2013-12 Sydney (1)

FREE Vol. 21 No.3 (1) • DECEMBER (1) 2013 • www.indianlink.com.au FORTNIGHTLY

SYDNEY

Fèstivé

sèason fun

Level 24/44 Market St, Sydney 2000 • GPO Box 108, Sydney 2001 • Ph: 18000 15 8 47 • email: info@indianlink.com.au SYDNEY edition

Sydney • Melbourne • Adelaide • Brisbane • Perth • Canberra

Indian Link

Star Partner

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EDITORIAL INDIAN LINK PUBLISHER Pawan Luthra EDITOR Rajni Anand Luthra

In a word: happening!

ASSISTANT EDITOR Lena Peacock Sheryl Dixit BY PAWAN LUTHRA

MELBOURNE COORDINATOR Preeti Jabbal CONTRIBUTORS Tarun Kapoor, Lily Rose Robertson, Kritika Rao, Avi Chandiok, Farzana Shakir, Karthikeyan Subramanian, Jyoti Shankar, Noel G De Souza, Mohan Dhall, Geeta Khurana, Chitra Sudarshan, Rani Jhala, Petra O’Neill, Nancy Jade Althea, LP Ayer ADVERTISING MANAGER Vivek Trivedi 02 9262 1766 ADVERTISING ASSISTANT Nitika Sondhi 02 9279 2004 DESIGN Danielle Cairis Proud member of:

Indian Link is a fortnightly newspaper published in English. No material, including advertisements designed by Indian Link, may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the editor. Opinions carried in Indian Link are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Indian Link. All correspondence should be addressed to Indian Link Level 24/44 Market St, Sydney 2000 or GPO Box 108, Sydney 2001 Ph: 02 9279-2004 Fax: 02 9279-2005 Email: info@indianlink.com.au

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NATIONAL EDITION

I

f 2013 had to be described in one word, it would have to be, ‘happening’.

While most people will have ‘hectic’ at the top of their lists, ‘happening’ best describes the year gone past for us.

In Australian politics, a lot has happened in 2013. We had three Prime Ministers in one year and yes, democracy proved to be at its very best. No blood was shed and those we chose to lead either changed those who were leading, or were changed themselves. Julia Gillard survived the first leadership challenge, but lost to Kevin Rudd in the second. Mr Rudd became Australia’s second Prime Minister in the year as a result.

Meanwhile, the opposition Coalition did not change much, including (as some said) their views from the 1990s. So the Australian public who wanted things to happen in government, elected Tony Abbott as Prime Minister. And so we have our third Prime Minister in one year!

Rudd bid an emotional adieu to politics in Parliament, much to the joy of newlyelected Labor Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

On the international front, the most happening thing was the surveillance

tactics of America and its allies. While the targets have changed, it seems the concept of eavesdropping remains the same as during the Cold War. With Edward Snowden’s revelations, President Obama had to apologise to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and currently, PM Abbott is going through a rough ride when it emerged that Australia had been snooping on phone calls in the higher echelons in Indonesia.

Positive news comes from the Middle East where some sanctions have been lifted from Iraq and were welcomed by its denizens and the reluctant international community, but the political situation in Afghanistan seems relatively unchanged.

Syria continues its civil war and Egypt is experiencing political problems too.

In India, though not a lot happened politically with the same argy bargy tactics between the two major political parties, an increase in inflation and a drop in Indian economic growth resulted in a review of India’s credit rating. The most happening thing in sports beyond the IPL match fixing scandal was the retirement of cricketing god Sachin Tendulkar.

Many natural disasters have stirred up more debate about global warming and its effects. The typhoon in the Philippines, the earthquake in China and the Uttarakhand flood disaster in India were just some of the many events resulting in serious loss of life and property. Closer to home were the NSW bushfires that

created a haze of smoke over Sydney that lasted for days!

Manmade events of destruction like the Kenya mall shootings and the Syria chemical attack allegations shocked the world, while the US shutdown shook the world.

In the local community, a lot has been happening too. While we had great opportunities to interact and promote our culture at various melas and get-togethers, the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas in Sydney could have been a great happening, but ended up being a non-happening event. We were graced with the presence of Shahrukh Khan who made the audience wait for over 90 minutes before anything happened.

So what will 2014 bring? Will a repeat of the Rudd-Gillard scenario occur in the Coalition Party? Will PM Abbott’s visit to India develop Indo-Oz relations? Will India choose a new government to its helm? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see.

But from all of us at Indian Link, we wish you a very happy New Year and all the very best in 2014. And if you have to pick a word to describe the coming year, start with relaxing, adventurous, prosperous, fun, family, positive change, healthy and happiness. Here’s wishing that they all come true for you.

Pawan Luthra is the 2012 Parliament of NSW Multicultural Journalist of the Year.

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contents Indian Link

Indian Link

linking india with australia

special features

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SPECIAL REPORT

Adelaide taxi drivers protest against violence

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14

INDIA-OZ

17,700kms and counting!

A journey in a 4x4

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arts

The photographer exposed: Robyn Beeche

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INDIA-OZ

Indian-origin Australian offer their perspectives on Indo-Oz relations

25 cover story

LOVE MY CITY

Let’s head back to the Blue Mountains!

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‘Tis the season to be silly!

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Contact Details: Amrit P Jagota (MARN 0532014) Mobile Contact Number 0414 338 423 Manvinder K Josan (MARN 0962796) Mobile Contact Number 0410 719 375 Suite 4, Level 1, Murray Arcade 127-133 Burwood Road, Burwood NSW 2134 Phone: (02) 9747 6071 Fax (02) 9747 4031

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business

BoB’s vision is TTB – Rs 10 trillion bank Roads, television and mobiles to drive Bank of Baroda’s future growth

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

“R

etail business is not only in the metro cities of India but in the villages as well, where roads, television and mobile technology is going to drive growth,” SS Mundra, Chairman and Managing Director of Bank of Baroda told Indian Link in an exclusive interview in Sydney recently.

Mr Mundra was visiting Australia to take stock of the bank’s local operations and meet with its clients, customers and well-wishers. Although he is soon to retire, Mr Mundra’s passion and knowledge of banking was clearly evidence during his interview.

“Yes, there has been low GDP growth in India but going forward, Bank of Baroda is well positioned to capture more business in the retail market. Of our 4,600 branches in India, about 40%

are in the rural areas and about 25% are in semi-rural areas,” he revealed.

“There is currently a whole lot of urbanisation going on within India. It is as if the country is churning, and in fact, if you look at it from a satellite, India will look like a cauldron,” he added, somewhat illustratively. He spoke of the three big drivers being the roads, television and mobile technology.

“The roads are making transport easier, and places in the country which were cut due to seasonal conditions for months in a year, are now connecting to the local town,” explained Mr Mundra. “Television is creating awareness and encouraging lifestyle ambitions, and mobile technology is allowing for price discovery for selling commodities to the consumer,” he added. “The agriculture sector which suffered from disguised employment now has farmers who, with this new-found connectivity, have ambitions. They want a house in their nearest town, they want

to provide education to their children, and they want to start a new business. Bank of Baroda is there to help them with all this,” he proclaimed.

Mr Mundra sees opportunities in the emerging middle class.

“According to a latest survey, by 2015-16, up to 56.7 million households will upgrade to the middle class. That is a staggering 267 million people migrating from the lower class to the middle class, and there are great banking opportunities to consider,” he said. In fact, by March 2014, Mr Mundra’s ambition for the bank is to be a ‘TTB’ – a Rs10 trillion bank or a Rs10 lakh crore bank, with proper risk management.

“The platforms which will help achieve this goal is not only the retail lending in rural India, but also ramping up our alternative delivery mechanism by bringing in state of the art technology,” he averred.

Mr Mundra is quite dismissive about the threat from private banks to public sector banking in India. “Death notices for public

Chairman and Managing Director of Bank of Baroda Mr SS Mundra and his team in their Sydney office sector banks were written in 1993-94 when licences were granted, then again in 2003-04.

All that did was to make the public sector banks more efficient, and took away any complacent practices. New banks need time to scale up, which is not easy,” he claimed.

In fact, he feels that private sector banks feel more threatened by public sector banks.

Talking about rising inflation in India, Mr Mundra feels that this increase is largely due to two items, food and fuel.

“What needs to be fixed is the supplier side of things, and that will take time. There is a lot of wastage in the food chain which

needs to be controlled. For fuel we are subject to international variation, but India does have vast energy resources,” explained Mr Mundra. “These need to be ramped up and yes, massive infrastructure investment is required in these areas. However, the good thing is that in the last four to five months, a lot of good work has been done by the government and I’m very confident that things will start looking up in a short period of time,” he asserts.

Mr Mundra urged settled NRIs to engage more with India and to bring their expertise to their country of origin, thus becoming a part of the ‘Indian Success Story’.

GDP growth to hit 8% in 6 months: PNB chairman KR Kamath is confident of not just the progress of the bank, but also of the Indian economy

M

r KR Kamath has the unique distinction of being the youngest Chairman and Managing Director of a major bank in India. He comes across a man with clarity, vision and strong communication skills. Now, just a few months short of completing his five year tenure with the bank, there are strong indications that his tenure in the highest echelons of the Indian banking sector will continue post his term with the Punjab National Bank (PNB) Mr Kamath was in Australia recently to progress the status of the local PNB branch, from a representative office to a full branch. While local consultants KPMG followed the formalities, Mr Kamath was here to meet personally with the Chairman of the Australian Prudential and Regulatory Authority (APRA), to inform him about the formal intentions of his bank to lodge their papers.

Speaking to Indian Link after his meeting with the APRA chairman, Mr Kamath was pleased with the success of the local office.

He was also confident that the Indian economy with the efforts 12 DECEMBER (1) 2013

of the Indian government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), would reach a GDP growth of 8-9% in the next six months.

“Green shoots are emerging due to their efforts and I expect this figure to be attained in the next six months, despite the elections and whichever Government comes into power,” he stated confidently.

Mr Kamath also admitted that it was not possible for the Indian economy to continually grow at 9%, and the recent slowdown gave them a chance to be introspective and take corrective actions. “We can recover the lost pace of growth,” he further stated.

Talking about international influences on the Indian banking systems, he acknowledged that India is part of the global banking system and is not isolated. “But India’s growth story is based on domestic demand. Over the next few years, over 30% of our population will come into an income earning bracket, which will create demand for our growth and services. While we have the potential of being effected by any international movements, our domestic demand will act as shock absorbers for any downturn,” Mr

Kamath said.

Commenting on the current high inflation in India and the role monetary policy can have in keeping inflation in check, he said that high interest rates can only control demand, whereas in India, the problem is in the supply side. “Though interest rates are very high in India, the real rate of interest after we take inflation into account is quite low,” he noted.

Mr Kamath is very proud of the progress made in PNB under his tenure. “PNB is the first bank set up over 188 years ago by Indians, for Indians and managed

by Indians. We are the second largest bank in India in terms of network,” he proudly announced.

He admitted that PNB at times is perceived to be a north Indian bank, but quickly pointed out their extensive network of branches in Kerala and Tamil Naidu. He laughingly agreed that marrying his south Indian background and the north Indian character of the bank truly makes it a national bank.

“Yes, I did think about changing the name (of the bank) but it was a very brief thought, as I felt the Chairman and MD should spend

his time and energy on better things. There are strong emotions attached to our name and logo,” stated Mr Kamath.

“We have not only the brick and mortar customers who like to go to their branches and get their passbooks updated and have a cup of tea, but we also have the younger generation who are more technologically friendly, who would not even know the location of their nearest branch. Our challenge is to meet the needs of both while reaching out to 60% of Indians who do not have a bank account,” he told Indian Link.

It is clear to see why Mr Kamath was judged by the Economic Times as one of the most powerful CEO’s among nationalised banks in India.

Pawan Luthra

“Yes, I did think about changing the name (of the bank) but it was a very brief thought, as I felt the Chairman and MD should spend his time and energy on better things” KR Kamath

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On 28 November I attended the Christmas Tree Light up Ceremony which was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who came along to celebrate in Macquarie Mall.

Council has appointed a team of award winning urban design and architecture firms to guide the planning for Liverpool’s CBD. Three urban design teams will work over the coming months to identify strong linkages between the river and Bigge Park and to create a fresh approach to the Mall.

A partnership agreement between Council and Midnight Basketball Australia has officially been established. The inaugural basketball tournament is scheduled to commence early next year.

‘Party by the lake’ this New Year’s Eve by joining us at Chipping Norton Lakes on Tuesday 31 December from 5-9pm. New Year’s Eve celebrations will feature a performance by Timomatic, fireworks and much more.

For more information about what’s happening in Liverpool please visit www.liverpool.nsw.gov.au Ned Mannoun Liverpool City Mayor

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SPECIALreport

Adelaide taxi drivers protest against violence TARUN KAPOOR reports on the November 16 Indian taxi drivers assault

Manbir Singh

Ms Cloe Fox, Minister of Transport Services at the Driver Safety Awareness Campaign

H

istory repeated itself in the fateful early hours of November 16, 2013, when mulitple Indian origin taxi drivers were assaulted by intoxicated men in separate incidents in Adelaide.

The previous taxi driver attacks occured in 2008 and 2009. This month, Manbir Singh, a 24-yearold taxi driver who hails from Punjab, India and currently residing at Torrence Ville in Adelaide, suffered a blow to his left eye while trying to protect his fellow taxi drivers stationed at Henley Beach square, who refused to take the fare of five intoxicated passengers, in a taxi which could not seat more than four people and one driver. As a result of the blow, Manbir has lost the vision in his left eye and has been left unable to work as a taxi driver.

Doctors who attended to Manbir have said that the chances of recovering his vision are extremely low and he may now have to the injury for the rest of his life.

According to Manbir, there were around 10-15 taxi drivers stationed at Henley Beach Square and a group of intoxicated men approached the first taxi driver in the queue, but were refused as 14 DECEMBER (1) 2013

they were heavily intoxicated and because the number of passengers were more than that taxi could carry. On being refused multiple times in the queue, the group reached Sunit’s taxi, and then they started to punch and kick his taxi.

Concerned about the group’s violent actions to his taxi, Sunit who had so far remained inside his taxi, got out to try to pacify the group and stop the damage being inflicted upon his vehicle.

However, this did not have the intented result, as instead he was pushed to the ground and attacked. Seeing this incident, fellow taxi drivers including Manbir rushed to stop the violent attack upon Sunit. It was during this time that Manbir was punched so violently that he was blinded in the left eye.

According to Jujhar Singh, an Indian origin taxi driver who was present during the attack, the intoxicated group of five men were further joined by another five-six men, which futher fuelled the intensity of the altercation.

Several emergency messages were sent from taxi drivers to ask for help from operators of other taxis during this, as well as calling the police. Police arrived 20-25 minutes later. By this time,

Kunal, another Indian taxi driver sustained injuries to his throat.

Kunal has now recovered his voice after the attack and returned to India. According to Jujhar Singh, Kunal had experienced a similar incident around a year ago.

“No” was victim Manbir Singh’s response to being asked if he thought the attacks were racially motivated. He also pointed out that since the group were heavily intoxicated, it wouldn’t have mattered who was at the receiving end of their wrath.

There are questions over the treatment of this crime by Adeliade police, who reportedly allowed some of the attackers to flee on the night of the incident.

When the Indian taxi drivers requested to lodge a formal complaint they were refused by the officer on duty, who stated that he couldn’t take so many complaints at that time, and they should report the incident in the morning to their local police station. As per a witness account, the only person whom the police arrested was one of the accused who was so heavily intoxicated that he could not move on.

However, the comments that fuelled frustration amongst the taxi drivers was from the police

officer on duty, that the only arrest made was due to their display of public disorderly behaviour, rather than because of the incident which occured. This was despite the fact that the incident left one person blind and another without speech in hospital.

In a separate incident, another Indian origin taxi driver, Inderjit Jassal was attacked at Port Adelaide. He was repeatedly punched in the face and is now recovering. “I’m not going to drive taxis any more. Driving a taxi at night is very dangerous,” Inderjit

said. Maninder Jassal, the victim’s wife, is reluctant for him to keep driving. “I would say don’t touch the taxi again, for [the] family’s sake”. In another incident, police have charged a man for allegedly robbing a taxi driver at knifepoint at suburban The Barton last Thursday 21 November, 2013.

In the absence of a formal association to represent them, victimised local Indian taxi drivers called for a ‘Driver Safety Awareness Campaign’ which was held on November 26. They walked from Elders Park to Parliament in order to draw the attention of the SA government to the safety of taxi drivers in general.

The protest had the participation from around 100 taxi drivers from the Indian community who marched peacefully and presented their concerns to the Minister of Transport Services, Ms Cloe Fox. Ms Fox promised to enforce reforms to support the safety of taxi drivers and subsidise driver safety shields. However, on being questioned about the police behaviour in the recent attacks, as well as the lack of Taxi Council support, she said she was not yet aware of the facts and would investigate.

Will the law makers really take action this time to support taxi drivers? If taxi drivers take us home safely, do they not have the right to go home safely too?

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NATIONAL EDITION

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coverstory

‘Tis thè to bè

W

e love the holidays, it’s that time of the year when we think of nothing more strenuous than deciding whether to go to the beach or the park, or what sausages to grill on the barbie.

It’s a time for reminiscing too, and while most of us have had fun family times, there have also been those hilarious and unique moments which are sometimes fondly remembered, sometimes best forgotten. A few of our contributors shared their merry, mad, memorable moments with Indian Link.

Cracking ice at a Christmas party

There are possibly too many to choose just one! There was the time our new puppies decided to sniff out all of the edible presents under the Christmas tree and devour the lot, and then there are of course, the numerous stories associated with my famous (or infamous, depending on how you fared after drinking it) punch that I use to make, and that’s not even mentioning schoolies…

But, I think that my most memorable silly season story by far is the time that my work colleagues and I decided to try to ice-skate (with our shoes) across a frozen fountain in London after a Christmas party. The ice appeared to be a good foot in thickness, but we soon learnt that our measurements were off by a considerable amount after the ice started to crack within seconds of us trying to slide across it. Needless to say we all ended up very cold that night, and rushed home to have hot baths. It just goes to show that Sydneysiders don’t really understand much about ice!

Lena Peacock

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Man and his mushroom

Being an international student in Sydney isn’t easy, being away from family, but recently the residence threw a party to celebrate the season. I was away, but the quiet, serious boyfriend got drunker than he has ever been. Some memorable texts appeared, like ‘To much. Live you’, which I assumed were declarations of love. Loud background music during a phone-call suggested there was dancing. If he and his friends got around to their original agenda, there was also a game of cards. When the texting stopped, I

assumed he had fallen asleep. Next morning, my phone buzzed with his message, ‘I want to die’.

Sometime during the evening, he’d found a huge stuffed mushroom. At one point his friends thought he had gone to bed, but then they saw a man sitting contemplatively in the rain, holding the mushroom. Like the nice friends they are, they put him to bed; but the next thing he knew, he was out in the hall, wearing nothing but boxers, socks and his left shoe. Oh, and still holding the mushroom. His keys were inside the house, and he ended up sleeping outside his door before the coordinator let him in.

“I’m gone one day, and this happens,” I replied, after I nearly died laughing. “I won’t be drinking for a while,” was his sober reply.

It’s too funny to let go though, so all week he’s been receiving texts from me saying, “I’m so mushed up, why would you abandon me, I mush you so much”. He’s pleading that I stop; this is one holiday he wants to forget.

But not if I can help it!

Kritika Rao

Plan paintballed!

Growing up outside of Queanbeyan, the small city east of Canberra was socially isolating. The Ridgeway Estate where I lived had only about 100 residents, with a single road leading into and out of the estate. The entry was off the main road to the coast from Canberra - the King’s Highway, which was notorious for its fast moving traffic. At the time, the single lane road was extremely poorly maintained.

As a young lad, my mates and I once ventured to the side of the highway having followed a dirt track that led, on the other side, down to the township of Queanbeyan.

The cars and trucks passing us were moving scarily quickly, and in our youthful indignance we discussed how to gain safe passage across the road.

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sèason silly Present peeker!

It was on a balmy night around Christmas that we came upon a plan to make the road safer, so we could complete our journey along the dirt track and into the town. One full moon night around 1am, my mates and I took some tins of white paint and paint brushes left over from my house having been painted only months earlier, and headed for the main road. With one person looking out for the glare of distant headlights, we started painting stripes along the road. Long, wide, even strips of thick white paint with a space between each of them, over the tarmac and knobbly gravel, parallel to the edge. After about 20 minutes, we thought we had done well. Stripes right across both lanes! Shaking with laughter as we admired our work, we heard the distant rumble of truck. The perfect time to test our zebra crossing!

The truck rolled into sight and we stepped back from the highway, planning to move to the very edge as it got closer. We assumed it would stop, so we could cross.

As it thundered closer, we crept forward.

The moonlight glistened off the paint on the road. But as the truck approached, we realised that it wasn’t actually slowing down.

Then it rushed past and there was a squelchy sound as wet paint sprayed everywhere. We gazed at the back of the disappearing truck, and realised that it was leaving long white paint lines up the highway.

As we howled with laughter, a car came the other way and created long white lines down the other side of the road.

It was the best Christmas holiday ever, even though that road was no safer to cross.

Every trip to town in the back of Dad’s car caused a smile, as we passed the ‘crossing’.

The paint took several years to fade….

Mohan Dhall

NATIONAL EDITION

My friend Ju-a is one of four, and her parents own a laundrette just down the street from where I live. Her little sister Sia used to sneak to open her presents before Christmas, have a look at them and then put them back.

On Christmas Day she would pick up a present and say, “Oooooh! And this one’s the fairy wand!” That’s how everyone knew that she had sneaked a peek, but Sia never caught on that she had given herself away.

Lily Rose Robertson

Rocking on the road!

In my early 20s, New Year’s Eve in Mumbai had become less about going to Midnight Mass and burning up the ‘Old Man,’ and more about which party we would attend.

One memorable year, a group of us were all dressed up and ready to party. At 10:30pm, we fit ourselves into four cars and headed off in a loud and noisy cavalcade.

There was an atmosphere of celebration and anticipation in the air as we headed for Bandra Bandstand, about 20 minutes away, to a bash thrown by an upcoming actor. We would get there in plenty of time, or so we thought.

Driving towards Bandra, a feeling of apprehension began to grow, because the main road was absolutely jam-packed with traffic. We crawled along, anxiously watching the clock and unfairly recriminating with our friend for not driving fast enough.

At 11:50pm, we had come to a complete standstill, and the atmosphere in the car

was wound up and anxious. Drivers honked impatiently, their passengers argued, but there was just no way we could get out of there. At 11:55pm, our driver friend decided that he’d had enough. He got out of the car, clambered out of the bonnet, stood on the roof (it was his car, what did we care?), and looking over the sea of cars, he announced that a traffic light had broken down in the distance. He was just about to climb down when we heard the fireworks, and the night sky lit up with a million flares. This intrepid guy, the only teetotaller in the group, stood upright and yelled out at the top of his voice, “Happy New Year, everybody!” For a magical moment, there was silence. Then car doors started opening, people started getting out and wishing each other a happy new year. All around us was a scene of cheerful chaos. Some wannabes climbed onto the roofs of their cars, but the moment belonged to our friend and we were in the midst of it, enthusiastically hugging strangers. A variety of music blared out of different car stereos, and we began to seriously party right there, surrounded by cars and people. It was a memorable and unforgettable sight.

15 minutes later, an irate party pooper police inspector got everyone into their cars, as traffic began moving. For our friend, the quiet, well-mannered one, it was his 15 minutes of fame, and we spent the rest of the year recounting his escapade, much to his visible embarrassment and secret delight!

He’s a devoted husband and father now, but the sight of him atop his car, wishing the world is still an unforgettable one.

Sheryl Dixit

and kin, we headed out to stay in a resort with close friends. I have no concept of travelling light, so the car boot was packed with food to last a week (in case we get hungry), clothing (unpredictable weather, so gotta take everything), golf clubs (hubby’s sole condition for coming along), laptop (naturally), seven pair of shoes (to match every outfit and a few extra just in case) and a Christmas tree (in true festive spirit).

On arriving at the resort, the porter inquired if we were staying for a month, and despite all his hospitality grooming, his eyebrows shot up in amusement when I sheepishly mentioned the duration of our stay. After a short rest, we pulled out the Christmas tree and in true celebratory spirit covered it with LED lights. Then we switched on the lights, and with a loud noise, the power went off. We called the reception, where the sleepy operator said he could not send anyone to help as the staff had all gone home early to be with family. None of us were talented enough to fix power outages and despite the three dozen candles that I had carried along, it was still too hot to manage without electricity. A few irate phone calls later, the ‘bordering on rude’ receptionist offered us another room on the opposite side of the resort. With no porters in sight we had to heave all the baggage, Christmas tree et al, to the newly allocated room. There was not even a car park near that room so we could not drive around to it. I still shiver from the memory of carting the seemingly endless pieces of luggage, bags and cartons between the two rooms. Three years later, the niggling pain in my lower back could well be attributed to that heavy, not hearty Christmas!

Preeti Jabbal Maybe we can all learn a thing or two from these writers and remember to stay safe and out of trouble during the silly season!

Heavy, not hearty!

It was ‘Heave Ho!’ instead of ‘Ho! Ho! Ho!’ the year we decided to celebrate Christmas in Inverloch with some friends.

The holidays are a time to rejuvenate and recover from a year of working hard and partying even harder. So with kith

DECEMBER (1) 2013 17

Indiaoz

17,700kms and counting!

A trio of enthusiastic young men undertake a staggering journey across the globe in a 4x4

E

BY AVi CHANDIOK

ver since Galileo’s discovery that the world was indeed round, people have dreamt of circumnavigating the globe. Over the centuries many such journeys have been made by land, sea and air, and each has its unique features. Currently in Australia are three young men from India who have embarked on an epic journey to travel round the world by road.

It might seem an insane fantasy, but the Great Indian World Trip is well and truly on its way. The drive will cover a staggering 70,000kms on roads across the globe that range from being smooth as silk to unpaved ones that will truly test the driving skills of these young men, and the 4x4 itself.

The days and nights will unfold across the skies of 50 countries and 6 continents, with our intrepid young men meeting and associating with different peoples, 18 DECEMBER (1) 2013

races, languages and foods. Surely it takes a steely toughness to undertake such a project.

Tushar Agarwal, Sanjay Madan, Prasad and their trusted 4WD form the team of this world trip.

The stated motivation for the journey is an attempt to challenge the common man’s definition of the NRI. It’s an endeavour to see beyond the glitz associated with the concept of the NRI. The team intend ‘…to interact with such Indians settled the world over and find out how life is treating them’. Ultimately they wish to get an idea of how NRIs are faring in their chosen lands. So why do I get the sneaking feeling that it is the lure of an exciting adventure with all the risks involved in doing something breathtakingly huge, that is the true motivation for this enormous journey? With such a venture full of challenges, it is easy to envisage the rush of adrenalin one might feel as one starts to wonder whether the project will succeed. There can also be the desire to test oneself. Will the body and mind be able to endure the strenuous schedule? Has the forward

planning accounted for all the contingencies that might arise? To answer these questions can itself become a reason for undertaking such a journey.

The obvious question is – will the Great Indian World Trip succeed? Of course, one can never predict the future but it’s very unlikely that our team will be the proverbial bunnies caught in the headlights of a 4x4. The team’s track record speaks for itself. Previously they had driven 12,000km from London to Delhi in 51 days. They have been part of the Indian team at the ASEAN India Car Rally 2012, from Indonesia to India. One endearing achievement was the record-setting drive in the tiny Tata Nano to Khardung La Pass at 5600m on the highest motorable road. There have been many other record-breaking drives high up in the Himalayan ranges including to Mt Kailash and Mansarovar Lake, and down on the plains.

The team has also officiated in the most popular car rallies in India including Desert Storm and the Formula 1 race. Who would bet against Tushar, Madan and Prasad

completing their current world trip?

Often it is wise not to get too carried away by one’s own lifestyle and the high-5s associated with it.

The glamour and adulation that comes with undertaking a drive round the world can easily go to one’s head. Those less fortunate and not in one’s elevated circle can often be forgotten and left behind. So it is very much to its credit that The Great Indian World Trip has taken up the cause of the Guru Vishram Vridh Ashram in Badarpur, Delhi. This ashram takes in the sick, the destitute, those with mental and physical ailments, and provides a place of safety and shelter for the elderly.

These young men are spreading awareness of the ashram, and providing a platform for the public to make donations to it via the Ashram’s website.

The drive has already passed through Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, covring nearly 7,000kms. “The 17,700km drive across Australia is an attempt to create a Guinness World Record,” confirmed Tushar. At the time of going to press, the

trio was heading to Sydney. Later they head to other countries such as Tanzania and South Africa, which are home to wonderful wild life. Some countries being visited include those with political tensions such as Kenya, Columbia and some in Central America.

The route goes from Alaska in the very north, to the southern-most tips of South America and South Africa. From Alaska and California in the west to Sydney, far away in the east. So many hours to sit in the driving seat as the world goes by. So many chance events that may take place with the joy of the accomplishment as it unfolds.

In the near future I expect to meet the trio to learn more about their stories; but in the meantime, I wish our adventurers well. To quote from their website www. greatindianworldtrip.com: “Roads.

No Roads. The expedition must go on. This can happen only when it’s steered by men who believe in it, powered by a machine that never lets them down and backed by a mechanism that keeps the engine roaring and wheels rolling.

The Great Indian World Trip is no exception”.

www.indianlink.com.au

NATIONAL EDITION

DECEMBER (1) 2013 19

youth

Pint sized Professional A At 13, young Anshul Arora is a Microsoft Certified Professional, writes FARZANA SHAKIR nshul Arora, a Year 8 student of Patrician Brothers in Blacktown has achieved the distinction of being a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) at the tender age of 13.

The younger of two siblings, Anshul sat for the Microsoft Technology Associate exam 98-349 on November 2 at the Microsoft Centre in Parramatta.

Forty-five minutes later and after having his Microsoft-related computer knowledge scrutinized in-depth, he walked out with the title of MCP. Microsoft Certifications are professional information technology certificates based on Microsoft products. Main categories include Server, Desktop, Database, Applications and Developer. Individual certificates can be obtained upon clearing one or more exams. The Technology Associate exam that Anshul cleared is the new entry

20 DECEMBER (1) 2013

level certification by this reputed organisation. It is being hailed as the first step towards a career in IT as a professional or developer.

Chatting with Indian Link, Anshul opened up about his appreciation for computer technology. “I started taking an interest in computers at the age of probably nine or ten, mainly because of my dad who is an IT professional at the Department of Education,” he revealed.

Anshul credited his dad Sushil Arora, for his success, “he encouraged me to sit for the exam by providing me with all the study material and helping me with the preparation,” stated Anshul. It took the youngster six months of dedicated learning to pass the exam. Outlining his study routine he said, “in the beginning I started with one hour every two days, building it up gradually to three hours every day”.

Anshul admitted that the exam was tough for someone his age, but now that he has passed, it

means a lot to him. “It can give me a headstart in an IT-based career like my dad,” he said.

Speaking about his reaction on passing the exam, Anshul quipped, “I was fairly confident I would pass, but at the same time extremely nervous, so when I got the news I was happy and relieved”.

Even though acquiring the Microsoft Certified Professional certificate helps little in terms of schoolwork, Anshul believes that it has given him a lot of knowledge about the Windows OS. This means he is now not only much more confident, but also proficient in using the operating system.

By acquiring the MCP qualification Anshul has made everyone he knows proud. “My friends and teachers have congratulated me, while the principal wrote a letter of commendation to my parents,” he stated, acknowledging the accolades he has received.

“We are very proud to be Anshul’s parents,” said mum Minti and dad Sushil. “Because of his accomplishment at such a young age, and we feel like sharing it with everyone”.

Anshul is not quite sure what he wants to do when he grows up,

but for now he is considering a career in IT. Apart from computers, his interests are cricket and video games. To other kids Anshul’s wise advice is, “work hard because by doing so, you can achieve anything”.

www.indianlink.com.au

communityscene

First ever bilingual CD launched in Dharwal/Sanskrit Embracing Dharawal Aboriginal culture through Sanskrit was the theme of the SSS annual day, reports Karthikeyan Subramanian

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nclement weather on November 17 did not deter participants and guests who flocked to Redgum Community Centre to celebrate Samaskrutotsavam 2013, the annual day of the Sydney Sanskrit School (SSS). It was an event at which history was truly in the making. The SSS is the world’s first school to produce and launch a bilingual CD titled, Yabun Matra (‘In rhythm’ in Dharawal/Sanskrit), a carry along CD in the Dharawal language and in Sanskrit, also containing a songbook. The CD was created to embrace the Australian Indigenous culture with respect and reverence as SSS believes that we have a responsibility to our children and families to maintain a sense of belonging and connection to this land. Sharing Aboriginal history and culture and actively embracing reconciliation are key to achieving this.

While launching the CD, Victor Dominello, Minister for Citizenship and Communities and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, lauded the community for its ability to blend seamlessly into the local culture, and yet retain its unique identity. The CD is a collection of Dharawal songs and sayings, translated into Sanskrit.

On hearing the tri-lingual national anthem in Dharawal, Sanskrit and English sung by students of Sydney Sanskrit School the Minister was moved to say, “What a joy it was to watch those young angels sing the national anthem in Dharawal, Sanskrit and English, our national anthem. If that doesn’t give you goosebumps, I don’t think anything else would!”

The project, sponsored by the NSW Government through the Community Relations Commission, set a precedent by a migrant community in promoting multiculturalism and the indigenous language and culture. This combination of two languages into a harmonious blend of music and songs is a world first and a true product of Australia. The songs, written by Mr Les Bursill, OAM, Dharawal elder were translated into Sanskrit

by Dr Meenakshi Srinivasan, Founder Principal of SSS, and were sung by Sydney musician Peter Morgan and students of the SSS under the leadership of Dr Lakshmi Satyanarayana, President, NATIONAL EDITION

SSS. The CD also contains a song booklet with aboriginal artwork done by the students of the school under the guidance of teacher Meera Jagadeesh.

MCs Prerana Chuttar in English and Ranjani Rao in Sanskrit, commenced the program by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land, followed by a welcome to the country

by Uncle Ivan Wellington, a Dharawal elder. Glenfield batch students sought the blessings of Lord Ganesha by reciting the Ganadhipa Stuti, while Mr Biren Nanda, High Commissioner of the Republic of India and Ms Kesanee Palanuwongse, Deputy Consul General of the Royal Thai Embassy, lit the lamp amidst chants of ‘Asatoma Sadgamaya’, a Sanskrit verse seeking direction from illusion to enlightenment.

In his welcome speech in Sanskrit, Sumukha Jagadeesh stated that the bilingual CD was conceptualised as a mark of respect and reverence to the Adivasis (traditional owners) of Australia at the seventh annual Samskrutotsavam program.

Next followed the entertainment section of the evening with the Deepa Jwalanam (Lighting the Lamp), a classical dance performance by Aruna

Gandhi and her students from Silambam Sydney. Not to be outdone, the tiny tots of SSS, some as young as four, waddled on stage performing to the popular Five Little Ducks song composed in Sanskrit.

Being the International Year of Water, the theme was water, sustainability and spiritually. In line with this, Ganga Stotram written by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya on the importance and value of River Ganges was delivered by the Glenfield Vishnu Sahasranaman group and SSS parents. Aqua, a music ensemble conceptualised by Dr Lakshmi, portrayed the nature and sound of rain and water, leaving the audience mesmerised with the sounds of nature and eager for more.

The next two items were based on Dharawal songs translated into Sanskrit, as featured on the CD. The enactments of Marloo the Kangaroo and Yan-ma Garrigarana (Travel to the Sea) were enthusiastically performed and received resounding applause.

The event also showcased performances from an intergenerational perspective as seniors from the Resourceful Australian Indian Network (RAIN) group were in stiff,

yet friendly competition with youngsters as they presented a classic performance of Kritva Nava Drada Sankalpam, accompanied by Pawan Narayan on the mrudangam. All the participants took a pledge to spread the message of unity and urging all present to work for the development of the nation, to always remain enthusiastic, progressive, protect and propagate values and ethics from the sages.

‘Vasudhaiva Kudambakam’ is an ancient Sanskrit phrase denoting ‘The whole world is one family’.

Latcho Drom, a puppet show

by Lenka Muchova, scripted by Romono Solo, a Gypsy Elder, voiced by Peter Morgan, portrayed the journey of gypsies from India and their contribution to different cultures as they traversed various lands.

A play in Sanskrit followed, based on the textbook, Varna-Rahasya Anveshanam, a project sponsored by NSW Government through the Department of Education and Communities, that was wellenacted by the young actors.

In celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the Glenfield batch students presented a group song titled Bhuvana Mandale, eulogizing the saint’s qualities and exploits.

Two spirited Vivekanandas held the audience spellbound through recitation of his speech in English and Sanskrit about the need for mutual respect. Mr Nanda releasing a CD titled Samskruta Gita Ranjani, a collection of Sanskrit songs composed over the years by the SS school teachers, also used as teaching aids. Mr Nanda commended the school on its commitment to teach Sanskrit in an innovative and fun way, and the significance of learning the language with its rich literature on many subjects. Dr Geoff Lee, MP,

In his welcome speech in Sanskrit, Sumukha Jagadeesh stated that the bilingual CD was conceptualised as a mark of respect and reverence to the Adivasis (traditional owners) of Australia at the seventh annual Samskrutotsavam program

Parramatta, released Medha 2013, the school’s annual magazine.

Dr Nihal Agar, President of the Hindu Council of Australia and the Hon. David Clarke, MLC distributed prizes to the winners of the annual Bhagavad Gita Competition. Mr Paul Lynch, MP, State Member for Liverpool and Mr Raj Datta, Councillor for Strathfield also spoke on the occasion.

Anurag Dhar delivered the vote of thanks in Sanskrit, while Karthik Subramanian also thanked the students, participants, dignitaries, teachers, committee members and the NSW Government for being a part of this vision and dream to celebrate unity in diversity, to views cultural differences with respect and strengthen the foundations of a rich and diverse Australia. The program concluded with the Indian National Anthem sung by all the students.

DECEMBER (1) 2013 21

The photogr ARTS

From fashion in London to the vivacity of India, an Australian photographer’s journey is documented on film

BY LENA PEACOCK

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ocumentary film A Life Exposed explores Australian photographer Robyn Beeche’s dramatic transformation from London high-fashion photographer to documenter of Indian culture. Directed by Lesley Branagan, the film explores the vibrant rituals and colours of India, which contrast greatly to the life of a commercial photographer which Beeche left behind.

The film was recently screened at Parramatta’s Riverside Theatre on December 2, as well as in New Delhi, as part of the Australian embassy’s Oz Fest initiative, and has received much praise in both the Indian and Australian media.

Robyn Beeche became renowned in London for her iconic images in the 1980s. Her pre-digital and pre-Photoshop images of painted bodies and celebrities, including Vivienne Westwood, were ground-breaking, and are said to have changed the rules of fashion photography forever. She used the human body as a blank canvas and used makeup, lighting and composition tricks to present trompe l’oeil techniques to great effect.

Despite this, at the height of her career, Beeche became ‘drawn like a magnet’ to India, and left the world of commercial photography behind. And 25 years later, she continues to passionately document India’s vibrant traditions as a spiritual service.

“When there is no creative director’s agenda to adhere to, the freedom of expression creates a different style and I am most interested in trying to capture the emotion and essence of the subject,” Beech told Indian Link. Beech says that she simply transferred her existing “style and brought it to bear in my Indian” 22 DECEMBER (1) 2013

photographs.

A finalist in the Australian Arts in Asia Award 2013, A Life Exposed takes the viewer on Beeche’s journey, weaving between Australia, England and India, as she discovers that success and fame are no longer enough. Archival footage of her 1980s London studio, interviews, observational footage and stills are presented, and the themes of transformation, spectacle, ritual and tradition are explored.

“The depth of Indian culture is the inspiration for my work on so many levels, be it religious practice, arts and crafts or the landscape,” said Beeche. “To capture those artisans and craftsmen who may remain anonymous particularly interested me, whether they were embroidering an intricate background for clothes to be offered in the temple, or creating a beautiful Sanjhi rangoli”.

Beeche’s love affair with Indian culture began with her first encounter of it at The Aditi (Creative Power) exhibition which opened the London Barbican Centre in 1982. “It was the vibrancy, the creativity which made me think to myself that on my next trip to Australia, I must experience this,” she recounted.

“After the first journey I was hooked; and although it is true that there are challenges in trying to adjust to a very different culture, it also became very clear to me that I was more interested in Indian culture with a spiritual basis than the work I was doing in London,” she

added.

“I saw a profile on Robyn in Dumbo Feather magazine, and I was instantly captured by her inspiring life story and her images,” said Lesley Branagan, the film’s director, to Indian Link. “We met up, and she agreed to make the documentary film. [But] if I’d known it was going to take 6-7 years, I might have reconsidered!”

This is because of the numerous ‘ups and downs’ and problems with getting funding, but despite everything, it was a rewarding process. “It was some years before we could shoot the main footage of Holi, which was a highlight of both our process and the final film,” said Branagan.

Luckily the film had many supporters both in Australia and India, which helped the filming to go ahead.

Branagan was careful to “retain the integrity and authenticity of Robyn’s life story and its spiritual focus, whilst making the story accessible to audiences,” she told Indian Link. With collaborative editing and post-production, she worked closely with both Indian and Australian editors. Branagan was also interested in making the film, as she is just as “deeply fascinated by all things Indian and immersed in the culture and place”. She also lived in India and spent some time working with organisations to help empower Indian women.

And what was it like working

www.indianlink.com.au

rapher

with Beeche? “It was really inspiring to work with Robyn, as she’s so deeply immersed in her region, her town, her ashram and her life path,” noted Branagan. “It was great to see her dedication to seva in action. She has a tremendous conviction about the value of documenting the regions”. Branagan also noted that Beeche’s “archive is going to have huge long-term value for the future”.

Beeche recounted to Indian Link how a photographer, after seeing her exhibition in Mumbai of UK portraits, told her that he “gave up commercial photography and travelled India photographing NATIONAL EDITION

the people”. This is the kind of inspiration that she loves to hear about. Although her early work provides inspiration to photographers across the globe, her Indian photographs are “revered more in India, as ‘darshan’ in the temples is more understood,” she explained.

And Beeche’s favourite photograph? “I would say that the pink elephant with widows is one of my favourite images as there is a lot going on in the photograph which only became known to me

Photos: Robyn Beeche

exposed

Despite this, at the height of her career, Beeche became “drawn like a magnet” to India, and left the world of commercial photography behind

Branagan was careful to “retain the integrity and authenticity of Robyn’s life story and its spiritual focus, whilst making the story accessible to audiences”

afterwards, such as the small boy holding his head underneath the elephant,” she said. And Holi is one of her favourite festivals to shoot.

“The enduring friendships I made, filming Holi and A Life Exposed will forever be favourite memories of my time in India,” said Robyn Beeche.

Details: www.facebook. com/ale.documentary DECEMBER (1) 2013 23

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Indiaoz

Common themes, but uncertain actions Indian-origin Australians offer their perspective of how Indo-Oz relations can be mutually nurtured

Jayantee calls then them the 3 Cs – Chaos, Corruption and Cronyism, which is tarnishing the brand image of India

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BY Jyoti Shankar

id you know that: There are 450,000 people of Indian origin now living in Australia? This is 2% of the Australian population.

• Victoria is the state where most people of Indian origin live • The first Indians arrived in Australia on Captain Cook’s ship in 1770 • Some Indians were sent to Australia as convicts by the British colonial government in the early 19th century • 138,700 people from India visited Australia as tourists in 2010, and this figure has shown an increasing trend • Indian students are now the second-largest source of international students in Australia • Three times more money (AUD20.4 billion) has come from India into Australia than vice versa (AUD6.88 billion) in 2010-2011 • Indians are three times more likely to have a university degree compared to the other Australians • The unemployment rate among Indian-Australians stands high at 6.2%, compared to the national average of 5.1% NATIONAL EDITION

• The median weekly income of Indians at AUD663 is higher than the average of AUD597?

• Only about 13% of Indians volunteer their time as compared to the national average of 36%?

Making sense of these statistics gathered from sources such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Department of Foreign Trade and Department of Immigration and Citizenship, as well as insights gained from interviews with 25 immigrants of Indian origin, is what Jayantee Mukherjee Saha, has attempted to do.

Jayantee is the Director of Aei4eiA, a Sydney-based management research, training and consultancy firm. The recently released resultant report, Experience Australia: Reflections from the Indian Community, is a smorgasbord of interesting facts and a sprinkling of interviews with some of the more prominent and successful members of our community. Based on these, Jayantee has drawn certain conclusions about the Indian community in Australia, and what can be done to maintain a mutually sustainable relationship between the two countries.

India has been recognised as one of the countries Australia needs to engage with in the Asian century, but this engagement will not come easily on account of a number of factors identified in the report. Jayantee calls then them the 3 Cs – Chaos, Corruption and Cronyism, which is tarnishing

the brand image of India. “This report is only the first step in the three-pronged approach that my organisation is launching – Analysis, Awareness and Action, the report being the Analysis phase,” states Jayantee. Her firm, Aei4eiA, derives its name from the Greek word aeiforeia meaning ‘sustainability’. It aims to explore how India and Australia could forge and sustain a mutually beneficial relationship.

There is no dearth of qualified, intelligent and well-spoken Indians, but it is often found that Indian delegations to Australia are made of people who have been chosen for qualities other than these, presenting a poor image of India. By highlighting the stories of some of the individuals who have made their mark in Australia, Jayantee wishes to understand the common themes that emerge from these stories. These are individuals who have risen in their individual fields through hard work, participation in the community, and by understanding the nuances of living in the host country.

The sample size of 25 that this report has used to derive these conclusions is hardly a representative sample of the Indian population in Australia, but Jayantee accepts this shortcoming.

However, at the same time she argues that these individuals are in a way representative of a much larger number of people, as many are community leaders in various states. Some of the individuals

Jayantee Mukherjee Saha

whose in-depth interviews appear in the report include Dr Tapas Biswas from Canberra; Dr Yadu Singh and Amarinder Bajwa, both from NSW; DLR Prasad from Queensland; Dipen Mitra, from South Australia; and Dr Sanjeev Sabhlok from Victoria. There is no representation from the Northern Territory or Western Australia.

The people interviewed are fairly well-settled migrants and their stories tell us what should be done to foster a better IndoOz relationship, which could be pointers for how migrants can make their assimilation into the country easier. The common themes that emerge are: few are fortunate to have a smooth start; job-seeking is the biggest challenge; shed regional biases and work together as a community; participate in community activities; do proper research before you migrate; take part in government policy-making processes and politics; and be aware that each Indian is an ambassador of India in Australia.

Experiences of migrants from different periods of time (see above graph) are different, but this report does not capture the range of migrant experience.

And maybe it would have been balanced to also have the perceptions of Australians about Indians living here. Often, how we perceive others perceiving us,

is different from how others may really perceive us!

Jayantee believes that there has to be a basis for action and her report is the first step towards action. It is described as a “repository of information and collection sentiments”. The report is interesting for readers who would like to find information about the Indian diaspora in Australia in one place. But where to from here, is the question.

Putting together a bunch of facts and interviews would serve little purpose otherwise. When asked about how the findings of the report will be taken further, “watch this space!” is all Jayantee can say at this stage, of her plans.

It would be certainly interesting to see the outcomes from the report.

DECEMBER (1) 2013 25

INDIAN NEWS PHOTO: AP

Victims say the impact of the tragedy can be seen even today as hundreds of children born in the area even now suffer from disabilities.

“There are no jobs, victims are being given substandard medicines in hospitals and children continue to be born with disabilities of all kinds. We have been fighting and will continue for our rights,” stated Rashida Bi, head of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh.

Indian Mars craft crosses moon orbit

An Indian Naval band performs during Naval Day celebrations at the Arabian Sea in Mumbai, India, December 4

Chidambaram pegs economic growth at 5 percent for 2013-14

The Indian economy is on the path of recovery. Growth will accelerate in the coming quarter and is expected to be around five percent for the current financial year, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said recently in New Delhi.

The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth rose to 4.8 percent in the quarter ending in September as compared to 4.4 percent in the previous quarter, according to latest data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Average growth in the first two quarters of the current financial year stood at 4.6 percent.

Addressing a press conference in the capital, Chidambaram said the economic growth performance in the second quarter of the current financial year was in line with the government’s expectation and was likely to improve significantly in the second half of the year.

“The second quarter GDP growth rate indicates that the economy may be recovering and is on a growth trajectory again,” the finance minister said.

Apart from the second quarter GDP growth numbers, Chidambaram also based his optimism on recovery in exports and a very good improvement in current account deficit situation.

“With the recent improvements in some important sectors like manufacturing, better performance of exports and with the measures taken by the government, the economy can be expected to show further improvement. We expect the growth for the financial year 2013-14 to be 5.0 percent,” the finance ministry said in a statement.

India’s current account deficit falls to $5.2 billion in Q2 India’s current account deficit declined to $5.2 billion in July-September quarter of the current financial year as compared to $21 billion recorded in the corresponding 26 DECEMBER (1) 2013

quarter of last year, on the back of rise in exports and decline in gold imports, government data showed recently.

As a proportion of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), the current account deficit during the quarter under review is 1.2 percent, sharply down from 5 percent recorded in the corresponding quarter in 2012-13, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The current account deficit (CAD) was recorded at 4.9 percent of the country’s GDP in the April-June quarter of the current financial year.

“The lower CAD was primarily on account of a decline in the trade deficit as merchandise exports picked up and imports moderated, particularly gold imports,” the RBI said.

On a balance of payment basis, merchandise exports increased by 11.9 percent to $81.2 billion in the second quarter of 2013-14 on the back of significant growth especially in the exports of textiles and textile products, leather and leather products and chemicals.

On the other hand, merchandise imports at $114.5 billion recorded a decline of 4.8 percent in the second quarter of the current financial year as compared with a decline of 3 percent in the second quarter of 2012-13 year-on-year, primarily led by a steep decline in gold imports, which amounted to $3.9 billion as compared to $16.4 billion in the first quarter of 2013-14 and $11.1 billion in the second quarter of 2012-13.

As a result, the merchandise trade deficit (BoP basis) contracted to $33.3 billion in the second quarter of 2013-14 from $47.8 billion a year ago.

29 years later, Bhopal gas victims still wait for justice

It was on the night of Dec 2-3, 1984, that a toxic gas leak from the Union Carbide Corporation’s pesticide plant in the Madhya Pradesh capital killed and maimed thousands of people. Nearly three decades

later, victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy are still fighting for justice.

The victims have been waging legal battles demanding more compensation, better treatment facilities and removal of hazardous waste from the site, and jobs for affected people.

Various social groups fighting for justice for the victims of one of the world’s worst industrial disasters are planning to hold a meeting in Bhopal to reiterate their demands.

Most of the victims blame the state and central governments for not paying heed to their needs.

“In the past 29 years, we have been fighting with limited resources but nothing substantial has come out yet. Both the state and central governments have been eye-washing the world on the matter,” said Rachna Dhingra, a member of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action.

Dhingra said 25,000 metric tonnes of toxic waste still lies inside the locked Union Carbide plant in Bhopal.

“So far, only 350 tonnes of waste has been removed and the rest continues to lie inside the plant with none having any answer to when will it be removed,” she said.

“The Madhya Pradesh government has accepted the contamination of groundwater in the region, but no steps have been taken for its disposal,” she said.

The Bhopal gas tragedy killed over 3,500 people in a single night. An estimated 25,000, who were maimed have died over two decades.

Balkrishna Namdeo of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Samiti said the worst part is that the culprits behind the tragedy are still at large and the government has failed to put them behind bars.

“The people who were responsible for the whole tragedy have gone scot free and our government did not take any action to punish those responsible for taking so many innocent lives,” Namdeo said.

Becoming the farthest object sent by the country into interplanetary space, the Indian spacecraft to Mars crossed the moon’s orbit on Dec 2, on its way towards the red planet, ISRO officials said in Bangalore recently.

“The Mars Orbiter has crossed the distance of the moon’s orbit around 8am and is now the farthest object of India in the interplanetary space,” said a senior space agency official.

As earth’s only natural satellite, the moon is around 384,400 km away and is the fifth largest of its kind in the solar system.

Cruising at 32 km per second in the 680-million km solar orbit, the Orbiter flew over the satellite, crossing its orbit where India’s moon craft Chandrayaan-1 orbited in 2008-09. The spacecraft has cruised a distance of 536,000 km from earth by 5 pm on Dec 2.

“The Orbit is on course and cruising to escape the earth’s sphere of influence, which extends up to 918,347 km in the deep space,” Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) director Deviprasad Karnik said in Bangalore.

Scientists at the Indian telemetry, tracking and command network (Istrac) in Bangalore and the Indian Deep Space Network at Bylalu, about 40km from Bangalore, are monitoring the spacecraft’s movement in the sun-synchronous orbit and checking its subsystems.

“The Orbiter has crossed the rubicon never to return, as it was freed from the earth’s gravity on early Dec 1 and is on way for a rendezvous with the red planet,” Karnik said.

The craft was flung into outer space 1.11 am Dec 1 after its engine was fired for 22 minutes for the crucial trans-Mars injection at a velocity (speed) of 648 metres per second.

The deep space network will conduct the first of the four mid-course corrections Dec 11 to ensure the Orbiter stays on course in the sun orbit.

After a nine-month long journey, the spacecraft will enter in mid-September 2014 the Mars sphere of influence, which is around 573,473 km from its surface, in a hyperbolic trajectory.

“When the spacecraft is closest to Mars in mid-September, it will be captured into the Martian orbit through a crucial manoeuvre,” Karnik said.

Transition from the earth’s final orbit to solar orbit was programmed in line with sun’s gravity and laws of the universe to ensure the Orbiter reaches precisely on time to sling into the Martian orbit in midSeptember.

The 1,337 kg Orbiter was launched Nov 5 from Sriharikota spaceport off the Bay of Bengal, about 80 km north east of Chennai, on board a 350-tonne rocket with five

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INDIAN NEWS

Japan’s imperial couple floored by grand reception

Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko were floored by the “gorgeous and colourful” ceremonial reception accorded to them at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi recently.

The presence of smartly-turned out personnel of the three Services as well as the horse-mounted Presidential Bodyguards in their red-gold livery, left the Japanese imperial couple “very much impressed”.

Sakutaro Tanino, press secretary to the emperor and former envoy to India, said the ceremonial reception was “very big in scale”.

The imperial couple, who are on a six-day state visit to India, later went to Rajghat to pay floral tributes at the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi.

They had paid tribute at Rajghat during their visit 53 years ago, when they were in India as crown prince and princess of Japan and were in their early 20s, said Tanino.

The emperor and empress during their visit to the Japanese embassy were very impressed at how big the peepul tree, known in Japanese as bo, had grown in the 53 years since they planted it.

Need more American investment into India, says Sibal

Communications Minister Kapil Sibal recently called for greater investments from US-based companies in India to create jobs and buying capacity for the local population.

“You need to invest in agriculture, medical (sector), electronics and education.

Unless you help Indian economy, you won’t be able to increase buying capacity of Indian consumers,” Sibal said at the ninth Indo-US Resurgence Summit held in New Delhi recently.

“The (US investors) are interested in selling their aircraft, defence equipment, but that is not the way to converge in this partnership”.

According to Indian government estimates, the Indo-US trade in merchandise goods for the calendar year 2012 stood at $62.85 billion with balance of trade surplus of $18.18 billion in favour of India.

On the other hand, civilian and military orders placed by India with American companies have created thousands of jobs in the US. Notwithstanding the growing trade ties, the US under its strategic partnership wants to co-develop new systems for civilian and military purposes with India.

The minister, who was speaking at the event organised by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), also attacked the US government policy of restricting visas to Indian information technology (IT) professionals.

NATIONAL EDITION

“You are a country that talks about liberalisation of global economy and yet you are increasing cost of our IT sector by trying to impose restriction on our people trying to go to US. I don’t think this is the right attitude for partners,” Sibal said.

Sibal added that the trade between the two countries can rapidly expand, and pointed at the enormous opportunity for the companies of two sides to collaborate in areas like manufacture of consumer durables as there is exponential demand in India.

“Today because of high wages cost in China, manufacturing facilities are shifting to India. Japanese are very keen to invest in India, I don’t know why the Americans don’t come forward,” Sibal said.

“The present import bill of crude oil is about $140 billion. Do you think Indian economy can afford to import $300 billion of consumer electronics? We will become bankrupt. We have no choice to build manufacturing sector in our country”.

The day-long summit in the national capital was attended by more than 200 delegates representing companies and institutions from India and the US, including top diplomats and officials from government levels.

According to IACC’s regional president Lalit Bhasin, the summit focussed on enhancing the partnership between the two countries in the sphere of aviation, aerospace, security, services, trade, media and entertainment.

“Our resurgent summit seeks to provide more depth to commercial ties between the world’s most powerful and the world’s largest democracies,” Bhasin said.

“The idea to enhance the partnership to the next level of business, the middlelevel enterprises that are thriving hubs of innovation and employment”.

End travel curbs, demand Pakistan, India journalists

Journalists from India and Pakistan have demanded an end to restrictions on communications and travel between the two countries.

The demand was made in a joint declaration by the Karachi Press Club (KPC) and the Mumbai Press Club at the end of a week-long visit by an Indian journalists’ delegation to Pakistan recently, the Daily Times reported.

KPC president Imtiaz Khan Faran and Mumbai Press Club president Gurbir Singh signed the declaration.

The declaration said the limit of allowing only two accredited journalists in the capitals of either country on a reciprocal basis was “irrational and restrictive”.

It said the severe travel restrictions imposed on journalists have made comprehensive and truthful reporting impossible.

The Indian declaration called the restrictions imposed by both countries on distribution of print editions “archaic and restrictive,” especially since internet editions were freely available throughout the globe.

Bodh Gaya temple dome inlaid with gold

The dome of Bodh Gaya’s 1,500-year-old Mahabodhi temple, Buddhism’s holiest shrine, has been inlaid with nearly 300 kg gold donated by devotees from Thailand, giving the shrine a new look.

“A team of technical experts from

PHOTO: AP

scientific instruments, Mars Colour Camera, Methane Sensor, Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer, Lyman Alpha Photometer, and Mars exospheric Netural Composition Analyser.

India became the first Asian country and fourth nation in the world to leap into the interplanetary space with its Rs.450-crore exploratory mission to Mars, about 400 million km from earth.

So far, only Russia, USA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have undertaken such missions.

Japan’s Emperor Akihito shakes hand with the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee during a meeting in New Delhi, 2 December. The trip of the Japanese Emperor is to commemorate the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties between the two countries Thailand has completed work to gold-plate the dome and final touches were given to it recently,” the temple’s chief monk Bikhshu Chalinda said.

Chalinda said in a telephone interview from Bodh Gaya, about 110 km from Patna, that the temple’s dome had become more attractive and beautiful after it was inlaid with gold.

“Thanks to the 289 kg of gold donated by the Thai King’s treasury and Buddhist devotees from Thailand, the temple has not only become richer but it has a different look,” he said.

According to him, more than 200 Thai devotees, mostly those who donated gold, were camping in the temple premises to offer prayers.

N. Dorjee, secretary of the Bodh Gaya temple management committee, said work on the dome started in November. A Thai company carried it out, overseen by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The gold was flown in a special plane from Bangkok.

Dorjee said it was Thai King Bhumibol Atulya who decided last year to cover the temple dome with gold. But it took time to get the ASI’s clearance.

The first phase of the work involving chemical treatment was completed in August to prepare the foundation for gold plating.

The ancient 180 feet structure of the Mahabodhi temple is estimated to have been built between the 5th and 6th century AD. It was lost and rediscovered in the 19th century by Alexander Cunningham, who founded the ASI in 1861.

Scientific validation of ayurvedic medicines begins in Kerala CARe Keralam, which recently scientifically validated the anti-diabetes ayurvedic formulation Nishaakathakaadhi Kashayam (NKK) thus facilitating its sale abroad, is going ahead with the same process for other products too, an official said recently in Kochi.

The scientific validation of the diabetes formulation was a first-of-its-kind attempt in the history of ayurveda. Such validation is necessary for the marketing and sale of ayurvedic products in foreign markets.

CARe Keralam, a common facility set up as a joint venture between ayurveda units and the Kerala government, will identify 20 popular formulations for scientific validation with a view to ensuring wider acceptability for ayurvedic medicines.

Many ayurvedic formulations are marketed mostly as food supplements.

CARe Keralam (the Confederation of Ayurvedic Renaissance Keralam Ltd) will be supported by the National Innovation Council and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in this attempt to bring international recognition to ayurvedic medicines.

“We have been entrusted this pioneering scientific study by the National Innovation Council. We are ready to take up more such studies to promote the standardisation of ayurveda products, to bring them on par with modern medicines,” CARe Keralam managing director Karimpuzha Raman said.

CARe Keralam, along with CSIR and other national agencies, is also planning a grand ayurveda summit to place this age-old Indian system of medicine in the limelight and identify key products for scientific validation, with the support of the industry.

Spurred by the huge response to its dossier on NKK, the group is also planning to hold a clinical trial of the formulation with a minimum of 500 subjects, to establish the efficacy and safety of the product and officially declare it safe, and in accordance with global standards.

CARe Keralam was established in Koratty in Thrissur district of Kerala with the support of the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Sidda and Homeopathy (Ayush) of the government of India. It has conducted a comprehensive multidisciplinary study on NKK’s eight raw materials, and the ayurvedic product formulated from them, demonstrating its efficacy on rats.

IANS DECEMBER (1) 2013 27

LOVEMYCITY

Back to the mountains

Breathtaking vistas, funky stops, pottery classes and drool-worthy dishes made a memorable few days

BY LENA PEACOCK

S

naking up the Great Western Highway to the Blue Mountains, I expected to see scenes of devastation with charred trees and the blackened remains of houses. Instead, not a single singed tree in sight, just clear skies and roadworks aiming to expand the main artery into the mountains.

My partner and I looked at each other with surprise. Not that we wanted to see any of those sights, but it still is a misconception us Sydneysiders currently have of the mountains, after breathing in the smoke from the October fires. We put the roof down (even managing to get sunburnt on the drive up there) and breathed in the fresh air. We were off to a good start.

Running slightly behind schedule because of the roadworks, we arrived at Scenic World and were treated to some breathtaking views over the Jamison Valley, and different angles of The Three Sisters (Aboriginal names: Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo). There’s the view from the Scenic Railway, the world’s steepest passenger train at 52 degrees; the skyway, the highest one in Australia at 270 metres; and the boardwalk, the longest elevated one in the southern hemisphere, at 2.4kms. Oh, and the views weren’t too bad either

28 DECEMBER (1) 2013

from their cable car, incidentally the steepest aerial cable car in the southern hemisphere. All of this is most likely why us Sydneysiders drag any friends visiting from another country here.

They’re a friendly bunch at Scenic World, and Andy, our guide for the day sure knows his languages. He managed to find out where each tourist we passed was from, and chatted to them in their native tongue. The staff all seemed like one big happy family, although maybe it was because some of the staff were indeed family members. No really, they were.

The special menu in the café at Scenic World rotates, but the one on offer from Dec 25-Jan 5 just so happens to be Indian.

Another interesting point is the occasional entertainment they have in the forest, as well as riding up and down in the cable car.

Andy mentioned a violin player, bands and even a unicycle. Sadly, there weren’t any the day we were there. I would have liked to see a unicycle in a forest.

There’s also a forest version of Sculpture by the Sea down on the forest floor organised for next year during April 24 –May 18, with artworks being transported down via the Scenic Railway.

Quite a challenge for any of the artists involved.

After a change of time in the massage agenda, and my boyfriend missing out on his (yes, I am still being reminded about it), it was time to leave (numerous happy snaps later, of course).

I could still feel the tingling in my feet from standing on the glass section of the floor in the skyway (which the boyfriend thought I was mad for standing on), as I headed into the spa at Lilianfels. He sulked a little, then headed to the pool and spa tub.

I robed up and was treated to a truly relaxing massage that ironed out the kinks in my neck. Even the ‘changing rooms’ have sunken

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spas in them and there’s also an area to have a fragrant tea and unwind. Highly recommended.

Actually, I would say that Lilianfels hotel in general is highly recommended. It sits on beautiful grounds which are extremely close to the Three Sisters, also directly opposite Scenic World. Its English countryside charm works its magic on you within minutes of entering, being both cute and elegant.

The degustation dinner with matching wines we stuffed ourselves with at Darley’s Restaurant was likewise memorable. I recommend starting off with a cocktail on the bar’s balcony as we did, so you can watch the fog roll up the mountains. Quite a magic moment, especially with good company. The meals were perfectly matched to each course and it would be easy to go on and on about it.

The Heirloom Spring Vegetable Garden does deserve a special mention however, as does the venison (or ‘happy deer’ as the waitress called it).

The next day we awoke early to get our shopping started. I was surprised by the offerings in Leura village, like the funky vintage shop Mrs Peel, which wouldn’t be out of place in Sydney; contemporary Japanese goods at Touki; With

Max & Me’s bits and pieces; kitchenware at Leura Whisk; iKou for amazing tea and moisturisers; Leura Fine Woodwork Gallery; candles at Moontree Gallery; Birches of Leura; and Josophan’s Fine Chocolates. We could have spent all day in the chocolate making headquarters in Josophan’s alone. It seems that the migrantion of Sydneysiders to the mountains is certainly rubbing off.

Before we knew it we had worked up a massive appetite from running between all of the shops in the rain, so we headed to Leura Garage. Again, not the sort of place I expected to see in the Blue Mountains. It’s a converted garage, which knows how to work its industrial meets café look, with bits and pieces from cars and herb pots everywhere.

A massive downpour soon followed, so we headed back to the hotel for a relaxing swim, before driving to a pottery class with Lyn Hart at Hart Ceramics.

My partner wasn’t so keen on the idea of making pottery, trying to use the rain as an excuse to get out of it. But once we were there he warmed up to it pretty fast and loved getting his hands dirty on the wheel, making candle holders and pressing shells into clay to make a serving tray. He looked pretty pleased with his creations and I felt like I was back at primary school (in a good way) as I got stuck into it. Lyn talked us through what to do and rescued our clay messes on the wheel when necessary, reminding herself to not take over and end up making them herself! We could

barely wait till they’re fired in the kiln and posted to us. After a thorough wash later, as I made the mistake of wearing black to a pottery course (a big no no), before we knew it the two-hour class was up. We choose the glaze colours for our creations and then headed off to the French-inspired Bon Ton Leura. Another satisfying meal with extremely friendly service later and sadly, our last day in the mountains was over.

After being the first to the breakfast buffet the next morning at 7am, (quite literally waiting until they opened the doors), we collected the car, packed all of our goodies into it and headed back to Sydney for a friend’s wedding. The sun was shining and it looked like it was going to be a beautiful hot day up in the mountains, despite being a tad more miserable down in Sydney.

We ended up leaving ythe mountains with full stomachs, relaxed minds and shoulders (well, at least I did), lungs full of fresh air and a pot or two (soon to be posted). If only we had a bit more time!

Running slightly behind schedule due to roadworks, we arrived at Scenic World and were treated to some breathtaking views over the Jamison Valley, and different angles of The Three Sisters (Aboriginal names: Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo)

Travel notebook Blue mountains ACCOMMODATION:

Lilianfels www.lilianfels.com.au 02 4780 1200. They also have a Summer Escape Package, stay two nights or more and receive 20% off (includes buffet breakfast) until January 4, 2014. There are also plenty of other great options.

DINING:

Darley’s Restaurant www.darleysrestaurant.com.au • Leura Garage www.leuragarage.com.au 02 4784 3391 • Bon Ton Leura www.bonton.com.au 02 4782 4377

SHOPPING:

Go to Leura Mall for shopping, or antique stores in other areas of the Blue Mountains.

ATTRACTIONS:

Scenic World www.scenicworld.com.au 02 4780 0200 • Hart Ceramics www.hartceramics.com.au 02 4784 1990

MORE INFO:

www.visitnsw.com/Blue_Mountains

NATIONAL EDITION

DECEMBER (1) 2013 29

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There is glamour in spying The spying scandal is recent, but intelligence gathering by stealth has been practiced for ages documents and these were being selectively leaked to the press, or certain members of the press had managed to obtain the keys to break into the sites where these documents BY noel g de sOUZA had become available.

Assange continues to remain in asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London where he in incarcerated until he can freely pying at high governmental levels move about with no fear. There are ethical has been in the news recently. Angela questions in the Wikileak exposures: is it Merkel and other European leaders right for someone entrusted with secret displayed their anger that the Americans had documents to make them public? Would one been spying on them. They felt outraged consider such an act as a breach of trust or and let down. After all, one spied on one’s does the public have a right to know what is enemies but not on one’s friends. Were not being pursued by a government which the the Americans their friends? people put into power?

News reports suggest Those involved in the Wikileaks that the European leaders saga were not strictly sleuths who were angry that their private had used intuition and deduction conversations were also to unravel mysteries and solve being listened into. How can Indonesia is furious puzzles. Rather, Wikileaks was a ‘spying’ or ‘intelligence’ that Australia is purely based on revealing already agency distinguish between spying on them, available documents. a personal and public and that is vitiating One such example is money conversation before it is transfer. The CIA is authorised recorded and analysed? This their otherwise matter now appears to be cordial relationship to engage in foreign intelligence gathering. However, it can spy on resolved after a high level Americans if they have foreign delegation was sent to the links which includes financial USA. However, the issue has transactions. This is authorised by stirred up a hornet’s nest. the Patriot Act. Thus millions of The ramifications of the Americans have their financial data gathered spying scandal are sprouting elsewhere, such and processed. Very few of these are likely as between Australia and its neighbours, to be used for intelligence purposes, but then particularly Indonesia. Indonesia is furious something very important might catch the that Australia is spying on them, and that is eye of the CIA sleuths. vitiating their otherwise cordial relationship.

This is the era of the computer and the Spying has an undeniable glamour which internet. There was a case in Victoria where seems to particularly attract young males. someone bought a computer from what later In the primary years in school it is common transpired to be a very wanted fugitive. The to see enthused young men in Sherlock fugitive had forgotten to turn his computer Holmes outfits, complete with deer-stalker off and consequently there were images caps and magnifying glasses, appear on fancy being received and then transmitted to a dress days. Those who pursue the Sherlock cloud repository. The buyer informed the Holmes legend by reading his books, many Victoria police who were able to track down of which have been rendered into primary school language, have turned into fans of the and nab the fugitive.

Spying is a common feature of both, science of deduction. governments and businesses, particularly Absorbing the Holmes legend then large business houses. Every business does becomes a worthy pastime. All scientific its best to guard its activities which are secret. research is based on the science of It needs cautious and trustworthy staff. For deduction. That is the beginning of scientific example, the pharmaceutical industry must thinking which is going to literally, last first get patents for its products which can its fans for a whole lifetime. That was Sir then be challenged by rivals. Some companies Arthur Conan Doyle’s contribution to logical in the USA tried to patent well-known Indian thought. He himself had challenged and condiments like turmeric, but were thwarted solved some baffling puzzles of crime. by timely action from the Indian government.

Glamour was added to spying by the Recently, Monsato has been denied a advent of James Bond movies. Sir Ian Fleming brought colour, exoticism and action patent for a genetically engineered method of increasing climate stress tolerance in plants. to the wide screen. It aroused young men to The Intellectual Property Appellate Board imitate their newly crafted hero. of India pointed out that plants and animals Around 2010 a new sort of glamour, the are not patentable in India. It said that the glamour of importance entered the world patent applied for was for a new property of spying and revelation. It gave people in for a known substance, and therefore not democratic countries internet access to what patentable. was considered ‘secret’ information by their Had it not been for activists persistent governments. This internet-based group spying on Monsato’s activities, the above was led by Julian Assange who founded judgement might not have been obtained.

Wikileaks. They had gathered thousands of

S

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NATIONAL EDITION

DECEMBER (1) 2013 31

SCHOOL

Hybrid education Teaching and studying systems are undergoing an uncertain change due to technology

BY MOHAN DHALL

T

here is widespread belief that children these days are growing up in what is termed ‘the digital generation’.

That is, they are more adept at, and prefer, reading from iPads and laptops than reading from books and magazines. They start research with Google and Wikipedia rather than encyclopaedias and libraries, and entertainment comes from YouTube, Tumblr and Instagram, rather than television or radio.

Connection between friends is centred on ‘Face Time’, SMS, Snap chat, email and Facebook, rather than telephones and even letters.

Teachers too, particularly new graduates, are very familiar with using these technologies. Schools however, are not able to keep up or offer a consistent experience of technology to students.

A glance back through the history of teaching indicates that the current pace of change is unprecedented. Integration of technology into the teaching and learning process has led to a change in both what is done inside and outside of the classroom.

Teachers are increasingly using technology in the classroom, and formal government teaching standards are explicit in an expectation that technology be effectively utilised within teaching and learning contexts. Technology is also being used by students both at home and within schools.

Class notes are often taken on a school-issued laptop and homework is done in a word document, a spreadsheet or other software applications.

However, technology and the pace of change has caused a strange ‘in between’ phenomenon, classrooms are now neither wholly technology-based or wholly textbased, meaning students and teachers are caught in a hybrid state of having to make decisions that re-cast teaching and learning.

Consider the teacher’s perspective. They use technology to research and present information. Technology is also being used by teachers to email students about worksheets and lesson outlines. Publishers that create teaching resources such as 32 DECEMBER (1) 2013

hand

vs ipad

Jacaranda and Pearson, are creating eBooks that are compatible with a range of devices, and schools are purchasing iPads rather than texts. This means that teachers cannot rely on photocopies and textbooks any more, and school printing budgets are falling.

However, teachers know that some students like to read from printed material rather than small laptop screens. They also know that many students like to take ownership of their work through underlining text, highlighting, and annotating text with notes. Of course, all of these things can be done in a word document, but somehow hard copy suits many students despite their other uses of technology.

In terms of preparation,

teachers have the tricky task of adjusting how to present information, ideas and understanding. What proportion of notes should be soft copy and/or emailed and what proportion printed? How much, if at all, YouTube videos should be referenced and whether a PowerPoint presentation can enable easier access to the material?

In designing worksheets that are sent electronically to their students, teachers have found they need to reassess how they ask questions. The traditional method of having students recount text in ‘full sentence responses’ or list factors can simply allow students to ‘cut and paste’ from the given

notes. Real engagement requires that teachers re-cast the way they create activities to circumvent the ‘cut and paste’ approach. This means finding clever ways to construct tasks and pose problems.

This requires reflection, and more time for lesson preparation, rather than less. Technology properly used encourages thinking skills.

From a student’s perspective, technology provides access to media with which they are familiar.

However, technology also provides more opportunities for distraction.

Moreover, the ease with which information can be accessed has led to a loss of research skills, as the maxim has become ‘near enough is good enough’. Teachers are finding that even senior students need to be taught how to refine searches so that relevant information can be found. General searches typed into a search engine gives far too many responses and the fractured nature of Google searches can limit and skew research. Thus, thinking skills also need to be taught in regards to searching and finding information of relevance to a given task.

Of course, in this ‘in between’ space, students and teachers find that the physical task of writing is becoming increasingly difficult.

More and more students are losing confidence in their ability to write, but examinations are still presented in written forms.

This offers an added difficulty to students and also their teachers.

The question is, how do teachers vest in students the skills they need to perform when the demands are pulling in another direction?

It is a strange in-between, hybrid space that teachers and their students occupy at present.

There is a feeling of being somewhat betwixt and between.

This feeling is exacerbated by two other factors. Some schools are embracing the newest technologies and others are lagging behind.

Thus the experience of students is disparate between schools. The ‘haves’ are getting a different experience to the ‘have-nots’.

Also, the issue of how to teach in the best way to adapt to change, is tricky. Teachers may not be comfortable with the pace of change and can find themselves having to reinvent how they teach for fear of their skills becoming quickly redundant. Digital changes have thrown settled teaching and learning systems into a state of divide.

Teachers may not be comfortable with the pace of change and can find themselves having to reinvent how they teach for fear of their skills becoming quickly redundant

Teachers are increasingly using technology in the classroom, and formal government teaching standards are explicit in an expectation that technology be effectively utilised within teaching and learning contexts

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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

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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 shame 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

DECEMBER (1) 2013 33

wellness

Healthy food wraps GEETA KHURANA on how a few simple changes to our regular diet can lead to a healthier and happier lifestyle

x

T

he year is at an end, and summer is here again. No longer can we hide behind bulky woollens to disguise our weight. Another year and we’ll be making another resolution to start eating healthy meals. We all are constantly battling with tasty and unhealthy food, or with obesity. We could try all the different diets that everyone keeps on suggesting, but to no avail. So in the New Year, let’s try and do something different. Instead of not eating or starving, lets try and swap a few foods around, and see if we can maintain a healthy lifestyle.

34 DECEMBER (1) 2013

Here are some tips.

Breakfast

• Swap full cream milk with low fat milk • Swap a teaspoon of sugar on your cereal with a topping of fresh or dried fruit, and some seeds • Swap butter on toast with salt reduced margarine or avocado • Swap sugar laden cereals with porridge or rolled oats • Swap fried eggs with poached or boiled eggs • Swap white bread with multigrain or wholemeal • Swap regular peanut butter for the low-fat salt-reduced version

• Swap a toasted croissant for a toasted raisin toast • Swap toasted muesli with untoasted muesli • Swap coffee and tea whiteners with evaporated low fat milk • Swap a glass of juice with a piece of fresh fruit • Swap paranthas with plain chappatis, besan pura or missi roti • Swap vadas with vegetable idlis • Swap plain poha with vegetable poha

Main meals:

• Swap white bread, bagels, and muffins for multigrain or wholemeal varieties

• Swap bacon with turkey breast • Swap a ham and cheddar cheese • Swap a meat pizza with a sandwich with light ham and vegetarian or feta cheese and reduced fat white cheese spinach pizza • Swap the cheesy and creamy sauces in curries and pastas with tomato and • Swap tuna in oil with the spring water version vegetable based sauces • Swap commercial high fat sauces • Swap mashed potatoes with butter and full cream milk to mashed potato with homemade tomato and vegetable based sauces with low fat milk and margarine • Swap high fat burgers with turkey • Swap potato with sweet potato burgers • Swap bacon with lean cuts of meat • White rice with brown rice or • Swap chicken wings with chicken quinoa breast • Swap fried rice with boiled rice • Swap a side dish of chips with a • Swap butter and ghee for side dish of salad polyunsaturated and mono • Swap unhealthy salad dressings for unsaturated fats fresh herbs, lemon juice, Balsamic • Swap ladles of oil with an oil spray vinegar and olive oil • Swap puri with plain chappati • Swap mayonnaise and coleslaw • Swap pickles for mint coriander with low fat yoghurt chutney • Swap a Caesar or potato salad with • Swap the frying pan for the grill garden or bean salad • Swap the pan for a pressure • Swap full fat yoghurt with fat cooker reduced yoghurt • Swap fried and battered fish with grilled fish and fresh herbs and lemon Sometimes even a few changes in our food choices have a far • Swap sausages with lean meat and greater impact and help us achieve lean mince a healthy lifestyle. Why not give it • Swap fried chicken with a try? chicken breast

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DECEMBER (1) 2013 35

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DECEMBER (1) 2013 37

tribute

Adieu, Zarina, RIP Always a smile and a helping hand sums up the life of the late Dr Annie Zerina Austin

O

BY RANI JHALA

n November 26, family and friends gathered to farewell Dr Annie Zerina Austin, fondly known as ‘Zarina’ or ‘Zerrine’ (B: 31 Mar 1925 – D: 15 Nov 2013). On November 15, 2013, she bid adieu to her earthly journey exactly fifty years after arriving in Australia.

With her husband Dr Samuel (Sam) Austin, Zarina had set up her home in Sydney. Their St. Ives residence in Kelvin Road was famed for their parties and get-togethers. The meals were always super and seeing Zarina in the kitchen with her trademark ‘tandoori drumsticks’ became the expected sight. Even as a child, I remember looking forward to going to their place because of her warmth and hospitality. Laughter and games were the hallmarks of every get-together. Just three days before she passed away, Zarina was fondly remembering saying, “Us ghar mein hum ne bahut enjoy kiya, khoob entertaining ki!” (In that home we enjoyed ourselves and entertained a lot!)”

As we sat inside the Hornsby Baptist Church and joined the Thanksgiving Service for the life of Dr Annie Zerina Austin, I could see her family and friends remembering their own relationship with her. Her niece Becky’s tribute was read out by Shiva, but even he choked up at certain points, especially as he

Aunty loved life and lived each day to its fullest. She always danced on her own step

read, “Aunty loved life and lived each day to its fullest. She always danced on her own step. Even in her sickness she fought harder and more courageously than anyone I have ever known. That fight sadly ended. Aunty is irreplaceable.

I cannot think of anyone who did not adore her. I bet you, the last time you met Aunty, she was smiling”.

And Becky was right, that is how Zarina met everyone, always with a smile or with a helping hand. She was always witty and ever eager to watch cricket.

Shiva revealed her secret as he read, “Yes! She loved Sachin Tendulkar!” She also loved watching movies, reading books and listening to music. She was also quite an artist.

Reverend Ricky Su also paid tribute to Zarina’s dedication to the church and her steadfast

faith. He fondly remembered his conversations with her, as they discussed many topics including the one that she had made into her career, “the human mind”.

Her friend of twenty years, Shalini Ponnaiya gave a loving tribute with her words, “She has been a mentor, a positive thinker and the life of many a party.

She has been a role model for many of us who came here to Australia later in life, she was very independent, had many talents and was well respected in different groups in the community. She loved life and she loved people.

She was always a part of the church family including a Bible study group”.

As Zarina’s favourite hymn Amazing Grace filled the church, I looked around to see the friends that had gathered; many still not believing that her earthly sojourn

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had ended.

Zarina’s physical form has left this earth but her smile remains, her humour is being recalled, her love is being missed and her incredible courage is being admired. She lost three beloved beings during her life in Australia, the ‘daddy’ she so loved much, her Alsatian dog ‘Prince’ and her partner in life, Sam. I asked her once if she ever dreamt of her husband and she said, “Bahut baar.

Pahele zyada aate the, par ab bhi aate hai”. (Many times, more in the beginning but even now he comes in my dreams).

If there is one consolation as we all face this loss, it is in this, that Zarina is united with the three people she loved so much and she will be missed by those she has left behind.

To borrow Shalini’s words, “Zerrine, we will always remember

Zerrine, we will always remember your lovely and generous spirit, you leave behind some wonderful memories

your lovely and generous spirit – you leave behind some wonderful memories. May you sleep peacefully in the arms of Jesus”.

The cortege took Zarina to Castlebrook Memorial Park in Rouse Hill, where she was laid to rest. Go Aunty Zarina, knowing that you leave behind a world richer for having known you.

FLA T FOR REN T 2 bedroom granny flat to rent available end of January around Strathfield South. This would suit newly married couple (preferably Indians and no children) or students. Someone who is reliabe, would keep the place clean and well maintained.

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This flat has a kitchen, a small dining, own bathroom & toilet, own entrance on the side of the house, yard and car port. A minute away from the bus stop that will take you directly to Strathfield Station (5 mins) and Chullora Shopping Centre (5 mins).

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DECEMBER (1) 2013 39

TRAVEL

Friendly Fiji

Apart from its stunning beaches and relaxing ambience, the sociable natives of Fiji make your trip special

BY PETRA O’NEILL

I

n celebration of my twin daughters’ 4th birthday I took them on their first overseas holiday to Fiji. As we disembarked from the plane and began the walk towards the taxi stand, Nicky turned and ran back to the craft on hearing a deafening welcome cry of ‘Bula’ (Hello!) from large men in grass skirts, wielding clubs for dramatic effect. Several trips later we return to explore the Coral Coast on the main island of Viti Levu.

The drive from the airport passes Nadi, predominantly an Indian town with the Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple, the largest in the southern hemisphere, and spice shops and Indian restaurants lining the main street. With villages, coconut trees, sugarcane and pineapple plantations, Fiji’s coastal road is a picturesque drive circling the island as beautiful beaches, coral reefs and scenic bays come into view. We arrive at our hotel, Outrigger on the Lagoon, and for the next week, my teenage daughters spend their days by the pool while I venture off exploring the island.

More than just an idyllic holiday destination in the South Pacific, Fiji is friendly. It took me several days to realise, as I walked along the roadside, that a toot from a passing car was a way of asking whether I was in need of a lift. After walking for several kilometres on the first day and many toots later, a mini bus with young backpackers onboard stopped and the guide from Fee Jee Experience offered me a ride. Over the next few days, I was offered lifts by an academic returning to Fiji University with her students in tow; Inoke, an attorney going home with his daughter after a conference; and taxi drivers offering a lift while on their way to collect passengers. I also caught local buses piled high with fresh fruit and vegetables, with frequent stops for children making their way to school.

I caught a bus to Suva, the capital and home to half of Fiji’s 40 DECEMBER (1) 2013

population, and a city that seems to be subjected to a constant drizzle. I visited the lively market, had an excellent Indian lunch with local ingredients replacing those that are not locally available, and visited the Fiji Museum, which tells the country’s story through musical instruments, cooking tools and war clubs. I also visited Pacific Harbour, with several resorts and a marina.

Fiji’s most beautiful beach is Natadola, a long crescent shaped beach of white sand. With a golf course and several expensive resort hotels, while lovely, those staying here had little inclination to venture beyond.

I caught the local bus several times to Sigatoka, the largest town on the Coral Coast and the commercial centre for the farming communities upriver in the Sigatoka Valley. The fresh produce market sold the sweetest pineapples, and roots for making kava were piled high in bunches.

A few supermarkets, restaurants, a Mosque and souvenir stores make up the compact town.

Locals advised that I should do two things while in Fiji - take a cruise to the islands and travel into the interior.

After crossing the Sigatoka River by boat, we hopped into an open 4WD jeep with considerable horsepower and for the next hour we went up and down hills along the valley road, skirting by the river manoeuvred with considerable skill by Josephine, our tour guide. Stopping at a village we met villagers climbing onboard a truck to attend a church service. An elderly man hopped out, came towards us and presented me with a flower garland.

At Naihehe Cave more than 170 metres long, we waded knee deep in clear water to the dark interior before being offered kava by the village chief. Inevitably, visitors will be invited to drink kava, a relaxing traditional drink made from the kava root that numbs your tongue and tastes like bitter liquid mud. Made by placing ground kava root in a cloth infused with water in a wooden bowl, it is offered as a gesture of welcome.

Our final day was spent on Ra Marama, a beautifully restored

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Clockwise from top left: Tivua Island day cruise Making kava from the kava root A traditional Fijian dance Welcome cocktails at the Outrigger Lagoon A stunning Coral Coast sunset Horses swimming in the lagoon It’s kava drinking time

Travel notebook FIJI

A village store A firewalking performance

GETTING there

Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Fijian Airways fly from Australia to Nadi. Watch for specials. Taxis are plentiful at the airport or pre-book a coach transfer with Coral Coaches or private transfer through your hotel. Express and local buses provide convenient and inexpensive transportation around the island, but as they stick to the main roads, hire a taxi for sightseeing the beaches, since many are away from the main road.

Accommodation

tall ship as we cruised to Tivua Island for snorkelling, kayaking and a tropical buffet lunch. With the most perfect of sunny skies, a sudden storm had us running for cover, with offers of kava. We returned back to the hotel with the crew singing merrily.

Fiji is a country with a strong cultural heritage of Fijians and descendants of Indian labourers who were brought to work in the sugar industry between 1879 and 1916. On our last night we NATIONAL EDITION

watched another sunset, the aromatic blend of coconut oil and tropical blooms filling the air. I went for my final walk along the beach and began talking to a family preparing a picnic. “Would you like to come join us?” It was Rajen, a chef at the Outrigger Hotel, enjoying his day off.

“Come again!” they called, and as the horses were brought down to the water’s edge for a swim in the lagoon, I thought I surely can and will!

Fiji has a favourable exchange rate which translates into a great and affordable holiday destination, and resorts are generally of a high standard. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Outrigger on the Lagoon - Fiji +679-650-0044 / reservations@outriggerfiji.com.fj /www.outriggerfiji.com The daily activities planner will occupy your time without needing to leave the resort. The kid’s club is excellent.

My daughters spent their time by the poolside, although guided tours to sand dunes, kayaking etc., are on offer. Fire walking, the Fijian Lovo and traditional dance nights are a highlight. The resort fronts a beautiful lagoon with an expansive lush tropical garden and large lagoon swimming pool. Some resorts are more suited to couples or honeymooners, while others cater for families. Solo travellers might better enjoy touring with a tour company such as FeeJee Experience.

Dining

Opt for a meal package if you plan to spend your time at a resort, since meal costs do add up. We found several restaurants only a stone’s throw from the resort, with Le Cafe recommended.

With villages, coconut trees, sugarcane and pineapple plantations, Fiji’s coastal road is a picturesque drive circling the island as beautiful beaches, coral reefs and scenic bays come into view

Further information

Avoid the cyclone season. Captain Cook Cruises offer a great day sailing out to Tivua Island. + 6796701-823/ reservations@captaincook.com.fj / www.captaincook.com.fj Sigatoka River Safari offer two excursions, both recommended. +679-6501-721 / safari@sigatokariver.com / www.sigatokariver.com

DECEMBER (1) 2013 41

42 DECEMBER (1) 2013

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THISMONTH

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Email it to info@indianlink.com.au

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Senator Zed Seselja (ACT), Professor Nihal Agar, Chairman of the Hindu Council of Australia and Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Parliamentary Secretary for Social Services with responsibility for Multicultural Affairs, Deepavali Celebrations, Parliament House, Canberra

DECEMBER (1) 2013 43

FOOD

Oh so berry nice LENA PEACOCK grabs a handful of Australian raspberries and blackberries, which make a delicious, naturally sweet addition to recipes

wooden skewer. Cover moulds, insert sticks and freeze for 2 hours or until frozen.

Raspberry, blackberry and yoghurt jelly cups

Y

es, summer is here and that means those red and black hand-picked small juicy mouthfuls of deliciousness are back. And back with a bang. And even better news? The fresh Australian ones are here to hang out with us and our recipes until Easter time.

Not only do they add a colourful touch to your meal, but they’re also low in calories, high in dietary fibre and jam packed full of vitamin C. And because they’re so sweet, you don’t even have to bribe kids to eat them.

“The long process of growing Australian raspberries and blackberries starts in late autumn or early winter depending on the region,” says Phil Rowe, an Australian berry grower. “And due to their delicacy, we don’t use machines to pick the fruit.

It’s an intensive process”. But so long as they make their way into our hands, we don’t really mind.

Thanks for doing the hard work Phil!

You can use berries as a snack, in a fruit salad, on top of your cereal, or turn them into a healthy ice-cream by adding them to yoghurt and then chuck them into the freezer. Other suggestions are:

44 DECEMBER (1) 2013

Serves 8 Prep time: 20 minutes Setting time: 2 hours

Berry yoghurt swirl popsicles Serves 8 Prep time: 15 minutes Chill time: 2 hours

Ingredients Raspberry puree 125g raspberries 2 tablespoons caster sugar Blackberry puree 125g blackberries 2 tablespoons caster sugar Vanilla yoghurt mixture 2 cups(500ml) Greek style natural yoghurt ¼ cup (55g) caster sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Method To make each puree: separately blend berries and sugar in a food processor, strain through a sieve, set aside.

To make yogurt mixture: place all ingredients in a bowl, whisk until combined.

To assemble: pour a few teaspoons of raspberry puree into each 200ml popsicle mould, do the same with the yogurt mix and then the blackberry puree to give 3 layers. Repeat sequence to create more layers.

Gently swirl the layers with a

Ingredients Yoghurt jelly 1 cup (250ml) thickened cream ¼ cup caster sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2½ teaspoons powdered gelatin 1 cup (250g) Greek style natural yoghurt Raspberry jelly 3 cups (750ml) white grape juice 2 tablespoons caster sugar 3 teaspoons powdered gelatin 125g raspberries 125g blackberries Method To make the yogurt jelly: place cream, sugar and vanilla extract into a small pan over a medium heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved and gently bring to boil, remove from heat. Sprinkle over gelatin and whisk until dissolved. Add yogurt, whisk until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve, set aside to cool.

To make jelly layer: pour one cup of the grape juice and the sugar into a small pan over a medium heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved and gently bring to boil, remove from heat. Sprinkle over gelatin and whisk until dissolved.

Add remaining juice, strain through a sieve and set aside to cool.

To assemble: divide half the berries between eight 200ml cups or glasses. Pour over half the grape juice mixture, refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. Pour all the yoghurt mixture over the first layer of jelly, refrigerate until set.

Place remaining berries on top of set yoghurt mixture and pour over remaining grape juice mixture. Refrigerate until set.

Serve chilled.

Raspberry, spinach and Persian feta salad with salted candied walnuts Serves 4 Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients Salad 60ml (¼ cup) olive oil 2 tablespoons ver juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon caster sugar 100g baby spinach leaves 2 tablespoons chives, roughly chopped 1 lemon, coarsely zested 125g raspberries 100g Persian feta, drained, crumbled Salted candied walnuts 2 tablespoons caster sugar ½ cup walnuts, lightly toasted

½ teaspoon salt flakes¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes Method To make the candied walnuts: heat sugar in a medium, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook, tilting and swirling the pan occasionally for 2–3 minutes or until sugar melts and a light caramel forms.

Working quickly, remove pan and add walnuts, salt and chilli flakes. Carefully toss to cover nuts in caramel, and pour mixture onto a tray lined with baking paper and spread out using a wooden spoon. Allow to cool. Then using your hands to snap the caramel, separate the clusters.

To prepare salad: for the dressing, place the oil, verjuice, mustard and sugar in a small screw-top jar. Season with salt and pepper. Shake well to combine. Place the spinach in a large bowl. Sprinkle over the chives, lemon zest, raspberries, candied walnuts and feta. Drizzle over half the dressing, serve immediately.

Note: For a simpler and quicker salad serve with plain walnuts rather than candied.

Recipes courtesy of: Australian Berries

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NATIONAL EDITION

DECEMBER (1) 2013 45

m a t R imoni a l s 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,

46 DECEMBER (1) 2013

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 (1) 2013 47

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.

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

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48 DECEMBER (1) 2013

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DECEMBER (1) 2013 49

ENTERTAINMENT

THE BUZZ

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

Karisma and her cause

Actress Karisma Kapoor, who is choosy about her performances, actually bent the rules for Our Girl Our Pride, an initiative to empower the girl child. She said it’s also a ‘tribute to all the ladies’ from her family.

“It was a fabulous day and I strongly believe in the cause.

I generally don’t perform. I am quite choosy about it, but today I performed and paid tribute to all the Kapoor ladies, including (late grandmother) Geeta Bali, (aunt) Neetu Singh, and my mom Babita and sister Kareena supporting the cause,” said Karisma, known for her powerpacked performances in Fiza and Zubeidaa. The actress performed as part of a unique programming initiative of NDTV, which in association with Vedanta and campaign ambassador and actress Priyanka Chopra, dedicated Dec 1 to honour the country’s girls on its network channels with a live telecast from 10am. The campaign’s aim is to create awareness about issues related to the girl child and fight for her rights.

Karisma who is also a mother, says her life completely changed after the birth of her daughter Samaira. “My life has become more beautiful after giving birth to a daughter. It’s great to have a daughter,” she said and added, “I am blessed to have a daughter and a son”.

Other participants in the initiative included actress Kajol, and tennis Grand Slam champion Sania Mirza, among others.

Isn’t it great to see Bollywood’s belles getting into the groove to support India’s girl children? Good on you, Karisma!

Love is lost on Deepika

B

Pallavi set for Tamil debut

esharam girl and our very own Pallavi Sharda has been roped in by filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon for his yet untitled Tamil romantic drama. The film also features Silambarasan aka Simbu. “I wanted a heroine who could give us bulk dates and I know for a fact that all the established actresses are extremely busy, and therefore, I roped in Pallavi.

Moreover, when I met her, I liked her confidence and eventually signed her on,” Menon said recently.

Pallavi, who had earlier starred in films such as My Name is Khan and Dus Tola, has already shot for nearly two weeks for the film, which was launched recently and is expected to be completed by February 2014.

Looks like Melbourne girl Pallavi is ready to take on not just Bollywood, but the Indian film industry!

50 DECEMBER (1) 2013

Deepika Padukone is riding high on a string of successful movies, is certainly not keen on wasting time on a romantic relationship.

“I don’t think I am ready for a relationship at the moment. I don’t think my career has anything to do with my relationship. It’s just that I am in a happy space right now and not ready to be in a relationship,” said the 27-year-old actress.

Deepika, who had a roaring relationship with actor Ranbir Kapoor in the past, said, “I think igniting the spark means keeping the romance alive in your relationship by doing the unexpected.

Surprise your partner in pleasant ways, something that he or she wouldn’t anticipate”.

“Nowadays, couples tend to take each other for granted because they feel they know each other inside out which results in loss of spark and enthusiasm in the relation. The second most important thing is to not lose yourself. Take care of yourself, your space and only then

ukone

Pad Deepika

will you be able to take care of your relationship”.

Meanwhile Deepika is basking in the success of her latest release Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela. Her fluid and energy-packed dance in the Nagada sang dhol song from the movie has been widely appreciated, but she doubts if she can recreate the grandeur of the number in other performance forums sans the film’s director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. She says the song’s popularity was the “least expected of the lot”.

On the Bollywood front, she has completed Homi Adajania’s English language film Finding Fanny, which should release soon. “I am also doing Happy New Year with Abhishek Bachchan and Shah Rukh, all fun boys to work with.

I am also looking forward to start Imtiaz’s film with Ranbir,” said Deepika, whose flight of fame seems to be reaching new heights.

So is there any chance of a holiday sometime soon? “I am sure I can squeeze in some family time, it’s always welcome,” said the 27-year-old.

Well, we hope 2014 is a hit for this young, talented actress.

Kareena goes crazy!

In what will be a completely different avatar, Kareena Kapoor-Khan will be reinvented in Dev Benegal’s film Bombay Samurai. Post-marriage, she seemed to flounder in her choices with a halfhearted crusader’s role in Prakash Jha’s Satyagraha and the totally inane social activist’s role in Gori Tere Pyaar Mein. With Bombay Samurai, Kareena finally seems to have got her post-marriage formula right.

According to sources, the film is “a crazy zany rollicking rollercoaster ride with amazing twists and turns. There are seven to eight pivotal characters. But Kareena and Farhan (Akhtar) preside

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Karisma Kapoor Kareena Kapoor

over the show. They play a couple like no other seen before in our films. They are wacky and unpredictable. The two actors will have a ball playing their outgoing zestful characters,” the source added. Both Kareena and Farhan were keen to work with one another. “I’ve seen Kareena’s work. She is consistently excellent. I was keen to work with her. Dev’s film gives us a chance to try something different,” said Farhan.

And of course, Kareena expressed the highest admiration for Farhan, “I admire Farhan for being multi-talented. Which other director has done so well as an actor?

The Farhan-Kareena film starts after Kareena’s annual holiday in Switzerland in December where she sneaks off without fail every year, to enjoy her annual Christmas-New Year holiday in Switzerland with husband Saif Ali Khan.

So get ready to see Kareena in crazy, zany mode!

Priyanka on her perfect partner

“My partner should be a male version of me,” said actress Priyanka Chopra when asked recently on what she was looking for in a prospective life partner.

The actress admits that she has a long list of benchmarks, so watch out boys, this lady isn’t going to be easy to please.

“I have a very long list and very high standards. He has to be a gentleman, he has to be intelligent, someone I respect and funny, not stupid funny but witty funny, charming,” the 31-year-old said recently.

Priyanka added that it does not matter whether he is an actor or not, but she “would never respect a guy who is not an achiever”.

Let’s wish Priyanka luck in finding her Mr Me!

Bachchan at his best

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan delivered the Penguin Annual Lecture 2013 podium, much to the joy of an eclectic

who wore it better?

Cobie Smulders or Sushmita Sen in Nina Ricci?

Share your views with us on our Facebook page /IndianLinkAustralia

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Priyanka Chopra

audience of almost a thousand, and left them more star-struck as he spoke about empowering the country’s women, Indian cinema, poetry and more.

The 71-year-old, looking handsome in a black formal suit presented the lecture at the Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi.

He touched upon his memories of his father, the late legendary poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, whose birth anniversary was on Nov 27. “A decade without him,” sighed Amitabh as he shared some of his conversations with his father during the lecture.

CAPTION CONTEST What’s Karan Johar saying that’s making Kareena Kapoor so attentive?

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

Releases roundup

The Bollywood filmmaking scene is buzzing currently, with anticipation for some and disappointment for others.

Filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia’s much anticipated Bullett Raja didn’t quite shatter the box office as many expected, but it did reasonably well by earning about Rs13 crore in just two days after its release. Wonder if that made Dhulia happy or sad?

The film starring Saif Ali Khan and Sonakshi Sinha is based in a small town in Uttar Pradesh, and has been described as a feast of guns, grime, and glory.

R...Rajkumar starring Shahid Kapoor and again, Sonakshi Sinha will release soon, and sources say that it’s a very impressive crime thriller. Being a Prabhudheva film, there is a lot of hope from the film, as he has a reputation for solid box office hits.

The Aamir Khan-starrer action thriller Dhoom 3 will hit screens on December 20, and will see Aamir in a negative role.

This is another sure-hit film, say pundits, what with Aamir’s renowned Midas touch.

Director-producer Anubhav Sinha is gearing up for the release of his Madhuri Dixit-starrer production Gulaab Gang, about the women vigilante group. Sinha has directed Shah Rukh Khan-starrer superhero film Ra.One and multi-starrer Dus, so this may be his next hit. Gulaab Gang is directed by Soumik Sen and will see Madhuri as the protagonist, while Juhi Chawla will be seen as the antagonist.

So that’s what Bollywood has in store for its fans, watch this space for more movie masala…

Last issue Caption Contest winning entry What’s the chitchat here between Deepika and Ranveer?

Ranveer: Pretend like we’re really hitting it off; it’ll be good for our new movie.

Deeps: Yeah whatever.

Daisy Mahapatra Nunawading, VIC Daisy wins a free ticket to new release Gori Tere Pyaar Mein

DECEMBER (1) 2013 51

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

52 DECEMBER (1) 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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