Happy Holi!

Zealand last year at the Nirankari Youth Symposium.

Dr anda said about the ission, “Founded by Baba Buta Singh Ji Maharaj in , the ission imparts od knowledge to eager seekers of salvation and then encourages its members to serve others with humility as the all-pervading od resides in the heart of all and the service of mankind with this attitude is service of od.

Rajni Anand Luthra

Delhi violence brings out the best and worst in its people

Three days of violence in northeast Delhi left over 25 people dead and over 200 people injured in some of the deadliest riots in the national capital, almost 28 years after the demolition of Babri Mosque in Ayodhya.

Residents of Seelampur, Jafarabad, Chand Bagh, Shiv Puri, Karawal Nagar, Maujpur, Joharpur, and Kardampuri woke up to sporadic violence that strained the harmony established by people of different communities living there after the riots in the aftermath of demolition of the Babri mosque in 1992.

The violence stemmed from growing friction between supporters and protestors of the new Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) by the Modi-led government. Streets were littered with stones, bricks, shattered glasses, burnt vehicles, and razed shops and houses.

However, unity among communities was also displayed in efforts to keep miscreants away by coming out to each other’s security. Despite incidents of stone pelting and lobbing of petrol bombs by mobs in the Chand Bagh area, locals bonded together to save the Durga temple and the Jama Masjid that stand face to face.

Kalama Ahmed Khan, a Chand Bagh resident, pointed to signboards, saying, “You can see the buildings here have names of Hindus as well as Muslims. By standing united and forming a human chain, we prevented the mob from attacking the religious places. Both Hindus and Muslims stood like a wall and didn’t allow them in the area.”

While the temple and the mosque remained protected from any harm, miscreants torched shops and other establishments facing the road, including a petrol pump and several houses.

Vijay Singh, the owner of a petroleum gas agency that was razed, said a mob of over 3,000 people attacked showrooms and shops. “We heard the noise and provocative slogans being raised. We shuttered the showroom, went upstairs and locked ourselves there,” he said.

The story in Maujpur and Jafarabad was no different where miscreants roamed the streets with iron rods, hockey sticks and other implements trying disturb the communal harmony.

Commissioner of Police Amulya Patnaik, who is set to demit o ce by the end of the month, said there were adequate numbers of police personnel deployed, but people strongly doubt his claim. Sources said many calls were made to the police control room headed by I S o cer uktesh Chander but only some were attended. The figures of distress calls would never be made public as per Patnaik’s directions, the sources said.

Parts of north-east Delhi became completely inaccessible for police personnel and people were left to fend for themselves. “We kept on calling the police control room, but no one came. Our shops were burnt down and houses were attacked,” said Amarjeet Paswan in Karawal Nagar.

At Joharpuri and Karawal Nagar, Special Commissioner of Police S.N. Srivastav, who has been tasked with controlling the situation, found that people armed with bricks were sitting on rooftops. He issued directions to his men to disarm them and catch the perpetrators.

The government has put the death toll at 24, but it is set to rise. An Intelligence Bureau o cial was found dead and his badly beaten body was recovered on Wednesday from a drain in Chand Bagh area.

The government’s figure of around 200 people injured, too, will go up substantially with hospital authorities claiming that many injured people have left for treatment at private hospitals. Many houses are still smouldering as fire brigade could not reach the places to douse the flames. “We were not allowed by the police due to safety reasons at various places,” said a fireman at Joharpuri.

After three days of horror, normalcy started limping back in the Kanda Market area of Maujpur. Speaking to media, a local resident said, “A few shops have reopened on Wednesday. But the people are scared amid rumours making the rounds.” His fear was apparent when he refused to disclose his name.

To restore normalcy, Hindus and Muslims in the Brij Puri area conducted a peace march, raising slogans like ‘Hindu Muslim bhai bhai’, challenging those who look to damage the social fabric of the community.

India to launch its r

India is set to launch its first earth observation satellite eo Imagining Satellite ISAT- . Announced by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), this state-ofthe-art satellite will provide real-time images of regions at frequent intervals. It will allow monitoring of natural disasters and other such events. IS O said ISAT- will provide spectral signatures of snow, glaciers, forestry, agriculture and oceanography amongst a slew of other geographical benefits.

Weighing over 2,200 kilograms, the satellite will be carried by the three-stage geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle

S V- and will launch from the second launch pad at India’s rocket port in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

ISAT- will be placed in geostationary orbit 36,000 above Earth, putting it out of range of most anti-satellite weapons. It is seen as a step towards improving defence requirements for India’s national security.

Indian team comes second in Microsoft Imagine Cup re i

An Indian student team have emerged runners-up at Microsoft’s annual “Imagine Cup Asia” regional finals. Hailing from Vellore Institute of Technology in Tamil Nadu and the Ramaiah Institute of Technology in Bengaluru, the team developed an Android app that allows scanning of RFID tags on prescription medication to ensure authenticity and allergen-compatibility with patients.

Named Team Blume, the team will receive $2,500 each for their projects along with fellow runners-up Tulibot from Indonesia and Zest from Singapore.

The Imagine Cup Asia Finals were held via Microsoft Teams between ten teams from seven countries to ensure a place in the World Championships.

“We’re glad to see student teams from across Asia showcase their unique solutions that have the potential to create lasting impact, said ennifer it inger, eneral Manager, Audience Evangelism, Microsoft.

Team Blumecomprised of VR Kathik, an Android developer; Hemant H Kumar, an electronics enthusiast with a passion for UI/ UX design, and Hemant Joshi, a backend programmer. The team was selected after various rounds of competition online or through in-person events.

A fresh batch of evacuees from the Chinese city of Wuhan arrive in New Delhi’s Chhawala quarantine facility on 27 Feb 2020. Authorities said so far none of the evacuees has tested positive to Covid-19.

Covid-19 scare hampers Everest expeditions

The global coronavirus outbreak has resulted in cancellations of major expedition trips to Mount Everest this year. Tour operators in Nepal fear that this will result in severe economic losses this Everest climbing season. Climbers from coronavirus-affected countries like China, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Japan comprise a large chunk of expeditions that have had to be cancelled. Damber Parajuli, president of Expedition Operators Association Nepal, has said that this will have “long-term impact” on tourism businesses in the country.

Out of 381 applications for climbing permits in 2019, at least 60 applications had been issued to Chinese nationals. Moreover, China will not be opening its Tibet route to allow Nepali operators for Mount Everest, Shishapangma, and Cho Oyu expeditions.

There has also been a 2 per cent drop in January alone for the ‘Visit Nepal 2020’ campaign. Climbing expeditions account for a large chunk of Nepal’s economy. The government levies $11,000 per person for foreign climbers to Mount Everest while Nepali climbers pay Rs 75,000 per person.

Indian-American appointed as federal court judge

An Indian-American judge has created history by becoming the first person of South Asian descent to lead an American federal circuit court. A graduate of Stanford Law School, Judge Sri Srinivasan became the chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit.

Originally appointed by the Obama administration in 2013, Srinivasan had been considered twice for a Supreme Court seat before receiving this position. He succeeded udge errick arland who has been a member of the DC Circuit since 1997 and will remain on the bench.

“It’s natural to doubt whether you belong and whether you’re worthy,” Srinivasan said, “But you do belong and you are worthy.”

Srinivasan’s family hails from Chandigarh, Punjab while he grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. His appointment received congratulations from many American politicians.

“Congratulations to Judge Sri Srinivasan on becoming the Chief Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit! A milestone for the Indian-American/Kansan community (and yet another piece of evidence my family can use that I’m underachieving),” joked US Federal Communications Commission Chair Ajit Pai.

Indian Airlines will now

Indian airlines have received o cial government notification allowing them to provide in-flight WiFi services to passengers. This facility is widely seen as a move that will allow airlines and telecommunication services to increase revenues.

“The Pilot-in-Command may permit the access of Internet services by passengers on board an aircraft in flight, through Wifi on board, when laptop, smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, e-reader or a point of sale device is used in flight mode or airplane mode,” stated the Civil Aviation Ministry’s notice. As per the notice, an aircraft is deemed ‘in flight’ when all external doors are closed following embarkation until any such door is opened for disembarkation.

Vistara Airlines, a joint venture between Tata roup and Singapore Airlines, has already partnered with Tata roup company Nelco for in-flight data services. It is likely to be the first domestic airline to provide WiFi on its flights.

In its latest notice, the government has said that it received no objections from the public with respect to these new rules.

Work towards Ram temple construction begins

With heavy-duty machines moving into the 67.7 acres of the Ram Janmabhoomi site to clear the land, work towards constructing the much-debated Ram temple has begun.

Ram Lalla idols will be shifted from the sanctum sanctorum of the make-shift temple to Manas Bhawan where they will be placed in a bulletproof, fiber-glass structure until the temple is complete. No rituals have been formed in the temple since the Centre acquired the land in 1993.

“It is a memorable moment for Hindus,” said Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the makeshift temple.

The site is also home to more than 12 ancient temples including Ram Janmasthan and Sita Rasoi. A decision has yet to be taken whether these temples will be included in the Ram Janmabhoomi site or whether they will be relocated elsewhere.

Over 37,500 Indians werein the UK on student visa in 2019

Latest immigration data indicates that the United Kingdom continues to grow in popularity as a destination for Indian students to pursue their studies.

According to the UK Immigration Statistics, over 37,500 Indians received Tier 4 (or student visas) in 2019, a marked increase of 93 per cent from the previous year. lobally, Indians are the fastest growing nationality for student visas.

“This phenomenal increase in student visa numbers is a testament both to the UK’s leading education system and the exceptional talents of Indian students. We couldn’t be prouder that the best and brightest continue to pick the UK,” said Jan Thompson, acting UK High Commissioner to India.

In 2019, 95 per cent of Indian nationals who applied for a UK visa were successful. This growth in issuing visas follows recent visa policy changes by the UK government. They established a new point-based immigration system, along with a new graduate route that allows eligible students to stay in the UK for two years after completing their studies there.

Air pollution in India could lead to kidney diseases

New research has found that people living in countries with higher levels of air pollution, like India and China, might be at risk of developing kidney diseases. uture studies will look towards efforts to improve air quality yield health benefits and its impact of chronic kidney disease rate.

“As rates of chronic kidney diseases rise worldwide, it is important to understand whether and how exposure to air pollution plays a role,” said study researcher Matthew F. Blum from the Johns Hopkins University in the US.

The study’s findings were published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. The research examined information of 10,997 adults from 1996 to 2016.

They found that exposure to higher amounts of ‘fine particular matter’ (tiny particles of air pollution) was associated with higher degree of albuminuria, a marker of kidney dysfunction.

India gained 34 new billionaires in 2019

According to the Hurun lobal ich ist 2020, India jumped two spots to rank third in a global billionaires list despite economic slowdown in 2019.

The rich list is a compilation of the richest 3,000 people across the world with a net worth of $1 billion or more. While the top ten billionaires are familiar names like eff Be os , Bill ates , ark uckerberg and ukesh Ambani , India has added 34 new names to the list to have a total of 138 billionaires in the country.

Data reveals that Mumbai hosts 50 billionaires followed by New Delhi with 30 billionaires and Bengaluru with 17 billionaires.

“A boom in tech valuations and strong stock markets across the US, India and China have propelled the billionaires to record highs,” explains Hurun Report Chihairman and Chief Researcher, Rupert Hoogewerf.

Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Ltd, was the only Asian in the top 10, but other Indian billionaires witnessed improvements in their net worth. autam Adani of Adani roup saw an increase from $7.1 billion to $17 billion while Sunil Mittal, chairman of Bharti Airtel Ltd, saw an increase of $1 billion.

Uday Kotak, chairman of Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd, joined the top 100 list this year at $15 billion.

Anas Rahman Junaid, Hurun Report India MD and Chief Researcher, said that Indian billionaires are “defying gravity” and that structural slowdown in the economy did not dampen the growth of their wealth.

E I E E R

Indian to receive premium ‘Green Card’ in Saudi Arabia

An Indian retail tycoon based in Abu Dhabi has become the first Indian to receive premium residency in Saudi Arabia.

usuff Ali was ranked as the richest e pat in the United Arab Emirates by Forbes Magazine in 2019. He has now received premium residency, informally called the Saudi reen Card, that allows him the right to live, work, and own business and property in the Kingdom without requiring a sponsor.

This ‘Premium Residency’ is part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 that was announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It looks to target key investors and personalities in fields like sports and arts who have played a definitive role in building the nation.

In 2019, 73 foreigners of various citizenships were granted this ‘premium residency’ by Saudi Arabia.

“This is a great honour not only for me but for the entire Indian expat community and I sincerely thank His Majesty the King Salman, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the government of Saudi Arabia,” said the 65-year-old tycoon.

He is chairman of the u u roup that owns and operates more than 35 hypermarkets and supermarkets across Saudi Arabia.

Indian-origin researcher e r e r tuberculosis detection

An Indian-origin researcher was lead author of a medical science team who found a blood test that can detect tuberculosis nearly six months before its onset in patients.

ishi upta of the niversity College London and his team published their findings in Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal that they believe will help in using antibiotics better and curing tuberculosis

(TB) patients earlier.

The researchers conducted a systemic review of public gene signatures in blood samples from TB patients. Through this, 17 ‘gene expression’ signatures for the disease were identified and tested against blood samples in data sets from South Africa, The ambia, Ethiopia, and the K. They found that measurement of a single gene expression could predict TB diagnoses within three to six months. This could result in new diagnostic tests as per World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

“(This) provides real hope for the management of infectious diseases,” e plained upta.

Trump rejects broccoli samosa

Would you eat a broccoli samosa?

No thank you, you say? Right!

There’s been a brouhaha about the Trumps ‘not touching’ anything from the special high tea prepared for them - it was all vegetarian, and included that fusion attempt at the humble samosa.

Award-winning chef Suresh Khanna reportedly invented the preparation for his high-profile guests as they visited Ahmedabad s andhi Ashram. The guests had already caused something of a stir, given the President has no palate for vegetarian food, so you’d expect the chef to take great pains. Well, he did apparently: he created a menu featuring khaman, said samosa and apple pie. That last one was intended to add a touch of familiarity, but no, it did not go down all well.

Are we surprised? Indian Twitter wasn’t. And now Broccoli Samosa has become a thing.

Deepal Trivedi, a local journalist who as at the presidential high tea, tweeted: “The BroccoliSamosa is a miserable snack. ot a single person finished a full one! Wish there was something genuinely Indian for high tea rather than this bastardised version of our yummy samosa.

Rachita Prasad, another Indian journalist, said BroccoliSamosa is OT a samosa and added, “If you change a samosa’s fillings, you are playing with feelings!” onder if andhi i would have finished his broccoli samosa…