2017-01 Melbourne

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NRI opportunities for the government of India

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

Awe go to print, India has st celebrated its 14'" Pravasi harati ya Divas in Bengalmu eralded as the largest ever gathering o f overseas Indians, the event was attended, as per official estimates, by over 7,000 delegates, of whom l 500 were NR1s and 500 were floating NRis. This from over 30,000,000 NRis globally. Yes, less than 0.007% of the target aud ience were in atte ndance.

Once the arumal conference is over, i t may be worthwhile for those in charge to question whether there is a better way to engage with g lobal Indians. That they want to en gage i s clear from the ongoing staging of the Pravasi Bharatiya D ivas (PBD) , but is this annual talk fest winning and making inroads in the hearts and minds of the Rls?

Do they deser ve more from the government of India?

On one hand, when NRls relinquish

their citizenship or res idence status, they are less of a responsibility of the Indian government. Yet, what t he RI has to offer co India, should be enough of an incentive for the 1ndian government to work through ways of greater engagernem with this community

The 30 million non-resident Indians are largel y highly successful in their new country According to an estimat e from a leading US source, "If NR1s were a country, their GDP would be i n excess of US $800 billion, equal to 40% of 1ndia's GDP, even though t heir popuJation is less than 3% of resident Indians " There also i s an esti ma te that Rls' re mi ttances to India stood at US$68.91 billion in 2015, accounting for over 4°/t) of the country's GDP. This is growing as more Indians fan our across the g lo be.

LookiJ1g at the financial returns alone, without taking into account the soft power opportunities which this community can exert, this is an extremely important resource which should be marshalled and used to wo rk towards India's g rowth

W ith an estimated 500,000 people of Indian origin in Australia, we do represent a very small part of the 'lndiaspora'. Bm what we lack in numbers, we do make up

in passion for all things Indian.Just look at the mrnout during the India- Australia cricket series, or the revenue 6gmes from Australia when major BoUywood blockbusters are released, to become aware that while the " Indian can be taken out o f India, it is harde r co take the India out of the Indian".

On a more practical basis, PBD derails need to be circulated in the community much earlier in the year ratbe1: than a few weeks prior to 9 January. Most India n Australians plan their India trip during thi s holiday tin1e much earlier i n the year, and knowing details o f PBD may allow fo r a greater participation. Perhaps working on a delegation representing Australian Indians to atte nd as a cohort, may bring further momentm11 from the community PBD i s but one occasion of the many opportunities for the Indian government to engage with the local community. Inviting great er interaction from the comm unity such as an A ustralia India Day for an open forwn to meet with consul ar officials, could be one such new opportunity, by way of example

After all, the passion for providing greater opportunities for India is shared by both Indian government offices here, and the local Indian community

0ipanjali Rao, Aparna Ananthuni, Dhanya Samuel, Farzana Ahmad, Chitra Sudarshan, Nancy Jade Althea, · · Sanam

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Anthony Walgett, a known lawyer has established Sanctuaries (Registered Charity 615 082 089) to save our cows from human exploitation and slaughter. Many unwanted dairy calves have been rehabilita ted and nursed back to health from their previous cruelty fi ll ed lives including paralysis and blindness. Since 2010, more than 200 cows have been saved near Maleny where they enjoy freedom protected for life Ongoing management of one of world's biggest cow protection movements outside of India h as a massive ongoing cost of VET, Hay, Medicines, fuel etc., Public support will greatly boost this noble work. You can enquire to Sponsor a Cow and receive her picture, Certificate, Free entry to Sanctuary Open days to meet your cow and more or you can donate now any amount helping the sanctuary and all the cows

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YOUR SAY

ERA OF DHON l'S CAPTAINCY IN INDIAN CRICKET COMES TOAN END

Datwanl Chand wrote: Salute to the determined Sultan! Let's hope many more are generated with him as a precedent.

THE FORGOTTEN VICTIMS

DIPANJALI RAO reported on new research exploring the impact of gendered violence on children 's health

nm Henry wrote: A great article. The subject is [hopefully] one of growth. It also makes me wonder about children who witness violence in the fami ly home where the behaviour is accepted, the child may be conditioned to believe this is normal. In turn this will perpetuate the situation and its negative effects.

Anll Cherukupalll wrote: Nice article, Dipa! This is really interesting research. Had always wondered about the impact of domestic violence on children. Beyond physical h ealth parameters, it would be insightful to look at children's mental health parameters and how they are affected by IPV in the next s t age of the study.

Prlya Srinivasan wrote: Great piece thanks for sharing Apama Ananthunl wrote: Critical research, and great writing!

A SEAT FOR THOSE IN NEED

Promoting goodwill on public transport, ROYSTON REBELLO reported on 11-year-old Anirudh's efforts to encouraging commuters to give up their seats to elderly, pregnant and disabled people

Physlcal Dlsablllty Councll of NSW wrote: We hope to see a few of you at Central Station!

Brad Rossiter wrote: I would like to be included, however the rail line down the NSW South Coast ends at Bomaderry and I live further south. Makes rail travel impossible.

lnte matlonal Day of Peo ple with Dlsablllty @IDPwD retweeted Ind ian Link: Anirudh, who we ' ve spoken about before, gets more love, this time from @indian link! Happy #idpwd everyone!

ADANI COAL MINE UPDATE

Work will begin in 2017 on the Adani mine in Queensland, amid assurances the Carmichael mine will not hire foreign workers on 457 visas

Yadu Singh @dryadusingh tweeted: @indian link Jobs and economic growth are absolutely necessary in the North. Assistance for infrastructure is right. Let It Be Heard @Let lt BeHeard tweeted: @indian link Is there enough local manpower to support the Carmichael mine then? Mining doesn't seem to be a popular career choice today.

SAYIT AGAIN

DEMONETISATION: HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS AND DISILLUSION PEOPLE

After his recent trip to India, THE MUMBAI MUMBLER was unimpressed with Modi's demonetisation

Vlkas Kesarwanl wrote: I think a de cision of such a big magnitude requ ires time to make its effects known, and it is too early to make final decision for or aga inst it. There will be troubled times expected with such decisions at large. This decision itself will not increase corruption as has been mentioned in the article.

What is foremost important is that the people who are opposi ng the issue t he most in the media are the people who are not the big chunk of direct tax payers. They are the businessmen who transact a l ot in cash, that too in millions of rupees (even the writer of the article is a businessman as it appears) Or they are the bunch of politicians who would be happier if t his was a big b lunder on the part of t he government, but are t he ones who have gone to the High Court and Supreme Court to get the ordinance back, which is a t estimonial that they are badly effected to their roots and appear t o be lost complet ely.

We have seen that the Indian media has tried hard to get people to speak bad words about the government's decision but failed. The opposi t ion' s t ried to call for an all India bandh , but they failed. This shows the mood of the public who is largely incorrupt and wants India to change at any cost. At least it now appears that India is alive and t here are discussions of curbing corruption and people are supportive in what so ever way. Let's wait and watch fingers crossed.

Uday Mitra wrote: I have read you r article on the demonetisation issue. I entirely agree with the author on the points made. I was in India during 8 Nov to 20 Nov and experienced firsthand the havoc it caused. The money I withdrew from the airport ATM upon arrival on 8 Nov proved to be va l ueless as soon as I stepped outside. The motive was noble, but the execution was poor having no regard for the plight of the ordinary Indians and small businesses. This does not even count the loss GDP for the count ry as a whole during the process. I could not believe that a highly intelligent, sophisticated country with its intelligent public service could prepare so poorly for such a significant step.

H.S. Subbaramalah wrote: Good review on demonetisation by The Mumbai Mumbler. Whether the purpose of t he demonetisat ion of 86% of Indian currency achieves the target of our Prime Minister or not, one thing is definite, there wi ll be a greater loss to the Indian national exchequer in the shape of lost man hours by bank employees and extremely co-operative citizens of India. They had/have shown the utmost faith in the ability of our Prime Minist er by standing for hours, undergoing all the inconveniences mentioned above article. There is also the cost of printing the devastated currency as well as the new currency being printed with transportation and other overheads.

Apart from that, over 100 people have died while standing in the queue, about 53 bank st aff risked their jobs, t he income tax officials are on their heels t o catch the bulk depositors, an police are on watch to seize bulk money transporters. With all this, the city corporations and municipal councils got back longstanding arrears, along wi t h some banks. A few money laundering persons made news on TV channels which are totally busy in showing the hardsh ip of the honest ci t izens of India struggling to restore their faith in an individual of their devotion.

Kala Raghunath wrot e: Well , discomfort was a part of the deal but is not the entire story. I was there in India when this happened and my father was just out of hospital. I too found it very difficult, but the t ruth is most of us Indians do not really believe in fol lowing rules and they need to pushed down upon us by certa i n force to be implemented. The idea is bri ll iant but yes the implementation could have been better, but remember t hey had to keep this whole thing a secret so people suffering was always expected.

Klrltl Mortha wrote: Here' s more ammunition to count er people with ' Modiblinders ' on!

When I watch how Glenn McGrath

is using the Sydney test to raise big monies for cancer, I ask myself: when will an Ind i an celeb do likewise?

Rajdeep Sardesal

In Australia for the New Year. And it's a lready 2017 here. Love you all. Thanks for being with me. Have

a good year full of great changes!

Chetan Bhagat

WELCOME TO OZ!

We welcome the new High Commissioner of India to Aust ralia HE. Dr. A.M. Gondane [ pictured here presenting his credentia ls to the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd )]

A WIN FOR IFFM

PREETI JABBAL spoke with Mitu Bhowmick Lange, Festival Director of IFFM, after they won the 2016 Melbourne A ward for Contri bution to Multiculturalism by a Corporation lndlan FIim Festlval of Melbourne wrote: A big big big shout out to Indian Link and Preeti Jabbal for th is article. It has been days since we won and we still pinch ourselves sometimes to check if it wasn ' t a dream.

Mltumlndblowlng @mi t ublange retweeted Indian Link: Thank you for this wonderful write up @LordMayorMelb @MartinFoleyMP @IFFMelb # Melbawards2016 # Magicofmovies # diversityRocks

#BESTOF2O16 SERIES

Why Ignorance Is more dangerous than Musllm Immigration

This piece from RITAM MITRA sparked much debate on the dangerous ignorance and intolerance displayed by Sonia Kruger 's comments

Aashath Kaamll wrote: Well written article. Full credit to the author Ritam Mitra.

Bikinis as well as blndls

Perth beauty Chandrika Ravi spoke with our MIMA Young Journalist of the Year NAM/TA GOHIL about her path to stardom

Chandrlka Ravi wrote: What a fun interview this was! Definitely one of my best of 2016' s!

Trevor Pritchard wrote: So awesome! You 're beautiful and a ro le model for others, Chandrika

Chura llya l

She's still got it! RAKA SARKHEL on how Asha Bhosle rocked her Melbourne and Sydney concerts

Mahesh Berwal wrote: One of the best concerts I have been t o. Love Asha

What the IPL can learn from the BBL

SA NAM SHARMA on what BCCI can learn from Cricket Australia about nurturing, managing, and promoting cricket

Aussie Phll wrote: I feel for you Sanam. It must be frustrating to see cricket bastardised as it is now in the IPL and at the same time see how it can be run if only the BCCI could come out of their bunker and sniff the a i r. I bet they are very well paid but is it value for money spent? Hang in there though, with shrinking viewers these stick- in-muds may have to shape up or ship out. Time will tell.

High School, Check!

Year 12 finishers from 2015 shared their experiences with RADHIKA BHATIA Rusequlth e wrote: Thanks for sharing these inspiring experiences of learning, Radhika. I was so impressed how you showed some individua l experience for each person who just graduated on from their course.

Spectacular f ireworks lit up the Sydney sky

#happynewyear2017

Blpasha Basu

INTRODUCING A 24x7 TOURIST HELPLINE IN 12 LANGUAGES 1 Languages Supported E""l"llh,~A,lhlic, fflKlt.a.-,i,,..,._~~l(~~lft (CluNw~~ •1wui..

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The government of India has launched a 24x7 toll free tourist h elpline in 12 international languages to provide information relating to travel and tourism in India for domestic and international tourists. The helpline will also be able to advise callers during times of distress, if any, wh i le travell ing in India and alert the concerned authorities, if required.

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Truth is Om Puri and Naseerudin Shah were truly the greatest actors of their generation and we never gave them that recognit ion.

Prltlsh Nandy

Glad to see new energy, keen desire and strong drive among our diaspora to connect more extensively with India's socio-economic transformation.

lndlan PM Narendra Modi

I 1~ou re s,o cool.

TAAi marks its Silver Jubilee

BY PREETI JABBAL

In honour of its 25"' anniversary, the Telugu Association of Australia Inc. (TJ\Al) announced a series of special even ts, with the celebrations expected co continue well into the month of June this year. The Silver Jubilee celebrations commenced with their Aagship event Janaranjani which was held Jare last yea r.

TAAi is a non- profit community organisation, incorporated in July 1992, with the objective of preserving, maintaining, and perpetuating the heritage of people of Telugu origin and upholding the secular nature of Telugu communities. Their aim is to collaboratively p romote culcurnl and social integration between the Telugu community and local mainstream Australian population

" Th is is a special year for TAAI," said Sharma Madiraju, Treasurer. "Since 1992, TAAI bas been promoting Telugu literature, culture, educational, social, economic, and community affairs of the Telugu-speaking people. There is much to celebrate and a lot of goodwiU to be promoted."

The annual Janaranjan.i event, h eld at

Besan Centre, Burwood, showcased 25 years of T AAI and was attended by nearl y 900 patrons from ac ross Melbourne. Janaranjani is T.AAI's annual event, p roviding an opportunity for its members to showcase their talent in various art forms.

Over 200 participants of all age groups celebrated their vibrant culture through performances in various genres of music,

dan ce and drama The audience was captivated with some exceptional talen t that explored the rich heritage of South fodia and other contemporary creative expressions.

The highlight was the presence of popular Indian comedy actor Dr Rajendra Prasad. He was felicitated w.itl1 the Ha!ya Ratn,i in recognition of his contribution

to rhe Telugu film industry. A poem was written and presented to him by Jl..fallikeswara Rao Konchada.

Member for Chisholm, Julia Banks MP was the guest speaker for the evening In her address to rhe audience s he commended TAAi for its contribution to the community and for its commitment and respect in promoting Telugu language and culture.

The audience was enthusiastic in their app lause, particularly for the young ones as participants as young as three years old were encouraged to gain confidence on stage Hours of wholesome entertainment were provided through the efforts of man y community volunteers.

"After such a fantastic start to our Silver Jubilee yea.r, tl1e T.AAI Comm ittee have planned many more programs and events over me course of the coming montl1s," said President, Rama Ra.o Munuganti. " Th.i s will include R asa Raga S11dbt1 (a Telugu music concert), Abhi11tmda1um1ala (awards night) and a special outdoor free event on Sunday 19 March where we are expecting an audience of up to 5000 people."

"I'd like to emphasise char T AAI continues to work closely w itl1 affiliated bodie s, otl1er Telugu speaking organi sations and local forums for the betterment of our community," Rama Rao continued.

" 'if(/e are committed to sttengrhening our operational mani.rity and endeavom to reach members o f the communi ty more frequently man before. \Ve intend co wo.rk witl1 the TJ\Al Board where we w ill begin to address a long-term strategy to cater for the growing needs of our community."

Students from the community who completed Year 12 with outstanding results share their insights

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Name: Jaya Gaillard

ATAR: 98.55, VCE

Subjects: English, Mathematical Methods, French, Chemistry, Physical Education, Physics School: Siena College, Camberwell

Name: Mohak Malhotra

ATAR: 96.05, VCE

Name: See rat Oh ri ATAR: VCE

Subjects: English, Mathematical Methods, Chemistry, French, Health and Human Development and Business Management School: Balwyn High School School: Genazzano FCJ College

Subjects: Mathematical Methods, English, Information Technology, Physics, Business Management, Software Development

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W ha t was yo ur overall exp e rience of Yea r 12? What were your exp ecta ti o n s going into the year?

Jaya G a illard: Before the year b egan, I expected it to b e extrem ely stressful. \,Vhils c som e weeks were very hard ro manage, there ate more positive asp ects throughout the year tban l iiij tially thought. There ar e many opportwu cies to cele b rat e, particularly with m any close friends turni ng 18, so 1 felt my week wasn't always just school work.

M o hak M alho tra: Year 12 was a fun and challenging year. I t assi sted m e in realising my tr u e potential and academic in terests I honestly expected treme n dous ly di fficulr studies, tremendous mental pressure and a poor social life, but Yea r 12 rud n ot prove co be a 'Mission I m possib le' Scurues we re challenging b u t fun whe n you ar e derucated and do ing the subjects you e njoy.

See rat Ohri: I had a lot of fun in Year 12 le was very stressful, of course, however 1 had a good balance which made d1e year a little bit easi er. I loved m y sub ject s and had a lot of support by my friends and family throughout tli e year too. Honestl y, my ex pectations were ma r die year would be impossible A t the beginning of cbe year it felt like an extre m e ly hard journey diac would never e n d. H owever, as tlie year went o n , 1 r ealised it was n' t li ke that. T here are man y o pponrnu ties to give sturues a

break an d to enjoy thro ug h out t he yea r. O f course, ch e year was difficul t and stressful, but i t was defiiu tely not impossible So h.il Chh abra: It was a pretty h ard slog, but overall a g r eat year filled w ith new e:Kperie nces witli frien ds and fanuly. I cried not to have too many exp ectations h earung into the yea r - I just tried ro do my b est. However, I had to make sure l got die resul t I n eeded to get into die c ourse l wan ted Besides this, I also wanted ro m ake sure I didn't sacrifice othe r aspects of my li fe, such as sport or o che r extracurricul ar activities.

Ashn a P ra sa d: As one would expect, Year 12 consisted o f many u ps a n d down s Fr eq u en tly, I would notice m y stress .levels increasing, feelings of anxi ety, a nger and also being utterl y overwhelmed. However, I have come to die realisation di ar Year 12 was o n e of t h e b est years o f m y Life The relaciousrups l developed with fellow students, teachers a n d family allowed m e to p e rsevere through these djfficulties and achieve above a nd b eyon d m y goals Rh ea Singh: Coming into Year 12, I was quite nervous a n d appreh e n sive of the workload and the stress o f the 1oomillg exams I i magined that I would h ave n o social life or time for m y hobbies and wo uld have to be stud ying for h ours. H owever, while a lot of effort an d hard wor k had ro be put in, I found mac in

re ality, th rough orgaiu satio n and ti me management I had a lot m ore time o n my hands. Because of the b alance I was able to mruntain between s ru dyin g and odier activities, Year 12 was h onestly one of di e best yea.rs o f m y li fe that I got to enjoy witb my friend s and farnily. What did you learn abou t yourself?

Jaya G aillard: I learnt chat I was able co b alan c e a lot m ore than l ini tially thought. As Co-College Ca ptain, m y schooling li fe was always busy and I k.n ew I h ad to persi st with all di e various demands at band. Mo h ak M alh otra: I l earned chat I c an ac hieve q ui te a lot if l am dedi cated enough

Seera t Ohri: I learnt d1at l am n ot a stressful person, ra ther, I am able to stay calm in b u sy tim es, s uch as during exam period or w h en I had mul tip le SACs wi thi n a sm aU tim e frame.

Soh.il Chhabra : I lea rnt char i f I reall y pm m y m ind to ic a nd remain orgarused and m otivated, I can achieve g r eat things w ithom having to s acri fice m y social l.ife and hobbies

A s hn a Pra sa d: Year 12 was undoubtedly the hardest year of m y academ ic career to date, presenting challenges and obstacles d1at wer e djfficult ro overcome. What surprised me and allowed me ro grun a better insight to who I am as an individual w as my ability and capacity co rise to d1e

o ccasion, d1e internal drive tbat a llowed me to co ntinue m y hard wor k di rough out Year 12 and to not falter in die seemingly overwh elming challenge o f receiving a high AT AR B y forcing m yself to continue alo ng t he path o f study and ro r es trict m yse lf of social events (such as all the 1Stlis) a nd leisure activities, I realjsed that tenacity and motivation can go a long way in life, and that 1 a m able to con tinue betteri n g m yself for new c h alle nges mat may come du ri ng uruv ers ity or when I'm in the workforce

Rhe a Singh: From Year 12 I thmk I learn t tlrnr i f I rake the time and e f fort to push myself, 1 can acrueve m ore th an 1 m ay believe. Through out tlie year there were many stressful ti m es whe re I woul d just want co give up, however by comnu tcing myself and having a scrong su pport syst em a.rornid m e I learnt chat you can reach yo ur full po ten ti al.

Wh a t was your s tudyi n g te chniqu e?

D i d you have an y a dd e d s uppo rt fro m a tuto r or at ho m e ?

Jaya G ailla rd: I studied between diree to four honr.s ever y school 1ughc, b u t e n su red I took reasonable breaks, inclurung after school sp o rt or exercis ing with m y cousins. On tbe weekend s, I woul d study during die day but cake d1e night time off to go out. I had ad d ed support from two tutors, one for E ng lish and one for Mediod s, who I saw

into surviving the final year of school

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Name: Sohil Chhabra

ATAR: 99.95

Subjects: English, Biology (2 015), Chemistry, German, Maths Methods, Specialist Maths School: Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School

Name: Ashna Prasad

ATAR: 96 (International Bacc alaureate)

Subjects: Chemistry, Maths, French, Biology, English, Business and Management School: Carey Baptist Grammar

Name: Rhea Singh

ATAR: 99.85 (International Baccalaureate)

Subjects: Language and Literature, Psychology, Chemistry, Biology, Japanese, Mathematics School: St Leona rds College

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before SACs What 1 found m ost beneficial was seeking assistance from my subject teachers outside o f class tim e as they were always more than happy co help Moh ak Malho tra: I only had tutor for Mecbods because I knew I was weak at it and I needed external suppo r t. I did nor have a s pecific ' technique' in my studies b ut one thing I always had was con sistency. Ir is important co kn ow that b ei ng consistent is critical if you wane co succeed in Year 12

See ra t Ohri: I usually studied o n m y own o r in study groups with friends at school. So hil Chhabra: For all of m y sub jects, it became quickly appare nt to m e tha t the mosr important part of stud ying is practice and nor the rote learning of conten t.

Although this content must be learnt, the b est way to consolidate it i s ro complete as many practice exams, tasks and questions as possible I had tutors for l'vfaths a nd Chemi stry. The most useful thing they provided was n otes

A s hna P rasad : My stud ying technique varied for each subject For science based s ubjects, and also Business and Managem en t, cue- cards were reall y helpful in learning co ncepts and consolidating weaker areas o f knowledge. I would make the cue-cards based off mark schemes from past IB papers. This ensured that I was answerin g questions the way the IB wanted me to. D uring my actual exam, there were

m an y repeated / similar questions to m y cue card sets! As for Maths, Engl ish and French, 1 we nt throug h every past paper from 2009 ro 2016 Althou gh this was time consuming, it was very ben eficial a nd prepared me well fo r m y actual exams Rhea Singh : My stud ying tech niq ue was all about organ isation. Every night I would plan what I wanted to do and \vhich work I had to finish off. I wou ld always make sure after a class, es p ecially for the sciences, that I wou ld review m y n o tes to make sure that l und erstood everything completely As I was learning a la nguage, Japanese, I had an a d ditional tutor at home who mostly helped me \vitl1 conversatio n a s ID has a great focus o n c onver satio n al orals rather t han pre- prepared. I found flashcards also wo r ked well for languages. 1 also took fuU advantage o f tl1e student tutors that m y school had to offer in the li brary on the weekends, as well as t eachers who made t h em selves available at lu nch time or during the week w h o wo uld help if I had any questio n s

H ow did you d eci d e w h at s u b jects to pick a nd why?

Jaya Gailla rd : I chose th e sub jects r.hat I was interested in and enjoyed, particularly French a nd Physical Education I also kept in mind p rerequisite subjects fo r U n iversity It's impor t ant ro choose subjects that you

like as yo u spend so much ti.me and effort learning about chem tl,ac i t is necessar y to stay focussed rathe r than being bored b y subject s you dislike.

Mohak M all1otra: I had a clear direction of regarding career from a very young age, so I chose m y sub jects in accordance with chat. I d id n ot look a t the scalin g of my des ired subjects, I chose them b ecause l enjoyed them.

Seera t Ohri: 1 wanted to keep my option s o pen and d o a range of s ubjects that in terested m e

So hil C hhabra: I was always a mathsscience kid and so my subject selection wasn't a difficult process. The o nl y tough choice 1 had to ma ke was between accelerated biology and p hysics. I chose to do the accelerated subject as l was ad vised b y my school's career counsellors t h at i t i s quite diffi cult to do six subject s in year 12

Ashn a P rasa d : For IB stud ents, it is compulsory to stu dy six subjects chosen fro m six s ub ject groups (Language A l , Language B, Indiv idual s and Societies, Experimental Sciences, M athematics and the Arts). \'\1i thin these six sub-gro ups, I chose subjects that I was m ost passionate about because it allowed me to be tr uly interested whilst stud ying - and this also h elped m e excel in eac h subject - because finding an interest whilst studying ensures productive lea rning.

Rhea Singh: Th r o ugh doing ID 1 was alread y slightly Li mited in m y subject selec tion as yo u have to pick a subject out of each g roup (eg i\faths, Science, H umanities, E n glish, Language, Arts). From here though, I sh ortlisted subjects that I thou ght I would be genuinely interested in learning about or we re prerequisites for unive rsity. I also talked to form er srndenrs and teachers w h o had experienced the classes and asked for their opinion in regards to the teachers, the in tensity of the subject and w h ecl1er tl1e y enjoyed it. Personally, I Jove scienc e so all m y su b jects were based around that area as clrnt is what I hope to do i n tl1e fu ture.

Did you f eel the re was m uch competitio n wi thin you r cohort?

Jaya Gaillard : All cl1e ocher gi rls at school were always extremely supportive rowards each other but of course cbere was healthy competition in o rder for aU of us to s ucceed

M o h ak M alho tra: Yes Balwyn High is o n e of the best schools in V ictoria, meaning competition is always high because every student aims high.

Seerat O hri: There is always a lit tle b i t of competi tion, however it was more sup p o r tive dian c o mpetitive. Withi n m y cohort, we had a good amount of competition, whe re we all helped each other

become better students, rather than t he type of competition that brings each other clown

Sohil Chhabra: Not at all. I had a real!)' tight-kriit and large group of friends, all with similar interests I fee l like I can attribute my result to them, as we have been helping and pushing each other since the first day of high school.

Ashna Pra sad: Unlike VCE, in 1B, students do not compete against each other IB students have to reach a certain percentage during their exams, as opposed to being ranked against each other i.n order to score, so competition was fatle co none within our cohort.

Rhea Singh: There is always an element of competition and I believe that in some ways it is that competition that pushes you to achieve your full potential. However, through do ing IB, where you are not ranked against other srndents as explicitl y as in VCE, there was a larger element of team work. I feel and I developed close relationships with my otl1er classma tes tl1rough study groups which helped my understanding in many subjects by getting another perspective.

What extra- c urricular activi ties o r hobbies helpe d you m aint ain a b alance b etween wo rk and play?

Jaya G ailla rd: Ever y term I participated in one or two extracurricular sports including Cross Cmmtry, Netball, Athletics and Swimmi11g through school which ensured I maintained a balance between m y school work and own life. I still found the time and energy to see my family and friends on the weekend

Mohak M alhotra: Every v.reekend I watched movies in order to relax and relieve my stress. I exercised weekly to keep fit.

Seerat Ohri: I was involved in organising a few school events in year 12, however most of my free time was spent catching up on lost time with family and friends.

Sohil Chhabra: Throughout the yea.r 1 played cricket, tennis and hockey, while also debating, taking pan in the school Social Justice program and readi11g.

A s hn a Prasad: Balancing the demands of a busy lifestyle was not an easy thing to do during ID. However, l played basketball with a group of school friends. This aUowed me to get active as well as socialise.I

Rhea Singh: Throughout Year 12 it was my aim to still take part in a wide variety of extra- curricular activities as that balance is so im portant. Also, as part of the IB course you have to fulfi l Creativity, Action and Service components. I was part of the Student Council for my school and was one of tl,e leaders in organising our school formal, tl1e annual philanthropic Bangladesh Dinner to raise money for schools in Bangladesh and other Year 12 events. I also took part in Noble Park English Language School where I volunteered to help refugees and other migrants learn Englis h, Sacred Heart Mission volw1reecing to serve meals to die homeless and was a part of the teams for Amnesty and International Women's Day. I also love music so continued with m y piano lessons, choirs and songwriting workshops.

What i s your most memorable Year 12 experience?

Jaya Gaillard: There are so many I could choose from but my most memorable would be our ver y last d ay of school. \Ve had so many celebrations which truly swnmed up an incredible year together.

M o h ak Malhotra: B y far, m y Year 12 formal was the most memorable moment in Year 12.

Seerat Ohri: I would have to say my school's Year 12 Valedictory Dinner was the most memorable experience. It was a day of celebration for all of our hard work throughout tbe year, and co celebrate the end of our high school journe)', It was a lovely night spent with our parent.5, friends

and teachers, and was definitely a night to remember for the whole cohort.

Sohil Chh abra: The parties afterwa.rds!

Ashna P rasad: I have been really lucky to have several memorable experiences during Year 12. I will never forget the Carey swimming carnivals, athletic days and the organised food trucks on the oval!

Rhea Singh: My most memorable Year 12 experience is probably the last clay of Year 12 where the whole yea.t level arranged to gee together at the beach in the morning and then walk down to school together fo r a final brunch where we got to open our time capsules from Year 7 and say our final goodbyes. It was great to be all together with all the people who were part of your fina.l year of schooling and it was a nice goodbye from school.

What wo uld you do differe ntly ?

Jaya Gaill ard: Overall I am happy with how things went but if I repeated the year, I would tell m yself to stress less!

Mohak Malho tra: The only regret 1 have is that I did not do Hindi as a language sub ject in Year 11 If I did, my score would have been even higher.

Seerat Ohri: 1 would definitely have got Maths mtoring sorted earlier in the year Sohil Chhabra: Well, I can't re.a.U y complain about how things rurned out, but I would have loved to study phys ics.

Ashna Prasad: If I were to repeat year 12, I would try to stop procrastinating! le was so difficul t for me to get myself to study sometimes and I would find myself on YouTube or Facebook

Rhea Singh: I don't think I would do anything differently in terms of studying as I balanced my time well a.nd although I was nervous d1at all those rimes I had spent rel.axing or having fLm would potentially affect m y ATAR, in the end it is very in1portant to get that balance. Howeve r, 1 think I would try and explore different study techniques earlier in the year as i t took

me a while ro find what worked for me. I would also try and get less distracted while studying as I often found that TV s hows or YouTube would aid my procrastination and I wish 1 was more disciplined in keeping focused.

What perks did you enjoy (either at sch ool or a t h ome)?

Jaya Gaillard: I would go clown co the clog park and walk around because I absolutely love clogs so I found d1is time reall y relaxing.

Moh ak Malho t ra: I have to say, I really enjoyed being a senior to all d1e year levels below me!

Seerat Ohri: I enjoyed the usual Year 12 festivities, such as schoo l events. I enjoyed the sports carnivals, the swimming carnival and inter school activities. It was a really good break from studies and allowed us to express our school spirit one last time together as a )'ear level.

Sohil Chh abra : Having the excuse of smdies roger me out of chores at home, despite m y brother's con1plaints!

Ashna P rasad: At Carey, the school provided an endless amount of extracurricular activities, which J pursued I was a part of the debating team, basketball team, several orchestral groups (symphony orchestra, baroque ensemble etc.) and musicals! These perks allowed me to extend my friendship circle as well as take m y mind off the stresses of year 12.

Rhea Singh : Ar school we had a common room for the Year 12's which was a great place to chill and have some down time as well as get the Year 12's together for pancake breakfasts or o ther activities

We also had a study centre a.ncl rooms specificall y for Year 12's which were nice quiet areas to study in. Another perk of Yea r 12 is d1at the teachers almost always make themselves available to answer your questions and really are invested in making sure that you understand concepts and they

Sohil Chhabra

Ashna Prasad :

• . . .

Seerat Ohrl

can help you as much as possible.

What does the future hold for you? What are you hoping to s tudy at uni?

Jaya Gaillard: I am raking a g ap year n ext year, in itially travelling to N iseko,Japan to snowboard in January. After this, I am spending the rest of the year in France with my dad's s ide of the family, particular ly my gr:andmother in the South of France. I am planning to enrol into Biomedicine fo r the following year.

Mohak Malhotra: 1 hope to run m y own software company in the future. I am hoping to do a doub le degree in Engineering (Honours) and Commerce Seerat Olui.: I'm not sure wha t I want to study yet. There a.re so many options a.nd now I have the tirne to foc us on researching a munber of fields to really see what 111cerescs me.

Sohll Chhabra: I'm still a little unsure, but I'm currently fascinated by th e prospect of a career in medicine.

A s hna Prasad: My ATAR guarantees me entry into Commerce at Melbourne Unive rs ity, which is my first preference.

Rhea Singh: At university I am hop ing to srudy in tl1e area of science, in particular Medicine or Biomedicine. Science has always been one of m y favourite sub jects and I am very interested in this area as well as the contact with patients and the work etl1ic that a career in medicine wo uld provide.

What would your advice to future final year s tudent s be?

Jaya Gaillard: Ensure you get enough sl eep every night as schooling life in Year 12 can become rather exhausting Don't forget that going out to see your friends and family on the weeke nds is beneficial as it help-s you take rime out o f you r busy week Most of all, believe in yourself a.nd trust your own insrinct wi rh everything

Mohak Malhotra: T he only advice I would

g ive to students is that you should perceive Year 12 optimistically and see it as an oppornmiry for you ro gain i ovaluab le hle experiences. l.n terms of sn1dies, l would advise that you srarr your end-of- year exam preparations weU in advance. I wish you al l the best for your future studies!

Seerat Ohri: Honestly, just to have fun in year 12. Ir is such a stressful year but ir was reall y fantastic. There are a lot of fu n tin1es during the year a.nd it is really great ro bond as a yea r level in your final year Take every opportunity you're given and make time for family and friends.

Sohll Chhabra: Stay organised and don't n eglect your social life or hobbies. If you put in hard and efficient work, you'll definitel y exceed your own expectarions.

A s hna Prasad: It i s fundamental, even if there is a huge 30%-of- final -grad e assignment due around the corner, to take control over stressful s ituations. Do not fr eak o ut. It is very importauc ro relax , b reath e, think, prioritise and then strategically deal with tl1ese s ituations. Secondl y, sleep is cruciall I made sure thar I had ar least 7- 8 hours of sleep each nigh c. It is not only physically beneficial, but is also helps to operate the mind more productively. One way of maintaining ad equate sleep is to have a study timetable co ensure no lam studying/crammin g!

Rhea Singh: I think my advice would be to mal<e sure tl1at you make the most of your time in Year 12 by raking advantage of the oppornmities available and building relationships with you r classmates, teachers and friends While studying is very important chis year, make s ure you give some ti.me for yourself and other soc_ial activi ties as without these yo u will burn out before the exam period.

Parents Reflect

Wha t expe c tation s did you have for yom child?

Kiran and Pascal Gaillard: W/e never placed any set expectations on Ja ya. She has always been a motivated student, acad emically a.nd in sport. We have done our best to foster and culrivare her passions and been there as her support system, rather t han place expectarions.

Rajiv Malhotra: We as parents always wa n t our children co perform better and better, but every child has his or her own potential. W'e were very real istic a.nd we expected h im ro gee an ATAR of 92 co 95.

Jasmine Ohri: All I ever wished for was for Seerar to get into the course of her choice at the uaiversity of her choice. I know that Seerat is a very hard-wo rker, and so I didn't have set expectations for her so lo ng as she tried her best.

What was you r experience parenting a child in Year 12? Was this y our first child to g o through the proc ess ?

Kiran and Pas cal Gaillard: We went i nto this year knowing it would be a stressful rime for Jaya so we ensured that she took regular breaks a.nd had some balance in her life. We are a very close fam il y so there were plenty of discussi ons around the dinner tabl e about how s he was coping. Om elder daughter, Shayana, completed h er VCE in 2014 so we h ad a fair idea of the work load i nvolved and the stress of exam ti.me.

Rajiv Malhotra: We as parents did not have so many challenges as th is is our yo unger child. Our elder son finished his VCE lase year with an ATAR of 97.3 so we wer e very well aware about rhe stress levels fac ing a child in th eir VCE year. lvlobak reall y worked ha.rd and we as parents helped h im b y providing tl1e right e nv i ronment for his sn1dies

Jasmine Ohri: It wasn't the first rime as m y older daughter went through Year 12 six years ago. I was a stress- buster for her. Ir was a ve r y tough year for all of us, espedally with the ups and d owns

tl1.roughout tl1e year, however i t was so rewarding seeing her succeed at tl1e end Simmi and Navjot Chh abr a : Soh.i.l was our first ch.i.ld to do the VCE. We did not really have ro wo r ry about his studies as he stayed organised throughout. We just tried to be there t o support him in whatever way we could.

Singhs: As Rhea was our first child ro go through Year 12, we didn't really know what to expect Tl1.roughout the year, at times Rh ea was stressed from tl1e ID workload and dead lines and i r was important that as a Year 12 smdent's pare n ts we would l isten, s upport and create a stress free environment.

Did yo u do anything differently to support y our child, for example, taking time off work, relaxing chores for your child at home ?

Kiran and Pascal Gaillard: W/e asked her elder si ster ro take over Jaya's share o f the chores during stressful periods. Other tlian that, we gave J aya space when she needed it and continued to function as a normal household.

Rajiv M alhotra: My wi fe and I took a couple of days off work o nl y durin g exams. The most important thing was we tried maintaining a balanc e We had to cut down on inviting friends at home and participate i n social gatherings, bur we definitely cook our chil dren on ourings co take breaks from their routine Jasmine Ohri: I took ti.me off work this yea r to support her. I became her "punching-bag" and we spent a lot of time together, however it was a jo in t effort between our family a.nd friends that supported her throughout the year.

Si.nghs: We made sure s he had nutritious, home cooked meals and g iven full pri o rity when needing ro be p icked up or dropped t o school. We also made sure if she had a busy night she d idn't have to do chores such as washing the dishes.

Rhea Singh

. .

Mohak Malhotra :

Jaya Gaillard

Australia's first anti-dowry summit held in Melbourne

Australia's first a n ti-d owry summi t h eld in Melbourn e in D ece m ber re newed calls for a national law agai nst dowry extor tion. Organised b y ACHR H, the Australasia n Cen tre for Hum a n Rig h ts and Health, the summit ga the red acad emics, legal p ro fessio nals, service providers, po liticia n s a n d m embe r s of the medical communiry in a wo r kshop setting to talk abom dow r y a n d its impact, and h ow t be system could b etter prevent v iolence a nd h elp survivors

T h e p ractice of dowr y is an a n cient tradi tio n whereby a b ride brin gs an agreed amount of p ro perty or mo n ey to h e r h us b an d on t h eir mar riage lf a m ar r iage ends, the h usband us ually keeps the val uables

le is not known how wid espread m ar riage dowries are in A ustralia, b ut t he practice remains common in south Asia, the Mid dle E as e a nd A frica.

Dr ]\lfa n jula O'Connor fro m AC. HRH called for a federal law again s t d owry de m a n ds

"We wa n t laws chat m ake it a civil o r a criminal offen se to exto rt dowry," O'Conno r said "W/e can ' t b an dowr y, b u t we can preve n t peop le from m aking such demands," sh e said

"Th e p r oble m i s the dowry is g iven in India an d it is left in India with his

paren ts but t he m arriages are breaking up in Australia So it is creating a lot of judi cial kind of issues "

D ean McWhirter, Assistan t Com m issioner o f V ictoria Police, who o p e n ed the even t, said t hat Victoria P o lice h ave iden tified d1at d1e police fo rce n eeds b etter ed u cation o n th e i ssue on dowry deman ds, especially in rela tio n to incidence o f fa mily vio le n ce He called for detailed r esearc h into t he incidence and p revalence o f dowr y.

The fo rum also heard fro m a survivor w ho talked of her abuse a t the hands of h er ex-husband and in -laws in th e face of escalating d owry dem ands The sys tem failed h er, and sh e spent t hree days and nig h ts at train statio n s, unab le to go home because the police slapped an interven tio n o rde r against her based o n an allegedly false report of v iolen ce by her ex- husband Sh e an d her family e nded up p ar in g $45,000 to her exhusb an d's fam ily in ad dition to the weddi ng expenses, and she bas b een tmable to recover $50,000 p lus worth of her jewellery

Ackn owled g ing die bravery of the s ttrvivo r in speaking up, G r eens lvfP and sp o kesperson for Family V io le n ce ina Sp ri ngle said t h at communi t y su pport an d education o n t h is iss u e is paramount. However, we could do m ore by way o f un derstanding communities, sh e said.

" V ictoria is lacking in o ur

un der stan din g of culmral com peten ce, and the fundamentals of collec tivi se and individualist cuJ mres, an d how challe ng ing it is fo r these two spec trums to interac t," she said The re may b e a n eed to chan ge the structural respon ses to culmral issues like dowr y to take into acc o un t the n eeds of survivors fr o m collectivist cuJ mres R ecomm e n dation 156 from the Ro yal Commis sio n Again st Family V io le n ce was made as a res ul t of a submission

by ACH R H It recommend ed t ha t the examples of family v iolen ce be amen ded to include d owry relat ed abuse Th e A n d r ews Lab o r gov e rnm e n t in Victor ia has com m i tted to implem e n t all t he recom mendatio n s of the R oyal Commission T h e r esults of the worksh op a t d1e an ti-dowr y summ it will for m pan of a research p roject on dowr y b y Swinbu rne and Melbo urne U n iversiry D ipa nja li Rao

SRI SAi BABA ASTROLOGY CENTER

From My Generation Palm Reading &

The importance of primary prevention

An RMIT panel looks at how gender equality is the key to preventing violence against women

oliii GUii rnuL~ soM EQUENT DEPRIVING PR OFFEND ERS ROYOKING PRIVATELY DDEPRESSION UNAB I FORMS DEPRI VATI NMAINTAINING SSIFICATION

BY DIPANJALI RAO

Culuires. Norms Practices. These are the three things said to be at the heart of the tragically high incidence and prevalence of v iolence against women in Australian society. Primary prevention efforts are aimed at changing these three variab les, about taking action to address these soc ietal drive r s o f vio lence agai nst wom en to prevent violence from occurring.

A panel discussion compcising researchers, academics, practitioners and policy advisor s, " Primary Prevention of Violence Against Women: From Local to Global" organised b y R.MlT's Gendered Violence and Abuse Research Alliance (GeVARA) discussed the importance of, and approaches to, primary prevention.

D r Anastasia Powell, founding member and co-convener of GeVARA, who opened and m oderated the discuss ion, explained how women te nd to face violence in a private space, and at the hands of their male partners or ex-partners, whi ch is a significant barrier ro seeking justice.

Women with disabilities a nd women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities face addi tio nal barriers such as language barriers, cultural issues and lack access to services. Th ese barriers, and fear of repercussio n s are why a large m ajori ty of wome n don't report violence. Also, the

~IP-1111:1

violence does n't end whe n they leave.

" This i s why primary prevention is important," said D r Powell "Because if we only direct our efforts to stopping violence that is already occurring, we will fo rever be righting wrongs and piecing together lives of men, women and children back together."

The discussion kicked off wit h the panel reflecting on current efforts. Ki m \'(lebster, who manages the National Community Attitudes Towards V io lence Agai nst Wo m e n Survey (NCAS) t alked of how responses to violence have improved, but the prevalence of viole nce hasn' t changed since the 1980s Dr Larissa Sandy, lecturer i n justice and legal studies at RlvfIT, w h ose work focuses on gender and sexuality in Southeast Asia said , "lt is a co mmunity approac h. lf we don't work o n the risk faccors (i n th e community) that cause v io lence, patterns of viole nce will continue and we will see very little change."

Dr Loren D ays, senior policy ad v isor on interseccionali ty at OurWatch, delved into these risk factors. ,cEviclence shows tl1at a context where women h ave less power, value, digniLy, choices, agency is a context of gender inequali ty, which is the root of v iolence." Prin1ary prevention is about changing that context of gender ineq uality.

Damien Grenfell, Direccor of tl1e Centre of Global Research, R.MlT, and research advisor on NEHULA1 , a program to encl violence agains t women in Timor Leste, took a more personal app roach He reflected on his experiences of masculinity when he fi rst started working Ln the university sector, and its implications on broader culture. "I witnessed acute

inequality, and I saw how (female) colleagues were judged in sexual terms rather than for thei r creative attribu tes an d m e r it I saw how women who we re hired as researchers dropped off bm mal es would continue."

Emma Fulu, founder of the Equali ty Institute, went one step furtl1er co say that primary prevention is not simply t he absence of violence, it i s where everyone across the board has equali ty and can live w ith d ig ni ty.

" Goals like unive rs al education, inclusion in health care, s afe cities and so o n can't be addressed if we don't work o n preventing violence against wo m e n," she said "The benefits of preventing violence are far beyo n d just the cost of v io le nce. It is beyond our imaginatio n how much we can improve so many aspects of society if we address this issu e."

O n attiuicles, cul tures and practices that contribute that gender equality, the workplace was iden tified as a place co target primary prevention of violence against wo m e n. D r Sandy said that workplaces could contribute by training staff to recognise signs of D V, run bystander action campaigns, cond uct gender audits, have fan1ily violence leave policies, and train their staff to combat gende r bias

D r Days from Our Watch taU,ed of intersectionality, or the strucuiral and social challenges and discrimination as a result of one's identity or ability: ethnicity, disab ility, ge n der, sexual o rientation, etc, and how prevention policies must be adapted to assist different communities The probability of vio lence ag ainst women increases when their gender i ntersects with, say, disability, or a minority ethni city. While taking an intersectionaJ approach ro preventio n, "A lot of coordination has ro hap p en between multiple sectors, which hasn't always happened," said Dr Days D r Grenfell talked of hi s experiences in Timor-Leste, but caution ed that it was ea sy to dismiss violence as being a 'cultural' proble m.

"Violence is violence is violence," he said. "We shouldn't seek to create id ealised ve rs io n s of our own society (in Australia). \"X'e need ro confront rhe reality that botl1 societies are violent."

Dr Emma Fulu talked of overseas primary prevention education programs that show pro mise. These included community programs, school b ased programs and parenting programs. " Programs tl1at address root causes such as masculinity and gender equality, and programs that work witl1 both m en and women are effective."

,, Women from CALD communities face additional barriers such as language and culture when reporting domestic violence ,,

WHAT'S ON

FESTIVAL

Republic Day, Thurs 26 Jan, 9 30am

A flag hoisting ceremony on the occasion of 68th Republic Day of India will be held at 9.30am at the premises of Consulate General of India (344 , St. Kilda Road, Melbourne All Indian nationals, persons of Indian origin and friends of India are welcome to attend Students and children are espec iall y encouraged to come and celebrate. Confirm your participation at indianrepubl ic-day eventbrite.com by Tues 24 Jan 2017

RACV Australia Day Festival, Thurs

26 Jan , 11am -4pm

A much-loved Austral ia Day event held at Kings Doma in Gardens, St Ki Ida Rd, at the conclusion of the Australia Day Parade The Festival hosts free , family friendly activities, along with a multicultural themed Food Truck Park Vi sit: australiaday.v1c.gov.au

Australia Day at Docklands, Thurs

26 Jan , 6pm-10 30pm

Harbour Esplanade will come alive with roaming artists and entertainment and a sizzling Food Truck Festival celebrating multicultural Australia. This free , family friendly celebration will conclude with spectacular fireworks to a soundtrack of favourites , ignited from the top of Etihad Stadium. Visit austral iad ay vie.gov au

Australia Day at Government

House, Thurs 26 Jan , 9 30am3.30pm

One of Victoria 's major cultural and historic assets , Government House, will be open to the public as part of Australia Day celebrations. Entry is free and visitors are invited to bring a picnic , or refreshments can be purchased from food vendors There will be live music, children ' s activities, special displays and more There wi ll be no vehicle access to Government House, so visitors are encouraged to use public transport Visit: governor vie.gov.au

Sankrantl • A Celebration of Diversity, Sat 28 Jan, 5pm -9pm

Telugu Lan guage and Culture Foundation of Australia hosts this annual event to showcase Indian culture and traditions to the multicu ltural community of Vi ctoria.

Held at Mulgrave Community Centre, 355 Wellington Road, Mulgrave, the event will stage a musical and dance performances from local groups , explaining why we cel ebrate Sankranti. There will also be a rangoli competition and kite f lying competition. Visit: facebook com/tlcfaus

ARTS

Architect Bljoy Jain at MPavllllon, daily 9am-10pm

Australia 's MPavilion is an award winning annual architecture commission and design event.

MPavilion 2016 is designed by acclaimed Indian architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai. The temporary summer pavilion in Melbourne's historic Queen Victoria Gardens , St Kilda Rd , hosts a free four-month program of talks workshops, performances and installations Visit: mpavillon .org

Asia TOPA, tll April 2017

Asia- Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts wi ll bridge d iverse art forms i ncluding performance, visual, screen and literary arts Vital, fresh anct always unpredictable, the event offers a city.wide window into the creative imaginations fuelling the many cultures of our region. Highlights include the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performing the music of AR Rahman Visit: asiatopa.com.au/

SPIRITUAL

Shri Srlnlvasa Kalyanotsavam , Sun 29 Jan, 9am -12pm

Shri Krishn a Brundavana, Mel bourne celebrat es this grand Shri Srinivasa Kalyanam and f undraiser at Hunga r ia n Community Centre, 760 Boronia Rd , Wantirna Al l wel com e to p articipate and offer the sevas Conta ct: 0466 093166

COMMUNITY

Wyndham Grand Annual Yoga Trall 2017, Sun 15 Jan, 9am

The Wyndham yoga community event 1s back and open for registrations Register now for 8 weeks for progressive yoga at 8 of Wyndham's spectacular iconic tourist destinations for January and February Sunday momings Bring your loved ones and friends for an enjoyable and healthy active and positive kickstart to your

new year Visit: newdayyoga com.au/ grand-annual-yoga-trail

Movies In Station Place, Sat 7Sat 28 Jan

Come dCM'n and enjoy a free fa m ily night out every Saturday in January at Station Place. with an outdoor movie screening musi c and children 's activities. Music, movies and food all hosted in Wernbee City Centre

Children 's activities begin at 6pm and movie begins at 7pm

Indian Young Women ' s Gro"p Fridays 12 30pm -2 30pm

The Indian Young Women ' s Group 1s organised free by Wyndham Community and Education Centre (Wyndham CEC ) every Friday afternoon at the Wyndham Park Primary School. Community Hub Room, Kookabu1ra Avenue. Werribee Contact the Wyndham Community and Education Centre 3 Princes Highway Wern bee, www.wyndhamcec.org.au or call 03 9742 4013

Let's Talk: Conversational English Saturdays, 10am-11.30am

Practice and develop your English speaking skills in a relaxed small group that has a warm and friendly atmosphere Meet every Saturday at Werribee Church of Christ, 200 Tarneit Road, Werribee This is for peopl e who want to gain confidence and practice their Engl i sh All are welcome to attend , morni ng tea ls provided and it's free Contact: 97416051 01 werribeechurchofchrist.org

Pronunciation Work.shop 1 st Sunday of the month 12pm-3pm Are you learning Englisl1 as a second language and interested in working on your pronunciation? Join Kaled • a friendly ESL (English as a Second Language ) expert wl10 wilf help you work on your English language skills for free at the Library at The Dock, Act1vit1es Room , 107 Victoria Harbour Promenade. Melbourne ESL speakers and learners of all levels are welcome.

The Gurukul Hindi Classes

Saturdays 11am-12pm

Connect1ons@Craigieburn. 59 Cra1gieburn Road Cra1gieburn VIC 3064. These weekly classes are taught by Manisha Gard and Bhupl nder Kah l on. Contact: Nannder Garg 0431123 045 or infotheguruku!@gmail com

MUSIC

The Indi an Music Collective

Melbourne

Sundays 4pm

The Indian Musi c Collective Melbourne ( IMC M) provides space for practice/ jamming in a friend ly environment for musi cians to meet and practi ce Anyone who pl ays a Hindustani classical music instrument (such as tabla, sitar, sarod , et c ) or can sing Hindustani class i ca l music at any ability/ level i s warm ly welcome at St John' s Catholic Primary School , 77 Queens Parade, Clifton Hi l l. List eners are also welcome Gold co i n t o contribute towards tea/ coffee/ snack costs Contact: Harjinder Bhogal at o ld manindia@gma i l.com

SENIORS

The Gurukul Chopaal, Tuesdays 6.30pm -7.30pm

The Gurukul Chopaal is an Austra l ian Indian senior citizens club which hosts cultural acti vities as well as laughing yoga , computer l iteracy lessons and games. Held at Connections@ Craigieburn 59 Craigieburn Road Craigieburn Detai ls Narinder Garg 0431123 045 or e-mail infothegurukul@gmail.com

SPORT

KFC BBL and Rebel WBBL

Held at Et ihad Stadium an d the MCG, don' t m iss your favourite teams as the fun and exci t ement of the KFC T20 Big Bash League and Rebel Women ' s Big Bash League returns this summer. Visit : cri cket.com au

'S ON listings

Modi asks diaspora to first develop India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the Indian diaspora to first develop India b y investing and contributing its expertise in the land of its origin.

"To me, FDI means First Develop India through Foreign Direct Investment, whose norms have been fully liberalised for onResident lndians (NRis) and Persons of lndian Origin (PIOs) and made on par with domestic firms for availing same benefits," Modi told the the 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Non-Reside nt Indian Day)

Inaugurating the three- day m ega event, Modi exhorted the diaspora to participate in the government's Aagship programmes like Digital India, Make In lndi a, Start- up lndia, Swacch Bharat (Clean India) and Namami Gange (Clean Ganga) fo r the country's a.11round development.

"Diaspora can contribute to India b y sparing their time and energy on implementing our Aagship programmes and s tay connected," s aid Modi dming a 40-minuce special address in Hindi and English.

Asserting that engaging with the overseas Indian community was a priority area for him, the Prirne Jvfin isrer said the government was trying to convert 'brain drain' into 'brain gain' b y inviting the diaspora to contribute their mite in making lnclia strong and self-reliant.

" Brain drain has been considered a loss for the country as Indians went abroad seeking jobs and better life. But for me and m y government, such a movement is not a brain drain but brai n gain as they can help us in the development," noted Modi.

For young Indians seeking jobs abroad, Modi said his gm7 emment would soon launch a skill develo pment programme.

" \Ve will shortly launch a skill deve lopment programme, the Pravasi Kaushal Vi kas Yojana, targeted at Indian you th seeking overseas employment" he said.

The programme will train the job-seekers with soft skills so that they do nor fee l strangers in the country tl1ey migrate to i n terms of manners and culture. Modi also appealed to a.II persons of Indian origin living tl1e world over to convert their PIO cards into Overseas

C itizen of India (OCI) card at the earliest.

''\Ve are working on new procedures to ensure all descendants of Indians, especia.lly their fourth and h fth ge nerations living in Fiji, Suriname, Guyana and Caribbean states to become eligible for OCT cards," Modi said.

C larifying that the government does not see the colour of the passport buc the blood ties, the Prime Minister said tl1e PIO card superseded rhe individual's passport as far as his or her ties to India were concerned.

When che PIO card is seen, "we don't see the colour of the passport but tl1e blood ties", Modi said to huge applause.

Referring to Mahatma Gandhi's return from South Africa, lv[odi said this day marked tl1e rernrn to India of one of tl1e greatest Pravasis and chat his government's priority was co convert "brain drain" into brain gain".

''NRis and PIOs have made outstanding contributions. Among tl1em are politicians of great stature, scientists of repute, outstanding doctors, brilliant educationists, economists, journalists, musicians, engineers, bankers and did 1 mention our well known technology professional s," added J\fodi

Observing that it was special for him ro connect w itl1 the diaspora, which made India proud on the world stage, the Prime Minister said me government was doing everything possible to deepen rhe outreach with NRis and PIOs

"Overseas Indians have also made invaluable contribution to the Indian economy, including 69-b illion dollar-worth remittances tn 2016. We are strengthening processes at our embassies and con sulates to facilitate their easier travel to India," said Modi.

Asserting chat the diaspora rep resented the best of Indian culture, eilios and values, Modi said the welfare, security and safety of a.II Indians abroad was his government's top priority.

"Efforts are also being made to provide maximum facilitation and ensure least inconvenience ro even Indian citizens seeking economic oppor nmities abroad," added

Modi

Ruing tbar the twin evils - black mone y and corruption - had adversely affected me country's economy and polity over tl1e

years, Modi also said the time had come ro elim inate tl1em and help the honest people live witl1 dignity and res pect.

"I am grateful to all of you for supporting us in this war against the two evils chat were weakening t he country," the Prime l'vtinister said.

The moment Modi raised the demo netisation issue, a majority of t he audience cheered and applauded, hailing his decision

"As corruption and b lack money were corrodi ng our system from within, we had to rake a strong stand and we did," Modi said.

Modi urged tl1e diaspora, especially NonResident Indians (NRls), ro avail of the six- monili extension given from Januar y 1 to surrender the banned notes at designated Reserve Bank of India (RBI) offices till J une 30.

"We have made arrangements at airports for NRis w declare on arrival the old notes they are carrying and subrnir them to the RBI in exchange for new notes or crediting them ro their bank accounts," he said

The government has also given three monms up to March 31, 20 17, to Indians staying or travelling abroad co declare if they possess old notes

Why India might not achieve its 2020 renewable energy targets

In April 2016, Piyush Goyal, the P ower and Renewable Energy Minister, reiter ated that India's solar power target - 100 GW by 2022 - was achiev ab le, but an lndiaSpend analysis shows that this expansion i s challenged by weak infrastructure and a lack of cheap fu1ancing.

To achieve its targets, India must add 130.76 GW of renewable energy over the next si.x years, an average of 21.7 G\X/ per year or, three times the capacity it added in 2016.

This target is crucial for India in achiev ing its goal to reduce g lobal warmi n g by tl1e yea r 2100, the earth's remperamre could increase by an average of 1.8 degrees Celsius, in tl1e best scenario, and four degrees Celsius.

In 2016, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the world crossed 400 parts per million, levels that w ill now last our lifetime. The

I ndia's Sania Mi rza and American Bethanie Mattek-Sands teamed up to take out the Brisbane I nternational women 's doubles t itle on 7 January, 2017, capturing the trophy with a 6 -2 6-3 victory over Ekaterina

Makarova and Elena Vesnina The win means Mattek-Sands overtakes Mirza as the No 1 -ranked women 's doubles player in the world

power sector in India produces about half of all CO2 emissions in the country (805.4 millio n tonnes) , according to the power ministry's Draft National Electricity P lan 2016; coal is the most polluting of all power sources

In 2015, tl1e world, iliro ug h me Paris Agreement, agreed to Limit tl1e r ise of the earth's temperamre to under two degrees Celsius by the year 2100. As man y as 162 countries, including India, have submitted their Intended Nationa.lly Determined Contributions (INDC), documents whicl1 describe steps cmmtries ,vill take to limit global warming.

As part of i ts lNDC, India has comrnitted to source 40 per cent of its electricity from non-fossil fuel sources b y 2030

In Octo ber 2016, renewable energy made up 1 5 per cent of India's installed electrici ty prod uction capaci ty, up from 13.1 per cent in August 2015, according to government data.

The government's ambitious target has created awareness about ren ewable energy. Even companies that do not benefit from government subsidies for renewable energy projects said the push for such energy has made consumers more aware about its virtues.

"More people now recognise that alternative sources can p ower energy within the house ho ld without being connected to the grid," said Piyus h l\fathur, Chief Financial Officer of Simpa Energy I erworks, a company that bui ld small energy grids that power a few households or a village.

But India's renewable energy targets are "highly optimistic and nor realistic", said Vibhuti Garg, a power sector expert a t the International Insrirme for Sustainable Development, a Canada-based environmental non-profit.

India's 2022 target i s equivalent to 22 per cent of tl1e world's cw11u.lative renewable energy capacity in 2015 - 785 cw; excluding hyde l p ower projects, according to a 2016 report by the Renewable Energy Policy Nerv:ork, an international non-profit, based at tl1e U nited l ations Environment Program

Over the last quarter of 2016, the government auctioned fewer projects cl1an needed to match its renewab le energ)' goals, according to a report b y the lv[e rcom Capital Group, a US-based energy research and communications firm ln 20 15, India invested SI0.2 billion of public and private money in renewab le energy, about a quarter of tl1e annual invesm1ent needed , according to a report by Institute for Energy, Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), a US-based research organisation. Government financing forms only a small part of the total investment. In 2016-17, the government budgeted $758 million (Rs 5,035.79 crore) for renewable energy.

The country needs $100 billion in asset financing for ren ewable energy over the next six years, according to report by Bloomberg l ew Energy Finance (BNEF), a

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama i nteracts with devotees during the fifth day of the Kalachakra in Bodhgaya, India, on Friday, 6 January, 2017. Buddhist devotees from across the globe, including Hollywood actor Richard Gere and his girlfriend Alejandra Silva, have gathered in th is small town to attend the 'Kalachakra ' or Wheel of Time initiations by the Dalai Lama. Phot o: AP

London-based energy c onsul tancy

"Th e biggest botcleneck we see is financing ," said Abhishek Jain, senior program lead at Council o n Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), a New D elhi- based res earch organisation. " If financing is achiev ed, cl1e targets are achievable," he added.

The government's 2016 Renewab le E nergy Invest Summit - which brings togecl1er fina nciers, and d evelopers of renewable energy - has been indefinitely postponed, according to a government circul ar.

The delay is because renewab le energy companies are far away from achieving their committed targets, a nd because the government is charging a high fee for the even t The delay was because me government n eeded more time to prepare for t he event, a government official \vl10 requested anonym ity told IndiaSpend.

In the government's Renewable E nergy Invest Summit in 2015, developers and manufacturers of wind and solar energy products and plants committed to nearly 240 GW o f renewab le capacity addition by 2022, but financiers committed money for only 70 GW added capacity, according co CEEW

The government might be unde restimating me total invest ment - $92 billion (Rs 6 lakh crore) - required for 175 GW of solar energy, the analysi s added, s uggesting an alternate higher investment o f $120 b illion to $147 billio n (Rs 7.22 lakh crore to R s 8.8 lakh crore)

Lenders and equity investors find it risk y to invest i n renew able energy because o f uncertainty about whether publiclyowned power distribution companies will ev enmally purchase the power generated, regulatory issues related to land acquisition and government clearances for projects, and questions about me capability of India's electricity grid to manage the extra energy generated, me report added.

"The Indian renewable industry needs to be made attractive enough to invite fonds," said Tulsi Tanti, Chairman and Managing Directo r of Pune- based Suzlon Group, a company that has 9.8 GW o f wind installations in India. "Banks and financial institutions should earmark at l east 20 per cent finance for renewable energy projects (while providing debt for a longer term of 20-25 years)," he added.

Some changes have helped me sector. For instance, the capi tal expenditure per watt of solar energy produced has fallen to R s 60.6 in 2015-16 from Rs 79 7 in 2013-14, and is further projected to fall co Rs 53 in 2016- 17, according to me BNEF report.

Still, lowering the cost of debt and equity for capital expenditure will accelerate growcl1 in solar energy, said Jai Sharda, Managing Partner at consulting firm Equirorials, e:-rplain.i.ng cl1ar solar energy is a capital- intensive industry and if the initial cost of setting up the plant is high, the cost of solar energy is pus hed up.

The oilier aspect of financing is paying for energy produced by renewab le sources. Solar energy, the backbone of India's

renewab le energy targets, is, o n average, still m ore expensive t han coal-based energybetween Rs 4.5 and Rs 5.5 per kilowan hour for solar compared to between Rs 2.5 and Rs 3.5 for c oal.

Further, electricity distribution companies do not always pay for e lectricity on time, with payment delays being common in Tamil Nadu, Rajasrhan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharas htra, according to me 1vferc o m Capital report

Infrastructure for parks such as d evelopment of access roads, land acquisition for parks, and demarcation of land areas w imin solar parks, is incomplete, even after bids for projects are completed, wh ich could affect project costs and p rofitability, according co me Mercom Capital Group report.

Further, power from sources such as wind and solar is intermittent, and forecasting of energy levels is weak ''\-Ve still d o n 't know how much (electricity) capacity will be available and when," said Garg, which makes i t an unattractive venmre for power distribution companies to connect to renewab le sources.

For instance, "\ "iJhat if it rains continuously for three days?" Garg said, adding cl1at India still does not hav e reserve electricity capacity that could be used in such situations

One way out would be to store energy when excess is produced, but storage equipment for solar energy is e,xpensive.

Another challenge is w hether India's electricity grid has cl1e capaci ty to take intermittent power surges that will occur because of renewable energy. The grid should also have the capacity to carry power from regions where power is generated to the regions where power is needed

In 2012, the Indian government said ir would bui ld a Rs 38,000 crore green energy corridor t o augment existing transmission infrastructure both within and across states The rninistry said it is expected to be co mpleted by 2019.

"For a project cliat has already had its share of delays and is being touted as the cure-a U for grid issues, the renewable energy sector is sceptical i f it will get clone in time to make an impact," according to th e lvfe rcom Capital Group report

Solar power projects in India hav e a

" must- run" status, which means they should be running at aJJ times possible, given cliat there is n o fuel cost when compared to thermal power projects which use coal.

But solar plant operators were asked to ''back down" or stop producing electricity several tin1es, which is a disincentive for companies as tbey are nor paid for the lost energy during clrnt period, according to a renewable e nergy min.istry docllJDent in August 2016.

"There i s mus need for c lear regulations co enforce must- run status for solar power project (sic) ," the document added.

Indians stare at those who don ' t fit the norm : Acidattack victim

She has walked the fash ion ramp in ew York, but ain't n o m odel. Res h rna Qureshi, an acid attack survivor, feels India i s becoming " more focused on looks" and says it's a pity mat people in the country sea.re at cl1ose who don't fit the "norm"

"Walking the New York Fashion Week and the Surat fashi on s how for Archana Kocchar is proof of g lobal acceptance of different beauty standards. But I believe that, in India, it i s only a very small number of people who th.ink this \vay," Reshma told JANS in an email interview from Mumbai.

"Most people still turn and scare at anyo ne who isn't the norm be it a person on a wheelchair, someone crippled, amputated, fa t, or a survivor of acid attacks, including me," added the brave young g irl who bas become a campaigner against acid attacks.

Res hma also feels that India is becoming more focused on looks.

" Till today, whitening products are sold openly and proudly. People cherish fairer daughters a nd attempt t o wash out dark skins Girls want to stay as tbin as possi b le and boys are taking more and m o r e dangerous protein shakes," s h e said.

The teenager, who supports the ' 'i\1ake Love Not Scars" initiative, d oesn't want people co feel sorry for her sufferings. Instead, she wants them to channel meir anger towards making the world a better place to live for women.

" There i s more acceptance of acid attack v ictims abroad however, perhaps less awareness It's complex, but abroad,

especiaJJy cl1e West, acid attack survivors are given rehabilita tion, emotional care, carry on to get married and lead normal lives. In countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq a person is defined b y that attack for life," Res hma said.

" People still stare a l ot and fee l sorry for me. They sh o u ldn't feel sorry for m e, they s hould feel angry with me."

Lase year, Resbm a made her voice beard when she stepped our to walk the New York Fashion Week ( YF\Xl) runway. She also made a fashionable statement along with actress Bipasha Basu by wallci ng for des igner Archana Kochhar in Surat.

R eshma's life was n ormal like any teenager till the fateful day when she suffered severe facial burns and lost an eye at the age of 17 in 2014 after being attacked wicl, sulfuric acid by several male assailants in Allahabad, a city in U tt,'lr Pradesh.

She did n't aspire to be an inspirational figure for cl1ousa.nds of women around the globe, but is n ow dedicated cowards her m ission.

She said: "I look back at m y struggle and still think over how futile all o f this is. There was n o need for m e to be attacked b y m y bromer- in-law as revenge to my sister I had noming to do with an ycl1ing I was innocent - my sister was innocent. T h e pain was unbearable, my bones were showing because m y ski n had charred off. I lost one eye \'(!b y? What was all of cl1is for?

" However, i t was the people behind m e who made me overcome depression. If I had killed m yself m y parents, brocl1ers and sister would not have survived a nd I kn ow mat. Till today, m y arrack haunts m y parents more than myself. I know I'm an insp irational figure - but I wish l wasn't. I wish i t had neve r happened to m e and never h appens to an yo n e el se."

She only hopes me Indian governm ent comes up with stringen t laws.

"There is more conversation around acid attacks and people are now being jailed more often. However, they are being released sooner Almough acid sale is banned i n some states, people s till sell it illeg al ly. There have to be random checks and stricter laws," said Reshma, who has also been supported by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan

IANS

10 Guru Ravidas Jayanti

our

It's time the Indian community acknowledged First Peoples ' ownership of the land, and decolonised our perspective on arts practice

BYAPARNA ANANTHUNI

At the time of the first E u ropean settlem ent, dus area was occupied by the Yalnkit- Willam clan. lt is now over 180 years si nce the Europeans have en tered our cotmtry. They came up on our sacr ed river, known as the Birrarung " A un ty Carolyn Briggs speaks s lowl )~ firmly. She is a Boonwurrung elder from Victor ia and a keeper of the llistory and genealogies of her people. Sbe is welcoming us to the country upon which we have all gathered, in the s u burb now known as Footscray. And she is telling us a story The story of the land on w h ich we stand. She is telling us about own e r ship, sacred ground, and most

of all, respect. "Respecting sacred ground. We sh ould all acknowledge th e sacred ground on w luch we stand "

Sh e says the creator of d1e Boonwurrung, Bunjil, caught them co always welcome guests. But the guests must first pronuse two dungs: one, not to harm the land, and two, not to harm d1e duldre.n. T lus is w h ere it gets complicated a nd yet very simple as well. Because there is no d enying that the earliest 'guests' to dus land, w hose arrival evenmally led co dus p lace that we call the Commonwealth of Anstralia, a nation-stare, a 'modern' state, clid not make, and certainly didn't keep, d1ose promises. And that we who have come as later gnests, have ourselves in large part ignored t he original ownership and sanctity d1at beat beneath our feet as we walk and prosper in 'our' new country.

The place was Foorscray Community Arts Centre, and the event was Day 1 of Arcs Front, an extraordinary, three-d ay, physical and virtual gathering of arrists, arts workers, and art producers from all over the

cotmtry. A n initiative of Feral Arts, the aim was to develop a share d vision fo r arts and culture in 2030.

This first clay was in fact designed by Arts Front's First Peoples Steering Comnlittee, who put to us two intertwined guesrioos to discuss:

How do we put First Peoples at the centre of atts practice?

How do 111e decolonise ourselves so as to decolonise this pmctice?

It's wo rth noting at this point that there we re exactly five Inclians (i ncluding myself) in d1e audience. And we combined with a group represenring Peril magazine to form the only meagre cohort of Asian artists, in a sea of Wes t ern practirioners. Before th e First Peoples delegation came in, people of colour were barely visible.

As formerly colo nised people of colour, Indians in Australia share, to a certain degree, in the marginalisation of views, pracrices, languages and histories that is the everyday reality of the First Australians.

And yet we also clistauce ourselves as a community from dus kind of post-colonial understanding of our place in Australia. \Ve stay insular, cultural, even exoric. But most importantly, we don't recognise the privilege inherent in our b eing able to express our cultural identiries at all, and to practice our arts free, in a superficial sense at least, of the colo1ual gaze. Tlus is not the experience of Indigenous Aus tralian s, for whom decolonisation continues to be an agonis ingly, nnfairly slow process. The F irst Peoples Commi ttee forced us co reckon with d1e urgency of this cask of putting them back into the centre of arts policy.

We were asked: How h11ve)'ON been deco/011ising J011r minds? Ho/JI haveJ'Otl been deco/011isingyo11rpractire? H 0111 haveyo11 been decolonising the thoughts 11po11 which you 're dcpC11di11g? Knowing that so much ef colonialism is travellingfonvard into thejitture if 1ve all don't decolonise our 111i11dr togethe1:

1ve needyou t,0 active!J go 011! there and think about what it is to be decolonised.

To not do so, we were told frankly, is to erase lncligenous cul ture, and Indigenous peoples themselves

To take a s imple but powerful example of putting First Peoples at the centre: the first ac tiv ity o f the day was an introduction

activity, where everyone in the room had to begin their introduction wid1 the name of the traclicio n al owners of the land that they lived or worked on. J\fany people alteacly knew, others said they would have to look it up Just doing this exercise, though, alte red the atmosphere, and changed the picture. For here was what Aunty Caro lyn was speaking of, given i ts rightful p lace: sacred ground, ownership, respect.

lt is srill rare for us as an Inclian community to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land upon wluch we meet for our many concerts, festivals, celebrations Furthermore, we view the mainstream arts space, and our position in relation to it, tl1rough a lens that nusses the arts practice of traditio nal owners. It is rime we understand that to not acknowledge th em speaks to a lack of acknowledgement of our own colonisation, and, conseguently, a lack of respect for the llistories of Indigenous Australians. Histories that still permeate d1e.ir lives today.

It is also time to come out from our self-enclosure in d1e "cultural" space, and move forward, with organisations like Feral Arts, to envi sion a new future for d1e arts in Australia A decolonised future A future that respects sacred ground

, , As formerly colonised people of colour, Indians in Australia share, to a certain degree, in the marginalisation of views, practices, languages and histories that is the everyday reality of the First Australians ,,

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A Victorian farm is determined to redefine silk farming for Australia, but for now, it 's wine and liqueur

where they started tl1e mulberry plantation in 2005.

BY DHANYA SAMUEL

Silk Estate, a beautiful twohectare expanse on the South Gippsland Highway, is the dream project of Sarita Kulkarni, who is determined to help Australia rediscover its long lost silk growing industry

In a bid to showcase that growing mulberries can be a commercially viable and sustainable crop industry, apart from its sericulrure use, Sarita began growing mul berry trees on her estate. Today, i t makes for a breathtakingl y beautiful sight in summer, w ith trees laden with thousands of sweet berries. The fruit evenruaUy gets bottled as mulberry w ine or liqueur and as pure mulberry syrup.

A native of Karnataka, Sarita arriv ed in Melb o urne in 1987 following her engineer husband. Armed with a l\fasters in Z o ology (specialisation in sericulmre from Dharwad University, Karnataka) , she also had ample experience teaching and working in the sericulrure iJ1dustry in India.

Sarita was ver y passionate and ambi tious about her sericuJmre work, so she dec ided to further her expertise b y doing a PhD.

Bue, unfortunately, Australia's sill, industry had died Jong ago and no one seemed to know an ything about it. Quite often, she was taunted when people responded that they knew only 'Aussie culture' and not 'sericulnue'.

Not one to accept defeat, Sarita went on to get a second Master's degree in Applied Agriculture/Entomology from l\fonash University, and in 1994, began work with the Agriculture Department working her way up to be a quarantine officer. It is here chat she got the opportunity to work closely with, and understand, tl1e farming practices and in dustr y with.in Australia, also working extensively with the grape vine industry here.

Being knowledgeable about Australia's golden silk era, Sarita was positive that it was only a matter of time before she would find mulberr y trees here. J\J1d that o pportunity came after a chance encounter with Monnie Penner who used to maintain si lkworms to spin silk for her weaving and craft activities. Sarita's excitement knew no bounds wben she came across a n ursery which was selling two-year- old mul berry trees to the public who were interested in growing these in tl1eir backyards for tl1e sweet fruit.

This relentless enthusiasm and passion for her subject made her p lace an order for 20 mulberry trees, a personal attempt co prove that the silk industry can be revived and commercialised in tbis country. This eventually led co the Silk Estate farm, which Sarita and her family purchased i.n 2003 and

Sarita refused to accept the fact that silk does n ot fare well here as depicted in the history of Australian silk, but her repeated anempts to get the universities or tl1e gov ernment interested fell on deaf ears. Projects and studies were taken up and discarded for the silk venture; so she decided that it was time to showcase the versatility of mulberry as a fruit and in a different light to the public.

lo an attempt to prove that it can be a cash crop and mulberry cultivation is an organic and sustainable venture, she began to package and sell the berries to markets across Australia. \'v'hile Sydney cook to these delicious berries in a big way, Melbourne markets were a bit sceptical. And this presented another chaUeoge; mulberries have an extremely short season. Sarita was forced to research bow to preserve these for longer, and th.is led to the mulberry liqueur, wine, syrup and ;am project.

When the Sil k Es tate Mul berry Liqueur won a bronze award at an international wine show iu 2011, Sarita knew she was on the right path. Today, the liqueur and s yrup is produced in small batches ever y year, dependii1g on the crop, in associa tion with a V ictorian company an d is available for sale on request A boutique product handcrafted with loving tender care, the liqueur is sweet and vibrant on the palate reminding you instantly of port wmes.

The \VU1e makes an excellent pairing with poultry, seafood , desserts and can a lso be used in making cocktails. The s yrup is thick and sweet from the namral sugars presen t in mulberries and would be an incredible addition to any baking project.

In spite of a major health set back, Sarita is still passi onate about taking her sericul nire work forward in the hope that the silk industry of Australia can be revived. Silk Estate a lso grows otl1er produce, has a small templ e on site and Sarita also has plans co build a museum co educate, it1crease awareness and showcase her studies with silkworms.

ot one to sit still, she also runs a successful b usiness and is the Quality Assurance Inspector and Entomological/ Quarantine and Sericulrure Consultant at Brij BugTrap Consultancy Pry Ltd. She

also works as Communi ty Development Officer/Trainer/ Life coach with the Victorjan Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition (VIC & RWC). She is also a trainer with Learn Locals in the community in many discip lines, to keep the p roject afloat and viable '1 am extremely thankful to each and ev ery one for the ir effort in rnakit1g this venture possible," she told Indian Unk.

While the mulberry liqueur and other byproducts make excellent business sense, Sarita's real passion remait1s for sericulture.

"Sericulrure i s a vibrant, incredible, prodigious, sustainabl e, environmentally fr iendly and miraculous commodity given to mankind b y accident, which should

give our agriculmre industry a boost not only in the wine industry, bm also in the fruit, health, and well-being of mankind," Sarita observed, her passion for tl1e fruit coming through clearly "The gurus of the sill< world once said to me when I was in their co untry, to give them 100 hectares of land and they will make sure that Australia will be seen as one of the cop prod ucers in the world marker of silk production. le is this dream that keeps me a li ve. One day, I wish co see the silk industry of Australia get up on its feet again witl1 a lot of help from familie s, government bodies, venture capitalists, and many entrepreneurial dreamers who have a vis ion and similar goal."

ear's see

It 's an unusual start to a brand new year, writes FARZANA AHMAD

Wbat did you do on NYE?

:Me, I missed the whole shebang. Yeah, this was a first for me. I just slipped into oblivion, the day went in a blur and ew Year's Eve tiptoed past without me noticing. The fireworks weren't loud enough co tease this snoozing J ane awake. The celebrations di dn't tickle me to deck up and join in And when I did come to, the New Yea" r was noc so new, in fact it was a day old. Now don't you jump to conclusions assuming I was O UT on something! I know how some dirty little minds workl

OK, let me unravel the tangl es and put tl1ose worms back in che can.

Here's what happened: I was off on Christmas break and had comfortably eased into the 'late to bed, seriously late to rise' routine, quite common this time of the year. Armrnd noon (which was dawn for me), I was deeply engrossed in a virtual reality experience where I was strapped to an electric chair waiting to die. The atmosphere of my nightmare was pregnant with suspense. The prison officer stood tensely next to the retro red telephone ready to catch a state pardon the second it was delivered. I was te rrified bur hopeful at tl1e same time, willing and praying for me telephone co ring in me hope of receiving a last- minute pardon. Why I was on the electric chair in a strange country is a harrowing tale I'll save for another day

Right now, m y heart was pounding, my eyes tightl y shut, fists clenched in nervous balls as I concentrated on my prayers, tr ying to establish a connection wim the Almighty. I was repenting fervently for m y sins - and those of m y forefathers' - invoking, begging, demanding another chance ru1d willing fo r the ugly monstrosity of the phone to ring. The clock ticked away mournfully. 12 lvlississi p p i l 1 J\,lississippi mocking, building up the climax to m y final countdown. 10 9 8 God, please let the phone ring 5 4 Now, God, PLEASE 3 Heart pounding in my ears, eyes throbbing w ith white pain, PLEASE, PLEASE GOD 2 Rrrrrrrrrrrring.

M y eyes Aew open ruid the adrenalin made me bolt om of the electric chair and straight into tl1e wooden pillar on the side. Wham! Barn! Spin! Stars! The beam of my four-poster bed W hat??? H ang on, wasn't I strapped to the chair? Rrrring rrrrrrrring, why wasn't the prison officer answering? I turned around and banged my head on the post again, this time with full bl unt force. l fell. on my bed like a sequoia tree struck b y lightning. As I slipped through the fingers of consciousness, I realised one of d1e devices on m >7 side tab le was announcing an incoming call with an irritating retro riogtone 1 had tl1ought so cool just last night.

What happened next is a second, third and fiftl1 hand accotu1t of my husband, sons and sister- in- law respectively.

M y better half Q1e likes to clunk) foll11d me conked our, a little on and a lot off tl1e bed as he stomped in to answer the incessant ringing. Let me mention here mat the award for the most Annoying Caller of the Year goes to m y sister, who refused to be ignored. (She later confessed she

knew I'd probably be asleep but the scoop she had on cousin was a developing story that just couldn't wait. in retrospect, she declared, I sh o uld be tbruiking her for saving 111)7 life, after aU, if the phone hadn't ru ng wouldn't I have died on me electric chair ruiyway?) She does have a point I guess (hear/ scratch), thanks sis, owe you one!

So, coming back, H usband reported he cook one look at the p hone and another at me. He had been heading out to the golf course, must I sleep like a log? He checked the caller ID ru1d almost died witl1 guilt, as he closed his eyes, put the cordless behind his back and quickly pressed reject (you see, he likes m y sister, bur not more than golf) Now he tut nmed as he tried to drag me back up o n the bed to a more civilized sleeping position. More time wasted, tut mt!

TI1e light bulb finally went o n (methinks his is an energy saving one on delayed stare mode) when he rnrned m)' head and saw a thin trickle of crimson oozing from a golf ball sized bump on m y forehead (the reference to golf ball was probably unintentional but an indication of what was really on his mind)

According to Husband, he immediately donned his '1-.facho Mao-in-Contro l' cape. Realising l was too heavy for him to pull on the bed by himself, he called the kids up to help ( though how much a m1·ee and fomyear- old could help beggars belie£).

Enter the kids running This brin gs us to di e third- hand account of even ts tl1at ensued, a slightly different ve rsion to the second- hand account. The boys swear Dad let out a bl ood curdling scream which made tl1em drop their Xbox controllers and come rushing on the double. They found

Husband cl utching the post of our bed, swaying dangerously close to a full on drop on me in a classic damsel in distress fashion read y to swoon at the sight of blood.

What were the li ttle ones co do? They started screaming- shoucing-cryiJ1g at the top of their ltu1gs The commotion attracted m y si ster-in-law's attention as she paused to switch tracks on her iPod in her bedroom downstairs. The split second of silence was shattered b y the boys' screams She bolted straight upstairs (she does dote on her nephews) My babies were rl1e bravest, they're m y little heroes for saving my life for the second time dus after-morn.

S is- in-law quickly assessed the siniation according to her fifth person account. ( EJ'e roll) She was the woman of the hour as she modestl y explains to whoever cares to listen Firstly, she calmed her brother down, (yeah, look after your own first, don ' t mind me, I'm only dead fo r all you know, typical in- laws for you)" She got Husband to call the ru11bulance while she settled the kid s in the otl1er room Then she rushed back to tend to me. The am b ulance arrived in less tl,an five minutes Sis-in- law will tell you how mud1 the paramedics admired her level headedness and praised her appropriate responses.

I was wheeled into the hospital on a stretcher. Tests were performed and I was found to have suffered a concussion which had sent me into a coma. It was decided by the medical experts that there was nothing they could do but wait fo r me to come around. I could wake up in a few hours or days or montl1s.

Luckil y for aU involved, I was up the next morning, but by that time a year had passed

and the world was welcoming the first day of 2017.

Wow, what a start! I could only hope th i s was not a sign of things to come for tl1e next 364 days.

""'*

" You clunk it works?" I ask m y editor.

" Hmm needs polishing, but yes," she snules in approval as she saves the script to her USR

The New Year's issue o f W ell Spun Yarn is on u·ack.

'' The light bulb finally went on when Husband turned my head and saw a thin trickle of crimson oozing from a golf ball sized bump on my forehead (the reference to golf ball was probably unintentional but an indication of what was really on his mind},,

Sunday, 5 th February 2017

I The 20th ASAT Competition Schedule

> Eligible Students

Year 6 students who will sit the Selective High School Placement Test in 2017

> Test Date & Time

Sunday, 5 t h February 2017 (9:30am - 1 :30pm)

> Test Subjects

Reading, Mathematics, Writing and General Ability

> Test Centre Location

Buring Pavilion (Exhibition Hall 3&4) at Sydney Olympic Park (Riverina Avenue, Homebush Bay)

> Registration Fee

$65 per applicant (not refundable)

> Registration Closing Date

Saturday, 21 st January 2017 (5:00pm)

Registration will close on Saturday, 21st January 2017 (5:00 pm) Register at your nearest Pre-Uni New College Branch, or Register & pay now for ASAT at ~Os:3:)Utft'tl~b

Pre-Uni New College will be holding its annual scholarship tests on Sunday, 5 th Fe bruary 2017 Please find the detailed information on testing schedule and scholarship conditions below.

Who can apply?

Years 3, 4 and 5 students in 2017

Test Dates & Time Sunday, 5 th February 2017(3:00pm - 5:30pm)

Test Subjects English, Mathematics and General Ability

Test Venue Exhibition Hall 3, Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park

Registration Fee $25 per applicant (not refundable )

Registration closes on Saturday, 21st January 20 17 (5:00pm)

How to register Register at your nearest Pre- Uni New Col lege Branch, or at www.newcollege com.auLboo king

*Scholarships Successfu l student s will receive up to 75% scholarship discount on regu lar term WEMG course tuition fees.

*Conditions Apply

For more information, please call on 9746 7000 or refer to your nearest branch.

01n uten ee

Looking to eat he althier? Add variety and ta ste to a gluten fre e diet while still enjoying your favourite meals

Whether you are coeliac or just enjoy followin g a gluten free lifestyle, these recipes use fresh, wholesome ingredients and show how you can add vaciety and caste i nto a gluten free diet.

From the petlect savoury or sweet

breakfast dish to a gourmet sand wich for lunch, followed b y the perfect al temati\7e to fried fish and chips, this summer menu has been created by Sophie Henley of H enle y's Wholefoods, using Helga's G luten F ree bread. Some of the recipes are also d airy free.

Indulgent Gluten Free French Toast

Preparation time: 10 minutes (plus 30 minutes soaking)

Cooking time: 17 minutes Serves 2

Ingredients

4 slices Helga's Gluten Fr ee Wholemeal

bread

3 eggs

1/3 cup almond milk

Pinch of salt

50gwalnuts

1/3 cup maple syrup, plus extra to serve

4 rind less rashers bacon (optional)

2 small bananas

1 h eaped tbsp coconut sugar

Method

Place eggs, almond milk and salt in a bowl and whisk until combined. Place bread into lamington pan or similar rectangular dish. Pour batter over

bread. Leave to sit and soak in t he eggy goodness for 30 minutes, gently turni ng after 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oven t o 1800 Line baking tray with baking paper, scatter with walnuts and pour over maple syrup. Stir to coat nut s evenly. Roast 12 minutes or until nuts are toaste d and caramelised , stirring occasionally. Set aside. Turn off oven. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.

Cook bacon 2 -3 minutes each side. Remove from pan and keep warm in oven. Remove bread from the batter, cook both sides until golden brown. Remove from

pan.

Cut bananas in half lengthways and coat inside lengths with coconut sugar. Place in pan, sugar side down and cook until golden and sticky.

Now it' s tim e to assembl e the stack! Layer from the bottom up: bread - bacon - banana - nuts - bread - baconbanana - nuts - then drizzle with the ext ra syrup to serve.

Savoury Spic;y Beef Breakfast James

Preparation time: 15 minutes

M'lkes 2 lafftec

Ingredients

4 sl ices Helga ' s Gluten Free 5 Seeds

bread

1 tbsp olive oi l

1 brown onion, fi nely chopped

500g beef mince ( If you don' t eat beef, you can substitute another meat proten)

1 carrot, grated

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp fine ly grated ginger

1 -2 red chi lies, finely chopped (keep seeds if l ike a littl e extra kick)

400g can diced tomatoes

¼ cup tomat o paste

1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Sa lt , to taste

Ol ive oi l spray

2 egg yolks

Baby spinach le aves

Method

Heat oil in a frying pan over a medium

Cooking time: 45 minutes

heat.

Add onion and cook 10 minutes, until softened, stirring occasionally. Increase heat and add mince, carrot, garlic and cumin. Cook, stirring constantly, to break up mince, until browned.

Add ginger, chilies, tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, thyme and salt. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, unt il very th ick, stirring occasionally. Spray a jaffle iron with olive oil spray, then preheat. Spread 1 heaped tablespoon of spicy beef over one slice of bread, make a well in the centre of the beef mixture, then carefu lly place an egg yo lk in the well. Top with a few baby spinach leaves. Gently cover with another brea d s l ice. Repeat with remain ing bread.

Carefully place the two sandwiches in the jaffl e iron and spray with o l ive oil spray. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes or until br ead is golden and crunchy. Refrigerate leftover spicy b eef mixture.

Henley's Chicken Sandwiches

Preparation time: 35 minutes (plus overnight chilling of coconut milk and 30 minutes cooling of chicken)

Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes

MakP-s 24 r.ocktail sandwiches

Ingredients

Poached chicken

1 whole chicken

1 tbsp whole b lack peppercorns

1 stalk celery, roughly chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 carrot, roughly chopped

2 bay leaves

1 sprig rosemary

Henley' s "sour cream"

165ml can coconut milk

3 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp apple cider vinegar

¼ tsp sea salt

FIiiing

¼ cup finely chopped parsley leaves

3 spring onions, finely chopped

1/3 cup slivered almonds, roasted and roughly chopped

Sea salt and ground black pepper

12 slices Helga ' s Gluten Free Wholemeal bread

Garnish

1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced Torn parsley leaves

Method

Place can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight to chill.

Place chicken, peppercorns, celery, onion , carrot, bay leaves and rosemary in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil , then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Remove chicken and set aside for 30 minutes to cool.

Remove chicken from bones and skin, then shred meat with 2 forks.

Carefully turn the can of chilled coconut milk upside down then use a can opener to remove the bottom of the can. Drain off the liquid and scrape the thick coconut cream into a bowl. You should have about 1/3 cup coconut cream. Add the lemon juice, vinegar and sea salt. Stir until smooth.

Combine 2 cups chicken, Henley' s " sour cream" , parsley, spring onions and slivered almonds into large bowl, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Evenly spread filling over 6 of the bread slices. Top with remaining bread slices and press down gently. Cut each sandwich into 4 squares. Top each square with a slice of cucumber and garnish with parsley.

Wholesome Crusted Flathead

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 22 minutes

c;.iP-,VP-c:. 4-6

Ingredients

5 slices Helga's Gluten Free Sunf l ower & Red Quinoa bread

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oi l

½ cup chopped parsley leaves

1 long chilli, finely chopped (remove and discard seeds)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/3 cup pine nuts

Sea salt and ground b lack pepper

750g f lathead fillets, halved if large

Olive oil spray

Quick lemon mayonnaise

2 egg yolks, at room temperatu re

¼ tsp sea salt

1 tsp Dijon style mustard

1 tbsp lemon juice

100m l vegetable oil

100ml ext ra virgin olive oil

To serve

Lemon wedges

Sweet potato chips

Green salad

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. Tear bread into rough pieces and pl ace on a large baking tray. Drizzle wi t h 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss to coat. Bake 12 minutes or until toasted. Place bread pieces in a food processor along with parsley, chilli, garlic, pine nuts, salt and pepper and the remaining oliv e oil, and process i nto rough crumbs. Line the oven tray with baking paper and place f lat head fi l lets ont o the paper. Evenly pile and compress the breadcrumb mixture on top of fil l ets. Spray with olive oil. Bake 10 m i nutes or until f lesh is just cooked through and crust has browned.

Meanwhile, to make lemon mayonnaise, place egg yolks, salt, mustard and lemon juice in a tall jug. Combine oils and pour on top of egg yolks. Place a stick blender into the bottom of the jug. Blend for 10 seconds, then slowly draw the s t ick blender up, thus pushing rema i ning oi l into the emulsion. Season wit h extra lemon juice, mustard and salt, to taste. Ser ve f ish with lemon mayonnaise, sweet potato chips and a green salad.

BY CHITRA SUDARSHAN

China today is full of travellers fro m different parts of the world. Although our tour covered four cities, it is the c ity of Xi'an that l eft the greatest imprint. Modern Xian is a large city and the capital of S haanxi Province in central China Once known as Chang'an (Eternal Peace), it is full of symbolism: it is where the great Silk Road began; it was the Old Tang d ynasty capital, and capital of the Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang d ynasties and for many cenmries, the centre of the Chinese Empire. It was not without significance di at Indian Prime Minister Modi met the Chinese President here in May, 2 015. President Xi Jin ping travelled to Xian co welcome :tv[odi - the fi rst time he has done so It is very rare fo r Chinese leaders to accompan y fore ign guests m1tside Beijing Xian also happens to be Xi 's homecown.

Modern China is now reviving die concept of die Silk Rome and has also Aoated d1e idea of a Maritime Silk Road (MSR) as an expression of i ts aspiration to develop a string of ports and coastal economic hubs along its maritime t:rnding routes. This encompasses the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, and t he China Pakistan E conomic Corridor (CPEC) a t its core. The success of this visio n would allow China to gate-crash as a powerful rule -ma ker of international trade and commerce, and is central to Beijing's r ise as a mature g lobal poweL Xian is both d1e centre of ancient China and the harbinger of a new, inAuential and powerful China as a world power.

Historic Xian has three great sights to offer: The O ld City Wall and the Palace; the Wild Goose Pagoda and the famous Terracotta Warriors.

Xian City \'(fall and die O ld Palace are quite impressive Once a sophisticated defe nce system protecting China's ancient capital, Xian's 637-yea r old j\,[iog dynasty city wall is now d1e only complete wall forti fication left in China. After the establishment of die Ming d ynasty in t he 14'h century, Zhu Yuanzhan g, d1e fi rst emperor, began to enlarge d1e wall built initially during d1e o ld Tang D ynasty (618907), creating the modern Xian City \X1all.

The Soudi Gate of the City \'(/all is the impressive Zhu Que gateway, where distinguished guests were o nce greeted and welcomed in times o f yo re. Reading the signs and placards in die Old Palace, I imagined how in 6451\.D, when die great Xuanzhang returned to Chang An after an arduous seventeen- year journey to India via the ancient Silk Road, he would have been warmly greeted at di at very spot b y d1e

Tang d ynas ty chancellor Fang Xuanling Today, yo u can rent bicycles and go riding

To die history buff, Xian has several tales co tell, and evecy ancient wall in Xian reminds one o f Xuanzhang, the great medieval traveller and Buddhist scholar wbo came to India during die reign of King Harsha.

For those w1initiated, Xuanzhang started off from Chang'an (ancient Xian), along t he Silk Road in 629, in defiance of the Tang Emperor's ban o n travel. Helped by sympadietic Buddhists, he travelled via Kumul, following the Tian Shan mountains to Turpan. He then crossed what are coday K yrgys tan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, into Gandhara (m odem Kandahar), reaching India in 630 AD. Xuanzhang travelled throughout the Indian subcontinent for the next diitteen years, visiting important Buddhist pilgrimage sites, studying at die ancient university at Nalanda, and debating the rivals o f Buddhism.

After returning to China and having obtained permission from the Empero r Gaozong (628- 683), Xuanzhang, established di e Daci'en monaster y and, as d1e first

abbot of the Daci'en Temple, supervised die building of a pagoda inside.

One of die pagoda's man y functions was to hold the Sutras and relics of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by Xuanzhang With tbe support of royalty, he asked 50 'hierarchs' in the temple to translate Sanskrit sutras into Chi nese, cocallin g 1,335 volumes!

Even today, t his World Heri tage Listed temple contains practising Buddhists in the m onastery

,, Every ancient wall in Xian reminds one of Xuanzhang, the great medieval traveller and Buddhist scholar who came to India during the reign of King Harsha ,, along t he wall, and die v iew of the city from di e top of die wall is quite impressive Although Xian i s apparendy only a 'second tier' city, widi a population of about 14 million, it has a large airport, wide roads, parks, shops and boasts several Indian restaurants as well. Since the d iscover)' of d1e Terracotta Warriors, i t has become a popular courist destination.

Tbe now- famous Terracotta Warriors of Xian is a sight nor to be missed by any visi t or co China They are the d1ousands of life-size, hand-moulded figures whi ch were buried wid1 China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. The Terracotta Warriors and H orses are the most significant archaeological excavations of die 20th century \'>Yo r k is ongoin g at this site, which i s around 1 5 kilometres east of E mperor Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum in Lintong, a few ki lometres from Xian Upon ascending die throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC) , Qin Shi Huang, l at er the first Emperor of aJJ China, had begun to work on bis own mausoleum. Ir took bin1 1 1 yea rs to finish the project.

Each soldier looks different, a nd for tourists, there is die mandatory vis it to d1e s ite where t hey demonstrate how t he figures ,vere made and many shopping oppornmities!

Modern Xian has excellent i nfrastr ucture, with a very modern airport, train station, wide boulevards, scate.ly buildings, good public transport, and several Indian restaurants as \veil!

MATRIMONIALS

SEEKING BRIDES

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SEEKING GROOMS

Seeking a groom for a well-qualified G ujarati, Vaishnav girl, MSc, age 31, currently working, based i n India, visi cing her brother (Can berra) in Feb 2017 Inte res ted candidate wi th sim ilar b ac kground can contact bhaumik_btt mia_2000@yahoo.com for further inquiry

Seeking professional and we ll settled march for M e.lbourne- based, Hindu Goldsmith (Verma) girl. Australian citizen, working in a customer ser vice rol e, 1982 born, 5'2", medium build, divorced (iss ueless). WharsApp: Sneh Verm a (call o r message): +91 9 876 798 901, E mail: tinavermapallvi@gmail.co m

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PREDICTIONS FOR JAN 2017

BY NANCY JADE ALTHEA

ARIES March 21-April 19

Things have been a little unsettled for you of late. The cards are indicating a time when you will be trying to sort out matters from the past. There will be some f inancial issues to organise and there will be new opportunities to bring in funds. There will be some unsettling discussions around family relationships. Try to keep calm and positive. You will be thinking of moving to another area, and will be making plans for the coming months.

TAURUS April 20 - May 20

This month you will be looking at new opportunities and making plans to climb higher up the corporate ladder. The cards are indicating a time when you will be concentrating on finances your career and progression. Romantically, you will be wanting movement within a relationship or someone you like. You will plan a holiday and there will be some good news regarding tests you have had recently. There will be a great feeling of energy and determination around you this month.

GEMINI May 21 - June 20

You have started the year feeling slightly tired and under the weather. It would be a good idea to look at your diet and start eating more fresh food. There is a feeling of optimism when you and your partner start sorting out your relationship which has been a little stressful of late. The cards indicate you will be doing well financially and at work. You may decide to buy a new car and help a friend in trouble.

CANCER June 21- July 20

There may be some re-organisation at work and you may be asked to take on more responsibil ity this month. This will come with benefits and might well lead to a promotion. The cards are indicating you will be feeling a little restless in your relationships. You need to start relaxing more and communicating better with your partner. There will be some interesting revelations with regard to a matter that has been bothering you for a while to do with the family.

LEO July 21 - Aug 22

-

yr.1 You need to keep an eye on your health this month as there may be some ups and downs. The cards are indicating you may be thinking about moving to a new career. Take some time out and decide what you would like to do. There will be some interesting developments in the love area of your life and you will be feeling quite content. Take time out to go for walks and get some exercise included into your routine.

VIRGO Aug 23 - Sep 22

A very passionate and fiery month will be enjoyed between you and your partner. There will be some discussions with regard to where and when your next vacation will be. There is some important paperwork that you need to sort out. Make sure that your car is checked at the mechanic. The cards are indicating you will have a ., hectic and productive time. There will be a lot going on, but progress in business and finances is expected this month.

LIBRA Sept 23 - Oct 22

As usual, you wi ll have started this year with a l ot of thinking and planning. You wi l l be making sure you have arranged your nex t holiday, finances and affairs. The cards are indicating you wi l l be able to take hold of opportunities with success and ease. There will be some int erest ing developments with an ol d friend you have reconnected with. Your partner may not be feeling very well, so it is a good time to go on that much needed break together.

SCORPIO Oct 23 - Nov 21

This month you wi l l feel passionate, renewed and full of energy. You will be feeling extremely loving and h ighly sensual. The ca rds are indicating you will want your love l ife t o be sorted out and contentment to prevail. There will be successful negotiations at work and you will be abl e to obtain what you desire most. It will be a month of kindness and excessiveness at times. You will have to exercise restraint and make sure you do not spend unnecessari ly.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 - Dec 21

You will be making some important resolutions with regard to your relationship this month. You may also have to make some difficult decisions with regard to financia l aspects of the relationsh i p. You have been working very hard lately and you will be at the point of feeling that you efforts are going unnot iced. The cards are indicating a time when you will speak up and get what you desire and deserve. A good time to meditate on your issues.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 19

This month you will be deciding what you would like to do wi t h regard to your career. You have a mindful of ideas and plans. There will be some dizzy spells of excitement and your head w ill be spinning. In your love lif e, you may be heading towards a more settled committed phase of your union. The cards are indicating you need to think about your health more. Plan to wa l k and take some outdoor holidays to rev ive your motivation.

AQUARIUS Jan 20 - Feb 18

This month will start with bold plans and decisions. Your current job is very busy and hectic. There will be new superiors hired and there may be some upset around the workplace. Ideas and plans may be a little muddled but there is an indication that things will settle down. Finances will be healthy. The cards are indicating a time when you will want to get back in touch with people from the past and start the year with positive energy.

PISCES Feb 19 - March 20

You may be feeling a littl e up and down with your moods this month. There wi ll be definite p l ans wi t h regard to career and rel ationships, and you are determined to make everything work just how you want it to. There may be conflicts with colleagues as you ' re not in the mood for soft words. You need to get your point across and you know how to do it. You need t o look after your spending and not exceed your limits.

DANGAL

STARRING: Aamir Khan , Sakshi Tanwar, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra

DIRECTOR: Nitesh Tiwari

There are outstanding films. Then there is Dangat. A film so rich in the f lavours of home-grown emotions you feel you are floating in a field of aromatic sensation for close to three hours without feeling manipulated. You come away from this experience so moved and so much wiser that you wonder why cinema can't be so rewarding more often.

But then again, if every other fi Im was a Dangal how would we know the difference?

There I go, raving about a f ilm which, let me state right away, will be remembered by posterity as one of t he landmarks of Indian cinema in the same breath as, say Mother India, Sholay or Lagaan. Yes Dangal has that kind of an impact. Not because it has anything new to say. On the surface it is another

rags-to-riches sports film where a girl, Geeta Phogat, from a small dusty town of Haryana brings the gold medal in wrestling to India.

No. It is not the theme. It's in the heartbreaking directness and artlessness, the absolute absence of artifice, in the narrative that we discover that mysterious oft-abused entity known as the Real India. These are places and people with real dreams and ambitions. These are characters whom we live with, sometimes within ourselves. It takes a Mahavir Singh Phogat and his mulish obstinacy to pull India ' s perverse patriarchy dragging kicking and screaming out of its heavily cordoned lair and to say, enough is enough.

It takes an Aamir Khan to bulk up to the extent of looking like a tired but undefeated has-been to play the I wrestler whose determination saw his daughters break through the masculine bastion of wrestling to prove women can do anything men can. Aamir lives the role of Phogat, sternly manoeuvring

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his daughters' destiny to a glory denied to a lot of women in this country. ls this his best performance? Can 't say whatever he has done earlier pales into insignificance.

Significantly, Dangal doesn' t play the feminist card at all. There are no speeches tirades and pushy homilies on feminism. The men in fact are not shown to be excessively sexist for the sake of aggrandising the dramatic impact of girls' ultimate victory. While Aamir plays the epitome of gender equality, Aparshakti Khurrana who plays Geeta and Babita Phogat's goofy kind -hearted cousin is a feminist even without knowing what the word means.

No one in the cast and crew - not even the eternal attention-seeker Aamir Khan and not Sethu Sriram' s cinematography - seeks attention here. Not even when fighting so ferociously in the wrestling akhaada. These people do what they have to. They fight inner and outer adversaries because - well, they are there and they must be fought.

Danga/ neatly and nimbly avoids all classifications and isms and emerges as one of the strongest cinematic statements on women ' s empowerment in recent t imes. The performances go a long way in imbuing a sense of unrehearsed classicism to the simple tale of a simple father who lives out his sporting dreams through his daughters.

As simple as that.

And such doughty daughters! The two sets of actresses who play the younger and older vers ions of Geeta and Babita Phogat are so liberating in their spontaneity that t hey at some point, cease to draw attention to their skills at character assumption and simply invite us to follow the girls' journey to victory.

While the younger Phogat daughter Babita , played ably by Suhani Bhatnagar and Sanya Mal hotra, does have her say

in the expansive script, this is clearly the other elder daughter Geeta 's story, her blow-hot-blow-cold relationship with her father and her ultimate triumph in the wrestling ring. Aamir and Zarina Wasim/Fatima Sana Shaikh (the two girls who play Geeta ) play against each other with vivacious credibility. While we watch Geeta wrestle her way to t he gold medal - and she fights her opponents in the wrestling ring like a true pro - we also watch Geeta and her father wrestle in ways that are not manifested physically.

Geeta's change as she becomes famous is mapped with no judgmental regret. This is not a film that wastes time trying to slot judge or condemn h uma n failings. It breathes with t he characters and lets them exhale at their own wi ll. That is the real beauty of Dangal. It is what it is not because it tries to be great. but because the story it has to tell is effortlessly ensconced in excellence.

Director Nitish Tiwari simply plucks the fruits of a tree whose roots go deep into our culture penetrating societal biases towards the girl child , with a cluck of the tongue that is barely audible.

The climactic wrestling bout shot with adrenaline-pumping immediacy could have avoided reducing Geeta' s coach to a scheming villain. Neither the film nor Aamir's timeless portrayal of Mahavir Phogat needed to be propped up and peppered with scriptural spice.

Dangal has no patience with judgement values. It is so precious and so va luable because it lets us look at home-truths with wisdom rather tha n cunning. This film will be remembered by posterity as one of the landmarks of Indian cinema, not because it tries to be one.

Thank you Geeta Phogat, Nitesh Tiwari, Aamir Khan. India is proud of you.

Phogat's sake, Dangal must be watched.

Subhash K. Jha

OM PURI: AN ACTOR FOR ALL SEASONS

His craggy, pockmarked but distinctive face may have kept him from becoming a leading man in films , but Om Puri used the remarkable range of expressions he could convey, from impotent rage to blazing menace to comic exasperation, al ong with his trademark baritone, to play some immortal roles on the big and small screen in India and abroad.

The true tribute to any actor is in remembering some of their performances and for Om Puri , who succumbed to a sudden heart attack this month, there is no shortage of roles , big or small, heroic, comic or villainous, in masala or art films t o recall his skill.

Will we remember him for his depiction of the victimised tribal of Aakrosh (1980), conveying his anguished helplessness by facial expressions till the very last shocking scene when he finally opens his mouth in a loud prot est, the hapless policeman in Ardh Satya (1982), the enthusiastic poetry-lover in In Custody/ Muhafiz (1993) or sinister terrorist Sanatan in Maachis (1996)

Or will we prefer to remember him in another light, as suspicious secretary Banwari Lal in Chachi 420 ( 1998), the jovial and kind but dutiful Inspector Khan in Pyar To Hona Hi Tha (1997) or determined Inspector Udham Singh in Gupt (1997) Then there is also his portrayal of British- Pakistani George Khan, who is loving but can be authoritarian and abusive towards his mixed family in East Is East ( 1999)

And let us not forget two cameos where he well marked his presence - Nahari, the unrepentant rioter in Richard Attenborough 's Gandhi ( 1982), and as Gen Zia ul- Haq in Charlie Wilson 's War (2007 ), which shows how the Americans began their slide into the Afghan quagmire.

Vika s Datta

DEV PATEL: SEXIEST MAN ALIVE?

Popular American talk show host Ellen DeGeneres th i nks Indian-origin British actor Dev Patel should be named the sexiest man alive.

Dev appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show recently to promote his film Lion, and DeGeneres encouraged him to start a campaign for " Sexiest Man Alive"

" Because you look so good , and people are saying you look buff and everything, I had this made for you," DeGeneres told Dev before presenting the 26-year-old actor with a fake magazine cover of him as People s annua l hot man honouree.

" You can hand this out, it'll help your career"

Patel responded, " I'll give it to my mom , she' ll put it at the entrance to her house. "

" This is very awkward," he went on, leading DeGeneres t o quip, " You don' t understand Hollywood. "

Awww , simple, lovable Dev!

Meanwhile, El len is making many new Indian friends. Recall how well she got on with Priyanka Chopra not so long ago? She had PeeCee downing vodka shots one after the other (in an obvious send up of apni Priyanka 's vodka confessions at a red carpet just prior) And if news is to be believed, Ellen has signed Deepika Padukone to appear on her show, in the lead up to the release of xXx: Return of Xander Cage Vodka for Priyanka, People magazine cover for Dev wonder what Ellen has in store for Dippy? Need any help there, Ellen? How about good looking boys names Ranbir, Ranveer, Ranvir maybe ? Just a suggestion!

Dev, PeeCee, Dippy, we can ' t wait to see you in your new films.

And on more TV talk shows!

IT'S A TOILET BREAK FOR BHUM I PEDNEKAR

Her first film Oum Laga Ke Haisha contained the message that over-sized women are not at a disadvantage as long as there is love.

Bhumi Pednekar 's second film too has a societal message. It's about... toilets? No, it's a love story. Heck, no, it's a love story set in a toilet No, no, no, it's a story where toilets fall in love.

Excuse our confusion. But the filmmakers are not telling us much about the film other than the fact that it's called Toilet: Ek Prem Katha. Now you understand our foggy minds

The 27-year-old act or said the film isn't preachy.

" It is a beautiful love story that t aps into aspects of our society as well," she noted.

While it is quite apparent from the

title that the film is about personal hygi ene, the producers are keeping the storyline close to their chests to retain interest in t he movie t hat is set to release in June. Akshay Kumar stars al ongside Bhumi.

Bhumi is more than happy about Bollywood making message-based fi l ms and says cinema is the easiest way to communicate with the peopl e.

" I feel that today 's people, aud iences and filmmakers , we all have become very aware of the problems and the situations that we have around us," she remarked. " Earlier, we were in a position to ignore them but I think we have now reached a point where we cannot ignore certain things and I think that 's f antastic. Cinema is the largest and the easiest way to communicate with the masses and if you can put it to good use, then why not."

She went on, " What attracts me is real stories about rea l Indian girls. "

You go, girl!

Bhumi , who before entering the world of films was a casting director considers herself to be lucky for bagging rea l istic roles.

" I think I have been really lucky that I have been getting roles where I can p lay t he girl- next-door or a girl... My roles are not simi lar at all," she said.

Oum Laga Ke Ha isha came in 2015 and Bhumi 's next film is all set to release in June 2017.

Will the time gap help her buil d a new image?

" The time I took off was planned because I had to come back to being Bhumi (my natural self) and it took me this much time. I had ga i ned an insane amount of weight for the fi lm and I had to drop it off," she explained.

NO PLASTICS FOR JUH i CHAWLA

Bhumi is not the only B-Town personality who cares about social messages. Juhi Chawla has her own pet project too. The actor, entrepreneur and social activist is seeking to create awareness about the detrimenta l effects of plastic.

" Using plastic has an alarming effect,'' she said at a Rotary Club event recently. " The Supreme Court says unless we examine a ban on plast ic,

UP-TO-DATE NEWS ON WHAT'S HOT AND HAPPENING IN BOLLYWOOD

the next generation will be threatened with more serious threats than the atom bomb. Plastic can't d ecompose. We see plastics in streets, beaches, rivers and everywhere. Every piece that is made with plastic stays for the next one thousand years. Every piece of plastic has toxic substances."

Very deep. And there was more.

" My brother- in-law mentioned to me that there are islands of plastics in the ocean. He also told me their size, and that' s when it shocked me the most. In the North Pacific Ocean, islands of f loating plastic are almost the size of Africa, " she added.

" We are damaging the environment to such a big degree and many of us don 't even know about it. Plastic is poisoning the water. Every day we are creating cancers for ourselves by consuming food in plastic. We must think about what kind of development is this? "

She also advised people to carry cloth or jute bag for shopping, to not use plastic cutlery at parties, or plastic bottles, which are damaging for tropical countries.

Ahem , what about the other kind of plastic that is deliberately put into our bodies ?

AUSSIE HOLIDAY FOR BIPS

Bipasha Basu was in Australia recently and on extended honeymoon with her bridegroom Karan Singh Grover. Sydney

and the Gold Coast featured on their itinerary, with the loved up duo bringing in the New Year in Sydney, an arms' length away from the world-famous fireworks on the harbour. The bubbly actor tweeted pies of herself and her miyan at the Opera House forecourt, at Pitt St Mall, in Myer in the city, on a boat in Sydney Harbour, fish and chips at Watson ' s Bay, in Leura in the Blue Mountains, beach-bumming, at various restaurants all accompanied by the hashtag aussiemonkeys.

On ya, Bipasha!

WORTH WA ITING FOR? YOU DECIDE!

Ohhhhh, here' s another unfortunately named film: Haramkhor, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Shweta Tripathi.

Shweta (of Masaan fame) has been gushing all over the place about her talented colleague.

" At first , I was worried sharing screen with an actor like Nawazuddin Siddiqui because he is a remarkable actor and an outstanding person," she said recently. "( But) he didn' t make me feel like a newcomer. Nawazuddin brings himself down to match the l evel. I felt as though I was working with an actor who has same experience like me. That's why I respect him so much. I

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

KATIE STE VEN S o r MALAIKA A RORA

K HAN in ZEYNA P ERDOGAN?

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don' t know anybody who does that. He gives space to another co-star."

Er, okay.

Shot in a small village in Gujarat, the film explores the romance between a 14-year-old school student and her teacher.

The main characters of the film are the teacher, the student, a boy who has a crush on the girl and his friend who helps him and the teacher's wife.

Meanwhi le, Salman Khan is headed to Morocco with former squeeze Katrina Kaif, for director Ali Abbas Zaffar's Tiger Zinda Hai, a sequel to 2012 blockbuster Ek Tha Tiger.

Zaffar is current ly busy scouting locations in Morocco.

Produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films, the fi l m is gearing up for a Christmas release this year.

WHAT TWEETY BIRD TOLD US THIS WEEK

Match the stars to the following tweets Deepika Padukone, Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Karan Johar Salman Khan Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar

Sometimes too many options aren' t a good thing #GoldenGlobes #Girl Problems suggestions?

The Sunday well wishers always an occasion to consider that l ife is worth what it gave me

Jaan se #Zaalima tak Hope you all like it!

Joining hands on a project where@ akshaykumar is the hero and will be co produced by @karanjohar and #SKF

Here it is #GoPagal with our first song, my favourite song from #JollyLLB2!!

Cried my heart out in #LION and absolutely loved #DevPatel sad and cathartic but so magical in many moments

Thrilled to announce that #XxX:TheReturnofXanderCage will release in India first! before anywhere else in the world! #14thJanuary #Vin Diesel

What's th e chitc hat betw een LION STARS DEV PATEL a nd SONNY PAWAR

Send in yo ur response s t o win@indianlink.com.au a nd w in a s u r prise pri ze

Wh at's th e chi t chat betw een

AKSHAY KUMAR and SAJID NADIADWALA during their grand entry to the set of Ya a ron Ki Baraat

Everyb ody get re ady for Hous eful/ 4!

SIMONE SINGH, Werribee, VIC wins a ticket to OK JANU

ern famil

Thein ane ition

What 's App-e ning on your online family group? Can you identify your electronic parivaar here

The Famil~ Gang

Bonding Fi .· y 1es

Good Times Strong Ties

Happy Ho ~l!USQ

People world

BY SANAM SHARMA

Abig part of the Indian social fabric are the rishtedaars (relatives). 1n India, one grows up on an overdose of 'relatives', sometimes those yo u're not even really related to, and they come in all shapes and sizes There are the nice ones with whom you seem to spend your cwom onth-long summer vacations each year. There are the not-so- nice ones, who you try, usuallr unsuccessfuli)', to avoid. There are the ones \vho are o n ly concerned abom che exam grades scored by the other kids in the family (aapkc bache ke kitne m11J1ber ac!)'C types). And the competitive ones w ho are always there to outdo you in everything - but with

a charm in g smile, of course.

Family gatherings, birthdays and ,veddings have traclitionally been the bondin g grounds for the tribe It is during these o ccasions that all the relatives in the khandaan (clan) come together over a hearty mix of celebrations, feasti n g, and gossip (i n n o particular o rd er)

However, with the adven t of social media, the Indian 1ishtedcJaris have moved o nlin e Facebook and WhatsApp ar e the two most conm1on platforms whe re modern lnclian families play o u t d1eir e.xtended social scene. Social meclia has bro ught families closer, especially the Indian ones Relatives who used to catch up and converse maybe ann ually now ping each od1er 'round the clock

W ith this online migration of India's extended families, the Indian 1ishtedaari. etig uette seem s co have seamlessly trans itioned into the World Wid e Web. Internal family politics, gossip, jealousies, disputes and grudges all seem co have

Kenyan of South Asian background?

_ esearc stu y seeks pa .. "icipa ts

A re you from Ke nya, East Africa? Did you arrive on a skilled worker visa or other category? Would you be willing to share your experiences in Austra lia? I f you have answered yes to the three questions, then you are inv ited to participate in a research study that explores your career experiences as a skilled migrant and how you pursued your career goals in Australia.

Participation is voluntary and invo lves face to face or telephone interviews The interview process will be totally confidential a nd you wi ll not be identified in any way in the final document. If you do decide to volunteer and s hare your experiences, please contact the principal researcher Khalida Malik, PhD candidate from Western Sydney University, on the email 9161730l @stude nt.westernsydney.edu.au for further informatio n.

This swdy has been approved by the Western Sydney Un.iversi(v The approval 1111111ber is HI /832

adopted an online avatar. For those 'good' relatives, social media is a great forum co keep a tab on the welfare of the extended family For d10se borderline to mischievous risbtedaars, Facebook and WhatsApp are potent cools to dish out concealed sarcasm and sometimes, not so concealed outrage.

There has never been a better ti me to be a sp )' in the Inclian extend ed family Just 'friend' d1e e nti re clan online and d1en peacefully s it back, with a drink in hand, and scroll mrough your Facebook tirnelin e at leisure. In n o time, yo u will have enough verifiable data to come up with educat ed conclusion s about the break- ups, link-ups, factio n s and frictions within yo ur kba11daa,1 Gossip and glory of the entire famil )7 at your fingertips, read y co unleash at d1e slightest trigger. It is die Wikileaks eguivalem of the on.line desi.

WhatsApp and Facebook also cater for those who fancy keeping a grudge going. Drop in a subtle hint of displeasure and \mfriend' a 1isbtedaaro n Facebook, or leave a

family group on \X/hatsApp. Tius will get the entire fan1ily talking Group speculation will give war to one-o n -one messages, debating the cause of your d iscontent while soliciting ways co bring you back into the family fold. Some may even be courageous (or stupid) enough to m essage yo u directly - either to di screetly share d1eir displeasure with the family as well, or co cry and plead a case for you to re-join the electr01uc pe11ivacJr

Then there ar e d1e o nline passiveaggressive re latives They resort co creative status u pdates which are adeguately vague enough to g ive away identities, yet keep tbe rest of the clan guessi n g about who's d1e target of meir rams. T he ones in the family who are most boggled by such u pdates ar e b o u nd to reacl1 out and probe for further clarification (i f only to rule themselves out)

Last but not d1e least, if you claim to be a writer, you mar end up getting yourself thrown out o f d1e onlin e family network for w ritin g such a piece You know, kbcmdacm k.a naam hadnaal/l karue ke ljye!

Know Thyself as S I

You are a soul of a permanent unchangeable nature, and if you would five as a soul, you would never be affected or changed by outer changes

-Sant Baljit Singh

Nurture your spiritual life through meditation on the inner Light Uyoti) and Sound (Naad) and realise your true self All events are free for fJ "the ,nfo met on 1800'62193 www knowthyself orc