WHAT’S ON

Community

Immigration forum

Wed 20 Sept FIAN announces Q and A with the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border protection Alex Hawke on Visa and Immigration matters, 6.308.30pm at Madison Function Centre, 632 Old Northern Rd, Dural. Free event, but RSVP essential. Limited seats RSVP: aninc1@gmail.com

Festival

IMA Onam

Sat 26 Aug Illawarra Malayalee Association celebrates Onam at Town Hall Wollongong, 32 Burelli St Wollongong, 10.00am - 9.00pm. Indoor games, Onam lunch with 19 items and stage show. Details Dhiresh 0401 432 392.

LIMA Onam

Sat 26 Aug Jack Chembirika presents LIMA Onam at All Saints Church Auditorium, Liverpool. Details search Facebook for LIMA Sydney.

Hunter Onam

Sat 2 Sept Hunter Malayalai Samajam (Humsam) present Onam celebration at New Lambton High School Lambton. Details 0424 136 692.

SydMal Onam

Sun 3 Sept Sydney Malayalee Association organises Onam at Bowman Hall, 35 Campbell St, Blacktown. Details execomsydmal@gmail.com

Durga Puja Fundraising Dinner

Sun 27 Aug Food, music, dance, giveaways, games, women’s art exhibition and history panels. Free event. 5 pm to 8 pm. Thornton Community Centre, Thornton. Details on https://www.facebook.com/ events/318551498591204/

Ganesh Utsav 2017

Fri 25 Aug - Tue 5 Sept

Western Sydney Ganeshotsav Inc celebrates Ganesh Festival at Swaminarayan Mandir, 1/44 Be4ssemer St Blacktown.

Details Sandeep Dalal 0437 041 187.

Vinayagar Saturthi

Fri 25 Aug Special event at Sydney Murugan Temple, 217 Great Western Highway, Mays Hill. Details 02 9687 1695

Vinayaka Chavithi celebrations

Sun 27 Aug Australian

Telangana State Association celebrates Ganesh festival at

Ermington Community Centre

10 River Road, Ermington. 2 pm to 9 pm. For details, contact Naresh 0434 562 948

Ganesh Visarjan Festival

Sun 27 Aug Bring your own clay Ganesha idols to the temple by 12.00 noon and make Ganesh at temple for poojas and immersion at beach by 3pm. Sri Venkateshwara temple, Helensburgh NSW. Variety entertainment & foods from community kitchens all through the day. 8am to 5 pm. For details contact 1300 626 663.

Navratri 2017 Atul Puroihit

Fri 25 and Sat 26 Aug

Star Alliance Entertainment & Prudential International Education Services present Guinesss Book & Limca

Book record holder Vadodara Ratna Atul Purohit. 7.00pm at Whitlam Leisure Centre, Memorial Avenue, Liverpool.

Details Kaushal Parikh 0415 930 339.

Kinjal Dave Folk Dandia Sat 16 Sept Castle Hill Showground, Doran Drive Castle Hill at 4:00 pm. Details 0469 777 456 or email info@ navratridandia.com.au

ART

Jaipuri miniature

1 - 16 Sept Master miniature Ajay Sharma Ajay Sharma and partner Vinita Sharma of Jaipur will be presenting new works at AirSpace Projects, 10 Junction Street Marrickville.

Workshops: SquarePeg Studios and AirSpace Projects are hosting 2 week-long workshops with Ajay Sharma. Spend a week learning miniature painting, engage with an ancient and beautiful painting technique, drink chai and create your own miniature painting.

Workshop 1: Mon 4 Sept – Fri 8 Sept, 10am to 4pm (Booked out)

Workshop 2: Mon 11 Sept to Fri 15 Sept, 10am to 4pm.

Details Brenda Factor 0411 370361 or email classes@ squarepegstudios.com.au

Entertainment

Punjabi Virsa 2017

Sat 26 Aug Urban Productions event featuring Manmohan Waris, Kamal Heer & Sangtar. C3 Conference Venue, 108-120 Silverwater Road, Silverwater. 7 pm to 12 pm.

Details on 0433 211 986

Isai Velvi

Sun 27 Aug A classical music concert of Bombay Jayashri

Ramnath. Kamban Kazhagam Australia event. 5:30 pm to 9 pm.

Sydney Bahai Centre 107 Derby Street, Silverwater NSW, Sydney. Details Chuthan 0449 989 999

Tamil comedy play

Fri 1 Sept Natya Bollywood and Maximum Media INCE present Tamil play Kaasethaan Kadavulada at Durga Temple Auditorium, 21-23 Rose Crescent, Regents Park. Details John Niven at niven.john@yahoo.com.au

Bengali poet Srijato

Sat 2 Sept Anandodhara

Readers Forum presents Bengali poet Srijato in Ekai Ek Show at Pennant Hills Community Centre. Details Srimanto 0412 554 874

Misc

Race Discrimination

Commissioner’s Student Prize

2017

The Race Discrimination

Commissioner’s Student Prize is an annual competition for school students aimed to promote research and discussion of racism among young people. Students in years 10 and 11 at a school in any Australian state or territory are eligible to enter. Entrants may write an essay (maximum 1000 words) or record a speech (video or audio, maximum 5 minutes) and submit it to the Commission via the entry form.

Entrants must answer one of the following questions:

1. The best way of killing ugliness is with kindness. To what extent should this guide our society’s response to racism?

2. Fighting racism demands that we also defend liberal democracy. Discuss. The winning student will be awarded a book voucher from Dymocks worth $150. Details: www.humanrights.gov. au/our-work/race-discrimination/ student-prize-entry-form

Last date for submission Fri 15 Sept.

Grants available for Seniors Groups

Mark Taylor MP, Member for Seven Hills, has announced grants of up to $10,000 for seniors groups in Seven Hills to host events and activities during the 2018 NSW Seniors Festival, the festival’s 60th year. Organisations are encouraged to apply and be part of more than 1,000 free or discounted events expected to be held across the state.

The 2018 festival, the largest celebration of older people in the Southern Hemisphere, will run from April 4 to Sunday April 15, 2018.

Past events have focused on creativity, recreation, technology and health, while also bene ting the culturally and linguistically diverse, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. For the rst time, there are three funding categories available:

* Tier 1 Grants of up to $1000 for small-scale local events or activities targeted at community organisations and schools

* Tier 2 Grants from $1,001 to $5000 for local community events targeted at larger community organisations

* Tier 3 Grants from $5,001 to $10,000 for large scale community events run by local councils in partnership with organisations and groups. Grant applications close 5pm, Fri 8 Sept 2017. For more information or to submit an application, go to www. nswseniorsfestival.com.au

Activities at Indian Cultural Centre

Attention International Students

Fri 25 Aug The ConsulateGeneral of India, Sydney and StudyNSW are hosting an info session for Indian students in NSW about how to remain safe and know your working rights while studying in NSW. 3:45 pm - 6:00 pm. There will be guest presentations by StudyNSW, NSW Police, Fair Work Ombudsman, Redfern Legal Centre and Surf Life Saving NSW. Refreshments will be provided at the conclusion of the event.

Concert: Mudra

Fri 1 Sept Musical concert of Carnatic, Hindustani and Abhangs of Indian Saint composers by Ms. Nadhamuni Gayatri Bharat, 5:30 to 7:00 pm.

Indian Miniature Painting Sat 9 Sept Learn the art of Indian miniature painting. Jaipurbased miniaturist Ajay Sharma joins Sydney-based artist and collector Francine Haywood for a demonstration and workshop, 10:00 am - 01:00 pm

Hindi Classes

Saturdays 2.30pm-4.30

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. Details email icc2.sydney@mea. gov.in

LIST

Supreme Court strikes down instant triple talaq, political parties hail decision

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court of India by a 3-2 decision struck down the centuries-old practice of instant triple talaq among Indian Muslims as unconstitutional, manifestly arbitrary and void in law.

However, the minority judgment concluded that “talaq-e-biddat” was a matter of personal law of Muslims that does not breach the Constitution’s Article 25 (right to practice one’s religion).

The judgment was widely welcomed by political parties including the BJP and Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and women’s organisations. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) welcomed the judgment on the ground that it accords protection to Muslim personal law. The political parties said the landmark judgment accorded equality to Muslim women and rendered gender justice.

Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and Justice S. Abdul Nazeer constituting the minority in the five bench Constitutional bench ordered an injunction on triple talaq at least for six months -- by when the government should consider steps to initiate legislation on the issue. They beseeched political parties to keep their individual political gains apart while considering measures requiring legislation.

The other three judges disagreed.

“In view of the different opinions recorded, by a majority of 3:2 the practice of talaq-e-biddat - triple talaq - is set aside,” the bench comprising Justices Khehar, Kurian Joseph, Rohinton F. Nariman, U.U. Lalit and Abdul Nazeer said in the concluding paragraph of the 395-page ruling.

The apex court gave its judgment on a petition filed by Muslim woman Shayara Bano, joined by a Muslim group and four other women.

Justice Nariman and Justice Lalit, who were part of the majority judgment, said: “Given that triple talaq is instant and irrevocable, it is obvious that any attempt at reconciliation between the husband and wife by two arbiters from their families, which is essential to save the marital tie, cannot ever take place.

“...This being the case, it is clear that this form of talaq is manifestly arbitrary in the sense that the marital tie can be broken capriciously and whimsically by a Muslim man without any attempt at reconciliation so as to save it.

“This form of talaq must, therefore, be held to be violative of the fundamental right contained under Article 14 of the Constitution,” they said, adding the 1937 Shariah Act must be struck down.

In a concurring but separate judgment, Justice Joseph said: “What is held to be bad in the Holy Quran cannot be good in Shariat and, in that sense, what is bad in theology is bad in law as well.” e said he found it extremely difficult to agree with the Chief Justice that triple talaq has to be considered integral to the religious denomination and it was part of their personal law.

He said merely because a practice has continued for long, that by itself cannot make it valid if it has been expressly declared to be impermissible.

He said when issues of such nature come to the forefront, the discourse often takes the form of pitting religion against other constitutional rights.

In the minority judgment, Justice Khehar said it would not be appropriate for the court to record a finding whether tala e biddat was or was not affirmed by adiths (Prophet’s sayings) in view of the enormous contradictions in the Hadiths relied upon by rival parties.

“Talaq-e-biddat is integral to the religious denomination of Sunnis belonging to the anafi school. he same is a part of their faith, having been followed for more than 1,400 years, and as such, has to be accepted as being constituent of their ‘personal law’.”

“The ... practice cannot therefore be set aside ... through judicial intervention.”

The minority judgment observed that there was seemingly an overwhelming majority of Muslim women demanding that triple talaq, “which is sinful in theology, be declared as impermissible in law”.

The judges noted that during the hearing, learned counsel appearing for the rival parties described the practice as unpleasant, distasteful and unsavoury. Others called it disgusting, loathsome and obnoxious.

The minority judgment said religion was a matter of faith and not of logic and it was not open to a court to accept an egalitarian approach over a traditional practice.

They said it was not for a court to determine whether religious practices were prudent or progressive or regressive.

The judges said the stance adopted by the Union Government supports the petitioners’ cause and observed: “Unfortunately, the union seeks at our hand, what truly falls in its own.”

Reacting to the judgment, Modi, who has been forthcoming on the issue on a number of occasions including last week’s Independence Day address, hailed the ruling as “historic.”

“Judgment... is historic. It grants equality to Muslim women and is a powerful measure for women empowerment,” the prime minister tweeted.

BJP president Amit Shah said it was a victory for Muslim women and their right to live with dignity.

The Congress also called it historic and said it reinforces the rights of Muslim women who were victims for centuries. “Welcome the Supreme Court decision setting aside instant Triple Talaq. I congratulate the women who fought for justice,” Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter.

The National Federation of Indian Women said the Supreme Court verdict is a crucial step towards women’s equality and justice as enshrined in the constitution.

The AIMPLB saw the verdict as a vindication of its stand that accords protection to Muslim personal law. “As a representative body, we welcome the judgment...The majority (comprising Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and Justice Abdul Nazir, with Justice Kurian Joseph agreeing) has accorded personal laws the status of a fundamental right being protected under the right to practise religion contained in Article 25,” the body said in a statement.

In his reaction, AIMIM leader Asaduddin

Owaisi said there was need for society to reform. “Judicial pronouncements and law ... experience tells us that what is needed is that society should reform. Reform on the ground should come from society,” he said.

Indian-origin boy with IQ higher than Einstein wins UK Child Genius show

A 12-year-old Indian-origin boy from north London has won the Child Genius show broadcast by UK’s Channel 4, the media reported.

Rahul, who lives in Barnet, beat his nineyear-old opponent, Ronan, 10-4 in the programme s finale, the BBC reported.

Rahul, who has an IQ high enough to be a member of Mensa, the world’s largest and oldest high IQ society, fought off competition from 19 children aged eight to 12 in the week-long show.

Rahul has an IQ of 162 – thought to be higher than Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, The Daily Mail quoted. He clinched the title by answering a question on 19th Century artists William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais.

In the final, Rahul s chosen subject was Edward Jenner’s medical innovation and methodology in 18th Century England. He and Ronan both scored 15 in their specialist fields.

Rahul said he was “extremely delighted to win” and congratulated Ronan and the other contestants, the BBC reported.

He had impressed audiences and ui master Richard sman in the first round by answering every question he was asked correctly.

Rahul’s father, Minesh is an IT manager and mother Komal, a pharmacist. They entered him into the competition and called his success a “phenomenal achievement”.

Indian-origin man awarded $2.9mn after bad reference cost him job

An Indian-origin man in Singapore has got 4 million Singaporean dollars ($2.9 million) in damages from his previous employer after a scathing reference letter by them cost him the chance to get a new job.

Ramesh Krishnan had accused AXA Life Insurance Singapore of defaming him while providing references on his work performance in 2012, the Strait Times reported.

Justice George Wei noted that the stands of both parties had been “polar opposites” when it came to damages. Ramesh had sought 63 million Singaporean dollars, while AXA urged he should be awarded only a nominal sum of 1 Singaporean dollar.

Krishnan lost his initial defamation suit in 2015, but the Court of Appeal later ruled that AXA had breached its duty of care to him, the report said.

The court had also noted AXA’s breach of duty led Prudential Assurance Company Singapore not to hire Ramesh.

hen the firm in which rishnan had applied for a job asked AXA for the reference, it wrote back saying: “He showed a very poor 13th month persistency rate” -- meaning that many of his clients did not stick with their policies -- and “we are very concerned as to whether the clients have been provided with proper advice”.

The Court of Appeal said this would have given the mistaken impression that Ramesh was not competent, and did not square with the evidence that he was one of A A s best financial services directors and it had earlier persuaded him not to resign.

“People must know that justice is served. Somebody must go out there and make a point,” said Ramesh, after the ruling.

Breast cancer may kill

76,000 Indian women a year by 2020

Lack of early diagnosis of breast cancer may kill 76,000 Indian women in a year by 2020, says a study, one of whose researchers is of Indian origin.

One of the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer among women in India, breast cancer claimed 70,218 lives in 2012, the study published in the Journal of Business Research showed.

It also revealed that the average age of death from the disease has shifted from 50 years to 30 years.

The magnitude of the problem is enormous and has major policy implications for the Indian government, said Vijay Pereira, Associate Dean (Research) at the University of Wollongong in Dubai.

Pereira said there were complex challenges at national, state and community levels.

“What is clear is that healthcare at statelevel must transform to deliver quality care and awareness,” Pereira said.

The researchers found lack of awareness about self-examination and cultural barriers played a major role. Women sought medical care extremely late.

Women do not access health services and are reluctant to consult male doctors, neglecting their health due to family obligations. They are over-dependent on other family members. All of these cause delay in diagnosis, the researchers said.

Thus, educating Indian men about the significance of early diagnosis for breast cancer, could be key to halt the disease which is turning into an epidemic, the researchers suggested.

“India is still a patriarchal society.

Although women are now in responsible jobs and earning for their families, it’s the men who are the head of the household,” said Judith Fletcher-Brown, from the University of Portsmouth in England.

Even educated professional women do not discuss private matters about their bodies with their husbands, fathers or brothers. So it’s essential to direct health messages towards men, Fletcher-Brown said.

Rapid economic development and greater urbanisation are also responsible for the rise in breast cancer rates, the researchers noted.

Besides, women tend to have children at a later age and breast feeding is less, which increases their chances of developing the disease.

Working women in urban India often have a more western diet leading to obesity. That also increases the risk.

The study said community health nurses had the greatest impact in raising awareness of early breast cancer symptoms.

In addition, schools and media were also found to be the good channels through which awareness could be raised in young women.

Australia keen on fashion diplomacy with India

Australian High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu feels that when two nations are forging a relationship they usually talk about political, diplomatic or economical tie-ups but what matters most is the link between people.

Sidhu says Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop emphasises on creating bonds through “fashion diplomacy” and India is one of the countries that tops the chart.

“We have been looking at different ways of building relationships with India. A good relationship has many levels to it and for the first time we have a female Foreign Minister who is very keen on fashion diplomacy, and this is the term we are taking forward,” Sidhu told IANS on the sidelines of Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Winter/Festive 2017, in Mumbai.

“It (the association through fashion) has been incredibly successful. I feel that not just fashion brings people together but it’s also a very large industry in its own right.

“Australia is one of the big producers of products like cotton and wool and India is home to a great deal of creativity and I think these collaborations are cementing the whole dimension of relations between the two countries,” she added.

Sidhu was in Mumbai to support designer Gaurav Jai Gupta of the brand Akaaro.

The designer’s show was supported by the Australian Foreign Affairs and Trade departments. He used Australian homegrown Merino Wool as one of the fabrics in his line.

Asked about the relationship between the two countries, Sidhu said: “I think a lot of time when we talk about relationships between two countries, we talk about political, diplomatic, economic or trade relations.

“All these things matter a lot but what is glue between two countries is actually the link between its people,” she said.

So will there be more associations with Indian designers? “I am staggered by how much talent India has. I think absolutely. We have a couple of collaborations already and we are prepared to be more adventurous and really reach out a lot more.

“Few collaborations that we had, has led to deeper understanding of both the countries. And Australians now are much more comfortable working with Indian designers as they are really making their mark,” she told IANS.

Sidhu also added that the Indian population in Australia is “growing very fast and that is building more and more people connection.

“Australians are thinking about Indian places to collaborate in all fields. I think the relationship between Australia and India is stronger than ever now,” she said.

30 children die in Gorakhpur hospital; UP says seven, announces probe

At least 30 children died in the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur, the parliamentary constituency of Uttar Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in the last two days, an official said. The government however said that only seven had died and a probe has been ordered.

Gorakhpur DM Rajeev Rautela told local channels confirming the death of kids in the last two days” and seven deaths in the last 24 hours.

He said that 17 children had died in the neo natal ward, five in the ward meant of patients suffering from acute encephalitis syndrome and eight in the general ward.

Denying that the children had died due to lack of oxygen, he confirmed that there was shortage of liquid oxygen at the medical college and that due to non-payment of Rs 70 lakh, the vendor supplying oxygen has stopped supply. However, he said the principal had told him that for emergency use, alternative arrangements have been made.

He further said that part payment of Rs 35 lakh has been made to the vendor and that he had been requested not to disrupt the oxygen supply.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government denied media reports that more than 30 children had died at the hospital due to lack of oxygen.

A statement issued by the state Information Department termed reports shown by “some TV channels as misleading” and that the District Magistrate was personally stationed at the medical college to keep a vigil on the situation emanating out of the death of seven patients due to “different medical reasons”.

The state government ordered a magisterial probe. The probe will be finished in hours and a detailed report submitted, said Chief Secretary Rajeev Kumar, who also put the number of deaths at seven. He also ruled out the oxygen shortage being responsible.

State Health Minister Siddarth Nath Singh told TV channels that “a lot of people come suffering from high fever and if they don’t get treatment, it may result in death”.

To a query if an inquiry will be ordered, he said: “Absolutely, we will do into the depth of these deaths. We are going to check each and everything and then come with a final answer those who found guilty and if we find any error on their part, they will be made accountable.”

Informed sources told IANS that senior health officials were monitoring the situation and admitted that the state government had been left red-faced because of the deaths took place in the CM’s hometown.

Meanwhile, parents and attendants of patients, mostly children at the ward number 100 - the encephalitis ward at the BRD medical college - remained resigned to fate and medical negligence.

Dozens of children admitted here are battling for life and in absence of proper treatment, medicines and oxygen, they have lost hope, said many others. IANS