YOURSAY

Ripvimla Luthra

Indian Link was overwhelmed with expressions of support following the passing of MRS VIMLA LUTHRA JI. The tribute by her grandchildren was also very well received. Here is a selection of your memories and thoughts.

AnjallPassey 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.

Poonam Luthra wrote: Beautiful tribute. Her blessings are always with all of you.

Raghu Kamath 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 first 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 missedVimlaji.

ShlvdevKier wrote: Most respectedVimlaji -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 bearthis loss.

Jaswlnder Dhlllon wrote: VimlaJi 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.

Shally Relan 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 madhur thi our respect and alvida to you

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

Ruchlka Mangla wrote: RIP Vimla ji. You will be terribly missed inthe 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 emotionalto hear her narrate her own poems. A greattribute to a great personality. Kudos to you all.

Jlfconversations

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

Krlshwrote: Interesting read! I wonderif HarryPotter is considered "women's writing" by anyone. Or The Hunger Games for that matter. There's no doubt that eachgender can contribute a different perspective to the same story, but in a transgendered, transnational world, do perspectives stillneed to be from what's experienced andnot just felt?

ASKAUNTYJI:WEIRDCELEBRITYBABYNAMES

Auntyji gave her thoughts on Kareena and Saltcalling their baby boy

Taimur

Krlsh Na wrote: My wonderful friend Taimur from Russia, originally of the Caucasus, approves your advice, Auntyji!

ChandraKlshore wrote: Who cares what they calltheir child!

WHAT A RACIST ATTACKINMOSCOW TAUGHT ME

Society's hidden racism that comes out when it's dark, is a realfear, but we can't allow fear to control us, wrote KRISHNA NEELAMRAJU

Ken Dorge wrote: A beautiful story from a beautifulhuman being

Saltoftheearth

DHANYA SAMUEL wrote about the holistic approach to farming at Avani boutique winery

Australia In lndla shared Indian Link's article: One of the best places to enjoy a glass of Avani wine in Victoria is at Tulsi restaurant, owned by Shashi Singh and her husband Devendra. Originally from Haryana, they both moved to Australia in 1983 and today own the 15-acreAvani boutique winery in Red Hill South, Victoria.

Alan Davidsonwrote:After reading the excellent story of Shashi and Devendra Singh from AvaniWinery, on the Mornington Peninsula, I wrote to them asking if they would do a story for my newlocal onlinepublication The Peninsula Star. Your story, just published, is terrific and I wondered if there would be a chance that I could reproduce it with credits?

It could make a cover story with the right illustration.

Letter To Theeditor

To Indian Link,

My name is Li Max Joy from Hobart. I was assaulted andracially abused by 4 boys and a girl here in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

I am seeking help from associations registered under the Ministry of Indian Affairs. I am trying to contact the Minister for Foreign Affairs Sushma Swaraj to help me. I am attaching the details and forwarding the complaint given to Tasmanian police this morning.

ToTasmanian police, report number: 557854.

RespectedSir, I am an Australian Citizen of Indian descent holding an OCI card. I am a part time taxi driver in Hobart. Driving my taxi, between 4.30am and 5am on 25th March, 2017, three boys assaulted me in the McDonald's premises in Argyle Street, Hobart.

I went to the toiletof the McDonald's and was goingback to my taxi vehicle to continue my shift. I saw four boys and a girl inside the Mc Donald's arguing with the staff.I did not order any food as they were harassing the staff. I heard the staff telling them they would be calling cops if they did not leave.

When they were coming out of the store they saw me. A boy wearing a black t-shirt called out, "Why you looking at us, you black Indian****."I said, "Sorry, I am not looking at you mate."

All of a sudden, with no provocation, a boy wearing a white t-shirt and the boy wearing a hat punchedmecontinuously in the face. I tried to block them and tried to get in the store. They continuously hit me while wearing metal rings on their fingers. My face started bleeding from the right upper eye area and my jaw was hit continuously by them.

I took their photos before they left McDonald's. While I was taking a photo they again came at me and hit me again and again. I called the police for help as soon as possible and police officers attended.

I am attaching photos of my condition on attending the emergency department at Royal Hobart Hospital. A police officer asked me if I will stand against the men who assaulted me. I said I will stand till my last breath to make sure they will be punished under Australian law.

I hope theTasmanian police willhelp me and make sure these men are charged under the law. I am ready to come to court if necessary. Kindly do the needful to investigate the case.

Yours faithfully,

LI MaxJoy

Indians Must Stopfunding Poorgovernance

Indian citizens have to wake up to the fact that they funding the lifestyles of their politicians while themselves being made to lie in eternal wait for "achhe din" wrote SANAM SHARMA

ChandraKlshore wrote: The young peopleshouldspeak out and be part of the required change

Rising Star Ankitasachdev

Former Indian Link Radio idol and now ColorsTV Rising Star Ankita Sachdev spoke with Indian Link Radio's own KASHIFHARRISON

SrinivasanNswrote: Best wishes. Keep risingwithyoursweet voice and talent!

SUNNYSIDEUP!

In an Australian exclusive, RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA spoke with little Lion star Sunny Pawar

AnnSharonvanBeemen-Prasad wrote: He is cute, isn't he?

Maryanne Fonceca wrote: This fills my heart with sooo much joy!

David Hersant wrote: He loves Australia, he'd probably stand for the anthem

PROUDTO BEVICTORIAN

PREETI JABBAL reported on the new government campaign on multiculturalism in Victoria featuring Indian-Australian Satbir Singh

Kah/on

RobinScott MP wrote: Great write-up by Indian Link's PreeHJabbal on our #vicproud campaign, profiling the inspiring Satbir.

JasvlnderSidhu wrote: Well done PreetiJabbal andIndian Link

HarlnderSidhu @AusHClndia tweeted: Indian-Australian Satbir Singh

Kahlon is a great example of #multicultural Australia @VicGovAu campaign

Wowing Us Withtheirwork

Not-for-profit Women Of Wyndham continues to support theMelbourne community. This time with their inauguralmulticultural evening.PREETI DAGA reported RakeshRalzada wrote:Thank you Indian Link for the coverage and support

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BY CARL BUHARIWALA

Srudents of Hindifrom theVCE Classof 2016 reconvenedin March foraspecialoccasion. ThelocalHinditiket.'ln organisationhadorganisedthe event torecognisetheireffortsinstudying their mothertongue.

Theeventalsomarkedtheappreciation of Hindi,oneof thefastestgrowing languagesinAustralia.Members of allages tooktothestagetoperformHindi songs, poetry,skitsanddance .routines.Theevent showcased traditionalandcontemporary performancesanditwasremarkabletosee the youngergenerationsspeakingHindi withahighdegreeof proficiency.

The HindiNiketan hasbeenorganising theeventforthepast22years.

DrRahuJGupta, Pres.ident,commented, "Itisgreattoseemanystudentslmdertake VCE Hindi.Theyareallcontributingto thepromotionof thisgreatlanguagetothe widerVictoriancommunityforfutureYear 11and12students."

Thegraduatesreceiveda trophyand certificateof recognitionfor theirefforts. Thosewhorankedfirst,secondandthird, accordingtotheirsrudyscore(outof 50), receivedamonetaryprizetoo.

Forthosewhomightnotknowtbe hi.storyabout theVCE Hindi subject,Hindi becameanaccreditedVCEstudyin 1993. TheVictorian Cmriculum andAssessment Authority(YCA.A),thedepartment responsibleforVCEtesting,assessments andexamination,workedinconsultation withlanguageexpertsandcommunity leaders,includingDr DineshSrivastavaof lndia11LinkcontactedtheVCAA,to obtain current factsaboutthe Hindisubject. TheVCAAadvisedthattheoverallnumber of VCE smdentsundertakingHindihas remainedrelativelystableover thepastfive years.Si.nee2012,enrolmentshaveaveraged between34and41. Cornplecionrates havealsoremained steadywithstudents successfullycomplecingthesubjectBased ondataforthepreferredlanguagestudied, Hindiiscurrentlyranked21outof the 46 languages offered. Chinese,Frenchand Japaneserank1st,2ndand3rdrespeccively.

Hindi iketan,to haveHindiaddedasa VCE languagestudy.

TheVCAA develops,monicors andreviewsVCE languagestudies toensurethatthe needsof Victoria's culturally and li.nguiscicallydiverse communitiesare supported.Monash CouncilMayor RebeccaPatterson noted,"Thereare approximately 147 languagesspoken athomeswithinthe J\fonashjurisdiction. Encouraging theyounger generationstolearn a languageensuresthattheyretainthis vitalunderstandingforfurnreyearsand generacions."

AllstudentsthathadundertakentheVCE HindisubjectattendedcentresrunbyThe Victorian SchoolofLanguages(VSL).VSL provideslanguageprograms forsmdents inYears1to12who donothave access tothe smdyof thoselanguagesintheir mainstreamschool.

Representing theVSLPrincipalDrFrank Merlino,DrRoigerNord (SeniorManager for theSouth-Eastregion)encouragedpast studentstopromotetheHindisubjectto futurestudentsand recognised theopening of thenewPointCookcentreearlier this year.

TheVCEHinditeacherswere commendedfor theirdedicacionco enrichingthestudentexperienceand providinggualitylearningsupporttothe students.Parents were also praisedfor transportingtheirchildrento classesevery Saturdaymorningandencouragingchemto persevere.

Whilsta majority of thestudentswho completedVCE Hindiwereof Indianorigin, itwouldberewardingcoseetl1enon-Indian studentsundertakethissubject.Teachers of Hindi,andfamilieswhospeak Hindi, needtopromotethelanguagecotherestof Victoria.L1d.iaisaboomingeconomyand thepreferenceforthislanguageshouldbeas highasFrenchandChinese.

,, Hindi became an accredited VCE study in 1993 after consultation with language experts and community leaders, including Dr Dinesh Srivastava of Hindi Niketan ,,

Morescl1oolsshouldbeencouraged to teachHindi;alanguagethatranksinthe topfivemost cominonlyspokenlanguages intheworld.Withitsclose relationshipto Sanskrit,Hindiisafundamentallyimportant language withuniquehistoricroots.

Leaningalanguageis importantand everystudentshouldbeencomagedtolearn alanguageocherthanEnglish. Knowing aforeignlanguagewillassistyouathome, withfriends,inthe workplace and whenyou are socialising/networking.Itshowsrespect, a willingnesstoassociatewithothersin differentplacesof theworldandaneffort tomakecommunicationeasier.

Indian priest returns to his parish afterracially-motivated

IndianLink.