2017-06 Sydney (1)

INDIAN LINK

PUBLISHER

Pawan luthra

EDITOR

rajni Anand luthra

MELBOURNE COORDINATOR

Preeti Jabbal

CONTRIBUTORS

raka Sarkhel, tia Singh, Vidushi trivedi, Frankey Gerard Fernandes, royston rebello, Sachin Wakhare, nanditha Suresh, Meenakshi Seetharaman, Saroni roy, Preeti Jabbal, dhanya Samuel, Aparna Ananthuni, Vandana

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As US backs away, India on the forefront to fight climate change

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

As the United States President Donald Trump announced his decision to abandon the Paris Climate change agreement, joining only Nicaragua and Syria in this process, India has ramped up its efforts to be a global leader in renewable energy.

The Paris Accord is signed by 195 countries of the world with a plan to limit global warming to 2°C above preindustrial levels, in addition to shifting the world towards sustainable growth and practices.

India is cancelling plans for establishing coal plants and also committing to lower its consumption of fossil fuel by 60% by 2030.

Instead, spurred by sharply falling prices for solar energy (2.4 rupees per kilowatt hour as compared to 6.5 rupees per kilowatt hour for natural

gas), India is aiming for a target of 40% renewable energy by 2030. While this may seem an ambitious target for a country plagued with rolling blackouts and where over 300 million people still do not have power, what is credible is the commitment which is being shown to fight climate change.

While India ranks behind China and the United States as the third largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world, in per capita terms, it is the 128th most polluting country in the world.

There seems to be a change in this approach at the very top of the Indian leadership. PM Modi had said on record around the time the Paris accord was signed in 2015, that there needs to be a greater responsibility by the developed nations in fighting climate change.

But at a news conference recently, Modi stated that India will continue working above and beyond the Paris accord. He has called the Paris agreement the “common heritage” of the world.

There also will be a jostling for leadership on this topic as the United States leaves the table. Both India and China will like to take the moral high

ground on this and be involved in leading the policy change discussions. The youth of today are more zealous on climate change; any country seeking to limit greenhouse emissions and working towards curbing the negative impact of climate change will capture their imagination. There are also economic benefits as the Paris signatories work on production of renewable energy options and open the markets to trade their clean energy technology.

Stories of start-ups in India wanting to battle climate change have started to emerge. Companies which have developed waste technology platforms allowing for on-field sensors like biometric attendance devices, bin sensors etc. are emerging; solar and wind energy companies are ramping up their offerings. While they do have a long way to go to make a strong impact, they are slowly and surely firing the imagination of middle class and younger Indians. All the more power to the politicians who are encouraging this.

Kudos to the lead shown in this by New Delhi and Beijing, brickbats to Washington on their turn-around in this area.

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FACT: 82% of US Women Who Make Over $130,000 Per Annum, Did it Through a Home Based Business Couples can exceed $250,000 p.a.

You can live the life of your dreams – have enough money so you don’t have to worry about money again, spend quality time with loved ones, experience improved health, and earn the respect of family, friends and the community. To do so, requires that you reject what's "supposed" to be... in purs uit of what could be.

This is a call to all enterprising individuals, aged 20 and above, to discover a simple , proven way to earn enviable income through a business concept that rewards you exponentially for the efforts put in Experts refer to it as “the best kept secret of the business world” – one that you can start part-time (while keeping your present occupation) and grow it to a multiple 6-figure income stream that will continue to flow for the rest of your life and beyond!

If you are sceptical, that’s OK (I was, too), but don’t let that deter you from checking out this life-changing business concept because there is no cost or obligation whatsoever to obtain full information. Rest assured it is definitely not some ‘get-richquick’ scheme that promises overnight success without effort.

Other ethnic groups have embraced this concept and many have made millions, but our Indian community have not caught the vision of this offer yet. Let’s change that.

However, we can only work with 10 people at the present time. So, if you are keen to learn about our amazing opportunity, act NOW. Email info@vansco.com.au or ring 0423 389 673 for information. Recognise that if you don’t have, it’s because you don’t act. And if you don’t act, you won’t have. Rich people are decisive. Call NOW

YOUR SAY

16,000 kms in A crAppy cAr

A team from Australia (calling themselves Honk Honk Old Monk) is set to take part in this year’s Mongol Rally. They will drive in a £11.50 car, purchased at a London scrapyard, all the way from the UK to Mongolia. Elliot Skyewalker wrote: Honk Honk! Good luck, gentlemen. What an amazing journey it will be. Full of adventure! Best wishes and be careful out there

Khera Rinku wrote: Enjoy Jagdish Satnam Singh Kaur wrote: Good best of luck

chronicling the World’s most fAmous journAlist

In Tintin, Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, who wrote under the pen name Hergé, drew from his own life experiences, wrote VIKAS DATTA AMaughan‏ @AMaughan3 retweeted Indian Link and wrote: So did Jo, Zette and Jocko

Alistair McIntosh wrote: Unfortunately Herge was a Fascist and a Racist.

pArt AboriginAl, pArt kAshmiri

For Reconciliation Week, we ran this from our archives: MAMATA SALAKAPURAPU on how Aboriginal art takes on new forms with some Kashmiri influence

Krish Na‏ @IndigoKKing tweeted: Great read!

WhAt’s your fAV milk fun fAct for World milk

dAy

Sivee Bhatia wrote: Hot milk with powdered almonds is yum; hot milk with turmeric is so relaxing; hot milk with cocoa is delicious…list is endless

crAfting silence out of Words

RAKA SARKHEL on Indian-Australian Michelle Cahill’s Letter to Pessoa which won the NSW Premier’s Literary Award for New Writing Michelle Cahill‏ @theherringlass tweeted: Wonderful review of Letter to Pessoa by Raka Sarkhel in @indian_link @GiramondoBooks

poWerful indiAn Women shAttering notions

SAKET SUMAN reviewed Ira Mukhoty’s Heroines – Powerful Indian Women of Myth and History

Dr Shailendra Singh‏ @ShailendraBSing tweeted: There should be some good insights/lessons in here

long ride on my motorbike

A young couple take a motorbike ride from their home in Oz to their home in India, wrote FRANKEY GERARD FERNANDES

Another Traveller wrote: Well done brave couple!

understAnding of Vir dAs

s

Indian comic powerhouse Vir Das spoke with VIRAT NEHRU about the changing perception of comedy in India

Virat Nehru tweeted: Had a ball talking all things comedy with @thevirdas as he gets ready to bring his brand of humour to Australia for the first time Girish‏ @bookwormengr tweeted: Very proud of you, dude!

Vir Das @thevirdas tweeted: Here’s a wonderful review, not of Netflix, but the new show I’m touring with Holier than thou?

WAlking Across the World

KIRA SPUCYS-TAHAR spoke with Arjun Bhogal, who took five years to walk from Cardiff in Wales to Cardiff in NSW

B wrote: I met you on that orange line. That’s crazy!

Tom Warland wrote: Nice article mate

Jasmine Kemkar wrote: Truly inspiring. Congrats and keep up the good work

AMaughan‏ @AMaughan3 retweeted Indian Link and wrote: Crazy but awesome!!

Rajni Luthra: Wow Arjun Bhogal, my salaams to you. I can see a book coming out of your amazing walk! Some wonderful stories there - the Russian character (truth is stranger than fiction, right?), the beauty of northeast India and its people, and um, dealing with the parents...

smArt And sAVVy, or shy And nerdy?

PREETI JABBAL caught up with Kirsha Rebecchi (aka Vani Dhir) from the new family on Ramsay Street

Ritu Singh wrote: Awesome coverage with such a beautiful pic. Congratulations to Vani and proud parents Jessica n Mohit!!

Ruchi Singh wrote: Well done Vani so proud of you!!

Rajni Luthra wrote: Hope to see much more of you on our screens, Vani - all the very best.

embrAcing cre AtiVity

One of the primary roles of the educator must be to foster creativity in the classroom, wrote MOHAN DHALL

Dhanya Samuel wrote: An extremely useful read for both parents and educators

of loot, mAssAcres And exploitAtion: the legAcy of the rAj

SAKET SUMAN reviewed Shashi Tharoor’s new book, An Era of Darkness, based on his celebrated speech at an Oxford Union debate that went viral on the internet

Virat Nehru wrote: It’s a wonderfully written and persuasively argued book. Much needed in the current era where the horrors of colonialism seem to be washed over and watered down with the brush of a benevolent, but misguided enterprise

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Irish PM-elect Indian links

QUAID NAJMI meets Leo Ashok Varadkar’s extended family in Mumbai

shortly before midnight on 2 June, residents of an otherwise quiet home in the middle-class locality of Abhinav Nagar in Borivali east Mumbai, suddenly erupted into frenzied celebrations involving lusty cheers and shouts of joy.

The Varadkar family were over the moon as barely minutes ago, their relative Leo Ashok Varadkar, 38, was elected Taoiseach or head of the ruling Fine Gael Party in Ireland to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Enda Kenny, thus making the medicoturned-politician the next PM-designate.

Ireland, the island nation in the North Atlantic near Great Britain, has a population of around 4.6 million, or hardly one fourth of Mumbai’s (17 million).

For Leo Ashok Varadkar’s cousin and cancer survivor Shubhada Varadkar, his success had fulfilled the wish she made on her visit to Ireland last year.

“In July 2016, Leo took time out to take me around Dublin, the Irish Parliament, his alma mater Trinity College and even the Prime Minister’s Residence. I saw it and blurted: Dada, I hope to see you in there, someday. He smiled as we walked away. After exactly a year I feel so thrilled that my dream has come true,” an excited Shubhada told IANS.

However, the family, including another cousin, Shekhar M. Varadkar, a retired Air India official, and his sister Shubhada, are a tad disappointed they have not been able to connect directly with Leo and convey their love, felicitations and best wishes for his achievement.

“It’s a great thing -- beginning of a new era in the world. Ireland has elected him without any consideration of caste, religion, and ethnic background. Merit is the only criterion,” an overwhelmed Shekhar told IANS.

He spoke amidst ongoing celebrations

Leo took me around Dublin, the Irish Parliament, his alma mater Trinity College and even the Prime Minister’s Residence. I saw it and blurted, ‘Dada, I hope to see you in there, someday’. He smiled as we walked away. After exactly a year I feel so thrilled that my dream has come true

Shubhada Varadkar

at the family home in Borivali, which Leo had last visited in 2011, hectic media interviews and palpable excitement in the suburban area that borders the lush green Sanjay Gandhi National Park in north-west Mumbai.

Born on January 18, 1979 in Dublin, Leo Varadkar’s Mumbai-born father was a medico who went to England in 1970 and married a nurse, Miriam, to settle in Ireland.

Leo visited Mumbai several times as a child, as a medico intern at the KEM Hospital in Parel, and later as a Sports Minister of Ireland in 2011.

“He was a voracious reader and continues to be even now; he was interested in the mysteries of space and astronomy. We always felt he was a visionary, far ahead of his times and he has proved us right,” said Shekhar.

The young Dubliner joined Irish politics

at 22, and became an MP five years later. Now, he has created history by becoming the youngest Taoiseach of the country at 38. Shubhada and Shekhar have fond memories of Leo’s trips to India “when he made it a point to visit each of our 10 family homes in Mumbai” and meet all the relatives in the huge joint family.

In fact, besides the celebrations in Borivali, a celebratory procession involving music, beating of drums and dancing was taken out in their ancestral Varad village in Sindhudurg district in coastal Konkan, around 500 km south of Mumbai near the Goa border, by the entire Varadkar clan.

“Leo is a very homely, family-loving and traditional person, enjoys homecooked food and Maharashtrian cuisine in the typical Malvan style. He likes Malvani prawns, fried fish, amboli (a rice-

dosa preparation) and gulab jamun,” said Shubhada.

Leo’s visits to India see much celebration, feasting and merrymaking by the Varadkars in Mumbai, mostly at the Borivali home. But, now that Leo will become the Prime Minister of Ireland, the family is not so sure whether he will be able to make it to their home, owing to security and protocol considerations, but they look forward to a visit by him.

Coming out openly as gay on his 36th birthday in 2015, Leo’s extended joint family in India comprises four uncles and five aunts, including two -- Manohar Varadkar, 93, and Madhukar Varadkar who are freedom fighters, and Avinash, 79, a former Indian Railway employee, and a host of cousins and their children. IANS

Selfie Queen of a different kind

BY KIRA SPUCYS-TAHAR

for someone who claims she has never taken a selfie in her life, Roanna Gonsalves has been talking an awful lot about them lately.

“The selfie is a wonderful tool of empowerment,” she says - almost reverentially - especially as an instrument in the hands of people who are just beginning to gain some control over their own narratives.

“I completely understand people who are selfie-obsessed. They haven’t had access to mechanisms of self-expression before…!”

So let’s give them a break, allow them to get their hands dirty with it, and see what they come up with.

Roanna’s particular type of selfie though, and one that is her latest claim to fame, is the literary type. The ‘literary selfie’ as a concept has become closely associated with her work ever since her first book The Permanent Resident came out last year. It is a collection of short stories from the Indian Australian community, describing the experiences of old settlers, new arrivals, impoverished students, young couples out of their social support systems, domestic violence perpetrators and victims, and much more. It provides a snapshot of the Indian migrant life in Australia, a ‘selfie’ of our community, albeit through fiction.

Such literary selfies “help to turn the gaze back at our own selves” as a way of challenging the “blinkered view of reality” in contemporary Australian literature where we don’t see stories of people like us.

They also invite engagement just like a real selfie that is liked, commented upon, shared, and retweeted.

Roanna says, “It’s like saying, this is me, showing you me. See me showing you me!”

It’s gone on to become a passion, selfrepresentation in literature and the arts.

“It’s time to take control of our own story, whether as women, or migrants, or the disabled, or the transgender. Not that you can’t tell others’ stories, I’m fine with that, but we need to create pathways for them to tell their own stories. It’s time to champion the stories that people tell of themselves.”

the Permanent Resident has met with overwhelming success, bringing Roanna permanent residency in the contemporary literature scene.

“I didn’t expect the response I got,” Roanna admits. “Of course every writer likes to dream that their work will change the world, but this particular book was very very niche – it’s written by an Indian woman, about a very niche culture, that of

the Mumbai-Goan Catholic community. But I’m humbled by the response, because the issues discussed really transcend cultural background.”

The stories offer a medium for the writer to comment not only on the migration experience, but also on race relations, hierarchies in society, gender politics,

abuse of power and other issues that are not necessarily restricted to the migration experience.

“Writing it was a pure joy,” says Roanna. “I wanted to bring to attention the experience of Indians as the coalface of the city, driving the cabs and working the graveyard shifts at petrol stations,

the ‘modern outsiders’, people we don’t see often enough in Australian literature. International students, for instance. I have tried to draw attention to the work and the labour that first generation migrants provide that the country relies on but does not acknowledge. International students fund our universities, you know!”

Writer and academic Roanna Gonsalves is a leading Indian link at the Sydney Writers’ Festival 2017

At the recently-concluded Sydney Writers’ Festival, she herself was described as having come to Australia as an international student.

There have been festival invites galore, and she will be globe-trotting in the coming months. But the Sydney Writers’ Festival will probably remain a special memory.

“It was a fabulous festival – very inclusive and culturally diverse in terms of both presenters and audience,” she recounts. “My author talk went off well I thought, with many requests for the transcript. At the panel discussions as well, the audience were generous and interesting and highly attuned, which was nice.”

On one of the panels, Writing Race, Roanna spoke with other people of colour including Booker Prize-winning American writer Paul Beatty, before that other event with interviewer Michael Cathcart. (In an interview much talked about for its awkward exchanges, Cathcart asked Beatty

if he has ‘learned’ to be black).

Roanna laughs, “Well, our discussion was about race as an assumed thing, not a reinvention! Paul was a bit reserved, yes, but he warmed up.”

But it was the day-long writing workshop, a sell-out, that Roanna is most happy about. It is the workshops that Roanna loves most in her working life as well. She currently teaches Creative Writing and Media Studies at UNSW and Postcolonial Literatures at Western Sydney University.

roanna’s skilful and playful way with words has come in for much praise from reviewers of the book.

“I’m a writer more than anything else,” she laughs. “Yes I do love to play with words and do interesting things with them… like a bit of a play in the sandbox – but with purpose. But I write because it gives me much joy. I can do it better than anything else, and I want to contribute to

the literary culture here and change the way we imagine Australia.”

Why, according to her, is fiction important?

“It allows us, more than any other method, to get into the heads of people different from us – and hear their story. It’s an invitation to empathy.”

Talking of empathy, a solidarity of sorts can be seen in Roanna’s works, with Australia’s Indigenous people (‘a-BORiginal’, as many of her characters in her stories call them).

“Thanks for picking that up,” she says. “I had no clue when I came here about Indigenous history. The more I read, the more shocked I become. It was Paul Keating that said, ‘If you own a piece of land, you can bet it was Aboriginal land’. This may be a first world country, but it became first world through genocide and dispossession. I’m very very conscious that we are here as beneficiaries of the traumas Indigenous people have faced. Yet they are

warm and welcoming, never telling us to go back where we came from. I’d like to make amends in some way.”

Roanna is one of a growing number of people in the Indian-Australian community who have begun to show such appreciation. With our own history as formerly colonised people, we have certain things in common with the First Australians. The story-telling tradition itself is one such. Could this, combined with our propensity for languages - given that we are commonly bilingual, if not multilingual - account for the great rise in modern times of South-Asian writers at the world stage?

“You could be right there,” notes Roanna. “Language swirls around us, and that helps. It also helps us to see the world in different ways. We’ve taken the language of our colonisers and made it our own - like an elastic band stretched in beautiful new ways.” She might as well be referring to her own work with that statement.

‘Third world looking people’ talk race at Sydney Writers’ Festival

it took a widely criticised interview with ABC presenter Michael Cathcart to provoke novelist Paul Beatty to talk about race, and put his own Man Booker Prize-winning novel The Sellout in context. It is a pity that this happened just a day after the ‘Writing Race’ event where Beatty appeared reticent for most part about the topic, allowing the articulate Anuk Arudpragasam and the contemplative Ellen Van Neerven to take the centre stage.

In a well-attended event at the Roslyn Packer Theatre at the Sydney Writers’ Festival on 26 May, Indian-Australian writer and moderator Roanna Gonsalves attempted to stir the pot on writing about race from a group of non-white authors she described as ‘third world looking people’. None of them took the opportunity to open new doors on writing race though, with Beatty even questioning the need to write race. “Should you write race?” he

asked, quoting an example of an Asianorigin student who has no Asian characters or perspectives in her writing.

Arudpragasam was the most vocal about writing race, lamenting the lack of efforts to preserve literary works in his native tongue Tamil. Neerven admitted that as an indigenous writer she can get pigeonholed and is often offered writing and review work only within the indigenous writing space. All of them agreed that as

people of different ethnicities, they often present perspectives which are at cultural intersections with their readers.

“All aboriginal writing is relational,” said Ellen.

Anuk’s own work about a Tamil refugee in the Sri Lankan civil war fits the description. While the discussions were interesting, the event failed in stimulating the debated to the extent it intended to.

Krishna Neelamraju

Photo: Prudence Upton

Durga-Chew Bose’s fragmented identity and contradictions are the main protagonists in her writing

BY R AKA SARKHEL L AHA

he was named after Durga, the sister in Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali. At Starbucks, she often avoids giving out her name, which has been contorted to Durva, Jerga, even Derika, and likes to keep it to “Just D”. The weight of her name and identity is carried in a gold ring embossed with a D, passed down to her through a lineage of her women, her mother, grandmother, great grandmother – Dolores, Dulcie and Daisy - on whose shoulders she lives and decodes herself a little every day. A first-generation kid born in Canada to an Anglo-Indian mother and a Bengali father, Bose muses in her essay ‘D As In’ that “First-generation kids are the personification of deja-vu. It’s as if you have inherited not just your family’s knotted DNA but also the DNA acquired from their move to a new land, from veritable mileage, from the energy it took your parents to reestablish their lives.”

Writing in first person often eschews her. She is conscious that her “I” may not be able to express and contain all the fragments and contradictions in herself and the other selves of her that are yet undiscovered.

In her collection of essays, Too Much and Not The Mood (a phrase borrowed from Virginia Woolf from A Writer’s Diary describing how tired she was of editing her writing to please readers), even Bose is conscious of this constant, mindless selfdeletion. Her essays, however, trace this selfdeletion and document her subconscious, in turn, preserving her fragmented identities. Her first inclination is to let ideas sit and then slowly outpace her. Talking to author Australian Maria Tumarkin at the Sydney Writers’ Festival this year, she says, “Writing is unconscious for me; it gives you a moment to pause and meditate. The process though is very chaotic.”

She claims to be a fiction writer writing non-fiction. And rightly so, for her sentences are long and lyrical, like her thoughts full of memories of lives lived by her parents and her 29-year-old heart that beats tirelessly as she curates her “heart museum” in one of her essays bearing the same title.

Her essays linger on like poetry. Her

images of her parents sitting at their kitchen island and her longing for that comfort zone, and yet the need for her to live alone, are witness to the identities of which she is trying to make sense.

Of the act and choice of living alone, she remarks that it makes her find interest in her own story where she repeats the same actions every day, rearranging them as and when she likes. She is fickle, difficult, thoughtful and often revels in her invisibility. Invisibility makes her invincible inside.

Appearing in two sessions Difficult Women and Advice from Nasty Women to talk about women and feminism, her women are the

kind who derive power from remaining in the background, from their smallness and the choice of invisibility. They are not afraid of changing their minds and they do that often. They enjoy emotional elasticity, levity of the mind.

Discovering her selves s

She opens the essay titled “The Girl” with “the girl you want does not exist”. Because this girl is her own finding and lives in her little amusements, sensitivity and comfort zones. She only accepts hugs from furniture and throw cushions. She rests her face against cold marble surfaces. She moves at the pace of someone gathering dirty laundry, inspecting smells and stains or tears. “She is not the one for accomplishing anything fast. You yearn for her vulnerability, which you believe comes complimentary, like peanuts on a flight. In a restaurant with wall-length bistro-antiqued mirrors, even when she’s looking at you, she’s looking just beyond you – at her reflection.”

Her essays are restless yet meditative, and an incredible check on all the mindless self-deletion and appropriation we engage in every day in order to fit in. “Be difficult, stay difficult and do not apologise for it” is what I take for me from her musings, besides the acute need for listening and mastering the act of it.

Her women are the kind who… are not afraid of changing their minds and they do that often

‘‘ ‘‘

Breaking barriers, one poem at a time

Kaur was articulate and spoke confidently, warmly and openly answering questions posed by host Sara Mansour, and reading to the audience from her bestselling book. Towards the end of the “In-Conversation” session, Kaur laughingly told her fans that “this is the most I’ve shared in an interview!”

in a sold-out session, new age poet Rupi Kaur sat down in front of an audience of over 200 as part of the Sydney Writers’ Festival, to talk about her work and her journey. Kaur is a CanadianIndian poet, spoken-word artist and visual artist, whose collection of poetry Milk and Honey has sold over 1.4 million copies worldwide.

Half expecting to see a room full of young Indian women, it was refreshing and inspiring to see the auditorium brimming with young women - and men - of all cultures, clutching their copies of Milk and Honey. It is a testament to her role in inspiring the younger generation to fall back in love with poetry.

An acclaimed poet, 24-year-old Kaur initially appealed to Generation Y as an ‘Insta-poet.’ She took to social media platform Instagram to post her photography and her poetry about issues that she felt passionately about – a step that has now amassed to a 1.3 million strong following.

Writing about women’s experience, Kaur taps into what may be considered ‘taboo’ subjects such as menstruation, abuse, and sex, as well as love, loss and survival.

our backs tell stories no books have the spine to carry

“I wanted to give a voice to women’s experience, not just my own, but my lineage,

and women in general,” she said. “I wanted to give a voice to trauma.”

She went on, “Writing is deeply cathartic. Studies have shown it has the ability to heal physical wounds, so imagine how powerful it is for mental or emotional trauma.”

Kaur said that growing up, she was a “fly on the wall,” and posting to social media was a “way of expressing [herself] almost silently.” She claims she accidentally fell in to writing, after reading the works of poets like Khalil Gibran. “I felt seen for the first time, and this was through other people’s words,” she said. It is apparent that the same sensitivity in her own poetry has

enabled it to resonate with so many people. Having been told that there was no space for her and her writing in the Canadian literary sphere, Kaur decided to selfpublishing in 2014.

“I never paid any mind to those who said I did not fit the mould. I didn’t do it in the traditional way… I didn’t smash the gate, I just created a whole different gate,” she told her smitten fans.

Milk and Honey was later rereleased by Andrews McMeel Publishing, and it became a New York Times bestseller.

Kaur moved to Canada with her family at age 5. Unable to speak English at the time, she began to paint. An ode to her humble beginnings, all the illustrations in Milk and Honey are Kaur’s own.

Kaur is currently editing her second book and touring the world, speaking about her journey and meeting fans She credits her success to her dedication to the art, and the unaffectedness in her work.

“I wasn’t born a great poet,” she said. “It took discipline and hard work.”

‘My heart aches for sisters…’ so Rupi Kaur writes for their pain

BY T IA S INGH

I didn’t do it in the traditional way… I didn’t smash the gate, I just created a whole different gate

‘‘ ‘‘

Photos: Prudence Upton

Making sense of peoplenasty

What Roald Dahl’s baddies teach us about life

BY VIDUSHI TRIVEDI

We all have been in situations where someone has been nasty to us. We all have different ways to deal with mean people, but have you ever sat in a room full of people to discuss the matter? I recently got an opportunity to be a part of the ABC’s Short and Curly radio podcast at the Sydney Writers Festival. This episode was about how to deal with mean, nasty, horrible people in life, with a little help from Roald Dahl.

Our hosts for the evening were Matt and Carl. We tried to find the worst character

from all of Roald Dahl’s books. Short and Curly called out two kids, Alex and Zoe who had won a quiz show about their knowledge of Roald Dahl’s books. Each of them read out a little bit of the The Twits and James and the Giant Peach to demonstrate the terrible type of characters in the books, however The Grand High Witch from The Witches and Mrs Trunchbull from Matilda were in high rating as well.

Special guest Maya, who was a rookie journalist last year for the ABC, thought that the Grand High Witch was the worst villain of Dahl’s books. She said, “I think that the Grand High Witch is the worst because she puts so may lives in danger and you can’t get any more evil than that.”

I personally think that Mrs Trunchbull is the worst of Dahl’s books, because worse than killing kids, is torturing them.

From what I learned, there are three definitions to a bad person. A bad person is someone who wants to hurt people; or someone who intends to do something bad, or someone who breaks the rules at home, at school or in society at large. What I understood from the conversation, is that actions shape character.

Matt also explained that if you’re a bad person, then you are not destined be bad always. “It’s never too late to turn around,” he said. Another thing that was explained was that it is hard for bad people to do

good things, especially when they’ve been brought up in a society where people are used to doing bad things (e.g. The BFG). However, it is not impossible.

Roald Dahl himself thought that bad characters are interesting because it’s all boring when you have no baddie. You usually wish that the bad guy was never in the book but if he wasn’t, and then there wouldn’t be much fun. I came to know this because we all watched a small video on what Roald Dahl thought of his books. To help us work out what Roald Dahl meant, Carl dressed up as a baddie. He wore a black cape, a pointy hat and walked all hunched over. His attitude was a bit rough and harsh, just like a baddie. As we watched Carl, the question was raised, can you judge someone by the way they look or sound? My answer was no. In mystery stories, you can’t really tell who the baddie is. Someone may act like the good guy but could actually be the bad guy. Another good example is in the movie The Hunchback - he looks ugly and like a villain but actually has a kind and loving heart.

Afterwards, Maya thought Carl was being a baddy because we all made Carl think he was a baddie by calling him one.

Maya concluded that just putting Carl in different clothes and treating him differently could change who he was. Matt and Maya hatched a plan. They would make a pie and splat it in Carl’s face. His clothes would get dirty and he would take them off. When the evil clothes went, so would the evil attitude. While Maya was getting ready, Matt did some thinking. He thought, “If I play this prank on Carl, will I become a bad person?” We all had to answer the question, should we show sympathy to evil people? My answer was yes. It won’t do any harm to forgive, but it could do harm if you don’t show sympathy. The baddies could become meaner to us. In the end Matt and Maya thought that punishing Carl was probably not the best thing to do… but Carl got pie in his face any way. It was hilarious!

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Go GOA!

Goan Overseas Association marks a milestone anniversary

their love for Goa and all things Goan were amply showcased, as members of the Goan Overseas Association (GOA) of NSW celebrated the association’s grand Ruby Anniversary recently.

Tracing GOA NSW’s foundation down under, President Tony Colaco took shared the fascinating journey of the association, much of which was not known to many.

Colaco recalled that in the ‘70s, after the Australian government abandoned the White Australia policy and had relaxed immigration rules, Alvito Coutinho threw a party for relatives and friends to mark his daughter’s birthday. The conversation got on to the limited social life in the big metropolis of Sydney. To connect with fellow Goans, they decided to organise a dance and see if it would bring the community together. To their surprise, they were inundated with bookings. The dance was a grand success and led to the formation of the GOA NSW in February 1977.

Acknowledging the contributions of the founding members, Colaco led the guests in saluting those stalwarts.

He also mentioned the men and women who, through the years, had shouldered the responsibility to serve the community with distinction, while also lauding his executive committee for their dedication to the Goan community.

What began as a simple dance that gave the GOA its first steps has, over the decades, led to a long and wide repertoire of events that includes Christmas and anniversary dances, Australia Day picnics, Karaoke and Fish Curry nites (KFC), annual sports day and golf tournaments.

Awards such as the ‘Goan of the Year’ and HSC awards were launched to showcase the contributions to the wider community and to honour excellence. To prepare the leaders of future, the GOA Toastmasters Club was formed to foster better communication and leadership skills.

The GOA NSW High Achiever 2016 HSC awards, sponsored by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, were won by Stephanie Noronha and Kelly-Ann D’Sylva.

Reflecting on her experiences, Lizanne Sequeira, who recently visited Goa through the “Know Goa Programme” organised by the Government of Goa, shared that Goa is not just the land of beaches or Xitt-Kodi, but is an experience and feeling that lingers on. President of the GOA Youth group Dr Clinton Colaco said he felt fortunate to lead his fellow youth in celebrating Goan culture. Through various events, Dr Colaco and his team have been steering the youth in continuing the legacy of the stalwarts before them. With Konkani language classes, they have ensured that Konkani continues to live on among the future generations.

Learning about fasting at Ramadan

AMIA hosts a multicultural Iftar event

celebrating Iftar is an important tenet in the Muslim faith. Iftar or Fatoor is the evening meal when people of the Muslim faith break their daily Ramadan fast at sunset. It is a time spent with loved ones, friends and members of one’s community.

The Australian Malayalee Islamic Association (AMIA) in NSW recently hosted a communal Ramadan Iftar program at the Auburn Centre for Community.

Attending were a many prominent invitees, among them MP for Granville Julia Finn; K. S. Verma from the Indian Consulate in Sydney, and Inspector Matthew Glasgow from the NSW Police Force.

From the community, Fr Thomas Kurunthanam, President of SydMal Babu Varghese, and President of the United Indian Association John Kennedy, graced the occasion.

The event aimed at appreciating the relevance of having a multicultural and multi-faith platform, for a closer understanding and dialogue in a mutually

respectful environment.

Mohammed Hashim, President of AMIA NSW addressed the gathering and urged all for a stronger multi-cultural and multi faith understanding.

“The everyday Iftar during the month of Ramadan is an opportunity for families to share food, share the experience of a successful day’s fast, which helps to increase the love and affection among families,” Hashim said. “When entire families involved in group prayers, it not only nourishes them bodily, but intellectually and spiritually as well.”

He urged all attendees to organise similar programs to foster better relationships and closer friendships across communal lines.

“I see this large gathering with participation from multifaith representatives and various members of the community as a bridge to understanding each other’s cultures,” he said.

He added that he hoped the event would go some distance in bringing about an appreciation of the traditions of fasting and fast-breaking.

While raising the toast, Tony Colaco celebrated the past, cherished the present and welcomed the future.

The dance floor was later thrown open and 400 guests swayed well into the night to the music of the band Moon Shine Drive playing their golden oldies, DJ Raj with modern hip hop music and Malcolm Britto with the golden oldies Portuguese/Goan songs.

Sipping on some great spirits and a delectable three-course meal, it was a night to cherish. A slide show displayed in the

background traced the journey of GOA NSW since its inception.

Among others present at the function were presidents from inter-state GOA associations: Tony Mendes (Club de Goa, Brisbane) and Gerard Lobo (GAA Melbourne), as well as presidents from the Anglo-Indian Association, Melroy Farquharson (NSW) and Joe Bailey (Canberra) and Max French, chairman ARAIA (Australian Rangers Anglo Indian Association).

Frankey Gerard Fernandes

AMIA’s primary objective as an association has been fostering a friendly, mutually supportive and learning environment for migrants and their families by holding on to Islamic teachings, values and principles. This underlying theme resonated at the Iftar event.

AMIA NSW is a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2011 by likeminded Muslim brethren from Kerala (a southern state of India) living in Sydney. It promotes socio-cultural activities such as regular get-togethers, in line with the primary objective of learning about Islam while fostering friendly relationships with members of the wider mainstream. Events such as AMIA’s Iftar help break down social barriers and promote understanding in the increasingly polarised

world of today.

During the holy month of Ramadan (the month of fasting), Muslims all around the globe observe “the fast” from dawn to dusk. This practice is one of the five pillars of Islam, intended to teach Muslims discipline, help them reconnect with their spirituality, and remember the less fortunate. It is a time devoted to purify the soul, refocus attention on the almighty, and practice self-sacrifice and patience.

Ramadan is much more than abstaining from eating and drinking. It is the month of prayers, charity, compassion and neighbourliness. It calls for selfexamination, increased religious devotion and to strengthen ties with family and friends.

Royston Rebello

Ambitious plans for Oz market

India’s largest bank hopes to capitalise on the evergrowing presence of the Indian migrant community

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

on a recent visit to Australia, State Bank of India’s Managing Director for Corporate Banking

B. Sriram said he was excited about the future potential for the bank in Australia.

“There are a lot of opportunities here for us; new avenues such as in agriculture and trade need to be examined,” he told Indian Link

“If I should revisit in 2022, five years from now, it will be good to see a larger connect with the local society, a much more vibrant local branch, and to have a $2 billion business in this country.”

The local office of the State Bank of India (SBI) under its CEO Pranay Kumar had organised an informal round table dinner with Mr Sriram and Chief General Manager for International Banking, Sujit Kumar Varma. In attendance were members of the Australia India Business council, local business and community leaders.

The round table discussion led by AIBC National Chair Sheba Nandkeolyar discussed options and opportunities for State Bank of India in Australia in the future.

“We had some interesting inputs from the community group today,” Mr Sriram told the dinner guests. “This is what we often do in our different overseas offices - we like to interact with the local community members

and seek their advice as how we can make State Bank more relevant to them and their country. After all, SBI is India’s largest bank. We have over 400 million customers, and we do millions of transactions per day. In fact, in the last second alone, over 4,600 transactions were done. Our office in Australia however needs to do better though we do recognise that the Big 4 banks are very strong and we are competing with them.”

Mr Varma was also keen to drive home this point as international operations contribute 15% to the balance sheet of the bank. “There is a strong desire to do more in Australia and also in our other international operations,” he said.

Local CEO Pranay Kumar also feels that more can be done; the plans are by end of 2017 to have a presence in Melbourne, to capitalise on the ever-growing presence of the Indian migrant community.

However the SBI team also acknowledged that it is important to further align the bank into the local culture.

Sharing his views, well known business leader Neville Roach felt that companies such as Fujitsu, IBM and TCS have worked hard to be more than just American, Japanese or Indian companies. “They are well respected for their expertise rather than their national background,” he said. “This they have done by being more involved in the local community and partake in socially responsible projects in the local community. State Bank needs to be involved in more corporate responsibility projects over time.”

Mr Sriram is keen to build the local business in corporate area. “There are a lot of opportunities in the space we have, these have not been fully exploited and first we would like to develop these options before

embarking on any retail banking,” he told Indian Link

Talking about the state of the global economy, especially US and Europe, he said, “India is growing at the rate of 7%; next year it might well be 7.5%. The hope is that India can lead the world in growth. We are looking at a good year ahead. Any changes to the US interest rates have been factored in our growth estimates. The introduction of the GST will also be good as it unifies the structure, and allows ease of business to increase.”

Talking about the recent merger of the State Bank of India with its 5 associates and the Bharatiya Mahila Bank, he was keen to note that these mergers have pushed it into the top 50 of the world global banking rankings. “The mergers have created great opportunities and cost savings for us. Systems are all integrated and this is yet another exciting new chapter in the growth of SBI.”

When probed as to what makes a happy

customer, Mr Sriram smiled and said that a happy customer is one who comes back with a smile on his or her face for new products. “Irrespective of the price, the satisfied customer continues to deal with the bank due to their trust and respect and the relationship forged with the bank. There are three stakeholders in the banking relationship - the owners or the shareholders, the customers and the employees. All of them have one interest that the institution continues to deliver. As much as the employees will like to make the customer satisfied, they also need to make sure the bank is safe and sound for the customer to be happy. For the shareholder, if the customer is happy, the value of the bank increase.”

On being asked about the controversial Adani Carmichael Coal Mine and their financing needs and whether the State Bank is thinking about financing the project, Mr Sriram replied, “We do not comment on individual companies, we refrain from talking about them.

mr sriram, managing director, sbi (right) with Australia sbi ceo pranay kumar.

WHAT’S ON

COMMUNITY

Urgent Need: Male Care Worker for Sri Om Care

Sri Om Care urgently needs a male care worker with disability qualification/ experience for 15 to 20 hours per week in the west. Must have driver’s license and own car. Should be first aid qualified with police clearance. Contact: 0410 759 906 and apply to info@ sriomcare.org.au.

Festival of Chariots, Sat 1 July 10am

ISKCON and Liverpool City Council present the Festival of Chariots at Liverpool. Assemble at 113 Northumberland St, Liverpool. Free vegetarian feast and cultural show. Contact: Govardhan Das, 9601 0290.

YOGA

International Day of Yoga Sat 17 June 10.00 am to 1.00pm at Indian Cultural Centre, Consulate General of India, Level 2, 265 Castlereagh St, Sydney 2000.

STAGE

A Tribute to the Music of Hemant Kumar, Sat 17 June 6.30pm

A concert for lovers of the old Bollywood melodies, Australian Hindi Indian Association presents the wonderful music of the legendary composersinger Hemant Kumar performed by Avijit Sarkar, accompanied by Pushpa Jagadish (on vocals) and backed up by selected musicians from JAZBA. Held at Pennant Hills Community Centre, cnr Yarrara and Ramsay Rd. Proceeds go to the AHIA Seniors Group. Tickets: $20-$50. Contact: Tilak Kalra 0413 753 134 or Avijit Sarkar avijit.sarkar. sydney@gmail.com.

Bharatanatyam Ballet, Sat 15 July 6pm-9pm

Indian artists Revathi & Manasvini, in collaboration with Hamsa Venkat & Samskriti School of Dance, Sydney, present YOGATRAYAM, a confluence of Karma, Gnana & Bhakti Yoga expressed as ‘Laya Nirupanam’, a unique dance theme of India’s classic Bharatanatyam style. Held at The Science Theatre, University of NSW, Via Gate 14 Barker Street, Kensington. All proceeds go to charity, to aid disadvantaged children in care of AIM for SEVA, India. Contact: Sudha, 0431 558 934. Visit: samskritidance.com.

FUNDRAISER

Men’s Health Awareness Ball, Thurs 15 June, 6.30pm

The 2nd Mens Health Awareness Ball aims to raise awareness for men on important health issues to Get an annual health check-up, and build a rapport with their GP so that they can live longer, healthier lives with their loved ones. Proceeds will go to beyondblue and Foundation 49. Held at The Ballroom, Sheraton On the Park, 161 Elizabeth Street, Sydney. Tickets: Early bird $160 per person. Contact: Bhavisha Parmar-Bhandari, 0411 886 740 or Bhavisha.Bhandari@gmail.com. Visit: menshealthawarenessball.com

Swachh Bharat

Help provide financial support for Swachh Bharat mission through the Sulabh Social Service Organisation. The ongoing campaign invites all persons

of Indian origin to generously donate for Swachh Bharat. Donations can be made to Sulabh through Western Union. Bank details are below

In favour of: Sulabh International Centre For Action Sociology (SICAS)

Account No: 63012660749,

IFSC Code: SBIN0030262

MICR: 110002347

Name of the Bank: State Bank of India, Branch Name: C 28 Community Centre, Janakpuri, New Delhi-58

Contact: bharatramvasudevan@gmail. com.

National Blood Donation Drive by Sathya Sai International

Organisation

Sathya Sai International Organisation of Australia & PNG is again having a blood donation drive and is encouraging all of its members who are able to contribute in this wonderful and much needed service. Giving blood is giving life. What better way to ‘Love all; Serve all’ and honour Sathya Sai Baba. Contact: Mayavan 0404 059 093.

MISC India Day Fair 2017 Sat 12 August FIAN Celebrates India’s Independence Day 12 noon to 7.00pm at Parramatta Park, Parramatta Free event.

Sakhi Celebration Sydney Sun 2 July, 11.00 am at Croatian Club Punchbowl 921 Punchbowl Rd, Punchbowl. Time: 11 AM

Details Malti 0415 088 419/Esha 0414 804 909

IABBV Hindi School, Sat 10 June

To mark its 30th anniversary Hindi School presents an evening of fun, entertainment and togetherness at the Hornsby Function Centre Hornsby RSL. Contact: Mala Mehta 0412 283 677.

Hindi Classes Saturdays 2.30pm4.30pm

Located at the Indian Cultural Centre, Level 1, 265 Castlereagh St, Sydney. Hindi classes are $5 per one hour class or $40 for ten classes. Registration is essential as there is a maximum of 20 people per class. Paid parking is available in the vicinity. To register email hindi@indianconsulatesydney.org or contact 9223 2702.

STAGE

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Concert

19 August Venue: International Convention Centre, 14 Darling Dr, Sydney. Details Rahul Duggal 0422 846 263

FILM

Courage has no limit: Poorna

Mon 19 June Chinmaya Mission

Australia organises grand premiere screening, 6.45 pm at Events Cinema Vmax 2, Castle Hill. Details Ashwin 0402 064 371 or Srinath 0420 941 808.

SPIRITUAL School Holiday program

3 to 5 July Chinmaya Mission announces children’s program

“Krishna My Best Friend”

Venue: Chinmaya Sannidhi, 38 Carrington Rd, Castle Hill 2154

Time: 8.00 am - 5.00pm each day

Details Shubhra 0417 264 689,

Mahitha 0466 272 489

Chinmaya Mission 0416 482 149

Vedantic and Brahmasutra

Lectures, Fri 19 May - Thurs 1 June

World renowned philosopher Neemaji Majmudar from Mumbai will deliver lectures on the topics Brhadaranya Upanishad and Adhyasa Bhasyam daily for 14 days. Morning sessions 7am-8am, Evening sessions 7pm-9pm. Held at 8 Boden Avenue, Strathfield. Contact: Dr K. Bala 0488 244 868 or 9798 9673, krishnbala81@gmail. com or Dr R. Krishnan 0403 818 386, ramjikrish@gmail.com.

Bala Samskar Kendra Open Day at Oran Park, Sat 5 Aug 2.30pm

Bala Samskar Kendra opens at Oran Park Public School, 390 South Circuit, Oran Park. All welcome. Learn more about Bharateeya Samskriti through Samskritam followed by afternoon tea. Chief guest Donna Shevlin, Principal, Oran Park Public School. Contact: Akila, 0450 117 372 or visit: vhp.org.au.

BSK/SVP classes, Saturdays 2.30pm-5.30pm

A local initiative of VHP Australia, Bala Samskar Kendra (BSK) holds weekly Sanskrit language lessons as well as a culture and heritage program at Oran Park School, 390 South Circuit, Oran Park. Contact: Akila, 0450 117 372 or visit: vhp.org.au.

Global Organisation For Divinity

Australia Activities at Namadwaar G.O.D Australia gladly informs that Namadwaar, Chanting and Prayer Centre at 44 Oakes Road Winston Hills, is fully operational. All members of the community are welcome to have Darshan of the Lord and participate in Nama Chanting and other programs during the following times: Monday to Friday 9am-10.30am and 6pm7.30pm.

Weekends: 10am-12.30pm and 4pm6.30pm. Visit: godivinity.org.au.

Vedanta classes with Arsha Vidya Australia

All classes except chanting classes are on Zoom. Contact Shankar Arunachalam on 0403 059 658 or arunachalam.shankar@gmail.com for more information.

Bhagavad Gita, Sundays 6pm

Upanishads, Saturdays 8.45pm

Beginners Class, Sundays 2pm

Vishnu Sahasranama, Sundays 10am

Vedic chanting classes, Saturdays 6.30pm

Free yoga with Divine Life Society, Tuesdays, 7pm

Swami Uditramanandaji of The Divine Life Society of Australia offers free yoga classes every Tuesday from 7-8.15pm at Strathfield Girls High School. All levels of fitness welcomed. Entrance via Oxford Road. For further details, please contact Karo: 0413 535 157.

Amma Satsang, 6.30pm-9.30pm, 3rd

Saturday each month

Sri Mata Amritanandamayi, or Amma, also known as the hugging saint, is cherished as a humanitarian and spiritual teacher. Mata Amritanandamayi Centre Sydney hosts a monthly program to engage in spiritual practices such as meditation, as well as to conduct communityoriented service projects. Held at Uniting Church Hall, 11 Carrington Ave, Strathfield. Suggested donation is $20 for ashram fundraising. Contact: Mohan 0418 462 687 or visit ammaaustralia.org.au.

Yoga: The way of life, Saturdays 8am; Wednesdays 7pm

A retreat for body, mind and soul, join weekly yoga sessions at Glenwood Public School (Saturdays) or Moorebank Community Centre (Wednesdays). To secure a spot, contact: Meera 0433 125 708, or Ankita 0431 750 991.

Shanti Mission Satsang, Sundays

9.30am

Held at the Shanti Mission Abode of Peace Ashram (1 hour north of Sydney), 45 Kings Road, Cooranbong and also in Sydney at the Henley Community Centre, 2 Crown Street, Henley. Visit: www.shantimission.org. Contact: 4977 3300.

Fire Pooja

Devotees are invited to attend Vedic fire pooja held at the Shanti Mission Abode of Peace Ashram (1 hour north of Sydney), 45 Kings Road, Cooranbong.

Fire Pooja: Mon, Wed, Thur, Sat & Sun evenings, 6.30pm (time changes to 5.30pm when daylight savings ends).

Dhanvantre Healing Fire Pooja: Mondays & Wednesdays, 9am Sri Maha Narayani Yagam: Every New and Full moon.

Shanti Mission also holds special poojas for feast days. Devotees may sponsor poojas. Visit: www.shantimission.org. Contact: 4977 3300.

Sri Hanuman Pooja, Tuesdays

7.30pm-8pm

Devotees who wish to seek the blessings of Shri Hanuman should join the community at Shri Shiva Mandir, 201 Eagleview Road, Minto, on Tuesday evenings for the reciting of Hanuman Chalisa, reciting Hanuman Kasht Nivaran, Hanuman Aarti and Prasad. Contact: Jagdish Chawla, 0421 376 384 or Priest Arul Muthulkumar, 9820 1094.

Spirit of India Yoga, Saturdays and Sundays

Yoga classes are held in Ryde, Wentworthville, Quakers Hill and Epping. All levels incl. beginners, senior citizens, children’s. To enrol in this 15 week course e-mail spiritofindia2002@yahoo.com, visit www.spiritofindia.org or contact Suresh 0412 202 182.

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Will win 2019 polls by bigger margin, will control kashmir situation: Amit shah

BJP President Amit Shah said that his party will win the next general election in the country in 2019 by a much bigger margin than the majority achieved in the 2014 elections.

Addressing media in Chandigarh during a ‘Meet-the-Press’ programme of the Chandigarh Press Club, he said that the people of the country were overwhelmingly behind the BJP government at the centre led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“We will win 2019 general election with much bigger majority. It will be much bigger than last time (2014),” Shah said, noting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in three years of being in power in the centre, had provided a corruption-free and developmentoriented government.

“The BJP has freed the country from (the shackles) of casteism (jaativaad), dynastic politics (pariwarvaad) and appeasement,” said the BJP chief, who arrived in Chandigarh to a rousing reception by party leaders and supporters.

Asked about the ongoing turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir, he said that the situation would soon be brought under control.

“Regarding Kashmir, such situations have occurred many times since 1989. We will control the situation,” he said, adding that security agencies have started their work against separatist leaders who had a role in adding to the present tense situation in the Valley at the behest of Pakistan and its agencies.

Highlighting the achievements of the BJP in three years in power at the centre, Shah said that the Modi government had taken the country forward on all fronts.

“Even our political opponents unable to level any allegations of corruption against BJP government in three years. This is a big achievement for BJP,” he noted.

He said that the BJP had emerged as the biggest political organisation in the world with over 11 crore party members.

Asked about the questions being raised by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders regarding the electronic voting machines (EVMs), Shah said: “I want to ask AAP leaders which EVM

they used to get 67 seats out of 70 in Delhi elections.”

On the BJP’s loss in recent assembly elections in Punjab, he remained guarded.

“You all know that we (BJP) were a minor partner (in the alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal,” Shah said, stopping short of blaming the Akali Dal for the loss.

He maintained that the Akali Dal-BJP alliance in Punjab “continues in the present”.

“The party doing its internal analysis of the election defeat in Punjab,” he added.

‘

us , c hina, i ndia to be top prospective destinations for fdi ’

The US, China and India are considered to be the most prospective destinations for foreign direct investment (FDI), predicted the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in its annual report on investment.

According to the World Investment Report 2017: Investment and the Digital Economy, global FDI flows retreated marginally in 2016 by two per cent to $1,75 trillion, amid weak economic growth and significant policy risks perceived by multinational enterprises, Xinhua reported.

Flows to developing countries were especially hard hit, with a decline of 14 per cent, while FDI outflows from developed countries decreased by 11 per cent, mainly owing to a slump in investments from European multinational enterprises.

The US remained the largest recipient of FDI, attracting $391 billion in inflows, followed by Britain with $254 billion, and China with inflows of $134 billion.

According to the report, with a surge of outflows, China also becomes last year the second largest investing country.

In 2017, the global FDI is expected to rise by 5 per cent, to almost $1.8 trillion, attributed to higher economic growth expectations across major regions, a resumption of growth in trade and a recovery in corporate profits.

The modest increase in FDI flows is expected to continue into 2018, taking flows to $1.85 trillion, but still below the all-time peak of $1.9 trillion in 2007, said the report.

“Although this report projects a modest increase for 2017, other factors such as the

elevation of geopolitical risks and policy uncertainty may impact the scale of the upturn,” said Mukhisa Kituyi, UNCTAD Secretary-General, adding that “the road to a full recovery for FDI remains bumpy.”

indian presidential election on july 17, counting on july 20

The election of the next President will be held on July 17, the Election Commission announced setting in motion the process to choose the successor to Pranab Mukherjee. Counting of votes will take place on July 20.

Announcing the schedule at a press conference, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi said the filing of nomination will begin on June 14 and the last date for the purpose will be June 28. Scrutiny will take place on June 29 and the last date for withdrawal is July 1.

“The date on which polling will be held, if required, is July 17. Counting, if required, will be done on July 20,” he said. The term of Mukherjee, the country’s 13th President, will end on July 24.

Zaidi said members of the electoral college -- comprising members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and state assemblies, including Delhi and Puducherry -- will be provided special pens to cast their ballot and use of any other pen will render the vote invalid.

The poll announcement has set the ball rolling for the declaration of candidates by the ruling National Democratic Alliance and the opposition parties for the country’s highest elected office.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA, which is seen to have a clear edge in the electoral college, has so far not given any indication about its choice. Several opposition parties have since held parleys to find a consensus candidate but have decided to wait for the ruling alliance to reach out to them with the name of its candidate.

The parties have said that if a consensual candidate does not emerge, they will field a candidate “who will steadfastly defend the constitutional values”.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has initiated moves to bring the opposition parties on a common platform for the presidential and vice-presidential elections.

muslim devotees wait to break their fast at the shrine of makhdoom Ali shah mahimi in mumbai, india, 4 june, 2017. muslims across the world are observing the holy fasting month of ramadan, where they refrain from eating, drinking and smoking from dawn to dusk. Photo: AP

The term of Vice President Hamid Ansari will end in August.

Zaidi said that Lok Sabha Secretary General Anoop Mishra will be the Returning Officer for the presidential poll and ballots will be cast in Parliament House and in the respective state assemblies.

The counting of votes will take place in the national capital under the supervision of the Returning Officer.

The Chief Election Commissioner said presidential election will take place through secret ballot and political parties “cannot issue any whip” to their respective MPs or MLAs.

The election is held in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote.

Every elector can have as many preferences as the candidates contesting the election and the winner has to secure the required quota of votes to be declared elected -- 50 per cent of the valid votes plus one.

Zaidi said a nomination paper has to be backed by at least 50 electors as proposers and at least 50 electors as seconders.

He said Assistant Returning Officers will be appointed in all state capitals, besides Delhi and Puducherry, to ensure smooth logistics for the election.

He said each candidate will be allowed to deploy a representative at the venue of polling.

Zaidi said MPs are expected to vote in Parliament House in Delhi and the MLAs in their respective assemblies but they can vote at another polling station in case of exigency after applying to the poll panel in advance.

Zaidi also said there are 13 vacancies in the electoral college, including MLAs and MPs.

“The EC will from time to time fill up these vacancies. As far as vacancies of MLAs and MPs are concerned, that is a continuous process. All such vacancies will be filled after presidential election,” he added.

He said: “The Rajya Sabha elections, have been suspended for now, and will take place after the presidential election.”

Asked if the 21 MLAs of Aam Aadmi Party, against whom the case of office-ofprofit is pending with the EC, would be able to vote, Zaidi said: “It is sub judice matter. As on date, they are eligible to cast their vote.”

He also added the schedule for the election of Vice-President will be announced later.

The total value of 4896 electors for 2012 presidential elections was 1098882. This included 54, 9408 as the value of votes of MPs and 549474 as the value of votes of MLAs.

indian origin charity gives healthcare to 3 million nigerians

An Indian origin charitable organization, Tulsi Chanrai Foundation (TCF), has provided public healthcare to over three million disadvantaged children and adults in Nigeria.

TCF achieved the feat in the past two decades through its three key programmes: Mission for Vision, Mission for Primary Health and Mission for Water.

TCF, which started operations in 1994, is the charity wing of the Chanrai family which set up the first Indian company in Nigeria in 1923. The company has since become one of the most successful and respected business houses in the country.

The TCF report for 2015-16 said the Chanrai family has businesses in the areas of trade, manufacturing, agriculture and finance and currently employs about 30,000 people in Nigeria. It is one of the largest employer of local staff among the private sector in Nigeria.

The Nigerian government has accorded TCF the status of an International NGO. Since its inception, the TCF report said, more than 100,000 eye surgeries had been performed in Nigeria, restoring vision to the poor.

Also, over 1.5 million mothers and children have been provided access to basic healthcare services.

In the same period, 4,384 hand pumps and 85 solar and electric bore holes have been rehabilitated to provide potable water to 1.95 million people.

“When Nigeria is battling internally with acute insurgency and economic recession for a protracted period, TCF remain committed in extending its services unabated and assist the needy across the country,” the report said.

In 2015-16, the TCF said, it undertook several other projects including setting up the G.K. Chanrai Memorial Hospital in Zaria Kaduna.

From April 15, 2015 to March 16 last year, a total of 195,317 people were treated and 83,050 infants immunized.

The report said its Mission for Vision programme aimed to reduce avoidable blindness, predominantly cataract, among the rural poor of Nigeria by providing high quality ophthalmic surgeries for free.

“As a result, a large number of underprivileged people in and around Katsina, Kebbi and Cross River states have been able to avail of high quality eye treatment for cataract and glaucoma at no cost.”

no emergency situation here, say indians in Qatar

Keralites in Qatar said there is no emergency situation in the country after seven Gulf countries snapped diplomatic ties with it.

“There is no situation of emergency as such here. The social media is twisting things, and maybe that led to a rush in the supermarkets here,” C.V.M. Vanimel, a social activist from Kerala, said, speaking to the media in Thiruvananthapuram from Doha.

“The cabinet meeting made it very clear that there be no reason for any panic as food items will be made available,” said Vanimel.

“Given our understanding of things, hectic diplomatic efforts are currently on to ease the situation.”

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, Libya, the UAE and the Maldives severed diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terror groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood. Qatar, however, denied the allegations.

“The media should not go overboard as it creates a panic,” Vanimel said.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have also closed their borders preventing any movement by road, to and from Qatar. Also, their airlines have decided to stop flight operations to Qatar.

Passengers who arrived from Doha at Kochi and Kozhikode airports said “as things stand, there are no issues there (in Qatar)”. They, however, expressed concern over the operation of flights.

Kerala Local Bodies Minister K.T. Jaleel told the media in Thiruvananthapuram that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking for his immediate intervention to see that Indians are taken care of.

“When schools are closed there and if foreign airlines are not operating, there would be problems. Air India should ensure operation of more flights. The already high price of air tickets during summer rush could shoot up even higher,” said Jaleel.

With other Middle East airlines stopping their services, Qatar Airways and Air India are operating services to and from three Kerala airports, and if additional flights are not run and present embargo against Qatar is not lifted, things could go haywire, a worried officials said.

The banks and foreign exchange outlets have been directed not to exchange money for Qatari Riyal, said an airline source.

According to a study report, there are around 1.5 lakh Keralites in Qatar.

Around 4.82 million Indians live in the Gulf, including 630,000 in Qatar.

91% of businesses in india feel at cyber-attack risk: study

When it comes to cyber security, 91 per cent of businesses in India say their organisation is at risk because of the complexity of business and IT operations, which is above the APJ (Asia-Pacific and Japan) average of 85 per cent and the global average of 83 per cent.

According to a global study by leading IT firm Citrix and Ponemon Institute, 72 per cent of businesses say it is time for a new security framework.

“With an increasing number of traditional businesses taking the digital route, workspaces are no longer confined to the four office walls. While this shift has made the modern workforce more flexible and productive, it has also brought along its own set of security concerns,” said Parag Arora, Country Head and Area Vice President, Citrix, India Subcontinent, in a statement.

“For modern enterprises, security management and protection of data is an integral business function and no longer an IT task,” Arora added.

Nearly 60 per cent of respondents stated that employees and third parties bypass security policies and technologies because they are too complex.

Less than half of respondents in India (44 per cent) said their organisations have the right policies and procedures in place to protect information assets and critical information.

The research involved insights from over 4,200 IT and IT security practitioners globally.

indian American selected among 12 nAsA astronaut candidates

Indian American Raja Chari, a Lieutenant Colonel with the US Air Force, has been selected by space agency NASA among 12 astronaut candidates who will conduct research off the Earth for deep space missions.

Chari, who will report for duty in August this year, is from the state of Iowa who graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1999 with bachelor’s degrees in astronautical engineering and engineering science.

He continued on to earn a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduated from the US Naval Test Pilot School.

Currently, he is a commander of the 461st Flight Test Squadron and the director of the F-35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

After receiving a record-breaking number of applications -- 18,000 -- to join an exciting future of space exploration, NASA on Wednesday picked 12 -- its largest

astronaut class since 2000.

Vice President Mike Pence joined NASA leaders as they introduced the members of the 2017 astronaut class during an event at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

“These are 12 men and women whose personal excellence and whose personal courage will carry our nation to even greater heights of discovery and who I know will inspire our children and our grandchildren every bit as much as your forebears have done so in this storied American programme,” said Pence.

“And to this newest class of astronauts, it’s my honour to bring the sincere congratulations of the 45th President of the US, Donald Trump. Your President is proud of you, and so am I,” the Vice President added.

The astronaut candidates will return to Johnson in August to begin two years of training.

Then they could be assigned to any of a variety of missions, including: performing research on the International Space Station, launching from American soil on spacecraft built by commercial companies, and departing for deep space missions on NASA’s new Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket.

“We look forward to the energy and talent of these astronauts fuelling our exciting future of discovery,” said acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot in a statement.

“Between expanding the crew on board the space station to conduct more research than ever before, and making preparations to send humans farther into space than we’ve ever been, we are going to keep them busy,” he said.

With the addition of these 12 members, NASA now has selected 350 astronauts since the original Mercury 7 in 1959.

“These women and men deserve our enthusiastic congratulations,” said astronaut and Johnson Space Center Director Ellen Ochoa.

The 12 new candidates include six military officers, three scientists, two medical doctors, a lead engineer at SpaceX and a NASA research pilot. IANS

cricket fever catching on: indian fans at birmingham at the icc champions trophy match between india and pakistan, 4 june, 2017. Photo: AP

VIVID

Indian Link’s award winning photographer SACHIN WAKHARE captures some striking images of the winter festival Vivid Sydney

Learning Punjabi at school

Mainstream students can now learn Punjabi language at the Year 7 level

mathematics teacher Gurmeet

Kaur has incorporated her love for her mothertongue Punjabi into an essential element of her daily work life. She and her 21 Year 7 students at Sir Joseph Banks High School in Liverpool have made the first step towards making the study of the language possible as part of the mainstream school curriculum.

For the first time in Australia, multicultural Australian students are now learning the Punjabi language as a mainstream subject.

Gurmeet Kaur’s passion for the language as well as for her students is evident.

“This is a culmination of my two biggest passions - Punjabi, my mothertongue, and a love for teaching,” she tells Indian Link Gurmeet Kaur is not new to creating course structure for language study, even though her area of expertise is Maths.

Along with a bunch of Punjabi community members, she has been actively involved in creating syllabus and course content for the Punjabi language for over a decade. They have helped create the syllabus for Stage 1 (Kindergarten) to Stage 6 (Years 11 and 12) community language schools in NSW.

The experience of creating a specialised syllabus for her school though, was different.

“I had to make the syllabus adaptable so the students - all from varying backgrounds - not only learn the basics of the language but also get a bit of cultural orientation,” she shares.

The aim of the course is to encourage

the students to appreciate cultural diversity among their cohort.

“Many kids don’t speak more than one language, despite living in a multicultural country,” Gurmeet observes. “Introducing more languages in schools aids the children’s understanding of the different cultures around them while giving the knowledge of languages other than English.”

While her years of experience have come handy in her historymaking initiative, it was no walk in the park, admittedly. Gurmeet encountered a fair amount of challenges especially with resources for the subject. “Obtaining resources, changing syllabus for each term and getting the ball rolling on the plan were some major challenges,” admits Gurmeet.

Fortunately, help came from the school principal Murray Kitteringham.

“Mr. Kitteringham has been instrumental in making this happen. We have been working together to implement the new course in our school this year,” she reveals.

Support from Rita Kumari, principal of Revesby Punjabi School and her daughter Amanpreet Kamal, ensured Gurmeet was able to meet the challenge with teaching resources. Gurmeet also credits her colleagues and other language teachers in assisting her with providing a structure and guidance while finalising the syllabus.

If you thought the course included merely learning syllables, alphabets and words, you will be in for a surprise. “In

addition to the language study, our students are taught about the culture, traditions, food, religious beliefs and about Punjab in general,” beams Gurmeet.

Some of her plans include cooking lessons where the students will learn how to make rotis, curries and other flat breads famous in the region. The plan also includes a visit to the local Gurudwara, the Sikh place of worship.

“As a part of the curriculum this year, the students will be creating a travel brochure for Punjab,” the teacher shares. The students will also be putting their learning to practice as their teacher Gurmeet encourages them to greet Punjabis if they spot one out and about in the community.

“Our school is right across the Revesby Gurudwara, and I have asked my students to say hello or greet them with ‘sat sri akal’ if they happen to meet a person with a turban,” says Gurmeet.

Mr Kitteringham is pleased with how the students have taken to their new language lessons.

“I am extremely proud of the effort and enthusiasm which our young Year 7 students have brought to this subject,” he said. “The way they have worked together has been in a fun, engaging and cooperative manner that really goes to show the excellence of our students here at school when challenged with unique opportunities.”

All 21 students in Gurmeet’s Punjabi language class belong to different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. This is a testament to Gurmeet’s beliefs that regardless of a child’s cultural background, the introduction of various languages in mainstream schools will help create a better understanding of the different cultures in Australia.

Nanditha Suresh

Standing together for peace, humanity and non-violence

seven religious speakers representing different doctrines came together for a thoughtprovoking Interfaith Forum in Sydney to share their thoughts on humanity and peace, in an event organised by the Hindu Council of Australia.

The forum was an attempt to create more understanding of the Indian religions or dharmic religions – Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Zoroastrianism and to draw similarities in their teachings.

On the panel were Ashay Naik, a Sanskrit scholar and a software professional; Radha Krishna Das, the principal of The Australian School of Meditation and Yoga; Dr Huzan Daver, a mental health counsellor; Harpal Singh, a social worker and a member of the Australian Sikh Association; Sri Rama Ramanuja Acarya, a Hindu priest; Ravindra Dholakia, who has been actively pursuing his understanding of Jainism; and Yogesh Arya, an Arya Samaj priest and Vedic scholar.

Sanksrit scholar Ashay Naik spoke about the goals of human life, dharma, arth and kama, and the need to strike a balance between these to ensure stability in the world. “When I was invited to speak at an interfaith forum, I wondered whether there is a need for a forum to talk about these faiths as they

are very similar in their teachings. But such forums strengthen the understanding of the faiths amongst the public,” he said.

Dr Huzan Daver, a mental health counsellor and the only female speaker in the panel, used the power of meditation to explain the origins of Zoroastrianism. “The main message of Zarthushtra, the founder of the faith, was that God is wisdom. We human beings have a purpose and that is to fight the evil within us,” she said.

Harpal Singh emphasised the importance of recognizing, respecting and co-existing with fellow human beings. Speaking about the crisis across the world because of terrorism he said, “The differences amongst us are very few; there are many commonalities.” Before becoming a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or a Christian, we should try to become decent human beings, he said.

Ravindra Dholakia spoke about the need to imbibe non-violence and forgiveness to maintain world peace.

Radha Krishna Das, a Catholic by birth and a Hindu by choice shared his spiritual experience. The practitioner of yoga philosophy for the past 35 years, Das said he has not given up on Jesus, but feels that his conversion from a Catholic to a Hindu is a continuum.

“Arya Samaj follows Vedas and Vedas are based on experiences rather than mythology,” said Yogesh Arya. All faiths speak about patience, forgiveness, control of mind, truth, knowledge and absence of anger, he said.

Sri Rama Ramanuja Acarya spoke about the importance of maintaining harmony in life by fulfilling our duties, as prescribed in the scriptures.

Professor Raja Jayaraman, the vice chairman of the Hindu Council of Australia thanked the speakers and emphasised on the need to exclude violence. “Injustice does not come from religions, it comes

from society,” he said. The Consul General of India, B Vanlalvawna also thanked the speakers and applauded the efforts of the organisers for creating a platform to discuss different faiths.

“Such interfaith forums are needed to have a great understanding of the dharmic religions that originated in India. This is a forum for people to be more expressive of their beliefs and practices,” said Karthik Subramanian, Hindu Council member and the organiser of this event. There have been similar forums organised by the council in Melbourne and Adelaide.

Meenakshi Seetharaman

Patriotism knows no borders people

GP and skin cancer specialist Dr. Navtej Sandhu adds a new and exciting dimension to his career

BY SARONI ROY

on 5 June 2017, Dr. Navtej Sandhu undertook an oath to loyally and faithfully serve the nation as an Officer in the Australian Army Reserve.

Indian Link caught up with this dynamic and driven Adelaide-based GP and skin cancer specialist, immediately after his appointment as an Army officer.

Hailing from a small town, Fatehgarh Churian in Punjab, Dr. Sandhu studied pharmacy and medical studies from a Government Medical College in Amritsar and started a pharmacy there. But the Punjabi mundaa’s mother saw much more potential in him. Following her motivation to study further, a young Navtej Sandhu

How did his dream of becoming a medical professional in Australia come about?

the small business category. He won this award for the unabated support provided to his employee Toni Chapel, a nurse at his Hackham Medical Centre, who is also a Lance Corporal in the reserves.

took an MBBS degree from JSS College in Mysore and returned to Punjab to work with the Punjab Civil Medical Services.

Unhappy and unsatisfied with his work, Dr. Sandhu decided to explore opportunities in Australia. “When I landed here, I never thought I could get to become a doctor. I came on a student visa to study Information Technology at the University of South Australia in the year 2004. I would do my classes in the morning and drive a taxi at night.”

“A friend read a newspaper article about the dearth of medical professionals in the state. He contacted the journalist who wrote the article and then the Healthcare Department and figured out the application process for me. I went through the websites they mentioned, prepared for the job interviews and after a few months got a job as a GP in Woomera, where I was on call 24/7.” Practising for a year in Woomera, he returned to Adelaide and started his first medical centre in 2008. On the 25 May this year, Dr. Sandhu was declared the national winner of the Defence Reserves Support Council’s Employer Support Award, in

In order to work at medical centres while serving in the defence forces, the employees need much support and flexibility in terms of their working hours, leave grants, and even moving of patient appointments, so they can attend their Army Reserves training. Most medical centres would consider this an inconvenience and a hurdle for their business.

“We have supported numerous army professionals like Toni, who work at our medical centres,” Dr. Sidhu revealed. “Toni nominated us for the state award last year and we won. At that award function I expressed my wish to join the Army and serve the nation, and today my dream came true as I was appointed the ‘Dr. Captain’ for the 9th Combat Services Support Battalion.”

He added, “This country offers everything you can dream of.”

The next few weeks will see Dr. Sandhu attending Army Officers’ training. Upon donning this new hat, he is a tad worried about staying fit at 53 and striking the right balance, so he can dedicate equal time and energy to both his medical practice and the Australian Army Reserve. This also means being away from his family for a long time, but he’s confident that his family, like always, will support him at every step of this journey.

Currently Dr. Sandhu owns 7 medical centres in Australia and intends to expand each year. A visionary, he is passionate about giving back to both the countries he has called home. His ultimate goal is to retire as Lt. Colonel at the Australian Army Reserve, and also be able to give back to his motherland, by setting up a nonprofit medical centre to treat the pervasive, chronic problem of drug addiction the state of Punjab faces.

An inspiring success story, how would he advice new residents in Australia?

“Work hard and do not go for shortcuts; you’re sure to be successful.”

The Secret of Jahanara Begum

the first time she made her way past the crowd - the sellers of ittars and amulets, the custodians of pilgrims’ shoes, the cripples, the beggars, the homeless, the goats being fattened for slaughter on Eid and the knot of quiet, elderly eunuchs who had taken up residence under a tarpaulin outside the shrineand entered the tiny red chamber, Jahanara Begum became calm. The street sounds grew faint and seemed to come from far away. She sat in a corner with her baby asleep on her lap, watching people, Muslim as well as Hindu, come in ones and twos, and tie red threads, red bangles and chits of paper to the grille around the tomb, beseeching Sarmad to bless them. It was only after she noticed a translucent old man with dry, papery skin and a wispy beard of spun light sitting in a corner, rocking back and forth, weeping silently as though his heart was broken, that Jahanara Begum allowed her own tears to fall. This is my son, Aftab, she whispered to Hazrat Sarmad. I’ve brought him here to you. Look after him. And teach me how to love him.

Hazrat Sarmad did.

For the first few years of Aftab’s life, Jahanara Begum’s secret remained safe. While she waited for his girl-part to heal, she kept him close and was fiercely protective of him. Even after her younger son, Saqib, was born she would not allow Aftab to stray very far from her on his own. It was not seen as unusual behaviour for a woman who had waited so long and so anxiously for a son.

When Aftab was five he began to attend the Urdu-Hindi madrassa for boys in Chooriwali Gali (the bangle-seller’s lane). Within a year he could recite a good part of the Quran in Arabic, although it wasn’t clear how much of it he understood - that was true of all the other children too. Aftab was a better than average student, but even from the time he was very young it became clear that his real gift was music. He had a sweet, true singing voice and could pick up a tune after hearing it just once. His parents decided to send him to Ustad Hameed Khan, an outstanding young musician who taught Hindustani classical music to groups of children in his cramped quarters in Chandni Mahal. Little Aftab never missed a single class. By the time he was nine he

good twenty minutes of bada khayal in Raag Yaman, Durga and Bhairav and make his voice skim shyly off the flat rekhab in Raag Pooriya Dhanashree like a stone skipping over the surface of a lake. He could sing Chaiti and Thumri with the accomplishment and poise of a Lucknow courtesan. At first people were amused and even encouraging, but soon the snickering and teasing from other children began: He’s a She. He’s not a He or a She. He’s a He and a She. She He, He She Hee! Hee! Hee!

When the teasing became unbearable Aftab stopped going to his music classes. But Ustad Hameed, who doted on him, offered to teach him separately, on his own. So the music classes continued, but Aftab refused to go to school any more. By then Jahanara Begum’s hopes had more or less faded. There was no sign of healing anywhere on the horizon. She had managed to put off his circumcision for some years with a series of inventive excuses. But young Saqib was waiting in line

for his, and she knew she had run out of time. Eventually she did what she had to. She mustered her courage and told her husband, breaking down and weeping with grief as well as relief that she finally had someone else to share her nightmare with.

Her husband, Mulaqat Ali, was a hakim, a doctor of herbal medicine, and a lover of Urdu and Persian poetry. All his life he had worked for the family of another hakim - Hakim Abdul Majid, who founded a popular brand of sherbet called Rooh Afza (Persian for ‘Elixir of the Soul’). Rooh Afza, made of khurfa seeds (purslane), grapes, oranges, watermelon, mint, carrots, a touch of spinach, khus khus, lotus, two kinds of lilies and a distillate of damask roses, was meant to be a tonic. But people found that two tablespoons of the sparkling ruby-coloured syrup in a glass of cold milk or even just plain water not only tasted delicious, but was also an effective defence against Delhi’s scorching summers and the strange fevers that blew in on desert winds. Soon what had started out as medicine became the most popular summer drink in the region. Rooh Afza became a prosperous enterprise and a household name. For forty years it ruled the market, sending its produce from its headquarters in the old city as far south as Hyderabad and as far

west as Afghanistan. Then came Partition. God’s carotid burst open on the new border between India and Pakistan and a million people died of hatred. Neighbours turned on each other as though they’d never known each other, never been to each other’s weddings, never sung each other’s songs. The walled city broke open. Old families fled (Muslim). New ones arrived (Hindu) and settled around the city walls. Rooh Afza had a serious setback, but soon recovered and opened a branch in Pakistan. A quarter of a century later, after the holocaust in East Pakistan, it opened another branch in the brand-new country of Bangladesh. But eventually, the Elixir of the Soul that had survived wars and the bloody birth of three new countries, was, like most things in the world, trumped by Coca-Cola.

Although Mulaqat Ali was a trusted and valued employee of Hakim Abdul Majid, the salary he earned was not enough to make ends meet. So outside his working hours he saw patients at his home. Jahanara Begum supplemented the family income with what she earned from the white cotton Gandhi caps she made and supplied in bulk to Hindu shopkeepers in Chandni Chowk. Extracted with permission from Penguin India.

One of the most anticipated novels of 2017, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness hit the bookstands across India on 6 June. The novel comes 20 years after the author’s The God of Small Things, which won the Booker Prize in 1997 and was a bestseller

An excerpt from ARUNDHATI ROY’s book The Ministry of Utmost Happiness could sing a

Passion and portraiture

attended the event.

Sedunath, who migrated to Australia 8 years ago from Kerala in India, took 18 months to complete this ambitiously scaled project.

BY PREETI JABBAL

surrounded by portraits of former Victorian Premiers, the recent ‘Pride of Australia’ exhibition was unlike any other painting exhibition held before in the lofty Queen’s Hall of the Victorian Parliament.

Melbourne artist Sedunath Prabhakar (aka Pradeep Prabhakar) captured Australian personalities on a single 50-metre canvas to create an extraordinary display.

The exhibition was held over two days and was jointly inaugurated by Colin Brooks, speaker of the Legislative Assembly and Bruce Atkinson, President of the Upper House.

Robin Scott, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, and Manika Jain, Consul General of India were among the many dignitaries that

He selected 50 Australian greats from the years 1700 till date and created their likeness on canvas with acrylics. Each portrait took him 3-4 days and hours of focused effort to finish.

Despite the static and specific subjects of his portraits the overall body of work managed to depict a narrative of Australian history.

According to Sedunath, the driving idea behind this exhibition was to offer a tribute to the country that he has now grown to love.

“In Australia I have enjoyed complete freedom of expression,” he said. “I believe that Australia is an inclusive, multicultural society that offers good opportunities for the arts, culture and communities.”

Explaining his unusual choice of subject, he went on, “This work is my attempt to narrate Australian history through art and take Australians down memory lane so

they can appreciate the contributions of their luminaries.”

Sir John Monash, Robert Menzies, Donald Bradman, Ian Thorpe, Emily Kame Kngwarreye and Steve Irwin are some of the Australians included in his eclectic mix.

“It took hours of research to select from so many inspiring Australian personalities so I chose ones that are considered to be leaders or pioneers in their field,” said Sedunath, as he explained the parameters he worked with in his creative process.

“For example, I chose Julia Gillard, as the first female Prime Minister of Australia and Cathy Freeman as the first Australian Aboriginal woman to win a gold in the Olympics,” he said.

From trailblazers, to those who have left a legacy, Sedunath’s brush captures the essence of all the eminent Australians, giving plenty of reasons to visit this interesting exhibition.

Sedunath acquired his training and education from India’s prestigious

Baroda School of Arts. He is a writer, painter, musician and teacher of classical Indian music. He has also published a book in his native language Malayalam titled Embryo (translated in English).

The creative artist is currently in the process of writing another book based on the inter-communal violence that took place during the 2002 riots in Gujarat, India. He has been invited by the Indian Embassy of Oman to exhibit his new paintings at Fine Arts Society of Oman in November 2017.

Sedunath was delighted to share that the feedback to his labour of love has been very encouraging.

Besides the positive reviews from people, his subjects Cathy Freeman, Terri Irwin and Gotye have expressed their interest in the portraits and wish to meet him soon to see his work.

Talks are also underway to explore the possibility of taking his exhibition to the Parliament in Canberra.

Indian artist Sedunath Prabhakar presents Australian luminaries at the Victorian Parliament

The Round round-up: Indigenous Round Recap

The Marn Grook Trophy highlights the contribution of Indigenous Players to AFL.

KHUSHAAL VYAS reports

At around the midway point of the season, all teams across Round 10-12 have one week off to rest up. Deservedly so. The season has already been one with tough games, hard knocks and thrilling finishes. And yet, whilst there were less games this last week, the AFL continues to deliver its typical excitement. Even more amazing than this has been the response to and success of the Indigenous Round in 2017. Here is this week’s Round Roundup.

Swans heartbreak and Marn Grook

After securing three consecutive wins, the Swans looked set to have a competitive match against the Hawks in the all-important Indigenous Round for the Marn Grook trophy. Both these teams have had a fierce rivalry having played several grand final matches against one another and delivering thrilling matches almost every time. This game was no different with the Hawks holding the lead for virtually the entirety of the match, but the Swans remaining in touching distance. With some magic from Lance Franklin who kicked five goals and a

Tipping Comp Round12

(In current ranking order)

v Western bulldogs

Adelaide crows

v st kilda saint

hawthorn hawks

v gold coast suns

brisbane lions v fremantle dockers

e ssendon bombers v port Adelaide power

late two goals to young gun Isaac Heeney, the Swans snatched the lead. But alas, it was short-lived, with Hawthorn hitting back and stealing the win in the dying minutes to finish the game six points in front. However, softening the blow to what was an agonising finish, was absorbing the atmosphere of the Indigenous Round. It wasn’t just two teams putting on beautifully designed guernseys. Nor a special Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony at the beginning of the game. We had players exchange gifts, messages from Indigenous players and some players changing the number on the back of their shirt to commemorate 50 years since the 1967 referendum. What it highlighted was the contribution of Indigenous Players to the game and their wider importance to Australia more broadly. A special gesture and one which cannot be underestimated in its significance. Despite my heartbreak at the Swans loss and staring sadly down at the SCG from the stands, it was nonetheless amazing to be part of such an important occasion and watch one of the AFL’s symbols of diversity and work in the Indigenous space.

As for the Swans, they’re sitting very low on the ladder with 3 wins and 7 losses. Whilst this does not mean they are ruled out of making the finals, they can only afford to lose perhaps three more games and win the rest. With teams such as the Bulldogs next week, Adelaide and Geelong still to come, making the top eight will be an enormous feat.

Giants surge

In a historic first, the Giants are now leading the ladder for the first time in the club’s history! After a shaky beginning

against a solid Essendon outfit, the Giants began to find their form in the second quarter and never really looked to be in too much doubt from there. It is an exciting time where the Giants are expected to have a very good chance at taking out the premiership and will have the chance to write their name in the history books so early on in their short history.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of it! Get out there and check out this game, be it from the stands at Homebush/SCG or at home on TV, you won’t regret it.

carlton blues v greater

Western sydney giants giants giants giants giants giants

melbourne demons v collingwood magpies demons magpies demons demons demons

* The mysterious brother of mine you’ve heard so much about in these articles. He’s the one to beat!

AMSTERDAM KIDS CLOTHING

Egg-sellent! food

An exciting new way with eggs

minerals like copper, iron and zinc.

Reminds me of the very popular Indian ad from a few years ago, ‘ Sunday ya Monday, roj khao ande !’ which literally translates to ‘Have an egg every day of the week’.

BY DHANYA SAMUEL

eggs are perhaps one of the most common items in our supermarket trolleys. And rightly so! An inexpensive, high quality source of protein, eggs are also rich in Vitamin B2, selenium, Vitamin D, B6, B12 and

The best thing about eggs is that they can be dished out in several different avatars. Curries, omelettes, scrambled, boiled, soft boiled, fried with oozy runny yolks or sunny side up; there are a zillion delicious ways to cook these beauties.

The recipe prepared here is slightly different to the traditional ones we know. Omelette brochettes are pretty simple to

Omelette Brochettes

Ingredients

3-4 tbsp olive oil

1 cup whole milk

12 large eggs

1 onion; finely chopped

8 ham slices; chopped

2 mini red bell peppers; finely chopped

½ tsp red chilli flakes

3 tbsp parsley leaves; finely chopped (reserve a bit for garnish)

½ tsp dried Italian herbs (a mix of dried oregano, thyme and rosemary)

Salt, to season

Freshly milled black pepper; to season

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan forced).

Line an oven pan (32x26cm) with baking paper. (You can also use a square or rectangle cake tin).

Heat olive oil in a pan and add the chopped ham; sauté for about 2-3 minutes and then add the onions.

Once the onions are softened and translucent, add the bell peppers.

Season with salt and allow to cool slightly before adding to the egg mixture.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Add the chilli flakes, dried herbs, parsley and the cooled onion ham mixture.

Season with salt and pepper and whisk well.

Pour into the pan and cook in the oven for 12-15 minutes or till the egg has set.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before turning it out of the pan. Cut into squares and serve with your favourite sauce.

make, almost like frittatas. Though I use onions, bell peppers and ham here, any combination of meats or veggies can be used depending on your preferences. It’s the best way to sneak in some veggies for your little ones. My boy loves these brochettes in this lunch box with his favourite tomato sauce on the side.

It’s a really simple dish to make, and one you can make in bulk - which also makes it as an excellent starter choice especially for children’s parties. If you are a light eater like me, it makes a delicious lunch option too when paired with a simple

green salad.

No cheese is used in this recipe, but you may add some if you wish. Cheese is not recommended if you are planning to make these in bulk and storing, because when re-heated, cheese does not have the best texture or taste. But if you are preparing for a party or for immediate consumption, cheese can be a delightful addition to the egg mixture.

Pick veggies and/or meat that you know your family will relish. Make sure the eggs and milk are whisked well to get that beautiful fluffy texture.

On self-declared idealists in politics

Two young film-makers trailed Indian politician Arvind Kejriwal over one extremely eventful year as he sought to disrupt Indian politics

BY APARNA ANANTHUNI

Adramatic yet fully human portrayal of the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party in New Delhi, and an intimate insight into the mind of its controversial no-BS leader Arvind Kejriwal, An Insignificant Man is more absorbing than any political film or fiction, because it chronicles something truly unusual: how self-declared idealists go after and handle political power. We get to be flies on the wall at meetings of the party faithful, get a taste of the very real strategy and cynicism that goes into marketing Kejriwal’s ‘brand’ of politics, and witness the tensions and internal clashes that arise from making promises you may not be able to keep. An Insignificant Man’s storytelling is so successful because both of its sheer narrative commitment (it chronicles the story of the AAP from its very beginnings, to its triumphant win in the 2013 Delhi LA election) and because its subjects, from the earnestly self-righteous Kejriwal himself, to his stylish and charismatic right-hand man Yogendra Yadav, to passionate and courageous late AAP candidate Santosh Koli, require no script to be fascinating characters.

The two young filmmakers behind this documentary, Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla, spoke to Indian Link about what went into making it. How did this film come about?

Vinay: We felt a need to engage with the political reality around us. Every day, you switch on the news and there is so much that bothers you and concerns you and yet there is so little political art that we see out there, especially in India. The conventional news coverage around most issues is rather knee jerk. We wanted to take this

burning issue of whether idealists can ever be successful politicians and take a more meditative and longform view of it. When the AAP started out, people were really divided on whether it was a good decision or not. We decided to get out of our homes in Bombay, move to Delhi and follow these guys with our cameras.

What difficulties, if any, were there in getting the AAP and Arvind Kejriwal’s permission to follow their journey so closely and intimately?

Khushboo: We approached them in late 2012. They were just starting their new political party and nobody really thought that they had a chance. Nobody was interested in them so they were more than happy when we showed up with a camera every day. That’s how it all started. Slowly, they began getting more popular and the story became much bigger than anything we could have imagined.

As filmmakers, what appealed to you about Kejriwal, Yogendra Yadav, and the other party faithful as subjects?

What was it about the story of the AAP that struck you as being something you wanted to offer an audience?

Vinay: The AAP story allowed us to engage with politics anew. Here was an absolutely fresh political party - full of idealism, vigour and contradictions. Through their journey, we were able to get a glimpse into what it means to be a political party and fight an election in New Delhi. Arvind and Yogendra both represent the duality of our political needs in today’s times. We screened the film in Spain recently and the audiences there identified with the film completely since they could associate it with the Podemos movement. It’s amazing how the AAP story coincides with the political currents across the world.

What was the experience of filming like? Were there any challenges?

Khushboo: There are many challenges

to making political art in India. One is of course institutional alienation. We didn’t have much support as first-time filmmakers while making the film. So even while we received an incredible amount of support from the public through our crowdfunding campaign, there are several Indian institutions who loved the film but wouldn’t support it publicly. And of late there have been so many Indian festivals who said that they love the film but can’t program it because of the pressures they

are facing. At one of the Indian festivals in the US, the programmer had to come out before the screening and give a disclaimer because some people disapproved of showing our film.

Is this film a study in idealism and its relationship with politics, as much as it is about an ‘insignificant’ man’s rise?

Khushboo: Yes of course. We’d like people to think more deeply about the mechanisms of politics and how power operates around them. We live in an extremely polarised climate and I hope our film will be a moment of pause and reflection on our function as citizens in modern politics.

An Insignificant Man at the Sydney Film Festival

Fri 16 Jun 9:30 AM - State Theatre

Sun 18 Jun 11:50 AM - Dendy Opera Quays

It’s amazing how the AAP story coincides with the political currents across the world Vinay Rankaa

‘‘ ‘‘

s eeking brides

Match required for a well-established actuarist, handsome, Hindu/Punjabi boy, 6’3”, 35-year-old, slim, fair girl. Citizen of Australia and UK. Looking for beautiful, tall, fair, educated girl from a cultured family. Respond with photo and profile to puran@prasand. com.au or call +0412 563 757. Caste no bar.

Indian man, Australian citizen, early 50s, university educated, seeking honest lady for marriage. Contact 0406 688 262 or tamavu@hotmail.com.au

Looking for suitable match for 33-year-old Hindu Brahmin boy. Australian citizen, good looking, well settled, 6 feet tall. Seeking an educated and good looking girl in Australia, caste no bar. Please contact 0422 091 170; 0431 176 440.

Australian citizen, Sikh, clean shaven, handsome, 5’ 11’’, 33-year-old divorcee looking for homely, beautiful girl. Aus citizen/PR/student can apply for early marriage. Caste no bar. Send photo to babbars3131@gmail.com or 0470 626 197.

Professional business handsome man, very well established, Australian citizen, seeks very fair lady. MUST be between 45-55 years and Australian citizen. Preferably Sydney area. Caste no bar. Please reply with photo to mike000195@gmail.com, or write to PO Box 181 West Ryde NSW 2114, or call 0403 170 741. Genuine only please.

Looking for a suitable match for Punjabi, Sikh, clean shaven, Kharti boy, Australian citizen, 1988 born, 5’11” tall. Running own business. Family well settled in Australia. Please email singh492839@gmail.com

Seeking an educated, family-oriented and non-Manglik girl for Australian citizen, Hindu Punjabi Saraswat Brahmin, issueless divorcee, 47/5’11”. Engineer working in MNC, Sydney. Contact on WhatsApp +61 424 858 054 or email photo and details to tweetonmat@gmail.com

Match required for South Indian Brahmin boy, 29, 174cm, electrical engineer studying MBA, working in IT, settled in Australia. Girl should be fair, slim, well educated, preferably with similar background. Please send full details with photo(s) to snudad2017@gmail.com

s eeking grooms

Seeking a match for a Hindu Khatri, 25, 5’5’’, professional, fair, beautiful, vegetarian girl. Australian citizen, high status family seeks good alliance from a well to do family. Australian citizen preferred. Email indian.bride2017@gmail.com with details and photo of the boy or call +61 429 300 961.

Well settled family in Australia seeks professional match for 29 year old, 5’7’’, beautiful Punjabi Hindu girl with traditional Indian values, working in a senior government position. Prefer boy having Australian citizenship or PR status. Send biodata and photographs to ausingh60@gmail.com

Brother based in Sydney seeks suitable match for 39 year old, Mumbai born, never married, Gujarati girl. 5’4’’, well cultured, medium built, B. Com and working for international shipping company in Dubai. Hindu grooms please contact on 0416 475 948 or komaldxb@gmail.com

Seeking professionally qualified settled match for Sydney based, never married Aus citizen, Hindu, Punjabi Khatri. 44, 5’3”, slim, fair, attractive girl. Girl is postgraduate and is working in a good position in government organisation. Please send details with photo Indsyd2016@gmail.com

Seeking well educated, Australian citizen/PR match from professional/business family for a fair, slim, Hindu-Khatri girl. December ’85 born, 5’3”, post-graduate (never married). Willing to move to Australia. Currently in Melbourne (visitor visa). WhatsApp+91 9811 644 747 or call +61 466 984 747 email biodata and pictures toradheygkk@gmail.com

Seeking professional match for Australia born and brought up, Hindu Brahmin girl, CA 25 years old, 5’4”, vegetarian, non-alcoholic, with Indian family values, working with a private company. Family well settled in Australia for over 30 years. Prefer boy with Australian citizenship or PR status. Please send details with photo to rmns556@gmail.com

Suitable match for Australian citizen, Sydney based, Sikh girl. 1991 born, 170cm, qualified chartered accountant, working for Australia’s leading bank. Parents highly educated and well settled in Sydney. Please respond to hs52216a@gmail.com

Well-settled/professional match invited for Sydney-based Punjabi girl, never-married 43/5’6”, Masters in IT from Sydney. Jolly nature, good mix of Indian and modern values. Working in MNC. Australian citizen. Educated family. Parents in Delhi. Respond with photo and profile: sydgirl09@gmail.com

Seeking a match for a Hindu Khatri, 25/ 5’ 5’’ professional, fair, beautiful, vegetarian girl. Australian citizen, high status family, seeking good alliance from a well to do family. Email: indian.bride2017@gmail.com with details and photo of the boy or call +61 429300961. Australian citizen preferred.

TAROT foretell

A RIES

March 21 - April 19

There are no half measures for you in June, Aries. Whatever you set out to do, whether at work or at home, your Mars passion surfaces and you are in your perfectionist avatar. The amazing Devil continues to figure in your reading as significator - only this time, with the Two of Swords it indicates that you progress steadily into a lighter, more balanced phase. By communicating your plans and hopes to a partner, you create your own secure space.

L EO

July 21 - Aug 22

You’re quite the star, Leo! Your charm and unswerving optimism gain you more admirers in June. Friends know you are special and go out of their way to make you feel so. As you are a leader with enduring positivity, you dwell on that which might be than permit tiny snarls to smudge your rose-edged picture of the future. A niggling business concern or legal matter peters out and towards the end of the month you experience a wish fulfillment!

TAURUS April 20 - May 20

The world at your feet! Could you ask for more, Taurus? Well, perhaps you could, and it would be yours - real estate, investment and such like seem to naturally attract you. There appears to be a new phase of prosperity and abundance beckoning you. A new workplace, a larger office or a personal venture that is now grown to occupy your entire workday - the Ace of Pentacles assures you that your brilliance and creativity have brought you to this wellmerited cushy state.

V

Aug 23 - Sep 22

Destiny has brought you to a point of happy transition, and the Wheel of Fortune asks you to prepare for felicitous changes in your life. In a relationship you learn to know each other better and find deep joy and spiritual meaning. You’ve been hard at work for some time now, so wind down, take a step back and relax. It’s a time for celebration! Things move rapidly now, Virgo, so it would be best to go with the flow.

JUNE 2017 BY VANDANA

June, you’re here! With your mix of pleasant showers and sunshine days you’ll brighten many a heart yet. As in May, we have a two-card reading for each zodiac sign – a significator card and a circumstance card from the RaiderWaite tarot deck. Happy reading and may happiness be with you.

G EMINI

May 21 - June 20

Gemini, this is your birth month and you have the card of The Empress to show us you rule! With your fine balance of intellect, spirit and sensitivity, those around you sense your radiance and seek you out. It could be for a teaching or training assignment or perhaps you are asked to mentor someone. There will be a philosophical or educational dimension to your activities as the Seven of Swords inspires you. A risk-averse policy at sports is recommended.

L IBRA

Sep 23 - Oct 22

Venus-ruled people often harbour a strong spirit wrapped in enchanting dimpled smiles, so people around you may never know that your wisdom is born of tough experience, Libra. The Chariot lets you ride into victory this month to attain your higher purpose through journeying, publishing or teaching and learning. The Six of Cups by your side indicates that this victory will be all the sweeter for you as you create some special moments with an artistic, charming and cultured companion.

S

AGITTARIUS

Nov 22 - Dec 21

Rewards come through perseverance. This is a call for you to review and rework a much-loved project. Perhaps it is a book you’ve written or a blog you’d started; your academic paper or travelogue; a painting, documentary or film - it is rather hard to go over something you believe to be perfect. Polishing and presenting with finesse is your forte, Sagittarius! The Two of Cups suggests that refreshing your work is easiest done when you combine forces with someone special.

C APRICORN

Dec 22 - Jan 19

Misty moonshine washes calm over your homestead in this reading, Capricorn, and you need it this month. Your dreams, ideas and thoughts need reflection and some time-out would help you sift the practical from the imaginary. Your hard work and experience will find you your bearings in the workplace so dismiss all lingering thoughts of ‘I could have done better’. You always do your best, so believe in yourself and success will be yours - yes, it will be very sweet!

Aq

UARIUS

Jan 20 - Feb 18

The Lovers card appears in your reading and Aquarius, you’re spoilt for choice! It’s a good thing Cupid is kind to you for you’re in need of some serious fun. The Four of Swords suggests that work and health issues have been taking up your time. This is the best time for you to recoup and heal. You will likely explore new places with your partner, or, if single, home in on the one person you can be yourself with.

CANCER June 21 - July 20

You’ve been inclined of late to clamber into your shell, Cancer. The Hermit along with the King of Swords signifies that you may feel the need to indulge, as the focus shifts to your physical comforts. Your appreciation of the beautiful things in life is legendary. Cubicle, corner office or condo - you want your work and living space to reflect your fine taste. Should you engage professional decorators, they will learn from you how to combine practicality with artistic sensibilities!

S CORPIO

Oct 23 - Nov 21

Work! Work! Work! If that has been your mantra of late, Scorpio, your loved ones are certain to demand more of your time and rightly so. It would be all too easy to recede into your inner world with your thoughts and concerns but the Knight of Swords encourages you to slash that thought at the outset and begin interacting with people. It is in voicing your own thoughts and understanding other viewpoints that you will accomplish your cherished aspirations.

P ISCES

Feb 19 - March 20

Oh, Pisces, how will you ever balance your dreamy idealism with the obligations of the real world? Yet, you are entreated to do just that, as opportunities present themselves for restructuring a project along more practical lines. The Five of Wands supports you as you bring empathy, kindness and heart to your work and bear your endeavour to fruition. Maintain an easy pace and act not in haste - the world needs your gentle touch, Dreamer, while keeping you unwearied.

IRGO

cine TALK

s o much more th A n hope A nd guilt

She is a feast for the senses. This film is remarkable for how capably it uses this actress’ beauty and the feast.

Though Manisha’s Maya is central to the plot and her name is mentioned in almost every scene, Bhatnagar uses Manisha’s incandescent physical presence sparingly. This is a wise narrative device.

DEAR MAYA

STARRING: Manisha Koirala, Madiha Imam, Shreya Chaudhary and Rakeysh

Omprakash Mehra

W RITER-DIRECTOR: Sunaina Bhatnagar

HHHHH

First things first. Dear Maya is a dear little gem of a film that you would want to hold close to your heart. As debutante director Sunaina Bhatnagar charts a course through the heart of her beautiful protagonist Maya, the narrative tugs at your heartstrings without being manipulative or

excessively maudlin.

Among the many aspects of the film that left me deeply moved is its controlled emotion projection. This could have been an overwhelming story of a beautiful lonely woman and her faithful washed-out woman-Friday fading away in her self-created isolation in the anonymity of a hill station (something like our Bollywood diva Rekha, if she were not a celebrity). Until, one fine day, when she is suddenly jostled into a delayed blossoming.

Manisha Koirala plays the wilting flower with heartbreaking integrity.

Every time she is on screen, Manisha leaves you craving for more, not only because she is exceptionally watchable but also because her character is written as an epitome of enigma. The more we are told about her, the more we want to know.

The narrative works on two basic human emotions: hope and guilt. While Manisha’s Maya erupts in belated bliss after she receives love letters from an unknown admirer, the two young female protagonists Anna (Madiha Imam) and Ira (Shreya Chaudhary) are the unlikely catalysts for Maya’s metamorphosis.

Dear Maya is as much Maya’s story as it is about the two fun-seeking girls who blunder into a lifelong regret and

guilt. With remarkable restrain, this little film with a big heart tells us how a moment of judgement-error in life can affect and change lives forever.

While Manisha owns the film in every frame that she occupies (the camera has always been in love with her though she has not always reciprocated that love), Madiha Imam as the guilt-ridden Anna is a significant find. A younger, more sorted version of Anushka Sharma, Madiha takes Anna’s character through a memorable labyrinth of emotions all delicately threaded together in a stirring motion of frozen thoughts.

While we witness Maya’s journey into self-actualization, we also see Anna’s friendship with her best friend Ira go through its upheavals. Apart from one lengthy confrontation / breakdown sequence which both the young actresses are unable to handle, Madiha Imam and Shreya Chaudhary lend a supple tonal honesty to the proceedings.

But make no mistake. Manisha Koirala owns Dear Maya. As she transforms from a repressed woman in Shimla to a self-dependent life-loving diva in Delhi, Manisha again confirms her place among the greats.

Towards the end, filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra shows up in a surprise role lending credence to the growing feeling in the audience that Dear Maya is a sum total of far greater human traits than hope and guilt. What this film says about a life well-lived is so much larger than its immediate concerns.

Subhash K. Jha

A DEATH IN THE GUNJ

STARRING: Kalki Koechlin, Om Puri, Tanuja Mukerji, Vikrant Massey, Jim Sarbh, Arya Sharma, Tillotama Shome, Ranvir Shorey, Promila Pradhan, Gulshan Devaiah and Promila Pradhan

DIRECTOR: Konkona Sen Sharma

HHHHH

Based on a short story which was inspired by true events written by Mukul Sharma, the film sounds more autobiographical than fiction.

lAyered A nd skilfully cr A fted

Mimi.

Apart from the homecoming, it is the reunion of friends that the tale focusses on. The bulk of the narrative, however, is about the mundane life of each character described in microscopic detail during the funfilled holiday activities, which include indulging in seance, playing kabaddi and spending time together frolicking around.

drive a car.

Kalki Koechlin is natural and brilliant as the attention seeking, sex-starved Mimi.

With Om Puri speaking in chaste Hindi, and Tanuja often breaking into Bengali, the duo as Mr and Mrs Bakshi, with no chemistry between them, strike out as an odd couple, who take each other for granted.

The film is set in the late 1970s, in the small hilly town of McCluskieganj in the erstwhile state of Bihar. The narrative begins with a corpse being transported from the hospital. It keeps you glued to the screen till the very end as to who is dead.

A few days before the end of the year 1978, Bonnie visits her parents Mr and Mrs Bakshi along with her husband Nandu, daughter Taniya aka Tani, cousin Shyamal Chatterjee aka Shutu and friends Vikram Choudhary, Brian and

While all the actors are ace performers and they shine in their roles, your heart bleeds for actor Vikrant Massey’s character. He plays the lonely and depressed Shutu who is taken for granted by the motley group, because he is 23 years old, the youngest of the adults and malleable. He is charming and sincere. How he bonds with little Tanya portrayed by Arya Sharma or gets hurt when accused by all, are some of the heart-rending moments.

Ranvir Shorey as the recently wedded Vikram Choudhary is the big bully who at his age “still behaves like he is a 23-year-old”, is aggressive and a chauvinist. Ranvir displays the repulsive side of the character with natural ease.

Tillotama Shome displays a variety of shades to her character Bonnie. She is aptly supported by the understated Gulshan Devaiah as her husband Nandu who acts like a dominant older brother to Vikrant while teaching him how to

i nform Ati V e A nd inspir Ation A l

SACHIN: A BILLION DREAMS

STARRING: Sachin Tendulkar, Anjali Tendulkar, Ajit Tendulkar, Sara Tendulkar, Mayuresh Pem, Mayur More

DIRECTOR: Sachin: A Billion Dreams

HHHHH

Sachin: A Billion Dreams is a biopic that gives a holistic view of Sachin Tendulkar’s life, who is revered as “the God” of cricket by his fans.

Structurally, the film is designed as a documentary. While the film encapsulates the life of the master blaster right from his birth till date, it also gives an insight into the socioeconomic situation of the country, making it feel like heavy-duty stuff.

This may not be the first documentary on Tendulkar, but probably it is the only one endorsed by him. So, you have him as the narrator sharing his personal moments along with his views and fears in a sincere and heartfelt manner.

While the film tells us of his growth as a cricketer which is common knowledge, it also reveals his personal life bringing to the fore his close-knit family and friends. How he got the name Sachin, how he met his wife, got married and

how he spends his free moments, are a few of the interesting nuggets shared. So apart from Sachin you actually get to see his family and friends.

The script designed by director James Erskine and Sivakumar Ananth seamlessly encapsulates Sachin’s life with archived footages from his personal videos, cricket matches, news clips and clips from various talking heads like ex-cricketers Sunil Gavaskar, Vivian Richards, Wasim Akram, Ravi Shastri, Shane Warne, Ricky Ponting, Virendra Sehwag, M.S. Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Harbhajan Singh, sports journalist Gideon Haigh, commentator Harsha Bhogle, cricket historian Boria Majumdar, singing legend Lata Mangeshkar and megastar Amitabh Bachchan among others. Together, they give a fair insight into the life of Sachin. Visually, the film with the right blend of collected footage, is engaging and the narrative arc by default is definitive with a set-up, set-back and the finale - Sachin’s retirement speech after winning the 2011 World Cup. The euphoria of the brilliantly played matches is once again relived, giving the plot-graph its required jagged edges.  With a run-time of two hours and

20 minutes, the first half of the film is interesting and fast paced. It dramatically ends on a sombre poetic note. The second half moves at a slower pace and fatigue sets in, nevertheless the film is inspirational.

The others in the cast include Jim Sarbh as the Anglo-Indian Brian, and the characters Maniya and Manjari, the house helps.

On the technical front, with moderate production values, for her maiden directorial venture, Konkona Sen Sharma has astutely mounted the film. She has tackled every department with the sharp eye of an expert. The production designs, which include the costumes along with the background score, the cinematography, and the editing, all deserve a special mention. While the script written by Disha Rindani and Konkana Sen Sharma is skilfully drafted - giving every character equal weightage - there are moments that make it seem pretentious and predictable. But the last scene which works as a metaphor in the film, leaves a lot of scope for interpretations and discussions and that is what takes this film beyond the auditorium.

Troy Ribeiro

With editor Avdhesh Mohla’s smooth transitions and effective background score by A.R. Rahman, this well mounted documentary will appeal to cricket fans and every Indian. Troy Ribeiro

the BUZZ entertainment

SALMAN KHAN: I DON’T TAKE STARDOM SERIOUSLY

Is that why you put rubbish in your mouth while on stage, like no one’s watching you….?

If you missed this little episode, you missed seeing a bored Salman sitting on stage, peel off thread from his ripped jeans, roll it up between his fingers, and pop it in his mouth.

Like, as though, every camera in the room was not recording every movement he was making!

So it must be true when superstar Salman Khan says he lives his life in the present and does not take his celebrity status seriously.

“I live my life moment to moment,” he said to the media recently, this time taking care to keep his fingers as far away from his mouth as possible. “As an actor I’m doing my job. The persona you see on screen is a contribution of more than 100 people, from the different departments like camera, make-up and lights. How can I take that madness that you guys (media and common people) call stardom, so seriously? I don’t.”

The Dabangg star was talking about his upcoming film Tubelight, made by Kabir Khan.

Salman, who has previously collaborated with Kabir Khan in blockbusters like Ek Tha Tiger and Bajrangi Bhaijaan, said he is aware their styles were different.

“Our understanding of films is very different. His approach is more realistic, as he comes from documentary filmmaking. On the other hand, I am into commercial Bollywood. Perhaps that is why when these two meet, a new style is born.”

Nice line to sell a movie. If all else fails, though, you can still eat your pants…

Tubelight releases on 25 June.

A WHITEWASH TO BRIDGE THE GAP

What the world needs right now is that the gaps in this world be bridged, says actress Priyanka Chopra, who has teamed up with Wiz Khalifa, Adwoa Aboah and Maria Borges for an ad film titled Bridging the Gap

“The most important (gap) for me is empowering women,” the Baywatch hottie said. “Women need to be given an opportunity to stand on their feet and do the best they can for themselves.”

Bridging the Gap, a one-minute film, features a bunch of celebs including Priyanka swaying to the music of that old favourite Sunny by Boney M. Created for American clothing brand Gap, the film is described as ‘celebrating American optimism’ and ‘individuality’. It does this by celebrating the different faces of America by - um - putting them in white… sorry, “by showing each in an iconic Gap white T-shirt.”

RAHUL KHANNA: ON FRAGRANCE MEN WEAR Bollywood actor Rahul Khanna, who has been roped in as the brand ambassador for a deodorant firm, feels that men are judged often on the fragrance they wear. Really!!

“How you smell can be as important as how you look and a man is often judged by the fragrance he wears. I’m happy to be associated with ENVY who’s bringing a new range of international fragrances to the Indian Man,” Rahul said in a statement.

ANUPAM KHER: MASTER OF REINVENTION

Anupam Kher looks every bit of Manmohan Singh in the first look of a film adaptation of Sanjaya Baru’s controversial book The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh, in which the veteran actor essays the former Indian Prime Minister.

The recently released black and white

poster shows the side profile of Anupam, dressed as Manmohan Singh - complete with a white beard and turban. The focus of the poster is, however, more on the silhouette of a woman - presumably Congress President Sonia Gandhistanding in the corridors of Parliament House.

The deliberate placement of the silhouette near Anupam’s ear portrays the numerous layers that were perhaps behind the persona and the role of Singh, who was criticised for rarely being verbal and taking actions on his own.

Directed by debutant Vijay Ratnakar Gutte, the memoir by Sanjaya Baru is expected to hit the screens in December 2018, just ahead of the next general election in 2019.

Meanwhile, Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Pahlaj Nihalani has said the film makers will need to obtain no-objection certificates (NOC) from the former Prime Minister himself as well as Congress President Sonia Gandhi for film certification.

Nihalani has warned that the film’s makers would have to abide by the guideline regarding all films based on real-life characters.

NAWAZUDDIN SIDDIQUI: TO SHAKE A LEG

The only way to find out if the Manjhi actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui can really dance will be in Munna Michael Nawazuddin will be seen in Munna Michael with Tiger Shroff, who is known for his skills at dancing.

At the trailer launch of Munna Michael, Nawazuddin said he cannot dance as well as other young heroes of Bollywood, but he can try to match up with them.

“I won’t be able to play a dancing hero. But yes, I would love to play a hero in any film. I think Tiger and our whole team helped me to dance a little bit in the film. I think somehow I manage just five per cent of Tiger’s level,” says Siddiqui.

Asked about his experience of working with Nawazuddin, Tiger said: “I think with every character, Nawaz bhai’s body language changes, and that is a sign of a good actor.

“I learnt a lot from him as an actor during the shooting of the film.”

The action dance movie’s female lead

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Nidhhi Agerwal who is making her debut said “I am very lucky to be a part of this film where I got a chance to work with Nawaz sir. He is a very down-to-earth person and patient on set.

Munna Michael is slated for release on July 21.

VIJENDER SINGH AND RITEISH DESHMUKH: THROWING RAP PUNCHES

Boxing star Vijender Singh has joined forces with actor Riteish Deshmukh for a rap battle in a special appearance for a song in Bank Chor

The track, composed by Shameer Tandon and penned by lyricist Varun Likhate, is titled BC Rap Knockout: Mumbai vs Delhi, and dwells on the Mumbai versus Delhi argument.

Vijender has traded rap punches on the song, delivered to the voice of underground desi rapper Pardhaan, while Riteish’s voice is rendered by the original Mumbai gully rapper, Naezy.

Talking about the experience, Vijender said: “It was great fun for me to go head-to-head with Riteish on this song because of the ‘epic rap battle’ format. I am used to throwing punches in the ring, so this was like a musical bout, where I was throwing barbs at Riteish.

The inimitable Riteish said: “If there’s one thing I’ve actually loved about doing Bank Chor, it is that I play a Marathi Manoos in it, who is an out-and-out Mumbaikar. This song is special to me for the same reason — I got to represent

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my city, the city of dreams, Mumbai.” Bank Chor, directed by Bumpy and produced by Ashish Patil, will release on June 16.

MAMTA KULKARNI:

ABSCONDING

Exactly a year after she was named an accused in the Rs 2,000 crore ephedrine drugs haul case, a special court declared former Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni and her husband Vicky Goswami “proclaimed offenders”.

“It is pronounced and declared that the accused Vicky Goswami and Mamta Kulkarni are the proclaimed offenders. The Special Court has issued warrants under Section 82 of the Criminal Procedure Code, against the two prime accused - who are believed to be in Kenya’s Mombasa city - in the case which has another eight accused and four absconders.

The recent development came nine months after Kulkarni, 45, denied all police allegations against her and claimed she was “innocent” and a “Yogini” (ascetic), in a recorded statement from Kenya.

Police said that Kulkarni’s name was included in the FIR after the DEA provided evidences of involvement of Moroccan and Colombian drug mafia in the case and how the Goswami-Kulkarni couple attended certain drug smuggling meetings in January-April last year.

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The police have nabbed a total of 10 accused in the case, besides probing another seven wanted accused. Kulkarni’s alleged involvement in the racket was confirmed by some of the accused in the case.

WORTH A WATCH? YOU DECIDE!

Director Alankrita Shrivastava is all guns blazing with her latest offering Lipstick Under My Burkha

The movie, which has done its fair share of festival rounds, was caught in a mess with the Censor Board for being laced with sexual scenes and abusive words.

The film has finally received a certificate for release following Film Certification Appellate Tribunal’s directive.

“We have fought so hard to be allowed to screen this film legally in theatres, it deserves the best release,” Shrivastava said.

“Films by women, about women and through women’s eyes need to be made and watched. Why should women’s stories of love, sex, secrets and rebellion not be screened and watched widely? Let’s claim our right to watch ‘ladyoriented’ films,” she added.

Produced by Prakash Jha, the film features actors like Konkona Sensharma and Ratna Pathak Shah, and tells the story of four small town women in search of a little freedom.

WHAT T WEETY BIRD TOLD US THIS WEEK

Match the following tweets to the stars that made them.

SRK, Priyanka Chopra, Anupam Kher, Akshay Kumar

A perfect New York afternoon with these lovely ladies Nicole Kidman, Kate Mara, Kendall Jenner and Keri Russell.

To reinvent yourself as an actor is to challenge yourself. Looking forward to portraying Manmohan Singh in The Accidental Prime Minister.

Something to think about... 50 percent of the rape cases in India can go down if we build TOILETS!

As overplayed as the pun is, I still can’t resist writing…“Hav u ever seen a better pair of perfect fitting genes?”

What’s the chitchat between PRIYANKA C HOPRA and W IZ K HALIFA?

Send in your responses to win@indianlink.com.au and win a ticket to a new Hindi film

LAST ISSUE CAPTION CONTEST WINNING ENTRY

What’s the chitchat between A ISHWARYA and RIHANNA?

Aish to herself: Oh wow, Rihannaaaa!

Rihanna to herself: Someone tell me who this is again…?

Rajinder Singh

M T C OLAH NSW

Rajinder wins a ticket to Baahubali 2

mA mtA kulk A rni

A nupA m kher

Turning twenty one

A note from MUM AND DAD to their son on a milestone birthday

happy birthday, son. We are very proud to see the man you’ve become, but more important than that, you have given us much happiness over the last 21 years. We love you to bits. Here’s a little note for you on your 21st birthday. You could call them life lessons – they’ve come to us after years of experience, and tbh, there are some things here we wish we had done ourselves. Take from this list what you will: we know you will make your own list one day, which many people will read.

1 Laugh a lot.

2 Have lots of friends.

3 Dream big – about your own future. Then get out there and make it happen.

4 Read.

5 Learn new things; keep on learning. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

6 Eat well. Remember our diet mantra when you were younger: Garbage in, garbage out.

7 Treat other people like you would have them treat you. Especially those less fortunate than you now. It won’t be long before they come up to your level, and go further.

8 Keep in touch with family: yes, they often embarrass you, but they are also your biggest fan club and will protect you and look out for you no matter what. You are quite lucky you have some very accomplished people in your family: they’ve given you the good genes and the good environment that have made you what you are today. Be good friends with your sister –and look after each other.

9 Be polite and respectful towards women. Treat girls as equals in every respect. Know that when mates say disrespectful things about girls, they are being uncool.

10 Do what you love. Love what you do.

11 Keep your room clean.

12 Shower every day, or twice daily. Wear a nice fragrance. Wear clean and good quality underwear.

13 Always know and feel that you’ve made your parents/family proud. At any given point in time, you should be able to say, yes, I think my family is proud of me. (If you ever feel you’ve done something that will make your family not proud, make amends immediately.)

14 Never forget where you came from. Learn more about your culture, Indian as well as Australian. It is quite cool to be proud of your heritage.

15 You may be an adult now, but don’t forget to play. Nurture your hobbies, and surround yourself with things related to them. If you can afford it, travel to different places to follow your hobbies.

16 You may be an adult now, but don’t forget to tease. Have a sense of humour and gently tease your significant others. It is a great tension reducer.

17 Drink alcohol – don’t let it drink you. And you know the rules about drinking and driving.

18 Always reach out to friends – even distant acquaintances – when they

experience a birth or a death in their family. Try and visit, and if you can’t, then send a note or flowers or a message.

19 Have lots of mentors, ie, people that you look up to and have respect for.

20 Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re weak: it could mean you’re wise. And brave.

21 Be grateful. Show your gratitude. It is a truly uplifting feeling. Research shows that grateful people are happy people. Life coaches now recommend that we must all take a few minutes of our day to list some things we are currently grateful for. (Hint: whenever you feel down, list things you are thankful for. It will heal you).

Many happy returns, dude. Now let’s go and get a drink.