both personally and professionally. Luck may favour you this month. Legal issues, conflicts, and litigation matters may be resolved. Relief from debts, tensions, and worries is possible. Gains may come from travel-related work. Some people may do well in a foreign land. Traveling to foreign countries may bring good results.
Best days: 5, 3, 6 Lucky Colour: White, Green
Best days: 2, 7, 9 Lucky Colour: Red, Yellow, White
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Think a bout it...
HAVE A LAUGH
What is Google??? 1. Google earns about 9,40,000 rupees in a second. 2. Its founder's name is Larry Page and Sergey Brin. 3. Google has more than 70 offices in 40 countries. This in itself is a great achievement. 4. Google has bought 827 companies in the last 12 years. Now you can guess how big a company Google is. 5. At present, more than 420000 employees work in Google, but till now many employees of Google have become billionaires. 6. Although no one can tell the exact income of Google, but the annual income of Google is about $ 55,00,00,00,000,000,000,000,000 dollars. 7. You must know that the Android operating system is a gift of Google itself. But do you know that 4 out of every 5 smartphones run on the Android operating system only. 8. Google has kept about 20000 goats in its "Head Office" to cut grass. Yes, you read it right, in fact Google does not use a mower in the lawn of its office because the smoke and sound coming out of it causes trouble to the employees working there. 9. Every week more than 220,000 people apply for jobs in Google. 10. More than 95% of Google's earnings come from the advertisements published by it. 11. Believe me, in the blink of an eye, Google would have earned Rs.550 lakhs. 12. You must have often wondered where the word "Google" came from, we tell you, in fact the number formed by putting 100 zeros behind 1 is called "Googol" and "Google" is formed from this word itself. 13. Now you must be thinking that why Google was not named "Googol", why was it named "Google"? Actually the name "Google" is a spelling mistake. Meaning while typing "Google" instead of "Googol" was typed and the result is in front of you. 14. Google bought "You Tube" in 2006, at that time many people considered this deal to be a big mistake of Google and today YouTube is watched every month for about 6 billion hours all over the world. 15. More than 60,000 searches are done on Google every second. 16. Since 2010, Google has bought at least one company per week. 17. Google has taken photographs equivalent to 80 lakh 46 thousand kilometers of road for its Street View map. 18. Google's entire search engine is 100 million gigabytes. To save that much data with you, one lakh drives of one terabyte would be required. 19. Google has named its Android operating system according to the alphabet of ABCD Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, Kitkat, Lolipop Marshmallow than N & next O 20) Yahoo company wanted to buy Google for one million dollars but it could not happen. 21. When Google was launched, the founder of Google did not have much knowledge of HTML code, that is why he kept the homepage of Google very simple and still it is absolutely simple. 22. In 2005, Google launched new applications like Google Map and Google Earth. It has such features, which can measure the whole world in a moment. That is now its reach is up to the moon. 23. "Don't be evil" is an unofficial slogan of Google. 24. 88 languages can be used on Google's homepage!
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