Indian Weekender 30 June 2017 by Indian Weekender

30 JUNE2017 | Vol 9 Issue 15

LABOUR PROMISES

NATIONAL PARTY CONFERENCE:

to increase minimum wages

‘More tax-cuts to follow’

Pg 10

Pg 5

www.iwk.nz

CLASSICAL INDIAN DANCE show on saga of Tamil language Pg 5

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REPEATED SHOPLIFTING HURTS SMALL BUSINESSES EID CELEBRATED

WITH TRADITIONAL FERVOUR

COMMUNITY SHINES: LANGAR SEVA IN CBD

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The Indian Weekender

NEW ZEALAND

Friday, June 30, 2017

Organised shoplifting, police paper work appals store owner ¡¡ SANDEEP SINGH

liquor store owner in South Auckland is complaining of organised shoplifting that continues unabated without any fear of tougher punishment – and even worse, the amount of police paper work that follows with literally no outcome, making it difficult to run their business. Experts believe that shoplifting costs the economy about $1.2 billion a year. Harnek Singh, 40, the owner of liquor store in Otara named Liquor Baron, has owned the store for nearly three years and on Friday, June 23 experienced his eighth major instance of shoplifting, where shoplifters helped themselves without paying for what they took away. This is after discounting numerous occasions of smaller shoplifting incidents that the storeowner does not report to police. “This was the eighth instance of shoplifting that we have reported to police since buying this store nearly three years ago,” Mr Singh told The Indian Weekender, showing an incident record that the shop maintains after every incident is reported to police. “Every time we have been able to provide to the police all CCTV footage and other details required to assist in their investigation, but no one has ever been caught. “We do not even bother to report smaller incidences where shoplifters escape with smaller value goods,” Mr Singh said.

Harnek Singh at his store in Otara

In this instance, the financial loss was worth $500 and the shopkeeper has chosen not to claim insurance. It would not make sense with the excess working out to be more than the actual loss, Mr Singh said. However, these losses accumulate over a period of time with repeated number of smaller incidences of shoplifting that go without reporting to police or insurance and accumulating the amount of loss to the business. “This is definitely the handiwork of organised gangs who appear to be working like any other normal office-goers except that they prey on

“

This was the eighth instance of shoplifting that we have reported to police since buying this store more than two years ago

someone else’s hard work rather than their own,” said an exasperated Mr Singh. “What follows reporting of such incidences to police is also not very helpful as their investigating team takes lot of time and paperwork for no obvious results,” Mr Singh said. Retail NZ – an advocacy group for retailers in New Zealand has been calling for the government to fund a Retail Crime Taskforce within the Police. However, in absence of more information on the nature of the proposed Retail Crime Task Force, shopkeepers and storeowners seem to be divided on the need for a separate retail crime taskforce separate from the normal police. “The crime investigation team that arrived in my store had locked the store for about two to three hours on Friday, which is a busy day for our business, driving away lots of customers and resulting in loss of business,” Mr Singh said. “This was different from my previous experience with police when the follow up investigation was short and quick,” Mr Singh recalled. However, there is no difference in the outcome. “We are yet to receive any news on arrests or recovery of our stolen goods so far,” Mr Singh said.

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‘Langar’ in Auckland CBD

The Indian Weekender

EPIC 2017 to showcase New grabs attention and applause Zealand’s growing and ethnically diverse business community

Langar seva at Guru Nanak’s Free Kitchen in Auckland CBD

¡¡ RIZWAN MOHAMMAD

eople passing the Wellesley Street on Saturday, June 24, just opposite to the Skycity Hotel in Auckland CBD were delighted with the view of the small stall that read ‘Langar’ Guru Nanak’s Free Kitchen for the people. On enquiry, one of the sevakdaars (volunteers) serving rice and lentils to a visitor humbly requests to wait for a while as a queue of people is waiting to be served. Guru Nanak’s Free Kitchen, a free food service for the homeless and the needy has gained quite a momentum as they serve 350400 in the CBD once a month. “The food is cooked in New Lynn Gurudwara and we are proud to serve the people passing by. We believe feeding the hungry, irrespective of their faith, belief, status is one of the best ways to serve humanity,” a sevakdaar told The Indian Weekender, who insisted on being called so and not by his name. The Free Kitchen initiative started in April 2017 and operates from a stall in the CBD area

every last Saturday of the month. The place can house 25-30 people at a time and the footfall increases during lunch time. The ambience at the food stall amidst the chaotic and busy CBD roads packed with cars was quite similar to that of a Langar hall in a Gurudwara. The place resonated with slow and low volume Kirtan played in the background for the people to make them feel relaxed. Two sevakdaars served food from the front, a few arranged the plates, water cans, tidied the tables while another person served tea to the visitors. Running a free Langar in the middle of the city not just feeds the homeless but also makes them feel comfortable and spreads the message of the Sikh religion, such spreading love and rendering service to humanity. “We have received a lot of appreciation for this work and people even come and sit with us volunteers asking more about Sikhism and its teachings. We look forward to expanding this service to South and West Auckland shortly,” another sevakdaar at the stall said.

inister for Ethnic Communities, Judith Collins, will address the annual EPIC NZ (Ethnic People in Commerce) conference at Sky City Convention Centre on Friday, June 30, which will bring together New Zealand’s ethnically diverse business community. EPIC NZ is the annual flagship event of The Office of Ethnic Communities, which provides an opportunity for New Zealand’s ethnically diverse business community to make valuable connections with local and international business leaders, and government agencies to drive innovation and growth. EPIC NZ will strengthen the links between government and the ethnically diverse business community while providing valuable insights into digital disruption, innovation, and how to succeed in an ever-changing global economy. “Diversity is essential for the growth of New Zealand’s businesses. Research shows diversity helps build a stronger economy and creates jobs by encouraging innovation, deepening links with international markets and providing the skills we need for growth,” Ms Collins said. Small Business Minister Jacqui Dean will also attend the conference this year to address the large number of small businesses in the audience. The conference provides information and support to help small businesses thrive.

“We want to ensure all businesses, including small and medium businesses, have the opportunity to realise the benefits from innovation and diversity. EPIC NZ will showcase the New Zealand business story, new trends, and provides a platform to connect participants with inspiring business leaders,” Ms Collins said. This year the conference aims to: • Encourage engagement and open dialogue between Government and the ethnically diverse business community about the opportunities and challenges faced. • Connect and inspire New Zealand’s ethnically diverse business community and demonstrate the benefits of diversity. • Discuss how to get the best out of the New Zealand business story in our fast-paced global economy. “I am pleased to see that government agencies will also be in attendance, to provide businesses with the opportunity to engage and access the support and services available to them,” Ms Collins said. The keynote speaker for this year’s event is Further information including the conference programme and speakers is available on the Office of Ethnic Communities website: https:// ethniccommunities.govt.nz/events/epicnzconference-auckland-30-june-2017

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Classical Indian dance show on saga of Tamil language T ¡¡ SANDEEP SINGH

he Wellington-based Natraj School of Dance is presenting a thematic classical Indian dance show on Saturday, July 15, at 6.30 p.m. at the Sacred Heart College, Laings Road, Lower Hutt, Wellington, depicting the saga of progress and development of the Tamil language. The Natraj School of Dance – an Indian classical dance cchool, based in Lower Hutt was established by Prabha Ravi about 19 years ago. Over these years, Prabha has trained more than 500 young students in Bharatanatyam and encouraged them to participate in local and national events. Bharatanatyam is a popular classical dance form entrenched deep within Tamil culture and transcending time and age along with the classical language. The language is one of the longest surviving classical languages in the world. “Indian classical dance is not merely moving your body to a rhythm. It is a discovery of your roots, philosophy, mythology, language, culture and many other

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Friday, June 30, 2017

Above and below; students of Natraj School of Dance

facets of life,” Mrs Ravi said. “Every child develops one’s personality and mind by learning this dance. Many youths have benefited immensely through the dance school in learning this valuable art,” Mrs Ravi added. The Tamil language has originated from the Indian

province of Tamil Nadu and is widely spoken in many Asian countries like India, Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, where many members of the Tamil community live. The language is spoken by more than seventy million people all

over the world. It is also used as one of the languages of education in Malaysia, along with English, Malay and Mandarin. The scripted text in the Tamil language dates back to over three thousand years. The Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions have been found as long ago as 500 years Before Christ with the earliest period of Tamil literature, Sangam literature, dating from 300 BC – 300 AD. Natya Sastra – the scripture of dance, which forms the basis of the classical Bharatanatyam dance, was written in Tamil language, thousands of years ago. In this year’s dance show, about 50 students, ranging from children as young as five years old to adults, will be performing in the two-hour show. Recently, Mrs Ravi was conferred the Queen’s Services Medal in 2017 by the New Zealand government for her services to the fine arts. This year’s production is supported by the Hutt City Council which promotes and celebrates the diversity of the city. For tickets and further information please contact Natraj School of Dance at natrajschoolofdance@gmail.com.

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National Party Conference: More tax cut to follow if reelected

rime Minister Bill English has promised of more tax cuts to follow after the recently announced budgetary plan of reduction in taxes from April next year. Speaking at the 81st Annual Conference of the National Party held in Wellington on June 23-24, Mr English indicated that more tax cuts would follow as a part of National’s plan of lifting incomes. “Wouldn’t it be great if we could do it again,” Mr English asked. “Well, we can.”If we are able to keep lifting growth and carefully manage the public finances, we will be able to further reduce taxes and lift incomes,” Mr English asserted in confidence.

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The Indian Weekender

International Yoga day Indian Idol 2017 Finalist PVNS celebrations in Hamilton Rohit(Naga) set to enthrall Auckland ¡¡ IWK BUREAU

¡¡ SANDEEP SINGH

ontinuing the nationwide celebrations of the third International Yoga Day, Kiwi-Indians in the Waikato gathered together on Wednesday, June 21, at the Waikato Institute of Technology to celebrate the essence of yoga for a healthy living. “Approximately 70 enthusiasts and Yoga practitioner joined to perform different asanas following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech and video of asanas,” said Suman Kapoor, the lead organiser of the yoga event. The event was held under the aegis of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) International. The event had three guest speakers who spoke eloquently about the benefits of incorporating Yoga in everyday life to enjoy a balance between mental peace and healthy body. Sunny Singh, a trained Yoga specialist emphasised the benefits of Ashtanga asana, which according to many experts involves synchronising breath with a progressive series of postures that produce intense internal heat and a purifying sweat that in turn detoxifies muscles and organs. The second speaker was Roselyn Chetty – a cardiac nurse educator at the Waikato District Health Board who spoke about the importance of Yoga for the well being of the heart. The third speaker was Dr Rachna Kumar who spoke specifically about the importance of cooling down asanas such as Yog Nidra. “We encouraged schools to announce in the assembly as well as have some discussions around International Yoga day on June 21,” Mrs Kapoor said at the conclusion of the event.

“

Approximately 70 enthusiasts and Yoga practitioner joined to perform different asanas following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech and video of asanas,

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Fasting is over, feasting begins: Community observes Eid-ul-Fitr ¡¡ RIZWAN MOHAMMAD

id was once again celebrated with full enthusiasm and zeal in different parts of Auckland. The biggest celebration of the Muslim community was declared on Sunday, June 25 roughly around 5 p.m. when FIANZ confirmed the sighting of the moon. The moon sighting brings a sense of joy as well as a bit of grief for the community as it marks the end of the holiest month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan. This year, Muslims all over the world observed 29 days of fasting as the moon was sighted one day before anticipated. Eid-ul-Fitr on Monday, June 26 brought packed mosques and community halls as men, women, and children dressed in their best traditional outfits set out to offer the Eid prayers. The Eid prayer is Wajib (second to compulsory) for the believers fasting as it is said to be the reward for the month of fasting and sacrifice. Auckland Eid Day, the notfor-profit organisation reserved a big area in the Mt Smart Stadium premises in Penrose for Eid prayer and the carnival for the families scheduled later. The prayer was led by President of FIANZ, Hazim Arafeh and the Eid Namaz

Above & top; Community during Eid prayers

delicacies such as Kebab, hot dog, samosa, besides others. A big arrangement was also made at the Malaeola Centre in Mangere where another Eid prayer was observed by more than 700 people. This venue too hosted the food stalls and other fun activities for the families. The children who finished reading the whole Quran were given prizes for their feat by Al-Noor Islamic Trust.

commenced at 9:15 a.m. followed by a Kutbah (sermon). More than 5000 men, women, and children attended the Eid Namaz at the venue and another approximately 7000 people dropped in later during the day for a quality family time. The event hosted bouncing castles and face painting for the children, women shopped for beautiful scarves, henna-tattoo and imitation jewellery and others queued to feast on the traditional

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NZ Police surprises community at Eid Celebrations in Otahuhu ¡¡ RIZWAN MOHAMMAD

ergeant Gurpreet Arora and Constable Satvir Sen representing New Zealand Police attended NZ Police interacts with community at Eid celebrations the Eid prayer on visit families and friends greeting Monday, June 26, at Al-Mustafa Jamia the auspicious day. All the Islamic Masjid in Otahuhu. Eid is the biggest Centres in Auckland organised the Eid festival of the Muslim community prayer for the Muslim community and and New Zealand Police extended its a majority of them also hosted a small warm wishes by sending officers to event at their venue so that families attend the big event. and visitors can have a great time at “It was a great occasion with nearly the venue. The South Auckland Muslim 3000 men and women attending the Association under which comes the prayer and the celebrations,” Sergeant Jamia Masjid in Otahuhu is renowned Gurpreet Arora said. to have hosted a number of community The policemen were received with a events throughout the year. SAMA warm welcome at the Masjid and the hosts speakers from different Islamic community members present regarded centers around the globe, events this visit a wonderful gesture of to engage the community such as support from the New Zealand Police. Iftar parties for Muslims and nonThe community interacted with Muslims, Quran competition for both the officers as they exchanged children, Naath sessions, sports to pleasantries after the Eid Prayer. engage the youth and last year it also “The Counties Manukau hosted the first women’s hijab fashion Police would like to wish our Muslim walk and exhibition for the women. brothers and sisters in Counties “May the magic of this Eid bring Manukau as well as rest of the lots of happiness in your life and may country, Eid Mubarak,” Sergeant you celebrate it with you all your Arora said conveying the message close family and friends and may it fill from the Counties Manukau Police. your heart with wonders,” Sergeant Eid is an occasion of celebration Arora added. and feast and Muslims on this day

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Friday, June 30, 2017

SOUTH LINE

Yoga techniques showcased at Christchurch ¡¡ GAURAV SHARMA

News-in-brief from South Island

Muslims community in Canterbury observes Eid

Concluding part of International Day of Yoga

ontinuing from the Indian Culture Group’s International Day of Yoga celebrations in Christchurch on June 18, the concluding part of the celebrations took place last Saturday in the city. With Canterbury Ethnic Network (CEN) taking the lead and inviting three different centres showcasing various forms of yoga – indicative of the global spread of the ancient wellness practice – the event was organised by the Canterbury Indian Women Group and Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) Christchurch. Mr Surinder Tandon of CEN said, “We had Ms Asmita Makwana from Sunrise Yoga, Ms Jo McHerg from Yoga Place and Ms Aurora Smith from the Art of Living foundation. The international nature of Yoga

The Indian Weekender

¡¡ GAURAV SHARMA

H trainers and teachers that we have here in Christchurch is truly remarkable.” Also, as was in the first part of the celebrations, this time too, the event saw Dr Aniket Puri, Intervention Cardiologist at the Christchurch Hospital, and his daughter investigated the benefits of Yoga on blood pressure and heart rate by recording the levels pre- and

post-Yoga sessions. On what they have learned, Dr Puri elaborated, “Doing Yoga definitely has positive effects of human physiology. While I can’t say whether Yoga can cure ailments, it definitely improves both the parameters – blood pressure and heart rate – going by what we have measured over the last two weekends.”

undreds of faithful gathered at Christchurch’s Cowles Stadium to offer Eid prayers on the morning of Monday, June 26 Later that day, the Pakistani Association of Canterbury NZ (PACNZ), organised the first mass Eid celebration in the city at St Martins Anglican Church with almost 240 community members attending. “The highlight was an Eid-quiz, which was organised to educate the younger ones on the importance of Ramadan and it’s culmination in Eid,” noted Mr Kalim Khan, PACNZ’s President. Meanwhile, the wider community will have a chance to celebrate Eid together this weekend with three mass celebrations coming up. First is the event organised by the Canterbury Muslim Community Trust on July 1, from 1 p.m., at

Eid prayers in Christchurch on Monday at the Cowles Stadium_picture courtesy Muslim Association of Canterbury

the Fendalton Community Centre. This will be followed by Indian Cultural Group’s event from 7 p.m. at the Halswell Centre. The celebrations will conclude the next day, on July 2, with Muslim Association of Canterbury’s (MAC) Eid community potluck event being organised at the city’s Masjid Al Noor. “There will be nasheeds, henna painting, kids games and prize presentations. As Canterbury’s Muslim community has representations from over 40 different ethnicities, we have requested the members to come in their traditional costumes,” the organisers said.

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loses much-loved New Zealand Indian Sports Community member in workplace incident Association annual hockey tournament concludes T ¡¡ GAURAV SHARMA

he last rites of Dayal Parbhu Patel, an Indian migrant who has been in Christchurch since early 1990s, were performed last Tuesday at the Harewood Memorial Gardens and Crematorium with hundreds of Indian community members attending. As reported earlier, 58-year-old Mr Patel, a welder by profession, was killed at a workplace incident that took place on June 9. He was working at Pegasus Engineering in the Izone Business Hub in Rolleston near Christchurch at that time. Police and emergency services rushed to the scene around 12.30pm that afternoon, after being informed that Mr Patel been trapped under a beam. He died at the scene. A much-loved member of the

¡¡ GAURAV SHARMA

ZISA, which celebrated its golden jubilee a few years ago, concluded its mostawaited annual sports event this month. The Queens Birthday Indian Hockey Tournament (QBT), as it is called, was hosted in Palmerston North by the Central Districts Indian Sports Club this time. While the Wellington Indian Sports Club won the men’s title beating Bay of Plenty Indian Sports Club (BOPISC) 5-0 in the finals to lift the Dhyan Chand trophy back-toback, the Christchurch Indian Sports Club (CISC) stood third. Raj Bhana, CISC men’s hockey convenor said, “The team were disappointed going down to BOPISC on shoot-outs in the semi-final but played a fantastic brand of hockey and thoroughly enjoyed the weekend. Congratulations are also due to three of our team members Cam Hayde, Mitch Hayde and Will Hayde, who were named as members of QBT 2017 Tournament Team.” The women’s title was won by the North Harbour Indian Sports Club. As reported earlier in this newspaper, NZISA is a network of eight member clubs comprising

“

The team were disappointed going down to BOPISC on shoot-outs in the semi-final but played a fantastic brand of hockey and thoroughly enjoyed the weekend

58-year-old Mr Patel, a welder by profession, was killed at a workplace incident that took place on June 9

local Indian community hailing from Gujarat, Mr Patel is survived by his 21-year-old daughter, who is studying at the University of Canterbury, and his wife who works in the mushroom industry. As is mandatory by law, police has notified WorkSafe of the incident, which is investigating the accident. A WorkSafe spokesperson said, “The investigation into the incident is under way and is likely to take some time. While we are investigating, we are unable to provide further information.”

The Christchurch Indian Sports Club’s hockey team that participated in the annual tournament(picture courtesy CISC)

people of Indian origin in New Zealand. These are located in Christchurch, Wellington, Central Districts, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Pukekohe, Auckland and North Harbour. While hockey is the main sport, the member clubs occasionally also organise netball, cricket and golf tournaments. Next year’s QBT tournament is scheduled to be held in Auckland.

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NEW ZEALAND

Friday, June 30, 2017

Remembering Rafi with ‘Woh Jab Yaad Aaye’

f you are a Bollywood music lover chances are you are a Mohammed Rafi fan. A genius playback singer and one of the most popular singers ever in the Hindi film industry, he is still much loved and remembered for his voice and versatility. An artist who was equally at ease singing a classical numbers or a peppy romantic number or a qawwali to ghazals and bhajans. Rafi sang around 7,405 songs in many Indian languages besides Hindi including Konkani, Bhojpuri, Odia, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi, Sindhi, Kannada, Gujarati, Telugu, Magahi, Maithili and Urdu. Apart from Indian languages, he also sang songs in English, Farsi, Arabic, Sinhalese, Creole and Dutch. To pay tribute to this versatile singer, UA International (NZ) is presenting ‘Woh Jab Yaad AayeA Tribute to Rafi’ that is held around the same time every year to commemorate Rafi Saab’s death anniversary. The show is presented in association with Travel Point and NCBT. It is an event that Rafi fans or Bollywood music fans can not affod to miss as they can expect to be regaled with Rafi’s saab’s evergreen hits surely turning back the clock. The show will also feature brilliant musicians from Mumbai, India along with talented singers from Auckland, NZ. The show is conceived and presented by Umesh Sharma who is

She has performed at several stage concerts in Auckland and is undergoing training in Hindustani Classical from Swar Sadhana Academy. At the ‘Woh Jab Yaad Aaye’ show, she is looking forward to performing some great classics with rest of the team.

Rini Dadheech (Chakraborty).

well renowned as the voice of Rafi, originating from Gujarat where he harnessed his passion for music by performing Tribute To Rafi shows every year, starting from 1996. Since moving to NZ in 2004, he has focused on bringing quality Bollywood entertainment to Auckland’s shores. Now, after focusing on organizing events for the better half of a decade, he is making a comeback to the stage as the lead performer of the Tribute To Rafi concert, due to popular demand from Auckland’s Mohammed Rafi fans. Other singers include:

Guncha

uncha is a renowned name in Auckland music circle.

ini was born and brought up in Kolkata, India and is well trained with Sangeet Visharad in Hindustani Classical Music. She grew up in a Bengali family which has got strong Classical music background. Her mother Smt Nilima Chakraborty was her first Music teacher and she started learning music since the tender age of 3 years from her mother. She has participated in various musical programs and competitions from her childhood age at state level. After coming to Auckland she has been actively performing in various musical shows & teaching music in Bhartiya Mandir as well.

Bhavna Suroshi

havna is another talented singer from Auckland who enjoys both old and new music and loves to improvise by giving own’s touch to the evergreen melodies. She has been performing in various singing shows for the past 10 years in NZ. She was a finalist in a major singing talent show in NZ and her favourite singers are Asha Bhosale, Rafi

Sahab, Kavita Krishnamoorthy and Shreya Ghoshal.

Shweta Divekar-Shirsat

hweta is a classically trained singer. She started learning Hindustani Classical music from the tender age of 5 from Pt. Karekar in Mumbai. Shweta has won a number of inter-collegiate competitions back in Mumbai. And has performed with some bigwigs of the music industry. Shweta is a versatile singer with a great range of songs up her sleeves. She especially loves singing Lataji’s and Ashaji’s renditions. Shweta has performed in numerous shows in Auckland. And Shweta says Music is one big part of her life and is now passing the art to her 5 year old daughter.

Sreesutha Nannegari

reesutha started singing at the age of 3, and since then has been encouraging by her family and friends. She developed interest in singing film songs and light music before starting learning classical music. She completed graduation in Carnatic Classical Music from Telugu University, Hyderabad, India. She was fortunate to become a disciple of ‘Hyderabad Sisters’ Gurus Lalitha and Hari Priya. She has sung for nearly about 80 to100 Tollywood movies with mostly all the top Music Directors for almost 7 to 8 years. She has continued her musical journey in NZ. She is involved in Social and Cultural activities like volunteering at Bharatiya Mandir, New Zealand Telugu Association and Telangana Association of New Zealand.

The Indian Weekender

Labour Party promise to increase minimum wages

he Labour Party has promised to increase minimum wages and boost incomes if elected to power in this election. Speaking at the Employment Relations policy launch, the Party Leader Andrew Little announced that “Labour will implement sensible changes to employment law to prevent the small number of bad employers undercutting good employers and driving a ‘race to the bottom’ on wages and conditions.” One of the major changes proposed by the Labour Party includes a lift in the minimum wage from $15.75 to $16.50. “The current law undermines good employers who pay their employees well and offer good working conditions. They can find themselves undercut by a small number of bad employers who compete by driving down labour costs. Labour’s sensible changes will fix this. The Party has also promised of doubling the number of Labour Inspectors. “It’s important that government sets an example as a good employer. So Labour will ensure that all core public service employees are paid at least the Living Wage,” Mr Little said.

“

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team of highly qualified professionals and teachers with several years of experience in this competent field. NZIOL is a fast emerging brand name in the areas of English studies and private/after school tuition for Mathematics and English from year 1 to year 6. They are consistently helping students to achieve their desired score in the first attempt. NZIOL is a pioneering institute for providing coaching for Pearson Test of English coaching in PTE. PTE is, perhaps, one of the most important English proficiency tests taken by aspirants for admission to universities across the world, including countries like Australia, Canada and theUK. All universities and a growing number of polytechnics across New Zealand now recognise PTE Academic as proof of English proficiency for study in New Zealand. It is also recognised as approved English ability test for residency applications and also for registrations for trades in New Zealand. With PTE Academic, test results are typically available in five business days and test takers can send their score to as many institutions as they want. For IELTS as well, NZIOL offers comprehensive classroom preparation. NZIOL is providing all that is required to get a good score. The best part is that personal attention is given to students and student-teacher ratio 1:8. Sufficient practice and materials are provided by the institute, which helps a lot. NZIOL is

packed with all the information you need for the IELTS exam. These tips provide helpful insights and reminders to help student do their best in each component of the test. Apart from this, students can choose the duration of their course as they offer a variety of time from morning 10 a.m. till evening 9 p.m. They are also providing weekend classes for working professionals. Counsellors’ at NZIOL guide students for appropriate duration based on the band requirement after analyzing their English basics. However the normal duration for both IELTS and PTE is for fourweeks where proper emphasis is given on clearing of basics in all four modules i.e. Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. You need to have the right level of academic English for your goal. For that you need the best preparation tips. NZIOL offers a huge range of print and digital English materials that will help you to improve your level in PTE. Existence of NZIOL in this field is like flying of an eagle with an attitude and working on the pursuit of achieving perfection to the maximum extent. The professionalism and expertise in test preparation differentiates us from others. This dedication has lead NZIOL to spread wings wider and wider. They ensure the success of students and guide them to achieve success in their careers by giving them the best possible training skills on exams and counseling giving them a bright future. NZIOL has helped a number of students in completing their dream with required score. Therefore positive testimonials and feedbacks of students have suggested others to choose

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NEW ZEALAND

Friday, June 30, 2017

Indian international student showcases mobile video games A ¡¡ SANDEEP SINGH

Whanganui UCOL student is set to take gamers on an adventure through ancient China, and on a mission to colonise the solar system, with the launch of two new video games. Originally from Hyderabad, India, Anirudh Cheruvu, is currently pursuing Master of Design from UCOL and is set to launch two games for Android and iOS; Eternal Vengeance – a martial arts roleplaying game set in 16th century China – and Celestial, a planetcolonising strategy game. Mr Cheruvu had showcased both these games in separate events on UCOL’s Whanganui and Palmerston North campuses on Tuesday, June 27, and Wednesday, June 28, respectively.

Anirudh Cheruvu

At these events, people were able to play versions of the games before they are officially released on both Android and iOS in mid-July. Anirudh has collaborated with a number of fellow Whanganui UCOL students on the project. Music students have made the audio for both games, while Computer Graphic

OCI Card application submission date extended ¡¡ IWK BUREAU

he High Commission of India in New Zealand has decided to extend the date for submission of the application for registration as Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cardholder by the previous Person of Indian Origin (PIO) cardholders up to December 31, 2017. The conversion of Person of Indian Origin (PIO) cards into OCI cards will be done free-of-charge for applications submitted until December 31, 2017. The PIO Card scheme has been withdrawn vide Gazette Notification No.25024l9/2014F.1 dated January 9, 2015 and henceforth, the applicants may apply for OCI card ONLY, as PIO card scheme is no longer in existence. The last date for submission of applications for registration as OCI cardholder in lieu of the PIO card online has been extended till December 31, 2017. A separate online application form for submission of application for registration as OCI cardholder in lieu of PIO card is available in the website http:// passport.eov.inloci/capchaActionPlO. All the existing PIO card holders are urged to apply urgently for conversion of PIO to OCI.

Free chickenpox immunisation for kids ¡¡ IWK BUREAU

ealth Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman welcomes the introduction of free chickenpox vaccination for 15-month-olds, beginning on July 1. “The introduction of the free chickenpox vaccine for 15-month-olds will have a significant impact on reducing the harm caused by this common disease,” Dr Coleman said. Chickenpox is a common childhood disease that is usually mild but can lead to complications including scarring, skin infections, pneumonia, eye damage, swelling of the brain and kidney problems. One dose of chickenpox (or varicella) vaccine is funded for children turning 15 months of age on or after July 1, 2017. This will protect most immunised children from chickenpox. The few who do still catch the disease despite being immunised will be protected from its most severe effects. “While most people catch chickenpox as children, those who catch the disease as adults are at much higher risk of serious illness. For this reason, children turning 11 years of age from 1 July onwards who have neither had chickenpox or been immunised against it will also be eligible for a free dose of the vaccine,” Dr Coleman said. Every year, several hundred people need hospital treatment for complications resulting from chickenpox, and from time to time it can cause long-term disability or death. Countries such as the United States and Australia that have included the vaccine on their immunisation schedules have seen dramatic reductions in the number of people needing hospital treatment for chickenpox complications. The chickenpox vaccine has been available for private purchase in New Zealand since the 1990s, and has a long safety record internationally.

Design student Reuben McGinity is helping with the level design. UCOL Lecturer Gary Whiting, who is supervising Anirudh’s Master of Design Research, says it’s exciting to see a student take on such ambitious projects while studying Speaking to The Indian Weekender, Mr Cheruvu acknowledged the support of his family, especially younger sister Pramada Lanka who has been a continuous source of inspiration behind this project. “My sister is the reason behind this project. “She is a homemaker with two kids back in Hyderabad and had learned about game development from me over the Skype in last two months and had been working on this project since then,” Mr Cheruvu said. Before coming to New Zealand, Mr Cheruvu had been working

on games in Hyderabad for five years and had a degree of Btech in Information Technology along with a Diploma in game designing from Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC). The project is being designed, developed and funded by an Auckland-based gaming start-up company Puppet Masters Interactive Ltd (PMI). Speaking with The Indian Weekender, the CEO of the company, Giri Tata, another Indian of Telugu descent, said, “We are planning to showcase these games in Beijing Game Developer Conference and

few other international destinations,” Mr Tata said. Mr Tata has been a Java developer for about twenty years before venturing into property development and game development. He has expressed his confidence in the product. “We are confident that it will be well received by the market,” Mr Tata further said. The idea of the project began about four years ago in 2013 and is currently at an advanced stage of completion with plans to launch it officially in mid-July.

NEW ZEALAND

Thursday, June 30, 2017

Mental wellbeing a priority for National ¡¡ KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI

National Party List MP

he Government has committed a funding boost of $500,000 for Rural Mental Wellness.

National recognises that rural life goes in cycles, and we want to support our rural communities through the ups and downs. This additional funding will help maintain the momentum and builds on the investment the Government has made in previous years. Funding will go towards 20 workshops for rural health professionals treating people at risk of suicide, continued support for the rural Clinical Champions and Medical Director, as well as support

aimed at younger rural workers. It’s the right mix of further raising awareness of mental health issues within rural communities, coupled with practical help to improve the skills of the health professionals who work alongside the rural sector. The Rural Mental Wellness initiative is administered by Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand and Rural Support Trusts. In 2015, the Government committed $500,000 for Rural Mental Wellness. This was split

between Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand (RHÂNZ) and the Rural Support Trusts. In 2016, the funding was extended for another year. The second phase of the Rural Mental Wellness initiative was $600,000. Cabinet will soon consider a new mental health strategy, which will take into account the needs of our rural communities. Due to its very nature, farming can be a very isolated occupation. Farmers often spend long hours on the farm, and aren’t easily able

to socialise regularly with others compared to those who live in builtup areas. While farmers are really good at looking after the land, animals and machinery, they aren’t traditionally as good at looking after themselves. It’s important that farmers and their families know they aren’t alone if they need someone to talk to. There is a wide range of good advice and support from organisations like Rural Support Trusts, Farmstrong, and Dairy NZ.

our international reputation as a clean, green country, because other countries are lining up to steal our reputation. The latest is Ireland through their origin green branding of agricultural products. They are making a feature of the sustainability of agricultural production, whereas New Zealand-sourced agricultural products are often competing on the basis of lowest price in supermarkets overseas.We need to add value to our exports and the sustainability of our food production should be our greatest asset. But it is also important for who we are as New Zealanders. We are passionate about our environment, and in today’s world, it is one of our defining characteristics as people. It is also a huge attraction for immigrants who leave behind cities that are heavily polluted and threaten the health of parents and their children. The Green Party wants to be a

place that provides a warm welcome for immigrants, rejecting the racial stereotyping and profiling that is unfortunately common in politics. The Green Party believes migrants with families and parents will make more productive contributions towards improving the prosperity of Aotearoa New Zealand.We also need to play our part internationally in providing a safe haven for refugees. The Greens have recently announced our policy for a substantial increase in the numbers of refugees, supported through an adequate budget and investment in a second resettlement centre. Social issues are important for the Greens. We have championed home insulation and will provide support for warm, dry and safe homes. Our ‘Home for Life’ policy will increase the supply of affordable homes, including an innovative rent to buy scheme. We will require a warrant of fitness for rental houses and strengthen tenants’ rights. Addressing law and order issues is important, and the Greens support

strong partnerships between the police and communities, as well as programmes for rehabilitation of offenders to break the cycle of crime and imprisonment. We will also focus on eliminating child poverty and improving educational outcomes for children in low decile schools to ensure that all kids have a decent start in life and prevent the causes of youth crime. Analysis of the government’s finances shows that we can afford to welcome refugees, as well as social priorities such as affordable housing, better transport and law and order. It is a question of what is important. Our priorities are to support people and tackle inequalities that leave too many Kiwis struggling to pay the bills. We want to create a more equal society and a unique environment for our children and their children. You can choose to support the Greens at the election coming up on September 23.

Greening New Zealand politics ¡¡ BARRY COATES, Green Party List MP and

¡¡ RAJ PARDEEP SINGH, Green party candidate for Manukau East

s most Kiwi-Indians know, our country is fortunate to have one of the most unique environments in the world, with beautiful beaches, rivers, forests and landscapes. It is a heritage that we should treasure. It is also a source of value for New Zealand, in terms of its attraction for tourists and investors, and for consumers around the world who are looking for products that are natural, safe and healthy. Most of our exports benefit from our enviable

international reputation. But we are squandering our inheritance. Our rivers are polluted. Surveys show that we can only swim in 40% of the rivers that are monitored – otherwise we risk getting sick. Some of our native forests, even the protected areas, are being destroyed for short term profits from mining. Our unique native birds evolved without mammals, but now are being preyed on by predators like rats, stoats and wild cats, and endangered - 80% of our native birds face extinction. And we are failing on climate change - instead of reducing our emissions as we promised in international treaties, New Zealand’s emissions have actually risen by 20% since this government came into office in 2008. We can do better. Protecting our natural heritage is not only good for our enjoyment of our environment, it is also good for our economy. We should protect

The Indian Weekender

labour.org.nz/vision

Fresh Policies to: . . . Put more community police on the streets

Build affordable houses for families

Get young people into jobs, education and training

Contact Labour’s Ethnic Communities Outreach Team Email Michael.Wood@parliament.govt.nz Email Ethnic.Communities@labour.org.nz Phone 09 373 3332 Address 85 Grafton Rd Auckland NZ 1010

Michael Wood MP Spokesperson for Ethnic Communities

Andrew Little MP Labour Leader

The Indian Weekender

Thursday, June 30, 2017

Easing population growth while we fix the infrastructure deficit

¡¡ PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN Labour candidate for Maungakiekie

his year Auckland Eid Day was held in Maungakiekie – the electorate I’m standing in at this year’s General Election. Auckland Eid Day is always vibrant and this year was no exception. It was wonderful to celebrate Eid al-Fitr alongside thousands of people of different ethnicities all bound by a common faith. I spent the day there - chatting with stallholders and others who attended, sampling delicacies and marvelling at the fact that virtually every part of the globe was represented! We had a strong Labour Party team of MPs and candidates at Auckland Eid and a Labour stall that attracted a fair bit of attention. Many people stopped by to discuss the issues that mattered to them, to enrol to vote at the General Election and to sign up to Labour. The main issue that practically everyone wanted to talk about was housing affordability –home ownership and rental affordability. One elderly lady commented that her children and many of their friends could only afford to buy a house with financial assistance from their parents. That’s something that so many who are of my generation can relate to, especially in Auckland. We need urgent action on housing, and we need to tackle the issue from multiple angles. There is a massive mis-match between supply and demand. Under National, we are only building around 7000 houses in Auckland per year when we need 13,000. Too few of the new builds are actually affordable, and speculators are running rampant. Labour’s Kiwibuild programme will start to make housing more affordable by building 10,000 affordable homes per year – fifty per cent of those will be in Auckland. We’ll keep the cost down by building at scale and selling

at cost to first home buyers. We’ll also crack down on speculators by banning off-shore speculation and making the tax rules fairer. We have an infrastructure deficit that is compounded by significant population growth. Running immigration at record levels contributes to that population growth. The long run average has been around 30,000 net arrivals per year. Over the past few years however this has jumped to over 70,000 net arrivals. This added population pressure makes it harder for us to get on top of major infrastructure challenges such as housing and transport. Our plan to address this is moderate and balanced one. We still need and want immigration to New Zealand, and the total effect of our plans will be to bring net arrivals down to around 40,000-50,000 per year. Still a little above the long-term average, but creating fewer pressures than the current record levels. We’ll make immigration work for all of us by ending abuses in the system and focussing on the skills that our country needs. Regional Skills Lists will be set up in close consultation with employers so that we get exactly the people we need to support our economy. We will also establish a special “Kiwibuild visa” that will allow us to bring in people with skills in the construction industry to help us implement our policy to build 100,000 houses over ten years. Change is needed with student visas. Export education is an important industry, but too often unscrupulous agents are exploiting students and low quality courses simply funnel vulnerable students into the exploitative end of the labour market. Labour will support high quality export education by re-focussing the system on Level 7 and above qualifications. Student visas for courses below Level 7 will only be issued where the course is independently accredited as high quality, and serves a genuine need. Overall, Labour’s changes will make immigration work for all of us who call New Zealand home. There has never been any question, to my mind, that immigration is beneficial. Our diversity – of thought, experience and skills – is our strength. However, we currentlyhave an infrastructure deficit that means too many who are falling behind. Easing population increase will let us fix that deficit such that we are all able to lead decent lives.

Parliament to celebrate Eid next week

he New Zealand Parliament will be celebrating Eid ul-Fitr next week, after Muslim New Zealanders celebrated the biggest festival in the Islamic calendar on Monday, June 26, following the sighting of the new moon earlier on Sunday, the Minister for Ethnic Communities Judith Collins said. Eid ul-Fitr, is celebrated by Muslims all over the world when the fasting month of Ramadan is completed. “New Zealand’s diversity is one of our nation’s greatest assets. When we come together and connect at public celebrations such as Eid, we build trust and understanding between communities and appreciate new perspectives,” Ms Collins said. “For members of the Muslim community, Eid is about celebrating the special meaning of Islam in their lives. Eid also gives all New

Zealanders opportunity to acknowledge the valuable contribution the Muslim community makes to our nation’s religious, cultural and ethnic landscape,” Ms Collins said. According to the 2013 census, New Zealand’s Muslim community is made up of more than 40 ethnicities and there are around 49,000 Muslims in New Zealand, with about 32,000 living in Auckland.

NEW ZEALAND

FIJI

Friday, June 30, 2017

NEW ZEALAND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT FIJI FOR COP23 TALKS

ew Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Climate Change Issues Paula Bennett will be arriving in the country this Sunday. She will be joining regional leaders for a twoday Climate Action Pacific Partnership Event at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva. Also attending the important meeting as Fiji leads to COP23 in Bonn, Germany will be: Nauruan President Baron Waqa • Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific Concetta Ferravanto • Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa Fiame Naomi Mata’afa • Prime Minister of Tuvalu Enele Sopoaga • Deputy Prime Minister of Vanuatu Joe Natuman and other leaders are currently in the process of confirming their participation in the event. Ms Bennett will also be making a courtesy call to Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. The two-day meeting is on July 3 and July 4 and will be a springboard towards COP23 of which Mr Bainimarama is the incoming President. Climate Champion and Agriculture Minister Inia Seruiratu and COP23 Presidency Secretariat executive director John Connor confirmed the arrival of the leaders and also discussed the importance of the event with the Fiji Sun yesterday. “We are targeting two specific areas, one being the political agenda. In the Paris Agreement, most of the negotiations are

“

The two-day meeting is on July 3 and July 4 and will be a springboard towards COP23 of which Mr Bainimarama is the incoming President

undertaken through the negotiators and that is where most of the issues are advanced. Most important for us is the climate action agenda. This is about the implementation of the Paris Agreement and that is where the role of the Champion fits in,” Mr Seruiratu said. And, this is where the private sector too will have the opportunity to play their part in safeguarding the planet. “All countries have their NDCs (the intended Nationally Determined Contributions) and they have specific areas for the implementation of NDCs. “But the implementation of NDCs is not just the responsibility of Governments. Most of the NDCs will be implemented by the private sector, the business communities and the communities themselves. “It is a whole of Govenrment approach and that this is the whole idea behind this so we can discuss our issues, Pacific Island Developing States’ issues, and that will link up to the AOCs

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Scam aimed at Fijian citizens for residence in New Zealand

– the Alliance of the Small Island States and that will go through our link also with G77 plus China,” he said. Mr Seruiratu said each of the countries have their own scenarios as well, there will be some bottlenecks as well as some challenges. “But, we will discuss technology, new innovation and gaps in technology.” Adding onto that, Mr Connor said the conference was focussed on the big solutions we need to the big challenges at hand. “This is about bringing not just the actors but also the non-party actors,” he said.

Conditions Apply*

The Indian Weekender

mmigration New Zealand (INZ) is aware of an email and text scam aimed at Fijian citizens which has attempted to copy the recent Immigration New Zealand Pacific Access Category (PAC) ballot process. If you have received an email or text and are unsure of whether this is real or not: Look for basic mistakes in language and check who the text or email sender is. Copies of scammed information indicate that it is from USAFIS Immigration Services –this is clearly an error as it refers to the USA When Immigration New Zealand (INZ) sends emails or texts there is no requirement to respond to them INZ will only be back in contact with those registrants who were successful through the PAC ballot INZ will not ask for any fees or costs Further information on the PAC registration and ballot process: The Immigration New Zealand PAC ballot process informs people via text and email whether they were successful after an individual has lodged a PAC registration form through local Visa Application Centres (VAC). A registrant will either be provided with a failed or successful result – if successful a registration number is provided. A ballot was run on June 9, 2017 and those registration numbers that were drawn are available on the INZ website and can be found here https:// www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/mediacentre/news-notifications/pacific-quotaballot-results

The Indian Weekender

FIJI

Friday, June 30, 2017

Development Forum signs on for green growth help

Stranded NZ businessmen in high spirits after their rescue

n agreement will enable the Pacific Islands Development Forum to access Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) expertise and apply it to its work in terms of green growth to member states. This after a memorandum of understanding was signed between the two organisations at the PIDF Secretariat in Suva on Tuesday June 27. GGGI aims to promote green growth, a growth paradigm characterised by a balance of economic growth and environmental sustainability. It envisions a resilient world achieved through strong, inclusive and sustainable green growth. PIDF Secretary General Francois Martel said he was pleased to sign an agreement with an organisation that had the same vision and mission as theirs. “The agreement focuses on renewable energy and sustainable development and basically the green economy growth,” Mr Martel said. Mr Martel said they thought they could be of assistance in supporting the work of GGGI in the Pacific. “And also to start thinking of how we can develop green growth programmes that will be focusing on the blue economy which are the large ocean states of the Pacific Islands, He said this gave them an opportunity to learn from expertise of the GGGI and try to apply this to

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GGGI aims to promote green growth, a growth paradigm characterised by a balance of economic growth and environmental sustainability.

the conditions of the Pacific Region. GGGI Director General Frank Rijsberman said it was a great

F L-R: Pacific Islands Development Forum Secretary General, Francois Marcel and the Global Green Growth Institute Director General, Doctor Frank Rijsberman at the Memorandum of Understanding signing at the PIDF office in Suva (Photo: Mere Satakala)

opportunity to also meet with new partners and also sign some agreements and documents as well. Mr Rijsberman said they recently were in Vanuatu working on their National Energy Roadmap and now providing workshops on green infrastructure financing. Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea and was established in 2010.

our stranded New Zealand businessmen on board the yacht Jungle were in high spirits when they arrived in Suva yesterday after being rescued. The four could be heard singing “thank you Fiji” as the RFNS Kula arrived at the Stanley Brown base in Walu Bay. New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji, Mark Ramsden welcomed the four when they were brought in by the RFNS Kula. Mr Ramsden thanked the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and the Fiji Navy for such great co-operation with the New Zealand counterparts. The New Zealand-owned yacht had run aground on Tuvana-i-Ra reef

Safe in Suva...From left: Sam McLean, Peter McLean (owner of the yacht), Geoff Marsland, Roger Young with NZ High Commissioner To Fiji Mark Ramsden on June 25, 2017. Photo: Roneel Karthik

near Ono-i-Lau, 425km from Suva early Friday morning. Rescued are founder of Wellington’s Havana Coffee Works Geoff Marsland; Roger Young who owns the Havana Brothers, the Havana Bar and the famous Wellington Cafe Fidel’s, Peter McLean (owner of the yacht), owner of Captain Salty Fisheries and also a grape grower accompanied by his son Sam McLean who owns National Candles.

New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji, Mark Ramsden welcomed the four when they were brought in by the RFNS Kula.

Thought of the week

Editorial

The role of ‘lobbying’ in transforming Indo-US relations: Lessons for India-NZ relations

ndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the United States (US) is generating tremendous interest all over the world for many different reasons. For international security experts, this fast growing bilateral relationship is one of the most defining security partnerships of the twenty-first century that would possibly enhance the overall security environment of the larger Indo-Pacific region, which is a major concern for everyone in New Zealand. For many, Modi’s visit to the US attracts attention every time for his personal ingenuity in sidestepping the fact that the US has denied him a visa before and continue to deepen the bilateral relationship between the two countries. For many others, this visit was of interest for being the first meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump, two hugely popular and equally divisive leaders as some may argue, of the oldest and the largest democratic societies of the world. However, from a Kiwi-Indian perspective, the most significant point of interest, and an undeniable opportunity of learning about this visit will be the role of ‘lobbying’ and ‘diaspora’ in transcending bilateral relationship between these two countries. The India-US relationship has not always been as warm and courteous as it seems now in present times. In fact, historically during the Cold War era, these two nations have always been at loggerheads and harboured a deep-rooted mistrust and apprehension about each other. This has changed since the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s when India and the US increasingly found themselves strategically aligned on several geopolitical and geo-economics issues. The economic relationship between the two countries has seen a tenfold increase in the past 15 years – from US$5.6 billion in 1990 to $103 billion in 2015. Similarly, in defence cooperation, the US has displaced Russia as the biggest supplier of arms to India. However, this transformation of bilateral relationship has not happened on its own by mere changing realities of a new world order. Instead, these changes have happened or have been consciously driven by the unwavering work of lobbying by the Indo-Americans. While recognising the role of diaspora in Indian government’s strategic worldview can largely be credited to Prime Minister Modi. The acceptance of lobbying as an instrument of Indian foreign policy for improving relations with the US predates Prime Minister Modi, though it has reached an unprecedented level under Mr Modi, concurs Dr Ashok Sharma, deputy chair of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Auckland, and adjunct faculty member at the Australian Defence Force Academy, University of New South Wales. Dr Sharma is an expert on India-US relations and has recently authored a book ‘Indian Lobbying and its Influence in US Decision Making: Post-Cold War,’ where he passionately argues about India’s lobbying efforts in transforming Indo-US bilateral relationship. In 1993, India’s lobbying efforts got a substantial boost with the formation of the India caucus in the US House of Representatives. “It is this India caucus along with wealthy and professionally successful three million-strong Indian-American community, that is transforming Indo-US relations,” Dr Sharma asserts. This caucus actively discusses, debates and refines the collective attitude toward India in the Congress that is consequently reflected in the US policies towards India. India caucus in American Congress

t is a formal group of lawmakers in American Congress which actively delves into all matters related to India. What is important to understand is the fact that the lawmakers of Indian-descent do not essentially constitute this India caucus in American Congress. In fact, the caucus overwhelmingly consists of members of other ethnicities who are primarily responding to the expectations set by the influential members of the Indo-American community and community leaders to actively join this India caucus. It is only when a person of Indian descent is elected as a lawmaker and reaches US Congress that they join this caucus. The current co-chair and the only Hindu ever elected to the US Congress, Tulsi Gabbard, is such a prominent face of Indian descent who eventually gets a chance to bring a ring of Indian ethnicity in this caucus; otherwise, this is largely represented by people of ethnicities in America. The key is the drive and the zeal of the Indo-American community who have been proactive in laying out their expectations to the lawmakers and the administration. During the heyday of US-India civil nuclear deal, when activism of Indo-American community reached its peak and expectations rolled out clearly to their respective representatives, the membership of this India caucus reached 185. Over the past two decades, this Indian lobby group has emerged as one of the most influential minority lobby groups, arguably second only to the Jewish lobby. The results of this activism are obvious, most recently in the manner, Mr Modi and the Trump administration have side-tracked the thorny issues of H-1B visa and in reconciling Mr Modi’s ‘Make in India’ and President Trump’s ‘making America great again’ rhetoric. Lessons for India-NZ relations

ctive lobbying can do wonders in bilateral relationships and there is a lesson to be learned in Indo-New Zealand relationship. With tricky issues like the elusive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) currently looming large on the India-NZ bilateral relationship there is ample scope for learning and replication. Although there is an India friendship group in the NZ parliament already, there is need to reinvigorate and induce more passion in its work. Similarly, there is nothing that stops more boisterous expression of expectations by the KiwiIndian community and their leaders to every lawmaker in the NZ parliament.

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are..” – John Wooden Auckland Weather forecast for the week June 30 - Jul 6

Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thu Partly Showers Occasional Showers showers. with sunny turning Northfresh with to rain cloudy with some westerlies. southwesterlies. periods thundery falls

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Cloudy periods and a few showers

Rain with not much wind.

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This week in New Zealand’s history 2 July 1938 : Electric trains come to Wellington

n 2 July 1938, Minister of Railways Dan Sullivan and Wellington Mayor Thomas Hislop officially opened the electrified rail line between central Wellington and the northern suburb of Johnsonville. The Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company had originally built this steep, winding line in 1886, and, until 1937, it was part of the main trunk route out of the capital. Following the completion of the Tawa Flat deviation that year, the bypassed Johnsonville section was truncated and converted into a suburban route. The line was served by sleek, modern English Rain. Electric DM-class multiple units, the first of their kind in New Zealand.

4 July 1902 : New Zealand Boxing Association formed15°

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he New Zealand Boxing Association (NZBA) was formed to promote and foster amateur boxing in this country. After drawing up its rules and obtaining parliamentary sanction, the association staged its first New Zealand championships in Christchurch later in 1902.

5 July 1881 : Poll tax imposed on Chinese

arliament passed the Chinese Immigrants Act, which introduced a ‘poll tax’ of £10 (equivalent to about $1650 today) on Chinese migrants and restricted the number allowed to land from each ship arriving in New Zealand (only one Chinese passenger was allowed for every 10 tons of cargo). In 1896 this was changed to one passenger for every 200 tons, and the tax was increased to £100 (around $18,660).

Indian Weekender : Volume 9 Issue 15 Publisher: Kiwi Media Publishing Limited Managing Editor: Bhav Dhillon | bhav@indianweekender.co.nz Content Editor: Sandeep Singh | sandeep@indianweekender.co.nz Chief Reporter: Swati Sharma | swati@indianweekender.co.nz Reporter: Rizwan Mohammad | rizwan@indianweekender.co.nz Chief Reporter—South Island: Gaurav Sharma Chief Technical Officer: Rohan Desouza | rohan@indianweekender.co.nz Sr Graphics and Layout Designer: Mahesh Kumar | mahesh@indianweekender.co.nz Graphic Designer: Yashmin Chand | design@indianweekender.co.nz Accounts and Admin.: 09-6366306 | accounts@indianweekender.co.nz Sales and Distribution: 022 3251630 | sales@indianweekender.co.nz Views expressed in the publication are not necessarily of the publisher and the publisher is not responsible for advertisers’ claims as appearing in the publication Views expressed in the articles are solely of the authors and do not in any way represent the views of the team at the Indian Weekender Kiwi Media Publishing Limited - 133A, Level 1, Onehunga Mall, Onehunga, Auckland. Printed at Horton Media, Auckland Copyright 2017. Kiwi Media Publishing Limited. All Rights Reserved.

The Indian Weekender

OPINION/EDITORIAL

Friday, June 30, 2017

Muslim women in India can become change agents through education P ¡¡ FRANK F. ISLAM

rime Minister Narendra Modi recently called for empowerment and education of Muslim women. One would have expected this message to receive widespread acceptance and support. It did not. There was resistance on several fronts for a variety of reasons. Some saw Modi’s move as a political stunt. Some questioned whether Modi was doing anything meaningful in the education and empowerment area. Others came out against it because of a connection to the triple-talaq controversy. There is no gainsaying that there is an unequivocal and critical need to empower Muslim women through education in order for India to achieve its full potential. The status of education in general was captured by the 2001 census which revealed that the Muslim literacy rate was only 59 per cent. In response to these and additional findings regarding Muslims and others in the weaker sections, the Sachar Committee Report of 2006 disclosed a development deficit in a number of areas. The report resulted in the creation of an across-the-board programme for the development of minorities. This programme and other initiatives have had a beneficial effect. In the 2011 census, the overall literacy rate for Muslims went up substantially to 68.5 per cent against the national literacy rate of 74 per cent. That was good news. But the numbers within the numbers tell a different story. The worst literacy rate for women in India is among those in the Muslim community at less than 52 percent. That is cause for concern. Even more worrying is the performance of Muslims in terms of higher education. A US India Policy Institute released in 2013, six

years after the Sachar Report, showed that only 11 per cent of Muslims in India pursue higher education compared to a national average of approximately 19 per cent. Most significantly, that study revealed that there has been a decline in the general category of Muslims participating in higher education. The literacy rate and the higher education statistics represent a double whammy for Muslim women as it relates to empowerment. In education, literacy is the starting line and higher education is the finishing line for becoming fully empowered. These statistics indicate that not enough Muslim women even get to the starting line and very few get to the finishing line. This must change. Muslim women must be able to participate fully along the entire educational continuum. This participation is pivotal for the future of the individual Muslim woman, the Muslim family and India. For the individual Muslim woman, education itself is empowering. It removes the shackles

of ignorance. It develops the knowledge, skills and attitudes to pursue and create one’s own destiny. It builds self-esteem and confidence. Education is the gift that keeps on giving. It is an opportunity creator and bridge to the future. For the Muslim family, education prepares the Muslim woman to be a change agent. Too many Muslim families are trapped in poverty because of a lack of education. With her own education, the woman can educate and equip her children to escape that trap. I firmly believe education is a powerful equaliser, opening doors to Muslim women to lift themselves out of poverty. For India, education delivers on the promise of the largest representative democracy in the world. Central to that promise are equality, opportunity and inclusive economic mobility. Education levels the playing field and makes that promise a reality. Once that reality exists for Muslim women they will be able to deliver on that promise for India by helping others up the ladder of success. They will have the

capacity to change the face of India and the landscape of the world. In the 21st century, higher education is becoming more important for climbing that ladder. By higher education, I don’t just mean four-year colleges or universities. I include technical, vocational and professional education at the secondary levels. It might seem that I am a little delusional given the current circumstances in talking about Muslim women and higher education. But that is not the case. On my last visit to India in February this year, I had the good fortune to give addresses and speak with young Muslim women students at Fatima Girls Inter College in Azamgarh and Abdullah Women’s College at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). I was inspired by them and their commitment to making a positive difference in India. During that visit, my wife Debbie and I17 also dedicated the new Management Complex that we had financed at AMU. In my comments at the dedication ceremonies, I predicted that from this Complex “will come the future leaders who will make India and the world a better place.” Many of those leaders will be educated and empowered Muslim women who will be in the forefront of empowering other Muslim women who will then educate and empower other Muslim women -- and the cycle will continue. When that occurs, those Muslim women would have realised their full potential and they will ensure that India and the world do as well. When they succeed, all of us succeed. India succeeds. The world succeeds. Frank Islam is an Washington-based entrepreneur, civic leader and thought leader. The views expressed are personal. His website is www.frankislam.co,

Climate change: Neglecting oceans no longer an option ¡¡ SOUMYA SARKAR

hen people think of climate change, pictures of melting glaciers, sweltering heat in summers and flooding of coastal areas predominate. Often lost in the imagery is the role the world’s oceans play in countering the worst effects of global warming. Although oceans and seas cover more than two-thirds of the earth’s surface, they are taken for granted most of the time. People and governments forget that they are rich in resources and provide us with food, energy and minerals. It is a truism to say that since the high seas belong to no nation, they are the most exploited by everyone. It is thus important to remember that oceans are crucial for the stability of the planetary climate and local weather. But due to overfishing, loss of biodiversity and ocean pollution, the future of this unique ecosystem faces a grave threat today. It is well known that global warming is mainly caused by the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels like coal and oil. Since industrialisation in the 19th century, the amount of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere has risen by as much

as 40%. If not for the oceans, temperatures would be even higher than they are now because they absorb a quarter of the carbon dioxide released into the air. When the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rises, oceans absorb more to restore the balance. The colder the seawater is, the more effectively the process works. It is in this context that mapping of the oceans on various parameters that affect human life assumes importance. To illustrate the important role played by the ocean and its ecosystems, Germany’s

Heinrich Böll Foundation has recently released the latest in a series of global environmental reference works called the Ocean Atlas: Facts and Figures on the Threats to Our Marine Ecosystems 2017. The atlas aims to give a current insight of the state of the seas and the threats to them. “We hope to stimulate a broader social and political discussion about the meaning of the ocean as an important system and the possibilities for protecting it,” the foundation said while launching the atlas. The atlas clearly explains the role oceans play in battling climate

change. In the Labrador Sea and Greenland Sea as well as in regions near the Antarctic coast, large quantities of surface water sink into the deep sea where carbon dioxide is stored for a long time. The lion’s share of the stored greenhouse gas since the start of the Industrial Revolution will take centuries to return to the surface of the ocean again. Part of it will remain fixed in the sediment of the sea floor. That is how the ocean significantly slows down climate change. However, the ability of the oceans to sequester carbon dioxide is not unlimited. For example, while carbon dioxide absorption in the Southern Ocean declined between 1980 and 2000, it has increased in the years since, according to the atlas. The ocean does more than absorb a considerable amount of the greenhouse gas. It also soaks up nearly all the additional warmth resulting from the manmade greenhouse effect. According to the atlas, oceans have absorbed an astounding 93% of the excess heat over the past 40 years. Increased atmospheric temperatures are attributable to just 3% of this additional thermal energy and would be much greater if not for the oceans.

The extra warmth is essentially hidden in the ocean, where it slowly spreads through the depths. Because of this, the surface temperature only increases at a snail’s pace. All of this comes at a price. Absorbing excess carbon dioxide leads to a progressive acidification of the ocean water, while absorbing excess heat contributes to rising sea levels and troubling changes in marine ecosystems. The warming of the oceans also contains dangerous feedback loops. When the rate of evaporation on the ocean surface increases, it produces more water vapor -- a potent greenhouse gas -which in turn causes temperatures to rise, which causes the rate of evaporation to increase. These feedback loops can accelerate global warming in ways that are difficult to predict, one more reason not to further burden the ocean system, the atlas warns. For this reason, meeting the goal of limiting global warming to two degrees agreed upon at the Paris Climate Conference is essential. In arrangement with indiaclimatedialogue.net. Views expressed are those of indiaclimatedialogue.net. Feedback at information@ indiaclimatedialogue.net

INDIA

Friday, June 30, 2017

The Indian Weekender

INDIA, US VOW TO FIGHT TERROR, BOOST ECONOMIC COOPERATION

ndia and the US on Monday reiterated their commitment to cooperate in the fight against international terrorism even as the two sides agreed to boost economic cooperation following the first ever meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump. “Fighting against terrorism and destroying the hideouts of the terrorists will be an important part of our mutual cooperation,” Modi said while jointly addressing the media with Trump following delegationlevel talks. “We will enhance the intelligence exchange to boost coordination to address our common concerns over terrorism and will deepen our policy coordination accordingly,” he said. Modi added that both the nations had agreed to increase their cooperation to tackle global challenges like increasing radicalisation, extremism and terrorism. His comments came hours after the US on Monday declared the Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin a global terrorist. Modi said that India was committed to peace in Afghanistan and rebuilding that country was a top priority.

US President Trump welcomes Modi at White House

“India and US are working together to bring stability and peace in Afghanistan,” he said. He also said that he and Trump agreed to work closely on boosting maritime trade and cooperation. Modi said that the best of India’s benefits lay in a strong and successful America. Stating that he and Trump held talks on a wide range of issues pertaining to the India-USA relationship, he said: “We consider America a valued partner in our flagship programmes. The Prime Minister said that trade, commerce and investment were key areas of cooperation between the two sides. “Technology, innovation and

knowledge economy are also areas we are actively looking at,” he said. “Increasing productivity, job creation and breakthrough technologies will be the driving force of our ties.” Modi also invited Trump to visit India along with his family. On his part, Trump said that both India and the US have been struck by the evils of terrorism, “and we are both determined to destroy terrorist organisations and the radical ideology that drives them.” “We will destroy radical Islamic terrorism,” he said. “Our militaries are working every day to enhance cooperation between our military

forces. And next month, they will join together with the Japanese navy to take place in the largest maritime exercise ever conducted in the vast Indian Ocean.” The President said that he “always had a deep admiration for your country and for its people, and a profound appreciation for your rich culture, heritage and traditions”. “This summer, India will celebrate the 70th anniversary of its independence, and on behalf of the United States, I want to congratulate the Indian people on this magnificent milestone in the life of your very, very incredible nation,” he said. “During my campaign, I pledged that if elected, India would have a true friend in the White House. And that is now exactly what you have -a true friend.” Trump said that he looked forward to working with Modi to create jobs in both countries, to grow both economies, and to create a trading relationship that was fair and reciprocal. “It is important that barriers be removed to the export of US goods into your markets, and that we reduce our trade deficit with your country,” he stated. He said that the US was looking forward to exporting more energy to India as its economy grew,

Logic of Indo-US strategic ties ‘incontrovertible’, says Modi S aying both India and the US are determined to defeat the “scourge” of terrorism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that “the logic of our strategic relationship is incontrovertible”. Modi, ahead of his meeting with President Donald Trump, also said in comments published in The Wall Street Journal that he expected bilateral ties in the next few decades to be “an even more remarkable story of ambitious horizons, convergent action and shared growth”. “The past two decades have been a productive journey of engagement for our mutual security and growth. I expect the next few decades to be an even more remarkable story of ambitious horizons, convergent action and shared growth. Modi recalled how he told the US Congress in June 2016 that the bilateral relationship had overcome the “hesitations of history”. “A year later, I return to the US confident in the growing convergence between our two nations. “This confidence stems from the strength of our shared values and the stability of our systems. Our people and institutions have steadfastly viewed democratic change as an instrument for renewal and resurgence.” He said the two countries stand as mutually reinforcing engines of growth and innovation in an uncertain global economic landscape. “Confidence in each other’s political values and a strong belief in each other’s prosperity has enabled

Narendra Modi addressing the diaspora in US

our engagement to grow.” Saying defence was another mutually beneficial sphere of their partnership, Modi said both India and the US had an overriding interest “in securing our societies, and the world, from the forces of terrorism, radical ideologies and non-traditional security threats. “India has four decades’ experience in fighting terrorism, and we share the US administration’s determination to defeat this scourge.” The two countries, he said, were working together to address the existing and emerging strategic and security challenges that affect them in Afghanistan, West Asia, the large maritime space of the Indo-Pacific and the new and unanticipated threats in cyberspace. “We also share an interest in ensuring that sea lanes - critical

lifelines of trade and energy - remain secure and open to all,” Modi said, without referring to the South China Sea by name. Indo-US trade, which totals about $115 billion a year, was poised for a multi-fold increase, the Indian Prime Minister said. “The transformation of India presents abundant commercial and investment opportunities for American businesses. The rollout of the Goods and Services Tax on July 1 will, in a single stroke, convert India into a unified, continent-sized market of 1.3 billion people. “The planned 100 smart cities, the massive modernization of ports, airports and road and rail networks, and the construction of affordable housing for all by 2022 - the 75th anniversary of India’s independence - are not just promises of great urban

renewal within India. “These plans also showcase the enormous fruits of our relationships with enterprising US partners worth many billions of dollars over the next decade alone - together with concomitant new employment opportunities across both societies. “India’s rapidly expanding aviation needs, and our increasing demand for gas, nuclear, clean coal and renewables, are two significant areas of increasing convergence. “In coming years, Indian companies will import energy in excess of $40 billion from the US, and more than 200 American-made aircraft will join the private Indian aviation fleet.” Modi said the combination of technology, innovation and skilled workers had helped forge an exciting digital and scientific partnership between the two countries. “The creative and entrepreneurial energy of our engineers, scientists and researchers, and their free movement between both countries, continue to help India and the US retain their innovation edge and maintain competitiveness in the knowledge economy.” Modi underlined that whenever India and the US work together, the world reaps the benefits. He also paid his tribute to the threemillion-strong Indian-American community, “which represents the best of both our countries (and) has played a crucial role in connecting and contributing to our societies”.

“including major long-term contracts to purchase American natural gas, which are right now being negotiated, and we will sign them”. The talks were preceded by a oneon-one meeting between Modi and Trump in the Oval Office. “President Trump has welcomed me with immense warmth. I thank him for the welcome. This is an honour for the 1.25 billion people of India,” Modi told the media ahead of the meeting. Trump said it was “a great honour” to host Modi “who has been such a great PM”. “You have done a great job economically and you are doing well in so many ways. I would like to congratulate you,” the US President said. Modi was welcomed by Trump and his wife Melania at the White House and was accorded a red carpet welcome. Both leaders warmly shook hands and smiled in what was their first ever meeting. Prior to the meeting, Modi had spoken to Trump thrice over the phone after the latter assumed office in January this year. Earlier in the day, US Defense Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson paid courtesy calls to Modi here.

Our feet grounded in yoga, dreams transcend space: Modi

rime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, June 25 congratulated the ISRO for its success in space science and observed that if on one hand Indias feet are grounded in yoga, it also dreams of transcending the limits in the sky. “If our feet are grounded in yoga, our dreams are eager to transcend the limits in the sky. Just a few days ago, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) launched its Cartosat-2 series satellites, a nano satellite and 29 foreign satellites belonging to countries including Italy, Germany and France,” Modi said in his 33rd monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio address. The ISRO on Friday, June 23 successfully put into orbit its own earth observation satellite Cartosat, nano satellite NIUSAT and 29 foreign satellites from 14 countries. Modi said that Cartosat satellite would help in agricultural activities. Congratulating the Indian space scientists, the Prime Minister noted that India’s Mars Mission has completed 1,000 days on June 19, though its life was initially deemed to be just six months. “There are important milestones in our space journey,” Modi said.

The Indian Weekender

Climate change pushing apple orchards to higher altitudes in HP ¡¡ ASHISH MISHRA

new trend in apple cultivation has emerged in Himachal Pradesh -- apples are being grown in sparsely vegetative areas at higher altitudes such as Lahaul and Spiti valley, courtsey climate Change. Fruit production industry in hilly zones is seeing a rise in temperature. Because of this, production of apple has moved to higher altitudes, which earlier were not suitable for this fruit. A study conducted by the Regional Centre, National Afforestation and Eco-development Board and Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Himachal Pradesh, points out that the rising temperature in Himachal due to climate change has driven the shift. The study says that apple growing belt in low-lying valley areas like Kullu -- once considered good for apple production -- has now become extremely marginal, resulting in diversification to other fruits like kiwi and pomegranate, and vegetable seed production. “The snow line once considered as ‘white manure’ for the apple crop and forest cover necessary for conservation and recharge of natural water bodies has also shifted upward to higher hills. Therefore, the quality apple production has shifted to higher hills and dry temperate zones of Kinnaur and Spiti areas,” the study says. It said that the drier and warmer weather will ultimately result in a shorter growing season and lesser crop yields. Himachal Pradesh has been divided in four zones on the basis of agro-climatic conditions. Zone I comprises low hills sub-tropical zone up to 1,100 metres, Zone II of mid hills sub-humid zone (1,100 to less than 2,000 m), Zone III of high hills temperate wet zone (2,000 to less than 3,000 m), and Zone IV the high hills temperate dry zone (above 3,000 m). According to National Horticulture

Board, apple can be grown at altitudes 1,500-2,700 m above sea level in the Himalayan range which experience 1,000-1,500 hours of chilling (when temperature remains at or below 7 degrees Celsius each season). The temperature during the growing season should be around 2124 degrees Celsius. Planting is usually done in the month of January and February. Loamy soils, rich in organic matter and having proper drainage and aeration are suitable for cultivation. For optimum growth and fruiting, apple trees need 100-125 cm of annual rainfall, evenly distributed during the growing season. Excessive rain and fog near the fruit maturity period result in poor fruit quality with improper colour development and fungal spots on its surface. Apple constitutes about 49 per cent of the total area under fruit crops. In Himachal, apple is mainly cultivated in the districts of Kinnaur, Kullu, Shimla, Mandi, Chamba and some parts of Sirmaur. Himachal Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary Tarun Sridhar says that erratic weather patterns are now often seen affecting the apple production in Shimla and other districts. “Several progressive farmers of the state are now opting for industrial crops such as mushrooms, flowers, off-season vegetables, mostly because of climate change,” Sridhar told IANS. He says that due to climate change the use of pesticides, insecticides and chemical fertilisers has drastically increased and new crop diseases are coming up. He said December and January snow months were often going dry. Himachal Pradesh’s average annual production of apple is around five to six lakh tonnes but the maximum production was recorded in the year 2010-11 when it crossed nine lakh tonnes. Apple production in the state in 2013-14 was 7.39 lakh tonnes, which came down to 6.25 lakh tonnes in 2014-15. Richard Mahapatra, who has

worked extensively on climate change issues and is managing editor of Down To Earth magazine run by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said that Himachal Pradesh has added more orchards at higher altitudes than before. “In high altitude areas, the temperature is gradually becoming congenial for apple crop. It means we have opened a new geography for apple as it is being grown at higher and higher altitudes now,” Mahapatra told IANS. He said that it might be good news for the apple growers but it will also enhance various kinds of human activities in the pristine areas which will adversely affect the environment. “Since Himalaya is the youngest mountain range, it is more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and human interference at higher altitudes. It will eventually lead to further degradation and pollute the atmosphere,” Mahapatra added. Senior Fellow and mentor at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) Suruchi Bhadwal, who has worked widely on apple crop and climate issues, echoed the same views and said the similar phenomenon was also seen in Uttarakhand. “Because of impact of climate change, production is affected at low-altitude areas. High-altitude areas (dry temperate zones) are now becoming congenial for apple cultivation,” she said. She, however, stressed that the scientists had developed some varieties of apple which were more tolerant to high temperature. Bhadwal agrees shifting of apple crop would have its adverse effect. “High level of human activities and encroachment in the unspoiled region will also bring along certain complexities which may damage the environment,” she told IANS. Ashish Mishra was in Shimla at the invitation of CSE to attend a workshop on climate change. He can be contacted at ashish.m@ians.in

9-member panel to prepare final draft of National Education Policy

After virtually dumping the report of an earlier committee, the Human Resource Development Ministry on June 22, constituted a nine-member panel headed by eminent space scientist K. Kasturirangan to prepare the final draft of the National Education Policy. Besides Kasturirangan, who headed the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the panel includes Vasudha Kamat, academician from the field of education technology; Manjul Bhargava, Professor of Mathematics in Princeton University, USA; and K.J. Alphonse, who played a crucial role in achieving 100 per cent literacy rate in Kottayam and Ernakulam districts of Kerala, according to an official statement.

INDIA

Friday, June 30, 2017

The committee also comprises Ram Shankar Kureel, Vice Chancellor of Baba Saheb Ambedkar University of Social Sciences, Mhow; T.V. Kattimani, Vice Chancellor of Tribal University, Amarkantak; and Krishna Mohan Tripathy, who was instrumental in implementation of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. Mazhar Asif, Professor of Persian at Gauhati University; and M.K. Shridhar, former Member Secretary

of Karnataka Innovation Council and Karnataka Knowledge Commission, are also part of the panel. The Ministry has chosen the experts keeping in mind the diverse areas of education, different sections of society and different regions of the country, said an official. HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar had constituted a similar committee two years ago under former cabinet secretary T.S.R. Subramanian who researched on the New Education Policy. However, the government played down its report, calling it a compilation of old reports. The new committee will consider suggestions and inputs given in the Subramanian panel report, said Ghanshyam Goel, Information Officer of the HRD Ministry.

NEWS in BRIEF

Cabinet nod to in-principle divestment of Air India stake

he Cabinet on Wednesday, June 28, gave in-principle approval for Air India stake divestment, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said. “In-principle approval for Air India divestment has been given. The Civil Aviation Ministry’s proposal for formation of a group under the chairmanship of the Finance Minister to decide the modalities of divestment process has also been accepted,” he said.

Alliance Air to operate six new flights from July

ir India’s subsidiary Alliance Air on Monday said that it will commence six new flights from next month. According to the company, the new flights will be operated from July 5 on ATR 72 aircraft. The new flight services include operations on the Jaipur-Lucknow and Bhopal-Lucknow sectors.

New terminal to come up at Agra airport

he Uttar Pradesh government has sanctioned Rs 64.94 crore for a new international terminal building at the Agra airport, an official said on June 22. Work on the airport, renamed Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay, is expected to begin in the first week of July, Agra Divisional Commissioner K. Ram Mohan Rao told the media. The money will be used to buy land from farmers. The state government is purchasing 23.3 hectares of land in Dhanauli village, he said. Rao said the air terminal project will boost tourism in Agra. Recemt;u, tourism industry leaders and civil society activists have been on the warpath after the Union Government cleared the international airport project for Jewar close to the Yamuna Expressway. Two local MPs and nine MLAs of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Agra were also unhappy and pressed the Yogi Adityanath government to respond to Agra’s long-pending demand for an international airport.

India needs New Delhi-size landfills for waste by 2050: Report

ith India littering its waste without sufficient treatment, it needs to set aside about 88 sq. km of precious land -- the size of New Delhi -- for landfills by 2050, industry association Assocham said on Sunday, citing its study. “Considering that most of the waste in India is dumped without treatment, it would require an estimated 88 square kilometre (sq km) of precious land to be brought under waste disposal through landfilling by 2050, which is equivalent to the size of area under administration of the New Delhi Municipal Council,” said a joint report of Assocham and accounting firm PwC. “This will eventually render the land unfit for any other use for as long as a half century before it can be stabilised for other uses,” said the report ‘Waste Management in India: Shifting Gears’. With around 50 per cent of India’s population projected to be living in urban areas by 2050, the volume of waste generation will grow by five per cent per year. The report noted some issues hampering waste management in India are improper planning, complex institutional set-up, constraints in capacity for waste management and limited funds with urban local bodies. The report recommended that the government accord industry status to the waste management sector “to provide it necessary boost” and ensure regulatory adherence.

GST will bring prices down: Parrikar

mplementation of GST will benefit the general consumer, as it will lessen the tax burden on goods, but in the early period of implementation, the new tax regime may cause “some confusion and destruction”, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said. Speaking to reporters after a government function in Panaji, Goa, Parrikar also complimented Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the energy with which he has been running the National Democratic Alliance government. Asked about the merits of the Goods and Services Tax, which is scheduled to roll out from July 1, he said: “General consumer will benefit... “Today we are going through multiple taxation, excise, customs, luxury tax, entry tax, purchase tax, sales tax, VAT everything. With GST it all gets converged into one. It’s very simple.” Asked about how the government planned to tide over the early phase of GST implementation, Parrikar said: “Remember one thing, yes there may be some confusion, some sort of an initial destruction. No one needs to worry. Initially we will take into consideration that everyone is new so we will definitely ensure that people are not treated harshly.”

WORLD

Friday, June 30, 2017

The Indian Weekender

Dream of developed India will be fulfilled:

Modi tells Indian diaspora

ddressing the Indian diaspora in US as the “members of family”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised of a developed India in their lifetime. Interacting with the Indian diaspora, Modi said their success is due to the supportive environment in the US, and his government is working to provide the same environment back home. “Your heart always asks when would our country become like this (the US)... I assure you that this will happen in your lifetime,” Modi said. Saying that Indians in America have not just helped India progress but also the US, Modi said that success and action of the Indian diaspora is still echoing in the world. “You are the same people but your success story has a simple reason, it’s because you got supportive environment here,” he said.

The Prime Minister added that “125 crore equally talented Indians are there back in India, they are now getting supportive environment and soon we will develop India soon”. “The biggest change in India today is that every Indian want to do and is already doing something with resolution to change and develop the

White House forgoes traditional dinner commemorating Ramadan

he White House did not host a traditional Iftar dinner to commemorate Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, for the first time in nearly two decades, a media report said. Despite events held by previous administrations, this year’s Ramadan passed nearly unobserved by the White House. It was marked only by a statement published late Saturday, June 20 coinciding with the end of the holy month, reports the Guardian. The first White House Iftar dinner was hosted by President Thomas Jefferson in 1805. Hillary Clinton resurrected the event when she was First Lady in February 1996, hosting about 150 people for a reception for Eid-ulFitr, which marks the end of the holy month. The sunset dinner, attended by legislators, diplomats and leaders within the US Muslim community, went on to become an annual tradition from 1999, observed by the past three administrations. George W. Bush held an Iftar dinner every year of his two terms, including just after the September 2001 terror attacks.

President Barack Obama hosted his first Ramadan dinner in 2009 and subsequently every year of his Presidency. The Washington Post reported that Saturday‚ June 20 White House statement was signed by Donald and Melania Trump and was not posted to the President’s social media presences. It read: “Muslims in the US joined those around the world during the holy month of Ramadan to focus on acts of faith and charity. “Now, as they commemorate Eid with family and friends, they carry on the tradition of helping neighbours and breaking bread with people from all walks of life. During this holiday, we are reminded of the importance of mercy, compassion and goodwill. With Muslims around the world, the US renews our commitment to honour these values. Eid Mubarak.” Last year, then Presidential candidate Trump told an ABC News interview that he would be open to continuing the tradition of hosting the dinner if he were in the White House. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also broke with tradition by not hosting an Iftar dinner at the State Department.

Australia plans to weed out terrorists on social media

he Australian government on Monday, June 22 said it plans to make it legal for social media websites to hand over vital information about suspected terrorists or militant operations. On Saturday, June 20, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull met with representatives from leading social media websites, telling them they “cannot continue to allow terrorists and extremists to use the internet and the big social media ... to spread poison”, reports Xinhua news agency On Monday, June 22, Australia’s former army chief Peter Leahy told

the media that the governments deserved more from big social media companies when it comes to clamping down on terrorism, saying it was not only a government problem but a social obligation for the online giants to pitch in. “There are many levels to this. Firstly, I think the tech giants deserve to show some social responsibility. They’re letting this (terror-related content) on their sites,” Leahy said. Opposition Labor Party MP Andrew Leigh said his party was glad the government was cracking down on cyber security -- indicating that it would back federal legislation in Parliament if it was “sensible”.

nation,” he said. “Today, 125 crore people from Kashmir to Kanyakumari have resolved to do something for their country. With such a resolve, the country is developing in a pace never seen before.” Calling corruption as the root cause due to which “the previous

governments were changed in India”, Modi said his government has emerged corruption-free in the last three years. “Governments were changed because of corruption. The common people hated this... There has been not a single blot on our government in the past three years. And governance is being modified so that honesty becomes an in-build process. “Technology is helping with that,” Modi said. “Increased usage of technology brings transparency in systems. When I think of a developed India, I think of a healthy India, particularly the good health of the women and children of our nation,” he added. The Prime Minister also said: “Transparent policies create an environment of trust among the people. The youth of India understands technology and the

importance of technology very well. Through technology driven governance we are creating an ‘Adhunik Bharat’.”

Yates said: “From Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland where the Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express travelled, to Professor McGonagall’s classroom at Durham Cathedral, to exploring the Forbidden Forest at Warner Bros Studio, Harry Potter’s Britain is the stuff of magic.” “Harry and his wizarding world continue to hold generations of readers from across the globe spellbound, firing up imaginations and inspiring people to explore locations and landscapes and experience the wonder themselves.” Attracted by culture and heritage, overseas travellers who visit Britain’s castles or historic houses spend more than $10 billion annually exploring cultural venues. Film and literature are also powerful motivators for travel, with

more than a third of potential visitors to the UK wanting to see places featured on screen, says VisitBritain. VisitEngland has named 2017 the Year of Literary Heroes to shine the spotlight on England’s literary destinations and anniversaries. Anniversaries include the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death, the 125th anniversary of the first Sherlock Holmes book, and the 75th anniversary of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five. Latest statistics for 2017 show that there were a record 11.8 million overseas visits to the UK from January to April -- up 11 percent on the same period in 2016. Overseas visitors spent nearly 8 million dollars during the period -- up 14 percent.

“With proper policies and governance, aspirations of people of India can become achievements. We are already seeing the results of this,” said Modi “Innovation, technology and talent are crucial in this age,” he added. The Prime Minister also said the warmth, the Indian community gave is memorable. “All my family members are settled in America... The happiness we get after meeting the family is what I am feeling right now,” Modi said. He also said: “If you want to give back to India, this is the best time to do so. Keep the bridge with India. Your younger generations must continue the strong bond with India.”

Britain maps out country’s magic sites to promote tourism

ritain’s tourism office has announced the release of an interactive map to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the first Harry Potter book on June 22. VisitBritain, the country’s official tourism office, is celebrating the publication of ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ by showcasing what makes Britain a magical destination for international tourists, Xinhua news agency reported. The interactive online map highlights magical sites across Britain which have inspired some of the world’s greatest literature and legends, from Harry Potter to Sherwood Forest, famed as the home of Robin Hood, and the legendary King Arthur to Scotland’s Loch Ness Monster. VisitBritain Director Patricia

British PM outlines 9-point plan for EU nationals post-Brexit

ritish Prime Minister Theresa May outlined a nine-point plan stating the rights of more than 3 million European Union (EU) citizens to remain in Britain after Brexit. Telling MPs in a House of Commons debate that her postBrexit proposals were a fair and serious offer, May said on Monday that under the plan no EU citizen in Britain lawfully will have to leave when the country finally ends its membership of the EU in about two years, Xinhua news agency reported. She said any EU citizen in Britain with five years’ continual residence at a specified cut off point will be able to stay with settled status and be treated as if they are British citizens in regard to healthcare, education, benefits and pensions.

Those without five years’ residence arriving before the cut-off date will be able to stay until they have five years’ residence and can then apply for settled status. May added that the cut-off date will be the subject of discussions, but will be no earlier than March 29 2017 and no later than March 29 2019, the date Britain is scheduled to leave the EU.

The plan will also mean no families will be split up, with measures to allow dependents to apply for settled status, she said, adding that there will be no “cliff edge” by introducing a two-year grace period to allow people to regularize their status. The policy unveiled by May will mean all 3 million EU citizens resident in Britain will have to apply for a settled status identity card.

The Indian Weekender

Friday, June 30, 2017

INDIA THUMP WEST INDIES ND IN 2 ODI

ndia produced a strong all-round performance to thrash West Indies by 105 runs in the second One-Day International (ODI) at the Queen’s Park Oval Stadium in Port of Spain on Sunday June 21. The match had to be reduced to 43 overs a side after a long spell of rain forced the start to be delayed. Asked to bat first, a century by opener Ajinkya Rahane and half-centuries by skipper Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan helped India post a challenging total of 310/5. In reply, the hosts could only manage 205/6 in their allotted 43 overs. India now lead the five-match series 1-0. The first ODI -- which was also held at this very same venue -- had to be abandoned due to heavy rain. Shai Hope was the only West Indies batsman who showed some sort of application with 81 runs off 88 deliveries. But the rest of the West Indies batsmen were not really up to the task. Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 3/50. Fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar was exceptional, giving away only nine runs in his five overs while clinching two top order wickets. The West Indies innings was doomed from the start with

Join the Dots

Bhuvneshwar getting Kieran Powell caught behind off the third ball of the opening over without a single run on the board. The hosts into further trouble in the third over when Hardik Pandya pulled off an excellent catch at backward point to send back Jason Mohammed and hand

Bhuvneshwar his second wicket. The West Indies never really recovered from here. Their batsmen never really tried to force the pace and the required run rate steadily climbed up as a result. The gap in standards between the two sides were too glaringly obvious. After a point, it seemed like the hosts were only going through the motions and their collective heart was not totally in it. Earlier, India rode on a strong batting performance from the toporder to post a strong total. Rahane spearheaded the Indian innings with 103 runs off 104 balls. Kohli and Dhawan also scored breezy half-centuries to lay a strong foundation for the innings.

Kohli plundered 87 runs off 66 deliveries with four boundaries and an equal number of sixes. Dhawan scored 63 runs off 59 balls. Pacer Alzarri Joseph was the most successful among the West Indies bowlers with figures of 2/73. The West Indies bowlers -specially the pacers -- did themselves no favour by giving away as many as 13 extras which included five noballs and four wides. Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan put together an opening stand of 114 runs in 18.2 overs to give a Indians a solid start. After Dhawan was stumped off the bowling of off-spinner Ashley Nurse, Kohli joined Rahane in the middle and the duo proceeded to

continue the good work with a steady 97-run partnership. Rahane completed his century in style, hitting pacer Miguel Cummins to the cover boundary. Holder typified the indisciplined effort by the West Indies bowlers when he gave away 20 runs in five balls in the last over. During that time, he gave away three boundaries and two no-balls. He also bowled two dangerously high full tosses which prompted the umpire to pull him out of the attack and fellow pacer Jonathan Carter had to bowl the last ball which produced two runs -- a total of 22 runs in the rather expensive over.

SPORTS 21 BCCI to set up panel for early implementation of Lodha reforms

n a Special General Meeting (SGM) here on Monday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to form a committee to implement the Lodha reforms at the earliest. The committee will also be looking into issues like ‘one-state, one-vote’, age cap of 70 years, increasing the number of members in the selection panel to five from the current three and more. It will begin its work in the next week and it is expected to submit its first report within a fortnight. “The Board of Control for Cricket in India will form a committee to ensure the principal order of Supreme Court can be implemented at the earliest,” BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary told reporters after the meeting. “A five-six member committee will be formed tomorrow (Tuesday) to see how best and quickly the principal order of the Supreme Court can be implemented,” he added. Among the other issues discussed was playing the bilateral series with Pakistan. When asked about that development, Choudhary said the situation is the same and a tour is possible only after the government’s nod. “We met with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on the basis of a letter signed by the BCCI back in 2014. It was necessary. Our position is still the same. The tour can take place only after government permission,” Choudhary said. The issue of the suspension of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) was also discussed in the meeting, which was also attended by former BCCI president N. Srinivasan.

FEATURES

Friday, June 30, 2017

Being Indian: Challenge of bringing up ‘Desi’ children abroad T ¡¡ SAKET SUMAN

he many aspects of everyday Indian life -- history, culture, language, family relationships and marriage -- that we in India tend to take for granted are often major issues of contention for NRIs living overseas - an estimated 30 million of them spread across over 150 countries. Even as they go on with their lives in different countries across the globe, there is always an underlying desire to inculcate these “Desi” aspects into the lives and habits of their children. A recent book by a former journalist, who faced difficulty in selling “India” to her children, serves to be an apt manual on the upbringing of Indian diaspora children overseas. Titled “East or West,” the book has been written by Vinati Sukhdev. The author opens with an elaborate explanation on the concept of what goes into making us Indian, which she finds hard to define specifically. Nonetheless, meaningful family relationships, hard work leading to material success, being tolerant of others and being spiritual are some visible examples that Sukhdev identifies as hallmarks of Indian ethos. She states that “being Indian” means counting on all such positive values and ensuring that children growing up in a foreign eco-system are exposed to them.

But it is not going to be an easy journey for parents because most children growing up outside India are likely to rebel at what they may consider “foreign and strange requests” from their parents. The peer pressure that kids are subjected to may further strengthen this resentment. The author seeks to impress upon NRI parents to recognise the fact that their children will never be as Indian as they are. So she asks the parents to appreciate “every baby step that they take towards discovering India” and thus enjoy the journey. The author maintains that “oldfashioned immigrants,” who foist an Indian identity on their children, are wrong in being strict and inflexible. Parents who go to the other extreme and keep their children completely aloof from India and its culture, according to the author, are wrong too as they are depriving their children of “an authentic and spontaneous experience of their mother country” and thus leave a gaping hole in their identity kit. The solution is somewhere in between -- by being judicious and balanced -- and in the process, allowing the children to discover rather than forcing their Indian identity unto them. Finally, Sukhdev reminds the many prospective readers of this insightful offering that NRI children often

Here’s how to declutter your home and preserve memories

I Book: East or West; Author: Vinati Sukhdev; Publisher: Westland; Price: Rs 250; Pages: 135 grow up without much knowledge of India’s art, history and culture. “This is a shame, because this is India’s strength and we should take pride in it,” she advises the parents living overseas. From cultural immersions with the help of like-minded Indian parents and Indian language and music classes to casual dining table conversations and car pooling with other Indian families, the book opens an entire panorama of suggestions that those facing difficulties in the upbringing of their children abroad may find helpful.

The Indian Weekender

s your cupboard full of stuff you no longer use but can’t bear to part with? Taking their photo may help you dispose of such items, a new research suggests. The study showed that people were more willing to give away unneeded goods that still had sentimental value if they were encouraged to take a photo of these items first, or find another way to preserve the memories. “What people really don’t want to give up is the memories associated with the item,” said Rebecca Reczek, Associate Professor at the Ohio State University. “We found that people are more willing to give up these possessions if we offer them a way to keep the memory and the identity associated with that memory,” Reczek added. For the study, published online in the Journal of Marketing, the team conducted a field study involving 797 students at the Penn State, where they conducted two different advertising campaigns for a donation drive.

The researchers found 613 items were donated in the halls that hosted the “memory preservation” campaign, versus only 533 in the control campaign. Reczek said the results show it may be relatively easy to break the habit of clinging on to some of our possessions with sentimental value. However, “it is not a natural behaviour. It is something we have to train ourselves to do,” she added. In other related experiments, the researchers found that it wasn’t just the memories associated with these possessions that were keeping people from donating -- it was the identities linked to those memories. “These memories connected to possessions are a carrier for identity. It is this reluctance to give up a piece of our identity that is driving our reluctance to donate,” Reczek said. The bottom line is that everyone benefits by using this memory preservation strategy to declutter a home, the researchers said.

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS IN JOB HUNTING ¡¡

RAJ SINGH

“Please email me your CV and I will get back to you!” “Can you please apply through our website and someone from our team will get back to you!” “Keep an eye on the job boards and please apply if you find something relevant!” “We will keep your CV in our files and get back to you once we have something relevant for you!” “I will share your CV with my whole team and get back to you if we have something relevant for you!” “I am talking to some more candidates and hopefully I’ll get back to you soon!”

ave you heard any of these statements or anything similar from your recruiters?

97% of the times, this means a ‘NO’!

“No, I am not interested in your profile.” Or “Please don’t waste your time, I am sure none of us in the office will be able to help you.” Or “I’m sorry but I don’t think you’re the best one we have.” Reason could be anything from your technical skills to your communication skills or from your experience to simply your attitude… but just get that right guys… it’s a NO. What’s your visa status? How long have you worked in NZ? No matter, what’s your answer, if their response is “Oh…ok, we will get back to you soon” I’m sorry…it’s a ‘NO’.

You email the recruiter, call them, leave a voice message or leave a message with their colleague but they just wouldn’t get back to you and even if they do, they give you one of the statements above. I am sure you know by now, what does that mean… right? Yes, it’s a ‘NO’. As job seekers, we all have heard these statements from our recruiters which prompt us to ask two important questions. Why do they say all this and should they even say it in the first place? Recruiters are saying it probably because they believe they are providing good customer/ candidate service or just because their loyalty is toward the client and they can’t be bothered giving you the detailed feedback and waste their productive time in an unproductive activity or they don’t want to offend you so they opt for staying in a safe zone by being PC (politically correct). The safe zone is a place where they have rejected you and they are still your friends. Instead of saying a direct ‘NO’ which is also rude and many of the job seekers do not even have an appetite for, they prefer to give you a sugar-coated statement. It’s a win-win!

Should recruiters say it? Well, I don’t know. I used to say it when I was a recruiter. There were times when you had millions of important things to do and you come across a candidate who is floating his/her generic CV in a hope of getting shortlisted. You can clearly see, there has been a zero effort from this candidate regarding this application. I got away, by saying I’ll get back to you. As a recruiter, I tried my best to make sure I gave best of service to anyone who was associated with me but I couldn’t. I had to use these statements and I have heard many recruiters using them. Now, this then brings us to the third question, do recruiters want to say it? No, I think majority of recruiters don’t want to reject/insult anyone. Rejection, which is often taken very personally by job seekers, is hurtful but then who says we live in the ideal world? Don’t forget, even recruiters are human beings, they have their own set of challenges. Just like you want a job, they are also keen on filling a job. Just the way you promise to work your guts off if you were given a chance to work on a role, they are also committed to give the best candidate available for the role to their client, who by the way, also pays them for their services and don’t forget, one single role will accommodate only one applicant. Rest of all (everyone) will have to face rejection. I have a few suggestions for job seekers on how to handle the recruiters’ politically correct stuff politically correctly with some example conversations. Visit www.iwk. co.nz for the continuation of this article.

The Indian Weekender

FEATURES

Friday, June 30, 2017

Bhagavad-gita’s

answer to fearlessness Acharya das is a respected teacher of Vedic and yogic philosophy, meditation and kirtan, and a practitioner of the transcendental science of Bhakti Yoga.

from attachments, fear, and anger, such a person is called sober. Their mind is in a very calm, stable, and steady condition. “One who is not disturbed in mind even amidst the threefold miseries or elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady mind.” Bhagavad-gita 2.56

¡¡ ACHARYA DAS

e have so many fears, big and small. There is a myriad of things that scare us,or worry us and cause us anxiety. For example, if we think something is desirable, we tend to become focused on attempting to acquire it. But while we’re desirous or wanting something or someone, doing what we think is needed to get it, there is this anxiety, this fearfulness that maybe we won’t get it. Then as soon as we get what we want, we’re in anxiety that we’re going to lose this thing, or this person. Then finally,if we lose the person or the things that we thought we desperately needed or wanted, we experience another type of anxiety,

the fear and anxiety that come from loss and regret. This reality is very unpleasant, but because we live with it all the time, we’re not so conscious of the fact that we are never at peace, and it is fearfulness that greatly contributes to ourlack of peace. We understand from the sages that all fear is ultimately rooted in the fear of death. Fear of death is so overwhelming that as soon as you put people in a situation where they could suddenly lose their life, or in the proximity of a dead body, they become very disturbed. But why do we fear death? Why are we so afraid? Because we desire permanence.We cling vainly to this hope that things will be permanent. Death demonstrates that our relationships, our “home”, and even our possessions, are all impermanent.

The foundation of our desire for permanence is due to our own spiritual nature. We are, after all, eternal spiritual beings. Death goes against everything fundamental to our eternal spiritual nature. This pain that we experience from death, or any other fearful situation, is meant to teach us that we need to seek a solution to this suffering. Fear is rooted in the misconception that I am my body. This is not knowledge; it is ignorance, andignorance causes pain. According to the degree that we are covered by ignorance and act on ignorance, we will experience pain, sothe greater the ignorance, greater the pain. Knowledge means freedom from pain; real knowledge results in spiritual blissfulness, in great spiritual joy. When a person is equipoised both in happiness and distress, and is free

By acquiring spiritual knowledge,we can exist in that state of fearlessness. This knowledge destroys the darkness of ignorance in the same way that light dissipates darkness. The process for cultivating spiritual knowledge is to hear from spiritual authority, the great spiritual teachers and shastra, and then to adopt such instruction as part of my life. Sri Krishna explains that there are different types of knowledge. Knowledge in the mode of goodness (sattva-guna) is completely enlightening. “Oh son of Pritha, that understanding by which one knows what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, what is to be feared and what is not to be feared, what is binding and what is liberating, this is in the mode of goodness.”

Bhagavad-gita 18.30

Spiritual knowledge teaches a person what is to be done and what is not to be done. In the beginning, refraining from what should not be done may be a little difficult. But as one begins to tread, ever so carefully, down the spiritual path, there is an internal transformation.There are spiritual insights, an awakening, and also the experience of a wonderful and joyful spiritual flavor. In the Bhagavad-gita, it says; “In this (spiritual) endeavour there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous types of fear.” Bhagavad-gita 2.40

When one cultivates this understanding, engaging in meditation upon transcendental sound (mantra), either silently or quietly to oneself (japa meditation) or through kirtan, it brings about the gradual realisation of true spiritual knowledge. With even a little development of spiritual understanding, one can become free from the most dangerous types of fear, even in the midst of the greatest calamity.

Singapore Airlines 2017 (Blackout dates apply)

• No Outbound availability during school holidays • Commence travel between 18 July to 30 November 2017 & 16 Jan to 31 March 2018 (From WELLINGTON VIA CANBERRA) • Commence travel between 01 October to 30 November 2017 & 16 Jan to 31 March 2018 (From AUCKLAND & CHRISTCHURCH)

One-way Fares starting from 599* Return Fares starting from 1149*

(DEL / HYD / ATQ / JAI / MAA / BLR / CCU /AMD / BOM / CJB / COK / TRV/ VTZ )

Premium Economy Fares starting from Nzd 2599* Business Class Fares starting from Nzd 4399* Sales ends on 15 July 2017.

Malaysia Airlines (No Outbound availability during school holidays)

( CHENNAI / MUMBAI / HYDERABAD / BANGALORE / DHAKA / NEW DELHI / COLOMBO)

Economy return fares starting from NZD 1149* Commence travel between 16 July to 30 November 2017 & 16 Jan to 31 March 2018 Sales ends on 31 July 2017.

Please note availability is Limited. Fares may not be available on all flights. *Airfares Include Fuel and Insurance Surcharges but not Govt Taxes (* taxes may vary for different cities and as per FX

FEATURES

Friday, June 30, 2017

The Indian Weekender

CHICKEN

RECIPES

Chicken Vindaloo The infamously sweet & sour chicken with potato curry

hough universally featured on restaurant menus, Vindaloo is often feared as the hottest dish. Yet Vindaloo must be Goa’s finest gift to the world. There is general consensus among foodies that it was originally made in the Portuguese-Indian colony of Goa, using pork. Vindaloo is named after the mostimportant Portuguese seasoning, ‘vinho’ or wine, which was probably used in preparing the curry. The original recipe tended to have a generous helping of garlic as well.

PREPARATION TIME

¡¡ Marination Time: 6 hours or ideally overnight

¡¡ Cooking Time: 45 minutes ¡¡ Serves: 6 ¡¡ Tastes: Hot

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MARINADE

¡¡ 500g boneless chicken pieces (thighs or breast) ¡¡ 1 1/2 tsp white vinegar ¡¡ 6-8 whole dried red chillies ¡¡ 1 tsp cumin seeds ¡¡ 10–12 peppercorns ¡¡ 8 cloves ¡¡ 1 tsp poppy seeds ¡¡ 1 tsp coriander seeds ¡¡ 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

¡¡ 6 cloves of garlic ¡¡ 1/2 cm ginger ¡¡ 1 Tbsp tamarind pulp ¡¡ Salt, to taste FOR THE GRAVY

¡¡ 4 Tbsp oil ¡¡ 1 tsp black mustard seeds ¡¡ 5-8cm cinnamon stick ¡¡ 2 medium onions, chopped ¡¡ Salt, to taste ¡¡ 2.5cm jaggery (bite-sized piece of gur) or 1 tsp sugar

¡¡ 10-12 curry leaves ¡¡ 1 large potato, peeled and cut into cubes

¡¡ 1/2 cup water ¡¡ 2 Tbsp fresh coriander chopped

METHOD:

Eating less, but not losing?

rying to slim down and feeling frustrated? If you’re giving it your all but the number on the scale still isn’t budging, you may be sabotaging yourself in spite of your best intentions. Here are a dozen dieting don’ts to help save your weight-loss efforts.

You eat fake foods

e admit that prepackaged weight-loss products like shakes and bars are convenient, but they may not be helping you to lose weight in the long run. “You never feel satisfied after you eat something like that, because it’s just a bunch of processed stuff,” says Manuel Villacorta, a registered dietician and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. There are lots of healthier, more filling options with the same or fewer calories, like a cheese stick or a serving of plain nonfat Greek yogurt with fresh strawberries.

You burn the midnight oil

ure, you need to log time at the gym, but to lose weight, you also need to log time in your bed. Skimping on sleep, especially sleeping less than five or six hours a night, can slow your metabolism and cause hormonal changes that hurt your weight-loss efforts.

FOR MARINADE • In a cup, place vinegar and dry red chillies, set aside for 1 hour to steep. In a fry pan over a low heat, gently dryroast the cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, poppy and coriander seeds until fragant, remove from pan and keep aside in a bowl. • Warm the empty pan again, then remove from heat and dry roast the turmeric powder using the residual heat – this way it will not burn. • In a blender, add all the dry roasted ingredients including the turmeric and process into a coarse powder. Add vinegar with red chillies, garlic, ginger, tamarind pulp and salt. Blend together to form the Vindaloo paste, adding a little water if necessary.

• Add the chicken to the vindaloo paste, mixing well to coat, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. FOR GRAVY • Heat oil in a deep heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat. • Add the mustard seeds, when they start to crackle add the cinnamon stick, stir, add chopped onions and sauté until the onions turn lightbrown in colour. • Add chicken and its marinade to the onion masala, sauté for 2–3 minutes on medium heat. Add salt, 118 | India’s Most Wanted Recipies

• •

jaggery and curry leaves, stir and sauté uncovered for another for 2–3 minutes. Add cubed potatoes and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of warm water to the chicken, mix, cover and simmer on low heat for another 5–6 minutes or until the chicken is tender and the potatoes are done. Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve hot with Jeera Rice and Naan

or encouragement from online buddies—can also do the trick.

You never snack

o keep your metabolism at its peak, you need to eat every three to four hours. “People think they need to eat less frequently, but really they need to eat more often, in smaller amounts,” Villacorta advises. “There’s no real reason you need to think in terms of breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

You don’t have a diary

O Being tired may also make you eat more. One recent study found that people who are sleep-deprived consume a whopping 500 extra calories a day.

You exercise too much

es, you read that right. Exercise is important, but Villacorta maintains that being too focused on it can backfire. “People think that if they exercise they will magically lose weight, and then they get frustrated,” he cautions. In fact, about 80% of dieting time and energy should be focused on nutrition and 20% on exercise, he says. “If I have a client who’s exercising six times a week, sometimes I’ll cut that in half and have them spend the extra hours shopping and planning meals.”

You always choose the salad

ontrary to popular belief, heading for the salad bar may not be your best option. Salads may not contain enough carbohydrates to help control hunger hormones, according to Villacorta. He suggests a healthy soup and sandwich instead, or tossing a serving of brown rice, lentils, or garbanzo beans into your greens. And beware of high-calorie salad bar additions like blue cheese and candied walnuts. Add enough of those and “you may as well just have a burger,” he says.

You’re a high-calorie health nut

ust because a food is healthy doesn’t mean you can eat a mountain of it. Switching from white bread to whole wheat bread, eating nuts instead of chips, using olive oil instead of butter —these are all healthy changes. But they aren’t low-calorie substitutions, so portion control is still key.

You eat too early

opular wisdom says not to eat in the evenings, but that may not make sense unless you turn in extra early. “People eat at 6:00 and stay up until 11:00 or midnight, so their bodies are naturally asking for fuel again,” Villacorta says. “I tell people to aim to eat 70% of their calories before dinner and 30% at dinner, but it doesn’t matter how late dinner is.” Healthy eating in the evening can prevent a late-night binge on ice cream or cookies.

You’re a loner

emember the buddy system from your kindergarten field trips? It works for dieting, too. Studies show that support from friends and family increases the likelihood that women will lose weight. If you can’t get what you need from your nearest and dearest, other forms of support— including advice from a weight-loss counselor

ne large-scale study found that keeping a daily food journal doubled the amount of weight participants lost. Researchers speculate that simply writing down what you put in your mouth makes you more accountable and cuts your daily calories. Create your own food log or use one of the many available for free online.

You don’t like water

ubstituting water for sugary sodas and even for juices can make a major dent in your daily calorie count. Drinking water may also help you manage your appetite. In one study, people who drank two glasses of water before eating a meal consumed up to 90 fewer calories.

You skip breakfast

here’s lots of evidence that people who eat breakfast tend to have healthier weights, so start the day right by making time for a morning meal. Experts say whole-grain cereal is one of the best breakfast choices for dieters. It’s quick and easy, too—so there goes the excuse about not having time before work.

You hate to cook

estaurant meals are frequently more caloric than home-cooked ones, so dust off your apron and hunt down some healthy recipes. When you do eat out, consider splitting a meal with your date or asking the water to serve you half of your meal and have the other half boxed up to go.

Ruby Dhil

The New India Assurance Company, Auckland, New Zealand accords a hearty welcome to Mr G Srinivasan, our Global Chairman-cum-Managing Director on his maiden visit to New Zealand in the rst week of July 2017

Insuring New Zealand since 2005 63, Albert Street, PO Box 91748 Victoria Street West, Auckland www.newindia.co.nz

ENTERTAINMENT

Friday, June 30, 2017

The Indian Weekender

AUCKLAND’S HOTTEST BOLLYWOOD STATION

‘BAADSHAH’ SRK COMPLETES 25 YEARS IN BOLLYWOOD H

e ventured into Bollywood in 1992 with the film “Deewana” and ever since has given several cinematic jewels like “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”, “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” and “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham” among many others. Supestar Shah Rukh Khan, who is fondly called the “Baadhshah” o f Bollywood by his fans, has completed 25 years in the Hindi film industry. Shah Rukh began his career with appearances in several TV shows like “Fauji” and “Circus”. He got his Bollywood break with “Deewana” in 1992. He later went on to play anti-hero roles in films like “Darr”, “Baazigar” and “Anjaam”. He then rose to prominence after starring in a series of romantic films, including “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”, “Dil To Pagal Hai”, “Kuch Kuch Hota

Hai”, “Mohabbatein” and “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...”. He was lauded for his portrayal of an alcoholic in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Devdas”, a NASA scientist in “Swades”, a hockey coach in “Chak De! India”, and “My Name Is Khan”. Shah Rukh took to Twitter and wrote: “Went to bed early because been a hectic week. Woke up for no reason and realised I am 25 years old. Will deal with all this love tomorrow. Thanks for bearing me.” For his contributions to the entertainment industry, the Indian government honoured Shah Rukh with the Padma Shri, and the Government of France awarded him both the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the Legion d’honneur. His close friend and filmmaker Karan Johar thanked the superstar and said that he had an honour to collaborate with him. “Have had the honour of working with him for 22 of those 25 years. Love you so much bhai. And thank you for everything,” Karan tweeted. Currently, Shah Rukh is busy promoting his upcoming film “Jab Harry Met Sejal”, directed by Imtiaz Ali. The film also stars Anushka Sharma and is slated to release on August 4.

SRK: Have been reading Mahabharat

ctor Shah Rukh Khan, who has earlier expressed his interest in making a movie on Mahabharat, said he has been reading the epic for one-anda-half years. “I have been reading Mahabharat for oneand-a-half years. I like the stories in it. I narrate them for AbRam in a very exciting way,” he told the media after Eid celebrations at the Taj Lands End hotel in Mumbai. “ S i m i l a r l y, I narrate to him stories from Islam. We should love each other’s religion. I hope my children do the same. I hope they learn about all the religions, respect them and enjoy the facts and the beauty in them,” said Shah Rukh. The actor has three children: Aryan, Suhana and AbRam. He completed 25 years in the industry this year and thanked the media for supporting him on the journey. The superstar also talked about the Bollywood entry of Aryan and Suhana.

The “Dilwale” actor, who has always been protective about his family, said: “My children will first have to finish their studies. In my house, a person has to at least be a graduate or they won’t be allowed to enter the house. “Suhana is still in Class 11. So she has five years of studies left. Aryan has four years left. If Suhana wants to be an actor, then she will study to be an actor. So there is a long long way to go.

‘Indian animation industry needs home grown heroes’ ¡¡ HARICHARAN PUDIPEDDI

ythological characters like Ram and Ravana have been favourites of animation content providers in India. But the industry needs more homegrown superheroes to gain popularity and appeal to international audiences as well, says Rajiv Chilaka, founder and CEO of Green Gold Animation. Chilaka believes there’s a need for character-based stories with universal appeal. “We have to go beyond Ram and Ravana. If we are looking at mythology-based characters, we could even look at the story of Sugriva or even Kumbhkarna. These stories can appeal to international audiences as well,” said Chilaka. “We need to have more homegrown superheroes. How long will we celebrate Spider-Man and Batman? Look at what Baahubali gave us. Real, easily relatable superheroes and those characters will never be forgotten,” he said. Talking from the experience of

being in the animation industry for over a decade, Chilaka has closely followed the changing phase of the Rs 51.1 billion (according to the 2015 Ficci-KPMG report) Indian animation industry. “In 2001, there was only one kids channel and today there are over 15 TV Networks dedicated to kids and a few more in the pipeline. Some of the biggest companies now have their footprint in animation industry due to the high demand for content,” he said, pointing out that there is growing animated production in India. He went on to add that there are over 300 animation, 40 visual effects and 85 game development studios with over 15,000 professionals catering to movies and small screen content for children and regional platforms. Most popular for introducing Chhota Bheem to the world, Chilaka’s company is on a mission to find its next big character. “We are not looking at one next big character. We are looking at

seven to eight characters, so that the company can sustain for the next 1015 years,” he said.The company is simultaneously working on films. “This year, we plan to bring out two 3D animated films; ‘Chhota Bheem Kung Fu Dhamaka’ and ‘Mahiraavan’, a mythological story about Ravana’s brother,” he added. Asked about the future of Chhota Bheem, he said: “It will continue growing as a brand. From an animated character, it made it to television, T-shirts, and to even on the wrapper of biscuit packets. It’s undoubtedly the biggest entertainment brand in the country.” Around 30 per cent of the company’s revenue comes from merchandising. “The success of Bheem as a character has made it possible. Popular animated characters never fade away with time. Mickey Mouse, for instance, is popular in India not as an animated character but as a brand. A 90-year-old grandfather can also wear a Chhota Bheem T-shirt because he would have watched the show with his grandchildren,” he said.

Thanks to the popularity of the character in Indian households, it’s even being made into a live action feature. “It’s still a work-inprogress idea. But we do plan to make a live action film featuring Chhota Bheem and real actors, possibly stars, if we can bring them on board. We are also working on an animated show called ‘Baby Bheem’,” he added.

ENTERTAINMENT

Tubelight: Salman’s lowest opening weekend release during Eid

ollywood superstar Salman Khan, who is known for lighting up the box office during the festival of Eid, got a flickering start with his new film Tubelight. The Kabir Khan directorial only managed to rake in Rs 64.77 crore, making it the actors lowest opening weekend release in the past few years, say trade experts. The film, which released on June 23 and collected Rs 21.15 crore on its opening day, didn’t register any major hike in the subsequent two days and remained steady over the weekend by collecting Rs 21.17 crore and Rs 22.45 crore on Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21 respectively, read a statement. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh, who describes the film as a “disappointment”, shared the opening weekend collections of Salman’s last few releases during Eid on Twitter.

Motherhood has been absolutely fantastic: Ayesha Takia

“Salman and Eid -- opening weekend... 2011: Bodyguard -- Rs 88.75 crore (Wednesday-Sunday), 2012: Ek Tha Tiger -- Rs 100.16 crore (Wednesday-Sunday), 2014: Kick -- Rs 83.83 crore (FridaySunday), 2015: Bajrangi Bhaijaan-Rs 102.60 crore (Friday-Sunday), horror-thriller Devi, is excited to be playing an antagonist for the first time in his career in upcoming Tamil silent film Mercury. “It’s an exciting project and I’m very thrilled. All I can say right now is that it’s a silent film and I play a very different role,” Prabhudheva told media.

2016: Sultan -- Rs 105.53 crore (Wednesday-Sunday) --2017: and Tubelight - Rs 64.77 crore (FridaySunday),” Adarsh tweeted on Monday. “Tubelight rests on a thin plot... Screenplay lacks the power to enthrall and mesmerise... Emotions plenty, but few moments stand out,” Adarsh wrote. Trade expert Komal Nahta said that the film has performed “below expectations”. “This Tubelight has a faulty choke (script). And this is no joke. Uninteresting and not entertaining,” he tweeted. Tubelight also features Sohail Khan, late Om Puri, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Yashpal Sharma, Shah Rukh Khan and Chinese actress Zhu Zhu. of Baahubali and Bajrangi Bhaijaan fame, Aarambh, which went on air on Saturday, narrates the clash of the Dravidian and Aryan civilisations -born and built out of two different existential needs. “Congratulations on what I hear is a huge game changer Shrishti Arya. Goldie Behl for Aarambh. Lots of love and huge success,” Karan tweeted last week. While Behl is the director, Arya is producing the show.

Friday, June 30, 2017

The Indian Weekender

Hot air balloon promotion for Rajinikanth’s ‘2.0’

yca Productions, the makers of superstar Rajinikanth’s upcoming Tamil sciencefiction action drama 2.0, are pushing the envelope as they begin the promotional campaign for the Indian film. Set for a worldwide release on January 25 next year, the 3D film is rumoured to have been made on a budget of over Rs 400 crore. As part of the promotions, a hotair balloon adorned with life-sized images of Rajinikanth and actor Akshay Kumar will travel around the world. “We plan to take the 100-foot-tall hot-air balloon to as many balloon festivals as possible across the world. Since we see our film as a Hollywood production, we also plan to tie up the balloon over the Hollywood signage in Los Angeles,” Raju Mahalingam, creative head, Lyca Productions, told media. The balloon will fly to many cities

and countries like London, Dubai and Australia among others as part of the promotional drive. “We also plan to take it to various Indian cities. Well-known stars will participate in this drive,” he said. Directed by Shankar, 2.0 is the sequel to 2010 Tamil blockbuster Enthiran.

Kajol thanks Dhanush for breaking her language barrier

Haryana girl Manushi is Femina Miss India World 2017

Eid is time to share joy of togetherness: Sohail Khan

ctress Ayesha Takia, who has a three-year-old son, named Mikail, with Farhan Azmi, says her journey as a mother has been a joy ride for her. “It (motherhood) has been absolutely fantastic. It is such a self learning process because I had know idea that I could muster up so much patience, unconditional love, hard work and selflessness for another human being,” Ayesha told. The Socha Na Tha actress says motherhood taught her humility. “I think it teaches you humility and love being a parent. It’s a great experience and I enjoy everyday... It’s a lot of hard work and obviously it is as rewarding because he’s (Mikail) just fabulously amazing,” she added. Ayesha, who was last seen onscreen in 2013 in the film Aap Ke Liye Hum, has made her come-back with a song from the album Zindagi Yeh Zindagi. Asked about it, Ayesha said: “My son just turned three and a half and so, he’s super naughty and requires a lot of my time. I think all parents know this is a lot of responsibilty... looking after children.”

Prabhudheva thrilled about starring in silent film Mercury

ctor-filmmaker Prabhudheva, last seen onscreen in Tamil

Directed by Karthik Subbaraj, the film stars Sananth, Deepak and Remya Nambeesan. The film’s shooting has already been wrapped up and it’s gearing up for release soon. On the career front, Prabhudheva will soon commence work on his next Tamil directorial, Karuppu Raja Vellai Raja.

Aarambh is a huge game changer: Karan Johar

ilmmaker Karan Johar has lauded new historical drama show Aarambh, calling it a game changer in the Indian TV industry. Written by K. V. Vijayendra Prasad

id is a very special day for actor Salman Khan’s family. Salman’s brother Sohail Khan says the family gets lots of guests at home. “People who care for us come visiting the whole day. It is their love for us that brings them home for Eid. They want to pay their respects to my parents, bond with us brothers and sisters,” Sohail said. This Eid, the large Khan family has a new member -- Sohail and Salman’s little sister Arpita’s son. Sohail says there are certain occasions during the year when the entire family has to be together. “Eid is one of them. My father and my mother’s birthday is also a time when the entire family -- all us three brothers, two sisters and the rest of the family -- must get together. For Eid and for family birthdays, Salman bhai makes it a point to be home, if possible.”

ctress Kajol, who will next be seen in the Tamil film Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 titled Lalkar in Hindi, thanked her co-star Dhanush and director Soundarya for breaking her language barrier in the movie. “I thank them as they broke this myth which was in my head that I can’t speak in another language and I can’t act in another language. Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 has been one of the most professional experience and the credit goes to Dhanush and Soundary,” Kajol told the media at the trailer and music launch of the film last week. “I was lied upon saying that you don’t have to speak in Tamil. They proved me wrong the first day because they gave me a long script with two scenes and huge dialogues. They said at least try,” she added. Filmmaker R. Balki and director Anand L. Rai launched the trailer of the film. Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 or Lalkar”is an upcoming bilingual actioncomedy-drama film directed by Soundarya Rajnikanth. The story and dialogue has been written by Dhanush. The film will release on July 28.

he 54th Femina Miss India World 2017 winner is Manushi Chhillar from Haryana, while the first runner-up is Sana Dua from Jammu and Kashmir and the second runner-up is Priyanka Kumari from Bihar. The event was held at Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai last week. Manushi, born to doctor parents, studied in St. Thomas School in Delhi and Bhagat Phool Singh Government Medical College for Women in Sonepat. In an interview during her grooming, she said: “The only thing I believe is certain in life is uncertainty and this is what is amazing about the pageant.” This is the first time the participants wore Indian dress at the finale designed by Manish Malhotra. All the 30 participants, came from all parts of the country were mentored by Neha Dhupia, Waluscha De Sousa, Dipannita Sharma and Parvathy Omanakuttan. The pageant judged by Miss World 2016 Stephanie Del Valle, along with Bollywood stars like Arjun Rampal, Bipasha Basu, fashion designer Manish Malhotra, Abhishek Kapoor, Vidyut Jammwal, Ileavna D’Cruz among others.

FEATURES

Friday, June 30, 2017

The Indian Weekender

June 30 to July 6 | By Manisha Koushik Manisha Koushik is a practicing astrologer, tarot card reader, numerologist, vastu and fengshui consultant based in India with a global presence through the online channels. She is available for consultations online as well. E-mail her at support@askmanisha.com or contact at +91-11-26449898 Mobile/Whatsapp: +919015607139 • www.askmanisha.com ¡¡ Aries (Mar 21-Apr 20) A new development can give you sleepless nights, but things will turn out favourable. You can plan a business expansion as you are now in a position to hire the best. Earning money will not be a problem, but enhancing it can pose difficulties for those working on commission basis. Although you may not admit, you do secretly admire someone, whom you generally dislike on the social front. There will not be enough time to be with lover this week. Lucky Number- 8 Lucky Colour- Metallic Blue ¡¡ Taurus (Apr 21-May 20) Your efforts are likely to bring positive results on the professional front. This is the time to plan out your future for settling down in matrimonial bliss. Your foresight and excellent planning will find the cash registers ringing. Rising clout on the professional front will get you to rub shoulders with the who’s who of the city. Efforts to remain socially well connected will succeed. Something refreshing is likely to happen to your love life, so hold your breath! Lucky Number- 18 Lucky Colour- Red ¡¡ Gemini (May 21-Jun 21)

¡¡ Libra (Sep 24-Oct 23) This is a good time to look up someone you have not met for long. Someone may go back on his or her promise of returning your money this week, which may leave you high and dry. Over consumption of something not agreeing with your system may play havoc with your health. Spending a cosy evening with someone you like is possible this week. Lucky Number- 7 Lucky Colour- Sky Blue ¡¡ Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22) There is much to do on the professional front this week, so prioritise your work, so that nothing important is left out. You will find things progressing well on the professional front. Getting praised by superiors for your performance is possible this week. You are likely to give a good account of yourself on the academic front. Those staying apart will soon get a chance to meet. Financially, you may find yourself steadily on the upswing. Health problems will disappear. Lucky Number- 15 Lucky Colour- Rosy Brown ¡¡ Sagittarius (Nov 23-Dec 21)

You will make it a point to meet people who are like-minded. You may remain in a state of confusion on the work front in the absence of concrete directions. Someone on the social front can be of immense help, provided you approach him or her. Financially, you will be able to manage fine. Your sense of humour may pull someone towards you on the romantic front. A long drive will help you relax your mind.

Excellent performance will help you in beating the competition on the academic front. You are likely to earn more than you are able to spend, so expect to remain solid on the financial front. Those craving for love may witness a miracle happening on the romantic front! Your interests are likely to be served by your well wishers. Enjoying good health by taking precautions against the season is possible. Keep the one who matters in good humour.

Lucky Number- 17 Lucky Colour- Dark Grey

Lucky Number- 5 Lucky Colour- Light Green

¡¡ Cancer (Jun 22-Jul 20)

¡¡ Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 21)

You may find yourself unusually busy on the academic front. This may well turn out to be the most promising week of the month! Opportunities on the professional front are likely to chase you. Career front looks simply great as your keen foresight helps you along! You manage to come a step closer to your dream of earning big on the financial front. Those in love are likely to have scintillating time. Health problems worrying you disappear.

Some more efforts will be required on the academic front and you will be quite up to it. You may want to take the world by storm, but feel scared to take up the challenge. Remember, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Success of someone close may spur you to do even better, but don’t let this desire become all consuming. You will need to perform much better at work than what is currently the case. Health remains satisfactory.

Lucky Number- 6 Lucky Colour- Peach ¡¡ Leo (Jul 21-Aug 22)

Lucky Number- 9 Lucky Colour- White ¡¡ Aquarius (Jan 22-Feb 19)

You may get involved in something that gives you immense satisfaction. Your professional prospects are likely to brighten, as new opportunities come your way. Financially, you will remain on a safe wicket. Some medical problem may chase you, but you will be able to handle it fine. Someone you like may take the initiative on the romantic front. You remain in an upbeat mood regarding a child.

Take time out to network. Only then will you be able to achieve, what you are seeking. You can become negligent on the professional front and then find it difficult to cope up with work. Some problems in maintaining stability on the financial front are foreseen, but you will be able to overcome them. You may set out on the path of attaining perfect health. Interfering nature of someone in the family may make you see red.

Lucky Number- 4 Lucky Colour- Beige

Lucky Number- 22 Lucky Colour- Indigo

¡¡ Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 23)

¡¡ Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20)

Your concern for a social issue is likely to touch someone’s heart. Good going on the professional front may motivate you to give in your best. There is a good chance of meeting someone you had not met in years on the family front. Some of you can get lucky playing the stocks this week. Joining a gym or an exercise regimen is indicated. Taking a shortcut may lose time, so adhere to the tried and tested routes.

You may have to keep up with others on the academic front. Romance will be high on your list of priorities this week. Those married are likely to enjoy a second honeymoon by planning a vacation. There is a good chance of meeting someone who will help you out on the professional front. Additional work will come your way that promises a handsome payout. Relief is in sight for those ailing. Those planning to buy property may go ahead.

Lucky Number- 11 Lucky Colour- Indigo

Lucky Number- 2 Lucky Colour- Pink

Indian Idol 2017 Finalist PVNS Rohit Live in Auckland

will perform. Satninder is nephew of famous Ragi Dilbagh Singh and Gulbagh singh who are renowned kirtankaars. At a very young age he has gained many prestigious awards from the classsical music society “Yuva Sangeet Rattan 2014” Kurukshetra, “Best Classical Vocalist of the year” by OSCA in CSMB National Awards 2014 and many more. Tickets will be availabale at doors, Not to be missed program. Tickets $15 for students and $20 for others. Contact Manjit Singh for more information on 021595941.

Date: Saturday, July 8 Time: 5:30 p.m. Venue: Dorothy Winstone Centre, Howe St., Auckland PVNS Rohit hails from the city of Hyderabad in India. During Indian Idol, he gave some mindblowing performances and impressed the judges with his singing abilities, notably Sonu Nigam. SB Music magic group is proud to present his upcoming concert in July, where the audience will get a chance to catch him with the local live orchestra, performing some of their favourite tunes in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil. Some renowned professional singers from Auckland including Vishnu Priya Mallela, Ravi Muthumanicyam, Sreesutha Nampally, Praveen Ravela, Archana Ravi, NP Srinivas Rao and Prathyusha Vikrant will also be performing along with him on the day. Ticket pricing: Adults- $15 and Child/Senior citizen$10. For information about the concert and purchase of tickets, please contact Govardhan Mallela on 09-6245922/ 021-1455708.

Celebrate Eid Otahuhu

Date: Saturday, July 1 Time: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Venue: Otahuhu Town Hall, 10 High Street, Otahuhu A free event for the families and children on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. The event will host a entertainment for the families, delicacies from different communities in Auckland at a number of food stalls, bouncy castles for the children, best dressed person competition, giveaway quizzes, Disney cup rides and much more. All are welcome.

The New Migrants Find-a-job Free Course

Sounds from the Land of Five Rivers

Date: Monday July 3 and Tueday July 4 Time: 10am - 2.30pm Venue: CAB Eden Albert at St Lukes 2 Workshops with a professional coach to help you understand the NZ workplace, discover what NZ employers are looking for, build a CV and a cover letter, Job search, social media and networking in NZ, preparing for interview. Bring your notebook and pen + a CV and cover letter if you have one. Morning tea supplied. Lunch break (1/2 hour). To register for this free course, call at 846 4023 or email at manager. edenalbert@cab.org.nz Limited places so register early.

Date: Sunday, July 2 Time: 4 p.m. Venue: 48 The Parade, Bucklands Beach, Auckland 2012 Naad Charitable Trust brings concert for classical music traditions of Punjab. he program will feature various artists with numerous performances such as classical vocal, sarod and tabla duo and Tabla jugalbandi. Satninder Singh bodal, a young vocalist from India who is presenting two different singing styles of Punjab, Shamchaurasi Gharana and Patiala Gharana

associated with

Presents

Bhairav Se Bhairavi

Freemans Bay Community Centre 52 Hepburn St, Ponsonby, Auckland 1011 SeeMa RaJaPURkaR

Day 1: Friday 14/07/2017 @ 6:30pm

Day 2: Saturday 15/07/2017 @ 5:30pm

Vocal Recital By Pandit Rajendra Kandalgaonkar

Combo Both Days

Day 1 $15

$20

Musical Event by students of Samarth Sangeet School, an affiliated with Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Pune, run by Seema Rajapurkar. Students from age group 5 to 50 yr will be performing vocal and harmonium solo.

A well known vocalist, Principal Of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Pune, India Student of Late Pt Bhimsen Joshi

Day 2 $10

Nikhil Ghate

BaSaNt MadhUR

chaitaNya RaJaPURkaR

tickets available at: top in town, yogijis, Reliance travel oR contact Prasad Rajapurkar 021 145 1136 / Basant Madhur 021 357 945 Media Partner

Supported by 09 4792271

Paresh Patel 027 500 3000 TOP-IN-TOWN Food City 09 846 9009

Sunil Goyal

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^Changi Dollar Vouchers are redeemable for travel before 30 September 2017. *Terms and conditions apply: Prices are subject to availability, per person in NZD, flying Singapore Airlines and are valid for sale until 14 July 2017. Flights from Auckland and Christchurch are valid for selected travel dates on/between 01 October and 09 December 2017 and on/between 16 January and 31 March 2018. Flights departing Wellington (via Canberra) are available on/between 14 July and 09 December 2017 and on/between 16 January and 31 March 2018. Singapore to Amritsar and Jaipur flights are operated by Scoot with ‘Fly Bag Eat’ product. Singapore to Hyderabad and Kochi are operated by SilkAir. Flights to Bengaluru and Chennai are operated by both Singapore Airlines and SilkAir. Child fares are available at 75% of the adult fare. Advertised fares are ‘Economy Super Saver’ and are eligible to accrue 10% KrisFlyer frequent flyer miles, KrisFlyer terms and conditions apply. Passengers can earn Air New Zealand Airpoints on Singapore Airlines flights between New Zealand (Auckland, Wellington (via Canberra), Christchurch) and Singapore. Airpoints conditions apply. No miles are accruable on other airline frequent flyer programmes. Date changes are subject to a USD250 fee. Cancellations are not permitted. Maximum 6 months stay applies. Fares quoted include airport taxes and government costs, as calculated on 01 June 2017 and subject to change due to currency fluctuations. A stopover in Singapore will increase the cost of airport and government taxes. To book these great offers contact Reservations on 0800 808 909 or visit www.singaporeair.com.