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EDITORIAL INDIAN LINK PUBLISHER Pawan Luthra EDITOR Rajni Anand Luthra

Window to India

ASSISTANT EDITOR Lena Peacock, Sheryl Dixit BY RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA

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BC TV’s recent Q&A program broadcast from India offered a realistic peek at the issues that plague contemporary India, including its perceptions of Australia.

Much like India itself, the program was an assault on the senses from the onset, in terms of sight as well as sound, thanks to the unusually bright visuals and the passionate but noisy panellists!

In the end, it left the ‘visitor’ Tony Jones somewhat impressed, perhaps intrigued, and definitely exasperated as he tried to make coherent sense of it all. The final sentiment for the viewers, indeed as many tourists have reported upon returning from India, was a wish for the engagement to continue for just a little bit longer, the realisation notwithstanding that there are some massive problems there, some of them beyond comprehension. Ahhh, the enigma that is India…

The issues that are engaging India at the moment came out loud and clear from the panel. To some degree, insights into Indian society also came from the live Twitter feed on screen.

For one thing, the stereotypes that both communities hold about each other, came to the fore.

It was ‘You treat your aborigines appallingly’ versus ‘How can you talk about racism when you invented the caste system?’

And, ‘Your men are disgusting for the manner in which they treat women’ versus ‘Your society is disgusting for the manner in which you treat asylum seekers’.

The open honesty of it all was impressive, and tellingly, there were no hard feelings.

The Australian viewers at least were able to glean some understanding of the level of involved debate taking place in India today as it struggles to find answers for its particular problems, whether food security, raising the standard of living, or gender equality. It was evident also that such involvement is taking place not only at the policy-making level, but at the social consciousness level as well.

Perhaps a reverse forum will allow Indian viewers to understand how Australia is debating the asylum-seekers question, other social issues such as alcohol-related violence, or even those that it has faced historically such as Stolen Generations.

It is here that migrant or ‘new’ Australians can make a contribution.

Two people on the program, a panellist

and a questioner, both Indian-origin Australians, impressed with their particular allegiance to the two countries that make up their sense of identity. With their unique long-term perspective on their country of origin and their adopted country, they can be the bridging gaps that other forums, such as government agencies and the business community can only try to be. While one is not in any way undermining the work done by these platforms, the suggestion is made that increased people-to-people contact can help shatter stereotypes and build relationships based on mutual respect.

And yet, India teaches us, that it will be alright in the end. The pretty girl will get up and dance to bring some much-needed cheer. India will forgive the British for their injustices and even learn to love them. The Commonwealth Games will conclude with no major mishaps. Heck, Indians might even change their perceptions about Australians and treat them like friends, because as Indian-origin Australians will tell you, they really do have many interests in common.

And another thing, it’s really not that difficult to find an Indian-origin person who doesn’t follow cricket. Believe it or not, we do exist (shock horror).

Or haven’t you noticed that there isn’t a single mention of the game in this particular piece until now?

DECEMBER 2013 5

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COVERstory

specIAL REPORT

PBD Sydney

Meagre attendance and few program sessions with mass appeal mar diaspora event

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BY Pawan Luthra

f the mission statement for the Regional Pravasi Bharitya Diwas (Overseas Indians Day) in Sydney was “Connecting for a Shared Future – the Indian Diaspora, India and the Pacific,” sadly, the event does not appear to have achieved its objective.

Poor attendance, unrealistic costing, a skew towards business in the program sessions, and less than satisfactory execution have been cited as factors.

With more than 800,000 Indian diaspora in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Island nations, Day One on November 10 saw less than 150 people in attendance. Numbers picked up on Day Two to about 350, but dwindled to about 200 on the last day.

The Sydney Convention Centre with its capacity of over 2,000 looked strangely desolate as key note speakers, some of them highly accomplished in their fields, made their addresses.

The concept of the Regional PBD

Regional PBDs are organised by the Indian Government’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs to provide a platform for the Indian community in a selected region of the world to contribute to the relationship between the countries of their region and India. Last year, the event was held at Port of Spain, Mauritius.

Earlier this year, there was much excitement in Australia’s Indian community as Sydney was picked to host the convention. An Indian High Commission communique said it expected “1,000 participants from within Australia and from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Fiji, New Zealand, PNG, Hong Kong, Phillippines and the Pacific Islands”. The Premier of NSW Barry O’Farrell showed the same enthusiasm, declaring that he foresaw “an

10 DECEMBER 2013

estimated $2.8 million worth of economic activity for NSW”.

In the end, no more than 350 delegates attended, of whom 140 were invited speakers. Most attendees were local Sydney-siders, with only a smattering from other states, predominantly Victoria.

The overseas delegates made up a negligible number.

PBD Sydney: Highlights

At the very outset, it must be said that hosting the seventh Pravasi Bhartiya Divas in Australia presented a great opportunity for the Indians in the region to connect with the motherland and with each other. Attendee Raj Natarajan, past UIA President, pointed out, “PBD Sydney was a perfect opportunity to present issues of concern in the local diaspora to the policy makers both in Australia and India, because we had the ears and eyes of the highest office in States, the Premiers and some of the highest offices at the Federal level like the Immigration and Trade Ministers”.

A significant platform was created by Australia’s nomination as the venue for the 2013 Regional PBD. As well, attendees were afforded an excellent opportunity to listen to speakers with some great stories to tell. The passionate and emotional speech by the former Prime Minister of Fiji, Mahendra Pal Chaudhry, particularly stood out. Equally well presented was the warm welcome by NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell who hosted the delegates at Government House, speeches by the Premier of South Australia Jay Wetherill and the Deputy Premier of Queensland Jeff Sweeney, and the warm and friendly Pallavi Sharda, Australia’s own Bollywood celebrity. Well-known recluse and cricket legend Steve Waugh turned up as well, to share his experiences in India.

From the Federal level, the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Scott Morrison and the Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb found their way to the PBD even as their new government

The Languages session: One of the few that appealed sat its first week in Parliament.

Two of the plenary sessions, one on languages and the other on media, went down particularly well. Never has the PBD discussed the power of Indian languages in the Indian diaspora; seeing this on the program was indeed heartening, and sets a positive precedent for future PBDs. The session on media was efficiently handled by moderator Sushi Das as she led the participants through a structured session yet allowed flexibility in the various discussion points.

Flying in two accomplished performance artists such as santoor maestro Shiv Kumar Sharma and acclaimed vocalist Meeta Pandit also added a deeper dimension to the cultural engagement of the PBD. Both artists thrilled the crowd, however small, at their performances.

Perhaps most successfully, the convention turned out to be a great opportunity for delegates to network with community members from other states and nations. Faces were put to names

already known, as people got to know each other.

So what went wrong?

The Chief Guest, India’s Minister for Overseas Affairs, Vayalar Ravi looked stunned as he stood at the dais to address the nearly empty Sydney Convention Centre in his opening speech. He fumbled his way through his address, which he attributed, somewhat strangely, to ‘poor stage lighting’. Speaking to Indian Link on the last day, the Minister did comment on the poor turnout, citing “the vast distances people would have had to travel, which would have added to the cost of attendance”.

Unfortunately, more things went wrong than right for this much-anticipated event.

For starters, the organisers chose an overly bureaucratised ‘top-heavy’ approach, about which much comment has already appeared in community media.

Decisions were made out of Canberra, not exactly the greatest hub of connectivity amongst the local India population in

Australia. Sydney and Melbourne seem to have more than a third of the targeted audiences of the PBD, and it is input from these concerned pravasis which should have been sought.

Perhaps the eligibility for membership in the managing committee should have been a non-GPS drive to centres of influence within the local Indian community, say Harris Park in Sydney. This would have verified the candidates’ credentials in terms of how connected they are to the bulk of the Indian community! (Take for instance, Senator Lisa Singh, who sat on the organising committee. While she is deservedly admired for making it to Parliament through sheer dint of hard work, her indepth knowledge of the Indian community here is questionable).

Jokes aside, the organisers simply could not excite the community about the PBD. Perhaps the marketing could have been better, to reach a wider section of the targeted audience.

Instead, thousands of dollars

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unable to engage Perhaps most successfully, the convention turned out to be a great opportunity for delegates to network with community members from other states and nations

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NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell with delegates

were spent on the venue and on brochures distributed at the event.

Sydney resident Rajesh Kumar wrote on Indian Link’s Facebook page, “There was absolutely no marketing. If people (or organisations) want to sell something, they first have to spend money to spread the word.

Generally our people have this habit in India of relying on the population, the quantity but not the quality; the Indian government has to realise that the quantity stuff with no quality can work

only in India and not outside India”.

The figure of registered delegates bandied about was 600; however even at the peak of the conference on Day Two, it was obvious that there were less than 350 people in attendance. When questioned about this, organisers responded that there had been 600 registrations, and perhaps people chose not to attend. Hard to believe, as there are not too many people who would forfeit the attendance fees of $425.

The cost of $425 per delegate was deemed extreme even by those who did attend. Not only was this amount prohibitive to most in Sydney, interstate and overseas visitors would have had to add travel and accommodation fares as well.

“I found it very pricey,” said one Sydney resident who chose not to attend. “There seems to be little idea of the income and lifestyle pressures of the local Indian community”.

He added laughingly that one organising committee member tried to entice him with the attraction of food: two grand lunches and two dinners, besides quality speakers at the sessions.

(Reporting on the event in Indian magazine Kerala Today, delegate Treassa Joseph commented that most of the attendees were members of the Indian community who were closely connected to the Indian High Commission or organisations that were already engaged in bilateral relations with India).

The decision to run the event over weekdays was another point of contention. This meant that

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COVERstory

specIAL REPORT Former Fiji PM Mahendra Chaudhary was a popular speaker

Saba Zaidi Abdi with Steve Waugh

Manpreet Singh with Minister Vyalar Ravi

many could not attend due to work commitments. Much of the Indian diaspora works in an employed category, and for most to take two out of their allocated 20 annual leave days to attend a conference, or take unpaid leave, is difficult. The weekday choice is more conducive to a business program where attendance suits the business community.

The heavy focus on business programs was robustly criticised by most of those attending.

Sources within the organising committee pointed the finger at Canberra’s micro management of the whole affair. With just a couple of individuals who had the ear of the High Commissioner Biren Nanda, there definitely was a strong bias towards business, with less emphasis on issues which concern and connect the local diaspora with India and within the region. Business sessions of opportunities in services, business opportunities in resources, business opportunities in primary commodities, business opportunities in infrastructure etc. would have all been well appreciated in an Indo-Australian business forum, not in what was

an essentially a forum for the diaspora to connect.

Saba Zaidi Abidi, the founder of Vision Asia network services was outspoken in her views.

“The Australia India Business Council was heavily involved in the planning and execution of the PBD event along with the Indian High Commission and dominated most of the sessions,” she wrote in a letter to Indian Link. “This makes one wonder as to what was the objective of this whole exercise? If the purpose of the PBD was to promote B2B relationships between governments, then yes, it did achieve that objectively to some extent. But if it was about people coming together to celebrate their common heritage, share experiences and bring to focus their current problems and issues, and highlight the needs of the pravasi community at large, it fell short of delivering that. There was hardly any P2P or people-topeople contact”.

Some break-out sessions saw no more than 20-30 people attending.

On one occasion, an organising committee member was seen imploring attendees to return to

the auditorium, even as they stood outside lamenting the lack of relevance.

Most sessions ran late – even the cultural performances.

Well-known santoor artist Shiv Kumar Sharma could not help commenting that Indian Standard Time seemed to have crossed international boundaries, as he patiently waited to start his show as part of the opening day entertainment. Members of the event management company that helped put the conference together were heard muttering in frustration as the organisers took time to get the event underway.

A note to organisers

It was clear to all those who attended that while it was an excellent opportunity to network, PBD Sydney could perhaps have been better thought through.

A press release by the organisers sent out upon the conclusion of the conference described it as “a very successful first-ever Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas held in Sydney”. They can continue to live with the delusion that it was “very successful,” or consider some of the following as suggestions. If they are not already doing such analyses, the community out there definitely is, and these suggestions are compiled from them.

The costing should have been reconsidered. Daily pricing or separate pricing for attending relevant forums would probably have brought in more attendance.

A more suitable venue could have kept the prices down. Would a weekend PBD have been better?

A solid publicity plan should have been put in place, much in advance, to ensure the message of the PBD got through clearly to the community at large. A more transparent way of working and organising the conference ought to have been adopted, rather than isolated decisions taken on the advice of a few who are largely not connected with the local community. Other minor plans to create goodwill in the community could have been implemented, such as free entry to attend the cultural performances (rather than have the maestros perform to empty halls).

The implications of Sydney PBD

The message that the Indian government will probably get out of the Sydney PBD, is that the Indian community in Australia (and the region) is too small, and/ or too uninterested, for them to bother with.

Deplorably, this is far from the truth. The Indian community is strong and fully capable

of making a difference, as mainstream politicians in Australia have already found out.

Their strength, and this is not just in their numbers, but also in terms of their influence, is set to grow in the very near future.

The Indian government has been slow in engaging with Australia, and a strong Sydney PBD would have indicated to them that the diaspora here could be relied upon to help them take the relationship further. Regrettably, this opportunity was missed.

On the other hand, the message that the Australian government will get out of the event, is that the organising committee could not engage the Indian community here. Both sides of the political divide are constantly on the lookout for strong Indian figures that they can count on to reach the community, a viable votebank. Perhaps the organisers were not those that the local diaspora look to as the true leaders of the community?

And finally, the message that the Indian community is going to take away from the Sydney PBD is this: the powers-that-be within the Indian government representatives here, as well as those within the community, need to be better in-touch with the community they serve, or hope to represent.

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CORRESPONDENCE PBD Sydney: An opportunity lost

It is heartening to know that the Indian Government has a separate ministry for overseas Indians and also makes an enormous effort to recognise the contribution of the overseas Indians to their motherland India, by conducting Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) every year. The regional meet of PBD held in Sydney on 10, 11 and 12 November presented a great opportunity to address some of the major problems facing people of Indian origin living in Australia.

We always talk about three Cs which bind Australia and India: Curry, Cricket and Commonwealth, but most recently another C has been added which is commerce. Yes, the PBD platform is used to promote commerce between India and other countries which have benefited from Indian migration like Australia. Most of the Indian migration, especially to western nations including Australia is through skilled migration, bringing doctors, engineers, IT professionals, accountants and business brains. Australians of Indian background are generally well educated and belong to the top economic strata of society and hence they are not only able to look after themselves but also look after and help disadvantaged people in their community.

The disadvantaged people in our community are those people with Indian passports who travel to this country like the senior citizens who come to live with their children, Indian international students, and Indian workers on short term work visas who work in farms etc. These disadvantaged people are doing it tough and they need the help of the Indian High Commission/Consulates in major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. However, such help can be delivered only with the help of the host i.e., State and Federal Governments of Australia. It is in this context that the Australian citizens of Indian heritage can play the role of ambassadors of India in Australia and have the power to lobby with politicians to make those policy changes necessary to make the life of Indian seniors/ students/workers a bit easier and happier.

PBD Sydney presented a perfect opportunity to make those points with the policy makers because they had the ears and eyes of the highest office in States, the Premiers and some of the highest offices at the Federal level like the Immigration and Trade ministers. Unfortunately no such attempt seems to have been made to lobby for change in policies which affect Indian seniors/ students/ workers.

For example, the Indian seniors do not have Medicare cover, travel concessions or seniors’ card facilities, which results in a huge drain on those young immigrants who are trying to find their feet. Indian international students are being used as cash cows. Indian workers who are on work visas are being exploited by their employers in farms and factories. What did PBD, Sydney do to address these problems? I am afraid nothing, unless I am proved wrong.

While there were some highlights like NSW & SA Premiers’ and Immigration & Trade Ministers’ speeches, Steve Waugh’s address and the Pallavi Sharada interview, I think the following shortcomings were too many to ignore: • To start with the high registration fee discouraged many interested non-resident Indians to participate.

• The registration fee could have been waived for Indian seniors, students and workers to ensure their participation, thus providing an opportunity to tell their stories and seek

solutions to their problems.

• Publicity was totally lacking and 90% of the non-resident Indians in Sydney, I spoke to were completely unaware of PBD Sydney.

• Although there were many eminent speakers, it was evident that merit was not the criteria for selection of most speakers. It was apparent that personal preferences and favours played a part in the selection.

• I found very little scope for interaction between the Indian Government delegates, including the Minister for Overseas Indians, who mostly kept to themselves and the participating non-resident Indian delegates, with exception of a privileged few.

• PBD Sydney was a good idea but poorly executed.

Raj Natarajan OzIndTV Sydney

Disappointing turnout

I think the program outline and the calibre of speakers at the Sydney PBD were fantastic, especially at the breakout sessions. Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma’s santoor recital and the exhibition on Indian migration to Australia were my personal highlights, and also the fact that I met a lot of people for the first time – people I had previously only heard of or known of, but had never met in person. It was disappointing to see the low turnout though – the large venue seemed to swallow up the small-ish audience quite easily. Also, having attended the PBD at Kochi in January this year, I had expected the RPBD to have a much stronger focus on local community concerns, people’s issues and diaspora matters than it did – the Sydney convention seemed to focus more on business instead. That said, perhaps the objective of holding the RPBD was not clearly understood by most of the attendees, and only the organisers can tell us if they were able to achieve what they set out to. All in all though, it was a good experience and a great networking opportunity for those who attended.

Manpreet K Singh Executive Producer Punjabi Program SBS Radio

B2B, not P2P

After months of preparation, pooling of enormous resources and publicity hype, one was expecting PBD to be a huge celebration of people of Indian origin in the Oceanic region. As it turned out it did attract some politicians, a few businesses, the education sector and large Indian delegations exploring business opportunities with Australia. 1,000 delegates were expected to attend the PBD at the prestigious location of Darling Harbour Convention Centre, but only 500 plus enrolled, out of which over 1/3 were speakers or invitees. The plenary sessions were attended by not more than 250 people at any given time in a hall that had around 3,000 capacity. The show went on but the audience was missing.

It was a well organised event but lacked lustre. AIBC was heavily involved in the planning and execution of the event along with the Indian High Commission and dominated most of the sessions.

This makes one wonder as to what was the objective of this whole exercise? If the purpose of the PBD was to promote B2B business and bilateral relationships between governments, then yes, it did achieve that objectively to

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some extent. But if it was about people coming together to celebrate their common heritage, share experiences and bring to focus their current problems, issues and highlight the needs of the Pravasi community at large, it fell short of delivering that.

There was hardly any P2P, or people to people contact.

So why did it fail to attract the community? Was it the high cost of $350 [early bird discount] for a 3-day event fair?

Or because it was scheduled on working days? Perhaps the programme lacked lustre and failed to attract interest amongst the community at large. Maybe it was a combination of all the above.

Why were there no popular events scheduled, open to the public free of cost? If the Government of NSW could host AR Rehman in a free concert for the Indian community, why can’t the Government of India do the same for its pravasis?

Renowned artists like Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and Meeta Pandit were invited to PBD but the concert was open only to the delegates and they performed to an almost empty hall.

In fact Meeta Pandit commented, “Where is the audience - is there a cricket match taking place?”

Some important sectors like medicine and health, tourism and sports were missing from the 3-day agenda.

As for the round table discussion on ‘Power of Media in the Asian Century,’ which was well chaired by Sushi Das of The Age, which I was invited to be a panellist on, we had a robust discussion on: • Role of media in both countries in reporting Violence against Indian Students in 2010 and lessons learnt from it.

• Will the Indian media play a dominate role in shaping the world opinion on the global stage like the west did in the last century with the power of its economy and the magnetism of its culture? Will we see an Asian Rupert Murdoch emerge?

• Thirdly, in the next 20, 30, 40 years, where are we likely to turn for authoritative, accurate and balanced news coverage? The influence and uses of new media – whether it’s the social media such as Twitter, Facebook etc. or online news, analysis and blogging, as well as online TV/radio.

• The need to have an NRI TV channel which connects the Indian diaspora globally and focuses more on issues and concerns for non-resident Indian and 2nd and 3rd generation Indians. (Minister Ravi who also attended the sessions agreed to offer support to any such initiative).

• A critique of the local print media which has predominantly become an advertisement directory. (The fact that no local print media was invited to be on the panel was pointed out as they could not contribute to the discussion).

• While we enjoyed meeting and exchanging ideas with many interesting people from other cities and countries, we missed the local participation.

In his concluding remarks CGI Mr Arun Goel commented that the two useful recommendation that emerged from the PBD deliberations were: • Need to have Old Age Care facilities for ageing Pravasis.

• Need to have a NRI TV channel to connect the Indian diaspora globally.

Saba Zaidi Abdi Managing Director Nuvera Media

2013 P ARLIAMENT OF NSW MULTICULTURAL MEDIA AWARDS Coverage of Community Affairs Abroad Online Innovation in News Blog or News Website Design 2013 NSW Premier’s Multicultural Media Awards Best News Report Finalist in 7 of the Best Online Publication of the Year 10 categories Best Image of the Year 2012 Parliament of NSW Multicultural Media Awards Multicultural Journalist of the Year Editorial / News Reporting Online Innovation in News Blog or News Website Design 2011 NSW premier’s subcontinent community awards Harmony Award

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YOUTH

The Bir gang Volunteering to teach English to Tibetan monks has been an experience of a lifetime for NEHA JAIN

V

olunteering has always been an endeavour that I have wanted to pursue, to be able to give back to the community (which is highly encouraged in my religion Jainism), and to my ancestral motherland, India. I finally got the opportunity to do so in SeptemberOctober 2013, with International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ), and I have to admit that the experience was phenomenal.

My volunteer experience consisted of teaching English (grammar, vocabulary, poetry, conversation English) to monks of varying ages at a Tibetan colony

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in Bir, Himachal Pradesh. In all honesty I was not sure of what to expect, but when I got there, the experience exceeded my expectations.

Despite having limited supplies, the enthusiasm for learning a third language was very clear amongst all the monks. They strived to be a part of the learning, to create a bond with the educator and they had utmost respect for all the educators (volunteers). Their humble and respectful approach to knowledge and education touched me the most. A clear example of this occurred on my last day of teaching; I was given a party by my students (aged 8-13) who brought

snacks, serenaded and danced for me, handed me heartfelt letters and gifts of appreciation, whilst bestowing me the honour (through white scarfs) of being their teacher.

The best part about volunteering with the monks was not just that I was given the opportunity to be a part of their learning curve, but that I was imparted with words of wisdom from them, which has allowed me to grow in a positive way.

Apart from being able to educate, volunteering in Bir also helped me to forge strong friendships with my fellow volunteers as well as the adult monks, and I will forever be

grateful for this. We formed such a close knit group in the four weeks that I have nicknamed us the ‘Bir gang’!

I also experienced the stunning beauty of Bir, but more importantly, I was enveloped with a sense of peace and serenity.

I became a part of a welcoming host family, enjoying their traditions, culture and their hospitality.

My volunteering experience has come to an end and I can only say that I am absolutely thankful to have had such an all-encompassing and enriching experience.

Fortunately for me, the journey has not ended as I have been asked

I also experienced the stunning beauty of Bir, but more importantly, I was enveloped with a sense of peace and serenity

(by the principal of one of the monasteries) to create an English curriculum for new volunteers, so that there will be progression and continuation in the teaching of English there. Being able to give back to the community in this way is just absolutely fantastic!

I recommend volunteering at any juncture of your life; it has the power to change you profoundly.

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communityscene

Melbourne welcomes Manika The new Consul General of India for Melbourne is impressed with the city’s enthusiasm for Diwali it will be her endeavour to nurture and strengthen the relationship between India and Australia. She sought the support of the Indian community in Victoria to help in building stronger bridges between the two nations.

For the rest of the evening Ms Jain continued to meet and greet people in an attempt to get acquainted with the community, whilst assembled guests took the opportunity to fill her in on happenings and issues that are currently affecting the community.

BY PREETI JABBAL

T

he community extended a warm welcome to Ms Manika Jain, the newly appointed Consul General of India in Melbourne, at a wellattended reception hosted by the Indian Consulate recently.

Ms Jain arrived in Melbourne in October to take up office, a year after the untimely death of her predecessor Dr Subhakanta Behera. Her arrival was much anticipated, as was evident during her first formal interaction with the community where representatives from various Indian organisations, business and media addressed the audience and

introduced Ms Jain to their work.

A post-graduate in law from the University of Delhi, Ms Jain joined the Indian Foreign Services (IFS) in 1993. Her prior assignments were in Portugal, Myanmar and Indonesia. She was also on deputation to the Ministry of Commerce in the Trade & Policy division. She has served as Head of Division at the Foreign Service Institute and was the Director at the Indian Council of World Affairs. Ms Jain chose to speak in Hindi at her first public address in Melbourne at Federation Square, delighting the audience who had gathered there to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights.

Ms Jain’s arrival in Melbourne coincided with Diwali, offering her several opportunities to interact with the community and vice versa. “It is heartening to

know that not only the Indian community is so culturally active, but also the Australian community in Victoria recognises and enjoys Indian cultural diversity,” said Ms. Jain as she commented on the various Diwali events she had already attended in the short span of time since her arrival in Melbourne.

During the community interaction at the Consulate, Ms Jain heard from several speakers including Vasan Srinivasan (Federation Of Indian Association of Victoria), Ravi Bhatia (Australia India Business Council), Manpreet Singh (SBS), Neeraj Nanda (South Asia Times), Vijaya Vaidyanath (City Of Yarra), Monica Raizada (Australian Indian Society of Victoria), Arun Sharma (Celebrate India), Prof Suresh Bhargava (RMIT), Sharad Gupta (Hindi Niketan) and Gurdeep Singh Matharu from Craigieburn Gurudwara.

The speakers were unanimous in their request for the Consulate to continue to provide support to the community, especially Indian students and those affected by untoward circumstances. A special mention was made of Vice Consul (SWCO) Rakesh Kawra and his contribution to the community

during his tenure in Melbourne.

Each speaker acknowledged Mr Kawra’s outstanding efforts in forging, maintaining and fostering a good relationship with the community and wished him well for his next assignment in Cairo, Egypt.

Thanking all the speakers for their kind words and suggestions Ms Jain said that she hoped she would be able to live up to their expectations. She urged everyone who represents India to respect and adopt the culture, rules and regulations of their host country and to intermingle with them, but also be connected to Indian roots and take pride in them. She said that the Consulate would readily partner in any fruitful project that will create better understanding between the people of Australia and India for betterment of both countries. “The consulate attaches high importance to the community, consular services and enhancements of business interests, and any constructive feedback and deliverable suggestions from people will always be welcome, ” she said.

Ms Jain ended her speech by saying that she saw great potential for partnership between the two countries in various industries, and

“The Consulate would readily partner in any fruitful project that will create better understanding between the people of Australia and India for betterment of both countries” Consul General Manika Jain

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Communityscene

New Consul General stresses need for solidarity Leaders of the community gathered together at an event organised by the FIAV to greet Maneka Jain

BY PREETI JABBAL

N

othing is permanent, impermanence is the nature of our being; therefore when Indian civilization started maybe we were not called Indians then, we may have been called ‘Bharatiya’ or ‘from Indus Valley’ or ‘Bharat’. But to understand that we have something in common in geographical or political terms, we needed to call ourselves something. Today when we say ‘India’ or ‘Indians’ we have some idea about a way of living, traditions and culture, and that is why we call ourselves Indians.

We also have our own smaller identities, but in the larger context we can call ourselves ‘Indians’ or ‘Indo Australians’ or ‘Australians’, as the case may be,” said newly arrived Consul General Manika Jain to thunderous applause. She

was addressing an identity issue raised by a speaker who wished to know what we should call ourselves, and why do we call ourselves Indians?

Ms Jain was speaking at a recent reception that was hosted by the Federation Of Indian Associations of Victoria (FIAV) and sponsored by the ANZ Bank.

Credit goes to FIAV, under the leadership of President Vasan Srinivasan, for organising an event where all the leaders of the community were invited to jointly welcome the new Consul General. The Indian community in Melbourne is thriving; however, so are rivalries between individuals and organisations that do not have the vision of the power of a unified front. Any attempt to bring the community together, like this event organised by FIAV, is therefore much desired and definitely commendable.

Acknowledging FIAV’s efforts Ms Jain said, “The most laudable thing that I found today is that you all came together under one umbrella. Our community must be

united and grow united; this does not mean we lose on our diversity.

We will celebrate our diversity, but it is beneficial to celebrate together under one umbrella and go from strength to strength”.

On the flip side, the event turned out to be quite long-drawn as input was invited from every regional organisation under the umbrella of FIAV. As a result, every community leader or representative spoke briefly about their organisation and welcomed Ms Jain individually, and there were quite a few of them.

Held at the Mount Waverley Youth Centre the event was attended by the member for Mount Waverley Mr Michael Gidley, who commended the Indian community in Victoria and Australia for ‘adding so much value’ to their local communities.

He also took the opportunity to offer his support to the Consulate and the Indian community, and

praised Vasan and the FIAV for organising this inclusive event.

Over a three course meal catered by Tandoori Junction Indian restaurant the evening progressed from speeches to felicitation as the FIAV presented shawls to members of a visiting delegation of senior journalists from India. Local businessman Mani Maran was officially thanked for providing the shawls and traditional garlands for various FIAV events. MC Ambarish Deshmukh aka Adi was also presented with a traditional silk shawl for his ongoing support to FIAV. The ANZ bank was acknowledged as the main sponsors of the event and guests were encouraged to pick up ANZ showbags, water bottles and other promotional material on their way out at the conclusion of the event.

“We also have our own smaller identities, but in the larger context we can call ourselves ‘Indians’ or ‘Indo Australians’ or ‘Australians’, as the case may be” Consul General Manika Jain

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seniors

The senior scene Indian seniors associations have been busy with yoga, Diwali celebrations and sing-song sessions

To usher in the Sanskrit calendar New Year,

BY GEORGE THAKUR

Indian Seniors Association West (ISAW)

has gained many more members in recent months, which is attributed to the introduction of yoga by experienced members who lead others into practising, and is a welcome addition to ISAW’s activities to promote Indian culture and entertain members. President Arjan Dev Tuli avers that the addition was made possible by popular demand.

Fiona York, Senior Project Officer Ethnic Communities in the Council of Victoria, visited ISAW’s meeting and praised the organisation’s endeavours at keeping its members entertained, informed of global events and also healthy.

Many members now volunteer to transport less mobile members and those far from public transport system, to and from meetings. For more information, please contact Mr Tuli on 9390 2818.

Indian Senior Citizens Forum (ISCF)

held a combined meeting of their Camberwell and Dandenong venues in the larger Clayton Hall.

This was a relatively informal,

20 DECEMBER 2013

intimate affair at which members acquainted themselves with others and revived old friendships for an hour. A number of banners announced the Forum as an initiative of SEWA International Inc. MC Rakesh presided and as always, Coomiben Patel initiated the day with a bhajan, Jyoti Kalash Chhalke. Rakesh related a brief history of the Forum’s activities in 2013, such as planting of 110 saplings in Dandenong, Yarra River Cruise, and celebrating Independence Day, among others.

Their first activity in 2014 is proposed to be a blood donation drive, he added.

Young Lakshnya Vasan, traditionally attired and ornamented, took to the stage and, to the tune of flutes, mridangam and pre-recorded vocal, performed a dance in praises of Lord Ganesha. While Lakshnya ‘caught her breath’, her mother Mangalam related to us that Lakshnya is footy crazy and supports the Hawks (Hawthorn Football Club). When Mangalam asked her daughter to devote more time to studies, Lakshnya’s answer was that the emblem the Hawks cherish is Garuda; the vehicle of Lord Vishnu, who will help her both in her studies and in playing footy. Lakshnya’s performance continued and, through her expressive eye and hands movements, she enthralled us with a rigorous dance that elaborated on a story of Indian dancing. Lakshnya has studied dancing at Bharathakalanjali

school under the guidance of Guru Radhika Mahadeva for fifteen years, since she was five.

She sometimes performs for Indian charity events.

Anna Burke, as always, was very appreciative of the Forum’s continued promotion of Indian culture that keeps members engaged. She also affirmed that immigrants from India – doctors, specialists, and experts in various disciplines – are now in a majority.

Commissioner Srinivasan also praised the Forum’s efforts at keeping Indian culture alive.

Councillor Bill Pontikis offered a brief update of his activities amongst Clayton Indians. Hong Lim, MP, was happy to relate that the Forum’s Diwali celebration was his fourth 2013 meet.

Next, a group of eight who, after years of being together, still haven’t adopted a name, gave us a rendition of Bollywood songs of the 1950s to ‘70s, which shot a sudden wave of life into the hall. Abha Asthana, Rajshree Rathore, Lakshmi and Neeraj sang renditions from OP Nayyar’s exciting music, and infused life into those members who sang along. Group leader Vijay Patki introduced his banjo and gave a solo performance, while companions on synthesiser, tabla and bongo joined in, presenting a great show. Vijay Patki ended the day by playing Mera joota hai Japani on his accordion. For information on Forum affairs, please contact SK Auplish on 9561 1878.

the only three Incorporated Seniors Associations out of six recognised ones, viz Northern Region Indian Seniors Association (NRISA), Kingston Indian Seniors Association, (KISCA) and Indian Senior Citizens Association, (ISCA), presented a combined program to the community. For their own reasons NRISA withdrew and celebrated the auspicious festival of Diwali in a true spirit of lights, further augmented the festivities with lunch at The Spirit of India in Preston.

The function began with Sanskrit shlokas by Ramesh Dave, sung in his rich voice as the lamp was traditionally lit to welcome the festival. Later, MC Devinder Mamik interspersed the function with vegetarian jokes.

President Santosh Kumar, in the unique mannerism he holds at his command, extended greetings and shared relevant background details with members. As per tradition on this shubh divas, NRISA aggrandise volunteers who contribute to and provide exceptional services to members and the community, with token awards. The winners for 2013 were Vijaylaxmi Shashtri, for Mastering Ceremonies; Manmohan Singh Saxena, for willingly running errands; and Freny Bagli, for tirelessly transporting members to and from meetings.

While Barbara Nagayia and Ramesh Dave entertained members with popular old favourite songs, ghazals and bhajans in their sweet voices, Richa Kawra got members on their feet to dance the Bollywood Zumba, an extension of the SMART program that NRISA introduced.

Secretary Nalin Sharda thanked members and contributors alike for making the 2013 festival as enjoyable as it is every year. A delicious selection of both north and south Indian dishes served by the restaurant was an added bonus. For more information, please call President Santosh Kumar on 9816 3401.

KISCA and ISCA presented a program to combined membership, invited guests and artists in Clayton

Hall, which numbered nearly three hundred. ISCA President Prem Phakey greeted invited guests and members, and thanked the benevolent Victorian Multicultural Commission and the City of Monash for grants that helped ISCA sustain our culture even when away from home. KISCA President Barbara Nagaya also greeted members and invited the founding KISCA president, now Secretary Mona Raju (both Fiji Indians) to detail KISCA’s ventures in the past and for the future.

Barbara wished us all ‘Bula’, which is ‘hello’, ‘welcome’ and ‘goodbye’ in Fijian culture.

Vijay and Sudha Agarwal won accolades for volunteering in Dandenong Branch of the Red Cross for a straight decade. Also present was Mayor Angela Long of Dandenong City, and Beverley Hoskins, OAM, Red Cross Representative of the region.

The positive-minded Anna Burke bucked up both associations for keeping the Indian culture alive and, therefore, keeping members active and involved, and ‘out of nursing homes’.

“Never forget your background, and pass it on to younger generations,” Ms Burke advised.

Since MC Jasbir has asked Alan Griffin to speak ‘a few words’, Mr Griffin, vocally sheltering himself behind the epithet, truly resorted to ‘a few words’ – indeed of praises. He punned that he was last to arrive – and also would be the first to leave. Cr Robert Davies also extended his felicitations.

While Sveta initiated the day with a dance in praise of Lord Ganesha, Achala Sinha and Anjali Paware, of Bindi and Bangle’s Dance Group, danced to the tune of Jalebi Bai. Four happy damsels - Tara, Arisha, Reshma and Kajal, presented a quick dance on Bollywood favourite, ‘Radha Tera Jhumka’.

Nikita Chawla, a protégé of maestro Tara Rajkumar, and four dancers who were choreographed to join her at intervals, truly lived up to the maestro’s reputation.

Dressed appropriately, Simran, Sushil, Poonam Sabina and Bina performed a colourfully animated bhangra, which resulted in most of the hall dancing along.

A delicious lunch was served by Tandoori Junction.

For more information on KISKA, please call President Barbara Nagaya on 9893 3427; and for ISCA, President Prem Phakey on 9803 3989.

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DECEMBER 2013 21

Stage

Arijit sizzles as Kapil fizzles Singer overshadows master comedian to save the show, reports SIMMI BAKSHI

T

he joke was on the audience at the recently held Kapil Sharma Comedy Show in Melbourne, and not many were amused.

Allegedly the storms in Sydney resulted in flight delays for the accompanying artists, and the show started much later than the scheduled time. Kapil, when he did finally come on stage, managed a fair few laughs before singer Arijit overshadowed him

with a spectacular performance.

Renowned for his comic flair and spontaneity, Kapil Sharma is a household name amongst Indians as the host of an immensely popular reality show on Colors TV called Comedy Nights with Kapil. In a short span of time, the shows TRPs and popularity have catapulted the comedian into stardom and won him innumerable fans across the world.

Kapil performed in Australia for the first time with shows in

Sydney and Melbourne. Royal Productions and Whistling Wood organised the show in Melbourne.

The majestic Palais Theatre in St. Kilda was chosen as the venue to display Kapil’s talent and comic virtuosity. Accompanying him were singers Arijit Singh and Navraj Hans. The versatile comedian evoked laughter to begin with, and then seemed to run out of steam.

“There is only so far you can go on limited material and picking on people in the audience,” lamented a disappointed fan.

The main drawcard for the Comedy Tadka show was Kapil, however as the evening progressed, singer Arijit Singh stole the limelight from the funnyman.

Arijit is currently riding high on the success of Bollywood hits Tum Hi Ho (Aashiqui 2), Phir le Aaya dil (Barfi), Dilli Wali Girlfriend, Illahi and Kabira (Yeh Jawani hai Diwani), Har kisi Ko (Boss 2), Raafta (Agent Vinod), Beintehaan (Race 2), among others. He sang most of them that evening much to the delight of the audience. A rock concert-like feeling enlivened the event, as the audience cried itself hoarse while singing in chorus to his songs.

His melodious songs, gifted voice and interactive style won him a standing ovation.

The third artist Navraj Hans, son of iconic Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans, prudently refused to sing after half a song as his accompanists had not arrived.

That gave people more time to hear some gags from Kapil till he was requested to wrap up the show to adhere to timelines of the Palais Theatre.

In Kapil’s defense he did make some attempts to engage with

the audience; however the delays, incoordination, late start and finish on a Sunday night, and exhaustion from the previous night’s show in Sydney, all seemed to have taken their toll. The absence of the supporting crew, especially Gutthi (Sunil Grover) from his Comedy Nights With Kapil show was also felt.

Bollywood singers Teji Sandhu and Zublee Baruah appeared briefly to sing a solo and a duet with Arijit respectively, and made a good impression. MC Aashna was full of chutzpah and confident in her attempts to appease the audience. The organisers did a good job of arranging the show in a beautiful venue, providing sufficient security and thankfully keeping the formalities to a minimum. All the sponsors were duly thanked and the artists were honoured with a trophy towards the latter half of the show.

The show received mixed reviews, but even die-hard fans of Kapil Sharma would hesitate to declare his performance in Melbourne as a raving success.

Anoop Singh from Doncaster summed up the evening succinctly with this report, “Arijit gets an ‘A’ for his amazing voice and melodious songs (would have got ‘A+’ if he had sung Dilliwali Girlfriend as well). Kapil gets a ‘C– (would have got ‘C’ if he was less cocky and ‘C+’ if he came prepared), and Navraj Hans gets a ‘D–’ (would have got ‘D’ if he sang continuously without criticizing the musicians).

According to Anoop, overall the show barely scraped through from getting an ‘F’”.

Here’s hoping that Kapil’s next appearance will live up to expectations.

“There is only so far you can go on limited material and picking on people in the audience” A disappointed fan

The show received mixed reviews, but even die-hard fans of Kapil Sharma would hesitate to declare his performance in Melbourne as a raving success

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Stage

Gifted young musicians shine Two youngsters show their talent, ease and grace in Carnatic music renditions

T

he highlight of the classical scene in November was watching two extraordinarily talented Melbourne-grown teenagers perform. It is hard enough for children to get their heads around Indian classical music in an alien environment; most children (mine included) go through the motion of attending music lessons to please their parents, perform in a few school concerts, and if talented, do them well. But by the time they are in universities or at work, Indian classical music is but a distant memory. There are a few, a handful, of very gifted young

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musicians who have not only done their parents and teachers proud, but truly carved a niche for themselves in Carnatic music.

One of them is Keshav Ramachandran, who played the violin in the ‘young artiste’ segment of a concert organised by InConcert Music on November 16. Those of us who have watched Keshav’s rise and rise, of course, are not surprised. Readers may remember that not all that long ago, when Keshav was barely 10, this reviewer reported on a full-length vocal concert that he performed with his sister. At the concert on November 16, this

extraordinarily gifted youngster gave an hour long mandolin concert at the Wellington Secondary College, leaving everyone spellbound. From the Kamboji varnam to the Devarnama in darbari kanada, he performed with consummate ease, teasing melodious ragas from his mandolin.

The alapana in raga Kalyani, and the Tyagaraja kriti that followed it were flawlessly rendered. The Brindavani Saranga and shanmukhapriya too, kept the audience entertained.

Ramakrishna Nagasundaram on the mrudangam gave excellent support, effortlessly keeping rhythm and complementing the mandolin music with the right pace.

The senior musician who performed that evening was Shobha Shekhar, well known to Melbourne classical music cognoscenti. She thrilled audiences with a glittering navaraga varnam, then treating them to melodious kritis in Ataana and Bilahari. Shakti Ravitharan, a senior disciple, provided vocal support.

The other extraordinary talent was Narayanan Rangan, who performed a vocal concert recently at the same venue under the same banner, that of InConcert Music. Narayanan, still in high school, regaled the audience with some scintillating music. He has been performing with his equally talented brother Raghuveer Rangan, but this was perhaps his debut solo concert.

Narayanan sang with confidence and feeling, suffusing his music with ‘bhava’, so pivotal in rendering Carnatic compositions. The Vasantha varnam he began with, set the pace and the mood for the rest of the concert, and he didn’t put a foot wrong.

The difficult Dikshitar kriti Vallabha Nayaka was well delivered, and Narayanan prefaced it with a competent alapana. This was followed by a Tyagaraja kriti ‘Teliyaledu Rama’, and both this and the popular composition ‘Pirava varam’ were sung with feeling, and he truly brought out the emotion, the bhakti – so central to the lyrics.

Narayanan Ramakrishnan on the

violin gave able support; Pawan Gopinath on the mrudangam and Surya on the kanjira completed the music with excellent percussion support.

The senior artiste to perform that evening was Sundari Saripalle, who is one of the most respected vocalists in Melbourne. She has a voice that is so crystal clear and sharp that her delivery is all the more powerful and effective when she sings the same raga or kriti as anyone else.

We were told that she hails from Vishakapatnam, and belongs to the Vijayanagar school.

Sundari Saripalle’s Ranjani varnam, and the kritis in Gowlai, hamsavinodini, kedara gowla, were a treat for the ears; her shanmukhapriya was a masterly rendition, and she outdid herself in the mohanam alapana and kalpana swaras.

Venkat Ramakrishnan and Raghavan Sharma on the mrudangam and kanjira respectively, provided lively percussion support.

CHITRA SUDARSHAN

DECEMBER 2013 23

indiaoz

Julie Bishop

Third round of civil nuclear talks to take place soon

A

ustralia and India have held the third round of their civil nuclear cooperation talks Nov 26-27 to pave the way for an early conclusion of the agreement, visiting Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said in New Delhi on Nov 18 after talks with India’s External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.

Australia will also support India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Bishop said during a joint press conference.

The two sides inked two agreements, including a statement of intent between the Australian government and India’s Nalanda University.

Bishop said both sides hoped to conclude the civil nuclear cooperation negotiations that would pave the way for the sale of Australian uranium to India.

She said both sides are negotiating in “good faith” and added that the Tony Abbott government is in favour of selling uranium to India.

Australia and India are also planning to begin negotiations on a free trade agreement, she said.

Khurshid said both sides were looking to schedule a visit early next year of new Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to India.

“We are looking at an early slot for him to come down next year,” he said.

The visit was being planned amid indications that Abbott “wants to begin his term with a fruitful visit to India,” he said.

Australia and India are also increasing air connectivity with Air India deciding to start direct flights to Sydney and Melbourne and Air Australia planning to launch direct flights to India, said Khurshid.

The external affairs minister said Indian business had an “impressive footprint” on Australian soil and hoped that a larger number of Indian companies will invest in Australia.

An Indian-Australian CEOs’ forum is to meet soon, he said.

Bishop said she wanted to visit India early in her tenure “to show the significance we attach to ties with India”.

24 DECEMBER 2013

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop meets students who have benefitted from ASHA, which helps disadvantaged young people attend college and university

High ustralian ff at the A

n,

Commissio

With sta i New Delh

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in India

Meeting F inance M inister Sri Delhi, alo P. C ng with A u stralia’s H hidambaram in Ne India Patr igh Comm w ick Suckli issioner to ng

With India’s External Aff airs Ministe Salman Khu r rshid at Hyd erabad Hou se, New Delh

i

iya Janata Party With senior Bharat Jaitley (BJP) leader Arun

Photos courtesy of: Anthony Moate

a as Australi ontest o t ip r t y ”c n a stud ure Unlimited o w o h t w u Kumar, ’s “Win Your F Uttam e d a r t s Au part of

Presenting a cheque to ASHA’s Program Manager Kiran Gera

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She said the “ambitious” free trade agreement (FTA) they planned to negotiate would be mutually beneficial.

As part of their deepening engagement in security cooperation, the navies of the two countries are to hold joint exercises.

Both sides also discussed cooperation in counter-terrorism and cyber security.

In the field of energy security, Bishop said India could count on Australia for its “trusted and reliable support” for its needs, including coal, LNG and civil nuclear energy cooperation.

Bishop said there were “no specific time lines” in concluding the civil nuclear agreement with India and both were “waiting to get it right”.

Energy-starved India aims

to upgrade its nuclear power generation capacity to 20,000 megawatts (MW) by 2020.

Australia has one of the largest known uranium reserves in the world.

Australia, a key member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, had earlier been opposed to selling uranium to India as New Delhi has not signed the Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty (NPT). It reversed its policy in 2011.

Bishop also said her country welcomes Indians coming to Australia to pursue higher education. As part of wooing bright Indian minds to that country, the Abbott government has proposed a new programme under which students can pursue internship with a business company, she said.

IANS

DECEMBER 2013 25

CRICKET

Thank you for Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement from cricket earlier this month marks the end of a 24-year love affair

BY RITAM MITRA

W

hen I was 12, I went to the Indian cricket team’s hotel in the city in the hope of catching a glimpse of my sporting heroes ahead of

the 2004 SCG test match. I wasn’t alone – it was a strong crowd, and there were at least 50 others waiting patiently for the team’s arrival. When the team bus pulled up to the hotel, I was unceremoniously pushed to one side by people older, taller, and apparently much stronger than me. I watched players like Laxman, Dravid and Yuvraj enter the hotel lobby one by one after signing all the cricket bats, books and random pieces of paper being thrust in their faces.

After some time, the most popular of them all, Sachin Tendulkar, had done as much signing, posing, and polite chitchatting as possible – and he turned and began walking towards the lobby. I called out after him, as did many others.

“Sachin, please!” I shouted in desperation. He paused. There was just a moment’s hesitation as the concierge beckoned him towards the peace and quiet of the hotel. But it was a brief moment. The Little Master turned around, came towards me and quietly signed my cricket bat.

The relationship between Tendulkar and his fans is one of unbridled electricity, overwhelming passion and most of all, uncontained intimacy. Everyone has his or her own Sachin Tendulkar 26 DECEMBER 2013

story to share – whether it is watching him on television, seeing him play live, or meeting him in person. They say that India stood still when Tendulkar was batting – but it was in those moments that the country’s, and indeed cricket’s love affair with him, reached a crescendo.

It was an affair only partly based on his feats on the cricket field. His batting was magical, make no mistake; but his statistics are a mere by-product of the romance – a love child that everyone knows about, but wouldn’t mind living without.

After all, the ‘most memorable Tendulkar moment’ question is not answered with ‘His 34,347 runs in international cricket’ or ‘His 100 international centuries’.

The cricketing world’s romance with Tendulkar has been built around stolen moments that will stay frozen in time: his lone stand against the might of McDermott, Hughes, Whitney and Reiffel on a dicey Perth deck in 1992; his

devastating assault on Warne in Sharjah, 1998; his brutally flayed cut shot for 6 against Shoaib Akhtar in the 2003 World Cup. It has been a somewhat dysfunctional relationship. After 24 years in the spotlight, none of us can say we really knew Sachin Tendulkar at all. On what would be his last day of international cricket, his wife Anjali gave an interview that revealed an almost mundane life with him at home.

When he spent those rare periods of time with his family, he would annoy her immensely with his knack for finding faults – pointing out peeling paint here, cracks there. Harsha Bhogle later told viewers that the first time he visited the Tendulkars, Anjali made him tea while Tendulkar brought out the tea cups, “… just like any other middle-class Indian family”.

But this was not the Tendulkar we knew, and perhaps it was best

that way. Sachin’s rise coincided with India’s rise as an economic power – not just in cricket, but on the world stage. In a country traditionally disillusioned by politics – exemplified even in the heavy emotion following Tendulkar’s last match, when Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and National Congress Party President Sharad Pawar were greeted with jeers and booing from the crowd – Tendulkar was the hero India needed. Not for his straight drive or back-foot punch through the covers, neither for his Pepsi commercials, nor for the timeless stories of his early-morning drives around the streets of Mumbai in his Ferrari, although those are the things we might well remember most about him.

In the end, India needed Tendulkar for his humility. As the nation found its voice on

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the memories!

international affairs and within the cricketing fraternity, Tendulkar kept India grounded.

He was immensely relatable, a far cry from politicians, playback singers and Bollywood superstars.

It was because of his humility that the country put him on such a pedestal and revered him as they would a deity. His records might be broken – Kohli is already on the hunt in the ODI arena, and Kallis is hot on his heels in Test matches. Some may argue that Lara was a greater match-winner, or Kallis a more valuable cricketer.

But it is the sheer romance of Tendulkar’s story – a quiet, shy 16-year-old Indian boy like any other, taking on the world and carrying the hopes and dreams of an entire nation for almost a quarter of a century – that makes him so special to India, and will outlive his INDIAN LINK

countless records.

To the rest of the world, Tendulkar’s greatness may well lie in his insatiable appetite for runs. He was particularly ruthless against Australia, plundering 20 centuries against them, including the 114 in Perth that many regard as the greatest innings played by a visiting batsman in Australia. Time and again, he showed the world that he was at his best when he was being challenged. His innings in Cape Town, during which he prevailed in a titanic struggle with Dale Steyn, is testament to his ability to score against the best bowlers of every generation he played against.

Starting with Younis and Akram in 1989, he overcame attacks that featured Ambrose and Walsh, McGrath and Warne, and more recently, Steyn and Morkel.

No one in history, sportsperson or otherwise, has endured the adoration of a billion people. It is not something Tendulkar ever asked for - and perhaps that is why we gave it to him so readily.

Tendulkar has transcended sport, bringing together cultures, religions and castes in a way that no leader, politician or warrior has ever achieved – whether in India or abroad. In his retirement speech, Tendulkar said that the “Sachiiiin, Sachin” chant would reverberate in his ears until his last breath.

Despite the entitlement every fan felt to the heartfelt ‘Thank you’ from Tendulkar, you could not help but feel a touch of pity for the man.

For although he might move on from the game and his time in the sun is now at an end, the nation will never move on from him. He will remain far and away the most adored son of India, and that will surely haunt Tendulkar, now that he does not have cricket as an outlet. The eerie moment when Tendulkar ventured out on his own to touch the Wankhede Stadium pitch reminded us once again that Tendulkar was only ever at home on the cricket field. It has been that way for a long time. Tendulkar was born to play this game.

This chapter of India’s love affair with him is over. Cricket will be poorer without him. But it was better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

Sachin’s rise coincided with India’s rise as an economic power – not just in cricket, but on the world stage

The eerie moment when Tendulkar ventured out on his own to touch the Wankhede Stadium pitch reminded us once again that Tendulkar was only ever at home on the cricket field

DECEMBER 2013 27

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DECEMBER 2013 29

THISMONTH

Do you have a photo for this page?

Email it to info@indianlink.com.au

People Parties Places

Photo: R avinder Ja bbal

Ramandeep and Kulvinder Singh enjoying the Spring Racing Festival

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nd anised a gra Lynbrook) org ingh Ji Barundi , d a o R s n a arbar (430 Ev aba Amar S camp was Thath Ishar D day of Sant B r a th ir ks b a n st od donation a 1 N 7 lo b e e A th Th f e. o , id 3 w 1 d 0 rl n 2 Nov 2 ksar Trust Wo celebration o nder of Nana u fo d n a n a Wale, chairm ent part of the ev organised as

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DECEMBER 2013 31

BOOKS

Sporting strength of a nation Cricket is India’s exclusive insignia into a world of money, love of the sport, and sadly, corruption

Contemporary cricket and modern India are synchronous with the opening up of the nation to satellite television: for two months of the year, IPL is watched more than anything else on Indian TV

By CHITRA SUDARSHAN

W

ith the cricket season well under way in India and the world, it is perhaps apt that we look at a book that looks at cricket. Written by James Astill, The Great Tamasha: Cricket, Corruption and the Rise of Modern India is about much more than the sport itself, as it is a metaphor for modern India, and its rise over the past two decades is told through the prism of the glitzy, lucrative and even sleazy Twenty20 cricket tournament, the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Contemporary cricket and modern India are synchronous with the opening up of the nation to satellite television: for two months of the year, IPL is watched more than anything else on Indian TV. The emergence of the IPL in many ways is also a harbinger of the rise of India in the global economy. When Lalit Modi, a businessman with a criminal record and history of failed business ventures, came up with the idea of creating a Twenty20 cricket league in India in 2008, few took him seriously.

International Test cricket was still being controlled from London, and India was not a high achiever in the game. Modi put together a highly commercial model, melding three powerful forces in India, viz politics, Bollywood and business, throwing in come scantily-clad American cheerleader types into the mix to provide the masala, and he succeeded in creating the

most successful domestic cricket competition.

The success of the IPL is a remarkable feat in itself; however, what India achieved as a consequence of that success is truly ground-breaking, for that success catapulted the country to the position of an ‘economic superpower of cricket, providing 80% of world cricket’s income’. It was a game changer (pardon the pun) in a way that was different

and significant; the paradigm shift that Indian supremacy engendered in the world of cricket puts to shade in many ways China’s hosting of the Beijing Olympics in 2008 or Brazil’s dominance of football. The Olympics, like all sports played in the world, remain firmly under Western control; Brazil’s players may dominate football, but the nation does not control it economically. India’s economic rise in the world of

cricket has changed the way both, the country and cricket are perceived. Take Australia, for instance. While Australian media and the cricket fraternity may be focused on the forthcoming Ashes series, as the cricket commentator Mihir Bose observed astutely, cricket administrators in both this country and England know “they will have to kowtow to India to generate the television income necessary to keep their cricket going”. This ‘rupee takeover’ of a Western sport is what is unique and sets cricket apart from all others.

But the takeover cannot hide India’s chronic problems of corruption, cronyism in business and politics, to name just a few.

The way the powerful, newly rich BCCI administrators, the Srinivasans and the Shuklas, have ruthlessly pursued their interests on the world stage, is perhaps the way the leaders of a newly powerful and rich India may do.

Astill writes, “India is becoming powerful… [however] it will be a long time before it forgets how it felt to be weak”. Set against this, the most touching stories in the book are of men in dirt poor parts of rural India, in small towns and slums, who coach aspiring stars with such dedication

and selflessness. What it tells us is this: what is true of cricket is true for Indian democracy as well: it is the selfless dedication, sacrifice and integrity of a few, a handful, that keeps the game and Indian democracy alive at the grassroots level. Anyone who is interested in cricket and/or India will enjoy this book immensely, and forgive the author a few rather glaring mistakes.

James Astill was the Economist’s correspondent in India between 2007 and 2010.

What it tells us is this: what is true of cricket is true for Indian democracy as well: it is the selfless dedication, sacrifice and integrity of a few, a handful, that keeps the game and Indian democracy alive at the grassroots level

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DECEMBER 2013 33

Melbourne’s DIWALI

masalaDiwali The city rocked with various celebrations that brought awareness and enjoyment of the Festival of Lights

By PREETI JABBAL

T

his Diwali I was completely ‘partied out’ thanks to being present at multiple celebrations, and I am still

attending more nearly a month later. Not that I am complaining, because thanks to the festivities, I have had no time to miss Diwali ‘back home’. We seem to celebrate the event far more in Australia than we ever did before, thanks to the various organisations that are jumping on the bandwagon to celebrate Indian festivals. Between Celebrate India’s

Diwali Festival, AIII’s Diwali Mela, Wyndham Diwali, PCV Diwali, private Diwali events and the Diwali celebrations in regional areas of Victoria like Ballarat, November has been hectic to say the least and our community has certainly been spoilt for choice. Here is a round-up the main Diwali events in Victoria in 2013.

India recreated in Fed Square Venue: Federation Square, Melbourne Organisers: Celebrate India Inc. Overcast skies and the chance of rain did not deter the crowd from attending the Diwali Festival of Lights event held in the heart of the world’s most liveable city.

Federation Square is generally abuzz with activities; however never before would it have witnessed such a vibrant array of colours, music and dances as it did with Celebrate India’s Diwali festival. Visitors to Melbourne’s iconic Federation Square enjoyed a range of activities from sporting henna tattoos, to learning Bollywood and bhangra dance steps, to tying on colourful turbans, sampling delicious Indian food, hobnobbing with footy players, joining cricket clubs and in general, soaking up the colourful festive atmosphere.

Celebrate India is a not-for-profit, Victorian community organisation that was established to foster relationships between India and the wider Australian community. It has celebrated Diwali since late 2006, and the festivities seem to get bigger and better with each year. According to an official release from Federation Square, the 2013 Festival was attended by 58,000 people, making it one of the biggest celebrations of an Indian festival in Australia. The six-day event packed in a variety of activities as diverse as the culture it was designed to depict. Showcasing the best of Indian culture, the innovative agenda included free Bollywood movies, outdoor dance performances, food and a plethora of cultural entertainment.

A wonderful launch event was held by Celebrate India prior to the festival, where a beautifully lit up boat cruised down the Yarra and entertained guests. Leading up to the event, a carriage decorated with the Diwali theme was seen cruising around the city of Melbourne. Diwali was also celebrated at the airport in Melbourne with great fanfare, amidst Diwali decorations, announcements, banners, dances and sweet distribution. The event culminated with a spectacular fireworks display on the Yarra River, followed by a vivacious after-party.

The formal proceedings at the main event were attended by several dignitaries including Federal Labour Party Leader Bill Shorten and his wife Chloe; State Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews; City of Melbourne Councillor Beverley Pinder- Mortimer; Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship and Minister for Energy and Resources Nicholas Kotsiras; and newly arrived Consul of India Manika Jain. Former Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu attended the event briefly. The Festival also supported White Ribbon to raise awareness of their campaign against domestic violence. Over 200 written oaths and innumerable silent oaths were collected supporting their cause.

Besides the eclectic cultural exposure, participants at the festival also gained commercial mileage through stalls and promotions. Said Arun Sharma, organiser of the festival and chairman of Celebrate India Inc., “Our festival is family friendly, caters to all ages, celebrates diversity and offers goodwill-building promotional value. This mega event takes months of preparation by the Celebrate India Team that includes over 45 hardworking volunteers. With the support of the Victorian Government, sponsors, media and the community we have pulled off another fantastic event this year andDECEMBER we hope to 2013 go from strength to strength in the years to come”.

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Lots of bhangra at massive mela Venue: Sandown Racecourse, Mulgrave Organisers: Australian Indian Innovations Inc. This year again, thousands flocked to the Sandown Racecourse in Mulgrave to celebrate the Indian festival of Lights with AIII. 13 years of celebrating Diwali in Melbourne has garnered the Australian Indian Innovations Inc. (AIII) considerable respect and admiration within the Indian community. AIII was created with the objective of celebrating and showcasing Indian festivals to the greater Australian community. Since 2002 it has been organising Diwali fairs (melas) where everyone can attend and be part of the multicultural festivities. The mela is designed to offer a kaleidoscopic view of Indian culture and its diversity.

In direct proportion to the burgeoning population of migrants from India, this event is known to attract a massive crowd every year. The list of dignitaries that are invited and willing to attend the official part of this event has also seen a trajectory. The impressive list of guests this year included State Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews; Senator Scott Ryan representing Prime Minister Tony Abbott; Inga Peulich, Parliamentary Secretary for Education; Jude Perera, State Member for Cranbourne; Rakesh Kawra, Consul (SWCO); newly arrived Indian Consul General in Melbourne Manika Jain; and Victorian Multicultural Commission Chairperson Chin Tan and his wife, who made a splendid couple in their traditional Indian outfits.

As one entered the massive racecourse grounds the first colourful sight was a strategically placed SBS Broadcasting van inviting people to enjoy Karaoke-style singing and peppy bhangra. The SBS team encouraged audience participation and soon discovered that there was no dearth of talent in Melbourne. The food stalls were busy with an overwhelming demand for Indian delicacies, while the art and craft stalls stood out with their vibrant colours and wares.

Even the Labor and Liberal parties had taken stalls to promote themselves, in a bid to woo Indian community voters. This is the first time both parties have made such an overt attempt to interact with the Indian-origin community through the Diwali mela, and is certainly indicative of the growing influence of the community.

The stage was alive with non-stop performances during the day that included a popular fashion parade. Children kept busy with some fun rides. With henna, Ayurveda, Bollywood music, and Indian businesses and media all vying for attention, there was plenty to see and do.

The AIII team deserves kudos for their efforts in hosting another successful event.

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DECEMBER 2013 35

DIWALI

Poetry, song and dance to celebrate Deepavali Venue: Clayton Hall, Clayton Organisers: Hindi Niketan One of the oldest Indian organisations in Melbourne celebrated Diwali recently by promoting and encouraging young talent. Several young performers and guests participated enthusiastically at the Hindi Niketan Diwali celebration held at Clayton Hall recently. According to Hindi Niketan President Dr Sharad Gupta, the event was held a few weeks after the actual festival mainly to ensure that VCE students had completed their exams and their families would be able to attend the Diwali festivities.

Hindi Niketan was established in 1992 to promote Hindi language in Victoria. Hindi Niketan celebrates India’s Independence Day and Republic Day on an annual basis and this year they reintroduced the Diwali festival as part of their events calendar after a gap of a few years.

Keeping with tradition, guests were welcomed with laddoos and the stage was decorated with colourful Diwali lights with a small area proudly displaying an image of the goddess Laxmi in all her splendour. The entertainment was an eclectic mix of classical Indian dances and some contemporary numbers. Members could dance, sing, joke or recite poetry on stage, and everyone who wished to participate was encouraged to do so irrespective of age, gender or in some cases, talent.

Anindya Gaur as the MC showed promise not only with her eloquence, but also with her dancing prowess as she manoeuvred some intricate Bollywood dance steps with ease.

Ashwin Gaur and Warij Singh Bedi accompanied her in a Bollywood medley that proved quite popular with the audience. Nandini Pragash’s classical dance performance in praise of Lord Nataraja was executed with grace and precision.

Pondering over the large divide between the rich and poor was Rajendra Chopra’s poignant poem on Diwali. Chandra Jha, Asha Chopra, Chandar Sahu and Nawal Moudgil did most of the singing on stage, while Shravya Khatokar presented another classical performance on the joyous rhythm of dance. Poetry was the order of the day as Harihar Jha and Ramesh Dave launched into more poems on relevant topics.

A brief address from Manika Jain Consul General of India in Melbourne, Hong Lim MP for Clayton, Vasan Srinivasan President of FIAV, Chidambaram Srinivasan VMC Commissioner and Dr Sharad Gupta took up the formal proceedings, followed by community awards presented to Raj Dudeja from Indian Voice and Prof Santosh Kumar from Northern Region Indian Seniors Association. An award for service to the community was also presented to Dr Ram Mahajan, one of the oldest members and supporter of Hindi Niketan.

The highlight of the evening was Minister Hong Lim’s passionate speech on Cambodia’s link with Hinduism and his personal connection with the Indian community. As an ardent supporter of the community, he urged Indians to stop ‘pulling each other down’ and make efforts to have an Indian Member of Parliament to represent the community. Citing the example of other migrant communities in Australia he said Indians have a stronger presence in terms of sheer numbers, and it is imperative that Indians should unify and ensure better participation in this country’s politics and decision-making.

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Debut Wyndham Diwali mela NEC Grounds, Werribbee South Organisers: Wyndham Diwali The first Wyndham Diwali Mela was held at the Werribee Park Grounds and was a tremendous success with over 10,000 people attending the event. Filled with colourful performances, scintillating music, fun rides for children and an array of delicious food, the Mela’s air of festivity was a cheerful and pleasant affair. Through the day, people could be seen enjoying the various events, meeting old friends and making new ones, and basking in an atmosphere that was reminiscent of the Festival of Lights back home in India.

Officials from the local and federal governments, and renowned members of the community were also present, including a large number of non-Indian origin attendees. Member for Labor, Ms Joanne Ryan, said it was an honour to be a part of Wyndham’s first Diwali festival. “Wyndham’s first multicultural Festival of Lights has been a great success, and it was a privilege to be able to speak as part of the celebration,” Ms Ryan said. “Diwali is an important event to many local residents, and it’s only fitting we have an occasion like this to celebrate it together, as a community”.

“This is a great achievement and reflects the dedication of the local community, Wyndham City Council and important sponsorship from the Victorian Multicultural Commission. The organisers have done a fantastic job of creating a vibrant, fun and inclusive event for the entire community,” she added.

Among the events on the day were performances by groups and individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, making it a true multicultural festival.

The cultural display and the main theme of the event was showcased in a unique way. It was heartening to see the crowd enjoying each performance and enthusiastically applauding the artistes. The event really took off at around 11:30am and continued well into the afternoon.

Of special mention is the Wyndham Diwali concept that came to life on the stage by the Artistic Director, Archana Koorthy and her team from Rachana Natyalaya. It was a wonderful display of dance forms, greatly enjoyed by the audience. Lakshmi Nookala and Sirisha Pathi from Archana’s team were instrumental in the smooth execution of program items on stage and they handled the challenges very well. Songs and musicians were coordinated by Latha Shesham to deliver an entertaining musical adventure for the crowd.

The event was managed by Shavik’s Managing Director, Srikanth Muthyala. His execution was unique, efficient and thoroughly professional .The core organising committee of Raghunandan Kuncha Koorthy, Srinivas Shesham and Archana Koorthy (Rachana Natyalaya), with the support of many volunteers such as Kartheek Munigoti, Shalini Muthyala and Ajay PK among others who contributed their personal time to make the event a success.

The Wyndham Diwali Inc. was strongly supported by Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship (OMAC), State Government of Victoria with initial funding, and the team was highly appreciative of the trust placed in them to execute the event. Wyndham City Council Mayor Cr. Heather Marcus and all the councilors, council staff provided support and guidance over the 8 months prior to the event.

The event was sponsored by Benlor Real Estate, Indya Foods, City West Water, Australian Management Institute, Brook on Sneydes, Fingertip Learning and Panda Family Day Care.

The event having received such an overwhelmingly positive response, the organisers have agreed to run the same event once again in 2014.

Photos: Peter Harrington

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DECEMBER 2013 37

DIWALI Wah, wah, balle, balle PCV Diwali party Venue: Princess Court Reception Centre, Mulgrave Promoting Indian culture though Diwali party

Organisers: Punjabi Club Of Victoria Inc.

Venue: Azuba Indian Restaurant, Tullamarine

It was a big fat Punjabi Diwali as members and guests of the Punjabi Club Of Victoria (PCV) got together recently, to celebrate the Festival of Lights at Princess Court Reception in Clayton. The PCV Diwali is a much-anticipated event in Melbourne and features prominently on every PCV member’s social calendar.

Organisers: Indo Australian Association in Craigieburn and Surrounding suburbs (IAACS) Around 150 members and 40 children attended a Diwali and Bollywood Night at the Azuba Indian Restaurant in Tullamarine to celebrate the Festival of Lights. Organised by the IAACS (Indo Australian Association in Craigieburn and Surrounding suburbs), the event was proudly sponsored by Waves Consultancy, local migration Agents and Consultants as the Official Migration Agent of the Group IAACS.

Trust the Punjabis to put up a lively event and more often than not, they deliver. This year’s PCV Diwali was no exception as the guests enjoyed a wholesome combination of dinner followed by good entertainment and dancing.

The Diwali party was the brainchild of Ritu Sood and Vikas Sood, local Craigieburn residents, who successfully recreated the atmosphere of the festival back home in Melbourne’s northern suburbs. The event attempted to promote the celebration of Indian festivals which showcase the country’s culture and traditions, and can be enjoyed by all regardless of nationality.

The initiative was very well supported by Mr Deepak Vinayak JP, and the community judging by the numbers who turned out in colourful traditional attire to celebrate Diwali. Among other items, the Bollywood Dazzlers dance performance was well received and local children were given the opportunity to anchor for the event. Children also participated by performing solo Bollywood dance numbers as well.

Among the attendees were Deputy Mayor Casey Nunn, MP Liz Beattie, Mr Ali Khan and Mr Farrukh Hussain from Yum Properties.

The IAACS also celebrated Holi this year with just 10 families, but the encouragement, initiative and support from the community resulted in celebrating their first official Diwali and Bollywood night, which was a grand success.

The night began with diners indulging in a choice of starters followed by hearty main course portions that tempted everyone to overindulge.

As everyone feasted, DJ Sweetmix Roadshow kept the party spirit alive with popular Bollywood and bhangra tunes. Next, a group of amateurs put on a fabulous show of authentic Punjabi bhangra dancing.

PCV prides itself in promoting and encouraging young talent, as a result there were several entertaining performances by young children and teenagers. The piece de resistance was a fire dance executed with great precision by the Bollywood Dazzlers. This professional dancing group comprised of dancers from various parts of the world unified on stage by their common love for Bollywood. Preet Panesar and Lauren Hewitt, as the gracious hostesses and MCs, kept the evening alive with their interactive style. An impromptu catwalk, nominal speeches, a fun raffle draw and seemingly endless sparklers for children got the organisers the desired tick of approval.

“Celebrating Diwali has become a PCV tradition,” claimed Tej Panesar, President of the PCV. “We take this responsibility very seriously and each year the PCV committee attempts to combine popular items with fresh innovative ideas to ensure that everyone enjoys this event. It is impossible to please everyone, but at the end of the night if people hesitate to leave the dance floor because they are having a good time, we know our job is done,” he added. This year the feedback for PCV Diwali event was mainly, “Wah! Wah!” and “Balle! Balle!”

For more Diwali photos please visit our Facebook page /IndianLinkAustralia

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ADVERTORIAL

Season’s Greetings from MBIC M

elbourne’s residential property sector continues to outperform other states of Australia with more properties being sold with a very high clearance rate, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV). With the holiday season just around the corner, we have reached that chaotic time of the year when people are planning their Christmas festivities and deciding on relaxing holiday destinations.

However, readers I have been analysing the effects of the last two years and how we Australians can achieve our financial independence with Residential Property the vehicle of choice to achieve that goal. This brings me to explain how 76% of the Australian retirees live on the pension with an income of less than $20,000 per annum. Clearly retirees will need to save more for retirement, with housing-related costs causing further strains on budgets, according to the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA).

ASFA indicate single retirees have faced the greatest increase in costs, with expenditure for

a ‘modest’ retirement lifestyle increasing by 1.7 per cent on the previous quarter, to reach $23,032 a year; and for singles to have a ‘comfortable’ retirement will now need $41,830 a year with and a super balance of $430,000 and couples needing $57,195 a year and a joint superannuation balance of around $510,000.

This quarter’s substantial increase in the cost of items such as electricity, petrol, council and water rates has the potential to hit retirees hard. Expenditure for couples seeking a ‘modest’ retirement has increased by 1.5

per cent to $33,120 per year. How do we combat all of the ups and downs and world turmoil’s and political upheavals we have had for the last three years in Australia?

Well readers, property more than ever is coming back into its own.

With the RBA momentarily leaving interest rates on hold and the lowest interest rate in Australia’s history, the market conditions in Melbourne, is such that there’s an increasingly loud chorus proclaiming residential property investment the king of the ring, with many more happy returns to come.

Yesterday you could not afford to purchase a property due to the high interest rates which affected your affordability, today you can now afford to re-enter the market place at an affordable interest rate which makes your investment property almost neutrally geared and after your income tax savings maybe even cash-flow positive, and always keep in mind MBIC’s philosophies of property investment, which is property is for the long term of a minimum of 6-8 years to obtain the full benefits of investment in property.

MBIC firmly believes that the Australian economy will see its recovery through the property market. On MBIC’s information and statistics available to usm, we project that the market has actually bottomed out in August-September with a marked improvement in the latter months; and expect great opportunities of our investor families to prosper in 2014 thought to 2015 and onwards. Accordingly, MBIC invites you to visit our new website and is happy to share with you its strategies and philosophies in property investment and to assist you in every way through your

Buying a business? aspiring business people and young people set up new ventures,” says Avniesh. “So through word of mouth, friends and friends of friends came forward soliciting advice”.

From business consulting, Avniesh forayed into real estate.

“People started asking me to have a look at a business they wanted to buy, asking whether it was the right one, or should they invest and so on?” All these queries led him to explore the property market and so YABS Real Estate was born, with its head office in Melbourne CBD.

Some useful tips

I

n 2004 Avniesh Bhardwaj began his entrepreneurial journey by opening a convenience store on Chapel Street, Windsor. The success of this store led to the opening of three more convenience stores under the name of YABS Supermart. Around the same time, he also opened a bottle shop and a tobacco store.

But with higher sights in mind, he sold these two and in their place bought a large post office with a Tattslotto newsagency and a

40 DECEMBER 2013

Ticketmaster. After mentoring this venture for three years successfully, he bought three more Tattslottos and another newsagency.

Because of this success, friends and acquaintances started seeking his advice for investments and other businesses. Soon Avniesh was seen helping a lot of new entrants buy the right business or guiding their decisions.

“Since many people were approaching me for help, I decided to monetise my service and started working as a consultant helping

Many Indians buying a business in Australia, think that as a buyer, they have to pay commission to a real estate company too.

But this is completely wrong, as buying a business is just like buying a property in Australia, Avniesh points out. Real estate companies get their commission from the vendor (the seller). What is important to understand is that by keeping the agent in the middle you are fully secured, as the transaction is looked after by the agent. Your deposit is secured and can very easily be refunded to you in full if the conditions of buying

property purchase. We invite you to contact us for personal assistance in your preferred area of investment; whether it is a house and land, an apartment a townhouse or high income properties, I am sure MBIC has the property to assist you.

MBIC wishes you and your family all of the best wishes for health, wealth and happiness for the festive season and we hope the holidays are full of joy and more importantly safe as well.

Should you have any question or would like to seek further assistance on property investment options, please feel free to call on 03 9813 8188, 0417 483 355 or e-mail: carlo@mbic.com.au Please note: The office will close 12noon on 24th December 2013 and will re-open 2nd January 2014 Carlo Ruscitti – Founder MBIC

Get advice from YABS Real Estate

the business are not met.

Most vendor’s don’t understand that exclusive authority means that they cannot sell the business themselves, and if they do, they still have to pay the commission to the agent. They have appointed an agent who will do all the work for you, including all of the paperwork and will help you at every stage till settlement (takeover of the business by the purchaser).

Another misunderstanding is that running a food business is going to be the easiest thing.

However, after being open for 2–3 weeks they realise the impact of the long hours needed on their lives. Often they want to resell the same business within three months, Avniesh advises.

Another myth that people have is that it is cheaper to set up a business than to buy an existing one. “I have helped many people set up businesses from scratch and I can confirm that it costs more to set one up from scratch than to buy an existing one,” says Avniesh.

“Also, with new businesses the performance is not guaranteed.

With an existing business, there are existing customers, which can be built on through marketing. So it is worth paying a goodwill to buy a

business”.

The other thing that people believe in the Indian community is that if they open in a shopping centre the business will succeed.

This is not true, as the setup costs are very high, and you need to maintain a standard shopfit which is approved by the shopping centre.

There’s also high rent, broken up into different parts; base rent, outgoings, advertising fees and maintenance (running costs). This means that in turn you are paying for cleaning, rubbish removal, temperature control, and in most centres, for the wages of staff as well.

It is now very important to have a website and to use social media, like Facebook for your business, he advises. People prefer to first check out your website, and then form an opinion about you and your company before deciding whether to call or to do business with you, or not. “If your website does not carry your image, I can assure you that you are loosing business” Avnish finishes.

Contact: Avniesh Bhardwaj 03 9600 YABS (9227) www.yabsdomains.com or www. yabsrealestate.com.au Rajesh Vinayak

www.indianlink.com.au

VIEWPOINT

Being the change I want to see A rising star with a dedicated agenda in South Australia’s political arena, writes about her work

BY Yesha Joshi

W

e are living in exceptional times.

We live in world where our world leaders are failing to address climate change. There’s depleting natural resources, extreme poverty, human rights abuses and global warming.

India has certainly progressed to address environmental issues, but there is a long way to go. The country faces challenges such as air pollution, deforestation, environmental degradation, high greenhouse gas emissions, solid pollution and waste. Despite all this, its people are establishing a lifestyle based on consumerism and materialism.

Our ecosystem does not have any borders, and so our actions have repercussion on the whole planet.

But what can one person do?

What is our responsibility? Is there a need for young people to be involved in politics?

I think there is. For me, ‘politics’ is not a dirty word.

Being involved in politics in Australia means to make your voice heard on issues that you care about. It means to not be ignorant and to not stand on the sidelines.

It is to challenge our Members of Parliament to commit to governing our country through progressive laws. For this to happen, the general population needs to be actively involved in social issues and be the change they want to see.

Yesha with Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young I first realised this when I was 11, as I watched the Hindu-Muslim conflict unfold on the news on TV. I was so upset with what I saw that I cried for the whole night feeling completely helpless, and at the same time refusing to accept that such incidents could occur in a place that I call home.

At 14, my friends and I campaigned at the local shopping mall to raise awareness about human rights abuses taking place in a Chinese Apple iPod factory.

I found that workers were forced to work 24 hours without a break, were significantly underpaid and their working conditions were unsafe. My friends and I urged the shoppers to sign our petition to compel the company to put in place basic workers’ rights in the factory. I remember one shopper walking directly up to me, looking at me in the eye and saying, “I

know why you are here and I support what you do, keep it up!”

This was the beginning of knowing that I should never remain silent on issues that mattered to me. If one person out of hundreds of shoppers felt that I had made a difference that day then, evidently one person can make a difference.

Currently, I have the absolute privilege of working in the Parliament of South Australia as a Policy Advisor and Parliamentary Liaison Officer. My job is to read pieces of legislation, lay out a policy strategy, consult with respective stakeholders and put forward recommendations. My main achievement to date has been the ‘Work Health and Safety Bill’, which was a national harmonising safety law. I am currently working on a Bill that seeks to better protect our state’s firefighters.

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Dandenong and Springvale

I recently worked for Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young on her re-election campaign. It was a great experience to play a pivotal role in Sarah gaining a Federal seat for SA! I feel compelled to act and get involved in politics, as it is my citizen’s duty and a right.

Unfortunately, in many parts of the world this is not possible.

I am influenced by my parents who are passionate environmentalists, and hold strong social justice values with which I have grown up.

Change begins at home. It begins by talking to friends about issues and spreading the word by raising awareness. One piece of advice I’d give is to be informed about the choices you make. As consumers we make a political statement with every choice that we make. For instance, by refusing to purchase cosmetics from companies that undertake animal testing, you make a political statement that consumers are moving against animal cruelty and animal testing. Also, it’s a great way to support cosmetic companies that do not practice animal testing.

I think young Indian people are politically minded as we challenge the ‘status-quo’. There is a need to be empowered to believe that we are the leaders of today and tomorrow. It is up to us to make a difference. We need to stand up on issues that matter and make way for change.

22-year-old Yesha Joshi is Policy Advisor and Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the Hon. Tammy Franks MLC in South Australia. She is also co-producer and presenter at a weekly ‘Your Rights @Night’, a radio program that tackles industrial relations issues.

My job as Policy Advisor is to read pieces of legislation, lay out a policy strategy, consult with respective stakeholders and put forward

For me, ‘politics’ is not a dirty word.

Being involved in politics in Australia means to make your voice heard on issues that you care about

MR KALELU International spiritual healer psychic medium and dream translator Are you having any of these problems: love, relationship, facing divorce, family problems success in business, career, spate of bad luck, personal worries, court cases, impotency, breaking curses, witchcraft and many more...

If so then call KALELU today for help now on: 04 69 36 75 12 Very rapid results and 100% guarantee DECEMBER 2013 41

ma t R i m o n i als Seeking Grooms Bengalaru based Hindu Assamese family seek an educated professional for their daughter. She is 28, 150cm, medium built, convent educated, PG in Computer Application, employed in a MNC as a SAP professional. Likes photography, cooking, singing, and travelling.

Please contact: pkbarah@gmail.com or sheekhaa_barah@yahoo.co.in

but caste and religion no bar. Available for immediate contact on 0407 087 918.

Fiji Indian male Hindu Australian citizen in mid-forties invites correspondence from single or divorced Indian females (no kids), for marriage and to settle in Melbourne. If interested please contact on 0478 083 457 for further info.

Looking for a suitable Hindu (preferably Sindhi) groom for my sister. She is 33, very beautiful, fair, Sindhi Luana, studied master’s in gemology, fluent in English, respects traditional values, lives in India (willing to move to Australia). Please email: dharmmina@gmail.com (possibly with BHP)/or call 0430 714 739.

Seeking bride for 30-year-old Hindu Punjabi boy of 5 feet 8 inches, who has a Bachelor of Business in finance, and is a resident of New Zealand. Working with global FMGC in Auckland, earning 100k +NZD / per annum, looking for educated, outgoing, professional girl in New Zealand or Australia.

Parents seeking match for fair, slim Hindu Sindhi girl who is 33 years, 156cm working as lecturer at a leading university. Permanent resident of Australia with dual degree M.Com (Accounts and Finance), fond of sports, travelling and cooking. We are a tight knit, professional family. Please mail proposal with education, job details and recent photo to: mohri1324@gmail. com or call 0406 608 146.

Seeking suitable match for Punjabi Khatri 33-year-old, 5’2” well qualified, fair slim, beautiful, family oriented girl. Currently working as an IT analyst in Sydney. Innocent divorce.

Well settled, qualified professional, with suitable matrimony required. Caste no bar. Call 0413 820 305 or email biodata with photo to: matrimonial4alliance@gmail.com

Seeking BRIDES Matrimonial proposals are invited from single, divorced or widowed Indian females and their families for a matured Indian male who is fully established and has Australian citizenship. He has a permanent government job, and lives in Swan Hill, Victoria. Financially stable and completely independent, vegetarian and is of Hindu religion,

42 DECEMBER 2013

Mid Jan-mid June special fares

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1 Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year

Seeking a bride for 30-year-old, 5’10”, based in Melbourne. Is a Aluwalia Sikh (clean shaved) boy, well settled, educated and is looking for a like wise match. Please contact with full bio data and photos to: justdoit_jaspal@yahoo.com

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starsforetell

TAROT

predictions for DECEMBER 2013

By Nancy Jade Althea www.cosmick-aura.com

Aries March 21 - April 19 The cards are indicating that this month you will be in a very decadent mood, and relationships need to be handled with care. Work and career looks very promising, but keep a fine balance between both and do take care of your emotional wellbeing. There will be some exciting news about a new project or plan. You will be worried about someone in the family, but things will be fine by mid January.

Taurus April 20 - May 20 The cards are indicating that as the year comes to a close, you seem to be feeling a little agitated and stressed. You will be looking to sorting things out with regards to relationships and work. Make sure you visit the doctor if you feel something is not right. There will be some good news from abroad, about a matter relating to property or business.

Gemini May 21 - June 20 This month the cards are showing that you will be looking at making some important financial decisions. When signing documents it is important to make sure you read the fine print thoroughly. You need to make sure you keep exercising and eating healthy foods. You will be looking at taking up a new hobby or interest, and this will be very important as you have not been spending enough time with yourself.

cancer June 21 - July 20 The cards are indicating that you are feeling romantic, and want to feel loved and share your life with someone special.

There seems to be excellent news with regard to work, and promotion or recognition is on the cards. Financially, there will be a good chance of money coming your way. A new look and wardrobe will be on your mind, and you have decided to drop a few kilos.

Leo July 21 - Aug 22 The cards are indicating a time of getting papers in order with regards to property and taxes. Those of you in search of love will have some interesting liaisons with members of the opposite sex, where flirtation will turn into passion. Those who are married will reach a balance in your relationship and will continue to keep calm, while keeping the situation static. Look after your back and have some massages.

Virgo Aug 23 - Sep 22 There is a fantastic month ahead, of feeling very settled and sexy. You will be feeling good about yourself, charged up and will bring in new ideas for increasing your income. You will decide to spend quality time with loved ones in the comfort of your own home. Life seems to be balanced and fun right now and you will enjoy being at home.

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Libra Sep 23 - Oct 22 The cards are showing that the beginning of the month will bring up strong feelings of love and passion. You will want to make things more exciting and fun in your life. Avoid conflicting and heated situations as much as possible. There is an indication that you may end up saying a lot of things you will bitterly regret. You are missing a family member.

Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 21 The cards are indicating that this month it will be as though you are taking two steps forward and four back. You will be feeling full of energy towards the middle of the month, and dates and encounters will lead to some special people coming into your life. These in turn can lead to long-term liaisons. You have been in a lot of difficult situations with work pressure and financial burdens, but all will be okay.

Sagittarius Nov 22 - Dec 21 The cards are indicating a time of trying to make things work in a more harmonious manner with your partner. There will be a time of strain after December 25 when you will feel pressure in your relationship once again. You will be keeping your eye on your investments and looking to stabilise your life. You may be looking for another job.

Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 19 The cards are indicating that this month will be one of romance and flirtations. A glance will lead to much more, so be prepared. There will be some interesting parties and social events that you will be attending. Work will be of prime concern and you will be looking at ways to bring in more money. You will be meeting some interesting people who will further your chances of success.

Aquarius Jan 20 - Feb 18 This month the cards are indicating a time of feeling a little restless, and wanting to travel and spend time with friends.

You are feeling very tired as you have been working hard all year round. Life will be a little unpredictable with some upsets in relationships. You will need to take some important decisions with regards to land and property. An elderly member is not too well.

Pisces Feb 19 - March 20 The cards are indicating a time of feeling more inclined towards spirituality and meditation this month. You may find that you are interested in someone and an affair may start.

Take time to assess your situation as you will be totally driven by your heart this month. There will be some upset with a male child, but just keep an eye on things.

DECEMBER 2013 43

ENTERTAINMENT

CINETALK How not to make a rom-com Gori Tere Pyaar Mein

Starring: Kareena Kapoor, Shradha Kapoor, Imran Khan Director: Puneet Malhotra

HHHHH

“Y

ou remind me of Shabana Azmi,” guffaws our don’tgive-a-damn hero to the social activist heroine.

In the first-half they clash over idlis, ideologies and idle chatter. Mismatched as they are, and we are reminded twice that she is older, Kareena Kapoor-Khan and Imran Khan trudge along cutely till mid-point after which the narrative shuffles noisily into a village in Gujarat where it all falls apart.

You know a film is going wrong when the lead pair just don’t seem made for each other, not because that’s the way their roles are written, but because the actors playing the characters seem to belong to two different planets.

Someday producer Karan Johar can tell us why he decided to cast the incandescent Kareena Kapoor with Imran Khan. Not just in one but two of his productions within one year, both about a chirpy gregarious chick and a moneyed inhibited guy.

While researchers and theorists await results on what this Khan and Kapoor are doing together there is this film going by the archaic and utterly uninspiring title of Gori Tere Pyaar Mein.

He is commitment-phobic. She is a social activist. Rather, a loud caricature of a social activist. What Shabana Azmi would have been if her speeches were written by Karan Johar.

44 DECEMBER 2013

Kareena is dressed for the part and seems to make all the right moves. But why do we get the feeling she cares as much for the upkeep of the village and its gobar population as she did for the political degeneration of apna bharat mahaan in Satyagraha?

Kareena carries the face of a woman who would rather be anywhere than where this vapid script puts her. A pity, since her eyes and beauty can launch a thousand ships. In this film they can’t even launch a leaky paper boat.

This is the film where everything in sight sinks. The viewer’s heart, to begin with.

What strikes you repeatedly is the sheer nullity of the story. She loves to be passionate about everything to do with the downtrodden. He couldn’t care less about female foeticide, child molestation, elevator rape, or whatever her next anti-exploitation jehad may be.

Come to think of it, Kareena’s missionary zeal could have been the stuff rib-tickling satires are made of.

Tragically director Punit Malhotra seems dead serious about his heroine’s activism. Rather than becoming the bemused bystander alongside the hero (who looks like the goofy Sunil Dutt in Khandaan and Padosan), the script elects to go with the heroine’s solemn selfrighteousness. So we are supposed to watch Kareena’s righteous indignation with a straight face.

We end up laughing at all the wrong cues. The timing goes horribly awry as

the film progresses. The sanctimonious heroine’s attempts to be funny and committed at the same time reminds you of a restaurant that serves kebabs and pastas at the cost of one meal.

This is a film that had the potential for being genuinely funny and warm.

It also has the very lovely Shradha Kapoor trying hard to keep her inherent grace intact in a script that manoeuvres through a string of antics based on cultural and economic disparity. It squanders the satirical potential in trying to be cleverer than the audience.

There is a prominently pickled preinterval moment where Imran Khan’s under-committed character is mockurged by his kith and kin to run away from his marriage mandap.

Our hero Sree Ram (a.k.a Sridevi, for some secretly funny reason) takes the

mock-ritual seriously and flees out of the marriage. That, you see the problem. That moment becomes symptomatic of all the wrong turns that the script takes in trying to be funny, savvy, sassy and smart.

Moments that are meant to be bitingly urbane and tongue-in-cheek end up being as flat as pancakes cooked for breakfast served in the evening. A bridge built in an impoverished village meant to be symbolic of the lead pair’s differing priorities, becomes a feeble attempt at profundity in a film that cannot avoid shallowness.

But all is well at the end. The film’s love-birds live happily ever after.

Wish the same were true of the fate of rom-com in Bollywood.

Subhash K. Jha

www.indianlink.com.au

INDIAN LINK

DECEMBER 2013 45

ENTERTAINMENT

THE BUZZ

V

Award for veteran Waheeda

eteran actress Waheeda Rehman will soon receive the inaugural Centenary Award for the Indian Film Personality of the Year, a special honour to commemorate 100 years of Indian cinema. The 77-year-old actress will receive the honour at the 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari whose ministry set up the award congratulated the veteran actress on the accolade.

“Congratulations to Waheeda Rehmanji for being conferred the inaugural Centenary Award for the Indian Film Personality of the Year-2013,” he tweeted.

The award consists of a cash component of Rs.10 lakh and a citation.

Waheeda Rehman has graced the screens of Indian cinema since 1955, when she starred in the Telugu film Jayasimha. A year later she made her debut in the Hindi film industry with C.I.D., and has never looked back.

In a career spaning over five decades, she has appeared in over 70 films with hits like Guide, Pyaasa, Man Mandir, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Teesri Kasam, Ram Aur Shyam, Reshma Aur Shera and Neel Kamal to her credit. Waheeda also featured in the 2006 superhit movie Rang De Basanti. Winner of several awards, she was also conferred with Padma Shri in 1972 and Padma Bhushan in 2011.

Well done and well deserved, Waheeda Rehman!

46 DECEMBER 2013

Up-to-date news on what’s hot and happening in BollywooD

Amna set for India?

Tall, dusky, confident and all of 23, Amna Ilyas is in the spotlight on ramps of the nascent yet booming scene of Pakistan’s fashion industry.

And having tasted filmdom with Zinda Bhaag, she is now hopeful of clinching more movie offers. Naturally from India. And why not?

“I am thinking of quitting modelling and focussing on acting,” Amna stated recently when attending the Abu Dhabi Film Festival.

“A lot of films are being made in Pakistan right now and we are very happy about that. They are not big budget films, but small ones, which are nice. I currently have two scripts,” said the actress, who plays the female lead in Zinda Bhaag, the first movie that her nation has sent for Oscar consideration in the last 50 years.

Zinda Bhaag, which is turning out to be a commercially profitable venture for producer Mazhar Zaidi and co-directors Meenu Gaur and Farjad Nabi, is currently doing the rounds at film festivals. The film is turning out to be a beacon of hope for Pakistan’s film industry, which had collapsed around the 1990s. Amna says she doesn’t intend to be fussy, Hollywood or Bollywood will do to promote her acting talent. “See... hopes are there from Hollywood as well, it will be great, but yes, India is close by and we look at it as a big industry,” said Amna who intends visiting India soon to scout for work.

A fan of designer Manish Malhotra, she will also be flaunting creations by him.

Karachi-based Amna walks and talks with the panache and boldness of a seasoned talent, having been at the pinnacle of Pakistan’s fashion scene after she started her stint in modelling five years ago. She has worked with top-rated designers, and has been, surprisingly, supported by her family and a ‘chilled out’ community which is generally conservative - and Amna can’t be more thankful about that. Things are changing now for many, says the beauty, whose elder sisters are former models.

“Being a model in Pakistan is great.

Fashion is on a boom right now. We had our first fashion week in 2007 and since then, a series of fashion events are happening,” claimed Amna. “Because of the fact that we have a bit of a conservative environment, a lot of girls were not able to do what they wanted.

But now things are changing in Pakistan and people are becoming more modern and upfront. They want to change - and by that I mean, they want to move with the world. So, there are now a lot of people like me who are getting a chance to work abroad and travel”.

Well, it won’t be long before Amna is signed up by some interested Indian filmmaker anxious to improve Indo-Pak relations. Let’s hope it’s sooner than later!

Deepika’s hat-trick

No, it’s not about her elegant or otherwise headgear, it’s just that Deepika Padukone

lyas

Amna I

is going from victory to victory. Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela has just hit the jackpot, making it her third blockbuster winner in the year, following Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Chennai Express.

Naturally, the actress is receiving plaudits from all quarters.

From playing nerdy Naina to South Indian Meenamma and now a Gujarati girl in Ram-leela, the 27-year-old has proved her versatility with the three movies.

In Ram-leela, Deepika not just looks stunning, but she has also delivered an outstanding performance, qualities which have added to the film’s resounding success. Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali presented the fresh pair of Ranveer Singh and Deepika to narrate William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in desi style with Gujarat as its backdrop. It is believed the film garnered over Rs.16 crore on its opening day.

“I haven’t received so many congratulations in a while. Everybody is saying this is the kind of cinema they like to see me make. It’s a great feeling when your hard work pays off,” stated an elated Bhansali. The movie has Bhansali’s trademark touch of capturing culture and traditions vividly.

Deepika, daughter of veteran badminton player Prakash Padukone, made her Bollywood debut with Farah Khan-directed 2007 hit Om Shanti Om, where she played Shah Rukh Khan’s love interest.

She then appeared in films like Bachna Ae Haseeno, Chandni Chowk To China, Love Aaj Kal, Housefull, Break Ke Baad, Aarakshan and Desi Boyz, but it was only after her bold character portrayal of Veronica in Cocktail that Bollywood realised her hidden potential.

Deepika will next be seen in Finding Fanny and Happy New Year. And at the rate she’s going, it’s likely that 2014 will be a ripper of a year for Deepika once again!

www.indianlink.com.au

Sunny deol

Hrithik Roshan

Sunny determined to break jinx

Actor Sunny Deol, who was eagerly looking forward to work in Ghayal Returns, says the project has been jinxed, but he is determined to make it happen. Ghayal Returns is a sequel to the 1990 revenge action drama Ghayal, which was a big box office hit and considerably boosted the actor’s career at the time. But Sunny feels the film is jinxed. “Ghayal Return’ is something which I don’t want to talk about because usko nazar lag gayi hai kisi ki (someone has cast an evil spell on the project). But it is happening for sure,” said Sunny, who had teamed up with Meenakshi Seshadri and Raj Babbar in the original. The 57-year-old said he has been trying to make the sequel ever since the original released, which is a long, long time indeed!

“The first time, I was sure that we would make the film in the same year, but I don’t know why it didn’t happen. We tried the

ne

deepika paduko

second time, with no success. This is my third attempt and I am certain that it will happen,” said the actor whose recent hits are Apne and Yamla Pagla Deewana.

According to the actor, Ghayal Returns will begin from where Ghayal left off and we can only hope that Sunny doesn’t get ghayal in the process!

Urvashi cool about romancing Sunny

Model-actress Urvashi Rautela is just 19, but she has shot romantic scenes with 57-year-old Sunny Deol for Singh Saab The Great. And the discrepancy in age doesn’t bother the young debutante. Age is merely a number, she says.

“Age doesn’t matter to me. What’s there in the age? It’s just a number! If Rajnikanth can romance Aishwarya Rai… I know it’s a big age gap, but we are all very professional and as long as we look great together, nothing matters,” said Urvashi with admirable practicality for one so young. The actress claims that she was

who wore it better?

Preity Zinta or Kim Kardashian in Gucci?

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“not at all” sceptical before signing the film, because her “chemistry” with Sunny looks “great on screen”.

Urvashi shot to fame after bagging the Miss Universe India title in 2012, but she was later dethroned because she didn’t meet the age requirement. A dancer trained in five different forms, she says she would love to do a film where she is able to harness her talent to the hilt. “I have learned five different dance forms including Bharatnatyam, kathak, hip-hop, jazz, belly dancing. That’s the reason I would like to do a film on dance,” she said.

Singh Saab The Great releases soon, so it won’t be long before we see if the UrvashiSunny chemistry works on screen!

CAPTION CONTEST What’s the chitchat here between Deepika and Ranveer?

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

Bachchan buzz

News about Bollywood’s first family is always exciting, and it has been particularly so on November 16. The 71-year-old megastar enjoyed his granddaughter Aaradhya’s second birthday, just as master blaster Sachin Tendulkar was chosen for the prestigious Bharat Ratna award, and Ram-leela was released. “An icon retires, a Ratna to his name, the nextgen celebrates her 2nd year... and Bhansali’s Ramleela mesmerises. Too much in a day,” Big B tweeted on his Twitter handle SrBachchan. He also praised the movie on the microblogging website, tweeting, “Ram-leela! The genius of Sanjay Leela (Bhansali), the passion of Deepika (Padukone) and Ranveer (Singh), the guile of Supriya (Pathak) and the rawness of Richa (Chaddha)!”

Meanwhile, Abhishek and Aishwarya Bachchan have been praised for their generosity by none other than renowned Hollywood actress Sharon Stone, who is in India for an amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research) fundraising event.

Aishwarya and Abhishek hosted the event, which was a grand success. Stone was impressed by their involvement, commenting on Aishwarya’s graciousness in participating and the couple’s generosity in hosting the event.

“I love this country, India is beautiful.

I am looking forward to seeing the Taj Mahal, Jaipur, Rajasthan...” said Stone enthusiastically.

So that’s it from the Bachchans, but keep watching this space…

Last issue Caption Contest winning entry What’s the chitchat between Sridevi and Madhuri?

Sridevi (to herself): Hmmmm, I thought I had an exclusive stylist?

Madhuri (to herself): Hmmmm, I thought I had an exclusive stylist?

Medha Puri Bajaj Newtown NSW Medha wins a free ticket to new release Gori Tere Pyaar Mein

DECEMBER 2013 47

BACKCHAT

Perfect presents Christmas is a time to be generous, so here is a leisurely list of gifts fit for pollies, princes and PMs

However, a red truck, apart from being a colour mismatch with his philosophy, is not a toy befitting the Lodge

BY LP AYER

I

don’t know about other State capital cities, but in Adelaide we are reminded of Christmas approaching as early as the first week of November when one of the city’s biggest pageant rolls down its main thoroughfares. It is either to help the locals plan their shopping strategy in advance, or for retailers to raid our credit cards sooner than others.

With our two children having grown out of the ‘can-we-have-a peek’ stage, we now need to ponder over presents for only our two grandchildren. Lucky, in a sort of way. So with some shopping time spared, I indulged in a whimsical exercise of what would be on the wish-list of those who appear, at the flick of a button, on the slim screen in our lounge rooms around dinnertime.

Who else can you think of first, other than the captain of our ship

48 DECEMBER 2013

for the next three years? Initially it seemed so easy to choose something for this action man who can sprint, swim and surf. It may be tokenistic to buy a bike or boogie board since he will have a stack of them. Having proven his skill in putting out bushfires, a fire truck may be a fitting present.

In his current position he will be called upon to put out scrub fires within his party ranks or on the national and international arenas.

However, a red truck, apart from being a colour mismatch with his philosophy, is not a toy befitting the Lodge.

On second thoughts, he may be happy to get a couple of leaky (ab)boats built at some Jakarta backyard. His plans to buy every rickety raft from Indonesia having been torpedoed by his Bambang buddy, a couple of rusty boats will be a welcome present to be proudly berthed at the Kirribilli waterfront. The Opposition leader may even dip into his Parliamentary allowance to gift one U boat to taunt him on some policy u-turns.

No bloke in his wildest dream will be eager to receive a letter

from his mother-in-law. But not this guy, whose mother-in-law is the Queen’s rep in Oz. Short in name but not in stature, he would dearly love to get one inviting him to form the government. But such an invite may take another three years or more in the coming. He may not receive one at all if he gets the same treatment he meted out to his previous leaders. Until the sun shines on his patch, the best gift for him will be a bank of solar panels so that he may not receive or be called electricity bill.

Zip. A metre-long zip is the ideal present for the one who delivered a 22-minute speech, sounding like a victor after badly losing the electoral race, to shut his trap. It will best complement the ‘will this guy ever stop’ badge earned in a TV debate. Fittingly he ended his last Parliamentary speech with, ‘gotta zip!’

Rudderless, once again…

For our own Adelaide girl, who once held court in Canberra, a seat on the State’s High Court may be a long-term dream. The grey wig that goes with that job will help to cover her ‘ranga’ hair.

In the meantime, a set of sharp

knives for the kitchen bench at J’s $2million seaside mansion will do, since the one she used earlier did not finish the job and the victim came back, only briefly though!

More than anyone above, the person who deserves a good gift from Santa is a pensioner- prince who lives not far from the Old Man’s North Pole. Having recently reached the pension age of 65 without doing a day’s work for which he was destined at birth, this (bonny prince) Charlie has now gained the dubious honour of being the longest waiting heir to the throne. A replica throne dropped through the chimney at his palace Clarence House will be Santa’s gift of the year for this new grandfather, before his grandson stakes his claim. A crown, even an imitation one, will be a bonus.

Adorning his crown with nothing but a blue turban, the soft-spoken Sardar who presides over a billion people could do with some other colour for a change. But what colour? With the election battle soon to begin, white may be seen as a sign of surrender and black a sure sign

A metre-long zip is the ideal present for the one who delivered a 22-minute speech, sounding like a victor after badly losing the electoral race, to shut his trap

of mourning, anticipating a loss of the race. So sticking with blue will be the Man’s preferred choice, banking on his reserved temperament.

Mo(d)ivated strongly to become the next prime minister, this Gujarati generalissimo will settle for nothing but the Delhi ‘durbar’, while a certain mother will be wishing that her son gets it as sort of family’s birthright.

Oops, I have indulged in this fanciful exercise for too long. It is time to think of Chrissie pressies for my grandkids. Gotta zip!

Season’s greetings to all readers.

A loving family is the best present anyone can wish for.

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