2019-06 Sydney (1)

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PUBLISHER

Pawan Luthra

EDITOR

Rajni Anand Luthra

DEPUTY EDITOR

Sneha Khale

SOCIAL MEDIA

Suruchi Sehgal

MELBOURNE COORDINATOR

Preeti Jabbal

CONTRIBUTORS

Neha Malude, Nanditha Suresh, Salma Shah, Aparna Ananthuni, Jyothsna Rao, Emie Roy, Minal Khona, Aakash Kumar

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Shriti Sinha 0410 578 146

ADVERTISING ASSISTANT

Charuta Joshi 02 9279 2004

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:

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Email: info@indianlink.com.au

The strong, decisive, alpha male

the nation needed a strong decisive leader to step up; a card well played by the party machine.

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

The Cambridge Dictionary defines ‘alpha male’ as the most successful and powerful male in a group, or a strong and successful man who likes to be in charge of others. By all accounts, after the overwhelming mandate for Modi and the BJP in India’s recent elections, the country has showed its preference for a strong, decisive alpha male as leader.

It was a textbook victory. The narrative of economic development in the 2014 elections shifted to one of national security and nationalism. Narendra Modi made the election about himself and in fact, his taking up (and after the election victory, letting go) of the twitter handle Chowkidar (Hindi for ‘watchman’) was a stroke of genius. A chowkidar who would watch over the country and the people, and protect them from any attack on their person or their religion, seems to have played out well. Wary and weary from the actual incursions on its freedom and borders,

That there was no effective opposition also worked well in their favour. The Congress party has become a fatigued institution, showing its age of nearly 140 years. It has failed to reinvent itself, stuck in the fifth generation of the Nehru dynasty. Among the 84 million first-time voters this election, the 15 million between the ages of 18 and 19 held no ties to the Nehru-Gandhi family.

India’s youngest voters are bubbling over with drive and ambition: they want to progress from being a Zomato delivery person to owning a Subway or Domino franchise. Resting on past laurels or old glory is simply not their style - the famous surname in fact antagonises them.

Equally, the BJP was able to cut through the regionalism and casteism of politics. It stood as one party and this election showed, possibly, the end of patchwork politics which has dominated India over the last 20-odd years. While on one hand, BJP consolidated its position and grew its vote bank, the Congress’ paltry gains came at the expense of other regional parties rather than winning from the BJP. Analysts have indicated that in the next election, Congress

will need a swing of at least 15% to get it to 125 seats. In a parliament where the first party to take 271 seats, wins the elections, it’s a grim future indeed for the Congress.

So, with this mandate, the expectations from the BJP and from Modi are huge.

According to the World Bank, India’s GDP in 2015 was 8.2% and a recent State Bank of India report has growth for the 2017-18 fiscal year at just below 7%. Reserve Bank of India has forecasted inflation at 4.5-4.9%. The actual growth is then ranging around 2.5-3%. This must increase, to allow people who voted for the BJP to feel economically secure. Government-led policies to accelerate growth will need to be implemented. Internationally, India will need to position itself in a more strategic position as the trade wars with the US and China continue under the foreign policy effect of the Trump administration. Modi will need to address issues related to the minorities in India and their position in the fabric of the 5,000-year-old society. Social cohesion and a common purpose of advancing India and ensuring all move forward, will be a challenge for a country of 1.3 billion with over 9 different religious beliefs - but perhaps easy for the alpha male as elected leader.

YOUR SAY

GAME OF STONES

Our post about scriptwriter Gursimaran Sandhu of Game of Thrones fame came soon after the series finale was aired. Krish Na wrote: May not be the best time to claim credit for the last season.

Ben Castledine wrote: That's exactly what I was thinking.

Vinayak Muralidharan wrote: Yea well, she stuffed it up. Now I know why the ending was so B’woodish... especially when the Mountain didn’t die even after being stabbed 100 times.

MRS SINGH AT THE ARCHIBALDS

RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA wrote about the Indian links at this year’s Archibald Prize, including artist Tsering Hannaford’s portrait of Adelaide’s Mrs Singh Tsering Hannaford wrote: Thanks for writing such a beautiful article. It makes me so happy to see Mrs Singh’s story told interstate and reaching such a wide audience. The portrait looks beautiful printed on the full page too! I forgot to mention but I also have Indian heritagewhile my mother is from Kenya, my grandmother’s family were Mangalorean.

WHERE IN INDIA?

This architectural oddity is a mix of Islamic, European and Gothic styles Readers Shahenaaz Munshi, Minaz Adam, Tushar Choudhary and Dharmesh Muliya identified it correctly as Mahabat Maqbara, Junagadh, Gujarat.

SAY IT AGAIN

I have dark skin & curly hair LIKE JESUS. #UnfairAndLovely. Hari Kondabolu, Indian-American comedian

WHERE IN OZ?

This beautiful sunken garden is a naturally created scenic spot that offers visitors a unique experience of plant and animal life as well as some striking sculptures.

Readers Shivali Sharma, Akhil Jhingran, Divya Avanna, Shivani M Patel and Preet Singh correctly identified it as Umpherston Sinkhole in the Mount Gambier region of SA.

Today I become the first South Asian American woman to preside over the US House of Representatives. Beyond proud to serve in the most diverse Congress in our nation’s history and to hold the gavel today. Pramila Jayapal, US Congresswoman

INSTA WORTHY

Send us a picture or Instagram one of Indian Link in your life. We’ll choose one each edition to publish here

Thanks @girlwithanalterego for this post.

I’m proud to be a bisexual bearded baking brain scientist. I feel fortunate to be able to express all these aspects of my identity, and will continue to work towards ensuring the same freedom for others.

Jiwandeep Kohli, US-based neuroscientist #PrideMonth #PrideTurban

CAPTION CONTEST

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

Samantha Gray wrote: Cannes or no Cannes, we do know to live life king size!

Raj Saneja wrote: Nick, we are doing Bollywood dance not Ballroom dance.

Nidhi Gupta wrote: Nick, may be you need high heels!!!

Vasanthi Iyer wrote: Hold my hand tight, I might trip.

Mukesh Prajapati wrote: Nick: And why are you laughing?

Priyanka: Because you look like our Band-Baaja people in these trousers.

Neha Anshuman Chander wrote: Pinku, main tere aage chinku lag raha hoon....

Charmi Kapadia Shah wrote: Seriously, no one’s giving us importance, let’s get their attention, baby!

Ritesh Verma wrote: Priyanka, I look like a kid walking next to you.

Pradip Kumar Pandya wrote: You should have worn white shoes.

Gagan Singh wrote: Hum apni marzi se tumhare saath aaye hain, theek hai?

Gul Marwah wrote: Nick to PC: Babuji dheere chalna, pyar mein zara sambhalna.

Glen Sargeant wrote: Have you lost your mummy, little boy.

Ishdeep Singh wrote: Dekh ke chalo, madam

Kerren Lumsden wrote: That GT stripe down your leg doesn't make you look any taller... just saying!

Rakesh Manchanda wrote: Come on baby now it's your turn to get to the dance floor, your mom’s tired!

Priya Kanagarajan wrote: I think you just stepped on my train.

Leyla Singh wrote: You look like a teenage boy compared to me

Ruchir Garg wrote: Priyanka: Did you take that marriage sham bam seriously? Hahahaha. Abey Chhote, tu bhi na…!

Sanjeev Kapoor wrote: Beta, walk properly.

I wish all participants of the Cricket #WorldCup2019 good luck & thrilling matches. Especially I cross my fingers for @ imVkohli, the captain of the Indian team. He`s a fan of @DFB_Team and supported it multiple times in the past.

Thomas Mueller, German footballer #Cricket#GermanyCheersForIndia

Hometown advantage?

Looking at India, Australia and England

BY RITAM MITRA

The concept of home team advantage is perhaps more prevalent in cricket than in any other sport. With each international cricket team struggling to notch up meaningful overseas victories, mastery of home conditions is now expected, rather than revered. Traditionally, home advantage has played its largest part in Test matches, and that remains the case today. However, if the last two ICC Cricket World Cups are any guide, home teams also enjoy a significant leg-up in limited overs matches. In 2011, India prevailed over neighbouring Sri Lanka before a packed Wankhede stadium, and in 2015, co-hosts Australia and New Zealand shared the limelight in Melbourne before the home team lifted the trophy. It may be a mere coincidence that now too, as the 2019 edition gets underway in the UK, England look like the team to beat, despite an early hiccup against Pakistan. Weighing up each of the top contenders though, it’s clear that England’s advantages run even deeper than the conditions at hand.

INDIA

This much is clear: if it were not for Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, India would not be title contenders in 2019. And it is this absence of depth that sets India apart from the other contenders.

From the onset, India’s squad raised eyebrows. As a back-up keeper, India opted for the experience of Dinesh Karthik rather than the exuberance of youth in Rishabh

Pant. This is a confused selection at best: after all, Karthik is woefully out of form and, at 33, has a limited future in the team. Dynamism such as Pant’s, scattered across an entire batting order, is what makes England the team to beat this tournament.

India is also unavoidably reliant on its top 6, with a long tail that belies the all-round talent within the side. Shami, Bumrah, Kuldeep and Chahal are all proper tailenders. While Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja can certainly bat, they are, quite literally, hit-and-miss.

Kuldeep and Chahal themselves have also fallen off their twirling pedestals. For two years now, they have regularly suffocated and de-boned opposition batting line-ups with their brands of leg-spin bowling, albeit with opposite hands. Yet, each fared miserably in the IPL; in fact, Kuldeep was left in tears on the field after being taken apart for 27 runs in an over by England’s Moeen Ali in New Delhi.

With no one player in any substantial form, you suspect it will fall again on Kohli to lift at the time of calling. The ace up Kohli’s sleeve this time is pace ace Jasprit Bumrah, who has scarcely put a foot wrong since bursting onto the international scene. If these two have a good tournament, India may stand a chance.

AUSTRALIA

The defending champions and five-time World Cup winners were all but

written off even as of three months ago. Still stinging from the suspensions of Steve Smith and David Warner, Australia began the last 12 months being roundly humiliated in a 5-0 whitewash in England, followed by a T20 whitewash against Pakistan, as well as ODI series defeats against South Africa and India at home.

But what a difference three months can make! In March, Australia came back from 0-2 down to beat India in India, then followed it up with a 5-0 whitewash over Pakistan in the UAE, making up for a disappointing home summer. Now, with Smith and Warner back in the fold – each, miraculously, in scintillating form – all of a sudden, Australia have regained at least some of their formidable World Cup

While the batting order oozes talent and danger at every turn, Australia’s bowling leaves much to be desired. With the bowling stocks threadbare, Starc and Cummins cannot afford any bad days, especially in the absence of injured young quick Jhye Richardson.

ENGLAND

Under the captaincy of their most-ever capped player, Eoin Morgan, England’s mandate has been simple: to play the most exciting and attacking brand of cricket possible. For the most part, it has delivered staggering success. In the last 12 months in particular, England has set in stone perhaps the most formidable batting line-up in modern

cricketing history, regularly piling on and mowing down huge totals with relative ease. Bairstow, Buttler, Morgan and Roy are all in career-best form, or close to it. Along with Root and Stokes, any of England’s batsmen could most likely walk into any batting order in the world.

Add to that the dynamic Moeen Ali, the plucky Woakes and the capable Archer, and it’s no wonder England are the most feared team in the tournament.

Unlike Australia, England’s bowling looks mostly assured, too, although its lacklustre display in the field against a resurgent Pakistan may raise early doubts. Woakes and Wood are fast and lively, Rashid and Ali are excellent spinners in the shorter formats, and Jofra Archer, the electric Barbadian quick who made his international debut for England earlier in May, brings with him pinpoint-accurate death bowling and a critical x-factor.

England’s mastery of home conditions is another tick in the box ahead of its bestever chance to claim its maiden 50-over World Cup title. It will not have a better opportunity this generation, but with such an open World Cup field, and given the early upsets by the unfancied Bangladesh and Pakistan, it will have to work harder than it might think.

If it were not for Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, India would not be title contenders in 2019.

Eoin Morgan and Virat Kohli at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019O pening Party.

The feather in the cap

BY RITAM MITRA

There’s been a change in Virat Kohli over the last two years. For the first half of his career, his purpose was singular: to churn out mountains of runs and stake his claim as one of the finest to ever wield a willow. That purpose has been all but fulfilled; at least in limited overs cricket, Kohli is destined to be the greatest of them all. Now well into the second chapter of his journey, Kohli is searching for the most important feather in his cap, the one all great athletes covet as they begin to contemplate a future after sport: Kohli is hunting for a legacy, and it is through his captaincy that he wants it set in stone.

As he leads India into an ICC World Cup for the first time, the one question mark hanging like a spectre over Kohli today is his leadership. There have been highs, no doubt, with the team’s maiden Test series win in Australia last summer the undisputed highlight. As is well-known however, that came against a severely depleted Australian side still reeling from the suspensions of their captain and vicecaptain, who were also their two best batsmen. And amongst the peaks of Kohli’s short reign already lie significant troughs: the battering in England, the repeated IPL failures despite his intimidating Bangalore squad, and, against Australia earlier this year, becoming the first Indian team in nearly 15 years to lose an ODI series after

Will the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 be the pinnacle of Virat Kohli’s legacy?

being 2-0 up.

As the opening rounds of the World Cup commence, Kohli may well be relieved that the English and Australian teams are in such formidable form, while his own team’s form is so under whelming. The upshot is that the weight of expectation on Kohli’s side is less than it has been in the previous two editions of the tournament, in 2011 and 2015. This is a double bonus for the Indian skipper: a middling tournament is almost expected of him, and would not raise any more eyebrows than usual, but a successful tournament would be nothing short of remarkable.

In fairness to Kohli, history is littered with great players who made mediocre captains. Sachin Tendulkar’s is the most famous name on that list, but so too appear the likes of Lara and Flint off. Kohli, though, has two important strengths on his side.

First and foremost is that, across the formats, Kohli performs better as captain than any player in history, averaging 80 in ODIs and 62 in Test matches (compared with career averages of 59 and 53).

If leading from the front is key, Kohli has already picked all the locks, and his spot in the side could not be more secure. Secondly, and most importantly, Kohli sees himself as a leader, and he regards this Indian team as his team. Unlike Tendulkar, who was always a reluctant captain, Kohli has been destined to lead the Indian senior side ever since he led the Under-19 side to a World Cup win in 2008, in a tournament featuring the likes of Steve Smith, Tim Southee and Darren Bravo.

Kohli's hunger to lead is a double-edged sword, given society’s almost sadistic ambivalence towards ambition. For a player so fundamental to India’s successes over the last decade, Kohli is criticised more regularly than one might reasonably expect.

But given that his flaws as a player are so few, arrows will naturally train on other targets; for Kohli these include the murky coup of former Indian coach Anil Kumble, his on-field demean our and, above all, his captaincy credentials.

Make no mistake, Kohli has nothing to prove to the game or to his fans; his success and influence

in the sport are immutable and for now, this Indian team belongs to him. For born captains, leading an unfancied team into a World Cup is the stuff of dreams, not nightmares. But as he chases a historic but unlikely World Cup trophy, Kohli will be desperate to prove to himself that he is not just a great batsman, but a great leader. Time will tell whether his legacy will match that of his predecessor.

Now well into the second chapter of his journey, Kohli is searching for the most important feather in his cap: he’s hunting for a legacy, and it is through his captaincy that he wants it set in stone.

ICC CWC 2019: The evolution

A look back at the humble beginnings

cricket’s biggest tournament, and the dangers of its over-commercialisation

As the Cricket World Cup returns to England, the birthplace of cricket and the host nation of the first three ODI World Cups, it’s scarcely believable that the 2019 tournament marks only the 12th edition of the tournament. The game has changed so much in even just the last decade, that the earlier generations may as well have been playing a different sport altogether. As the current tournament rolls on, we look back at how and where it all first began.

The first Cricket World Cup was actually held in 1973, being the women’s tournament, which preceded the inaugural men’s tournament in 1975. These tournaments came just a few short years after the first-ever match of ODI cricket in 1971. As the only nation with the resources to pull off a tournament of this scale, England hosted each of the 1975, 1979 and 1983 tournaments, known as the Prudential Cups based on the eponymous tournament sponsor. This undeniable advantage over the course of nearly a decade makes it all the more staggering a statistic that England have never lifted the trophy.

In 1975, players wore whites, and matches were played exclusively during the day, with a red ball and 60 overs per innings. Notably, South Africa were banned from the tournament due to apartheid, so a composite ‘East Africa’ team formed by players from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia were the only African representatives. It was such a low-key tournament from a commercial perspective that the organisers merely

“hoped TV and sponsorship fees would cover all the expenses”.

The Country Cricket Board, the precursor to the ECB, was so concerned that it arranged a four-Test series against Australia later that year, specifically to mitigate its losses. The tournament nevertheless generated a £200,000 profit, thanks mainly to Prudential’s £100,000 sponsorship. Only £75,000 of this went to the ICC, with the balance split between tournament participants (7.5% each), the hosts England (10%) and the eventual champions, West Indies (£4,000).

1977 saw the advent of World Series Cricket, and with that came coloured clothing, white balls, night matches and multiple cameras. In addition to revolutionising the game itself, Kerry Packer’s innovation shook up the competitive dynamics of cricket broadcasting, which up until then had typically been monopolised by traditional broadcasters.

Although it was not until the 1992 World Cup that the ICC finally adopted many of Packer’s initiatives, including coloured clothing, night matches and fielding restrictions, the World Cup nevertheless

had finally become a major global sporting event. 1992 also saw South Africa’s first entry in the tournament following the end of apartheid.

The 1996 World Cup was held in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and was a stepchange towards England losing its vice-like grip on the cricketing world. Much is made today of the influence India has through its all-consuming dominance of the global cricket market, but power is not won only to be easily ceded – and England learned this lesson the hard way.

Ahead of the 1996 tournament, England, convinced it was all but promised hosting rights, guaranteed Associate participants £60,000. But England was out of touch with reality: India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan offered £100,000 each, and were subsequently awarded the rights. It was a nobrainer: the TV rights were sold for a then-record $14 million, and Sky Sports bought the UK rights for £7.5 million, a 650% increase from four years ago. The tournament profits for the hosts this time: £50 million.

By 2003, the World Cup had expanded to 14 teams (up from 8 in its inaugural edition) and was very much established as the trophy in the ICC’s cricketing calendar. This went up to 16 in the 2007 World Cup, but, in a cause

for concern, has since been whittled back to the current format of 10 teams.

It is cruelly ironic that even though the game is richer than it has ever been, this year’s World Cup field is the smallest since 1992. Despite electric moments for Associate nations such as Ireland and the Netherlands over major countries in the last decade of international competition, the World Cup of today features no Associates.

Yet, when the likes of Sachin Tendulkar go unheard – with the Indian legend having repeatedly called for more teams to be included in the ICC’s flagship event – cricket’s smaller nations are on a hiding to nothing.

Ritam Mitra

of one-day

In this June 25, 1983 file photo, Indian supporters run onto the field at Lord's Cricket Ground, London after India's captain Kapil Dev had caught West Indian batsman Viv Richards, during the Prudential World Cup Cricket Final. India defeated West Indies by 43 runs. India caused a major upset in world cricket by lifting the trophy at Lord's against a West Indies side that had won the two previous editions and featured Viv Richards, Clive Lloyd and Desmond Haynes.

Photo: AP

In 1975, the tournament generated a £200,000 profit.

By the 1996 Cricket World Cup, the tournament profits for the hosts had reached £50 million.

Highly Koalafied

How land clearance is stressing out koalas

BY NEHA MALUDE

Senior Lecturer

For Dr Edward Narayan,

of Animal Science at Western Sydney University,the seed of interest had been sowed when he was young. But not even the 35-year-old could have predicted the trajectory his passion for animals would take him on.

Edward, who leads the Stress Lab at the uni’s Hawkesbury Campus, has been in the news recently for his ground-breaking study on physiological stress in wild rescued koalas. Simply put, Edward and his team proved that the psychological state of wild koalas and the location they are rescued from, can have significant impacts on their chances of recovery and rehabilitation.

This study, the first of its kind in the world, assessed stress levels from faeces samples rather than blood samples, and paved the way for a non-invasive technique of analysing hormones.

But the journey to making this notable discovery was a long and challenging one.

“As a student in Fiji, I got a scholarship for aPhD in Biology at the University of South Pacific: I studied a rare, highly endangered frog species,” Edward tells Indian Link . “I used to travel to the Pacific Islands once a month on a boat and spend a night studying the frogs, their eggs and their physiology. My mother used to pack a tiffin for the islanders, the indigenous people there.”

The existing methodology to assess hormone levels involved drawing blood samples. This was cumbersome as well as stressful for the animal.

“When you hold down animals to draw blood, it can be very traumatic for them,” Edward describes. “As a result, it’s impossible to get a clean blood sample. That’s where my research first came in handy: I found a way to use urine samples.”

Word spread about his non-invasive method of analysing hormones in animals and Edward was asked to speak at events and conferences. At one such conference in Perth in 2009, he was invited by the director of Griffith University, Queensland to apply for Vice-Chancellor's postdoctoral fellowship. He followed it up with extensive postdoctoral research fellowship training in institutions in four countries - New Zealand Australia India and Canada.

A chance meeting with Al Mucci, director of Dreamworld Wildlife Foundation, led to the current koala study, explains Edward. “It’s easy to get faeces samples in koalas. You process the samples in the lab and note down the readings. Our group was the first in the

world do this.From there on, I went on to study the bilby, tree kangaroos.”

On why he started with koalas, he says, “I have always loved koalas. Koalas are to Australia what Opera House is to Sydney. How would it feel not to have either?”

Edward’s study is the first in the world to conclusively prove that land clearance is directly related to stress in koalas.

“We hardly find animals in the city, but they’ve been adjusting to humans since the beginning of time. Wild animals are aware of humans, and by living around humans they’re learning to coexist with us. It’s important to provide them with green landscapes that can allow this coexistence to flourish. The study is an

indicator that animals are showing signs of resilience to change, but we need to help them adapt.”

He adds, “There are corridors through which these animals have started entering the city limits. Human-induced environmental changes in rural areas are also causing this shift – you’ve got mining, deforestation, industrialisation, agriculture. Koalas are one of the most resilient animals in this country with physiological adaptations that are astounding.”

As for the effect it has had, Edward says, “I can’t believe how much this research study has added to the debate. People came up to me, called and emailed me to ask, ‘You can really measure hormones through koala’s faeces?’”

And what about action from the decision makers, the policy enforcers?

“Good urban planning is the answer. We’ve touched the nerve of the problem.

The science has provided the first evidence and has kickstarted positive dialogue. Policy change won’t happen overnight.”

With his work currently supported by one of the world’s leading conservation organisations, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Edward has been talking about this issue on bigger platforms.

Next on his agenda is increased engagement in India, the land from where his grandparents migrated to Fiji. “I’ve applied for a research grant in partnership with Cochin Institute of Technology in Kerala. We’re trying to gain a deeper understanding of the effect of marine pollution on stress in marine life in the coastal areas of NSW and India. Western Sydney University has signed an MoU with Kerala Agricultural Uni. It’s exciting because I’m playing a part in increasing the collaboration between Australia and India.”

This study, the first of its kind in the world, assessed stress levels from faeces samples rather than blood samples, and paved the way for a non-invasive technique of analysing hormones.

Edward Narayan

Saving souls for six decades

The

stands, was given to Sue and Leonard by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

BY NANDITHA SURESH

Two World War II veterans, one foundation with the sole aim of providing relief to those suffering, 60 years and counting.

Nestled in the cosy outskirts of Dehradun in India, is a safe haven for those in need to live with dignity. Raphael Ryder Cheshire International Centre, also known as Raphael, is an inclusive facility for those dealing with leprosy and its after effects; the centre also extends its care for the family of those suffering or cured from the disease to live together. In addition, Raphael provides special education services to people with intellectual and associative disabilities; they offer free tuberculosis treatment and are equipped with a 26-bed facility; and organise rehabilitative workshops, which engage the more able residents in production activities such as weaving and other crafts.

Sydney couple Christine and Graeme Hannan recently visited the centre to mark the Founders Day where they celebrated 60 years of Raphael since its foundation in 1959. Brimming with history, the centre’s origins are remarkable. The couple are also the President and Secretary respectively of The Ryder Cheshire Foundation in NSW whose parent body is Ryder Cheshire Australia (RCA).

“Raphael was founded by a beautiful couple, WWII veterans and humanitarians, Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC, OM, DSO, DFC, and his wife Baroness Sue Ryder,” Christine shares about the history of the centre’s beginnings. According to her, both of them were deeply affected by the impact of war: Leonard had been a British observer at the atomic bomb raid on Nagasaki.

When the war ended, the duo founded separate charities to provide relief and support to the disabled and those in need. “The couple met in the ‘50s and married in 1959 in India. In the same year, the 23-acre land on which Raphael currently

“It was given knowing their laudable commitment to charitable work under the condition that the funding came from outside India,” adds Graeme.

With humble beginnings, Raphael merely had tents providing shelter to those affected by leprosy and its debilitating after effects. “The couple were deeply affected by the lepers who were ostracised by the society, trying to get by along the Ripasana riverbanks,” Christine recounts. “It motivated them to provide them and their families with a place of relief and care, and to live with dignity.”

Through his contacts from the Air Force, Leonard approached people in Australia, New Zealand and the UK to contribute to improve the lives of the residents. Funding came through in the form of scholarships, fundraisers and individual and contributions.

“Raphael started developing over the years and began to spread its wings to offer more support and relief to others in need. A stigma-free space, the facility is what over 200 children and adults call home, the youngest resident being 9 and the oldest, Kisni, an 86-year-old woman, who came to live in the centre in 1959.”

Sue and Leonard visited Australia to obtain support for the new home in India soon after it was founded, and the Ryder-Cheshire Foundation was launched in Australia. Ryder-Cheshire Australia supports homes in India (including Raphael), Australia and Timor-Leste. Operated autonomously, RCA is separately incorporated Foundations in NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

The RCA has since raised funds and created sponsorships for the clients of Raphael.

As a teacher, Christine heard about RCA and Raphael when her school sponsored a little boy called Patrus. “The boy was living in the facility with his family. He is the son of one of the many there affected by leprosy. The kids in my school played a vital role in raising funds towards this sponsorship,” recalls Christine. It wasn’t until the late ‘90s when Christine had lunch with the then President of RCA that

Ryder Cheshire Foundation in NSW, which has been supporting Raphael, a home for the needy in Dehradun, reaches out to Australia’s Indian community

Approximately 38% of the annual operating costs for Raphael come from Australia.

she was convinced she needed to play a bigger part in the foundation’s work.

Another aha moment for Christine was when she heard about Patrus - who left Raphael to complete his secondary schooling and undertook vocational training - returning to Raphael to extend his services to where he grew up.

“He came back to Raphael, married one of the girls Kanti, also a resident like him at the centre, and dedicated their lives to giving back to the place that opened a world of possibilities to them,” she shares.

Now a 60-year-old man, Patrus and Kanti are grandparents, working in Raphael. He is the superintendent of all the residential centres (male and female), and the two assisted independent living programmes; Kanti is the warden for the male hostel.

“Patrus’ story reinforces my belief in how a simple act of kindness comes back, and the cycle never ends,” Christine muses.

The Hannans have since taken on the roles of President and Secretary of Ryder Cheshire Foundation, NSW. They were part of Raphael’s Golden Jubilee celebrations a decade ago and now recently went back to India for its diamond jubilee, which was filled with cultural events and laying of the foundation stone for another building.

Just as in any not-for-profit organisation, funds and commitment sustain Raphael and RCA. “RCA has been contributing to Raphael and other homes in Australia and Timor-Leste since its establishment,” informs Christine. “Our members are aging and funds too are limited as we are a small organisation unlike big foundations backed by corporates and large marketing budgets.”

According to Christine, approximately 38% of the annual operating costs for Raphael come from Australia. She is appealing to the Indian diaspora to come forward and help those in need in their homeland.

“We are seeking support from the Indian expats here in Australia to help us continue supporting a cause that has stood the test of time,” says Christine.

This pre-monsoon season second driest in 65 years

The pre-monsoon season this year is the second driest in 65 years, with gross rainfall deficiency recorded at 25 per cent, said private forecaster Skymet.

The country witnessed 99 mm of rainfall in the three-month pre-monsoon season that ended on May 31, against the average of 131.5 mm, it said.

All the four regions of the countryNorthwest India, Central India, East and Northeast India as well as South Peninsula -- have recorded deficit rains of 30 per cent, 18 per cent, 14 per cent and 47 per cent respectively.

"This has been the second driest premonsoon season in the last 65 years, with the lowest being recorded in 2012 when countrywide cumulative rainfall deficiency had mounted to 31 per cent," Skymet said.

"In fact, pre-monsoon rains in 2019 have exactly performed the same as in 2009. That year too saw similar rainfall, resulting in 25 per cent lag in rains."

It also said there was similarity between 2009 and 2019 as "they have been El Niño years. Thus, rains have been reacting in a somewhat identical pattern".

Skymet has expressed concerns over the performance of monsoon this year, saying the "mere presence" of El Niño could affect it.

"We had seen mild El Niño in 2009, with Niño 3.4 indices juggling between 0.5 degree Celsius and 0.7 degree Celsius. However, it resulted in a severe drought to the tune of 22 per cent," it said.

"Coming to 2019, there has been excessive warming in the Pacific Ocean and Nino 3.4 indices have been settling in the range of 0.7 degree Celsius to 0.9 degree Celsius so far. It is already affecting monsoon season as we expect below normal rains during the onset month of June by at least 23 per cent."

Skymet has predicted "below normal" monsoon this year to the tune of 93 per cent of the long period average (LPA) of 887 mm.

The average or normal rainfall in the country is defined between 96 per cent and 104 per cent of the 50-year average for the entire four-month monsoon season.

It also said that this year the country's southern and central states might witness

late and weak monsoon and advised farmers to postpone the sowing of kharif crops to at least the second week of June.

ITBP joining operations to retrieve climbers' bodies

Well-versed and equipped to carry out highaltitude rescue operations, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) will join the efforts to retrieve the bodies of eight national and foreign climbers who went missing while on an expedition to Nanda Devi.

The operation will be launched by the district administration of Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh in a day or two, depending on the weather conditions.

ITBP's PRO Vivek Pandey told IANS that the district administration had sent a request for the ITBP to join the effort.

"We have high-altitude mountaineers who are well-equipped and trained to carry out such operations.

"The district administration has held several meetings with the Indian Air Force and the ITBP. The operation to retrieve the bodies will be through a helicopter-borne sling," he said.

Five bodies were spotted during aerial reconnaissance. But when the rescue team will descend in the area, then hopefully, more bodies could be found, he said.

The eight mountaineers were from Britain, the US, Australia, as well as India, and were reported to be heading towards Nanda Devi East at around 20,000 feet.

Rescue pilots also spotted equipment, backpacks and bodies - open and partially buried in snow - near the unclimbed peak.

Sahara to roll out electric vehicles this year

Sahara India Pariwar has announced its foray into the automobile sector under the brand name, 'Sahara Evols'. It will launch the largest range of electric vehicles (EVs) in India, along with advanced allied services.

The product portfolio of 'Sahara Evols' comprises variants of electric scooters, motorcycles, three-wheelers and cargo vehicles.

The company will also launch a network of battery charging-cum-swapping stations. Starting from Lucknow, 'Sahara Evols' will establish its ecosystem in tier II and tier III cities in a phased manner by the end of this financial year.

Subsequently, in the next financial year, it will roll out products and services across India.

The company said the cost of driving Sahara Evols EVs would be as low as 20 paise per km against Rs 2 per km in petrol vehicles, entailing direct and substantial economic benefits to the users.

"For the first time, we are introducing a complete EVs ecosystem in India. Sustainable and environment-friendly modes of transportation are the need of the hour to cut the country's burden of crude oil imports and also benefit our future generations," said Subrata Roy, Sahara Pariwar chairman.

According to the company, 'Sahara Evols' will bring a complete 360-degree ecosystem for EVs, which will have higher torque for better performance and network of fast charging systems with docking facility.

'Sahara Evols' vehicles would be equipped with smart tech features, like GPS tracking, which would allow users to trace their location with the help of the free 'Sahara Evols Mobile App', as well as ask for 24X7 on-road and off-road assistance. The mobile app would also allow the users to lock the vehicle, it said.

The vehicles would also have distress alarm buttons for women's safety and an anti-theft alarm to prevent break-ins, the company said.

Jiggs Kalra was way ahead of his time: Obituary

Back in the early 1970s, when J. Inder Singh Kalra began writing "Platter Chatter" on food for a leading daily, there were many who sniggered. But Jiggs Kalra was way ahead of his time and doggedly pushed his way through to earn monikers aplenty and show the path ahead to more than a generation of food writers - and, indeed, raise the art of gastronomy to new heights.

Along the way, in a career spanning five decades, he strove to revive lost cuisines as well as cooking styles and re-introduced age old delicacies such as the galouti and other kebabs served in India's royal kitchens; and established some of the country's most highly-acclaimed and best performing restaurants - one of the most notable being Masala Library that is run by his son Zorawar Singh, apart from Punjab Grill and Made in Punjab.

Ever one to be modest, he said of his

culinary journey in a magazine interview some years ago: "I come from a typical Punjabi family; my father was from the Indian armed forces and a stickler for discipline. He expected me to follow in his footsteps but I had other plans. Reading and writing were a passion from a very young age. My exposure to the kitchen happened, thanks to my grandmother. Her mutton beliram still remains my favourite. My mother is one of the finest cooks I've ever known. I consider them my mentors."

And some mentors they proved to be - along with Khushwant Singh, the then editor of the Times of India in Bombay who was quite taken in by Kalra's constant griping: who's going to tell me about the best places to eat in this city?

The answers came with a vengeance and stretched way beyond Bombay to span the entire country as Kalra honed his skills on the job, as it were, his meticulous research translating into 11 books on Indian cuisine, including Prashad that many a chef till today consider his bible.

"Parshad has now gone into its 44th reprint. It's the one book a mother-in-law gives to her daughter-in-law and to her daughter. My younger son Ajeet's wife cooks everything out of that book," Kalra had been quoted as saying.

Then came Daawat - India's first television reality show - and that too in the Doordarshan era.

Pushpesh Pant, no mean foodie himself who was associated with the show and later penned a coffee table book on it, said: "The proof of the pudding, they say, is in the eating, and another adage cautions that too many cooks spoil the broth. Accepting the challenge meant defying conventional wisdom. We, in turn, began by inviting dozens of chefs - young and oldaccomplished masters and promising talent, men and women from the four corners of our vast and varied land - to showcase the fabulous culinary heritage of India."

Jiggs, "never the one to be happy unless the labour undertaken is prodigious, suggested - and his suggestions have the tendency to end up as dictates - we give the viewers something new in addition to what was expected. Why not research the ayurvedic basis of Indian cuisine and incorporate interesting useful information about the ingredien ts being used? What

Turmeric Festival in Jejuri near Pune, India, 3 June 2019.

Photo: AP

Motocross riders take part in the annual Mogrip National SuperCross Championship in Bangalore, India, 2 June 2019. Over 200 participants across India took part in Novice Class, Private Expert Class1- SX1 Foreign Open Class Group A (250CC to 500CC) and SX2 Group Class (upto 250CC).

started as a lark has now become an obsessive quest for both of us but that is a different story," Pant added.

This, more than anything else, explains the mark of a man who, along the way, suffered a heart attack but bounced back after a bypass surgery in the US.

Recalls senior Mumbai journalist Mark Manuel of Kalra's post-operative days: "I told Jiggs that the only other person I knew about who popped over 60 pills a day was Sylvester Stallone. 'I should open a company with him, maybe a chemist shop, naam se chalega, he joked."

Since the time he had returned from the hospital after recovering from his stroke, he had done two books, helped to open three restaurants, held nine food festivals from Delhi to Calcutta, become the brand ambassador for Basmati rice, travelled overseas with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Malaysia and organised his meals, planned the banquet at Agra's Jaypee Palace Hotel for President Pervez Musharraf, and was back on Jet Airways as the food caterer.

"All this for a man who is only half a man," Jiggs chortled. "People tell me I have achieved more from the bed than if I had been walking around. I don't agree."

This also explains Kalra's major role in the culinary success of major chains like the Oberoi Group, ITC Hotels and the Park Group as also some international properties. Honours came his way aplenty, including induction into the International Food & Beverage Gourmet Hall of Fame (the first Asian to be so elevated), besides numerous awards and accolades, both national and international.

Vishnu Makhijani

Sikh man dons rainbow turban for Pride in California

Jiwandeep Kohli, a San Diego-based neuroscientist who is bisexual and a Sikh, is ringing in this year’s Pride Month with a rainbow turban that has gone viral on social media.

Sharing an image of the elaborate creation on Twitter that has received nearly 30,000 likes, Kohli, who was also a former contestant on The Great American Baking Show, celebrated what makes him unique.

"I'm proud to be a bisexual bearded baking brain scientist," he captioned the

image. "I feel fortunate to be able to express all these aspects of my identity and will continue to work towards ensuring the same freedom for others."

Pride Month kicked off on 1 June and honours the LGBTQ community while commemorating New York's Stonewall riots in June 1969 that signalled a turning point in the movement for equal rights.

In an interview to Buzzfeed News, Kohli said: "A few years ago I saw a photo of another Sikh man at a pride parade who had a few colours in his turban. I was looking at that and I realized the way I tie mine, it had the exact right number of layers to make a rainbow."

He wore his rainbow turban to the San Diego Pride last year, but re-shared it on Twitter for this year's Pride Month.

There were a few people asking where they can get their own rainbow turban. Kohli in response, said he wanted them to know that turbans were a responsibility for Sikhs and it's not the same as throwing on a rainbow hat.

"I wouldn't want people to have the impression that I'm just wearing it as an accessory," he said. "A turban is a sign to the world that you're a person the world can turn to for help."

Kohli also runs a website called "Bearded Baker Co", where he showcases his culinary prowess along with recipes for those who want to give his food a try.

Jaipur milkman's daughter tops Rajasthan Year 10 board exams

Milkman's daughter Sheela Jat has topped the Rajasthan Board's Class 10 exams by securing 595 marks out of 600 or 99.17 per cent, as per the results declared this month.

Sheela, of Jaipur, secured 100 each in Maths and Science, 99 each in English, Hindi and Social Science and 98 in Sanskrit.

She hails from a poor background and her parents are illiterate. While her father Mohanlal Jat, who owns four buffaloes, sells milk, her mother is a housewife.

Sheela says she wants to study medicine.

"I want to become a neurosurgeon so that I can treat patients suffering from brain cancer," she says.

She also has a message for her fellow students. "One should never get disappointed with low marks. I have scored

low in my earlier exams in school. I learnt from my failure to attain this score," she added. "My father could not study in his life, however, he motivated me to study. He taught me that life can be difficult if one is not literate.”

7 Indian-American kids win 2019 Spelling Bee

Seven Indian-American children were among the eight winners of this year's edition of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, that saw more than one champion for the first time in its 92-year history.

The winners were Erin Howard, Rishik Gandhasri, Saketh Sundar, Navneeth Murali, Shruthika Padhy, Sohum Sukhatankar, Abhijay Kodali, Christopher Serrao and Rohan Raja.

The finals went on more than an hour and half past the scheduled time with words like omphalopsychite, Geeldikkop and auftaktigkeit.

Five rounds and 47 words in a row were spelled perfectly. Each of the eight champions will receive a $50,000 prize.

This year's competition started with 562 spellers - all of whom are 15 or younger but have not passed eighth grade - who made it to the national stage.

Contestants came from all 50 US states, as well as several territories and other countries including the Bahamas, Canada, Germany, Ghana, Jamaica, Japan and South Korea.

Last year, Karthik Nemmani, a 14-yearold eighth-grader from Texas, was named the winner.

In 1985, Balu Natarajan became the first Indian-origin child to win the Spelling Bee.

The Spelling Bee is not merely a memory test of exotic words as it also requires learning about the origins of words and the languages they are derived from.

Two-thirds of AIDS treatment drugs supplied globally by India

Taking a lead in the global fight against AIDS, India is supplying the world with twothirds of the drugs to treat those infected with HIV, according to Indian diplomat Paulomi Tripathi.

"These affordable generic medicines have helped scale up access to treatment across developing countries," Tripathi, a First Secretary in India's UN mission, told the

General Assembly this month.

"India is contributing in the international fight against AIDS: almost two-thirds of the antiretroviral drugs used globally are supplied by the Indian pharmaceutical industry," she said during a discussion on the Implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the political declarations on HIV/AIDS adopted by the General Assembly in 2001.

Tripathi emphasised the importance of continued political commitment to ensure that competing financing demands and changing priorities did not affect efforts to provide adequate resources to fighting HIV/ AIDS.

Domestically, "the focus is on reduction in new infection, elimination of mother to child transmission and elimination of stigma and discrimination by 2020," she added.

New infections have declined in India by more than 80 per cent from peak of epidemic in 1995 and deaths from the disease have come down by 71 per cent since its peak in 2005, she said.

Tripathi ascribed the progress to the involvement of communities, civil society and people living with HIV in policy and delivery of services and through intensified information, education and communication drives.

India, which is described as the pharmacy to the world has a special licence the UN-backed Medicines Patent Pool to manufacture anti-AIDS medicine Tenofovir Alafenamide (TAF) for 112 developing countries.

According to a 2017 study by Harvard Business School, low-cost generic antiretroviral drugs from India "have been integral to the rapid scale-up of HIV treatment in Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing countries".

"A common first-line regimen of treatment decreased from $414 per person per year to $74 per person per year for Indian generics," it said.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his report that when the General Assembly held its first session on the AIDS epidemic in 2001 a "world without AIDS was almost unimaginable".

However, "the global determination to defeat one of history's greatest health crises has produced remarkable progress", he said. IANS

Photo: AP

Pillars of the community

Four Indian-origin artists commissioned by Dandenong Council transform utility poles into bright creative artworks

Peace and Love

by Sohail Yamin

The brightly coloured motifs, symbols and slogans are inspired by popular truck art in India.

Natasha acknowledges that the pole was once a tree and wishes to reactivate latent energies within it. Her design is linked to the heritage of the Bengali Kantha, and her concept is of a tree in a garden filled with sunshine, care and flowers.

Kantha Totem by Natasha Narain

Prakriti (Nature)

by Rashmi Gore

Inspired by indigenous Warli art from Western India which dates back to Neolithic times, the intricate geometric patterns show the relationship of humans with nature, particularly respectful exchange and cultural economic sustainability.

Thoonu (Pillar)

by Yoge Biju

Pillars are a key architectural element and design aesthetic of Indian monuments and structures.

All of the artworks play an important role in the continuation of the City of Greater Dandenong’s ongoing street art program in the Indian Cultural Precinct. The art project was initiated in 2015 with four large scale murals on Mason St, followed by shop front improvements and veranda decorations. Melbourne’s south-east region is home to more than 52,000 people of Indian origin. Approximately 12,400 first generation Indian residents currently call the City of Greater Dandenong home.

WHAT’S ON

FILM

5 -16 June Sydney Film Festival. Visit www.sff.org.au for Indian films.

EXHIBITION

Archibald Prize 2019

Parramatta, NSW2150.

Details 0432 832 311

WORKSHOPS

Linguistically Diverse (CALD)

Communities

Upto 8 Sep

Check out Australia’s most extraordinary art event that awards the best portrait artists for their paintings. South Asian artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran and Young Archie finalists Lakshman Nitish Ramesh and Anupama Pangeni are hung in this year’s event. Also hung is a lovely portrait of iconic restaurateur Anant Singh who opened the famous Jasmin restaurant in Adelaide in 1980. Venue: Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW 2000. Details 1800 679 278.

STAGE

Sydney Music Festival

8, 9, 10 June Swara-Laya Fine Arts Society presents its annual Carnatic arts festival at Riverside Parramatta. Featuring this year are Sanjay Subrahmanyan, Ranjani-Gayatri, M Balamuralikrishna and others in a star-cast line-up. Details www.swara-laya.com

Gujarati stand-up

Sat 8 June (7.00pm onwards)

The Comedy Rajas (Chirayu Mistry, Manan Desai, Deep Vaidya and Aariz Saiyed) perform at Pioneer Theatre, Castle Hill. Details Chirag Parikh 0417 244 724

Ankit Tiwari Live In Concert

30 June (7.00pm) The Bollywood playback singer, whose songs include hits like Galliyan and Sunn Raha Hain, is touring Australia. His Sydney concert is at Whitlam Leisure Centre, 90A Memorial Avenue Liverpool, NSW 2170. Details 0452 337 387.

CONFERENCE

Inspiring Change - Women’s Conference 2019

Thurs 13 June 9.30am - 5pm (Registration at 8.30am)

The Community Migrant Resource Centre is presenting a day-long conference on women without borders. A select group of migrant women will share their success stories and help others bring about social change. Venue: Parkroyal Paramatta, 30 Phillip St Parramatta. Details email cmrc_admin@cmrc.com.au

How South-Asian Media is Serving the Desi Community

Sat 15 June (4.30pm - 6.00pm)

Nautanki Theatre Company brings together editors, producers and founders of some of the top SouthAsian media groups in Australia to discuss media and the desi CaLD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) community. Panel discussion moderated by Sukhmani Khorana, PhD Media, Communication & Law at the University of Wollongong. Venue: Information & Cultural Exchange, 8 Victoria Road, opp Prince Alfred Park,

Bolly fusion Grooves + Bindi Bosses Moves: Dance Workshop with FREE Henna Art

Sun 16 June (3.00pm – 5.00pm)

Join Bindi Bosses Shyamla Dance and Jes Subba (2019 Australian Dancehall Queen second place winner) to learn how to adapt funk, samba and dancehall to a Bollywood context, while also focusing on technique, expression, groove and movement. Venue: Electric DNA (Dance N' Arts), 394 Marrickville Road (Upstairs), Marrickville, NSW 2204, Australia.

Details 0415 633 531.

Tasting India with Christine Manfield Thurs 27 June (6:00pm - 8:00pm)

Acclaimed chef, writer, traveler, author, mentor, food manufacturer, presenter, philanthropist and promoter Christine Manfield will take you on a journey through modern India, with a menu inspired by her travels and recently re-released book, Tasting India. Location: Simon Johnson Alexandria, 24A Ralph St, Alexandria, NSW.

Details 02 8244 8288

Garden to Table: Indian Cuisine by Macarthur Centre for Sustainable Living Sat 29 June (12.00 noon - 3.00pm)

In this sustainable workshop funded by Campbelltown City Council, chef Gerry will prepare some classic Indian recipes including tandoori and korma dishes as well as coconut based curries and seafood, all with the idea to reduce and avoid food waste and packaging. Venue: Macarthur Centre for Sustainable Living, 1 Mount Annan Drive, Mount Annan, NSW 2567.

Details 02 4647 9828.

MISC

World Bicycle Day

Sat 8 June (9.00am - 11.30am) The Consulate General of India (Sydney) presents a global cycling event in memory of Mahatma Gandhi at Parramatta. Meet at parking space of Western Sydney Stadium (Parramatta Stadium).

Details 02 9223 2702

Indian Curries and Craft Beer (6:00 pm – 9:00 pm)

Sun 13 June The Cooking School at the Essential Ingredient Surry Hills (146 Foveaux St, Surry Hills, NSW) presents chef Wanitha Tanasingam teaching you to mix your own spices to create a delicious menu of curries and accompaniments. You will then sit down and enjoy this feast with cold craft beer.

Details 02 9555 8300.

Cervical Screening Awareness Project for Culturally and

Wed 19 June (10.00am – 12.00 noon) “Let’s Talk” is a localised campaign designed to raise knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer and its prevention through screening among CALD communities. Funded by the Cancer Institute NSW, the campaign recognises the need to engage women of diverse backgrounds through a range of mediums and especially through direct community engagement. Details Moushumi Martin 02 9789 3744 or email moushumi.martin@metroassist.org.au

FUNDRAISER

Womanity: A Fundraising Initiative by Bollywood Empire Sun 9 June (7.00pm - 11.30pm)

Womanity is a fundraising fashion show with live music, dance and other performances aimed towards raising funds for the McGrath Foundation (an Australian breast cancer support charity) and the Indian Support Centre (an organisation that supports people impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence and abuse). There will be an Indian buffet, Bollywood and Bhangra music, dhol players etc. Venue: Parra Villa Function Lounge, 37 Campbell Street, Parramatta, NSW 2150. Details www.bollywoodempire.com.au

SENIORS

Tech savvy seniors

Tech Savvy Seniors program aims to help seniors with little or no digital experience develop skills and confidence in using technology for socialising, accessing services or conducting personal business. Training is fun and hands-on, and includes basic introductory courses on using computers, tablets, smart phones, the internet, email and social media.

Mon 17 June Introduction to Email Part 1

Mon 24 June Introduction to Social Media

At Guildford Library, Railway Terrace, Guildford. Details 02 87579063. Wed 12 June Introduction to Internet Part 1

Wed 19 June Introduction to Internet Part 2

Wed 26 June Introduction to Email Part 1

At Glenquarie Library, 12 Brooks St, Macquiarie Fields. Details 02 46454055.

AASHA

Hornsby Every second and fourth Friday of the month, 11.00am - 2.00pm.

Programs feature yoga, music, dance, games, health and tech presentations, health checks and light lunch. Venue: Hornsby Youth and Community Centre, corner of Muriel and Burdett Sts, Hornsby, close to Hornsby Station. Details 0412 786 569. Crows Nest, every third

Wednesday of the month, 10.00am -11.30am. Venue: 2 Ernest Place, Crows Nest. Social event with free tea. Details 02 9439 5122.

YOGA AND MEDITATION

Lunch-time yoga and meditation

Mondays Art of Living Sydney presents free lunch-time Yoga sessions from 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm at Level 2, 265 Castlereagh Street, Sydney.

Thursdays The Brahma Kumaris Australia present meditation sessions from 12.15pm - 1.00pm at the Indian Cultural Centre, Level 2, 265 Castlereagh Street, Sydney. Details 02 9223 2702. Register at icc2.sydney@mea.gov.in

Yoga at Spirit of India

Saturdays and Sundays, 15-week Yoga course. Also check out special yoga classes for children (5-12 years), adults and senior citizens (55 plus). Venues at Wentworthville, Quakers Hill, Pennant Hills, Auburn, Epping, Homebush, Ryde.

Free Yoga class every Wednesday (5.30pm - 7.00pm) at Indian Consulate Cultural Centre, Level 2, 265 Castlereagh St, Sydney. Free meditation every Saturday (8.30am - 9.15am) at Wentworthville. Details www.spiritofindia.org or call Suresh 0412 202 182 or Raja 0402 789 109.

Sahaja Yoga: Music and Meditation

Free sessions at multiple venues across Sydney. Details www.sahajayoga.com.au

SPIRITUAL

Gayatri Jayanti

Sun 16 June (10.00am - 12.30pm)

The All World Gayatri Parivar Australia marks Gayatri Jayanti with a 9-kund yagya at Australian Hindu Multicultural Association, 1050 Richmond Rd, Marsden Park. Details Parag Wani 0421 403 852

Chinmaya Mission School

Holiday Program 17 - 18 July (8.00am - 5.00pm daily) Swami Shrikarananda presents the program "Be fearless".

Details Chinmaya Mission 0416 482 149

Sant Nirankari Mission Sydney weekly congregations

Sundays (5:30pm - 7:30pm) followed by community meals. Venue: Sant Nirankari Bhawan, 166 Glendenning Road, Glendenning. Details Devinder 0403 216 084.

Chinmaya Mission Australia

Saturdays Family programs (Balvihar classes) at Eastwood (3.00pm - 4.15pm) and at Strathfield (4.45pm - 6.00pm).

Details Chinmaya Sannidhi 02 8850 7400, 0416 482 149.

Women in surgery

A reflection on the sexism in the surgical community Women in surgery

If we were to look back over the last decade, we would agree that globally, a collective awakening took place. This awakening prompted introspection, a revisiting of the status quo and most crucially, the emergence of voices that said – it was not right then, and it is still wrong now. This spotlight – including the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements –shone a light into the darkest recesses of the behaviours of men towards women, on an institutional and individual level, from Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein in the entertainment industry, to Gamergate and the tech industry, to name a few.

Strong voices, growing stronger –previously unheard or silenced – sounded the clarion call for bad behaviour. In our own part of the world, we hear the voice of Dr Joan Arakkal, an Indian-born surgeon specialising in orthopaedics. In her book Slice Girls, Dr Arakkal outlines her love for medicine – from her training in India to her hope filled journey to Australia.

Dr Arakkal provides a compelling account of her experience within the hyper-masculine world of Australian orthopaedics where a boys’ club keeps outsiders out in the cruellest ways possible – by denying them the opportunity to fulfil their medical aspirations and civic minded goals of helping patients.

Slice Girls casts light on the obstacles and prejudices faced by Dr Arakkal at the hands of a select few – mostly privileged white males. This work recounts the story of a talented doctor who faced discrimination and sexism – and at first read provides a perspective of a hopeless

1983, 2011 and more

Celebrated cricket broadcaster Ashis Ray has come out with a new book titled Cricket World Cup: The Indian Challenge, where he has penned down the journey of Indian cricket at the World Cups since the inaugural edition in 1975.

The book traces India’s World Cup journey ever since West Indies won the 60-over World Cup held in England in 1975. It reviews all tournaments from 1975 to 2015 and also previews the ongoing 2019

situation where one person’s ambitions were quashed, resulting in a life of unfulfilled ambitions.

However, when this mirror is held up to the zeitgeist, the narrative of today presents a compelling picture of contrasting optimism. We know that unprofessional conduct and counter productive workplace behaviours that are not inclusive and collaborative are being scrutinised in great detail. None of these practices will remain in the dark for long, nor will they last. We don’t need to wait for the next generation to bring in change: it is happening now, as we speak.

That we had to wait a while for this to happen was necessary – the world had to be ready for this awakening. And today, we know that with the examination of workplaces and a desire to make things better, it is only a matter of time before perspectives experienced by Dr Arakkal will be an ugly vestige of a bigoted past.

Slice Girls is a thought-provoking account of a different world, a dark world of shadows where selfish, greedy and ignorant behaviours were the norm. The voices speaking out against this world –like Dr Arakkal – are like the sun shedding light on unacceptable behaviours and mindsets, and then using the intensity of heat to burn the old, for the new to emerge.

Salma Shah

World Cup in England and Wales. All matches of India, since the inaugural World Cup 44 years ago, are recorded as well as every semi-final and final regardless of whether India featured in them or not.

It also details the story of India's turning point in ODI cricket in Guyana when Kapil Dev's team defeated the previously unassailable West Indies in their own backyard in March 1983. Particularly readable is the story of how MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh planned India's

road to ultimate glory in the 2011 World Cup at home. It was after all the best gift Tendulkar could have asked for as he played in the showpiece event one last time. Also featured are some of India’s cricket controversies including Greg Chappell's controversial tenure as Indian coach and the corruption scandal which shook the Indian Premier League (IPL). The book ends with an analysis of India's chances at the 2019 edition of the showpiece event. Arguably the world's senior-most active cricket broadcaster, Ray made his debut as a Test match commentator on All India Radio in 1975 at the age of 24. He holds the distinction of being the world's youngest Test match commentator. He was the only Asian ballby-ball commentator on BBC's coverage of the 1983 edition of the World Cup which India won by defeating then cricket giants West Indies at Lords.

Aakash Kumar

Elite Bhangra

Sydney boy band wins top gong at international bhangra contest

Punjabi folk dance troupe Bhangra

All Stars Sydney (BASS) brought home the trophy from the World Championship of Bhangra competition held in North Carolina USA earlier this year.

Their high octane eight-minute routine was performed in perfect unison. It cleverly incorporated the folk elements of traditional Bhangra with the use of props such as khundey, shikke and joyous sounding ghungroos. Adapting to the taste of western-raised audiences, modern elements such as a hip-hop fusion soundtrack and colourful stage lights were integrated throughout the routine.

BASS captain Amitoj Thind said, “It was amazing to have an international audience appreciate a routine we had spent many months creating, practicing and perfecting.”

He described his team as “friends who have been learning Bhangra together since childhood.”

Formed in 2011, BASS has been determined to take their flavour of Bhangra to an international level. At the World Championship competition, teams from across the world have been competing since the early 2000s, and for many years Punjabi youth from Australia have been following through videos online.

When asked about the preparation process, Amitoj said “The process was quite long and tough. We had long and

exhausting practices five nights a week which our boys had to balance with work or school. We all grew a lot from the experience and in the end it was very rewarding.”

Divjot Mehrok, the youngest performer at age 14, said the tough learning curve and late nights were “in the end all worth it,” as he learned “valuable skills such as time management, teamwork and thinking outside-the-box.”

BASS has been competing at a national and international level since 2012, winning many prestigious competitions such as Nachda Punjab, Harbour City Bhangra and Bhangra Down Under, with placings at World’s Best Bhangra Crew New Jersey and Bruin Bhangra in Los Angeles.

BASS Queens, the girls team of the BASS academy, has also shared much success, placing at competitions nationwide.

It is inspiring to see Australian-born Punjabis maintaining a deep connection to their culture and promoting the folkdance of their ancestors. Amitoj and Divjot credit the parents and families who have “encouraged and engaged the children in their culture from an early age.”

“We are so humbled to have the opportunity to display our heritage and passion for Bhangra on the international stage,” Amitoj said. “Our hope is to preserve the Punjabi culture and inspire others to connect with it as well.”

Photos: SP Digital Media, North Carolina

All empowered

A debut single that sprang from explorations of womanhood, culture and self-actualisation

BY APARNA ANANTHUNI

Amritha Shakti’s journey is one that feels incredibly familiar. And I know why.

She’s a South Asian woman who has chosen to be an artist.

And that’s still a rare and brave thing to find in the diaspora community that you grow up, belong to, connect with, and are pressured by, as a brown woman.

The Australian/Indian-Tamil singersongwriter, who started on YouTube a few years agomaking video covers of a range of songs, from jazz, r and b, soul, to Indian fusion and Bollywood, has just finished recording her first EP, featuring five original songs

“It’s been a crazy journey,” she says. “It’s been incredible.”

Her decision to pursue a career as a singer-songwritercame after what she calls the ‘old plan’ for her life fell through.

That plan was to do an MBA, pursue a career in international development, while keeping music as a “nice side hobby.”

But after realising that what she had planned wasn’t for her after all, she turned to music to help her through. And after uploading her first cover song to YouTube, it clicked.

“I thought, omigod, that felt so good. We should do this.”

And even a quick perusal of her YouTube channel shows why. With her full, husky voice perfectly suited to the jazz, soul, andr and b that she clearly loves, and beautifully shot and costumed videos, she is an incredibly engaging performer.

She also incorporates a South Asian fashion aesthetic into her videos, which is a deliberate choice: intersectional feminism, female empowerment, and South Asian female representation are issues close to her heart, and issues that she wants to explore through her music and videos.

“You realise to what extent not seeing people like you growing up has, mentally closed off doors,” she muses.

Despite the joy and fulfilment she has found in her work, owning and feeling comfortable with it, without guilt, is still a ‘battle’.

“I think, is it okay that I’m South Indian, in my late twenties, and an artist?

I feel so much weird South Asian guilt for

that… it’s a process of unlearningwhat we should be doing and shouldn’t be doing.”

And writing her first original song Deserve Mew asall about letting go of that guilt and self-doubt.

“It’s ridiculous to me that there’s this pressure from our community to be a certain way. And when you overcome that, there’s a pressure that you’re not worthy in the eyes of Western media… and it was

kind of like just a moment of like ‘eff you’. None of these pressures are worth it, and this song is for me.”

It’s also all about putting brown women front and centre visually, in all their glory, splendour and confidence. The video for Deserve Me features around 30 South Asian women, including women from Pakistani, Indian, Sri Lankan,

You Don’t Deserve Me

By Amritha Shakti

LatelyI’vebeenfeelingabit More content within my skin

AndlatelyI’vebeenfeeling likeI’munlearning

All the lies that I believed Finallylookinginthemirror And I don’t feel like Ineedtochange Athing

Day by day

I’mlearningthatIamenough Just the way I am Yeah You Don’t Deserve Me

Nepalese and Bangladeshi backgrounds. Furthermore, nearly everyone on the project was South Asian and female.

“There’s nothing out there that shows us in a really empowered way. The way [the women] responded was just incredible. They were like, yeah, we need this.”

She hopes this song and the video will lead to more work being created that addresses the lack of South Asian female representation, and pulls away from tokenistic representationthat perpetuates the idea that there can only be one brown woman who has a ‘moment’.

“There’s this mentality of ‘there’s no space’. We need to realise we have the opportunity to stand next to Priyanka Chopra and Mindy Kaling and say, this is my space, and that there’s enough opportunity out there for me to do it.”

(The video) is all about putting brown women front and centre visually, in all their glory, splendour and confidence

A still from Deserve Me

Amritha Shakti

Gurcharan Singh Kochar (1930-2019)

l Loving husband to late Wajinder Kaur (1934-2008)

l Father to Dr Jasprit Singh Kochar, Kawal Gujral, Kawalpreet Kaur, Inder Pal Singh (Raju) and Satvinder Pal Singh (Bittu),

l Father-in-law to Manjit Gujral and Rupinder Pal Singh

l Grandfather to Deep, Amrita, Neety, Samandeep, Varun, Bharatdeep, Sonal, Mitali & Manjot

l And great grandfather to Prabhav, Rubait, Nishka, Shehbaaz, Ranveer, Zivaan

It is with a heavy heart that we all say goodbye.

Born in Sargodha (now Pakistan), Daddy was the pinnacle of what it means to live a full and meaningful life.

A great man who was loved by all, he was a legend in his hometown of Sri Ganganagar, with everyone knowing him or of him as a pioneer in the veterinary science profession.

A caring person who always helped those around him, his tales and stories of his life in the village and sharp memories till his last days will always be etched into our memories. He was a strong and rugged man who lived a full life of lots of love, commanding respect from anyone who crossed his path. Yet his gentle nature and infectious laugh would bring a smile on your face if you were ever lucky enough to be in the same room as him.

As a proud Sardar who has had countless life achievements and who made the world better place before he left it, Daddy was adored by all from young to old.

Kanwal, Manjit, Deep, Natasha and Varun Gujral

Final prayers are being held on Sat 8 June at 2.30pm at Guru Nanak Gurudwara, Turramurra Sikh Temple Sydney, 81 Kissing Point Rd, Turramurra NSW 2074.

Why fats can be good for you

How your diet can help you ward off dementia

BY JYOTHSNA RAO

Living in Melbourne, I get severe bouts of homesickness for traditional foods, and that is when I start calling my extended family for recipes. One afternoon, I called my great aunt for an uppuma recipe, her signature dish. That was the day I found out that she was suffering from dementia. The recipe was lost forever, but the good news is that my great aunt is still around, and I visit her when I can. She remembers my name. I have learnt to be happy with that.

Brain related disorders such as dementia are shaping up to be a huge public health burden in the world. In Australia, dementia is the second leading cause of death. While dementia can happen to anybody, it is more common in older people.

So, what exactly is dementia? Dementia is a group of symptoms that are a result of disorders affecting the brain. It involves loss of memory, thinking and reasoning, making daily living hard and taking its toll on the family and the person.

Unfortunately, there is no cure yet. While efforts are on to find a cure, the truth is we are better off trying to prevent dementia in the first place. Diet is a goodplace to start.

Our brain, a remarkable organ, is also the fattiest organ in the body, made of omega 3 which we can get only from food. These fats are an integral component of brain cells and maintain fluidity of the cell membrane. Any changes in the fluidity

compromises learning and memory. So how much omega 3 do you need? Check out the table on this page. Is it possible to get that from food? Absolutely!

NUTS HELP YOU THINK

An exciting bit of research early this year from South Australia, was published in the Journal of Health, Nutrition and Aging. It looked at the diet of about 5,000 older Chinese over a nine-year period. The results were encouraging, showing that those who ate more than 10gms of nuts per day had a better chance of slowing cognitive decline. Adding nuts to your diet may have the potential to improve your ability to think. This is promising - while it cannot conclusively say that nuts arrest dementia, it shows us a way forward.

Purslane

WHY ARE NUTS SO COOL?

Nuts are a plant-based food and a powerhouse of nutrients. They contain large amounts of essential healthy fats such as omega 3 in combination with dietary fibre, several B vitamins, and minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc and potassium. Nuts are also a good source of anti-oxidants and plant sterols. All these nutrients in a small package makes them an excellent addition to a diet on the move. Walnuts (akhrot) for instance are the best source of plant-based omega 3, absolutely essential for improving your mood. Studies also show that walnuts may decrease inflammation in the brain, improve memory and learning. So, get cracking! Add walnuts to your porridge, salads or eat them on their own.

There are other sources of omega 3, most common being oily fish such as mackerel, salmon and rainbow trout. As a nutritionist, I also encourage adding more plants to a daily diet. Here is a super cool plant which is rich in omega 3, and it’s easy to grow too.

A NEW PLANT IN YOUR BACKYARD

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L) is an edible weed, highly valued in Chinese medicine. It grows well in temperate, tropical and subtropical climates, making it an ideal weed to plant in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. What is even more exciting is that it is a powerhouse of nutrients. Purslane is a rich source of omega 3 in combination with vitamin Bs and C, minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and anti-oxidants. You can buy purslane golden seeds from any reputed nursery. Use purslane as part of your meals by adding its leaves or stems to salads, on their own or with a mesclun mix. Combine with walnuts to make an instant pesto, or a chutney for sandwiches. Make a south Indian poriyal, leaves chopped finely, seasoned with mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chillies, steamed and garnished with fresh coconut.

RECOMMENDED

OMEGA 3

1-3 years 40mg

4-8 years 55mg

Boys 9-18 years 70-125mg

Girls 9-18 years 70-85mg

Men 19+ years 160mg

BY EMIE ROY

Aport of Canberra’s own - to rival Sydney! Think I am joking?

Absolutely not! This is one of the astonishing facts we discovered about Jervis Bay, apart from the fact that it is nine times bigger than Sydney Harbour. Why most of us have not heard about the idea is probably because it was shelved soon after it was proposed in 1908 and the bay acquired from NSW by ACT in 1915. Regardless, Jervis Bay is home to some of the most gorgeous little towns in the east coast of ACT, and is some 3 hours’ drive from both Canberra and Sydney. Humble it might look, but the bay has another tall claim attached to it - it is home to Hyams Beach, which the Guinness Book of World Records claims has the whitest sand in the world.

Jervis Bay has twenty kilometres of white-sanded beaches curving around its shores, and all of these are equally picturesque. Huskisson Beach, with its glistening green waters in sheer contrast to the blue sky and white sands, is a coastal paradise. As good as a private beach with rocky points and reefs, my family and I shared it with some six others on the curvy 750m coastline.

A port for Australia’s inland capital

After that stunning intro to the bay, it was time to soak up some history on how the bay evolved over the years at the Maritime Museum, just 10 minutes from made the exploration via sea less

When it came to lunchtime, a stroll in the town centre found us some great fish and chips places, to enjoy perched on the beachside. A store named ‘Ethik’ that sell cottons and ethnic jewellery with an Eastern flavour captured our attention. Interestingly, Steve Cannon, the co-founder said the collection was pretty much all from Nepal, but his future plan is to source from India. On further delving, he revealed his biggest wish of all times - to spend two weeks on a houseboat in Kerala. And the only person that he wants on-board is a

talented chef! Being a foodie, it sounded like a perfect plan to me too!

A drive to visit the renowned Point Perpendicular light house was next on the cards. The view of the light house at the end of the horizon from the balcony of our beach house as we checked in on Friday night, was too good to be missed. After nearly an hour’s drive through the forest, appeared the light house. Though there is no access to the insides of the structure, the magnificent views from there, and the rolling layers of clouds that formed the

There’s natural wonders to enjoy as well as maritime history to learn, in this beautiful South Coast destination

Jervis Bay has twenty kilometres of white-sanded beaches curving around its shores, all of these equally picturesque

Jervis Bay Beach

Huskisson Beach

backdrop of the lighthouse made the visit worthy of our time spent.

Another quick visit to a small beach later, we went back to our abode which was a beachside house booked through Air BnB. Booking for the first time through the online hospitality service (I admit being a slacker not to try this out earlier), I guess the pertinent question is whether you prefer to come back to the crisp white sheets and artificially manicured lounges of a hotel or to a lived-in home with character? Lived-in home it was for us this time, and we loved the pottery collection that the owner had decorated the interiors with. A backyard with a collection of native plants, very well-equipped kitchen and pantry, an extensive kids’ video library and a balcony onlooking the shores were additions that we were not expecting, but thoroughly enjoyed!

Back in the Huskisson town centre, a dolphin cruise awaited us. Although available in most medium-sized coastal towns, what makes this 1.5-hour dolphin watching experience unique is the delight of watching the bottlenose dolphins playing in the aqua waters of Jervis Bay, aboard a catamaran. Complimentary morning tea included, the trip can be recommended to anyone that would love to go out and explore the waters. There is whale watching available too, for those that are keen.

A relaxing stroll along the shallow and glassy green waters of Honeymoon Bay, a 100m wide crescent shaped rocky inlet closed off from Jervis Bay except for a 20m wide opening, was the final destination before a satisfying meal for lunch and heading back to the hustle and bustle of the routine lives.

Come back we will, to explore the Booderee and Jervis Bay National Parks that are said to be blessed with beautiful walking trails and calm and secluded beaches. If you are in for a more active holiday, the options here are endlessswimming, snorkelling, paddling, kayaking and what not!

But for now, it was time to say good bye to one of most pleasant weekend getaways we have ever had.

Watching the bottlenose dolphins frolic from aboard a catamaran is a unique experience

Huskisson Beach

Museum exhibit

Lady Denman Ferry

Pont Perpendicular Lighthouse

MATRIMONIALS

SEEKING GROOMS

Seeking suitable professional boy born and brought up in Australia for young attractive girl, never married, 31, 5'2". Looks much younger, born and brought up in Sydney. Professional educator, Hindu Indian well settled family. Please email to rtmkh8064@gmail.com or call 0426 180 427.

Dubai based 40-year-old single, never married girl seeks suitable match. Born and educated in Mumbai, Gujarati, 5'4" and working for MNC seeks Hindu grooms. Please contact brother on 0412346590 or email directly on komaldxb@gmail.com

Wanted a suitable match for 39 year old Brahmin girl 5'4" fair complexion, well settled in Australia, having government job and has own residential property. Contact kumar.sham@bigpond.com

Seeking suitable match for Brahmin girl, 33, 5'4", Australian citizen, divorced, short

marriage. Pursuing Australian Dental Registration exam and working as casual dental teacher in Sydney. Well qualified, issueless, professionally settled match may contact rajk.nsw@gmail.com or call +61 468342814.

Beautiful, highly educated with very good family background, soft spoken, career oriented 33-year-old vegetarian Brahmin girl working, well settled in Sydney seeking an educated, teetotaller with good family background boy. Prefer Australian Citizen or PR. Please contact rajsyd83@gmail.com

Seeking professionally qualified match for attractive girl. Legally separated, no kids. 35-years, 5'3", working as Lead Legal Counsel in reputed investment firm at Gurgaon. Hindu family settled in Gurgaon. Email: satinder.neelam@gmail.com; Phone: +919818885477

SEEKING BRIDES

Wanted suitable match for 35-year-old Brahmin boy 5'8" fair complexion, well settled in Australia, having his own successful business. Contact kumar.sham@bigpond.com

June 2019

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.

ARIES

March 21 - April 19

A complete reversal in your affairs makes you focus on your life, values and way of thinking. Try and let go of a problematic situation and let God handle it. An unexpected financial opportunity comes your way and you will also be able to handle a difficult situation effectively. A fresh direction will also come along to give you new meaning and impetus. Take rest and get rid of those who zap your energy. Emotional problems come to an end.

LEO July 21 - Aug 22

Multiple pursuits, such as philosophy, desire for expansion at work, spirituality or even new ideas at work, possibly triggered by a Sagittarius type of personality, keep the Leo preoccupied this month. If in a relationship, you might feel it is going nowhere, or that it is superficial. A new approach to work can be very lucrative. A health condition needs attention. Finances are improving but money owed to you is still delayed. Pursue hobbies in the intellectual realm.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov 22 - Dec 21

TAROT

TAURUS

April 20 - May 20

Trying situations that make you test your faith or beliefs, unexpected victories and romantic commitments are forecast this month. A new enterprise, or a successful business transaction makes you happy. Business is good and help on all fronts is on offer. Slow down, you are in need of rest. An idea you had is manifested and it can result in goal achievement. Focus on constructive ideas and cooperative partnerships that are aligned with your beliefs. Have a little faith.

VIRGO

Aug 23 - Sep 22

You are in a dream state this month and you aspire to get involved with humanitarian concerns. A very unusual person interests you romantically and the feeling is mutual. A personal dilemma has you confused. New information at work gives you a brighter outlook. If you’ve been moody, you will be happier. A spiritual cleansing practice will improve your health too. Financial matters are successful and blocked money starts to free up. Things are working out better than you think.

CAPRICORN

Dec 22 - Jan 19

A Capricornian practicality takes over the outdoor loving, outspoken Sagittarian this month. You tackle romantic issues with maturity, even if the relationship is headed nowhere. You can expect good news from someone who cares, and a friend will want to play matchmaker. Those in a relationship feel the heat. Problems with your throat or ears indicate you are suppressing what you wish to say or unwilling to hear the truth. Be willing to listen to and act upon new ideas.

A new beginning awaits you this month, in a creative field. Introspect on some untapped potential inside you that needs expressing. A financially rewarding trip is on the anvil. If you’ve had problems in a relationship, you can expect reconciliation, and misunderstandings will be resolved. A marriage or live-in arrangement is also indicated. Creative ventures prove to be financially rewarding. Success comes through innovative ideas and new concepts, and reviving a declining business.

GEMINI

May 21 - June 20

A difficult month for Geminis as the Tower is about problems on all fronts, a separation, and betrayal of trust. These situations are beyond your control, so it is best to deal with them as well as you can because the final picture is yet to emerge. Prepare for some internal conflicts of what is right for you and what isn’t. A new beginning after the upheaval will bring peace, emotional balance and power. Your financial situation will improve considerably.

LIBRA

Sep 23 - Oct 22

A person with a Leo type of personality could influence you this month. Family matters or spiritual pursuits could keep you busy. You could also start a relationship with someone you met recently. A sudden upswing in business or an unexpected call from a lover will be a pleasant surprise. If you’ve been low key at work, you will bounce back with a bang. Avoid impulsive shopping. You might want to pursue new age remedies for a health issue.

AQUARIUS

Jan 20 - Feb 18

Aquarians might have to come to terms with something they have buried for long. An unexpected event or confrontation could lead to a misunderstanding, so maintain clarity on all fronts, especially financial. New elements lift you out of the doldrums, leaving you positive. A family member or pet needs looking after. Money will be good and bad, but you have divine protection so it will come if it has been blocked. A chain of events will culminate, leaving you detached from problems.

CANCER

June 21 - July 20

A romantic reunion is what you aspire to. An event at work or in your personal life will prove to be a blessing in disguise. Business grows and a job offer could come by. Beware of substance abuse and avoid drinking too much. Take it easy as health could be a detriment to work. Bouts of dissatisfaction and disillusionment push you to end matters that serve no purpose. Take your mind off your problems and take a break. Think positive.

SCORPIO

Oct 23 - Nov 21

The intense and emotional Scorpio takes on a practical approach this month, as finances, assets, expansions and selfimprovement dominate over other issues. Singles will attract romance and an encounter with someone will leave a lasting impression. Your positive outlook helps others. If you have been feeling despondent at work, you get upbeat again due to compensation for past efforts or new orders and projects. Stay out of the sun and any sudden weight loss needs to be checked.

PISCES

Feb 19 - March 20

A reconciliation or reunion is on the cards, though it might not be a romantic one. If business is slow, don’t worry, it will pick up and good money is indicated. You might want to utilise a skill you have or follow through on an idea. Emotions swing from detachment to impatience and you will be right in your discerning abilities. If you have been ill, you will recover. But if you have a gynaecological problem, have it double checked.

cineTALK

A SEXTET OF MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

Guddu is that one token story dedicated to the LGBTQ community that no self - respecting anthology would be complete without. The story of a runaway bride (Anurita Jha) has ‘clever’ written in bold. Its twists and turns are self-consciously designed to win us over.

The first-timer's insecurities frequently do these stories in. None more so than Bhaskar Calling, directed by Sanjiv Kishinchandani. An interactive quirky novella on screen about an old, eccentric, stereotypical Parsi (Shahryar Atai) and an earnest insurance agent (Kamil Shaikh), its fits of purportedly funny moments are cringeworthy.

Easily the best of the motley bunch is Adi Sonal, where Neena Gupta gives an unforgettable performance as Sonal, a tired but undefeated matriarch trying to keep together a family that is coming apart at the seams.

SHURUAAT KA TWIST

STARRING: Hanish Kalia, Heena D'Souza, Sanjiv Kishinchandani, Aavlokita and Gaurav Mehra

DIRECTOR: Praveen Fernandez

H H H

New talent is always welcome. The six stories of this uneven omnibus promise something fresh. But on delivery, some of them fail to live up to their promise. Barring one brilliant episode named Adi Sonal, featuring Neena Gupta in her career's best performance, the other short films of this well-intended anthology leave much room for improvement.

The first story Tap Tap, directed by Praveen Fernandez, has Chunky Panday pulling out all stops to deliver a

rousing, if not a great, performance as a has-been music director desperate to make a comeback. Panday, never taken seriously as an actor, doesn't hesitate to look pitiable on screen. It is an honest film with a dishonest, fakeforced ending meant to shock, but sadly missing the target.

Khauff, directed by Hanish Kalia, is chilling but only until it chooses to not pin down the source of fear. This is an interesting premise of a paranoid man on the verge of breakdown,

played with chilling scrupulosity by Amit Sial (remember him as the closeted petty businessman in a Delhi family in Titli?). The finale is again meant to shock by hook or by being undercooked.

The story Gutthi, directed by Avalokita, has some eminently relatable moments between two flatmates struggling (in vain) for over five years in Mumbai to make a career in the entertainment business. Merenla Imsong and Veera Fauzia Saxena play the two strugglers with a free-flowing spontaneity probably because they play characters they know well. However, the plot doesn't go anywhere, although one of the friends eventually does.

Director Heena D'Souza creates the stifling milieu of a low income middleclass home with economy and grace. Like Sonal, the director knows she is running out of time. Neena and Trimila Adhikari, who plays her rebellious daughter-in-law, make this story special. Shuruaat Ka Twist suffers all the symptoms of first-time directors' anxiety to get our attention. Also, the budgetary constraints show up like moneylenders at a wedding.

In the best story of the omnibus, when a woman rides off into the night with her lover, we can see the director called ‘cut’ even before the motorcycle moved out of the frame.

To put these stories in movie theatres seems imprudent. There are many better short films on the Internet, including an undiscovered gem titled Aapka Amitabh directed by Pallav Goel. Subhash K. Jha

SOMETHING TO SAY THAT WE MUST ALL HEAR

very fine actors Inaamulhaq and Sharib Hashmi helps give their relationship a heft and resonance we seldom see in cinematic friendships. The course of their friendship, as it is challenged by devastating communal issues, runs through the narrative with vigorous fidelity, found to be absent in other plot points of this film.

For instance, the political goon Munna (Pawan Tiwari) is written purely as a radical villain with no dimensions. Perhaps, the director has taken on more than he can handle. The burden of bringing together so many issues with such thundering ramifications is not an easy task. And well, who said life can be easy? Several episodes do appear to lack subtlety, a quality in short supply when a society is rapidly running out of excuses to stay together.

The third remarkable character and performance in this uneven yet persuasive drama of prejudice and redemption is the temple head priest Vedanti, a pacifist who believes all religions must be respected. As played by the ever-powerful Kumud Mishra, Vedanti is a compelling force of secularism whose politics of communal harmony is so raw it leaves us wounded. Mishra's performance reminded me of Pankaj Kapur in Bhavna Talwar's Dharma

NAKKASH

STARRING: Inaamulhaq, Sharib

Hashmi and Kumud Mishra

DIRECTOR: Zaigham Imam

HHH

Set in Varanasi, Nakkash takes us into the uncomfortable and ruinous realm of the communal divide. It steps in its thorny theme without prejudice and with complete awareness of going

down a road that offers no solace from the harsh sun.

There is a liberating sense of innocence in Zaigham Imam's tale of worship and duplicity, of politicians and priests, and the uneasy alliance between politics and religion, of single parenthood and post middle age marriage.

Above all, Nakkash is the tale of friendship between two men of lowly

means. Allahrakha (Inaamulhaq), a craftsman who carves figures in gold on temple walls, is a single father who is raising his little son with the help of his best friend Samad (Sharib Hashmi).

It is heartwarming how the little boy refers to his father and his father's buddy as ‘Abba' and ‘Ammi' without any sexual connotations attached to the endearment.

That the two roles are played by two

FUNNY… NOT

But then it's a free world. And nowhere is the world freer than on the Internet where anyone can do anything with no fear of repercussions.

You may want to know why this film is titled Chopsticks. For the answer, you have to sit through the entire unfunny rom-com, or you may please refer to the heroine who is a ‘poverty tourism’ guide and speaks Mandarin fluently. Slow clap for Mithila Palkar for learning a foreign language to be part of a script that is as inspired as Whatsapp group chats, and that's a compliment to the film.

CHOPSTICKS (NETFLIX)

STARRING: Abhay Deol, Mithila Palkar and Vijay Raaz

DIRECTOR: Sachin Yardi

HH

There is a vast difference between smart cinema and smartass cinema. The latter

is designed by people who think they are funny, smart, sassy and hip when they are none of these.

Chopticks, sadly, belongs to the latter category of wannabe cinema that doesn't know where it wants to be, or why it is seeking to prove its credentials as cinema in the first place, when in fact it could have easily been a short film, if anything at all.

Abhay Deol returns to acting after quite a while. He looks bored, unconvinced and unconvincing. I don't blame him. If I had to play this role, I'd ask for extra money every day just to drag myself to the set. Deol plays a parttime cook and full-time crook nameddon't laugh - ‘Artiste’, who helps a young lost girl find her brand new car after it is stolen from a crowded temple by a thief

Nakkash is a film with lots of jagged edges. The politics of communalism that the writer-director so forcefully derides, tends to render the narration shrill at times. But the rough edges never wound the film's honest intentions.

The three principal performances stay with us for their honesty, integrity and a representational resonance that doesn't take away from each character's individuality.

This is a film that has something very crucial to say. We better listen before it's too late.

Subhash K Jha

posing as a Good Samaritan.

Incidentally, the actor playing the brief role of the car thief was funnier than the entire film put together. That could be because the scriptwriter's sense of humour seems as bland as the food that Deol seems to be making in the fullyfurnished kitchen of a half-constructed building.

Now try this from the laughter menu. A goon (Vijay Raaz who specialises in playing flipped-out goons) obsessed with a goat, makes one of his debt defaulters sing his favourite song Zindagi ek safar hai suhana repeatedly in lieu of payment.

There are blander jokes here, waiting to explode on the unsuspecting viewer. The one bright spot is the vivacious and spontaneous Mithila. To her role as the waif-like fish-out-of-water Mumbaikar named Nirma (hence, a flurry of detergent jokes), she brings an honesty and verve clearly missing from the film that takes its attempts at levitation too seriously.

Subhash K. Jha

The BUZZ

PRIYANKA CHOPRA’S “NEVER SAY NEVER” MANTRA TO BEING INDIA’S PRIME MINISTER

Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas says she would likely consider running for Prime Minister of India. Someday.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, the Quantico actress opened up about her political aspirations and her husband - pop star Nick Jonas.

“I would love to run for Prime Minister of India. I would love Nick to run for President,” Priyanka, 36, said. “I don’t like the things associated with politics, but I know that both of us really want to make a change. Never say never.”

While Priyanka said she has tried to remain apolitical throughout her life because she likes to “cheer for humanity”, the actress could not deny the fact that Nick, 26, would make a great leader. “He’s not afraid to use the word (feminist) and I love that,” she said.

Priyanka, who got married to Nick in December 2018, had previously praised the Sucker singer in April at Tina Brown’s 10th Annual Women in the World Summit.

Back then, she had said of her husband, “I call him ‘Old Man Jonas’. That’s my name for him ‘OMJ’. He’s such an old soul, extremely smart, so good for me because he grounds me so much. I’m a wild child, I do whatever I want, whenever I want and he always supports me.”

VARANASI’S THE PLACE TO BE

Varanasi, which has taken centre stage in India’s electoral politics since Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it his Lok Sabha constituency, has become an exciting place for filmmakers to explore over the past couple of years.

The crew of Karan Johar’s mega production Brahmastra, which stars Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, is currently filming in Varanasi.

Megastar Rajinikanth also filmed for his movie Petta in the city, said to be one of the oldest in the world. Its beauty also attracted Puri Jagannadh for his next Telugu film, while Zaigham Imam’s latest release Nakkash was also shot in Varanasi.

While its picturesque ghats, iconic temples, narrow lanes, mohallas and the expanse and serenity of the Ganges have long attracted Indian and international filmmakers, Imam pointed out multiple factors that have helped Varanasi to emerge as a preferred filming destination.

“It is the constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Since 2014, Varanasi has been in the newswhether for political or other reasons. People have been saying Uttar Pradesh itself has come up as a political centre.

But what is interesting is that whenever there is a social change in India, it reflects in Benaras (Varanasi) in a prominent way because the cultural values there are different and very interesting,” said Imam.

In Nakkash, Imam explores the story of a Muslim craftsman who uses his skills to engrave Hindu temples in Varanasi. His first film Dozakh - In Search Of Heaven (2012) told the story of a Hindu-Muslim clash and was also set in the same city.

“There is an interesting social, internal layer in Varanasi,” explained Imam, who feels that the box office success of Bollywood films set in small towns is also contributing towards how filmmakers are looking this way.

The UP Government’s film policy is helping too.

“There are incentives for films to shoot in UP and a single window mechanism,” a UP Government official said. “Varanasi is therefore attractive for filmmakers, and its locations - backed by heritage legacy and mysticism - make it that much more appealing. As a location it is perfect for films that seek the old world Indian charm or a blend of culture and contemporary India.”

Wonder what PM Chopra-Jonas and President Jonas would mean for the IndoUS relationship.

PHOOLAN DEVI’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY TO BE ADAPTED FOR WEB

Phoolan Devi aka the Bandit Queen’s autobiography I, Phoolan Devi, will be made into a web series.

“There are important chapters and layers of Phoolan Devi’s life that remain unexplored and the web series format will allow us the bandwidth to do that,” said Kishor Arora, co-founder of Namah Pictures, which has acquired the rights of the book.

Umed Singh Bhaiya, the husband of the late Phoolan Devi, said that “the truth of Phoolan’s life should reach out to people. It’s a tale of a rebel that should inspire women across the world to speak against any atrocity.”

Shareen Mantri Kedia, co-founder of Namah Pictures, added, “In the current digital age, we feel that Phoolan Devi’s stark and immersing tale will find a resonance in audiences across geographies and demographics.”

Namah Pictures had previously produced filmmaker Majid Majidi’s feature Beyond the Clouds as well as the web show Karenjit Kaur - The Untold Story of Sunny Leone.

PRIYANKA, NICK RECREATE ROMEO-JULIET MOMENT

Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas and her husband Nick Jonas recreated the iconic balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, to the delight of swooning fans worldwide.

Priyanka accompanied Nick to iHeart Radio’s Wango Tango concert in California earlier this week. The singer and his brothers Joe and Kevin - who together form the Jonas Brothersperformed their new singles at the gig.

The Isn't It Romantic actress posted images from their outing on Instagram, which showed them recreating the iconic and modified-for-2019 balcony scene from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. While Nick stood on a balcony with a paper cup in his hand, Priyanka looked at him from down below.

“Romeo oh Romeo… and Ava drew #nightout,” she captioned the image.

Jonas replied with a cheeky, “When bae’s been on the gram too much”. Their nearly 65 million combined fans on Instagram let out a collective sigh, because #couplegoals.

On the movie front, Priyanka will next be seen in Shonali Bose’s The Sky Is Pink. She has also signed up for a project with actress Mindy Kaling.

NO CUTS FOR ELTON JOHN’S BIOPIC ROCKETMAN IN INDIA

Legendary singer Elton John’s biopic Rocketman, scenes from which were cut out for a preview in Russia, has released in India without any changes. The film, which is exclusively distributed in India by Viacom18

PRIYANKA CHOPRA

Studios, received the censor certificate without any cuts. It was certified on 29 May and got an ‘A’ certificate for release over the weekend.

“This movie is about when I started to become famous,” Elton John said in a statement. “It was an extraordinary and surreal time, and that’s how I wanted the film to be.”

Described as an “epic musical fantasy about the incredible human story of John’s breakthrough years”, the film follows the journey of his transformation from a shy piano prodigy Reginald Dwight into an international superstar.

Directed by Dexter Fletcher, Rocketman also stars Richard Madden as John Reid, John’s manager and one-time lover, and Jamie Bell as Bernie Taupin, John’s famed song-writing partner.

So far, it’s been smooth sailing for the film in India.

On the other hand, Russian movie distributors have censored Rocketman and excluded several scenes depicting homosexual sex and affection from the film - a move which has been denounced by the singer as well as the makers of the movie.

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

PRIYANKA

Elton John, who has long been a proud icon for the LGBTQ community, and the makers of Rocketman issued a joint statement, saying, “We believe in building bridges and open dialogue, and will continue to push for the breaking down of barriers until all people are heard equally across the world.”

RANVEER POSES WITH OGS TENDULKAR, RICHARDS

Actor Ranveer Singh, who is in London to shoot for the upcoming movie 83, had a major fanboy moment when he met cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and ecstatically tagged him on social media posts as the “God of cricket”. Celebrities, they’re just like us!

Singhthen treated his fans to a string of photographs featuring him and Tendulkar.

The actor, who will be seen playing the role of former cricketer Kapil Dev in the Kabir Khan directorial, had also shared photographs of himself along with Vivian Richards, Shane Warne and Sunil Gavaskar.

83 will trace India’s historic victory at the 1983 cricket World Cup. It also stars Saqib Saleem, Harddy Sandhu,

Ammy Virk, Pankaj Tripathi and Tahir Raj Bhasin, among others.

The film is being produced by Reliance Entertainment, and will be released on 10 April, 2020 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

ON TWITTER THIS WEEK

Match the following stars to the tweets that appear below: Sonam Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranveer Singh

God of cricket! Sachin Tendulkar @83thefilm @kabirkhankk #83squad

Dreamers are good. But if those dreams are not given a direction they mean nothing. These 2 fulfilled every dream I had, over & above every dream they had for themselves. Adi & Karan. Why share this with all? Cos you should know, more important than your dreams are those who fulfil them for you

Mr Ahuja has passed on his obsession to me and now I’d rather wear sneakers with my outfits.

Arriving late is the way of saying that our own time is more valuable than the time of the person who waited for us.

We are grateful to all of you for the way you have shared our loss. Thank you all for the prayers and support.

Nick: And why are you laughing?

Priyanka: Because you look like our Band-Baaja people in these trousers. Mukesh Prajapati

Congrats Mukesh you win a movie ticket

For more caption entries, see YOUR SAY Page 11

RANVEER SINGH

SONAM KAPOOR

SHAHRUKH KHAN

Sharaab, scotch and finally shiraz

A study on the evolution of the desi drinker

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

In the hallowed columns of your favourite Indian newspaper, I am now going to reveal the results of some very serious research I have been conducting for years. While I have submitted the scientific report to various journals of social anthropology, I choose to divulge the results first to you, my fellow-IndianAustralians.

The said research is based on the drinking habits of Indian-origin Australians, and is a longitudinal study tracing the evolution of the desi drinker.

It takes years to reach the comfortable, well-settled (read alcohol-savvy) levels of assimilation in an alien environment, but the desi specimen does get there eventually.

At the very beginning, the male of the Indian-Australian species upon landing in this great southern land (can you feel the Richard Attenborough tone here), is keen to try out the Australian beer, of which he has heard so much. After all, while America is the land of milk and honey, Australia is the land of beer and … er, more beer. So Carlton, VB and the like are all dutifully tried out, in an initiation ceremony if you will. Comparisons are made with Kingfishers and other Indian brands, and detailed comparative analyses are conducted such as about relative bitterness, the can vs the bottle issue, etc. Meanwhile, new indices of evaluation, such as ‘head’, are learned and put to use (sometimes only to impress).

On rare occasions in the new migrant experience, when the urge for a harder

brew is greater, then rum is the preferred choice, with Old Monk being evaluated as more favourable than the Bundy available here. Scotch, if ever, will only be from Mr Walker’s distillery.

The female of the species (brought out here from her native lands as a bride), evolves fairly quickly. The fewer restrictions, and the sudden exposure to freedom, are causative factors in the launch of this steep learning curve. White wine is the preferred beverage, consumed daintily as her partner watches over her indulgently. Usually fairly intelligent and always quick to adapt, the move to the next level - gin and tonic, though with some vodka experimentation along the way - comes quickly.

The male meanwhile is entering phase two himself, where the preferred drink is

whisky. Not being racially discriminative, Black Label of the Mr Walker variety is the usual choice, or else Chivas Regal. However, the cardinal sin of mixing plenty of water/soda with 12-15 year matured whisky is a definite indicator of still being a new arrival here.

It is not until the next stage of development that the Indian-Australian becomes aware that diluting high-quality scotch is a definite no-no. Sure, an ice cube or a spoon of water (warm at best) is fine, just like the Scotsman likes it. And he should know, just as the Indian knows that rice and sambhar are best eaten with the fingers.

The female of the species is now happily experimenting with Baileys, after having favourably tried out red wine in its many forms. She has also been devouring any

information she can get her hands on regarding the finer qualities of wine appreciation, and can sometimes teach her partner a thing or two herself – such as when and how to decant wine for a more flavoursome experience. For his part, he listens adoringly and tells her she’s very clever, but not that he already knew everything she’s just told him (he learnt of them from Aussie mates at work).

The final stage of maturity is eventually reached when the male of the species has evolved to the wine club. Whereas wine tasted like vinegar in the early days, now the subtlety of the drink is starting to dawn on our friend. Soon, there are full scale discussions on the softer taste of Pinot Noir compared to the fuller feel of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Trips to the wine-growing regions have no doubt helped, and the hoarding of bottles has begun. By this time, the weekend parties usually kick off with beer, followed by a quick nip of Glenfiddich and then, on to the wine – a good quality tipple, of course.

While attending the weekend gettogether, our subject enjoys elegant cocktails from the well-stocked bar of his equally evolved host, researched and prepared with much care with his own (spirit-aware) partner.

The female of the species now chooses gin and tonic to start off with, knows which wine will enhance the flavours of the main course, and politely picks for an expensive sticky to go with her MasterChef - inspired dessert.

Dinner-time conversation is all about which wine-fridge to buy, while the ultimate aim, everyone agrees, is to buy the home with the inbuilt wine cellar…

Thankfully, the offspring are now old enough to drive the parents home.

The softer taste of the Pinot Noir, or the fuller feel of the Cabernet Sauvignon…?

My sister has a promising future

Aditi’s family wanted to know the Navy was a smart career choice. Now Aditi’s joined they’ve discovered her Navy engineering education and training is also recognised by many industries outside of the Australian Defence Force.

But that wasn’t the only thing they found out. In fact, the Navy is supportive of all backgrounds, cultures and beliefs.

Aditi works in one of many diverse roles, with great career advancement opportunities, offering her a rewarding career as a Marine Engineer Officer that makes her family proud.

Find out for yourself. Watch Aditi and Priya’s full story. defencejobs.gov.au/family