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Vol. 27 No. 4

JANUARY 2020

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Out on a limb Bushfire disaster

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EDITORIAL

PUBLISHER Pawan Luthra EDITOR Rajni Anand Luthra

Climate change on the agenda

SOCIAL MEDIA Suruchi Sehgal

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

MELBOURNE COORDINATOR Preeti Jabbal CONTRIBUTORS Melissa Domingo Rawat, Vinaya Rai, Manan Luthra, Chitra Sudarshan, Gaurav Masand, Sandip Hor, Minal Khona, LP Ayer ADVERTISING 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

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F

or those from the subcontinent, a high AQI is par for course.

Usually ranging from 100 to 200 between Jan and Sept, it can spike up to 500 on certain days in the winter months of Oct to Dec. AQI, a term infrequently used in Australia until only months ago, stands for Air Quality Index, which measures the pollution in the air.

The recent bushfires around Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra have pushed the AQI up to hazardous levels. Sydney had a few days where the reading dipped back down to 320, but on 1 Jan, Canberra was choking at an AQI of 3,300.

Social media within the IndianAustralian community was in overdrive as comparisons were made between Australia and India on the AQI. Most however were practical enough to acknowledge that the low Australian AQIs were not a yearly event, as they are in India, but a flow-on effect from the bushfires surrounding the major cities.

The issue that all were discussing though,

was climate change and whether the governments were moving fast enough to reduce emissions in this area. As the AQI numbers headed upwards, the headlines screamed that this issue be put on the national agenda.

After iron ore, coal is Australia’s largest export at $47 billion. It is the world’s sixth largest producer of coal - mined in every state of the nation. According to the World Coal Association, coal, not a renewable resource, will run out in 2130, on current usage.

The reality is, coal forms the backbone of the global energy system.

It’s time for the backbone to change.

And if the government is not involved in this operation, then it will be initiated by private enterprise.

In a recent announcement, two of the richest men in Australia have turned their attention to supply solar power to meet 20% of Singapore’s electricity needs.

Currently Singapore relies on natural gas from Indonesia to meet more than 95% of its needs. At some time in the near future, the proposed solar farm near Tennant Creek, owned by iron ore billionaire Andrew‘Twiggy’ Forrest and software billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, will step in to capture some of the Singapore market.

A project which will cost over $20 billion, while breathtaking in its enormity, is also blindingly simple.

Open solar panels stretching over 20,000 soccer fields will generate the electricity which will be supplied via 3,750 km of underground cable from the Northern Territory to Singapore.

Australia has the land and the climate to supply on commercial terms a resource needed by a nation which lacks both.

And of course while doing so, local jobs will no doubt be created on manufacturing, maintenance and technology.

Most importantly, the enterprise will help in lowering carbon emissions globally.

Time for our politicians to step up for positive projects like this, albeit even on a smaller dollar value scale. It’s time for the lucky country to seize the opportunities to become the clever country.

Economists have estimated that the bushfires will erase upto 0.4% of Australia’s GDP, though the government spend on bushfire relief will help limit this figure.

Perhaps after this, we can turn our attention to projects which can help with what is called the ‘greatest moral challenge of our generation’, climate change.

JANUARY 2020 5

INDIAN CALENDAR 2020

CONTENTS

1 New Year’s Day 2 Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 15 Makar Sankranti / Pongal 26 Republic Day 26 Australia Day 27 Australia Day Holiday

9 Hazrat Ali’s Birthday 10 Holi 21 Nauroz 25 Ugadi / GudiPadwa 2 Labour Day (WA) 9 Canberra Day (ACT) 9 Eight Hours Day (TAS) 9 Labour Day

9 Guru Ravi Das Jayanti 19 Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti 21 Mahashivratri 14 Valentines Day

2 Ram Navami 6 Mahavir jayanti 10 Good Friday 12 Easter Sunday 10 Good Friday 12 Easter Sunday 13 Easter Monday 25 Anzac Day

SPECIAL FEATURES 1 Labour Day 7 Buddha Purnima 8 Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 25 Eid-Ul-Fitr 4 May Day (QLD, NT) 10 Mother’s Day

STUDENTS Looking back at the last year of school

16

CALENDAR Dates for Indian festivals and observances for 2020

20

2 Gandhi Jayanti 25 Dussehra 30 Milad-Un-Nabi 5 Queen’s Birthday (QLD) 5 Labour Day (ACT, NSW, SA)

6 Father’s Day 28 Queen’s Birthday (WA)

Australian holidays and observances are listed in red.

20 JANUARY 2020

COMMUNITY CAA divides the community

26

FINANCE Investing in India: Ellerston Capital

28

TRAVEL Reef meets rainforest at Cairns

1 Bakrid / Eid Ul Adha 3 Rakshabandhan 12 Janmashtami 15 Independence Day 16 Parsi New Year 22 Vinayak Chaturthi 30 Muharram 31 Onam 3 Picnic Day (NT)

23 Rath Yatra 1 Western Australia Day (WA) 8 Queen’s Birthday (All states except QLD & WA)

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4 Karvachauth 14 Deepavali 16 Bhai Dooj 30 Guru Nanak’s birthday 3 Melbourne Cup

Disclaimer: Indian holidays and observances listed here have been compiled from a variety of sources – please check accuracy closer to the dates specified.

25 Christmas 25 Christmas 28 Boxing Day 26 Proclamation Day (SA) 28 Proclamation Day Observance (SA) 31 New Year’s Eve

26 JANUARY 2020 21

NATIONAL EDITION

COVER STORY

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28

Bushfire relief: Indian community pitches in

10

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10/12/19 4:08 pm

JANUARY 2020 7

YOUR SAY

WHERE IN INDIA Photo: Wikimedia Commons

We asked you to identify this structure.

This turned out to be a tough one. Correct answer came from reader Bhanu Kothari: Baz Bahadur’s Jahaz Mahal, Mandu, Madhya Pradesh, built in the 15th century, during the reign of Mandu Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din Khilji, to accommodate the women belonging to the royal consortium. The particular feature pictured here shows channels for rain water harvesting.

FORGED BY FIRE Our readers share some heartfelt poetry as we stand together through the devastating bushfires

FIREY

By Melissa Domingo Go easy, one of courage!

Through amber and through haze, Gold of heart the single match, For golden of the flame.

How measured is your inhale; As you become the rain, How permanent your exhale; To quell another’s pain.

Raging of the embers, Reflect in scarlet eyes, ‘Midst ash of devastation, Now ash of sacrifice.

Respect and admiration, Lie wasted below price, But prayer shall storm the heavens; A shield in burning fight.

Three men once stood in furnace; Inferno to their end, Then fourth appeared alongside, At core of personal hell.

Eyes affixed upon the fourth, Not single hair came singed, The fourth still walks infernos, And ploys of death unhinge.

Go easy, one of courage!

Through amber and through haze, Gold of heart the cooling hope, In heat of hopeless days.

SAY IT AGAIN 8 JANUARY 2020

FIRES

By Ishan Mehrotra, 9 In the dark, with a spark, A fire came and lit the park.

Our heroes came to save us, The fire had betrayed us.

The animals started to fear, As their homes soon disappeared.

Flames so bright, sky dark as night.

Nothing that people like.

The fire didn’t last, the sad time past, We have a safe home at last.

MY INSTA

Send us a photo (or Instagram one) of Indian Link in your daily life, and we’ll pick one to feature here.

S Sehgal of Parramatta NSW wrote: Auntyji is savage and hilarious! Who's the real Auntyji ??

WHO WORE IT BETTER? KELLY ROWLAND OR ALIA BHATT IN MONSOORI

42% Kelly Rowland

I watched her on the Gold Coast during the A series, she's a player with a bit of X factor, a clean striker of the ball. We'll sit down and have a look at her. It was nice that we got to see her play over in Australia, and I'm sure we'll prepare well for it.

Australia vice-captain Rachael Haynes on the 15-year-old Haryana cricketer Shafali Verma.

58% Alia Bhatt

What’s happening in Australia is heartbreaking and alarming. Prayers for all the animals and people who have lost their lives and homes.

Kunal Khemu, Bollywood actor

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COVER STORY

How much can a koala bear?

A mother and son duo in India adopt two koalas affected by the bushfires

“It’s no longer a regional problem. I just want to do my bit to help.”

Sanjeevitha Bhagwat

BY MELISSA DOMINGO RAWAT

S

anjeevitha Bhagwat and her son Rahul, of Hyderabad, India, are but two of the many thousands of people across the world who have chosen to stand with Australia during these difficult bushfire-ravaged times.

Sanjeevitha and Rahul have each adopted a sick koala at the Koala Hospital Port Macquarie.

It may be a while before they have the opportunity to visit their furry, treeclimbing kin. In the meantime, a story of love and humanity has been written.

Sanjeevitha is now long-distance mum to a koala named Ocean Summer. “My heart really went out to her as I read through her story on the adoption website,” Sanjeevitha told Indian Link. “She was discovered as a tiny orphaned joey. As if the tragedy of losing her mother wasn’t enough, it was soon discovered that she is blind.”

Rahul chose to adopt a little Koala named LINR Paul. Paul was found curled up at the base of a burning tree – severely dehydrated, with his hands, feet and 90% of his body singed by the raging flames.

An estimated 1.25 billion native animals have perished in the inferno. Thousands are left homeless and maimed.

The fabled Phoenix hasn’t yet risen from the ashes of Australia’s fires. However, what we have witnessed is a coming together of people from all over the world amidst this unprecedented tragedy.

The long arm of compassion unwaveringly does its job – even as the losses continue to stack up and the country is left gasping for breath in more ways than one. Millions upon millions of dollars steadily roll in and multiple

of animals suffering because we have failed, as a people, to care for our planet,” lamented Sanjeevitha.

While her love for animals is evident, one simply had to ask what made her choose to adopt a koala that lives all the way across the world.

“I think with the current environmental crisis, the whole world needs to pull together,” she replied. “It’s no longer a regional problem. I just want to do my bit to help.”

In a world that has become a global village in so many ways, it is an absolute joy to see an individual display a sense of global citizenship - embracing not just the people but also the animals from across the oceans. There are many that say we are better together. Then there are those that show us how we are better together.

Sometimes, being better together simply means that you are the reason a singed, traumatised and bandaged little koala can snuggle safely within a blanket, with a full belly, and know that all is well.

Veterinary surgeon Felicity Stoeckeler cares for badly burnt koalas at Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park on Kangaroo Island, 10 January, 2020.

Photo: AP

To adopt a koala visit: www.koalahospital.org.au/adopta-koala

Ocean Summer

Sanjeevitha and Rahul

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good-will initiatives continue to spring up in a bid to support the victims - humans and animals alike. One such initiative is the koala adoption program run by the Koala Hospital Port Macquarie – allowing anyone from anywhere to adopt a koala, thus covering for its rehabilitation, care and needs at the NSW hospital.

Sanjeevitha, a successful restaurateur and interior designer, shares that she has always had a keen love for animals - a love that is also shared by her son Rahul. Their home in India is a reflection of their soft spot for animals, with pets ranging from the traditional dog and cat to a snake and a pond full of rare carp.

“Climate change is a real issue and it’s especially sad to think about the number JANUARY 2020 9

COVER STORY

When the Premier dropped in to Indian community fundraiser

W

ith fires still raging in parts of Australia the bushfire event is far from over but the generosity and support from the people continues to pour in. The Indian community recently got together to donate nearly $200,000 to the Victorian Bushfire Disaster Appeal in a fundraiser organised by Luckee Kohli and Sanjoo Kohli of the Australian Strategy Group.

Premier Daniel Andrews attended the event that was held in Mulgrave.

“We are very grateful that the Premier could attend the event and the community had an opportunity to personally present him with the receipts,” said the host Luckee Kohli.

“We must do things in a united fashion and keep helping our home state of Vitoria, our Premier Daniel Andrews and all the people in need, especially those affected by the devastating bushfire tragedy,” he said.

The event was organised under short notice yet received overwhelming support from friends, family, businesses and community organisations. People dug deep to donate collectively or individually and the proceeds went directly to the Bushfire appeal. According to the Kohlis their aim is to try and fundraise a significantly substantial amount as the pledges and donations continue to come in.

“Thank you to the diverse Indian

10 JANUARY 2020

community for coming together as proud Victorians to support those who are doing it very very tough,” said the Premier once everyone had the opportunity to hand him their receipts and pose for photographs.

The Sri Durga Temple alone donated

$25,000 on behalf of Victoria’s Hindu community.

The premier spoke about a series of common threads between the diverse groups within the Indian community.

According to him family, friendship, hard

work, the importance of education and the importance of looking after those who are less fortunate are common to all Indians Speaking on the aftermath of the bushfire tragedy, he said, “There are many people who have lost everything and it will take months, perhaps years for them to rebuild. We have never seen the fire season start so ferociously before. We already have a fire ground bigger than we have perhaps ever seen, certainly at this time, so early in the fire season. 1.3 hectares of land has been burnt out, hundreds of homes, thousands of cattle, fencing, shedding and tragically we have had three people lose their livesin the bushfires.”

“We send our love and best wishes to their families and best wishes to our staff, volunteers, emergency services and defence forces who are doing everything they can to save lives and property and get us through this very difficult time,” he said in his brief speech before rushing back to where the fires were still raging.

He acknowledged the big bodies like the temples, gurudwaras, organisations and individuals for their donations.

“I can’t believe how proud I am today,” said the Premier. “Victoria has the largest Indian community in our country and now there will be simply no doubt that Victoria has the best Indian community.”

Simmi Singh

www.indianlink.com.au

Every little bit

How a small gesture of kindness became a full-on movement for Sunny Duggal BY PREETI JABBAL

W

hen people were still reeling with the shock of the recent bushfires, this Indian real estate entrepreneur in Melbourne was already on the way to help.

“Your availability is more important than your ability.” Inspired by these words from his gurumai Sant Nirankari Mandal Aust Inc’s Volunteers Incharge, Sunny Duggal jumped straight into action to drive supplies of food and other amenities to the affected areas of Sale, Bairnsdale, Orbost Mallacoota and Lakes Entrance.

“What started as a single trip to drop off some urgently required milk, water, cereal, toothbrushes etc, became a fullon movement with the support of some wonderful people and organisations,” Sunny told Indian Link as he described his experience.

He has been delivering supplies in Bairnsdale Fire Relief Crisis Centre, Freemasons Hall Bairnsdale, Masonic Hall Lakes Entrance and Desi Grill Indian Restaurant.

Sunny was supported by multiple organisations like the Sant Nirankari Mission, Mental Health Foundation Australia, Global Organisation for Divinity, (Namadwaar Melbourne) and Indian Australian Community Cooperation Inc (IACC).

He visited the bushfire-affected areas with the assistance of other volunteers like Bhagyanathan Authimoorthi, Anchal Mahajan Meshram, Varan Freestone, Vasan Srinivasan, Yaksh Sharma. Praveen Kumar, Vinit Gora, Narinder Kheri, Sarabjit Singh, Deep Dhir, Adarsh Kumar, DK Tuli, Kamal Rai, Mandeep Dhami, Amit Singh and Philip Tan. Sunny’s wife and children also pitched in.

“It was like driving into a warzone,” said Sunny delving into the details. “It NATIONAL EDITION

was straight after New Years and the weather was bad; there was so much burnt land and property with ashes and smoke everywhere within sight. People were waiting for someone to come and drop off much needed basic necessities at that time.

Initially I just took a car and trailer load, then someone offered their truck, another offered more supplies and before we knew it we had a hall full of essentials,” he said.

Moved by the spirit of the people Sunny described an incident when he was driving past a place near Nowa Nowa in Gippsland. A lady came to collect some groceries she required urgently. He observed how she collected only one of each item that was necessary despite the fact that the local grocery store had burnt down.

“She could have easily taken the whole lot if she wanted but she only took what she needed and left the rest of others who may need it more than her,” Sunny recounted.

“I was touched by her grace and dignity under such difficult times.”

According to him people who had lost everything were also helping him and other volunteers.

During one of the trips Sunny recalled how his heart was warmed by the look of pure joy in a little boy’s eyes when he saw the bottles of water that were being distributed. That family and many others had ash sneak into their drinking water and taps, leaving it far from potable.

Initially, with no previous bushfire experience, Sunny did not know what to expect nor did he know what exactly needed to be done - he just felt compelled to help. “We live here in this beautiful country and spend so much time and money on ourselves. It’s times like these that we get an opportunity to give back to the community. So instead of going on our annual year-end holidays we stayed back to help.”

For this 2009 Knox City Volunteer of the Year Awardee, volunteering has always had a real and positive effect. Kudos to this man for his tireless efforts.

JANUARY 2020 11

COVER STORY

Help us to help others How Adelaide’s Indian community chipped in

BY VINAYA RAI

I

t was a week before Christmas. We were planning to go to see the Lobethal Lights as we do almost every year. The town of Lobethal in the Adelaide Hills gets lit up during Christmas.

And then, shocking news… a huge fire was on the outskirts of Lobethal! This was too close to home. Lobethal is only about 40kms from Adelaide. The Cuddlee Creek fires that had been burning since 12 December were slowly getting controlled when the winds changed and it was racing towards Lobethal.

This is how Christmas was for most South Australians. Directly in the path of a massive fire or worrying about the people and firefighters in the regions.

This has been the biggest fires so close to Adelaide in many years. More than 125,000

12 JANUARY 2020

hectares have burned in the Adelaide Hills.

The perimeter of the fires was 127 kms!

On Kangaroo Island 200,000 hectares has been burnt which is nearly half the island. A holiday lodge at Vivonne Bay

was lost along with other properties. The fire came within about 15 kms of the island's largest town of Kingscote. This was unprecedented.

Finally with some rain and cooler conditions on 10 January, the firefighters were able to stop its further spread. But not before the fire had burnt for 2 weeks, claimed 2 lives and dozens of houses and hundreds of other buildings.

One of the reasons for fairly quick relief work has been said to be the involvement of the army. “In an unprecedented move, the Australian Army’s 1st Armoured Regiment has just loaded six Armoured Personnel Carriers on to the SeaLink ferry from Cape Jervis to Kangaroo Island,” MP Leon Bignell posted on Facebook on 9 January.

About 100 reservists had also arrived earlier to assist the 200 firefighters.

A military water purification plant also arrived on Kangaroo Island after the island’s water supply was damaged by the fire would be able to supply about 250,000 litres of water per day.

The efforts of people volunteering or pooling in to help in the relief work have also been massive. Several Facebook pages collecting donations have seen huge contributions. Indian organisations like the Adelaide Tamil Association, Telugu Association of SA, Punjabi Association and the Gurudwaras, the Ganesh temple and many other organisations have held donation drives and contributed to Mayors’ pages or to organisations like Red Cross etc.

The Telugu Association (TASA) held a Bunnings Sausage Sizzle and all profits were donated to Premier’s Relief Fund.

Indian restaurants in the Adelaide Hills and nearby suburbs have offered free food for people affected by the fire.

The BAPS community organised a quick drive for animal care provisions.

Shivagarjana, the Marathi drummers, decided on a donation drive with drumming in Rundle Mall which attracted a lot of attention (of course!) and donations too. This was such a great effort that a follow-up event was immediately planned for Glenelg Beach.

The Sikh community collected enough to fill a truck and a van with things needed by the firefighters, relief workers and the population like non-perishable food, gloves, medical and veterinary supplies etc and took them over to Kangaroo Island in person. It’s been comforting to see the community stand together to help those in need.

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STUDENTS

Looking back at the last year of school

How the latest bunch of HSC graduates navigated Year 12 SAMARTH SHRIVASTAVA

HIMAJA DAVE

North Sydney Boys High School ATAR: 99.95 Subjects: English Advanced, English Extension 1, Mathematics, Mathematics Extension 1, Physics, Modern History, German Continuers, German Extension and Business Studies (completed as an accelerated course in 2017) Awards/State Ranks: First in Course for German Continuers, German Extension and Mathematics

Crestwood High School ATAR: 99.55 Subjects: Maths Extension, Maths Advanced, English Extension 2, English Extension 1, English Advanced, Economics, Business Studies, Industrial Technology Multimedia (Accelerated) Awards/State Ranks: Intech/ Shape nomination, All Rounders, Top Achievers (10th in State English Extension 1)

YASHVI LUTHRA Girraween High School and Saturday School of Community Languages ATAR: 95.80 Subjects: Advanced English, Business Studies, Hindi Continuers, Mathematics, Physics Awards/State ranks: First in State (NSW) Hindi Continuers, Distinguished Achiever (Band 6) Advanced English, Business Studies, Hindi Continuers

AMEY UPPAL Castle Hill High School ATAR: 96.35 Subjects: Extension Math, Extension English, Physics, Chemistry, Software Design and Development Awards/State Ranks: Band 6 in Chemistry, Mathematics 2u, and Software

BY MANAN LUTHRA

W

ith your HSC now done and dusted, you’ve probably had much opportunity to look back at it all with some wisdom.

What did you learn about yourself in the HSC year?

Samarth: I learnt that I could accomplish any realistic goal if I embraced a routine, then actually followed through with it. While there were undoubtedly setbacks along the way, coupled with growing expectations, I knew that I would remain resilient if I never took anything for granted and simply trusted my processes. In a more pragmatic sense, I discovered my vocation to be a patent lawyer, as my interest in the legal regulations surrounding life-saving technologies drew

16 JANUARY 2020

me towards a combined Law and Biomedical Engineering degree.

Yashvi: Looking back, the key learnings are to have greater belief in yourself and not undermine or underestimate your talent and hard work.

Himaja: I realised that the best way to do well is to choose subjects that genuinely interest you. If you’re passionate about your work, it won’t feel like studying.

What were your expectations going into the HSC year? How did reality compare?

Samarth: I expected that I would be isolated from the rest of the world during my HSC year, studying alone in my room and only performing the necessary tasks of eating and sleeping. However, that was far from the case, as I forged some of my best memories and closest relationships in Year 12. In addition to the unwavering love and encouragement of my parents and sister, I was extremely fortunate in having

an understanding support network of grandparents, aunts and uncles from Perth to India to the United States. I continued to play cricket and basketball with my friends at lunch, as well as starting to see my teachers as caring individuals through thoughtful discussions about goal-setting and wellbeing.

Yashvi: At the beginning, the expectations were different to what I ultimately achieved; I thought the entire ecosystem helped me to excel.

Himaja: I didn’t have many expectations, and just worked to the best of my capacity.

I had really hardworking teachers, willing to edit and reread my essays and check my working out on the eleventh hour, so I was very lucky in that aspect.

What was your studying technique?

Amey: Practice papers played a huge role. I’d learn the content in class (and tutoring for some subjects), then I would solidify this by making my own notes along with homework.

Then I would find past HSC questions that address those points, to practice applying my understanding. Before exams, I would be doing solely practice papers and refine my exam technique. If I found that I was weak in particular areas I would revisit my notes and come up with some questions for my teachers to clarify, but then it was back to past papers.

Samarth: When I was at school with teachers and friends or in my study group, I would consolidate my knowledge by asking questions and explaining concepts to others.

At home, I would first write brief summary notes of what I learnt during the day, thereby compiling all my content regularly. That way, I was able to better allocate my time before exam blocks for completing past papers under timed conditions. Finally, I would complete my homework and work on assignments, making sure to take short breaks whenever needed. I particularly enjoyed reading cricket articles, eating a

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light snack or taking a short walk.

Yashvi: My Hindi teachers who were very helpful, practicing Hindi at home with my family and ensuring that I watch a couple of episodes of Tenali Rama everyday to improve my vocabulary in Hindi.

Himaja: Preparing for a big exam, I would always start by doing a practice exam to assess my current knowledge. This would help me analyse my weaknesses and highlight my strengths, and thus, I was able to divert time towards areas of improvement rather than repeating content I was already confident in. This is particularly important for maths - if you’re finding that the questions are too easy, you’re probably not focusing on the right topics.

I also found that keeping a study timetable was never effective for me. Instead, I chose to make a list of all my priorities in a given week. This was much more effective for me because I participated in numerous extra curriculars and had to travel interstate on short notice several times throughout my HSC. Hence, having a flexible study schedule was easier to manage.

How did you feel at the end of your final HSC exam?

Samarth: After the Physics exam on 11 November (a date that has been etched into my memory), our exam invigilator declared, “For the last time, pens down”. At that moment, as cliched as it sounds, it felt like an expanding balloon of stress had been burst. I was free to pursue all my interests without guilt, going to the movies with my friends later that day and planning for our family vacation to the United States and New Zealand.

Yashvi: I must admit the final exam was extremely challenging. I left the room thinking I could’ve tried harder but it was soon all washed away as the feeling of relief settled in.

Himaja: I was filled with an overwhelming sense of euphoria and nostalgia at the end of my economics exam. It didn’t feel real - as if I was floating in some bubble cloud waiting to burst with apprehension in the wake of my ending secondary education. In some senses, it was kind of anticlimactic, but I was definitely glad to head back home, and finally, get a good night’s sleep.

Social media now plays a big part in the lives of many HSC students. What did you like about Facebook groups such as the HSC Discussion Group?

Amey: I personally don’t use Facebook, though group chats with friends on other social media were very useful both as a way to keep up with work and ask questions, as well as peer motivation.

Samarth: I did not follow the HSC Discussion Group very closely, preferring to participate in my school’s NSB Class of 2019 Facebook group. We would share resources such as study notes, essay plans and past papers, as well as posting motivational messages to reduce stress around exam blocks. I particularly liked the camaraderie that the platform fostered, not only because we would benefit if everyone performed well, but also due to the nostalgic sense of Year 12 being our final journey together.

Yashvi: Absolutely! The HSC Discussion group consists of a plethora of quality exam notes offered by supportive members that made my study life smoother. Another perk of the group was the reassurance I received from laughing at the light-hearted memes as NATIONAL EDITION

it proved that it wasn’t a solo journey, all of us were in this together.

Himaja: I think the discussion group was a fantastic online forum where students could access notes, information and an escape from the anxiety of the HSC. I remember waiting to leave the exam room to read the cohort’s reaction to my first English paper, feeling glad that I wasn’t the only one confused about Uncle Steve and his boomerang!

What extra-curricular activities or hobbies helped you maintain a balance between work and play?

Samarth: An integral component of my identity is my love for cricket, which I have played at a school, club and representative level over the past 10 years. I was privileged enough to captain my school’s 1st Grade team in Year 12, which involved leading the boys down to Melbourne in our annual sporting exchange, the Crawford Shield.

While such activities required substantial time and effort, they instilled in me values of camaraderie, sportsmanship and dedication.

Also, I have always enjoyed watching Bollywood movies, which I continued during my HSC year. However, rather than finishing entire films in one go, I would watch them in half-hour chunks. In the face of an increasing workload, maintaining your hobbies is not about narrowing your interests, but about managing your time more wisely.

Yashvi: Swimming, horse riding.

Himaja: 2019 was a big year in terms of extra curriculars. I won the NSW public speaking championship, and was the national runners up in the Plain English Public Speaking Competition. I was also on the Combined High Schools debating team, representing public comprehensive and selective schools against NSW’s elite private schools. In addition to this, I also volunteered in the Cancer Council’s Relay for Life, worked as a tutor, completed my Duke of Edinburgh Award and was a Captain at my school.

These were critical in keeping me grounded throughout Year 12 because I didn’t feel I was studying all the time. I also tried to remain active, playing basketball and catching up with friends at study groups because I found it was a way to make studying more engaging.

What would your advice to future final year students be?

Amey: I think consistency is key to reaching your ideal ATAR. This means working hard and steadily throughout the year and not just cramming before exams, to allow the content to sink in and become hard wired into your long term memory rather than short term. A helpful tool to ensure this is to log your hours of study each day, for each subject, ideally in a physical diary of sorts.

Have a goal for how many hours of study you want to do each week, and divide it sensibly between each subject. This is really helpful as it illustrates your time allocation throughout the week, which is powerful in helping you re-evaluate your study schedule and habits.

Samarth: Learn for the sake of learning.

When a teacher wants to extend you beyond the syllabus, do not switch off because that content will not be assessed; the skills you gain are always transferrable. Continue to read widely, as the scope of your knowledge is not finite; it will come in useful at some

point in life. If you pursue excellence and not success, other problems of stressing about marks and balancing your leisure time will sort themselves out.

Yashvi: Gravitate towards people who make you laugh. Have fun. Time will fly this year so make sure you buckle down and set yourself a disciplined study timetable to balance your studies, fitness and social life.

Start preparing for exams much sooner and please don’t leave it for the last few weeks.

Last but not at least, take regular breaks to avoid burnout.

Himaja: Ask lots and lots of questions! I found that a lot of my friends struggled because they didn’t understand an elementary concept earlier in the year which carried through the rest of their HSC. This is perhaps the most dire mistake because it can be easily avoided by speaking up and asking your teacher, or a trusted peer for help. For me, this was particularly useful in subjects such as English Extension and Economics where students are encouraged to unfold complex ideas.

What moments from the past year do you remember most?

Samarth: While much of my time over the past year was spent studying, my most memorable moments came when relaxing with family and friends. On our Year 12 camp, we organised a Class of 2019 trivia night, complete with all the inside jokes and funny stories from the last six years. To see everyone’s faces light up at the mention of times gone by reflected how tight we had become as a cohort, poking fun at and simultaneously looking out for each other. I also vividly remember dining at the revolving restaurant in Sydney Tower for my sister’s 21st birthday, even though it was the day before my trial exams. While others were deep in last-minute revision, I was feeling on top of the world, content with my preparation and refreshed for the path ahead.

Himaja: I remember the first week of my trial exams vividly. I was in Brisbane the weekend before, furiously preparing for the English exam while trying to memorise my speech for the national final.

This year, there were a variety of new subjects and syllabi available to students; everyone studied a brand new English syllabus, for example. What do you think about the new English syllabus?

Samarth: I enjoyed studying the new English syllabus, as its unpredictability sought to reward original thought, as opposed to memorised work. In the English Advanced course, I found the Year 11 Reading to Write and Year 12 Craft of Writing modules highly rewarding, as they involved studying short texts and their construction. In exams, we only had the time to write thousand-word imaginative, persuasive or discursive pieces, so analysing the language features of similar texts was more helpful than responding to entire films or novels. While there were fewer changes to the English Extension 1 course, it was made more equitable by the introduction of the common Literary Worlds module, whereby half of the HSC exam was identical for every student in the state.

Yashvi: Although it was challenging at first, spending a couple of lunch times in a peer study session under the guidance of my awesome English teacher, I began to unpack the requirements of the syllabus. Syllabus-

endorsed texts allowed me to dissect and explore human experiences, further pronounce my morals and acknowledge the representation of the phases of the changing urbanised society through poetry, plays and novels. The syllabus emphasised upon critical thinking skills which are mainly developed through reading a wide range of texts and experimenting with one’s own writing.

Himaja: I can’t really compare the new syllabus to the old one, but from what I understand, it’s more comprehensive and encourages students to voice their personal concerns rather than regurgitate essays. In light of our current socio-political landscape, I think that this change was critical and long overdue because it delves more deeply into the purpose of art and literature as a manifestation of humanity itself. We need to raise a generation of young people who can look beyond the pages and express their concerns about their world outside the bounds of alliterations and allegories, and I’m glad NESA took the first steps towards achieving that.

Following that, did you take any new subjects, and if so what did you enjoy about them?

Samarth: I studied a new Physics syllabus, which I felt provided a much deeper understanding of matter and energy. By shifting its focus from the history and philosophy of science to the derivation and application of mathematical formulae, the course better prepared students for STEM degrees at university. Additionally, I undertook a new Modern History course, which placed greater emphasis on critically analysing primary and secondary sources.

I found this skill more useful than writing planned essays, especially with a view to life beyond university.

Himaja: I thoroughly enjoyed taking economics as an HSC subject and found it to be both engaging and rewarding, because it was unlike any other subject I had taken before. Often times, we hear about changes in the stock market, or wonder why we pay our taxes without understanding their significance. The preliminary and HSC economics course was fantastic in developing a basic understanding of the machine that is the economy and encouraged me to pursue a career in Actuarial Studies and start a cadetship at UBS in 2020.

Favourite quote from a teacher?

Samarth: After the HSC, some of my friends and I went to visit our primary-school teacher, so that we could thank him for his contribution to our development and generally catch up with everyone. When we told him about our educational and professional aspirations, he reminded us, “Just because you’re scaling a mountain, doesn’t mean you should stop looking to the sides.” That quote has stuck with me because opportunities truly can come from the most unexpected places, for which one must remain open-minded.

Yashvi: The mark of a person is how they make the people around them better.

Himaja: Just keep swimming.

Describe your HSC in three words.

Samarth: Stressful, exhilarating, emotional Himaja: Just keep swimming!

Yashvi: Chunautipoorna, santoshjanak, vishesh (challenging, enjoyable, special).

JANUARY 2020 17

INDIAN NEWS A man walks on a bridge in Srinagar, India, 13 January 2020. The Kashmir valley is in the grip of an intense cold wave resulting in frozen water supply lines and both air and road transport affected.

Photo: AP

Japan tops list of most powerful passports, India ranks 84th Japan, for the second time in a row, has topped a global index for the world's most powerful passport in 2019, while India ranked at the 84th position.

According to the Henley Passport Index, which periodically measures the access each country's travel document affords, Japan retained its top spot as the world's most travel-friendly passport due to the document's access to 191 countries with a prior visa.

Singapore is ranked at second position, allowing travel to 190 countries; South Korea and Germany shared 3rd position, with travel to 189 countries Australia stands on 9th position, the same ranking as NZ, Canada, Czech Republic and Malta.

The US is at 8th position.

China is ranked 72.

India shares 84th position with Tajikistan and Mauritania, and is ranked lower than many African nations. The Indian passport, having slipped ten positions this year, offers access to 58 destinations.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nepal ranked further low at 107, 104 and 101 respectively.

Henley & Partner's list is one of several indexes created by financial firms to rank global passports according to the access they provide to their citizens.

The Henley Passport Index is based on data provided by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) and covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations. It is updated in real time throughout the year as and when visa policy changes come into effect.

The Indian links in Golden Globe 2020 Best Picture (Drama), 1917 There is an Indian connection to Hollywood's Best Film at the 2020 Golden Globes.

Academy Award-winner Sam Mendes' new war drama 1917, which won both Best Picture - Drama and also the Best Director award for Mendes, touts Reliance Entertainment and Amblin Partners among the banners associated with the film's production.

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Reliance Entertainment is the media and entertainment arm of the Reliance Group with Anil Ambani as its chairman.

Since 2005, Reliance Entertainment has been associated with film production in Bollywood and Hollywood in addition to its collaborations in the Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali and Punjabi film-making.

Amblin Partners lists Anil Ambani as one of its founders, along with Steven Spielberg, Jeff Skoll and Darren Throop.

The company's investment partners include Reliance Entertainment along with Participant, Entertainment One, Alibaba Pictures and Universal Pictures.

Internationally, Reliance Entertainment has partnered with the iconic Steven Spielberg, since 2009, in the formation of DreamWorks Studios and thereafter, Amblin Partners. Commercially and critically successful films of the association include The Help, War Horse, Lincoln, The Hundred Foot Journey, The Girl On The Train, A Dog's Purpose, Bridge of Spies, The Post and last year's Green Book.

If 1917 represents the latest in that line of quality cinema in new Hollywood, a substantial amount of Reliance investment and infrastructural control has gone into the ambitious venture, said to be riding a budget of $90 million. The film's critical and commercial success underlines the fact that Reliance Entertainment, a 100 per cent Indian-owned corporate entity, is here to stay in Hollywood.

1917 premiered in December at the 2019 Royal Film Performance and had a limited release in the US and Canada on Christmas day. The film has garnered favourable reviews. The limited release was primarily necessary so that the film became eligible for all the major awards of this year.

The film is about two young Lance Corporals, Schofield (George MacKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman). Set during World War I, they are given an almost impossible mission. Racing against time, they must deliver a message deep inside enemy territory. The message is important to stop their own men - including Blake's brother from walking into a death trap.

Although the lead cast comprises greenhorn actors, 1917 also features feted actors as Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin

Firth and Mark Strong in pivotal roles.

Mendes drew inspiration for the script of 1917 from his grandfather's stories. "It is difficult to make movies without big movie stars in the leads and expect people to come and see it in a cinema. I really hope this (the Golden Globes) win means people will turn up and see it on the big screen - for which it was intended," said the filmmaker who won the Oscar in 2000 as Best Director for American Beauty.

Meanwhile, the film has received as many as 10 Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Director (Sam Mendes), Original Screenplay (Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns), Cinematography (Roger Deakins), Sound Editing (Oliver Tarney, Rachel Tate), Sound Mixing, Production Design (Dennis Gassner and Lee Sandales), Original Score (Thomas Newman), Makeup and Hair, and Visual Effects.

Indian-American astronaut in programme with eye on Moon, Mars An Indian-American will be among astronauts who may get a chance to go to the moon or Mars following his graduation from NASA's programme training astronauts for those missions and the International Space Station.

Raja Chari was among the 11 astronauts who received silver pins this month marking their graduation at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston after two years of gruelling training. Following his mission to space, Chari will exchange the silver pin for gold in a NASA tradition.

He is the third astronaut of IndianAmerican heritage.

Explaining the Artemis programme in which he will participate, Chari said, "We're trying to get to the moon to stay by 2024.

While we have the technology to do that, we're working on getting the resources to do that. It’s going to take a lot of work and it's not going to be easy."

The Artemis programme aims to put a man and a woman on the moon in 2024, establish sustainable moon missions by 2028 and ultimately send astronauts to Mars.

About his next step, Chari said, "We won't be assigned missions for a while but

in the meantime we'll be helping all around Johnson Space Centre with different offices that are working on getting us to the moon."

He said that his guiding principle is asking and answering a singular question on a daily basis, "What did I do to help us get to the moon today?"

Chari shares that he inherited the value of education from his father Sreenivas V. Chari who immigrated to the US from Hyderabad.

"One thing he brought with him from India is that school and education is a privilege, it's not a right. And that was something that was very, very much enforced in our house and we never took for granted the fact we got to go to school," said Raja.

Chari graduated from the US Air Force Academy with a Bachelor's degree in astronautical engineering and engineering science. He then went on to earn a master's degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Also a graduate of the Navy’s Test Pilot school, he is an accomplished test pilot and acolonel in the US Air Force. He has served as the commander of the 461st Flight Test Squadron and as the director of the F-35 Integrated Test Force.

Asked what it takes to become an astronaut, Chari said, "Technical competence, loving what you do and (liking) being around others." He shares that, for him, it was not a matter of checking boxes of qualifications but of being an expert in his field simply by being really passionate about it. He adds that it is very important to be a good team player, always adding something valuable to the missions which often involve being in a small space for a longer time.

One of the things that selectors looked for, he said, was whether he would be able to spend six months within a confined space.

Being able to do this is of key importance when embarking on a space mission.

The two Indian-American astronauts before him are both women, Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams.

Space scientist Chawla, who was born in Karnal, Haryana, and immigrated to the US, was tragically killed on her second space mission when Space Shuttle Columbia broke up in 2003. She had participated in another mission on the same shuttle in 1987.

Williams, a navy officer, has served as the commander of an International Space Shuttle expedition in 2012. She had been on three other missions, in one of them as flight engineer.

Indian-American entrepreneur announces bid for California town Mayor Aparna Madireddi, an Indian-American entrepreneur, has announced her bid for the mayoral seat of California's San Ramon town, replacing incumbent Bill Clarkson who will step down after four terms, a media report said.

Madireddi is the first person to launch her campaign for the seat. Earlier, the

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A selection of books, newsletters and documents by luminaries of the Indian freedom struggle from the first half of the twentieth century, will go on an auction online in late January.

Photo: IANS

Indian-American entrepreneur had made an unsuccessful bid for a seat on the San Ramon city council.

Madireddi has served in several volunteer positions in San Ramon, situated in Northern California's East Bay. She is currently the chair of the Open Space Advisory Committee, which prioritises land at risk for development in the rapidlygrowing town.

The Madireddis have lived in San Ramon for 22 years. A keen businesswoman, having founded Arvasoft, Inc., with her husband Venki in 1998, Ms Madiredi is also active within the local Democratic Party.

"I stepped up to run for mayor because our city is at a critical point. We live in a different era where things are changing rapidly," said Madireddi.

"Policies and ideas that may have worked in the past will not pass the litmus test today, when it comes to effective governance. I want San Ramon to be fiscally smart and sound for decades to come," she added.

Fourth Gen woman officer to lead men contingent at Army Day Parade A fourth generation woman army officer will break a glass ceiling by being the first female to lead an all-men contingent at the Army Day Parade to be held on January 15, 2020.

Captain Tania Sher Gill from the Corp of Signals will be the parade adjutant.

Sher Gill, a B Tech graduate in electronics and communications, was commissioned in Mar 2017 from OTA Chennai. With a father who was in 101 Medium Regiment (Artillery), a grandfather who was in the 14th Armed Regiment (Scinde Horse) and a great-grandfather who was in the Sikh Regiment, inspiration is not is short supply for the young and dynamic lady officer.

Last Year, Captain Bhavna Kasturi from ASC became the first woman officer to lead an all-men contingent on Republic Day – a resounding “Savdhaan” for all those who still subscribe to stereotypes!

Indian-origin Lisa Nandy announces bid for Labour leadership in UK Lisa Nandy, the Indian-origin British MP, has launched her bid for the Labour leadership race. She vows to "bring the party home" to its traditional heartlands after it suffered its worst defeat in over 70 years in the December 2019 election. It was Labour’s worst defeat as many northern heartlands turned blue (Conservative) for the first time.

The Wigan MP is the fourth contender to officially declare her bid in the race, alongside Birmingham MP Jess Phillips, Shadow First Secretary of State Emily Thornberry and Shadow Minister for Sustainable Economics Clive Lewis.

She announced her bid in her local constituency paper - a move symbolic of her promise to change the perception of Labour as London-centric.

Nandy wrote that a future Labour government should give "power and NATIONAL EDITION

resources" to "every town, city, region and nation in the UK".

"We must leave behind the paternalism of the past and give people the ability to deliver change for themselves,” she said.

She is determined to defeat (Prime Minister) Boris Johnson in order to lead the compassionate, radical, dynamic government that she firmly believes people want and deserve.

Nandy's announcement came hours after Philips made public her bid to replace incumbent leader Jeremy Corbyn. The Birmingham MP called for a "different kind of leader".

Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer and Shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey were also believed to be considering a leadership bid.

A timetable for the leadership election and any rule changes - is set to be decided by the party's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) in January.

grandfather, grandfather and father), Pawan said, "You could say that, but in the past 100 years no one has had the chance to hang four convicts at the same time. I am the first to get this chance. But I cannot think of challenging my ancestors. They are my 'gurus' from whom I learnt this craft."

When Pawan's father died, it led to a conflict among Pawan and his brothers over who would inherit the historical legacy of the family tradition. Eventually his brothers withdrew from the profession leaving it all to Pawan who was granted a monthly salary of Rs 5,000 by the Uttar Pradesh jail administration.

Pawan is hopeful that he will finally get his chance in the same jail where his ancestors carried out the executions of Kashmiri terrorist Maqbool Bhat and murderers Billa and Ranga, among others.

For the first time in India, an executioner will carry out four executions together in the same prison. Reason enough for Pawan 'Jallad' to rejoice.

Tihar hangman set to emulate ancestors with Nirbhaya hangings

Freedom-era books, documents to go under hammer at Prinseps

Most people are bequeathed a legacy of property or cultural values by their ancestors.

But not always do you come across someone who has inherited a family tradition of being an executioner of criminals at the gallows.

Pawan 'Jallad' is one such man with this very unusual vocation - a man who earns his livelihood by ending the lives of society's rejects.

For the past four generations, Pawan's family has produced a long line of 'Jallads' or executioners.

It started with the first generation of the family in the 1950s with Laxman 'Jallad' - Pawan's great grandfather - who hanged convicts sentenced to death. Now Laxman's great grandson is preparing to conduct his first ever execution - of the convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case.

Pawan had earlier assisted his grandfather Kalu Ram in executions where he learned the nuances of the family trade.

"This is the blessing of my ancestors. They only managed to carry out one or two hangings thought their lives. But I'm going to hang four convicts in one go," Pawan told IANS. On being asked if he is looking to break the record of his ancestors (great-

A selection of books, newsletters and documents by luminaries of the Indian freedom struggle from the first half of the 20th century, will go on auction online shortly.

Held by auction house Prinseps, the sale will see important texts, such as Jawaharlal Nehru's autobiography Towards Freedom, his memoirs The Discovery of India and the complete volumes of Mahatma Gandhi's weekly newsletter Harijan Sevak.

The auction will also carry the first edition of a multi-volume series titled Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi.

Also auctioned will be Gandhi's Satyagraha in South Africa, published in 1928; two volumes of Bankim Chandra Sen's magazine Desh, published in 1941 and 1948; and The Calcutta Municipal Gazette: 23rd Anniversary and Independence Commemoration Number, published in December 1947, from Rathindranath Tagore and Mira Chatterjee's collection.

Collectables up for auction include a calendar dedicated to Subhash Chandra Bose

by Shiri Talashilkar created in 1945 and two Cawnpore Prints of Sardar Vallabhai Patel and Sarojini Naidu by Shyam Sundar Lal.

The no-reserve online auction of such valuable items is a celebration of the country's legacy of a brave political leadership and the journey to Indian Independence, documented with meticulous detail in these seminal literary works.

It goes live from January 20-26.

Indian-American prof fired for joke about Iranian bomb list of US sites An Indian-American professor, who posted a joke on Facebook about Iran choosing 52 US cultural sites to bomb, has been fired by his college.

Babson College said Asheen Phansey was fired because the post on his "personal Facebook page does not represent the values and culture of the College", according to WBZ television.

He had apologised for the post last week calling it "sloppy humour" that was "read as a threat".

His post was a reaction to US President Donald Trump's tweet about targeting sties "very high level and important to Iran and the Iranian culture".

Bombing cultural sites is a war crime under international law and contradicting Trump, US officials said that Washington would not target them.

Phansey suggested on Facebook that Iran selected 52 US sites such as the Mall of America in Minnesota or the residence of the Kardashians, a family of American celebrities made famous by the reality TV series "Keeping Up with the Kardashians".

He was the director of sustainability at Babson College, an institution that specialises in business and entrepreneurship education. It is located in Wellesley, about 20 km from Boston.

"I am really concerned about what this portends for our ability as Americans to engage in political discourse without presuming the worst about each other," Phansey said in a statement quoted by WBZ. "People wilfully misinterpreted a joke I made to my friends on Facebook," and had hoped the college "would have defended and supported my right to free speech".

The college however, said that it "condemns any type of threatening words and/or actions condoning violence and/or hate".

IANS JANUARY 2020 19

INDIAN CALE 1 New Year’s Day 2 Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 15 Makar Sankranti / Pongal 26 Republic Day 26 Australia Day 27 Australia Day Holiday

9 Guru Ravi Das Jayanti 19 Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti 21 Mahashivratri 14 Valentines Day

1 Labour Day 7 Buddha Purnima 8 Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 25 Eid-Ul-Fitr 4 May Day (QLD, NT) 10 Mother’s Day

23 Rath Yatra 1 Western Australia Day (WA) 8 Queen’s Birthday (All states except QLD & WA)

6 Father’s Day 28 Queen’s Birthday (WA)

2 Gandhi Jayanti 25 Dussehra 30 Milad-Un-Nabi 5 Queen’s Birthday (QLD) 5 Labour Day (ACT, NSW, SA)

Australian holidays and observances are listed in red.

20 JANUARY 2020

www.indianlink.com.au

ENDAR 2020 9 Hazrat Ali’s Birthday 10 Holi 21 Nauroz 25 Ugadi / GudiPadwa 2 Labour Day (WA) 9 Canberra Day (ACT) 9 Eight Hours Day (TAS) 9 Labour Day

2 Ram Navami 6 Mahavir jayanti 10 Good Friday 12 Easter Sunday 10 Good Friday 12 Easter Sunday 13 Easter Monday 25 Anzac Day

1 Bakrid / Eid Ul Adha 3 Rakshabandhan 12 Janmashtami 15 Independence Day 16 Parsi New Year 22 Vinayak Chaturthi 30 Muharram 31 Onam 3 Picnic Day (NT)

4 Karvachauth 14 Deepavali 16 Bhai Dooj 30 Guru Nanak’s birthday 3 Melbourne Cup

25 Christmas 25 Christmas 28 Boxing Day 26 Proclamation Day (SA) 28 Proclamation Day Observance (SA) 31 New Year’s Eve

Disclaimer: Indian holidays and observances listed here have been compiled from a variety of sources – please check accuracy closer to the dates specified.

NATIONAL EDITION

JANUARY 2020 21

One-On-One Business Advisory Sessions for Willoughby Women from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds •

Are you planning on starting a new business or expanding your existing business?

•

Free one-on-one business advisory sessions are available for Willoughby women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who have questions about how to start, expand or grow their business.

Dates

12, 19, 26 February and 4 March 2020

Time

1-3pm or 3-5pm Bookings essential at sba_chinese@cmrc.com.au This service is provided as part of Willoughby City Council’s Microbusiness Skills Development Program, funded by the NSW Government.

Adrian’s Orchestra Live in Concert FEB 2020 (Melbourne & Sydney) AMAZING MELODIES OF RAJESH ROSHAN Come along to celebrate the works of the legendary Bollywood music director Rajesh Roshan - to be performed by Adrian’s Orchestra.

“Amazing Melodies of Rajesh Roshan” will be held in February 2020 in both cities Melbourne & Sydney.

Rajesh Roshan is a renowned music director of the Hindi cinema. A Bollywood pioneer, some of the industry’s most memorable compositions through the years are credited to him.

Adrian’s Orchestra is bringing together some of the most accomplished singers for this concert. The production has gone through full auditions and hiring of the appropriately skilled artists who will be flown in to Melbourne & Sydney. Over 40 songs, over a 4.5-hour period! The expectation for this concert is very high and the production will be professional quality with music, sound and production at excellent levels for your enjoyment.

Adrian’s Orchestra is known for producing theme and concept based live musical concerts. Their “Sridevi Tribute Concert” & “70s Ki Yaadein Concert” both received amazing reviews from audience.

“Superb orchestra” “One of the best shows I have ever witnessed “Really an awesome show. We enjoyed a lot” “Can’t wait to see your next Live in Concert” “It was completely our pleasure and a feast to our ears” “5 stars. Excellent show last night superb singing talent mind-blowing songs” “Singers brilliant, orchestra mind-blowing”

Tickets available now from Eventbrite & Premier Tickets Concert Details: Melbourne 2nd Feb 2020

Sydney 16th Feb 2020

(2.00pm-6.30pm) Doors open 1.30pm. Williamstown Town Hall

(2.00pm-6.30pm) Doors open 1.30pm. Bowman Hall, Blacktown

22 JANUARY 2020

www.indianlink.com.au

A

BAAZAAR

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

HHHHH

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

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

Except that Saif as the wily ruthless

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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

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can the with the the tow in th and cele cou Yea Ram to n H of t peo hi rem ha bee Ri rem a br ach he T fin the put He curr do 18C m con in spee of thT co unla ‘W pub like (N hum Ar ano of p is d race ethn pers T that is im imp the dem of s whe ball an i abo Free a co and dec S role

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NATIONAL EDITION

JANUARY 2020 25

COMMUNITY

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

T

he last few weeks saw the bushfires blaze on in most of Australia. Yet small segments within the Indian Australian community chose to fight the political fires that are currently burning in their own home country. The controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 has been igniting passions within the local community, with supporters and detractors both drawing on their patriotism to their country of birth in speaking out about it.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 was passed by the Parliament of India in December 2019. It amended the Citizenship Act of 1955 by providing a path to Indian citizenship for members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian religious minorities, who had fled persecution from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan before December 2014.

Pointedly, persecuted Muslims from these areas were not given such eligibility. Religion has been used for as a criterion for granting Indian citizenship.

The amendment has been called ‘fundamentally discriminatory’ by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Indian government has defended itself saying that Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh have Islam as their state religion therefore Muslims are "unlikely to face religious persecution" there.

However, certain Muslim groups, such as Hazaras and Ahmadiyas, have historically faced persecution in these countries.

The passions have also been running strong in Australia. The community, as in India, seems divided on this issue and while those representing their convictions have been strong at these gatherings, the numbers in attendance have been very poor.

26 JANUARY 2020

CAA divides th

The turmoil in India caused by the controversial Citizenship (Amendme

SUPPORTERS The Hindu Council of Australia has, as expected, come out strongly supporting the CAA. A march from Parramatta Town Hall to Jubilee Park attracted over 200 people and speeches supporting the CAA were given by the leaders of Hindu Council. They congratulated the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his “decisiveness and strong actions to preserve Hinduism in India”. In their press release, they have strongly urged the Australian Government and the Australian community to support the Government of India in its actions.

In another event organised by community leader Yadu Singh, a small group of about 100, many using the placards from the Hindu Council rally, were present on a slightly drizzling Sunday afternoon. A number of speakers shared their reasons for supporting CAA. Dr Naveen Shukla urged all to show unity and to help this cause in India, given ‘our roots are in India’. Another speaker Bhupinder Chibber warned all that if the CAA did not go ahead, it can break the fabric of India, and that a successful CAA can save India from unperceived threats. The speakers all spoke in favour of the CAA – the Master of Ceremonies Yadu Singh having made it quite clear that those against the initiative would not be welcome to speak.

He also urged all to support India, and not any particular political party, in this debate.

“Stand for the right action, not for any group, if you are a true Indian,” he declared.

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he community

ent) Act, is reflected in divisions within Australia’s Indian community

DETRACTORS In Martin Place in Sydney’s CBD, those protesting against the CAA gathered to vent their disappointment on the introduction of religion-based citizenship in India. Nandita Sunija, a journalist and a new migrant, spoke to the crowds, saying “In India, hate has been legitimised: I did not want my daughter to be growing up in that type of society. India has been a vehicle of hope in the sub-continent, surrounded by other countries which we were glad not to (be like). We do not want India going down that route, we want India to move forward. Yet this Indian government wants to take us back 70 years.”

She added, “The moment you bring religion in the discussion of who your citizens are, you have lost it – any argument after that is without basis.”

Abbas Raza Alvi, president of the Indian Crescent Society of Australia, also spoke at the rally. “We are here because we love India though those who do not agree with us will call us anti-national. (The need of the hour) is that India address our issues of unemployment and the falling growth of our GDP rather than any agenda of division in the community due to religion.”

He urged all present to lobby their local politicians and show them their dissatisfaction at the Indian government’s move.

NATIONAL EDITION

THE CASE FOR CAA

By Yadu Singh CAA is a noble move by India because it helps religiously persecuted people from minority religions in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Contrary to the reassurances at the time of Partition, the persecution of religious minorities is rampant in these countries, forcing some of them to flee to India as refugees and live there in limbo. The CAA has given them a right to live with dignity, which is laudable. Contrary to rampant misinformation, CAA doesn’t affect any current Indian citizen. The violent protests and destruction of public property cannot be justified. Persecution of religious minorities in these countries is morally reprehensible and must be called out by everybody. Helping them is a positive action and will enhance the image of India if misinformation, orchestrated by the Opposition and biased media, is countered with facts. CAA will throw spotlight on undeniable and rampant religious persecution and the sad plight of minorities in India’s neighbourhood. The true picture must be seen by the world.

CAA will help in countering fake narratives against India, a truly secular nation, which treats minorities fairly and equally. NPR/ NRC are essential instruments which allow India to know who lives within its territory, and for effective governance.

Opposing them is sheer politics at the cost of India’s interests and a mechanism for vote bank politics.

BE PROUD OF A SECULAR INDIA

By Abbas Razza Alvi The Bill violates Article 14 of the Constitution, “Right to Equality”. Article 14 guarantees equality to all persons including citizens, corporations and foreigners. "The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India”.

Why does this law exclude Ahmadiyas and Sufis from Pakistan or the Tamils from Sri Lanka? And what about Rohingas?

The new law is discriminatory as it singles out Muslims who constitute nearly 18-20 per cent of the country's population, Muslims who have been part of the secular fabric of India since its inception.

India, a country where at least 100 million make income less than AUS $2/ day, is investing AUS $ 800 million plus for NRC. We need more investment in education, health, infrastructure, transport, welfare rather than creating religious divides.

The Partition of 1947 has not given anything to the Indian subcontinent apart from painful memories and big spending on defence and securities.

There are recorded versions of speeches of a number of present leaders, widely promoted and supported on social media. “Muslims should live in India as the government wants them to live.

Otherwise, Muslims should leave India”.

We do not need another Partition among Indians. Let us live like the proud secular Indians we are.

JANUARY 2020 27

ADVERTORIAL

Investing in India has never been easier

‘Be part of India’s growth story’ is a phrase that has been bandied about for some time now.

Here’s an opportunity to learn exactly how to do that

T

he Indian diaspora in Australia continue to maintain surprisingly strong ties with the country of their birth.

Family and friendship bonds are resilient, and thanks to social media, the major trends in the society they have now left behind continue to be at their fingertips. It would be safe to say they are quite ‘India-aware’.

And yet, to invest in India, especially the stock market, is put in the too-hard basket.

The Indian Australian community now has an option to connect with the longterm growth story of the Indian economy through an Australian fund which invests directly in the Indian stock market - the Ellerston Capital India fund.

The major investments include blue chip Indian companies like Reliance, TCS, ICICI, Hindustan Unilever, HDFC and Bajaj Finance. To tell us more about the Ellerston India fund, we spoke to Dr Mary Manning, Portfolio Manager.

28 JANUARY 2020

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS: ELLERSTON INDIA FUND TOP 10 HOLDINGS

SECTOR

%

Reliance Industries Limited

Energy

16.2%

Housing Development Finance Corp Ltd

Financials

8.2%

Hindustan Unilever Limited

Consumer Staples

8.0%

Tata Consultancy Services Limited

Information Technology

8.0%

Axis Bank Limited

Financials

5.8%

ICICI Bank Limited

Financials

5.5%

HDFC Bank Limited

Financials

5.4%

Infosys Limited

Information Technology

5.3%

Larsen & Toubro Ltd.

Industrials

4.0%

Bajaj Finance Limited

Financials

3.5%

As at the end of October 2019

Why should India be in everybody’s portfolio?

There are 3 reasons why India should be in everyone’s portfolio: size, growth and

diversification.

India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, unlike Australia which is struggling to achieve 2% GDP

We really like Reliance. This stock has been an amazing performer in the last two years. growth. So investing in India gives investors exposure to a high growth economy and high growth stocks.

Secondly, India is getting too big to ignore. By 2030, India is expected to be the 3rd largest economy after China and the US. Most investors in Australia have exposure to the other 2 economies either directly or indirectly, but very few have exposure to India. India also has a rapidly growing middle class and a

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MILLENNIAL POPULATIONS IN INDIA AND THE USA

young population with over 400 million millennials so from a consumption perspective, investors can’t afford to ignore India as a market.

Finally, India offers diversification, especially for investors based in Australia.

Australia is a commodity exporter while India is not, so the structure of the economies are very different. India is also one of the best and most developed IT services sectors in the world with global leaders like TCS and Infosys. Australian investor don’t have access to large cap IT services companies in domestically so India offers diversification.

The minimum investment amount is $10,000, so the hurdle to invest is not extremely high.

Over the last year the Ellerston India fund is up 21.7% (as of Oct 31, 2019). companies, TCS is our top pick. It remains attractively valued even though it has performed very well over the last few years. IT services should continue to do perform if the INR depreciates due to twin deficit concerns.

And we really like Reliance. This stock has been an amazing performer in the last 2 years. We like it for the option value if and when it spins off Jio and Reliance Retail into separate entities. Reliance is now a $200 billion market cap company which is great for India – a home grown mega-cap national champion.

The stocks I’ve mentioned above are all very well-known India companies. Less well known stocks that we like are PVR the movie theatre company and Britannia, the biscuit company.

Why did Ellerston Capital start the Ellerston India Fund?

Ellerston Capital has an Asia fund and a Global fund. India is less than 10% of Asian benchmarks while China is well over 50%. So investors in an Asia fund get significantly more China than India and the benefit of India often gets trumped (no pun intended) by China’s macro.

Similarly, India is less than 2% of MSCI AC World index so investors don’t get meaningful exposure to the Indian market via a global fund.

Therefore, investing directly in India is the best way to go, but as you and your readers know, India is not an easy market for offshore retail investors to access directly.

So we started the India fund to provide that access to investors in Australia.

What are your 1 year returns and thoughts for medium to long term?

What are your favourite stocks in India right now?

The large cap private banks, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, have been very strong performers in our portfolio. Both ICICI and Bajaj have doubled since 2017.

In the large cap IT services

POPULATION DYNAMICS IN INDIA VERSUS CHINA

Dr Mary Manning, Portfolio Manager, Ellerston Capital India Fund.

Over the last year the Ellerston India fund is up 21.7% (as of Oct 31, 2019).

Since inception our per annum return is 8.9% and we expect this to be maintained in the medium to long term.

We have outperformed the benchmark on a 6 month, 1 year, 2 year and since inception basis.

Can you tell me a bit about your investment process? How much time do you spend on the ground and how do you decide what stocks you invest in?

Ellerston India is a growth fund and we only invest in high quality growth stocks with valuation upside, good management and good ESG. You can think of our process as a hurdle race where the athlete needs to jump over a series of hurdles to stay in the game. If they trip over one of the hurdles (growth, valuation, management, ESG), they are out of the game.

What are you expecting from Modi’s second term and how will this impact your portfolio?

So far the policies in Modi’s second term have been disappointing and some of the reforms of Modi’s first term, like demonetization and GST, have started to have delayed negative impacts on the economy. As a result of this, the economy has slowed materially since before the election and policy makers do not seem to be proactive in addressing the root causes of the slow down. Lower interest rates, addressing the NBFC issues and a personal income tax cut would be welcome policy changes in the near term. That said, we remain excited about Modi’s second term and expect a focus on Infrastructure and Make In India to be important hallmarks.

Who should invest in the Ellerston Capital India Fund?

Anyone who wants growth and diversification in their portfolio.

The minimum investment amount is $10,000, so the hurdle to invest is not extremely high.

We believe everyone should have some Indian exposure in their portfolio.

For more details, log in to www.ellerstoncapital.com or email india@ellerstoncapital.com

Past performance is not reliable indication of future performance. Ellerston Capital Limited ABN 34 110 397 674 AFSL 283000 is the responsible entity and issuer of units in the Ellerston India Fund ARSN 618 549 796. Any information is general and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Accordingly you should consider the Product Disclosure Statement before deciding whether to acquire or continue to hold units in the Fund available from ellerstoncapital.com or by contacting us on 9021 7797.

NATIONAL EDITION

JANUARY 2020 29

Campbelltown centre fish and chips (no fresh sales) • Perfectly suited for husband and wife team in this Greater Western busy shopping centre.

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MATRIMONIALS SEEKING GROOMS 28-year-old girl seeking genuine marriage.

Currently in Sydney until January 2020.

Tall (5'8”), pretty, fair and medium built.

Works as a manager in the finance industry.

Potential partner must be above 5’11” in height and have permanent residency of Australia. Call 0416 812 117.

Beautiful, highly educated 33-year-old vegetarian Brahmin girl with excellent family background, soft-spoken, career-oriented, working, well-settled in Sydney, seeks an educated, teetotaller with good family background. Prefer Australian citizen or PR. Please contact rajsyd83@gmail.com Seeking a professional match for a 29-yearold Indian Hindu (Ravidasia) girl with excellent family background. She is a doctor doing MD (Pharmacology) in India, with relatives professionally settled in Sydney and Brisbane. Caste no bar. Please contact with details and photo at aeracus29@gmail.com Seeking professionally qualified, settled match for 46-year-old Sydney based, never married Australian citizen, Hindu Punjabi (Khatri) lady, 5'3" slim, fair and attractive.

She is a postgraduate, working in a good position in a government organisation.

Please email details with photo Indsyd2016@gmail.com.

30 JANUARY 2020

Seeking professionally qualified, well-settled match from Sydney for a 5’3’’ Hindu Punjabi girl born in 1988. She is divorced (concluded) with a brief marriage of 1.5 years, and is working full time with one of the leading universities in Sydney.

Teetotaller preferred. Aus PR or citizen only.

Email: matrimonial.ml@gmail.com Seeking a suitable match for a dynamic, highly-educated, career-oriented 23-year-old teaching professional who is 5’4'' slim, fair and attractive. She is from a well reputed and established business family in Delhi. Caste no bar. Prefer Australian citizen or PR. Contact 0452 225 341 or mverma2001@gmail.com Telugu girl from a traditional Hindu family, late 30s, working in a reputed company as an accountant, well-mannered and good looking, divorced, seeks caring life partner settled in Sydney. Currently in India, willing to relocate. Interested call 0433 420 918 or email Sampath_sarega2000@yahoo.co.in Seeking suitable match for a never married Hindu Khatri girl, beautiful, slim, 5'3", very fair, vegetarian, post-graduate, 1985 born and currently in Melbourne. Seeks businessman or professional match based in Australia.

Brother settled in Melbourne.

Contact +61 456 604 747 or email kapr.matrimonial@gmail.com

SEEKING BRIDES Seeking match for educated, divorced, 5’9'', 1975-born Sikh boy, self-employed, on bridging visa with full work rights.

Looking for PR/citizen match from Australia. Phone: 0422 812 939 or email: jas_ghai01@hotmail.com 25-year-old boy seeking genuine marriage. Plans to visit Sydney soon in 2020. Tall 6’, handsome, well-built, wheatish complexion. Works as a Police Officer. Potential partner must be above 5’7”, pretty, fair, slim, trendy and have permanent residency of Australia.

Call 0416 812 117.

A beautiful, slim, trim, tall, well-educated girl from Kumaon, Uttarakhand required for a smart, fair 5’10” tall boy, 36 years, born in Australia, running his own business. Caste no bar. Please send biodata with photos to email: ram@ramworldtravel.com.au Indian Christian (Protestant) parents of 39-year-old software engineer, born and raised in Australia, seek a Protestant girl between 31-36 years. Email: sammy5073@gmail.com or call 0403 836 360.

Seeking match for well-educated, wellsettled Australian citizen Gujarati boy, born in 1980s, 5’9’’. Has his own home in Sydney, earns 180K per annum, and

Contact details: Con on 0404 072 431 Or Angelo on 0413 237 702

is divorced. Looking for a suitable match from Sydney who wants to settle down forever and enjoys an easy life (no need to work full time but should have a good work-life balance).

Interested invites accepted from students/PR/citizens/divorcees/singles.

Phone: 0490 970 281 (SMS if busy) or email patelbrij1980@gmail.com.

Seeking match for educated, divorced, 5’9'', 1975-born Sikh boy, selfemployed on bridging visa with full work rights. Looking for PR/citizen girl from Australia. Phone: 0422 812 939 or email: jas_ghai01@hotmail.com Seeking qualified match for a handsome never-married 36-year-old Indian Brahmin boy, Australian citizen, living in Sydney since 2005. He works in a leading bank, Parramatta CBD. Parents are retd govt engineer/ lecturer from Delhi. WhatsApp details with photos to 0422 361 702, +9198717 35858 or email sharma.brijmohan07@gmail.com Seeking professionally qualified, settled match for 45-year-old Sydney based, never married Aus citizen, Hindu Punjabi (Khatri), 6’, athletic built man. Project manager with an engineering background working in a private organisation. Please send details with photo to Indsyd2016@gmail.com

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FORETELL

January 2020

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

TAROT

ARIES March 21 - April 19

TAURUS April 20 - May 20

GEMINI May 21 - June 20

CANCER June 21 - July 20

The card drawn for you indicates that a long term situation will change soon.

You look for peace and contentment of the kind that spirituality or a loving relationship can bring. You get a chance to promote yourself; use it. If business has been slow, things will improve soon and substantially. Be upfront in your conversations about what is bothering you. Follow your gut and do what you feel is right. Success is foretold with the goahead for a business idea.

A good month as you are in a positive frame of mind. You have divine protection so even if money is blocked, fear not, it will arrive. Work and family keep you too busy to look for love if single. Watch out for confrontations with important people; it could have a strong impact. If you have been feeling down lately, cheer up because something good is coming your way.

Your health or that of a pet or family member could need attention.

You want to reach your goals or review the quality of your love life to improve your life, overall. You might travel for work or pleasure but your inner quest remains. Tensions in relationships ease; however, if a marriage is on rocky ground, it could end. While money remains tight and expenses increase, your financial situation is about to improve. Your teeth might need attention. Your success lies in making the right decisions. Stand up for your rights and resolve disputes.

Things seem to go wrong every which way, including in relationships. Don’t force a confrontation. A trip gets postponed; paperwork involving an issue could be overwhelming. A negative state of mind might persist but it’s temporary. Health needs care, or overwork will cause problems. Financial losses could occur so be careful. Those in a relationship could get married. This difficult time comes with lessons to learn, so be patient and introspect. Don’t make rash decisions.

LEO July 21 - Aug 22

VIRGO Aug 23 - Sep 22

LIBRA Sep 23 - Oct 22

SCORPIO Oct 23 - Nov 21

The card drawn for you stands for Capricorn so the usually decisive Leos might find themselves a bit unsure this month. If in a relationship, you view existing problems with a mature outlook and the aim to resolve them. A friend could help with a business lead or a blind date. If work is in a slump, something will occur soon that will change things around. Express what you feel or you could end up with problems with your throat.

You might be in a mood to be passive rather than busy doing stuff. While you take it easy, monitor your inner self, feelings, thoughts etc. A feeling of discontentment lingers, and interacting with people is a strain. Read documents carefully before signing. Those looking to start a family could conceive. If you have niggling aches, consult a doctor. Money expected could be delayed but it will come.

If single, you could make an important connection that leads to a future union.

A busy month for Librans as you focus on new relationships, ventures and improved conditions. You might have second thoughts about a romantic situation due to a situation. Self development and inner growth will improve life at work. A loved one could have a heart attack. Dizzy spells could affect your health. Finances improve through an investment or payment.

Setbacks are temporary and a bad phase comes to an end. Accept all that comes along, it could change your life.

This is a strange month for Scorpios.

Healing, a new relationship, possibly an engagement in the family or even a pregnancy – everything is happening in the realm of the heart. You might want to start on a new creative endeavour which will be well received. Health is good on all fronts. Despite your worries about money, you go ahead with plans at work and new projects could increase your finances.

Your best success comes from innovation and creativity so don’t hold back.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 - Dec 21

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 19

AQUARIUS Jan 20 - Feb 18

PISCES Feb 19 - March 20

The card drawn for you denotes the sign of Taurus, so the December born could be unusually stubborn this month. If a relationship is not going smoothly, you might want to walk away but won’t. Don’t let your emotional problems affect your work. Watch out for sprained muscles or injuries. Finances remain unresolved and troublesome. Your success will come through hard work, gradual progress and opportunities with future potential. Misunderstandings in romance get cleared and anything negative you hear can be shrugged off.

May well be a difficult month as stress and anguish continue to besiege you. A loved one could be in hospital or have a serious health issue. Disputes and unrest at work could even lead to a loss of the job. Meanwhile, things start to look up on the financial front. For those feeling let down by a lover or life, hang on, things promise to only get better as you have already hit rock bottom. This month could spell the end for a rocky relationship ends. You might even quit your job.

You hope for a better tomorrow, personal effort notwithstanding and the Universe helping you out. In a romance, one part of you wants to commit fully, another part is holding back. Go with your gut on this one.

You will manifest your heart’s deepest desires; this could be with work, finances or your love life. A divine kind of discontentment will guide and motivate you to a better way of life. You might choose to leave your current job and seek out a fresh start.

NATIONAL EDITION

This card represents Sagittarius so the usually dreamy and quiet Pisceans might find themselves being more outspoken and gregarious than they normally are. Insecurities about a relationship could bog you down. A new approach to work could become a lucrative opportunity. Any chronic health condition you might have needs attention. Finances improve but there are still some issues that cause worry.

You will no longer settle for less and ask for what you want. Change is in the air.

JANUARY 2020 31

TRAVEL

Fitzroy Island where the rainforest meets the reef

Und

Reefs and rainforests Dive into the blue, journey through the green, as you uncover the magic of Cairns BY SANDIP HOR

"I

t’s one of nature’s greatest wonders, a living structure so enormous it can be seen from space,” said Sir David Attenborough in his stunning 2015 broadcast The Great Barrier Reef. The Great A Barrier Reef is indeed an iconic site that makes its way onto the itinerary of almost every tourist Down Under. To the locals, it is a treasure worth their very lives.

The Great Barrier Reef, as its name indicates, is not just any reef. For many reasons, it is a World Heritage site of only superlatives.

Firstly, it encompasses an area of 344,400 square kilometres – approximately the same area as Italy, Japan or 70 million football fields. It laces a staggering 2,300km of the upper northern coast of Queensland. Most significantly, this strip of blue is home to 3000 individual reefs, coral cays, over 600 types of coral and hundreds of picturesque tropical islands with beautiful sun-soaked, golden beaches. Then there is the oceanic jewellery – fish, turtles, sharks, stingrays, whales, dolphins and many more – 32 JANUARY 2020

Glass bottom boat

generously scattered through the reef in numbers and variety unlike at any other singular location on earth.

There are various quarters in upper Queensland from where the reef can be explored – Port Douglas, Whitsundays, Bundaberg. However, the most popular of them all is Cairns – a touristy waterfront settlement packed with everything that a modern traveller seeks. From contemporary hotels, trendy cafes, bars,

restaurants, entertainment venues and endless shopping outlets to hordes of tour operators, Cairns has it all.

Tour operators in Cairns offer boat trips to nearby islands. Full or half-day outings to Green Island, Frankland Island and Fitzroy Island are some common options.

The so-called ‘Inner Reef’ is close to the shoreline while the ‘Outer Reef’ is a fair distance away but most ideal for the ultimate ocean experience.

Scuba diving and snorkelling are the two best ways to explore underwater life.

Countless travellers unanimously agree that it is an experience of a lifetime, an unfolding mystery, the unravelling of a secret. Drifting amidst turtles, schools of fish, sea horses, sharks and stingrays in a vibrant underwater world renders one speechless. The closer to the bottom, the brighter and richer is the marine life. The myriad colours of the coral and underwater scenery are best seen with lots of light. It is a fun challenge to try and spot, within the reef, the mischievous orange clown fish immortalised by Disney’s Finding Nemo.

For those that prefer not to get wet, glass bottom and semi-submersible boat tours are widely available and offer spectacular views of this rich ecosystem. A short helicopter ride is a great but costlier way of staying dry and seizing a bird’s eye view of the reef.

Cairns and the surrounding regions are also home to the Wet Tropics Rainforest.

It’s believed to be over 150 million years old with some pockets of primitive plants remaining undisturbed from time immemorial. The Indigenous people inhabiting the area for thousands of years have adopted several elements of this forestry into their religion, spirituality and life. This rainforest is a living cultural landscape and is listed as a UNESCO

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FACT FILE

derwater scenery

Fitzroy Island

World Heritage site.

No visit to Cairns is complete without exploring some parts of the 900,000 square hectare greenery. The most touristy way of doing this is by travelling up to Kuranda, a quaint mountain village at 300m above sea level. One way to do this is via the Kuranda Scenic Railway, winding its way through 15 hand-made tunnels and over 37 bridges while providing passengers panoramic breathtaking scenery and numerous photo opportunities. The other is by Skyrail, a glass-covered cable car system that glides over the lush green providing breathtaking views and magical perspectives.

Cairns Aquarium is a new addition. A quick wander through the live exhibits provides great background information for both the Great Barrier Reef and the Rainforest.

Accommodation Shangri La Hotel (www.shangri-la.com), or Riley, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort (www.crystalbrookcollection.com) in Cairns, or Fitzroy Island Resort (www.fitzroyisland.com) if island vacation preferred

Spirit of Queensland experience

Snorkellers

NATIONAL EDITION

Getting there Flying to Cairns is an obvious option. Alternately,one can travel by rail on the Spirit of Queensland (www. queenslandrailtravel.com.au).

Covering a distance of 1,681kms in 25 hours, this comfortable journey is not just about reaching the destination but more to cherish the raw and widely acclaimed beauty of Queensland.

The Railbed class includes all meals and offers daytime seating which converts to a flatbed at night.

More Info Check www.tropicalnorthqueensland.org.au

Reef turtle

JANUARY 2020 33

ENTERTAINMENT

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

THE 700CR CLUB: NEW REALITY OR ONE-TIME STRIKE?

St.Louis Superman

OSCARS 2020: INDIAN-AMERICAN DOCU-FILMMAKER GETS NOMINATION

I

ndian-American filmmakers Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan's St. Louis Superman will be competing in the Documentary Short Subject category at the 92nd Academy Awards next month.

The 33-minute MTV documentary film, revolves around rapper Bruce Franks Jr.'s journey from an activist to a Missouri lawmaker.

Bruce Franks Jr. is a 34-year-old battle rapper, Ferguson activist and state representative from St. Louis, Missouri.

Known as Superman to his constituents, although he remained a controversial political figure. He was elected in 2016, won re-election in 2018 and in 2019 announced his resignation for mental 34 JANUARY 2020

health and family reasons.

“I fought a lot of battles,” he said recently. “Growing up on the streets.

As a battle rapper. On the streets of Ferguson. Running for office. As a legislator. As a husband. As a father. But the toughest battle I fought was with myself.”

Mundhra and Khan’s documentary shows Bruce at his most vulnerable, as he deals with the trauma of his 9-year-old brother’s death who was shot dead before his very eyes. It led him to become a leader for his community, in a White-dominated legislature.

The 92nd Academy Awards ceremony will take place on 10 February.

Gone are the days when Bollywood stars rejoiced entering the Rs 500 crore-in-a-year club. It is the era of the new Rs 700 crore-in-a-year club - all thanks to Akshay Kumar.

Backed by the success of four films - Kesari, Mission Mangal, Housefull 4 and Good Newwz - Akshay scripted a new chapter in the history of Indian showbiz by minting over Rs 700 crore at the box office in 2019. Now, there's going to be ripple effect in Bollywood showbiz with the tempering of box office expectations in 2020, and top stars reworking their strategy.

Trade experts credit Akshay's strategy behind achieving this feat, and believe that matching his hit rate can be tough but not impossible.

"The volume of business is increasing,” trade analyst Taran Adarsh told IANS. “Now, actors have to focus on content as well as box office performance. The content has to be good, because if the content is appreciated by the audience, then box office numbers also follow. Akshay did four films last year, and all from different genres and touching different topics.”

According to a list by Bollywood Hungama, Akshay minted Rs 735.42 crore last year, followed by Hrithik Roshan who registered business of Rs 464.85 crore with his act as math wiz Anand Kumar in Super 30 and mega-hit War. In fact, Riteish Deshmukh had dhamaal at the box office in 2019 as he is third in the list by raking in over Rs 396 crore with three releases (Total Dhamaal, Housefull 4 and Marjaavaan).

Then there is Tiger Shroff (Rs 387.020 crore) for Student of the Year 2 and War. Salman Khan is fifth in the list with total of over Rs 356 crore (for two films, Bharat and Dabangg 3), who is followed by actor Ayushmann Khurrana with business of Rs 324.520 crore (Article 15, Dream Girl and Bala).

"Akshay comes out with four films in a year - that is why he can reach a new target,” trade expert Rajesh Thadani told IANS while breaking it down.

“It is difficult for one individual with one release in a year to get that figure.

He played smart by picking up different subjects. The choice of scripts were good."

It was in 2015 when Salman established the “Rs 500 crore-in-ayear club” with the success of Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.

Bollywood's eclectic Ranveer Singh joined Salman in the club in 2018, with the help of Padmaavat and Simmba.

And it's not all about having more releases in a year.

"There has to be acceptance as well because overexposure can backfire.

Akshay picks right projects, which are entertainers," trade expert Vinod Mirani told IANS. With films like 83, Baaghi 3, Angrezi Medium, Chehre, Radhe, Coolie No. 1, Laxmmi Bomb, Shamshera, Laal Singh Chaddha and Bachchan Pandey in pipeline, Indian cinema in 2020 will be a moving portrait of diverse stories, with projects led by superstars like Akshay, Aamir Khan and Salman set to clash at the box office.

The year 2020 will not only test the might of stardom, but also whether the Rs 700 crore-in-a-year club is here to stay.

AN ANTI-WAR WAR FILM Indian anti-war movie titled Bunker, which aims at narrating the stories of millions of soldiers, will hit the screens on 17 January.

The film helmed by Jugal Raja tells the tale of Lieutenant Vikram Singh (played by actor Abhijeet Singh) as lone survivor with a fatal injury in a secret bunker at the LOC in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir, which has been hit by a mortar shell during a ceasefire violation.

The makers of the film have announced 100 percent of the profits to be donated to Bharat Ke Veer and Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) as homage to armed forces.

Writer-director Jugal Raja said, "I have tried to make an 'anti-war' movie which is relevant in today's age of unrest all over the world."

"The movie draws instances from lives of several army officers and depicts a biography of millions of souls serving our country," he added.

Abhijeet underwent a strict regime while prepping for the movie. "I had prosthetics on my face for nearly 18-20 hours a day. The entire movie experience has been a difficult and a transitional journey for me," he said.

AKSHAY KUMAR

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us on our Facebook page /IndianLinkAustralia "The character of Vikram Singh is like every other soldier whom one can relate to, making it human and organic," he added

Ishaan’s favourite nickname for Tabu is Tabasco. “Because she’s mirchi!” he says cheekily.

TABU: ALL-TIME FAVE

WORTH WAITING FOR? YOU DECIDE!

She’s everybody’s favourite, and not just among the audiences. The beautiful Tabu has fans from among her co-stars too, ranging from the young Ishaan Khattar to the not so young Saif Ali Khan.

Actor Saif Ali Khan who will soon be seen with Tabu in his home production Jawaani Jaaneman, feels she is immensely talented and compelling to watch on screen.

"She's also extremely funny and such a delight to work with. She's an amazing actor and I'm so grateful that she's a part of this film," Saif said.

Ishaan Khatter says it was easy to romance Tabu in Mira Nair's anticipated A Suitable Boy. Asked why, Ishaan replied: "Because it’s Tabu - it really does half the job for you!”

Ishaan plays Maan Kapoor, the rebellious son of politician Mahesh Kapoor (played by Ram Kapoor), who develops an attraction to the beautiful courtesan Saaeda Bai (essayed by Tabu).

“I have said this before during Dhadak as well, it is always easy for me to play the besotted lover. And Tabu’s mesmerising, especially in this character. I am really excited for people to see Saaeda Bai."

Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra returns next month after a hiatus of 13 years. His Shikara tells the story of the Kashmiri Pandit exodus of 1990 from Kashmir owing to Islamic terror.

Flowing through it, is the story of a love that remains unextinguished through 30 years of exile. Produced and directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the film stars debutant actors Sadia and Aadil Khan. While the recently released trailer is gripping to say the least, many are wondering if the film will add to the cultural divide already creating chaos nation-wide. Shikara is set to hit the screens on 7 February.

Meanwhile, on the small screen for your next binge, try the web series Metro Park, starring Ranvir Shorey, Pitobash, Purbi Joshi and former Sydney girl Vega Tamotia, returning soon for a second season. The series begins by showcasing the quirks and eccentricities of the everyday life of desi Indians living abroad. A newlymarried couple, Kannan and Kinjal, who're expecting a baby, live in an apartment in New York and plan to move to Metro Park in New Jersey, which is close to Kinjal's sister's house. Kalpesh, Kannan's brother-inlaw runs an "American" convenience store called "Pay and Run" in the

heart of India-town in New Jersey and lives with his wife Payal who runs her beauty salon. As Kannan and Kinjal move into a neighbourhood where most of the residents are Indians, they find it difficult to adjust with the suburban atmosphere. The story takes the audience through various stages when the two couples find it hard to deal with different situations in their environment. Is it like an inner city Indian-Aussie couple moving to Harris Park NSW, or Tarneit VIC?

ON TWITTER THIS WEEK

Match the following stars to the tweets below.

Salman Khan, Karan Johar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Deepika Padukone

Announcing my next film, Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali. Story & produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, directed by Farhad Samji... Eid 2021.

Andhera chahe kitna bhi ho, roshni apna raasta dhund hi letihai...

Suniye#Khulne Do...

One night that changed everything in the lives of more than 4,00,000 Kashmiri Pandits. Witness their untold story: Shikara

What is Taimur Ali Khan thinking as he arrives home from his Australia trip?

Just when you thought that the news couldn’t get any better, it got more entertaining! #MrLele aka Varun Dhavan along with Shashank Khaitan are going to start 2021 with a bang!

Releasing 1st Jan, 2021.

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TABU

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VEGA TAMOTIA JANUARY 2020 35

ENTERTAINMENT

cineTALK REIMAGINING THE HISTORICAL GENRE IN BOLLYWOOD

TANHAJI THE UNSUNG WARRIOR STARRING: Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan, Kajol, Sharad Kelkar, Luke Kenny DIRECTOR: Om Raut

HHH Three things had grabbed the attention in the promos of Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. First, the sheer lavishness of the film's frames, and the fact that it had been prepared for 3D consumption.

Second, the real-life couple of Ajay Devgn and Kajol, returning together on screen after close to a decade. Finally, Saif Ali Khan’s menacing look as the arch villain of the piece.

Watching Ajay Devgn's self-produced latest effort, you realise the actorfilmmaker's intention was not just to create largescale action drama seeped in lavish visual delight. The film, directed by debutant Om Raut, tries reimagining the Bollywood historical genre at a scale far more extravagant than we have seen so far.

If commercial cinema is largely about impressing with visual delight, the unapologetically larger-than-life Tanhaji manages to craft the right spectacular impact.

But there is a very different aspect of creativity associated with mainstream cinema that also needs to be fulfilled to set up a stellar watch. A visually striking film also needs assured writing, and characters that arrest your imagination.

Prakash Kapadia and Om Raut's writing could perhaps have done better while setting up roles that justified Ajay and Kajol's on-screen reunion after such a long time, as Tanaji and his wife Savitribai. Granted, the film centres on war drama - which means the scope of romance and chemistry automatically gets curbed. Also, Kajol gets very limited screen time here, though she is still a delight to watch. Tanhaji is mostly about Ajay Devgn's machismo, and about redefining his vintage action hero avatar with a twist of history.

And then there is Saif, relishing his

anti-hero act with the right balance of cold menace and fiery rage that borders on insanity. As Uday Bhan Rathod, who was Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's trusted commander, Saif has just delivered a performance that must rank among his career best.

Raut and Kapadia's screenplay is basically about setting up Tanaji and Uday Bhan's battle royale. The setting is the 1600s. Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (Luke Kenny) has plans to extend his reign into south India. For this, he needs to gain control of the strategic Kondhana fortress, which falls in Maratha domain and which he fancies as the western headquarters of his empire. The Mughal warrior aide Uday Bhan is sent with troops to gain control over Kondhana, and he succeeds. Maratha regent Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (Sharad Kelkar) decides to sends his trusted general Tanaji Malusare to re-capture Kondhana. The stage is set for the ensuing Battle of Sinhagad.

Historians believe the battle of

Sinhagad was one of the pivotal chapters that would go on to shape the course of today's southern India. The film, like most Bollywood historical, does not seem overtly interested in understanding the socio-political subtext of history. Rather, the focus here is more on using slices of history to create scope for drama and battle action.

Overall, the film's action sequences are outstanding, adeptly choreographed (by international action director Ramazan Bulut), creatively photographed (Keiko Nakahara), and bank on smart CGI effects. Technically, the storytelling would seem sluggish in parts of the early hour, but Om Raut's narrative, aided by crisp editing (Dharmendra Sharma), picks pace as the film heads towards its climax.

An important aspect that ought to be mentioned is Sandeep Shirodkar's outstanding background music. It works as a malleable entity for the narrative, never too imposing to distract attention from the drama that unfolds on screen.

Tanhaji is substantially enriched by its technical crew that has worked to create a splendid canvas for the cast to shine upon. It tells the story of a lesser known hero from the chapters of Indian history, which makes this an intriguing film.

There will always be the questions raised about authenticity of facts, of course. Not much is known about Tanaji Malusare in any case, which is why any debatable aspect of his story might just be fended off with the statutory disclaimer right at the start.

Watch Tanhaji as a well-crafted piece of Bollywood extravaganza, more than an authentic lesson in history.

Vinayak Chakravorty

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ENTERTAINMENT

HARD TRUTH TOLD THE HARD WAY

CHHAPAAK STARRING: Deepika Padukone, Vikrant Massey, Madhurjeet Sarghi DIRECTOR: Meghna Gulzar

HHH Meghna Gulzar's Chhapaak is a hard film to watch. It is brutal in impact, horrifying in its depiction of pain and trauma, and seems a tad too long despite a runtime of just around two hours given the heavy subject at hand.

At the end of it you feel Chhapaak could only have been this way.

For all its bleak packaging, Chhapaak isn't a story of despair. Narrating the story of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal (rechristened here as Malti), this can ultimately be seen as a story of hope. The film is about the victim's

constant battle to overcome seemingly insurmountable depths of hopelessness, and it underlines the fact that the most important thing in life is life itself.

The story traces about 13 years in the life of Malti, played by Deepika Padukone, from the time she was a class XII student when the bestial attack happened on her, right through the years when she waged a legal battle for justice.

As the story takes off, Malti is struggling to get a job. Seven years into her court case she still hasn't given up hope. She is associated with an NGO that campaigns against acid attacks, and is run by Amol (Vikrant Massey). Through the ordeals of other victims like her, Malti finds a purpose in life - she works diligently at garnering support for a PIL advocating the ban of

the open sale of acid.

Malti's undying effort to rise above the tragedy that has altered her life seems to define the film's title. The word chhapaak itself translates to the short, sharp noise of a liquid, in this case acid, landing on a surface, in this case the victim's face. The impact of such an action could be momentary, but the effect of such a sound could ring a while longer. The moment of attack in Malti's life is similarly a very brief one, though its outcome resonates through almost everything she does for the rest of her life.

Meghna Gulzar has collaborated with Atika Chohan to write the film.

Chohan scripted Margarita With A Straw in the past, and Meghna's recent efforts have included Raazi

VINTAGE RAJINIKANTH… OR MAYBE NOT DARBAR STARRING: Rajinikanth, Nayanthara, Suniel Shetty and Nivetha Thomas DIRECTOR: AR Murugadoss

HHH This is the kind of film that screams out loud that Rajinikanth, who recently turned 70, is in no mood to slow down, and this fact is established even more strongly via a couple of scenes. In one scene, when Rajinikanth is given an ultimatum to prove he is mentally and physically fit in a span of four days, we see him hit the gym and lift heavy. As funny as it is to see him strain to flex muscles, it's equally exciting to see him do what it takes to still stay relevant.

Darbar is a Rajinikanth show all the way, and it could've been wholesomely entertaining if not for insipid writing.

The film, directed by AR Murugadoss, NATIONAL EDITION

sees Rajinikanth play a cop named Aaditya Arunasalam, who has no rules or mercy. Like most of the heroes in Murugadoss's films, Aaditya Arunasalam has to break the law to ensure justice is served. When he is sent to Mumbai on a special operation to handle the city's drug menace, he goes on a murderous rampage. He gets labelled 'a murderer' and 'a cop with no ethics' by the papers. As part of the operation, Aaditya crosses paths with dreaded gangster Hari Chopra (an underwhelming Suniel Shetty) and the ensuing face-off between them forms the crux of the story.

Darbar has its moments and they are owned by Rajinikanth, who is in his element. The first half is a celebration of vintage Rajinikanth, and we see the 70-year-old doing everything he can to entertain fans. From singlehandedly

and Talvar - films that revealed superb storytelling acumen.

The build-up of the script is just right.

As we are led into Malti's world, and we get a glimpse of what she has gone through, you are fully hooked to the narrative long before intermission point.

However, the later portion should have been tighter. The courtroom drama particularly, needed better writing. It could have been more engaging. The melodrama spun around the protagonist's romantic track also distracts at times, although Deepika and Vikrant do share the odd moments that act as brief poetic interludes amidst the sombre text.

Meghna Gulzar has written and directed a film that seems wholly tailormade for Deepika, a reason why almost every other character, including Vikrant Massey's Amol, seems underdeveloped.

Many of the characters, including Malti's father and brother, vanish midway.

Despite the fact, Massey and Madhurjeet Sarghi (as Malti's lawyer) are impressive.

The stage is left wide open for Deepika to shine in the most demanding role of her career yet. She does meet the demands of being Malti.

She is subtle in scenes that require her to merely express Malti's emotions with her eyes or a smile, just as she judiciously avoids hamming even when she has to scream out loud staring at her distorted face before the mirror.

As a commentator, Meghna Gulzar drives home a solid message about a few societal ills the harsh way. As a storyteller, however, she has done better with Talvar and Raazi. Her new film is disturbing and yet relevant, while jolting you out of your senses.

But somewhere down you get the feeling that the filmmaker is too overwhelmed with her subject matter.

Vinayak Chakravorty

taking on an army of henchmen to matching steps to a romantic number with Nayanthara, he makes the generic scenes work with his charisma and energy.

In terms of story, there’s nothing new. It's a straightforward revenge story of a father who goes after the killers of his daughter. If not for Rajinikanth's arresting screen presence, Darbar would have been even more under whelming - it isn't as fun as his last release Petta.

Desperately attempting to take Rajinikanth fandom up a notch, it results in an output that is barely engaging. The film manages to entertain in the first half, with a few solid mass-appeal moments for Rajinikanth. However, it derails post interval and almost gets unbearable towards the climax. At various junctures, it sends out major Petta vibes but it doesn't do a good job of adapting.

Haricharan Pudipeddi JANUARY 2020 37

BACKCHAT

Awards season

As the best and brightest prepare to thank God and their own parents, one award-hopeful creates his own list BY LP. AYER

A

t the start of a new year, we wish happiness, in a general way, to folks known to us. And yet this time of year brings extra happiness in the form of awards and honours to a lucky few who have excelled in their chosen fields of endeavour. Having written over a hundred pieces for this magazine, I can’t wait to pore over the Australia Day honours list this year to see if I have something extra to celebrate about. In the meantime, I’ve decided to make up my own list.

The Edward and Simps on Award goes jointly to Prince (we’re still calling him that, right?) Harry and Meghan Markle for snapping their links to the royal family, much like their ancestor Edward VII who gave up the English throne for his love, the American divorcee Wally Simpson, early in the last century. Unlike his great granduncle Edward, Harry has not lost a bejewelled crown, just a few coppercoloured strands on his own crown. To those who are concerned about their claim to be financially independent, mark (le) my words: the former Suits star will soon launch her own line of lingerie like many models before her. The only issue is, deciding on the brand name - Duchess or Sussex.

The Aloha Award for promoting tourism goes to ScoMo, who rushed back home from Hawaii with just a floral shirt on his back. He cut short his Honolulu holiday by a day, following a flood of criticism for being away from a country on fire. One columnist even suggested that no politician should ever go on overseas holidays. Do these scribes expect a PM to fly a water bomber or hold a hose to douse the flames? What reward did former PM Tony Abbot, a seasoned fire fighter, get? Fired mid-term! In fairness to Mr Morrison, an

equal number of correspondents came to his rescue.

Donald Trump, the ‘tweets titan’ whose bombshell announcements rock the peace on earth, gets the Nobel Peace Prize for his claim that his use of a drone to do away with a high-ranking general on the other side of the globe, was to stop a war breaking out.

Much to his chagrin, the award’s joint winner is one Ayatollah, whose men managed to fire several missiles at Baghdad’s green zone without harming any American soldier - apparently not to provoke the US to start a war. (This joint peace prize has its precedent given to Israeli PM Rabin and his Arab foe Arafat decades ago.)

Sydney Mayor Clover Moore is a surefire nominee for the Coveted Coat Hanger gong for stoutly defending the decision to go ahead with the New Year fireworks at Sydney Harbour, totally ignoring an opposing campaign by half a million signatories even as her state Never Saw Wildfire like that. She said the three million-dollar shower of sparkle would boost the local economy, help small businesses and increase employment.

Reminds me of an ancient Roman emperor named Nero…

The Pontiff of Patience prize goes to Pope Francis. Recently when an ardent devotee grabbed his hand to get a blessing, he slapped her wrist and turned swiftly away with a grimace for the whole flock to see. A day later, by way of penance, he shook every hand stretched towards him at another mass meeting.

Who else deserves the Superman Award other than Vladimir Putin, who has changed the image

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of a sick Soviet to a robust Russia. Anyone doubting the suitability of this muscular Muscovite needs to see videos of his riding shirtless on horseback or his flipping a combatant like a feather in a judo demo.

Unlike ScoMo who just scraped in, you’d think our own NaMo, who won hands down in the May election, should have his fingers on the pulse of the economy. Instead, by introducing certain legislations, he has stirred the pot – thanks to an old habit with teapots – to set off nation-wide protests, thus earning the Hornet’s Nest award.

As for me, a little bird has just advised that I should perhaps wait for next year’s announcements…

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