India Empire March 2015

CONTENTS

march 2015 06

06 cLEar VISION Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Mr Ananth Kumar has charted out a very detailed road map for critical sectors under his charge

20 aIDING ThE DISaBLED As CMD, NHFDC, Mr P.C. Das has brought in several innovations and changes to benefit millions of disabled in the country

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16 mOTIVaTING ThE DIaSPOra Foreign and Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Mrs Sushma Swaraj praises the contributions of the Indian Diaspora

26 ThaINESE A glimpse into the world of Thai tourism opportunities

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TUrBaN FOr SIKhS Texas allows Sikhs in the USA to wear turbans

34 INDIaN hIGh FLYErS A new set of smart and striving Indian students in the USA

Cover Story—Key PolitiCal interview

Mr Ananth Kumar Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India

“We have finalized mega plans to undo 10 years of neglect” Mr Ananth Kumar, the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers in the present Government, is set for big things. He has brought in a fresh thought process into his ministry, and has charted out a very detailed road map for galvanizing India’s chemical, petrochemical and fertilizer sectors. If his plans are implemented on time, then India’s economic performance will surely be applauded, and investments of billions of dollars will pour in. The buzzword of Make In India will also get actuated on the ground. The clarity with which he speaks on a range of issues shows why he is able to strike a chord with his electorate year after year—he has been elected 6 consecutive times to the Lok Sabha from the Bengaluru South constituency of Karnataka. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections he was pitted against the Congress party’s Nandan Nilekani, a former co-founder of Infosys and architect of the Aadhar card. Yet Mr Nilekani could not unsettle the heavyweight BJP leader from south India and lost by over 2.28 lakh votes. Mr Kumar won on the strength of his “tried, tested, trusted” campaign line. He had held several ministerial positions in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government. Today he is among a crop of young BJP ministers who are tasked to plan and deliver on the promises made by the party on bringing about India’s economic and social turnaround. He spoke to India Empire Editor Sayantan Chakravarty at his Parliament office As an initiative under Make in India, you have taken a decision to fast-track growth in Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemcial Investment Regions (PCPIRs) in 4 states to attract investments to the tune of Rs 7.63 lakh crore and generate employment of 33.96 lakh.

How is this progressing?

During the UPA period the entire thing was in limbo.

To make such a thing happen, you require anchor tenants.

Once you have identified them, you have to bring on the table state Governments. Then you need to have a steering committee. After all, the process of creating infrastructure in hundreds of square kilometers is detailed, and long. It is about attracting investments from across the globe, in order to make India a petrochemical hub. You bring in crude, refine it using cracker units to get the C2, C3, C4 and downstream industries. Then you create building blocks, then the plastic parks, pharmaceutical companies, fertilizer companies. It is an entire chain which to be completed requires railroad links, aviation and telecommunication facilities. All this combines to make a mega park. After our Government has taken over, Dahej as a brownfield PCPIR is almost 6

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ready. Paradip has started rolling. We have held meetings for Vishakapatnam, and Nagapatnam in Chennai is going to happen. To these four we are adding a few more—Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan are ready to have PCPIRs. Maharashtra is also looking positively to have one.

In India you have 22 refineries but there are only four petrochemical complexes. It is a real anomaly. You can, therefore, go from 4 to 22, and you can go from 2.5 per cent value addition to 7.5 per cent value addition, which means instead of Rs 10 lakh crore of investment you can go up to Rs 30 lakh crore of investment, and from generating 37 lakh jobs to generating over 100 lakh jobs. We are using 230 million of litres of crude, and this value addition requires to be done. We need to milk the fuel.

You are very focused on setting up of new Plastic Parks. Please elaborate…

India, and indeed world over, plastic has come to stay.

Today we are using 11 million tonnes of plastic, by the year 2020 we will be requiring 20 million tonnes of plastic. From agriculture to horticulture, in real estate, housing, automo-

PhotograPhs © siPra Das STANDING TALL: Easily one of the tallest leaders in the BJP

biles, healthcare, telecommunications, space technology, everywhere you need plastics. There is no field of activity which does not have a plastic component and the amount of plastic in use is on the rise. Earlier it was 10-15 per cent. Now it is 30-40 per cent, even in areas like automobiles, space crafts, aero planes, agriculture, horticulture. In several areas the use has gone up to between 80 and 90 per cent. In your canal linings, pipelines, everything is plastic.

In India, therefore, we require more and more plastic parks. India requires not less than 1 plastic park per state, but currently you hardly have four plastic parks in the entire country. We are going to fuel the construction of plastic parks in India.

There is not only a misinformation about plastics—only two per cent of total plastic is used for polythene bags, but that two per cent is marring the image of the rest 98 per cent usage. The bywords for plastic are reduce, reuse, recycle.

As another initiative under Make in India you have decided to ramp up production and building capacity in domestic manufacturing of urea and NPK fertilizers and fast-tracked revival of various fertilizer units. Please talk us through this…

Hon’be Prime Minister has given a direction to us that India should be self reliant in urea. To do so we need to have revival of plants, add new plants. Already initiatives to start plants in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, Barauni in Bihar, Sindri in Jharkhand, Talcher in Odisha and Ramagundam in Andhra Pradesh, and in Maharashtra have been taken up. Besides, MP and Karnataka will have one fertilizer plant each. You can see, therefore, there are around 9 fertilizer plans on the anvil, each one with a capacity of 1.3 million metric tonnes and each involving investments ranging between Rs 5,500 crore to Rs 6,000 crore. The total investment, therefore, is whopping—between Rs 50,000 crore to Rs 60,000 crore over the next five years. India, therefore, will become self reliant in urea in the next five years, and will become an urea exporter in the next 10 years. Right now we require about 31 million metric tonnes of urea per year. While 22 million metric tonnes are indigenously produced, 9 million tonnes are imported. With each of the upcoming plants capable of producing 1.3 million metric tonnes, we will be self sufficient. This will be “Make in India” march 2015 | india empire

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Cover Story—Key PolitiCal interview

AT HOME: Minister Ananth Kumar who has a keen sense of history is at home while fielding questions on his ministry

in urea. These plants will not be stand alone plants, they will produce NPK and other fertilizers as well.

What are the major measures to encourage production and capacity building in the pharmaceutical sector?

The major obstacle in the pharmaceutical sector is that we have lost our capacity to produce active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), 80 per cent of which is, at present, imported from one source that is China. That is strategically not correct. We recently had a brain storming, and have decided to come up with Bulk Drug Parks, and have already proposed a note on it. I think we require 2 – 3 Bulk Drug Parks in the country. We can use them to step up production of bulk drugs with the help of various incentives in areas such as tax, interest, power and infrastructure. The year 2015 – 2016 is being celebrated as Bulk Drug year. There is a report by the Katoch Committee and the Government is in a mood to accept the recommendations of this committee, within a very short time.

I have also told the bulk drug associations that each month we will initiate a reform and move forward. We will not be celebrating the Bulk Drug year by holding seminars and symposiums, but by taking one new initiative to promote and expand the bulk drug industry every month in India.

What is the long term vision you have for chemical, petrochemical and fertilizer segments?

Look, today, chemical, petrochemical and fertilizer industries form the backbone for India’s food and economic security. Our food security depends on fertilizer security and, therefore, we need to create a vibrant fertilizer industry. On the other hand our chemical and petrochemical industry is the backbone of the entire manufacturing segment of the country. This segment has gone through various anomalies.

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In the last 10 years not a single new fertilizer plant has come up. This is the first time we are coming up with 9 plants, just imagine 10 years of lull followed by 5 years of activity. This is the big picture for India. We require building blocks in chemical and petrochemical industries. As of now we are importing building blocks, we need to manufacture them in India. We need to use our refineries for further value addition through crackers and petrochemical complexes. Till now the world, as well as India, has used crude as a source of fuel. But now it is widely recognized that it is not just a source of fuel, but a source for petrochemical industry as well. If we want to catch up with the world and be in this race, we need to have more than 20 petrochemical complexes in the country. As I said earlier, we need to milk the crude.

Brain storming has happened in this area, and there will be a mega move forward in this direction after a long period of lull which we saw over the last 10 years.

We understand that a MoU has been signed between a consortium of Indian companies such as NMDC, RCF, NFL, KRIBHCO and FACT with ACRON of Russia to boost production of urea and other subsidized chemical fertilizers in the country. Is this the first such joint venture of its kind?

We need to have consortiums for import of phosphatic and potassic fertilizers as well as for phosphorus and potash. We import these and make our diammonium phosphate, muriate of potash and NPK fertilizers. To make all this we need to have the ingredients, and we need to have consortiums of fertilizer industry to have that off take.

ACRON is one such step. We need more.

How do you plan to increase the benefit of subsidy

for marginal farmers? After all, Mr Modi does empha- not want an investor to approach anyone. We do not want size that this Government is for the poor… to create another window.

Basically our target is the small and marginal farmer who has between 2 hectare and 2.5 hectare land holding. If he is You have plans to build a National Chemical Cenenabled and empowered, then there will be real security. The tre as part of the Draft National Chemical Policy. only way out is Direct Benefit Transfer or DBT. We have Please expand… appointed a task force for this. A report is expected in a The two verticals of the chemical industry need to be couple of months time. We will then discuss and debate this serviced, one is R and D and another is HRD—capacity deissue threadbare in public domain. After that we will im- velopment. Innovations can be the third vertical, but I also plement. There are many challenges in implementation, feel it is part of the first vertical. Nowadays all engineers in though, since the owners are not the tillers, and about 50 the petrochemical industry are coming from outside, you per cent of tillers are not the owners. Whatever DBT is do not have any institution to train your own petrochemical done for the sake of the benefiting the farmer with fertilizer engineers, managers and technicians. In plastics we have should be a dedicated one, then only will it serve the pur- only one institution, the Central Institute of Plastics Engiposes of food security. We need to create a fool-proof sys- neering and Technology which churns out 44,000 graduates tem. My request to people at large, and also to people like per year, where as we require 4 lakh per year. Even out of you, is to share your ideas, give us the graduates from CIPET, mayour ideas, so that we can create a jority are going overseas because fool-proof system that is devoid world over there is a scarcity of “In India you have 22 refineries of black marketing, hoarding, pilpetrochemical and plastic engibut there are only four petroferage, diversion and smuggling. neers. We are, therefore, left with chemical complexes. It is a real In that eventuality we can provide a large unskilled manpower. In anomaly. You can, therefore, go the benefit of subsidy to small order to create a pool of skilled and marginal farmers. manpower, in order to have R and from 4 to 22, and you can go D, capacity building, innovations, from 2.5 per cent value addition You have an online Fertilyou require a National Chemical to 7.5 per cent value addition, izer Monitoring System which Centre. It can later look into which means instead of Rs 10 tracks distribution of fertilizbenchmarking and areas such as lakh crore of investment you can ers to states. Are you satisfied quality control, standardization, with the working of the FMS? lateral thinking, things which are go up to Rs 30 lakh crore of inThere are 4 stages. The first is currently missing. There are no vestment, and from generating from centre to state, then from institutions for these. We can 37 lakh jobs to generating over state to dealer, subsequently from even get into global benchmark100 lakh jobs. We are using 230 dealer to retailer, and finally from ing. For all such niche activities million of litres of crude, and this the retailer to the end user. At the you require the NCC. Unfortuvalue addition requires to be moment, through FMS, we have 2 nately, the entire sector had stagstages covered, that is one from nated during the UPA done. We need to milk the fuel” centre to state and the other from Government. All these measures state to dealer. We are now trying are the new initiatives of the to reach the retailer. The last mile is the most difficult, that Modi Government. We are starting afresh. of reaching the end user. FMS is a beginning, we need to take it to a logical conclusion. When we do so, we need to When you go back to your Bengaluru South contie it up with DBT. stituency after about 4 years from now, what is it that one promise you would like to tell them that you could keep?

For overseas investors, particularly overseas IndiI had told them the first time after I had won, that I will ans, what are the attractive segments for investment in bring in an airport. I did. Then I had told them I’d bring in chemicals and fertilizers according to you? the metro. Then I got Cauvery water for Bengaluru folLet me give you the example of the recently formulated lowed by housing for the poor with a credit line of Rs 1,000 investment policy in fertilizer. It has no roadblocks for in- crore from HUDCO. Today, Bengaluru has flyovers, unvestment. There is only one basic condition, that is by pro- derpasses, more than 1,000 gardens, nirmal sauchalyas. This viding a Rs 300 crore bank guarantee any promoter can set time I’ve promised them a local suburban rail and a power up a fertilizer plant. There is no discretion, no window, no plant dedicated to Bengaluru, both of which are on the door, no selection process to get through. Government is anvil. My opposition during the Lok Sabha election camnot going to sit in judgment about whom to grant a licence. paign said Bengaluru needs ideas. Instead I said Bengaluru You can start your own fertilizer plant. We will give you as- needs initiatives, the time for ideas had gone. Our catchsured gas supply and we have also said that whatever you word was tried (Atal Bihari Vajpayee), tested (Narendra sell, and not produce, we will provide you subsidy. The pol- Modi) and trusted (Ananth Kumar). Time and time again icy is open to that extent. You are welcome to set up, the people have sent me to Parliament with hope. I will have to ❐ market will dictate where to set up. We are very clear. We do live up to their expectations. march 2015 | india empire

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GUJaratiS in US Motel inDUStry

Flavour of Gujarat in US South

By Vikas Datta

T

here are motels in America’s south where you are likely to be greeted not with “How are you?” but “Kem Cho” or “Kya Haal hai?” and the owner is likely to be a Mr Patel, says acclaimed American travel writer Mr Paul Theroux while talking about his new work which takes the inveterate globetrotter to one part of the world he has so far not visited - his own country. “At least 80 per cent of motels in the deep south - be it South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississipi or part of Louisiana - are run by Indians, likely to be a Mr Patel.

“Indians moved up from running convenience stores, gas stations, which you call petrol pumps, to motels - one off and then chains. I asked one of them ‘how?’ and he replied ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family),” he said at a session titled “Wanderlust and the Art of Travel Writing” on January 23 day three of the Jaipur Literature Festival 2015. But Mr Theroux noted that the Indians do not run restaurants. “I asked one why, and he said that if you run restaurants, you might have to taste the food you make, and it might have meat,” he said.

Theroux said the idea for the book, likely to be out next year, came when he was writing “Last Train to Zona Verde” about Angola and discovered most of the African slaves sent to America came from there. “I have travelled across Asia by train, from Cairo to Cape Town, from North to South America on trains and also around China, around the Mediterranean, to most of the islands of Oceania, but the south of the US was one place I never visited and wrote about,” he said.

Reading an extract of the forthcoming book, he said he was in Tuscaloosa in Alabama in October, where he met an old woman to whom he noted he was a stranger and she replied “There ain’t any strangers here” and guided him to the place where he wanted to go. “I returned several times 10 india empire | march 2015

in the next year... the south has me in a comforting embrace or a frenzied, unrelenting grip,” he read out from his work.

Mr Theroux also revealed he first visited Jaipur in 1968, while on way to taking a job in Singapore, and then in 1973 and quipped that looking at the audience and its general age, most of them would have not been around then.

Ms Brigid Keenan, who kicked off the discussion, noted she was not a fit person to participate in such a panel since she hated travel and was scared of air travel but had no option since she was married to a diplomat and had to give “glamourous dinner parties” in various countries where the only vegetables were potatoes and cabbages. She said she was born in India and lived here till she was eight and returned here as an adult and read from her books “Diplomatic Baggage: The Adventures of a Trailing Spouse” her various droll adventures including fathoming Indian newspapers and their misuse of words like mishap “which in Britain would mean upsetting a teacup at a vicarage tea party” but in India was used to describe horrific accidents.

“We learnt pulses rise did not mean romantic feelings increasing but that lentils would cost more,” she said.

Mr Sam Miller, author of the definitive guide to the Indian capital “Delhi: Adventures in a Megacity”, read out from his subsequent “A Strange Kind of Paradise: India Through Foreign Eyes” about his earlier visits to the JLF, while William Dalrymple, who had introduced the session and spoke about the genre of travel writing which is older that novels noted it was now decreased but the quality is now consistent, read out from “From the Holy Mountain: A Journey in the Shadow of Byzantium” about the vanishing Christian communities of the Middle East about an Orthodox priest he met in Sinai who virulently cursed all other Christian denominations and Freemasons. “He said all US presidents had been Freemasons except John F. Kennedy ❐ (Catholic) and look what happened to him!”

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In recent attacks, Indians have been killed and left paralyzed in the USA and Australia. Not at all attacks have come from antisocial elements, in Alabama, USA, the assault came from the state police

By Arun Kumar Several US lawmakers condemned the police assault on an Indian grandfather who was slammed to the ground by a police officer in Alabama—while he was out for a walk in the neighbourhood—leaving him partially paralysed as donations poured in for the victim.

The police officer Eric Parker, who assaulted Mr Sureshbhai Patel, 57 on February 6, 2015 while he was taking a walk in front of his son Chirag Patel’s house in a Madison, Alabama suburb was arrested on February 12, 2015 and Police Chief Larry Muncey has recommended that he be fired. Parker was released on USD 1,000 bond from the Limestone County Jail. A court appearance has been set for him for March 12, according to WAFF-TV, a local news channel.

On February 6, 2015 a caller who lived in the Hardiman Place subdivision off of County Line Road placed a nonemergency 911 call to Madison Police, describing an individual walking around houses in the neighbourhood and peering in garages, madisoncountyrecord.com reported.

The caller said that the person had been exhibiting the same behaviour on the previous day and described Patel as a black guy, around 30-years-old, after being asked by the 911 operator. It was then that Parker and his trainee, Andrew Slaughter, were dispatched to the scene. Officer Charles Spence arrived shortly thereafter in a separate car. As Parker spoke to Patel, the dash-cam video showed, it became apparent that Patel spoke no English. Parker asked him for ID, where Patel lived and what his business was walking around the neighbourhood.

Eventually, Mr Patel’s hands were behind his back due to Parker holding his hands. At the critical point of the video, Parker slammed Mr Patel to the ground, hitting head and torso first, unable to brace his fall, madisoncountyrecord.com said.

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Eric Parker

Mr Sureshbhai Patel

“He don’t speak a lick of English,” Parker said at least twice during the encounter after he tackled Patel. One police video captured an officer asking Mr Patel, “Did you bite your lip?” as he remained on the ground. The officers repeatedly attempted to get Patel to “stand up” so they could move him to a patrol car. According to the lawsuit, Mr Patel was paralysed in his arms and legs after officers forced him to the ground,

Consul General of India in Atlanta Mr Ajit Kumar met with Mr Sureshbhai Patel at the Huntsville Hospital

his face bloodied.

Mr Patel had come from India recently to look after his grandson who was born prematurely, filed a lawsuit saying his civil rights were violated. It seeks an unspecified amount of money. According to the lawsuit, Mr Patel said that he tried to tell the officers that he doesn’t speak English, saying “No English. Indian. Walking.” Both police videos show two officers eventually forcing Patel to the ground with his hands behind his back.

As of February 13, 2015 morning, the Patel family attorney, Mr Hank Sherrod out of Florence, said Mr Sureshbhai Patel could not grip with his hands but was able to slowly walk to the door and back to his bed after previously not having feeling at all in one of his legs.

At a press conference on February 13, 2014, the Madison Police Department played the audio of the original 911 call to report the supposed suspicious activity and a dashcam video of the incident, in which Patel was tackled to the ground with his hands held behind his back.

The lone Indian Congressman Mr Ami Bera, who is also co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans and a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called the incident “horrible and tragic.” Noting that the FBI has opened an investigation, he said, “Moving forward, we must come together as a nation to tackle the very real issues our minority communities face, and to rebuild trust and understanding among law enforcement agencies and the diverse communities that they serve.”

Several members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) including chair Ms Judy Chu,

Mr Michael Honda, Mr Ted Lieu, Ms Jan Schakowsky and Ms Grace Meng also condemned the use of excessive police force against Mr Sureshbhai Patel. “In no way should the colour of someone’s skin or their limited English proficiency lead to the type of confusion and unreasonable use of force that left Mr. Patel partially paralysed. As we await the FBI’s findings, I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to ensure that this type of profiling and excessive force is no longer permitted by law enforcement,” said Ms Chu. After an investigation from the Office of Professional Standards Parker was “served with proposed disciplinary action according to the Madison City policy and procedures...I recommend termination,” he said. Parker turned himself into the authorities in Limestone County on Thursday, according to madisoncountyrecord.com.

The FBI is currently conducting a “parallel inquiry” to determine if any federal violations occurred, Muncey said.

The Washington Post cited a spokesman for the FBI as saying that the agency became involved shortly after the incident and it is being treated as a civil rights investigation.

The findings will be turned over to the Justice Department for review. “For that, I sincerely apologise to Mr Patel, his family and our community...our desire is to exceed everyone’s expectations,” Muncey said.

Meanwhile, at the State Department spokesperson Ms Jen Psaki said: “Our hearts go out to him (Patel) and to his family. Obviously, there’ll be an investigation into this case which will be handled by local authorities.” “I don’t have anything more to lay out in terms of our diplomatic dismarch 2015 | india empire 13

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cussions,” she said when asked about reports of New Delhi expressing concern over the incident. “I would say that the Secretary and the State Department certainly express our strong condolences to the family for everything that he has been through,” she said. “This is being handled by local authorities, and certainly, we would address any concerns through private diplomatic channels,” Ms Psaki added.

Meanwhile, according to the Washington Post donations poured into GoFundMe account set by a member of the Indian community, who is not related to the family, to help with Mr Patel’s medical bills and other expenses as he has no insurance. As of February 16, 2015 night, the Gofundme.com site for Patel had raised USD 176,895 from 4,075 people against a target of USD 100,000.

Mr Patel’s lawyer Mr Hank Sherrod told a local newspaper that Indian Americans from all over the country have contacted him directly about sending cheques to the family to cover medical bills.

Rival fund-raising site for cop charged with attacking Indian While a crowd-funding initiative was launched to raise money to help with the medical expenses of Mr Sureshbhai Patel, a rival Internet fundraiser has been launched by supporters of the police officer charged with attacking him and dismissed from the police force. As of Monday night, the Gofundme.com site for Patel had raised USD 176,895 from 4,075 people against a target of USD 100,000.

The crowd-funding site set up on Indiegogo.com for the 26-year-old Eric Parker, had raised USD 3,245 by February 16, 2015 night against a goal of USD 10,000. Some donations were of USD 1, which appeared to be sarcastic gestures with one of the donors adding a note to the dollar contribution, “he should be prosecuted for his crime. It is that simple.”

However, in the atmosphere of racial tension, there were larger donations and voices of support for the officer. Saying, “My heart hurts for you,” one woman sent in USD 25 and wrote, “I want Mr Parker to know that my husband and I sup-

port him 100 percent. ... Unfortunately the media always tells the worst even though they don’t know all the facts.”

After releasing the video of the attack recorded by a camera mounted on the police car officials promptly fired the officer. He has been charged with assault and could face a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a fine of up to USD 6,000. He surrendered to authorities at a local jail Thursdayand was released on bail with a court appearance set for March 12.

Indian-American killed inside liquor shop

Amit Patel

An Indian-American succumbed to bullet wounds after he was gunned down in his family-owned liquor shop in the US state of New Jersey, according to a media report.

Amit Patel, 28, was shot and killed inside Roseway Liquors in Irvington on February 15, 2015 afternoon, Eyewitness News reported, adding that authorities were trying to identify the killer. Police found Patel injured with a gunshot wound when they reached the liquor shop. He was pronounced dead a short time later. Amit was manning the shop alone while his father was in the back office when the gunshots were fired, said a close family friend.

“We don’t know if it was a robbery, nobody knows.

They were alone here,” Mr Bimal Patel, a family friend, was quoted as saying. The victim got married only a year ago, ❐ and worked at his father’s shop seven days a week.

GOPIO CONDEMNS STABBING DEATH OF INDIAN WOMAN IN SYDNEY The Global Organization of People Prabha Arun Kumar as they mourn of Indian Origin (GOPIO Interational) this tragic loss. expresses strong and unequivocal GOPIO commends State Crime condemnation of the brutal stabbing Command’s Homicide Squad and Pardeath of Prabha Arun Kumar, the 41ramatta detectives for their efforts in yeard old mother of a nine-year-old seeking and bringing to quick justice girl, in Parramatta Park by an as yet the assailant(s) of this horrific crime. unknown assailant as she walked to We fully support all measures taken to her home in Sydney, Australia. GOPIO bring security, calm and confidence to considers this despicable act as unthe people and urge all efforts to preforgivable and unjustified criminal acvent similar attacks in the future. tion which creates fear among “I do sympathise with family both innocent citizens, especially among in Australian and India while conPrabha Arun Kumar women. demning the brutal stabbing death of We join with several community organizations, of- Prabha Arun Kumar”, said Umesh Chandra GOPIO Inficials, agencies and individuals in our condemnation ternational Coordinator, Oceania. This statement of this murder of an innocent Indian woman while we echoes the shared sentiments of all GOPIO chapters share the pain and anguish of her family as well as our in Australia, GOPIO’s officials, life members and counbrethren and sisters in Australia. We extend our con- cil members throughout Australia and the global Indolences, prayers and good wishes to the family of dian Diaspora.

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SiKHS in USa

In one of the biggest goodwill gestures to one of the largest communities in the US—the Sikhs—the state of Texas has allowed on-duty Sikh officers to sport essential Sikh religious symbols like beards and turbans. According to a Washington Post report, the decision of the county sheriff of greater Houston fulfilled one of the long standing demands of the Sikhs and made the county’s police force one of the first few in the nation—along with those in Washington DC and Riverside, California—to permit Sikhs to wear their “articles of faith” on patrol.

“By making these religious accommodations, we will ensure that (our) office reflects the community we serve, one of the most culturally rich and diverse in America,” Sheriff Adrian Garcia said in a statement. “Deputies need to not only understand, respect and communicate with all segments of the population, but represent it as well,” he added. Sikh leaders in Houston and Washington welcomed the announcement and the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDEF) circulated Internet photos of Mr Garcia shaking hands with Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal, 37, who was wearing a blue police uniform, navy blue turban and a short beard.

“With this policy, one of the largest sheriff ’s offices in the country has affirmed that a person does not have to choose between their faith and a career of service,” said Mr Jasjit Singh, executive director of SALDEF in Washington. The group’s Houston representative said the move would help the law enforcement agency to “attract the best and brightest from across our community....” There are at least 200,000 Sikhs in the US, mostly from India.

Some Sikh groups claim that the number is as high as 700,000. The community includes both middle class and educated professionals in a wide range of occupations.

The numbers of the Sikh community has grown significantly since the 1970s, with large concentrations in urban areas, including New York and Los Angeles. Community leaders said that there were about 10,000 Sikhs in the Houston region alone. Because of their turbans and beards, Sikhs have often been mistaken for Muslims and have faced harassment and attacks, especially after the 9/11 attacks. In 2012, a white supremacist gunman attacked a Sikh temple in the state of Wisconsin, killing six Sikh worshippers.

In Houston, a confrontation with deputy sheriffs at the home of a Sikh family in 2008 was the original impetus for Sheriff Garcia’s outreach towards Sikhs after his election in 2009. The family called to complain of a burglary, but deputies who arrived were reportedly alarmed to find men in the home wearing beards and turbans and carrying small ceremonial swords. They called for extra officers and began interrogating the family. “All that is in the past now,” said Mr Bobby Singh, a SALDEF official in Houston. Mr Garcia said that he sought to make a fresh start with the Sikh community and other foreign minority groups in the diverse metropolitan area. “Now we have more opportunity to serve in law enforcement. It’s a win-win for everyone,” he said. ❐ march 2015 | india empire 15

inDia’S DiaSPora oUtlooK

Working for mutual benefit

I 16 india empire | march 2015

ndia shares a symbiotic relationship with its 25 million diaspora spread across the world and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed entrepreneurs, investors and professionals from the diaspora to take part in the India growth story, said External Affairs Minister, Ms Sushma Swaraj said.

Speaking at the inauguration of the International Conference on “Indian Diaspora and Cultural Heritage: Past, Present and Future” organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Ms Swaraj said that the Indian diaspora “has emerged as an important and unique force, making a positive difference in all fields of human endeavour, from economics to politics. We hold our heads high when members of the diaspora are appreciated, honoured, respected and recognised for their outstanding contribution in their respective countries of residence. The success and prosperity of the diaspora is our asset, as much as a strong and a self-reliant India is to the diaspora. We are determined to work closely with the diaspora for mutual benefit,” she said.

“We share a symbiotic relationship. To put it simply, in India’s march forward to its rightful place in the comity of nations, our fates are bound together.”

Sushma Swaraj said. She added, “India is today witnessing an unprecedented resurgence of interest from around the world. The intense exchange of highlevel visits and the qualitative change in the nature of our interaction with the world since our government has taken over is proof, if proof is required, of the growing esteem with which the world sees us. This needs to be buttressed and reinforced by presenting a more sophisticated and evolved understanding of India”. She mentioned the recent adoption of the International Day of Yoga by the UN, with a record 177 countries co-sponsoring it, as an example of the global appeal of India’s soft power.

“This soft power is anchored in our philosophical traditions, our consistent message of peace, harmony and co-existence, the attractiveness of our customs and traditions, textiles and dresses, dance and music, and, of course of our cuisine. The Indian diaspora has not just preserved these but has also played an important role in promoting and propagating these valuable symbols of who we are.” She said that the conference over the next three days would deliberate on the various aspects of India’s culture and heritage and she would be keen to receive

Mrs Sushma Swaraj: Lauding the diaspora

their feedback and suggestions, especially on preserving and further popularizing the intangible aspects of culture.

“If intangible cultural heritage is not nurtured, it risks becoming lost forever, or frozen as a practice belonging to the past. Preserving this heritage, revitalizing it, and passing it on to future generations is therefore a moral imperative,” she said. Earlier in the speech, Ms Sushma Swaraj spoke about the journey of the thousands of Indian indentured labour in the 19th century to Africa, Mauritius, and the Caribbean, Suriname and Fiji. She termed their journey as a “saga of supreme courage, unbending will, unwavering belief in their faith, culture and traditions and triumph against all odds”. She said that the Indian diaspora has retained its

language, dress, ceremonies and traditions. “It celebrated the same festivals that it did in India, sang the same songs, played the same music - in short, it retained its essential Indianness even as it adapted to the local milieu.”

“Just as the diaspora has maintained its links with India, India truly values its linkages with its diaspora,” she said, and added that “to pay tribute to the journey of India’s indentured labourers, to honour their pioneering spirit, resilience, endurance, and preservation of sense of origin, traditions and culture, the government of India installed a memorial in Kolkata in January 2011. Recently, we have commissioned to build a monument dedicated to the arrival of Indian indentured labourers in Guyana.” ❐ march 2015 | india empire 17

BUreaUCratiC interview—CHairMan nHFDC

Mr P.C. DAS, CHAIrMAN AND MANAGING DIrECTOr NATIONAl HANDICAPPED FINANCE AND DEvElOPMENT COrPOrATION

“We are meaningfully reaching out to more disabled persons than ever before” Mr P.C. Das, Chairman and Managing Director, National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC), has brought in a sharp turnaround in the fortunes of this PSU that falls under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. A gold medalist in economics at M.A. and M. Phil from Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, and a post graduate from the Andrew Young School of Public Policy at the Georgia State University, Mr Das is a career ICAS officer who has served in financially sensitive positions such as internal financial advisor to the Indo Tibetan Border Police and the Sashastra Seema Bal, and as deputy controller of accounts with the Customs and Central Excise. He spoke to India Empire Editor Sayantan Chakravarty at his New Delhi office

We have learnt that in the last 12 – 14 months there has been a dramatic turnaround in the fortunes of the NHFDC—something quite unprecedented since the organization’s inception in 1997. Please talk us through this turnaround…

You are right. When I joined on October 31, 2013, NHFDC had an authorized capital of Rs 400 crore. But until then since its inception in 1997, the organization had been able to receive only Rs 215 crore out of the authorized capital from the Government. It made me wonder why NHFDC had only managed to receive such a small amount, to me it looked a childish figure, especially given that there are 2.68 crore disabled persons in India and the scope of work in this sector is enormous. Something did not feel quite right, something was seriously missing. In fact, you’d be surprised to know that in two of those 16 years (1997–2013), NHFDC did not receive even a single rupee from the Government of India. Also, in the financial year I joined (2013–2014), NHFDC had managed to invest only Rs 20 crore in the seven months between April and October. I took up the challenge head on, and managed to disburse Rs 76 crore over the next 5 months, that is before March 31, 2014. That majorly kicked off the NHFDC turnaround story.

What led to this strategic turnaround?

I am an economist by training, and I put my training into 20 india empire | march 2015

practical application. I realized that if I go in for more investments, that would attract more interest income. This year I plan to cross the Rs 120 crore target. If you invest more, and your investment is sound, you are bound to receive sound returns year on year. I am happy to inform that my total investment is more than Rs 550 crore. In another three to four years that I’m likely to be here, the authorized capital should go up by more than Rs 1,000 crore, and total investment should breach the Rs 2,500 crore mark. Before investing, any industrialist will always ask about the returns on investment. This has also been my case. My left eye has been on investment, and the right one on recovery. Recovery is critical, if you do not recover, then your organization goes into bad debt, and turns into a non-performing asset. Those that are receiving benefits, I ask them to return the loans. If they return on time, it helps them to receive more loans, and they are benefited further. As CMD it is my duty to ensure that recovery is there. Investment and return are as inseparable as day and night.

Recently at a programme in Faridabad that was attended among others by Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Mr T.C. Gehlot and the Haryana CM, a record disbursement was made. What kind of preparation and planning went behind this record breaking feat?

Faridabad is the Lok Sabha constituency represented by

PhotograPhs © siPra Das Mr P.C. Das: Bringing a smile back on the faces of the disabled

Hon’ble Minister of State Mr Krishan Pal Gurjar. He was influenced by my presentation on NHFDC. He wanted to entrust me with the responsibility or organizing a mega camp in the district, but before that he also wanted to test out my organizing skills. So prior to the February 1 mega camp, three smaller camps were held that went off quite well. Prior to the mega camp of February 1, we had held detailed discussions with the district administration headed by Dr Amit Aggarwal, the Deputy Commissoner, Faridabad. In all 135 villages of Faridabad were covered through village panchayats and pradhans. We asked them to bring villagers with disability certificates. Logistical support was provided by the Red Cross Society of Faridabad through is volunteers. The Badshah Khan hospital of the district led by its chief medical officer provided medical support at the mega camp. The joint secretary (pension) in Faridabad was invited so that they could benefit on the spot those disabled who had not received pensions. Police support was provided by the district. A consortium of banks including SBI, IDBI, Punjab National Bank and others were invited to connect bank accounts of disabled beneficiaries with the Aadhar card. Those without bank accounts were helped in opening their accounts. A large number of universities, colleges and schools were present. I am mandated to distribute more than 2,000 scholarships per year. We invited 25 industrial houses in Faridabad. I am happy to inform that more than 1500 disabled persons were selected for jobs by these industrial houses in a single day, something unprecedented. The Shine

Society, an NGO led by Mrs Meera Bhatia, helped us shortlist candidates for jobs. It was a mega camp in which Rs 13 crore was disbursed, making it the largest ever in the history of the NHFDC. It was attended by our Hon’ble Minister Mr Thawar Chand Gehlot, Hon’ble MoS Mr Krishan Pal Gurjar and Hon’ble Haryana CM Mr Manohar Lal among others.

Is there any study on the socio-economic impact of NHFDC schemes?

Yes, we have engaged two expert organizations, HARDICON Limited and Apparel Training and Design Centre (ATDC) to evaluate beneficiaries who had received NHFDC resource in terms of general loan, term loan, scholarship, vocational training, educational loan. My ministry is also requesting me to appoint a professional organization like Deloitte who is being engaged to do an evaluation study. I am happy to say that 87 per cent of beneficiaries that have availed money from us have spent it for the purpose it was taken. There are many beneficiaries from different strata that have come up in life. Some have become really good entrepreneurs which is heartening to note.

Many have married, and are settled with children.

How are you engaging the private sector to take up more schemes related to the handicapped segments?

At our Ambala camp in November 2013, soon after I joined, there were 11,000 disabled persons in attendance, more than double our initial expectations. Over 1,500 such persons march 2015 | india empire 21

BUreaUCratiC interview—CHairMan nHFDC

CMD: Leadership with innovation

cide benefits to the tune of Rs 5 lakh. Beyond that amount they need our scrutiny and approval. We have now developed a financial accounting software whereby someone applying to the state is also simultaneously applying to us. This helps us keep a check on proper disbursement at state levels, and prevents any kind of bias to creep in. If anyone is denied a loan after applying, we can now ask state Governments the reason for the denial. This has already increased my success rate of identifying beneficiaries on the ground.

Keeping in line with this Government’s intent on transparency, you have a Whistle Blower Policy. Kindly elaborate on this…

This indicates the sincerity of the Government in maintaining 100 per cent transparency in dealings. We will show zero tolerance for lack of transparency. There was no whistle blower policy in NHFDC when I joined. I had always strongly felt for a need to have one. I took up the matter with my board that has many learned persons that includes the joint secretary and financial advisor of my administrative ministry. I explained to them that if any individual provides me information related to embezzlement of public funds, dishonesty, corruption, mismanagement, I’d keep this individual’s identity a complete secret. Secrecy is paramount and I had learnt this during my stints with the ITBP, SSB, customs and excise where secret funds are allocated to buy sensitive information. I am grateful to my board for adopting this policy.

received vocational training certificates while hundreds got other certificates and assistive devices in the presence of the Governor of Haryana and a host of central and state ministers. It was the very first time that we had taken such kind of camp to the people. It dawned on me that we can effectively reach large numbers through such camps, instead of limiting ourselves by sitting at our offices. At Ambala we invited 25 corporate houses. As you know as per Government policy they engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR). The result was that 886 candidates received job offers on the spot.

Another camp was held at my birthplace, Mongalkote in West Bengal’s Barddhaman district. More than 25,000 turned up for a mega camp, over Rs 1.75 crore worth of assistive devices were distributed apart from scholarships and loans. It was followed up with a job fair in Barddhaman where brands such as Microsoft, Lemon Tree and Hyatt Regency made recruitments. Typically in this district can also find plenty of rural clean-brick manufacturers. These people wanted more than 450 supervisors from the disabled segments.

How are you enhancing capacity building for loan disbursements and improving the functioning of state channelizing agencies (SCAs)?

At present there are four PSU banks—Bank of Baroda, IDBI, Punjab National Bank and Andhra Bank—that are disbursing Government finance. Besides, we have MoUs with 26 regional rural banks across UP, MP, Chhatisgarh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. They remain one area of channelizing funds. But the main sources of disbursement are the state channelizing agencies, or the SCAs. Concerned state welfare departments are empowered to de22 india empire | march 2015

What measures are you undertaking to keep a check on NGOs? So far as NHFDC is concerned, NGOs are coming for micro credit. We provide Rs 10 lakh to a NGO which is required to be distributed equally to 20 beneficiaries, they earn Rs 10,000 per case. We have had some bitter experiences, especially in Andhra Pradesh where this system was misused, loans were taken, but were not paid back. Based on such experiences, we have taken steps to examine the veracity of the statements given by the NGOs, and also their yearly audited accounts. Apart from that my ministry also wants to engage an expert such as Deloitte. I have requested our secretary in the ministry to provide us with an expert consultant.

What is your long term vision for NHFDC? As of now, as per the existing law, that is the Disabilities Act of 1995, we have 9 types of identified disabilities. But we are hopeful that once a new law is in place, the number of identified disability types would double, in which case about 15 crore people will be benefited. We can then serve a very large number of people, and provide them the support they need to come up life. We need to provide them with skill training, jobs, self-employment opportunities, education and sustainability. Our Hon’ble Prime Minister wants that jobs should be sustainable and self-employment should become a strong footed phenomenon. If that happens, I won’t be surprised if our total investment crosses the Rs 10,000 crore mark in a few years. Through your magazine I would like to give a message to the enlightened class that the disability sector is the most vulnerable sector. They do not need pity. They need our support. Then they will surely come up in life. ❐

PiCtUre eSSayS

JOINING HANDS

PhotograPh © siPra Das

The Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi and the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Mr Maithripala Sirisena at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on February 16, 2015

STEPPING ON MAUrITIAN SOIl PhotograPh © PremchanD ramlochun

A red carpet welcome by Mauritian Prime Minister Sir Anerood Jugnauth to Indian Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi as he lands in Mauritius on the country’s National Day 24 india empire | march 2015

SoUtH aSian toUriSM

Discover Thainess

By Poonam Mondal

Her Excellency Ms Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Minister for Tourism and Sports, Thailand was in India to relaunch Thainese campaign ‘Discover Thailand 2015’ to attract a million Indian travelers to Thailand.

“It is my pleasure to unveil our global marketing and promotion campaign 2015 Discover Thainess. We have just held our opening ceremony of 2015 discover Thainess at Bangkok in January. We are delighted to expand it now to India especially to Mumbai,” said Her Excellency Ms Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul.

She further added, “This campaign will emphasize with priceless treasures of Thailand which gives Thainess its charm and makes us unique as people in society and as a country.” The tourists to Thailand can experience the life, culture and hands on to activities like Thai boxing, Thai massage, Thai cooking and Thai classical dance. The lifestyle Thailand mostly involves providing handmade products and services which connects person to person around the globe.

Ms Soraya Homchuen, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand – Mumbai Office said, “I am sure that the Minis26 india empire | march 2015

ter’s official stamp to the Discover Thainess campaign will add steam to our efforts to promote authentic Thai experiences in India through creative means that we will employ in the months ahead.”

Minister of Tourism and Sport, Thailand, Her Excellency Ms Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul while commenting on how India and Thailand are similar in cultural, economical, social and spiritual aspects said that “we are a family”. One of the most significant markets of Thailand is India, ranking 1 in South Asia and ranking 6 globally, apart from that there are china, Malaysia, Japan, Russia and Korea. She added, “In 2014, Thailand welcomed nearly 946,269 visitors because of the slight drop from the year 2013. However we expect to bounce back and welcome 1 million this time and this will make India into one of the fifth countries globally which generates one million act.” “India is one of the fast growing source markets for Thailand,” Ms Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul further added.

Indian tourists visit Thailand for client services, business meetings, family holidays and also for weddings and honeymoons. Last year about 100 couples came for their

wedding in Thailand and brought about ten thousand people in Thailand as their wedding guests, which did a great impact to the Thai tourism.

Today, many Thai-Indian families are engaged into business in Thailand including most popular hotels in Bangkok.

Thus they are playing a very responsible and constructive role into the development of Thailand. Just like Thailand, a lot of other countries around the world have now put tourism as the economic pillar of their countries. At Thailand’s International checkpoints, Indians are being provided the facility of visa on arrival and also there is no shortage of airlines capacity with 140 weekly flights with 30 thousand modern seats. The flight services between Thailand and India are being offered by Thai Airways, Bangkok airways, Air India, Jet Airways, Indigo Airlines, Spice Jet and Tashi Air which is Bhutan’s first private airline.

Indian leisure travellers generally go to Thailand for shopping and sightseeing in Bangkok and Pattaya. There has been a 60 per cent increase in the repeat travelers who head to Phuket, Simai, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Authaya and Koh Chang. Thainese also must recommend the repeat travelers to take an hour of drive from main city to explore Trang Tien and Chumphon beaches which are considered the finest beaches of Asia. Meanwhile the other places like Nan, Lamphun and Khon Kaen brings the history and culture of Thailand.

In the year 2014 Thailand has also won tourism awards from India for Best Wedding Destination, Best Destination, Best International Tourism Board, Best Spa Destination and also the Best Value Destination.

Thainess can be found in many events and festivals of Thailand more of which are celebrated in the Thai traditions and cultural values for hundreds of years. Some of the important calendar events include The opening ceremony of 2015 discover Thainess in January, Golden Kingship Celebration in February, Muay Thai festival in March, Songkran splendours in April, Thailand Music Festival in May, Thailand Grand Sale Festival in June, Asean Festival in July, Queen of Silk Festival in August, Thailand International Food Festival in September, Thailand Time Trial in October, Loi Krathong Festival in November and Royal Melody in December. The art of rejuvenation and curing is an integral part of Thai culture from organic Thai therapies to traditional Thai massage the reach of health and wellness in Thailand is definitely outstanding.

As for gastronomy tourism Thai food is meant to be enjoying with friends and family in lively atmosphere. “Thai’s enjoy making and eating good food like you and that is why going to Thailand can be an exciting culinary experience as well as a great holiday,” said Her Excellency. There are affordable street food stalls open throughout day and night.

Traditional favourites like sticky rice with sugar and coconut cream along with the fusion food makes Thailand Asia’s best 50 destination.

“India is among the top three spenders in Thailand.

Over the last few years, the expenditure has risen to 40,000 Thai Baht per person per trip which was earlier 38,000 Thai Baht earlier,” said her Excellency. Muay Thai or Thai boxing is the national sport of Thailand which has now become

India Empire Magazine talked to Her Excellency Ms Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Minister for Tourism and Sports, Thailand about the current scenario of tourism in Thailand Ms Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul

How much has the tourist traffic gone up in the last 5 years from India to Thailand?

It has been increased every year except for last year.

Last year we have drop about 6-9 per cent but this year we are expecting to increase about 16 per cent. We aim to reach 28 million of international tourist arrival to Thailand which was 24.7 million last year. The Indian tourist arrival last year was about 946,269 but this year we expect it to reach 1.05 million. Also, the length of stay of Indian tourist to Thailand average is now above 7 days which was earlier about 4 to 5 days. Last year 107 Indian films were shot and produced in Thailand.

Apart from the traditional tourist destinations, what are the new destinations coming up in Thailand?

We welcome all kinds of tourists from India but now we are aiming more on the special interest because we have lot to offer them… we already have bike, there are group of people who like bikes and super bike…We also have packages for female travelers, as there has been an increase in the arrival of female tourist. Keeping the same in mind we are now offering lady tourists with a facility of lady compartment in the train, lady seat in the bus and also many activities for ladies to enjoy. Thailand is also very famous for beauty treatment which is highly enjoyed by the women tourists. We are also intrigued with the kind of response Thai boxing has received from the women. The sport has become extremely popular amongst the ladies with good muscle build up. It is fun for young ladies to enjoy.

What are the chances of reduction in tourism packages and airfares?

The availability of the flights has increased with great numbers. The Airline companies are now offering more flights to new destinations unlike the previous options of either Bangkok or Phuket. So, with this kind of competition, the tourists have a lot of choices of airlines depending on their spending capacity. Also within Thailand, the tourists can go from Chiang Mai to Phuket without having to stop over Bangkok. This has created ease for the tourists to visit more destinations in Thailand. march 2015 | india empire 27

SoUtH aSian toUriSM

one of the most popularising sports in the world. Recently, tourism authority of Thailand has appointed famous Indian award winning female boxing champion Ms Mary Kom to be the Thai Boxing Ambassador. Apart from that bike tours and bike events are booming in Thailand. “To promote bicycling in Thailand we are now offering bike guides, bike airline, bike trains you can carry your bike everywhere” said her Excellency.

The ‘12 hidden Gems’ of the Thainess campaign include serene Lampang; Phetchabun with its mist-shrouded mountains of flowers; Nan—The most romantic province in Thailand, Buriram—Blend of ancient Khmer and modern Thai civilisations; Loei—A place for mountain reveling; Samut Songkhram—Witnessing the glory of mighty rivers; Ratchaburi—The arts capital; Trat—The islands of dreams; Chanthaburi—The fruit capital; Trang—All things exotic (even underwater weddings!); Chumphon—Untouched emerald isles and Nakhon Si Thammarat—Unspoiled nature combined with distinct religiousness.

Thailand is also well known as family destination as the entertainment water theme park at Pattaya in October 2014 attracted more family tourists. Her Excellency further added, “Recently safari world theme park has announced new project to develop and attract new clients and facilities in Phuket.” Rich cultural and spiritual Thailand is famous for its temples, golden beaches and vibrant night life which is targeting special interest groups like golfers, divers and bikers, weddings and honeymooners, women travelers and Meetings Incentive Conference Exhibition (MICE) business from India. ❐ 28 india empire | march 2015

Discovering Thailand ● ●

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Thailand received 946,269 Indian tourists last year.

Minister revealed that target for 2015 is 1,050,000 arrivals.

60 per cent of repeat travelers popularly visit Phuket, Chiang Mai, Samui, Chiang Rai, Krabi and Ayutthaya.

The Indian travelers spending have risen to 40,000 Thai baht per person per trip from 38,000 Thai Baht earlier.

There are 140 weekly flights with modern 30 thousand seats from India to Thailand.

Indian travelers get visa on the arrival facilities at Thailand’s International checkpoints very easily.

The ‘12 hidden Gems’ of the Thainess campaign includes Lampang, Phetchabun, Nan, Buriram, Loei, Samut Songkhram, Ratchaburi, Trat, Chanthaburi, Trang, Chumphon and Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Last year about 100 Indian couples came for their wedding in Thailand.

Length of stay of Indian travelers to Thailand has increased to 7 days initially it was 4 to 5 days.

107 Indian films were shot and produced in Thailand in 2014.

Marked rise in the number of Indian film-makers, MICE, destination weddings, honeymooners, seniors and special interest groups like golfers, divers and bikers.

GoPio PerSPeCtive

Indians in America: Progress, Opportunities, Issues and Challenges

By Ashook Ramsaran

Among the vast global expanse of the Indian Diaspora, non-resident Indians (NRIs) and persons of Indian origin (PIOs) in the United States of America constitute the largest national community of NRIs and PIOs. The NRIs and PIOs in USA are a rapidly increasing population exceeding 4 million with unparalleled upward mobility and significant achievements in all segments of US society. ashook ramsaran Their average per capita far exceeds other recent immigrant groups as NRIs and PIOs have made enormous strides in economic progress, science and technology, businesses, hospitality, medical profession, media, academia and politics. In addition, the recent advances in strengthening of the relationship between India and USA further enhance the importance of NRIs and PIOs in the USA. Despite the remarkable advances and levels of assimilation in US society, from time to time NRIs and PIOs are victims of attacks and harassment perpetuated by other Americans as well as law enforcement. Some of these actions may be silent while others are physical in nature.

These are harsh realities, to those who are victims and those who view these attacks in the larger perspective. These experiences are rude 30 india empire | march 2015

awakenings which can jolt the NRI/PIO community to take notice, to understand the motivations, be aware, be vigilant and take steps to alleviate and prevent such incidents. Many of the issues are institutional, ingrained in the US society from its inception, and it would be logical that solutions would have to be institutional in order to be effective – at all levels of society: political, civic, economic, academic, social, religious and media.

Individually and collectively, NRIs and PIOs must be actively engaged as part of the fabric of American society, participating in multi-ethnic organizations and contributing to social programs benefiting all Americans - and not be viewed as isolated groups. America is the “great melting pot” and NRIs and PIOs are part of that mix. The lessons of Uganda can be stark reminders of unexpected outcomes by those who view NRIs and PIOs as outsiders or isolated.

The events of recent months clearly show how widespread disparities have evolved into a national problem of enormous proportions which beg for an urgent solution or a series of solutions, examining the underlying causes, confronting perceptions versus reality. The urgency is to examine and asses the disparities in educational opportunities, economic opportunities, law enforcement and risks, perceptions which dictate actions perpetuating misplaced beliefs and actions, and developing partnerships for social and social progress.

It is important that the NRI/PIO community in USA be engaged on these issues on a national level. The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) is embarking on this na-

tional agenda with all its chapters in USA in collaboration with other Indian-American organizations, other US (nonIndian) organizations and agencies, municipal, state and national agencies, elected officials, Indian consular officials and others. The objective is to bring about more awareness, education and information, understanding, expectations, cultural differences, Indian immigrant language as hurdles to overcome, immigrant customs, religion, traditions, laws and policies to prevent similar incidents in the future. It must be noted that misplaced perceptions and incorrect assumptions by others can contribute to brutal incidents such as immediately after 9-11 when several Sikhs were attacked when mistakenly grouped among the perpetrators of the 911 attacks.

In the near term, GOPIO is coordinating a panel session on “Indian Migration to USA: Assimilation, Contributions, Opportunities & Challenges” as part of a Multidisciplinary Symposium “Looking Beyond the Fence: Politics, Power, and the Future of U.S. Immigration” to be held on March 27-29, 2015 at St John’s University in Queens, New York. In addition, GOPIO is organizing a conference on “Indian Diaspora: Assimilation and Co-Existence in Multi-Ethnic & Multi-Cultural Societies” scheduled for the day preceding GOPIO’s annual general meeting

late May 2015 in New York, USA. GOPIO is also taking the lead role in developing a national agenda in engaging the NRI/PIO community in the USA to collaborate closely with India’s Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs and Ministry of the External Affairs on a national agenda to engage the office of the Indian Ambassador in Washington DC and all Indian Consulates in USA, the US State Department, US Department of Justice, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), MLK Foundation and others. The NRI/PIO community has a responsibility to be proactive in this national dialogue and must inclusive of all segments: media, academia, politics, businesses, science and technology, hospitality, medical professionals, philanthropy, cultural and religious, youth, women, seniors and others.

There is urgent need for a national dialogue among the NRI/PIO community in USA and respective elected officials, civic groups, institutions and agencies to bring about more awareness, education, expectations and understanding to avoid conflicts and misperceptions which can have unintended consequences. Any further delay on this national agenda would be lost opportunity. ❐ —The writer is President of GOPIO International march 2015 | india empire 31

DiaSPora newS in BrieF

Tales of Hindus The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry (BIMP) of University of Connecticut in Storrs will present a puppet play “Arjuna’s Meditation” from ancient Hindu Sanskrit epic Mahabharata in May. The play will be directed by Ms Jody Diamond and performed by Mr Matthew Cohen (scholar and Javanese shadow puppet performer) with Gamelan Si Betty (Harvard University), this classic Javanese puppet play is co-sponsored by Asian and Asian American Studies Institute. Arjuna is a hero in Mahabharata, the longest poem ever written comprising over 100,000 couplets.

Hindu statesman Mr Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada commended the University of Connecticut for highlighting Hindu heritage. Mr Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged major universities of the world; including Harvard, Oxford, Stanford, Cambridge, Princeton, UC Berkeley, Yale, Columbia, Toronto, Tokyo and Melbourne to frequently organize Hinduism focused exhibitions-plays-films-other media, thus sharing rich philosophy-concepts-symbols-traditions of this oldest religion with the rest of the world. If they needed any assistance, he or other Hindu scholars would gladly help, Mr Zed added.

BIMP; besides over 2,500 puppets from all over the world; has the largest collection of videotapes, films, and other media about puppetry in USA. Its puppetry exhibi-

Mr Rajan Zed

tions tour across USA and John Bell is the Director. University of Connecticut, founded 1881, is one of the top public research universities and ranks among the top 20 public universities in the nation. It offers 78 research and professional practice fields of study, 106 undergraduate majors and 6 professional degree programs to over 31,000 students. Ms Susan Herbst is currently the President of the University of Connecticut.

Following the Gandhian path Mr Vivek Chadha, a 26 year old UK-based follower of Mahatma Gandhi has become the youngest donor so far to contribute 100,000 UK pounds to the Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust. Mr Chadha, Director of Nine Hospitality Ltd is a hotel owner, residential developer and major commercial investor in UK real estate. Mr Chadha graduated as a civil engineer in 2010 from University College London where Mahatma Gandhi was part of the University alumni.

Mr Chadha has been interested in Mahatma Gandhi from an early age, and even had his picture in his room at home, to inspire him in his schooldays. He said, ‘I am particularly interested in how Gandhi emphasized the privilege of giving and practiced compassion in creative ways. The fact that Gandhi concentrated all his energy in the service of others is a great example of how all young people should follow this idea in our day-to-day lives.’

Lord Meghnad Desai, chair of the Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust said, “It is very important that young people like Vivek step forward and donate towards this noble cause.

He has joined a very important growing group of British Asians who have responded generously for this cause. More than fifty per cent of the money raised so far has come from UK, and 80 per cent of our 180 donors are British.” He added, “Many small donations have come to the charity, more than 90,000 UK pounds have been received so far through the same. This includes mostly UK based, donors 32 india empire | march 2015

Mr Vivek Chadha

who have given anything between 1 UK pounds to 15000 UK pounds.’

The Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust has been able to reach its goal of 750,000 UK pounds within approximately three months. Pledges, however, continue to pour in from the UK and all over the world.

DiaSPora newS in BrieF

MIllION DOllAr INDIAN Mr Gurpreet Singh, an Indian Ameriportunities in nanotechnology and also can assistant professor of mechanical and make others aware of the challenges renuclear engineering at Kansas State Unilated to scalable manufacture and highversity, has received a USD 500,000 Nacost that is currently hindering tional Science Foundation Career award introduction in practical applications,” he for his research on nanosheets. The pressaid. With his career award, Mr Singh will tigious award will also help Mr Singh orstudy large-scale production of ultrathin ganize educational activities for high sheets - a few atoms thick and several mischool students and teachers. He has recrometers wide - of transition metal ceived the award for his research on “Scaldichalcogenides or TMDs. Nearly 40 types able liquid exfoliation processing of of TMDs have been identified, including ultrathin two-dimensional metal dichalconaturally occurring molybdenite. genides nanosheets for energy storage deLittle is known about the structure of Mr Gurpreet Singh vices,” according to a University release.

TMDs and their mechanical, electrical and He will use the award to develop ultrathin electrochemical properties, Mr Singh said. metal sheets that can help produce better rechargeable bat- Some of TMDs’ physical and chemical properties can adteries, supercapacitors and catalysts for photoelectrochemi- dress energy-related concerns. For these TMDs to improve cal hydrogen production. technology, they must be produced in ultrathin sheets, Mr Mr Singh also plans to organize hands-on educational ac- Singh said. Bulk quantities of nanosheets are necessary for tivities, including nanotechnology-oriented summer work- energy applications, including rechargeable batteries, supershops for high school science teachers and female high capacitors and catalysts for photo-electrochemical hydrogen school students. “I want to create excitement about the op- production.

Want to groW? Send WorkerS abroad A study by three Indianorigin researchers has revealed that successful small firms study competitors, network with other firms and allow their employees to learn from the developed markets to go from “zero to hero” in a short time. “There are big benefits in encouraging citizens to study and work in developed markets, gaining Mr Sourindra Banerjee education and experience to become future leaders whose knowledge can drive growth,” added the study that compared business data from India and Britain across a 10-year period. The research was carried out

by Mr Sourindra Banerjee from the University of Warwick, Mr Jaideep C Prabhu from the University of Cambridge and Mr Rajesh K Chandy from the London Business School.

The authors feel that this study is a wake-up call to smaller nations to make important changes in how they do business. They compared business data from 116 firms from India and 160 firms from Britain to understand how smaller Indian companies, despite their lack of experience, were able to grow at a remarkable speed. The authors found that the most successful small companies had

Mr Rajesh K Chandy

Mr Jaideep C Prabhu

been able to learn from the personal business experience of their own well chosen leaders.

Smaller nations often fear that allowing citizens to study and work in developed countries results in “brain drain” and must be discouraged. “Theories from developed contexts do not easily transfer to emerging markets. Policymakers in emerging economies should be careful about placing obstacles in the paths of their citizens who try to study or work in developed markets,” the trio observed. “Indeed, they might encourage their citizens to study in developed markets by providing them with scholarships, increasing the availability of loans, and removing foreign exchange restrictions on spending in developed markets,” the authors concluded. march 2015 | india empire 33

overSeaS eDUCation

Indian ‘Highfliers’ A new segment of ‘Highflier’ students, who are likely to be both academically prepared and financially independent, are expected to boost the stagnant number of Indian students in US institutions, according to an Indian-American expert

By Arun Kumar

W

orld Education Services (WES), a not for profit organization that provides evaluations of international credentials to institutions in the US and Canada, groups students into four categories - Highfliers, Explorers, Strivers and Strugglers. Indian students are most likely to be Strivers, who seek “value for money” and are highly dependent on bank loans or financial support from universities, says Mr Rahul Choudaha of WES Research and Advisory Services. Strivers also tend to enrol in STEM related fields of study that have good employment potential. Many follow it with a 29-month Optional Practical Training (OPT) experience in the information technology industry and finally seek H1-visas for employment, he says. In 2013/14, 27 percent of all Indian students in the US were on OPT as compared to 12 percent of all international students.

The majority are concentrated in large US metro areas with ample infor-

34 india empire | march 2015

mation technology jobs like New York and San Jose.

Enrolments from China, India, and Saudi Arabia accounted for 81 percent of the 8 percent overall annual growth of international students in the US between 2013 and 2014, according to the latest Institute of International Education (IIE) Open Doors data. According to WES’ segmentation study, students from China are most likely to have the financial means to afford a US education. Saudi students also have high financial resources but they are more likely to be supported by Government-funded scholarships, while Indian students are the most likely to rely on loans and institutional financial aid.

In contrast to the traditional value-for-money orientation of Indian Strivers, a new emerging segment of Indian Highfliers will be more inclined to seek quality of experience over other considerations when applying to US universities, according to Mr Choudaha. Attributing the emergence of the Indian Highflier market to economic growth and associated changes in Indian society, Mr Choudaha says Highfliers will not be as financially constrained as Strivers and will be ready to invest in fields of study beyond STEM degrees.

The economic liberalisation and growth of new sectors like the IT services industry during the 1990’s has created a new class of well-compensated white collar professionals. The Highflier children of these professionals are now getting ready for college and will become the main drivers of international mobility among Indian students, Choudaha says. The growth in the number of Highflier stu-

dents from India will take a few years to fully impact overall enrolment patterns and it will not be as marked as the explosion of Explorer students from China, he says.

However, US institutions would be well placed to make the most of this emerging opportunity by adapting their internationalisation strategies to the unique characteristics, needs and decision-making processes of Indian Highflier students, he suggested. â??

march 2015 | india empire 35

triniDaD anD toBaGo

CElEBrATING lOrD SHIvA’S GrEAT NIGHT

By Dr Kumar mahabir Just like Carnival, the festival of Shivaratri should be promoted as a significant event on the cultural and tourism calendar of Trinidad and Tobago. In addition to the regular Carnival attractions, tour operators should take tourists to Shivaratri celebrations to showcase the rich cultural diversity of the island. The sacred festival of Shivaratri often coin-

36 india empire | march 2015

cides with the secular celebration of Carnival in the twin-island republic. The dates for both events were calculated by the lunar calendar with Carnival climaxing at mid-night February 17, 2015 and Shivaratri ending about the same time.

This year, the Hindu festival of Shivaratri fell on the final day of Carnival, which was originally a Roman Catholic “last-hurrah” celebration bidding “farewell to the flesh.”

Carnival ended before Ash Wednesday which is dedicated to the confession of one’s sins. It is expected that many Catholics who participated in Carnival would go to mass to place ash on their forehead as a symbol of repentance. Ash Wednesday begins the fasting period known as Lent. It also marks the Seventh Wednesday before Easter which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. While Hindus fast and pray in congregation during Shivaratri, Roman Catholics observe pious or penitential practices after Carnival.

For Hindus who participate in Carnival, this year’s Carnival presents a challenge because they are free to indulge in the senses when Carnival is finished.

While Hindu devotees worship Lord Shiva for Shivaratri, as the Divine Dancer, Roman Catholics celebrate King Carnival as the Supreme Being of Bacchanal. It must be emphasized that expiatory figures, as well as the ceremonies and imagery associated with them, are oppositional. Shivaratri means the Great Night of Lord Shiva. The festival is observed in the over 300 public temples in Trinidad on the fourteenth lunar night of the dark, moonless fortnight in the Hindu month of Phalgun, which corresponds to late

February or early March in the Western Gregorian calendar.

Lord Shiva is the divine Destroyer or Transformer among the Trinity of Hindu Gods. He is often depicted with a cobra coiled around his neck, symbolising the power he has over the deadliest of creatures. Lord Shiva is also portrayed with a crescent-shaped moon on the left side of his head. The moon represents the cycle of time through which creation evolves, from beginning to end. Lord Shiva is usually worshipped in the form of an iconic lingam, a sacred oval pillar of stone, demonstrating that God exists in an abstract form. He is depicted as an omniscient yogi, immersed in deep meditation, who resides on Mount Kailash.

Lord Shiva is also portrayed as the Cosmic Dancer who performs the divine dance, signifying the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction, as well as the eternal rhythm of birth and death.

During Shivaratri, pooja (ceremonial worship) is performed in honour of Lord Shiva. Devotees abstain from eating and drinking during preparations for the pooja, which begins at sunset and ends at sunrise. From nightfall to sun-

rise, devotees flock to temples in reverence to Lord Shiva.

Women pray for the well-being of their family members, married women pray for matrimonial bliss and unmarried girls pray for a good husband. It is believed that the grace of Lord Shiva is at its maximum on this auspicious night.

Devotees offer libations by bathing the lingam with jal (water), milk, honey, dahee (curd), ghee (clarified butter) and sugar-cane juice. Other offerings to the lingam include wood apple or bael leaves (Aeglemarmelos) and fruits and flowers. Offerings are also made to other deities in the temple, as well as to the pundit (Hindu priest), who directs the proceedings.

A vigil is maintained all night during which bhajans and kirtans (hymns and praises) are sung to the accompaniment of music. The temple reverberates with the sounds of gongs, bells, horns and chants of “Om Namah Shivaya,” meaning “Praise the name of Lord Shiva.” Devotees circumambulate the lingam and make their offerings to it.

After this, their fast could be broken. Hindus who participate in Carnival are then free to party and masquerade. ❐ march 2015 | india empire 37

BUSineSS

450 KM MUMBAI

METrO In a move that could revolutionise lation relies on the railways for modal transportation in India’s business capitransportation. It is densely occupied tal, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region with nearly 7.6 million commuters comDevelopment Authority has planned a muting daily. The city has to focus on 450 km long network of metro rail corcontinuous capacity creation to meet the ridors for the city and surroundings demand-supply gap,” he said. the third largest in the world, a top ofFor achieving this, a comprehensive ficial said in December. rollout of metro rail, monorail and subThe Mumbai Metropolitan Region urban trains is required, for which polit(MMR), which comprises Mumbai and ical and bureaucratic ownership of the parts of adjacent Thane, Palghar and projects and sustained government fundMr U.P.S. Madan Raigad districts, is aimed to get metro ing is the need of the hour, he said. rail connectivity which will be next only Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd CEO, to Shanghai and Beijing.

Abhay Mishra said that an efficient public transit system “The MMRDA has proposed to build 450 kms of should save time, be financially viable and environmentmetro rail and another network of monorail corridors friendly. which would offer efficient, convenient and environment The much awaited metro rail project intends to posifriendly transportation system over the next 8-10 years,” tively impact lives ofMumbaikars by meeting these criteria, said MMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner U.P.S. Madan at but the Government must adopt a transit-oriented planthe Third Regional Dialogue, Mumbai, leading to the up- ning by redesigning roads, consider pedestrian walking ascoming 15th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit pects, stricter parking norms, eliminating roadside hawkers scheduled in February. and illegal wayside constructions, Mishra urged.

Madan said that the Government is working towards The Regional Dialogues, organised by think tank designing a transportation system that would ensure sus- TERI, came in the wake of the government’s recent antainable and smart mobility in the MMR. nouncements on Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and 100 Smart He pointed out that given the changing income levels Cities in India. ❐ of the citizens, nearly 75 percent of the MMR population relies on public transportation against 80 percent population which was dependent on it earlier. “Trains are cheap, ecofriendly and fast mode of transport - the people of Mumbai must be encouraged to use this mode by enabling better quality of services,” Madan said.

Mumabai Rail Vikas Corporation Ltd Chairman, Rakesh Saksena said that Mumbai and surroundings with a population of 22 million pose a major mobility challenge.

“Over 53 percent of the popu38 india empire | march 2015

BUSineSS

Menlo Park in Kochi The mayor of Menlo Park, a global technology and financial hub in the heart of US Silicon Valley, said that her city will play a lead role in bringing US companies to Kochi and developing infrastructure facilities in the park.

“Kochi is emerging as a global player in IT and start-up culture. We are really impressed by the kind of ecosystem being created by the government. We will help the US companies to establish their operations in the city and in turn also help the start-ups in Kochi to grow,” said Ms Catherine Carlton at the Infopark campus here. She also added that up to 100 technology startups from Kerala could be given a chance to travel to the Silicon Valley to learn about the nuances of building a billion dollar tech company.

Menlo Park in California is home to a number of technology giants including Facebook, and is known as the “capital for venture capital”. InfoPark CEO Hrishikesh Nair said that the tie-up with Menlo Park would further boost the growth of IT and start-ups in the state. The delegation visited Kochi before signing of the twin city agreement between Kochi and Menlo Park establishing social, cultural and economic tie-ups. The signing took place in the state capital on February 11, 2015 in the presence of Chief Min-

Ms Catherine Carlton, Mayor of Menlo Park, California, and Tony Chammany, Kochi Mayor, exchanging documents after signing the agreement on cultural and economic exchange in Thiruvananthapuram

ister Mr Oommen Chandy. It is the first such agreement between an Indian city and Menlo Park.

SolD For BiG BUCKS Left-hand all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and wicketkeeperbatsman Dinesh Karthik were sold for big bucks in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction held on February 16, 2015 ahead of the eighth season. Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews and Indian leg-spinner Amit Mishra also fetched big money in the auction. Yuvraj was picked up by Delhi Daredevils for a stupendous Rs.16 crore. Karthik was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for a price of Rs.10.5 crore.

All-rounder Angelo Mathews, currently in World Cup duty where they lost their opening match against New Zealand Saturday, was picked up for a Rs.7.50 crore by Daredevils which also took in Amit Mishra (Rs.3.5 crore) and pacer Zaheer Khan (Rs.4 crore).

New Zealand bowler Trent Boult was another big signing of the day, going for Rs.3.80 crore to Sunrisers Hyderabad, which also picked up England captain Eoin Morgan for Rs.1.50 crore. Sacked England batsman Kevin Pietersen was also snapped up by Hyderabad for Rs.2 crore while Australian batsman Aaron Finch, who scored a superb match-winning century against England in the World Cup Saturday, was bought by Mumbai Indians for Rs.3.2 crore.

Indian left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha was also bought

by Mumbai Indians for 50 lakh. Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) picked up veteran left-arm spinner Brad Hogg for Rs.50 lakh. Another experienced

Australian Michael Hussy was snapped up by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for Rs.1.50 crore. Former West Indies captain Darren Sammy went to RCB for Rs.2.8 crore. Rajasthan Royals, winners of the first edition of IPL in 2008, bought South African all-rounder Christopher Morris for Rs.1.40 crore. The auction process heated up when a bidding war between RCB and Delhi Daredevils saw Yuvraj’s price skyrocket. march 2015 | india empire 39

CrUiSinG DeStination

Azamara may avoid India

Captain Jose at left

The US-based Azamara Club Cruises owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd is planning to take India off its route map if the immigration and customs formalities are not systematised to ease the hardships faced by passengers, said a top official of the cruise ship ‘Azamara Quest’.

Fuming at the delays at the immigration and customs at Chennai Port, the cruise ship’s captain Jose Vilarinho told reporters on board ‘Azamara Quest’, “If India wants cruise liners to call on its ports then the procedures have to change. When the immigration and customs formalities are completed in a short time at Indian airports, the ports can also do that.”

He said the issue is not about the maritime and port facilities like berthing but with the immigration and customs.

He said the company is mulling taking India off its route map from 2017 onwards.

“We may not be calling on Mumbai port from 2017 onwards,” Vilarinho said. He said if such a bureaucratic attitude persists then it will be difficult to handle large cruise liners with a carrying capacity of around 6,000 people.

‘Azamara Quest’ has a capacity of 698 guests. Vilarinho said the potential for cruise shipping is good in India and the company would like to develop that.

He said the crew and others had to spend around two 40 india empire | march 2015

hours at the port gate owing to duplication of paper work.

Interestingly, the media contingent had to stand for around 20 minutes at the wharf to board the ship as the officials were in a meeting.

‘Azamara Quest’ docked at Chennai Port December 8 evening and the next evening it embarks on a 13-night ‘Spice Route II and Myanmar’ voyage sailing to Singapore.

The ship will also visit Port Blair, Andaman Islands in India and dock for two nights in Yangon, Myanmar before sailing to Phuket, Thailand, Langkawi, Penang and Port Klang in Malaysia and finally dropping anchor at Singapore.

Azamara’s 2015 voyages programme will comprise 52 voyages, ranging from 5-18 night itineraries to some of the world’s most intriguing destinations.

reSearCH By overSeaS inDianS

Deadly ailments—Are the treatments safe?

F

ew health care providers in rural India know the correct treatments for childhood diarrhea and pneumonia—two leading killers of young children worldwide. But even when they do, they rarely prescribe them properly, according to a new Duke University study. Medical practitioners typically fail to prescribe lifesaving treatments such as oral rehydration salts (ORS). Instead, they typically prescribe unnecessary antibiotics or other potentially harmful drugs, said Mr Manoj Mohanan, a professor in Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy, and lead author of the study. Diarrhea and pneumonia accounted for 24 percent of deaths among children 1 to 4 years old, totaling approximately 2 million deaths worldwide in 2011. Bihar, India—where the study was conducted—has an infant mortality rate of 55 per 1000 live births, the highest in the country.

“The Know-Do Gap in Quality of Health Care for Childhood Diarrhea and Pneumonia in Rural India” was published online on February 16, 2015, by JAMA Pediatrics. “We know from previous studies that providers in rural settings have little medical training and their knowledge of how to treat these two common and deadly ailments is low,” Mr Mohanan said. “Eighty percent in our study had no medical degree. But much of India’s rural population receives care from such untrained providers, and very few studies have been able to rigorously measure the gap between what providers know and what they do in practice,” he added.

The study involved 340 health care providers. Researchers conducted “vignette” interviews with providers to assess how they would diagnose and treat a hypothetical case. Later, the standardized patients—individuals who portrayed patients presenting the same symptoms as in the interviews made unannounced visits. This strategy enabled researchers to measure the gap between what providers know and what they actually do—the “knowdo” gap. Providers exhibited low levels of knowledge about both diarrhea and pneumonia during the interviews and performed even worse in practice. For example, for diarrhea, 72 percent of providers reported they would prescribe oral rehydration salts—a life-saving, low-cost and readily available intervention but it was only 17 percent that actually did so. Those who did prescribe ORS also added other unnecessary or harmful drugs.

In practice, none of the providers gave the correct treatment that includes only ORS, with or without zinc, and no other potentially harmful drugs. Instead, almost

72 percent of providers gave antibiotics or potentially harmful treatments without ORS. “Massive over-prescription of antibiotics is a major contributor to rising antibiotic resistance worldwide,” Mr Mohanan said. “Our ongoing studies aim to understand why providers who know they shouldn’t be prescribing antibiotics for conditions like simple diarrhea continue to do so,” he added.

“It clearly is not demand from patients alone, which is a common explanation, since none of our standardized patients asked for antibiotics but almost all of them got them,” he said. Providers with formal medical training still had large gaps between what they knew and did, but were significantly less likely to prescribe harmful medical treatments.

“Our results show that in order to reduce child mortality, we need new strategies to improve diagnosis and treatment of these key childhood illnesses,” Mr Mohanan said. “Our evidence on the gap between knowledge and practice suggests that training alone will be insufficient.

We need to understand what incentives cause providers to diverge from proper diagnosis and treatment.”

Mohanan also holds appointments with the Duke Global Health Institute and the Department of Economics. His co-authors are Mr Marcos Vera-Hernandez and Ms Soledad Giardili of University College London; Ms Veena Das of Johns Hopkins University; Mr Jeremy D. Goldhaber-Fiebert of Stanford University School of Medicine; Tracy L. Rabin and Mr Jeremy I. Schwartz of Yale School of Medicine; Mr Sunil S. Raj of the Indian Institute of Public Health and Ms Aparna Seth of Sambodhi Research and Communications. Funding for the study was provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as part of the Bihar Evaluation of Social Fran❐ chising and Telemedicine (BEST) project. march 2015 | india empire 41

niti aayoG

Mission Mode developMent Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi said the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog should focus on quick resolution of inter-departmental and centre-state issues to speed up the pace of implementation of infrastructure projects. Mr Modi, after a high-level meeting on infrastructure here, directed the concerned ministries to work in a “mission mode” towards achieving electrification of the remaining 20,000 unelectrified villages, in a clearly defined The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi with CMs of North-Eastern states, ahead of first time-frame, an official meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, in New Delhi on February 08, 2015 statement said.

“Innovative solutions should be explored for ensur- tr y from conventional energ y to solar energ y. Reing total rural electrification, including solar energy, viewing the prog ress in coastal development, the power connectivity through nearby railway infrastruc- prime minister reiterated his call for a “Blue Revoture and off-grid solutions,” Mr Modi said. The prime lution”, integrating coastal shipping, tourism and reminister was informed that issues regarding coal sup- gional development through the Sagar mala project. ply to existing power plants were resolved and “not Mr Modi has called for a fundamental change in the even one power plant faces a shortage of coal”. Mr approach towards redevelopment of railway stations Modi has also reviewed the plans for augmenting solar and development of areas contiguous to railway corpower generation capacity in the country, it said. ridors that r un through major cities in the countr y.

As an illustration, he sug gested that BCCI could Government officers from all related infrastr ucture be involved in an effort to convert power consump- ministries, the PMO and NITI Aayog were present tion of all major cricket stadiums across the coun- at the meeting.

42 india empire | march 2015

SinGaPore nri MiniSter SiGnS MoU witH aP

Singapore to help AP Singapore in December signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Andhra Pradesh to prepare a master plan and develop a world-class capital city of Andhra Pradesh. The master plan will be ready in six months and after that a detailed action plan will be worked out, announced Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu after a meeting with S. Iswaran, Minister in the Singapore Prime Minister’s Office. “We have decided to work with the government of Andhra Pradesh on this project of master planning and development of capital city,” said Iswaran, also the city state’s second Minister for Home Affairs, Trade And Industry.

The MoU on “the master-planning and development of the capital city and capital region of Andhra Pradesh” was signed by officials of Infrastructure Corporation of Andhra Pradesh and International Enterprise Singapore in the presence of Naidu and Iswaran.

As per the MoU, the parties will “cooperate in the master-planning, development and construction of the capital city of Andhra Pradesh as a modern, vibrant, sustainable and smart capital city with a strong economy, excellent social amenities and efficient transport and logistics networks”. The Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) and Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) from Singapore and the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) of Andhra Pradesh will be participating entities.

Singapore will provide expert advice on city development and urban governance. It will draw up a capital region plan for 7,325 kilometre area within the Vijayawada-GunturTenali-Mangalgiri boundary, a capital city master plan for 125 km of the core of the capital city and a detailed seed development master plan for the construction of the approximately eight km first section of the capital city.

The Singapore master developer will be an entity of international repute with strong engineering and financial resources, possessing a proven track record of developing projects in Singapore, India and the region.

The parties also agreed to establish a joint high level committee, to be co-chaired by the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh and Singapore’s second minister for trade and industry.

There will also be working committee to implement decisions of joint committee. Naidu said the Government of Singapore and various agencies and organisations will partner in the prestigious project.

He said Singapore companies will also join in developing the capital city. “I necessary will create Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) with them. We will mobilise required equity and give them land and other facilities,” the chief minister said. Naidu said he would like to see the first phase of the capital city completed before the next elections (2019).

The Government has already decided to build the state capital between Vijayawada and Guntur. The Chief Minister said that he chose Singapore in view of its experience and expertise in planning and developing world-class cities in different countries. Earlier in the day, he announced a policy for land pooling system for building the state capital.

He said the land acquisition would start from Tuesday. Appealing to people to participate actively in building the capital, he announced different compensation packages for the owners of ❐ wet and dry land.

march 2015 | india empire 43

inDian toUriSM—HiMaCHal PraDeSH

Rohtang tunnel - Ray of prosperity for locals

By Vishal gulati Residents of tiny hamlets spread across Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul Valley, where temperature plummet to minus 20 degrees Celsius in winter, want to see the light at the end of the Rohtang tunnel. Every year, when heavy snowfall high up the Rohtang Pass closes the road connectivity to the valley in Lahaul-Spiti district for at least five months, the lone state-run helicopter, which normally operates once in a week to transport the locals, is the only mode of transportation.

“We want timely completion of the Rohtang tunnel to end our miseries forever,” said octogenarian Mr Khajana Ram, a resident of Keylong. He said an abnormal delay in completing work on the tunnel, a strategically important project beneath the Rohtang Pass that will ensure all-weather connectivity to the valley, was a matter of concern.

Added Sonam Dolkar in Sissu village: “No vegetable other than peas and potatoes that grow locally reach here once the road links snap in December. For five months, we have to relish only the stored vegetables and meat.” The Rs.1, 495-crore tunnel’s foundation stone was laid by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi June 28, 2010, in the picturesque Solang Valley. Official sources said that the horse-shoe-shaped 8.8-km-long tunnel that missed its February 2015 deadline is likely to be completed by 2017. They said digging was over in half of the tunnel but the delay will face a cost overrun of Rs. 500-600 crore.

Mr Ravi Thakur, Vice Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes said that he had apprised Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi about the abnormal delay in its execution. “I have requested the prime minister to direct the home ministry and the BRO to speed up the work of tunnelling and construction and maintenance and the roads and bridges connected to the Rohtang tunnel,” said Mr Thakur, the local legislator. The project is being built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in collaboration with Strabag-Afcons, a joint venture between India’s Afcons Infrastructure Ltd and Strabag SE of Austria.

In a reply to his another letter in July 2014, then defence minister Mr Arun Jaitley said that certain difficulties such as a significant change in rock class was encountered compared to what was initially assumed. “Severe tunnelling conditions in some portions are being encountered,” he said. An official associated with the project told said that the high water seepage and loose strata have severely hit the tunnel’s excavation. But for 20,000 people of the cold deserts of Lahaul Valley, 122 km north of picturesque Manali, the tunnel is a ray of prosperity.

Hotelier Tashi Bodh said the construction of the tunnel 44 india empire | february 2015

would ensure round-the-year stream of tourists in Lahaul Valley, which will boost local prosperity. “Otherwise, the tourists return only when the roads reopen in May,” he added.

In a letter to Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh on January 30, 2015 legislator Mr Thakur sought regular chopper flights to Lahaul-Spiti for patients, employees and other emergencies. Mr Thakur said that communications department secretary Rajesh Garg informed him last month that the BSNL had proposed to install six 2G BTSs (base transceiver stations) under its phase VII globe system of mobile communication in Lahaul-Spiti to strengthen mobile coverage.

The Lahaulis, as the locals are called, are mostly farmers and grow mainly peas and potatoes. The Buddhist-dominated district in the Himalayan terrain at elevations ranging from 15,000 feet to 20,000 ft above sea level attracts globe❐ trotters during summer.

in BrieF

PhotograPhs © siPra Das

Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi (centre) watches the Bengaluru Air Show by the Indian Air Force. To his right is Defence Minister Mr Manohar Parrikar and on his left is Karnataka Governor Mr Vajubhai Vala

Gathering investor’s interest Finance Minister Mr Arun Jaitley said that there was an increased level of investors’ interest in India and added that the overall economic situation in the country was looking better. Mr Jaitley was speaking at the first meeting of the parliamentary consultative committee attached to his ministry held here to discuss “suggestions for the budget”. According to Mr Jaitley, the current account deficit (CAD) is under control and the Government will try to keep fiscal deficit within the prescribed limit. The minister stressed the need to boost investment especially in infrastructure sector.

On the issue of bringing back black money stashed abroad, the minister pointed out that India will soon become part of an international consortium where the focus would be on automatic transfer of information. This would help the Government in getting easy access to such foreign accounts of Indian residents, he added.

Mr Arun Jaitley

march 2015 | india empire 45

ColUMn: yoGi aSHwini

MinD anD BoDy

WHAT IS TrUTH?

By Yogi Ashwini Yogi ashwini

Y

our body, the flowers and trees, sun, moon, water…they are all changing all the time. What you looked like 10 years back or even a year back is not what you are this instant. The body is constantly moving towards destruction. A new set of cells replaces the cells in your body every seven years. Even what you see as death has happened so many times before; it is just that you are only able to understand it when the body is taken to the shamshan. Just think about it…today your hair are grey, ten years back they were black. So are you that same person who had black hair? The prana that govern your body too are undergoing a change with every passing thought of yours. In fact, it is because the prana is changing that the body too is undergoing a change.

So which is the truth, what things were a moment back or what they will be this instant? What is changing even that is not truth, because it is not there at all. What is not there, what you are only assuming there to be, how can that be the truth?

In fact the biggest illusion is that change only. Because what is changing is nashwar, that is not there at all, because it is there this moment but it will not be in the next. So how can that be the truth? Name any one thing in this creation that is truth.

At the time of Raja Janak, shaastraths (meets where meaning of shaastras were pondered upon) were held.

Learned scholars (pandits) would get together and debate on truths of creation. Those who were defeated would behead themselves, take Samadhi, observe penance, etc – their fate being decided by the king. So even shaastra, that which takes one from mortality to immortality, were reduced to shastra (weapons) that take one towards nashvarta (destruction). So even the most learned pandits missed out on the essence or gyan of shaastra, and turned them into untruth.

A gentleman told me God is truth. When you do yog, you experience these energies but unless you have experienced them, they are non-existent for you. Having an experience is important, that is the only way to progress in yog. So I asked this person if he had seen God or knew what he looks like or where he exists. The reply came, ‘God is in every spec of creation.’ I then asked him if there was God in the microphone from where I was speaking. He said, ‘maybe’.

Another gentleman came to his rescue and said, ‘we have been brought up hearing that whatever we have is God given, so we assume God is everywhere.’ Mind the words ‘maybe’ and ‘assume’ in the two replies. Both of these indi46 india empire | march 2015

cate that it is the mind speaking, not experience. When you have experienced something, you do not doubt upon it. A single doubt is enough to keep you away from your path.

The greatest of philosophers have fallen in this trap…

Adi Shankaracharya was once looking for someone to do a commentary on his work, ‘Saundarya Lahiri’. He decided to approach the learned Vedic scholar Bhattacharya for the purpose. When he went to meet him, he found Bhattacharya immolating himself, one of his eyes was badly injured.

Shankaracharya showed him the book, reading which Bhattacharya complimented saying ‘ati uttam’ (brilliant) (his body was already on fire). Shankracharya asked him for the commentary to which Bhattacharya replied that he has no time left and his body would turn to ashes within few minutes, he recommended his shishya Mandan Mishra for the task of writing the commentary. Shankracharya then asked him the reason for putting his body through all this and also how he injured his eye. Bhattacharya explained that when Buddhism started going against vedic teachings, he decided to learn Buddhist teachings under a Buddhist Guru incognito and debate with the followers upon the authority of Vedas. When his Guru got to know of his lie, he ordered the rest of the monks to throw him off the cliff. As he was being thrown, Bhattacharya said ‘If the Vedas are true, then nothing will happen to me.’ Just like those gentlemen had used ‘maybe’ and ‘assume’, Bhattacharya used the word ‘if ’. Result? While he was saved, he lost an eye. Had he said, ‘Vedas are there, nothing will happen to me, throw me’, he would not have injured himself. Regarding why he was immolating himself, Bhattacharya replied that he was doing penance for ‘Guru Droh’. Even though he did what he did for the Vedas, in the process he went against the one whom he took as his Guru.

Satya is satya. There are no ‘ifs’ and ‘maybes’ in it. Never make the mistake of doubting upon it, wait for your experience so that you can say without a doubt that God is in every speck because that is the only truth and yog and Sanatan Kriya take you towards this. There is only one satya (truth) in this creation, but in order to awaken that within you, it is imperative to do yog in totality as only then you will have the experience of it. And when you have experience of it, then that means you ❐ are doing yog. And only then you can experience satya.

—Yogi Ashwini will be travelling to Europe and USA in the month of April. For details: info@dhyanfoundation.com