Indian Abroad - March 1-15, 2021; Vol 1 Issue 2

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Vol 1, Issue 2, March 1-15, 2021

MORE STORIES ONLINE www.indianabroad.news PUBLISHED FORTNIGHTLY DAILY UPDATES ONLINE

Ritu Phogat shares 5 essential self-defense tips for women - Page 4

Myanmar envoy to UN defies military regime, denounces coup - Page 10

NE will be India’s growth hub: Shah - Page 12

Modi receives his 1st Covid Women’s Day Special vaccine dose at AIIMS Good Girls: A tale of what it means to be a woman in modern India

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rime Minister Narendra Modi received the first dose of Covid vaccine here at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Monday, leading the country in the third phase of the inoculation drive as a massive chunk of population aged above 60 and those above 45 with comorbidities prepare to take the shots.

Modi was administered Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. “Took my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at AIIMS,” he informed on Twitter.

At the time of the vaccination, Modi wore a “gamchha” (scarf) from Assam, which is regarded as a symbol of blessings of women from Assam. The Prime Minister

has been seen wearing it on many occasions. The vaccine dose was administered by a nurse from Puducherry P. Niveda, who was assisted by another nurse from Kerala Rosamma Anil.

The Prime Minister decided to get the jab at 6.25 a.m. to avoid media glare as scores of people could be queuing up at the hospital. He remained under observation for half an hour in the hospital and left around 7 a.m.

“Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in quick time to strengthen the global fight against COVID-19,” Modi later wrote on Twitter.

Continued on Page 5

Farmers worried as numbers fall at protest sites

Designer Tarun Tahiliani to sell 33% stake to Aditya Birla Fashion Page 19

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) More than three months have passed since the farmers agitation began. At present the number of people at the Ghazipur Border appears to be thinning, particularly in the last one month.

In fact this has been the case at the sites of protest on Delhi’s borders ever since the violence on Republic Day, January 26. At the Ghazipur Border in particular, the numbers have reduced signficantly compared to the same date last month.

Manasa Varanasi bags Miss India World 2020 title - Page 20

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According to the farmers on the border, the number of agitators at the protest sites keeps changing since the farmers keep coming and going, particularly in the har-

vest season.

When we asked Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) media in-charge Dharmendra Malik about the dwindling numbers, he said: “We are organising a rally at Saharanpur on Sunday in which Rakesh Tikait will also participate. That is why most farmers have gone there.

Let two panchayats be over, the crowds will again begin arriving to the Ghazipur border. At present, 20-25 tractors are about to reach the Ghazipur border.”

Ghazipur Kisan Andolan Committee (KAC) leader Jagtar Singh Bajwa told IANS: “Who says that the crowds have reduced? Please go to the stage and see for Continued on Page 5

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New Delhi, Feb 19 (IANS) She was in London when she saw the image of the hanging children, aged 16 and 14, circulating on Twitter.

Though she had planned to write a book about the wave of sexual violence, seeing that visual of two teenage girls -- Padma and Lalli who disappeared from their home in the village of Katra Sadatganj in Uttar Pradesh, author Sonia Faleiro felt that this case, coming barely two years after the 2012 Delhi bus rape, could serve as the focus of her next book -- the recently released ‘The Good Girls: An Ordinary Killing’ (Hamish Hamilton/Penguin Random House India).

Faleiro flew down from London to Continued on Page 5

NITI Aayog propose vax price between Rs 300-500 New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) The NITI Aayog has promulgated a price range of Rs 300-500 for two Covid vaccines that would be available for the priority group at private facilities in the third phase of vaccination set to begin from March 1, sources privy to the development told IANS, adding that the Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin would cost a bit higher.

However, the union health ministry would take a final call on the proposition.

The proposed price has been floated after a five-hour long meeting held between the Dr VK Paul, member (health), NITI Aayog and officials from Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech on Friday evening, which was concluded around 11 p.m., sources added.

“This would be the price end-user would pay for a dose. It includes the service charge the private facilities can take from the beneficiaries,” a top official said.

IANS had reported earlier that private facilities will be able to collect a “service charge” of up to Rs 100 from the beneficiaries to meet the operational expenses they will be incurring during the vaccination drive against Covid-19. This will be in addition to the cost of the vaccines.

As per reports, the government has been procuring SII’s Covishield

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for around Rs 210 per dose while the cost of Covaxin is around Rs 290 for a shot.

The third phase of vaccination will begin from March 1 and will cover 27 crore people above 60 years of age and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities at 10,000 government and over 20,000 private vaccination centres.

The government has decided that the people will be vaccinated free of cost at the government hospitals, while those taking the shots at private hospitals will have to pay.

The vaccines will be stored at public health facilities having cold chain points. The private facilities will be able to receive the desired doses from public hospitals in their vicinity.

Akin to the previous priority groups, healthcare and frontline workers, the general public as well will not be given a choice among the two vaccines. However, the people can make a choice between the centres where they are willing to take the jab, officials told IANS.

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Vol 1, Issue 2, March 1-15, 2021

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Covid Vaccine

Interval between Oxford Covid doses can be safely extended to 3 months: Lancet

Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine found 94% effective in real world

London, Feb 20 (IANS) A threemonth interval between doses of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine resulted in higher vaccine efficacy than a six-week interval, reveals The Lancet study.

According to the findings from a phase 3 randomised controlled trial, the first dose offered 76 per cent protection in the three months between doses.

The interval between doses can be safely extended to three months given the protection a single dose offers, which may allow countries to vaccinate a larger proportion of the population more rapidly, the researchers said.

“Where there is a limited supply, policies of initially vaccinating more people with a single dose may provide greater immediate population protection than vaccinating half the number of people with 2 doses,” said lead author Andrew Pollard from the University of Oxford, UK. “In the long term, a second dose should ensure long-lived immunity, and so we encourage everyone who has had their first vaccine to ensure they receive both dose,” Pollard added.A For the study, the team combined data from randomised controlled trials in the UK, Brazil, and South

Africa, including more than 17,000 people.

group vs 76/3,856 cases in the control group).

Participants either received two standard doses of the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine (8,597 participants) or a control vaccine/saline placebo (8,581).A

Efficacy results were supported by immune response results in 18-55 year olds, which found that binding antibody responses were more than two-fold higher in the group having their two vaccines with a longer delay.

Looking at the interval between two standard doses and its impact on efficacy, participants who were given their doses 12 or more weeks apart had greater protection (81 per cent, based on 8/1,293 cases in the Covid-19 vaccine group vs 45/1,356 cases in the control group), than people given their two doses less than 6 weeks apart (55 per cent, based on 35/3,890 cases in the Covid-19 vaccine

Following a single standard vaccine dose, vaccine efficacy from 22 days to 3 months after vaccination was 76 per cent (based on 17/9,257 cases in the Covid-19 vaccine group vs 71/9,237 cases in the control group), and modelling indicated that this protection did not reduce over the 3 months.

Covid grips Maha hostel, 229 students test positive

New York, Feb 25 (IANS) Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine showed 94 per cent efficacy in a real world study conducted in Israel involving 1.2 million people.

The findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that the vaccine performed as well as it did in the clinical trials.

In this study, all persons who were newly vaccinated during the period from December 20, 2020, to February 1, 2021, were matched to unvaccinated controls in a 1:1 ratio according to demographic and clinical characteristics. Each study group included 596,618 persons.

Study outcomes included documented infection with SARSCoV-2, symptomatic Covid-19, Covid-19-related hospitalisation, severe illness, and death.

The researchers analysed data from Clalit Health Services (CHS), the largest of four integrated health care organisations in Israel.

That a vaccine will perform as well in the real world as it does in the

highly controlled setting of a clinical trial is not a given, noted senior author Ran Balicer, Director of the Clalit Research Institute of Israel, health news site STAT reported on Wednesday.

Estimated vaccine effectiveness during the follow-up period starting seven days after the second dose was 92 per cent for documented infection, 94 per cent for symptomatic Covid-19, 87 per cent for hospitalisation, and 92 per cent for severe Covid-19, said the study.

The researchers estimated that the vaccine effectiveness was similar for adults 70 years of age or older and for younger age groups for the same time period.

“This study estimates a high effectiveness of the BNT162b2 vaccine for preventing symptomatic Covid-19 in a noncontrolled setting, similar to the vaccine efficacy reported in the randomized trial,” wrote the researchers.

“Our study also suggests that effectiveness is high for the more serious outcomes: hospitalisation, severe illness, and death.”

Washim (Maharashtra), Feb 25 (IANS) Amid a fresh spurt in Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra, a staggering 229 students, 4 teachers and some non-teaching staffers have tested positive in a residential school hostel in Washim, an official said here on Thursday.

The cases have been reported from the residential school-cumhostel at Degaon village in Risod tehsil, sending shockwaves in district health circles.

Washim Collector Shanmugarajan S. rushed to the site on Wednesday night to review the situation with the school and local authorities, the containment measures taken and other precautions to prevent further spread among the student-teacher community and others in the village.

The residential school-hostel has around 325 students mainly from neighbouring districts living there and the cases were detected in the past couple of days.

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The premises have now been isolated, and all Covid-19 protocols and SOPs are being strictly

implemented here, said the district official, requesting anonymity.

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Women’s Day Special

Good Girls: A tale of what it means to be a woman in modern India Continued from Page 5 Delhi and then drove six hours to the girls’ village, Katra Sadatganj, in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, expecting to stay only a few days. But by the end of that trip it was clear that nothing was as it seemed. “I was then faced with a choice between choosing another case or digging deeper into this one. I decided to stay with the Katra case, and over the next few months it became clear that the story of the girls and of how their lives were impacted by gender, caste, politics, notions of honour, and the threat of violence, was really the story of what it meant to be a woman in modern India,” she recalls.

An experienced journalist, the writer reported the case over four years and interviewed more than a hundred people, many of them repeatedly. Supplementing this material with more than 3,272 pages of official records, she says it was a gruelling process, complicated by the fact that many individuals who were central to the events of the night the children went missing and kept changing their stories. “The main challenge was to pin down a clear and accurate narrative, the writing came

much later,” says Faleiro, who will be speaking during the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF).

Ask Faleiro, who also has to her credit non-fiction titles including ‘Beautiful Thing: Inside the Secret World of Bombay’s Dance Bars’, ‘13 Men’ and the fiction ‘The Girl’ if it was easy to keep herself ‘absent in the text’, and she says, “It was a conscious decision in order to allow the story to unfold naturally and to allow facts to speak for themselves.”

Stressing that it is important that she is moved and intrigued enough to want to stay with the subject matter for at least five years, as that is how long it takes her to write a book, Faleiro adds, “In the case of ‘Good Girls’, I had been thinking about writing about sexual violence in India for a while.

And with ‘Beautiful Thing’, I had already been writing about bar dancers, when the ban came around. I knew that I needed to chronicle its impact on the thousands of women whose livelihoods were destroyed.”

Agreeing that it is not easy to move away from the many complex characters in her works once the writing is over, the Lon-

don-based author says, “But it’s important in order to maintain my objectivity and also to allow myself to become immersed in my next reporting project.”

While the series of lockdowns in London may be a struggle at times, there’s plenty to keep Faleiro occupied including new writing and walks in the park with her dog.

“I have recently published pieces with the New Yorker and Time, and am thinking about a new non-fiction book.”

According to Phogat, martial arts is important because it has a host of benefits to offer in our lives.

If a would-be attacker were to rush up on Phogat in a dark alley in the middle of the night, chances are, that attacker would be unconscious within a minute.

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Here are five essential self-defense tips The ONE Championship female atomweight star shares with IANSlife.

Learn martial arts

“It’s the same in situations where attackers want to do you harm.

They are in a situation where they feel they have to do these things, or where they aren’t thinking clearly and are under the influence. If you don’t have to put yourself at risk, don’t. The best option is to flee and seek help or seek safety. Authorities are there for a reason.”

In order to enhance your martial arts skills, you need to put in the hours at the gym, honing every single technique, going through every situation in your mind, and preparing yourself both physically and mentally to apply your skills in the right manner.

“Learning how to fight is 80% in the gym, and 20% in an actual fight.

The preparation is more important than the fight itself. If you work hard on your skills in the gym, fights are easy,” says Phogat.

en to pick up martial arts, whether that be her base discipline of wrestling, or striking disciplines such as Muay Thai and boxing. Today, Phogat is one of the fastest rising mixed martial arts (MMA) talents in the world, which combines different martial arts disciplines together in a seamless fighting style.

In these modern times, Phogat says women should have the capability and skills to physically defend themselves as well as those around them from threats and attacks. She believes that, through the power of martial arts, women will gain more confidence and learn how to protect themselves from anything.

ing, after the fact,” says Phogat.

Of course, you’re going to want to put your newly developed skills to the test. There’s no better place to try them out than in the safe and controlled environment of the gym.

In the gym, you have training equipment such as heavy bags, speed bags, focus mitts, and the like to sharpen your weapons. You also have sparring partners and gym mates to simulate self-defense situations so you know exactly what to do in any case presented.

Ritu Phogat shares 5 essential self-defense tips for women

February 21, 2021 (IANSlife) The knowledge of self-defense is a basic human right that everyone should have access to, especially women, believes ‘The Indian Tigress’ Ritu Phogat, a wrestling champion and a superstar from India. From a young age, she was taught how to wrestle by her father, Mahavir Singh Phogat. Since then, she has gone on to garner countless accolades in the sport.

Practice in the gym

“You will one hundred percent gain the confidence of knowing how to defend yourself. You won’t have to rely on anyone to protect you in the most volatile of situations.

You will have the skills and the knowledge of how to handle even attackers who are bigger and more physically imposing. You’ll also be able to protect the people you love,” says Phogat.

“You can practice certain self-defense situations with your gym mates, friends, and instructors, so that when it comes time to actually put those skills into use, you know exactly how to utilize them.

You know that when your attacker is charging at you, you can use his momentum against him. If he has you in a hold or in a choke, you have the right technique to break free and reverse the situation.”

Get help from authorities Phogat, however, stresses that even with self-defense capabilities, the first response to any situation that could potentially become physical should be to diffuse. If you can walk away from the situation with a cool head, it is certainly the best option.

Another option to diffuse a volatile situation is seeking help from authorities. Authorities are there to keep peace and order, and can certainly help protect you and your attacker from any unnecessary altercation.

“Whenever you can, just avoid fighting altogether. It’s not worth the hassle if you can avoid it all, and everyone can go home safely to their own beds. Physical altercations usually happen when one side is not in the right frame of mind, or not thinking clearly enough. When cooler heads prevail, that’s when you regret fight-

Build your strength If you must fight, however, Phogat says you need to also be physically strong enough to apply the skills you’ve learned in the gym.

The stronger you are, the faster you are, and the more powerful you are, the better your chances of success.

Building strength and conditioning is essential to every martial artist.

That means developing strength in your muscles, learning how to use leverage, activating your fast-twitch muscle fibers, and enhancing your cardiovascular endurance. These all work together to turn you into a fighting machine.

“Martial arts and physical fitness are synonymous to each other.

You have to be physically fit and capable if you want to apply your martial arts skills. At the same time, martial arts will see to it that you do get your health in order, and that you unleash your full physical potential,” says Phogat.

“Don’t sell yourself short. Your attackers may be big guys. They may appear more imposing. But with technique, knowledge of leverage, and experience, you can be much stronger, even if it doesn’t look like it at first. People will be surprised with your strength and speed.”

Seek the fastest end In any fight, Phogat explains, you must always seek the fastest end that causes the least amount of damage to all parties involved, including your attacker. Remember that the objective is to incapacitate your attacker and then seek safety immediately. You don’t want to draw out a fight when you don’t need to.

“Obviously, if you have to fight, then fight to win. A fight to the end matters quickly and decisively. This could mean knocking someone out, or incapacitating them with a choke or with a joint lock. The goal is to get them to stop attacking you,” says Phogat.

“Other benefits of martial arts include increased sharpness and focus, enhanced reflexes and athleticism, physical strength, a stronger immune system, and a more positive outlook on life.”

Being a lifelong martial artist, Phogat is inclined to advise wom-

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Thrilling new saga of a Women’s Day Special fierce, modern yogini On Women’s Day, read stories launched

of real, unapologetic women

apologetic and real, they embrace the entire range of the human experience, from the sweetest of loves and sacrifices to the most horrific of crimes.

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head of the International Women’s Day on March 8, two collections of short stories of flawed, rebellious and most importantly real women, are set to be published by Penguin.

The new titles -- “Women Who Misbehave” and “Impetuous Women” -- are stories of women who step across the Laxman Rekha, who are unapologetic, strong and unconventional but always flawed.

“Women Who Misbehave” is written by Sayantani Dasgupta, an assistant professor of Creative Writing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and much like the women within its pages, contains multitudes and contradictions. At a party to celebrate

“Impetuous Women” by Shikhandin (the nom de plume of an Indian writer who writes for adults and children) is about women who step across the Lakshman Rekha, whose transgressions fly in the face of the establishment, the patriarchy, often their own families and loved ones. her friend’s wedding anniversary, a young woman spills a dangerous secret. A group of girls mourns the loss of their strange, mysterious neighbour. A dutiful daughter seeks to impress her father even as she escapes his reach. A wife weighs the odds of staying in her marriage when both her reality and the alternative are equally frightening. An aunt comes to terms with an impulsive mistake committed decades ago.

In this wildly original and hauntingly subversive collection of short stories, Sayantani Dasgupta brings to life unforgettable women and their quest for agency. They are violent and nurturing, sacred and profane. They are friends, lovers, wives, sisters and mothers. Un-

From two housewives who play a potentially lethal game of keeping up to an expert baker who serves revenge with chocolate sprinkles on top; from a stern hostel warden who examines her relationship with the teenagers she must surveil to a grouchy widow shuts out the world; From a couple madly in love and desperate for a bit of privacy to a tender bond between a husband and wife, these stories create an unforgettable portrait of modern-day India and the experiential realities of being impetuous, of being women.

This darkly comic, thrillingly tragic collection of stories is sensuous, bittersweet and whimsical by turns, and always wildly, subversively original.

Bombay HC: Wife not a ‘chattel’ of husband

Mumbai, Feb 25 (IANS) While ruling that a wife’s refusal to make tea for her husband would not amount to a grave and sudden provocation for killing her, the Bombay High Court sharply observed that a wife is not the husband’s property required to all the household work.

Upholding a judgement of a lower court awarding a 10-year jail to a Solapur man for assaulting his wife with a hammer as she refused to make tea for him and she later succumbed to her injuries, Bombay High Court Justice Revati Mohite-Dere commented on such instances of how a wife is treated like a ‘chattel or an object’, displaying the ‘skewed patriarcy’ in a marital relationship.

“Marriage ideally is a partnership based on equality. More often than not, it is far from that...Such cases reflect the imbalance of gender-skewed patriarchy, the socio-cultural milieu, one has grown up in, which often seeps

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into a marital relationship,” Justice Mohite-Dere ruled.

She said that there is ‘imbalance of gender roles’ where the wife as a home-maker is expected to do all the household chores, coupled with the emotional labour.

Coupled with such imbalances in the equation is the imbalance of expectation and subjugation and social conditions of women also make them ‘handover’ themselves to their spouses, which is a ‘midieval and patriarchical notion’ of the wife being the property of the husband to do as he wishes.

In the present case, the accused - Santosh M. Atkar, 35 - had clobbered his wife Manisha with a hammer on Dec. 19, 2013, around 6.00 am, after a quarrel as she was leaving the home without making tea for him.

Their 6-year old daughter Rohini was a witness to the incident and later Atkar rushed his injured wife Manish to the Vitthal Hospital and

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eplete with all elements of a mythological sci-fi thriller, USA-based Indian author Dinkar Goswami’s new novel “Dwandv: The Battle for the Gate” is the compelling story of an American yogini set upon a challenging odyssey in the Himalayas.

Launched a few weeks before the International Women’s Day, the book follows the powerful female protagonist who climbs the great Himalayan heights and escapes treachery, hardship and loss as she races against time. The book also includes narratives on single motherhood in the face of adversity, set in the universe of mythology and fantasy.

As the book unfolds, readers join Gerua and her five-year-old son Danta on a quest of defeating a demonic army and averting devastation on Earth.

According to the author, the protagonist is a young American woman who has Indian roots. “As you read about her in ‘Battle for the Gate’, you will realise how and why I chose her. Only an extraordinary woman like her could have fitted the role,” Goswami told IANS.

The son of an economist and an art teacher, Dinkar was influenced by his yogi grandfather at an early age who helped him realise the importance of the knowledge about the human spirit, and how to develop this through yoga.

The book is dotted with elements of history, yoga, technology and the cosmos. In the book’s universe, she is up against Bubba, a sinister master tantric aghori consumed by power and backed by the demonic army.

“Today’s science fiction may be tomorrow’s reality. The domain of science fiction is not just our world but the universe. Endless imagination. I watch movies. I also read. I have long desired to write a novel. So, I chose a subject -- Vital Knowledge of yoga, which some say is the science of the spirit. But that aspect of this Vital knowledge is complex. Because understanding this aspect is a huge endeavor.

I tried to make it simple and exciting to read so it is enjoyable.”

‘Dwandv’ is marketed and distributed by Brand Inspire and launched last week.

Price: Rs 399, Pages: 320

later to the Civil Hospital where she breathed her last after a week (Dec. 25, 2013).

During her treatment, Manisha had informed her Machhindra Waghmare of the circumstances leading to her injuries after which he lodged a complaint with Pandharpur Police Station.

The Pandharpur District Sessions Court Additional Sessions Judge tried the case and finally in July 2016, awarded Atkar 10-years’ rigorous imprisonment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other charges.

Filing an appeal before the Bombay HC, Atkar contended that the act was committed by the sudden and grave provocation of the deceased (Manisha) when she refused to make tea and hence his sentence should be reduced to the period already served by him.

Rejecting the contentions by Atkar as ‘ludicrous, clearly untenable and unsustainable’, Justice

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Mohite-Dere also perused the daughter Rohini’s evidence as a ‘natural witness’, and ruled that no

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interference was warranted in the matter.

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Farmers Protest Continous

Ready for harsh summer, farmers put up tents at Ghazipur New Delhi, Feb 25 (IANS) More than 90 days have passed since farmers began their agitation on the borders of the national Capital.

With every passing day, the nature of the problems they face also changes.

New Delhi, Feb 23 (IANS) When Naresh Tikait, the national president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, reached the Ghazipur border to meet farmers agitating against the three farm laws on Tuesday, he was given a traditional welcome with drum beats.

While talking to IANS, Tikait said, “If this is government remains, our land will not remain with us. The Prime Minister and the Home Minister should change their advisors and seek their opinion.”

Having weathered the vagaries of Delhi’s chilling cold, farmers are now facing the harsh sun during the day. So, on Thursday, to fight the harsh sun, the farmers erected a tent in front of the main stage at Ghazipur border.

One of the farm leaders told IANS: “Actually many media reports claimed that farmers had deserted the protest site. But the facts are otherwise. Owing to the harsh sun, the activists were retreating into the shade. Now that the stage is shielded from the sun, the number of activists in front of the stage

If this govt remains, we will lose our land: Naresh Tikait

is again swelling.”

Apart from a tent, the farmers at the border are also equipping themselves with coolers and fans in the tents so that those participating in the agitation are not inconvenienced.

Thousands of farmers from across the country have been camping at the national Capital’s borders against the three farm laws, since November 26 last year. Eleven rounds of talks between farmers and the government so far have not made any headway.

Farmers angry over govt notices, closure of roads

Over the last three months, the dialogue between the government and the farmers has stopped, but the agitation refuses to die down.

“It is our compulsion to sit in protest. More than 200 people have sacrificed their lives. Our elderly have been sitting here in harsh winter. We will not allow all this to go waste.”

Why is there no dialogue between the government and the people any longer? In response to this question, Tikait said, “This is the responsibility of the government, it is in their hands. If they have made such a bill, why didn’t they do it after consulting farmers? What will happen if the farmer is on the verge of ruination?”

Tikait expressed concern over farmers losing their land, “We are trying to save our land. If this is the government, we will not have our land. What will we do then? The issue of contract farming is very dirty. Everything is in writing. The farmer will be ruined and become a pauper.”

What is the problem with amendments and the proposal of a 18-month moratorium? In response to this question, Tikait said, “We are saying that instead of 18 months they should repeal the law completely. If the guarantee on MSP becomes a law, everything will be resolved.”

Will the farmers’ anger spill over in the elections to be held this year?

“Absolutely. The government will have to do a lot to persuade those angry with it. “ Tikait sees this as a battle of self-esteem. Recently, farmers had to destroy their own crop. “This kind of a step is taken in a very difficult situation. It is a suicide-like step for a farmer to destroy something he has nurtured like a child,” says Tikait.

Tikait described Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah as important and responsible people. “Both of them are running the government. We would say that a good advisor

Will march to Parliament if farm laws not repealed: Rakesh Tikait

T

he anger of the protesting farmers has started to boil over after three months of the agitation as they are upset with the government and the police over closure of the main roads at Ghazipur border and notices sent to several protesters.

among our colleagues in the entire peasant movement.”

Farmer leaders held a press conference at Ghazipur border expressing displeasure over notices by the government sent to protesters for involvement in the January 26 violence.

“Have faith in a democratic country, stop harassing people in support of the movement.”

Farmer leader Jagtar Singh Bajwa said, “The police and the central government have crossed the limits of dictatorship. The government is working to suppress the movement, there is resentment

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Giving an example, Bajwa said, “A woman has got a notice and she has works in Delhi. Just because her phone was active in the area on Republic Day, she was sent a notice for it.”

Farmer leaders have made it clear that the people to whom notices are being sent should refuse arrest. A legal panel set up by farmers will respond to these notices.

Appealing to those who have got the notices, the farmer leaders told them not to attend the inquiry without a lawyer. Farmer leaders

on the Ghazipur border claim notices have been sent to more than 100 farmers while notices for inciting violence have been sent to 1,700 farmers across the country.

The farmers said that a panel of 10 lawyers from Punjab is reaching the Ghazipur border by this evening which will inform the farmers about the issues related to the legal action.

Farmer leaders also expressed their displeasure at the closure of roads as they say it has been three months since they have been protesting on the roads but they do not want to disturb the local people.

Farmers have appealed for roads to be reopened on the border.

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haratiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait has said that the farmers would march to the Parliament if the three agricultural laws are not taken back.

IANS spoke to Tikait and he said, “A call would be made for taking farm protests to the Parliament.”

Tikait claimed that farmers would do farming on the lawns located near Parliament and when the crop would mature, the govern-

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ment could analyse the financial yield of the crop.

He further said that a Parliamentary Standing Committee should be formed and monitor this and then the government would get to know about the gains and losses related to it.

While speaking to IANS, Tikait also said that the movement would spread to other states such as Telangana, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.

6

LEAD STORIES

Vol 1, Issue 2, March 1-15, 2021

Hackers hit SBI users with text phishing scam Farmers worried as numbers fall at protest sites

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everal users of the State Bank of India (SBI) have been targeted with a phishing scam where hackers have flooded them with suspicious text messages, requesting them to redeem their SBI credit points worth Rs 9,870.

The link associated with the text messages redirects the user to a fake website and on the landing page, the user is asked to submit personal information along with sensitive financial details like card number, expiry date, CVV and Mpin in a ‘State Bank of India Fill Your Details’ form. yourself. The programme hasn’t yet begun, but there are people sitting there already. Since there is a Mahapanchayat in Baghpat, people from that area have gone there. Farmers are also heading to the Mahapanchayat in Rudrapur two days later.”

Farmer leaders may or may not agree, but the empty tents at the Ghazipur Border provide ample testimony to the fact that the number of farmers in the agitation has come down significantly.

Although the numbers used to increase on the weekend, but that is not happening any longer.

On the other hand, Rakesh Tikait has begun attending Mahapanchayats at other places. Except the days when he is present, neither do the farmers appear too enthusiastic, nor are their numbers high.

On Feb 19, a meeting was called by farmer organisations at Ghazipur Border in which district heads from Meerut, Saharanpur and Murad-

abad had participated. In this meeting, in light of the dwindling numbers, it was decided that the leadership will try and stop this slide and won’t let the movement weaken.

BKU national spokesman Rakesh Tikait has also been saying: “More than farming, the focus must be on the movement. To ensure that the farmers’ work is not ignored when they come to the agitation a panel has been formed. According to the panel four families will look after his farm when he comes here.”

With the rising mercury, farmers were not being seen in front of the stage. Now a shed has been built to solve this problem and shield the farmers from the harsh summer heat.

Farmers have been protesting against the Centre’s three farm laws on Delhi’s borders since November 26.

According to the investigation by New Delhi-based think tank CyberPeace Foundation along with Autobot Infosec Private Ltd, the website collects data directly without any verification and is registered by a third party instead of having the registrant organisation name of State Bank of India, making it all the more suspicious.

“Moreover, according to SBI, they never communicate with their customers via SMS or emails containing links with regard to the user’s account. Any reputed banking entity also does not use Wordpress like CMS technologies on their official website for security

reasons,” the foundation said.

The personal information sought on the malicious website is name, registered mobile number, email, email password and date of birth.

After the form is submitted, the user is directed to a “thank you” page.

“The domain name of the website can be traced to India, and the registrant state was found to be Tamil Nadu,” the report mentioned.

According to the report, it was observed that the form takes user inputs without performing basic validation of data type.

For example, the registered mobile number field, which should only

accept numerical values also accepts text input. This can also be confirmed from the source code, where the input type for the field is mentioned as ‘text’ instead of ‘number’ or ‘tel’.

“The email password field shows the entered password in clear text instead of keeping the characters hidden. A similar source code observation is noted,” it added.

“The card number field accepts an infinite number of digits instead of only 16 digits, which SBI cards usually have. All these instances of negligence clearly indicate bad coding practice,” the foundation said.

Modi receives his 1st Covid vaccine dose at AIIMS

Felt honoured after vaccinating PM: AIIMS Nurse

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t was a moment of great surprise for P.Niveda, nursing officer at AIIMS here, when she was asked to administer the first shot of vaccine to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday morning.

She learned about vaccinating the Prime Minister only minutes before his arrival to the hospital.

“I am posted at the vaccine centre.

I was called. We found out PM sir is coming today. It was great to meet PM sir,” she said.

Niveda said that for her, inoculating Modi was a moment of great surprise and of honour.

Modi reached early around 6.30 a.m. for his immunization under phase three which has been initiated in the country from Monday covering 27 crore people aged above 60 and those above 45 with comorbidities.

Hailing from Puducherry, Niveda was the main nurse to inoculate

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Modi. She has been with the hospital for the last three years.

Niveda said that the Prime Minister chatted with the staff and remarked after receiving the dose: “Laga bhi diya aur pata bhi nahin chala (Already done? I didn’t even feel it).”

“He asked where we are from and interacted with us,” she added.

Modi took indigenous homegrown vaccine for Covid-19, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin at AIIMS. Niveda said that he will need the second dose in 28 days for full immunisation against the viral disease.

“Took my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at AIIMS,” Modi informed on his Twitter handle.

“Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in quick time to strengthen the global fight against COVID-19,” Modi added.

He also appealed that those who could take vaccines should come forward for it. “I appeal to all those who are eligible to take the vaccine. Together, let us make India COVID-19 free,” Modi said.

The ongoing vaccination drive will now reach to around 27 crore people who are on the list of priority for vaccination after the healthcare and frontline workers, starting Monday.

Vaccination will be provided free of charge at the government health facilities and will be on a payment basis in the private health facilities.

/IndianAbroadNews

All private hospitals can charge Rs 150 for vaccines and Rs 100 for service charges fixed by the central government.

Around 10,000 hospitals empanelled under Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY and 687 hospitals under CGHS can be used by states as Covid vaccination centres (CVCs).

The COWIN portal will provide the facility for booking an appointment based on the vaccination centres declared by the states/ UTs, with their location, the dates on which appointment slots are provided and the capacity

/indianabroadnews

declared as open slots and the vacancies available at the time of booking.

Besides, all beneficiaries, regardless of the mode of access, i.e through online registration or mobilization through on-site registration are advised to carry the following for verification at the time of vaccination -- Aadhar Card, Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC); and Certificate of comorbidity for citizens in the age group of 45 years to 59 years.

7

INDIA

Vol 1, Issue 2, March 1-15, 2021

Govt comes up with stricter norms for social media, OTT

After 20 years in jail, UP man found ‘wrongly convicted’

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he Union Government on Thursday came up with new stringent guidelines for social media platforms along with code of ethics for over-the-top (OTT) platforms and digital media.

Addressing the media, the Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that social media platforms will be classified under two categories - social media intermediaries and significant social media intermediaries - with the latter being subject to greater obligations.

The government will soon notify a list of significant social media intermediaries soon, the minister said, adding that platforms with a “significant” number of users will be classified as significant social media intermediaries. A benchmark number would be set for the classification, he said.

The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 mandate that the intermediaries, including social media intermediaries must establish a grievance redressal mechanism for receiving resolving complaints from the users or victims.

Intermediaries will have to appoint a Grievance Officer to deal with such complaints and share the name and contact details of such officer. Grievance Officer shall acknowledge the complaint within twenty-four hours and resolve it within fifteen days from its receipt, said an official statement.

As per the new norms “an intermediary upon receiving actual knowledge in the form of an order by a court or being notified by the appropriate government should not host or publish any information which is prohibited under any law

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in relation to the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, public order, friendly relations with foreign countries etc.”

Further, significant social media intermediaries providing services primarily in the nature of messaging shall enable identification of the originator of the information that is required only offences related to sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, or public order or of incitement to an offence relating to rape, sexually explicit material or child sexual abuse.

The norm would be applicable to offences under which an offender would be punishable with imprisonment for a term of not less than five years.

Intermediary shall not be required to disclose the contents of any message or any other information to the first originator, said the statement.

Further, the significant platforms will have to appoint a Chief Compliance Officer, a Nodal Contact Person, a Resident Grievance Officer.

The platforms would also have to publish a monthly compliance report mentioning the details of complaints received and action taken on the complaints as well as details of contents removed proactively by the significant social media intermediary.

In cases where significant social media intermediaries remove or disable access to any information on their own accord, then a prior intimation for the same shall be communicated to the user who has shared that information with a notice explaining the grounds and reasons for such action.

Users must be provided an adequate and reasonable opportunity to dispute the action taken by the intermediary, as per the new norms.

The rules will come in effect from the date of their publication in the gazette, except for the additional due diligence for significant social media intermediaries, which shall come in effect 3 months after publication of these Rules.

Further, on the online news, OTT platforms and digital media platforms, the government has set up three-level grievance redressal mechanism has been under the rules with different levels of self-regulation. The levels are self-regulation by the publishers, self-regulation by the self-regulating bodies of the publishers, oversight mechanism self-classification of content.

A per the Code of Ethics, the publisher shall appoint a Grievance Redressal Officer based in India who shall be responsible for the redressal of grievances received by it.

43-year-old man from Lalitpur, ‘wrongly convicted’ in a rape case, has finally been acquitted by the Allahabad High Court after spending 20 years in jail.

case remained ‘defective’ for 16 years and could not be heard.

The man has been lodged in the Agra jail since the past two decades after being convicted on rape charges under IPC and the SC/ST Act.

The Division Bench of high court, comprising Justices Kaushal Jayendra Thaker and Gautam Chaudhary, on January 28, stated in its order “In view of the facts and evidence on record, we are convinced that the accused had been convicted wrongly, hence, the trial court’s judgment and the impugned order has been reversed and the accused is acquitted. The accused-appellant, if not warranted in any other case, be set free forthwith.”

During this period, his parents and two brothers died but he was not allowed to even attend their last rites.

A Division Bench of the high court finally announced his acquittal on Wednesday.

According to reports, a Dalit woman of Lalitpur district, in September 2000, had accused Vishnu Tiwari, then 23 years old, of raping her.

Police had booked Vishnu Tiwari under sections 376, 506 of IPC and section 3 (1) (xii), 3 (2) (v) of the SC/ST (Prevention) of Atrocities Act. The case was investigated by the then Narhat Circle Officer, Akhilesh Narayan Singh, who submitted his report against Vishnu.

The accused was sentenced to life imprisonment by the sessions court. He was later shifted to Agra jail where he is currently lodged.

Vishnu appealed against the sessions court’s judgment in the high court in 2005 but somehow the

Later, the state legal service authority appointed advocate Shweta Singh Rana, as his defence counsel.

Rana said, “Vishnu has been set free by the high court. The local administration has to complete the legal formalities before he walks free.”

Vishnu’s nephew Satyendra told reporters, “My uncle’s wrong conviction has shattered our whole family, both financially and socially. I lost my father, uncle and grandparents who died due to shock and social stigma.

“A major portion of our family land had to be sold to contest the case. As far as my uncle Vishnu is concerned, his entire life has been destroyed as he spent the best years of his life in jail and that too, for doing no wrong.”

The officer shall take decision on every grievance received by it within 15 days.

There may be one or more self-regulatory bodies of publishers. Such a body shall be headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court, a High Court or independent eminent person and have not more than six members. Such a body will have to register with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

This body will oversee the adherence by the publisher to the Code of Ethics and address grievances that have not be been resolved by the publisher within 15 days.

/IndianAbroadNews

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8

INDIA

Vol 1, Issue 2, March 1-15, 2021

An inspirational story of a wrestler from Indore slums

Fate worse than Trump awaits PM Modi: Mamata

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here have been many nights in the life of Khelo India University Games medallist wrestler Sunny Jadhav (60kg), who still lives in an Indore slum, when he would just have tea and biscuits for dinner, or would go to sleep empty stomach. He would clean cars to earn his livelihood to feed himself and his family, particularly after his father passed way following a brain haemorrhage in July 2017.

Cleaning cars and doing such odd jobs in the morning would fetch Jadhav just Rs.150, and he would train later in the day. When Jadhav’s father was alive, they would earn between Rs.500 and Rs.600 a day. Besides, Jadhav’s mother, too, would chip in.

“My father was healthy but he suffered brain haemorrhage in 2017. Since he was the only breadwinner, I had to do odd jobs to survive,” Jadhav told IANS. “While I had to do the odd job, my mother still works in a day care centre. I sometimes went to bed hungry as I couldn’t earn -- or just had tea and biscuits for dinner,” said the college going wrestler.

Jadhav senior was a former national level wrestler, and he would run a small dhaba to have both ends meet. Since July 2017 that responsibility fell on Jadhav, who started doing the odd job -- and also squeeze time out to train as well. Having started as a freestyle wrestler, his switch to Greco Roman style brought in a dramatic change in his fortune -- and now he is a medal contender in the 60kg in the National Greco-Roman Championship beginning on Saturday in Jalandhar.

Jadhav would be high on motivation in Jalandhar, one reason being that the sports ministry this month gave him Rs.2.5 lakh cash incentive for his training. From that purse he is going to return the money he has borrowed from

people, including his coaches.

“For the past few weeks I had been spending sleepless nights because the money borrowed from friends and coaches to fuel my training had crossed Rs.1 lakh,” Jadhav said.

“I will repay the coaches and friends from whom I had borrowed money in the recent past for training. After paying them, I will keep the remaining amount to supplement my daily diet,” he said after a training session from Indore.

Sarwar Mansoori, coach of Jadhav at the Malhar Ashram School, run by the Madhya Pradesh government and adopted by the Sports Authority of India, said the fund will motivate his ward.

“On hearing the news of the cash incentive brightened his face. It will be big motivating factor for Jadhav at the national competition starting. For us, if he wins gold, we will feel he has repaid our money,” Mansoori told IANS. Jadhav had borrowed over Rs.60,000 from former Commonwealth Games medal-winning wrestler Kirpa Shankar Patel, who has been supporting him for some time. “I owe a lot to Patel sir. In the last three years I have borrowed more than Rs.60,000 from him,” said Jadhav.

Jadhav has two elder sisters, and both are married. After his father

expired, he wanted to quit wrestling, said Patel. But since Jadhav had won medals in the nationals, senior players and coaches prevailed upon him to continue. And he agreed to continue.

Patel points out what Jadhav has gone through.

“If a wrestler is eating roti with onion and could win silver medal in the nationals, he has to have some talent. Hence, we decided to give him things like supplements or kit whenever it was required,” said the national-level coach.

“Jadhav’s financial position is very bad. His younger brother is also training. And the family doesn’t have enough money. Without a solid background, aiming for a medal in the National Championships is equally challenging. Top players generally take nutritious food consisting of milk and milk products on a daily basis apart from dry fruits and protein rich diet,” Patel said about the importance of good food for wrestlers.

Mansoori is optimistic about Jadhav’s prospects at the National Greco-Roman Championship beginning on Saturday.

“He has won silver thrice in three different national level competitions. This time his target is to upgrade it to gold,” he said.

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wo days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting in Hooghly district’s Sahaganj near Dunlop, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday launched an all-out attack of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that the saffron brigade won’t be able to score even a single goal in the forthcoming state Assembly elections.

West Bengal is slated to hold high-voltage polls in April-May this year.

“BJP will not be able to score a single goal in Bengal. I will be the goalkeeper in assembly polls,” Banerjee said, while repeating the much-popular Trinamool poll slogan - ‘Khela Hobe (There will be a game)’.

She said that Gujarat will not rule Bengal. “Bengal will rule Bengal.

Modi will not rule Bengal. No gunda (miscreant) will rule Bengal,” the CM said, calling PM Modi a “Dangabaaz” (riot-monger).

Banerjee further said that a fate worse than Trump awaits PM Modi and the BJP in the West Bengal Assembly Election 2021. “They had gone to help Trump win the US presidential election. Trump’s fate has been decided. His fate will be decided very soon,” she added.

also targeted the BJP-led Centre for interrogating Rujira Banerjee, wife of her nephew and Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee at their residence on Tuesday.

“They are entering my house and calling our daughter-in-law a coal thief. They are calling mothers and sisters coal thieves. They themselves are dripping in corruption,” she said while training guns at the BJP. She also asked who the owner of the hotel in Durgapur where the BJP leaders stay was. “Is he not a coal thief?” Banerjee questioned.

On Tuesday, officials of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had quizzed Abhishek Banerjee’s wife Rujira at her south Kolkata residence for over one hour. It was learnt from the sources that the Central agency sleuths had asked about Rujira’s suspicious banking transactions through a bank in Bangkok. They also asked about Rujira’s nationality and passport related information during the course of interrogation.

Meanwhile, many local Bengali film and television industry representatives such as June Malliah, Sayoni Ghosh, Kanchan Mallick and cricketer Manoj Tiwari joined the Trinamool Congress at the Sahaganj rally in the presence of Banerjee.

The Trinamool Congress supremo

Sonam Wangchuk makes mobile solar-powered tent for Indian Army

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adakh-based engineer Sonam Wangchuk, who inspired the character of ‘Phunsukh Wangdu’ in Bollywood blockbuster “Three Idiots”, has developed a mobile solar-powered tent, accommodating 10 soldiers, for use by the Indian Army in high-altitude locations.

On how he came up with the idea, Wangchuk said that he decided to come up with the innovation after he came to know that around 50,000 Indian troops were deployed at high altitude areas in harsh winter conditions.

“Indian and Chinese troops are being withdrawn from fric-

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tion points. Disengagement is happening. It is good thing for both. Around 50,000 troops were deployed at high- altitude areas in harsh winter conditions. It was a difficult situation,” he said.

When soldiers are deployed in harsh freezing temperature, they stayed in tents made of cloth or in iron containers, and lakhs of litres of kerosene are used. It is a very costly affair as it also adds pollution to the environment and affect glaciers at high altitude areas, Wangchuk said.

“The soldiers too face problems using kerosene... many even suffer winter injuries,” the engineer said.

He said that at the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Ladakh, they innovate on ways for comfortable living at higher altitudes.

“As our soliders were living at high altitude areas, so we decided why should we not develop solar-heated shelters for them,” said Wangchuk, who has carried out research on solar-heated houses for last 25 years.

He said that 15 years ago, he had developed a mobile shelters for nomad shepherds in the Changtang region of Ladakh.

“We started working on a project of a passive solar-heated tent in the

/IndianAbroadNews

varsity. It took a month to develop the tent,” he said.

The cost of tent is Rs 5 lakh.

The tent he came up for the army is divided into two parts: ‘green house’ which is also known as solar lounge and a sleeping chamber where soliders sleep. The two parts are divided by a portable wall that is called the heat bank.

“While making this tent, we kept it in mind that these are portable. It is made also keeping in mind hilltops like Black Top, Rezang La and Siachen. When we open up this tent, it turns out into 30 to 40 parts and each part is less than 30kg,” Wangchuk said.

Highly insulated, the tent is covered by a water proof ‘windcheater’.

He said that he designed the tent in close coordination and cooperation with the Indian Army.

Soliders can sit and work in the green house part during the afternoon, while in the sleeping chamber, temperature is maintained at 15 degrees Celsius.

Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar thanked Wangchuk and said that the innovation was very timely, absolutely relevant and perfect as usual.

/indianabroadnews

9

LOCAL STORIES

Vol 1, Issue 2, 1, Jan March 1-15, 1-15, 2021 2021

Australian Ambassador meets UP CM Yogi Adityanath, explore new oppurtunities Lucknow, Feb 26: Australian Ambassador to India Barry O’ Farrell on his visit to India met UP CM Yogi Adityanath and both discussed potential opportunities and their scope in education, investment, and manufacturing sectors between the two countries.

The ambassador said, ”Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a very

good friend of Australian PM Scott Morrison, I held a deep discussion with Mr. Yogi and the Deputy CM about the prospects of a prolonged friendship and a strong relationship between the state of UP and various Australia states.

“I am delighted to be here officially, It is wonderful to meet Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma and to talk about

the various upcoming opportunities that both India and Australia have to grab and strengthen the very roots of this relationship. Talking about the Covid-19 experience, he praised India for its extraordinary work and how the nation worked in such a difficult time. He said India as a nation is extraordinary and is eligible to

reach the heights of development and growth in the coming times.”

On education, he said that India’s national education policy provides opportunities for foreign universities to invest and Australian varsities will also consider this opportunity and will establish offices across India.

Today as a courtesy call, the Australian Ambassador appreciated the development and revolutionary changes happening in the field of technology and IT sector in the state of Uttar Pradesh. A mutual agreement has been reached between Australian Ambassador and UP CM Adityanath in the field of education and IT.

Australia’s Family Visa System deemed Trilateral Cooperation cruel, Senate to hold meeting in the Indo-Pacific

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uman Rights lawyers have found Australia’s family visa system to be “fundamentally broken” with a lot of delays, involving excessively unnecessary costs and cruel policies which are keeping families apart. The senate last month, voted for an inquiry to be set up into the huge waiting times and broader systemic failings in the family visa program, following a push initiated by the Greens senator Nick McKim and supported by Labor.

David Burke (Human Rights Law Centre) welcomed the inquiry, saying the system was broken and needed urgent repair.

“Through intentionally cruel policies and misadministration, the federal government is causing immense, needless suffering,” Burke said.

“Children are kept from their parents and people are separated from their partners for years

on end. This inquiry will lay bare the many ways the government is currently failing families. The Morrison government can, and must, do more to allow families to be together.”

“disagrees with these assertions”.

The Covid-19 pandemic has put further strain on the system.

More than 200,000 people kept waiting for a family visa at the end of last financial year, and some types of parent visas had waiting times of more than 30 years, Burke said. The only way to avoid the wait was to apply for another type of parent visa, which costs almost $50,000.

“It shouldn’t take years of waiting and thousands of dollars for people to be able to be with their loved ones,” he said. “For many families, exorbitant visa fees mean that a life together is simply out of reach.

The right to be together as a family should never be determined by wealth.”

Alex Hawke, spokesperson for the immigration, said the government

The fairness of the family and partner visa system has come under scrutiny over offshore granting requirements, which were forcing some applicants to travel abroad.

The government has promised to exempt a range of categories from that requirement last month and has been granting temporary time extensions to try to prevent people from going abroad.

Burke said the Covid recovery was an opportunity for the government to return to a system that “recognizes the importance of family and urgently prioritizes reuniting people who are separated from loved ones”.

“A fairer family migration system can play a crucial role in our recovery as Australia begins to reconnect with the rest of the world”.

New Delhi, Feb 24: France, Australia and India on Wednesday deliberated on ways to enhance trilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. A Trilateral Senior Officials’ Meeting was held where the three sides took stock of the progress made on the outcomes of the foreign secretary-level Trilateral Dialogue held in September last year, including on maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), blue economy, protection of marine global commons, combatting illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing and cooperation in multilateral fora.

Sandeep Chakravorty represented India, the Joint Secretary (Europe West), and the Ministry of

External Affairs (MEA), the French side was represented by Bertrand Lortholary, Director (Asia and Oceania). The Australian side was led by Gary Cowan, First Assistant Secretary (North and South Asia Division), and John Geering, First Assistant Secretary (Europe and Latin America Division).

In the meeting, the next few steps to be taken for furthering trilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region were discussed, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Not to forget, the meeting was held amid China’s growing military assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.

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10

WORLD

Vol 1, Issue 2, 1, Jan March 1-15, 1-15, 2021 2021

Myanmar envoy to UN defies military regime, denounces coup

United Nations, Feb 27 (IANS) In a dramatic show of defiance Myanmar’s Permanent Representative Kyaw Moe Tun has denounced his country’s military regime before the General Assembly and declared he would fight for democracy.

munity to immediately end the military coup, to stop oppressing the innocent people, to return the state power to the people and to restore the democracy”.

“We will continue to fight for a government which is of the people, by the people, for the people,” he said during an Assembly session on Myanmar.

He raised his three fingers in a salute that has become a symbol of the Myanmar protesters demanding a return to democracy.

His speech won a round of applause from diplomats who were at first astounded by his public break with Myanmar’s military government that jailed State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders this month and declared the election won by their National League for Democracy invalid.

Tun said that his loyalty was to the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and was speaking on behalf of the democratically elected members of parliament.

He called for “strongest possible action from the international com-

“It is time for the military to immediately relinquish power and release those detained,” he said.

UN’s Special Envoy Christine Schraner Burgener told the Assembly through a video link that the situation in Myanmar was “fragile” and had not yet stabilised.

The military’s takeover remained only a “coup attempt” and the international community should “not lend legitimacy or recognition to this regime” because “it would appear to be roundly rejected by the people”.

“If there is any escalation in terms of military brutality -- and sadly as we have seen this before in Myanmar -- against people exercising their basic rights, let us act swiftly

and collectively”, she added.

India’s Permanent Representative said that New Delhi was “deeply concerned that the gains made

by Myanmar over the last decades on the path towards democracy, should not get undermined.

He said, “Restoring democratic order should be the priority of all stakeholders in Myanmar. The international community must lend its constructive support to the people of Myanmar at this critical juncture.”

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric was asked at his briefing about the danger to Tun and his family because of his speech at the Assembly.

Iran vows to continue supports for Syria in anti-terror war

Tehran, Feb 27 (IANS) Iran will keep supporting the Syrian government in the fight against terrorism, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a telephone conversation with the Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad on Friday.

Zarif reaffirmed that the Islamic Republic will continue its supports for Syria in various fields and in its efforts to ensure security and stability across Syria, the Xinhua news reported.

The Iranian foreign minister also stressed the need for a solution that preserves the interests, sover-

eignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Arab country.

For his part, Mekdad thanked Iran for supporting the Syrian people in the economic arena with the purpose of mitigating the effects of unilateral economic sanctions.

The two sides also urged the western states to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions on Syria, said the report.

The conversation between the two senior officials of the regional allies followed US air strikes that killed at least 22 pro-Iran fighters in eastern Syria on Friday morning.

Saudi crown prince approved operation to ‘capture or kill’ Khashoggi: US report

He said, “No one should be harmed. No one should be thrown in jail for expressing their opinion. ...Families should not be punished for the actions of another member.

There needs to be freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and there hasn’t been. And we’ve been very concerned about that.”

Pak’s PPP leader claims her house attacked by goons Karachi, Feb 27 (IANS) Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Palwasha Khan on Saturday said that her house was attacked by five “goons”, as she feels threatened by her move to contest the Senate poll.

Taking to Twitter, the PPP leader said that she is “being persecuted for speaking her mind and for being a woman”.

“This is too small a tactic to scare me out of the fight, I won’t give up Inshallah,” she tweeted.

Sharing much details of the Friday night attack, Palwasha claimed that her Gulistan-e-Jauhar house attackers also threatened her family members with dire conse-

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quences, Geo tv reported.

According to the PPP leader, the attackers had told her family members to bring her out of the house.

Washington, Feb 27 (IANS) A declassified US intelligence report released on Friday assessed Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud approved an operation to “capture or kill” Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

Following the incident, she had filed a complaint with the police and also informed Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.

Palwasha is currently serving as the Deputy Information Secretary of the PPP.

“We assess that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi,” read the report released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

She has been nominated as the PPP’s candidate for the upcoming Senate election alongside other women leaders from the party, which include Khairunisa Mughal and Rukhsana Shah.

Saudi Arabia denied the crown

/IndianAbroadNews

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prince was involved in the death of Khashoggi, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Khashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post, was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018, and a number of top Saudi officials were arrested in connection with the case.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Prosecution last September issued the final verdicts against eight convicts in Khashoggi’s killing, five were sentenced to 20 years in jail, and three sentenced to seven to ten years in jail.

11

IMMIGRATION

Vol 1, Issue 2, March 1-15, 2021

Australian New South Wales adds South Govt. removes four ten new occupations to occupations from its its Skilled Occupation List Skilled Occupation List

New South Wales, Feb 27: The state of New South Wales recently added ten new occupations to its Skilled Occupation List for permanent visa subclass 190. The list now includes a total of 40 occupations that come under the Skilled Occupation List. Some of those occupations include Civil Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer, Structural Engineer, Building and Engineering Technicians, etc.

Melbourne-based migration agent Rohit Mohan of Lakshya Migration looks at it as good news for those who hope to take the permanent residency route via Subclass 190.

“Earlier they had not included engineering occupations in their list. Most of the occupations were from medical and IT field. Now they have added the engineering occupations too, which is excellent news for all those applicants who

prefer this pathway over regional visa which is temporary,” said Mr Mohan.

“We are hoping for an invitation round shortly as they have not used any of these places allocation and there is not much time left in the current financial year. So applicants who meet the eligibility criteria should lodge their Expression of Interest,” advises Mr Mohan.

T

he South Australian state recently removed some occupations from its Skilled Occupation List, which include Cook,Motor Mechanic, Management Accountant and External Auditor. South Australia’s skilled independent visa program for subclass 190 and subclass 491 reopened on 8 February 2021. And, just before its skilled independent visa program re-opened, the state had published an updated skills

list earlier this month.

The updated list does include the accountants as an occupation which was “a bit of relief” for many.

“Visa hopefuls for these occupations had nearly lost hope in the last one year,” migration agent Chaman Preet said in an interview with SBS Hindi.

Source: Some information has been accessed through SBS Hindi website.

Special Air India Flight from DelhiBrisbane after India updates Travel Rules New Delhi, 25 Feb: The Indian National Carrier announced about the new fight Air India has introduced from Delhi-Brisbane on Twittter this Wednesday. This flight is in addition to the regular weekly flight running under the Vande Bharat Mission. The flight will start from the 27th February; India also updated its standard operating procedure for international passengers arriving in India.

“Limited seats being offered due to quarantine restrictions by Australian authorities,” Air India tweeted.

Bookings for this flight opened on 22 February 2021 at 1500 hrs IST through the Air India website, booking offices and call centre.

NEY 20:00 14-Mar-21

DELHI 04:10 16-Mar-21

21-Mar-21 AI 0302 DELHI 01:35 SYDNEY 20:00 21-Mar-21

22-Mar-21 AI 0301 SYDNEY 20:30 DELHI 04:10 23-Mar-21

Sydney to Delhi

Indian Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said 5.9 million people have travelled from different parts of the world to India since May last year after, the Vande Bharat Mission was launched.

08-Feb-21 AI 0301 SYDNEY 20:30 DELHI 04:10 09-Feb-21 15-Feb-21 AI 0301 SYDNEY 20:30 DELHI 04:10 16-Feb-21 22-Feb-21 AI 0301 SYDNEY 20:30 DELHI 04:10 23-Feb-2 01-Mar-21 AI 0301 SYDNEY 20:30 DELHI 04:10 02-Mar-21 08-Mar-21 AI 0301 SYDNEY 20:30 DELHI 04:10 09-Mar-21 15-Mar-21 AI 0301 SYDNEY 20:30

“No distressed Indian left behind.

Nearly 5.9 million citizens facilitated through Vande Bharat Mission since 6 May 2020. 26 air bubbles in place. We are reaching out to our citizens across the world,” tweeted Mr Puri.

Here is the schedule: Delhi to Sydney 28-Feb-21 AI 0302 DELHI 01:35 SYDNEY 20:00 28-Feb-21 07-Mar-21 AI 0302 DELHI 01:35 SYDNEY 20:00 07-Mar-21 14-Mar-21 AI 0302 DELHI 01:35 SYD-

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12

INVESTMENT

Vol 1, Issue 2, 1, Jan March 1-15, 1-15, 2021 2021

NE will be India’s growth hub: Shah Top IRTS officer picked for protection of Assamese culture and traditions. He said the NDA government has awarded late famous singer and composer Bhupen Hazarika with Bharat Ratna; and the Padma Bhushan award posthumously to former Assam Chief Minister and Congress leader Tarun Gogoi.

J&K industrial outreach

“Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh represented Assam, the Congress ruled Assam for 15 years (2001-2016) but did nothing for the betterment of Assam and its people.

U

nion Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has identified the Northeast region as India’s “Growth Hub”.

time, Shah promised that his party’s vision is to make Assam an infiltration free, flood free, corruption free, violence free, agitation free and number one state in India.

Addressing a gathering in Nagaon district’s Batadrava Than, Shah said the Modi government has already started work to make the region as the growth engine of India.

“A satellite based survey has been conducted and plans are afoot to permanently resolve the flood problem and to undertake many projects to develop tourism and other infrastructures,” he said.

“To take the Northeast development in a mission mode, the Prime Minister had visited the region 35 times in the past five years. The Congress leaders and ministers visited Assam only during the election time,” the senior BJP leader said.

The Batadrava Than in central Assam’s Nagaon district is the birthplace of social reformer Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva, who was a 15th-16th century Assamese saint, scholar, poet, playwright, social-religious reformer and a figure of importance in Assam’s cultural

“The BJP-led NDA government has constructed over 20,000 km road, bridges, airports, railway projects, approved a lot of gas and oil based projects, mega health institutions including AIIMS and many educational institutions,” he pointed out.

The Home Minister said that the BJP government in Assam, to protect and promote the traditions and culture of Assam had provided Rs 2.5 lakh each to 8,000 “Namghars” (traditional Vaishnavite monasteries of Assam) under the Assam ‘Darshan’ programme.

“Namghars”, literally meaning Prayer House, introduced by Srimanta Sankardeva, are places for congregational worship associated with the entire Assamese community and the Ekasarana sect of Hinduism, in particular, which is native to Assam.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, state’s Finance, Education and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also addressed the gatherings.

Later in the day, Shah will visit the hill district of Karbi Anglong where he will address another public meeting at Dengaon and is expected to meet surrendered extremists.

Earlier, Shah visited Assam on February 11 and January 23, and addressed several public rallies.

“Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stewardship, a new era of development has started in Assam and the Northeast region. Entire Northeast region is transforming.

Northeast India will emerge as the highest contributor in the GDP of India,” said Shah.

Urging the people to reinstall the BJP government for the second

and religious history.

Shah on Thursday launched the work of a state-funded Rs 188-crore project for the beautification of Batadrava Than.

Saying that the Centre and state double engine governments of the BJP have undertaken a large number of steps for the all round development of Assam and

On February 11, with an eye on the Assembly polls in Assam and West Bengal, he met influential Koch-Rajbongshi leader ‘Maharaj’ Ananta Rai and spent about an hour at his residence in western Assam’s Chirang district.

The Koch-Rajbongshi community habitats in Assam and West Bengal and claims to have over 18.5 lakh votes in the two states.

M

anoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir has picked top IRTS officer Ranjan P Thakur to help J&K’s industrial outreach.

It is learnt that some weeks back, Sinha had asked Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to help locate highly-rated officers to assist him.

Thakur is a highly rated railways fiscal position over the medium term, unless nominal GDP growth picks up sustainably to reach much higher rates than historically recorded, Moody’s said.

According to Moody’s, the central government’s fiscal deficit for fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2022 should be lower than projected, supported by stronger revenue generation in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 and higher nominal GDP growth in fiscal 2022.

“Still, wide fiscal deficits combined with lower real and nominal GDP growth over the medium term will constrain the government’s ability to reduce its debt burden,” says Gene Fang, a Moody’s Associate Managing Director.

Moody’s Indian affiliate, ICRA Limited, meanwhile, says it expects a considerable rebound in India’s economic growth in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022 (fiscal 2022) on the back of higher central government spending, and a pickup, albeit uneven, in consumption.

Overall, ICRA projects that real and nominal GDP will rise 10.5 per cent and 14.5 per cent, respectively,

officer (IRTS, 1990 batch) and has been DRM Danapur; PS to then minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni; ADG Doordarshan (DTH); and Brand Head Shatabdi Express.

Thakur is an alumnus of St Stephen’s, IIFT and IIM Indore. Until this week before moving to J&K, Thakur was Executive Director (Fuel Transportation) NTPC. for fiscal 2022 as the pandemic recedes.

According to ICRA, recent economic data signal a broadening of the economic rebound in the third quarter of fiscal 2021, with most tracked indicators recording improvements from the year-ago period. Data for the current quarter also suggest a stable economic momentum.

Meanwhile, near-term prospects for the agricultural sector are bright, in ICRA’s assessment, with many regions recording healthy precipitation and reservoir levels, increasing acreage of Rabi crops and healthy procurement trends.

ICRA expects that the consumption recovery will be differentiated across age and income groups in fiscal 2022. Pent-up demand for discretionary activities like travel could lead higher income groups to spend more on recreation after Q2 FY2022 once vaccines are more widely distributed. This would provide a back-ended boost to economic activity in the second half of fiscal 2022 and fiscal 2023.

Moody’s expects India’s fiscal position to remain weak

New Delhi, Feb 25 (IANS) Moody’s Investors Service says that India’s (Baa3 negative) weak fiscal position will remain a key credit challenge in 2021.

According to Moody’s, the prospects for fiscal consolidation remain weak particularly given the

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government’s mixed track record of implementing revenue-raising measures.

Although the government has not provided an explicit medium-term fiscal consolidation road map, according to its Budget speech it targets a fiscal deficit of 4.5 per

cent of GDP by fiscal 2026, which amounts to an average annual deficit reduction of about 0.5 per cent of GDP over four years.

Given India’s very high debt burden, this gradual pace of consolidation will prevent any material strengthening in the government’s

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13

SPOTLIGHT

Vol 1, Issue 2, 1, Jan March 1-15, 1-15, 2021 2021

SUV with 20 gelatin sticks found Decks cleared for Nirav dumped near Mukesh Ambani’s house Modi’s extradition

I

n a shock development, an SUV filled with at least 20 gelatin sticks was found abandoned outside Antilia, the lavish multi-storied home of billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani, here on Thursday evening, officials said.

“A Scorpio with 20 gelatin sticks was found near Mukesh Ambani’s Mumbai residence. The Crime Branch of Mumbai Police is investigating the entire matter and the truth will emerge soon,” Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said late on Thursday evening.

The SUV was noticed at around 3 p.m. after which some people from the vicinity alerted the local police, who rushed to the spot and cordoned off the entire area, sending the state government and the police into a tizzy.

Top police officers, including Joint Commissioner of Police Vishwas Nangre-Patil, a team of explosives experts, sniffer dog squad, bomb detection and disposal squad and others rushed to the spot and inspected the SUV in which the gelatin sticks were kept.

Minister of State for Home, Shambhuraj Desai, told mediapersons that he has instructed the top police officers to probe the matter thoroughly and ensure that the culprits are brought to book.

government would consider other measures, including enhancing the security at the Antilia building and also around the Ambani family, even as the entire locality was brought under a high alert.

CCTV footages of the area revealed that the SUV with a couple of unidentified persons in it was driven and parked beside a tree on the Carmichael Road at around 1 a.m.

The suspicious persons seemed to have fled after deserting the SUV there, but strangely, it was noticed only after another 12 hours.

Mumbai Police spokesperson, DCP S. Chaitanya, said that the gelatin sticks recovered in the SUV were “not an assembled explosive device” but details of the risks they posed would be known only after a thorough probe.

Efforts are on to trace the persons who parked the vehicle there, from where they came, what were their diabolic motives, who or what were the exact targets etc., officials said.

Antilia and the south Mumbai neighbourhood house the who’s who of the Indian corporate world, top politicians, official or private residences of various bigwigs, government officials, diplomats, people from the glamour industry and others.

Gelatin sticks near Ambani’s home came from Nagpur, SUV stolen

A

rmed with a few “strong leads”, the Mumbai Police early on Friday registered a FIR and launched a massive manhunt to track the two persons who abandoned a SUV with 20 gelatin sticks near the landmark Antilia builidng, the home of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani.

Setting up multiple teams to prove

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A purported threat note in Hindi but typed in broken and erroneous English, addressed to “Nita Bhabhi aur Mukesh bhyya aur femili”, has ominously warned that arrangements to ‘blow up’ the entire Ambani are complete.

It further cautioned the Ambanis that the next time, “the stuff would come connected, in an original vehicle,” so they should beware, and signed off with a “Gud nit”.

However, Mumbai Police Spokesperson Deputy Commissioner of Police S. Chaitanya refused to con-

According to sources, the court ruling will now be sent to UK Home Secretary Priti Patel for a signoff. Depending on the outcome, appeals may be made in the high court by either side.

The District Judge at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court, Samuel Goozee, accepted the prima facie evidence against Modi for money laundering, saying: “Many of these are a matter for trial in India. I am satisfied again that there is evidence he could be convicted,” according to reports.

The charges against the fugitive diamantaire centre around his firms Diamonds R Us, Stellar Diamonds and Solar Exports for making fraudulent use of a credit facility offered by the PNB, known as ‘letters of undertaking’ (LoUs).

The development came after almost a two-year long legal battle.

Desai added that if required, the

various angles, the police have zeroed in on the owner of the SUV - a Scorpio - who had reported it as stolen from the eastern suburbs a few days ago, while the gelatin sticks are manufactured in a Nagpur-based company, Solar Explosives Ltd.

New Delhi, Feb 25 (IANS) In a major setback to fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, a UK court on Thursday ordered his extradition in connection with the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case.

firm or deny the threat note, saying “it’s part of the investigations”.

The Mumbai Police have sought details of the gelatin sticks sale, but since only packets and not the individual sticks are bar-coded, it may take time to confirm who bought it or whether these were also stolen.

Speaking to the local media, company officials pointed out that these gelatin sticks are used for various demolition or blasting purposes and are totally harmless unless they are properly connected to some explosive device.

In the first official reaction in the matter raging for 24 hours, a RIL spokesperson said on Friday: “We are thankful to Mumbai Police for their quick and immediate action.

We are confident that they will complete their thorough investigation quickly.”

The investigations picked up pace after the SUV was driven and dumped near a tree close to Antilia building, the lavish multi-storied house of the Ambani family in south Mumbai, early on Thursday rattling the country’s political, corporate and security establish-

/IndianAbroadNews

Expressing satisfaction over the detention condition and medical arrangements in India, the court said, “Conditions in Barack 12 (at the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai) look far better than his current cell in London.”

The observations came after Nirav Modi’s side had argued that he can’t be extradited to India due to his worsening mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic and the poor conditions in the Indian prisons. ments.

The vehicle was discovered only at around 14.00 hrs on Thursday by some alert persons in the vicinity, nearly 12 hours after it remained unattended, sparking off suspicions and triggering a chain of reactions.

The mystery SUV - which has been seized by police - bears a registration number similar to a vehicle which is part of the Ambani family’s security detail.

Additionally, four other fake number plates were found inside the SUV, including one that matches the number of an official foreign consulate vehicle, and these are being separately probed.

Officials are optimistic that once they catch the duo - which parked the SUV there - they would unravel the mystery of from where they came from, what were their diabolic motives, who or what were their intended targets, their

/indianabroadnews

Arguing on behalf of the Indian authorities, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in the UK had earlier sought to establish that a number of PNB staff conspired with Modi to ensure the LoUs. The LoUs were issued to his companies without required credit checks, sans recording the issuance of the LoUs and without charging the required commission upon the transactions. This resulted in a fraud amounting to nearly $2 billion (Rs 13,500 crore).

Modi, who was arrested on an extradition warrant on March 19, 2019, is accused of money laundering, conspiring to destroy evidence and intimidating witnesses. associates or a larger network they may be linked with, etc.

Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, home and intelligence department top officers are monitoring the probe.

The FIR was registered at the Gamdevi Police Station invoking Indian Penal Code Sec. 286, 465, 473, 120(b), 506(2) pertaining to explosives, forgery, criminal conspiracy and criminal intimidation, and Sec. 4 of Explosives Substance Act for attempt to cause explosion, or for making or keeping it with intent to endanger life or property.

The Antilia building in the south Mumbai neighbourhood houses the who’s who of the Indian corporate world, top politicians, official or private residences of various bigwigs, government officials, diplomats, major players from Bollywood, the glamour industry and other VIPs.

14

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Vol 1, Issue 2, 1, Jan March 1-15, 1-15, 2021 2021

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15

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Vol 1, Issue 2, 1, Jan March 1-15, 1-15, 2021 2021

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16

ARTS-CULTURE

Vol 1, Issue 2, March 1-15, 2021

Can we stop the narrow ideal of beauty Amar Chitra Katha in the arranged marriage process? comics to be published

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for young readers

ccording to recent survey, nine out of ten women in India feel they are judged and rejected based on their looks during the marriage process.

Moreover, 68 percent claimed that rejections based on beauty during the arranged marriage process impacted their self-esteem and confidence, reveals the “India’s Beauty Test (2020)” survey conducted by Dove.

Conducted by interviewing 1,057 women in the age group 18-35 from 17 cities across India, the report reveals these unsettling statistics about the pressures and anxieties around conforming to a narrow ideal of beauty in the runup to arranged marriage.

Urging people to stop the ‘beauty test’, Dove’s has launched #StopTheBeautyTest. Under the campaign, the brand has released a film under its campaign, which is born out of conversations with women from across the country, captures some raw situations where women are judged during the matchmaking process for not being beautiful enough. It goes on to emphasise the unspoken impact of these judgements on their self-esteem and body confidence.

Rajeshwari was not seen as tall enough.

P

ublishing house HarperCollins India and Amar Chitra Katha have announced a new collaboration to publish “a first-time adaptation of popular ACK comics into a narrative format for young children”.

Dove #StopTheBeautyTest

Through real stories enacted by real women, the film sends out a powerful message – ‘We must stop putting women through this unjust beauty test’.

Priya Nair, Executive Director, HUL & VP – Beauty and Personal Care South Asia opined: “In a country of 631 million women, it is unfortunate that there is such intense pressure to adhere to one definition of beauty. As owners of some of the largest beauty brands in the country, the onus to make beauty more positive and more inclusive is on us. Dove has always believed that beauty should be source of confidence, not anxiety. With #StopTheBeautyTest, we want to go one step forward in that direction.”

Supporting the campaign objective, Dove is partnering with leading matrimonial platforms, based on the shared belief that the matchmaking process should be free of beauty biases.

Deeksha’s birthmark made her less beautiful

The said collaboration will “bring the beautiful folktales of India from our iconic comic books into an exciting new format for younger readers,” said Preeti Vyas, President and CEO of Amar Chitra Katha Pvt. Ltd, adding, “Since our comic books are typically read by children in the 8-14 age group, we believe that these early chapter books will help us take these engaging stories to a younger age group, and open up our treasure trove of stories to a new audience.”

This series, put together meticu-

lously by the writers at Amar Chitra Katha, brings together some of the greatest folktales in the ACK catalogue. Each book in the series is adapted from the original Amar Chitra Katha comics and aims to bring the reader closer to the thoughts and traditions that make up our country’s identity, said a joint statement.

Tina Narang, Publisher, HarperCollins Children’s Books, remarked, “Amar Chitra Katha has such a strong history of publishing for children, generations have grown up reading ACK comics. So, we are delighted to present a firsttime adaptation of these popular comics into a narrative format for young children. We are launching this new initiative with the Amar Chitra Katha Folktales Collection.”

Curls made Hemali less beautiful.

Dove and Shaadi.com have also come together to encourage users on the platform to look beyond body type, complexion, scars on face or hair type and length, to see new sizes and shades of beautiful.

In addition, Dove will also help rewrite matrimonial ads free of beauty biases to drive significant change in this direction. It will also partner with women magazines in India, to celebrate the beauty of women who were not seen as beautiful enough in the run-up to marriage.

In a partnership with UNICEF, the Dove self-esteem project aims to

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Noor was not seen as beautiful enough.

reach 6.25 million girls and boys in schools by 2024 to improve their knowledge and skills so that they enhance their body confidence

and self-esteem through education materials to realize their full potential in India.

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17

FOOD & CUISINE

Vol 1, Issue 2, March 1-15, 2021

KFC plans tech-driven innovations in food order, delivery February 25, 2021 (IANSlife)Actor Anil Kapoor took to Instagram to post an ad film in which he is seen snacking on KFC’s new range of burgers. KFC has roped in the Bollywood star, along with Prakash Raj, to launch its new Value Burgers’ campaign.

Anil Kapoor talks all things food!

Moksh Chopra, Chief Marketing Officer, KFC India, shared the details of the campaign and the brand’s future plans in an interview with IANSlife. Edited excerpts: Why did KFC decide to make these changes in the menu?

Chopra: KFC is known for its legendary burgers. From making a trip to the edge of space to gracing the corridors of the famed Madame Tussauds Museum - our burgers have done it all. When we realized that our consumers often fall prey to believing that a tikki in between a bun is a ‘burger’, we decided to step up and resolve this for good. The new range of Value Burgers by KFC is all things burger - a variety to choose from: Classic Chicken, Classic Veg, Spicy Chicken and Spicy Veg - all offered at a value proposition starting at Rs. 69 and extending up to Rs. 89. Available in veg and chicken variants, these Value Burgers are sure to tantalize your taste buds with their tangy, creamy and spicy flavours.

So, whatever be the occasion or the size of your friends’ group there is a Value Burger for all.

What kind of research did you do?

Chopra: While understanding what kind of burgers our consumers are seeking, we realized that there is an opportunity to provide good quality, signature burgers below

the Rs 100 price point - what’s available in the market currently doesn’t quite make the cut. This led us to designing the range of Value Burgers using KFC’s expertise on providing craveable tastes that are good value for money. We wanted to make sure we appeal to all preferences and hence the range comprises both vegetarian and chicken burger offerings.

With two variants each in veg and chicken, we are also ensuring our consumers are treated to some variety in addition to taste and flavour. The Classic variants are laden with a crispy fillet of KFC’s signature chicken or veg patty, layered with fresh lettuce and tangy dynamite or creamy mayo. And the Spicy burgers, both in chicken and veg variants, are packed with a flavourful srirarcha sauce. The starting price point of just Rs 69 goes on to seal the deal - our consumers would never need to settle for cheap imitations ever.

Why did you choose Anil Kapoor to feature in the ad?

Chopra: Anil Kapoor is simply legendary. His expansive careers

spanning decades, acting prowess and some of the iconic characters he has portrayed - are all epic!

Much like the burgers at KFC - with our signature crispy chicken, fresh ingredients, an array of flavourful sauces. Just as Anil Kapoor is liked by their numerous fans, making him the hero that his audiences relate to, our range of Value Burgers will surely be a hit with our consumers, everyone vying to get a bite of the most popular burgers in town.

What’s next for the brand?

Chopra: We are always seeking innovative and exciting ways of engaging with our consumers.

Keeping with changing trends and consumer preferences, we will continue to deliver craveable products, through clutter-breaking and distinct campaigns across digital and social platforms. We will increase our focus on enabling access for our consumers, getting them closer to their KFC favourites; so do look forward to tech-driven innovations, both in the food order and delivery channels, as well as within our restaurants.

From Ghalib’s Dilli to Lutyen’s New Delhi, experience culinary magic at

S

howcasing the two most significant eras of the city The Last Mughal Emperor and The Emergence of British Raj - a recently-launched two-week long food festival in Delhi is inspired from the culinary bylanes of Purani Dilli.

The ‘Dilli 6’ food festival that kickstarted at Edesia at Hotel Crowne Plaza attempts to unravel the ‘food stories’ of Purani Dilli through the lens of historical events and a ‘jugalbandi’ with Lutyens’ New Delhi.

From Dilli-6 style immunity booster shots to the buzzing street food carts will offer quintessential Dilli 6 delicacies such as Golguppas, Kachori Chaat, Bharwan Aloo Tikki Chaat, Kuliya Chaat, Mutton Burrah, the chefs have tried to recreate the icnonic Paranthe Wali Gali with unique variety of paranthas.

For a symphony with Lutyen’s Delhi, the festival also offers Anglo-Indian specials such as Dak Bungla

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Murgi Roast, Railway Mutton Curry, Country Captain Chicken, Calcutta Devils Egg, Adraki Goat Cutlet, Royal Chicken Dal, Lady Kenny, Fruit Truffle and many more.

The festival also brings the iconic Daulat Ki Chaat, Pan Wala, Souvenir Shop and Tarot Card Reader from Purani Dilli under the same roof.

Their in-house mixologists have concocted two special drinks inspired from the personalities of Mirza Ghalib and Edwards Lutyens to showcase their love for wine & champagnes.

Ranjan Banerjee, General Manager of the hotel says: “Dilli 6 food festival is a signature experience of our hotel where we offer the authentic street food from the lanes of Old Delhi crafted under extremely hygienic set up. The people have been missing the real magic of Purani Dilli’s street food owing to hygiene concerns in the past one year.With IHG Ways of Clean guidelines, enhanced sanitization measures and revamped cleanliness protocols, we are confident of providing a Safe Dining experience to our guests and excellent opportunity for them to relish the icnonic dishes. This year, we are showcasing the culinary heritage of the city from the eyes of two iconic figures- Mirza Ghalib and

The in-house team has designed two unique dining experiences to showcase a culinary and cultural ‘jugalbandi’ of Ghalib’s Delhi and Lutyen’s New Delhi in the form of ‘Shayari Durbar’ and ‘Viceroy’s House’. The lights, furniture, props, cutlery and wall designs take guests back to the respective eras while dining.

A Dilli Junction (1864) station has been set up for ‘Dine inside the Train’ experience. Do not miss the private dining experience at ‘Namak Haram Ki Haveli’.

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February 24, 2021 (IANSlife) Bollywood veteran Anil Kapoor reveals he has different foods for different moods. The 64-year-old says he loves to try different cuisines and special items from every country he visits.

In an exclusive interview with IANSlife, Anil, who has collaborated with KFC India to shoot for its new campaign launching its new range of burgers, talks all things food.

What’s your favourite cuisine?

A: I have different foods for different moods. I don’t have a favourite cuisine as such really. A good meal is a good meal regardless of its shape, colour or form.

Where is the food capital of India, according to you?

A: Aamchi Mumbai! I might be biased, but there’s no doubt that the food culture in Mumbai has evolved a lot over the past decade... with so many great new restaurants and talented chefs, it’s a haven for all foodies now.

Do you try local food of places you travel to?

A: I love to try different cuisines and special items from every country and whenever I visit the place again I know my favourites!

My manager Jalal conducts a proper research on the famous foods of every country/city we visit and we make it a point to try Edward Lutyens.” sumit Sinha, Director of Food & Beverage adds: “The culinary culture of Delhi is significantly inspired from the invaders who brought with them their culinary secrets. Our culinary journey starts from the era of Last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar where Mirza Ghalib was a courtesan. The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 uprooted the Mughal dynasty and paved way for the emergence of British Raj. In 1912, when the metropolis of New Delhi was chosen to be the capital of British Raj Empire, Edward Lutyens was commissioned to India to design and conceptualise the new capital. We are attempting to cover this historical journey through street food. The dishes and the unique dining experiences

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at least a couple of the items, if not all!

Do you eat fast food? How often and how do you compensate?

A: I do eat junk food! I love my burgers and fries every once in a while. My daughter Rhea often whips up some great food for my cheat days. As for how I compensate, I read a quote a while back which said you cannot overstrain a diet... and I couldn’t agree more. If I have a great meal, I always balance it out with a great workout.

Do you follow a strict diet?

A: I do follow a good diet that works for me, but I keep switching it up. Currently for example, I am following a weekly 24 hour fast. I’m not sure how long I will do this, but it’s working for me so far. My diet also depends on how heavy or light my work day is... Honestly, it’s because I keep changing things up that I can sustain it for longer...

Cheat days are very important to break the monotony. Infact during the lockdown, we had a designated cheat day where Rhea would cook some delicious food and I would eat to my heart’s content!

Now too we have our occasional binge days and I look forward to it!

Do you also cook sometimes?

A: I don’t usually cook but I would love to if I had the time and I’m sure I would enjoy it as well. at the food festival reflect the culinary richness of these two eras.”

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INTERVIEW

Vol 1, Issue 2, March 1-15, 2021

Both Bhutto Sahib and Benazir were firm believers that Kashmir can’t be left in the hands of the generals

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hutto Sahib and Benazir Bhutto were both firm believers that intricate issues such as Kashmir cannot be left in the hands of generals, says Ambassador Shamsul Hassan in his book, “Life with the Bhuttos.”

Hassan says Bhutto often quoted famous French statesman Georges Clemenceau that war is too important to be left to the generals.

“Bhutto Sahib had a foresight at some time Benazir Bhutto would be the one who would have to preside over the affairs of the Pakistani state”, he adds.

“However, I can share with you that her late father martyred Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, described as an icon of a statesman by Dr. Henry Kissinger in the century, selected Bibi to be his political heir when he had seen blossom in her a leader beyond ordinary comprehensions.

He did not take her to Simla to see the picturesque Hill Station that had served as Raj’s summer capital in India but he wanted her to meet Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with whom later she would have to sort out relations with India including settling the Kashmir issue,” he adds.

Hassan adds that had Benazir Bhutto been alive along with Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi, they would have both garnered the Simla spirit into action.

As a close relation of the Bhutto family, Ambassador Wajid Shamsul Hassan, writes a much-awaited book aptly titled “Life with the Bhuttos.”

In 1997, Hasan underwent various legal battles and period of third-degree torture due to his long association with the Bhutto family. Always an unapologetic proponent of democracy and freedom of media, Hasan was a close aide of PM Benazir Bhutto during her term.

The book will cover the real-life experiences of Hassan and attempt to disprove and correct some of the “truths” about the Bhutto family.

Ambassador Wajid Shamsul Hassan is the former High Commissioner of Pakistan to UK. He was the longest-serving Pakistani High Commissioner to UK. Along with being a diplomat, he is also a political activist and a veteran journalist. Ambassador Wajid Shamsul Hassan was long associated with the Bhutto family.

He has spent many years with martyred PM Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Asif Zardari and PM Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Hassan was tortured and prosecuted for many years by anti-Bhutto elements in Pakistan, particularly Senator Saifur Reh-

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man to turn against the Bhutto family and testify against Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

A man of many talents, he was also a special advisor to Benazir Bhutto. The book “Life with the Bhuttos” covers his extensive history with the Bhutto family.

He is a beacon of morality and a source of emulation among the young journalists now facing Gestapo-like victimisation by the current Pakistani regime.

Excerpts from an interview: Q Wajid Sahab you have written a book which everyone would like to read. Tell us about this book.

A Thank you for your questions about my book covering a period of over 50 years-- My life with the Bhuttos. I have not minced any words in expressing myself candidly as much as possible, in answering you.

Q I’m going to ask a straight question: anything you wanted to write in this book but decided not to write?

A Indeed, I have not avoided writing anything since the book has come at a time when I have entered my 80th year and I am racing against time. If I were to avoid anything it would be no use to posterity. It will go down wastefully in my chest. Rest assured that I have neither avoided writing anything nor have I kept any secrets. However, one word I am fully aware of the predicaments faced by former DG ISI General Asad Durrani who has written three professional books in collaboration with former Indian RAW chief Dulat. Durrani is being unnecessarily put to hassle by his former colleagues out of sheer jealousy. Ultimately, I am sure his critics will have the flak on their faces. My response to your

‘straight question’ about not writing anything that I wanted to write is settled. Everything is here for you and your readers to discern.

Q I know this fact from almost twenty years about your proximity to Benazir and even Bilawal also said this: She trusted you always.

Tell us about your relationship with Benazir?

A What a question! Indeed, you have asked me to put together millions of words, articles and hours spent together with our “Beloved Bibi” from 1972 until her assassination in 2007. Indeed, a Himalayan task.

However, I can share with you that her late father martyred Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, described as an icon of a statesman by Dr. Henry Kissinger in the century, selected Bibi to be his political heir when he had seen blossom in her a leader beyond ordinary comprehensions.

He did not take her to Simla to see the picturesque Hill Station that had served as Raj’s summer capital in India but he wanted her to meet Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with whom later she would have to sort out relations with India including settling the Kashmir issue.

Bhutto Sahib and Benazir Bhutto both were firm believers that intricate issues such as Kashmir cannot be left in the hands of the generals. He often quoted famous French statesman Georges Clemenceau that “war is too important to be left to the generals”. Bhutto Sahib had a foresight at some time Benazir Bhutto would be the one who would have to preside over the affairs of the Pakistani state.

Q Do you think Benazir would have solved the Kashmir problem?

A. My answer to your question is positive. Had she been alive along

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with Mrs. Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi they would have both garnered the Simla spirit into action. I remember Bhutto Sahib’s historic meeting with Mrs. Indira Gandhi in his farewell call on her at Simla when the talks between the two negotiating teams had collapsed and we were told to pack up to leave for home the next morning.

Bhutto Sahib clicked with Mrs. Gandhi in his farewell call, what would remain forever a landmark development between the two countries. Later in Pakistan when I asked him what transpired between him and Indiraji in the farewell. “I sincerely collected all my wits and beseeched Mrs. Gandhi that, that perhaps it was the last opportunity for the two nations to bury the hatchet permanently and bury the acrimonies of the past. I sincerely meant what I had told her, touched the bottom core of her heart against the wishes of her advisers like Haskars who had stuck to hawkish postures throughout the negotiations. We were confident that the new foundation of Indo-Pakistan relations on a sound footing of the sincerity of our purpose would turn the historic tide for the good of the people of the two countries.”

Q How do you see the future of the Indo-Pakistan relationship? Today there is complete silence from both ends.

A I am a born optimist. Indeed, I have also been very eto some extent -- close to the leadership of Pakistan. However, there has always been a difference of opinion in my thinking and their thinking.

I have been a devoted follower of the Bhuttos, notwithstanding the rhetoric of the 1000-year war e I have heard it from both the Bhuttos about their sincerity for peace in the region, greater co-oper-

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ation, economic understanding, and assisting each other in alleviation of the economic and poverty-related sufferings of their people.

Q You have been very close to the top leadership of Pakistan. Tell us frankly in a single word whether so much army interference is helping Pakistan or has damaged the very basic fabric of democracy?

A. My being close to the top leadership of Pakistan would not mean that they would do whatever I would tell them to. My answer to you in a single word is ---that army’s interference in politics has been on account of the demographic composition of the partition and the failure of political leadership after the demise of Jinnah Sahib and the assassination of Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan to reassert itself as the sole arbiter of civilian power.

Praetorian Establishment plus the civil, judicial bureaucracy as established and later recognised as power troika monopolising West Pakistani Punjabi feudal class backed by Jamaat-e-Islami and Ahraris---all combined damaged the very basic fabric of democracy in Pakistan.

Q How do you see the Bajwa-Imran combo? Bajwa is talking positively here and there. But nothing deliverable. Do you think he can be instrumental in regional peace?

A I can only give you an answer.

General Bajwa, I will give him the benefit of doubt. I have not known him much but whatever his famous Bajwa Doctrine is e it did cause a lot of ripples and inspired food for thought among various circles including the military.

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FASHION

Vol 1, Issue 2, March 1-15, 2021

Does fashion ignore the 40-plus woman? Designer Tarun Tahiliani

to sell 33% stake to Aditya Birla Fashion

February 15, 2021 (IANSlife) I am 47-years-old and have worked in fashion for over 25 years; earning every smile line on my face and those extra few kilos around my mid area. Unfortunately, the industry I work in writes off every woman over the age of 45. Of course, we all know the reason, it’s because fashion sees the youth as the future of the industry, it is where the growth is. But what about the now?

A recent study by the International Longevity Centore (ILC) found that those over the age of 50-years account for over 50 per cent of the spending in fashion — the fact is mature women have more purchasing power and today are also in better shape than ever— they become an easy target for fashion.

Yet they are ignored. Brands are so occupied with pleasing millennials and Gen Z-ers, they forget to make styles that work for today’s 40 plus woman.

It is only in your 40s when you really understand what your personal style is. You definitely make less fashion faux pas than you did in your 20’s, but you still want some style inspiration. I keep reading articles on how “Fifty is the new Thirty” in fashion glossies — yet when it comes cover girls, women over 40 only tend to be chosen for the “Ageless” or “Fab at Every Age” cover. This at a time when inclusivity is one of hottest fashion talking points.

of Bollywood’s red carpet most glamorous moments and fashion magazine’s glossiest covers (Anaita has styled everyone from Aishwarya Rai to Alia Bhatt); though her own sense of style is comfortable, carefree yet always chic; she can go from a handloom sari, a Dior gown to a Savio Jon kurta while always injecting her special blend of boho-chic into the look. The launch fashion director of Vogue India, this celebrity stylist still rocks a bikini better than most swimsuit cover girls. Anaita was recently part of a Gucci social media campaign for its iconic Jackie 1961 bag and added her own unique cool girl vibe to her Instagram video for the Italian fashion house.

Trinny Woodall

Luckily, there are a handful of real women in this age group who have great taste, I suggest you follow them on Instagram — they have style, substance and just the right amount of sass.

tial. From shopping to styling tips this 50-something likes to have fun with her fashion. Honest about the aging process, she enjoys dressing up and her flamboyant (yet mainly high street) outfit of the day choices will always surprise you.

Roohi Oomerbhoy Jaikishan: The executive director of an Indian FMCG company, RR Oomerbhoy has a maximalist take on fashion.

A true style maven— she is an art collector, a clotheshorse and a hostess with the mostess. While food has become the mainstay of her Instagram account, she shares recipes from some of her fashionable friends around the world, it is served with a side of fantastical fashion. From timeless saris by her mother- in-law, veteran fashion designer, Pallavi Jaikishan to Erdem floral dresses Roohi adds her own sense of eclectic charm to her ensembles. A permanent fixture on best dressed lists, her fashion super-power is the way she plays with fun and statement making accessories. It is never about fashion diktats for Roohi but about her own personal take on style.

Anaita Shroff Adajania

The 40-something fashion powerhouse is the name behind some

I grew up watching “What Not to Wear” the BBC make-over show featuring Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine—women who always said it as it is. Today Trinny runs her own successful make-up company, Trinny London, (and I suggest every woman over 30 use her Miracle Blur — it smooths the face and blurs those lines in an instant). Trinny’s personal Instagram handle is the one to follow though, a digital closet confiden-

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The collaboration is a step towards facilitating gem and jewellery ex-

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ports through e-commerce platform and drive the vision of Digital India, says Colin Shah, Chairman, GJEPC.

“The platform will enable Indian jewellers to have easy access to international buyers. During the pandemic, the industry demonstrated a keen willingness to adapt to new business realities. Demand for gems and jewellery is picking

Tahiliani commented: “Last year, we celebrated 25 years of the Tarun Tahiliani label. The next big leap for the brand was to take our craftsmanship and expertise and offer it to a larger Indian market that knows and values quality and is actively seeking it. I was clear that we needed a partner who could not just help us with this scale, but also have the same dedication to quality and the customer. And that could only have been the Aditya Birla Group. Over the years, I have admired what Mr Kumar Mangalam Birla has built and created for the Aditya Birla Group, specifically his landmark excellence in building fashion retail in India.”

The first set of retail stores by the brand will open in September this year. It aims to build a Rs 500 crore business in the next five years with more than 250 stores across the country. ABFRL will hold 80 per cent stake in the new entity while Tahiliani will hold the remaining 20 per cent, said a statement.

“I am excited and look forward to this unique opportunity of taking

Sujata Assomull

An agreement to boost online jewelery retail

o provide impetus to Indian gem and jewellery sellers on the global e-marketplace and explore potential business collaborations for sectoral growth, the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) and eBayowned ES Online Services entered into an agreement on Thursday.

February 24, 2021 (IANSlife) Veteran fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani has entered into a strategic partnership with Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL) to launch a new line of contemporary men’s ethnic wear brand and will sell 33 per cent of his existing Luxury Couture business to the group, with the option to increase it to 51 per cent in the next few years.

up in all major export markets, hence it is important for us to tap all important online opportunities.

I believe this association with eBay will be a key catalyst for the digital transformation of the gems and jewellery sector in India,” adds Colin Shah.

As a first step, eBay says it will create a micro site for GJEPC members selling in eBay website

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for better accessibility. It will assist members on registration process on eBay Marketplace. GJEPC will be setting up an eCommerce Promotion and Facilitation Desk at all its six regional offices.

For GJEPC members, eBay says it will offer its basic store subscription (worth US$ 27.95 per month) at no cost for three months. GJEPC and eBay will also work jointly with the government on regulatory, policy and procedural aspects for facilitating retail exports of Gem and Jewellery from India.

our signature India Modern aesthetic to a broader consumer base across the country. The Tarun Tahiliani brand will continue to be the studio doing couture and occasion wear, building on its experience and success,” he said.

Commenting on the partnership, Ashish Dikshit, Managing Director, ABFRL said: “We believe that over the next few years, ethnic wear is going to be an important category as confident Indians rediscover their culture and heritage. Tarun Tahiliani has been at the forefront of the emergence of the Indian design industry. We are proud to partner with him to launch a new brand that gives the emerging Indian consumer a new range of celebration wear reflecting the unmatched, exquisite design excellence at more accessible prices.

“The ethnic wear segment is a large and growing market with a significant opportunity to build scale. The combined expertise of Tarun Tahiliani and ABFRL will enable the new brand to make a strong impact in the market. The existing couture brand will continue to benefit from the fast-growing luxury segment of the market.

This partnership is in line with our stated strategy to craft a portfolio of brands that address the entire gamut of ethnic wear segments: value, premium and luxury.”

The proposed acquisition is subject to necessary statutory approvals and signing of definitive agreements, said the statement.

Jewellery sellers are well poised to scale their business and presence across the eBay marketplace globally. The MoU is a step forward in enabling them in this endeavour. Together with GJEPC we will educate, support and scale these sellers on the eBay marketplace.”

Vidmay Naini, Country Manager, eBay India-CBT, says: “We are convinced that Indian Gems and

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20

BEAUTY

Vol 1, Issue 2, 1, Jan March 1-15, 1-15, 2021 2021

Manasa Varanasi bags Miss India World 2020 title February 11, 2021 (IANSlife) Manasa Varanasi, an engineer from Telangana, has bagged the VLCC Femina Miss India World 2020 title.

Haryana’s Manika Sheokand was declared VLCC Femina Miss Grand India 2020 while Uttar Pradesh’s Manya Singh crowned VLCC Femina Miss India 2020 Runner Up.

In a nationwide virtual hunt, a total of 31 finalists were shortlisted for finale that was held in Mumbai on Wednesday.

The jury panel comprised actors Neha Dhupia, Chitrangada Singh, Pulkit Samrat and renowned designer duo Falguni and Shane Peacock.

Miss World 2019 - 2nd Runner-up and Miss World Asia 2019; Suman Rao crowned her successor Manasa Varanasi who will represent India at the Miss World pageant that is scheduled to take place later this year.

Neha Dhupia said: “Each year as the journey of Femina Miss India begins, it brings back all the memories of the priceless experiences I’ve had with this pageant. It’s almost like reliving every moment of my journey with these young

glamorous girls who are so full of enthusiasm and capability to take on the world with power and

elegance. Certainly, there are challenges with the digital process in the wake of the pandemic,

however I’m confident it will be as exciting and worthwhile irrespective of the layout.”

Candid with Miss India World 2020 Manasa Varanasi because I held a full time job, their deepest concerns were allayed and today, they are very proud of what I have achieved.

How has your journey being till you won the title?

February 16, 2021 (IANSlife) Manasa Varanasi, a 23-year old Computer Science Engineer who has been crowned Miss India World 2020, says she was never really interested in modeling.

Hyderabad-based Manasa was working as a Financial Information Exchange (FIX) analyst with a financial software firm; she says modeling was a pastime for her.

In a candid conversation with IANSlife, Manasa shares details

of her journey, how she prepared for the contest, her future plans, besides revealing her beauty and fitness regime.

Excerpts: Manasa Varanasi (Source: Instagram) How did you get into modeling?

Manasa: I was a pretty studious girl, and never really interested in modelling, but I won a contest for Freshers in my college and that ignited a spark. Everything built slowly from there, with a lot of encouragement from friends. The reality is that modelling has been a pastime for me, as I was working full time as a software engineer, but it was a creative outlet and was born of a will to expand my horizons.

Did you have to convince your family to get into this field?

Manasa: My family is very academically oriented and traditional so they really did not feel this was a path to aspire to. However,

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Manasa: More than anything, it has been one of growth. I’ve learned to look at my weaknesses, learn skills – from walking in heels to styling myself, made friends from all over the country. Most of all, I’ve learned to trust the energy of the moment, accept change and embrace what I am.

How does it feel to be titled as Miss India World?

Manasa: I feel elated, but it is based on a sense of achievement that comes from having worked very hard and having had the courage to fail. And today, I am filled with a sense of hope and a determination to use this opportunity wisely.

How did you prepare for the contest?

Manasa: I focused equally on the physical aspects of the contest – rampwalk, fitness, styling and the mental aspects – being self aware and socially informed. But it is just as important to be emotionally prepared – a contest like Miss India is not for the faint of heart!

Manasa Varanasi Manasa Varanasi (Source: Instagram) How are you preparing yourself for Miss World pageant?

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Manasa: A big focus will be my ‘Beauty with a Puropse” project, which is at the heart of Miss World.

I will have to balance that with continued work on my ramp walk, talent and interview. And of course, lots of time will undoubtedly be spent on getting the right wardrobe and styling in place.

How confident were you winning the title?

Manasa: In a way, I both expected to win and lose the Miss India title.

I was hopeful and confident in my abilities and preparation, but winning is out of one’s hands – destiny, luck, the competition – they all have a say. The difficult thing about a contest such as this is that everything can change in an instant – and it only takes one bad answer or one judge to change the outcome. So, while I am very proud of my achievement today, I am also humbled and grateful that the stars aligned for me.

What are your future plans?

Manasa: What matters to me at the end of everything is that I live a life with integrity and without regret. My inspirations are people who continue to reinvent and redefine themselves and I hope I will continue to grow as a person my whole life. Who knows what the future can bring? I came to Miss India to create a new world of opportunity for myself and I am excited to see where it can take me.

Please share your beauty regime.

a minimalist when it comes to makeup, but the competition has taught me to be more experimental, and to focus on creating harmony between my makeup, hair, clothes and most of all, carrying it all off with confidence.

What is your beauty secret?

Manasa: Nutritious food, natural products, and a balanced mind.

What fitness regime?

Manasa: I swear by yoga, it helps my mind as much as it helps my body.

Manasa: I’m definitely a bit of

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21

BEAUTY

Vol 1, Issue 2, 1, Jan March 1-15, 1-15, 2021 2021

Sania Mirza shares her beauty preference

Shine: A key parameter for healthy hair

February 16, 2021 (IANSlife) Ace shuttler Sania Mirza says she has always been very particular about the skincare products she uses.

“But it’s definitely way more now that I’m a mother,” she reveals.

“I wouldn’t want to think twice before hugging or kissing my son Izhaan and that’s why I only trust the best,” says Sania, who has been featured in a new digital campaign by Clovia for its skincare range, Clovia Botaniqa which is especially for mothers.

The campaign launched with a video starring Sania, where the young mom shares her personal journey post motherhood. Sania says that motherhood is a beautiful phase but there are many physical changes that take place in a woman’s life post-pregnancy.

The adept sportswoman has had to contend with acne, uneven skin tone and blemishes post-partum.

Being around a newborn baby, it is essential that any products that she uses to address these

challenges be natural, safe and chemical-free.

The latest Clovia Botaniqa range includes varied options in products such as oils, body butter, face washes, and face masks, to shampoos, conditioners, and serums. Carefully curated for the needs of new moms, the range offers solutions for problems faced during and post-pregnancy, such as hair-fall, tired/dull skin, stretch marks, dryness, acne as well as

stress.

Talking about the new range, Neha Kant, Founder, Clovia said: “Regular skincare routine isn’t always easy, especially for new moms, who find their priorities change post motherhood. Driving with this insight, Clovia launched a digital campaign featuring the ace tennis player with an aim to encourage women/mothers in their efforts to look after themselves.”

5 common myths about organic skincare products

February 19, 2020 (IANSlife) In today’s generation, consumers have become more aware and conscious of harmful chemicals hidden in their skincare products.

They have even become skeptical of using skincare that wear the claim of being “organic” and “all natural”, often questioning if these claims are just marketing gimmicks or more importantly, if the lack of chemicals may contribute to the skin care not being as efficacious.

Dr. Jagvir Singh, Founder and President, Refresh Botanicals shares five common misconceptions about organic skincare that will make you rethink your regimen: Myth 1: Homemade Organic Face Masks and Lotions Work the Same as Organic Products You may believe that by whipping up a yogurt and honey smoothie in your blender and using it as a face mask will benefit your skin as would purchasing an organic face mask. However, often skincare brands extract organic molecules from organical, whole plant ingredients.

While we’re all up for a DIY face treatment once in a while, the ingredients you find in your kitchen can’t really compare to the active ingredients found in organic skincare products. These special ingredients are usually extracted

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at the molecular level leaving, behind the most active and potent part for your skin care.

Myth 2: Organic Products are Ineffective

Many people are afraid of change and stick to a product that they are familiar with and have used for years. Unfortunately, many drugstore products have been diluted, watered down, and filled with an abundance of chemical preservatives to extend the lifespan. This means that while the product may offer quick results, you shouldn’t hold your breath waiting to see any real long-term benefits for the health of your skin.

Organic products, on the other hand, are jam-packed with vital nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals at high concentrations that they truly feed your skin with the love that it needs. You’ll instantly get that “glow” that is often achieved with your latest smartphone filter – except this time it’s real! Radiant, hydrated and clear skin. After just a few uses, your friends will be asking what you have been doing differently. Think of yourself as an ambassador of the earth – share your secret: The use of organic skin care products has an everlasting effect on your skin health (and even the planet).

Myth 3: Organic Products Need

Preservatives to last longer

Highly organic products often require premium packaging that are equipped with airless pumps. This prevents the highly organic plant material from oxidizing – thus spoiling. When looking for organic skincare, look for airless pumps meaning that the product is being pumped through literally being pushed out of the container.

Myth 4: Eating Healthy is Enough For Great Skin There is no argument with the benefits of eating clean, antioxidant-rich foods and drinking tons of water. However, a healthy diet alone is not necessarily enough for great skin. While everything you eat does have an impact on your skin, food cannot cleanse away impurities and environmental toxins the way a good face wash can, or provide a protective barrier on the skin the way a moisturizer can.

For truly beautiful skin, be sure to eat healthy, exercise regularly, and practice safe, organic skincare.

Organic skincare products should accompany a healthy lifestyle for a more youthful and fresher complexion.

Myth 5: All “Natural Types” of Skincare are Created Equal There is a thin line between “organic” versus “natural” products.

Note that we use the word natural here, and not organic. While many

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on’t we all dream of having luscious shiny locks? We’ve all stepped out of the salon with gorgeous shiny hair and have seen the shine wearing off over the next few days, taking us back to our original hair texture.

No matter how many serums and styling products you use, the external shine will only be temporary as a genuine long-lasting shine will only appear once your hair is healthy and well-nourished.

When your hair follicle is healthy and nourished, the shine reflects on your hair from root to tips.

If you are wondering how you can have shiny healthy hair all dayevery day, the easiest and least expensive way to do that is by regularly oiling your hair with coconut hair oil, suggests Dr Aparna Santhanam (MD, DNB) - Consultant Dermatologist, Marico India Limited for Parachute Advansed Jasmine Hair Oil. “Doing so will certainly help you achieve that salon-like hair texture without having to put in much effort... and money. And if you want to add a dash of fragrance to your shiny hair, choose a coconut hair oil with Jasmine extracts.”

Coconut hair oil has several benefits. It penetrates 10x deeper in your scalp, locking in all the required hydration and nutrition for shiny healthy hair. Regularly oiling your hair using coconut hair oil will keep your scalp well-nourished preventing it from getting dry and flaky. It helps in moisturizing your scalp from deep within. Coconut products may claim to be “all-natural” on their labels, it doesn’t mean that their ingredients are in fact “organic”. Natural products often contain natural ingredients but may contain pesticides and other harmful chemicals.

For a skin care brand to be able to wear the claim of “organic”, ingredient suppliers have to undergo a rigorous process where they are monitored for many years to ensure that their farming methods are free of pesticides, herbicides and chemicals. Additionally, skin care brands must ensure that their manufacturers follow stringent

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hair oil also has antiviral/antimicrobial properties which help to rid your scalp of infections and retain the health of your scalp. A healthy scalp will ensure that your hair grows faster, stronger and shinier.

Opting for a coconut hair oil with Jasmine extracts instantly adds an aromatic fragrance and dials down the thickness of the oil making it lightweight and non-sticky.

Jasmine flowers have a heavenly fragrance and women have been adorning their hair with it through generations. It has a wonderful fragrance that helps you to relax by soothing your mind and calming down the nerves. Gently massage in coconut hair oil with Jasmine extracts into your scalp and tips of your hair and let it sit for 20-30 minutes and then rinse off with a gentle cleanser. The power combination of Coconut + Jasmine will not only give you healthy shiny hair but also, leave you with a soothing fragrance You may also use the coconut hair oil with Jasmine extracts as a serum post hair wash. All you need to do is, dab a small quantity onto your slightly damp hair to add that extra boost of shine. This will help keep your hair in place, prevent flyaways while also giving you a healthy shine throughout the day.

Switching out your serums and using this combination hair oil instead will also save you endless touch-ups throughout the day making your hair look almost as good as it was when you left your house even after a long day out in the sun. practices to ensure there is no cross contamination of organic and inorganic materials.

In today’s time awareness about chemical-laden products is gaining momentum gradually, which is highlighting the importance of natural organic skincare products. This increased awareness is making more and more people to switch to organic products.

While more people are making the transition, more become mindful about the use of chemicals in regular everyday products and are adapting to the natural organic skincare regime.

22

HEALTH

Vol 1, Issue 2, 1, Jan March 1-15, 1-15, 2021 2021

Global Covid cases top 113 mn: Johns Hopkins Washington, Feb 27 (IANS) The total number of global Covid-19 cases has topped 113 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 2.51 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on Saturday morning, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 113,389,166 and 2,517,062 respectively.

The US is the worst-hit country with the world’s highest number of cases and deaths at 28,486,118 and 510,458 respectively, according to the CSSE. India comes in second place in terms of cases at 11,063,491.

The other countries with more than a million confirmed coronavirus cases are Brazil (10,455,630), Russia (4,175,757), the UK (4,175,315), France (3,746,707), Spain (3,188,553), Italy (2,888,923), Turkey (2,683,971), Germany (2,436,506), Colombia (2,244,792), Argentina (2,098,728), Mexico (2,076,882), Poland (1,684,788), Iran (1,615,184),

South Africa (1,510,778), Ukraine (1,381,273), Indonesia (1,322,866), Peru (1,308,722), Czech Republic (1,212,780) and the Netherlands (1,093,899), the CSSE figures showed.

Brazil currently accounts for the second highest number of Covid-19 fatalities at 252,835, followed by Mexico 184,474 on the third place and India 156,825 on the fourth.

Meanwhile, the nations with a death toll above 20,000 are the UK (122,648), Italy (97,227), France (85,738), Russia (83,481), Germany (69,939), Spain (69,142), Iran (59,899), Colombia (59,518), Argentina (51,887), South Africa (49,784), Peru (45,903), Poland (43,353), Indonesia (35,786), Turkey (28,432), Ukraine (27,146), Belgium (22,034) and Canada (21,915).

British Queen urges vaccine doubters to think about others London, Feb 27 (IANS) British Queen Elizabeth II on Friday urged those who are hesitant to take the coronavirus vaccine jab to “think about other people”.

“Once you’ve had the vaccine you have a feeling of, you know, you’re protected, which is, I think, very important,” she said.

The Queen’s remarks came after research showed that certain communities in Britain, especially some black and ethnic minority groups, reportedly remain hesitant to take the vaccine.

“I think the other thing is, that it is obviously difficult for people if they’ve never had a vaccine... But they ought to think about other people rather than themselves,” she said.

Another 9,985 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country

www.indianabroad.news

M

enopause is a fact of every womans life. For 75 per cent of women, the symptoms they experience will have a detrimental effect on their ability to work, interact with colleagues and maintain relationships with those they love.

It can have a corrosive effect on womens confidence, social ability and even their sense of self.

In this informative and easy-to-read “Your Second Phase: Reclaiming Work and Relationships During and After Menopause” (SAGE), author Kate Usher explores menopause from self, family, work, organizational and societal perspectives. The book offers insights into how women can manage menopause and revitalize their professional and personal relationships by preparing them for their second phase of womanhood.

The short and humorous chapters include research from anecdotal experiences of the author and other women. The book discusses the significance of legal, rightsbased as well as relationship issues. It also highlights the need for initiating a conversation around menopause both at home and at the workplace.

The Queen, 94, who had the jab in January, made the remarks during a video call with health leaders delivering the coronavirus vaccine across Britain, the Xinhua news agency reported.

“As far as I could make out it was quite harmless. It was very quick, and I’ve had lots of letters from people who have been very surprised by how easy it was to get the vaccine. And the jab -- it didn’t hurt at all,” she added.

Survival guide for women to cope with menopause at work, home and play

to 4,154,562, according to official figures released Thursday.

The country also reported another 323 coronavirus-related deaths.

The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain stood at 122,070. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

The latest figures were revealed as more than 18.6 million people in Britain have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine.

England is currently under the third national lockdown since outbreak of the pandemic in the country.

Similar restriction measures are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

On Monday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his long-anticipated “roadmap” exiting the lockdown.

Schools in England will reopen from March 8 as first part of the four-step plan, which Johnson said was designed to be “cautious but irreversible”.

Johnson said he is “very optimistic” that all coronavirus restrictions in England will be removed by June 21.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.

/IndianAbroadNews

“Menopause is a fact of female life,” says Usher. “All women will have one. Yet we have no control over how or when we experience it.

It is a genetic lottery. It is estimated that by 2026 there will be 401 million women over the age of 45 in India. The average age of menopause is between 42 and 49.

Following my own terrible menopause, I decided to write the book to provide women with the information they need, to ensure they don’t have a similar experience.”

“Women need information on what the menopause is and how to manage it. They want their careers and relationships to continue to flourish, to ensure they can step into the Second Phase of their womanhood empowered. This book enables women and those with whom they interact to do just that,” Usher explained.

/indianabroadnews

Commenting on why organisations must formulate a menopause policy (under women’s welfare), she added: “Unfortunately, India is yet to introduce menopause policies for women.

This puts Indian organisations at a distinct disadvantage. Multiple studies have found that those with an equal or higher rate of female employment, outperform those without.”

“Women are increasingly focusing on their careers and have ambitions of a seat in C-Suite or driving entrepreneurial success. Menopause can and does impact women and their ability to work at the level needed to succeed in today’s fast paced world. Business is at risk of losing some its most talented and able female staff due to a lack of awareness and investment. This is an oversight that can so easily be rectified,” Usher maintained.

Usher is a highly experienced Menopause and Relationships Coach, working with women on the successful creation, development and growth of personal and career relationships during this period of intense and unpredictable change.

She combines her extensive experience as a corporate change leader and her own menopausal journey to deliver a uniquely positive approach. Prior to this, she was a Global Change Manager for FTSE 100 companies, managing major corporate transformation projects across multiple disciplines and continents, deploying her excellent relationship management, influencing and communication skills.

23

SPORTS

Vol 1, Issue 2, 1, Jan March 1-15, 1-15, 2021 2021

‘Khelo India Winter Games’ at Gulmarg from Feb 26 Srinagar, Feb 24 (IANS) The second edition of ‘Khelo India Winter Games’ will start from February 26 and culminate on March 2 in J&K’s winter destination of Gulmarg, officials said.

IOC confirms Brisbane as preferred host for 2032 Olympics

Around 1,200 athletes and guests from across the country are scheduled to participate in the mega sports event, one of the many efforts aimed at engaging the youth in positive and constructive activities.

Athletes from 27 states and Union Territories (UTs) will converge on the snow-bound slopes of Gulmarg during the event to compete in different categories of sports.

The prominent sports activities, which will be the hallmark of the winter games, include snow shoe race, ice skating, ice hockey, skiing, Nordic ski, snowboarding, ski mountaineering and ice stock etc.

Athletes from the Indian Army and the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports will also participate in the event, besides the athletes from different states and UTs.

The event is being organised by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in collaboration with the J&K Sports Council and the Winter Games Association of J&K.

‘The Record’: Documentary on Australia’s journey at 2020 Women’s T20 WC

T

he International Olympic Committee (IOC) has narrowed down on Australian city Brisbane as its preferred candidate to host the 2032 Olympic Games.

India was among the many countries that expressed interest in hosting the Olympics with Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju saying earlier this week that a green signal from the Centre is yet to be given on the matter.

IOC president Thomas Bach clarified that no final decision on the host city had been made, but that “more detailed discussions” with Brisbane would start, although he gave no timetable.

“The IOC Future Host Commission recommended that executive committee initiate a targeted dialogue with Brisbane and the Aus-

tralian Olympic Committee for the organization of the 2032 Olympic Games,” said Bach after the IOC Executive Board (EB) meeting on Wednesday, Xinhua news reports.

“The executive committee unanimously accepted this recommendation. The Brisbane 2032 project is fully aligned with Olympic Agenda 2020 and the new recommendations of Olympic Agenda 2020+5. It proposes a sustainable Games in line with the region’s long-term strategy and using primarily existing and temporary venues.

“It is not a decision against the other candidates, it is a decision in favour of a candidacy,” Bach added.

Australia last hosted the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000.

Domestic hockey tournaments to be held from March

Sydney, Feb 8 (IANS) Cricket Australia on Monday launched the trailer of a documentary ‘The Record’ which depicts Australian women’s team journey at the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup where they defeated India in a pulsating final to emerge as champions.

The documentary follows the heroic exploits on the field and the equally daring off-field campaign to “fill the MCG” for the final on International Women’s Day 2020.

It goes inside the most dramatic World Cup in history -- and gives voice to the players who belong on this stage.

Produced by Her Films, the documentary has voices of Meg

www.indianabroad.news

Lanning, Rachael Haynes, Australia head coach Matthew Mott, Beth Mooney, Megan Schutt, Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry, Molly Strano, Harmanpreet Kaur, Heather Knight, Dane van Niekerk and Sornnarin Tippoch.

played their part in bringing both the event and this documentary to life. Reliving this special moment in time will hopefully inspire the next generation of cricketers, both girls and boys, to aspire to play on the biggest stage of all,” he added.

Cricket Australia interim CEO Nick Hockley said ‘The Record’ is a production that the cricket board is extremely proud of and excited to see come to life.

The documentary is an Amazon Prime Video acquisition and will be released on Friday in Australia, New Zealand, US, Canada, UK, Ireland, India, South Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates, Nepal, Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Guyana, Grenada, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Fiji, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe, Malaysia, Indonesia.

“The documentation of Australia’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign has given us the opportunity to reflect on what was a monumental occasion for cricket,” he said.

“I would like to thank everyone who

/IndianAbroadNews

Domestic hockey competitions in India will start with the women’s sub junior national championship which will be held in Simdega, Jharkhand from March 10 to March 18, 2021, Hockey India said on Thursday.

“Kicking off the season this year will be the 11th Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship 2021 which will be held in Simdega, Jharkhand from 10 March to 18 March 2021. The 11th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2021 will be held in Narwana district in Haryana starting from 17 March to 25 March 2021,” said Hockey India in its statement.

The junior women academy national championship will be held from March 17 to 26. This will

/indianabroadnews

be followed by the women’s junior national championship from April 3 to 12.

This will be the first time since February 2020 that domestic hockey tournaments will be held in India.

The 10th senior men’s and women’s championship (A Division) as well as the senior women’s championship (B Division) were held in January and February 2020 while the remaining national championships were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hockey India has also instructed host state associations to appoint hygiene officers at every venue.

Additionally, following the national federation’s standard operating procedure is a must for all participating teams, tournament officials and host states.

24

TRAVEL

Vol 1, Issue 2, 1, Jan March 1-15, 1-15, 2021 2021

Staycations are the IT vacation

Trident Bandra Kurla, Mumbai Hotel Facade at Night.

T

ake that much awaited break with your loved ones and opt for a staycation; one that is perfectly safe, and offers a whole lot of good food, memorable experiences.

derabad. Switch off for the weekend and escape the bustling city for staycation. Relax in spacious accommodation; a much needed luxury at this time and savour fine Indian and international cuisines

restaurants serve the very best of international flavours. It also features a lounge bar, a wine library and one of the best patisseries in the city. Wake up to a scrumptious spread of continental breakfast, indulge in Indian and international fine dining, lounge by the poolside or head out to discover the history and heritage of Mumbai.

Set in an expanse of 7 beautifully landscaped acres, Trident, Gurgaon has an imposing yet serene presence, a resort like ambience.

It is characterized by domes, long corridors and walkways, inner

The Pool at Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai.

Now that the spas are operation try the Trident Signature therapy; for 75 minutes, relax your mind, body and senses with the signature massage. Applying rhythmic soothing and deep long strokes, excellent for releasing muscular tension, relieving deep seated stress which helps you sleep soundly.

famous sightseeing destinations, shopping and entertainment hubs of the city. The hotel blends the natural elements of height, light and space into its design. The 323 guest rooms and suites, starting at a spacious 440 square feet, are amongst the largest accommodations in Hyderabad.

Trident staycations unravel the

India Jones, the Pan Asian restaurant at Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai.

When you wish to step outside your homes, yet not have to travel far, take a relaxing break at the award winning urban hotels in

prepared in impeccably hygienic conditions. The newly configured restaurants enable adequate distancing without diminishing your dining experience all this complemented with warm, genuine Indian hospitality.

An iconic Mumbai landmark that offers panoramic views of the ‘Queen’s Necklace’ and the city’s breathtaking skyline, Trident Nariman Point, Mumbai is the ideal location for a luxurious family staycation, without the trouble of leaving the city. All children receive personalised amenities in the room and during dining experiences. An exclusive entertainment lounge equipped with a pool table also offers guests indoor games such as table tennis, darts and interactive board games.

Trident BKC Lobby daytime.

Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai; Trident, Bandra Kurla, Mumbai; Trident, Gurgaon and Trident Hy-

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Trident, Bandra Kurla offers stylish accommodation, fine dining and gracious hospitality in the heart of North Mumbai district: Bandra Kurla Complex, or BKC. Offering a wide range of cuisines; from Italian to Japanese, Indian to Continental, the hotel’s award winning

Trident Club Sea View Room at Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai. courtyard, reflection pools and fountains. The hotel has 136 rooms, which include one Presidential Suite and six Executive Suites.

Overlooking the garden, courtyards and refection pools, the rooms are elegantly furnished and appointed with modern conveniences. The wellness, recreation and spa facilities are designed to help you unwind and relax. From a quick swim in the outdoor pool, which is heated during winter, to a leisurely spa therapy get your daily dose of exercise at our 24-hour fitness centre.

/IndianAbroadNews

The City of Nizams, Hyderabad blends the best of the old and the new, the traditional and the modern. It is a city where sleek skyscrapers and luxury hotels share space with heritage monuments and an eclectic mix of communities ensures a vibrant culture.

Once a centre of diamond and pearl trade, it is still referred to as the ‘City of Pearls’.. Paying tribute to this pulsating new metropolis is the stylish and contemporary Trident, Hyderabad. Located in the centre of the HITEC City and close to the Special Economic Zone, it is also well connected to the

/indianabroadnews

perfect recipe for a memorable holiday. Get away in style, in the heart of the city. Step into relaxing environs for a few days and unwind in comfortable and hygienic accommodation, relish Indian and international fine dining and get spoilt with warm and sincere service. The offer includes daily breakfast, 25 percent off on food and beverages and more.

The offer is valid for stays until 31st March, 2021.

25

TRAVEL

Vol 1, Issue 2, 1, Jan March 1-15, 1-15, 2021 2021

In summer, India’s bus travel frequency could return to pre-Covid levels

By Siddhi Jain

People in India seem to have overcome the anxieties of the pandemic and are looking forward to a year of regularity, according to a randomized online survey of over 9000 customers ofonline bus ticketing platform RedBus. The survey reveals intent for higher frequency of travel over the next 3-6 months, with 48 per cent of the respondents seeking to travel at least once a month after 3-6 months, taking the travel intent back to pre-COVID levels when it was around 47 per cent.

Hill stations are where people in India will be travelling this year for leisure, followed by beaches, with 46 per cent of the respondents

opting for the mountains and 28 per cent to the sea shores.

When it comes to religious travel, Tirupati (26 per cent) and Shirdi (12 per cent) are the most popular pilgrimage destinations followed

by Madurai, Nashik and Varanasi.

With intercity travel gradually inching back to its pre-COVID levels, the most important factors for outstation travel apart from safety/hygiene, turned out to be: Having a comfortable journey; Reliable schedules and punctuality; and Travel cost.

Comfortable journey, hygiene/ sanitization and punctuality/reliable schedule turned out to be the most important factors for outstation travel by the respondents.

‘Convenience’ and ‘choice of seat’ are the main advantages of booking online as per the respondents.

A behavioural shift that has been evident in the recent times is the preference for online bus booking.

This was evident in the survey with 95 per cent of respondents mentioning that they would prefer to book their bus tickets online now.

Air-conditioned buses are also making a comeback with their preference levels going up to 50 per cent compared to 39 per cent as per a similar survey done earlier in June 2020.

According to Prakash Sangam, CEO, redBus, “Results from this survey have not only provided a unique insight into the bubbling

demand for travel in India, but also reaffirmed the notion that the industry’s strong comeback is set to move into a higher gear in the months ahead. We are thrilled that a majority of the people now

prefer to book bus tickets online, which further strengthens our position, as travellers take advantage and stick to the habit of transacting online from the comfort of their homes.”

temple of Uttarakhand next year and will look into the planning part soon.”

short trek of 5 km through Sonprayag on the Guttur - Kedarnath bridle path that crosses through a thick forest. The trekking distance from Kedarnath Temple to Triyuginarayan is about 25 km.

Triyuginarayan Temple: A hidden gem in Uttarakhand

By Puja Gupta

What sets Uttarakhand apart is the religious inheritance that comes with the famous religious temples located in the state. While most of the people are aware about Chaardham, Uttarakhand is a hidden treasure for various religious shrines.

One such venerated temple is the Triyuginarayan or Trijugi Narayan temple dedicated to the preserver, Lord Vishnu located in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. This place is perched at an elevation of 1,980 m above sea level and offers panoramic views of snow-covered mountains of the beauteous Garhwal region. The architecture of the temple resembles that of Kedarnath shrine. The temple is the source of spirituality for both Shaiv and Vaishnav community.

State Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj says the temple is one of the valuable religious heritage of Uttarakhand. “It is emerging as one

of the main wedding destinations in Uttarakhand due to its historical importance and sanctity,” he informs.

The temple is famous as the site where Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati. An eternal flame burning in front of the temple is said to have been a witness to this notable wedding. Its sanctum houses a silver idol of Lord Vishnu, accompanied by idols of Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Badrinarayan, Goddess Sita, Lord Ramachandra and Lord Kubera. The Brahma Shila in front of the temple marks the exact place of the wedding. Four sacred ponds called the Rudra Kund for bathing, Vishnu Kund for cleansing, Brahma Kund for sipping water and Saraswati Kund for offering libations are also located in the temple premises.

It is believed that couples who solemnise their weddings at the temple have the divine bond of seven births.

Pratishtha and Deepak, a couple

from Mumbai who visited the temple, say: “Although we’re not from Uttarakhand, but we have always been mesmerized by the beauty of the state. We are planning to get married in the Triyuginarayan

The temple is situated 12 km from Sonprayag via a motorable road.

Alternatively, tourists can take a

Kedarkantha: Your next winter destination said, “Kedarkantha is the most opted destination for adventure seekers in Uttarakhand. As winter is approaching we welcome all the visitors and newbie to trek around Kedarkantha peak.”

How to reach Kedarkantha

T

he winters are here and if you ever dream to walk in wilderness amidst white snow then Kedarkantha trek is one waiting for you. Located in Uttarkashi district at a towering altitude of 12,500 feet, the trek of Kedarkantha is a delight for all travel and adventure enthusiast.

Picturesque mountains, ringed glaciers and visibility of Garhwal

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ranges of the Himalayas can mesmerize one. While simultaneously the tale of Lord Shiva meditating here can transcends you into a metaphysical world of possibilities and spirituality.

Speaking about welcoming the tourists in the winter season, Dilip Jawalkar Secretary, Uttarakhand Tourism and CEO, Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board

The base camp for the trek is in Sankri village. One has to travel for nearly 220 km from Dehradun to reach Sankri. The roads are fine and local busses/taxis are also available option from Dehradun.

The trek starts from there probably in the next morning. The first stoppage is ‘Judaka Talab’ at an altitude of 9100ft. It takes approximately 5 hours of trekking to reach here. One can halt for the day and then on the next morning starts to climb towards the summit of Kedarkantha.

/IndianAbroadNews

Staying at Kedarkantha

One can easily stays at homestays/hotels or guest houses present in Sankri before commencing the trek. While trekking the camping is available on different base camps. Tents and sleeping bags can be rented from the Sankri village onwards.

Culinary experience

The district Uttarkashi is known for its unique delicacies in travel communities. Here in Sankri village, one can find many local authentic options. Like ‘Kodaki Roti’, ‘Palakka Saag’ and others. The place has some of the amazing ambience with the backdrop of gigantic Garhwal Himalayan peaks.

A homestay owner in Sankri, Col. Ajay said:” As only Kedarkantha trek is open during winters; a lot of

/indianabroadnews

queries are from trekkers wishing to climb up the hill. Most of the tourists are from Delhi, Gujarat and Mumbai. They urge us to serve them with authentic food hence we take them to nearby villages to taste some of the tastiest food available.”

Adding more information related to trek and safety amid Covid-19, District Tourism Development Officer (DTDO) Uttarkashi Prakash Singh Khatri said: “November and December are the best seasons to visit Kedarkantha. After travel curbs were lifted by the government we have witnessed a good footfall of tourists. We expect more enquires this month and December. We are also taking care of all the given guidelines and asking locals to take necessary precautions while trekking or serving food.”

26

BOOKS

Vol 1, Issue 2, 1, Jan March 1-15, 1-15, 2021 2021

Awakening your ‘soulprint’ to find When Arthur Conan happiness and success (IANS Interview) Doyle responded to the

call of a Parsi lawyer

Just like a thumbprint, every single human being on this planet has a unique soulprint. Nature never repeats itself in anything it does, thus two soulprints are never ever alike and nor are their material or spiritual journeys. In life’s journey, you can be sleeping while you are awake and be awakened even while you are asleep.

I

t was a chance discovery of a book written 100 years ago by his great great grandfather that blended spiritual wisdom to aid decision-making that inspired writer and life coach Aditya Nath to delve deeper into the subject and pen his debut novel, “Awaken Your Soulprint - Discovering Your Own Special Path To Happiness And Success” that he believes can also provide the path ahead in todays pandemic times.

“As destiny would have it, one day on Amazon.com I stumbled upon the book of my great great grandfather written over 100 years ago. The essence of the book was spiritual wisdom based on the Vedas, which could be used in our everyday decision-making.

This inspired me to start seeking a soulful path to my material world problems.

“With the passage of time and having experienced a blissful state of balance between my inner and outer worlds, I thought of sharing this knowledge and learning with my friends and family and started penning them down. So, I can say I got the ‘writing bug’ through my family tree,” Nath, an alumnus of the Shri Ram College of Commerce and the National Institute of Fashion Technology who worked for a few years in a Fortune 100 company in US and then chose to come back to his roots in India, told IANS in an interview.

Thus, “Awaken Your Soulprint” (Rupa) provides you the tools to answer life’s existential questions and helps you discover your soulprint in order to create your own customized spiritual path. It postulates the concept of soulful living, a spiritually evolved way of modern-day thinking, based on the realizations of thousands of years of human evolution.

Nath elucidates on how to increase one’s spiritual metabolism and propagates four simple tools - spiritual wisdom, spiritual practices, faith, and devotion for one’s awakening. These tools activate and guide your energies to take your awareness towards the possibilities of higher existence for yourself.

How does one relate this book to the present pandemic times?

“The book works on balancing the inner and outer worlds, which becomes more relevant in times of unbalance. Pandemic has partially lockdown our material world globally and has given the opportunity for us to focus to foster our spiritual world. We could already see few people chose to reinvent themselves even during these horrible times by focusing on their inner energies. The book provides tools and framework for each soulprint to be awakened to seek its own solutions in any of life’s situations,” Nath explained.

Speaking about the research that went into the book, he said this “had been in the form of searching again. My research was as much

internal as outer as one can’t exist without the other. To find yourself, you need to first lose yourself.

This process of finding, losing and re-searching yourself showed me the path that has become the index of the book itself”.

“I found wisdom everywhere I went, available only to those who are awakened to see it. On my reading ancient texts from all over the world (holy or non- religious), I soaked the essence of them, albeit in an unbiased way. I was fortunate to connect the universal dots of spirituality, which guided me to write about these gems in the book,” Nath added.

What of the road ahead? What is his next project?

“The book has been an important step for me towards achieving my life’s calling. I now aspire to reach out and contribute meaningfully to the soulprints trying to walk on their own path by spreading the knowledge from the book. My purpose is to share the path of attaining peace, happiness and success to whoever is seeking it.

My inner journey connects with my outer for which I have miles to go before I sleep,” Nath concluded.

I

n the village of Great Wyrley near Birmingham, someone is mutilating horses. Someone is also sending threatening letters to the vicarage, where the vicar, Shahpur Edalji, is a Parsi convert to Christianity and the first Indian to have a parish in England.

His son George -- quiet, socially awkward and the only boy at school with distinctly Indian features -- grows up into a successful barrister, till he is improbably linked to and then prosecuted for the crimes in a case that left many convinced that justice hadn’t been served.

When he is released early, his conviction still hangs over him. Having lost faith in the police and the legal system, George Edalji turns to the one man he believes can clear his name -- the one whose novels he spent his time reading in prison, the creator of the world’s greatest detective. When he writes to Arthur Conan Doyle asking him to meet, Conan Doyle agrees.

From the author of “Victoria and Abdul” comes “The Mystery of the Parsee Lawyer” (Bloomsbury), an

eye-opening look at race and an unexpected friendship in the early days of the 20th century, and the perils of being foreign in a country built on empire.

Shrabani Basu is a journalist and author. Apart from “Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest Confidant”, now a major motion picture, her books include “For King and Another Country: Indian Soldiers on the Western Front, 1914e18”.

In 2010, she set up the Noor Inayat Khan Memorial Trust and campaigned for a memorial for the WWII British spy of Indian descent, who was captured and executed by the Gestapo, which was unveiled by Princess Anne in London in November 2012.

In September 2012, producers Zafar Hai and Tabrez Noorani obtained the film rights to Basu’s biography, “Spy Princess: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan”. Her story is portrayed in the 2020 film “A Call to Spy” written by Sarah Megan Thomas and directed by Lydia Dean Pilcher.

Noor is played by Indian actress Radhika Apte.

Awakening your ‘soulprint’ to find happiness and success

I

t was a chance discovery of a book written 100 years ago by his great great grandfather that blended spiritual wisdom to aid decision-making that inspired writer and life coach Aditya Nath to delve deeper into the subject and pen his debut novel, “Awaken Your Soulprint - Discovering Your Own Special Path To Happiness And Success” that he believes can also provide the path ahead in todays pandemic times.

“As destiny would have it, one day on Amazon.com I stumbled upon the book of my great great grandfather written over 100 years ago. The essence of the book was spiritual wisdom based on the Vedas, which could be used in our everyday decision-making.

This inspired me to start seeking a soulful path to my material world

www.indianabroad.news

problems.

“With the passage of time and having experienced a blissful state of balance between my inner and outer worlds, I thought of sharing this knowledge and learning with my friends and family and started penning them down. So, I can say I got the ‘writing bug’ through my family tree,” Nath, an alumnus of the Shri Ram College of Commerce and the National Institute of Fashion Technology who worked for a few years in a Fortune 100 company in US and then chose to come back to his roots in India, told IANS in an interview.

Just like a thumbprint, every single human being on this planet has a unique soulprint. Nature never repeats itself in anything it does, thus two soulprints are never ever

alike and nor are their material or spiritual journeys. In life’s journey, you can be sleeping while you are awake and be awakened even while you are asleep.

Thus, “Awaken Your Soulprint” (Rupa) provides you the tools to answer life’s existential questions and helps you discover your soulprint in order to create your own customized spiritual path. It postulates the concept of soulful living, a spiritually evolved way of modern-day thinking, based on the realizations of thousands of years of human evolution.

Nath elucidates on how to increase one’s spiritual metabolism and propagates four simple tools - spiritual wisdom, spiritual practices, faith, and devotion for one’s awakening. These tools

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activate and guide your energies to take your awareness towards the possibilities of higher existence for yourself.

How does one relate this book to the present pandemic times?

“The book works on balancing the inner and outer worlds, which becomes more relevant in times of unbalance. Pandemic has partially lockdown our material world globally and has given the opportunity for us to focus to foster our spiritual world. We could already see few people chose to reinvent themselves even during these horrible times by focusing on their inner energies. The book provides tools and framework for each soulprint to be awakened to seek its own solutions in any of life’s situations,” Nath explained.

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Speaking about the research that went into the book, he said this “had been in the form of searching again. My research was as much internal as outer as one can’t exist without the other. To find yourself, you need to first lose yourself.

This process of finding, losing and re-searching yourself showed me the path that has become the index of the book itself”.

“I found wisdom everywhere I went, available only to those who are awakened to see it. On my reading ancient texts from all over the world (holy or non- religious), I soaked the essence of them, albeit in an unbiased way. I was fortunate to connect the universal dots of spirituality, which guided me to write about these gems in the book,” Nath added.

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Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer Kangana Ranaut opens cafe and ‘Anek’ to release on Sep 17 restaurant in Manali Mumbai, Feb 22 (IANS): Ayushmann Khurrana tweeted on Monday that his film Anek will release on September 17. The film marks his return with director Anubhav Sinha after the 2019 release, Article 15.

“Naam #ANEK, lekin release date ek! Milte hai aapse 17th September 2021 ko!” Ayushmann wrote on Twitter.

The film is currently on the floors in Assam. Ayushmann’s slit eyebrow in the first look of the film has grabbed eyeballs.

Talking about his character in the film and sporting a distinct look, Ayushmann recently said: “I have been fortunate to collaborate with filmmakers who encourage me to add my creative inputs to their vi-

sion of storytelling. The eyebrow slit I am sporting in Anek was an idea I discussed with Anubhav sir. It was about creating a distinct look that the audience has never seen me

in, and I am glad that people have noticed and are discussing it.”

Anek is being produced by Bhushan Kumar and Anubhav Sinha.

Manushi Chillar: I’m getting a Diwali debut similar to Deepika Padukone Mumbai, Feb 23 (IANS) Miss India 2017 Manushi Chillar is all set for a Bollywood debut in the ambitious historical drama Prithviraj. She stars opposite superstar Akshay Kumar who essays the title role of Prithviraj Chauhan. She feels lucky that her film is scheduled for release on Diwali, one of the most important weekends of the year.

“Growing up, I remember going to the theatre to watch a movie during Diwali. It was evident to us that one of the biggest films of the year would be released on Diwali and (watching films) was a community viewing exercise. Today, as my film has been slated for a Diwali release, I can only be grateful that I’m getting this launch by YRF,” said Manushi.

The 23-year-old actress says she has given it her all for the film, and is eager to see the audiences reaction.

“I have given this debut my all and have worked consistently on myself for over a year, to deliver this important and beautiful part.

So, I’m quite eager for my film to do well and hopefully for people to love it,” she said.

One is prompted to think of Deepika Padukone, who had a Diwali debut in 2007 opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om. “When you say that I’m getting a Diwali debut similar to the debut Deepika Padukone got with Om Shanti Om, I can only consider myself fortunate.

Deepika is someone many girls look up to and is an inspiration to many,” she replied.

She says she is not over-burdening herself with expectations.

“Honestly, I’m not over-burdening myself with expectations. I want to enjoy the release of my first film and I want this process to be etched in my mind forever. So, I

Manali, Feb 23 (IANS) Actress Kangana Ranaut has ventured into the food and beverage business by opening a cafe and restaurant in her hometown Manali. On Tuesday, Kangana shared photographs from the location where her cafe will be set up. wish to cherish every step,” she said.

Prithviraj has been scheduled for a release on November 5. The film is directed by Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi.

YouTube removes PewDiePie video attacking top kids’ channel San Francisco, Feb 19 (IANS) YouTube has removed a video posted by popular Swedish YouTuber PewDiePie for violating its guidelines around child safety.

In the video, the popular YouTuber attacked popular children’s channel Cocomelon’s content and poked fun at kids who watch the videos, reports The Verge.

“Our policies prohibit content that leads to repeated patterns of harassment on- and off-platform.

Following a review, we’ve removed

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the video in question for violating those policies because they had the effect of encouraging abusive fan behaviour,’’ the report quoted a YouTube spokesperson as saying on Thursday.

The company also said that it had started to see increased harassment of Cocomelon in the wake of the PewDiePie video being posted.

Earlier, the YouTube star produced another controversial track targeting another popular platform.

The actress calls this her dream venture, revealing that apart from cinema she is also passionate about food.

“Sharing my new venture my dream with you all, something which will bring us closer, ther than movies my other passion food, taking baby steps in to FnB industry, building my first cafe and resotaurant in Manali, thanks to my terrific team dreaming of

something spectacular. Thanks,” Kangana tweeted.

The actress had recently hinted about her “new venture” on social media even though she did not divulge details about the same.

After wrapping up shoot for the Bhopal schedule of her forthcoming spy thriller film “Dhaakad”, Kangana tweeted on Sunday, hinting at her new venture.

The actress had written: “Schedule wrap alert.... most wonderful people, thank you chief Razy and my dear friend Sohail, amazing team I had the time of my life. #Dhaakad is going to be something spectacular. Now running to another mission, new venture coming up.”

In 2018, PewDiePie released Bitch Lasagna -- originally titled T-Series Diss Track -- when Bollywood channel T-Series. The track was accused for being very racially discriminating against Indians in general.

YouTube decided to take down the “Coco” video to prevent similar harassment of Cocomelon, which was created by a middle-aged Korean-American couple in Southern California.

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Abhishek Kapoor remembers ‘crown jewel’ Sushant as ‘Kai Po Che’ turns 8 Mumbai, Feb 22 (IANS) Filmmaker Abhishek Kapoor recalled working with late actor Sushant Singh Rajput on Monday. Kapoor had directed Sushant in Kai Po Che and the film, which was released eight years ago on this day, had marked the actor’s debut in Bollywood.

“The thrill of starting this journey with a new team hungry 2 give their best at the dawn of their

careers stands most vividly in mind..One cant quantify the love our film continues to receive over the years, neither can we quantify the pain we feel at the loss of our crown jewel,” Kapoor tweeted.

Bhagat reacted to the director’s tweet and wrote: “Wow. 8 years since Kai Po Che. One of the most meaningful things I have ever been a part of. So many memories.”

The film, also featuring Rajkummar Rao, Amit Sadh and Manav Kaul, is based on author Chetan Bhagat’s bestseller novel The 3 Mistakes Of My Life.

Apart from Kai Po Che, Abhishek Kapoor has also directed Sushant in the 2018 release, Kedarnath, which also stars Sara Ali Khan.

‘Bombay Begums’ to release on Women’s Day women in Mumbai.

Said Shrivastava: “’Bombay Begums’ is a story about Indian women that I hope women in India and across the world will connect with.

“The series explores the complex journey of working Indian women who are ambitious for power and success, but have many other battles to fight too. It’s the story of their daily hustle, the story of their dreams - sometimes buried, sometimes fulfilled,” she added.

“It’s the story of glass ceilings shattered, and also of the hearts broken in the process. I have tried to create a world that reflects the realities of urban working women.

I hope audiences relate to the characters and find pieces of their own journey reflected in the story,” Shrivastava continued.

Mumbai, Feb 9 (IANS) The web series, Bombay Begums will release on March 8, on the occasion of International Women’s Day. The show casts Pooja Bhatt, Shahana Goswam, Amruta Subhash and Rahul Bose in pivotal roles, and is

created and directed by Alankrita Shrivastava of Lipstick Under My Burkha fame.

The series touches upon themes of ambition, desire, struggle for power and vulnerability through the stories of five modern Indian

“I am excited and proud that ‘Bombay Begums’ is coming on the occasion of International Women’s Day,” she added.

The series also features Plabita Borthakur and Aadhya Anand along with Vivek Gomber and Danish Husain in important roles. It is slated to release on Netflix.

and bad films will not. Films which connect to the masses and hearts of people will run. It doesn’t make a difference when you are releasing the film. If a good film releases during exams or IPL, it still runs. If it is not good, even if you release it in an open week where there are no films, it will not run,” he says.

Here is a list of Bollywood clashes lined up as of now: Prithiviraj v/s Jersey (November 5) The Diwali weekend looks poised for what could be the most fascinating clash of the year, unless one of the films decides to prepone or postpone. An in-form Akshay Kumar takes on Shahid Kapoor, who returns for the first time on big screen after his 2019 blockbuster, Kabir Singh. The historical drama Prithviraj, starring Akshay with Manushi Chhillar, runs into Shahid’s cricket drama Jersey, also starring Mrunal Thakur.

Mumbai Saga v/s Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar (March 19) Sanhay Gupta’s new underworld drama Mumbai Saga has an ensemble cast comprising John Abraham, Emraan Hashmi, Suniel Shetty, Kajal Aggarwal, Rohit Roy, Anjana Sukhani, Mahesh Manjrekar and Prateik Babbar. Lined up on the same day is Dibakar Banerjee’s black comedy drama Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, featuring Parineeti

Chopra and Arjun Kapoor.

Radhe v/s Satyameva Jayate 2 (Eid weekend) Salman Khan fans have been waiting for Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, and the superstar not long ago confirmed its release in the Eid weekend. While the cop action thriller Radhe, co-starring Disha Patani, opens on May 13, John Abraham returns as the vigilante cop in Satyamev Jayate 2, also a cop action thriller, a day later on May 14.

Gangubai Kathiawadi v/s Radhe Shyam (July 30) Alia Bhatt gets an aggressive makeover in Sajay Leela Bhansali’s biographical crime drama Gangubai Kathiawadi. The film is pitted against the romantic drama Radhe Shyam, starring Prabhas and Pooja Hegde.

Shershaah v/s Major (July 2) Both films are about patriotism and real-life military valour.

Sidharth Malhotra plays Param Vir Chakra recipient and Kargil war hero Captain Vikram Batra in Shershaah, also featuring Kiara Advani.

Major is a multilingual project that marks Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu’s debut as producer. The film casts Adivi Sesh as 2008 Mumbai attacks martyr, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan.

Friday Clashes: Bollywood biggies lock horns in overcrowded year Mumbai, Feb 25 (IANS) Bollywood experienced a lull last year with hardly any film getting a theatrical release owing to the complete closure of cinemas. With business opening up, many films are ready to release and raring to go. The inevitable, of course, is happening with a slew of films announcing release dates. In an overcrowded market, multiple Fridays this year will see box office clash between two films.

“These sort of clashes should not happen, especially at this time. As it is, business is slow. People are not coming to the theatres in big numbers and the situation is not

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all that profitable. At this point of time, we cannot afford clashes,” says trade analyst Atul Mohan.

He adds that if producers only keep eyeing festive or strategic dates for release, such clashes are bound to happen and, what’s more, their films might not end up doing as well as they would have done as solo releases on regular Fridays.

“We have seen these festive clashes never work. If these films released on different days, they would end up making more money. If there is a clash of this kind then they eat into each other’s business. But if they space out

their releases then they enjoy a free run,” says Mohan.

Talking about the huge number of films releasing this year, trade analyst Komal Nahta feels that not all will make it to the theatres on time.

“Everything will not work according to announcements, and many of the films might not even release. At the end of the day, only films with good content will do well. Star cast really doesn’t make a difference at this point,” he says.

Producer, director and writer Karan Razdan, whose film Hindutva will release in August, agrees that content of the film makes all the difference. “I feel good films will run

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Kangana claims she is the ‘only’ Suhana Khan shares actress after Sridevi to try comedy a ‘cheesy’ picture

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angana Ranaut has claimed that she is the only actress after late superstar Sridevi to have given comedy a shot.

Her assertion came on Thursday, which marks 10 years of release of her hit romantic comedy, Tanu Weds Manu.

“I was stuck in edgy/neurotic roles, this film changed the trajectory of my career, was my entry in to mainstream that too with comedy, with Queen and Datto I strengthened my comic timing and became the only actress after legendary SriDevi ji to do comedy

#10yearsoftanuwedsmanu,” Kangana Ranaut tweeted.

In a separate tweet, the actress mentioned how the Aanand L. Rai directorial film contributed in shaping her career.

“Thanks to @aanandlrai and our writer Himanshu Sharma for this franchise, when they came to me as struggling makers I thought I can make their careers but instead they made my career, one can never tell which film will work and which won’t, all destiny, glad my destiny has you,” the actress wrote.

Written by Himanshu Sharma, the film also features R Madhavan, Jimmy Sheirgill, Swara Bhasker and Deepak Dobriyal in key roles.

Director Rai, too, took to Instagram to celebrate 10 years of his film’s release. He wrote: “Someone said so beautifully...Nothing of me is original, I am the combined effort of everyone I have ever known.

Thank you for giving me my identity Thank you for making me Woh Tanu weds Manu wala Aanand Rai. Thank you.”

‘Namaste Wahala’ director: OTT helps budding filmmakers find voice

Mumbai, Feb 25 (IANS) Suhana Khan, daughter of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, has posted a picture grating cheese.

More than her chore, it is her fashion statement in the image that is turning heads.

dead-gorgeous in a cropped beige coloured top paired with a fitted skirt. She completes the look with soft make-up and keeps her hair open.

Suhana posted the picture on Instagram, where she looks drop-

For the caption, she wrote: “Say (cheese emoji).”

In the image, she is seen holding a grater and cheese.

When Malaika recreated ‘Run Lola Run’ in white sari

Mumbai, Feb 25 (IANS) Malaika Arora on Thursday shared her version of the hit German film Run Lola Run, dubbing it Run Malla Run.

In a throwback monochrome picture she posted on Instagram, Malaika is seen running. She is dressed in a white sari that flies all over, with a strapless white blouse.

She shows off a toned midriff and her hair falls all over her face.

Mumbai, Feb 20 (IANS) Hamisha Daryani Ahuja, director-producer of the recently-released film Namaste Wahala says the growing culture of watching films on streaming platforms has enabled budding filmmakers across the world to find a voice as storytellers.

Namaste Wahala, which dropped on OTT, is a Nollywood film (as the Nigerian film industry is popularly known) to be widely available for Indian OTT viewers, and tries recreating the formulaic Bollywood love story as it was typically popular till a while back. The film is a cross cultural romance set in Lagos, starring Indian actor Ruslaan

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Mumtaz and Nigerian actress Ini Dima-Okojie.

“I think it is a great sign for us, for budding filmmakers, who are finding voice through the streaming platforms. When I made my film, being a debutant, I wanted my Nollywood film to be released theatrically, in all over Nigeria and all of Africa. Our film was ready by April 2020 but then pandemic took over and it kept delaying. Eventually we had to take a different way to release our film. When we show it to Netflix they loved it and that is how we have got a chance to release the film worldwide. That was phenomenal about it -- the

“Run malla run....... pic @farrokhchothia #thursdaythrowback,” she wrote as the caption.

Actress Katrina Kaif found the picture stunning, and wrote: “One of my favorite photo shoots.”

Malaika is an avid social media user and keeps sharing about her personal and professional life on the digital platforms.

wide exposure,” said Ahuja.

She is highly inspired by Bollywood romance and Shah Rukh Khan is one of her favourite superstars.

“My inspiration of making a love story comes from Karan Johar’s movies and watching Shah Rukh Khan on screen. But this is a Nollywood movie, so I spoke to my fashion designer friend Rahil Raza and I told him that I need couple of actors for the film. The Indian television shows are also popular here (in Nigeria), so people recognise TV actors here. As a debutant, I did not approach any Bollywood star but you never know what I do in my next film,” she said.

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Akshay, SRK, Ranveer, Priyanka Sonakshi Sinha: applaud Alia in ‘Gangubai We’re all sheltered Kathiawadi’ teaser by mother nature

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he teaser of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi has received a thumbs up from the biggies of Bollywood, with Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra and Ranveer Singh praising lead actress Alia Bhatt’s performance.

Priyanka posted: “Alia!!!!

I’m so proud of you my friend for stepping into complexity fearlessly. I hope you always keep shining. PresentingGangubai Kathiawadi!

Congratulations Sanjay sir and team. @aliaa08 @bhansali_produc.”

Akshay Kumar wrote: “#GangubaiKathiawadi... had found the title itself very intriguing from the day I’d heard it... the teaser only adds to it! @aliaa08 along with #SanjayLeelaBhansali sir bring their A-game again, so looking forward to it Clapping hands sign.”

Shah Rukh also posted a very warm message for his Dear Zindagi co-star. Calling her “little one”, he wrote: “I always look forward to your work as an actor ‘little one’.

And this one seems extremely special....and you....so Gangsta!!!

All my love and wishes for the film. @aliaa08.” The actress replied to him too and wrote, “Love you my favourite!!!!!! Thank you thank you!!!” SRK completed his note with

S

onakshi Sinha took out time on Saturday to reconnect with Mother Nature.

“If you really think about it... we’re all sheltered. By mother nature,” the actress wrote, along with an Instagram picture that shows her sitting on grass, under a big tree.

heart emojis.

equation with the filmmaker.

Alia retweeted filmmaker Karan Johar’s tweet that said: “With @ aliaa08 and #SanjayLeelaBhansali working together, it’s bound to be magical.... What a brilliant teaser!

Super super proud of you baby girl! Can’t wait to see this on the big screen! Fire @bhansaliProductions #GangubaiKathiawadi.”

Ranveer posted the teaser of the film and wrote: “Gangu tu chand hai, chand rahegi...”

The actress made her debut with Johar’s Student Of The Year in 2012, and is known to share a great

This is the first time that Bhansali is directing Alia. The film is about the life of Gangubai Kothewali, madam of a brothel in Kamathipura, and is based on a chapter of Hussain Zaidi’s book Mafia Queens Of Mumbai. It is set to release on July 30.

In the photo, Sonakshi wears a white cotton long kurta with floral print and bell sleeves. She completes her look with cotton pants, minimal make-up and open hair.

Sonakshi expresses her love for the nature time and again on social media.

Earlier this month, the actress had shared a beautiful sun-kissed picture of herself on Instagram where she can be seen posing with a bunch of red flowers with the shadow of the flowers falling on her face. Sonakshi wrote: “Nature needs no filters but can be a cool filter.”

On the work front, the actress is gearing up for her next release, “Bhuj: The Pride Of India”, co-starring Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Sharad Kelkar, Ammy Virk, Pranitha Subhash and Nora Fatehi. The film is set against the backdrop of the Indo-Pak war of 1971.

Recreated version of ‘Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si’ out on March 2

Hrithik records statement with K Crime Branch against Kangana

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ollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan on Saturday recorded his statement with Crime Branch in an ongoing case filed against actress Kangana Ranaut.

couple of years later, Kangana resorted to attacking Hrithik in the public, referring to him as her “silly ex”. The two actors have filed cases against each other.

Videos shared by the paparazzi on social media show the actor alighting from his car and entering the Crime Branch office to record his statement. The actor wore a simple T-shirt with denims with a cap, and covered his face with a mask. He also avoided speaking to the media present at the spot.

On Friday, Kangana once again referred to Hrithik Roshan as her “silly ex” on Twitter while reacting to a news report on the microblogging site. The actress news piece tweet said: “#HrithikRoshan to Appear Before Mumbai’s #CrimeBranch on February 27 to Record Statement in Case Against #KanganaRanaut.”

As per reports, the statement being recorded is with regards to an e-mail exchange case between Hrithik and Kangana that took place few years ago.

Reacting to this, Kangana tweeted: “Duniya kahan se kahan pahunch gayi magar mera silly ex abhi bhi waheen hai usi modh pe jahan yeh waqt dobara laut ke nahi jane wala (No matter where the world has moved on but my silly ex is still standing there where time will never return).

Hrithik and Kangana appeared together in the 2010 film “Kites” and the 2013 film “Krrish 3”, following which they reportedly dated for a while before parting ways. A

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ishore Kumars immortal song Ek Ladki bheegi bhaagi si, which costarred Madhubala and featured in the 1958 superhit comedy Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, is set for a recreation, due to be out on March 2.

The SD Burman classic, written by Majrooh Sultanpuri, is being recreated for the voice of Ajay Keswani. The music video will feature the singer with Urvashi Rautela. It is written and directed by Varun Prabhudayal Gupta.

“Madhubala ji is a timeless icon and to have the opportunity to be her in the recreation of Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si is surreal,” said Urvashi, about trying to recreate Madhubala’s magic on screen, adding that the recreation is a tribute to Kishore Kumar and Madhubala.

The track begins with the voice of Kishore Kumar. A complete festival

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party was created for the picturisation, and the video also has an underwater sequence.

Singer Ajay Keswani said: “I have grown up admiring Madhubala ji and Kishore da. To be part of ‘Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si’ is an honour and I think the reimagined version will refresh the memories of listeners in a special way. We have tried our best to make the song a visual and sonic delight.”

The song will be out on YouTube.

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