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4 AUGUST 2015

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editorial

INDIAN LINK PUBLISHE:R .Pawan Luthra

E:DITOR Rajni An.lnd _L_u_th[�

Contributing to a better Australia

ASSISTANT E:DITOR -··· Kira Spucys-Tahar ..

''.

ME:LBOURNE: COORDINATOR Preeti Jabbal CONTRIBUTORS Chitra Sudarshan, Manpreet K Singh, Gaurav Pandey, Nikita Kulkar�i. ·· Muktesh Chibber, Manan Luthra, Raka Mitra, · · Dhanya Samuel, Sondarya Krishnan, Ravinder Singh Jabbal. Raka Sarkhel ADVE:RTISING MANAGE:R �shish Chawl� 0468 389 272 · ADVE:RTISING ASSISTANT Preeta N�ir 02 9279 2004 :

Indian Link is a monthly newspaper published in

E:nglish. 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 corre�pondence should be address�d to Indian link Level 24j44 Market St, Syd11ey 2000. or GPO Box 108, Sydney 206i Ph: 02 9279·2004 !=ax: 02 9279·2005 E:mail: info@indianlink.com.au

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

S

wami Vivekananda once said famously, that a nation is built of men and women of character and integrity, and men and women endowed with a sense of worth and dignity within themselves.

Young Australians of Indian origin are doing us proud with their accomplishments, as they contribute in tbeir own way to the grmvth of their adopted nation.

As adults, they will look upon themselves as more Australian than Indian, but they will look back on an upbringing that was filled with Indian values.

At many community functions, guest politicians excoll the four virtues which Indian migrants bring to this country: the value of education; appreciation and support of family; a respect for law and order, and an appreciation of democracy.

First generation migrants have their hands full settling into the new country; diey are coming co terms with die culture of d1e locals, ,vhile also building materialJy to give rnemselves and their families' security. Ir is die second generation Indian-Australians who benefit largely from the foundations their parents have created for d1ern.

From a parental point of view, child rearing is a lot clifferent in Australia than ir is in India.

The generation diat grew up in the 1960s and '70s had career choices ingrained into diem: docrors and engineers were needed for the much larger responsibility of nation-building.

Today, our kids are encouraged to do die ,vork they love, and to Jove the work they do. The opportunities which our youngsters are exposed to in Australia alJow diem co fully explore their talents and creativity.

In this issue, we have reported on a munber of young people doing our community proud with d1eir activities.

There are the adorable spelling bee contestants, whose exuberance and enthusiasm in the ea.rly clips are indeed a pleasure to watch.

A young madiematician of Indian origin has done Australia proud with

his sterling efforts in the International Madiematics Olympiad.

We have budding policy analyses who are working their way into politics mrough die opportunities in Youth Parliament. Their desire to conrtibute to society through politics is indeed admirable.

A young cricketer of Indian origin is knocking loudly on d1e doors of Cricket Australia as he joins die National Under-19 sguad.

Great to see our yom1gsters draped in the Aussie flag.

One believes d1at there are many others who are similarly working at their dreams and passions and are on diei.r way to achieving dieir personal goals.

And while die Reclaim Australia rallies carry on in our streets, here are an increasing number of · ew Australians contributing significandy ro the fabric of society. This charge led by our youdi will make not only our cornmlmity but Australia proud.

And talking about making our countries of birdi proud, co all Indian­ Australian Indians, here's wishing you a very happy 68'" Independence Day. A time to reflect on the enormous strides India has made as it carries its democratic traditions forward!

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• Indian Linlt

LINKING INDIA WITH AUSTRALIA

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Tamil activities mushroom in Oz

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TRIBUTE

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YOUR SAY INDIAN LINKWINS BEST PRINT PUBLICATION

Hannohan Singh Walla wrote: Pawanji,

HELP SAVE ANNALAKSHMI

Iconic Perth restaurant, famous for its 'pay as you feel' philosophy struggles to survive amid redevelopment of its waterfront location

Radhlka Murthy Singh wrote: It's really unfortunate that a local

icon is being forced back in this way. Hope it all works out well for the Annalakshmi team.

Lulu Langford wrote: Perthites - don't let Analakshmi close - one of the very few places where you can get an affordable vegan meal. The Elizabeth Quay ridiculous development has all but destroyed a landmark institution.

Please support them!

Ranganath Bhashyakar wrote: Thousands and thousands of people have been fed by Annalakshmi Restaurant with good. food. However, when it comes to rescuing the restaurant, people are not forthcoming. Even if one donates $10, $5000 can be collected in no time. The attitude of people is totally disgusting.

Petra O'Nelll wrote: When in Perth in January I dined twice at Annalakshmi, the food is that good, the staff kind and welcoming.

Payment is on the basis of pay as you feel, to give from the heart. Sadly, I saw several patrons going back for seconds before dashing out the side door without paying anything at all. Not those in need, but young suited corporates with the latest model iphones and laptops.

THE BIG BLUE MAGAZINE!

Hansen Menezes wrote: This is what we call the Indian Link magazine at home. Having moved to Sydney last year, our first visit to an Indian store led to our love at first sight with Indian Link. The magazine at the cashier counter immediately caught our attention. We took it home and went through it carefully page by page, leaving us with a sense of nostalgia reminding us of our cultural values and at the same time filling us with a sense of pride of Indian's achievements in this beautiful country.

We are regular readers of Indian Link and I wanted to say that you are a great magazine. The content is enjoyable and at the same time very stimulating. A BIG THANK YOU for all the hard work and the dedication of your team which is revealed through multiple awards that you have been winning year on year.

you deserve it. On behalf of the GOPIO team I would like to congratulate you and your team for the hard work. Keep it up.

Preetl Thadanl wrote: Congratulations to the IL team, this is terrific.

May you go from strength to strength.

Wishing you many more successes Motllal Sharma wrote: Dear Friends, hearty congratulations for winning the award which your hard work deserved. Keep it up!

LP Ayer wrote: Congratulations to all of you at HQ. Sandlp Hor wrote: Congratulations to all of you and the IL team. Proud to be part of this team.

Smlta Shah wrote: Heartiest congratulations on your win. Well deserved.

Prlyadarshlnl Chldambaranathan wrote: Congratulations!!! It must be almost boring now to do it year after year :) Jyoti Shankar wrote: That's fantastic! Congratulations for bringing out a consistently quality magazine fortnight after fortnight. I am happy to be associated with such a publication.

Malll Iyer wrote: Dear friends, it is matter of great pride to feel part of a success story. Congrats to everyone who has played a part in getting the prestigious award.

Dhanya Samuel wrote: Congratulations to the core team as well as the extended team ...so proud to be associated with Indian Link.

Mltal Parekh wrote: Congratulations to Indian Link on another achievement! Proud to be a part of it.

Dlllp Jadeja wrote: Congratulations to the Indian Link and the team.

Congratulations to Rajni and Pawan. I know it appears easy when a publication receives awards, so when this keeps happening, one is doing something right. Consistently. All this is not as easy as it may appear from the outside. I am so pleased Indian Link has carved out a space for itself in a rather crowded and saturated market. I am in media and I know being in media is one heck of a challenge especially with the take-off of social media.

So, for many reasons, many congratulations!

Anupam Shanna wrote: Congrats @indian_link@rajnil2 on winning @mikebairdMP awards. 21years! Feels like yesterday when I was talking to @Pawanlink on radio for your launch Royston Rebello wrote: Really nice to hear the wonderful news.

Congratulations to you all! lndlan Link Radio wrote: Proud to be part of the Indian Link Media Group family.

Glenn Hunt wrote: So proud of my new Indian family.

ISCA TURNS 20

NAIDOCWEEK

National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee Week was held from 5-12 July. Indian Link Radio's Nee/am Vasudevan and Kashif Harrison hosted an informative program celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Indigenous Australians.

George Thakur wrote: The Indian Link team could not possibly have

presented ISCA's twentieth more beautifully. A great effort. Congratulations!

John Paul Janke @jpjanke tweeted:@theradiostud@lndianlinkRadio@ NeelamVasudevan Wow! Great idea! Many thanks for the support and promotion of #NAIDOC2015 John Paul works at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies and is a member of the National NAIDOC Committee

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AUGUST 2015 9

community

Hindi for kids

A new community initiative services the language and culture needs of our youngest - and oldest - members

I..

Hindi sccipt, two to three letters at a time, recognising and reproducing them. And of course, there are stories galore!

The sessions are held at a local rental community hall, paid for by che Garg,.

(Narinder is self-employed, running a taxi business and dabbling i□ property development). There are plans, though,

guruku

F

rom little things, big things grow.

The idea for the Gurukull came out of a casual conversation arnong,t friends, but within months, the informal Hindi 'school' bas Melbourne's Indian community quite abuzz.

Narinder and Manisha Garg of Craigieburn were talking with friends about how their two kids, aged nine and five, were choosing more and more to use English as a means of communication over their native congue Hindi. ''It was dear to us that we needed to teach tl1em Hindi, but there ,vas no Hindi school dose by where we could take them," I arinder Garg told Tndian Link. "So we decided to stare our own."

The Gurukull (Sanskrit for 'school') was launched in April this year, as a means co connect Indian-origin kids born here with

their language and culture. o less than fifteen kids turned up on the first day, all from the neighbourhood.

Three months on, there are 24 reguJ.ar attendees. They learn simple prayers like the Gayatri Mantra and Ganesh Vandana, national songs, nursery rhymes, poems and kids' songs from films. They also learn the

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co approach the Victorian School of Languages for possible support.

The response from the parents has been overwhelming as word spreads abom the Gurukull. Particularly impressed were grandparenrn, who suggested to the Gargs that they should launch something similar for senior citizens as well.

''Although there are many senior citizen dubs in Melbomne's Indian community, there's nothing in our region," Garg noted.

"There's much loneliness amongst our elderly as their children go off to work each day, and something needs to be done for their needs as well. And so we initiated 'Chaupaal', a platform for the bNz111'gs to gee together on a regular basis, and share their stories over a cup of tea."

The Gurukull assemb.les every Saturday, and tl1e Chaupaal, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. l e was a naniraJ progression cowards Yoga sessions, not only in keeping with the traditional g11mk1tl philosophy, but also as a means for che seniors to stay active. People of aJJ ages are now joining in.

Support has also come in from Indian government officials. Recently, tl1e Indian Consulate's Head of Chancery, l irmal Kumar, dropped by for an official opening and to see for himself tl1e activities of tl1e new centre. He extended an invite to the kids at tl1e Gurukull to participate at the Consulate's upcoming Independence Day celebrations Where do the Gargs see the venture goiL1g, in five years' time?

"The way it is developing, homaii 11111111eedein htilJut oonchi hoi11 (om hopes are very high)," Nm:inder revealed. "It's been suggested to us that at some stage tl1e Gurukull can even become a proper school."

Rajni Anand Luthra

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AUGUST 2015 11

mainstream Peter Friedlander with attendees at the SARI ANU Hindi workshop

ANU academic attempts to bring Hindi lovers and activists together

T

BY RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA

here are Hindi schools, kavi sat111J1elt111s, Hindi .radio stations and Hindi publications galore in Australia's Indian community, all doing their bit to promote the cause of tbe language in this country.

Yet, as Hindi-lover and academic Petet Friedlander observes, there is no coordinated effort for Hindi activities across Australia.

Dr Friedlander, Senior Lecmrer in Hindi and Urdu at Australian National University's College of Asia and the Pacific, recently organised a national conference to fill this gap. Held at ANU's Soutl, Asian Research Institute, t!,e day-long event in mid-July offered an oppornu:tiry for lovers of Hindi in Australia to meet and discuss the cur.rent state of Hindi nation-wide, in education, in me community, and in the media.

"The idea of the conference arose as I watched the developments going on around m e as a teacher of Hindi," Dr Friedlander told lndia11 Li11k. "There seemed to be plenty happening, but we didn't have coordinated effort for Hindi across Australia - at least not as much we should or could ha,,e."

When the Asian Centflty white paper was released in 2012, it proposed Hindi as a priority language, alongside Mandarin, Japanese and Indonesian, as part of the efforts to make Australia more Asia­ literate. The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Aumority (ACARA) was charged wit!, creating a

12 AUGUST 2015

national currict1lum for Hindi language learning, to be put into action in 2016.

Hindi is being taught quite effectively already in some select schools.

"Melbourne's Rangebank Primary School and Sydney's West Ryde Public School for example have picked Hindi as a LOTE language across the board," Dr FriecUander notes. " l n Victoria, the Victorian School of Languages has been teaching Hincli since 1980."

He adds, "On a commlu:tity level as well, there is a lot happening, and I'm now discovering literary activities in places as far and wide as Wollongong and Woolgoolga and Perth. I mought it was imporram co have a conference which

insightful too," he adds. "Rekha Rajvanshi and Kumud Merani spoke about culmral activities in the community based on me Hindi language." :Ma.la Mehta, tl,e head of IABBV was very resourceful, using video technology to link witl1 t!,e conference from overseas, and showing how we can use it to reach Hindi as she did so successfully wit!, the India Calling program a few years ago.

What draws Friedlander to India? He rel.ls us of his love affair wit!, the counti-y, i n his delightfolly accented Hindi.

"Har tamf se Bharat ka aakarsha11 raha hai," he reveals. "Bachpa11 se hi F-Iindu.rtani logo11 se vmlaakaat thi."

Growing up in me UK, there were

,, Har taraf se Bharat ka aakarshan raha hai Peter Friedlander , , would for the first time assess what was going on and how the National Curriculum will impact these activities."

The workshop attracted varied points of view. Listing the highlights, Dr Friedlander mentions ACARA's Languages specialist Suzanne Bradshaw, who outlined the scope for Hindi in the National Curriculum, and Dinesh Srivastava (editor, Hindi Pushp) , who provided an overview of Hindi in Australia since the 'I 980s, highlighting achievements and challenges.

"Representing the Indian government, Tarun Kumar, the Secretary for Community, Information & Culture was

family friends of Indian origin, and an Austrian grandmomer's fascination for India saw many Indian artefacts like Ganesh statues around the house.

As he travelled in lndia in 1977, he realised, "Bh,m,t ko 1111derooni taraf se samcyhne ke l!Je 1111ye Hindi seekhni chah!)•e."

As an amateur artist he sketched his way through Varanasi, and when people asked him what he was drawing, he wished he could speak their language.

"So I started teaching English in return for Hindi lessons. Aadaanpmdaan ki baat thi!'

He was captivated by tl,e people, culture

and traditions of tl1e land.

"Banara.s ap11e aap 1mi11 Bhamt ka 11amoona hai, as people from across the country travel there. Un di11011 TV nahin tha, am· log kauita-shqyari kmte the. I loved my time there."

He went back home to study Hindi and went on to teach it in the UK, in Singapore and in Australia at La Trobe University and then at ANU. ''ANU is me only Australian university that offers a major in the Hindi language today. It is an exciting centre of studies of India. We have as many as eight scholars working on India in different ways, in Urdu, and Sanskrit, and in history, anthropology and the like. Students k11m !JtJin, leki11Jo hain won lagan sepadhte hain, a11r India se 111a11tmmugdh hait1."

As for now, Friedlander bas his work cut out for him.

Three major motivations came out from tl1e Canberra conference, he reveals.

"One, we hope to bring out a publication of aU the different contributions to Hindi in Australia. Two, we've agreed to set up a website, a go-to point if you will, for I-lindi in Australia.

And three, we hope to meet on an annua.l basis to rake stock of Hindi acti,Tities nation-wide, with Victoria possibly hosting next year."

All we can say is, ha111ari sh11bhkamanqyei11 aap ke saath hain.

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fasf!Jgv. AUGUST 2015 13

cover sto

T

BY KIRA SPUCYS-TAHAR

he dominance of desi children in spelling bees is set to continue with at least three Indian .Australian kids making it to the top 50 of Channel Ten's new television program The G1'eal A11stmfia11

Spefling Bee.

Indian kids have typically ruled spelling contests, whether here in Australia at the NSW Premier's Spelling Bee or at the annual Scripps ational Spelling Bee i n the US. Indeed this year's win by Vanya Shivashankar and Gokul Venkatachalam, in the world's largest spelling bee, held in America, marked the eighth year in a row that winners of the competition have been Indian Americans. A famous 2002 documentary, Spellbo1t11d, followed the participants of the 1999 Spelling Bee, at which an Indian child won, and another had a grandfather in India perform a massive pooja for bis success. ine-year-old Tej lives in Sydney with his parents and younger sister. Both his parents were born in lndia, though he was born here.

In Year 4 at school, Tej can also speak Mandarin and a little PLmjabi. He was reciring the alphabet at 18 montl1s and reading by the age of two. Tej's love of words is infectious, but he admits, ''T\,[y absolme love is cricket! I am mad about it," he says. He tells me when he grows up, "I would love to be a doctor,

14 AUGUST 2015

maybe a neurosurgeon. I wouldn't mind some professional cricket commentary on tl1e side though!"

The Great Au.rtralian Spelling Bee is Tej's first ever spelling competition. He saw me advertisement on television inviting children ro apply and decided to have a go. "It's always good to give these sort of things a shot. You never know, ir just might have a positive impact on your life," he says, showing a mamriry well beyond his age.

On the show, Tej is known as MC Speller.

"They call me mat because 1 love rapping words with a lot of syllables. Some people even say I prefer rapping words instead of spelling them!"

Tej has developed a personal spelling technique of breaking words into syllables.

"It makes me feel like I'm spelling a lot of little words," he says. "I get most of my vocabulary from reading lots and lots of books, which helped me become good at spelling." The young spelling srar also practises using old Spelling Bee lists from the internet.

Tej says his favourite words to spell are 'dodecahedron', a word meaning a polyhedron wim twelve Rat faces, and 'hip popotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia' - an incredibly long word which ironically means a fear of long words.

Almost 3000 spellers from around Australia applied to be part of me show, but only 52 of tl1e best and brightest, aged between eight and 13, made it on to The

GreatAustralian Spelling Bee.

"I enjoyed every minute of the show, bur nothing matched the amazing feeling of rneeting Chrissie and Grant (hosts of the progran1 Chrissy Swan and Grant Denyer),"

Tej says. ''It was so awesome seeing how a TV show is made from inside. But best of all, I made lot.� and lots of new friends."

Indian Australian twins Harpitl1 and Harpita, at just eight years old, will also be appearing on the show.

Tbe brotl1er and sister super spellers, who hail from Melbourne, were born one minute apart, premature ar 34 weeks in fodia. Their parents migrated w Australia when tl1e twins were four monms old. Dad Pandian says tl1e fun-loving kids took some time to catch up i.n terms of weight and development, bur are now at the same level, if not exceeding, tbeir peers at school.

"They picked up spelling last year after joining the local Spellmasters Australia," he says. Spellmasrers is an organisation encouraging young Australians to participate in spelling competitions char will help to in1prove meir understanding of the English language. Last year the pair reached the finals of the Junior competition and botl1 have a distinct love of words.

Demonstrating how technology can be used to enhance education, tl1e kids started learning on meir own as "gifted independent learners" by playing word games on the iPad. "It's about making learning a joy for iliem," Pandian says.

Seasoned spelling bee competitors, Harpith and Harpita like to spend time after dinner playing word games, building meir 'Word Bank' and researching tbe origins of different words.

"It was arnaz.ing to appear on the sho,v," Harpita says.

"I have made lors of friends and the hosts are very funny," she giggles.

Harpita says she and her brother regularly

practice their spelling together, tr)1ing to understand the pronunciation, origin and meaning of various words. "Ir's about learning why a word is special," she says. "\'Yle have nearly 50,000 words in our Word Bank," she continues. "\X?e add around 30 new words a day. I see words everywhere in my daily life - at school, in books, at home. I still have so much to learn, but I know I'm going to be a champion one day. " Harpita says her favourite word is 'cafune', a word of Brazilian Pormguese origin which means the act of running fingers through a loved one's hair. She also like ilie words celebration and phenomenal.

Telling me ilie longest and hardest word he knows, Harpim says his favourite word is 'Floccinaucinihilipilification'. One of the longest words in tl1e English language it means me action or habit of estimating something as worthless. He al.so likes the words ebullient, glockenspiel, avouch, bijou and aplomb.

"All my friends a.re very impressed," he sars. "\Vhen we came back from filming in Sydney they all wanted co know what happened, bur I told them 'It's a Sltrprise!'"

Both kids want to become doctors when mey're older, in part because their muni, Pr.iya, was diagnosed with gestational diabetes when she was pregnant which later developed into Type 1 diabetes. She has ro follow a strict diet and exercise program.

"Priya was always mindful not to inject her insulin in front of the children," Pandian says. "Bur when they were around three years old they developed this fascination wiili science and decided they wanted to be doctors co help people like

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l'J

"They call me MC Speller because I love rapping words with a lot of syllables.

Some people even say I prefer r ing words instead o ing them!"

"I see words everywhere in my daily life - at school, in books, at home"

"My favourite word is Floccinaucinihilipilification.

It means the action or habit of estimating something as worthless"

their mum."

Indeed, Harpith says he wants co be a neurosurgeon and volunteer for UNICEF, while Harpitha says she wants to be a carclio-thoracic surgeon and also volunteer for UNICEF. Both spend lots of time reading science books wbich might help explain their advanced vocabulary.

Pancliao says his twins are very sociable and extroverted and hopes they wiU do well on the show. "People said to us during filming, 'You and your wife are not so outgoing, where do they get it?' They just have this namral confidence and a real desire to learn."

Much has been written about why Indian kids excel at spelling, with western analyses pointing to high-achieving families pressuring the children towards over competitiveness. Perhaps a more reasonable theory lies in the psycholinguistics of it aU. Indians are often not only bilingual, but also multilingual (given they speak and/or understand English, Hindi and their own native tongue whether Marathi or Punjabi or Gujarati). There seems to he a natural proficiency in processing language stimuli tbat couJd lead to higher chao average scores on spelling tests.

Host of the show, Chrissie Swan says, "The Great Amtralian Spelling Bee is edge- of­ yom-seat entertainment with jaw-dropping moments that will leave viewers utterly amazed."

"I love this show because it celebrates smart kids, and it teaches children it's cool to be clever."

The Great Australian Spelling Bee airs 7.30pm Monday and Tuesdayfrom 3 Aitgust on TEN. INDIANLINK

AUGUST 2015 15

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mainstream

.----- he South Asian Public Affairs Council (SAPAC) recently held their inaugural Business Forum in Melbourne at The Grand on Princes Receptions in Mulgrave.

Guests and delegates, representing the business community both in Australia and overseas, attended the forum, designed to facilitate closer professional ties between Australia and Soutl1 Asian communities.

Kaushalya Vaghela from SAPAC conducted the event. She began by acknowledging the sponsors and supporters

of the Forum, before inviting Dr Shahbaz Chaudhry, President of SAPAC, co introduce the committee and share their objectives.

According ro Dr Chaudhry, SAPAC was created to support nmlticulturalism in Australia, whi.le also promoting opportunities for increased collaboration between Australia and South Asian nations.

The Business Forum is designed to enable the mainstream community to engage with South Asian communities in social, cultural, political and economic spheres - working

together to build a harmonious relationship.

The major portion of the evening was dedicated to the formal event and presentations, followed by a late but sumptuous dinner.

Smart Rees from Austrade, who is tl1e Trade Commissioner (Acting) to New Delhi, spoke at length on doing business with Australia and opportunities in Asia for Australians.

According co Rees it is worthwhile co invest time and effort towards improving two-way trade between South Asia and

Australia.

"South Asia is an area in the world worthy of focus for investment and trade," Rees said.

"One should take every opportunity ro understand the oppormaities available and utilise services like banks, J\ustrade and so on co help in managing and minimising the risks in the market."

Savanth Sebastian, Senior Economist from the Commonwealth Bank, spoke about the Australian economic outlook for the next five years.

His PowerPoint presentation, oucliningthe current trends in the market, was well received.

According co Jude Perera, Men1ber for Cranbourne District, understanding the diverse cultures that form the Australian population is vital to the prosperity of Australia.

Former SJ\PAC President Donald Betts, who is also a former senator in the US state of Kansas, endorsed Perera's views while conducting the interactive Q and A portion of tl1e evening.

Reaffirming his commitment to South Asian communities in Australia, Hong Lim MP emphasised the need for the Australian Prime Minister to visit India often co iniprove relationships and create successful opportunities similar to those between Australia and China.

Dillcie Perera, President of the Aus-Lanka Business Council, was officially thanked for organising the successful event.

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Inspiring young entrepreneurs

T

he Young Sikh Professionals r erwork (YSPN) recently hosted one of Asia's most successful tech start-up entrepreneurs Sundeep Sahni, in Melbourne at tl1e marquee event How co Build a Tech Startup.

Just days after his speech it was announced, tl1e former Lazada Indonesia managing director, Sahni has been appointed Vice President of embattled Indian taxi firm Ola. At the YSP event though, Sahni gave nothing away� Delivering a keynote speech drawing on his experiences transitioning from the very lucrative bur cm-throat and competitive field of investment banking at Credit Suisse in New York, to private equity, and finally, to co-founding Lazada, South East Asia's biggest e-commerce website, often described as Asia's version of Amazon, Salmi was open and frank.

Salm.i's journey with Lazada began in 2012. Today, that same company is worth more than one billion dollars, operates in six countries and employs more than 4000 people.

Sahni inspired the Melbourne audience while imparting his top secrets to success.

"The idea is only 1 0 per cent of the game," he said. "Execution is tl1e key."

Despite his own educational pedigree,

having an MBA from INSEAD, a top global business school, when looking to hire for your business, Sahni suggested, "Go for attin1de over expertise."

Perhaps most importantly, Sahni instilled courage in the audience. ''As an entrepreneur, you will be alone, you will doubt yourself and you will get rejections. The key is to believe in yourself and be thick-skinned." Nowhere is this advice more important. In an industry where over 90 per cent of businesses fail within the 6rst three years, it takes a considerable amount of confidence to face those odds and surmotmt tl1em, Having launched i n 2013, this event continued YSPN's efforts in Melbourne.

In the past few years the organisation has -5uccessfuJJy del.ivered six marquee events wiili bUt1dreds of attendees. This particular event continued tl1e conversation initially begun by Ash Singh in July 201 4, about embracing the traditional entrepreneurial spirit of the Sikh community, and the changing nanire of work, careers and -5uccess. YSPN is driven by its mission ro 'create the conditions for young Sikh professionals to succeed and amplify their 1nAuence'. Further events are planned for the remainder of the year, and more information can be found at ilieir website www.yspn . org.au.

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AUGUST 2015 21

community

Morrison on ntulticulturalisnt Prominent politicians address the Multicultural Liberal Business Club

he main draw card at the recent Multicultural Liberal Business Club dinner was the presence of Minister for Social Services Scott Morrison.

The event, wh.ich was held at the Hungarian Community Centre in Wantirna, provided an oppormuiry for local business leaders to network with Ministers and lend their support to the Victorian Opposition.

According to Vasan Srinivasan, Founder and Chairman of the Multicultutal Liberal Business Club (11LBC), the evening was held to introduce the community to Alan Tudge }.fP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime i\,finister and Member for Aston, and Michael Sukkar MP for the electorate of Deakin Also in attendance were lvfichael Kroger, businessman and Liberal State President of Victoria, Chin Tan, former Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission along with several well-known members and

supporters of the Liberal Party from the Indian, Chinese and Dutcb communities.

Early in his address to the gathering, J\llinister Morrison pointed our that one of the main views that Alan Tuclge, Michael Sukkar and he sbare passionately are that they are all strong proponents of tbe existing definition of marriage and the Marriage Act. Minister Morrison said, ''We Lmderstand the significance of marriage in our society and community and the interplay between faiths, religions, family and community. We are committed to ensuring that the long-standjng traditions that we have all undersrood and respected over time will hopefuUy continue to be respected in this country. " Minister Morrison then spoke at length on what he considers to be the 'Fair Go' ethos of Australia and the Liberal Party.

He believes a 'fair go' j5 for those who participate and continue to apply themselves in making a

contribution, rather tban seeking one. ''Australia is one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world. The migrant communities that come to settle here tend to contribute and give not take. They are here to prosper not sit on welfare," said the Miruster. He urged those present to encourage their fellow Australians to contribute, not just by paying taxes and expecting the Government to take action, but also by getting involved themselves.

The 7YCinister said that migrant communities are known to be incredibly generous in supporting each other. He outlined how he sees that migrants understand d1e sense of commurury very well and d1e rest of Australia could learn from them about how to reconnect.

The speeches continued until it was time for an auction to raise funds for the party. Both Alan Tudge and i\.fichael Sukkar were invited to auction items, wh..ich

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AUGUST 2015 23

community First graduation ceremony of the ATA's Diploma in Diaspora Tamil Teacher Training Program

TaTnil activities in Oz

T

he Australian Tamil Academy, a not-for-profit organisation, was founded in the year 1 999

by Sri Sugumaran, to provide opportunities for, and promote, Tamil language learning in Australia. The Academy runs weekend and daily night classes for students at various levels and offers culture-based Tamil education in Australia. It began with a small group of children meeting in each other's homes to learn Tamil. It has now grown into a large organisation with over 100 smdents, 14 teachers, a Teaching Training Program

affiliated ro rbe SR.tvf University in Tamil Nadu and a curriculum accredited by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), Victoria and Community Languages School Program. The Curriculum implements the guidelines and standards sec out in the Australian Vicrorian Essencial Learning Standards (AusVELS) for Languages Other than English (LOTE). The Academy runs classes at Carmm Downs Secondary College, Fountain Gate Secondary College and ar the Little Croft Centre in Casey.

The Tamil Academy had its first

Graduation Ceremony at the Monash University Clayron Campus on Saturday 1 1 July attended by Victorian Multicultural Commissioner, Chidambararn Srinivasan, as well as representatives from SRl\,f Universiry in Tamil Nadu. The ceremony marked the end of the journey taken by a group of 1 1 Tamil teachers and fumre teachers who began their training in July 2014.

In the afternoon there was a seminar held to discuss the future of Tamil education in Australia. The objective of the session \Vas to encourage members of the community to suggest ideas on a range of topics

relevant ro the learning and reaching of Tamil in Australia. It was also an atternpt to bring together a hosr of other Tamil schools operating in Melbourne - and ocher cities such as Sydney - under a 'Federation of Tamil Schools', so rhar they can work cooperatively towards a common objective.

The Academy i s school-specific, and offers Tanul language teaching, a degree program in Tamil, and a Tamil virtual library. It has plans to open a traditional Tamil library soon. The Academy has held Tamil literary festivals and hosted guests from India, and celebrates the Pongal and Chittirai festivals annually. The cultural activities of the Academy rake place under the aegis of the ValJuvar Foundation, and it offers classes in music - instrumental and vocal, and Bhararanatyam.

The Academy is, by and large, supported by funding and donations from the community, with nominal support from the Deparrment of Education and Training and the Victorian Multicultural Commission.

Those interested in contacting the Academy and being part of any of its activities should contact Shamhi Sivakumar on 0401 671 383 or Bhuvana Sugumaran on 0411 240 614.

Chitra Sudarshan

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AUGUST 2015 25

mainstream

Aussie soldier helps raise funds for Indian teen

It's a cross-continental story of mateship and inspiration

BY MANPREET K SINGH

H

ere is a story which incredibly links an Australian soldier's gruelling push up regime to an Indian teenager with a profound disability, the Tour de France and Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital. . .

Like any other 18-year-old, flateb Whig loves sport, but ic was only recently in Melbourne that be got to play bis first real game of basketbal.l - and tennis and boxing, while also getting to trying out some pretty "cool" physio equipment. All chis came about, thanks to a gruelling push-ups regime undertaken by Brigadier BiU Sowry in London, which made tl1e Iodiao teenager's rehab program possible, at Melbourne's Royal Children's' Hospital.

Nearly two decades ago, BiU Sowry was friends with Fateh's father, Major lvfohit Whig, an Indian army officer, who was tragically kiUed in an explosion in Kashmir in 1997.

Born in tl1e Indian city of Chandigarh, Fateh has lived with Spina bifida al.l his life, having little or no control over his bowel, bladder and legs. Although Fateh received

26 AUGUST 2015

excel.lent medical intervention in India, with expert surgeries to his spine, brain, bladder and more, specialise rehab care was missing. The family looked towards the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne for better management of his condition, bm that would cost tens of thousands of dollars.

That's where an old friend, Brigadier Bill Sowry, stepped in and undertook the incredible PUFF chal.lenge - or Push.ups for Fateb Cbal.lenge - which involved four push-ups for every kilometre of the Tour de France. Through generous contributions from all around the world, nearly $60,000 was raised, enabling Paceh to receive rehab at the Royal Children's' Hospital in Melbourne, during June and July this year.

The Whig family came to l'vlelbourne with very modest expectations and realistic goals. Du.ring his three weeks at the Royal Children's Hospital, Fateh was introduced co a new bowel management program, learnt better wheelchair skills and received advanced physiomerapy, even achieving his personal goal of .learning how to shave.

Melbourne proved to be a really positive experience for Fateh, who couldn't believe how "child-friendly" the hospital was, and the confidence it helped him build.

Dr Adam Scheinberg oversa\v Pateh's rehab program at me Royal Children's Hospital's Paediatric Rehabilitation Clinic.

Calling Fateh a "bright young boy" who learnt many new skills in a short period of

,, Fateh has lived with Spina bifida all his life, but to achieve his dreams of becoming a lawyer, he needs to gain independence and be more self­ reliant for his daily needs ,, time, he feels that Fateh has the potential co gain full independence in the funire.

Recounting Fateh's achievements during the program at RCH, Dr Scheinberg said, "Fateh has learnt a new progran1 for his bowel care. \V/e can't underestimate mat as an achievement for a young man, and he's a bright boy, he learnt that very quickly. We were very pleased with tl1at There were some other goals - they were real.ly nice goals set by Fateh. For instance he wanced to learn how to shave and he achieved mat during the time. There was some meal preparation, pressure management and so form."

Dr Schein berg added, "I have no doubt that in IO years from now, Fateh can be a

practicing la,11)1er in India."

Brigadier BiU Sowry, who is Australia's Defence Attache in the United Kingdom, Ireland and me Neilierlaods, believes that chis is the start of a journey for Fateh, and feels heartened by che generosity of people around the world, saying, "Whether you're a Manpreet or a Bill or a Stefan or a john, people anywhere in the world have goodness and generositt" And he's already planning ahead for Fateh, wanting to buy a new wheelchair with the residual funds, even wanting to fund bis education. And though he's hoping that it doesn't involve any more push-ups, he says with certainty, "All that Puffing was definitely worth it."

As for Fateh, he was greatly buoyed by his Melbourne experience. Before coining over for ilie rehab program, between surgeries and hospital admissions, he had achieved outstanding results (95% marks) in bis year 12 exams. He has now won a scholarship in India to pursue a university degree, and will commence smdies in International Law soon. Before leaving Melbourne though, he had a special message for anyone suffering wit!, Spina bifida, or with any other disability, encouraging everyone to dream big.

"It doesn't really matter. You have to carry on with what you're doing. You don't have to think about your disability. Just carry on with what you're doing," Fate!, said.

Reprinted with permission from SBS Punjabi

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AUGUST 2015 27

stage

Shiamak Melbourne busts their moves to a confident beat

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nybody can dance, but not everybody can shake it like Shiarnak Australia's Special Potential Batch (affectionately known as SPBS), Shiarnak Show Kids and Shiamak Dance Instructors.

The face of this coUective group of e.,ceptionally talented dancers keeps changing over time, however the oomph factor seems ro increase with each batch.

The recently held Shiamak Co11fidance show at r<arralyka Centre, Ringwood was designed ro give confidence in dance and served it up in spades.

The Sh.iamak Dawar Institute of Performing Arts has been perfonning at the

28 AUGUST 2015

Co11fida11ce shows in India for several years, however th.is was Sbiamak Melbourne's first attempt at bringing the extravaganza to audiences in Melbourne. l t was an intimate venue with a select audience comprising mainly of parents, friends and family of the dancers. It was a cold, wet and miserable day outside, but inside the theatre it \Vas nothing less than joyous.

Youth and ebullience, skills and energy were in ample display as the dancers ,veaved through each choreographed segment.

BoLiywoocl Rapunzels, Burlesque beauties and Hip Hop experiments created some great atmospheric moods. Costume changes indicated changes in genres, eras and

dance styles, but the choreography had the unmistakable, often repetitive, Shiamak stamp.

In some segments a flood of dancers ran onto the stage circling the main dancer, dropped into foetal positions, polmded fists, flrmg bodies on the floor and emanated what sounded like war cries. No wonder Shiamak calls his dancers 'peaceful warriors'.

Use of large cubes as props and the rapid costume changes upped the entertainment quotient as the evening progressed through multiple performances.

The social message of stopping female infanticide or gender selective deaths was also depicted through dance. An innovative

sequence, conducted without any music, generated awe and much admiration.

Crossovers between jazz, hip-hop, funk, Indian classical and pop was offered through ci:isp movements and rigorous routines. The extravaganza ended with a group finale that built in intensity, raising ro a foot-rnpping crescendo much to the delight of the audience.

The diverse group of dancers was not uniformly skilled across aU disciplines, however the dynamic dancers were cleverly positioned in the limelight. There were a couple of standouts bur every dancer performed wid1 passion and focus.

Preeti Jabbal

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WHAT'S ON SPIRITUAL Tour to Places of Worship Wed 1.2 Aug 8:45am to 2:45pm

City of Greater Dandenong Interfaith Network hosts an opportunity to visit Hindu. Sikh, I slamic. Buddhist.

Christian and Indigenous places of worship. Pick up location Springvale Council Offices. Details: Helen Heath 9546 8441 KHSM Vavu Bau Fri 14 Aug 6am - 10am

Kerala Hindu Society Melbourne is conducting Karkidaka Vavu Bali at Currawong Bush Park Conference Hall.

277 Reynolds Rd, Doncaster East.

Details: 0431 281 443 All Faiths Music Festival Sun 1.6 Aug 2pm-6pm

Sathya Sai International Organisation of Australia & PNG. Victoria Region in collaboration with The Whitehorse Interfaith Network hosts an afternoon of harmony. diversity and great music at Box Hill Town Hall, 1022 Whitehorse Road. Box Hill. Details: Ruwen Moodley 0433 099 418

ISKCON Krishna Janmastaml celebration Sat 5 Sept, Sun 6 Sept

Celebrate Sri Krishna Janmastami at Hare Krishna Melbourne (International Society for Krishna Consciousness ISKCON). Program includes extended darshan, adi-vasa ceremony, fire sacrifice, abhlshek, aarati and kirtan. cultural acti vities. Held at

197 Danks St. Albert Park. Details: harekrishnamelboume.com.a u.

C11aru 0412 696 559 THEATRE Aasbadh Ka Ek Din (One day during the monsoon) Sat 29 Aug 5pm - 8pm

Melbourne's Hindi theatre company Kalavishkar presents this play from Mohan Rakesl1, his explosive debut.

English subtitles will be projected for non-Hindi speakers. Held at Chandler theatre, 28 Isaac Road, Keysborough.

Details: Mandar 0430 666 898 FESTIVAL Teeyan Da Mela Sat 8 Aug 12pm-4pm

Join the Teeyan Society of Melbourne for this free, all ladies event featuring gidha and bhangra! Held at 827 High Street, Epping Memorial Hall, Epping.

Details: Natasha 0433 892 300 MAV Onam Festival Sun 16 Aug 10am-6pm

Malayalee Association of Victoria presents their 39th Onam celebrations at Springvale Town Hall. Details: Sunitha Susan 0422 710 415 or mavaustralia.com.au KHSM Melbourne Onam Sat 22 Aug 10am - 4pm

Kerala Hindu Society Melbourne Inc. invites you to their 3rd Onam extravaganza held at Glen Eira Town Hall, Caufield. Details: 0403 585 702 or www.khsm.org.au

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30 AUGUST 2015

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VSA 27111 Annual Dinner & Dance Sat 29 Aug 6.30pm

Join Victorian Sikh Association for their Bombay Velvet themed annual event. F eaturing photo shoot, dinner, entertainment as well as presentation of the Sikh Awards.

Held at The Grand on Princess, 1122 Princess Highway, Mulgrave. Details: victoriansi khassoci ation@gm aiI.com INDEPENDENCE DAY FIAV Multicultural Gala Dinner Fri 14Aug 7pm - 12am

The Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria, with special guest Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews, celebrate multiculturalism with the State's parliamentarians and ethnic community leaders. Dress is formal/ traditional. Held at Grands on Princes, 2249 Princes Hwy, Mulgrave. Details: Supriyo Sinha, 0425 747 832 CGI Melbourne Independence Day Sat 15 Aug 8.30am - 11.30am

The Consulate General of India in Melbourne, 344 St Kilda Road, hosts a fl ag hoisting ceremony for the occasion of the 69th Independence Day of India. All welcome. Students and children are especially encouraged.

RSVP tra de@cgimelb.org by 5 Aug

Indian Food Festival Sat 15 Aug 10am - 9pm

Festivals of South Asia hosts a festival dedicated to India's rich cultural heritage. Including spice markets, cooking classes and sweet and savoury delights from across South Asia. Held at Werribee Racecourse on the occasion of Indian Independence Day. Details: contact@ festivalsofsouthasia.org.au Hoton Se Chhu Lo Tum Sun 16 Aug 6.30pm-11pm

Australian Indian Innovations Inc, on the occasion of Indian Independence Day, hosts an evening of dinner and entertainment. Proceeds benefits Dandenong Hospital Cardiac Care Unit.

Held at Clayton Town Hall, 264 Clayton Road. Details: aiii.org.au or 0403 337 142

MUSIC RaagRung Sun 9 Aug 4pm

Tabla maestro Shubh Maharaj performs along with Melbourne's own star sarod player Sabyasachi Bhattacharya. Held at Waverley Meadows Primary School Concert Hall, Columbia Drive, Wheelers Hill. Details: Sandeep 0407 612 622

For full calendar of WHAT'S ON listings (nation-wide) check out: www.indianli n k.com.au You can also submit your listing online

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AUGUST 2015 31

tribute ,, You are the ambassadors of India in this country. Indians here should focus on giving their best here for this country, and if they succeed in doing that, their name will spread in both the countries ,,

Contribute to the betterTnent of your adopted country Dr Abdul Ka/am spoke exclusively with Indian Link's GAURAV PANDEY during his 2011 visit to Sydney

D

r APJ Abdul Kalam, one of India's most loved presidents and the country's best-known scientist, visited Anstralia in 2011.

As a guest of the University of Sydney, he was invited to deliver a lecn.1re under Sydney Ideas, the university's premier public lecture series program that brings some of world's leading thinkers to the wider Sydney community.

During the visit, he also received an honorary doctorate, his 41st, from the University of Sydney, and met with Sydney's Indian community at a reception held in his honour ar Hotel Shangri-La. Essentially a man of ideas, be in1pressed with his honesty and absolute conviction.

He cook time out to chat exclusively with Indian Liuk.

IL: In India, the fruits of globalization have not reached the poor. What should be done to improve the lives of the most marginalised sections of India's society?

Dr. Kalam: The problems are sti.ll

there. l n India, 700 million people, that is roughly 70%, of the popLtlation, live in villages. So there is a need to provide facilities in villages which will aid their development. Therefore we have evolved a concept called PURA, or Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas. There is a need to establish about 7000 PURAs

32 AUGUST 2015

in India. Under each PURA, a cluster of about 20 to 30 villages is provided with physical connectivity, electronic connectivity and knowledge connectivity.

This will lead to economic connectivity.

There are number of operational PURA in India initiated by many educational and healthcare organisations, industry and other institutions. The Government of India is already moving ahead with the implementation of PURA on a national scale across several districts, with an intention of establishing two PURAs in every district of the coumry. So, under this program, the economic prosperity of urban areas will reach the rural areas. Our focus is to empower villages with earning capacity, because unless earning capaci1:y is there, healthcare and other facilities have little meaning. One of the requirements of this program is to spread kno,,,ledge th.rough satellite communication and other media.

For example, mobile clinics in lndia have taken health facilities to rural areas.

IL: The sub-continent has witnessed widespread violence and ciYil unrest in recent years. Often these conflicts arc a result of the injustice meted out to citizens. What can we do to ensure there is greater harmony in the society?

Dr. Kalam: This problem springs up in different places at different times. It is a world phenomenon. The Arab nations are

going through the some problems. There have been terrorist attacks even in the US. I am convinced that the prosperity of a few nations wiU not bring prosperity to all the nations.

Therefore, I mlk of evolution of enlightened citizens. First, throughout the world, we need to provide education with value system to our citizens. This is missing in today's society. Second, in religion there are two components, one is ,spirituality and another is theology. Theology is unique for a religion, but spirituality is common to every religion. So, we can connect religions using the common spiritual element in them. When we are able to bridge religions in this way, tolerance wiU come. Third, we need co alleviate poverty. So, the evolution of enlightened citizens will happen with the summation of education with value system, bridging religions through spirituality and removing poverty. This is what I propose.

IL: You were an eminent scientist and

a weU-respected figure, even before you became the President of India. How do we encourage India's intellectual wealth to play a more active role i n governance and nation building?

Dr. Kalam: An important incident took

place in India many years ago which can serve a role model for our citizens. In 1954, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of

India, invited Prof. CV Raman to receive the Bharat Ratna. _Prof. CV Raman wrote a letter to Dr. Rajendra Prasad expressing regret that he would not be able co accept the invitation as he was guiding 4 PhD scholars, and his priority was to ensure their the.sis was completed on time. This shows that for Prof. Raman his students came first. .

(Prof CV Ra!llall J1Jas aJ1Jarded the Rharat Ratna i11 ahsmtia). This is a great example. We need more such teachers in India. A great teacher should feed creativity. We need this kind of dedication and selflessness in our people and future leaders.

So, to answer your question, we need to feed creativity. Creativity leads to thinking, thinking provides knowledge and knowledge makes you great.

IL: Do you have a message for the Indian community living in Australia?

Dr. Kalam: My message to Indians living in Australia is, wherever you are, you contribute to the betterment of that country. Your knowledge and experience is important, but it is very important to work for your chosen country. You are the ambassadors of India in this country.

Indians here should focus on giving their best here for this cotmtry, and if they succeed in doing tbat, their name will spread in both the countries. As human beings, they should have great thoughts, and back those with actions to achieve success.

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A tribute to A.P.J. Abdul Ka/am, scientist and former President of India

A

PJ Abdul Kalam was doing what he loved best, when he collapsed on 27 July.

He was speaking to a bunch of students.

An enthusiast till the end for sharing ideas with smdenrs and youth, he was delivering a lecture at the Indian lnstimte of Management at Shillong when he collapsed

INDIANLINK

irit

co solve lndia's problems - on bridging the rural-urban divide through his pet concept l of P JRA or Providing ·urban Amenities in Rural Areas - for empowering villages, and also to use solar power, nuclear energy and bio fuels in a big way ro tide over lndia's energy needs.

Born on October 15, 1931 ar tl1e Hindu pilgrim rown of Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Kalam specialised in aeronautical engineering from Madras lnscimte of Technology and in 1958, joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

He rnoved to tl1e Indian Space Research Organisation ([SRO) , where he was project direcror of India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-Ill), which successfully injected the Rohini satellite in the near eartl1 orbit in July 1980 and made India a member of tl1e exclusive Space Club.

In his two-decade stint in the space agency, he was responsible for tl1e evolution of ISRO's launch vehicle programme, particularly the PSLV configuration.

He rejoined DRDO in 1982, and planned the programme that produced a number of successful missiles, earning him tl1e "Missile Man" nickname. He rook up the responsibility of developing indigenous weapons as the chief executive of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (TGMDP). He was responsible for the development and operationalisation of Agni and Prithvi missiles.

From 1992 to 1997, Kalam was scientilic adviser to the defence minister, and later served as principal scientific adviser (19992001) co the government witl1 the rank of cabinet minister.

He played a prominent role in the country's 1998 nuclear weapons tests, Pokhran-II, which established Kalam as a national hero.

He also gave thrust ro self-reliance in defence systems by progressing multiple development tasks and mission projects such as Light Combat Aircraft.

In 1998, Kalam put forward a countrywide plan called Ted111ology Vision 2020, which he described as a road map for transforming India from a less-developed to a developed society in 20 years, and called for, among otl1er measures, i11creasing agriculmral productivity, technology as a vehicle for economic gro,vth, and widening access to healtl1 care and education.

From November 2001, Kalam was professor, technology and societal transformation at Anna lJniversity, Chennai.

I-le wrote four books, Wi,l!!s of Fire, India and died in hospital shortly afterwards.

His last tweet, sent out a few hours earlier, sounded enthusiastic. "Going to Shillong to r.ake course on Livable Planet earth at UM." (His handle @APJAbdu!Kalam, describes him as "Scientist, teacher, learner and writer.

Served as the 11th President of India (200207). Working for an economically developed

nation by 2020.")

Popularly known as India's "Missile Man", Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam crowned an illustrious scientific career with a term as India's first citizen.

He was recipient of India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1997.

As a scientist, academic, writer and president, Kalam was full of ideas on how

2020: A Vision Jo,· the NeJIJ Millenni11m, 1\'[y

]0111'!111)� and Ignited Minds: Unleashing the po1JJer

within Tndia.

One of tl1e most distinguished scientists of India \Vith me uni9ue honoLtr of receiving honorary doctorates frorn 30 universities and institutions, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1981, and Padma Vibhushan in 1990 before me Bharat Ratna. !ANS

AUGUST 2015 33

The inaugural High School Dance Competition goes off with a bang

M

BY NIKITA KULKARNI

usic, dance, sashaying colours and beaming smiles on everyone's faces.

Thar's what the High School Dance Competition (HSDC) was an about.

For a fust-time event, the turn-out was amazing.

Students from various high schools across Melbourne came together to perform Bollywood dance and made ir a night ro remember.

1-2-3-4, Get 011 the danceflo011 The competing teams were welcomed by a cheering and enthused audience, and this spurred the dancers on to put their all into each presentation.

Participating schools included Footscray High School, :tvlac Robenson Girls' High School, Manor Lakes P-12 College, Suzanne Cory High School, Werribee Secondary College and Marian College.

The judging panel consisted of Cnr Heather Marcus, L isa George, the Director of Thar Dance Place, and Jaya Karan from the Sapphire Dance Group.

Chief guests at the evening included Mayor of Wyndham, Peter Jvfaynard, Natalie Suleyman, Member for St Albans, and Jasvinder Sidhu, MLilticulmral Advisor to Premier Daniel Andrews.

Footscray High School was first off the

34 AUGUST 2015

mark, and did they get the cro\vd going!

The ghnghra.r swayed just for the right amount of 00mph, and you coLild tell the dancers relished the crowd cheering and clapping along. Some very well executed th11111kns here, girls!

The presentation by Mac Robertson Girls' H:igh School was high on the creativity quotient. Fun and exciting, the dancers morphed from graceful, <lemme females into tough sttong males, showing dominance and control.

Manor Lakes P-12 College proved their

made, nor only with their cosuunes but also their inventive choreography, including thosejhataks and 111altlk.s! Breathtaking.

The sheer energy seemed to speak for the entire generation, who are ,villing to take anything on and give it their all!

From watching YouTube to constilting dance teachers to simply watching Indian movies, each and every smdenr put rheir heart and soul into the performances.

Let's just say, plenty of ligbt bulbs were screwed in, and many, many dogs were patted! i\s they mrned into Chikni

,, As they turned into Chikni Chameils and Dilli Wali Girlfriends for the night, it was obvious the students had the current Bollywood formula down pat: kabhi soft kabhi rude, killer tera attitude! ,, talent with rhe.ir use of thrilling acrobatics.

The boys' magnificent stunts including cartwheels and Rips - yes, into the stalls had the audience holding their breath and gripping the edge of their seats.

Marian College faced some difficulties, and in the end settled for a duet performance graceful and enchanting. Their commitment to presenting a complete performance shone through, much like the glimmer from the cosmmes. Kudos ro the dancers, who demonstrated dedication to dance and proved that hard work is the key.

Last but not least, came \Verribee Secondary College. And what a splash they

ChameiLr and Dil/i 1£7ali Girljiiends for the night, it was obvious they had the cmrent Bollywood formula down pat: kabhi soft kabhi mde, killer fem attit11de.'

And yet, the genre was not oruy unique Bonywood, but also incorporated a bit of Hip-Hop and classical Bharatanaryam.

There was talent, effort and enthusiasm galore!

Werribee Secondary College were announced as winners, with a cash prize of $2000, closely followed by Suzanne Cory High School with a cash prize of $1000 and Footscray High School with a cash prize of $500. The prizes were split, with half going

to performers and half towards their school.

A special prize was presented to Marian College, for performing even after having faced some difficulties.

Guest performers provided a breath of fresh air and showcased different dance techniques, from Bollywood to jazz to ballet to fusion. These included dancers from Thar Dance Place, Indusrrial Dance Company and Mel's Jazz Performers and Rachana atyalaya.

Dancer Sashank GLilla, in his debut performance in Australia, rook the audience by storm. He may be a student of engineering, but Sashank cannot contain his love for dance. His breakdance routine, as well as his number with Rachana Natyalaya, both went down very wen.

HSDC promises to host further such school events - with a larger line-up next year to keep the excitement going.

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AUGUST 2015 35

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36 AUGUST 2015

oving to London in 1936, Anand Swaroop .1-.fohan, my mother's maternal uncle, joined the Royal Air Force on World \Var Il's outbreak and fought in the Barde of Britain. Her fadier, Rewati Raman Bakshi, an Edinburgh-qualified docror, served the war years at command hospitals at Meerut,Jalandhar, Nowshera and other garrison cities. Thousands of families across India and Pakistan will be able to recall similar stories but these are just a part of the war's impact on die subcontinent and its people.

As per conventional, nationalist discourse, what the war years are remembered for are the Congress ministries' resignation, the August offer, the Cripps Mission, QLtit India, die Bengal fan1ine, Subhas Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army (and me Red Fort Trial) and for military buff, me Battles of Kohima and Imphal - but aJl these, rl1ough prominent, are only facets of a larger, composite picture. \'{That has been overlooked so far, contends Yasmin Khan, writer and professor of history at Oxford University, is the cumulative, comprehensive effect on the Indian "home front'' as the country soon faced a total war and its manifold demands.

She proceeds to rectify the omission in her second book, The Raj at War: A People's f Histoiy India's Second W'odd fl7ar (Vintage/ Random House India).

Her debut The Gre{lt Pmtition: The J\1{lki11g llldia a11d P{lkistan was an incisive account of how partition's politics played among people and d1e politicians' wilful, almost criminal lack of knowledge of what it would entail.

As she brings out in her new book, the Second World War saw India becoming a huge troop base with personnel from aJl over the world (including a substantial component of Americans) while facing me social and economic costs of scores of young men being sent overseas to fight - against kilians in Ethiopia, Germans in north Africa, Greece and Italy, and Japanese in Burma and on the Indian borderlands itself. On the ocher hand, women, most middle class but of other strata too, enjoyed new freedoms as they engaged in war work, as nurses, in industries and auxiliaries, with gusto. And men d1e cultural impact (remember me Americans).

There was the major expansion in tl1e state's powers and functions, a disruption to me local economies, food shortages and inAation - paradoxically, the same time as industrialisation, infrastructure development, and even consumer comforts - refrigerators and tinned food - received a huge boost.

But most significant was in the political realm - the radicalisation of a large number of d1e populace, especiaJly among the armed forces (d1e buhvark of me empire), the growing commllllal divide, the focus of a wider British audience, which swung from antipathy at moves to scuttle the war effort to sympathy for Indians' aspirations for self-rule and, most importantly, how d1e experiences shaped the course of decolonisation, and of Independence and Partition. It must be remembered that

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of

YAS M I N K H A N

AT WA R A People's History of India's Second World War

'' WW 2 1haped the course of decolonisation, and of Independence and Partition. August 1947 was Just two years after British voters (a large portion of them servicemen) seeking a more equitable order, ejected the Conservative government of Winston Churchill, which had won the war ,, August 1947 was just two years after British voters (a large portion of mem servicemen) seeking a more equitable order, ejected the Conservative government of \Xfinston Churchill, which had won the war.

Considerable responsibility for me acceleration for empire's encl can be laid at the door of the heavy-handed Viceroy, d1e Marquess of Linl.ithgow, who not only unilateraJly took India into the war but also compounded his blunder by never seeking to reach out to the people at large to win tl1eir support (Why his contribution co me freedom struggle is not lauded remains a mystery!)

Anma Asaf Ali, (d1en) Lt.P.S. Bhagat VC,and G.D.Birla are among d1e fan1iliar people we encom1ter but Khan in her book also brings our stories of many whose contribution was no less crucial but would have been fated to remain unsung - the Lascars, who were the backbone of the merchant marine, and the armed forces' viral support staff - tailors, cobblers, washermen, nttrses, farmers, labourers, even prostitutes.

As a chronicle of mese turbulent times and their effect on present Soud1 Asia, dus work can scarcely be bettered.

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INDIANLINK

AUGUST 2015 37

relationships

Relationships should be about respect and compromise, not violence and abuse, writes MUKTESH CHIBBER

W

e meet, we agree ro tie the knor and spend our life rogether with our parrner and then we ask ourselves, what went wrong? Why are we not happy together? As a couple we choose to be committed to each other and create a map of our life journey. V//e share our visions, thoughts, passions, beliefs, as well as support, trust, friendship, love and conAict with our life partner. But you also have the right to feel safe, be safe from violence, and should reach our for professional support if necessary.

38 AUGUST 2015

We want to relate to each other positively, however differences of opinions can give rise co issues, and at times, an accumulation of unresolved issues manifests into a distasteful incidem and subsequently traumatic events in life. 1 often hear from couples that Indian migrant newlyweds in Australia do not get an opportunity to understand or bond with each other due co the 0\7erwhelming pressures of being in a new land, or inappropriate interference from external sources such as extended family members from overseas. This lack of oppornmity may potentially create

misunderstandings between a couple who have yet to get to know each other. An understanding of the 'self' and taking responsibility for one's behaviour enables a reAective approach as opposed to a reactive one that may be detrimental co the relationship.

The important question is, would difference of opinion or conAict between tl1e couple manifest into an enormous issue if the couple had the ability or skills to resolve their differences? Development of mutual understanding berween a couple takes time and tl1e intent ro a committed relationship requiring nurmring and affection, free from any form of abuse or violence.

The need co \Vant co establish a relationship, free of abuse and violence, requires a commitment from each individual. There is always something about our tl10ught process that may not be helpful and sometimes we need to 1et go' of sometliing or make a compromise

that would benefit the blossoming of our relationship.

As a commmury, we have evolved and adapted to embrace and recognise the ups and downs of life. Ar the same time, as individuals we are a product of our environment and tl1e broad socio-political and economic trends that impinge on our family life. W/e learn to cope witl1 the daily stressors of life such as hectic routines, parenting styles, work pressures, financial .issues and extended family matters. This can be many tin1es compounded in a foreign land by loss of networks or family support.

However, abuse or violence is never rhe answer to resolving a conAict or difference of opinion. Violence witl1in a relationship 1s a cnme.

Change is inevitable. As we cha11ge as individuals, so does our relationship. This change does not necessarily have to threaten our relationship, it simply requires us ro be equipped witb new strategies, skills and negotiation. Seeking timely assistance and support from qualified professionals can help in preventing or escaping acts of abuse or violence and in the managemenr of the breakdown of a relationship.

M1tktesh Chibbe,· is a couples andfamily therapist, and afamily law mediato1� She has 25years ofexperience woddng in Australia.

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AUGUST 2015 39

youth

Maths whiz SEYOON RAGAVAN brought home a gold medal from the International Mathematics Olympiad competition this month. The sixteen-year-old Year 11 student at Sydney's Knox Grammar School tells us why he loves numbers in December and April. Each night me students would have an evening problem session wid1 our lecturers where we'd just ruscuss random problems. One of d1em would pose a problem to us, and we'd spend time talking with each other and discussing the problem. Often the problems were very unusual in flavour, and so the camaraderie in discussing these problems with each other and slowly working our \vay towards an informed solution is truly fi.m and enjoyable.

BY MANAN LUTH RA

Why does maths appeal to you?

At the Olympiad level, maths could be described as anything but routine. Quite often there is a lot of creativity, ingenuity and stabbing around in the dark cowards finding a solution to a problem. When hours of work at one problem culminates in chat singular moment of clarity when everything falls inco place, ic can be very satisfying. Another great thing about maths is that the further you explore it, the further you find the deeper underlying connections between seemingly unrelated strands of mathematics.

What interested you about maths, as a young child starting school?

Know a good maths joke?

Five out of every four people do not understand fractions.

Would it be true to say that you know maths better than some of the teachers at school?

To be completely honest, at chat time the primary driving factor was simply that 1 happened to be reasonably good at itl lt cook until maybe I was 10 or 11 when 1 started delving into the more creative end of rnatl1s, and slowly I developed an appreciation of the beauty and creativity that went into such a rich field.

, , Maths is ultimately about elegant ideas, principles and arguments that have shaped our knowledge of the field ,,

Which mathematicians have influenced you?

Why are so many kids scared of maths?

l wouldn't say I've done enough in

mathematics yet to name mathematicians who have necessarily influenced my work. That said, there are definitely some mathematicians who I admire, for example Euclid, Leonhard Euler, Carl Friedrich Gauss, Paul Erdos, and of course our very own Terry Tao.

Are you going to go on to become a famous mathematician like Terry Tao, the other student from Australia who won the Maths International Olympiad?

Where do you see yourself at thirty?

I'm not coo sure where I want to go in terms of a career, but I'd definitely like to continue with something mathematical.

Terry Tao is the perfect example of the fact chat research mathematicians can in fact be well-rmmded inruviduals, so I do enjoy bringing him up as an example when discussing my career options with others!

What would you say to a student like me who thinks maths is a chore?

Maths is always going to be a chore if you &imply do the tasks you're given, d1ough chis is sufficient to get through the HSC. But if you want to see the elegance chat maths really has about ic, you need co dive in, look for patterns and pursue mad1ernatical truth yourself. At the end of the day, mathematics ar the research level is an endless pursuit of absolute truth.

40 AUGUST 2015

I think d1is goes back co maths being seen as a largely routine thing - people see it as 'you just drill the techniques in, and then it's just ploughing through task after task wicb the same drill every single time.'

Sometimes this "endless ploughing" can seem daunting, and perhaps this is one of the reasons that some students tend ro be scared off by maths. Unfortunately, chere is also a moderately prevalent perception of maths as an amalgamation of ugly equations, whereas d1e reality is that maths is ultimately about elegant ideas, principles and argrnnents chat have shaped our knowledge of the field.

I have to say in my personal experience I haven't seen an awful lot of rufference between how boys and girls handle maths.

However, d1ere. is the issue of lower proportions of girls performing in mad1s at the highest level. \\Yhile I can't say I'm qualified enough to account for this, 1 definitely think this is an issue chat is being improved on, and it would be really good if we could see an evening om between the boys and girls populating these Olympiads within the next ten to fifteen years.

WHY do we need maths, Seyoon???

As I see it, d1ere are three main reasons: 1. Practical sciences such as physics and chemistry, that directly influence the everyday workings of the world, from metal extraction processes to space exploration

to global communication, are entirely contingent on mathematical foundations laid down by mathematicians over cenmries.

2. Pure mathematics also has direct applications in d1e real \Vmld. Two of my favourite examples are the use o f parabolic dishes in radio telescopes, owing to the reflection properties underlying die geometry of d1e parabola, and also d1e role of prime numbers in cryptography and security. Prime numbers are still an area of heavy research in the mathematical world, and if it weren't for them, your bank accounts would all be bust thanks co hackers!

3. As a discipline, mathematics develops the foundations of critical chinking skills involved in systematically breaking down complex situations d1at are key in several od1er subjects and disciplines, including the humanities, where quantities of work often culminate in carefully constructing an argument in essay form.

Asians and maths. ls the stereotype true?

Once again, I don't think I'm exactly qualified co pass educated comment on this.

You probably do maths for fun. Tell us a fun maths activity that you have enjoyed?

I absolutely love doing maths for the pure ftm of it! One example of a fun activity I've enjoyed is our training camps

The teachers ac school and I specialise in different areas of mad1s. Teachers would be by all means more well-versed in fields typically covered in undergraduate mathen1atics, for example those pertaining to linear algebra and calculus, whereas my expertise lies more with discrete fields of mathematics, such as combinatorics and number theory. I should note chat quite a few of the teachers would also be experienced in one or more of these areas as well, especiaUy if they continued maths beyond d1e undergraduate level.

Nevertheless, these teachers are all of course far more experienced d1.an I am, so 1 definitely have a lot to learn from theml

If you had to impress a girl with your maths skills, what would you say to her?

I would give her a standard 52-card deck co shuffle and place on a table, and d1en I would write the name of a card on a piece of paper and place it face down. 1 would ask her co deal twelve cards to the table, face down, asking her to select any four.

The couched cards would be mrned face up, and the remaining cards gathered and returned to the bottom of me pack.

For example's sake, I'U assume d1at the four face-up cards are a four, seven, ten, and king. I would men deal cards on cop of each of the four, dealing enough cards to bring the total of each pile up to ten. For example, I would deal six cards on the four, counting, "5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.''

Three cards are dealt on d1e seven. No cards are dealt on the ten. Each royal card counts as ten, so no cards are placed on the king.

The values of the four cards are now added: 4, 7, lO, and 10 equals 3 1 . I'd hand her the pack and ask her to count to d1e 31st card, and turn it over. Funnily enough, it happens ro be the same as d1e card whose name I'd written down at the beginning! I'll leave you to decide why.

Seyoon, you're the coolest nerd I know. #Respect!

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Prob Jem 2.

Determine all triples (a. , b, c) of positive integers suci1 t11 at each oHhe numbers ab - c,

be - a,

ca - b

is a powe]· of 2.

(A pmve.r ri/ 2 i.s an integr?:r rif the fom1 2", where n. i,.s a non-negative m.te.ger.)

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Seyoon with super geek and Australian Mathematics Trust supporter Adam Spencer; One of the problems Seyoon solved on the way to gold (left) AUGUST 2015 41

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42 AUGUST 2015

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AUGUST 2015 43

BY RAKA MITRA

A

year ago I booked myself on the adventure of a lifetime trekking through the Himalayas for 15 days and conquering my own Mount Everest aiming to make it to Everest Base Camp.

At 5,365m above sea level, I knew this was going to be diffi rnl t, especially because I had never trekked a day before in my life!

It was co be a journey of self-discovery, of pushing myself to stretch limits, and of course co take a few seJfies next co die "Everest Base Camp 2015" sign. Nepal promised adventure and a life-changing experience and when I arrived mere earlier diis year she didn't rusappoint.

Saturday 25 April is a day that will be etched in my memory forever. Thar day, a moment changed my life. If 1 am completely honest, I have been trying to write down my experience of dus day for a while and every time my pen freezes as my mind rewinds back to relive the devastation of diat day.

I started die day in die small to·wn of Chitwan, famous for its population of Asiatic rhinos and tigers. This was the perfect setting for some much deserved pose-trek rest and relaxation. After spending a few days here I decided one morning, quire spontaneously, to head back to Kathmandu. I booked a courist bus and headed off to meet friends I'd made along die way.

The strip of road to Kathmandu

44 AUGUST 2015

meanders along the mountain and the Trishuli River, often beconiing quite narrow; I needed to book a hotel for die night and was searching dirough some last minute deals when the first quake of 7.8 magnitude Ilic at 1 1 .56am. No one d1ought much of it, die bus rarded quite severely in hindsight, but at die time, ever)'one except the driver wrote i t off as "bad roads." I remember looking out che window and noting the paved road - I couldn't see any potholes, but chat didn't mean die)' weren't on the other side.

Within moments, I noticed a landslide begin on die other side of the river. There was still no cause for alarm, I'd been dirough many a rock-fall while trekking.

Landslides and rock-falls are common occurrences in epal. A quick scan had confirmed no homes or people were in harm's way so I went back to my search for a hotel room. \Y/e stopped at a village to the sounds of wailing. A car ,vas on irs side. A woman was devastated. Anodier accident, we all thought. Two days before, a tourist bus, just like die one 1 was in, had been in an accident and fallen down d1e mountain road. It's a sad, but relatively common occurrence on die Pritlwi Highway. Slowly we got information that it wasn't an accident. There had been an eardiquake.

My nu.nd refocused from the macro view of the woman, the overturned car and gathered crowd, ro d1e bigger picmre.

Concrete homes had crumbled, others were leaning dangerously, and a few people were in hysterics.

A few moments later, our driver decided ro push on. "\'(/e must get to Kadimandu," he said, so we all took our seats.

A minute lacer, I turned around. A cloud of dust can1e down the mountain and the

village we had been in a moment ago was swept under its force. \Ve scopped for a moment again, but couldn't go back. The road was too narrow, die bus could nor turn. \'!/e pushed on, each of us in our own diought.5, praying for d1e people in mac village, praying that perhaps, just by luck, the cloud had come past the village and perhaps it was simply obscured from view, not obliterated from existence. \Y/e reached a rest stop, a little restaurant, and a car park normally catering to tourists heading back co Kathmandu. I opted co stay out, as others went in to buy some lunch.

Food was the farthest thing from my mind as I tried to process what 1 had seen. Theo d1e second quake hie.

The first thing you hear is a deep rumble from die ground. Then comes the shake.

,, A cloud of dust came down the mountain and the village we had been in a moment ago was swept under its force.

We stopped for a moment again, but couldn't go back ,, www.indianlink.com.au

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The ground under your feet transforms into what 1 can only describe as waves in an ocean. You try to nm, but you fall.

Your balance is thrown. I scrambled on all fours and made it to a retaining wall. Rocks had started falling from the top of the mountain. The restaurant was shaking so much, it was as if I was watching a movie taken with a really bad hand.held camera. A hundred people tried to stampede out of a small doorway. Then can1e the screams. The screams of people trying to comprehend what's happening, to hold on to loved ones, to ensure their safety. Those were probably the longest ten seconds of my life. Behind the restaurant, a home crumbled co the ground. It didn't matter. Everyone was safe and mostly unhurt. Nothing else mattered.

Again, we boarded the bus and kept going, only to come to a sudden halt. le was raining boulders. The mountains were angry.

Rocks and boulders came hurtling down.

A man on his motorbike was thrown off, but thankfully he landed in a safe spot. His motorbike had been hurled down tl1e cliff.

Ic didn't matter. He was alive. That's all that mattered. l'v[y five hour trip to Kathmandu took 12 hours. Our bus halted just outside Katlimandu. Entire apartment blocks had come crashing down. Hospitals were treating patients on the footpatl1. Every few metres I

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,, The first thing you hear is a deep rumble from the ground. Then comes the shake.

The ground under your feet transforms into what I can only describe as waves in an ocean ,,

saw people gathered around rubble, no doubt trying to rescue someone buried within.

That night, I decided co head to the Australian Embassy. I was greeted with that familiar friendly drawl. The concern of fellow Australian tourists, who enquired if I had been hurt and proceeded co ask me tl1e second most in1portanc question, "Beer or wine?" There were tents already set up, warm food cooking on a gas stove, warm sleeping b ags laid ouc, but most importancly, we gave each other a hug. Through the evening more Australians and Kiwis started filtering in.

There were 13 of us on tl1e fu-st night.

The ground continued co shake all night.

First, the birds would screech and Hy a\Vay, tl1en would come t.l1e rumble and the shake, after that tlie dogs would stare howling.

We would wal<e up each time and just look

INDIANLINK

silently at each other in the dm:k.

Military aircraft had starred Hying overhead. 1 was cold tl1e Indian Air Force was providing all sorts of aid. "I will go co the airport tomorrow," I messaged my family and closed my eyes to try and sleep.

That never happened.

Tribhuvan Airport was packed wicb thousands of people trying to get home. I managed to make it in and just as I lifted my suitcase to place on a security scanner, another quake. This time, 6.6 rnagnicude.

A wave of people hoisted me into the air. I rode the wave and was thrown to the floor when we got outside.

I looked at a fellow traveller, if we djd.n't go back in, we had no chance of Hying out.

But if we did go in, we might be caught in an aftershock. A classic catch 22. We waited

a while and then ventured back inside. I picked up my discarded suitcase and made it tl1rough security. M)' flight didn't arrive that evening. It circled overhead waiting for clearance and left.

It rained that night. As I lay in my warm sleeping bag I said a prayer. Outside Kathmandu, waiting for me was my whole family, my friends, my work, my home. lt didn't seem fair. The feeling of complete helplessness that overcomes you is one I cannot pen down.

The following morning I visited a hospital to donate some blood. There was a lot of noise from doctors and nurses going about their business, )'et tbere \Vas the \Toid and silence in everyone's eyes. 1 flew out the next day into the arms of my loved ones, leaving behind so many to pick up the pieces.

Over cl1e tl1ree days after the eartl1quake, I experienced 1 8 tremors. I also experienced the best and worst of the human spirit.

Strangers who extended tl1eir offers of friendship and shared their last 2-minute noodles packet, to the ugly side of people who took military rations and wal ked onto a rescue flight.

As my fljght took off, I waited for a feeljng of relie£ It never came. I was reminded only of a wonderful Sherpa who rushed into my fal.len hotel to retrieve a bag, completely against my wishes, who held my hand and said, "Didi, ah aap gh01ja!Je, apnefa111i91 k.epaa.r. /111r ha111are 1Vepafke f!Je d11a karna. Phir JJJapas aa11a. " {\"iste1;y011 mustgo home 11mv,yo11rfami91 awaitsJ'OII. Keep Nep"f inJ'Ottrprt!)•e1:r a11d come hack again]. And so, I came home into the waiting arms of my family.

I have settled into my old, famil.iar routine of work life now, far away from the place that changed me forever. Last night I dreamt of Nepal. I dreamt of the crisp mountain air, the breathtaking scenery of the mighry Himalayas, the colourful prayer flags and the smjJes of the beautiful Nepalese people.

I am blessed to be alive and mac despite everything I can still dream of the wonder that is epal. epal, I have fallen in love witl1 you, I pray for you, 1 pray for the people who lost tlieir lives and l pray tliac one day I will be able co rerurn.

''D'

AUGUST 2015 45

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BY DHANYA SAMUEL

et me state at the very outset - 1 am not a great fan of beer.

Actual )l � I'm not even chat fond of alcohol, in any form. I. hm1e cooked with wine in the past, and quite successfully too, but when the idea of a 'beer soup' came up, I pushed back a little.

Bur hey, I'm up for a challenge any day! As I went about my research, I found chat it is really not such an atrocious idea. \�hat abour the bitterness of the beer, you ask? No problem, tbe cheese rakes care of that! With plenty of cheese, bacon, jalapenos and cream, chis soup is not for the faint hearted. Or the calorie conscious! But it is perfect for the unusually cold winter we've been having in Oz this year.

Good quality cheddar can make a buge

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difference to the Aavours of this soup. 1 used a mixture of vintage cheddar and flavoured cheddar (onion and chive). l e is not necessary to stick to these flavours; the only important thing is to use one or two types of really good cheddar with at least one being vintage or aged cheddar for that sharp punch.

The soup mrned out to be a delicious experience. All my skepticism vanished with that first spoonful. Even my 6-year-old loved ir, proclaiming it to be 'the best soup ever'. (Don't worry abour giving it to your children, most of the alcohol is cooked off before the dish reaches the table).

This beer and cheddar soup is just as much about texture as it is abom flavour.

The soft onions and celery mix wonderful l y with the salty, delicious bits of browned bacon. And just when your taste buds are lulled into a safe sense of flavour, tl1e fresh jalapenos pop up for that vibrant beat which explodes in your mouth.

You've probably figured, I can rave non­ stop about chis soup, so you know what. . . let's just gee cooking!

,, With plenty of cheese, bacon, jalapeno and cream, this soup is not for the faint hearted, but it is perfect for the unusually cold winter we've been having this year ,, INDIANLINK

150gm bacon, chopped 2 celery stalks, finely chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 1 jalapeno, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 sprigs thyme, finely chopped 300 ml bottle pilsner (or ale if you prefer) 2 ½ cups chicken stock 4 tbsp unsalted butter ¼ cup plain flour 250 ml cream 100 gm flavoured cheddar (onion and chive), grated 150 gm vintage/aged cheddar, grated Salt, to season Freshly milled black pepper, to season To serve Garlic toasts 1 jalapeno, finely sliced In a large pot, cook the bacon pieces till browned. There is no need to add any extra oil as the fat

of the bacon will render and crisp up the pieces. Remove and keep aside leaving the remaining oil in the pot.

To the same pot, add the chopped onions, celery, jalapenos and thyme. Cook till softened which should take around 8 - 10 minutes.

Once the veggies have softened, add the beer and cook till the liquid has been reduced by halt; this will take you around 5-7 minutes.

Then add the chicken stock and continue to simmer on low heat.

In another pan, make the roux by melting the butter and whisking the flour into it. Whisk till the mixture has lightly browned and then add this to the stock and mix well to combine.

Continue to cook till the stock has thickened and then add the grated cheese and cream.

Cook for another 5 minutes and then add the bacon (reserve 2 tbsp for garnish); taste and season with salt and pepper.

Serve warm with garlic toasts.

AUGUST 2015 47

uni life

1n ■

The new experiences take some getting used to

BYSONDARYA KRISHNAN

GOING TO CLASS

Train trips are a bit of a downer wben you have to sit next co people you don't know and i. t gets even worse in flu season. I can't count the number of times I've had to casually cover my nose with my scarf when the person next co me starts going into a coughing fit.

Although, travelling on a crowded train is sometimes fun because you can observe tbe crazy d1.ings people do. Once, I noticed a hidy tty to flip tbe seat on the ttain, but it seemed to be jammed so she kept trying to puU and pull. It took ber about a minute to realise d1ac the train had seats that couldn't flip.

eing at university is a bit like going co school and having a vacation at the same time.

There's the freedom of going to class only if you want to, doing homework if and when you want co, even waking up after 12 in the af ternoon if you want to! Here's a look at a typical day in d1e life of a uni student.

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ARRIVING FOR CLASS (LATE)

It happens co the best of us. Especially in winter, getting up out of a warm bed seems almost impossible, and sometimes, we end up being lace. When you're at school you can get a note from me office and walk into your normal classroom �nd talk to your friends, who may or may not laugh at you. Either way, no one 1s really homered. At uni, when I waU, in late to a lecture, mere is a room fuU of 300+ strangers who watch me stumble across to the front seats (die only place where mere's places available) and say 'sorry, excuse me, sorry' as J dodge bags on die floor. Sometimes, co avoid chis problem, I tty to sic in the back of the lecture hall, but then you might end up behind people who are . . . let's say more interested in each otl1er's faces chan the content of the lecture.

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At school it's easy co meet up with friends at recess and lunch, but sometimes ac uni it's difficult co make and maintain friendships. Personally, I like co keep in couch witl, my friends from high school. Once, a friend and I agreed to mee t up in the park for lunch and we fmmd a nice bench by the pond. Little cl.id we know that we were surrounded by couples who had also decided to meet up for ltmch. I was desperately hoping tl,ac people wouldn't th.ink tbat the cwo of us were a couple. Luckily for us, no one seemed to be looking in our direction.

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THE TRAIN TRIP BACK HOME

When I was in high school, I used to call< to my friends about the importan t things in life, things like ho,v I wash and dry my hair. At that time, i c seemed genuinely interesting and friends and I would spend entire train trips discussing things like chis. ow, as a uni student, when l catch the ttaiu and heat kids discussing these copies, l can't help but th.ink 'what is going on here'? It's even worse when they speak as loud as they can and somehow manage co synchronise all of their giggles together. I just can't help but pray mat I was never that annoying while I was in school. Problem is, I th.ink I was.

48 AUGUST 2015

LONGER WEEKENDS

After coming home from uni on a Thursday afternoon, I sic on the sofa and watch a movie. After alI. , tomorrow I'm home so I can catch up on work then. My parents stare to wh.inge a little bit about having to go co work again tomorrow so I make sure to rub it in a little bit . . . until d1ey get annoyed with me and make me do the dishes. le doesn't matter, it's worth it!

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Vicfotif}:s favourite �[)OW destinatioh is · perfec� f(!r those ofys from !fldia whq­ - have nor+rad a.snow experience before ....

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BY PREETI JABBAL

he weather may have been free7Jng in recent weeks, but there is something to be said for resisting the urge to hibernate and heading out co the snow instead.

If this were an Indian winter, people would generaUy be cuddled up under their rajai (q11ilts), sipping endless cups of chai (tea) and drooling o,1er gajak and nvri (dry sweet made of sesame seeds commonly consumed in winter months). That's because people in India might not have the option of visiting a winter wonderland just four hours' drive away from home, with much fun co be had on the snowy slopes.

An increasing number of Indian and Asian origin families in Australia are caking off to winter destinations combining the excitement of snow activities while enjoying the breathtaking scenery of Alpine regions.

Even bona fide beach lovers grudgingly admit that there is cold weather pleasure in carving through Auffy snow, thawing Out by the fireside and waking up to the spectacular view of snowflakes falling from the sky.

Simran and Prabhjot from 1-Ielbourne are one s. uch couple. "In India we had little oppornm.iry to experience a white winter, but in Victoria tl1ere are several locations close by that offer snow vacations. A few years ago we visited Falls Creek for ilie first time and we fell in love with the place and its European-style charm. Since then we go back every season and take other friends with us."

Whether you have tmlim.ited funds or you simply want the family to have an exciting holiday witl1om taking out a second

INDIANLINK

mortgage there are accommodation options in FaUs Creek to suit aU budgets.

Board member of Falls Creek Resort Management and part time ski instructor Ian Farrow said, "There are several lodges and accommodation options like the Australian Alpine Club (AAC) where members and families can book long term rentals at affordable rares. They are ideal for all season tour.ism as Falls Creek has lots ro offer in both summer and winter."

Ravi and Simmi from Melbourne, who visit Falls Creek often with their kids, agree. "\'1/'e tried the Australian Alpine Club Lodge this year. It was more economical and had all the amenities required for a comfortable stay."

"Our children took some skiing lessons at Windy Corner and now look forward to tackling the snowy slopes whenever possible," Ravi said. "We encourage it, as i t i s a healthy outdoor activity, recharges their batteries and we get co bond as a family."

"We have also started taking lessons and it is fan to join the kids," Simmi added, "Though I must admit I still need till next winter Olympics to practise the technique of how not to careen om of control."

At Falls Creek, single or multi-day lessons are available for skiers of all abilities.

Purpose built beginner terrain includes fun, colourful obstacles for kids to learn. For those who do not fancy skiing, there are options to toboggan, snow mbe, snowshoe, or build snow castles in tl1e snow play park.

All the activities and the crisp winter air do wonders to whet the appetite. You will find something to tempt your tastebuds at one of the over 30 eateries in the Falls Creek Resort Village that offer basic to gourmet meals.

Hundreds of skiable acres, roomy slopes, ski-lift rides and thrilling sports can get tiring, so the over snow transport shuttles are a welcome sight as they trundle past collecting weary travellers and their cumbersome snow gear and sporting

,, There is something incredibly addictive about going past the High Plains, Kiewa Valley and Rocky Valley lake areas. I totally dig the trails and do not need to purchase the rather expensive snow lift passes to get around Ron, a Falls Creek regular ,, equipment.

"Every year there is something new and different to enlunce ottr winter recreation," said Vera, a FaUs Creek regular from Albury.

"Dog sleds, snow mobiles, n.ight time skiing and fireworks every Thursday during peak season adds to the warm and inviting spirit that we experience making us wane co come back again."

Vera's son Ron is a cross-country ski enthusiast and an e;,,.-pert snow boarder.

"There is sometl1ing incredibly addictive about going past the High Plains, Kiewa Valley and Rocky VaUey lake areas," be said, sharu.1g his Nordic experience. "T totally dig the trails and do not need to purchase the rather expensive snow lift passes to get around."

Sonia from Shepparron said she was totally smitten after she chose to visit Falls Creek for a romantic escape with her partner. ''After a day on the slopes we would remrn to get a well-earned massage and set

out to wine and dine in nearby restaurants," Sonia said. ''All of them are ,vithin a shore distance and our favourite was the resrau.ranr at Falls Creek Hotel and 1542, located in the heart of the village where they have live singing performances adding to the romance of tl1e place," gushed Sonia.

Her partner Kumar shared her view and offered tips ro keep the cost reasonable. "I used to consider snow trips very expensive, but tl1ere are many ways and means to keep it affordable. You just needs to do your homework beforehand and look for deals and discounts and off peak purchases" he said.

The latest Snow Report snapshot from Falls Creek in Victoria suggests bands of snow approaching on the radar and flakes falling furiously. Those ,vho are into ma.Icing hay while the Slm shines should consider donning their beanies and making snowmen while the powder falls.

AUGUST 2015 51

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AUGUST 2015 53

54 AUGUST 2015

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AUGUST 2015 55

entertainment

Dreams come true

It's Bollywood mixed with rap for three young Sydney musicians

B

BY RAKA SARKHEL

ack in the day, when Salman Khan's triceps used to match the rest of his body more proportionately, be gatecrashed into the dreams of thousands of women with his 1998 hit 'O O Jaane Jaa11t1� Meaty and bare-boclied with dreamy, docile eyes, the charismatic scar has been seen by some nine million people in this number on YouTube as of July, 2015.

So, what do you tell three passionate and aspiri11g musicians when they make a remix of such a hugely popular song?

You congratulate them on their daring feat and keep your fingers crossed for them.

However, 'The Girl of J\l[y D,-ea111s' video

by Stash Motion's (an Australian company specialising in music video direction) DJ Sayem, featuring Karan Luthra (aka Bluntz) and Aches Khan, is nor entirely a rernix of the original song. It only uses the chorus from the original song, interspersed with Sayem and Bluntz's own lines of rap and rhyme and fresh vocals from Aches (wbo in the opinion of yours truly, bas a better voice than Kamaal Khan who sang the popular number).

A remix is a fusion of rhe old with the new. For Sayem and Blnntz, who want to sray close to their roots as well as appeal to the mainstream urban youth, a hybrid video suitably helps their cause.

While it connects with young people who identify with the oomph and attitude of the musicians, Ahsan aka King Kurry's effortless popping, Flavia Narayan's babe 9uotient, Mystik Bollywood's peppy moves and Raheel Sharma's cinematography,

56 AUGUST 2015

together manage to reki11dle the curiosity for an old song before it is finally forgotten.

'The Girl of 1'{)' Dreallls' opens with an electronic funk intro as the chorus from the original song croons in. The video also taps inco a large slice of versatile talent tl1rough collaborations witl1 these independent artists. It takes a peppy turn with alternate rapping in English and Hincli, catering to both the Australian and Inclian identities in a hybrid arrangement.

Seated in a noisy cafe in Sydney's CBD witl1 Sayem and Karan, I am told that for independent artisrs, Sydney, or for that matter the world, is not an easy place.

There are bills to be paid and mouths to be fed. But that doesn't hold them back from staying true to their passion for music. So after their gruelling nine-co-five jobs, they diligently get back to their basic need, that .is, creating music. They write, self-teach, improvise, conceptualise, record and edit.

Most importantly, they do not give up.

As a team, they "feed off" one another.

Sayem is the brains behind the video and is 9uite the visionary as he wistfully says, "Everybody has a different timing in life for finding their true calling." Karan, who has a diploma in audio technology from the Austral.ian Institute of Music, brings to tbe table his technical expertise and love for rapping which spans 1 7 years of personal and professional experiences.

Their goal is to make music and not just seek fame, and some day hit tl1e charts. "We have invested a lot in our work and now we are putting it out there. If there are returns, money or fame, it will be a bonus."

But right now aJJ they care about is making good music for their fans and receiving honest constructive feedback from their critics. Driven as they are, 1 will not be surprised if I hear their music blazing out of a pub on a Friday night with heads happily bopping along!

DJ SAYEM

,, With alternate rapping in English and Hindi, the song caters to both the Australian and Indian identities in a hybrid arrangement ,,

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INDIANLINK

AUGUST 2015 57

MATRIMONIALS SEEKING BRIDES Suitable match for 1987-botn, 5'10 inch, turbaned Sikh Khatri boy. Graduate in business administration and well-settled as business person in Melbourne, Australia. Please contact 0433342700 or email soupinbowl@gmail.com Well-settled Gujarati family in Australia invites alliance for 27-year-old son, Australian Citizen, self-employed and Customer Service Assistant. Gujarati girl preferred but not essential. Please send details to email ritesb619@hotmail.com

Well-settled family in Allstralia invites alliance for 28-year-old, 5'7 smart, fair, Punjabi girl, Australian citizen, working as a lawyer for the Australian Government. Please send bio data/particulars co fordsyd88@gmail.com.

Professional match preferred from Australian Citizen or PR status.

Well-settled, NZ-based, good-looking Fiji Brahmin Indian girl, 32, never rnartied, Master's degree holder, S'S", looking for Fiji/ Indian Brahm.in boy settled in AUS /NZ, vegetarian, non-smoker and non-drinker. Contact +61 418 407 843 or email nzalliance@iiner.net.au

Match required for a fair, handsome,Jat Sikh boy, 35, S'S", Engineer:, PR, working in l\'lelb. Innocent divorcee seeking a minimum of 5'3", below 33 years, Australia-based, PR/Citizen only girl. Shift workers such as cooks, nurses and personal care assistants, please do not contact. Phone: 0499 210 336, email: mannychhina3000@gmai l . com

Suitable match for professional, Sydney-based, 1985-born, Sikh girl, 5'2, working in IT sector. Seeking well-educated, Australian citizen/PR status, down to earth, well-settled match. Please send biodata and photos to australianmatch01@gmail.com

Suitable match for Arora Australian citizen boy, height 5-5", smart, fair skin.

Post Graduate in sales having own transport business. Priority will be given to Chandigarh-based family girl only. Please send your details to sachdevasunil30@ gmail.com or call on 040140821 1.

Professionally qualified match for fair, slim, beautiful, family-oriented Punjabi Khatri girl 35, 5'2", well-qualified, working as IT analyst in Sydney.

Innocent divorcee witl1 9-year-old daughter. Caste no bar. Send biodata & pies to: matrimonial4alliance@gmail.com or call 0413820305

Match required for handsome Hindu Boy, 34, 6'0, working in HR/Payroll department, Ausc.ralian Citizen, Divorced and having sole custody of 4.5-year­ old young daughter, serious inquiries on.ly. Contact 0433 926 836 mohit_jai.n58@ yahoo.com

Seeking alliance for 27-year-old, 5"5, Hindi Brahmin daughter. Well­ edllcaced, working & Australian citizen. Must be Vegetarian, non-smoker & non-drinker; preferably well-educated and settled i.n Australia. Please send info to rkvm87@gmail.com or call father on 0424251395.

SEEKING GROOMS Seeking Punjabi boy for professional Sydney-based Sikh girl, beautiful, slim, 29-years-old, 5'7", in Finance field. Family settled in Australia past 35 years.

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AUGUST 2015 59

entertainment ■

.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

-

BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN

STARRING: Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Harshaali Malhotra, Om Puri DIRECTOR: Kabir Khan

•·'k-/d( <

Bajrang Bali ki Kasam, the much­

awaited Salman Khan Eid release,

Bajrangi Bhaijaan is a far cry from the

regular Salman Khan films. Though packed with a few self-glorification scenes and a far-fetched plot, this film, for a change, is sensible. It's a light,

emotionally-packed drama that touches your heart.

It is the story of Pavan Kumar Chaturvedi aka Bajrangi Bhaijaan, a sincere devotee of Lord Hanuman, who takes it upon himself to reunite a mute 6-year-old Pakistani girt, Shahida, who he calls Munni, with her family across the border.

What makes this film stand apart among Salman's repertoire is that he plays the saviour Bajrangi Bhaijaan with conviction of a simpleton and wins hearts instantly when he makes up his

mind to do no wrong. So much so that when he is questioned, "Tum bahadur ho ya bewakoof', he has no answer.

Salman Khan is his usual light-hearted self, doing what comes naturally to him. But, fortunately those scenes are so well­ amalgamated into the screenplay that, even the frivolity displayed, seems like an extension of his character and gains credibility. His trials and tribulations are endearing and you are one with him in his mission.

With not a single word of dialogue to mouth, little Harshaali as Shahida, fl oors you with her expressive eyes, especially her forlorn look. Your heart melts when she clings on to Salman and you chuckle when she is playfully naughty or yearns to eat non-veg. She shares a strong on-screen chemistry with Salman and probably that's why the film is effective.

Every other character in the film is well-etched. Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Chand Nawab, a freelance small town broadcast journalist, who trails Bajrangi Bhaijaan while he is in Pakistan, performs competently. He adds a comic tinge to his character with ease, displaying his versatility as an actor.

Kareena plays Salman's love angle, Rasika. She has a miniscule role that does not go beyond the perfunctory glamour quotient.

Sharat Saxena as Rasika's father Dayanand and the actress who plays Shahida's mother have their screen moments.

Om Puri in a special appearance as the Moulvi is wasted.

The premise of director Kabir Khan's film may sound like a simple road journey, but the tale unfurls with ample adventurous excitement laced with humour, melodrama and cinematic liberty which includes some tacky and stereotypical scenes.

On the technical front, the film, with decent production values, has a realistic approach sans the glossiness of a block buster.

Aseem Mishra's cinematography captures the wide-scenic landscapes and the close up of the tear drop falling from Salman's eye, effortlessly.

The songs, though well-meshed into the script, don't leave an impact on the narration. The first song with the lyrics, "Chai beta selfie le le re" which introduces Salman, is well choreographed. Whereas, the other song with the lyrics, "Bhook lagi bhook lagi, zoron ki bhook lagi (Chicken Song), with some yodelling, has a racy tune of an oft-heard Konkani/ Marathi remix, but is chaotically choreographed.

Both these songs cater strictly to front benchers.

And the Sufi song "Bhar dojholi meri," featuring Adnan Sarni used in one of the episodic climax, is exhilarating, but lost in the mayhem of the sequence of events.

Apart from Salman, watch Bajrangi Bhaijaan for its strong message of love and brotherhood bonding, which is so relevant today.

TROY RIBEIRO

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60 AUGUST 2015

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MYTH I CAL MAG N U M OPUS

BAAHUBALI: THE BEGINNING

STARRING: Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannah Bhatia, Nasser, Ramya Krishnan, Prabhakar, Rohini DIR ECTOR: S.S Rajamouli

..,...... ,�\

This one has everything Indian cinema hasn't witnessed so far.

Baahubali: The Beginning almost places Telugu cinema on par with Hollywood standards with its vision, extravagant visuals and the lavish scale on which it's made. In his attempt to make a world class product, Rajamouli may not have passed in distinction but this attempt, despite i ts inconsistencies, can't be forgotten easily. But all that glitters is not gold, and although Baahubali is neatly enveloped in a golden wrapper, what you find inside

MASAAN

STARRING: Sanjay Mishra, Richa Chadda, Vicky Kaushal, Shweta Tripathi, Saurabh Chadhary, Vineet Kumar, Pankaj Tripathi, Nikhil Sahni, Bhagwan Tiwari DIRECTOR: Neeraj Ghaywan

***i. ;,

An Inda-French co-production, Masaan is a poignant tale of two young couples, whose lives are intertwined by fate, set against the backdrop of a crematorium on the ghats of the river Ganges in Benares.

Educated and fairly independent, Devi Pathak - although living in a small town - is unconventional, experimental and unapologetic about her life. While the unexpected death of her lover Piyush has her internalizing her traumatic loss, she simultaneously balances to maintain truce with her father Vidyadhar Pathak (Sanjay Mishra), a former Sanskrit teacher, now selling knick-knacks on the bank of the Ganges. She is in disagreement with her father who is forced to shell out a hefty bribe to the police inspector in order to keep her "shame" under wraps.

On the other hand, Deepak's tale is a tragic romance of a promising engineeringstudent born into the family of corpse-burners. He falls in love with an upper-caste girl, Shalu Gupta, who is willing to elope if her family opposes their

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is not utterly satisfying.

Like most Rajamouli's films, Baahubali too is a regular revenge drama.

The only difference is that it's set in an imaginary world made on a lavish scale and against the backdrop of a royal family.

It's the story of a son vying to avenge his father's death for a kingdom. But Rajamouli is no ordinary filmmaker.

Only he can make a simple tale as entertaining, engrossing and awe­ inspiring as Baahubali, albeit with some minor flaws.

Early on, we're introduced to queen Sivagami (played by Ramya Krishnan), running for her life clutching a baby.

She sacrifices her life for the infant, who is saved and raised by a tribe residing at the foot of a gigantic waterfall. He's named Shivudu (Prabhas), after Shiva, and is as strong and powerful as the lord himself. Raised unaware of his lineage, Shivudu develops great rock-climbing skills. He gets inquisitive about the world beyond the giant mountain that separates his tribe from the other side.

Soon, he starts climbing, in search of a world he envisions.

On the other side of the mountain

is Mahishmati, the mythical kingdom ruled by Bhallala Deva (Rana), a ruler consumed by his own ego; a narcissist who turns his own people into slaves.

He's equally strong and takes a giant bison by the horns, literally. Bhalla keeps Devasena (Anushka), a former princess in his captivity, and she strongly believes her son will come and free her.

Rajamouli's idea of two worlds separated by a mountain is impressive.

He uses it to separate good from evil. If Mahishmati comprises people who kill their own forthe throne. people from the tribe go out of their way to save a life.

The fi rst half hardly has anything riveting happening to keep you hooked.

As we follow Prabhas on his quest to learn about his own identity, we meet Avantika (famannah), a warrior, who is part of a small rebel group that has chosen her to free Devasena. Instead of speeding up the proceedings, there's a needless romantic track between Shivudu and Avantika, who is initially portrayed as a brave, mission-focused warrior.

And just for a few minutes it was a treat to watch a leading actress perform without the trappings of an archetypal Telugu cinema heroine. Alas, it doesn't last long and we soon see Avantika and Shivudu in a sensuous song and at the end of it. she's resting on his chest.

Suddenly, she's reminded of her mission as though somebody had the button to the mission bell and had pressed it.

She gets back into her warrior costume, leaves with a heavy heart, only to be

rescued by Shivudu later. The whole point of having Tamannah play a warrior just doesn't make sense. Going by the approach, it appears like she was merely cast to play Prabhas's pair because his fans would like to see him romance somebody.

It's in the second half Baahubali is truly majestic to watch. It provides the kind of visuals, entertainment and action that'll make you fall in love with the film, though briefl y. The 20-30 minutes war sequences are breathtaking, as an army of thousands lock horns on a battle field. Senthil Kumar's spectacular camerawork is another reason why every frame is beautiful and it elevates the whole experience when coupled with great sound. Sabu Cyril and Srinivas Mohan deserve thunderous applause for creating incredibly realistic sets and life­ like visual effects.

Prabhas and Rana match each other with their solid performances. Rana as the ruthless Bhallala Deva is excellent.

But the pick of the actors has to be Ramya Krishnan as Sivagami, who is effortlessly at ease in her character.

Sathyaraj too shone as Kattapa.

If only Rajamouli had shown half the creativity that he used to choreograph the battle scenes in his writing, Baahuba/1 would've been a much better film. The kind of creativity that turned a fl y into a revenge-seeking character in Eega. It needs the kind of writing that'll make you believe that Baahubali is more than just gloss.

Harlcharan Pudlpeddl

alliance.

For a maiden venture, Ghaywan's Masaan, is a sensitively handled, honest film with some intrepid truths about small towns in India, giving you an insight into the mind of the internet­ savvy youth. These are adroitly woven into the narrative.

Va run Grover's layered script, with a seemingly complex screenplay, oscillates between romance and melodrama. The screenplay unlocks simply, through the realistic lives of the characters, bringing to the fore, societal taboos like morality, sexual exploration and romance in a caste-driven society.

Every character is intricately well­ etched and the actors leave an indelible mark with their powerful but natural performances.

Vicky Kaushal as Deepak, with his boy­ next-door looks, is impressive. A bundle of talent, he slips into his character with unquestionable ease and sincerity. He steals your heart with his coy demeanour when he woos his lady love. You empathise with his pain and frustrations.

The scene where he breaks down before his friends after losing Shalu is heart­ wrenching. He is aptly supported in a realistic performance by Shweta Tripathi as Shalu, a collegian, who falls in love with his simplicity. On screen, they make an endearing pair.

Richa Chadda with a stoically glum and a stubborn demeanour as Devi, borders on being a rebel without a cause. A misfit

"jitni chhoti jagah, utni chhoti soch".

in her surroundings, she tells her father,

While the story and performances are intense, what breaks the monotony and provides relief, is the humour that is strewn occasionally in the form of taut one-liners and old fi lm songs. The earthy background score a long with the soulful songs by the indie band Indian Ocean is soothing and meditative. It encapsulates the flavour of the place and meshes well into the narration.

Cinematographer Avinash Arun Dhaware's camera work brilliantly captures Benares in all its elements. The atmospheric lighting at the crematorium adds to the eerie and aesthetic value of the scenes.

Overall, Masaan keeps you riveted emotionally and haunts you long after you leave the theatre.

Troy Ribeiro

While she portrays Devi with conviction, the streak of independence in her character is not entirely substantial.

Sanjay Mishra as Vidyadhar Pathak, the small town Sanskrit teacher and father who is burdened with societal pressures, renders a realistic and brilliant performance.

Plagued by the thought of the ignominy he will bring to his family, Saurabh Chadhary as Piyush, in a small but significant role, is convincing.

Bhagwan Tiwari as the corrupt police inspector, Pankaj Tripathi as Sathyaji Devi's besotted colleague, and Nikhil Sahni as Jhonta - the earnest little boy who works for Vidhyadhar, make their presence felt.

AUGUST 2015 61

entertainment

--------

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

--------HARSHAALI IS A CHATTERBOX

IT'S TH E POW E R O F TH E P E N TH IS E I D ! e big silver screen winner this Eid is.... Vijayendra Prasad.

You many not have heard that name before, but you've most definitely eard of his two films, both of which released this festive season. Prasad is the writer of the two mega hits that have taken tinseltown by storm this fortnight, the bilingual Baahubali and the Hindi Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

Prasad's son S.S Rajamouli directed the Telugu-Tamil historical fi ction film Bahubali, starring southern stars Prabhas and Rana Daggubati. The film also released in Malayalam and Hindi. It grossed over Rs. 350 crore worldwide in just ten days, a record of sorts.

If the Mahabharat was the inspiration behind Bahubali, Prasad's other film, the Salman Khan starrer Bajrangi Bhaijaan, which raked in over Rs. 100 crore in just three days, is inspired from an old Chiranjeevi film and also based on a real life story.

"Chiranjeevi's 1987 Telugu film Pasivadi Pranam moved me a lot. I wanted to rehash it and give it a contemporary touch. I had also learnt about the story of a Pakistani couple who came to India for their daughter's heart surgery because they couldn't afford it in their country," Prasad said.

"The parents were touched by the generosity of the Indians so much that they couldn't stop talking about it. This got me thinking. I decided to work on a story that connected people over India-Pakistan border," he added.

The fi lm was offered to Aaamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Rajinikanth, Puneeth Rajkumar and Allu Arjun. But Prasad admits Salman was the best choice for the film.

"All the work he's been doing through his Being Human foundation, particularly, the 2,000 heart operations he recently funded, made him apt for the lead role of Pawan/Bajrangi. And thanks to his humanitarian acts, Salman gave the character a realistic touch," he said.

And so it's been a Happy Eid all around!

62 AUGUST 2015

Child actor Harshaali Malhotra, who plays a mute girl in Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan, has touched the hearts of viewers with her endearing performance. But she is extremely talkative in real life, says her mother.

Harshaali is a livewire, her mother Kaja! Malhotra revealed recently.

During workshops, she would worry about whether the chatterbox would settle down and toe the line, she added. "There is no difference in her as a person. The way she was earlier is exactly how she is now," she said, emphasising how shooting schedules haven't affected Harshaali.

Yet main lead Salman Khan and director Kabir Khan did all they could not only to take care of her by playing with her between shots, but also to bring out the best in her.

There's been flood of attention on the young actor ever since the film was released (Farah Khan going so far as to call her "the find of the century''). Yet Harshaali's parents say they will ensure she enjoys a normal childhood while still working in films.

"What we decide for her career would obviously depend on the offers we receive," a beaming Malhotra told reporters, but added they are not keen on TV roles for their budding star.

Harshaali has already done TV series such as serials like Quboo/ Hai and Laut Aao Trisha, and many advertisements.

SIMPLE ROLE FOR SALMAN, CAR STUNTS FOR SRK

My, my... how things are changing in B-Town. First the two Khans go and make up, and start something of a bro­ mance. Then, they take on each other's personas.

See, Salman Khan has said he found it hard to break his macho image in

Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

"After the action-packed roles in films like Kick, Dabangg and Wanted, it was challenging to play a simple character," the 49-year-old actor said. "My role is simple and all heart. We've shown a typical Hindustani (Indian) guy that makes people go, bechara... " On the other hand, SRK, the supposed king of romance, has been doing dangerous car stunts in Bulgaria for Rohit Shetty's directorial Di/wale.

"Doing some really cool car stunts and have to thank the team of guys who take such high risks to get the shots. Quite Awesome. #Dilwale," the actor, also 49, tweeted recently.

Someone is probably taking notes for the next Bollywood blockbuster, about two siblings who were lost in childhood, grew up to be absolute opposites and hated each other's guts, then there was a family reunion, and then their souls intermingled as if by osmosis,

probably when they embraced ... Hey, it's possible!

SALMAN, SRK'S BROTH ERHOOD ON EID

On the pious occasion of Eid, superstar Salman Khan displayed true brotherhood by sharing the teaser of his contemporary Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming movie Raees.

Earlier, Shah Rukh had come forward to unveil the first look of Salman's

Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

Staying true to the values of his

Bajrangi Bhaijaan, which hinges upon

brotherhood, Salman asked his fans and followers to turn their attention to the teaser of SR K's Raees.

"Raees ah raha hai. Filhaal teaser dekho aur enjoy karo behaad," Salman tweeted, after sharing the fi lm's name via a string of posts.

It's interesting to note that Salman's Sultan will be clashing with Raees on Eid next year. And both the actors have emphasised on several occasions that they are looking at the competition positively.

Shah Rukh has turned into a liquor baron for the Rahul Dholakia directorial, which is set in 1980s Gujarat, and tells the story of a bootlegger whose business is thwarted by a tough policeman. The film also features Nawazuddin Siddiqui and marks the Bollywood debut of Pakistani actress Mahira Khan.

... AND THE PRESSURE IS ON!

It used to be the Rs.100 crore club, but now the bar is raised to the 'Rs.300 crore club'. No thanks to Bahubali and Bajrangi Bhaijaan! While most fi lm-wallahs are relishing the trend the industry has taken this season, there are those who are feeling a trifl e nervous.

One such is Riteish Deshmukh, whose Bangistan is set to release shortly.

"Every film has a budget and a certain target audience in mind and the Rs. 100 crore mark is not necessary for every film to be successful," Ritesh said recently. "When you sign a film, you are aware what range the film can touch.

If you do Houseful/ and Grand Masti and they collect Rs.100 crore, you can expect the next one to do similar business. But with Bangistan, we're not expecting the film to touch Rs.100 crore

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because for this film to be successful, it doesn't need to reach that figure."

Hmm, ok!

Bangistan, directed by debutant Karan Anshuman, also stars Jacqueline Fernandez and is releasing on July 31.

WHAT'S COMING U P IN INDIE FILMS

While there's much hype for big-name productions like BB and Raess, the smaller indie films struggle to get the same level of media attention. So let's give them some love here.

Look out for Raja Dasgupta's directorial debut Choukath: The Threshold. The film explores various aspects of women's empowerment and portrays the struggle of women in the modern world.

And then there's Baankey Ki Crazy Baraat in a completely different genre.

The film is a quirky situational comedy that tickles your funny bone, based on a proxy wedding. It stars Vijay Raaz, Raajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra and Tia Bajpai, and will hit the theatres on August 7.

BOLLYWOOD GOES H I-TECH WITH ONLINE CASTING PORTAL

The film industry has welcomed a new online casting portal BombayCasting. com, for streamlining talent and for giving filmmakers easier access to fresh faces.

The platform allows users to simply log on and have a took at the talent's

profiles, availability and other vital details. It caters for all kinds of talent skills and craftsmanship, offering a structured pipeline to reach the right people at the right time.

Production houses and filmmakers can post their requirements and get multiple options for a rote, be it for a lead role or cameo. Aspiring actors can upload their audition and fulfil the casting need of a production house.

A mobile app will be launched next month.

With the e-commerce boom and tidal wave of internet sweeping every industry at its stride, it was time for the Indian film industry to go digital. With Bombaycasting.com, the first of its kind online casting portal Bollywood can officially say that it has gone digital.

Here's hoping new technology encourages untapped talent to fl ourish.

SHAKESPEARE IN BOLLYWOOD

'Shakespeare 400', a year-long cultural programme marking 400 years since the writer's death, is going to include a hint of Bollywood.

In a new lndo-British initiative, six Hindi movie ideas have been generated to revisit themes from William Shakespeare's works.

Indian production house Cinestaan F ilm Company along with Film London, a film and media agency, have come together to develop projects involving writers, directors and producers

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

JENNIFER FERNANDEZ or VICTORIA BECKHAM in BURBERRY

+

Share your views with us on our Facebook page /lndianLinkAustralia

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from Britain and India, developing projects which draw on the work of Shakespeare. These include Rajat Kapoor (Monsoon Wedding) and Smriti Jain (The Lunchbox).

The selected projects are: Realism (based on 'Macbeth'); Caesar(based on 'Julius Caesar'); The Heart of the City (based on 'The Taming of the Shrew'); Mathura (based on 'As You Like It'); The Crorepatis (based on 'Titus Andronicus'); and Love and Longing in Rohtak (based on 'The Merchant of Venice').

What's the chitchat between SALMAN KHAN and SRK? Send in your responses to win@indianlink.com.au and win a surprise prize

ROMANIAN GRANDMA COMES TO AKSHAY'S RESCUE

Akshay Kumar was in the midst of shooting his new film Singh is Bling in Romania when his suit suddenly ripped.

This outfit was particularly designed for his climax scene in the film, but it tore unexpectedly, and the crew had to look for a tailor that could fix the damages instantly. It was a local Romanian grandmother that came to Akshay's rescue. She went home, brought back her sewing machine and fixed the tear, a!lowing filming to resume. She must have been extremely talented to fix the tear, since it was a specifically designed suit for the scene. Seems like Akshay has many devoted fans all around the world!

WHAT TWEETY BIRD TOLD US THIS WEEK

Match the tweet to the stars who tweeted them.

Priyanka Chopra, Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Parineeti Chopra, Deepika Padukone #AB16Million ... TRENDING!! #AB16MILLION ALRIGHT ... time to get to 20 million now!!

WHAT AN HONOUR! Brand ambassador for the "beti bachao, beti padhao" campaign in Haryana!!

On route to begin work on #Quantico !

But first. there's this... an exclusive look at the official poster! U like?

Wld Iv n respect if the leaders of lndo­ Pak see Bajrangi Bhaijaan bcoz Iv for children is above all boundaries @narendramodi #nawazsharif BAJIRAO NE MASTANI SE MOHOBBAT K l HAI...AIYASHI NAHi.... #BajiraoMastaniTeaser

What's the chitchat between ANIL KAPOOR and daughter SONAM? SONAM: Dad, you've got to buy me this for the Melbourne gig in August.

ANIL: Price tag dekha hai?!

Shama Sinha Nayyar Hornsby NSW Sha ma wins a ticket to Bajrangi Bhaijan Another good one: ANIL: Awkward, Sonam you look taller than me.

SONAM: Daddy, just look at the camera. You still look young as me.

Jasveen Dhillon

AUGUST 2015 63

backchat

----------------------------A name's a name?

Sometimes not . . .

DEAR AUNTYJI

I have recently arrived in Sydney from Kerala. where my entire family were strong supporters of the Communist Party. As you may know, the Communist Party has done a lot of great work in Kerala, our literacy rates are exemplary and our social policies, well, don't even get me started on this. Now the thing is that my father truly admired Josef Stalin, and thought he was a great man. Consequently, when I was born, he decided that I should be called Stalin. Growing up in Kerala, this wasn't an issue. In fact, there was three other Stalins in my class, except for the summer of '96 when there were six of us - on account of some boys transferring to our school. I arrived in Australia three months ago and I am usually met with startled looks each time I introduce myself. Everyone wants to know about my name and unlike Keralans, I have been told that Australians don't feel the same way about Stalin as we do.

So what should I do? Should I consider changing my name?

AUNTYJI SAYS

CHANGE YOUR NAM El Your father may have a rose-coloured view of Mr Josef Stalin, but Australia takes a more historically accurate view of the tyrant who killed 20 million of his countrymen. Being named after one of the world's most despised dictators is not something you want to go around proclaiming, especially in a professional setting. Each time an Australian looks at you, all they can think about is how many men were killed by someone with your name. It's like being named Nathuram Godse. If you had this name, wouldn't you want to change it? Well, it's the same in Australia. Okay, I understand you don't want to hurt your father's feelings, but while you are here, save yourself the hassle of the same old boring questions. So what name should you choose to be known as? Well, there are so many options. Santosh. Sandeep.

Sangamesh. But why not try something even better. How about Shane. Then when Australians ask whether this is your real name, you can say yes. You choose to call yourself after a great Australian - Shane Warne.

DEAR AUNTYJ I

I am a 40-year-old single man and I have been watching all this talk of same sex marriage on the news. My closest cousin Ravi who is 38 is all in favour of this and has found himself a partner and has come out and now attends all family functions with Pravin. Everyone accepts this and no one says anything. Ravi is fairly flamboyant and will loudly proclaim that he should be allowed to marry whoever he wants and has hinted that he will marry Pravin when the time comes - as though this is perfectly tine. When I listen to Ravi, I get frustrated because he acts as though he should be able to marry whoever he wants. The truth is, Auntyji, 20 years ago I too met someone that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, but I couldn't, because he wanted to listen to his parents and do the right thing by them. He went and got married to a lady and they have three grown up kids now. So my thinking is that we can't always marry whom we want and I don't see why Pravin thinks he should.

Every time I bring th is up with Pravin, we end up in an argument. What are your thoughts?

AUNTYJI SAYS

I see two streams of thought here. The first is that you feel we can't always marry whoever we want. This is true of everyone, and not just a peculiarity of any particular community. Most everyone will tell you a story of the one that got away. But this happens everywhere and there is nothing new about this. Your second point - and I think where you're confusing the issue - is that you feel that just because you missed out on your love, one can't always marry the person whom they love. The point Ravi is trying to make, is that being part of the LGBTQI community, he has the same rights as anyone else to marry. This is what he means - and this is completely different from the first point. All consenting adults should have the right to be with, and indeed, marry whomever they please.

To put it bluntly, Ramu should be able to marry Shamu if they choose. Just because your first love went and settled with someone else, doesn't mean you can't give love a chance with someone else, And indeed, if you so please, why shouldn't you marry this person if you feel you wanted to make a commitment to them for the rest of your life?

Do you have a question for Auntyji?

Email info@indianlink.com.au

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THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW: Telstra Air:All access at Telstra Air hotstpots will count towards your data usage. Eligible services are ADSL, Cable and NBN. Telstra Medium Bundle: Service not avai table to all areas, homes or customers. Min cost includes a $59 activation fee. A $12 delivery fee may apply. Additional charges may apply for professional or non-standard installation. The spectrum device, Air logo and TM are trademarks and ® are MC/1 5 TEL0799 registered trademarks of Telstra Corporation Limited, ABN 33 051 775 556.

68 AUGUST 2015

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