G'Day India May 2023 Issue 193

ELEPHANTS RULE HER SKY Writer Anjali Kumanan revisits her dreams to write her first book at fifteen

IMPRESSION OF AN ARTIST An exhibition of emotions into visual forms

MEDICINE WOMAN Dr. Pallavi Sharma's Journey to Excellence in Medicine

THE WISE INTERNATIONALIST Manorani Guy's motivational journey from Madras to Melbourne

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Anmol Anand, Debasree Das, Dileep Narayan, Dr Raj Kotharu, Gary Nair, Harpal Sandhu, Manjit Sethi, Narisa Dawar, Sanchita Abrol, Karthik Arasu, Abhi Narayan, Gurpal Singh, Monisha Iswaran, P. Harsora, Nandita Chakraborty, Archita Baweja, Barinderjeet Kaur, Gurpal Singh, Muktesh Chibber, Shivani Prabhu, Payel Ghosh

Digital Driver Licences on The Way for Victorian Motorists

Following extensive work by the Labor Government, the card will feature superior security features – with the licence updated in real time in response to any changes such as new licence conditions or a change of address.

Digital licences will automatically reveal if a licence has been revoked or suspended but will still be available for use to prove identity or age when it is not active.

The licence has a highly secure, timed QR code that can be scanned by licence validators such as police, businesses and other authorities to verify authenticity and prevent fraudulent use.

MELBOURNE, May 8: The Andrews Labor Government will give motorists the option to carry their licence on their phone with a digital driver licence trial in Ballarat before a statewide roll-out by 2024.

The new technology will give motorists the choice to store a secure digital version of their driver licence in the popular Service Victoria app or soon-to-be-launched my VicRoads app.

From June, full licence holders in Ballarat will be able to sign up for the pilot through the Service Victoria or VicRoads websites before the trial begins in July, with those who register progressively invited to add a digital version of their licence to their phone.

Accessibility and security of personal information is the highest priority. During the Ballarat trial, feedback will be sought from motorists, retailers, licensed venues, Victoria Police and places where a licence is used as proof of identity.

The initial pilot is for full licence holders and won’t change the obligation for L and P plate drivers to carry their physical licence with them at all times. Drivers will still have the option to use their physical licence.

In anticipation of a statewide roll-out, the Government will also begin engagement with key business and industry leaders to make sure Victorian workers and businesses are well prepared.

Two Years of Free Kindergarten for The Best Start in Life

MELBOURNE, May 1: The Andrews Labor Government is encouraging young families to enrol their children in Three and Four-YearOld Kindergarten for 2024, ensuring every Victorian child can have the best start in education and life.

Minister for Early Childhood and PrePrep Ingrid Stitt today joined former AFL star Bachar Houli at Altona North Children’s Service to encourage parents of all cultures and backgrounds to get their applications in for 2024 now.

In 2024, Bachar’s son Mohamed will start Three-Year-Old Kindergarten – and today, his dad shared his motivations for enrolling his children in kindergarten and spoke of the benefits kinder has had on his family.

Many councils with central enrolment processes will begin allocating kindergarten places in July, with families encouraged to start visiting local kinders to discuss enrolment options that work best for them.

With Free Kinder, more children and families can access and attend kindergarten, extending the learning that children do at home and saving families up to $2,500 in fees per child each year.

Before starting school, children can attend Three-Year-Old Kindergarten for 5 to 15 hours per week, followed by Four-Year-Old Kindergarten for 15 hours per week.

A survey of Victorian parents with children enrolled in funded kindergarten in 2022

found 94 per cent considered attending kindergarten to be important for their child’s education.

Research agrees, with play-based learning identified as a powerful way to support a child’s learning and development, with two years of kindergarten better than one. Play encourages children to use their imagination and make discoveries while learning to listen, share and take turns. Children also learn about numbers, words and language, develop social and emotional

skills, and build essential skills that go on to serve them for life.

Families are encouraged to organise a time to visit their local kindergarten services, so they can meet staff and see the services in action. Parents should also look for a Kinder Tick, so they can be confident their child will be attending a funded kindergarten program.

To find out more about kindergarten and how to enrol, visit vic.gov.au/kinder or contact your local council.

MELBOURNE, May 4: Victoria is one step closer to building Australia’s first five-star river cruise with construction starting on the luxury PS Australian Star paddle steamer, thanks to support from the Andrews Labor Government.

Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing today announced works are underway on the state-of-theart vessel in Mildura, backed by a $2.25 million investment from the Regional Tourism Investment Fund.

Coined the PS Australian Star, the project is being delivered by Murray River Paddle steamers and will create 13 local jobs during construction and a further 16 ongoing jobs when it begins cruising in 2025.

Built locally in Mildura and operating from the Port of Echuca, the vessel will provide a luxury cruise along the Murray for up to 38 guests. Journeys of three-, four- and seven-night stays will be available with opportunities to explore riverside communities along the way.

The PS Australian Star will feature up to 19 ensuite cabins, a fine dining restaurant

Victoria Home To Australia’s First Five-Star River Cruise Supporting New Mums, Babies and Our Midwives

and function space, a guest lounge with panoramic views and bars across two levels. It will provide accessible cabins, an elevator for access to all levels and multiple outdoor relaxation areas.

The three-deck PS Australian Star will replace the smaller 16-guest PS Emmylou paddle steamer which currently offers overnight cruises on the Murray. The vessel includes an energy efficient hybrid diesel and a steam propulsion system featuring a refurbished 1907 wood-fired steam engine.

Tourism is big business in Echuca, with the Campaspe Local Government Area welcoming 1.1 million domestic visitors who spent around $340 million last calendar year.

The Fund is helping entice more visitors to Victoria’s regions, driving investment and boosting the tourism sector. (MEDIA

MELBOURNE, May 5: New mums and babies deserve the best possible care which is why the Andrews Labor Government is expanding maternity services and recruiting the next generation of midwives.

year, the new maternity ward was delivered to support our midwives meet the demand for maternity services, as part of a $13.2 million package to help them deliver the very best and safest care.

Across Victoria, we’re upgrading maternity units and birthing suites with the new maternity unit and birthing suite now open as part of our $230 million redevelopment of Shepparton Hospital and construction underway on the new $500 million Barwon Women and Children’s Hospital.

development and mentorship.

As Victoria continues to boom, we know we need to grow our midwifery workforce and our Registered Undergraduate Students of Midwifery (RUSOM) is doing just that - Last year we invested $9.8 million to expand the program, which has now supported more than 300 midwifery students take up work on maternity wards while studying.

Working under the supervision of experienced midwives, RUSOMs deliver care and support to new and expectant mums and their babies and are also provided a range of training to assist them in their studies and give them the most contemporary skills and expertise in patient care.

Minister for Health

Mary-Anne Thomas today visited Kilmore District Health to celebrate International Day of the Midwife and open their new maternity ward.

Previously combined with the acute unit, this new dedicated space now provides parents and newborns with specialised care and facilities in what is one of Victoria’s fastest growing communities – away from other patients.

Supporting on average 230 births a

We know that new babies have the best start to life, when they receive the best possible care, and a strong midwifery workforce is essential for that – this is why we’re supporting the Royal Women’s Hospital undertake a pilot aimed at retaining the critical experience of late career midwives while upskilling our newest midwives.

Nursing and midwifery is a physical job and the 12-month Late Career Nurses and Midwives pilot will support senior nurses and midwives, work a day a week off the ward and in turn use that day and their experience to help to develop new midwives and nurses through education support, professional

The RUSOM program has seen participants become more likely to complete their degree, develop greater levels of confidence, require less support once they graduate and seen a third of them receiving ongoing employment at the same health service after graduating.

The Labor Government has grown Victoria’s midwifery workforce by 6.1 per cent since 2019 to almost 9,500 registered midwives and to expand the workforce even further, our landmark $270 million Making it Free to Study Nursing and Midwifery Initiative is supporting the recruitment and training of another 17,000 nurses and midwives. (MEDIA RELEASE)

Religious and spiritual leaders of different communities participate in Sadbhawna at Melbourne Australia

for Community Safety, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, Australia said, "This was a fabulous event to have all the religious leaders together with one voice of peace and harmony. It was wonderful to see so many faith leaders talk about the need for world peace. It is important to have religious leaders sending positive messages around the world."

MELBOURNE, Apr 24: Sadbhawna event is an initiative started by NID foundation taking the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' where he called the whole world as 'one family', to every corner of the world.

The event was attended by religious leaders, intellectuals, scholars, preachers and researchers. Attendees of this function were, The chief patron of NID foundation & Chancellor Chandigarh University, Sardar Satnam Singh Sandhu; co-founder NID foundation, Himani Sood; Australian Member of parliament (MP), Jason Wood; Bishop Philip Huggins of Anglican Church; Abanoub Attalla of orthodox church; Brahma Smaran Das, representative of Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS); Abhijeet Bhide, Member of Hindu Council Australia; Imtiaz Naveed Ahmed, of Ahmadiyya Muslim community; Bhante Adhisila, Buddhist head leader; Srinivasan from Hindu Temple of Victoria; Mustafa Poonawala, Dawoodi Bohra Muslim leader; Sitesh Bhojani of BAPS Australia; Swami Sunishthananda of Vedanta Community and Sri Ram Das of Harre Rama Harre Krishna society. The Indian Minorities Foundation (IMF), NID Foundation New Delhi and Namdhari Sikh Society, Melbourne Australia Vishwa Sadbhawna on communal harmony for world peace at Bunjil Palace at Melbourne in Australia on 23rd April 2023.

It was also attended by Dr Tariq Butt of Ahmadiyya Muslim community, Taha Shakir of Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community. Satnam Singh Sandhu also presented the book 'Heartfelt-The Legacy of Faith' which showcases one the contributions and works done by PM Modi for the Sikh community.

The spiritual leader of the Namdhari community, Satguru Uday Singh said that religion unites everyone and religion's meaning is love and peace. "The world has

made immense development in every field, but it gets true peace only through religion," he said, adding that it is the duty of everyone not to fight but join hands for world peace. "We should focus on religious harmony and world peace, transcending regional differences and inspire everyone to do so," he said, adding that Religion never promotes discrimination of any kind.

Ambassador Manpreet Vohra, high commissioner of India to Australia, said that PM Modi has transformed the global image of India. Now India's voice on various global issues is heard. Every Nation of the world looks up to India for its issues and support. "India is part/ partner of every important global grouping bilateral, multilateral like QUAD. All this has been possible due to the recent development that has taken place during the last decade. India is an important component for the world's future," he said, adding that this year as India is holding the presidency of G-20. The logo of G-20, which India has devised also drives its inspiration from the concept 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam". The logo says 'One world, one family, one future. Because it is important for everyone to consider each other as family and have the common future of love, peace, harmony, prosperity, and brotherhood.

He also said that NID Foundation is taking forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea of Sadbhawna or world peace all round the world. The Journey which started from the PM residence last year has transformed into a movement which is bringing people of different communities together on a common platform. The progress which one used to dream that India would take the centre-stage of the world as a powerful nation has now been fulfilled.

Speaking on the sidelines of Sadbhawna, Australian Member of parliament (MP), Jason Wood, who is the shadow minister

He also said that besides the Australian community, the Indian Australian community is very excited about PM Modi's forthcoming visit to Australia. "He is the leader of the world's biggest democracy and we are very proud that he is coming to our country. We admire PM Modi's ability to respect all people and the spirit of working together and his humbleness. Under his leadership, India now is being regarded as having entrepreneurs and where your hard work is rewarded," Jason Wood said.

A member of Ahmadiyya Muslim community Victoria, Dr Tariq Butt, who is from Pakistan and lives now in Australia said that this event is a great initiative and uniting Hindu and Muslim communities together and bringing them on one platform. He said that PM Modi is doing the right thing by encouraging the communities to engage with other communities to promote harmony and peace. While talking about the leadership of PM Modi, he said, "PM Modi has the charisma where people are following him regardless of their religious inclination which is good."

Taha Shakir from Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi while inaugurating the new campus of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah Arabic Academy at Marol in Mumbai told us that he is visiting the campus as a family member. The PM inaugurated the campus in February. "We now have a good relationship and we have enjoyed a really good time in the last nine years and our community respects PM Modi. Our community will be there in Sydney to greet him when he arrives," he said, who is also of Pakistani origin in Australia. Talking about the Indian minority communities, he said, "I travel to India a lot of times, we have religious shrines there, I can say that people from all minorities live together in harmony. I have seen it personally."

Philip James Huggins, bishop in the Anglican Church of Australia, said that Sadbhawna event had the spirit of friendship and love. "The relationship between India and Australia has blossomed under the leadership of PM Modi. We have recently

seen cricket diplomacy between the two countries. There is a beautiful feature of Indian Democracy is inclusive participation of different communities in each other's festivals and rituals," he said, adding that he does not adhere to the narrative being built against India that minorities are being targeted. He also said that in India the majority population makes it easier for the minority communities to live together and progress and India is both spiritual and secular.

Satnam Singh Sandhu, Chief patron NID Foundation & Chancellor Chandigarh University while addressing the conference said that people belonging to different communities and religions have lived in India for centuries and all believe in communal harmony. "Guru Granth Sahib is the best example of religious harmony and unity. Because it contains not only the teachings of nine Sikh Gurus but also the teachings of fifteen Bhagats and 11 Bhatts as well," he said.

"Under the leadership of PM Modi, India in the last nine years has rapidly advanced on its path to be a developed nation and has become the world's fifth largest economy. Like many other countries, all the communities in India enjoy full freedom and are given all opportunities without any discrimination of caste, creed, or religion and feel safe under the leadership of PM Modi," he added, adding that Narendra Modi is

the most secular and progressive PM in the history of independent India.

While lauding the Modi government, he said, "There is a clear difference in the developmental work that was carried out in the last 9 years in the country than the work done during the 65 years before that."

Brahma Smaran Das, representative of Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) said, "Interfaith harmony is the greatest necessity of our age, which can only be achieved through personal transformation leading to global transformation. It is when the message of peace, respect and acceptance reaches every individual, the whole world will become one."

Srinivasan from Hindu Temple of Victoria said, "Vishwa Sadbhawna has brought representatives of different faiths on a common platform who believe in universal peace, one family, one world, and one future." He further added Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the last 9 years has worked for lifting the global image of India and Indians through his work, and the world now recognizes India as a place of opportunities.

Sitesh Bhojani, BAPS Trustee Australia said, "PM Modi is not uniting India as a country but he is taking the entire world as one family. He has changed the global image of the country and has also been instrumental

in taking Indian Culture, Practices and Civilizations spread through YOGA, which today is practiced and celebrated in 120 countries though International Yoga Day."

Abhijeet Bhide, Member of Hindu Council Australia, said, "Events like Sadbhawna can counter the anti-social and anti-India events happening across the world, where religious leaders of different communities can come together on common platform to deliver the message of communal harmony to the people of their respective community."

NID Foundation is a social, economic, and political outreach & engagement organization that works with the community, government, industry, and civil society stakeholders to generate reform-oriented intelligence in areas of domestic and international issues, governance, education, and environmental reforms, thereby supporting leaders and policymakers in making informed decisions. Our vision uses global challenges as props and set cutting-edge experiential learning tools to trigger this adaptive capacity. NID Foundation is Non-profit non-government organization of Chandigarh University which works on various nation building projects in association with the government.

This story has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article.

(ANI/PRNewswire)

Deakin University expands 2023 ViceChancellor's Scholarship Program: 10 Scholarships worth over Rs 60 million available for Indian students

University in prestigious forums alongside senior officials from the government, corporate and academia.

The Deakin Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship program was introduced first in 2014, and so far, 39 deserving scholars have been awarded the 100% Scholarship for their studies in both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Meritorious students aspiring to pursue high-quality international education across emerging study areas like sports, engineering, psychology, etc. have gone forward to pursue successful careers in their chosen field.

Ravneet Pawha, Vice-President (Global Alliances) and CEO (South Asia) at Deakin, added, "Education is the cornerstone of progress and has been rightly referred to as a key focus area in the strong and mutually beneficial relationship between India and Australia.

NEW DELHI, Apr 24: Deakin University, a Top 1% university worldwide and a leading Australian higher education institution, is furthering its commitment to Indian students by expanding its Vice-Chancellor's Meritorious Scholarship Program 2023. This initiative aims to support high-achieving Indian students in their pursuit of becoming global citizens who can positively impact their communities back in India. The program, which offers 100% fee waivers to recipients for the entirety of their studies at a Deakin Campus in Victoria, Australia, has been expanded to include 10 scholarships, each valued at over Rs 6 million. Applications for the July 2023 intake are now open.

With a goal of making a profound impact on the lives of deserving students in India, this initiative is a part of the university's 'Changing Lives' program and offers opportunities for postgraduate and undergraduate studies in any field, with no limit on the duration of study. The program is designed to support exceptional students who have demonstrated academic excellence and well-rounded achievements and aims to empower them to study onshore at Deakin University in Australia. Furthermore, the program has a philanthropic outlook, with the aim of giving back to India while helping to develop the skills and experience needed to make a real impact on society and has the potential to change the trajectory of the lives of deserving students, allowing them to

realise their academic and personal potential while contributing to the growth of society.

Professor Iain Martin, President and Vice-Chancellor of Deakin University, reiterated his support for helping Indian students pursue excellence, saying, "Nearly a decade ago, Deakin recognised the need for Indian students to have better access to world-class education to fulfil their immense potential, and initiated the Vice-Chancellor's Meritorious 100% Scholarship program (India).

Today, I am thrilled to announce that our commitment to empowering Indian students has only grown stronger. We are increasing the number of scholarships from four last year to ten this year, further opening the door to world-class education for deserving students."

"At Deakin, we believe that education has the power to transform lives and communities, and we are dedicated to supporting the aspirations of Indian students who share our vision for a better world. Through this scholarship program, we are investing in the future of India and its people," Professor Martin said.

The scholars, while on-campus, are inducted also into the Vice Chancellor's Professional Excellence Program (VCPEP), which gives them the unparalleled opportunity to represent themselves and the

As we witness the emergence of a new generation of leaders, these scholarships will provide invaluable support to young, high-achieving students in India, empowering them not only with financial assistance but also with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in a rapidly changing world that demands innovation and collaboration. This initiative aims to foster a cohort of visionary young leaders who will help shape the future and strengthen the bonds between our two great nations."

The selection process for the Deakin Vice-Chancellor's Meritorious Scholarship Program is rigorous and will be conducted by the Deakin South Asia Office based in New Delhi. A minimum eligibility criterion is set after which the selection process will involve an application review, referee recommendations, online interviews and inperson panel interviews with the shortlisted candidates in the presence of neutral representatives from academia and industry.

Shruti Arora, who won the Deakin ViceChancellor's Meritorious Scholarship in 2022, said, "The scholarship was my key to study abroad and a huge financial support to my parents. It has changed my life and opened the path for me to become a future change maker in the mental health sector."

Deakin University also offers other academic merit-based bursaries and scholarships for Indian students that include a 25% Merit Scholarship and a 20% Bursary for studies onshore in Australia.

Australia to ban recreational vaping

Tobacco' has taken another addictive product, wrapped it in shiny packaging and added flavours to create a new generation of nicotine addicts," he will say in a speech unveiling the reform on Tuesday.

Research suggests one in six Australians aged 14-17 years old has vaped, and one in four people aged 18-24.

"By contrast, only 1 in 70 people my age has vaped," Butler, who is 52, will say.

The new measures he will announce include a ban on all disposable vapes and on the import of non-prescription products.

CANBERRA, May 2: As part of a major crackdown, the Australian government has decided to ban recreational vaping and introduce minimum quality standards, while restricting the sale of vapes only to pharmacies.

Nicotine vapes already require a prescription in Australia, but the industry is poorly regulated and a black market is thriving, the BBC reported.

According to Health Minister Mark Butler, the products are creating a new generation of nicotine addicts.

Also known as e-cigarettes, vapes heat a liquid -- usually containing nicotine -- turning it into a vapour that users inhale.

They are widely seen as a product to help smokers quit.

But in Australia, vapes have become a recreational product targeted at kids and "sold alongside lollies and chocolate bars" in retail stores, the BBC quoted Butler as saying.

"Just like they did with smoking, 'Big

Prescriptions will be necessary for the vaping products that remain legal, and they will be required to have pharmaceutical-like packaging.

Restrictions on flavours, colours, nicotine concentrations and other ingredients will also be introduced.

A handful of other countries, like Singapore and Thailand, have also banned vaping and Australia's medicines regulator -the Therapeutic Goods Administration -- has been recommending reform.

(IANS)

US Presidential election 2024: Trump lauds rival Indian-American Vivek Ramaswamy

Ramaswamy as he has only nice things to say about him and all the work carried out by the Trump administration. "I am pleased to see that Vivek Ramaswamy is doing so well in the most recent Republican Primary Poll, CBS YouGov," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.

"He is tied with Mike Pence, and seems to be on his way to catching Ron DeSanctimonious. The thing I like about Vivek is that he only has good things to say about "President Trump," and all that the Trump Administration has so successfully done - This is the reason he is doing so well. In any event, good luck to all of them, they will need it!," he added.

political campaign, "but a cultural movement". "Faith, patriotism and hard work have disappeared. Wokeism, climatism and gender ideology have replaced them. We hunger for purpose yet cannot answer what it means to be an American. We long for that answer," he added.

In CBS News/YouGov survey of likely Republican primary voters, Ramaswamy was slightly ahead of former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.

WASHINGTON, May 6: Former US President Donald Trump has praised Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy for doing well in the recent Republican Primary poll, CBS YouGov. Vivek Ramaswamy has announced his 2024 presidential bid.

In a statement, Trump stated he likes

Earlier in February, healthcare and tech sector entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy announced his 2024 US Presidential election bid. "We've celebrated our "diversity" so much that we forgot all the ways we're really the same as Americans, bound by ideals that united a divided, headstrong group of people 250 years ago. I believe deep in my bones those ideals still exist. I'm running for President to revive them," tweeted Ramaswamy in a video announcing his intention to run for president.

He reiterated that this was not just a

37-year-old Vivek Ramaswamy is a native of southwest Ohio. His mother was a geriatric psychiatrist and his father worked as an engineer at General Electric. Ramaswamy said, "Diversity" is not our strength. Our strength is the set of ideals that unify us across our differences. Without that, "diversity" is meaningless."

He added, "We live in a culture that rejects truth & embraces relativism; that rejects equality and embraces "equity"; that rejects excellence and embraces victimhood. I'm all-in for America First, but we must first rediscover what America is." Vivek Ramaswamy is the second Indian-American to enter the 2024 Republican presidential primary after Nikki Haley.

(ANI)

British Sikh Lord Indarjit Singh presents Glove to King Charles III on Coronation

Lord Indarjit Singh to represent the Sikh community.

Earlier this month, the UK's royal family revealed new details, including a new Twitter emoji ahead of the coronation of King Charles III, which is scheduled to take place next month.

Taking to the official Twitter handle, the Royal Family said, "A special emoji for the Coronation has gone live today! The emoji, based on St Edward's Crown, will appear when any of the following hashtags are used: #Coronation #CoronationConcert #TheBigHelpout #CoronationWeekend #CoronationBigLunch".

On the morning of the Coronation, the Royals travelled from Buckingham Palace in The King's Procession to Westminster Abbey in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach - which was created in 2012 for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.

LONDON, May 6: At the Coronation on Saturday, the Glove to hold the Sovereign's Sceptre during the Crowning, was presented to King Charles III by Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon.

The Glove is worn to hold the Sovereign's Sceptre during the Crowning and then removed before processing to the Throne Chair, the Royal.UK wrote. The Coronation Glove or gauntlet is made for the Sovereign's right hand. The King reused the Coronation Glove made for the Coronation of his grandfather, King George VI, in the interests of sustainability and efficiency. It was presented by the Worshipful Company of Glovers, made by Dents the glovemakers, and embroidered by Edward Stillwell and Company in 1937.

This Glove has been conserved by Dents with support from the Worshipful Company of Glovers and was re-presented by the Company ahead of the Coronation on 6th May, the Royal.UK wrote.

The Glove is made of white leather and the wrist is embroidered with gilt metal thread, wire and spangles in the form of national emblems including the Tudor Rose, thistle, shamrock, oak leaves and acorns. The back of the hand with an embroidered ducal coronet in red velvet above the coat of arms of the family of the Dukes of Newcastle. The wrist is lined with red satin.

The King reused historic items of clothing from the Royal Collection, worn by previous monarchs at past Coronations, during the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey. The 'vestments' were worn as the King was crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Coronation Chair.

His Majesty reused vestments which featured in the Coronation Services of King George IV in 1821, King George V in 1911, King George VI in 1937 and Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, including the Colobium Sindonis, the Supertunica, the Imperial Mantle, the Coronation Sword Belt and the Coronation

Glove, the Royal.UK wrote.

Although it is customary for the Supertunica and the Imperial Mantle to be reused, King Charles III also reused the Colobium Sindonis, Coronation Sword Belt and Coronation Glove worn by his grandfather King George VI, in the interests of sustainability and efficiency, the Royal.UK wrote.

Lord Indarjit Singh is a British Sikh peer. The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Lord Indarjit Singh represented the Sikh community at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, former Member of Parliament Tarlochan Singh said in the statement. He had also attended the wedding of the son of the thenPrince of Wales Charles.

King Charles III is also serving as the Head of the Church of England and all the ceremonies are conducted by the Archbishop. However, it is reported that King Charles expressed his desire to be a defender of all faiths while serving as head of the Christian faith in the UK.

It is for the first time that peers from different faithsMuslim, Hindu, Sikh and Jewish were part of the procession during the coronation ceremony.

The Sikh community had hailed the decision of King Charles to give equal status to all religions, Tarlochan Singh said in the statement.

The UK Government named 90-year-old

The King's Procession, accompanied by The Sovereign's Escort of the Household Cavalry departed Buckingham Palace and proceeded down The Mall, passing through Admiralty Arch and Trafalgar Square, down Whitehall and along Parliament Street to Westminster Abbey.

The procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace took the same route in reverse.

The procession included Armed Forces from across the Commonwealth and the British Overseas Territories, and all Services of the UK's Armed Forces.

The members of the Royal family travelled in the Gold State Coach, which was commissioned in 1760 and was first used by King George III to travel to the State Opening of Parliament in 1762 and has been used at every Coronation since that of William IV in 1831.

(ANI)

Mate G’Day

Getting married in Australia

Who can solemnise Marriages under the Marriage ACT?

The Marriage Act provides for three categories of authorised celebrants who may solemnise marriages within Australia. The first is Ministers of religion of recognised denomination who are registered under the Act. Secondly, State and Territory Officers authorised by virtue of Subdivision B of the Act.

The third category is Marriage celebrants registered by the Commonwealth under the Marriage Celebrants Programme who are registered under the Act. This includes marriage celebrants who perform religious ceremonies (whether or not they are also designated as ‘religious marriage celebrants’) and marriage celebrants who perform civil marriage ceremonies (whether or not they are also designated as ‘religious marriage celebrants’).

Religious marriage celebrants are a subcategory of Commonwealthregistered marriage celebrants under the Marriage Act. Designation as a ‘religious marriage celebrant’ enables the celebrant to lawfully refuse to solemnise a marriage if the celebrant’s religious beliefs do not allow the celebrant to solemnise the marriage (it does not mean they do, or only, perform religious marriage ceremonies).

Between 9 December 2017 and 9 March 2018, all Commonwealthregistered marriage celebrants, excluding ministers of religion, were able to nominate for recognition as a religious marriage celebrant based on their religious beliefs. All Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrants who were ministers of religion and perform ceremonies on behalf of an independent religious organisation (that is not a recognised denomination), whose registration was current immediately before 9 December 2017, were automatically listed on the register of marriage celebrants as ‘religious marriage celebrants’.

If you have further questions, you may contact me on 0425 853 086 or navee64@gmail.com.

People need to trust govt, understand its commitment to citizens abroad: EAM Jaishankar

MYSURU, May 7: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar weighed in on the foreign policy of the Union government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying there are times when people need to trust the government and understand that it is committed to its citizens abroad.

"There are times when the people need to

trust the government, need to understand that this is a government which has systems in place, which has a commitment to citizens abroad," Jaishankar said in Mysuru. He said, "When the fighting started in Sudan, I was myself travelling. Within the matters of a few hours, the prime minister contacted me, he wanted to confirm we had set up a crisis management group, our systems were coming in place, we were reaching out through the ambassadors to all the countries concerned and were getting the air force and the navy ready for movement for all this to happen."

The EAM said the whole operation was very complex, adding, "We are speaking about 17 flights and five ships, but that is the final end of the operation that you are seeing."

"The people on the ground, those who stayed

behind took much more than that and yet, it was their job to keep it running," he said.

Jaishankar on Sunday tweeted: "Spoke in Mysuru on the foreign policy of Modi Government. Thank the Thinkers Forum for organizing and residents of the Palace City for attending in such large numbers."

"Their presence today is a statement that the world matters more to today's India; that the Modi Government has changed the country and that involved citizens want to make informed choices in the world's largest democracy," he wrote.

Meanwhile, Sudan continues to face bloodshed as a result of clashes between the army and paramilitary forces.

Previous ceasefires haven't been able to put an end to the violence between the opposing factions across the nation.

As many as 3,862 persons were rescued from the strife-torn African country under 'Operation Kaveri', which has now ended.

The transit facility, which was created at a school in Jeddah, has also been closed, the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia informed.

US Airlines accidentally flies woman with no passport to international location

their plane was en route to Jamaica, once she was on the plane.

Ellis-Hebard said, "I laughed. I said, 'I would love to be going there but I have a beach where I live,'" adding "[The flight attendant] said, 'Look at me. This plane is going to Jamaica.' And I knew by the look on her face she wasn't joking."Ellis-Hebard was unable to exit the aircraft after landing because she did not have a passport", the New York Post reported.

She stayed on the jetway, which, in her opinion, is US territory.

The flight crew waited with her until several hours later, when her aircraft to Philadelphia took off.

FLORIDA, May 7: A Frontier flight accidentally flew a New Jersey-based woman, who did not have a passport, to Jamaica instead of Jacksonville.

The incident happened due to an unintended gate change by the woman. Beverly Ellis-Hebard, a resident of Gloucester County, said she regularly flies to Philadelphia to her second home in Jacksonville.

She reached a gate for her November 6 flight that read "PHL to JAX."

She said, "I fly once every six weeks. I picked Frontier flights because we flew so often."

Ellis-Hebard asked a gate agent if she could go to the restroom. However, upon returning she found the flight was almost fully boarded and she was rushed onto the plane, according to New York Post.

"[The gate agent] said, "Come on, come on. Give me your boarding pass.' I would say I took about ten steps, and she said, 'Are you Beverly Ellis-Hebard?"' the New Jersey resident explained. "I said, 'You just had my boarding pass. You just checked me in. Yes!' She said, 'All right, go! Go,'" reported the New York Post.

The flight crew told Ellis-Hebard that the Jacksonville flight had a gate change and that

The aeroplane incident, according to EllisHebard, was not the only catastrophe she encountered while travelling.

She scratched her arm as she placed her own travel bag in the luggage sizer.

She said, "I put it in and when I went to take it out my arm right here got all scraped up. I was bleeding."

A Frontier Airlines spokesperson said, "We sincerely regret that the customer was able to board the wrong flight and have extended our apologies," adding, "We have provided her with a refund and compensation as well as addressed the matter with airport personnel".

ELEPHANTS RULE HER SKY

boss in the day meets children's author at night.

So, Anjali did just that.

She knew she could write well and knew that she didn't need money upfront to begin a career in writing, so Anjali just went for it at the age of fifteen.

Six months later, right after her sixteenth birthday, she was offered an international publishing contract.

At fourteen, Anjali was selected to be a part of the UN's inaugural cohort of youth ambassadors to run projects addressing sustainable development goals.

So, for a year and a half, she travelled between New York and Singapore, advising on policies in youth education.

However, Anjali learnt at a very young age that although she was great at something, the society stated her to be the model representation of success.

"I was deeply unsatisfied and found that my passion for the political space fizzled out!"

Ladies hold on to your shoes as this stylish writer hails herself from Georgetown, Penang, home of the iconic shoemaker Jimmy Choo or, as she likes to call him, Uncle Jimmy. You never know when, where and how a designer shoe can implore ideas of imagination that can lead to your discoveries of hidden talents.

The beauty of growing up in a town rich in history and stories meant for twenty-yearold Anjali Kumanan's imagination to run wild constantly as her 'mixedness'.

Also, she never entirely fitted into any of the boxes, giving her this unhinged sense of freedom and rebellion to create her own identity and idea of reality, whispering to the imaginary fairies hiding in my bookshelf at night.

Growing up in Georgetown Penang Island, born to a biracial family - half Peranakan Chinese (Portuguese, Chinese) and Indian, or often coined a 'Chindian' in Malaysia.

Anjali's named after the movie Kuch Kuch hota hai Kajol's character Anjali Sharma and the song titled Anjali by AR—Rahman, promising us her undying love for Bollywood.

Although full of vibrant festivities and food, Anjali's upbringing was difficult; losing her mother to cancer when she was nine and

soon found herself being passed off to any available family member that would take her and her brother in.

The upside to it was that Anjali's formative years, from ten- sixteen, were spent travelling the world and experiencing different cultures as we lived with various relatives from the UK to Chicago to the small coastal town of Newcastle in New South Wales.

She studied in many international schools and picked up a transatlantic accent, accidentally landing a spot at the University of Melbourne somewhere in between her escape plan to create a better and more stable life for herself.

Ironically enough, 'I See Elephant in the Sky' was written when Anjali was fifteen after her first-ever high school crush, who had left to move to New York for university; he was French and the clique captain of the swimming team.

New York was one of those locations where Anjali turned her summer conversation on the phone with him into a bucket list, then a poem and finally, the book we all know as it is today.

Born with a great sense of ambition and curiosity, Anjali rebelled against the social norms, and she knew she wanted to create a hybrid career unheard of before - think girl

Anjali recently left her role as a co-founder in her own company, as she had done her part in scaling it out to a nine-figure valuation and wanted to spend time working with some of her favourite clients on their passion projects.

An average day in Anjali's life is a mix of Matcha lattes and Chai to visit one of the brands, InRo (rent before you buy second-hand fashion) and support them in their operational strategy.

Anjali's message to aspiring authors is her one saying, "If you know what needs to be done to achieve what you most desire, then you have all the tools you need to begin."

As this young woman continues to surprise us with her strength, Anjali's future goal is to turn 'I see elephants in the Sky' into a series that explores local cultures and sights of different cities worldwide and hopefully produce it into a movie or series.

Tomorrow for this rebellious writer and entrepreneur is to give back through her work one day; hear about how it's inspired and empowered individuals globally.

I am excited to see how far Anjali will travel with her elephants, creating new skies and starting rainbows of unimaginative possibilities.

By Nandita Chakraborty

Writer Anjali Kumanan’s travelling around the world led her to write her first book and also be part of the UN's inaugural cohort of youth ambassadors

Impression of an Artist

for a different pace of life, a lifestyle change, more greenery, and less pollution. In short, a slower, laid-back life with egalitarianism.

The penny dropped for Jog to pursue as a graphic artist at the Srishti Manipal School of Art and Design, Bangalore. Here she had the freedom to practice her Art and design with her eight years of teaching at this school.

Jog's practice will always be between design and Art and not just Art - Graphic Art is a medium that spans both - so she has always credited herself as a creative practitioner (both artist and designer)

visually manipulate using metaphor and materiality.

By using everyday objects and other elements, Jog creates a space for herself – by collaborating with nature and the everyday.

Her prints are also a way of selfdetermination in her current spaces by nurturing an ongoing relationship with cultural and nature-based elements using multi-layered approaches and narratives that explore autobiographical lived experiences.

These narratives talk about memories of her mother, who she lost thirteen years ago, otherworldly messages, both painful and happy memories, and trying to translate unnamed emotions into visual forms.

"Allowing one to distinguish from the indistinguishable, trying to translate unnamed emotions into visual forms, is where I hope to trigger engagement with the viewer."

Most of her printmaking here results from a process that involves the repeated addition of layers of ink through the removal from a soft surface – a gelatin plate.

Artists and their artistry are a lamination of emotions; their sensitivity lies beneath the fine lines of strokes or lines of poetry. Everything is an exposé of the subconscious, and Art begins to take shape.

Forty-six years old Manasee Jog is one such print artist, recently exhibiting her imprints titled 'Memorising the past to see the future' at the Rubicon, ARI gallery in Melbourne's north.

Originally from Kutch, Gujarat, she spent most of her childhood and adult years in Bangalore in the south.

Jog did her undergrad at the College of fine arts, Bangalore, and understanding Art and design as a practitioner became a revelation. At the same time, she pursued a master's at UAL (University of Arts, London) in London (2004-05).

"It was a life-altering two years as it burst so many myths, adding perspectives in my life."

Now, she is doing her PhD at RMIT University (for the past three years), investigating, and looking inward into her creative practice through the lens of materiality, memory, and collaboration with a healthy dose of feminism.

Jog's moving to Australia is a simple need

The transition from graphic to visual is just a mere word, but to an artist, it has a super objective that's contextual and means different things to different people.

In many ways, like Jog, practitioners always see themselves as visual artists; they might not be open to being called one or the other - 'the labels, that is' - but Jog's work, on the other hand, is interdisciplinary.

Before working at RMIT University for a very short stint, Jog worked in Vic Roads. Still, as a sessional lecturer/tutor at RMIT since 2019, Jog has been pursuing her PhD at the school of design, researching her topics in material thinking/practices, visual culture, and narratives in gender-based approach agency, and autobiographical approach.

Jog's purpose in life through the medium of ‘Art’ is self-determination, working with other artists - especially in making and craft -toward collaboration and bringing the agency to each other. It also pushes boundaries around what one means by visual culture and Art, interconnecting identities, understanding materiality, and making new meanings from metaphors that inspired Jog's exhibition last month. The selection of artworks seeks to interconnect disparate reminiscences and continues her exploration of embodied memory and how remembered events can

To express and visualise her practice, printmaking has helped transform her work into an experiential and collaborative process while translating emotions through concept, composition, and mark-making.

Jog is inspired by many - artists who work with their hands - mainly the unnamed craft artists of India - who work with printmaking, embroidery, and other lesser recognised crafts; female image makerswho bring in visual culture from their parts of the world.

Jog is fascinated by First Nations artists in Australia who bring out the mysteries of their dreams and ancestry onto canvas and print.

Today's icons; are mainstream South Asian artists; KG Subramanyam, Zarina Hashmi, Amrita Sher-gill, and Nalini Malini, among others, have inspired Jog growing up.

It's been one fascinating interviewee's understanding that spontaneity is a controlled chaos to her process that produces these serendipitous, single edition, mono prints.

Jog's Tomorrow promises more creative directions, creating more work and exhibits and completing one essential PhD.

By Nandita Chakraborty

Manasee Jog’s memories of her mother led her to translate unnamed emotions into visual forms

The Wise Internationalist

Manorani Guy’s twenty-five years of experience in international education led her to run a boarding house for international students, and President of an NGO, VicWISE

But it was not until returning to Malaysia after completing her BA in psychology from Madras that she found her mum, reconnected, and restarted a daughter/ mother relationship.

Guy migrated to Australia more than thirty-three years ago with only a thousand dollars in her pocket, completing her International Education and business degree in Melbourne.

students from South America, Africa, South Asia, and South-East Asia.

In the last eleven and half years, employability has gone out the door with students losing their jobs, and the NGO has had to move into pastoral care to support the international student cohort.

These members work as business analysts, software developers, accountants, lawyers, and consultants, reflecting the aspirations of international students.

Some students identify as LGBTIQ+ and seek cultural safety and the non-judgemental safe space VicWISE offers.

Since 2020, VicWISE has supported the well-being of more than six thousand international students through pastoral care, tenancy and leasing, distribution of culturally relevant grocery boxes, providing volunteering opportunities and connecting students to recruiters and potential employers.

Calling three countries her home, Australia, Malaysia and India, this lady has a bag full of memories and stories of India from an International student's point of view.

Meet sixty-four-year-old Manorani Guy, a unique storyteller in her own right. Born in Malaysian to a Chinese mum and a Ceylonese Tamil dad, growing up with two mothers as Guy's father had two wives; she was the second wife's daughter.

A colourful childhood filled with many happy memories of living between two homes, celebrating three festive seasons: Chinese New Year, Diwali, and Christmas. Guy dressing up, getting three new outfits, shoes, unique home-cooked festive dishes, red packets with money and surrounded by family and friends each year.

From a very young age Guy was exposed to different restaurants and cuisines. She would learn to use a knife and fork alongside eating with her fingers on banana leaves.

But suddenly, life took a massive turn when her Indian grandma shipped her and her sister to India to study, and the protected life of maid and servant was soon a distant memory.

She became an international student at fourteen, finishing high school in Madras.

Her school uniform was a sari for five years. She would dribble a basketball and at the same time walk like a lady in a sari, providing care as a parent to her younger sister.

Guy's dad passed away during her first year in India, and her mum was separated from the family for over eight years, losing all contact with her.

Melbourne is where her love for her students started while advocating for students drove her to study for a diploma in International Education and volunteer more than ten years ago.

"I find tremendous joy when I can help and make a difference in the lives of international students and others."

Wearing two hats can sometimes be difficult, but Guy as the business owner and Guy, as the President of an NGO called VicWISE that she founded eight years ago, does it naturally and wholeheartedly.

Guy started designing and building her boarding house to reflect a home away from home for her students twenty- five years ago. Along with her husband Malcolm, she wanted them to have a sense of belonging and to return home most days to a delicious homecooked meal and know that there is someone they can confide in on any topic at any time and feel safe.

It is also about providing them with life skills, legal literacy and being streetwise.

Guy recalls how intimidating it was because she did not come from an academic background, eventually becoming the Victorian/Tasmanian President of an NGO called ISANA for four years.

She brought in three projects back-to-back -in the history of the Victorian branch- and offered volunteering opportunities and paid roles to over eighty-two students. Guy was also elected President between 2018-2019 on the ISANA VIC/TAS committee.

Some of these students found full-time roles after they completed the projects.

VicWISE is a registered NGO with a multidisciplinary board of professionals led by President Guy; since 2020, it has expanded its volunteer base to welcome international

Issues relating to the sharp rise in the cost of living, the rental situation, and the unequal impact this is having on this cohort not having any safety nets and being unable to access safe, affordable accommodation, and the high level of anxiety they're experiencing.

More recently, the City of Melbourne funded VicWISE to conduct ‘Amazing Race 2022’ to promote social cohesion and inclusion; more than one hundred and seventy international students from thirtyseven countries attended.

Leadership is not about being in charge; it's about caring for those in your charge. Anyone can learn to be a great leader – it's a practice, and the first requirement is to want to be one."

As Guy has no children of her own, these students are her babies; many of her students are married, settled in Melbourne, and have children, and she has become the honorary grandma. Poh Poh, Nanas, Amama, and Granny are the adjectives she has inherited along the way.

Guy sees VicWISE as a connector, a bridge to help students identify pathways to find employment, build their self-esteem, develop their emotional intelligence, gain knowledge in legal literacy and become streetwise.

Her dream is to establish a one-stop shop codesigned and run by the students where their voices echo, being present with them and empowering them.

Life has taught Guy to appreciate the fleeting moments and be aware of them; otherwise, one seems to miss out on the great joy in their life.

Guy has dared to go where few go beyond to work for the service of students, and this is how unique her journey has been and will be in the following years to come.

By Nandita Chakraborty

A Doctor For Generations

The story of Dr. Pallavi Sharma and her journey towards a force to reckon with in the Australian medical world.

“They did not want a brown doctor treating them.”

Dr. Pallavi Sharma remembers with a laugh, harking back to the early eighties when an ambitious lady had travelled overseas with the dual new roles of a young doctor and young wife. The impressions of today’s multicultural atmosphere were yet to be formed. The migrant population was nascent and growing, and the skills of an Indian in Australia were looked at with a circumspect vision if not always with a scorn. But she took it all in her stride, for the hunger to learn and excel on the job far outweighed the occasional brickbat she received as a foreigner.

Fast-forward to 2023, she is now widely recognised in Melbourne’s circuit of Medicine as an all-purpose General Physician, an expert in Obstetrics, Cosmetology, and more recently during the pandemic – a remote medical caregiver. Plenty has changed in these years, she notes: technology, science, medical advancements. But the one constant in the face of all changes remains her keenness to learn something new on the job every day.

“A medical student never stops studying,” she attests to the well-known theory that has been perpetuated about the discipline

for years. “It is the only way to keep pace with a fast-evolving medical industry and therefore to be able to service one’s patients better.” Hence after completing her Diploma in Obstetrics from India, she went on to complete an MBBS from the University of Queensland in 2001 and then a Fellowship from the Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP). Not quite done yet, she then obtained a degree in Aesthetic Medicine.

“The average person’s consciousness about his own and his kin’s health and appearance is increasing by the day,” she says. A doctor’s job has stepped beyond the remit of curing a mere malaise and is taking on the responsibility of being a life specialist that counsels people towards a better lifestyle pre-empting any adverse effects that are brought about by unhealthy habits. Always one to walk the talk, Dr. Sharma is an avid fitness enthusiast herself and loves a good bicycle hike or a run when she can steal some time away from her work routine. “I want to let my patients know if I can stick to my outdoor routine at my age, they very well can too. And it does wonders in restoring my peace of mind after a hard day at work.”

The importance of peace of mind for

a medico cannot be overstated in an era that was ravaged by a pandemic and even today continues to reel from its aftershocks. Staff at hospitals and clinics were severely overworked and often had to calmly bear the wrath of anxious patients and antivaccine advocates. So how did doctors overcome their own anxiety and stress while helping the world cope with theirs? “We have each other,” she says. The medical fraternity has stood for their own during these tough times, bearing testament to the nobility of this profession that recognizes doctors to be as human and vulnerable as the people they work for. In Dr. Sharma’s case, she has had an in-house confidante in her older son who is a doctor himself and empathizes with the strain one has to grapple with.

We ask her how she looks back and reflects upon the four decades she has accumulated her wisdom and experience from. But she is only getting started, even as she was recently made the face of the RACGP campaign that goes on to further embolden her passion for General Practice. Besides which, she also specializes in Adolescent Health, Women’s Health, Preventive Care, Geriatric, Paediatric.

At an hour that she does none of these, she regales people with her multi-linguistic proficiency as well as her love for good poetry. For what fun is a life without a bit of diversity thrown into the mix?

By Nishant Kaushik

DISCOVER THE HIDDEN GEMS OF INDIA

Want to make your long weekend activities more interesting? Why not explore off-the-beatenpath locations that are guaranteed to thrill you and find India’s hidden gems? Many of us are reviewing our trip checklists, dusting off our bags, and exploring the uncharted regions as people are starting to warm up to travelling once more.

India is a diverse country with a fascinating past and culture that has long captivated visitors. There are numerous well-known tourist destinations in the nation, but there are also undiscovered treasures that are just ready to be discovered. These locations, which range from Assam’s breathtaking Majuli island to Himachal Pradesh’s ‘Mini Switzerland of India’, are sure to send your pulse racing.

In order to help you find India’s lesser-known gems over the upcoming long weekend, IANSlife spoke with Yatra.com, one of the country’s top travel agencies, and put together a list of 5 unique locations you simply must visit.

MAUJLI, ASSAM

Majuli is a lovely island that can be found in Assam’s Brahmaputra River. It is known for its culture and natural beauty and is the largest river island in the globe. There are numerous indigenous communities on the island, and visitors can learn about their traditional way of living. Majuli is renowned for its distinctive design, with many of its homes being constructed on stilts and featuring elaborate carvings. On foot or by bicycle, visitors can tour the island and take in the breathtaking views of the river and the surrounding landscape.

Travelers today encounter the inconvenience of checking into a motel for a few hours but being charged for an entire day’s stay while taking in the sights and sounds of a new location.

Fortunately, Yatra saves the day with Flexi accommodations. Therefore, you only pay for the time spent at the hotel, regardless of whether you remain there for 4 hours or 3 days. Now, visitors can take advantage of their stays without having to spend extra time.

HAMPI, KARNATAKA

In the Indian state of Karnataka, there is an ancient settlement called Hampi. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and served as the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, one of South India’s most potent empires. Hampi is wellknown for its impressive ruins, which include 14th-century churches, palaces, and other buildings. The buildings’ elaborate carvings and sculptures can be admired as visitors tour the ruins on foot or by bicycle. Hampi is a fantastic location to sample regional cuisine and South Indian custom.

KHAJJIAR, HIMACHAL PRADESH

Khajjiar is a small town located in the district of Chamba in Himachal Pradesh. It is often referred to as the ‘Mini Switzerland of India’ because of its scenic beauty and tranquil surroundings. The town is situated at an altitude of 6,500 feet and is surrounded by lush green meadows and dense forests. Visitors can enjoy trekking, horse riding, and other outdoor activities, or simply relax and soak up the natural beauty of the area. Khajjiar is also home to many ancient temples and historical monuments that offer a glimpse into the town’s rich cultural heritage.

GOKARNA, KARNATAKA

Gokarna is a small town located on the coast of Karnataka. It is well-known for its immaculate beaches and laid-back atmosphere, making it a favourite spot for backpackers and tourists trying to get away from the hustle and commotion of city life. Many historic shrines, including the Lord Shiva-dedicated Mahabaleshwar Temple,

can be found in Gokarna. Visitors can unwind on one of the town’s stunning beaches and enjoy sunbathing, yoga on the sand, and other activities.

DZUKOU VALLEY, NAGALAND

In the province of Nagaland, there is a hidden gem called Dzukou Valley. With its gently rolling hills, verdant woods, and clear streams, it is renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty. The valley is a well-liked vacation spot for those who enjoy the outdoors and wildlife because it is home to numerous unique and endangered species of plants and animals. The Naga people, who have lived in the valley for generations, have a distinctive culture that visitors can experience while trekking and camping there.

Travelers occasionally plan and reserve their upcoming trip while fully aware that these plans could still be derailed by sickness or any other change in travel itinerary. Yatra steps in to save the day by giving their customers the option of “cancellation protection,” which enables them to alter their flight plans or request a complete refund on domestic flights without incurring any cancellation fees.

India is a nation filled with surprises, to sum it up. What are you still holding out for? It’s time to move past the commonplace and investigate the extraordinary! Experience India’s hidden gems and make experiences that will last a lifetime. These unusual locations are guaranteed to make you feel alive and renewed, whether you’re looking for adventure, peace, or just a chance to get away from the city. Pack your bags and embark on an unforgettable trip to discover India’s lesser-known gems. Your extended weekend has just become much more thrilling! (IANSlife)

NEED TO STOP DRINKING TEA FIRST THING IN THE MORNING

Tea is not only a tasty beverage to drink with friends, to welcome guests with, or to have by our sides when we want to be alone with our thoughts, but it also has many health benefits, such as the catechins and antioxidants in black tea, which can enhance immunity and metabolism.

Drinking bed tea first thing in the morning is a typical practice in the majority of Indian households. While tea can be a delicious and comforting beverage, it does contain caffeine, which is a stimulant that can have an impact on the body. Drinking tea or any other caffeinated beverage first thing in the morning on an empty stomach can lead to increased acidity and digestive discomfort. This is because caffeine can stimulate the production of stomach acid, which can cause irritation and inflammation.

Additionally, drinking tea in the morning can interfere with the body’s natural cortisol production. According to Dietician Vidhi Chawla, “Cortisol is a hormone that helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle and provides energy throughout the day. When you consume caffeine in the morning, it can interfere with the body’s ability to produce cortisol, which can lead to feelings of fatigue and sluggishness later in the day.”

Vidhi Chawla, the founder of Fisico Diet Clinic, highlights several potential negative effects of drinking tea first thing in the morning:

Stomach irritation: Drinking tea on an empty stomach can cause irritation in the stomach

lining, leading to discomfort, bloating, and nausea.

Dehydration: Tea is a diuretic, which means it increases urine output and can cause

dehydration, especially in the morning when your body is already dehydrated from not having any water for several hours.

Disrupts nutrient absorption: Tea contains tannins, which can bind to minerals such as iron and calcium, making them less available for absorption by the body.

Tooth decay: Tea contains natural acids that can erode tooth enamel, especially when consumed in large amounts or over a long period.

The optimum time to consume tea, according to celebrity nutritionist Pooja Makhija, is in the middle of the morning after breakfast because this is when our metabolic process begins to work smoothly.

Makhija also suggests, “Boost your morning with wholesome alternatives. The morning should be spent consuming alkaline beverages like buttermilk or lukewarm water with a pinch of Himalayan pink salt, claims Lokendra Tomar. To reset your system after a long night of sleep, you can even start your day with lime or methi water. Aloe vera juice, simple coconut water, raw honey, and a few drops of apple cider vinegar or coconut vinegar in water are more healthy alternatives. These beverages are far healthier and superior to a hot cup of tea first thing in the morning.”

By N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe

THE ULTIMATE HACK TO CONTROL SUGAR CRAVINGS

Sugar cravings can be a real problem for many people. They can be difficult to resist and can lead to overeating, obesity and other health problems. Before we dive into the solutions, let’s first understand why we crave sugar. When we consume sugar, it triggers the release of dopamine in our brain, which gives us a feelgood experience. This is why we tend to reach for sugary foods when we are stressed, tired or sad. Fortunately, there are some simple hacks that can help you control your sugar cravings and stay on track with your health and fitness goals.

One of the most effective hacks for controlling sugar cravings is to control your blood sugar levels. The key to this hack is to eat foods that are low on the glycemic index. The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly foods raise your blood sugar levels. Foods that are high on the glycemic index cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels, followed by a crash. This crash can trigger sugar cravings and cause you to reach for sugary snacks.

To avoid these spikes and crashes, try incorporating apple cider vinegar into your diet. Apple cider vinegar has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar levels. You can add apple cider vinegar to your salad dressings, marinades, or even mix it with water and drink it before meals. I personally make sure that all my clients take apple cider vinegar before their carb-rich meals.

Another way to control your blood sugar levels and avoid sugar cravings is to eat more vegetables. Vegetables are low on the glycemic index and are also high in fibre, which helps to slow down the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream. Aim to eat a variety of different coloured vegetables every day, including leafy

greens, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and bell peppers.

A balanced diet that is rich in protein can also help to control blood sugar spikes and cravings. Protein is slow to digest, which means it can help to keep you feeling full for longer and prevent blood sugar spikes. Make sure to include protein in every meal and snack, such as chicken breast, eggs, Greek yogurt, or a protein shake. In EFR’s nutrition plans, I always suggest eating vegetables and protein before carbohydrates in order to control insulin levels which in turn curbs sugar cravings.

Often, we mistake our thirst for hunger or sugar cravings. Drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated throughout the day can reduce our sugar cravings significantly. Moreover, consuming herbal teas, coconut water, or other low-sugar beverages can help us stay hydrated while reducing our sugar intake. In addition to these dietary hacks, there are some other strategies that can help you control your sugar cravings. One of the most effective is to practice mindful eating. This means paying attention to your body’s hunger and fullness cues and being present while you eat. Avoid eating while distracted, such as while watching TV or scrolling through your phone.

Getting regular exercise can also help to control sugar cravings. Exercise helps to stabilise blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity, which can reduce sugar cravings. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise most days of the week. Sleep is crucial for our overall health, and inadequate sleep can lead to sugar cravings. When we are sleep deprived, lepton, the satiety hormone goes down, and ghrelin, the hunger hormone increases, which are the hormones that stimulate our appetite.

When we are tired, we have decision fatigue, and we may also be more drawn to sugary foods as they provide a quick energy boost. However, this short-lived high is followed by a crash, leaving us feeling fatigued and lethargic. This is why we crave sugar again, hoping to achieve that same high. By getting enough sleep and ensuring that our body is well-rested, we can reduce our sugar cravings significantly.

Stress can also be a trigger for sugar cravings, so finding ways to manage stress is important. This could include practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, or deep breathing, or engaging in a stress-reducing activity such as reading, listening to music, or taking a walk in nature. In conclusion, controlling blood sugar levels is the ultimate hack for curbing sugar cravings. Incorporating apple cider vinegar, vegetables, and protein into your diet, practicing mindful eating, getting regular exercise, and managing stress can all help to control blood sugar levels and reduce sugar cravings. Try these hacks for yourself and see how much easier it is to resist those sugar cravings and stay on track with your health and fitness goals.

I would like to highlight that controlling sugar cravings is not about deprivation or strict diet regimes. It is about listening to our body, understanding our cravings, and adopting healthy habits that work for us. Begin by cutting out sugar gradually. When you cut out sugar entirely, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, potentially leading to a binge. Instead, begin by reducing your sugar intake by half for a week or two, and then aim to cut it even further. By making small changes in our lifestyle, we can reduce our sugar cravings and lead healthier, more fulfilling life.

By Ruchi Sharma

5 MUST-HAVE TECH TOOLS FOR WOMEN TO STAY SAFE FROM CYBER HARASSMENT

Cyber harassment is a menace that can present itself in all shapes and forms. For women, this issue can even extend outside of chatrooms and social media apps.

While we are far from having cyber harassment completely eliminated from digital platforms, technology can prove to be a brilliant assistance for women to safeguard themselves and help those who want to protect their identity and their personal information. Here are six tech tools that can help to stay safer when using their digital platforms and devices.

Anti - Spyware Software

An anti-spy software helps to detect and remove spyware that may be installed on your device. By regularly scanning your device for spyware, you can ensure that your sensitive information, such as passwords and personal data, remains protected. In addition to anti-spy software, other tech tools such as virtual private networks, encrypted messaging apps, and password managers can also be used to increase online safety and protect against cyber harassment.

Malware Removal

Malware can be put to task to track a person’s activity, and in some instances, can even be used to spy on women using their inbuilt cameras or microphones, and leak their personal information on third-party websites or the dark web. By installing a malware removal tool, women can detect, remove and protect against malicious software, such as viruses, Trojans, and ransomware. It is important to download appropriate malware software and scan the device once a week to ensure that the systems are not compromised in any way.

Caller Identification App

It is important for women to use a call identification app that can safeguard them from unwanted calls and text messages. These apps can help create a safety net for women to screen calls and avoid answering potentially threatening or harassing calls from unknown numbers and even block and report them if need be. Moreover, these apps can also protect women’s privacy by filtering out spam calls and blocking unwanted calls, ensuring that their personal information and phone numbers remain safe and secure.

Security Analytics Platform

Security analytics platforms use advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques

to analyze network traffic and detect anomalies or suspicious activity, including phishing attacks, malware infections, and account takeovers. Downloadable security analytics tools can help combat specific types of online harassment by detecting and blocking attempts to leak or distribute private information. Furthermore, they can also be used to monitor social media activity and identify fake accounts or trolls that harass women online.

Encrypted File Transfer (to share sensitive files)

If there is ever a need to share sensitive or personal data over mail or over a virtual platform, it is important to use encrypted file transfer platforms. By doing so, one can ensure that any sensitive

information shared over the internet is protected from unauthorised access or theft during transmission. These platforms use encryption to scramble the data being transferred, making it unreadable to anyone who intercepts it.

The prevalence of cyber harassment and increasing cases across the globe highlight the importance of taking proactive measures to protect oneself online. Tech companies must also work in conjunction with local authorities and law enforcement to ensure that there are adequate laws, policies, and infrastructure in place to tackle cyber harassment effectively. By working together, we can create a safer and more inclusive digital environment for everyone.

(IANSlife)

Removing biological parent from the birth records of a child

BY GURPAL SINGH

We have seen increasing enquiry regarding removal of the biological father’s name from the birth certificate of a child. The mother apparently, is guided by the hateful and broken relationship with the father of the child, doesn’t want the child to know about the biological parentage or paternity. In some cases, the mother who has partnered intends that the new partner be known to the child as her biological father for the child doesn’t know and see only the new partner being the person in the home and with the mother. Issue of parentage leads to different complexities to the children born to single parents or same-sex couples including the various advancements in reproductive technology and increased use of surrogacy. For the purposes of common law, a child conceived or born in a wedlock, the mother’s husband was deemed to be the father unless at the time of conception, the partners/ spouses were subject to a separation order. The family Law Act outlines the presumption where parentage is in issue, displacing the common law position. These presumptions include the child born to a woman who is married to a man is presumed to be a child of that marriage. A child is further presumed to be a child of the marriage if born to a woman within 44 weeks after the marriage is

terminated by the death of her husband or the marriage is annulled. This, however, doesn’t apply to same-sex couples. A presumption of paternity arises from unmarried cohabitation where a man and woman live together at any time during the period beginning 44 weeks prior to the birth of the child and ending not less than 20 weeks before the birth. However, this presumption doesn’t apply to same sex couple.

A child born as a result of an artificial conception procedure (ACP) either through an IVF clinic or an informal insemination procedure, would carry presumption where the mother was partnered and the child is born as a result of ACP is the child of the

mother and her partner if at the time of the birth of the child, mother was married to or partnered with another person and the couple consented to carry out the procedure; the child is a child of the mother and her partner under a prescribed law.

In such a situation, whether child is biologically a child of the woman and of the other intended parent, they are parents for the purposes of the law and any other person who provided genetic material is not a parent of that child. The law further requires that a presumption of parentage arises from a person’s name being entered in either a register of births or a register of parentage information as being the parent of a child. The register must be kept by the law of the state of territory or a prescribed overseas jurisdiction. Also, when an Australian court or court of prescribed overseas jurisdiction makes an express or implied finding of parentage gives a rise to the presumption of parentage.

Such presumption can be rebutted by undertaking blood or DNA testing. The court is then empowered to make such a declaration and such a declaration is the conclusive evidence as to parentage and applicable to the laws of the commonwealth and incidental consequences.

In a case where the biological father is not dispute, can a mother ask for removal of the father’s details from the birth records for all intents and purposes? Father’s name can only be removed if an evidence can be provided in respect of the wrong entry of the name which implies that the DNA based parentage test declaring that the person named was not a biological father; the court order declaring the identity of the father. The parent’s name can only be removed if it was incorrectly entered. It can’t be removed at the call of one parent out of a vindictive attitude.

Gurpal Singh is the principal lawyer of Melbourne law firm, Saundh Singh & Smith Lawyers

How to strike a work and personal life balance?

BY ARCHITA BAWEJA

Many people are 'time poor', constantly rushing to juggle different commitments. Finding a suitable balance between work and daily living is a challenge almost all fulltime workers face. Families are particularly affected. The ability to successfully combine work, family commitments and personal life is important for the well-being of all members in a household.

A good work-life balance means you have harmony between the different aspects of your life. The benefits gained from each area are able to support and strengthen the other part.

I have personally faced this situation where my work life started to affect my wellbeing and social life. My company wanted me to work long hours on weekdays and sometimes also on the weekends. I had to finally quit my job but not all people have that privilege. Now the question is how to improve this balance between work and personal life?

1.) Know yourself and your values: Spend time thinking about what is important to you in life. What are your priorities, consider your passion and interests and

make time for the things that make you feel happy.

2.) Let go of perfectionism: Don’t strive for the perfect schedule; strive for a realistic one. Some days, you might focus more on work, while other days you might have more time and energy to pursue your hobbies or spend time with your loved ones. Balance is achieved over time, not every day.

3.) Make health your priority: Your

overall physical, emotional and mental health should be your main concern. Prioritising your health can be as simple as daily meditation or exercise. If you are not feeling your best health-wise for whatever reason, take some time off and recharge. When you get back to work you will feel more productive and passionate to work.

4.) Love your job: Love what you do or at least enjoy working or be passionate about what you do. While all work can be tedious or stressful at times, if you really hate your job or it’s making life impossible, consider changing jobs or even careers.

5.) Unplug: Cutting ties with the outside world from time to time allows us to recover from weekly stress and gives us space for other thoughts and ideas to emerge. Unplugging can mean something simple like practising meditation on your daily commute, instead of checking work emails. Schedule regular time off for yourself each week to read a book, play sport, spend time in nature or just do nothing. Choose any activity you enjoy. Sometimes, truly unplugging means taking a vacation and shutting work completely off for a while. Whether your vacation consists of a one-day staycation or a two-week trip to Fiji, it’s important to take time off to physically and mentally recharge.

6.) Set boundaries and learn to say no: Set limits on your work time and set aside time for other activities. Switch off the phone, limit your access to work emails or go internet-free for a few hours. Learn how to say ‘no’ when there are a lot of things in hand.

Hope the above points help you strike that balance between work and your personal life. This balance helps boost a pleasant family life along with a fulfilling career.

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

AI A BIGGER THREAT THAN AUTOMATON TO MILLIONS OF JOB-SEEKERS

Till about a couple of months ago, the whole discussion regarding machines taking away human jobs was centred around automation and robots/humanoids. The arrival of ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence (AGI) models have sparked a real, and bigger threat.

What began as a conversational tool via prompts is likely to replace human workers doing certain jobs, beginning with industries like IT/software/tech and media/creative agencies and new-age platforms serving the digital economy.

However, it is still early days for AI -- trained on large language models (LLMs) -- to take away jobs across the spectrum amid larger scrutiny but specific clues have emerged.

IBM CEO Arvind Krishna told Bloomberg in an interview this week: “I could easily see 30 per cent of jobs getting replaced by AI and automation over a five-year period.”

The tech giant has around 26,000 workers so nearly 7,800 jobs could be replaced by AI in the coming years.

However, this transition won’t be immediate and IBM will first pause hiring for those roles it deems could be replaced by AI, particularly those for back-office or non-customer facing roles, said its CEO.

According to Arundhati Bhattacharya, CEO and Chairperson for Salesforce India and a former SBI Chairperson, generative artificial intelligence has a blessing in disguise as it can take away a lot of the grunge or repetitive work in India and leave people to actually perform more creative work.

“What generative AI actually will help us do is actually curate things so that they can be made relevant to us. If you ask them the questions in the right manner is where AI can actually help,” Bhattacharya told IANS recently.

According to a report by global investment bank Goldman Sachs, AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs and Generative AI, able to create content indistinguishable from human work, is “a major advancement”.

Global technology company Zoho’s CEO and co-founder Sridhar Vembu said that AI poses a serious threat to several programming jobs.

Referring to the conversational AI platforms like ChatGPT and others, Vembu said that he has been saying internally for the past

4-5 years that “ChatGPT, GPT4, and other AI being created today will first affect the jobs of many programmers”.

According to Carl Benedikt Frey, future-ofwork director at the Oxford Martin School, Oxford University, the only thing he is sure of is that “there is no way of knowing how many jobs will be replaced by generative AI”.

“What ChatGPT does, for example, is allow more people with average writing skills to produce essays and articles. Journalists will therefore face more competition, which would drive down wages, unless we see a very significant increase in the demand for such work,” Frey told BBC News.

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and OpenAI, the developer behind ChatGPT, recently investigated the potential implications of large language models (LLMs), such as Generative Pretrained Transformers (GPTs), on the US labour market.

The findings revealed that around 80 per cent of the workforce could have at least 10 per cent of their work tasks affected by the introduction of LLMs, while approximately 19 per cent of workers may see at least 50 per cent of their tasks impacted.

“We do not make predictions about the development or adoption timeline of such LLMs. The projected effects span all wage levels, with higher-income jobs potentially facing greater exposure to LLM capabilities and LLM-powered software,” the researchers noted.

Significantly, these impacts are not restricted to industries with higher recent productivity growth.

“Our analysis suggests that, with access to an LLM, about 15 per cent of all worker tasks could be completed significantly faster at the same level of quality. When incorporating software and tooling built on top of LLMs, this share increases to between 47 and 56 per cent of all tasks,” they warned.

Jobs in agriculture, mining and manufacturing are the least exposed to generative AI, while jobs in the information processing industries, like IT, are the most exposed to AI models, the study said.

The World Economic Forum also predicts that AI will bring three changes to the finance division: job cuts, job creation, and increased efficiency.

Banks have already started incorporating AI into their business models. Morgan Stanley has begun using OpenAI-powered chatbots to organise its wealth management database.

Kristian Hammond, chief scientist of Natural Sciences, told the BBC that in 15 years, “90 per cent of news will be written by machines”.

Some tech firms have started hiring “prompt managers” to help with certain office tasks via AI chatbots.

AI appears to be fast turning into a monster that will knock at our doors any time and according to experts, it is pertinent for the future workforce to learn AI skills.

By Nishant Arora

META INTRODUCES IMPROVED AVATARS WITH NEW BODY SHAPES, HAIR, CLOTHING

Meta (formerly Facebook) has introduced new body shapes, improved hair and clothing textures to its avatars to help users better express themselves.

The company also announced that over one billion avatars have been created across its platforms. “Today we’re announcing some improvements to Meta Avatars that will help freshen up your look just in time for spring. We’re adding a handful of new avatar body shapes to help you better express yourself -- especially if expressing yourself means dancing along to ‘Hips Don’t Lie’,” Meta said in a blogpost on Thursday.

Under new body shapes, the company has added more choices for users to choose from a wider range of body shape options, including two curvier body shapes for the femme-presenting.

WHATSAPP ROLLING OUT ‘REPLY WITH MESSAGE’ FEATURE WITHIN CALL NOTIFICATIONS

Meta-owned WhatsApp is reportedly rolling out a new “reply with a message” feature within call notifications to some beta testers on Android. The company said that it will be rolling out the feature to even more people over the coming days. According to WABetaInfo, this feature will allow users to easily decline an incoming call and send a message to the caller at the same time. WhatsApp users will now notice a new “reply” button on incoming call notifications, which will appear alongside the existing “decline” and “answer” buttons.

If a user chooses to tap on the “reply” button, the incoming call will be rejected, and a message box will open automatically, allowing the user to send a quick message to the caller, the report said. This feature can come in handy in situations where the user cannot answer a call, such as during a meeting, but still wishes to acknowledge the caller and convey that they will respond as soon as possible. Meanwhile, WhatsApp has announced that users will now be able to use the same WhatsApp account on more than one phone via its multi-device login feature.

Users can now link their phone as one of up to four additional devices. This update has started rolling out to users globally and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks, the company said. (IANS)

Moreover, the company said it is also refining some of its existing options to help differentiate them as well.

Meta has also revamped the appearance of an avatar’s hair, clothing, and eyes in stickers, profile pictures,

cover photos, and more.

“Sparing you the nitty-gritty technical breakdown, we’ve added additional detail and realism to both hair and clothing, meaning whether you’re rocking a clean fade and suit or bedhead and sweats, your avatar should “pop” a little better than before,” Meta said.

“We’ve also tweaked our lighting model to add a little more of a reflective gleam to your eyes, making them sparkle and bring your personality to life,” it added.

Meta has also collaborated with PUMA to add seven new outfits to the Meta Avatars Store, which debuted last year and allows users to purchase digital clothing for their avatars.

INSTAGRAM IS TESTING SONGS IN PHOTO CAROUSELS

Instagram may come up with an update that will make your photo carousels more attractive.

As per The Verge, the company is testing a new feature that will let you add songs to the photo carousels you post to the platform. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the news on his Instagram broadcast channel, noting that it’s already available in a “few countries with more to come.”

Aside from that, Zuckerberg also mentioned that Instagram is testing a way to add music to Notes, the AIM-like feature that lets you share status with friends.

This comes days after Instagram rolled

out a redesigned video editor for Reels along with other creator features. Also, users can now add up to five links in their bio along with their titles.

“This makes it easier to align and time elements of your reel to the right moments in a more visual way,” Meta wrote.

The company noted further that additional editing tools are on the way as it continues to try to chip away at TikTok’s dominance.

Also, Instagram has upgraded the Reels insights page to give creators a deeper sense of how their videos are performing.

10 FEATURES TO MAKE YOUR ONLINE DATING EXPERIENCE SAFER

Indian individuals use dating apps to meet new people, both logically and emotionally. But before they do, Tinder wants to kindly remind them that safety is absolutely paramount. Despite the fact that you have no influence over other people’s activities, there are measures you can take, made possible by a few useful features, to keep yourself safe while using the App.

A recent Tinder survey found that 28 per cent of young adults are aware of the safety features that are available but have never used them, 29 per cent are aware of them and have occasionally utilised them, and 20 per cent are unsure of the variety of safety features that are offered.

Mutual matching

The app allows you to start a conversation only when you have mutually swiped right on each other. Both parties must express mutual interest before you can chat. So, cheer up and forget about unsolicited messages from strangers.

Pro tip: Keeping conversations on the platform is a great (and safe) idea as it only allows texts, emojis and video calls so don’t worry about receiving any unwanted pictures. Be cautious and alert if your match tries to move the conversation to phone calls or other apps right away - they could be trying to bypass Tinder’s Safe Message Filters.

Bio Guidance

One common mistake a lot of us make while creating a profile is oversharing personal information like email address or phone number. This is when Bio Guidance comes handy! It is an additional step to ensure you understand what’s acceptable on Tinder while also helping protect your personal information. The feature removes all sensitive information from your bio, lets you know why and gives you another shot at writing your bio.

Photo Verification

Worried about fake profiles? You can have more trust that they really look like their pics with Photo Verification feature. You can even choose to only see people who are already Photo Verified (identified through a blue tick against their name), thanks to Tinder Explore.

Video Chat

With in-app video calling feature, you can start a video call with your match directly on the app! So, what are you waiting for? Get ready to meet your match face to face digitally, verify if they are genuine and better assess whether the chemistry is there before

meeting them IRL.

Unmatch

It’s fairly simple to swipe left to reject and swipe right to match. But what if you swiped right too soon? You can unmatch someone at any time for any reason. Once unmatched, that person will no longer appear in your match list or message list. And if it is something more serious, you can also report them once you have unmatched.

Reporting

From profiles, media, to conversations, it makes it easy to quickly report accounts. You can report someone directly from a profile or through their match list and can even report someone who has unmatched you. Every report is taken seriously. In addition to its in-app reporting, it also recently announced long press reporting that lets you tap and hold offensive messages and launches the reporting flow directly in the chat experience, making it even easier to report in-app.

Block Contacts and Block Profile

Don’t want to see your boss, ex or family member while swiping? Block Contacts allows you to block personal contacts you would rather not see, nor be seen by within the app. Block Profile, a new addition to the safety features portfolio, is another important step to give you the option to choose who you want to see on Tinder. When profiles are suggested, before matching, you can block them, so they don’t show up again.

Does This Bother You? (DTBY)

This feature will ask you ‘Does This Bother You?’ when you receive a potentially offensive messages. If you respond ‘yes’ to the prompt, you will have the option to report the sender for their behaviour. This feature

has increased reporting of harassment by 46 per cent.

Are You Sure? (AYS)

Similar to DTBY, this feature will prompt you ‘Are You Sure?’ if you or the sender are about to share a potentially offensive message. It not only relies on people reporting inappropriate content, it also works to catch it proactively. Egregious behaviour and patterns of inappropriate content can result in someone’s removal. This feature is reducing potentially harmful messages sent by 10 per cent.

PS: Both Are you Sure? and Does This Bother You? have been recently updated to include more language that classifies as harmful or inappropriate, such as terms related to hate speech, sexual exploitation or harassment which are against its Community Guidelines.

Traveller Alert

If you identify yourself as belonging from the LGBTQIA+ community and are travelling IRL or using Passport feature to swipe in a country with laws that penalise the community, you are alerted and given a choice to opt out before your profile is shown in the area.

However, safety must always come first. You can also check out the Safety Centre, an interactive feature that is already included in the app and includes a variety of local resources, articles, tips, quizzes, and information about privacy and safety features, to learn more about these features and how they operate. Through your settings or the safety shield that appears while you’re chatting, you can access it whenever you want.

WARM-UP TIME CAN ENHANCE CREATIVITY AND CREATE MORE EQUITABLE WORKPLACE

A new research claimed that employees who are not in positions of power can become more creative when given time to “warm up” to a task by engaging in the creative task more than once.

“This is important because when people with more power are able to express their creative ideas more than those with less power, it leads to a rich-get-richer dynamic that reinforces or exacerbates these power differentials,” said Brian Lucas, assistant professor in the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations and co-author of “Low Power Warm-up Effect: Understanding the Effect of Power on Creativity Over Time,” forthcoming in the July issue of Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. “Understanding ways to boost the creativity of lower power workers can help them navigate this low-power disadvantage, generate more creative ideas and promote a more equitable workplace,” Lucas said.

In the study, Lucas and his co-authors found that although low-power individuals are less creative than high-power individuals at the beginning of a creative task, they can eventually catch up and match high-power individuals’ creativity.

This is because the creative task provided feelings of autonomy and liberation that eventually help them overcome their lowpower disadvantage, the researchers said.

Lucas and his co-authors conducted three studies to reach their conclusion. In the first study, they divided the creative idea generation session into two rounds consisting of a one-minute “warm up” followed by a second round in which the participants could take as long as they wanted. Participants were randomly assigned to a high-power condition or a low-power condition, and feelings of power were induced with a role manipulation where participants were given a leadership role and control over resources (high power) or an employee role with no control over resources (low power). The study found that high-power individuals were more creative than low-power individuals in the warm-up round. There was no difference, though, in creativity in the second round.

In the second study, the researchers changed the creative task and increased the number of rounds from two sessions to five, taking as long as they like to complete the task. In the final study,

they used two different creative tasks across two rounds, both of which were one minute long. Consistent with the first study, these studies found that high-power individuals were more creative than lowpower individuals in the first round. But the creativity of low-power individuals “caught up” to the creativity of the high-power individuals after the first round. Results of the third study demonstrated that a different creativity task can also warmup low-power people for an unrelated creativity task.

“The experience of being creative can, in and of itself, have positive psychological consequences,” Lucas said.

“Given the high value of creative ideas for organizations and for the careers of the employees that champion them, it is important to cultivate strategies that empower all employees to tap their creative potential,” he said. “The low power warmup effect suggests a simple intervention that does just this and overcomes power differentials in the workplace: when pursuing creative work, let employees warm up first.”

HEALTH

JOYFUL MUSIC MIGHT BE A GAME CHANGER FOR VIRTUAL REALITY HEADACHES

decreased the intensity of nausea-related symptoms.

Cybersickness among the participants was associated with a temporary reduction in verbal working memory test scores, and a decrease in pupil size. It also significantly slowed reaction times and reading speed. The researchers also found higher levels of gaming experience were associated with lower cybersickness. There was no difference in the intensity of the cybersickness between female and male participants with comparable gaming experience.

Researchers say the findings show the potential of music in lessening cybersickness, understanding how gaming experience is linked to cybersickness levels, and the significant effects of cybersickness on thinking skills, reaction times, reading ability and pupil size.

Joyful music may be the answer to virtual reality problems. According to a study, listening to music might help reduce the dizziness, nausea, and headaches that virtual reality users may suffer after using digital gadgets. Cybersickness - a type of motion sickness from virtual reality experiences such as computer games - significantly reduces when joyful music is part of the immersive experience, the study found.

The intensity of the nausea-related symptoms of cybersickness was also found to substantially decrease with both joyful and calming music. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh assessed the effects of music in a virtual reality environment among 39 people aged between 22 and 36. They conducted a series of tests to assess the effect cybersickness had on a participant’s memory skills reading speed and reaction times.

Participants were immersed in a virtual environment, where they experienced three roller coaster rides aimed at inducing cybersickness. Two of the three rides were accompanied by electronic music with no lyrics by artists or from music streams that people might listen to which had been selected as being calming or joyful in a previous study.

One ride was completed in silence and

the order of the rides was randomised across participants. After each ride, participants rated their cybersickness symptoms and performed some memory and reaction time tests. Eyetracking tests were also conducted to measure their reading speed and pupil size.

For comparison purposes the participants had completed the same tests before the rides. The study found that joyful music significantly decreased the overall cybersickness intensity. Joyful and calming music substantially

Dr Sarah E MacPherson, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences, said: “Our study suggests calming or joyful music as a solution for cybersickness in immersive virtual reality. Virtual reality has been used in educational and clinical settings but the experience of cybersickness can temporarily impair someone’s thinking skills as well as slowing down their reaction times. The development of music as an intervention could encourage virtual reality to be used more extensively within educational and clinical settings.”

(AGENCIES)

LOW FAT FOODS MAY PROLONG LIFE, LESS CARBS CAN RAISE DEATH RISK

Health tip:

Sleeping

How Can Noise Cancellation Headphones Help You Get Good Teeth?

Does the noise of drills at the dentist’s make you run for life? You are not alone. The noise of dental drills cutting deep into your teeth is so scary people often avoid going to the dentist because of it. But what suffers the most from this dislike is your dental health. And you cannot compromise your dental health.

Eating low-carbohydrate diets may raise the risk of early death, claimed a study while noting that food products low on fat can prolong life.

Short-term clinical trials have shown the effectiveness of low-carbohydrate diets and low-fat diets for weight loss and cardiovascular benefits.

Low-fat diets include whole grain food, lean meat, reduced fat dairy, vegetables, lentils and fruits.

Low-carbohydrate diets, on the other hand, restrict carbohydrate consumption relative to the average diet.

Foods high in carbohydrates are limited and replaced with foods containing a higher percentage of fat and protein, as well as low carbohydrate foods.

The study, led by an international team of researchers from universities of Peking in China, Harvard and Tulane in the US, included 371,159 participants aged 5071 years.

The participants were followed for 23.5 years, and 165,698 deaths were recorded.

The findings, published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, showed that adopting a low-fat diet could slash the risk of death each year by up to 34 per cent.

Meanwhile, low carb diets increased mortality risk up to 38 per cent. People on keto-like diets were 28 per cent more likely to die from any cause when compared to their highcarb peers.

“Higher mortality was observed for overall lowcarbohydrate diet and unhealthy low-carbohydrate diet, but slightly lower risks for healthy low-carbohydrate diet,” the researchers wrote in the study.

“Our results support the importance of maintaining a healthy low-fat diet with less saturated fat in preventing all-cause and cause-specific mortality among middle-aged and older people,” they added.

Moreover, following a healthy low-fat diet was associated with significantly lower total mortality by 18 per cent, cardiovascular mortality by 16 per cent, and cancer mortality by 18 per cent, respectively, versus the lowest.

(AGENCIES)

To solve this issue, we, at Healthy Smiles Dental Group have introduced noise cancellation headphones at our clinic. Our principal dentist, Dr Ved Berani, says, “Noise cancellation headphones are becoming very popular these days. You can see hordes of people syncing to their favourite rhythms without disturbing others. So, we thought, why not use them for dentistry and provide comfort to our patients suffering from dental anxiety due to dental drilling noise. And it is working just fine. We treat many of our patients while they are using these headphones. Our greatest joy comes when we see them smiling carefree.”

Noise cancellation headphones have positively comforted anxious dental patients.

Let us learn more about how these noise cancellation headphones prove beneficial to the patients:

1. Music can uplift your mood faster

As we all know this proven fact, music is one of the best remedies when it comes to uplifting spirits. No matter how stressed a person is, good music can soothe all the lines on the forehead. When it comes to dental patients who are anxious about their dental treatment, we use the same concept. Our Healthy Smiles clinic provides Spotify streaming in all rooms. You need to select your favourite genre and tune in while we operate on your teeth. Patients have had a great experience with noise cancellation headphones.

2. It works to distract you from worries

Patients suffering from dental anxiety have all kinds of worries and troubling thoughts about a dental procedure. But when we explain the whole dental process in advance, it helps them feel in control of their surroundings with the knowledge of the proceedings in advance. And the noise cancellation headphones add to this comfort. They distract the patients from whatever that is left of the worries. Patients can relax throughout the whole dental procedure.

3. You can also watch a show of your choice on our screen

These noise cancellation headphones can also be synced with a TV screen on the ceiling. You can watch a TV show while our dentists work on your teeth. When the patients are relaxed, our dentists can also concentrate more on the treatment.

The aim behind using noise cancellation headphones for dentistry is to provide patients with a comfortable dental care experience. Our dentists enthusiastically work towards providing the best dental treatments using state-of-the-art technology so that you can leave all your anxieties behind and walk out with a confident smile.

Do not neglect to look after your teeth and oral health because a lot of health issues can stem from oral health conditions. Contact us today to make use of this new method of cancelling out the drill noise and pay your teeth all the attention they need. Visit our Blackburn clinic or call us on 03 9877 2035.

Ved Berani BDS(Mum), ADEC(Aust), MBA(Melb), FIADFE, MFGDP(UK)

on your back makes it easy for your head, neck, and spine to maintain a neutral position

Surgical masks can help kids fight respiratory infections

Using surgical masks can help children fight respiratory infections, claimed a study that found evidence that face masks can reduce the release of exhaled particles.

Similar to adults, children produce exhaled particles that vary in size and concentration across a range of activities. The production of exhaled particles that were 5 micrometre or smaller, which is the dominant mode of transmission of many respiratory viruses, increases significantly with coughing and sneezing.

But face masks -- especially surgical face masks -- effectively reduce the release of these and other sized particles, revealed the research published in the journal ‘Pediatric Investigation’.

“Our study provides direct evidence that face masks are effective in reducing the release of exhaled particles when used by school-aged children,” said corresponding author Peter P. Moschovis from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

“Understanding the factors that affect

respiratory particle emission can guide public health measures to prevent the spread of respiratory infections, which are a leading cause of death and hospitalisation among young children worldwide,” he added.

For the study, 23 healthy children were asked to perform activities that ranged in intensity (breathe quietly, speak, sing, cough, and sneeze) while wearing no mask, a cloth mask, or a surgical mask.

The results showed average exhaled particle concentration increased by intensity of activity, with the lowest particle concentration during tidal breathing and highest particle concentration during sneezing.

High-intensity activities were associated with an increase primarily in the respirable size (below 5 micrometre) particle fraction.

Both surgical and cloth masks reduced the production of exhaled particles during high-intensity activities, though surgical masks were associated with reduced particle emissions compared to cloth masks across all activities.

However, surgical masks outperformed cloth masks across all activities, especially within the respirable size fraction.

(AGENCIES)

Women twice likely to be hospitalised post heart attack than men

Women aged 55 years and younger have nearly double the risk of being hospitalised in the year immediately after a heart attack compared to men of similar age, according to a study.

The study of 2,979 patients -- 2,007 women and 972 men -- at 103 US hospitals showed that nearly 30 per cent of patients were hospitalised again in the year after first leaving the hospital following a heart attack.

Most of those re-visits peaked within the first month of a patient’s discharge, then slowly declined in subsequent months. The researchers found that women had nearly twice the risk (1.65 times higher risk) of hospitalisation than men.

For men and women, coronary-related complications -- those such as heart attacks and angina that are related to blood vessel blockage -- were the leading cause of re-hospitalisation. Yet, the rate of coronaryrelated complications for women was nearly 1.5 times higher than that of men -- driven in large part by risk factors such as obesity and diabetes.

Higher rates of risk factors such as obesity, heart failure, and depression among women most likely contributed to

the disparity, revealed the study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

“We have shown for the first time that rehospitalisations following heart attacks in women aged 55 and younger are accompanied by certain non-cardiac factors, such as depression and lowincome, that appear more common in women than men and are associated with more adverse outcomes,” said corresponding author Harlan M. Krumholz, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, in Connecticut, US.

“The study reveals a need for paying greater attention to these non-cardiac risk factors in younger women in order to help

design better clinical interventions and improve outcomes after discharge for a heart attack,” Krumholz added.

The re-hospitalisations were also caused by events not related to heart disease or stroke but due to non-cardiac reasons such as digestive problems, depression, bleeding, and pneumonia.

The reasons behind these higher non-cardiac rates are unclear, but the researchers found a higher percentage of women than men tended to identify as low income (48 per cent vs 31 per cent) and had a higher history of depression (49 per cent vs 24 per cent). While low income is not a medical measure, it is often associated with poor health status due to limited access to healthcare.

The risk for depression is known to increase following a heart attack and may be a risk factor in higher hospitalisation rates due in part to undertreatment of the condition in women. However, further studies will be needed to further explore how these factors affect disparate hospitalisations following a heart attack.

Breathing exercises may help reduce Alzheimer’s risk

Doing simple breathing exercises may help reduce risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, claimed a study. Researchers from the University of Southern California showed that a brief breathing session -- inhaling for a count of five, then exhaling for a count of five for 20 minutes twice a day for four weeks can have significant impacts.

Volunteers’ heart rate variability increased during each exercise period and the levels of amyloid-beta peptides circulating in their blood decreased over the four weeks of the experiment.

Accumulation of amyloid beta in the brain due to increased production and/or decreased clearance is believed to trigger the Alzheimer’s disease process.The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, may be the first to discover a way that adults, both young and old, can reduce their amyloid beta levels: via breathing exercises that lower the levels in our blood of these peptides associated with Alzheimer’s disease, the team said.

It is because the way we breathe affects our heart rate, which in turn affects our nervous system and the way our brain produces proteins

and clears them away, they explained. In the study, the team asked 108 participants, (half were young -- aged 18 to 30 and half were old -- aged 55 to 80), to do the exercises twice a day, for 20 minutes at a time.

The team also monitored their heart rates, which tended to rise in peaks as they inhaled and dip down to baseline as they exhaled. Their

goal was to increase the breathing-induced oscillations in their heart rate.

The researchers took blood samples before the participants began the experiment and again, after four weeks. They examined the plasma of participants from both groups, looking for amyloid beta peptides 40 and 42.

They found that plasma levels of both peptides decreased in the group who breathed slowly and tried to increase their heart rate variability (HRV) by increasing oscillations. The younger and the older adults also showed similar effects of the interventions on plasma amyloid beta levels.

“At least to date, exercise interventions have not decreased amyloid beta levels,” said Professor Mara Mather, who directs the Emotion and Cognition Lab at USC’s Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.

“Regularly practising slow-paced breathing via HRV exercise may be a low-cost and lowrisk way to reduce plasma amyloid beta levels and to keep them low throughout adulthood,” Mather added.

(AGENCIES)

Sugary sodas, fruit punch, lemonade may up early death risk in diabetics

Are you diabetic? Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages like sodas, fruit punch, and lemonade to cut down the risk of premature death, according to a study.

The study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health showed that high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages may also increase the incidence of mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD), among people with diabetes.

Every additional daily serving of a sugarsweetened beverages was associated with an 8 per cent higher all-cause mortality.

However, drinking beverages like coffee, tea, low-fat cow’s milk, and plain water was associated with lower risk of dying prematurely, revealed the study published online in The BMJ.

Replacing one daily serving of a sugarsweetened beverages with one serving of coffee was associated with an 18 per cent lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 20 per cent lower risk of CVD mortality; tea with 16

per cent and 24 per cent lower risk; plain water with a 16 per cent and 20 per cent lower risk; and low-fat cow’s milk with a 12 per cent and 19 per cent lower risk.

“Beverages are an important component of our diet, and the quality can vary hugely,” said lead author Qi Sun, Associate Professor in the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology.

“People living with diabetes may especially benefit from drinking healthy beverages - but data has been sparse. These findings help fill in that knowledge gap and may inform patients and their caregivers on diet and diabetes management,” Sun added.

The researchers analysed an average of 18.5 years of health data from 9,252 women and 3,519 men all of whom had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at baseline or at some point during the study.

“People living with diabetes should be picky about how they keep themselves hydrated,” said Sun. “Switching from sugar-sweetened beverages to healthier beverages will bring health benefits.”

(AGENCIES)

DIMPLE KAPADIA:

VETERAN ACTOR WHO PROVES AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

Veteran actor Dimple Kapadia is one of the best actors Indian cinema has ever had.

From making her Bollywood debut with the musical romantic drama film ‘Bobby’ opposite actor Late Rishi Kapoor in the year 1973, the 65-year-old actor has delivered numerous outstanding performances over her career span. Dimple has a list of several notable films to her name like ‘Saagar’, ‘Ram Lakhan’, ‘Batwara’, ‘Lekin..’, ‘Gardish’, ‘Krantiveer’ and many more to her name. Dimple has established a name for herself in Bollywood and is regarded as one of the finest actors.

‘Bobby’ became a massive commercial success and made her an overnight star. This year, the actor has delivered pathbreaking performances in the action thriller film ‘Pathaan’, Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Khapoor’s romantic comedy ‘Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar’ and in the recently released thriller series ‘Saas Bahu aur Flamingo’ for which she is currently getting a lot of praise from the audiences.

Helmed by Siddharth Anand, ‘Pathaan’ was released in January this year and also starred Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in the lead roles.

In the film, Dimple portrayed the role of Shah Rukh Khan’s boss.

She was also seen in director Luv Ranjan’s romantic comedy film ‘Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar’ alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor in which she portrayed the role of Ranbir’s mother. The audience praised the actor for her comic timing in the film.

Recently, the actor made an impactful performance in the thriller series ‘Saas Bahu aur Flamingo’ which is currently streaming on the OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar.

Helmed by Homi Adajania, the series stars Dimple Kapadia, Radhika Madan, Angira Dhar and Isha Talwar in lead roles.

The series is billed as a new spin on the ‘saas-bahu’ drama sub-genre that generally explores the power dynamics between tough, ruthless mothers-in-law and meeker

daughters-in-law.

‘Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo’ will instead feature “unapologetically hardcore” motherin-law and “steadfast and formidable” younger women.

On playing the character of Savitri in Saas, Bahu aur Flamingo, Dimple Kapadia said, “I’ll admit that Savitri’s family is dysfunctional at best as they draw daggers to be one up on each other. But if anyone from the outside threatens their existence, it could very likely be the last mistake that person makes. I did enjoy the action sequences - while I have done action in some of my films, this was unapologetic and raw! The ferocity and drama will be very engaging for the audience. I suggest you buckle up for this roller coaster.”

Dimple received massive responses from the audience for her performance in the series.

She made her OTT debut with the political drama series ‘Tandav’ in which she was seen alongside Saif Ali Khan. The series premiered on the OTT platform Amazon Prime Video.

Not just in Bollywood, she has also made a mark in Hollywood with her amazing performance in the legendary director Christopher Nolan’s thriller film ‘Tenet’.

Written and directed by Nolan, ‘Tenet’ stars John David Washington as a spy that is tasked with a mission to prevent a global war that sees him learn to manipulate the flow of time was released on 4 December 2020 in India. The film involves a concept called inversion, which is said to be a sort of communication with the future.

On the family front, six months after the release of ‘Bobby’, Dimple got hitched to superstar Rajesh Khanna, of whom she was a die-hard fan. Post her marriage, she decided to take a break from acting for some time.

However, they soon parted ways in the year 1982. Dimple was a mother of two by then, Twinkle and Rinke Khanna. She returned to making films after two years. According to Dimple, the reason for her and Rajesh Khanna’s split up was because they both were “different kind of people.” In 1984, she made her comeback and starred in films like ‘Zakhmi Sher’, ‘Saagar’, ‘Kaash’, ‘Drishti’ and ‘Rudaali’.

She received a National award for Best Actress for her performance in the Hindi language drama film ‘Rudaali’.

Helmed by Kalpana Lajmi and penned by the legendary writer Gulzar, the film received massive responses from the fans.

In 2001, she caught everyone’s attention with the role of a lonely, single mother whose younger neighbour (Akshaye Khanna) falls in love with her. She also received praise for her role in ‘Luck By Chance’.

She will be next seen in the upcoming romantic film ‘Jab Khuli Kitaab’ opposite veteran actor Pankaj Kapur. The movie will be presented by Applause Entertainment in association with Shoe Strap Films. Also, Saurabh Shukla has come on board to helm ‘Jab Khuli Kitaab’, which is based on his play of the same name.

The official release date of the film is still awaited.

AKSHAY, TIGER AND PRITHVIRAJ’S ‘BADE

MIYAN CHOTE MIYAN’ BLOCKS EID 2024

Actors Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff and Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ has been locked for Eid, 2024 release.

The makers of the action-entertainer have announced the release date. Pooja Entertainment released a BTS image which gives a glimpse into the film.

Akshay and Tiger also took to their Instagram accounts and shared an exclusive BTS image which gives a sneak-peek into a camaraderie to one of the high-octane action sequences of the film.

Producer-Actor Jackky Bhagnani shared: “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan has been one of our most ambitious projects and it has been a dream come true to work with three legends in their own rightsAkshay Sir, Prithviraj and Tiger. Their captivating screen energy amalgamated with world class action sequences along with entertainment, will blow away people’s mind. We can’t wait for the audiences to witness this grand spectacle in the theatres

on Eid 2024.”

The film has been shot across unseen and exotic locales across Scotland, London, India and UAE, with the biggest technical and international action crews.

Producer Deepshikha Deshmukh added: “The camaraderie between Akshay Sir & Tiger will captivate the audiences with their enigmatic screen presence, undeterred energy and high-octane action sequences woven magically together by Ali.”

Director Ali Abbas Zafar shared: “I am delighted to be an integral part of such a big franchise. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is very close to the audience’s heart and bringing all the entertaining elements in this mass entertainer for the audience was a tough and enjoyable experience.”

Vashu Bhagnani and Pooja

Entertainment presents ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ in association with AAZ film, written and directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, produced by Vashu Bhagnani, Deepshikha Deshmukh, Jackky Bhagnani, Himanshu Kishan Mehra and Ali Abbas Zafar.

‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ is all set to release on EID, 2024 in five languages.

ANIL KAPOOR REVEALS HOW HIS ICONIC ‘JHAKAAS’ GOT A LIFE OF ITS OWN

It has been over three decades to Anil Kapoor’s iconic dialogue ‘jhakaas’ as his film ‘Yudh’ has clocked 38 years in Hindi cinema.

Anil took to Twitter, where he shared a slew of stills from the film, which marked the directorial debut of producer Gulshan Rai’s son Rajiv Rai in 1985.

He wrote: “38 Years of #Yudh and 38 years since #Jhakassss came into our lives and never left!?? I always remember #Yudh very fondly for so many reasons! Working with the producer Gulshan Rai and his son Rajiv was a pleasure, Tina Munim was a fabulous co-star and Jackie was, as always, a blast!”

Anil shared that he also loved working with Nutan because “she was always so warm and caring, she

reminded me of my own mother.”

“Plus, who can forget a dream chance to dance with the one and only Hemaji! Yudh really was a gift that hasn’t stopped giving @dreamgirlhema @ bindasbhidu.”

‘Yudh’ stars Jackie Shroff, Anil in dual role, Tina Munim, Pran, Danny Denzongpa, Nutan, Shatrughan Sinha and Hema Malini. The film revolves around a policeman, who dies trying to save a woman named Savitri and her twin boys from a gangster.

While Savitri raises the policeman’s son, her own sons are raised by a lawyer and a kidnapper, respectively. Anil will next be seen in ‘Fighter’ starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone. (ANI)

(IANS)

’I’VE BEEN TERRIBLE AT PARTNER WORK,’ SAYS HRITHIK ROSHAN ABOUT DANCING

Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan spoke about a dancing style he wishes to learn and said that it is “partner work” he is terrible at.

Hrithik said: “I’ve been terrible in partner work. I feel relaxed when it’s just me, but when it’s partner work, there is a certain synchronising and coordinating, there’s beauty in that. I have never been able to achieve that. I am very fascinated with Ballet. Just the long lines, the expanse and flight of it.”

“I had the opportunity in Guzaarish to train in the dance form and it was an incredible experience. It was like a ball and I was holding the ball and swirling. During the take, I was not able to get three turns - you know, the pirouettes. Finally, after two hours, we had lunch, and then we tried again. In a single take, somehow it happened.”

Hrithik also revealed to IMDb that some of the signature dance steps he enjoyed throughout his career are The Bang Bang title track, Ghungroo from War and It’s Magic from Koia Mil Gaya.

Speaking about his way of working, Hrithik said: “It’s always about the process. I have a favourite process. Anybody who fits in the process, we create amazing things! The process is working with no egos, absolute communication, no feeling bad. And if you’re feeling bad, express it. Be honest and work hard. Give me time to work hard.”

“If you tell someone, I want one month to rehearse, and if it’s coming from me, they will think I’m joking. Prabhu Deva, Farhan in Main Aisa Kyon Hoon (Lakshya), they gave me a month. Mr Bhansali once gave me two months. Once you have time and you have will, you just have to work hard.”

On the work front, the actor will next be seen in ‘Fighter’ along with Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor.

INDIAN AMERICAN DIRECTOR TO HELM FILM ABOUT ‘GUN CRISES IN THE UNITED STATES’

Poppy Delevingne will star in ‘The Gun on Second Street’, a new drama from the Emmy-nominated Indian American writer, producer and director Rohit Karn Batra, reports ‘Variety’.

The film is described as “an allegory of the gun crisis in the United States”. Its plot follows two Pittsburgh police partners and best friends who are called to an uneventful domestic violence dispute on Second Street.

This quickly escalates to a violent confrontation as Officer TJ Meadows III shoots and kills his partner, Officer Kevin Cooper, with his backup gun.

Years later, no longer a cop and still traumatised, Meadows moves back to Pittsburgh and finds his way to his partner’s widow, Kacie (Delevingne). They slowly fall in love as Kacie confronts the history she’s been avoiding, including telling her 15-year-old son, Ralph, TJ’s back-story.

The film, adds ‘Variety’, is produced by Guy J. Louthan of Ransom Films with Rikin Shah serving as one of the executive producers. It will be introduced to buyers at the Cannes Film Festival this month. Casting is now underway.

Delevingne most recently starred in Sky

TV’s ‘Riviera’. Prior to that, she starred opposite Antonio Banderas in NatGeo’s ‘Genius: Picasso’. She can also be seen on the big screen in Fox’s ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’ directed by Matthew Vaughan and Guy Ritchie’s ‘King Arthur: Legend of the Sword’ starring Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law and Eric Bana for Warner Brothers, notes ‘Variety’.

Batra directed (his first film), wrote, and -- together with Louthan -- produced the 2019 international crime drama ‘Line of Descent’ starring Brendan Fraser, Abhay Deol, Neeraj Kabi, Bollywood veteran Prem Chopra and Gopal Datt. Previously, his ‘Roundabout’ won the Jury Prize at the Palm Beach International Film Festival for

Louthan is president of Ransom Films and the producer behind ‘The Call’ and ‘The Road Within’. His streaming television credits include Netflix’s ‘From Scratch’ starring Zoe Saldana and Danielle Deadwyler; Amazon Prime Video’s ‘The Wilds’; and ‘Tut’ starring Ben Kingsley, adds ‘Variety’.

Louthan, incidentally, had produced Roland Joffe’s ‘The Lovers’, which was filmed in India in 2013. The romance drama starred Josh Hartnett and Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu.

Best Short Film.

(IANS)

KANGANA RANAUT REVEALS THE MOST CHALLENGING THING ABOUT DIRECTING A FILM

Sharing the challenges of directing a film, Bollywood actress-filmmaker Kangana Ranaut says a director is faced with a “minimum of 400-500 questions” every day.

Kangana took to Instagram story, where she shared an interview of American film director Martin Scorsese who is talking about framing and blocking a scene.

The actress, who ventured into directing films in 2019 with ‘Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi’ wrote alongside the post: “Most challenging things about direction is.... A director is faced with minimum of 400-500 questions every day from all departments, camera, art, actors, make up, production and of course the direction department...”

She added: “Trust me what you want to do as a director is easier to do than to explain ... limiting your vision to words is rather agonising that’s why best teams are those who read emotions and energy and doesn’t get entangled in words ... and best directors are those who let those emotions lead them not ambition.”

Her next directorial is ‘Emergency’,

where she will be seen playing the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It also stars Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhry, Vishak Nair, Satish Kaushik, Milind Soman and Shreyas Talpade in prominent roles.

SAIYAMI KHER PLEDGES HER SUPPORT FOR YOUNG FEMALE ATHLETES

Actress Saiyami Kher has pledged to support young female athletes. The actress said she wants to do her bit for the girls who want to pursue sports.

The actress, who will be seen playing a para-athlete in the upcoming movie ‘Ghoomer’, said: “I have always wished to do something for girls in sports and I am trying to do my bit. I am very glad that there is so much being done for women in sport now. At this point, even if my involvement is in a small way, I believe every drop in the ocean counts.”

“Kavita Raut (India’s long-distance runner) was sponsored first by an NGO started by my parents in Nasik. And I feel so proud to see all that she’s achieved. Just feel that if I can contribute to helping young female athletes achieve their dreams, I would be very happy,” the actress said.

She added: “The last three years I have helped a vegetable vendor’s daughter to complete her engineering in electrical and telecommunications and will be helping young individual female athletes in my capacity. I hope I come to a point to start my own organisation because this is something very close to my heart”.

Saiyami is part of ‘Ghoomer’ in which she is playing the part of a cricketer, a para-athlete who has lost one arm. The story, which is currently in the post production stage, is co-written by Balki, along with Rahul Sengupta and Rishi Virmani, and is inspired by the story of Karoly Takacs, the late Hungarian righthand shooter who won two Olympic gold medals with his left hand after his other hand was seriously injured.

Kangana also has Sarwesh Mewar’s ‘Tejas’, in which she will be seen portraying the role of an Indian Air force pilot. Her film ‘The Incarnation: Sita’ is in pipeline. (IANS)

(IANS)

bon appétit

Did you know:

Pumpkin seed oil is full of phytoestrogens which help prevent hypertension

GORDON RAMSAY, JAMIE OLIVER PAYS TRIBUTES TO 'MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA' JUDGE JOCK ZONFRILLO

MELBOURNE, May 1: The untimely demise of 'MasterChef Australia' judge Jock Zonfrillo has left everyone in shock.

Jock's family confirmed the sad news in a statement shared on social media as they paid tribute to him. "With completely shattered hearts and without knowing how we can possible move through life without him, we are devastated to share that Jock passed away yesterday. So many words can describe him, so many stories can be told, but at this time we're too overwhelmed to put them into words. For those who crossed his path, became his mate, or were lucky enough to be his family, keep this proud Scot in your hearts when you have your next whisky. We implore you to please let us grieve privately as we find a way to navigate through this and find space on the other side to celebrate our irreplaceable husband, father, brother, son and friend," the statement read.

After learning about the unfortunate news, British chef Jamie Oliver paid an emotional tribute.

"In total shock to hear of the sudden death of chef Jock Zonfrillo. Had the best time working with him for this year's @ MasterChefau. Jock was very generous with his time and spirit in the show and will be so very missed. Sending heart felt love and condolences to all of his family, friends and the MasterChef team and contestants," Jamie wrote.

British chef Gordon Ramsay too mourned the demise of Zonfrillo, who breathed his last at the age of 46.

"Saddened by the devastating news of Jock Zonfrillo's passing. I truly enjoyed the time we spent together on MasterChef in Australia. Sending all my love to Lauren and the family in this difficult time," he tweeted.

Zonfrillo was born in Glasgow to an Italian father and a Scottish mother and obtained an apprenticeship at The Turnberry Hotel at 15 years of age. By 17 he was working alongside Marco Pierre White at his eponymous Restaurant Marco Pierre White,

Variety reported.

After moving to Australia, Zonfrillo opened Bistro Blackwood and Restaurant Orana in Adelaide, with the latter winning significant culinary awards.

He led a colorful and controversial life. In 2002, he set fire to an apprentice in his restaurant, apparently for working too slowly. Damages were awarded by a court, but he was declared bankrupt in 2007, after failing to pay. Other controversies surrounded his Orana Foundation (intended to preserve historic cooking techniques) and the bankruptcy of the two Adelaide restaurants.

Zonfrillo published a memoir in 2021, "Last Shot." Shortly after, the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper debunked many of its claims and descriptions, including stories of drug use. It quoted White as saying: "Jock is not a bad man. He has a natural intellect and is very nice. The only problem is that almost everything he has written about me is untrue."

2023 Will Be The Year Of 'India Shining' For Indian Cuisine And Its Culinary Diversity

India is taking center-stage globally and setting standards for everyone to follow, whether it's through the G20 summit, the ability to become the fastest-growing economy, global programmes addressing climate change, or the International Year of Millets. India is now all set to be acknowledged as an Atlas of Food in 2023, according to the sixth edition of the Godrej Food Trends Report, because of an unprecedented increase in interest from around the world in India's diverse cuisine and enormous ingredient variety. In the presence of the experts of India's culinary world, Tanya Dubash - Executive Director & Chief Brand Officer, Godrej Industries Limited, released the sixth edition of The Godrej Foods Trends Report 2023 - India - An Atlas of Flavours.

The Godrej Foods Trends Report 2023, saw the coming together of over 350+ thought leaders that included celebrity chefs, home chefs, professional chefs, food bloggers, health professionals, media professionals, mixologists, nutritionists, restaurateurs, sommeliers, food producers, and more, all of whom shared deep insights about their respective areas of expertise.

The world has historically perceived Indian cuisine as a monolith. A notion that has been gradually dismantled over the last decade with a growing realisation that culturally, India is more a continent than a country, with as many cuisines as there are dialects. At home in India, people are on an unprecedented quest for flavours, and adventures on the palate. In the aftermath of the pandemic, people are also becoming aware that Indian cuisine is a complex food matrix of constituents that interact with one another to deliver health and boost immunity. All of this has the Godrej Foods Trends Report panel foreseeing 2023 bringing an unprecedented rise in global interest towards India's culinary plurality and prodigious ingredient diversity.

Tanya Dubash, Executive Director and Chief Brand Officer, of Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies, said, "These are exciting times for the food industry! It was evident that the pandemic had resulted in changes in consumption patterns and consumer behaviours across the entire spectrum of the food industry. I am happy to say that the Godrej Food Trends Report is uniquely positioned to bring the nuances of this evolving foodscape to the forefront for the benefit of the F&B industry. I have personally always enjoyed watching food trends in our country, especially the year-specific trends

predicted by our esteemed panelists. It gives me immense joy to see many of them coming to life subsequently. This year, I am personally excited to see growing international interest and recognition given to India for its rich culinary diversity, along with a growing demand for culinary knowledge and skills across all segments."

Some key insights from The Godrej Foods Trends Report 2023 are:

Exploration of Cuisines: 64 per cent panel foresee the yearning for adventure for the palate will drive people to explore cuisines other than their own such as regional cuisines.

Locally Produced

Artisanal Products: 62 per cent panel sees a significant consumer focus on locally produced small-batch artisanal products such as cheese, pickles, kimchi, dips, and preserves to augment meals with flavour and textures.

Conscious Spending

and Mindful Consumption: 76 per cent panel forecasts people buying from local farmers and food producers will be a top consideration. 70 per cent predict seasonal and local ingredients like desi rice and millet varieties, doodhi (bottle gourd), tinda (apple gourd), bhindi (Okra) will see more demand in 2023.

Rise of Travelling Bars

and Restaurants: 71 per cent panel predict that travelling restaurants/ bars with chefs/ mixologists/restaurants popping up in other cities to be a top trend.

Cuisine Agnostic Chef

Driven Menus: 65 per cent of experts feel chefs are increasingly coming into their own as creators and artists patronised by a loyal following of diners looking for new adventures in cuisineagnostic chef-driven menus. 64 per cent panel forecast regional Indian cuisine concepts continuing to see traction.

Culinary Travel: 75 per cent panel believe Northeast states are where people will flock most to discover food experiences followed by Goa (73 per cent), Tamil Nadu (60 per cent), and Uttarakhand (58 per cent). Globally, the panel predicts people will visit South Korea (53 per cent) followed by Vietnam (52 per cent) and Spain (45 per cent)

Food Content: 75 per cent expert panel predicts that Instagram Reels and short-form video content will trend.

Clean, Hygienically Packaged Meats, and

Seafood: Hygiene being foremost since 2020, 43 per cent of the expert panel predicts the demand for clean, hygienically packaged meats and seafood will continue to grow in 2023.

Gourmet Premium

Ghee: With health, nutrition, and immunity, all playing a significant role in choices when it comes to ingredients used in home kitchens and dietary fats and cooking mediums being the cornerstones of cooking in any home, their quality and provenance will always register a change. No wonder that 50 per cent of the panel predicts an increased focus on gourmet premium ghee.

Beverages: 72 per cent panel predicts that 2023 will see a rise in gourmet Indian-origin, artisanal coffee, and tea. 75 per cent panel is firm in the fact that global fermented beverages (eg. tepache, kombucha, kvass, etc.) are going to be the top non-alcoholic choice in 2023.

Desserts: Special diet versions of traditional Indian mithai will be in demand as per 99 per cent of experts. 75 per cent panel also sees a rise in interest in hyper-regional sweet offerings (like the Chena Poda of Orissa or Pootharekulu of Andhra Pradesh). 75 per cent of experts forecast a growing interest in gourmet and artisanal ice creams and an equal number of experts predicts a rising demand for clean ice cream that is transparent, simple, wholesome, and understandable i.e., 'clean' labeling.

"Godrej Food Trends Report is a good barometer on what's going to happen, where to invest, and, most importantly, to safeguard the security of our cuisine, which now has custodians. India's soft power is our cuisine and its sheer diversity, and the power of our history, plurality, and continuity. And I'm happy to see it finally valued for being authentic and unapologetically true to itself," shares MasterChef India Judge and celebrity Chef Vikas Khanna. (IANSlife)

Nutritional intake during pregnancy

BY DEEVYA GUPTA

It’s not a necessity to eat double the amount during pregnancy, despite may of those thinking that this is what is required for a healthy baby to grow. For vegetarians it is very important to ensure you have enough protein intake for you and your growing baby. Higher protein sources include lentils (daals), beans, tofu and egg, for example. Having B12 vitamins and fish oil or omega oils are also essential in addition to folate/folic acid for baby’s brain development. Vitamin D, iodine and iron are also very important in making sure you and your babies health will be at its best. If you are unsure, you can request your doctor to check up on how your nutrient levels are and if you require a supplement. Pre-natal supplements and folic acid/folate are recommended for at least the first 3 months of your pregnancy however you should always follow the advice of your doctor.

Eating for each trimester:

Trimester 1:

Many but not all would experience morning sickness or nausea at some time during the day. During the first trimester it may be a challenge to eat as much as you normally do. To assist in reducing your nausea try the following:

• Eat small, frequent meals

• Drink plenty of fluids (water)

• You may like to increase your dairy if you are not able to eat much in the form of lassi, yoghurt or cheese

• Have at least 2 serves of fruit throughout the day, if you cannot you can have a small amount of fruit juice

• Add ginger or lemon to water may help

nausea

• Avoid having long gaps between meals or snacks

• Have frequent snacks during the day

Trimester 2: Your nutritional requirements have slightly increased but still not up to double the amount you eat. An extra serving of fruit in addition to a well-balanced diet should help you meet your body's increased requirements.

Trimester 3:

As you near the end of your pregnancy and your baby is ready to meet you your nutritional requirements are slightly higher however with a few extra snacks you should be able to easily meet this requirement. By adding 2-3 more additional snacks to your balanced diet such as extra servings of yoghurts and fruits you should be able

to provide yourself and your baby with all it needs. Make sure to keep your fluid intake up so you are well hydrated.

Foods to avoid

As you are growing a new life your immune system needs a chance to work it’s best. Some foods can disrupt this and are better avoided during pregnancy. Make sure to look at food labels and follow instructions on storage.

• Any raw meats, fish or eggs

• Unpasteurized dairy products

• Sprouted seeds

• Cold meats

• Pre-prepared salads

• Soft serve ice-cream

• Soft cheeses (such as ricotta and feta)

• Fish high in mercury such as flake

• Alcohol

• No more than 2 cups (200mg caffeine) coffee/tea per day

Things to do to increase food safety

• Cut raw meats using separate knives and chopping boards

• Wash vegetables and salads well

• Cook foods to a high temperature

• Wash hands regularly

Quick and easy snack ideas:

• Peanut butter on toast

• Cooked eggs

• Toast and soup

• Milkshake or smoothie

• Yoghurt and cheese

Overall your dietary requirements may depend on you as an individual and you may need slightly different advice to the above.

Please note this advice is of a general nature. If you have any concerns you should get tailored advice from an Accredited Practicing Dietitian and always consult with your General Practitioner before making and changes.

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

Tandoori Tangdi Kebab

Tandoori food is the food cooked over intense heat of the charcoal in the “Tandoor” (cylindrical clay oven) known for its unique sublime flavour, tandoori cooking is a very specialized job. One can achieve quite similar results by cooking various meat and vegetables over barbecue coals or under a pre-heated griller. The secret is in the marinade which is traditionally used to give the food that distinctive mouth watering taste.

Ingredients: Marinade:

1 kg chicken drumsticks

1 tsp kashmiri red red chilli powder

1-2 tbsp of lemon juice

a little salt

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

Butter to baste

Chaat Masala

Method:

Skin,

250 gms yoghurt

1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder

21/2 tbsp ginger paste

21/2 tbsp garlic paste

2-3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp oil

Handful of Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

BY MANJIT SETHI

Serve:

Serves 2-4

Mesha (Aries)

A very helpful, month in so far as your financial prospects are concerned. Many of you would reap a rich harvest of sudden gains, that are likely to come your way. Others would gain from speculative activity, making handsome profits. Most of you would be able to derive quick, useful results from your efforts.

Vrishabh (Taurus)

This month your financial prospects look quite good and could well establish you on a permanently sound footing. Many of you can look forward to reaping a rich harvest of sudden gains. Others would gain through speculation, which would also bring in rich profits.

By D. Narayan (Tantracharya)

Mithuna (Gemini)

A gainful month, in so far as your financial prospects are concerned. Many of you can look forward to reaping a rich harvest of sudden gains. Speculation would also benefit quite a few among you. There is also a good chance of a favour being done to done to you by some old gentleman which could easily turn out to be a financial boon.

Karkat (Cancer)

Full of buoyant energy, in a favourable situation, you would do very well for yourself financially during the coming month. This month you would have the courage of your convictions and the necessary drive to forge ahead in your pursuits and achieve success. You would be helped greatly by an extremely favourable set of circumstances.

Best days: 3, 12, 30

Lucky Colour: Red, Orange, Cream

Simha (Leo)

A fruitful month in so far as your professional prospects are concerned. Practitioners of the fine arts and others of their ilk would have an extremely satisfying time. In fact, some of you may well go on to make a mark for yourselves with your contributions. There are indications that you would tend to work quite hard and go for your objectives efficiently. And in this you shall succeed.

Best days: 5,3

Lucky Colour: White & Orange

Dhanu (Sagittarius)

This month your professional advancement is quite favourable. There is a distinct possibility of significant professional gains through association with several learned people with whom you would come in contact. You would also derive significant benefits from your superiors with some of whom you could also have serious differences.

Best days: 9, 18

Lucky Colour: Red, Blue

Best days: 9, 18, 27

Lucky Colour: Green, Blue

Kanya (Virgo)

A good month to go places in your professional endeavours. Those inclined towards artistic activity and practitioners of the fine arts can look forward to a period of extremely satisfying creative pursuits. In fact, some of you may well go on to make a mark for yourselves with your contributions. There would also be a good deal of travel, which would also prove quite beneficial.

Best days: 3, 12

Lucky Colour: Orange, Green

Makara (Capricorn)

You should do extremely well financially, during the ensuring month, since you face a favourable configuration of stars. Those dealing with or having foreign or interstate commercial connections or so would prosper and gain considerably. For most of you, the existing operations would enable you to realize planned gains during this period.

Best days: 1, 3, 4

Lucky Colour: White, Green, Blue

Best days: 2, 7, 9

Lucky Colour: Red, White, Yellow

Tula (Libra)

Nothing particularly auspicious about the augury for your professional prospects this month. There is a distinct possibility that you would get into serious differences with your superiors. Such an eventuality should be averted, no matter what the effort involved, because should this happen, it can only be disastrous for your professional prospects.

Best days: 9, 18

Lucky Colour: Red, Blue

Kumbha (Aquarius)

There is nothing particularly beneficial about your financial prospects this month, since the stars do not appear to be in a particularly obliging mood. Existing operations would fail to deliver anticipated or planned results, despite a great deal of hard work put in by you. Nor are the signs at all favourable for launching any expansion or entirely new venture.

Best days: 5, 3, 6

Lucky Colour: White, Green

Best days: 9, 18

Lucky Colour: Red, Blue

Vrishchik (Scorpio)

Nothing particularly favourable, about the augury from the stars, in so far as your financial prospects are concerned. There are indications that speculation would result in serious losses for some of you. Therefore, you should stay away from gambling of any sort. Relations with your superiors or employees are also likely to come under a cloud, to the extent that serious loss would become almost certain.

Best days: 1, 3, 4

Lucky Colour: Red, Orange

Meen (Pisces)

Despite the association of several gifted people of learning and spiritual strata, this month would be far from favourable for your financial prospects. There are distinct possibilities that most of you would have to struggle quite a bit for the realization of your goals, and even then you would not be able to achieve much success.

Best days: 2, 7, 9

Lucky Colour: Red, Yellow, White

One Line Humors...

Regular naps prevent old age, especially if you take them while driving.

Having one child makes you a parent; having two you are a referee.

Marriage is a relationship in which one person is always right and the other is the husband!

I believe we should all pay our tax with a smile. I tried - but they wanted cash.

A child's greatest period of growth is the month after you've purchased new school uniforms.

Don't feel bad. A lot of people have no talent.

Don't marry the person you want to live with, marry the one you cannot live without, but whatever you do, you'll regret it later.

You can't buy love, but you pay heavily for it.

Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.

Laziness is nothing more

than the habit of resting before you get tired.

Marriage is give and take. You'd better give it to her or she'll take it anyway.

My wife and I always compromise. I admit I'm wrong and she agrees with me.

Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others.

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.

You're getting old when you enjoy remembering things more than doing them.

It doesn't matter how often a married man changes his job, he still ends up with the same boss.

Saving is the best thing. Especially when your parents have done it for you.

Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something.

They call our language the mother tongue because the father seldom gets to speak!