Indian News Qld - June 2020 Vol 3 Issue 9

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JUNE 2020 Vol 3 Issue 9

Vande Bharat: Special Air India flights begin repatriation of Indians

Crew members of the Vande Bharat Mission flight during the first phase

Passengers on board an Indian flight being rescued back to India from Australia as part of Indian government’s Vande Bharat Mission

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Indian News Queensland | PUBLISHER'S NOTE FOR ENQUIRES Contact: Dr. Ram Mohan info@indiannewsqld.com.au Phone: 1 300 859 066 EDITORS Harpreet Bhagrath Dr Ram Mohan WRITERS Devashish Chakraborty Deepika Banerji Rabindra Mukherji EDITORIAL SUPPORT Cosmos Media www.cosmosmedia.info WEBSITE DESIGN & MANAGEMENT Cosmos Media DESIGNER Cosmos Media PUBLISHING & DISTRIBUTION Star Promotions ADDRESS Indian News Queensland Unit 49, 391, WICKHAM TERRACE, Ground Floor, Spring Hill, Brisbane, QLD – 4000 Web: www.indiannewsqld.com.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/IndianNews-Queensland

Dear Readers, In the current uncertain times amid COVID-19, it's sad to see the pressure mounting on some Indian students, who came here with all sorts of dreams and career plans, to go back because they can't afford to live here anymore due to lack of part-time work and restrictions placed on public. Equally poignant is the plight of stranded visitors from India, none of whom could have foreseen in their wildest dreams, when they boarded that flight from India, what awaited them here.

But I extend absolute respect and gratitude to the Indian government for organising the Vande Bharat Mission and to the pilots and crew members for soldiering on despite risks to their lives. Besides the Indian government's efforts in taking back the stranded countrymen, it's commendable the way our community organisations and people are supporting those who are suffering the most here -- students and the stranded visitors from India. The work, efforts and time put in by many Indian organisations like Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Hare Krishna Community and Cultural Centre and Sikh Volunteers Australia is truly admirable.

On a further positive note, Mother's Day was still celebrated just as ardently by the children of mothers on May 10, and we have done a few stories on that inside. The piece on Girmit Diwas celebrations is also interesting, and so is our little piece on National Reconciliation Week, which seeks to inspire and build trust between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians.

Also, it's so good to see two of our community members running for the state polls in November -- Pinky Singh, LNP candidate for McConnel, and Palani Thevar, Labor candidate for Maiwar. Using the public platform of our newspaper, I congratulate them both publically.

Due to Covid-19, this issue is available only online

City Brisbane

Not all is fine with America, I hear, what with all the protests outside White House and even accounts of President Trump having to take shelter in a bunker. When the whole world is suffering with COVID-19 hovering over our heads, America is taking it on the chin already. And now this. That nation is truly the epicentre of global bad times.

If you have an interest in writing articles, eye for latest news, attending social events and celebrations, love to encourage achievements and proofreading or copy- editing thereby serving our Indian community kindly email us at info@indiannewsqld.com.au or contact Ram Mohan at 0421652132.

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Australia’s Indian community brings hope and cheer in COVID-19 times Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Australia, Hare Krishna Community and Cultural Centre (Sydney) and Sikh Volunteers Australia keep up the good work by supplying essentials to the distressed international student community and temporary visa holders worst hit by the COVID-19 crisis.

V

ishwa Hindu Parishad, Australia, Hare Krishna Community and Cultural Centre (Sydney) and Sikh Volunteers Australia keep up the good work by supplying essentials to the distressed international student community and temporary visa holders----worst hit by the COVID-19 crisis.

The coronavirus pandemic has gripped the world tenaciously, leaving behind an all-pervasive uncertainty about the future. Just like the other nations, Australia has been reeling under the economic fallout triggered by this unprecedented crisis. Though the Australian government has been immensely supportive by releasing stimulus packages for the citizens and permanent residents, the international student community and temporary visa holders still continue to be financially vulnerable due to loss of jobs.

However, they are being given succour by some prominent Indian organisations based in Australia.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (World Hindu Council) noble endeavour The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) of Australia Inc., which works on the guiding principles of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (the world is one large family) and “Sewa Parmo Dharma” (service is the highest duty), has been playing a major role in ensuring the food security of those who have been worst-hit in Australia amid the COVID-19 crisis. For the past two months, the VHP, Queensland Chapter, volunteers along with those of Bala Samskara Kendra, Queensland, have been conducting weekend grocery kit and vegetables distribution among international students and temporary residents.

They have also recently collated the initiatives such as providing accommodation and financial advice for international students, medical advice and home visit by doctors being undertaken by various community organisations and businesses based in Brisbane and Gold Coast to provide essential services to those in need and made such requisite information easily accessible by listing these on flyers that are being posted on social media platforms.

The Hindu Social Service Foundation, an initiative of VHP, Australia, is providing free dinner and grocery packs as well as medication and grocery collection services to senior citizens. Keeping in mind the mental toll of this ongoing crisis VHP’s www.indiannewsqld.com.au

team of experts and volunteers has been made available via a helpline number to seek guidance for managing mental stress due to loneliness and anxiety.

Joint efforts by HKCCC (Sydney) and Hindu Organisations, Temples and Associations (HOTA) The Hare Krishna Cultural and Community Centre (HKCCC) (Sydney), an initiative of ISCKON, has recently started a grocery distribution drive which has provided much needed relief to the international students facing financial constraints since most of them have lost their jobs in the wake of the lockdown to combat the pandemic.

This selfless initiative by HKCCC, which has collaborated with Hindu Organisations, Temples and Associations (HOTA) to give greater momentum to the drive, is helping to spread optimism among the countless foreign students and other temporary visa holders.

In an interview with an Australian news channel, Janardhan Das, a volunteer of HKCCC, said that he and other volunteers have embarked on a project to help countless foreign students and other temporary visa holders by supplying grocery so that they are able to fulfil their day- today food requirements for at least two weeks or a month. He further said that HKCCC and HOTA are mainly targeting households which are in dire straits.

frontrunners in providing aid to those in dire straits Sikh Volunteers Australia, which launched its Free Food Van service for the homeless and needy in February 2017, has been working tirelessly to deliver free vegetarian food to disadvantaged families ever since the lockdown rendered many a foreign student financially vulnerable.

This group of Sikh volunteers in Australia has been collecting food, cooking meals and delivering these to the elderly, disabled and isolated people amid the covid-19 crisis. At one point they were delivering almost 800 meals per day. Their Free Food Van and Free Take-Away Food Kitchen have proven invaluable for those affected directly and indirectly by the crisis.

Having delivered a total of 41,215 meals till May 9 to many areas, including Cranbourne, Frankston, Seaford, Carrum Downs, Clyde, Skye, Tooradin, Hampton Park, Lyndhurst, Lynbrook, Junction Village, Devon Meadows, Narre Warren, Hallam, Berwick, they decided to extend their Free Food Delivery Program till May 30 despite the easing down of the lockdown. The volunteers are eager to keep up the good work even beyond this depending upon the needs of the community. These selfless volunteers are spreading a wave of positivity and solidarity in the community.

By Devashish Chakraborty and Deepika Banerji

Sikh Volunteers Australia's Free Food Van service for the homeless and needy

Sikh volunteers in Australia have been collecting food and delivering these to the elderly, disabled and isolated people amid the covid-19 crisis

Janardhan Das, a volunteer of HKCCC, among others, is part of the project to help foreign students and other temporary visa holders by supplying groceries Courtesy - VHP Facebook

Reiterating the pride that ISCKON takes worldwidein its unique food distribution system, Das remarked that the prevailing situation was a deterrent against providing cooked food, so they decided to improvise by procuring lots of dry grocery items like rice, flour, oil, salt, lentils and other items. He further said that they had managed to collect food stuff for about 50 families and were expecting to procure even more.

Quoting some verses from the Bhagvad Gita, he commented that they were following the teachings of Lord Krishna as according to Him each and every living entity is an eternal fragmented part of the Lord himself. So, by serving these families they were serving the Lord.

Das extended his gratitude to all the devotees and congregation members who had generously donated food stuff and also hoped to continue with the good work.

Sikh

Volunteers

HKCCC volunteer delivering groceries to the students

VHP volunteers

Groceries getting packed by HKCCC

For the past two months, volunteers from VHP Queensland and also from Bala Samskar Kendra, Queensland, have been conducting weekend grocery kit and vegetables distributed

Australia----

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AIHCF supports intnl students

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o provide the international students with groceries and meet their basic needs, Australia India House Charitable Foundation (AIHCF) worked with community organisations such as Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ), Brazilian Students Group in Gold coast, International Students Group in QUT, Griffith University and TAFE colleges, African Students from Brisbane, Vedanta Centre of Queensland and other voluntary and charity organisations AIHCF Chairman Prof Prasad Yarlagadda recounted the initiatives taken by AIHCF and other organisations. First up, supply of cooked meals to the needy students was undertaken through restaurants like Gold Coast Dosa Hut. AIHCF also tried to provide a food pack (with basic ingredients like rice, flour, pulses and other essentials) for the students to cook their own meals.

These food packs have basic groceries that meet their needs for 7-14 days.

through Go cards to assist them to commute to their university campuses.

“AIHCF is also making sure to reach all international student communities, instead of supporting only a small group of students,” he added.

Prof Yarlagadda further informed that AIHCF is helping international students, who are at the end of their course (end of visa period), with extending their visas or who are trying to change their visa from student visa to post study visa and other related situations. He also said that Australian Federal Government and Queensland state government are providing help and support to needy students in extending their visas temporarily without any additional costs to them.

“It is really wonderful to see initiatives by Queensland Government, Queensland University of Technology, Griffith University, Bond University, Intech Institute of Technology and a number of other institutes in support of International students during these difficult times,” Prof Yarlagadda said and also talked of the good work done by AIHCF Di-

rectors Dr. Ramana Panda and Dr.

Robin Jaggessar and other committee members.

AIHCF Chairman Prof Prasad Yarlagadda

Cooked food for the needy international students

“As the distribution of food packs becomes difficult due to travel restrictions and social distancing, we started providing $25 Coles gift cards that could be used to purchase either fuel or basic rations that are essential for their survival in these difficult times,” informed Prof Yarlagadda.

“Now the students need different form of support to facilitate their travel as semester examinations will be starting soon. So AIHCF is trying to provide travel support

Basic necessities for the needy students

Supply of cooked meals was undertaken through restaurants like Gold Coast Dosa Hut

When it’s not safe anywhere: the long shadow of COVID-19

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t is ironical that May events include both Mother’s Day and Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month. Mother’s Day is not a happy one for the women who cannot take action to leave an abusive partner for fear of retribution targeting their children.

The poignancy of this situation was even greater this year with the newly evolved coronavirus joining hands with the age-old scourge of domestic and family violence. There is increasing evidence worldwide that domestic and family abuse has become an opportunistic infection, flourishing in the conditions created by the pandemic.

This situation is not surprising. Evidence from past years has shown that domestic violence rates go up whenever there are natural disasters, pandemics or simply families spending

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more time together during school and other vacations. Many people, usually men, feel powerless in these situations and seek to compensate by exercising dominance over partners and sometimes children as well.

With families in lockdown, huge numbers of unemployed men and even larger numbers of unemployed women, and an escalation of risk factors such as excessive alcohol consumption, the challenges posed by domestic and family violence have become even greater.

Restrictions on movement also impede victims’ access to services and support. Not only are women’s access to formal or state support services restricted, but they may also be isolated from their local, family and community-based support systems. A loss of independent income and school going children being

locked down also increases women’s vulnerability and limits options for escaping abusive situations.

Women’s rights activists and support services across Australia have registered an increase in the number of domestic violence cases during the coronavirus lockdown. Domestic violence shelters are full. This doesn’t reflect the real need as many women will be hesitant to reporting domestic violence over the phone during coronavirus lockdown. Some providers have reported an increase in text messages and emails calling for help which can be erased. Others have noted an increase in Google searches on domestic violence. We don’t know how many women have had access to phones and computers/iPads removed, and some may never have had it.

Both federal and state governments

COVID lockdown - domestic violence spikes have allocated extra funding to support domestic violence victims in addition to services already being provided.

Private citizens are also stepping in to do what they can. In Brisbane, John Siaki, a furniture delivery person, has been using his truck to move women. Saru Rana, an activ-

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ist from Adelaide who runs SHAMSHIR, a social service that works for women’s and child rights, has turned her personal mobile number into a hotline for those seeking help.

Tough times shouldn’t lead to tougher times at home!

By Indrani Ganguly

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Support comes from FICQ amid student crisis

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ith Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ) jointly working with other community and member organisations, a platform was provided to connect with and get support for the international students from India during COVID-19 crisis. After much brainstorming and sharing of ideas, strategies were formed to best support them, and one of the basic practical ways thought of was providing food and groceries.

Several restaurants voluntarily are taking care of food requirement, and FICQ came up with another solution of providing packages of necessary groceries so the students can cook what they like and need as per their convenient timings. This idea was supported and executed by each and every member of FICQ, under the leadership of President Mr Shyam Das. To enable efficient and prompt delivery of groceries packages to stu-

dents in QLD, a sign-up form was created on FICQ Facebook page.

This centralised initiative was to collect details of affected students and provide help where needed. The sign up form was generated by Mr Preetham Krishna and was successfully attached to the Facebook page.

This form is more of a centralised platform where affected students from all over Queensland can get the groceries supplies from FICQ. The details collected in the form are organised and individuals contacted and verified. Mr Preetham Krishna took the responsibility of contacting these students and verifying their status. Once all the details were verified, immediate dispatch of packages were made to people in urgent need. Where needed, these packages were handed over by many volunteers, including Preetham Krishna.

“This whole crisis situation has impacted each and everyone’s life.

International students, living away from the family, have been hit really hard and some of the issues are

tragic,” FICQ President Mr Shyam Das said.

“Though we cannot solve all the issues right at the time, maximum efforts have been made through FICQ and its members in helping the students and reducing their burden to some extent. Emotionally, this has been one of the worst times everyone is facing, and providing support and helping others is the need of the hour,” he added.

Thanking various people and organisations for promptly jumping in and helping out the students, Mr Das said, “FICQ is very thankful to the member organisations like Gujrati Associations of Qld, Brisbane Maharashtra Mandal and Punjabi Welfare Associations for financial support as well as the donors, the High Commission of India, Dr Maha Sinnathamby, who is the longstanding patron of FICQ, Senator Paul Scarr and Dr Ashim Majumdar.”

Preetham Krishna

Aussie universities hit by COVID-19, pressure mounts on intnl students

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ustralia’s universities were mulling ways on how to resume faceto-face classes during the COVID-19 crisis, while pressure mounts on international students who remain outside the country due to border shutdown.

The economic cost of the crisis to the country’s universities, heavily dependent on international students, could amount to A$4.6 billion ($3.01 billion) over the next six months as a result of the border closure.

“On this basis, an estimated 21,290 full time equivalent staff will lose their jobs in the next six months,” Catriona Jackson, chief executive of Universities Australia (UA), an organization representing the country’s 39 universities, told Efe news on May 26.

International students contributed some A$37.6 billion to the Australian economy in 201819, making education the fourth largest export in the country, after coal, iron and natural gas.

However, the pandemic has forced international students, who pay up to A$33,000 for their studies, to cancel their plans to study there and return to their home countries due to lack of employment and subsidies in Australia.

Meanwhile, the country plans to

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resume economic activities in July after controlling the coronavirus.

Currently, it is estimated that 10 per cent of the affected students still cannot enter Australia, although Jackson stressed that it does not mean that they have traded Australia for other options.

“There is no evidence to suggest that international students will choose to undertake their studies elsewhere as a result of COVID-19. Australia is seen as a safe, welcoming destination which has responded effectively to the pandemic,” she said.

Many Australian universities have urged the government to allow international students, who account for a third of the 1.5 million students in the country, to return.

Meanwhile, with an eye on the next academic session, the “universities are now working closely with government and health authorities on the carefully staged return to face-to-face learning”, said Jackson.

The pandemic has also dealt a severe blow to a lot of researches at universities, which account for 90 per cent of research in Australia, as a large part of them has been cancelled and their funds diverted for tackling the novel coronavirus.

The cut in employment in universities will affect some 7,000 people linked to academic research

Graduates are seen at the campus of University of Sydney, Australia, on June 5, 2019 (IANS) and 9,000 international students who will interrupt their research this year, according to a recent study coordinated by the govern-

ment’s chief scientist, Alan Finkel.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on May 26

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that vocational training for skilled workers will be his government’s priority to train young people for the jobs they are looking to create.

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Indian Indian NewsNews Queensland Queensland | FESTIVALS | CORONA & EVENTS CRISIS

Matruvat Paradareshu–All women are my mother What Mother’s Day means to me

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subscribe to Vedic culture’s definition of ‘Mother’ as a title applicable not just to someone who has borne a biological child but to females in general.

Mother can be a child, adolescent girl or adult woman who teaches us the best ways to link to humanity, other living beings and divinity.

I regard as my ‘Mother’ the many women of diverse ages, ethnicities, religions and cultures from whom I have derived inspiration and sustenance. Prominent among them is my maternal grandmother who taught me about courage and resilience in the face of adversity, keeping my mind open to learning and doing many things, accepting we cannot be perfect and retaining a sense of humour and the ability to laugh at oneself. I incorporated many of these themes in my first novel The Rose and the Thorn, which is dedicated to her.

The modern way of celebrating Mother’s Day was not part of my life in India. As an adult with chil-

Our four-legged children who submitted to being dressed up dren who have grown up in Australia, celebrating Mother’s Day has become an annual event. It initially comprised a meal at a restaurant of my choice and small presents paid for by my husband till the children began to earn. I have always cher-

Our Mother's Day celebration

Three mothers, four generations ished the cards my children made and the little gifts they bought with their pocket money.

Our daughter is now a mother herself, so we have a joint celebration with our son hosting and son-in-law and grandson joining in.

COVID-19 made this year’s Mother’s Day a little different with the Queensland Government allowing us to have five external visitors. We could all share the takeaway meal from a local café we wished to support. Our son footed the bill, our three-year-old grandson was the

card maker and our son-in-law gave me a hat made by someone who supports women experiencing domestic violence. Our four-legged children who submitted to being dressed up and showered us all with affection added an extra dimension.

By Indrani Ganguly

Sitar star pays ode to mothers

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onsidered one of the finest sitar players in Queensland, Sudha Manian has performed the traditional Indian classical music on various platforms and has collaborated with other diverse artists to compose, create and perform fusion/world music. We caught up with the classical artist and talked all things Mother’s Day. Being a mother to two and having a doting mother certainly teaches you a lot about motherhood. So here goes.

What’s the best thing you can say about mothers in general? How much importance you put on their role in society and why?

Rudyard Kipling said it well, “God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.” Many of our Indian scriptures have also emphasised the importance of the mother with many of the great heroes being referred to by their mothers’ names -- Bhima was also called Gangeyan “the son of Ganga”, Arjuna was called Kauntheya “the son of Kunthi”, Karna in some scriptures is referred as Radheya “the son of Radhe” and Sri Hanuman was also called Anjaneya “the son of Anjali”.

Not much has changed in the significance and the role a mother plays in the growth of individuals

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who make up a society. A mother in today’s time is the same -- a carer, a giver, a teacher , a role model, a disciplinarian and a friend, all rolled in one. It is perhaps one of humanity’s hardest and most fulfilling roles.

How did you celebrate Mother’s Day? How did you make her feel special on this day?

It was a beautiful lazy start to the day, one of those rare days when I woke up without a plan or agenda.

Due to the current travel restrictions my mother was not with me and the family, which was sad but then, she was safe at home in India.

Thanks to technology we all now seem to live in a “virtual world” which shortens the sense of distance. Having a conference whatsapp call is now the “new normal” and she was just thrilled; it all worked perfectly fine, with my sister and me getting on a call with her and we could have a three-way conversation.

Giving her this time, even more-so now when she is alone in isolation, was the best gift, if you ask her.

Any change in your relation, your feelings and your interaction with your mother during these corona times?

I have always looked up to my mother as a role model for many reasons and now even more strongly. The strength and resilience she continues to exhibit during these tough times with travel restrictions, isolation and inability to be with family and friends for an unknown period of time has been incredible.

She has adjusted to the “new normal” in a very practical and pragmatic way. One of her favourite quotes she has referred to in recent time is “Challenges are what makes life interesting. Overcoming them is what makes it meaningful and I want to live a meaningful life.” I can never stop learning from my mother, my teacher for life.

As a mother yourself, did your kids observe the day? How? I am a mother to two beautiful kids.

They make me feel special every single day, but Mother’s Day is always celebrated with lot of thought and love. I was treated to a delicious breakfast in bed and coffee and they showered with many beautiful gifts.

A jar of “ 200 ways to say I love you” was perhaps the most precious, with 200 handwritten notes from both.

Overall, it was a beautiful and relaxed day with the family with lots of laughter, love and good food. I felt very pampered and loved.

Sudha Manian (right) with her mother Maithili Subramanian

Sudha Manian with her kids, Sanchia (left) and Rohan (right)

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Enduring lessons men learnt from their mothers

Ask any man and he will share enduring lessons he has been taught by his mother, which often reflect in who he is and all he does. This Mother's Day, we spoke to a few men from different fields to know how they have instilled these values into their business/profession. By Puja Gupta

Comedian Anubhav Singh Bassi "Time is the most powerful thing in the world, respect the time. It can make you or break you without giving you any notice. And I follow this religiously. I have changed four careers and this lesson taught by my mother helped me in becoming what I'm today."

Advocate Jishant Barua "My mother is a housewife, probably because of which she has a lot of patience and that's what she taught me. She also imbibed in me the quality of being organised in whatever I do. Being a lawyer, these are the most important qualities which my profession demands. Keeping my files and folders organised and being patients and composed while dealing with clients from different sectors help ease my job."

Chef Ranveer Brar "My mother is my artistic inspiration. I credit her for my creative ability. She always encouraged me to paint more, sculpt more and write more... basically find creative mediums to express myself. Little did she know that I'd eventually adopt the medium that I had grown up watching her and Biji use - cooking!!

Manish Malhotra "Fundamental focus - is what I learnt from my mother. The focus that she had towards her family, her sons to keep them happy. I remember my dad was fond of non-vegetarian food and she came from an absolute vegetarian family. But she learnt to cook non-vegetarian food and would meet friends and learn new recipes. She learnt how to drive in order to drop us to school. All of that reflects in me. Also, I have never heard her speak about anybody. She has taught us to walk the path of life with full focus and positivity."

Singer Armaan Malik "Our mother has always pushed Amaal and me to seize the moment, and strive for the best. I remember this one thing she always says, 'Make it happen, don't wait for it to happen.' Whoever we are and where we stand right now in this industry, wouldn't have been possible without her support and love. Her business acumen has helped us make the best decisions and create opportunities we thought were non-existent. Her pragmatic vision has always enabled us to make the best out of whatever the situation is."

Fitness expert Gaurav Taneja "What I learnt from my mother was to be organised which in return saves a lot of time. It also makes you look quite professional at your work place. I still abide by that and it really helps me maintain good, positive vibe."

Vijayraghavan Venugopal, Co-Founder, Fast&Up "I feel mothers are the best managers that can ever be. From the finances of the house to making sure everything is in perfect order - in business it takes an army to run it smoothly. A home is run single handedly by a mother and for that, I thank not only my mom but all the ones who do this difficult job with the passion and happiness they do it with. My mother taught me the importance of responsibility. As the elder son, she would always teach me the importance of patient and ensure that I helped my younger brother while growing up. I like think that we instilled the same value in this organisation."

Edul Mahaduvala, co-founder of Castles & Coasters My grandmother and mother have played a key role in shaping the person I have become. Most importantly they taught me the value of time. The way you treat time not only yours but also others builds the core to your character. And no better time to value this key teaching than now. Time is usually the one thing that people have and do take for granted. My grandmother always said "the clock is ticking for you as long as you show gratitude towards it, without time you are empty." It's in today's time that I feel people are realizing this value and inculcating it in their lives.

Trishant Sidhwaani, Director at Dreamzkraft Weddings "My mother is a business woman and has built Dreamzkrraft a wedding planning and decor company over the last 20 years.

Since childhood she has taught me the importance of doing the right thing even when things get tough and especially towards the people who are not doing right by you. Never to lie, never to cheat anybody, never speak ill of anybody and never to attempt to claim something that you have not earned. Be positive, put your 100 percent in whatever you do and be honest to yourself. These general life lessons if practised becomes part of who you are and whether it is your personal life or business, having such values will ensure you remain grounded and ethical."

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Devendra Parulekar, Founder, SaffronStays "From a very early age, my mother taught us about the value of trust in any relationship. For instance, we were never allocated any monthly allowance. Instead, a reasonable amount of money was kept for us in the cupboard with a pen and paper. We were expected to take as much money as we wanted, and just jot down details of the same. She trusted us to spend that money wisely and never asked about what the money was being spent on. Ever. It's this same value system that I have imbibed in the way I work. Whether it is budgets or the number of hours being spent at work, my first instinct is to always trust the person to do the right thing. I have noted that oftentimes, the ones who respect and understand this value system continue to stay with you; the rest wither away."

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Chef Hemant Oberoi "My mother taught me sincerity, sacrifice, love, loyalty and..... most important my love and passion for food. She has always been a family person and looked after my ailing grandmother for three decades. She has given up things in order to give my siblings and me a good education. She was also pretty bold for her times. We saw the 1965 Pakistan war, as my father was posted on the border and we were staying under attack areas. She would still make food for my father and send it to the station. Along with others she would make food for soldiers on the frontline and we would go in jeeps to deliver. These are things I will always cherish for my life."

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Indian Indian NewsNews Queensland Queensland | FESTIVALS | CORONA & EVENTS CRISIS

This year, Girmit Diwas celebration goes virtual amid Covid-19 pandemic

The driving force behind the virtual memorial was to keep alive the memories of those first Indian indentured labourers who by their sacrifices and hardships, paved the way for the success and adulation enjoyed by their descendants

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irmit Diwas, which is an important annual celebration held on May 14 by the Fijian Indians living in Queensland, could not be organised with its usual gaiety this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, in order to keep the spirit of the celebration alive, a virtual memorial service in honour of the first Indians to arrive on Fiji Islands was organised on Facebook live platform by the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), Queensland, in collaboration with Australian Indian Radio.

Sponsored by Austec Services, Cornerstone Law Offices, Globenet Realty and RS Enterprises Qld Ltd, the virtual memorial was hosted by OAM Umesh Chandra and Pravinita Singh of Cornerstone Law Offices. Chandra and his wife are familiar faces across the Queensland community because of their selfless commitment to serving the local community. He also happens to be the publisher and editor of Brisbane Indian Times as well as the Founding President of the GOPIO Queensland chapter.

Video messages keep the spirit up The show, which was slated to feature key note video messages, snippets of past years’ programmes and video presentation of Kolkata Memorial (inaugurated in 2011), commenced with the lighting of lamps and candles in front of a plaque bearing a brief written account of the history of Girmityas. Chandra was accompanied by his wife Usha, Pravinita Singh and Rakesh Sharma, the current President of GOPIO’s Queensland Chapter for this ceremony. This was followed by a slide show of images capturing the painful yet glorious past of the Girmityas who braved adversities and despite a harsh beginning went on to embrace Fiji as their home away from their motherland. Both the hosts kept on reiterating the significance of narrating the history of the Girmityas ----indentured labourers who signed agreements with atrocious clauses hampering their individual rights to work on sugarcane plants in British colonies lest their progeny should forget their sacrifices. They emphatically endorsed the fact that though it was a dark beginning for an otherwise renowned community which is as much an integral part of Fiji and Queensland as any other community, instead of harbouring shame their current descendants should draw inspiration and strength from them which should in turn make them feel proud of their lineage and heritage.

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Rakesh Sharma, who was at the studio, gave a brief insight into the history of GOPIO which has 76 chapters across the globe with the Queensland chapter coming to existence in 2008. Paying homage to the sacrifices and ordeals of the Girmitiyas, he also highlighted GOPIO’s role in celebrating the Girmit Diwas every year and in order to continue with the yearly tradition, this memorial service had been organised on a virtual platform.

Video messages talk about Girmityas’ history Among the past years’ snippets of key note speeches played on the show, one of the most noteworthy ones was by the Honorary Counsel for India in Queensland Mrs Archana Singh, which was delivered by her on the occasion of the 2014 Girmit Diwas Remembrance. She had recounted the brief history of the Girmityas and how their mass exodus, albeit one shrouded in deception by their colonial masters who made them sign away their freedom, began when the first ship Leonidas arrived at the Levuka harbour bearing the first set of indentured labourers on May 14, 1879.

She praised the buoyant spirits of these early Indians who were subjected to unimaginable atrocities while working on the sugarcane plantations and how some who were able to return home after serving their period of indenture managed to bring to light the deplorable conditions of the Girmityas. With the help of freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu and a Christian Missionary, CF Andrews who fought for their rights, the horrific indentured labour system came to an end on December 31, 1919.

She urged everyone to honour the memory of the Girmityas and to remember their story of struggle amid harsh circumstances with pride.

Another speech from the same celebration played on the show was by the former editor of Fiji Times, Vijendra Kumar. He narrated how the birth of the abhorrent indentured labour system was a result of the banning of the slavery system.

He also threw light on the Australian connection with the history of Indo-Fijians who were exploited by the setting up of the sugar industry by the sugar giants, Australian Colonial Sugar Refining Company in 1882. This company reaped benefits from the indentured labourers who worked on the sugarcane plantations.

Among the other videos of keynote speakers from past years were those of Vinita Khushal, former president of GOPIO Queensland; HariRa-

niga, Honorary Counsel for Fiji in Queensland; and Bob Pillay, one of the partners of Cornerstone Law Offices.

Kriti Lata Ram, President of GOPIO Triolet of Mauritius, also paid tribute to the Girmityas through a video message by giving an account of their tragic history and acknowledged their contribution and that of their descendants to the political, economic and social development of Fiji.

The hosts also shared a very enlightening and informative clipping of Rajendra Prasad, a third generation Indo-Fijian, a descendant of Indian indentured labourers to Fiji

A video grab of OAM Umesh Chandra and Pravinita Singh of Cornerstone Law Offices hosting the virtual memorial at Australian Indian Radio on the occasion of Girmit Diwas celebrations

Girmitiyas at Rarawai Mill

A video grab of Girmit Diwas celebration being inaugurated by (extreme Left) OAM Umesh Chandra, accompanied by his wife Mrs Usha Chandra, Rakesh Sharma, President of GOPIO’s Queensland Chapter, and Pravinita Singh of Cornerstone Law Offices. The plaque in the middle bears a brief written account of the history of Girmityas in Trinidad and Tobago that fea- This year despite the global crisis who has authored the book “Tears tured a stage item where a folk song brought on by the Covid-19 panin Paradise” which traces the tragic was being performed with paintings demic, there has been no dampenstory of the Girmitiyas . of various ships, one of them being ing effect on the spirit of the Girmit the Leonidas, carrying indentured Remembrance Day for this virUmesh Chandra concluded the labourers to imperial colonies such tual memorial has ensured that the show by sharing a clip of the Indian as Fiji, Trinidad and Tobago, Mau- thread of continuity is not broken.

By Deepika Banerji Arrival Day celebrations, which is ritius and other such places. an equivalent of Fiji’s Girmit Diwas,

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Indian Indian NewsNews Queensland Queensland | FESTIVALS | CORONA & EVENTS CRISIS

Prakruthi Mysore Gururaj of Queensland wins Mrs Karnataka 2020 crown of APF Quarantine FB Queen

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rakruthi Mysore Gururaj of Queensland wins Mrs Karnataka 2020 crown of APF Quarantine FB Queen

The finale of the Quarantine FB Queen 2020 virtual pageant under the APF Mrs Karnataka banner from India was held on May 17, and Australia’s Prakruthi Mysore Gururaj was declared the crown winner and was titled as Mrs Karnataka 2020 along with two other subtitles Mrs Confident and Mrs Rampwalk.

The contestants took part in the pageant via a virtual meet, and after two weeks of Facebook rounds, the finale and the Q&A round was conducted virtually over Facebook.

After four rounds of Introductory, Western Gown, Traditional Wear and 150 mins of virtual Q&A round, winners were announced.

The title was jointly won by two contestants: Prakruthi Mysore Gururaj from Queensland and Vinitha Nataraj from Bengaluru.

Pavithra Avinash emerged as the 1st runners up and Ranjitha Gowda bagged the 2nd runner up title, all from Bangalore. Besides the main awards, there were 17 subtitles, including Mrs Congeniality, which was won by Pavithra Avinash, Mrs Beautiful Smile, which went again to Vinitha Nataraj, Mrs Glamorous look, won by Shwetha Pavan Singh.

This pageant, first of its kind in the world, was not solely on looks or beauty rather it was about the achievements of women and their contribution to the community. The chairwoman and director of APF Mrs Karnataka, Dr Asha Kiran, organised the virtual pageant with the intent to empower the women of Karnataka and India with the motto “Say no to body shaming” and “Say yes to self-confidence”. Along with

Dr Asha Kiran, Major Aditi Mohan (ex-Indian Army officer) and Mr Santhosh Reddy (actor, model) were the judges.

When asked how she manages to juggle so many activities and how she feels about winning, she said, "Winning this title means a lot to me as it has set an example of no age limit for achieving our dreams.

I always advocate thinking wise, dreaming big and making sure you follow your dreams by being committed, consistent, putting all your effort and being honest. It’s also about staying connected to your roots. I am grateful to my parents, in-laws, husband Dr Madhuchandra, children and friends for all their support and encouragement.”

Prakruthi, who strongly believes in serving the community and making a difference in people’s lives, has earned the respect from people

in the community for her contribution to multiculturalism. She has been able to achieve this through her abilities and skills in leadership, public speaking, writing and entertainment. While she enjoys her community engagements, she's also a business analyst by profession and a mother of two.

awards and accolades across multidisciplinary domains in India, the Middle East and now her home in Australia. She now takes part in Red Carpet Fashion shows, both as a model and predominantly as master of ceremony. She also volunteers to photo-shoot for emerging photographers and designers.

Prakruthi began working hard at the age of 12, when she started choreographing dances for underprivileged children in schools. She later went on to represent Karnataka State twice at national level dance competition. She entered into fashion when she was 18 and walked the ramp as professional model for four years. Later, she went on to be a judge for many beauty pageants back in India and now in Australia as well.

Having served at Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland as vice president and PRO, and president of Kannada Sangha Queensland Inc in the past, she is now a part of Damini Woman’s Association and Fiji Senior Citizens Association and Queensland Multicultural Network Group. To expand on her community involvement, she currently serve as the multicultural ambassador for Red Carpet Functions and, as one of the community leaders in Queensland, works with many multicultural communities.

She has since grown into an enterprising woman winning numerous

Pavithar Avinash (1st Runner Up)

Dr Asha Kiran, chairwoman and director of Apf Mrs Karnataka www.indiannewsqld.com.au

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Indian News Queensland | LOCAL & NATIONAL

Prominent Indian Australians enter the fray in Queensland state polls

A crusader for education, health and community development Born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Palani Thevar has catapulting himself to a leadership position in social work and community service in Australia. As the former president of The Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ) and the founding president of Brisbane Tamil Association, Palani has devoted his life to social work and has served the disadvantaged and vulnerable sections of the society. The father of three children, Palani and his wife Devi Palani share a common mission of fostering education and community development. They have played a pivotal role in bringing communities together and in working towards their wellbeing.

By dint of his hard work and devotion to community development, Palani ascended the leadership ladder and was in 2019 chosen the Labor Party’s candidate for the Maiwar district in Queensland. Besides assuming a lead role in social service, he is also a media and communication professional and has a Bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Queensland.

As for his motto behind running for the district elections, he wants to “fight for crucial education, health and community services that the community members deserve.” He emphasizes that his personal experiences as a social worker and being a witness to the cuts to health and community services on Queenslanders elicited his decision to take up the candidacy.

Palani, who has mainly worked in

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Displaying her complete confidence and faith in Palani, Premier of Queensland Annastasia Palaszczuk remarked that the erstwhile FICQ president reflected her government in lending his ear to the voice of Queenslanders and that he would be out there every day earning the trust of the local communities.

A recent example of public faith in Palani’s commitment to redress grievances was seen when many locals contacted him regarding their concerns over access of local community to the green space at Queensland Academy of Science, Mathematics and Technology. As he has been in touch with the local government on behalf of the community, Palani posted the reply on his social media accounts reassuring the locals that the recent restrictions had been imposed only due to the Covid-19 crisis and that in the future there would be no problems of accessibility.

Palani also endorses the importance of building resilience through multiculturalism and on May 21 (UN World Day) he attended a virtual meeting on this agenda with MPs Graham Perrett and Mark Dreyfus, among others. He has also been at the forefront promoting the efforts of the volunteers who have worked for the community development of Maiwar. On May 23 as part of the National Volunteer Week, Palani felicitated two volunteers Mariya Coblenz and Laraine Hinds acknowledging their dedicated work for the Benarrawa Community Development Association.

Palani will be running against Lauren Day of the Liberal National Party of Queensland.

years ago at the age of 18. Back then she did not speak much English. Initially when she came to this country she got the job of a waitress. But this did not deter her. Since then she has come a long way as now she is a successful entrepreneur and is married and has three children.

Post her marriage she and her husband Ben have worked diligently to build a successful small businesses.

In their pursuit for personal success they have also contributed to realize the aspirations of the members of their community by helping in the creation of many job opportunities for them. By spearheading many activities across numerous community and multicultural circles, Pinky has endeared herself among the community groups in Brisbane.

In one of her memorable acts of generosity she had given unconditional support to the family of the Brisbane bus driver Manmeet Alisher who was murdered in 2016.

She had also played a crucial role for them by acting as their representative in communicating with the government and the media.

Founder of the Punjabi Welfare Association of Australia, an organization committed to supporting Punjabi migrants and families in Australia, Pinky believes that McConnel being one of the most culturally diverse electorates and

Photo Facebook

As Queensland gears up for this year’s state elections scheduled to be held on October 31, the candidates representing various districts are campaigning to garner maximum support from their respective electorates. Among those contesting for the upcoming elections are two renowned candidates of Indian descent who have both made their mark in the Australian society by their dedicated and selfless work.

Palani Thevar and Pinky Singh have emerged as prominent faces for Queensland’s upcoming state elections. Though Palani and Pinki’s rise to fame are distinct stories, the inner urge in both of them to contribute to the welfare of the people in the community is the common thread that makes them comparable.

mental health care support sector, disability care sector and as child safety support officer, feels that the Queensland community is in earnest need of a member of Parliament who can work for its betterment.

Pinky Singh (middle) with Vicki Howard (left) and Trevor Evans MP (right) home to tens of thousands of small businesses, her own experiences as a woman entrepreneur coupled with her migrant background make her the best candidate to represent McConnel. She also accepts that despite its uniqueness, this district is plagued with several problems which are similar to those of the rest of Queensland and therefore McConnel needs an MP who is acquainted with small business and perceives the necessity of creating a strong, local economy. Her main

Pinky Singh, LNP candidate for McConnel

motive is to ensure Queensland’s optimum development, and backed

by Deb Frecklington’s party, she hopes to fulfil her dream.

Recently she met owners of various local cafes and restaurants such as New Farm Markets, Wickham Hotel, and Taj Mahal Cuisine in a bid to urge everyone to support these local businesses.

By Rabindra Mukherji

Palani Thevar, Labor Party’s candidate for Maiwar, Queensland Courtesy - Queensland Labor

Serving through entrepreneurial leadership

Courtesy - Facebook Palani Thevar

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alani Thevar and Pinky Singh have the right credentials to represent their community in the October 31 elections

The other Indian achiever in the Queensland’s election battleground is Pinky Singh aka Gurpreet Singh, who is a Newstead-based businesswoman. She has been chosen by the Liberal National Party of Queensland as their candidate for McConnel in the October state government elections. Pinky’s story is quite interesting and may well inspire many aspirants.

She had migrated to Australia 20

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Indian News Queensland | COPING WITH CORONA

Vande Bharat: Special Air India flights begin repatriation of Indians stuck in Australia Indian government’s decision to launch the Vande Bharat Mission is being welcomed by thousands of Indians stranded in Australia

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he Indian government’s ‘Vande Bharat Mission’, which is being hailed as the biggest repatriation mission to bring back numerous Indians stranded on foreign shores began with seven special Air India flights from Australia scheduled between May 21 and May 28. Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic took hold of the world, India and Australia had been under a lockdown, causing many Indians on a visit to Australia to be stranded abroad.

passengers adhered to the necessity of a prior arrival of at least four hours to undergo necessary medical screening for the flight bound for New Delhi that was scheduled to take off at 9.45 am. In order to make sure that the repatriation flight took off safely and smoothly, the Consul General of India (Sydney) Manish Gupta and Air India Regional Manager Anil Kaul were both present at the airport. The flight eventually took off with 224 passengers onboard.

What is Vande Bharat Mission?

Seeing the plight of the Indian citizens stuck abroad, the Indian government started the Vande Bharat Mission comprising special flights

by Air India and Air India Express all across the globe to countries where Indians are stuck and are awaiting rescue. Australia, which is a coveted destination for Indians desirous of immigrating to the country for study and work purposes, also happens to be a favoured tourist destination for many. Many Indians had been sending out appeals for repatriation which were fortunately answered near the last week of May.

On May 25, two Air India flights which took off from Sydney and Melbourne as per the schedule released by the Indian High Commission, provided much needed respite to 458 Indians who had been stuck in Australia.

Of the seven scheduled flights from Australia, three were scheduled from Sydney on May 21, 23 and 25 with the destinations being New Delhi, Amritsar and Ahmedabad, respectively.The remaining four from Melbourne on May 22, 23,25 and 28 were scheduled to land in Amritsar, Bengaluru, Cochin and Hyderabad, respectively. This was confirmed in an official notification by the Indian High Commission. The official notification also stated that passengers with compelling reasons to travel such as those with medical emergencies, elderly people, pregnant women, temporary visa holders whose visas were on the verge of expiry and migrant workers who had lost their jobs would be prioritized and would be notified by email of their names being shortlisted.

Crew members of the Vande Bharat Mission flight during the first phase

On May 28, the final repatriation flight of the first phase of the mission took off. As per the Indian High Commission, Canberra’s Facebook page, stranded Indian nationals who could not be accommodated in the 1st phase will be considered for the flight in the second phase.

While nearly 10,000 Indian nationals stranded in Australia have registered with the Indian High Commission for the repatriation flights, P S Karthigeyan, Deputy High Commissioner of India to Australia stated that due to huge number of Indians awaiting repatriation from Australia, it would not be possible to rescue them all in the first phase of Vande Bharat Mission, which ended on May 28. However, he promised that there would be more such repatriation flights in the near future for those who have now been left out.

By Deepika Banerji

Vande Bharat Mission is believed to be the biggest repatriation mission to bring back numerous Indians stranded on foreign shores. Courtesy - Facebook, Indian High Commission, Canberra

But if they did not buy tickets in the 24 hours following the notification, the seats would be allocated to the next passengers in waiting. Medical screening before boarding would be compulsory for all and only asymptomatic passengers would be permitted to travel. Moreover, on arrival in India, all passengers would have to undergo 14-day mandatory quarantine.

How did the Mission go so far?

On May 21, a long queue had already started forming at Sydney airport as early as 4.30 am as the eager

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Passengers on board an Indian flight being rescued back to India from Australia as part of Indian government’s Vande Bharat Mission

Stranded Indians finally able to check out

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Indian News Queensland | COPING WITH CORONA

Modi and Morrison to conduct bilateral talks on virtual platform on June 4

Talks to focus on fortifying stability and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region along with the possibility of signing the Mutual Logistics Sharing Pact earlier scheduled to take place in January this year

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ustralian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi are all set to hold a bilateral summit virtually with a view to discussing a slew of issues with the key ones being IndoPacific partnership between the two nations and combined efforts to combat Covid-19. The summit is scheduled to be held on June 4.

This virtual meeting is being planned in lieu of two previously scheduled visits by the Australian Prime Minister; the first one being in January which was cancelled due to the raging bushfires in Australia and the second one in May that did not materialize due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Modi and Morrison have constantly been in touch with each other and discussed measures to contain the spread of the virus while their respective countries continued to battle the Covid-19 crisis. Both reached a consensus on the significance of sharing their experience and the necessity of collaborations for vigorous scientific research.

During a telephonic conversation in April, both the leaders concurred on being vigilant not only to the current health crisis but also to the

long-term importance of strengthening Indo-Australia partnership which would cover the Indo-Pacific region. Hailing India and Australia as “like-minded democracies”, Australian High Commissioner designated to India, Barry O’ Farrell, as reported in the Economic Times, said that India and Australia are bound to emerge as natural partners in giving shape to the postCOVID 19 pandemic world; they must work towards greater collaboration in this area. He also corroborated Australia’s nod to Modi’s call for strengthening the WHO during the G20 summit and also showed support for the possibility of India gaining a permanent position in the UN Security Council.

While the impending virtual meeting will have several agendas, the pivotal one will be the much-awaited culmination of a range of pacts consisting of the Mutual Logistics Sharing Pact and those in the areas of science and technology and public administration. The Mutual Logistics Pact, which is expected to help the Indian Navy substantially in operating eastwards, was scheduled to be signed in January when Australian PM was supposed to visit India. In the current scenario, as China’s hegemony continues to

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the ASEAN Summit grow alarmingly in the South China sea and raising tensions with both

India and Australia, it is all the more necessary for these two nations to make joint, concerted efforts to

deepen the Indo-Australian bilateral ties.

Webinar on Australia's Foreign Policy in post-COVID-19 world held Institute for Australia India Engagement (IAIE) and Australia India Business Council (AIBC) hosted the Zoominar on Challenges for Australia’s Foreign Policy in post

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COVID order on May 29. The speakers’ presentations were sharp, insightful and thought provoking.

Dr Ashutosh Misra, CEO, IAIE, Ambassador Virendra Gupta and Ambassador Phunchuk Stobdan and Dr Nick Senapati, President AIBC Queensland, Mr Matthew

Hayden, IAIE’s Goodwill Ambassador to India, Dr Amol Wagholikar from IAIE, Mr Saurav Ray, Mr Priyabrat Priyo, Dr Mahesh Ranan Debata, Professor Purnendra Jain,

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University of Adelaide, Amarnath Pathak among others joined the webinar on Zoom.

JUNE 2020

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Indian News Queensland | COMMUNITY NEWS

New umbrella body CIFA constituted for all 8 Indian federations in Australia

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eeling the need for a unifying umbrella body, all eight presidents of various Indian federations across Australian states, including Atul Garg, Prashant Singh, Shyam Das, Ajit Ramdas, Amit Jadaun, Dr Yadu Singh, Dr Ram Mohan, Dr Sunita Dhindsa and Umesh Nagasandra, constituted a national peak body at a meeting held on May 17.

Council of Indian Federations of Australia (CIFA) is now a national peak body of umbrella community organisations of Indian Australian associations representing the eight states and territories of Australia.

Primary role of CIFA is to advocate and influence national policies on matters affecting Indian Australians through government and diplomatic channels while fostering integration, social cohesiveness and inclusion. This includes promoting bilateral trade, tourism and strategic relationship between Australia and India.

In a recent statement releases, CIFA says it is pleased that there is an India-Australia virtual summit between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 June 2020.

“We are thrilled that its focus is Democracy, Defence, Diaspora and Dosti. In addition to promoting community well-being, we are a strong advocate of stronger strategic relationship and trade between two countries. CIFA and Indian Australians look forward to the outcome of this summit,” the statement read.

During the current COVID-19 restrictions, CIFA successfully influenced relevant stakeholders in Australia to release support measures for international students and consider related visa issues, and liaised with High Commission of India for Indian international students and the stranded Indian nationals.

For helping students in distress, CIFA conducted an Australia-wide voluntary online survey to understand their problems and then lobbied with governments and universities to help them. CIFA consulted with peak student bodies in Australia such as Council of International Students Australia, Council of Australian Postgraduate Students Association, and National Union of Students to identify issues and potential solutions and mobilised support for distressed students.

CIFA wrote to the PM of Australia Hon Scott Morrison MP, premiers, chief ministers, Immigration and Multicultural Minister and Education Minister with issues and solutions. CIFA also wrote to vice chancellors of universities and other educational associations.

Because of the dire situation due to COVID-19, CIFA set up fortnightly meetings with High Commission of India, Canberra, so that regular updates and advice could be provided to those affected and served as a conduit in forming appropriate solutions for Indian international students and stranded Indian nationals. CIFA also worked with government authorities to stop the attempts by some to scam desperate people in Australia and India in the name of repatriations flights.

CIFA members assisted students, stranded Indian nationals and others in desperate situations with groceries, food, medical help, employment, moral support and advice on repatriation to India.

CIFA Members CIFA comprises of two members from each of the following organisations, which are presently represented by: • Mr Atul Garg JP, Chairperson, Federation of Indian Associations of Western Australia, chairperson@ fiawa.org.au • Mr Amit Singh Jadaun, Secretary, Federation of Indian Communities of Victoria, contact.ficv@gmail.com • Mr Shyam Das, President, Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland, president@ficq.org.au • Mr Umesh Nagasandra, President, Federation of Indian communities of South Australia, Umesh61@ gmail.com • Mr Ajit Ramadas, President, Indian Cultural Society of Tasmania, ajitasr@gmail.com • Ms Jenny Santos, President Indian Cultural Society of NT, icsdarwin. nt@gmail.com • Dr. Yadu Singh, President, Federation of Indian Associations of New South Wales, fianinc1@gmail.com • Dr. Sunita S Dhindsa, President, Federation of Indian Associations of ACT, president.finact@gmail.com The chair, secretary and treasurer are ex-officio members of the committee.

• Inaugural chair of CIFA is Dr

CIFA successfully influenced relevant stakeholders in Australia to release support measures for international students and liaised with High Commission of India for the stranded Indian nationals

Current FICQ President Mr Shyam Das (2nd right) and the last President Dr Ram Mohan (1st right) are the two selected members from FICQ Sunita S Dhindsa (from Federation of Indian Associations of ACT) president.finact@gmail.com • Secretary of CIFA is Mr Prashant Singh (From Federation of Indian Associations of Western Australia) -

secretary@fiawa.org.au • Treasurer of CIFA is Dr Ram Mohan (From Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland) - adviser@ficq.org.au.

National Reconciliation Week 2020 observed

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ational Reconciliation Week with the theme ‘In This Together’ begins on May 27th, which marks the Anniversary of the 1967 Referendum, and ends on June 3 every year.

90.77% of the population voted to change two sections of the Australian Constitution that discriminated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Peoples and allowed them to be counted in the government Census.

The Referendum shone a spotlight on the poor living conditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. It drew on the Australian value of a ‘fair go’ for all, resulting in the huge success of the campaign and some limited changes.

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However, it did not confer citizenship, it did not give the right to vote, and it did not change many of the discriminatory laws of the states and territories that oppressed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Those changes had to be fought for over the following years.

The final day of NRW was June 3rd, which commemorates the successful Mabo challenge in the High Court of Australia which resulted in the overturning of the legal concept of ‘Terra Nullius’ or ‘land belonging to no one.’ That doctrine had denied First Nations’ occupation of the land prior to the British Empire claiming ownership of the whole of Australia.

Torres Strait Islander Eddie ‘Koiki’ Mabo led the legal battle to achieve legal recognition of traditional ownership of land in Australia.

Months after his death, the Mabo decision was handed down, which recognised that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have rights to the land: rights that existed before the British arrived and can still exist today.

It allows access to land for living, traditional purposes, hunting or fishing and/or to teach laws and customs on

the land. Today more than one million acres have a native title.

It was a turning point for the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ rights, because it acknowledged their unique connection with the land.

It also led to the Australian Parliament passing the Native Title Act in 1993 that created a framework which recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have rights to, and interests in, certain land because of their traditional laws and customs.

Torres Strait Islander Eddie ‘Koiki’ Mabo (right) led the legal battle to achieve legal recognition of traditional ownership of land in Australia

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Indian News Queensland | BUSINESS

India’s Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam response to COVID-19 pandemic

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he title-phrase derives from Hindu scripture.

It is found in the Upanishads, and the full verse remains engraved on the entrance to the Parliament of India. Essentially, the world is one family.

For centuries, the phrase has shaped India’s spiritual and egalitarian outlook and, during contemporary independence, the country’s diplomatic and foreign policy contours.

No wonder that this ancient philosophy also characterises India’s fight against Covid-19.

We live in extraordinary times. Who would have thought that neither the ‘US pivot’ in the Indo-Pacific nor China’s Belt and Road Initiative will prove to be the game-changer in our contemporary world, but rather an anti-malarial drug, deferentially known as ‘hydroxychloroquine’ (or HCQ).

So much is being made of the ‘strategic stand-off’ between the US and China, two of some 200 nationstates whose inhabitants comprise the global community. Such excessive focus is, I believe, a trifle precious.

Actually, with more than 6 million global cases and 370K deaths currently, there are, I suggest, two indelible impressions for posterity in the global public memory. And these are: • how so much of the Western world, venerated for its medical science and public healthcare, has become the lingering epicentre of the scourge, for whatever reason(s); and • the extent to which India, with 17% of the world population (1.3 billion) and underdeveloped public healthcare, has become a symbol of inspirational leadership with a humane touch, in the face of significant adversity.

Michael Ryan (WHO Exec. Director) noted back in early March how imperative it was that India, with its huge population, successfully tackled the virus, and showed the way forward to the world. In fact, this reflected a not unreasonable trust in India’s capabilities, given its successful record in eradicating smallpox and polio.

A brief review of early action by India: •

•

Late January: The first Covid-19 case is reported in Kerala, introduced by a traveller from the Middle East. Numbers begin to multiply, as flights bring returnees from Europe and South-east Asia.

March 3, the Government an-

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nounces mandatory screening of all arriving air passengers, while a general health advisory was issued to seek medical help if one felt unwell.

• March 1: Vessels and cruiseships are subject to strict standard operating procedures, including thermal screening at ports.

• March 12: The Delhi Government shuts schools, malls, cinema halls, universities, and bans any gathering of over 50 people, advising people to work from home.

• March 15: Prime Minister Modi (who, according to Nobel Laureate Dr Amartya Sen, was the quickest among world leaders in identifying the dangers of the pandemic) closes India’s land borders with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

• March 18: A 14-day quarantine policy is put in place for all incoming travellers. At the same time, recognising the importance of the early support of 1.3 b. people, Prime Minister Modi in a national address the following day issues nine ‘calls to action’ including social distancing measures, working from home, and personal hygiene advisories.

• March 22: In an overwhelming show of public solidarity, the Indian nation observes a public curfew (self-quarantine) from 7 am to 9 pm. Emulating Spain and Italy, some 5 m. people clap, ring bells, blow conches, and beat utensils to thank the healthcare, police, and other essential service personnel for their stellar role in dealing with the pandemic onslaught.

Of course, not everything has gone smoothly: • March 13: the Tablighi Jamaat, a fundamentalist missionary sect, congregates in New Delhi, contravening the Lockdown and generating about a third of India’s coronavirus cases over subsequent weeks as attendees disperse across the country.

• March 24: Somewhat spooked by the 21-day nation-wide lockdown orders, thousands of daily wage-earners amass along the Delhi border, returning to their original homes, creating a flash humanitarian crisis for the country. While most are subsequently ferried on various modes of transport, a large number make the long walk home, creating heart-wrenching scenes of human plight, not seen in a long time in India.

Amidst such dramatic events, on 5 April India again responds to the Prime Minister’s call to observe an ‘Earth-hour Equivalent’ initiative, switching off lights at 9 pm for 9 minutes and lighting candles,

torches and oil lamps to dispel the metaphorical ‘darkness’ caused by Covid-19. While sceptics ridicule the event as nothing but blind faith and superstition, it nonetheless demonstrates a unity of purpose – a much-needed virtue for any nation in testing times.

While India faced a Herculean task of safeguarding so many lives while minimising the economic impact, it remains sensitive to the well-being of the wider world. In mid-February onwards, Modi holds marathon telephone conversations with national leaders – in Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, EU, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Maldives, Nepal, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, (State of ) Palestine, Sweden, Thailand, Uganda, UAE, UK, US and Vietnam – to discuss joint strategies against Covid-19, and offering necessary support in the crisis.

A lesser known fact is that on 26 February a special Indian Air Force flight had carried 15 tonnes of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to Wuhan at the request of President Xi Xinping. On return, it ferries 76 Indians, 23 Bangladeshis, six Chinese, two nationals each from Myanmar and Maldives, and one each from South Africa, USA and Madagascar – all stranded in ‘ground-zero’.

As Delhi goes into complete lockdown on 12 March, India undertakes further initiatives: •

•

•

•

hosts, at prime ministerial level, a ‘virtual’ regional SAARC initiative against Covid-19, and founds a SAARC Emergency Fund with a $10 m. contribution from India to help regional states deal with the pandemic; puts a Rapid Response Team of doctors and specialists with testing kits and PPEs on standby to be flown out to help; offers online training capsules for emergency response; and sharing of software for the Integrated Disease Surveillance Portal (Arogya Setu), a variant of which has been adopted by many states affected by the pandemic, including Australia; convenes a senior health professional SAARC meeting to strengthen intra-regional cooperation across South Asia.

Praise for India’s SAARC initiative, the first of any regional initiative, came from the Australian PM, who urged a similar G-20 initiative (which occurred on March 26).

It was a critical and much-needed initiative considering the group-

ing’s startling statistics—90% of the Covid-19 cases and 88% of deaths have been reported from the G-20 group of nations, which constitutes 80% of global GDP and 60% of population.

In early April, Modi and Morrison also hold an extensive telephone consultation, sharing a mutual commitment to build research collaboration for vaccine development and ensuring a safe return of all stranded citizens. Morrison especially emphasises that Indian students would be provided all the necessary support and were a ‘vibrant a part of Australia’.

On 28 April, India attends the video meeting of the BRICS foreign ministers to share India’s antiCovid measures including, Arogya Setu disease surveillance portal, Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief fund (PM Cares), SAARC Covid-19 Information Exchange Platform (COINEX) and pharmaceutical assistance extended to other countries.

India has so far supplied HCQ and anti-pyretic paracetamol to over 85 countries, including 25 nations in Africa alone. While the US President issues a retaliatory note if India declines the supplies, the President of Brazil expresses gratitude for India’s easing of restrictions on HCQ exports, comparing the gesture with the legend of Hanuman, the monkey god in Hindu mythology, who had carried Sanjeevani (medicine) from the Himalayas to save the life of Lord Rama’s wounded brother, in the battle against the demons in Lanka.

India, a producer of nearly 10% of the world’s low-cost generic drugs including HCQ, also despatches medical teams along with PPEs and medical supplies to Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles to deal with the pandemic, as a part of ‘Mission Sagar (ocean)’, inspired by PM Modi’s vision of SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region.

Back in 2004, India had undertaken a similar humanitarian, search and rescue mission in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami that had devastated the Indian Ocean littorals.

Keeping an eye on the Indo-Pacific, India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla holds discussions with the newly formulated ‘Quad-plus’ counterparts in Australia, South Korea, Vietnam, Japan and New Zealand. The common aim is to synergise joint efforts in developing a vaccine, rescue stranded citizens, and discuss ways of insulating the economy from the pandemic’s impact and kick-start the struggling national economies. The group now interacts weekly to keep up with the

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Dr Ashutosh Misra, CEO, Institute for Australia India Engagement fast-paced developments.

On 3 May, the Prime Minister participates in the Non-Aligned Movement virtual summit, themed ‘United against Covid-19’. And on 13 May, Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar holds talks with counterparts in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to share India’s anti-Covid measures including, a $US266 billion stimulus package (10% of India’s GDP) to revive the economy, make India self-reliant, and provide the much needed sustenance to struggling businesses and citizenry.

India’s ‘glocal’ approach – combining local measures with its ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ global response approach against the pandemic – has drawn broad accolade from world leaders. This has been reinforced by various commentators who have offered their own take on the pandemic: •

•

•

Francis Fukuyama (The Atlantic) maintains that “citizens must believe that their government has the expertise, technical knowledge, capacity, and impartiality to make the best available judgments”. He observed that Lincoln, Wilson, and Theodore Roosevelt all enjoyed a high level of public trust – which is missing today in the US. Henry Kissinger (Wall Street Journal) emphasises that ‘public trust is crucial to social solidarity’, and the response should be global and collaborative; Fareed Zakaria (Indian TV interview) identifies ‘credibility and trust’ as the two key elements in any leadership to tackle a challenge of this nature successfully.

India’s effective ‘glocal’ response to COVID-19, synergising local through national to global levels of cooperation, draws its thrust from these two elements.

By Dr Ashutosh Misra CEO, Institute for Australia India Engagement, Brisbane, Australia

JUNE 2020

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Indian News Queensland | BUSINESS

Opportunities galore for Australian agribusiness in India, say experts Despite the Covid-19 global crisis, the farming sector in India and agriculture associated businesses in Australia are growing and are predicted to continue with this positive trend in future

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ccording to a recent media release by Australia India Business Council (AIBC) National Chair and Agribusiness Chapter ChairOpportunities, both the Agribusiness sector in Australia and the farm sector in India have continued to record a steady growth irrespective of the global crisis in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. NITI Aayog, a government of India think tank, also submitted a report in which it has been stated that during the financial year 2020-21, the Indian agriculture sector is expected to exhibit a growth of at least 3%, which will give a much needed boost to the Indian economy.

Propitious times for Australian and Indian agriculture sectors Commenting on the current conducive scenario for the agriculture sectors in both India and Australia, Jim Varghese, National Chair of AIBC stated that Australian farmers should seriously consider involvement in the Indian agriculture sector as currently propitious circum

stances are prevailing in this sector.

AIBC, which has been at the forefront in facilitating and providing assistance in business to business negotiations, had set up an Agriculture Industry chapter in the closing months of 2019 for this purpose.

He was also hopeful that the governments of both nations would act in earnest in removing tariff barriers on certain farm commodities, thus streamlining the bilateral trade ties..

Adding further to the positive predictions, Con Livissianis, the AIBC Agriculture Industry Chapter National Chair, remarked about the numerous avenues that Australia and India have in food processing and water harvesting. He said, “AIBC will be organising focused business to business discussion forums involving the Australian agribusinesses and their counterpart organisations in India to identify immediate bilateral trade opportunities.”

India a lucrative market for Australian agribusiness sector

Underscoring the potential lucrativeness of the Indian market for Australian agribusinesses, Federal Minister of Trade, Tourism and Investment, Senator Birmingham stated that in the past five years two-way trade and investment flow between India and Australia has doubled with the figures being $30 billion in 2019.

Since the yearly food demand in India is predicted to grow to 400 million tonnes by 2025, Australia can expect to earn a lot through exports of commodities which are highly demanded in India such as pulses, grains, horticulture, oilseeds, wine and processed food. Hence, huge opportunities in the Indian market await Australian farmers who can capitalise it optimally.

AIBC is all set to collaborate with Australian and Indian industry to work on strategies to foster services, consulting and technologies.

By Deepika Banerji

Australia can expect to earn a lot through exports of commodities highly demanded in India, such as pulses, grains, horticulture, oilseeds, etc.

Courtesy Pixabay

AIBC webinar discusses ways to revive manufacturing sector in India and Australia In a bid to provide impetus to the bilateral trade ties between India and Australia, the Australia-India Business Council Ltd. (AIBC) has kick-started the Make in India chapter in Victoria and has also recognised the prominent opportunities in manufacturing

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webinar, which entailed expert discussions and deliberations on “New Outlook in Manufacturing Sector”, was conducted by the Australia-India Business Council Ltd. (AIBC)on May 21. Renowned policy makers and specialists from both India and Australia participated in this webinar which was organised to discuss the future plan of action to revive the manufacturing sector in India and Australia amid the major impact of the Covid-19 crisis. The Victoria Chapter of AIBC, which is helmed by its President Preeti Daga, witnessed its joint launching by Jim Varghese, National Chair of AIBC, and VishVishwanathan, National Chair of Make in India Chapter, AIBC. Previously, AIBC had launched the New South Wales Make in India chapter in October 2019.

Governments mulls new and revised manufacturing strategies Acknowledging the impending transformation in the manufacturing sectors of India and Australia,

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Jim Varghese, National Chair of AIBC, said that both the governments are reviewing the implementation of new and revised manufacturing strategies and alleviation policies. He further said that Australia was gearing up to rely more on inward-oriented policies which would comprise expansion in local production, reorganising existing facilities and eliminating heavy reliance on foreign services. India, too, will be rigorously fostering self-reliance in manufacturing as well as its small to medium business and Make in India projects and programmes.

Citing the success stories of companies like Medsurge, Tritium, Vishwanathan, National Chair of Make in India Chapter, AIBC, enumerated the industries and businesses in Australia and India which have been recognised as being strategically potential in the near future. These include electric vehicles, energy management, sport, food processing, health and services.

Make in India campaign to ben-

efit both countries President of Victoria Chapter of AIBC, Preeti Daga, who introduced “Bilateral Trade and Investment potential between India and Australia”, emphasised that India offers lucrative opportunities to Victorian businesses which have plans to raise the scale of operations in the pipeline for they can capitalise on the Indian government’s conducive policies and expand their markets.

pharmaceuticals, supply chain and advance manufacturing and also about the potential application of emerging technologies such as Cloud Computing, Data Analytics,

Artificial Intelligence and various other technologies in Indian smart cities. He also went on to suggest fortifying ties between Maharashtra and New South Wales.

Julian Leeser, MP, Federal Member of Parliament and Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of India said, “We have ambitious plans for India. India is in the top ten trading partners of Australia. The success of Make in India campaign will also benefit Australian economy.”

He also presented a letter from Simon Birmingham, Federal Minister for Trade, congratulating AIBC on kick-starting the Make in India programme.

Manish Gupta, Consul General of India, Sydney, talked about the immense opportunities in healthcare,

AIBC's webinar “New Outlook in Manufacturing Sector” in progress

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Indian News Queensland | BUSINESS

Business of films being redefined

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new report by Tech Mahindra on the ‘Impact of COVID-19 on Media and Entertainment Industry suggests change in the way the world of media and entertainment will conduct business is set to happen faster than you can imagine, in the post-pandemic world. The study also says those who manage to adapt to disruptor models in technology and business will survive and thrive.

The impact of COVID-19 has been unprecedented in the media and entertainment industry, as in every other sector, with many services offered by this industry having sharply diminished or halted. Every aspect of the industry has been affected in some way.

Broadly, the impact has been felt across six areas. Theatres are closed, production has come to a halt, advertising has been disrupted, e-commerce is on the rise, finance and accounting operations have been affected and, finally, what has been the most pertinent change, consumption of entertainment at home is on the rise.

Of these, the fate of theatres closing and film production coming to a halt, and the resultant rise in home entertainment, would be of interest to movie buffs.

The premise of the report is that Digital Transformation, often considered to be secondary strategic business goal, has suddenly become relevant, and it is obvious that in the post COVID-19 scenario, companies that take advantage of emerging of alreadybuilt digital capabilities, will be in the position to emerge as leaders.

The report finds that in the field of media and entertainment industry, consumer demands and market conditions will lead to unexpected innovation. Disruptors will define the new business models, including emerging technologies such as AR/ VR, advanced home entertainment technologies, new modes of instream and interactive advertising.

New content creators and management platforms will be critical enablers for this wave of innovation.

The report suggests the media and entertainment industry must immediately plan strategic changes for long-term business survival. Cloud Migration, Process Automation, and Data Management Consolidation will be the new buzzwords, while cost-effective and capable workforce partners will be a necessity.

Importantly, strategic plans that might previously have been expected to run over 12 to 18 months will now have to be fulfilled within one or two quarters.

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Movie theatres closing According to the report, data from the United States’ National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) shows that theatrical business made $15 billion annually and could now go down to nothing. Closures have drastically impacted financial health of the box-office and government aid will decide survival of theatres after COVID-19.

Willingness of the audience to return to the theatres is unknown as of now, and while studios openings of major films, NATO is asking filmmakers to delay film launches till the theatres open.

Most importantly, release that are now being pushed will create a bottleneck and oversupply at the yearend, followed by a period of low supply in 2021/2022, due to lack of current production activity.

In the post COVID-19 scenario, with digital platforms increasingly being favoured for film releases, the report suggests theatres that adopt new technologies such as AR/VR-enabled ‘experience zones’ could be at an advantage.

Even when theatres reopen, the recurring question will be: Will streaming films the same day as they release in theatres be the new normal? To stand out, theatres will need to cater a positively different experience that streaming cannot.

Productions shutting down Thousands of daily earners have no income as of now in the film industry, with film, television and OTT production having halted.

Not only will theatres suffer owing to the production slump, even film festivals will run short of content, even if they wish to go online.

While in India, it has been individual stars and celebrities who have pitched in to help the industry’s jobless, in Hollywood -- thanks to it studio culture, there has been organised, corporate help coming in for the needy.

Home entertainment on the rise Not surprisingly, the report finds that home viewing of entertainment programme is on the rise across multiple devices and distribution outlets.

The data is at news

report quotes Nielsen to show TV viewership an all-time high, with viewing leading the way.

While fiction TV will benefit in the current scenario, until they start running reruns too often.

An important observation here is the fact that increase in home entertainment consumption via streaming will spike Internet data consumption, and Internet speeds could take a hit.

Big B, Ayushmann confirmed that "Gulabo Sitabo"will release on OTT

Not surprisingly, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) are asking Hotstar, Netflix, Amazon etc to stream content in standard definition.

In the new order of things, streaming wars will be a way of life.

Home entertainment and news consumption will continue to soar. The report states CNN viewership is up by 167 per cent since March 9. Such statistics will increasingly become common.

Being nimble and responsive to the demands of the times is paramount, the report suggests. For example, Netflix lets you download titles to watch offline. This is an innovative way to ease network bandwidth issues.

Not only will theatres suffer owing to the production slump, even film festivals will run short of content, even if they wish to go online Photo - Pixabay

Another way out is to be selective with launching films on OTT. The new norm as far as home entertainment consumption goes is that network providers will sooner or later find a way to supply increased bandwidth to the consumers. Networks and consumers who are equipped for 5G technology will naturally benefit the most.

COVID-19 pandemic will accelerate use of technology in production and post-production processes in filmmaking Photo - IANS

AT&T’s Warner Media CEO John Stankey committed to more than $100 million to fund production crews. Sony announced a $100 million for affected musicians and music industry professionals. Netflix created $100 million relief fund to help members of the creative community, particularly those laid off.

An overlook by the report suggests that advances in post-production technology has already been disrupting the traditionally human-centric business process of production.

New capabilities will be adapted more aggressively. The COVID-19 pandemic will accelerate use of technology in production and post-production processes in filmmaking.

TV actors think shooting from home is the new normal

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JUNE 2020

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Indian News Queensland | BUSINESS

News Corp to shut dozens of community newspapers in Australia

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upert Murdoch’s News Corp has decided to end publication of dozens of newspapers in Australia, and print edition of over 100 other regional and community publications as part of a major restructuring amid Covid-19 pandemic.

News Corp, which owns popular tabloids like The Daily Telegraph and The Herald Sun, said on May 27 the move “will mean some job roles will change and, regretfully, will lead to job losses.”

The publisher, however, didn’t disclose how many people will lose job.

News Corp Australia Executive Chairman Michael Miller said in a statement that print advertising contributed maximum to the company’s revenue, but in the wake of the Co-

vid-19 pandemic revenue from this channel had significantly dried up.

“Despite the audiences of News Corp’s digital mastheads growing more than 60 per cent as Australians turned to trusted media sources during the peak of Covid-19 lockdowns, print advertising spending that contributes the majority of our revenues has accelerated its decline,” he said.

As a result of the changes, the bulk of News Corp’s regional and community titles would move to purely digital publishing from June 29, he said.

“More than 640,000 Australians, our latest figures show, are subscribing to News Corp’s digital news content and subscriptions are growing at an annual rate of 24 per cent,” Miller said.

“Much of this growth is from local news, where subscribers have more than doubled in one year. In regional Queensland, more than 80,000 people have digital subscriptions and this number has grown by more than 40 per cent this year,” he said.

News Corp, one of the biggest publishers in Australia, said local journalism coverage of their area would continue even for those print newspapers that were being shut down.

The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), union for Australia’s journalists, on May 28 said the closure of mastheads and job losses announced by News Corp Australia represented a huge loss for communities in regional and suburban Australia.

“The closure of so many mast-

As a result of the changes, the bulk of News Corp's regional and community titles would move to purely digital publishing from June 29 heads represents an immense blow to local communities and, coming off the back of hundreds of previous regional closures during this period, it underlines the seriousness of the crisis facing regional and local journalism,” MEAA Chief Executive Paul Murphy said.

“We are determined to see proper consultation and fair treatment for any affected staff.”

The decline in advertising revenue due to Covid-19, especially in the print editions, has affected most publications across the world.

Four pandemic-driven take-aways on managing change

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ike most, my life and universe have been directly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact on families, jobs, teams, roles, finances and the economy are immense, and the fallout from the crises has only just started making its effects felt.

In real time, COVID-19 has transformed human behavior, interactions, and the rules of engagement at the workplace. This crisis is also providing brand new insights into how people can adapt at scale and speed, and with remarkable efficiency and resilience. That, incidentally, is also my holy grail as a change management professional.

Resilience is typically defined as “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, or to spring back into shape”. In the field of change management, resilience is the ability of an individual or a workforce to seamlessly shift and adapt to a challenging new environment, job or set of circumstances. Creating and engaging resilience is essential in driving change management efforts.

But resilience is also incredibly hard to engage. From my observations of the past few weeks, I have captured four key lessons on what the current crisis is teaching us about resilience.

Lesson 1: Resilience is experiencebased Our ability to deal with the new rules or the “new normal” is directly connected to how we are experiencing the impact of the virus. If we or a close family member is sick, our emotional and rational experi-

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ences will be dramatically different from someone with no direct “exposure” to the impacts of the virus. And the more this happens, the harder it would be to find a common, foundational ground to discuss how we can sustain change.

The more we push one opinion, the more the other side would reject it.

The take-away for organizations is that they need to establish a common, foundational understanding of the current pains/issues and a course of action that will address them, before they can ask their workforces to adjust and change.

Lesson 2: Crises provide short windows to engage resilience at scale Early on, when the pandemic was growing dramatically by the day, most people accepted or even embraced new rules for quarantining, shopping and social distancing.

Global companies shifted hundreds of thousands of employees to remote work to continue to serve their clients. Small businesses adjusted too, creating new revenue work streams when traditional ones were no longer feasible or available. What I found most telling was the willingness and speed at which most of us adjusted. The mobilization around a common goal (“flatten the curve”, for example) created a giant wave of immediate change.

Most organizations have thus shown that they can dynamically adjust, at speed and quite effectively, when the mobilization is taking place around a common rationale/ story that is compelling and strong

enough. While the window for collective mobilization is limited, organizations who rally around a common, collective urgency can change incredibly quickly.

Lesson 3: Collective engagement and commitment drive better individual resilience Resilience is a very personal and individual trait. But today’s crisis also shows how people are using collective engagement and commitment to sustain their own resilience and fortitude. Think of the workers in healthcare, food/delivery services, education, public services, and many other sectors who find the strength to continue forward. For some, the motivation may be money-related, but it also comes from the value that they deliver to the community and to their families, and because of the commitments they’ve made. They are encouraged and supported by others to continue to push through and deliver essential services to the rest of us. Every day, we see new tributes to the “front line workers”, and to those that have had to adjust to cancelled graduations, weddings, sports competitions.

As a community, our recognition of the hardship and sacrifices becomes fuel for resilience. The key takeaway here is that while change is inherently an individual process, the collective engagement of peers, managers, colleagues and leaders can dramatically raise one’s own ability to change and one’s capacity for resilience.

Lesson 4: Sustaining resilience is both about necessity and compelling goals

Alain Paolini Early on in a crisis, compliance can take center stage: we adjust to what authorities tell us to do, we modify our own behaviors because we’re either told, or strongly encouraged in face of limited information. But sustained change and resilience ultimately need to be connected to a compelling, ambitious goal that can keep us going: Flatten the curve, reduce deaths, find a vaccine etc.

Ultimately, our resilience comes from our ability to translate a macro goal into a personal, meaningful one: Protect our close ones, help our community, support others. If that connection between the bigger goal and the more personal one doesn’t exist, then resilience falters.

For organizations, the lesson is that compliance is not fuel for real change and is often a dangerous illusion that leaders can misinterpret for engagement. Successfully mobilizing workforces for change requires a connection between

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the ambitious, collective objective and the personal, meaningful one.

Resilience is about continuously answering the question “Why or for what/whom am I doing this”.

As I write this, our way out of the crisis remains unclear: how long will it take, how many will we lose, what radically different behaviors may become the new normal?

But what is becoming more and more evident is that our collective and individual resilience and how we engage it, will dramatically impact our ultimate success and what we learn from this crisis. As a change management practitioner, I remain unabashedly optimistic. By raising self-awareness and engaging our own resilience, we’re much more likely to succeed in creating and driving the sustainable change we need.

By Alain Paolini

JUNE 2020

20

Indian News Queensland | SPORTS

Considering longevity, I will go with Sachin over Virat, says Gambhir

Tendulkar played ODI cricket for more than two decades, representing India in 463 matches in which he scored over 18,000 runs with 49 hundreds. Kohli, on the other hand, has so far played 248 ODIs for the Men in Blue in which he has amassed close to 12,000 runs, including 43 centuries.

“Sachin Tendulkar, because probably with one white ball and four fielders inside the circle, not five fielders outside, it will be Sachin Tendulkar for me. It’s difficult be-

cause Virat Kohli has done phenomenally well but I think the rules have changed as well, which has helped a lot of new batters,” Gambhir said while speaking on Star Sports Cricket Connected show.

In contemporary times, an ODI inning is played with two new whiteballs from each end. When it comes to field restrictions, each inning is divided into three power plays.

In the first powerplay from overs 1-10, only two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle. In the next 30 overs, i.e. from 11-40, four fielders are allowed and in the last 10 overs, five fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle.

“The new generation, with two new balls, no reverse swing, nothing for the finger spin, five fielders inside for

the 50 overs, probably that makes batting much easier,” said Gambhir.

“Look at how Sachin Tendulkar has played, different rules, that time 230 to 240 was a winning total. Probably, I’ll go with Sachin Tendulkar if we see the longevity and flow of the one-day cricket format,” he added.

Tendulkar, himself, has been critical of the current ODI rules which many believe are more in favour of batters.

“Having 2 new balls in one-day cricket is a perfect recipe for disaster as each ball is not given the time to get old enough to reverse. We haven’t seen reverse swing, an integral part of the death overs, for a long time,” the 47-year-old had said back in 2018.

(File photo IANS)

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ormer cricketer Gautam Gambhir has picked legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar over current India skipper Virat Kohli considering the change in rules in ODI cricket and also the longevity of Master Blaster’s career.

Gautam Gambhir

Cricket after COVID-19

The 13th edition of the IPL, one still feels, will get a window by the end of this year as the stakes involved for all concerned are too high for it to be shelved without a ball being bowled.

The uncertainty of the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic and the unavailability of the vaccine has made prediction impossible as to when cricket may see the light of day. The famous phrase of the entertainment world comes to ones’ mind, “the show must go on”.

One does realise the precarious situation that one is facing presently and with a complete lockdown of interaction between individuals, travel and transport the start of any cricket looks a far off probability.

The after effects of the virus, when things are back to normal, if and when it happens, does ignite some interesting thoughts.

One such topic that is being discussed extensively is the use of sa-

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The saliva was one area as a sportsman that I personally detested.

There were times, fielding close to the wicket, when I had to talk to the batsman to stop spitting and polluting the ground, where I was fielding. One did witness players freely spitting while playing football but the elite game of cricket had a different aura and class to it.

Presently, one is disgusted to see so many cricketers spewing their saliva at any given moment. One hopes that the laws of spitting and the fines for doing so are seriously implemented henceforth.

The other popular area of using saliva is by applying it on the cricket ball to keep one side of it shining.

This, one is given to understand, helps bowlers to reverse swing as well as to swing the ball the conventional way. Unfortunately, one forgets that to master this skill one requires immense practice and many hours of hard-work.

In India, and many other countries, sweat is used more frequently than saliva to shine the ball. The saliva only plays a part when players need to mix it with some juicy ingredients from the mouth. A hair full of oil, lip balm and vaseline was enough to shine the ball when mixed with sweat. Oily hair is still very much a part and parcel of the game and has somehow escaped the regulators.

In the future, one will need to ensure safety and the only way this would be possible would be through the use of hand sanitisers. The umpire will need to monitor this and so rather than allowing any other

material, the sanitiser usage on the ball after every over could be a good way to keep one sanitised and safe. This will also take care of the major issue that a bowler may face and that is to keep one side of the ball suitably polished.

During one of our Ranji Trophy matches many moons ago, one of our fielders had a handkerchief covering his nose and mouth. His explanation was that he was allergic to dust. We all had a hearty laugh, especially, as we were in the dusty bowl of India. Lo and behold, he was quickly branded as a “Bandit”.

We now take our thoughts to the possible scenario once cricket resumes, when every player and umpire look like bandits with a face mask (another money making brand endorsement opportunity). We did get a glimpse of cricket stars in various shades, shapes and styles of face masks that could become fashionable in a short film being shown on the prevention of the COVID-19 virus. A muffed appeal will be quite a hilarious sight. The hugging and high fives, unfortunately for the cricketers, will be a thing of the past.

As regards the batsman, he/she will have one extra accessory and that could be a high end face mask with a facility to hear or shout out a call through the helmet. The area where all the fielders will be happy about would be the gloves. This will make catching far simpler and one that will also protect an area one is always careful about and that is the fingers.

Cricket viewership in India at the stadium would only be affected during the limited overs international matches. The Indian do-

Adobe Stock

The month of April had become synonymous with the most popular league in cricket, the Indian Premier League (IPL). Apart from cricketers, the IPL had a phenomenal following all over the cricketing world. It was the centre stage of entertainment in most Indian homes when the live action on the field overcame the scripted production of the tinsel world.

liva and sweat on the cricket ball.

In India as well as many other countries, sweat is used more frequently than saliva to shine the ball

Adobe Stock

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he lockdown due to the coronavirus has had a major effect on the sports lovers across the world. One never imagined life without following a live sporting event and for Indians, “Cricket”.

Bowlers apply sweat on the cricket ball to keep one side of it shining, helping them to reverse swing as well as to swing the ball the conventional way mestic matches are barely viewed cricket post COVID-19 will never by spectators and even the do- be the same again. But, cricket in any mestic limited overs games are form is much better than none at all. played with sparsely filled stands. One does miss watching the beautiful game called cricket, even though The Test matches also do not have one may see 22 colourful branded an unmanageable crowd and apart face masked bandits on the field. from the limited overs internationals, cricket on the ground will (Yajurvindra Singh is a former Innot have a major impact where dian Test cricketer. Views expressed spectator viewing is concerned. are personal)

By Yajurvindra Singh One factor for sure is that life and

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JUNE 2020

21

Indian News Queensland | SPORTS

Anushka shares hilarious 'dinosaur' Kohli video on Instagram

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ndia captain Virat Kohli was seen mimicking a dinosaur in a hilarious video shared by wife and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma last month.

With no cricket being played due to coronavirus pandemic, Kohli has been spending quality time with his family in Mumbai.

In this latest video, Kohli was seen walking around the house like a dinosaur and creating sounds like one too. Anushka shared the video for her followers on Instagram and her post read: “I spotted.... a dinosaur on the loooose.”

In normal circumstances, Kohli would have been leading Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League but due to COVID-19 outbreak the tournament was postponed by the BCCI. Cricketers have been trying to keep themselves busy during this break by engaging with fans on social media. Recently, Kohli joined India football captain Sunil Chhetri for a candid chat on Instagram.

The duo spoke about various things, both on and off the field, and cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar’s topic came up during a rapid-fire round.

F

ormer Australia spinner Shane Warne on May 20 recalled his time together with British actressmodel Elizabeth Hurley and how their relationship caused a media frenzy. The duo announced their relationship in 2010 before Hurley moved into Warne’s house in Melbourne a year later.

Kohli, who is often referred to as Tendulkar’s second coming in Indian cricket, spoke about the Master Blaster’s iconic knock against Australia in Sharjah in 1998.

“The one knock in international cricket you wished you had played?” Chhetri asked.

“1998 desert storm,” answered straight

Warne got engaged with Hurley in 2011 but they called it off in 2013 citing personal reasons. The secondhighest Test wicket-taker in the world spoke about the time when photographers were creating ruckus just to get the best possible picture.

Kohli away.

“Which one, the first one in the semi-final or the final?” Chhetri futher asked.

“The first one where we qualified for the final,” Kohli clarified.

22 years ago, against all odds, Tendulkar single-handedly powered India into the Coca Cola Cup final with an astonishing 131-ball 143 in Sharjah.

Although, he couldn’t power India over the finishing line in the match,

Virat Kohli he did manage to drag them into the title clash against the same opposition, which India eventually won.

Second nature to give ball little touch up: Hazlewood on saliva ban

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ustralia pacer Josh Hazlewood feels the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket Committee’s proposal of banning the usage of saliva in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic will be difficult to maintain.

“I’d like saliva to be used obviously but if that’s what they’ve put forward, I guess everyone is playing the same game,” he told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph on May 20.

“Once it comes back to you as a bowler, it’s second nature to just give it a little touch up if you see something, and that’s going to be hard to stop to be honest. And it’s a tough thing to monitor for sure,” he added.

Earlier, India batsman Shreyas had said that bowlers too need assistance to swing the ball.

“If we are starting, there shouldn’t be any restrictions. As a batsman, I look for the ball to be new and as a bowler you need the ball to

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swing, so it is kind of equally important for both. And it will be the law making body’s decision and we will have to abide by that,” he said.

Interestingly, Australia pacer Pat Cummins in a recent interview for Kolkata Knight Riders had said that if the situation is such that applying saliva or sweat to a ball can lead to spread of coronavirus, cricket wouldn’t be starting in the first place.

And Shreyas echoed the sentiments.

bowlers. The ICC have to come out with an alternative. Without shining the ball, I don’t think it will be an even contest between bat and ball,” Gambhir said.

“If they don’t allow using saliva, they will have to come up with an alternative to help the bowlers to shine the ball. It’s going to be very important otherwise there would be no fun watching cricket,” he added.

“Definitely, he is talking as a bowler. From the bowler’s perspective it is really important to swing the ball as I said. It is important to maintain the ball and if that isn’t there, then there would be no point of playing,” he said.

“When she first came to Australia we had been seeing each other for about six months or so, so I didn’t introduce her to my children until it was real and I believed it had a future... it wasn’t just a bit of fun,” Warne said during the show ‘A Week with Warnie’ on Fox Cricket.

“So six months down the track

Shane Warne she finally comes to meet the children and it was absolute circus.

We tried to keep things as normal as possible but it got scary.

“Some of these rogue photographers trying to get exclusives. I remember my youngest daughter Summer screaming in the back seat ‘dad slow down’. Cars jumping in front of us, running red lights.”

Warne has been very vocal in the show regarding his professional and personal life and has made some striking revelations. In an earlier episode, he opened up regarding the dark aspect of his game and conceded he let his family down because of his actions.

Warner and wife wish Telugu star Jr NTR on birthday

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ustralia cricketer David Warner on May 20 wished Jr NTR, one of the most popular actors in the Telugu film industry, on his 37th birthday.

Warner and his wife Candice wished NTR in a unique style by dancing to the tunes of one of his most popular songs “pakka local” from the movie ‘Janatha Garage’ released in 2016.

“Happy birthday Jr NTR have a great day. We tried but wow the dance is fast,” Warner posted alongside a TikTok video on his Instagram account.

The previous week, the swashbuckling Australian opener and his wife were seen slaying the hook steps of superhit Bollywood song from the 90s, Muqabla featuring Indian dance icon Prabhu Deva. Before that, he was seen grooving to the tunes of popular Bollywood number ‘Shiela Ki Jawani’ along with his daughter.

In normal circumstances, with no outbreak of coronavirus and the subsequent shutdowns, Warner would have been currently leading Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League which now stands postponed.

Earlier, Warner and his family had also danced to the tunes of ‘Ramuloo Ramulaa’ and ‘Butta Bomma’ from the Telugu movie ‘Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo’.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir had also told IANS that he fears the recommended saliva ban could further take the game -which is already titled towards the batters -- away from the bowlers.

“It will be the hardest thing for the

'Absolute circus': Warne recalls media frenzy during time with Hurley

Josh Hazlewood

On Tuesday, Warner posted a TikTok video wherein he, his wife and his two daughters were seen shaking their legs on popular Punjabi number “Slowly Slowly” sung by Guru Randhawa. “Yes we have lost it now. Glow in the dark night,” Warner had captioned the post.

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Warner and his wife shaking it to Telegu number JUNE 2020

22

Indian News Queensland | SPORTS

Cricket Australia announces full international summer schedule

Kevin Roberts, Cricket Australia CEO, however, has warned that the schedule will be subject to change, and remains flexible depending on the constantly evolving coronavirus situation and the government regulations at the time.

“While acknowledging the difficulty in navigating a global pandemic, we are nonetheless encouraged by the progress Australia is making in combatting the coronavirus and the positive impact that is having on our ability to host an exciting summer of cricket in 2020-21,” Roberts said in an official media release.

“We know that circumstances or events beyond our control could mean that the final schedule potentially may look different to the one released today, but we’ll be doing everything we can to get as much international cricket in as possible this summer. We will communicate any changes to the schedule if or when they are required.

“We are engaged in ongoing discussions with federal and state governments, our venues and the touring nations to continually understand and monitor the situation in front of us, which is evolving every day.

We’ll continue to act in accordance with public health advice and government protocols to ensure the safety of the public, players and support staff,” he added.

India’s tour of Australia begins with three T20Is to be played on October 11, 14 and 17. Sandwiched between India’s T20I series

in October and Test series in December, is a one-off day-night Test between Afghanistan and Australia in Perth from November 21-25.

After that, India will begin the defence of the Border-Gavaskar trophy in Brisbane which will host the first Test at the Gabba from December 3-7, followed by second in Adelaide (December 11-15), third in Melbourne (December 2630) and fourth -- a day/night affair -- in Sydney from January 3-7.

Image - Adobe Stock

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ricket Australia on May 28 announced their fixtures for the summer of 2020-21. The elaborate schedule, including fixtures for men and women, consists of the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar series between India and Australia.

The Test series will be followed by three-match ODI series from January 12 to 17.

India women will also travel to Australia to play a three-ODI series from January 22 to 28.

The Australian summer will start with the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe from August 9 to 14. After that, Australia women will play three T20Is and as many

ODIs against New Zealand from September 27 to October 10.

Then, the Australian men’s team will play a three-match T20I series against the West Indies from October 4 to 9.

Later towards January end and early February, Australia and New

Zealand will play three ODIs and a T20I against each other from January 26 to February 2.

“We will not rush any decisions however it’s crucial for us all to have a blueprint to work from to deliver cricket safely,” said Roberts.

Aussie band The Buckleys make India debut with virtual tour Australian pop music and siblings band, The Buckleys, performed for Indian music lovers in a virtual tour for the first time on May 29.

The Buckleys consist of Sarah Grace, Molly and Lachlan.

"India has such a rich culture of music and art, we are excited that through technology we can connect with you from all the way here in Australia. Not to mention, one of our favourite bands, The Beatles,

wrote much of ‘the white album' in India. So, we'll most definitely have to play Beatles in this set for you Beatles fans like us! We can't wait!"

The Buckleys said in a joint statement ahead of their India debut.

Earlier last month, the country stars recreated the personalised "live" experience during a time of social distancing, by performing virtual tours across North and South Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

The Buckleys

Hindu Society of Qld (Gayatri Mandir) back to normal

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fter weeks of self-isolation affected by coronavirus which has overwhelmed the whole world, it is a great relief to see relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions by the Federal and State Governments; however, a lot of us are still yearning to rediscover pre COVID-19 normalcy which would be some time in the future.

streamed”. As such, from 12 June 2020, Gayatri Mandir will be unwinding the gathering restrictions in line with the State Government’s policy. Nonetheless, to comply and allow our devotees for daily darshan and small pooja at the mandir the management trusts and has confidence in our devotees to do the right thing, maintain social distancing and hygiene requirements.

According to Queensland Government’s “Roadmap to easing restrictions (Stage 1) under Gatherings “A private worship or small religious ceremony of up to 10 people is allowed, with social distancing observed.

However, larger celebrations are not yet permitted and are still to be live

Opening hours of the mandir have been revised as follows:

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Monday to Sunday 9.00 am to 11.00am and 4.00pm to 6.00pm In the meantime, the management committee has been maintaining the yard and general cleanliness of

the mandir so that we are ready to open to the public as soon as we get the green light from the authorities.

We have clearly marked 1.5 metre distancing in the main temple which would help us all, members of our committee will be present to help comply with the guidelines.

Mandir’s Tuesday Ramayan group has been continuing they program via Zoom, which is a wonderful use of the technology and maintaining the continuity of expounding the sacred scripture Ramayan.

No decision has been made on commencing Bal Vikash; however, the management committee is envisaging that classes would resume in the new term, everyone will be posted

of the latest developments.

Circumstances and crisis define how we do things now onwards; consequently, social distancing and hand hygiene have become two common words in our vocabulary today. We are all in this together, and we expect our devotees and public at large visiting the mandir to adhere to those strict requirements. We are all adults and wise to know what is right and what is wrong, and this will allow you and the management to seamlessly and peacefully worship at the mandir.

As the title alludes to, there is a whiff of optimism of ‘back to normal’, hive of activities has begun, people are enthusiastically coming

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out of their bubble to resume their daily lives. I would like to draw on excerpt from God’s Healing Power by B.K Jayanti: “Meditation is neither a flight of fancy nor an intellectual indulgence. It is a necessity for us to be able to function in a proper way, as a normal human being, in the real world, right now”.

By Dharmesh Prasad For any enquires contact President Anita Ram on 0452 504 502 or Treasurer Dharmesh Prasad on 0424 961 302 or alternatively visit our Facebook page: Hindu Society of QLD’s Gayatri Mandir for all our latest updates.

JUNE 2020

23

Indian IndianNews NewsQueensland Queensland| |COPING BOOKS WITH & LITERATURE CORONA

In whatever format, JLF will endure: Sanjoy Roy

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arlier this year, the Rajasthan government ruled that the iconic Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), dubbed the greatest literary show on earth, would have to shift out of the Diggy Palace, its home for 13 years on logistical issues. Then came the coronavirus pandemic that has locked down India and much of the world and there was a question mark on whether the situation would stabilise for the 14th edition to be held as scheduled for January 28 - February1, 2021. Regardless of the testing times, the show will go on, JLF Producer Sanjay K. Roy asserts – though there may be changes in the format.

“It’s too early to look at what form the Jaipur Literature Festival will take for 2021. We are confident of hosting the festival in 2021 albeit with changes given the challenges presently,” Roy, the MD of Teamwork Arts that conducts the event, told IANS in an interview.

“These are testing times. Times which we had not ever foreseen or even quite comprehend. This is also the perfect time to reboot our thought process and create something fresh and vibrant.

But every crisis comes with many opportunities. It’s on us to figure them out, nurture them and share it with others,” Roy added.

This is also a time “when we turn to the hope-instilling powers of literature”, he said, adding that JLF has always celebrated the glory of the word and the spirit of the community that books build.

“The Festival believes in linking people through the universal language of art and literature at a time which defies every known challenge.

Now more than ever, when de-globalisation is the need of the hour, a free-flowing exchange of ideas must be kept alive. Hence, we came out with ‘JLF Brave New World’, an online literature series, a virtual initiative to celebrate books, their power and positivity,” Roy noted.

Noting that it was ironic that a “tiny virus” has “turned the world upside down and in true sense teaching us the fact that all aspects of life can get affected by a single object,” he said: “The pandemic has shown us that the road ahead is filled with unwanted barriers, but it’s not the end of it. It is going to give us knowl-

edge which we never had a chance to visit in better times. It will bring us the wisdom to fight with even worse situations. JLF Brave New World is a reflection of the same idea which brought us together to keep fighting the pandemic and be together in these tough times.”

JLF Brave New World engages a well-defined process involving the entire workforce to make the sessions as interesting as the original festival is. The sessions get simultaneously live-streamed on social media handles including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Curated by co-festival Directors Namita Gokhale and William Dalrymple, elaborate list of speakers includes Orhan Pamuk, Jhumpa Lahiri, Abhijit Banerjee, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Bruno Macaes, Margaret Atwood, Peter Carey, Peter Frankopan, Peter Morgan, Ruskin Bond, Siddhartha Mukherjee, Shubha Mudgal and Simon Schama, to name a few.

“We have also created new digital programming for the music, theatre and the arts and artisan space. META will go online shortly, #ArtMatters is online to focus

A unique underground library has 900,000 books in Rajasthan

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he libraries come in different shapes and sizes across the world. But the one laying beneath a temple at the Bhadariya village of the Thar Desert region in Rajasthan is unique in its own way.

Sanjoy Roy on artists and artisans and Under The Banyan Tree and a new exciting music project around Jazz India Circuit,” Roy added.

In all this, the preparations are in full swing for JLF 2021.

“The curation of the programming is a lengthy procedure for the Jaipur Literature Festival. We plan a year in advance to deliver each edition on time. Indeed, this is an ever-ongoing process which hap-

pens over 18 months,” Roy said.

Some of the offshore JLFs have however, taken a hit.

“India by the Bay Hong Kong, India by the Bosphrous, India in Morocco, etc have been postponed and JLF London, JLF Belfast and JLF USA are looking to become virtual online festivals,” Roy said.

By Vishnu Makhijani

'White Flower' by Jessica wins UQISC Writing Competition 'White Flower' by Jessica wins UQISC Writing Competition UQISC Writing Competition was announced on May 29, and 'White Flower' by Jessica won the first place prize. The judges felt that the short

story was "just beautifully written, with so much depth, imagery and amazing exploration of the theme".

Second place winner was 'Sonder'

By Sreekruthi Bachu. "Appa" By Aarshi Langalia was the third place winner.

This treasure trove of knowledge figures in the Asia's biggest libraries with a collection of around 900,000 books and the capacity to seat 4,000 people.

That too 16 feet under the ground.

However, the location helps keep it cool even during scorching summers.

Built by Harbansh Singh Nirmal, also known as Bhadariya Maharaj who was originally from Punjab, the collection at the library comprises books from different corners of the world as well as those gifted to him on different occasions.

The books range from science to astrology to astronomy to epics, history, dictionaries, atlas and many more preserved in 562 glass shelves.

For scholars and learners, who visit

www.indiannewsqld.com.au

this bibliotheca from across the globe, it's a huge treasure trove of knowledge.

The collection of books in this library begun around 1998. A trust named Jagdamba Seva Committee, owned by Bhadariya Maharaj, also decided to build a temple.

idea of investing a huge amount in building vast chambers of knowledge. He himself stayed in a room for many years and read almost all the books available in this library, according to villagers.

The library is being looked after by the villagers as well as the devotees of the temple.

But Bhadariya Maharaj also had an

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JUNE 2020

24

Indian News Queensland | HEALTH

2-3 cups of coffee daily linked to lower body fat in women

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new research has revealed that women who drink two or three cups of coffee a day have been found to have lower total body and abdominal fat than those who drink less.

The study indicated that some compounds in coffee may have anti-obesity properties.

Overall, the average total body fat percentage was 2.8 per cent lower among women of all ages who drank two or three cups of coffee per day and the findings were consistent whether the coffee consumed was caffeinated or decaffeinated, and among smokers/non-smokers and those suffer-

ing from chronic diseases when compared to those in good health.

In men, the relationship was less significant, although men aged 2044 who drank two or three cups per day had 1.3 per cent less total fat and 1.8 per cent less trunk fat than those who did not consume coffee, according to the study published in The Journal of Nutrition.

“Our research suggests that there may be bioactive compounds in coffee other than caffeine that regulate weight and which could potentially be used as anti-obesity compounds,” said Dr Lee Smith, senior study author from Anglia Ruskin University in the UK.

To reach this conclusion, researchers examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, organised by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the US, and looked at the relationship between cups of coffee drunk per day, and both total body fat percentage and abdominal or ‘trunk’ fat (adiposity).

ity percentage 4.1 per cent lower.

They found that women aged 2044 who drank two or three cups of coffee per day had the lowest levels of adiposity, 3.4 per cent lower than people who did not consume coffee.

Coffee naturally contains a variety of compounds including caffeine, antioxidants and diterpenes.

These contribute not only to the unique flavour but also to the wellresearched physiological effects of coffee.

Among women aged between 45-69, those who drank four or more cups had an adipos-

“It could be that coffee, or its effective ingredients, could be integrated into a healthy diet strategy to reduce the burden of chronic conditions related to the obesity epidemic,” said Smith, adding that it is important to interpret the findings of this study in light of its limitations.

The study indicated that some compounds in coffee may have anti-obesity propertie Courtesy Pixabay

Weekly yoga can help reduce depressive symptoms

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eekly sessions of yoga can ease depressive symptoms in people with other mental health issues, according to a new study.

Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting more than 340 million people and the team of researchers wanted to know if yoga might be helpful for people with a range of mental health issues.

Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the current study reviewed 19 randomised controlled clinical trials, involving 1080 adults with a range of mental health issues, conducted in the US, India, Japan, China, Germany and Sweden.

The researchers compared yoga with usual treatment; no current treatment; or self-help, to include books, health information, and the support of friends and family.

Yoga practice involved a mixture of movement, breathing exercises, and/or mindfulness, but with the movement component comprising more than half of each session.

Yoga types included Hatha, Vinyasa, SVYASA, kundalini and Kripalu, with each weekly session lasting between 20 and 90 minutes over a period of around 2.5 months, on average.

The data from 13 of the 19 trials were pooled, and the results

showed that yoga eased depressive symptoms compared with usual, no, or self-help treatment.

The effects were most noticeable for depression and schizophrenia, and to some extent, for alcohol misuse.

The analysis revealed that the higher the number of weekly yoga sessions completed, the greater was the effect on easing depressive symptoms.

The clinical trials were of fair (47 per cent) to high (53 per cent) quality, but there were too few of them to analyse the potential impact of different types and intensities of yoga, the researchers said.

They concluded that yoga is more

The analysis revealed that the higher the number of weekly yoga sessions completed, the greater was the effect on easing depressive symptoms Image IANS effective than usual care, with a clear dose-response effect, and that it may be especially helpful for those who normally can’t or don’t exercise.

“Consideration of yoga as an evidence-based exercise modality alongside conventional forms of exercise is

warranted, given the positive results of this review,” the authors wrote.

“Yoga may provide an additional or alternative strategy to engage people experiencing depression in meaningful physical activity”.

Coin toss best way to make life decisions and stay happy

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eople who use a coin toss to decide on an important change in life are more likely to follow through with that decision, are more satisfied with that decision, and report higher overall happiness after a six-month period, a fascinating study has revealed.

Society teaches us that “quitters never win and winners never quit”.

“But in reality, the data from my experiment suggests we would all be better off if we did more quitting,” said study author Steven Levitt from the University of Chicago in the US. “A good rule of thumb in decision making is, whenever you cannot decide what you should do, choose the action that represents

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a change, rather than continuing the status quo,” Levitt added.

For the findings, published in the journal The Review of Economic Studies, the researchers asked people to make significant decisions, such as whether or not to move house, quitting your job or propose, and assign either an affirmative or a negative choice to heads or tails.

Levitt created a website (Freakonomics Experiments) where participants answered a series of questions.

Some examples were: Should I quit my job? Should I move? Should I propose? Should I adopt? Users were also invited to create their own questions, including Should I get a tattoo? Should I try on-

line dating? Should I rent or buy?

One choice, either the affirmative or the negative, was then assigned to heads and the other assigned to tails.

Prior to the coin flip, the participants were encouraged to identify the third party to verify their outcomes.

Both the initial coin-flipper and the third parties received a follow-up survey after two-months and six-months.

The two-month survey found that participants favoured the status quo, making a change less frequently than they predicted they would before the coin toss.

At the six-month survey, this bias toward the status quo was gone.

Furthermore, those who were instructed by the coin toss to switch their current position were more likely to actually make the change, reported that they were substantially happier, and said that they were more likely to make the same decision if they were to choose again.

This was true for virtually every question at both the two- and six-month surveys.

The researchers noted that these results are inconsistent with the conventional theory of choice. In such a theory, people who are on the margins should, on average, report equal happiness regardless of which decision they made.

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Researchers asked people to make significant decisions, such as whether or not to move house, and assign either an affirmative or a negative Adobe Stock

JUNE 2020

25

Indian News Queensland | HEALTH

Astute clinician praised by peers

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r Ravinder Batra completed his basic medical, physician and cardiology training at the University of Delhi (Maulana Azad Medical College and GB Pant Hospital), India in 1997 before obtaining a Fellowship in Electrophysiology from Maastricht, Netherlands, in 1999.

Dr Batra worked as an intervention cardiologist consultant in leading private hospitals in Delhi and at Birmingham City Hospital, England.

He worked as assistant professor in Cardiology at the prestigious GB Pant Hospital, University of Delhi, before relocating to Gold Coast Hospital in 2006. Dr Batra used

his extensive experience to build the cardiology services at the Gold Coast University Hospital to its current level and is the leading interventionist having consistently performed the maximum interventions since joining. He is also the current clinical director of the catheter laboratory at the new Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH). Dr Batra performs all kinds of complex stenting procedures and contributes to the primary PCI program. He established the EP, ablation, AICD and heart failure pacing program at GCUH. In addition to being an accomplished interventionist, Assoc Prof Batra is acknowledged as an astute clinician by his peers. He is cred-

ited with several publications and abstracts that have been presented at national and international meetings. He also holds the title of associate professor of Cardiology with Griffith University.

Dr Batra’s main areas of interest include general cardiology, ischemic heart disease, coronary interventions, and heart failure. He is also very lucky to have a leading pathologist of Queensland, Dr Sonu

He has been featured in TV channels and newspapers numerous times. IMA Australia honoured him with a scroll of honour in 2018.

By Dr Neeraj Khanna National Convenor IMA Australia

Dr Ravinder Batra

Nigam, as his wife. He also runs his private practice at Gold Coat Private Hospital, My Health City, Hope Island, and Pacific Cardiology, Ormeau.

Towards a Healthy Heart

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ardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of deaths in the world. Indian ethnicity is a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular problems. People of ethnic Indian origin have the highest incidence of coronary artery disesase (CAD) in the world.

Moreover, CAD occurs at least a decade earler and generally involves multiple vessels. Maintaining good heart Why should I exercise? health is therefore of paramount importance if you are of eth60% of the population are not sufficiently active. In fact nic Indian origin. physical inactivity is the 4th leading cause of death worldwide. Just 15 minutes of brisk walking add up to three years in life expectancy: Every additional 15 minutes of daily exercise reduces death rates by further 4%.

What health benefits do I get from exercise?

• Reduce the risk of heart attack by 11% • Lower blood pressure • Weight control • Increase in good cholesterol • Reduce risk of other non-communicable disease like diabetes • Improve sleep patterns • Reduce risk of dementia • Reduce and alleviate joint and back pain by increasing muscle strength How much should I exercise?

• Aim for 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most or at least 5 days a week • Moderate-intensity physical activity (brisk walking, lowpaced swimming, cycling, gentle aerobics) will cause a slight increase in breathing and heart rate, and may cause light How do I know that I might be at an increased risk for sweating heart attack?

• The daily dose of exercise can be accumulated in shorter Answer the following questions: bouts (e.g. three 10-minute walks) 1. Is your blood pressure 140/90 mmHg or higher’ OR, • Consult your doctor before starting an exercise program have you been told by your doctor that your blood pressure Who should defer exercise? is too high?

Those with: 2. Do you smoke?

• Uncontrolled blood pressure or symptoms of angina or 3. Has your doctor told you that your LDL “bad” cholesheart failure (chest pain, shortness of breath) terol is too high, that your total cholesterol level is 200 mg/ dL or high; or that your HDL “good” cholesterol is less than • Uncontrolled diabetes 40 mg/dL? • Any acute illness, stress, or surgery 4. Do you have diabetes or a fasting blood sugar of 126 What is the difference between moderate intensity and mg/dL or higher; or, do you need medicine to control your vigorous intensity physical activity? blood sugar?

If you are doing moderate intensity activity you are still able 5. For women: Are you over 55 years old? to talk without pause, whereas in vigorous intensity activity 6. For men: Are you over 45 years old? you will not be able to talk without pausing for a breath in between. Remember if you are going out of breath while 7. Do you have a Body Mass Index score of 25 or more? doing a walk test, you are probably going fast, slow down.

8. Do you get less than a total of 30 minutes of physical What should be the minimum time of exercise to get activity on most days? benefit?

9. Has a doctor told you that you have angina (chest pains)?

• You can do the activity all at once or break it up into short10. Are you suffering from any level of psychosocial stress er periods of at least 10 mins each (i.e. walk for 1km in 10 hampering your lifestyle? mins).

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you have a • Remember some exercise is better than none. higher risk of having a heart attack. However, this does not mean that you need to take heart medication. There is a lot you can do to minimise the risk of developing heart problems without having to resort to medication.

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Take healthy steps for a healthy heart: Healthy diet Food that we eat is the most powerful pill that can make us healthy 1. Can my diet affect my heart?

Healthy food habits can help reduce high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and excess body weight 2. What is cholesterol? Is it necessary for our body?

Cholesterol is the Structural Backbone of our body. It is important for many body functions. However, its excess can lead to various vascular and heart problems.

3. What is good and bad cholesterol?

LDL = bad cholesterol. It can get deposited in the inner walls of arteries. This leads to narrowing of the arteries and reduced blood flow, a process called atherosclerosis. Blockage of the arteries can cause chest pain and ultimately lead to a heart attack or stroke.

HDL = good cholesterol. It carries cholesterol away from your arteries and back to the liver, where it can be eliminated from the body. A high HDL level in your blood can lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.

4. Should I know my blood cholesterol levels even if I am healthy?

All adults over 20 years: cholesterol levels checked at least once in 5 years. Abnormal cholesterol levels – get the test more often. The recommended test is called LIPID profile.

The test is done after a 9-12 hrs fasting.

Your doctor is the best person to advise as to what your results mean.

5. If I have an abnormal cholesterol levels with no risk factors do I still need to take treatment or I might benefit from lifestyle changes?

Whatever may be your cholesterol levels, you benefit from lifestyle changes • Dietary change: reduced saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol • Increase physical activity • Reduce calorie intake • Increased soluble intake in diet • Review with your doctor every 3 months 6. How often should I visit the doctor after starting drug treatment to reduce cholesterol levels?

Every 4-6 months, the frequency depending upon on the results achieved.

In our next article the following month, we will be discussing diet and its effects on your cardiovascular health.

By Dr Ravinder Batra Senior Staff Specialist, Clinical Director Cardiac Catheter Lab Gold Coast University Hospital VMO, Gold Coast Private Hospital

JUNE 2020

26

Indian News Queensland | HEALTH

Know your hand sanitiser

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ood hand hygiene has emerged as the gold standard of protection against the deadly novel Coronavirus that has millions in its spate, globally. While doctors and health experts recommend thorough and frequent handwashing with plain soap and water as the most effective form of hand hygiene, the use of sanitisers comes a close second.

Hand sanitizers have gained the reputation of being potent microbe killers. However, not all sanitizers are created equal, and

the composition of the product often governs its effectiveness. Here are some things to bear in mind when buying your next batch:

MRSA, hepatitis A virus, rhinovirus, HIV, influenza A virus, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and other coronaviruses.

There are two types of hand sanitisers - alcohol-free and alcohol-based.

The latter usually comprises elements such as ethanol (ethyl alcohol), isopropyl alcohol or n-propanol.

The alcohol breaks the protein envelope holding the viruses’ structure together, thus, rendering it incapable of attaching itself to the human cells. Alcohol-free sanitisers are made of compounds like benzalkonium chloride, and their effectiveness in killing microbes is rather limited.

The alcohol-based sanitisers, with alcohol content in the range of 60-95 percent, are most effective in killing bacteria, germs and viruses. This includes, but is not limited to, E coli,

Laundry in times of COVID-19

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s the novel Coronavirus looms large, the importance of basic personal and public hygiene is key, starting with washing hands, but also encompassing our larger personal space including clothes, food and groceries, clothes and homes.

Mundane household tasks are increasingly becoming a source of anxiety as families grapple with taking all measures to keep their loved ones safe and healthy. It is rare that doing laundry is a lifesaving mission, but during these uncertain times, ensuring clean clothes is critical to the overall wellbeing of ourselves and families.

When outside, inadvertently we do pick up things or brush against people making it imperative to follow certain precautions once we return home. Often, germs and viruses stick to our clothes and can be the biggest carriers. When we return home from any public space, it is necessary to immediately put the clothes for a wash to ensure no germs/viruses are passed on within homes.

For people working in the frontline or engaged in professions for which they need to step out daily, even more stringent measures should be followed.

visable to change clothes daily, as well as ensure that the elderly wear freshly washed clothes every time they change. Apart of clothes, linen and towels should also be regularly changed washed and sanitised in washing machines as far as possible.

Choosing a washing machine that cleans your laundry at 60 degrees Celsius, making it germ- free, is a better alternative to hand washing clothes. Another way in which we can ensure zero pathogens, is by using a washer dryer to completely dry the clothes and roll out germfree laundry.

Choosing a washing machine that cleans your laundry at 60 degrees Celsius, making it germ- free, is a better alternative to hand washing clothes

While staying indoors also it is ad-

'Teleayurveda': Revisiting Ayurveda

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ith the spread of Covid-19, Indians are now focusing on immunity building measures and revisiting Ayurveda for prevention. Even though the Ayurveda doctors are based in India, the community in Australia can still benefit from their knowledge and expertise just the same.

A technology-led Ayurveda platform has enabled people to use the facility of ‘teleayurveda’ and stay connected with doctors through online consultations.

NirogStreet has 50,000 ayurveda doctors listed on the platform.

Ram N. Kumar, Founder, NirogStreet said: “Amid the lockdown we are successfully connecting millions of patients with over 50,000 ayurveda doctors on our platform. People are respecting the lockdown and turning to online consultation for all their health needs. This is the right time for Ayurveda to ride on technology and serve the health needs of people.”

In these unprecedented circumstances that people are going through, ‘teleayurveda’ is a great concept for both ayurvedic doctors and patients to stay connected, he added.

The company claims to have witnessed six times growth in online searches for immunity boosting Ayurveda products, apart from a spike in demand for immunity building medicines and herbal soaps, sanitisers, etc.

The platform aims to train and certify over 1,00,000 pure Ayurveda practitioners in the next two years and bring them to the mainstream.

It is widening their reach and accessibility through a very user friendly and interactive technology platform.

Even though the Ayurveda doctors are based in India, the community in Australia can still benefit from their knowledge and expertise just the same

Mithra kids need extra care during COVID-19

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his year Friends of Mithra EOFY campaign will be focusing on the needs of those who remain at the Mithra Campus in Chennai during the extended lockdown in India as a result of COVID-19.

Presently, medicines must be sourced and delivered to them, the children require extra care as the continuing enforcement to isolate takes its toll, and the Sisters themselves need the community's sup-

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port to carry on the extraordinary and tireless work that they do.

Chennai is considered a "red zone", with infection hotspots, and the city is kept under strict lockdown.

Considering the crisis situation both India and Australia are going through, Friends of Mithra said in a statement: "We are also conscious that many in our own country are struggling through these unusual

times and we hope that they are beginning to see, and receive, some relief in daily life. If you are able to join us in contributing as this financial year ends, then we will be very grateful and thankful, and Friends of Mithra continues to hope that all our donors will stay safe and well."

Those wishing to donate to Mithra in Chennai can visit friendsofmithra.org.

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JUNE 2020

27

Indian News Queensland | ARTS & CULTURE

Art in the times of the COVID-19

“

We need art through the good and the bad. For an art lover, luxury is a necessity; it is an essential to help us maintain our equilibrium in these trying times”, says Ritu VajpeyiMohan, Publisher, DAG (Delhi Art Gallery). “I am confident of the abilities of artists to create innovative and referential works that capture this moment in time.”

In a conversation with IANS, Mohan shares her views on the impact of the pandemic on the arts as a sector. Excerpts: Q. COVID-19 has impacted every sector, industry and profession, art being no exception. How has the world of art been impacted?

Mohan: Art as a medium in traditional understanding has been a great moment for shared experience between artists and their communities. While it may certainly be created in isolation, art’s appreciation comes from its outreach with wider audiences and their emotional connect with a work’s potency.

The Covid-19 pandemic has greatly limited the physical intimacy between artworks and the public. We are now confined to viewing it in isolation and within the confines of screens, be it a mobile phone or a computer. The immediacy of our experiencing art has been limited, but enterprising art enthusiasts have been creating a multitude of forums whereby we can experience art by newer technologies, especially experiential, real time, augmented

reality and virtual reality formats.

So while the sector has been impacted, artists and others in the eco system have also creatively adapted to the times by forging newer ways forward. Art’s great thrust has always come from the human imagination, and we see abundant examples of this all around us.

Q. In a way, art is a historian.

Do you think the world might see some of its greatest works being born from this crisis?

Mohan: Art is definitely being created. Online forums are replete with examples of the same, though we shall perhaps have to wait for the end of this period to see the manifest ways in which artists have reacted.

The complexity or scale of the works shall also be apparent over time, once we understand the varied ways in which individual artists react to the current human predicament. Every age produces artistic excellence and we are surrounded by remarkable examples from the past. I am confident of the abilities of artists to create innovative and referential works that capture this moment in time.

Q. Luxury is known to be recession proof. Do you think that holds true for art despite the economic slowdown?

Mohan: Luxury to my mind is not the monetary value of an object, but the deep emotional satisfaction that it brings to our experience of life. People will continue to live, to create, nourish and sustain their

everyday lives. Art shall be with them shoulder to shoulder, helping them move along in this journey.

Art then is the balm that shall allow people to get on with their lived experiences through every vicissitude that comes their way. We need art through the good and the bad. For an art lover, luxury is a necessity; it is an essential to help us maintain our equilibrium in these trying times.

Q. To keep the conversation alive and client engagement in the arts, does DAG also plan to go all out with their digital platform?

AVINASH CHANDRA 1931-91 Untitled Ink on paper, 1962 13.0 x 24.0 in. 33.0 x 61.0 cm.

Mohan: We have an online presence through our social media, YouTube channel and website. These have been active before the pandemic hit us and we have been effectively using these formats to reach out to our patrons and supporters.

We have also been reaching out to our network through more detailed analytics of our digital follower base and are trying to understand what they need and how best to service their queries and concerns. These are carried out with more personalised attention. Digital reflection is also allowing us to strategize on how best to serve our client base and anticipate future blind spots and gaps in our digital efforts.

It is a constant space of learning and innovation and our teams are upgrading their digital skills and working at future proofing.

BIMAL DASGUPTA - 1917-95 - Untitled - Acrylic on canvas, c. 1990s 25.0 x 25.0 in. 63.5 x 63.5 cm

IANS

By Puja Gupta

NIKHIL BISWAS - 1930-66 - Untitled - Water colour on paper, 1955 14.2 x 21.2 in. 36.1 x 53.8 cm

P. KHEMRAJ - 1934-2000 - Untitled - Water colour and ink on paper, 1991 21.5 x 27.5 in. 54.6 x 69.8 cm

Shashi Tharoor: Arts and culture build bridges, not walls

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strong believer of the uniting power of the arts and culture, parliamentarian and renowned author Shashi Tharoor has said that culture builds bridges, not walls.

Having recently lent his voice to a short music video that features an emotional rendition of the Indian National Anthem, Tharoor is strong in his recital of another of Rabi-

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ndranath Tagore works, “Where The Mind Is Without Fear” which appears towards the end. The anthem has been sung by Tagore fusion singer Isheeta Ganguly.

According to Tharoor, “our minds are currently gripped by fear of the unknown, of possible attack by the virus; fear has led to the demonisation of certain of our own citizens, either because of their appear-

ance or their religion. The Tagore verse speaks of India transcending such fears and narrow divisions to a broader self-realisation.”

Asked how the arts and culture act as unifying forces in difficult times, Tharoor said: “Arts and culture build bridges, not walls. They help us to realise what unites us rather than divides us. They expand our minds beyond petty concerns to larger aspira-

tions. Great art is always universal; it does not discriminate or demonize.”

Tharoor also underlined the need to utilise the nation’s symbols - like the National Anthem - to unite in. “It’s important to remind everyone that India, indeed, belongs to everyone,” he said.

By Siddhi Jain

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Shashi Tharoor JUNE 2020

28

Indian News Queensland | TRAVEL

Your guide to a virtual South Africa tour

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s the coronavirus pandemic brings the world to a standstill, people are increasingly turning to their screens for everything from family gatherings to board meetings, cooking lessons to daily workout routines, and even for touring the world.

The Rainbow Nation of South Africa has been asking travellers to stay home now, so that they can travel later. In the meanwhile, those who want a glimpse of the breathtaking nation in their living rooms, can partake in many virtual tours.

Kruger National Park South Africa is home to numerous game reserves, each offering its own distinctive brand of game viewing. However, the world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. It is South Africa’s most exciting African safari des-

Cape Town

Courtesy Britannica

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tination and offers a variety of experiences such as wilderness trails, self-drive adventures and safaris.

Given the lockdown, virtual LIVE safaris have been made available to viewers from across the world.

This virtual show also enables you to interact with an expert game ranger in real time! Safari vehicles, guides on foot, drones, balloons, rovers and remote cams all roam the terrains of the national park, to bring the best possible safari viewing experience to homes.

LIVE safari tours are available twice a day - sunrise safari at 9:30 am and sunset safari at 7:00pm IST, and can be viewed on Wild Earth’s YouTube channel.

City of Cape Town The Western Cape - flanked by the stunning Table Mountain on one side, and the Atlantic and In-

dian Oceans on the other - houses the captivating legislative capital of South Africa: Cape Town.

Rightly known as the Mother City, Cape Town is as diverse as it is enchanting. It is where travellers can feel perfectly in tune with the pulse of new South Africa.

The main attraction of Cape Town is, of course, the famous Table Mountain, a natural plateau that rises over 1000 meters over the sea level and literally hangs over Cape Town, creating a lively background and this very special pleasant climate. It is a symbol and a calling card for the city - featuring on its flag. Also, one constellation in the South Hemisphere is named after it!

Catch an aerial panoramic tour of the city at www.airpano.com

Nelson Mandela spent 18 immensely challenging years in prison on this little island situated less than 5 miles off the coast of Cape Town and yet emerged from it filled with forgiveness instead of hatred. Robben Island is now a World Heritage site and museum. Although from the 17th to the 20th century the island was a place of imprisonment, today it is a beacon of hope and a place where visitors can gain some insight into the life and times of Nelson Mandela and fellow freedom fighters.

Google offers a narrated tour complete with a visit to Mandela’s 6.5 x 6.5 foot cell - led by Vusumsi Mcongo, an anti-Apartheid activist who was imprisoned on Robben Island from 1978-1990.

Catch it on Google Arts and Culture.

Robben Island, near Cape Town

Johannesburg Art Gallery

Courtesy Wikipedia

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The Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG), Gauteng Since opening its doors in 1915, JAG’s Lutyens home on the edge of Joubert Park has remained at the epicentre of the Johannesburg’s art establishment. JAG boasts the largest public collection of modern and contemporary art on the sub-Saharan Africa.

It houses collections of 17th-century Dutch paintings, 18th- and 19th-century British and European art, 19th-century South African works, a large contemporary collection of 20th-century South African and international art, and a print portfolio containing works from the 15th century to the present.

Current primary curatorial focus is on contemporary African and South African art. Catch it online on Google Arts and Culture.

Robben Island (IANS)

JUNE 2020

29

Indian News Queensland | MIGRATION

Q&A session with our migration expert Question 1: C Leo I am PG diploma holder in computer science, and I have 8+ years’ experience as web developer, data analyst, and teaching profession.

Would you advise migration chances to Australia?

Ans: We have gone through the CV. Your qualifications and work experiences from overseas are fine to migrate to Australia. We advise you to get English language score superior level (IELTS 8 each, PTE 79 each or equivalent) to initiate the process under point-based skilled migration.

Please note you may also have options for employer nominated visas, provided you get job offer from prospective employers in Australia.

You have to satisfy the relevant criteria to get such visa. The employer nominated visa are not point based.

Question 2: A S Nath I am a mechanical engineer and currently working as vehicle technician in middle east for the last four years. I wish to migrate to Australia. What are my options?

Ans: We have gone through your CV and job roles advised. You may note job roles were more or less motor mechanic occupation description. This is in the skilled occupation list to migrate Australia. At this stage, Motor Mechanic occupa-

tion need 95 points to get invitation for skilled migration.

You need to get superior level English score (IELTS 8 each / PTE 79 each or equivalent) to initiate the process. You also have options for employer sponsored visas, which is entirely different from the point based migration visas. To get employer nominated visa, primarily you must get a job offer with a minimum annual salary of $53900 from an Australian employer to go ahead with the process. You should also satisfy other criteria such as English language, character, etc.

Question 3: A Jose I am an applicant for skilled migration visa in Australia and need to get information on employment of my partner before lodging the application. He has worked in a couple of large companies and a few small companies. We don’t have experience certificates from small companies? Is it mandatory that the past ten years’ employment should be declared for my partner ? Will it affect my application?

Ans: Please note your partner has to declare all employments within the last 10 years as requested by the Department. As your partner is secondary applicant and not claiming partner skills points, it may not be an issue even if your partner misses some work employment documents; however, he must provide

Send all your queries and doubts on migration to us on:

info@indiannewsqld.com.au

correct information on all employments undertaken in the visa application and in Form 80 adding with the application.

Kindly note providing false or misleading information in the visa application would adversely affect your chances to get residency in Australia.

Question 4: J Singh I have received S57 Natural Justice Notice on my employer sponsored visa application. My employer applied for a different occupation initially, but later the employer withdrew that nomination. A new nomination with right occupation was applied. But the Case Officer pointed about the different occupation I applied with the previous visa application. Really it was not my mistake, how can I reply to the Case Officer?

Ans: We have gone through the email attachment. Please note as you have already engaged another professional in this matter, it is ethically wrong for us to step in the matter. It is clear from the notice that you have advised the Department of two contrasting job experiences in the same period for the same category visa, applied at two separate occasions.

We advise to get in touch with your migration agent and discuss the

Solicitor Prathap Lakshmanan matter further with options available, including withdrawing the application to avoid three year nongrant period for any temporary visa, if PIC 4020 is imposed in your case.

Question 5: N Devasia I Passed B Tech (EEE) and am now working as design engineer for three years overseas. I am interested in migrating to Australia as engineer.

Please explain how can I apply for the migration?

Ans: Please note at this stage, it is bit hard to get skill select migration

PRATHAP LAKSHMANAN MA, LLB, LLM, GradDipLP (Lawyer & Migration Agent / Qualified Education Agent Counsellor) TN Lawyers & Immigration Consultants

as you won’t get enough points to receive invitation for main application lodgement. Currently the points needed are 95.

You should get higher level English test score, minimum proficient level (IELTS 7 each or equivalent) to go ahead with the process in future. You may have chance for employer sponsored migration as well.

The other option is student visa for higher education in Australia on your area of studies. It must be a two year course to get advantage for future PR application.

Email: info@tnlawyers.com.au Web: www.tnlawyers.com.au Skype: prathap.tnmc

Surviving the daily grind

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ow that restrictions in Queensland are slowly starting to ease and schools are re-opening, it’s been about seven and a half weeks since I last went to school, and I’m now pretty used to learning from home. I’m sure I’m not the only one who started getting used to online learning, and to some, it may even seem unfair, because just as we all started adjusting to this new way of living, everything’s going back the other way. There are pros though; you get to see your teachers and peers again, and if there was a subject you really enjoyed, then you get to physically go to that class.

But, it is all going to seem different; from home, you can work as you like and take breaks whenever you want, but in school you’ll have an actual time table to follow and keep up with everything. This does sound pretty daunting, and that’s why, below I’ve provided some tips on maximizing productivity while studying

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at school. These tips will help keep your studies going smoothly and make returning to school a little easier.

Alright, first things first, you need to get your sleep schedule back on track. Listen, chances are that at least 90% (maths done by Suhani) of us went to bed late, or say, way later than we would on a school night.

There is only one way to do it: Go to bed early, wake up as you would on a normal school day, work, get tired early and then the finale, go to bed early. You can also try stretching or journaling (anything relaxing) before bed. If you’re fond of mists, then try spraying a lavender one as lavender is supposed to calm you down, and it does ensure that you have a good sleep. If nothing else, it will most likely fix your sleeping schedule, which is very important.

Finally, in the words of the sports brand, Nike -- yes, the one that I always buy working out clothes from

on New Year, but never actually wear them because I never work out -- ‘Just do it’.

Okay, my first tip to studying efficiently at school is to take notes.

Don’t go too much in detail, and definitely don’t write everything the teacher is saying. Make points on things you need to brush up on, maybe also list the chapter of the topic you’re struggling with, that way after you get home, you can go over that chapter and make neater and detailed notes. You can also type your notes or just record the whole class if your teacher allows you to.

My second tip is to not leave tasks till the end. I know it’s a common one and you’ve probably heard your teachers say this, but it’s also an important one. Leaving assignments till the last day won’t just cause you a whole lot of stress but will also

have an impact on how well you do on that assessment. Create a personal to-do list and/or timetable for each day or week, whichever is more convenient for you, and then follow it. List the tasks you need to get done and give yourself a reasonable amount of time to accomplish it. This way you’ll be in less stress and also get your work done quicker and more efficiently.

By Suhani Sharma Suhani is 13 and currently in Grade 8. She writes on social issues among the youth, common problems that teenagers experience, as well as fun topics.

Most importantly, remember that everything will be fine and just do your best, which should be enough.

Also, if you’re really struggling, talk to your teachers at school or a trusted adult. There are a lot of people out there who’re willing to help you.

By Suhani Sharma Suhani is 13 and currently in Grade 8. She writes on social issues among the youth, common problems that teenagers experience, as well as fun topics.

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Suhani Sharma JUNE 2020

30

Indian News Queensland | ENTERTAINMENT

Rana Daggubati and Kerala actor Prithviraj, others Miheeka Bajaj have return from Jordan after 50 days Roka ceremony

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fter recently confirming his relationship with Miheeka Bajaj, Telugu superstar Rana Daggubati has now made it official with a roka ceremony.

The actor took to social media on May 21 to share moments from the private function with his fans and followers. ‘“And it’s official,” the “Baahubali” star wrote on Instagram while sharing a happy picture of the couple.

For the daytime ceremony, the couple opted for a colourful, floral decor and fairy lights.

In the photographs, Rana is seen beaming with joy in a white shirt with a matching white dhoti. Miheeka looks stunning in an orangegold sari with yellow and pink border, teamed with a heavilyembellished blouse and chunky ethnic jewellery. She left her hair

open and wore subtle make-up.

Miheeka, who is founder of Mumbai-based Dew Drop Design Studio, also took to Instagram to share her “beginning of forever” moment. She also put a photograph on Instagram Story, writing: “Officially mine!”

While many speculated that the couple got engaged, Rana posted a screenshot of a chat on Instagram Story to share that it was a roka ceremony.

Early congratulatory messages were posted by actors Shruti Haasan, Sriya Reddy, Sonal Chauhan, Shriya Pilgaonkar, and Lakshmi Manchu.

Earlier this month, Rana had made his relationship with Miheeka public. Sharing a photo with his Miheeka, the actor wrote on Instagram: “And she said yes! #MiheekaBajaj.” He used a red heart emoji along with his caption.

F

ifty days after being stuck in Jordan, top Kerala actor Prithviraj and award winning director Blessy on landed in India on May 22.

The 58 member crew was stuck in Wadi Rum, a desert in Jordan, as they were shooting ‘Aadujeevitham’ based on the award winning eponymous Malayalam novel by Benyamin.

In the first week of April, the film shoot was called off, after restrictions came in the wake of the coronavirus crisis in Jordan, and since then the crew was seeking to return home.

Prithviraj after the health checkup at the airport came out and drove away in his car.

According to the health authorities, all the 58 have to be in isolation in their homes for 14 days, following which based on a check up, further protocols will be decided.

Prithviraj the authorities, the crew flew in from Jordan to Delhi and from there they reached Kochi.

After finishing the shoot, the crew was trying to return, but was told to wait for the appropriate time.

Billed as one of the costliest Malayalam film, ‘Aadujeevitham’ tells the tale of the life of a man ending up in shambles after reaching the Middle East and finds himself tending goats in extreme desert temperatures.

Following the green signal by

When they left from here to Jor-

dan, their plan was to go to Algeria after finishing the Jordan leg in the first week of April, but Covid spoiled all their plans and the crew was stuck in a plush resort near Rum Wadi in Jordan.

Blessy’s past films, including his debut film in 2004 ‘Kaazcha’, ‘Thanmathra’ (2005) ‘Pranayam’ (2011) to name a few, occupy a place of pride in the Malayalam film industry.

Mahesh Babu: It's cool to be masked

Keerthy Suresh has five million Instagram followers now

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ational Award-winning southern star Keerthy Suresh has garnered a whopping five million followers on Instagram.

She later shared another picture of her pet and wrote: "You can see how excited Nyke is to meet our huge family."

Keerthy shared a motley of pictures and clips on the photo-sharing website to break the news.

Courtesy yuptamilan.com Keerthi Suresh

time! Let's adapt to the new normal and get life back on track. It's cool to be masked. I am. Are you?" Mahesh Babu wrote on Instagram.

Along with it, he posted a picture where he wears a mask.

A few weeks ago, Mahesh Babu asked everyone to practice social distancing as well as fear distancing.

"Besides social distancing and maintaining good hygiene, there is something as important that needs

Mahesh Babu our attention- #FearDistancing Keeping ourselves away from people and news that creates panic and fear.

Fake news is a real issue! Stay away from misguided information," he had tweeted.

Samantha shows off 'handsome' hubby Naga Chaitanya on social media outhern star Samantha Akkineni is known for her witty social media posts. Last month, she revealed a bit of that trait while showing off her "handsome" husband, actor Naga Chaitanya, to the world.

The actress then shared a video of herself along with her pet Shih Tzu Nyke. She is seen giving her furry friend a high five.

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"We are opening up. Slowly, but surely. In a time like this, masks are mandatory. Make it a point to wear a mask every time you step out, that's least we can do to protect ourselves and others. It may seem odd, but it is the need of the hour and we must get used to it. One step at a

S

She first shared a photograph of herself and asked: "What am I so excited about?"

"We are now a family of 5 million!!

Nyke and I couldn't have been more grateful for all your love," she wrote to her fans.

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ife is trickling back to normalcy with the phased easing of lockdown restrictions in India, and Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu on May 22 urged everyone to venture out with proper precautions.

Samantha took to Instagram and she shared a smiling picture of Chaitanya, where he looks dapper in white chequered shirt and brown pants.

"After sending mommy , aunties , sister , friends , very straight male friends it's now Instagram's turn ..

'See eee my husband looks so handsome no ( husband is somewhere digging a large pit to jump into right now )," she captioned the image.

The two were attending actor Rana Daggubati's roka ceremony with Miheeka Bajaj.

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Naga Chaitanya JUNE 2020

31

Indian News Queensland | ENTERTAINMENT

Lockdown moviemakers shoot at home

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he COVID-19 lockdown has forced closure of film studios as well as outdoor shooting, but that has not stopped an enthusiastic bunch of filmmakers from making films. Shooting at home amid lockdown is the latest trend in B-Town.

The format could be anything -short or feature-length film, a limited series, or a music video -- but the key to filmmaking has to be the fact that everything is done within a single house, from preproduction to post-production.

It’s not just budding or struggling filmmakers who are at it. When Salman Khan shot an entire music video with Jacqueline Fernandez at his Panvel farmhouse -- where he quarantined himself -- the signal was loud and clear. In the time of social distancing, Bollywood loves the idea.

The song, titled “Tere bina”, was shot over four days, and it is his “cheapest production” till date, revealed Salman. The actor has shared that he has learnt a lot while shooting during the lockdown. “It’s a learning experience that three people can very easily shoot a song. We didn’t need any make-up artist, hair stylist,” he said.

Actor Vatsal Sheth turned director with a short film, which he has entirely shot at home during the ongoing lockdown. The film, “Kahaa Toh Tha”, running over six minutes, stars the actor with his wife Ishita Dutta, and explores love in the times of quarantine.

“I was having a chat with a friend of mine and I was telling him how much I miss shooting and the regular schedule. While talking to him, I realised, I am an actor,

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Ishita is an actor. We have phone cameras and basic stuff to shoot. I called a friend, he wrote this story for us, then we sat down on storyboarding, shot division and everything came together. That’’s how this film came to life,” Vatsal said.

The cast and crew of the Instagram-based web-series “Firsts” shot their second season amid the COVID 19 lockdown. Conceptualised, written, and executed by the cast and crew from their respective homes, “Firsts” season 2 narrates the love story of a couple who meet on a dating platform.

Pranay Manchanda, who has acted in and directed the show also featuring his wife, actress Kriti Vij shared: “The most fascinating part of the lockdown-shoot was the DIY aspect of it. Our tripod was a bunch of old books with a cassette case on top, some of our locations in the house were different corners of the same room, and our elaborate on-location crew was each other.”

Amid the lockdown, actor-comedian Maniesh Paul is playing the host of a new reality show called “Kya Bolti Public”, an interactive game show on the Flipkart Video app, being shot at his home. “I have been the stylist, spot boy, cameraman, director, lightman, set guy, actor, host all wrapped into one given that the entire show has been shot from my home. It has been unlike anything I have ever done before and it truly goes to show how we adapt to change,” he said.

Elsewhere, the cast of the Indian version of “The Office”, including Mukul Chadda and Gauahar Khan, have reunited virtually for a special ‘Working from Home’ episode. The special episode showcases the char-

acters joining via video-conferencing, to brainstorm ideas to keep the paper business growing during the nationwide lockdown. The video also stars Sayandeep Sengupta, Abhinav Sharma, Priyanka Setia, Preeti Kochar and Gavin Methalaka, and is written by Aarsh Vora, Shruti Madan and Chirag Mahabal.

“It is extremely important we keep ourselves engaged and productive during this quarantine period. It was quite exciting shooting this one episode, with the most fun team for one of my favourite shows ‘The Office’.

I’m looking forward to more. Hope the audiences enjoy and appreciate our little effort,” Gauahar said.

Meanwhile, Amitabh Bachchan has started shooting for the upcoming season of the popular quiz show “Kaun Banega Crorepati” (KBC) amid the COVID-19 lockdown, although not from his home.

The veteran actor recently informed about the same in his blog.

Madhuri Dixit, who is all set to be back as a judge on reality TV with the new season of “Dance Deewane” has also shot the season’s first promo from her home. The auditions have begun virtually and keeping the quarantine period in mind, the actress has urged dance enthusiasts to pick any corner of their homes and record a video to showcase their dancing talent.

“Don’t let this lockdown deter you.

Keep your spirits high and let dance be the form of expression. If you have the passion for dance and the determination to succeed, pick a corner of your house and send us a video of your dancing talent as I’m excited and eager to witness India’s ‘deewangi’ (craze) for dance, once again,” Madhuri said.

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Indian News Queensland | ENTERTAINMENT

Celebs wish 'most beautiful Sara thanks her souls' on Mother's Day 'maa ki maa' for creating her C 'mommy' elebrities such as Amitabh Bachchan, Karan Johar and Yami Gautam among many others shared photographs with their “beautiful” mothers and expressed gratitude on the occasion of Mother’s Day on May 10.

B

ollywood actress Sara Ali Khan shared an adorable throwback photograph and thanked her grandmother for creating her mother Amrita Singh.

Here is what some of the celebrities had to say on the occasion: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan paid a tribute to all mothers in a clip and wrote: “Every day is Mother’s Day..to the most beautiful Mother in the World .. my Amma ji.”

Salman Khan shared the of his song ‘Tere bina’ and “’Tere bina’... wishing all ers a v happy Mother’s

teaser wrote: mothDay.”

Sara took to Instagram, where she shared a photograph of Amrita and

with Tim #HappyMothersDay.” Anushka Sharma: “Love you maa.”

Karan Johar: “Thank you for teaching me everyday how to be a mother ....I love you so much ... #HappyMothersDay.”

Neha Dhupia: “Not a single off day, not a moment when you have not been amazing, not a single problem when you have not come out shining, not a single dish that u cooked that has not been delicious, not a single time when u have not been there for me, not a single beat of my that was nt for u #happymothersday.”

Yo Yo Honey Singh with his mother www.indiannewsqld.com.au

“Meri Maa ki Maa (my mother’s mother) Thank you for creating Mommy #HappyMothersDay,” she wrote along side the image, which currently has over 1 million likes on the photo-sharing website.

Anushka Sharma and her mother hug

Priyanka Chopra: “Happy Mother’s Day to all the maternal figures around the world. Today, we celebrate you. Love you, Mom. @ madhuchopra @DeniseJonas.”

Kareena Kapoor Khan shared an adorable photograph of herself with Taimur and captioned it: “This pretty much sums up mother’s day and well... every other day

her mother holding newborn Sara.

Yami Gautam: “To the most beautiful relation ever created... my mumma #happymothersday.”

Yo Yo Honey Singh: “My Mom my world, happy mother’s day to all the mothers #HappyMothersDay.” Taapsee: “Hmmm..... so that’s where I get it from #HappyMothersDay.” Ankita Lokhande: “Happy Mother’s Day. maa jaisa na koi hai aur na koi hoga.”

Urvashi Rautela: “She is a true definition of perfect Indian women and everything I’ve learned about life is from her. I feel really happy and blessed to be Meera Rautela’s daughter.”

Amrita Singh and her mother holding newborn Sara

Yami Gautam (left) with her mother

Filmmaker Karan Johar (right)

Kareena Kapoor Khan with son Taimur

Neha Dhupia and her mother

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Yami Gautam: We don't know when we're going to resume shoots

A

ctress Yami Gautam says she doesn't know when film shoots will resume because even after the lockdown is lifted, it doesn't look like COVID-19 will be contained.

How does she see the future of the entertainment industry post-pandemic and in what ways will the industry change? "Budgets are going to be reworked. Already the proposed films that most of us were to be part of, are looking at reworked budgets and mediums, with theatres being shut and with no idea when they'll open. Of course, the midbudget films have an opportunity to opt for digital platforms," Yami told IANS in an exclusive chat.

She says she is only being offered work that is set for the web space.

going to resume shooting because even after the lockdown is lifted, it doesn't look like the coronavirus will be contained," she said.

"Films are coming my way with the proposal that it's for the digital platform. This shift is already happening. We don't know when we're

Fresh guidelines and restrictions might be introduced, she stresses.

A

"All the films I have been a part of or the roles I have played are all so different from each other. They may have few overlapping similarities like for example my characters tell the stories of women in the heartlands," Bhumi said.

"I am proud of the cinema that I

have done so far as they are the films that have worked well for me and have helped me connect to my audience. In today's time the definition of a heroine has undergone change and evolved, nowadays the audience is open to stories that they can relate to," she added.

The actress continued: "It need not always be the typical perfect story but even those which are flawed or imperfect that connect with the audience. If I can tell them an honest story or give them a character they

can relate to, I have succeeded as an actor. So, while my journey so far has been quite eventful it has also been a good one so far."

Mumtaz reacts to death rumours: 'I am not that buddhi'

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eteran actress Mumtaz has dismissed rumours of her death in a video message, saying she is very much "alive".

"Hi my friends. I love you all. See, I am not dead. I am alive. I am not that 'buddhi' (old) as they say. I still look presentable because of your blessings," Mumtaz said.

The video has been shared by Mumtaz's daughter Tanya Madhvani on her Instagram account. www.indiannewsqld.com.au

Urging everyone to stop spreading false news, Tanya wrote: "Message from my mother to her fans ! With another death hoax going around she is well and doing great ! Despite images of her being spread across the internet when she was fighting her cancer battle many years ago that claim she looks old ! . She is now healthy and happy and beautiful ! Give her a break she is 73."

Reportedly, Mumtaz, known for films like "Do Raaste", "Aap Ki Kasam" and "Loafer", is currently

K

riti Sanon made her Bollywood debut with "Heropanti" in 2014 on this day, and since then her career has only been on the rise.

Completing six years in the industry on Saturday, the actress took to Instagram to thank the cast and crew

She added: "Forever Grateful to @ nadiadwalagrandson #SajidSir @ wardakhannadiadwala & @sabbir24x7 sir for getting me into this magical world of movies. For giving me the best launch ever.. and @tigerjackieshroff I'm so glad i started my journey with you..happy 6 year

members of her first film, which also introduced Tiger Shroff.

"This was my first ever bollywood poster that released.. and the feeling was surreal! I woke up earlier than usual, jumped out of bed and ran out to see the front page of the newspaper!! From that day till now I'm living my dream," Kriti happily expressed.

anniversary Tigy."

"We will still have to follow protocols, precautions and the fresh guidelines of that time. We'll have to wait and watch. Safety is the most important thing. I don't think things will resume any time soon," she said.

By Durga Chakravarty

Bhumi Pednekar: Definition of a heroine has evolved ctress Bhumi Pednekar feels the definition of a heroine has changed, with the audience open to stories that they can relate to.

Kriti Sanon on 6 yrs in B'wood: I am living my dream

Kriti also shared how badly she is missing the film sets during the lockdown.

"I absolutely love what I do.. and I just cant wait to be back on a filmset in front of the camera doing what excites me the most- Acting, performing and just BEING#6YearsOfKritiSanon," Kriti wrote.

Suhana Khan gets a ‘nostalgic' b'day wish from buddy Ananya Panday

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hah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan's daughter Suhana turned 20 last month, and to ring in her special day, her close friend Ananya Panday spammed social media with adorable throwback pictures of the birthday girl.

"The two things I miss the most the great outdoors and SUHANA!!!

Happy 20th bday Sue‌you will be my little baby forever," Ananya wrote on Instagram along with a picture that shows the two posing against the backdrop of sunset at the beach.

Reacting to the post, Suhana commented: "Hahaha you found one not bad. I love you. Thank you.

Miss you."

Suhana is studying filmmaking in New York. Currently, she is in Mumbai and spending time with her family.

In another image, Suhana is seen enjoying a piggyback ride on Ananya. spending time with her family in London.

"Always got your back," Ananya captioned the snap.

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