G'day India May 2020 Issue

MAY 2020

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VOL 14 ISSUE 157

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IN THE NEWS

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Saving jobs and reducing the burden on businesses and families

MELBOURNE, May 5: The Victorian Government will provide a further $491 million in tax relief to help save businesses and jobs, and freeze a host of fees, charges and levies to reduce the financial burden on households in another package to support Victorian businesses, workers and families through the coronavirus crisis.

Treasurer Tim Pallas today announced businesses participating in the JobKeeper scheme in Victoria will be exempt from payroll tax and the WorkCover premium on

payments to their employees if their staff are currently stood down.

The announcement means the $1,500 fortnightly payment paid to staff who are currently stood down will be free from all state government taxes and charges – meaning more money in the pockets of businesses, and more incentive to keep workers on throughout the crisis.

Payments above a part-time employee’s usual salary, due to JobKeeper being a minimum $1500 fortnightly payment, will

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also be exempt from payroll tax and the WorkCover premium – meaning businesses are not paying more to keep their staff on due to the scheme.

This will help eligible workers who have been stood down by supporting businesses that are doing the right thing by their eligible employees and passing on the JobKeeper payment.

The Government will also freeze all fees and fines that were due to be increased in July at current levels – including car registration, traffic infringements, courtimposed penalties and permit fees. The Fire Services Property Levy paid by all Victorian households will also be frozen at this year’s collection level.

The Government has already announced it will defer the planned Landfill Levy increase due to the coronavirus pandemic.

These announcements build on the Government’s $1.7 billion economic survival and jobs package to help Victorian workers and businesses get through to the other side of the crisis. It includes tax refunds, grants for businesses in the hardest hit sectors and opportunities for affected workers to find new jobs.

(MEDIA RELEASE)

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NEWS VICTORIA

Supporting more Victorian businesses doing it tough

MELOURNE, May 1: The Victorian Government is providing more support for Victorian businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic to get to the other side of the crisis.

Last month, the Government announced a $1.7 billion Economic Survival Package for the hardest hit businesses and workers who required urgent and immediate support. The package included payroll tax refunds worth $550 million and the $500 million Business Support Fund.

The Business Support Fund is dedicated to small businesses that do not pay payroll

tax and which operate in those sectors of the economy that were most directly affected or severely impacted by the shutdowns ordered to protect public health and save lives.

Businesses in sectors such as retail, tourism, hospitality, accommodation and the arts were the first to be eligible for $10,000 Business Support Fund grants. With more than $150 million paid out in grants to businesses across the state, the fund will now move to the second phase of support.

The criteria will be expanded to include businesses with a wages bill less than the payroll tax threshold of $650,000 who

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

are participating in the Commonwealth JobKeeper program, regardless of the sector they operate in. Eligibility for the fund will not be expanded to include sole traders, who are covered by JobKeeper.

Businesses who applied for Business Support Fund payments but were initially not eligible based on their sector classification will be contacted by the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions and do not have to submit a new application.

Businesses that have not previously applied for a grant due to their sector classification are encouraged to make an application for a grant at business.vic.gov. au when applications for the expanded group open in coming days.

The Government has provided further support for small and medium businesses through the Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme which provides a six-month moratorium on evictions and allows businesses to negotiate rental waivers or deferrals with their landlords relative to their lost income.

The Government will continue to work with business and unions, as we consider further support for Victorian businesses and families to help them get through to the other side of the crisis.

(MEDIA RELEASE)

Coronavirus testing expands at shopping centres

MELBOURNE, April 30: Six new mobile coronavirus testing sites across Melbourne will open today, as part of the Victorian Government’s blitz to test up to 100,000 people in two weeks.

The new sites located at Bunnings West Footscray, Pacific Werribee, Pacific Epping, Watergardens Town Centre, Westfield Fountain Gate and Bayside Shopping Centre in Frankston are due to begin conducting

tests this morning.

It comes after four new mobile coronavirus testing sites opened yesterday at Chadstone, Doncaster, Highpoint and Northland shopping centres – bringing the total so far to 10.

Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos encouraged Victorians with even the mildest symptoms to go get tested.

Symptoms that should prompt people to get tested include fever, chills, shortness of breath, cough, sore throat, loss of sense of smell, or a runny nose. Even the most mild of symptoms could be a sign of coronavirus.

The testing sites will be manned by doctors, nurses and pathology collection staff

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– to provide a one stop shop.

The Victorian Government is working closely with conveniently located shopping centres who, as part of a broader industry effort, have offered to host mobile testing sites to ensure all relevant safety protocols are managed. Their support is critical and greatly appreciated.

Additional sites in regional and suburban locations will come online in the coming days.

People will need to bring their Medicare card, or if they don’t have one, at least one form of identification. This will ensure international students and other visitors can also be tested if required.

Signage will be established to guide people into the mobile testing sites, which will be located near the busiest parts of the shopping centres, such as supermarkets, with appropriate traffic management systems in place.

More information on testing and where to go is available at dhhs.vic.gov.au/victorianpublic-coronavirus-disease-covid-19#wherecan-i-get-tested-for-coronavirus-covid-19.

(MEDIA RELEASE)

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

Keeping Victoria together during coronavirus

MELBOURNE, May 1: To help keep Victorians connected – and help keep our creators creating – the Victorian Government has launched Victoria Together, a new online portal showcasing the best our state has to offer from live music and comedy, to the amazing animals at Melbourne Zoo. Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley today launched the new site as part of a dedicated campaign to help keep Victorians connected as we face coronavirus – together.

“There’s nothing more Victorian than watching a live gig, trying out a recipe from one of our best chefs, or visiting our outstanding regional galleries – that’s why we’re bringing these experiences into people’s homes,” said Premier Daniel Andrews Victoria Together will also be home to a new online series developed with Mushroom Group, State of Music, which will feature weekly performances from some of our best home-grown talent.

The first episode will air this Sunday at 7.30pm AEST and will be livestreamed on the site. The episode will be hosted by Rosie Beaton and feature an interview with

James Reyne and performances from Birds of Tokyo, Diesel and G Flip. The project will also produce other local content, dedicated to supporting and sharing the talents of emerging local artists.

In addition to the State of Music project, the site will be supported by a grants and partnerships program of $2.35 million – mainly to help support creators digitise their content and generate new experiences online for Victorians who are following health directions, and staying at home. With many local artists having lost work, ACMI will help lead the curation of this new content from across our creative industries.

Creative industries employed around 260,000 people in Victoria — but the sector has been hit hard by coronavirus with artists, musicians and other creators losing their livelihoods as a result of the pandemic.

As well as supporting local talent and hosting new creative content, Victoria Together also provides a one-stop-shop for Victoria’s existing online attractions, including ACMI’s film screenings, Zoos Victoria’s ‘Animal House’ livestream and virtual tours of exhibitions and galleries across the state.

It also includes exercise and wellbeing

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resources.

The very best of regional Victoria will also be on show with exhibitions from the Bendigo Art Gallery, resources from Clunes Booktown and even “slow TV” from Terindah Estate on the Bellarine Peninsula.

Kids have not been forgotten, with a range of educational resources to keep them busy, while older Victorians will be supported to stay connected – with the Victorians Seniors Festival moving online. Victoria’s multicultural communities are also being drawn on for content that showcases the rich diversity of our state.

Complementing Victoria Together, the Victorian Government has also launched a new campaign reinforcing that “Staying apart keeps us together”. Kicking off on TV screens tonight, the campaign will extend across digital, radio and print – including as part of the Government’s commitment to support rural and regional publications.

To experience everything Victoria Together has to offer, visit together.vic.gov.au.

(MEDIA RELEASE)

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NEWS AUSTRALIA

Australia’s Qantas extends flight cancellations

CANBERRA, May 5: Australian flag carrier, Qantas extended international flight cancellations till the end of July, but said that it was in a strong position to endure disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company said that domestic flights would be cancelled till the end of June and international services until the end of July, adding that domestic and trans-Tasman services could be quickly reinstated should restrictions ease in coming weeks.

“Australia has done an amazing job of flattening the curve and we’re optimistic that domestic travel will start returning earlier than first thought, but we clearly won’t be back to pre-coronavirus levels anytime soon,” Group CEO Alan Joyce said.

“With the possible exception of New Zealand, international travel demand could take years to return to what it was.”

The company, which includes budget branch Jetstar, also revealed it had secured a further A$550 million ($354 million) in debt funding, placing it in a stronger position to endure the COVID-19 crisis.

According to Qantas, by reducing expenditure and borrowing against its fleet of aircraft, the company could survive several recovery scenarios, including one where current travel restrictions persisted until December 2021.

The reduction in expenditure is largely due to the standing down of more than 25,000 staff who were forced to use leave entitlements before receiving delayed financial assistance from the government.

“The impact of this stand down is deeply regrettable but has been greatly softened by the Australian Government’s JobKeeper program, which the Group commenced paying several weeks ahead of the official payment start date,” the airline said in a statement.

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

Prime Minister Scott Morrison calls on banks to step up amid COVID-19 crisis

CANBERRA, April 24: Prime Minister Scott Morrison slammed the country’s banks for failing to provide loans to struggling businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic, declaring that the sector need to step up.

Business groups have reported that staff across the country have been laid off because businesses have not been able to secure loans to pay wages.

In order to be eligible for the government’s A$130 billion ($82 billion) JobKeeper wage subsidy scheme, businesses must continue to pay their staff until the government payments begin in the first week of May. Australia’s big four banks had previously pledged to provide loans to underwrite wage bills until May but Morrison said they have not delivered.

“It is important that the banks stay up to the mark here,” Morrison told the media here on Friday.

“I am aware that there has been some frustration among businesses, in particular, in accessing bridging finance with banks.

We are aware of that. I have no doubt the banks are aware of that as well and we need to be addressing that.”

Australia has reported 6,661 coronavirus cases, with 75 deaths.

(AGENCIES)

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(AGENCIES)

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

Australia, New Zealand leaders to discuss international travel ‘bubble’

CANBERRA, May 4: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been invited to attend Australia’s National Cabinet meeting to ramp-up negotiations on a “travel bubble” between the two countries, the media reported.

Australia’s National Cabinet, which comprises Prime Minister Scott Morrison and state and territory leaders, is set to meet on Tuesday and again on Friday to discuss easing coronavirus restrictions.

The bubble would enable international travel between Australia and New Zealand possibly later this year, providing a boost for the tourism industry.

A total of 6,801 cases of COVID-19 have

been reported in Australia, with 95 deaths.

New Zealand reported 1,487 cases, with 20 deaths.

Over the past week, there has been an average of 13 new cases reported each

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day, according to the Department of Health.

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has recorded one new case on Monday, its first in recent days.

According to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Monday 72 per cent of businesses reported that reduced cash flow as a result of the pandemic would impact their operations over the next two months.

More than 40 per cent expect a reduced ability to pay operating expenses and 69 per cent will be affected by reduced demand for goods and services.

(AGENCIES)

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NEWS AUSTRALIA

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

Australia wants Facebook, Google to pay news media for using their content

CANBERRA, 24 April: The government has ordered the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to develop a mandatory code of conduct for Facebook and Google that will force the tech giants to pay media companies for using their content.

According to a report in ABC News on Monday, the competition watchdog has been tasked with creating a “lever-playing fiend” for the traditional news media which is currently bearing the brunt of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic like elsewhere in the world.

While Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said “it’s only fair that those who generate content get paid for it,” the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission told the government it

was “unlikely” digital giants would reach a voluntary agreement over the issue of payment.

A draft mandatory code is scheduled to be released for consultation by July end.

The mandatory code of conduct “will cover issues including the sharing of data, ranking of news content online and the sharing of revenue generated from news”.

It will be enforced through penalties and sanctions and will include a binding dispute resolution process.

“Australia needs a strong and sustainable news media ecosystem and the government recognises the importance of public interest journalism,” Communications Minister Paul Fletcher was quoted as saying.

In a statement to The Verge, a spokesperson for Facebook Australia and New Zealand said that the company was “disappointed” by the Australian government’s announcement.

“COVID-19 has impacted every business and industry across the country, including publishers, which is why we announced a new, global investment to support news organizations at a time when advertising revenue is declining,” the Facebook

spokesperson said.

Facebook has pledged to invest an additional $100 million to support journalists at a time when ad revenues are declining due to the economic impact of the new coronavirus.

“We believe that strong innovation and more transparency around the distribution of news content is critical to building a sustainable news ecosystem,” the company spokesperson added.

A Google spokesperson said: “We have sought to work constructively with industry, the ACCC and government to develop a Code of Conduct, and we will continue to do so in the revised process set out by the government today”.

It is not that tech giants are not affected by the pandemic.

The novel coron77avirus pandemic can wipe out more than $44 billion in global ad revenue for the tech giants Facebook and Google in 2020 as digital advertising runs dry.

According to global investment bank and financial services company Cowen & Co, Google’s total net revenue is projected to be about $127.5 billion -- down $28.6 billion.

Facebook’s ad revenue for 2020 is forecast at $67.8 billion - a decrease of $15.7 billion.

(AGENCIES)

New COVID-19 payment to keep senior Australians in residential aged care safe

CANBERRA, 1 May: Residential aged care providers will benefit from an additional COVID-19 specific support package totalling $205 million under targeted measures announced today by the Morrison Government.

It takes the total COVID-19 specific Federal Government funding for aged care to more than $850 million.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the latest injection of funds was aimed at ensuring aged care providers can offer reinforced levels of safety and care for those who need it most.

“Senior Australians are highly vulnerable to coronavirus and we are seeing the cost the pandemic is having on facilities around the country,” the Prime Minister said.

“This is about keeping those people in residential aged care, protected and safe.”

The announcement comes as National Cabinet assessed an aged care sector code of conduct for visitations to ensure residents can not only be kept safe but continue to receive the social and emotional support they need from their families at this time.

The payment – to all Commonwealth funded residential aged care providers – will be linked to the number of residents being cared for by each facility and is aimed at covering the additional costs of caring for the

health and wellbeing of residents during the pandemic.

The costs include additional staffing, training, supporting visitations and connections and the provision of personal protective equipment.

Facilities outside major metropolitan areas will receive a 50 per cent loading to cover the additional costs of providing care in these areas.

Providers will receive around $900 per resident in major metropolitan areas and around $1350 per resident in all other areas.

Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck said it was another measure to reinforce the sector and protect our loved ones.

“The health, wellbeing and safety of elderly residents is our highest priority – and this measure helps reassure family and friends that everything is being done to look after their loved ones during this most difficult time,” Minister Colbeck said.

The latest round of funding follows the $235 million retention bonus paid to residential and home care workers to strengthen the workforce during the pandemic and $101 million to support providers directly impacted by an outbreak.

Additionally, the Business Improvement Fund has been extended for another year with $48 million in support as required by

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providers.

“This payment will ensure providers continue to invest in COVID-19 preparedness to protect the people in their care,” Minister Colbeck said.

“We are seeing how devastating the impact of COVID-19 can be if there is an outbreak in an aged care facility.

“While Australia is doing well by international comparison, we must remain vigilant – particularly in residential aged care to protect some of our most vulnerable Australians.”

(MEDIA RELEASE)

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

Air Force and Boeing roll out first Loyal Wingman Aircraft

CANBERRA, May 5: The first military aircraft to be designed and built in Australia in more than 50 years has been rolled out as part of a partnership between the Royal Australian Air Force and Boeing Australia.

The Morrison Government has invested up to $40 million in the Boeing Loyal Wingman – Advanced Development Program, alongside Boeing’s largest investment in a new unmanned aircraft program outside the United States.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new capability would help protect and support Australia’s most valuable Defence aircraft, and the pilots who fly them “We’re investing to enhance the agility and capability of the Australian Defence Force so we can protect our nation and our allies.

It means Australia can sharpen its edge and prepare for the future,” the Prime Minister said.

“Our investment also highlights our Government’s commitment to growing and developing our local defence industry, creating jobs and boosting our global export potential.

“The Loyal Wingman program has helped support around 100 high tech jobs in Australia. Such projects will be critical to bolster growth and support jobs as the economy recovers from the COVID-19

pandemic.”

The Loyal Wingman will have a range of more than 3,700 kilometres, enabling Defence to better understand how these types of aircraft can be used as a forcemultiplier, helping to project power forward while keeping manned capabilities out of harm’s way.

Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds CSC said the partnership allowed Defence to bring innovation to Australia in an exciting, futurefocused technology space.

“The program will examine how autonomous unmanned aircraft can support existing manned aircraft, such as our Joint Strike Fighters, Super Hornets and Growlers,” Minister Reynolds said.

“This is Australian ingenuity at its finest and presents Australia and our allies with

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opportunities for critical capabilities to fight emerging global threat systems.”

Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said the program was welcome news for Australia’s defence industry, particularly suppliers from small businesses.

“This is a truly historic moment for our country. It’s the first time that Australian industry are locally designing, developing and manufacturing an aircraft of this type,” Minister Price said.

“This demonstrates the importance of the relationship that Defence has with companies like Boeing, and defence industry more broadly, and provides a fantastic example of the innovation we can achieve together.”

The first aircraft is scheduled to commence ground trials soon.

(MEIA RELEASE)

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WORLD NEWS

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

US will have COVID-19 3 US airlines vaccine by year’s end: Trump to require passengers to wear face masks WASHINGTON, May 4: US President Donald Trump expressed confidence that the country would have a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the year and revised the number of deaths due to the disease in America up to a minimum of 80,000.

“We are very confident we’re going to have a vaccine at the end of the year, by the end of the year,” Efe news quoted Trump as saying in a virtual town hall hosted by Fox News.

So far, US government health experts had cited January 2021 as the earliest date for a coronavirus vaccine to be available.

“I’ll say what I think ... I think we’re going to have a vaccine much sooner rather than later,” he said, without further clarifying.

Asked if he wanted the US to develop the vaccine before any other country, the President replied: “I don’t care, I just want to get a vaccine that works,” adding “if it’s another country I’ll take my hat off.

“We’re so far ahead of any vaccine ever in history.”

Trump also revised his prediction of the number of COVID-19 deaths in the US given that the estimate of 60,000 fatalities he had declared on April 20 has now crossed that mark.

“I used to say 65,000. Now I’m saying 80 (thousand) or 90 (thousand), and it goes up and it goes up rapidly,” said Trump, whose projection exceeds the death toll projection of 72,400 made this week by the University of Washington.

Trump acknowledged that perhaps 90,000 deaths could not be called being “successful” in the fight against coronavirus but said it was preferable to the million or 2 million deaths there would have been without measures restricting movement.

The President also rejected media reports that he ignored several intelligence agencies’ warnings about the severity of the coronavirus in January and February.

He said that the country’s intelligence agencies will on Monday issue a statement backing his version that it was not until January 23 that they told him “there could be a virus coming in but it was of no real import”.

“It was a brief conversation and it was only on January 23. Shortly thereafter, I closed down the country to China and we had 21 people in the room. I was the only one that wanted to close it down,” he added.

He also claimed that Italy had been so badly affected by the pandemic because many Chinese who wanted to travel to the US went to Europe instead after he imposed travel restrictions on China on January 31 even though the Italian government had closed air traffic from China three days before that.

Trump’s “virtual” meeting with voters, who sent him video questions, was aimed at reinforcing the impression that the White House’s response to the coronavirus pandemic in the country has been effective, exactly six months before Trump goes up for re-election in November.

Sitting in front of the statue of Abraham Lincoln during the event, Trump said - in a reference to media - that he had been “treated worse” than the late President, who was assassinated in 1865.

Trump also claimed not to be concerned that the November presidential election would turn into a referendum on his management of the coronavirus crisis, saying that he has done a good job in leading the “biggest mobilization since World War II”.

He predicted a recovery by the economy next year with a “transition” in the third quarter of 2020 and a “good” fourth quarter and hoped to be able to resume his campaign rallies in the last two months before the November election.

Trump said that Americans should be able to return to work soon but added that those who were scared to do so could “stay back at home”.

The US currently accounts for the highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the world.

As of Monday, there were 1,158,040 cases, with 67,682 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

(AGENCIES)

Global COVID-19 cases top 3.5 million

NEW YORK, May 4: Global confirmed COVID-19 cases topped 3.5 million, reaching 3,502,126 as of 7 p.m. (2300 GMT), according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

A total of 247,107 people worldwide have died of the disease, according to the CSSE.

The United States, which remains the hardest-hit, reported 1,156,924 cases and 67,498 deaths. Spain and Italy followed with 217,466 cases and 210,717 cases, respectively. Other countries with over 150,000 cases included the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

(AGENCIES)

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WASHINGTON, May 1: Three US airlines have said that they will soon require passengers to wear face masks on flights amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Delta Air Lines Inc, American Airlines Group Inc, and Frontier Airlines, released their statements separately on Thursday, two days after Jet Blue announced its change in policies, the first major US airline to impose the rule.

Delta’s requirements begin from May 4, while American’s and Frontier’s start from May 11 and May 8, respectively.

“This new requirement is part of the airline’s ongoing commitment to prioritizing customer and team member well-being in response to the coronavirus pandemic,” American Airlines said in a statement.

Several airlines are building on safety measures by blocking some seats to create social distancing and introducing new cleaning rules.

Air travel in the US was down 95 per cent from a year ago, and the average domestic flight has 17 passengers, industry figures show.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been facing calls from airline unions for requiring facial coverings for all passengers.

“We’re happy to see airlines taking action to require masks or facial coverings for passengers, crew and other frontline employee,” said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants.

The US currently accounts for the highest number of coronavirus cases, as well as deaths in the world.

As of Friday morning, the cases increased to 1,069,424, with 63,006 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

(AGENCIES)

OPINION

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High Time to Regulate International Student Agents BY KARTHIK ARASU President of “Australia India Sports Council

COVID-19 has brought the world to its knees and Australia is coming to terms with some harsh reality. The car manufacturing industry sailed off in front of our eyes, now we are witnessing the most lucrative Education industry drifting away fast. The Australian education industry is our 3rd largest third largest export, contributing billions to our economy, if we don’t act now, we will end up with world-class universities with low student numbers.

Last year, I attended a “Victoria India Roundtable” discussion organized by Australia India Institute on the topic of Strengthening the Indian community and Indian international student networks.

In that session, I recommended to the panel to pressurize universities towards more scrutiny and audits of Education Consultants and Agents. This is primarily because we regularly come across many cases of how students are led to believe many untrue aspects, such as sustenance costs, work availability, permanent

residency and so forth.

The work that me and my team have done to support international students over the past few weeks has brought something similar to the forefront. The common theme emerging from students is they have been ill-advised by migration consultants or agents about the financial requirements to sustain in Australia, and they have been given a rosy picture of how they can earn & live comfortably here. Students risk their parents’ savings and overstate their financial positions to come to Australia based on the advice given by agents.

Their lack of awareness about Australian laws and working conditions make them solely to take decisions based on the often incomplete or inappropriate information given to them by the agents.

Yes, we can’t blame just one segment alone! Universities have an equal responsibility in qualifying the agents they use. Putting the blame squarely on the students is unfair too, as up to 20% of their tuition fees go to the agent and universities or the education providers don’t appear to care as long as they get new students year after year. Unfortunately, international students are seen as only cash cows.

In February 2019, a Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Migration in their

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“Report of the inquiry into efficacy of current regulation of Australian migration and education agents” clearly mention that: “During the course of this inquiry the Committee received representations from a number of international students with evidence alleging that education agents were operating in an unlawful and unethical manner”. “Submitters generally held the view that international students were vulnerable, open to exploitation by unscrupulous education agents, and a lack of regulation enabled them to operate without any consequences for their actions”.

Words on paper read well! While the report is appreciated, it is not enough. The Parliamentary Committee’s recommendations doesn’t go long enough, it’s just a band-aid for a problem requiring surgery. Also it is worth pondering whether the recommendations made any impact or not. It’s high time the government takes a lead role in regulating the Education Agent market, so agents provide more accurate information and engage in ethical practices.

As a result, international students will be better prepared for their life in Australia.

It shouldn’t take a crisis to regulate an important and profitable industry!

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NEWS INDIA

9 Miss Worlds to salute medical personnel

NINE Miss Worlds from different countries such as Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar from India, Miss World 2011 Ivian Lunasol Sarcos Colmenares from Venezuela, Miss World 2012 Yu Wenxia from China among many others have joined to salute medical professionals who have become the frontline warriors against coronavirus.

The Miss World foundation has brought together these women, who won the crown between 2011 to 2019 to also propagate the idea of staying at home to protect oneself and their loved ones.

“It is an initiative that sees the Miss Worlds

from the past decade come together to urge people to stay at home. It also sees us salute healthcare workers and every single person who are frontline warriors during the SARSCoV-2 pandemic in the world,” Manushi said.

Others who have been roped in to raise awareness on the pandemic include Miss World 2013 Megha Young from Philippines, Miss World 2014 Rolene Strauss from South Africa, Miss World 2015 Mireia Lalaguna from Spain, Miss World 2016 Stephanie Del Valle from Puerto Rico, Miss World 2018 Vanessa Ponce De Leon from Mexico and Miss World 2019 Toni-Ann Singh from Jamaica.

Manushi added: “We all came to spread positivity and show that we are united in our courage, struggle and pain. It shows how connected we are in this and how each citizen of the world can do our bit to help the needy. I am honoured to be a part of this campaign that sees me reach out to every global citizen. We are battling this crisis together and we shall overcome.”

Manushi has already been roped in by the Haryana State Government and UNICEF India to raise awareness about COVID-19 among the people of India.

(AGENCIES)

Trust in Chinese goods collapsed in two years

NEW DELHI, May 3: The people’s trust in imported goods from China has collapsed in the last two years, according to the latest results of CVoter tracking survey conducted across the country.

There has been a steep fall in the fortunes of Chinese companies and goods as the survey shows that while back in 2018, 5.6 per cent people had no trust at all in Chinese goods, the number has jumped dramatically to 57.4 percent who have no trust at all in Chinese goods.

While in 2018, 25.8 per cent respondents said that they had no trust in Chinese goods, this number has more than doubled in 2020 to 62.6 per cent now.

On the flip side, those who said they had a lot of trust in these goods were much higher at 20.2 per cent in 2018 but have plummeted

to only 5.2 per cent in 2020. Those having some trust have also almost halved from 46.9 percent to 20.2 percent in 2020.

It may be pointed out that there is a backlash against China globally following the coronavirus originating in Wuhan city and several countries are putting place a policy framework to erect fences against an Chinese companies wanting to acquire foreign companies at cheap valuations.

India has also notified a policy to protect against opportunistic takeovers of Indian companies as valuations have fallen and companies with origins in countries with which India shares a land border will have to seek government approval for every investment.

In comparison to Chinese goods, the survey shows that Made in India goods have

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G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

Cannot allow poor to suffer in difficult times: Kejriwal

NEW DELHI, May 3: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said his government cannot allow the poor to suffer in the time of the coronavirus crisis and so is distributing free kits along with the monthly ration.

“We have started distributing kits of essential items like salt, spices, oil, sugar, soaps, etc. They are given free of cost along with monthly ration to all. We cannot allow the poor to suffer in these difficult times,” Kejriwal said.

The Delhi government is providing double quantity of ration -- 10 kg ration per person per month -- from May onwards keeping in view of coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown.

The ‘Mukhyamantri Corona Rahat Kits’ are also distributed along with the ration for May. The kits comprise -- 1 Kg Refined Oil, 1 Kg Choley Chana, 1 Kg Sugar, 1 Kg Salt, 200 gm Haldi powder, 200 gm Chilli powder, 200 gm Coriander Powder and two soaps.

The kits are being provided to both ration cardholders and those getting the free ration despite not having a card.

(AGENCIES)

shown an increase in net trust as the figure has gone up from 70.7 per cent in 2018 to 74.4 per cent in 2020.

The respondents who said that they had a lot of trust in Made in India goods have gone up marginally from 72.6 per cent to 75.9 percent.

Those who expressed some trust have however fallen from 21.3 per cent to only 15 per cent in 2020.

On the whole, while trust in Chinese goods has collapsed, the trust level in Made in India goods has gone up somewhat as per the CVoter tracker.

(AGENCIES)

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

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Nearly 2.5 lakh Indians stranded in Australia: Indian envoy

CHANDIGARH, April 27: More than 2.5 lakh Indian nationals, including about one lakh students, are stranded in Australia amid coronavirus pandemic. But their families back home have nothing to worry about.

India’s High Commissioner to Australia, A. Gitesh Sarma, said in an exclusive interview on Monday that Indian students are valued in Australia. Their welfare and well-being remain the highest priority at all times.

In a virtual interview with focus on the steps the Indian government is taking to support those stuck in Australia, he said when the outbreak happened more than 2.5 lakh Indian nationals were staying in Australia, including about one lakh Indian students.

“But a large number of our nationals are here on long term arrangements,” he said in a query to how many Indian students and travellers are stranded owing to the pandemic.

Education is Australia’s largest service export to India, valued at AUD5.5 billion and accounting for around 85 per cent of the total, according to Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Quoting DFAT figures, Sarma said 2.71 lakh Indians, comprising 1.05 lakh students, were in Australia as on April 13.

On the students, mainly from Punjab, struck amid shutdown of international airports in India and their incomes from part-time jobs cut off and limited savings eroding steadily, the envoy told IANS: “Obviously it is not possible to create in a short while an entirely comprehensive arrangement.”

“But our High Commission and three Consulates in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth have been actively engaged in helping the affected Indian nationals, especially the Indian students in the fast evolving situation.

“Besides putting in place a multi-platform helpline, guidance and response system,

a nationwide system has been set up with partner diaspora organisations, with part funding from the Mission to provide take away meals and basic provisions.”

According to the diplomat, around 30,000 meal packs and grocery kits have been distributed to needy persons so far.

“We are also assisting for accommodation and medical assistance from those in acute distress, in partnership with diaspora partner organizations and individuals. We are proud of the Indian diaspora for their selfless service.”

He said the Mission has also tied up with the Indian Medical Association of Australia and other Indian diaspora in the health sector to set up virtual clinics to provide for medical consultations in difficult situations.

“On the external front, the Mission is closely engaged with key Australian authorities, ministries and universities to provide all possible practical relief to the affected Indian nationals.

“Recently a number of Australian universities have announced their own plans to support the international students impacted by the pandemic,” Sarma said.

“We will continue to regularly review the situation to ensure an adequate response to any situation”.

With the 700,000 strong Indian diaspora, India and Australia have special ties.

On the Australian government’s message to those who are not citizens of Australia to ago home’, the envoy said all the issues of concern are discussed freely.

“We have dialogue at high levels, including the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister. Our understanding is that Indian students are valued in Australia,” he said.

Elaborating further, he said as one of the fastest growing migrant community, the Indian diaspora plays a very vibrant role in the Australian milieu.

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Their tremendous contribution to the Australian nation building efforts has been repeatedly acknowledged and appreciated at all levels.

“With encouragement from the Australian government, a number of relief measures have been put in place by various Australian universities. These are aimed at supporting the international students impacted by the pandemic.”

On the recent racist assault on two students, he replied: “Besides regular channels of communication, the Indian High Commission and the Consulates have regular video conferencing with representatives of the student community to understand and respond to their needs in the evolving situation.”

“We have set up a dedicated 24x7 emergency helpline in the Mission and all three Consulates and also have used technological means in order to be available at all times.”

Expressing concerns of the parents who are anxious about the fate and future of their children in Australia, he said: “We fully understand the anxiety and concern about the wellbeing of children living in far-off places during this period of unprecedented crisis. The wellbeing of these children is most important.”

“All possible efforts are being taken to ensure the welfare of every Indian student in Australia. In general, the efforts to tackle the pandemic are seen to have yielded positive results in Australia.

“The number of cases here are less than 7,000 and increases are now in single digits.

This should also be reassuring. Everyone should take and follow guidance from those with medical and other relevant experience,” he added.

By Vishal Gulati

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TIME PASS

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

7 things to do at home during

!

E N I T N A QUAR positivity going!

The world is going through a tough time but remember that were together. Some of us are in quarantine with our family while some of us are living alone in other cities or countries.

While we’re all feeling stuck or bored, The Wedding Brigade, one of India’s one-stopplatform for everything weddings: content, e-commerce, and services has you covered on how to spend your time. A list of a few ideas to keep the spirits up and

Skincare Session Now is the time to put that clay face mask that has been resting in your cabinet. Or you can whip up some DIY Face mask with ease from your kitchen ingredients. Ask your parents or sibling to join you in a skincare session. This will be a wonderful opportunity to bond with your loved ones. If you’re living alone then indulge, girl. Give yourself a break.

Paint Your Toes!

How about honing your inner artist and creating some art on a canvas, I mean... toes and tips. You never know, you might discover the artist inside you. And if you’re a bride-to-be this is the best time to try out some really cool nail art all by yourself.

Decor Decor Decor Trust me when I say this, you’re never going to put up those fairy lights. You’ve been avoiding it for a long but now’s the time! Put up those lights and artsy pieces and add a new life to your room.

Talk To Your Plants Did you know that there are a lot of studies that recommend this? Talking to your plants not only nurtures them but

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proves therapeutic to us as well. Studies also suggest that plants can respond to music as well. Interesting, right?

Read That Book A lot of us are guilty of buying a book, promising to read it and then eventually delaying it. Now is the time to blow the dust off from those books and escape into a wonderful world without leaving the room. If reading is not your thing, maybe it’s time for you to add a skill or two in your kitty by taking an online course you always were interested in. Think about it.

Dress Up! Wear that dress you’ve been meaning to wear. Most of us have been working from home which ensures that there’s a set timetable despite anything. Wear nice clothes instead of sitting in your pyjamas and your mood will automatically lift.

Block Negativity With self-isolation, we’re all doing our bit. Don’t indulge in the news if it gives you anxiety, allow yourself a ‘worry period’. Worry about things to your heart’s content then concentrate on something for the rest of the day.

If you are planning your wedding this is a good time to do research / incorporate all the fun ideas you didn’t have time to think about earlier!

By N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

GETTING MARRIED IN AUSTRALIA

Applying for Marriage Certificate during COVID-19 restrictions

Victoria has declared a State of Emergency due to coronavirus (COVID-19). The customer service centre and call centre of Registry for Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) are closed until further notice. If you’ve already applied for a certificate or registration, you may check the status of your application online.

BDM is prioritising critical certificate or registration requests.

For critical requests you have to apply online and provide requirements along with reason(s) why it is critical.

Weddings are currently restricted to a maximum of five people, the couple, a celebrant and two witnesses. The Victorian Marriage Registry is closed.

Marriage certificates are a celebration of a special part of your life. They’re also an important personal document that you can use as proof of your wedding for official purposes, such as changing your name on a passport or driver licence.

When ordering a certificate, you will need to prove your identity. Marriages which took

place outside of Victoria cannot be registered by the Victorian Registry. If you were married outside Victoria, contact the Registry of the state, territory or country where the marriage took place.

BDM will ask you for the following information during the application process, Details of the marriage – given, middle and family names of both parties, place of the marriage and date of the marriage, proof of your identity and proof that you’re eligible to get the certificate.

If you have further questions about this issue you can contact me.

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G’Day Mate

!

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ADVERTORIAL

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

Open your own security company

If you’re looking for a business opportunity that is consistently growing and your have the opportunity in earn income from several streams of services, then the private security industry has multiple opportunities.

The need for security has significantly increased over the past couple of decades. From providing security officers to electronic protection, the number of windows open to earn income from providing services is unlimited.

With the growing need for security services, your business can be licensed to offer guards, patrols, responses, alarms and CCTV systems, and if you want more services to offer you can also do cash-in-transit services as well as bodyguarding.

It is estimated that 3.5 billion will be spent on private security, and businesses are demanding to be protected from threats of burglary, fire and criminal damage.

Many entrepreneurs are looking into starting their own security

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company in order to satisfy the demand for this critical service by both individuals and corporations.

Shawn Delaney, founder of SDC Consultancy has been in the security industry for the past thirtyfive years, with a solid reputation of helping individuals with opening their own security company and helping them with their first contract. SDC prepares 90% of the application for a business licence and also offers to help with uniform and marketing packages.

The first package is a licence pack starting as low as $7,500+GST. This package includes a company, logo, manuals, application completed, with supportive documents such as insurance and uniforms.

Interested people need to be licensed as a security guard, or have completed a Certificate II in Security Operations, no other training is required.

Call Shawn Delaney on 0407 881 918 to arrange an appointment to discuss your opportunities.

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

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Being a mother in Covid times

Becoming a mother is one of the most phenomenal events in a woman’s life. Nothing gives her more joy than holding her baby in her arms. But for some women it is a challenging time to become a mother during the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. Fear, anxiety and feeling of uncertainty have gripped them during this otherwise happy time.

Sanaa Firoz, who has recently attained motherhood, said that delivering a child during coronavirus pandemic was very tough. I couldn’t visit the hospital as there was lockdown. I had some complications also.” Thanks to technology, she was constantly in touch with her gynaecologist. “I was constantly in touch with my gynaecologist through video calls.

My doctor during this period acted as my best friend. She helped me to have a safe and happy pregnancy. Now, we both mother and child are healthy and safe.”

Another new mother Tulisha Sengupta said that delivering a baby amid a pandemic was quite stressful. “It was quite stressful for me to give

birth to my child during Covid-19.

My husband and I were super worried and that also led my blood pressure to shoot up. My doctor helped me calm down by making me do breathing exercises. I gave birth to a healthy baby girl early this month and doctors suggested to us how to take care of the baby.

They suggested a few guidelines -- washing hands frequently, minimum meet and greet sessions for the baby with other family members and keeping the house clean. We both are healthy and safe now.”

overwhelmed with the concerns related to the safety of their unborn or newly born child during the present circumstances.

The parents are anxious about the repeated visits to their gynaecologists, especially during the third trimester of pregnancy, as they have to convince the police personnel every time they cross the lockdown barricades.

The situation is even worse in the containment zones, as few hospitals also ask for additional tests, when the patients from such zones visit a hospital for the Doctor Sanchita Dube Ghonge, delivery.”

Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Motherhood Ghonge also said that most Hospital, said the ongoing couples are not able to look pandemic of novel coronavirus forward to support from their and the lockdown measures parents as most of them are have created a global crisis of not able to travel. “The unborn unprecedented dimensions. foetuses will certainly not wait Becoming parents during the for the unlocking orders from the ongoing crisis is even more government for their arrivals into challenging and likely to be this world. The fear of COVID-19 distressful. mixed with the uncertainties of the lockdown is likely to have impact “The expecting couples are over the mother’s mental health,” she said.

“It is, however, important for the couples to remain stable and unperturbed. They need to act

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with conviction without any fears.

They should regularly contact their gynaecologists on phone and follow the advice, accordingly,” the doctor suggested, adding “the expecting mother should find time to focus on lifestyle measures for better physical and mental health. Balanced diet with appropriate nutrition and hydration is important along with required physical activity.

“Yoga, Meditation and mindfulness are likely to enhance the immune system and will also take care of undue anxiety,” Ghonge said.

She hopes that the babies, born and surviving during this time, will be stronger and tougher in the future. “With high hopes that COVID-19 pandemic soon goes down the history as a triumph of human’s indomitable spirit and determination. The stories of such couples who become parents amidst COVID-19 pandemic will always provide strength to coming generations. The newborn babies during COVID-19 pandemic will certainly be stronger and tougher.

By Sfoorti Mishra

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Mother’s Day 2020

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

MUMS WILL BE MUMS With social distancing measures in place, we talk to some mums to know what Mother’s Day means to them and how their family is going to celebrate the day this year.

Motherhood is one of the most rewarding yet sacrificing trait of a woman. No matter which country you live in, what language you speak, there is no place as peaceful as a mother’s lap and no language as pure as a mother’s love. This Mother’s Day, we talk to three wonderful mothers from Melbourne, who are at three different stages of motherhood.

While their lives may be different, the sheer selflessness and undying love for their children is the quality that binds these three and probably every mother on earth together.

Uttara Gogate m Sunalini & Grand Mum, Twins, Jia & Jai with mu

Aliyah & Shahan with mum, Hus na

Anmol with mum, Neena www.gdayindia.com.au | M: 0412-114-383

Mother’s Day 2020

S

unalini Arya is a new mum of 7 months old twins Jia and Jai. When Sunalini came to Australia in 2014, she started her dance school and also organised dance fitness classes. Sunalini got into lecturing and is a sessional lecturer at La Trobe and also at Melbourne Polytechnic.

So, what does Sunalini do today? She chuckles saying, “I am a full-time mum, a full-time teacher and also a full-time student.” She’s got her hands full, pursuing a master’s degree in Teaching.

While it may sound like a cliché, Sunalini truly manages to balance all her roles effortlessly. Sunalini thinks she has developed this habit of organisation and multitasking only because of motherhood.

She knows she will have to make time to attend to her kids, to feed them and clean them as they are so young, she knows they will not be able to feed themselves or even express what they may be feeling like. She has gradually learnt how to

compartmentalise her professional and personal life. Her kids are her top priority, and she makes time for them no matter how much work she has to finish in a day.

Another beautiful insight Sunalini shares is that this skill of multitasking is not something that you sit and think about having, it just comes to you naturally when you become a mum. When asked about her upbringing skills and who has majorly influenced them, Sunalini credits her mother-in-law. “After I got married, Eshan’s mother became like a close friend to me.

She used to tell me different stories about how she raised Eshan. These stories left a mark on me. There is a difference between inculcating traditions just for the sake of it and inculcating values. I learnt that from my mother-in-law. And even today, with my in-laws living with us, I look at her for guidance,” Sunalini said. When asked about the difference in upbringing kids in India compared to here in Melbourne, she said that while it is fairly easy to get help

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G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

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in India, but here we have to learn to do everything ourselves. This, in turn, teaches us the value of being independent which also subconsciously passed on to the kids.

With the current situation of social distancing and the lockdown, Sunalini is now taking lectures online while having one of her kids on her lap most of the time.

So, while the pandemic and its impact are gruesome, Sunalini is trying to look at the positive side of it. She is getting to spend more time with her kids! She gets to witness Jia, and Jai’s personalities develop right in front of her. While her kids are too little to celebrate Mother’s Day with her, their family aims at dressing up and having a quiet celebration at home. Finally, her message to all the desi mums out there is, “Motherhood is like a blessing. It is surreal.

We mums ought to enjoy every moment of it. Happy Mother’s Day to all of us! I hope we have a beautiful celebration this year and every year.”

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H

Mother’s Day 2020

usna Pasha, besides being a supermom to her kids Aliyah (11) and Shahan (8), also wears many hats professionally. Husna is a public speaker and also teaches the art of public speaking, particularly to women of colour. She has also appeared on TV a couple of times and has established a successful catering business. While growing up, Husna always considered herself to be a tomboy until she had her first baby, when she realised, she was born to be a mum.

Husna finds her inspiration in her kids. She teaches them to love selflessly, always give back in gratitude and her kids, in turn, teach her to be more self-accepting. With the increasing consumption of social media and its influence on children, Husna emphasises on the importance of teaching children to be kind, loving and to be a good person. “It is crucial that kids today know that these are the virtues of a truly rich and wealthy person.”, she adds. This beautiful mum is more like a friend to her kids.

She wants her kids to grow up to

be independent and aware of how superficial the digital world can be at times.

Social distancing has made an impact on Husna’s family too. While her husband is becoming more aware of their kids’ routines, helping them out with schoolwork, Husna is finally able to give some time to herself. She is working from home, cooking delicious food with her husband, spending quality time with her kids and also making time for some daily exercise. The entire family is also learning gardening together. Husna wants to make the most of this time to bond and grow with her kids.

Mother’s Day celebrations are always special for Husna like many. Her kids prepare something special for her, their school organises fun activities around the day, and she invites her mum and her sister to come along for a Mother’s Day special family dinner.

But this year, they are going to have the ‘Zoom’ version, a virtual Mother’s Day dinner! As for a Mother’s Day message to other brave heart mums, Husna states, “All the challenges, the barriers, the downtimes that come with being a

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G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

mother are actually a blessing for us.

Be proud of the way you are and of the way you are raising your children.

Motherhood should be embraced, celebrated every day! Happy Mother’s Day and make sure to be proud of yourselves today and every day!”

Husna’s kids Aliyah and Shahan also have a cute message for their mum and all the wonderful mums reading this.

Aliyah says, “Mums are very helpful and overprotective, but they’re very loving at the same time.” Shahan adds, “Mums are the best. They take care of you when you are sad.”

Husna has a message for other desi mums: “Life is not perfect, and neither are the people around us necessarily, but remind yourself every day about how lucky you are to be you. Your challenges are there to help you evolve, grow and continue to be the best version of you.

When you put yourself first you will have the capacity and resilience to deal with anything that comes your way. Never apologise for being the powerhouse that you are. You are amazing.”

Mother’s Day 2020

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eena Anand is a firecracker mum who has raised two wonderful kids - Preet (30) and Anmol (26). Born and brought up in Delhi, Neena moved first to New Zealand and then to Australia after she got married. She was running a kindergarten school all by herself in India and now handles the family business with her husband. She has always been a handson mum and has never shied away from handling her work as well as her sons simultaneously.

For Neena, her sons have always been her source of joy. Having seen them grow up and become the ideal sons that they are today makes her immensely proud.

“My husband has also played an important part in Preet and Anmol’s upbringing.

Unlike in India, he knew that we had to do most of the chores by ourselves once we started living in New Zealand. Since then, he has helped me a lot in taking care of not just the house, but our kids too.” The one thing that she learnt while raising kids out of India was to respect her kids’

opinions and interests. She had noticed that back in the day in India, usually, the head of the family made decisions.

But when she came to the land down under, she decided to break that cycle, to give her kids freedom and let them feel safe at home. She wanted to create an environment when they could freely express their opinions. Another boon of raising kids outside of India was that their schedules weren’t as packed, and they could make time for their kids. Neena bonded with her sons and over time, has developed a wonderful relationship with them.

Social distancing has helped Neena grow even more closer to her sons and their partners as both the sons are married. With no option of having social outings, they are spending quality time at home, having lazy afternoons sitting and talking, reminiscing childhood memories. Mother’s Day has always been a social event where Neena’s family gets together with a couple of friends and their families, they go out for dinner and have

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

a beautiful evening together. This year, however, Neena doesn’t know what they will be doing. (PS - She is hoping her sons prepare a surprise for her. Hope you are reading this Preet and Anmol.)

Neena loves to do small things for her sons, her daughters-in-law and all her family members. Be it appreciation texts, surprise gifts, an extra-long hug, preparing their favourite foods or even just calling them up and checking on them randomly, Neena loves to do that as a mum. And on this Mother’s Day, Preet and Anmol have a special message for Neena. Preet shares a Mother’s Day Haiku – “She carried us first. Her unconditional love. Here. There.

Always.” Anmol adds, “Mum you are like superglue, always holding the family together through thick and thin. For all you’ve done, we should make every day Mother’s Day.” And lastly, Neena gives a warm message to all mums, “Love your kids as much as you can and give them the independence to grow themselves.”

These inspiring mums and their stories tell us how each mother has her unique way of raising her kids, of moulding them and shaping their personalities. Let’s hope these mums and all the other mums out there are celebrated, appreciated and loved not only on Mother’s Day, but every minute, every day of their lives.

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By P Harsora

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PEOPLE

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

Towards Stardom B

They say 60 is the new 30 and Satinder Chawla simply proves it. It is never too late to try something new.

At the time when people often plan retirement, Mr. Chawla became an actor. Let us hear from him.

orn in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, and brought up in Punjab, Satinder Chawla could never even imagine what his life had planned for him.

Aiming for a simple life, Satinder completed his Masters in Commerce and before long he joined Punjab & Sind Bank. As a loyal and a valued employee, Satinder served the bank for more than 25 years.

Satinder has a family of four, his wife

Jaswinder and his two sons, the youngest of which decided to study in Australia. In 2005, when his son came to Melbourne, he loved the city and decided to settle down in Melbourne. In 2009, Satinder’s eldest son also decided to move to Melbourne. Missing their family, Satinder and his wife decided to come along.

In 2011, they arrived on the fine shores of Melbourne and the Chawla’s were reunited.

However, coming to a new country at the age of 55 wasn’t very easy for Satinder.

Restarting his career in Melbourne, he volunteered at Melbourne Airport in customer care. He says, “the other challenge I had was understanding the Australian slang language.

Though I have worked in a corporate job for so many years, yet it took me some time to understand the ‘Aussie slang’. Soon I passed that barrier too. My work at the airport helped in this process.”

Known for his work ethic, Satinder received appreciation in his new job as well. He was then appointed to work as a sales consultant at the Duty-Free in Arrivals at Melbourne Airport.

Meanwhile, missing the community spirit of India, Satinder and his wife started volunteering with various senior citizen associations. As a very ‘dear uncle’ of the community, he even helped many international students to find jobs. He says, “I came here with my set of apprehensions, but now I can say there is no place like Melbourne. The city, its people and the services it provides, everything makes it beautiful.”

Talking about his acting career, he said, “it was all a coincidence. Luckily a director asked me for a role as a father in a short film ‘Strings’. The experience of working with meaningful cinema encouraged me to play a character role in a domestic violence-based movie, ‘The Hidden Truth’. This movie was selected for IFFM 2016. After that, I was offered a role in a Punjabi movie ‘Big Daddy’.

Since then, I haven’t stopped.”

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G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

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(LCSC). He has been an ‘AFL multicultural Ambassador’ for four continuous years, and in 2017 he was nominated as the ‘Sudhiraman Badminton Ambassador’.

Satinder was also selected as the ‘Gold Coast Ambassador for Commonwealth Games 2018’. As a coordinator, he has been involved in the Sikh Games, Melbourne, 2019.

When asked about his biggest strength, he says, “life is a learning process, you need to accept life as it comes and should remain honest to yourself, your parents, family and the God almighty. My biggest strength is my wife, my family and of course, the continuous blessings of my parents, who I miss the most.

Also, living in a country like Melbourne that accepts people with diverse backgrounds, I have been able to not just admit my Sikh identity but also to be soaked in my values to reflect and contribute in an equal way to the wider community. This inner acceptance of one’s true identity is the strength in itself.”

By Sanchita Abrol

Satinder was also awarded the best actor award in VIRASAT Punjabi Film Festival 2016 for the short movie ‘Haloona’, which also bagged the title of ‘Best short movie’.

He also got special appreciation in the Sikh Short Film Festival Australia.

Satinder is a self-trained actor with millions of viewers. Challenging his acting skills, he experimented by working in a silent movie ‘Karma’. His performance in ‘Karma’ was admirable. Satinder’s other projects such as ‘Nishchay Ker Apni Jeet Keroo’, ‘Sikhi meri jaan’ and many character roles in albums have put him in the spotlight. ‘Nishchay Kar Apni Jeet Karoo’ also received appreciation in the Sikh Short International Film Festival Australia 2018. Satinder has completed four full movies, 24 short movies and ten album songs. Many more projects are also in the pipeline, which will be out in the near future.

For the love of movies with a social message, Satinder has also directed four short films. His upcoming projects also include ‘Safar-e-Dastan’ and ‘Maa Sadke’.

During this COVID-19 times, Satinder has been stood down from his Melbourne Airport job, however, he has completely engrossed himself in a home-based production to spread the message of fitness.

Playing different roles, Satinder has done a few poetry sessions as well. Pealing off more layers to his personality, he shadowed

light on his sports endeavours. He is a brilliant Badminton player. He says, “I have inherited my love for sports from my dad, who had represented Madhya Pradesh State in Badminton. When I was young, I was holding the rank of camp commander in NCC (National Cadet Corps) and was also a winner of the firing competition.”

In recent times, as a sports lover, Mr Chawla has formed a club in Hume Area, known as Landmark Community Sports Club

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PEOPLE

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

Fashioning Her Way R

Debasree Das, mother of a 6-year-old with a fulltime job in marketing, aspires to be Melbourne’s top Fashionista.

ecent digital times have seen an increase in ‘fashion bloggers’ and ‘influencers’ making their way to the front line of the schema of

fashion.

Customers no longer rely on expensive advertisements for information or follow perfect-fit model shoots. Rather, they carefully follow artistically curated stories and designs which makes fashion look simple.

Social media personalities have become the inspiration for many fashion followers.

One such personality is Debasree Das. Born in Midnapore, a small town in West Bengal, Das’s journey has been quite colourful. A former beauty queen, marketing strategist and mother of a 6-year-old, she is a unique fashion influencer and a fashion runway model, finding immense gratification in blogging on fashion. She is aspiring to be Melbourne’s top ‘fashionista’.

With a background in marketing, Debasree worked in the corporate sector for many years. With usual 9 to 5 rhythm of life, she lived and worked in Moscow, Cape Town, Angola, Mumbai, Delhi, Singapore and now in Melbourne.

Her life took a full turn when in 2014, she won the title of Mrs. Singapore and went ahead competing against 14 countries to win the title of Mrs. Asia International. As a package of goodies that came along with the titles, she was working as a brand endorser and started her own talk show about fashion and fads.

Debasree says, “with my girl next door look, I never imagined myself winning a beauty pageant. To partake in that was even

my friend’s idea. In fact, I had just become a mother; this pathway was never part of my plan. But when it happened, it made me feel good, and that feel-good-factor is most important to me. It helped me come out and accept myself freely and break my routine.

For me, it simply meant living life”.

In 2016, moving from Singapore to Australia, she explored herself while exploring the new country. Settling down in a

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new city with a pause in her marketing career was not easy for her. But this gave her time to learn and unlearn the city’s fashion culture which led to finding her true passion.

After two years of break, one cosy day, she opened her laptop, made herself a cup of tea and decided to pen down her thoughts about fashion in her new blog. Blogging soon became a new way of expression for her and slowly interacting with people and fellow

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

29

shapes, and sizes. I am petite, yet I have walked as an independent runway model for many Melbourne fashion events. I wish to inspire such ‘girls next door’ like me to curate their own fashion stories”.

As a trending blogger and fashion influencer, Debasree has already worked as a brand endorser for JORD Watch USA, Tommy Hilfiger, and many Asian and Indian clothing brands. She has walked on the ramp for Pune Fashion Week, independent runways of Virgin Australia Fashion Festival and Melbourne Fashion Week and also as a showstopper for India Beach Fashion Week.

These national and international experiences have given her a deeper understanding and acceptance of global fashion trends. Through her blogs, she hopes to share her own style, and in doing so, shape a more vibrant future. www.travelinstylewithdebs.com

By Sanchita Abrol

bloggers also gave her back confidence. Her ideas were being heard again.

To understand Melbourne’s fashion even more, Debasree started socialising and meeting the face of the fashion industry by attending all major fashion events happening across Australia. In March 2017, Debasree attended the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia, Sydney, which was a turning point in her career as a blogger. Brands contacted her and her network expanded.

Putting some light of her role as an influencer, Debasree shares that, “in number, if we speak, viewership for a fashion show is going down because the runway format sometimes can portray complexity in fashion.

But that is the reason that bloggers play an important role in curating trends in a more edible way, so that viewers can digest the new trends and apply it in a more day-to-day life rather than viewing it as a runway setup”.

Considered as one of the two fashion bloggers of Australia attending all events, Guardian UK recognised her talent and interviewed her. Inspired at each step, by learning and exploring her own self and challenging her potential, she does not wish to stop. Debasree soon wants to start her own talk show too.

Debasree’s love for fashion goes beyond a simple trend analyst. She likes to help females who think fashion is too complex,

by assisting them in portraying simplicity.

She believes that fashion should reflect your inner self, showing uniqueness is always appreciated than following a trend.

“No matter how difficult it gets to balance my full-time job as a marketing strategist, and all other roles that I play in my day to day life as a female, I always make time for my blog. It is important to me that I share my experience with people. They need to understand that fashion comes in all colours,

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SPORT

Lee didn’t let me sleep, never wanted to face Steyn: Rohit

I

ndia limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma named the most difficult bowlers he has come face-to-face over the years in international cricket. Rohit has revealed he was troubled by former Australia fastbowler Brett Lee’s express pace during his early days while dealing with South Africa speedster Dale Steyn’s swing felt like a ‘nightmare’ to him.

“One bowler is Brett Lee because he didn’t let me sleep the previous night on my first tour to Australia in 2007, as I was thinking how to play this bowler who bowls in excess of 150 kmph,” Rohit said during Star Sports

show Cricket Connected.

“In 2007, Brett Lee was at his peak. I used to watch him closely and noticed that he was consistently bowling at the speed of around 150-155 kmph. The thought of a youngster like me facing that kind of speed took away my sleep.

“I have two favourite bowlers who I never wanted to face, one was Brett Lee and the other was Dale Steyn. I never wanted to face Steyn because playing pace and swing at the same time was a nightmare, it was just unreal,” he added.

Rohit also lavished praise on current Australia fast-bowler Josh Hazlewood, whom he referred to as being very disciplined with his line and length. India are currently slated to travel Down Under later this year for a Test series and Rohit stated he will have to ‘mentally prepare’ himself for the prospect of coming up against Hazlewood.

“Currently, someone whom I don’t want to face in Test cricket would be Josh Hazlewood because he’s disciplined and does not move away from that length,” Rohit said.

“He does not give you loose balls. I have watched him enough to understand that. I know for a fact that if I have to go to Australia to play a Test, then I have to be mentally prepared to be disciplined while facing Josh.”

Jordan once rejected $100m for two-hour appearance

(AGENCIES)

Enforced break a chance to fix Australian cricket, feels Langer

A

ustralia head coach Justin Langer believes the enforced break put forward by coronavirus pandemic can be used as an opportunity to change few things in Australian cricket.

All bilateral series have called off due to the outbreak of virus while the fate of ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be played Down Under later this year, also hangs in balance.

Langer explained there was a time when Australian club cricket was a force to be reckoned with and it was the breeding ground for future world beaters. He suggested that it is time for them to go back to their roots and change few things around for the good.

“It wasn’t that long ago that we prided ourselves on having an amazing club cricket system that fed into state domestic cricket, which fed into the best of the best playing for Australia,” Langer told ABC Grandstand as per Fox Sports.com.

“I see it as an amazing opportunity. I can see it actually going back that way.

“More emphasis back on club cricket, more emphasis on state cricket then get the

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

best of the best in Australia. That would be my vision for the next five years,” he added.

Australian cricketers are currently scheduled to return from leave soon and Langer feels their physical condition should be of utmost importance.

“We’ve got to keep moving the ship in the right direction ... our guys come back off their leave on May 18,” Langer said.

“We’ve got to make sure they’re all in tip-top condition. I actually can’t wait to see how they come back without all the bells and whistles ... it’s going to be a really good indication of the hungry, self-resilient and self-reliant players.”

(AGENCIES)

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NBA great Michael Jordan once turned down a multi-million-dollar deal because he didn’t believe in it, his agent David Falk revealed recently. Jordan is widely regarded as one of the greatest to play in the NBA and he remains one of the most marketable athletes on the face of this planet.

Falk gave an insight into Jordan’s picky nature and stated he isn’t just motivated by money. He spoke about the time when Jordan rejected a deal worth 100 million dollars for which he just had to make a twohour appearance.

“I brought him a deal three years ago for $100 million,” Falk told Boomer & Gio on New York sports radio station WFAN. “All he had to do was, other than giving his name and likeness, make a one two-hour appearance to announce the deal and he turned it down. God bless him.

“He’s been so successful; it gives him an opportunity to do whatever the hell he wants or not to do things he doesn’t want. I really admire that. He’s very, very selective in the things he wants to be involved in.”

During his time with the Chicago Bulls in the 90s, Jordan won six NBA titles and was also named finals’ Most Valuable Player (MVP) on all six occasions.

For his exploits on the court, the Bulls retired Jordan’s famed No. 23 jersey after he called time on his trophy-laden career.

He was also part of the US men’s national teams that won Olympic golds in 1984 (Los Angeles) and 1992 (Barcelona) respectively.

(AGENCIES)

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

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FASHION

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

Dolling up this Mother’s Day! BY DEBASREE DAS We are all embracing the new normal and keeping us inspired and motivated through the pandemic situation.

We’re at that time of the year, where we the moms look up to get pampered and feel special. Being at home this time shouldn’t keep us away from being dressed and look good and allow your little one to do something special for you.

Never underestimate the power of a good outfit, so this Mother’s day grab that outfit from your closet, that has been sitting there waiting to grab your attention.

Dress up and make a statement, while we all plan to celebrate Mother’s Day indoors and with our loved one.

So here, are some 5 outfit inspiration that you can replicate this Mother’s day.

• Animal prints: Reveal your wild side and add a dash of fun in your autumn wardrobe. Someone asked me recently, when will this Animal print trends end, and I smiled and told her probably never. For me, it’s hard to choose between leopard prints playsuit or snake printed blazer.

• Floral: Whether spring or autumn floral are always in trend and you can’t deny the power of a floral outfit on a dull gloomy rainy autumn day in Victoria. Style it with your favourite humble denim jacket or throw a block colour trench coat.

• Statement sleeves: While, we are sometimes lucky to experience warmer autumn days, save this hero outfit for some special days like this. While I am especially in love with a one-shoulder dress, statement sleeves steal the show. Be it puff sleeves,

balloon sleeves or bell sleeves or oneshoulder dress, this is one of the emerging trends this autumn.

• Bold prints: Ditch the wild way and embrace the chaos of prints, polka dots, classic prints, prints overprints. Choose what the heart wants and feel comfortable what you carry. Style it with a neutral/ classic silhouette and a pair of nude boots.

Retro vibes never fade and being a fashion influencer, I would never miss a chance to stand out with a focal point of an outfit like this.

• Denim Love: Denim holds a special place in my autumn wardrobe, owing to the simple fact that it’s a trans-seasonal hero and it happily holds this position. Be it the running errands denim dress, or the humble

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denim jacket of yours that has been used and misused plenty of times and yet you still feel no dress looks good without it. Be it denim over denim look or simply styling a dress with a denim jacket. This trend is unlikely to leave this space for some time.

So, if you ask me what my favourite trend I would wear this Mother’s day, it would be the bold prints. I love experimenting with colours and styling prints with a plethora of my daily wardrobe essentials helps me to choose a sustainable way to a fashion-forward world.

Remember fashion is all about being comfortable in your own skin and yet be stylish and trending at the same time.

Debasree’ s blog: www.travelinstylewithdebs.com

ARTS & CULTURE

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

Rebooting Creativity Through Digital Platform

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BY SANCHITA ABROL

COVID-19 has slowed down the entire art world. However, many cultural stakeholders crawl their way up by going digital.

Wondering what it means? Are our Indian artists ready for it? Or is it a change long overdue? What would be the future?

Rules of the art industry change every day.

However, during this COVID pandemic, the industry faces an unprecedented crisis. The new normal is cancellation, postponement, temporary closure or even complete shutdown of arts events and arts spaces.

Australia in the same dilemma is facing a huge problem, where galleries and museums have been temporarily closed. The National Gallery of Victoria is temporarily closed until 30 June. The Melbourne Theatre Company has cancelled all events until September 2020. Following these footsteps, all small arts companies are also putting measures in place to curtail COVID-19 impact.

On a different note we see a change in the wind, where many companies and artists are going online. Starting with the enormous number of raw videos of artists performing in their balconies, to many fancy recordings, ‘art is speaking’. Many artists have uploaded their past recordings as watch parties on social media and many are creating new stuff around the COVID-19 issue, engaging with audiences online and letting art flow nonstop.

While it has given hope to a few in this unprecedented time, the recent overflooding of social media with arts and artists’ home videos has made audiences exhausted as well. Too much flaunting of arts is also creating noise. The ‘arts for a purpose’ moto

has changed to ‘arts to flaunt’, where the therapeutic foci of arts is diminishing.

In a classroom, Indian classical dancers are also letting lose their strict regime of Guru- Shishya Parampara to be connected to their students in this unchartered time.

Drifting apart from the classic model of Gurukul and accepting the new normal model of ‘Digital Gurukul’, we see a change.

Gurus who never liked the idea of a digital classroom for dance and music are also exploring the strength in this digital connectivity. Artists have gone online to keep their art and sanity alive. But is it a temporary drift or a permanent path changer?

For students, it is beneficial that they can continue learning in their comfort of time and space. Selecting a Guru by the limitation of the travel-time, by keeping the search limited to the nearest suburb can also be surpassed. Now the entrée for arts comes with wider choices. We wonder, if it means that classical arts are open to everyone now.

However, this new way comes with its challenges. Maintaining a proper class environment on digital platforms is always difficult. Teaching little kids or even teaching adults a new choreography can be hard considering that the exchange of bodily information is always easier face to face.

Nonetheless, in the current global social distancing environment, the art world seems to favour such digital iterations.

Arts participation while sipping the Dalgona coffee, or posting impromptu videos engaging with art lovers, means overall arts participation whether active or passive has increased enormously, creating fear to the usual funding issue in arts?

There is a risk in the reduction of the budget for creating physical arts spaces. Not to forget, one of the primary focus of art is community building, so can it be done only through online platforms? Are artists trying

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to prove their survival skills in this uncharted water, by challenging their future? Or is it a step closer to the arts purpose? This is what we need to unmask.

Therefore, conscious steps would help moving forward. Success of online learning platforms has always had two sides. Where this love in the time of Corona for arts and artists will take us remains a concern for many cultural stakeholders.

The overall experience incites mixed responses. We acknowledge however, the current situation is causing significant disruption to every facet of our lives, placing unexpected demands on our artistic pursuits.

Therefore, we sway in the wind.

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RELATIONSHIPS

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

Work from Home Without Ruining Your Relationships BACK in the 1950s researchers wanted to understand what people value the most in relationships. Out of 100 calls that were audited, researchers discovered that the most frequently used word was “I”.

This revealed a lot about the human psyche. People tend to show more concern if they are the subject of discussion, not “you”. What does that say about human relationships? Sitender Sehrawat, Motivational Speaker and Life Coach breaks it down for us.

People tend to feel more comfortable and positive emotions if one is valued in a relationship. It may be a relationship with your spouse, kids, business partner, customer or with your neighbour.

But now that we must live in a whole new work-life circs, we can shift from conflicts to create harmony in our relationships. But before we can start laying a strong foundation for our relationship with others, let’s see what we can do about ourselves.

Self-Awareness Most people underestimate the immense power of self-awareness and wonder why most of their relationships are less than sweet. A social lockdown can mean the liberation of our own true identity. So why not do ourselves a favour and try and fix traits in ourselves that prevent us from having great relationships with others.

Is the Confinement Hurting your Relationships?

Human beings are born with a need for society. We freak out when we are confined in our own little spaces.

Spending the whole day with our families can open up a whole new perspective.

Extroverts tend to get frustrate� a less than certain future, economic slowdown and if you are one of those who dig a well every day to drink then the frustration is manifold.

All this might lead you to a vulnerable emotional and mental state. If you lack a strong foundation in your relationships, things may get chaotic and the result is more damage than the pandemic itself.

Gratitude Except for weekends, you may have never seen how your spouse or parents managed daily chores at home. Try to

switch roles for a day, if you make it by the end of the day, in all likelihood you will develop a sense of gratification for your spouse or parents. Expressing gratitude for our loved ones will boost the harmony. As a result, most of your complaints might just turn into thanks.

A reputed institution in Australia did research on people with mental disorders. They discovered that more than treatment, therapies and anything else, the most effective remedy for people to overcome their disorders is talking.

Patience We all know the biggest downside of working from home is distractions, and the ability to stick to a routine. You’re the captain of the ship; while there may be something or someone to distract you, it might just help to practice a little patience.

Having someone to talk and listen to is the biggest and yet most overlooked virtue of human nature. 90 percent of your problems can be sorted out just by talking and listening as long as you both aren’t talking at the same time.

So go ahead, take care of each other’s emotions and value your relationship as much as you value your own well-being.

Take frequent short breaks and invest them with your pets, kids, spouse and parents. Instead of letting irritation take charge, try to be a multitasker and work without letting anything or anyone get tagged as a “Distraction.” It’s easier said than done, but it’s worth a try, and maybe the end of the lockdown you’ll have better relationships.

Team Up & Show Some Creativity We make resolutions all the time, ideas keep floating in our mind� but let’s get brutally honest; ask yourself how many of those ideas are actually executed? You wanted to do a makeover of your house, change the furniture layout, write something, share your ideas with the world. It’s a golden opportunity to team up with your spouse and kids and do something creative. The idea is to do something together to rework any negative relationships.

Talk

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Create a Rescue Plan People who used this unprecedented time to better their lives and relations will make the most in an otherwise dreadful situation. Planning your life ahead, adopting gratitude, patience and mindfulness in your personality can actually open a whole new horizon for you.

Bringing the change is easier than maintaining it. Having strong and happy relationships with people does not mean that conflicts will never arise, but it might change how you deal with these conflicts.

Craft a rescue plan if any such situation arise, promise yourself and others that you don’t spray fuel on the fire. Talk it out. Value people in your life.

(AGENCIES)

LIFESTYLE

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

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88% Indians believe right connections key to career growth

ABOUT 88 per cent of Indian professionals believe that having the right connections is important to get ahead in life, Microsoft-owned LinkedIn said.

Members of the professional network in India living in metro cities are 1.76x more likely to have a stronger network than those living in non-metro areas, showed the findings which are part of LinkedIn Opportunity Index 2020 report.

The results showed that Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi NCR are the top three regions with people with stronger networks, with members in Bengaluru leading the national average.

Members who attend a top university are 1.53x more likely to have a stronger network than those who did not.

Ironically, the results also showed that only 13 per cent of Indian professionals are looking for networking opportunities.

This vast difference between awareness and action suggests

that while young professionals in India aspire for stronger networks, they lack necessary direction and guidance to build these networks.

This barrier is visible across Asia Pacific, with a majority of respondents (51 per cent) believing that a lack of networks is a difficult barrier to overcome and this is mainly because they lack the confidence and guidance on how to go about building a network.

“It is important for our members to know that they are not alone in these times of social distancing.

By staying connected virtually, professionals can help each other seek new opportunities, connections, and navigate challenges together,” Ashutosh Gupta, India Country Manager, LinkedIn, said in a statement.

“It is our constant endeavour to ensure that people with equal talent have equal access to opportunities, and we are seeing the community come together to give help and get help like never before,” Gupta said.

The report, based on responses from more than 30,000 participants, suggests that networking and mentorship are among the top most

opportunities sought after by Indian professionals.

(AGENCIES)

Removing taboo around money key to cut financial stress

Indoor workouts up 40% in India as people stay home INDIA witnessed 40 per cent increase in indoor workouts in the first quarter this year and the trend only firmed up with lockdown and social distancing in March, a new report said.

The report from US-based wearable major Garmin said the activity count for outdoor activities had an overall drop of 15.5 per cent, with activity count for golf, hiking trail running and running decreasing by 87.6 per cent, 34.9 per cent, 29.2 per cent and 18.8 per cent, respectively, in the country.

In comparison, indoor activities such as floor climbing, yoga, and indoor cardio workouts showed an overall increase of 38.5 per cent in the same period.

With travel and activity restrictions implemented from March this year, overall outdoor activity count from January 20 till April 21 was dropped by 71.2 per cent while indoor activity count increased by 40.2 per cent in the same period, the report said.

According to the company that collected data of over 2,00,000 from its registered database, their smartwatches enable users to track physiological data, providing daily

insights to their health status.

Garmin India has identified five key health indicators to enable its users to track and manage their health profile.

The five health indicators are heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen saturation, sleep monitoring and stress monitoring.

Users should refer to data from their smartwatch with the five health indicators to identify any changes rather than depending solely on own assumptions to determine their own health status, the company said.

(AGENCIES)

HAVING worries about money, especially during the COVID-19 crisis which has disrupted businesses across the sectors, is quite natural. But not talking about it may do more harm than you could probably think of, suggests a new report.

that encourages employees to talk more openly about their worries about money can help employers find the right solutions,” said Salary Finance which partners with employers to help their people take control of their money.

Those with worries about money are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety.

Moreover, these worries may also lead to reduced productivity, said the guide from Britainbased Salary Finance Ltd. which offers technology platforms to help people become financially healthier and happier.

Founded in 2015 by the former Head of Google UK & Ireland, a former banking consultant and a social impact entrepreneur, the company has grown from three founders to a team of nearly 200, operating in the UK, the US and India.

On an average, about 2.7 hours are lost on worries about money and those with financial stress are more likely to be looking for a new job, it added.

Worries about money affect both the employer and the employees.

“Therefore, nurturing a culture

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“Your culture is the beating heart of everything you do as an organisation and should be central to your programme.

Stamping out the stigma and encouraging people to talk and share their stories will help people feel they are not alone,” Salary Finance said in a blog that detailed how to go about creating a financial wellbeing programme.

(AGENCIES)

36

HEALTH

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

Low blood pressure: L

Know why it is harmful

ow blood pressure or hypotension can be a matter of concern, if not tackled at the right time.

“Low blood pressure can be described as blood pressure that is low enough that the flow of the blood to one’s body organs is inadequate, and one may exhibit symptoms such as dizziness, light-headedness, and even fainting, increased thirst, shallow breathing, tiredness, chest pain, and nausea. The causes for it is reduced blood volume, heart disease and medications.

You will be shocked to know that improper blood flow to the organs of the body can invite strokes, heart attacks, kidney failure and even shock,” Dr Nimit Shah, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Sir H N Reliance hospital said.

It can lead to dehydration and cause low blood pressure, among a host of other issues.

vitamin B-12, folic acid, and iron can invite anaemia? It can occur when the body cannot make enough blood. Not only this, but anaemia can also lower one’s blood pressure. It is important to eat fresh fruit and vegetables. Limit your carb intake and eat smaller meals to prevent that sudden drop in blood pressure.

It is essential to follow some vital tips such as having an adequate amount of salt, drinking a lot of fluids, and taking medications recommended by your doctor. The senior doctor shares these suggestions to manage low blood pressure.

Eat adequate salt Yes, you heard it right. Sodium content in salt can help you raise your blood pressure. So, just consult your doctor about the foods you must include and exclude in the diet, and amount the right amount of salt intake.

Opt for a well-balanced diet Did you know that having low levels of

Bid adieu to alcohol

How to manage your medications Do not self-medicate as it can be risky.

Patients with heart disease and hypertension, might need to alter their medication if their blood pressure remains low. Few of the heart medications can cause low BP. If you are a heart patient and especially with weak heart (heart failure) and develop diarrhoea and/ or vomiting, consult your doctor soon, as s/ he might consider reducing your water pills or blood pressure medications.

Drink a lot of water If you are not drinking enough water, then you are doing it all wrong. Dehydration can lead to low blood pressure. So, up your fluid intake right away. Recommendation is to drink at least three litres of water per day if you do not have a weak heart or a kidney disease.

Get moving Do light exercises that do not strain your body and enhance the blood circulation.

Walking or yoga can be helpful.

(AGENCIES)

Breastfeeding may be effective during COVID-19

D

uring the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, breastfeeding and the provision of human milk to infants is recommended by national and international organisations because it is effective against infectious diseases-- It strengthens the immune system by directly transferring antibodies from the mother, say researchers.

According to the researchers, during this current pandemic, there have been reports of formula shortages and price gouging the cost of infant formula.

“We should use this pandemic as a way to increase the visibility of the critical role of human milk and breastfeeding for all families at all times and educate the public about the importance of the use of human milk and breastfeeding as lifesaving medical interventions,” She added.

While the current coronavirus continues to affect all people, families will still give birth and bring new life into the world.

In the study, published in the Journal of Obstetric, Gynaecologic and Neonatal Nursing, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania provides guidance regarding breastfeeding and COVID-19 and reaffirms why it is of paramount importance to promote and protect the use of human milk and breastfeeding.

“While it is unknown if COVID-19-positive mothers can transmit the virus through milk, in limited studies the virus has not been detected in human milk,” said study author Diane Lynn Spatz from the University of Pennsylvania in the US.

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The World Health Organisation has advised that mothers with any symptoms who are breastfeeding or practising skin-toskin contact should take precautions.

“Practice respiratory hygiene, including during feeding. If you have respiratory symptoms such as being short of breath, use a medical mask when near your child,” the WHO said.

(HEALTH)

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

ASK Dr. Raj… Dermatitis:

Homeopathic Approach Q: Hi Dr.Raj my son who is 2 yrs old

is suffering with dermatitis for last 10 months involving face, ears and arms. Although there is occasional relief from creams it rebounds with vengeance every time it appears again. Can Homeopathy help in such type of skin issues?

A: Dermatitis is a general term for a

pattern of painful skin outbreaks. It causes some areas of skin to become dry, flaky and red and other areas become inflamed, moist, oozing and crusty.

The cause of this disease is not very clearly known. Some of the known causes are environmental factors like pollution, foods, chemicals and other predisposing causes such as heredity, stress, poor elimination, weak liver, kidneys, sluggishness of skin and bowel etc which can also act as triggers.

Dermatitis is nearly always accompanied by severe itching which can drive the individual to distraction. Over 30 percent of eczema patients develop respiratory allergic manifestations.

Also a strong connection has been found between hay fever, hives, asthma and dermatitis frequently affecting the same patient.

Dermatitis can occur anywhere on the body but it is most common on the face, neck, wrists, hands, eyelids behind the ears, creases of the groin, knees, elbows etc. In children, wider areas are affected.

Dermatitis is not only embarrassing

Health tip: but also very uncomfortable and needs immediate treatment.

Standard treatment involves using cortisone or hydrocortisone which are steroids, tar ointments and anti inflammatory agents. An acute episode may well be controlled with these topical applications. When you find the condition is recurring and has eventually become a chronic malady, then you will find these applications are merely of little use if any. This is when you have to consider alternatives like homeopathy. Something which actually treats the root cause, rather than the symptoms alone. Something which enhances your immune system and healing mechanism to fight the prevailing condition. Which can actually give you some long lasting to permanent relief rather than temporary suppression of symptoms.

Most cases of eczema have been proven to show amazing levels of improvement when treated with a good dose of rightly prescribed homeopathic medicines. Loads of right fruits and fresh vegetables and the right exposure to nature, good quantity of water and exercise can do it all. Avoiding excess of sour foods, egg plant and processed foods.

An efficient natural medicine practitioner will try to address the root cause of the problem taking into consideration the history of eczema, family history, body constitution etc.

This helps the practitioner to implement an individualized approach towards each suffering individual.

By Raj Kothuru

Please send any of your health related questions to 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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Watermelon is a natural diuretic which helps increase the flow of urine, but does not strain the kidneys

Eat fiber-rich food daily to cut breast cancer risk

H

aving fiber-rich food like wholegrain breakfast cereals including fruits, vegetables and whole grains can reduce breast cancer risk, says a new study.

Soluble fiber was associated with lower risks of breast cancer, and higher total fiber intake was associated with a lower risk in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Soluble fibre include pectin’s and beta glucans (found for example in foods like fruit and oats) and insoluble fibre including cellulose (found for example in wholegrains and nuts).

What is important to remember is that fibre-rich foods typically contain both types of fibre.

“Our study contributes to the evidence that lifestyle factors, such as modifiable dietary practices, may affect breast cancer risk,” said Maryam Farvid from the Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Consuming a diet high in fiber was linked with a reduced incidence of breast cancer in an analysis of all relevant

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prospective studies, said the study published online in peerreviewed journal CANCER. Since previous studies have generated inconsistent results regarding the potential relationship between fiber intake and breast cancer, Farvid and her colleagues searched for all relevant prospective studies published through July 2019.

When the investigators pooled data from the 20 observational studies they identified, individuals with the highest consumption of fiber had an eight percent lower risk of breast cancer.

“Our findings provide research evidence supporting the American Cancer Society dietary guidelines, emphasising the importance of a diet rich in fiber, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains,” said Farvid.

Fibre-rich foods include wholegrain bread and oats, barley and rye; fruit such as bananas, apple. berries, pears, melon and oranges; vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and sweetcorn, Peas, beans and pulses, nuts and seeds and potatoes with skin.

(AGENCIES)

HEALTH

Obese kids 38

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

may be at higher bone fracture risk

R

esearchers say that pre-school children who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of bone fractures during childhood than normal-weight pre-schoolers,

collected in the Information System for Research in Primary Care (SIDIAP) platform in Catalonia, Spain.

The study, published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, aimed to determine if having an overweight or obese range body mass index (BMI) at time of beginning school is associated with increased fracture incidence in childhood.

Data were collected from 296 primary care centres representing 74 per cent of the regional paediatric population

“In a cohort of almost half a million children from Catalonia, Spain, we have found a strong association between pre-school overweight/ obesity and the risk of fracture during childhood,” said study senior author Daniel Prieto-Alhambra from the University of Oxford in the UK. According to the researchers, a dynamic cohort was created from children presenting for routine preschool primary care screening,

R

The study included 466,997 children with weight and height measurements at age four years who were followed for a median of 4.9 years.

The findings showed that fractures occurred in 9.20 per cent of underweight, 10.06 per cent of normal weight, 11.28 per cent of overweight, and 13.05 per cent of obese children.

Compared with normal weight, overweight and obesity were linked with 42 per cent and 74 per cent higher risks of lower limb fractures,

respectively, and a 10 per cent and 19 per cent higher risk of upper limb fractures, respectively.

Overall, preschool children with an overweight or obese range BMI had increased incidence of upper and lower limb fractures in childhood compared with normal-weight kids.

“More research is needed to further understand the mechanisms underlying this correlation,” Prieto-Alhambra said.

(AGENCIES)

Pets may relieve stress for parents of kids with autism

esearchers have found that a family pet can lead to strong bonds and reduced stress for both children with autism and their parents.

According to the study, parents of children with autism report higher levels of stress on average than parents of typically developing kids.

“Some kids with autism have specific sensitivities, so a big, loud dog that is highly active might cause sensory overload for a particular child, while a quiet cat may be a better fit,” said study researcher Gretchen Carlisle from the University of Missouri in the US. “My goal is to provide parents with evidence-based information so they can make informed choices for their families,” Carlisle added.

For the results, the research team surveyed more than 700 families from the ‘Interactive Autism Network’ on the benefits and burdens of having a dog or cat in the family.

They found that despite the responsibility of pet care, both children with autism and their parents reported strong bonds with their pets. Pet ownership was not related to parent stress, and parents with multiple pets reported more benefits.

“Given that the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder are so broad, it can be difficult to identify interventions that are widely beneficial,” Carlisle said.

Some of the core challenges that

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children with autism face include anxiety and difficulty communicating.

“As pets can help increase social interaction and decrease anxiety, we found that they are not only helpful in providing comfort and support to children with autism, but to their parents as well,” she said.

For parents considering adding a pet into their family, Carlisle recommends including the child in the decision and making sure the pet’s activity level is a good match with the child’s.

(AGENCIES)

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

39

Researchers reveal why loud noise is bad for your health

W

hether it is loud machinery at work, a busy freeway, a nearby airport or loud music, many people are exposed to high levels of noise, say researchers, adding that exposure to loud noise is not only annoying but also bad for your health.

in the cardiovascular and neuronal systems.

In another study, the researchers observed that the same noise exposure induced oxidative DNA damage in mice.

This damage led to a highly mutagenic DNA lesion that was previously associated with the development of cancer in other settings.

Large studies have linked noise exposure to various health problems in people.

They are currently conducting several studies on the health effects of noise, including interactions of pre-established cardiovascular diseases with noise as well as behavioural effects of noise exposure in mice.

Now, two new mouse studies provide new insight into how this type of noise exposure can lead to high blood pressure and cancerrelated DNA damage.

“Our new data provide additional mechanistic insights into these adverse health effects, especially high blood pressure and potentially cancer development, both leading causes of global death,” said study researcher Matthias Oelze from the University Medical Centre of Mainz in Germany.

Published in The FASEB Journal, the

research found that healthy mice exposed to four days of aircraft noise were more likely to develop high blood pressure.

“These new findings, together with our other work on noise-associated cardiovascular effects, could lead to a better understanding of how noise influences health,” said Oelze.

For mice with pre-established high blood pressure, this noise exposure aggravated heart damage because of a synergistic increase of oxidative stress and inflammation

“This information could help inform policies and regulations that better protect people against diseases related to noise exposure,” Oelze noted.

(AGENCIES)

Social isolation may up respiratory problems in older adults

S

ocial isolation is linked to a heightened risk of hospital admission for respiratory disease among older adults, say researchers, adding that this risk is independent of other potentially influential factors, such as general health and lifestyle.

According to the study, published in the journal Thorax, social isolation and loneliness are associated with admission to hospital for various health conditions, but it’s not clear if socially isolated adults with respiratory conditions might also be at risk.

To explore this further, the researchers at University College London in the UK linked up hospital records and death statistics for 4,478 people taking part in the English Longitudinal Study on Ageing (ELSA), a nationally representative long term study of older adults.

Social isolation was measured in terms of whether that person lived alone or not (domestic isolation); how much social contact they had with friends and family (social isolation); and how much social engagement they had, including with volunteering, cultural activities, and involvement with community groups.

factors, loneliness and levels of social contact prompted to see a doctor when symptoms first with friends and family weren’t associated with appear. a heightened risk of admission.

“Older adults living alone with existing But living alone and poor social lung conditions may benefit from additional engagement were associated with, targeted community support to try and respectively, heightened risks of 32 per cent reduce the risk of hospital admissions,” the and 24 per cent, the study said. researchers suggested.

Information on potentially influential factors In a bid to explain the associations they “The roll-out of social prescribing schemes such as underlying health conditions, smoking may present opportunities for referring those and physical activity levels was also gathered. found, the researchers said that people who are socially isolated may be more physically individuals to social engagement community After taking account of potentially influential inactive and smoke more, and less likely to be activities,” they concluded.

(AGENCIES)

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G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

40

R.I.P

Ladies who made the romantic hero

Rishi Kapoor

Special, Khullam Khulla yet so private During his career of close to five decades that has been predominantly defined by a lover boy image, Rishi Kapoor has romanced over 45 actresses on screen. He struck magic with each romantic shot, and managed to weave a dream with each song, opposite each of his leading ladies.

Yet, there are the ones who have seemed a little more special than the others, facing the camera with him.

DIMPLE KAPADIA Rishi Kapoor’s first role as a hero in Bollywood was in “Bobby” opposite Dimple Kapadia and he nailed it at the first chance.

He proved he could be the lover boy every girl craves for! His rocking chemistry with 16-yearold Dimple Kapadia in the film remains etched in the songs and romantic scenes.

A prayer meeting was held on Sunday for actor Rishi Kapoor, who passed away earlier this week after battling leukemia.

Rishi Kapoor breathed his last on April 30 at the HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai.

NEETU SINGH They would carry their romance onto real life, but not before delivering films like “Kabhi Kabhie”, “Khel Khel Mein”, “Amar Akbar Anthony” and “Zehreela Insaan” among others.

Their sizzling on-screen chemistry transpired into off-screen romance and Neetu Singh eventually quit

Rishi Kapoor and Sridevi

Rishi Kapoor and Sridevi will perhaps go down in Bollywood as one of the best-looking pairs!

acting to become Rishi Kapoor’s wife Neetu Kapoor. Their song “Ek main aur ek tu” in “Khel Mein” continues to be a favourite across generations.

SRIDEVI Rishi Kapoor and Sridevi will perhaps go down in Bollywood as one of the bestlooking pairs! Although “Nagina”, “Chandni” and “Banjaran” were heroine-centric films with Sridevi in title roles, their chemistry was worth applauding. Their song “Chandni o meri chandni” - incidentally, the only song Sridevi sang -- is a timeless hit.

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G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

41

Madhuri Dixit and Rishi Kapoor Madhuri Dixit and Rishi Kapoor have appeared in movies like “Sahibaan”, “Yaraana” and “Prem Granth”.

Alia Bhatt: Uncle Rishi brought love, goodness in my life

“ A friend, a Chinese food lover and a beautiful storyteller.” That’s how actress Alia Bhatt described the late veteran actor Rishi Kapoor while putting her sentiments for the latter on social media.

A regular Thursday morning turned one of shock as the nation woke up to the news of Rishi Kapoor’s death after a two-year-long battle with leukemia.

And during such difficult time, Alia has been seen standing like a pillar with the Kapoor family. From attending the funeral rites of Rishi Kapoor to consoling her good friend Ranbir and his mother Neetu Kapoor, Alia is surely acting as a major source of strength for them.

She even took out a moment to mourn the demise of Rishi Kapoor on social media. She posted an emotional note for him, saying he brought goodness in her life.

“What can I say. About this beautiful man... who brought soo much love and goodness into my life. Today, everyone speaks of the legend that is Rishi Kapoor... and though I’ve known him like that all my life... for the past two years I’ve known him as a friend, a fellow Chinese food lover, a total cinema lover, a fighter, a leader, a beautiful storyteller, an extremely passionate tweeter and a father!”

(GDI)

JAYA PRADA She was a frequent co-star. Jaya. like Dimple Kapadia, made her Bollywood debut opposite Rishi Kapoor. Their first film together was in 1979, titled “Sargam”. Rishi and Jaya Prada have together appeared in several movies including “Sindoor”, “Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani”, “Gharana” and “Dhartiputra”. The song “Dafaliwale dafali baja” in “Sargam” was a huge.

TINA MUNIM “Karz” cast Rishi Kapoor opposite Tina Munim. Each song of the film is a superhit.

And the film itself emerged a blockbuster.

Movies featuring this pair include “Yeh Vaada Raha”, “Bade Dil Wala” and “Aap Ke Deewane” among others.

MOUSHUMI CHATTERJEE Some of the popular movies featuring the Rishi Kapoor-Moushumi Chatterjee pair include “Zehreela Insaan”, “Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan” and “Do Premee”. “Zehreela Insaan” also starred Neetu Singh. The Kishore Kumar track “O hansini” featuring Rishi and Moushumi became an instant hit and is still counted among one of Bollywood’s best romantic numbers. Moushumi Chatterjee later in her career has also worked in Rishi Kapoor’s one and only directorial flick “Aa Ab Laut Chalen”.

POONAM DHILLON Poonam Dhillon and Rishi Kapoor made another very popular pair of the eighties. They starred together in movies like “Sitamgar”, “Yeh Vaada Raha”, “Zamana”, “Biwi O Biwi”, “Ek Chadar Maili Si”, and “Tawaif”.

MEENAKSHI SESHADRI Apart from the multiple award-winning “Damini”, Rishi Kapoor and Meenakshi Seshadri have together appeared in movies like “Ghayal”, “Hero”, “Shahenshah” and “Ghatak”. The actress, who currently resides in the US, paid a surprise visit to Rishi Kapoor

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a few years ago. The actor took to Twitter to admit that he could not recognize his Damini co-star for a moment! The songs “Jab se tumko dekha hai sanam” and “Gawah hain chand taare” in “Damini” featuring this jodi remain evergreen.

MADHURI DIXIT Madhuri Dixit and Rishi Kapoor have appeared in movies like “Sahibaan”, “Yaraana” and “Prem Granth”. The song “Dil dene ki ruth ayee” from “Prem Granth” enjoys a huge number of views on YouTube even today. Last year when Madhuri Dixit tweeted wishing Rishi Kapoor on his birthday, the actor had replied: “Thank you Madhuri. I have to make a super hit film with you that’s my mission. Love to the family.”

JUHI CHAWLA Rishi Kapoor and Juhi Chawla have featured together in several movies like “Bol Radha Bol”, “Rishta To Ho Aisa”, “Ghar Ki Izzat” and “Saajan Ka Ghar” among others.

This jodi deserves a special mention because Rishi Kapoor was shooting the last film of his life with Juhi, which he could not complete.

The film titled “Sharmaji Namkeen” was being directed by Hitesh Bhatia. The actor fell sick while shooting for the movie in Delhi recently.

Rishi Kapoor has worked with many other popular actresses including Rakhee, Rekha, Hema Malini, Shabana Azmi, Raveena Tandon, Divya Bharti, Manisha Koirala and Tabu. The actor with his looks and divine smile won the hearts of ladies from eight to eighty.

Neetu Kapoor penned an emotional post remembering husband Rishi Kapoor and shared a photo on Instagram where Rishi Kapoor can be seen sitting with a glass of Scotch whiskey.

“End of our story,” she captioned a tearjerking farewell to veteran actor Rishi Kapoor

.

(AGENCIES)

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

42

A story of struggle ended this week. Irrfan Khan’s ailments got the better of his fighting spirit. But, this struggler went onto become a living legend and, in his death at such a young age (53) and at the peak of his acting career, the legend will live forever.

Did Irrfan become the Irrfan that moviegoers always wished to watch and adore, become so popular in the last decade or thereabouts? No, this did not happen overnight, nor with one film.

There are many one film wonders that happen to the film industry. Irrfan was not one of them; he stuck around to finally make a place for himself.

The Irrfan Khan we know and came to appreciate, struggled and toiled for over 30 years to earn the tribute he received on his demise on April 29, a few days back.

Irrfan would not normally be among the probable actors to cast in any filmmaker’s list. Because, if you look at the list of his films and makers, for most of his acting career, he just played bit roles, he almost got typecast as a cop, having played the role in many films.

Irrfan, while continuing to find a place in feature films, seemed more than busy with television. For the kind of films he did and, what is more, the kind of billing he got, television is what would have kept his hearth burning.

It is not really surprising that the major production houses, who ran after super stars, never seemed to consider Irrfan.

He never got a significant assignment from the kinds of Sajid Nadiadwala, Karan Johar and people that be! And, if he did, like in Yash Raj’s “Gunday”, it was an insignificant one.

R.I.P

Somewhere along the line, numerology was resorted to and Irfan Khan became Irrfan. Khan was dropped officially for work purpose.

What is rather strange is that, Irrfan also never acted along with reigning stars of his time like Salman Khan and Aamir Khan. The only top stars he did a couple of films with was Akshay Kumar besides having worked with Amitabh Bachchan (“Piku”), Rishi Kapoor (“D-Day”) and Dharmendra (“Life In… A Metro”; but it ran different tracks for all artistes) while also being cast in Shah Rukh Khan’s home production, “Billu”. But, Irrfan was never pitted against any major star.

Probably, that is how the stars wanted it.

The Irrfan Khan we know and came to appreciate, struggled and toiled for over 30 years to earn the tribute he received on his demise on April 29, a few days back.

Strange as it may sound, these stars probably did not like to be overshadowed

by Irrfan Khan; stealing the limelight without even acting, but just by being himself on the screen! His sheer presence lit up the screen.

That is what Irrfan was, just himself while in front of the camera. No flinging of hands or loud gestures. His face, eyes and smile did all the acting. This is what made Irrfan so endearing. It was a pleasure watching him on screen and a viewer could never have enough of him.

This phenomenon had happened once earlier in my memory. The actor was Sanjeev Kumar.

Sanjeev was no model star material, his kind fitted more into character actor slots as

Angrezi Medium

IRRFAN

On this day and through this week, “Angrezi Medium” may well become the most watched film on an OTT platform.

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A Struggler All Life and

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

things worked in the film industry in those days. Yet, he did all kinds of films including romantic. Sanjeev, too, let his eyes, expressions and an infectious smile do the acting for him. To both these actors, hits or flops were never a setback.

Despite flops, they endeared themselves to their audience. Fan following in those days was not supported by social media or the electronic media. There was no social media to flood with RIPs nor TV channels to play clippings from films and slots dedicated to the dead stars all day long!

Armed with his National School of Drama (NSD), Delhi, background, Irrfan made his first appearance in 1986 on small screen. Film work came to him with “Salaam Bombay!” in 1988 in an insignificant role. How many who paid rich tributes to him on his demise even knew of his existence than or even till early 2010s?

N KHAN:

d a Master of Versatility

The perseverance paid off in 2003 with “Maqbool”. He made all the impact in this film that a performer needed to make. Yet, what did he get in the name of a big break?

Again, side roles in films like “Aan: Men At Work”, “Chocolate: Deep Dark Secrets”, “Life In… A Metro”, “Sunday”, “Mumbai Meri Jaan”, “Slumdog Millionaire” (some international exposure), along with top billing in “Billu”, which did not really help.

For Irrfan, things started moving with “Life Of Pi” in 2012, followed by “The Lunch Box” the year after. What really helped was “Piku”, with Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika, despite whom he had held his own. Looked like now, scripts were tailored with Irrfan in mind.

“Jazbaa”, “Qarib Singlle”, “Blackmail” etc. In between these, “Hindi Medium” became the first real Irrfan Khan hit.

The kind of films Irrfan was offered were usually made on limited budgets and, hence, when making money was concerned, there were no windfalls.

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43

But that came with Irrfan’s Hollywood assignments. In India, all he really earned was love and fan following.

While Irrfan struggled to make it bigger in films, he was faced with a new struggle -- that with a neuroendocrine tumour, which lasted for over two years.

Not surprising that Irrfan’s demise has taken electronic as well as social media by storm. Just about anybody and everybody is mourning his death. Every social media post reads like a personal loss! The electronic media has gone all out to mourn the passing away of Irrfan.

It is summed up well by Irrfan’s wife, Sutapa Sikdar’s statement in a media on her bereavement: “How can I write this as a family statement when the whole world is taking it as a personal loss?”

Irrfan had earned these tributes. He was more a super performer in the era of superstars.

Irrfan’s last film to release is “Angrezi Medium”. The day the film released theatrically on March 13, the COVID-19 pandemic closedown was declared in India as well as through rest of the world, leading to the closing down of just about every social activity including cinema halls. The film had to be discontinued the same day it had opened in cinemas.

The film was released prematurely on the OTT platform, Hotstar. On hindsight, it would seem to be a very sensible decision on the part of the film’s producers. Not only because the film would have lost its momentum and the audience interest by the time it re-released in the cinemas (as has happened in the past with a few other films) but, also because the film had the appeal to get maximum hits on the OTT platform.

On this day and through this week, “Angrezi Medium” may well become the most watched film on an OTT platform.

By Vinod Mirani

44

FOOD

bon appétit

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

Did you know:

Broccoli contains high levels of both calcium and Vitamin K, both of which are important for bone health

Don’t drink yourself sick this lockdown As per Dr Sabharwal, these measures can be used to ensure mindful moderate and responsible drinking.

1. Keep track. It is always suggested keeping a track of your drinks. There are many ways to keep a track of your drinks such as using an app, blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and alcohol-related caloric intake.

W

hile it may be lucrative to leisurely consume alcohol in excess during the lockdown, your body and mind can feel the health impact of it more than you would like.

“Research studies have suggested that people in the age group of 18-40 years are buying more alcohol than usual during these crisis. People are generally spending more money on liquor as they are likely to drink more to alleviate the stress they are feeling,” Dr Anuneet Sabharwal, MBBS, MD Psychiatrist says.

However, the increase in drinking might be fun pastime but is likely to have both short and long term impact on the health and safety of individuals.

In the short term, it may help people to calm themselves down or release some tension and stress but in the long term, it may lead to alcohol addiction or it might negatively impact our immune system.

Sociologically, alcohol consumption gone out of hand also puts families and communities at risk, especially in a time when most are sheltering in place.

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2. Don’t drink past your “off” switch.

In other words, it is suggested to stop drinking before you stop thinking.

3. Understand your heavy drinking triggers and plan ahead. Make a list of the people, places, and situations that have led to heavy drinking in the past and try to avoid them.

4. Don’t drink to self-medicate.

People who use alcohol to self-medicate themselves tend to over-drink most of the times.

(AGENCIES)

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

45

Hospitality sector worldwide needs to survive now

T

he hospitality and tourism sector has been among the worst-hit industries due to the disruption and standstill caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The Hotel Association of India (HAI), a top industry body, is of the view that it is a matter of survival now for hotels, rather than revival.

HAI Vice President K.B. Kachru said that it has sought support from the government, such as deferment of statutory liabilities including EMIs for around 12 months, stressing that these measures are required for the sustenance of the industry.

“There is one issue with all of us... and we want to survive, before we can think of reviving ourselves,” he said.

Foreseeing a grim picture for the sector, Kachru said that the sector is staring at a job loss of 3.5-4 crore employees and the revenue decline in the financial year 2021 would be around Rs 5 lakh crore.

He said that as the income for the sector is almost nil, the government should defer all liabilities, and suspend lease, rental and property taxes for 12 months.

About the gravity of the financial situation in the sector, he said: “We were the first to be affected and probably will be the last to come

out of this.”

Kachru said that there couldn’t have been a worse situation for the section as its income currently is “basically at zero”.

In a presentation, the apex hotel industry body has said that there is limited scope for inflow of foreign tourists even after the pandemic subsidies and corporate travel would also be delayed due to the travel bans, which will continue to hurt the sector.

Along with these, high fixed costs including license fees, lease, rentals, employee salary and other expenses and levies would further accentuate the pain.

Kachru stressed that the industry is not seeking a waiver of any liabilities or dues, it just wants them to be deferred till the time the cash flow in the industry improves.

With an economic valuation of $247 billion, the Indian hospitality segment accounts for 9.2 per cent of the overall GDP. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, HAI has said that the sector is globally considered as a major contributor to GDP, foreign exchange earnings, creation of jobs as well as the biggest multiplicator of jobs.

“In India especially, hotel industry is a key driver of jobs especially through 90 per cent of its inventory which is in economy, budget

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or mid-market hotels. In the current scenario, almost 70 per cent of the jobs are in danger directly within the hotel sector and several in other hotel related support sectors,” the letter said.

In the letter, the industry body has outlined the impact of the coronavirus crisis and the possible aftermath and has sought relief for the sector, including the deferment of all statutory liabilities including EMIs to a minimum of 12 months at the central, state and municipal levels.

It has also urged the government to subsidise employment for three months by government contribution per employee of 50 per cent of the salary.

HAI has also suggested that lease, license, rentals and excise fees as well as property taxes to be suspended effective March 11 till the end of COVID-19 period and has sought permission to enable the sector players to use the GST collected as working capital for six months.

Further, as the operations are curtailed, it has asked for the utility costs including electricity bill to be charged on actual basis rather than the load.

By Rituraj Baruah

46

HEALTH FOOD

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

The power of virgin coconut oil

A

common misconception is that one must invest in exotic food to help boost your immunity levels and ensure good health.

One such superfood is an old standing tradition known to all Indian households, and commonly found in every kitchen-Virgin coconut oil. While the craze for superfoods has evolved rather recently, Virgin Coconut Oil is the oldest superfood that is trusted by every Indian.

Researchers have found that coconut oil is recommended for its myriad health benefits. Cold Pressed Virgin Coconut Oil is extracted using natural means or no heat process from the fresh and matured kernels of the coconut. This extraction process preserves all the natural goodness of the oil that naturally helps to boost the immune system in the long run.

Nutritionist Sheryl Salis underlines the incredible benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil: The important MCFAs present in Coconut Oil is lauric acid, caprylic acid and capric acid.

The MCFAs in coconut oil principally destroy microbial organisms by disturbing their membranes, thus interfering with virus assembly and maturation.

Lauric acid and its monoglyceride found in coconut oil are effective in obliterating a wide variety of lipid-coated bacteria by disintegrating their lipid membranes.

The function of Monolaurin is that of an antivirus that targets enveloped viruses (viruses encased in a protective layer of lipids and phospholipids). It kills the virus by dissolving the protective lipids surrounding it.

easily absorb it.

Food plays an important role in deciding our health, which in turn affects the body’s immune system. A weaker immune system can be detected when a person falls sick easily and quite often.

The intake of Virgin Coconut Oil enhances the metabolism while also strengthening the immune system. Virgin Coconut Oil can be included in the diet in several ways.

Cooking with VCNO: coconut oil can be used in everyday cooking due to its high smoke point. It can also be used for sautĂŠing and baking desserts

It is recommended to consume 2 Studies show that monolaurin markedly spoons of virgin coconut oil every day to reduced the viral count on patients with boost the immune system.

HIV, herpes, measles, and vesicular stomatitis, among other viruses Virgin coconut oil is not a miraculous cure for any illnesses and therefore eating Cold Pressed Virgin Coconut Oils that a balanced diet that comprises of healthy contain MCTs (Medium Chain Tryglyceride fats, grains and leafy vegetables adds to Fats) which is used by the liver as a the process for a healthier body and mind. cleanser. This fat is one of the healthiest saturated fats because the body is able to

By Siddhi Jain

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RECIPE

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

47

Serves 4

recipe Ingredients:

4 large potatoes Ingredients for stuffing: 6-7 tbsp cooked rice (leftovers are great) 3 tbsp tuna (can) drained 1-2 tbsp olive oil 2-3 spring onions chopped 1 tsp garlic paste 1 tsp ginger paste 1/2 red and green capsicum

finely chopped 2-3 tbsp cream (opt) salt to taste 3-4 tbsp grated cheddar cheese Spices: 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp curry powder 1 tsp garam masala 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder

BY MANJIT SETHI

from the private collection

Method:

Preheat oven to 400F/200*C. - Clean and prick the potatoes, wrap in foil and cook about one hour. Test with a knife if cooked well. - Set aside and keep the potatoes warm covered.

Prepare the stuffing: Heat oil in pan and stir fry the spring onion for 1 min, then add the garlic and ginger. - Cook for 2-3 mins. Add the tuna and spices, cook for another 3 min. Stir in the capsicums and cook about 3 mins. - Add the rice, cream and salt, toss well. Remove from heat.

Cut the top off of each potato and scoop out leaving a thin layer. Fill the stuffing into the pocket. - Sprinkle the grated cheese over the potatoes and grill until melted. - Serve as a snack with a salad or accompaniment to a curry with any Indian bread

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Serve:

green chutney or ketchup.

Garnish:

with boiled eggs and fresh mint

48

ASTROLOGY

MESHA (Aries)

A month full of opportunities for advancing your financial prospects. You will be helped in this by good fortune, which will favour speculation. The affairs of your family should have fairly smooth sailing. The family atmosphere would remain quite satisfactory Best days: 3, 12, 30 Lucky Colour: Red, Orange & Cream

SIMHA (Leo)

There is a legitimate reason to expect a sudden windfall. Further there are good chances for those of you who go in for speculation activity or even gambling, to fare quite well, in your pursuits. There would be excellent opportunities for you this month for your career advancement.

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

VRISHABH (Taurus)

By D. Narayan (Tantracharya) MITHUNA (Gemini)

This month, you would have very good opportunities of making money. There are fair to good chances that a significant number of you all would get an unexpected windfall. For most of you, quick gains would accrue as a result of your efforts, would achieve fairly speedy success in your endeavours.

The gains would be medium sort.

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

Your financial prospects does not look too good this month. There are grounds to believe that some of you would be influenced by a mean streak that would make you severely exploit your juniors, This would surely boomerang upon you, creating a highly unpleasant situation from which it might be difficult to extricate yourself.

Best days: 2, 7, 9

KANYA (Virgo)

TULA (Libra)

Lucky Colour: Red, White, Yellow

M: 0425 660 220

KARKAT (Cancer)

You must desist from gambling and such like activities. Despite a lot of hard work, the effort may not seem to be a burden at all, because the rewards would handsomely compensate you. Further, there is the possibility of some old person doing you a good turn which would give a big boost to your career. Travel also will prove quite beneficial, Best days: 9, 18 Lucky Colour: Red, Blue

VRISHCHIK (Scorpio)

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

Mounting expenses may take a severe toll on your family finances, leading to indebtedness in some cases. There is further cause for anxiety in that serious differences are likely with the elders of the family. You must not lose your cool.

Family atmosphere would be vitiated and there would be few signs of harmony between members.

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

DHANU (Sagittarius)

MAKARA (Capricorn)

Those going in for higher education would face a trying time, during which they would face difficulties in finding the right opportunities to pursue. The artistically inclined would also have to work harder than usual. Tension would also be there in your relations with the elders, particularly, your father and also with female members of the family.

You would have to work quite hard, and the gains would be nowhere near commensurate with the effort put in.

The redeeming feature of the entire scene would be the indication of most of you to live a principal life, from which you would not deviate for the sake of convenience. But you must persevere and remain calm and patient.

Your financial prospects looks bright.

People associated with the performing arts can look forward to an extremely productive spell both financially, as well as in terms of creative output. Any anticipated gains from Government can also be expected to come through.

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

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

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

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

As things stand, luck would be nowhere in sight and you would find yourself in the middle of a very thick soup indeed.

Refrain from such actions. Also, an unfavourable period for making investments and to launch new ventures.

There is a distinct possibility of an old person or a female colleague doing you a favourable turn which would prove extremely beneficial. Those engaged in the fine arts would find excellent opportunities for creative involvement of a satisfying sort, in which they could well go on to score notable results.

There could be a lot of hard work and gain would be nowhere near commensurate with the effort put in. You would tend to muddle your relations with your juniors and subordinates. Do not lose your cool and refuse to be drawn into any sort of confrontation.

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

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

KUMBHA (Aquarius)

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MEEN (Pisces)

Strange but True

HAVE A LAUGH

Explain pregnancy to a child of the 21st century?

Well, bees, flowers, seeds, stork are out of fashion, so explanation has to be *modern* like the one below ....

The son asks his father : - Dad, how was I born ?

- Well, my son, one day we knew we would talk about it, so I’ll explain what you need to know : One day, Mom & Dad connected to facebook & became *friends*.

Dad sent a tweet inviting Mom to go to a cybercafé. We found that we had many links and likes in common and we understood each other very well.

When we were not on the laptop, we would talk on WhatsApp &

Skype & we were giving more likes, until one day we decided to share our files.

Dad introduced his USB stick to Mom’s USB port. When the *files were downloaded,* we realized that we had forgotten the security software and that we had no firewall or snapshot filter.

It was too late to cancel the download & it was impossible to delete the files, generating the message *”INSTALLATION SUCCESSFUL”*.

With this the monthly notifications of your mother stopped arriving and nine months later you appeared *as new user* contact, requesting *login* and *password*.

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G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

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G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

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

G’DAY INDIA | MAY 2020

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

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