2018-11 Sydney (1)

L I N K I N G I N D I A W I T H AU S T R A L I A

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Vol.26 No.2 (1)

NOVEMBER (1) 2018

SYDNEY

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Publication of the Year NSW Premier’s Multicultural Communication Awards 2018

Level 24/44 Market St, Sydney 2000 • GPO Box 108, Sydney 2001 • Ph: 18000 15 8 47 • email: info@indianlink.com.au

NATIONAL EDITION

SY D N E Y

NOVEMBER

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MELBOURNE

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EDITORIAL PUBLISHER Pawan Luthra EDITOR Rajni Anand Luthra ASSISTANT EDITOR Neha Malude MELBOURNE COORDINATOR Preeti Jabbal CONTRIBUTORS Usha Ramanujam Arvind, Sudha Natarajan, Manan Luthra, Rani Jhala, Nisha Singh Lamba, Nisha Chaman, Neha Pandey, Astha Singh, Sandip Hor, Minal Khona, Nury Vittachi ADVERTISING MANAGER Shriti Sinha 0410 578 146 ADVERTISING ASSISTANT Charuta Joshi 02 9279 2004 COVER IMAGE PMCA/Salty Dingo Indian Link is a fortnightly newspaper published in English. No material, including advertisements designed by Indian Link, may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the editor. Opinions carried in Indian Link are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Indian Link. All correspondence should be addressed to:

INDIAN LINK MEDIA GROUP Level 24/44 Market St, Sydney 2000 GPO Box 108, Sydney 2001 Ph: 02 9279-2004 Fax: 02 9279-2005 Email: info@indianlink.com.au

NATIONAL EDITION

Why Virat makes them mad BY PAWAN LUTHRA

O

ne of the biggest tantrums parents of young children face is when their child cries, “But he/she is copying me.”

The Australian cricket-loving public seem to have a special love-hate relationship with Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and with India due to spend some three months in Australia playing various forms of cricket under Captain Kohli, get ready to see some fireworks off and on the field.

A love-hate relationship is one that is characterised by extreme conflicting emotions, or strong positive feelings as well as strong negative ones.

From the viewpoint of the Australian public, Virat Kohli often reminds them of themselves – of the attributes they possess, some of which they are proud, others which they will not talk about.

Kohli is a fierce cricketer who is not backward in coming forward. He is not averse to showing his emotions – frustration at his own self rather than berating the bowler; a dropped catch by his oen hand or heaven forbid by one of his fielders is followed by muttered obscenities presumably, or a long hard look at the unfortunate fielder. No quarter is given to the opposing team and no mercy sought. His aggression is played out against all members of the opposition, be they the aggressive David Warner or Joe Root, or the more subdued Mitch Marsh or Tim Paine.

The Australian public loves his aggression but hates it when it is against one of their own. They love his raw emotion but hate his perceived lack of sportsmanship when he seldom acknowledges the opposition’s brilliance.

They like his youth and exuberance but want him to show restraint in his public display as a senior member of the team.

They want him to fail (which he did so spectacularly during the last series against Australia - 46 runs at an average of 9), yet secretly they want to see the brilliance of this batsman who is earmarked for one

of the best ever careers in the history of cricket.

Kohli is an enigma they have not been able to understand.

What will be interesting to observe will be how the manic aggression of Virat Kohli is managed by the super polite, reborn avatar of the once aggressive Australian cricket team post the balltampering judgement day. With a number of losses behind them as the Australian team heads into its clashes with India, Tim Paine and his men will no doubt by goaded by Kohli and the men in blue as they take to the fields.

With Cricket Australia in near-total disarray, perhaps the naked aggression of Kohli may bring out the mongrel in the Aussie cricket team and be the catalyst to fire them up.

If not, we are in for a boring, uninspiring summer of cricket with Kohli and his team in total control.

Perhaps by end of the series, Kohli will have picked himself some more critics as he leads India to a whitewash win in Australia.

Or admirers if he transfers his talents of belligerence to the Aussies.

NOVEMBER (1) 2018 9

CONTENTS SPECIAL FEATURES

18

18

FESTIVAL Diwali round-up

SPECIAL REPORT Opera House in Diwali mode

26

BOOKS Shashi Tharoor’s new book

31

WOMEN The Virangana Project

34

TRAVEL Ho Chi Minh City

40

26

COVER STORY

31

40

Indian Link wins Publication of the Year Award 2018

14

Celebrate this Diwali with a memorable gold or silver gift from The Perth Mint Discover more at perthmint.com/diwali

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NATIONAL EDITION

NOVEMBER (1) 2018 11

YOUR SAY

DIWALI EVE AT OPERA HOUSE

Our live coverage of the iconic Sydney Opera House lit up as a Diwali diya got a whopping 2,500 views 33 (and counting!) shares.

CAPTION CONTEST

What’s the chitchat between Ranveer and Deepika here?

Vandana D’souza wrote: You’re just too good to be true, Can’t take my eyes off you.

Remiya Goswami wrote: Indian Link you said it, “Ready, Set, GO!” Raj Saneja wrote: Ranveer: I can’t find a wedding venue at such a short notice. Deepika: Don’t stress, we can go for a court marriage.

Rajni Luthra wrote: Ranveer: Great, she’s twinning with me in wardrobe choice - the paparazzi pics are going to look fabulous in tomorrow’s papers.

Arix Bishnoi wrote: Deepika: Same pinch. Ranveer: No, my kurta is whiter than yours.

Leyla Singh wrote: What are you laughing at? I’m all stressed about planning our wedding and you’re acting like you’ve just gotta show up.

Kavita Mandhyan Ramani wrote: Hum bane, tum bane, ek dooje k liye.

Sabiha M Shaikh wrote: Meri sanpari kaha chali.. .tujhe le jaunga doli main zara ruko toh sahi

INDIAN LINK POLL

We asked our readers if dropping MS Dhoni from the T20 series was a good decision or not.

Yes, we must look past Dhoni: 50% Not a wise decision: 50%

WHERE IN INDIA

This time, we had a rather interesting Where in India contest – a picture of a temple in India that worships a Royal Enfield motorcycle.

Leyla Singh wrote: Somewhere in Punjab?

Rani RJ wrote: Yes Om Banna's shrine - near Chotila village, Pali District, Rajasthan Arix Bishnoi wrote: Pali, near Jodhpur.

Elizabeth Fanta wrote: Adam, remember!

Rachana Shah wrote: Gagan Sadhi, that's the one you mentioned in Taran Taran?

Raj Saneja wrote: In a temple on Pali-Jodhpur highway.

Chaudhary Mukesh wrote: Rajasthan.

Manika Khanna wrote: Karan Nagpal matha takke aayio.

Dhawal Vasavada wrote: Om Banna!

CORRECT ANSWER: This is the OM Banna temple near Pali district, about 50 kilometres from Jodhpur in Rajasthan.

SAY IT AGAIN 12 NOVEMBER (1) 2018

WHO WORE IT BETTER

Kangana Ranaut 77%

I want to tell a story about garam masala. I love garam masala and when I think about garam masala I think a lot about how successful immigration has been to Australia over centuries.

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(That is what) immigration to Australia has been about - laying

down more flavour, more texture, more fabric, more depth, more strength. It’s the combination of these things that makes Australia such a strong, united, cohesive country.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the Hindu Council of Australia’s Diwali Mela

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COVER STORY

Publication of the Year Indian Link brings home its 22nd media award

BY USHA RAMANUJAM ARVIND

N

ice Diwali present, Premier Gladys Berejiklian murmured to Indian Link founders Pawan and Rajni Luthra.

She was on stage, handing them the Publication of the Year Award at the 2018 NSW Premier’s Multicultural Communications Awards (PMCA).

She must truly believe in the ‘most successful multicultural nation on earth’ spiel her party is constantly delivering, or she’s been to way too many Diwali events in the past few days.

Either way, she couldn’t have said it better to the Indian Link team on awards night.

It’s also not a bad 25th anniversary gift,

14 NOVEMBER (1) 2018

they could have told her.

The publication brought home its 22nd media award this month. This is the second time Indian Link has won in this category, having won it before in 2015.

The prestigious annual awards recognise excellence in the multicultural media and marketing industry.

“Multicultural communicators ensure everyone has access to information about services and opportunities to participate fully in our society,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian stated on the occasion.

“Communicating the successes of our multicultural society and identity is core to the success of our harmonious and socially cohesive State.”

Minister for Multiculturalism Ray Williams noted that winners and finalists demonstrated the importance of a thriving multicultural communications sector.

“These awards set the benchmark of excellence for media and marketing professionals not only in NSW, but across the country,” he said.

Indian Link CEO Pawan Luthra was delighted at his team’s collaborative efforts. “Trust is a major factor in the world of media today,” he noted.

“With the consumer having the option of receiving their information from multiple sources, it is imperative that your reportage is fair and accurate and you continually search for not only excellence in media reporting but work hard to remain ahead of the curve in your ability to deliver news and information through multiple platforms to your consumers.

At Indian Link Media Group we are privileged to have a group of dedicated writers and regular advertisers who understand the principles to which we adhere, to maintain our quality and trusted brand status.”

The award came at a time when his core team had finished a massive round of Diwali mela appearances on multiple weekends, and were probably suffering ‘fair fatigue’.

Ray Williams, Minister for Multiculturalism, congratulated the Indian Link team. “You work hard to deliver a variety of stories that connect thousands of Indian-Australians to their culture every day. Thank you for your leadership in multicultural media and commitment to ensuring the community remains informed.”

“The late nights and deadline stresses all seem worth it,” Rajni said later that night as the team took repeat selfies with the gong and the plaques.

She added, “I am so proud of Ritam Mitra, nominated for Best News Report, and Virat Nehru, nominated for Young Journalist.”

Ritam’s story Labour pains of adoption,

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an investigative piece developed over the course of several months, tackled head-on the often overlooked issue of adoption, highlighting a significant policy and information gap in Australia’s arrangements for inter-country adoption from India. Published in November 2017 during National Adoption Awareness Week (NAAW), the piece has been viewed more than 21,000 times on the website alone besides print nationwide, reached over 2,000 people on Facebook with over 200 likes. The story was also one of the top reads on Indian Link’s weekly e-newsletter in 2017. It also drew international attention, including being shared by the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), an Indian government body formed under the Ministry of Women & Child Development, and the UK-based International Adoption Guide.

Virat Nehru has been contributing for Indian Link for four years now.

He wrote extensively for the student newspaper Honi Soit while at uni and was the prose editor for Sydney University Literary Society’s annual journal Carillon. He worked at SBS World News as well as at The Conversation Media Group before plunging into the world of arts journalism. What is most impressive about Virat’s body of work is his particular approach to exploring through the arts - specific cultural issues and touchpoints. He believes that arts and culture journalism holds an interesting mirror up to the society we live in. His expertise on Indian cinema and culture was officially recognised by the Sydney Film Festival this year when it invited him to introduce the Indian feature film Mehsampur – playing as part of the program – and to conduct and moderate NATIONAL EDITION

the Q&A with the director of the film Kabir Chowdhry post the film screening.

Indian Link was also nominated this year in the Best Use of Digital or Social Media category, for their widely read weekly enewsletter. This is one of the many multimedia channels through which the publication reaches its readers.

Launched in 2007, today it reaches 43,900 subscribers in the cities of Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, with Sydney and Melbourne newsletters being sent out weekly. The e-news is a carefully curated collection of the best stories carried in Indian Link’s print editions and on its website. It has become an important connect to readers in a way that’s substantial yet convenient.

The success of the take-up rate from amongst the subscribers has also made it a lucrative option for businesses large and small to send their message out to the community.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world at around the same time, another major award was announced when Idris Elba was named by People magazine as the Sexiest Man Alive for 2018. When CEO Pawan Luthra was asked if he was willing to trade his award for that honour, he said, “Nah… ours is more lasting. I will hang on to this one, thank you.”

Photos: PMCA/Salty Dingo Facing page Gladys Berejiklian with Rajni and Pawan This page clockwise from top Ministers Geoff Lee and Ray Williams want to join the Indian Link team in a spot of masti, Ritam Mitra with Minister Ray Willimas, Virat Nehru (second from right) with other nominees in his category NOVEMBER (1) 2018 15

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DIWALI

THE DIWALI SCENE ACROSS SYDNEY

Hindu Council Diwali

Hindu Council’s 20th Diwali Mela

Over time things can only get bigger, and Hindu Council of Australia’s festivities around Diwali are eagerly awaited by the Indian Australian community. As in the world of media, where people now expect information to be sent to them on their smart phones rather than to walk to the newsagent and get their newspapers, Hindu Council also has taken Diwali to the suburbs in addition to their central mega mela in Parramatta. This year Diwali festivities organised by Hindu Council were held in Rouse Hill, Cherrybrook, Martin Place in the city besides the main event, which stretched to two days in

18 NOVEMBER (1) 2018

Parramatta. As with all things which are put together by dedicated volunteers, things do tend to slip through the cracks and this year was no exception. The important thing of course is to learn from these so that in future years, Hindu Council Diwali celebrations can only get brighter and better.

Martin Place in the city is an iconic venue and an opportunity to influence the many office workers around the CBD on the tenets of Hinduism and more importantly, the values of multiculturalism in our society today. The stage is an important focal point for the city-based celebrations, but sadly this year, the quality of the stage shows left much to be desired.

They failed to garner much attention from

the many office workers out on their lunch break. The crowds thronging around were largely the Indian Australian community enjoying their little bit of India in the CBD. What would have been more rewarding is sharing the spirit of Diwali who are unaware of this major Indian Festival.

In 1998, the first Diwali Mela by Hindu Council was held at Fairfield Showgrounds, the tin roof protecting the 4,000-odd community members from the pouring rain. Twenty years on, the organisers need part of the 85 hectares of Parramatta Park to accommodate the few thousand that throng in to enjoy Diwali.

To minimise their financial risk, Hindu Council introduced an entry fee of $6 from

last year, which largely the community seems comfortable with. Perhaps it was the heat at this time of the year which kept the crowds down during the day, with a rush later on in the evenings, more so on the Sunday night when the effigy of Ravana was burned and fireworks lit up the Parramatta sky.

With both State and Federal elections in the pipeline over the next twelve months, it was a conga line of politicians at the Fair.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison joined the community to celebrate Diwali, and it

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Blacktown Diwali

was wonderful to see his wife Jenny Morrison in a beautiful pink sari (one of three she owns, apparently) and their two children keen to enjoy the Bollywood dances. But the organisers ad other things on their mind with a stage full of VIPs and speeches from the Prime Minister, NSW Premier Gladys Berejklian, Federal Memers David Coleman and Julian Leeser, Shadow Deputy Prime Minister Tanya Plibersek, NSW Ministers Ray Williams and Geoff Lee, Shadow Ministers Jodi McKay, Jihad Dib, various officials of Hindu council, Indian CG Vanlalvawna, overseas guests, Parramatta Park trust officials, sponsors and then over 20 recognitions and honours - even the Prime Minister could not stay to the end.

NATIONAL EDITION

As the sun set, the food stalls were doing roaring business as families with prams and elderly parents just grabbed any spot on the ground to enjoy their dinner, while business stalls desperately went looking for clients.

In the end, it was Diwali as always: food and fun with friends and family. Hindu Council, mission accomplished.

Pawan Luthra

Little India Diwali

Now this is a great concept of celebration which can only grow.

With Harris Park as the home of the Indian Australian community, it does but make sense to fill the streets with festivities

during the Diwali season.

The Council of Indian Australians (CIA) did just that with their street fair on Wigram Street.

Of course, for the local shop owners, it is a boon and a bane as their shopfront gets obscured, but then there is the flow-through buzz from the revellers in the street. Full marks for the entertainment which was of high quality and kept the attendees on their dancing toes. The music changed as the evening progressed as the Punjabi bhangra beats took over, especially to the delight of those in the verandas of the local restaurants as they sipped their drinks and bit into their kebabs.

The politicians were out in full support,

the Labor women in their best saris and the Liberal men in their sherwanis. They had brushed up on their knowledge of Diwali: with many years of Diwali celebrations under their belt, they can probably each write a manual on Diwali speeches. The crowds were delighted to be hear their token Hindi and the organisers, mercifully, kept the speeches short.

As evening set in, the crowds grew, and Wigram Street of Little India was transformed into a bazaar from India.

Vendors on either side, selling their wares – real estate, finance deals, immigration services and of course food stalls. A balmy evening in Sydney flavoured by the smell of Indian spices and the bhangra beats NOVEMBER (1) 2018 19

DIWALI

FIAN Diwali

from the sound system made sure for that evening Little India in Harris Park was transformed into a celebration of all things Indian. Kudos to the organisers President Mohit Kumar, Nitin Shukla, Praful Desai, Shail Wadhwa, Keyur Desai, Amit Tripathi, Dr Balu Vijay, Ashish Desai and Sanjay Deshwal.

Pawan Luthra

Baby steps for FIAN

The Federation of Indian Associations of NSW has successfully organised Indian Independence Day Fairs over the last few years and this year, under the exuberance of its President Yadu Singh, decided to hold a Diwali mela. In a veiled statement to other Indian organisations, Singh announced “Ours will be a free mela to attend, as opposed to others charging a fee to participate in a religious function.”

The only challenge was that in an overly crowded calendar of Diwali festivities, to find a suitable date as well as a venue to suit the needs of the western Sydney based 20 NOVEMBER (1) 2018

Indian Australian community. The date finalised was a day after the Wigram Street Little India Fair and the Sunday preceding the Hindu Council Parramatta Park maha mela. And the venue was Merrylands, just a few kms west of Parramatta.

It may have been festivity fatigue in the community as the numbers attending were not as strong as expected. While obviously the organisers and business stall holders would have been keen to see larger numbers, the advantage was that there was sufficient time and space for all to move around and connect with each other.

Premier Gladys Berejklian did a walkabout and met and interacted with various stall holders and members of the public. The speeches by the visiting guests were short and Diwali greetings were exchanged by the community.

If Dr Singh and team evolve their brand of Diwali festivities further, perhaps a venue closer to Parramatta - and a day which does not shadow other existing Diwali celebrations - can allow for a

wonderful experience for all.

Pawan Luthra

Blacktown mela: Arty crafty Diwali

There’s much to get creative about at Diwali – rangolis, diyas, torans, candlescapes.

If you are craftily inclined, you would have loved Blacktown’s Diwali mela, which could in all probability have been called a ‘Diwali craft mela’. Handmade candles, soaps, decorations and other attractions were in abundance, perfect for those looking to buy Diwali pressies for friends and for adornments for the home. Hobby artists showcased their stuff, and fashion and jewellery stalls beckoned.

In many ways, Bikram Cheema’s Blacktown Diwali fair was perfectly timed, as the first event in the big-mela scene.

Held much in advance of the actual day, there was plenty there for those looking for bargains in the lead up to the festival, in terms of lifestyle and food choices. Is this

one of the reasons for its success?

Yes it definitely was a success, given the professional manner in which it was held.

Nicely done, Star Event Productions.

Mind you, it didn’t look like it would even take off early in the day, as the rains lashed down and sludged up the grounds at Blacktown Showgrounds. Stall holders fretted about their day in the rain, but Cheema held his ground, saying the show would go on regardless. And indeed it appears he took the right decision, as the sun soon came out, bringing with it some much-needed Diwali cheer. The crowds thronged in, and made a beeline for the food stalls where the bhaturas and the jalebis warmed up the soul and the skin.

Photo ops with the mythical creatures of the season – Ram Sita and Raavan – were hugely popular, and the actors’ hamming went up several notches as the day progressed.

On stage, the drawcard was definitely the dance contest, which attracted the big names in the dance-school scene this year.

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Diwali at church

AHIA Diwali

For a one-man show, Blacktown’s Diwali was a beautifully orchestrated event.

Overall, we come to the same conclusion as we did last year: it was pretty highly Punjabi-influenced, but such is the Punjabi bonhomie, that it sucks everybody in.

Nisha Chaman

AHIA: Youthful Diwali

The spirit of sharing, it is said, is one of the most significant aspects of Diwali. We exchange mithai (and good will) with our nearest and dearest, and in Oz, with our neighbours and colleagues. And so it was a wonderful gesture to see AHIA’s Diwali do at Manjit’s Concord Function Centre, start off with a bit of an Australian touch: the entertainment company 7 Flavours presenting some much-loved Bollywood dance numbers, even though there wasn’t a single Indian amongst them. It was amazing to see the youngsters embrace Indian music and dance. They certainly put the evening off to a peppy start.

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And kudos to the Australian Hindi Indians Association for keeping up that tempo throughout the night for the 250-strong audience.

AHIA’S Diwali functions were all the rage at one point in time and it was great to get a sense that the association is seeing a return to its heyday. The touch of contemporaneity in this ancient celebration was wonderful to experience, and shows the efforts being made to stay relevant.

You probably know what I’m getting at, if you were there. Yup, the skit starring Mandeep Keith and Shiven Lulla as the old and the new generations respectively, trying to make sense of the significance of the festival. Written and directed by Preeti Thadani, herself an AHIA official, the little production had the audience in splits with youth-speak references to Lord Ram as ‘Dude’, Laxman as ‘Lax’, Sita as ‘Ram’s babe’, and the like.

For the Diwali meal, Manjit’s team provided a full-on silver service wine and

dine, bringing in a touch of class.

The raffle draw raised funds for the newlook AHIA, and for most in the audience it was a pleasure to see the inimitable Sushma Ahluwalia in action again.

Go, Sushma!

And the speeches – hats off to whoever decided to keep these to a minimum!

President Yash Bhasin was the sole speaker, giving a brief and dignified welcome. Rest of the time, the lovely Preeti Thadani entertained with her words, quirky and profound in equal measure.

In the end, it made for a wonderful Diwali evening. Now if only we had some taash….

Nisha Singh Lamba

Deepavali Milan: Ten years

It was exactly ten years ago that Lt Col Virander and Mrs Kamini Sahni began a venture to celebrate Diwali at the neighbourhood level.

Today they host hundreds.

Their last two celebrations have seen no less than 400 attendees bring in the festival at the large mainstream venue of Hornsby RSL. The North Shore Diwali do has grown wonderfully, boasting an organising committee of nine this year. Subash, Nitasha, Punam, Sushma, Shirley, Poornima and Shashi volunteered to help the Sahnis. Together, they introduced some delightful new elements, such as decorating the venue to reflect the specially picked colour theme - yellow and green, in a nod to our adopted home.

Yet tradition was maintained, in the Ganesh watching from his position at the top, in the welcome tikka, and in the lighting of the lamp to start off the evening.

And of course, in other instances, there was a welcome moulding of the traditional and the modern. In the singing of the aarti Jai Jagadish Hare the lyrics were displayed on the large screens to enable maximum participation. The invocation

NOVEMBER (1) 2018 21

DIWALI dance was a classical ‘jugalbandi’ of two styles of dancing, Mohiniyattam and Bharatanatyam.

For me personally, it was more a mix of emotions: as I drew the rangoli, I was reminded so very much of my mum, who had been traditionally entrusted with this job for many years.

The speeches were crisp and touched the right chord. Consul General B Vanlalwana spoke of Diwali as an opportunity for Indians to spread the “message of peace, brotherhood and friendship.” Community elder Gurdeep Singh spoke of the journey Deepavali Milan has taken over the years. Julian Leeser, Federal Member for Berowra, spoke of the strong bond that exists between the two communities. He impressed also with his Hindi, and his gracious performance of Indian dancing to Punjabi music.

Several dances and musical recitals spanned the evening. These included classical, Bollywood style as well as fusion numbers, and some wonderful singing by some of our community’s rising stars.

Henna, professional photographs, lucky draws and dance floor shenanigans completed the night.

A quaint touch that went down particularly well last year was reintroduced: ‘first Diwali’ for newborns and for newly married couples. May they see many happy Diwalis going forward.

The 10th Deepavali Milan was not only a social affair, it played an important philanthropic role too. It fund-raised for war widows in India, a cause close to the heart of the Sahnis given their own Services background. In addition, proceeds from the raffle tickets were also nominated for dementia patients attached to AASHA Australia.

Rani Jhala

South Sydney Diwali

Break free from the daily routine… It’s Diwali Wear that special, colourful, glittery outfit you have been hiding… It’s Diwali Let laughter light your face and expel the loneliness within you… It’s Diwali.

These words rang true as the South Sydney Indian Association (SSIA) started its Diwali Dhoom 2018 at Torwood Lounge Function Centre at Sans Souci recently. Enjoyable performances of singing and dancing by the members kept the festivity fun filled and entertaining.

Shyamala Easwaran wowed the crowd with her peacock dance.

Jagrati Lalchandani, the President of the association and her committee of Shweta Doke, Vaishali Narsey, Ramya Badrinath and Swati Tanna claimed they were thrilled when they got a surprise Diwali gift to support their charitable work from the Premier of NSW Gladys Berejiklian, announced by Mark Coure’, Member for Oatley. Their opportunity to do good to the community was enhanced with the funding of $2000 from the Premier and $1000 from the NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Mr. Ray Williams.

Ladies of SSIA were doubly thrilled to receive a congratulatory message from the Prime Minister Scott Morrison, quoting Australia’s ‘Father of Federation’ Sir Henry Parkes wishing that Australia would gather “all the fruits of the culture of the world” and that we would all serve our country “with a patriot’s love”. The letter continued to say, “You are fulfilling that hope”.

David Coleman, the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, attended the function and congratulated the association on a fantastic 22 NOVEMBER (1) 2018

Deepavali Milan

Diwali event. He said, “There is a great atmosphere in the room and I am really pleased to be able to join the group for this celebration. Best wishes to everyone celebrating Diwali this year. It is a wonderful event, with important themes that have stood the test of time.”

Mark Coure’ said, “It is a privilege to be invited to speak and participate in the celebrations, which are of deep significance to the Hindu community. The celebratory culture and festive atmosphere that is being experienced is one of communitymindedness, harmony and joy.”

SSIA is a registered, non-profit organisation with a vision is to ‘Care, Celebrate, Connect & Collaborate’. The

primary purpose is to raise funds for various causes, and to aid local families in times of difficulties. They also support home based businesses – helping local women develop their skills and art, and contributing to their financial well-being. With hundreds of participants and a strong team of volunteers, SSIA is entirely run by women.

Sudha Natarajan

Deepavali at Church

St. Mary’s Church in North Sydney celebrated Diwali yet again recently, for the seventh year in a row.

As they have done since 2012, St. Mary’s Church in North Sydney has brought

Christianity and Hinduism together in a joyous celebration of good over evil.

The usual 11am Sunday Mass was even more special than it usual, sunlight beaming through the church’s high windows onto the normal congregation (plus a few colourfully dressed special guests). Parish priest Andrew Bullen led the service with both enthusiasm and wisdom, entertaining the native Hindi speakers with his rendition of the event’s introductory rites in Hindi, and giving the Christians the word of the Bible (via the Epistle to the Ephesians and the Gospel according to John). His discussion of Diwali, connecting its history and reason for celebration with

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South Sydney Diwali

CIA Little India Fair

the messages of the Bible, was a touching speech that truly brought everyone in the crowd together – no matter gender, race or religion.

Another highlight of the mass was the impressive integration of Indian norms.

From having everyone put their hands together, face the people sitting around them, and offer a polite ‘namaste’ to one another, to having members of our community such as Mala Mehta and Shri B. Vanlalvawna lighting lamps at the sermon’s beginning, to replacing the traditional processional tune with a lively rendition of ‘dandia raas’, the Indians in the crowd were made to feel respected, involved, and most importantly, included. Particular shout out to the brilliant singing and organ playing,

NATIONAL EDITION

connecting everyone even more through song!

Ultimately, it was a lovely commemoration of a significant time in the Hindu cultural calendar, made all the more special by the meticulous behind-the-scenes work that went into it.

Neville and Gladys Roach were instrumental in starting this simple yet profound ceremony in 2012. They are joined in preparations by Pradeep and Kamini Pandya. The extended Roach and Pandya families have been attending since inception.

With a feeling of appreciation and understanding, this celebration was just as much for the seasoned Hindu as it was for the Christian who had never heard of ‘Deewaa-lee’.

Manan Luthra

NOVEMBER (1) 2018 23

INDIAN LINK SOCIAL MEDIA

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24 NOVEMBER (1) 2018

@indian_link

/IndianLinkAustralia

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STUDENTS

FedUni students travel to India for knowledge sharing At Chandigarh’s Chitkara University

Trip to northern India is eye-opener for engineering students BY NEHA PANDEY

S

tudents from Federation University Australia (FedUni) have received a grant to travel to India over the next two years as part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Mobility Grants.

A sum of $55,000 has been provided for twenty students to undertake an educational experience there.

The first group of seven students travelled to two collaborative universities in Jaipur and Chandigarh in India, recently.

The FedUni students were accompanied

by Dr Harpreet Singh Kandra from the University’s School of Science, Engineering and Information Technology. This is the first time that engineering students have travelled to India under a DFAT Mobility Grant.

“This was a fantastic experience for our students. The course is designed to help students sit under one roof to learn and share the knowledge and expertise available in the areas of water management,” Dr Kandra said.

The advanced engineering course on ‘Management of Water Resources’ at Amity University and Chitkara University involved site visits, guest lectures and group assessments to enhance knowledge sharing, according to the lecturer of Water Engineering.

“Both India and Australia struggle with the effects of climate change, such as floods and drought-like conditions, so it is important that we share the knowledge and experience between the two countries, which will have solutions to various environmental problems,” Dr Kandra added. He applied to DFAT on behalf of his students to ‘internationalise the curriculum’ so that students get to learn a different perspective and solution.

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Hayden McArthur, a final year student at FedUni, said the grant enabled the students to experience the cultures and traditions of Delhi, Jaipur and Chandigarh and create friendship and networks with other universities.

“The university course we’re studying has brought together different technologies and approaches from two countries to highlight the good work that has already been done,” he added.

Dr Kandra came to Australia from Chandigarh in 2008, on securing a Fellowship. He completed his PhD in Water Management from Monash University in 2014 and has been associated with FedUni since.

Both Dr Kandra and his students believe that these educational trips must be encouraged. Apart from building a network with peers, these trips are an eye-opener.

The students are shaken out of their comfort zones, and learn to appreciate what they already have.

“We do take a lot of things for granted in Australia,” Patrick Kennedy, another student who travelled to India, told Indian Link. “India has many water related problems like water pollution, little access to clean drinking water, and so on. That was a big learning for us.”

A big takeaway, he revealed, was the relevance of the topic in the Indian context.

He added that he was impressed with his Indian peers who were well aware of

Interacting with Indian students

the issues and had much to share about strategies for solutions.

Patrick felt this trip was a study of many contrasts. “For instance, the baseline knowledge of Indian students when it came to resolving say mathematical questions, was higher than ours. But they enjoyed the way our lecturers taught in a more collaborative way,” he informed.

The other major outcome for the students was the chance to increase intercultural understanding. Both groups developed soft skills to be able to communicate better with their peers. Being patient and accepting, understanding each other’s dialects and style of functioning, was a bonus for these students.

Visits to the markets, both in Jaipur and Chandigarh, will remain memorable, especially as it gave the students opportunities to shop and enjoy some spicy street food, as well as observe the society up close.

“There was a huge social contrast we observed in these cities. Both cities had huge slums on the one hand, and swanky shopping malls like the Chandstone Shopping Centre on the other, with brands like Marks & Spencer and Zara,” Patrick remarked.

He added that his group preferred bargaining at old city markets to shopping at the malls.

The Australian students also saw historical sites, temples, and cultural theme parks on their India trip.

Earlier this year, nine students studied a course on Hydraulics and Hydrology with Dr Kandra at the Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China. This was also funded by the DFAT New Colombo Plan.

“This program is a fantastic opportunity for our students to develop a greater understanding of international challenges and undertake collaborative learning with students studying equivalent topics in our partner universities,” Professor Steve Wilcox, Deputy Dean, School of Science, Engineering and Information Technology, said.

Under the 2019 round, DFAT is providing approximately $28.7 million to support 2019 student mobility projects, as per its website.

The New Colombo Plan Mobility Program provides funding to Australian universities and consortia to support Australian undergraduate students to participate in semester-based or short-term study, internships, mentorships, practicums and research in 40 host locations across the Indo-Pacific region. Undergraduates, usually aged 18 to 28, can travel for one week to two years in the host location, depending on the grant allowed. For instance, DFAT usually gives $2,500 per student for one week of travel.

The next batch of 13 students from FedUni will travel to India in OctoberNovember 2019.

Water structure at Jaipur NOVEMBER (1) 2018 25

SPECIAL REPORT

Photos: Binu Naikaraparambil

Opera

BY RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA

T

radition has it that the night before Diwali, we light one solitary diya, or earthen lamp.

It is our version of ‘Diwali Eve’ - like Christmas Eve - and probably evolved because revellers could not contain their enthusiasm to go all out with the lights in every corner of the house. Chhoti Diwali, it came to be called – Little Diwali.

Here in Sydney, in the week before Diwali, we had our own version of Diwali Eve, or Little Diwali.

Except it was not so little.

It was almost as if our hometown lit one little diya to herald the Festival of Lights, the ‘little’ diya being - the iconic Sydney Opera House.

In the midst of a series of Diwali melas, this one is a refreshingly different Diwali event.

Coming so close to the actual day, it captures the spirit of celebration beautifully - in the thrills of delight that go up when the lights come on at dusk. In the backdrop of the harbour, with the Harbour Bridge standing guard, our favourite monument becomes bathed in the warm Diwali glow of yellow and orange.

Diwali Mubarak, all! Bring on the mithai.

The NSW Government’s grand Diwali party is organised by Multicultural NSW and has

26 NOVEMBER (1) 2018

been held at the Museum of Contemporary Art for the past few years. It is attended largely

by Sydney’s Indian community, but this time round, it was wonderful to see others from the mainstream who came by to wish us all a Happy Diwali. The spirit of sharing that marks this festival was indeed experienced in abundance.

The Premier Gladys Berejiklian spoke among other things of the special place the Opera House has in her heart, given her father, a migrant himself, worked as a welder on the second highest sail. She could not have brought home the point better, that migrants contribute wholeheartedly to their new home, and that their contributions are valued, even as they share their own traditions with the rest of the nation.

“By lighting the Opera House, we are sending the message to the world that we come together to celebrate each other’s festivals and traditions,” she said. “It is also a sign of the deep respect we have for the Indian civilisation which is two millennia old, and of our regard for contemporary India.”

The Minister for Multiculturalism Ray Williams, with his own warm comments, showed how well he has become acquainted with Sydney’s Indian community. He referred to the Opera House not just as a significant national icon, but one of the world’s most recognised buildings. “Diwali is an opportunity for us all to learn more about the customs and cultures of our friends, neighbours and work colleagues,” he said.

India’s Consul General, B Vanlalvawna, who

will be finishing his tenure shortly, said he was happy to pretend the Opera House lights were a grand farewell organised just for him.

“Sydney’s Indian community, you must surely be the luckiest diaspora community amongst our 30 million diaspora,” he said to much applause. “In my own experience, the support and welcome the government here has given us is unparalleled. Diwali at the Opera House means a lot to us, here as well as at home, and I thank you sincerely. It is a wonderful symbol of gesture of peace, good will and brotherhood.”

For Dr GK Harinath, Chair of Multicultural NSW, this must surely be one of the most special of duties. “Diwali is just as much about inner light, as it is about the lighting up of our physical environments,” he reminded us all.

The MC Khushaal Vyas, who brought in a welcome vibe of youthful exuberance, capably guided the Premier in the lighting of the sails at the appointed hour, counting down with much enthusiasm.

Adding considerably to the Diwali vibe, were the team from BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir led by Darshan Desai. Their Annakut food display, immaculately arranged with characteristic attention to detail, wowed the attendees immediately as they entered and made for a great selfie backdrop. (Very loosely, the Annakut tradition is Hinduism’s version of “For food and health and happy days, receive our gratitude and grace”).

The musicians from Gajanan Cultural Mission provided the perfect musical backdrop for this very special Diwali event.

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House in Diwali mode There’s some spectacular lighting at the NSW Government’s grand Diwali bash

Felicitating seniors A significant inclusion in the annual event has been the felicitation by the government of achieving Indian seniors. This year’s honourees were: Mrs Bijinder Dugal Mrs Bijinder Dugal, co-founder and director for Aus-Indian Aged Care Support Holistic Association Australia Foundation, for her work creating communities where elders can enjoy their golden years, believing that ageing is not lost youth, but it is a new life stage of opportunity and strength.

Mr Dave Passi Mr Dave Passi, for his devotion serving seniors, specifically through his role as President of the Indian Seniors Group in Hornsby.

Mr Narayan Pradhan Mr Narayan Pradhan, for supporting the Nepalese community, particularly through his connection with the Nepali Australian Association and the Gurkha Nepalese Community.

Dr Sudha Natarajan Dr Sudha Natarajan, founder and Public Officer of the Resourceful

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Australian Indian Network. She is well known for her passionate commitment to the welfare of the frail aged in the Indian community in the South East Sydney region.

Dr Noor Vellani Dr Noor Vellani, for his dedicated service to the health and wellbeing of communities in the lower Blue Mountains and his particular support of the elderly in the area.

Dr Mira Vellani Dr Mira Vellani, for her dedicated service within the medical field, serving and providing counselling support to older migrant women in the area.

Dr Sikander Khan Dr Sikander Khan, as a senior South Asian Muslim Surgeon, for his work in raising awareness of community perceptions and Islamic perspectives in serving the elderly and specific religious needs of Muslim elderly.

NOVEMBER (1) 2018 27

WHAT’S ON DIWALI Diwali Artspace exhibition Till Nov 20 Mon-Fri (9.30am-5.00pm) Sat and Sun (9.00am-1.00pm) Diwali Artspace exhibition presents paintings by professional artists and children for two weeks. At High St Library, Strathfield. Details 02 9748 9999.

Diwali Sat 17 Nov (5.00pm-9.00pm) Cumberland Council Sydney invites you to celebrate Diwali. At Station St, Wentworthville. Details 02 8757 9000.

Strathfield Deepavali 2018 Sun 18 Nov (11.00am-4.00pm) Celebrate Diwali at Strathfield Park, Homebush Rd and Chalmers Rd, Strathfield. Details 02 82089810.

Diwali Fusion Festival of Ryde Sun 18 Nov (12.00 midday-8.00pm) Celebrate Diwali with your loved ones at Diwali Fusion Festival of Ryde. At Meadowbank Park, Constitution Rd, Sydney. Details 0426 155 227.

Diwali Mela Sat 10 Nov (5.00pm-11.00pm) SAAA Hindi School Kogarah invites you to the Diwali Mela 2018 and cultural performances, magic show, Bollywood dhamaal, free sparklers and dinner. At Parramatta West Public School Young Street, Parramatta.

Details 0427 090 724 Diwali Bhangra bash Fri 9 Nov-Sat 10 Nov (9.00pm3.00am) Non-stop bhangra, Bollywood and Punjabi music with live dhol to celebrate Diwali. At Ivy Den, Lounge & Terrace, 330 George St, Sydney.

Details 0412 739 020.

Diwali Mela Sat 10 Nov (5.00pm-11.00pm) Diwali Mela at Indian School Parramatta.

Cultural performances, free sparklers, dinner and more. At Parramatta West Public School, Young Street, Parramatta. Details 02 9635 9347.

STAGE Bharatanatyam performance Fri Nov 9 (4.30pm – 6.00pm) Bharatanatyam Performance by Meghna Venkat at Consulate General of India, Level 1-4, 265 Castlereagh St, Sydney. Details 02 9223 2702.

Dance Drama Sat 17 Nov (5.30pm) Udok Performing Arts presents a dance drama entitled Diwali The Illumination, organised by Cumberland Council at Wentworthville Park.

Details 9903 813 988.

Summer Samadhi Sat 1 Dec (6.00pm – 9.00pm) An evening of blissful music, mantra and kirtan with world-renowned duo IndiaJiva and acclaimed singer/ songwriter Premananda. At Bamboo Buddha Café, 221 Wattle Tree Road, Holgate. Details 02 4365 5810.

Kuchipudi Natyam Sun 2 Dec (4.30pm-7.00pm) The Shakthi School of Indian Dance presents a Kuchipudi

28 NOVEMBER (1) 2018

performance followed by dinner.

At Redgum Function Centre, 2 Lane St, Wentworthville.

Details 0403 394 113.

Qissebaazi Sat 8 Dec (7.00pm – 9.00pm) Nautanki Theatre Company presents Qissebaazi, or the playful telling of stories. Nautanki Theatre Company and Macquarie University will also run a workshop and film screening followed by a Q & A session with Danish Hussain on Friday 7th December 2018. At T1 Theatre, Building Y3A, Macquarie University, 10 Hadenfeld Ave, Macquarie Park.

Details 0432 832 311.

Guards At The Taj Sun 9 Dec (5.30pm onwards) Guards at the Taj, a dark comedy in English written by Pulitzer nominee Rajiv Joseph and directed by Jyotsna Sharma. At Monkey Baa Theatre Company, Terrace 3, 1-25 Harbour St, Sydney. Details 0401 230 046.

SPIRITUAL Sant Nirankari Mission Sydney Weekly congregations held every Sunday 5:30pm to 7:30pm followed by community meals. Venue: Sant Nirankari Bhawan, 166 Glendenning Road, Glendenning. Details Devinder 0403 216 084 Lunch-time Meditation session Thu 15 Nov (12.15pm – 1.00pm) Brahma Kumaris Australia introduce lunch-time meditation sessions where you can relax and be guided through a mind-body relaxation. At Indian Cultural Centre, Level 2, 265 Castlereagh St, Sydney. Details 02 9223 2702.

Free Yoga with Divine Life Society Tuesdays 7pm Swami Uditramanandaji of The Divine Life Society of Australia offers free Yoga classes every Tuesday from 7.00pm-8.15pm at Strathfield Girls High School. All levels of fitness welcomed. Entrance via Oxford Rd. Details Karo 0413 535 157.

Holy meeting Thu 15 Nov (6.00pm – 11.00pm) A Maa Darshan (Holy meeting) where you will have the chance to ask questions on matters of health, relationships, career, spiritual transformation.

At Breathing Space Yoga, 48 Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach. Details 0414 224 686.

ENTERTAINMENT Pankaj Udhas Live Fri 23 Nov (8.30pm onwards) India’s most popular ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas is performing in Sydney.

At 9 High St, Kensington.

Details 0417 244 724.

Ghoomar night Sat 24 Nov (6.30pm onwards) DJ, dance performances, exciting prizes and delicious food at Ghoomar night.

At 96A, Railway St, Rockdale.

Details 0452 494 254.

Permish Verma Live Fri 28 Dec Watch actor-director-poetstoryteller Permish Verma perform live at Home Bar Darling Harbour Sydney. Details 0402 931 000.

Kenny Sebastian live Mon 18 Nov (7.00pm onwards) Indian stand-up comic Kenny Sebastian on Australian tour. At Factory Theatre, Marrickville. Details 02 9550 3666.

Ammy Virk Live Sat 1 Dec (7.00pm onwards) Ammy Virk live in concert at Whitlam Leisure Centre, 90A Memorial Ave, Liverpool.

Details 0452 337 387.

Karaoke and dance party Sat 1 Dec (7.30pm) An awesome night of entertainment that will feature performances from mixed artists, live DJ, food and drinks and more. At Parklands Function Centre, 456 Smithfield Rd, Prairiewood.

YOGA Yoga for beginners Until Sat 8 Dec Sat (7.00am-9.00am) Ryde East Public School (Entry via Badajoz Rd.) 12 Twin Road, North Ryde.

Sat (10.00am-12.00noon) Banksia Hall, 2 Lane Street, Wentworthville.

Sat (5.00pm-7.00pm) Quakers Hill High School, Performance Space 70 Lalor Road, Quakers Hill.

Sun (7.00am-9.00am) Epping Community Centre 9 Oxford Street Epping. Details 0412 202 182.

Free Yoga with Divine Life Society (Tuesdays 7pm) Swami Uditramanandaji of The Divine Life Society of Australia offers free Yoga classes every Tuesday from 7.00pm8.15pm at Strathfield Girls High School. All levels of fitness welcomed.

Entrance via Oxford Rd. Details Karo 0413 535 157.

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). Details Meera 0433 125 708.

FUNDRAISER Saif Ali Khan charity event Sat 17 Nov (7.00pm onwards) Saif Ali Khan comes to Sydney for a charity event at Diamond Showroom, Blacktown Workers Club, 55 Campbell Street, Blacktown.

Details 0470 174 602.

Dinner for a cause Sun 18 Nov (6.00pm onwards) Join Sivan Arul Illam for a traditional Tamil meal and learn about the work done by the organisation to empower the vulnerable in north and east Sri Lanka. At Cherrybrook Community & Cultural Centre, Shepherds Drive, Cherrybrook. Details 02 9484 1075.

Rebuilding vandalised temple Fri 16 Nov (7.00pm onwards) Please join Bharatiye Mandir Sydney as they get together to raise funds for the recently vandalised Hindu temple in Regents Park. At Wentworthville Community Hall, 2 Lane St, Wenworthville.

Details 0408 218 050.

Vision 2020 is organising a Healthy Diwali Walkathon at Parramatta park (meeting point Garraway Picnic centre) 8.30 am. Transport: parking available & free shuttle bus available from Parramatta Station every 10 minutes. Also featuring free activities like yoga, Bollywood dance, story time for kids etc along with fresh (yummy idli and dosa) food available at reasonable prices.Funds raised go towards building a block of toilets for a school for underprivileged children in Chennai, India. Details Prema Krishnan 0423 257 609

MISCELLANEOUS Symphony of sarees Sun 18 Nov (11.00am – 4.00pm) A ladies-only event with drinks, performances, lucky draws, delish food and lots more. At Belhaven Manor, 84 Station St., Wentworthville.

Details 0421 646 069.

Yatra Nankana Sahib Wed 21 - Fri 30 Nov Australian Sangat Nankana Sahib Charitable Org presents Yatra Nankana Sahib tour Australia to Pakistan. A fully insured tour including return fair, accommodation and transport.

Details 0451 485 661.

Eco Textile workshop Tue 20 Nov (6.00pm – 8.00pm) A 4-week course with local textile artists, Ivana and Xenia Taylor to learn how to up-cycle textile waste.

You can also learn traditional techniques including Indian Kantha stitching. At Warringah Mall Library, Shop 650, 145 Old Pittwater Road, Brookvale. Details 02 9942 7999.

Access India Program Tue 13 Nov (5.30pm – 8.00pm) Fusion Labs presents launch of 201819 Access India Program where you will have the opportunity to meet the participating start-ups; talk with our mentors, advisors and investors; as well as network with members of the NSW Government and the Australian Indian business community. At Fishburners Ideas Space, Level 3 Sydney Startup Hub, 11-31 York St, Sydney. Details 0451 504 912.

Domestic violence seminar Wed 14 Nov (12.00pm – 2.00pm) A panel discussion with Julie Boon, Moo Baulch and Pallavi Sinha on domestic violence and how to stop it. Venue Affinity Intercultural Foundation, 51-57 Pitt St, Sydney.

Details 02 8065 2502 Ayurvedic vegan cooking Sun 18 Nov (1.00pm – 5.00pm) This workshop will reveal the secrets of spices; how to awaken the consciousness of these spices as well as other whole-food ingredients to maximise their health-giving properties. At Bija Yoga, Level 1, 1c Castlereagh St, Penrith.

Details 0419 437 033.

To add your event email media@indianlink.com.au

Fundraiser walkathon for Diwali Sun 11 Nov (8.30am onwards)

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NOVEMBER (1) 2018 29

THE TEA M Carl Buhariwala

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Saroja Srinivasan

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30 NOVEMBER (1) 2018

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BOOKS

The ‘New India’ we seek An extract from SHASHI THAROOR’s new book The Paradoxical Prime Minister

T

he New India I want is a country where you won’t get lynched for the food you eat, marginalized for the faith you hold dear, criminalized for the person you love and imprisoned for making use of fundamental rights guaranteed by your own Constitution.

Instead, we must look forward to a New India that celebrates and welcomes pluralism, an idea vindicated by history itself. To me, this New India must be fundamentally rooted in the idea of India that our founding fathers believed in. After all, as I’ve asked in a different context, if you don’t know where you are coming from, then how can you know where you are going?

This nebulous ‘Idea of India’ - though the phrase is Rabindranath Tagore’s - is, in some form or another, arguably as old as antiquity itself. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru saw our country as an ‘ancient palimpsest’ on which successive rulers and subjects had inscribed their visions without erasing what had been asserted previously. We not only coexist, but thrive in our diversity which is our strength. Swami Vivekananda spoke of a Hinduism that not merely tolerates other faiths but accepts them as they are.

This acceptance of difference has been key to our country’s survival, making ‘unity in diversity’ the most hallowed of independent India’s self-defining slogans.

India, as I have long argued, has always been more than the sum of its contradictions. I write in the introduction about the Indian idea, which is that a nation may endure differences of caste, creed, colour, conviction, culture, cuisine, costume and custom, and still rally around a consensus. And that consensus is around the simple idea that in a democracy you don’t really need to agree - except on the ground rules of how you will disagree. It is the idea of an ever-ever land - emerging from an ancient civilization, united by a shared history, sustained by pluralist democracy....

For New India to succeed and indeed thrive, it will have to embrace this inclusive vision and draw its inspiration from the key tenets of the core ‘Idea of India’. Only by maintaining a commitment towards a democratic and pluralistic ethos can New

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India be able to fulfil the aspirations of all Indians. Interestingly, the need for our government to preside over a harmonious plural society springs not just from the core values of our country and need for insaniyat (or humanity), to use Mr Vajpayee’s phrase, to guide our leaders’ actions, but also from good old-fashioned economics.

An eye-opening report, first published on Indiaspend.org, a public interest NGO, pointed out that ‘if India discards religious beliefs that perpetrate caste and gender inequalities it could more than double its per capita GDP growth of the last sixty years in half the time.’

Did someone say, ‘Sabka saath sabka vikas’?

At the same time, we must also be conscious that preserving our ideological commitment to pluralism, acceptance and the freedom provided by our democratic systems is only one-half of the battle.

Providing a decent standard of living to the people of India, particularly those from economically vulnerable groups, is the second commitment that we must undertake in our blueprint for a New India.

Our inclusive vision of New India must be complemented by inclusive development as we move forward. We can talk of a New India, and yet, many of the battles India has been fighting - and must continue to fight - continue to centre around our principal basic problems of roti, kapda, makaan and now, sadak, bijli and paani, plus no doubt broadband (to most people in our mobile phone age, 4G is more important than Modi-ji).

The prestigious Forbes magazine list of the world’s top billionaires had to make room for 119 Indian dollar billionaires in 2018, with a combined net worth of $440 billion, greater than the GDP of a majority of member states of the United Nations. But at the same time we have 363 million people living below the poverty line. And it’s not the UN/World Bank’s poverty line of $1 a day, now revised to $1.25, but the Indian poverty line, which in the rural areas is Rs 32 a day - in other words, a line that’s been drawn just this side of the funeral pyre. This is our reality and this is what our blueprint for a New India must address - creatively,

quickly, and securely.

New India must be built on the liberalization we embarked upon in 1991. Economic growth remains vital to pulling people out of poverty.

But the fruits of that growth - the revenues that come from it - must be shared with those who are excluded from its benefits. The magic of the market will not appeal to those who cannot afford to enter the marketplace.

As India navigates its development, we must focus on ensuring that the benefits of growth are shared across the nation - by our youth, who are struggling to find jobs, and by our poorest, for whom true development would be life changing...

You can choose a New India that embodies hope, or one that promotes fear. You can support a New India united in striving, or an India divided by hatred.

I believe we can look forward to a New India with confidence, if not with optimism. But we must build this New India on solutions to our major challenges. We have to overcome our poverty. We have to deal with the hardware of development, the ports, the roads, the airports, all the infrastructural progress we need to make, and the software of development, the human capital, the need for the ordinary person in India to be able to have a couple of square meals a day, to be able to send his or her children to a decent school and to aspire to work a job that will give them opportunities in

their lives to transform themselves. We have to tackle and end corruption.

We need to conquer these challenges, real challenges which none of us in India can pretend don’t exist. But it must take place in an open society, in a rich and diverse and plural civilization, one that is open to the contention of ideas and interests within it, unafraid of the prowess or the products of the outside world, wedded to the democratic pluralism that is India’s greatest strength, and determined to liberate and fulfil the creative energies of its people.

We must remain faithful to our founding values of the twentieth century if we are to conquer the challenges of the twenty-first and build the New India that we seek. Our New India will shine. But it must shine for all.

Only by maintaining a commitment towards a democratic and pluralistic ethos can New India be able to fulfil the aspirations of all Indians.

NOVEMBER (1) 2018 31

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18/10/18 3:29 pm

NOVEMBER (1) 2018 33

WOMEN

Women innovators for a better world

Spark Festival 2018’s Virangana Project events uncover some incredible world-class talent among India’s women innovators

BY ASTHA SINGH

P

ush the boundaries, for the greater good.

That’s what a Virangana does.

‘Virangana’ is Hindi for a brave and courageous woman. Historically it is a term used for a woman showing excellence in the battlefield (think Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi, who led her tiny kingdom in war against the British, making the ultimate sacrifice for her people).

The term was bandied about a fair bit in recent days in Sydney, when six women from India participated in Spark Festival

34 NOVEMBER (1) 2018

2018, Australia’s largest festival for start-ups, innovators and entrepreneurs. The talented and successful entrepreneurs were viranganas in the full sense of the term, pushing boundaries in their attempts to help build a better society. The Virangana Project is an Australian initiative aimed at putting some of India’s most innovative women entrepreneurs in front of Australian investors and fellow entrepreneurs.

This year, Dr Suba Dravida, Aditi Balbir, Rajlakshmi Borthakur, Nayab Bookwala, Devika Srimal Bapna and Ruchi Rastogi were the finalists who impressed with their start-up pitches in the health, lifestyle and social justice fields.

It all started for them months ago when their applications were assessed on a set of stringent criteria. They worked with ‘virtual’ mentors to fine tune their business plan and

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pitch deck.

As they presented their work at the event in Sydney, listening to them were angel investors, equity groups, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.

It turned out to be a brilliant opportunity for them to get a firsthand look at some of the innovative ideas and investment opportunities that India has to offer.

The Indian elements at the event also allowed participants to dive into the culture to which the presenters belonged – the welcome, the decorations including pooja style lamp lighting, the Bollywood-style dancing, the food and the Slumdog Millionaire background score made it a very different Spark Festival event.

Many of the participants turned up again for a panel discussion on ‘The Next Generation of Viranganas’, which aimed to bridge the gap between the Australian and Indian women’s start-up communities. This panel consisted of Viranganas from India and Australia. The objective was to compare the challenges and opportunities facing female entrepreneurs in each country, discuss new alternative funding models for women around the world and the growing interest of venture capital firms in social impact start-ups. This event was part of the Visiting Entrepreneur Program, the Global Sydney Business Exchange and Spark Festival, produced by the City of Sydney in collaboration with event partners The Virangana Project and the Australia India Business Council. It was supported by funding from the Australian Government’s program for entrepreneurs and its national innovation and science agenda.

Tony McAuslan, Co-Founder & Communications Director, The Virangana Project, expressed great satisfaction at the program.

“Three of the finalists have given CEO Strategic (the company behind the Virangana Project) a clear mandate to act on their behalf and continue with a capital raise for their brilliant ideas; one of which (which specialises in the early detection of epileptic fits) we plan to relocate to the Sydney Innovation Hub, which will result in more jobs for NSW. This will also help to establish Sydney as the focal point for international innovation.”

The Virangana Project Team are currently in discussions with various parties in Australia to further engage with the finalists, to the direct benefit of both the Australian and Indian economies.

On the basis of this successful event, they are now working on plans to stage a new intake in 2019 that will focus on the renewable energy and clean water sectors, where Indian innovators are at the forefront of new technologies in these areas, due to the scale of problems a nation of 1.3 billion people.

Priyanka gupta, sp

ecial guest

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Finalists in the 2018 Virangana Project

d Dr Suba Dravida is a PhD qualifie e for founder who is working on a cur cells, Alzheimer’s disease using stem for a and who was recently nominated Nobel Prize for Science.

Rajlakshmi (“Raji” ) Borthakur has developed a weara ble device to pred ict epileptic fits and w hose work has been recently been ackn owledged by PM Modi.

career Devika Srimal Bapna started her ancial at Ernst & Young London, in Fin lified as qua y Services and simultaneousl had an a Chartered Accountant. She has s little entrepreneurial itch since she wa ved mo she en and found her calling wh the in back to Delhi and identified a gap inated as footwear industry. She was nom in 2017 one of the Top 35 CAs under 35 CAs). of y

by ICAS (the professional bod ard for She won the Digital Women’s Aw People in E-commerce, hosted by SheThe Dec 2017.

Aditi Balbir is man aging a network of over 150 resorts ac ross India, who is acknowledged as having the record for the 3rd largest capi tal raise for a femal e founder in India (o ver $A 11M), and w ho is on course to raise another $A10M roun d.

h Ruchi Rastogi threw in her hig tion nda fou a ate cre powered career to st mo ia’s Ind that assists and trains by vulnerable and isolated women allow creating small businesses that ract them to earn an income and inte with other women.

Nayab Bookwala (who could not mak e it to Sydney) spen t the last decade in television and br oadcast media in various roles with expertise in Brand Development, Mar keting and Events with some of the leadin g media conglomer ates in India. She is also working towards reducing child hung er through their M eal For A Meal campaig n, where they dona te a meal for every mea l sold on their plat form.

Nayab was listed as one of the Top 50 Women in Tech by Goodman Lantern, UK in 2017.

NOVEMBER (1) 2018 35

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TRAVEL

Best of Ho Chi Minh

Temples and pagodas, French memoirs, markets… and reliving the horrors of war Experience the horrors of war BY SANDIP HOR

F

ormerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is always hot, noisy, chaotic and perhaps unromantic, but still a very popular holiday destination. Here are ten reasons why annually around 8 million visitors mark their footsteps there.

Cherish French memoirs

The spirit of the French, who lived there for almost a century, is still encapsulated in the city’s passion for baguettes, coffee, champagne and series of pastel-hued buildings like the Norte Dame Cathedral, Main Post Office, Opera House and Hotel de Ville which appear like pieces directly shipped from France. Most of them are clustered around the Lam Son Square and Dong Khoi Area from where the city’s repute as ‘Paris of the East’ emerged.

40 NOVEMBER (1) 2018

The infamous Vietnam War which ended in 1975 still haunts many around the globe.

The artefacts at the War Remnants Museum such as military equipment, documents and explicit photographs, show modern generation dreads of the war while a trip to Cu Chi tunnels outside city boundaries demonstrate the creative survival techniques of the guerrilla soldiers.

Enjoy the essence of victory Going through the corridors of the Reunification Palace always generates a feeling of triumph as it was here on 30 April 1975, the communist North Vietnam troops crashed in to mark the reunification with South Vietnam which since 1954 remained as separate sovereignty with support from America.

Learn more about Vietnam

Visit three museums: History Museum to learn more about the nation’s past dated from the Khmer era, Ho Chi Minh City Museum for understanding the city’s

Travel Tips Getting there Vietnam Airlines (www.vietnamairlines.com) fly direct from Sydney and Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh Stay Historic Rex Hotel (www.rexhotelsaigon.com), located close to all attractions Ground assistance Vietravel (www.vietravel.com) background during its different phases and Ho Chi Minh Museum to salute the life of national hero Ho Chi Minh.

Visit temples and pagodas

The pagodas and temples around the city are an imposing sight for travellers.

18th century built Giac Lam Pagoda is the oldest while Jade Emperor Pagoda is the most visited. The city boasts of a Hindu Shrine too - Mariamman Temple - frequented by the local Vietnamese and Chinese as well.

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Admire the bird’s eye vista

Many do this first to get their bearings right about the cityscape. There are many locations which offer a spectacular view of the city below. The best is from the Saigon Skydeck at the 49th floor of the 262m tall Bitexco Financial Tower, one of the nation’s iconic landmark buildings.

Haggle with the price at timeworn markets

bowl of steaming noodle soup mixed with vegetables and beef or chicken.

Cruise along the waterways

Offered by many tour operators, a boat trip on the Saigon River illustrates the diversity of lifestyles surrounding this busy metropolis. The evening dinner cruise showcase how spectacularly the skyline dazzles at night.

Ho Chi Minh boasts of several glitzy shopping malls and trendy shops to offer sumptuous retail therapy. However the fun is to spend time at timeworn indoor bazaars like the century-old Ben Thanh Market, which stocks everything from clothes, electronics and shoes to local handicrafts. Bargaining with the price is the thrilling part of the whole experience.

Enjoy the nightlife

Indulge with exotic cuisine

Captions Facing page Colonial Square This page clockwise from top Colours inside Ben Thank Market, French-built City Hall, US deployed armoury at the War Remnants Museum, Bike city, Mariamman Hindu Temple

Vietnam is a haven for foodies and the city brags of many fine dining restaurants like Vietnamese House, owned by celebrated Australian-Vietnamese chef Luke Ngyuen.

But locals say the tastiest food is often savoured at the street stalls decorated with plastic chairs and knee-high tables. The most common dish is ‘pho’ which is a

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May sound a bit unusual, but the red flag city is full of bars that become high-octane after sundown. Popular ones are at the rooftop of French-built hotels, Caravelle, Majestic ad Rex where locals and visitors enjoy the view of the illuminated city below with a cold beer in hand.

NOVEMBER (1) 2018 41

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FORETELL

NOVEMBER 2018

BY MINAL KHONA Minal Khona has been reading tarot cards for the last two decades. She uses her intuition and connect with the cards mostly to help people.

TAROT

ARIES March 21 - April 19

TAURUS April 20 - May 20

GEMINI May 21 - June 20

CANCER June 21 - July 20

The key is balance: this month, you should learn to balance material and spiritual prosperity, as one without the other can make life difficult. A destiny card drawn for you indicates that if issues regarding old friends, health, money, business or habits resurface, it is time to test you and check your growth. You will be able to turn a negative situation around, even though there could be anxiety or confusion.

Stress can cause an old health issue to surface again.

A new beginning, mostly creative, is on the anvil. You might decide to use a hitherto untapped skill or talent to monetise a hobby. A financially rewarding trip lifts up your spirits, and resolving of conflicts in a relationship is foretold: you might even take it to the next level.

A cleansing detox will improve your health and productivity on all fronts.

Success comes through innovative ideas and revival of a business or property.

Do something different and act on alternatives.

If you are at the start of a romance, chances are it will fizzle out even though it has come into your life quite unexpectedly. Some news that will shed new light on your present outlook or financial status will come as a relief.

Finances increase, and conditions improve. Avoid being too rigid about anything - you might even look at a new line of work. Minor health issues might arise: is a dentist visit due, or a regular health scan?

A pause in your progress causes anxiety and you re-evaluate your life’s goals.

Disappointment in love convinces you to go it alone. Your attitude of indifference stems from a deep rooted depression and a feeling of hopelessness. Anxiety and nervous exhaustion could make you visit the doctor if you are not careful.

Things might look bad but they are actually going to improve. You might buy something expensive for yourself. You have what it takes, just be patient

LEO July 21 - Aug 22

VIRGO Aug 23 - Sep 22

LIBRA Sep 23 - Oct 22

SCORPIO Oct 23 - Nov 21

Media, arts, communication, money, new projects and a person with a Gemini type of temperament make up this month for Leos. An impasse in romance is annoying. You might associate with some influential and powerful people who will help you. Paperwork keeps you occupied and travel for business is successful. In demand as always at work, you impress your seniors. Health improves and financial transactions are very successful. A new project based on your past work is likely to come up.

This month calls for sacrifice from Virgos, and along with letting go, letting it be might be an option till things improve.

If in a relationship, pent up resentment can create feelings of alienation or make matters worse. You might have to give up on a much desired outcome in your personal life, but business will be good.

Take care of your eyes. Finances are tight, so be prudent with expenses. The future worries you but you will overcome all challenges.

A Taurean personality trait like stubbornness could overshadow your usual easy going demeanour. You might want to break away from a painful relationship but you are hoping things will improve. Be patient, because they will.

Don’t let emotional problems impact your work. Creative projects bring satisfaction and might even bring a new start on the work front. Success comes through hard work, gradual development and a few lucky breaks that can turn precarious events into new potential.

A month of abundance as you are presented with promising enterprises or investment potential. To seek help from someone difficult, try diplomacy instead of intimidation. Travel for work is indicated. You are in a positive upbeat mood so make the most of it. An attitude of gratitude brings more of the good stuff into your life. Debts get cleared and money comes in from multiple sources.

The key to solving problems sometimes, is to stop thinking about them.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 - Dec 21

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 19

AQUARIUS Jan 20 - Feb 18

PISCES Feb 19 - March 20

A new love could sweep you off your feet though this month has many anxious stressful moments. Strong emotions rule and a marriage could go on the rocks. Good news on the career front is indicated and delayed payments add to the stress. But, the situation is temporary and there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Think with your head and not your heart for any challenge. Have faith in your capabilities and persevere towards achieving your goal.

November calls for adjustments in thought and attitude. You might experience anxiety or frustration due to circumstances. Someone younger might try to win your affection. Cooperation on the personal and professional front is on the cards. Success is assured, especially on the work front and matters of financial settlements. Take a much needed break and do something you enjoy. Even a workshop that enhances skills will help you succeed. Negative conditions come to an end as a renewal is round the corner.

A busy month where you focus on work, spiritual ideas and the desire to expand your horizons. A happy surprise is in the offing. As self-protection, you might put on the façade of being indifferent, but your heart longs for a meaningful connection. A new approach to work makes it lucrative. Health will need attention, and stop worrying about money as gains are indicated. Change is in the air and pursue intellectual hobbies till things settle down. Let things be for a while.

Pay attention to your work front and focus on improving yourself or your image. A loner might attract you but be careful, it could be someone who is already married. A chance encounter brings unexpected gains and promotion or success at work increases your determination to do better. An estranged ex might try to win you back. Profits increase for the self-employed and a new business idea is in the offing. Don’t sell yourself short if you are not convinced, however. Proceed methodically.

NATIONAL EDITION

NOVEMBER (1) 2018 43

ENTERTAINMENT

cineTALK PLAYING THE MARKET

BAAZAAR

DIRECTOR: Gauravv K. Chawla STARRING: Saif Ali Khan, Rohan Mehra, Radhika Apte, Chitrangda Singh

HHHHH

I can’t recall a single notable (or even non-notable) Indian film based on the plunging dips and giddying highs of the stock market. Do you remember Harshad Mehta? How could you forget the podgy stockbroker who made thousands of Indians rich overnight and then it all ended in a financial mess in no time at all?

Saif Ali Khan’s Shakun Kothari’s destiny run on the same lines.

Except that Saif as the wily ruthless

Machiavellian stockbroker is everything that Harshad Mehta would have wanted to be. This is Saif’s most gloriously written and performed part, meaty witty and wicked. He chews into it exposing a sacred hunger that I didn’t notice in his last over-hyped outing.

Saif as Shakun is a true-blue Gujju who won’t let neo-affluence corrupt his cultural integrity. He slips into Gujjufications with the unrehearsed cuteness of tycoon, who has long ceased to be cute to everyone, including his own wife and children.

When debutant Rohan Mehra enters the plot as Rizwan there is no Shakun Kothari around. We know Rizwan idolizes Shakun and wants to be like

him - a very dangerous ambition to have. And who knows this better than Rizwan’s wife Chitrangda Singh, who in a role severely conscripted by the plot’s bristling sinewiness, manages to find her redemptive moment in the grand finale.

There is no redemption for Shakun.

He is showman a ball of fire hurling down an abyss, and enjoying every moment of it. The film takes great pride in being clued into the inside workings of the stock market. Yet it never lets the tone of know-all self-congratulation come in the way of telling us the story of ‘When Shakun Met Rohan’.

My quibble with the rivetting script (Nikhil Advani, Parvez Sheikh, Aseem Arora) is that it takes its time in bringing

the mentor and the protegee together.

Saif and the very fine and confident debutant Rohan Mehra just don’t have enough scenes together. In fact Rohan builds a better bond with Saif’s screenwife Chitrangda Singh in just one scene where the teary-eyed protegee tells his mentor’s wife that sometimes you just need to give the one you love a tight slap. The written word seldom gets to be conveyed with such unvarnished directness in commercial Hindi cinema where everyone either talks florid or over-casual.

In Baazaar the emotions are tightly reined-in as caustic vitriolic conversations are let loose with not a care about who’s eavesdropping.

My favourite line, and the one that says it all about Shakun Kothari, is the one in the run-down Gujarati bhojanalaiya. “You think I come here because I love the food? No, the food is terrible! But it helps me never forget where I came from.”

The brilliance of the line is never forgotten in a morality tale that never pushes its righteousness into our face. In fact I suspect the very assured debutant director Gauravv K. Chawla actually enjoys his grey protagonist’s amorality.

Saif’s blustering warmth keeps Shakun Kothari from falling apart even when the stakes are heavily weighed against him.

While some of the other supporting performances just don’t match up the ever-brilliant Manish Choudhary struggles in an underwritten role; Radhika Apte as Rizwan’s go-getting colleague makes space for herself. In a way she tokenizes the film’s morality. In today’s times you have to push your way into attention.

Subhash K. Jha

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ENTERTAINMENT

The BUZZ UP-TO-DATE NEWS ON WHAT’S HOT AND HAPPENING IN BOLLYWOOD

ATHIYA SHETTY

CRAZY FAN INDEED

Shah Rukh Khan is known to have a crazy fan following. We all know that, right? But when crazy descends into insane, it’s quite a different matter.

Take for instance one Mr. Mohammad Salim, who recently visited Mumbai from Kolkata to meet the superstar outside his palatial bungalow, Mannat.

Salim proceeded to cut himself with a razor blade and was promptly caught and dragged off by the police to a nearby hospital. He was soon discharged. It seems that he was ready to kill himself if he didn’t get to meet his favourite star.

A video that came up later on social media shows him screaming ‘Shah Rukh sir! Shah Rukh sir!’ as he’s escorted by the cops. Pretty sure this brought a feeling of deja vu for the star himself, who very recently acted in a film called Fan, the story of a diehard fan, whose passion for his favourite star turns into a dangerous obsession. Phew!

ALL’S WELL WITH RISHI

NO B-TOWNERS AT PC-JONAS WEDDING?

O

k, we get it. Priyanka Chopra is an international star. She has more friends in Hollywood than in Bollywood now. But how is it possible that not a single Bollywood star has been invited to Priyanka and Nick Jonas’ wedding? Not even BFF Deepika Padukone?

Oh wait. We forget - Deepika is also getting married around the same time, isn’t she?

Grapevine says Piggy Chops is getting hitched on 2 December at Umaid Bhavan in Jodhpur. The sangeet and other pre-wedding festivities will take place at the Mehrangarh Fort on 30 November and 1 December. Earlier, the media claimed that Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif and Farhan Akhtar have been invited to the wedding, but looks like that isn’t the case anymore. Apparently the happy couple want just close

46 NOVEMBER (1) 2018

friends and family at the wedding… so that means Parineeti Chopra is in at least. Isn’t she?

Meanwhile, Priyanka is having a splendid bachelorette bash in Amsterdam and the general public can at least have access to that because she never fails to put it on Instagram.

The star has shared several pictures from her hen party featuring cousin Parineeti Chopra, Isha Ambani and Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner.

Other probable bridesmaids include Srishti Behl Arya, Chanchal D’Souza, Tamanna Dutt, Elizabeth Chambers, Mamta Anand, Dana Supnick and Natasha Pal. For those who’re living under a rock, the couple met at the 2017 Met Gala and began dating this year. Nick popped the question to Priyanka on her birthday with a Tiffany ring that we are told is worth $275,000. Wow.

After Sonali Bendre and Irrfan, who have been suffering from serious illnesses, when Rishi Kapoor recently announced that he was going to be off radar due to health reasons, it caused quite a scare among his fans.

He did say that it was “nothing too bad” and did subsequently go on to posting pictures on his social media now and then, the star never quite clarified what was wrong with him. That possibly gave way to even more rumours.

So it was quite a relief when a recent Hindustan Times report quoted his daughter Riddhima Kapoor clearing the air once and for all. Riddhima assured everyone, “He’s fine, nothing to worry about. I was never worried anyway. He’s just getting his routine tests done, like he said on Twitter, after so many years of wear and tear. He’s getting everything done, so hoping for the best.”

Thank goodness. Get well soon, Rishi!

SALLU THE SWEETHEART

It’s no wonder that people think Salman Khan is one of the greatest guys in Bollywood. The actor won a million hearts when he recently visited a hospital to meet a child suffering from cancer. Who’s already sobbing?

One of his gazillion fanclubs shared a video in which the superstar is seen engrossed in a conversation with the child and interacting with other kids around him. A Mumbai man called Govind had requested the actor to visit his wife’s nephew who was admitted at Tata Memorial Hospital and Salman graciously accepted the request. What

a wonderful man! If only every actor/ celebrity had the same heart of gold, huh?

RANVEER KI AYEGI BAARAAT

Hey, we spoke about Priyanka and Nick’s wedding – how could we not discuss the other power couple who are about to tie the knot? Yes, Ranveer and Deepika. The duo is set to get married on 14-15 November. Not too far away!

Looks like shaadi preps are in full flow at Deepika’s house. First there was the picture of a puja at Deepika’s place where Ranveer was present too – with mehndi on his hands and haldi on his face. And the gossip mags are claiming that Ranveer – and this comes as no surprise really – is about to make his reception party a full filmy affair.

We wouldn’t expect anything less of Ranveer, to be honest. And after the two get married, Ranveer is going to move in with Deepika. Well, we are incredibly happy for this couple and we can’t wait to see more pictures.

ATHIYA IS ‘MY SHETTY’

If it’s indeed a relationship, it’s an unlikely one, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have our interest! American rapper Drake is really fanning the rumours of a relationship with none other than Athiya Shetty. That’s right!

Athiya recently celebrated her 26th birthday and her ‘boyfriend’ Drake called her ‘My Shetty’ and a ‘goddess’ in a comment. “Happy birthday to my Shetty a true Goddess. Guess who is watching Mubakaran 3 times on the tour bus in your honour,” he wrote.

According to a DNA news report, the two really hit it off when they met at a nightclub in London. Since then, they’ve apparently become “good friends”. Yep… let’s just leave it at that.

SPEAK UP: TANUSHREE

She may never have planned to do it, but Tanushree Dutta has been the hurricane that swept Bollywood off its feet and cascaded to more or less every other industry in India.

“I never intended to do this,” the

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actor said about #MeToo. “I had never anticipated it would become this big.

But I feel like this is the best thing that has come out of this whole experience and that is from now on, whether it’s Bollywood or corporate or any other workplace, no woman will lose her job for complaining against sexual harassment.”

She adds, “Now the environment has become such that everyone is talking about it, everyone’s taking sexual harassment easily, everyone is gathering courage to speak up. I feel like I’ve already succeeded in doing what I’d subconsciously set out to do.”

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

Oh wait, we forgot another filmy duo about to do the happily ever after: Malaika Arora and Arjun Kapoor. If you’ve been following the gossip, you know that there were speculations that the two were in a serious relationship.

And this when Malaika was still with Arbaaz Khan.

While they were often seen together and kept denying the reports, the clincher was the Lakme Fashion Week where they were seated side by side. But now, it seems like a surefire thing: the two are getting married in April 2019.

Even their families have hopped on

for the film. “Yes, I heard the script and I loved it! I called up Shah Rukh and asked him to hear the story and I am glad he also loved it.” board. We are waiting with bated breath to see what happens next!

WHAT’S IN A NAME

A lot, at least that’s what Ali Fazal would say. The actor, who was at Benares and Lucknow recently to shoot for his upcoming film, said he had to change his name to Mir Fateh to enter the inner areas of the cities.

“I had to change my name to be able to enter these places. It has been the scariest time while shooting for Mirzapur, yet adventurous. I am not saying this proudly and would not recommend this to others. To others I would say, try acting for a change and forget method,” Ali said.

Ali, who plays the role of a gangster in the digital series, says the makers made him go through an intensive physical transformation. Talk about dedication.

I KHAN’T COMPETE

Who’s so confident about himself that he doesn’t feel threatened by SRK or Salman? Only one Khan: Aamir. It is no secret that Aamir Khan suggested Shah Rukh’s name to Rakesh Sharma’s biopic Zero.

And such exchanges happen because he does not feel competitive with any of his contemporaries. He also said that he genuinely felt that he is the best fit

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NATIONAL EDITION

IT’S KARMA?

We believe in karma, do you? Pahlaj Nihalani has begun to, for sure. The former CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) chairperson who had become infamous for issuing censor cuts to film for ‘objectionable’ language and scenes is now facing the same issues for his own venture, Rangeela Raja.

Starring Govinda, the directorial debut is now in hot water is fighting censor cuts for dialogues like “Raat ko aap Arjun ki tarah teer nikalke bahar jaate ho”, “Ghevar kitna ras bhara hai, ahista ahista kholna” and “Talwar miyan se bahar niklegi toh tumhe lene ke dene pad jayenge”.

And he’s pretty miffed. “There’s no vulgarity, obscenity, double meaning or violence in my film. It doesn’t hurt any religious sentiment. Yet, I’m being punished for no fault of mine,” a news report in DNA quoted him as saying.

What’s the chitchat between Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas here?

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Match the following celebrities to their tweets below Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Sonali Bendre, Diana Penty, Ali Fazal Happy Birthday fellow Scorpion!!

Wishing you a day filled with all that you desire! Lots of love and a big hug @ theathiyashetty

What’s the chitchat between RANVEER and DEEPIKA here?

Proud and excited to bring the story of India’s Mars Mission, #MissionMangal to you.

Deepika: Maybe we should invite Ranbir to the wedding. He looks really good in white, Ranveer.

I’m going off twitter for a while. It’s just too negative. Peace and love to all!

What a fabulous evening @ priyankachopra!!! Your bridal shower was filled with so much love and laughter.

Congratulations, YUKTI ARYA! You win a movie ticket!

Being mature today is all about having brand preferences... heh so true. We don’t need no age of reason... is that good or bad?

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NOVEMBER (1) 2018 47

BACKCHAT

That angry feeling Being angry is so fashionable these days BY NURY VITACHI

I

once wrote to a friend gently suggesting that he was not cut out to be an anger management therapist. He replied in capital letters: “SO. WHAT. ARE. YOU. SAYING?” People love being angry these days.

The problem is getting worse.

When I look at Facebook, I feel I need to stand well back.

“The aviation industry suffers the most,” said a reader who works in that sector. She showed me a news report expressing outrage about an airline which threw a passenger off the flight “because she was breastfeeding”.

Another was about an airline which ejected a man “for having a tattoo”. A third report was about a flight in which staff stopped the plane to escort a “feminist activist” off.

48 NOVEMBER (1) 2018

“But not one of them happened as reported,” said the woman, who did not want her name printed. “In each case, the passenger was actually thrown off for breaching industry-wide safety rules. But journalists prefer to say it was because the person was breastfeeding or whatever because anger gets all the clicks.”

A typical case was reported last December. Just as a Delta Airlines plane was about to take off from Atlanta, a man rose from his seat and went to the toilet. The crew scolded him and booted him off the flight -- so he called reporters and told them: “It’s because I’m black.”

The good news is that such cases are mostly limited to the Western media. “On the East side of the planet, there is no assumption that authority figures are automatically wrong,” she said.

Interesting. I mean, there’s a lot of bad things you can say about Asian journalists, such as the fact that we are often corrupt, lazy, bribe-taking, careless, woefully

inaccurate, gullible, and seem incapable of critical thinking, let alone good writing, and I forgot where I was going with this sentence so I think I’ll just end it here.

These days, the Asian media does the anger thing in some countries, while in others, news items are bland and emotionless.

In some Indo-China nations, the first item on the TV news is always the same: “Premier cuts ribbon.” Sometimes the entire news bulletin is the premier cutting various ribbons. Aliens intercepting those transmissions must think this is a planet in which fame and fortune go to men who can use scissors.

But elsewhere, the modern love of anger can have bad results.

A few days ago, The New York Times told the shocking story of a bird scientist who did his job: he caught and dissected a bird as a specimen for his museum’s million-piece research collection.

An angry web-surfer published his name on the Internet as a “bird murderer”. The scientist got so

many angry death threats that he needed police protection.

The Internet, and particularly Facebook and Twitter, are magnets for the Super Angry. One of my social media friends thunders, “I don’t need anger management. Everyone else needs stupidity management.”

To him, life seems horribly unfair.

“When Thor throws his hammer he’s a hero. When I throw a hammer I need therapy,” he grumbles.

Stand well back.

Literally.

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