2019-07 Melbourne

PUBLISHER

Pawan Luthra

EDITOR

Rajni Anand Luthra

DEPUTY EDITOR

Sneha Khale

SOCIAL MEDIA

Suruchi Bhavsar

MELBOURNE COORDINATOR

Preeti Jabbal

CONTRIBUTORS

Janani Karthik, Vinaya Rai, Usha Ramanujam Arvind, Dhanya Samuel, Jyothsna Rao, Minal Khona, Nury Vittachi

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Shriti Sinha 0410 578 146

ADVERTISING ASSISTANT

Charuta Joshi 02 9279 2004

Indian Link is a monthly newspaper published in English. No material, including advertisements designed by Indian Link, may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the editor. Opinions carried in Indian Link are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Indian Link. All correspondence should be addressed to:

INDIAN LINK MEDIA GROUP

Level 24/44 Market St, Sydney 2000

GPO Box 108, Sydney 2001

Ph: 02 9279-2004

Fax: 02 9279-2005

Email: info@indianlink.com.au

So what is your impossible?

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

This month we mark the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. It was on 20 July 1969 that Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on our closest celestial neighbour.

For most of us, that special moment in mankind’s history will be remembered by grainy images appearing on our black and white TV screens, and a crackly audio of Armstrong’s immortal words, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” as he tentatively stepped off the ladder of the lunar module onto the surface of the moon.

Of course it was all way more than just flying to the moon, taking a few steps and then flying back. What was achieved on that day was years of work and dedication by teams of brilliant scientists and engineers - and seamstresses (yes, seamstresses).

The US President John F Kennedy

had thrown down the challenge in Feb 1961, articulating the plan in a speech (“We choose to go to the Moon”) that has gone down as one of the best ever by a head of state.

At that point, scientists had yet to figure out how to get the rockets past the atmosphere, and there was no flight path worked out. There was no micro gravity food, and yes, the belief was that upon landing on the moon, the space craft would just sink into the soft ground. And as for the computing power of the entire program, it has been said that the modern day smart phone on which you are probably reading this – is perhaps much more potent. The known unknowns were just too many: it was easy to fail.

Yet, the die was cast, as there was a collective race to achieve a goal. Doing their bit were members of a large team, from the highly skilled engineers and scientists at NASA (including the now-famous “hidden figures”mathematician Katherine Johnson and engineer Mary Jackson) who worked out the pathway to the moon, to the seamstresses who stitched the software of the computer sitting at specialized looms, not with thread, but with wires.

The passion to succeed was ignited by a collective desire to turn the impossible into something possible.

So, what is your impossible?

As migrants in a new country, the first step of turning a dream of settling overseas, by choice, has been fulfilled. Of course, for those who do not consider this a worthwhile goal, the choice to go back home is always there. But for those happy to be here, where to from here? For most, it will be a personal goal. Starting and succeeding in a new venture? Attaining the highest possible results in your academic pursuits? Moving forward to the highest echelons of management in your work place?

These may sound difficult - almost impossible - given your personal circumstances, but lay it out there before friends and family, like JFK did, before the entire world. It will then become more than a mere fantasy; it will become a target to be reached. True friends will keep you accountable and encourage you to succeed.

On the 50th anniversary of what is arguably one of mankind’s most famous achievements, what do you want to do to challenge your energy and skills?

A WORLD OF ENTERTAINMENT!

SID SRIRAM: LIVE IN CONCERT

Much acclaimed as a classical vocalist, songwriter, producer and playback singer, Sid Sriram is a household name globally amongst South Asian communities.

Friday 2 August 2019

Check website for ticket details

bunjilplace.com.au

Spice up a wet and windy winter with a stunning exhibition and world class performances inspired by South Asia. Bunjil Place in Narre Warren is the new home of arts and entertainment in Melbourne’s south east. Contemporary

send Money Overseas most reliably and securely within 10 minutes through moneygram send Money to any bank account at the best rate and flat fee of $15 (No Limits applicable on amounts) exchange your currency with us, we give the best rates and do not charge any commission send money to our own branches in all major towns and cities in Fiji and New Zealand

Ask us about our commercial business, we do import payments and all international business related remittance at best rate and a flat fee of $15.00 only

YOUR SAY

THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC

The microphone switches off for Indian Link Radio presenter ANUP KUMAR after a fifteen-year stint.

Ekta Sharma wrote: We will miss your voice and shows Sagar Mehrotra wrote: Anupji you’ve always been an inspiration. The listeners are going to miss your soothing voice and those calm and relaxed evenings with you on air.

Charuta Joshi wrote: The IL Radio team is going to miss you. Wish you the best in the next phase of your career.

Priyanka Tater wrote: Your shows were always a delight.

Rajni Anand Luthra wrote: You gave us much joy and won many hearts, Anup. Continue to do the same wherever you go.

Meenakshi Sharma Kalia wrote: Best wishes Anupji and god bless.

Ruchika Mangla wrote: So sad to see RJ Anupji leaving IL. Hard to replace such gems on air. All the best, sir.

Manoj Menon wrote: What a journey, Anup! Our Fijian Indian community will also miss you a lot.

Pawan Luthra wrote: Thank you for your time with us, Anup. You have been a rock and so much joy to work with. I remember well the day you came in for the audition all those years ago, and then of course, you walking the journey with us. Your programmes were always well researched and wonderfully presented, and the gentle tone always a delight to hear. You will be missed by us and the listeners.

Kashif Harrison wrote: It’s been a pleasure knowing the man with the huskiest voice on air – an absolute treat and a delight. Our shows followed back to back and this gave us many opportunities to catch up and chat (sometimes on air). Loved listening to his stories from earlier times and love stories from college during his segment Love Song Dedications. The man just breathes poems and songs! His passion for his homeland Fiji - and his love for Tabu - are indeed eternal! (We hope Tabu realises this!)

Anup Kumar wrote: During my last 15 years, I must say I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the Indian Link family. It has been a wonderful, golden, memorable journey, and I was fortunate to have interviewed some very well-known Bollywood personalities which will be forever cherished. A huge thank you to you all for the support, the fun times and the laughter. Will continue to be in touch – via random calls on air!

SAY IT AGAIN

Thanks to all who recommended I read (Rohinton Mistry’s) A Fine Balance. But I’m absolutely gutted. Never fallen in love with characters so much only to have my heart broken again and again.

QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS

We brought you reports of our interactions with the Indian-origin AM and OAM honourees in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours

Kaushaliya Vaghela, Gayatri Harinath, Shally Relan, Chandra Kishore, JC Solanki, Sonal Malhotra, Smriti Rangarajan and Ajay Kapoor wrote in notes of congratulations to the accomplished individuals we featured. Ash R. Dev wrote: Congrats to the Fijian born Prof. Dharmendra Prakash Sharma. The descendant of a Girmitiya has been honoured in the Queen's Birthday honours by Canberra. There are tens of thousands of Fiji Indians just like him who had to move to Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA because of the brain drain created by Rabuka and his coups in 1987 which were extremely racist and totally against the Fijians of Indian origin. These highly skilled, experienced qualified and talented individuals would have made Fiji a very different and advanced nation compared to what it is today. Fiji would be no less than Singapore or any developed country of a similar size had Rabuka not created the coup culture and destroyed the future of the country. This is a perfect example of how the monster created by Rabuka affected Fiji and will continue to haunt Fiji for many years to come.

WHERE IN INDIA

These caves remind you of Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains, don’t they? No one quite identified this landmark correctly, although Vivek Trivedi got close enough to the region with his answer Cherrapunji. Readers Payel Ray and Raj Saneja suggested these might be the Borra Caves in Andhra Pradesh. The correct answer is Siju caves in Meghalaya.

The picturesque @YorkWinery is a taste of Australian wine in India! Chief Winemaker Kailesh is a graduate of the Uni of Adelaide and is the youngest winemaker in India! A great example of a successful Aus Global Alumni and the deepening connections between our two countries.

Juanita Phillips, ABC broadcaster

Tony Huber, Australian Consul General Mumbai

A LAUGH AND A YARN WITH ASHOK CHAKRADHAR

Hindi poet and writer Padmashri Ashok Chakradhar joined Indian Link Radio host PRIYANKA TATER on a special edition of her morning show recently.

Ruchika Mangla wrote: Thoroughly enjoyed this show on podcast. Ashokji is my personal favourite. Priyanka, keep bringing us such interviews with the masters.

Anju Handa wrote: Bada sa namaskar Ashokji, welcome to Sydney.

Ravi Singh wrote: Ashok Chakradharji, namaskar. I remember seeing you on Doordarshan. Wonderful memories…

Bhanu Kothari wrote: A very good show this morning, Priyanka.

Rajni Luthra wrote: Wonderfully entertaining.

Priyankja Tater wrote: I very much enjoyed Ashokji’s poetry and haazir jawaabi on the show and was pleasantly surprised to see how popular he was with our listeners. Thanks to all those who rang in. Ashokji himself said he loved doing the show (“Bada maza aaya”), and enjoyed the youthful vibe on our channel. Also a secret revealed: the little dibiya from which he regularly takes something out to place in his mouth, is filled with mishri!!

CAPTION CONTEST

What’s the chitchat between Saurav Ganguly and Ranveer Singh?

Amita Randhawa wrote: You might be best in your gully, par iss field mein chalta hai sirf Gang-uly!

Arix Bishnoi wrote: We need your coat to lay out on the outfield to save it from the rain.

Vandana D'souza wrote: Ranveer says, “I have my fans but Saurav, I’m YOUR biggest fan! Just have a look through my coloured glasses.”

Amarinder Singh wrote: Indian players are wearing the logo of a Chinese company Oppo. The Afghanisare wearing Amul, India's best loved brand!

Abby Ragz wrote: Yehi Lords ke ground main first 100 mara tha maine. Inspire hole, taki meri biopic mai acha performance aaye!

Amit Soni wrote: Aage se is tarah ke kapde pehen kar aaya toh yahi par lita kar mukke maronga, samjha...

Rita Dushyant wrote: What are you are doing here??

Leyla Singh wrote: Should’ve gone to Specsavers

Monica Gaur Nagar wrote: Mera Chashma Aapke Chasma se bada hai! Pallav Tiwari wrote: You may be a Gully boy but when it comes to hitting in the gully I can do it better.

Ritesh Verma wrote: Meri aankhon me dekh, dada. Nahi, tu mere joote dekh, Ranvir.

Hemal A Chauhan wrote: Shaadi wale kapde pehan kar kyun aaya hai?

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

PRIYANKA CHOPRA OR IVANKA TRUMP IN ALEX PERRY?

50% Priyanka Chopra

WHERE IN OZ

This beautifully shaped landmass is a photographer’s delight from up above Readers Tushar Choudhary and Rishabha Chitalia Nayak correctly identified it as Heart Reef, Whitsundays

Indian driver pointed out that today is a rare occurrence. All of “Old India” (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh) is cheering together for India to beat England due to the points table positions. I mentioned Australia cheered for anyone to beat England.

Mike Cannon-Brookes, Atlassian co-founder

Har har Sco Modi, ghar ghar Sco Modi. Ian Woolford, La Trobe academic and Indophile

50% Ivanka Trump

The global shift away from coal continues: India plans to add 500GW of renewableenergy to its electricity grid by 2030. This is around 20 times more capacity than Australia's entire coal fleet.

Climate Council

Photographer Jarrad

Seng

c/Miss Universe Australia

Embrace your difference

What the Miss Universe Australia title means to Indian-Australian girl Priya Serrao. FRANKEY GERARD FERNANDES and SNEHA KHALE report

The first things that strike you about her are her confidence, her winsome smile and her friendly nature.

To us those could be winning traits in themselves, but clearly Priya Serrao has everything else that it takes to be crowned Australia’s most beautiful woman.

Of course the newly crowned Miss Universe Australia never thought of herself in those terms, we know now.

“I hadn’t done anything like this ever before,” Priya told Indian Link. “This is my first ever pageant, and I don’t model either!”

In fact, she was so sure she wouldn’t make it to the top that she didn’t even invite her family to the event!

It was a post on Instagram by last year’s Miss Universe Australia winner Francesca Hung that prompted Priya Serrao to take part in the 2019 pageant.

In hindsight, it feels like something that was meant to be for the India-born Melbourne-based Serrao. After all, India has a long lineage of beauty pageant winners, including super-famous ones like Sushmita Sen (Miss Universe 1994), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (Miss World 1994) and of course Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Miss World 2000) and Serrao is acutely aware of this fact about her country of birth. Then there’s her inspiringly relatable story itself - the 11-yearold girl who moved with her family from India to Australia (via Oman), didn’t fit in anywhere, and found her initial period of

adjustment in Australia “challenging”. Add to that her credentials as a law graduate and the unwavering support of her family, and you’d think Priya Serrao was destined for the title.

The truth is far different though – turns out, Serrao just wanted to enjoy the event.

“Maybe the fact that I didn’t even think I’d make it to the top ten meant I didn’t put too much pressure on myself. I went in with the intention of giving it my best shot, being completely myself and having fun!”

And so Priya Serrao will continue to have fun, as the reigning Miss Universe Australia 2019.

For the Secunderabad-born Priya, life has come a long way from her roots. What we’ve seen of Priya Serrao in the last week, at the pageant and in media and TV appearances

such as on Have You Been Paying Attention, she comes across as an intelligent young woman, supremely self-composed, who is willing to speak her mind. Which is why it’s surprising to learn that one of the reasons her parents were so supportive of her entering the beauty pageant was so she could improve her public speaking skills. “I think they understood that my rationale wasn’t to enter just for the sake of entering but to use the achievement as an opportunity to do something tangible and for the greater good.

I think they thought it’d be useful to build my public speaking skills (I’m still working on this!),” admitted Serrao.

Being so matter-of-fact about the pageant and her chances in it, also meant that Serrao was able to balance her career, her full-time job and the pageant preparations quite efficiently, and without being overwhelmed. “The commitment wasn’t too difficult to manage and work was accommodating enough to let me take two weeks off for

Bali and the national finals. I also fit in my exercise routine before or after work and tried best to eat healthy,” described Serrao.

Of course, believing she wouldn’t make it to the top ten doesn’t mean Serrao didn’t want to win. It was the reason she entered the pageant in the first place. “I thought it would be a good way to gain a platform to start a conversation on issues I care about.”

Issues that she continues to care about and wants to bring more attention to, now that she has a sizeable platform to do so. “I intend on making the most out of every second of this precious opportunity to start conversations about issues such as diversity, inclusion and privilege,” she revealed. “I’d also love to partner with local Melbourne organisations as well as UN agencies going forward.”

Serrao has every reason to be optimistic about these issues. Her own life experience is proof of the diverse and inclusive nature of Australian society. Even the traditionally conservative Miss Universe Australia pageant got sufficiently woke in 2019 by crowning two women of colour as the winner and runner-up (besides Serrao, the pageant’s first runner-up was Western Australia’s Ugandanorigin model Bella Kasimba). Gone are the insecurities and “outsider” feelings of the 11-year-old Indian girl fresh off the plane to Australia. “Australia is my home now,” acknowledged Serrao. “I think winning this title is a testament to Australia’s commitment to embrace diversity. I am so

“It will be a good way to gain a platform to start a conversation on issues I care about.”

lucky to live in a country which has provided me with incredible opportunities and I’m so grateful that I get to represent Australia internationally.”

Although she’s a true and proud Australian, her Indian heritage manifests soon enough, when talking about India and the impact her win might have. “I haven’t been to India in recent years unfortunately, but I have some really great memories of India including swinging on Banyan trees, celebrating Holi, visiting family in Mangalore and watching Dhoom 2 in the cinemas. I used to be obsessed with that movie!”

As someone who didn’t fit in when she first moved to Australia and has now gone on to embrace her diverse self, Serrao is in a unique position to impart wisdom to young people who might see themselves reflected in her. “I hope my win can encourage young people to embrace their difference and be proud of it because it’s what makes you unique. I hope it also encourages young people to explore opportunities that they wouldn’t have thought about otherwise.”

There’s also a little something that’s quintessentially Indian, such as pageant winners Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra Jonas going on to pursue very successful film careers. Would Serrao also make a similar shift in her career, from law to the movies? A self-professed nerd, Serrao says she’s someone ‘who enjoys being stimulated intellectually’. But while she jokingly chimed the classic beauty queen line about “supporting world peace” on HYBPA earlier this week, Serrao candidly told Indian Link, “I love advocating for issues, so in the long term I think I’d always revert back to working in that capacity. However, I like the idea of having new experiences and would consider it if a suitable opportunity comes my way.”

For now, the Miss Universe Australia 2019 is focused on her next target, the Miss Universe title. Serrao’s excitement was palpable when she said, “The next step is to begin preparation for the international competition. I’m so excited to find out when and where it’ll be held because there hasn’t been a formal announcement yet. I’m also incredibly excited about meeting all the other participants from all over the world!”

“I hope my win can encourage young people to embrace their difference and be proud of it because it’s what makes you unique. I hope it also encourages young people to explore opportunities that they wouldn’t have thought about otherwise.”

We speak uent

and Hindi. We have successfully assisted many clients from Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, UK, Nepal, Vietnam, Philippines and Fiji. For your convenience, we see clients at night , weekends and via email/skype so you don’t have to take leave from work.

QUEEN’S B’DAY HONOURS

FROM ORGAN TRANSPLANTS TO CULTURAL TRANSPLANTATION

PROFESSOR

Winita Hardikar, AM

For significant service to medicine, particularly to paediatric liver disease and transplantation

As a junior doctor interested in gastroenterology and liver disease many years ago in Melbourne, Winita Hardikar found a young family in her care. Their baby suffered from biliary atresia, a rare disease of the liver and bile ducts that occurs in infants. Today most such babies would undergo a liver transplant, but back in the early ‘80s, they would simply be put in palliative care, as the doctors had nothing to offer. Most babies survived to two years.

“I was pregnant with my own first child then,” Prof. Hardikar recounted to Indian Link. “The young mum knitted some booties and a hat for my baby. I felt helpless in my inability to do anything for her. When liver transplants began in 1985, I knew I had to get involved.”

Today, Winita Hardikar, one of the country’s leading liver transplant specialists, attends the birthday parties of early patients as they turn into young adults.

In a career spanning 30 years, which has seen multiple transplants, she has won many Special Commendation and Innovation awards, and has produced a treasure trove of research literature. An eponymous syndrome has been named after her: the Hardikar Syndrome is a very rare multiple congenital malformation syndrome characterised by obstructive liver and kidney disease.

She is also credited, along with her colleague Dr Katie Allen, for having performed the first liver cell transplant in Australia. (Less risky than a full transplant, in a liver cell transplant there are no surgical incisions, with liver cells from a donor liver distributed through the liver by blood cells.)

“I’m happy my work has been appreciated, with this AM honour,” Dr Hardikar said. “Yet there’s a lot more to do. Going forward, I hope also to be able to play a more significant role in advocacy with government bodies.”

The Pune-born doctor moved to Australia as a young child and did her

paediatric training at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne before taking a PhD at the University of Melbourne. Then, as a Fulbright scholar, she spent three years at Yale.

She has been Head of Liver and Intestinal Transplantation at the Royal Children’s Hospital since 2013; Director, Gastroenterology and Clinical Nutrition since 2016, and Head of Hepatology since 2003.

What does she feel about the recent reports on racism and sexism in the medical fraternity?

“I’ve never encountered racism; in fact I would say I have been well supported throughout. But sexism, that’s another story. As an intern at Melb Uni I topped

my year in surgery and was keen to get into that field. But a senior surgeon told me straight out, I don’t think women should become surgeons. I didn’t - perhaps because of my cultural background then where we were taught to respect authority. Some of my women friends did get into surgery though. Still, I get to go to theatre a lot in my work!”

Prof. Hardikar has her own words of advice for young people out there who may be considering a career in medicine.

“Do it if you really love it,” she maintained. “It is an all-consuming career: it infringes on your nights, weekends, family life, social life. You take the mental burdens home with you. Don’t do it just because you got the marks for it. And this

is particularly important for parents in our community: don’t push your kids into medicine for prestige - your own, or theirs. Give greater importance to all careers.”

There’s similar counsel for the Indian community in general.

“I agree we come from a rich culture and have so much to offer but we should lose some of the things we were brought up with, such as rote learning, not thinking for ourselves, or saying ‘that’s fate’. I think we should also integrate with others, and not restrict ourselves to our own kind. See another culture, be part of it. There’s a much richer life here that we should make the most of, and contribute to in as many different ways as we can.”

Rajni Anand Luthra

HONOURS

MAKING WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH A PRIORITY

PROFESSOR Jayashri Kulkarni, AM

For significant service to medicine in the field of psychiatry

Professor Jayashri Kulkarni says she is ‘honoured, thrilled and excited’ to receive the Queen’s Birthday honour this year for her work in mental health.

“This award is given to me personally but I see it as a tick of approval for women’s mental health research,” Prof. Kulkarni told Indian Link. “This recognition is also for the team of people that has worked with me in the field. I hope that this recognition will help promote the need for women’s mental health research and attract the funds required to further it.”

Prof. Kulkarni is the founding director of the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) and is currently a Professor of Psychiatry.

She was instrumental in the opening of the women-only wing at The Alfred Hospital Psychiatry Unit, to prevent sexual assault and violent attacks against women in psychiatric wards.

A proud Monash University alumni, she has also been the Director of Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre, Neurosciences & Mental Health Stream.

Early in her career, Prof. Kulkarni established the Dandenong Psychiatric Research Centre, Dandenong hospital. In 2015, she founded the Australian Consortium for Women's Mental Health.

Prof. Kulkarni strongly feels that women’s mental health should be a national priority, including mental health in pregnancy.

In her own research, she pioneered the use of estrogen as a new treatment in schizophrenia and is considered a leader in the field of reproductive hormones and the critical role they play in women’s mental health.

“Improving women’s mental health is intimately tied to improving their wellbeing and productivity, the next generation’s outcome and the mental health of their family and community," Prof. Kulkarni said. What are some of the issues in women’s mental health that are cause for concern currently?

“Interpersonal violence, particularly violence in early life, and repercussions from brain development that can be impacted adversely and expressed as depression, anxiety and other disorders,” Prof. Kulkarni replied. “Further into the field, women are struggling with second class citizen status and facing disparate

power dynamics and/or poverty that is impacting mental health. In Melbourne, we are campaigning that women experience mental health differently and should be treated differently. There are many areas of women’s mental health crying out for more research.”

Sexual harassment and workplace bullying has also come to the fore in a major way in recent years, she added.

“As immediate past President of the International Association of Women’s Mental Health, I observed the progress of the MeToomovement globally.When it first started I must admit I thought 'this is very wealthy women of Hollywood complaining' but then I looked closely into it and found that this is very serious. The movement has now spread to all parts of the world. The calling out of sexual harassment and bullying in the workplace applies to hospital or factory floors just as much as it does to Hollywood elite. Well done to the Hollywood stars who leveraged their communication skills and public traction to push start a very important process of calling out of practises that are unacceptable.”

Jayashri migrated to Australia with her parents in 1961. Her parents quickly integrated into the Australian community, offering a nurturing upbringing by picking

and choosing from both cultures.

She met her husband Ernie Butler at medical school: today he is Head of Neurology at Peninsula Health. They have two daughters – Rani, a medical defence lawyer, and Surina a Monash University medical student.

Jayashri also likes to maintain connections with her extended family in India and travels often to different parts of the country.

“I find there is an interesting change in thinking in the big cities of India that does not necessarily transfer, in a short space of time, to our migration population here,” she remarked.

According to her there is an overrepresentation of women in the Indian community who experience mental illness.

“A lot of migrant families are raising kids in the beliefs of the culture as it was when they left 35 or 40 years ago from their country of origin,” she observed. “They are frozen in time and this is causing a real schism for the second and third generation kids that need to navigate with the family beliefs and the external western influences surrounding them. This can cause disharmony within the individual and we do see them grappling with depression, anxiety and eating disorders as an expression of this. There are many

fabulous things within our culture like the sense of family, enjoyment and bonding within the community. Also the food, colours, passion, and enthusiasm… but for women, there is still some work to be done.”

As a mentor to many young women researchers and clinicians, Prof. Kulkarni strongly feels that it is important for senior women executives to take on mentorship roles.

“There are many diverse leadership styles for young men to emulate, but there are fewer choices for women as there are not enough senior women in executive positions in certain fields.”

“I often like to say to young women, you do not have to be an honorary man to be a leader,” she said with a smile.

As a Club Melbourne Ambassador, Kulkarni is also looking forward to Melbourne hosting the Women’s Congress for Mental Health in 2021. “Academic tourism is critical to exchange ideas with the world, sharing the state’s expertise, boosting the economy and bringing thought leadership here."

This exceptional leader, mentor and speaker is doing an inspirational job spearheading the advancement of research in women’s mental health.

Preeti Jabbal

QUEEN’S B’DAY HONOURS

INVESTING MORE IN SCIENCE AND TECH

DISTINGUISHED PROF Dharmendra Prakash Sharma, AM

For significant service to higher education, and to computer science

Afew minutes into the conversation with Distinguished Prof. Dharmendra Prakash Sharma, and you know you’re going to learn a lot. Not just about the man himself, who’s the recipient of an AM in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours, but also about AI, computer science and higher education.

His reaction to receiving the AMsurprise, humility and a dash of excitement for the future. “I’m trying to pinch myself to see if this is real,” was the only ordinary thing this extraordinary gentleman uttered.

“I didn’t realise at first this would be such a huge deal,” he said. “I’m more than surprised by this honour. It’s the perfect shot of oxygen for me to keep pushing at what I do, and to contribute to make the world a better place.”

So how does the Chair of the Academic Board at the University of Canberra and a Hind Rattan Award winner, make the world a better place? The answer is simple: (a) with his actual work and (b) with his attitude towards science, education and humanity.

Born in Fiji after his forefathers moved there 140 years ago, Prof Sharma is a fourth generation Fijian-Indian and exceptionally proud of his Indian heritage.

He’s also equally proud of what Australia has done for him. “I draw a lot of energy from the diversity that Australia offers. I come from a very humble background. I moved to Australia for my post-graduation. The country has allowed me to serve in the education sector for 40 years, provide leadership to my team and contribute to the world around me by making international connections to others in the field,” he said.

That field is computer science, and his key research interests include distributed AI and the applications of AI to human centered modelling and problem solving. Put simply, Prof Sharma’s work involves solving complex, real-world problems with data. He’s not bogged down by alarming reports suggesting 40% of jobs will be lost by 2025. Like all visionaries, he’s cautiously optimistic about the future of AI. “There is some merit to this thought. But the undiscovered potential of AI is vast. The rise of AI doesn’t mean all jobs will be wiped out, it just means that new, more creative jobs will come up. We humans have the power to build this narrative the way we want, as long as we understand where technology is taking us. Understanding that will make humanity more empowered; society will be more technologically savvy and we’ll be able to solve some very difficult problems.”

Take climate change, for instance. With climate deniers refusing to accept scientific evidence, Prof. Sharma realises that the pressure is even more on the scientific community to use data science to address concerns from naysayers. “There will always be deniers,” he observed. “We have to convince them with education. For climate change, political support is needed, but political solutions might not be the answers. Science and education are.

MUSIC KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES

Carnatic music. Thrilled by the OAM honour, Jayashree told Indian Link, “Any award will propel you to work harder and this honour has instilled an all-new confidence in me. Ever since I landed here in Australia I have been working in the field of Carnatic music by performing and teaching the art. I’m indeed happy by this recognition.”

I encourage my students to use science to strengthen their arguments.”

In his role as an educator at multiple universities worldwide (UC; University of South Pacific, Fiji; University of Fiji; Fiji National University), as the founding President and Fellow of the South Pacific and the Australian Computer Societies respectively, as a Fulbright ambassador since 2016 and as the senior member of various institutions and think-tanks, Prof. Sharma has always stressed on the importance of education and of students challenging themselves. He’s especially passionate about the STEM fields, saying, “Worldwide, we’re not investing as much

as we should in science and technology. STEM should have a lot more focus early on in school. But I see the students who come to me, from all over the world, and I’m filled with hope.”

What’s next for Prof Sharma? “This award is just a stepping stone. I’ll continue to be a professor - connect with international colleagues and universities (including many Indian ones) to solve difficult problems, use data science to make the world a better place. I still haven’t achieved everything that I want to. There’s lots to do still, and I’m very excited about the future.”

Sneha Khale

Jayashree Ramachandran, a Carnatic music vocalist, believes that her OAM recognition would motivate her to reach many more milestones in the field of

Jayshree, who is the Vice-President of the Federation of Indian Music and Dance (FIMDV) since 2013, is also the founder of Sapthaswara School of Carnatic Music. The school, which was started with just a handful of students in 1992, is now one of the finest music schools in Melbourne. About this musical journey, Jayashree said, “Thirty years ago, the environment in Australia was challenging for me to

establish the Carnatic music scene as there were only a few Indians here. Also, I was juggling between my Telstra job, family life and music at that time. Slowly but steadily, I made the Telstra job a parttime one and Carnatic music became my full-time career, so that I could give my 100 percent to this art. Our school, which has hundreds of students now, started with just four to five kids. Over a period of time, with many dedicated musical performances across Australia, we were able to inspire many children to learn Carnatic music. We also created avenues to help kids display their talent on stage. From the initial baby steps to now watching our school students perform at three-day concerts, truly it has been a rewarding experience so far.

Despite western music taking centrestage, we have managed to inculcate the love of Carnatic music in our young children. My wish is that out of 100 students, at least 20 consider Carnatic music vocals as their professional career to keep this beautiful art alive in the coming years.”

To help youngsters to understand Carnatic music, Jayashree has been performing thematic concerts, which according to her are being well received by the audiences. About the conceptbased musical performances, she said, “In these thematic presentations, I explain the concept of the song in English and then render songs based on that theme. I have plans to do more such lecture-based musical concerts as they reach out to a wider audience, especially youngsters,

Jayashree Ramachandran, OAM

Recognised for service to the performing arts through Indian music and dance

HONOURS

SMART STRATEGY

PROFESSOR Arun Kumar Sharma, AM

For significant service to computer science and information technology

Alook at the career highlights of Prof. Arun Kumar Sharma makes one wonder why his Australian Government honour did not come sooner.

The Queensland University of Technology’s Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation) has made many noteworthy contributions in a wide range of areas, as he straddles the worlds of university, research and industry.

“Yes I have tried to (be broad-based),” Prof Sharma told Indian Link. “I’m pleased that this recognition has come my way, and grateful that my contributions are acknowledged.”

In his own area of expertise, ICT, Prof Sharma’s work has significantly impacted Australia’s research and innovation policy. In the early 2000s, as UNSW’s head of the School of Computer Science and Engineering, he co-founded the Cooperative Research Centre for Smart Internet Technology, a seven-year project that linked universities, industry and federal and state governments in the research and development of high-end Internet technologies. The research expertise that arose from the program has paved the way in areas such as ad hoc networks, agent technology, artificial intelligence and data mining.

Also in the early 2000s, Prof. Sharma co-founded and became inaugural Director of National ICT Australia (known then as

NICTA but now a part of CSIRO Data61). The organisation’s role was to pursue potentially significant ICT-related research for the Australian economy.

“To establish cooperative research centres in technology has been rewarding and fulfilling,” Prof. Sharma said.

Taking up his current position at QUT in 2004, Prof. Sharma has focussed on building the university’s research capabilities very successfully. “Our research income has tripled,” he revealed, adding, “We have also increased our research ranking substantially. Particularly satisfying for me has been the expansion of our research and innovation activities in regional areas.”

Sharma has been actively involved in Bluebox (QUT’s innovation, venture and investment company), and in cooperative research centres in a variety of sectors such as diagnostics, construction innovation and integrated engineering asset management.

He also sits on the boards of a number of institutes, again showing a breadth of interest and expertise: children’s medical research, Gallipoli research, sugar research, and has also been on the board

of the Adani Abbot Point Terminal ever since they acquired it in 2011.

About Adani, Prof. Sharma noted, “They want to address the energy needs of India. I hope (the project) will go ahead. They are doing their bit for renewable energy too. I think we need to create a balance in how we look at climate change and economic opportunities.”

Sharma’s particular passion for fostering Australia-India links has been longstanding. He served as national chair of the Australia India Business Council (20112012) and as President of its Queensland chapter (2005-2011).

In 2011, when his university conferred an honorary doctorate on Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, Prof. Sharma may have inadvertently played a role in breaking bilateral tension.

In the wake of the strained relations between India and Australia following the student attacks of 2009-10, Amitabh Bachchan had rejected a university honour from Australia. His acceptance of the QUT honour, engineered by Prof. Sharma, may have helped in its own way to bring

the balance back in the Indian public’s perception of Australia.

Sharma was born in Bihar and studied in Assam and in New Delhi. He took his undergraduate degree at the prestigious BITS Pilani, then a PhD from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a postdoc from MIT.

He moved to Australia in 1991 to work at UNSW.

The move from research and teaching to administration helped him tick off many items on his wish list. “I felt I was able to make a greater contribution by helping build institutions; the impact that I had (as an administrator) was far greater… and it’s been a role I’ve enjoyed.”

What’s in the future for Prof. Sharma? His brilliant mind is brimming with ideas.

“I hope to undertake projects in renewable energy, going forward. I’m also writing – on the future of tech, and the future of work. I’m also keen to look at more bilateral projects in the IndiaAustralia space.”

Rajni Anand Luthra

who get to know more about their tradition. Currently, I’m doing a lot of research on various topics for these thematic presentations.” She added, “Right now Carnatic music has been restricted only to the Indian community. I would like to take this artform to the mainstream audience in Australia as music has no boundaries. We have also been performing orchestral ensembles just to reach out to the local audience. My students and I have been performing in many street festivals and cross-culture music festivals to create awareness in the mainstream about the rich cultural heritage of Indian classical music.”

Janani Karthik

QUEEN’S B’DAY HONOURS

WORKING FOR THE CITIZENS OF TOMORROW

Shashi Kant Kochhar, OAM

For service to the community through charitable initiatives

"Respect the people, places and laws of the country you choose to call your home. Try to improve on what’s there, but don’t try to create your old home at your new home.”

These golden words of advice from his father have stayed with Melbourne’s Shashi Kochhar ever since he migrated to Australia from Indiain 1978.

Receiving an OAM in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours is a huge privilege, according to him.

“It makes me feel humbled, privileged and further motivated to continue doing my community service,” Shashi told Indian Link.

“Each day I wake up more energised to see how my dream of giving back to the community is being fulfilled,” said the septuagenarian.

Shashi laughingly shared how his friends often tell him ‘he is different’.

Some acquaintances even joke about ‘forgetting their wallets at home’; in case Shashi has yet another cause which needs some contribution.

He takes it all in his stride with good humour, because he is on an ongoing mission.

He wants to ensure that the future generation is happy and for that he is

prepared to clean up parks of waste and rubbish, walk miles to raise funds, plant trees, donate blood and stand on streets collecting tin box donations.

As the founder of Friends of Children Foundation, Shashi has helped raise millions of dollars for Monash Children Hospital and Royal Children Hospitals in Melbourne.

Established in 1998, this not-for-profit works with organisations that provide better health and education for the citizens of tomorrow.

Shashi laments the damage caused by parents of his generation, for not teaching their children about looking after the environment.

“We may be living in the lucky country, but we need to look after it and help maintain it. We need to give more to this country that has supported and rewarded us,” he emphasised.

He believes that for communities to prosper and sustain, all young people should be valued, engaged and supported. He strongly encourages people to volunteer in various ways and involve young children to inspire them as good role models.

He walks the talk by leading a cleaning campaign for Clean Up Australia Day every year and organising 24-km charity walks since 2012. He has donated blood over 145 times and delivered bread to aged care, asylum centres and other needy places for years.

With his appointment as Justice of Peace he has plenty of opportunities to contribute by volunteering his services to provide an integral link in the judicial system. As a JP he has signed over 30,000 documents for people till date.

Shashi believes in one god but feels that faith has, somewhere along the years, overpowered cultures.

SERVING FOR EMPOWERMENT

Dr

to his Indian roots and values. But as this OAM recipient talks about himself, you’ll be amazed at his fascinating life story.

As current chairperson of the Monash Interfaith gathering he supports collaborative relationships with various faiths and beliefs committed to working towards understanding, respect, peace and dignity.

His passion for community work has been recognised by various awards and recommendations including Sir John Monash Award (Multicultural Champion Category, City of Monash, 2018) and Sir John Monash Community Service Award (City of Monash, 2007).

Abiding by his father’s parting words, Shashi has spent most of his working and retired life ‘paying back’ and showing respect to the society he lives in. The impact of this amazing volunteer is extraordinarily positive: with his compassion, unselfish caring and unconditional love for his fellow human beings, Shashi has gone on to become one of the most loved personalities in Melbourne’s Indian community. The world definitely needs need more of his tribe.

Preeti Jabbal

Speak to Dr Krishna Nadimpalli, and you’ll agree that what stands out most about him are his humility and his connection

Dr Krishna was born in a remote village in Andhra Pradesh called Gummampadu in West Godavari District. There was no electricity, or even roads, at his village. Yet he overcame the odds and became the first person in his village to complete Year 10. The local school had classes only till Year 5, so he had to walk to a neighbouring village to continue schooling. “In monsoon and in winter, I would take an extra pair of clothes with me to change into, in case I slipped and fell in the mud!”

He failed Year 12 due to lack of guidance and opportunities. But he tried again and passed. He obtained a degree

in Geology from Bimavaram College, and then gained entry to the prestigious IIT Roorkee for a Master’s degree. Krishna worked as a lecturer in Bimavaram College and later as a scientist in Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Continuing in his efforts to do “better”, Dr Krishna did another Masters in Land Ecology from the Netherlands and a PhD in Geoscience from Andhra University.

Dr Nadimpalli moved to Australia in 2000. And if his story so far sounds like the achievement of a determined, selfmade man, then what he has achieved in Australia in less than 20 years, is just as extraordinary.

As an environmental scientist at the

University of Canberra he has worked in the field of disaster management, climate change adaptation, risk assessment and urban planning. But his passion for social inclusion and empowering communities was a constant motivator.

He has actively participated and served the Indian community as well as the multicultural community in Canberra. As President of the Telugu Association, Dr Krishna founded the Federation of Telugu Associations in Australia. He also founded the Telugu School (Telugu Badi) in Canberra and, following up on his love of his mother tongue, has now got National (NAATI) Accreditation for the Telugu language.

Currently he is Chairman of the Canberra Hindu Mandir and Secretary

HONOURS

BUILDING CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

PROFESSOR

Mahalingam Sinnathamby, AM

In the early nineties, an enterprising property developer purchased 2860 hectares of bushland near Brisbane that had been beset by planning problems. He set about transforming it into Australia’s largest fully master-planned city, the only other since Canberra. The multi-award winning city is projected to have a population of 138,000 by 2030.

Lobbying various governmental departments over the last three decades to make this vision a reality, Greater Springfield is Malaysia-born and UNSW-trained civil engineer, MahalingamSinnathamby’s dream come true. As a major economic driver, it is also a vision of Australia’s urban future, boasting combined health, education, technology and transport precincts.

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull rightly described it as a national and nation building project.

“This is not my recognition alone. It has been a twenty six-year journey with eleven schools, three thousand teachers and forty one thousand individuals. When it went to the parliament for approval, eighty-nine members voted unanimously for it. The credit goes to every single person along the way who helped to achieve this vision,” Sinnathamby, who will turn eighty this year, told Indian Link.

As Chairman of the Springfield City Group, he has overseen the single largest planned city built by individuals. The project was awarded World’s Best Master Planned Community by International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) and Australia’s Best Master Planned Community by Urban Development Institute of Australia. It also won Urban Development Institute of Australia’s National President’s Award as well as Property Council of Australia’s Best Master Planned Community besides numerous state level recognitions.

By creating a master-planned community where people can live, learn, work and play in a city, while fully supported by high quality infrastructure, commercially viable and sustainable development, his goal is to enrich society and make a difference at an individual level.

Outlining the substantial legacy he has helped shape, Sinnathambysaid with great humility,“I owe it to my wife, my business partner and our families. If anything needs recognition, it is the breadth of opportunities this great country offers. With 1.8% of India’s population spread across a country that is two and a half times bigger, Australians have unlimited natural resources, beautiful weather and a stable democratic system, where everyone is equal. What else can we ask for? Seize the opportunity, rise up and aspire for better.”

Despite very humble beginnings, his relentless work ethic and indomitable resilience have seen Sinnathamby stave off failures to become one of the wealthiest people in Australia. A recent publication Stop Not Till Goal Is Reached unpacks his philosophy in life, drawing inspiration from the legendary Swami Vivekanada. He values education above anything else, reiterating its importance at every occasion. “Education is the currency of the future. It is one thing that can be cashed anywhere and at any time. No one can take

it away from you.”

As patron of the Singapore Business Council, former president of Australian Malaysia Business Council and former member, Australia India Business Council, he has lent his business acumen to support emerging entrepreneurs.

He is also a patron of the Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland and Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (Queensland branch).

Inspired by the philosophy of Sri Ramakrishna and Mahatma Gandhi, he believes in giving. Philanthropy has been a big part of his life, be it to his alma mater, where a number of equity scholarships have been established, or to community groups and cultural organisations. He is a patron of the Vedanta Centre Sydney and a founding patron of its Brisbane chapter.

Exuding positivity at all times, Sinnathamby is an inspirational speaker who believes life’s challenges make one’s destiny. Always emulating simplicity, he is a firm believer that adversity and hardship have ingrained mental toughness in him.

Prior to the Order of Australia recognition, has been conferred with many accolades, including an honorary doctorate from the University of Southern Queensland, Centenary Medal for contribution to Regional Development; 2003 Ernst and Young Master Entrepreneur of the Year (Northern Region), Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary International, Australian Institute of Management Medal for Management Innovation and the GOPIO International Renowned Entrepreneur Excellence Award. Usha Ramanujam Arvind

of the Canberra Interfaith Forum, thus not only contributing to his Hindu faith, but making a mark among people of other faiths too. As Chair of the Hindu Mandir, he has successfully lobbied the ACT Government for a larger temple and is in the process of fund-raising for this project.

In addition, Dr Nadimpalli has also been active in the International Mother Language Movement. Cricket, his other love, continues to feature in his life in Australia, such as in organising multicultural cricket tournaments.

What would he say is his proudest achievement?

“I would say, the introduction of the Art of Living Foundation’s PrisonSmart program for the rehabilitation of prisoners in Canberra. My motto is ‘Serving for Empowerment’, and this is what I really

want to do.”

He is grateful to his wife Lakshmi, who supports him fully in all his activities. He has two sons and is soon to be a grandfather.

Talking about his OAM, Dr Krihna chose characteristically to downplay it: I am happy, he said, sounding content.

True humility, one could not help thinking.

Then he said, “It actually inspires me to do more. I have decided to retire and devote my life to community service. First there is the temple to build. But then, my dream is to have Wellness Centres across Australia that deal with mental health issues, cancer and other terminal illnesses, and drug and alcohol addiction. I would like to see a drug-free Australia.”

Vinaya Rai

For significant service to the building and construction sector, and to the community

Spice Angel

Sandeep Pandit looks back at his MasterChef stint, and reveals plans for new adventures

BY SURUCHI SEHGAL

Rick Stein described his Lachcha Paratha as “exquisite”. “There are angels singing somewhere,” host Gary declared as he took a bite of his Masala Lobster, even as his colleague George yelled “You the man! You the man!”

Sandeep Pandit’s dishes on MasterChef Australia have been touted as some of the best Indian dishes the show has ever seen.

Looking back at his time this year on Australia’s leading reality TV show, the 37-year-old from Kashmir muses that it taught him loads about himself.

“I came out of MasterChef a more confident person – thanks to the tight deadlines, the thinking-on-feet required of contestants, and the stress of it all,” he told Indian Link. “But perhaps more importantly, I realised that I am the source of my own creativity. I have the power to create something (beautiful) that can make a difference.”

Such as when he saw his Mystery Box

ingredients, for example. “Nobody in their right mind would cook Indian from there, but I saw basil and tomatoes, and I thought, this could work!” He converted it to a basil lachcha paratha served with a tomato gravy, and Rick Stein, who he holds in great awe, was floored.

“That is my favourite moment from the show,” Sandeep beamed.

Clearly he rates it higher than the perfect score of 30 for his Lemon Rice and Lemon Pepper Chicken which won him an Immunity Pin.

Surprisingly, he was never in an elimination round. Yet his last cook on the show could have been better. (Interestingly, his fateful choice, kheer, is something his compatriots typically cook as an auspicious offering, or a celebratory sweet.) Sandeep apologised profusely for letting his supporters down, but put it all down to a back injury. “I was heavily medicated at that point, and was just not focused. Mind and body were not at tandem for such a fierce competition.”

The Melbourne-based IT professional has been a fan of the show since before he arrived in Australia in 2016, but he has cooking since childhood, he revealed. As an eight-year-old in 1989, his family were

forced to flee the militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. He choked up as he recalled being boarded on to a truck in Srinagar, with his parents following behind on a scooter. Starting a new life from scratch in Bangalore with meagre means, required him to help his mother in the kitchen, and that’s where he found his passion.

“My grandmother tried to kick me out of the kitchen, but once she figured I wanted to stay, she began sharing little tidbits about food.”

The family kitchen is perhaps where Sandeep learned also about the divinity of food and the spirituality of cooking. His conversation is littered with references to his mum and both grandmothers as his real idols when it comes to cooking, even though he lists celebrity Indian chef Sanjeev Kapoor and writer Jiggs Kalra who passed away recently, as inspirations

There’s no doubt that family is a big deal for Sandeep. It’s not surprising then that he gave his MasterChef colleagues the same accord.

Recounting the time inside the MasterChef house, Sandeep talked of looking forward to dinner time as there was always somebody trying something new. He shared a particularly close bond with Tati, who he considers a sister. On the day he exited the show, he had said, “If I get to stay in the show at the cost of Tati getting out, I’d rather be eliminated.” About other contestants, he admired how

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH SANDEEP PANDIT

Immunity pin or cook for Nigella

Immunity pin

One dish that you’re terrified of cooking Beef

Favourite dishes to cook for family For my son, chicken cooked on coals; for Mum, Muji chatin, a Kashmiri dish of Mooli ki chutney; my wife’s favourite dish is anything I cook!

Comfort food Dal chawal / Rasam rice

Judging Indian MasterChef or winning Indian Idol Judging Indian Masterchef

Biggest inspiration Myself as I learn from my mistakes, and both my divangat (late) grandmothers

That one dish you want ready for you when you get back home to India Tahaer, which is Kashmiri peelay chawal, cooked with mustard oil and spicy potato curry without onions, garlic or tomatoes. I cooked it for the audition on MasterChef.

Three people you’d like to cook for The late Dr. Abdul Kalam, India’s former President (I’d like to cook him his favourite Dum Aloo); and both my grandmothers (I’d cook something traditionally Kashmiri for them, like Roganjosh and Yakhni)

“After a time you forget there’s a camera around you. You are conscious for 3-4 days but then you just get used to it. So, the stuff that you saw, like the judges barging in and announcing something, was real. We never knew what was in store for us till we got to set.”

No prizes for guessing who his favourite judge is. “Gary has play a very important role in bringing Indian cuisine to the forefront,” he observed. “On a personal front, he encouraged me a lot as I battled my back problem.”

Asked whether it’s time we had a woman host, Sandeep noted that Billy and Poh almost co-host the show. “Gender doesn’t matter, as long as the hosts have a demonstrated passion for, and devotion to, the art of cooking.”

strong a contestant Tessa has been, and revealed that Dee would have been tough competition had she stayed on.

The anecdotes from the MasterChef kitchen continued as he spoke about singing Hindi songs to relax, even as nobody understood what he was singing. “Nushi (Anushka) once asked me whether I know the song Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja… and I said of course, Nushi!” he laughed.

Singing is another pet passion for Sandeep, who tried out for Indian Idol 2007. (Yes, he could tell you a thing or two about the differences in reality shows on Indian and Australian TV).

Was reel life different from real life?

Looking to the future, Sandeep discussed his plans for an upcoming website which would be a collection of authentic Kashmiri recipes, as well as introducing his own line of garam masala and blended spices. (“Indian cuisine is such that every dish has a set recipe. But the garam masala is something that differs in every household and it really makes the difference!”) He is also looking for collaborations to host pop-ups across Australia and work on travel and food shows like Netflix’s Street Food or Raja, Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniya. Plans are in the pipeline also for a restaurant Barbeque and Biryani in Melbourne.

MA Centre (Aust) Foundation presents inaugural awards

The Queen was not the only matriarch acknowledging service to the community through her honours last month. Amma’s Ashram in Carrum Downs celebrated a multicultural event acknowledging the service of community leaders.

The event ‘Embracing Peace 2019’ was hosted by the MA Centre (Aust) Foundation, a not-for-profit inspired by the humanitarian leader Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma). This year’s theme ‘Grace in Action’ fostered the ideal of service (sewa) through compassion, acceptance and understanding.

This was the fourth year of this annual event and the inaugural year for presenting community awards, according to Nava Subramaniam, Director of Amrita Australia Ltd, one of Amma’s many charitable organisations in Australia.

Amrita Australia’s mission as a public benevolent institution is to provide relief to persons who are unable to care for themselves or who suffer from poverty, sickness, destitution and helplessness.

Among its current community outreach projects is a Kids Breakfast Club, a program that provides breakfast at local primary schools, benefitting economically

and socially disadvantaged children who would otherwise start the day without a healthy meal.

Another project, Mother’s Kitchen, provides free nutritious meals to homeless and vulnerable persons in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.

Amrita Australia is also fundraising for AIMS Faridabad, a healthcare facility in Delhi NCR. The hospital, spread over 100 acres of industrial city land, will include a multidisciplinary children’s facility and

BAAZAAR

DIRECTOR: Gauravv K. Chawla

STARRING: Saif Ali Khan, Rohan Mehra, Radhika Apte, Chitrangda Singh

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

Saif Ali Khan’s Shakun Kothari’s destiny run on the same lines. Except that Saif as the wily ruthless

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

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

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

78 28 18

a

him have.

However, of the peoples reminder been reminds achieved

The put current 18C constrains speech.

That unlawful public likely… humiliate

Rizwan’s a bristling her finale. He down moment in of the come ‘When (Nikhil Arora)

of people” is done

There

is important important the

of speech

an informed

YOGA 101

On 21 June, the world marked the 5th International Day of Yoga (IDY) with plenty of enthusiasm.

When we think about the origins of yoga, we envision sadhus and yogis on Himalayan peaks and in jungles, living an ascetic life. Fast forward to 2019, when chic studios are brimming with athleisureclad, eco-mat carrying, kombuchadrinking fitness enthusiasts that have tried every trendy yoga class in the city! Yoga purists may look down upon these trends as ridiculousness, but hey, even the goofiest fad makes people put their phone aside and focus on stretching and breathing.

Closer to home, in Melbourne, yoga enthusiasts, novices and experts came together to celebrate this day of wellness. It wasn’t quite nude yoga, beer yoga or goat yoga, but plenty of eager folks were up and ready for the traditional yoga at the Art of Living Foundation, Victorian Parliament and in Keysborough.

The Yoga Day event hosted by the Art of Living Foundation in collaboration with University of Melbourne and the Consulate General of India, Melbourne was held on 22 June at Martyn Myer Arena, Southbank Campus at the University of Melbourne. Nearly 150 people of varying age-groups attended.

At the Victorian Parliament, the International Day of Yoga had the following message – Health is Your Birthright. Led by Rajendra Yenkannamoole, participants included the Leader of the Opposition Michael O’Brian MP, Neil Angus, Brad Rowswell, Kaushaliya Vaghela, Indian Consul

General Rakesh Malhotra, Rampal Muthyala of Yoga Australia, AYUSH and yoga students of Vasudeva Kriya Yoga.

Earlier on, the Yoga Day celebration in Keysborough conducted on 16 June turned out to be a great success with an active participation of nearly 300 yoga enthusiasts, many of them children.

India-Oz: Student opportunities and research ties

Just as the average Indian migrant faces a mixed bag of experiences - some pleasant and some challenging - it’s a tricky affair for Aussie expats living in India as well. In this series, we speak to such Aussies about their life in India - what took them there, what they do, and what they have learnt about a different culture and a new way of life.

This issue, we chat with SHAUN STAR, Associate Professor at Jindal Global Law School

What do you do in India?

I have been living and working in India since 2010. I first came as a Prime Minister Asia Endeavour Scholar to study at the National Law School of India. Although my wife and I only intended to spend a year in India, we are still here a decade later! Since then, I have co-founded and chaired the Australia India Youth Dialogue (AIYD), worked as a corporate lawyer and worked in operations for the Indian Premier League. I currently work as an Associate Professor at Jindal Global Law School where I also run the Centre for India Australia Studies (CIAS). The CIAS is the first and only centre with a focus on the India-Australia bilateral relationship that is embedded in an

Indian higher education institution. As Executive Director of the CIAS, I work closely with a number of Australian education institutions to create awareness about India as well as pioneer opportunities for student mobility and research collaborations between Australia and India. What challenges have you faced at work?

One of the biggest challenges has been to create an Australian imagination in India. In my experience, the perception of Australia in India has very much revolved around stereotypes such as cricket and kangaroos. Much of my work with the CIASand the AIYD has been to break down these stereotypes and create awareness about Australia in India (and vice versa).

Until recently, Australia has not necessarily been a priority destination for the best and brightest Indian students due to these perceptions. However, as the bilateral relationship between India and Australia grows, and the awareness about Australia increases, this trend is changing. Helping build momentum in this space has been a challenge of CIAS and AIYD over the past decade.

How did you first get to India?

When, in 2010, I was awarded the inaugural Prime Minister’s Australia Asia Endeavour Award, I could choose to study and work in any country in Asia. Despite the fact that the majority of my cohort selected to go to Australia’s traditional Asian trading partners

China, Indonesia and Japan, I chose to go to India because of the similarities in the legal framework with Australia. Through this scholarship I spent a year studying Indian law at the National Law School of India in Bangalore. It also provided me with the opportunity to gain valuable experience working in a law firm in India at a time when there were very few foreign lawyers in India. My wife and I loved living in India so much that we never went back! India has become our home - so much so that our one-year-old son’s first spoken word was inHindi rather than English! Why aren’t there more Australian companies in India?

This is an important time in the bilateral

Presenting the Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne with a copy of his book.

With Australian university students during the India Immersion Programme 2018, hosted by the CIAS for three weeks and funded by the Australian Government’s New Colombo Programme.

relationship and there seems to be a lot of momentum in favour of increased trade activity. The release of the Peter Varghese report is evidence of this and with strong government support on both sides, this might catalyse stronger trade relations.

However, the reason that I feel that Australian companies are reluctant to come to India is partly due to a lack of awareness - both in terms of the opportunities and the business culture. I have been fortunate enough to have advised a number of Australian companies enter into India over the years and many of them have reaped the rewards of their investments here over time. Unfortunately, if you ask any businessperson in Australia about doing business in India, they have all heard anecdotes about investments or business relationships where something has gone wrong. We don’t publicise the success stories of Australian business in India enough - and there is an increasing number of these.

Let’s talk about your personal experiences of India now. What was your first impression?

When I arrived at Bangalore airport in June 2010, I had never been to India before! While there were some initial challenges negotiating the cultural differences, overall, I was struck by the incredible hospitality of strangers and new friends. When we first arrived, we knew no one and had to rely on the kindness of

others to help us settle in and acclimatise. Some of the friends that we made early on remain close friends today.

Adjusting, what was the most difficult bit?

Adjusting to Indian culture, or for any culture for that matter, is all about perceptions. If you keep looking at everything through an Australian lens, and compare things with what you are used to (and what seems normal), you are unlikely to adjust. If you approach a new culture with an open mind, adjustment becomes easier and more enjoyable. In saying that, getting used to masala in Indian cooking took some time and I used to crave simple things like mashed potato or lasagne (I now, however, often find food in Australian quite bland!)

What did you find to be the most strange?

Driving! It took some time to understand that certain road rules are more like “suggestions” and lines on the road are more decoration than guides!

Figured out the head wobble?

Yes, absolutely, I even wobble my head when I am speaking on the phone. My family in Australia think I’m mad…

What was the easiest thing settling in India?

The warmth and hospitality of people. Apart from having developed amazing friendships with Indians from work and other activities, I am part of an expat cricket club in Delhi. Here, I have made some amazing friends

from all over the world and played cricket with them throughout the country. How did your neighbours treat you when you first moved in?

We have had a good relationship with our neighbours across the various apartments we have been in throughout India. We have been regularly invited for chai or a meal and to talk about cricket, politics or Bollywood. Indeed, we have been so warmly welcomed into our community and our son is so well known in the street that everyone, from the presswallah to the chowkidar to the Uncle in the flat next door to the Aunty on the first floor, stop to say hello to him and give him treats.

Apart from family and friends, what do you miss about Australia?

It is difficult not to miss the outdoor lifestyle, climate and infrastructure. In Delhi, the extreme temperatures over summer and pollution over winter make it difficult to play sport outside, or even go for a walk to the market.

What’s your India bucket list?

I have been lucky enough to experience a lot of things in India be it professionally, through travel or in sport. Top of my bucket list would probably be to witness an India-Australia World Cup Final, as the atmosphere in Indian stadiums is always electrifying. Watching the Quarter Final between India and Australia in 2011 was amazing (despite the result).

Professionally, I would like to provide student mobility opportunities that will allow 1,000 Australian university students to experience and engage with India during their studies. A student mobility program to India changed my life, and I want to afford that opportunity to the next generation of Australians.

Do you see yourself long-term in India?

After spending a decade in India, it will be very hard to leave as we have built a life here. Nevertheless, regardless of where we are based, India will always be a place I remain engaged with on a personal and professional level.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

Read a book by an Indian writer? My wife and I have quite an extensive India library which includes non-fiction such as works by Shashi Tharoor and fiction such as the writings of Arundhati Roy.

Know any Hindi words? Yes, enough to know what my students are discussing when they think I do not understand.

Favourite local dish? Too many to list here, but having lived in Bangalore for a number of years, I can’t go past a good Set Dosa for breakfast! These days however, we tend to eat more Bengali food, as we live in a Bengali colony in Delhi.

Cook anything Indian? I’m not great in the kitchen, but I can whip up a dish of Poha if required!

Favourite Indian personality? Rahul Dravid.

Seen a Bollywood movie? Yes! Too many to count!

Deepika Padukone or Alia Bhatt? Deepika Padukone.

SRK or Salman? SRK.

Know any Hindi film songs? A few e.g. All izz well, (3 Idiots).

Any advice to Aussies looking to work in India? If you are given the opportunity to experience India, go for it. Embrace the culture, eat the varying cuisines and travel widely.

With Australian High Commissioner Harinder Sidhu and Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University at the inauguration of the CIAS in 2016.

Presenting at a conference on India-Oz collaboration in legal education and higher education.

With former PM Kevin Rudd.

House of beauty

Beyond 9 to 5: These women built their beauty careers working from home

BY PREETI JABBAL

They chose to be their own bosses and became super-successful beauticians and hairdressers. These women abandoned their 9 to 5 routine, and instead, offered beauty services working from home. Whether as hairdressers or beauticians, the challenges were similar, but their stories diverse and experiences aplenty. Here they reveal some colour, fragrance and textures from their life’s makeup kit.

WORK FROM HOME MUM ZHANKANA JOCHEBED of Zan Salon, Vermont South

GLAMOCRACY DIMPLE GUPTA of MUD (MakeUP By Dimple), Clayton

A day in the life of professional makeup artist and hairstylist Dimple Gupta is a balancing act between looking after her little daughter Myra, and her much loved vocation. Specialising in bridal and formal occasions, she has honed her skills in bringing out an individual’s unique beauty and making them shine.

“The best part of my job is when my clients feel that rush of confidence when they look in the mirror after a session, and I know that my mission is accomplished,” said Dimple. She runs a studio from home and takes mobile assignments with photographers, models and commercials.

Dimple came to Australia as a student in 2007 and completed her education in Community Welfare Development. She started working for a not-for-profit and at the same time pursued her interest in fashion and beauty. Counselling became a large part of her role both as a beautician and women’s welfare program manager.

Fashion Designing,” said Dimple.

When she migrated to Australia, she worked in Welfare and simultaneously started shaping a career in beauty through training and education. “My friends often asked me why I was working on two extremes but I enjoyed both equally,” shared Dimple.

Dimple’s experience in the industry is varied but she never forgets an inspirational young woman she met on a modelling shoot who was an unfortunate victim of rape. She still turned up for her shoot the day after the incident and Dimple was asked to do her makeup. “I had never come across such a situation before but I handled it with sensitivity and care,” she revealed. “It was inspiring to see someone so young show such remarkable resilience. I can never forget her.”

As a young mother of two, Zhankana started Zan Salon from home ten years ago after she completed her beauty course and training. She was pregnant with her first child and remembers dropping off pamphlets at local Indian stores to let people know of her new venture.

“Initially, there were days when no one would come and I would worry, but I persisted and today I have no time to rest, thanks to word of mouth,” said Zan. She prefers it that way, as she is not comfortable having completely unknown people walk through her door.

“Trust is a two-way thing. I know my clients and they trust me so I don’t really worry much about competition. Over time we have made personal connections and I have had clients even cry on my shoulder, as they feel free to discuss everything with me. I ensure that I maintain their confidentiality and help them wherever I can,” said Zan.

Her USP according to Zan are her facials and hair treatments. “I had a client who had lost almost all her hair. I started an oil based colour treatment for her and today she has the most wonderful hair and is very grateful”,

said Zan with pride.

Time management can be a challenge but adjustments are made mutually.

“If any of my clients are running a few minutes late I am OK with that if they inform me. On the other hand if my little children demand my attention they are OK with that and often tell me to tend to them first,” she shared.

Her pet peeve, however, is people who do not turn up after making appointments and do not bother to inform her. She also disapproves of chronic latecomers. “What people fail to understand is if they are always late it delays my schedule for the next person who arrives on time and has to wait. It is a basic courtesy that some do not bother with,” she complained.

Other than that, Zan is very happy with her current arrangement that suits her as she can work around her children and be available when they need her. When they grow up she plans to invest in a brick and mortar retail outlet in a location where there is a strong Indian/ Asian population.

“I am very social and love to be around people. This business gives me an outlet for communication, creativity and an income and I love it,” said Zan.

“I worked with refugees and my work kept me grounded,” Dimple recounted. “When I heard their stories my own challenges seemed insignificant in comparison. It gave me enormous pleasure to offer makeup sessions for refugee women and boost their morale and help them feel comfortable in their skin.”

Beauty was never a passing interest for Dimple; it was a lifelong passion.

“I studied Accounting while growing up in India, but I was better suited to aesthetics and should have taken up

Dimple particularly enjoys working for avant-garde shows, fashion events and has worked with many high-end brands. She eventually opened her own studio at home so she could look after her child. Her clientele is predominantly from an Indian background and she regularly utilises social media to promote her business. She attends regular online master classes and courses to update herself on latest trends.

“It takes time to get established and at the moment I am not free to network extensively. But I am living breathing proof that it is possible to follow a dream and I hope to inspire others to go after what sets their soul on fire,” declared Dimple.

FROM ART TO HEART SUNEETI MISHRA of Indian Herbal Beauty, Rowville

generously let them pick vegetables and seeds from her large veggie garden. They also got to sample the delicious food that Suneeti enjoyed preparing when she had the time. Clients became connections and then friends and Suneeti saw her role change gradually.

Her clients felt comfortable pouring their hearts out to her, discussing health issues, family concerns, relationship conflicts and everyday problems. She listened and offered advice where possible. She leveraged her large number of contacts to help her clients. Doctors were referred for ailments, caterers for weddings and guidance offered, free, along with beauty treatment.

A THING OF BEAUTY, A JOY FOREVER RACHNA MITTAL of Makeover By

Rachna, Sydneham

analysis. She is currently completing her Certificate III in hairdressing.

She started a home-based salon in 2017 and used Facebook to promote her work. Small advertisements here and there helped to spread the word and her business commenced with the support of friends and family. She found that many Indian women preferred to get their beauty treatment in a relaxed home atmosphere. It was more flexible and economical and catered to their specific skin type.

From beautician to counsellor, Suneeti’s journey has been very fulfilling both personally and professionally. She started her salon from home, at a time when there were not many around in Melbourne and her USP was a threading technique that is almost painless. She never looked back as people found out and word of mouth got her clients from far and wide. Her use of herbal products for treatment and care proved to be a winner with Indians.

Working from home offered her and the clients a flexibility that was not possible in a salon with regular hours. Clients could drop in on the way to work or on the way back and Suneeti was able to accommodate their bookings. On their visits, Suneeti

Keeping her clients’ identities confidential, Suneeti disclosed how she connected clients who suffered domestic violence to the social services that could provide assistance. She shared how she helped a lady who had no family support and was suffering from a terminal illness. Suneeti spent a lot of time giving her moral support and even had to bathe her body after she passed away as no one else was prepared to, an experience that Suneeti can never forget. Her involvement with the community became more than just offering skin treatments.

Her own strength was the support of her family, particularly her husband Alok who would ensure she would eat a nutritious meal on days when her appointments were back to back or help her by cooking and taking care of the home and kids.

“I feel blessed that I can make so many people look beautiful and feel good; I wouldn’t trade this for any other profession,” said Suneeti.

Rachna feels all women are beautiful and makeup just helps to enhance their features. She is more than happy to provide that little magic touch as a qualified makeup artist and hairstylist with specialisation in makeovers. She personally believes in botanical and organic products and loves to promote a good healthy skin.

Rachna migrated to Australia in 2009 and initially struggled to find a job. She did a Government funded course in childcare and worked in the industry for some time but her heart was not in it. Her creative side was attracted to the beauty industry. As soon as she could afford the fees, she enrolled in a Diploma of Beauty Therapy and updated her knowledge through courses in makeup, hairstyling and skin

While most of her experiences were positive, she remembers working for a local beauty pageant in Melbourne where she was treated badly and not paid for hours of work. Despite that, she enjoys participating in community events and often offers voluntary makeup or free vouchers for her services as a way of paying back.

According to Rachna, every woman has the right to look her best. Her favourite moment is when her clients get up from the facial bed and see their acne treated and skin rejuvenated. “The happiness and blessing I get from them is worth every minute I spent on acquiring the knowledge, practising it and implementing it,” claimed Rachna.

Today she works 7 days a week, 6 days in a newly acquired partnership at a beauty room located in Fitzroy and one day from home.

“It’s a very exciting time for me and I am glad I pursued my passion to get here. I particularly like working with events, fashion shows and photographers. I no longer need to look at the clock when I work as time just flies when you are having fun. I get a great sense of achievement and satisfaction when I can make people feel relaxed, beautiful and happy,” said Rachna.

Kiran migrated from India 30 years ago and was offered two jobs, one at an Estee Lauder beauty counter and another at ANZ bank. She chose to work for the bank and did so for 11 years. When her first child was born, she decided to decline a senior position offered at the bank and look after her child instead. A couple of people she knew were aware that she was a trained beautician, so they started visiting her.

Kiran was one of the few people who offered threading, at that time, and her home business took off very well, mainly from word of mouth. She did not need to advertise as she was booked out 6 days of the week and had clients travel from Sydney, Ballarat, and Geelong etc. to see her.

“The secret of my work is honesty and passion. I have a great rapport with my clients and I ensure that I am consistent with the quality of my work,” said Kiran.

Kiran said she was head hunted by Shahnaz Hussain, the world-renowned Indian beautician and trainer. Kiran had

completed a 2-year diploma with Hussain and proved to be a great student. Back then, due to the time and investment required to open a Shahnaz Hussain salon, it was not feasible for Kiran to do so. Instead, she started operating from home.

Kiran finds many positives working from home especially when there’s a young family. “Flexible work hours, house chores can be accomplished, and most importantly, your children have their mother around 24/7. There are no overheads and clients get a more relaxed atmosphere. I have hardly any bad experiences but plenty of good ones,” she said.

Kiran is currently an educator in beauty therapy. She also teaches art at Holmesglen TAFE. She still operates from her home-based studio but works restricted hours, by appointment only. She is also guiding new immigrants to set up their salons or home studios and providing them skills and knowledge by sharing her experiences.

“The sky is the limit in the beauty business,” said Kiran. “Our Indian community has increased enormously in Melbourne; so has the demand for good hair, beauty and makeup artists. My advice is, if you have the aptitude, passion

and commitment, then go for it. It’s a very rewarding profession, making others feel good about themselves. When they leave your salon with a spring in their step, you receive that positive energy back,” said Kiran.

PASSION AND POSITIVE ENERGY

KIRAN SEKHON GAILLARD of Belle De Jour, Mitcham

Loving right now

A list of Indian Link’s current favourites

READ

Good Talk, a graphic memoir by Indian-American author Mira Jacob is the kind of hilarious and heart-wrenching book that tackles difficult, complicated topics with levity, humour and vulnerability. The inspiration for the memoir came to Jacob, whose debut novel was the highly-acclaimed The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing, from questions that her inquisitive six-year old half-Jewish, half-Indian son Zakir, started asking her after the 2016 US Presidential elections – questions about race, colour, sexuality and love. Good Talk is great reading for people of all ages, and a must-read in the post-Trumpian world.

LISTEN

Culture, identity, a new home, chaos – it’s a struggle that all migrants can identify with. Isha Soni, a proud desi and Mumbaikar, left home 5 years ago and has been on the move since then, living in different countries, different cities and different homes. Culture Chaos: Stories of An Indian Abroad is a podcast about her life abroad; episodes discuss topics like why desis should care about gun control in the US, and why we often use shorter (easy to pronounce) versions of our names at coffee shops. Give it a listen!

EAT

Experience the true taste of South Indian filter coffee with Malgudi Days, a premium specialty South Indian Coffee, roasted and blended in Australia. This award winning filter coffee blend was born out of a son’s desire to gift his mother with an authentic taste of her ancestral home right here in Sydney. Named after his mum’s favourite book, Malgudi Days is all about incorporating Indian culture into the modern day Australian narrative. And the best way to make it – using the traditional South Indian filter method and served in stainless steel dabaras

WATCH

Notorious for being India’s “coaching centre hub”, especially for aspiring IITians, Kota’s emergence as a go-to destination for students has made it culturally fascinating. Kota Factory, a Youtube series created by Saurabh Khanna, is a terrific series about the reality of students in Kota – their aspirations, the daring highs and brutal lows. It offers an empathetic look into the lives of struggling students burdened with intense pressure from their families and schools, their bodies racing against the clock to ace their exams, often finding escape through drugs, alcohol, video games and even crime.

Contributions by Sneha Khale, Dhanya Samuel, Suruchi

Sehgal

All about keto

Is a low-carb diet good for you?

BY JYOTHSNA RAO

“I AM DOING KETO.”

This is a familiar phrase I hear at social gatherings and, invariably, the reason for ‘doing keto’ is to lose weight. Once people figure out that I am a nutritionist, I get asked more and more questions on the keto diet. Here are some basics on what a keto diet is, and whether it does in factwork.

HISTORY OF KETO

Essentially, a ketogenic diet is a way of eating where you limit your carb intake, eat moderate protein and add more fats. Instead of the traditional diet of using carbs as an energy source, the keto way of eating uses fats as a primary source of energy.

It all actually began way back in 1924, when Dr Russell Wilder, a medical practitioner at the Mayo Clinic USA, developed this diet as a means to treat epilepsy in children. He rationalised that the brain would use ketones as a primary source of energy. Interestingly, this diet proved to be effective in some cases of epilepsy in children.

What is even more interesting is that, nowhere in its development did Dr Wilder see this as becoming a ‘weight-loss’ diet.

HOW DOES KETO WORK?

A quick recap of human metabolism tells us how ‘keto’ works. Essentially, our body is primed to use glucose as the primary source of energy, which is why we crave yummy potatoes when hungry! But the body can also use fat as fuel if it has to, and it does this by breaking fats into ketones. Ketones are produced when we intentionally fast or eat less carbs. The state of ketone production is called ketosis. Now, ketosis is incredibly challenging to maintain: any small increase in carbs will switch the energy source to carbs and not fats leading to noncompliance. If small amounts of carbs can throw you off ketosis, how does ‘keto’ cause weight loss? The initial loss you see on the scales is water loss, however motivating it might be to see! Our muscles store glycogen which is bound to water - in fact, loads of water - something like a ratio of 1-part muscle to 4-parts water, so what you lose is that water! The trick to succeed is to persist with this way of eating, which is eating loads of fat. In fact, within 72 hours your body goes into ketosis and maintaining that may see a significant loss of weight.

WHAT IS THE KETO WAY OF EATING?

Maintaining ketosis is the main goal and the level of carbs needed to do that differs from person to person. A meal of 85% fat, 15% protein and 5% carbs is a typical example. What does that then translate to in a day? Think a breakfast of egg bhurji with some spinach, a lunch of chicken

Comparing

tikkas and an avocado and a dinner of shahi paneer, tomato soup and maybe some cauliflower. This, of course, also means no accompanying naans, or garam rotis! Snacks tend to be nuts such as cashews, almonds and pistas. Low carb vegetables such as asparagus, eggplants, spinach and cauliflower are allowed. Some dairy is ok mainly in the form of cheese, butter and cream, but sadly, no pindi chhole, rajma or dal makhani. While this type of eating is possible with extensive planning, it is not sustainable. It can be socially isolating, and cannot be adapted to celebrations where typically the tables are loaded with mithais, pakodas, samosas and chaat. Your own birthday cake is not permitted. A bit harsh, eh?!

ARE THERE ANY BENEFITS OF KETO?

Of course, there are studies that show an improvement in blood cholesterol levels. Again, this depends on the individual and more importantly on the ethnicity. Most

do lose weight as eating high-fat foods at every meal keeps you full for longer, so you don’t snack as much. I have heard people say they feel energetic and motivated, an excellent outcome. Eating whole, minimally processed foods is way better than eating ultra-processed foods and it is whole foods that are allowed on ‘keto’.

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE AWARE OF THEN?

This way of eating is low in fibre and carbs but high in fats. This does not help the healthy gut bacteria to thrive. Recent research published in the journal Gut has also shown that moving to a high fat diet decreases the number and variety of good gut bacteria. Now, that is a worry because we need high numbers and a variety of good gut bacteria to stay healthy. In fact, what is more concerning is that high-fat diets allow inflammatory proteins associated with diabetes and obesity to enter the bloodstream, and these diseases have been linked to poor gut health. What we also

know is that carbs and fibre from legumes such as rajma, lobia and chana when broken down in the gut produce short chain fatty acids; these fatty acids feed good bacteria and they thrive. Traditional Indian food is heavily plant-based and loaded with fibre and carbs. Is that a good thing then? Absolutely!

A study called DIETFITS, done in early 2018, compared a low-fat high-carb diet to a high-fat low-carb one and found that there was no significant difference in weight loss from following either. What they also recommended is that the best diet is one that you can stick to. Wow, isn’t that incredible!

In conclusion, a keto is not for everyone. See a qualified nutritionist for a personalised plan rather than relying on online advice. Enjoy your food, eat a variety and keep those critters in the gut happy. Dr Jyothsna R Rao is a university-qualified nutritionist with a background and expertise in human physiology, who has studied and lived in Australia for 19 years.

Photo: Keto Diet App

a lowfat high-carb diet to a high-fat lowcarb diet, one study found no significant difference in weight loss from following either.

MATRIMONIALS

SEEKING GROOMS

Seeking professionally qualified settled match for Sydney-based, never married Aus citizen, Hindu Punjabi Khatri, 46, 5'3" slim, fair,attractive girl. Girl is postgraduate and is working on a good position in government organisation. Please send details with photo to Indsyd2016@gmail.com.

Beautiful, highly educated girl with very good family background, soft spoken, career-oriented 33-year-old vegetarian Brahmin girl, working, well settled in Sydney, seeks an educated, teetotaller match with good family background. Prefer Australian citizen or PR.

Please contact rajsyd83@gmail.com

Looking for a well-qualified and wellsettled Australian citizen match for NRI Indian girl now residing in India. She is 32, height 5’ 4”, B. Tech (aeronautical engineering),running her own business in India. Email banteryshop@yahoo.com, or call +91 9876999296

Seeking professionally qualified, well-settled match from Sydney for ’88-born 5"3" Hindu Punjabi girl, divorced

(concluded) with brief marriage of 1.5 years. Working full time with a leading university in Sydney. Pref teetotaller. Aus PR or citizen only. Email: matrimonial.ml@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: +91 98188 85477

SEEKING BRIDES

Seeking professionally qualified, settled match for Sydney-based, never married Aus citizen, Hindu Punjabi Khatri, 45, 6', athletic built boy. He is a project manager with engineering background and is working in a private organisation. Please send details with photo to Indsyd2016@gmail.com.

Professional match for Punjabi boy, 34, 5'11", fair, B.Com/BBA, Chartered Accountant, Australian citizen andworking as manager with a major bank in Sydney. Girl should be Hindu, 26 to 32, professionally qualified, Australian citizen or PR, and must be Sydney based. Please send photo & details to: sanjdeep6@gmail.com.

Seeking match for educated, divorced, 5’9", 1975 born Sikh boy, self-employed, earning 100k per annum, on bridging visa with full work rights. Looking for PR/citizen match from Australia.

Phone: 0422812939 or email: jas_ghai01@hotmail.com

July 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

Tarot sees the presence/influence of a Scorpio type of personality in your life. You are fascinated by the occult, alternate remedies and the usually open Aries might be a bit secretive this month. You could meet someone socially with whom you might want to get romantically involved. Expect adverse conditions or disputes at home or work. If losing weight consult a doctor. A spiritual force is guiding you so be open to signs. Sudden inspiration will give you the answers you seek.

TAURUS

April 20 - May 20

If in a serious relationship, marriage could be on the cards. At work, you feel unappreciated and overworked. A negative state of mind leads to depression. Being overworked will cause exhaustion. Take it easy for a while. Financial setbacks and losses are temporary. Use this time to mediate and analyse your situation and for spiritual growth. The end of problems will come as a relief. Avoid taking rash decisions as it can lead to losses on multiple fronts.

VIRGO

Aug 23 - Sep 22

The usually impulsive Leos display some Taurean caution this month. Unexpected developments in love or personal relationships and workable ideas will take up mind space. A positive turnabout in matters of the heart is predicted. Travel plans fall through. Emotional problems interfere with work. You might have problems with your teeth, gums or muscles. Though you might want to break up with a lover, your relationship will continue. Success comes with deliberate effort and future potential.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov 22 - Dec 21

TAROT

GEMINI

May 21 - June 20

If you’ve been planning a new venture, it will show potential, but expect results by autumn. Some of you might move into a new home; a financially rewarding holiday or business trip is in the offing. Those romantically involved could move in together or even get married. Productivity on the work front will increase. New ideas will bring success so be creative. Do something different for a change. You have divine blessings to go ahead and work on the alternatives.

LIBRA

Sep 23 - Oct 22

This month is a period of waiting, possibly before taking a decision to utilise a skill or act on an idea. For the self-employed, business will be slow in the beginning, but it will pick up and you will make good money. In a relationship, you will wonder whether you will stay together or part; time will tell. If unwell, you will make a quick recovery. As you take a stand, anything counterproductive or fundamentally wrong will be rejected.

CAPRICORN

Dec 22 - Jan 19

You need to take some decisions regarding investments, health or career opportunities. Take a break from work or you will have a tough time recouping. Watch what you eat and guard against accidents at home. New elements at work can be unsettling because you have not established yourself yet. Money problems besiege you, but a debt will be paid back and money will also come from multiple sources. Your best success comes from educational resources or a new kind of work.

AQUARIUS

Jan 20 - Feb 18

The outdoor loving, blunt speaking Sagittarian is studious and persevering this month; but also unusually fickle, like a Capricorn. You handle issues sensibly in a relationship and can expect some good news from someone who cares. A slump at work ends when someone lifts your spirits. General ill health might plague you; say what you have to and don’t suppress your feelings. Money might be slow in coming in but unexpected financial gains are predicted.

The practical Capricorn behaves like an Aquarian this month and takes interest in the environment and wanting to help mankind. An unusual or striking person catches your fancy and the interest is mutual. A new job offer is on the way. You seek depth in a relationship and will not settle for less. A spiritual cleansing helps to bring good health. Money starts to come in, and things are working out. Eventually, your fondest wishes will be fulfilled.

A slightly passive month for Aquarians, with focus on one’s inner life, feelings, intuition and self-expression; just be and don’t do much. You feel the lack of a connection, or yearn to do something creative. It’s time to meditate and reflect on what it is you seek. An upper back ailment could need attention; avoid stress. Money is delayed but it will come. A stressful period comes to an end. Success comes through a change in attitude and trusting your instincts.

CANCER

June 21 - July 20

Not an easy month as disappointments and adversity bog you down. Home improvement projects could keep you busy. A new avenue for work will come by but you won’t take it up. Take a muchneeded break from work; tumultuous situations at home are short-lived. Financial gains through investments are predicted. What looked like a lost cause will lead to a new beginning. Delays work in your favour. Don’t do anything rash, the situation is only temporary.

SCORPIO

Oct 23 - Nov 21

‘What could be’ is your motif this month as you seek meaning and purpose in life. If single, you might meet someone who gives you hope that they could be the love of your life. A property matter could end in a sale. A new opportunity to enhance a skill or your career could come by. Financial prospects improve. You will know what the root cause of a nagging health issue is, and take steps to correct. Spiritual guidance will help you out.

PISCES

Feb 19 - March 20

Financial security is your top priority this month. You want to ensure no effort goes waste. Obstacles like distance or work priorities can impact a relationship but if you want to be together nothing can stop you. A business opportunity lands in your lap. A health issue continues to irk you and going to the doctor is also a painful experience. You will have enough money to pay bills and expenses. A nagging sense of insecurity will keep you on your toes.

cineTALK

THIS BEATLES HOMAGE DOESN'T COME TOGETHER

It’s a surprise to know that Yesterday is penned by the same person who is responsible for working on scripts of classic British TV comedies Black Adder, Mr Bean, The Vicar of Dibley and Not the Nine O’Clock News. Moving from TV to film, Richard Curtis came to be synonymous with British romantic comedies through films like Love Actually and About Time. If Hugh Grant has anyone to thank for in making a career out of playing the male rom-com lead, first on that list must be Curtis. Which is why one of the biggest disappointments of Yesterday, with a screenplay by Curtis, is with its writing. The alternate, surreal universe imagined by Curtis isn't developed beyond the intriguing premise: what would you do if you woke up one day and realised you were the only person who remembers that The Beatles ever existed? It’s such a fascinating concept, the kind of crazy idea that you can do so much with. But the film just lingers along, unsure of what it really wants to do with the exciting premise it’s been given, before landing on a completely unnecessary, bizarre twist.

Singer-songwriter Jack Malik (played by Himesh Patel) wakes up one morning after a worldwide blackout to find that he seems to be the only one with any memory of this little-known, definitely-not-famous band called The Beatles. With his music career going nowhere, Jack decides to perform Beatles’ songs and pass them off as his own as a shortcut to music superstardom.

YESTERDAY

Let me first give credit where credit is due. We don’t get to see people of colour as mainstream rom-com leads in movies all that often. Yes, that trend is slowly and surely changing with box office smash hits like Crazy Rich Asians and the recent Netflix rom-com Always

Be My Maybe. But this is different. This is a film written by Richard Curtis and directed by Danny Boyle, a film that has the stamp of a decidedly ‘British’ sensibility, where Lily James plays the doe-eyed, ‘I’ve been in love with you for twenty years’ type of loveinterest opposite Himesh Patel. Not only does this film present Himesh as a conventional male rom-com lead, it also subverts our expectations through the dynamic between the two leads. You would expect Himesh’s character pining for James – who fits the conventionally attractive image of the rom-com heroine to the T - but no, it’s the other way around here. These small touches show the self-awareness of Curtis and Boyle to update the mainstream romcom template to match contemporary sensibilities, given how mainstream rom-coms as a genre have historically not considered people of colour as lead material.

However, it’s the trappings of the rom-com genre that ultimately prove to be the film’s undoing. Curtis’ screenplay is too preoccupied in hitting all the conventional notes for a formulaic rom-com when the premise never actually limited the narrative to that kind of a story. The film works best in flashes when it is a sincere love letter to The Beatles. That is what this film was meant to be. Unfortunately, the narrative is way too muddled to focus on the story it ultimately wants to tell. There are some surprising cameos by famous faces, but even they can’t save the film.

Though Patel is a decent enough singer, it was such a wasted opportunity to have as talented a singer as James and not give her even a single lead song. But then again, this film is so full of wasted opportunities, it’s hard to keep count.

Virat Nehru

STARRING: Himesh Patel, Lily James, Ed Sheeran, Kate McKinnon DIRECTOR: Danny Boyle H H

QUESTIONING, DISTURBING

ARTICLE 15

STARRING: Ayushmann Khurrana, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra

DIRECTOR: Anubhav Sinha

HHHH

Article 15 is thought provoking, questioning, disturbing and ultimately cathartic, because the cop-hero (played with a simmering intensity by Ayushmann Khurrana) succeeds in getting justice for the wronged.

In real life it is different, though. And in giving the underdogs of the film a satisfying closure, director Anubhav Sinha (who has clearly turned a new leaf after Mulk) and his co-writer (Gaurav Solanki) remind us that happy endings are for the movies, and that we are getting one here because, hey, no matter how authentic, Article 15 is a film after all.

Sinha's stunning film says a lot of things we don't really want to hear about social discrimination in the cow-belt areas. The movie takes us to a dusty little town in UP where a sophisticated liberal cop (Khurrana) joins duty and immediately stumbles onto a horrific caste crime whereby two girls are gang raped and hung by a tree. A third girl is gone missing.

Sinha imparts to the search for the girl a 'thriller' element that in no way overdramatizes the film's incessantly grim mood. There are no songs even in the background because there is nothing to sing about. Not here.

In telling this hideously messy tale, Sinha makes no effort to spare the details. The caste system and gender discrimination are so deeply embedded in the social fabric of rural India that men, or at least a section of them, feel entitled to teach women a lesson if they don't comply.

In my favourite sequence of this

KABIR SINGH

STARRING: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi

DIRECTOR: Sandeep Reddy Vanga

HHHH

Remakes, more often than not, disappoint. This one doesn't. Kabir Singh doesn't quite better its precursor, the game-changing Telugu film Arjun Reddy. And really, Shahid Kapoor is no patch on Vijay Deverakonda, who sweated, bled and urinated (literally) into his despicably misogynistic character, investing into this weird, reprehensible child-man a kind of contemporary resonance that makes for a bizarre blend of Devdas, James Dean and all the rebels without a pause that we have encountered before and after Amitabh Bachchan's Angry Young Man.

Shahid Kapoor's Kabir Singh is a troubled man, threatening, swearing, drinking and fornicating his way through life.

It is strange that this thankless, self-absorbed, foul-mouthed and illtempered Kabir is loved and protected by a cordon of family, colleagues and best friend Shiva (Soham

Majumdar) who seem to see some sort of goodness behind the uncouth behaviour which the audience can't.

It's not easy to like Kabir. The character is so flawed and fractured, so fuelled and felled by its own inbuilt anger that every move he makes seems one more step towards selfannihilation.

The writer-director gives his anti-hero the full slow burn treatment. There is no effort to show Kabir in a kind light.

A senior intern in a medical college, he succeeds in bullying the timid, tremulous medical student Preeti into believing he has fallen so passionately in love with her, she must reciprocate in kind. What follows is an embarrassing array of stalking scenes and a stream of smooches and lovemaking, all indicating a very high level of subverted intensity in a man whose morals equal that of an alley cat.

The brilliance of this film about rebellion, love and self-destruction, resides in the rawness of the scenes and the hurtful nature of words that characters use against one another. In the second half, when Preeti has rightly dumped Kabir, he asks a female friend

REBEL WITHOUT A PAUSE

exceptionally relevant drama the criminal tells the cop Ayan Ranjanin a casual almost blasé tone, why the women they raped and killed so brutally had to be a taught a lesson. I heard the same unrepentant tone in the Netflix series Delhi Crime when one of the rapists tells the cop the girl had to be put in her place.

The sequence is chilling for the way the masculine mind works in a maledominated society.

I would have liked to see Khurrana's rage more overtly expressed in this scene. It is the sign of a civilised bureaucrat's struggle with his self to cling to his core of humanism and civility while all around him the world crumbles and collapses into a heap of brutality and incivility.

The film has an exceptionally astute sense of pitch and tone. Though the background score is flashy, Anubhav Sinha never over-punctuates his drama. He is not afraid to let the world he recreates glisten with the sweat of inhuman conduct. The actors are all so clued into the director's kingdom of the damned that they blissfully slip into their roles with no apprehension of tripping over the abyss of self-conscious authenticity.

Besides Khurrana who brings a feeling of bridled indignation to every scene, the film's other hero is Ewan Mulligan's cinematography. It doesn't miss a single detail in the ravage and chaos of the heartland, so unpolished and yet so untouched (don’t miss the butterflies in the moth jar.)

Article 15 is a film that must be seen by every Indian. Not because it tells us something new. But because what it tells us ought to become irrelevant to our society now.

Subhash K Jha

Shahid plays this toxic intoxicated man with a furious flair for seething emotions. But the performance lacks the freshness of what Vijay Deverakonda brought to the character in the original. The venomous emotions, though expressed with a disturbing sincerity, never quite reach Shahid's eyes.

Here is an actor in full control of his character's uncontrollable emotions, not quite able to process those emotions to their fullest. A flawed, but nonetheless remarkable performance. That the character obtains his redemption at the end is only because the screenplay wants to be kind to him. This man deserves no second chance. Making the redemptive moment unbearably undeserved is Kiara Advani, whose emotional outburst at Shahid's reformative whining flies everywhere as though making a last-bid effort to match her co-star's ongoing hysteria.

if she would like to satisfy his "physical needs" with no strings attached. This obnoxious offer is made in the tone of a demi-God bestowing a favour to a subject.

Though at times the film is as flawed as its protagonist, it is nonetheless an important film in divulging what the young urban Indian male thinks of the plans life makes for him.

Subhash K. Jha

The BUZZ

U P-TO-DATE NEWS ON WHAT’S HOT AND HAPPENING IN BOLLYWOOD

FLAWED, LIKE US ALL: SHAHID ON KABIR SINGH

He started out by playing a chocolate boy in Ishq Vishk, but then with films like Kaminey, Haider and Udta Punjab, Shahid Kapoor proved his versatility and talent in carrying off flawed characters with finesse. And with his latest film Kabir Singh, the actor is surprised to see how his most flawed character on-screen has become his most loved.

His role as Kabir has been condemned by a section of the audience and critics, who have tagged it misogynistic and one which perpetuates toxic masculinity. But the film, a remake of the Telugu blockbuster Arjun Reddy, has still scored Rs 200 crore and more at the box office.

Shahid thanked his fans for their love, with an Instagram post in which he deconstructed the character. "Thank you for understanding him, forgiving him and loving him with all your heart. We all fall apart. And we all must strive to rise from our faults. To be better... to be wiser and to be kinder… The most flawed character I have ever played has become my most loved."

Shahid feels Indian cinema and the audience have come a long way.

"More power to brave choices. More power to you all for your maturity and humanness. You have given me wings to fly. To not only be burdened by the need to be loved to be a star but to have the courage to be hated in equal measure to be an actor. Here's to cinema mirroring life. To protagonists who don't have to be restricted by their goodness and can be human and imperfect. There is perfection in imperfection and that is the beauty and the challenge of this human life," he wrote.

SAMEER ANJAAN: A SONG FOR KARGIL

MATHS MOVIES

Maths for fun? It’s true. Come

12 July, India is going to the theatres to see a maths movie - a regular mainstream Bollywood movie on maths.

Of course it helps that the film, called Super 30, has the hunky Hrithik Roshan as the lead.

Now if only we had Hrithik as our maths teacher…

The film is based on a real life story. Hrithik plays Bihar mathematician Anand Kumar, who trains students for the entrance test for the highly valued Indian Institute of Technology IIT, the nation’s leading educational institution for the sciences. He picks 30 of the most talented students each year, all from disadvantaged backgrounds, and sees most of them through to the best possible university education they can

get. His students, called ‘Super 30’, go on to rewarding professional careers, and raise their standard of living to a level they could not have dreamt of before.

It’s a slightly different maths movie than others that have done well: A Beautiful Mind, The Man Who Knew Infinity, X + Y, The Imitation Game, Hidden Figures, The Oxford Murders, and that golden favourite Good Will Hunting. The nerd in us comes out as we say this: all of these deserve another sitting. Don’t you agree?

Adding to this list, check out 90 to Win (2017), a gem of a film from India,which is hugely topical in another way: a maths genius tries to create an alternative to the Duckworth Lewis method used in cricket. Aha, we hear you say…

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas this month (26 July), lyricist Sameer Anjaan has penned a special song for the martyrs. Shatadru Kabir has sung the number, with music by Raju Singh.

Working on the project took Sameer to the war-torn region. “I learnt the entire story of Kargil, the situations the soldiers faced in the mountains,” said the lyricist of films like Krrish 3, Dhoom 3 and Dabangg 2.

He claimed it gave him the opportunity to “think about and feel” the war, so that his words came straight from the heart. He revealed that he had always wanted to write a patriotic piece for the soldiers, and that thus far, hadn’t found an opportunity.

The Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat released a Kargil Tribute Song in a special ceremony recently to honour, salute and pay homage to the Kargil heroes and war veterans.

The 20th anniversary celebrations are aimed at ‘Remembering their sacrifice', ‘Rejoicing the victory' and ‘Renewing the pledge'.

ANIL KAPOOR IN BINDRA BIOPIC

Father and son will be playing father and son.

Yup, it makes sense. As Harshvardhan Kapoor plays Olympic gold medal winning shooter Abhinav Bindra, who best to play his dad but his dad Anil Kapoor!

We all know the story of Abhinav’s rise to Olympic glory and the special role his father Apjit played in it.

Anil caught up with Apjit recently.

"Great stories deserve to be told,”

Anil said afterwards. “We had the pleasure of understanding the family's journey and Abhinav Bindra's career graph. This is a film that we're all really excited to bring to the silver screen."

The biopic will be directed by Kannan Iyer. Abhinav Bindra became the first Indian sportsperson to win an individual gold medal at the Olympics, when he won the 10 m Air Rifle event at the 2008 games held in Beijing.

KANGANA IN 'ONE OF A KIND FEMALE-LED ACTION FILM'

If ever there was a Bollywood star who believes in “female heroes”, it has to be Kangana Ranaut.

She has been in the news very recently getting all judgemental during a presser for her upcoming Judgementall Hai Kya, but she’s already signed up a dhaakad new role.

Oh wait, apparently it’s called exactly that - Dhaakad.

She describes it herself as a "one of a kind female-led action film".

"After the success of Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, it has been proven that audiences are loving larger than life films with a female hero,” she said recently.

"Being an army kid myself, I've always

SHAHID KAPOOR

KANGANA

wanted to start off with an action film,” director Razneesh "Razy" Ghai said. “This is a great time for a film of this genre and I'm looking to push the boundaries on this project with my visual style.”

The makers are looking to rope in a leading action director from Hollywood to choreograph the elaborate sequences. Filming will take place across India, South East Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The film is set for a Diwali release.

BOTTLE CAP HUNGAMA

So we’ve had Ice Bucket, Kiki and the 10-Year Challenge. Now it’s Bottle Caps, and celebrities from Hollywood as well as Bollywood are all jumping on the bandwagon.

Kickstarted, literally, by taekwondo instructor and fighter Farabi Davletchin on Instagram, the Bottle Cap Challenge expects participants to knock the cap off a bottle with a kick. No hands, thank you.

Actor Jason Statham, who is known for his action thriller roles, attempted the challenge spinning and kicking the cap of a bottle with near perfection.

If Jason Statham is in on it, can our very own khilari Akshay Kumar be far behind?

"I couldn't resist Bottle Cap challenge,” Akshay wrote on Insta after executing a perfect kick. “Inspired by my action idol

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

PARINEETI CHOPRA OR CHINESE SUPERMODEL

IN FENDI?

Jason Statham. I will repost/retweet the best I see. Come on guys and girls, get your bottles out and your legs in the air, let's do this."

If Akshay is in on it, can Tiger Shroff be far behind? And Vidyut Jammwal. And Sidharth Malhotra, Sunil Grover and Abhimanyu Dassani. Kudos to Kunal Khemu for his inventive approach to it all, though (google it, guys).

And of course now we have ladies joining in – Sushmita Sen with her daughters Renee and Alysa (and partner Rohman), and model-actress Sherlyn Chopra.

All we can say is, we’re impressed by these super-fit people…

WORTH WAITING FOR? YOU DECIDE!

Shah Rukh Khan's action-packed production Bard Of Blood will be launching on Netflix on 27 September. Actor Emraan Hashmi is making his debut in the web series space with the show. The multi-lingual series will tell the story of an expelled spy Kabir Anand, who is recalled from his new life as a professor in Panchgani to save his country and long-lost love.

Meanwhile, get set for Ramayana in 3-D. Filmmakers Nitesh Tiwari of Dangal fame and Ravi Udyawar, who directed

Mom, are set to helm this modern version of the of the ancient epic. With an estimated budget of Rs 500 crore, this will be a live-action trilogy in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The project has been a work in progress for the past three years.

ON TWITTER THIS WEEK

Match the following stars to their tweets that follow:

Shahid Kapoor, SRK, Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone

To my husband, my friend, my lover, my confidante... but more often than not, my child, my infant, my toddler, my dot, my pineapple, my sunshine, my rainbow... May you forever and always be this way. I love you.

27th September, get ready for the action-packed series #BardOfBlood on @NetflixIndia!

Happy birthday to the most beautiful soul @neetu54!! May you have the best day full of love, laughter and CAKE. Sending you the biggest & tightest hug possible.

You didn't judge him, you experienced him. You understood him.

KANGANA RANAUT

ANIL KAPOOR

SUSHMITA SEN

The trouble with our tech-driven lives

On the many ways in which modern life can be oh-so-annoying

your floors in the middle of the night.

BY NURY VITTACHI

Aman raised by wolves in a forest says he misses his old life. Living as a wolf cub in a Spanish wilderness was much less stressful than modern life, Marcos Rodríguez Pantoja told the BBC recently. Journalists expressed surprise at his declaration, but I totally get his point. Last week, my book ran out of batteries!

I know Socrates is looking down at me from heaven and laughing, waving his "always on" scroll.

Meanwhile, at home, my child is outraged. Why? "My snacks are so crunchy I can't hear the TV," she complains, furious.

This is literally the worst thing that has ever happened to this child. I mean, how is she going to cope with real life, during which massively tragic things happen, like

they forget to put mayo in your sandwich, a devastating incident that totally spoiled this columnist's day yesterday?

I told her that in my day, the only TV was a window facing a brick wall and the only snacks our fingers. She said brick walls are better than what is on TV these days…she's probably right.

Back at work, I was moaning about my dead e-book when a colleague told me about another tech problem. The trend spreading across Asia is to have a robot vacuum cleaner, a wheeled disc that quietly vacuums

Unfortunately no one told these machines that a) Koreans and Japanese people often sleep on thin mattresses on the floor; and b) sucking up hair on the floor is not a good thing to do if it is still attached to a human's head. On one recent occasion, firefighters had to be called to remove a ravenous disc vacuum cleaner from its Korean owner's head.

East Asian owners are junking their cleaning robots for superior technology: broomsticks.

Police officers in the Indian state of Odisha recently demonstrated how they use pigeons to get messages across a vast portion of the state in just 20 minutes. During floods and power cuts the police pigeon service is the only functioning communications system.

So, basically, if their conversations are

anything like mine, you send a bird across the state with your message, such as "LOL" and 40 minutes later, you get the bird back with a message saying "LMAO" (Laughing My Ass Off).

Oh well, at least no one can complain about information overload.

A colleague showed me an angry text that had been sent by a young person from an aircraft recently. "There's so much leg room in business class that I can barely reach the touch screen TV," she complained. Shock horror, such suffering! The odd thing is her inability to realise how the rest of us, sitting in economy class seats with our noses mere millimetres away from the seat in front, will take her message. Where's her brain?

Uh-oh. I would canvass readers, contributors and colleagues for more examples to fill this column with, but the main functional section of my own brain - which is housed in a smartphone in my right hand - is about to run out of batteries. So I have to stop here.

Stop laughing, Socrates.

FIND US. FOLLOW US.

FACEBOOK.COM/INDIANLINKAUSTRALIA

FACEBOOK.COM/INDIANLINKRADIO

TWITTER.COM/INDIAN_LINK

TWITTER.COM/INDIANLINKRADIO

INSTAGRAM.COM/INDIANLINK

INSTAGRAM.COM/INDIANLINKRADIO

YOUTUBE.COM/INDIANLINKAUSTRALIA

SOUNDCLOUD.COM/INDIAN-LINK