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Decoding the new language requirements for partner visas

Migrant English Program (AMEP). Th e changes will con1e into effect in late 2021.

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

midst a fierce backlash from multicultural groups, the government seems to be back peddling from their Budget 2020 announcement that all those applying for partner visas, including their permanent resident sponsors, will need to undergo mandatory English language testing. Many have called this move regressive, reflecting the abhorrent White Australia policy of the past. (The White Australia policy starting in 1901 effectively stopped all non-European immigration into the countty and contributed to the development of a racially insulated White society. This policy was progressively dismantled between 1949 and 1973. )

Announced in the budget on 6 Oct, new partner visa applicants and permanent resident sponsors will be required to have 'functional level English'. Applicants will need to be able to demonstrate this through the completion of 500 hours of free English language classes through the Adult

But 24 hours after the announcement, amidst stinging conde111nation by multicultural groups and the Labor Opposition, the Acting Minister for Immigration Alan Tudge told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that nobody would be barred because of the new requirements.

I f no one is to be barred, then what is the point of this policy? The government's rationale is that English language proficiency is imperative for the easy assimilation of New Australians, and enables them to maximise their opportunities here; that knowledge of English is a vital tool for social and economic inclusion, and that it's also important for people's safety, particularly for women, to be aware of their opportunities, rights, and protections in this country.

Agreed that there is a need for learning basic English, but to tie that into partner visa approval is a draconian way to implement this require,nent.

Th e current COVID times are creating enough pressures on new migrants. Struggling under the pressures of changed work and lifestyle

conditions, mental health challenges arising from isolation are also a cause for concern To have another pressure point thrust, albeit only in the future, will create additional frustration.

Clearly this is going to affect the lives of thousands. Currently there are 100,000 partner visa applications still to be processed, with a wait tin1e of 27 months. Adding English level testing for both applicants and their sponsors will only add to the bureaucratic red tape - the government has made mention of extra resources being allocated towards the adn1inistration of this sche,ne.

There is no clarity either about what exactly is meant by English language testing If one can speak and understand English but writing is a challenge, is that a fail? Or if one can write but there are gaps in the verbal communication, will that be a problem?

English language testing to allow for a better migration experience may perhaps be a good thought, but it seems to be one that has not been thought through well. Community consultation with input fron1 n1ulticultural sectors can allow for a more practical rollout rather than one-dimensional decisionmaking in the Dept of Immigration office in Canberra, distanced from the realities of the situation.

To help our Yr4 OCTTC students continue their preparation for OC exam in November (jm Spring Holiday Online OC Trail Test Offer to eligible students

HIGH FLIER

RAJNI ANAND LUTH RA reported on the inspiring story of Kumar, a mechanical fitter from India who rose to a career in the RAAF.

Tajinder Kumar wrote: People from all over Sydney and Melbourne are sending me pictures of Indian Link Newspaper. I can 't believe I am on the cover Your news was also picked up by news outlets in India - The Tribune Punjab, Midday News Mumbai and few other Indian newspapers and TV channels like Zee News , PTC, Punjab Kesri. The Tribune actually put my story on the second page. After reading my story in all these newspapers, I feel proud My family back home tear up while describing how people are calling and wishing them for my success. Thank you.

Amod D wrote: Truly inspirational!

Bhupen wrote: This is real progress. Congratulations to Tejinder India

Australia Wonder when do we see reverse happening? IAF should be open and welcoming such talent the way Australia is open.

Navlta Srlkant wrote: Way to go! Quad and India-Australia bilateral relations. From cricket to armed forces - a multiplier force.

VIJay Sappanl wrote: Congrats and always nice to see when someone dons the uniform. In Canada, our defence minister is an lndo -Canadian and a former officer.

Gurupratap Dsor wrote: Great effort.

Australia's High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell tweeted this arti cle with the comment: Indian Australian Tajinder Kumar w ill soon be inducted into the Australian Air Force as an officer - a long cherished dream he fulfilled thanks to his grit and determination. Tajinder ' s Australian journey began when he arrived from Punjab in 2009.

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JUNIOR MASTERCHEF

Melbourne lad Dev Mishra did us afl proud with his early cook on Channel 10 show Junior MasterChef: Lamb Mughlai and Smoked Chicken Kababs with saffron rice and cucumber raita.

Akldat Gazali wrote: That looked good.

Atiya Gazali wrote: They polished everything off the plates.

Suruchi Bhavsar wrote: Every Indian mum's dream come true!

Karen B wrote: What a very talented young man. Great future ahead. I am super pleased my new Indian neighbours plan to start up cooking classes. Their speciality, Indian food. Of course! I will be their first pupil! Can't wait.

Vandana Suri Mehra wrote: Such a great example of good parenting, teaching life skills! Congratulations Dev and his proud parents and brother!

SAY IT AGAIN

"I will not sit here and be lectured by the Vice President. " Okay Kamala has seen the Gillard speech.

Benjamin Law , columnist and journalist

Adult Migrant Eng l is h Prog r am

An Australian Government Initiative

'NEW AUSTRALIANS MUST KNOW ENGLISH'

RAJNI ANAND LUTH RA 's report on the new language requirements for permanent partner visas elicited mixed responses.

Jeya Ramanathan wrote: Yes, New Australians must learn English. However, I find the standard that the Government is proposing is unacceptable. It is unfair especially to non -English speaking migrants. My main concern is that Morrison Government & Peter Dutton tend to support White Australia policy If these English tests were taken by the average Australian in the same socioeconomic category of many of these migrants and their partners, they will fail dismally. Even our Indigenous community will fail, does that mean they are not Australians. Representation must be made to the Government as to the level of test ing. Conversational English and know the current affairs of Australia. Grammar and spelling should be reduced to a Grade 5 standard I hope Indian Link will make a representation to the government. If you do, I would welcome an opportunity to contribute. I have, at ground zero level, helped many migrants to prepare for the current testing process.

I see many migrants in a personal capacity as a tribunal member for Public Housing in Western Australia. I see women being disadvantaged. Would love to ensure their voice is heard. Migrants are not capable of mastering English; the type of testing does put a lot of stress upon them. Given these days they are tested online, there is no fairness in the process as it is very objective and doesn't have subjectivity in understanding the candidate sitting for the test. Failing by one mark can be disheartening. The cost of these tests is $370 per sitting. Migrants struggle to make that kind of income, let alone spend on the tests several times. My Vietnamese friend sat for the test 7 times before passing. My Hindi teacher with a Masters in English Literature (who tutors English Literature at the University of Western Australia) sat for the test 9 times before passing. The current record is there is an Indian lady who has sat for the test 60 times (although this is hearsay as I heard this third hand).

Anurishi Agarwal wrote: A great move by the Federal Government. Renee Markita Chhlna wrote: How is that White Australia policy? How can you settle in a country if you don ' t know the language. I understand if you have a partner who doesn 't speak English but like it said they ain't banning that. But to come here with no English at all, you wouldn ' t cope

Zora Bhullar wrote: What about BJP imposing Hindi on non -Hindi speakers in India

ur11 to Au stralia

Honestly, just the thought of having private phone calls with a partner played in a public forum makes my insides crumble.

Calla Wahlquist , The Guardian journalist

Gladys Berejiklian is not a target of ICAC's investigations & no one is alleging she's behaved corruptly. The smartest people with the best intentions in public life still end up having dumb and/or damaging relationships (in hindsight).

Suspect many are living in glass houses today.

Emma Alberici, journalist

My screen time report this week just said "no it's cool , we get it"

Jess Dweck, writer

GANDHI AND SHASTRI

On 2 Oct, we celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's birthday with much fanfare. But the day also marks the birth anniversary of a lesser known Indian leader, Lal Bahadur Shastri. We asked our readers for their favourite Gandhi and Shastri quotes.

Krish Na wrote: Here's my favourite Mahatma Gandhi quote: " You have to stand against the whole world although you may have to stand alone. You have to stare in the face of the whole world although the world may look at you with bloodshot eyes. Do not fear. Trust the little voice residing within your heart." My favourite Shastri quote comes from his speech titled 'The New India' broadcast to the nation on October 19, 1964: " The Chinese are trying to build up a mighty war machine and to create fear in the minds of all." (Sadly, some things haven't changed much).

Betty Jager wrote: I so love Gandhi for who he was, is and all he gave to the people of India

Nlrupa Prasad wrote: One of the simplest and my favourite is " When someone throws you a stone, throw back a flower."

Nlshtha Patnl wrote: I love this Gandhi 'quote': "Be the change you wish to see in the world ". It is hugely inspiring and frequently quoted even day, but apparently, it is not something that Gandhi actually said. (Hence the single inverted comma on the word quote!) What he did say, was something similar, and these are his actual words: "If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him We need not wait to see what others do."As regards Lal Bahadur Shastri, I love the simple yet profound "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisaan "

Srlkumar AdlraJu wrote: Funny you should ask this. I just read a piece about current day leaders that quoted Lal Bahadur Shastri. Shastri , I thought to myself, blast from the past! We don't usually see reference to him these days. Anyway, the quote was: "The basic idea of governance, as I see it, is to hold the society together so that it can develop and march towards certain goals." How many of our leaders are doing said ' holding together'? And Gandhi - there's just too many quotes to choose from, right? One that comes to mind right now is from his Salt March, delivered as he broke the Salt Law: "Even those as powerless as a grain of salt can make a difference " Something to that effect.

COVID-19 VACCINE: MULTIFAITH PERSPECTIVE

Following the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney' s claim that he would boycott the COVID-19 vaccine when available, BAGESHRI SAWASACHI spoke to religious leaders to get their perspective

Rosa Stathis wrote: Great article on the vaccine and the religious leaders' thoughts - really insightful for me

Anurag Relan wrote: For most people, safety of their family will far supersede any religious concerns on the use of the vaccine, as and when it is available. Don 't all religions talk about the importance of taking care of your loved ones?

#DALITLIVESMATTER

BAGESHRI SAWASACHI discussed the ways Dalits still face atrocities and persecution in India

Melinda Parker wrote: I loved your article about casteism. I lived and worked in India as a social worker for 25 years and am back in Sydney now I feel India is my second home. I've seen casteism so often, including with friends and children we are educating. I honestly wasn't sure if Indian Link would publish something so outspoken. Well done.

WHERE IN OZ

Where will you find these remarkable rocks, we asked you.

Readers Moulik Bavisi, Akhil Jhingran and Vimisha Jani sent in the correct answer: Kangaroo Island , South Australia

My parents deliberately spoke no English to me as Big trend this year of pointing out

The problem with current

The fact that each Can apps stop with a toddler. I went to kindy with little English, but they things that are literally happening affairs podcasts in 2020 school term has the stories? People knew I would catch up. I topped the state in English right now under capitalism and is if you wait half an hour been trending this are making Linkedln in the HSC. And I still speak Chinese. English should saying "lol this is what life would to listen it's already six year shows how hard look like their not be a barrier to entry. Helping kids learn foreign be like under socialism. " months out of date. this year has been. l nstagram now l anguages should be the focus.

Greg Larsen , writer and Byron Kaye , Reuters Tuan Vo, Mithali Soni, Jason Yat-Sen Li, Twitter user pod caster journalist Twitter user Twitter user

Over $2000 in prizes for lighting up your home!

It's the year to get those Diwali lights out big time!

WorldRemit and Indian Link invite families across Australia to decorate the exterior of their homes with lights to celebrate Diwali.

The competition is for everyone, including non-Indians - you can just keep the lights up until Christmas!

The 'Nobody Left Behind' campaign encourages local councils to provide support

BY RITAM MITRA

OV I D-19 has sent governn1ents around the world scrambling to implen,ent stin1ulus packages to encourage spe ndin g and keep their teetering economies from collapsing. Australia's focus, including in the recently handed down Federal Budget, has been on incentivising businesses and facilitating welfare payn1ents for residents and citizens. H owever, these measures overlook the broader com 1nuni ty of international students, refugees , asylum seekers , working holiday makers and skilled te111porary 1nigrants that play a critical role in Australia's economy. That's why social justice organisations D emocracy in Colour and Welcon1ing Australia, together with over a dozen participating local councils, have recently launched a new advocacy ca 1np a ign p ledging support for these workers to ensure no part of the community is left behind.

Speaking to I ndian Link, D e1nocracy in Colour national co -director Neha Madhok describes the joint "Nobody Left Behind" initiative as a necessary backstop to n1ake up for failures in federal government po l icy. The campaign, which has seen 14 local co uncil s commit to providing funding or in-kind support for temporary visa holders, is also aimed at ramping up pressure on the Morrison government to extend wage subsidies to the 2 million people who are currently exc lud ed from the government's Job Keeper package. Critically, these workers are typically over-rep r esented in industries that have been affected by COV I D-19, particularly in the hospitality and entertainn1ent sectors. "U ltimately, ensuring people have access to social security is the federal govern111ent's responsibility," says Madhok. " Our elected officials who we voted fo r last year are responsible for ensuring that everyone who works here is okay. Even though te111porary 1nigrants can't vote, they are paying tax, working incredibly hard to support themselves and their families, and doing so in lockdown situations in which the rest of us have been kept very comfortable. State govern111ents have already had to fork out cash to try and keep peopl e afloat, now it's co1ne to local councils to try do the same."

Madhok draws on her family's experience of 111igrating to Australia in the early 1990s in h ighlighting the iinportance of social security in allowing migrant workers to ultimately flourish. " We were really lucky because we were on a pathway to pern1anent residency, and had the protections of social safety net including Medicare and welfare, which meant n1y parents could do what they needed to do to survive. D ad getting a permanent job was what changed our lives," recalls Madhok.

" Bu t the lives of temporary visa holders stay [difficult] - the fathe r will keep working cash-in-b and jobs , while the mother's qualifications aren' t recognised, meaning they will have to beco1ne Uber drivers or take up other jobs," says Madhok. " But because

my parents were on a permanent pathway, which has been eroded over the last 20 years , that's the reason I can be a 1niddle class person, go to university, and have the privileges of a comparatively very comfortable life. What would happen i f my parents came to Australia just 20 years later?"

And for those temporary nligrants who did migrate 20 years later and are living in Australia during COVI D -19 today, the challenges can be overbearing. "You hear stories of migrants living with 16 to a bedroom, eating once a day, lining up outside Melbourne City Council and other places to access food, and people going without so that their kids can eat. I t's a really terrible situation," says Madhok.

Bu t the challenges span beyond

Austt·alia' s borders. Madhok recounts the story of an individual involved with D e mocracy in Colour: " Th eir family overseas lost inco11Je during COV ID, and just like many people of co lour across the country, they're now working extra time to make sure their family back home is okay. I t's a really common story we've heard all across Australia where there are people who have to change their own lives even if they themse lves haven't been impacted by COVID in that way, but their friends or family overseas are absolutely suffering," says Madhok.

With local councils such as City of Sydney, City of Hobart and City of Hume having already signed the pledge, Madhok and her team continue to pressure other councils with large South Asian populations who have yet to do so, such as the City of Parramatta. I t's a role that will prove even 1nore critical g iven the deficiencies identified by Madhok in the recent Federal Bud get, including as to social housing and wage s ub s idi es for temporary migrant workers.

Madhok concludes with a ca ll to action: "Unless we stand up and do what we can in our communities to call fo r a better world, then so1neone e lse will n1ake that decision for us. If they do, they won't make it with our best int erests in mind, and people of colour will get left behind." You can sign Dem ocracy in Colour and Welcoming Australia's pledge at nobodyleftbehind.org.au or visit democracyincolour.org to see how you can get involved.

The campaign, which has seen 14 local councils commit to providing funding or in-kind support for temporary visa holders, is also aimed at ramping up pressure on the Morrison government to extend wage subsidies to the 2 million people who are currently excluded from the government's Job Keeper package.

NehaMadhok

s an 1 resource one era use

Senior c are group AASHA Foundation help s produce two film s in Hindi

BY RAJNIANAND LUTHRA

ijind er Du ga l picked up the phone one day. An e ld er ly woman was on the other end, calling, she said , f roin the park. She was seek in g Bijind er's counsel, after months of strain at home during which her daughter-in -law refused to even speak with her.

Bijind e r is accusto1ned to receiving such ca ll s.

As founder of AAS H A Australia, a volunteer-based organisation that facilitates c ulturally appropr iate aged care and advocacy services, she is aware that elder abuse is incr easing in our con1mu11ity, and particularly so since the sta rt of C OV ID

Working close ly with Seniors Right s Service, AASH A has d e livered progran1s to se niors in the I ndian co1nm unity for ma11y years now.

I n their latest effort, they hav e jointly produced two s hort fi l ms in H indi to ed ucat e seniors as well as younger people about seniors' rights.

I n the filin Down Under, an eld erly mum ar ri ves to liv e with her son and his fa1nily i n their palatial home. Very soo n, she finds her life restricted to household and childcare tasks with little co n1n1unication with her adult children. When she asks for outside interaction , her son loses his pat ience.

In the film Granny Flat, an elderly mu111 l e nd s money to her daughter to build a gra nny flat , with no written agreement. On ce co n struction is co1npl ete, the daughter wants her to move to an aged ca r e hon1 e.

Th e two films are a stark re1ninder of the rights of ow· sen iors to live the life they choo se to live - with self-r espect and dignity.

The films were rel eased in early

Bijinde r Dugal

Septe1nber at an event attended by AAS H A m en1bers, executives from Seniors Ri ghts Service an d special guests including M P Mark Taylor, and L eade r of the NSW Opp osition Jodi MacKay. Members of the co1nmunity tuned in via a virtual link.

" I an1 very happy to have helped created these resource films,"Bijinder told I ndian Link. "They will go a long way in getting the n1essage out to our seniors that your safety a nd well-being are both important.

If you feel you are being physically abuse d , bullied or pressured to do things by someone you know, or if someone yo u r ely on is neglecting you, threatening you, or failing to look after you as they promised, then be bold and sp eak up. "

The filu1s were funded by the Seniors Right s Service, with talent coming from within the community.

" T hey were inspired by s i1nilar film s create d by the Victorian Multicultural Co1nmi ssion in various languages," Bijinder rev eale d.

T he content was tweaked to cater to Indian se n si bili t ies.

Helplines for the elderly

tio n Service : 131 021, 132 300

So li cito r s: (02) 9926 0300

Violence Ho tlin e: 1800 656 463 & 1800 737 732

AASHA Australia Foundation limited: info@aashaaustr alia o r g.a u servi ces may be availed by dialling 131 450

"Elder abuse is a sensitive issue, but it is a conve r sation that needs to be had," Bijinde r observed. "It takes many different forms - emotional, financial, even physical. Often i t goes unrepo r ted because of the stigma involved. We mu st en1power our seniors with the knowledge that se rvi ces such as lega l protections are available. But they need to know about wills and transferring 111oney and other family money matters. They mustn't l et the kids remotecont r ol their life."

H aving presented before the Parliament of NSW inquiry into elder abuse in 2015 , and having run seminars on the issue alongside Seniors Ri g ht s Se r vice, Bijinder has become passionate a bou t elder care overall as a comm unity service.

At the most basic level, con1muni ty measures can help ward off social isolation.

AASHA , like other se niors groups, has been organising soc ial int eraction hubs at various centres across Sydney, with activities such as health talks, legal seminars, mental health information, information on services available to

se nior s, free health c he cks, weekly yoga lessons, exercise sessions, comm unal meals, and song and dance.

In COV l D times, th ey've taken to virtua l sess ion s on Zoom and gone liv e on Facebook with a reach of thousands. A YouTube cha nn el h as just b ee n launch ed as well.

" But we want to do n1or e than that," Bijinder stressed "We want to produce more resources lik e the s hort fi ltn s this year and our DVD on dementia ea rlie r We also want to lobby the govern 1ne n t fo r more culturally appropriate se rvice s, and to do that we've s hown the 1n how strong we can be with our own limi ted r es ources."

She finished with a plea : "We kn ow that the syste m has capacity to support. Bu t I do wish the comm un ity at la r ge would s t ep up and do it s bit too - sections of our own com1nun ity are ve r y we ll- establ is h ed! We do get kudos fo r our work and we a r e thankful for that, but I hope 1nore direct support will b e forthcom ing "

For mo re deta il s o n t he activi ties a t AAS H A, vi s it www aas h aa ust ra li a. org au

BY BAGESHRI SAVYASACHI

D light of the events that led to a 19 -yearold Dalit won1an succumbing to a brutal rape at the hands of four upper-c aste 1nen, the hashtag #Dalit L ivesMatter bas been t r ending to bring the issue to the forefront of mainstrean, discussion.

H is clear that the Indian caste system is not a thing of the past 01· something that on ly exists in remote and rural I ndia. Even in this day and age, Dalit comn,unities across the nation continue to be the target of various forD1s of atrocities and persecution.

Anyone who identifies as Indian k n ows that the caste systen1 is a system of oppression . D espite being abolished by the Co11stitutio n of India in 1950, the system still exists because it is still perpetuated.

Why doe s ca s te i s m s till e ndure ?

D r M rid u la Nath Chakraborty, a Senior Lect u re r at M onash Un iversity and an exp ert in literatures of the I ndian subcontinent, says, "Historica lly, casteb ased vio lence as a whole i n I ndia, exists b eca u se of a Hi ndu dominant majority and its p sychology of control. This funda1nental ideo logy exists in p olit ics and the public sphere with i 1np un ity."

Sh e adds, "What is now called H induism w as o nce a set of p hilosophies and practices full of n1 u ltiplicity, and now it has

New directions for the anti - caste movement

becotne a variant of son,eth ing that sti ll cannot be seen as a unitary religion."

"Atrocities committed in the name of Hindu fundamentalis1n are as dangerous as other forms of r e ligious fundamentalis1n," warns Dr Chakraborty.

In 2 0 12 , a horrific rape of a woman in Delhi s hook the e ntire country, con1pelling people to take to the stre e ts in protest and rage online zealously.

Jn contrast, in 2020 , a s imilar inju st ice inflicted upon a Dal it woman in H athras seems to be received with nonchalant indifference; no ' I ndia 's daughter', no nationwide outrage.

In the same vein, the lack of data depict s the turning of a blind eye towards Dalit suffering in the countless migrant labourer s and daily-wage worke rs who died during the abrupt COV ID Iockdown in I ndia.

The migrant s, many of whom identified as Dalits even said they would die of hunger before the virus could kill them.

Wilful ignorance sanctioned by many dominant political, cultural and social pa r ties is the prin,ary proof of this undisguise d perpetuation of the caste system

P hilosopher, literary theorist, feminist critic and recipient of the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award given by the Republic of I ndia, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak of Colun1bia University, says it best. H ighlighting the reasoning behind

"sanctioned ignor a n ce" iD he r book titl e d

A Critique of Postco lonial Reason, s he describes it a s "a n institutionalised way of think i ng" where the aim is to excl ude certain opinions and scr utini es from enter ing the public debate, in this casethe exclusion of Dalit di sco u r se.

Ro l e o f th e di a s po ra

The re is much to say about people in the Indian diaspora who complain about White hegemony but perpetuate similar power str uctures in their own communities.

22 -year -o ld artist and Dalit activist Priyanka Paul for example , has called out non- r esident Indians and upper-caste Hindu s who have been hush -hus h over the caste-based sexual violence carried out in Hathra s

lf we do not question ou r families or people in our community when they exhibit casteist attitudes or oppressive ideology, we are complicit. O ur s il ence speaks volumes of the issues we don't consider worthy of addressing. Our sile nce is violence.

"Indians must critique the idea of 'only one kind of Hindu ','' Dr Chakraborty explained. "In Australia , the idea that all H indus are lovely or spiritual or vegetarian, has to go."

It is time H indus, whether in India or in Australia, acknowledge this oppression in order to stop pract ising it.

H ow yo u c a n h e lp

Ther e are parallels in the re l ationship

b e tween non -Indigenous Austra lians a n d First Nations people, and that between Dalit s and non -Da lits.

" What can we do?" is something that is repeatedly asked by non-Indigenous Australians as well as non -D alits who wish to participate in the obliterat ion of this prolonged oppression.

i t's not as much 'what' as about 'how'.

Take that first step, look at the rept·ession of Dalit knowledge systen,s square in the eye, and test your privilege.

An in1portant resource can be 'Steps to be an Anti -Caste Ally' as outlined by Ferninis m in India 's Astha B an,ba 1-lere a r e her suggestions:

• Read and p r omote writings by D alits

• Check your language for casteist slurs against Dalits

• Have that uncomfortable conversation about privilege

• Understand the history and reality of caste-based reservations

• Mind casteism around you - in your houses, schools, univers i ties a nd workplaces

O ne of I ndia's great founding fathers

D r B R Ambedkar often sa i d, "Educa t e, agitate, organise". We must bring D a li t phi losophies and perspect i ves to t h e f r ont of our minds to be able to fight op pr ess ive ideologies like the caste system.

It's time to b ecome active an d vocal allies to eradicate our own priv il ege

It's time to become active and vocal allies to eradicate our own privilege.

BY PREETI JABBAL

ike it or not, masks are here to stay. I f yo u wear a tur ban or a h ijab though, t hat poses a proble 111: how do you loop t he m aro u nd your ears?

T hree 1nedica l stu d e n ts fron1 Me lbourne have now got that covered

T heir in novative face n1ask des ig n for people wear ing re ligious or other headgear won fi rst place in the Monash SEE D [n cubator P rogratn

It saw the launch of t heir socia l enterprise Ekta. m elbourne that has now taken off in the co 1nm u n ity.

When n1asks beca 1ne n1andatory to mitigate t he r isk of Coronavirus, healthcare stude n ts Ayes ha Bannare, Monish P uri and A nika Yesn1in realised that conventional masks were not designed to be all inclusive.

" We be li eve that everyone has the right to feel safe during the pandemic," Monish P uri to ld Indian Link. "There was, however, a large gap in the 1narket when it came to reusable 1nasks for people who wear religious headgea r, like t urbaned Sikhs and J1ijab wearing wome n ."

To fulfil this overlooked need of cultu r ally diverse coin1nun it ies/Ekta n1asks' were innovated.

T he n1asks have longer ties that al low them to be secured on the back of the head and away fro1n the ears

T he design works wonderfully also for t hose wearing earrings and headphones.

"T he inner and middle layer of our 1nasks are made from organic cotton and the outer Layer is recycled polyester. Th is ensures that t hey are environmentally fr iend ly, sustainable and we can n1inunise our carbon footprint on p lanet ea r th," described Anika Yesmin.

" By securing an iJ1 itial amount of $1000 in p re-ord ers within the first week, we were able

ace mas or an wearers

to pitch and win first p lace in the Monash SEED [ ncubator program," said Monish.

T he progra1n is des igned to en1power students wi th initiative, drive and ideas to lead positive change. It a ims to provide guidance to stre ngthen social entrepreneurship both as a skill set and a state of n1ind.

While on the SEED journey, the students realise d that regular tnasks posed problems also for people wearing glasses or using hearing aids. They added seal flaps that trap the air within the n1ask itself reducing fog in glasses.

Social 111edia, lnstagra1n and word of mouth propelled Ekta's cause.

" Reaching out to our target market has helped," said Anika. "Winning the SEED program helped in pro1notion and we also won third place in the Monash Validator Program where we were pitched against 92 other start-ups. That provided great traction as well."

Ekta is looking to team up with Caringbush Adult Education, an organisation that teaches English to asylum seekers, to make the masks.

" l t will make a posit ive impact in the lives of these asylu1n seekers as they get to learn

English as well as acquire job skills and make an inco1ne," claimed Monish. "Many of our buyers appreciate that."

One of their first clients, Gurmeet Singh agrees it makes a world of difference to have masks that do not need to be looped around the ears.

"They are easier to wear and remove around my turban and save time when I need to leave home to wo r k, exercise or shop," he told Indian Link. "The fact that they are ecofriendly - and provide gainful employment to d isadvantaged communities - adds to the appeal."

The Ekta mask project has utilised the disruption of mai-ket created by COY I D-19 to create meaningful change. It aligns with Ekta's overall vision to provide eco-friendly healthcare products and services while creati n g employment opportunities and skills to diverse co1nmunities of r efugees and asylum seekers.

I ts three like-minded student founders, all from South Asian backgrounds, belong to a generation comn1itted to using entrepreneurship as a means to put purpose into socially d r iven projects.

"Gr owing up our parents would always rom arr ivin g in Melbourne as a n international student at the age of 17 to now being r ecognised by Australia's leading science awards, Su1neet WaJia has had a whirlwind career in the scie nces.

Now, he has been sho rt listed as an e me r ging leader in scien ce at the Au s tralian Museum Eureka Priz es 2020, c on sidered the ' O scars' of Au stralian science.

"C ong r atulat ion s an d well wishes hav e been pouring in," be tol d Indian Link. " This nomination has been in the works for a couple of years I t's not just about research, but also the ways we enable other scientists and lead t h e fiel d fo rward. "

emphasise the phrase Anekta rnein ekta (unity in diversity) and this became our missio n," explained Monish.

Moving forward, the enterprising trio w ish to make healthcare accessib le to ove rlooke d communities by designing a c u rriculum specifica lly for them.

" O ften there is mistrust towards western 1nedicine amongst ce r tain communities that have been secluded or isolated and we want to bridge that gap and make h ealth infor mation easily and safely accessible to them. ~rhls is Ekta's Long term goal," concluded Ayesha.

With a background in e lect roni c eng in ee ring a nd inte r est innanomat erial s, his research looks at light-matter int eraction, materials manipulation and sca lable mate rials sy nthes is, among other aspects.

Most recently, Sumeet Walla and hi s team have develo ped t he world 's first, and thinnest, photode tecto r that can see the full sp ectrum of light.

"Photodetectors convert information carried by light into an electrical signal and are found in many technologies today, including medical imaging , 1notion detectors and gaming co nsoles ," he explained. "Electronics have evolved a lot in the la st few years. Pro cess ors are decreasing in size

A student start-up that won an innovation contest for its ·inclusive' face mask, has taken off

on oar

BY BAGESHRI SAVYASACHI

''t's an old boy s' club," one female director said to Dr Kathy Rao , an expert in the sustainability of businesses and corporate socia l responsibility (CS R).

Lectur e r in Accounting at University of South Au st ralia , Dr Rao is the lead researcher of a re ce nt study which found that the absence of fen1ale directors on Au s tralian boards is affecting CSR. Research has conclusively s hown that a diverse perspective at the top improv es the susta inability of bu s in esses. Yet, businesses continue to "shoot themselves in the foot" with their declining gender diversity, Or Rao told Indian Link.

Gender diversity is good for business

Dr Rao interviewed a total of 13 Australian board directors, 5 1n e n and 8 won1en. Her qualitative study found overwheln,ing evide nc e d e pi ct in g that the attitudes of female directors were more ''aligned with CSR". Mal e directors' be l ie fs were inclined towards profitability and econotnic ben efits while fe111ale dir ectors expresse d that it was "the right thing to do".

"When we asked male directors what they thought of CSR and if it is important, they said they agreed, and it was necessary beca use it would improve their 'bottom lin e' and their 'reputation'. Wh en I asked the same question to female dir ectors, we received co1npletely different answers. They wete saying 'we need to do this b eca use it 's the right thing to do, we need to think about the community, sta keholders, and the environment'. You can see that the perc eptions are different while increas ing in power, but we haven't seen that evolution in photodetectors till now."

When listed out, the Dehradun native's credent ia ls are certainly more than a handful. They include being nan1ed one of Australia's 111ost innovative engineers in 2018 and being listed among Asia's top 10 innovators u nder the age of 35 in 2017.

When the winners are announced on 24 November, h e could potentially add a Eureka Priz e to the list.

As one of 51 fi n alists shortlisted across four categories, Sumeet's being noticed for h is impact at a n ational level, especially as an advocate of diversity and inclusion in STEM.

compared to male and female directors," Dr Kathy Rao elucidated.

She concluded that gender div ersity on boards encourages discussion and better analyses of issues at hand which ultimately results in better decision making.

Challenges faced bywomen

How much influence d o won1en at the top really have on the decision -making process?

" We found that there are several challenges for women dir ectors to effectively contribute to CSR decisions. So, even though they bring these different perspectives and values to the table, their influence is very lin1ited and that is an important finding," Dr Rao a dmitted.

Dr Rao 's fen1a le interviewees indicated that they do not feel "comfortable" or "confident" putting forth their views due to a lack of support from their male colleagues.

" On e female director openly sai d that having a voice is potentially th e biggest challenge for them," she mentioned. " Wh e n they are the only \voman on th e board, they r eally st ruggl e to put opinions forward because they know that others will ignor e it, o r their contr ibution will b e ineffective."

Bo ards with 1nore than one female director make it eas ier for won1en to cont ribute.

"When there are 2 or 3 more women on the board, they see the oth er female dfrectors nodding th eir head and that then bl'ings a cu lture where male directors would accept their contribution," she ad d ed.

Female directo rs also felt the need to lead with "hard" topics like financial issues instead of "soft " issues lik e env ironm enta l concerns saying their opinions would be ''shut down" othe rwi se.

Oth er challenges for women include the ''old boys' club" n1entality that deeply affects recruitment processes which involve r ec ruit ers "favouring their own" and where "like attracts like".

" Top management is a male-dominated env ir onment and has been for several years. Th ese older and influ entia l men will only recruit people that are like them with sin1ilar experiences. They don't feel con,forta bl e having diversity on the board," Dr Rao explained.

'' It 's this homogenous thinking that n eeds to cha n ge," she added.

Unconscious bias of men

Male directors often fail to see the subt le elements of discrimination. Not aware of the challenges faced by their female counte rp arts, they do not acknowledge the prevalent discrimination.

Wh en male dfrectors were asked what they thought were the challenges faced by women, they said, "They (women) don't face any problem". Another interviewee also stated

that there were not enough "competent and skilled women" to appoint to the board

"With fe1nale directors, it was a completely opposite view. They said that there are many competent and skilled women out there, similar to men, but they are not being recruited. This is a n1assive issue for all Australian boards, that there is a lack of awareness a,nong male directors of th e ir own bias. This is the n1o s t dan1aging factor for effect ive leader s hip and that's been our major finding during this st udy regarding gender diversity," Or Kathy Rao disclosed.

She also mentioned that some female interviewees also commented on the "quality" and "maturity" of tnale colleagues.

" Th ere a r e men who hav e worked with women in several organisations and they know what women can bring to the tabl e. Th ese 1n en eas ily accept div ers ity, " Dr Rao reported.

Whatneedstobedone

Th e main obstacle is the minority status of wo1nen and the discrimination faced by them that r en d ers their contributions ineffective and their voices unheard.

Whil e the popular so lution seems to be increasing training and inc ent iv es for the women involved, Dr Rao also thinks "appointing 3 female directors to tick the box as a token appointment will change nothing".

" We need some kind of guidance to d eal with unconscious bia s," s h e said.

Dr Rao exp la in ed that for gender div ersity to be possible on Au st ralian boards, policymakers must step in to provide more g uidanc e and re sources for companies.

"Policymakers must tighten these board appointment and renev1al processes. If everyone plays their role, only then will we be able to reduce and overcome these barriers for women," s h e said.

Bring up the topic of diversity, and yo u can imm ediately h ear the passion inhls voice.

" La ck of diversity is a systemic i ssue, and it 's not just an issue in Australia or India but in the worldwide STEM community," Sumeet ex plain ed emphatically.

At a university level, he prides himself on enhancing opportunities for stu dents from diverse background s. In fact, he is a PhD advisor to numerous women from I ndia pursuing science here in Au stralia.

" People often believe gender diversity is a proble1n in Ind ia, but in my experien ce, there a r e a lot more women in STEM in In dia than in Aus tralia. Seeing wo1nen in a lab here is not as com1non a sight," he admitted.

Wh e n asked why that's the case, Su1neet doesn't skip a beat.

" I think this all boils down to role models. We ne ed to s how children that girls can be anything they want to be and remove the image of a man in a lab coat as the only idea of a scientist," he said. " We need to nurture interests in the sciences from a young age and admittedly, it's a long-term process 1n that aspect, I think Au stralia can actually learn a thing or two from India! "

The associate profe ssor at RMIT is also on the executive committee member of Science & Technology Australia, an advocacy group which brings scientists, government and the broader con1munity together.

Now more than ever, Sumeet e1nphas ises the importance of investing in science "ln today's scenario, everyone is looking to the scie nces for solutions bu t when it comes to funding, there are ifs and buts:' he lamented. "Around the world, we see that money and resource investment in technology has made a difference. Resea r c h shows that $1 investment in innovation translates to $5 in the eco n omy in lo ngtern1 benefits. It 's not somethi n g that ca n develop overnight, so it's rea lly no surprise that vaccines are taking time One -o ff investments won't suddenly enhance scie nc e It needs sustained support."

Rhea Nath

A UniSA study finds that the attitudes of female directors are more aligned with corporate social responsibility

Back-to-back Indian-origin deans at Harvard Business School: Srikant Datar

succeeds Nitin Nohria

Srikant Dat ar, th e Indi a n-An1 e rican se nior a ssoc iate d ea n for Univ e r s ity affairs at th e Harvar d Bu s in ess S c h ool ( HBS ) and Arthur Low es Di cki n so n Professor of Bu s in ess Adn1ini s tration, ha s been nam e d as th e new dean of th e School.

D atar will b eg in hi s tenure on 1 January, 2021.

According t o H arvar d University Pr es id e nt L arry Bacow, Srikant Dat ar is "a n innovativ e e du cator, a di s tingui s he d sc hola r, and a deeply e xp e ri e nce d academic lea d e r. "

"H e is a lea ding think e r about the future of busine ss e ducation , and h e ha s r ece ntly played a11 esse ntial rol e i11 J-IBS' s c r eat iv e respons e to the chaJl e nges po se d by th e Covid- 19 pand e mic. He ha s se rv e d with dis tinction in a range of lea d ers hi p position s ove r his nearly 25 years at HBS , while also forging nove l co ll aborations with oth e r H arvard School s;" The flarvard Gazette quoted him as saying.

"Srik ant will come to the dean s hip with a broad intel'national p e r s p ec tive , d eca des of close engage n1 ent with business ptactice, and a stro ng co mmi tment to building an increasingly diverse and inclusive HBS co n1munity ."

Smee joining th e fIBS fac ul ty in 1996, Dat ar has held a series of key po s ition s, as the School's senio r associate dean responsible for fac ul ty recruiting, for faculty developme nt, for executiv e education, for research, and curre ntly for Unive r s ity affairs.

Since 2015, h e ha s served si n ce 2015 as faculty cha fr of the H arvard Innovation Lab s, or i-l a b.

Re acting to the a1u1ouncement, Datar sa id h e was "equal measures humbl ed and honoured to take on th is role "

"H arvard Bu s ine ss School is an institution with a re1narkable legacy of hnpa ct in research, education, and pra ctice. I look forward to working with colleagues and friends of the Sc hool-including tru·oughout Harvard , in our Boston conununity, and around the world-to re a lize our 1nission in wha t undoubtedly will be an excitmg new era," he said.

Datar will becom e the 11th d ea n in the Bu s iness School 's 112-year history.

He will succeed Nitin Nohr ia , who

had a nnoun ce d hi s pl a ns to co nclud e hi s dea n s hip at the en d of Jun e 2020 a ft e r 10 years, but agreed to co ntinu e through this D ecen1b er in view of th e pandemic.

D atar g raduate d with di s tin c tion in ma th e mati cs and eco no n1i cs from St. X avie r 's CoUege, University of Mun1b a i m 1973.

A c har t e r e d accountant, he went on to receive a post-graduate di plon1a in bu siness manage me nt fron1 th e I ndi a n I n s titute of M a n age n1 e nt , Ahmedabad, before con1pleting m as t er's degrees in s t a ti st ics a nd eco non1i cs and a Ph.D. in bu s in ess, a ll fron1 St a nford Uni versity.

Fro n1 1984 to 1989 , he was an assistant professor an d th e n associate professor a t th e Carnegie Me llon Gr aduate Sc h ool o f Indu stri a l Admini stra tio n, where he was honout·ed with the G eorge Le land B ach Teac hing Aw a rd.

H e joms R akes h Khur ana, dea n of Ha rva1'd College, and Madh av Raja n , dean of Chicago Uni versity's Bo o th School of Business, as an Indian-Aln e rican lea d e r at a n Ivy L eague unive r s ity. O thers in the list mclud e Soumitra Du tta, who has been the dea n at Corn e ll University 's management school.

Dip ak Ja m , who se rve d as th e d ea n of INSEAD , the lea din g Europea n bu sin ess school, is now E urop e P resident at China Europe I n ternational Bu s in ess Sc hooJ.

Trump administration tightens strings around H1B visas

The D onald Tru mp administrat ion has mov ed to cut back H 1 B visas for fo r e ig n skilled worker s and tightened wage-based e n try barri ers Th ey've cited "da ta" that more ilian 500, 000 An1e ri ca n s h ave lost their jobs becau se of "H l B non-immigrants"

I ndia a nd Chma account for ilie lion 's share of HlB visas. As p er US government data , Indi a accounts for upward s of 70 per cent, 1nost years

In a call with reporte r s, Acti11g Deputy OHS Se c r e tary Ke n Cuccin e lli sai d about one-third of the people who have applied for H l B visas would be denied under the new rules.

With Trump laid up with COVID-19 , hi s poll numbers tanking and le ss ilian 30 da ys to go before the US election, the timing of the H 1B visa hanlfilering is busines s a s usual for foreign workers.

"It would h ave bee n a su rpri se if thi s h a dn ' t happ e n e d ," a n H 1B worke r a t J P Morga n , who a s ke d not to be nam e d , sa id. Th e sa lary r equir emen t will be a "gamechan ger" in favour of the Trump ad mini s tration , they added.

M a ny HI B workers e xpr esse d a vers io n of th e same se ntim en t. Th ey've see n this mo ve before. I t's T run1p's all -base, all -tim e a nth em to fh·e up hi s n1 ost vocal s upporte r s, th ey said.

Th e lat est blow co mes as th e duck s lin e up ac r oss mul ti ple d e p arttne nt s that coor din ate a nd mon ito r th e cr iss-cross ing elem e nts of fore ign wor ker visas: US Departme nt of Labo r (DoL ), US Citizenship and l n1mi gration Ser v ices (U SC IS) a nd ili e Depar tm e nt o f Hon1eland Sec urit y (D H S).

''Wh en seeki ng to emp loy a n H -1 B, H- 1 B1, or E-3 visa, US emp lo yers must a tt es t that t hey will pay non-hnmigrant worker s, during the p erio d of authorized en1 ployme nt , the hi ghe r of the pr e vailing wage or the actua l wage paid to other empl oyees with similar exp e ri ence and qu alifi cation s," US D epartm ent of Labor a nno un ce d.

Th e gaslighti ng of ilie l ow cost H 1B p ay che qu e is a well-worn anth em and has become louder in ili e T1 ump years. The word "und e r cut" was u se d m ul tiple times in a round robin of smoothly co-ordinated pr ess-releases and telephonic bri efin gs across D oL and DHS.

T he DOL rule will rai se ilie fou r sala ry tie r s for employees on H lB s an d other professi onal vi sas, which curr e n tly begm at the 17 th p e r ce ntil es for each indu stry, to the 45th p erce ntile

"Und e r th e exis ting wage levels, artificially low pr eva ilmg wages pr ovide an opportunity fo r e n1ploy e r s to hire and retam fore ign workers at wages well below what their US counte r parts - m ea ning US worke r s in the sa me la bour market, performing similar jo b s, and po ssess mg similar levels of education, ex perience, and respons ibility - make , c r e ating au ince ntive - e ntii'ely at o dds with ilie sta tutory scheme - to pr efe r foreign workers to US workers, and ca u sing downward pre ss ure o n the wages of the dome stic workforce, " reads an excerpt from the D oL interim final rule.

Th e Department is also tightenmg the screw s on ili e d efinition of "specialty occupation" to make it align with what it

Members of the Aravani art project work on graffiti they call 'The story of corona virus COV/D19 pandemic' in Bangalore, India, 10 Oct 2020.

The art collective Aravani is a group of unseen women and transwomen creating public art to raise awareness of social issues. India has the second highest total of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world.

Photo: AP

ca ll s th e "ve rbati m" desc ription

In paraJlel, OH S will narrow the d efin ition of "s p ec ialty occupation", r equir e c on1panies to n1 ake "r ea l" offe rs to "rea l e mploy ees," and turbocharge it s own a bility to ensu r e con1plia nce "b efore, durin g, and after an H l -B petition is approved ''.

"Data s hows that the mor e than a half million H -1 B non-i1nmigrants in the United St a te s have been u se d to disp lace US work e r s," read a s t a te n1 ent from the D epa rtment o f Hom eland Security.

HDFC's Ravi Santhanam among Forbes' most influential CMOs

R av i Santhanam, th e C hi e f Market in g Offi cer (C MO ) of HDFC Bank, ha s mad e it to Forbes' li s t of 'W o rld' s Most Influ en ti a l C MO s' He rank s 39 in th e li s t of 50 mo s t influential CMO s

"Santhanam is a marke tin g lea de r wh o prioritises pe rsonali se d a nd r e le vant c us tom e r exper ie nce and be li e ves that machine lea rning a nd data s ci e nce a r e critica l tools for mar ke te rs; he expr esse d so in a recent Netcore Solut ions blog, " ro rb es sai d. It also note d that h e le d the Indian bank' s response to the coronav iru s outb r ea k, laun c hin g the "# HOFCB ankSafetyG rid " ca mp a ign to he lp peo pl e kee p s afe di sta nce in public

Santhanam is the only CMO of an Ind ia n con1pa ny to featur e in th e list. He h as b ee n with H DFC as the Chief Marke ting O fficer for over 3 years, having previous ly worke d m major corpo r a tion s like I C ICI Bank, Voda fo n e, and Re li ance.

Th e top s pot was grabbed by Phil SchiJler, Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing of Apple.

Th e r est of the top fiv e in th e Forbe s li st we r e Stephanie McMahon, Chief Brand O ffice r of WWE ; Fe rnando M achado , Global C MO of Restaurant Br ands Internatio n a l; Je n s Thien1er, Se nior Vice Pr esi dent of Cu sto me r and Brand of BMW; and Olivi e r Francoi s, Global Pr esi dent of Fiat Br and an d Chief Market mg O fficer of FCA Group , Fiat Chrysler Automobiles , r es pectiv e ly.

Indian teens in UAE create app, comic on market trends

A 17-yea r-o ld I ndian expat stud ent has teamed up with hi s younger brother to launch a savi ngs calculato r an d a comic se ries based on economic a nd 1narket tre nd s for the b e nefit of pupils and blu e co ll ar workers in the United Ar a b Emirates.

Th e savings calc ul ator app, called Cash Cash, helps an i11dividuaJ keep track of hi s or her fund s, aiding one to not only account for ilie expenses but also help und ersta nd how mu ch ca n be saved, Gulf News reported

The co n1ic series, 'eCOnoM I Cs ', is an econo mi cs-based concept d eve loped to provide a better und e r standing through a simpli stic and illu stra ti ve for mat.

Th e bilingual comic series m Hindi and English is already bemg distributed to

An Indian Air Force fighter aircraft Sukhoi Su-30 fires flares during Air Force Day parade at Hindon Air Force Station on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, 8 Oct 2020.

AP workers across Labour camps in UAE.

Varun Mittal and his younger brother An1an, both students at the Ju1neirah College, have created the app and the co1nic series

Th ey have launched the two under a soc ia l enterprise platfonn called SOCRlSE.

"1 an1 passionate about economics a nd also recognise my privileged position in society l used th e two concep t s to drive a mes sage to young students and workers in UAE to help them learn how to save so it will leave then1 financially independent, " Varun said

Ta lking about the sav ing s calcu lator, he sa id the int ention behind launching the app was t o build financial and economic lite racy throug h this platform.

"It is prin1c:1rily mea nt for th e labour community and aims to help improve th e ir financial knowledge. The app takes inflation and wage g rowth into account to give a mor e accurate tim e fram e for how long it would take. Allowing blu e-co llar e d worke rs to be tt e r n1 anage their finances," Gulf News quot e d th e 17-yea r-o ld stu dent as say ing.

"Th e idea for the app came about when J overheard a conversation b e twee n two school s upport sta ff members about how th ey were struggling to calculate th eir savings when takin g every expense into account.

"I th en dev e lop e d an algorithJn and presented this to the sa1ne en1p loy ee, and he found it to be a us efu l tool. Following this, we hired a group of develop e r s and bega n d eve loping th e app."

For the record, th e app ha s been developed in mu ltiple languages for easy use and understanding.

A co 1nic ser ies, eCOnoM ICs wa s developed to provide a bett er under sta nding of finances through a simplistic and illustrativ e fonnat.

Atnan, who is the content de signer for the co nli c series, said he helped bring the comic series to life by adding fun ele1nents and hu mour to the story, putting together the story board and de s igning the illustration s.

Indian sweets to feature 'best before' date as per

new norm

As per a new industry nor1n, all Indian sweets 1nust now have a ' best before' date mentioned with the product. Coming into force on 1 O ctober, it n1eans the shopkeeper ha s to infonn the customer the last date by which the dessert will remain edible.

However, it will not be mandatory to write the date of manufacture of the product, as the Food Safety and Standards Authori ty of India (FSSA I) has left it to the will of the 1nanufacturers.

Ac cording to Federation of Sweets and Na1nkeen Manu factures (FSNM) director Feroze Naqvi , t hi s has brought great relief to th e confectioners, but wiJl also face difficulties in writing 'Best before date' as it is n ot practical.

In a 25 Septemb er order, the FSSAI has made it manda to ry from 1 O ctober to write

'Best before date' on sweets plates in shops for the open sale of sweets, but there will be no r es tri ction on the date for 1naking swee ts. Th e FSSAI has s tated in the order that it would be optional to write the date of making.

"FSSAI has accepted half of our point that it is no longer mandatory for us to write a 1nanufacturing date. How eve r, th e best before date will be effective from Octob er l. Howeve r, we are also in talk s on this. We hav e put our problems in front of th e FSSA I," Naqvi exp lain e d.

H e said that printing the best before date for swee t s is not practical as the r e is a large range of swee t s on which it would be difficult to change the date repeatedly.

The orde r regarding the open sa le of sweets ca1ne in Febr uary, which was extende d twice in the coro naviru s period, but now fro1n 1 O ctober, it has been made mandatory to write the best before date on sweets packs.

Thi s order of FSSAl is only for th e open sa le of sweets. Naqvi said that this orde r will be applicable for unpacked sweets whei-eas for food it ems like packaged sweets and namkeen, it is mandatory to write the period of 1nanufacture and the date till it is best for the consumption.

India competes with Pak for exclusive GI tag to Basmati rice

India has applied for an exclu s ive Geographical Indications ( GI) tag to Ba smati rice in the European Union (EU), saying it is an I ndian-origin product in the application. Pakistan is yet to implement the GI law protnulgated in March, and now faces a potential threat to its rice exports.

A geographical indication (G I) tag gives certified information about the distinct identity of a product based on its native region of p r oduction. Thi s is key to promote India 's agri-exports.

As per the Indian application, Basmati is special, long grain, aromatic rice grown and produced in a particular geographical region of the I ndian sub-continent.

"The special characteristic of Bas111ati is grown and produced in all districts of the state of P unjab, Haryana , D elhi, HitnanchaI Pr adesh, Uttarkhand as well as in specific districts of western Uttar Pradesh and Jamn1u and Kashmir", the Indian application maintained.

Leading Pakistani rice exporters Like Taufiq Ahm e d, a lead ing expo rte r and bearer of R ice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP }, have called on th e government to immediately oppose the Indi a n application.

" D espi te r epeated r eques ts and reminders, concerned a uth orities in Pakistan have been ignorin g this ser ious issue for years and now if the problem is not handled swiftly then we would be left with no option but to se ll Ba smati ric e with an Indian name/ brand," he said.

As per th e application, India is also r egarding Himalayan salt and Multani Mitti with Indian names in the international market. At p r ese nt , most of India 's uniqu e products have domestic G l s. Of 366 registered products, I ndia ha s only one international G I for ' D arjeeling tea'

"We need to focus on inte r national G I tags for our brands. To merit a premium branding and price, we need global branding of these products at international platforms, no one gives a premium price without adequate branding," said Mohit Singla, chairman of the T rade Promotion Council of I ndia (TP CI).

According to hin1, the he ritag e brew of Raja s than like 'C handra H aas' and the uniqu e ' Bhut Jolokia' sp ice from Assam are unique products that should be put forth for int e rnational G l s.

New Al model processes text in 11 Indian languages

Faculty from the Indian I nstitute of Technology Madras (UT-M) and Al4B harat have developed artificial intelligence (Al ) model s and datasets to process texts in 11 Indian languages.

Al4Bh arat is a platform for building AI solutions for problems of relevance to I ndia.

According to UT-M, its researchers and A14Bh arat released Al models and datasets for the following languages: Tainil, Hindi , Malayalan1 , Telugu, Kannada, Punjabi, Bengali, Odia, Assamese, Gujarati, and Marathi.

The multilingual AI n1odel s and datasets developed through this initiative will provide the essential building blocks to students, faculty, start-ups and industry to work on the Indian language tools and push the frontiers of technology.

T he faculty have made these cutting-edge

re so urces open-source and completely fr ee of cost, which can be accessed by anyone The se mod e ls are freely ava il able and can b e downloaded from a Github repository.

" We hav e a very r ich dive r s it y of languages in our country. As we move towards a digital eco nomy , it is importa nt that our languages find a space on lin e Thi s re quires a lot of innovation in creating input tools, data sets, and AI mode ls for lndian languages," sa id Mites h M. Khapra , Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Eng in eering For examp le, imagin e a learner who posts a qu est ion on an e- learn in g platform in Tamil or Hindi or any other numerous [ndian regional language s

Th ere is a need for tools that can automatically process s uch questions writte n in th e I ndian languages and classify th e n1 into specific topics.

" Whil e s uch tools are availab le for English and other foreign languages, there are hardly any tools for I ndian languages and this is the cr it ical gap that we are t rying to address through this ini tiative. Th ese models are available free of cost as we w ant the entire country to b e nefit fro 111 them," added Khapra.

A14B harat is an initiative co-founded by Khapra and Pratyush Ku1nar fro n1 II T Madra s and works to solve Indi a specific problems in a community-driven, opensourced manner.

"We have an urgent responsibility to take the rapid advances of AI and 111 ake them accessible to the common n1an. One way of achieving this is to improve interactions between humans and machines. Th at is where the fie ld of Natural L anguage Processing (NLP) comes in. NLP is a branch of Al that deals with the interaction between con1puters and hu1nans using natural language," said Anoop Kunchukuttan, a volunteer at AI4Bharat and the lead researcher on this project.

For the past one year, a teain of researchers comprising stude nt s, faculty and volunteers from IIT Madras a nd Al4Bh arat worked on collectin g data and training powerful models for processing text written in Indian languages.

Th e models take advantage of the sinlilarities between Indian languag es to make efficie nt use of data.

IANS

Photo:

Artist Claus Stangl picks a community favourite for his Archibald debut

BY RAJNIANAND LUTHRA

he arresting quality of art ist Claus Stangl's portrait of L-FRES I-l The LION at th is year's Archibald P rize cannot be doubt ed. Jt exudes a sense of tranquillity. Of stillness. Peacefulness. Equanimity. P erhaps even wisdon,.

And yet, quite paradoxically, look closer and you'll detect a hint of datnpne ss on the headgear, as if the subject has been working out. Wait is that sweat trickling down his face and neck?

" Yes, it is," L - FRESl-l reveals to l ndian Link "The painting highlights the mentality of in1migrant cu ltur e - the constant work non -sto p nundset."

Sweat and determination pave the path from dreams to reality, and the migrant experience teaches us that the best way to face new situations - and obstacles - is with equanin1ity.

Artist Claus Stangl claims however that it was not L-FRES H 's heritage that initially attracted him. Indeed, it 1night have been his nan1 e FRESH stand in g for Fo r ever Ri sing Exceeding Sudden Hardships.

"Although 1 find hi s dual identity interesting, my first thought about him was not that he is of Indian or Sikh heritage, but that he is an interesting Australian," Claus muses. "l think that is what t he Archibald Prize is about - interesting Australians brought to life by interesting artists."

Claus did an "a mazing job", says L-FRESH. "When I saw the finished product, I was blown away ! He's a great artist."

"It is pretty special to be a finalist at the Archibald," Claus says of his 1naiden attempt at Australia's mo st prestigious art prize

The pair 1net in 201 9 when L- FRESH was working on his anthem for the Sydney King s ba sket ball tea 1n W e Are King s They were introduced by Claus' fiance , n1usic supervisor on the project. Claus was then looking for a n Archibald subject.

"We bonded over a long coffee, chatting for two hour s," L-FRESH renunisce s.

Claus chimes in , "It was a starti ng point for me to under stand what he's about, bis n1usic , his Jife. I found him to be a motivated, focussed per son, and wanted to bring that out."

H e learned also about L-FRESH 's faith and the five Ks , but decided to keep the symbolism out as it would be "too expected".

When L-FRESH revealed he keep s fit by boxing, Claus decided to use that to depict the essence of hard work.

J wanted my portrait of him to be striking, strong and simple."

For their date at the studio, L-FRESH rocked up with his skipping ropes and strap and worked up a sweat. Claus did son1e "super-quick sketches" while photographer Nick Lawrence clicked away.

"Showing L-FRESH without his turban made the image n1ore intimate," Claus notes.

L- FRESH, otherwise known as Sukhdeep Singh B hogal, spells it out: "At boxing, l can't wear protective headgear over 111y full dastar so I take it off, and train in my patka."

(As it turned out, the navy blu e of the background and the orange of his patka did become sy mbolic - they are traditional Sikh colours, blue being the colour of th e warrior and of protect ion and orange representing wisdom.)

Typically fo r Claus, it was the only sitting they had.

H e explains, "I like to work large-scale; l feel i t generates more of a reaction. Because 1 take time w i th my po r traits, it would not be fair to my sitters, so I end up taking the help of photography. L-FRES H 's portrait is 2111 tal l and l. Sm wide; it took 127 hours to create!"

The unusual side-on pose, Claus admits, " revealed itself" and became quite powerful.

"Side profiles can be iconic - figures fron1 monarchy face east on stamps and coins, but L-FRES H looks in the opposite direction , in what is a different perspective."

I t also allowed hin1 to capture the light from behind , giving the portrait a regal, powerful finish.

"I see it as a comment against colonisation," L-FRESH offers, his bumble patka a proud rebuff to the crown featuring 'our' Koh-i-n oor.

Claus, who moved to Australia from L ondon in 2008, bas been painting most of his life. Last year, he decided to give up a 16-year career in advertisi n g as art director ( his last job was with Facebook as creative

st rategi s t), and comm it to art full -t im e " Th e Archibald has been the best news I've had in two years," he laughs. " It validates my mission and goa l. "

Portraits hav e been a favourite part of his work. " I'm fascinated by people prin1arily. With eac h portrait I have opportunity to e nter another human b e ing's world. For instance I found L-F R ES l-1 to b e positive, war1n, filled with humility and incredibly intelligent. H e's many things, not just a musician; he's a thought leader. fie has a law degree, he h as performed at the UN, he's insp ira tiona l, a role mode l for different types of people H e's quite a special guy. I'm lu cky."

Painting peop le in the n1usic industryincluding execut iv es and managers - bas been a particular passion , even before C OVID made it a challenging time for them.

Claus also agrees that we may finally be seeing the Archibald embrace diversity. "I think it is becom i ng honest in its representation of Australian society. And it is important for bodies lik e it to do so. I'm so grateful to live in this growing, emerging, evolving culture."

Did L -FRESH ever think he would be in the Archibald?

"It is not a goal for me as a 1nu sician, but this was the third t im e I was asked to s itincludin g this year by another artist."

Claus gushes, "And there will no doubt be many more opportunities. H e's an interesting guy. He deserves it."

''Side profiles can be iconic - figures from monarchy face east on stamps and coins, but L-FRESH looks in the opposite direction, in what is a different perspective.''

''L-FRESH's portrait is 2m tall and 1.Sm wide; it took 127 hours to create!''

IChild-like sentiment endears in Ramesh Nithiyendran's Archibald self portrait

BY BAGESHRI SAVYASACHI

he Art Gallery of New South Wale s (AG NSW) announced

Ram es h Nithiy endran's selfportrait called "Self-portrait with outstretched anns" as a finalist for thjs year's Archibald Priz e The portrait is quite unique , to say the least.

Altnost iinmediately, the painting forces a s,ni le to creep up on the beholder's visage and prolongs that first glance into a g leeful gawk.

"It's a self-portrait that I wanted to be this kind of joyous, vibrant thing that was mediated and translated from some quick drawings in my diary," Rame sh revealed to Indian. Link.

It is the cheerful child-like sentiment that grabs you at once, in what is clearly a skilled work of art.

"I think the style harks back to drawing and sc ribbling in younger years, on the other hand, it's also upscale and use s materials children probably would not use! " Ramesh chuckled.

"So I think I try to have a playful, democratic style in that respect," he added. H e painted the self-portrait in his Rydalmere studio in Western Sydney. The large-scale portrait is almost 2 1netres in

height and 153 c1n wide.

Thi s is not the first time a self-portrait by Ran1esh has made it to the Archibald. Last year, another one of his self-po rtr aits was also shortlisted [or the prestigious prize.

Ramesh also confesses that he is "more expressive or liberal or creative" when working with imagery of hin1self as opposed to the worries that accompany the process of capturing so m eone else's likeness.

"When you're working with yourself as an itnage you kind of get to bypass a lot of the ethical considerations. In some way, l 'm only held accountable to myself."

Th e artist's alluring artworks reference multiple subjects. Whether it is the physical body, gender, culture, reiigions, ancient history or modern life, Ramesh says all these references "co-,ningle" in his work.

"So1ne references are cultural or historical, but some are also pop-cultural and fro1n daily life. Within my work, I try and reflect contemporary life whlch i s about the layering of different experiences, meanings, sy1nbols and history."

Ramesh's medium of choice is primarily clay and ceramics which he says is central to hi s vernacular now. H is reason for it is a glorious link to the people that have been "working with clay for thousands and thousands of years to represent figures" and being able to "connect with all those different histories through time".

Ramesh Nithiyendran is also

concerned with plurality and multiplicity. Traditionally, religious idols and deities are sculpted to embody divinity and perfection; he expla in s how his cultural interpretations are influenced by depictions of Hindu gods and goddesses.

"I n lot s of mythologies and depictions in Hinduism, the r e's a sense o f 'the multiple'. It 's often multiple forms, mdividuals and deities co-mi ngling. Even t hou gh, for example, the Hindu representations are incredibly smooth and clean they're also generally poly-chron1atic. The colour schemes are intriguing. The design element, there's a lot of sym m etry and consideration in there, a lot of complexity as well, which is what I find interesting as an artist.

'' I think in our world right now, the favouring of multiplicity is very important," he added.

When it comes to interpretations of his work, Rame sh ha s experienced Eurocentric analyses of hi s work. This is where he says art ed u cat ion might have failed m some way. Nevertheless, he also suggests that times a r e a-changing and people are increasingly acknowledging the concept of global cultures.

"Sadly, Australia sometimes is seen by people as so m e kind of co lonial outpost, as this kind of western nation. Art education has failed in decentering Euro centric narratives. The favouring of modernism as a core in art history teaching could be decentred and globalised for example and that

would actua lly create a bit tnore literacy.

" But m the la st few years espec ially, I've noticed people and the indu st ry becoming a lot more li terate with the very idea of g lob al cu ltures rather than the East and West binary," he favourably mentioned to Indi an Link.

Whil e Ramesh Nithiyendran is not concerned with dictating how audiences perceive his work, he does want it to deeply engage them.

" I think there are multiple ways to read art and respond to art and they're all valid, however, I do want it to feel imn1er s iv e, colourful, textural and tactile."

I n an envi ronm ent where public discourse is becoming critical of monocultural depictions of Australia and Australian life, Ramesh identifie s himself as a Tamil-Au st ralian and acknowledges the recognition he ha s received as a contribution to the broadening of the perceptions and narratives of Australia.

"When I think of being of Tamil heritage and being well-known in Australia as an artist, it is somewhat political. There aren't many Tamil-Australian artists showing in these kinds of exhibitions Even though it's not my decision, I'm inadvertently representing my community in that way," he mentioned.

The Sydney-based artist also has an upcoming major project opening soon at the AGNSW in November which is also about portraiture and figuration.

Photo : Aaron Anderson

WorldRemit Trans er Tracker App

App allow s u s ers to track and trace their fun ds

orld R en1it, a leading global dig ital paym e nt s company, is today launching Th e World Remit Tran sfe r Tr ac ker mobile App for r ec ipient s of 111on ey transfer s which allows th e ,n to tra c k their ren1ittan ces The World Remit Tran sfer Tracker App is now available through the Googl e app s tor e in Nige ria , I ndia , Me xico and Colombi a It will also be fr ee to download through the app sto r e in 90 co untri es in iOS and Android later this n1onth.

Con s un1 e r r esearc h s how s th a t financial in sec urity is at a n all-tin1e hi g h Wor ld Re ,nit i s working t ir e less ly to in c r ease transparency a nd s upport u sers by providin g easy access to financi a l se rvi ces With WorldR e n1it 's proprietary technology, eac h u se r ca n now track the money th ey h a ve b ee n se nt , g iving then1 added peace of mind a t a tim e wh e n they need it m os t.

" Wh e n e ver r hav e th e cha nce to speak to our c u s ton1 ers, they a lw ays re1nind m e of the th ree r easons they c h oose our

service - conven ience, spee d and safety.

I ' m d e li ghte d th a t we h ave launched a se rvi ce exclus ively for o ur cus t on1ers who receive money fron1 their family a nd fri ends Throu g h developing th e Tr ansfer Tracke r App, we hope to empower recipients of n1oney transfers so tha t they ca n access their funds as convenien tl y a nd as sa fe ly as possible. This r en1ai n s a gu idin g principle fo r us as we continue to p r ovide a n in cl u sive end -to -end money transfer service," sa id Stephen Lovell, Chief P roduct O fficer a t World R emit. Th e Tr a n sfer Tr acker App has a

"tr ack m y n1oney " feature, which allows recipients to see exactly where their funds are in real tin1e for added peace of mind.

Accord in g to the 2017 World .B a nk Global Find ex database, th ere are 1.7 billion adul t s across the world who do not h ave a bank acco unt, nor do they have an accou nt with a mobil e mo n ey provider. Th e majority of financially excluded p eop le tend to live in rur a l areas o r places with limited access to reliable transportat ion , which oft en m eans having to make long journeys into city centres. For th ose who rely on financia l s upp ort from love d o nes

a broad, visiting cas h pi c k up agents is ofte n the only option ava ilabl e to th e n1.

Wor ldRe n1it is one of the fir st co mp a ni es in th e global paym e nts indu stry to la un c h a Tr a n sfe r Tra c ke r app excl u sive ly with r ecip ie nt s in n1ind. Th e digital payn1ents co mp a ny a ll ows se nder s in 50 co untri es to se nd money via th e app o r website t o recipients in over 150 co untri es, wh e r e they ca n choo se from mu lti p le pay-out m e thod s inc ludin g bank d epos it s, mo bil e wallets, mobi le airtim e top -up and cas h pick-up. Fo r m o r e d eta il s, vi si t: www.worldremit.com

IF YOUR BUSINESS IS IN FINANCIAL TROUBLE, E AN HELP

at e f ees a nd c ounc i l ra t es COVID

Funded

BY PREETI JABBAL

paper, staten1ents and photographs supplied by candidates, voting instructions and a reply-paid envelope have been posted to voters. All votes n1ust be in by 6:00 pn1 on Friday, 23 Oct.

people.

ictor ia's 202 0 local council elections,

This year marks the first electio n where all candidates d uring the state's strict coronavirus restrictions, will be conducted by postal vote and will be the largest ever undertaken in Victoria w i th

n1ore than 4 .5 million voters enrolled.

Ballot packs containing a ballot

have taken a n1andatory Local Govern1nent Candidate Training Course through Local Government Victoria. The online course

Given the current restrictions in Victoria there is limited opportunjty for aspi r ing can d idates for the upcoming Council elections to vis it homes, door knock or shift attention to what matte r s most in t heir council rjght now.

A considerably large number of people from Indian background are contesting the elections this year. Indian link spoke to some to fin d out why we shoul d consider them for our vote.

about councillor roles and responsibilities introduced through the new Local Govern1nent Act was completed by n1ore than 3,000 (Fu ll deta ils at www. india nlink.c om.au)

AMANDEEP KAUR

lramoo Ward, Wyndham City Council

I am standing for Council because I ain pass ionate about multiculturalism, supporting peop le's ,ne n ta l health and ach iev ing gender equality. I believe Whiteho r se Council plays an important role in ensuring good outcomes for the community. I have resided in Whitehorse fo r mo r e than 20 years w ith n1y mu lticu ltural fa mily comprising my Australian born husband and three young adult ch ildren. l am a progressive community advocate and a member of M ental Hea lt h Foundat ion Australia, I ndonesian Community Association

Victoria, and Australia India Society of Victor ia My vision for Whitehorse is for peop le fron1 a ll cu lt ures to be able to live, work and play in a secu re, familyfriendly environn1ent. I will suppott init iatives that ensu r e Whitehorse is well known for its employ111e nt, education, health, and open space offerings and that it becomes the Eastern Suburbs capital of arts and culture. l f elected, my post-pandemic key goa ls will be to: Introduce robust health initiatives to ensure contro l of the spread of infection to manageab le levels; Create jobs; Focus on small business recovery.

l stood for council election in 2016 as well which was a great learning expedence. I an1 running this year because 1 believe the voices of migrants, especially women migrants, are under-represented and there is muc h work to be done to 1nake our coinmunity even more beautiful, safe, and prosperous. I have extensive experience across a range of community activities, as a com1nittee n1ember of Vermont South Community Centre and Whitehorse I nterfaith Network; founder of Australia I n dia Wo1ne n Entrepreneurs Forum; and Lions C lub of Ver ntont South (Festivals and Fundraising Ass istance). I was previously a con1mittee member of the W hitehorse Bus i ness G roup for several years and recently worked with the D epartment of Health and H um an Services, as part of their C O VI D-19 Commun ity Engagement Team. If elected, my postpandemic key goa ls will be to: Drive economic reviva l ; Engage with kids and young people in the com n1un ity; Create e mployment opportunities for t h e res idents.

I have been working in social ser vices for a long time and I have enough experience to call myself a go-getter who can resolve issues. [ am he re to listen to my community so I can advocate at the council level. I have assisted ma ny women who suffered fron1 do1nestic violence, who were sexuaJly abused, and connected them to relevant services and organisations. I have helped many international studen ts and citizens with groceries and other essentials during the CO VID-19 pandemic.

I p layed a role in a charity event fo r bushfire s u rvivors and have volunteered fo r many other community causes. If elected, n1y post-pan demic key goals will be to: Advocate for council relief packages for people, small and medium business so they can restart their businesses after lockdown; Establish a mechanism for smoother communication to engage community 1nembers for mental support, and counselling; Establish effective and active communication especially for multicultural communities which I think is critically imp ortant because effective communication could have curbed COVID1 9 cases in the wester n suburbs.

I am a local resident who migrated to Australia 2 2 years ago. I am married w ith two Loving kids and 1 have a strong desire to serve our community. 1 hold a Bache lor of Business in Sustainability and currently work in the I T industry. D uring my time in Australia, 1 participated in various volunteer i ng p r ograms that range from feeding home l ess people, assist i ng senior citizens, organizing not-fo r -p r ofit eve n ts, planting trees and collecting waste. I have been a Monash Council Con1munity Ambassador since Octobe r 201 9 assisting in progra m s re l ated to diversity, multictilturalism, and inc lus iveness. I f elected, my post-pandemic key goa ls w ill be to: Build a strong loca l economy by suppo r ting local business and promote eve n ts that bring i n m ore business; I mprove the quality of life of the resi d ents by focusing on education, hea lth, and social welfa r e equal opportunity to a ll ; R evisit past strateg ies to ensure they are strong and susta i nable for the p ostpandemic world.

lam connected at grassroot leve l with many con1n1unities. I'm the only candidate fro1n 1ny ward from a diverse background ; given Melton Council is a growing 1nulti cu ltural hub , it is in1perative we have diverse representation. l have worked in the areas of fan1ily violence, se nior care, youth outreach, COV I D care, and fundraised for Cancer Council, Beyond Blu e, Don at ion Driv es for Bu shfire Victim s J have served on numerous boards including the lnl e rcultur al Advisory Board of Melton City Council, and have placed on various award li sts for Won1 en, Leadership and Community Service. I worked with a top-four bank for n1any years and then started 1ny own financial planning concern. A Mu111bai girl, I 1nigrated to Australia a decad e ago and now live in Taylot·s HilJ with my young family. lf elected, 1ny post-panden1ic key goa ls will be to: Build a safe comn1unity; Focus on env ironm en t and susta in ability initiatives in our community; D eliver projects with comn1unity focus.

RISHI PRABHAKAR

Chaffey Ward. Wyndham City Council

I an, an accountant and a fa1nily n1an with two school going kids. I ha ve been a local resident for over a decade and as a selfless comn1unity volunteer and an activist, l have a great understanding of the issues affecting our community in daily life. I am blessed t o be able to give back to t h e Wyndhan1 community in diverse roles with some great co1nmunity organisat ion s like T arne it Neighbourhood Watch, Werribee H ospital Foundation, Sri Durga Temple, I nternational Students Support HeJpline, FlA , NO to YDC, WYNBUS (Patron) to nan1e a few. [f elected, n1y post-pandemic key goals will be to: Pri oritise support for local jobs and small businesses; I nclusive sporting, open spa ces and recreational facilities because they play a major role in peoples n1ental & physical wellbeing; Upskilling pr ograms for youth en1powerment by partnering with local social enterprises.

SHASHIKOCHHAR Mulgrave Ward. Monash City Council

I believe my biggest strength is my sense of gratitude to the community - I have a st rong desire to give back. As a fir st-generat ion migrant, l know the value of hard work, in fact, my passion for se rvic e sees me working harder in retirement than when I was in paid employment. r have been awarded recognition as the Sir John Monash Comn1unity Le ader in 200 7, the Monash Multicultural cha1npion in 2018, and my greatest honour to date - an Order of Australia in 2019. I am Justice of Peace and donated Blood / Plasma 180 times. I am the founder/president of Charitable Community organisation "Friends of th e ch ildre11 Fo undation In c" fou nd e d in 1998. I am also the Chair of Mon ash Int e rfaith Gathering and an active men1ber of the local Rotary and Lions Club. If e lected, my postpandemic key goals will be to: Look after se nior s and the vulnerable in our com munity ; Create more jobs in the recycling and manufactutiog I ndustry; Make Council more transparent, accountable, and effic ient , so they can demonstrate that they are using ratepayer n1oney in an effective mannet·.

Two decades ago, l migrated to Australia as an international student and have been proud to caU More land home ever since. Moreland has been a gteat place to live and raise my children -but 1 run confident that it can be better. Moteland needs counciUors who are involved in out local community and who understand the needs of the local residents. I've been fortunate to be involved in a number of community and sporting groups: including the Glenroy Neighbourhood Learning Centre, Pascoe Vale United Cricket Club, Hope Centre and Glenroy West Kindergarten. I have also been a proud Multicultural Ambassador fot a variety of events and organisations, including the M festival, Gold Coast Commonwealth Gaines and Melbourne Stars Twenty20 tean1. If elected, my post-pandemic key goals will be to: Promote local economic recovery; Advocate for service s that families rely on (we need n1ore funding fot local childcare, maternal health services, and quality aged care); Support safety and security through unproved lighting and CCTV where required , and implement localised progran1s to curb family violence.

I 'm sta ndin g for council electio n s as there is still a lack of representation of people of Indian origin. In 2012, 1 was among the first few from Indian background to contest as a Councillor from City of Melbourne. I act i\Yely encou r age youngsters to get involved in Australian politics rather than I ndian politics if they are citizens of Australia as 1 believe that migrants shoul d pro vide equal input to this country. To serve the community is my pa ssion. I was one of the pioneers of organising multicultural festivals in Melbourne like D iwali and Holi and have been involved with various Indian Associations as President, Vice P resident an d Secretary. I am c urr e ntly the Dir ector of GHARS (Global Hindu A ssociatio n s for Reform and Sustainable Societies) and have served as a Justice of Peace fo r over a decade. If elected, my post-pandemic key goals will be to: Bdng businesses back; Oppo se the Inje ction roon1 proposed by State Government near Victoria Market (even if it means taking legal action); Make sure that the rates are cut by 10 per cent.

I migrated to Melbourne with my family in 2004. I used to run a succes.sfu l restaurant in New Delhi and now I am a Bu siness Developm ent Manager with a construction company in Dandenong South. I was motivated to stand for the elections with a vision of bringing otlr community to the forefront. I believe we should have representatives in various tiers of the society to help the society bring about positive changes Blackburn Gurudwara is my place to be on Sunday mornings, and I try my leve l best to be part of my ethnicity and provide comfort to all around to the best of my ability. I also partake in meaningful efforts on any front like working with sen iors , organising cultural events or working with groups supporting mental health. If elected, my post-pandemic key goals will be to : Evaluate the flow of funds towards immediate and life-changing projects; Focus on challenges with climate change and how to project achievable targets within meaningful timeframes; Interact with residents and focus on the concerns of my Ward.

BY MOHAN DHALL

uch has bee n discussed r ece ntl y about the leaking of the Mu ckUp day Jist writte n by son1e boys at Sydney 's Shore School. T h e comn1entary has includ ed condemnat ion a b out s on,e of the c h a ll e nges, which ranged from dista s teful to n1isogynistic, illegal a nd c ru e l. Oth e r cha ll e n ges were within the r ange of what would b e expected from young n1en celebrating a rit e of pas sage.

Whil st there n1ay be leg iti1nat e questions to ask a bout the socia li sation of boy s in some financi a lly e lit e private sc h ools, the ce nt ra l que s tion s for me are, what pres s ures are young n1en faci n g, a nd what is it that shapes them to becom e men?

I do not t h ink 1nost boy s in elite private schools are socia li se d to hate or abuse wom e n I a lso do not think th ey are soc ialised to lau g h or sp it on homeless people In my exper ience, n1 ost young 1nen ar e r es p ectful , r es pon sible, a nd mostly awar e of th ei r com1nuni ty. In every co hor t how e ver there a re so n1e people who are reckless, carele ss, and im1nature - but that is the sa1ne in all com muniti es r egard less of wealth.

Despite the hardship s faced by pre v iou s generations s uch as war, th e present generation has grown up in a time when the ov e rriding so cial anthem is a foc u s on the self. I mmediacy is the n ew long-term goal and e xterna l 1ueas ur es, likes, laughs,

shares are the s hin y badges th at d enote se lf-wo rth.

To s urvive and compe te in such a world, so m ething needs to be done to push li1nit s, create dissonance, shock, ga in attention, stand out. Th at this is so is ent ire ly predictable. Ad olesce n ce is ex ub erance, a nd oftent i1n es it is iinpulsive.

W hen a youth's impression of kudos, affi rm at ion or fatne can be claimed th r ough risk-taking, repugnant or c rimin a l behaviours, then Muck-Up da y li sts w i ll r eflect that. Mu ck-U p days in aU schoo ls across the nation hi storically would lay test ituony to this.

Scientific understanding reveals that it takes lon ger for yo un g men to 1nature than was previously thought. So , h ow ca n we he lp boy s to become 1nen and to und e r stan d cause and effect 1nore full y a nd at a younger age? This is in1por ta nt b eca u se the ce ntral te n et to rehabilitat ion of the worst b ehavio ur s, and in1prov e m e nt of the best b e h avio ur s, con1mences with a d eep u nderstanding of ca u se and co n seq uen ce.

Empathy and the und e r standing of cause an d c oi1se quen ce can be hastened

by experiences. Per h aps the e du cat ion of ad olescent boys shoul d include units o f study on each of the fo ll owi ng:

• Th e na ture of p o w e r a nd vio le nce, including guest speakers from surv iv ors of domestic violence, the police an d eve n remorseful self-re fl ec tin g people who h ave been jailed fo r such offences

• T he imp ac t o f impul s ivity o n a pe rson 's Life, including guest speake r s fro1n a m ong hospital Accident and Em e r ge n cy Spec ialists a n d ph ysica lly o r brai n-impaired su rvi vors of ca r accidents occu rr ing due to spee ding or drunkenness

• The nature o f unbridJ e d ambiti o n o n frie nd s hip s, famil y life , and m e nt a l a nd phys icaJ he a lth including g u est speake r s who ar e rich but whose c hildt·en are estranged

• T he n a ture o f v ulne rability, und e rs ta nding e m o ti o n a nd its importa nce to be in g in to uch with s elf, co mmuni ty, and those less fo rtun ate including guest speakers who o n ce thought manliness meant stoic s il ence, b r avado, ri s k-taking, com pari so n and agg r essio n.

• T he na ture o f luck a nd th e wafe r-thin diffe re nc e be tween rich and poo r with g ues t speake r s from t h ose who advocat e for th ose who h a ve noth ing

• Why a ll in s tituti o nal st ructures, e du c a tio n a l, p o liti ca l, lega l , bu s in ess s ho uld have a n e qu a l repre se ntati o n o f w o m e n and men at all le ve ls, co n1m e ncin g with the st ru ct ur es sha ping the e du cat io n of t he st ud e nt 's s ubj ect to these unit s of s tudy

• Ex te nd e d j o int c o mmun ity -buildin g pr oj e ct s where boys in fin a nc ia ll y elite pri vate s ch oo ls w o rk with st ud e nt s fr o m s uburb s w her e yo uth un e mpl oy men t a nd so cial/public hou s ing i s hi g h est, n1ay also connect young p eo pl e wi t h a co mmon ca u se a nd r a ise awareness about how indistinct w e all are but for the cloth es we wear. Such common proj ects ca n inc lud e c r ea ting green spaces, ass isting in building improved e ducational facilities - through being trained a nd s up ervise d in so n1 e manual labour -a nd competing in scie ntific competitions based on the d evelop1n e nt of renewables , or oth e r s ignificant areas o f scie nce.

Such experiences would be rewarding, eye-open ing, possibly co n £rontin g, and truly Life changing. B ut what is an e du cat io n for if no t to assist in h elp in g our st ud ents to und e r stand how to think crit ically?

When yo ung p eop le make tni stakes, those who create st ructure s can take opportun iti es to re-shape t h e ex p e rie nc es those yo un g people have It n1ay tak e imagination bu t, in an age of discontinuity, imagination energises action.

Lessons from the Shore School muck-up day saga: We need a shift in what we are teaching our boys

In hindsight, the contents of the leaked Muck-Up day list was not entirely unpredictable, given that external measures such as social media likes and shares denote self-worth to current-day youth

Melbourne educator argaret Hepworth' experiments with Gandhi

BY RAJNIANAND LUTHRA

s a teacher of history, Margaret 1-Jepworth would ofte n ask her middle school s tudents in Melbourne if they had heard of Gandhi. About a third of th e students would raise th e ir hand s

She would then ask if they had h eard of Hitler. Every single child would rai se their hand.

Margaret is probably aware that s ince hun1ans are hardwired for negativity, we know and recall more about 'bad' than 'good'.

But an offbeat remark by a student in the hallway struck a deep chord: " Why can't we study some happy things? Why does history have to be all about doom and gloom and horror?"

"It pressed upon me deeply that education needed change," Margaret told Indian Link. "I started questioning what we teach. We say we teach caring and sharing and empathy and kindne ss, but when we look at the world, we don't see these things. We don't see the1n in business, in the big corporations, in banking, in politics. Where does it all go? Why is there war and conflict?"

The unravelling that began then saw Margar et give up her role as Head of Ca1npus at Melbourne's P reshil School, and go down what she describes now as a

"Gandhian rabbit hole ".

She ha s si nce reinvent e d her se lf as a peace educator, d es igning a nd co ndu cting work s hop s in Melbourne u sing Gandhi's techniques to create change at the individual and societal lev els. She ca ll s her intervention program Th e Gandhi Experiinent.

I t involve s so lution-focu sse d activities ba se d on the Gandhian principle s of nonviolence and tolerance , and an attitude of looking within.

" The progra1n encap s ulates global citizenship, c onflict re solution , and 'almost iinpossible' thought s where the students open up to their own selves and identify one thing they would like to change, and list action steps to achieve that goal,"

Margaret described. "T h e workshop design has high academic rigour, with a touch of sp irituali ty."

P e r so nal responsibility is a core e lement of the interve nti o n , g iven Gandhi 's emphas is on cha n ge com in g fro m within. (Indeed, late adolescents an d yo ung adult s a r e highly inspired by that quote often attri but ed to G a ndhi: Be the change that you wish to see in the world.)

T he r es ult s have been encou r aging.

" Measu ring before and aft e r , we see a shift up the sca le to fee lin g better about the world and a r ea din ess to make a cha n ge I t's rewarding to see bow the st ud ents tr ave l towards ' po s iti ve r eali ty' - a term I 've co in ed myself - and c hang e mindset towards po s itiv e act ion. Th ey go away imbu e d with hop e, and e mpower e d to s t e p up and b ecome part of the solution. lt' s quite ex traordinary; I wish adults, parents, and politicians were in the room to see it. " Margar et was fir s t drawn to Gandhi as a middle school student h e r se lf.

" Hi s n1 essage to the world re so nat e d with me ," sh e r eca ll e d. "As a teenager pa ssio nate about social justice, it mad e se n se deeply to u se nonviolence as a tool for change."

Sh e bec a n1 e bett e r acquainted with his ideology when sh e travelled to l ndia as an adult.

"Visiting Gandhi Smri t i and n1editating at Sabarmati Ashram, I became bet ter entrenched in hi s methodology. I found ways to bring them into teaching in a very different way, using them to counter the negativity to

he lp bring p eace into th e world."

Today Ma rgar e t invok es Gandbi in a n ot he r s uccess ful progratn, Collaborative D e batin g.

" In r es p ectful d e bating w e li ste n to so rn eo n e with a differ e nt viewpoint , an oppositional viewpoint e ve n , and h ea r the ir p e r s p ect ive. "

It is a life skilJ that is much nee ded today, and Maragret's techn iqu e to teach it take s a s lightly revolutionary approach, again reminiscent of Gandhian pra ct ic e.

" In th e middle of the debate , we have a mom e nt of s il e nce ," s he de sc ribed. " Im agine a group of high -e nergy Ye ar 9 s, s udd e nly sto p and go silent! They emerge with n ew angles , n e w wi s don1' I never thought about it thi s way ' is a c orn1non r eac tion. "

The collaborative debate, nonadversarial in nature , move s beyond the argument and towards so lution s It is c lea r that it is more productive to teach Gandhi's techniques and skills, rather than what Gandhi said.

"We are no longer talking peace, we are teaching peace," the M elbourne-based Gandhi expert stressed.

Having taken her progratn successfully to school students in Indi a, Pakista n, China and Indon esia, Margaret is now expand ing it beyond adolescents, with successful interventions in Victoria's Afghan and African communities.

Across the board, Margaret H e pworth's overarching technique is unmistakable: a pivot to positivity.

Arundhati Roy's catcall for freedom amid st growing authoritarianism and fascism in India

hen Arundhati Roy's fir s t novel God Of S,nall Things was publish e d in 1997, it won th e Booker Prize and 1nade her an overnight c e lebrity. Not long aft e rward s, Roy turned to political and e nvironm e ntal activi s m, and her non-fiction and fi c tion s inc e th e n - including h e r sec ond nov e l Mini stry of Utn1ost Unh a ppin ess publi s h e d in 2017 - have b ee n d ee ply co loured b y it. Her late s t book A za di: Fascis m: Freedo,n : Fi ction is a m e dley of he r articl es , talk s and es say s produ ce d over th e la s t c ouple of year s , coll e cte d under th e titl e 'Aza di ' - sh e clai1n s it i s a c atc all for fr ee don1 amid s t growing authori t ari a ni s m and fa sc is m in India. Th e re ar e no s urpt·ise s he r e a s n1o s t of th e c hapt e r s hav e b ee n publi s he d pr e viou s ly or ar e a va il a bl e o n YouTub e Sh e addr esses a raft of subj ec ts in thi s anthol ogy, although th e y a ll conv e r ge ultirn a te ly on th e s ubj e ct clo ses t to h e r h ea rt a t the mo 1ne nt: th e K as hn1iri ca ll for fr ee dom , Az a di , th a t b eg an roughly around 1989.

Howe ve r n1u c h o n e sy mp a thi ses with h e r c ritiqu e o f g rowin g into le r a n ce in lndi a, viol e n ce unl eas h e d in Kas hn1fr or th e tra g ic pr e di c a111 e nt of th e r e fu gees in th e North Eas t - t o n a 111 e a fe w - r a 1n not quit e s ur e wh o h e !" a udie nc e is h e r e Th e a rticl es ar e, to put i.t polit e ly , pol e mi c al , s h1·ill a nd p e ddl e fea r. J' m no t

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for a mom e nt d e fe ndin g th e awful v ig il a nt e ly nc hin g o f indi v idu a l Mu s lim s t hat is occ urrin g ac ro ss n o rth e rn India in the nan1e o f cow p rotec ti o n o r wh ateve r , but h e r s in g lin g o ut of th e Mo di g o ve rnn1 e nt fo r a ll th e ill s o f th e co untr y p as t a nd p r ese nt ju s t d oes n ' t c ut it. Th e re is no co ntex t a nd s he m a kes sw ee pin g s t a te m e n ts with no a tte mpts to s ub s t a nti a te th e m. Sh e fl a il s a ny w h ic h w a y a nd p urp o rts to sp ea k w ith a uth or it y a bout eve r y thin g fr o 1n wo rld hi s to ry, capi ta li s 1n, co mb a t a ircraft a nd th e R afal e d ea l to Hindu na ti o n a li s m - with o u t proffer in g mu c h e vid e nce - b y us in g d ata se lectiv el y to suit he r a rg u n1e nt s . As a n aca d emic and a t ra in e d socia l sc ie n tis t , I d es pa ir when n ove li s t s an d o th er write r s s udd e nl y deci d e to d a bbl e in p o lit ics a nd m orp h ove rnj g bt into p o liti ca l co n1n1e n ta t o r s! Th ey

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plunge h e adlon g in to s o cia l co rrun e ntar y and pon ti fi ca te no e nd without a prop e r unde r standing o f c ont e xt , hi s to r y, so cial for ces, inte rnati o n al ec onomi c curre nt s e t a l. Eve r y thing fl o w s in Roy's case, fr o rn h e r politic al ac ti v is m. I d o la ud h e r poundin g at tb e inju s ti ces in I ndi a n soc ie t y - for G o d kn o w s t hey a r e s t a rk a nd un co n sc ion a bl e. S oc ie ti es n ee d ga dflies like he r to r e mind u s o f t h e a bu ses of powe r th a t g o o n a ll th e tim e; th e co llu s io n b e tw ee n th e p o w e rful at th e ex p e n se o f the v uln e r ab le . W e ca n fee l h e r indi g n at i o n as s h e ril es a g a in s t c apita li s m. Yet, h e r wr i t in g, ho w ever p o w e r f ul , r e m a in s a p o le mi c, a nd th e indi sc ri 1n in a t e thr as hin g a t eve r yt hin g a r o und he r leaves o n e fru s tr a t e d. By fa r th e c h a pt e r o n th e ve r y co n te nti o u s CAA a nd the NRC - es p ec ia ll y as th ey we r e m ea nt to a ddr ess th e pr o bl e m o f c iti ze n s hip in In di a's N o rth Ea stwas th e m ost e ngag in g a nd p o ig n a nt H o w eve r, eve n h e r e, s o m e goo d a n a lys is is und e rn1in e d b y r a th e r s impli s ti c and swee pin g s t ate m e nt s s u c h as ' p eopl e co n ve rte d to Js la m t o escap e cas t e' S er io u s sc h o la r s kno w t ha t it was n o t th a t s impl e. Wh y did p e opl e in Ir a n co n ver t fr o m Z oroas tri a ni s m to Isla m wh e n th ere wa s n o c a ste? S o o b sesse d is s he wi t h p a in t in g M o di a nd th e BJ P gover nm e nt as fasc ist, th at s he kee p s e qu a tin g it with th e Third

R e ich - whic h can b e quite grating, to say tb e le as t.

Us ing word s to tarni s h everything a ss o c iated with Modi a s ' anti Muslin1 ' - for ins tance , h e r c haracteri s ation of th e Howd y Modi e ve nt in Houston as '60,000 p e opl e of Indian origin cheering Modi gove rntn e nt' s ' wi c ke dn e ss' and th e tr e atment m e t e d out to Mu s lims', is hitting b e low th e b e lt and e xtr e 1n e ly di s hon es t.

The r e a r e r e ason s why th e lndian diaspora o r g ani se d s u c h a n e xtravaganza [including th e on e in Sydn e y by th e Indian c ommunity h e r e ] - and t h a t it h as n1or e to do with h e r a lding t he m se lv es a s having arriv e d fr o m a s uc cess ful nation - than anything to d o with Modi or BJP p e r se On e ca n b eg in to und e r s t a nd he r powe r f ul ar g um e nt in favour of t h e Kas hmiri ca ll to s h a ke off the I ndi a n yok e - but to a r g u e th a t s uc cess iv e gov e rnm e nt s in I ndi a h a ve d e lib e r a t e ly ke pt th e K as hmiri pa ndit s in t e rribl e c ondition s in ca mp s in Ja mmu in ord e r to 's tir th e ir a n ge r a nd und e rs t a nda bl e bit te rn ess into a m e phiti c bre w with whi c h to s tir Indi a's n a t r a tiv e o n K as hmir ' is c ru e l in th e ex tr e m e. By th e tim e s h e e ulo g ises Imr a n Kh a n's 'st at es m a n ship ' a nd s in gs Chin a's p r a ise fo r its h a ndlin g of th e COVID cri s is (whil e s la mmin g Indi a), s h e h a d lo s t m e Chltra Sudarshan

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Vegan desserts that pack a flavoursome punch

BY SHARDA SETHI

1 cup of cashews soaked for at least

5 - 6 hours or overnight

1 cup water

2 cups (approximately) of custard

apple (pips removed)

1 SPA-free can of organic coconut

cream

1 tbsp tapioca flour or arrowroot flour

1 tsp Himalayan salt

1/2 tsp vanilla powder

1/3 cup honey

Drain the cashews and rinse them. Then. blend well with a cup of water.

Take about 1/4 cup of the coconut cream and mix the tapioca flour in it.

Heat the rest of the coconut cream in a pan on the cooktop. Add the salt. vanilla powder. honey and the tapioca flour mixture. Stir well for 3-4 mins on low heat. (You can always substitute honey for a sweetener of your choice like maple syrup. rice malt syrup. or stevia).

Mix together the cashew blend. coconut milk mixture and the

ith 1nore and n1ore peop le moving towards healthier lifestyles and eating habits, dairy items have slowly moved to the backburner. Bu t someti1nes, the custard apple well.

Churn i n an ice cream maker until done. If you don't have an ice cream maker. you could try the freezing/mixing method 2-3 times

Tip: Since summer is coming. you can try this recipe with lychees as well.

healthier changes we wish to m ake ca n be hard to sustain Especially when th ey involve giving up on o ur favourite foods o r di shes th a t we grew up eat in g. A great way to find t h at balance is

cha n gin g, adapting, and evo lving r ecipe s and the cooking 1net hod s - without c ompromising on flavour. To get you going, he r e are thr ee vegan recipes t ha t are re imagin atio ns of the desserts we kn ow an d love

VEGAN BESAN LADOOS

1 cup of organic besan (g ramflour)

5 tbsp melted organic coconut oil

5 tbsp rapadura sugar/ powdered jaggery

1/4 tsp cardamom powder or 1 drop of cardamom essential oil

Handful of nuts/sultanas (optional)

Roast the besan in coconut oil on a medium flame until it changes colour to a light brown and emits a

beautiful aroma. Keep stirring so it does not burn.

Add the cardamom powder. then take it off the flame

Add the sultanas / nuts (if you 're adding them) and the sugar If using cardamom essential oil, put it in the mixture now Mix well When not too hot to handle, roll into small round balls / ladoos and serve

VEGAN. CARROT HALWA (GAJRELA)

1 kg of carrots (grated)

1 litre of organic coconut milk (or a non-dairy milk of your choice)

1 tsp cardamom powder or 3-4 pods of cardamom

100 gmscoconut sugar or rapadurasugar (can be substituted for a sweetener of your choice)

Handful of nuts and sultanas each

2 drops of cardamom essential o il (optional)

1 tbsp coconut o il or macadamia oil

In a big pan, add the grated carrots along with the non-dairy milk. Also add 3-4 cardamom pods or 1 tsp cardamom powder.

Cook everything together unti l most of the liquid has evaporated and

the carrots look well cooked. This process takes quite a while. so you can leave the pan simmering away and do other things in the kitchen, stirring once in a while.

Add a sweetener of your choice. Stir and cook till the liqu i d from the sweetener has evaporated. This will take 15-20 minutes on low flame. Add the coconut o il or macadamia oil and stir for a few minutes.

For a good crunch. toss in the dry fruits and sultanas.

For a little bit of added flavours, add a couple of drops of cardamom oil (optional). Serve warm.

This dessert will easily keep for a week in the fr i dge.

races , sus

era a, come a 1ve 1n .......'er

tw e nty years , in the Perth waters, was a wonderfully nostalgic exper ience."

BY NISHA JOSEPH

undreds of spectators on the lake front erupted with joy as the boats sliced through the waters, the oarstnen throwing their oars in unison to the fast -paced rhythm of the KeraJan dru1ns.

K era la 1s famous snake boat races?

No , Perth's newest cultural experience.

Th e snake -boat (chundan) races in Ker ala, a centuries-old tradition of water regatta called Vallam Kali, were suspended this year du e to COV I D.

How eve r, for the first time ever in Australia, the spirit of Vallam Kali was celebrated with great fervour right here, in the scen ic waters of Perth. Cha1npion L akes becan1e Vembanad Kaay a l and dragon boats b eca n1e our beloved chun.dans for a day.

1-leld in late Septe1nber with necessary safety and hygiene precautions in place, the event was organised by the Perth United Malayalee Association In c with Champion Lake s Boating Club.

They called it Jalvolsavam (Water Festival).

Thirt ee n teams competed in fo ur qualifying races. Eight teams progressed to the se mi-final s, and four fought the finals.

The boat Piara Chundan of the Piara Spartans team claimed the first Jalol sava ,n Vallamkali Trophy. Karichal Chundan and Maylands Chundan finished second and third respectively.

"It took a lot of effort and weeks of practice to get to this stage," a thrilled Binish Varghese, captain of Piara Spartans

H is boat this tim e , I(aricha l Chundan is in fact named in honour of a glorious black snake boat in Kerala with the same name. Water regatta has been a part of Kerala's cultural heritage fo r centuries, the unusual boats themselves a great symbo l of the state. The vigour of the rowers is n1atched equally by the enthusiasm of the drummerhelmsmen, as well as by the cheering appreciation of th e crowds. The helmsmen's singing of the boat song (Vanchipattu) to urge on the rhythm of the rowers is just as iconic. Its Australian avatar cou ld well b eco me an annual affair.

PIARA

SPARTANS

f.,. ' told Indian Li nk.

Anish Varughese , the team's energetic drummer-cun1-coach con1es fro1n a 1nusic background, which served him well in encouraging his team to the finish line.

Most of their team members work in emergency services like H ealth services and Poli cing, with all of them nurturing a passion for native country sports like

Vadcunvalli (Tug of War) and football, and that made this event even more special.

Pa rticipant Thon1as Jo seph brought special experience - having actually contested at the iconic races in Kerala.

" I was a regular oarsman of the Jaw ahar Thayangari chundan in the Kuttanad boat race for several years," he told Indian Link. " R owing this year after a gap of

Raveesh Kar anil John , PUMA coordinator, observed, "We did not expec t such a good turnout of teams, a nd suc h support from the public. The event which was originally scheduled for March had to be postponed owing to COVID 19 and now, organising th is in September amidst the mild showers, added that monsoonic feel of an authentic Onam. "

[n his inaugural speech, Paul Papalia, (WA Minister fo r Tourism, Racing and Gaming , Small Bu siness, D efence Issues, Citizenship and Multicultural Interests) sa id , " It is wonderful to be witnessing the snake boat festival at Champion Lakes. I cong ratulate the participants and the organisers at PUMA."

H e was joined by dignitarie s Kevin Mi chel (M LA Pilbara), Yaz Mubarakai (M LA Jandakot), Ruth Butterfield (Mayor Armadale) and John Bl e inke (President, Cha1npion Lakes Boating Club).

The Jalolsavam experience gave them a slice of the best of Kerala , from its food to its ba ckwaters, right here in Perth for the first time.

When Perth' s Champion Lakes became Kerala's ba ckwater s

Adelaide artist Peter Drew celebrates migrants and multiculturali sm in his poster campaign

BY JYOTI SHANKAR

hen waiting outside a popular street-food r estaurant in Harris Park for a takeaway recently, l noticed a striking poster on the blank wall of the carpark. It was a picture, now frayed at the edges, of a turbaned man with the word 'AUSS I E' b eneat h.

A quick l iiternet search to ld n1e that the poster was the cteation of P eter D rew, an artist fron1 Adelaide. And so, my quest be gan.

Th e turbaned, moustached 1nan in the poster was Pu njab -born Monga Kh an, who a rriv ed in Australia in 1895 and was a hawker in rural Victoria until his death in 1930. His im age came to Peter fron1 the National Archives of people who lived h e r e durin g the time of the White Australia Poli cy - 1901 to 1958.

" Did Australia inheri t its id entity from the p eople who created the White Australia policy, or do es 'Au ssie' have 01ore to do with people who survived it?" Peter said, explai nin g the inspiration behind the poster. It date s back to early 2016 when the refugee cdsis was at its peak. While Europe welcomed tho u sands of refugees arriving from wa r-torn Syria and A fghan i s tan , Australia was smug about its effective bord er control policies. With the ai1n of reforming the 1nea ning of 'A u ssie' with hi s poster campaign, Peter hit back.

Few posters fro1n his original street a rt campaign hav e survived, and the posters you see today are because P eter continues putting them, and new creat ion s, all over Australia during two trips eac h year.

It 's a hard haul, cooking glue f ro1n flour

and screen-printing bundteds of posters in his studio, before he walks the streets to find suitable spots to put them up. The glue bucket, a mop and a fluo r escent jacket are his usual gear, as he travels by public transport and sticks his posters up until his blistered feet can stand no more.

"It is ironic that the high-vis clothing makes you invisible! l very rarely get stopped by anyone who knows who I am," he told I ndian Link.

" Many people have seen my posters, but most still don't know who I am. Who I am is not important, what matters is that the a udi ence sees Monga Khan and wonder who he is!"

Th e artist's unintentional anonymity has even meant that Peter's Indian neighbours did not realise he was the person behind

the 'Aussie' posters until his work came up in a conversation one day.

" I t was very funny to see the look on the face when he co nn ected the dots and r ealised that it was me who was putting up the posters that he had been seeing for a wh ile now," chuckled Peter.

T he pandemic has affected the artist's travel plans this year, but he used the time off to ponder over adapting his street art to a gallery format.

I n his exhibition Flags 1, currently on at Adelaide's Peter Walker G allery, he uses the Australian flag blended with images of people from the Nationa l Archives to continue to explore the "implicit et hni c bias within the core of the nation state."

Th e response to his posters around the country ove r the years has been

overwhelming ly positive, but Pete r does not seem himself as an act iv ist. He says that there are en dl ess problems in the world and he does not go looking for the next big problem to so lve.

" I t is n1ore about me trying to di scove r what my own id e ntity is by engag in g with the idea of Australia. I would like to think that my place is not to fix problems, but to open a door where people can t hink about their identity in a different way," he sa id

"What makes Au st ralia a great plac e to live is its multiculturism."

The next time I saw the 'Aussie' poster again, in another unexpected corner of the city, it brought a sm ile to my face. I thought about Monga Khan and the journeys of all the migrants before me - thanks to Peter Drew

• • Peter Drew at work '

: BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES

1

(Netflix)

STARRING : Siddharth Mallya , James

I Crabtree, Mick Brown, Shobhaa De

1 DIRECTOR: Dylan Mohan Gray,

1 Johanna Hamilton, Nick Read

I That Bad Boy Billionaires: India was I created should hardly come as a I surprise. If Latin America has an infamous history with narcotics (and I the successful Narcos on Netflix),

I then India has had quite the troubled

I past with financial scams. The real, pleasant surprise is that Bad Boy

I Billionaires, after a month of legal

I tussles with various Indian courts, was

1 finally allowed to stream at all.

For months, Netflix teased audiences, I promising to explore ''the greed, fraud, I and corruption" that surrounded

I some of India 's most famous tycoons - jeweller Nirav Modi, liquor baron

I Vijay Mallya, industrialist Subrata Roy , I and entrepreneur Ramalinga Raju.

I Full disc losure: Bad Boy Billionaires doesn't offer particularly new insights

on these business magnates. But it works as a good refresher on the I scams - and the environment that

I allowed them to come to be.

I In the first episode, we revisit 'The King of Good Times ' Vijay Mallya and I the rise and fall of his kingdom. It' s

I a good, strategic move to start with him , the person who put the ' bad boy '

I in ' bad boy billionaire'. And with his

I reputation Mallya also brings along

I prominent interviewees l ike childhood

1 friend Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (quite the surprise), journalist Vir Sanghvi,

I author Shobhaa De, and even his party

I boy son, Siddharth Mall ya.

1 Unfortunately, 'The King of Good Times' episode and Bad Boy

I Billionaires on a whole doesn ' t pack

I the necessary punches to truly grip

1 its audience. With a subject like this , there are two treatments that would be

I satisfying - a full -on throw down of the I tycoons and their awful, manipulative I scheming; or a strong, unwavering defence of their practices as part of a I profit maximising, capitalist mentality.

I In trying to toe the line of objectivity,

Bad Boy Billionaires simply becomes a re-hash of existing media reports (with I the addition of glamorous footage and I intriguing infographics).

On its own , each episode -' The I K ing of Good Times ', Nirav Modi ' s I " Diamonds aren ' t forever ', and I Subrata Roy ' s ' The world ' s biggest 1 family ' - can feel like 60-minute montages of the tycoons.

I When watched together though, I there's something to be said. Each 1 episode highlights the role of India 's public banks , and how the scams

I boil down to the contrivance of bank

I officials. Why weren 't Mallya ' s finances I I properly ascertained before the 1 damning Veritas report? How was Nirav I Modi able to bribe officials for six years I I before it came to light? As much as I

1 we can loathe the bad boy billionaires, it's hard to deny that they are part of a I larger, corrupt system in India.

I Interviewees like James Crabtree

I (the author of The Billionaire Raj: A Journey Through India ' s New Gilded I Age ) are welcomingly insightful in this I regard. As Mod i's diamond chapter

comes to a close, Crabtree's voiceover reminds us of the double standard in the way corruption is viewed. After all, corruption in " developing" countries like India can only be possible with the help of international financial systems (think shell companies and tax havens) of "developed" countries.

To its credit, Bad Boy Billionaires also takes into account political and economic factors. When the 2008 recession struck, Kingfisher's 'good times' evolved from bad to worse. When Prime Minister Modi was elected to power in 2014, his anti -corruption stance meant that Nirav Modi had nowhere to hide. In this house of cards, if even one of these elements hadn ' t taken place, who 's to say how the tycoons might've fared?

For those outside India and unaware of these scandals, they're a shocking case study of what happens when the system fails. Would an Australian company ever get away with not paying its employees for over 6 months? Would Sahara's pyramid -scheme ever work in Canada's business environment? The odds are slim. Also, considering two of the three directors aren't of Indian heritage, it's likely the series is, indeed, meant for that global audience.

Despite all these criticisms, though, the series is worth at least one watch. It may not bring new facts to light, but Bad Boy Billionaires is available for streaming precisely because of that fact - it used information already in the public domain. The fourth episode on Satyam's Ramalinga Raju remains stuck in legal limbo, but fingers crossed it ' ll see the light of day too.

Rhea Nath

Indian Link

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Send in your work , along with your name , age , address and phone number, to: I I

For more details, rjng the Indian Link office on 02 9290 1855 , or email media@indianlink.com au

October 2020

BY MINAL KHONA

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

A busy month full of meetings, expansion plans, new beginnings and possibilities of romance. Quick and sudden progress at work is predicted, and any glitches or delays will soon be resolved. With new opportunities and ideas, past unhappiness will soon

end. If you have been stagnating in any area of your life, you can expect some upheava l with positive outcomes. The universe is slowly leading you to achieve I your goals. Don't be afraid to take on

more work or responsibility

A change in fortune will make you re-evaluate your thoughts and belief systems. A seemingly unsurmountable problem bogs you down; seek guidance and spiritual assistance. Life is trying to teach you a lesson based on repeating a pattern. You have the strength to handle a tough situation, though avoid those who drain your energy and take some much -needed rest. Problems of the past will now start receding and life will get better soon. A new financial opportunity comes your way.

I Office politics or deceitful partners I could wear you down this month, so keep your guard up at all times. Be I careful who you trust as not everyone I is your friend. You are in the mood I to socialise. Travel plans could have some goof-ups; be sure to doubleI check everything. Muscles may cause I problems due to stress; women may need to get their breasts checked.

I Financial gains are on the anvil. Any I conflict at work will get resolved to your I satisfaction.

I You have a desire to move on, from a I job or a relationship. Both have outlived I their purpose. An experience will alter your perspective for the better.

I Travelling is still a risk and I work-related travel could get postponed due to an illness in the family.

I Work progress happens at the cost I of a personal loss. An eye infection needs attention. Money is tight and I expenses are high. The future worries I you as things are not going according I to plan.

The spirited Leo pick the card that

Not a good month for Virgos , as setbacks, heartbreaks and fatigue bog you down. Family obligations keep you busy, though represents their sign. Expect challenges in I business, love and family; and rewards for I past efforts. A past attachment prevents commitment in a present relationship.

Spiritual assistance helps you No health issues to bog you down as you are on a

I quit. Besides exhaustion , you could also I suffer from stomach or bowel issues. Be careful with money and watch your I expenses. Someone close will disappoint, I but it will free you from that attachment.

I you would prefer to be alone. Work burns you out, but you don 't have the luxury to roll this month. Positive developments at work could signal a promotion. Let go of self-imposed limitations to follow your passion. You have the spirit and the determination to go after your goals.

I A more fulfilling purpose or goal will uplift your mood. I

I Expect major life changes this month. You may feel out of control, and your I emotions will be all over the place. Work I is the only thing that will keep you going as you may even have to make some I difficult choices. If a relationship doesn 't I work out, worry not; something better is in store. Anxiety and muscle issues I could besiege you; a little rest will save I you from doctor bills. Timely insight into I a difficult situation will make things easier. I

I The normally secretive Scorpio might find I himself or herself in an unusually generous I frame of mind this month. A recent I I meet-up or date could lead to something I serious. An unexpected surge in work is I a welcome respite after months of a l ul l. I I Spiritual pursuits could intrigue you. A I I positive change wi ll put you in a happy I frame of mind. A confrontation with a I family member or close friend can end the I I relationship. You attract all that you need I this month.

1---------1---------1---------1---------1

I I I I I I I

Partial success with some action towards self-improvement make up your month. If you meet someone new, make sure they aren't already married. Success at work puts you in a positive frame of mind.

Change your diet to ensure you have more energy. Finances are stable this month. A new part nership could come your way if you are self-employed. Say no to an offer if you don't fee l it is right for you. Somet hing better will be coming along soon.

I A new phase in your life is about to

J commence. You now look for gratification

I and creative satisfaction at work. A new love affair is about to begin. A

I marriage could be on the rocks and tense

I situations may bog you down, but they won 't last long. If you feel ill get

I checked for some deficiencies. Money

J matters keep you tense as payments

I are delayed. Focus on new ideas to take you forward. A new career path brings

I positive change.

I A paradigm shift gives rise to new I opportunities. Your focus is on removing I blocks within that are holding you back. Work and its mundane aspects are I challenging but you stick with it despite I wanting to quit. Take care of your lungs as you could have respiratory issues.

I Communication is key if you wish to I avoid conflicts with close friends and I family. A new line of work could come your way. Let go of the past and look to I the future.

I A difficult month for Pisceans as there I I is agitation in personal and professional I I life. But swords signify the final efforts I before big change, so stick to your

I goals no matter the setback. Change I

I is inevitable; the grace with which you I accept it will ease things. Don ' t give up on I a relationship just yet. A fami ly member I I could be ill or the source of your problem. I Money held up will come through.

I Any delays that happen will be to your I I advantage. I

BY MELISSA DOMINGO RAWAT

really don't care for ske letons Even as a self-respecting Ro ck 111u sic ian, I keep far

fro1n skeleto n-glo rifying artwork, clothing

and accessories. In fact, I di sli ke the sight -&_ of bones so 111uch, l don't even keep figurative skeleto ns in 1ny closet. Well, maybe son1e s 1nall bon es (white lies with n1y kids' best int eres ts at hea rt) but definitely no skeletons.

For exan1ple, halfw ay through an innocen t movie, one of th e actors randomly yelled "Mother f*/\%#r". My 6 -year-old son immediately turned to 1ne and asked, "Maaaaa1n, what does Muthafuga mean?" Without n1issing a beat, the intuitive n1other in me answered, "Oh that's just the name of some Ru ss ian guy." l knew that a reply like that would solici t no desit-e to ren1en1ber the word. "Oh," he said disinterestedly while l swiftly moved on to express in g n1y disgust at hi s leaning over to wipe his eyes with the socks on hi s feet.

Coining back to actual ske letons, there was one that had managed to court 1ny interest and lull 1ne into a space of safety. ft was the friendly ske leton displayed in otu- school biology lab. I visited this skeleton everyday during my schoo l years and spent n1uch time counting the ribs - a missing rib, as per the Bibl e, could indicate it was male a11d had possibly endured a nagging wife. That was the only tiine in 1ny life when I ca red about a skele ton other than the one holding 111 e together. However, things changed r ecently.

Sometin1e n,id -2019, l pulled over at designed to fit his f ran1e. The skeleton glared out at us through hollow eyes.

"Creepy," was my first reaction. the traffic lights on the morning school run. My kids spotted a ske leton sneakily and strategically po sitioned in the window of the house right next to the li ghts. The window was long, narrow and perfectly

Th e days that followed entailed many discussions as we waited at the lights, watching the skeleton on our way to

school. It would take a certain type of people to feel comfor table sharing a home with a full skeleton. Were the residents witches? Maybe they were spooky devil worshippers? It was an old house which lent itself well to this idea. Maybe the residents

were doctors? Do ctors lov e their bones Or more simp ly, were they just regular peop le with a g reat sense of humour ?

Mr Skeleton a nd us, we cont inu ed to watch each other every morning. Soon eno ugh , ffalloween arrived. Can you imagin e 1ny children's delight when we discovered that Mr Skeleton was decorated with lights and a witch's hat?! Th ere was giggling, a fresh round of th eor ies and desperate atten1pts to capture a photograph withoutactually wandering onto the property.

We barely recovered from the exciteme nt of Halloween when Christmas roll ed around. Mr Skeleton, still lit up, was duly dressed in a Santa hat and some Christmas trinkets.

Th en ca 1ne the corona virus a nd the winter cold Mr Skeleton had changed into a fluffy dressing gown - open at th e front because if you have ' it' flaunt 'it'! Light blue with stars, the dressing gown showed an appreciation for bling. My kids concluded he was working fron1 home - wondering if we might find him with a laptop if we drive by durin g office hours.

Needless to say, Mr Skeleton grew into just another friendly face. H e a nd his owners afforded us many lau ghs and many sil ly conversations - what a quirky way to spread joy!

Alas, a coup le of days after I wrote this story, I drove past Mr Skeleton's to find t he window empty Many weeks have passed and he still hasn't returned. To say l am worried and sad is not an exaggerat ion. He had steadily joined the very exclus iv e league of skeletons that l share a bond with - friend ly, with a sense of humour and an appreciat ion for special days/carefully selected outfits. Bu t what if he was a monster who decided to move res id ence before I shat·ed his whereabouts with everyone? 1'11 take my c han ces. Afte r all, everyone has a fascination for DJon ste r sexcept, of cou r se, the im aginary ones that live under our beds!

Everyone has a fascination with monsters - except, of course, the imaginary ones that live under our beds

My kids spotted a skeleton sneakily and strategically positioned near the window - glaring out at us through hollow eyes.

''Creepy," was my first reaction.

"I used to think that all mortgage brokers are the same until I met Swati" - Koma!