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EDITORIAL

INDIAN LINK

Cricket magic casts a spell

PUBLISI-U:R _Pawan Luthra EDITOR RajniAnand Luthra ASSISTANTEDITOR Kira Spucys-Tahar. '

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Indian Link is a monthly newspaper published in English. No material, including advertisements designed by Indian Link, may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the editor. Opinions carried in Indian Link are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Indian Link.All correspondence should be addressed to Indian link Level 24/44 Market St, Sydney 2000 or GPO Box 108, Sydney 2001 Ph: 02 9279-2004 l=ax: 02 9279·2005 Email: info@indianlink.com.au

A

ccording to the International Cricket Council, 1,016,421 people attended the 49 matches over 44 days across Australia and New Zealand to witness tl1eir teams battle it out for the Cricket World Cup ride for 2015. While tl1ere were only a handful of games which could be considered close, the magic of cricket kept all, especially tl1ose from the lnclian sub-conrinent, spellbound.

My takeaways from the 44 days of cricket: You can tal<e the cricket out of India buc cannot keep the cricket fan away.

Of tl1e 1,000,000 plus who attended, those wearing the blue t-shirts were seen ar almost all matches. lnclians from all over the globe descended on Australia and New Zealand to enjoy the battle between the bar and the ball. While attending tl1e various matches, I ran imo family groups from India, cricket tragics from the US, famer-son duos from me Middle East, all following the Indian

cricket team as mey travelled around the two conntries. There were local lnclian Australians who took weeks off work to either be at the grounds or be glued to tl1e television coverage. All this provided an an1a7jng atmosphere at matches, especially the India-South Africa match at the MCG when more tl1an 86,000 people - mostly Indian fans - cheered from the beginning of tl1e match rill tl1e end. Even the great Sachin Tendulkar admitted that he felt like donning his pads and gloves, so strong was the excitement in tl1e air. ,Vhile Channel 9, as me local free-to· air TV, played true to form by televising only Australia-centric matches, pay TV did manage to offer live coverage of all the marches. More man just telecasts, it was great to hear good cricket commentary from icons such as Brian Lara, Rahul Dravid, Harsha Bhogle, Sourav Ganguly and so on. Compared to the commentary on Channel 9, it was a refreshing change to hear real professionals behind the microphone.

Yes, some of the commentary on pay TV in Hindi did leave a lot to be desired, bm it did lighten up some of the more boring matches.

On tl1e negacive side, also part of Channel 9, were two of their anchors who are eimer silly at best or snipid at worst. Morning anchor Karl Srefanovic's

comments to lnclian supporters prior to the India-Australia semi-final, and Shane Warne's post-win interview with the Aussie cricketers, are t\VO regrettable episodes from the tournament.

On the grand final day, with India bundled ouc and tl1e contest being between neighbours Australia and New Zeal.and, it was great co see the local Indian Australians discard tl1eir blue gear in favour of the green and gold.

While they may have fumbled through tl1eir rendirion of Advance Australia Fair, there was no denying their passion for Australia as Mitchell Stare bowled Brendan l'v[cCallum in me first over. And yes, the sight which will remain with me for a Jong time, is tl1e dhol player in Australian colours leading tile sound effects in the great Southern Stand at tl1e MCG, with me locals joining in tl1e hhangm.

The loud cheers for special guest Sachin TendullG1r at tl1e final ceremony also warmed the heart. Admired for his contriburioa to cricket, Sachin's acknowledgement was in sharp contrast to che boos which rang mrough the MCG when ICC Chair N. Srinivasan was introduced. Australians wear their emotions on meir sleeves and their clisdain for allegations of tainted behaviour was clear to note.

Now we wait for tl1e Ashes to begin!

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WOMEN

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Forwomenin science i A

In a win for Indian-origin women across the state, Minoti Apte is named NSW Woman ofthe Year

BY USHA RAMANUJAM � ARVIND �

V�

leading researcher in the field of pancreatic cancers, Sydney's Pro£ J\,Unoti Apte OAM was named as the 2015 NSW Premier's Woman of the Year to mark lnternational Women's Day this year.

Honouring her at a special reception at NSW Parliament House, the Premier of NSW Mike Baird said, "Professor Minoti is currently leading pre-clinical studies which aim to create a new combination therapy to improve pancreatic cancer treatment."

He added, "Professor

Professor Minoti Apte with NSW Premier Mike Baird and NSW Minister for Women Pru Goward

J\,Unoti is a highly respected researcher and member of the community, and her achievements inspire other women to follow in her foocsteps."

She was bestowed the award by the Premier and the NSW l\llinister for Women Pru Go\vard after being chosen as the winner by a judging panel from a shortlist taken from public nominations.

In 2014 Prof. Apte was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for her service to medical research, tertiary education and the Indian community.

In her characteristically humble manner, Prof. Apte said she hadn't anticipated her latest honour, claiming instead that she was happy simply to be nominated amongst a list of distinguished women for tl1e award this year.

"I'm pleased, however, that this brings recognition to the field of scientific research," she told Indian Link.

INDIANLINK

For nearly three decades now, alcohol-induced pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer,. a highly aggressive form of cancer witl1 high mortality­ to-incidence ratio, have been the focm Dr ivlinoti Vivek Apte's research. So far, pancreatic cancer has defied traditional therapeutic approaches, spreading aggressively before visible sympcoms appear.

Director of tl1e Pancreatic Research Group at the South Western Sydney Clinical School, part of tl1e Faculty of Medicine at the Uni,7ersity of New South Wales and the Ingham Instimre of Applied Medical Research, Prof.

Apte was the first in tl1e world to isolate and characterise the pancreatic stellate celJ (PSC), the key cell responsible for producing scar tissue in the pancreas.

An internationally acknowledged researcller in tl1e field of alcohol-induced pancreatic injury, she is partiCL1larly recognised as a pioneer in the field of pancreatic fibrogenesis. Her work has established that close cross-talk between srellate cells and cancer cells is responsible for rapid progression of pancreatic

cancer. These pioneering smdies have helped put Ausrral.ian pancreatic research on the world map.

Prof. Apte has a very active service record at Faculty, University and Discipline levels.

She is a founding member of tile Australasian Pancreatic Club and 1\sian Oceanic Pancreatic Association. As past chair of tl1e Faculty Higher Degree Committee and as post-graduate coordinator for the South Western Sydney Clinical School, Prof. Apre has mentored numerous medical and science students. ''Nurturing talent is a very important responsibility to preserve the future of medicine and research in our country," Prof.

Apte acknowledged. "As medicine becomes more evidence-based, we have to engender su·ong research skills and critical thinking."

She added, "Research underpins everything you do in your everyday life. The pain-killer that you take for your headache, for instance, is a result of some 15-20 years of painstaking research!"

She also regularly engages witl1 the research communiry worldwide through gastroenterological forums. In recogn.ition of her significant contribution, she was recently made a Fellow of tbe American Gastroenterological Association

(AGA).

Prof. Apte strayed into pancreatic studies quite by accident. An alrnnnus of BJ Medical College in Poona with an interest in ENT, she first arrived in Australia on a dependent spouse visa in the eighties.

"My visa did not permit me to work, so I volunteered in the Histopathology department at Newcastle University, where my husband was pursuing his doctorate in Chemical Engineering," she recalled.

She soon began researching alcoholism and liver disease, winning a Commonwealth scholarship for a Masters in Medical Science, and became one of the first graduates of the programme. She moved to Sydney and evenmally found a job at the Prince of Wales Hospital.

In 1998, as part of her PhD thesis, she developed a rnerhod for stellate cell isolation, a world-first. "\Y/e were tl1e first in the world to show that a specific cell type in the pancreas helped pancreatic cancers grow," explained Prof.

Apte. "Its unique feature is tl1e huge amount of scar tissue.

We proved that cancer cells recruited normal pancreatic stellate cells to help it grow and travel to distant parts of the body. Our ultimate aim is to develop new treatments tl1at

target the cross talk between the cells in pancreatic cancer so as to interrupt these growth-promoting pathways."

Prof. Apte is nor onJy a great role model for women in science, she is a passionate advocate for it as well.

"We need more women in science for ilieir abijjties in lateral thinking, their dexterity, their skills in rnulti-rasking," she noted. "And, might I add, for the grace tl1ey bring to tl1e work force!"

She agreed that there could be difficulties in the mid-career scene, with family cornmitments and so on, and advises that women must build supportive family srrucmres around them.

Not one to rest on her academic laurels, Prof. Apte is heavily engaged in promoting Marathi cultllte and arts through the Marathi association lv[ASI. Her passion for classical dru1ce and choreography has led ro an active involvement in event coordination and management, the highpoint being Dm-g,a Zali Ga111i, a musical (dance-drama) with 120 participants.

Prof. Apte has found time in her busy schedu.le to fit in meditation and dance classes as well.

"I really enjoy them," she confessed. "Everyone needs a hobby, dance is mine!"

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APRIL2015 7

AUSTRALIAWIDE

ian Lin • memor1a

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The p athway in Sydney's Parramatta should be bestowed with the name 'Prrabha Arun Kumar Walkway' in tribute to the soul who lost her life

A

s I retraced Prabha Arun Kumar's last walk in Parramatta on that fateful Satu.rday night, cbe randomness of chat horrific attack left me sturu1ed.

It was on chis very pathway that the 41-year-old fought off an attacker in the dead of night, finally succumbing to her injuries.

The concrete walkaway chat connects Argyle Su·eet to Amos Street, seems to be an easy link for Westmead residents as they make their way back home from Parramarta Station.

On the Saturday afternoon 1 visited, a group of golfers were teeing off from the adjacent golf course, and the fateful pathway was busy with passer. s-by as they connected between the two suburbs. \Vhac brought them co a sudden halt and a dose of reality on the sunny afternoon, was the large memorial of flowers under the tree on the side.

Messages on the flowers read RIP Prahhc, and Your lllemory will SlcfY 111itb 11s forever.

The nation was horrified by the brutality of this arrack. Prabha Arun Kumar came to Australia just three years ago to ,vork as an IT eJq:>ert with an Indian IT company.

An economic migrant, she left her then six-year-old daughter and husband behind in India as she worked hard co save monies to give herself and family economic security. With dreams of building wealth through her talent and hard work, she is not very different ro millions of Indians and thousands who have found their way to Australia. That she was working a double shift on a Samrday was an indication of her work ethic and desire co achieve her goals.

In cbe aftermath of this tragic incident, issues co note are the swift response from all concerned.

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The state government, in an election mode, has learned from its disastrous handling of media and public relations after the student riots of 2009. Premier Baird and local member Geoff Lee have taken all seeps to assure the community that the police are working hard to bring the perpetuacors to justice. Tbey also have assured all that there are no indications chat chis crime is in any way race related. The local lndian Consul General Sunjay Sudhir has ensured timely exchange of information between his superiors in India and representatives of the local government and law enforcement agencies. The local media, both Indian and mainstream, have also made sure

that the information has been released in a timely and accurate fashion.

Wish we could say the same about media in India, though. TI1ey tried - and thankfully, failed - to rouse up the same ruckus they did during the Indian students' crisis.

This newspaper has fielded numerous calls from media outlets in India about the tragic incident.

AJJ coo often, the first question being asked breathlessly has been, "How safe are you feeling in Australia?"

Moving forward, there is no doubt the perpeniator will be caught and the law will deal with the offender.

We at ltidia11 Link would like to propose that the concrete pathway between Argyle Street and Amos Street, be bestowed ..,,,ith the name 'Prabha Arnn Kumar Walkway' in tribute co the gencle soul who lost her life here.

We believe this path is currently unnamed, and calling it after J>vlrs Kmnar will be a fitting memoriaL le would be a small gesmre indeed for the local and State governments, but would show tremendous support for the local Indian community. At rime

of goiJ1g to prim tl1e Premier of SW Mike Baird is fully supportive of the idea as is local MP Geoff Lee. Premier Baird has promised to have chis issue discussed with the family of the late Prabha Kumar and then set up the necessary steps ro implement this.

Just like her name, Prabha, which is Sanskrit for 'light', it would send out a message of protection for regular citizens going about their dail)' activities, to be able to do so safely and peacefully.

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APRIL 2015 9

COVERS TORY

B

efore starting his career as a stand­ up comedian in November 2004, Papa did his !vIBA at Oxford and worked as a management consultant in London.

Travelling in England, Papa says people would say to him they knew about India because they'd seen S!ttmdog Mil/iot/{/ire.

He would reply, "And I know about England because I've seen j\tfr Bean!"

And when non-Indians talk to him today about the (freakish?) concept of arranged marriages and the big weddings, he points out to them that it is their system that is arranged - or over-arranged - down to the last detail, with place settings and phumed menus and rehearsed walks down the aisle, whereas our weddings are chaotic parties with hw1dreds of people coming and going, and where the di1mer is more like a food fair.

"I Li.ke co mess with the stereotypes that people have about us," Papa CJ says. srwnbled into stand-up while studying in England. He loved going co the Edinburgh Festival and took a shot at the US contest La.st Co111ic Sta.ntfingwhere he managed to get into the finals ("There must have been a diversity clause," he jokes).

Moving back to India, where stand-up wasn't a thing, he claims he started it all off, wirl1 his first few shows at Delhi's 1\focha Bar. Within ten months, he'd done some 250 gigs.

"The stand-up scene in India is pretty massive at the moment. I've done gigs all aroll!1d the country, and people pay anywhere from Rs300 to Rs3000 to come and Listen. The corporate circuit is picking up too."

This year marks Papa CJ's Australian comedy festival debut as the first Indian comedian to be invited co perform a solo show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Established in 1987, the Melbourne International Comedy Festi,7al (l\,fICF) is rl1e third­ largest comedy festival of its kind in rl1e world and one of

CJ

CJ

CJ

the largest cultural events in Australia. The event takes place annuaUy over four weeks and plays host co hundreds of local and international artists; in 2014 the festival Listed 469 shows and 6,488 performances (including 159 free performances) by 2,228 artists.

Tbis year's edition of :WfICF has noteworthy representation from India. The Aag bearers include Rohan Desai, Ruchir Ash besides Indian comedy circuit favourite Papa CJ, as well as international acts ,vim links co the sub-continent including Arj Barker, Hari Kondabolu, Vivek Mahbuban.i, Sameena Zehra and Australia's own Suren Jayemanne.

"We work in a bubble in India," Papa says. "It's great to be able to come here, representing India, and to see that what we're doing at home is relevant on a world stage."

He has performed at the Just for Laughs festival in Canada and has become a regular on stage at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. H e has visited Melbourne before, but these shows will be his Australian comedy festival debut.

But surely 'Papa CJ' is not the comedian's real name? ''Papa is not the name I was born with but is the name I have taken," he explains. "As a teenager I '-Vitnessed a brutal assassination involving an international mafia cartel. l have since been under a ·witness protection program by the Internacional Court of Justice in The Hague... so I cannot reveal my true identity." 0,V/e hope he's joking!)

His new show, 'Naked' is different to the kind of woi:k usuaUy does, in that it is a narrative, largely autobiographical.

"My regular style involves plenty of crowd-work, where I chat with the audience and build from there."

"With 'Naked', I talk abom the human experience. And while I use my life story in the shmv; I tal.k about experiences rl1at most people have had and emotions rl1at most people have felt. Everybody leaves my show feeling that during a part of it, I was talking about their life and not mine!" "'Naked' is a show that

CJ

CJ

CJ

straddles the realms of stand-up comedy, theatre and storytelling," Papa continues. "ln this journey, one brick at a time, I remove the wails that most human beings keep between themselves and others, exposing myself with all my vulnerabilities and aU my pa.in. For me it is both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time and by tbe end, while l am completely naked, I am also completely free."

Papa has performed on a plane, on a train, on a bus, on a boat, in a police station, in the emergency room of a hospital while holding the head of a girl getting 32 stitches on it, and even at gunpoint! He has toured seU-om shows across the globe and last year won the ½sia's Best Stand-up Cornedian' award from Top 10 Mag"zinc.

So, how did this Indian tea-planter's son become one of India's most successful comedians?

"There are so many reasons why I do stand up. For one, it is the most amazing high ever.

In years past, adventurers went out into the unknown in search of gold with great hope but not knowing whether or nor they would find it. As a professional comedian, I go out into the unknown knowing rliar I have to find and deliver comedy gold every 15 seconds! But by far the best part of my job is never having to set an alarm to wake up in the morning. Ever."

He adds, '1 love the honesty that is involved in comedy. The interesting dung in comedy is the inward journey it forces me to take - what is my gr:nuiue feel abom this particular issue?" likes to think of himself as an 'Ambassador of Happiness'. "J had an 86-year-old woman come to me after a show in Kolkatta and say, 'God bless you son, I haven't laughed so much in 30 years.' The other compliment I get frequenrly, which l really appreciate, is when people teU me mat 1 make them proud to be Indian. I personally consider myself to be io the happiness business and not the cornedy business. l get genuine joy out of seeing people laughing and

CJ

CJ

CJ

happy. That is why in addition co pure stand-up, I do motivational speaking, have fow1ded a charity for underprivileged children and do free shows in hospitals as well."

Another audience member once called hin1 a 'blessing collector'.

"She said, 'You just go around the wor.ld bringing happiness into people's lives and collecting blessings.' That really is what I do it for. The laughter on the faces of people and the blessings I receive are my return on investment."

And what would he advise people who wane to get in on the act?

"What are you waiting for? Get om there and do it. Drop me a line if you want, I'll get you some stage time!"

Comedy Zone Asia: Rohan Desai

Although the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is mainly a vehicle for headline stand-up and caba. rec acts, the event is also an opportmuty for up-and-coming local and imernacional acts.

FeUow Indian comedian Rohan Desai has already made his mark at rl1e 2014 edition of 1\,fICF. The 25-ye.'lr-old won a guest .spot after winning the RAW Comedy India event in New Delhi in 2013.

"Going to Melbourne was my first international trip," Desai says.

"Ir was am.azing to go to rl1e RAW Comedy Final. To perform in a staditm1 of 2,000 people was just great!"

Desai grew up in Surat, Gujarat, four hours away from the nearest comedy club. He tried his luck around different open mic nights before hitting the stand-up scene wirl1 a bang. He says he's "still figuring out the who.le comedy thing", but tal<es his inspiration from comedians he looks up to.

"Stewart Lee. Obviously, like many Indians, Louis CK, and Jerry Seinfeld," Desai says. "I also take inspiration from movies.

Don Hertzfeldr, from the US, makes these short films and he bas a reaUy odd sensibility which I enjoy."

After appearing in Melbourne, Desai earned a place on rl1e

Comedy Festival Roadshow Indian tour. ''You're performing in all these different places and I got co travel with the Australian comedians, to gain experience and learned from them on rl1e road," Desai says.

Desai believes there is great enthusiasm for comedy among Indians and that the scene in India is slowly e.'tpanding. "It's a vei:y exciting time for comedy in India," he says. "There are people who talk more about the culture the urban youth can relate co - Facebook, Breaking Bad; then rl1ere are people who perform Hindi comedy; then there are people who have a more traditional stage style; then you have people who are experimental aU the time. lt's growing so fast.

The best thing is - you can do whatever you like! There's an audience for everything, as long as you do it well."

At MICF, Desai will be performing as part of the 'ComedyZone Asia' program, featuring cop up-and-coming comedians from across Asia and rl1eir different comedy styles.

"If you're e.,'l:pecring just a lot of Indian references . . .it's not that," Desai says of his performance.

'1t's very universal. It's very accessible, and hopefuUy funny.

Ir's just me being a nervous guy."

Desai says he would describe himself as "an odd guy" with "a very strange way of enjoying comedy". He recenrly performed at India's largest comedy event - the Weirdass Pajama Festival.

"Tbe best pare is not only performing, but seeing a lot of other comedy which opens your mind to different possibilities," Desai says.

On rl1e recent All India Bakchod controversy, Desai is frank. "It's nor the comedians' fault," he says. "People don't trnderstand the style of comedy.

Ir was expected people would get offended, but not that they would cake legal action! The problem is India has outdated laws. It's just an easy way for these people co get publicity and attention by taking (the AIB group) to court.

When you introduce new ideas to a traditional culture, you're bound to have such issues."

India's comedians bare all ahead of their performances at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 10 APRIL 2015

www.indianlink.com.au

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COVERS TORY Clockwise from top: Ruchir Ash; Rohan Desai; Sameena Zehra; Suren Jaymanne

RAW Comedy National Grand Final: Ruchir Ash

Desai tells Tndian Link his R AW Comedy successor, Kolkata's Ruchir Ash is "really good" and he looks forward to seeing him perform in Melbourne.

When the 18-year-old arrives next week, it will be his first time in Australia. Ash, who is travelling with his dad, says he's "really excited" about coming Down Under.

When he entered the R A\X/ Comedy India event he was still experimenting with his comedy as a university smdent. "The Kolkata final was an unreal expei:ience," Ash says. "The response I got from the audience was beyond anything l had expected. The th.rill of performing is unreal!"

Ash says his parents are supportive, but "My mum doesn't know what comedy is; she hasn't seen me perform. She doesn't really understand or know about stand up."

He reveals his biggest inAuences including Louis CK and India's Rajneesh Kapoor. "I love Bill Burr and John Oliver because they use comedy to tackle sei:ious issues rather than just punch-line humour. All forms of comedy are okay, but l personally would not want to go into 'roast' comedy," Ash says, alluding to the AIB controversy.

Ash reveals he has already started working on material for the RAW Comedy Final. "I've tried to evolve. I don't think I'm going to repeat much material from the heats. You get too accustomed ro it, stop believing in your own jokes," he says. "I'm just going co tty to be myself and hope it works." ''I've seen the audience on YouTube videos, and it's a comedian's dream - just thinking about performing is exciting!"

Homicidal Pacifist: Sameena Zehra

Someone who knows a lot about performing is Sameena Zebra.

After working as a professional actor for almost 20 years, Zebra

12 APRIL 2015

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made the switch co comedy. "All of my life influences my comedy," Zehra says, "No topic is off rhe table."

After being born in Kashmir, Zehra moved to London as a baby. After her parents divorced when she was about seven, she moved back co Kashmir with her mother.

Zebra's comedic influences range across different genres of comedy from Lenny Bruce to Jo Brand and Josie Long. And though she may be perceived as more of a rarity - a successful female in a male-dominated industr)' - Zehra doesn't engage with the idea women are, or should be, treated differently in comedy.

"Through comedy I have met interesting, generous people," she says. ''I'm very confident and outgoing, so notl1ing has ever been said to my face, but I don't know if I've missed out on shows because I'm a woman." "\"\/omen still get lesser wages, women are still fighting to be taken seriously across all fields.

I tl1ink it distracts from tl1e comedy itself to focus on that," she continues. "I don't th.ink of myself as a 'female, Asian comedian', I want to be thought of with no qualification, just as a 'comedian'.

Zebra is conscious of participating in 'Asian-only' gigs in the UK, saying she prefers co take part in interviews, shows and gigs that are about "crossing the divide".

"I often won't do 'Asian­ only' gigs," she says. "But I did one show for Women Against

Fundamentalism, which is a cause close to my heart, and the women in the audience said to me, 'We need to hear people like you; yours is a voice we want to hear.' And tlrnt hit home to me bow it can be important for younger women and men to see someone like me."

"I grew up in India, but I'm very British and western in my thinking. l'm proud to consider myself a feminist. I don't belong to any stereotype, I wane to talk about human beings; it's about engaging and having a conversation."

Zebra's show at MICF, 'Homicidal Pacifist', is a political and satirical performance about her "culling list". "I'm a pacifist," Zebra says, "But I'm also very angry. The show is my attempt co put those two conflicting elements together. It's congue-in-cheek, dark humour."

In tl1e show, Zebra outlines tl1e individuals who should be 'culled' from tl1e buman race. ''It's not groups of people, just the individual ones. Like people who put spoons in the fork section of a cutlery drawer - I hate chat!"

She talks about se..,:, tl1e burqa, Charlie Hebdo. "It's very personal, from my point of view.

And everytl1ing l say has to be tl1e truth. If it's nor the truth, it doesn't work. My aim is to make people uncomfortable with the world and affect change."

Eat Praline, Die: Suren Jayemanne

Closer to home, Australian-born Suren Jaymanne says his Sri

L ankan and Jvfalaysian background has slowly begun to inAuence his comedy and change the way he looks at the world.

"Growing up I never really saw myself as Soutl1 Asian, I was just another kid," Jayemanne says. ''It didn't really stand out to me that I was different. More recently I've noticed a change in society, a shift to an 'us and them' mentality. Slowly I've started to incorporate that into my comedy.

Originally my comedy was shorter jokes not based on personal experiences, dungs observed or interpreting tbings differently. As I've progressed, I'm talking more personally, it's more about the way I see the wodd."

"If you kind of come from a different background to tl1e standard white Anglo Saxon, you don't want to rely on stereotypes for comedy," Jayemanne says. "But now T have more experience, I feel like I can do it with meaning."

Jayemanne admits he still works part time as an accountant though lus passion is comedy. "I th.ink of my accounting career kind of like the Carwash or Los PoUos in Breaking Bad," he says. "It's like the front or legit part of my business."

Originally influenced by American comedians like ·Mitch Hedberg, Steven Wright and Demetri Martin, Jayemanne says after performing in Australia and watching and learning from otl1ers, ''My influences have become those on the local scene.

I'm a real fan of the Fear of a Brown Planet guys (Aamer Rahman and l azeem Hussain) and I'm starting to incorporate more of tl1at into my comedy."

In 2014, Jayemanne was handpicked for JvITCF's prestigious

'Comedy Zone', a showcase of Australia's best emerging comedians. This year he's making his Festival debut, fresh from a sold-om run at tl1e Sydney Fringe. "'Eat Praline, Die' is a reference to the fact I've grown up with food allergies," Jayemanne says.

(As a child he was allergic to eggs, sesame, nuts and shellfish . ) "The show is a collection of stories about the two things I feel have inAuenced and shaped who I am coday - gro,ving up with food allergies and growing up with an ethnic background. The catalyst was going to the big 10 year high school reunion. It prompted me co reflect on where I'm at in life, what it is that's Jed me to this point."

"Over past few years I've outgrown a few of tl1e allergies," Jaymanne says. "I had prawns for the first rime in December. My mum's signature dish is samba! prawns so that was exciting."

Jaymaime says as a child he used co joke around as a kind of defence mechanism ro being 'different'. "Thinking back, food allergies made me more unique than my cultural background," Jaymanne says. "Now it seems society notices that more."

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival and its Roadshow regularly tours South East Asia and India, and searches for local comics in Australia.

Here's hoping tl1ey continue to uncover new comedy talent so the Indians can take on Melbourne more often - not just on the cricket pitch!

Kira Spucys-Tahar, Gaurav Masand, Rajni Anand Luthra

www.indianlink.com.au

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INDIANLINK

APRIL2015 13

BUSINESS

Accidental entrepreneur Chairman of Biocon Ltd, Kiron Mazumdar-Shaw speaks at an A/BC event

W

hen your father is a brewer with United Breweries Group, India's largest producer of beer with a market share of around 48 per cent, it is little wonder that he would encourage you as his daughter to become a brew master.

For [<iran _Mazumdar-Shaw, her fate was sealed when after school she failed to get a scholarship to join a medical school in India. ln 1974 her father packed her off to Federation University in Australia to study 1-falting and Brewing.

That she was the onlr woman enrolled in the bre,ving course, spurred her on to top her class.

Fast forward to 2015, she is the chairman and managing director of Biocon Limited, a biotechnology company based in Bangalore, and the current drnirperson of l11v[ Bangalore.

As of 2014, she is listed as the 92nd most powerful woman in the world by Forbes and her personal net worth _is estimated at US$655 million.

J(iran Mazumdac-Shaw was in Australia recently as her alma mater named a campus srreec in her honour. The Australia lndia Business Council (AIBC) organised a dinner with her ac the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney. Limited to just 40 guests, Mazumdar spoke about her journey in a talk aptly named "Confessions of an Accidental Entrepreneur".

Mazumdar-Shaw recalled scarring the business in her garage witl1 less tl1an Rs 10,000 capital.

"Australia had taught me self­ confidence and even tllougb banks in India and the business community found it difficult to accept a start-up by an Indian woman in 1978, 1 felt fuU

in business," she declared witl1

·wisdom. "1f mere is no value add, you have to let the idea go. Bue you muse create value through innovation, and so you need to leverage your skills to find greater value."

(. lI . Ilit

confidence in my ability," she told tl1ose garnered.

"Of course, my fatller had to act as guarantor for my first Joan," she laughed.

Now, for her company Biocoo Ltd.co have a target market value of US$ 1 billion by 2018, one can safely assume the guarantee came good.

J(iran Mazumdar-Shaw had her listeners in mrall as she spoke about her baseline philosophy iliac the wocld needs "affordable innovation".

Identifying an increasing need for affordable drugs in less­ wealthy countries, she began co look for opportunities to develop cost-effective techniques and lower-cost alternatives.

Her ability to assess market potential for cholesterol fighting drugs was pivotal in 2001 when ilie parent of the cholesterol-

lowering drug lovascatin expired and Biocon got involved in its development, alongside other forms of statins. She also ensured a high quality of research into ailments sud1 as cancer, diabetes and ocher auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.

She spoke passionately about tile desire of her company co reduce therapy cosrs in the treatment of these diseases.

Comparing Australia and India, she was clear tl1ac India has tl1e potential to be the global innovator in biotechnology. "Agri biotedi and bio fuels are great opportunities for India. Now, Australian biotech companies are innovative bur need to scale up, and there can be great synergies in Australia-India partnerships," she said.

Buc me challenge, Mazrn11dar-

Sb.aw admitted, is that India and Australia are nor natural partners.

India looks west, and Australia looks west and towards China for partnerships.

"Perhaps AIBC needs to do more to bring our optics together," she said.

There were many lessons that her listeners took away d1at evening. One was mat entrepreneurs need to challenge mernselves and find new heights.

"You cannot be emotional

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her audience, are led by women.

Ir was quite a coincidence tl1at me Sydney reception for Mazrnndar-Shaw was held so dose to 1nternational \Women's Day, bur it was no coincidence tllat most of the questions that evening came from women young Indian-origin women with a head for business wbo are cleacly passionate about going down tlie pam mat Mazumdar-Shaw has so successfuJJy forged.

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Anotl1er lesson was that the corporate world has to make more room for women, especially in the board rooms which ha,Te for far too long been boys' clubs. Despite the recent bad publicity regarding women in India, how many people know char by law a certain percentage of seats on corporate boards are reserved for women?

Indeed, many of India's leading banks, Mazumdar-Shaw reminded

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APRIL2015 15

TECHNOLOGY

Reviving the classics

n one of many truly positive stories of the Information Age, ancient Tamil literary classics are being brought back to life for a whole new generation of readers.

A group of Tamil- lovers around the world are giving freely of their time and expertise so chat electronic versions of printed texts are made easily available through the means of internet.

They caU chis labour of love, Project Madurai.

Dr Kalyanasundaram, the Project Leader of 'Project Madurai' was in Melbourne recently, and gave an inspirational talk at the Carnm1 Downs Secondary CoUege under the aegis of the Australian Tamil Academy.

Since its launch in 1998, Project Madurai e-texts have been released in Tamil script form as per TSCil [Tamil Script Code for Information Interchange) encoding. Since 2001 they have begm1 releasing e-texts in Tamil Unicode as well. What it entails is the typing up or scanning of old books and archiving the text in one of the most readily accessible formats [etexts] for use on all popular computer platforms.

The e-texts are avaihble in botl1 web/html and PDF formats.

Distributed through the world wide web services, anyone, anywhere, may download a copy for personal use or read what they publish on the internet, free of charge.

Dr Kalyanasundaram spoke about his almost serendipitous involvement with the project because he was neither a Tamil scholar nor an academic. Although hailing from Tamil Nadu, he was a Chemistry researcher, and his srudy and resea.rch had taken him far and wide. He is now located in Lausanne, Switzerland, from where he coordinates this effort with the help of die internet!

"I was drawn towards chis enterprise, together with like­ minded Tamil entlrnsiasts, witl1 the view to preserving the precious collection of Tamil li terature both old and new, from aJJ over the world, for posterity," he said.

Tamil cognoscenti will. be aware that were it not for the enormous efforts of U V Swaminachan Iyer in the early 20th century, many of the invaluable works of Tamil literature going back 2000 years would have been lost and not

available to us in print form.

Why was Madurai chosen as the name of the project?

"It is one of the oldest cities in Southern India and a cent.re of learning, pilgrimage and culmre for cennuies," Dr Kalyanasundaram pointed out.

"Tbe city's history can be traced to tl1e Pandyan kingdorns going back 2000 years. It was the Pandyan kings "vho set up the 'Sangarns' or academies for the promotion of Tamil liceramre: great such as Ettuthohai, Pattupatm etc were compiled by the giants of Tamil literature such as TiruvaJJuvar, Avvaiyar, Nakkirar, Ilango Adigal - to name a few."

Dr Kalyan spoke about the technical problems they faced initialJy when diey were crying to create a font in Tamil that would work across aU platforms.

It later came to be known as M ylai. In the late 1980s, the Tamil newspaper Dinamtdar· became the first to prim in Tamil usu-1g computers. Somewhere down the line, the Tamil Nadu government recognised the value of the Project and helped place more than 80 authors in the public domain. Dr Kalyan

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Dr Kalyanasundaram

spoke about the painstaking effort with which they traced extant copies of ancient works, often purchasing them wid1 his own money; or photocopy sole copies of works. He recounted how his work took him co Oxford Library, where che only printed copy of the important Shaiva text the Shiva P11rana111 (1902) was found, having been placed there by the inimitable missionary-cum­ Tamil scholar Pope! Dr Kalyan

"

photocopied the entire text and then made an e-copy available on cbe website.

Project Madurai was set up and runs entirely with the effort of volunteers: anyone can join and contribute in any way they can. le is a grass-roots in cernet based effort, and the texts they make available electronically belong to everyone. Check out details at WW\v.projectmaclmai.org

Chitra Sudarshan

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ENTREPRENEUR

Gauri Maini went from high flying HR executive to organic soap maker

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T

h.is is one of the most interestin g career profiles [hat I have come across among tbe Indian community in Australia. After decades of service in the HR industry working wicl1 some of [he biggest corporate giants, Gauri Maini gave it all up to become a soap maker.

Today, she is the owner of a small business venmre cal.led A Wicked Scrub and creates completely narnral and organic soap bars, cleansers and other tream1ents for the skin and hair.

"A Wicked Scrub is abonr treating yourself wickedly well," Main.i says. ''It is not just about beauty; it is a celebration of cl1e beauty cl1at in abundant in us and in nan1re."

Gauri Main.i grew up in Gujarat, but wicl1 her dad being in cl1e police force, the farn.ily shifted towns frequently. Her parents, like otl1er Indi an parents, encouraged her in academics and pushed her co be independent. Though mey wanted her to take up a career in the services, Gauri's heart was set on a business degree. She graduated with an MBA degree

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from XLRI, one of India's premier business schools.

Marriage and children followed and me move to Australia happened in 2000. Her boss at Larsen & Toubro called her "mad" to leave her career in India behind.

"He gave me a book which I have even today - Hope for the F/0111ers," Main.i says. "I clunk the caterpillar who is constantly looking for more is me. Until he realises that he needs to hang upside down and wait till his metamorphosis imo a butterAy, he cannot fly. Trouble is, I don't know if I am Ayi.ng yet!"

After an initially slow transition period, Mai11i's corporate career rook off in Australia. But, in spite of having it all, the restlessness continued. She wanted to be in the not-for-profit sector, but was considered 'too corporate' by many. So, one day, she quit. . . and hasn't looked back since.

Being a crave! buff, Maini has always had a love and fascination of namral soaps. Wim no prior experience and completely self­ taughc, she made her first batch of oatmeal soaps. It was love at first sight, touch and smell.

Then she began experimenting with omer natural ingredients creating soaps from natural salts, goat's nlilk, aloe vera and so began the journey of A Wicked Scrub.

"I th.ink it was initially just mind blowing co see how I was

so gullible consuming exorbitantly priced cleansers, creams and treatments for my skin and hair without paying any attention co what is in it," Maini explains.

"The main inspiration behind A Wicked Scrub is that we all need a liccle bit of push to pamper ourselves, to slow down and enjoy each other.

I hope cl1rough my products people feel like d1ey can do mat."

Mai11i is completely self-caught when it comes to the process of making soaps and oilier beauty products. Bue she is not willing to compromise on qual.icy and works in close association with local artisans and producers ro ensure high quali.ty and pure ingredients for her products. ''I don't want co use preservatives or emulsifiers. Just plain narnral ingredient.s, as close to the source or farm as possible."

It is a common fact mat allergies, especially skin associated ones l.ike eczema, are extremely common in Australia. Oauneal or goat's milk soap is recommended for people who suffer from these conditions as it hydrates and moisntrises the skil1 in a natural manner, wimour tl1e presence of any irritating chemicals. Though mis is not a cu.re for the problem, using natural products like these can greatly help to reduce the

intensity of me symptoms and get relief.

Apart from local producers, l\faini also works in close association with producers from around the globe co ensure that she uses only the best and top quality ingredients for her products.

While d1e cold pressed neem oil comes from a village in Kutch, the shea butter is from Kwabena.

Her gift hampers and trays come from Ann of A.n Assorted Affair, while me body brushes are from Import Ants who works in close association with women in Sri Lanka.

One of the best-selling products is the body scrub, which is an indulgent, bespoke, natural and organic blend of beeswax, essential oils, salts or sugar. l\,faini also dabbles witl1 cleansing and essential oils; her favourites include pure rose geranium, rosewood a.nd jasmine wllich can be found in many of her products.

A Wicked Scrub runs as an online store. Gauri Maini does not wane to scale up for profit's sake as she prefers to retain her personal touch and create indulgent products for all at an affordable price.

APRIL2015 17

INDIANNEWS

Artha: Indian artist Prashant Pandey's sculpture made of discarded blood slides at the Kochi Biennale

'Diamond' made of 1 0,000 blood slides a hit in Kochi fair

A huge sparkling 'diamond' made of 10,000 discarded blood slides strung together by stainless steel wire and neatly stacked in a brick­ like manner, has been the cynosure of all eyes at the Kocbi Muziris Biennale.

The creator, Prashant Pandey, has termed the installation A,1ha, a Sanskrit word that has two meanings: it refers both to the pursuit of material wealtl1, as weU as to the quest for meaning.

Explaining the theme of his work, Pandey said Artht✓ recalls and recounts tl1e countless sacrifices made during successive colonisations and the quest for land, domination, wealth and power.

It hints at the way in whid1 colonialism intertwined religion with economics.

It also raises questions about the price of progress and the relationship between worldly possessions and the purpose of life. (A diamond is a tmiversal symbol of wealth, power and vanity.)

"As I hail from a family of marble sculptors in Jaipur, I used to play with waste marble chips after the scnlpnires were chiselled.

This is how my fascination for discarded materials was born," said tl1e 30-year-old Pandey.

"My desire has always been to work on the changing ideologies of hrnnan emotions. I feel it is n_1y responsibility as an artist to look at byproducts of human activiry and to regenerate that waste in order to create something new," he said.

The artist coUected discarded blood slides from unknown people, mostly from Rajasthan,

18 APRIL2015

and indudes some of his own slides too.

"My interest lies in working with memories and reminiscences of the past. I wanted to use this to represent the history of this beautiful site which is why I used waste blood slides. Blood signifies both life and death, glory and sacrifices in the history of Kocbi.

A,tha is an effort at recollecting all memories toged1er in one form," he said.

Jicish Kallat, curator of the Kochi Muziris Biennale, said that in stark contrast to his family tradition of chipping away at stone to create stanies of gods and goddesses, Pandey works with tl1at which is discarded and often ostensibly

"impure".

Indian migrant's story wins Folio literary prize

Indian-American writer Akhil Sharma has won tl1e second annual Folio prize for fiction for a novel which marts an emigrant family's heart-wrenching search for me 'American dream'.

Sharma won me prize for his 1 Life, an second novel, H:111ify amobiographical work, which tells the story of a young boy, Ajay, and bis family who emigrate from DeUii to t ew York in search of a better .liJe. AU is mrned upside down when his older brother bas a dreadful swim.ming pool accident and needs rotmd-the-dock care from men on. \'(/illiam Fiennes, who chaired tbe panel of judges, praised tl1e no,7e1, currently a bestseUer in the US, as "lucid, compassionate, quietly funny". "fiJFllify [4e is a masterful nO\Tel of distilled complexity: abom catastrophe and survival; attadlment and independence; the

tension between selfishness and responsibility.

"We loved its deceptive simplicity and rare warmth ... This is a work of arc that expands witb each re-reading and a novel tl1at will endure," he said.

It was chosen from a shortlist of eight books, which induded what was the bookmakers' favourite for the prize, Ali Smith's novel Hotv To

Be Both.

Sharma said after winning tl1e 40,000-pow1d (nearly $60,000) prize that writing the novel, which cook 13 years to complete, was a frustrating and difficult challenge, often "like chewing stones", witl1 ar01-md nine wasted years when it did not go well, according to a G11ardia11 report. ''I'm glad the book exists, I just wish I hadn't been tl1e guy who wrote it," he said.

Sharma, a former investment banker, said be was professionally happy that people were .reading the story of care givers, buc admitted chat he thought abom giving up.

However, he stuck witl1 it. ''I couldn't bear the idea of having spent all those years and tl1en notlung good having come Out of it. ''In the end, I feel the book itself is good, ir does certain things that are artisticaUy impressive. So I feel good about that."

Parts of tl1e writing process were fun, be said, but much of it was not. "I'm 43. I started writing this when 1 was 30. So I spent my 30s writing this thing... I really feel like I shattered my youth."

The prize, sponsored by the Folio Sociery, was created last year with d1e aim of celebrating the year's best English-language works of fiction, regardless of form, genre and geography.

The first winner was American short story writer George Saunders for Tenth of Decef!lher.

FBI to track hate crimes against Sikhs, Hindus, Arabs

Six US lawmakers along with leading advocacy groups have welcomed the inclusion of Sikh, Hindu, and Arab American communities in the Department of Jusrice's hare crimes tracking effort.

Tlus is the final step in the long­ fougbt effort to encourage the US federal government to finally begin tracking and quantifying hate crimes against these at-risk communities.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) r. ecently updated its hate crimes database and FBI training manual in order to stare tracking hate crimes committed against tl1ese groups - mat system is now fully operational.

Ami Bera, the lone lndian­ American member of tl1e US House of Representatives, along witl1 feUow House members Joe Crowley, Bill PascreU, Mike Honda, Grace Meng and John Garamendi attended d1e event. These lawmakers led a Congressional effort to encourage tl1e Department of Justice and FBI to document hate crimes against Sikh, Hindu, and Arab Americans.

They spearheaded numerous letters to tl1e DOJ and FBI and introduced a Congressional resolution in the wake of the tragic August 2012 massacre in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and submitting testimony urging action on hate CDl11e5.

In 2011, t\vo elderly Sikh Americans, Gurmej Atwal and Surinder Singh, were shot and

killed while out for a walk in Elk Grove, California, a part of Bern's constituency, in a suspected hate crime that is still unsolved.

"Since the September 11th attacks, too many Americans, especiaUy Sikh, Hindu and Arab­ Americans, have been wrongfully subjected to hare crimes and discrimination, including the shooting of t\VO Sikh Americans in my own city," Bera said.

"Religious tolerance is a fundamental value of our nation and we must do everything we can to prevent these crimes motivated by bias against a victim's religious beliefs," he said.

"Until no,v, Anti-Sikh hate crimes were not recognized by the FBI," said Rajdeep Singh, Director of Law and Policy at tl1e Sikh Coalition.

"Year after year, Sikh Americans were being targeted for harassment and violence because of thei. r distinct identity.

"For tl1e first time, the FBI now officially acknowledges that Sikhs are targeted for being Sikhs.

While refinements are needed to the agency's tracking system and training standards, we are making progress," he said. ''The federal tracking of anti­ Hindu, anti-Sikh, and anti-Arab hate crin1es is an important, i f long-overdue, development.

Even as our community grows, Hindu Americans remain uni9uely vulnerable to harassment, bullying, and violence," said Harsh Voruganti, Associate Director of Public Policy, Hindu American Foundation.

The updated FBI manual "marks a step towards ensuring accurate reporting of hate crimes committed against Sikhs, an important step that will ultimately aid d1e Sikh commtmiry as we continue to address d1e root5 of anti-Sikh bias," said Jasjit Singh, executive director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF).

Update of FBI hate crimes training manual co include Arab, Hindu, and Sikh categories "is more important now than ever wid1 the recent spike in hate violence targeting ouc commwuties," said Lakshmi Sridaran, Dii-ector of Policy and Advocacy, South Asian Americans Standing Togetlm (SAALT).

"Onr work ahead will be to ensure our communities are informed of these critical updates and are able ro build trust with law enJorcement so that hate crimes targeting South Asians, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, J\,(jdd.Je Easterners, and Arabs are appropriately documented and prosecuted;' she said.

Cancer treatment breakthroughs by Indian-American researchers

Queen's University cancer researcher Madhuri Koci has discovered a biomarker that will help lead to better predictions of the success of chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients.

Biomarkers are an indicator of a biological state or condition, and

www.indianlink.com.au

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the discovery could lead to better treaanent options in the fight against ovarian cancer, according co a press release from the university.

"Recent successes in harnessing the immune system to combat cancer are evidence for the significant roles of a cancer patient's immune responses in lighting cancer," explains Indian American professor Dr. Koci.

'1vfany of these successes are based on boosting anti-cancer immunity via different therapies.

Such therapies would prove to be most effective when coupled with markers predicting a patient's evenmal response to a specific therapy".

Dr Kori's study, conducted on over 200 ovarian cancer patients, utilised a combination of cutting­ edge detection technologies for identifying such markers.

A major impact of this discovery is that these novel markers, when used at the tin1e of treatment initiation in the specific type of ovarian cancer patient, will help oncologists make decisions on additional tream1ent needed in these patients, thus increasing their potential for survival.

Ovarian cancer .leads co apprnximatel)r 152,000 deaths among women worldwide each year, making it a leading cause of gynaecological cancer related deaths in women.

Meanwhile, an Indian-origin researcher at the Stanford University in the US has found a method that can cause dangerous leukemia cells to mature into harmless immune cells known as macrophages.

Assistant professor of medicine Ravi Majeti made the key observation after collecting leukemia cells from a patient and trying to keep the celJs alive in a CL1lmre plate.

'We were throwing everything at chem to help chem survive," said Maje.ti in a paper chat appeared in the journal Proceedings of the ational Academy of Sciences.

B-ceU leukemia cells are in many ways progenitor celJs that are forced co stay in an immature state.

During the study, :tvfajeti and post-doctoral scholar Scott McClellan found that some of the cancer cells in culture were changing shape and size into what looked like macrophages.

The team confirmed that methods shown to have altered the fate of the mouse progenitor cells years ago could be used to transform these buman cancer cells into macrophages which can engulf and digest cancer cells and pathogens.

B-ceU acute lymphoblastic leukemia with a mutation called the Philadelphia chromosome is a particularly aggressive cancer with poor outcomes.

"So finding potential treannents is particularly exciting," Majeti added.

Majeti and his colleagues have some reason to hope that when the cancer cells become macrophages they will not only be neutralised but may actualJy assist in fighting the cancer.

"Because the macrophage cells

INDIANLINK

came from the cancer ceUs, they will ah-eady carry with them the chemical signals that will identify the cancer cells, making an immune attack against the cancer more likely," l\fajeti explained.

The researchers' next steps would be co see if they can find a drug chat will prompt the same reaction and that could serve as the basis for a therapy for the leukemia..

Online hiring firm Talview wins British contest

Online hiring start-up Talview has won the Great Tech Rocketships contest in Britain to explore business landscape of Europe.

Tbe US-based start-up, promoted and run by Rls, is an automated interview platform to assist organisations screen and hire techies faster.

Set up in May 2012 as Interview ]\faster, the company's irmovative video platform is based on the concept of asynchronous ,1ideo interviews.

Recruiters the world over use Talview's tool co hire talent for Fortune 500 in IT, engineering, pharma and BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance).

Cognizant, ABB, \Vockhardt, Teamlease, Cipla, ABC Consultants, and JSW ace some of Talview's clients among ocher global firms.

It is funded by Mayfield, a leading Silicon ValJey Vennire Capital fund.

Talview was one of five start­ ups to win the contest organised recently by the UK Trade & Investment in partnership with TechHub and iSpirir. The four other winning startups in the contest are Congruent Solutions, FRILP.com, Tone Tag and Agrinrn Infotech.

The British government also offered Talview free work space in the start-up facility (fhe Landing), which is a part of the media city in Manchester.

Tbe company plans to make Britain headquarters of planned European operations.

Talview also bagged a one­ year membership in TechHub, providing it access to ics co­ working centres in Boston, London and Bengaluru.

Kipling's birthplace to become tourist attraction

The heritage btmgalow in south Mumbai where amhor and Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling was born will be converted inco a tourist attraction by the Maharashtra government.

The bungalow is situated inside the shady campus of Sir School of Arc, close co the UNESCO \Vorld Heritage monument, Cbhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and other heritage buildings like Crawford .Market and the Mwnbai Police Conunissionerate.

State Education and Cultural Affairs l\finister Vinod Tawde had proposed chis week chat the government would ensme the bungalow emerges as an important courist hotspot and people get the

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A model presents an ensemble by fashion designer Nikasha Tawadeyat the Amazon India Fashion Week on 25 March 2015 in New Delhi. opportunity to appreciate it.

All the artefacts in the house would be preserved and displayed with funding from the culmre department which would also repair, restore and maintain the wood and scone structure, he added.

On cards is a Kipling museum, a library, literary and culmcal events co attract domestic and foreign tourists to the birthplace of the amhor of classics like TheJungle Book and Kivi, and many poems like if... and Mandal'!J' · He was conferred with the Nobel Prize for Llreramre in 1907 - the fuse English writer so honoured.

The site of the bird1 of Kipling, born on December 30, 1865 co English arts teacher, illustrator and curator John Lockwood Kipling and Alice Kipling, was actually another structure adjacent co the existing bungalow, which has been

known as 'Kipling Bungalow' since over a cenmry now.

The bw1galow can1e up inside the campus of die Sir School of Art which ,vas founded in 1857 after a handsome donation of Rs.100,000 by Mwnbai businessman and philanthropist Sir Jamsecjee Jeejeebho)'The school was taken over by the government in 1866 and Kipling's father, appointed its first dean, lived in the bungalow on the campus.

The original btmgalow where Rudyard was born was located barely a few metres from the e,'(isting 'Kipling House' was demolished and rebuilt and again crumbled away, while the 'Kipling House' which came up a.round 1882 underwent a restoration in phases from 2002-2008, besides an earlier restoration several decades ago.

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Later, it became the Dea.n's Bungalow where subsequent heads of the prestigious School lived till around 2002, after which it remained locked and vacant and soon became cliJapidated.

However, there is a metal plaque with the legend engraved ''Rudyard Kipling, son of Lockwood Kipling, fuse Principal of Sir School of Arc, was born here on 30.12.1865", and a bust of the author points at his historic and literary links with the campus.

He left for England after spending live years of his childhood in Mumbai, and later rentrned to Lahore at the age of 16, and subsequently, as a Nobel laureate revisited his birthplace in 1930.

He passed away in a London hospital in January 1936 at the age of 70.

J.J.

IANS

APRIL 2015 19

MARDIGRAS

Indian float impresses yet again at Sydney's annual Mardi Gras parade

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ou could say Queen B is a Mardi Gras 'veteran'.

He's been participating in Mardi Gras, Sydney's annual gay and lesbian parade, for ten years now, proudly /hunting his Indian background.

Today he's a transgender Board member of Trikone Australasia, a community organisation made up of South Asian LGBTQI members.

In his role, he helped some 50 peers prepare for this year's event, held on Saturday 7 March.

The Indian Aoat was one of 1 SO floats that made up the 'river of queer humanity' that marched down Oxford and Flinders Streets.

The 'Boilywood' connotations - of a fashion style and music beat rather than the film industry - have always made the lndian float eagerly awaited, its colours catching the attention of the TV crews and photographers.

Witb their tbeme this year, 'Bollywood is the new black', Trikone made a statement about the increasing popularity that India's entertainment industry has begun to enjoy in the mainstream.

Perhaps such acceptance will extend to the members' own lifestyle choice, botb within and outside the Indian community.

Of course Queen B's Mardi Gras appearances predate Trikone's participation, which began in 2008, but his passion for it continues unabated.

"Like every year, I felt proud again this time as I walked alongside my friends," Queen B told Indian Link. "Our music was specially picked to include dance-based, drum heavy, peppy munbers, and the crowds cheered to the beats as we passed by!

People loved us!"

The SO-member troupe had more girls than boys participating this year. Participants from India and UK joined in as well.

There was much less Aamboyance in the outfits tbis time round, with the stand-out get-up being the belly-dance costume with the large feathery Mohawk.

The number 377 popped up, as expected, in placards ('377 No Going Back'; 'Say No to 377') referring to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that still criminalises homosexuality.

Rajni Anand Luthra

For more newsfrom Sydney's LGBTQI community, check out 111ww.trikone. org.au 20 APRIL 2015

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MARDI GRAS

Coming out to the family It can be a lonelyjourney of s elf-discovery and growth

"Haveyou gone crazy?"

'1Fhat doyo11 VJea111•011 are gay?"

"You are letting thefa111i(y do1J)fl. "

'What 1vil/ bappm 111h1111)'011r gnmdparents and 1111clesfind 011t?"

'This is not )l)hat girlsfrom our cul!t1re a11d backgt'Otmd do. " 'Von 't do this to us in our old age.

"Hon, 1vill)'0Jt have babies?"

'This is not 11or1J1al. "

'1Fe loveyou - bt1tplease can J'OIJ just be 11ormaL"

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her things packed up and left outside the house. She was cold, in no uncertain terms, to leave the family home.

Only a few days before, she had come out to her family. "\Xi'hat do you mean you are gay?"

Her mother, who is usually extremely outspoken, was stunned and i n complete disbelief. Her father did ail the screaming.

That was a few years ago in Singapore.

Tod ay, Rina lives in Sydney with her partner and co-parents her partner's two-year-old daughter from an earlier relationship. She is resuming higher scudies soon and hopes to get a job in childcare.

Life has been a roller coaster ride for Rina. It has been a complex, painful, challenging and lonely journey of personal discovery and growth.

"I was working in childcare in Singapore when I got a fantastic offer of managing a centre for a French resort in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia," Rina told Indian Link.

"By this point in time I knew I had a connection with women , but it was hard for me to come out within my strong Malayalee community and Singaporean­ Indian cultural background.

Perhaps, that was one of the reasons l cook the job offer in KL!" R in a's life at cbe resort was rewarcli.ng. It was a safe and respectful environment for gay relationships and she felt more at ease with herself.

It was at the resort that she met

IHDIAHLIHK

her current parmer.

After a few twists an d turns she decided to move to Sydney.

This was Rin a's moment of truth; her final and complete acceptance of who she was and the fact that she would now have to tell her family. It was the right time, she thought - wrong!}� as it mr ned out.

The joy of being in a loving committed relationship and co­ parenting a child, keeps Rina's hopes alive that there will one day be complete acceptance by her family and her community.

There were no histrionics in Shirley's family. There has been acknowledgement a nd silent acceptance and she is thankful for that.

"One of the first things my mum said to me on being given the news was, 'it's a harder route to take in life' ," she told Indian Link.

She is from a SriLankan background, raised in Malaysia, and n ow lives i n Sydney.

"Perhaps part of my family acceptance comes from the fact that we have moved arou nd a lot and have never had deep roots within our community."

Yet Shirley can recognise the truth in her mod1er's words.

As a South Asian lesbi . an, she seems to have separated tbe wheat from the chaff a nd defu1es the issue with great clarity and pragmatism.

"It can he a very lonely and isolating experience for most

people from that cultural background . There are very few forums, Trikone Australasia is one, which help you feel supported and valid ates who you are. Migrant families hold onto their memories of the culmral attin1des that were present when they left, while the country moves on. A lot of migrant families here still think that being gay is unnatural."

Additionally, there are issues with relating to the mainstream.

'We are a minority widlin a nlinocity," Shirley said. "We learn to reconcile being South Asian and being GLBTQ l . You don't have to leave one co become the other!"

Speaking with several other women of South Asian background who are of Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Tra nsgender, Inter Sex, or Questioning (LGBTQI) persuasion, 1 felt like I was, wid1 some trepidation, opening a door to look inside their world, n ot really knowing what to expect. I was met with enthusiasm, warmth and an outpouring of emotion and thoughts. 1 could feel the emotional mrmoil as d1ey narrated their stories to m e .

Acceptance. It was obvious that first and foremost, this is what they all crave: 'I am who I am'.

They just want to be able to lead their lives like 'regular' people.

Just like the rest of the South Asian community, they belong co families with very strong

connections and deep roots, and find it hard co have to leave it all behind.

They empathise wid1 tl1ei.r parents and understand tl1at it is hard for them as well.

But they tl1emselves, cannot pretend a ny more.

'T can feel ll!)'}t1rents are ove1whel111ed tmd e111otio11alb1 distrattght, t11Id have /l)ithdml/)fl because tht!)' do11't k110111 ho1v to deal u,ith it. " '1''£>'pt1re11ts ht1ve been s1v�ying het111een disbelief, rrje,tion, meltdonms, ta11tn1111s, thret1ts and complete 111ithdm1vaL "

'7 don} !Vant to carry tJII)'flags, ljust 111anl to live 11!] life in a 11or111ai way t1nd feel accepted i11 the co1111n1111i!J'· "

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'7 can 1w longerp,·etmd heterosexual 111orld. "

'7 at11 not doing mrything 1111-ong. "

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APRIL2015 21

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An open letter to Karl Stefanovic Please do not offer 'humour' as an excuse

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SANAM SHARMA

D

ear Karl, The apology you offered on air recently in response to your un­ educated tidicule of the 'Indian community' ahead of the India v Australia Cricket World Cup semi-final, .is even more insulting than your otiginal comments. An apology has to be heart-felt, genuine, and Ltn-conditional.

And frankly, yours is simply unacceptable. \Vhat you offered was a mere justification.

To use more 'Australian' terms for your benefit, you just ticked a box, mate (perhaps under duress from your employer). a culture of "entitlements" bestowed upon You want tl1e Indian community to you. accept your "ugly mtecings" as mere banter If we ever lose work or faced a comtesy your "wayward, misguided sense redundancy, we went around looking for of humour"? Well, there is another term otl1er work. Ai1y work. Perhaps a few extra that best describes a shifts at a 7-11. We not wayward, misguided sense line up in Centre.link of humour - insanity. And queues. you can only be cmed of We take pride in insanity if you seek help. earning an honest day's And for your sake I hope Uving. And working for it.

Frankly, your you are on to it.

We cake ptide in tl1e fact apology is simply As you've probably chat we contribute back co unacceptable. the nation that accepted guessed by now, l affiliate us with open arms and myself to the Australian What you offered Indian comnmnity. I am offered wonderful new was a mere sure that by now you opportunities. justification. You would have been duly And yes, we can take a educated about the various joke. And banter as well. just ticked a box, achievements of the But there is always a fine mate, perhaps Indian community within line with these d1ings. under duress from Australia. So I will not It's ok to nudge tl1ac fine your employer delve into that. 1 am going line occasionally. Bur, in to endeavour to educate your case, you breached you a bit more on being a that line not only with your comments but migran t.

I, and quite a number also your apology. You of my friends within tl1is sit in that studio with a lndian community, arrived responsibility to quell in Australia as rnigrants. As lawful, skilled societal stereotypes and distinctions and migrants. We owe most of what we have not co promote them or sell them as being today co tl1is wonderful country called 'fum1y'. Please do not offer hurnour, banter, Australia. And let me tell you, we never take or any other 'casual' occurrence as an any of it for granted. excuse. The hurt and insult must be judge d from the However, our begimungs were pretty perception of the person humble. And yes, for or community facing that me and most of my 'fLmny banter'. The 'idiot' fellow migrant friends, dishing it out is not the it involved doing odd benchmark.

If you feel this letter jobs to get starred in a If you feel this letter is is a bit of an overne.w land. \Y/e drove taxis. a bit of an over-reaction, reaction, then good Some of us worked in gas then good for you, because stations (7-1 1 s included). your remarks made me for you, because Others cleaned dishes, feel livid. I d1ought of not your remarks made laboured in factories, reacting to your slurs but me feel livid drove trucks, courier vans, you know anotl1er good and so on. thing that living in Australia Bue we all worked. has caught me - one must And worked damn hard. stand up and speak for And always with a smile. things that one feels are No job was big or small. not right.

Everything was an opportunity. And today So ir would have been pretty "un­ when we look back at those days we call Australian" of me to not voice my concerns. them "character building" - a term not easy Regards, to affiliate with easily when you grow up in Sanam

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Beating the baby blues Away from her supp ort network, a new mother can feel daunted and overwhelmed

I

t left a deep impact on me, but also helped shaped who I am today.

Veiled beneath a degree of uncertainty and stigma, post-natal depression is often misunderstood or disregarded.

I suffered from th.is to a significant degree after the birth of my first child, almost bordering on the line of clinical depression.

As a new migrant, with no family support close by and no network of friends wid1 babies, I often felt lonely, datmted and unable to cope wim my daily routine. I wept for no reason and felt no interest whatsoever in getting out of me house.

I shared these feelings with my husband who thought I was simply missing my family who were only able to be around until my little one was t,vo and a half mond1s old.

The symptoms just got ,vorse, instead of better, over time. I had nothing new ro look forward to; d1e change-feed-and-comfort routine just went on and on for what felt like eternity! I was supposed to be happy because 1 had a little bundle of joy in my life. "Isn't it namral for a mother to dote on and be lost .in love wim her new baby?" I would think, and diis wonld bring more guilt into my heart.

But no matter how many pre­ birtl1 classes I attended, or books I read on parenting, nod1ing could prepare me for reality.

My life had turned from that of a busy professional woman wim great career aspirations, to being a full-time mother and caretaker with heavy sleep deprivation and no me-time at alll Recouping after a difficult birth and with absolutely no adult around me to have some sort of conversation, I was almost ready to give up. My mother, a psychologist herself, felt terribly concerned, but her long-distance counselling over tl1e phone wasn't exactly helping. All she could say, ultimately, was, 'Just come to India for a few months.'

As tempting as this sounded for me, escaping and running away from me situation wasn't going to help and I knew mis within.

It was not practical to leave my husband for months and take my little infant from winter in Sydney ro summer in Mumbai either. 1 decided ro stay on.

We had heard about at home-

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counselling and decided to try it.

It worked reasonably well, with fortnightly one-on-one sessions in me comfort of my home. Bm these were limited. The counsellor d1en advised me to go to new mothers' therapy sessions. The thought of packing all die baby d1ings and reaching the d1erapy group venue was scary in itself, let alone leaving my baby wim a nanny for rwo hours. Also, I didn't even have a driver's licence at mat stage. The whole idea seemed impossible to me!

And d1at's when my husband gave me strengcl1 and solid support.

He organised a taxi for my weekly sessions, helped me get d1ings ready and organised die night before. \Xlell, before 1 knew

it, I had started enjoying the sessions! I looked forward to Wednesdays, and l even mought about what I'd wear!

The sharing and stories from other mun1s made me feel less alone: 'l am not d1e only one'.

Most momers there were on anti­ depressants already. They were surprised when I shared d1at l was not taking any medication, and mat I had decided to build my willpower to beat this.

Gradually I began ro see the bright side of mings. 1 started going to me beautician and for coffee by myself over the weekend, leaving the lirde one ro play witli her dad, who gladly obliged.

At the end of eight amazing weeks, my little one had grown

up and started giving me smiles. lt all made the pain of motherhood worm it. 1 organised a morning tea wim the lovely motl1ers in the group and we all recapped our journey and shared how dungs had looked up eventualJy. I got a contract from my University to mtor smdents one day a week, and this made me feel absolmely elated. As much as I loved being a mum, now it was time for the grey cells ro be stinmlated and for me ro embrace the outside world and give back what I learned as a smdent! My mother visited us briefly to care for her granddaughter, and finally we went to 1'1elbourne when Ananya was six monms old to celebrate life as new parents and

how we had emerged victorious mrough tl1e whole post-natal depression journey.

Looking back, I can definitely say mat sticking around and fighting die depression was d1e best thing I did. Today, this incident gives me immense confidence to face adversity and I tell all the new mtm1s I meet, or mnrns-ro-be, to not be too hard on tl1emselves, to depend on d1eir network of friends and fanuly, and call out for any help - including jL1st having a conversation ,vith anomer adult.

New dads play a really important part too; they must be supportive and keep reiterating what a good mum tl1eir wife makes. Believe me, it makes a world of difference!

APRIL 2015 25

our facebook pages today 26 APRIL2015

www.indianlink.com.au

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SCHOOL

Schools must help the growth ofresilience and humility, notjust in students but also in teachers and p arents

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ne of the besr lessons students can learn at school is to understand the issue and nature of entitlement. There are of course very basic entitlements for students that should characterise every classroom: respect from the teacher, safety from bullying, a stimulating environment, and a sense of purpose, validation and order. These aspects of entitlement are enrirely appropriate, though sometimes absent. A teacher can respect these aspecrs of entitlement by preparing for lessons, becoming an expert on their subject matter, developing ongoing skills in pedagogy, and through learning to believe in the students they reach. Most classrooms celebrate th.is form of entitlement as an extension of tl1e human right to an education.

However, there are aspects to entitlement as practiced in schools that can create arrogance, reduce r. esilience, encourage selfishness and engender a false sense of security. These aspects of entitlement are evidenced in the approach some teachers can have to tl1e classroom and meir students, and that some parents can have witl1 respect to schools.

Negative aspects of entitlement can be seen when lazy teachers 'outsource' learning to students.

This can take the form of endless lessons based around the 'read and summarise' approach. Negative entitlement can also be seen when a reacher has a sense of ownership over a particular classroom space even though another reacher may need tl1e space. This sense of entitlement is particularly selfish when the room in question is needed for a student who cannot climb the stairs due to recent surger)' - but is not given up.

Entitlement can come across

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in a subtle manner. For example, teachers who have a practice of failing co clean a whiteboard in a room they have just used, or who fail co ensure a classroom is left tidy, appear to be particularly self­ cenrred and lacking in a\vareness of otl1ers. Here the sense of entitlement extends co a sense of space. Moreover, there are teachers who will not reply to emails, take weeks to mark smdent

work and who are only available outside of class for very restricted times.

Noc long ago l was on a lunch break at an interstate conference when I was marking work sent by a smdent via email during the holidays. A senior educator chided me and said that I was setting a very poor example.

She added that teachers who ran extra classes in the holidays for students were trndermining the profession because teachers deserved holidays. The next day a major newspaper carried a story celebrating a teacher who was running holiday classes at school for her Year 12 students, prior co major exams. I showed tl1e article to the critic who shook her head and said, "That teacher is placing herself in danger for being called a paedophile." Sadly, this critic was in a senior position within an educational institution.

The selfish sense of entitlement as recounted here and practiced by some teachers provides a negative role-model for students about the

namre of work and the nature of a 'professional' person.

Parents sometimes can also do mings, or bring an attitude that brings out the worst, from a skewed sense of entitlement. Here I am distinguishing between all responsible piuents wanting what is best for their child and more broadly for aU children, whilst understanding the limitations of resources, time, and energ)'.

From tl1e perspective of parents, the worse aspects of entitlement are evidenced by a sense mat their cluld must be in a particttlar team, competition or class. le can also be seen when a parent cannot bear their child being dropped from an extension class or extra curricttlar activicy, even though the child does not merit being there and anomer child is more deserving. egative entitlement can also take tl1e form of unreasonable expectations. lt can be seen when a parent double parks in front of che school, placing me cluldren of other families in danger. It

can also come when there is a demand for attention but no commensurate understanding when limited resources cannot fulfill every demand immediately.

A misplaced sense of entitlement is also evident in tl1e atcicude of some smdents. This can be seen when they seem unable to adapt to circumstances mat arise quite often and are predictable, such as a failure in technology. It is also evident when mey are hasty to complain when expectations are not met, cannot work if there is no air conditioning or are reluctant to work with others, share ideas, time or space. These indicate a lack of resilience and a lack of humility.

Resilience and humility are character traits that an education should instil, foster and grow.

A sense of entitlement that is misplaced, arrogantly asswned or not tempered by empatl1y, patience and kindness, or that is poorly role modelled b)' teachers and parents, is Likely to undermine what a true education can provide.

APRIL 2015 27

FOOD

Gourmet Gir A touch of Holi masti extends to the kitchen

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T

he rolling pins were out with a vengeance as a large group of fun-loving women gor together to celebrate Holi by learning to cook some traditional and modern sweets.

The recipes and i11strucrions were provided by well-known hobby cook Suneeri Misra from Rowville and the event was hosted

by Dr Ina Takkar at her residence in Glen Waverley.

An apron competition was held wid1 some uber cool designs on display including ones that said, Be my lamb chop and I have PMS (Power. i\foney. Sex). The winning apron was a sizzling pin-up girl design donned by Sanjoo

Kohli from Wheelers Hill.

Sharing recipes and cooking wim good company was great fun.

It was also a time to tall,, socialise and catch up widi each ocher.

Cooking wim lots of laughter and good conversation around you, never fails to lighten up me mood. A great time was had by all.

Suoeeti Misra shares me recipes wim our readers.

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Cooking with lots of laughter and good conversation around you, never fails to lighten up the mood

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28 APRIL 2015

1 cup almond meal 1 cup sugar 2 ½ cup milk powder 600 ml thickened cream 1 tsp green cardamom powder

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Mix all the ingredients together Place in a silicon container and microwave for about 8 minutes at medium or 60% power.

Take out and stir. Put back in microwave for a further eight minutes.

Repeat after stirring or until the milk cake turns pinkish brown in colour.

Allow to cool and cut into pieces.

For dough: 1 cup self-raising flour 2 cups milk powder 400 ml thickened cream For filling: 100 gms green pistachio, soaked in water and powdered 1 tsp green cardamom powder Pinch safuon For syrup: 1 kg sugar 750 ml water for syrup

To make filling, mix a l l ingredients together.

To make the sugar syrup, boil water and sugar together until one-string consistency is reached when a spoon is lifted off from it To make dough, knead together self­ raising flour, milk powder and cream until a roti-dough-like consistency is reached.

Divide dough into equal parts and shape into balls. Flatten and put filling inside and shape them into sausages.

Deep fry till golden brown and dunk them in the boiling sugar syrup.

Cover with lid and leave for ten minutes.

Take out carefully and allow to cool down before cutting into halves.

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FOOD

It's an unlikely combination, but try the sweet, juicy flavours of a watermelon curry

W

har is a curry?

It is an age­ old question that has been debated far and beyond with no hope of an answer in sighrl As far as Wikipedia goes, rhere is a definitive meaning co a curry: 'Cuny is a dish 111hose 01igi11s are i,1

So11th and Southeast Asian cuisines.

The co111,no11feature is the i11corporatio11 f ef covrplex combinations spices or herbs, 11s11alb1 inc/11dingfresh or d,ied hot chillies. '

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Now, the hisrory of the cerm 'curry' is also very inreresting. The word was coined by the British Raj for the thick, meaty stews char were resplendent with spices and herbs. Some say that this is derived from the Tamil word 'k.an' which usually denotes meat. So if you head down co Tamil Nadu and say kari, it acn1ally means meat pieces rather dian 'curry'.

There are a couple of otber explanations too, but all of rl1ese are vague and in disagreement, so I guess we will never know the real history.

Ir's the same story with 'curry powder'. Traditionally, Indians don't use any spice blend called curry powder while the rest of d1e world uses it in tonnes.

For an Indian, a curry

practically denotes any dish which bas a gravy co it. And when die dish does not have a traditional name, we call it a curry.

This recipe is for a watermelon curry. Yes, you heard right - a watermelon curry; rind and all!

This curry is a far cry from the rich, spicy gravies. The watermelon curry is a famous dish of Rajasthao and can be enjoyed with both ph11/kas (Indian wheat Rat bread) and rice.

Yes, there is sweetness from tbe watermelon, bur then there is a whole lot of Aavour from the spices that penetrate deep into the melon pieces ro give you a delicious, refreshing and light dish.

This is a curry that stands as a perfect example to the fact tbat spices do not mean hear but Aavour. The cumin, carom seeds, nigella seeds and dried chillies release all their Aavour into the oil and cut into the sweemess of the melon pieces. The soft rind of rl1e watermelon adds just the right amount of bite and texture to an other\Vise soft dish.

The mosc beautiful part of this curry is the fact that you can use the rind part of the watermelon.

Usually cur our in chunks and thrown away, the watermelon rind can be delicious if cooked io the right manner. It is ju.icy, succulent and moist, absorbing every bit of tbe flavour like a sponge.

Next time, think twice before cutting away the rind.

Add it co the curries that you make at home, vegetarian or non-vegetarian, and enjoy the deliciousness of the humble rind.

1 kg seedless watermelon with rind 2 tbsp vegetable oil ½ tsp ajwain/carom seeds ½ tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp nigella seeds (black onion seeds) 3 dried red chillies, broken into small pieces 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped Salt, to season 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 2 tsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped I

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Cut the outer dark green layer of the watermelon rind keeping the inner whitish­ green rind intact. Remove the red flesh ofthe watermelon from the whitish rind; dice both separately and keep aside.

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Heat oil in a pan and add the whole spices; ajwain, cumin, nigella and dry red chillies.

When fragrant, add the garlic and saute on medium heat for about 30 seconds.

Add the watermelon rind pieces and turmeric powder, mix well and season with salt. Cover and look for about 6-7 minutes till the rind has browned and softened. Do not add any water.

In the meantime, blitz half the watermelon flesh pieces and keep aside.

After 7 minutes, add the blitzed watermelon pulp and ½ cup water; mix to combine and cook covered till the rind has become tender.

Then add the remaining flesh pieces and cook on high for 3-4 minutes.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve warm.

APRIL2015 29

TRAVEL

e crossroa

Located at the border of Europe and Asia, the underexplored Caucasus region is a richly rewarding travel experience

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ften perceived as remote and mysterious, the Caucasus region has so far been neglected by the tourism sector, but th.is scenario is rapidly changing. Discerning travellers from around the globe have started pouring i.nco th.is quarter, a crossroads between Europe and Asia but very different from both. Rich in history, nature and authentic culture, a journey through this ancient land, which links the Black Sea with the Caspian Sea, is richly rewarding.

Dwarfed by the rnajestic Caucasus Mountain range, the Caucasus region bordering Russia, Turkey and Iran, today primarily comprises three countries, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia.

The domain may have formidable mountain barriers, but it also contains an expansive swath of valleys which once formed an

30 APRIL2015

important trade corridor, now a major oil-pipeline route.

The three countries feature geographically similar landscapes and share former Soviet era legacies with each nation being part of the former USSR, but otherwise each narion is very different in character, economy, lifestyle and even in religion and policies.

Azerbaijan, which is an enemy of Armenia because of long-drawn border disputes, is a Muslim country, while the majority popularion of the other two nations are Chriscians.

Each has country has its own charms and there is oppormnity to sample some of chem while spending generous cime in each of the capital cicies - Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan.

Glittering Baku

A British travel writer once dubbed oil-rich Azerbaijan's capital city Baku as "Dubai of the Caucasus". It's bard to disagree when looking at the city's skyline, dominated by endless skyscrapers, some crowned with gleaming glass towers or rotundas.

This ancient city, which changed hands several rimes

between Persia and Russia, became globally prominent during the mid 19th century when oil drilling in Azerbaijan was commercialised. This led ro a massive inflm( of entrepreneurs from Russia and other parts of the globe to Baku, including the well­ known Rothchilds and NobeJs being an1ong them. The oil barons built a new city in grand European style with opulent palaces, mansions, theatres and opera houses surrounding the sleepy old quarter. Progress paused during Soviet era, but bas launched again since independence in 1991.

Th.is cirne 21st cenmry modern attributes bridge the world of anciques wonders.

The key attract.ion in Baku is the Old City, a World Heritage site hemmed in by the wa.lls of a medieval fortress which houses 15th century palaces, mosques, mausoleums and traditional markets. From the top of the old stone tower, a great view of the eat.ire city and the Caspian Sea is available. Azerbaijan is famous for carpets and a visit to the Carpet _Museum is worthy. After sundown Bairn is magically illuminated, parricularly the Fou.ncain Square area where locals gather to shop,

eat and socialise.

Scholars clain1 chat Azerbaijan is the birth place of fire-worshipping Zoroastrians. The Atesgah Fire Temple, around 30km from the city-centre, stands on the site of a namral gas vent that was sacred to Zoroastrians, but the edifice that stands today is said co have been built by lndians living the.re during early 18th cenmry. Many inscripcions in Sanskrit bear cescimony co chis not.ion.

Modest Tbilisi

Georgians are well known for their love of drink and partying.

Legend says when God was distr.ibucing land among the people from a.ll over the world, Georgians missed out being too busy ca.rousing. Bue after they invited the Creator to the party, he enjoyed himself so in1mensely that be gave then1 the choicest spor on earth he had originally reserved for himself. Edged by the snow-capped Caucasus Mountain on one side and the Black Sea coastline on the ocher, and with lush green spreads in between, Georgia is truly beauciful. Like Kerala, it can aptly claim ro be

Above: Azerbaijan Mosque; Sanskrit scripture at the fire temple In Baku; Republic Square at night

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Top: Tbilisi at dusk; Above L to R: mountainous Armenia; Sunday ritual inside Tbilisi cathedral; Fountain Square Baku "God's own country".

The nation's fascinating history reveals a mixture of influences from Turkey, Russia, Persia and Central Asia, deeply reflected in its culture, cuisine and architecture. Much of it can be experienced in capital Tbilisi, an old leafy settlement centred on the Mtkvari River.

The Old Town, where Tbilisi began its humble journey, is tlJe most captivating quarter to explore. It's strewn wid1 centuries­ old central-domed churches, mosques, and synagogues, sulphur baths, which made an impression on famous writers like Pushkin and Dctmas, and a fortress displaying Tbilisi's defensive brilliance.

The best of atmospheric Old Town is captured when wandering through ics maze of twisted, cobblestoned alleyways full of hidden courtyards and 19th cenmry houses fitted wiili multicoloured and highly ornamented wooden balconies, some stretching at jaunty angles.

1n between these houses are small cafes and wine shops where elderly locals are ready co narrate scories from d1e Soviet era when one of Georgia's rnost famous sons Joseph Stalin ruled ilieir land from nearby i'vloscow.

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Enigmatic

Yerevan

From a touristy angle, Armenia is rega1·ded as ilie jewel in the crown of Caucasus. It's from here you can glimpse the legendary Motmc Ararat, said to be ilie final resting place of Noah's Ark. Full of Biblical stories, the land abounding in exotic namre of wild mountai11s and flomishii1g \Talleys is the first Christian country in me world, with several ancient monasteries and churches standing as testimony of this belief.

Armenia has Jong had a connection with lndia. Long before d1e Portuguese, Dutch and the English landed in India, many Armenians moved to India for trade and their settlement peaked during me 17th cenmry, particularly in Kolkaca and Cbennai. There are still Arrnenian churches and cemeteries in tl1ese two cities wim streets and bathing ghats on Hooghly River in Kolkata named after .Armenia. This long term bond places visitors of lndian origin in a welcoming environment among ilie locals, as without fail the elderly reminisce about Raj Kapoor films and songs they watched and listened to during me

Soviet days. Buskers on streets playing piano accordions will invariably play "mera juca hai japani . . . but di! hindustani" as soon as mey see someone like me passing by.

Among the iliree Caucasus capitals, Yerevan displays the most Soviet legacy, overtly evident at ilie Republic Square \,,here the city's heart heats. Formerly caUed Len.in Square, ilie domain is encircled by an ensemble of grand buildings like tl1e National Art Gallery and the History Museum, where Stalinist scale meets Armenian style in huge yellow and cream edifices overlooking blooming flower beds sprinkled with water from cising fountains.

After sun down tl1e brightly illuminated precinct becomes like a carnival site with locals and visitors, surrounding cafes, bars and restaurants all extremely busy serving a range of cuisine and beverages to add to the mood.

Christianity arrived here not long after ilie deaili of Christ.

Over time the rulers of ilie land built several cathedrals and monasteries. Mose of mem have a conical roof resembling

Mount Ararat. The history, arch.itecmre and scenic settings of these shrines stand today as a major tourist drawcard for the sites of Yervan, tl1e Echmiadzin Cathedral, better known as Moilier Cad1edral of Armenia, KhorVirap l\fonastery and Gegha.rd Monastery No visit to Armenia is complete wiiliout tasting its famous brandy.

It's said Churchill liked it so much tha r Stalin used to gift him several cases every year. Many jokingly question if that was any reason for the Soviet- English alliance during \>forld War Il!

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I I I I I

Fl y Emi rates (www. e mi rates.com) to Dubai and then Fl y Dubai (www.flydubai.com) to Baku and return from Yerevan. Fl y Azerbai jan Ai r lines (www.azal.az) from Baku to Tbili si and then by road from Tbi lisi to Yerevan.

GETT! NG THERE

Central Park Hotel (www.centralparkhotel baku.com) in Baku, Sharden Hotel (www.hotelsharden.com)in Tbilisi and Ani Plaza Hotel (www.anihotel. com) in Yerevan.

WHERE TO STAY

The cui�ne has Middl e Eastern influences; vari eti es of meat kebabs, pil afand bread are common. Indian restaurants are there as wel l wi thTaj Mahal i n Tbili si and Veda i n Yerevan popul ar among vi si tors and local s.

EATI NG

VI Australian passport hol ders do not requirea vi sa to enter Georgi a. For Armenia vi sa on arri val i s avai lable atthe ai rport and road entry poi nts. For Azerbaij an, visas are avail abl e el ectronicall y by applyingthrough Azerbaijan Mini stry of Forei gn Affai rs.

SAS

APRIL2015 31

M AT R I M O N I A L S SEEKING BRIDES

Well-settled, Brahmin, Tamil speaking, Iyer family invites alliance for

Seeking match for a 32-year-old, Hindu boy. Good looking, unmarried, very mature, respects traditional and modern values. Non-smoker, social drinker. Manager at a large hardware company in Fiji, Looking for unmarried /divorced witb no ties.

Please communicare via email at aarya_syd@hom1ail.com or ph 0421420902

27-year-old daughter, S'S tall, good-looking, Australian Cirizen, working full­ time in Sydney. Boy should be vegerarian, non-smoker, non-drinker, well­ educated and settled in Australia. Please comacr us on 0403120045.

North Indian parents KP, settled in Australia, invire alliance for chemical engineer

son - 6fr, '88 born, working in gas indusrry. Looking for professional girl with good family background. Contact wirh full details- kashaust@gmail. com

slim, 29 years, 5'7", in Finance 6eld. Family settled in Australia for pasr 35 years.

Elder sister married, settled in Sydney. Parenrs working in Government firms.

Please send photos and details to jyoti2015au@gmail.com

Qualified professional match for Punjabi boy, 30, 5'11", fair, CA, Australian

Match required for my sister - 5' 5", 26, beautiful, slim, fair complexion,

Seeking Punjabi boy for professional Sydney-based Sikh girl, beautiful,

citizen & working wirh bank in Sydney. Girl should be Hindu, 23 m 29, fair, slim, well qualified & Australian citizen. Please send photo & details to: deesanj5@gmail.com

Ramgharia Sikh, Masters in Accounting. Working in Sydney. Caste no bar.

Contact: 0412 96 I 92.

Bride wanted for Sydney-based, Indian origin Punjabi Khatri boy - settled/working

Well-settled, moderate Indian Muslim family invites alliance for 25-year-old

daughter, good-looking, Masters Degree and Australian Citizen. Working full­ time in Sydney. Boy should be moderate, well-educated and settled in Australia.

Please contact zafsha1964@hotmail.com.

in Sydney as an Anstralian Citizen; 33 years old; CPA and i\lIBA qualified; rail (175 m1); slim; no siblings; parents living in Delhi; prefer bride to be professionally qualified, willing to Live in Sydney, call/slim/fair complexion, between 25 to 32 years old, never married, enjoys an active and healthy Lifestyle. Please contact Anuj on 0424 533 120

Hindu lady, 57, Australia citizen, fair complexion and young looking,

divorced, Sydney-based, seeks suitable match, between 52-60. Call: 0449623316 anytime or email: radiauce88@live.com

Matrimonial alliance invited by Medical Doctor, 27, Saraswat, Mararhi, from a

professionally (not necessarily medical) qualified girl from a repmed Hindu family. Boy 170cm ralJ, fair complexioned with medium build. He would like m settle in Sydney or in a bustling township of NSW Casre, community no bars. Reply with photograph ro dabols@iinet.ner.au

Seeking Punjabi boy for professional Sydney-based Sikh girl, beautiful,

SEEKING GROOMS

slim, 29 years, 5'7", in Finance field. Family settled in Australia for past 35 years.

Elder sister married, settled in Sydney. Parents working in Government firms.

Please send photos and details ro jyoti20 lSau@gmaiJ.com

Well-settled family in Australia invites alliance for 27-year-old, 5'7 Indian girl,

Well settled family in Australia invites alliance for 27-year-old, 5'7 lndian

Australian citizen, working in the Australian public service on good salary. Please send bio data/particulars to fordsyd88@gmaiJ.com. Professional match preferred from Australian citizen or PR status

girl, Australian citizen, working in the . Australian public service on good salary.

Please send bio darn/particulars to fordsyd88@gmaiJ.com. Professional march preferred from Australian Citizen or PR status

Well-settled/professional alliance invited for 40-year-old, 165cm, beautiful, fair,

Well-settled/professional alliance invited for 40 year-old, 165cm, beautiful, fair, never-married. Masters in IT, Punjabi Arora girl. She is India-born, Australian citizen, family orientated, working as an IT professional in M C in Sydney. Please contact with recent photo: sydgirl09@gmail.com

never-married, Masters in IT, Punjabi Arora girl. She is India-born Australian citizen, family orientated, working as an IT professional in l\1lNC in Sydney. Please contact with recent photo: sydgir109@gmail.com

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BOOKS

The s eedy underworld of India's financial and entertainment capital has provided fodder for a plethora of books

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hile trawling through books about Mumbai a few months ago, I was astounded by the number of books written about the J\fombai unde1world, d1eir crime bosses and Dons. So ubiquicous is d1eir presence, both in the literamre on the city as well as in Bollywood movies, that this reviewer felt it deserved a whole column!

The Ivfombai Malia has often been romanticised in Bollywood movies; yet its tentacles hold the movie industry in a vice-like grip and has become as much a part of Bollywood as it has of the metropolis itself. Who has not heard of Haji Mastan, Dawood Ibrahim, Varadarajan Jvfudaliar (Varadabhai), Karim Lala, Yusuf Patel or Abu Salem?

The l11dian Mafia by Srikanta K Ghosh (1991) is one of the earliest books on the subject. le was one of the earliest exposes on the growing influence of me mafia up to that time, comprising broadly of antisocials, gangsters, goo11das, musclemen, dadas and other lumpen elements of the underworld, thriving on crime and vice, on industry, business, politics, education and society at large.

The most definitive contemporary works on the subject are the books written

by S Zaidi Hussain, who is a Mumbai-based crime reporter who had worked wid1 the Indian Express and Mid-Dt!J' · His books include Fro111 Dong,i to D11hai: Six Dec(/des l!f the Mu111hai Mafia (Roli, 2012); Bl(/ck fod(!Y (Penguin 2001); and The Mafia Qt1ee11S M11111b(li (franquebar 2011). In D011gri to Dubai, he traces the rise (and fall) of the most feared crime bosses in Mumbai, from Haji i'vlastan to the D-Company that was created by the proteges of Dawood Ibrahin1.

The reader would be surprised co learn that Mastan was me son of a police constable, who built a rwJ1oured billion-dollar empire that he now controls from Dubai and Karachi. Zaidi Hussain's latest book is a detailed biography of a well-known underworld figure Abu Salem who rose swiftly from d1e ranks of the D-Company. His life is the very stuff of Bollywood movies: a man capable of extreme cruelty and extreme passion for

of

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his girlfriend, actress Monica Bedi.

The books is titled N{y Na111e is Ab11Sale111.

Written with Jane Borges, Zaidi f Hussain's Mafi(IQueens M11111hai is a compelling account of d1e women of the underworld: the wives, girlfriends of mobsters, madams of brothels, and other ambitious women who were keen to scale the heights of notoriety: women who acted as advisers behind me scenes, or women who took over when their husbands were killed. One such was Gangubai, a girl who escaped from her small village to the streets of Mumbai and eventually became the matriarch of Kamatbipura, Mumbai's red lighc district.

The Nfost D(111gero11s Mm, i11 the World (2008) is an interesting biography of Dawood Ibrahim

by Gilbert King. The book begins by juxtaposing Ibrahin1 and Osama bin Laden, and King argues chat bin Laden is a pauper by comparison! The

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By far the best book on the Mumbai mafia.

Anil Kapoor If it wasn't for this book there would be no

Shootout at Wada/a.

Sanjay Gupta

NGR

S. HUSSAIN ZAID

Silt . .,.�....,.6 OF. '1\ij.&aiMAAA

FOREWORD BY VIKRAM CHANDRA -ti

Author S Zaidi Hussain

former controls a multi-billion dollar empire and his D Company is one of the most politically connected gangs in the world, controlling some of the most lucrative drug and nuclear smuggling routes. The author traces Ibrahim's links with the ISI to 1991, and alleges that the communal i:iots unleashed in Mumbai in 1993 can be attributed co his D Company; he now lives 'like a Icing' in Karachi, and is purported tO have bailed out Pakistan's Cenu·al Bank during the crisis in 2000. There are several such connections he draws in the book, including the allegation that Ibrahim had a role to play in the kidnapping of Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, and worked with AQ Khan in the illegal smuggling of nuclear material.

Another crime reporter and Editor of Investigations for lvl.id-

Dtg•, who had also worked with the Indian Express and Hi11d11stt111 Times, Jyotirmoy Dey 0-Dey) wrote a book K£i/laas: An A-Z Guide lo the U11der111orld, which was, as tl1e title suggested, a complete guide to the l\,fwnbai Mafia.

He wrote another book called Zern Dial, an expose on police inforrners. He amassed a wealth of information on the subject by talking to tl1e police, gang members, informers and the dons memselves. His books also give au exhaustive list of euphemisms that me underworld uses co outsmart law enforcers. (These were later used by Vikram Chandra with great effect in his gangland-novel .\(lcred G(/J/les). So close was J-Dey to the truth that mis fearless journalist was shot dead b)' four unknown him1en in 2011; he was working on his third book on underworld (and its connection to the oil mafia).

Bollywood's fascination with the underworld - despite its vice grip on the industry today - has produced several movies from the above books. Dong,i to Dub(li was

adapted by Sanjay Gupta into the movie Shootout at 117(/dala scarring Johan Abraham; Black Friday was adapted by Anurag Kashyap into a movie, and after a court battle was released in 2004. Meenal Baghel, another investigative journalist, wrote an account of a sensational murder in Mumbai, which was turned into a movie by Raj Gopal Verma called Not a Love StOJy. Mumbai's mafia and the underworld have changed and adapted with the financial capital's changing character.

Their beginnings can be traced back to the early years of India's Independence when the Maharashtra government's prohibition policy led co bootlegging, and the associated business of matka - an illegal gambling racket. In tJ1e 1960s, Varadarajan Munuswamy Mudaliar (aka Varadabhai), Haji Mastan and Yusuf Patel were the big players. The collapse of the textile industry io Mumbai around that time led co the rise of Dawood Ibrahim and his cohort.

The watershed event, however, is the Srock Exchange serial blasts of 1993 that left 257 dead and hundreds maimed; it changed d1e face of organised crime in l\fombai. Until then, the underworld had attracted Hindu and Muslim unemployed youd1s.

Dawood Ibrahim's involvement in the serial blasts, howevet:, (prompted by the ISi, according to King), changed it forever: most Hindus drew a line there and left his gang. His trusted lieutenant Choca Rajan formed his own gang in Soutl1 Ease Asia.

Also, whereas most of me mob leaders had hailed from MLm1bai and its surrounds until the '1 992; today most of diem come from outside Maharashtra, mostly from UP and Bihar, and tl1eir use of k(lfas 01andmade pistols) has proliferated.

Whereas once gold and silver smuggling was lucrative, today hm11ala and money laundering, illegal trade in sophisticated arms and illicit drugs are tl1e favoured activities of organised crime in Mumbai. Extortion, film financing and the smuggling of computer parts are now their bread and butter. Dons are no longer simply satisfied with a share of profits from the Bollywood film industry - they want partnerships, and a slice of overseas tights for film and music distribution. Their transnational linkages imo legitimate businesses like hotels, real estate and tbe movie industry, have made it more difficult for law-enforcement agencies co rein them in.

APRIL2015 33

TME TAWAIF GOES TO TME BEER BAR BARKHAA

STARRING: Sara Loren, Taha Shah, Puneet lssar, Priyanshu Chatterjee DIRECTOR: Shadaab Mirza

***�).{

P

akeezah goes to the beer bar. Or some such cagline would serve this fairly watchable melodrama's purposes.

Melodrama as a genre in Indian cinema has gone out of vogue. Debutant director Shadaab Jvlirza weaves an emotional yarn about a girl's journey from the pristine Himachal hinterland into a beer bar run by an incredibly benign South Indian man who could be one of chose caring madams in the fiLns about fallen women set in kotbas.

To his credit, the director doesn't over-romanticise the bar girl Barkhaa's tumultuous life story, at least not initially when she is shown to be quire a tease.

The scenes showing the rich pampered lawyer's besotted son Jacin (Taha Shah, stiff and not just in the upper-lip) frequenting the bar ro dart lovelorn looks at his objeC[ of adoration are mer with a disarming mix of amusement and annoyance by Barkhaa.

The scenes featuring the mismatched couple's tragic game of seduction in rhe bar are effective in purring across a sense of incredulity about the cruel jokes played by destiny especially in movies abour... well, the cruel jokes played by destiny.

A large part of rhe film's effectiveness depends on lead actress Sara Loren, \\'ho is emotively motivated, understands the camera and the power of heightened emotions expressed on screen, and is powerfully empowered to convey a wealth of emotions through her eyes and voice.

Bue the film's finest performances comes from Ashiesh Roy as die level headed unbelievably kind bar owner. Roy imparts a natural ease to his over-sweetened part in

34 APRIL 2015

a fiLu where everybody strains to make an impact.

Regrettably, Loren's strong performance is saddled with bizarre coincidences and unconvincing twists and turns in the narration which plot co diminish her screen presence.

The story tends to veer dangerously close to the theatrical, especially after mid­ point when tl1e proceedings begin to veer absurdly close to the outrageous.

Yet, tl1ere is a semblance of sincerity in the way the life of bar dancer is humanised without making her look angelic.

The film refuses ro glamorise and caricamrise the bar dancer the way Farah Khan did in Happ)' Ne1v Year.

Ar the same time, tl1e narrative won't tolerate a bar dancer being dubbed a prostitute.

There's a moment of terrific awakening where Ashiesb Roy's bar owner's character lashes out at someone who tries to buy tl1e heroine's sexual favo urs for a night.

Eventually Barkhaa's world begins to fall apart. The .same, unfortunately is true of the fiLn. Bur in tal@g the life of a t0111aif from our of the ornate k . otha into the harsh glare of the beer bar, Barkbaa succeeds in portraying a cinematic journey worth undertaking.

There is also a reformist zeal in the script that B.R. Chopra would have approved of in the way the film's hero insists on marrying a bar girl who is a mother of a little girl.

If only real life had such solutions to offer distressed women and victims o f social hyp ocrisy.

Bark./;aa rains down a rhapsody of drama and romance. A heart-warming ac times, touching tale of an innocent girl's journey into tl1e world of deceit, compromise and corruption, it echoes Raj Kapoor's Ra111 Teti

Ganga 1'1aili and Kamal Amroh.i 's Pakeezah in the way the respectable genteel upper class is shown co exploit women of meagre 1neans.

Sara Loren is no Jvfeena Kumari. Bur she kills the part much better than Mandakini in

Raj Kapoor's fevered fable.

Breasts are left behind. This Ganga is nor 111ai/i. Just maligned.

SUBHASH K. JHA

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FORETELL

ARIES tvlarc h 21 - April 19 This month you will be concentrating o n the relationship area of your life. Things may have been a little stressful last month, but you will be planning some special nights in or out. Children may cause you some concern, as there may be some issues that need your attention. Plan ahead with any business ideas, there will be paperwork that needs your attention. The cards are indicating a time when you will be thinking about re-decorating.

TAURUS April 20 - tvlay 20 Love i s i n the air for you this month and you will want to take your romantic interest to the next level. You are feeling sexy and full of passion.This is also a wonderful time to spend time and energy on your career. You will be rewarded and recognised for your efforts.

The cards are showing that you will do best to avoid excessive drinking and heavy foods. A positive time with financial stability and progression.

G E M I N I tvl ay 21 - J u ne 20 This month you will be looking at a clear out. There will be a feeling of wanting to throw out the old and bring in the new. You will be making some major plans around your property and there could be some things that need your attention. Your partner may not be feeling too well, and the cards are indicating a time when you will be planning a relaxing get away. Your finances are also improving later this month.

CANCER J u ne 21 - J u l y 20 There may be some conflict in the relationship area ofyour life this month. Reconnect with your partner and spend some quality time together. Passion and renewal is needed. Work will be a little demanding and your colleagues may also be slightly irritating.

There are some who are trying too hard to please your bosses.

There could be an increase in finances and a promotion. An eye check is needed so make a booking.

LEO J u l y 21 - Aug 22 This month you will be planning some parties and reunions with friends you have not seen for some time. Work will be stressful you will be required to work overtime and will also be working to deadlines. The cards are indicating that you need to stay clear of any confrontations or conflicts in the workplace. There will be some family matters that need your attention. You may feel a little fatigued and stressed out.

VIRGO Aug 23 - Sep 22 You seem to be worrying about things for no reason and the month will start with a lot of stress and tension. There is some great news with regard to your work/business, and you will definitely be making progress with regard to projects and business associates.

Relationships will need some tender, loving care so make sure you ·,. take some time out together and plan a short family break The cards indicate the purchase of a new car.

lNDIANLINK

LIBRA Sep 23 - Oct 22 This month you will be busy communicating with your friends and relatives. You seem to be buzzing around like a social butterfly. There will be some lovely quality time spent with your loved ones. Life has been treating you well lately and you are feeling quite happy in your current situation. The cards are indicating that you may be looking to make some investments. You will heed to make some wise decisions regarding the future.

SCO RPIO Oct 23 - Nov 21 This month you will be sorting out your work situation. There will be some important decisions to make around what you want to do and there is some confusion around where you are currently. The cards are indicating a time when you will be changing your mind quite a lot You will get some good news about study and courses.

You will be trying to save money. You are also keen to find a new partner.

SAG ITTARIUS Nov 22 - Dec 21 You need to keep your appetite under control, as you will be quite tempted by the advances of members of the opposite sex. At work there may be some interesting lialsons and encounters. There are some department changes and you may be offered an opportunity to progress in your job. Finances will be stable and you will be able to save and make some large purchases. Support your partner who may be feeling unwell and stressed.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 19 This month you will be feeling hot and sexy. Your mind will be dizzy with love and pleasure. You will meet some interesting people and you may even start a relationship with someone who you meet by chance. There will be some family responsibility that needs attention. Property matters and paperwork need to be kept up to date. There will be some plans to travel. Finances will be getting better, but watch your spending.

AQUARIUS Jan 20 - !=eb 18 Your partner may be feeling restless and want to make some changes in their career. Children will be the apple of your eye this month as they produce some excellent results at school.There will be some proud moments and prizes. Make sure your car has had a full service as there seem to be a few problems with tyres. The cards are indicating you will plan to make some improvements in your garden area.

PISCES !=eb 19 - tvl a rch 20 This month you will be trying to sort out some planning and building regulations for a property. You may have to go through some questions that will be taxing and stressful. There will be some interest in another property purchase too. Work will be interesting as there will be some employees leaving soon. Your health needs to be looked after as you have been suffering from a lot of stress lately.

Start walking regularly.

APRIL2015 35

Your choice

GUSI-IING ABOUT AGASI-IE ON INDIAN LINK RADIO

H

e's a psychiatrist by profession, and also a well-known actor in India's 'thinking' cinema and theatrical circles (Nishant, Gandhi, Gangaajan. He's also had success in your regular commercial fillums (Trimurti, Oil Aashna Hai, Jism2).

Yet, thespian Dr Mohan Agashe revealed on Indian Link Radio recently, that he takes it with a grain of salt when people come up to him with the drab one­ liner, "Aapko kahin dekha hai (Seen you somewhere)''.

"Some actors are overshadowed by their stardom, while some let the character take over;' Dr Agashe said with characteristic humility and much wisdom.

In a leisurely chat with broadcaster Priyanka Tater live in the studio, he spoke articulately about the business of films, the 'psychology' of films, and his experiences with the greats and the not-so-greats of cinema. He also spoke of his latest work, the critically acclaimed and award winning Marathi film Astu (So be it) based on Alzheimer's disease which he screened for a select audience in Sydney.

While he cleverly side-stepped queries about his time working with the 'stars' (because what happens on set, stays on set!), he was more than happy to juxtapose his experience working with "Manik Da" aka Satyajit Ray on the one hand and Subhash Ghai on the other.

Way back in 1980, while at work on the Doordarshan telefilm Sadgati based on Munshi Premchand's book, veteran director Manik Da, Dr Agashe revealed, would have every scene sketched out in detail on paper. Fifteen years later, you would assume, things would have been even more systematic. But no! Working on Trimurti, all Mohan got from director Subhash Ghai, was a verbal description ofthe scene, forget about the script!

And yes, this one definitely ought to be shared: Mohanji once arrived on set at 9.30am as instructed, only to start work a full twelve hours later at 9.30pm, because "Ghai sahab scenelikh rahey they!"

Nevertheless, Dr Agashe made it clear that though meaningful cinema is like a nutritious diet ensuring a person's creative and mental wellbeing, "Bollywood potboilers" are equally needed, for some spice and fun in life.

His own Marathi film Astu dares to deal with the subject of Alzheimer's, in a heart-wrenching story of a daughter and her father (played by Mohan) who suffers from the disease.

"If you love your parents, then this is a film for you,"Dr Agashe said of the film.

"Dr Agashe literally swept me off my feet," Priyanka said later. ''The artist in him refused to take a backseat, as his histrionics were in full play off-air, while the songs were playing. He was tapping his feet, shaking his head and shoulders, rolling his eyes and enjoying every bit ofthe music:' Of course his expert eye kept a close watch on Priyanka as she deftly handled the listeners' questions and kept the pace of the interview going.

And when he passed 'judgment' on his interviewer - "Seasoned ho,"- she knew she would value it for a very long time.

36 APRIL2015

So you've all seen My Choice, Homi Adajania's film about women's empowerment, starring the beautiful Deepika Padukone, for Vogue magazine's social initiative on women. You've shared it on Facebook and Twitter (no doubt with the message"So inspiring!" or "Go Deepika!" or some such), impressed with the slickly produced black-and-white two­ minute production that tells us that women have choices.

And now, you find yourself believing the non-believers.

Is a woman's choice only about body size, wearing skirts, coming home at 4am, and sexual and reproductive decisions?

What about rape, female foeticide, domestic violence, workplace harassment, pay gap, the intrusive male gaze or all those other issues that a woman has to deal with every day?

A man, making a film on women's empowerment? And a magazine that commodities women, making a statement on empowerment?

Strange choices indeed . . .

Odd couple

Deepika Padukone and Varun Dhawan?

Strange choice. . . Oops, sorry for repeating ourselves here!

The two, it is rumoured, will feature in the Hindi adaptation of popular tear­ jerker The Fault in Our Stars, made by, surprise surprise, Homi Adajania again!

"I don't think it is an unusual pair," Homi said recently. "It's a fresh pairing... both actors are young and I think there is a nice organic balance between the two:' Whatever that means.

In any case, the film-maker continued, the film is still in the scripting stage, and he will only finalise the cast when the final draft is ready. The story is only based on the famous Hollywood production, with a fresh script by Dinesh Vijan.

"It is not going to go out before next October, so it is premature to discuss (casting) now," he said.

Afterthat initial scepticism he's probably rushing back to the drawing board to rethink his, er, choices (someone please stop us from using that term again and again when it comes to Homi!)

Not hurting religious sentiments

There have been reports that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) invited religious leaders for the screening of Dharam Sankat Mein, a move that the film's lead actors Paresh Rawal and Naseruddin Shah say is absurd.

The Board's reasoning seems to be that if the religious leaders (including a Muslim maulvi and a Hindu pandit) give the film a "clean chit" before certification, it would save them and the film-makers from controversies later.

The plotline of Dharam Sankat Mein revolves around Hindu man Dharampal (Paresh) who goes through an identity crisis when he discovers he was adopted as a child and born to a Muslim family.

Naseeruddin Shah, who will be seen

i

K.AL.K.l K.OECHL.IN as a guru of a spiritual organisation in the upcoming satirical comedy, says no religion or group will find anything objectionable in the film as "whatever is shown in it is factual and correct''.

"We have taken care of sentiments of all the religions and groups. We are not mocking religion in the film but the people who have made religion a source of their business,"the actor clarified.

An official Hindi adaptation of British satire The Infidel, the film also stars Annu Kapoor.

Directed by Fuwad Khan, Dharam Sankat Mein is slated for release on April 10.

Naseeruddin may pen tell-all on Bollywood

After his memoir And Then One Day, which has been very well-received by critics and public alike, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah is now all set to do an encore - this time an unflinchingly honest expose of people in the film industry.

"I do think the most interesting phase of my life has been covered.The rest is smooth- sailing. Now what I can do is a treatise on my experiences in the film industry. I don't think that's a bad idea," said Naseeruddin.

"There are many things that I do want to say about the film industry. I might write it in the third-person. Then I'd have the right to be more candid without being diplomatic or hurting egos;'he added.

The 65-year-old says he never expected the first part to be so well­ received.

"I thought they'd be extremely skeptical about an actor trying to write.

I never thought the book would sell as much as it did in my country, or that the Indian critics would be anything but condescending towards it."

Not that this actor-extraordinaire ever doubted his writing abilities.

"I knew that those who cared to read through my account would like it.

Constructing sentences properly and writing essays have been my strong points right from school days. I did know I had a certain ability with words. So I knew

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:.41 E DEEPIKA P A DUKON I wouldn't get whipped by the critics'.'

Hmm, an expose on the workings of the industry, coming from an art-house bigwig. Cab we expect some pole-khole type material?

besides Kalki and directed by Shonali Bose, Margarita is the poignant portrayal of a rebellious young woman with cerebral palsy who leaves her home in India to study in New York, unexpectedly falls in love and embarks on an exhilarating journey of self-discovery.

'When Shonali (Bose) e -mailed me the script, I immediately wrote back to tell her that I loved it;' Kalki said recently. "It scared the hell out of me that she could even think that I could do this!"

Shonali says she picked Kalki for this special role because she is a "risk taker and willing to push herself''.

One of the industry's most powerful couples Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao have got behind the film to ensure it gets a good screening country-wide. The pair have often helped support small budget films like this one that are pushing the boundaries of cinema in contemporary India, in the process giving the industry

Certain films need support more than business

Another art-house type personality has been in the news recently, and not just for her upcoming divorce from director Anurag Kashyap.

Kalki Koechlin's new film Margarita With A Straw is set for a nation-wide release after doing the film-festival circuit.

It won an award at the Toronto International Film Festival last year and also earned Kalki the Best Actress Award at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.

It has also been selected to open the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) on May4.

Starring Revathi and Sayani Gupta

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Malaika Arora Khan or Marion Cottillard in Christian Dior?

Share your views with us on our Facebook page /lndianLinkAustralia

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INDIANLINK

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some much-needed international exposure.

Kalki declared at the trailer launch that such support matters more to her than box office collections or the stamping of her film as a hit or a flop.

Meanwhile, the acclaimed Bengali director rues how mainstream Hindi film-makers do not show a willingness to move beyond the tried and tested.

"We have such talented actors in the industry here but our directors and producers do not give them the challenges that they are up for;' the seven-time National Award winner said.

To see if Kalki has risen to the challenge, we'll have to wait until the film releases on April 17.

What Tweety Bird told us this week Match the stars to their tweets: Farah Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Nargis Fakhri, Ranveer Singh, Karan Johar, Shilpa Shetty, Priyanka Chopra.

"Bye bye NYC.. Mumbai calling.. Yay! Can't wait to be home!!" ''An Airbus crashes....cricket match hysteria...nations award celebrations! Life is truly a pendulum oscillating between Khushi and Gham...."

"OKAAAYYY ! 14 million on twitter !! 20 million on FB ... 3 million on Blog .. 40 MILLION here I COME !!!!

BADDDOOOOMMBA !!!!"

"Travelling home wt me was Aryan khan.

Gauri n @iamsrk take a bow, what a well brought up gentleman he is, waitd 4 my bags n escorted me 2 my car" "Video from Bajrangi Bhaijaan shoots" ''At the #FeminaMisslndia2075 as ajudge:) Wearing Monisha Jaising, earrings farah Khan and rings roots atelier" "In case you missed it- my 'Amazeballs Bollywood Rewind';) .... enjoy!" ''As per media, apparently a dinner crowd ofB at a pizza place is the same as a 'quiet dinner at a plush sobo hotel."'

"Hey guys I'm on the cover ofthe April issue of@vogueindia! Catch my exclusive interview. . ."

Now you Bollywood junkies out there (you know who you are), this should be easy for you.

APRIL 2015 37

BACKCHAT

The world's worst police? Check out these worrying and disgraceful tales

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.

. BY NURYVITTAC,.

I

really hate that Eminem song that uses a police si.ren as an instrument Every time it's on the car radio I have a heart attack. Why are the police foUowing me and why can't ] see them?

Hoc Tip: Make sure you look wildly off your head in your driver's licence photo so that when traffic cops stop you and check it, the real-life you looks comparatively calm and sober.

Police are on my mind after I saw a news item about cops who raided a brothel and found four colleagues using ic.

The really bad thing was that the embarrassed officers were supposed co be on an important assignment taking a murderer from jail co a cli.nic and back.

The realJy, really bad thing was that during the arrests, murderer Baiju Yadav slipped away into the nearb)' rownship (this happened in West Bengal, lndia).

The really, really, really bad thing was that the murderer voluntarily returned to the prison that night and cold police bosses that he was a good guy who hadn't wanted ro go co the brothel but the nasty cops forced him to. \X'hen a convicted murderer is telling people that in his opinion you and your mates are seriously bad dudes, your reputations are pretty much shot.

1 was speaking with some friends and told d1em that this was d1e worst "bad cops" tale I had heard for a while, but d1ey all cried to rop ic.

The American said diat New York judges were so horrified by the corruption of bad cop L ouis Eppolito chat he was jailed for "life plus 100 years", so technically speaking jailers will have to keep his corpse behind bars for a cenmry. Imagine the conversation in, say, the year 2100. "\Xfho's in cell nine?" "Eppolito's skeleton.

He's a bit on the quiet side."

The American also cold me about a US policeman named Jonathan Garcia who used to sell drugs while in uniform. Wonder what his standard line was? "Come om wirn your hands up and check out these items available at a low,

low price if you act now."

The Hong Kong police force is angelically pure now but used co be bad. One Comrnissioner of Police was officiaUy described as "an excellent law enforcement officer", che only stain on his copybook being that he ran a string of brothels in die street ne.xr co police HQ. In l 971, Hong Kong civil servants decided to check out the personal property acquired by a suspiciously Aashy police sergeant named Hon Sum: they found he had a fortune in the bank, two limousines and 49 homes.

Being a male-doi:ninated group,

our conversation quickly escalated into a "my officials are corrupter than yours" contest The mainland Chinese representative, who always has co be number one in any discussion, held up corrupt official Lai Changxing who stole a world-beating $10 billion, but he was beaten by lndonesia's Suharto, with an estimated cake of more than $15 billion.

Meanwhile, if police DO stop you for speeding, l can certify d1at attempts to talk your way out of trouble with science don't work: "If we factor in tl1e 1,600 km/h speed of the earth's rotation, we're all speeding, right?"

Know Thyself as Soul

Who am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going?

Sant Mat is a practical and natural path to self realisati on.

The meditation on the inner Light and Sound combined with an ethical lifestyle builds the foundation to experience and strengthen the connection with the inner core of our being, the soul.

Sant Bal jit Singh teaches this meditation to people searching for a deeper meaning in life.

Weekly spiritual gatherings (satsangs) are available in most metropolitan areas.

Know Thyself as Soul Foundation is a non-profit incorporated association. It offers i ts services free of charge.

For further information contact

1 800 462 1 93 or visit

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ADVERTORIAL

AFL IS BACK ON APR/l 2 A

ustralian Football is Australia's only Indigenous game. It is a unique game utilising many skills. It is a favourite Australian pastime, attracting people from many diverse backgrounds from around the country and is generally regarded by the players and spectators as the greatest game of all.

Spectacular high marking, penetrating long kicking and non-stop action are features which distinguish Australian Football from other sports.

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The AFL season consists of a pre-season competition, followed by a 23 rounds regular season which runs during the Australian winter, from April to September culminating in the Toyota AFL Grand Final which is held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground every year.

The 201 5 Toyota AFL Premiership Season starts on April 2 with a number of matches taking place across the country. To celebrate the return offooty, the AFL have introduced a number of fun initiatives aimed at welcoming new fans to our game: Kids under the age of 15 get free entry to Sunday games in Melbourne Spectators will be allowed to have a kick on the ground at specific matches throughout the year The Woolworths AFL playground will be open 60 minutes prior to each game with loads of fun and free activities and giveaways

To find out more visit afl.com.au

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APRIL2015 39

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'G loba I vi II age'. It's a term we hear a I most every day. It means that our world is now virtually one single community, brought together by rapid advances in things l i ke travel. telecommunications and the internet.

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40 APRIL2015

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