Indian Abroad November 16-30, 2021 Vol 1 Issue 19

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

www.indianabroad.news

MORE STORIES ONLINE Email: info@indianabroad.news

PUBLISHED FORTNIGHTLY DAILY UPDATES ONLINE

T20 World Cup: Marsh and Warner lead So proud to be first Australia Australia to first Men's T20 WC Trophy team to win it: Finch on Men's Business Live

REENA AUGUSTINE: Cultivating multiculturalism with great aplomb - Page 5

ICSC hosts Queensland Diwali 2021 event - Page 8

Indian Cooking with Lata Modi -Page 7

Plan a winter getaway to Rajasthan -Page 10

Dubai, Nov 14: A clinical unbeaten knock from Mitchell Marsh (77 not out off 50 balls) along with a crucial half-century from David Warner (53 off 38 balls) led Australia to their first Men's T20 World Cup trophy, defeating New Zealand by eight wickets in the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium here on Sunday. Chasing 173, Australia reached the target with seven balls to spare.

Warner began by taking back-toback boundaries off Tim Southee in the second over. In the next over, Aaron Finch chipped Trent Boult over long-off for a boundary.

But Boult had the last laugh as Finch top-edged a pull to a running deep square leg for a diving catch.

Mitchell Marsh welcomed Adam Milne by whacking pace-on deliveries for a six and two fours. But the right-arm pacer conceded just three runs in the final over as Australia reached 43/1 in Power-play.

Post Power-play, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi kept things tight but Marsh and Warner were quick to thwart the plans of stemming the run-flow. While Marsh slog-swept Santner for a six over deep square leg, Warner slammed Sodhi for two fours and a gigantic six straight down the ground. Marsh welcomed James Neesham in the 11th over with a six over fine leg. It was followed by Warner reaching his half-century in 34 balls with a hoicked six over deep mid-wicket.

Boult provided a much-needed

breakthrough in the 13th over, ending the 92-run stand by dislodging Warner's stumps. In the next over, Marsh brought up his half-century in 31 balls with a flat slog over long-on off Sodhi, bettering Kane Williamson's record for the fastest fifty in Men's T20 World Cup final.

Two balls later, he went on to smash Sodhi for a pull through mid-wicket.

Glenn Maxwell took a brace of boundaries against Milne and Southee in 15th and 16th overs as

Australia inched closer to the target.

Marsh struck two more boundaries before Maxwell finished off the chase with a reverse-sweep past the third man to send Australia into the celebratory mood.

Brief scores: New Zealand 172/4 in 20 overs (Kane Williamson 85, Martin Guptill 28, Josh Hazlewood 3-16, Adam Zampa 1-26) lost to Australia 173/2 in 18.5 overs (Mitchell Marsh 77 not out, David Warner 53, Trent Boult 2-6) by eight wickets

Snow Medical Research Foundation grants $ 8 million to Australian-Indian scientist

A day after unveiling, Gandhi statue vandalised in Melbourne

University of Melbourne based physician-scientist Dr Shom Goel who is also closely associated with Peter MacCullum Cancer Centre has been conferred with a Fellowship grant of $ 8 million by the Snow Medical Research Foundation for his path breaking research on therapy-induced senescence, which is a state that cells enter, further acting as a catalyst for mushrooming of cancerous cells.

T Plan a winter getaway to Rajasthan -Page 22

Satyaki and Bhurishravas Page 23

Festive Fashion: The Week That Was -Page 27

he announcement of this much-coveted grant given to young and resourceful biomedical research leaders was made on October 23, 2021. A breast cancer expert, Dr Shom Goel has found that his work has been instrumental in comprehending the flaws in contemporary cancer treatment methodologies.

Following the receipt of this generous amount of fund, Dr Goel has expressed his optimism in making headway in solving the cancer conundrum by stating that it would provide him with the requisite resources to find answers to hitherto unanswered questions regarding senescence in cancer.

He expects to determine the factors responsible for the distinctions among different senescent cells and why despite effective treatments certain types of cancers come back with a vengeance after a few years.

It is an alarming fact that notwithstanding chemotherapy or radiation therapy, cancer relapse is a harsh reality which needs to be countered to ensure a normal life span for the hapless victims of cancer.

Dr Goel and his team are planning

T20 World Cup triumph

IANS

Dubai, Nov 15: After winning the maiden ICC Men's T20 World Cup trophy, Aaron Finch on Sunday said that his team is so proud of becoming the first Australian team to achieve the silverware in the shortest format of the game.

A clinical unbeaten knock from Mitchell Marsh (77 not out off 50 balls) along with a crucial half-century by David Warner (53 off 38 balls) and a superlative spell by Josh Hazlewood (3/16) ended their 14-year-long wait for a maiden Men's T20 World Cup trophy, defeating New Zealand by eight wickets in the final at the Dubai International Stadium here on Sunday.

"This is huge. To be the first Australian team to be able to do it. So proud. We knew our backs were against the wall. We had some great individual performances, some great team performances," said Australia skipper Finch at the

post-match presentation ceremony.

The skipper also praised his opening partner Warner for a fantastic performance with the bat.

"Can't believe people wrote him off saying he was done (Warner). That's when he plays his best cricket. Was almost like poking the bear," he said.

Applauding other performers for their watch-winning contributions, the Aussie skipper said, "The player of the tournament for me (Zampa).

Mitch Marsh -- what a way to start his innings today. Wade came into this game with an injury cloud but got a job done. Stoinis did the business."

Meanwhile, losing captain Kane Williamson said that Australia are a fantastic side and they didn't give an inch.

"They (Australia) are a fantastic side.

We certainly made every effort but they didn't give an inch really. Really proud of our team's efforts throughout. Came here in the final and gave it our best shot but it wasn't enough," said a disappointed Australia.

"Credit to Australia. Today they really turned it on," he added.

Talking about his team's batting performance, the Kiwi skipper said, "We were trying to get a platform and the surface was holding a fraction. But typical here in Dubai. It was nice to build some partnerships and get what we thought was a competitive total. Only to be chased superbly by Australia."

Northern Melbourne city honours Indian-origin chef for selfless community work

The Friday Mania

M Dr Shom Goel

to set up state-of-the-art laboratory models and all the other paraphernalia needed for screening.

However, before these funds were granted it would have been virtually impossible for such elaborate plans to materialize.

The Snow Fellowship finances researchers initial layout and recurrent expenses involved in operating a research laboratory and provides remuneration for the Snow Fellow and post-doctoral researchers, PhD student scholarship top-ups, technical and laboratory management support, project funds and leadership development.

ahatma Gandhi statue was vandalised just a day after it was unveiled by PM Scott Morrison. Victoria police have issue an appeal to public for information and for witnesses to come forward.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who had unveiled the statue on November 13 at the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, said he was devastated to hear about the vandalism.

"Australia is the most successful multicultural and immigration nation in the world and attacks on cultural monuments will not be tolerated," Mr Morrison said.

"It is disgraceful and extremely disappointing to see this level of disrespect. Whoever is responsible for this has shown great disrespect to the Australian Indian community and should be ashamed."

Police are calling for any witnesses, anyone with CCTV or dash cam or anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or email at www.crimestoppersvic. com.au.

D

aman Shrivastav, a Melbourne-based 54-yearold chef and his 9-year-old daughter Diya have proved that even when cut-throat competition and grinding one’s own axe are the dubious hallmarks of the contemporary world, there still exist genuine good Samaritans.

Last year when Australia went under a strict lockdown as the coronavirus pandemic swept the whole world, Daman began working tirelessly to deliver free food to the homeless and needy people, including international students, and also began raising funds for a food truck in order to deliver meals to them.

Empathising with the plight of the needy and the vulnerable people whose burden of struggles was made even heavier by the

imposition of the lockdown, Daman, his wife and daughter began to cook meals in their home kitchen and then provided door-step delivery via Daman’s car. His efforts began gathering momentum as the news of his noble initiative was popularized and disseminated through media and also by the people of his social circle. He also created an online page in order to appeal to the masses to contribute funds generously for a food delivery truck. Besides this, he launched a show titled DDs Kitchen (Dad and Daughter’s Kitchen) which features him and his 9-year-old daughter Diya. The initial motive of the show was to urge people to learn cooking while being under the lockdown but now Daman aims to continue this project even in the post-pandemic times.

Continued on page 4

Shilpa Shetty clears the air on FIR filed against Raj Kundra and her -Page 30 www.indianabroad.news

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

1

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Write for us

Publisher Panda Entertainment Networks

Itching to tell a story? If you have something interesting to tell our readers and can write well, we want you.

You can start with us as a feature writer, or, if you are an authority on a subject, then even as a columnist. Long as you know how to string a sentence together, know your words, can spot and tell a story in a clear and coherent way, you can write for us.

A good story and a flair for writing is all we need in you.

So if you believe some event has been 'under-reported'; or know a commendable charity, an extraordinary human, or a growing trend among Australia's Indian community you feel our readers too should know about; or just feel that media did not cover a story the best possible way and that you could have done a better job, we want you to contact us. Give all those inspiring ideas tossing about in your head an outlet. Write for us.

Just shoot our editor an mail at editor@indianabroad.news, suggesting the story you want published in Indian Abroad newspaper, and we’ll take it from there. In that email, also attach your current resume in Microsoft Word file, provide your published clips, and tell us about your area of expertise and subjects you like to work on.

We look forward to working with you.

Editor Dr Ramana Panda Associate Editor Ananya Sharma Contributors Aena Malhotra Devashish Chakraborty Rabindra Mukherji Sharon Bath Website Design & Updates Panda Entertainment Networks Designing Panda Entertainment Networks Editorial editorial@indianabroad.news Advertising adverts@indianabroad.news Indian Abroad Riverwalk Avenue, Robina,Qld-4226

ADVERTISE WITH US

0488-067-243

www.indianabroad.news

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

2

LEAD STORIES

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Lakhimpur Kheri incident to harm BJP in Assembly polls IANS

New Delhi, Nov 13 (IANS): The Lakhimpur Kheri violence that claimed the lives of nine persons in Uttar Pradesh on October 3 will harm the poll prospects of the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Assembly elections scheduled in the state next year, as per the ABPCVoter-IANS 5-State Snap Poll.

According to the survey, 62 per cent of the voters feel that this issue will harm the saffron party in Assembly elections, while only 21.5 per cent feel that it would help the BJP. A total of 16 per cent respondents feel

that it will not have any impact on the elections.

According to the 2019 cross tabulation, 48.4 per cent of BJP voters, 64 per cent of Congress voters, 80.6 per cent of Samajwadi Party (SP) voters, 77.1 per cent of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) voters and 68.6 per cent of other political parties fee that the incident will harm the saffron party in the coming elections. Only 28.2 per cent of BJP voters, 20 per cent of Congress voters, 12.9 per cent each of SP and BSP, and 14 per cent others feel that it would help the BJP.

A total of 22.2 per cent of BJP voters, 16 per cent Congress voters, 6.5 per cent SP voters, 10 per cent BSP voters and 17.4 per cent others said that this would not have any impact on the Assembly polls.

The survey also highlighted that the Yogi government will be benefitted from the inauguration of nine medical colleges in UP recently, as 58.8 per cent voters agreed with this, while 48.2 per cent said that it will not give any benefit to the present government.

Similarly, as per the survey, over 56 per cent respondents are not influenced by the record Covid vaccinations in the state, while 44.3 per cent think that it will have an impact on the voters.

On whether the Congress will benefit from Priyanka Gandhi's active role in Uttar Pradesh elections, the snap poll indicated that 52.8 per cent voters feel that the Congress will not benefit, while 47.2 per cent said in the affirmative.

The survey was conducted across all the 403 Assembly constituencies in the state with a sample size of 3,571 in each.

Lakhimpur Kheri violence: 8 witnesses want security removed IANS

Lakhimpur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh), Nov 14: In an interesting development, eight of the 90 key witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri case in which Ashish Misra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Misra Teni, is the main accused, want their police security removed.

These witnesses have written to the local administration in this regard.

A total of eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the

Tikunia area of Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3.

Security was provided to each of the 90 key witnesses of the case by the police after recording their statement before a magistrate on the directions of the Supreme Court last month.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Arun Kumar Singh, who is also a member of the nine-member special investigation committee

probing the incident, said, "Eight key witnesses have submitted applications wanting their security to be withdrawn citing personal reasons.

Their applications will be reviewed before removing security."

The local police declined to reveal the identity of the witnesses who want their security removed.

It may be recalled that on October 3, violence erupted after an SUV mowed down four farmers near the Banbirpur village under Tikunia police circle of Lakhimpur Kheri.

Four other people, including two BJP workers Shubham Mishra and Shyam Sunder, journalist Raman Kashyap and a driver Hari Om Mishra, were also killed.

Two FIRs -- the first in connection with the mowing down of four farmers and the second regarding the killing of four others -- were registered at the Tikunia police station.

The special investigation committee probing the case has arrested 13 accused, including Ashish Misra, in connection with the first case and two accused in the second case.

Can consider appointing retired SC judge to monitor Lakhimpur Kheri probe: SC IANS

New Delhi, Nov 15: The Supreme Court on Monday said it will also consider the names of some retired apex court judges to monitor day-today investigation in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence incident. The top court also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to upgrade its task force investigating the matter with some high-ranking officials.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, submitted that the top court can appoint a retired judge to monitor the SIT probe.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli said, "Now, we have a lot of freedom for a retired SC or HC judge. Let us see..."

The bench noted that it will find out a judge who is willing to take up the assignment.

During the hearing, the top court emphasized that the Uttar Pradesh government should upgrade the task force investigating the matter. It said the officers must be high-ranking officers, currently there are local Lakhimpur Kheri, sub-inspector

IANS

New Delhi, Nov 13: The Supreme Court on Saturday told the Delhi government to stop blaming farmers for the severe air pollution in the city, while asking a series of questions on how it is dealing with pollution caused due to firecrackers, dust, industries and vehicles.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and also comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Surya Kant queried senior advocate Rahul Mehra, representing the Delhi government, as to what happened to the smog tower, and whether it was still functioning.

In his response, Mehra said the tower is working and pointed out that on September 30 the Air Quality Index (AQI) was 84 or 'satisfactory', adding that after over a month it was 471 (severe), while the PM2.5 and PM10 were also at critical levels.

"Probably, it is due to stubble burning," he said.

Justice Kant said: "It has now become a fashion to blame the farmers.. What happened to the firecracker ban? What is the Delhi Police doing?"

The bench added that it is an emergency situation and emergency measures will have to be taken, whether it is prohibition on vehicles

IANS

Mumbai/Gadchiroli, Nov 14: Top CPI-Maoist Central Committee Member Milind Teltumbde -- who carried a booty of Rs 50 lakh -- was among the 26 Maoists, including 6 women, who were gunned down by security forces in Maharastra's Gadchiroli district, Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil said on Sunday.

Milind Teltumbde, 57, is the brother of human rights activist and scholar Anand Teltumbde, who is the brother-in-law of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi President Dr Prakash Ambedkar.

Anand Teltumbde is among the group of so-called "Urban Maoists' who were raided in early and mid-2018 in connection with the Koregaon Bhima-Elgar Parishad www.indianabroad.news

cases, and is currently lodged in the Taloja Jail, Raigad.

Among those eliminated in Sunday's gunfight include 6 women Maoists, 3 Commanders of various Dalams and 13 carrying huge collective cash rewards of Rs 1.38 crore on their scalps -- making it one of the most successful security operations in recent years, Superintendent of Police Ankit Goyal and other senior officers told media persons in Gadchiroli this evening.

The Commanders who have been "neutralised" are Kishan alias Jaiman of Korchi Dalam and Sannu alias Kovachi of Kasansur Dalam, and Lokesh alias Mangu Podyam of Company No. 4.

Besides Teltumbde with a reward of Rs 50 lakh, Lokesh carried a booty of Rs 20 lakh, and Shivaji Ravji Gota alias Mahesh with Rs 16 lakh, on his head.

Those who carried lower amounts of rewards include: Kishen alias

Concluding the hearing, the top court asked the Uttar Pradesh government to look into grievances of the victim's families, who have not been paid compensation. Additional Advocate General Garima Prasad submitted that the state would take necessary steps.

The violence occurred on October 3, resulting in the killing of eight persons, including four farmers who were allegedly mowed down by the vehicles in the convoy of Ashish Misra, the son of Union Minister and BJP MP Ajay Kumar Misra.

It has become fashion to bash farmers, SC slams Delhi govt on air pollution

Maha: Top Maoist Milind Teltumbde, 6 women among 26 slain ultras Jaiman and Sannu alias Kovachi (both Rs 8 lakh), and Tilak Manku Jade alias Bhagatsingh alias Pradeep (Rs 6 lakh).

The others are: Manso Sukhram Boga alias Vimla, Dalsu Raju Gota alias Bandu, Dalpat Lalsai Kachlami alias Pramod, Musakhi alias Kosa, Sadhu Sonu Boga alias Prakash, Lacchhu, Dilip Hirooram Tulayi alias Navluram (all Rs 4 lakh each) and Chetan Pada (Rs 2 lakhs).

The security forces seized a large cache of arms and ammunition comprising 5 AK-47 rifles, an AKMUBGL, 9 SLRs, one three mm pistol, one INSAS rifle, nine 2.2 single bore-guns, 12-bore gun, and three .303 rifles, besides explosives in huge quantities.

The encounter started around dawn on Saturday and continued for nearly 10 hours till late afternoon, making it one of the biggest operations with 16 C-60 commandos and over 500 personnel battling in the treacherous jungles on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border.

The high fatalities notwithstanding, some 70-plus extremists reportedly managed to sneak into the forests as many of their associates fell to the bullets of the security forces.

Goyal said that a major forest convention was underway to plan out some armed operations against the security forces and state for the upcoming "Naxal (Maoist) Week".

However, the security forces managed to get a real-time whiff from

level and DSP level officers on the task force.

The bench told Salve that it needs one more day's time to finalise the name of the judge. "We are considering Rakesh Kumar Jain (former Punjab and Haryana HC judge) or others. We have to consult them," said the bench.

Salve submitted, "Judge can be appointed from any other state".

Earlier, the top court had said it wanted to appoint a judge outside of Uttar Pradesh.

IANS

the intelligence network, launched a combing operation that led to the jungle warfare with only four security personnel being injured.

Jade and Vimla Boga were the personal bodyguards of Milind Teltumbde, and the identity of 10 slain Maoists is being established, said officials.

Minister Walse-Patil and top leaders of Maha Vikas Aghadi government have lauded the police efforts in the mega-operation guided by IGP, Gadchiroli Range, Sandip Patil, SP, Gadchiroli, Goyal, Additional SPs Sameer Shaikh, Somay Munde, Anuj Tare, and Vaibhav Rankhamb of C-60.

In the past 4 years, the state security forces registered massive victories against the insurgents, eliminating around 90 and making big arms recoveries.

More than 40 Maoists including 4 commanders were gunned down in a bloody gun-battle in the district on April 22-23, 2018 - till date the biggest anti-Maoist operation.

On May 21 and October 11 this year, 13 and five Maoists respectively were killed in the encounters in different areas of Gadchiroli, followed by the November 13 operation.

In addition, on March 3-4 last year (2020), the security forces stormed and razed a huge arms and ammunition manufacturing factory functioning in the deep jungles of the district.

/IndianAbroadNews

or emission control.

The Chief Justice told Mehra: "Why don't you think of some emergency steps... Find a way to stop vehicles on some days."

Justice Chandrachud told Mehra that the Delhi government opened schools and there is a threat to lungs of children due to air pollution, adding that "this is not the Centre, but your jurisdiction. What is happening on that front?"

The Chief Justice said stubble burning may be part of the problem, but not the only issue behind severe air pollution in the capital.

Mehra, in response, said: "We realise

that this situation of pollution in Delhi is like smoking 20 cigarettes a day."

Concluding the hearing, the Chief Justice told Mehra: "We are listing it on Monday. Tell us about emergency steps taken."

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said it is nobody's case that farmers should be held responsible for the air pollution.

The top court was hearing a plea by a minor boy seeking directions against stubble burning and other factors associated with high pollution levels in Delhi-NCR.

Mumbai/Gadchiroli, Nov 14: The excitement in security circles was palpable as news trickled late on Saturday that one of the 26 Maoists gunned down could be of the top leaders Milind B. Teltumbade.

Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil officially confirmed the development on Sunday, that indeed, the 57-yearold dreaded Red insurgent and head of its Central India operations, was among those felled by the security agencies' bullets in the Gadchiroli forests in the November 13 encounter.

A Dalit, Milind Teltumbde, 57, was the brother of human rights activist and scholar Anand Teltumbde - who is the brother-in-law of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi President Dr Prakash Ambedkar.

Anand Teltumbade is among the group of so-called "Urban Maoists" who were raided in early and mid-2018 in connection with the Koregaon Bhima-Elgar Parishad cases - in which even Milind Teltumbade was "wanted" - and is currently lodged in the Taloja Jail, Raigad.

Born in Yavatmal, Anabd Teltumbade studied upto SSC and then completed his ITI course before starting life as ordinary electrician in the Padmapur open cast coal mine in 1984-1985, officials said.

A couple of years later, he came in touch with lawyer Sujan Abraham, who was state secretary of Akhil Maharashtra Kamgar Union with far-Leftist leanings - his maiden forays into what would later become a long and bloody career as an insurgent.

Milind Teltumbade was gradually attracted to the Maoist ideology and joined the coal workers' movements through the Mazdoor Sangathan, the Indian Mine Workers Federation and then even as President of Naujawan Bharat Sabha.

All the time, he worked in the field and rural areas to recruit volunteers, and also played a critical role in spreading Maoism in urban regions among the educated youth.

By the late 1990s, he was a fullfledged activist of the banned CPI-Maoist and worked as a DVCM for the coal-belts in ChandrapurNagpur districts.

In 2004, he became a member of Maharashtra Rajya State Committee and after the arrest of Shridhar Shrinivasan, was promoted as the powerful MRSC Secretary.

Within the next 8 years, by 2012, he was the acting in-charge of the North Gadchiroli-Gondia-Balaghat Division and at the 4th Central Committee Members meeting in April 2013, was promoted as a CCM. In 2016-2017, the MSRC was wound up and a new 'Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh (MMC) Zone' was created of which he became the leader - a momentous development in his career as an insurgent.

This year, he was the acting CCM and also head of MMC Zone, with onerous duties - monitoring and analysing security forces' movements in Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh, masterminding and executing major ambushes, blasts and other subversive acts, besides strengthening the Maoist organisation in cities.

Milind Teltumbde: From coal miner to top Maoist commander of central India

/indianabroadnews

3

COMMUNITY NEWS

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

PM Morrison inaugurates new Gandhi Statue in Melbourne

M

elbourne got a statue of Mahatma Gandhi on November 12, and it was inaugurated by none other than Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the new Australian Indian Community Centre at Rowville.

The Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria (FIAV), which is behind the statue's installation, has first proposed setting up a life-size bronze statue of Mahatma

Gandhi outside the station at the south-eastern suburb of Dandenong in 2018. At that time the proposal had got rejected. But when the new Indian Community Centre cWhile unveiling the statue, PM Scott Morrison said,:“It is the second occasion where I’ve had the great honour to be able to unveil a statue of Mahatma Gandhi. Here, of course, today in Victoria, and some years ago when the President of India was in Australia, and I had the great

honour to join him in unveiling the statue in Parramatta.” ame up, FIAV pushed for the statue's installation here at the centre.

“You know, Australians have a way of appropriating everybody’s parties.

Now, you know that a community is just at one with Australia when we start to celebrate the same cultural festivals with even more gusto and vigour than some, some of the others,” he added.

Northern Melbourne city honours Indianorigin chef for selfless community work

On October 28, 2021 the city of Whittlesea in Northern Melbourne bestowed Daman Shrivastav with the Citizen of the Year award for offering succour to destitute people during the pandemic.

Continued from page 1 Daman who resides with his family in South Morang, Melbourne is currently employed as a Culinary Arts Lecturer at the Box Hill Institute. Having been born in Gorakhpur, a city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Daman came of age in Delhi and went on to complete his diploma in the Institute of Hotel Management in 1982. He landed a job at the reputed Oberoi Hotels in Delhi. However, Daman subsequently shifted to Baghdad to work at the Al Rasheed Hotel. After a stint of approximately two years, his next stop was London, where he procured a diploma in Professional Cookery from Westminster College.

During the three years which he spent in London, he worked at renowned hotels such as The Dorchester and The Savoy.

Returning to India in 1988, he enhanced his work experience by being a part of the staff at Maurya Sheraton and Maurya Oberoi in Delhi. After a while, Daman once again found himself working in an executive capacity at the Al Rasheed in Baghdad. However, extremely trying times lay in store for him during this second stint as the infamous Gulf War broke out within a few months of his arriving in Iraq. Despite many people repatriating to their own countries during those challenging times, Daman stayed back and along with

Diwali event organised at Dreamworld Dreamworld in Gold Coast saw the biggest Diwali event on 6 November as more than 5000 people attended the event.

The event was organised by The Indian Community of Gold Coast (ICGC). Also among the special guests was Indian Hon Consul for Qld Mrs Archana Singh.

Daman Shrivastav with his daughter Diya

some other people cooked free meals for the local people affected by the war. Subsequently, after indulging in several odd jobs such as fruit-picking, Daman reverted to

Seva Dharma Mission organises free lunch at Loganlea

S

eva Dharma Mission organised their monthly free vegetarian lunch program on the second Saturday of the month on November 13 at Loganlea Community Centre, Loganlea.

One the menu was rice, chickpeas dal, peas, potato, cabbage, capsicum tofu curry, bread and herbal tea, besides some fruits and tomatoes.

Besides enjoying and appreciating the tasty meal, some people also showed interest in yoga and meditation classes.

Following people helped in

www.indianabroad.news

/IndianAbroadNews

the hospitality industry. He arrived at the Australian shores in 1995 and in the next three years, his career graph saw a stupendous rise and by 1995, he was running his own place.

/indianabroadnews

organising the lunch: Didi Ananda Praveda; Lindel, manager of Loganlea Community Centre; and Krishna Grocery Store for groceries contribution.

If you would like to volunteer or contribute towards the monthly lunch, which is organised on every second Saturday of the month, please call Dada on 0422823341.

Also, anyone who wants to enjoy free vegetarian lunch, please call on the same number and register.

Next free lunch will be served on 11th of December 2021.

4

DESI ACHIEVERS

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Cultivating

multiculturalism

with great aplomb

Reena Augustine

B

“

“

I revel in a healthy sense of pride in several ways. Primarily, when I take stock of my life and see what great risks I have taken in my life to be what I am today is unbelievable, I feel a sense of triumph wash over me.

risbane-based Miss Reena Augustine always had a dream and a long-held belief that she must and can unite people from all walks of life. She was always at the forefront gunning for the removal of racial barriers and replacing them with a sense of belonging. Reena’s dream was a simple one yet it was hailed as a very beautiful one. She wanted to create Australia’s first multicultural fashion show, but not just a little gathering of close friends. She didn’t want to leave any stone unturned in making the event a massive success.

The winner of the 2018 young community achiever of the year at India Australia community and business awards, Queen’s Baton bearer 2018 Common Wealth Games and 2016 Brisbane Women in Business Award for Community Dedication, she has continued to set the bar high in achieving equality in every sphere.

From a bashful and diffident public speaker to event MC, to fashion show coordinator, Reena has triumphed over her apprehensions with great panache to do what she loves most and in the process offer hope and inspiration to thousands of people as she does so.

At the outset of her trailblazing career, she created ‘Red Carpet Functions’ which was her platform to promote the event. From this launching pad she commenced creating what was to become an unprecedented success. Let us hear her story in her own words.

Could you briefly tell us about yourself?

I came to Australia from Gujarat, a state in Western India, as a student in 2009. I am now an Australian Citizen and Brisbane has a special place in my heart. I have been fostering community events for many years volunteering my time, energy and goodwill along the way and continue to do so in various ways.

I keenly support people as much as I can by offering my services free of charge for the community as a photographer, event organiser, stage manager, model handler and many more.

I work as a registered migration agent in my business, Migration Net. I run several businesses donning multiple hats along the way with

each one either bringing people together or providing a service or common cause to help others, while organizing fashion shows and events. I am an equally ardent charity worker for this kind of selfless work gives me a sense of inner peace.

I act as a bridge by bringing people together from all walks of life and continue to promote multiculturalism to remove all barriers as we go.

How did you end up launching and spearheading Red Carpet Functions?

I have always had a dream to unite the multicultural community in Australia. Therefore, I founded Red Carpet Functions to host multicultural fashion shows to unite people from all walks of life, to remove racial barriers and replace them with a sense of belonging.

After the success of my first big event in 2015, Red Carpet Functions has been invited to produce multiple showcases to help in the community for various charitable causes.

Through my extensive participation in helping the multicultural community and the outstanding work of Red Carpet Functions, I received many awards such as Women in Business Award Winner 2016, Young Community Achiever India Australia Award 2018, Queen’s Baton Bearer 2018 and Multicultural Business Scholarship and Mentoring Program 2017.

What do you consider as the cornerstone of your work?

I have been mentoring students and women, helping them with their professional development since 2015 as well as promoting multiculturalism and the art of living to students, businesses and women.

The students I mentored were from different backgrounds and different universities in Australia as well as other countries. I find that mentoring is very fulfilling since it allows me to reinforce my knowledge, learn more leadership skills as well as expanding my skillset.

Mentoring also has a lot of benefits for the mentees by allowing them to gain practical advice, support and identifying goals and direction. It is also my passion to mentor women about women empowerment and assist them with their professional development which can increase

Women in Business Communtiy Dedication Award

www.indianabroad.news

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

their employability, confidence and competence.

Could you tell us about your first fashion show?

Well, it was in 2015 that I organised my debut fashion show. It was a multicultural fashion show featuring more than 73 models and over 10 designers. I think, at least 450 guests attended the event which in itself motivated us. I can still recall how hard our team worked to make the event a special success.

What has made you feel a sense of pride in yourself?

I revel in a healthy sense of pride in several ways. Primarily, when I take stock of my life and see what great risks I have taken in my life to be what I am today is unbelievable, I feel a sense of triumph wash over me. Needless to say, when my name was announced as the women in business community dedication winner, it was a very proud moment as there were many other incredible women who were finalists and never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be bestowed with such an honour. Being in Australia for six years at that point in time, this implied that undoubtedly, my hard work was being recognised and noted. Attaining Citizenship in Australia is the hugest obstacle for many migrants and overcoming that hurdle is like winning the right to live in the most ideal country in the world.

Is there anyone whom you consider as a role model?

Yes indeed I did and still do. My father had been a great source of inspiration for me. He inculcated some wonderful virtues in me.

Everyone in my family tells me that he was versatile. He was a stuntman for South Indian movies, a wrestler, mechanical engineer, civil engineer.

His leisure time activity was photography too and apparently, I have inherited my passion for photography from him. His teachings were that we should always be thankful to anyone and everyone for what they do for us and always give as much as you can and never expect.

The most important advice which he gave me was that, when you take a decision, never look back because whoever looks back never creates history. This left an indelible mark on my heart and soul, and I follow this religiously.

5

ADVERTISEMENT

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

www.indianabroad.news

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

6

FOOD & CUISINE

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Indian Cooking with Lata Modi RAJASTHANI GATTEY & CABBAGE AND POTATO SABZI RAJASTHANI GATTEY

MRS. LATA MODI

RAJASTHANI GATTEY INGREDIENTS: for 4-6 people • Two cup Besan • One and a half cup of yoghurt • One tea spoon mustard seeds • One tea spoon cumin seeds • Pinch of hing (aesfetida) • Extra virgin olive oil two table spoon • Two tea spoon coriander powder • One tea spoon cumin powder • One tea spoon turmeric powder • Salt and chilli powder to taste • 3-4 dry red chillies • Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing.

METHOD • We have to start by making a smooth dough of Besan.

• First of all you have to take a mixing bowl.

• Put Besan , add salt and 1/2 tea

CABBAGE AND POTATO SABZI

H

ello friends Today’s recipes are from two different states. One is very typically Punjabi everyday recipe. The other is typically Rajasthani recipe. Now as you know, I am a Punjabi and my husband is from Rajasthan. I learnt cooking from my mum and grandmother, which is Punjabi style cooking. After I got married, my in laws were coming to visit us and they were going to stay with us for one month. My husband had mentioned it to me that his parents like only Rajasthani food.

The pressure was on to learn some recipes to impress the in-laws. Those days there was no quick search on Google. I had to ask a Rajasthani friend to help out. She taught me how to cook the authentic GATTEY curry. It was not hard. I used all the ingredients which were readily available in my pantry. So here it is.

• • • •

•

•

• • • •

spoon turmeric powder.

Small pinch of hing and two tea spoon oil.

By using little water at a time make a smooth dough.

Put it aside covered for five minutes.

In the mean time in a big saucepan, take about a litre of water and bring to boil.

While the water is on the stove , you take your Besan dough and divide into 6 little balls.

Now with your palms press each ball and give it a long stick shape.

You now add these Besan stick in boiling water.

On medium heat , cook it 15 minutes.

Drain , keep the water aside to be used later.

Cut the sticks into little marble shape and size. You might get

CABBAGE AND POTATO SABZI (this is a very simple quick recipe) I usually shred the cabbage and keep it in an airtight container or a plastic bag , so if I want to make the curry the next day, it’s very quickly done.

INGREDIENTS: for 4-6 people • Half a cabbage shredded and washed thoroughly.

• Three medium sized potatoes cut into bite size pieces abd washed • Two table spoon virgin olive oil • One tea spoon mustard seeds • One tea spoon cumin seeds • Pinch of hing aesfetida powder • One tea spoon turmeric powder • Two tea spoon coriander powder • Two three green chillies chopped (optional) • Salt and chilli powder to taste.

about 10 from each stick.

• Now in another sauce pan, heat two table spoon oil.

• Put mustard seeds, hing, cumin seeds and dry red chillies.

• Now add yoghurt.

• Cook the yoghurt on a low flame until all the roughage is turned into a smooth paste.

• Takes about five minutes.

• Now add all the spices and gattey.

• Add the remaining water from boiled gattey , stir it for a while .

• If required add more hot water .

• Cook until really soft.

• Transfer in a serving dish and garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves.

• Serve with nice hot rotis.

You will win your in- laws’s hearts for sure. Well I certainly did.

Thank you everyone.

•

Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing.

METHOD • In a big wok heat oil.

• Add mustard seeds, hing and cumin seeds.

• Add potatoes, stir for five minutes.

• Add all the spices, and shredded cabbage.

• Stir for another couple of minutes.

• Initially cover for a couple of minutes.

• Take the lid off. And keep stirring.

• As cabbage is very watery, you need to make sure there is no water and it’s not over cooked. (please refer to the photo provided) Enjoy!

Wazwan - The Royal Meal of Paradise W

hen one talks about Hindustani cuisine, Wazwan scores the top position. The '36-dish multi-course meal' is not meant to satiate your hunger but to indulge you in an out-of-the-world experience.

The Wazwan is not just the learned ancestral knowledge, but the pride of the Valley; it's a celebration and an emotion. 'Waza' literally means cook and 'Wan' means shop; 'Wazwan' means setting up a feast in the host's courtyard.

Once upon a time, Kashmir was the centre of the Silk Route connecting Asia to the Mediterranean. The silk merchants used to pass this land for business and that's how Kashmir was introduced to Persian and Russian flavours. In 1398 when Taimoor invaded Hindustan, he brought with him cooks (Waza) from the land of Samarkand (Uzbekistan).

And these Wazas amalgamated the Persian, Turkish and Afghan techniques to develop the Kashmiri cuisine.

Wazas are obsessive and passionate artistes. The preparation of the meal begins long before sunrise -- at 3 am. The Wasta Waza (Master Chef) supervises all other Wazas. The authentic Wazwan is made only of sheep meat - and different dishes require meat from different organs.

Meat is prepared to be cooked within one hour of the butchering to maintain taste. It is minced with a walnut wood hammer on stone until it loses its stringiness. Wazas beat the meat till all nerves of the mutton are entirely dissolved for a creamy consistency.

Unlike most dishes of the Indian subcontinent where the flavour is added to the food while cooking on the flames, the Wazwan flavours www.indianabroad.news

are added while the dish is still uncooked - by adding flavoured water to the preparation or soaking the preparation in flavoured water (osmosis), or by exposing the preparation to flavoured smoke.

The flavouring blends are based not on spices but on mild herbs and flower essences. The red dye in food is from flowers like Cockscomb, called Mawal locally. The pre-cooking methods require a great deal of precision, culinary art, patience, and enormous love that Wazas liberally shower on their creations.

The food is cooked on old fruit tree logs using special nickel-plated copper vessels. The meat is boiled in salted water and this water is further used as broth for all the dishes.

Kashmiri shallots (wild onion with a slight tinge of garlic, called Praan) and dried Kashmiri whole chilly are the souls of Wazwan.

As Wazwan is an experience, the 'tehzeeb' (mannerism and way) of eating the food is thorough. The Dastarkhwan (dining space) is arranged with spotless white sheets spread on silky Kashmiri carpets.

The guests sit around the sheet in groups of four (Kashmiris eat food in small groups on the same plate).

An attendant carries an hourglass-shaped ornamental copper pot called Tasht-e-Naer, which contains lukewarm water for washing hands and collecting the wastewater from guest to guest.

Then large, heavily engraved copper plates, called Tream, containing the first dishes of the Wazwan sequence -- Rice, Mayth-Maz (chopped intestines), Seekh Kebab, Tabaq-Maz (ribs), and chicken -- are placed before the guests. A Sarposh (copper lid) covers the tream, lest the food gets cold. The eldest family member

says the prayer and the customary 'Bismillah' before beginning the meal.

All dishes are eaten by hand as Kashmiris believe in an intimate relationship with food. One would barely have eaten the mutton that the next sequence of dishes would be presented. This process continues till 21 different mutton dishes are served. Kashmiris consider it disrespectful if one refuses food varieties or an extra helping. They can go to great lengths to persuade you, like swearing to die if you refuse an extra serving!

And easily 2 kg of mutton and chicken are served per person, without including the rice, chutneys and curd! The order of the food served is such that the chef tries to make space for more food. For example, between two heavy mutton dishes radish chutney is served

to increase appetite and quickly digest the previous dishes. And it is pertinent to mention that it is easier for Kashmiris to digest all the meat because of the strong mineral content of the Calley's water which helps in faster break-down of food.

Kashmiris are very, very particular about the taste of dishes. Food connoisseurs can easily taste a single morsel and name the Waza who cooked it. And this is why Wazas are booked months in advance for ceremonies. Some people fix their marriages according to the availability of the desired Waza!

Here are some of the tempting Wazwan dishes: * Methi Maaz - Minced sheep Tripe Curry flavoured with Methi (fenugreek leaves, the first dish set in Tream). * Daniwal Korma - Mutton Korma

/IndianAbroadNews

cooked in coriander and Ghee with yogurt-based gravy. * Sabz Haakh - Spinach-like leafy greens cooked in mustard oil with chilly, without which Wazwan is incomplete. * Rogan Josh - Shoulder meat cooked in Praan paste, mawal flower essence, curd, and Kashmiri mirchi diluted essence. Rogan means fat and Josh means to cook on high heat. * Goshtaba - Meatballs with cheesecake-like texture minced with fat and dipped in mutton broth, with gravy based on curd, cardamom, dry ginger, and fennel. * Marchwagun Korma - Fiery hot Kashmiri chilly korma; three-quarters of the chilly used in the entire wazwan is singularly used in this dish! * Doon Chetin - Walnut chutney

/indianabroadnews

flavored with yogurt and Kashmiri chilies - a Kashmiri staple that will take your breath away, literally! * Masheid Al Chetin - Chutney made from pumpkin, dates, cardamoms, dried nuts and honey - to bring solace to your fired taste buds! * Kashmiri Pulao - Basmati chawal cooked in milk and ghee with saffron and dry fruits and kishmish separately roasted in ghee. * Tabakh Maaz - Glossy ribs cooked in ghee then simmered in yogurt till dry. * Aab Gosht - Mildly flavoured sheep ribs cooked in milk gravy with cardamoms and saffron.

Amir Khusrow rightly said (perhaps, after this meal), "Gar firdaus bar rue zameen ast/hameen asto, hameen asto, hameen ast (If ever there is Paradise on Earth/It is here! It is here! It is here!)."

7

COMMUNITY NEWS

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

ICSC hosts Queensland Diwali 2021 event

I

ndian Cultural and Sports Club (ICSC) held their long-awaited Diwali event Queensland Diwali 2021 at Pallara Park in Brisbane on 29 October. The event was kept alive by the Bollywood dances, DJ music, various Indian traditional dances and also Australian bands.

All up, more than 200 performers came together to present the whole

www.indianabroad.news

evening full of vibrant stage items.

The attendees were treated to vibrant stage performances, including Bollywood performances, a Bhangra dance by Aradhya Sharma, dance items from ABCD Bollywood Brisbane, and also a well choreographed dance performance by mother-daughter Naisha and Shikha.

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

8

COMMUNITY NEWS

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Melodic Minor, a musical evening, concert held in Perth S wara Synthesis brought Melodic Minor, a musical evening, for the music lovers of Western Australia at Churchlands Concert Hall, Churchlands, Perth on October 16.

World music fusion performances at the concert provided a unique experience to the music lovers, with an amalgamation of diverse music genres like Indian classical, ghazal, Sufi an folk, jazz-rock, jazz-fusion, blues, etc. With high profile musicians and dancers of Western Australia, representing respective music genres, the concert certainly was a one-off experience where

so many musical forms blended to produce a musical journey of melody and rhythm.

The impressive line-up included Glenn Rogers, Tristan Wills, Alistair Peel, Julius Rogers collaborating with Indian musicians like Avra Banerjee, Sivakumar Balakrishnan and Tasneemul Galib Amit. There also were live dances performed by Sukhi Shetty Krishnan and her team from Saraswati Mahavidyalaya.

Anirban Talukdar and Shounok Chatterjee also performed well.

Photo Courtesy - Clickbaaj Photo and Jamil Photography

Annalakshmi on the Swan hosts Diwali celebrations in Perth

A

nnalakshmi on the Swan, Perth and Saraswathi Mahavidyalaya presented a wonderful Diwali program on the nights of November 5 and 6 for this year’s Diwali celebrations.

It was a wonderful two-day festival of lights hosted by manager Arun and the Annalakshmi community, allowing attendees to be part of a rich cultural experience. Warm hospitality, sumptuous vegetarian dining, sensational music and songs, and vibrant dancing, all came together to entertain the attendees

www.indianabroad.news

in the beautiful riverside setting on Barrack Street jetty in Perth CBD. The attendees feasted on a sumptuous array of Indian food, from chaats to mango lassi, dosas to masala chai, biryani, Indian sweets and more. Besides good food, there were henna tattoos, face painting, interactive dance workshops and live dance and music performances.

Aaron and Matt from Sum Effect captured the highlights of the celebrations with photos and video footages.

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

9

COMMUNITY NEWS

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Hindu Council of Australia organises Diwali event in Perth

T

he Hindu Council of Australia, WA Chapter, organised Diwali celebrations on 30 October in Perth. The event was a huge success, with near about 4000 attendees thronging to the venue. The event was also attended by prominent community leaders.

An amazing array of cultural programs depicting Hindu faith and practices were presented. A special Goddess Laxmi Puja and Ram Darbaar Maha Aarti were held. As always, Ram Leela play was a huge hit and enjoyed by young and old alike.

Stalls of delicious Indian cuisines and kids activities kept the families and kids engaged and amused.

www.indianabroad.news

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

10

ADVERTISEMENT

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

www.indianabroad.news

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

11

INDIA

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Need an action plan by tomorrow: SC directs Chennai woman cop rescues man trapped under tree and presumed dead Centre, states on curbing air pollution IANS

IANS

Chennai, Nov 11: A woman officer of the Chennai police, E. Rajeswari rescued a man from underneath a tree that fell upon him at T.P. Chatram area.

The woman police officer told media that she received a call from the control room stating that a man had been killed as a tree fell upon him.

"I received a call that a tree fell on him at the cemetery in T.P. Chatram, and my team and I reached the spot immediately. On close inspection, I found that he was unconscious but alive," she said.

The man, Udhayakumar, 28, was working at the T.P. Cemetry and his friend informed the control room that he had died after the tree fell

upon him.

Rajeswari told media that she pulled up the friend of Udhayakumar for not rushing the injured man to the hospital.

The inspector also said that the duo had drunk the previous night and the friend did not bother to take Udhayakumar to the hospital. The video of her carrying Udhayakumar on her shoulders went viral.

She immediately took an autorickshaw and sent Udhayakumar along with his friend to the nearby general hospital.

The injured person is out of danger and doctors said that he suffered a concussion.

from urine infection and has been admitted to AIIMS Jodhpur.

Doctors attending on him said that Asaram is also suffering from a swelling in his liver besides the urine infection.

After contacting Covid a few months back, Asaram has not recovered properly and has been falling ill very often, they added.

Two days back, he was shifted to ICU owing to his ill-health. However, the doctors said that his condition is stable now.

Asaram Bapu had, in August, sought suspension of his sentence to avail ayurvedic treatmen. However, the Supreme Court declined his plea. A bench of Justices Indira Banerjee, V. Ramasubramanian, and Bela M Trivedi observed that Asaram was convicted in a crime, which is "no

ordinary crime at all".

He had moved the the apex court after the Rajasthan High Court had denied relief to him.

Asaram has been sentenced to life imprisonment till death after being held guilty of raping his own student.

A case was registered against him on August 20, 2013 at Kamla Nagar police station in Delhi. As the matter was related to Jodhpur, the Delhi Police transferred the case to the state Jodhpur police arrested Asaram from Indore on August 31, 2013 and brought him to Jodhpur. Since then Asaram has been behind the bars in Jodhpur. In April 2018, the trial court convicted and sentenced Asaram.

Asaram Bapu admitted to Jodhpur AIIMS IANS

Jaipur, Nov 8: 'Godman' Asaram Bapu, who is serving life sentence for raping a minor girl, is suffering

Padma Shri is for everyone who helped me during Covid crisis: Jitender Singh Shunty IANS

New Delhi, Nov 8: Jitender Singh Shunty, founder of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Seva Dal who cremated thousands of bodies during the Covid-19 pandemic and was conferred the Padma Shri, said on Monday that the award is not only for him but for everyone who supported him in continuing his work even during the crisis.

Talking to IANS, Shunty said: "I am inspired by Bhagat Singh, who at the age of 23, kissed the hangman's noose for the country."

A two-time councilor from Jhilmil ward and an MLA from Shahdara, Shunty has been running the foundation since 25 years which provides free ambulance services for the poor.

"We have been serving the people for the past 25 years. But during

the Corona period when no one was touching anyone, we helped Covid-19 positive people. My driver and children also supported me in the endeavour. One of my drivers also lost his life.

"Since the onset of the pandemic early last year, we have cremated over 4,000 bodies. Our ambulances rushed 19,000 people to hospitals.

We also immersed the ashes of over 14,000 people "With the honour being conferred on me, our morale has got a boost.

This award is not just for me but for everyone who supported me.

"When it was announced on January 26 that I was also a recipient of the Padma Shri, the second wave kicked in just a few months later during which we doubled our work than in the first wave," he claimed.

On being asked by the public about carrying on with his social work even after getting the fourth highest civilian award, Shunty said that "the award is nothing in front of my passion".

Schools to be opened in phases: Bengal Minister IANS

Kolkata, Nov 15: After the announcement of the opening of the schools from Class 9 to 12 from Tuesday, the state government is planning to open the schools in phases.

State Education Minister Bratya Basu has said that the government is keen to normalise the school functioning depending on the Covid situation in the state.

Speaking at a programme, Basu said, "It was necessary to make the students return to the mainstream of education and considering this Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced opening up of educational institutions from November 16. We are beginning with Classes for students o 9 to 12 and also for college and university students. We will review the Covid-19 situation www.indianabroad.news

after some days and gradually all classes right from the junior level will be reopened."

He reiterated that all precautions in connection with Covid have been taken for reopening of the schools, colleges and universities. Basu made it clear that it is the discretion of the respective guardians whether they will be sending their wards to school for physical classes and there is no compulsion that everybody has to attend school.

The next phases of opening of the schools depends on the successful implementation of the opening Class 9 to 12 from November 16.

The state education department has already issued a strict guideline to the schools so that all the Covid protocols are followed.

According to the state government guidelines, students of Classes 9 and 11 will report at 9.30 a.m. and the classes will be held from 10 a.m. to 3.30 a.m. Similarly, Classes for 10 and 12 will be held from 11 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. In both the scheduled timings, students have to report to school half an hour in advance.

The schools are dividing the classes in two or more separate rooms depending upon available resources so that Covid protocols can be maintained. No guardians or other visitors will be allowed on the campus and sharing of tiffin and drinking water is strictly disallowed.

Wearing masks is compulsory for all students, teachers, and non-teaching staff. The private schools in the city have also made separate plans of resuming educational activities from Tuesday.

"The health of the students is the priority for the state government and that will be kept in mind before taking any decision. We will have a careful look at the students for the next three months and if it is observed that the running of the classes is not having any effect on the health of the students, then the government will decide the next course of action. Apparently, it seems that we will be able to run the classes in the next six months," a senior education department official said.

New Delhi, Nov 15: The Supreme Court on Monday sought an action plan within 24 hours from the Centre and state governments, detailing steps taken by task forces to stop air pollution caused by vehicular traffic, construction work, stubble burning, power plants, entry of heavy vehicles, dust, etc.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana told counsel appearing for the Centre and state governments, "Need an action plan by tomorrow evening. Hold a meeting..."

The top court also asked the Centre and states to allow the people to work-from-home.

The bench, also comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Surya Kant, noted that the Centre in its affidavit has submitted that stubble burning is not a major factor leading to severe air pollution level in the capital, rather the agricultural burning leads

to merely 11 per cent contribution on PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentration.

The top court told the Centre to call an emergency meeting of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh governments on Tuesday for taking urgent measures to bring down air pollution levels.

The top court also told the state governments to not take action against farmers, rather persuade them to stop stubble burning.

"Don't take action against farmers, persuade them," said the bench.

The bench emphasized that action is required to be taken on vehicular pollution, industrial pollution and dust control measures, which contributes nearly 76 per cent to the air pollution.

The Delhi government has told the

Supreme Court that it is ready to take steps like complete lockdown to control the local emission, which would help in bringing down the air pollution in the national capital, but added that it will have only a limited impact.

In an affidavit, the Delhi government said: "GNCTD is ready to take steps like complete lockdown to control local emissions. However, such a step would be meaningful if it is implemented across the NCR areas in neighbouring states. Given Delhi's compact size, a lockdown would have limited impact on the air quality regime".

The government said this issue would need to be addressed at the level of airshed involving the NCR areas.

Rajiv Gandhi case convict Ravichandran gets 30 days ordinary leave IANS

Chennai, Nov 15: The Tamil Nadu government has given an ordinary leave of 30 days to P. Ravichandran, one of seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

This is the sixth time that Ravichandran has got a leave during his 29 years of jail term.

The government has granted him 30 days of leave pursuant to the order given by the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on September 2, 2021.

He has been given ordinary leave by virtue of Section 432 of CrPC(Power of Government to suspend or remit sentences), and Rule 40 of Tamil Nadu suspension of Sentences Rules, 1982 (Power of Government to give exemption to the rules).

The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court comprising Justices V. Bharathidasan and S. Ananthi had directed the state to pass a suitable order on the petition of Ravichandran's mother P. Rajeswari.

She had informed the Government and the court that her son requires surgery in his right eye and that he required two months of ordinary leave.

Ravichandran will not be allowed to meet anyone other than his family members and he should not interact with the media and has been asked to stay within the premises specified in the leave petition.

The Madurai Bench has also directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide strong police escort to the convict during the leave period and

to provide a daily compliance report on the same. The court has also directed him to report daily to the nearby police station.

6 held for journo's murder in Bihar's Madhubani district

IANS

Patna, Nov 15 (IANS): The Madhubani police in Bihar have arrested six persons in connection with murder of a local journalist, a police official said.

The deceased Avinash Jha worked with a Hindi daily newspaper. The police said Jha allegedly had an affair with a married woman identified as Purnkala Devi. Her husband hatched the conspiracy to kill Jha. Following his disappearance, Jha's father Dayanand Jha and brother Chandrashekher Jha lodged a missing complaint with the Benipatti police station. They feared that the journalist might have been kidnapped.

"Jha used to chat with Purnakala on mobile phone. We have investigated the call details of the deceased wherein he repeatedly made calls to Purnakala Devi, a native of Antrauli village in Benipatti police station.

Accordingly, we have detained her for questioning. The victim broke down during the questioning and revealed the sequence of events," said Arun Kumar Singh, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Benipatti range in Madhubani district.

Purnakala revealed that she met with Jha on Thursday and went to a local clinic Anurag healthcare on Kateya road in Benipatti. When they came out from the clinic, five persons, including her husband Jay Jay Ram Paswan, kidnapped Jha and took him to an undisclosed location," Singh added.

Jha's dead body was found in a cotton bag in Benipatti block on Saturday.

The other accused are identified as Roshan Kumar Shah, Bittu Kumar Pandit, Dipak Kumar Pandit and Manish Kumar apart from Purnakala's husband Jay Jay Ram Paswan.

"The accused are being booked under the relevant IPC sections of murder, criminal conspiracy and kidnapping. Further investigation is on," the SDPO said.

Wasim Rizvi wants to be cremated, not buried Lucknow, Nov 15: Former Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board chairman Wasim Rizvi has a penchant for controversies. He has now released a video-recorded message expressing his desire to be cremated according to Hindu rituals and not buried.

In the video released on Sunday, Rizvi mentioned that his body must be handed over to his Hindu friend, Mahant Narasimha Nanda Saraswati of the Dasna temple, and he should

/IndianAbroadNews

light his pyre.

Wasim Rizvi has earned the ire of his entire community after he challenged 26 'ayats' of the Quran and then claimed to have written a new Quran.

He has reportedly received death threats from Muslim groups for filing a PIL in the Supreme Court seeking the removal of verses from the Quran, which he alleges "teach violence".

/indianabroadnews

12

INDIA

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Glad Law Minister understands hard work put in by judges: CJI IANS

New Delhi, Nov 9: Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on Tuesday said he was glad that Law Minister Kiren Rijiju fully understood the hard work put in by judges.

Both the Chief Justice and Law Minister addressed the Legal Services Day celebrations, organised by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) at Sharda University, Noida.

Speaking before the CJI, Rijiju had noted: "We know what judges do, but many people don't understand the life of a judge. There are some unpalatable remarks being made on social media... when you see closely how much judges have to perform, and how much hard work they do,

it's difficult for people like us to comprehend."

He added that judges cannot be open because they have their own limitations.

Chief Justice Ramana said: "I am very happy to see our Law Minister's personal inclination towards the progress of legal services authorities and I hope that under his leadership, the existing roadblocks in the growth of legal services authorities including the infrastructural issues will be taken care of with prompt intervention. I am glad that he fully understands the hard work put in by judges."

The Chief Justice added that

over the course of 26 years, legal services authorities have broken the traditional notions of legal aid and expanded meaning to access to justice.

He said: "Earlier, the idea of legal aid was confined to court rooms.

Notions of access to justice were understood from traditional viewpoints. But, over the course of 26 years, the legal services authorities have broken the traditional notions of legal aid and have given an expanded meaning to access to justice."

He also commended law students across the country for their role in the legal aid movement, while expressing his strong belief that it would prepare them to be future torch-bearers of the legal aid movement.

Chief Justice Ramana said: "Your decision to join the legal aid movement will pave the path for a great career. This will help you inculcate empathy, understanding and a sense of selflessness. Remember, unlike other professions, the legal profession is not about profit maximisation, but about service to the society."

The function was also attended by Supreme Court judge Justice U.U. Lalit, Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court Rajesh Bindal and other judges.

Birthday gift of 50 lakes made Namratha Nandish country's 'Alpine Girl' IANS

Srinagar, Nov 10 (IANS): The 33year old Namratha Nandish, who earned the sobriquet of the 'Alpine Girl' by trekking to 50 alpine lakes in Jammu and Kashmir in a record time of four months, says it just started as an idea.

Namratha told reporters, "Nothing was predetermined. It all started with an idea of my husband, Abhishek who insisted on a visit to Srinagar in previous winters. He wanted to see the frozen Dal Lake.

"We started our journey to Kashmir Valley on January 26 and checked into a local hotel. I had done my homework and had decided to trek 33 lakes during the season as a birthday gift to myself. I turned 33 this year".

Arthritis did not deter the resolve of Namratha although the cold in the

mountains is believed to aggravate the pain.

Back home in Bengaluru, she works as an HR manager in an IT company.

"Work from home facility due to the pandemic came handy and I decided to achieve my goal during the trekking season in 2020 which started in mid June", she said.

Syed Tahir, Namratha's local trek leader, who accompanied her to most of the lakes, recalls meeting the 'Alpine Girl'.

"When I interacted with her and she told me about her dream, I normally asked whether she had any medical condition.

"The moment she told me about some kind of an arthritis problem in her knee, my eyes virtually popped out in surprise, but all my

apprehensions faded on seeing her determination.

"Undoubtedly, she is the first female who has completed 50 lakes in one season as no one has been able to achieve the feat of covering 50 Alpine Lakes in one season spread across the Kashmir Valley, to the best of my knowledge", Syed said.

Namratha started her expedition from the Tulian Lake and ended it at Shilsar Lake in Anantnag-Kishtwar region of J&K. Recalling her expedition, she said, "I have trekked around 460 kms over 31 days.

"I wanted to do only 33 lakes as a birthday gift to myself, but then "yeh dil mange more'. I decided to reach the feat of 50 lakes.

"During my last visit I suffered Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) as the height was around 13,000 feet at Murgan top. But, then my inner strength and support of Tahir and my family made me achieve it".

Talking about the hospitality of the local people, she said, "The people are so hospitable and warm here that I want to spend more and more time with them. I didn't feel like going as the people here made me feel one among them.

"Kashmir is a wonderful tourist destination and involving more and more women as guides to trekking groups would definitely increase the number of women visitors into the Valley and this can become an alternative business for the local women".

Srinagar to hold month-long celebratory events for getting UNESCO recognition IANS

Srinagar, Nov 9: Junaid Azim Mattu, mayor of J&K's Srinagar municipal corporation (SMC) said on Tuesday that month-long celebratory events will be held to celebrate the UNESCO tag of creative city for Srinagar. www.indianabroad.news

Speaking to the media, the mayor called it the biggest day for the entire Srinagar district.

Mattu said that serious efforts have been made by everyone concerned to ensure that Srinagar achieves this

milestone.

"We have achieved this milestone after a lot of hardwork and dedication. We have been pursuing this since 2018 and finally after the hard work and serious efforts by SMC Commissioner and other officers concerned, we have finally achieved the milestone. It is the biggest day for whole Srinagar", Mattu said.

UNESCO on Monday included Srinagar as a creative city for its craft and folk art. In the final list, Srinagar had to closely compete with Gwalior for this year's slot in the UNESCO list.

The Dossier for Srinagar's claim was prepared by the J&K chapter of INTACH (Indian national trust for culture and heritage) with the assistance of other concerned agencies.

Saleem Beg, convener of J&K chapter of INTACH said the effort to get Srinagar its UNESCO recognition was started four years back.

Padma awards presented to Pt Chhannulal Mishra, Sushma Swaraj, Kangana

Morung Express

New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS): President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday presented four Padma Vibhushans, including to classical singer Pandit Chhannulal Mishra, eight Padma Bhushans, and 61 Padma Shri awards for 2020.

The awards were presented at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-I held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, a communique said.

Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Apart from Mishra, Padma Vibhushan awards were presented posthumously to former Union Ministers George Fernandes, Arun Jaitley, and Sushma Swaraj.

The Padma Bhushan awardees included Bangladeshi diplomat Syed Muazzem Ali (posthumous), spiritual leader Mumtaz Ali, architect Balkrishna Doshi, former Nagaland Chief Minister and Goa Governor S.C. Jamir, environmental activist Dr Anil Prakash Joshi, former civil servant Neelakanta Ramakrishna Madhava Menon, entrepreneur Indian American Dr Jagadish N. Sheth, and sportsperson P.V. Sindhu.

The Padma Shri awardees were: Dance exponent Shashadhar Acharya (art), plastic surgeon Dr Yogi Aeron (medicine), Surya Foundation Chairperson Jaiprakash Agrawal (trade and industry), educationist Kazi Masum Akhtar (literature and education), Air Marshal Padma Bandopadhyay (retd), 'One Rupee Doctor' Dr Sushovan Banerjee, Santhali author and adivasi researcher Dr Damayanti Beshra (literature and education), Himmataram Bhambhu (social work), Gandhian and social worker Gafurbhai M. Bilakhia (trade and industry); Sufi singer Madan Singh Chauhan (art), Kathak dancer Dr Purushottam Dadheech (art), Sri Lankan linguist, Prof Indra Dassanayake (posthumous) (literature and art), former football team caption, Oinam Bembem Devi (sports), Brazilian Lia Diskin (social work); NIMHANS, Bengaluru,

Director Prof B. Nanjunddaiah Gangadhar (medicine), Dr Raman Gangakhedkar (science and engineering), Bharat Goenka (trade and industry), and Harekala Hajabba (social work).

The Padma Shri awardees also included Sadri folk dancer Madhu Mansuri Hasmukh (art), historian Dr Meenakshi Jain (literature and education), litterateur Dr Shanti Jain ( art), disability activist Bimal Kumar Jain (social work), educationist Sudhir Kumar Jain (science and engineering), one of the oldest Sanskrit dailies editor, Vidushi K.S. Jayalakshmi (for literature and education - journalism), editor, printer of one of the oldest Sanskrit dailies, K.V. Sampathkumar (posthumous) (literature and education - journalism), actor Sarita Joshi (art), Dr Ravi Kannan R (medicine), singer Adnan Sami (art), Indian-American economist Sriprakash Kothari (literature and education), botanist Kattungal Subramaniam Manilal (science and engineering), Beenapani Mohanty (arts), Dr Arunoday Mondal (medicine), library movement activist Sathyanarayanan Mundayoor (social work), terracotta sculptor, V.K. Munusamy (art), Hindi language scholar N. Chandrasekharan Nair (arts) and oldest working journalist from Mizoram Lalbiakthanga Pachau (literature and education - journalism).

The President also awarded

Padma Shri to puppetry artists M. Pankajaskshi (arts), Prof Jogendra Nath Phukan (for literature and education), scientists Prof T. Pradeep (science and engineering), Radhamohan (posthumous) (agriculture), farming activists Kumari Sabarmatee (agriculture), Olympian Taarundeep Rai (sports), S. Ramakrishnan (social work), actor Kangana Ranaut (art), hockey captain Rani (sports), artist Yadla Gopal Rao (for art), educationist Shahabuddin Rathod (literature and education), farming innovator Chinthala Venkat Reddy (agriculture), fish farmer Bata Krishna Sahoo (animal husbandry), teacher Trinity Saioo (agriculture), philanthropist Vijay Sankeshwar (trade and industry), and 'Elephant Man of India' Dr Kushal Konwar Sarma (medicine).

Other recipients are womens' rights activist Mehboob Gous Sayed alias Sayedbhai (social work), artist Shyam Sunder Sharma (art), ENT surgeon Dr Sandra Desa Souza (medicine), Nadhaswaram exponent Kaleeshabu Mahaboob (for arts), Nadhaswaram expert Sheikhk Mahaboob Subhani (art), literary activist Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi (literature and education), founder of Gandhi Ashram at Bali, Agus Indra Udayana (social work), and activist Sundaram Verma (social work).

Bus driver decamps with Assambound passengers' luggage in T'gana Hyderabad, Nov 6 (IANS): The driver and cleaner of a private bus made off with the luggage of 64 passengers who were on their way from Kerala to Assam and other places, police said on Saturday.

The incident occurred late Friday night near Narketpally in Telangana's Nalgonda district.

When the bus belonging to a private operator had stopped at a hotel near Narketpally around 11 p.m., all the passengers got down. The driver and cleaner told them that they were going to change one of the tyres and asked them to have dinner. The passengers kept waiting but the duo did not return.

The passengers were all migrant workers and their families from Bihar, Bengal, Assam, and Nepal.

Left stranded and without their belongings, they approached Narketpally Police Station.

The passengers, working in Kerala, were going to their native places.

They told police that they had paid Rs 3,500 each to the travel agent.

The police booked a case and

IANS

began investigations. Local MLA Cherumurthy Lingaiah made arrangements for the night halt of the stranded passengers at a function hall.

Protest against K'taka Police for accepting gifts from BJP leader IANS

Bengaluru, Nov 8: In a major embarrassment to the Karnataka state police department, a protest has been organised on Monday to condemn the act of policemen receiving gifts from a BJP leader during the Deepavali festival. The protesters have planned to give new clothes to the policemen.

Ravikrishna Reddy, State President of Karnataka Rashtra Samithi Party stated that the party workers will reach the Bagalgunte police station in Bengaluru and gift underwear, other clothes and collect money to give it to them for stitching charges.

The protest is being carried out to condemn the act of police receiving gifts from former BJP MLA Muniraju.

"Former BJP legislator from Dasarahalli constituency in Bengaluru conveyed a meeting in the police station and gifted new clothes on Deepavali festival.

/IndianAbroadNews

In turn, the station officer had facilitated the politician with a big garland and Mysuru peta (classical royal Indian turban kind attire worn by erstwhile kings of Mysuru, now given as a mark of respect to guests)," he stated.

"The politician has not given inner wares and other daily used clothing like shorts, lungi. Hence, Karnataka Rastra Samithi has decided to distribute these items as gifts.

Since, cops have to pay a charge

/indianabroadnews

for tailoring to get the pieces of clothes stitched, our workers will also collect money and give to them," he explained. However, no gifts are given to women police officers, he added.

The party has organised this protest to bring the police department out of the clutches of politicians. "We want to bring police out of slavery of corrupt politicians and awake a sense of self respect in them," he said.

13

AUSTRALIA

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Sub-national Aus govts join forces on net zero emissions

IANS

Canberra, Nov 8: Three Australian local governments from across the political spectrum have joined forces to tackle climate change.

The governments of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), New South Wales (NSW) and South Australia (SA) on Monday announced they have formed the Net Zero Emissions Policy Forum.

Under the historic cross-party agreement, the conservative Coalition and Liberal governments

in NSW and SA and left-wing LaborGreens ACT government will help each other reach net zero emissions, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Sub-national governments have a vital role to play in getting to net zero emissions because we have some of the most important levers such as transport, buildings and energy," ACT Chief Minister and Climate Action Minister Andrew Barr said.

"This forum will drive a more

collaborative approach to developing the policies to get to net zero emissions."

The announcement comes in the wake of the landmark COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed Australia's plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050 at the summit but was criticized over its lack of detail.

The ACT is aiming to cut its emissions by 50-60 per cent from 1990 levels by 2025 and NSW has announced a 50 per cent reduction target from 2005 levels by 2030.

A ministerial group will lead the forum, which will be chaired by NSW for the first 12 months.

"Taking action on climate change is an economic and environmental imperative, and this is about ensuring states and territories are working together to address it," Matthew Kean, NSW's Treasurer and Minister for Energy and Environment, said.

"Greenhouse gas emissions do not recognize borders, and to tackle climate change we need a globally collaborative approach and that is what this forum is about."

Aus surpasses 2020 Covid death toll amid 3rd wave Canberra, Nov 8: Australia's coronavirus death toll for 2021 has surpassed that of last year as the country continues to battle the third wave of the pandemic.

On Monday, the country reported 12 new Covid fatalities, taking the nationwide death toll to 1,827, reports Xinhua news agency.

Of those, 918 have occurred in 2021 compared to 909 in 2020.

New South Wales (NSW), Australia's most populous state, has accounted for 544, or 59 per cent, of the deaths in 2021.

By comparison, more than 90 per cent of Australia's coronavirus deaths in 2020 were in Victoria, the country's second-most populous

state.

According to federal government data, 35 per cent of Australians who died with Covid-19 were in their 80s, 23 per cent in their 90s and 20 per cent in their 70s.

Also on Monday, there were 1,300 new locally-acquired Covid-19 cases, of which 1,126 were recorded on Victora.

The new cases increased the overall infection tally to 181,617.

Australia on Monday started its Covid-19 booster vaccination program, with anyone aged 18 and over who had their second dose at least six months ago eligible for a third shot.

So far about 89.3 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over have received one vaccine dose and 80.5 per cent were fully inoculated, according to the Department of Health.

Greg Hunt, the minister of health, said that in the context of boosters, it is important that people know that two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine provide very good protection, especially against severe disease.

"A booster dose, six or more months after the second dose, will make sure that the protection from the first doses is even stronger and longer lasting and should help prevent spread of the virus," he said in a statement.

Residents in Australia's NSW warned for flood evacuations Financial Times

Sydney, Nov 15 (IANS): Residents in parts of Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) have been warned by local emergency services to prepare to evacuate, as heavy rainfall has caused rising water levels.

The floods could displace more

than 8,000 people in the rural town of Forbes, about 380 km west of Sydney, and located along the banks of the Lachlan River, which runs through central NSW, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has predicted that water levels could

rise as high as 10.65 meters, slightly higher than the previous major flood event in the area in 2016.

"The situation is likely to change and it can escalate quickly," said the warning issued by the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) early Monday.

It advised residents to pack their cars with essentials and valuables to reduce evacuation times.

The SES also advised residents to leave the area on Monday to stay with family or friends, or in evacuation centers that would be temporarily set up.

Local residents have teamed up with emergency personnel and volunteers in setting up sandbags to prepare for the floods.

If the situation worsens, NSW SES would issue a flood evacuation order to impacted residents via text message.

Australia hits 90% milestone of 1st Covid vax dose BBC

Canberra, Nov 12: Australia has hit a new Covid-19 vaccination milestone, with 90 per cent of the people aged 16 and over having received one dose of a jab, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Friday.

Speaking to the media, he said that every state and territory was on track to hit the 80 per cent fully vaccination target by the end of 2021, a mark already achieved in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Victoria and New South Wales, all of which endured strict lockdowns between August and October, www.indianabroad.news

reports Xinhua news agency.

"We are going to have one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. That goes with having one of the best records in the world on saving lives," Morrison said.

Anticipating the 90 per cent milestone, Health Minister Greg Hunt on Thursday described it as an "extraordinary" achievement.

Australia on Friday reported more than 1,400 new locally-acquired Covid-19 infections, which increased the overall caseload to 187,041.

The death toll currently stood at 1,873.

Coronavirus restrictions in Australia's capital Canberra further eased on Friday, moving to baseline-level restrictions that are expected to stay in place across summer.

With Australia gradually reopening its international borders, Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said international students would be able to enter every state without quarantining by the end of the year.

"We want to move through these stages of reopening international borders as quickly as we can," he told Sky News.

"We hope to see movement towards the end of the year, and international students, especially in big states, should be looking forward to the start of the next semester."

New South Wales crosses 90% vaccination-mark IANS

Sydney, Nov 10: Health authorities in Australia's most populous state, New South Wales (NSW), said on Wednesday that the long-awaited 90 per cent double-dose target for its over-16 population had been passed.

Data showed that as of Monday, 90.1 per cent of the state's residents aged 16 and over had been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and 94 per cent had received at least one dose.

Domestically, NSW is second only to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) which hit its 90 per cent target late last month.

On Tuesday afternoon NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet praised the reaching of the goal and called for one last push to 95 per cent vaccinations across the state.

"Every extra vaccinated person strengthens our reopening, protects the vulnerable and gets us closer to the magic 95 per cent -- when even more restrictions ease," he tweeted.

Once the state reaches a 95 per cent vaccination rate, or by December 15, limits for all gatherings would be removed, and non-essential retail

and dining venues would be opened to everyone, not just the fully vaccinated.

NSW reported 216 new locally acquired cases and three deaths in the 24 hours to 8.00 p.m. Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, cases in the state of Victoria continued to hover around the 1,000-mark. The state reported 1,003 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 and 14 related deaths in the

24 hours to midnight Tuesday.

Victoria is currently Australia's third-most vaccinated state or territory with 84 per cent of its over-12 residents having been fully vaccinated.

Nationally, 81.09 per cent of all Australians over-16 have been fully vaccinated, and 89.53 per cent have received at least one dose, according to data updated on Tuesday.

Australians unsure about foreign travel despite easing of border curbs IANS

Canberra, Nov 9 (IANS): A new survey revealed on Tuesday that despite easing of border restrictions, Australians were unsure of travelling overseas.

The survey conducted by the University of Queensland (UQ) showed that only 51 per cent of Australians plan to visit foreign destinations, reports Xinhua news agency.

About a third of those surveyed said they would prefer to travel domestically while 16 percent said they would not be travelling at all.

Associate Professor Gabby Walters from the UQ Business School said the "lukewarm" responses differed to a survey that had been conducted in April 2020, shortly after Australia banned international flights.

"I was surprised by the findings but, then again, I could understand the reasons for them," she told Xinhua.

"On the one hand, people may be champing at the bit to travel again, but there are still a lot of indecisions and quick policy changes, so there remains a fair deal of uncertainty.

"Previously, people felt uncertain and uneasy about the virus and this makes sense because in April last year, no one knew what was to come," Walters added.

The Associate Professor said this time people were reporting more feelings of "restriction and frustration" as well as being "slightly more scared and anxious" than the earlier survey.

The survey also found that New

Zealand and Europe are the most popular destinations for international flyers, while Australia's coastal areas were the most favoured tourist spots for 44 per cent of domestic travellers.

"Queensland is still perceived as being the safest place to holiday, closely followed by Western Australia and Tasmania," Walters said.

"Queensland has low case numbers, great coastal locations and sunshine, while New South Wales and Victoria have been front and centre of negative Covid-19 publicity."

She said Australians were placing "more emphasis on vaccination status, Covid-19 numbers and hygiene standards when planning travel".

In a separate study, Walters and colleagues Associate Professor Sarah Kelly, Thomas Magor and Ann Wallin also investigated the behaviour and preferences of travellers considering cruise holidays.

International cruise ships have been banned from entering Australia since March 2020, following an outbreak on the liner Ruby Princess which led to more than 600 infections and 28 deaths.

"Travellers are seeking smaller ships and lower occupancy as well as better health and medical facilities on board," Walters said.

"We have also seen a market shift -- older generations are less likely to cruise now when previously they were a major market for cruise ships."

PM's gaffe in COP26 speech goes viral Canberra, Nov 7: A video clip of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison making a mistake during a COP26 speech has gone viral on social media, with Twitter users saying it was a "Freudian slip".

Morrison, supposed to say "global momentum to tackle climate change", mistakenly said "tackle China" during his address at the 26th session of the Conference

of the Parties (COP26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, reports Xinhua news agency.

Krishani Dhanji, a political producer with Australia's SBS News, shared the video footage on Twitter, saying, "A faux pas from the PM?" Morrison, Dhanji added, appeared to say "global momentum to tackle 'China'" instead of "climate change"

before correcting himself.

The post attracted lots of comments.

"Poor fellow always switched on with anti-China mode," said a Twitter user who goes by the name Prasanna Shan.

"Well spotted. A classic Freudian slip of the tongue," said another who goes by the name Leni Barid.

Queensland set to hit 70% vax milestone IANS

Brisbane, Nov 14: The Australian state of Queensland is set to reach its first major, 70 per cent, vaccination milestone for the over-16 population on Monday, almost a week earlier than previously expected.

Queensland's Health Minister Yvette D'Ath announced the state's double vaccination rate at 69.94 on Sunday, adding that it is guaranteed to hit the 70 per cent milestone on Monday, reports Xinhua news agency.

"This 70 per cent target is just the start, we are absolutely on our way to not just meet our 80 per cent target, but getting to that 90 per cent target," said D'Ath. She said 81.66 per cent of the state's over-16 population had received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Once the state reaches the milestone, fully vaccinated Australians living in designated hotspots would be allowed to fly into Queensland but would still be

/IndianAbroadNews

required to undergo 14 days of home quarantine.

Once the state reaches 80 per cent of the vaccination rate, quarantine would not be required for fully-vaccinated individuals.

Queensland has consistently

/indianabroadnews

managed to keep out the spread of the delta variant of Covid-19, and the state reported no new cases on Sunday after recording numbers in the single-digits throughout the week.

14

WORLD

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

NIA requests Canadian govt to declare SFJ a terrorist organisation IANS

New Delhi, Nov 10: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has requested the Canadian authorities to declare the Sikh For Justice (SFJ) based in the US, a terrorist organisation.

According to sources, a formal request in this regard has been made by the Indian government.

Recently, an NIA team recently visited Canada and held discussions with the authorities on the faster execution of requests made under

the mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT).

Led by an IG level officer, the NIA team reached Canada on November 5 to probe the sources of funding by organisations, including SFJ, for creation of Khalistan.

They also said that the visiting team wanted to investigate the connection of these anti- Indian outfits's funding links of terrorist organisations like SFJ and other pro-Khalistani groups like Khalistan Zindabad

Force, Babbar Khalsa International, Khalistan Tiger Force, who have become active in the recent past.

The team inquired with Canadian authorities about the pro-Khalistani groups funding sources from different foreign countries including the US, UK, Australia and Germany.

Sikh For Justice is backed by Pakistan's notorious intelligence wing Inter State Services (ISI) which has been trying to revive militancy in India, including creation of Khalistan. It has been banned by the Indian government for involvement in terror-related activities under Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (UAPA) .

"The visit is for better coordination of investigation against entities and individuals suspected of terrorism and to discuss other criminal matters," a release issued by the Indian High Commission in Ottawa had said in a recent statement.

On November 1, the SFJ had organised the referendum in London to carve out Khalistan in India, which badly failed to garner support of the Sikhs due to punitive actions taken by the Indian government.

Pak calls on India to reopen Kartarpur Corridor for pilgrims IANS

Islamabad, Nov 10 (IANS): The Pakistan government has called on India to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor and allow pilgrims to cross over into Pakistan on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev's birth aniiversary celebrations from November 17 to 26.

Marking the second anniversary of the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, Pakistan has expressed hope that India would allow pilgrims to travel through the corridor in the spirit of cooperation.

"In the upcoming Guru Nanak's birth anniversary celebrations from November 17-26, we look forward to hosting devotees from India and around the world," read a statement issued by the Pakistan Foreign

Office.

"In the last two years, the corridor has not only fulfilled the earnest desire of the Sikh community around the world for easy access to the revered site, but is also reflective of the primacy that Pakistan accords to all religious minorities in the country. The corridor has opened new vistas for the promotion of inter-faith harmony," the statement added.

It also reminded that the Kartarpur Corridor was described by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres as the "Corridor of Hope" during his visit to Kartarpur Sahib in February 2020.

Pakistan has also criticised India for refraining from opening the corridor

despite reopening and resumption of international travels all over the world and opening of all religious places in the country.

"The Kartarpur Corridor was reopened on June 29, 2020 under the Covid related protocols after its temporary closure due to the pandemic on March 16, 2020. India, despite resumption of international travel all over the world, and opening of all religious places in that country and repeated calls by the Sikh community, is yet to open the corridor from its side and allow pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib," the statement read.

Pakistan has also highlighted that "the magnificent newly-built Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur complex is a gift by the people of Pakistan and their leadership to the Sikh community in India and worldwide.

"Two years ago on this day, the Kartarpur Corridor was inaugurated

by Prime Minister Imran Khan on the event of the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak," read the statement.

As per details, Pakistan is willing to allow at least 3,000 devotees from across the world to participate in the upcoming birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak and it is looking forward to India to reciprocate its offer with the same cooperation.

'Kaptaan bhag gaya', Bilawal taunts Pak govt IANS

New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS): Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the incumbent Imran Khan-led government opted out of Parliaments joint session as it had "foreseen its defeat", Geo News reported.

Taking to Twitter, Bilawal said "Kaptaan bhag gaya" (the captain ran away), as he shared President Arif Alvi's notification for the postponement of the session.

"Yet another victory for the United opposition in the Parliament today.

Government ran away from joint sessions when they saw they would be defeated yet again. Kaptaan Bhag gaya."

www.indianabroad.news

He said that they (Opposition) are not asking the government's allies to support them on the no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister now.

"Instead, we are talking only about the government's undemocratic methods and bids to make the election commission controversial."

Bilawal further said that the countdown to the end of PTI's tenure has begun, adding "it's now time for Prime minister Imran Khan to be a bundle of nerves", the Geo News report added.

He said that he still stands firm on his idea to move a no-trust motion against Khan and Punjab Chief

Minister Usman Buzdar but they will have to make efforts for it separately.

Earlier, while addressing the MNAs at a dinner he hosted at the Senate's banquet hall, Bilawal said that the government had to postpone the Parliament's joint session due to the efforts by the Opposition.

"Due to the opposition's contacts with the government's allies, the government had to retreat and cancel the joint session. Thanks to (Leader of the Opposition) Shehbaz Sharif who gathered the Opposition parties," said Bilawal.

Earlier on Wednesday, the government postponed a joint session of the Parliament that was scheduled for Thursday.

A meeting of the Federal Cabinet on Tuesday had called the session on Thursday at 11pm to pass the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance (Amendment) Bill and electoral reforms bill among other legislation items.

Later, President Alvi issued an official notification for the postponement of the joint session.

Bilawal said that the Opposition had decided to ensure their numbers to oppose the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance (Amendment) Bill and electoral reforms bill proposed by the government.

He said that the NAB ordinances being presented one after another are based on "mala fide intent".

US opens border to fully vaccinated int'l travellers IANS

New York, Nov 9 (IANS): The US has opened it doors to fully vaccinated international travellers, welcoming the visitors who have been shut out of the country for about 20 months, which is seen as a relief for the tourism industry and for families separated by previous Covid-19 rules.

International flight arrivals are expected to rise 11 per cent on Monday over a similar day in October at Newark Liberty and John F. Kennedy international airports, with 253 flights scheduled to arrive, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Xinhua news agency reported.

Airline executives have said bookings have surged since the Joe Biden administration said it would lift the restrictions. "Shares of United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines were each up more than 1 per cent in morning trading. Those carriers have the most international service of the U.S. airlines and stand to benefit from the resumption of US-bound travel," reported CNBC. The ban, put in place by former US President Donald Trump in early 2020 and expanded by President Joe Biden early this year, prohibited visitors from 33 countries, including

Britain, much of Europe, China, Brazil and South Africa.

Now, visitors can fly into the United States with proof of full COVID-19 vaccination. Documentation can be shown as a paper certificate, a photo of the document or a digitized version. There are exemptions for travellers under age 18 and passengers from countries with low vaccination availability.

Accepted vaccines are those approved or authorized by the Food and Drug Administration and

those listed for use by the World Health Organization: Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Sinopharm and Sinovac.

The United States will also require proof of a negative Covid-19 test from within the past three days for all vaccinated travellers. The country has required that since January for all arrivals, including US citizens.

If a traveller is not vaccinated, the Covid-19 test must have been taken from within one day of departure.

Kishida reTaliban govt downplays IS elected as Japan threat, arrests 600 militants PM in special Parliament session IANS

Tokyo, Nov 11 (IANS): Fumio Kishida, President of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has been re-elected as Prime Minister in a special Parliament session after the LDP secured a majority of votes in the House of Representatives election on October 31.

Having served as the Prime Minister for around a month after coming into power on October 4, Kishida launched his second Cabinet on Wednesday afternoon as his Cabinet resigned en masse as required by the Constitution prior to the threeday Diet session through November 5, reports Xinhua news agency.

Kishida is expected to appoint former education minister, Yoshimasa Hayashi, as his foreign minister, who leads a non-partisan parliamentarians' group promoting Japan-China relations.

Most of the current Cabinet members will remain unchanged as it was launched last month.

Toshimitsu Motegi, who has stayed in the post of foreign minister since 2019, became the LDP's secretary general earlier this month to replace Akira Amari.

The powerful chamber elected Hiroyuki Hosoda, a former chief Cabinet secretary, as its speaker, and picked Banri Kaieda, a former industry minister and a member of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, as vice speaker.

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will succeed Hosoda as the chair of LDP's largest faction, which he left in 2012 to become the country's leader.

Following the special session, the LDP is looking to convening an extraordinary Diet session later this year to pass a supplementary budget for fiscal 2021, including stimulus measures to alleviate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The extra budget, expected to be worth 30 trillion yen ($266 billion), will include distribution of 100,000 yen handouts ($886) in cash and vouchers to those aged 18 and younger as well as resumption of the government's "Go To Travel" tourism promotion campaign that subsidises a part of domestic travel spending.

Kishida also aims to achieve salary increases for care workers, nurses and nursery school staff.

In the October 31 election, the LDP won 261 seats in the lower house, 15 fewer than it previously held but sufficient to effectively control all standing committees and force through legislation when needed, with Komeito increasing the number of seats to 32 from 29 previously.

/IndianAbroadNews

Kabul, Nov 11: The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has downplayed the security threat posed by the Islamic State (IS), saying security forces have arrested 600 militants affiliated with the terror group over the past three months.

"The security forces of the Islamic Emirate have destroyed 21 bases of the IS group in different provinces including Kabul, Nangarhar and Herat and also captured about 600 militants over the past three months," Xinhua news agency quoted Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid as saying to reporters at a press briefing here.

Mujahid said the group doesn't enjoy support from Afghans and its activities are under control.

The spokesman also assured that the crackdown on the armed group would continue.

"Afghanistan's soil won't be used against any country."

The remarks come as the US and

its allies are concerned over alleged presence of Al Qaeda, IS and and other terror outfits in Afghanistan.

Responding to a question, Mujahid said that Afghanistan attaches great importance to developing ties with its neighbours and seeks to boost trade and economic cooperation with them.

Mujahid also said that acting Foreign Minister Mullah Amir Khan Muttaqi was currently on a visit to Islamabad to discuss with Pakistani officials the matters concerning mutual interests including trade and economic cooperation.

Also speaking at the briefing, Khalil Hamraz, head of public relations of the General Directorate of Intelligence, or the country's counter-intelligence agency, said that the agency would continue to crack down on the IS operatives and criminals including kidnappers, thieves and all those who violate law and order.

Auckland, Nov 11 (IANS): Students in classes 1-10 in New Zealand's Auckland city and the Waikato region can return to in-person leadering in schools from November 17, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said.

"Lockdowns can be stressful for children and young people, so returning to some on-site learning will mean they can reconnect with their teachers and friends," Hipkins told a press conference.

This will provide certainty ahead of the Christmas break and before the new school year starts, Xinhua news agency quoted the Minister as saying.

Measures to help minimise the risk of Covid transmission will include mandatory wearing of masks from class 4 up in most cases, ventilating classrooms, limiting the number of students on site, and maintaining distance from each other among

groups of children, Hipkins said.

Each school will decide what works best for their learners and their community. That might be by alternating days or half weeks, he said.

"It is clear that the risk of reopening schools is outweighed by the benefits of kids re-engaging with their learning face-to-face in this context," the Minister said.

"With really strong vaccination rates, the balance of risk has shifted," he said, adding as vaccinations rates increase, including the requirement for teachers to have at least one Covid-19 vaccination from November 15, the risk to children and students is lowered.

Auckland, the country's largest city, and the nearby Waikato region have been the centre of New Zealand's latest community outbreak of Covid-19 fuelled by the Delta variant since mid-August.

Auckland schools to reopen from Nov 17

/indianabroadnews

15

POLITICS

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Former Congress MP Pradeep Majhi joins BJD

IANS

Bhubaneswar, Nov 6: Former Congress MP Pradeep Majhi on

Saturday formally joined Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in a special event in Nabarangpur district.

Majhi, the former Working President of the state Congress unit, had resigned from the party on October 22.

Several supporters of Majhi, and other Congress leaders also joined the BJD with him. BJD Organisational Secretary Pranab Prakash Das welcomed Majhi to the party fold.

Majhi said he has joined the BJD for the development of his constituency and undivided Koraput region. He said that he saw that BJD is the only party, which is rising in every

election in the state.

He also said that the BJD has promised him to look after the issues and problems raised by him when he was in the Congress.

Majhi was discovered by then Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in the Youth Congress 'Talent Search for Youth' conducted in Bhubaneswar where he stood first in the state level.

Majhi began his political career as elected President of Zilla Parishad from Nabarangpur, and was then elected to the Lok Sabha in 2009 from Nabarangpur. However, he lost the last two LS elections in 2014 and 2019 from the seat.

Priyanka attacks Yogi govt over 'pathetic' condition of cow shelters The Indian Express

New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS): Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday targeted the Uttar Pradesh government, saying that the condition of cow shelters in the state was "pathetic".

She alleged that the state government is not doing enough for improving the condition of cow shelters.

Priyanka Gandhi posted on Twitter, "The Chief Minister is going to Braj which is an inspiration for cow service, and hope he will do something to improve the condition of cow shelters. Since five years, the condition is pathetic and the government is not doing enough."

She also tagged newspaper reports on the condition of cow shelters.

In July, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had directed officials to conduct a thorough pre-monsoon inspection of all cow shelters in the state.

He had asked the officials to ensure adequate arrangements for green fodder and straw, among other things, for the cattle.

Strict action would be taken against the officer or employee concerned in the shelter, where the death of a cow is reported due to mismanagement, he had said.

On June 9, 2020, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet had approved the Prevention of Cow Slaughter (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.

According to the ordinance, for the first offence, a person can be jailed for one to seven years with penalties ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, while for the second offence, the person can be imprisoned for 10 years with a fine up to Rs 5 lakh.

K'taka will see 3rd CM if Bitcoin scandal investigated thoroughly: Cong IANS

Bengaluru, Nov 10: Former minister and Congress MLA Priyank Kharge on Wednesday said that if the Bitcoin scandal is investigated thoroughly and transparently, the BJP government in Karnataka will soon see a third Chief Minister.

For the first time, the Opposition Congress has openly linked Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai directly to the Bitcoin scandal. It is said that Bommai will now have a tough job

on hand as he is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President J.P.Nadda.

Priyank, the son of Rajya Sabha Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge said that the hacker had hacked into three Bitcoin exchanges, 14 websites, including 10 poker websites, and exploited malwares.

The total of which is speculated to be around Rs 2,283 crore but it is not disclosed. Why was this not informed to more competent authorities? he questioned.

He further stated, "my questions are simple. Where are the Bitcoins seized from the hacker Sriki?

Why was the mention of seized 31 Bitcoins of Rs 9 crore left out of the charge sheet? Why was a hacker granted bail by police after claiming to have hacked government websites?"

Asked about comments by Priyank Kharge, Congress State President

D.K. Shivakumar stated that the Bommai government should share with public information they have gathered, seized articles, where are seized Bitcoins, whose wallet they are kept, whose names are mentioned in the letter written to the PMO. "We are gathering information and making it public. It's the duty of the government to provide information to the court. Let the BJP government arrest the son of a Congress leader if they have the capacity, they shouldn't spare anyone," he said.

When questioned about the name of CM Bommaia's son being taken regarding the Bitcoin scandal, he said that he won't talk about someone without documents. "I am not able to comprehend the volume of transactions in the scandal, If the statistics are to be believed, I will faint," he said.

Ahead of polls, politics of statues begins in UP

IANS

Lucknow, Nov 14: As the countdown to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections begins, the politics of statues get going in right earnest.

Various political parties are using statues to attract and consolidate various caste vote banks in their favour.

Lord Parshuram, the icon of Brahmins, has emerged as a top favourite with political parties who see the Parshuram factor as an effective tool to woo Brahmins, who are believed to be upset with the ruling BJP for having sidelined them.

BJP leader Shyam Prakash Dwiwedi

www.indianabroad.news

in Prayagraj has got a 16 feet statue of Parshuram ready for installation.

The statue was taken around the city in a procession on Saturday.

Dwiwedi, who is also the national president of Brahmin Samaj Utthan Sewa Santhan, said, "We plan to install statues of Lord Parshuram in all 75 districts of the state. We will invite saints and seers and also our (read BJP) leaders to the functions.

It is because of the blessings of Lord Parshuram that the BJP is in power at the Centre and in the state. We will also inform the guests about the achievements of the Modi and Yogi governments at these functions."

The Samajwadi Party (SP) has also announced that it will install a 108 feet tall statue of Parshuram at the Janeshwar Mishra Park in Lucknow.

Former SP minister Abhishek Mishra, who is supervising the project, said that the statue is being prepared in Jaipur.

Though the date for the installation of the statue has not yet been announced, sources said it could be 'sometime before the 2022

Assembly polls.'

This is the first time that the Samajwadi Party has shown its inclination towards Parshuram and it is obviously aimed at wooing Brahmin votes.

The statue politics, meanwhile, is on in full swing among the Nishad centric parties.

These parties have propped up former bandit queen-turned-politician Phoolan Devi as their icon.

The Nishad Party, led by Sanjay Nishad, has been demanding installation of Phoolan Devi's statue in Gorakhpur.

The Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) of Bihar which is making its electoral debut in Uttar Pradesh, has announced that it will distribute Phoolan statues in every Nishad home so that her presence is felt by each member of the community.

"We are going to take Phoolan to every Nishad home. She championed the cause of the poor and downtrodden and we will make sure she is adequately revered," said a VIP leader.

Rajasthan cabinet reshuffle soon as Gehlot plans Delhi visit IANS

Jaipur, Nov 8: After victory in the Assembly bypolls, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is all set to visit Delhi around November 10 to discuss the cabinet expansion and political appointments, pending for an year, with the party high command, Congress sources said.

The much-awaited cabinet rejig and appointments had been pending ever since the Covid pandemic broke out. The Assembly bypolls had also been delayed.

However, now the bypolls are over and Congress has won both the seats and Gehlot is focused on the long-pending appointments and a cabinet rejig, a Congress leader told IANS. He said that the Chief Minister has shown his prowess after the byelection victory and will work on his own terms and conditions to make his team stronger in Rajasthan.

Meanwhile, amid the reports of Gehlot going to Delhi, silence of former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot is intriguing.

Neither Pilot nor any MLA from his camp has given any statement regarding the cabinet reshuffle which has become an issue for discussion.

Meanwhile, Congress sources

confirmed that the Health Minister Raghu Sharma and Revenue Minister Harish Choudhary might be freed from cabinet portfolios as they have been made party in charges of Gujarat and Punjab.

Long-pending appointments, especially related to the state unit, will be announced following the expansion. "After the expansion, the accouncement of the appointments would also start," a Congress leader said.

Gehlot had met senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, General Secretaries Ajay Maken and K.C. Venugopal at Rahul Gandhi's residence on October 16 amid talks of a rejig in the cabinet.

In the bypolls, Dhariawad, which was a BJP seat since 2013, was captured by Congress and Vallabhnagar, another of its seat, was retained by the ruling party.

The BJP finished third in Dhariawad and fourth in Vallabhnagar.

Now MP Minister Mishra targets Gandhis after Priyanka's Bhai Dooj pic IANS

Bhopal, Nov 7: Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, who has been in news for the last couple of weeks due to his controversial statements, on Sunday trained his guns on the Gandhi family after Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra shared a picture on "Bhai Dooj".

"The Gandhis have never cared about Hindu sentiments or their festivals.

"It would have been better if they shared a photo showing brother-sister celebrating 'Bhai Dooj'. But Rahul claims to be a 'Janeudhari' (wearer of sacred thread) only during the elections," Mishra told media persons here.

"No one has ever seen a single photo of the Gandhi family praying to Goddess Lakshmi on Diwali."

Mishra's comments came after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted an old picture of her with brother and

former party chief Rahul Gandhi on the occasion of 'Bhai Dooj'.

A couple of weeks ago, Mishra had attacked Bollywood director Prakash Jha's upcoming web-series 'Ashram 3'. Later, a group of Bajrang Dal activists had vandalised its sets in Bhopal and beaten up its crew

members, saying that the web-series is tarnishing the image of Hindus' Ashram system.

Last Sunday, Mishra had threatened fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee to take down a mangalsutra advertisement within 24 hours or to face consequences.

Bitcoin scandal kingpin's arrest sends jitters through K'taka netas Bengaluru, Nov 8: The arrest of Bitcoin scandal kingpin Srikrishna aka Sriki by Bengaluru police in connection with a hotel brawl case has sent jitters among Karnataka politicians, especially the ruling BJP netas.

The Metropolitan Magistrate Traffic Court-1 on Monday sent Sriki to judicial custody till November 22.

Another accused, Vishnu Bhat, the son of the owner of a famous chain of jewellery stores, has been sent to three-day police custody till November 11.

According to sources, the developments have caused anxiety among the top leaders of the ruling BJP, some of whom allegedly colluded with the accused.

The police suspect that both the accused were drugged at the time of arrest on Saturday. Their blood samples were sent for medical test, which confirmed that both had consumption.

The Opposition Congress has launched a tirade against the BJP in connection with the Bitcoin scandal, demanding a judicial probe into the matter.

Congress leaders have made direct

IANS

allegations that top leaders of the BJP government in the state colluded with Sriki and minted cash.

The reports have reached the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the party high command seems to be upset with the turn of events.

The Congress also demanded Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to make the papers public regarding handing over of the case to the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Reacting to the Bitcoin scandal, Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa on Monday stated that the guilty will be punished and the investigation is on.

"I am not going to answer whether there is involvement of Congress leaders, JD(S) leaders, CM's son or a minister's son. Investigation will reveal everything," he said.

When asked about the party high command reportedly contemplating to change state BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel, Eshwarappa said it is a baseless assumption.

"It is like finding black cat in darkness. One should not talk like this.

There is no question of changing the state president. We have been winning elections under his leadership," he said.

ADVERTISE WITH US

/IndianAbroadNews

0488-067-243 /indianabroadnews

16

TECHNOLOGY

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Nvidia announces new platform for creating AI Avatars IANS

New Delhi, Nov 10: Chip-maker Nvidia on Wednesday announced 'Omniverse Avatar', a technology platform for generating interactive Artificial Intelligence (AI) Avatars.

Omniverse Avatar connects the company's technologies in speech AI, computer vision, natural

language understanding, recommendation engines and simulation technologies.

"The dawn of intelligent virtual assistants has arrived. Omniverse Avatar combines NVIDIA's foundational graphics, simulation and AI technologies to make some

of the most complex real-time applications ever created. The use cases of collaborative robots and virtual assistants are incredible and far reaching," Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia said in a statement.

Avatars created in the platform are interactive characters with ray-traced 3D graphics that can see, speak, converse on a wide range of subjects, and understand naturally spoken intent.

Omniverse Avatar aims at creation of AI assistants that are easily customisable for virtually any industry.

These could help with the billions of daily customer service interactions, restaurant orders, banking transactions, making personal appointments and reservations, and more.

Omniverse Avatar is part of the company's Omniverse, a virtual world simulation and collaboration platform for 3D workflows. It uses elements from speech AI, computer vision, natural language understanding, recommendation engines, facial animation, and graphics.

Emerging brands eye bigger growth in Smart TV market in India IANS

New Delhi, Nov 15: As festive season shopping break all records in India, not just the established players but new and emerging brands in the Smart TV category have seen an impressive growth in the country, some of them even clocking 60 per cent growth in revenues.

The smart TV market in India recorded an extraordinary 65 per cent (on-year) growth in the second quarter this year. The smart TV market continued to grab share from the non-smart TV market, taking an 80 per cent share of the overall TV market during the quarter, according to Counterpoint Research.

Due to the increasing smart TV demand, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are rapidly increasing smart TVs in their portfolios.

According to Avneet Singh Marwah, CEO, SPPL, an exclusive brand licensee of Blaupunkt TV and Westinghouse TV in India, they had a strong start in this festive season.

"Overall, we saw a 60 per cent growth in sales. After the second wave, many consumers decided to save their disposable income due to

a fear of third-wave hitting, which caused a major drop in sales. But the scenario has changed with festive sales and we saw a huge spike in the recent sales held by Flipkart," Marwah told IANS. Anand Dubey, Founder and CEO, Indkal Technologies said the response has been wonderful in the festive season and Acer has become one of the most trusted brands in India and globally.

The Acer brand has been licensed to Bengaluru-based Indkal Technologies from Acer Incorporated, which made its debut in the Smart TV segment in September.

"We have seen that same customer sentiment for smart televisions. Of course, this is just the start and we are working towards strengthening that trust by providing excellent customer service with the top-notch products," Dubey told IANS. "Moving forward, we will look to introduce products with newer technologies like Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision running on Android 11 right out of the box. We are also developing more products with a dedicated sound bar too which was a

super hit in the 43-inch UHD segment that we introduced in October," he elaborated.

In the third quarter (Q3), the Smart TV segment saw 58 per cent growth (on-year) in the country and new brands are growing faster than the market growth rate, according to Counterpoint Research Director Tarun Pathak.

"Some of our models like 32-inch Smart TV and 43-inch 4K went out of stock in a couple of hours for Blaupunkt. In Metro cities, we have seen 120 per cent growth in 65-inch and 55-inch 4K models.

Westinghouse as a brand, although launched in this festive season, has seen fairly decent traction on Amazon," Marwah informed.

Blaupunkt is planning to launch gaming TVs with a better refresh rate next year.

"Next year is very exciting as we will be launching 18 new TVs across brands," Marwah said.

Dubey said that with the Acer brand, "we are targeting to ensure that every segment of television customer has an option from our lineup which is close to their individual need".

Acer brand line-up comes in eight different sizes and three resolutions across three series (P, XL and Boundless) of products.

"The Frameless models in sizes 43, 50, 55 inches have been launched as the flagship range, called the Boundless series, which come with 4K Ultra High-Definition resolutions with an almost edge-to-edge display and a 1.07 billion colours range with WCG+ technology," Dubey informed.

All Acer televisions are currently running on Android 9, but "we expect to update the software directly to Android 11 very soon through an OTA (over the air)", he said.

Apple working on drone device, new patent suggests IANS

San Francisco, Nov 15 (IANS): Apple is developing several technologies apart from smartphones, such as a VR headset as well as a car and now a new patent has revealed that the iPhone maker may be working on a drone.

The patents were first filed in May 2020 in Singapore, but made their way to the US in February and April and were awarded to Apple on November 11, reports Patently Apple.

The US Patent And Trademark Office has published two patent applications from Apple that relate to drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The first application seems to cover the application and method of interaction between the UAV and a controller. It covers gadgets, systems, and methods for pairing the drone with a wireless remote controller.

www.indianabroad.news

The second patent application is more related with the monitoring and control of this type of drones.

It refers to how the UAV can be controlled and monitored through a cellular network system.

Currently, there is no guarantee that this Apple drone project will ultimately come out as a finished product for commercial applications.

Meanwhile, Apple is also working on new Mac chips, presumably to be called the M2 expected to land as soon as 2023.

The next generation of chipset presumably the M2, M2 Pro, and M2 Max will use an enhanced 5nm process, reports The Information.

Apple and chip supplier TSMC are expected to begin production of 3nm chips for use in iPhones and Macs in 2023 with codenames "Ibiza", "Lobos" and "Palma".

Over 30 countries may participate in Bengaluru Tech Summit: K'taka minister IANS

Bengaluru, Nov 9 (IANS): The annual flagship event of the Karnataka government as well as of the Centre, the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS2021), touted to be Asia's biggest tech festival, is scheduled to be held this year from November 17 to 19 in a hybrid format and will be inaugurated by Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, it was announced on Tuesday.

Addressing a press meet on BTS2021 on Tuesday, state Electronics, IT/BT and S&T Minister C.N.Ashwath Narayan said that the 24th edition of the event with the theme 'Driving the Next', will be held on four tracks of IT, BT, start-ups, and the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA).

The summit is likely to witness participation of over 30 countries, 300 plus speakers, 5,000 plus startup attendees, 300 plus exhibitors, 20,000 plus business attendees, and overall digital reach to half a million tech enthusiasts with over 75 conference Sessions.

The event which rides on the mantra of 'Reform, Transform and Perform' will witness the participation of Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, World Economic Forum founder and Chairman, Prof.

Klaus Schwab, Kyndryl CEO Martin Schroeter, senior Central and state government ministers, a host of international industry captains, government officials, Nobel Laureates, visionary leaders among others, Narayan said.

The inaugural ceremony on November 17 will be presided over

by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot wherein Chief Minister Basvaraj Bommai, Union Communications, Electronics and Information

Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrasekhar will be attending.

Narayan said that the new features added this year are India USA Tech Conclave, India Innovation Alliance, BENGALURU NEXT Leadership Conclave, BENGALURU NEXT Innovators Conclave, and a showcase of Science Gallery.

Besides this, multi-track conferences, international exhibitions, the Global Innovation Alliance meet, start-up focus, national rural IT quiz, BioQuiz, biotech posters, STPI IT export awards, smart bio awards, and start-up unicorn felicitations will take place.

The Electronics and IT Track will focus on key topics like GCC, Hybrid Cloud, ESG, AI and ML, 5G, media and entertainment, cyber security, global ESDM market, and skilling and reskilling fintech transformation.

The Biotech Track will focus on topics like Moderna and MRNA technologies in conceiving vaccines, investing in nextgen medtech and diagnostics, gene editing, oncology, vaccine equity, showcasing India's vaccine leadership, latest innovations In cell therapy, Narayan said.

The India-US Tech Conclave will be held in association with the US-India Business Council, and its sessions will be addressed by experts with east coast focussing on life sciences, west coast on start-ups, and middle America on IT. The India Innovation Alliance will focus on connecting various innovation clusters from different states with Karnataka.

During this conclave organized by the state Department of Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T and Software Technology Parks of India, 22 unicorn companies (from Karnataka) which are considered as innovative disrupters and attracting FDI from all over the world will be felicitated.

realme to enter high-end smartphone market IANS

Beijing, Nov 14: Smartphone brand realme is all set to advance into the high-end smartphone market, CEO Sky Li has revealed.

The brand has solidified its position as one of the major players in the budget and mid-range smartphone segment, GizmoChina reported on Saturday.

Earlier this year, realme successfully entered the flagship killer segment with the release of its GT series.

Now, the founder and CEO has revealed the company's plan to compete with top smartphone brands in the ultra-premium segment through a tweet.

"It's official: realme to advance into high-end market with smartphones over $800. What do you expect most from realme full flagship phone?" Li wrote on the micro-blogging site.

In other words, realme will be going up against industry giants like Samsung, Apple and Google in more than the $800 smartphone segment,

the report said.

Currently, the company does not have any device in this segment and

their top offering is the smartphone killer GT Neo 2, it added.

Garena Free Fire emerges as most downloaded mobile game for Oct San Francisco, Nov 14 (IANS): Garena Free Fire from Garena emerged as most downloaded mobile game worldwide for October 2021 with approximately 34 million installs, which represented a 72 per cent increase from October 2020.

The countries with the most installs of the app during this period were India at about 30 per cent of its total downloads and Brazil at more than 12 per cent, reports Sensor Tower.

The full top 10 ranking of mobile games worldwide by downloads for October 2021 is above. Game download estimates are from Sensor Tower's Store Intelligence platform.

Candy Challenge 3D from Idil Morgul was the second most installed mobile game worldwide last month with close to 19 million installs. The countries with the largest number of Candy Challenge installs were the US at 12.2 per cent, followed by Brazil at 9.3 per cent.

Roblox from Roblox Corporation, Cookie Carver from Azur, and Subway Surfers from Sybo Games rounded out the top five most installed mobile games worldwide for the month.

The global mobile games market

/IndianAbroadNews

IANS

generated 4.5 billion downloads across the App Store and Google Play in October 2021, marking a rise of 1.3 per cent year-over-year.

The number one market for global game downloads was India, which accumulated 762.6 million installs, or 16.8 per cent of total worldwide downloads. The US ranked number two for downloads at 8.6 per cent, followed by Brazil at 8.3 per cent.

/indianabroadnews

Mobile titles inspired by the hit Netflix TV series Squid Game flooded the market in October, with Candy Challenge 3D, Cookie Carver, and 456 from Abi Game Studio all reaching the top 10 overall downloads rankings. These three titles alone generated a combined 53.2 million installs globally across the App Store and Google Play.

17

SPORTS

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Wrestler Nisha Called up coach Langer to say I want Indian National Rally Championship to kick-start in Dahiya releases Warner in team: Australia skipper Finch video after Visakhapatnam next month IANS

death news, says she is fine

IANS

IANS

Visakhapatnam, Nov 10: After a couple of postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian National Rally Championship 2021-22 season is all ready to set the engine revving from December 16-18 here.

The announcement was made by the Sports Minister of Andhra Pradesh Muttamseti Srinivas Rao in a function on Wednesday.

The event will be conducted by the Karnataka Motorsport Club and apart from Round 1, they have been given the responsibility to take care of the K100 Rally as well, which is Round 2 and will take place in Bengaluru in January.

"It is a matter of huge pride for me that I am able to take the sport to new places which has always been my vision. I have always wanted motorsport to reach every nook and corner of the country. I would like to thank the Government of

Andhra Pradesh for their support and cooperation," said Vamsi Merla, promoter of the INRC. While the promoter wanted to go all out and have a full calendar, due to paucity of time and delays, this year there will be only four rounds, with the Round 3 happening in Coimbatore to be conducted by Coimbatore Auto Sports Club in February, MMSC has been awarded the right for organising the grand finale which will happen in March.

The venue for the finale is yet to be decided.

Apart from the championship rounds, a contender round is also being planned for April in Hyderabad.

The championship this year is expected to break all records in terms of participation and would see the involvement of major stakeholders of Indian motorsports including JK Tyre, MRF and Yokohama.

ICC T20I rankings: Kohli drops to 8th spot, Rahul jumps to 5th in batting chart MSN

New Delhi, Nov 10: Indian wrestler Nisha Dahiya has released a video on social media and said the news that she and her brother were shot dead by unknown assailants was fake.

In the video, with Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik by her side, Nisha said that she is in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, for the senior national wrestling championships.

"Hello, my name is Nisha. I have come to play Senior Nationals in Gonda and I am completely fine.

This is fake news. I am completely fine," she said.

Earlier on Wednesday, there were reports that Nisha and her brother had been shot dead by unknown assailants in Haryana's Sonipat.

It was also reported that her mother, too, got injured in the firing.

However, the grappler rubbished all these reports.

Later, Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik tweeted a picture with Nisha and wrote; "She is alive".

PM Modi congratulates Indian women wrestlers on winning medals at Senior U-23 Worlds

IANS

Dubai, Nov 10 (IANS): India captain Virat Kohli dropped four places to eighth while his team-mate KL Rahul jumped three slots to fifth in the latest ICC men's T20I Player Rankings for batters, released on Wednesday.

Apart from first two matches the T20 World Cup, Kohli didn't get too many opportunities to bat and it affected his T20I batting rankings.

On the other hand, Rahul with his three fifties in India's last three matches, moved to No 5.

After returning low scores against Pakistan and New Zealand, KL was brilliant against Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia but the knocks came in too late for India as they exited the tournament in the Super 12 stage.

Meanwhile, Aiden Markram has made significant gains in his T20I rankings on the back of the sensational performances for South Africa in the ongoing World Cup. Markram's unbeaten knock of 52 in just 25 balls in South Africa's victory over Group 1 table-toppers England sees him climb to the No 3 spot in the T20I rankings for batters.

His heroics with the bat has also helped him break into the top 10 all-rounders, rising seven places to No 7.

South African teammate Rassie van der Dussen too broke into the top 10 rankings for batters, climbing six spots to occupy the 10th spot in the

www.indianabroad.news

latest update. Van der Dussen scored a Player of the Match-winning knock of 94* against England, helping the Proteas post a daunting total of 189.

Unfortunately for South Africa, their win against England was not enough as they crashed out of the Men's T20 World Cup on net run rate, despite winning four games out of five.

In the rankings for bowlers, the Australian duo of Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood climbed the charts.

Both bowlers have been in great form of late and were instrumental in Australia qualifying for the semi-finals of the World Cup. Zampa's five-for against Bangladesh takes him to the No.5 spot ,while Hazlewood went up 11 places to No.8, thanks to his four-wicket haul against West Indies.

The other major movement in the top 10 saw Tim Southee, who has picked up five wickets since the last update, move three places up to No 9 in the bowling rankings.

The Australian domination in the latest update continued with Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh moving up in the all-rounders' rankings.

Maxwell went up three places to become the new No 4 ranked all-rounder while Marsh ascended five spots to No 9.

Sri Lankan sensation Wanindu Hasaranga achieved a career-high rating (173) for all-rounders, thus going up one spot to No 3.

New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday showered praise on Indian women wrestlers who won medals at the Senior U-23 World Championships 2021 in Serbia.

India's Shivani Pawar won silver in 50kg while Anju, Divya Kakran, Radhika and Nisha Dahiya bagged bronze medals in the 55kg, 62kg, 65kg and 72kg categories respectively.

PM Modi took to Twitter to congratulate the medallists. "Congratulations to Shivani, Anju, Divya, Radhika and Nisha for winning medals at the Wrestling Championships in Belgrade. Their performance is special and will contribute to wrestling becoming even more popular across India," the Prime Minister tweeted.

Indian women grapplers secured five medals at the Championships to mark the country's most successful outing at the event since its inaugural season in 2017.

Earlier, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), too, had lauded the wrestlers for displaying outstanding performances in the tournament.

"Take a look at the winners from the recently concluded Senior U23 World Wrestling Championships 2021 which took place in Belgrade, Serbia won the highest no. of medals (5) in the tournament since its inaugural edition in 2017," SAI tweeted.

Dubai, Nov 15: Aaron Finch backing opener David Warner through his bad patch was perhaps the Australian limited-overs captain's masterstroke at the ICC T20 World Cup, as the 35-year-old reposed the faith of his skipper to guide the team to its maiden ICC T20 World Cup title.

Coming into the T20 World Cup, critics were targetting Warner for his below-par performance in the Indian Premier League, but Finch said during the post-match press conference after defeating New Zealand that he never lost faith in the stalwart.

Asked, how he backed the out-ofform opener amid calls to replace him, Finch said, "You didn't expect that (good showing from Warner)? I certainly did. Without a word of a lie, I promise you, I called (coach) Justin Langer a few months ago and said, 'Don't worry about Davey, he'll be Man of the Tournament.'

"I thought Adam Zampa should have been Man of the Tournament personally, but he's (Warner) a great player. He's one of the all-time great batters. And he's a fighter.

He's someone who when his back is against the wall, that's when you get the very, very best of David Warner. It was a special finish to the tournament for him, the last couple of knocks," added Finch.

Finch added that Mitchell Marsh's move to No.3 in the 'Super 12' game against the West Indies was the game-changer for the Kangaroos.

Marsh's unbeaten 77 of 50 deliveries was pivotal to Australia clinching a facile win against the Blach Caps on Sunday night.

"No. 3 was a really important one in the West Indies. We felt as though he's (Marsh) someone who could play -- he obviously plays fast bowling very well. Growing up in the WACA, he's very, very dominant off the back foot. He's someone who loves the contest, loves the challenge. And we just backed him from the start. We committed to him batting No. 3 for a long time.

He knew that, and that was -- that's all you need sometimes. You need a little bit of backing and you need some confidence from everybody else.

"And I think it was the first ball he faced in the practice game, the first

practice game against New Zealand where he hit for six, also. That just shows the confidence that he has, the confidence we have in each other. It was brilliant," added Finch.

Finch conceded that no matter how much he tried to play down the luck of the toss, it was a big factor in the tournament. On Sunday, going with the trend, Finch won the toss and elected to bowl.

"It (toss) did play a big factor to be honest. I tried to play it down as much as I could because I thought at some point in the tournament I'm going to lose a toss and we'll have to bat first. But it did play a big part.

You saw at the end there, the dew factor, the slow balls weren't holding in the wicket as much. I don't know how I did it. Maybe it was just fate."

Jr Hockey World Cup: Vivek Sagar Prasad named captain of 18-member squad IANS

Bhubaneswar, Nov 11: Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Vivek Sagar Prasad was on Thursday named as captain of the 18-member Indian team that will defend its title at the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup to be held at Bhubaneswar from November 24.

The event, slated to end on December 5, will witness 16 teams from across the globe vie for the honours which were last won by India at Lucknow in 2016.

Hockey India on Thursday named the 18-member Indian junior men's hockey team for the event with Vivek Sagar Prasad as captain and defender Sanjay, who was part of the India U-18 team that won silver at the Youth Olympic Games 2018 in Buenos Aires, as vice-captain.

The selection trials ended on Wednesday.

The 18-member team includes Shardanand Tiwari, Prashant Chauhan, Sudeep Chirmako, Rahul Kumar Rajbhar, Maninder Singh, Pawan, Vishnukant Singh, Ankit Pal, Uttam Singh, Sunil Jojo, Manjeet, Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem, Abhishek Lakra, Yashdeep Siwach, Gurmukh Singh, and Araijeet Singh Hundal.

Dinachandra Singh Moirangthem and Boby Singh Dhami have been chosen as alternate players who will be allowed to play only if there is an injury or someone in the 18-member squad is ruled out of the tournament due to Covid-19, Hockey India said in a release on Thursday.

Speaking about the team selection, Chief Coach Men, Graham Reid said, "To choose the best 18 players to represent their country is one of the hardest things to do in sport. Each of these guys have put their everything into trying to make this team for the last 12-18 months. Through Covid, through sanctions and lockdowns, huge sacrifices have been made."

"We have chosen a group of 20 players, a team of 18, and two alternate players, who we believe gives us the best chance of defending our title as Junior World Cup Champions. It is a well-balanced side with a lot of flexibility and flare. The key to these guys performing on the big stage will be to trust in each other and trust in their preparation," Reid was quoted as saying in the Hockey India release.

Reid further spoke of the team's ongoing preparations in Bhubaneswar where they are putting in the hard yards needed to succeed in the tournament. "The players have been thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to train for the last few days at Kalinga Hockey Stadium.

Even though the ground will be empty, the Olympics have proven that the spectacle of hockey can still be enjoyed by everyone involved," Reid said.

India start their campaign on November 24 against France and will take on Canada on the next day in the round-robin league. Their last league match in the four-team pool will be against Poland on November

27. The top two teams from the preliminary round groups will qualify for the knockout quarterfinals, which will be played on December 1.

Among the other teams in the fray are Belgium, The Netherlands, Argentina, Germany, Canada, South Africa, Egypt, Pakistan, Korea, Malaysia, Poland, France, Chile, Spain, and USA. The India U-21 Team: Shardanand Tiwari, Prashant Chauhan (GK), Sanjay (VC), Sudeep Chirmako, Rahul Kumar Rajbhar, Maninder Singh, Pawan (GK), Vishnukant Singh, Ankit Pal, Uttam Singh, Sunil Jojo, Manjeet, Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem, Vivek Sagar Prasad (C), Abhishek Lakra, Yashdeep Siwach, Gurmukh Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal

2022 Winter Olympics: IOC praises China for delivering promises on carbon-neutral Games Beijing, Nov 11: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has praised China for delivering the promises on a carbon-neutral Games by introducing renewable energies to Olympics venues and to attract 300 million winter sports fans.

Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., the Chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for Beijing 2022, told a digital press conference recently that he was happy and proud to see that Beijing has dedicated enormous attention to sustainability, delivering the promise of holding a carbon neutral Games.

The IOC held the virtual meeting on Tuesday to introduce the technical preparations for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, including the venues, the first version of the Playbook, and the ongoing test events, reports Xinhua.

Expressing the gratefulness to Beijing Winter Olympics Organising

/IndianAbroadNews

Committee, Samaranch said, "they are going to deliver extraordinary games even in the very challenging period of time with corona pandemic."

"With less than 90 days to the Games, the IOC and the Beijing 2022 Organising Committee are both in full operational mode," said the 62-year-old chairman, "the facilities in-game areas and services in the venues have been ready, and we are in the middle of the final test events, activities and training weeks."

Samaranch believed it was very much aligned with the principles of Olympic Agenda 2020+5.

"Many Olympic and Paralympic venues are powered by renewable energies, like solar or wind. It's very innovative on low carbon emission.

The CO2 refrigeration systems will be used in most of the ice venues," he said.

"China also keeps the promise of getting 300 million people involved

/indianabroadnews

in winter sports. The winter sports population in China reached 224 million in the 2018-19 season. We are convinced that Beijing Winter Olympics will inspire thousands of children and young students to embrace winter sports across the world," he noted.

Christophe Dubi, the IOC Olympic Games Executive Director, spoke highly of the preparations of Beijing 2022, which received high marks and positive feedbacks from international federations and athletes in terms of the test events.

"It is really impressive to see the Water Cube turned into an Ice Cube, the same for the new venues which have been built. Big issues have already been resolved, and we should focus on details in the final stretch. The Olympic Games is always an opportunity to make the world come together," said Dubi.

18

ADVERTISEMENT

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

www.indianabroad.news

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

19

BUSINESS & INVESTMENT

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

India poised to achieve services export target of $1 tn: Goyal IANS

New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS): Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said that India is poised to achieve services export target of $1 trillion by 2030.

In his addressing at the 'Services Export Promotion Council- Global Services Conclave 2021' in New Delhi, he said that the services are a key driver of India's economic growth.

Goyal said that services sector provides employment to nearly 2.6 crore people and contributes to approximately 40 per cent of India's total global exports. He also said that services trade surplus was $89 billion in FY 2020-21 and has been

the largest FDI recipient (53 per cent of FDI inflows 2000-2021).

The theme of the Global Services Conclave 2021 was 'India Serves: Exploring Potential Growth Sectors Beyond IT/ITes'.

Emphasising that the service sector is India's competitive advantage, powered by skills, start-ups and IT solutions, the minister said that today, Indian services have the twin power of universal acceptance and universal attraction.

Lauding India's commitment to enable work from home during the pandemic, Goyal said that while services trade remained depressed

in other countries, India's services sector showed immense resilience .

"Sectors like tourism, hospitality, etc. which suffered due to Covid-19, showing revival signs," he added.

Appreciating the spirit that led to rise through the tough times faced by the sector, Goyal said that tough times don't last, but tough people do. He expressed his admiration for the selfless service of all frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The minister said that in 2020, India became the 7th largest services exporter in the world, moving up the ladder by two positions. Services PMI rose to a decade high of 58.4 in October 2021.

Emphasising that India had the potential to become the top services exporter in the world, Goyal said that Services is boosting India's transition from an Assembly economy to a knowledge based economy.

Global sentiments are changing from "Why India" to "Serve the world from India", he said.

Observing that India has transformed from being the 'Back office' to the 'Brain office' of the world, Goyal said that Microsoft, Google etc. call India "A home away from home" as they have the biggest offices outside US in India.

India's Covid vax campaign, teeming festivities lend renewed optimism to economic recovery: FinMin IANS

New Delhi, Nov 10: As the post pandemic economic activity in the country picks up pace, the Finance Ministry has said that India is well-placed on the path to swift recovery with growth impulses visibly transmitted to all sectors of the economy.

The Monthly Economic Review for October, 2021 released by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) on Wednesday said that with India's Covid-19 vaccination campaign crossing new milestones in rapid succession and teeming festivities lending renewed optimism to India's ongoing economic recovery, further demand stimulation, fuller restoration of supply chains, narrowing of demand-supply mismatches and greater employment generation, are

in the offing.

It said that Atmanirbhar Bharat Mission encapsulating major structural reforms continues to play a critical role in shaping India's economic recovery, both through the signalling of business opportunities and expansion of spending channels.

Armed with necessary macro and micro growth drivers, the stage is set for India's investment cycle to kickstart and catalyse its recovery towards becoming the fastest growing economy in the world, the report said.

India's economic recovery has gathered steam in the festive season, recording a decade high Diwali sales of Rs 1.3 lakh crore as per Confederation of All India Traders.

Improving Covid-19 situation amid high business and consumer spirits has delivered sustained economic recovery in October, 2021 as well.

The finance ministry report, however, said that the global economic recovery continues to be impacted by prolonged supply constraints and input cost inflation.

Yet IMF in its October, 2021 update foresees improved global growth prospects at 5.8 per cent in 2021 and 4.9 per cent in 2022 triggering a coterminous global trade growth,

by volume, at 9.7 per cent and 6.7 per cent respectively. World Trade Organisation's October forecast also confirms favourable trade prospects underpinned by resurgence in global economic activity and vaccine dissemination. This augurs well for India's export performance in the near future lending credence to IMF projecting India to become the fastest growing economy, among major countries, in the current and the following year, said the DEA report.

The report had identified the external sector to play a critical part in India's economic revival with exports visibly emerging as an engine of growth. India's merchandise exports in October, 2021 have now crossed the US$ 30 billion mark for the seventh consecutive month. With merchandise imports in FY 2021-22 until October, 2021 also crossing their pre-pandemic 2019 levels, rapid recovery of domestic output is evident. FDI achieved the US$ 20 billion mark in the first five months of FY 22 as it did in FY 21. India's foreign exchange reserves stood comfortably at US$ 640.1 billion as on October 22, 2021, providing cover for around 14 months of imports projected for 2021-22.

Australia's largest bank announces AI partnership IANS

Canberra, Nov 8: The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) on Monday announced its latest foray into the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the form of partnership with global industry leader, H20.ai.

H20.ai, headquartered in Silicon Valley, would provide tools and personnel that would allow the bank to analyse massive data sets, identify fraud patterns, gain insight into consumer behaviour, and predict bills and forecast cash flows, reports Xinhua news agency.

The exclusive partnership and $100 million investment from CBA represented the bank's ambition to be at the forefront of AI development within Australia's banking sector.

Commonwealth Bank CEO Matt Comyn said the partnership will allow the CBA to better meet customers' needs and "reimagine" their

products and services.

"This partnership will accelerate our ability to deliver a broader customer proposition through more personalised experiences, which delivers greater value for our customers," Comyn said in Monday's announcement.

While the deal would include a dedicated team of H20.ai experts, Comyn hoped that it would attract more leading talent in the industry to Australia. "(It) enables us to work more closely with some of the world's best data scientists and will help to attract top talent wanting to work with the best tools on the biggest data sets on the most interesting problems," said Comyn.

H2O.ai Founder and CEO Sri Ambati said the partnership would "unleash the juggernaut of co-innovation".

"Our vision is not only to make CBA an AI superpower but make Australia an AI nation as we move to life after Covid," said Ambati in the joint announcement.

The move is just the latest in a series of moves by the bank to stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly digital world.

Last week the bank also announced that it would begin to allow CBA customers to buy, sell and hold Bitcoin and other crypto currencies through their platform, the first bank in Australia to do so.

ADVERTISE WITH US

0488-067-243

www.indianabroad.news

Iloilo: First city in Asia where 3 properties were sold for cryptocurrencies IANS

Manila, Nov 10 (IANS): Iloilo City, a city in the Philippines, is the first city in the Asia Pacific where 3 luxury residential properties were sold in exchange for cryptocurrencies in 2019. In particular, the houses were sold for Bitcoin and Litecoin.

Iloilo, located in the Panay region of the Philippines, has a population of just over 2 million. World renowned for its Spanish colonial churches and old houses, it is the premier city in the Asia Pacific where three properties have been sold in exchange for Bitcoin and Litecoin according to several reports from LeapRate, Asia Property Awards, and Asia's largest online property portal group, Property Guru's Property Report.

The city which is poised to become the leading Innovation Hub in the Philippines by 2030 is hailed as the Heart of the Philippines due to its central location in the country. Its capital, Iloilo City, has been dubbed as the 'City of Love', as its locals are known for being soft-spoken and sweet.

According to Property Guru's Property Report, "Three residential units that accept cryptocurrency or digital money as mode of payment are making the rounds on Filipino social media. The properties, all located in the central Philippine city of Iloilo, welcomed payments in Bitcoin or Litecoin, according to a series of announcements by a licenced broker with luxury real estate firm RE/MAX Advantage Iloilo."

The properties sold included a 2-bedroom condominium unit near the city's Esplanade River -- one of the most iconic landmarks in Iloilo City, a 3-bedroom house in Lapaz,

Iloilo, and 4-bedroom villa in Iloilo City. Proceeds of the sale were undisclosed and thought to have been donated and dispersed through her Monaco-based investment fund's philanthropic efforts.

Before the advent of cryptocurrencies and other applications of Blockchain such as NFTs, DeFi, and tokenization, Jonha Richman, owner of the properties, had already been recognised as one of the major players Top 25 Blockchain Influencers Disrupting the Industry in 2018 alongside the late John McAfee and other pioneer investors such as Tyler Winklevoss, Charlie Lee, Roger Ver, and Vitalik Buterin.

Jonha Richman is a Filipino-born philanthropist and investor dubbed as 'The Most Connected Business Woman from Asia'. According to Panay News, she is originally from Aklan, who later moved to Iloilo, and maintains residences in Singapore, Dubai, and Monaco.

She is best known for her philanthropic efforts and extensive global business connections including former US ambassador Philip Goldberg and late investor and former chairman of STI College, Jerry Angping. Anyone seeking or has done a major deal in the region will learn, or know of Richman since she was recognised as one of the 5 Successful Filipino Businesswomen

by SunStar, and one of the top 10 thought-leaders in the Philippine tech scene by Tech in Asia. She was also selected as Judge in The Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines - VI in 2014.

Jonha is also considered as one of the most inspiring Filipino entrepreneurs by Rappler. Richman is on the board of directors of various

global corporations through her private asset management company, JJ Richman, which does not accept funds from the general public. She also sits on the advisory board of Litecoin Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing and promoting Blockchain technology.

Jonha Richman is known to have diversified investments in real estate, emerging technologies, and emerging markets such as Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Her work on the Huffington Post called, "Philippines: A Digital Lifestyle Capital in the Making?" became one of the expert sources for the proposed bill by Senator Antonio Trillanes in his campaign against trolls on social media.

The move of the three properties sold for cryptocurrencies paved the way for a major development and conversation towards real-world utility and other use-cases of Blockchain which now includes disrupting many decentralized industries including real estate, entertainment, gaming, among others.

Crypto market cap hits $3tn mark for 1st time, Bitcoin on fire New Delhi, Nov 9: The global cryptocurrency market has hit the $3 trillion mark for the first time, taking Bitcoin and Ethereum values to an all-time high.

Bitcoin and Ether created a new alltime high of $68,641.57 and $4,857.25 on Tuesday.

Despite uncertainties and high volatility surrounding it, Bitcoin may touch the $100,000 mark by the end of this year. The Bitcoin market cap alone has crossed $2.5 trillion amid its rising adoption globally, particularly in India.

"The growth of crypto assets across the globe testifies to the fact that the number of investors joining the crypto revolution is growing exponentially. We are witnessing a

massive surge in trading volumes on our exchange and crypto has become the first choice of investors to beat inflation," said Shivam Thakral, CEO, BuyUcoin.

"We remain optimistic that Bitcoin will keep testing its all-time highs and hit the $100,000 mark by the end of this year. We are witnessing the biggest financial revolution in modern history which will forever change the way monetary transactions are executed," he said in a statement.

According to Nigel Green, CEO and founder of deVere Group which has $12 billion under management, Bitcoin is undeniably a mainstream asset class and most investors should consider including crypto assets as part of a diversified

portfolio.

"In July, we publicly predicted that Bitcoin would reach and most likely beat it's previous all-time highs. I am confident that while there might be some profit-taking in the near-term, so that investors can accumulate more later, the momentum is such that we can expect prices to continue on their upward trajectory," he said recently.

The Indian cryptocurrency market is expected to reach up to $241 million by 2030 in India and $2.3 billion by 2026 worldwide.

According to a report by the IT industry's apex body Nasscom, there are 15 million retail investors in India investing in the cryptotech space.

Tim Cook reveals he owns crypto on a day Bitcoin hits historic $68,000 high New York, Nov 10: Apple CEO Tim Cook has shaken Twitter revealing he personally owns cryptocurrency and has been interested for "a while".

Cook, whose real-time net worth is about $1.4 billion, shot down rumours that Apple is targeting crypto as an investment even as prices for bitcoin and ethereum soared to new record highs.He said Apple has been looking at crypto, but might not offer users a way to pay with it anytime soon.

Cook was speaking on Tuesday at the Dealbook Online Summit. "I think it's reasonable to own it as part of a diversified portfolio," he told DealBook's Andrew Ross Sorkin quickly adding that he wasn't giving investment advice.

Twitter users saw this as a rare insight into how Cook manages his portfolio, as also revelation that he has done some research on crypto.

Apple has some $200 billion in cash -- "I don't think people buy Apple stock to get exposure to crypto," he said, and added that his company had no plans to make crypto an accepted method of payment anytime soon. "It's not something we have immediate plans to do."

"But never say never," Cook quipped.

A growing number of big businesses have been incorporating crypto in their operations. Tesla, for instance, began accepting payments for its electric cars, but abruptly stopped in May citing ecological concerns. The company also bought bitcoins worth

/IndianAbroadNews

$1.5 billion in its corporate treasury.

Bitcoin and ethereum -- the two most popular forms of cryptocurrency -- both reached new record highs Tuesday morning, with the price of bitcoin rising above $68,000 for the first time and ethereum topping $4,800.

As of now, bitcoin is legal in the US, Japan, the UK, and most other developed countries. In the emerging markets, the legal status of bitcoin varies.

China heavily restricts bitcoin without actually criminalising the holding of bitcoins. India banned banks from dealing in bitcoin and is reported to be veering towards a "middle path" hereon.

Even where bitcoin is legal, most of the laws that apply to other assets also apply to bitcoin. Tax law is the area where people are likely to run into trouble. For tax purposes, bitcoin is usually treated as property rather than currency.

The Biden administration is getting increasingly cautious over crypto. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Gensler this month said the regulator will be "very active" in bringing the digital-currency market under its investor-protection framework.

Many tokens in the crypto markets have died and many existing ones are raising money from the public, posing risks such as fraud and manipulation, Gensler said.

El Salvador became the first country

/indianabroadnews

to recognize bitcoin as legal tender in June 2021.The digital currency known as bitcoin was created in 2009 by a person or entity using the alias Satoshi Nakamoto. The identity has never been established.

There are no physical bitcoins that correspond with dollar bills or euro notes. It exists only on the internet, usually in digital wallets.Ledgers known as blockchains are used to keep track of the existence of bitcoins. It can be given directly to or received from anyone who has a bitcoin address via peer-to-peer transactions. Bitcoin also trades on some exchanges around the world, which is how its price is established.

Part of bitcoin's appeal for some holders is that it isn't circulated or controlled by a government or nation. Unlike opening up a bank account to store dollars, euros or yen, starting a bitcoin account doesn't require providing identifying information. Bitcoin is effectively anonymous, and law enforcement can't freeze a bitcoin account as they could a bank account.

20

HEALTH

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Covid pandemic significantly impacted HEALTH BLOG How to Ensure you are Looking after climate change efforts: WHO

New Delhi, Nov 8: Covid-19 pandemic has slowed down climate change efforts by various countries, according to the 2021 WHO health and climate change global survey report released on Monday.

The report is based on a survey conducted every three years, and was published at the ongoing COP26 UN climate conference in Glasgow.

In the 2021 survey, 95 countries took part.

It showed that while countries have begun to prioritise health in their efforts to protect people from the impact of climate change, only about a quarter were fully able to implement their national health and climate change plans or strategies.

More than half of countries (52 per cent) reported that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on their work to protect health from climate change, as the countries had to divert health personnel and resources. It still continues to threaten national health authorities' abilities to plan and prepare for climate-related health stresses and shocks.

Just one third of country respondents (33 per cent) have taken the opportunity to include climate change and health considerations in their plans for recovery from Covid-19.

"The new WHO survey highlights how many countries are left unsupported and unprepared to deal with the health impacts of climate change. We are here at COP 26 to urge the world to better support countries in need, and to ensure that together we do a better job of protecting people from the biggest threat to human health we face today," WHO Director of Environment, Climate Change and Health, Dr Maria Neira, said in a statement.

Countries' inability to protect health from climate change is most harmful for their most disadvantaged groups, including ethnic minorities, poor communities, migrants and displaced people, older people, and many women and children.

"The health arguments for increased climate action are very clear. For example, almost 80 per cent of deaths caused by air pollution could

be avoided if current air pollution levels were reduced to the WHO Air Quality guidelines," said Dr Neira.

Besides Covid, lack of funding (70 per cent of countries) and insufficient human resource capacity (more than 30 per cent of countries) are major barriers to progress, the WHO report said.

The survey showed that less than 40 per cent of countries currently include weather and climate information in their health surveillance systems for climate sensitive diseases, while only a third have climate-informed health early warning systems for heat-related illness (33 per cent) or injury and mortality from extreme weather events (30 per cent) despite strong evidence that these risks are increasing around the world.

Moreover, only a small proportion of ministries of health in low-and lower-middle-income countries (28 per cent) are currently receiving international funds to support climate change and health work.

Access to international funds, including multilateral climate funds, needs to be substantially scaled up to reach the levels required to protect health from climate change, the report suggested.

The report also noted a potential missed opportunity to identify and optimise the health benefits of adaptation and mitigation efforts in other sectors, which could have fed into a clean, healthy recovery from Covid-19: structural and social determinants of health, such as education, equity, gender, urban planning, housing, energy and transportation systems was represented in fewer than half of the established multisectoral mechanisms.

First ever National Yogasana Sports championships kicks off in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Nov 11: India's first physical National Yogasana Sports championships kicked-off here on Thursday.

Organised by the National Yogasana Sports Federation (NYSF) in association with the Odisha government, the championship will continue till November 13.

It began with a vibrant and enthralling opening ceremony in the presence of 560 young athletes aiming high for 50 medals in a uniquely designed competition.

NYSF chief Udith Sheth said, "We want to make Yogasana India's heritage sport brand. The structure of the championship for Yogasana as a sport has been uniquely curated."

"We are gratified with the huge participation from all over the country. It is truly an experience to be in the presence of such talented athletes, coaches, and experts. We hope to take Yogasana sport on to the global stage," he added.

Secretary General of NYSF, Jaideep Arya, said health and fitness should be of utmost priority and there is no better discipline than yoga.

"Reinventing Yogasana as a sport is a path-breaking idea for creating more fruitful relevance for the youth across the globe. At NYSF, we have committed our efforts towards promoting Yogasana and maintaining high standards in the competitive sport," he said.

Secretary of Odisha's Sports and Youth Services Department, R. Vineel Krishna, said: "We value sports and make an honest effort towards promoting fitness. Yogasana is one of the finest mediums of fitness, wellness and I am delighted that a world-class platform has been collated to promote it among the youth of India and the globe."

www.indianabroad.news

your Personal Health and Wellbeing

By Vahini Panda ith the amount of stress we go through in our every day lives these days, it is very important to regularly focus on your personal health and wellbeing and also of people around you.

Looking after yourself as a whole is the first step. Health need not be just physical, the physical health is very much also tied in with your mental well-being. If you are feeling unwell mentally it manifests into you physically feeling unwell too.

At the same time if you are feeling poorly physically it also has an impact on how you feel mentally. So the 2 are intrinsically interconnected and both are equally important to lead a healthy and happy life.

Below are few simple things you can do to maintain and find a balance: Ensure you have a routine which includes a healthy diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, protein and complex carbohydrates. Eat at regular intervals. Don’t skip meals.

Limit junk food or eating out to 1-2 times a week.

Stay hydrated, drink enough water through the day. If you find drinking water challenging, flavour it with something. Hot or cold herbal teas help.

Incorporate a routine physical activity into your week. It could be anything from going to the gym, walking, dancing, playing a regular

W

sport or swimming. The important thing is consistency. You have to incorporate this as part of your routine to see the benefits out of it.

If you feel lethargic constantly, drained by the end of the day, not sleeping well, loss of appetite, hair loss or dizziness contact your health professional asap. It could be caused by a deficiency and can easily be rectified by a blood test and taking the relevant supplements.

Ensure you get a minimum of 6-8 hours of sleep. Don’t compromise on this as the body needs to rest to replenish and lack of sleep has a huge impact on your routine.

How to ensure you are looking after the mental well being for yourself and others?

Destress at regular intervals. This could be incorporated into your routine. Like going to a meditation or yoga class, Getting a massage, socialising with people you love are all de-stressors. Find something which gives you lot of pleasure and do that for yourself.

Practice mindfulness, self-awareness, gratitude and stay content with

what you have.

Interact with people who contribute to your mental well being, if someone is causing you too much distress move away from them. It could be a co-worker, friend or family. Don’t let anyone affect your mental state. If you are getting affected the best way is to distance yourself. There are always ways to do this and help is available, don’t hesitate to seek it.

Treat everyone around you with kindness and respect, you normally receive it back. Don’t take out your frustration on others as it doesn’t help you nor others.

Stay focussed, don’t let your mind take over, always stay in control of your thoughts and actions.

About the Author: Vahini is the CEO and Founder of Health Academy Australia and Health Courses Australia. She is multi faceted in her skills and expertise which is backed by 20 years experience in the areas of education, health, ecommerce and Information Technology. She is a CEO, Passionate business owner, Author, Blogger, Nutritionist, Digital marketing expert and a Mum.

SGPGIMS gets Australian patent for study on steroid toxicity Lucknow, Nov 10: The Australian government has awarded an international patent to the nephrology department of Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) for innovation in management of common renal disease in children called nephrotic syndrome.

According to Prof Narain Prasad, head of nephrology department at SGPGI: "As a result of the disease, children lose heavy amount of protein in the urine and swelling appears all over the body. Gradually, it may lead to kidney failure, requiring dialysis and renal transplantation.

The treatment for this disease rests on steroid, but while some children are resistant to steroids since the beginning, many develop resistance during treatment."

At least 8,000 cases of this common renal disease are reported at SGPGI alone each year and about 10-20 per cent of children do not respond to steroid therapy. Nearly one-third of the remaining 80 per cent develop steroid resistance after initial response, while another proportion develop it in the later stages.

Prasad said that prolonged

resistance to steroid leads to a kind of toxicity in the body, which pre-disposes them to infections, weakens their immunity, results in stunted growth, produces bone weakness, many metabolic conditions like diabetes and cataract.

"The challenges became the base for research and evolved into an innovation, which earned the Australian patent. Valid for eight years, the patented method recognised new biomarkers -- called P-gp and MRP-1 in this case -- to identify steroid resistance so that the alternative regimen may be introduced," said Prasad.

He said that in case of resistance, the body treats steroid like a foreign

substance and triggers release of glycoproteins P-gp and MRP-1.

These proteins on the body cell surface work like an efflux pump and bloat to prevent penetration of the medicine inside. As a result, the medicine does not work and the symptoms show up. The puffiness goes up further as the medicine does not act.

Prasad said that exposing children to tests to determine P-gp and MRP-1 levels in blood can help.

He said the study establishing the success of the method has been published in high impact medical journal Nature's publication Pharmacogenomics.

Centre initiates digital mission for digitisation of health records New Delhi, Nov 10: The Union Health Ministry has initiated digital registration of all medical facilities and doctors under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

In a letter to state secretary and directors of health mission, the health ministry made it mandatory for all its health facilities to participate in the mission.

Accordingly, all the health facilities like hospital, clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, radiology centre etc , where any healthcare facility is provided, are requested to register for the digital mission, the letter read.

Under the digitalisation of health records mission, Government hospitals are advised to procure Hospital Information Management System Software. The Centre has also made available two solutions for the digitalisation of the health records for hospitals - e-Hospital

by NIC (National Informatic Center) and e-Sushrut by C-DAC (Center for Development of Advanced Computing).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission via video

/IndianAbroadNews

conferencing on September 27.

Under the mission, every Indian will get a unique health ID that will also work as a health account to which personal health records can be linked.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, while inaugurating Aarogya Manthan 3.0 to mark the third anniversary of Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) on

/indianabroadnews

September 25, had said: "Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana has reformed the entire healthcare system of India. It gives me great happiness that the scheme has served more than 2.2 crore people in the last three years to the people residing in the remotest of the areas".

The National Health Authority (NHA) has been entrusted with the task of implementing this initiative.

21

TRAVEL

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Plan a winter getaway to Rajasthan

Trips Indians are excited to take this festive season Pexel

Reetu Khodiya

E

Reetu Khodiya

ach one of us is looking to escape the city bustle and as the season of cold breeze is knocking on our doors, its tempting to plan a long-awaited staycation with your loved ones.

And what better than a staycation in the lap of luxury, serenity and heritage in the royal state of Rajasthan!

Here are some destinations to plan your picture-perfect winter getaway: Pushkar Quiet. Beautiful. Historical. These are just some of the words to describe the experience at Pushkar!

Take a walk through centuries of heritage in Pushkar Valley or indulge in the colourful traditions of the city. Pushkar has something for everyone. While indulging in the serenity of the city, stay at The Westin Pushkar Resort and Spa that offers luxurious and immersive experiences with its breathtaking pool villas, renowned breakfast-inthe-pool, where you are bound to be in for a delight of a lifetime! Enjoy an array of activities that are fun for guests across all age groups.

Ranthambore Are you an ardent lover of wildlife?

Does the thought of sighting a royal

tiger or a jungle safari excite you?

Then plan for Ranthambore as the perfect destination for your winter weekend getaway! Located at a short distance from the Pink City, Ranthambore provides a plethora of activities and attractions for the wild heart! And it is not just the jungle safari! Anuraga Palace, the luxury boutique palace in Ranthambore is an excellent option for luxury accommodations and personalized services that are bound to bring a smile to your face. Indulge in fresh food at their restaurants that has been sourced from their in-house farm, Shabri or make your evenings even more wholesome with cultural celebrations!

Jaipur When it comes to planning a quick weekend getaway staycation with your family, Jaipur tops the list!

With its beautiful scenery, heritage history and sumptuous food, Jaipur is a delight to visit and discover during the winters. One of the most visited cities in Rajasthan, Jaipur is a favourite as it has something for all.

The city is an appropriate example of the perfect amalgamation of heritage and modern essentialities.

With the Hotel Diggi Palace in the heart of the city providing a heritage experience, one can plan a weekend that feels nothing less than royalty and regal comfort! With the royal family adding that essential flavour of history and glamour, the hotel in the middle of the Royal City gives you the perfect opportunity to experience the many flavours of the city! Be it visiting the famed monuments of Jaipur or shopping at the known Johri and Bapu Bazaar or enjoying a lazy winter afternoon in the hotel verandah with a cup of specially concocted tea at Hotel Diggi Palace.

For those looking for a luxury getaway closer to the scenic Aravalli range, need a stay at Rajasthali Resort and Spa on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway! Away from the hustle of the main city, Rajasthali gives you that perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy with your family in the lap of luxury!

The growing opportunity for Winter Travel W

ith a growing vaccinated population and easing of restrictions, customer confidence in travel is witnessing a strong rebound. As per Thomas Cook India & SOTC’s survey that covered metros, mini-metros, Tier 2 – 3 cities, 77 precent of respondents are keen to travel in 2021 itself Additionally, winter experiences during the Christmas-New Year festive season present a significant travel opportunity, especially for working professionals yet to consume their annual leave.

Snowscapes of winter along with the festivities and light-ups of Christmas across the UK and Europe’s Switzerland, France, Germany and Austria hold strong allure for Indian travellers. Winter’s wonderland offers unique experiences: snowboarding/ tobogganing or reindeer sleighs, staying in a glass igloo with ringside views of the spectacular Northern Lights, a visit to Santa’s Village in Rovaniemi, panoramic winter vistas aboard the Glacier Express, winter saunas/spas with fire and ice pools or indulging in fondue in a tram! Not surprising then, that Europe and UK are in top demand; Maldives, Turkey and Egypt are seeing a strong continuum.

The growing interest in Expo 2020 Dubai is giving rise to significant interest for Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Domestic locales like Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal, North-East for winter experiences; Rajasthan, Goa, Gujarat, Andamans and Kerala are also high on the Indian travellers www.indianabroad.news

Pexel

wish list for November - December 2021.

Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited said, “Customer confidence is on the rise and with it a strong demand for winter/year-end travel. We have launched our Winter Holidays that offer spectacular winter vistas coupled with unique experiences and special offers – for a perfect much-awaited holiday. From family bonding over snow experiences, couples celebrating amidst romantic locales, to friends delighting in winter cuisine and wine, we have included a host of exceptional winter activities across a variety of favourites like Switzerland, the UK, France, Germany, Austria, Dubai and Abu-Dhabi – with the Dubai Expo 2020 providing a once in a lifetime experience. We invite our customers to book our Winter Holidays and witness unique Christmas Markets, the Northern Lights, seasonal specials like mulled wine, hot fondue, raclette cheese experiences, and more.”

Daniel D’souza President & Country Head, SOTC Travel said, “Winter Travel is gaining momentum and customers are inclined to travel to new destinations and build on happy memories, especially due to the restrictions in the past 18 months.

With rising customer confidence in air travel and to cater to the growing appetite we are delighted to present an array of winter specials for our customers from families, groups of friends, millennials, and

honeymooners - to experience winter wonderland experiences from thrilling snow activities to food and wine specialities, to rejuvenating wellness experiences, to visit Santa Claus’ home town in Finland, there are a host of unique

W

ith the upcoming festive season, we remain enthusiastic about travel and are looking forward to making the most of their upcoming holidays.

Travellers are now exploring new ways of experiencing destinations which have also given rise to different types of trips, they are most likely to take. After having extended time apart from family and friends, new research by Booking.com, reveals the five emerging trip types that motivate and inspire travellers: Make waves at a beach destination After being cooped up at home over many months, beaches have become the perfect getaway as travel opens up again. Travellers are looking forward to soaking in the sun and enjoying the sea this festive season. In fact, 33 percent of Indian travellers want to plan a relaxing trip to a beach destination to get away from it all. If you are on the lookout for beaches that are off the beaten path to catch a wave, Malvan, Ganpatiphule, Digha, Udupi, and Kannur are among the top 5 beach destinations endorsed by travellers.

Find zen atop the mountains The never-ending question of one’s preference for beaches or mountains is here to stay. Compared to beach destinations, an almost similar number of Indian travellers (32 percent) have revealed their preference of travelling to the mountains, showing travellers’ desire to be able to escape reality even for just a few days. The quest to explore and experience the mountains and their mesmerizing views will prevail this festive season. Travellers looking for a mountain getaway can plan a trip to Gangtok, Katra, Panchgani, Chikmagalur, or Kalpetta which are the top endorsed, lesser-known mountain destinations.

An uphill getaway Often the best way to see a destination is on foot, interacting with

locals and reaching remote vantage points for far-reaching views. The platform's research shows that 28 percent of Indian travellers are looking to celebrate this festive season by hiking up long trails and working up a sweat. If you are looking for an uphill climb, Kasol, Manali, Munnar, Rishikesh, and Mcleod Ganj are the top endorsed hiking destinations. Get in tune with nature and disconnect from the world for a while by exploring these family-friendly hiking destinations.

Take a walk on the wild side As tourism opens up, travellers want to indulge in newer experiences while travelling. Going on a safari holiday is the fourth emerging trip type this festive season with 27 percent of Indian travellers wanting to experience our incredible wildlife up close. Whether it's spotting tigers in Ranthambore or watching the wild elephants in Periyar, delving into the untamed and enjoying the astounding world of animals and birds in their natural habitat are memorable experiences travellers are looking forward to during the upcoming holiday season.

Exploring the unexplored - Terra Incognita The excessive time spent at home during lockdown has made us realize the impact our actions have on the environment. The pandemic is not only changing our travel behaviour but also influencing our choice of destinations. 27 percent of Indians wish to take a trip to unexplored destinations this festive season. Some of the unexplored destinations like Kotagiri (Tamil Nadu), Jibhi (Himachal Pradesh), Munsyari (Uttarakhand), Coonoor (Tamil Nadu) and Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand) not only offer novel experiences and untouched natural beauty but also a chance to soak up the magic before everyone else catches on.

experiences to tick off from your bucket list. Customers can benefit from the special family discounts like Early bird discounts, Buy One, Get one – Companion free along with inclusions, curated keeping in mind the needs of our customers."

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

22

SPIRITUALITY & DEVOTION

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Satyaki and Bhurishravas Quora

By Paddy Krishnan arious stories from the Mahabharata illustrate the difference in how Dharma (or righteous behaviour) is defined. In a previous article, I have presented the story of Vikarna and Yuyutsu who were half-brothers. Vikarna, who was Duryodhana's brother, objected to many of Duryodhana's actions but still fought with him against the Pandavas. Just before he decided to fight for the Kauravas, Bhima reminded Vikarna, that Vikarna had criticised his brother and thus should side with the Pandavas. To this Vikarna replied that criticising Duryodhana was his duty then, and fighting alongside Duryodhana was his duty now. Yuyutsu, despite being Duryodhana's half brother, felt no

V

www.indianabroad.news

obligation to support Duryodhana as he was not an official Kaurava. In this article I summarise the story of Bhurishravas and Satyaki also from the Mahabharata. There are some parallels between this and the story about Vikarna and Yuyutsu. I show how Satyaki and Bhurishravas interpreted their duty to justify their actions during the war.

Bhurishravas' grandfather was the elder brother of, Bhishma's father, Shantanu. Bhurishravas' father, Somadatta, wanted to marry Devaki, the daughter of Ugrasena.

Devaki wanted to marry Vasudeva (Krishna's father). Because of some disagreement between Ugrasena and Vasudeva, it appeared that Devaki would be unable to marry Vasudeva. Sini, who was a friend of Vasudeva, abducted Devaki and got her married to Vasudeva. Somadatta was clearly incensed and hated Sini and Vasudeva. This resulted in Bhurishravas not liking Vasudeva and his son Krishna. Satyaki, who was Sini's grandson, was a close friend of Krishna. Thus it was not surprising that both Somadatta and Bhurishravas chose to fight with the Kauravas. While both the Kauravas and the Pandavas were the descendents of Shantanu, the fact that Krishna was supporting the Pandavas made Somadatta and Bhurishravas support the Kauravas.

Satyaki had no familial link to the Kauravas or the Pandavas supported the Pandavas only because he was Krishna's friend.

In the battle, Bhurishravas was

protecting Jayadratha from Arjuna. Satyaki and Bhima came to support Arjuna so Bhurishravas attacked Satyaki. Satyaki had killed Somadatta and Bhurishravas wanted to avenge his father's death.

Satyaki had fought Drona before and had no energy left to fight Bhurishravas. Satyaki was thrashed

by Bhurishravas and was almost unconscious.

Just before Bhurishravas could kill Satyaki, Arjuna intervened without warning and cut off Bhurishravas' arm that was holding the sword. Bhurishravas protested to Arjuna that this was unfair, as Arjuna had not given any warning, which was against the rules of engagement. Arjuna argued that it was Bhurishravas who was acting unfairly as he was trying to kill an unconscious person. This was also not permitted by the rules. So Arjuna was only protecting Satyaki.

Bhurishravas admitted to his failings and hung his head in shame.

He then assumed a yogic posture to meditate on his ignoble action.

Satyaki suddenly arose from his almost unconscious state and killed the unarmed Bhurishravas. Satyaki was universally criticised. Both the Pandavas and the Kauravas pointed out that Dharma had to be upheld and Satyaki's actions were incorrect.

They also argued that Satyaki should not have give in to hatred. The war was about what was right and what was wrong and not about revenge.

Satyaki's counter argument was that Bhurishravas deserved to die

as he had attempted to kill Satyaki when he was in an unarmed state.

As Bhurishravas was the first one to violate the principle of not killing an unarmed person, he could not ask for mercy.

Bhurishravas, like Vikarna, understood the notion of right and wrong.

But his ties to the Kauravas and hatred of Krishna led him to fight alongside Duryodhana. Satyaki, similar to Yuyutsu, had no obligation to fight with either side. But he chose to fight with the Pandavas because of his friendship with Krishna.

Now to some of the questions related to Dharma.

- Was Somadatta justified in hating Krishna? After all, Krishna had no role in Devaki's abduction. That is, is inter-generational hatred justifiable?

When does such hatred end?

- Was Bhurishravas justified in supporting the Kauravas because of his father's hatred of Krishna? Both Somadatta and Bhurishravas had familial links to the Kauravas and Pandavas.

- Is it not important to recognise Bhurishravas' greatness as he acknowledged his failings on he battlefield? While his intention to kill Satyaki was not noble, he clearly did not go through the action. His willingness to reflect on his actions in the middle of war indicates his intense remorse.

- Does Satyaki's counter argument that he was just reacting to Bhurishravas' attempt to kill Satyaki invalid? After all Bhurishravas spared Satyaki because he was unarmed.

- Why was Arjuna not chastised for breaking the rules by cutting off Bhurishravas' arm? It is well known two wrongs do not make a right.

One could argue that in an ideal environment, Somadatta's and Bhurishravas' hatred of Krishna is not justified. The story shows that inter-generational hatred leads to destruction. I feel that Bhurishravas was more noble than Satyaki. At least Bhurishravas reflected on his attempt to kill Satyaki and repented his intended decision that was taken in the heat of battle. Satyaki, on the other hand, justified his action of killing an unarmed person and did not reflect on why he was criticised by both sides.

Paddy Krishnan is a computer scientist, who got his BTech degree from IIT-Kanpur and PhD from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Being very interested in Hindu philosophy, he maintains a blog at www. goldcoasthindu.wordpress.com

/IndianAbroadNews

Lead a life of purity and contentment

By Swami Nikhilananda Human life is precious and transient. Let us lead a life of purity or Sattwa. In our daily life the three modes of nature are constantly at play. Sattwa (purity), Rajas (activity and distractions) and Tamás (inertia or inactivity). Therefore sages and saints guide us to stay in as much Sattwa or purity as possible.

When we attend Satsang (Holy association), meditate, read scriptures and do karma yoga (selfless service) we are in Sattwa or purity.

These actions gradually wash away the impurities that have become stubborn over many embodiments.

With this effort we also experience contentment (Santosh). With our primary focus on God we stay calm and cheerful under all circumstances. Contentment is not to be confused with inactivity or laziness. We should always put in our best self effort to accomplish all our tasks.

However, we should not be focussed on the fruits of our actions.

Contented people also have a calm and reflective mind. They do not

/indianabroadnews

have the constant urge to run after material possessions. They lead a simple uncomplicated life which becomes a blessing. It frees up their time to focus on their spiritual journey. After all we are all travelers here. Sooner or later every one of us has to depart. Our spiritual efforts are to prepare for our onward journey. The highest aspiration is to get liberated and forever terminate the cycle of life and death.

May we all be inspired to introspect on this important project. Om!

23

ART & CULTURE

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Srinagar city's crafts, folk art make to prestigious UNESCO creative cities list IANS

Srinagar, Nov 8: J&K's Srinagar city on Monday made it to the prestigious list of UNESCO creative cities network for 2021, for craft and folk art.

This was announced by UNESCO on its official website on Monday wherein 49 cities have joined the elite list.

"We have been trying to find a place for Srinagar city in the UNESCO list for the last four years," Saleem Beg, convener of the J&K chapter of INTACH (Indian National Trust For Art And Cultural Heritage) told IANS. "We prepared the dossier to highlight the genuineness of Srinagar's claim to be recognised as an UNESCO heritage city.

"The dossier went to UNESCO where

it was thoroughly scrutinised. Then they sent us a list of queries which had to be replied in detail.

"In addition to this, there was a lot of bureaucratic process that had to be completed before we got the final recognition," he added.

Beg said Srinagar had missed its place in the list in 2019 by a whisker.

"We were left out the last time in 2019 because we lost the slot to Film City in Hyderabad. This time there were two cities running in close competition for the prestigious place - Srinagar and Gwalior. UNESCO has finally decided to select Srinagar this time," he said.

Beg credits the success of this effort to the team of local craftsmen and folk artists whose work has finally

got global recognition.

Asked about what does the recognition mean in terms of advantage to the local crafts and folk art, he said: "It is a recognition of not only for our crafts and folk arts, but for Srinagar city as such.

"It is a global recognition towards which the world looks with interest.

Our crafts and folk art are not something that has fossilised. These are growing and dynamic arts.

"The recognition will definitely give us a marketing edge."

This year, the exercise of the dossier's preparation began in the month of May. The Union Culture Ministry received four nominations - two from Madhya Pradesh (Gwalior and Indore), one from West Bengal (Kolkata) and one from J&K (Srinagar).

The Centre, however, rejected the application of Kolkata and Indore and forwarded only two nominations - Srinagar and Gwalior.

It recommended the nomination of Gwalior as creative city of music and Srinagar for creative city of craft and folk arts to UNESCO on June 29.

The announcements were finally made on Monday, rejecting the nomination of Gwalior and accepting that of Srinagar.

The symphony on Paresh Maity's canvas

IANS

B

elieving that multiple art forms, especially music and cinema, constantly affect his work, painter Paresh Maity, who from an early age has been inspired by folk, tribal and miniature art, says that ever since he can remember, classical music has always made a deep impact on him.

"This is despite the fact that I did not grow up in surroundings seeped with music. Cinema, through its very shades and thematic layers, also continues to inspire me," says Maity.

www.indianabroad.news

Padma Shri awardee Maity is one of the best known names in contemporary Indian art, whose works will be displayed in two exhibitions -- 'Noise of Many Waters' (November 12-December 11) at CIMA Gallery, Kolkata, and 'CAST' that opens on November 13 at Birla Academy of Art & Culture (presented by Gallery Art Exposure along with Birla Academy).

The artist says that the former chronicles his long journey into the world with water colours.

"My water colour collection of

nearly 45 to 50 years would be on view at CIMA Gallery besides two major films and one installation with water. The next day at Birla Academy, there will be an installation exhibition. Most people know me as a painter, but I started my journey with sculpting, doing clay modelling at the age of seven. By the age of nine, I was also doing water colours," he says.

Talk to him about his journey of moving from landscapes to representation of human form, and the artist, who lived in Kolkata till 1989, recalls that his work was dominant with landscapes till he was there.

In 1990, he came to Delhi to hold an exhibition, and ended up enrolling for graduation at the Delhi College of Art. "But when I travelled to Rajasthan, I was struck not just by a very different landscape as compared to Bengal, but also by the features of the people there -- the colours, their attire etc.

"This had a profound effect on my work and slowly figures started appearing in my landscapes. However, in a very short time, from 1990 to 1991, my paintings slowly moved into the figurative. Also, Europe was a huge inspiration, when I travelled to London and Paris. When I went to the Picasso Museum and saw his works, his straight strong line compositions had a deep effect on me," the artist says.

Maity, who does not come from a family of artists, says that despite no exposure to arts at home, the moment he saw artisans making idols, everything changed for him.

"I was very young, but that very instant I knew that creating art was my true calling," he says.

The artist, who works in different mediums, says that art decides the medium, not him. "The same holds true for the subject. I do not look for it -- it finds me," he says.

Stressing that he enjoys working in every medium and does not really have a favourite one, Maity adds, "Whenever I am trying to do something multidimensional, sculpture or films work well. Watercolour is for landscape. For figurative work, I pick up the canvas and employ strong colours."

Any conversation with Maity cannot be complete without 'A Portrait of the Artist in the World' -- in which acclaimed photographer Nemai Ghosh documents the artist's present-day life and of Maity revisiting places from his past. All the pictures are in black and white and shot on film.

"I am also into photography in a big way and love the tonal gradation and artistic expressions that emerge in black and white. Ghosh is a wellknown photographer and we made pictures across the country and the globe. Even Photoshop has not been used. I shun all kinds of artificiality," he concludes.

Biopic announced on life of legendary dancer Sitara Devi

S

IANS

itara Devi is one of the iconic artistes of India. A recipient of several awards, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Padma Shri and Kalidas Samman among others, she revived the Indian classical dance form of Kathak and gave it a new dimension.

A biopic on the legendary dancer has now been confirmed on her 101st birth anniversary.

Producer Raj C. Anand of Raj Anand Movies made an announcement as he said, "We are very happy and excited to bring the story of Sitara Devi to life to the big screen. We believe that her story will make a compelling watch and we would ensure that the film turns out to be as fascinating as her real-life used to be."

Ranjit Barot, the celebrated musician and drummer, who is the son of Sitara Devi, has taken the onus of guiding the project's research team by helping them with deep insights into his mother's life basis which the story will be designed.

Talking about the project, Ranjit said, "I am excited that a film is to be made on my mother's life. When Raj Anand (producer) came to me with the idea of making a film on her, I realised it is coming from a very genuine space of enthusiasm and admiration towards my mother who was an iconic artiste. We intend to

bring to the screen the untold story of her life through this endeavour."

The research work on the life of the renowned artiste has already begun as a part of pre-production, the makers will soon announce the cast and

director. Born on November 8, 1920, Sitara Devi was not just an eminent artiste but also a strong woman, who strengthened the ideology of feminism and womanhood by living life on her own terms.

In this Bastar operation, collective power flows through a website

R

IANS

ewind to 2018 -- artisans and those associated with the art sector could not even imagine a doomsday scenario for themselves which the Covid-19 pandemic presented. Everything was going well -- multiple exhibitions showcasing the best of crafts from the interior most parts of the country, collaborations with business houses and export orders.

Even as Covid-19 struck and the consequent lockdowns crippled the artisan (and arts) sectors, two young men from the Bastar region in Chhattisgarh realised that something needed to be done for the artisans in the area whose survival depended solely on their craft.

"That is how 'Lok Bazar' was conceived. Seeing the artisans absolutely distressed on account of not being able to sell their products, we decided to do an extensive onground research and speak to them.

We figured that the best way out would be to connect every artisan to a single online platform -- in this case 'Lok Bazar'," Founders Ayush Shrivastava and Gaurav Kushwah, who were at the recent National Tribal Dance Festival held in Raipur recently.

Currently working with 25 artisans in different categories and art forms, the founders stress that the platform is aimed at finding artisans from the inferior most parts of the country and giving them their rightful place.

"For several endangered handicrafts to survive, it is extremely important

that artisans get financial stability and have a global buyer base," says Ayush.

Though currently focussing on the Indian market, they plan to explore the international one soon.

"Considering the fact that they are hand-made products and many of them require detailing that takes many weeks, global buyers are bound to be interested," feels Gaurav.

"During their interactions with the artisans, the duo realised that the latter did not possess accurate knowledge -- what kind of products to make for which market. This is precisely why we created different categories -- corporate gifting, wedding gifting, hardware sections, stationery items etc. Then we began to connect the artisans to that specified market. If an artisan was

an expert in a particular bamboo product, we gave him orders for that, someone skilled at making another thing was kept engaged in that category only. This is how we bifurcated all things," says Ayush.

Stressing that the response has been tremendous considering the span of time that 'Lok Bazar' has been in existence, Gaurav says that customers want to talk directly to the artisans and they facilitate the same.

"The pandemic seems to be subsiding now and exhibitions are opening up. However, the artisans are happy that the market created through the online mode provides extra source of earning. We have the products picked up, do the packaging, branding and deliver them while the money is credited directly to their accounts," the duo conclude.

Examining India's present and future prospects IANS

A

t this time of crucial transition, Bimal Jalan, a former Reserve Bank of India Governor and Rajya Sabha MP, examines the countrys present and future prospects in "India Reckoning: Politics, Economy, Governance and Beyond" (Bloomsbury).

For Jalan, there are two clear priorities for the future: to continue and benefit from the dramatic global changes in technology, trade, and investment over the previous three decades, and to get rid of the deadweight of the past in order to maximize the benefits from our economic and political strength.

Jalan offers a blueprint for the government to launch reforms to reduce corruption and administrative bottlenecks in the delivery of services to the people, such as by: * Reducing corruption in the administrative system * Improving the role of the legislative, executive and judiciary in

/IndianAbroadNews

policymaking * Improving governance and politics in a resurgent India and * Strengthening the functioning of the financial and banking sectors.

In nine succinct chapters, Jalan with his characteristic insight and brilliance, discusses a range of political and economic issues which will help India realize its full potential as one of the fastest-growing, emerging economies in the world.

Bimal Jalan has previously held several positions in the Government including those of Finance Secretary and Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister.

He was also a nominated Member of Parliament from 2003 to 2009.

He was Chairman of Expenditure Management Commission during 2014-16. He also represented India on the Boards of the IMF and the World Bank. In 2019, he was the Chairman of the Committee on "Economic Capital Framework", set

/indianabroadnews

up by the RBI in association with the government.

He has been associated with a number of academic and public institutions including the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata; the Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi; Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram as Chairman; and as President of National Council of Applied Economics and Research, New Delhi.

24

LITERATURE

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Ornithologist Salim Ali's forgotten Dynamic rise, fall from grace: The Life radio-casts now come 'alive' in book and Times of CCD founder VG Siddhartha IANS

I

n a unique initiative, the forgotten radio broadcasts of legendary ornithologist, the late Dr. Salim Ali have been compiled and brought 'alive' in a book form, which will be released on November 12, marking the 125th birth anniversary of the 'Birdman of India'.

Dr. Salim Moizuddin A. Ali (November 12, 1896-June 20, 1987) was the first Indian to conduct systematic bird surveys across undivided India and even later, and then penned several bird books which popularised ornithology in the sub-continent.

The book -- "Words For Birds" -- edited by renowned author Tara Gandhi, comprises all the 35 broadcasts of Dr. Ali on All India Radio (AIR) -- from British India to Independent 1980s -- probably unheard of by most people in the current century.

"I had worked with Dr. Salim Ali for long... I have even worked on his other papers and documents and I came across these broadcasts that are well-preserved by BNHS," the book editor Gandhi told IANS briefly, as the book awaits official release.

It will be unveiled as part of the ongoing 125th birth anniversary

celebrations of the great ornithologist conferred with the Padma Vibhushan (1976), at the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS, founded 1883), said Education Officer Raju Kasambe.

The 35 talks that comprise "Words For Birds" were broadcast over 45 years, between 1941-1985, revealing Dr. Ali's exceptional skills both as an oral communicator and a passionate bird propagandist.

"The object of these talks is really to interest listeners, in the first instance for the healthy pleasure and satisfaction bird watching affords rather than for its intrinsic scientific possibilities," the ornithologist had said of his radio transmissions.

The enthralling radiocasts, in a story-telling style, cover a wide range -- bird habits and habitats, risks they face, the crucial role of avian in nature's cyclic processes, how they benefit agriculture, unseen or little understood contributions to the economy, etc.

On his passion, Dr. Ali said how 50 years ago bird watching in India was nowhere as popular, or indeed respectable, as it has become now, and in his younger days he would time and again fall in with persons

who left him with a feeling, as they withdrew, that they were inwardly tapping a pitying finger on their foreheads.

"Their first glimpse of me very often was, it is true, of a distinctly shabby khaki-clad individual of the garage mechanic type, wandering leisurely and rather aimlessly about the countryside and surreptitiously peeping into bushes, and holes in tree-trunks and earth banks..." said the legend modestly.

Though he had focussed mainly on birds in his radio talks, it is evident that he was interested in all forms of wildlife and contemporary conservation issues, too, with each talk reading like a short essay, and the reader can even glance randomly through it to be immensely educated and entertained.

Dr. Ali's best-sellers from his massive collection include "Book Of Indian Birds" and the monumental 10-volume "Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan" (co-authored with S. Dillon Ripley), "The Birds of Kutch", "Indian Hill Birds", "Birds of Kerala", "The Birds of Sikkim", and his autobiography, "The Fall of a Sparrow".

The book editor Gandhi was guided by Dr. Ali for MSc. (Field Ornithology), and she works for biodiversity conservation, conducts surveys to document birds and other wildlife in India.

Besides scientific and popular articles on nature and ecology, she has penned several books like "Birds, Wild Animals and Agriculture: Conflict and Coexistence in India" and edited the two-volume "A Bird's Eye View: The Collected Essays and Shorter Writings of Salim Ali".

Published by Black Kite and Hachette, "Words For Birds" (256 pg/ Rs.599) will soon be available from BNHS and Amazon platforms.

KLF to be held from Dec 10-12 in Bhubaneswar IANS

T

he eighth Kalinga Literary Festival (KLF), to be held from December 10 to 12 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha will celebrate 75 years of India's Independence with the central Theme 'India at 75: Commemorating the Republic of Letters'.

More than 300 speakers, poets, musicians, artists and performers will be part of the festival which will also boast of sessions on Ram Katha, poetry recitation, short story, lyrics. Three prestigious awards will be conferred during the twoday festival where more than 30 national and international books/ publications will be released.

Writers, poets, speakers and performers likely to join the festival include Sandeep Bamzai, Arun Kamal, Alka Saraogi, Mamta Kalia, Arunava Sinha, Pratibha Ray, Sitakant Mahapatra, Ramakanta Rath, Santanu Kumar Acharya, Haldhar Nag, Namita Gokhale, Malashri Lal, Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Divya Dutta , Amar Pattnaik, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Gulzar, Jairam Ramesh, Basant Chaudhary, Ashutosh Bhardwaj, Jayanta Mohapatra, Tarana Husain Khan, Ashok Kaul, Satish Padmanabhan, Santosh Singh, Yatish Kumar, Vibha Rani, Dr Krishna Mohan Thakur, Priya Sahgal, Gautam Chintamani, Shantanu Datta, Sabin Iqbal, Shirish Khare, Perumal Murugan, Nandini Krishnan, Meena Iyer, Tamal Bandyopadhyay, Zorawar Daulet Singh, Shekhar Pathak, Guru Prakash Paswan, Shafey Kidwai, Yatindra Mishra, Rasheed Kidwai, Ruchira Chaudhary, Ranjit Rae, Prof.

Prabhkar Singh, Vyomesh Shukla, Balendu Diwedi, Anushakti Singh, Sekhar Pathak , Arun Maheswari, Abhay Mishra, Rajdeep Saradesai, Rama Pandey, Bishnu N. Mohapatra, Sachidananda Mohanty, Priya Kapoor, Swati Chopra, Vaishali Mathur, Aditi Maheshwari,Vikarant

www.indianabroad.news

Pande, Rishabh Kothari, Trisha De Niyogi, Prof. Banibrata Mahanta, Shobha Shrma, Kaveree Bamzai, Ameya Prabhu, Sai Swaooropa Iyer, Vikram Sampath, Atul Thakur, Anindita Ghose, Meena K. Iyer, Puja Changoiwala, Anu Chaudhary, Debasis Samantray, Ranjan Mallick, Rohit Supkar, Shibani Sibal, Yugal Joshi and Neha Sinha.

The festival organisers say that an important 'purpose' of KLF is to enhance interaction, and promote mutual understanding, between people of different regions, culinary, costume and dress habits, faiths, persuasions and lifestyles across the length and breadth of the country, through interactions among language and learning, tangible as well as intangible cultures and heritage -- paving way for what the critic Patrick J. Hill aptly calls 'a conversation of respect' among diverse people.

Considering the fact that India writes in many languages and speaks in many more voices, with a view to promote deeper inclusivity across the nation, our language, and folklore, the 'Marga' and the 'Deshi' traditions, will be showcased in the Festival. The regions will have their pride of place, along with the province and the metropolis.

KLF has emerged as one of the leading literary platforms in India, attracting both experienced and young litterateurs. Bigger than ever before, the eighth edition of the festival will bring nationally and internationally acclaimed names on one platform to discuss, debate and explore commonalities in the diverse voices in literature. The three-day festival will cover several dimensions of the interconnections between Literature, freedom, Republican values, cultural diversity, social equity.

The key sessions will be on topics like democracy, cultural

nationalism, Generation Y, Indian languages, the publishing industry , mythology, media, market, children, women, transgenders, citizen engagement, cinema, sports, ethics, discrimination, revolutions, Peace Building, Conflict Resolution and Harmony. There will be several one to one sessions with leading experts on the subjects. There will also be story telling sessions that promise to add new flavor to the literary spirit of the festival. Three special sessions will be held on textile and literature.

The delegates and speakers of KLF will have a unique opportunity to participate in Heritage Walk called Mystic Walk and participate in plantation and Mystic Mic. In order to expand the opportunity for the delegates KLF team has partnered with local cycle clubs to provide cycles for speakers to roam around the smart city and experience the blend of ancient heritage and modern urban planning. A dedicated platform, Kalinga Art Festival provides a unique platform for artists to showcase their talent and connect their art to the central theme of the festival.

Four awards in literature will be conferred during the festival -- Kalinga Literary Award (for a distinguished writer in Odia), Kalinga International Literary Award (for a writer in any global language), Kalinga Karubaki Literary Award (for women writers) and Kalinga Literary Youth Award (for a young writer in any global language).

Rashmi Ranjan Parida, founder director of KLF said, "KLF 2021 returns with the promise of hope and optimism. Our return emphasises resilience and the spirit of Rise.

We are delighted to bring back the joy of literary spirit to the temple city Bhubaneswar. We welcome our delegates & performers and look towards a great festival amidst all safety protocols."

Kalinga Art Festival, an exclusive art segment has been designed to showcase the best of the creations of contemporary artists. In its fifth year the Art Festival attracts young male and female artists from Bhubaneswar, Odisha and from the national capital.

There will be a cultural programme to showcase India's art, culture and literature on each day of the threeday program.

C

IANS

offee King" is the definitive biography of the late VG Siddhartha, the founder of the Cafe Coffee Day retail chain and several other businesses.

Known to be an extremely savvy technology investor, Siddhartha had also backed at a very early stage some of the marquee names in the Indian IT services landscape today.

But by 2019, he was highly leveraged on both business and personal fronts and facing a liquidity crisis.

In July that year, he died by suicide after jumping into the Netravati river.

Siddhartha left behind a grieving and bewildered family, investor community and employee base, and a startled but curious media and public.

Through extensive research, hundreds of interviews and the analysis of thousands of official documents, Rukmini Rao and Prosenjit Datta now piece together the story of Siddhartha's dynamic rise as a businessman and also his fall from grace, unravelling the reasons that led to his financial crises and eventually his shocking death.

The book was acquired at an auction from Anish Chandy, Founder of the Labyrinth Literary Agency, by Teesta

Guha Sarkar, Head of Editorial, Pan Macmillan India.

Commenting on the acquisition, Rukmini Rao said: "VG Siddhartha's biography will offer much more than just the story of the man who created India's biggest coffee chain. There were many facets to him that remain unknown. This book will bring all those aspects together to present a complex, holistic portrait."

Prosenjit Datta said: "As we proceeded with the research for this book, we realised that Siddhartha had built an organization that was far more complex than what appeared on the surface. So we peeled the onion, layer by layer, in order to properly understand the business tycoon's professional and personal avatars and where the two intersected. He was a man of many contradictions, and few can say that they knew the real Siddhartha. We hope to present a more complete picture in (the book)."

Anish Chandy said: "Rukmini Rao and Prosenjit Datta have drawn a fully accessible portrait of VG Siddhartha and his labyrinthine business empire through exacting research, drawing upon their multi-decade investigative journalism experience."

Teesta Guha Sarkar said: "Consummate business journalists Rukmini Rao and Prosenjit Datta's investigation into the life and death of one of India's most intriguing business tycoons has culminated in a riveting, finely nuanced character study. The great depth of their research, combined with an empathetic approach, make this undoubtedly the most definitive book there may ever be on India's coffee king.'

Teen author narrates aspects of Ayodhya, Lord Ram's ancestors

A

IANS

fter his retelling of "The Ramayana", this 16-year-old author has focused on Lord Rama's ancestors who ruled at Ayodhya in his second historical fiction work, highlighting the stories of various kings of the Suryavanshi lineage in a dramatic form.

"More than my first work, my second has a greater degree of relation with Ayodhya cause I tried highlighting the stories of the various kings of the Suryavanshi lineage through the dramatic form in the same. It was one of the first English works to have been written on Lord Rama's ancestors who ruled at Ayodhya before him, in the form of drama," Souhardya, who is also a Prime Minister Bal Puraskar Awardee-2021 besides being a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, told IANS. "Also, I've used a lot of reference materials for research in the process of writing my books which were directly or indirectly sourced from the place, research into the history of Ram Janmbhoomi being an important dimension in the same," he said.

At 13, when most children of his age group remain occupied in school works and textbook learning, Souhardya chose to retell the Ramayana, and started going through books published in the 19th and the 20th centuries.

Some of his readings included the translations of the Rig Vedic hymns

by Ralph T. Griffith and some of the earliest translations of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and other Indian epics in poetical metre by scholars like Edwin Arnold and Richard Francis Burton.

Until now, Souhardya has authored two books of historical mythology -"The Chronicles of Suryavansh" and "The Scion of Suryavansh" -- and is

currently working on a historical fiction story set in the Mughal era during the initial days of Emperor Akbar.

About his debut, he says: "It is entitled 'Scion of Suryavansh' and is a rendering of the Ramayana in the English poetical metrics. It is not more than 54 odd pages but yet, every time I look at it, it seems like I'm just beginning to grow as a writer."

Souhardya's second work, "The Chronicles of Suryavansh", which is a bigger at around 140 pages, deals with Lord Rama's ancestry and highlights different stories from the tale of King Sagara's 60,000 sons to the significance of Parashurama.

He contends that the kings of Ayodhyas were the forefathers of both Jainism and Buddhism. For Buddhism, Siddhartha belonged to a distant Suryavanshi Sakya lineage of Kapilavastu as documented in most of the Buddhist holy texts, he said.

For Jainism, the first Tirthankar, Rishabadatta, is taken to be a Suryavanshi ruler. His son, Bahubali, famous for the monolithic Bahubali sculpture, near Shravanabelagola, in Karnataka, is another Jain Prince, widely celebrated for his upright views and divine revelations, says Souhardya, in an article dealing with the Ramayana and how the Suryavanshi lineage has contributed to religious development in the subcontinent.

Multispecialty library to come up in Gurugram soon

G

urugram will soon boast of a multispecialty library housing more than 2 lakh books, according to an official.

The Haryana Advisory Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Board has started the search for a government building for the same.

Once its approved, the work for building the library will start from next month.

Books related to every subject will be available for children of all ages.

"More than two lakh books will be kept in the library. Apart from this, the facility of e-books will also be made. Also, books related to the preparation of jobs and competitive examinations will be available.

Initially, it will have the facility to seat 100 people," said a senior administration official.

A job desk will also be set up for the students for job-related information

/IndianAbroadNews

IANS

along with career counselling.

"The library will be created through the CSR fund. The students will have access to lakhs of books and e-books. With the facilities of career

/indianabroadnews

counselling and job desk, the youth will be able to apply as well as prepare for the job interviews," the official added.

25

BEAUTY

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Brazilian Beauty Brand What you wear, Sol De Janeiro in India starts with your hair Pexel

I

n the fashion world it's not just the clothes that are the focus, hairstyles too come in and out of trend. Cuts, colour, styles are all part of the fashion format. Hair colour is also a style statement.

Colour techniques that explore a wider reach is one such style project

by Tom Connell, Davines Hair Art Director. A balance of technique and naturalness enhances the colour proposal of smokey reds, champagne blonds and cool brunettes.

IANSlife spoke to Vikram Mohan Co-Founder, Spalon India Pvt Ltd (Bounce Salons) to get more details: What colours are trending for the season?

Vikram Mohan: As people have started stepping out recently, I have noticed that there is some kind of ‘revenge hair colouring’ happening, where more people are experimenting with really bright shades, which I haven’t seen in the past 17 years of experience. Shades like neon green, bright purple, pink highlights are happening. I believe it’s because people were not stepping out much.

I am also seeing another extreme with classic burgundies, etc.

So it’s the people going on holidays after a long time that are the ones trying out these crazy colours and on the other hand, we have those attending weddings, family events, getting ready to socialize, who are just refreshing their hair colour. To answer your question, the whole seasonality thing is gone today .

How important is it for clients to understand the various colour techniques and to discover what it is they truly need?

Vikram Mohan: There are multiple hair colouring techniques; block colouring, highlighting, and balayage amongst many others. Today’s client is very well informed, as they follow fashion bloggers, lifestyle influencers, hairdressers, so they kind of know what they want.

However, in terms of colour techniques, they can use the guidance, because everybody’s hair texture is different so sometimes the references that they see on the internet are heavily styled. We can do that type of colour for them but tomorrow it will look really weird, so we as hairstylists need to speak to our clients and explain to them what will suit them.

I have always believed that getting a great cut and colour service is one thing, but you should also be able

www.indianabroad.news

to maintain, manage and style your hair as you want. You shouldn’t feel like you’re stuck with a hairstyle that looks great at the salon, but three days later upon washing, it looks completely different. So I suggest guiding the client is essential, explaining to them what will suit them the best for their daily lifestyle, styling, time and needs. Explain the technique and work around the reference that they have shared.

In a country where Ayurveda and natural colourants like Hena are popular, how does Davines plan to gain market share and make an impact?

Vikram Mohan: I don’t believe that Henna is very popular with the kind of customers we have at Bounce.

When we started, we had many customers who used to apply Henna to their hair but we explained to them what Henna actually does.

Eventually, your hair looks dry and unhealthy, because your hair won’t be able to absorb moisture. The people who use Henna on a regular basis, their hair are very brittle and there is no softness/natural feel left in their hair.

Whereas, any colour brand, including Davines, approaches hair colour by actually opening up the cuticles and putting the colour inside. The Davines Colour range has ingredients from nature, and Davines is one of the global leaders in sustainable beauty, it causes minimal damage to your hair and as well as the environment. We are not in the position where we have clients that we have to convince them to leave Henna and try hair colour, so honestly, we don’t face that problem.

I think the people who like to use Henna will continue to do so and nothing can change their mind, so for Bounce as a salon brand adopting Davines Colour has been quite smooth, because of its high-quality, high-performing range. We have gotten customers who had Henna in their hair, we applied Davines colour and the results were really good.

The world is moving towards sustainable practices in products and routines, what are Davines’ sustainable integrations?

Vikram Mohan: From the sourcing of ingredients to the manufacturing process to the packaging, we look at every aspect of being sustainable, in international markets the most underlying problems you see are in salons that don’t use sustainable products.

We keep in mind solar power and water usage and are in sync with the philosophy of sustainability.

There’s no greenwashing as far as Davines is concerned which is what I’ve seen with a lot of brands that are not sustainable, they use the word eco-friendly but when you actually go visit them, they’ll serve you water in a plastic cup. These small things make a big difference.

So sustainability is really something you need to understand, as far as I am concerned I really liked the philosophy of Davines and I saw the people that run the brand and they live and breathe the whole concept of ethically doing business and doing it in a way that reduces harm to the environment, at the same time they are doing other activities like planting trees, with plans to be carbon negative in the next five years rather than carbon neutral which is what most companies aim for.

Tell us what wearing your attitude in the way you look means to you?

Vikram Mohan: I think what I have noticed over the years is that a lot of credit has to be given to influencers and social media, celebrities. They have all adopted their own individualistic style and I think that people have today embraced this. They can pick and choose what they like, so let’s say if I’m following 10 influencers that I like, then I pick and choose 5-6 things that each person is doing and I make that my own.

Our brand motto is, What you wear, starts with your hair and we’ve been seeing that more and more as the years go by, even if you look at people in Bollywood or digital stars, all of them have started to take their hair very seriously. So everybody wants to have their own unique style and we want to represent them.

And we also have a huge segment of our clientele, who want to be wellgroomed and understated, so I think it is very individualistic.

Today there are young fashion brands, boutique fashion brands available, the amount in which women are taking care of their skin, makeup, all of that, you can truly personalize it and make it your own attitude. So gone are the days where people wanted to blend in, some of them may want to blend in, some want to stand out, but I think everybody has their own individualistic style and I think that is what their attitude is.

How are Davines’ colour services different?

Vikram Mohan: It starts with the product itself, it is made out of a large quantity of naturally sourced ingredients, so the amount of chemicals present in the range is far less. Also, you can talk as much as you want about sustainability, being eco-friendly, but the colour and the product should also give a good result. I have also noticed that the amount of colour that we need to use on the customer is almost 25% less compared to other brands so a little product goes far.

There is a large amount of waste, as all the colour that is washed into our basin, that eventually lands up in the river or the ocean, the Davines colour is decomposable and breaks down I believe in only a couple of days. It is very eco-friendly compared to other brands. The impact on the environment is much less, so when I talk to a client about, and of course, bleach that we have Davines Century Of Light, is one of the best bleaches that I have come across because you can really achieve a level of lightening in a singular sitting because it has hair building bonds incorporated into it. I believe it is the only bleach I’ve come across that has that particular quality and ingredient in it which really doesn’t damage the hair. So these things along with the whole idea behind Davines’ products and different ranges including the care line has made it easier for us to convince our clients to try Davines, and we are lucky enough to have clients who are environmentally conscious, and when we explain to them about the brand, their philosophy and colour, they try it and the results speak for itself.

I

Pexel

f celebrating joy through the power and warmth of Brazilian beaches is on your mind, Nykaa’s latest brand drop will transport you right there! Sol de Janeiro, inspired by the beauty of Brazil, will be available on the beauty e-commerce platform.

Sol de Janeiro is a brand that established its mission of spreading confidence, energy and joy revealed by embracing sensorial product experiences and delivering tangible skincare benefits. With a sustainable, vegan and cruelty-free range, the brand is committed to creating products inspired by the lush, natural diversity of Brazil and intended for good for the skin and for the soul.

Inspired by Brazilian Beauty Secrets, products are made with the highest quality ingredients that are body-loving, delicious gourmand fragrances and luxurious textures that touch the senses. Infused with nutrient-enriching ingredients from

the Amazon Rainforest, the products leave one feeling good, from head to toe.

The brands love for diversity comes naturally and is at the heart of everything it does with a mission to bring Body Joy to everybody.

As Brazilian as it gets, they believe Body Joy should be felt, celebrated, and shared. Some of the brand’s bestsellers are Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, Triple Brazilian Butter Hair Treatment, Brazilian Crush Body & Hair Mist.

5 Ayurveda-Based home grown beauty brands

I

Pexel

n the last few years, we have seen the rise of homegrown skincare brands in a way that could easily challenge the popularity of international bestsellers. Moreover, New Age generations are also leaning towards clean products which have a maximum number of natural properties.

Beauty is now moving towards sustainability, and with ‘vocal for local’ as our motto of the year, it’s no surprise that Ayurvedic brands are now the centre of attention.

The ancient old science is getting a makeover with modern technologies and entering our vanity.

Even though most of the personal care brands claim themselves to be toxic-free, SLS free and paraben-free, only a handful of them are really authentic and up to the expectations.

The following list features leading Ayurveda labels to stock up on: Upakarma Ayurveda: Being one of the leading Ayurveda brands, Upakarma Ayurveda understands daily struggles and imbalances of life and believes to restore those imbalances and maintain quality of life. The brand aims to develop herbal ayurvedic formulations in the most natural ways to achieve wellness both internally and externally.

It also believes in bringing great quality products for immunity, hair & skin at not so expensive rates.

Kama Ayurveda: Kama Ayurveda is one of the old players in the industry of Ayurvedic beauty brands. The brand was launched with a range

of nine Ayurvedic treatments. To complement this, it came up with a highly effective Ayurveda-inspired range of products, suitable for different hair and skin types. The brand is free from artificial colours, fragrances, parabens, packages its products beautifully and is available internationally.

Ayouthveda: Ayouthveda is an Ayurvedic personal care brand combining Ayurvedic rituals and ultra-modern technologies. It aims to help millions of people switch from harmful chemical-based personal care products to safe and wonderful Ayurvedic products. The brand creates authentic, high-quality personal care products and has a wide collection of face care, hair care, bath & body care and intimate hygiene care products.

Forest Essentials: This luxury brand is dream worthy skincare for most people. Forest Essentials is an authentic, traditional skincare brand with its foundations in the ancient science of Ayurveda. It offers a huge range of facial care, body care, hair care and even cosmetic products that are authentic and luxurious.

The brand is Made in India and 100% ayurvedic and cruelty-free.

MotherSparsh: MotherSparsh is an Ayurvedic brand that promises to build plant-derived products with real ingredients. Their products are enriched with authentic Ayurvedic herbs and therapeutic-grade essential oils and are crafted with care.

The brand does not involve any kind of synthetic ingredients, Parabens, SLS or chemicals or any artificial fragrance.

How to choose a winter perfume

W

IANS

inter is coming! Are you prepared to welcome the season of festivities with the right kind of fragrances?

It is essential to choose the right perfume for the right occasion and winter months demand extra attention to make sure your personality gets the attention it needs.

Our body heat plays a very important role in the projection of the perfume we wear. It helps the perfume to project farther and evaporate faster. Perfumes with light floral, citrus or aquatic notes are more volatile and tend to get muted during the winter season.

An ideal perfume for the winters should be warmer, deeper and more concentrated perfumes for the fragrance to last longer and spread further. Thus, even if the body temperature is lower, the fragrance will still be able to make an impact or leave you feeling fresh for a longer period of time.

In India, we have been using natural traditional attars like Hina & Shamama which are great for the winter season. These attars are crafted using different flowers, roots, stems and leaves based on sandalwood. They tend to keep us warm and last long even during

/IndianAbroadNews

those cold months.

Besides the traditional attars, one can also use modern perfumes.

Let’s talk about the different kind of perfumes we can use during the winter months.

Woody Perfumes: Perfumes majorly comprising of woody notes are warmer, deeper and give a cosy woods like feeling.

They are ideal for colder months and evenings. They generally comprise of woody & earthy notes like, patchouli, sandalwood and cedarwood.

The deep woody perfumes do great with sweet notes like amber, vanilla & cinnamon.

Floral Perfumes: Floral perfumes are dominated by fresh floral notes. Rose & Jasmine based floral perfumes with notes of sandalwood, amber & oudh form a great combination for the winter months. While oudh is a recent craze across the world, combining it with a floral note like rose can help you create an uplifting & warm persona. Such perfumes are great during the day time of those colder months.

Oriental Perfumes: Oriental perfumes are considered to be the strongest of all. These are

/indianabroadnews

generally a combination of deep & heavy notes like oudh, oakmoss, tonka beans & patchouli and sweeter and refreshing fine scents like Vanilla, amber, musk, and oriental resins like frankincense and myrrh.

These are sensuous blends and sometimes consist of spicy notes as well like Pink pepper and cinnamon.

These fragrances are great for evening wear of corporate events.

Some other popular notes for the winter months are Tuberose & Neroli for florals, Oakmoss, Leather, Tobacco for woody notes, clove buds, star anise and cinnamon for those sensuous spicy touches.

Warmer notes with higher concentration of refreshing sweet/ floral/ green overtones helps the fragrance to last longer and beat the cold chills.

26

FASHION

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Festive Fashion: The Week That Was Given that things have finally opened up post-pandemic, a series of Diwali celebrations were witnessed this year. We spotted Bollywood celebrities leaving no stone unturned with their festive looks. From lavish lehengas to stunning saris, there were a variety of sparkling outfits on display. Take a look!

Jahnvi Kapoor A quick glimpse at Kapoor’s Instagram feed shows the young star’s love for Indian wear. While lehengas and saris are mostly her go-to ensembles, this time the actress opted for a heavily embellished Anamika Khanna anarkali.

The styling and make-up did full justice to her look.

Instagram

Priyanka Chopra Our very own ‘desi’ girl was spotted in a bright velvet sharara set from Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Statement sunglasses, chunky jewellery and a bucket bag from the designer completed the look. When it comes to head-turning fashion, Chopra leads the list with her quirky fashion choices.

Alia Bhatt The young and vibrant Alia Bhatt stepped out in a striking purple Sabyasachi lehenga. She accessorised her outfit with just gold jhumkas, letting the outfit do its magic. A closer look at her Indian wardrobe shows how the 28-year-old likes to keep it elegant and fuss-free on most occasions.

Sonam Kapoor Sonam Kapoor Ahuja chose an ivory-hued ‘chikankari’ anarkali from Abu Jani- Sandeep Kosla. The style icon kept her make-up minimal and opted for a pair of danglers to accessorise the look.

Jacqueline Fernandez From power suits to playful separates, tailored gowns to flowy lehengas, there’s nothing that she can’t pull off. This year, for one of the festivities, Fernandez picked a beautiful Benarasi sari from Ekaya. The all-red ensemble made for a striking choice, with the OTT floral bun being the highlight.

Kareena Kapoor Khan Lives It Up Business Insider India

I

n Puma's latest campaign for its Autumn Winter collection, Kareena is seen sporting a multitude of sport-chic looks for women. Luxe yet comfortable athleisure and streetwear, together make a statement! Hit the gym in the chicest training gear selected by the iconic actress.

The collection also comprises a fashion-forward feminine winter wear edit with jackets, puffers and a yoga line that feels like second skin and makes working out comfortable and stylish.

So whether you are lounging with friends or being called out by the yoga mat, take inspiration from the actors top picks for the season.

www.indianabroad.news

/IndianAbroadNews

Malaika Arora Whether it’s a casual lunch date or a red-carpet appearance, Malaika Arora never disappoints. For one of the Diwali parties, she was spotted in a rosered Manish Malhotra sari finished with a lime-green border. Keeping it entirely ethnic, the 48-year-old opted for matching bangles, a Polki necklace and a floral bun.

/indianabroadnews

27

WHAT’S ON

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

www.indianabroad.news

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

28

WHAT’S ON

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

www.indianabroad.news

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

29

ENTERTAINMENT

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Pooja Hegde resumes shoot for 'Beast' in Chennai Instagram

Sandeepa Dhar to star in Imtiaz Ali's web show Instagram

A

Actress Pooja Hegde has commenced shooting for her upcoming black comedy action film 'Beast' in Chennai. She says the Tamil audience has been so kind and enthusiastic about the film and that the excitement is mutual.

Pooja said: "The Tamil audience has been so kind and enthusiastic about 'Beast'. The excitement is mutual.

It's great to be back in Chennai. It is like the epicentre of happening things in the state. The highlight of my stopover in Chennai is that its cuisine is a foodie's dream."

She added: "With the shoot of 'Beast' resuming, the viewers from here have been so connected with me

online that the city feels like home.

We are working very hard to bring the audience a compelling film."

Pooja will be stationed in Chennai for over a couple of days. The film marks her return to Tamil cinema after 'Mugamoodi'.

However, not much has been revealed about the character she will be essaying in the Nelson Dilipkumar directorial.

Her forthcoming films include 'Acharya' with Ram Charan and Chiranjeevi, 'Radhe Shyam' with Prabhas, 'SSMB28' opposite Mahesh Babu, 'Cirkus' with Ranveer Singh, and 'Bhaijaan' with Salman Khan.

Shilpa Shetty clears the air on FIR filed against Raj Kundra and her

T

Instagram

roubles refuse to cease for Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty. The husband-wife duo have been named in an FIR with regards to financial discrepancy in a fitness venture started by them.

The complainant alleged that the couple took money from investors across India for their pan-India enterprise and when he demanded the reversal of a payment of Rs 1.5 crore, he was threatened by them.

Taking notice of this, Shilpa has issued a clarification with regards to the FIR and made a public appeal for safeguarding her civil rights well within the framework of law. The actress shared a note on her social media where she presented her side of the story. She wrote, "Woke up to an FIR registered in Raj and my name! Shocked!! To set the record straight, SFL Fitness, a venture run

by Kashiff Khan (sic)."

She adds, "He had taken naming rights of brand SFL Fitness to open SFL Fitness gyms around the country. All deals were struck by him & he was signatory in banking & day-to-day affairs. We are not aware of any of his transactions nor have we received a single rupee from him for the same."

"All franchisees dealt directly with Kashiff. The company closed in 2014 and was entirely handled by Kashiff Khan. I have worked very hard over the last 28 years. And it pains me to see that my name & replication is getting damaged & dragged so

www.indianabroad.news

ctress Sandeepa Dhar is collaborating with filmmaker Imtiaz Ali for his yet-untitled upcoming web show.

Exploring new dimensions of versatility with an interesting project, Sandeepa marks her first collaboration with the prolific storyteller Imtiaz for a web show in the comedy genre.

Directed by 'Laila Majnu' director Sajid Ali and Archit, the show is written by Imtiaz.

Talking about the same, Sandeepa says, "For every actor it is a great opportunity to work with a marvellous storyteller like Imtiaz Ali, who is known to bring out the best in his actors."

She added: "The characters from his stories come alive so beautifully on screen and stay etched in our minds as well as our lives."

Sandeepa says that she has always craved for roles that stand out as an individual with elements that make it distinct and memorable.

"We have already shot major portions of the show and I'm extremely thrilled about our collaboration and I am eagerly looking forward to present the show to the audience."

Apart from the same, Sandeepa will also be seen in Anushka Sharma's production 'Mai', which will stream on Netflix.

Bollywood's day out at Padma Awards: KJo, Kangana, Adnan, Ekta share their joy Instagram

New Delhi, Nov 8: Bollywood was well-represented at the glittering Padma Awards ceremony for 2020 and 2021 at the Rashtrapati BhaVan here on Monday. The fortunate four who received their Padma Shri medals from President Ram Nath Kovind at once took to social media to express their joy and gratitude.

Producer-director Karan Johar posted a couple of tweets, which also included a video of him receiving the award. He tweeted: "Today felt surreal! I am honoured and humbled that the prestigious Padma Shri Award was bestowed on me. I feel extremely fortunate to receive it from the hands of our honourable President Shri Ram Nath Kovind."

His second tweet read: "This is a momumental day for me, my mother, my kids and my company, and will forever be etched in my memory. Thank you so much for all your wishes and the abundance of love! @rashtrapatibhvn #PadmaAwards2020."

Singer-composer Adnan Sami, who gave up his Pakistani citizenship and became an Indian national on January 1, 2016, wrote: "The greatest honour! I am grateful to the Government of India for this prestigious Padma Shri Award. I am forever indebted to my beautiful people of India who've loved me unconditionally and been an integral part of my journey which

has brought me here! Luv you all. Jai Hind!"

Kangana Ranaut took to her Instagram and shared the picture of her with President Kovind. In the caption, she wrote: "Long ago when I started my career ... A question bothered me ... I asked myself some want money, some want fans ... some seek fame and some just want attention … What do I want ? Deep down I always knew as a girl child I wanted to earn respect and that is my treasure Thank you India for this gift."

Hit producer Ekta Kapoor shared a video of the ceremony with the caption: "It is a surreal moment and a matter of great pride." She said she wanted to "dedicate this badge of honour to my pillars of strength"

Ayush Mehra overwhelmed with response to 'Call My Agent: Bollywood'

A

Instagram

fter impressive work in the digital sphere, Ayush Mehra made his foray into the world of OTT with his recently released Netflix original 'Call My Agent: Bollywood'.

The actor is off to a flying start on OTT as well with the audience and the critics praising him for his earnest performance. The show is based on the French TV series 'Call My Agent!' and stars a powerful line-up of actors like Soni Razdan, Rajat Kapoor and Aahana Kumra along with Ayush.

Talking about the response to the show and his performance, Ayush says, "It's amazing to see the response to Call My Agent.

Instagram

A

loosely. To get eyeballs. My rights as a law abiding proud citizen in India should be protected. With gratitude Shilpa Shetty Kundra," she concluded.

The messages and calls that I have received have not only given me loads of happiness but have also driven me to work harder!"

He lauds his team as he adds, "Mehershad was a fun character to play and with an amazing team of makers and my co-actors, it was only a treat. Thank you all for your amazing response!"

Directed by Shaad Ali who is known for films like 'Saathiya', 'Bunty Aur Babli' and 'OK Jaanu', 'Call My Agent: Bollywood' tells the story of four casting agents as they run pillar to post in order to keep their casting company afloat in a fast changing world.

Ragini Nandwani: Tough for actors to keep personal emotions at bay

Chinese van food from a Lamby bonnet?

Kartik's roadside foodscapade fter his appearance on the reality show 'Bigg Boss 15', actor Kartik Aaryan stopped by a Chinese fast food van and gorged on some of the fare on offer on his Lamborghini's bonnet.

Viral Bhayani, the popular paparazzo, shared a clip on Instagram showing the actor enjoying roadside Chinese food in the most unconventional setting.

Kartik's luxury car is seen parked beside the food van and he's seen eating the food he had ordered from his car's bonnet. He's accompanied by a friend, who was the one who shot the video.

The actor even takes some food from his friend's plate and is heard saying: "Khaane ka documentary hota hai (Documentaries have been made on food)."

The actor was on the sets of 'Bigg Boss 15', hosted by superstar Salman Khan, to promote his upcoming film 'Dhamaka'.

On the work front, Kartik will be seen playing a television journalist in 'Dhamaka', directed by Ram Madhavani. The intense action thriller follows the story of TV anchor Arjun Pathak, who finds himself sinking in the quicksand of deceit, loss and trepidation after he is contacted by a terrorist who issues a threat to an entire city.

The film also stars Mrunal Thakur and Amruta Subhash. It is set to premiere on Netflix on November 19.

-- her parents, brother Tusshar and son Ravie.

"They believed in me with their whole heart and it is because of them I am who I am!" Ekta continued. "I want to thank my family, friends, my team at Balaji Telefilms and most importantly, the audience, for believing in me and supporting me."

She added: "I hope to always push the envelope, challenge norms, give talents a platform that they truly deserve, instill pride and give back to the country that has fuelled my ambition and dreams. JAI HIND." Legendary playback singer S.P. Balasubramaniam, 2021 Padma Shri recipient, was honoured posthumously.

A

ctress Ragini Nandwani of 'Mrs Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein' believes the job of an actor is not easy.

The actress feels that even though

the work opportunities are increasing, actors take up projects which they are most comfortable with because they can't do multiple jobs at the same time. She thinks it's

about the comfort of taking multiple jobs.

According to her, there are various aspects to be covered being an actor.

"I honestly believe if you have a good team and if you prioritise things, it's not that difficult so I think it's the team that matters in my case," she shared.

An actor hardly gets time for his or her emotional self despite delivering emotional scenes on-screen. "An actor's job is not easy I believe.

We work with all possible human emotions as a part of our job, so somewhere we get so neck deep with this that taking out time is a luxury at times. Talking about emotional self, I think as an actor, you leave all personal emotions at home because they can come in play during our work because we emote a particular character on screen," she said.

Actors are generally said to have more relationship issues. "I think any job you do, it's compatibility that makes or breaks a relationship.

Yes to an extent, the working hours are odd at times which the other person might have issues with. That can drift relationships at times. But again, it's all about understanding in every relationship, be it with an actor or anyone for that matter," she said.

ADVERTISE WITH US

0488-067-243

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

30

ENTERTAINMENT

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

Badshah, Divine, Mikey McCleary Rashmika Mandanna to board second episode of Tinder's 'Swipe Ride' give 'desi' touch to 'Red Notice' Instagram

Instagram

M

usicians Badshah, Divine, Jonita Gandhi and Mikey McCleary have collaborated with Universal Music India for a celebratory song titled 'Bachke Rehna Re Baba' for the upcoming action-packed Netflix film 'Red Notice'.

Rapper Badshah said: "The song 'Bachke Rehna Re Baba', the R.D. Burman classic, is a perfect song for the hustle of the streets. I am excited to finally see a Divine X Badshah collaboration coming through. I think it's a defining moment for the current music scene as well. And Jonita is just the icing on the cake."

Badshah feels 'Bachke Rehna Re Baba' acompliments the vibe of the film - fast paced and full of energy.

He added: "We had a great time remaking the song, giving it a modern desi bop vibe, and then shooting it.

We took a month to finish the entire song, from the brief to creating the mix and then the master.

"Divine is incredibly talented and I am glad to get this opportunity to work with him. We jammed with each other and with Jonita and Mikey on a couple of sessions to get the feel of the song right. Cannot wait to share it with the audience and for Red Notice to drop on Netflix soon."

The song is a groovy new take on the iconic Hindi Song 'Bachke Rehna Re Baba' highlighting the action and adventure packed hunt for Cleopatra's golden eggs which is at the core of the film.

This is the first time that Badshah and Divine have come together to create music, and have been supported by the charm of Jonita Gandhi and the musical brilliance of

Mikey McCleary.

Rapper and songwriter Divine said: "The original is a classic and adapting it to this new age version was a cool experience. Shooting it was another amazing experience as we took some interesting elements from the film and gave it a uniquely Indian twist. Hope the fans love it as much as we did creating it."

Inspired by the film, the video of the song showcases a thrilling heist and an intense chase for the golden eggs across various locations.

The video, directed by Reema Maya, captures the essence of the film and India perfectly through the action packed video. Just like the video, the artists had an adventure creating the song as they were actually in three different places when the song was made.

It was produced out of New York by Mikey McCleary while the singers were in Chandigarh, Goa and Mumbai.

"It is always a challenge to do justice to classics, and so singing the iconic hook line 'Bachke Rehna Re Baba' with added sass and attitude was a challenge that I was excited to tackle. I hope people enjoy our rendition!

Of course, having the support of the powerhouses that are my co artists on this one helped immensely," says singer Jonita Gandhi.

Adding to that, composer, music producer and artist, Mikey McCleary, said: "Our rendition of 'Bachke Rehna Re Baba' for Netflix's 'Red Notice' with Divine and Badshah is a combination of a timeless classic song and an original contemporary edgy rap track.

"I composed and produced the track remotely from New York with the artists recording from various locations in India. My aim was to create an exciting, cool and adrenaline-filled track which connects with the theme of the film, 'Red Notice'.

Everyone has done a great job and it's turned out terrifically."

T

inder's 'Swipe Ride' series is returning with its second episode featuring south Indian actress Rashmika Mandanna. The actress will join comedian and show host Kusha Kapila where they will discuss things related to dating like romantic gestures and Tinder profile red flags.

Talking about her appearance on the series, Rashmika said, "I had a blast shooting this hilarious episode with Kusha and Tinder member Anamika.

I think it's a wonderful platform for women to get candid about their dating lives, you never know what's going to resonate with you! I love the concept of the series, I'm confident viewers are going to enjoy watching such self assured and woke women dive into discussing modern dating."

Talking about the show's philosophy, Taru Kapoor, GM, Tinder and Match Group India said, "All women are wonderfully different and unique, and with the 'Swipe Ride' series, we want to celebrate and encourage the diverse perspectives of young Indian women and their dating journeys."

Tinder's 'Swipe Ride' series features Kusha Kapila as the show host in the driver's seat, offering members a pre-date drive where they delve into the nuances of dating in today's rapidly evolving world.

Bhumi feels lucky to get scripts very different from her debut film Instagram

Rani Mukerji completes 25 years in B'wood, says Vimmy her favourite character Instagram

I

t's been 25 years for Rani Mukerji in the movies. Along the course of her journey, the actress has played many a character, but, for her, Vimmy from the 'Bunty Aur Babli' franchise is one who's closest to her heart.

In a conversation with IANS, Rani said, "It's special that I have completed 25 years in cinema with the character that is probably closest to my heart. I feel I was born to play Vimmy. I remember I was blown away by her when 'Bunty Aur Babli' was first narrated to me.

Her energy, even from the pages of the script, was very infectious and I'm fortunate that I have her in my filmography."

The actress is reprising Vimmy's character in 'Bunty Aur Babli 2' "10 years from the time we left her in the first".

Turning the pages of time, Rani www.indianabroad.news

said: "Looking back at my journey in films, I feel blessed that I did the films that I worked in, and in a way, they're all special. I'm fortunate that I got a chance to collaborate creatively with some of the finest actors and technicians that the industry has ever seen. I'm proud that I've witnessed them and their work at such close proximity, learnt from them, and tried to be better with each passing film of mine, which I till date do."

About her journey in the industry, Rani told IANS: "I started when I was 16, I was really young then, I didn't think that I would be an actor but it was my mum's insistence that made me one, or rather made me take the plunge in the movie business.

Thank God for my mum that she recognised my passion earlier than I did."

Explaining how times have changed

since the time she made her debut in films, Rani said: "Going into films today for a lot of youngsters is looked upon as very cool. During the time I was growing up, and the time when I came into films, it wasn't a choice or a career option for most youngsters."

She added: "I think it was looked upon more as a profession to be taken up by people who came from a film background or by those whose parents were actors or film producers/directors. For someone like me, who is from the industry, it was still difficult because we were not really brought up in a filmy atmosphere."

Mentioning her idols, the actress said: "When I was growing up, I idolised Sridevi and Madhuri in films, for they came across as screen goddesses, and then to actually imagine me as an actress was tough because I really did not think I had the qualities that made for an Indian movie star."

On a thankful note, she added: "With changing times, movies change, and audiences accepted someone like me, who had a distinct voice and was short, compared to the standards which people used to judge Indian actresses. I am fortunate that my audiences have kept me going for the last 25 years."

Rani said her "loyal fans" had kept her relevant even today. "I think their love gives me the energy to keep going back on to the sets and giving my best," she said.

"Even at a time when I was having my baby, and I was not sure about going back to the arclights, it was my husband (Yash Raj Films boss Aditya Chopra) who reminded me of the fan following that I have and that I needed to go back again and face the camera because I am no longer Rani Mukerji the person, but Rani Mukerji the star that my fans have created," Rani said, signing off.

Rani will be seen with Saif Ali Khan in the soon-to-be-released 'Bunty Aur Babli 2'. The two will be chasing a con-artist duo, the new Bunty and Babli, played by Siddhant Chaturvedi and Sharvari, respectively. The film, directed by debutant Varun V. Sharma, is due for a theatrical release on November 19.

Y

oung Bollywood star Bhumi Pednekar is on a roll with a lineup of films such as 'Bheed', 'Badhaai Do', 'Govinda Naam Mera' and 'Raksha Bandhan', calls herself lucky to find scripts that are distinct right from her debut in 2015 with

'Dum Laga Ke Haisha'.

Bhumi said: "My slate of films will give audiences a unique theatrical experience with every project. I will have five releases on the big screen next year and all of them are super diverse and different from each

other.

"I have been lucky to have always found scripts that are distinct right from my debut and next year I will be able to give audiences five very different sides to my personality through the characters that I'm playing on screen."

She added that she is really excited about these films.

Bhumi is happy that the theatres are bouncing back to business.

"This is the best news for the industry that has suffered a lot because of Covid-19. People want to see good cinema and the success of 'Sooryavanshi' proves just that.

I was always confident that people will return to the theatres and people are feeling safe to do so now.

"They will keep coming in to see good cinema and want to relive the theatrical experience. I'm fortunate that I have some really quality films under my belt to give to audiences next year," she added.

Subscribe to Us

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To Subscribe to Indian Abroad Complete, cut along the perforated line, and mail this form to the address below. You can even scan and email this form to us.

Indian Abroad Suite 57/1 laver drive, Robina, Queensland - 4226.

Or e-mail subscription@indianabroad.news Delivery Information Name* ____________________________________________________ Address* ______________________________________________________ City/Town* _________________________________ State* __________ Postal code ________________ Country ____________________________ Telephone* (____) ________________ E-Mail address ___________________________ Duration of Subscription (please tick)  6 months - $12  One year - $22  Two years - $40 Payment Information I wish to pay by cheque, which is enclosed, $ ________________ to Dr Ramana Panda of Indian Abroad Or my credit card below can be debited by the said amount  Visa

 MasterCard

 American Express

Card Security Code: ________________

 Diners Club

Card Number: ___________________________

Name on Card: ___________________________

Expiry Date: ________________

Customer’s / Cardholder’s Signature ___________________________ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

31

ADVERTISEMENT

Vol 1, Issue 19 Nov 16 -30, 2021

OUR TEAM • Male and Female GPs • Psychiatrist and Psychologists • Diabetes Educator • Podiatrist and Dietician

We Bulk Bill Time Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri 7am to 6pm

OUR SERVICES • Skin cancer Clinic • Well Woman Clinic • Health Checks • Antenatal and Postnatal care • New Baby checks • Travel immunizations • Diabetes Clinic • Chronic disease Management • Employment and Work cover Book online

Thursday 8am to 7pm Saturday and Sunday 8am – 3pm www.indianabroad.news

/IndianAbroadNews

/indianabroadnews

32