2010-05 Melbourne

Vol.

10

No.

6

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May

2010

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EDITORIAL

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Mum’s juggling act Migrating to a new country often means severing your day-to-day links with a support network around you in your country of origin. While men arriving in a new country may struggle initially to get a job to their professional liking, women are often more challenged in the new environment. That they do settle down ultimately, not only adjusting to their new situation but often excelling in it, is a tribute to their personality, tenacity and drive.

For a new couple arriving into the country, the first priority is to get financial stability by one of the partners getting a job. Invariably, the emphasis is on the male who, once a job is procured, falls into a routine which may not be very dissimilar from what they may have undertaken in India. With new work colleagues and professional challenges, their professional life now has momentum. Their personal life may be different to that in India, as they are now able to spend more time directly with their families as compared to the longer hours and weekends they may have been working in India.

The women in general, especially those with young children, find the settling-in period a lot more taxing. For some, who were not used to driving in India either because of ease of using public transport or having a family chauffeur, the lack of a driving license is probably the first hurdle which needs to be passed. Without this

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

piece of plastic, their ability to settle in is more difficult, especially if children’s needs are to be met.

While this problem is being solved, there are other family routines to be worked out. In India, there would often be an army of people to assist – extended family members, domestic help etc, whereas in Australia, all these issues have to be resolved by the newly migrated mothers themselves.

Important decisions need to be made – from type of schooling to extra curricular activities. While fathers are deeply involved in the whole process, mothers at times tend to shoulder a greater responsibility than they perhaps did in India.

“Mum’s taxi” is a phrase which is often heard because the mother has to take on greater activities as the family is keen to expose their children to a wider range of options in Australia – be it extra cricket lessons or piano lessons or helping their maths skills through tutoring – all this while the mums juggle with the option of having a professional career for themselves as well. Being in a country where the concept of a ‘supermum’

(who can perform her normal domestic duties, as well as work towards ensuring her children’s overall welfare, while still holding down her own job), is often discussed, the mother is also keen to fulfil her personal ambitions. After all, a number of Indian women are well educated and capable of being recognised professionally.

Besides, as migrants, it does help in supplementing the family income.

Over a period of time, the mums settle down, their young ones find their way around the schooling system in Australia, the husbands make peace with their professional positions, they establish a network of friends and confidantes who are different to their group of friends in India but have gone through similar baptism of fire in Australia, and, to quote from a recent Hindi movie, “Aall ees well”!

On this Mother’s Day, let us salute the mothers who have managed to keep all the balls in the air and have still retained their sanity.

MAY 2010 <> 5

COMMUNITYSCENE

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Rajasthan revived at Gangaur mela Rajasthani Kutumb of Victoria (RAJKOV) celebrated this year’s Gangaur mela on April 25 at Hawthorn Town Hall, Hawthorn. This year, the mela was a huge success. The weather was excellent and more than a thousand people turned up for the event. The Mela was inaugurated through lighting of the auspicious lamp by Councillor Jack Wegman, Mayor of City of Boroondara. Mr Vijay Sharma, Vice Consul, Consulate General of India in Melbourne was among other guests and dignitaries who graced the occasion.

The main feature of the cultural program was “Rangeelo Rajasthan” a musical featuring the festivals of Rajasthan. The performances of actors in this musical who highlighted the cultural richness of the state were excellent, keeping their

audience mesmerized. The programme also included a Safa (Turban) Tying workshop and a Mehndi (Henna) workshop and competition.

One of the main highlights of the mela was the Gangaur Sawari. Images of Shiva and Gauri were taken out in procession (sawari) escorted by traditionally dressed men and women. Songs were sung about the departure of Gauri to her husband’s home.

The other main feature of the Mela was its traditional Rajasthani cuisine which included favourites like daal, baati, choorma, gatte ki sabzi and daal ka halwa. The food was excellent, the ambience was authentic and welcome was traditional. The variety of art, craft and dress stalls added

to the atmosphere. With so many men and women in traditional dress, attendees would have mistaken themselves to actually be in rangeelo Rajasthan.

The event concluded with a prize distribution and vote of thanks from Kutumb president, Mr Rakesh Saraf.

The Rajasthani Kutumb of Victoria (RAJKOV) would like to thank major sponsors City of Boroondara, Rotary Club of Balwyn and Victorian Multicultural Commission for their support. RAJKOV would also like to thank all media organizations, news publications and other sponsors for their support in successfully organizing this event.

Rakesh Saraf

Picnic to celebrate Ugadi The Ugadi picnic recently held at Jells Park was yet another successful event held by the Kannada Sangha.

The weather wasn’t ideal for a picnic, but this didn’t deter the enthusiastic attendees and the turnout on the day was very good.

After Ugadi wishes and a welcome speech by President Mrs Uma Malipatil were complete, the celebrations began with sharing of ‘Bevu Bella’, offered by Mrs Malathy Balraj.

Then began the fun part with a variety of games and competitions, running races, hit the wicket, place the 6 <> MAY 2010

bindi, to name a few. Place the bindi turned out to be a hot favourite. Despite a drizzle and wind, spirits were not dampened as all the attendees from 2 to 70+ took part in the celebrations.

Mr Sateesh Savanur set up MKS library so that people could borrow books. There was also a costume jewellery outlet by Sumukh Enterprises, which was popular with ladies.

The gathering was then treated to a delicious homecooked lunch organized by the MKS executive members

and an Aussie barbecue. The picnic ended with a vote of thanks by the Treasurer Mr Nagi, and the presentation of trophies by senior members to winners of the day’s competitions.

It was a day of celebration and good cheer, and the excitement and laughter all added to the festive mood.

The Kannada Sangha thanks all attendees and volunteers for their involvement in making the event a success.

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STUDENTS

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Promoting Brisbane as an education city Two Indians are among 30 international students named as 2010 Brisbane student ambassadors.

Manpreet Kaur of Morningsite and Nitin Singhal from Highgate Hill were sworn in by Lord Mayor Campbell Newman at a glittering ceremony, promising to build bridges within the community and overseas.

Representing 21 nationalities, their one-year tenure was formally kicked off on 14 April.

“It is a great initiative and distinct opportunity to bridge the gap between Australia and potential international students,” MBA student Nitin Singhal told Indian Link.

“Becoming an International Student Ambassador is both an honour and achievement”, said Navitas scholar Manpreet Kaur, who has recently completed a Diploma in Commerce from QIBT and is now enrolled at Griffith University.

“I think it will be a demanding job for both Nitin and me, especially because of strained India-Australia relations but I am very optimistic in taking on this challenge and quite confident that with our positive experience so far, we will be able to bring new light to the relationship. Brisbane has been a welcoming place. It has developed my personality and brought forth a new, capable and responsible me”, Kaur, who has signed up for several mentoring programs, added.

What they are expected to contribute to this welcome initiative, Singhal explained, is nothing out-of-thebox. “It is just a step forward to what every future International student would expect - to get an unbiased feedback about Australia and Brisbane. I came to Australia during the most strained period owing to numerous attacks on Indian students and ensuing media circus. Faced with an unusual mix-n-match of fear as well as excitement, I too approached Indians studying in Brisbane to get their feedback and to my amusement they all had the same “I have no qualms in saying view of Australia and Queensland - a that by overriding my fear, very safe education I made the right decision of destination”.

Now, as student coming to Australia. Besides ambassadors, he and being a great destination, Manpreet will do the it has turned out to be a same - provide their land of many opportunities. opinion and feedback to potential students so As a student, I have been that they can make a able to translate theoretical more informed decision knowledge to real-life about their choice of education city. industry projects” “Nine months on, Nitin Singhal I have no qualms in saying that by overriding my fear, I made the right decision of coming to Australia. Besides being a great destination, it has turned out to be a land of many opportunities.

As a student, I have been able to translate theoretical knowledge to real-life industry projects. Simultaneously, as student ambassador, I also get to serve the IndianAustralian community for this cause”, Nitin stated.

Initiated by Brisbane Marketing through its Study Brisbane division, the key objective of the program, which is in its second year, is “to increase awareness about Brisbane as an international student destination in the city’s core source markets, based upon the principle of creating ‘friends for life’.”

The ambassadors were selected after an extensive two-month review and recruitment process. All international students in Brisbane are entitled to apply to the program.

The 2010 program builds upon the success of last year, and has welcomed back six continuing ambassadors with the 24 new ones.

“The Ambassador program is all about creating global advocates for Brisbane,” John Aitken, Brisbane Marketing’s CEO said.

“As our Ambassadors return to their home cities, they INDIAN LINK

Manpreet Kaur (above) and Nitin Singhal with Lord Mayor Campbell Newman

may become captains in industry and government which leisure experiences and welcome Brisbane packs. creates strong global connections for Brisbane.

In 2009, the ambassadors participated in several Likewise, as they integrate and interact with peers official functions like International Student Roundtable and the Brisbane community, they also help to enrich us hosted by Julia Gillard, Kookaburra Queen Tour and with cultural diversity that benefits local businesses and Story Bridge Adventure Climb, besides liaising closely domestic students who may also study overseas.” with Indian High Commission, QETI and international International education is Brisbane’s largest export trade delegations. and currently its principal source markets are China, 26-year-old Nitin is no newcomer to leadership India, Korea and USA, offering secondary and tertiary programs, having held volunteer positions at uni and education in a range of fields with the ‘SPIC-MACAY’ (Society from marketing to medicine. for Promotion of Indian Classical Brisbane has been a Lauding the student leaders for Music and Culture Amongst welcoming place. It has taking on the unique challenge, Youth) in India. the Mayor said that “Brisbane is Likewise, besides being developed my personality a vibrant and multicultural city an international mate and and brought forth a new, and these ambassadors are the ambassador, Kaur is also on the capable and responsible me student panel, helping her peers perfect candidates to spread the Manpreet Kaur word”. achieve their dream.

“We want to show the world “Come prepared with loads that Brisbane is a new world city of excitement and energy to offering world class education opportunities. And what enjoy the surprises this city and country has to offer better way to do this than with first hand accounts from you. Beautiful nature, state-of-the-art modern facilities, our student ambassadors,” Cr Newman added. world-class globally acclaimed learning experience and a Using the latest digital multimedia and communication multi-cultural friendly environment is just the beginning tools, including Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and other of what awaits anyone coming to Brisbane.” blogging sites, the ambassadors will participate in a That’s Nitin’s tagline to prospective students heading variety of promotional activities. down under.

Ambassadors receive complimentary event tickets, Usha Arvind MAY 2010 <> 7

SPECIALREPORT

ANZAC

Sikhs do us proud The Sikh Regiments’ presence at the ANZAC Day celebrations is a matter of well-deserved pride and honour

BY USHA ARVIND

When you go home tell them of us And say, for your tomorrow We gave our today Kohima War Memorial Every year, it gets bigger and better. The Sikh Regiments dressed in dark blue turbans, impeccable suits with medals flashing proudly on their chest, led by Colonel Mahinder Singh rubbed shoulders yet again with mainstream Aussie veterans in what has now become the norm, as they marched through Sydney CBD to salute the iconic ANZAC spirit.

The midday parade commenced at Pitt St before winding up at the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park, and was preceded by a dawn service at Martin Place. Besides the ANZAC day events, the Sikh Regiments also participated in the official wreath laying ceremony on April 24.

Celebrating larrikinism and mateship, for New Zealand and Australia the Gallipoli campaign (25 April 1915- 9 January 1916) was not only the first major battle undertaken by a joint military formation called the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), but also a milestone, marking the dawn of a national consciousness. Over 8,000 Australians and 3,000 New Zealanders laid down their lives fighting for the British Empire.

But few were aware of the role of Indian soldiers in the campaign till the bid by ANZAC Sikhs to join the annual parade.

Of the 47,000 Indians killed in the fouryear battle, 1400 were lost at Gallipoli alone. Particularly noteworthy is the contribution of the 14th Sikh Regiment, with its commander Sir Ian Hamilton paying glowing tributes. History tells us that 371 8 <> MAY 2010

Sikhs fought valiantly to death on June 3 and 4 1915.

Noted for their selfless sacrifice, gallantry and protection of the weak, Sikhs have traditionally played a critical part in India’s long and bitter political history, pre and post independence. Likewise in the recent centuries, they have been involved in strategic roles in Singapore/Malaysia, UK, Canada, Australia, NZ and US. Due to the efforts of the Sikh Council of Australia (SCA), particularly Manjit Singh Gill, Ajmer Singh Gill, Vickram Grewal and Jagdev Bawa, the contribution of ANZAC Sikhs has been officially recognised through the ANZAC Day parade since 2007.

“It is a solemn ceremony of remembrance to show our gratitude for bravery and heroism,” said SCA secretary Bawa Singh Jagdev. “Posterity will remember them and those who now live as free men and women, and in peace,” he added.

“The SCA has always focused on positive and innovative awareness programs to raise the profile of the community in Australia,” Canberra-based Vickram Grewal, who works as Deputy Director Defence Preparedness Initiatives under Vice Chief of Defence Forces told Indian Link.

“We had been lobbying for long to participate in the ANZAC Day parade because of the extensive contribution of Sikhs to the Gallipoli campaign. Post 9/11 and the ensuing hate crimes against Sikhs worldwide, we accelerated this project and after discussions with the ANZAC House and RSL HQ, it was agreed that the Sikh Regiments (who were part of the Commonwealth and Allied Forces in WW1 & WW2 - alongside the Gorkha Regiments from the Indian subcontinent) will be represented in the ANZAC Day ceremonies, including the wreath laying at the Dawn Service and the March,” Grewal explained.

“These martyrs have never been recognized before,” lamented Colonel Mahinder Singh who commanded the 2nd and 4th Singapore Infantry Regiments. “Our aim was to

“For ex-servicemen and those of us still committed to the armed forces, taking part in the parade is an emotionsurcharged moment that cannot be explained in words” Vickram Grewal

officially recognise and commemorate the supreme sacrifice by those soldiers who fought selflessly for the defence, security and integrity of the sprawling British Empire - away from their motherland,” he added. The Sikhs made their presence felt in virtually every main battle arena.

Their bravery is exemplified by the fact that Sikhs won 13 of the 22 Victoria Crosses awarded to Indian soldiers, he proudly acknowledged.

Likewise participation in the parade is also an opportunity to thank and commemorate those who have risked their lives outside Sikh Regiments more recently.

“There is no regret because they died to uphold our values,” added Singh who INDIAN LINK

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moved to Australia post retirement from the Singapore Armed Forces in 1988.

While Sikh Regiments are now represented in marches at Adelaide, Perth and Woolgoolga as well, SCA hopes to see participation in all Australian capital cities through its national membership.

“Year after year we see more and more people cheering for the Sikh Regiments - as they march in the CBD. Their applause is a huge thank you for us,” says Grewal, a former NCC cadet who hails from a family of fighters. His dad was an Indian air force pilot, while his mum was an active member of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) leading the Republic Day march.

“For ex-servicemen and those of us still INDIAN LINK

committed to the armed forces, taking part in the parade is an emotion-surcharged moment that cannot be explained in words.

It has to be felt first hand and we therefore urge and request more people of Indian origin to witness and share this incredible feeling. The march has generated a lot of goodwill and brought out a sense of unity and kinship,” added Grewal.

“ANZAC Day for us Sikhs,” he continued, “is not just about those who laid down their lives - although, obviously that’s the primary reason. What makes this march critical for the current situation is that it is a vehicle to illustrate to the wider Australian community that we are not just students, we’ve contributed to the Australian social

fabric for a long time, in some way, shape or form - if it wasn’t the World Wars where we fought alongside the ANZACs, it was as Camel Train operators and farmers originally, and it is now in all fields! We are faithfully following the tenets of our leaders, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind.”

And through the parade, the SCA is merely ensuring that this contribution is captured and recognized, and that their heritage is not lost.

Among those who proudly hoisted the Sikh banner are Ajmer Singh Gill, Vikramjit Singh Grewal, Bawa Singh Jagdev, Jaswinder Kaur Grewal, Jasbir Singh Randhawa, Gagandeep Singh, Balbir Singh Banwait, Inderjeet Singh Virdi, Suhinder Singh Kalsy, Amarjeet Singh Grewal, Lieutenant Mukhtiar Singh of Singapore Armed Forces, Sarabjit Singh of NSW Police, Indian Para Military Police, Fauji Kuldip Singh - 2nd Lt in Indian Army and Sgt Major in Australian Army, Capt Sarjinder Singh Sandhu and Havildar H S Bathal, Indian Army Signals.

MAY 2010 <> 9

COVERSTORY

Melbourne stopover enroute to Delhi The Queen’s Baton Relay marked a significant moment in promoting positive Indo-Australian relations

BY PREETI JABBAL

The Melbourne lap of the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay was held recently amidst tight security, some fanfare and a lot of glorious sunshine. The participants couldn’t have asked for better weather to be able to sport the QBR official shorts and T-shirts, and perform the historical run with the queen’s baton. The Delhi 2010 Queen’s Baton Relay commenced from Buckingham Palace on the October 29, 2009 and is travelling through all 71 Commonwealth nations. By the end of its journey, the baton will have traversed over 190,000 kilometers in 340 days, making the 2010 Delhi relay one of the longest in the history of the Commonwealth Games.

The baton will be passed through thousands of hands making it an event of historical proportions, especially for those who were nominated to run the relay. The Victorian Institution of Sports (VIS) athletes and Indian community members appointed to be part of the Melbourne QBR were at the VIS early to prepare for the run. They were entertained by Riki-Lee Coulter. An impressive showcase of athletics, cycling, gymnastics and rowing was presented

by VIS, giving everyone the opportunity to get up close with their favourite sporting personality. The baton was officially handed over to Mr. James Merlino, Victorian Minister for Sports who flagged off the relay led by Sharelle McMahon (netball) and Sahil Shekhar, Director Corporate Engagement -The Oak Tree Foundation.

It was taken over shortly by Luke Darcy (Triple M) and Prakash Sankaran, a student from the Indian International Student Advisory Centre. Travis Brooks (hockey) and Arun Sharma, Deputy Chairman Diwali Festival took over to pass it to Malcolm Kemp (hockey) and Vasan Srinivasan, President of the Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria. Erin Densham (triathlon) joined Harvin Dhillon, President of Victorian Sikhs Association while Emma Dennis (gymnastics) ran the few steps with Rohit Kumar, student from the Indian International Student Advisory Centre. The participants were cheered on by onlookers and family members.

By this time, family and friends had got quite familiar with the smooth change-overs and the shutterbugs went into frenzy. Daniel Martin (Athletics) continued the relay with Madappa Palachanda, Senior Vice President – DEC Australia followed by Jessica Gallagher (AWD Skiing) and Harish Rao, Victorian President Australia India Business Council. With her prosthetic leg on display AWD athlete Kelly Cartwright cut an inspirational figure as she ran with Manpreet Singh, SBS radio journalist. Young Sonia Brito (400 Mts hurdles) and Chandni Dhingra, two exceptionally talented Indian students ran the final lap handing the baton to Cathy Freeman and Steve Moneghetti, chef De mission Australia 2010.

At this point the crowd had increased and the paparazzi cameras went into full gear to capture the two Australian sporting stars. The baton was carried up the few steps to Federation Square where Lord Mayor Robert Doyle had 10 <> MAY 2010

organized a formal reception. He was conspicuous by his absence and was represented by Deputy Lord Mayor Susan Riley. Ms Riley officially handed the baton to the High Commissioner of India Ms Sujatha Singh. Four years after hosting a spectacular Commonwealth Games in 2006, the legacy of the games was passed on from the city of Melbourne to the next host, New Delhi.

Ms Riley spoke about how the anticipation for Delhi 2010 began from the moment Aishwarya Rai appeared at the 2006 closing ceremony with a bright sea of dancers.

“Can you imagine what the opening ceremony will be in Delhi if that was the closing ceremony?” she asked.

“Excitement has reached fever pitch, especially amongst the large Indian Australian population in Melbourne. I know thousands of Indian students who intend to make this almost as big a celebration as they would at home.

That is the benefit of living in a multicultural city like Melbourne, we share all the celebrations,” she said.

According to Ms Riley, 2010 heralds India’s first hosting of Commonwealth Games giving it a wonderful opportunity to showcase India’s rich culture, traditions and economic strength. “If the closing ceremony in 2006 is any indication then the 2010 will be an event Commonwealth Games will never forget,” she said. “In passing on the Queen’s Baton today, Melbourne sends a message of friendship and peace to Delhi,” she remarked, as she handed the baton to the Indian High Commissioner.

Ms. Sujatha Singh described the creative process used to shape and design the baton. She pointed out the hand layered soil collected from all the states and union territories of India creating an intricate pattern on the baton that also has the Queen’s message symbolically engraved into a miniature 18ct gold leaf. Ms Singh said that the baton and the Commonwealth Games brings people together and fosters relationships and understanding.

Addressing the gathering Ms Singh said, “You have my assurance and the assurance of Team India that we will deliver to you the best Commonwealth Games ever.

The Commonwealth Games in Melbourne set a very high standard and benchmark, and efforts are in place in New Delhi to meet and surpass the standards set by Melbourne in 2006.” She added, “A warm welcome awaits everybody participating or watching the Games in India. We wish the Australian team all the best, may you get as much gold as you can,” she declared amidst huge applause.

Prior to the official handover a range of Indian cultural entertainment including Bollywood dancers performed on stage from midday, entertaining crowds that had gathered at Melbourne’s iconic Federation Square. The QBR event could be deemed successful from the point of organization; however on the flip side there were not many people to attend on the afternoon of a working day and Indian community members and VIS athletes were all but forgotten once Cathy and Steve took the baton. For anyone who was waiting in anticipation to see a glimpse of all or any of the Indians that ran the relay, they were nonexistent as far as the commercial TV channels were concerned. Not very sporting, I dare say! Anyway that does not take away from the fact that we are very happy for the community members who were nominated to run the QBR relay in Melbourne. They have done us proud.

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COMMUNITYSCENE

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FIAV mela spreads message of unity When Jawaharlal Nehru coined the phrase ‘Unity in Diversity’ to describe India in his book The Discovery of India, it became a phrase widely used to describe its multi-lingual, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. Today the term is a slogan for any event that celebrates co-operation between different groups and is recognized as a source of strength of a community. Following the tradition of celebrating cultural diversity and oneness of our multicultural society, the Federation of Indian Association’s of Victoria (FIAV) organized a festival at Sandown Racecourse recently.

The FIAV has held many events in the past to promote and preserve cultural diversity; however their endeavors have become more vociferous in the last year since the issues of violence against international students created a furore within India and Australia. This festival was held in collaboration with the Victorian Multicultural Commission, the Greater Dandenong City Council and several ethnic organizations. The underlying message behind the multicultural mela was to respect and foster all cultures and send a message to the world that Australia is a vibrant, multicultural and safe country to live in.

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The day-long event offered a mind-boggling variety of entertainment on three different platforms. One stage was dedicated to the classical and traditional music, another to classical Indian dances and the third to a selection of contemporary and Bollywood style of dancing. It was a celebration of life through an eclectic mix of cultural performances. Melbourne has talent and it was very obvious throughout the fun filled afternoon. Food stalls, Indian outfits, saris and jewellery displays and amusement rides added to the entertainment value.

In his speech the President of FIAV Vasan Srinivasan, reiterated the need to promote peace and calm to quell fears both in Australia and in India in relation to recent violence against international students of Indian background.

He spoke of FIAV’s efforts in working closely with and supporting the State, Federal and Local Governments as well as the State and Federal opposition. “We have fully supported, and will continue to support the efforts to calm current tensions and demonstrate to the world that Australia and Australians are welcoming of international students and visitors. We believe Australia to be the most vibrant,

Vibrant scenes from the mela Photos: Preeti Jabbal

multicultural and safe country in the world,” he said.

Vasan Srinivasan’s sentiments were echoed by the many dignitaries who were at the venue enjoying the performances. Minister for Sport, Recreation and Youth Affairs James Merlino, the Mayor of Dandenong Jim Memeti, Mayor of Manningham Charles Pick and former Minister Phil Honeywood were among those present.

Indian Community senior Mrs. Krishna Arora, FIAV member Abhishekh Gupta and Bijoy Das were presented a shawl each as a token of appreciation for their hard work in organizing the Unity in Diversity event. Minister Merlino was generous in his praise of the event, especially the vibrant dances.

Unity within Diversity enriches rather than threatens society at large and its culture, as is evident in matters ranging from music to cuisine. Most notably, it greatly enhances the realm of ideas to which we are exposed and expands our understanding of the diverse world around us. We look forward to many such events that celebrate the oneness of our society.

Preeti Jabbal

MAY 2010 <> 13

STAGE

Photos: Mahavira Productions

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The power of Baa PIYUSH BHATT on Vipul Vyas’s new Gujarati play 50 years ago to the day, a very young impressionable boy watched his mum and dad celebrate the birth of a vibrant Indian state called Gujarat.

This year that very same boy, now a self made artiste, produced and directed a Gujarati play that his parents would have been proud of.

Vipul Vyas’ Mahavira Productions staged the play Baa Bagade To Baar Vagade at the Riverside Theatre in Parramatta to a packed audience of 700, on 1 May 2010.

Vipul himself starred in a major role.

In brief, the play was about a housewife (Manisha Vyas as Baa) in Mumbai, who selflessly gives up an active life of acting, sports etc to devote to her family.

Today her adult children do not need her except to cook, clean, look after the baby and be at their beck and call. Her husband (Vipul Vyas as Avinash) is too

14 <> MAY 2010

busy in his business and demonstrates a typical chauvinistic attitude to his wife. He is too willing to compare her to his friends’ ‘with it’ wives but does not encourage her from her domestic environment. It’s like sitting on her back and then criticising her for not walking, dressing or talking the same way as the women in his social circle. Her stoic character gives her the inner strength to emotionally support the family and look after the day-to-day workings within the household – cooking, cleaning, ironing and being every one’s domestic football including the son (Hemal Joshi as Suketu) daughter-in law (Ruchi Bakshi as Siddhi) and the daughter (Mecki Ansari as Ketki).

A young teenage grandson (Karan Rao as Vinay) from Australia arrives, and though his innocent eye questions each family member as to their behaviour. (Karan’s Australian Gujarati accent and use of grammar, resonated with most of our Gujarati households in Australia).

The play then takes an unexpected turn though the machinations of the now not-so-innocent grandson.

The long suffering housewife rediscovers her old confidence, and a long lost school friend (Nikhil Joshi as Chakudo) who conveniently happens to be a big time advertising agent - and the rest is destiny, as they say.

The play might have been too un-real in how the family takes the dutiful wife/mum/mother-in-law for granted, yet every one in the audience could have related to some or other incident depicted in the play. It hit the right nerve.

The clever use of the double entendres - a trade mark of Vipul’s plays - kept the audience entertained whilst at the same time sending a serious message of how we take our nearest and dearest for granted. There are too many lines to quote but messages like “It is in

each of us to change the world - do not expect angels to do it for you” came home loud and clear.

Vipul’s play also played upon the “Vibrant Gujarat” slogan used by the Gujarat Government to proudly showcase its achievement. His Gujarati ballads and words must have swelled the hearts of the audience.

A statistic not well-known but worth including is that the Gujarat economy has been growing at an average of 12% pa for the last 12 years putting it in the same league as China’s growth. Gujarat accounts for 17% of India’s GDP but represents 5% of the Indian population. Hence Vibrant Gujarat is not an empty slogan.

Vipul and all his artistes including his talented back stage gang - Kamini Pandya as Production Controller, Sagar Agashe (lights), Avijit Sarkar (background music and voice), Tushar Bose (music editing and co-ordination), Sandhya Bose (make-up and dance direction), Tanna family (stage decoration), Chintu Patel, Jwalant Patel, Madhav for stage management - put on a show all Indians especially the Gujarati diaspora in Sydney, can be proud of.

Vipul has taken his play to Melbourne already and will take it to Perth next week. An unprecedented second show in Sydney is scjeduled for 5 June 2010.

The play could not have been the success it was without the help of major sponsors Gujarat NRE and its Chairman and MD Mr Arun Kumar Jagatramka; and Atithi restaurant and all the other advertisers in the brochure. The proceeds of the play went towards the Shri Shiva Mandir at Minto.

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COMMUNITYSCENE

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Handwritten holy book a labour of love “Not everyone can pick up a pen and write the Holy Book.

You have to be blessed by God to do it,” said Sardar Jaswant Singh Khosa who recently completed his fourth handwritten copy of 1,430 pages of the Guru Granth Sahib. The 73 year old Malaysian Sikh was visiting Melbourne as part of Vaisakhi celebrations by the Sikh temple in Blackburn.

According to him, this handwritten Granth could be the largest and heaviest in the world. The mammoth tome weighs 84kg and is 91.44cm in length and 66.04cm wide.

The former security guard spent three years writing the manuscripts using traditional Gurumukhi calligraphy, labouring for up to 12 hours each day. Mr Khosa said his copy was special as every word was joined, with each page starting and ending with the same word. “It

took about five hours for me to write two pages. The copy had to be 100 per cent correct as it represents our holy scriptures,” he said.

Mr Khosa ensured that he had baptism (amrit) in 1992 before he started writing. There are many things that inspired Mr Khosa to achieve this remarkable feat. It was his dream to complete four volumes just as Baba Deep Singh, a renowned Sikh scholar and warrior, did more than 300 years ago. Mr Khosa said that he was inspired to write a book because several of the handwritten ones were destroyed at the Golden Temple in Amritsar during the Indian Army’s attack as part of Operation Blue Star.

Mr Khosa donated his second book to the Golden Temple (Har ki pauri) in Amritsar. His first book was a smaller

version and was donated to a Sikh temple in Southall, London in 1998. His third handwritten book is currently on display in Edmonton in Canada. It was donated to the Sikh Temple there in 2007. His fourth copy was donated to the Sikh temple in Fremont US. “I am not getting any money for it. I just want to encourage the younger generation to write in this traditional calligraphy,” he said.

Mr Khosa intends to continue writing as long as he can.

“It is a labor of love, I am blessed by God whose will drives my hand,” he said. “I have been warned by doctors to give up writing because the long hours have now started affecting my health. They say my legs are feeble and my back hurts, but I forget all that when I start writing. This is my little contribution, devoted entirely to the Almighty,” he added.

Melbourne tour for Anup Jalota Bhajan samrat and ghazal maestro Anup Jalota will tour Australia and New Zealand this winter, bringing his fascinating music to chase away our winter blues. PRIYA RAJAN talked to this talented singer to find out more about his upcoming trip Tell us a little about your tour

I will be in Australia to sing in musical concerts in July/August. They will be held in three different cities, including Melbourne and Sydney. I will also do concerts in New Zealand, in a tour that will take two weeks in total.

How do you know Mr. Nawal Moudgil and on what are you’ll collaborating?

Nawal is a very good singer. He has learnt music from me, and he used to accompany me at shoots as well. Nawal has been associated with me as executive producer and line producer in Hindi, Punjabi and Bhojpuri feature films. His experience also extends to TV. Nawal has also been involved in Bhojpuri films as he wanted to gain knowledge, exposure and the operational work culture of Indian regional INDIAN LINK

film industries. He was keen on linking Australian film industry with all parts of India like Kollywood (Tamil) and Tollywood (Telugu) as well.

What is your favourite music?

What made you decide to start a production in Australia/New Zealand?

What projects do you have in the pipeline?

We are aiming to provide opportunities to all Australian/Indian cast and crew in the Asia Pacific region, while exchanging and promoting talents of producers, directors, cinematographers, story and script writers and all technicians to develop more crossover film projects in the near future.

How did you get your first professional breakthrough and how did it lead to where you are now?

Manoj Kumarji first discovered my singing talent and I sang for many Bollywood

Personally, I love devotional songs and ghazals.

movies and Bhojpuri movies, among other projects. Since then I have recorded over 1500 bhajans, ghazals and songs over the past 30 years. I have performed over 5,000 live concerts and released more than 200 albums of bhajans and ghazals.

I am producing a feature film called Malik Ek with Nawal Moudgil as the Executive Producer and Line Producer. It is based on Sai Baba’s life with Jackie Shroff playing Sai Baba and is set to release soon. We also have Boyz To Boyz Hain on the production floor and Main Osama which is currently in post production. It will release after Malik Ek.

Which is your favourite place in Melbourne?

I like the Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple which is beautifully constructed. I just love going there.

MAY 2010 <> 15

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Songs, poems mark BSV cultural day The Bangla School of Victoria Inc (BSV) celebrated its first annual cultural evening on April 18 at the Mount Street Neighbourhood House, Glen Waverley. The occasion was graced by the presence of invited guests along with jubilant parents, grandparents and their equally enthusiastic children.

In her opening address, teacher Mrs Madhuchanda Das outlined the objectives, structure and activities of the school, emphasizing that it was a voluntary venture where the only rewards she cherished in her role were the smiles on the children’s faces, the twinkle in their eyes and their impalpable happiness in the classroom.

The Bangla School of Victoria began its educational initiative in May 2009 as a Bangla language and cultural institution to foster greater understanding of, interest in and connection with the Bengali culture and heritage amongst the children from the Bengali community in Victoria.

The school, which is dedicated to promoting its values, is a non-profit, voluntary, non-partisan, non-sectarian, non-political and secular forum organised exclusively for cultural, educational and charitable purposes.

The evening highlighted the school’s almost year-long educational journey, through Bangla songs, poems and short story presentations by students. The event included popular Bengali children’s songs such as the famous Tagore composition Aamra Shawbai Raja and Bulbul Pakhi Moyna Tiye, an equally popular number for children originally sung by Antara Choudhury, daughter of the famous music director Salil

Choudhury. Amongst poems rendered by the students were Taalgaanch (Palm Tree), Aamader Chhoto Nodi (Our little river) by Tagore and Bhoy Peyo Na (Do not fear) by Sukumar Ray. The students proudly articulated Aamaar Porichoy (About Myself), drawing thunderous applause and appreciation from the audience.

The programme also featured a sarod recital by well-known Melbourne artist Sabyasachi Bhattacharya, and Bengali modern songs by Mrs. Shilpi Dey. The Bengali New Year or Poila Boishakh (the first of Baisakh and the first month of the Bangla calendar) was also celebrated. Mrs. Tuku Bandopadhyay spoke about different facets and the significance of the Bengali New Year. Indeed “Anondo” (Bangla for joy) reverberated in the air as the Melbourne-based singer Chanchal Mandal sang Rabindranath Tagore’s composition Esho Hey Boishakh, Esho Esho (Come, O Boishakh, Come, Come) and the children joined him.

The students’ enthusiasm and exhilaration was indeed praiseworthy and as they bonded with each other, their happiness at being a part of the school was indubitably evident.

President of the school Mrs. Li Sa Ooi Saha acknowledged all for making the event a grand success. Sanchali Das was declared the winner of the school logo competition. Her creation would now be the school’s official logo.

The celebration ended with an appetizing dinner in true Bengali style. Indeed, it was an affair to remember, generating hopes of many such events to come.

Madhuchanda Das

Seafarers’ website launched The life of a seafarer is a tough one, and their hardships mostly go unrecognised.

Some of us don’t even know they exist, despite their contribution towards making or lives easier. Seafarers of many nationalities visit the Melbourne Port Welfare Association on regular basis. In acknowledgment of their profession, the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) Seafarers launched a website for seafarers around the world.

The event was organised by the ITF and was attended by seafarers and ITF members from around the world. Henry Robins, an Indian ship captain who has been connected to the Seafarer Association since the past 30 years was conspicuous in his presence.

The event included speeches from ITF Assistant Co-ordinator Australia, Mr. Matt Purcell; Jim Beggs, Chairman of Melbourne Port Welfare Association; Rachel Purcell Melbourne Port Welfare Co-ordinator and others. Mr Purcell said that the website designed by ITF (www.itfseafares.org) offers online help for seafarers around the world, among other options. ITF launched the website in Chinese (simplified Mandarin), Spanish and Russian, in addition to its current English edition. ITF Seafarers is a free-to-use help, news, advice and support website for seafarers across the globe. It is intended to provide services to seafarers speaking Chinese, Spanish, Russian and English, with any level of web access and 16 <> MAY 2010

computer fluency.

ITF Maritime Coordinator Steve Cotton commented, “We’re proud of how widely used ITF seafarers has become since its launch. It set out to answer a need voiced by seafarers and welfare bodies for cutting edge, free, easy to use communication from ship or shore. The unveiling of the allSpanish, all-Chinese and all-Russian sites makes it a virtually universal service for the world’s seafarers, whether they’re at leisure, at work, or in trouble and needing help.”

The website offers seafarers information on health, pay and safety and includes message boards; advice and help; a ship look up tool showing vessel agreements and other information; briefings; interactive polls; trade union contact details and an ITF inspector’s blogs.

Among the people who attended the event was Robert T B Iversen, Project Manager of The Mental Health of seafarers.

This organisation is involved in projects which collate information on depression within seafarers of India and other countries.

The Victorian government, the Port of Melbourne Cooperation and the Melbourne Seafarers’ Centre are currently in the process of establishing a Melbourne Seafarer’ Centre which will coordinate all funding, services and activities for visiting seafarers at the Port of Melbourne.

Priya Rajan

What’s On Saaz Aur Aawaz 8 May, 8-11pm at Mount Street Neighborhood house, 6 Mount Street, Glen Waverly, Mel Ref: 71 D2, entry from Panoramic Gv car park. Light music evening programme with local artists.

No entry fee, all welcome. Contact Satish Dutta on 0418179122 for more details Ramakrishnan Vedanta Society of Victoria 13 May & 14 May from 7.45 - 9 pm at Law Building 12, Lecture Theatre L1, Monash U., Wellington Rd, Clayton. Sw. Sridharanandaji’s lecture on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8: The way to Brahman 15 May from 11am - 12noon at Law Building 12, Lecture Theatre L1, Monash U., Wellington Rd, Clayton. Sw. Sridharanandaji’s talk on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8: The way to Brahman. vedanta. melb@gmail.com Events at Global Organisation for Divinity 15 May An evening of music and dance at the Sydney Baha’i Centre, 107 Derby Street, Silverwater. Devotional music by Uma Ayyar and Mythili Narayanaswamy, and bharatanatyam dance presentation by Padma Balakumar’s Nrityagriha School of Dance. Details Mythili Bala 02 9482 1204.

More details at www.godivinity.org.au 26th Annual Concert 15 May, 6 pm onwards at Chandler Community Centre, 28 Isaac Road, Keysborough (melway ref: 89 G6).

Krishna Ravali students present musical compositions in praise of Lord Venkateswara (Balaji) 16 May, 4 pm onwards at Chandler Community Centre, 28 Isaac Road,

Keysborough (melway ref: 89 G6).

Krishna Ravali students present musical compositions in praise of Lord Subramanya (Muruga). Admission free both days.

Voyages and Journeys 16 May from 4pm onwards at 419 Spencer Street, West Melbourne. Music and images from across the globe from landmark album. Ticket: Pre sales:$17.00 + b/f; door sales:$20.00 & $18.00 (conc); or visit www. spenserslive.com. Contact Matthew Fagan on 0423 972 927 for more information.

Hinduism Summit 16 May, 1.30 – 5pm at Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, 32 Halley Avenue, Corner of Toorak Road & Eddy Street, Melbourne 3214 (Melway Ref: 60 B 5). Hinduism Summit (Hindu Dharmasabha) for anyone interested in understanding, living and preserving Hinduism. Live webcast live on FHA and HJS websites. For more information and registration details, visit www.forumforhinduawakening.org/events or call toll free 1300 88 99 08 Sangeet Sandhya 5 June from 8-12pm at Brandon Park Primary School, Cootamundra Drive, Wheelers Hill, Vic (Melway: 71 E 11).

Musical Evening with Melbourne’s Hindustani (North Indian) classical singer Mr Bikram Malharji. Free Entry. Visit www.sharda.org/Events

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Insights into Education A knowledge partnership is essential for the growth and development of nations, says Kapil Sibal BY MADHUCHANDA DAS

Knowledge, in all its dimensions, be it literacy, skills application, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, product design or any other, is inarguably one of the key sources of growth in the global economy today.

This offers both a challenge as well as a growing opportunity to developing nations to participate in knowledge-driven supply chains, as well as to promote socio-economic progress and alleviate poverty. New ideas need to blossom, be experimented with and multiply, if successful.

One of the world’s largest economies, India has made tremendous strides in its socio-economic growth. It is now poised to achieve an ever faster rate of growth.

Hence, it is an opportune moment for the country to evolve as knowledge economy - one that creates, disseminates and utilises knowledge to encourage and extend its growth and progress. India’s future growth track, undoubtedly, depends on a united publicprivate-civil society partnership to formulate policies for a successful transition to such a knowledge-based economy. Education, as it is universally agreed, is one of the functional pillars and focus of such an economy.

Therefore, broader reforms in the education sector are crucial.

Similar sentiments were echoed by the Human Resource Development Minister of India Mr Kapil Sibal, when he delivered the inaugural Australia India Institute lecture at the University of Melbourne Law School on April 8. The topic was: India in its transformation to a knowledge economy: the potential for partnerships with Australia. Also present on the occasion were The Hon Alex Chernov, Chancellor of the University of Melbourne; Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne Professor Glyn Davis; the Indian High Commission in Australia Mrs Sujatha Singh; the Indian Consul General Ms Anita Nayar and Dr Kiran Martin, Founder and Director of ASHA. The Hon Alex Chernov, in his welcome address, apprised the audience of the Australia India Institute’s structure and objectives. He elucidated that was established by the University : …the real solutions would of Melbourne in come to the world through late 2008. “The enlightenment in processes of establishment of this Institute,” he dealing with each other stated, “reflected the growing strategic alliance in education between the two countries and facilitates transfer of knowledge and understanding across their respective borders.”

The Chancellor described Mr Sibal as one of India’s most important public leaders who had been actively involved in promoting the Indian educational revolution and the development of closer ties between the two countries. He also mentioned that the Minister was an articulate speaker, a believer in the importance of science and technology in India’s national life and a poet whose works demonstrated his understanding of human nature and his great sense of humour.

Undoubtedly, Mr Sibal’s thought-provoking message was greatly enhanced by his oratorical prowess. “India is truly going through a transformation and the economic opportunities are enormous, but it’s equally true that if we’re not able to seize these economic opportunities the road ahead would be rather dangerous not just for India, but also for the rest of the world,” he stated. “There is a direct linkage between economic opportunity and knowledge partnership.” He added, “However, the twenty-first century models of development and the twenty-first century partnerships are going to be entirely different from those of the 18 <> MAY 2010

twentieth century.”

As the audience listened with rapt attention, the Minister further stated that we could use emerging economic opportunities in the bilateral relationship between India and Australia and actually leverage them through knowledge partnership. Presenting an example to emphasise this pivotal linkage, the Minister dwelt upon the premise of building a twenty-first century city.

He enumerated that it would be a complex and intricate process involving a whole new framework of thought processes, inclusive economic models, investment in knowledge, educational structures, issues of technology, sociology and the environment. In turn, this would offer the opportunity of investment connected with the opportunity of building an honest partnership to make good that investment.

Deliberating further on novel twenty-first century knowledge partnerships and development models, the Minister stated that the world had to progress towards taking advantage of the economies of scale and the enormous economic opportunities, but that could be achieved only through partnerships. Extending a humanistic appeal to this vision of partnership, he pointed towards a global community which forged partnerships for equitable social welfare. “We have for the last 20 centuries lived in denial because we’ve never bothered about he who has no voice and he who is not heard, and I don’t think that’s possible any more,” he reasoned. Makes sense, I thought, as the world today has shrunk to become the clichéd global village and we are more mutually dependent than ever before.

So it’s no longer just about theirs or ours. Likewise Mr Sibal urged, “What I’m saying to you is that you have as much at stake in the success of the Indian story as India, because if 200 million people in India do not have access to education you can imagine the consequences of that globally….. the only way it can be addressed is through knowledge partnership.”

Sharing a conversation he had with an executive of an Australian company, he said that if that company collaborated with somebody in India in setting up an institution, it could get all the skilled people it wanted and also be able to deliver those skilled people at one third the cost. Talking of agriculture, one of the strongholds of the Indian economy, Mr Sibal said, “If we want to feed our world, we’ll need to do things differently….. Through biotechnology make sure that

the seeds are resistant to certain kinds of pests to increase productivity. Now that can only happen in a knowledge partnership - it can’t happen in an isolated fashion.”

The purpose of these examples, he said, was to illustrate that “we need to change the way we think in the 21st century, we need to realise that we’re in it together… we’re not divided by oceans anymore, because the transfer of knowledge has no territorial boundaries.”

Signing off on an optimistic and buoyant note the Minister aptly concluded that there was no choice but to partner, and partnership could only materialize through knowledge. In his words, “The economic opportunities are there, the knowledge economy is there but the linkage is missing; India and Australia provide that link between knowledge, partnership and economic opportunities.”

The Minister patiently responded to questions during the Q&A session that followed the talk. Replying to my question on whether India still needed more foreign education providers and universities when the educational system churned out close to 750,000 engineers, the Minister said the gross enrolment ratio, which was the number of young people going to college between the ages of 18 to 24, was 12.4 per cent in India; Australia’s stood at 33 per cent, and England at 43 per cent. Now if the gross enrolment ratio needed to go up from 12.4 to 30 per cent, we would need another 800 universities in 10 years time and another 40,000 colleges; and there was no way in the world that the government could provide that. This could only happen if institutions were allowed to come in and institutions to grow from within.

Responding to a question on social science partnerships, Mr Sibal said the world was moving towards solutions through science and technology, but he thought that the real solutions would come to the world through enlightenment in processes of dealing with each other. The most precious asset that any nation had was its heritage and culture, which is intangible.

The style, substance and simplicity of the Minister’s speech were as remarkable as his thoughtful, prudent and pragmatic perspectives on the evolving world realities. Rarely have I been so enthralled for the entire length of a lecture. Indeed, it was an afternoon well spent.

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Indo-Oz Education Council initiative mooted Indian Union Minister for Human Resources Development, Mr Kapil Sibal addressed a press conference during the Melbourne leg of his recent official trip to Australia. Held on April 8, the conference was attended by the High Commissioner of India in Australia, Shrimati Sujatha Singh and the Consul General of India in Melbourne, Ms Anita Nayar. Expressing pleasure at being back in Australia after two years, the minister said that he met Mr Stephen Smith, Australian Foreign Minister during his visit to Perth, before arriving in Melbourne. He stated that Mr Smith had assured him that the Australian federal government was undertaking appropriate steps to resolve and settle the issue of the safety of Indian students studying here. Mr Sibal also had discussions with representatives of various Australian universities and education providers on methods leading towards increasing educational partnerships and cooperation.

In Melbourne, Mr Sibal met Julia Gillard, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. An important joint statement was signed resulting in a one-ofits kind initiative – the establishment of the India-Australia Education Council. Speaking about this council the minister said it would be a bilateral body with representatives from academia, policymakers, business and industry who would interact on issues relating

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to education and further collaboration, and it would start functioning tentatively from September 2010. Its aim would be to bring together government, academia, business and industry of both countries to further bilateral collaboration in the education sector, with respect to the fact that education is central to sustained, inclusive and equitable growth.

The initiative also included an agreement to facilitate the organisation of an IndiaAustralia inter-university convention of Vice Chancellors and academia to interact on issues of mutual concern among academics.

Under this initiative the two sides also agreed to facilitate the initiation of joint faculty development programmes through regular exchange of faculty and training in areas like teaching, research and curriculum development.

Mr Sibal mentioned that he had also raised the topic of safety of the Indian students in Australia with the Deputy Prime Minister who had reassured him that the government was undertaking strong, constructive measures to address the issue. “I mentioned to her about the lack of data and research as to the genesis of these attacks,” he said.

He also stated that he had informed her that in India, the cabinet had passed the Educational Malpractices Act and similar legislation could be considered in Australia so that incidents which were not crimes under the penal code could be dealt with and

consequential punitive measures could be taken against defaulting private institutions.

Replying to a question about the future of Indo-Australian relations in the backdrop of the recent incidents, Mr Sibal said that the Indian Government sincerely desired that there would be no future tensions and that the situation would improve. He added that he had no doubt about the efforts of the both the Australian federal government and the state government to resolve the issue.

The conference was followed by a reception in honour of the minister and guests were briefed about the Gyan Network

by Ms. Sujatha Singh. This initiative of the Indian High Commission in Canberra is in the form of a database of academics of Indian origin, who are working, or have worked in Australian Universities, and are resident in Australia. The ultimate aim of the network is to provide a collaborative environment to facilitate a further sharing of information and resources between Universities in India and Australia.

It was an eventful evening, and one that holds promise for a better understanding and cooperation between Australia and India.

Madhuchanda Das

MAY 2010 <> 19

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Dr Martand Joshi remembered When people pass away they leave memories behind, as a reminder of the significant impact of their existence in our lives. The Dr Martand Joshi Memorial Lecture was one such event, held in CQ University on the evening of April 14. It was held to honour Dr Martand Joshi, a champion of cultural relations between Australia and India. Professor Tony Adams, an international education consultant and former senior academic gave a lecture that evening which reflected the past 25 years in his address: “Reflection on International Education: the sale and purchase of dreams”.

Apart from Dr Joshi’s family and friends, the lecture was attended by highly educated and experienced academics who have worked or are still working for well known universities around Melbourne.

Tony Adams, in his lecture, portrayed his experience of 25 years in a few words by praising Dr Joshi; while mentioning that the future of international students in Australia seems bright, but due to recent issues it will take time to stabilise. Tony said that for him, international education was like selling dreams which are for real people, lest we forget. Tony also touched on the recent tension between India and Australia saying, “The fallout from India will continue to roll on and be used against us in many other

markets by our detractors, and there will need to be a new alignment between recruitment and skilled migration. We are as dependent on skilled migration for our future as we were years ago.” He mentioned that the changes to skilled migration which saw annual growths in vocational education visas by over 70% pa was the catalyst that brought it all together.

After the lecture a panel discussion was organised with Tony Adams; Dr Ken Hawkins, Chief Executive Officer, C Management Services Pty .Ltd; Melissa Banks, Director, Mels Resources Pty Ltd Banks Consulting and David Hamilton, Professor CQ University. They answered a series of questions from the audience on issues relating to the education industry and its regulations. Dr Joshi’s daughter Suman Joshi asked the panel about the difference between innovation and regulation, and whether they thought both are necessary. Tony Adams replied that it is necessary to have a balance between the two, but regulations shouldn’t be there to terrify the universities. The panel was also asked questions about the recent skilled migration rule change, shutting down of vocational institutes, etc., which were all favourably responded to by the panel.

The 2010 Student and Staff awards of CQ University,

Dr Martand Joshi

handed out by Dr Joshi’s wife and daughter marked the end of the event.

In his tenure at CQ University, Dr Joshi helped foreign students from all countries to manage their transition into an international university environment, as well as the Australian culture. He also mentored and coached staff and in September 2008, he was conferred with CQ University’s highest award for recognition of service.

The event recognized Dr Joshi’s contribution to numerous cultural, religious, professional and community organisations in his role as Honorary Consul of India in Victoria and as International Cultural Adviser for CQ University’s Melbourne and Sydney international campuses. He passed away in May 2009 shortly after returning from India, where he had been honoured for his support of education.

Priya Rajan

Professor Tony Adams

Award for young volunteer Ami Pasricha, a young student of Doncaster Secondary College recently received the “Young Volunteer” award from Kevin Andrews MP and member for Menzies. Ami received this award as recognition and appreciation for the volunteer work she has been doing since the past two years, including organizing events for children with disabilities, multicultural events and presentations for various schools. Menzies Inc is a notfor-profit organisation which provides a broad range of innovative programs and services designed to equip young people who can no longer live with their natural families, with the life skills they need to lead independent, fulfilled lives. Ami was nominated for this award by her school vice-principal and teachers.

Ami’s dad, Avinder Singh Pasricha is very proud of her contribution to the local community of Menzies. He says Ami is a self-motivator and initiated being part of this activity on her own, by hearing about it at school. Ami on the other hand, says 20 <> MAY 2010

her dad has been very supportive of her decision to volunteer and has played an important role of taking time off work to take her to events and regular meetings.

When asked what inspired her into volunteering, Ami says, “By volunteering and spreading happiness in the lives of the under-privileged children, I am practicing one of the three pillars of Sikhism i.e. nishkarm sewa”. It is obvious that this young girl clearly knows and understands the tenets of what her religion preaches, and more importantly, how to put it to practice and be a role model for others of the same age. The three pillars of Sikhism are the triple principle underlying Sikh ethics and its way of life: naam japna, kirat karni and vand chhakana; respectively, repetition of the God Name, to be ready to engage in the labour of one’s hands and to be willing to share victuals with others. This was formalized by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and he instructed Sikhs in the practice of simran and naam japna - meditating on God and reciting God’s name or shabad, practicing

Ami Pasricha with Kevin Andrews MP

kirat karni (to honestly earn by one’s own sweat and maintain high moral values and spirituality. Kirat is central to the Sikh concept of sewa or self-abnegating (selfsacrifice) deeds of service.

Ami plans to continue to be engaged in volunteer work in the future. As of now she says, “I am managing my studies and being a volunteer after hours is working quite well. But who knows what will

happen in the future. I will continue for as long as I can without compromising my studies.” She adds, “I just want to motivate people of all ages to assist the needy wherever they can, in their own small way. Sometimes I do feel sad when I see disabled children, but it also helps to keep me grounded and teaches me to value the things we all take for granted in life. I feel privileged to spread happiness in the lives of these kids.”

So if you think that children of this age are only interested in or capable of hanging out with their friends and maintaining a cool image by posting the weirdest of things on Facebook – think again. Ami is a classic example of her generation who are digging deeper and are not afraid to publicize their values and talk about what they stand for.

Ami deserves the heartiest of congratulations and has made the community very proud. Well done!

Pinky Bhatia INDIAN LINK

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Jazz, Journeys and Jugalbandis Zakir Hussain, tabla virtuoso and musician par excellence, is ready to take on Melbourne’s Jazz Festival. PREETI JABBAL reports He is an artist who turns every concert into a celebration.

The blur of his fingers on the tabla rivals the beat of a hummingbird’s wings and his rhythmic dexterity is beyond compare. He has won numerous accolades and awards like the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Sangeet Natak Akedmi, Indo-American Award and Kalidas Sammaan. He received a Grammy last year in the Best Contemporary World Music category for his global drum project. As a performer, Utsad Zakir Hussain is famous for his improvisations, collaborations with artists from across the globe and a style of playing that is as inspired, as it is inspirational.

As a festival exclusive, Zakir Hussain will perform Sangam with Eric Harland and Charles Lloyd on May 8 at the Melbourne Town Hall.

screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1999; Saaz, and Everybody Says I’m Fine) and I recently did music for a movie called For Real which is slated for release in August this year.

In 1996 you composed the opening music for the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Are you doing something for the Commonwealth Games 2010 that will be held in India?

They (Commonwealth Games Officials) have asked me to write a piece of music that will be played by young musicians and folk musicians. We are currently in discussion over this. I have also composed music for the San Francisco ballet company. They asked me to give the music for a remake of Schehrazade. This was something different for me and I have recently finished it. It will premiere in October this year.

Preeti Jabbal: You have been known to take more than 200 flights in a year.

What is your favourite destination and performance venue?

Pt Zakir Husain: Home! My favourite destination is here with my wife and my daughters in LA. With performance venues, there are many that come to mind. The Herbst in San Francisco is very good, The Royal Festival Hall in London and Theatre de la Ville in Paris. In India, I enjoy performing in Prithvi Theatre because it is such an intimate environment and I like the Shanmukhnanda Hall in Mumbai. With open venues I liked playing at the Villa Pamphili in Rome and at the jazz festival in Vienne, in the south of France.

Do you have an articulated musical philosophy?

I follow what my father said to me: Be a good student, don’t be a master and you will get along fine. There is no such thing as perfection. It is futile to call yourself a master because then you are ready to hang your boots and retire. Life and music is more about learning and being a student forever.

What does success mean to you?

Success to me is a creative effort that I can stand by at any point in time.

How did your collaboration with Eric Harland and Charles Lloyd to perform Sangam come about?

Charles Lloyd is the greatest living musician in the world, as an equivalent of Pandit Ravi Shankar he is to jazz what Panditji is to Indian classical music. He has been involved and interested in Indian philosophy and music all his life.

Indian classical music has an element of improvisation and so does jazz, and in that sense they share a common point. Since the 1950s, jazz musicians have been really interested in Indian music. Some years ago I had the chance to play in the San Francisco jazz festival with Charles Lloyd. We played a duet together in an event called Sacred Space, and that’s how we met. Charles then introduced me to Eric Harland who is the next best thing in jazz drumming. Our interaction was very special.

We were in the same area of creativity at the same time.

It was a ‘triveni’, a sangam of three artists. That is how we got together. Our hearts have met at such a deep level that, you will be surprised to know, we do not rehearse before our concerts together. We meet, talk about music and many other things and the conversation continues when we play.

You have played tabla with many musicians like Van Morrison, Billy Cobham, George Harrison, Yo Yo Ma etc. I am sure each INDIAN LINK

You have been in the music industry forever; any interests other than music?

How do you unwind?

I enjoy travelling with my family. My wife and I go hiking quite often. We were in Aspen recently and we really enjoyed being thousands of feet high. I also like to boat around the Mediterranean with my family. We enjoy places like Capri. Other than that, my life is all about music, I learn, create, compose, play and enjoy music. of them was brilliant; however is there anyone you would like to play with over and over again?

All of them, I would like to play with all of them again.

It takes such a long time to notice the creative element of another musician. When I played with some of them I was young and brash, it took me a long time to understand the psyche of musicians like Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and get over my personal glory. It took 20 years and it is only now that I have an understanding of their art and genius. Now is the time for me to work with them again. I think I will do more justice to the thought process of creating music with these artists if I play with them again. Another collaboration that I really enjoyed and would like to do again is the Melody Of Rhythm with composer and double bass master Edgar Meyers and Banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck.

You have an in-depth knowledge of ragas and talas; have you ever been inclined to sing?

No, I do not want to sing professionally. When I play I sing inside myself, but I am a much better tabla player than a singer. I have had several opportunities and occasionally I add vocals if required. For example in Sangam I have the possibility of doing something vocal, but I am a tabla artist and I should not shortchange my audience by doing much of anything else.

You have also acted in movies before, any more movies on the cards?

No, I have never pursued that career. My first love has been, is and will be tabla. The few roles I did came to me, I did not seek them. Every now and then I do something, however acting is not something I am keen on doing. I have composed music for films in the past (Zakir has composed soundtracks for the films In Custody and The Mystic Masseur directed by Ismail Merchant, Bertolucci’s Little Buddha, for which Zakir composed, performed and acted as Indian music advisor; Vanaprastham (The Last Dance), chosen to be

What are you optimistic about?

I am optimistic that Indian classical music is on a very strong foothold. Indian classical music is one of the premier classical music and there is hardly any country in the world that hasn’t heard it. The audience for Indian classical music is growing by leaps and bounds and there are many talented musicians who will keep the tradition alive.

You have taught Indian classical music in Stanford and Princeton Universities. What were the similarities and differences of teaching there, in comparison to Ali Akbar College in India where you started your teaching career?

My class in Stanford was the biggest class in the University. There is a lot of interest in classical music and I have noticed many Universities in Europe and India have established classical music as part of their curriculum. The Ali Akbar College where I used to teach, is totally devoted to teaching Indian music. People spend ten years in pursuit of music and then become experts in their chosen field. With Stanford and Princeton it is one semester or quarter semester where we learn a prescribed curriculum. You can’t teach or learn the full technique in one semester, so it is more an appreciation of classical music than anything else.

You are one of the few people in the world who are familiar with all styles of playing the tabla. Do you have someone in mind who will continue your lineage?

I am a student of my father trying to pass on what I learnt from him. He had many students who are great players. My brothers Taufiq and Fazal Qureshi, Aditya Kalyanpur and Anuradha Pal (one of the few female professional tabla players) are all playing music in their unique ways. They all have their own interpretation and they have their own followers. I don’t really have any ‘lineage’ to bestow on anyone. There are many great young players who play the tabla brilliantly. I cannot earmark any one of my students who will carry my name - they are all very talented.

MAY 2010 <> 21

MAINSTREAM

www.indianlink.com.au

Leader dares to inspire social change Freelance writer JANE MILBURN meets supercop Kiran Bedi during a study tour to India There is no room in Dr Kiran Bedi’s head for negative thoughts. As an agent of change working with the rural poor in India, Dr Bedi focuses single-mindedly on a positive future and how she can do things better today than yesterday.

“Literally here and now, you need to be a traffic manager in your mind and drive your own self,” Dr Bedi told Course 16 of the Australian Rural Leadership Program during a study tour to India earlier this year.

“This is not theory. You need to practise every day – being conscious every moment, here and now, you are literally listening to yourself, observing yourself and monitoring yourself. If a negative thought comes there is no room for it because it gets surmounted by the rest of the positive energy that says – there is no place for you, get out. You need to be continually steering yourself. It is a very conscious habit and you nurture it by good reading, good deeds, good environment and doing the right thing,” she said.

Breaking new ground and searching for innovative ways around challenges and obstacles has been the story of Dr Bedi’s life – from student to tennis champion, senior police officer, prison leader, social justice campaigner, motivator and social change agent.

In her book I Dare!, Dr Bedi outlines how she resolutely faced obstacles placed by powerful opposing forces and emerged stronger after each ordeal, including her stymied quest to become the first woman commissioner of Delhi Police and her appointment instead as inspector general of prisons at Tihar Jail in New Delhi.

From her descriptions of breakfast with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to hugs from Mother Theresa, Dr Bedi tells her story of innovative and reformative policing and is a compelling lesson in positivity and commitment to the greater good.

In approaching any problem, Dr Bedi advises looking over, under and around it. As a reformist police and prison leader,

she applied herself to thinking about crime solutions. This eventually led to the setting up of Navjyoti India Foundation, to help the impoverished move towards self-reliance through skills and opportunities.

ARLP course 16 visited Navjyoti (meaning, new light) based at Gurgaon, on Sohna Block south of Delhi, to observe its work with women and children in disadvantaged rural communities.

Through the integrated community, women and rural development programs, Navjyoti is providing education, skills, mentoring and support to enable and empower.

“This program is the product of an attitude to crime prevention because I started this when I was a serving cop in 1987. It was a solution to a problem, the problem of drug abuse – the problem of children involved in drug peddling, problem of women and drug traffickers, and the problem of police officers and women,” Dr Bedi said.

“I had a whole constituency of drug addicts who were committing crimes and here I was, a cop who was charged with preventing crimes. The drug addict is a problem to me because he is an addict. If I catch him and send him to jail for five days, his drug abuse is not gone, he comes back with more friends in prison where he linked up with robbers and thieves. I am only increasing my problem by sending him in there. Something in me thought there must be a better approach.”

“Navjyoti was born from that – it was a problem-solving approach. You have got to break the cycle of crime – crime, drugs, jail, bail and back to crime. You have to get to the root of the problem.”

Dr Bedi’s solution was to set up drug abuse centres for men, vocational training centres for women and schools for children to help people deal with crime-related problems.

Crime fell by 50 percent.

“I didn’t read it in a text book, I had a problem and I

looked for a solution,” she said.

“The police station became a healing centre and people started to flock there for treatment. I had a huge number of volunteers I could ask for help because it was a selfless asking.

All I did was put up a big barrack and the centre was ready.

I was surprised, but all the good deeds and good intentions started to give rewards”.

“After two years, I was to be transferred and people thought I had to institutionalise this work. Navjyoti was born in 1988 out of people’s demand, not my intention. For five years we operated with no government grant and I would cash in my goodwill cheques. I would tell people, I am doing this for them, what can you do?”

Dr Bedi says the ongoing success of Navjyoti requires it to be absolutely transparent, participatory, truly democratic and totally directed to always looking for solutions and not stopping at the problem.

“It is reaching out to the problem, not waiting for the problem to come. Our rule is to start from the field, don’t start from the office. Reach out where your instinct takes you,” she said.

In a nation where men own the land and still control most of the opportunities, Navjyoti supports disadvantaged women and children to be the best that they can be.

Reflecting on her creative and positive approach to life, Dr Bedi says some are born with a positive mental attitude and some acquire it.

“I was born with it and never unlearned it. My approach is to think about how I can do better than yesterday, not how I can defeat people. I have to be a winner for myself and work out how to do it”.

Dr Bedi’s story has been captured in an award-winning documentary Yes Madam Sir by Australian film-maker Megan Doneman http://www.yesmadamsir.com/

Kiran Bedi’s philosophy of life

(Above) Jane Milburn with village women at self-help group meeting (Left) Dr Kiran Bedi and Keelen Mailman

22 <> MAY 2010

Kiran Bedi outlined her convictions on life in one of her books I Dare!, which is in its second reprint in 2010 after being firstpublished in 1995. Below is a short extract.

On childhood Values learnt as a child stay on, unless consciously and persistently unlearnt.

On life Birth, being by destiny or accidental, should be considered a basis for take-off and not for relaxation or repentance.

On time management Time management and value for time learnt as a child are two of the most valuable assets earned early in life.

On women As long as women continue to be in a position of receiving rather than giving, they shall continue to bear injustice.

On controversy Decision making, in certain situations, is always controversial.

The only way one can avoid this is to take NO decisions and leave the problem as it is. Seniors who do not solve a problem become a part of the problem themselves.

On leadership Leadership is a trait that entails responsibility, not merely a position.

It is a workshop for doing things and getting things done.

Tough times go, but the tough stay on.

On service Service in government is a service of trust. Anyone not doing all that should be done is liable for prosecution for breach of trust.

On the police One of the strongest safeguards of democracy is a professional and humane police service.

Jane Milburn is being sponsored on ARLP by Rural Press Ltd. INDIAN LINK

INDIA-OZ

www.indianlink.com.au

State Bank of India chairman OP Bhatt (fifth from left) meets with the employees of SBI Australia

State Bank’s Australian expansion PAWAN LUTHRA catches up with OP Bhatt, Chairman of the State Bank of India who was in Sydney recently Most people would expect the stereotypical banker to have one of two different looks: pin-striped suit, sharp tie and slick-back hair with a touch of white (think Gordon Gecko), or slightly overweight with rosy cheeks and a mop of white hair (think conservative British).

OP Bhatt, the Chairman of India’s largest bank, the State Bank of India, fits neither of the two appearance codes.

Tall, lean, with thick peppery hair, he looks more like a university academic than the man in charge of the bank which proudly states that “every Indian has banked with it”. But when he starts speaking and reels off facts and figures about India’s economic potential and its accelerated growth fuelled by increasing consumption demands of the middle class, Bhatt mesmerizes the listeners. One can well imagine the power this man wields as he works out multi billion dollar deals between India’s largest owned government bank and the exciting opportunities available to foreign investors in a country which he himself believes will be in the top 5 in the world by 2020.

Om Prakash Bhatt, the Chairman of the State Bank of India, was in Australia recently to attend his first board meeting with the Insurance Australia Group (IAG). The State Bank of India with its 80,000 distribution points has recently tied up with IAG to sell general insurance in India. Even as he was in Sydney, the SBI – IAG joint venture had sold their first general insurance policy in India.

Speaking to Indian Link, Mr Bhatt expressed satisfaction with his new partners. In what is widely acknowledged as an excellent deal for The State Bank of India the SBI, IAG paid with its 80,000 distribution a share premium of points has recently tied up with Rs 400 crores for its 26% stake in the IAG to sell general insurance joint venture. in India “India is an exciting place to invest and IAG won this business after beating off strong competition from other overseas general insurance companies. With the Indian middle class market to grow and with the distribution might of the State Bank, there is a very compelling story for people to partner with us”, Bhatt said in an exclusive interview with Indian Link. “We undertook a global tender, did our due diligence, our risk and technological analysis and found that IAG was a good fit for our expansion in this area. We are extremely pleased with the way this relationship is progressing,” he said.

While IAG was the main reason for his visit, his time was also taken up with the Macquarie Group Ltd. INDIAN LINK

OP Bhatt makes a point at a business dinner speech in Sydney

Through MGL, State Bank has created a US $2 billion foreign investment fund to invest in infrastructure products in India.

“Again, we did a world wide search and found that the Macquarie Group with their expertise in infrastructure funds had a unique ability which we were keen to tap.

We have already met our subscription levels for this fund; we will be looking at other options in the future.

As you are aware, India’s needs for infrastructure are enormous”, he said.

“The Indian economy is growing and it is the people who are driving this economy. It is their aspiration to do the impossible. The Indian mind set is very young; of the 1.2 billion population, 60-70% are below the age of 35. These youngsters are in a hurry, they want the best of everything yesterday, not today or tomorrow.

The Indian Premier League is one such example which has galvanised people.

“Never has an idea been put into place so quickly in India. It was a native idea which now has given birth to an exciting competition which the world wants to copy,” he had earlier stated at a public dinner at the Hilton Hotel.

In the same speech, he also praised the Indian political leadership. “Politically speaking, India is very stable. We have some of our wisest leaders at the helm and they have the correct attitude towards reform. Due to this economic opportunities are coming up all across the country. Small and medium enterprises are booming in India as India becomes a manufacturing hub. India is praised for great growth and greater employment opportunities”, he told the hushed hall of over 300

business leaders.

Later speaking to Indian Link, he agreed that the Indian businesses, Indian banks and Indian government need to move faster to take advantage of the global opportunities.

“India is already doing it in the areas of coal and gas, the Steel Authority of India is also exploring international opportunities. We need to understand that India is a democracy and though it takes time to move, they do move forward in a sustainable and sensible way,” he said.

Mr. Bhatt was scathing in his comments about big bonuses paid to bankers on Wall Street.

“If bonuses are structured in a manner that performances will be driven only by them, then those organisations are at risk and it is a recipe for disaster.

The other issue is how much money can you pay to an individual at the top - you hear of stories of people being paid hundreds of millions of dollars so what is it that the person brings other than sitting at the top” he said. “I am saying this from the Indian experience because the Indian public sector is paid peanuts compared to these Wall Street bankers and yet the Indian banking sector has stood out at this time of crisis as an island of stability and success at the times of the global financial crisis,” he added.

And because of these qualities, not a single seat was empty on his Monday night speech to Australian business leaders at the Hilton Hotel. This spoke volumes of not only India’s allure to these business leaders, but also to the respect and awe in which the Chairman of the State Bank of India is held even in Australia.

MAY 2010 <> 23

Ajmal Amir Kasab is “Satan, a devil” and “a killing machine” and deserves the death penalty, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the court a day after the Pakistani terrorist was held guilty in the 26/11 terror mayhem in Mumbai.

India’s quest for justice for its most wounding terror attack culminated recently with a special court pronouncing Pakistani Ajmal Amir Kasab guilty on all 86 counts for the 26/11 slaughter, while acquitting the two Indian co-accused - Fahim Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed.

Winding up the year-long trial into the Nov 26-29 terror siege of Mumbai that ended with 166 Indians and foreigners getting killed and 244 injured, Special Judge M.L. Tahaliyani also found the involvement of 20 other Pakistanis.

Among them were Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Hafiz Saeed and Abu Hamza, three of the men who used a complex network of agents and killers to mastermind a terror attack that shocked the world.

Kasab, 23, the lone Pakistani captured alive during the Mumbai carnage, was held guilty under nine Indian laws for murder, waging war on India and a litany of other crimes. He listened attentively with his head bowed while Tahaliyani read out the 1,522-page verdict for almost three hours in a special courtroom in the high-security Arthur Road Jail.

His conviction was based on CCTV footage showing him striding across the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus with an AK47 and a backpack. The prosecution had called 653 witnesses to testify against the LeT operative born to poverty in a village in Pakistan’s Punjab province.

The judge ruled that Kasab was guilty of directly killing seven people and a total of 59 with associate Abu Ismail, who was shot dead after running into a police picket at Girgaun Chowpatty early Nov 27 - shortly after the terror assault began in the heart of India’s financial capital on the night of Nov 26.

Kasab, who faces a possible death sentence, sat through the hearing quietly, witnesses said. When the judge read out the guilty verdict, Kasab listened with his head bowed. Judge Tahaliyani then asked the defence counsel to explain the details to Kasab.

The process of sentencing had begun as this paper went to press.

Indians Ansari, 36, and Ahmed, 25, also showed no emotion as they were absolved of involvement in the attack that derailed relations between New Delhi Islamabad.

Ansari, from Goregaon, and Ahmed, from Madhubani in Bihar, had been charged with conspiracy by preparing maps of the targeted locations in Mumbai and handing them to LeT operatives.

While Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily extolled the trial as a “victory for the judiciary, a victory for the country”, his colleague Home Minister P. Chidambaram said it underlined that India was a “country governed by rule of law”.

“The judgment is itself a message to Pakistan that they should not export terror to India...,” Chidambaram said in New Delhi, adding the acquittal showed the “independence and integrity” of the Indian judicial process.

“The tragic dastardly incident of 26/11 has really disturbed the psyche of the entire nation. The manner in which the trial was held, the manner in which witnesses have been examined, it is one of the outstanding cases,” Moily said. “As far as this case (is concerned)... this is a victory for justice, this is a victory for the country,” the minister told reporters.

24 <> MAY 2010

Photo: AP

“Killing machine Kasab deserves death”

The public call for the ultimate death penalty to be imposed on convicted terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil welcomed the guilty verdict for Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab and said the Mumbai terror attack had “shaken our pride”.

“The terror attack had shaken our pride and we had decided that we would not spare anybody. I welcome the judgement,” Patil told reporters.

Questioned about the acquittal of Indians Fahim Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, Patil said the duo got the “benefit of doubt” in the case. “However, after the final judgement is received, the government will take appropriate steps in the matter,” Patil said.

Special Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam was taken aback by the release of the two Indians. He said the acquittal would be challenged in the higher courts.

He maintained that Ansari and Ahmed were “notorious terrorists” and active members of the LeT. The judge accepted the 42-page confession Kasab had given after his arrest. Kasab had later sought to deny his involvement, but the judge was not swayed by the half-hearted denials.

Besides various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Kasab faced charges under the Explosives Act, Arms Act, Passport Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Properties Act, Customs Act, Explosive Substances Act, Bombay Police Act, Foreigners Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The 60-hour audacious attack that began on the night of Nov 26, 2008 and went on till

the afternoon of Nov 29, 2009 was carried out by 10 Pakistani terrorists, including Kasab.

They targeted sites like the crowded Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station, the iconic Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, the nearby Hotel Oberoi-Trident, the Cama Hospital and the Chabad House, a Jewish prayer centre, and Leopold Café, a hangout popular with Indians and foreigners.

“We want to see Kasab hanged!” was the dominant sentiment in Mumbai after a Special Court pronounced Kasab guilty of murder in the 26/11 terror attack.

Almost 18 months later, survivors and family members of those who were killed said judgment day had left them satisfied.

Survivors of the traumatic Nov 26-29 mayhem as well as family members and friends of those killed in the attack greeted the guilty verdict against the Pakistani.

Everyone was insistent that no leniency should be shown to the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist, and most were rooting for death sentence. Deepak, son of assistant subinspector Balasaheb Bhonsale who was killed, said: “No pity should be taken on him. His death is the only way to pay tribute to those policemen who laid their lives fighting the terrorists.”

Manasi Shinde, widow of a senior railway police inspector who was killed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, was confident Kasab would get the death sentence.

“I am glad Kasab was found guilty. I will be at peace only after the punishment to

Kasab is awarded and implemented,” she said.

Agreed 60-year-old Mohammed Hanif Peer Mohammed, “Although the judgement is out and the accused (Kasab) has been found guilty, I want to see him hanged to death,” he said. “He killed my sister’s husband at CST.” Among other things, Kasab has been found guilty of killing 59 people directly and indirectly in the carnage that saw 166 Indians and foreigners slaughtered. Another 294 people were injured, many seriously.

Ragini S. Sharma, widow of another slain railway officer, Sushilkumar Sharma, added: “This is what Kasab deserves. But the verdict will be acceptable only if it is a death sentence.”

The lawyer fraternity reacted similarly when it came to the verdict against Kasab, but on the acquittal of Ansari and Ahmed, they were reserved in their comments.

“Special Judge M.L. Tahaliyani is a very respectable judge. I am sure there were very convincing reasons to acquit them,” said Abad Ponda, an eminent criminal lawyer.

Another criminal lawyer, Samsher Garud, said he saw the acquittal of Ansari and Ahmed coming. “There were no eyewitnesses or direct evidence. This was bound to happen”.

“As for Kasab, there has to be a death sentence. We might be setting a wrong precedent otherwise,” added Garud.

INDIAN LINK

A junior Indian diplomat Madhuri Gupta has been arrested on charges of passing on information to the Pakistan intelligence agency on April 27. According to officials, she came under suspicion months ago and was called to Delhi on the pretext of helping to prepare for the SAARC summit that ended in Bhutan recently.

However Gupta has denied the charges, claiming she is being framed.

According to a police official, Gupta said she was not a senior officer and could not have passed on sensitive information to her contacts in Pakistan where she was posted in the Indian High Commission. But she had revealed the identities of Indian undercover agents in Pakistan.

Madhuri Gupta was a lonely spinster with a taste for life’s good and extravagant things.

She also bore a grudge against her superiors.

So when she got a chance to work on her Urdu language skills at the Indian mission in Islamabad, exposing her to virulent anti-India propaganda from rightwing Pakistani media, it didn’t take long for the junior Indian diplomat to turn against her own country.

Piecing together information from her confessions and a dissection of her e-mails, interrogators have profiled a woman who fell for blandishments and non-financial lures to sell her country’s secrets as she indulged in her weaknesses. The 53-year-old, who was second secretary in the press and information section at the Indian High Commission at Islamabad, also saw it as an opportunity to get even with her bosses at the external affairs ministry who would not even grant her paid study leave she thought she was entitled to.

So she used her knowledge of Urdu to familiarise herself with the issues that bedevil bilateral issues, kept her eyes and ears wide open for the vital and the trivial and made frequents trips to New Delhi to bring herself up to speed with the current thinking on Pakistan, giving her insights from what she was able to gather on the peace dialogue, SAARC, terrorism and military issues.

She also visited LOC in the Kashmir region only weeks ago.

But just as curiosity killed the cat, her “unusual” eagerness to inform herself about military matters of concern to Pakistan earned the suspicion of the defence attache’s office at the Indian High Commission who then trapped her with false leads that ultimately led to her undoing and her arrest.

“It was this undue curiosity of things that did not concern her that proved her undoing,” said a well-informed source with access to her interrogators’ reports.

But it is yet unclear what Gupta got from her handlers, who included members of Pakistan’s Intelligence Bureau leading perhaps up to the notorious Inter-Services Intelligence, as her bank accounts have not revealed any unusual transactions or large deposits.

“She does not seem to have done this either for money or love,” the sources said, adding that the jury was still out on her and more secrets might come out in the course of further interrogation and investigation.

The possibility of Gupta acting as she did just to “get back” at her “tormentors” in the MEA is not altogether being ruled out, but the gravity of her actions and the sustained period of several months for which she played the mole for the Pakistanis is making counter-intelligence authorities here delve further. They are hoping that the reading of her computer hard disc would throw up more evidence and clues.

There is little doubt that the Pakistanis played on her psychological insecurities: a lonely woman, with no parents, her only sibling a brother not much in contact; a INDIAN LINK

Photo: AP

Madhuri’s acts caused “no security compromise”

Naval officers walk on a deck of the Indian Navy’s newly-commisioned warship INS Shivalik in Mumbai.INS Shivalik, the first of the three new ‘stealth’ frigates for the Indian Navy, is equipped to protect against nuclear, biological and chemical attacks

woman who drank and ate heavily, had flamboyant tastes in clothes and jewellery and was susceptible to pampering with personal gifts.

Her knowledge of Urdu that exposed her to major Pakistani newspapers, particularly papers like the Nawa-i-Waqt, owned by Majid Nizami, widely believed to be connected to Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed also with known links to the ISI, proved potent motivational influences for her, officials said.

However, it is unlikely that she was able to pass on reports of any significant or sensitive nature other than the high commission’s activities, and till now there is no indication that there has been any serious security compromise or that important documents were traded, knowledgeable sources added.

A thorough study of her mails revealed that she was a “faithful reporter” of the events and schedules at the Indian High Commission, giving daily and weekly reports of the engagements of the high commissioner and other staff and other schedules which she diligently kept track of.

“We are pretty certain that no serious damage to India’s security interests have been caused (by her transgressions),” a senior security official admitted, speaking with full knowledge and authority.

“To the best of our knowledge, she has not passed on a single document to her handlers,” the official said. “Most of what she said was pretty routine stuff.”

Gupta, a member of the secondary cadre known as Indian Foreign Service-B, was employed as an Urdu translator who also mixed with Pakistan’s Urdu media journalists by being in the media department of the mission. She had earlier worked with the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), a foreign policy think tank, besides missions in Kuala Lumpur and Baghdad, before she was posted to Islamabad. She had then shown great keenness to go to Pakistan citing her fluency in Urdu.

The official said certain sections of the media, particularly TV, were having a free run in their speculation of what Gupta was up to and how much of India’s security may have been compromised by her actions, but said given the sensitive nature of the issue little can be done to counter what were essentially “blatant falsehoods and half-truths”.

He said the electronic media was only “feeding on itself ” and was trying to make things as dramatic and salacious as possible in their familiar game to garner TRPs. In parliament, Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur said Gupta did not have access to highly classified material but investigations were continuing and she was cooperating with her questioners.

“I rise to inform this august house that as a result of our counter intelligence effort, we had reason to believe that an official in the high commission of India in Islamabad had been passing information to the Pakistan intelligence agencies,” the minister said in a statement in the Lok Sabha.

“The position occupied by the official did not involve access to highly classified material. The official is cooperating with us in our enquiries. At this stage, for national security reasons, it is not possible to divulge more detail about the information that may have been compromised or to comment on this case as our investigations are continuing,” she added.

IGNOU to waive fees of sex workers, street children

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), one of the world’s largest universities, has decided to waive the fee of sex workers and street children enrolling for its courses to help them become educated and empowered.

Disclosing this at a media meet recently, IGNOU Vice Chancellor V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai said the university’s Kolkata Regional Centre ran a study centre at Durbar Mahila Samannya Samiti, an organisation of 65,000 sex workers, to educate them as also their wards.

He said the university has recently tied up with the Cochin International Airport Authority to conduct focused management courses in aviation and airport infrastructure and technology, after realising there was a paucity of aviation industry professionals.

He said, “The University had been working on a series of new and path-breaking ideas to meet the diverse and often daunting expectations of a large number of learners who cannot afford to acquire education from a conventional university. Many of the new

programmes are being expressly aligned to the needs of industry.”

Pillai said IGNOU was very keen to reach out to the victims of violence and help them resurrect their lives through education.

It has also started a short term training programme for school head masters of the Sunderban region initially on a pilot basis to develop skills of the concerned to serve more effectively.

Pillai said the placement cell of the university was gearing up to meet employability demand through planned industry presentations and contact drives, and by working out a system of enhancing communication and personality skills, which have been identified as key need areas for several students.

Is the new school evaluation system adding to stress?

Is the government’s new move to make education more meaningful and less academics-oriented adding to the burden of the already stressed child? Most students feel so, but there are also supporters who say “just give it some time”.

CCE, or Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation as the new system is called, is a pet hate word of Apoorva Ghosh. A Class 9 student of a leading public school, Apoorva hates CCE for the “shackles” it has put around him - daily studies, endless projects, surprise tests and, what is worse according to him, he can’t talk and joke loudly with friends any more.

“CCE, CCE...I detest this new method,” mutters Apoorva, a fun-loving boy, as he toils through daily studies and hurries to finish a pending Hindi project. He has just handed over a mathematics project, and “has no time to breathe” as he has to finish the Hindi project.

“What is worse, now teachers openly warn us, ‘If we see you with your shirt outside your trouser we will give you low grades’, or ‘If you shout or speak loudly, we will reduce your grades’,” recounts the 14-year-old.

His mother Madhumita told IANS: “The new method has pushed my child into sitting for hours and studying or finishing projects Continue on page 26 MAY 2010 <> 25

Continued from page 25

every day. He is quite a laidback student, but now I find him scrambling to finish his work, he doesn’t want low CCE grades. The pressure is certainly there on the child to perform.”

Launched by Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal last year in a move to do away with purely academics-based studies and the Class 10 board examinations of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the CCE also aims to include the child’s talents as in singing, theatre, debating and art as part of the assessment.

It does away with the marking system, replacing it with grades. Like - A1 for 91-100 marks, A2 for 81-90, B1- for 71-80, and so on till D - 33-40 marks - and finally E2 - 0-20 marks.

However, this has had a welcome fallout for Rishabh Krishnan, a Class 10 student of Apeejay School, Noida. His delighted mother Jayanti said, “The CCE has some good effects too. My son is an average student, but since the CCE takes other factors into consideration, he has got A2s in his report card, which feels so great.”

On the flip side, there are the bright children who are unhappy with the grading system. “Now there is no difference between a student who gets 100 and 91, both get an A1. What’s the use of killing ourselves studying to become top scorers?” wonders Sangeeta Chibber, a Class 9 student of a public school who has always been topping her class till now.

Under CCE, each term will have two Formative Assessments, which includes grading on the projects, the surprise tests, behaviour of the child, extra-curricular activities and the school unit test - based on

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50 marks, and a Summative Assessment or a term examination - based on 50 marks.

While the schools have implemented the CBSE scheme and the teachers and students are grappling with the new method, most parents are at sea.

“My daughter now speaks in abbreviations like, ‘Our FA-1 begins next week and after that we will have FA-2, and the SA will be in September’. When I asked her what it means, she got impatient and said I should know it!” said Joyita Mathur, the mother of a Class 9 girl.

For teachers, the CCE means devising new methods of drawing the child’s talents out and thinking of interesting projects.

“It has just kicked off, but in the long run it is good for the child because now the child is graded for extra-curricular activities. So even if the child is poor in academics but good in sports or singing, that will fetch the child good grades. Academics is not everything under the new system,” said a teacher at a public school declining to be named.

An enthusiastic votary of the new system is Usha Subramaniam, a parent. “Initially, such things take time to settle down and there is resentment, but just wait and watch, it will do wonders for the education system.”

and vociferous protests by the opposition members over allocation of 2G spectrum.

The legislation makes obligatory for clinical establishments to provide treatment and stabilise anyone who comes in an “emergency medical condition”.

The legislation also sets up a national council which will classify, determine and develop standards of clinical establishments and also develop standards.

Besides, with registration of clinical establishments to be made mandatory, the council will also compile and pubic a national register.

As per the text, the bill, once passed, will apply to all clinical establishments belonging to any recognised systems of medicine, as well as single doctor establishments with or without beds.

Each state will set up a multi-member state council of clinical establishments, while the registering authority will be a multi-member body at the district level.

There will be two types of registration provisional and permanent, which will be provided after standards have been notified.

The legislation also ensures that all transactions under its purview would be transparent and in the public domain.

Bill passed for mandatory care to emergency patients

India has great media potential: FT

The Lok Sabha recently passed a bill that will make it mandatory for doctors, hospital and other clinical establishments to treat emergency patients and not turn them away on baseless excuses.

The Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Bill, 2010, was moved

by Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in the lower house of parliament, which passed the bill, amidst din

The Financial Times (FT), among the world’s leading business newspapers, is looking for opportunities in the Indian market as the country holds a “great potential” for print and other news media.

“India holds great potential for print and news media,” said John Ridding, FT chief executive officer, adding that his organisation is trying to breach into the Indian market as well as the other emerging markets of the

world.

Addressing a session on ‘The Internet and the Crisis Confronting the News Media’, organised by the Aspen Institute India and the FT recently, Ridding said the potential for India in terms of print, television and internet media is immense.

“The amalgamation of the three can not only regain the readership that is being lost to the new forms of digital media, but it could also be the next big innovation since the printing press,” he said.

He emphasised that the internet can bring back the era of true journalism as it is hardly affected by the external pressures such as advertising and corporate partnerships.

Internet journalism can help achieve transparency in issues such as elections, governance and corruption, three of the major issues affecting the interaction between media and the people of India, he said.

“Internet does not hold to any national boundary which allows it to be one of the greatest mediums of information sharing.

Businesses should change their models and tweak their strategies in order to achieve a better market share.

What publication corporations could not provide, the internet could. The cost of news and information on the Internet has always been free and thus more appealing to a majority of readers. In recent years, the internet has become the primary choice as it provides a platform for direct engagement between the readers and the journalists unlike in the print media,” he said.

According to him, the internet is a tool that corporations need to harness rather than shun.

IANS

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MAY 2010 <> 27

Chennai Super Kings

SPORT

A Season of Sixes

Lucky to be through at all, let alone crowned champions. The Super Kings were looking very vulnerable at several stages throughout the tournament and somehow managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory twice – failing to chase down 136 against Punjab and failing to defend 188 against Kolkata.

However, it was through their ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat (as well as Raina’s absolute brilliance) that saw them through in the end. CSK produced the find of the tournament in Murali Vijay – who earned himself a callup to India’s T20 World Cup squad in place of Virender Sehwag.

The IPL has proved to be a great platform for showcasing cricketing skills through its teams and their players

BY RITAM MITRA

The third season of the IPL was every bit as big as the last two seasons, and then some. The competition was fiercely close (with the unfortunate exception of Kings XI Punjab) and saw the tournament end with only one dead rubber played, between Mumbai and Kolkata in the final round match. Even so, there was a mathematical chance of Kolkata qualifying for the final if they somehow

beat the Mumbai Indians by 175 runs in their final match or, after being sent in to bowl first, concede 317 runs and chase it down in 1 ball! With a panel of leading cricket fans (who are often more “expert” than the “experts” themselves!), here’s a look at each team’s season and favourite fan moments.

Here are the wrap-ups for the 2010 IPL.

Unforgettable: Ajay Balakrishnan sums up the thoughts of many, saying “Definitely Dhoni’s escapades in that final match of the group stage”, where Dhoni blitzed a fearsome half-century including two of the biggest and most clutch sixes ever seen. Forgettable: Losing to Punjab in a Super Over, when the match could’ve been won several times.

Kings XI Punjab

Delhi Daredevils

Unfortunate is the one word that sums up the Kings XI season. Let down by a string of poor bowling performances (including those two infamous last overs by Irfan Pathan and Brett Lee), the side was completely reliant on their two Sri Lankan heroes, Sangakkara and Jayawardene (who proved to be the surprise of the tournament). Although they scored more runs than five of the other teams, they conceded over 100 runs more than anyone else in their bowling “efforts”. However, a strong finish to the season allowed them to mess up the other teams’ chances (and Kolkata fans in particular will forever hold a grudge).

It is absurd how a team which is consistently the strongest on paper, consistently fails to reach the final. Delhi boasts what should easily be the strongest batting line-up in the competition, but was let down by several top-order failures and a poor team discipline. An explosive top order of Dilshan, Sehwag and Warner, three of the most fearsome hitters in the game, should have combined for totals upwards of 500 on at least a few occasions, but ended up with occasional brilliance and patchy form. You know you’re in trouble when Virender Sehwag is your side’s most economical bowler.

Parneet Bhatia’s Unforgettable moment: Jayawardene’s 100 vs Kolkata, helping them chase down 200 with absolute ease.

Forgettable: Dhoni’s blistering knock in their final round match which left Punjab in tatters as usual, and Knight Rider fans in tears

Divesh Vashist’s Unforgettable moment: Warner’s blistering century against the Knight Riders.

Forgettable for Divesh, however, was Gambhir’s poor running between the wickets – his three consecutive run outs cost them at least two games.

Rajasthan Royals A dismal start to the season proved to be the difference between a semi-final spot and seventh place. With three consecutive losses, then four consecutive wins, the up-and-down season was too much for the young side to handle in the crunch moments. The season was further marred by the controversy surrounding talented young all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s ban from this edition, due to salary breaches. Could it also have been Warne’s last season of IPL? Priti Sharma’s Unforgettable moment: Yusuf Pathan’s breathtaking 37-ball hundred almost chasing down a huge total against Mumbai in the opening match.

Forgettable: Exactly the same.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore Probably deserved to be in the final alongside the Mumbai Indians, and but still feature in the top three as a Champion’s League side. The Challengers’ season took off, thanks to an absolutely stunning performance by Jacques Kallis, who stood undefeated after almost two weeks of competition; an amazing feat considering he opens the batting. The season saw Bengaluru on top for much of the competition, until a rampant Mumbai stole their thunder. However, the side will be happy with making the semi finals two years in a row, following a disastrous first season.

Unforgettable for Sudarshan Arvind was Kallis - this IPL season proved to be a catalyst for the old warrior, who finished with the second-most runs. Forgettable: The baffling under-selection of Kevin Pietersen, who finished the series having played only 7 matches with the astonishing average of 59 and strike rate of 150.

Kolkata Knight Riders Another year, another exit. Kolkata fans, including this reporter, are left in the rain again. Shah Rukh Khan’s inspirational tweets were rendered useless, and KKR was once again, the butt of many jokes in this year’s IPL. After Mumbai’s strong march to the finals, KKR now remains the only team not to have made the semi finals in any of the three seasons, and it is hard, even as a fan, to dispute their hopelessness.

Ritam Mitra’s Unforgettable moment: Ganguly angling backwards in a spectacular fielding performance against Delhi, a win which he single-handedly scripted. Forgettable: Not so much a moment as a drawn out Knightmare – Ishant Sharma’s uselessness at US$900,000.

Deccan Chargers Nerves of steel, absolute grit and teamwork saw Deccan Chargers through the group stage in second place.

Deccan looked to be resigned to a fate in the bottom two until a sublime run of five wins leading up to the semi final saw them reach the heights they set exactly a year ago.

They were disappointing in the semi against Chennai due to yet another set of failures from serial culprits Gilchrist and Gibbs, but were lucky to feature at all.

Unforgettable for Rahul Mooray Pasala was definitely the abysmal performance in the third place playoff, scoring just 86 runs. Forgettable: Losing to Chennai in the semi final after being set only 143 to

Mumbai Indians Impossible to sum up the season with quite enough superlatives. Where do we begin? Sachin’s unfathomable run of form in all forms of the game? Kieron Pollard’s brutality?

How Saurabh Tiwary must be Dhoni’s long-lost twin? Mumbai’s season took off when Sachin started hitting his straps, and since then every single member of the side has contributed.

Their bowling has been key; Harbhajan, Malinga and Zaheer Khan have been brilliant and should be forces to reckon with in the World Cup. Unforgettable for Rajesh Dave was: Sachin Tendulkar’s sublime knock against the Rajasthan Royals, blasting 20 in the final over and setting up the win that saw them into the finals. Forgettable: There were barely any negatives, until the final when Kieron Pollard was held back till the fall of the sixth wicket. Chennai were lucky to win the finals, actually – it was Mumbai’s game throughout.

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And Finally..

Season 3 of the IPL was, like both other seasons, long. The closeness of the competition this year, though, left a much sweeter taste in the mouth (until the off-field controversies at the time this article was being written). Love it or hate it, the competition this year was at a fantastic new level and it was very refreshing to see such talented classic stroke-play by the likes of Tendulkar and Kallis infused with the explosive fireworks by young powerhouses such as Robin Uthappa and Saurabh Tiwary. Bring on IPL 4 – with or without Modi!

MAY 2010 <> 29

30 <> MAY 2010

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BOOKS

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Indo-Aussie links through the ages A new literary offering that explores the relationship between two great nations

BY CHITRA SUDARSHAN

There is regular traffic between Australia and India with politicians and policy makers visiting each other’s countries these days. However, apart from the usual platitudes about cricket and a shared colonial past, there has not been a great deal done to engage with India – especially when compared with East or Southeast Asia, where experts have a strong presence and representation in Australian government and academia. It is partly strategic, and partly trade oriented; but whatever the reason, it will take years for that presence to be replicated by India scholars and experts. Rather sadly, children of first generation Indians and most Indian students here do not seem to have developed that passionate an interest in India to study it, or make a career or life’s work of it. Indian Studies Departments in many Australian universities have languished for want of student numbers and interest; and unlike in the United States, the Indian community here has not come forward and contributed to academia by setting up Chairs in Indian Studies in universities and the like. However, two Australians - both incorrigible Indophiles - have made a beginning: they have written a definitive book on Australia-India links from the dawn of history to the present, called Joyce Westrip Colonial Cousins: A Surprising History of Connections between India and Australia, (Wakefield Press, Adelaide). The book was launched at the Alexander Theatre, State Library, in Perth on April 17.

That the authors Peggy Holroyde and Joyce Westrip both share such a deep love for India is evident: Peggy Holroyde was described

by Khushwant Singh as the most ‘unusual Englishwoman’ he What the authors emphasise had met. She lived in New Delhi soon after is that the links between independence in 1947 the two countries were and has visited India innumerable times. deep, varied and quite Smitten by the India significant, and there was bug quite early, she more knowledge and studied Indian religion understanding of each other at Oxford under Dr Radhakrishnan (who at the time… later became President of India), and is the author of several books on India such as Indian Music, East Comes West: Social Change Among Asian Families in England and An ABC of Indian Culture.

Joyce Westrip, OAM, was born in southern India in 1929, and moved to England in 1947; she has lived in Perth, Western Australia, since 1955. Fascinated by Indian history and culture since her childhood, she has visited the subcontinent on numerous occasions.

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…it is the first time anyone has recorded such a comprehensive history of the social, business, bureaucratic and other links between India and Australia

“India keeps drawing me back,” she once noted in the columns of this very newspaper. “When I said once to Indira Gandhi that I am a daughter of India, she looked at me and said ‘But you ran away!’ I replied that I had no choice at the time, but I keep coming back.”

Joyce is not only a collector of rare Indian cookbooks, she has also authored two successful books herself: Moghul Cooking and Fire and Spice: Parsi Cooking and several others on India.

This latest book is a labour of love for both Westrip and Holroyde: it is the first time anyone has recorded such a comprehensive history of the social, business, bureaucratic and other links between India and Australia. They have pored over numerous documents, books, letters; interviewed descendents of several families with dual Australia-India connections, and performed extensive research to produce this work.

This book emphasises the shared history of India and Australia, and the links that go back to the time of the Gondwana when they were physically joined, to the affinities of landscape and culture (similarities between some of the tribes of Southern India and Aborigines have been noted by anthropologists, and the terrain of Western Australia and Southern and East India share similarities); to the closer tripartite connections that developed between them under the umbrella of the Raj, as well as anecdotal links from then to the present. What the authors emphasise is that the links between the two countries were deep, varied and quite significant, and there was more knowledge and understanding of each other at the

time – but were sort of erased from Australian memory in the twentieth century when White Australia brought those exchanges to a grinding halt. The bonding between them even in the business and entrepreneurial spheres were astounding and are little understood today: the black tailed sheep came to Australia from Bengal; Bengal rum was brought and sold in Botany Bay; horses were bred in Melbourne and shipped off to India; Indian carpenters built stalls for horses et al.

As Peggy Holroyde, now 85, lives in Perth, there is a special Western Australian flavour to the book. One of the most interesting stories (in the chapter “Indians in the Outback”) relates to the Pathans who were first brought to Australia by Landells in 1860 – Landells had himself participated in the first Afghan War. Sadiq Bux, who lives in Perth, is a fourth generation Indian/Pathan/ Afghan whose grandfather Haji Muhammed Bux was a professional Indian letter writer who came to Melbourne as a trader (from Uttara in the Punjab). He later moved to Western Australia, hawked ribbons and lace in Kalgoorlie and the outback, built up money to buy a shop, brought his family down, and then camels, before eventually settling down in Perth.

The chapter titled The Raj Down Under is filled with anecdotes of Indian descendants in Australia, and the final chapter has an interesting segment on the Anglo Indians – 10,000 of whom came to Australia in the years soon after Indian independence. There are innumerable stories that are certain to trigger many such memories in others.

Brian Hayes, QC, National Chairman of the Australia India Business Council, in his foreword to the book, says, “..what emerges through the pages of this book is the authors’ deep understanding and genuine love of India and Australia”. This book is sure to cut a swathe among the cognoscenti in both the countries and communities. That it is timely goes without saying.

Joyce Westrip and Peggy Holroyde, Colonial Cousins: A Surprising History of Connections Between India and Australia, Wakefield Press, 2010, rrp A$39.95 MAY 2010 <> 31

OPINION

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Clean up IPL but remember it reflects young, emerging India Despite the furore created by controversy surrounding the IPL, there’s no denying that it is a social and economic contributor to India’s international image, notes AMULYA GANGULI The intervention of a section of politicians and social commentators has added a new, mainly retrogressive, dimension to the continuing controversy over the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Even as the focus remains on suspected shady deals, the resignation of Shashi Tharoor as Minister of State for External Affairs and the abrasive working style of IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, a group of politicians and commentators have tried to link the cricketing extravaganza to the pitfalls of modernism and consumerism.

While Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav has turned his ire on cricket itself, describing it as a ‘videshi’ (foreign) game which has distorted the sporting scene in India, Communist Party of IndiaMarxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury has accused industrial magnates of exploiting the popular passion for the game to make money.

Forever on the lookout for issues, Bal Thackeray of the parochial Shiv Sena has also entered the fray to call for saving the “gentleman’s game”, although the acts of his followers in digging up cricket pitches can hardly be included in the category of graceful conduct.

Clearly, the scam-tainted atmosphere enveloping IPL has given these critics of Western influences and neo-liberal economics an opportunity to air their views with renewed vigour. They had been lying low till now following their defeat in the last general election, which was seen as an endorsement Clearly, the scam-tainted the atmosphere enveloping IPL has of government’s given these critics of Western forward-looking policies and influences and neo-liberal economics an opportunity to air market-oriented attitude. their views with renewed vigour Since the IPL was interpreted as a manifestation of the spirit of free enterprise with its intermingling of sporting talent, business acumen and uninhibited entertainment, exemplified by the introduction of attractive young women as cheerleaders for the first time in India, its fall from grace has been grist to the mill of its detractors.

While the Communist Party of India’s (CPI) Gurudas Dasgupta described the frenetic Twenty-20 format as a “caricature” of cricket and favoured a return to five-day Test matches, social commentators are moaning over the huge expenses for the gala events even as the poor suffer in silence.

This combination of regressive politics - Mulayam Singh is not only against cricket but also against computers and the English language - and socialistic concern for the underprivileged is not new in India.

One aspect of this attitude is the belief that Maoists are really fighting for the poor and deserve sympathy, rather than being seen as an internal security threat.

Another is the condemnation of anything foreign and flashy like the IPL. The subtext of this outlook is the conviction that any event which is so glitzy violates the country’s traditions of sobriety and restraint. Since such a display of conservative preferences is expected to touch a chord in the Indian heart, it is not surprising that the line-up of critics ranges from the rural hinterland of north India’s cow belt to city-based trade union leaders.

It is doubtful, however, whether their stance will yield political benefits. The reason is the IPL has turned out to be one of the most successful sporting ventures in the world and a favourite of the growing middle class.

According to Newsweek, it has been valued at $4.13 32 <> MAY 2010

attractive sporting venue at a time when the PakistanAfghanistan region has regressed into medievalism, where no international events are likely in the foreseeable future. The IPL, therefore, marks a step forward in India’s emergence as a major regional power.

Like the so-called mall-and-multiplex culture, which is derided by the traditionalists because of the emphasis on shopping and eating out, the IPL has come to reflect the lifestyle of young, middle class Indians, many of whom earn more in a month than their fathers billion, which is comparable to America’s National did in a year.

Football League’s value of $4.5 billion.

It is not without reason, therefore, that the two major The resultant beneficiaries are not only the reputed parties - the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party foreign players, but also a large number of talented (BJP) - have not echoed what the regional and the Left local young men. Although only a handful of them may parties have been saying about the IPL, because they do be able to make it to the national team, their income not want to alienate this vocal social sector. from IPL will undoubtedly help them move up the Instead, the two have rightly focussed on bringing social ladder. greater transparency into the affairs of the various Besides, the chance they teams and their sponsors, so are getting to rub shoulders that the baby is not thrown …the IPL has come to reflect with some legendary figures out with the bath water. They the lifestyle of young, middle in the game, like Shane are aware that any decision class Indians, many of whom Warne and Adam Gilchrist, to “nationalise” IPL will be as also outstanding players earn more in a month than their disastrous, for it will not only like Jacques Kallis, Andrew discourage the foreigners from fathers did in a year Symonds, Kevin Pieterson, participation, but also entail Paul Collingwood and others huge cutbacks in expenditure (not to mention the national icons) is an enriching to the detriment of advertisement revenue and even experience. media coverage.

It is worth recalling that many foreign players Yet, the free hand that was given to organisers cannot avoided coming to India earlier because of the heat and be allowed any longer because they haven’t shown unhygienic conditions. But now the lure of money and the requisite maturity and responsibility. There is no the more improved living conditions make them flock alternative, therefore, for the Board of Control for to the country.

Cricket in India (BCCI), whose brainchild the IPL is, to Their arrival has also made India stand out as an take matters into its own hands.

Greater transparency is called for as heads roll (Shashi Tharoor, above, and Lalit Modi, left)

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WELLNESS

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Drinks anyone?

GEETA KHURANA on healthy beverage options Beverages are an important part of our daily diet. The increased intake of high calorie drinks and beverages is one of the main culprits of obesity amongst our younger generation today. An average can of soft drinks or fruit punch provides about 150 calories. So even if you have one can everyday and not cut calories anywhere else, you end up adding weight at the end of the year.

Here are some healthy beverages to quench your thirst.

Water This unique free gift of God is the best drink

that we can consume. The daily cleansing of waste from our body, the flushing out of bowels, purifying of blood, are all dependent on the amount of water we drink. Furthermore, water has the ability to pick up mineral deposits accumulated in cells, joints, artery walls or anywhere else such deposits occur and carry these out. Thus, a chance of gall stones and kidney stones decreases. The best cure for urinary tract infection is also to drink lots of water. The body has no provision to store water, therefore, the amount of water lost or consumed by the body in various body functions must be replaced to maintain health and body efficiency.

To avoid dehydration and reap the benefits of water, it is recommended that a minimum of eight glasses should be consumed every day. In summer, we might need even more.

Water helps the body flush out even through the skin.

Dehydrated skin hangs out as dead flaky skin. Drinking more water not only hydrates the skin, but aids in shedding dead cells, making the skin look clearer, glowing, healthy and radiant.

If you do not drink enough water, then your body is forced to take it from other organs like the colon, which then leads to constipation. Therefore, drink enough water to maintain your normal bowel function.

Tea and Coffee After water, tea and coffee are the

most popular beverages. Tea is a low-calorie beverage full of flavonoids and antioxidants that are good for our health. Tea also provides some amino acids, primarily theanine which has been shown to enhance the body’s ability to resist infections.

Up to 2-3 cups of tea or coffee a day is fine. But the addition of cream, full cream milk and lots of sugar can turn a health drink into a not-so-healthy beverage. Add low fat milk and just 1 tsp of sugar or have plain black tea to have the best advantage.

Green Tea There are 3 main varieties of tea - green,

black and oolong. The difference between the teas is in their processing. Green tea is made from unfermented leaves whereas the leaves of oolong tea are partially fermented, and black tea is fully fermented. The more the leaves are fermented, the lower the polyphenol content and higher the caffeine content. The secret of green tea lies in the fact that it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Polyphenols are chemicals with antioxidant properties and EGCG is a very powerful antioxidant. Besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissues. Therefore, green tea has the highest polyphenol content while black tea has roughly two to three times the caffeine content of green tea. EGCG is considered to be at least 100 times more effective than Vitamin C and at least 25 times more effective than Vitamin E.

Fruit Juice Whole fruits are really the better option

as compared to juice but if you have to have juice, go in for 100% fruit juice since most juice is a concentrated source of sugar and also devoid of any fibre. You can also make your drink at home with water and just 2 ounces of juice added to it. Add some lemon juice or herbs to make it taste better.

Cranberry juice in particular has been known to fight urinary tract infections and is a good source of anti oxidants.

But try to have pure cranberry juice instead of having a cranberry fruit drink as the drink has more sugars in it. If you find pure cranberry juice to be too sour, add in some water.

Soft Drinks Diet soft drinks are a better choice than

sugar sweetened soft drinks, as sugar sweetened soft drinks just provide empty calories and no nutrition whatsoever.

Soft drinks, fruit punches, cordials are also linked to dental decay, and type 2 diabetes. But any soft drinks, whether diet or otherwise, are high in caffeine and therefore should be avoided as much as possible. Nimbu pani (home-made lemon juice) is a much better alternative than carbonated beverages.

Full of vitamin C, it is a very refreshing low calorie drink.

are very high in calories, sodium and sugars. Thus these may also contribute to obesity and tooth decay. These also contain caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone which occur naturally in the body, but the fact that they are present in much higher doses in energy drinks may be cause for concern. Research shows that children and young people who consume a large number of energy drinks may suffer sleep problems, bedwetting, and anxiety.

Coconut Water Coconut water is another

nourishing drink low in calories and sugar. It is full of electrolytes and potassium and is more nutritious than orange juice, as it contains less calories. It is a very refreshing isotonic drink.

Sports Drinks These are mainly used by endurance athletes who need to replace electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride and thus should be used sparingly by others as these

Milk Next to water, tea and coffee, low fat or skimmed

milk is also an excellent beverage especially for children, and older people. Milk is one of the best sources of calcium and protein. Soy milk is also a good option especially if you are lactose intolerant. Cocoa powder added to milk also adds to the health benefits as cocoa also has flavonoids and anti oxidants. These are good for the heart and also anti cancerous.

Lassi Plain lassi is also a very refreshing drink in summer.

Made from yoghurt, it has all the goodness of yoghurt but fewer calories. If you want to cut down the calories then go in for ‘namkeen lassi’ flavoured with roasted cumin seeds and coriander. Mango lassi is also very popular but go slow on adding extra sugar if you want to have a health drink.

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MAY 2010 <> 33

YOUTH

Meet the What do teens and their parents argue about? KANISHKO DAS takes an introspective look into parent-child relationships and their ambiguous, but sound logic “But mum, why can’t I?” This question rings a bell somewhere in your head, doesn’t it? This is one of the many questions all children eventually and unfailingly asks their doting mothers, potentially making it the most asked question in a household.

It is painfully frustrating to hear a “NO!” when you know all your friends are going to the club to attend a birthday party or are getting the new iPhone. Sometimes it’s a “NO!” even before the complete request is made; as if mum doesn’t even care what it’s about.

If we think that How could she possibly know our mother blindly what I’m asking for? And her judgement has to be upheld passes judgements to thwart our wishes, as if it is the ultimate decree. It in reality she wholly feels so unfair to have all your desires and needs squashed in empathises, as she seconds. It’s like the inability to posed the same have a rational say in your own question to her own life! It’s like being in military devoted mother school! On what does she base her judgements? Is it from her extensive real-time experience? Yeah right! “All she cares about is me being a stuffed-up geek, praised by teachers and neighbours!”, you might think. So you ask dad, who, as the “cool parent”, ends up protecting his holy image. And that brings me to the second most commonly asked question in the household, dad’s reply, “Why don’t you ask

34 <> MAY 2010

your mum? What does she have to say? I am totally with her on whatever she decides.”

Throughout childhood, due to some strange inexplicable phenomenon, mummy always tends to know that her kiddo is still hungry, while her kiddo’s stomach strongly revolts at any more food, as it is full to the brim. Historically it has never lead to an upset stomach, but has often left behind an upset kid. Some mums retain this habit even when their child becomes a young adult.

Jyotishko Das, a Uni-goer, reminisces about his experiences with his mum, interspersed with fits of laughter. The 21-year-old IBMer says, “From time immemorial, my mother has maintained that I don’t eat enough. Believe it or not, like even last night she called to check up on me and scolded me for not eating enough! I was left speechless.”

Exams are when a student runs through close to a thousand pages worth of information; they work hard for seemingly countless hours and run against time, their brain literally going into

overdrive and stress levels breaching the tipping point. Deepra Sen, accountant and uni-student recounts how his mother visited him and still treated him like a child. He says, “Mum would wake me up early in the morning, reminding me of my coursework! Even as I brushed my teeth, she would say that I was taking up too much valuable time which could be otherwise wisely spent. Here I was thinking the prep leave was a time to catch up on some lost sleep - time to hit the hay! She treats me like a kid! It’s as if she can’t do without saying all this.”

Sometimes daddy dearest can entirely spoil the plot for his little girl much to her discontent.

From making sure she doesn’t blend with the “wrong” crowd which happen to be the circle of her closest friends, to sometimes refusing to sit in the navigator’s seat as the instructor of his little L-plater. Surprisingly dad seems to know more about her friends that she does! Rupali Saxena*, a Uni student, explains, “My father never agrees to be my instructor for even a single driving lesson. He feels it would be safer if I learn to drive from professionals. Really, there is really no logic behind that; as FYI, he has been driving for the last 30 years! I wonder what the concern is all about!”

Then there’s that little issue of privacy, the one

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parents! thing that teens are most sensitive about and the one thing most violated by their parents. Overtly curious parents come straight into their rooms without knocking, yet the teens cannot get into the parents’ room without five raps on the door and a resounding “Come in!” The rules mostly seem to apply only one way.

“Who is this girl you keep talking to?” and “You better keep a distance from this guy” are questions asked and orders passed by inquisitively protective parents. Proximity alarms go off and tempers skyrocket in such scenarios.

Words volleyed between the two parties are then repented for weeks together by both. But the point of contention remains the same consistently, over the arguments which follow. The fuming teenager’s mind keeps muttering to itself and at the tipping point, all thoughts spill out. The teen unwittingly bursts out, “Why can’t you leave me alone? Why do you have to know everything?

Why can’t you let me live my life? None of my friends’ mums are so poky all the time, so just chill, alright!” And then that a deafening silence envelopes the atmosphere of the household. It is during this time that extremes of emotions are felt.

From dress sense to hairstyles, everything can come under scrutiny and eventually come under fire. “Where do you think you are off to in that dress, young lady?” or “Young man, those long locks need to be trimmed before you take off!” are standard expressions every teen gets to hear when things look a little out of shape. It is even more irksome when you are a semi–independent young adult. Almost every guy wants to keep the DiCaprio look, while every girl wants to make heads turn each time she steps out of the house. After all, everyone wants to look their best; if not, why do mums take so much time to get dressed before going to a party?

It is almost as if there is no parity in the application of rules. As if the parents never experienced “wild” aspirations!

The children of today are born diplomats. They know how to negotiate a deal, especially in the currency of grades. Divesh Singh, IT manager, light-heartedly recounts the details of his deal.

He says, “I was tired of waking up early in the morning, being pulled out from under my blanket, and I absolutely hated it! Waking up early was so not cool. So I made a deal with my parents. I told them that I would get them the grades they wanted, and in return I would study and play according to my schedule. It worked perfectly!”

It is when the tempers cool down that the real picture takes shape. There are always two sides to a coin, and consequently two sides to a story. If we think that our mother blindly INDIAN LINK

passes judgements to thwart our wishes, in facts. Thankfully everything eventually comes reality she wholly empathises as she posed the under control soon enough! It is important to note same question to her own devoted mother. She that whatever is said between the parent and always knows better because she can distinguish child can only be exchanged between very close between good and bad due to her own “extensive individuals. Whatever the parents do is only real-time experience”. because they want to avoid any episode which will If a concerned mother scolds you over the put their children in peril. “We just want the best phone from 10,000 km away, it only reflects the for you”, is a statement made so often, but each fact that one is never a grown-up in the eyes of time, every word is truly heart-felt. a mother. Issues like meals and dirty clothes fuel One must note that parents, being members the fears of every worried mother. Would one ever of the ‘Been There Done That’ club, truly know get serious about exams, if mum didn’t put the what makes their child look good. Be it the smart seriousness of the situation into perspective? army cut or the graceful ‘Sushmita Sen’ look, they The questions and worries want to see their children stand posed by mothers are simply out from the crowd as civilised Overtly curious parents a product of their altruistic individuals. They already know come straight into their love and their desire to see that at this age, grooming rooms without knocking, yet oneself to look the best is more their young ones excel in the teens cannot get into all spheres of life. They are important than scrutinizing the parents’ room without trying to save their children others. from making the same Undeniably, we all attribute five raps on the door and a mistakes they made. our existence and identity resounding “Come in!”

Each time daddy dearest to our parents. From waking sounds illogical, it’s only up early each morning to because he is overtly protective and wants to preparing lunch for school, to working late into the keep his angel away from harm’s way. “My baby night to see their child through college, parents do can’t go there. There was a big brawl in the all in their capacity to give their child the best shot vicinity!”, dad reflects, reading about a fight which at life. Some young adults live with their folks, happened about a hundred kilometres away from while others live thousands of kilometres away. where his daughter intends to go. At that point of But no matter how far the parents are, they feel time daddy dearest’s logic may not make sense, for their precious baby, every day, every hour, but right from her diaper days, all the logical every minute and every second. No matter how or illogical things he did are expressions of his little sense it makes to the average kid, all that selfless love. parents say and everything they do is indicative of During these tussles, it seems that nothing will their simple, selfless love. So the next time, before ever turn out right, but even despite such hostility you cross-question your parent, be mindful of the each party knows the significance of the other fact you are dearer to them than anything else in in their daily routine. But anger clouds over the the universe!

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TRAVEL

Sabah Sensations Experiencing a majestic mountain, the wonders of flora and fauna and a taste of the tribal make an exhilarating experience

By THOMAS E KING

A stark mountain top thrust above the lush tropical greenery of Sabah is the sole destination for many tourists who visit this activity-packed state of East Malaysia. Kota Kinabalu, the state capital, is the entry point for Malaysia’s most far flung realm and as I discovered a few months ago, the best starting point for a thrilling journey to a mountain called Kinabalu.

The park headquarters for the sanctuary that encircles this fabled mountain is 88 km from the city. A wide highway puts the abundant flora and less visible fauna of the 754 sq km Kinabalu National Park within an hour’s drive. Many day trippers from ‘KK’, as it’s commonly called, come for these attractions with the added inducement of being able to spend a few calm hours strolling in cool mountain air.

Wild orchids, lovely bluebells, daffodils, rhododendron and the giant Rafflesia with a flower measuring up to a metre across are found along walking tracks. It’s not very likely you’ll spot wildlife, though sightings of flying squirrel, barking deer, bearded pig and even orang-utan have been recorded.

A few hours of relaxation among 1200 odd varieties of orchids and 325 varieties of birds may be enough for some, but others won’t settle for anything less than the buzz of scaling the usually cloud-obscured mount.

The first recorded ascent of the highest peak between the Himalayas and New Guinea was made in 1851 by Sir Hugh Low, a British government officer. Assaults on the 10 million year old, 4095 metre high granite massif don’t A few hours of relaxation among make headlines these days because thousands of visitors 1200 odd varieties of orchids and make the climb.

325 varieties of birds may be enough annually No special mountaineering for some, but others won’t settle for experience is required if the anything less than the buzz of scaling main route to the glacier scarred summit is followed, the usually cloud-obscured mount but the climb is very tiring and tourists must be in good shape to complete the two to three day trip. Several huts with basic cooking and accommodation facilities strategically located along the way have been established to make the journey more comfortable.

The driest and sunniest part of the year is from February to May but even then stout shoes, a warm hat, gloves and warm clothes are needed, plus food for the entire journey.

A sleeping bag can be rented at the huts.

Climbers must utilise the services of an authorised guide and porters can be hired.

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2

3 1. This Iban ‘warrior’ is a talented artisan performing during a nightly feast of food and heritage at the Mari Mari Cultural Village.

2. Visitors pause during their cruise on the Klias River to photograph Proboscis monkeys.

3. The Sabah Tea Garden is located in the highlands where fertile soil and equitable climate yield award winning produce.

4. Mt Kinabalu, the tallest peak in Southeast Asia, is also the biggest visitor attraction in Sabah.

5. Extending along the harbour, the Filipino Market has sections for food, produce and souvenirs.

Photo: Thomas E. King

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Visitors who simply want to slow down for a few days and not test their endurance will enjoy the serenity of the area and the variety of pleasant options available. My wife and I, for instance, traipsed along the path winding through the park’s extensive botanical garden, went golfing at a picturesque course located on the mountain slope and spent hours at our heritage resort, sitting opposite an amazingly cloudless peak and watching the last rays of the day cast a pink hue over this geologic wonder.

Exhilarating experiences don’t end there.

The next day, after a sunrise spectacle and a hearty breakfast we drove into nearby Kundasang to pay our respects at the War Memorial. This retreat honours the memory of all war casualties, but especially Australian and British service personnel who perished in the infamous Death March in 1944.

Meticulously cared for by a Thai man who neither served in the conflict nor knew any of those who died, the War Memorial has received glowing tributes from around the world including one from Queen Elizabeth.

Following this sombre stop we proceeded to the sloping hills, dipping valleys and sea of green enveloping the Sabah Tea Garden. Established in 1978, the biggest tea plantation on Borneo Island, has thousands of hectares covered with tea bushes. As we drove up the hill to the Tea House, I could see women with baskets carefully plucking green leaves which would later become Sabah Tea. (Some 5 tonnes of leaf are picked every day but just 15 per cent of Sabah Tea is exported.) It was a scene much like ones I have seen in Darjeeling in the north of India and Wellington in the south, though neither has tea plantations with the backdrop of a peak that’s encircled with timeless legends and secluded by mist most afternoons.

Having completed a round through the area’s top attractions, we headed back to KK. The state capital of Sabah lazes on the edge of the South China Sea overlooking a cluster of coral-fringed islands. Formerly known as Jesselton, the city had 30,000 inhabitants by 1881. Sixty years later at the start of WW II, the number had risen to 80,000. The city took a beating during the war, so much so that only three structures remained: a clock tower, the old post office and an administrative building. Everything else is new and there are a few architectural standouts.

The Sabah Museum & Science Centre is definitely a modern structure. Inside this

stylish building inspired by the longhouses of tribal people, I discovered a treasure trove of cultural artefacts and natural history exhibits. A display of relics from the Song Dynasty revealed that Sabah’s merchants were trading with the Chinese as early as 960 AD. Because of Sabah’s location on the northeast coast of Borneo, trade links have also been long established with the Philippines. Every evening the city’s largest bazaar comes to life on a little strip of land along the waterfront. The colourful Filipino Market which has an open air section for fruit and vegetables and a large covered stall for souvenirs is also a great place for fishjust-out-of-the-sea dinners at pocket pleasing prices.

While KK isn’t awash with attractions, there are numerous exceptional lures within a few hours of the 500,000-strong capital.

Having conquered the mountain – actually watched climbers do the hard yards – and leafed through a sensational tea garden it was time to monkey around … quite literally.

The Klias River is several hours from KK, yet the journey is most worthwhile because late afternoon cruises allow binocular equipped visitors to observe Proboscis monkeys feeding on rainforest trees. These rare denizens of the jungle are unlike other monkeys as the male is noted for a large protruding nose. As the harsh tropical sun dipped behind the towering trees and the jungle became cooler I saw more and more of these animal oddities dining from skyhigh ‘restaurants’ where the ‘menu’ features just one delicacy.

There’s far more on the table at the Mari Mari Cultural Village not far away. I tasted a veritable feast of tribal treats after having undergone a ‘confrontation’ with a group of ‘head hunters’ in front of their primitive homes. A 25-strong troupe of skilled performers – half a dozen acting out the role of fierce head hunters – ‘greet’ visitors before a collection of rainforest surrounded traditional homes.

During a highly informative 90 minute excursion into ancient Borneo, visitors learn about different tribes, see a blow pipe demonstration, sample rice wine, watch firestarting with bamboo sticks and participate in rousing dances along with the cast of authentically costumed performers. The performance ended, the dinner concluded and I reluctantly left this lost world setting, my mind spinning with the excitement of sensational Sabah.

Travel notebook Sabah FLIGHTS: Singapore Airlines has nearly 100

flights a day from five ports in Australia – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth - to Singapore with convenient connections to Kota Kinabalu on six days a week using its regional airline partner, Silkair. See your travel agent or call Singapore Airlines on 13 10 11. Visit www. singaporeair.com.au.

ACCOMMODATION

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With sweeping views of the South China Sea and within easy walking distance of the Filipino Market, the 451 room Promenade Hotel has a private pool and a choice of five food and beverage outlets.

For more information and special internet rates see www.promenade.com.my

The Mount Kinabalu Heritage Resort & Spa faces the majestic peak. Guests can choose from newly upgraded superior rooms or cosy chalets. Set the alarm so you can see the light from a new day sweep across the mountain face from your room!

See www.perkasahotel.com.my

INFORMATION

Tourism Malaysia, tel (02) 9299 4441, e-mail: malaysia@malaysiatourism.com.au will send out maps and guides on the state. See www. tourismmalaysia.gov.my. Assistance in planning your Sabah adventure and more details about specific attractions and activities is available from the Queensland-based Australian representative for the Sabah Tourism Board. E-mail sabahinfo@ bigpond.com. See www.sabahtourism.com

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MOTHER’SDAY

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The challenges of motherhood Courage, compassion and the ability to truly nurture, make some women extra special as mothers

BY SHERYL DIXIT

Another Mother’s Day is here and once again, I will enjoy the adulation and excitement from my two boys as they shower me with cards, gifts and lots of hugs and kisses. It’s standard operating procedure for Mother’s Day, and I am unlikely to ever tire of the routine, specially the hugs and kisses. But this year, I’m thinking about all those special women whose role as a mother is more challenging than mine, in different ways. Like the mums who have a child with a mental disability, whose only wish on their special day would be that their child could communicate with them. Or the mums who tend to their physically handicapped children, and wish that they could be healthy again. Or the mums who have tragically lost their children and who wish they could hug their child again. Or the women who have the ability to be wonderful mums, but cannot, for a plethora of reasons, have children. Or grandmothers, who take on the sole responsibility of bringing up their grandchildren, to give them a better life, as for whatever reason, their own children can’t cope with parenthood.

Or for the women who bear the responsibility of bringing up their children as a single parent.

I have been fortunate because, since becoming a mother, I have met some of these women. I have talked to a mum who struggles with her autistic son, fitting his sessions of various kinds of therapy into her busy schedule, as she juggles tending to the home, her other two school-going …what I found astounding in all children and a frequently– these women, is their amazing travelling courage and their even more husband. I have seen a mother coo discerning compassion. and cuddle her severely afflicted child suffering from cerebral palsy, delighting in every sound she makes. I once met a pregnant lady who had lost her eldest daughter to a particularly virulent form of cancer; she passed away within a year of being diagnosed, before her sixth birthday. Another mum told me the heart-breaking story of her son in his early 20s awaiting trial for manslaughter, as he ran over a man when driving drunk. Yet another mother could barely conceal her anxiety for her fourteen-year-old daughter who indulged in drugs and alcohol fuelled sex orgies, and still refuses to change her ways.

These are just a few of the situations that challenge mothers, but what I found astounding in all these women, is their amazing courage and their even more discerning compassion. It almost feels as if being in their situation has given them a deeper insight into life and its ultimate meaning. All of them without exception have a single philosophy: they ‘get on with it’. They ask for no pity or sympathy, and are all matter of fact about their situations. They have accepted the inevitable and take each day as it comes, good, bad or average. They make no attempt at deception – either for themselves or their family and friends. They take everything in their stride, from sleepless nights to shrugging off insensitive comments people make…. they are very special, and I admire all of them tremendously.

Without exception, these women are amazingly nice, cheery and very, very strong. I look at my life with its hassles which are no more earth-shattering than children who don’t have an appetite or are overactive, and I realise that I have a lot to learn from them. Regardless of how they feel each day, they are INDIAN LINK

there for all their children, their partners and for the up to be a thief. And we never gave a thought to the extended family, who sometimes unwittingly make mother, other than pitying her and constantly referring the burden harder to bear by offering unsolicited and to her as the ‘poor thing!’ Some mums preferred to often, insensitive advice. In some cases it is everyone keep their disabled children within the confines of their but the mum who is in denial about their child’s true homes, to stay away from the unsuspecting cruelty of condition, making it hard for her to convince them insensitive comments, occasional bullying, even bold otherwise. A mum I know or covert stares. Fortunately, with a child suffering from awareness of disability is They take everything in their virulent ADHD confided that increasing and less people are stride, from sleepless nights she simply switched off each considering these children as to shrugging off insensitive time her parents and in-laws freaks of nature. insisted that her son be taken Now that I’m a mum, I think comments people make… to a religious institution to I can appreciate the effort it get prayed over to cure him takes in fulfilling one’s role of the malady. “Six sessions and they did nothing more towards one’s children. You love them, no matter what, than make him more hyper,” she said with a laugh. that’s what a mother does. But how hard must it be to “Another session and they’d have to start praying for not receive a reciprocal hug? Or to live each day fearing me too!” for them, for their lives and the circumstances that I guess I’m impressed because all through my surround them, knowing that there’s nothing you can childhood and youth, disability in any form was do to change things. Which is why I admire their sense considered a social taboo. Children and even adult of compassion so much. They seem to comprehend sufferers were ostracised and strange beliefs emanated better, to be more forgiving of petty human follies, around them. I have heard stories that their condition perhaps because their own experiences have been so was because of the ‘evil eye’, a result of their parents’ intense and heart-rending. or grandparents’ sins, because their mother didn’t I dedicate this Mother’s Day to those mums whose breastfeed them, because they were born during a strength of spirit, compassion, generosity and courage lunar/solar eclipse... Sometimes even the most minor have been an inspiration to me. With the fervent wish of disabilities became a big deal, like the time a that their children, regardless of their condition, are child was born with six fingers on each hand and an able to, in some way, acknowledge and appreciate them obviously jealous neighbour insisted that he would grow on this special day.

MAY 2010 <> 39

FOOD

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Pumpkins aplenty 500 gms pumpkin, chopped 1 medium onion, roughly chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1-inch piece ginger 2 carrots, roughly chopped 1 stick celery 1 small potato, cubed 2 chicken stock cubes, crumbled (or vegetable if you prefer) Salt and pepper to taste 1 tsp sugar 4 cups water Fresh dill leaves to garnish.

BY RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA

Pumpkin: a term of endearment.

Kaddu (Hindi for pumpkin): used colloquially to mean clumsy oaf.

You either love pumpkins, or hate them.

I myself was not a great pumpkin lover, until I moved to Australia. The wonderful varieties so abundantly available here (the world-famous Queensland Blue, the lighter Butternut, the sweeter Japanese, and the cute Golden Nugget) beckoned from the grocer’s shelves; I simply had to try them out.

Of course the variety of ways in which you can cook the pumpkin added to its attractiveness, for me. You can make a subzi, make a soup, bake it, stuff it, make muffins, put it in a raita, stuff it in a paratha, or even convert it into an Indian dessert.

Here’s a collection of my favourite pumpkin recipes that I’ve gathered over the years. First, the recipe that started off my love affair with the pumpkin - I learnt it from my mother-in-law, a fantastic cook (apparently she learnt it from her mother-inlaw, so I can safely stamp the Luthra name on this one!)

Pressure-cook all ingredients (except dill) together. Cool and process in the food processor till smooth. Return to cooker and heat through. Garnish with dill before serving.

To make the soup more fanciful, you could add a granny smith apple. Also, you could reduce the amount of water while cooking and add milk, or coconut milk, after processing. To serve, you could add a dollop of sour cream, and sprinkle ground nutmeg over.

Baked Pumpkin

½ butternut pumpkin, peeled and thinly sliced 3 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced Butter or olive oil to grease 2 eggs beaten 2 tbsp brown sugar 1 ¼ cups cream Ground nutmeg.

Pumpkin Subzi

400 gms pumpkin (preferably Jap), cut into medium-sized cubes 1 large or 2 medium onions, sliced 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tsp fennel (saunf) seeds 4-5 numbers large black cardamom 1-inch piece cinnamon Salt to taste ½ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1-2 tsp garam masala ½ tsp sugar Red chilli powder to taste Fresh green chillies to taste Fresh coriander leaves for garnish.

Heat oil in a kadhai and add fennel seeds, cardamom, cinnamon and green chilli.

When seeds splutter, put in the onion and pumpkin and sauté. When pumpkin pieces are well-coated with oil, add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Stir to combine, reduce heat and cover. Keep stirring at regular intervals to ensure the vegetable doesn’t stick to the bottom. Mash gently as the pumpkin gets cooked, but allow some pieces to remain lumpy. Add in sugar and cook till pumpkin is well done. At the very end, introduce the garam masala and mix well. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.

Pumpkin Paratha

1 ½ cups grated pumpkin (preferably Jap) 1 small onion, very finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp garam masala Red chilli powder to taste Salt to taste 1 tsp sugar 1 tbsp vegetable oil Prepared roti dough Ghee or oil for making parathas.

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To make pumpkin stuffing, heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan, add onion and garlic and sauté briefly. Introduce pumpkin and stir; add cumin, coriander and red chilli powders, salt and sugar. Cook till pumpkin is done.

Break off a lemon sized portion of the dough, fill with stuffing, seal the edges and carefully roll into a 5-inch diametre paratha.

Grease a non-stick tawa with oil and cook the paratha on both sides till golden brown in colour. Serve with chilled curds and pickles.

dal. When seeds splutter, add to the yoghurtpumpkin mixture.

Garnish with coriander to serve.

Pumpkin Raita (southern style)

Cream butter and sugar. Add pumpkin. Add well-beaten egg. Add milk slowly. Add sifted flour. Knead lightly on floured board. Roll out 2-3 cms thick. Cut into rounds. Place on greased oven tray. Bake in a hot oven (230260 degrees C) for 20 minutes.

Place on rack to cool.

(While this is really a raita to be eaten as an accompaniment in a main meal, it goes wonderfully well also as a dip with corn chips).

1 cup Japanese pumpkin chunks 2 cups thick yoghurt, whisked 1 onion finely chopped Red chilli powder to taste Fresh coriander for garnishing 1 tbsp oil ½ tsp mustard seeds ½ tsp urad dal 2-3 dry red chillies 1 sprig curry leaves Pinch asafoetida Salt to taste.

Cook pumpkin in the microwave for 3-4 minutes covered. Mash and let cool.

Add yoghurt, salt, chilli powder, cut onions and mix well.

Heat oil in a pan, add asafoetida, mustard seeds, curry leaves and urad

Pumpkin Scones

2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp sugar ½ cup mashed pumpkin 1 egg ½ cup milk 2 ½ cups self-raising flour.

Pumpkin Soup

(There are many recipes for pumpkin soup: this is my healthy version).

Cook pumpkin partially by adding to boiling water. When slightly tender, drain. Cook potatoes similarly.

Butter or grease a baking dish and put in one layer of pumpkin slices. Lay out a second layer of potatoes. Top off with a third layer of pumpkin slices.

Whisk together eggs, sugar, cream and nutmeg. Pour over layered vegetables, allowing to trickle down through the layers.

Bake in moderate (180 degrees C) oven for 35-40 minutes.

This is a wonderful preparation especially for cold winter nights, to accompany a meat dish. For a slightly less rich version, layer par-boiled pumpkin slices in a lightly greased baking dish. Drizzle honey over, and sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake until pumpkin is cooked.

For a diet-version which is a favourite in my family, layer pumpkin slices in a lightly greased baking dish, sprinkle your favourite dried herbs over, cover with foil and cook in a moderate oven.

Pumpkin Halwa

2 ½ cups grated pumpkin (preferably Jap) ½ litre milk 1 tsp cardamom powder 1 tsp poppy seeds Few numbers fried cashewnuts and raisins ¾ cup ghee 1 cup sugar.

Put pumpkin and milk together in a heavybottomed pan and cook over low heat till pumpkin turns tender and the mixture thickens. Add ghee and mix well. Then introduce sugar, cardamom powder and poppy seeds. Keep stirring till mixture becomes thick and dry. Take off heat and mash to a paste. Serve garnished with cashewnuts and raisins.

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HUMOUR

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How could he do what he did?

Dear Auntyji We came to Australia from Canada about 15 years ago. In that time, we lost touch with some very good friends of ours. Last month, I went to a wedding and I ran into an old friend from Toronto. She was very happy to see me and so was I. We talked for ever, but the sad news is that my friend’s husband left her a few years ago for another woman.

I was very sad and disappointed to hear this. Now my friend’s husband is coming over in two weeks’ time to visit us, and I am quite uncertain as to how to behave towards him. I mean, how could he leave his wife and children?

Has he no shame? And I feel that I won’t be able to act the way I usually did when we used to spend time together at parties, get togethers, etc. What do you recommend I do?

Auntyji says I am always surprised to read about how judgmental people really are. My stance on this is that most people do not have enough self esteem to realise that everyone makes choices in life - right or wrong and we have absolutely no right to judge anyone, unless of course, they happen to kill someone we really love.

Now, about your friend. Unless he has grown horns on his head and has hooves instead of feet, I suggest you treat him exactly as you would have 15 years ago like the dear friend he and his wife were. So what if this guy left his wife and children -

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Ask Auntyji would you know why he did that? He could have a hundred reasons for doing what he did. First, you have no right to know any of the gory details, and second, you have no right to judge him.

Unless you were the third party in that marriage, you really shouldn’t decide whether he was right or wrong to leave.

That’s for him and his ex-wife to sort out.

And as for shame? Well, I ask you dear lady, how would you like it if people asked you if you had no shame for ... wearing the clothes you do, or because you are strict with your children, or you prevent your husband from going to the club with some friends. Mind your own business, and show your friend some sympathy. I’m sure he left for valid reasons - and even if he didn’t, don’t judge him. So treat him like a friend.

On pre-teen make-up use

Dear Auntyji My 12-year-old daughter insists that she be allowed to wear makeup. She says all her friends wear eye-liner and lipstick

and blush and even eye shadow therefore she should be allowed as well.

I am tired of hearing her ask for it over and over and over. Do you have any nuggets of advice for a tired mother?

Auntyji says Eye shadow at 12? Lipstick at 12? Oh, do I have a nugget for you or what? Say no to your daughter. Twelve is ridiculously young to be wearing make up - and you should put your foot down and say no. You can tell her that - that she is too young to wear make up. Make up on young girls is a pet hate of mine - so let me get on my soap box for a short while.

The problem with middle class people is that they do not think. Through our actions (or lack of them), we indicate it’s absolutely fine for our young daughters to be sexualised at an early age - with what they wear, how they dance, how they carry on with friends. Childhood is an extremely short period in one’s life, and it should remain that.

Childhood is not meant to be a dress rehearsal for adult life, where young girls

dress provocatively to appear older than they are in order to get inappropriate attention. And they will get that. That’s why I’m completely against beauty contests and talent shows where we have these strange half-girl-half-women 10-year-olds wandering around looking like midget women. This is unsettling to observe, and why parents can’t see this is beyond me.

On the one hand, we allow our daughters to run around and dress like they’re 30, than when they get negative attention, we completely take no responsibility for their actions. So tell your daughter, no, she cannot wear make up until she is at least 15. And stand by your ground. Of course, if you have raised your daughter well, which I hope you have, she will listen to you. If you are a parent with no control over your 12-year-old, then your daughter will probably wear make up at school etc, behind your back. In this instance, you will have failed as a mother because the last time I looked, a 12-year-old raised well was supposed to do as parents said. Now, if on the other hand, you think I’m an old nag with no understanding about what is fashionable today, well, let me tell you that watching a 10-year-old gyrating like Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani is disturbing. So I don’t need to be fashionable and trendy to know what’s right and wrong. Of course, I’m not so old that I am set in my ways. So, as a compromise, let your daughter wear lipgloss or eye liner like kajal.

There’s nothing wrong with this because lip gloss is protective and kajal is ... who am I to prevent pretty young things from using kajal. Good luck. And remember, you are the mother, so stand your ground.

MAY 2010 <> 41

42 <> MAY 2010

INDIAN LINK

FICTION

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The gift It is possible to love and accept a child who is not biologically yours, notes this enchanting short story

BY RANI JHALA

What is this obsession women have about being a mother? Why do they feel half a person without a child? Being a man, I could never understand my wife’s unexplainable desire to be a parent. We could not have a child; it was sad, but it was not a tragedy. I still found myself grateful for all the other things we had together – a great home, super jobs, loving families and a love that few could boast of. We had plenty of nephews and nieces between us too. But after ten years of marriage, suddenly they were not enough for Rita.

Two years earlier we even tried being foster-parents.

But each time the children went back they seemed to take away a part of her heart. Six months into the exercise, I pulled her out of it. I could not see Rita breaking apart, time and time again.

It was then that my mother suggested adoption. The gleam in Rita’s eyes spoke of the hope that the comment had raised. I was not sure if adoption was the answer.

To bring up someone else’s child as your own, to give it your name yet know you do not share the same blood. To have people say, ‘Now who does he look like?’ and know there will never be a resemblance. There were too many negatives to warrant a serious thought, but looking at the hope in Rita’s eyes, I could not deny her the effort of at least pursuing this avenue.

The next morning she had already set up the interview.

A week later we sat in front of our consultant Jenny, and gave her every detail of our life. We signed authorisation forms so they could do criminal and credit checks on us. We even gave our medical records, birth certificates and financial papers. And after a long and exhausting interview, we were told that if all the checks were cleared we would be put on a waiting list, and that it could take up to a year or two at the earliest.

And so began our wait, and with it our disappointments. On paper we proved the ideal candidates, but for some reason we met delay after delay.

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Finally after a year, I had had enough. I told Rita I could not cope with the wait any longer and that I never really wanted to be a father in this way. That sometimes accepting destiny did not mean accepting defeat. It was just compromising with the inevitable.

I expected a fight from Rita, but this time she calmly said, “If that is how you feel then go and let Jenny know tomorrow before we change our minds. I want this waiting to end too.” Rising, she touched my hand and left the room with the words, “I need some time alone.”

So, the next day after my morning meeting was over I drove to ‘The Perfect Match’, our adoption centre. I was asked to take a seat in the glassed-in waiting room.

And it was then that I saw the baby. With curly hair, huge baby brown eyes, chubby dimpled cheeks. It looked like a cherub! Even the mischievous grin had been packaged in. And the infant was looking at me.

Just me! Of the four people seated in the lounge, it was me it smiled at. It was me it reached out for. Sitting on its carer’s hip, it was me it tried to leap towards, almost falling over in the process.

And of the four people in the waiting room, it was my arms that automatically reached out to break the fall, only to meet the glass screen. It was my heart that stopped and then raced again. And it was me who felt pain as the carer holding the baby securely again, walked away.

And I knew then, even if Rita and I had to wait a hundred years, we would wait it through, because somewhere in the future would be a child who would be ours. Only ours! A little babe who would make my heart stop, just like this little one.

Changing my mind about withdrawing our application I turned to walk away. At that very moment I noticed Jenny.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting,” she said.

I turned back to look at where the baby had been and said, “Actually I’ve changed my mind. We will continue to wait.”

“Come in to the office, we can talk there,” said Jenny pointed towards her room After we had seated ourselves she said, “I am presuming you were going to pull out. What changed your mind?”

How could I answer a question that I did not understand myself? How could I explain the feeling of wanting to protect that baby? How could I explain the

feeling of loss as the infant went out of view? All I could say was ‘I guess, that baby!’

Jenny spoke into her intercom, asking a ‘Tina’ to come in. A second later, in walked the carer and clinging to her with little tubby fingers, the infant.

“Thanks, Tina, I’ll take over,” smiled Jenny, reaching out towards the baby. Only the baby had other ideas as it twisted, then leapt towards me. Once again my arms reached out, but this time to hold her safely.

After Tina left, Jenny went on to explain that our name had come up twice before, but each time she felt I was not ready. Jenny said she had to make sure that both parents wanted a child equally. Unlike biological children, kids who are adopted at some stage or the other have to confront the knowledge that they were taken from their biological parents, whether by nature, circumstances or other forces. And they must confront this knowledge from within a safe, loving haven made for them by their adoptive parents.

“I know of Rita’s pain, but I could not in all honesty, look at anything but the child’s well-being first,” Jenny confided.

As I looked down at the bundle now chewing at my knuckles, I was truly glad. Not only was I finally ready for parenthood, but it meant that this little one had specially been sent for us.

“Are you saying this baby is ours?” I asked nervously.

“Well, she has chosen her new family. Her mother this morning; her dad just now! I can see that your wife agrees,” said Jenny.

“My wife?” I followed Jenny’s gaze to see Rita standing at the doorway, beaming like a new mother.

Looking at Rita I had to ask, “This morning? What if I had stuck with the original plan?”

As if on cue, my daughter looked at Rita. I smiled, “So you worked in partnership with your mum, did you?” Her answer was to dribble some more as she laid her cheek against mine. I was seeing women’s power at its best. No plan of mine would have ever worked against this. And I was glad.

“You know, it’s symbolic that you came in today. I know you’ve not celebrated this day before, but you might as well start now!” said Jenny to Rita.

Cradling Niki, I rose and walked over to my wife.

Handing the baby to her I said, “Just for today and only for today, she’s completely yours - Happy Mother’s Day!” MAY 2010 <> 43

KIDS

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Laugh out loud

Pizza anyone?

The world’s most expensive pizza is valued at US $178. It is sold at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze Restaurant in London. It has onion puree, white truffle paste, fontina cheese, baby mozzarella, pancetta, cep mushrooms and wild mizuna lettuce, and fresh shavings of a rare Italian white truffle.

National Pizza Month is October.

The biggest pizza ever made was baked in Norwood, South Africa in 1990. It was a massive 100 feet across.

The largest pizza delivery ever took place on June 6 2006. Papa John’s pizza company took 13,500 pizzas to the NASSCO Shipyard in San Diego, California, USA.

Q: What did one tonsil say to the other?

A: “Get dressed. The doctor is taking us out tonight”

Nicole: My mum has the worst memory in the world Jennifer: She forgets everything?

Nicole: No, she remembers everything.

Q: What did one flea say to another as they were coming out of the theatre?

A: “Shall we walk or take a dog?”

Q: How long is the song Soap, soap, soap, soap, soap?

A: About 5 bars.

DL

They want us to have red cheeks without having to use make-up.

It’s their way of telling us they find us really irritating.

In 1889 Raffaele Esposito, a famous pizza chef created a pizza for Queen Margherita with tomato, basil and cheese, to resemble the Italian flag. Today it is the most popular kids’ pizza – we know it as the margherita pizza.

Q: Why did the traffic light go red when it changed?

A: Well, so would you if you changed in the middle of the street.

Why elders pinch the cheeks of children

It’s a way of testing their finger strength.

In the 16th century, Maria Carolina, the Queen of Naples eventually convinced her husband, King Ferdinand IV, to allow the peasant dish pizza to actually be made in the royal oven.

John: I’ve got a problem. I live with my three brothers.

One brother has six dogs, one has five cats and one has two goats. The smell is killing me!

Jack: Why don’t you open the windows?

John: What, and lose all my pigeons?

They want to see how much weight we have lost/ gained.

They want to check if we have brushed our teeth well.

ML and DL

Foto Corner

ML

I learnt a new word Fruitarian One who lives on fruit DL Dilemma A situation where one is faced with two choices, both favourable or both unfavourable.

ML

44 <> MAY 2010

Devna works hard to paint her room, but Manan prefers to muck around – and does not really paint, as you can see.

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STARSFORETELL

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Tarot ‘n’ You Tarot predictions for April 2010

ARIES March 21–April 20

By

GUNEETA DHINGRA

LIBRA September 23 – October 23

‘Make hay while the sun shines’ needs to be your mantra. You are likely to find yourself involved with a person who has no fear of the unknown and readily takes a risk. Change is his/her way of life. You are likely to be offered a fleeting opportunity of assistance from a person who is unpredictable and has a quick mind which shall be shortly focused somewhere else. The card for you represents instant action with no time to think over the other options.

Tarot indicates success through discipline of self and practicality. In order to succeed, you will have to have a pragmatic approach to life in spite of the limitations that confront you. Tarot represents stability, strength and conviction. New opportunities would come your way. You need to make the best of them, by laying solid foundations that shall finally lead to success. You should be prepared to act instantly and leave place for any changes that may be required.

TAURUS April 21–May 21

SCORPIO October 24–November 22

You realise that you can no longer stay away from issues of concern, and must face your problems head on. There is conflict in the air that may have brought about the worst side of everyone involved. You need to be careful of someone who can create trouble. You have to avoid arguments for your reputation may be at stake. The end result is not likely to give anyone much happiness. You should be careful taking up only as much responsibility as you can cope with.

GEMINI May 22–June 23

You are able to reap the rewards of the efforts you have put in till now.

A business project would prove to be a very good investment, as it would bear great financial rewards. It can also indicate a change of job or hiring of skilled people for expansion of a project. You are likely to meet a person who shall offer financial support for a new project. In a relationship reading, this card suggests that efforts need to be made to control a partner in a subtle manner.

CANCER June 23–July 22

Tarot foresees both success and fulfilment for you this month. You are likely to be happy on achieving lasting success. You are blessed to have the support of people around you. The goals currently on your mind, towards which you seem to be working whole-heartedly, will bring you success. A positive card is drawn in a travel reading also. Overseas projects are indicated by this card. You should continue to put in hard work in whatever you do.

LEO July 23–August 23

You need to focus on making important decisions. Tarot indicates changes of some kind, which may be to do with residence or job and could either be temporary or permanent. You could be bored with life and might feel the need for a change. The card for you represents flight, emigration or a new relationship. It is good to be fearless but be careful and avoid being rash and impulsive. You are likely to find yourself being forthright, positive and eager for action.

VIRGO August 24–September 22

Tarot sees a confident approach to life in general. You are required to be adaptable. Gains and victory are on the cards. Past efforts bring rewards.

Legal matters would be resolved favourably. You may receive public acknowledgment for your work. In a relationship, both you and your partner have similar goals in the relationship and are likely to achieve these goals. A new stage of commitment may be seen in a relationship.

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Your focus is likely to be on your achievements and an overall feeling of happiness resulting from them. It is a card that signifies success and victory. You are nearing your personal goals and an enterprise is coming to a successful conclusion. You are feeling emotionally secure and content, which is due to a job well done. Your inner needs are fulfilled. In a relationship reading, a great deal of harmony is seen, as you have learnt to love and care for yourself and so you work towards making a happier relationship.

SAGITTARIUS November 23–December 21

This month, your focus will be on your ambitions. Tarot indicates that you will have a favourable encounter with an assertive person who will support you during a difficult time. Good looking, well built, honest and kind, this person is mature and good with people. He/she will be a helpful sort of a person, though he/she may not be emotionally involved in the situation.

It will be beneficial for you to you adopt the above-mentioned qualities yourself.

CAPRICORN December 22–January 19

Tarot indicates fortune, luck and change and with it new things and a different environment. Optimism should be high on your list, as whatever is down on life’s wheel shall never remain so and is bound to move up.

The key to your success lies in your adaptability to change with the flow of time. You need to observe this change and be open to it, as it shall bring positivity with it.

AQUARIUS January 20–February 18

Tarot indicates your ability to combine spiritual knowledge with spontaneity of temperament. You can achieve harmony by being patient and using self-control, as and when required. You need to be balanced in your approach and at the same time be diplomatic while dealing with others. A blend of actions and emotions would bring a sense of harmony within you, leading to inner peace. Time is right for both learning and teaching. If in a relationship, you are likely to see much development taking place. Travel will be fruitful.

PISCES February 19–March 20

This month your focus is likely to be on your ambitions. Tarot indicates that you will have a favourable encounter with an assertive person who will support you during a difficult time. He/she will be good looking, well built, honest and kind. He/she will be a mature person who is good with people. He/she will be a helpful sort of a person, though he/she may not be emotionally involved in the situation. Tarot suggests that it will be beneficial for you to you adopt the above-mentioned qualities. You will do well in a career in sales or in any goal-oriented position.

MAY 2010 <> 45

Matrimonials SEEKING BRIDES

A

ustralian permanent resident, Sachdeva/Arora Hindu boy, 5’6”tall, 32 years, born on 30/08/1977, never married, good at heart, caring and loving by nature. Seeking good looking girl for marriage, having good moral values, family oriented, caring, honest and educated girl. Nationality no bar. Email sachdevasunil30@gmail.com

S

eeking homely Bengali girl from families in Australia or India for my son (nurse), 28 years, 5’6”, fair, handsome, caring, settled in Australia with ties to India, non-smoker, non-drinker. Contact with photo and details to PO Box 2045, Woden ACT 2606.

E

uropean gentleman, Australian citizen, supportive, generous, easy going and pleasant personality, seeks attractive normal-weight female friend for no pressure easy going casual friendship.

Sydney area only. Please call 9736 2296 or email tomcasino1@yahoo.com.au

S

eeking match for my brother, Senior Manager in Reliance Bangalore, India.

37 years/5’11”, issueless divorcee, clean shaven Sikh, extra ordinary personality, responsible, caring. Parents settled in Baroda, sister married to Army doctor, happy to migrate, caste no bar. Contact Manisha 0401 542 550

S

eeking suitable match for Punjabi boy, 27 years, New Zealand citizen, height 5’11”. Working as an occupational therapist. Seeking bride under 26 years, slim, sincere and pleasant personality.

46 <> MAY 2010

Contact aunty skapoor65@hotmail.com or ring 0401692546.

SEEKING GROOMS

Brunei. Send details and recent photo at mukeshrandev@hotmail.com or Tel: 00 673-233 4324 (Res).

S

eeking professionally qualified and well settled match for 35/165cm, fair, beautiful, engineer, Australian citizen girl working as project manager in IT in Melbourne. Please respond with complete details to seekalliance@hotmail.com or 0425405247

eeking professionally qualified/ well-settled match for 39/165, never married, fair, slim, beautiful Punjabi girl, family oriented and responsible. Engineer working in Sydney, Australian citizen. Early marriage. Can relocate. Parents well-settled in India. Caste no bar. Email with photo: sydgirl09@gmail.com

W

S

S

ell settled alliance invited for 26-year-old Punjabi Hindu Brahmin girl, fair complexion, height 5’4”. Family oriented, working in Sydney, parents settled in India, brother’s family in Sydney. Send profile on vandikaushal@gmail.com or call 0451 371 798.

B

rahmin Iyer, 33/5’4”, I.T Manager with MNC, seeks suitable veg, nonsmoking Brahmin groom, 34 to 36, willing to settle in Australia. Please e-mail biodata and recent photo to padrad888@hotmail. com or contact 0414 789 004.

S

eeking clean shaven, professional alliance for our 27-year-old, 157cm, Sikh daughter. She is a finance professional with strong family values. We are settled in Australia for many years. Please send your details and photo to matrimonial275@ gmail.com

S

eeking a suitable match for Panjabi girl, 28 years (Aust citizen), 5’8”, fair, never married, working in Sydney. Seeking match with progressive and broadminded personality, preferably settled in Sydney, caste no bar. Parents currently live in

eeking professional, educated boy for Sood Khatri girl, 81 born, 5’4” M.O.A., working as a manager in Australia. Send biodata with recent photo to soodbrothers@yahoo.com

S

eeking suitable professionally qualified, Hindu, well settled match for an Indian-based Hindu girl, never married, 37 years, 165cms. Family are well settled in Sydney. Please contact Peter on 0400 981 912 or hariom1969@hotmail.com

age. Please email bio data and recent photographs to arieso@rediffmail.com

S

ister-in-law seeks educated and wellsettled boy for Sikh Punjabi girl.

She is working as Auditor at KPMG, Australian citizen, Sydney based, 23 years old, 5’ 6” slim and beautiful. Please send details and photo to Ravinder Kaur ravinderkaursydney@gmail.com

F

amily seeking suitable professional match for a very attractive and intelligent Punjabi girl with strong Indian cultural and family values. She is 35, 5”10”, Doctor, permanent resident of Australia, settled in Melbourne. Please contact with biodata and a recent photo at mail4rsk@ yahoo.com or 0407 901 806 ONLY if the boy is under the age of 42 and has never been married. Caste/cultural background no bar.

P

unjabi Arora parents invite never married well-settled/professional match for fair, slim, attractive, 37/165, IT professional with strong family values. Never married. Settled in Sydney.

Australian citizen. Status family. Caste no bar. Early marriage. Email with photo: ausgirl101@gmail.com

S

ister and brother-in-law seek a suitable groom for a lovely 25-year-old Fiji born Hindu girl, independent, fair, lovely girl, Australian citizen professionally qualified, currently working in an Australian company. Family seeks a qualified match from suitable boys 25 to 29 years of

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MAY 2010 <> 47

BUZZ

ENTERTAINMENT

The

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

Prateik’s still on pocket money

Conman Shahid returns

Prateik Babbar is making more money than most guys of his age, but his aunt Manya Patil says that he still gets the same pocket money at home that he did before he became an actor with the hit film Jaane Tu...

Ya Jaane Na. “Though Prateik’s life as a professional has changed and he’s making quite a lot of money, at home we haven’t allowed him to acquire any outward signs of his new status.

So yes, Prateik still gets the same pocket money that he used to before he became a star,” said Manya.

Son of late actress Smita Patil and actorpolitician Raj Babbar, Prateik, 23, is currently busy shooting for his second film Dum Maro Dum and rehearsing in Western dance forms under Sandip Soparrkar.

“Prateik has been practising hard in all the Western dance forms - the Salsa, tango, waltz, you name it. Filmy dancing was one area he was weak in. Now he’s making up in that area,” said Manya.

“When Prateik did Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na, he wasn’t sure if he was going to be an actor.

The aim now is to be a full-on Hindi film hero. But at the same time Prateik is very much grounded to a reality beyond cinema,” she added.

But Manya also wants Prateik to know the world better.

“I take him with me when travelling all over the country and abroad. I want his world vision to be broadened and to accommodate all kinds of reality, not necessarily born from cinema. At home we

PRATEIK BABBAR

don’t discuss cinema incessantly. Prateik has to understand that there is a vast world outside cinema,” she said.

Not that Prateik hasn’t been catching up on movie experiences. He has been avidly watching all the Hindi classics, including his mother Smita Patil’s, but sometimes seems to enjoy the performances of other actors more than his mother’s.

“Prateik saw Chakra and said he liked his Naseer uncle (Naseeruddin Shah) better than his mom. I looked at him sternly. But 48 <> MAY 2010

Remember Shahid Kapoor’s role as a conman in Vishal Bhardwaj’s hit Kaminey? Well, it seems like the role so suited the actor, that he’s now back in the soon to be released Badmaash Company, however, in a more sophisticated avatar.

The movie is actor Parmeet Sethi’s directorial debut and hunky Shahid has teamed up with Anushka Sharma in the film, that also stars comedian Vir Das and reality show star Chang.

Set in the Bombay of 1990s, Badmaash Company is about four youngsters who come together to start a business.

What makes their venture a stupendous success is that they find a way to beat the system and soon become the undisputed kings in their business.

Shahid said a lot of research went into their looks as the film is set in the 1990s.

“For example, we used clothes that were in fashion like high-waisted jeans, simple t-shirts which used to be tucked in, the aviators, which were all in vogue. Also the calculator watch that was very much in fashion at that time has been used in the movie. The film starts in 1994 and goes on for five years,” he explained.

The songs of the movie have already become a hit. And with Shahid’s presence, it’s likely that the movie will be a hit too. Good luck, Shahid, seems like acting the conman suits you perfectly.

he has his own mind. And uses it liberally.

He knows exactly what to do,” revealed Manya.

Prateik remains close to his mother’s family. He apparently shares a far stronger bond with his aunt Manya’s son Kail who’s studying in New York, than his half-brother Arya Babbar.

“To me there’s no difference between Prateik and my biological son Kail. Kail is approximately a year younger to Prateik.

The two cousins share everything - from confidences to clothes. I’ve never felt any difference in my feelings for Kail and

?

GUESS WHO

A Subhash Ghai discovery who lost the plot (Find the answer under Caption Contest)

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Prateik,” said Manya.

So will Prateik hold his own in the big, bad world of Bollywood? Let’s hope so.

Salman woos Sonakshi on Dubai metro

Chadha attacks the afterlife

After dealing with marriage issues in Bend It Like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice, Britainbased Indian filmmaker Gurinder Chadha returns with another outing on the same titled It’s A Wonderful Afterlife. Produced

by Sharan Kapoor, it stars Shabana Azmi, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Goldy Notay, Sally Hawkins, Jimi Mistry, Zoe Wanamaker and Mark Addy. It’s A Wonderful Afterlife is a romantic comedy about a mother (Shabana) who goes to extreme lengths to get her daughter married. Set in Southall, London, the film revolves around Mrs. Sethi (Shabana), a widow who is worried about her daughter Roopi who is alone and unhappy because she is plump and opinionated.

Mrs. Sethi’s matchmaking efforts to find a suitor for Roopi are rudely rejected. She avenges this by killing off the guys using her culinary skills. Eventually a police hunt begins for a serial murderer using a killer curry.

Mrs. Sethi doesn’t feel guilty until the spirits of her victims come back to haunt her. They are unable to be reincarnated until their murderer dies. So she must kill herself to free the spirits, but vows to get her daughter married off before this.

The spirits realise that helping Roopi find a suitable husband before the police catch Mrs. Sethi is in their best interests, and everyone begins to work together.

What follows next is rib-tickling humour.

With the presence of ghosts throughout the film in a more comical than scary fashion, the movie is also a tribute to the classic “Ealing Comedies” of London. “...as Indians, we live and breathe marriage.

As soon as a girl is born, it’s all about the wedding. And it hasn’t changed, it’s still the same, certainly here in England... And what I try and do is make light of it, to poke fun at it,” Chadha was quoted as saying.

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AKSHAY KUMAR

Students to have say in Mahesh Bhatt film

GURINDER CHADHA

It’s A Wonderful Afterlife released in the UK, but critics panned the film as “the worst British film of the year”. However, considering Chadha’s popularity in India, perhaps Bollywood and her Indian fans will be kinder…

Reviving Robin Hood

Akshay Kumar plays a con man in Tees Maar Khan and director Farah Khan says his role is inspired by English folklore hero Robin Hood. “In Tees Maar Khan, Akshay plays modern-day extra smart conman, who steals the money from the rich and gives it to the poor, someone like Robin Hood,” said Farah in an interview.

“Around 50 to 55 percent of the film is

Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt wants students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to approve the script of his forthcoming venture Chandu - based on slain student leader Chandrashekhar Prasad - before going ahead with the movie.

“I want all the facts right and don’t want to trivialise the script. So, I will approach JNU students to form a cell and check the script before we make the film,” Bhatt said in an interview.

Chandrashekhar Prasad was a student leader and activist from the JNU who was shot dead in 1997 while addressing a gathering at Siwan in Bihar.

When asked why he decided to explore this subject for a film, Bhatt, the creative consultant for the film, said it is important to talk about the history of India.

“Chandu was an activist who left a deep impact on the consciousness of people.

His murder led to a semi-rebellion of sorts, so I found the subject very interesting and decided to explore it further,” he added.

Imran Zaidi, a former Delhi University student, will make his acting debut in the film as the lead character, while the director and the rest of the cast for the film are yet to be finalised.

The film is slated to go on floor around October this year and is being produced by Dubai-based Irfan Izhar, an alumnus of the Aligarh Muslim University.

So why did he choose a newcomer, instead of a known face for the title role?

“I wanted an actor without an image attached. I didn’t want a person, who has a larger than life image, so decided on a newcomer,” Bhatt said.

Trust Mahesh to add a different dimension to film-making!

Kumar tried to read out passages, Sajid refused to hear it.

“I believe the reviews are good. But I’m not reading them. I don’t even want to know what’s in them. My loss. It’s between me and my conscience,” he said.

Housefull has had a good opening. The comic caper opened with more than 2000 screens worldwide and garnered a collection of Rs.48 crore gross in India and Rs.16 crore overseas in its first weekend. Made at a budge of Rs.45 crore, it stars Riteish Deshmukh, Arjun Rampal, Lara Dutta, Deepika Padukone and Jiah Khan.

This is Sajid’s second directorial venture after hit comedy Heyy Babby.

CAPTION CONTEST

What’s SRK thinking as he hands Juhi the award?

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

Last issue Caption Contest winning entry

Sajid Khan refuses to read Housefull reviews SONAKSHI SINHA

SALMAN KHAN

Filmmaker Sajid Khan took a vow just before the release of his comic caper Housefull - he would not read any reviews of his film.

“It isn’t as if I’ve anything against critics.

It’s just a mannat I took during release. You see, I had actually satirized all the critics through a song I had composed naming them on stage at an award function. There and then, I decided I have no right to read reviews for my films,” Sajid said.

So staunch is he about the vow that he wouldn’t allow any member of the Housefull cast to even read out passages of the reviews.

When the favourable reviews appeared, Sajid’s team began calling him excitedly. Sajid simply wouldn’t hear of it.

Even when the film’s lead actor Akshay

What’s Arjun Rampal crying about to SRK? “I am really scared of these Income Tax people, SRK. Tell me are all our transactions fair and legal? I don’t want to be a Kolkata-jail Knight Rider” Raj Saneja, Castle Hill, NSW Raj wins one free ticket to new Hindi film Badmash Company GUESS WHO ANSWER: Mahima Chaudhary

Salman Khan, the macho man of the industry who plays lead in Arbaaz Khan’s upcoming flick Dabanng opposite svelte, suave, sexy Sonakshi Sinha, shot for a romantic number in cosmopolitan Dubai, using its metro rail as the background.

The song was a lovely honeymoon number and Sallubhai was very impressed with the final outcome. The hot hunk was so enamoured with the locale of Dubai after shooting the romantic number that he expressed his desire to go to Dubai instead of European destinations like Switzerland, to shoot films. What tipped the scales was that people there understood Hindi and the administration was very cooperative, in stark contrast to American and European administrations. In the film, Salman Khan plays the part of a police officer in a small dusty village of Bihar, and he even tried to learn the local dialect, Bhojpuri, for the film to give it a touch of realism. The movie also stars Salman Khan’s brother Arbaaz Khan and Malaika Arora Khan in key roles.

The film is important for Sonakshi Sinha, too, as it is not only her debut film but she also has the distinction of being cast opposite Salman Khan in her very first film, an opportunity which other debutants can only dream about.

The major part of Dabanng has now been shot and Sallu’s keeping his fingers crossed that it will fare better at the box office than non-starters like Main and Mrs. Khanna and Veer. Perhaps newcomer Sonakshi will prove lucky for him…

complete and we plan to finish shooting

by September. Like always, in this film also you will see a mix of action, comedy and emotions,” she revealed.

This is Farah’s third film after Main Hoon Na and Om Shanti Om, but, in a first for her, it doesn’t star the indomitable Shah Rukh Khan, who has played the lead in both her previous movies.

The choreographer-turned-director is expected to release the film on Christmas.

Apart from Akshay, yhe film also stars Katrina Kaif, Akshaye Khanna, Arya Babbar, Aman Verma and Ali Asgar.

With Tees Maar Khan, Akshay is gearing up for an image makeover - he will be seen sporting an Indian Muslim look. Now how Akshay actually interprets the role remains to be seen. However, as a conman, he’s likely to do well, like Bollywood brother, Shahid Kapoor.

MAY 2010 <> 49

ENTERTAINMENT

Cine Talk

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Smiles and giggles galore Film: Housefull Starring: Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Arjun Rampal, Lara Dutta, Jiah Khan, Riteish Deshmukh Directed by: Sajid Khan

This is a sly tongue-firmly-and-stubbornlyin-cheek, slick and chic comedy about a loser, or a panauti - a word that recurs ad nauseum in this glorious gasbag of giggles, winks, nudges and innuendos packaged with such polished panache, that you don’t really care what the inter-relations in the parodic plot finally signify.

Maybe they signify nothing more than a numbing but pleasantly diverting nothingness. But who the heck cares, as long as the tumble of confusions generates a hilarious havoc.

Housefull, as the title suggests, is chockful of characters who bump into one another and into hard surfaces (including the unresolved edges in the plot) without injury. It’s all done in ricocheting rhythms of laughter that rises from the pit of the plot’s belly and moves upwards towards us, sometimes missing its target.

More than the screenplay (Milap Zaveri, Sajid Khan, Vibha Singh) which moves helter-skelter in every direction away from the centre of the plot and just about succeeds in coming to a reasonably coherent conclusion, it is the bevy of characters who are positioned in the screenplay with a supreme sense of pyramidal aptness.

Every actor shines because he or she knows the idea is to have fun and to transmit that fun to the audience. It’s the actors’ responsibility to make the maze of inter-relations hold together. They succeed.

Yes, sometimes the actors seem to enjoy the comedy of energetic error more than we do. Beyond a point how many slap-

happy slipping-on-the-floor nudge-nudgewink-wink oops-we-did-it-again rolling of the eyes biting-of-the-tongue jokes can we take??

But somehow it all holds together. Like a jigsaw done in the pages of a comic book and then put on celluloid, Housefull evokes smiles and chuckles in cramped and wideopen spaces.

There is a casino in London where our loser-hero is beckoned to stem losses, a casino waitress (Lara Dutta) whose traditional Gujarati father (Boman Irani, as confidently spontaneous as ever) has disowned her for eloping with a man of her choice, a stern government agent (Arjun Rampal, the only actor who doesn’t get to smile in this chirpy chuckle-fest), a sexy widow (Lilette Dubey) and assorted characters who come and go in a whoosh of wacky misunderstandings, confused identity and half-resolved comic snarls.

Sajid Khan’s earlier film Heyy Babyy was a minty mix of mirth and maudlinism. Housefull is a fullon flamboyant farce. Strangely there’s a subtlety even tenderness at times, in the way Sajid Khan handles the satirical material centred on the theme of a loser who brings bad luck on himself so often that he begins to wonder if there’s a method to the madness of his destiny.

Unlike most situational comedies Housefull chooses the lower octaves of storytelling. The scale is pitched down.

Even when the characters scream their lungs out, we don’t wince in discomfort.

This is the most wellbehaved comedy in recent times with an array of pert, but low-key performances.

Stripped of all buffoonery, Akshay Kumar does his most delicately balanced comic act ever. There’s a mellow maturity to the way he balances

may call the young characters that) are Powerful and gritty we offered no hope of solace or redemption.

Film: City Of Gold Cast: Seema Biswas, Karan Patel, Ankush Chowdhary, Satish Kaushik and Kashmira Shah; Director: Mahesh Manjrekar

There is no room for artifice in Mahesh Manjrekar’s latest work. A raw, gritty look at the world of the ravaged, City Of Gold is as powerful in portraying a bereft working class as Molly Maguires was about Irish mine workers; except for the fact that there is no room for pretty visuals in City Of Gold.

Manjrekar’s chawl-life, captured on camera with merciless frankness by Ajit Reddy, is a bleak world of dreamers and losers who are often the one and the same. His heroes (if 50 <> MAY 2010

This is the side of the slum that Danny Boyle missed when he made Slumdog Millionaire.

City Of Gold is neither stylish nor swanky enough to attract elitist readings of poverty.

Fiercely radical in thought and intensely socialistic in execution, the film plunges beneath the poverty line to emerge with characters whose despair is not an act for the camera. The sweat and grime, the corruption and crime are characters of their own in Manjrekar’s chaotic world.

Mumbai never looked murkier and less inviting.

Taking a panoramic look at the lives of thousands of mill workers in Mumbai who went on an indefinite strike in 1982 is like trying to hold the ocean in a tea cup.

Manjrekar, in what could easily be rated as his finest, most cogent work to date, does just that. He holds a universe in the eye of

farce with a more underplayed style of comedy. Riteish Deshmukh provides Akshay with the right cues. So do the rest of the actors. Among the three glamorous and sexy ladies Lara Dutta has the best comic timing. Mention must be made of Chunky Pandey who brings the roof down with his Italian-Punjabi accent and burlesque.

Housefull looks and feels right. The climax in ‘Buckingham Palace’ (replete with Queen

the camera. It is a world of the doomed and damned, no frills attached.

His return to fine form and the enrapturing energy level that sweeps across a multitude of lives without trivializing any of the characters are reasons enough to celebrate the joys of neo-realistic cinema.

But wait... City Of Gold not only marks the return of a storyteller who tells it like it is, without the comfort of shortcuts. It’s also a macroscopic look at people who populate the fringes. Their silent protests are seldom heard in cinema.

Not for a second do we feel any comforting distance from the misery of Manjrekar’s characters.

Manjrekar shoots his characters’ emotions in tight, comprehensive close-ups but wastes no time shedding excessive tears over their lives. The editor (Sarvesh Parab) cuts the raw material with ruthless economy, leaving no room for humbug and certainly no space for

Elizabeth and Prince Charles look-alikes) depends too closely on a literal outflow of laughting gas. But that’s okay.

Delicacy of comic presentation is not a claim that Housefull makes. But moments of muffled tenderness just happen in the plot’s confounded journey of a loser from no-love to know-love.

Worth watching for its mix of the wacky and the more tender variety of laughter.

commercial embellishments.

So the question, what happened to those thousands of mill workers who were overnight rendered bankrupt after the mills closed down? You will find some uncomfortable answers in City Of Gold. But most of the time you will be faced with questions about the quality of life we choose to hand over to those who are economically and emotionally weak.

Would this film have worked without the actors who don’t look like they are facing a camera? The whole batallion of characters flicker to life as though they were a part of an extended family shot by hidden cameras for a reality show.

Television actor Karan Patel as the youngest scion of Manjrekar’s troubled family is a revelation. He portrays pain, humiliation, angst, compromise and anger with complete authority.

IANS

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BACKCHAT

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Vegetarian

visions The travails of travelling vegetarians are as numerous as they are diverse, but there’s hope at the end of the tunnel

BY MALLI IYER

How good are you at negotiating your way through a maze?

Here is an example of a phone conversation between an airline booking agent and a traveller seeking a vegetarian meal.

Traveller: Hello, I am looking to request a vegetarian meal when I travel with you next week to San Francisco – can you help?

Airline agent: I am sure I can, but what sort of vegetarian meal did you have in mind?

T: I don’t eat meat or fish.

A: Does that exclude other animal products such eggs, dairy and milk?

T: Milk and dairy items like I know several vegetarian cheese, ice-cream and yogurt are okay. I could eat eggs if push friends of mine who came to shove. pretend that they are A: In that case, I shall request a Buddhists and get more VLML for you, which is called a lacto-ovo vegetarian meal. respectful treatment T: Hold on a minute, what from these and other options are available in vegetarian East Asian food meals served in-flight? establishments A: Sir, please pay attention and take notes if necessary – you could order an AVML (Hindu vegetarian meal), VJML (vegetarian meal for Jains), or a VGML (non-dairy products vegetarian meal), or a DBML (a diabetic meal with no sugar or glucose), or a GFML (a gluten-free meal), or a LSML (a lowsodium, salt-free meal). I have other meal choices, but you have to be more specific about your dietary needs. Would you think about it and call me back, please?

Everyone knows or has heard of unpalatable food served on flights, but the confusion created in the minds of customers (and cabin crew) is caused by what is on offer as opposed to individual meal preferences, which vary from one end of the spectrum to the other. While a North Indian might settle easily for a ‘dal-bhath/roti’ routine, a South Indian will yearn for a bowl of ‘thayir saadam’ (yogurt rice) as their minimum need.

Flight kitchens across the world are slowly waking up to this reality because of the continuous bickering of ‘fussy vegetarians’. Well, they better, in view of the rapidly increasing numbers of globetrotters of Indian origin. Our ‘desi’ travellers will be happiest when airline caterers realise that the correct

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route to their hearts is via their bellies.

You can see that there is an element of truth in the old cliché, “One man’s food is another man’s poison”.

Most readers of this piece will have their own unique horror stories of meals that have been served by airlines and hotels/restaurants, varying from cold, frozen rice pilaf (unthawed, straight from the freezer), small pieces of bone in their dish of gravy, rubbery rotis or naans, bland boiled vegetables or just stray pieces of fruit, as no special meals have been supplied for them.

In addition, they may have experienced extensive delays in service, no offer of pre-dinner drinks or coffee/tea with their meals. Airline cabin staff appear to have low tolerance for any out-of-the-ordinary requests. They are known to thrust the foil wrapped plastic tray under your nose with a ‘Veg Meal’ label stuck on it and rush back to the galley to worry about meals for the remaining majority. Add travel weariness to this equation and we can see that the passenger’s frustration only increases.

Vegetarians undergo a disguised form of social ostracism at conferences and conventions held in prestigious hotels, as by and large, these are catered for a Western, European or Continental audience, and a vegetarian menu is provided (if any) only as an afterthought. It is never as substantial or lavish as those for a meat loving clientele. The same holds true of restaurants and hotel chains who find it convenient to use animal fats e.g., beef tallow, shrimp paste or gelatine - all of which are animal derivatives - in their cooking medium, and make no exceptions for vegetarian clients. I know several vegetarian friends of mine who pretend that they are Buddhists

and get more respectful treatment from these and other East Asian food establishments.

It would not be untrue to say that most vegetarians have to fight for their right to be vegetarian in a predominantly carnivorous society, and they must expect to get less than a belly-full of food and dessert. Their cup of patience may be nearly full for the Indian diaspora, but they may not have to wait another generation before they get their own back.

Aside from the in-flight vegetarian meals and problems encountered by herbivores, our dietary habits are the increasing focus of climatologists, agricultural scientists and foodgrain and dairy industry experts. As our fresh water sources are expected to shrink due to expected global climate changes, the need to convert substantial segments of the population to vegetarianism may be unavoidable.

It is well established that producing 1kg of beef would see the use of 100,000 litres of water, 1kg of butter will use up to 18,000 litres of water, whilst producing a kilo each of rice, wheat, soyabean, lentils, beans, peas and potatoes will only use between 500 -2000 litres of water. It is important to note that consumers of soyabean and lentils get the same amount of protein as meat and cheese eaters, and they save 2000 litres of water in producing just a kilogram of foodgrain. Poultry, lamb, pork and beef consumption may soon be dubbed extravagances that our planet cannot afford for much longer. Diehard meat and seafood eaters may have to shell out a much bigger proportion of their income on food and grocery bills, almost like smokers who find it hard to kick this habit.

So vegetarians, zindabad! May your numbers grow and multiply….

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MAY 2010 <> 51

SRI MARUTHI ASTROLOGER & PALMISTRY World Famous Astrologer from Indian Generations

Pandith: SANJEEV SHASTRY Is in Melbourne Shastry is an expert in Palm, Face, Photo Reading, Numerology & Predicts your Past, Present & Future. Performs Home Shanti Pujas, Sudarshana Chakras, Laxmi Chakras, Vastu Consultation - Home & Commercial Premises Protection from any evils Don’t worry any more…..

KNOW THYSELF AS SOUL Sant Mat is a practical spiritual path based on meditation, ethical living, service to others & love for all creation. Its goal is to enable the soul to return & merge into its source; the purpose of human life described by mystics of all traditions. Discipline & dedication are essential, as is the help of a competent living master. Entry is via a preparation program.

There is no charge at any stage.

For more information...

Contact Vikas

0430 918 646 www.santmat.net.au

Know Thyself As Soul Foundation is a not for proft association incorporated in NSW

52 <> MAY 2010

For appointment contact: Sanjeev Shastry

0413 544 612 Private and Confidential

Are you suffering from any of the following problems: >HEALTH >FAMILY >MARRIAGE >LOVE >BUSINESS >EMPLOYMENT >HUSBAND & WIFE RELATIONSHIP >PROPERTY >COURT >CHILDREN >PROMOTION ETC.

100% Guranteed SHALIMAR - 3 Mason St (Near Dandenong Station) DANDENONG VIC 3175 7 DAYS A WEEK 11AM TO 7PM marutiastro@hotmail.com

Speaks >English >Hindi >Tamil >Telugu Has serviced >UK >Switzerland >France >Germany >Singapore >Malaysia >New Zealand

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