India News - Sept 16-30, 2020

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September 16-30, 2020, Vol 1 Issue 6

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Indian PM lauds India’s entry into elite missile club

Indian PM favours minimal government interference in education policy

New Delhi/IANS: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for

Indian Army saves lives of Chinese citizens in Sikkim

Continued on P 3

Vehicle (HSTDV) on September 7 morning from the APJ Abdul Kalam Launch Complex at Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha.

Continued on P 3

India can be ‘global superpower’ in combating climate change: Guterres

New Delhi/IANS: Praising India’s new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on September 7 that the government should have... Continued on P 3

New Delhi/IANS: The Indian Army extended a helping hand to three Chinese citizens who lost their way in the Plateau area of North Sikkim at an altitude of 17,500 feet.

successfully demonstrating the hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology with the flight test of the Hypersonic Technology Demonstration

This happened when both the countries were engaged in a four-month-long standoff at the border in Eastern Ladakh.

The incident happened on September 3.

United Nations/IANS: India can lead the world’s transformation to clean energy and become a “global superpower” in the war on climate change, UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres said recently.

“India can become a true global superpower in the fight against climate change, if it speeds

up its shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy,” he said in TERI’s Darbari Seth Memorial Lecture that he delivered virtually from New York due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The main focus of his message to India was to stop developing electricity generation plants using fossil fuel, especially coal, and Continued on P 3

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

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INDIA NEWS

HEALTH

CONTENTS

EDITORIAL TEAM Dr Ram Mohan, Chairman Dr Ashutosh Misra, Editor-in-Chief Mr Harpreet Bhagrath, India Editor Dr Priyabrata Behra, Bureau Chief, New South Wales EDITORIAL BOARD Professor Prasad Yarlagadda, Queensland University of Technology Dr Indrani Ganguly, Author Dr Uttam Kumar Sinha, Senior Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, India Mr Shaun Star, Director, Centre for Australia India Studies, Jindal Global University, India

Page 6

Page 12

Page 14

News from India

Business and Trade

News from Australia

INDIA NEWS TV Mr Karthik Pratap Singh, News Director Mr. Agastya Yeturi, Cinematographer Mr Nishit Chandan, Special Correspondent Ms. Ananya Dhyani, Consulting News Editor WRITERS Mr Devashish Chakraborty Mrs Deepika Banerjee Mr Rabindra Mukherji

Page 16

Page 22

Page 23

THE WORLD THIS WEEK

Why Sino-Pak collusion could become a reality in Ladakh

Special Commentary

Page 24

Page 25

Page 27

Literary Hotels: Bucket list these stays for the perfect book-lover holiday

Make in India

Sports

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COVER STORY

Indian PM favours minimal Indian Army saves lives of Chinese government interference in citizens in Sikkim education policy Continued from P 1

Continued from P 1 the least interference in it.

Addressing a Governors’ conference, Modi said, “To fulfil the aspirations of the country, education policy and system are important tools. In this system, the central and state governments and the local bodies are interlinked; it is also correct that in the education policy, the government should have the least interference and less influence.”

The National Education Policy is focused on learning rather than studying and the curricula emphasis is on critical thinking, the Indian Prime Minister pointed out.

“The focus is on passion, practicality, and performance.

The National Education Policy is, in a way, without pressure and without influence to learn democratic values,” he said.

Modi also raised the issue of heavy school bags carried by children and said that the National Education Policy seeks to address the issue in the sense that

the children should not be under pressure vis-a-vis bags, board exams, and society.

The Indian Prime Minister said that the National Education Policy has been framed after many years of labour by a panel led by Dr K Kasturirangan and feedback of more than 2 lakh people, including stakeholders.

He said that it was for the first time that everyone was hailing the National Education Policy because everyone ranging from teachers to students and parents were part of the formulation process.

The new policy focuses on foundational learning and languages, learning outcomes, and teachers’ training.

“The world is changing with time and there is discussion on jobs and nature of work and this policy will prepare the youth for appropriate knowledge and skills,” Modi added.

Indian PM lauds India’s entry into elite missile club Modi tweeted, “Congratulations to DRDO for successful flight of the Hypersonic Test Demonstration Vehicle today.

The scramjet engine developed by our scientists helped the flight achieve a speed 6 times the speed of sound! Very few countries have such capability today.”

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switch to clean renewable sources in order to fight global warming and pollution and simultaneously reap economic benefits.

Charting a global role for India, he said, “India can be the business hub to achievethe UN Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030.

“I applaud India’s decision to take forward the International Solar Alliance in the form of ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’.

Earlier, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also appreciated the DRDO for achieving this milestone.

assistance.

Indian Army for their prompt

Continued from P 1

He praised New Delhi’s initiatives to help bring solar energy around the world.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi

their gratitude to India and the

India can be ‘global superpower’ in combating climate change: Guterres

“India is a pioneer when it comes to driving innovation for access to electricity and on clean cooking. I call on India and all its innovators, entrepreneurs and business leaders to spearhead the global search for a solution to solar cooking at the household level.”

Continued from P 1

It will pave the way for the development of missiles travelling at six times the speed of sound. With this successful demonstration, the country entered an elite club of the hypersonic regime. India became the fourth country after the US, Russia and China to get this technology.

Realising the danger to the lives of the Chinese citizens, which included two men and one woman in the sub zero temperatures, the soldiers of the Indian Army immediately reached out and provided medical assistance, including oxygen, food and warm clothes to protect them from the vagaries of extreme altitude and harsh climatic conditions.

The Indian troops also gave them appropriate guidance to reach their destination after which they moved back.

The Chinese citizens expressed

“And I commend India’s plans for a World Solar Bank that will mobilize $1 trillion of investments in solar projects over the coming decade.”

Darbari Seth, in whose honour the annual lecture is organised by TERI which he co-founded, “was a climate action pioneer”. Guterres said.

“India has all the ingredients for exerting the leadership at home and abroad envisioned by Darbari Seth. The drivers are poverty alleviation and universal energy access - two of India’s top priorities. Scaling up clean energy, particularly solar, is the recipe for solving both.”

The world is facing the twin crises of Covid-19 and climate change with the danger that more people are being pushed back into poverty, Guterres said.

The solution to both the problems as the world recovers from the pandemic is to channel investments to renewable energy, clean transport and energy efficiency, he said.

“India is already pushing ahead in this direction,” the UN chief said, giving examples of the nation’s efforts.

He welcomed the Indian government’s decision to raise its target of renewable energy capacity from the initial 2015 goal of 175 gigawatts to 500 gigawatts by 2030.

In the short term, he said, “I was inspired to learn that during the pandemic, India’s proportion of renewable energy rose from 17 per cent to 24 per cent while coalfired power declined from 76 per cent to 66 per cent.”

That trajectory should continue,

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he said.

Guterres made the economic argument for investing in renewable energy comparing its falling cost compared to fossil fuel-fired plants.

“In India, 50 per cent of coal will be uncompetitive in 2022, reaching 85 per cent by 2025 and it “makes no sense” to invest in “coal business going up in smoke,” he said.

As India switches to prioritising renewable energy, he said it will attract more and more international investors, such as the sovereign wealth funds and pension funds like the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec or the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.

Guterres referred to the Leadership Group for Industry Transition India and Sweden launched last year at the Climate Action Summit at the UN in New York.

It brings together the public and private sector organisations in areas that account for 30 per cent of global emissions of greenhouse gases to make a commitment to achieving net zero emissions by mid-century.

He said, “companies such as Dalmia Cement and Mahindra are driving innovation. But we need many more to join them”.

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INDIA NEWS

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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INDIA NEWS

NEWS FROM INDIA

12.44 lakh domicile certificates issued in J&K

Ram temple construction to start after ‘pitrapaksh’ Ayodhya/IANS: The muchawaited construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya will begin after September 17 when the ‘PitraPaksh’ period ends.

PitraPaksh refers to the period when Hindus express gratitude to their ancestors and no auspicious work is done during this period.

According to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai, country’s leading construction company Larsen and Toubro is all set to lay the foundation of the grand temple, which would come up in an area of 12,879 square metre on Ram Janmabhoomi campus.

Domicile certificates( J_K) Jammu/IANS: The Jammu and Kashmir ( J&K) government has issued about 12.44 lakh domicile certificates across 20 districts of the Union territory till the end of August.

As per the figures, 17,18,887 lakh applied for the issuance of the certificates of which 12,43,996 were issued the domicile till August 31 with two-thirds of them issued within seven to 15 days.

The certificates issued include 2.86 lakh in Kashmir division and 9.45 lakh in Jammu division.

to the Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) holders include over 8.56 lakh in Jammu division and around 2.39 lakh in Kashmir division.

Of the total applications received till August-end across the UT, over 4.58 lakh are pending, including 3.46 lakh in Jammu division and 0.88 lakh in Kashmir Division.

The process of issuing domicile certificates in the Union territory was started in the last week of June 2020.

The domicile certificates issued

Pre-recruitment programmes for youth in Kashmir

The company is carrying out construction without charging any fee. Around 1,200 pillars will be laid around 100 feet below the surface to prepare the temple’s foundation. These pillars will be of stone and no iron will be used.

Again, on these pillars, another layer of foundation will be laid.

The construction company has sourced machines from Mumbai and is in the process of sourcing machines from Hyderabad.

The Trust is expected to engage around 100 labourers to lay the foundation of the temple.

All workers will be tested for the

In a statement on its official Twitter handle, the Northern Command headquartered at Udhampur in Jammu division said, “With an aim to assist young aspirants from #Kashmir to join #IndianArmy, a two-week pre-recruitment programme is being conducted in #Ganderbal,

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coronavirus and thermal-scanned before being allowed entry into the Ram Janmabhoomi campus.

Last week, the Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) had approved two layouts -- one of Ram mandir and another of the entire Ram Janmabhoomi campus.

The ADA also handed over the layouts to the Trust on September 4 after it deposited the requisite fee in the development authority’s bank account.

The proposed Ram mandir will be

Pradesh. Response is awaited.”

Ninong Ering, who is a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from India’s Opposition party the Indian National Congress on September 5, claimed that five residents of a border village were abducted by China’s PLA on September 4, triggering tension among the local population.

to guide local youth & motivate them to become soldiers & serve the #Nation”.

Sources said similar two-week pre-recruitment programmes will also be held in other districts of Kashmir division to assist the local youth in joining the Army.

Army and paramilitary recruitment rallies have always witnessed heavy participation by Kashmiri youth notwithstanding the over 30-year militant violence in Jammu and Kashmir.

360 feet long, 235 feet wide and 161 feet high and will have five domes.

According to the Trust, the temple’s foundation will be laid by using modern techniques so that it could be preserved for over 1,500 years and its structure for 1,000 years.

Experts from the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, and IIT Madras have been roped in to make the temple’s foundation strong so that it can withstand earthquakes and storms.

PLA contacted over 5 abductees from Arunachal Pradesh: Indian Minister

Kiran Rijiju

Srinagar/IANS: The Indian Army is conducting pre-recruitment programmes for aspirants in Kashmir who want to join the Army and fulfil their dream of serving the country.

Ram Temple

Itanagar /IANS: The Indian Army has sent a hotline message to China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) about the reported abduction of five persons from Arunachal Pradesh by Chinese soldiers, India’s Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said on September 6.

In response to a query on the issue, Rijiju, India’s Youth Affairs and Sports Minister and an MP from the state, tweeted: “The Indian Army has already sent a hotline message to the counterpart PLA establishment at the border point in Arunachal

Ering, the MLA from Pasighat West, in a tweet, said: “Five people from Upper Subansiri district of our state Arunachal Pradesh have reportedly been ‘abducted’ by China’s PLA. A few months earlier, a similar incident happened. A befitting reply must be given to PLA and CCP (Chinese Communist Party) China.”

The former Indian Union Minister of Minority Affairs had told the media that he had urged the authorities to take appropriate steps to get the five people released from the PLA. Upper Subansiri Superintendent of Police Taru Gussar said that they have sent a fact-finding team to the border village to collect authentic details of the incident.

Pradesh has also reported that the kidnappings occurred in a forest area near Nacho in Upper Subansiri. According to the media reports, the abducted persons -Toch Singkam, Prasat Ringling, Dongtu Ebiya, Tanu Baker and Ngaru Diri - all of the Tagin community - had gone to the forest for hunting, a traditional practice of the tribes in the area.

Two other villagers, who had managed to flee the spot, informed the other villagers.

The India-China border is about 170 km from Daporijo, the headquarters of Upper Subansiri district, which itself is 280 km from state capital Itanagar. From Nacho police station, 120 km from the district headquarters, a police team has been sent on foot to the forward area village.

Villagers are always forced to trek in remote and mountainous areas of Arunachal Pradesh as there are no proper roads. Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,080-km border with China, 520 km with Myanmar and 217 km with Bhutan.

Local media in Arunachal

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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INDIA NEWS

NEWS FROM INDIA

Indian President, PM pay tribute to Jammu and Baramulla Radhakrishnan on Teachers’ Day to get CIIITs

New Delhi /IANS: Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on September 5 paid homage to former Indian President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on his 132nd birth anniversary on the occasion of Teachers’ Day.

Srinagar/IANS: The Jammu and Kashmir ( J&K) government is establishing two Centers for Invention, Innovation, Incubation & Training (CIIIT) in J&K, in collaboration with Tata Technologies.

An official statement said this is being done to strengthen industry-academia partnership and to bring quality improvement in technical education.

“President Kovind paid floral tributes to Dr S. Radhakrishnan, former President of India, on his birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan,” a tweet from the official Twitter handle of Rashtrapati Bhavan read.

In a series of tweets, Indian Prime Minister Modi said, “We remain grateful to the hardworking teachers for their contributions towards shaping minds and building our nation. On Teachers’ Day, we express gratitude to our teachers for their remarkable efforts. We pay tributes to Dr. S. Radhakrishnan on his Jayanti.”

“Who better than our knowledgeable teachers to deepen our connect with our nation’s glorious history.

During the recent Mann Ki Baat, I had shared an idea of teachers teaching students about lesser known aspects of our great freedom struggle,”

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha met with a team from Tata Technologies led by Pramod Thaware, India Head, Education Initiative, at the Raj Bhavan on September 3.

Modi said attaching a video from his monthly radio broadcast programme.

“Tributes to an iconic thinker and erudite scholar, former President Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on his Jayanti,” Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted.

“On Teachers’ Day, greetings to the entire teaching fraternity who has been playing an

The two centers are being built at Government Polytechnic College, Jammu, and Government Polytechnic College, Baramulla, and shall be established at a cost of approximately Rs 360crore. unparalleled role in shaping the nation by selflessly guiding millions of souls,” Shah said in a tweet.

Rahul Gandhi also took to Twitter and said: “The entire universe is a teacher for those who are willing to learn.”

Teachers’ Day is celebrated in India on September 5 ever year.

The Project is aimed at bringing qualitative improvements in the field of technical education in J&K. They will facilitate creation of a ready pool of skilled manpower like engineers and technicians which will augment the industrial growth and in turn employment avenues in the region.

gave the detailed briefing on the progress at the campus for setting up nine competency centers.

These centers will be useful for students from ITI, Diploma, B Tech, M Tech to enhance their skills in line with current Industry needs & future Technology trends.

It was also informed that the centre at Baramulla is slated to open by October 2020, while the centre at Jammu is expected to be ready by November 2020.

The team from Tata Technologies

Former Indian President Mukherjee cremated with military honours New Delhi/IANS: Former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who passed away here at Army’s R&R Hospital during treatment on August 31at the age of 84, was cremated with full military honours on September 1 afternoon at the Lodhi Road crematorium following a strict Covid-19 precautionary protocol.

His son Abhijit Mukherjee performed the final rites accompanied by a 21-gun military salute. Only close family members were allowed to enter the crematorium unlike previous cremation ceremonies of such dignitaries, and those handling the mortal remains of Mukherjee wore PPE kits.

Following Covid-19 precautionary protocol, President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a galaxy of top political leaders who paid floral tributes to the departed soul at his 10, Rajaji Marg residence.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat were among those who joined the rest of the nation in bidding adieu to the ‘People’s President’. Former

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, BJP President J.P. Nadda, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, CPI General Secretary D.Raja, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and many others paid homage to Mukherjee, who passed away on August 31evening after weeks in coma following a brain surgery.

In keeping with the military tradition, the three service chiefs placed wreaths on Mukherjee’s body before politicians cutting across party lines paid their floral tributes.

The tricolour that was wrapped around Mukherjee’s body was removed and given to his family for the last rites. A man of unparalleled experience in governance, Mukherjee had gone into septic shock because of his lung infection and was hospitalised on August 10 in a critical condition. The veteran Parliamentarian served as the Union Foreign, Defence, Commerce and Finance Minister.

Born on December 11, 1935 in the small village of Mirati in Birbhum District of West Bengal, Mukherjee acquired a Master’s degree in History and Political Science as well as a degree

in Law from the University of Kolkata. Mukherjee then embarked on his professional life as a college teacher and journalist.

Inspired by his father’s contribution to the Independence movement, Mukherjee embarked upon full-fledged public life following his election to the RajyaSabha in 1969. He served as Deputy Minister, Industry; Shipping and Transport, Steel and Industry and Minister of State for Finance during 1973-75. He assumed office as the Finance Minister of India for the first time in 1982 and was Leader of the House in the RajyaSabha from 1980 to 1985. He became Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission from 1991 to 1996; concurrently Minister for Commerce from 1993 to 1995 and Minister of External Affairs from 1995 to 1996; Minister of Defence from 2004 to 2006. He again served as the Minister of External Affairs from 2006 to 2009 and Minister of Finance from 2009 to 2012. He was Leader of the House in the LokSabha from 2004 to 2012.

Mukherjee assumed office as the 13th President of India on July 25, 2012, and served his

Pranab Mukherjee full five-year term till 2017.

As President, Mukherjee lent dignity to the highest office and left an imprint with his scholarly and humanitarian outlook on national and international affairs.

A prolific reader, Mukherjee has authored several books on

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an eclectic variety of subjects, including the Indian economy and nation-building. The many honours conferred upon him include the Best Parliamentarian Award in 1997, the Padma Vibhushan in 2008, and the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in 2019.

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INDIA NEWS

BUSINESS AND TRADE

TDP gives credit to Ex-CM for Andhra’s top EoDB ranking

Faulty GST implementation ruined Indian economy, says Rahul

Amaravati/IANS With Andhra Pradesh on September 5 retaining top position in the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) 2019 ranking in India, the Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) claimed that the credit for it goes to former Chief Minister (CM) N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Former Vice-Chairman of Andhra Pradesh Planning Board CherukuriKutumbaRao described the number one rank to the state as a progress report on the performance of the previous Chandrababu Naidu regime during 2019.

KutumbaRao asserted that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government cannot claim credit for the latest ranking since the Central government considered performance indicators during the previous regime.

Addressing a press conference, KutumbaRao said the reforms brought in by the Naidu regime stood Andhra Pradesh at first place in the country in EoDB during 2019 while Uttar Pradesh came second and Telangana third.

In 2018, Andhra Pradesh was at the top while Telangana secured the second place.

“This was possible because of the reforms initiated during the Naidu rule in enforcement of contracts and agreements, starting businesses, labour reforms, etc,” he added. Kutumba Rao said Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy should have continued the reforms initiated by the previous TDP government

Chandrababu but the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party(YSRCP) government treated dismissively the previous regime’s initiatives.

“If the policies of the present government like cancellation of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) are considered, Andhra Pradesh’s rank would fall down far below. A sort of uncertainty and unpredictability on part of the ruling party’s policies has shaken the goodwill that was earned for Andhra Pradesh during the TDP regime,” he added.

In his third video of a series, Rahul Gandhi said that the GST was the United Progressive Alliance’s,in which his party is a constituent, idea of easy taxation, but the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the incumbent coalition, has made it “complex and complicated”.

He said that “this GST is an absolute failure. Not only is it unsuccessful, it is an attack on the poor and on the small and medium businesses. GST is not a tax system, it is an attack on India’s poor. It is an attack on small shopkeepers, small and medium businesses, farmers and labourers.”

“The GST implemented by NDA government is different as four slabs of taxes are there to the tune of 28 per cent, it’s very complicated and very difficult to understand,” said Rahul.

The small and medium businesses

He was arrested by the Mumbai

“We have to recognise this attack and stand against it together,” Rahul said.

to provide the GST compensation money to the states. The states are unable to give money to state employees.”

Rahul in his second videohad alleged that demonetisation was an attack on India’s poor, its farmers, labourers and small shopkeepers and termed it as an attack on India’s unorganised economy.

“The result of NDA’s GST? Today, the government of India is unable

Modi also said that Aatamanirbhar Bharat is about transforming India from being just a passive market to an active manufacturing hub at the heart of global value chains.

“The road further ahead is full of opportunities. These opportunities are in the public and private sector. They cover core economic sectors as well as the social sectors,” he said.

New Delhi/IANS: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 3 said that 1.3 billion Indians have embarked on one mission - to make an “Aatmanirbhar Bharat”, which seeks to merge the local with the global and ensure India’s strengths act as a global force multiplier.

A top ED official told IANS, “Deepak Kochhar has been arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after daylong questioning.”

Rahul Gandhi asked why there are four slabs of taxation rates in the country and those who have resources can comply but small and marginal businesses are left to suffer. “Who has the means? India’s biggest 15 to 20 industrialists. So whatever tax law they want to change can easily be done in this GST regime.”

Aatmanirbhar Bharat is about transforming India, says Indian PM

PM Modi

New Delhi/Mumbai/IANS: In a major action, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on September 7 arrested Deepak Kochhar, husband of former ICICI Bank CEO ChandaKochhar, in connection with the ICICI Bank loan case.

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can’t comply with this tax procedure but the big companies can hire as many accountants as possible, he said.

He alleged that the arrogance of the YSRCP government has greatly affected the EoDB climate in the state. Industry Minister Goutham Reddy was speaking about EoDB achievements of the TDP with disdain in the beginning but these days, he was relying on it to attract Industry.

J&K industry leaders demand separate policy to save industry

Chanda Kochhar

New Delhi /IANS: Keeping up his attack on India’s Union government, former party president of India’s main Opposition party the Indian National Congress, Rahul Gandhi, has slammed the Modi government on the issue of theGoods and Services Tax (GST), alleging that it was the second big blow to the unorganised sector of the economy and that its faulty implementation had destroyed the economy.

“Time and time again, India has shown that our goal is global good,” he said in his special keynote address at the third leadership summit of the USIndia Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF).

branch of the financial probe agency.

The action comes almost a year after the ED filed a money laundering case last year on the basis of a complaint registered by the CBI against Videocon Director VenugopalDhoot,

On the Covid pandemic, the Indian Prime Minister said that India was among the first in creating a responsive system of lockdowns. “India was among the first to advocate the use of masks and face covering as a public health measure. We were also among the earliest to create public awareness campaigns about social distancing,” he said.

Modi also emphasised that medical infrastructure, be it Covid hospitals, ICU capacities and more, was scaled up in record time. “Starting from 1 Covid testing lab in January, we now have around 1,600 labs across the country,” he noted.

situation demands a fresh mindset, where “the approach to development is human-centric”.

“While looking at the way ahead, we should keep our focus on ramping up our capacities, securing the poor, futureproofing our citizens. This is the path India is taking,” he said.

The Indian Prime Minister also said that this pandemic has also shown the world that the decision on developing global supply chains should be based not only on costs, but also on trust. “Along with affordability of geography, companies are now also looking for reliability and policy stability.”

Also laying stress on the tax regime, he said that India offers a transparent and predictable tax regime, and its system “encourages and supports honest tax payers”.

USISPF, a non-profit organisation, is organising a weeklong summit on US-India ties and it has witnessed participation of top political and corporate leaders from the two countries.

He also stressed that the current

his companies (Videocon International Electronics Ltd and Videocon Industries Ltd), as well as former ICICI Bank CEO ChandaKochhar and her husband Deepak.

crore worth movable and immovable assets in possession of ICICI Bank’s former Managing Director and CEO, her husband and the companies owned/ controlled by him.

Earlier this year, the ED provisionally attached Rs 78.15

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INDIA NEWS

BUSINESS AND TRADE

India up 4 places to rank 48th in Global Innovation Index New Delhi/IANS: Marking a major advancement amid the pandemic, India has moved up four places to rank 48th in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2020 released on September 2.

Compiled by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Cornell University and INSEAD business school, the index assessed 131 economies.

Switzerland, Sweden, the US, the UK and the Netherlands lead the innovation ranking.

South Korea joined the top 10 for the first time while Singapore is at number 8.

The top 10 is dominated by highincome countries.

While the innovation index shows year-on-year stability at the top, there is a gradual eastward shift in the locus of innovation as a group of Asian economies -- notably China, India, the Philippines and Vietnam -- have advanced considerably in the innovation ranking over the years.

India retained the highest rank in the Central and Southern Asian region, followed by Iran, said the report.

Moving up four positions since last year, India became the third most innovative lower middleincome economy in the world.

It ranks in the top 15 in indicators such as information and communications technology

services exports, government online services, graduates in science and engineering, and Research and Development-intensive global companies, said the report.

Thanks to universities such as the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay and Delhi, and the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, and its top scientific publications, India is the lower middle-income economy with the highest innovation quality, added the report.

“As shown by China, India and Vietnam, the persistent pursuit of innovation pays off over time,” said Former Dean and Professor of Management at Cornell

University Soumitra Dutta. “The GII has been used by governments of those countries and others

around the world to improve their innovation performance,” added Dutta.

J&K industry leaders demand separate policy to save industry

Srinagar/IANS: Various industry leaders of Jammu and Kashmir ( J&K) have demanded a separate policy for the union territory keeping in view the extraordinary circumstances faced by the local industrialists.

Representatives of various trade/ industrial organisations participated in a webinar session with Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on September 1 during which the demand was raised.

“The Centre will have to take prompt steps to save the dying industrial sector of Jammu and Kashmir and to address the growing unemployment,” the representatives told Sitharaman.

The session was organised by Satish Mahaldar, Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Peace Forum.

A statement issued by Mahaldar said Sitharaman told the participants that the Centre was keen to listen and understand the ground situation as that helped in formulating policies.

“We are interacting with all the stakeholders in the industry and we have been benefitted from this. We want to keep our ears close to the ground and based on the inputs from various

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stakeholders, policy changes are made,” the Indian Finance Minister said.

Sitharaman said that she met the new J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha who also spoke about greater support and more resources for the union territory.

Mahaldar said to the participants, “The primary objective of the meeting was to primarily understand how we can achieve sustainable industrial development in all regions for increasing the rate of growth, value of output, employment, income and overall economic development of the union territory.

Those local industrial sector representatives who participated in the webinar included Sheikh Ashiq, president of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Javaid Ahmad Bhat, president of Sopore Industrial Association; Lalit Mahajan, Bari Brahmana Industrial Association president; and Wajahat Durrani, president J&K Public Sector Undertakings’ employees.

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Top industry bodies of Kashmir have expressed their willingness to help in the economic development of the distressed Kashmiri Pandit migrant community.

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INDIA NEWS

ENERGY & RESOURCES

Researchers develop sustainable battery-free video game console London /IANS: Scientists have developed a battery-free handheld video game console or ‘Game Boy’ that harvests energy from the user to allow infinite gameplay.

Canberra/IANS: Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions have fallen to a 22-year low as a result of Covid-19 restrictions, the government revealed in a new update on August 31.

“But this Game Boy is not just a toy. It’s a powerful proofof-concept that pushes the boundaries of battery-free intermittent computing into the realm of fun and interaction,” the researchers at Northwestern University and the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands, wrote.

Instead of batteries, which are costly, environmentally hazardous and ultimately end up in landfills, this device harvests energy from the sun -- and the user. These advances enable gaming to last forever without having to stop and recharge the battery.

“It’s the first battery-free interactive device that harvests energy from user actions.

When you press a button, the device converts that energy into something that powers your gaming,” said study co-author Josiah Hester.

“Sustainable gaming will become a reality, and we made a major step in that direction -- by getting rid of the battery completely,” said TU Delft’s Przemyslaw Pawelczak.

“With our platform, we want to make a statement that it is possible to make a sustainable gaming system that brings fun and joy to the user,” Pawelczak added.

The researchers’ energy-aware gaming platform (ENGAGE) has the size and form factor of the original Game Boy, while being equipped with a set of solar panels around the screen.

Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions fall to 22-year low According to the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory update released by the government, emissions of greenhouse gases in Australia are estimated to be 518 million tonnes in the 2019-20 financial year, reports Xinhua news agency.

It is Australia’s lowest emissions output since 1998.

battery-free video game Button presses by the user are the second source of energy. Most importantly, it impersonates the Game Boy processor.

Although this solution requires a lot of computational power, and therefore energy, it allows any popular retro game to be played straight from its original cartridge.

As the device switches between power sources, it does experience short losses in power. To ensure an acceptable duration of gameplay between power failures, the researchers designed the system hardware and software from the ground up to be energyaware as well as very energy efficient. They also developed a new technique for storing the system state in non-volatile memory, minimizing overhead and allowing quick restoration when power returns.

This eliminates the need to press “save” as seen in traditional platforms, as the player can now continue gameplay from the exact point of the device fully losing power -- even if Mario is in midjump.

The biggest fall came between April and June, the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia, when emissions were 10 million tonnes lower than in the same period in 2019.

The biggest drops in emissions were in the transport sector.

Aviation fuel consumption was down 79 per cent and petrol consumption down 26.7 per cent.

Angus Taylor, Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, said that the unsustainable Covid-19 restrictions on travel “substantially reduced emissions”.

“With the impacts of Covid-19 restrictions being felt across the economy, emissions have reduced as expected,” he said in a statement.

Emissions from electricity fell 4.2 per cent as a result of an increased usage of renewable sources of energy.

Agriculture emissions were down 5.5 per cent largely due to the drought’s impact on livestock populations.

The data also confirmed that Australia’s emissions till March this year were 14.3 per cent below 2005 levels.

The Australian government has committed to reducing emissions by 26 per cent to 28 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030 under the Paris climate agreement.

On a not-too-cloudy day, and for games that require at least moderate amounts of clicking, gameplay interruptions typically last less than one second for every 10 seconds of gameplay.

The researchers found this to be a playable scenario for some games, including Chess, Solitaire and Tetris but certainly not yet for all (action) games.

The research team will present the study virtually at UbiComp 2020, a major conference within the field of interactive systems, on September 15.

Queensland Supreme Court grants injunction against activist Ben Pennings Sept 11, Brisbane: The Queensland Supreme Court has today granted injunctive relief to Adani which forces Brisbanebased anti-fossil fuel activist Mr Ben Pennings to remove social media posts and any other online material related to the ‘Dob in a Contractor’ campaign, remove content from online channels that encourages the collation of confidential material about Adani Australia, and to stop what the company alleges is threatening behaviour towards their contractors and employees.

business and contractors, whilst the civil legal proceedings that they have brought against him are underway.

The injunction was requested in order to prevent Mr Ben Pennings from continuing what Adani Australia claims is a sustained campaign of harassment and intimidation against their

Adani recently launched civil legal proceedings against anti-fossil fuel activist Mr Ben Pennings to protect its rights, as well as those of its employees and contractors,

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“We are pleased with the outcome of today’s hearing that the injunction is now in place, and we will continue to pursue the civil legal proceedings while hoping that Mr Pennings honours the terms of this injunction and refrains from undertaking any further activity that could cause distress to our employees and contractors,” said a statement by Adani Australia.

to carry out legal and legitimate business activities free from intimidation and harassment.

“We have advised Mr Pennings that we would no longer pursue this legal matter if he made a permanent undertaking to: remove any online material related to the ‘Dob in a Contractor’ campaign, remove content from online channels that encourages the collation of confidential material about our business, and to stop what we allege is threatening behaviour towards our contractors and employees. Mr Pennings to date has not agreed to this undertaking and so we are proceeding with the civil case. Our civil legal case alleges that Mr Pennings is a key organiser in the movement

to stop the development of our Carmichael Project working alone and with his group Galillee Blockade. We claim that he has been instrumental in organising blockades and the occupation of offices and industrial premises of many of our existing and potential suppliers, as well as some organisations that have absolutely no association with Adani.

“We claim that he has caused distress to workers whose offices he has entered and he has used intimidation in an attempt to force meetings with executives. He has live-streamed video of our employees and our contractors and used their images without their consent or knowledge across social media channels in an alleged attempt

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to belittle and intimidate them.

After almost a decade of this type of intimidation we are saying enough is enough and we are exercising our legal rights to put an end to this obsessive and, in some cases, dangerous behaviour.

Importantly, our legal action does not seek to limit free speech. As we have repeatedly stated, we believe a diversity of views is an important part of democracy. The civil legal action seeks to limit the campaign of alleged harassment and intimidation orchestrated by Mr Pennings against our business that aims to prevent us from legally and legitimately pursuing our commercial interests,” the statement further read.

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INDIA NEWS

NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA

85% Australians with flu-like

Victorian roadmap symptoms still to undergo Covid test “hard and crushing”, will lead to job losses, say Morrison, other ministers Lead researcher Peter Slattery from the university said he was concerned with the results and urged people to take immediate action to avoid spreading the virus.

“Covid-19 affects people in different ways and some people do only develop mild symptoms or may be asymptomatic,” Slattery said.

“Getting tested, even if you don’t believe you have Covid-19, is so important to stopping the spread.”

The survey also showed although 88 per cent of respondents were reported to follow social distance rules in public, in school or the workplace, less Australians followed the same rules when they are with their family and friends in private places.

Canberra/IANS: As many as 85 per cent of Australians with cold or flu-like symptoms were yet to get tested for Covid-19, despite persistent government requests to do so even if there were minor symptoms of the virus, a survey released on September 4 revealed.

According to the data collected between early to mid-August, most of those people reported were reluctant to get tested

because they didn’t think they had coronavirus or that their symptoms were too mild for a test, reports Xinhua news agency.

The survey was in the seventh wave of data collection of the Survey of Covid-19 Responses to Understand Behaviour (SCRUB), conducted by Australia’s Monash University in partnership with the government of Victoria state.

Slattery stressed it was important to practise the Covid-19-safe rules, both publicly and privately, citing the latest outbreak in Victoria, which sent the state back into lockdown.

“Family and friends may be asymptomatic and as we can see from Victoria, Covid-19 spreads at an exponential rate, particularly among close contacts,” he said.

Covid-19: Victoria extends lockdown for further 2 weeks From early August, Victoria’s capital Melbourne was placed under stage four restrictions, including a nightly curfew, with residents only permitted to leave their homes for work and school, exercise, medical reasons or to shop for essentials.

On September 7, the state recorded just 41 new infections down from a peak of over 700 new cases recorded twice in July and August.

Melbourne/IANS: Victoria, the state worst-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, has extended a strict Covid-19 lockdown by another two weeks, as infection numbers had not fallen enough to ease restrictions.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews announced on September 6 that stage 4 restrictions would remain in place until September 28, with only a slight easing until October, reports Xinhua news agency.

Andrews said that despite the impact of the lockdowns on Victoria and the state’s economy, modelling had clearly shown that to reopen prematurely would

Despite officially remaining in stage 4 lockdown, Andrews said that Victoria residents would have the opportunity for expanded social interaction starting from September 13, when the lockdown was initially scheduled to end. lead to a rapid increase in case numbers.

“There is only one option and that is to do this in a series of steady and safe steps. You can’t run out of lockdown. Because all you are doing is running into a third wave and we’ll all be locked up again,” Andrews said.

Victoria has been at the centre of Australia’s second wave of Covid-19 infections, recording close to 20,000 of the country’s 26,279 total cases, as well as roughly 90 per cent of deaths, which on September 7 topped 800.

Public outdoor gatherings of no more than two people will be permitted for reasons other than the existing four, but can only last for two hours.

Subject to the daily case rate remaining low, restrictions will then be progressively eased according to a series of five steps, leading to “Covid normal” from roughly late November, with no restrictions for gatherings, visitors, hospitality or sport.

“I want a Christmas that is as close to normal as possible and this is the only way, these steps are the only way that we will get to that point,” Andrews added.

T

hey point out the effective way to reduce community transmission is by resorting to effective testing, tracing and quarantine system, boosted by enhanced local health capacity and physical distancing While Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has defended his decision to keep the state under strict coronavirus lockdown for another two weeks, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, in a joint media release with Josh Frydenberg, Treasurer, and Greg Hunt, Minister for Health, on September 6, has termed the Victorian government’s decision “hard and crushing” for the people of Victoria. The joint media release points out that such a step is a further reminder of the impact and costs that result from the inability to contain outbreaks of Covid-19, resulting in high rates of community transmission.

The ministers reminded the people that it is vital to the national interest to restore Victoria to a COVIDSafe environment so that the economy can be reopened and the liberties of all Australians can be reasonably restored.

It is significant to note what the Victorian Premier said in this regard. Defending his decision Daniel Andrews told Channel 10’s The Project on Sunday night, that it was a difficult choice but that leadership was not about “doing what is popular in the short term”, rather “leadership is doing what is right”.

Economic cost of lockdown However, Prime Minister Morrison and his minister colleagues feel the proposed roadmap will come at a further economic cost. They are of the opinion that, while the proposed roadmap needs to be weighed up against mitigating the risk of further community outbreak, it is also true that prolonged restrictions will have further impact on the Victorian and national economy, in so far as it will lead to further job losses and loss of livelihoods as well as have an impact on mental health.

Melbourne’s stage-four restrictions will continue for at least another fortnight from September 14. This time around the restrictions have been slightly modified. The existing 8pm curfew will now be extended to 9pm, and exercise will be extended to a maximum of two hours a day.

Those living alone will also be able to partner with another to travel to each other’s homes for social visits. Moreover, people residing in metropolitan Melbourne will also be able to spend time up to two hours outdoors.

The joint media release states that the Federal Government would like to see restrictions in Victoria lifted as soon as it is safe to do so.But these decisions are to be made solely by the Victorian government and the roadmap released on September 6 is a Victorian government plan.

Contact tracingis the way forward The Commonwealth government’s response is that it will now consider the Victorian modelling and settings that are being provided to its experts and officials, including its Chief Medical Officer, and the government will wait for their advice before any further response, say the ministers. The government will also seek feedback from Victorian business and industry stakeholders to know about their concerns and try to ensure these concerns are addressed.

The ministers refer to Professor Tony Blakely, one of the lead Victorian modellers, who has suggested that Victoria’s contact tracing should be strengthened to the highest possible levels. They point out that in New South Wales this strategy has enabled the Berejikliangovernment to respond to multiple outbreaks even as it permits businesses Continued on next page

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SEPTEMBER 2020

12

INDIA NEWS and people to carry out their daily lives in a CovidSafe way.

The ministers opine that restrictions are not substitutes for strengthening health systems to cope with the virus, more so when community outbreak is under control.

Need focus on effective testing, tracing and quarantine system As an effective way to reduce community transmission the ministers emphasis the importance of effective testing, tracing and quarantine system, boosted by enhanced local health capacity and physical distancing. These, they feel, are essential to reduce the spread of the virus, save lives and manage the economic and job impacts.

NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA About the overall approach of the Federal government throughout the global Covid-19 pandemic,the ministers underscore the point that their government has taken action to support the lives as well as livelihoods of all Australians.

Through the joint media release the ministers have assured continued support to Victorians and the businesses that employ them as they confront the impacts of the state’s second wave, by safeguarding the health and mental health of Victorians and bytrying to protect and save their jobs and livelihoods.

PM announces deal for 84 million Covid-19 vaccine doses Canberra /IANS: Prime Minister Scott Morrison on September 7 announced a deal to acquire more than 84 million doses of potential coronavirus vaccines.

Morrison, Health Minister Greg Hunt, and Karen Andrews, Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, announced the vaccine deals with the University of Queensland and Australian biotechnology company CSL, and also with the University of Oxford and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, reports Xinhua news agency.

Under the deals, which are worth A$1.7 billion, Australia will receive the first doses of candidate vaccines being developed by the universities if trials prove successful.

Australia’s World Heritage areas at risk, say conservation groups

“Australians will gain free access to a Covid-19 vaccine in 2021 if trials prove successful,” Morrison said.

“By securing the production and supply agreements, Australians will be among the first in the world to receive a safe and effective vaccine, should it pass late-stage testing.

“There are no guarantees that these vaccines will prove successful, however, the

PM Morrison announcing the deal at the parliament agreement puts Australia at the top of the queue if our medical experts give the vaccines the green light,” he added.

Under the agreement, more than 84.8 million vaccine doses will be provided for the Australian population, with early access to 3.8 million doses of the University of Oxford vaccine in January and February 2021.

According to the statement, the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine “is world leading”, having entered Phase three trials.

And the University of Queensland has recently announced that

pre-clinical testing showed the vaccine is promising and already effective in animal models.

Morrison, who has previously expressed optimism that a vaccine could be available early 2021, in August said that a vaccine would be made “as mandatory as you can possibly make it” but later backtracked from that suggestion.

“It’s not going to be compulsory to have the vaccine,” he said.

“There are no mechanisms for ‘compulsory’. We can’t hold someone down and make them take it.”

South Australia likely to ease strict border restrictions Adelaide /IANS: Authorities in South Australia (SA) on September 7 said the state was “ready to move” to ease its strict Covid-19 border restrictions “within days”.

Canberra /IANS: Australian conservation groups warned on September 7 that the country’s World Heritage-listed wilderness areas were at risk of being tarnished, including the Great Barrier Reef, ancient forests of Tasmania and the remote northern wetlands.

As a signatory to the World Heritage Convention, the Australian government has a legal responsibility to identify, protect and conserve for future generations its World Heritage sites, in addition to them being a source of national pride and Australian identity.

In a letter to the UNESCO Director-General, the group warned of “alarming moves by the government to weaken legal protection for Australia’s 20 World Heritage listed properties”, reports Xinhua news agency.

Australian Conservation Foundation CEO Kelly O’Shanassy explained that these areas are also home to some of Australia’s most unique and treasured wildlife, including threatened species such as koalas, the cassowary and the grey-headed flying fox.

Their concerns related to a bill being considered by the Australian Parliament that would grant state leaders the power to green light developments which currently require national approval.

“The plan to hand environmental powers to states and territories would make these species and their habitats more vulnerable than ever,” O’Shanassy said.

Despite being billed as a means to spur economic activity and streamline planning, the proposed changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, were found by a review committee last month to be ineffective at protecting unique species and habitats.

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Birdlife Australia CEO Paul Sullivan added that Australia has been a world leader in conservation and helping secure World Heritage listings both at home and overseas.

“But we risk losing World Heritage sites in our own backyard if state governments and greedy developers get their hands on Australia’s nature law,” he said.

Under current restrictions, anyone who enters SA from New South Wales (NSW) or the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) must quarantine for 14 days while travellers from Victoria are banned, reports Xinhua news agency.

warned against letting “optimism cloud our understanding of the actual circumstances as they are today”.

of Covid-19 finding its way into our community and we need to be ready to respond if that does occur,” he said.

“The reality is we still face a risk

Grant Stevens, the commissioner of SA Police and the state’s Covid-19 coordinator, said that authorities were “really hopeful we can relax border restrictions” to NSW and the ACT and be more “liberal” with travel exemptions for Victoria residents.

“It means a lot to people to be able to travel into and out of those two locations, so we’re watching really closely,” said Stevens.

“We’re hopeful, the way the NSW government particularly is dealing with the current numbers they have, continues the way it is.

“It could be days (for borders to reopen) but it is really dependent upon what happens there,” he added.

Stevens said that Victoria’s success in fighting its second wave of Covid-19 infections gave authorities “the latitude to more actively consider exemptions” but

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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INDIA NEWS

NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA

Foreign minister welcomes new Australia-India Council members Baillieu AO and Mr. Matthew Hayden AM. The Council plays an important role in advancing Australia’s foreign and economic policy interests with India, including through supporting the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the India Economic Strategy.

Lisa Singh

Matthew Hayden

31 Aug, Canberra: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Marise Payne has recently announced four appointments to the Board of the Australia-India Council. Mr.

Ashok Jacob has been reappointed as Chair, and will be joined by three new Board Members: the Hon. Lisa Singh, who will serve as Deputy Chair, the Hon. Ted

Mr. Jacob has served with distinction as Chair of the Council since 2014, and is the Executive Chairman of Ellerston Capital, with more than 33 years of investment experience, including with India.

Ms. Singh represented Tasmania in the Federal Senate from 2010 to 2019. In 2014, the President

of India conferred on her the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award for exceptional and meritorious public service as a person of Indian heritage in fostering friendly relations between India and Australia.

Mr. Baillieu was Premier of Victoria from 2010 to 2013 and a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2014. He is the recipient of the 2013 Ashoka Medal from the Australia India Business Council Victoria in recognition of his contribution to Australia-India relations.

Mr. Hayden is a former international cricketer who played 103 Tests for Australia and scored 30 centuries. He

Ted Baillieu was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for service to cricket in 2010. He has been a Board Member of the Institute for Australia India Engagement since 2018.

FIAWA gives overview of economic relations between WA and India at Parliament Perth, WA: Federation of Indian Associations of WA (FIAWA) team gave a presentation on economic relationships between Western Australia and India at The Parliament of Western Australia

on September 9.

Along with Prashant Singh, General Secretary at FIAWA, also present at the event were Firoz Phil Pestonji, Mahrukh Pestonji, Bimal Kaul and others.

Prashant Singh (2nd right), General Secretary at FIAWA, with Firoz Phil Pestonji, Mahrukh Pestonji, Bimal Kaul and others

Now, additional assistance for Australians overseas, conditions apply

T

he Australian Government has announced that it will provide additional support to the most vulnerable Australian citizens whose return to Australia has been affected by the restrictions owing to COVID-19.

According to a media release, in addition to the already existing Traveller Emergency Loans program, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is providing a Hardship Program with further emergency assistance for the most vulnerable Australian citizens overseas. The loans have been planned with a view to covering temporary accommodation and daily living expenses until they can return.

Loans may also be available to

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assist vulnerable Australians purchase tickets for commercial flights.

Strict eligibility conditions for assistance However, the media release states that applicants will have to meet strict eligibility criteria to access a loan, and only the most vulnerable Australian citizens still overseas will be provided financial assistance. Moreover, all loans must be repaid upon return to Australia.

The media release further states that the government, through the embassies and high commissions around the world, continues to work with airlines and other governments to help Australians return on commercial flights.

Consular officials are also assisting Australians overseas affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the issue of managing and maintaining quarantine arrangements in Australia is of great significance, and therefore, according to the media release, the National Cabinet agreed to international passenger arrival caps.

The media release also says that Australians overseas in need of consular assistance can register with DFAT via the website covid19. dfat.gov.au.

Who can apply The applicant must be an Australian citizen. The eligibility criteria clearly state that

Australian permanent residents are not eligible to receive funding unless they nominate an immediate family member or friend who is an Australian citizen, and that Australian citizen includes the permanent resident in their own application for financial assistance. If the only Australian citizen in the family travelling with the permanent resident is a child, other links to Australia will need to be considered before approval of a loan, such as Australian residential property. The applicant must also be at least 18 years of age and must have made all reasonable efforts to seek financial assistance through other means. A proof of this must be furnished. Furthermore, the

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applicant would need to meet one or more of the following criteria. The applicant is overseas temporarily and wants to return to Australia urgently for medical or other reasons; the applicant is in financial distress as a result of the travel disruptions caused by Covid-19; the applicant requires financial assistance to shelter in place until she can secure a seat, or purchase a ticket to return to Australia; the applicant is in a location with restricted or no available commercial airlines operating.

More details about the assistance, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, are available on Smartraveller.gov.au.

SEPTEMBER 2020

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INDIA NEWS

NEWS FROM NEWS SOUTH WALES

Indian community condemns Harris Park brawl in NSW

By Mr Kartik Pratap Singh, Director India News TV on Youtube

Gurmeet Tuli (extreme left) and Little India Australia members with NSW police during investigations in Harris Park Sydney, India News Bureau: The vicious brawl, which involved 30 to 40 people in western Sydney, has brought together all sects of Indian community in Australia in condemning it. The wild fight took place between two community groups on the streets of Harris Park in Sydney.

The dramatic video of the brawl, which went viral, showed punches hurled and a person being thrashed repeatedly on the ground as people ran across the road disrupting traffic. The riot squad had to be called in to break up. Two men have been charged for allegedly having an involvement in this.

Community members from across Australia have unanimously denounced the act and expressed their concerns over the impacts such incidents will create in undermining the community’s respect and allegiance to the Australian values and rule of law.

They have also shown concern over the threats such incidents will have to rapidly evolving Australian-Indian relations.

As members of the Indian community woke up to the rude shock of the vicious brawl, they have been vocal in denouncing the act in the strongest of words.

Expressing his views on the incident, Gurmeet Tuli, President of Little India Australia, said,

Gurnam Singh, Founder, Australian-Indian Sports Educational and Cultural Society “Such a brawl will leave serious impacts on India-Australia brand, daily business, student’s image, etc. There is a need to understand that everyone is equal before the law, we should not let our mutual differences divide and impact us in such a way.” He was hopeful of justice prevailing in this case and said, “The police are doing an excellent job in investigating the matter and we have faith in the judiciary. So, there is tremendous hope that guilty will be brought to book soon.

However, he rued saying, “Incidents such as these can lead to a serious impact on the impressions of rapidly surging ties between Australia and India across sectors.”

Ajay Das, member Little India Australia

Javed Khan, Director, Delhi O Delhi, Sydney

Mannu Kala, General Manager, Medlab Pathology Queensland

Australia, Ajay Das strongly opined that “These elements should be deported from Australia and banned for life.

Wherever they go, they will create trouble. There is no place for such elements in Australia.” He further asked, “Those who cannot be loyal to their motherland, how can they be loyal to their adopted country?”

goodness. Sitting home with your good morals does not go a long way. In the face of hate, silence is deadly. Lack of interests will be interpreted as acceptance,” he warns.

students will be mandatorily given the Australian law and value awareness that encourages them in integrating with wider community.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Gurnam Singh, Founder of Australian-Indian Sports Educational and Cultural Society, said, “It is a threat to evolving Australian Indian relations and the Indian diaspora in Australia who are working hard to build their future and contributing vastly to the growing multiculturism in Australia.” What all happened reminded him of the painful memories of 2007-08 when he came to Australia as an international student from India.

Many youngsters like him at that time were at the receiving end of racist abuse. Today after 13 years, he is getting bothered about the same abuse.

Many Indians feel that they have been let down by such incidents.

“What happened on the night of Friday 28th of August, has deeply let down the true values of India, the land of Mahatma Gandhi who championed the cause of non-violence,” laments Javed Khan, Director, Delhi O Delhi, Sydney. “Hate is an open attack on tolerance and acceptance. It must be countered with acts of

Dr Ram Mohan, Chairman and Publisher, India News Group Condemning the incident, Dr Ram Mohan, Chairman and Publisher, India News Group said, “The social media post of the incident at Harris Park in Sydney is very upsetting and it is disgraceful showing no respect to the Australian values and law. I strongly condemn the incident as it seems very racially motivated.

We live in a country where we express and celebrate, in a lawful way, of our cultural, linguistic and religious diversity.”

He further said, “Australia is a free and democratic society governed by the rule of law which fosters a strong and unified community. I agree with other leaders that people migrating here, or international

Mannu Kala, General Manager, Medlab Pathology Queensland, urges the Indian community to act responsibly. About the need to act sensibly he said, “As a first generation immigrant we carry a responsibility to act with our utmost integrity as our acts can reflect upon the entire community.” However, he feels that “India as the largest democracy on the planet carries a challenging political system.

There will always be regional and religious conflicts because of the nature of the socio-political and geopolitical complexities.

It is obvious that we will always be connected to our background and will have opinions, but those conflicts cannot be entertained in our society here in Australia.”

He adds, “Once we have boarded that flight to Australia we are no longer Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, etc. We are Indians and even after settling here we will always be Indian-Australians. We know negativity and conflicts are more popular on social media and get more traction as by nature social media is built for that. We need to look beyond our selfish reasons and work together to build a healthy community for our younger generations.”

Another member of Little India

Peace and harmony in our community-appeal from FIAN The Federation of Indian Associations of NSW (FIAN), through their press release given below, urges every member of our community, irrespective of their faith or political belief, to contribute their efforts in strengthening peace and harmony in our community.

Australia is our home and is a successful multicultural and multi-faith nation. We all are stakeholders in its success, wellbeing and image. It is in our interest to keep Australia to be

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peaceful, which allows us and our children to achieve their best.

We, as a community, must be proactive in reaching out to people, who might get involved in bickering, confrontation or brawl like what happened in Harris Park recently. While condemning the recent brawl, we ought to act as a team to quell the trouble before it erupts in a major confrontation and even violence. Having said that, we ought to recognise and accept the concepts of freedom

of speech, but should avoid mischievous and unproductive commentary, which has no chance of doing anything worthwhile except division and ill-feelings in our community in Australia.

FIAN also believes that burning national flags and making derogatory comments against religious symbols of any religion are moronic and unhelpful activities, which will only create division, confrontation and disunity. Abusing people based on their nationality, ethnicity

or faith may come under hate messaging and hate speech, which may have criminal consequences. Threats of violence or inciting violence are clearly criminal activities.

Our community is smart, successful, peaceful and considerate. Let us build on them.

FIAN believes quite strongly that our community should work on what binds us together than what may potentially divide us.

Issues involving foreign lands should be left overseas. There is no logical or practical benefit in bringing overseas issues to Australia.

Let us work together in enhancing the name and image of our community as model citizens of Australia.

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FIAN believes that we are better “together” than “divided”.

Dr. Yadu Singh President Fianinc1@gmail.com 0413 375 669

SEPTEMBER 2020

15

INDIA NEWS

NEWS FROM NEWS SOUTH WALES

Temporary migrants to receive special priority as Australia’s borders remain shut India News NSW Bureau September 7, Sydney: While Australia’s borders remain shut, certain temporary migrants will receive special priority, the Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alan Tudge has confirmed.

The highlights of the announcement include: • Temporary visa holders with certain occupations to get priority

exemptions automatically at the borders as well to be able to come in,” Minister Tudge said.

The 17 Priority Migration Skilled Occupation list (ANZSCO code) include the following: Chief Executive or Managing Director (111111) Construction Project Manager (133111) Mechanical Engineer (233512) General Practitioner (253111) Resident Medical Officer (253112),

• Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List has 17 occupations

Psychiatrist (253411)

• Occupations in healthcare, construction, IT sector identified as a priority

Registered Nurse (Aged Care) (254412)

In response to questions as to when will temporary visa holders be allowed to come back to Australia, Minister Tudge said the government continued to process travel exemption applications for the temporary migrants but was prioritising certain skilled temporary migrants.

“They’re coming back in small numbers already, and we have started processing some temporary migrant applications again,” the Minister said, adding those who fall under the new Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL), will have their applications fasttracked.

“Just a few days ago I announced a new priority skills shortage list which consisted of 17 occupations, and so they will be prioritised first, and they will have

Medical Practitioner nec (253999) Midwife (254111)

Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency) (254415) Registered Nurse (Medical) (254418) Registered Nurse (Mental Health) (254422) Registered Nurse (Perioperative) (254423) Registered Nurses nec (254499) Developer Programmer (261312) Software Engineer (261313) Maintenance Planner (312911) “Employer-sponsored nomination and visa applications with an occupation on the PMSOL will be given priority processing.

All other skilled occupation lists will remain active, but the PMSOL occupations will take priority,” the Department of Home Affairs has stated.

Australian Government announces funding for citizens stuck overseas India News Bureau September 2, Canberra: The office of Senator Marise Payne, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, announced that the Australian government will provide additional support to the most vulnerable Australian citizens whose return to Australia has been impacted by the restrictions arising from COVID-19. Building on the government’s existing Traveller Emergency Loans program, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is introducing a Hardship Program with further emergency assistance for the most vulnerable Aussies (citizens only) overseas.

The loans intend to cover temporary accommodation and daily living expenses until

The statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade stressed that the government, including its embassies and high commissions around the world, continues to work with airlines and other governments to help Australians return on commercial flights.

Consular officials are also assisting Australians overseas

impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, in order to manage and maintain quarantine arrangements in Australia, the National Cabinet agreed to international passenger arrival caps. While the caps have restricted the availability of flights home for Australians overseas, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the cap is critical to the integrity of Australia’s quarantine system and the safety of the whole Australian community.

Australians stuck overseas in need of consular assistance can register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade via covid19.dfat.gov.au.

Indian Australian girl’s poem makes it to PM’s Facebook page September 1, Sydney: A tenyear-old Indian Australian girl Ria Arora’s poem on COVID-19 conjures up the world we are living in right now with depth and beauty. Small wonder, then, that Prime Minister Scott Morrison has shared it on his Facebook page when he received it from the Year 5 student of Westbourne Grammar School in Truganina.

The poem has received more than 13,000 likes, 1.7k shares and 1.3k comments. Young Ria says

she was ‘shocked at first and then very happy’ when her mom Teena showed her how proudly Morrison has displayed the poem on his Facebook post with the words, “Beautifully said, Ria.” He also thanks her and reaffirms the concluding line in her poem, “We can do this together.”

“I couldn’t believe it, then I got excited about that gradually. I got a lot of phone calls too,” she adds.

For now, Ria is enjoying her new-found stardom. With her

schoolteacher also sharing the poem in class, the congratulatory messages and phone calls have not stopped.

When asked how the idea of the poem came about, Ria says, “When I got to know that we were going to be in lockdown for another six weeks, I was sad that we wouldn’t be able to go out or see our friends. So, I decided to write down my feelings in a poem.”

RACGP helping culturally diverse patients access healthcare India News NSW Bureau September 2, Sydney: The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is helping culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) patients, including those who speak Hindi, access care from a General Practitioner during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It comes following GP concerns about CALD patients avoiding medical care due to fear of the COVID-19 virus, while also bearing the brunt of the pandemic, including increased mental health symptoms, isolation and loneliness.

The RACGP’s Expert Advice Matters campaign is encouraging CALD patients to keep looking after their heath during the COVID-19 pandemic and consult their GP for any health concerns.

A website for patients has been translated into the most commonly spoken languages other than English, including Hindi, Arabic, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese and

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they return. Loans may also be available to help vulnerable Australians purchase tickets for commercial flights. Those who wish to apply will have to meet strict eligibility criteria to access a loan. Only the most vulnerable Australian citizens still overseas will be provided with financial assistance. Moreover, all loans must be repaid upon return to Australia.

Vietnamese. The websites include practical information for patients on how they can safely access care from a GP, including telehealth and telephone consultations featuring free interpreters.

The GPs are helping to spread the message by sharing videos of themselves speaking in different languages, urging patients not to delay routine healthcare and explaining how they can safely consult with their GP. The latest 2016 Census found India was the second most common country of birth for people in Australia, where English is the main language. More than 455,389 people or 1.9% of the population reported their country of birth as India.

RACGP spokesperson Dr Lara Roeske said more needed to be done to reach CALD patients missing out on healthcare.

“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, CALD communities in Australia already faced health inequalities and barriers to accessing

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healthcare, including language and health literacy issues.”

Evidence suggests migrants, particularly those newly arrived, use less health services. The National Health Survey found that of those arriving in Australia between 2009 and 2015, 74% had visited a GP in the last 12 months, compared to 86 per cent of the Australian-born population.

Dr Roeske said the pandemic had magnified the problems, “The pandemic has only made matters worse—many patients are avoiding seeing their GP because they’re afraid of the virus and don’t know about or feel comfortable using telehealth.

With all the rapidly changing health information and changes to the way patients can access care, it’s not surprising that some don’t know how they can safely access healthcare and are putting off important appointments. We need to fix this now.”

SEPTEMBER 2020

16

INDIA NEWS

INDIANS IN AUSTRALIA

Epitomizing resilience, diligence and paving the way for young scientists

By Deepika Banerjee

entirely different field for me, I set up a new laboratory. Working for 13 to 14 years every day, I managed to generate enough information to write a paper at the end of a year and succeeded in publishing in 10 journals at the end of 2 years.

Professor Chennupati Jagadish

D

istinguished Professor at the Australian National University, ChennupatiJagadish,AC, is an Indian-Australian physicist whose contribution to Semiconductor Physics, Materials Science and Optoelectronics has been exemplary. He has not only published more than 550 journal papers but also founded Acton Lasers to commercialize semiconductor laser technology.

He also launched The Chennupati and VidyaJagadish Endowment to support student interns and researchers from developing countries to visit the Australian National University Research School of Physics and Engineering. However, his path to success was replete with lots of obstacles, yet these obstacles only spurred him on to work even more diligently. A recipient of Australia’s highest civilian honour-Companion of the Order of Australia, DrJagadish who holds honorary positions in several international universities finds the act of enabling young scientists to prove their mettle as the most fulfilling experience. In an exclusive interview with India News writer Deepika Banerjee, DrJagadish recounts his ascent to success from his humble beginnings; his viewpoints on the potential role of nanotechnology in a wide array of strategic fields, and his dream to help young scientists from developing countries in realizing their aspirations.

Could you briefly trace your journey from your native village in India to the time when you migrated to Australia?

My life began in a very small village in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. I originally hail from a farming family but my father was a primary school teacher. We lived in modest conditions and didn’t even have electricity at home.

When I was 10, my father decided to quit his teaching job and ended up in an even more remote village to take up farming. There were no schools there and we had to

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walk for 5 miles on mud roads to reach the nearest bus stop.

I stayed back with my uncle at Vallurupalem village to finish my sixth and seventh standard but found it very difficult to travel 2 miles to the neighbouring village to attend school. Eventually, my Mathematics teacher accommodated me and I managed to complete the remaining three years of my secondary education.

After completing my senior secondary education in Guntur with modest marks, I was unable to get admission in any of the five universities in Andhra Pradesh, so I got enrolled in B.Sc. Physics at VSR College in Tenali, and here for the first time I began my studies in English medium, hitherto having studied in Telugu medium. Thereafter, I proceeded to attain my degree in M.Sc. Tech. Applied Physics and Electronics from Andhra University. Subsequently, I applied for jobs but got numerous rejections. Then, when I went for an interview to IIT Delhi to apply for an M.Techprogramme, I happened to meet one of my old classmates.He was applying for an M.Phil degree in Delhi University. I too decided to follow suit and ended up completing my M.Phil and Ph.D. in Physics (Semiconductors) in 1985. Then on a friend’s recommendation, I applied for and landed a job as a lecturer in Electronics at Sri Venkateshwar College in Delhi where I worked for 3 years. I started applying for post-doctoral fellowships to go abroad and gain some international experience.

For 3 years, I got 300 rejection letters. Ultimately, I wrote to Professor David Atherton in the Physics Department at Queen’s University, Canada. But unlike my field of specialization that is semi-conductors, his was Magnetics. Eventually, 4 months later, I got an offer letter to join for a 2-year post-doctoral fellowship programme to work at Queen’s University with a probable one-year extension. I arrived in Canada in April, 1988.

Despite magnetics being an

Then another Professor at the University told me to write to Professor Jim Williams who was starting a new Department of Electronic Materials Engineering at the Australian National University as the work there will be more in line with my original field of semi-conductors. I sent a fax to Professor Jim Williams and six months later I was offered a position at the Australian National University. By that time, I was married and had a 2-month-old daughter. I arrived in Australia with my family in July 1990.

What inspired you to opt for research in the field of nanotechnology?

For years, I worked on micro technology and semi-conductors which are used to make computer chips, LED chips and lasers. The main idea is to make them more efficient and faster. If this technology progresses to the nano-scale, the devices will become smaller and consequently more efficient, thus enabling faster communication, more efficient lasers and LEDs. Having worked on quantum wells, then quantum wires and then quantum dots, it was quite natural to eventually move on from micro technology to nanotechnology. I have been fortunate enough to have been there from the time when constructive research in this field began 20 years back. I also started the Australian Nanotechnology Network, which now has more than 2000 members.

What is the scope for nanotechnology in medical science and development of energy resources?

Nanotechnology can be applied to every industry.

For example, computer chips are now being made using the smallest size of semi-conductor transistors that is, 10 nm.

In the medical area, firstly nanotechnology can revolutionize disease diagnosis like cancer which at times gets detected only after it has metastasized.

But if we can detect it at a single molecular level using appropriate application of nanotechnology, it can be detected at an early stage and it can be treated more effectively thereby raising the survival rate. Secondly, with nanotechnology, targeted drug delivery becomes possible. A nano-capsule can be created and functionalized so that it attaches itself to the cancerous molecules

but not the good cells.

In the area of energy resources, nanotechnology enables the catalysis application to significantly enhance chemical reactions. For instance, hydrogen can be generated as a clean energy resource by using photo anodes and cathodes which use nano-structures. Carbon fibre coated with nano- particles can be a much affordable substitute for platinum which is used to make fuel cells. Nano materials can be used to make lithium-ion and sodium ion batteries, more energy efficient LED lights and even composite, light weight and strong materials for cars as well as printable solar cells.

What was the biggest turning point in your life?

I think it was when I got the opportunity to go to Canada as it opened several doors for me. I don’t think I would have been able to come to Australia if that turning point hadn’t come in my life and I wouldn’t have been able to flourish as a scientist. It was because of these opportunities that I was able to show people what I could do.

What role has Australia in general and Australian National University (ANU) in particular played in the fulfillment of your aspirations?

Of course, Australia is a great multicultural country and the people here are very friendly and very open. Australia opened several doors for me and in fact, I never thought I would be in Australia for 30 years. Two and a half years after my stay in Australia, ANU offered me a permanent position, enabled me to stay here, excel in my research, and then be able to reach the highest academic level of the Distinguished Professor of Physics. I am grateful to both Australia and ANU for giving me the opportunity to establish myself and my family here. I have had wonderful students from multiple nations and mentors such as Professor Jim Williams and Professor John Carver who steered me in the right direction.

You have been conferred with a UNESCO medal and Australia’s highest civilian award-the Companion of the Order of Australia. What do these awards mean to you?

I feel really humbled and grateful for these awards.

I never anticipated receiving either of these awards. I have never chased after awards as I believe in focusing on what I can do best and working hard in enabling the careers of other people as well as serving the broader science community.

All these led to the UNESCO

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medal for nanoscience and nanotechnology. I never imagined receiving the Companion of the Order of Australia. It goes to show magnanimity of the Australian community which recognized the ability of an immigrant who came to Australia years ago and conferred him with the highest civilian award.

What are the obstacles that young scientists from developing countries usually face and how has your endowment fund been assisting them in this regard?

The main challenge for them is that they may have lots of skills, abilities and dreams but the doors are not always opened for them. As a gratitude to my parents, teachers in both India and Australia and all those who helped me, my wife and I decided to give donations to the university to help the next generation of scientists .Fortunately, the university also matched our funding by contributing generously to our endowment fund and we were able to offer scholarships to 4-5 students from India, Indonesia and Malaysia. Based on the success of our programme, the university itself started a Future Research Talents programme of the College of Science and Technology. Last year we had 53 students from India who worked in astronomy, biology, chemistry and many other science-related disciplines. Thus, these aspirants have been able to use state-ofthe-art equipment and showcase what they possess.

What message would you like to give to the Australian youth and the young members of the global community?

The key to success is self-confidence and selfmotivation. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. We have to ourselves work towards purging the barriers that we create in our minds. Also, always choose something which you are passionate about so that you can have fun while indulging in it and do not feel the need to count the passing hours. Perseverance, persistence and a never-quit attitude are equally pivotal and so is spending quality time with one’s family and taking caring of one’s health.

SEPTEMBER 2020

17

INDIA NEWS

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

Fostering Resilience

I

n daily life and specifically during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Resilience is the term used to describe a set of qualities that foster a process of successful adaptation and transformation when facing adversity. We are all born with an innate capacity for resilience.

We all have it in us to display resilience. As humans, we can foster this innate capacity by developing five characteristics: social competence, problemsolving skills, critical consciousness, autonomy and sense of purpose: Social competence includes qualities such as responsiveness, being able to elicit positive responses from others, flexibility, empathy and communication skills Problem-solving skills pertain to the ability to plan, to think abstractly, to be reflective and to be resourceful Critical consciousness is the ability to develop awareness of adversity and to create strategies to overcome any adversity faced Autonomy is having sense of identity and having an ability to exercise control over one’s environment Sense of Purpose refers to goal setting, hopefulness and motivation.

These five aspects are the main

ingredients in a recipe for fostering resilience. Another concept that ties closely is optimism. There is a growing body of research to suggest that attitude has an influence on mental health. In other words, it has been revealed that individuals with an optimistic perspective on life generally are more positive and are less likely to experience mental health struggles. Additionally, optimistic individuals tend to be calmer, generally happier and more resilient people.

In addition to the five innate capabilities an individual has to foster resilience, there are protective external factors or processes that can increase the capability of an individual to be resilient. These can be sorted into three major categories: caring and supportive relationships, positive expectations and opportunities for meaning participation and development.

Having caring and supportive relationships is a protective factor against many mental health issues that may arise. Having supportive individuals around you who convey an attitude of compassion, goodwill and understanding is something that can aid in building resilience. As social beings, our relationships and connections can take many forms. Support networks for many people include family, friends, colleagues, neighbours, social media groups

and local community members.

There is great power in having a good support network, especially when it comes to fostering resilience.

Positive expectations and high motivation are very important in building resilience. Greatly resilient individuals have tremendous motivation to get themselves out of a situation of adversity. They set positive expectations for themselves and work toward displaying resilience.

However, it is important for these expectations to be structured and realistic. It is also helpful for individuals to engage in selfreflection and positive self-talk — all things that are important in fostering resilience.

Having opportunities for meaningful participation and development relates to individuals placing themselves in situations where they feel their presence is valued. This can be in family situations, work settings, with friends etc. Individuals who entertain their time in situations where they feel welcome and where they feel their ideas are welcome are much more likely to display resilience. This is in contrast to individuals who places themselves in situations where they do not feel empowered and allow themselves to be oppressed.

Realising self-worth and individual capabilities is vital in bouncing back from hardship.

Having effective tools to

exhibit resilience are especially important in times of crises, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. I present you with four approaches that can be helpful in these challenging times: Acceptance: The first step to being more resilient during this time is to accept.

Accept that it is okay to feel stressed and challenged by the current situation. Accept and acknowledge you are feeling a certain way and positively work on strategies to allow yourself to recover. I encourage those struggling to call the MHFA’s National Mental Health Helpline (1300 MHF AUS (643 287)) and learn more about the many options you have to become more resilient individuals.

Awareness. Being aware relates to being fully present in a situation. It is easy to get caught up in your thoughts and feelings. Being aware can help you make clear and well-informed decisions. A way to feel more present is to engage your five senses. Look around you and look for five things you can see, smell, hear, taste and touch.

Activeness. The benefits of physical activity are very well researched. Remaining active during periods of stress is an excellent way to relieve that stress and feel calmer. If you are feeling confused, take a walk or go for a run. After you have engaged in physical activity, your mind may

Mr Vasan Srinivasan be less clouded and more able to make decisions.

Connectiveness. Stay connected with those in your life. Check up on your family and friends through phone calls, video chats, email etc. You can make a great difference in someone’s life and in your life through maintaining social cohesion. Embracing community spirit is something every Australian should be doing during this time.

Resilience is something every individual can foster within themselves. It is about realising this and using tools to undergo this process of becoming more resilient. If each individual works on building their resilience, Australians will see the other end of this pandemic and any other adversity faced in their lives, stronger than before.

By Vasan Srinivasan (Chairperson, Mental Health Foundation Australia)

SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM When?

When?

How to maintain mental wellbeing during COVID-19 and beyond through practical strategies, self care and meditation.

SUNDAY 18 OCTOBER 9.30AM TO 1PM Hosted by Swami Atmeshananda, Resident Monk of Vedanta Centre Brisbane Chapter.

Facilitated by Clinical Psychologist Shuktika Bose and Psychiatry Registrar Ashwin Sathyamoorthi and talks by community members with lived experience.

Registration & info: https://www.trybooking.com/BLFNL $15 Adults / $7 Concession. All proceeds go to charity.

Organised by: Vedanta Centre Brisbane Chapter, 96 Vedanta Drive (behind 2 Poppy Crescent) Springfield Lakes Ph: 07 38189986 info@vedantabrisbane.org Supported by: Power of Us Suicide Prevention Network

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Monday & Thursday during September School Holidays. 9.30am to 1.30pm

Whats included?

Painting class 'Awesome Me' workshop Creative writing workshop Gardening and planting fun Games and storytelling Positive affirmations Kids yoga Healthy vegetarian lunch

Suitable for ages 5 - 14

Donation: $100 for all 4 days ($80 members of Vedanta Centre) Booking Required.

Vedanta Centre Brisbane Chapter 96 Vedanta Drive (behind 2 Poppy Crescent) Springfield Lakes ph: 07 38189986 info@vedantabrisbane.org

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SEPTEMBER 2020

18

WORLD THIS WEEK

INDIA NEWS

THE WORLD THIS WEEK

By Vivek Mishra, Harini Madhusudan, Sourina Bej, Abigail Fernandez and Rashmi Ramesh, Teshu Singh and Samreen Wani Contributed by National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru* Greece-Turkey Tensions, Iran and the UNSC, China and the South China Sea and Shinzo Abe’s resignation in Japan

Greece and Turkey: Bilateral relations deteriorate beyond drilling rights What happened?

Three developments took place this week that has further worsened the relationship between Greece and Turkey amid a conflict over natural gas reserves.

On 26 August, Greece announced that it would conduct military exercises with France, Italy, and Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. The French Armed Forces Ministry confirmed France’s participation, adding that it is contributing three French Rafale jets and one frigate equipped with a helicopter to the military exercises. In response, Turkey announced that it had carried out military drills of its own with the US Navy. Turkey’s Defense Ministry said on Twitter that “Turkish warships and the USS Winston S Churchill destroyer had taken part in maritime training in the eastern Mediterranean.”

The above developments came after Greece ratified an accord on maritime boundaries with Egypt in response to Turkey’s operation in the region wherein the later had sent a seismic survey vessel to look for more natural gas reserves.

The European Union (EU) is caught in the crossfire between Greece and Turkey. The EU, in an attempt to diffuse the conflict between the two NATO countries, has called for dialogue. It also threatened sanctions against Turkey.

What does it mean?

First, the crisis in the Mediterranean will deepen unless both Greece and Turkey take a step back and re-evaluate their overlapping legal claims over the continental shelf. A compromise is the way forward but not likely as both countries engage in military exercises to drive home a message to the other.

Second, the EU’s role will be crucial in navigating itself out of the conflict. Sanctions have not deterred Ankara before and will not now. It is an assertive country with strong regional ambitions that the EU is dealing with. Unless an agreement is made with Turkey to resolve the migrant issue, Turkey will continue to use

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this sticking point as leverage against the later.

South China Sea: China launches missiles in the disputed waters

What happened?

What happened?

On 26 August 2020, China launched two missiles; D-21 (range of around 1,800km) and DF-26 (Ballistic Missile with a range of 3000-4000 km) in the disputed South China Sea. The two missiles were launched from the northwest province of Qinghai and Zhejiang province into an area between Hainan province and the Paracel Islands.

The above development comes immediately a day after, a U-2 spy plane of the US entered a “nofly zone” at the time of ongoing Chinese live-fire naval drill in the Bohai Sea. What does it mean?

The missile tests come against the background of the ongoing annual RIMPAC (the Rim of Pacific Exercise) military drills in Hawaii.

In a related development, Mark Esper said that the ruling Chinese Communist Party wants China to project power globally through its military. He further reiterated that “this will undoubtedly involve the People’s Liberation Army provocative behaviour in the South and East China Seas, and anywhere else, the Chinese government has deemed critical to its interests.”

Through the missiles test, China wants to emphasize its strategic dominance and sovereignty over the disputed region. The test will further destabilize the region.

The Pentagon has reiterated that conducting military exercises is counterproductive to easing tensions and maintain stability.

It is a violation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. It also raises doubts about the motivation behind the ongoing negotiation for a Code of Conduct between China and ASEAN. Overall, the test has caused unease among China’s neighbours and will further destabilize the already volatile disputed region.

Iran: The US gets snubbed at the UNSC, while Tehran

agrees for IAEA resignation What happened? inspection Shinzo Abe put an end to On 14 August, the UNSC rejected a US proposal to extend the arms embargo on Iran indefinitely, that is due to expire in October.

Only the Dominican Republic joined the US in favour of the resolution that was vetoed by Russia and China. The rest of the 11 countries abstained from voting on the resolution. The Indonesian ambassador to the UN (also serving as the President of the UNSC) stated that he was in no position to take ‘further action’ due to lack of consensus in the Council. Reacting to the failure of the resolution, the US Ambassador expressed regret that the other members of the Council had chosen to stand ‘in the company of terrorists’. The US further threatened to invoke the snapback clause of the JCPOA to keep the sanctions going.

On 26 August 2020, in another meaningful development, amid high-level talks between the IAEA chief and Iran, an agreement to allow inspections in two secret nuclear sites in Iran was reached.

In return, Iran secured the IAEA guarantee that it would not pursue any further questions on the issue.

What does it mean?

The approval to participate and facilitate IAEA inspections comes as Tehran wants to come across as the more accommodative and receptive signatory to the deal.

By securing the IAEA guarantee, it wants to solidify its credibility and put a stop to accusations of violation from Israel, US and their partners in the Gulf.

The defeat at the UNSC is quite an attestation on how isolated the US is on the issue. That the abstentions and the vetoes by fellow council members got likened to support for terrorism and didn’t even register in the US as a legitimate exercise in respective ‘national interests’ is hardly surprising. Committed and driven only by imposing its own militaristic will on countries and multilateral institutions, this latest tirade launched against Council members is a reaction to the fatigue with the US manipulation of geopolitics often to the detriment of the entire region. By riding roughshod on the deal and by placing conditions akin to complete strategic capitulation from Iran, the US has advertised that nothing short of the death of the deal is desirable.

Japan: Shinzo Abe announces

speculations surrounding his health on 28 August 2020, announced that he would leave the office. The 65-year-old stated that his health began to decline from mid-July. Shinzo Abe’s administration had been facing criticism for Japan’s slowing economy and its handling of the pandemic. Abe is the longestserving leader in Japan whose term was due September 2021.

What does it mean?

The timing of Shinzo Abe’s exit has certainly been a shock. The fact that he is resigning for a second time would cost heavy for his political career. The successor is unlikely to deviate from the existing policies of the government but would essentially be left with the management of the COVID crisis and deal with the prominent domestic and regional challenges. Shinzo Abe has announced that he will return to his political career before the next general elections.

ALSO, IN THE NEWS Twin Bomb attacks in the Philippines

This is an approximately onethird reduction in the troop size.

The move is part of Trump’s plan to withdraw from different countries across, particularly the war zones. Second, protests in Iraq’s Basra took a violent turn, as protestors torched the local parliament office and clashed with the security forces.

The protestors demanded the resignation of Asad al-Eidani, Governor of Basra, after two activists were shot dead in the city.

Sweden: Riots in Malmö Violence broke out in southern Swedish city Malmö, when a Danish politician was not allowed to attend a Quran-burning rally.

AsmusPaludan of the far-right, anti-Islamic, anti-immigration party StramKurs (Hard Line) was blocked from reaching the venue holding the rally. The Swedish authorities banned him from entering the country for a period of two years and detained him near Malmö. His supporters conducted the rally, and three of them courted arrest on the basis of racism and inciting hatred.

About the Authors Dr Vivek Mishra is Research Fellow, Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi; Harini Madhusudan and Rashmi BR are PhD Scholars, NIAS; Sourina Bej and Abigail Miriam Fernandez are Project Associate and Research Assistant respectively; Teshu Singh is a Research Fellow, Vivekananda International Foundation and SamreenWani is a MA in International Studies from Stella Maris College.

On 24 August 2020, two bombs exploded in a town in Southern Philippines, leaving 14 dead. The first bomb is said to be a homemade bomb attached to a motorcycle and the other was carried out by a female suicide bomber. Reports suggest that a third unexploded bomb was discovered at a public market.

Facebook bans a Thai group that was critical of the monarchy A million-member group that was discussing the monarchy on Facebook was blocked in Thailand after the Thai government threatened legal action against Facebook.

Criticism of the monarchy is illegal in Thailand and the group’ Royalist Marketplace,’ was run by a self-exiled academic Pavin Chachavalpongpun, from Japan. The ban has drawn criticisms by civil rights groups and adds to the ongoing protests against the monarchy.

Chinese President Xi Jinping

Iraq: Downsizing of the US troops, and violent protests First, the Trump administration is expected Japanse Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to downsize the US force in Iraq to about 3500 troops.

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INDIA NEWS

Indian Defence Minister discusses regional security, bilateral issues , in Tehran

Unicef to spearhead global supply of Covid-19 vaccine United Nations/IANS: In what could possibly be the world’s largest and fastest ever procurement and supply of vaccines, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) has said that it will lead efforts for Covid-19 vaccine supply for 92 low and lower middle-income countries.

These efforts will be part of the Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (Covax Facility) plans led

by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Vaccine purchases for these countries will be supported by the mechanism through the Gavi Advance Market Commitment for Covid-19 Vaccines (GaviCovax AMC) as well as a buffer stockpile for humanitarian emergencies, Unicef said.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh (white outfit) New Delhi/IANS: Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh discussed issues of regional security, including Afghanistan, and bilateral cooperation, during his stopover in Tehran while on his way back to India from Russia.

Singh held a meeting on September 5 with Iran’s Minister of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics, Brigadier General Amir Hatami, at the latter’s request.

As per the Defence Ministry, the meeting between the two took place in a cordial and warm atmosphere. Both leaders emphasised the age-old cultural, linguistic, and civilisational ties between India and Iran.

“They discussed ways to take forward bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on regional security issues, including peace and stability in Afghanistan.”

The Minister had gone to Moscow to participate in a joint meeting of Defence Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries.

In Moscow, Singh met his Chinese counterpart, General Wei Fenghe, on September 4 on the sidelines of the SCO meeting and held discussions on the border issues between the two countries in eastern Ladakh.

In addition, the UN agency will also serve as the procurement coordinator to support procurement by 80 higherincome economies, which have expressed their intent to participate in the Covax Facility and would finance the vaccines from their own public finance budgets.

Unicef will undertake these efforts in close collaboration with the WHO, Gavi, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), World Bank, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other partners.

The Covax Facility is open to all countries to ensure that no country is left without access to a future Covid-19 vaccine.

“This is an all-hands on

deck partnership between governments, manufacturers and multilateral partners to continue the high stakes fight against the Covid-19 pandemic,” Henrietta Fore, Unicef Executive Director, said in a statement.

According to the timelines indicated by the manufacturers, the span from development to production could be one of the fastest scientific and manufacturing leaps in history, the organisation said.

“In our collective pursuit of a vaccine, Unicef is leveraging its unique strengths in vaccine supply to make sure that all countries have safe, fast and equitable access to the initial doses when they are available,” the statement read.

A Unicef market assessment, developed by compiling information submitted by the vaccine manufacturers along with publicly available data, revealed that manufacturers are willing to collectively produce unprecedented quantities of vaccines over the coming one to two years.

Unicef is the largest single vaccine buyer in the world, procuring more than two billion doses of vaccines annually for routine immunisation and outbreak response on behalf of nearly 100 countries.

In response to an expression of interest that Unicef issued in June on behalf of the Covax Facility, 28 manufacturers with production facilities in 10 countries shared their annual production plans for Covid-19 vaccines through 2023.

However, manufacturers signalled that investments to support such large-scale production of doses would be highly dependent on, among other things, whether or not clinical trials are successful, advance purchase agreements are put in place, funding is confirmed, and regulatory and registration pathways are streamlined.

New waterways route between India and Bangladesh becomes operational Agartala/IANS: The first consignment of goods from Bangladesh arrived in Tripura by waterway on September 5 as part of a trial run for shipping of goods from other parts of India to the northeast region via Bangladesh formally making operational the new waterways between the two neighbours.

A Bangladeshi vessel tracking 93 km waterways, carrying 10 tonnes of cement from Daukandi in the neighbouring country arrived in western Tripura’s Sonamura, where Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb accompanied by others received the vessel. With the arrival of the vessel, the SonamuraDaukandi 93-km-long new inland waterways protocol route between northeast India’s

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Tripura state and Bangladesh was formally made operational on September 5.

A temporary floating jetty was built at Sonamura (55 kms west of Tripura capital Agartala) in western Tripura to start the new waterway through the Gomati river between Tripura and Bangladesh. Agartala via Guwahati is 1,650 km from Kolkata by road, and 2,637 km from New Delhi while the distance between Agartala and Kolkata via Bangladesh is just 620 km.

Deb, who also holds the Industries and Commerce Department, said that if the north-eastern states carry goods from other parts of India and abroad through waterways via Bangladesh, 25 to 30 per

cent expenditure would be saved. Deb, accompanied by Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das, Transport Minister Pranajit Singha Roy and Lok Sabha member Pratima Bhowmik, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina have paid special personal attention to the economic growth of Tripura and other north-eastern states.

India and Bangladesh had earlier signed a MoU to ferry various goods including foodgrains from different parts of India to the mountainous north-eastern states using Bangladeshi ports and surface roads to save time and transportation costs. The eight north-eastern states

India-Bangladesh Waterway are connected with the other parts of the country by road via narrow land corridors through Assam and West Bengal, but this route passes through mountainous terrain with

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steep gradients and multiple hairpin bends, making plying of vehicles, especially loaded trucks, very difficult, risky and time consuming.

SEPTEMBER 2020

20

INDIA NEWS

WORLD THIS WEEK

US elections: Trump claims support PM Modi wishes ailing from Indians and Indian PM Abe speedy recovery But Ramakrishnan told a National Public Radio interviewer in February, “My hunch is that there’s probably some movement towards President Trump but still overwhelming support is for the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates as opposed to President Trump.”

Trump replied, “They’re very good young people. And I know their relationship with India is very good and so is mine. And Prime Minister Modi is a friend of mine and he has done a very good job. Nothing easy, nothing easy, but he is doing a very good job.”

He added, “They think a lot of India and so do I, and I think a lot of your Prime Minister.”

US President Donald Trump (left) with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi New York/IANS: President Donald Trump has dragged India and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi into a possible minefield of US politics by asserting that India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi give him “great support” in the context of the US elections where foreign involvement is a sore point.

“We have great support from India, we have great support from Prime Minister Modi, and I would think that the people, the Indian people would be voting for Trump,” he said on September 4 when asked about the Indian American vote.

A reporter referred to a video “Four More Years” targeting Indian Americans that was released during the Republican National Convention and was retweeted by his eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr., and asked if the community would vote for him.

“I do,” Trump said. “We had an event in Houston, as you know, and it was a fantastic event. I was invited by Prime Minister Modi, this was massive, this was where they play football, Houston football team, and it was incredible. It was actually

incredible. The prime minister could not have been more generous.”

He then made the assertion about support from India and Modi, which could be controversial given the allegations of foreign interference in the November presidential elections.

However, Trump’s assertion at the September 4 news conference of backing from Modi and India was more forthright and implies direct support from them for Trump in the elections which could complicate relations with the Democrats.

Indian Americans have traditionally been a bastion of the Democratic Party.The Pew Research Centre has found that 65 per cent of Indian Americans are Democrats or lean towards the party.

According to Karthick Ramakrishnan, the director of the Asian American Pacific Islander Data which produces political research about those communities, 77 per cent of Indian Americans voted for the Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton and only 16 per cent for Trump in the 2016 election.

Trump addressed a rally organised by the Republican Hindu Coalition and his son Eric visited a Hindu temple in Florida.

A video of Trump welcoming a sari-clad Indian software developer to the “great American family of citizens” during a citizenship ceremony at the White House was shown at the Republican Convention in August to show his support for legal immigrants.

However, in his address to the convention he highlighted action against employing H1-B workers at a government-owned energy conglomerate. Indians get the majority H1-B visas, given to professionals and specialised workers and efforts to curtail them have been met with criticism from India.

The convention also showed a video in which Trump presented as a “hostage” an American missionary caught by his own admission in India committing currency violations. Even though he was given due process with the Indian judiciary and released, Trump had him presented alongside victims of countries like Iran and Syria.

New Delhi/IANS: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 28 expressed grief over the ill health of his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe and wished for his speedy recovery.

“Pained to hear about your ill health, my dear friend @ AbeShinzo. In recent years, with your wise leadership and personal commitment, the India-Japan partnership has become deeper and stronger than ever before.

I wish and pray for your speedy recovery,” the Prime Minister tweeted.

Earlier on August 28, Abe resigned from his post citing his poor health as a major issue. After his resignation, the 65-year-old Japanese Prime Minister said in a press conference, “I cannot be the Prime Minister if I cannot make the best decisions for the people.

Indian Prime Minister Narender Modi I have decided to step down from my post.”

It has been learnt that Abe has been battling with ulcerative colitis for years.

Abe’s two recent hospital visits within a week have fanned questions on whether he could stay in the job until the end of his term as the ruling party leader in September 2021.

Dalai Lama prays for Shinzo Abe’s recovery Dharamsala/IANS: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said he has great respect for Shinzo Abe’s leadership and expressed concern about the retiring Japanese Prime Minister’s declining health.

“I pray that your treatment will be successful,” he wrote, adding, “It is admirable that you have considered the greater good of the country and decided to step down from the position of Prime Minister in order to receive medical attention.”

“I have great respect for your leadership and dedication to the service of others.”

The Nobel Peace laureate

Dalai Lama concluded that as the longestserving Prime Minister of Japan, Abe has contributed to making the nation respectful the world over.

Abe tendered his resignation due to health reasons on August 28.

Japanese PM cites health issues as reason to step down Tokyo/IANS: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, during a phone conversation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, explained his decision to resign due to health issues, the country’s Foreign Ministry said.

According to the ministry, in the conversation which lasted for 20 minutes, Abe emphasized the importance for Japan to work and cooperate with international organisations in the global effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Xinhua news agency

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reported on September 3.

Guterres expressed his wish for Japan to continue its collaborative approach in combating the pandemic, the ministry said.

Abe announced his decision recently to step down owing to an intestinal disease.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

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INDIA NEWS

EDITORIAL

Why Sino-Pak collusion could Unlearning first is become a reality the key to learning the Aussie way of life in Ladakh

Syed Ata Hasnain

T

o most of us who migrated to Australia, a common advice from ordinary Australians has been to ‘bring the good things with us and leave the bad things behind’. It is a very sound and well-founded advice, which not only applies to the Indian community, but also to other communities who have come from all corners of the world and made Australia their home. In this context the recent Harris Park brawl between two Indian groups, allegedly triggered by a TikTok spat over the Khalistan issue, has come as a brute reminder of our inability to shed our prejudices and historical baggage after we leave India. Who all are involved in the incident, and who instigated the brawl are all issues of police investigation. We should have full faith in the law enforcement agencies and judicial system and allow the law to take its course.

In the meantime, it is time for a collective reflection on the incident and how it impacts the Indian community at large.

Initial, fallout suggests that the incident has had an impact on ‘Brand India’ in the Harris Park business precinct where Little India Australia brand has been nurtured and built by a large number of Indian businesses and community leaders for a long time. For many years, the local businesses and community leaders have been pushing for the Little India Australia to be declared formally, something which would be put on the backburner for sometime after the incident. Questions would be posed by the local government and Australian community stakeholders over the rationale behind Little India Australia if the community members display such outrageous conduct in public.

There is no denying the fact that incidents like these certainly have an adverse impact on the image of the larger Indiancommunity members

who have been working hard for decades in various positions as hard-working, law abiding and happy-go-lucky IndianAustralians. It will also have an impact on the future of Indian students, many of whom are still back in India and dreaming of coming to Downunder for studies. These incidents also reflect poorly on India itself, whose stature and soft power in the international system has been widely respected and acknowledged due to the contributions Indians have made in various sectors inter alia, politics, education, business, sport, philanthropy, defence, arts, culture and more.

In Australia, Indians have for decades worked tirelessly and made their way to the top in various fields and earned immense respect for their contributions to the Australian system, way of life and multicultural ethos.

This should be preserved at all costs, and such incidents cannot be allowed to tarnish the image of the community.

The community must play its requisite role in working with the law enforcement agencies and the government in cracking the incident and bringing to book all those responsible.

Perhaps there was never a more appropriate time to emphasize for the students and the Indian community members who have arrived not so long ago in Australia that before learning the Australian way of life it is important to unlearn a number of things which impede becoming a vibrant, responsible and law-abiding member of the Australian society. After all Advancing Australia Fair requires we all walk together, leave no one behind, and not let our individual identities, prejudices and historical baggage undermine the core values and foundation on which this multiculturally thriving country rests.

If push comes to shove, India will go to all-out war on the entire western border without a worry towards conventional or nuclear escalation

T

he debate regarding India’s capability to fight a war in which there is full collusion between China and Pakistan has generally remained inconclusive. Most detractors of the belief regarding China’s military operational support to Pakistan, in the event of the latter’s adventurism against India, have leaned heavily on the argument that China will adopt a policy only to suit its interests.

In fact, both in 1965 and 1971 it made some promises to Pakistan but chose to stay away. Of course, those were Cold War times with a completely different international strategic environment. From 2005 the process of rapid military modernization saw China more aggressive in the pursuit of its strategic interests, including border management on land and sea. Limited and fairly benign experiments with ‘walk in’ operations across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) began after 2008. Enhanced expression of increased mutuality of strategic interests with Pakistan came with the reported presence of 11,000 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops in GilgitBaltistan (GB) in 2011. Post 2013 Pakistan ramped up its proxy campaign in Jammu and Kashmir ( J&K) almost in sync with two China-related trends; first, a noticeably enhanced PLA assertiveness, and second, the announcement of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the latter being Xi Jinping’s ambitious and almost personal project. The BRI projected as only an economic and trade outreach in essence is a strategic measure to secure for Beijing strategic influence through ostensible economic cooperation. A progressively altering Chinese attitude towards the Kashmir issue commenced as early as 2008-09 with the issue of stapled visas to Indians residing in J&K; the denial of visa to the Northern Army Commander in August 2010 was with the clear intent of expressing increasing support to Pakistan.

This support was also witnessed on issues involving the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Pakistan’s involvement in global terrorism and recently on the abrogation of Article 370.

BRI and China’s expansionist policies

Chinese soldiers seen carrying spears and other sharp edged weapons near Mukhpari hill north of Rezang La (IANS)

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China’s BRI, a dream project which though stamped with Xi Jinping’s ownership was probably long in the making.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with massive initial Chinese investment is the one part of BRI which is far less economic in orientation than it is strategic; it is classified by many as the flagship of BRI. It

is also a part of China’s Indian Ocean strategy and in its current avatar is little more than just a shaky communication artery with some additional projects thrown in. BRI is a far more ambitious project the survivability of which in the post Covid-19 setting has been questioned by experts. Yet, China’s long-term strategic vision is not something that the international strategic community is adept in assessing.

Indian Prime MinisterModi’s observation on expansionism having no place in the modern era was an indirect message to China with the backdrop of the clear understanding that this is what China wishes to execute as it gets stronger. Thus, commencing 1978 we are somewhere midway through the period that China has set for itself to rise to a position of greatness for which it is increasingly employing coercion.

Its strategic understanding is quite clear and is seeking a spurt towards that milestone on a faster track, post the devastation of the world by Covid-19.

Therefore, it is no longer Pakistan seeking Chinese support for its adventurism as much as it is the other way around. Mutuality of interests has enhanced and in this context military coordination has become a key component of the overall strategy. Till now it has remained rooted more in the psychological domain to force Indian perception of expanded fronts but could move towards realization of that strategy. After recent Indian moves to wrest a part of the initiative, China may force further escalation this season, contingent upon how the world progressively responds to its renewed expansionist military vigour. Yet it may also cut back to a posture which prepares it, along with Pakistan, towards a future ‘pincer approach’ in Ladakh. This does not presuppose limitation of Chinese intent to just Ladakh, with Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and the Central Sector very much under the scanner as part of the expanded collusive strategy.

However, it is Ladakh where the effect is intended most for good reason, and it is there that the pincer approach may prove more challenging for India. Currently, India may not be optimally prepared for such a contingency but the Chinese may neither.

This is because they have tried setting the stage too early in the clamour for surprise and could in turn be surprised, especially after the turn of events after August 30 which saw the Indian Army secure heights of tactical advantage in the Chushul Bowl.

That is where Pakistan comes in as a force multiplier to keep the

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options open as far as timing is concerned; the options being the current campaigning season or a postponed one. In postponing it the Chinese will seek greater Pakistani activism in J&K and Ladakh, including attempts to keep the LoC alive along with terror in the hinterland to dilute Indian optimization in Ladakh.

Options before India to thwart Sino-Pak aggression Assuming that confrontation with the Sino-Pak combine is inevitable now or later, one of the ways for India to offset this is to project sufficient capability to prevent the creation of a psyche of inevitable success in the minds of the adversaries. The diplomatic and military domains have to play out this effectively. India cannot be seen to be alone or militarily weak. It has tremendous support internationally which must translate into a higher level of strategic support.

Militarily Pakistan should never be able to perceive that it will be allowed to fight as per choice and conceived strategy. If push comes to shove, India will go to all-out war on the entire western border without a worry towards conventional or nuclear escalation. China’s success or failure in such adventurism will set course its future strategy against the multiple adversaries who are lined up against it. That is the psyche which India must exploit to prevent escalation and win this and impending standoffs without fighting. It needs rapid emergence and all out national effort with highest priority accorded to it, including budgeting. China has made a major mistake of creating a faceoff that it thought it could win without fighting as per its doctrine but it is now mired in a situation that it did not think through; quite unlike the deep and long term thinking it usually does. Extending this faceoff will be a logistics nightmare for both countries. An exit strategy for China without loss of face as suggested by some can best be achieved by the US as part of the larger exit strategy from the threat-based situation in the Indo Pacific. On its part India cannot afford complete focus only on the northern borders. A firm and full strategy to deal with Pakistan in all contingencies has now become an imperative.

Lt. Gen. Syed Ata Hasnain is a leading Indian defence analyst and former corps commander in Jammu and Kashmir

SEPTEMBER 2020

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INDIA NEWS

SPECIAL COMMENTARY

Objectified men and female gaze: Male ‘item numbers’ in Bollywood

So, despite receiving backlash for exploiting the materialistic culture of voyeurism, it contributed immensely towards bringing popularity to Bollywood blockbusters, and at times, a single ‘item number’ would lead to a box office hit. Eventually by the 1990s, Bollywood blockbusters would invariably incorporate an innovatively picturized ‘item number’ and soon, India and its “Indianness” was being defined by gendered performances of actors with an ‘exotic body’ performing an ‘item number.’

This was a watershed in the sense that the gaze had shifted from the “immoral woman” to male actors doing ‘item numbers.’ Then

came a smooth shift of dancing bodies where every woman would inevitably be a spectacle of desire, lust and fetishization.

But this led to a lot of criticism within feminist movements who felt the urgency of addressing the anxiety and low self-esteem that they triggered. So, from the consciousness to fit into the size zero image portrayed by the ‘item numbers’ featuring female stars there came a need to focus on male stars. The dancing male body emerged as a novelty to replace the scantily clad female stars. The provocative dance moves with underlying sexual appeal that captured primarily male audiences now shifted to women patrons. The woman from being the centre of gaze became the gazer.

Time for a change in Bollywood’s gender dynamics Times are changing and reversing the stereotypical gendered dynamics in Bollywood narratives. Under this transformed representation female protagonists now would gaze at the eroticised men doing ‘item numbers.’ Men possessing machismo and flamboyance are now a striking feature of Bollywood productions where the shirtless hero is doing an ‘item number’ feeding female fetish.

The quintessential “King of Romance”- Shahrukh Khan and the heart throb for millennials Ranbir Kapoor were eroticized,

catering to female spectators in the movie, Om Shanti Om and Saawariya, respectively.

The bold display of machismo in the songs contradicted the normative constructs of masculinity in Bollywood.

Although the films did not do well at the box office, the two item numbers appealed to the female gaze. In contrast to the 1960s style of dancing by Shammi Kapoor or the Dabbang style

“

Male nudity can be viewed as an indicator of how the stereotypical constructs of masculinity, normative ideals of heterosexuality and established gaze at female stars within the script has changed

“

I

n the 1970s, Helen had grooved her way in Bollywood through performing songs now labelled as ‘item numbers’ while being caricatured as a ‘vamp.’ A woman draped in skimpy clothes would instantly raise eyebrows and trigger debates about morality for luring the attention of men and defying the stereotypical construct of a “cultured Indian woman.” Song and dance have been the cornerstone of Bollywood cinema since ever, and the picturization of songs increased their popularity overseas making it a centre of debate and social chats. ‘Item numbers’ now target the vast youthful constituency that craves for a visual escapade on the silver screen.

Priyam Sinha

Salman Khan moves, the two songs offered a visual escapade for the female patrons by zooming into their bodies. In a departure from the stereotypical masculine construct jab se terenaina portrayed a waxed and toned semi-nude man dancing in a towel, similar to shirtless

Shahrukh Khan performing in a fire fighting gear in the song dard-e-disco.

It is imperative to highlight differing locations for portraying masculinity in the songs.

In Saawariya, Ranbir not only attracted female gaze off the screen but within the movie as a lonely character on a dingy street also became the centre of the gaze of sex workers as well, making him uncomfortable. On the other hand, the fair-skinned extra dancers were shown smitten by the charisma and six-pack image of Shahrukh in the darde-disco song capturing the imagination of the millennials.

Change in gender portrayal in Bollywood The two songs symbolise the transformations in gender portrayal in Bollywood over the last few decades. But it also triggers debate about morality and commodification of men in ‘item numbers’ and diverting attention from portrayal of women’s sexuality. But it would be interesting to view masculine ‘item numbers’ as a new form of sexual representation from the yore. Male nudity can be viewed as an indicator of how the stereotypical constructs of masculinity, normative ideals of heterosexuality and established gaze at female stars within the script has changed.

But the new trends beg the query

whether the new form of six-pack shirtless masculinity perpetuates a ‘desirable’ body image and thereby generates self-esteem among the vast population of men not able to match it. So then, should the new trend of male item numbers be welcomed as an alternative to objectification of women’s bodies? The gender implications of this reversal are difficult to ignore as it could lead to lopsided perceptions of inducing anxiety now among men.For now, let us see it as a novel space for celebrating sexuality of not only females but also males.

Priyam Sinha is pursuing doctoral research on ‘Sexuality and the disabled woman: Tracing the incorporation of feminist agenda in Bollywood and portrayal of the sexual culture’ at the National University of Singapore.

To retire or not

R

etirement finally hits one in all occupations. The world is getting younger and so should the elders if they want to survive the progressive world that is flashing fast before them.

Modern technology is progressing at a pace that requires the young and the old to keep themselves abreast. The young ones are striving hard to make a life whereas the old are becoming fitter and mentally sharper to keep alive. Their bodies may be aging but their minds are exploding with the wealth of knowledge that they can access with just one click of the finger.

In the corporate world, the retirement age restrictions play a significant part to end one’s career, even though one is fit mentally and physically to continue. The reason for this is to primarily make way for youngsters as well as for the elderly to enjoy the remainder of their lives in relaxing and pursuing their passion.

Unfortunately, the world today has brought a complete change in

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the way one looks at life. Passionplus-interest is the new modus operandi and people are making their living by following their dreams.

In sports, age is a very important factor. In India, a sportsman after the age of 30 is usually on a declining graph. A 30-plus cricketer is referred to as a veteran. As he grows older, he gradually loses his buddies and becomes a loner, who was once respected but somehow is not on the same wavelength as the rest.

A present day sportsperson is a different breed entirely. The money that is being generated, and earned by one, is a very important factor in continuing one’s sport. Players now have access to fitness machines and regimes and with monitored diet control, they are at least 10 years younger than their age, so to speak. In cricket, it is no different.

The skill to play the game is what a cricketer develops when he is young. And the agility, strength, and stamina that differentiates the old and the new has now

become redundant.

The decision to retire, especially for an Indian cricketer, is a very difficult one. One puts in hours and hours of hard work, at times in hot and sizzling weather, playing matches at every given opportunity to hone one’s skill.

The conditions are very tough in one’s early days. To make it to the first-class level a cricketer needs to forgo everything to reach there.

An outsider only sees the glamour quotient at the end of it, but the time that a cricketer spends on cricket gives one very little opportunity to educate himself or make another career. The intense competitiveness in Indian cricket is a scorching task at present, and just to sustain and be a part of it requires a phenomenal amount of dedication and sacrifice.

Fortunately, money is there in Indian cricket, but it has taken away the options of pursuing another career when cricket is done. The earlier cricketers were amateurs and as cricket was not a eprofession’ as such, the game could not give them a lifetime

support. Education, therefore, was an important factor in providing them with a job and so retirement from cricket was a far easier option than what a cricketer is facing today.

Cricket is now a big business and with no other options available, a modern cricketer hopes to engage in as many years playing the sport as possible. Yuvraj Singh has been a very successful Indian cricketer and when he announced retirement a year ago, one felt he deserved to finally rest and relax.

A year in oblivion was enough to draw him back to his favorite sport. He has requested the BCCI to grant him permission to play domestic cricket again as he wants to represent his home state Punjab. Yuvraj is a good example of how life can become dull while staying away from the only profession that one has mastered.

He may have made plenty of money, invested in businesses, and may have been involved in several ventures outside the game. But all that becomes insignificant when he compares

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it to what he is most comfortable with -- and that is playing cricket.

Players such as Yuvraj, Dhoni, Raina and so many of the other senior lot of cricketers who have retired, or are on the verge of retirement, need to be encouraged to continue doing service to cricket for their state associations. The BCCI should allow them to play T20 league cricket tournaments around the world, if they so desire, once they have officially retired from representing the country. Why shouldn’t such cricketers be permitted to play wherever they want to? The rule that one needs to retire from all formats of the game in India to play in other leagues is unfair. It takes one back to the famous quote by Lord Tennyson: “Ours not to reason why, ours but to do and die”.

(Yajurvindra Singh is a former Test cricketer. Views expressed are personal)

By Yajurvindra Singh

SEPTEMBER 2020

23

INDIA NEWS

CORONA CRISIS

India’s 1st female cardiologist succumbs to Covid-19 disease for 11 days.

Late S. Padmavati, India's first female cardiologist New Delhi/IANS: S. Padmavati, India’s first female cardiologist, has passed away due to Covid-19 at the age of 103 after battling the

In a recent statement, O.P. Yadava, Chief Executive Officer of Delhi’s National Heart Institute said: “Our very own Madam Padmavati has left us all, after her centurial terrestrial journey. She fought corona bravely but chose to move on at 11.09 p.m. on August 29. Let us keep her in our prayers forever and long.”

According to another statement by the National Heart Institute, she was admitted with Covid-19 and had breathing difficulty and fever.

The noted cardiologist, also a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan,

had set up the National Heart Institute of the All India Heart Foundation and had served as its Director and President.

India becomes 2nd worst Covid 19 -hit country, surpasses Brazil

Born in Myanmar on June 20, 1917, Padmavati earned an M.B.B.S degree from the medical College Rangoon. She had to leave Myanmar due to the Second World War and settle in India.

Besides being awarded Padma Bhushan in 1967, Padmavati also won the Padma Vibhushan in 1992, Harvard Medical International Award in 2003, B.C. Roy Award in 1975, Kamala Menon Research Award in 1975 and several others.

Russian vaccine has no serious side effects: Report London/IANS: A Russian Covid-19 vaccine has shown no serious side effects and elicited an immune response in early human trials, said a study published in The Lancet on September 4.

adenovirus type 26 (rAd26) vector or recombinant adenovirus type 5 (rAd5) vector, both carrying the gene for SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (rAd26-S and rAd5-S), in frozen form.

Russia, in August, registered the “Sputnik V”, becoming the first country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine.

In Phase-2, another group of 20 healthy adult volunteers in each study received sequential doses of rAd26-S followed by rAd5-S of one of the two formulations.

However, the country faced criticism for approving a vaccine before completion of Phase-3 trials.

According to the study, published in The Lancet, the researchers enrolled 76 healthy adult volunteers (aged 18-60 years) for the two Phase-1 and Phase-2 studies -- 38 people in each study.

In Phase-1 of the study, two groups of nine volunteers received one dose of either recombinant

Adverse events were mostly mild, with the most common adverse events being pain at the injection site, hyperthermia, headache, asthenia, and muscle and joint pain, said the study.

Both formulations of the vaccine were immunogenic in all participants, inducing neutralising humoral and cell-mediated responses, said the study.

participants had detectable antibodies on day 14 after the priming dose, rising to 100 per cent by day 21, the results showed.

“The two 42-day trials - including 38 healthy adults each - did not find any serious adverse effects among participants, and confirmed that the vaccine candidates elicit an antibody response,” the study’s authors wrote.

The study’s authors also held that large, long-term trials, including a placebo comparison, and further monitoring are needed to establish the long-term safety and effectiveness of the vaccine for preventing Covid-19 infection.

Reports suggest that Russia is planning a Phase-3 trial of the vaccine involving 40,000 people.

New Delhi/IANS: With the highest single-day spike of 90,802 cases, India’s Covid-19 tally on September 7 crossed the 42 lakh mark and the country surpassed Brazil to become the second worst-hit nation after the US. Out of the total 4,204,613 cases, 882,542 are active, 3,250,429 have recovered, while 71,642 lost the battle against the deadly virus, the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare showed.

While the recovery rate was at a whopping high of 77.32 per cent, the fatality rate has come down to 1.72 per cent.

India has added almost two lakh cases in two days.

Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit with a total of 883,862 cases with 26,276 deaths; followed

by Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal, and Bihar.

According to data from the Indian Council of Medical Research, India conducted a record 720,362 tests in a single day taking the total number of samples tested so far to 49,551,507.

On the global front, India now rallies behind the SU. The US leads the board with 6,275,614 cases and 188,932 deaths.

Brazil has reported a total of 4,137,521 infections and 126,650 fatalities.

In Phase-2, 85 per cent of

Pending safety approvals, Oxford’s vaccine trials deferred in India New Delhi/IANS: The clinical trials for the Covid-19 vaccine candidate developed by the University of Oxford, which was expected to start at The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh, have been delayed by at least a week.

The trials that were expected to commence in the first week of September have been delayed due to the safety approval pending from the Data Safety and Monitoring Board (DSMB) for the first 100 candidates selected to undergo the trials, the institute told IANS. As a result, the further recruitment of the candidates for the trials has been put on hold.

“For the time being, the further

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recruitment of the candidates for the trials for the Oxford vaccine is on hold because we are waiting for the approval for safety of the first 100 participants recruited till now from the Data Safety and Monitoring Board. In this light, we would be able to update you regarding any development on this front by next weekend only,” said Prof. Dr. Madhu Gupta, the principal investigator of the vaccine trial scheduled at the PGIMER. The premier institute said it received 400 volunteers for the trials. Of them, 253 would be administered the first dose of the under-trial vaccine.

Gupta had earlier informed that a16-member staff, including her, would supervise the clinical

trials.

The PGIMER is among the 17 sites selected for the human clinical trials of the adenovirus-based Covid-19 vaccine candidate developed jointly by Astra Zeneca and the University of Oxford.

The institute will participate in the second and third phases of the proposed vaccine. The vaccine’s production and marketing will be looked after by the Serum Institute of India (SII), one of the largest vaccine producers in the country.

Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer of the Pune-based firm, had said the coronavirus vaccine might be ready by the end of this year.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

24

INDIA NEWS

MAKE IN INDIA

Make in India: Emerging opportunities across sectors

As world economies restart their engines in a bid to regain lost ground due to the Covid-19 pandemic, India too shows signs of economic buoyancy and promise. India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative holds a key to the global economic revival, something that should interest Australian government ministries, corporate sector, entrepreneurs, and institutions seeking Research and Development collaborations and Australia Inc. in general, among others. India assumes greater importance as several major world economies, including American, Japanese, German, British and South Korean look to move out and diversify their businesses from China. India has jumped to 63rd rank in the World Bank’s Ease of Development 2020 report, and has also been ranked as the 9th largest recipient of Foreign Direct Investment destination in 2019 by the World Investment Report 2020 of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Automobile Running in the top gear India is expected to be the world’s third-largest automotive market in terms of volume by 2026.India is the world’s largest tractor manufacturer, second largest bus manufacturer, largest two-wheeler and three-wheeler manufacturer and third largest heavy-truck manufacturer and fourth largest car manufacturer.

The industry currently manufactures 26 million vehicles, of which 4.7 million are exported.

India holds a strong position in the international heavy vehicles arena as it is the largest tractor manufacturer, second-largest bus manufacturer and third largest heavy trucks manufacturer in the world.

In April-March 2020, overall automobile exports registered a growth of 2.95%. Passenger Vehicles exports marginally increased by 0.17% and twowheeler exports registered a growth of 7.30% in April-March 2020 over the same period last year.

The sector attracted $24.2 billion FDI during April 2000 - March 2020, accounting for 5.1% of the total FDI inflows.Up to 100% FDI is permitted under the automatic route.

Industry scenario The $118 billion Automobile industry is expected to reach $300 billion by 2026. India’s annual production has been 29.08 million vehicles in 2018 as against 25.33 million in 2017, registering a healthy growth of 14.8%. India is expected to emerge as the world’s

third-largest passenger vehicle market by 2021. In FY 2018-19, sale of passenger vehicles has increased by 2.70%, two-wheeler by 4.86% and three-wheeler by 10.27% as compared to FY 201718.In April-March 2019, overall automobile exports grew by 14.50%. The overall Commercial Vehicles segment registered a growth of 17.55% in April- March 2019.

Auto components Leading global automotive manufacturing hub

The growing presence of global automobile original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the Indian manufacturing landscape has significantly increased the localization of their components in the country. India has become the preferred designing and manufacturing base for most global auto OEMs for local sourcing and exports.

The rapidly growing auto market in India is expected to reach $ 300 billion by 2026. Automotive aftermarket segment in India is expected to reach $ 32 billion by 2026 and the Auto Components industry exports is expected to grow 5X in the next 10 years.Up to 100% FDI is permitted under the automatic route.

parts, is expected to reach $32 billion by 2026 from $10.1 billion currently.

The overall industry which accounts for 2.3% of India’s GDP currently, is set to become the 3rd largest in the world by 2025.

Aviation Indian aviation, flying high

The auto components industry’s exports, which is currently valued at $15.2 billion, is expected to grow at an annual rate of 23.9% to reach $80 billion by 2026. The US, Germany, the UK, Thailand and Italy are the top destinations for exports.

India is now the 3rd largest and fastest growing aviation market in terms of domestic tickets sold.

India has 91 international carriers comprising 5 Indian carriers and 86 foreign carriers, which ensure that India is well connected with most major countries. Revenue passenger kilometre (RPK) in domestic airline demand growth of 18.6% in 2018 was three times the global RPK growth of 6.5%.

Aftermarket segment, which includes tyre, battery and brake

• Indian carriers are projected to increase their fleet

Industry scenario

size to 1,100 aircraft by 2027.

• Freight traffic on Indian airports is expected to cross 11.4 MT by 2032.

• Government agencies’ projects requirement of around 250 brownfield and green-field airports by 2020.

• India is the fastestgrowing aviation market and is expected to cater to 520 million passengers by 2037.

• India has been projected to be the second-fastestgrowing country in the world for passenger traffic by the Airports Council International in its traffic forecasts between 2017 and 2040.

• Demand for aircraft in India is expected to be 1,750 by 2037.

Up to 100% FDI is permitted in non-scheduled air transport services under the automatic route.

Up to 100% FDI is permitted in helicopter services and seaplanes under the automatic route.

Up to 100% FDI is permitted in Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul for maintenance and repair organizations; flying training institutes; and technical training institutes under the automatic route.

The Aviation sector in India currently contributes $72 billion to GDP. India has 464 airports and airstrips, of which 125 airports are owned by Airport Authority of India (AAI). These 125 AAI airports manage close to 78% of domestic passenger traffic and 22% of international passenger traffic.

Passenger traffic in India stood at 316.51 million during April 2018 Feb 2019. Out of which domestic passenger traffic stood at 252.92 million while international traffic stood at 63.59 million. The aircraft movement, passenger traffic and freight traffic increased by 4.9%, 4.5% and 3.1%, respectively in February 2019 vis-a-vis February 2018, across all Indian airports taken together.

However, the share of international cargo traffic is much higher at 68.5% in comparison with 31.5% of domestic cargo traffic.

Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul industry is expected to grow to $1.2 billion by 2020 from $950 million currently.

Source: INVEST INDIA, Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Government of India

Industry scenario

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SEPTEMBER 2020

25

INDIA NEWS

TRAVEL

Taj Mahal, Agra Fort to reopen from September 21 Agra/IANS: The Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort would be reopened for public viewing from September 21; it was announced on September 7.

Agra District Magistrate P.N. Singh made the announcement in a tweet.

Guidelines for social distancing and mask wearing have been

circulated. While only 5,000 people would be permitted to visit the Taj daily, the Agra Fort will allow only 2,500.

The two world heritage monuments have been closed since March 17 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Other historical monuments like Etmauddaula’s tomb, Sikandra, and Fatehpur Sikri were reopened from September 1.

Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine management starts home delivery of ‘prasad’ Jammu/IANS: The management of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine said on September 4 that it has arranged home delivery of ‘Prasad’ to devotees throughout the country.

Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has introduced the home delivery of Prasad to the devotees in India.”

The shrine was closed for devotees after the outbreak of the pandemic.

Ramesh Kumar Jangid, chief executive officer (CEO) of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine said on his Twitter handle, “Shri Mata

The shrine is situated in the Trikuta Hills of Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir ( J&K).

It has now been re-opened for a limited number of devotees on a daily basis.

Before the ongoing pandemic, over 2.60 crore devotees from different parts of India would visit the shrine each year.

Devotees coming from outside J&K must undergo a Covid-19 test before they are allowed to undertake the pilgrimage.

Literary Hotels: Bucket list these stays for the perfect book-lover holiday

W

ith months of lockdown, travellers and avid readers got ample time to read their favourite authors and novels. The trend of virtual book exchange amongst book lovers also saw a rise and reading became fundamental during the quarantine. What could be more satisfying than to turn this passion into a holiday amidst a wide range of books? This International Literacy Day, Booking.com has bookmarked a list of hotels with iconic libraries where you can curl up with any old hardback and read to your heart’s content. As it becomes safe to travel again, book lovers around the country can reserve a holiday in one of these hotels and explore the unique collection of books their libraries have to offer.

Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad: If you ever want to visit a hotel that takes it’s literature seriously, Taj Falaknuma Palace shouldn’t be missed. Located in Hyderabad, the Taj Falaknuma palace was built in a restored 19th-century palace offering a great view of the Charminar, minarets and domes in Hyderabad. What makes this hotel special for bibliophiles is the massive and breathtaking Palace library which is a treasure trove of rare manuscripts and over 5000 personal books of HEH the Nizam. You will also find an extensive collection of English, Urdu and Persian books as well as copies of the Quran in this walnut carved library. In fact, there are so many volumes in the Palace library that you would have to read a book a day for at least 16 years to go through the entire collection.

Kathiwada Raaj Mahal, Madhya Pradesh: A heritage hotel in the countryside area of Kathiwada, Raaj Mahal Kathiwada is the perfect embodiment of heritage meets contemporary. Nestled amidst 120 acres of privately owned orchards, this mahal was commissioned by Rana Sahib Onkar Sinh Kathiwada as the royal family’s hunting lodge in 1895. The hotel has a beautiful library which has over 2,000 noteworthy books. This library holds important relevance as it’s been dedicated to Yuvraj Bharat Sinh, the direct descendants of the erstwhile rulers of the princely state of Kathiwada. Travellers can enjoy a quiet read in the morning before heading to explore this Princely State of Jadon Dynasty.

Rokeby Manor, Mussoorie: Located in a district rife with literary history and home to several writers like Ruskin Bond and Steve Alter, Rokeby Manor will make you feel like you are entering a fictional story. This place is a must for travellers who are looking to escape the busy mundane lives and enjoy peaceful silence while exploring the several amenities.

Curl up in the chilly weather of this hill station and spend hours reading in the Wilson’s chamber, a library adjoining the restaurant at this hotel. The library with a wooden chamber offers a vast collection of the books from the most sought after writers. So pick up a book and set yourself down for the perfect book lover holiday.

Ranvas Haveli, Rajasthan: Located within the walls of Nagaur Fort, the Ranvas is a spectacular heritage hotel that offers a glimpse back in time, whilst providing guests with the luxury of a modern boutique hotel. History lovers can plan a trip to this magical place which is all things romance and is known for its Mughal architecture. The attraction for book readers is that the library has a collection of books ranging from international, Sufi to Mughal literature. Along with the library, even the rooms in this haveli have books of poems by Rumi. Travellers will be transported back in time while running through the pages of history as they reminisce about the rural city of Nagaur.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

26

INDIA NEWS

SPORTS

India’s Australia tour to commence either in Adelaide or Brisbane Online Chess Olympiad: India, Russia become joint winners Chennai/IANS: The IndiaRussia chess duel for the Online Olympiad gold came to a dramatic finish on August 30 with the global chess body announcing them as joint winners.

The decision to declare India and Russia as joint winners was taken

by Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) President ArkadyDvorkovich after an appeal made by India saying three of its players were disconnected from the server.

“We just told FIDE that three of our players - K. Humpy, NihalSarin and DivyaDeshmukh were logged out due to server crash during the second match of the final,” non-playing Captain Srinath Narayanan told IANS. “We had asked for a fair solution - a replay of three games,” he added.

Internet outage that severely affected several countries, including India.

“Two of the Indian players have been affected and lost connection, when the outcome of the match was still unclear. The Appeals Committee has examined all the evidence provided by Chess.com, as well as information gathered from other sources about this Internet outage. After being informed of their considerations and in the absence of a unanimous decision, and taken into account these unprecedented circumstances, as FIDE president I made the decision to award Gold Medals to both teams,” he said.

Srinath said the appeal was made stating it was due to a server crash of Cloudflare used by www. chess.com.

The FIDE president’s decision was welcomed by the Indian chess fraternity.

Announcing his decision Dvorkovich in a statement said, “The Online Chess Olympiad has been impacted by a global

Ashleigh Barty not to play French Open this year New Delhi/IANS: World No.1 and reigning champion Ashleigh Barty has confirmed that she will not participate in the French Open scheduled to be played later in September due to health concerns and a lack of preparation. Barty also said she would not be playing at all in Europe this year.

“Last year’s French Open was the most special tournament of my career so this is not a decision I have made lightly,” Barty said in a statement on Instagram.

“There are two reasons for my decision. The first is the health risks that still exist with Covid-19.

The second is my preparation, which has not been ideal without my coach being able to train with me due to the state border closures in Australia.”

French Federation all the best for a successful tournament,” Barty wrote.

“I now look forward to a long preseason and the summer in Australia. It has been a challenging year for everyone and although I am disappointed on a tennis front, the health and wellbeing of my family and my team will always be my priority. Thank you to my fans for your continued support, I can’t wait to play for you again,” she concluded.

The French Open was originally scheduled to start in May but because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was moved back to September 27-October 11.

The 24-year-old, who had defeated MarketaVondrousova in the 2019 final at Roland Garros to win her first Grand Slam title, further stated that although she is disappointed, the health and well-being of her family and team would always be her priority.

“I wish the players and the

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Melbourne/IANS: Indian team’s tour of Australia, slated to begin towards the end of the year, will begin either in Adelaide or Brisbane and not in Perth after Western Australia (WA) state government said that there won’t be any relaxation in quarantine rules in their territory.

According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, the Adelaide Oval is prepared to host back-to-back Tests, including a day-night match as well as the Boxing Day against India later during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in case the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is not available because of rising coronavirus cases in the state of Victoria.

“We didn’t think it was acceptable to have the team return from a high-risk overseas location and then take part in normal training activities outside of quarantine, before flying out to another state to play games.” Mark McGowan, the Premier of the WA state government, was quoted as saying in the report.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has requested Cricket Australia (CA) to allow their players to train during the quarantine period inside the biobubble, but in Perth that won’t be possible.

government has a firm position on quarantine and border arrangements,” a CA spokesperson said.

“The Australian men’s team will not be quarantining in Perth upon their return from the UK,” he added.

Australia are currently in England for a limited-overs series consisting of three T20Is and as many ODIs.

“We acknowledge the WA

Messi resumes training after Barcelona U-turn Barcelona/IANS: Lionel Messi showed up at FC Barcelona’s training field on September 7 for the first time since the 33-yearold forward announced his intention to leave the club 11 days ago.

Messi failed to appear for routine PCR tests on August 20 ahead of Barca’s return to training, and did not attend any of the sessions under new coach Ronald Koeman, reports Xinhua news agency.

But on September 4, the striker published a video message confirming that he would remain at the club for the 2020-21 season to see out the remaining year of his contract.

This came after Barcelona insisted that he had to pay his 700 million-euro release clause to leave the club, while Messi argued that a clause in his contract meant he could leave for free.

In his video, despite saying “unhappy”, Messi explained he would see out the last year of his deal because he would “never go to court” against the club.

Messi

Star shuttler Jwala announces engagement New Delhi /IANS: It was double delight for Commonwealth Game gold medallist badminton ace JwalaGutta on September 6 as she got engaged to Tamil actor and producer Vishnu Vishal on her 37th birthday.

Jwala, the 1992 and 1996 Olympian, took to Twitter to announce the development on September 7. “N dis happened last nite n what a beautiful surprise it was!” she wrote, alongside two photos with Vishal.

Ashleigh Barty

“There were just too many risks in the model put forward by Cricket Australia. We need to remain vigilant and do the right thing by all Western Australians and not take unnecessary chances.”

“Today when I think of my life, what a journey it has been in 2days I realise there is so much

more to look forward to!” she said. “Towards our family, Aryan, friends and work! It’s gonna be another great journey am sure.”

The tweet has been liked over 3,000 times till September 7 evening.

Aryan is Vishal’s son with his previous marriage with actor RajiniNatraj. Jwala, too, was married earlier to four-time national singles badminton player ChetanAnand, from 2005 to 2011.

Jwala and Vishal had confirmed their relationship around two years ago.

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Jwala Gutta

SEPTEMBER 2020

27

INDIA NEWS

SPORTS

US Open: Impetuous Djokovic hits line official accidentally with ball, disqualified After CarrenoBusta broke to lead 6-5 in the first set on September 6, Djokovic angrily hit a ball that made contact with a lineswoman.

Following an extended discussion between Djokovic and tournament officials, the match was ended.

New York/IANS: World No.1 Novak Djokovic was disqualified in the US Open fourth round match against Pablo Carreno Busta after accidentally hitting a line umpire with a ball.

“In accordance with the Grand Slam rulebook, following his actions of intentionally hitting a ball dangerously or recklessly within the court or hitting a ball with negligent disregard of the consequences, the US Open tournament referee defaulted Novak Djokovic from the 2020 US

Open,” the United States Tennis Association said in an official statement.

“Because he was defaulted, Djokovic will lose all ranking points earned at the US Open and will be fined the prize money won at the tournament in addition to any or all fines levied with respect to the offending incident,” the statement added.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion also released a statement on social media saying, “This whole situation has left me really sad and empty. I checked on the linesperson and

the tournament told me that thank God she is feeling ok. I’m extremely sorry to have caused her such stress. So unintended.

So wrong.

“As for the disqualification, I need to go back within and work on my disappointment and turn this all into a lesson for my growth and evolution as a player and human being.

“I apologise to the US Open tournament and everyone associated for my behaviour. I’m very grateful to my team and family for being my rock support, and my fans for always being

there with me. Thank you and I’m so sorry,” he added.

After the match, Carreno Busta told reporters: “I didn’t watch the moment when he (hit) the ball-I was looking to my coach, celebrating the break.”

“I asked the Colombian guys who were in the crowd if the ball hit the line (umpire). I was in shock...I hope the best for her. I hope that she will be okay as soon as possible,” he added.

Carreno Busta will now face 12th seed Denis Shapovalov in the quarter-finals.

IPL 2020: MI take on CSK in tournament opener New Delhi/IANS: Defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will face three-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Abu Dhabi in the opening match of the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the revamped schedule of which was finally revealed on September 6.

The tournament starts on September 19 and will be entirely in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) behind closed doors amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

MI and CSK were originally scheduled to play the opening match of the 2020 season at

Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on March 29. However the outbreak of the pandemic in India and the subsequent lockdown led to the tournament being postponed indefinitely.

After the tournament opener, which will be held on a Saturday, Dubai will host its first game on September 20 with the Delhi Capitals taking on Kings XI Punjab, followed by the third match on September 21 between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The matches then shift to Sharjah where Rajasthan Royals face CSK

on September 22. Kolkata Knight Riders start their campaign with a match against MI the next day in Abu Dhabi, the BCCI said in a statement.

There will be 10 double headers.

None of the 10 double headers will be played in September with the first coming on October 3.

Twenty four matches will be held in Dubai, 20 in Abu Dhabi and 12 in Sharjah, it said.

The final game of the group stage will be played on November 3 between SRH and MI. Schedule for the playoffs and the final will be announced at a later date.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

28

INDIA NEWS

ARTS & LITERATURE

David Attenborough honoured with Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2019 and entertaining generations of people through his films and books for tirelessly working to awaken humankind to the need to preserve and protect the biodiversity on our planet, and advocating the necessity to live a sustainable and harmonious way of life, working with rather than against nature,” the citation read.

David Attenborough New Delhi/IANS: Noted broadcaster and natural historian David Attenborough has been presented the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2019 by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.

Attenborough has been given the prize for “revealing the wonders of the natural world, educating

Speaking on the occasion on September 7, former Indian Prime Minister and senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh underlined the importance of climate and environment in the backdrop of the current Covid-19 pandemic.

“It doesn’t need an epidemic to tell us that we are not in good shape. Climate change, the assault on the oceans, the pollution of the atmosphere, the junk floating about in space, the reduction of forest cover, the extinction of life in rivers, the reduction of natural habitat for any life other

than humans - all this is evident to anyone,” the former Indian PM said.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, referring to late former Indian PM Indira Gandhi after whom the prize has been named, said: “India needed to accelerate the pace of investment, and expand its economic infrastructure. But at the same time, she (Indira Gandhi) was very sensitive to the imperative of maintaining what she would often call ecological balance.”

“Sir David, through his prodigious creativity has been educating humankind with brilliant films and books about the natural world. And he has, of late, been the most sensible voice warning us that we, more than anything else, are responsible for the accelerating threat to the environment on our planet,” she added.

Pranab’s autobiography series delineates India from 1970s to present spend an idle moment during his five-decade journey in politics, during which he witnessed firsthand the evolution of a new India, Pranab Mukherjee, India’s 13th President who died on August 31, had penned four volumes of his autobiography after his term ended in 2017, three of which have been published by Rupa, while the fourth is in process.

Pranab Mukherjee New Delhi/IANS: Never known to

This is a rare first-hand account of the events that have shaped India in the past 50 years and will serve as a valuable source material for academics, political scientists and the layman alike through the eyes of a man who never hesitated to call a

spade a spade -- and suffered the occasional pinpricks but eventually came out smiling.

A powerful orator and scholar, Mukherjee’s intellectual and political prowess as well as remarkable knowledge of international relations, financial affairs and parliamentary process are widely admired. He has been acclaimed for his role as a consensus builder on difficult national issues through his ability to forge unity among diverse political parties that form part of India’s vibrant multi-party democracy.

Veteran journalist pens Covid-19 narrative and the way forward New Delhi/IANS: As the world continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic, here’s a captivating, authoritative, and eye-opening full story of how and why it happened.

With the accumulated knowledge of our failings and a wealth of expert opinions, veteran science journalist Debora MacKenzie charts a forward path in “Covid-19 - The Pandemic that Never Should Have Happened, and How to Stop the Next One” for protecting humanity from even worse threats to come.

Over the last 30 years of epidemics and pandemics, we learned every lesson needed to stop this coronavirus outbreak in its tracks.

We heeded almost none of them -- and the previous viruses that should have prepared us. This, coupled with some shocking public health failures, paved the way for a pandemic on a scale never before seen in our lifetimes, the book, published by Hachette, says.

MacKenzie has been reporting on emerging diseases for more than three decades, and she draws on that experience to explain how Covid-19 went from a potentially manageable outbreak to a global pandemic.

Offering a compelling history of the most significant recent outbreaks, including SARS, MERS, H1N1, Zika, and Ebola, she gives a crash course in Epidemiology 101 - how viruses spread and how pandemics end - and outlines the lessons we failed to learn from each past crisis.

In vivid detail, MacKenzie takes us through the arrival and spread of Covid-19, making clear the steps that governments knew they could have taken to prevent or at least prepare for this.

Looking forward, she makes a bold, optimistic argument: this pandemic might finally galvanise the world to take viruses seriously.

Fighting this pandemic and preventing the next one will take political action of all kinds, globally, from governments, the scientific community, and individuals - but it is possible.

“This definitely deserves a read - the first of the post-mortems by a writer who knows what she’s talking about,” says Laura Spinney, author of “Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 And How It Changed The World”.

MacKenzie, who has been reporting on Covid-19 from the start, was among the first journalists to suggest that it could become a pandemic.

From SARS to Rabies and Ebola to AIDS, she’s been on the frontline in reporting on how pandemics form, why they spread, and how to stop them throughout her career.

In addition to infectious disease, she also specialises in reporting on the science of complexity and social organisation.

In 2010, she won the American Society for Microbiology Public Communication Award. Before becoming a journalist, she worked as a biomedical researcher.

India’s Union Cabinet clears J&K Official Languages Bill New Delhi/IANS: The Indian Government’s Union Cabinet on September 2 gave its nod to the introduction of the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill, 2020 in the Parliament.

Under the Bill, five languages -- Kashmiri, Dogri, Hindi, Urdu and English -- will be the official languages in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar

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Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar told the media that the approval was based on public demand.

Javadekar also informed that the Union Cabinet has approved three MoUs on September 2. One of them is between the Textile Ministry and Japan, another between the Mining Ministry and Finland, and the third between the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Denmark.

Earlier, the Cabinet had given its approval to ‘Mission Karmayogi’, a National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building.

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Zuber K Khan to star in Sushant’s death turned into Bigg Sushant Singh Rajput- Boss-type drama: Kumud Mishra inspired film

Mumbai /IANS: Naagin 3 actor Zuber K Khan is all set to start shooting for ‘Nyaay: The Justice’, a film reportedly inspired by the life of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

Incidentally, a co-producer of the film is Sarla A Saraogi, whose husband Ashok M. Saraogi represents Sushant’s ex-manager ShrutiModi in the ongoing investigations into the actor’s death.

“The story mostly focuses on both Rhea and Sushant’s lives -- their chemistry, their affair living together and all that.

‘Nyaay: The Justice’ not only talks about justice for SSR, but justice for

Rhea as well, and whoever else is getting into this case. The film speaks about justice, even though the verdict is yet to be out on Sushant’s case in real life,” Zuber told IANS. He plays a character inspired by late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who he claims to have personally known. “I will be playing Sushant’s character. I am privileged to play Sushant, even though we were not in touch lately. But we were in touch five years back. However, the names of the characters would be different in the film. This film will be my tribute to Sushant,” informed the actor.

Twinkle Khanna amuses fans with funny meme post Mumbai /IANS: Author Twinkle one wrote.

Khanna, who is known for her Twinkle is currently spending wit and sarcasm, has once again time with her family in the UK, floored the fans with those traits. where her husband Akshay Kumar On Instagram, Twinkle posted is shooting for his upcoming film, a meme that had gone viral, “Bell Bottom”. featuring her as point of the joke.

In the meme, Chris Evans as Captain America is seen saying, “Why is Akshay Kumar’s wife not a big star? Because twinkle twinkle little star.”

Twinkle posted the meme with this caption, “How do you know if you are a bonafide star? When you become part of a famous meme.”

The tagged her post with# LittleStarProtestsAgainstSi zeDiscrimination.

Netizens are impressed with her sense of humour as always.

“Hahaha funniest thing,” a user commented.

“Lol, mam you always Twinkle Khanna hilarious meme make us laugh,” another

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New Delhi/IANS: Actor Kumud Mishra feels all the clamour around the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput has turned a tragedy into a Bigg Boss-type drama, which is tarnishing his memory.

Mishra, who featured with Sushant in his 2016 superhit “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story”, feels one should wait for the CBI to complete the investigation.

“Seriously, I don’t know where we have come? When will we be quiet? When will we be silent? I don’t know what to say because the tragedy of losing a young star is so big,” Mishra told IANS when asked about the turns in the case.

“CBI is investigating the matter, and for god’s sakes, let them investigate. Leave his family alone,” he added.

He continued, “Our tragedy is that we don’t even give one the time to grieve. We can’t let the departed person rest in peace. We made ‘Bigg Boss’ of his death, and this is a bigger tragedy.”

“The way people are playing with them, the way people are bringing out things from the past. He is not here to answer any of it,” Mishra added.

The actor also wonders why cases of suicide by other actors after Sushant’s death didn’t catch anyone’s attention.

“I am not comparing death with death. But after him, three actors have committed suicide.

No one is talking about them, because that isn’t an issue for you. Sushant made a name for his work, but people are discussing him at such places and points where one is damaging his memory, damaging his work and his accomplishments,” said the actor, who is currently seen in the film, “Ramsingh Charlie”, which dropped on SonyLIV recently.

Mishra feels no one wants to talk about the real “mudda” (issue). “I am sure that once the investigation is over that issue will come in front, and still people won’t discuss the issue because

Kumud Mishra that doesn’t generate revenue for anyone. That is depression, mental health. People don’t want to have a conversation about it, because that is not an important topic for our country and society,” he reasoned.

“Unkoasalmein masala chahiye (people want sensationalism). So, it is a tragedy. Let’s wait for the CBI investigation to get over, and let’s see. I think people will stop talking about it because they will get another topic to talk about,” he added.

The song that inspired chef Vikas Khanna to feed millions in India Mumbai /IANS: Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna has launched an initiative to feed marginalised people during the Covid-19 pandemic, and he cites an Akshay Kumar song as his inspiration.

“I have dedicated 30 million meals to the soil of my country.

There is a song in Akshay Kumar’s film ‘Kesari’ called ‘Teri mitti’.

This song inspired and pushed me. Even if I can’t go back to my village, I hope that my village is

always flourishing,” said Khanna, who, over the past five months, has been serving 30 million meals to the less privileged in India during the lockdown hunger, though he stays in the United States.

Talking about his campaign, Khanna said, “I am also grateful to National Disaster Response Force for supporting us in this initiative.

I think they are the true heroes of our country.

Akshay Kumar Vikas Khanna’s campaign is called Feed India and he has collaborated with MukulMadhav Foundation to realise it.

Actress Kangana thanks Amit Shah for Y-plus security Mumbai /IANS: Actress Kangana Ranaut has thanked Indian Home Minister Amit Shah for providing her with Y-plus category security, following her recent spat with Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut who has asked her to stay away from Mumbai.

“This shows that no one can crush a patriot in the country. I am thankful to Home Minister Amit Shah. Had he wanted, he would have told me to visit Mumbai later amid the ongoing tension but he respected India’s daughter and acknowledged my selfrespect. Jai Hind,” Kangana wrote on her verified Twitter account.

On September 7, India’s Ministry of Home Affairs granted ‘Y’ category security to Kangana ahead of her return to Mumbai from her hometown in Himachal

Pradesh, in light of her recent spat with Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut.

An Indian Home Ministry official, requesting anonymity, told IANS that Ranaut will be given round the clock security cover by a specialised security wing of one of the Central Armed Police Forces.

However, the official said, it was not yet confirmed if the security will be provided by the Central Industrial Security Force or Central Reserve Police Force.

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Kangana courted controversy when she recently compared Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, triggering angry reactions from the Maharashtra government and Shiv Sena leaders. Her reaction came after Sanjay Raut had warned her against returning to Mumbai from Himachal Pradesh.

Many people are asking the actress to apologise for her comments, but she has shared the video to assert that she has complete freedom of expression.

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