2017-03 Brisbane

LOTUS FOREIGN EXCHANGE

SendMoneyOverseasmostreliablyandsecurelywithin1Ominutesthroughmoneygram

SendMoneytoanybankaccountatthebestrateandflatfeeof$15 (NoLimitsapplicableonamounts)

Exchangeyourcurrencywithus,wegivethebestratesanddonotchargeanycommission

SendmoneytoourownbranchesinallmajortownsandcitiesinFijiandNewZealand Askusaboutourcommercialbusiness,wedoimportpaymentsandallinternational businessrelatedremittanceatbestrateandaflatfeeof $15.00only

ADVE:RTISING

Kohli'spubtest

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

aggressionand ambition,heisalso criticisedforthe verysame.Thecritics wouldlikehimcohide cl1isbehinda morebalancedandperhapsdemure approach.Demure?Foraboyfrom Delhi,thiswouldbeachallengeatany an1e.

Indian Link is a monthly newspaper published in English. No material, includi�g advertisements designed by Indian Link, may be reprodu�ed in· partor in whole without the written consent of the editor.Opinions carried in IndianLink are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by India,{ Link.. AII correspondence should be addressed to-

Aswegoto print,sporting newsheadlinesinAustralia andIndiaarebeingdominated bytheactionsof -andthe reactions to-IndiancricketcaptainVirat Kohliduringthehard-foughtsecond Tesrmarchbetweentherwocountries inBangalore.Neveronewhowas backwardincomingforward,Kohli's naked aggression onand off thegr0tmd hasbeenatoncelaudedandcriticised.

So,howwillhisbehaviourpassthe pubtest?Well,toanextent,itwill dependonwherethepubislocated. Thereislittledoubtthatpuntersatpubs in IndiawillprobablyshoutKohlia beer(ortwo);inAustraliahemayget an oppornmiry toquenchhis thirstinafew pubs,atothershemay finditdifficultto geta drink.

Kohlidoeshaveatendencytodivide people:heisadmired forhis unbridled

That Kohliisnotonetobackdown, waspretty clearwhenonthesecondday of theSydneyTestmatchin2012,Virat stuckhismiddlefingeromcoagroup of abusivespectatorsashefieldedat mid-off.Dubbed 'Fingergate' atthat time,cl1eactionwasapplauded by Indian legendAmitabhBachchanwhile duly criticisedbyallAustralianmedia. Kohli laterdefendedhimself onTwitter,"] agreecricketers don't havetoretaliate, whatwhenthec.rowdsaystheworst thingsaboutyourmotherandsister, theworst I'veheard (sic)".Whileother cricketersmayhavechosentoignore the crowd chants,Kohli threw itbackat chem.

Observershavelinked Kohlito modemIndia-young,brashand aggressive-someonewhowillnortake anythinglyingdown.Therewasahope mathewillmatureasacaptainbutit seemsthatmaystillbeawhileaway.

AstheAustraliantourtoIndiahasbuilt up,theAustralianteamdidwhatthey havedonewellinthepasr- meystarted playingthe man. Pick someonein the oppositeteamand starttheverbaland mediawaragainst theperson."l\faybe theyfelt cl1eycouldgetunderusif cl1ey reallycameoutand gotpersonalwith someof us,"Soutl1AfricangreatABDe Villierssaid priortorbe2014series.

Vi.rat Kohli was cl1etargetbeforemis series,withcl1eAustraliansmakingit dearthatif they COLLl<lgetunderhis skin,this could putpressureonIndia. Theydid,buttheresultshavenot beenwhat theyexpected.Itdid bring me aggressive -and yes,theabusive -Kohli to cl1eforeandthelastfewdaysof cl1e secondtestmatch saw himathisvery best(orworst).Pei:hapsthereason tbe Australiansdon'tlike Kohli,isheisway toomuchLiketheirownteam.

1n2017,cricketisnotagentlemen's gameanymore. Itisahard-fought contestinwhichbothteamsare expectedrocompete.Andtherivalry betweenIndiaand Australiadoesmake forsome fascinatingviewing. There'sacoldoneinmyfridgefor Viratanytime.

YOURSAY

UNI BREAK

A look at what someyoungmembers ofthe communitygot upto over their summer holidays

RanjanaDutt wrote: Vandana Rekhy, Jasmine Dara Ohri, congratulations for infusing your girls with warmth, empathy and good values-their work shows true family values. Well done Brinda and Simran -keep it up!

Vlnaya Ral wrote: Azaara Perakath, I see you!

YuvaAustralla wrote: Here is whatsome young Australians have been doingover the summer, including our YUVA Australians Anirban, Arpita and Anindya. Cheers to the volunteering spirits of the youth such as these! #youngindianaustralians #yuvaaustralians#youthinAus

ASK AUNTYJI:WEIRDCELEBRITY BABYNAMES

Auntyji gave her thoughts on Kareena and Saifcalling their baby boy Taimur KrlshNa wrote: My wonderful friend Taimur from Russia, originally of the Caucasus, approves your advice, Auntyji!

ChandraKlshore wrote: Who cares what they call their child!

STRENGTH INDIVERSITY

When it came to speaking up against axenophobic US President, Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull let us down badly, wrote PAWANLUTHRA

Krishna wrote: Turnbull is looking out for himself, wary of the Hansonites who have found a friendly voice in the world's most powerful office. Not just the extreme voices. I was surprised to see how many Indians made apologist noises supporting the travel ban ranging from the tame 'it's their right' to the outrageous 'India should do this too. See how Assam and Bengal are filled with refugees'. There is an urgent need to forcefullyspank everyone who equates refugees with terrorists, or we are all going to hell for inaction!

SAYIT AGAIN

INDIA HAS BEEN A POST-TRUTHSOCIETY FORYEARS (ANDMAYBETHEWEST HASTOO)

RANJIT GOSWAMI ofRK UNIVERSITYwrote about how India's post-truth landscape may be aharbinger ofwhat's to come for the US and the UK Krishna wrote: would say, India is really pre-truth, because there never wasa free f ow ofinformation. Truth wasnever givena chanceand is probably farther away fromseeing the light of the day. Even while an information revolution was taking place, a vast majority of India preferred to circulate 'cucumber juice cures cancer'and 'Taj Mahal was really a Hindutemple' tropes.

FEB21IS THEUNITEDNATIONS'(UN) INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGEDAY

lndlan Link tweeted: Happy International Mother Language Day! This worldwide promotes language as a powerful instrument of preserving heritage & culture

#IMLD

MlchelleRowland

@MRowlandMP Retweeted Indian Link: So many languages are spoken in homes right across Australia. This diversity is one of our nation's greatest strengths.

UNESCOStatistics

@UNESCOstat tweeted: Promote learning success by providing education in a child's mother language of instruction #IMLD

"When you are killing it in Hollywood but kaju katli is life" Comedy groupAIB

on Priyanka Chopra's Oscarsgown

:Kappy fotcn11nio11a( :MotherLar111ua11c©av

"I wrote the ending of the Academy Awards 2017. Jimmy Kimmel -we really got them!"

M. NightShyamalan on theOscarsBest Picture controversy

GENERAL PRACTICE ASWELLASSOCIALWORK

RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA spoke with Australia Day honouree Dr Purushottam

Sawrikar OAM

AvlnashKanetkar wrote: Well done!

SangeetaSharma wrote: Congratulations Dr Sawrikar

AnitaPlayoust wrote: Congratulations!

Kasturl Kalmath wrote: Congratulations Dr Sawrikar! Well deserved KalyanRam wrote: Dear Dr Sawrikar, my personal congratulations to you on the honour youhave received.I am equally impressed with the work you havebeen involved with in the social sector for the community in general and our migrants in particular. I am keen to speak with you about your interest in the area of aged care.

JLF CONVERSATIONS

JLFcame to Melbourne and brought its unique and frank discussions on context, culture and history, reported APARNA ANANTHUNI

Krlshwrote:Interesting read!I wonder if HarryPotter is considered "women's writing" by anyone. Or The Hunger Games for that matter. There's no doubt that each gender can contribute a different perspective to the same story, but in a transgendered, transnational world, do perspectives still need to be from what's experienced and not just felt?

-�--�-� ; ..

RIP VIMLA LUTHRA

Indian Link was overwhelmed with expressions ofsupport following the passing ofMRS VIMLA LUTHRA JI. The tribute by her grandchildren was a/so very well received. Here is a selection of your memories and thoughts. Anjall Passey wrote: Very saddened. I will always miss you. All prayers for the family and may your soul rest in peace and hope you keep showering your blessings from the heaven above.A really a great tribute to Massi ji by her grandchildren! Loved reading each one of their feelings for her. A role model, a legend and a divine person. She will remain in our hearts always. PoonamLuthra wrote: Beautiful tribute. Her blessings are always with all of you.

Raghu Karnath wrote: Vimlaji, you have been an inspiration for all the anchors and the listeners of Indian Link Radio. RIP. Your presence will be missed.

PrlyankaTater wrote: The f rst time I had Vimlaji on-air on one of my shows, I had no clue that she was the "boss' mom". She rang in just like any other passionate listener and shared her thoughts with so much humility. And how can I forget her poetry the fact that she wrote some of those verses made me a fan of her literary skills. Your voice still remains fresh in my mind. You will be missed Vimlaji.

Shlvdev Kier wrote: Most respected Vimlaji -words cannot even begin to express our feelings. Someone so special cannot be forgotten. May Almighty put you in a very special place where you will be watching us, the people who loved and cherished your blessings. You will forever remain in our hearts. RIP.

Subhadra Maudgal wrote: Oh, cannot believe that Vimla ji is no more. She was a loving and very dignified person. May her soul rest in peace and give strength to the family to bear this loss.

Jaswlnder Dhlllon wrote: Vimla Ji was an inspiration to so many people. I listened to her poem about Jawani only last week, it's hard to believe she has left us. RIP.

ShallyRelan wrote: May your soul Rest in Peace. You will be missed in Indian Link family and heartfelt condolences to the entire family.

JasreenSingh wrote: Vimla ji you will be missed aap ki kavitayen hamesha bahut madhurthi our respect and alvida to you

NavdeepKumarKalla wrote: We will miss you Vimla ji. aapki batein kavitaye aapk/ awaaj

Ruchlka Mangla wrote: RIP Vimla ji You will be terribly missed in the Indian Link family.

SandhyaSharma wrote: Vimla ji, you will be always in our hearts.

SubhashlnlChanna wrote: The programme dedicated to Mrs Luthra on Indian Link Radio was very well presented. It was very emotional to hear her narrate her own poems. A great tribute to a great personality. Kudos to you all.

zza

POLLRESULTS

We asked: Should Australia follow India's demonetisation moves and scrap the $100 note?

No (49%)

Yes (42%)

Unsure (9%)

"Is it over, guys?You've sorted things out? Shaken hands and moved on? So much hate, so much vitriol, so little talk about the cricket. We could be, if the first two matches are any guid.e, in the middle of aspecialTestseries

right now, yet we are allowing it to getsullied by nonsense.

Dean Bilton on ABC Grandstand

+JOIN

THE CONVERSATION

> LOGonto your ownFacebook orTwitter account

>TYPE "Indian Link" intothesearchboxat the top ofthe screenand click on the link thatcomesup

>CLICK 'Like' tojoin theIndianLinkFacebookcommunity or 'Follow' @lndian Link onTwitter

"Indians are at the bleeding end of technology. Trump's move will lead to Indian information technology companies focusing on the domestic problems"

Billionaire MukeshAmbani

lIn this Australian exclusive, we chat with the star of the Oscars 2017 ceremony Sunny Pawar, and the man who helped find him, Indian film professional Pravesh Sahni

BYRAJNIANAND LUTHRA

If youdon't thinkSunny Pawariscme, thenyoudon'tdeserveanyhappiness. ThoseareTwitter'swords,notours. Socialmedia(theworld?)wentcrazy atthisyear'sOscars,andnotjustfor thatserioussmff-upat theend.Thefrenzy wasalsoforanod1erreason-apint-sized starfromIndiawidithecutesttuxedoever, gorgeoushair,heart-meltingsmile,andall theconlidenceintbeworld.

Eight-year-oldSunny Pawar,whoplays ayoungSarooBrierleyintheOscarnominatedfilmLion,becameoneof the mostmemorableOscarmomentsfrom 2017.

Hestoletheredcarpetfromunder thestilettosof someof theworld'smost beautifulandexpensivelydressedwomen, participatedinanunforgettablecameowith thehostJimmy Kimmel,wowedeverybody withhismrnonthesilverscreenina critically-acclaimedmovie (whyisthereno OscarcategoryforBestChildActor?),and remrnedhometoaLion'swelcome.

Oh,andhealsodidawholelotforhis already likeableco-starDev Patel.The BritishIndianactor'sdallianceswithlittle Sunnyallthroughtheawardsseason-fixing hishowtie,tyinghisshoes-lacesorsimply hoistinghimup-endedupincreasingd1eX factorforhim,manytin1esover.

"Getyourself aDev Patel!"Twitterurged. Ok,gtanced,itwasDev'sgentlecareof hisglamorousmumthatmightalsohave addedtothis,butitwasSunnytoalarge extent.OneTwitteruserspokeformany youngpeoplewhentheysaid,'Tmgoing comarry Dev Patel,haveabigfatfadian wedding(you'reallinvited)andd1en we're goingcoadoptSunny Pawar."

WespeakwithlittleSunnyandhis dadDiliponmephone,theday aftertheyarrivebackin India from LA.Itis5pmtheirtin1e.Theyhave spentthedaydoingmeroundsof television interviewsand pressconferences,butSunny answersallourquestionslikeheisanswering themforthe fusetime.

"Bah11tacchoIago.Bc1h11tachcha tha,"hesays repeatedly.Iloveditall.Itwasnice.

Werealiseheis,afterall,butalittlechild, andfeelabit sorry tobesubjectinghim to chis questioning.Buthisanswers,although shortanddirect,beliehisage;herevealsno sign of e.xbaustion,andwemarvelathis capacitycoprocessitall.

Youlookedfantastic,wesay.Thankyou, hesays,withahintofAmericaninhis accent.

Greatsuit. whodidyourhair?

'�VIoi11khurlkj}'ol"Did icmyself! Acd1eshow,didherecognisethebig stars?

"Pehchoono,par11ao11111ahi11JJJ0!11!fl.'-Sore of recognised them,butdidn't know their

names.

Washenervousat all?AtilieLionKing scene,maybe?

"Nabin,rlarnahi11 kiga,bahuten)'!)'k.jyo!"

No, I lovedit!

Dilipchimesin,"NwiniskosaJJJjhayaIha, rlamek.£1k.£JqJ'k.o?Baarlmejahchocolate harsaa}'a, isnedopok.da.Dono khago)'a."''1eirplainedto himthere'llbenothingcobescaredabout. When thechocolatesshowereddown,he caughttwopackets-arethembothup!"

Accompanyingthetinydynamiteat theOscars,wasPraveshSahni,whose Delhi-basedfilmcompanyIndiaTakeOne Productions handledtheIndiaaffairsfor themakersof Lion,Sydney-basedSee-Saw Films.Sahnigotcowalkwithhislittleward onmeredcarpet,scoredaseatwid1d1e mainguests,andfoundhisownfifteen minucesof fameasheappearedonscreen manytimes.

Uonismefourth filmSahnihasbeen involvedwithdiathasgone cotheOscars, theothersbeing SJ11111dogMillionaire,LifeofPi andZero DarkThir(:y.Butthisonewillbethe mostmemorable.

"Oscars2017hasbeenone of tl1ebest experiencesof mylife,"hetellsTndiaf!Link, onmephonefromLA."NotmanyIndians havebeentotheOscarsasyouknow,andit wasaspecialprivilegecobein memidstof itall"

Hewasseatedinrownumber3inthe middle,rightbehindDenzelWashington, withSunnyandtherestof theLionteam.

"I mought Iwouldbeup onthe balcony somewhere,"he admitslaughingly. "Itwasfarmore

glamourous than I thought.IhaveseenitonTVbefore,but hereIwas,just eightfeet away fromtl1e stage!"

Healsoadmitstobeingquite overwhelmedbyitall,despitehavingworked intheindustryfor30yearsandcreatinga nicl1eforhimself byassistingforeignfilms thathavebeensetinIndia.

'1justkeptlookingarounddazed!"he reveals.''IwasinaworldIalwaysdreamed of beingin.Ididn'tevenmink of taking myo,vnphotos,d1ereweresomanypeople takingpicturesof us.Thereisa five-minute breakevery 15minutesduringtheOscars ceremony.Everybodyaroundus,allthebig actors,wantedaphotowithSunny.Theyall kneltdown,intheirtuxedosandbeautiful gowns,togetclosetohim!"

Ontheredcarpet,Praveshgottoactas ttaoslator.

"Sunnywasaskedwhohewouldmostlike toshakehandswim andhesaid,"Hrithik Roshan".That'swhohelikes,H.rithik Roshan-hedoesn'tknowd1eHollywood celebritiesyet."

(WelearnedfromPraveshlaterthat H.t:imikhasbeenintouchtoseekameeting withlittleSmmy).

TheLio11teamwentcotheafter-party hostedby ilieWeinsteinCompany.

"Wegottherejustafterilieawards ceremony,about10pm,"Praveshrecouncs. "Therewasaredcarpet,andyou're supposedtoshowyourphotolD,because tl1esecurityishandledbyd1epolice.Guess what,inalltheexcitement,we forgotco bringourID.Igocconcernedbecausethe Pawarsdidn'tevenhavetheirpassports onthem.Butarepresentativefromtlie companysaid,'EverybodyrecognisesSmmy. Hisfaceishisphoto ID!' Oneof diepolice officerspickedSunnyupinhisarmsand carriedhiminl"

Thelionfamilywasdisappointed,Pravesh reveals,cobavebeennominatedforsix awardsandnothavingwooevenone.

''Itwasjustbadluck,notourday.The spiritwas,atleastwewerenominated, sowe'dalreadywon 99°/4,of thebattle." Unfortunatelydie Indianteamhadcorush homeasSunnywasdriftingoff,havingbeen ontheredcarpetsince1pm,and behadco beatthenextevent,AftertheO.rca1:ratSam thenextmorning.

(Oneof thehostsonmeshow;Jerry O'ConnellsatSLlllnyonhisshouldersand declared"lwanttowalkaroundHollywood Boulevardelikechiswid1mynewfoendl'')

''Thetheatrewasfullastheydiscussedthe previous nighc.Then,intheafternoon,we pmSunnyandDilipontheirflightbackto India."

PraveshalsorevealsthatSunnyhasbeen goingbackandforthbetween India andthe USforthepast d1reemontlisnow. Strangely,hewasinitiallyrefusedavisa. "Hisdadhadabankbalanceof only Rs.120.

for Sunny, for India Take One, for us all, that the worldwas watching,,

unny Pawar met President Barack Obama atthe White Housein the last week of Obama's Presidency to raise awareness for the #LionHeart campaign.

He was in Washington, DCto help raiseawareness forthe initiative that provides financial supportand resourcesto children inIndia.

The Weinstei,n Company,See-Saw Films, andThe Charity Network launched the campaign in November 2016. Since then, the initiative has raised over $100,000 in its mission to assist the over11 million homeless youth ofIndia.

,, I loved shooting in Australia, the place was so beautiful.

"There were so many places to roam and play ''

Thenthefilm'sdistributorsTI1eWeinstein Companygorinvolved,and gotchePawarsa 10-yearvisa."

PraveshbelievesSunnyhaswharittakes comakeitbig.

"Ihaveworked"\Vichalot ofactors,and 1cantellyou,heisastar,"hesayswith conviction."Buthisfatherandheneedto haveaproperplan.Andnotbetoogreedy. Youknow,coavoidwhattheycallthe 'Oscarscurse' -whereyouincreaseyour pricesomuchchatyoutakeyoutselfoutof themarket.Sunny'sagoodkid.He'snow beenputinschool-See-SawFilmshave beenkindenough tolookafterhim.He's goingtolearnEnglish.Willhebeableto workinEnglishmovies?Yes,it'spossible; butit'sgoingtotaketime."

Pravesbhasalso seenDevPatelthrough hiscareer.

"Ibaveworked with Dev Patel onfive filmsthroughIndiaTakeOne.W/eha,1e seenhimgrowfromS/1✓111dogtoBestExotic M.arigoldHoteland chenLionandwe just finishedHotelM.t1111baiwithhim.Heisa greatactorandawonderfulperson.Hedid hisfirst filmwithusat17.Imagine,you seeanactorgo from chat,andnowyou're sittingnexttohimattheOscarsandhe's nominatedforBestSupportingActor!"

What,forPraveshSahni,isthesrandouc memoryfromhis timeatcheOscars?

"WhenJimmyKimmelcameuptoreenactthescenewithSunnyfromTheLion King ItwasspecialforLiou,forSunny,for IndiaTakeOne,forusall,d1attheworld waswatchingus.PerhapsSunnywouldhave stayedoutoffocusfortheentireOscarsif chisincidenthadn'thappened.Butwithche entireauditoriumlookingatyou,asthehost talkstoyouone-on-one,d1at'smemorable. WhenyouwinanOscaryougetone-minute foryourthankyouspeech.Sunnyhadmuch mored1anchatonthe Oscar screen.The nextday,thedriverwhopickedusup,knew notonlySunny,butevenrecognisedme!"

Praveshsaysit hasbeenanhonour cobeinvolvedwithLJon.

"Thiswasa storythatcouched usall fromDayOne.Creditgoes todirectorGarthDavis.\Xieneverhadd1e Oscarsinmind-chiswasacreativeproject." Theentire processfrom scouting,orthe recce,to rheconclusionofshooting cook

aboutayear.

"Our jobiscomakethedirector's dreamspossible.Th.iswasadifficultshoot. Workingwid1a foreign director ontbe streetsinIndia,everythingistough!"

Toshootat the HowrahBridge,for example,wasanightmare.

"Itisanamazingsceneinthefilm, buttheideaofhavingSunnyaloneon the bridge,bathedinlight,wasalmost impossible.Itwasthroughthe cooperation ofthe\'v'estBengalgovernment,alongwith theDirector ofPhocogrnphyGreigFraser, thatthisbeautifulscenefinallycametobe inthefilm."

ThisisthethirdAustralian filmPravesh hasbeeninvolvedwith,theothers beingSt1veYourLegs!and Hotel1vfut11ht1i (coincidentallyalso starringDev Patel).

"Ifeelsolucky,afterSl11111dogandfinding thosekids,cohavefoundSunny.It is wonderfulto findIndiantalentanddeliver ittotheworld."

Surmywasonly fiveyearsoldwhenthe projectbegan.GarthDaviscouldn'tspeak any Hindi,andSrnrnycouldn'tspeakany English.

"Theydevelopedakindofsign language. Thumbsup meant the scene wasgood, thumbsdownmeanttheyhadtoshootit again.\'v'ehadtranslatorsonset,aswell asSunny'sdadDilip,butitwasaboutthat personalconnectionwiththedirector. Hehad,afterall,pickedhim from1200 children!"

Butonthesets,Sunnywasaccorded regulartream,ent.

"No pamperingofany sort,no special treatmentinanymanner.Afterall,hewas playingave1-yemotionalroleandwas requiredtokeepthatdemeanour,"asource fromthefilmrevealed.

Sunny'sshootingschedulesspanned overchreemonthsinKolkataandMadhya PradeshinIndia,and Melbourneand TasmaniainAustralia.

Cricketcameinhandytohelpother cast membersrelatetothediminutivestar.Some ofrhesecandid scenesevenmadeitcofilm.

'"\V/eworkedinBhopaland Kolkata, butIlovedshootinginAustralia,"Sunny saidinoneofhismanyinterviews."The pbcewassobeautiful.Thereweresomany placestoroamandpla)�we wentthereafter shooting."

What wasNicole Kidmanlike, Sunny hasbeenasked.

'2\llaa)<Jis thi,"beissaid cohave replied.Shewaslike mum.

Theeight-year-old,starringasKidman's youngsoninthe film,saidheenjoyeda real-lifebondwiththe Oscar-winningactor.

"She'sveryaffectionateandverywarm," Sunnysays."Nicolesaid thatI'ma namral andIshouldalwaysbeanatural."

Heplayedcricketwichheron cheset.But inhisstraight-fo1wardway,beaddswith child-likehonesty, "I'm muchbetterchan her."

Healsotriedtoteachthe49-year-old star 'thodathoda'Hindi.

ItisclearSunnyalsoadoreshisoldercostarDevPatel.

"Cricketkhelt<1tha,hadmaasbika1tt1ih<1." Hewouldplay cricketandwouldgoof aroundontheset.It\Vassomuchftm.

Wastherealanguageproblem?

"No,therewasno languageproblem. Dev spoketomeinEnglish,andIspoke backin Hindi."

Simple!

Together,DevandSunnyintroduced Lio11atthe 74chGoldenGlobeAwards. Dressedinblacktuxedoes,the duo was welcomedonsragewichahugeapplause.

Dev gm7ea synopsisofthefilm on srnge, and d1enliftedSunnysohe could say to che microphone,"Thisisourfilm,Uo11."The audienceeruptedwithlove.

Thesamethinghappened withthe 89'" AcademyAwards.

"Myovariescan'thand.le this!"screamed one popular website asit posted multiple cute-factor-overload photosofSunny attheOscars Andbreakfastshowhosts onTVmightwellhavesaid"#ovaries", millennialspeakforan explosionof cluckiness,astheyendedtheirinterviews coveringSunnyincuddlesandcaresses.

SunnyisaClass3srndentatthe Air IndiaModelSchoolandliveswith hisparentsDi.lipPawar,aformer governn1entoffice sweeper,and home-makermod1erVasu,inashm1in Kalinain chewesternsuburbsofMumbai. Hehasayoungerbrocherand sister.

"LAdk.eneitt1a<Jcbcht1ka11111k!)a,haht1r desh111e,h!1t11ht1h11t khushhai11,"Diliptells

IndianLink.Our sonhasdonegoodwork, appreciatedina foreignland;thatmakesus happy.

"Zindagimeinsahkaapn"naseehhai,P<Jr mehnat kehinak11chnt1binhota.''We cometo thiswoi:ld wichourdestiny written our,but really, nothinghappenswid1outhardwork. Herevealshewill considermoreoffers forSunny,wherevertheycomefrom.Love Sonia,Stmny'ssecondfilm,feamringFrieda Pintoisreadyforreleaselaterthisyear. Sunnytellsus, "English11t1hi11jat111tahaipar jt1bsab,m!fhest1bhole, G,·eat 11101k, mt1i11bola tht111kyou."Idon'tspeakEnglishbutknew when everybodyinLAwascongramlacing me.

Did Sunny enjoy histimeinLA?

"Bt1!111tachchalaga.Excitingth,1." Lovedit; it wasexciting. \Xlhatdidhelike?

"Disnqla11dachcha!t1ga, TVi11ten1ie111sachcha lt1ga. II7JJ7Et1cbchr1lt,ga."Disneyland,theTV interviews,meeting theW\VEheroes.

F-lisfavourite scenesfromthe movie?

"Tmin 111t1fd'.Sceneson d1etrain. Healsorecalled therunning,when "DirectorSir"toldhimtorun.

\1(/J10arehisfavouriteactors?

"Hritbi.kRosh.an,AjayDevgn, Rajoikanth".

HaveSLmny'sfriendslikedhiswork?

"Abbitl(Jhin mi/a to. Kaischoo!jt1ao11ga.Patti nt1hinm1honepicturedekhaya11t1bi11."Ihaven't metthemyet.I'llgotoschool tomorrow.I don'tknow ifchey'veseenthe film.

Doeshethinklifewith themwillchange forhim now?

"Pehlejt1iSt1 tha,kheln<Ikood11a,Jl'ai.rt1he mhcga."It'llbejustlikebefore.\1(/e'IIplay justlikenormal.

Wecan'thandlehowcuteheisl

Withinputsfrom!ANS

Lefttoright:SamuelLJackson getsaselfiewithSunny;AttheGolden GlobeswithDevPatel;With Nicole KidmanattheDirectorsGuildAwards; PraveshSahniofIndiaTakeOne

,, Not many Indians have been tothe Oscars, it was a special privilege to be in the midst of it all ,,

n's

r aw

India's national carrier flies its all-female crew in to Melbourne

BYPREETIJABBAL

Theconversationin the cockpit sure wasdifferent thistime, asthe all-femalecrew from AirIndia flew into Melbourne airport,aspartof aninitiative byAirIndia cocommemorate International Women'sDay.

LedbyCaptainLaxmi Nagrath,the DreamlinetleftDelhiat1.15pmon 8 MarchandlandedinMelbourne justbefore 7amon 9l'viarch,coveringaround 10,215 kilometers,with237 passengersand nine infantsonboard.

Asthe wearytravellersmadetheir wayouttoArrivals,there wasa stirof excitement,and the fourAirIndiacockpit crewmembersemergedintheircrisp uniforms,allofthemwomen.Theychatted easilyabomtheirexperiencesandwerevery proud cobepartofthisinitiative tomark InternationalWomen'sDay.

Thiswasn'tthe firsttime anall-female crewflewinto Melbourne,accordingto CaptainSangeeta Nirmal whoclaimedthat AirIndiahadconsciouslyencouragedand promotedseveralsuchflightsinthe past. Interestingly,bothherdaughtersarealso pilotsandshe stronglybelievesthataviation

isagreatcareerforwomen.

Captain Nagrathsaid shehadcome acrossnogenderdisparityin termsofpay oropportunitiesduringher30-yearflying career.''Infact Iwaslookedafterbetter thanthe menandmybatchmatestook extracareinlookingoutforme whenIwas training," she sharedwitha smile.

Thiswasnottheir firstvisittoMelbourne and judgingby theirconversation,plans seemed tobeinplace tocheckout Melbourne'ssightswithMelbourneZoo andSt Kildabeach on copof theirto do list.The popularThousandSeepswalking trailandbikeridesco thebeachwere also highonthe agenda

Thecabincrewdisplayedno signof weariness,despite thelonghaul,asthey happily posedforphotos,smartand smiling intheiruniform. Their mood seemed to matchthecolourofIndian spring(mustard) chat wasdominantin theirsaris.

Thepassengerswereequally upbeatand delightedtofindomchattheywerepartof a specialevent.

"Itwasperfect!The plane couldn't differentiatebetweenamaleandfemale pilot!" Sunila Forsythlaughing!)'coldTndian Link. "Jokesaside,Ifeltverygoodknowing chatAirIndiadeployedanallwomen flight. It'sveryempoweringandencouraging, especiallyfor Indianwomen aroundthe

world.Allthefemale passengersweregiven rosesbeforeboarding-I wasgiven rwo!" AirIndiaisseekinga Gu.ii.messWorld recordforitsall-female fughtsaroundthe world.Otherairlineshavealsorecently laLmched similarflightsintheirguestcojoin the bandwagon,howeverAirIndiaclaimsit isthe firstone to scripthistoryby flyingan all-woman crew flightaround theworld.

Al's all-women crew operates 'around the world' flight acional passenger carrierA.i.rIndiarecently operatedan'aroundthe world' flightwith anall-femalecrew,onitsNewDelhi-San Francisco-New Delhi route.

Flight AI173rookofffromIndira GandhiInternationalAirportin Delhi on 27FebruarytoSan Francisco,covereda distanceof around 15,300kmin15anda halfhoursoverthePacificroute,andon thereturn journey fromSan Franciscoover theAtlantic.

"Theentireflightwasoperatedbythe womenstaffofeightdeparm1ents,"an airlinerelease said."These departments indudedcockpitcrew,cabincrew,checkinstaff,doctor,customercare staff, ATC (airtraffic control)and the entireground hand.lingfromoperatortotechnician, engineerand flightdispatcherandtrimmer."

Thelineoperationsafetyauditwasdone by HarpreetADeSingh,ED(executive director)Flight Safety,AirIndia.Thisis thefirst timethatthisaudit,vasdonebya femaleofficerforan around-the-worldtrip.

r1s ane

Harshitha Srinivas on what she has learned as International StudentAmbassador

BYRAJNI ANAND LUTHRA

WhenHarshitha(Ash) Srinivasfinishedher addressatLordMayor GrahamQuirk's'Cityof \Xlelcome'event,John Aitken,theCEOofBrisbaneMarketing, whisperedsomethinginherear.

"BT\'v;weareuponeinthecricket."

Ashwhisperedback,"Australiahasn't wonagainstIndiainIndiaforalongtime, soI'lltakemychances!"

It'-Vasatthatmomentsherealised howfarshehadcome,frombeingashy internationalstudenttoaconfidentand articulateleader.

AshwasspeakingattheLordMayor's orientationeventforthousandsof internationalstudentswhostarteduniversity inBrisbanethisyear,inherroleas2016 BrisbaneInternationalSn1dentAmbassador. Shewasoneof40studentspicked lastyearfortheposition.TheBrisbane InternationalSmdenrAmbassadorProgram

adoptsstudentsfromallovertheworldto telltl1eirreal-lifeBrisbanestoriestotheir homecountrynetworksviasocialmedia. Irwaslaunchedeightyearsagotoattract internationalstudentstoQueensland.

''Inmyrolethroughtheyear,I'vespoken onsocialmediaasanIndianstudentin Brisbane,"Ashtellslndim1Link."Tve helpedouratfriendshipceremoniesand bavereachedout to newstudents,helping solved1eirproblemsTbishasinvolved networkingwithprovidersatvarious levelsliketertiaryeducationproviders andaccommodationproviders.I'vealso attendedeventsasarepresentativeofmy country-weareafterallthelargestrevenue makersasstudents."

ABachelorofBusiness(Human ResourceManagement)sn1dentatthe QUT,Asbrevealsthatnoronlyhasd1erole allowedhertofitwellinhernewenvirons, herleadershipskillshavetakenaboostas well.

"TheopportunitiesI'vehadhavebeen trulyamazing.AstintwimMulticultural Queenslandasanintern,landedmea multiculturalconsultingrolewimAFL!"

Asasportytypeherself,Ashwas immediatelydrawntotl,isAussiesport, andisthrilledcoseethisconverttoawork opportunity.

TheBengalurugirlrevealsshefeltomof-sortswbenshefirstarrivedinBrisbane. "Iwastl1rustourofmycomfortzone,and 1hadtoconstantlyremindmyselfofwhyI washere,"sherecalls."ButIsoonrealisedl loveBrisbaneanditspeople,whoareopen, friendlyandsowelcoming.Oneinfour peopleherearebornoverseasorhavea parentthatwasbornoverseas."

ShehadvisitedBrisbanebeforewitbher mum,alongwithoiliercitiesinmecotmtry.

"lloveMelbourneforitsfoodandthe arts,andSydneyislikeNewYorkforme ButIloveBrisbanealsoforitsnature, nightlife,artsandadventure.Iespecially lovethedrivetoMountCoodiaandhaveso oftenbeenoverwhelmedbytheviewofthe city,especiallywicbthelightsatnight."

ShewasinherhometownBengaluru recentlyandvisitedherschool,wheremany ofthestudentsarelooking to findoverseas destinationsforfurtherstudies.

"There'saconcernmatdiepolitical climateinsomecountriesmaynotbeso favourable.Ibegantellingthemabout AustraliaingeneralandBrisbanein particular,andthey'veaskedmetoremrn andtalktodiemformallyabouteducation opportunitiesinAustralia.I'mgoingto tellmemmatAustraliaseesusnotonlyas revenueraisersbutappreciatesusandare

Tosn1dentswhoarekeenonAustralia, Ashsays,''LetgoofyourfearsAndwhen youdogethere,grabeveryopportunitythat comesby.You'llregretmemingsyousaid noto!Justapply,andseewhereitallrakes you."

Doesshemisshome?

"Alot!'sheconcedes."Homesickness neverreallygoesaway,buritgeeseasierro dealwithit.1participateintheactivitiesof d1eIndiansocietyatmyuni,andoutside inmecommunitywhenIcan.AtDiwali lastyearIhadasmallcelebrationwimmy Aussieboyfriendandbisfamily.Theywere sowelcomingandappreciative.Ijoined d1emfortl1eirChristmascelebration."

,, As a sporty type, Ashwas immediately drawn to AFL, and is thrilled to see this convert to a work opportunity ,, willingandready to belpus."

BY PREETI JABBAL

By notpushing your mindbuc allowingit toexperiencethe silentdepthsof itsownnature, youcanmeditateeffortlessly, accordingtoSwami Sadyojathah fromtheArtof LivingFoundation(AOL).

AOL'sInternacionalAffairsDirector wasinAustraliarecentlyfor the IW�y ToHappiness ationalTour. Healso participatedininitialtalkstodiscuss the possibility of holdingthenextAOLWorld Culmral FestivalinAustralia.

SwarniSadyojathahistl1e namegivento hin1byhisguruSriSri RaviShankar,the reveredfounderof AOL.

"Myname maysmmddifficult,butithas asimplemeaning Itmeans'bornnow'," saidSwamijiwhenasked aboutthe origins of hisunusualname.

Bornintoaroyal familyinKeralaas Raghu RajRajahe qualifiedwitl1aB.Tech inMechanicalEngineeringand hada leaning wwards communismbeforehislifechangingmeetingwithSriSri RaviShankar in 1993.HebecameSriSri'sprimedisciple andisamajorspokesman for AOL.

Ascoordinatorof InternacionalAccivities forAOL,hetravelsextensivelyandteaches meditationandmindfulness,globally.Heis also the F0tmdingDirecrorof the Sri Sri Collegeof AyurvedicScienceandResearch. SpeakingtoIndianLinkonthelastleg of his Australiantour,inMelbourne,he said,"Thewholemovementof SriSri's Fom1dationisbasedontheArt of Living nor theArrof Leaving.Thereisabig differencebetweenlivingandexisting. Unformnatel)',alot of peopleintheworld simplyexist andweneedtohavethisshift fromexistingtoactuallyliving butwedo

notneedtoleave anythinginordertoattain thathigherconsciousness."

He wenton,"Theworddispassion (vairagya)hasbeenrepeatedlyusedby spiritualleadersandthereisageneral feelingtl1atoneneedstQrenounce everythingin order toattainspirituality.Bm tl1erealmeaningisdifferen "According totl1elearnedyogi,"BeingiJ1andenjoying themomentwithoutfeverishnessis thereal meaningof dispassion."

Throughthephilosophyof Art of Living,SwamiJiarticulatedhowartisall abomappreciation.Porexample,musicor dance becomesart only whenit isenjoyed; similarly,onceyoulearn toappreciate yourownlifeitbecomesanart.Dailyand ongoingstress canbeanimpediment, butthereare techniques tl1atcan help removetheseobstacles,oneof thembeing S11dm-shanKri)•ct.

As amajorproponentof Sttdat-shanKrip he describedir,simply,asatechniquetl1ar incorporatesrhythmsof thebreath that harmonise tl1e body,mindandemotions. Itisbeneficialineliminatingaccumulated stressand flushingout toxinswhilstleaving iliemindenergisedandrelaxed.

Swamijiwasquicktodispelthemyththat meditationisaboutconcentration.Ontl1e contrary,heclaimed,meditationisabout de-concentration.ltisbest conductedwhen oneisrelaxedandnotfocusedonreigning intl1eirthoughts.

''Assoonaswe try tQachievea thoughtless state,our mindisbombarded withthoughtsandwe start fighcingthose ilioughtsaswhatever weresist willpersist."

Swamijimaintainedthatconcentration isnotrequiredto meditate,instead concentrationisaresultof meditation andsomeonewhomeditatesregularlywill subsequentlygainfocusandconcentracion.

"ivfeditationisnomorealuxury.Ithas becomeanecessity inlifebutircru1be done effortlessly,"saidtl1eguruwhoimparts advancedtrainingontheSabajSamadh or effortless meditation.

Accordingtohim,arested mindis moredynamicand techniqueslikeS11darsha11Kr!Ja andSaha;Samadhi an1ong otl1ers,helpinattainingadeep sLeepchatcreatesafeelingof calmnessandalertnessthat cantransformlives.

Wbenaskedhow youthcan beengagedbetterinadigirally dependentworld,Swamiji reiteratedrheneed foryouth toalsomeditate.

"Depression,suicides, hormonalchanges,peer andsocietalpressure;tl1ere aremanychallengestl1at youngstersfacenowadays," hesaid."One cannotavoid technologyaltogetl1er, howeveracalm,centeredand balancedmindcanbeachieved bypracticinganyof the variousbreathingtechniques consistently."

With regardtO the currentstateof theworld,Swai:nijistressedtheneedfor toleranceandeducation.

SwamiSadyojath

"Duringtheshortrimewearehereon tliiseartl1,hatred,animosityandkillingin tl1enan1eof religionisreallynorworth it.Wecanandshouldallliveinpeaceful coexistence,"hesaid."Thevoiceof nonviolenceshouldbeheardloudandclear. Therearernoreman7billionpeoplein theworldwholivepeacefullyandonlya fewthousandwhobelieveinviolenceand terrorism.However,tl1eirvoicescomeacross louderthanthatof thevastmajority.This needscochange.Thankstosocialmedia thereisachangehappeningandpeopleare nowabletovoicetheirprotestinanonviolent forum.Thereisalotmoretoachieve andeducacionwillhelpinensuringchatthe messageof toleranceiswidespread."

Swamijiwasinstrumentalincoordinating a massiveWorldCulnu:al Festival inNew Delhi lastyearwherepeople from 156

colmtries,including 3000dignitaries, 2500spirimalandreligiousleaders, andincernacionalandIndianartists camewgeilierwcelebrateAOL's35th anniversary.

AccordingtoSwamiji,the \XforldCulmral Festivalwasa celebrationof diversity of culn1resfrom acrosstl1e,vorldwhilst simultaneously highlighting Vas11dhaiva K11tt1111haka1J1-tbe unity of thehuman family.

Swanlijisaidthereisincreasinginterest inmakingtheWorldCultural Festivalan annual event rather thanonceevery five years.Hesaidhehadheldinitial discussions tQ.seeif thenexreventcouldbeheldin Australia.

HisguruSriSrjRaviShankaronce expressedhiswish 'tosee asmileon everyone's face',saidSw·amiji.

"Tliis might sound Utopian,however, onehasrodreambig,makeasrartand movetowardsthatdreamforanythu1gto happen."

How meditation and rhythmic breathingcan help eliminate stress

,, Sudarshan Kriyais a technique that incorporates rhythms of the breath that harmonise thebody, mind and emotions ,,

Melbourne's

Peter Dietze

BY PREETI JABBAL

BombayTalkies,nottobe confusedwiththeIndian anthologyfilmofthesame name,isacomprehensive collectionofIndianfilm ephemerafromd1e1920sand1930s.The rareexhibitioniscurrentlydisplayed,for tl1efirsttime,attheAustralianCentrefor theMovingImageinMelbourne(ACMI) until2July.

Boththefilmandartcollection commonlycelebratemeemotionof Indiancinemaintwosignificantways:one tl1-roughinnovating,andanotherthrough curating.\Xlhilememoviehadakeeneye onthesociopoliticalclimateofitstime, mecollectionunearmsrarearchivesof tremendousinterest,bothmanagetodoso engagingly.

Anyonewhohasaninterestinfihns willenjoythehistoricalfeelandthestory matsurroundsBombayTalkies,oneof India'spopularmoviestudiosofthe1930s. BombayTalkieswasthefirstcorporate studio,inIndia,tobelistedontheBombay StockExchange.

Foundedin1934,BombayTalkieswascoownedbyHimanshuRaiandDevikaRani. Thestudioproduced40filmsover20years andwasconsideredasthemosttechnically

a family legacy thatgoes back to Indian cinema's pioneering days

advancedIndianstudioofitstime.

Besidesexploringtl1ehistoryofthe influentialBombayTalkies,FionaTrigg fromACWhascuratedanexhaustive Indianfilmarchive,incollaborationwith localDietzefamilywhoareownersofthe memorabilia.

AustralianPeterDietzeisthecustodian ofilieenormouscollectionmadeupof photographs,letters,telegrams,posters, evenbillstlrntharkbacktothetimeofhis grandfatherHimanshuRaiandhisbeautiful wifeIndianactressDevikaRani.

PeterDietze,whowasborninAustralia andhasGermanancestry,wassurprisedto discovertlrnthisgra.nd.fatl1erwasIndian ai1doneoftl1emostprominentluminaries ofIndiancinemainthe1920s.Hismother NilimawasmedaughterofMaryHain.Lin, aGermandancerwhowasoncemarriedto HimanshuRai.

ItwasMarywhointroducedHimanshu tOtheGermanfilmindustry,influencing hiscareerintheans.(Himanshuwas acruallyalawyerandwassrudyingforme BarinLondon).Himanshulaterwent ontomarryDevikaRani,grandniece ofRabindranathTagoreandthemost legendaryofIndia'sactresses.

"FindingmephotosoftlusIndian man,wholookedlikeme,openedawhole Pandora'sbox,"Peterrevealed to lndicm Unk in2010,withtheideafortl1ecurrent exhibitionalreadyinhismind."Ibecame tot.a.Uyimmersedinhislifeandworksand contributiontoIndiancinema,aswell ashisattemptstotellmewesternworld lndiai1tales."

Ashok Kumar's home ,, PeterDietze

PeterandhisbrothersPaulandWalter spenttimeandeffortindiscoveringmore abouttheirfamily'sIndianbackground andintheprocessacquirediliecollection ofover3000items.Someofthema.re showcased,preservedwithgreatcare,atme BombayTalkiesexhibitionatAC�ll.

Thedisplaysoffermanyfascinatinglinks toearlyIndiancinemaincludingfootage ofsilentfilmslikeATlmm,ofDice,Lightof AsiaandShiraz.Mostprominentisd1elifesize,ratherimpressiveimageofsuperstar AshokKumartl1atadornsthewallnotfar fromasimilaroneofDevikaRani.

AshokKumarwasalabtech.n.iciai1in BombayTalkiesbutHimanshuRaielevated himtoilieroleofaleadmanwhenhis wifeDevikaRaniwassaidtohaveeloped witl1ajmulHasan,whowascoplayme originallead.

"WhenIwenttoIndiaIsawabustof mygrandfatl1erinacrorAshokKumar's home,"revealedPeterduringtheofficial launchofmeexhibitionrecently.

Alsointriguing,isthefamilytreetl1at mapslinksbetweentl1efamiliesofRai,

Rani,Roerich(DevikaRanimarriedpainter SvetoslavRoerichin1945)andtl1eDietzes. Imagesa.nditemsrelating toDevikaRani formasubstancialpartofmeexhibit. Audiovisualswithremasteredorarchival footageaddroilieambienceandmystery. Theinterestingcontentoftl1earchival lettershelpinconstructinganimageof prevalentissues,joysandchallengesfaced byRaiandRaniinrunningd1esmdio.The documentstracethefriendshipscreated duringtheirstintinGermanymatproved beneficialforiliemasmastertechnicians likeJosefWirshcinganddirectorFranz Ostenworkedincollaborationwimtl1em a1Jdbroughtinternationalprofessional standardstoIndia.

Atleasttwoofthetrilogyoffilmsthat Raiproduced,andwhicharebelievedtobe thepioneeringfilmsofIndia11cinema,have beenseenbyAustralianaudiencesinrecent years.Theyhavebeendigitallyrestoredby d1eBritishFilmInstitute,inwhosearchives theyhadbeenlyingsince1945.Today,iliey arefamouslyplayedtotheaccompaniment oflivesymphonyorchestras.British-Asian composeritinSawhneywrotemescore forAThro//JofDice(Pn,panchaPash).The 1929filmislooselybasedonthegambling episodefromtl1eepicMalrnbharata.Of theothertwofilmsinthetri.logy,the 1925P,-cmSaf!JrlS(hcLightoAsia)is basedonthelifeoftheBuddha,andthe 1928Shiraz(Sircy)onthelifeofMughal emperorShahjahan.

Peterhopes to taketheexhibitionto othercountriesbeforefindingtheright placeforitinlndia"whereitbelongs".

shares

,, When I went to India I saw a bust of mygrandfather in actor

THE BOMBflY T11ltilES lT _ D

PeterDietze(right)withhis brothersWalterandPaulatthe openingoftheBombayTalkies exhibition

India testfiresendoatmosphericinterceptor missile

On1MarchIndiasuccessfullytest-firedthe AdvancedAirDefence (AAD)Missile,the secondleveloftwo-tierinterceptormissile systemthatcandestroyhostileballistic missiles.

Themissilewaslaunchedaround10.15 a.m.attheAbdul Kalamislandoff Odisha coast,officials said.

''Theendo-atmosphericmissile,capableof interceptingincomingtargetsatanaltitude of 15to25km,successfullydestroyedthe inco1uingmissile.Allthemissionobjectives weresuccessfullymet,"anofficialstatement said.

The weapon system radarstrackedthe targetandprovidedtheinitialguidancet0 theintercepwr,whichcouldpreciselyhome inonthetargetanddestroyeditinendoatmosphericlayer.

Thecompleteevent,includingthe engagement anddestruction,wastrackedby anumberofelectro-optical crackingsystems usinginfraredimagery.Radarsandtelemetry stationscrackedthetargetandtheinterceptor tillthedestructionof thetarget.

"ThelaunchhasprovedtheBallistic l\llissileDefence(BMD)prowessofthe country,"the statementsaid.

Defencel\llinisterManoharParrikar andDefenceResearchandDevelopment Organisation (DRDO)ChairmanS. ChristophercongratulatedtheDRDOon successfullaunch ofd,emissile.

G. SatheeshReddy,theScientific Advisor toDefenceMinister andDRDODirector General (Missiles&StrategicSystems), monitoredthelaunchoperationalongwith otherofficials.

The.AADispart ofthetwo-layered Ballisticl\1issileDefencesystemdeveloped bythe DRDO,dieresearchanddevelopment wingoftheDefenceMinistry,with the Hyderabad-basedResearchCentreImaarat (RCI).

Thelatesttestcomeslessthanamonth afterIndiasuccessfullytestedthePcithvi DefenceVehicle(PDV)intercepcormissile on11February.

The PDVcandestroyahostilebalistic missileinspace,beforeenteringtheeard1's atmosphere.

The7.5mecre-longAADisasingle stage solidrocket-propelledguidedmissile,witha navigationsystem.

The secondlevelofthesystemisthe endo-atmosphere.AADmissiletestedon 1 March.

Amid expandingconcrete jungle, Delhi'swildlifeshows sign of revival

Althoughaconcrete junglethathaslost severalanimalspeciesovertime,theforests of cbenationalcapitalstillpossessatleast sixdifferentkindsofwildanimalsthatbave managestosurvive-andtheirbreeding popufationgiveshopethatDelhi'swildlife maysoonrevive.

Accordingtotherecentimagesobtained bythecameracrapsatYamunaBiodiversity Pack(YBP) andocherforests,thereisa healthybreedingpopulationofmammals likeporcupines,wildpigs,jungle cats,civets, Indianhare,hyenasand jackals.

Oneof d1erareandleastknown man1mals,thepangolinewaslastspotted inDelluin2011,thoughexpertsspeculate aboutitspresence.Thenationalcapitalis alsohometo13speciesof snakesaswell as monitorlizards.

The recentlyspottedbarkingdeer,the firstsuchsightingofthepresentcenrury,is furtherindicationthatthecapital'sforestsare reviving.

IsDelluready forabreedingpopulation ofleopardstoreturn?Notadistant dream, expertssay.

Prof C.R.Babu,,vhoseecological restorationat dieYBP -hisbrainchild-is bringinglife backtoDelhi'sjungles,believes fixingsomeoftl1egreencorridorshere couldhelpspeedupthewildlifere,Tival.

"Over yearsof efforts,Delhi'sforests nowhaveenoughprey ithasabreeding populationof nilgaiQ)luebull),wildpigs, hareandotherpreyanimals Oncethe greencorridorsarerescored,theleopards will surelybebackin Delhiand,whoknows, maybeeven tigers,"BabutoldlANS.

Delhihas20.22percentofitstotalarea undergreencover,ofwhich 188.77square kmisforestcover.

Meanwhile,thepresenceofaleopardwith cubsisbeingspeculatedattheAsolaWildlife Sancmary here,two monthsafteraleopard

roamedintl1eYBP for21days,seenby consenTationistsasasignof revival.

FaiyazA.Khudsar,thescientistin-charge of theYBP,saidtliatatleastfourspeciesof animals,includingalizard,asnakeandtwo speciesofbirds,havebeeJ1re-discovered withinthelastoneyear

''TheblackeaglehasbeenfoLtnclinDellli after100years,diesea-boldiesmood1water snakewasspottedafter70years,theIndian pitta(bird)wasspottedafterabout60years andthefan-throatedlizardwassportedhere after22years,"KhudsartoldIANS.

HepointedcowardsAocksofmigratory birds,includingnorthern shovelers,tufted clucks,darters(snakebirds),northernpintails, red-crestedpoachardsandgreatcormorants -activeoversevenacresofrevivedwetland atYBP.Khudsarexplainedhowtherevival of suchwaterbodiesisbringingtl1ese EuropeanandRussianguestsbacktotl1e nationalcapital.

"TI1esebirdsbadscoppedcomingto Dellli somespeciesstillstayaway but slowly,witl,conservationandrestorationof bio-diversityparksinDell,�theywillvisit again,"Khudsarsaid.

Khuclsarbelievestlrnttl1e300acresof the secondphaseof theYBP,whichissciJIunder restoration,couldhelpbringbackmoreof Delhi'sgloriouswildlifepast.

However,thelistofwbatDelhihaslost overaperiodoftimeislongerandtheloss isgrave.

Accordingcotherecordsfrom tl1e Gazetteer,Delh�whichby tl1eearly20d1 century washome coAsiaticlions,hasbeen strippedof sixspeciesofvultures,two speciesofdeer,fourspeciesofantelopes, abreedingpopulationofleopards,caracals, tigers,smootl1-coatedotters,Indianfoxes andwolves.

Duetotl1edegradationoftl1eYamuna river,Dell,ihaslostthenub-nosedormarsh crocodileQastseenin1976)andtl1elongsnouted crocodile (last seenin1978).

Fortbepastrwodecades,Delhi has alsomissedd1eSiberiancranesandthe Demoisellecranes

Delhihasnine speciesofbats,including tl1egreaterfalsevampire,butduetohabitat lossonlyalimitedpopulationoftl1ese pollinatingmammalssurvives.

Expertsbelieved1atexpansionofinvasive

AirIndia'scaptainKshamtaBajpai (centre) duringacelebrationceremony onthe eveofinternationalwomen's day,inNewDelhi,March7,2017.She commandedarecentflightwhichseta worldrecordbyflyingaroundtheworld withanall-femalecrew. Theflightflew overthePacificOceanfromNewDelhi toSanFranciscoonaMonday,andthen flewbacktoNewDelhiovertheAtlantic ontheFriday. Photo:AP

plantspecieslikeprosopisJulifloraisone ofthemajorreasonsbehindthecapital's vanishingwildlife.

"Invasiveplantsandshrubs,whichnow dominatemorethan7,000hectaresof the Delhiridge,havekilledthenativespeciesdue cowhichthepopulationofdieherbivores likechowsinghas,chinkaras,sambarand blackbuckdropped,whichinturn sawadip inthepopularionofcarnivoresandbirds," Khudsarexplained.

Accordingtoarecentreportbythe InternationalUnionforConservationof acme(IUCN),invasivealien speciesare ontl1eriseworldwideandshowno sign of slo,\�ngdown.

New batch of in-residence scholarsat Rashtrapati Bhavan

Anewbatchof innovators,artistsand writersbegan theirfortnightlonginresidence progran1inRashcrapatiBhavan thismond1,a.release fromthe President's Secretariatrelease said.

"Theywill bein residence till18March," itadded.

Theteninnovacorsselectedforthe programmeincludeSurjeetSinghof Haryanawhodevelopedllighyieldingand salt-tolerantpaddyvariety;teenagerAkash ManojofTamilNaduwhodevelopeda non-invasiveself diagnosisof silentheart attackandGirishBadragondof Karnataka, innovatorof lowcostbore-well scanners. AshokKun1arChavda,recipientof SahityaAkademiYuva Puraskarand Prabal KumarBasu,recipientofGouri BhattacharjeeMemorial Awardforhisfirst bookof poem Tmneei Pratha111willjoin artists Rahul ShailendraKokaste,winnerof 50d1 Maharashtra StateAward,alongwitl1the winnerof Lalir KalaAcademy award,2016, Dheeraj Yadav.Comemporary artist Subodb GuptaandBhartiKherhavealsobeenin residenceearlierdi.ismonth.Bod,theartists havebeenawardedtheChevalierclans !'Ord.redesArtsetdesLetters,an1ongthe Frenchgovernment'shighesthonours,for theircontributiontoartworld.

TheIn-Residenceprogramwas launchedby PresidentPranab:tvlukherjee onDecember11,2013withtheaimof providingwritersandartistsanopporm1lity cobeapartofthelifeofRashtrapati Bhavan.Itseekstoprovide anenvironment, whichwillinspirecreativedunkingand rejuvenateartisticimpulses

"Itisintendedcohonourandrecognise eminent,establishedartistsandwritersas weUasencourageyoungupcomingtalent fromdifferentpartsof thecountry,"tl1e communiqueadded.

ChefVikas Khanna presents 16kgtometo Queen Elizabeth II

"i\fajesticworkofartthatcelebratesthe beautyoflndia,"Britain'sQueenElizabeth IlissaidtOhaveremarkedwhenChef VikasKhannapresentedtoheracopyof hislimited-edition16-kgtomeUtsavthat celebratestl1e scoryof Indiancuisine.

"Utsavwaskeptonapedestalandthe Queenspentalmost15minutesgoing through d,ebook.Shewasmostinterestedin

MigratoryNorthernPintailducksswim inthe Pobitorawildlifesanctuaryeast ofGauhatiinIndia'sAssamstate, late February. Photo: AP

themulticulnu:aldiversityof Indiaandhow Utsovrepresentstherichheritageandbeauty of Indiathroughthelensof thecommon man.SheinstantlyinstructedherteamtO have UtstJvplacedinherprivatelibraryat Windsor,"astatementsaid.

Only12copiesof thebookhavebeen madeandthiswastl1e11tl1copy.ltwas speciallyhandcrafted,goldgildedand presentedinarawpinkAhimsaSilk.

Thepresentationtookplaceaspartof the "IndoUK70Yearsof Culture"celebrations.

Chef Khannahadaprivateaudiencewith theQueenandPrincePhilipandlaterwith PrinceWilliamandDuchessofCambridge Kate Midclletonaswell.

Mumbai NGO celebrates OscarforThe White Helmets Asthewoddtunedintothe89thAcademy Awardsceremonythisyear,mini-celebrations eruptedoutsidetheofficesof Harmony Foundation,inasmalllaneinSantacruz suburb.

TheHarmonyFoundationandits volunteersrejoiced,cheeredandcelebrated astheOsc.u:forBestDocumentary in theShortFilmCategorywasannounced toa40-minucefilm,The WhiteHe!111ets, symbolisingmeSyriaCivilDefence.

For,longbeforetl1eOscars,the Harmony Foundationhadrecognisedtheexemplary workdoneby''The\'{/biteHelmets"in savingcivilianstrappedinwar-cornSyriaand conferreditwimtheprestigious"St.Mother TeresaMemorial Award forSocialJustice 2016".

''Throughouraward,we acknowledged theexemplaryworkof organisationslike SyriaCivilDefence,workingunderextremely challenginganddifficultsimations,witl1great risktotheirlives.We arepassingthrough turbulenttimesandthesocietybadlyneeds peace," Harmony FoLmdationFounderPresidentAbrahamMatl1ai coldIANS.

Congramlating"TheWhite Helmets"for theirinspiringworkwhichhasbaggedthem thecovetedOscar,Matl1ai.saiditwouldgo alongway towardsensuringequality,social justiceandinclusivenessinsociety,andpave tbewayforpeaceinSyria.

Formedin2014,TheSyriaCivilDefence isagroupof around3,000localvolunteers servinginrebel-controlledSyriaduringthe ongoingsix-yearlongcivilwar.

Mostlyordinaryfolks withcommon backgro1mdslikestudents,tailors,carpenters ortechnicians,theyhavededicated themselves tosavingtl1elivesof over82,000 people injuredin attacksby fighterjet5, choppers,barrelbombs,clusterexplosives, phosphorusbombsandchlorineshellson civilianlocalitiesandhealthcarecentres.

TheHarmonyFoLtndation'saward, institutedin2005intl1ememoryof MoilierTeresa,istl1eonlyoneinthewodd recognisedbytl1einstitutionshefmmded, theMissionariesof Charity,Kolkata.

MotherTeresawascanonisedtoSainthood onSeptember4lastyearbyPope Francisat TheVatican.

Someof thepastrecipientshavebeen MedecinsSansFrontieres,theDalaiLama, MalalaYousafzai,Dr.MahatlurMohammad, BaronessCarolineCoxandotherglobal personalitiesororganisations,Mathaisaid.

Assam hamletaspiresto be India'scleanest h'samovementthatbeganduringChristmas in2012withacompetitiontoselectthe "cleanest"familyintlusvillage.Thefestivalspecificcontestinthevillage,locatedabout 80kmfromAssam'slargestcity Guwal1ati, hasnowmorphedinto the ambitiontowin tl1e"CleanestVillageinAsia"titleonceheld byMawlynnonginneighbouringMeghalaya.

"Sincethen,we havediscussedtheissue.If Mawlynnongcanbecomethecleanestvillage inAsia,whynotus?Wehaveeverything -avillagebiggerthanMawlynnongwith abundanceof nanu:e,beautifullandscapeand verygenerousandhospitablepeople,"Elvin Phangso,alocalteacher,coldI.ANS.

Tothisend,theresidentsof Shikdamakha villageinnature-richKarbiAnglongdisrrict areleavingnostoneuntmnedcogoonestep aheadof Mawlynnong.

Thevillagershere,right from tl1eyoung one to tl1eoldest,areconsciousabout cleanlinessandhygieneandnoonelitters tl1eroadinthevilbge,notcotalkof their individualhouses

Useof plasticisasrrictno-no.The villagersusebamboo-madebasketsfor storinggarbageinfrontof eachof me 89householdsandineverycornerof ilie village,andtl1eaccumulatedgarbageis disposedof atregularintervals

Theresidentsalsoundertakecommrnur:y $weepingof thestreetseveryweektoensme tliat cleanlinessandaproperdrainagesystem areinplace.Allhouseholdsof Sh.ikdamakha alsohavesanitary toiletstoensurehygiene andcleanliness.

"\Vehavemadeacommitteecoensure tl1ateveryoneismadeawareof cleanliness andhygiene,"saidHolvisMaslai,theGaolia Gaonburah(kindof villageheadman)of Shikdamakha.

AsforMawlynnong,locatedabom90 kmfromtheMeghalayacapitalShillong,it isasmallhamletinhabitedbymainlyKhasi tribepeople.Here,tl1ewasteiscollected inthedustbinsmadeof bamboo,directed toapitandthenusedasmanure.Itwasa communityinitiativestartedlongbackinme villagetlrntfinallyhelpedMawlynnongearn tl1estatusofCleanestVillageinAsiain2003, asratedbyDiscoverIndiamagazine.

After theinitialsuccessof thecommunity

initiatives,nowl'vfawlynnonghasbanned useof plasticcompletelyand villagersoften goforrainwaterharvesting.Accordingto Meghalayagovernmentstatistics,closeto 250tOLLristsvisitilievillagealmostregulad)� whichfetchesgoodrevenuetothelocals.

l'vfansingRongpi,theMLAfrom Baithalangsoconstituency,underwhich Shikdamakhafalls,saidthevillagehas achieved first position amongthevillagesin Assamasfarascleanlinessisconcerned.

"i\fawlynonginNleghalayahasearned thestatusofCleanestVillageinAsia.We candothishereaswell.Todayit'sjustthe start. Ihopethepeopleof Shikdamakhawill continuetlusjourneyof cleanlinessandfrom nowon,7vfawlynnong'sscamsof cleanest villagewillnotgounchallenged,"Rongpisaid.

The MLAsaidthatatpresentiliereisnot muchinfrastructuretowelcome courists butassuredthatbe,alongwitl1the local community,is tryingtopromotehome Sta)'S.

lndeed,villages like and Shikdanrnkha and1fawlyngnongprove mattl1evisionof aclean Indiaisnotlimitedtojust tl1eurban space.

Trump'smerit-based immi�ration proposal could benefit Indians USPresidentDonaldTrump'sproposalfor amerit-basedimmigrationsystemhasthe potential cobenefitIndians,alargenumber of whomhavehighlevelsof educationand skills.

Buttluswillultimatelydependontl1efiner detailsof how meproposalisimplemented. Tnunpdidnotspellouthowthemeritbasedsystemwouldwork.

Onthefaceof it,Indianswouldmakea goodfitforamerit-basedsystemgoingby thecommunity'scurrentprofile.

AccordingtoareportbymePewResearch Center,70percentof IndiansintheUSare collegegraduates

TheUSCensusBureaureportedthatin 2013,themedianhouseholdincomefor Indianfamilieswasover$100,000.

But thereareoilierfaccorssuchas whetherthecurrentnationalquocasorlimits onpeoplefromanycountrywhocould beadnuttedinayearareretai.nedcould ultimatelydeter.minehowitplaysoutfor Indians.

Theproposal willhavetoclear many hurdles.

Firstof all,itwillnmintoopposition tnai.nJyfrorntheDemocraticPartywhich wouldarguethatitwouldnothelptl1epoor and theLmskilledim.nugracetotheUSand discriminateagainstimmigrants from Larin Americancountries whom thepartycounts asakeypartof itsbase.

Awayout forTrun1pmightbetobarter memerit-basedreform forallowingsome illegalimmigrantstostayoninthecountry.

InCanada,applicantsforimmigrationare givenpoints fordifferentqualificationslike education,skill levels,employability,language and familyties.

They wouldhavetomeetaminimum scoretobeallowedtoimrnigrate.

Currently,tl1eUSmunigrationsystem restrictsthenumberof peoplewhocan immigratefromeachcoLmtrytoseven percentof therotalnumberallowedin exceptforimmediaterelativesof citizens.

Thishasledtoseveralyears' waitfor Indianstogettl1eir greencards.

Thereisalsoanannual limitof 140,000on employment-basedgreencards.

Becauseof thelimits,mostprofessionals from Indiahave cowaitaslongas12years foragreencardandthosewith "exceptional qualifications"nineyears,accordingtothe SeateDepartment visaavailabilitydatafor March.

Amerit-basedsystemhasthepotentialto cuedown thewait.

Howthereform would ultimatelyaffect Indianscoulddependonhowcountrylimits and tl1ecaponthemunberof employment visasareretainedorhandledandalsoon theretentionof theimnugrationprivileges forbrothersandsistersof citizensandtheir fa.mi.lies.

Thereformmayalso affect theabilityof brothersandsistersandelderly parentsof citizensto immigrateif tl1eyaresubjectedto apointssystem.

Trumpdidnotmakeanymentionof those workingintheUS ontemporary professional workvisasknownasH-1B.lnearlier speeches,hehadsaid thathewouldrooc oucabusesinthat visacategoryandrestrict themif meyweretothrowAmericansout of work.

IIANS

Sikh-inginspiration

Adelaide artist Daniel Connell's work on Sikh portraiture continues to amaze

BYAVICHANDIOK

Achanceencounter,perhapsa rapport,mutual respect,anda wholenew vista wasopened upforDanielConnellinhis career asan artist.

\'{lh.ileridinginataxiinAdelaide,Daniel sawsomething specialinhis Sikh driver Laklwir Singh andaskedif he couldpaint his portrait.

That firstportraitbecame thefirstof many,andtoday,Daniel hascemented areputationfor his for hisformidable portraitureof Sikh figures.He presentshis workagainat chis year'sAdelaide Fringe 2017.

WithdegreesinSpanishandLatin American Studies,aGrad.Dip.in Education,Masters in VisualArts,working towardhis PhD,andlearningHindiasweU, DanieliscertainlynoslouchacademicaU)'· Nineyearsworkingasaschoolteacher teachingSpanishgot him involved in socialandcommunityorganisations. But

with his love of painting,hehas been afreelanceartist since 2007.Andnow, recognisedworldwide,hehas presented in Glasgow,Sheffield,Frankfurt,London andthe US andhis works were shown in theprestigious Kochi-Muziris Biennalein India.

WhileDanielhasbeen paintingforas longas be can remember,hisinterestin Indiawasarousedwhilebarelyateenager whichledto his interestin thewritings of GandhiandTagore.Onhis first visitto Indiain2008,herecalls feeling"utterly at home,in acrazy sort ofway".

Helivedin Rajasthanforthreeyears and whiletherepainted aportrait of Greg Chappel1,who wascoach of the Rajasthan Royalsat d1at time.This paintingwas selected fortheprestigiousDougMoran Portrait Prize.

Workingwith transport workersin Australia,andfromtheSikhs inthenord1 tothelabomers ind1esoud1 in lndia, Daniel's paintingstrytocapturethe dignity of workerswhoroilwid1dieswearof theirbrow. Being "adeeplyreligiousand spiritualman"hisworkseemstohonour theessential teachingofGuru Nanak -that workiscentraltoan expressionof faith. Heseesinthetaxidrivershard-working young men,proudofwhothey a.reandin

theirbeliefs,proudtowearaturbanand put themselvesouttheretobe judged.It is thissenseofbraverythatdrivesDaniel tocontinuewithhis portraitswhichhe seesasamessage,standingupforthe immigrants.He uses A4 sheetsof paper stucktogether with cape co make alarge canvasforhisworks.Thisisdeliberateasir canbeseenasa metaphorofthefragility ofnewimmigrantsinanewland.

DanielConneUsaidatthe startofour meetingdiat"theexhibitionis dedicatedto ManmeetAlisher,thetaxi-driverbrutally murderedrecentlyinBrisbane".Onclisplay arehuge charcoal portraits,someoilsand other smallerportraits.Anovelpartis Daniel ach1ally paintingonthespot.The workbeingpaintedduringmyvisitwasof GurinderjitSingh,afairlyrecentmigrant who isalsoat.'lxidriver.

Gurinderjirwasfullof praiseforDaniel saying, "Heisavery good person motivatedto w1derstandmyreligion.We aretryingtohelpthehomelesspeoplein the cityandareworkingonthat."

In Februarythis year, RajpaJSingh Sidhu,anod1ertaxidriver,was robbedat knife-pointattheendof longshiftoutside hishome.He toowill beoneof tbe subjectstohavehis portraitpaintedduring the courseoftheexhibitionwhich runs

until2 Apr:il.

When asked about the future Danielsaid thatheexpectstocontinuetomake ' biggerpicturesand portraits'. "Artisaninvestigationthatnever stops,"hesays."Indiataught methat."

Over thelast twoyears,bis work has moved from just making picturestoactual representationroauthoritiesandadvocacy on behalfof new migrantscoveringawide spectrumof theirneeds.It'snowonder that hehasendearedhimself rothe Sikh community.Theyareindeedfortunate tohavesomeonesoengagingandgifted sympathetictotheircause.

,, On his first visit to India in 2008, Connell recalls feeling "utterly at home, in a crazy sort ofway'' ,,

,, Connell sees inthetaxi drivers hard-working young men, proud ofwho they are and in their beliefs, pToudto wear aturban and put themselves out there to be judged ,,

BYASHWINI SASEEDARAN

The calming crash of waves against shores of speckled sand guietly engulfs the hum of local traffic and beachgoers as laughter drifts with the cool breeze, and conversations pause at an impressive sculpture.

Overlooking the never-ending beaury of the Indian Ocean and stretches of sand aticonic Cottesloe Beach, Perth, an intriguing sculprure has been delicately and thoughtfully installed.

Featured among 78 otherworks ar the annual Sculpnu:e by the Sea exhibition, Column of Sound is a thought provoking and conversation starting sculpmre.

Announced winner of tl1e $50,000 Rio Tinto Sculpture Award, multidisciplinary artist Harsha Va.rdhan Durugadda has rightfully earned his place as a rising virmoso in the artistic community.

Column of Sound stands as a unigue form, sculpted specifically using audio from the site's location. Aftera painstaking process of recording audio from the plaoes of land surrounding the sculpture's site, the arcist conceives a physical representacion of the sounds. He constructs his artand adjusts the sculpture based on the rhythms and movements heard. The final product stands as a profound transformation between audio and visual realms.

Having received the Andrea Streeton Memorial Invitation at Sculpnu:e by the Sea, Bondi 2016, Durugadda's explorations in the perceptions of audio and visual certainly question the normative approach by imploring critical and imaginative tl1inking.

Sensory concepts are commonly interpreted singularly, as smell is correlated to the nose, sound is parallel to ears and touch is mutually exclusive to feel. Durugadda has instead achieved the almost unthinkable in his feat by purposely disrupting common perceptions and inviting onlookers to be a part of this sensory breakthrough as be forges binaries bet\veen otl1erwise opposing senses and notions.

''\Ve are used to whatever is already in Physics books. People are not ready to touch or feel sound. I'm working to change perceptions and disrurb people's thinking of life. When they touch the sculpnu:e, they touch the sound of tl1e site," explains Durugadda.

"It is never the same sculpture in visual, the slices of marble pieces are different each time. The sculpmre changes according to space."

Appropriately situated at the forefront of an oceanic landscape where tlie worlds of nature and artificial construction collide, Column of Sound is a deep expression of nature inspired art coupled with anthropomorphic ideologies.

Born in Andhra Pradesh, India and now based in New Delhi, Durugadda completed his Masters in Visual Arts and began practisingwith a number of different mediums. Experimenting with performance art, video, prints and sculptures, he then ventured out of the nation successfully holding exhibitions and publishingwork in London and here in Australia.

In its 13"' year, Sculpture by the Sea has become a household name as perhaps the world's largest annual outdoor sculpmre exhibition. Each year the beautifully captivating shores of popular Cottesloe beach become home to a ternporary sculpturepark with local, national and international artists showcasing their visionary arr.

Attracting hundreds of thousands co

The eventinvites the public to appreciate and participate in contemporary art in a physical and inreractive manner as all are welcomed to view tl1e pieces at their own pace and create their own imaginative perspectives.

"[Sculpture by the Sea] is a great oppornmity and a greatway to judge different works. It is a great benchmark for other organisations and especially for yom1ger artists working alongside more experienced, senior artists," says Durugadda. "[fhe win] is such an overwhel1ni.ngwelcome, 1 was so surprised. This is a great step for my career and such a confidence booster. I have received the highest reception for my work herein Australia."

Apart from being the major prize winner, Column of Sound will soon be insrnlled in

When they

the town of Busselton through the efforts of Rio Tinto.

touch the sculpture, they touch the sound of the site ,, its shores, tl1e free outdoor exhibition has people pouring in all times of day and night, from residents in Perth to tourists and even local AFL football stars.

''As an emerging artist, I was hiring most things before. Now I want to build up my studio and invest in tools thatwill allow me to continue doing my work," reveals Durugadda. "1 will be applying to be exhibited in Bondi next year, as well as applying for exhibitions elsewhere in the world."

Follo\ving his success in Australia, Durugadda encourages aspiringartists of Indian ocigin to venmre further than pursuing the pattern of being doctors or engineers.

'1 was more welcomed here than at home in India," says Durugadda. "Usually in Asian counrries they go for senior artists and onlythey end up receivingawards. [Australia] is open for everybody to engage with."

SculpturebytheSea, Cottesloe1%7,4, will beopentothepublicuntil20March2017

,, I'mworkingto change perceptions and disturb people's thinking oflife.

Writteninthe stars

Inspired by Hindu mythology, The Star-Touched Queen is the first in a new series by New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi

BYBEHESHTA WASSEH

Magical andenchanting,yet witha storyfirmlygrounded intherealityofstruggling co findyourself.Roshani Chokshi'sfantasy novel, The Star-TouchedQuemtransportsyouinto a worldyouhaveneverin1agined before.

With two partsandtwenty-ninechapters, wearetakenontheprotagonist'sjourney frombeingacursedprincesscobecoming queenofAkaran(apalindromeof 'Naraka').Mayavathi,mostlyreferred co asMaya,isinherentlycursed.Bornwitlia horoscopedeclaringherblightedbydeath anddestruction,sheisseenasamisformne to herfather'skingdomofBharaca.lnorder tobringpeacebetweenBharacaandits neighbouringkingdoms,her farher forces hertopartakeinS111r!)'a111vara,whereshe musecliooseherhusbandfrom avariec:yof potential suitorsbysimplyplacingagarland aroundhisneck.

Maya'sswiftmarriage coAmarmakesher queenofanentirelynewland.Expectedto place coral cruseinhermysterioushusband atonly17years ofage,Maya'snewlife providescliallenges anddifficultchoices.

Herjourneycontinllesinparet\vowhere shetriestoreconcileagravemistakeand unravelthesecretsofthisimaginative, otherworldlykingdom.Alongtl1eway shegainsatalkinghorseasanunlikely companionandfindsawaytoreconnect withherfamilybackinBharaca.

RoshaniChokshi'scleveraddition of abrief glossaryattheendofchenovel provestobeuseful inhelpingtl1ereader better Lmderstandkeyeventsinthenovel, suchastl1eSwayamvara.However,an extensionof theglossarytoinclude other frequentlyusedtermswouldbenefitchose whoarenot familiarwithHindi.

Withtl1escoryconsistentlytoldfrom l'viaya'spointof view,Choksbi'swriting ispowerfulintransportingthereader into anotherworld. Peppered witl1lavish imagery, youdevelop anemotional connectionwitliMaya,feelingastliough youareexperiencingthismagical journey alongsideher.

Each line of textweavesatapestry of fantastical,richscenes,suchas "L,1,1sh hillscarpetedi11 s111alfbl11eflowers, aforest tangled111ithlight betrne11thetipso acraggy 111011ntai11side "or 'Thearchives1ve1·emt likehomycombsat1dgoldenlightclu11gtothem, do11si11ge11e1ytotfle,pai11ti11g, fr'eatise andpoem thesoftgoldofgheefresh(y ski111111edfromboiling b11ttc1:"

There were timeswheremy eyeswere glidingover everyline, wantingto finish the chapter soIcouldeagerly readthe

next. Although notamajorissue,tl1ere weretimeswherethe vividimageryand heavypoetic prose seemedoverwhelming.

Chokshiexplores tl1emescommonto Hinduism,such asreincarnation,while conveyingideasabout having second chancesinlife,trustandhow thebond bet\veensisters,althoughitmayfade and

becomeunrecognisable overtime,remainsalive into adulthood.OhandI'm sureyoucanguesstl1eneJ,t, somewhatclichetl1eme love.Itwasrefreshing toreadanovel thatwas notentirelycentredon tl1eromanceof tl1emain characterfallinginlove.

Thiswasthe firstbook I havereadtliatincorpo.rated Hindumytliology.Itwasan interestingexperienceasmy limitedknowledgeof Hindi wasnotamassive barrier tomeunderstandingtlie tl1emesandlessonsof the book.

TheStar-TouchedQueen wasnominatedfor tl1e GoodreadsChoiceAwardsBestDebut GoodreadsAutlior2016andIamlooking fonvardto readinganovellareleasingin May'Deatl1andNight', whichwillbe the thirdcompanioncothisbook.

Thesequelto TheSta1•To11chedQueen,A Crownof 111/'isheswillreleaselacerthisMarch.

An Indian eternal man an philosopher's stone - est

ome mythological/folklore motifscanbefoundinall civilisations,and oneyardstick of their prominenceinpublic perceptionistheextent towhich tlieyfigureinpopularliterature,especially thrillers ThiswasonegenretheWest scoredhigher,witl1Indiansmostremiss inmakinguse ofa bountifulheritage-till now.

A 'philosopher's swne',capableof transmutingbase metalsintovaluableones, orconferringeverlastinglife,isnotonlythe preserve oftl1eHarryPotteruniverse,and indeed,amanfatedtoremainimmortal, rangesbeyondtlieWanderingJew:Butwe neverrecognisedtl1eminourfolklore.

Thisiswherenovelist Krishna Udayansankar stepsin,togivethemtl1eir due,in f11111101tal.

Alreadyhavingacreativeandmost differentreinterpretation ofthe Mahabharatatohercreditin tl1eAryavarta Chroniclestrilogy,hernew venture features tlieepic'smostpotent,promisingbut scandalouslyunderutilisedcharacterAshvarchama,sonofthe preceptorDrona.

Butwecomeacrosshiminouragewhere henowgoes tmder theidentityofProfessor Bharadvaj,ahistorian knownforhunting lostartefactsforweU-heeledclients. Buehe makescleatheis"notyourIndianaJones

varietyof comb-raiding,whip-snapping adventLLrehero".

Comparisonswitl1DanBrownand tl1e spaceof othermytho-chrillersare obvious, butUdayasankar,whose corpusalso includesanovel based onchefounding myth ofSingapore andfu!J-lengtl1 co!Jeccion ofprose-poems,makesher contributionstandominsomevitalways.

Key among this istlie character she has chosen,andhisdemeanour-hard-bitten andjadedcynical,snarky,restless,rutliless (whenneeded),andnotstillcontentwitli his fate.Then tl1epointof viewisfirst person,wbiclimakesfor someincisi,Te looksatphilosophicalissues,including mortality anddestiny. Italsooffers tantalisingrecollectionsof arichtapestryof globalhistory andcultureourprotagonist has participatedin orwitnessedclosely.

Commencingwitharatliergrisly subterraneanencounterinSomhAmerica -which givesusastrilcingin1pressionof hisprowess,tl1escoryproperbeginsaptly intlieeternal city ofVaranasiwhereweget betteracquaintedwithhim,andhisfriend Hariprasacl amdeo,aliasBabaShivdas,tlie onlyonewho knowshissecret.

However,thisisalso apoint whentlie professor isconvinceditistime to change identitiesagain ashebeen doing frequently through bis4000-year existence.Butasheis

preparingtovanishafteradipintlieGanga, fareintervenes -vi.ahismobile phone.

Itishisassistantin Dellii,cellinghim tliacapersistentclientseemsproniising, that forceshimtochangehismind.leisa young,ratherdeterminedwomanwho seeks toenlisthis service to findtl1eVajra -an Indianequivalent of the philosopher'sscone developedbylegendaryancient philosopher Nagarjuna.

Ourmanisfirstdisappointedand declines,termingit afutilequest-forhe hasbeensearchingforitunsuccessfuUy for eonsnow inanattempt totmderstand hisowncondition.Heis slowlywon aroundaftersheproduceswhatshe clairnsisapiece out ofthethree inwhichitwasbrokenandhiddenat dispersedplacesbyitscreator.Also helping himis thespate ofattacksonthembysome unidentifiedassailants.

Thesearch cakesthemonaracy, hazardousquest totheSomnatl1Temple, theKashiVishwanath/Gyanvapicomplex, MountArunachalaminTamilNadu, the HingulaDeviinBalochistanbefore ashocking,cliff-hangerof aclimaxin suburbanBangalore.Andthen friends andfoesarenotwhattheyseemand heartbreakingchoiceshaveto be made.

Udayasankarnot onlycreatesavigorous pacebmspicesourinterestwitlibrief,

most wellresearcheddigressionsinto the professor'spast,includingin ancient Greece anditsimperial Persian foe,tl1e Crusades (tl1oughSaladinwasnotinpower in1160)andevendownto recajiSubhas ChandraBoseandtlie hNsvaliantbut doomedfight.

Mostofthesedemanda fleshingout insubsequentinstalments,foronedoes hopethisistl1edebut ofanewseriessince tlie characteris toovaluableforasole appearance.Andwhenyougettothe final paragraphs,youwiJJcrave tlienext comes early.

eear

It's a holistic approach to farmingatAvani boutique winery

restaurant,Tu.lsiatSomerville.

BY DHANYA SAMUEL

Theterm 'Avani'isSanskritfor '1-lfother Earth'.

Asyouwalkintotheboutique wineryAvani,ic isthissoulupliftingonenesswithnarnrethat youe.xperienceimmediately.

ShashiSinghisthechief winemaker ac this15-acreboutiquewinerylocatedac Red HillSouth,Victoria. Alongwithher husband Devendra,sheowns thisbeautiful stretchoflandinMorningtonwhere theyhavesecupboththeirborneandthe vineyard.

Originallyfrom Rohtakin Haryana, India,Shashimovedto Australia afterher marriagein1983.Fromtheveryoutset, shewasinvolvedinthehospitalityindustry withDevendra,atrainedchef,owningand operatingrestaurantsindifferentpartsof MelbournebeforemovingcoMorningron and settinguptheawardwinningIndian

Shashi'sinterestinwinescameaboutasa resultof her involvementin d1e restaurant businessandalsothefacethatsheholdsa Master'sdegreein chemistry.She wasalways fascinatedwitbdifferenttypesofwines, andhowd1eypairedwitbspicesandIndian cuisine.Indeed,shehasgrowntobecome quitetheexpertinmisregard.

The Singhspurchased their vineyard in1998andwiththechildrengrown up, Shashi decidedtotakeherinterestinwines alittlemore seriously.

Itwasbacktocollege forShashiand shecompletedadouble degree,Bachelor of AppliedScience (\Vine science)and Bachelor of AppliedScience(Viticulrnre) from CharlesSruartUniversity.Andin2000, tbeycollaboratedwithPhillipJonesof Bass PhillipWinesto startmakingtheirown vintage(thenunder me\'{lildcroftbanner).

In2004,Shashi startedherwine-making apprenticeshipacdieBassPhillipWinery, alsoworkingmereatthesametime.

ShetellsT!tdia11L.inkthattheseyearswere extremely helpfulandformative,asshe gainedmuchknowledgeandexperience aboucwinemakingandtheindustry."Phillip hasbeenagreat sourceofguidanceand

inspiration. Heismy mentorandIhave lovedworking d1ere."

The first vintagewasin2009which Shashi completedherselfattheLeongatha winery underPhillip'swatchfuleye.She soonestablishedherownwineryonthe vineyardatRedHillandboughtoutthe inaugural vintageonthe property in 2012.

Shashiisafirmbelieverinbiodynamic agriculnu-e practices.'1amforsimple nanuallivingand sustainability,d1at'swhere biodynamicsmal,essomuchsense come. It'saholisticapproachcofarming-taking

care ofyour soils,buildingyourunique floraand fatmawhicharein harmony with eachotherand diecosmos.Togrowheald1y plantsyouneedhealthylivingsoils.We want co makewinethatprovidesatrue expressionof diesite.lnthisregard,we haveadaptedbiodynamic practicesin me vineyardand minimalintervention inwine making,musproducingwineswhichreflect the place they come from."

Currently,Avaniproduceswinesunder twolabels-AvaniSyrah from the fruit whichisgrownandproducedon d1eestate, andAmrit whichincludesPinot Gris, Chardonnay andPinotNoir usingfruit diatcomesfromvarionsvineyardsonthe MorningtonPeninsula.

Oneof d1ebestplacescoenjoyaglass ofAvaniwineisatTulsi,whereDevendra alongwidihisteamof chefsshowcases Indiancuisineatitsbest.Winesarematched tosuiteachcourseaccordingtod1e spices and flavourprofileofthedishesserved.

Avaniwinesarealso soldattheir cellardoor (wine tastingsavailableon appointment),selectretail storesandat variousrestaurantsacrossMelbourne (Vue De Monde,Tonka,BuildersArmsHotel) and Sydney.

'' The Singhs adopt biodynamic practices to care for their soil, building their unique flora and faunawhich are in harmony with each other and the cosmos ,,

MATRIMONIALS

SEEKING GROOMS

Lookingsuitable matchinAustralia forJaeSikh,smart,slimandsinceregirlbornin 1992, 5'6",M.Scnursing(psychiatry).LivinginIndia,belongscowellsettledfamily,lookingfor wellsettledandprofessionaleducatedmatch.Please contact mansahiajaggi@yahoo.com.

Highlyeducated Indian family,well settledin Sydneyfor25years,looki11g foramatch for 30-year-olddaughter -goodlooking,mildcerebral palsy,welleducatedandworking full time forlasesixyears.E-mailkcas1210@gmail.comorcall 0423941 636.

Lookingforasuitablematch for37-year-old,welleducated,Brahm.ingirl.Well settledin permanentgovernmentjobinBrisbane.Height 5'3",slimand faircomplexion.Please replytokumar.sham@bigpond.com.

Seekingprofessionally qualified,settledmatchforSydney-based,nevermarried, AusCitizen,Hindu,Punjabi Khatri,43,5'3",slim,fair,attractivegirl.Girlispostgraduate andisworkinginagood positioningovernmemorganisation.Pleasesenddetailswith photoroindsyd20l6@grnail.com.

Seekingagroomformydaughter,brought upinAusu-alia,fromKayastlrnfam.ily,livingin Sydney forpast24years.Sheis25yearsold,5'2",Bachelorof CommercewithBachelor ofLaw fromU S\'Q,aqualifiedlawyerworkingwithreputedinternationalfirmin Sydney. Sheissmart,caring,hasgreatregardfor familyvalues.Lookingforaqualified, smartboy,preferablysettledin Australia.Castenobar. Senddetailstopbab93@grnail. comor call+61 412487801.

Seekingagroomforwell-qualified,Tank-KhatriSikhgirl.Age24,height 163cm,slim, hotel management,currentlyworking, business family,based inCalcutta,India.Looking for handsome Sikh boy,well-educatedandworking,fromculturedfamily basedanywhere inAustralia,permanent residentorcitizen.Uncleslivingin Sydney forpast30years. Respondwithphotoandprofilecosaggu.aman@yahoo.comorcall +61404187115for furtherinformation.

SeekingsuitablemarchforJatt-Sikhgirl,Australiancitizen,33,5'5",slim,fair,responsible, compassionateyoungbdywitl1acharmingpersonality.Professionallyqualified,workingin governmemorganisation.Boyshouldbeprofessionallyqualified,settled .inAustralia.Caste nobar.Pleasesendderailswitl1phototokaur.nonie@gmail.comorcall+61422409881.

SeekingwelleducatedAustralianCitizen/PR foraveryfair,slim,Khatri girlwillingto moveto Australia.31yearsold,5'3",com.iJ1gcoMelbournejnMarch.Familysettledin Jalandbar,brotherinMelbourne.Call/Whatsapp:+91 99151 54747oremailbiodataand picmrestokhanak31715@gmail.com.

\\'lellsettled familyinAustraliaseeksprofessional march for29year old,5'7",beautiful, Punjabi,HindugirlwithtraditionalIndianvalues,workingi.naseniorgovernment position.PreferboyhavingAustralianCitizenshiporPRstatus. Send biodataand photographsroausingh60@gmail.com.

SEEKING BRIDES

Suitablemarch(vegetarianornon-vegetarian)forAustralian-born,vegetarian,Punjabi doctorboy,31 yearsold,5'7"tall,faircomplexion.FamilysettledinAustralia.Please emaildesiny3239@gmail.com.

Lookingforasuitablemarchfor33-year-oJd Brabminboy,wellsettledinAustralia.Involved infamilybusiness.Faircomplexion,heightS'S".Emailkumar.sham@bigpond.com.

bySawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission, Delhi, INDIA, February2017

30th EyeCamp

February 2017 marked the 30'" Eye Camp organizedby Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission (SKRM). This medical camp, held twice a year, provides freecataractsurgeriesto patientswho would otherwisenotbeableto afford the expenses ofsuch an operation. Expert eyesurgeonsfromthe United States typicallyvolunteertheir premier high qualitytechnical skills and timetoprovide surgeriesto help makethe camp a success.The eye camps are conductedas part ofboth the International Human Unity Conference (held in February each year) andthe Global Conference on Mysticism (held in September eachyear) organized bySKRM atSantDarshan SinghJi

Dham, Burari.Morethantenthousand individualshavebenefitedfromfree cataractsurgeriessincethelaunch of SKRM'seyecampinFebruary2002.

Patients attendingtheeye camps are firstscreened by a medical team.Selected patients,based on medical eligibility, arethentransportedto !CAREhospital, Naida, wheretheyundergosurgerywith the help ofstate--of-the-art equipment,to removethecataracts.All patients benefit from follow up visits and are prescribed eye dropsforseveral weeksfollowingthe operation, sotheycan receive maximum benefitfrom thesurgery.Thisvoluntary servicetothe community has had a significantimpacttothe vision and quality

ofpatients' lives.The US clinicalteam worked in collaborationwithdoctorsat ICARE hospital, one ofIndia'stop eye hospitals.All services were rendered free of charge and in a spirit of selfless service to humanity.

Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission (Science ofSpirituality) is an international nonprofit spiritual organization dedicated totransforming livesthroughmeditation underguidance ofSantRajinderSingh Ji Maharaj.

www.sos.o,g www.sos.org/aus/austra/ia

Phone:Australia +61431 718888 India+91 11 7223333

ARIES March 21 - April 19

The month starts off with a lot of intention and motivation. You will be thinkingabout waysto improve your relationship area and communicate yourfeelings effectively. It seems there are some issuesfrom the past that are unresolved and need your attention. The cards are showing some contact fromfriends you have not seen or heardfromfor a while. Financially you will be planningto getsome new work started and establish old contacts.

TAURUS April 20 - May 20

This month you will feel confident and energetic. There will be an air ofpositivity and determination surrounding you. Work will be hectic but manageable. There will be a largerworkload around you and you will be working extremely hard. Home lfe seems a little unsettled; this will be due to your work life demands. Financially you are looking at ways to save moremoney.The cards are indicatinga time to take more exercise.

GEMINI May 21 - June 20

This month will see you feeling a little worn out and frustrated with your plans. Thereseems to be a feeling of not achieving much but working hard.Thecards indicate that you need to take a look at your most important tasks and prioritise. You will befeeling a little restless about your fami y life, but there will be changes on the horizon. Financially you will be spending a little more then you need to. Take care of your health.

CANCER June 21 - July 20

This month you willbefeelingthe pressure with both work and family. There will be a lot of demands made of you from both angles. You willfeel the stress mountingas your work load seems to be increased. Family will be causing some worry, but things will settle down eventually in the month. There will be some financial aspects to deal with and paperwork to sort out. The need ofthe hour is to keep calm and relaxed.

LEO July 21 - Aug 22

This month you willbeconcentratingon the physical: you will be lookingat joininga gym or taking in more physical activity, and probably have done so already. There willbean important event coming up for which you will want to look the part. You are a little unsure how to deal with relationships this month and you may end uptakinga break from it all. The cards are indicating some travel and catching up with oldfriends.

VIRGO Aug 23 - Sep 22

This month you willbe thinking of your work life and how to improve things. There will be some thoughts of a business venture, and plans to see that through. You are at the stage ofdeciding what to do for the best right now. The cards are indicating a time when you will be feeling a little exhausted with family matters and children. There will .,. be a surprise visitfrom afriend or relative you have not seen fora while.

PREDICTIONS FOR MARCH 2017

BYNANCYJADE ALTHEA

LIBRA Sept 23 - Oct 22

This month you will be lookingat yourfinances, andhow to invest and where. There will be many decisions to take and you will be doinga lot of thinkingand panningthis month. Family will offer advice and help. Seems to be a lot of activity this month and as you pan yourproperty matters and personal affairs. The cards are indicatinga time when you will also be looking at a trip and time away to relax.

SCORPIO Oct 23 - Nov 21

This month you may not be feeling your usual energet c self. There will be some niggling health issues that are bothering you and making you feel very tired and low. Business matters and finances will need your attention too and you will be looking at how to grow your existing business. The cards are indicatinga time when you may be lookingat purchasinganother property. You will be planning a surprise party forsomeone. Buck up and get going!

SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 - Dec 21

There will be a lot happening around you this month. Work will be busy and hectic, but you will also be planning on lookingfor other opportunities and perhaps working in another state. There will be matters relatingto your partner's work that will be stressful and they may need yoursupport and advce. There may beanother addtion due to the family which will bea sourceofjoy. The cards are indicating a happy month, overall. En oy.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 19

The focus this month isfinances and makingsure you are saving enough for those rainy days. There will be an emphasis on career this month and there is an indication ofimprovement and abundance. You may dec de to connect wth an old flame or a past love.Thecards are indicating a time when you may also be looking at a new venture or decide to work with someone else. Take time out to take in more fresh air.

AQUARIUS Jan 20 - Feb 18

This month you willbe busy. You will needtofind afine balance as you do not have enough time for yourself. Home life will be happy and cordial. You are planningto meet a relative you have not seen for a while and this will be quite nerve racking for you. There may be some matters relating to property that you will be helping your parents with. A siblingis also goingto be needingyourhelp.

PISCES Feb 19 - March 20

This month will be an interestingand powerful month when you will be puttingtogether plans and ideas tofocus on yourself and your future. You have been wantingto make changes for a while and you are now feeling ready to forge ahead. The cards are indicating a time when you will be feeling positive and brght. Financially you will becareful with yourspending. Emotonally you mightfeel like you need to take a break.

RANGOON

STARRING: Shahid Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut, SaifAli Khan

DIRECTOR:Vishal Bhardwaj

�\'1 (

In art, as in life, consistency is not a quality that is easily obtainable. In the life that is created in Vishal Bhardwaj's art, the characters are so flawed and fractured, and so driven down to destruction by theirown demoniacal desires, that you fear they will collapse under the weight of theirown ambitions and longings.

This is true as much of the characters as the director himself. Bhardwaj's latest arguably his most ambitious film to date could have ended up being the Bombay Velvet/Mohenjo Daro of 2017. It is rescued, no, redeemed by an excruciatingly exquisite perception of

the wounds and lashes that love pelts down on those who are its victims.

Rangoon is asimple tale, unnecessarily complicated by its characters' prevarications. It is a story pinned down to a bobbing blueprint of passion and betrayaI by a fey feisty whimsical woman, a popular action actress of the 1940s, who is not, repeat not, Fearless Nadia she is Fearless Julia not afraid to wear her heart I on her sleeves. And when you have

I Kangana Ranaut to play 'Fearless Julia' t is easy to show the woman complete stripped of vanity in her lunge towards love.

Set in the 1940s for a large part of its narrative, Rangoon reads like an overintellectualised literary excursion replete with educated, well-informed arrogant and pompous references to the role of Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army in bringing down the British Raj.

The references to the politics of India's Freedom Movement are drawn out of the commodious plot with a groaning wheezing gravity, as though Bhardwaj, of all the learned elements in Indian cinema, knows that theIndian 1 audience needs to be educated. He has visited the library, you see.

I Tragically, the characters from both

the British army and the INA come across as caricatures cloaked in a gravitas that thescreenplay is unable to pull out of the circle of intrigue and deceit that the screenwriters create to cheat on destiny. The British Major General Harding (Richard McCabe) sprouts Urdu poetry with an endearing lisp (Ghalib never sounded so glib) but soon begins to behave like the Gora villains in ManojKumar's Kranti and Manmohan Desai's Mard.

McCabe is Tom Altered.

The erudition that Bhardwaj and his writing team slap on to the long-winded screenplay go a long way in slackening the story's pace almost to a near-inert place from where it is hard to pull ourselves out even whenShahid Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut's compelling chemistry is an inviting incentive.

By the time the plot reaches its third and final act, Bhardwajgets totally carried away by his librarian's lyricism. He injects massivesuffocating doses of academia into his narrative with scholarly arrogance, sacrificing narrative evenness for interludes where time comes to astandstill as we see characters enacting scenes from the Freedom Movement on stage. Theskits-o-phrenia is distracting. Many of the characters appear to be wasted in thelong-legged libretto on nationalismthat Bhardwaj insists on playing out while we are meant to watch his paean to patriotic pride in submissivesilence. Bhardwaj plays and sings variations of thenational anthem so many times during the film that the audience in the theatre (all 25 of them) was confused as to whetherthey should just continue standing in reverent attention.

After all this is not just the Jana Gana

Mana.It is Bhardwaj playing the Jana Gana Mana.

A pity, he sacrifices theopportunity to tella beautifuland tenderlove story about three wounded fractured broken characters for thesake of a baggy ode to desh bhakti repletewith a climax on top of a precariously compromised. wooden bridgethat David Lean would have used as a dress rehearsal for The Bridge On The RiverKwai.

Aerial shots of WW2 war planes swooping down on the natives areso clumsily donetheyare proof of how far FX-driven Indian cinema lags behind its Hollywood counterparts, and why.

Peel away thelayers of self-referential nationalism, and we are left with a luminous lovestory, adishydesiversion of David Lean's Ryan's Daughterand Vijay Anand's Guide about a capricious seductress in acommitted relationship who strays into a passionate liaison with a near-stranger who is way out of her social league.Indeed, the most masterly portions of the narrative are those where Kangana andShahid areshown slogging through stretches of slush and marsh land accompanied by aJapanese POW.

Kangana and Shahid are extraordinarily at-home in expressing the eruption of unpremeditated passion. Theirscenes together are magically shot by cinematographer Pankaj Kumar and are elevated furtherto a level of liberating lyricism by Vishal Bhardwaj's serene background score.

A pity Shahid and Kangana's time together is rationed. It ends with the Japanesesoldier (played with gratifying earnestness by Soturo Kawaguchi) begging to be freed to go home to his mother.

Exactly our feelings.

Subhash KJha

TRAVELLING HOMETO INDIA?

DIDYOUKNOW...

-+ WITHOUTTHE RIGHTTRAVEL INSURANCEYOUARE ENTIRELY RESPONSIBLE FOROVERSEASMEDICALCOSTS?

_., TODRIVE IN INDIA,YOU MUSTHAVEAVALIDINDIAN DRIVER'S LICENSEORAN INTERNATIONALDRIVING PERMITTOGETHERWITHAN AUSTRALIAN DRIVING LICENCE?

-+ YOUR PASSPORT NEEDSTO HAVE6 MONTHS'VALIDITY FROMTHE DATE OF RETURN TOAUSTRALIA?

SPENDLESSTIMESTRESSINGANDMORETIMEENJOYING VISIT" ARTRAVELLER.GOV.AU/INDIAFORFACTSYOUNEEDTOKNOWBEFORE TRAVELLINGHOME.

UP-TO-DATE NEWSON WHAT'S HOTAND HAPPENING IN BOLLYWOOD

PEECEE AT OSCARS 2017

So shehad lots of fun at theOscars, no doubt giving many Bollywoodwallahs #Oscars #GOALS.

Although she did not score a presenting gig like last year, our girl squeezed herself into a tight gown (Ralph & Russo), wore US $5 million worth of jewellery (LorraineSchwartz) and strapped on the highest heels you have everseen (no goss on which brand,sorry). She cosied up to her Baywatch co-star Dwayne Johnson on the red carpet, chatted up Dev Patel, and pretended to interview JenniferAniston backstage for Kelly Ripa's chat show.

Then she got changed into a black sequinned Michael Kors number and went off to the after-party. And because she hadn't eaten a morsel all day, she tucked into a massive juicy burger. (She posted a video of it).

Next day, shesaw hername listed on various Best Dressed as wellas Worst Dress lists. (Wow, the sheer talent to be able to pull that off).

You'veall probably seen by now the Twittercomparisons about her dress: kaju katli (thanks, AIB, for that one); a vase, a blanket, a shimmering quilt, a DIY project...

Also this one: Who ate the sides of the dress?!

But theIndian actress has stopped fretting over fashion police as everyone is entitled to their own opinion. She said in an interview with IANS before the show, "I used to (get bothered about fashion policing) but not anymore. Now, I wear what I like and what I'm comfortable in and if someone doesn't like that, they don't. They areentitled to theirown opinion."

Oh, er, sadly, Priyanka made no comment at all about the most memorable moment of the night that came at the end.

ANUSHKA SHARMA, GHOST

Anushka Sharma's Phillauri is gearing up for its March 24 release.The beautifulstarnot only features here, but has also produced, forherbanner Clean Slate Films.

So which role does she enjoy - acting orproducing?

"Both, (even though) they are different. I have realised that when I havemany responsibilities onme,I perform better. WhenI am acting I just do my job; and whenI am producing a filmI haveto collaborate withALL, right from the inception of a film. Both are going well for me."

The Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi actor ventured into production with 2015 thriller NH-10.

In Phillauri, the story revolves around a young man who has come to Punjab to get married, but a local priestsays he willhave to get married to a treefirst in order to combat the bad setting of his stars. The tree happens to be the home of aspiritShashi,played by Anushka. The poor blokeends upmarryingthe spirit. Thespirit alsohas a f ashback, and we get a love story between Shashi and herfiance.

While we can't waitto see the stunningAnushka onscreen again, what's with this dakiyanoosi subject matter ?

Directed by AnshaiLal,thefilmalso features Diljit Dosanjh.

VIDYA BALAN, BROTHEL OWNER

A hookah and rife in tow, actress Vidya Balan is intimidating as a brothel owner in the first look of National Award winner Srijit Mukherji's BegumJaan. Set against thebackdrop of Partition, the high-voltagedrama, a Hindi adaptation of Mukherji's stellar Bengali offeringRajkahini, is a story of survivors who defy nations to save theirhomes.

"My body, my house, my country and my rules," a brazen-faced Vidya reinforces the essence of hercharacter in the maiden poster.

The film also features a whole list of actors from the world of alternate cinema including Naseeruddin Shah, IlaArun,Gauahar Khan, PallaviSharda, Rajit Kapoor, Ashish Vidyarthi,Vivek Mushran, Chunky Pandey, Poonam SinghRajput, RidheemaTiwari, FloraSaini, Priyanka Setia, Mishti Chakraborty, Sumit Nijhawan, Pitobash and Rajesh Sharma in pivotal roles.It is slated to release on April 14.

SONAKSHI SINHA,JOURNALIST

Sonakshi Sinha, who featured in the primary rolein Akira and is now the central characterin Noor - both movies without astrong male lead- says carrying a filmsolely on hershoulders isn't difficult, but ratherliberating forher.

"It's liberating to be promoting thefilm on my own,"Sonakshisaid at thetrailer launch of herupcoming film Noor.I felt

this also whenI was promotingAkira. I don't have to depend on anybody to carry this film. I have asolid team to support me, and other than this, I don't needanybody else,"

"I feel like I am independent, strong and moving ahead with my team.This is the best feeling that I can carry a film on my own shoulders," she added.

In Noor,Sonakshi plays the role of a goofyjournalist who wants to covera real lifeincident, butis forced to go fora celebrity's interview.

Thefilm isbasedon Pakistani authorSabalmtiaz'snovel Karachi, You're Killing Me!andfollows aPakistani journalist-writerNoor's misadventures and love life as she navigates herway through Mumbai. The flm, directed by Sunhil Sippy, isscheduled fora worldwide release on21April 2017.

VARUN DHAWAN, DULHA?

Currently workinghard promotinghis new project Badrinath Ki Dulhania (Badrinath's bride), thecutesyVarun Dhawan was stumped when a reporter asked him a question about "Varun ki dulhania".

The question cameamid speculations about his rumouredlove Natasha Dalal. The two have never confirmed their relationship.

Of course thesuave actor dodged the question deftly.

"Varun ki dulhan ko kaafitime hai (there is plenty of time for that)," he said, gathering himself quickly. "Let people now meet Badrinathki Dulhania."

Thefilm, thesecondfilm in the Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania franchise and is produced by KaranJohar, releases on 10 March.

KARAN JOHAR, DAD!

As Bollywood's celebratedfilmmaker Karan Johartakes thesurrogacy route for fatherhood, B-Town rejoices.

The daughterhasbeen named Roohi - a rearrangement of Karan's mother's name Hiroo, and the son has been christenedYash -after Karan's late father.

Karan, 44, said, "I am ecstatic to share with you all the two most wonderful additions to my life, my children and lifelines: Roohi and Yash. I feel enormously blessed to be a parent to these pieces of my heart who were

welcomed into this world with thehelp of themarvels of medicalscience."

Best known for directing films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Karan is stillsingle. Hesays parenthood is "an emotional yet well thought out decision" he has taken after considering all the responsibilities and duties that come with being one.

"In order to arrive at this decision, I have prepared myself mentally, physically, emotionally and logistically to ensure that my children get allthe unconditional love, care and attention from me andmine.I havesubmitted to the fact that my children are my world and priority."

In his book An Unsuitable Boy released recently, Karan notjust opened up about his sexuality - albeit in a veiled manner -but also expressed a desire to adopt a child or opt for surrogacy.

The filmmaker, who keeps travelling around the world and is known for his knack of making romantic dramas, understands that having children would mean that "work, travels and social commitments would have to take a back seat".

Karan also extendedgratefulness to thesurrogate who fulfilled his "lifelong dream and provided a warm, loving and nurturing environment to my children before bringing them into this world. She willalwaysremain in my prayers."

Roohi and Yash were born thanks to celebratedIVFspecialistJatin Shah,

whowasalso instrumental in the successful birth ofAbRam Khan (son of Shah Rukh and Gauri) and Azad Rao Khan (son of Aamir and Kiran), both through surrogacy.

Karan'snew family havecomein for a fair bit of media attention. Whileone line of questioning has been intrusive (why could he not havehad kids the normal way, or adopted?), others havebeen more congratulatory, such as Amul's cute new ad: Kabhi Beti Kabhi SonJohar se cheer karo!

There washardly any hullabaloo when actor Tusshar Kapoor announced last year the birth of hisson Laksshya Kapoor, through surrogacy.

calls him Chintu, these days ).

His earlier profile read, "Son of a famous Father-Father of afamousSon.I am the hyphen in between them."

GUNEET MONGA, IRRITATED

Film maker Guneet Monga has produced a new short film entitled Shut Up.The film is based on how freedom of speech of common people is being questioned in the country.

"It'stime we get out there andspeak," Mongasaid in astatement. "Our voices need to be heard and as film makers, it's our responsibility.We do live in a strange timewhere options are being manufactured. Hoping each one of us can be the change we wish to see."

What's the chitchat between KARAN JOHAR and ALIA BHATT?

Send in your responsesto win@indianlink.com.au and win a movie pass

RISHI KAPOOR, ANGRY

OLD MAN

He usedto be the 'chocolate hero' with the cherubic face who sang Khu/lam khulla and launchedhis generation's mohabbat karne ka ishtyle.Today, he is a grumpy old man, who abuses Twitter trolls, khullam khulla, f words galore.

"Released new warning bio for future trolls, abusers and idiots! Refer profile. Pleaseignore,sensiblefriends. Let's live in a fun world," he tweeted recently.

The actor also changed his prof le picture, to asnapshot of him brandishing a gun, from his film Aurangzeb.

Rein it in, @chintskap!(That's Chintu Kapoor, for the uninitiated, a nameby which heisalso known. Wonder who

Directed by Ashutosh Pathak, the film is based on a common person who finds himself participating in asilent protest only to find revolutionin the most unlikely place.

Pathak says that Indians seem to have forgotten how to debate over these things constructively.

"From the well of the parliament to our dinner tables, we are like a bunch of monkeys shouting off with your head every time anyone disagrees with us.It's funny andscary at thesame time, and that's the feeling I wanted to highlight with this film.Are we really free to speak our minds, or just getting fearful, and learning how to shut up," he said.

WHAT TWEETY BIRD TOLD US THIS WEEK

Match the followingstars to the tweets below

Twinkle Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra,Amitabh Bachchan again, Vidya Balan

This was too much fun. @chrissyteigen @KellyRipa #JenniferAniston #backstageshenanigans

41 years of "Kabhi Kabhie" !!

Just asI was about to begin sprouting 50shades of grey,I am rather gladI am sporting 50shades of L'Oreal instead :) #lorealproindia

When I die, the assets that I shall leave behind shall beshared equally between my daughter and my son! #GenderEquality #WeAreEquaI.

Aa rahi hoon main! #BegumJaanFirstlook.

What'sthe chitchat between VARUN DHAWAN and ALIA BHATT?

VARUN: Sochtihai zyada, kam wo samajhti hai Di/ kuch kahta kai, kuchh aurhikarti hai Ladki kyon, najaane kyon, ladkon sinahin hoti.

ALIA: Jeene ka tumko dhangsikhlate hain Tumheinjaanvarse insan banate hain... lsliye ladkiyan ladkon si nahin hoti.

ARSHIA LAGHARI

Cranbrook QLD Arshia winsa ticketto Badrinath Ki Dulhania

Youhurtmyfeelings,now makemeamillionaire

Get rich quick with an out-of-the-box lawsuit

BYNURYVITTACHI

Emotionalclistressis when you makeasarcastic commenton Facebook and every single friend th.inksthat's what yourealJythink, andwhenyoulaterpointour thatyoudon'tacmally advocateeatingthe unemployedorwhatever,theyth.inkyouare beingsarcastic.

Sothenyou'rei.nabadmoodand switch coyouremail andfindthis:"Dear Mr Columnist,howmucharemyemotions worthinmajor currenciesatroday's ratesin various countriesaroundtheworld?"

ThemessagefromreaderAgnesP.K. Tingbaffledme-untilI clickedherlink co alateFebruarynewsreport:Policeinthe USjustpaid$885,000toa pet-owner"for emotionaldistress"aftertheyshothispet dog.A secondlinkledtoaJanuaryreport ofastudentwhowasasked co llcinateina bucketinastoreroomandreceivedS1.25 million,also "foremotionalclistress".

"\�hydoweworktoearnmoneyinstead ofjustwaitinguntilsomeonehurtsour feelingsandthenclaimcompensationfor emotionaldistress?"Agnesasked.

Goodquestion.Ithoughttheanswer mightbe thatthesethingsonlyhappen i.ntheUnitedStates,acountrywhich undoubtedlyhasaconstimtional amendmentsayingsomethinglike: "The Right ofTheAmericanPeopleto Fileand WinRidiculousLawsuitsShall Neverbe Jnfringed."

ButI checked withalawyerwhotoldme thatpeoplemakeemotionaldistressclaims al1overtheworld.

Atead1erintheUKdemanded compensationfor being stressedoutby kidsandacourtgavehim 101,000pounds ($125,000),beforeahighercourtsnatched itbackarguingthat ''apersonstressedout bykids"waspretty mudithedefinitionof

teacher.

AguyinIndiawatched areally bad Bollywoodmoviecalled Rockstarin2014 anddemandedRs.50,000,whichisabout $750,"onaccount ofmental harassment andagonysuffered".GiventhatBollywood moviessometimesrunthree-and-a-half hours,hemayhaveunderpricedthe damage.

In China,amantriedtosueactress Zhao\'qeibecause berintensescareatthe cameraduringaparticularTVshowcaused him"spirirualdamage".I canseehowd1e atcractiveMsZhaocouldcauseanymale

viewer cohavesignificantnon-spiritual thoughts.The courtsevenmalJydeclined cobear thecase,althoughif theyhadany brainstheywouldhavetakenaweekoffto inspectMsZhao'svideosaspart ofd1eir "duediligence"process.

Still,Icanseewhy courtsinAsiarefuse copaycompensation co viewers aggrieved byshockinglybadtelevision.TVcompanies wouldbasically be payingcash toevery viewereverydayforeveryshow. And however much d1eypaid,itwouldn'tbe enough.

Yetdespitetl1erashofemotional distress

lawsuits,let'sremember thatmanyclaims fail.Acolleague forwardedmeareport aboutawomanwhofoundherimagewas usedwid1outpermissioninaChipode restaurantpromotionandaskedfor$2 billion.Thecourtsrecentlyruledagainst her,butIthinkitwasword1crying,justin case the judgehadhadanice lunch and gave hera token$100millioncosaysorry forthe thumbsdown.

Meanwhile, ifany judgesarereading this,bowmuchcanIget fortheemotional distress ofhaving asarcasticcomment misunderstood?:tvfillions,right?