2019-08 Sydney (1)

Year 5

Sunday, 8th September 2019

Australian Selective Achievement Test

How will the ASAT competition be organised?

ASAT test papers mirror exactly the same format of the actual Selective High School Placement Test. ASAT is highly valued and distinct from other practice exams in producing up-to-date questions and upgrading exam information to parallel that of the Selective High School Placement Test. ASAT provides parents with the most relevant information regarding their school choices based on the most reliable database built upon the biggest comparison group.

The 25th ASAT Competition Schedule

> Eligible Students

Students who will sit the Selective High School Placement Test in Year 2020

> Test Date & Time

Sunday, 8th September 2019 (9:30am - 1:30pm)

> Test Subjects

Reading, Mathematics, Writing and General Ability

> Test Centre Location

Buring Pavilion (Exhibition Hall 3&4) at Sydney Olympic Park (Riverina Avenue, Homebush Bay)

> Registration Fee

$80 per applicant (not refundable)

> Registration Closing Date

Saturday, 31st August 2019 (5:00pm)

Registration will close on Saturday, 31st August 2019 (5:00pm)

Australian Selective Achievement Test

PUBLISHER

Pawan Luthra

EDITOR

Rajni Anand Luthra

DEPUTY EDITOR

Sneha Khale

SOCIAL MEDIA

Suruchi Sehgal

MELBOURNE COORDINATOR

Preeti Jabbal

CONTRIBUTORS

Time to push for freedom

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

India became an independent nation 72 years ago. In some ways though, it is still struggling to become a free country.

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Shriti Sinha 0410 578 146

ADVERTISING ASSISTANT

Charuta Joshi 02 9279 2004

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

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

While independence for a country means sovereignty and self-governance, freedom at its simplest can mean the right to act in whatever way one chooses (subject to common law). Yet it also means allowing for everyone to have an equal opportunity for life, liberty and their dreams.

Modern India, now on the eve of its 73rd year of Independence, is truly an independent nation. One can marvel at the manner in which it has stood for its own self-interest, given its own challenges, over and above kowtowing to any other power. Yes, it does forge and respect its alliances on the word stage, but it has also constantly exercised its right to strike a balance between diplomatic partnerships and taking appropriate action on

countries which have overstepped their mark in their relationship with it. While working closely in economic and military matters with Israel, for instance, India has balanced it with a ‘charm offensive’ with Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. It has managed to keep an independent relationship going with the Soviet Union as it has increased its engagement with the United States in the last two decades. Though India has been mentioned as a candidate for a reformed Security Council in some permanent or “renewable seat” category since 1992, it has not yet succeeded in breaking into the permanent five group. Even though India may believe this has been one of its shortcomings in the international arena, its status as a force worth listening to, has never been underestimated. On the world stage, India continues to be well-regarded for its say on foreign issues. But on the freedom front, India seems to have its challenges. Living outside of India and commenting from afar might be problematic, no doubt, but distance can offer a clarity of vison to make observations.

India in 2019 still clings to some of

the worst issues faced in a free society. A culture of atrocious oppression continues to exist, pulling apart the argument that discrimination based on caste is a thing of the past. Much work needs to be done in women’s empowerment; corruption is still rampant, and transparency and accountability are scant.

In the recent past, the ability to engage in an active debate on a number of subjects has become stifled. India has always best in its pluralism – in fact, the argumentative Indian is engaging, and progresses democracy, which is the strongest tenet of India’s freedom.

Former President Pranab Mukherjee once said, "The roots (of vibrant democracy) are deep but the leaves are beginning to wilt. It is time for renewal. If we do not act now, will our successors seven decades hence remember us with the respect and admiration we have for those who shaped the Indian dream in 1947?"

There’s much indeed to think about in the lead up to Independence Day.

The Indian Link team wishes Indians at home and abroad, an all-embracing Independence Day and a life full of robust freedom.

Aparna Jacob, Minal Khona, Vishal Saddi, Vishnu Makhijani, Rohit Revo, Erin Middleton

YOUR SAY

HONEST JODI

PAWAN LUTHRA chatted with Leader of the NSW Opposition Jodi McKay on Indian Link Radio

Rohit Alok wrote: Good interview, guys. Pawan, I haven’t heard you on the radio before and I found your approach as an interviewer really engaging. Balanced, persistent but not aggressive, and a lovely mix of questions. Jodi, as a listener I found your reflections honest and not too defensive. Was impressed to hear you speaking of dropping the ball on multicultural representation and too many speeches at Indian events. Good luck to you both. PS: Good pre-interview promos.

HUM TUM!

Indian Link Radio presenter MEENAKSHI SHARMA KALIA got together with listeners on air to list the Hindi songs starting with the word Tum.

Punam Pathak, Ray Assif, Aaryan Dominic, Preet Sodhi, Veena Sashi and Bhanu Kothari wrote: Tum bin jaun kahan, ke duniya mein aake, kuch na phir chaaha kabhi.

Abhinav Saxena and Megha Vaghela Parmar wrote: Tum mile, dil khile, aur jeene ko kya chahiye.

Kaur Preet wrote: Tum hi ho, kionki tum hi ho.

Manisha Belani wrote: Tum ko paya hai to jaisa khoya hoon.

Megha Vaghela Parmar and Bhanu Kothari wrote: Tum jo mil gaye ho, To ye lagta he, ki jahan mil gaya.

Sarita Ram Menon wrote: Tum se mil ke aisa laga.

Manisha Belani wrote: Tum aa gaye ho.

Manisha Kesar Atwal and Priti Soni wrote: Tum jo aaye zindagi main, baat gai.

Sonia Singh wrote: Tum ho... tum ho paas mere (Rockstar).

SCIENCE BUSKING

RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA wrote about two Indian-origin women scientists in Sydney who are part of an exciting new program taking science out to the public.

Dr Astha Singh wrote: Fantastic article about SoapboxScience and Soapbox Sydney with Indian scientists Prof. Arti Agarwal of UTS and Riddhi Gupta of Sydney Uni about their advocacy for women in STEM and the event coming up in National Science Week 10-18 Aug.

Gill wrote: Love the idea of Soapbox Science as Science Busking! Sharing science across the world, Soapbox Sydney.

Soapbox Science Sydney wrote: Actually the term came late last year during the Soapbox Science strategic marketing for 2019 when Astha Singh introduced it! We think it is quite relevant and apt to the way this event will be run!

SAY IT AGAIN

INSTA WORTHY

Instagram a picture of Indian Link in your daily life, or send it to us via email, using the hashtag #indianlink

Aina Purkayastha wrote: I’ve been watching your Ranveer Brar vidoes, #indianlink, and so was pleasantly surprised to come across this old article on him in your magazine!

Sad news about the passing of former Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, a fine advocate for her nation and a person of great warmth and humanity. My deepest condolence to her family and the people of India.

Marise Payne, Australian Foreign Minister

WHERE IN OZ

We asked you to identify this picturesque gorge. Reader Gayathri Arulraj correctly identified it as Hamersley Gorge, Karijini National Park, Western Australia. City of Literature @ MelCityofLit wrote, tongue in cheek, “Coburg! Just off Munro Street”.

CAPTION CONTEST

What are Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao thinking here?

Lucky Singh wrote: Kangana: Meri aankhon mein chamak, Aur labon pe muskaan hai

Jo mere baazu main baitha hai, Yeh Rajkummar mahaan hai!

Rajkummar: Nakli teri chamak, Aur jhooti teri shaan hai

Ai tu ‘Judgemental Hai Kya’, Ya aane wali koi toofan hai?

Yash Sha Tai wrote: Kangana: Have you seen Super 30 yet? It's actually a trillion times better than our movie.

Raj: I wish I acted in that film instead of this one!

Rupali Janbandhu wrote: Kangana: RK, tum rehne hi do, tumse nahi hoga. Pagalpan mein mera koi jawab hi nahi!

Tushar Choudhary wrote: Kangana: Ye jo Rajkumar baitha haina, ye bhi meri tarah pagal hai

Raj Saneja wrote: Kangana: Mein to bilkul normal hoon.

Rajkummar: Sabhi pagal yahin kehte hein.

Anurag Singh wrote: Kangana: Ye suit kahan se liya?

Rajkummar: London se.

Kangana: Haan, tumhare baap ke paas toh duniya bharke paise hai… Rita Dushyant wrote: Nautanki ke saath betha toh hoon, par kal journalists mere piche na pad jayen

Hemal A Chauhan wrote: Kangana: Yahi hai woh Queen ka King, jisko maine chhod diya tha. Ab firse aa gaya, Bolo tararara.

Rachna Gupta wrote: Rajkummar to himself: Hope she does not start with her 'nepotism' stuff again.

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

WHERE IN INDIA

We asked you to identify this beautiful abandoned abode, said to be haunted Reader Gayathri Arulraj correctly identified it as the 400-yearoldGadwal Mahal which became the palace of Banaganapalle Nawab in Mahabubnagar, Telangana. Reader Mahesh Rohira wrote, tongue in cheek,“10 Janpath”, the official residence in New Delhi of a high-ranking leader of the Opposition.

BOOK ON HUMAN SURVIVAL INSPIRED BY RANTHAMBOR TIGRESS MACHALI

We featured this book in our Loving Right Now: Read, Eat, Listen, Watch column.

Katy Yocom wrote: I won't lie: Getting international coverage is a complete and total kick. Thanks for the love, @indian_link!

He lived by a central Hindu belief - that the world is one family, his son Jagdish Trivedi explains. "It was difficult for him to distinguish between his own people and an outsider."

ABC, on the death of Shankarlal Trivedi, 107, the oldest Hindu in Australia

KHUSHI KAPOOR OR ZENDAYA IN TOMMY X ZENDAYA?

76% Zendaya

24% Khushi Kapoor

I was in Melbourne last in 2007 and am back again now, with not too may hit films recently, and trying desperately to get one. But I'm still the sexiest today.

Shah Rukh Khan, at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne

#IndiaBucketlist

73 years of Independence. 73 interesting things to do. How many can you tick off?

This #IndependenceDay, we’ve got a mix of popular and offbeat things for you to do and experience in India. This isn’t your average checklist, it’s got all of the diversity that India’s renowned for packed into one neat long-ish list. If you’ve done any of these things, check them off and more power to you. If you haven’t done them (yet), you’re welcome. India beckons!

Hit the ski slopes at Gulmarg.

Visit the IITs or IIMs, India’s leading tech and management institutes.

See the sunlight shimmer on some of the highest lakes in the world at Ladakh.

Motorbike from Manali to Leh.

Check out the one-horned rhino, the pride of Kaziranga.

Try some jackfruit chips in Kerala.

Scuba dive in the Andamans, snorkel the clear waters of Lakshadweep or the Nicobar Islands.

Stay in a tree house in Kerala.

Drop in at Spiti Valley’s Kyi Monastery in Himachal.

Go on a boat ride along the Sundarbans or the Ganges.

Don’t forget your umbrella at one of the world’s wettest places in Meghalaya.

Walk the last footsteps of the Mahatma at New Delhi’s Birla House.

Check out the Indo-Islamic architecture at Haji Ali Dargah, Mumbai.

Visit the salt flats at Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch.

Try Sorpotel (curried liver, heart and kidney) in Goa.

Marvel at Lord Buddha in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh.

Take in a cricket match at Wankhede Stadium.

Watch devotees carry Lord Ganesh to his watery end in the sea in Mumbai.

Pick up some antiques at Chor Bazaar (Thieves’ Market).

Visit the WWII fallen at Kohima War Cemetery.

Admire the sea of millennial pink as flamingos flock to Sewri, Mumbai.

Witness the Niagara Falls of India, Hogenakkal Falls on the river Kaveri.

Check out India’s rock, goth, metal and punk scene in Shillong.

Drive up to the Drang Drung glacier near Kargil in Kashmir.

Bag a role in a TV soap at Film City, Mumbai.

Relax and unwind at Kovalam beach resort.

Shower in the outdoors at a Taj Vivanta resort.

Play golf like a maharaja at Rambagh Palace Golf Club in Jaipur.

Go paragliding in Kamshet, Maharashtra.

Pick a fresh lotus, India’s national flower.

Visit Sydney Opera House’s cousin in Delhi, the Baha’I Lotus Temple.

Study the erotic sculptures at Khajuraho.

Film the lowering of the flags ceremony at the India-Pak border at Wagah.

Study the French influences in Pondicherry.

Check out an Indian vineyard at Nashik.

Join the gay parade at Delhi or Kolkata.

Propose to your loved one at the monument of love - Taj Mahal.

Walk across a living root bridge in Meghalaya.

Drive down the Bandra-Worli Sea Link or the Queen’s Necklace in Mumbai at dusk.

Visit a centuries-old eco-tourism resort at the Bishnoi Village in Jodhpur.

See Konark, a 13th century temple in Orissa, excavated by the British.

Hear the roar of the Asiatic Lion at Sasan Gir Forest, Gujarat.

Instagram

Bungee jump at Mohan Chatti, Rishikesh.

Eat food off a banana leaf in Trivandrum.

Visit the oldest restaurant in India, Karim’s in Old Delhi.

Travel like royalty on the Palace on Wheels.

Watch the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi.

Visit Mahabodhi Temple at Bodhgaya, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Watch baby Olive Ridley turtles as they crawl towards the sea in Orissa.

Spot

elusive tiger at Ranthambore National Park.

Learn yoga in Rishikesh.

View St Francis Xavier’s casket in Goa.

Embark on an elephant or camel safari.

the

Clean Ganges movement.

Mumbai.

New Batch of Yoga

Yoga

All eyes on Kashmir

There is more than an element of jingoism on social media in India and amongst the Indian diaspora, following the revoking of Article 370 by the Indian government. There has been intense debate for some time now about the special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir, through Article 370. This allowed Kashmir some autonomy via its own constitution, a separate flag and freedom to make laws. Foreign affairs, defence and communications remained the preserve of the Central government. This meant Jammu and Kashmir could make its own rules relating to permanent residency, ownership of property and fundamental rights. It could also bar Indians from outside the state purchasing property or settling there. These provisions are

Changes to the state of Jammu & Kashmir

Following is the broad framework of how the state of Jammu and Kashmir will cease to exist after Centre's decision to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir:

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation

Bill 2019:

*A Union Territory of Ladakh will be formed. It will contain Kargil and Leh districts.

* A Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be formed. It will contain all the areas other than Ladakh and Leh.

Status of Governor

* The Governor of the existing state of

now withdrawn.

With the state currently in lockdown and a strong influx of para-military forces to keep law and order, it is early days to judge the reaction of the local population and the international community. The Modi government has described this removal of special status as correction of a ‘historical blunder’ and the fulfilment of an election promise; yet, that there will be geo political challenges ahead for India, is not hard to foresee.

Pakistan, with whom India has fought three wars over Kashmir, has been strangely quiet.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is under increasing pressure internally to take action on this issue, but to date, diplomatic action has been restricted to the expulsion of the Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria, and the

Jammu and Kashmir will become Lieutenant Governor of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh.

Representation in Council of States

* Four sitting RS members from J&K will be deemed to be members of UT of J&K. Their term remains unaltered.

Representation in Lok Sabha

* UT of J&K will have five LS seats

* UT of Ladakh will have one LS seat

L-G, Assembly of J&K

*The provisions contained in Article 239A, which are applicable to 'Union territory of Puducherry', shall also apply to the 'Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir'

briefing of global diplomats on their view of this Indian government announcement.

India was totally outplayed on the Pulwama issue by Pakistan and Indian diplomats globally will need to strongly state their case of the revocation of Article 370 being a sovereign matter for India.

What is interesting is the timing of all this for Pakistan. The United States is days away from signing an agreement with the Taliban in Afghanistan and withdrawing its troops and years of warfare there. To all observers, the Taliban has won the battle in Afghanistan.

Emboldened by their victory, will the Mujahideen, abetted as has been alleged in the past by the Pakistani Intelligence Service ISI, now turn to Kashmir for more battles? In

* The legislative assembly will have 107 seats with direct elections. (J&K assembly earlier had 111 seats out of which 87 were elected);

* 24 seats in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) will remain vacant (same as in earlier assembly)

* L-G can nominate two women members to the assembly;

* The term of the assembly will be five years (as against six years earlier)

* Central laws have been made applicable to UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh

Government proposes delimitation of assembly segments

* There will be reorganisation of assembly segments; constituency maps will be

all likelihood, Kashmir, which was a hot bed of terrorism in the 1980s, will go through a baptism of fire in the near future.

Internationally, besides Pakistan, being encouraged by China, there will be limited appetite for other nations to get involved. The United States under Trump, heading towards its 2020 elections, will play a limited role in this part of the world. Europe will abstain from any interference.

Article 370 was more than 70 years old and in that time, the politics of the region and the world has changed. It was time to bring about changes. The Modi government’s steps have been bold – but time will tell how the announcement of 5August changes the politics of the Indian subcontinent.

Pawan Luthra

redrawn;

* At the moment Jammu region has 37 assembly segments and Kashmir has 46

What Article 370 prevented

* Implementation of Right to Information

* Right to Education

* Comptroller & Auditor General's scrutiny

* Freedom from Sharia law for women in Kashmir

* Rights to panchayats

* Reservation of 16% for minorities such as Hindus and Sikhs

* Indians from other states buying or owning land in Kashmir

* Pakistanis from getting Indian citizenship by marrying Indian women from Kashmir.

Communist Party of India (CPI) members hold placards during a protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his decision to scrap Article 370, in Bangalore, 07 August 2019. Photo: AP

Our tryst with destiny

A Kashmiri Pandit perspective on the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A

BY ROHIT REVO

5August 2019 will be permanently etched in the minds of Kashmiri Pandits as a historic day when mainstream India finally found the resolve to do the right thing and correct a blunder of epic proportions. For the past three decades Kashmiri Pandits like me have felt a part of their body severed, and the desire to be part of Kashmir once again has never ebbed.

When news of the security build up in Kashmir began to come in, no one in their wildest dreams had imagined that the action would be so swift and strong.

The dismantling of Articles 35A, 370 and the reorganisation of the state was a masterstroke by the Modi Government. Upon hearing the news, as odd as it may seem, my initial feeling was not oneof joy; instead memories of the dark day came flooding back when we were forced to leave our homes in Kashmir overnight under the cover of darkness. My eyes welled up as I re-lived those terrifying moments when family and friends were saddled onto trucks like cattle with minimal or no belongings, and left to find

shelter in open spaces and sub-human conditions outside Kashmir. The physical and mental pain suffered by the people of this generation due to the onslaught of militancy and the feeling of neglect by India came rushing back to my mind.

Slowly as the news sank in, the realisation dawned that we would at last be able to go back to our homes.

Celebrations broke out in Kashmiri Pandit homes and it appeared that the rest of the country had finally heard their cries and pain.

It was a vindication of sorts. The neglect of the people of Jammu, Ladakh and border areas, and discrimination against Kashmiri Pandits for the past 70 years will now hopefully come to an end.

The removal of Article 35A and Article 370 has put paid to the hopes of the political dynasties of the Abdullah and

Mufti families who neglected their own people. For years the separatist leaders stoked the fire in Kashmir and misled an entire generation of people to go on the streets and protest. The separatist leadership in Kashmir held on to this position for the last 30 years and never wanted a political solution. Their steadfast refusal to join mainstream politics meant that they had no avenues of fundraising and relied on the Hawala route for funding stone throwers and their self-interests. With NIA applying pressure by choking their funding sources, Hurriyat ran out of steam.

This change will trigger an infusion of the best human talent seeking opportunities in the area, and will open the local population to huge economic and social opportunities. The Modi Government has used the huge mandate

provided by voters to drive strong change in the system. While the local population may find it difficult to accept the news, their attitude is bound to change as economic benefits start to trickle down. While this is one of most defining moments of Modern India as we strengthen our social fabric, it is also a difficult period for those affected by this. The next few months will be crucial, and it is time for all the people residing in areas other than Jammu and Kashmir to look out for Kashmiri students, tourists and businessmen and make them feel safe and welcome at all times. After this change, it is time to open our hearts as well and provide a feeling of warmth to everyone affected. Authorities need to make sure trouble-makers and over-zealous and foolish activists don’t take over. Hope police deal firmly with miscreants if any, so that all doomsday predict or sare proven wrong. The 17th century Kashmiri saint Resh Pir said that life and human values should be a gulkand: the nectar of peace, tolerance, brotherhood and humanity is a pious thing. It is time to remember his words.

India gained independence on 15 August 1947, but for Kashmiris like me, our real Tryst with Destiny started on 5 August 2019, providing a solace to our deep scars: these may now heal a bit faster.

Upon hearing the news, as odd as it may seem, my initial feeling was not one of joy; instead memories of the dark day came flooding back when we were forced to leave our homes in Kashmir overnight under the cover of darkness.

Paramilitary soldiers stand guard in Srinagar, 5 August 2019, as India’s Home Minister Amit Shah moves a resolution in Parliament that repeals Article 370: the state will be split into two Union Territories, Kashmir with an Assembly and Ladakh region without one. Photo: AP

WHAT’S ON

INDIA’S 73RD INDEPENDENCE DAY

Consulate General of India (Sydney)

Thur 15 Aug (9.00am - 11.00am)

Flag hoisting ceremony at the Consulate (Level 2, 265 Castlereagh St, Sydney). This will be followed by a delivery of the message from the President of the Republic of India by the Consul General of India in Sydney. Plus, colourful cultural performances and light refreshments. Friends of India in Sydney and members of the Indian community along with their friends and family are cordially invited to celebrate the occasion.

Details 02 9223 2702

Parramatta

Thur 15 Aug (11.30am - 12.30am)

The City of Parramatta will organise an Indian Flag raising ceremony at Centenary Square Parramatta.

SCREEN

Turban Legend, SBS

Wed 14 Aug (8.30pm onwards)

Learn the story of the Gujral family, of hospitality empire Manjit’s fame.

STAGE

Soumitra Sarkar

Sat 10 Aug Soumitra Sarkar

presents Bollywood Dhamaka 2019 at St. Marys Memorial Hall, Cnr Great Western Highway and Mamre Rd, St. Marys. Details 0425 253 465

Guru Randhawa

Sun 11 Aug (7:00 pm onwards)

Punjabi singing sensation Guru Randhawa in concert at Whitlam Leisure Centre, 90A Memorial Ave, Liverpool.

Details Vishal 0405 656 786

Tishani Doshi

Tue 27 Aug (6.30pm - 8.00pm)

Critical Path presents Tishani Doshi in conversation with First Nations choreographer and dancer Amrita Hepi. Part performance, part video, part talk, this is an intimate evening with Indian contemporary dancer Tishani Doshi. Location: Parramatta Artists Studios, Level 1 & 2, 68 Macquarie St, Parramatta.

Details 02 9806 5230

Punjabi Virsa

Sat 31 Aug (7:00 pm onwards)

Punjabi Virsa 2019 Live In Concert at Diamond Showroom, Blacktown Workers Club, 55 Campbell St, Blacktown. Details 0452 337 387

FESTIVAL

Dildar Navratri Dandia by Kirtidan Gadhvi

Sat 17 Aug (7:00 pm to 11:30 pm)

Yuva Gujarat Inc (Gujarat Association of Australia) presents Dildar Navratri Dandia by Kirtidan Gadhvi at Whitlam Leisure Centre, 90 Memorial Ave Liverpool. Details Yuva Gujarat 02 8896 6244; www.yuvagujarataustralia.com

Janmashtami

Sat 24 Aug (6:30pm – 9:30pm)

Divine & Holistic and Australian School of Meditation & Yoga present Sri Krishna Janmashtami at Granville Town Hall, 10 Carlton Street, Granville. Featuring one of Australia's leading kirtan bands Ashraya.

ART

‘Storing & Remembering’

21 - 31 Aug Mother-daughter

artist duo Panchali Sheth and Nikita Sheth present the exhibition

‘Storing & Remembering’ based on their shared interest in capturing the ideas surrounding forgetting and remembering; permanence and absence; and love and loss. Taking memory as a common point of departure, both artists create works that express something innately personal from their past: an experience, a conversation, a smell, a connection. Location: Sheffer Gallery, 38 Lander Street, Darlington, Sydney.

Details 02 9310 5683

ENTERTAINMENT

Bhangra night

Fri 9 Aug (9.00pm onwards) Feel the Punjab at IVY, Level 2 Den, Lounge & Terrace. 330 George St, Sydney. Features include Bhangra, Bollywood, RNB, Urban Punjabi.

Holly Bolly - East Meets West

Fri 9 Aug (9:00pm onwards) Zeta

Bar, Hilton, 488 George St Sydney, featuring DJ Raze, DJ Sparsh, DJ Chris Choklate

Sangeet Mehfil

Sun 18 Aug (3:00 pm – 6:00 pm) Team India presents Saleem Zamaan’s Sangeet Mehfil featuring Naye Purane Filmi Geet. Location Franklin St, Parramatta.

Details 0416 049 763

COMMUNITY

India Day Fair

Sat 10 Aug (12 noon – 9pm)

FIAN presents India Day Fair 2019 Parramatta Park.

Details 0413 375 669 info@fian.org.au

Indian Fair

Sun 11 Aug (11.00am – 5.00pm)

Desi Events presents Indian Fair 2019, a desi celebration of fashion, food and music at Hornsby Westfield Mall. Details 0423 516 105

Calling all Rajasthanis

17 Aug (5:30 pm – 10:00 pm)

Rajasthani Association of NSW Incorporated (RANI) marks Badi Teej Sinjara with its Kajari Teej

Ro Melo 2019 at Dundas Area Neighbourhood Centre, 21 Sturt Street, Telopea. Details email Australia.RANI@gmail.com

SENIORS

AASHA Foundation Australia (Ltd) organises seniors social hubs at various centres across Sydney. Allcommunities welcome. Activities

include yoga, music, dance, networking, health talks, technology, health checks, light lunch.

Blacktown: First Wednesday of the month (11.00am – 2.00pm)

Westpoint Shopping Centre, 17 Patrick St, Blacktown (Community Room, next to gym, Fourth floor). Close to railway station.

Wentworthville: Fourth Saturday of the month (12.30pm – 4.30pm)

Wentworthville Community Centre, Grevillea Hall (next to library), 2 Main Street, Wentworthville. Close to railway station.

Hornsby: Second and Fourth Friday of the month (11.00am –2.00pm) Hornsby Youth & Family Community Centre, Cnr. Muriel and Burdett St, Close to railway station.

Crows Nest: Third Wednesday of the month (10.00am – 11.30am)

Music-based social gathering at Crows Nest Centre, 2 Ernest Place, Crows Nest.

Details Bijinder Dugal 0412 786 569

Seniors Rights Forum

Sat 24 Aug (1.00pm – 4.00pm)

AASHA Foundation Australia (Ltd) announces a forum on ageing and seniors rights, including Q and A with experts and free health checks.

Venue: Wentworthville Community Centre, 2 Lane St, Wentworthville.

Details Bijinder Dugal 0412 786 569

CLASSICAL

Abhijnana Shakunthalam

Sat 12 Oct (6.30pm onwards) To cele brate Diwali this year, charity organisation Vision 2020 has organised a grand ballet based on the great Indian poet Kalidasa’s immortal drama Abhijnana Shakunthalam . Exclusively choreographed by Sydney’s renowned artist Hamsa Venkat and presented by Samskriti School of Dance, it will be a rich cultural experience for all age groups.

Venue: Performing Arts Centre, Pacific Hills Christian School, 9-15 Quarry Road, Dural. Fresh food and free parking available. This year Vision 2020 is supporting a unique organisation REHOBOTH (Shelter) Paraniputhur in rural Tamil Nadu, which has been providing shelter and rehabilitation facilities to destitute women with mental health issues.

Details www.Vision2020.org.au

EXHIBITION

Archibald Prize 2019

Until 8 Sep Check out Australia’s most extraordinary art event that awards the best portrait artists for their paintings. South Asian artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran and Young Archie finalists Lakshman Nitish Ramesh and Anupama

Pangeni are hung in this year’s event. Also hung is a lovely portrait of iconic restaurateur Anant Singh who opened the famous Jasmin restaurant in Adelaide in 1980.

Venue: Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW

2000. Details 1800 679 278

STUDENTS

Essay writing competition

The Ambedkar International Mission Australia invites entries for its second annual essay writing competition, open to uni students across Australia and New Zealand. Topics:

1. Comparison of Dr Ambedkar’s contributions with any political philosopher of your choice OR

2. Salience of Dr Ambedkar in the coming decade in any one of the following aspects – Social justice, Affirmative action, Women’s empowerment, Nation building. 3000 words. First prize $300. Second prize $200. Third prize $100. Last date for submission

15 Nov 2019. Submit entries to aim.sydney2018@gmail.com.

Details Vaibhav Gaekwad 0415 469 525

SPIRITUAL

Chinmaya Mission Australia

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

Details Chinmaya Sannidhi 02 8850 7400, 0416 482 149.

Sant Nirankari Mission Sydney weekly congregations

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

Details Devinder 0403 216 084.

YOGA AND MEDITATION

Lunch-time yoga and meditation

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

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

Yoga at Spirit of India

Saturdays and Sundays, 15-week Yoga course. Also check out special yoga classes for children (5-12 years), adults and senior citizens (55 plus). Venues at Wentworthville, Quakers Hill, Pennant Hills, Auburn, Epping, Homebush, Ryde. Free Yoga class every Wednesday (5.30pm - 7.00pm) at Indian Consulate Cultural Centre, Level 2, 265 Castlereagh St, Sydney. Free meditation every Saturday (8.30am - 9.15am) at Wentworthville. Details www. spiritofindia.org or call Suresh 0412 202 182 or Raja 0402 789 109

Sahaja Yoga: Music and Meditation

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

A people’s politician

Sushma Swaraj was India’s

woman External Affairs Minister,

Leader of Opposition in Parliament,

youngest Cabinet Minister at

25, and one of the most popular Indian women on Twitter with 13 million followers

Just a few hours before she collapsed and died, former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had tweeted her thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for revoking Article 370 on Jammu and Kashmir. “Thank you Prime Minister. Thank you very much. I was waiting to see this day in my lifetime.”

That was her last communication on the social media platform on which she had over 13 million followers. She would actively tweet about major happenings, although she decided against contesting

condolences on Congress leader Sheila Dikshit’s death on July 20, saying that although they were political opponents, they werefriends in personal life. Swaraj, who brought her innate grace and charm into her work, was certainly

did not retire into the shadows.

She made her mark in her own way, by connecting with the diaspora far and wide, and reaching out to help them. She would respond to every appeal for assistance, and make sure the Indian missions responded to the requests. She brought a human touch to the Ministry of External Affairs, and won millions of admirers across the world, including many in Pakistan.

Many Pakistani patients would appeal to her for medical visas via Twitter, and Swaraj would try to accommodate their requests. She would also connect with some of the Pakistanis who she helped get emergency medical visas. In 2017, she won admiration when she granted a year-long medical visa to a Pakistani girl Shireen Shiraz for an open heart surgery.

As Leader of Opposition in the 15th Lok Sabha, Swaraj was a formidable and compelling speaker. A superb orator, she would attack the ruling Congressled UPA without pulling any punches, as was evident in a fierce poetic exchange between her and then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2013.

Singh, accusing the BJP of making unwarranted attacks on his government, had recited a Mirza “Humko hai unse wafa ki umeed, jo nahi jaante (we hope for loyalty from those who do not know the meaning of the word).”

In response, Swaraj narrated a verse of Hindi poet Bashir “Kuch to majbooriya rahi hongi yun koi bewafa nahi hota (there must have been some compulsions, one is not disloyal for no reason at all).”

She continued to quote, “Tumhe wafa yaad nahee, Humein jafa yaad nahee, zindagi or maut ke toh do hee tarane hain, ek tumhein yaad nahee, ek humein yaad naheen (you don’t remember loyalty, we don’t remember disloyalty, life and death have two rhythms, you don’t remember one, we don’t remember the other).”

Dressed in widebordered saris with her trademark big red bindi and

sindoor, Swaraj had carved a niche in the BJP through effective presentation of her views both within and outside the Parliament.

Following the 2004 elections, when Congress was set to form the government at the Centre, with Sonia Gandhi being touted as the likely Prime Minister, Swaraj threatened to shave her head, wear a white sari and eat groundnuts (symbolic of mourning) if Gandhi were to be the PM.

Sushma had contested against Sonia in Bellary during the 1999 Lok Sabha elections. Although she lost the polls, she continued to move up the party ladder.

Born on February 14, 1952 at Ambala Cantonment, Sushma earned a B.A. degree in political science. She studied LLB at Panjab University, Chandigarh and married Swaraj Kaushalon July 13 1975, at the height ofthe Emergency.

An advocate by profession, she began her political career as a student leader in the 1970s, organising protests against Indira Gandhi’s government.

As a Janata Party MLA in Devi Lal’s government, she was the Cabinet Minister for Labour and Employment (1977-1979), becoming India’s youngest ever Cabinet Minister at age 25. She joined the BJP in 1980.

Swaraj was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1990. In 1996, she was elected to the 11th Lok Sabha from South Delhi. She was Union Cabinet Minister of Information and Broadcasting in 1996, during the 13-day Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. She was re-elected to the 12th Lok Sabha for a second term in 1998.

Under the second Vajpayee government, she retained the I&B Ministry portfolio along with the Ministry of Telecommunications.

Swaraj left the Union Cabinet from October-December 1998 to serve as the first female Chief Minister of Delhi. The BJP lost the assembly elections, and she returned to national politics.

She was re-inducted into the cabinet as the I&B Minister, a position she held from September 2000 until January 2003.

She was re-elected to the Rajya Sabha, where she also served as the deputy leader of BJP, in April 2006 from Madhya Pradesh.

In 2009, she won the election to the 15th Lok Sabha from Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, by a record margin of 3.89 lakh votes.

She was made Deputy Leader of the Opposition in June 2009 in the Lok Sabha, and in December that year, Swaraj became the first female Leader of the Opposition when she replaced Advani.

Sushma Swaraj’s accomplishments are many. She entered politics when few women did, and she’ll be remembered as a true trailblazer. IANS

first full-time

the first female

the

age

During her tenure, Swaraj gave a human touch to the Ministry of External Affairs, and won millions of admirers across the world, including many in Pakistan.

Twirls and thumkas galore

Highlights from the Bollywood style dance competition Nach Le Sydney as captured by BINU NAIKARAPARAMBIL

Aaja nach le!

Bhangra, Bollywood, Bharatnatyam and beyond: When a love of dance took over

When Amitoj Singh led his troupe Bhangra All Stars Sydney in to Nach Le, a Bollywood style dance competition, he felt a twinge of nervousness. This despite the fact that BASS has just returned from an international Bhangra contest in which they won the main prize.

“I was just a bit concerned that this time round we were contesting against a range of different styles, not just Bhangra,” he told Indian Link later.

He needn’t have worried. Their highoctane, heart thumping number was one of the stand-out performances of the night, four minutes of athleticism and aerobics and sheer joi de vivre that had the audience jumping out of their seats in the end. Of course their reputation preceded them. Juhi Bhavsar of Nrityam Performing Arts knew she had to put in that extra bit into her troupe’s performance just to stay up to par. “We choreographed new routines, added some floor features, and practised to perfection.” Their folk style presentation has begun to be seen with increasing frequency around the community, especially with their very traditional Rajasthani style costumes and the pots balanced on their heads. At Nach Le, they showed off some brilliant moves in their Ghoomar, pots and dupattas

expertly in place throughout!

Both groups were winners on the night, BASS taking the Judges’ award and a $1000 cash prize, and Nrityam the Audience Appreciation award and gift hamper.

In the Duets’ round Sanjana Chandawarker and Meygha Shankar were clear winners, impressing with their fusion of classical-semi classical-hiphopRnB-Bollywood. They took home both Judges’ and the Audience Appreciation awards, including a $750 cash prize and gift hamper. Trained in Bharatanatyam, the duo impressed not only with their moves but also their attitude to it all. “We’re here to enjoy the whole journey,” they told the MCs Kashif and Ekta at the end of their act.

“We were thrilled to win, but it was more than just a win for us,” Meygha told Indian Link. “As dance lovers, we were happy to meet so many other dance lovers on the night, to see what they brought to the stage, and to make new friends.”

Her partner Sanjana added, “One impromptu decision to compete, a couple of days putting together a routine and less than a week to drill earned me one beautiful partner in crime, rehearsal memories that I will cherish, and of course that first place at Nach Le Sydney!”

In the Solo category, it was diminutive

Nepalese star Bijay Baniya that won hearts, taking home both Judges’ and Audience awards again ($500 cash prize and gift hamper). Quite the star already with some 45,000 followers on Instagram, the shy and softly spoken Bijay transforms himself into a dance sensation as soon as he ascends that stage, his K-Pop style hair and clothes and mannerisms adding to his star appeal.

Dance is a huge unifier in the Indian community, offering new migrants as well as those born here an avenue to express themselves culturally. It helps that there are a variety of genres to choose from including classical and folk and contemporary styles.

“There’s plenty of talent out there, and we thought it would be a wonderful way to give our many dance enthusiasts another platform to strut their stuff,” Shriti Sinha from the organising committee remarked. “We were able to attract a large number of contestants, aficionados who belong to dance schools and academies, as well as those who dance just for fun. We had people from all walks of life on stage - professional dancers, uni students, engineers, finance professionals, stay-at-home mums with bubs. Equally, we were happy to welcome on board our commercial partners as sponsors keen to reach out to the younger segment of our community.”

She added, “Thanks also to the full-house dance-aware audience, who did their bit by voting for each act.”

The judging panel was made up of Raphael Speyer (Bharatanatyam dancer with the Natanalaya Dance and Music Academy; flamenco, salsa, tango and hiphop dancer, and founder of the Sydney Uni Movement And Dance Society), Hamsa Venkat (dancer, teacher, founder of the Samskriti School of Dance, and dancer writer for Indian Link), and Mala Mehta OAM (well-known arts and culture personality in Sydney’s Indian community who has herself danced in Bharatanatyam and Kathak styles as well as waltz, polka and Latin American genres).

The Audience Appreciation voting was conducted online via www.slido.com, a platform that not only allowed voting but also comments throughout, adding a whole new dimension to the night especially with regular banter between audience members and hosts backstage.

Indian Link Radio presenters Ekta Sharma and Kashif Harrison coordinated the happenings on stage. New sensations DZYR Band and rapper Karan Luthra kept the audience engaged as judges conferred in between rounds.

Rajni Anand Luthra

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Being safe online

Kavitha Anandasivam impresses in her debut role on SBS TV show

BY RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA

It’s being described as a show that should be seen by parents of all high school kids. SBS TV’s new four-part series

The Hunting is based on the stresses and strains of late adolescence, played out under the dehumanising effects of social media.

At a time when raging hormones turn high schoolers into troubled beings, their parents are dealing with their own developmental issues in their particular stage of life. The young ones seek outlet in online activity, a ubiquitous aspect of modern day teen life, even as their older counterparts struggle to understand the new forms of media.

Throw into the mix some migrant dilemma, and you have a TV series.

Adelaide-based South Asian actor Kavitha Anandasivam plays one of two high school students caught up in imagebased sexual abuse. An innocent flirtation mushrooms into the unthinkable, no thanks to the online phrase “pics or it didn’t happen.”

Devastating effects ensue for the families and the schools involved.

Is there much sexting, sharing and commenting going on in high school these days, we ask Kavitha, a Year 11 student herself.

“Sexting is definitely rampant,” she tells Indian Link. “Not so sure about the sharing and commenting…. but yes I’ve heard about real life examples of image-based sexual abuse.”

Are young people aware about issues such as consent?

“There’s not much discussion about consent. Only about sex. It’s not ingrained in us. But I think most people know it’s important…”

Her answer is alarming, and brings home the fact loud and clear that this is, as the show portends to highlight, one of the pressing issues of our time as far as young adults are concerned.

How much do parents talk to their kids about “safe” behaviour online and otherwise, we ask Kavitha.

“My own parents, not that much, but they spoke to my older brother a lot. And he in turn talked to me about cyber bullying, about not having more than three people on my Snapchat, and about filters etc.”

She laughs, “He’s very protective of me. In fact so protective that my parents had to step in and tell him to take a back seat!”

There is some talk about it all at school as well, she notes.

School is intricately involved, we learn

from the show, as this is where much of the encounters unfold. We also learn how school itself is struggling to come to terms with this new problem, grappling with issues such as policing strategy and disciplinary action.

Kavitha impresses in her debut screen role. In a mixed cast of experienced as well new actors, she is able to stand on her own admirably: convincing in her healthy integration with peers, a quiet fondness for her parents’ “ethnic” mannerisms, a gentle rebellion as she seeks to venture outside the boundaries set by them, wide-eyed wonder at new experiences, innocent playfulness with the object of her attraction, and always, always, a resolute understanding that she must do well at school. (Might be interesting to know if indeed the writers’ room took in some cultural consultation, or at least a sensitivity reading, as the diversity advocates have been demanding).

“We were six weeks in filming, all day

on some days,” Kavitha reveals. “I’d say my most memorable experience was the swimming pool scene: it’s a short scene, but we had to jump in and out of the water and it was freezing. It’s the coldest I’ve ever been – the temperature drop sent shocks through our body!”

Kavitha scored the role through her drama group SAYarts which she joined two years ago.

“I told my brother about it first ‘cos I thought he would be more supportive, being a musician (he lives and works in Berlin). But my parents encouraged me to follow my passion.”

She counts as her influences British actors Helena Bonham Carter and Brit Pack A-lister Tom Hardy. And there’s been a tiny bit of Bollywood too, her Sri Lankan background notwithstanding. “I’ve seen Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham – I thought it was entertaining but too long!”

We’ll wait and see if a talent such as hers will be lapped up by the industry, especially one that is slowly opening up to the appeal of diverse actors.

“Growing up, I saw no one on TV with my skin colour,” she observes. “I’d love to do more work in front of the camera if there are opportunities. It’s more intimate than theatre, I feel.”

And what has she learnt about herself in this entire experience?

“To trust my gut. I doubted my abilities, thinking what if I can’t do it, or reach that emotional space…but it all came through fine.”

In a show with other diverse actors, and which blends the Punjabi and the Arabic seamlessly with the English, Kavitha might well have found herself the perfect launchpad for her acting career.

Watch The Hunting every Thursday at 8.30pm on SBS, and on SBS On Demand.

Photos: Nat Rogers

Dr Pandit’s bio

Dr Pandit was born and brought up in India, amid the tremendous diversity of language, culture, and religion of the country. He completed his medical schooling and residency in General Internal Medicine at the prestigious CMC Hospital in Vellore, India. He migrated to the United States, redid his residency and for some time was Assistant Professor of Medicine in the University of Oklahoma

Soon after graduation in India he set out on an intellectual journey attempting to answer some very basic questions that had challenged him earlier in life, ie was there impartial evidence for the existence of God? The search lasted over twenty years – the results were astounding! To an honest inquirer, there is sufficient, compelling evidence for God’s existence

He has been to five continents on invitation and has visited universities; to name a few: Harvard, Wisconsin, Georgia Tech, Michigan Tech, UC Davis, University of Florida in the USA and many more, to share the results of his intellectual journey He gave up medical practice to spread this Message and has set up Search Seminars International.

Monday, 26th August, 7PM – 9PM >> Session I: Setting the Premises. Attitude for True Inquiry

Tuesday, 27th August, 7PM – 9PM >> Session II: Atheism Vs Theism, The Pan Process

Wednesday, 28th August, 7PM –9PM >> Session III: Evolution , Relativism and Pluralism

Saturday, 31st August, 4PM – 6PM >> Session IV: Ancient Literature, Test for Authenticity

Sunday, 1st September, 4PM –6PM >> Session V: Q & A

Monday, 2nd September, 7PM –9PM >>

Session VI: Comparison of Founders, Part 1 (Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity)

Tuesday, 3rd September, 7PM –9PM >> Session VII: Comparison of Founders, Part 2

Wednesday, 4th September, 7PM – 9PM >> Session VIII: The Man, The Book

Saturday, 7th September, 4PM

6PM >> Session IX: The Supreme Transaction

Sunday, 8th September, 4PM –6PM >> Session X: Q & A

मीटिंग को दे�ने में दि�चस्पी र�ते�र�ती हैं� तो �पनी

दि�चस्पी दर्शाने के �िए क�पया 1 सितंबर �01� तक वेबसाइट www.westernsydneyairport.gov.au/fowsa पर फॉर्म भरें। इस फॉर्म

को भरने की समय-सीमा समाप्त होने के बाद आपकी उपस्थिति की पुष्टि की जाएगी।

को� भी सवा� जमा करने के �िए 1 सितंबर �01� तक FOWSA@infrastructure.gov.au पर �मे� भेजें।

और अधिक जानकारी के लिए इस साइट पर जाएँ: www.westernsydneyairport.gov.au/fowsa

फ़ोन: 1800 038 160

ईमेल: FOWSA@infrastructure.gov.au

Tender, generous and significant

BY ERIN MIDDLETON

Under a lattice roof of walkways and lighting rigs sat between a dozen different accents, styles of headwear, and celebrations of culture. Those accents, styles and celebrations were the audience for Nautanki Theatre Company’s latest show, eagerly awaiting a new kind of story: their story.

One of migration, and family, and home.

Ten Years To Home is playwright Sonal Moore’s part of that story, sharing her own experience as the child of ‘accidental’ Indian migrants to Australia in the 1960s. Moore’s tale is told both through her own voice, played with surety and brightness by Shabnam Tavakol, as well as the voices of her mother Vasant (Reema Gillani), daughters Radhika (Cypriana Singh) and EV (Ashlene Singh), and to a lesser extent her father Rushi (Taufeeq Sheikh).

Ten Years To Home sits well in Riverside’s unpretentious blackbox Lennox Theatre, using simple wooden boxes as set and props whilst keeping to a central circle on the stage in ever-shifting configurations. The boxes were effective, if a bit plain, and sat waiting in spotlights for bodies to awaken them.

The opening scene, where Sonal recalls the sharing out of pistachios as a child, is a beautiful piece of writing which captures the heart of the play as a whole.

Unfortunately, that heart gets lost in other moments, perhaps tangled in the jumping timelines. Sometimes the play feels more like an in-development showing than a fully realised production.

At other times, though, there is clear craft at work. Gillani as Vasant – Aaji to her granddaughters – is the standout performer, engaging and good-humoured. A tragic moment for Vasant delivered at the front of the stage was beautifully performed, but sadly shrouded by an ill-placed lighting design.

Cypriana and Ashlene as Sonal’s daughters have a joyful chemistry, their banter bright. Sheikh is endearingly awkward as Papaji (‘grandpa’) Rushi. Shabnam Tavakol as Sonal links the pairs – her parents, her daughters –with a firm grip in each time, each memory.

Direction by Jules Orcullo was let down by some clunky transitions and unmotivated movements, but was otherwise well-handled for such a time-traveling text. Lighting (Joseph Burdock) and sound design could have been better employed, particularly in key story moments. Again, these elements feel like they had great potential under further development, making the show seem like it is not yet in its final stage; that, like the curry leaf tree in the family’s backyard (sprouted from seeds snuck into Australia in the ’60s), it is still growing in its own way. And as Vasant told Sonal, “Don’t kill the curry tree!”

Ten Years To Home is a tender, generous, and significant story, one rarely – if ever – heard on the Australian stage. It was clearly impactful for the audience who saw their own stories reflected like a mirror, and that alone makes it worth watching.

Diverse stories are important stories, and we as theatre makers, goers, lovers, need to support them.

This review first appeared on the theatre review platform State of the Art (stateoftheart.net.au)

Many elements in the show feel like they had great potential under further development, making it seem like it is not yet in its final stage; that, like the curry leaf tree in the family’s backyard (sprouted from seeds snuck into Australia in the ’60s), it is still growing in its own way.

Niche audience sees their own stories reflected in playwright Sonal Moore’s personal tale

A time before division and borders

In her podcast-turned-to-book, Kavita Puri showcases the heart-warming stories of those Indians,displaced by Partition, who moved to Britain

Take the story of Gurbaksh Garcha, “smartly dressed in a Nehru waistcoat”, exuding gentleness and calm, “a calm that must have been tested many times during his time as Mayor of Lewisham, navigating the local politics”.

Until recently, the thousands of Indians who had migrated to Britain in the wake of the Partition of the sub-continent, had lived in silence, perhaps wanting to bury the ghosts of the past as they sought to make a new life. Two years ago, awardwinning journalist and broadcaster Kavita Puri produced a three-part series, Partition Voices for BBC Radio 4 that won the Royal Historical Society’s Radio and Podcast Award and its overall Public History Prize. She has now converted this into a similarly-titled book “to remember the time before separation so future generations understand that there were Hindus in Lahore, and Muslims in Amritsar”.

“Hindus who tied rakhis on the wrists of their Muslim brothers, and Muslims who brought laddoos to their Hindu friends to celebrate Diwali. Friends and strangers who transcended hatred to commit acts of kindness and humanity during the worst of times.It cannot just be the stories of hate and violence which are passed down. Even though every story told to me was shattering, I felt hopeful. Hopeful that people wanted these stories of compassion to be recognised, and that the visceral pull of the place of your birth, and that of your ancestors, the love of your land remains strong. Hopeful that these are the stories that will survive too,” Puri writes in Partition Voices

London-based journalist Poonam Joshi, in her book Arms to Fight, Arms to Protest: Women Speak Out about Conflict, quotes her mother Nirmal, who fled her home in Punjab and ended up in England,“Partition can be summarised in great detail or in one sentence. But I still feel great distress that what happened shouldn’t have happened. I think we should talk. We should talk about it very openly, we should know what happened at that time. And there is no distress in talking about it. It did not happen to one or two people. It happened on a large scale... it became a part of history... and it is no crime to be a refugee.” A similar strain runs through the 23 chapters of Puri’s book, divided into three parts - End of Empire, Partition and Legacy.

“Gurbaksh’s home was in a picturesque village amid the fertile plains of the Punjab. It was a harmonious and tight-knit community. Religious difference was barely thought about. They never imagined one day they would be separated from each other,” Puri writes.

“Just before Partition, Gurbaksh noticed posters going up around the village inciting bloodshed against the Muslims his family had lived alongside for decades. They said that anyone demanding India should be split to create Pakistan, would ‘get kabristan’.”

And then the mayhem started, and he too fled, to land up in England in 1958.

“But this story is not one Gurbaksh has ever talked of. It is too painful to recount. His children never asked. And anyway, he did not want to expose them to things he had witnessed.He is still angry at the way and manner of the British withdrawal. Gurbaksh calls himself an agnostic Sikh. He feels his faith in humanity has been shaken, that human beings are fragile. How little it takes to turn them into beasts,” Puri writes.

But then, it’s not only the migrants who feel the pain. There is, for instance, the reverend Canon Michael Roden from Hitchin (now Canon Chancellor of Bristol Cathedral).

“In his church, by the pews...stands a modest memorial. It shows a map of British India with a red line marking the 1947 division. A single A4 typed sheet of paper on a music stand explains that, in the absence of a national memorial, this makeshift one, in his fourteenthcentury church, will act as a surrogate to

commemorate the millions who died and were displaced. Around the sign, candles are lit in remembrance,” Puri writes.

Towards the end, the sentence reads, “We have screened the most beautiful part of this church to symbolize terrible loss of life, loss of mutual trust and loss of access to holy sites at the time of Partition.”

Puri concludes on an uplifting note, “The Partition generation remembers a time which was not always perfect, but when people lived alongside one another, celebrated each other’s festivals, were part of one another’s happiness and sorrows. They shared culture, food, language and traditions. A time before division, borders, Partition. That is what they choose to remember too, after seventy long years.”

Vishnu Makhijani

The book aims “to remember the time before separation so future generations understand that there were Hindus in Lahore, and Muslims in Amritsar”.

Could my child have sleep apnoea?

Signs and symptoms parents should look for

BY VISHAL SADDI

Neel is six years old and snores loudly each night. His mother has noticed him gasp for air in between snores. He is restless through the night often waking up unrefreshed. His teachers have noticed him to be inattentive at school and irritable. Neel was referred to a paediatric sleep doctor diagnosed with Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

What is obstructive sleep apnoea?

OSA is a condition that affects your child’s breathing in sleep. When we sleep, our muscles relax. This includes the muscles in the upper airway which can either partially or completely block the upper airway. Affected children snore, which can affect their sleep quality, behaviour and concentration during the day. Snoring is quite common- approximately 10% to 15% children snore regularly but only about 2% to 5% have obstructive sleep apnoea. When the breathing is disrupted during sleep, the body is left to choose between sleeping and breathing. As a result, the brain rouses sufficiently to restart breathing. Children (and adults) do not remember waking, but this arousal leads to poor sleep.

Obstructive sleep apnoea is diagnosed in children if they have obstructed breathing more than once every hour on a sleep study test. In my practice, I have come across children who have stopped breathing as many as 140 times every hour!

The most common cause contributing to OSA in children is enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Tonsils are found on each side in the back of the throat. The adenoids are a patch of tissue that sit high in the throat, behind the nose, and are not easily seen through the mouth. In addition to large tonsils and adenoids, overweight children, children with abnormalities involving the lower jaw or tongue, conditions associated with low or weak muscle tone or neuromuscular deficits such as cerebral palsy, have a higher risk of developing sleep apnoea.

How do I know if my child has OSA?

There are many clues that your child may have sleep apnoea, for e.g. if your child does any of the following during sleep:

n Snoring

n Gasping, choking, or noisy breathing that may be worse when your child is on his or her back.

n Pauses in breathing sometimes with a gasp.

n Laboured breathing - Sucking in the skin above the collarbone, or between

or below the ribs when sleeping.

n Mouth breathing.

n Restless and sweaty while asleep.

n Sleeps in unusual positions (seated position, arched back, head tilted back).

n Frequent awakenings from sleep.

n Bed-wetting, particularly if your child has not usually been wetting the bed at night.

What problems can occur with untreated OSA?

n Attention problems or poor performance in school.

n Hyperactivity and other behaviour problems.

n Personality changes such as being moody, cranky or irritable.

n Excessive sleepiness.

n Tiredness

n Overtime, OSA can increase your child’s risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

How is OSA diagnosed in a child?

The first step is a thorough history and examination to look for signs and symptoms of OSA by a paediatric sleep specialist. Sleep apnoea is usually diagnosed by doing a polysomnogram (a study done in a sleep laboratory at night). During this study, the child’s breathing, oxygen levels, heartbeat and electrical activity of the brain are recorded.

How is obstructive sleep apnoea treated in children?

For children who require treatment, the options might include:

n Adeno tonsillectomy: Surgery to remove the tonsils and/or adenoids is the first line of treatment for most children with OSA. This is done by an ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) surgeon and in most cases, the child will be discharged after an overnight stay in the hospital.

n Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): CPAP is a device that applies air pressure to keep the airway open. It is advised for those children whose OSA cannot be corrected by surgery.

n Medications: Some medications such as a steroid nasal spray or medications for allergies may help.

n Weight loss: Weight loss might improve sleep apnoea. In my experience, appropriate treatment of sleep apnoea often improves weight management.

What do I do if my child has symptoms described in this article?

See your GP, who will refer you to a paediatric sleep specialist.

Dr Vishal Saddi MBBS DCH FRACP is a paediatric Sleep and Respiratory specialist. He grew up in Mumbai and moved to Sydney in 2008. He undertook sleep and respiratory training at the Children's Hospital network in Sydney.

In addition to large tonsils and adenoids, overweight children, children with abnormalities involving the lower jaw or tongue, conditions associated with low or weak muscle tone or neuromuscular deficits such as cerebral palsy, have a higher risk of developing sleep apnoea.

Yo Ve d a I N C . A u s t r a l i a

Welc o m e s A l l to F R E E s p ir itual

d i s c o u r s e s i n SY D N E Y 2019

B y His Holi ne ss Swami Anubhavananda S ar asw at i

Mornin g Tal k s on ASHTAVAKRA GITA

2 1st - 23rd A u g u s t 2 019 6 :15 – 7:1 5 a m

6 2 B o m b a y S tr e et L i d c o m b e

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Evening Ta lk s on YOGA VASISHTHA

21st - 23rd August 2019

7:30 – 9:00 pm

Marsde n Hig h School, 22a Winbourne Street, Wes t Ryde

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N

o

n - R e s i d e n t i a l

W e e k e n d R e t r e a t o n

'K AT HO PA NI S H A D'

24th - 25th August 2019

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MATRIMONIALS

in family, both parents are doctors. Please contact lalitm67@gmail.com, phone 0411 058 064

Seeking professionally qualified well settled match from Sydney for ’88born, 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 BRIDES

SEEKING GROOMS

Beautiful, highly educated (very good family background), soft spoken, careeroriented 33-year-old vegetarian Brahmin girl, working, well settled in Sydney, seeks an educated matchm teetotaller with good family background. Prefer Australian citizen or PR. Please contact rajsyd83@gmail.com

Seeking well-settled boy in Australia (businessman or professional) for a Hindu Khatri (never married) India-based girl, 5'3", beautiful, slim, very fair, vegetarian, post-graduate, December 1985 born. Currently in Australia (visitor’s visa).

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Seeking groom for my niece, beautiful, 30, 5’ 5”, fair, pleasing personality, Management Consultant in Ernst and Young, Singapore. Caste no bar. Only child

Seeking match for educated, well settled Gujarati boy with own home in Sydney, earning 180+k per annum, divorced, 5’9", 1980 born, Australian citizen. Looking for Citizen/PR match ONLY preferably from Sydney.

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Professional match for Punjabi boy, 34, 5'11", fair, B.Com/BBA, Chartered Accountant, Australian citizen, working 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 tosanjdeep6@gmail.com.

Match intercaste, for Hindu Kayasth 32, 5'8”, teetotaller, MBA, Axis Bank Manager, Jaipur, India. May shift to Australia. Never married. Looking for Indian/Australian citizen girl. Should be professionally qualified, vegetarian.

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Phone: +919828536328 or +919660934538

August 2019

BY MINAL KHONA

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

ARIES

March 21 - April 19

A phase of planning for Arians, as any move you make needs some thought. An unexpected encounter brings profits. Watch out for that needy soul who enters your life – they could be already married. A position of power at works gives you renewed confidence. Eat high energy foods to boost your health. Profits in business are on the rise. A good month, as you get an opportunity to advance your career and a positive change in your love life is predicted too.

LEO

July 21 - Aug 22

Partial success is predicted, but it is also a period of waiting, learning, assimilation and applying one’s knowledge. To avoid emotional entanglements, you put love on the shelf for now. A long distance trip gets cancelled. Though business is slow, it will pick up substantially. If you have been ill, you will recover. If you’ve made a decision, stick to it till you attain your goal. It is a period of gestation, so not all changes are on the surface.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov 22 - Dec 21

TAROT

TAURUS

April 20 - May 20

If you are in a healing mode, this month is when you can focus on self-improvement and self-love. Once you nurture yourself, the right kind of significant other also comes along. A personal dilemma works out positively. Marriage could be in the offing. You binge on food but beware of overdoing the liquor. An emotionally charged incident at home involving a family member or pet could upset you. Decisive actions lead to great improvements all around.

VIRGO

Aug 23 - Sep 22

Virgos could be influenced by an Aries personality this month - which means they could take bold decisions, be more driven and optimistic. Loosen up and ask for help instead of bottling your emotions. Making contacts professionally will bring results in the long term. Work and travel keep you busy and business will improve. Those looking to marry could receive a proposal. Tension headaches and backaches could besiege you. Your biggest success comes through new ventures and your ability to communicate.

CAPRICORN

Dec 22 - Jan 19

There is positive change in the offing. You search for a sense of purpose even as an event inspires you to look for love. Disillusionment at work might make you look for another job. Medical tests are in the offing, but you get to the root of a chronic health problem. Financial gains are expected. A new method or ability you discover will help at work. You make great strides in your long term professional goals.

Practical idealism, status and employment keep Capricornians busy this month. Your desire to make more money or success is stonewalled. A friend plays match maker or helps you in a business endeavour. Choking sensations, backaches or tummy issues could besiege you. Don’t hold back, and say what you should. Money will be slow coming in. Be willing to listen to and act upon new ideas. Someone will help you make a change for the better with a new approach.

GEMINI

May 21 - June 20

Change is on the anvil, in a big way. You plan to get organised on the work and family front; this includes letting go of a relationship that doesn’t feel right. A business venture might fail, and money owed to you is delayed. Take care of your health as respiratory problems could besiege you. Your feelings of anxiety make you turn inward or ask friends for advice. Clarity into an obscure situation will lead to success. The unknown leads to new opportunities.

LIBRA

Sep 23 - Oct 22

A difficult month for Librans as there could be conflicts, setbacks and unforeseen problems. Be prepared for inward and outward struggles with yourself after taking a major decision. Disappointments cause frustration. A recurring illness or physical problem causes discomfort. Unfortunately, it is here to stay. Money is sufficient though you worry about it. Stay positive and don’t allow any inconsistency to get the upper hand. Be self-reliant and something you have wanted for a long time will come to you.

AQUARIUS

Jan 20 - Feb 18

August is for introspection and solitude for Aquarians. There could be unexpected gains. A situation causes anxiety and depression and you will re-evaluate your goals and life itself. Disappointment in love is predicted. Someone will help you turn a negative situation into a positive one. A deep-seated depression makes you indifferent towards people and events. Nervous exhaustion and extreme anxiety make you unable to handle anything that is mentally, physically or emotionally taxing.

New ideas lead to a successful outcome.

CANCER

June 21 - July 20

You focus on your inner life this month; paying attention to emotions, intuition, self-expression and just being. Travel for work or pleasure is predicted. Those trying for a baby could get pregnant. Money is blocked and comes in phases. Those in creative fields should make a push to fulfil their dream project. Listen to your body for better health. A stressful period comes to an end. Success comes through a positive change in attitude and trusting your heart.

SCORPIO

Oct 23 - Nov 21

It is all about inner manifestations this month, choices of the heart, deep feelings and friendships. Be clear about what you seek in a relationship if you want it to progress. A short trip could be a very pleasant one. At work, you seek wider horizons and a large audience, someplace where visibility ensures success. Health - yours or a loved one’s - is a matter of concern. Money comes in through work that you like and a financial problem goes away.

PISCES

Feb 19 - March 20

Work and the corporate life take up your time this month. You could meet someone special through work or in a social environment. An offer of work, a financial gift or assistance is a pleasant surprise. Holding out for what you want in a relationship will be the right decision. If you’ve been ill, you will recover. Someone you know could have a drinking problem. Financial conditions improve. Luck is on your side with everything at work, so take those risks.

FIND US. FOLLOW US.

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The BUZZ

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

THE BOLLYWOOD HERO IS A CLICHÉ: NAWAZUDDIN SIDDIQUI

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui feels that the “typical” Bollywood hero is the most clichéd creation one can think of, which is why he likes to maintain his distance from the hero image.

“I have played a variety of roles, gangster, writer or a policeman. Even if I get an opportunity to play the lead hero in a movie, I will do it only on the basis of my style,”said Nawazuddin.

According to Nawazuddin, anybody can play the hero but the difficult part is to play the same role differently each time.

“For this, you need education and practice. For me, a versatile actor is one who is able to play the same role differently. For example, I have played the mafia don several times, whether it is Faisal Khan (Gangs of Wasseypur) or Ganesh Gaitonde (Sacred Games). But each role is different, as there is always that one signature dialogue/move that sets the character apart from the other. I did the same even with Dilly Mahmood (in McMafia),” added the actor.

Starting off with bit roles in films such as Sarfarosh and Shool, Nawazuddin made a name for himself with films like Gangs of Wasseypur, The Lunchbox, Badlapur and Sacred Games.

The actor is set to appear in the television crime drama McMafia,

inspired by the 2009 non-fiction book of the same name by Misha Glenny. The show is about Alex Godman (played by James Norton), an educated hedge-fund manager who unwillingly gets sucked into the lawless world of his Russian mafia family. Nawazuddin plays a Mumbai-based gangster Dilly Mahmood on the show, which airs in India on Zee Cafe.

Talking about his experience of working with director James Watkins on McMafia, Nawazuddin said, “James Watkins has been following me since Gangs of Wasseypur and it is my performance in that movie, along with Miss Lovely and The Lunchbox that eventually helped me bag my role in McMafia

“Watkins is an experienced and passionate director and has also directed a few episodes of Black Mirror. He is somebody who keeps a keen eye for detail and beautifully brings out the smallest element in each shot,” he said.

The actor found James Norton’s India connect quite intriguing. Apparently, Norton visited India almost 15-20 years ago as a backpacker and soon ran out of money. In order to make some money, he appeared in a crowd scene for a Bollywood movie.

Looks like things have come full circle!

DEEPIKA TAKES A JIBE AT SALMAN’S VIEW ON DEPRESSION

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone indirectly responded to Salman Khan for his recent comments about how he could not “afford the luxury to be depressed”.

Padukone has openly spoken about her ordeal with clinical depression, and has actively been campaigning against the malaise since 2015. In a recent interview, she took on Salman, without naming him, insisting that depression is not a choice, and so shouldn’t be viewed as a luxury.

“People confuse it (depression) with being a bit sad. A male star said recently that he didn’t have the luxury to be depressed. As if depression is a choice!” said Deepika, speaking to Vogue magazine.

“The word that best describes my experience of depression is struggle. Every second was a struggle. I felt exhausted the entire time,” Deepika explained further.

Salman had earlier reportedly said, “I see a lot of people getting depressed and emotional, but I can’t afford that luxury of being depressed or sad or emotional because no matter what I am going through, it works against me.”

Padukone started the Live Love Laugh Foundation to create awareness about mental illnesses, on World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2015.

SHILPA SHETTY’S NEW PIC MOTIVATES FANS TO STAY FIT

Bollywood diva Shilpa Shetty’s love for fitness is well known, and the actress never tires of encouraging fans to follow a regime to stay in shape.

The svelte 44-year-old shared a picture of her working out, on Instagram, with the text, “30 days to make a habit, 90 days to make it a lifestyle. #ShilpaKaMantra.”

“The start will always be the toughest hurdle to cross. But the day you begin, is also the day you’ve won half that battle. Good habits become a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle = healthy, happy you,” she continued in her caption.

In a recent interview, the actress, who is also a yoga expert, said that she hoped more Indians would use yoga to stay fit and healthy.

On the work front, the actress is set to make a comeback on the big screen after a 13-year-sabbatical. She will be seen in Nikamma, a romantic comedy starring Abhimanyu Dassani and Shirley Setia, and directed by Sabbir Khan.

NSD AWARDS DIPLOMAS TO ALUMNI OF PAST 10 YEARS

Drama (NSD) in the last ten years have (finally!) been awarded their diplomas in a single convocation ceremony held on the campus.

NSD, one of the most sought-after theatre schools in India, awarded 237 diplomas for the completion of a 3-year course between 2010 and 2019.

Culture Minister Prahlad Patel handed out the certificates at the ceremony this week. In a shining example of timeliness (hint: sarcasm), graduating students had to suffice for a once-in-a-decade ceremony since the “annual” convocations didn’t take place at all, for the past ten years. Well, better late than never!

“Since the beginning, NSD has been trying to bring back the many traditions of performing arts that India has. But I think the time has come to rethink the institution as a central school of advanced theatre studies… We should make efforts to bring theatre close to the people in their own language, but at the same time look at a pan-Asian presence,” said Ratan Thiyam, former NSD director and an eminent theatre personality.

Established in 1959, NSD is an autonomous institution under the Culture Ministry and is “fully financed” by it. Its 3-year full-time, residential training program has produced alumni like Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Irfan Khan and Neena Gupta, among others.

ROLE IN THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN REMAKE MOST DIFFICULT FOR PARINEETI

Actor Parineeti Chopra is finding her role in the Hindi remake of the Emily Blunt-starrer The Girl on the Train quite

Over 200 theatre students who graduated from the National School of DEEPIKA PADUKONE

difficult. And for the most millennial of reasons!

Tweeting a photo of herself from the film sets, Parineeti wrote, “So! We’ve started shooting for Girl on the Train in London. It’s my MOST difficult role to date; I feel like I’m in a hostel, with no time (or headspace) for social media or chilling or doing anything else.”

Based on a 2015 bestseller by Paula Hawkins, the film is narrated by a divorced woman who gets so entangled in a missing person investigation that it pushes her own life to the brink of chaos.

The actress calls it a new experience for herself. “Being cut off from everything and everyone else. Will share the first look soon. This picture was the only “time-pass” I’ve done on set so far,” she added.

The psychological thriller is produced by Reliance Entertainment and directed by Ribhu Dasgupta, who earlier helmed TE3N starring Amitabh Bachchan.

TIGER, HRITHIK’S WAR CHASE SCENES FILMED IN 7 COUNTRIES

Bollywood actors Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff’s chase and hunting scenes in War were filmed in seven

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

KAREENA KAPOOR OR MICHELLE WILLIAMS IN ATELIER ZUHRA

different countries, including Australia, according to the film’s director Siddharth Anand.

“War is one of the most visually stunning films of our times and we shot Hrithik and Tiger chasing and hunting against each other in seven different countries. We had to travel to Australia to shoot one of the key moments in the film,” Anand said in a statement.

The chase sequence was filmed right here in Sydney, at Bondi. Did anyone manage to catch a glimpse of the movie’s two chiselled actors running on the beach, with Bondi’s famous blue surf in the backdrop?

“Australia is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and Bondi Beach is the most picturesque beach that I have ever come across in my life. Since the scene needed to be visually striking, we locked on Bondi for the film,” Anand added.

Produced by Yash Raj Films, the high-octane thriller also stars Vaani Kapoor, and is set to release in multiple languages on October 2.

ON TWITTER THIS WEEK

Match the following stars to their tweets that follow:

Shilpa Shetty, Priyanka Chopra Jonas,

So proud to announce that #TheSkyIsPink is the only film from Asia to have an official selection at #TIFF2019! Can't wait to be back this year in the dual role of actor & producer. I hope to see many of you at the world premiere on Sep 13. Thank you for all the love & support

T 3239 - …it has begun…among the fun...the run…for that ton …KBC 11th season…19 years of initiation…!!

Keep your struggles, fears, pain, and tears private. Let only your transformation enjoy the luxury of a voice. The satisfaction will be unmatched. #SwasthRahoMastRaho

#TuesdayMotivation

#TuesdayThoughts

With utmost gratitude, I would like to thank Shri @SMungantiwar Ji and @Dev_Fadnavis Ji for not just appreciating our film Super 30 but also declaring the film Tax Free in Maharashtra. It gives me immense happiness and fills me with pride to be bestowed with this honour

WIN MOVIE TICKETS!

What’s the chitchat between Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan?

Send your response to: media@indianlink.com.au TO WIN A MOVIE TICKET!

LAST ISSUE CAPTION CONTEST WINNER

What’s the chitchat between Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao?

Kangana: Meri aankhon mein chamak, Aur labon pe muskaan hai Jo mere baazu main baitha hai, Yeh Rajkummar mahaan hai!

Rajkummar: Nakli teri chamak, Aur jhooti teri shaan hai

Ai tu ‘Judgemental Hai Kya’, Ya aane wali koi toofan hai?

Lucky Singh

Congrats Lucky you win a movie ticket

For more caption entries, see YOUR SAY Page 09

Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan

SHILPA SHETTY

PARINEETI CHOPRA

TIGER SHROFF

You can take an Indian out of India…

What Independence Day means to us now

Many years ago, when packing my bags to leave for Australia for the very first time, my father slipped something into one of my suitcases. It was a small badge with the Indian flag on it.

Such actions are not unusual for my father. He is proud of his country. He served in the Indian Navy. My brother and I grew up watching the Republic Day parade, the Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort and saluting the Indian flag.

But I’d never thought about being Indian until I boarded the flight for Sydney. I remember unpacking in my new room in Randwick, my things still smelling of home, and finding the little badge with the Indian flag there. It came to me very suddenly then - I was in this new world on my own, many many miles from home.

Since then, Australia has become my home.

I’ve found love here and friendship, opportunities to do meaningful work and make a contribution.

I’d be lying if I said that over the years I’d never experienced that feeling of being caught between two worlds, of somehow having fallen through the cracks. Of belonging neither here nor there.

But over the years, I’ve come to understand that it isn’t about divided loyalties as it is about acceptance. It isn’t about being one or the other. It’s about being both.

26 January, the day we celebrate Australia and being Australian is also India’s Republic Day, the day on which the Constitution of India came into effect. I take this day to celebrate my Australian identity and the life that I have built here.

Come 15 August, though, I’ll think of my father and of India, and wear my badge very proudly.

Aparna Jacob