2009-12 Sydney (2)

INDIANLINK

PUBLISHER

Pawan Luthra

EDITOR

Rajni Anand Luthra

ASSISTANT EDITORS

Usha Arvind

Sheryl Dixit

MELBOURNE

Preeti Jabbal

CONTRIBUTORS

Shivangi Ambani-Gandhi, Shafeen Mustaq, Indranil Halder, Yogi Savania, Noel G deSouza, Madhuchanda Das, Priyanka Rao, Graham Sims, Hasnain Zaheer, Sanjiv Dubey, Aparna Jacob

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Vivek Trivedi 02 9262 1766

ADVERTISING ASSISTANT

Priti Sharma 02 9279 2004

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Darren Monaghan

Indian Link is a fortnightly newspaper published in English. No material, including advertisements designed by Indian Link, maybe reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the editor. Opinions carried in Indian Link are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Indian Link. All correspondence should be addressed to Indian Link Level 24/44 Market St, Sydney 2000 or GPO Box 108, Sydney 2001

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Time to resolve a few things I

t is that time of the year again. The streets are busy with families as they get through their shopping; the department stores are packed with last minute shoppers as they hastily grab that special gift for their friends; the restaurants are all jam packed with revellers celebrating the spirit of the season.

It is also the time of the year when you look at the year gone by and think about the year ahead.

Time to set a few resolutions: though most will be forgotten within a week of 2010, it is certainly worth enjoying the planning of these promises anyway.

There are of course the simpler ones, such as giving up smoking, or drinking less. It may be a hackneyed resolve, but it really makes perfect sense. For one friend at least, it was easy: gentle words spoken by a family elder hit straight home. “If you truly love your children, you will give up cigarettes”. He has never smoked since.

Or there’s that all-time favourite, losing weight. The post Christmas sales catch the rush for all types of treadmills, which by Easter are found listed on Ebay. Oh well, at least the original intentions are honourable, even if the execution (or lack thereof) makes this one of the worst kept promises ever.

There are those who will promise to take time out from work, and play a sport. Indian Australians are jumping on the bandwagon with their badminton, or

I am completing my Diploma of Business? What to do?

DiD you know? Enrolment into Certificate iV or higher course is essential for students from Assessment Level 4 countries like india? if you have completed your Diploma of Business, you’d need at least a confirmation of enrollment for a course at a Cert iV level which will be combined with the eCoE for the Certificate iii course at the time of lodging an extension of a student Visa.

What are alternative pathways available to me?

By PAWAN LUTHRA

their cricket. If being in the sun gets to be an issue, try indoor crocket or soccer, all wonderful avenues to have a ball, literally. New endeavours can be considered such as golf which, in spite of its god Tiger being exposed as a ‘cheetah’, still has a massive fan following.

Workaholics might resolve to spend less time at work and more time with neglected children – hopefully their own. Perhaps there will be a surge for Nintendo Wii Fit games, as parents resolve to keep fit and spend time with the kids at the same time!

Then of course, there are some resolutions which should not even be tried. One that is certifiably doomed to fail is the pledge to eat less chocolate, or pakoras, as the case may be. Similarly, pledging to limit time spent on the internet, or keeping phone calls to less than 18 minutes to your best friend, are also pipe dreams. These are fantasies, not resolutions. Do not attempt them as failure will lead to disappointment.

For others, the resolution could be to keep more in touch with family and friends in the new year. With the internet, emails, Facebook, SMS etc there is limited reason why this resolution cannot be met. While using these pieces of technology, perhaps another resolution ought to be to

increase world awareness and read more interesting stories, so that the same jokes and stories are not repeated more than four times at parties and family gatherings. While on the internet, there are some people whose resolution probably should be to review all their internet accounts - and try and understand why they have more than three email IDs.

Another worthwhile new year’s resolution can be to laugh a little bit more, to stop worrying about everything, and perhaps the most difficult of all, to stop taking oneself so seriously. If any of these three can be fulfilled, then it will surely mean a wonderful start for 2010. Live, laugh and learn – perhaps three perfect words for the new year… nay, decade. Go on, make up your new year’s resolution now. How are you going to improve your life in the coming year? Happy New Year.

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Indian banking system one of world’s best regulated: UBI chief

MV Nair is the Chairman and Managing Director of the Union Bank of India (UBI), one of India’s largest state-run banks. With assets of over USD 13.45 billion, UBI is listed on the Forbes Global 2000 which ranks the top 2000 public companies in the world.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Indian Link, Mr Nair, who was in Sydney to open the branch office of Union Bank of India, gave full credit to the Reserve Bank of India for the work they did prior to the global financial meltdown in 2007.

“The Reserve Bank of India in 2007 cautioned Indian banks about financing to the real estate market and introduced counter cyclical measures of increasing the risk weightage of the loans. They had envisaged that real estate could be an issue. Therefore, Indian banks were not affected by the credit crunch. In fact, the Indian economy suffered the reverse of the US economy. The credit crunch hit first and then the US economy got affected. In India, due to trade issues, the economy was affected initially, which later put pressure on the credit market,” he said.

He praised the Reserve Bank of India for the way it handled this crisis. “We saw a crisis coming in the mutual fund industry. We called the investment fund industry captains in for a talk. The Reserve Bank gave us a line of credit - we opened this line up and sent out press releases. The confidence came back, and redemption from the mutual funds slowed down. This worked, otherwise it could have begun a bit of a problem,” revealed Mr Nair.

Mr Nair is also very confident about the way the Indian economy is growing. Shrugging off any concerns about China, he explained that India’s growth rate is very robust. “The growth rate has increased from 6% to 8% though it did decline to 5.8% in the third and fourth quarters of last year. However, in the recently concluded quarter it is 7.9%. Yes, inflation is a worry, but the growth is right and some balance may need to happen,” he added.

Elaborating further on the theme of India vis-a-vis China, he is confident that the increase in India’s middle class from the current 350 million to 1 billion by 2039 will create huge ongoing infrastructure opportunities. “India is and will be a great investment destination. If the same investment had come into India as is the case with China, India would not have the capacity to absorb this investment. I would like to have the absorption capacity and the investing coming in. We are moving in the right direction,” he told Indian Link

In spite of China’s growing influence in the world economy, Mr Nair stressed that the US had an extremely important part to play due its great consumption capacity.

Another issue Mr Nair is passionate about

in their local communities. “The banking sector is not only about making a profit. As Chairman of Indian Banking Association, my primary engagement is to discuss how to include that 50% of the population who are denied banking opportunities in India,” he said. “If the banking sector does not do that, there may be an undercurrent of social unrest.”

He also explained that the banking system is part of the local economy, and if the local economy does well, the banking system does well. If the local economy does not do well, the banks would suffer.

Mr Nair is excited about the opening of the Sydney branch of Union Bank. The decision taken in 2007 prior to the global financial crisis, has been made possible by his vision.

Mr Utpal Kar who is the supremo of the Sydney operations is also excited about what Union Bank can offer its customers.

“We have the strong desire to give our best for our customers and the Australian office allows us to do just that,” he said.

A traditional lamp was lit and a ribbon cut to inaugurate UBI’s offices in Sydney’s George Street. A gala dinner was held at the Hilton Hotel that evening, at which Mr Nair presented the plans for Union Bank of India to the audience.

“India and Australia have a shared history and language, common democratic traditions, similar legal, financial and government structures and common interests,” said Mr Nair. “The UBI is committed to strengthening the growth of bilateral trade relations between Australia and India”.

He added, “The Representative Office in Sydney will provide necessary consultancy assistance, research and market information, and liaison for the business community in Australia.”

Union Bank joins the ranks of other Indian banks such as State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda

their services to the 400,000 plus Indian Australian community.

to offer

The Union Bank of India comes to Sydney. PAWAN LUTHRA reports

(Above) Hon. Amanda Ruth Fazio, MLC, President of the Legislative Council of NSW, with Mr. Nair, Chairman Union Bank of India

(Below) From left to right : Utpal Kar (Chief Representative Officer, UBI Sydney); RS Pandey (Chief Executive Officer, UBI Hongkong); MV Nair (Chairman and Managing Director, Union Bank of India), and S Rajendran (General Manager, Union Bank of India International Banking Division)

Flashback 2009

The Indian-Australian community was called on to face unique challenges in the past year. RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA looks at issues and milestones that impacted our lives

The students’ issue

Categorically, this was the defining issue for the community this year. What started off as a law and order problem opened a huge can of worms that no one quite knows how to handle.

There’s a problem situation in each of the sentences that can be used to describe “the Indian students’ issue”. Consider this: The students have been soft targets because they travel late and live in low socio-economic areas. (But racist taunts were made when the attacks took place). The attackers are rednecks – outliers of the mainstream community who are probably alcoholics or drug-addicts. The students work multiple jobs in a day because the school fees are high and rogue education agents lied to them about the job situation here. The schools they attend are shonky institutions that are only interested in fleecing them of their money. Often the “college” is on one floor of a city building, and everyone speaks Punjabi, including the teachers. The students don’t really care much about their course because they are really here to gain residency. They stick with each other and do not acclimatise. The government did not do anything about the situation till the Indian media made a hue and cry about it all. Then the words “$15 billion industry” began to be bandied about – and Australians learnt that education was actually their third largest “industry”.

“Racism!”, the students cried. The mainstream, largely tolerant so far, began to make mutterings of their own: a bit rich, don’t you think, for the inventors of the caste system and untouchability, to accuse someone else of racism? Meanwhile, the Police were told to pay more attention, and minister after minister travelled to India. To a lukewarm reception.

So the real problem lies, we now know, with those redneck alcoholics or drugaddicts who perpetrated the attacks on the students and made racist taunts while doing so; with the students themselves; with rogue education agents; with rogue migration agents who have hit upon a legal method of people-smuggling; with the shonky colleges; with the irresponsible press in India; with ineffective police and other government agencies here who have no checks in place; with the community who are too involved in their own lives to care about their student compatriots; with the previous government for introducing that MODL list; and with the problems within the Indian system that is causing the youth to want to escape to another country.

Now that the main problems have been identified, working on solving them will be the biggest challenge.

A ‘fair’ assessment

Other than that week in June at Harris Park, our annual Melas were our biggest community gatherings again this year. Yet, interestingly, it was the newer migrants that seemed to be making up the numbers - the older settlers chose to stay away from the India Fairs and the Diwali Melas, opting instead to go out to mainstream events such as City-to-Surf. The same was true for the smaller events such as Baisakhi Mela, Janmashtami Fair and Sakhi Sangam: perhaps the mood is one of ‘been there, done that’. Hopefully next year the organisers will infuse more excitement into their projects to entice them back.

UIA

Among the community “leaders”, the UIA featured on our pages this year for electing a new president and for taking over new premises, but never for tackling any issues of significance, except sparingly when the Wigram St revolt broke out. As another Indian publication so rightly pointed out, our ‘leading’ organisation did not even students’ issue at the India Fair when it had a captive audience of some 20,000 people, including the premier of the state, leading members of the state parliament and Indian diplomats. Its major achievement for this year - India Fair again.

Canberra Calling

The High Commissioner of India Sujatha Singh summoned to Canberra the ‘movers and shakers’ for a talk-fest on matters ailing the community. It is hoped she successfully identified a list of concerns that can be fixed, but from the mutterings in the community it seemed to be a rerun of the invitationscontroversy at the Abhishek-Aishwarya wedding: who was invited and why, and who wasn’t invited and why not. Nonetheless, a worthwhile precedent has been set, and more will hopefully come out of such events in future years.

Community Sport

Amongst the hoi polloi, an interesting trend this year has been the rise of community sport. Badminton clubs have mushroomed that are seeing increasing membership from people of all ages. While these began as social clubs, they have now moved on to being a regular form of exercise and even beyond – competitions between clubs are

now held on a regular basis. In cricket, a unique IPL-style series of competitions is currently ongoing: teams (backed by local businesses) have competed in an 8-a-side tournament, a 20/20 series and a 30/30 series. Mostly made up of students, these contests have provided a major boost in selfesteem after the traumatic events of earlier this year. For kids, for the first time ever, a school holiday sport camp conducted in January was so popular that another one is planned for the upcoming summer holidays. Finally, we are beginning to see sporting events that are driven purely by passion –not as advertising gimmicks or with politicsridden administrations. Another encouraging sign is the unprecedented number of Indianorigin sport coaches out there in the system, teaching not only cricket skills but also soccer and hockey.

The fund-raising drive

In another trend that we hope will continue, small community groups organised fund-raising drives for the benefit of disadvantaged people here as well as back in India. While we salute the efforts of all

of these groups, we wish to single out one particular group, Iti Sydney (literally ‘With Love From Sydney’), who are doing much for needy people in West Bengal. Launched by a group of four friends solely motivated by a quiet desire to help, Iti Sydney has probably accomplished much more with their charitable efforts than many highprofile organisations in the community. Other charitable efforts featured on our pages this year were GOPIO’s assistance for petrol bomb victim Rajesh Kumar, UNSW Indian students’ fund-raiser for medical supplies in India, Sashi Bala’s fund-raiser for a hospital in southern India, Hema and Sudhakar Rao’s efforts for a blind school in Karnataka, Curries by Candlelight for Hornsby Hospital, Indian Link’s own Think Pink campaign for breast cancer awareness, and TiE Sydney’s One Laptop Per Child event.

Arts

In the art world in the mainstream, India continued to feature in a major way. The surprise hit Slumdog Millionaire brought home loud and clear the undying spirit of

1 Indian international students campaign for security

2 India-Australia Friendship Fair

3 No show: Amitabh Bachchan.

4 Sangeeta Sandrasegar’s White picket fences in the clear light of day cast black lines, 2009

5 UNSW Hindu Society’s stage production Gandhi: The Power of One

6 The GLBT community raise their voice

7 Peter Varghese, Australia’s new High Commissioner to India

8 The rise of community cricket

9 Iti Sydney

India that is now seeing its growth in the world scene. The Art Gallery of NSW is currently hosting a major India-centric exhibition. Numerous other galleries featured exhibitions of paintings and photography that had Indian links – a significant one being a portrait of singer Ben Lee dressed as an Indian bridegroom, for this year’s Archibald Prize.

Of course for the community, the interesting trend this year has been the number of Indian-origin artists that have begun to be exhibited to critical acclaim: Sangeeta Sandrasegar, Hitesh Natalwala, Vandana Ram, Simryn Gill, to name a few.

Stage

In other trends this year, we’ve seen the rebirth of the Mushaira, or poetry evenings. Years ago Hindi Samaaj organised a few such events, featuring not only community literati but also invited guests from India. But then there was a lull - until this year. Now mushairas are quite the rage, even with organisations whose activities, one would have thought, would be more political than cultural. Still, we’re not complaining – bring

on the poets!

On the stage, we saw too many badly performed Bollywood dances, and some truly commendable performances from the classical styles in Baratanatyam and Kathak.

Vipul Vyas’ troupe continued to bring us laughs, but the honours this year went to the play on Gandhi The Power of One, by an amazingly talented bunch of uni students.

GLBT

The gay community is also becoming more and more organised. And visible. The Mardi Gras arts festival this year had a sizable Indian representation, and although organisations such as Salaam Namaste and Trikone Australia continued their activities, they will no doubt benefit from increased community acceptance.

Media

In terms of media, sadly, our numerous outlets in print, radio and TV all seemed tired and hackneyed. Even at a time when the community was thrust into the spotlight, there were but few names that could reach out to the mainstream (both here and in

India) and speak strongly on behalf of us all.

Bollywood Down Under

And coming to Bollywood, there was a fascinating observation. India’s entertainment industry has held mainstream attention largely for its freak value. Yet when a major production cancelled its Australia shoot in the middle of the year as a fall-out of the students’ issue, you could almost hear the collective intake of breath. And when it was all back on only weeks ago, the Minister for the Arts could hardly contain her enthusiasm to let everyone know that it was business as usual, no real harm done after all those bashings! Oh, and hurrah for Bollywood - it’s brought us 200 jobs this month alone (and I’ve even got a role in the film!)

Australian locales were used to film the television show MTV Roadies, Telugu film Sankham and Karan Johar’s Hindi remake of Stepmom.

Visitors

We had very few high profile visitors from India this year. Perhaps they stayed away

because the Indian media warned them they would be targets of “racist attacks”. Still, we had the Indian women’s cricket team for the ICC World Cup, Foreign Minister SM Krishna, top cop Kiran Bedi (who did not engage with the community at all), ghazal singer Jagjit Singh, a string of leading classical musicians for a weekend of Carnatic music, Bharatanatyam royalty the Dhananjayans, and openly gay prince of Gujarat Manavendra Singh Gohil.

A significant no-show was Amitabh Bachchan, who turned down a major honour by a leading Queensland university. The idea was completely lost on him that he could have shown much-needed solidarity with the beleaguered student population, at a time when they needed it most. Or that he could have used his status to draw attention to their cause. Still, no harm done: the Big B continues to be loved - nay, revered - as ever before, such is his charismatic power.

Disappointingly, neither the Sydney Film Fest nor the Sydney Writers’ Fest saw any significant Indian participation.

AIBC (Australia-India Business Cancellations?)

Another no-show was PM Kevin Rudd himself, at the Australia-India Business Council’s annual Independence Day address.

The much-publicised recorded address by Indian PM Manmohan Singh at the very same event didn’t materialize either. This is not the first time last minute cancellations have taken place at the AIBC.

The Independence Day Address, launched with much promise a few years ago as a high-profile event, seems to have all but changed into a fund raising vehicle rather than a platform for tackling core issues of importance between India and Australia.

Newsmakers

Now, for individuals who made a mark outside the community in a major way. To begin with, we had Peter Varghese, who was appointed Australia’s High Commissioner to India, the first Indian-origin appointee to such a high-ranking post. Scientist Dr Himanshu Brahmbhatt was in the news again this year for a major breakthrough in cancer research. Social worker and filmmaker Ana Tiwary was in the running for NSW Woman of the Year. Hindi School founder Mala Mehta OAM won the Hornsby Woman of the Year title. Nicholas Brown, an India-born NIDA-trained actor made his entry into Bollywood winning a major role in upcoming Hrithik Roshan starrer Kites. And Neville Roach AO added another feather in his cap when the Government of India invited him to be a member of the Prime Minister’s Global Advisory Council.

Emerging trends

By and large, reviewing this year for us as Indian Australians, it seems that the dynamics of the community have definitely changed. The more visible members of our community are without doubt the younger generation, who seem different in so many ways. They are assertive, confident, techsavvy, even cocky. Admirably integrated, they blend in well with the mainstream while still being well-versed with their native culture. And of course, they are fairly successful in their chosen professions. Overall, they seem to have their head screwed on right. And mind you, many of these are fairly recent arrivals from India. The students’ campaign has shone the spotlight on some pretty good leadership potential. The old guard, the so-called “community leaders” (a term that’s taken a fair bit of badgering this year), must learn to accommodate this emerging section of our community. One might even go so far as to say, get rid of the old guard, and make way for the new order.

Art Gallery of NSW

Garden and cosmos: The royal paintings of Jodhpur (Until 26 Jan 2010)

Tours

Daily 1pm, Wednesdays 7.15pm

Excluding 24 December 2009 – 1 January 2010

Art After Hours

Wednesdays 5.30pm

6 Jan Curator’s talk Jackie Menzies Head curator Asian art

13 Jan Exhibition talk Dr. Meenakshi Srinivasan Sydney

Sanskrit School

20 Jan Exhibition talk Analiese Treacy, paper conservator AGNSW

Wednesdays 6.30pm

6 Jan Bollywood performance by Mango Dance Studio

13 Jan Sari fashion parade with Sareehaven

20 Jan Yoga demonstration and workshop with Simon Borg-Olivier FOR KIDS

Letters to the editor

Respect local readers

While it was good to see news of the taxi industry being discussed (Indian Link December 1 issue), with relevant comments from Hosni, Nitin, Arun and others, considering the number of community members involved with this industry, this should have been front page news.

Kareena, Kajol etc. will shoot their movie and go - but taxi drivers will stay here and read your paper. Start respecting your local readers: we don’t appreciate celebrity gossip and frivolity. Local survival issues matter the most.

And FIAV should stop ignoring the taxi industry - or it should call itself the White

What’s On

Free Holiday Performances

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in January 1.30pm

Journey into cosmic realms to meet the Hindu deities with Lingalayam Each week we discover a different deity through classical and folk dance, music and stories.

5 – 7 Jan Dancing Ganesha

12 – 14 Jan Shiva the Cosmic dancer and his two consorts

19 – 21 Jan Krishna in his infinite incarnations

Decorative art workshops

Monday 11 – Friday 15 January 2010

Rangoli Demonstration

23 -24 Jan 12 noon-4 pm Café Circulation Area

Watch artists from Rajasthan create a rangoli of traditional patterns and symbols from colured rice powder.

Soul to soul: Healing music and nada yoga

Collar Indian Association.

Was a single taxi driver invited to Canberra by the Indian High Commissioner for her “community conference”? Are all the papers/ associations only for white collar workers? Or do we have to take our shirts off each time, to get front page coverage?

Prakash Singh, Melbourne ***

Fans no more

I know your magazine featured the Stepmom shoot (Indian Link December 1 issue), so here is what happened from a fan’s point of view, when we went to meet the stars.

As I was such a big fan of Kareena’s, my friends and I went looking for her when we discovered that she was in

8, 15 and 22 Jan 9-10am

9, 16 and 23 Jan 9-10am

Indian music and chant to lift the spirit led by Nirmal Jena and friends. Join exercises in breathing and sound vibrations with vocal and instrumental accompaniment. Garden Walk: Royal Botanic Garden Divine Landscape self-guided tour

Experience the sensuality, tranquility and beauty of the gardens, stopping at locations reminiscent of the maharaja’s palace. Download the self-guided tour from www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/gardenswalk

Sikh Youth Australia (SYA) Summer Camp

12-17 Jan This year’s camp theme is Kirat Karni (Honest living). Venue Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation, Wakehurst Parkway, Narrabeen, Sydney. Enrolments close 3rd Jan 2010. Details call Ajmer Singh Gill 0419 409 608 or Sukhvinder Singh 0414 573 060. Check out SYA website at www.sikhyouthaustralia.com

Sydney. We got to the location at Palm Beach early in the morning, and as soon as we reached there we discovered that tents were being put up for the cast and crew, for lunch. We waited for two hours. Then the producer came by, and he was angry at my friends and me for being aware of this so-called ‘secret’ location. He told us we could get to see Kareena if we waited for another three hours. Because we were all fans, we decided to stay on. After four hours we saw Kareena from a distance.....We were sooo excited and started making our way towards her, until we were stopped by the security, who told us that we couldn’t talk to her or take any pics. The guards also told us off for staring at her, as she was feeling uncomfortable! (What the hell...? What else were we expected to do,

after coming all this way just to see her?) Anyway, we waited some more until she finished her lunch, and once again got really excited as she walked towards us. And then to our surprise, she walked right past us, less than 1 metre away, without even a smile... just a death stare! She was sooo rude - there we were, with full-on smiles and waves, and she just walked right past us! We are definitely not fans of Kareena’s now, in fact, quite the opposite. But later, Saif came along and we got his autograph and photo – he seemed sweet! We also got talking to the crew and they told us that Kareena is really snobbish and doesn’t even speak to them. They were quite rude about her, calling her some uncomplimentary names.

Nikita Kalra, Sydney

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Australian women’s magazines (used as the backdrop) reflects where

Capturing the migrant story in collages

There are quite a few different themes running through the series in this exhibition – is there a thread of thought linking the works?

Most of these works were based on my experiences in India when I was there for a show for the Mumbai gallery Chatterjee & Lal. The works may look unconnected, but that is because my visit to India entails a myriad of experiences.

Q. I understand the title of the show, ‘Paksploytation’ is a combination of Pakistan + exploitation. What is the story behind this title?

The title came from the genre ‘Blacksploytation’ movies from the ‘60s and ‘70s that were mostly black and came out of America. I love these movies. In fact, they remind me of Bollywood movies because of their heightened sense of drama and all the tacky dishum dishum.

Q. Tell us about the Agni, Akash... series and the films you have picked for these works.

The series of posters were chosen partly because they were movies I loved as a child. The poster for Agni was chosen for its graphic, because it seemed to encapsulate the title of the show. Strangely this one ended up being one of my favourite pieces in the show.

Q. You’ve used self portraits in these works. Was it fun painting yourself as a muscular, Hollywood star?

It was a lot of fun painting myself as a muscular hero, though I am not fooling

myself or anyone else, I am sure. I have been painting myself in the works for a couple of years now and I do it in order to represent the Indian in the world at large. It is why I am dressed in typical travellers’ garb, the hat and the puffer jacket. Our communities are getting out in the world, both as migrants and as tourists without economic or political reasons. In the case of my family and others in our community in London, we are the first generation to be able to do that.

Q. Why are these works named after the five elements?

The elements were about further developing the overlaying of East and West and hence hinting at the developing of an in-between culture as so many of us Indians have had to do living and working in the western world. In the Indian elements are 4 of the 5 basic elements important to human life as taught to us by Hinduism: Water, Earth, Sky and Air (roughly) and in the posters are the 4 main elements important to modern western life, namely sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll and fashion.

The African masks in these works hint at the place where I was born and the Australian women’s magazine (used as the backdrop) reflects where I live now.

Q. The use of women’s magazines seems to be a continuing fascination for you. Is your house piled up with old magazines? I have used old bits of paper ever since I was at art school and had a love of Kurt Schwitters and the art of collage. I found these Australian Women’s Magazines

from the ‘50s and ‘60s a few years ago in a former studio. I loved them and wanted to use them in my art. When I started the recent works and wanted to layer reference points from all the different cultures I have experienced, it seemed like the perfect time to be using these magazines as part of the Australian experience. And yes, I do have a lot of old magazines, books and odd bits of paper which I have to take wherever I move (Hitesh recently moved from Sydney to Perth).

Q. These works are also quite a significant departure from your earlier sticky dot works... what drove the change? The difference in these works and the series I did for the India show is that they are partially worked in the computer. In a former life I was a professional illustrator and missed using those skills. I enjoyed introducing this medium as a fresh new layer in my works. I also think the brightlycoloured graphical nature of computer imagery fits in well within my aesthetic interests.

Q. The floral works - Blue Columbine, Magnolia, Red Canna and Brevipetallook like a more meticulous and detailed version of your previous floral works. Tell us about these works. I wanted to look at flowers that grow relatively near me and blow them up to look at them on a larger scale. As a reminder of their beauty obviously, but also as a way of saying that issues regarding the nature are looming large, with so much of land clearing happening for thousands of miles around Perth. The shapes around the flowers represent old fences, fencing in nature as if in a bid to control it.

Q. Why do you work with sticky dots? Is there a meditative quality to your craft of sticking dots?

My father was an accountant and the punching of the holes harks back to the days when I would help him with his accountancy practice at home by punching and tilling paper. I love the idea of crafting my art—it is reminiscent of how so much both Indian and African arts and crafts have that carefully crafted and highly colourful qualities.

Q. The amoebic images in He gave a gentle little nudge towards it and And everyone seemed to be talking at once are quite similar to your previous abstract work. What do those images mean to you?

These works followed the flower pieces and came about when looking closely at the flowers. I noticed a bee sitting on one of them. I then decided to try and design some abstracts that encapsulate those fleeting moments in nature we all observe. They are ephemeral, but momentous and remind us of the fragile beauty of nature.

Works from Paksployation can be viewed at:www.gbk.com.au/artists/hiteshnatalwala/paksploytation

Hitesh will also show at the Hong Kong Art Fair in May 2010 and later for Chatterjee & Lal, Delhi at the end of 2010.

Perth-based collage artist Hitesh Natalwala recently showed new works at an exhibition titled at Sydney’s Gallery Barry Keldoulis. He spoke to SHIVANGI AMBANI-GANDHI about the diverse imagery he has employed in the new works

I paint myself in my works to represent the Indian in the world at large. The African masks hint at the place where I was born, and the

I live now

Hitesh Natalwala

What Lies Beneath # 1

The meeting of East and West does not multicultural make

Multicultural is too simplistic a word to describe the works of Nusra Latif Qureshi and Naeem Rana, says SHIVANGI AMBANI-GANDHI

t is not as if using the word multiculturalism cures all the intercultural conflicts between people,” says Melbourne-based artist, Nusra Latif Qureshi. Her words ring true when you consider the timing of ‘this reminds me of someplace else’ - an exhibition of works by Qureshi and her husband, which showed at the Adelaide Festival Centre as part of the Oz Asia Festival 2009.

The exhibition, described in the catalogue as representing “the harmony and the tolerance we have as a multicultural Australian society,” came just months after the media exploded with news of racial attacks on Indian students.

“Multiculturalism” has become a problematic word to use - too simplistic perhaps - when describing the works of artists such as Pakistani-Australian Qureshi and her husband Naeem Rana.

Qureshi trained in the rigorous art of miniature painting, while Rana comes from a family of calligraphers and started training with his father at the age of 12. Both combine their traditional artistic styles with western practices and elements to create a narrative.

However, being Pakistani immigrants to Australia is but one aspect of their personality and their work.

“Sometimes its a bit challenging to be marketed as a ‘multicultural’ artist, as the work is seen by many to have an exotic feel, and some hidden meaning where there is none,” says Qureshi.

When asked to describe her practice in another exhibition catalogue, she wrote, “My presence as a woman, as an Asian, as a Muslim, as a migrant, as an ex-colonised, as a dark skinned individual and as a painter,

determine the course of images I make.”

The historical symbolism of the feminine figure has been a central theme in her work for some time. In the Red Silks series, which was part of the recent exhibition, Qureshi superimposes a self portrait - from a passport photo - with a Victorian era dress, Urdu text, flowers and birds.

She decodes the symbolism thus: “The text is comprised of Urdu alphabets and some words like qalam, dawat, roshnai (pen, inkwell, ink). The word/text is there as an imposed element, and shows my weariness of word - spoken and writtenand its inadequacy at expressing human emotion. Bird for me represents a different state of mind that is not necessarily expressed in words or in phrases.”

In another series of works, also displayed in Adelaide, she approaches the one emotion most often represented in mass media - love.

“In these prints I have tried to explore and comment upon the idea of love and how it is understood or misunderstood as an emotion,” she says. She uses the most popular of these media - film, and more specifically Bollywood. “I worked with three old Indian classics, Umrao Jaan, Abhimaan and Kabhi Kabhi,” says Qureshi.

“In all these movies, it’s not a straight forward ‘love-story’ as is represented in so many Bollywood and Hollywood movies. I choose the scenes that I found visually potent and extremely charged with some emotional state of the characters and put a ‘dialogue’ on it in the form of text, like ‘My love is eternal’, or ‘Love me forever and ever’.”

Meanwhile, with his brazen use of colour and seductive female silhouettes, Naeem Rana’s works allude to another aspect of Bollywood - film posters. “Film posters are

one popular form that represents the local way of design and perceiving aesthetics in South Asia,” he says.

In Azadi Bachao, a female silhouette is superimposed with a fighter jet, the Universal Studios logo and the Apple logo, and the text Azadi Bachao (save the freedom) in Urdu calligraphy. Looking at the work, one is left pondering about the freedoms lost - especially for a woman - in a world of war and consumerism.

“The presence, importance and the contribution of women in making a culture and representing it and carrying it - that is what I appreciate and celebrate in my works,” says Rana.

Seeing their works together in a single exhibition, it is quite easy to see the commonality in the themes that Qureshi and Rana pursue.

Their use of the tools of appropriation and pastiche make the works interrelated and reciprocal - almost as if the couple is sharing their conversation with the viewer.

Though they have only collaborated on a

work just once, it is quite visible that they borrow each others’ vocabulary. Qureshi reveals that the Urdu text in the Red Silks series is taken from an exercise sheet that Rana has been doing.

The couple came to Australia in 2001 to pursue post graduate studies.

I ask them about the difference in the approach to arts education in the two countries. “VCA (Victorian College of Arts) was much more of a dated, colonial experience with little awareness of the world and art practices,” Qureshi says. The so called traditional training (from the National College of Art in Lahore) is quite contemporary, where we studied history of western art as well as eastern art.”

Even the attitude to artists is surprisingly the opposite of what I expected to be in the two countries.

Qureshi says, “In Pakistan, people do not consider artists to be the ‘odd one out’ like in Australia and there is rarely a question like “But what do you really do?” as we have been asked by a lot of people here.”

Azaadi Bachao

Jithe Tija Na

(Right) My songs have died in my heart

(Above) Red Silks # 5

he claims she’s been doing drawings for as long as she can remember.

Well, last month, Sneha Baste won national acclaim for some of her art works.

Her Nature’s Magic, created in ink and pen, was selected as one of the final winners in the 2009 Young Australian Art Awards.

As well in her age group, Sneha won 2 Gold medals, one for a charcoal drawing called Gazing and another for a computer art titled In Search of an Answer

The Young Australian Art Awards is a Children’s Charity Network Initiative whose mission is “to celebrate and acknowledge the different artistic talents of our youth”. The vision for the initiative is “to provide children with the opportunity to express themselves through different art forms”. Sneha and her parents were invited to the presentation ceremony in late November, held at The Hilton Ballroom in Melbourne. In the presence of more than

300 guests which included book authors, teachers, publishers and artists, Sneha received her award.

The Young Australian Art Awards allow children the chance to express themselves in an area they feel confident about. To be given this opportunity helps build in children confidence and self-esteem, as they learn that you can succeed in life even if you are not the best in reading and writing, and it is only a matter of recognizing where your talents lie and focus on those. This award has illuminated a career path for Sneha.

Her passion for her art comes through clearly as she describes her work. There’s a touch of mystery in In Search of an Answer - it depicts a girl seeking something: what it is, is left for the viewer to decide. “I created it in Adobe Photoshop, using a WACOM tablet,” she explains.

“In Nature’s Magic I show a tree that is not alive anymore, but which still has life depending on it. It is done with ink on

drawing paper”.

Sneha will be going into the 9th grade at Willoughby Girls High school. It is obvious that art will remain a lifelong passion.

“At the moment I am exploring different mediums like pencil, charcoal etc. for example, is the first charcoal drawing I have ever done - it shows a boy looking out at you as though challenging you. Currently I am enjoying working with oil paints. I also love to do pottery and sculptures”. There is much creativity in the themes Sneha seems to pick.

“Yes, I love giving wings to my imagination! Also, nature inspires me a lot. I love to read – I get ideas for my art from books and stories. My parents’ encouragement and my teacher’s guidance mean a lot to me”.

Looks like we have a young artist here who’s going to go places. Dream big and fly high, Sneha!

Shafeen Mustaq

Gazing

Curries by candlelight

It is that time of the year again! Curries by Candlelight returned in its third year to celebrate Christmas with a difference at Pennant Hills Community Centre on Sunday 13 December, 2009. The evening was an “Indian meal with a Christmas feel” and had a packed audience celebrating Christmas with their family and friends. The event was also intended as a fund-raiser for Hornsby Hospital’s Koala Cottage.

Entertainment for the evening commenced with the melodious voice of Alison Young who put everyone in the mood with her traditional Christmas songs. This was followed by some fast-paced dances including a funk dance by Confectionary, a sizzling Salsa dance by Shade and Damien and a tantalising Bollywood medley by Janu and Prashani. Aaron finished with a pumping hip-hop number that thrilled the young spectators. There was a lot of audience involvement throughout the night with an interactive take on the Nativity story by Monisha and Soiam and the traditional

appearance of the entertaining “Mama Claus” Lorraine, this time in her Bollywood attire. She entertained the crowd with her endearing wit and humour. There were prizes galore and a silent auction of goods that were donated. There also was a stall from “Mummy’s Cooking” with traditional Christmas cakes and cookies and, of course, a bit of the Indian Christmas feel with “kalkals” and “murukkus”. The night was hosted excellently by Dev Daniel who reminded everyone that there was a real reason for Christmas – the celebration of baby Jesus, worshipped by Christians all over. The season was all about sharing and caring and in the true spirit of Christmas, all proceeds of the night will be donated to Hornsby Hospital.

The three “wise” women on the Committee, Kath Bury, Pam Daniel and Shalini Ponnaiya, ably supported by the tireless contribution of Manju Raja would sincerely like to thank the many sponsors and donors who supported their efforts. The evening would definitely not have

been possible without Santa’s silent helpers Vinay, Lutalo, Devina, Ed, Sophil, Soiam, Peter and Anand.

CbyC would like to wish everyone a happy and Merry Christmas!

The Hornsby Hospital’s Koala Cottage is the Family Care Cottage providing services for families of children up to 3 years old, living in the Hornsby and Ku-ringgai local government areas, who require help for more complex problems of infancy and Koala Family Care

107 Burdett Street, Hornsby NSW 2077

(Above) Christmas cakes by Mummy’s Cooking

(Left) Alison Young

(Below) Monisha and Soiam

Mangalorean Christmas celebrations

The Mangalorean Catholic Association of Sydney (MCAS) celebrated Monti Fest in Chatswood recently. This feast celebrates the Nativity of the Virgin Mother, mother of Jesus.

The well-knit Mangalorean Catholic communities in Sydney and Melbourne endeavour to celebrate their festivals in the traditional way. The Mangalorean diaspora is spread throughout the world (USA, Britain, Dubai and Bahrain, for example) and celebrate this festival. The Nativity feast is the most important festival of the Mangalorean Catholic calendar. It is a forerunner to Christmas which is evidenced by the custom of having a crib showing the Infant Jesus during the celebration.

At the feast, the President of the Association, Mr Stanley D’Cruz briefly recounted the history of the Monti Fest, which was started some 240 years ago in the shrine of Monte Mariano in Faringpet, by a Goan priest Fr. Joachim Miranda.

Faringpet derives from “firangi” or “European” because the Portuguese had built a church there.

The religious component of the feast was conducted by Fr. Joseph Rebello, which was accompanied by a choir group led by Savio D’Souza and Joylene Moras. This choir, true to custom, sang traditional Konkani hymns. Fr. Rebello spoke on the virtues and significance of Mother Mary in the Catholic tradition and the role she plays in family life. Young people were involved in reading selected scriptural passages and prayers and, in the Indian tradition, presenting the harvest bounty of fruits and vegetables.

Thereafter, the event proceeded to the blessing of the new harvest. The attendees lined up in a procession to partake the traditional offering (“roce”). The children then, as is the custom, showered flowers on the statue of the Virgin Mother.

Following the religious ceremony was entertainment, which included a humorous skit in Konkani called ‘Dolla’ performed by Joylene Moras, Felix Pais, Ryan Sequeira,

Dulcine D’Souza and Veena D’Souza. This was well appreciated by the attendees and the auditorium rang with laughter. An authentic Mangalorean cuisine buffet lunch, prepared by the association’s members, followed, whilst music was played enabling guests to dance to rhythms which are popular in Konkani circles.

The MCAS celebrated its annual social Christmas event on December 5 at the Harvey Lowe Pavilion in Castle Hill. Mr Ryan Sequeira, the Master of Ceremonies introduced the five-person ‘Cascades’ band. Ryan Sequeira and Joy Moras punctuated the event with popular folk songs such as masala

carols. Mr Tyronne Fernandes dressed up as Father Christmas to entertain the Mangalorean sweets and snacks

kokisan had for sale. MCAS

Mangalore.

Mangalore, a fast-growing city in South Kanara (Dakshina Kannada) in coastal Karnataka, has three main linguistic groups: Kannada, Tulu and Konkani. Konkani is spoken, amongst others, by the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin community and by Mangalorean Catholics. These groups trace their origins to Goa.

Mangalore has produced some very famous Indian film stars like Aishwarya Rai, Shilpa Shetty, Frieda Pinto (of Slumdog fame) and Genelia D’Souza. Two well known authors, Booker-prize winner Aravind Adiga and Richard Crasta (sometime USbased and with works published in several countries), also hail from Mangalore.

Frieda Pinto, Genelia D’Souza and Richard Crasta are Mangalorean Catholics, as are Oscar Fernandes, General Secretary of the Congress Party and winner of the Nelson Mandela Minority Empowerment Award,

George Fernandes, Defence Minister in the erstwhile BJP Indian Government (when India conducted nuclear tests) and Margaret Alva (Governor of Uttaranchal).

Mangalorean Catholics emigrated from Goa to Mangalore in the early years of Portuguese rule when Portugal sought to remove all vestiges of local traditions.

In the Old Conquests of Goa, Goans had been converted to Christianity and given Portuguese surnames. Prior to this exodus,

following the Portuguese takeover. Some Mangalorean Catholics have since reverted to their Gaud Saraswat surnames, such as Prabhu and Shenoy.

Noel G. de Souza

Photos by Hubert Castelino are courtesy of the Mangalorean Catholic Association of Sydney.

The power of giving B

APS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Sydney, (BAPS) organised its 11th annual blood donation drive under the auspices of the Australian Red Cross Society (ARCS) earlier this month.

The drive was held in honour of the spiritual guru of the BAPS movement, His Divine Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj who turned 89 on 3 December. This was in line with Swamiji’s life motto, “In the joy of others lies our own”.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj is the fifth spiritual successor of Lord Swaminarayan and the present leader of BAPS. Representing the essence of Hinduism, his compassion for humanity, universal wisdom and striking simplicity have touched many world religious and national leaders.

Two colossal Red Cross donor mobiles were on station at the BAPS Temple from 8am to collect blood from donors. The ARCS Blood Bank’s Parramatta regional manager Andrew Scott, said that this was the first time that two donor mobiles have been set up at one site, showing the enthusiasm of all donors taking advantage of the ability to donate blood at the Mandir. Mr Scott of the Australian Red Cross Society commended BAPS on the well organised blood donation drive and reiterated the importance of giving blood and the hundreds of lives saved by this important act.

The event was meticulously planned with BAPS organisers having already

vetted potential donors and allocated them a specific time during the day when they would be slotted in for their blood collection.

Tanya Gadiel MP, State Member for

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Parramatta and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, was the Chief Guest at the inauguration ceremony of the drive. Addressing the donors and Red Cross staff who had gathered at the Mandir, Ms Gadiel reiterated the importance of donating blood, describing it as a selfless contribution to society. She congratulated BAPS on organising the drive as well as BAPS’ overall contribution to the local Parramatta community. Ms Gadiel officially inaugurated the drive by lighting the symbolic lamp (deep pragatya). Councillor Prabir Maitra of Parramatta City Council also attended the inauguration.

The donor mobile was capable of collecting blood from four individuals at once, and after each donor was registered they were able to donate their blood. The entire process from registration to collection lasted approximately 45 minutes per donor. Light refreshments were served to all donors through out the day.

The response to the drive was tremendous. Despite the time it took to process each donor, by the time the donor mobile left the Mandir at 4pm, over 100 individuals had been able to donate blood. Many donors had to be turned away on the day and many more individuals were instead asked to donate at the Parramatta Blood Bank later in the week. BAPS organisers had hoped to get at least 89 donors at this year’s drive (as a symbolic honour to Swamiji on his 89th birthday), but as a bonus this target was surpassed with well over 100 people donating their blood.

As a global socio-spiritual organisation with consultative status with the United Nations, BAPS is committed to serving the local community through its various activities. As part of these activities, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Sydney, has organised regular blood donation drives over the past years. 2009 also celebrated the 11th year of Sydney Mandir’s annual blood donation drives, which have become a permanent fixture on the Mandir’s annual calendar.

Usually on birthdays we tend to receive more than we give. This was a birthday where more was given and shared than was received.

Yogi Savania

A song and dance for Sydney Kalibari

The efforts of the Bengali community in Sydney to develop their very own Kalibari (Kali temple), continues unabated.

The founder of the Sydney Kalibari movement Nirjhar Dutta has the full support of the community, who are proactively engaging themselves in the Kalibari program. Earlier this month, the Rhythms Dance Troupe organised a colourful cultural performance at the Ryde Civic Centre, as a fundraiser for the Sydney Kalibari.

Nearly 250 people attended the event, aptly titled A Night In India. With many non-Bengalis, indeed many non-Indians in the audience, the event showcased a variety of dances, all choreographed by Annapurna Lodh of the Rhythms Dance Troupe and her daughter Ajanta Bhattacharya.

“In keeping with our theme, we picked items in the classical, semi-classical, traditional folk as well as Bollywood styles,” Annapurna told Indian Link. “And in keeping with true Kalibari culture, we included the young and the old in our dancers - males as well as females - and also the old and the new in our styles!”

“Our aim of course was to raise funds for the Sydney Kalibari in Wentworthville, but we also wanted to completely dazzle everyone on the night with some vibrant dances,” Ajanta added.

Dazzle they surely did – the Bollywood dances to peppy numbers brought the house down, and the Hindi and Bengali songs brought in a touch of nostalgia. The exuberant sounds of the classical Indian instrument sarod made the night even more

memorable. The fashion parade heightened the glamour quotient, introducing Indian heritage with elegance and style.

It was, in essence, a celebration of Kalibari culture.

Kalibari literally means a place where the Goddess Kali resides. The Goddess has been particularly popular with Bengali Hindus – she encapsulates many themes that are central to Bengali culture.

Mention of the goddess dates back thousands of years to the Rigveda, although she gained prominence with the masses after her depiction in the late Puranas.

Devotees visit Kalibari on religious occasions as well as on reaching milestones in private life such as a wedding or the birth of a child.

The original Kalibari in Bengal, Kalighat, began as a small hut. A 16th century king converted it into a small temple. Its existing form was constructed in 1809 by the Sabarna Roy Chowdhury family of Banisha. Since the 1960s, the Haldar family, a distinguished business clan from Bengal, manages the administration of this temple along with the Government of West Bengal. The Kalighat Kalibari has been popular also with artists for over a

hundred years, who evolved a style of temple art that went on to influence the entire Bengal school of art.

The other Kalibari, Dakhineswar, stands majestic on the banks of the Ganges, and is known for its ornate decoration. It was built by the legendary Rani Rashmoni in 1855: a poor fisherman’s child, she married a wealthy Bengali merchant. Ramkumar, the elder brother of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa was the first priest of the Dakhineswar Kalibari. Sri Ramakrishna had steadily accompanied his brother in the day-to-day duties of Kalibari and worked as assistant at the Dakhineswar kalibari. Several new Kalibaris soon came up in

different states of India. The ones in Delhi, Simla, Tripura and Hydrabad are wellknown.

The Sydney Kalibari, believed to be the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere, was established in 2006. Registered as a charity organisation, its stated aim is to “provide and promote socio-cultural and religious events between the Indian and Australian communities”. It is, unequivocally, non-political and nonsectarian, and promotes the basic teachings of Hinduism of the “Vedic” culture (clean, pure and simple way of life), through the concept of the Divine Mother.

The Sydney Kalibari joins a growing list of international Kalibaris in Toronto, London and Washington.

Indranil Halder

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(Above) Kids for Kalibari

(Left) Annapurna and Ajanta with one of their performers backstage

Empowering the present to enhance the future

Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore had written

“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high Where knowledge is free; where words come out from the depth of truth; Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;

Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever widening thought and action. Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake”.

And those were exactly the lines that came to my mind in the presence of the founder of the Art of Living, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who visited Melbourne recently for the Parliament of World Religions conference.

Sri Sri’s simplicity, innocent smile, joyful composure, friendly demeanour, sense of humour, dignified and refined disposition, immediate bonding with his audience and ease at answering questions were overwhelming. Nothing was trivial; no one was outside his reach.

In his interaction with the congregation His Holiness bowled over one and all with his wisdom, wit and vision. He affirmed that any number of names and forms point to one divinity - if we’re wise we celebrate it and if we’re fools we fight over it. On being asked about the 3 values dearest to him, he replied, a sense of belongingness to the whole world, a commitment to whatever you take up, and living in the present moment without clinging on to the past.

He advocated that the youth need to have a vision for the future and learn how to empower themselves and get rid of stress. They also need to possess presence of mind.

Every individual life is a journey from becoming somebody to nobody to ultimately becoming everybody, he said. “Fanaticism and fundamentalism are the biggest problems of the contemporary world: to mitigate these we need to spiritualise politics, secularise religion and socialise business”.

Mr Tony Kelly, President of Art of Living Australia, in his welcome address, expounded on the origin, the essence and the mission of the foundation. He mentioned that the Art of Living, which is a multi-faceted, not-for-profit educational and humanitarian NGO, was founded in 1982 by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. With a presence in over 140 countries, it is one of the largest voluntary organisations in the world. Inspired by its founder’s vision of making the world a violence-free, stress-free global family, the organisation is engaged in various initiatives that uplift humanity and enhance the quality of life. It offers several stress-elimination and selfdevelopment programs based mainly on breathing techniques, meditation and yoga. The Art of Living focuses on strengthening the community at the grassroots level, by firstly strengthening the individual. These programs have helped thousands around the world to overcome depression and violent tendencies.

also incorporates basic principles of effective living, emphasizing the essential human values for a more fulfilling and productive life. It’s about breaking boundaries and achieving the ideal life through simple yet potent techniques that increase efficiency, energy and enthusiasm, eliminate stress and deepen one’s understanding of life. It seeks to mould the idealism and energies that youth universally possess and provide them with healthier alternatives. Its cardinal goal is to empower, educate and transform the lives of today’s youth as also to serve society and make a difference. The Art of Living youth have not only become better citizens but also better community

In an exclusive chitchat session, Dinesh divulged that the Art of Living came into his life during his second year as a student at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology at Mumbai when a friend recommended the course to him. As a result his grades improved tremendously; being an avid sportsman, his strength and stamina were boosted and on the personal front his relationships were enhanced and enriched.

YES!+ (Youth Empowerment Seminar), the path breaking and powerful leadership and life-skills training programme of the Art of Living. It is designed to give young people the tools and knowledge to be more effective in all aspects of life.

Inarguably we live in fast-paced, stressful and challenging times and who else but the youth and children face its worst brunt. They are supposed to be our future nation builders and symbolise our hopes for and dreams of a peaceful and sustainable world. Unfortunately the conundrum of technology, crazy societal pressures and expectations, ruthless and cut-throat competition, violence, alcohol, substance abuse, innumerable imposed choices and influences often leave them listless and confused. A morally vibrant, compassionate, balanced, strong and healthy youth is the crux of a dynamic society of tomorrow and we need to work with responsibility and conviction in that direction. And that was exactly the message of this empowerment seminar.

Traditionally education has placed emphasis on academic achievement, yet the true measure of success in life is health, happiness, enthusiasm and the ability to deal effectively with life’s challenges. Recent studies shows that this stress not only inhibits learning, but may also result in lack of motivation and disengagement.

The Art of Living has embarked on a successful service project Donate A Book, Educate A Child in Sydney. Besides that a tree plantation project was undertaken which was a part of the United Nations Millennium Campaign.

Devyani Sharma, a bank employee and confident Generation Y’er who took the program, expressed that it was a dynamic and uplifting experience for her. It provided her with a practical means to release stress and relate to people more easily.

A profoundly moving documentary on the activities undertaken by the Art of Living with the youth in the US was presented on the occasion.

Also present at the conference was Hon Marsha Thomson, MP and State Member for Footscray. She called upon all to treasure Melbourne’s rich multicultural heritage, embrace it and learn from it. She further added that there is a need to re-connect with our communities and make sure we’re supporting each other.

The seminar concluded with a brief meditation session conducted by Dinesh which proved to be remarkably rejuvenating and refreshing for the participants.

Beyond question, this was a seminar that addressed an extremely relevant need of our current times. It marked a significant step in the foundation of a bright and stable tomorrow. And as I left, some quotes of Swami Vivekananda, whose birthday is celebrated as National Youth Day in India, crossed my mind

Dinesh Ghodke,

Director

at WAYE (World Alliance For Youth Empowerment) and senior Art of Living teacher,

Dinesh reiterated that the Art of Living Foundation, through the YES! + Program addresses these stressors and challenges by supporting the development of basic life skills in the areas of leadership development, conflict resolution, academic engagement, health awareness, and social responsibility. All YES! + Programs are geared towards managing negative emotions, fostering human values and developing a broader vision of life. It

“This is the time to decide your future - while you possess the energy of youth, not when you are worn out and jaded, but in the freshness and vigour of youth. It is fear that is the cause of our woes, and it is fearlessness that brings heaven even in a moment. Therefore, ‘Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached’ ”.

Madhuchanda Das

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar speaks at a youth seminar in Melbourne during the World Parliament of Religions conference

Fanaticism and fundamentalism are the biggest problems of the contemporary world: to mitigate these we need to spiritualise politics, secularise religion and socialise business

A Free XO Laptops for rural children

s you sow, so shall you reap. Imagine the return on investment in helping children from rural and remote parts of India learn and educate themselves, just like children in metropolitan areas. A charity program called OLPC (One Laptop Per Child), a small investment in a country’s future, is making dreams come true for millions of disadvantaged children in developing countries. It is a grassroots movement that signifies growth and opportunity.

“OLPC was established by visionary Nicholas Negroponte and others at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US,” said Rangan Srikhanta, executive director, OLPC Australia. The Xo laptops are now being deployed to hundreds of villages all over the world to bridge the digital divide in remote areas of developing countries. In support of OLPC (India), TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs, aka “Talent, Ideas and Enterprise”) organised a charity gala evening of Indian dances at UWS Parramatta campus on December 5.

The auditorium was abuzz with around a hundred people who graced the charity

event, all eager to view the program.

The event was inaugurated by Sumathi Krishnan’s music group, whose lilting vocals combined with soft sounds of flute and santoor a reminder of the sacrosanct cause of the event itself.

“A child’s heart is like splashing droplets of water during the rain; pure and unmindful of its capacity,” said Sumathi, who chose this as a theme for the invocation song of the event. She was exhilarated by OLPC’s noble idea and was happy to donate towards the cause.

The dance performances that followed were colourful, twinkling and varied, from

Bharatnatyam to Bhangra, which delighted the audience. The program was interspersed with Satish Jha (President and CEO, OLPC India) and OLPC Australia, and an auction to raise funds for the

Expressing the positives of owning a laptop, Satish Jha said, “When children take these laptops home, it could also spark a measure of curiosity in their families, thereby multiplying the number of people who learn from the laptops. XO laptops are light and are the size of a lunchbox, so there is no need for heavy school bags anymore.” The initiative springs from the idea that children need a low-cost, low-power and

a sturdy laptop with features that will help them connect with the world and will make learning fun. The laptops have evolved over time, and now display a unique screen that is readable under direct sunlight, with shock and waterproof attributes.

The audience was moved to gasps and sighs when Rangan Srikhanta threw the XO laptop on the floor to prove that it is a roughn-tough device, unlike our delicate personal ones. Children at the venue took part in demonstrations highlighting the unbelievable features of this small, cute-looking machine: built-in wireless, inter-connectivity with other Xo laptops, chat, games, still photography, video recording options, etc.

There was an air of excitement when the auction began, and people were passionate and generous in their donations towards the cause. Ignited by the OLPC initiative, discussions like ‘adopt a village’ began taking root. TiE Board member, Neale Java said that the total amount collected from the auction, as well as the TiE Board donation of AUD 10,000 will be used to sponsor 30 Xo laptops. It is anticipated that these laptops will be deployed to a village in one or more of the states of Bihar, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Haryana. The surplus amount will be used in gathering volunteer groups to help teach schools and teachers in these villages.

The event ended with a zealous message: “Donate and change your home country’s future”. Sydney has a vibrant and socially active set of Indians, and such events should encourage us to spend money wisely. Organising similar fundraising events within the community will garner the spirit of humanity.

More information can be found at www.

Priyanka Rao

A mission of education

A tall, well-built man walked into the room, carrying a green and white laptoplike device and immediately attracted the attention of everyone present.

A man with a mission and a dream, and not just any ordinary entrepreneur, Satish Jha is a technologist trying to extend the reach of education to the masses.

Jha was Editor with The Times of India and the Indian Express Groups back in India. He also founded, mentored and nurtured a couple of dozen social projects with a focus on technology, business strategies and public policy in the areas of universal access to education, healthcare and bridging the digital divide. He is a member of the UN-GAID (United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development), Special Advisor to the Kofi Annan Centre and cochairs the World IT Forum (WITFOR). However, his current project is arguably his most challenging. Why challenging? Because he aims at getting the Xo Inc laptop to two crore underprivileged children who enter the education system in India ever year, in a program called One Laptop Per Child (OLPC).

The laptop has been developed under a team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

My first impression of Satish Jha was that of a very composed and astute person, with a goal of spreading his mission and vision to all. His passion for this project was evident in his bid for sponsorship from the Union Bank of India (UBI) Chairman M V Nair at the recent launch of the UBI Sydney branch opening. Each time I saw him speak with someone, young and old alike, he was passionately sharing the importance of OLPC for India, and how the project could help these children.

So I was very curious, not just about the influence behind his passion, but also how he foresees the laptop changing the education landscape in India. And he certainly was a man with answers!

Jha took me back to the beginning of his involvement, at a Baramati technology conference he helped convene in 2002 for Sharad Pawar (former Chief Minister of Maharashtra). Nicholas Negroponte, the founder and Chairman Emeritus of MIT’s Media Lab attended the conference and they discussed the needs of education for the underprivileged child in India. While Negroponte’s journey with OLPC had already begun, Jha helped put more reason and energy into the project to help turn the idea into a cost-effective and useful reality.

The Xo laptop’s current model for OLPC, competes or in many instances beats, most netbooks in the market today. It is tough enough to withstand rough handling, is maintenance-free, rechargeable with human power and has an innovative mesh network

slated to replace the WiFi technology. The model in India today costs between Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000, depending on duties and tax.

When asked about key donors who support the initiative, Jha is quick to reply that they are visionary leaders. He goes on to talk about leaders in governments who are not bogged down by bureaucracy, but who understand the importance of education in the future of a nation and state’s development.

The government is where his biggest challenge lies. Says Jha, “India’s progress for the past sixty years, has been in the past - be it going to the moon eighty years after the first man landed on the moon, or just looking at seven generations ahead, this has been my biggest difficulty to date.” But he never expected the road to be easy and stresses on finding support from a range of people across the world. For example, M V Nair has now committed to take the laptop to a hundred villages in India where UBI’s branches are located.

“Private or large organisations continue to defy governments in India in supporting the extent of the program,” laments Jha.

He adds that other leaders of governments in the developing world in countries like Uruguay, Peru and Rwanda have invested in the program for all children attending public institutions.

This bureaucracy does not easily bog down Satish Jha. He believes that in the next few months, they will reach their

target of three million laptops across India. The momentum is in his favour, and he is open-minded about the way ahead. On questioning the resistance he may get from poor parents, Jha explained by taking me back to his roots as a child.

“I preferred to spend the limited money I had on books, instead of food,” he recounts. “And I think children understand the importance of education as a basic need of life, alongside food.”

Perhaps the fact that Jha can relate to the need and importance of education, is his biggest strength. His marketing budget for a project this scale is zero, and yet he is confident of meeting targets. He is essentially the Richard Branson of OLPC India when it comes to being a brand for the project, and he shares his passion with everyone around him. And that is what makes him someone who truly makes a difference where it counts.

RUCHIR PUNJABI catches up with Satish Jha, CEO of OLPC India

People Places Parties

Fifty years together: Kuldip and Kiran

celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with family and friends

India Club’s Diwali dinner last month

Chhabra

Rizwana and Shamim celebrate their younger son Rayan’s First

Jasmeen Kaur, Young Volunteer of the Year in the CRC Annual Community Service Awards, is presented with her award by the Attorney General and Minister for Citizenship, John Hatzistergos, and the Minister for volunteering, Peter Primrose

Shwetambara Barar weds Apoorva Tandon

Photo: Raj Suri

No forward steps on Telangana without assembly nod

THE GOVERNMENT sought to cool tempers in Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana issue, saying there can be no forward movement on the statehood issue until the state assembly passes a resolution.

The developments in Andhra Pradesh were discussed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and state Chief Minister K. Rosaiah was advised about steps to defuse the situation.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told a delegation of Congress MPs from Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions that the Telangana issue will not be discussed in the Lok Sabha till the assembly passes a resolution.

The MPs, who wanted the government to “clarify” its position on the proposed Telangana state, said they were given an assurance that the statehood would not be discussed in the Lok Sabha until the Andhra Pradesh assembly passes a resolution.

“He (Mukherjee) assured us that the resolution has to come from the state assembly first. Till then, there cannot be a discussion of the issue in the Lok Sabha,” senior Congress leader and Andhra Pradesh MP K.S. Rao told reporters.

Rao said they wanted an early clarification from the government to prevent division among people of different regions in the state.

Congress leaders are also hopeful that the sine-die adjournment of the assembly will help defuse the political upheaval in the state.

Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said the state assembly has been adjourned sine-die and there will not be an assembly resolution for the present.

Ahmed admitted there were divisions in the Andhra Pradesh Congress on Telangana. “There is no consensus. There are two views.”

He said the Congress was not wavering from its commitment on the formation of a new state, but the government has to wait for the assembly resolution before taking the process further.

Congress MPs from Telangana have also sought to build pressure on the leadership against any change in its stance for forming the new state.

M. Jagannath, Congress MP from Nagarkurnool in Telangana region, who met Sonia Gandhi last week as member of delegation, said she told them that the decision to form a new Telangana was taken in the greater interest of the nation.

“Madam (Gandhi) asked us to cooperate with the party and government in formation of a separate Telangana state,” he said. ***

Delhi assembly passes new excise bill with stringent fines

DRINKING IN PUBLIC places in the national capital will now invite a hefty fine, and in addition if you are a nuisance then a three-month jail term will be slapped, according to a new bill passed recently.

The Delhi legislative assembly passed the ‘The Delhi Excise Bill, 2009’ which will ensure strict punishment for those producing spurious liquor and a stringent fine for those consuming liquor in public places.

“Under the new bill, mixing noxious substance with liquor is punishable with death or life imprisonment and fine upto Rs.10 lakh in case death is caused as a result of such an act,” said an official

statement.

“In case of disability or serious hurt the imprisonment would be between six years and life imprisonment with fine upto Rs.500,000. These offences are bailable in the existing act and involve imprisonment upto three years and a fine upto Rs.2,000,” the statement added.

Earlier this year, the national capital witnessed several deaths due to spurious liquor.

“For consumption of liquor in public place, the present punishment fine upto Rs.200 has now been made more stringent,” the statement said.

After the new bill is notified, the consumption of liquor in public place would invite a fine upto Rs.5,000, consumption of liquor in public place resulting to nuisance would result in imprisonment upto three months and fine upto Rs.10,000. Facilitating drinking or assembling of unsocial elements on the premises of liquor establishment would result in imprisonment upto six months and fine upto Rs.50,000, it said.

***

Mumbai and Shanghai to be boomtowns of post-

recession world

CONFIDENCE LEVELS among senior business executives in Mumbai and Shanghai are so high that they are leaving their counterparts in New York and London far behind, with significant implications for the post-recession global economy.

With India having emerged relatively unscathed from the recession, more than 90 percent of senior business figures in Mumbai are more confident now than at the beginning of the year, according to a study published recently.

Ever more remarkably, 92 percent of Mumbai’s business bosses are confident in the economic outlook for the next 12 months, says the study by the Londonbased international law firm Eversheds.

The findings of the research, conducted among 600 senior executives in London, Mumbai, New York, Shanghai and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), show that “the world order for financial centres is changing”.

“This is potentially very significant. When you have 90 percent of respondents in Mumbai and Shanghai saying they are very confident about the future, and only 22 percent saying so in London, it feeds into the plans people will make,” said Eversheds chairman Alan Jenkins.

“Indian business are confident and are looking to the future, making plans for both within India and globally. I don’t get the same sense in London,” he told IANS. Jenkins said there will be “considerable pressure” on London’s place as the preeminent centre for global financial services in 10 years’ time.

“There are real question marks about how financial services are going to grow in London. Executives in London complained of levels of regulation and volume of litigation, whereas those in Mumbai spoke about high levels of business taxation as the main barrier to growth.”

According to the Eversheds research, 87 percent of business leaders across the globe said that the recession has significantly changed the structure of the world economy and that established financial centres face a growing challenge from the emerging economies of the East.

The ‘Boom or Gloom’ research reveals that the majority of business leaders are more confident than at the start of 2009.

Continued on page 32

Continued from page 31

But when it comes to confidence in the economy over the next twelve months, there is a clear East-West divide. More than 90 percent of business leaders in Shanghai and Mumbai are confident in their economic outlook over the next year, while only 22 percent in London and 35 percent in New York were able to say the same.

The ‘confidence gap’ is even more significant in how the respondents perceive their own economic performance: in Mumbai and Shanghai more than half the respondents feel their national economy is performing considerably better when compared to the global economy, whereas in London and New York this was only around a third.

The Eversheds chairman said a high-level government report in India has singled out all-round infrastructure development as the key challenge in efforts to develop the city as “even more of a leading financial centre”. ***

Akbar and potatoes bound ancient Incas to Indians

THE ANCIENT INCAS shared an eclectic bond with India - a deep admiration for Mughal emperor Akbar and secrets of growing potatoes.

One of the most enduring cultural icons, historical chroniclers and feted scribe of Peru, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, a 16th century Latin American intellectual, wanted to interview Mughal emperor Akbar on his world views, but could not make it to India because of the great distance between the two countries, said the deputy chief of the Peru mission, Carlos Yrigoyen.

“Garcilaso, who was of royal Spanish and Inca descent, wrote about the traditions, sites and legacy of the 500-year Inca civilization, his mother’s faith, in one of the first historical chronicles of Peru, ‘Los Cometarios Reales’ (The Royal Comment) as a dossier for king Charles I of Spain. During his lifetime, he read voraciously about Mughal India and the reigning emperor Akbar, expressing in public and among friends a keen desire to interview the emperor,” said Yrigoyen in an interview. Yrigoyen delivered a 45-minute lecture on “Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, First Ambassador of Peru in the World,” at the Instituto Cervantes in the capital Monday to commemorate 400 years of the publication of the “Royal Comments”. It is part of a bilateral initiative between the two countries.

“Garcilaso, born in 1539, knew what was happening around the world. But unfortunately, his dream of meeting Akbar remained unrequited, whereas one of his peers, French traveller and writer Pierre Oliver Mal Herbe, who visited India in the late 16th century, managed to interview Akbar. Herbe died around the same time as Garcilaso,” the deputy chief of the Peru mission said, explaining the ancient ties between the Incas, Mughals and the Suryavanshi (rulers) of India and their shared spiritual ideas.

Garcilaso’s mother was an Inca princess and his father was a Spanish nobleman. He was sent by his parents to study in Spain and in the course of his literary career “brought the Inca and Spanish culture - that of the conquered (Incas were wiped out by the Spaniards) and conquerors (Spanish) on a common ground”, the envoy said.

“He bridged the colonial and the cultural divide,” Yrigoyen said.

Apart from his dream to meet Akbar, the Incas, according to Garcilaso, were the “original inhabitants of Peru”, and both India and Peru worshipped the sun and

“shared secrets about growing potatoes, which was first grown by the Incas”.

“The Incas gave potatoes to the world and to India. They cultivated more than 200 varieties of potatoes which the Spanish traders brought to India. The Central Potato Research Institute in Shimla works closely with Peru in improving the breeds and yield. The ancient Peruvians were also known for their flutes- 32 varieties of them - a musical instrument associated with the Indian deity Lord Krishna,” he said.

Garcilaso’s interpretation of the plight of the Incas and “the people who spoke the Quechua language, the tongue of the Incas spoken widely in Peru, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Argentina,” was similar to

that of Indians under colonial rule, Yrigoyen said.

“Both the great races were colonized. India was colonized by the British and the Incas were colonized by the Spanish. In fact, once upon a time, both India and Peru were the vice-royalties of Spain. The ethnic settlers of Peru were known as Indios or Indians - because Christopher Columbus mistook it for India when he was trying to find a new sea route to India,” he said. Narrating an interesting slice of history, Yrigoyen said: “If one digs a tunnel from the sanctorum of the Sun Temple at Konark in Orissa, it will emerge to touch the spire of the sacred sun temple of the Incas in Coscothe ancient capital of the Incas in Peru”.

Tributes paid to martyrs of parliament attack

IT WAS ON December 13 eight years ago that the Indian Parliament was the target of an audacious terror strike in which nine people lost their lives while repulsing the attackers and saved the parliamentarians inside. But a memorial function held at the same place on the anniversary of the attack saw only 11 MPs joining in.

Only 11 MPs, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, P.C. Chacko and E.M.S. Nachiapan of the Congress and M.B. Rajesh of the

An Indian activist participates in an environment awareness march in New Delhi, India on 12 December 2009 as the UN Climate Change summit continued in Copenhagen

Photo: AP

Indian-born artist Anish Kapoor poses in front of his art installation entitled Shooting into the Corner at the Royal Academy of Arts, in London, on December 10, 2009. The installation has fired blood-red wax every twenty minutes from the cannon onto the walls of a corner of the Royal Academy of Arts during the three months of the show.

Photo: AP

CPI-M, were present at the ceremony, sources said.

Anti-Terrorist Front chief M.S. Bitta criticised the fact that very few MPs attended the event. “Only 11 parliamentarians had gathered today in the Parliament House to remember those who embraced martyrdom to save their (MPs’) lives,” he said.

Also present were Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

Officers and staff of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats joined the leaders to pay tributes to those who died in that attack, which brought India and Pakistan almost to the brink of a war in 2001.

“A blood donation camp was organised in which a large number of officers and staff from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats, officers in the office of Lok Sabha speaker and allied agencies donated blood,” a parliament statement said.

In the attack Dec 13, 2001, five heavily armed gunmen said to be PakistanisIslamabad denies the charge - stormed the Indian parliament and opened indiscriminate fire, killing nine people instantly.

The victims included five Delhi Police personnel, a woman constable of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), two parliament security attendants and a gardener. A journalist who was injured died later. All five terrorists were shot dead. A year later four terrorists, including convicted Afzal Guru, were arrested for the attack and were found guilty after trial. Guru, who is said to be a Jaish-eMohammed militant, was the only accused to be awarded the death penalty. The sentence has been stayed as his mercy petition is pending. He is in Delhi’s Tihar Jail.

Bitta demanded that Guru be hanged immediately.

“Till Afzal and Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab are not hanged, the martyrs and their families will not get justice,” Bitta told reporters at the India Gate war memorial.

India successfully tests nuclear-capable missile Dhanush

INDIA SUCCESSFULLY tested a nuclearcapable ballistic missile Dhanush from a warship in the Bay of Bengal, an official said recently.

Dhanush, the naval version of the Prithvi missile, was launched from INS Subhadra that was anchored about 35 nautical miles offshore from the test range of Chandipur in Balasore district, 230 km from Bhubaneswar.

The missile, which has a range of 350 km and carries a nuclear warhead of about 500 kg, was fired at 11.31 a.m. All the operations for the launch were carried out by Naval personnel.

“It has met all the mission objectives. All the events occurred as expected and were monitored by the range sensors. It was a textbook launch and a fantastic mission accomplished,” the official said.

V.K. Saraswat, scientific advisor to the defence minister, and director general and secretary, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was on board the ship during the mission.

Prithvi is part of India’s ambitious integrated guided missile development programme launched over 20 years ago.

Dhanush (meaning bow), which was tested several times in the past, is designed and built by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

It was first test-fired on April 11, 2000 from the Chandipur range.

US Army accepts a second Sikh with turban and beard

THE US ARMY has agreed to accept a second Sikh, Captain Tejdeep Singh Rattan, with his Sikh identity intact after an eight month long campaign by a Sikh advocacy group.

Rattan, a military dentist, had refused to remove his ‘dastaar’ (turban) or shave his hair as a condition of joining the military, announced the Sikh Coalition.

The group had launched a campaign calling on the Army to accept all Sikhs after two Sikhs, Captain Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi and Rattan were refused entry into the military unless they removed their turbans and shaved their beards.

The Army agreed to accept Kalsi in October. The US Army’s acceptance of Kalsi and Rattan marks the first time in 23 years that the Army will accept Sikh recruits who maintain their articles of faith, the group noted.

While whole heartedly applauding the Army’s action, the Sikh Coalition said it remains concerned that Kalsi and Rattan received individual accommodations to Army policy and there has been no change in the overall policy excluding Sikhs from service. But individual accommodations for Kalsi and Rattan have significant implications for Sikh employees, the group said noting the Army is America’s largest and most prominent employer.

“Ending discrimination in the US Army sends a message to all other employers, both private and public, that discrimination against Sikhs who maintain their articles of faith is not acceptable,” it said.

Though Sikhs have approached several police and sheriff’s departments for jobs, they are often told that if Sikhs cannot serve as US soldiers, they cannot serve as police officers either.

Most importantly, over the long-term, equal participation of Sikhs in all of society’s institutions, including the Army, will go a long way towards reducing the prejudice Sikhs often face in schools and on the streets.

The Coalition said over the coming year, with the community’s active support and in collaboration with other Sikh organizations,

it will continue to work with the US Army to ensure all Sikhs may serve without individual exemptions.

“We are encouraged that the Army has expressed its willingness to review its general policy of excluding Sikhs from service,” it said thanking House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Howard Berman for his help in the resolution of Rattan and Kalsi’s cases.

Muslims construct Hindu temple in Bihar

IN A RARE EXAMPLE of communal harmony, Muslims are constructing a Hindu temple in a Bihar village. Three decades ago, Hindus constructed the tomb of a Muslim saint in the same village.

Mohammad Fakhrul Islam, a resident of Kadarabad village in Begusarai district, about 125 km from here, donated about 2,700 sq ft land for construction of a Hindu temple.

Two Muslim villagers, Mohammad Hashrat and Mohammad Wasi, along with other Muslims, began constructing the temple at Kadarabad ghat.

“Muslims have laid the foundation of the new temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva in the village,” Hashrat told IANS.

“We will construct the temple to send a strong message of harmony,” Wasi said. A police officer said some Muslims of the village are constructing the temple despite protests from within the community.

“A few people from within the community opposed them but they went ahead with the construction of the temple,” the officer said. Islam said nearly 30 years ago, some Hindu villagers constructed the tomb of a Muslim saint in the same village.

Members of the Telegana Rastra Samithi (TRS) party celebrate in Hyderabad on December 10, 2009, after Home Minister P. Chidambaram announced the in-principle approval for the separate Telegana state

Photo: AP

and the award goes to.....

SHERYL DIXIT lists movers and shakers, losers and weepers of the past year

Crisis of the Year

No prizes for guessing, it’s the global economic crisis, which dogged us through the year, bringing recession, unemployment and uncertainty in its wake. But we survived, so hurrah for 2010 and let’s hope history doesn’t repeat itself.

2009! Boy, will we be glad to celebrate its passing! We rang in the New Year to the toll of doom as the global economic crisis got worse, but now that the year is at its end, there’s a definite air of festivity going around the globe. Let’s look at some of the issues that affected us this year, as Australians, as Indians and as citizens of the world.

Sickness of the Year

The Swine Flu epidemic took the world by storm, but the facemask manufacturing industry hit new highs

Demise of the Year

Michael Jackson’s unexpected and untimely death rocked the world. But didn’t prevent bad jokes from doing rounds on the internet.

India-Oz Relationship Award

Goes to Kevin Rudd, whose visit to India in November made absolutely no impact on either country. Yet another case of all talk, no action.

Losers of the Year (Sport)

For Australia

it was dust to dust, as England triumphantly carried off the Ashes series. Of course, the Series is now history for Australia. Ashes? What Ashes?

Inconsistent Performance Award

Naturally goes to India’s cricket team with its few wins but way more losses. Watch out Team India, fans of cricket in India are seriously beginning to find soccer more interesting!

Movie of the Year

Political Win of the Year

It was the Year of the Congress, as they were voted into power once again. Make no mistake, it’s the power of the Man!

It couldn’t be anything but Slumdog Millionaire, bagging the Globes and BAFTA Awards, and finally the crème de la crème, the Academy Awards. What a coup!

2009 Hall of Shame

Tiger Woods and the list of his alleged affairs threaten to become as long as a kid’s list to Santa. Poor Tiger, apparently he couldn’t see the trees for the woods!

of the Year

The Victorian bushfires raged unabated, destroying lives, land, livestock and livelihoods. We salute

Controversy of the Year

The attack on Indian students and its mushroom effect which exposed spurious immigration and educational institution scams, and which incited the students into near-violence. The Australian Government is now paying serious obeisance to its cash cows.

Humanitarian Disaster of the Year

In an attempt to flush out rebels, the Sri Lankan government literally went to war against the insurgents, displacing thousands of innocent Tamils in the process, who suffered untold miseries as they struggled to survive the carnage.

white-collar crime, Bernard Madoff was sentenced to a combined maximum sentence of 150 years. A $65 billion Ponzi scheme saw him convicted on 11 charges, including securities fraud, money laundering and perjury.

Innovative Idiotbox Award

MasterChef Australia show, which revived audience already bored of Big Brother, Idol, etc. Aussies love their food and with the variety on offer, so MasterChef is likely to be around for a long time, delighting our tastebuds and waistlines

Biggest Corporate Scandal of the Year

B Ramalinga Raju, founder of Satyam Computer Services was arrested for falsely inflating the company’s profits for years. The IT world is still reeling from the shock.

Square Peg in a Round Hole Award

Sanjay Dutt for entering politics –and messing it all up for himself, just as expected

Creative Fiction Award

Collectively goes to the Indian media, for their gigantic and often irrelevant coverage on the students’ issue in Australia. The unwanted media blitz put the students’ issue

Musical Chairs Award

A tie between Turnbull-Abbott and Rees-Keneally. Now all we need to do is wait for the next shuffle in a

Accessory of the Year

No, not an iPhone, but a blog. Yes, we’re all into blogging, from the Big B to minor political leaders in Australia. Have internet, will blog! And it doesn’t matter if you have an agency writing your blog; the important thing is having one!

detained for questioning at Newark International Airport in the USA. Naturally, the media and his fans had a lot to say about the incident.

Letdown of the Year

In light of the Indian students’ issue, Amitabh Bachchan refused to come to Australia to accept an honorary doctorate from a Brisbane Uni. The trip here would have shown solidarity and support for the students and possibly helped in easing the situation. Don’t you think so, Mr. Bachchan?

in a helicopter crash, bringing on uncontrolled outpourings of grief from his distrait followers.

Gaffe of the Year

How did they do it? Michaele and Tareq Salahi managed to gatecrash Obama’s state dinner for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Once again, US Security ends up with egg on its face!

Scientist of the Year

Joint Nobel Prize winner for Chemistry, Prof Venkataraman Ramakrishnan found himself on top

Trend of the Year

Are you on Twitter? Do you tweet? If you want to join the internet’s elite, this is the site for you. Facebook’s now becoming en passé for internet snobs, after all, even Ashton Kutcher’s on Twitter!

Man of the Year

Undoubtedly, Manmohan Singh. On his historic Tour de France, he became the first foreign leader to be chief guest at the country’s national day parade. And his reception at the White House clearly indicates the regard President Obama has for this

Progressive Action Award

Surprisingly, goes to the Indian Government for finally decriminalising homosexuality, and stepping into modern times. Gays in India can now safely step out of the closet.

Controversial Decision of the Year

Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram announced the process of separating the region of Telangana in Andhra Pradesh, to form a separate state. Pro and anti demonstrations are still continuing in full swing.

Global Issue of the Year

Climategate. Thousands of emails relating to research on climate change were hacked into and the resulting discussion on whether humans are responsible for global warming or not, has become an unresolved debate. It’s only going to get bigger, so watch this space!

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A rickshaw ride in Sydney

INDRANIL HALDER recounts a ride that brings back memories of trips back home

As a globetrotter, the more I travel, the more I fall in love with idea of an environmentally friendly mode of transport. For me, the famous Calcutta rickshaw always comes up tops. This summer in the city of Sydney, waiting for a bus outside Queen Victoria building with my wife and daughter, I noticed a green rickshaw. It was waiting for a passenger next to the grand statue of Queen Victoria.

To me it was the perfect opportunity to enjoy a rickshaw ride to pick up my milk chocolate and golden hazelnut torte and chocolate chestnut cake from Guylian, the Belgian chocolate cafe at Circular Quay. It was en route to the Opera House, in time for my picnic with friends.

It was the first time my daughter was riding in a rickshaw in Sydney, although I grew up travelling in them in Bengal. Today, both Calcutta and Sydney use rickshaws as a mode of transport. On our trip I learnt that our rickshaw driver

was a French lad. He arrived in the city at the start of summer, on a working holiday in Australia. He loves driving the rickshaw, regardless of whether it is in Sydney or London. For him, driving this

ergonomically manufactured rickshaw has an added benefit: it keeps him physically fit. The rickshaw has become popular as tourist transport in cities like New York and Paris too.

The cycle rickshaw in London It’s a pedicab, mate!

FOR AN OUTSIDER, it’s a strange and pleasant sight to see the pedicab - akin to the cycle rickshaw in India - weave its way across the London streetscape.

Since 1995, pedicabs have been a regular at West End, the entertainment area around Covent Garden, Leicester Square and the more crowded Soho, Regent Street and Piccadilly Circus.

Today there are more than 400 of them going up and down the busy London streets. And come 2012, the pedicabs will play an important role in giving the London Olympics a green image.

“The Olympic Village is trying to have 100-400 pedicabs so as to have an eco-friendly environment,” said Friedel Schroder, managing director of BugBugs, the market leader in creating pedicabs since 1998.

Life is not so easy for pedicab drivers who often have to struggle to earn a meagre income.

Gokhann, 20, a Turkish national, clad in blue jeans and a black turtleneck sweater, stands in front of the Leicester Square tube station. He has been waiting for two hours for a customer to hitch a ride on his pedicab.

“Sometimes I enjoy my job. But at times, I am tired, especially when I have to pedal with four people on the pedicab,” Gokhann said. On some days he earns a mere 20 pounds.

With the Olympics Village giving the nod to pedicabs, there is now some hope for Gokhann and others, as they feel the humble rickshaw could get a lot of publicity during the mega sporting event.

The pedicabs are popular among tourists who take short rides in the eco-friendly vehicle for a few pounds.

“I loved chatting with the pedicabbie when I took it from Oxford Street to

Edgware Road. It’s a lovely way of seeing London,” said Rama Arya, a communications expert for the South African government.

A short trip from Leicester Square to Covent Garden varies from five to 10 pounds and this irks the ‘big brother’ - the London black cabbies.

“There’s no regulation on the pedicab fares. They fleece the tourists for a five10 minute journey. Our main problem is the congestion the pedicabs creates on the streets,” said Bob Oddy, general secretary, Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA). But pedicab driver Carl, a Polish national, refutes the allegation. He says he accepts whatever the riders give as a tip, while the fare of the journey is conveyed to the riders in advance.

“Since I am a part-time student, I work when I want and it’s quite flexible,” said Carl before being driven away by a policeman to Henrietta Street from Covent Garden.

Pedicabs are not licensed and this keeps them on the move, looking for prospective riders.

According to Schroder, who is also secretary of the London Pedicabs Owners Association (LPOA), the Westminster City Council is coming up with a voluntary registration scheme soon.

“This scheme would ensure that the pedicabs are of high standard and also to have proper pedicab parking bays,” Schroder said.

Elsewhere in the UK, Pedicabs can also be seen in Cambridge, Oxford, Manchester, Cardiff and Edinburgh. But it’s the London pedicabs which are popular with the tourists and locals. In other cities, they are hired for weddings and corporate events.

Cynthia Chandran, IANS

As we rode in our rickshaw, we took in the shops with their Christmas decorations, and people walking about in summer shorts and singlets, even children buying ice-cream from the famous New Zealand ice-cream shop. The ride took us near the Marble Bar under Hilton Hotel, near Martin’s Place, past Wynyard Station, opposite Peter Alexander and along George Street. As the rickshaw rolled along towards Circular Quay, we enjoyed our lazy Saturday afternoon.

Pedapod is the company that runs the rickshaw service in Sydney. The company’s vision is to actively minimise human impact on the environment and maximise the impact on its audience with its rickshaws, by helping companies to market and advertise their products.

Enthralled throughout the ride, my daughter squealed with delight as she watched the reflection of the rickshaw in the glass shop windows. It was a memorable Sydney summer activity, and my family and I enjoyed every minute of it. We finished off with a wonderful photo memento of us with this ultramodern rickshaw, in front of the stonewalled colonial Australian Customs House with a colourfully decorated Christmas tree as a backdrop.

Sporting glory

Deccan Chargers take home the honours in the IPL 2009 Twenty20 championship

Winning Team of the Year

The Deccan Charges carry off the 2009 DLF IPL Twenty20 trophy, beating the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the finals. You’ll never find a bunch of people who got rich quicker!

Shuttling Sensations

Ranked seventh in the world, V Diju and Jwala Gutta won the Grand Prix Gold title in the Chinese Taipei badminton, and are the first Indian mixed doubles pair to bring home a winner. And hard-headed Hyderabadi player, Saina Nehwal became the first Indian to win the Women Singles Super Series in the Indonesian Open finals. She is currently ranked eighth in the world.

depleted of players, pulled off a win in India in the Border Gavasker one day series. India missed out on the opportunity to be the best team in the world when they lost this one.

Team India also defeated Sri Lanka by 46 runs in the finals to win the Campaq Cup this year.

Sri Lanka was comprehensively beaten in the longer form of the game by India and for the first time India was positioned at the top of the table where test cricket is concerned. Well done Team India, on reaching this milestone!

Promising Performer 2009

Behind the tender expression constantly held on his face, the 17-year-old, Yuki Bhambri is a boulder of force when it comes to tennis. He was the first Indian to win the Junior Australian Open title and proved himself again, winning the Davis Cup. Watch him grow!

Indian team to a Series victory in NZ by winning the first Test at Hamilton and drawing the remaining two Tests. After a 41-year wait, the Indian team finally pulled off its weight in New Zealand. Australia, inspite of being severely

Fascinating Football

The ‘Player of the Tournament’ Baichung Bhutia showed raw energy on the football pitch in New Delhi, when the Indian team won the Nehru Cup football for the second time in a row, beating Syria 5-4 in the penalty shootout. Welldone, boys!

Terrific Tennis

The gleaming persona of Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi doubled when they became the first Indian pair to win a Mixed Doubles Grand Slam at the Australian Open early this year. Exemplary team work by the Indian pair!

Tennis star Somdev Devvarman qualified for his first Grand Slam singles main draw. After Prakash Amritraj in 2002, Devvarman became the first Indian to be in the main draw of a Grand Slam singles tournament in the US Open 2009. And after a gap of 11 years, Somdev beat South Africa’s Rik De Voest in the first of the reverse singles and declared India as a winner in the world Group.

It was an interesting mix and match, when Lukas Dlouhy and Leander Paes proudly carried the winner’s title for the US Open doubles. With this achievement, Leander won his fifth doubles Grand Slam title and 10th overall. They beat the formidable team of Mahesh Bhupati and Mark Knowles.

Glowing Gloves

Vijender Singh fought hard in the boxing ring to win a Bronze medal in Milan. This was India’s first ever medal at the World Boxing Championships. He also won the bronze medal for India at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Of course, he’ll keep fighting for Gold!

Brilliance in Billiards

24-year-old Bangalorean Pankaj Advani defeated nine-times world champion Mike Russell of Qatar in the World Professional Billiards championship title. Pankaj is only the second Indian to do so.

Saina Nehwal

Vijender Singh

Pankaj Advani

Leander Paes of India and Lukas Dlouhy of Czech Republic, winners, Men's Doubles Final 2009 US Open

Aust Open Mixed Doubles champs Sania and Mahesh

Aust Open Junior Champ Yuki Bhambri

Hits and misses

PRIYANKA RAO delves into the annals of Bollywood to find the most significant events of the past year

2009 marks the end of a glorious and eventful decade, but in particular, India has made an incredible global impact in the field of entertainment. Heads have been turning towards India as the spotlight is on its music, art and films. Bollywood is being looked at closely, not just for talent hitherto unexplored, but also as a launching pad for attractive international talent. Let’s have a look at the events that put Indian cultural into the limelight, for the right and wrong reasons.

success with the film grossing about Rs 60 crore, Salman Khan’s Wanted offered it tough competition. But the box office verdict pronounced it a ‘hit film’. Love Aaj Kal is a modern and playful love story with Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone in the lead. Pritam Chakraborty’s funky tracks earned mass appeal, and now every other film has Pritam’s music... naturally!

Phenomenon of the Year

The man, the music, the magic! Not everyone inspires a tagline like that. This year, Time magazine placed A.R Rahman in the Time 100 list of ‘World’s Most Influential People’. His musical score in Slumdog Millionaire won him the Critics Choice Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score, the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music and two Academy Awards for Best Original Music Score and Best Original Song at the 2009 Oscars. Who knows what the creative genius has in store for us fans? Watch out for his Sydney concert in February 2010.

‘Hit’ Actor of the Year

Since his first film Saawariya in 2007, Ranbir Kapoor has carved a niche for himself in the Bollywood film circuit, and he can now balance a whole film only on the strength of his innocent and flirty smile. His chocolate boy looks and cool dude temperament lead to a massive fan following, especially after Bachna Ae Haseeno. His recent films Wake up Sid and Ajab Prem ki Gajab Kahani have put him on a pedestal as a star to look out for in years to come.

Most Stylish Film of the Year

Vishal Bhardwaj directed the film Kaminey, starring Shahid Kapoor in a double role and it received scintillating reviews. Shahid has been praised for his toned body and long haired look, sported by the character ‘Charlie’ in the film. The music, also directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, is being touted as different and true to the very genre of the film. Some cool tracks including Dhan te nan sung by Sukhwinder Singh topped the charts for quite a while.

Make Up Magic 2009

The recently released Paa had confused expectations, because the film has Abhishek Bachchan playing his own father’s dad, with Vidya Balan as his mom. All this would have been impossible without the benefit of excellent make up, which made the 60-something superstar look like the 13-year-old character Auro in the film. R Balakrishnan’s direction too, made a huge difference. Hollywood make-up artists Christien Tinsley and Dominie Till deserve applause for their work.

Break-ups of the Year

Preity Zinta’s longterm relationship with industrialist Ness Wadia fell apart this year. At least Priety has proved that she has the spirit to call her own shots, instead of slotting into the role of a pretty Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone have called it quits, for whatever reason. Apparently, Ranbir always thought of Deepika as a girlfriend, nothing more. His basic aim is to grow as an actor and earn a name in Bollywood. Nothing matters to him more than that. Yeah, right!

Hottest Couple of the Year

Shahid-Priyanka caused quite a stir, sure, but the hottest pair of the year continue to be Saifeena, Bollywood’s version of Brangelina.

Wedding of the Year

Shilpa Shetty married London-based businessman Raj Kundra in an elaborate and glittering ceremony. Her highly-publicised win on the UK Big Brother made this hot damsel an international face. Guests at the reception included the crème de la crème of Indian films, politics and the social scene. Shilpa, stunning as usual, was certainly not the blushing bride, and Raj…well, he looked like the cat who’s got the cream.

Trend of the Year

Box Office Bomb of the Year

Well actually, there have been quite a number of box office debacles this year. All thanks to the producers’ versus multiplexes rift, the IPL matches and the swine flu scare. Ram Gopal Verma’s horror flick Agyaat introduced two new stars, Priyanka Kothari and Nitin Reddy, but flopped big time. Some love stories just don’t click. Kambakht Ishq starring Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor was another big budget bomb, and one wonders what the stars saw in the script! Hotch potch seems to be the order of the day in new age Bollywood flicks. Which is why Delhi 6 passed off as a mediocre film. Nagesh Kukunoor tried hard at 8x10 Tasveer, his first commercial film starring Akshay Kumar, which also fell flat for a thriller. Other non-starters were Short Kut - The con is on, Life Partner and Paying Guest

Top Ten Tunes from 2009

1. Emosanal attyachaar: Bony Chakravarthy (Dev D)

2. Masakalli: Mohit Chauhan (Delhi-6)

3. Hai junoon: KK New York)

4. Aahun aahun: Neeraj Shridhar (Love Aaj Kal)

5. Dhan te nan: Sukhwinder Singh and Vishal Dadlani (Kaminey)

6. Hadippa: Mika Singh and Sunidhi Chauhan (Hadippa)

7. Chiggy Wiggy: Kylie Minogue and Sonu Niigaam (Blue)

Star Wars of the Year

Biggest Grosser of the Year

The Khans are back in business! While Saif Ali Khan’s Love Aaj Kal is a roaring

Once again, the ‘Khans’ fought out their rivalry in style this year. Shah Rukh Khan decided to walk the ramp with wife Gauri Khan for Karan Johar (recently turned designer) during the Couture Week. In competition, Salman Khan persuaded Aamir Khan and Katrina Kaif to walk the ramp for his charity campaign Being Human. Who made it to the final week? SRK fans are sure to have an answer for this.

Yashraj Films and Dharma Productions have made them quite the rage, but many smaller firms are also giving them a go. We’re talking about the new breed of directors in Bollywood, the likes of Vishal Bhardwaj, Reema Katgi, Kabir Khan Abhishek Kapoor, Shimit Amin, Rohan Sippy, Anurag Kashyap, Sujoy Ghosh, Manish Acharya, Dibakar Banerjee, Madhur Bhandarkar, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, Imtiaz Ali, Rajat Kapoor, Sudhir Mishra, Navdip Singh and Abbas Tyrewala. They’re all making films with fresh perspectives, the kind India hasn’t seen before.

8. Tera hone laga hoon: Atif Aslam (Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani)

9. Paisa Paisa: RDB, Manak and Salena Javed Ali (De Dana Dan)

10. Aal Izz Well: Sonu Niigaam, Swanand Kirkire and Shaan (3 Idiots)

Ruchika Kher, IANS

AR Rahman

Ranbir Kapoor

Love Aaj Kal

Kaminey

SRK

Salman Khan

Kambakht Ishq

Deepika-Ranbir

Kareena-Saif

Guide to Buying a Smartphone Part II

By HASNAIN ZAHEER

In the previous issue of this update series of personal gadget buying guides, we checked out what features to look for in a smartphone. We especially checked out the new but quickly growing operating systems - iPhone OS and the open source Android. In this issue, let’s explore the smartphones available in the market. However, as these phones need to have a data usage plan in addition to a mobile connection plan, I have also listed out the combination of phones and mobile data plans.

iPhone for beginners

If you are fascinated by iPhone, its good looks, simplicity and the great range of applications, you are not alone. And the good news is it’s not too expensive. If you remain indoors and within range of a wireless Internet connection most of the time, perhaps in a deskbound job, and need your iPhone to perform its miracles rarely, you need just enough data transfer to send a few e-mails or browse the Web when you are out of home or office perhaps on a weekend. iPhone is available with 8, 16 and 32 GB of internal memory. You can sign up for a 24-month contract for $39 to $49 per month. At this range of monthly cost, an iPhone 8GB will come at no upfront cost to $5 per month. iPhones with higher internal memory will cost $5 to $10 extra per month. Note that data usage will be limited to 100 to 150 MB per month and higher usage will be charged. So, buy this type of plan if you fit the description of a beginner, non-regular user.

iPhone for outdoor professionals

Depending on your outdoor usage, plans from $79 to $110 will not only get you your iPhone of 32GB, which is top of the range, for no upfront cost to $5 extra for phone but also let you use your phone for a whopping amount of mobile phone calls and data usage of at least 1GB. Sales people who work outside their office may be ideal customers for this range of usage.

Blackberry Bold for business professionals

Blackberry Bold 9000 represents the ultimate for a busy executive who does substantial work in transit, waiting at airport lounges and requires a quick and productive device. With its full keypad, wireless e-mail,

organiser and other business applications, it can add instant productivity. At a little extra budget though, about $69 per month, you can purchase a 24-month contract that will get you Blackberry Bold 9000 at no extra cost. It includes sufficient data usage, a couple of hours of usage per day, for a fairly busy businessman. You may not like to know that you are paying almost $17 to $20 for the phone, as this plan with a cheaper phone may cost that much less. Blackberry 9700, the slim younger cousin of the 9000, has also arrived but is a bit too expensive at this stage. On the other hand, the slightly poorer cousin Blackberry Curve can be had for $29 per month plan for 24 months but you need to spend extra for data usage. With a full keyboard, good battery life for talk time, wifi and Bluetooth, Blackberry Curve 8200 can be a good introduction to a rich mobile phone with all the basic mobile productivity enhancing features at a low price.

A smartphone for the entertainment enthusiast

Samsung HD Icon lets you watch great video and listen to music with support to a variety of multimedia file types, plus 8GB of internal storage, good pixel resolution, video calls, GPS and all the regular features. However, be ready to pay at least $30 for the phone per month.

In general, ignoring your phone calls usage and assuming a contract length of 24 months, a beginner may have to spend around $49 per month at low data usage and anywhere from $79 to $100 for advanced usage with a well-endowed phone and data usage of more than 2-3 GB.

Remember that it is easy to upgrade but hard to transfer to a lower value plan once you have signed a contract.

There are several online resources that can help you compare smartphones and plans. A few of these are SMH Digital Life at http://mobile-phones. smh.com.au, CNET Mobile phones at http://www.cnet.com. au/mobilephones/ smartphones/ and Whirlpool forums at http://forums. whirlpool.net.au where you can ask any questions to a huge pool of enthusiasts.

With the holidays approaching, are you considering giving a smartphone as a gift? I would not recommend it, because as we discussed, each user’s requirements are different and they should choose their own phone that has the right features for them and the right plan for calls and data usage. You might end up with a mismatch between the phone and the person, if you are not careful.

Blackberry Bold 9000 represents the ultimate for a busy executive who does substantial work in transit

India’s emissions strategy

for transport.

By NOEL G. DE SOUZA

The Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Trinidad, by focussing on combating climate change, became a precursor to the Copenhagen climate change conference in December. President Sarkozy of France, an invited guest, hoped that the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would attend the Copenhagen meeting to help reach an agreement.

However, in Copenhagen, two strongly demarcated divisions are emerging: the old industrial countries which caused the original problem, and the world’s new industrial countries (China, India, South Africa and Brazil). The latter met in Beijing and rejected any legally binding targets as this would retard their progress (industrialisation and improved living standards).

The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rejects any agreement which allows the “perpetuation of poverty”. As a gesture of co-operation, China has pledged a reduction of 45% and India of 25% by 2020, both being non-binding targets.

China and India are being portrayed as the world’s new polluters. But India is not in the same league as China because its carbon emissions are only a quarter of those of China. China has the dubious reputation of being the world’s biggest emitter of carbon dioxide at 21.5% which matches the USA with 20.2%; however, the USA’s per capita emission of 18.68 metric tons far outweighs the Chinese per capita of 4.57 metric tons. China in 1996 emitted 2.39 metric tons of carbon dioxide per capita and by 2006 rapidly increased to 4.57.

Some Middle East oil-producing countries have high per capita carbon emissions such as Kuwait at 29.01, Qatar at 32.78 and the United Arab Emirates at 30.34. These are largely attributable to petroleum refining. The refined product is exported to petroleum consuming countries.

In contrast, Scandinavian countries, which habitually top development ranks, have high per capita emissions caused by their lifestyles. These include the Netherlands at 10.17 metric tons, Finland at 12.46, Norway at 8.29 and Denmark at 9.75 though Sweden is lower at 5.45.

In 1980, India contributed a miniscule 0.43 metric tons of carbon emissions per capita but by 2006, it had reached 1.29. This phenomenal increase was caused by industrialisation, urbanisation and greater agricultural production. But India’s emissions are still well below the world average of 4.18%. If India would accept a binding cut in its emissions then it could harm its rate of progress.

However, India can try to reduce an increase in its carbon emissions by reducing its dependence on coal and oil. That is why India is keen to increase nuclear and solar generated power. India has signed nuclear deals with France, the United States and Canada. Canada is the world’s largest producer of uranium.

The Greenhouse Gas Market Report

2008, issued by the International Emissions Trading Association, says that India leads in Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects (352 were registered) and stands to earn five to ten billion US dollars by trading Certified Trading Emissions (CERs)

Russia comes third, being responsible for 5.5% but with a per capita of 11.02 metric tons whilst India follows at 5.3% but with a small per capita of 1.29 metric tons. The European Union exceeds Russia and India by contributing 13.8% with a per capita of 5.35 metric tons.

Carbon emission is an indicator of industrialisation as well as of lifestyles such as using cars and modern devices. Japan is in this league emitting 4.6% of carbon dioxide with a high per capita of 10.13% whilst Germany and Britain emit 2.8 and 2% respectively with a per capita of just over 9 metric tons.

Australia emits 1.2% of the world’s carbon dioxide but its per capita is a very high 16.68 metric tons. Canada is in a similar category. A good deal of their emissions are caused by lifestyle factors such as the predominant use of cars

An ambitious “Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission” has been launched to tap India’s enormous solar potential (around 5000 trillion kWh per year). The projected plans are expected to be completed by 2022 and include 20 million solar lighting systems for rural areas. Europe is planning to tap solar power from North Africa!

An article by Malini Mehra in the Greenhouse Gas Market Report 2008, issued by the International Emissions Trading Association, says that India leads in Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects (352 were registered) and stands to earn five to ten billion US dollars by trading Certified Trading Emissions (CERs). Some suggest a much greater earning capacity.

India has long opted for innovation. The Energy and Resources Institute (successor to the Tata Energy Institute) was established in 1974. Its current head is R. K Pachauri who also heads the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. That Panel shared the Nobel Prize in 2007 with Al Gore. India sees efforts to combat climate change to be an international co-operative effort. For that it requires technology transfer, particularly green technologies. Currently India faces restrictions in getting certain US technologies, restrictions which European Union countries do not face. The battle against carbon emissions requires equitable international co-operation which does not impede progress in developing countries for a better lifestyle including enhanced food output.

Pigeon House Mountain and the

GRAHAM SIMS reviews a unique spot on the south coast, with its rich treasure of Aboriginal history and tradition

As good little (Eurocentric) Aussie kids, my generation and earlier ones were taught that Australia was “discovered” by the gallant Englishman, Captain James, Cook, in 1770. This, we now know, is nonsense. It ignores the fact that other explorers and traders from both Europe and South-East Asia, visited our shores long before. We have ample evidence of this. Much more significantly, it ignores the fact that indigenous Aborigines have been here for at least 50 thousand years, with recent indications that it may have been for much longer.

Not only have Aussies tended to be Anglocentric, with many references and deferences to “Mother England”, but we have even tended to be Sydney-centric. After all, the good Captain Cook actually “discovered” Botany Bay and Port Jackson, didn’t he? Much less well-known is the fact that “Sydney” was not the first part of “The Great Southern Land” sighted by Cook and his crew on their voyage up the east coast. In fact, on the NSW south coast, about 300 kilometres south of Sydney, a locally well-known landmark, inland from the towns of Ulladulla and Milton, bears this honour.

On 21 April, 1770, at about 6am, a band of Aborigines from the Walbanda tribe were amazed to see a strange vessel, far larger than any canoe, crewed by “white ghosts” and sailing close to shore. The ship was H.M.S. “Endeavour” and by 7am that same day, its Captain, James Cook, of Yorkshire, had sighted and named “a remarkable peaked hill which resembled a dove-house with a dome on top, and for that reason I named it “Pigeon House” (Mountain). It is believed that this was the very first identifiable feature on the Australian mainland actually sighted and named by Captain Cook.

Pigeon House in 1938: “Then there is the view from the summit of Pigeon House – easily the best cycloramic view I have ever seen. The wild country to the west, miles of coast and estuary to the east - the panoramic photographer’s paradise.”

Pigeon House is but one of many hills (we Aussies do like to call them “mountains”) in the vast, rugged Budawang Ranges, which extends from the Shoalhaven through to Bateman’s Bay and Moruya. (By the way, our “mountains” are so low and flat, precisely because they are so ancient and worn away. The Himalayas, the Alps etc are higher, because they are “younger”.)

The Budawangs may now be relatively well travelled, by farmers, timber-getters, bushwalkers etc, but, long before Cook observed them in 1770, they were intimately familiar to local Aborigines. The earliest confirmed occupied site is a rock shelter on the shores of Burrill Lake, which has been dated at about 20,000 years.

Virtually outside our holiday home, along the edge of the lake, are still to be seen “middens” of clam and oyster shells, gathered and discarded by local Aborigines over many, many years.

Incidentally, some readers may have recognised the name, Burrill Lake, from the recent and potentially catastrophic bush fires which ravaged this scenic area, including to within less than a kilometre from our house.

I noticed that Sydney newsreaders had trouble with how to pronounce “Burrill”. Does the “burr” rhyme with “burrow”, with the stress on the first syllable? When we first began visiting the area, over 35 years ago, we discovered that true locals seemed to pronounce Burrill as “Booreal”, with the stress on the second syllable. No-one seemed to know why, nor did anyone seem to know who “Mr Burrill” was, after whom the lake was presumably named. All they did know was that only ignorant outsiders called it “Burrill” (to rhyme with “Burrow”). And guess what? I think I’ve found the answer.

In an 1834 map of southern NSW, prepared by the NSW Surveyor-General, Sir Thomas Mitchell, appears the word “Bürril” in italics, beside the lake we now know as Burrill Lake. This strongly suggests an Aboriginal word,

There was an Aboriginal term something like “Woolahderra”, and another term “Nulladolla”, both referring to this general area. They supposedly merged into “Ulladulla” ... or did they?

Just to confound the issue, the settlement was once called “Holey Dollar”, because of the local use of this coin. It is easy to see how “Holey Dollar” could be corrupted into “Ulladulla”, giving it an authentic-sounding Aboriginal name.

Isn’t local folklore fascinating?

It’s also interesting that, perhaps because of the hilly and rugged terrain, the local Aborigines used smoke signals to communicate with each other over distance, a custom usually associated with native Americans of “cowboys and Indians” fame.

Although the countryside was rugged and the weather could be extreme, the Aborigines of the south coast had it better than those of the desert inland. The tribes or clans were each quite small and scattered, limited by tribal boundaries and the availability of resources. As with most tribes, their diet was a mixture of yams, tubers, fruits, nuts and berries, gathered by the women, and supplemented by meat (kangaroo, emu, lizards, snakes, fish and shellfish) hunted by the men.

An intriguing part of their diet was the Bogong moth, which matures and emerges in great numbers each summer. The Bogong, a large moth, is rich in fats and proteins and was highly prized. Only men and small children were allowed to eat this delicacy, considered too fattening for the women.

In researching this article, I also discovered an interesting observation, particularly fascinating in the light of the current debate about climate change and its impact on the environment.

It has tended to be the view that, unlike us, native peoples lived “at one” with their environment, and did not change it. This may not necessarily be so. On the south coast, for example, are large “natural” clearings such as Yadboro Flat and Tingha Clearing (now picnic areas within a National Park).

There are indications that the practice of deliberately burning off, traditionally used by the Aborigines over thousands of years, drove the dense rainforest back into deep gullies, allowing

There are indications that the practice of deliberately burning off, traditionally used by the Aborigines over thousands of years, drove the dense rainforest back into deep gullies, allowing

Tasmania: A journey

By SHIVANGI AMBANI-GANDHI

When convicts were shipped from England to Australia to serve a sentence of eternal banishment and

for an excellent multi-day rafting experience. Gigantic waves come crashing to Tasmanian shores all the way from Antarctica, and you can take in

Hobart

I began my introduction to Tassie, as the Aussies call it, in the coastal city of Hobart, which is protected from the icy winds of the Roaring 40s by the towering Mount Wellington. Just a short 10-minute drive out of the city centre, there is a trail leading to beautiful springs in Mount Wellington Park, and the views over the city from its peak are gorgeous.

Meanwhile, a stroll through the carefully preserved Georgian cottages of Battery Point and the original cemetery in the historic St David’s Park will reveal the city’s historic significance. By the waterfront, the row of tastefully restored Georgian warehouses form the famous Salamanca Place which houses restaurants, cafés, shops and an excellent arts centre. The mellow sandstone buildings come alive every Saturday when the open air Salamanca Markets bring local produce - jams, pickles, condiments, fudge, homebaked breads and biscuits—and crafts to the city.

Fresh produce, including excellent seafood, also makes its way into Hobart’s restaurants, many of which have a decidedly bohemian atmosphere. You can’t walk into the Sirens restaurant wearing any form of militia regalia. However, for peace-loving vegetarians like me, the place is a gem serving up melt-in-your-mouth dumplings in an oriental broth, perfectly grilled tofu with unbelievably sweet, fresh greens and a desert of the creamiest chocolate mousse with crunchy pistachio short bread and Turkish delight fingers.

Hobart is also home of Cascade brewery and wine trails abound in the surrounding areas. There are several other day trips starting from Hobart -including the popular convict sites of Port Arthur -and most visitors tend to restrict their Tasmanian holiday to the Hobart base, but Tasmania has a world to offer if you are willing to step out of the comfort zone.

Bruny Island

The half-hour ferry from Kettering to Bruny Island seems like a journey to another time-space continuum. The bush lies undisturbed, the waves crash in undeterred, the wind untamable and you seem to be floating in the ocean, in the middle of nowhere.

A narrow isthmus called the Neck, links North and South Bruny. The Neck Lookout offers breathtaking views of the isthmus, the wild ocean and the South Bruny National Park. At the base of the lookout, are mutton bird rookeries and a spot to view fairy penguins return home to the beach at dusk.

You can also take cruises around the coast to view wild dolphins and seals. I decided to drive through the renowned national park instead and began with a leisurely lunch at the Hothouse Café at Adventure Bay. The excellent views over the isthmus, canopied picnic tables, local wines and delicious focaccias and wraps freshly prepared make this a perfect spot for a relaxing lunch.

Then I head to the southern edge of the island- Cape Bruny Lighthouse, the second-oldest manned-lighthouse in Australia, built using convict labour. Looking south, is the seemingly unending Southern Ocean that stretches down to Antarctica. Turn north and you can see the rugged edges of Bruny Island fighting a loosing battle against the icy wind and powerful waves that erode its cliffs into dramatic rock formations.

1.The Neck Lookout

2. The Neck Lookout: views over the isthmus and the wild ocean and the South Bruny National Park.

3 At the Salamanca Markets

4. Nature’s gifts lie all around you

into yourself

Lake St Claire

Arriving at the grand Lake St Claire, I know I have made it into the heart of the high country. The lake is at the southern end of the six-day walk on the famous Overland Track, and you will see the ferry bring in bushwalkers - their clothes and shoes caked with mud, and an irrepressible smile brought by the experience.

However, you don’t need to walk too far to see the region’s natural beauty. The viewing platform just across the visitor centre offers a fantastic view over the still waters of the lake, which perfectly reflect the snow peaks on the other end.

A short walk to Watersmeet, takes me to the cascading rivers that feed the lake. Further into the national park, the brochure says, I may spot the elusive platypus. Here, the boardwalk disappears into a narrow mud path. From here on, I am intruding into nature, and I want to leave as small a footprint as possible. The walk is beautiful, the trees buffer me from the world outside, and the lake goes

The West Coast Wilderness Way

In the twilight, I journey further towards the west coast. The snow-capped mountains lie just ahead and the moon is pinned up on a purple sky, the lakes glittering silver in its light.

5. View over the still waters of the lake, which perfectly reflect the snow peaks on the other end.

6. A few moments of quite refection

7. Tiny sand beaches seem like postcards from a Robinson Crusoe adventure Tassie is the surprise gem you find when you least expect it.

9. 30m high Henty Dunes

Cradle Mountain National Park

I walked into my rustic cottage at the Cradle Mountains Highlander and welcoming me in, were wallabies just outside the door. Once you are in Cradle Mountain, you don’t really need to travel any further, or take any tours - nature’s gifts lie all around you, waiting to be explored. And the many walks in the area are an excellent way to do that.

Among the short walks starting at the visitor centre, the Pencil Pine walk takes you through the magnificent native Pencil Pine trees, which can be seen only in Tasmania. The Enchanted Walk takes you through the rainforest, past a beautiful stream and is littered with interpretation tents that your kids will love.

The Rivers Run

The Derwent River snakes across western Tasmania from the snow-capped peaks of Lake St Claire National Park, and I drove upstream through the fertile towns along its banks. This route is dubbed the Rivers Run by the travel brochures - not without reason.

Although a state highway, the road is mostly a two lane road and extremely quiet - I could hear the gentle flow of water in the river alongside almost all along. This road trip created a sense of gentle pace, of stillness and of a world without deadlines for a city-dweller like me. Tasmania is an escape into eternity, and this is just the beginning.

Tiny sand beaches line the walk - they seem like postcards from a Robinson Crusoe adventure. Dusk is the best time to view the platypus, and I wait patiently by the designated viewing spot. Tasmania teaches you to wait, quietly. The view over the lake is so breathtaking that I almost forget I still have to tick the platypus off our agenda. And then I realise that I need to drop that ‘to-do list’. I spend a few more minutes in quiet contemplation, taking in the real beauty of the place. In the end, I did not find the platypus, but I did find myself.

However, this does not mean that Tassie will disappoint - it is rather that surprise gem you find when you least expect it. On the walk back, I encounter the friendliest wallabies, half a dozen of them, gently grazing away. No brochure had told me

Approaching the mining town of Queenstown, the trees disappear suddenly. The hillsides of Mt Lyell have seen the upheaval of a mining frenzy, leaving this town looking like a bare, dramatic lunar landscape. Although the original open cut copper mine is long gone, underground mining continues till date, with the ore being exported to India. You can journey underground in a mine tour to see its thunderous crusher reduce gigantic rocks to football size in seconds.

Apparently, residents are quite protective of this landscape and don’t want the trees to grow back. However, environmentalists who are looked upon with disdain at Queenstown, are heroes just a few miles west.

The Green movement successfully campaigned against flooding the wild Franklin River for a hydro-electric scheme. The West Coast Wilderness Railway traverses this pristine wilderness between Queenstown and Strahan. River cruises and sea planes from Strahan take you into the further reaches of this Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Strahan’s harbourside is pretty, but quite commercialized, and after a quick bite, I escape to the one-hour walk though rainforest into Hogarth Falls.

Near Strahan is the impressive 33-km stretch of Ocean Beach. Just behind the beach, the sand stretches into the 30-metre high Henty Dunes. I climbed up one of these dunes for some spectacular views and came tumbling, rollicking down. You can also rent sand boards at Strahan, or take a quad bike ride through these beauties.

At Dove Lake, the circuit around the lake takes you beneath the towering spires of Cradle Mountain. As you walk walked around the lake, with the shifting perspective, the mountain peak seemed to transform.

However, in Tasmania, you can’t really stick to plans - and this time the rain clouds took over. The craggy peaks disappeared, and the rain pelted down. I hurried indoors for a warm bite, and curled up by the crackling fire for some time to reflect on this holiday. I know I have to return here - not to tick those remaining boxes, but to journey further. There is no itinerary of highlights that you can tick off; only soothing moments for soul searching. There are no souvenirs to buy; only moments to cherish. Tasmania is not the holiday of instant gratificationbut rather a journey into yourself.

SKLPS Simba from Kenya warm up before their match

20/20 MIT Sydney Cup

SKLPS Simba

The 20/20 format of cricket has taken the sport by storm not only at the international level but within smaller cricket communities all around the world.

Sydney’s Parramatta region has been host to a unique cricketing championship in this very format in recent weeks.

Teams made up of South Asian origin settlers have been vying for top honours in the MIT Sydney Cup. Two rounds have been played as this paper goes to press. The eighteen teams participating have gone an extra yard to lure players with high credentials and varied cricketing abilities and experience.

For that matter it has been an exciting few weeks of cricket in Parramatta. Honours have been shared in the previously played 8-A-Side Indian Link Cup and 30/30 GCA Macquarie Bicentennial Cup between Nando’s Srilankan Lions and Mantra Ryde Chandigarh, with GCA and Gujarat finishing runners up respectively.

With so many brilliant players appearing in such a community based cricket and with no weak teams, the 20/20 MIT Sydney Cup ought to be the topic on the tip of every cricket follower in the community.

Teams of the Week

Ryde Automotives Haryana Bulls

Ryde Automotives maybe the best team in the championship, but they have failed in two semi-finals. This side has plenty of experience and all sorts of points to prove. They have made their intentions clear with two wins in the opening two rounds of the tournament. Jai Poria (NSW under-19 player) made amends to his previous failures during the 30/30 series, winning Man of the Match in both the games in the 20/20 series.

Team members: Laddi, Jay, Deepak, Zeeshan, Ritesh, Vicky, Sukhvinder (C), Mohammed, Vishal, Bindar.

SKLPS Simba is another side bound to catch the eye. With Kenyan under-19 player Naran in the ranks, Simba are all set to prove their mettle. In them, we have a true sample of the old adage that a representative team is an expression of the national culture. It might not reveal everything about a country’s psyche, but the way a sporting team goes about its work offers an insight. It’s not the finishing that tells the tale, it’s the starting point and SKLP Simba made a point loud and clear by trouncing ICAI Challengers in the opening game.

Team members: Naran (c), Vijay, Manish, Harish, Jadavji, Uttam, Dilip, Preetesh, Suresh, Manish, Rahul, Nehul, Dhankush, Mukesh, Hiten, Ravji

Round 1 Results

Ryde Automotives Haryana (157 for 9) defeated MIT Yellow (84 all out)

Man of the Match Jai Poria 55 runs (Ryde Automotives)

Nando’s Srilankan

Lions (5/95) defeated Macquarie Eleven (93 all out)

Man of the Match: Ouska 24 not out

Lankan Cobras (7/ 100) defeated GCA Yellow (98 all out)

Man of the Match: Mohamed Alawi: 4 for 20 West Ryders (219) defeated GCA Reds (8/148)

Man of the Match: Vikas Nooli 55 runs MIT Red (1/112) defeated ICAI Challengers (109 all out)

Man of the Match: Aman 35 not out.

Round 2 Results

Ahmedabad Warriors (130) defeated GCA Yellow (78 all out)

Man of the Match: Mayank

West Ryders (219/9) defeated GCA Red (158 all out)

Man of the match: Pranav 68 runs and 3 wickets (GCA Red)

Mantra Ryde Chandigarh (2/104) defeated Lankan Cobras (103)

Man of the Match: Ranjit 4 for 13

MIT Yellow (150) defeated GCA Red (133 all out)

Man of the Match: Ashu 39 West Ryders (2/64) defeated CQU Challengers (62)

Man of the Match: Kalisha 3

Ryde Automotives Haryana Bulls (3/98) defeated Nando’s Srilankan Lions (97 all out)

Man of the Match: Jai Poria 36

SKLPS Simba (3/37) defeated ICAI

Challengers (38 all out)

Man of the Match: Naran 22 Runs and 1

Limra (8/117) defeated Vibrant Gujarat

Man of the Match: Asim 38 runs

Hyderabad Travels SDC (121) defeated Macquarie Eleven (107 all out)

Man of the Match: Arif 32 not out

A Women’s cricket series and a Boys’ cricket series, aswell as a kids’ School holiday camp are also planned. To learn more, call Sanjiv Dubey on

SANJIV DUBEY on the ongoing community cricket series

(Below) Saki Assim of the Lankan Cobras (Right) Jay Poria of Ryde Automotives Haryana Bulls

Ahmedabad Warriors vs GCA Yellow

Ahmedabad Warriors

Lankan Cobras bat against Ryde Automotives Haryana Bulls

Finger-licking good

RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA

lists her all-time favourite

It’s party time, folks. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, the holidays are upon us, and you’re probably getting friends or family over for a celebration. On New Year’s Eve, perhaps.

This fortnight I present for you my favourite finger foods. Tested time and again, these come out great as

appetizers. True to my trademark anthem - Minimum Effort for Maximum Effect - most of these are no-fuss recipes. You won’t find a deep-fried snack here (or puff pastry based dishes). Who’s got the time? Plus the seasonal produce is wonderful this time of year, so why not retain original flavours and

textures, I ask you.

Note to self: perhaps I should pick from this very list when the gang comes over on New Year’s Eve: there’s plenty here to keep us going till about midnight with all the drinks… and maybe I can organise for a simple biryani and raita after the fireworks are done.

Watermelon with Feta

Seedless watermelon

Danish Feta cheese

Basil leaves for garnish

Freshly ground pepper

Extra virgin olive oil.

Cut up watermelon into neat bite-sized rectangles. Arrange on a white platter. Place a basil leaf on each –keep the leaf whole or tear up. Crumble the Danish feta and arrange on top of the leaf. Drizzle some good quality olive oil over, allowing some to splash on the platter. Grind fresh pepper over the top. Great as a starter. (You could substitute mint leaves for basil).

Spinach Wrapped

Chicken Rolls

500 gms chicken breast fillets

1 small onion, chopped

2 cups yoghurt

1 egg white

2 slices bread, crusts removed

1 tbsp soy sauce

Red chilli powder to taste

Large spinach leaves, white stalks removed

1 cup white wine

Put into a food processor chicken, onion, yoghurt, egg white, bread soy sauce and red chilli powder. Blend till smooth. (There’s no need for salt if you’re using soy sauce, but do a taste test regardless, and add some if you feel it is needed).

Spread out spinach leaves on bench top, underside facing

up. Flatten as much as possible without tearing. Spread mixture thickly over each leaf. Wet your palms and roll the leaf up gently.

In a large flat bottomed pan, bring the wine to a gently boil. Put the rolls in one by one, flap side down. Cover and cook for about ten minutes. Keep checking to see liquid does not evaporate completely. Take out and cool completely.

Slice gently into circles. To serve, put a toothpick on each, and serve with a sauce of your choice.

(You can substitute chicken stock for wine).

Thai Fish Cakes

185 gms can of tuna in brine

2 tbsp Thai green curry paste

1 tbsp fish sauce

¼ cup coconut cream

Cheesy Pita Spikes

2 rounds pita bread

¼ cup olive oil

1 clove garlic crushed

¼ tsp red chilli powder

Plenty of shredded cheese

Fresh parsley, chopped

Mix garlic and red chilli powder into olive oil. Spread over the pita bread. Sprinkle cheese over, and then the parsley. Cut into thin wedges using a pizza cutter. Gently pick each one up and arrange on lined oven tray. Bake in a moderate (180 degrees) oven fro about 12 minutes.

Mango Rice Paper Rolls

1 under-ripe mango

1 Lebanese cucumber

2 spring onions

12 x 15cm round rice paper wrappers

2 cooked chicken breast fillets, sliced

¼ cup torn mint leaves

Peel the mango, remove the flesh and slice thinly. Cut the cucumber and spring onion into 8cm long thin straws.

Place the rice paper wrappers in a bowl of warm water for 1 minute or until soft and pliable. Remove and pat

Vegetable Morsels

Salad vegetables

Cherry tomatoes

Cucumbers

Celery

For filling

375 gms cream cheese

200 gms plain yoghurt

Red pesto sauce

Green pesto sauce

For garnish

Fresh herbs such as basil, mint, dill and chives

Walnut halves

Red caviar

Sliced olives

Sliced red capsicum

2 tbsp cornflour

1 egg

Fresh coriander, chopped

2 spring onions, chopped

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

¼ cup peanut oil

Drain tuna and put into food processor. Add curry paste, fish sauce, coconut cream, cornflour, egg and coriander. Process until just combined – not paste-like. Add breadcrumbs and whiz again. Take out into bowl and add spring onions. With wet palms, take small handfuls and shape into patties.

Heat oil in a flat-bottomed pan and cook fish cakes on each side for about 2 minutes each, or until lightly golden.

To serve, make up a dipping sauce by combining sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce and a touch of grated ginger.

(You could also make the same with tinned salmon and red curry paste).

Corn Roll-Ups

12 slices bread

Margarine

1 440 gm tin creamed corn

½ bunch dill, finely chopped OR

To prepare fillings, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in yoghurt and whisk till smooth. Put into three separate bowls. To one bowl add green pesto sauce, and to the second red pesto sauce. Keep the third bowl as is. You now have three different colours of filling. To prepare vegetables, wash and dry. Slice tops from cherry tomatoes (take a thin slice off the bottoms too, so they can have a base to sit on). Slice cucumbers thickly (or, you can cut into thick batons and scoop the centre out to make a hole for filling). String celery and cut into

chopped shallots

1 cup grated tasty cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Put the creamed corn through a sieve and drain somewhat. Mix with dill and cheese in a bowl.

Season with salt and pepper. Remove crusts from bread. Spread one side of each slice with margarine. Turn upside down on a cutting board and flatten dry side with rolling pin. Spread corn mixture onto dry side of bread.

Then gently roll up sides to form a log, with greasy side outward. Lift gently and put in a lined baking tray. When all the slices are prepared thus, bake in a 220 degree oven for ten minutes or until golden.

Tomato and Basil Muffins

2 cups plain flour

3 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

¼ cup sundried tomatoes in oil, oil

drained

3 tbsp oil form the sundried tomatoes

2 eggs

1 cup milk

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Red chilli powder to taste

2.5 cm lengths (slice at an angle).

To prepare garnishes, wash and shake dry herbs, slice olives and capsicum thinly and cut up walnut neatly.

To assemble, arrange vegetables on platter, spoon filling over and arrange garnishes on top. Mix and match for colour, the vegetables filling and garnish – presentation is important thing here.

You could use other vegetables, such as button mushrooms: remove stalk and place on platter like a boat, and then fill in.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add in sugar and red chilli powder and mix. Chop up sundried tomatoes. Beat oil, milk and eggs together until combined. Pour into dry ingredients. Add in sundried

Grease a mini muffin pan. Put mixture in to the three-quarters mark. Bake in a moderate (180 degrees) oven for about 15 minutes.

Serve hot or cold with a good mayonnaise and chilli jam.

Sausage Discs

3 large kransky sausages

½ cup parmesan cheese

½ cup grated cheddar cheese

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

2 tbsp chopped fresh chives

dry on a clean tea towel. Lay them out on your bench. Divide the mango, cucumber, spring onions, chicken and mint between each wrapper, placing them on the bottom-left side nearest to you. Roll up firmly to enclose the filling, folding the right side over the filling as you go to make a base, and leaving the left side open to show the filling. Serve with sweet chilli sauce or a dipping sauce of 1/3 cup fish sauce and 2 tablespoons lime juice, if desired.

(Recipe and image provided by Mango Communications)

210 gm can salmon, drained, forked down and skin and bones removed

4 eggs

½ cup each red, yellow and

½ bunch dill, finely chopped OR chopped shallots

½ cup shredded tasty cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together. Grease a mini

¼ cup breadcrumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten Mix cheese, herbs, breadcrumbs and egg in bowl. Cut kransky sausages diagonally into 1-cm thick rounds. Put 1 tsp mixture onto each sausage slice and smoothen. Cook under hot grill until lightly browned. (Best warn the guests what they’re eating. Indian vegetarian guests often mistake the red of the sausage for tomato)

mixture in. Bake in a 180 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot or cold with a good mayonnaise and chilli jam.

Photos and styling: RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA

Fiji Indian Hindu family from Sydney, seek alliance for son, age 26, Australian citizen, fair, educated, 160 cm. Seeking bride under 25 years, slim, fair, sincere and pleasant personality. Contact parents at PO Box 502 Plumpton NSW 2761 or email at hum772009@gmail.com

Australian citizen, Indian origin male, uni educated, govt job, own house, mid 40s, seeks honest Indian/ Fiji Indian lady for marriage. Please send details to email: Tamayu@hotmail.com or phone 0404 263 400.

Indian Catholic gentleman, 38 years, innocently divorced, handsome, responsible and affectionate nature, excellent family background, requests to meet a girlfriend or a female in matrimonial alliance. Hindu vegetarian lady welcome; nationality, religion or caste no barrier. Detailed information will be given in person. Please contact me by phone for appointment: (02) 9676 2512 or 0419 792 947.

AGujarati Brahmin family invites proposals for their pure vegetarian, non-smoker, non-drinker, broadminded, family oriented son, Permanent Resident of Australia, 24 years, 5’ 7”, B.E. - Mechanical Engineer, settled in Perth. Alliances are sought from well educated, family oriented, spiritual and good looking girls from well cultured Gujarati families. Initial contact can be made at kulfunda@gmail.com or 0402 433 385.

Sister seeks suitable bride for her handsome professionally qualified Punjabi Hindu Brahmin boy 27 working as MBA in HR department in a reputed company in India. Boy teetollaer and belongs to well respected and well to do family in India. Please respond to sharmamona26@yahoo.com.au or call at 0433 602 032.

Matrimonials

Australian citizen, Maratian Naidu Catholic, 6ft tall 31 years, born 22-0578, never married, kind and loving nature. Seeking girl with good moral values, family oriented, kind, caring, honest and educated. Please contact 0415 440 293.

Alliance invited for Australian citizen, 36 years, 5’10”, divorcee, Hindu male, from well established Sydney-based family. Working as analyst in Sydney. Seeking good looking and qualified match from Australia or India, preferably Hindu, with good family values. Caste no bar. E-mail: madhurmilan@y7mail.com

Indian born Australian citizen, 31 years old, 5’5” working as a full time Government employer for the Railcorp in NSW, non-smoker, non-drinker, never married, seeks bride 23 to 30 years old, with good cultural and family values. Only Muslims please, from any country. Please respond with details and photo to shafi_ baig1977@yahoo.com.au

Well-settled Sikh family from Australia seeks beautiful, tall, slim, fair, educated match for their handsome, clean shaven, IT professional son; 29/6’2’’. Caste no bar. Send bio-data and photo to wahroongah@gmail.com

Caring, sincere, slim, youthful looking, male divorcee, Hindu, Indiaborn, 50-year-old Australian citizen, in professional government job, seeks a suitable match. Caste and religion no bar. Looking for caring lady with family values. Call 0416 099 177. Only genuine enquiries please.

SEEKING GROOMS

Australian resident, born December 74, 5’ 3” slim, fair, Hindu Punjabi Khatri girl, never married, seeks Hindu Punjabi educated boy. Please send details and recent photo to ranjeev333@yahoo.com phone 0061432 020 702.

Sister and brother-in-law seek a suitable groom for a lovely, 24-year-old Fiji-born Hindu girl, independent, fair, lovely girl, Australian citizen, professionally qualified, currently working in a Australian company. Family well settled in Australia. Seeking a match 25 to 29 years of age, professionally qualified, with strong family and cultural values, and good family background. Please email bio data and recent photographs to arieso@rediffmail.com

Sister and brother-in-law invite well settled/educated match for a lovely Jatt Sikh girl, 24 / 5’6”, completing IT in May 2010 (USA ), plans to settle in Australia. Early marriage. Caste no bar. Seeking a suitable match with strong family values. Genuine enquiries please e-mail to shaadi1109@gmail.com with biodata and recent photo.

Sister and brother-in-law seek a suitable groom for a lovely Hindu Punjabi Brahmin girl, professionally qualified. Family well settled in India. Seeking a 25-29-year-old, professionally qualified match, with strong cultural and family background. Please email bio data and recent pictures to mittalarvind@hotmail. com or contact on 0421 669 534.

Seeking a groom for sister who is very warm hearted, caring, attractive, good cook and home-maker. Never married, 47-year-old Hindu Marathi. Hotel management qualified. Can work in Australia as a Certified Cook. Half of the family based in Australia. Australian PR or citizen only. Please email at rnita45@yahoo.com

Seeking professionally qualified and well settled Sikh boy with strong cultural values and good family background, for slim and good-looking Arora Sikh girl, NZ citizen, 24 / 5’4” B. Business, (pursuing CPA), working in Auckland as financial analyst. Family well settled in Auckland, Sydney. Please send details including recent photos to pkathuria@optusnet.com.au

Seeking alliance for 44-year-old, simple, caring, never married, hardworking Christian orphan lady. She works for a convent school in India and enjoys the simplicities of life. She possesses good family values. Please contact (02) 98322056 or email dollysigler@gmail.com

Professional qualified match for 38/165, never married, fair, slim, Punjabi Arora engineer, Aus citizen, doing Govt job. Early marriage. Can relocate. Parents well-settled in India. Educated family. Caste no bar. Respond with photo. Contact mr15840@ yahoo.co.in

Seeking alliance for our 24-year old, 5”4’ beautiful Sikh daughter. She is a finance professional with strong family values. We are settled in Sydney for many years. Please send your details and photo at kuldeeponly@gmail.com

Punjabi Arora parents invite well-settled/ professional match for never married fair slim beautiful 36 / 165 IT professional. Working in MNC. Australian citizen. Status family. Caste no bar. Early marriage. Respond with photo. Em: sydgirl09@gmail. com

WE PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM ALL MAGIC

Twelve days of Christmas

Day 4

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la, la la la la.

It’s that time of year again. We are trawling aimlessly through the Westfield Shopping Centre, looking for pressies for the rellies for Chrissie. We are trying to keep it down to $30 per person. Or maybe just $20 this year.

How much does a poor young couple without children (but with cats) need to spend on large families who have everything, to show them that we aren’t cheapskates and at the same time say that we care?

We are trying to do the math.

Day 2

Back home in Bombay, Christmas was free. Christmas meant midnight mass, fasting, fervent praying and a single day off. It also meant running up and down the stairs to deliver plates of Christmas cake, laddoos and chiwda to neighbours in the building. No presents and certainly no shopping. And Christmas lunch was an elaborate lamb biryani, not a leg of ham.

When we were kids, my mother used to take me and my little brother to find straw for the nativity scene. We’d build a manger from an old cardboard box and she’d tape the straw onto the roof. We’d then cover everything in miles of fairy lights so that the little figurines of Mother Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus were bathed in a disco glow of pink and green and yellow lights.

We’d put up a tree and listen to Jim Reeves. My mother would serve her special wine and plum cake.

Every year, I sit in the midst of the Aussie Christmas festivities and the mounds of discarded wrapping paper and think of the delicious biryani and my parents’ faces at Christmas time, and feel very lonely.

Day 3

My mood is dark as I walk into Myers. Young Christmas casuals are sporting reindeer horns, broad smiles and too much makeup.

“Have you done your Christmas shopping yet?” one of them enquires cheerily.

Outside, there’s a long queue to meet Santa but his chair is empty. In the petting zoo, a young deer with red antlers and bells strapped around its head is bucking and kicking. Its eyes are terrified.

But the halls have been decked since October! The fake snow, tinsel and Swarovski crystals glitter on 10 foot trees that loom high reminding you ... of what? To start giving instead of taking? Spending on others for a change?

But why spend at all? Does love equal money?

Day 5

JESUS not in stores this season! proclaims the church outside Mascot. I tug uneasily at the husband’s sleeve and point a trembling finger as the ominous sign flashes past on our way home.

“Ha!” is all he says.

Day 6

Thursday, late night shopping.

There are red-faced, tantrum throwingchildren everywhere, followed by shrieking parents, perambulating from shop to shop.

Christmas music tinkles soft as snowflakes over the frenetic Christmas shoppers milling all around us. It is largely ignored.

“Why can’t we just give them all a piece of toast and be done with it?” the husband is whinging, “Why not?”

Nearby, an angry mother is grabbing her brat by the arm and saying, “Behave yourself, Keira!”

I am beginning to feel like the mother. “I don’t know. Tradition?”

“No. It’s called greed.”

Day 7

I’m angry with the husband who as usual has forfeited all Christmas duties. Buying presents this year is solely my responsibility. Again.

“Why does this happen every year? They are your relatives!” I’m shouting and storming through the house. “Don’t you care?”

“Nope!” he says.

Day 8

David Jones, after work. Looking for shabby chic presents for the mother-in-law. I consult a shop assistant.

“Shabby chic, shabby chic, shabby chic,” she’s pointing and chanting. “The question is: how much is your mother-in-law worth?”

“Sorry?”

“One of my daughters’ receives a table weight every year from her mother-in-law. My guess is she bought a set of eight and is giving her one every year! What does your

mother-in-law give you for Christmas?”

I can’t recall.

Day 9

“We’ll be in Dubai for Christmas, this year!” my mother is saying on the phone.

What? No tree? No Jim Reeves? No biryani?

“You mean no church this year?” I say accusingly.

“No,” she says. “Your father and I are going to have a stress-free Christmas.”

I hang up feeling confused.

Day 10

“Can we get a Christmas tree?” I’m asking the husband.

“Why?” he says. “So we can join the deluded masses?”

“So we can start a tradition of our own,” I say. “I want to have something to hand down to our children. Or cats.”

He looks as if he feels sorry for me.

“If you like, sweety.”

Day 11

Thursday night, Eastgardens.

The husband has his best Scrooge act on. He is dragging his feet, a scowl on his face, hissing at children and swearing about consumerism, relatives and unwanted presents.

Inside the Reject Shop, I find a bright green tree that only comes up to my knees. It stands shyly, its arms still furled, a piece of hessian covering its base, tied up with a bright red ribbon. $4!!

I carry my little green find in my arms and look for a star to match. The decorations aisle

looks like it’s been hit by a bomb. Tinsel is all over the floor, the bells and baubles roll around. Nothing’s shattered because it’s all plastic.

Just as I find a silver filigree star for my little tree, the husband reappears with a loopy grin on his face. He is carrying a 15-metre roll of wrapping paper that looks like wallpaper at a dentist’s. From the ‘70s.

“No!” I say immediately.

“Yes,” he insists.

On the way home the husband asks what I’ll hang on my tree.

I tell him about the $200 decorations I’d seen at David Jones.

“That’s 50 times the cost of your tree!” he says.

Day 12

There’s an evil gleam in the husband’s eye. He’s spotted an empty jar in a display window. The label says “The Jar of Nothing”. “The perfect present,” he says in the manner of an evil scientist.

Back home, we wrap the presents in the hideous paper and stick labels on each one with a sense of accomplishment. We’re so relieved; we’ve even started looking forward to Christmas at my mother-in-law’s. The slight swelter of Christmas day with the imminent bushfire threat. The big leg of ham with a maple syrup and macadamia glaze. The little nephews running around. The banter and the wine. Backyard cricket. The feeling of being part of a family.

“At least we don’t have to get each other anything this Christmas,” I say, relieved. “We don’t?” the husband looks surprised. Uh-oh...

APARNA JACOB keeps Pre-Christmas stress at bay

Watch it for Amitabh and Vidya

Film: Paa

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Paresh Rawal

Director: R. Balakrishnan

When a director takes a road less travelled, it means risk and challenges. Director R. Balakrishnan’s Paa journey was difficult but he achieved what he had set out to do -- Amitabh Bachchan’s not recognisable in the role of progeria patient Auro, his character is not over the top and the director has managed to convey the message about the disease without much fuss.

Auro’s character is well-etched and Amitabh has certainly presented a new challenge for his colleagues by slipping under the skin of a 13-year-old with wrinkles, cataracts and no hair so convincingly. Not even once does his megastar image overshadow his character.

Big B has an author-backed role and his oneliners are the best -- if he tickles your funny bones with his comments in one scene, in the next Auro tugs at your heart strings with his emotional paradoxes.

Amitabh’s make up is such that it doesn’t give him much room to use his facial muscles. Despite that he conveys every emotion he is going through and as the movie progresses one feels a connect with Auro.

In the performance department both Amitabh and Vidya Balan, who plays his single mother, complement each other.

Vidya has given a power-packed performance as a woman who single-handedly raises her progeric child. She tries to give him a normal life -- she is never shown over concerned or fussy.

Amitabh and Abhishek’s scenes together are both funny and emotional.

These are the finer points of the film.

But the film has flaws too. Abhishek is portrayed as an ambitious young politician, fine! But his media bashing spree is annoying!

Balki takes a pot shot at the media by showing that TV journalism is manipulated, but it doesn’t look convincing at all. Abhishek’s dialogues lack substance.

Except his sequences with naughty Auro, most of his scenes don’t fit in the scheme of things. But laudable parts of the film are P.C. Sreeram’s cinematography and Ilaiyaraaja’s music.

Paresh Rawal is wasted in the film. One wonders why he accepted such a role.

Jaya Bachchan is the surprise package of the film. She appears on the screen to introduce the cast and the crew. Watch Paa for Amitabh and Vidya’s brilliant performances.

Himesh clicks, film doesn’t

Film: Radio

Cast: Himesh Reshammiya, Shenaz Treasuryvala, Sonal Sehgal; Director: Ishaan Trivedi

Radio starts off in a way similar to Love Aaj Kal. Just like the Saif Ali KhanDeepika Padukone film began with a break up, Radio has a divorce starting the proceedings. To the credit of director Ishaan Trivedi, Himesh Reshammiya and a couple of well integrated songs as part of the background score, Radio manages to impress in the first 30 minutes.

The way the scenes unfold is indeed different. The unique narrative keeps one reasonably engrossed in the proceedings. But once the conflict in RJ Himesh’s personal life is established with two women (ex-wife Sonal Sehgal and co-RJ Shenaz

CINETALK

Treasuryvala) adding to the confusion, the movie starts meandering.

The writer’s intent about showing past love coming back in the protagonist’s life is understandable but somehow the final outcome isn’t engrossing enough.

Yes, the songs are soothing but they are so many and come in quick succession that they tend to become distracting after a while. Moreover, the proceedings cease to be gripping enough with the drama fast losing its sheen.

The silver lining here comes from the performances. Himesh shows improvement over his Aap Kaa Surroor and Karzzzz days and comes up with a natural act for most part of the film. Enacting emotional scenes is his forte, as evidenced in his countless music videos, and this is on full display in Radio as well. Watch out for the sensitive moments that he shares with

both the women.

Shenaz as well as Sonal fit into their parts quite well. In fact they not just look good but also stay within their characters to come up with an act that is definitely better than expected from people who have just started off. Yes, they do become part of a couple of inexplicable and embarrassing scenes like the one where they start breaking the plates in a restaurant. Or when Shenaz dresses up as a clown. But leaving such aberrations aside, they do show sparks.

One can’t fathom though, the need to have Paresh Rawal in the narrative. He is completely isolated from the storyline and fails to give a final punch in the finale. His role seems to be a case of a last moment addition in the script. As a prank caller hired by the radio station, his jokes fall flat. And he doesn’t share a frame with any other actor even once.

The second half of the film doesn’t quite stand strong on its feet. A scene or two do bring in an emotional touch to the story but beyond that Radio doesn’t quite get the right tuning on. In the end, what remains with audiences is a good soundtrack and some performances. One can clearly sense that Himesh has made a sincere effort to stand tall as a leading man in a non-masala film like Radio He cannot be written off yet and has it in him to do more movies provided he gets a better platform.

Joginder Tuteja

Arpana

A zero to hero journey worth watching

Film: Rocket Singh: Salesman Of The Year

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Manish Chaudhary, Shazahn Padamsee, Gauhar Khan, Mukesh Bhatt, Prem Chopra

Director: Shimit Amin;

If cinema to you is just a vehicle to indulge in mindless diversion, then Rocket Singh: Salesman Of The Year is not your cup of tea. If cinema as a popular work of art is meant to make viewers reconsider the quality of their lives, then plunge into the mundane world of Punjabi munda Harpreet Singh.

Like in Wake Up Sid, Ranbir Kapoor plays a somewhat aimless guy who’s just out of college wondering what to do next. That’s the moment when we jump into the lives of Sid and Harpreet, so similar in their soporific world-view and yet so different in their journey from premature jadedness to premature wisdom.

Shimit Amin’s earlier inspirational work Chak De! India was far more aggressive in its aspirations. Rocket Singh is a more gentle and non-cynical work. Its opinion on contemporary corruption is tinged with warmth, humour and a subtle regard for office politics seldom seen in our films. Some may perceive Rocket

Singh as a niche film on the politics of computer hardware. This is as shallow a reading of Shimit’s cinema as looking at Chak De! as a hockey film.

People habituated to being spoon-fed emotions by filmmakers who think masala is what makes entertainment palatable, may find Shimit’s approach to Harpreet’s tale almost arrogant in its self regard and disdain for the qualities that make sociallypurposeful cinema engaging to the man in the backseat.

Outwardly Shimit and his brilliant writer Jaideep Sahni, whose words move effortlessly from stinging social comment to conversational candour, don’t seem to care whether the audience joins them in their scathing often frustrating sometimes humorous search for a centre to Rocket Singh’s life.

But make no mistake. This film really cares about the environment of indolent debauchery that has crept into the workingclass lifestyle. The office details are so dead-on in recreating the deceptive dynamism of an office-going entourage, you wonder if Ranbir, the writer and director spent quality

time in a slothful hierarchy-motivated office.

Ranbir’s journey from professional disgrace to redemption echoes Shah Rukh Khan’s voyage from the damned to the extolled in Chak De. Except that Ranbir’s playing field is more in his mind and soul.

As the protagonist gathers together his dignity to pursue a path of honesty in his business transactions, we witness the portrait of a detoxicated working-class hero.

Ranbir brings to his part a lot of earnestness and heart. His natural and utterly contagious exuberance seen in Wake Up Sid and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is effortlessly curbed here. What we see on screen is a Sardar not quite like any of our movies have shown so far.

Harpreet, who later becomes Rocket Singh because his colleagues throw paper rockets at him, doesn’t become a largerthan-life figure of aggressive sales-pitch. Ranbir plays the loser who turns the zero on his life’s calling-card to his own advantage with the kind of unspoken wisdom that actors acquire after decades of experience.

The supporting cast of Mukesh Bhatt as the office peon, P. Santoshi as the lazy porn-addicted colleague, Gauhar Khan as the commodified office receptionist and Naveen Kaushik as the crucial link in Harpreet’s work place, boost Ranbir’s central presence with their ingrained sense of belonging to the world Shimit and Sahni have created.

Rocket Singh works on many levels beyond Ranbir’s astonishing performance. It is a

momentous piece of cinema for its writing and its indifference to the dynamics of conventional storytelling.

Sahni’s words are often so laconic that they make their point without our being conscious of their importance to the given context of working-class inertia.

While urging the sexy office receptionist to join him in his audacious entrepreneurship, Harpreet warns Gauhar: “Otherwise I’ll remain the joker Sardarji and you the item girl.”

The film’s main conflict is between Harpreet and his unscrupulous boss played by the aptly over-the-top Manish Choudhary. The two finest sequences are written as muted acidic confrontations between Ranbir and Choudhary. The final encounter in a supermarket where the boss surrenders to Harpreet’s integrity is the trickiest part of the narration.

Rocket Singh stands tall despite its flaws. On the surface it has a uni-focussed sameness to its narration, as though the story was being told in one breath.

The lack of drama in a situation simmering with emotional dips and curves gets the audience fidgety. But soon we realise the absence of expendable energy is the narrative’s primary virtue.

You can’t miss the writer and director’s concern for a growing middle-class that worships wealth and success at the cost of more valuable assets. Most of all you can’t miss Ranbir as the understated Sardar riding his cherry-red scooter gifted by his grandfather (Prem Chopra) cringing at the red light when a swanky motorbike rides up alongside.

But Ranbir’s portrayal of the loser’s rise from shame to name is a journey we’d any day undertake even on a cherry-red scooter.

Subhash K Jha

So Amitabh Bachchan in the role of Auro, the progeria-stricken 13-year-old in Paa has taken cinema audiences by storm. But he may soon be taking the role global. Balki, the director has been considering an international version of the film, naturally keeping the basic plot intact, with the father-son relationship as crucial. According to sources, only the scenes of Abhishek Bachchan as a young politician will be edited to suit an international audience. Of course, very little in Bollywood is free of controversy, and some people feel that the movie makes fun of people with disabilities.

Perhaps it’s this stress that made the Big B doze of at a felicitation ceremony in Chennai recently. Extreme exhaustion was cited as the reason for his impromptu nap, after which the superstar woke up disoriented and uncertain of where he was. Director Balki who was with the Big B said, “He was fine. He finally had some sleep. You’ve to understand that this is no ordinary human being. Amitji is a miracle. He can continue working non-stop without sleep.” Those close to Amitabh feel he is again overdoing his work schedule and needs to slow down. Says a source, “Even after two major health scares recently, Amitji has refused to slacken his pace. Except for the break he took to be with Amar Singh in Singapore earlier this year, he has been working round the clock.”

Another feather in the Big B’s already overloaded cap was recently being conferred the Asian Film Cultural Award for completing 40 years in the entertainment industry. There’s no doubt that Amitabh Bachchan is a legend, to say the least!

Salman Mogambo hua…

Old Sallu will soon be seen in a role that’s close to his heart, and will probably excite his fans as well. Bolly Buzz has it that Salman is ready to play a completely negative character for the very first time. This historic role is that of the infamous ‘Mogambo’ a character in Shekhar Kapoor’s original Mr India, which starred Anil Kapoor, Sridevi and Amrish Puri, who played the villain, Mogambo. The character became a legend after the 1980 superhit flick, and Sallu’s new look is bound to be enthralling. The new version is slated to

LIFT KARA DE

A photo of director Mudassar Aziz carrying Sushmita Sen on his shoulders during the Caribbean shoot of their film Dulha Mil Gaya has been splashed all over the internet, creating much buzz. Though it looks like a romantic episode, the reality is completely different. Apparently the specially created ramp and walkway that extended into the Caribbean Sea for the shoot got washed away in a storm. While the ramp was made again, recreating the walkway would have delayed the shoot due to which the cast and crew had to wade through waters till the ramp.

“Because of her costumes and make-up, Sushmita wasn’t expected to traverse the sea on foot to reach the ramp,” explained producer Viveck Vaswani. “She would have made some reasonable comments like ‘can’t shoot’, ‘too difficult’ or ‘make a walkway’ and that wouldn’t have even constituted as starry tantrums. However, all credit to her professionalism, she was sport enough to be carried on Mudassar’s shoulders. The two being good friends further eased the situation,” he said. And it wasn’t just Sushmita who was transported in a similar fashion. “Though a picture of Sushmita being carried by Mudassar is being splashed all over, making it look like a romantic episode, the fact remains that the young director with help from other crew members was also carrying sensitive filming equipments. This is not all as the art director, who is a senior lady and had hurt her back, was also being ferried in a similar way,” said a source from the crew.

While Sushmita refuses to react to rumours, Mudassar says it is easy to sensationalise things. “I really don’t have much to react on something as frivolous as this. There are so many beautiful moments attached with Dulha Mil Gaya and something like this hardly deserves more attention and focus,” said Sushmita.

Mudassar was more practical, saying “It is easy to sensationalise a simple picture. However, the sheer hard work and sweat that goes into taking a simple shot is something that only those people can explain who have gone through the entire tribulation.”

Dulha Mil Gaya also stars Fardeen Khan and Shah Rukh Khan in a pivotal role along with new find Mohit Chadha. And it seems Sush hasn’t quite found her dulha yet!

also be called Mr India, and is set to shoot in the first quarter of 2010. The characters of Anil Kapoor and Sridevi will be retained and are supposed to be played by them. And Anil Kapoor’s new invention will help fight Mogambo to save the country from his wicked plans. Sridevi will make a comeback, and let’s hope she doesn’t overshadow the villain. Now Salman’s always played the good guy, even the rowdy guy, but not the bad guy. Although I have a feeling that he’ll fit perfectly into the role. After all, Sallu’s hardly a saint in real life….

GUESS

GUESS

WHO

WHO Name the lady in black.

(Find the answer under Caption Contest)

VIRAL BHAYANI and ABHILASHA SENGUPTA bring us up-to-date on what’s hot and happening in Bollywood

AMITABH BACHCHAN

Singh loves sales

Ranbir Kapoor and on-screen romance almost go hand-in-hand, but his much awaited Rocket Singh: Salesman Of The Year has no love angle. He says the film’s protagonist is completely in love with sales. “It is not a love story. The character Rocket Singh is in love with sales. It’s a very simple movie,” said Ranbir recently. This year Ranbir was seen with Konkona Sen Sharma in hit movie Wake Up Sid and later teamed up with Katrina Kaif in romantic comedy

Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, winning the hearts of audiences. And now comes Rocket Singh in which he plays Harpreet Singh Bedi, who has just graduated with embarrassing marks. But that doesn’t stop him from dreaming about an exciting career. This is the first film in which Ranbir’s physical appearance has been changed for a role. He looks a typical Sikh youth complete with a turban and beard. “It was very important to feel the character first, later you automatically start living him,” Ranbir said. He said that director Shimit Amin and screenwriter Jaideep Sahni had held different workshops for the cast and the crew before starting the shoot. “Shimit wanted to make the

character as real as possible so that it doesn’t look as if an actor is trying to be a sardar. Shimit and Jaideep held workshops for 30 days, not just with me but the entire cast and crew,” the actor said. But despite being a Punjabi, Ranbir’s character speaks fluent Hindi. “He is a Mumbai-based fourth generation sardar, so he has no influence of a Punjabi accent in his diction,” Ranbir explained. In real life too, Ranbir is half-Sikh.

“My maternal grandmother was extremely thrilled that I was playing a Sardar,” said Ranbir.

“I am half Sikh, though I didn’t understand the religion like I do after doing this film. I respect the sacrifices they made and the discipline they have in their religion. It’s not that easy to keep a beard and tie a pagdi (turban) in warm countries. I really respect them because they do it for their religion and not for their comfort,” he said.

Ranbir hopes that Rocket Singh..., which is his last release of the year, repeats the success stories of his previous releases and ends the year on a happy note. Yes Ranbir, we too hope that Singh sells!

Shahid is seduced

Shahid Kapoor, the sexiest vegetarian in Bollywood has recently been seduced by vegetarian sushi. The hunky actor doesn’t even eat eggs in cake, but on recently being introduced to the delights of Japanese sushi in a restaurant in Bangkok, he’s instantly fallen in love with the cuisine. Since the past few weeks, Shahid has been shooting for Parmeet Sethi’s untitled film in Bangkok with co-star Anushka Sharma and whenever the crew wraps up early, Shahid rushes to the restaurant and relishes their sushi. Says a source, “Shahid was unaware of vegetarian sushi till he went to the restaurant! He was initially unsure about tasting sushi but one of the unit members asked him to try it, and to Shahid’s surprise, he loved it. Now he eats it all the time and recommends it to everybody.”

Well, good luck at being as lucky in love, Shahid!

Himesh on a high Himesh Reshammiya is all smiles. His film Radio has fetched him some good reviews as an actor, something he has been waiting and longing for.

The singer-composer-actor says he was confident of his growth as a performer and winning people’s hearts.

“I had always maintained that in each of my subsequent films, there would be a growth as an actor. I knew in my heart that I would be able to win over that miniscule percentage of critics and audiences who were in doubt whether

I was serious about my acting career. Radio is a new beginning for me as a performer,” said

Himesh in an interview. Himesh made the supreme sacrifice and got rid of his trademark cap, and even lost his nasal twang for the flick which also stars Sonal Sehgal and Shehnaz Treasurywala. Though the film has received mixed reviews, Himesh’s acting finds special mention. While his casual look and persona have been highlighted, his emotional bent has been evidenced too. And now he’s all set to move on to his next film, Kajraare. It will be a totally commercial flick, but Himesh is ready for a new avatar. The new movie releases in early 2010. Let’s home Himesh finds his bellybutton in this one too.

Love ballads for Adnan

Adnan Sami returns to non-film music after a gap of five years with his latest album Ek Ladki Deewani Si, which comprises mostly love songs. It also boasts of a track by international pop star Jermaine Jackson, brother of late music legend Michael Jackson. The title track Ek Ladki is foot-tapping, but is typical of Adnan’s previous style and comes across as average. Let’s go to Mumbai city features Jermaine Jackson, and has an amalgamation of Indo-western influences and instruments. Mehfooz, however, is a winner as a slow, melodious love ballad. It is intense and very well sung by Sami.

Other offerings like Tu salamat rahe, Tujhe dekha, Sharmili etc, are all appealing in varying degrees, but the new album is essentially an ode to people in love as it consists mainly of romantic tracks, which has been his forte. Here’s hoping it’s a success, Adnan needs one.

CAPTION CONTEST CAPTION CONTEST

Send in your responses to info@indianlink.com.au and win a surprise prize

Last issue Caption Contest winning entry

What is the conversation between Soha Ali Khan and mum Sharmila here?

Soha: Mom, please allow me to do a backless sequence like Kareena Bhabhi in my next movie!

Mithun Thakkar

Mithun wins a free double-pass to a the new Hindi Rocket Singh

Some other good one

Sharmila: That Saif drives me NUTS with his changing girlfriends… Soha: It’s ok mum, looks like this time Kareena’s in for the long haul. Shehla Naveed, Burwood

Soha: Hey mum, don’t be so shocked. You openly wooed Dad, and Saif openly woos Karina, so why are you so upset about me and Siddharth?

Raj Saneja, Castle Hill

Sharmila: Soha beti, did you forget that the invite said formal dress, not beachwear? Kids today...

Nosheen Khan, Westmead

Soha: Why is it, mum, that even at this age you’re more popular than me?

Pushpa Chauhan

What’s Aamir saying that’s making Amitabh all ears? Answer

SHAHID KAPOOR

SALMAN KHAN

RANBIR KAPOOR

ADNAN SAMI

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