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Prabhu Dayal

NY Consulate holds 'Year of India' reception Details on page 6

India, Afghan, US hold trilateral conference Details on page 7

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VOL 18, No. 942

October 5, 2012

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GURDWARA SHOOTING SENSELESS: OBAMA WASHINGTON: The Wisconsin Gurdwara shooting incident, which left six Sikh worshipers dead, was an act of "senseless killing," US President Barack Obama has said, as he assured full support to the Sikh community in the country.

"It was a senseless killing and it should not have happened," Obama told the Washington-based Sikh community leaders Dr Rajwant Singh and his wife Dr Balvinder

Singh at a reception hosted by the US President for diplomats and UN ambassadors at Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York on the eve of his speech at the United Nations.

"We thank you deeply for your kindness and your support during the tragedy at the Sikh Gurdwara in Wisconsin. We really appreciate it," Singh, chairman of the Washington based Sikh Council on Religion and Education, told the US President.

Details on page 8

Anu Natarajan

Fremont is now an Asian majority city: Anu Details on page 18

Ex-Intel MD Goel gets no prison term Details on page 7

UK church bans yoga classes from its premises

Obama invokes Gandhi, flays violence Details on page 8

Details on page 7

Gujarat team holds road show in California

Thind named to Human Rights Commission Details on page 19

Details on page 22

Indian SMEs sweep FedEx business awards

CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 34-35 Classifieds ------------------------- 47 Community Post -------------- 11-21

Details on page 8

Date Book -------------------------- 46 Edit Page --------------------------- 49

INDIA POST SURVEY

HealthScience Post --------- 36-39

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Horoscope ------------------------- 28

This week’s question

Immigration Post ------------- 40-43

Aishwarya as UN Goodwill Ambassador is a great honor for India?

Last week’s result

US govt dragging feet on anti-Sikh crimes?

YES 83%

NO 17%

Life Style ----------------------- 24-26 Philosophy ------------------------- 48

NEW GOODWILL AMBASSADOR: Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been appointed as the new International Goodwill Ambassador for UNAIDS, the joint UN program on AIDS and HIV. Here she is seen with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his wife at Peace Bell Ceremony on the occasion of International Day of Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future at UN Headquarters in New York. (Details on page 7)

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Publisher’s Diary ------------------ 4 Real Estate -------------------- 44-45 TechBiz Post ------------------- 22-23 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 29-31

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s at every United Nations General Assembly session, this year too the Pakistani President did not disappoint when he raked up the Kashmir issue last week in New York.

In his address to the UNGA, President Zardari called Kashmir a symbol of failures rather than strengths of the United Nations. it's like déjà vu for India, which routinely counters the Pakistani rhetoric on Kashmir their own about the Kashmir dispute being an internal issue and that no third party can interfere.

Popular opinion in India - among those interested - tends to suggest that Kashmir is the pet flog for Pakistani leaders whenever they try to cover up or divert attention from some domestic matter.

I wouldn't hazard it, but President Zardari's remarks seem unseasonal considering the last couple of years saw much progress in implementing some of the confidence building measures (CBMs) between the India and Pakistan. Diplomatic exchanges have expanded, trade relations are picking up, and some visa norms have been eased. Only last month, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met with President Zardari in Tehran on the sidelines of the Non-Alignment Movement Summit.

These are definitely not signs of a brewing friendship, but at least they signal the easing of political tensions between the two neighbors.

Bringing up Kashmir then comes as an apology to the hardliners in Pakistan for the inescapability of having to acknowledge the positive developments between the two countries.

So apart from India, is anyone else at the UNGA really listening to Pakistan harp obsessively about Kashmir? I doubt it, partly because most UN members suffer unfriendly neighbors anyway.

The periodic hurling of rhetoric is simply a cat and mouse game that India and Pakistan have perfected. But, interestingly, in his speech, Zardari conceded that Pakistan has learnt a lesson from the past three decades that while history cannot be changed, the future can be better for all in the region.

India is definitely taking the message, but I am sure with a bucket of salt.

Romesh K Japra rkjapra@indiapost.com

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Bollywood: Biggest heroine!

Priyanka Chopra is voted Bollywood's biggest heroine in a tough competition with Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif.

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Cover Story: Senseless killing US President Barack Obama says the Wisconsin Gurdwara shooting incident was an act of "senseless killing."

Community: Fabulous singer Shreya Ghoshal won the hearts and souls of thousands of music lovers in New York, Charlotte, NC, and Columbus.

Health: Breast cancer In a major analysis of the genetics of breast cancer, scientists have found four major classes of the disease.

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Gurdwara shooting senseless: Obama WASHINGTON: The Wisconsin Gurdwara shooting incident, which left six Sikh worshipers dead, was an act of "senseless killing," US President Barack Obama has said, as he assured full support to the Sikh community in the country.

"It was a senseless killing and it should not have happened," Obama told the Washingtonbased Sikh community leaders Dr Rajwant Singh and his wife Dr Balvinder Singh at a reception hosted by the US President for diplomats and UN ambassadors at Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York on the eve of his speech at the United Nations.

"We thank you deeply for your kindness and your support dur-

ing the tragedy at the Sikh ‘We would like PresiGurdwara in Wisconsin. We dent to be seen with really appreciate the Sikhs to send a it," Singh, chairman of the positive message all Wa s h i n g t o n across the nation. based Sikh Council on Reli- Perhaps he can have gion and Educaa delegation tion, told the US President. at the White House "It was needed and more or he can visit a to come and you Sikh center’ can be assured of that," Obama said according to the press state- said when Singh said: "We prayed ment. for you and will continue to pray "I need that every day," Obama for God's blessings upon you."

Barack Obama

He expressed gratitude on behalf of the Sikh community on his decision to lower the US flags at

half-staff in honor of those killed in the Sikh massacre.

"Your visit to Wisconsin to see the family of victims was really healing for all of us. It was gratefully appreciated by all Sikhs."

Singh said while thanking US first Lady Michelle Obama.

"I was touched by sentiments and spirit of the families especially the youth. They are all so kind."

Michelle responded.

Singh further requested to the US first Lady, "We would like President to be seen with the Sikhs to send a positive message all across the nation. Perhaps he can have a delegation at the White House or he can visit a Sikh center."

"We certainly will work on it," she replied. -PTI

NY Consulate holds 'Year of India' reception

Consul General of India, New York addressing the audience India Post News Service

NEW YORK: The Consul General of India, New York hosted a reception on September 20 at New India House in recognition of the "Year of India" celebrations by Queens College of the City University of New York. Over 100 guests comprising high level officials of Queens College, select members of the Indian American community, media persons and others attended the event.

Queens College is one of the premier public educational institutions in the United States with commitment to global education.

From the year 2010-11, the college introduced the "Year Of" program starting with: 'Year of China' followed by the 'Year of Turkey' celebrated in 2011-12. Year 2012-13 has been dedicated to 'Year Of India' with a wide range of India centric activities which include lecture series on Indian polity,

economy, society, exhibitions of Indian art, cultural programs, film shows etc.

Commending the initiative put forth by Mr. James Muyskens, President of Queens College, in organizing the "Year of India'" 2012-13, Consul General of India, Mr. Prabhu Dayal spoke about the recent acceleration in the Indo-US relationship. In the last decade, the visits of President Clinton in 2000, President Bush in 2006 and President Obama in 2010, reflects India's stature in the comity of nations and the growing strength of relationship with the United States, he said.

He further stated that constructive cooperation between India and the US has taken place in the recent years on the Prime Minister of India's national commitment in the areas of 5E's namely Economy, Education, Energy, Environment and Empowerment, and other key areas including innova-

James Muyskens, President Queens College, speaking on the occasion

tion and technology.

Recognizing the excellence achieved in advancement of higher education by the United States, education sector has been included in the Strategic Dialogue process which began with the first Higher Education Summit held at Washington DC on October 2010.

He informed the audience about the legislation relating to entry of foreign universities to set up campus in India is under ac-

tive consideration of the Indian Parliament. Marvelous institutions like Queens College must take advantage of the education process that the two countries are now set to build for mutual benefit particularly in the area of high end research, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, President James Muyskens, fondly remembered stories about India from his relatives during his childhood. He marveled at the

Sitar recital by artists of the Kalawant Center for Music and Dance

Odishi Dance performance

by Bani Ray

spectacular progress India has achieved as one of the fastest growing economies in the world today, while preserving its rich culture and tradition. He further stated that the college which was founded in 1937 provides first rate education to more than twenty thousand students of diverse cultures from over 170 nations. The "Year of India" celebration is very special as it is being held in the year of the 75th Anniversary of the College, he said.

The highlight of the evening was a spectacular Odishi Dance performance by Ms. Bani Ray followed by an enthralling sitar recital by the artists of the Kalawant Center of Music and Dance founded by Ustad Kader Khan.

The audience were overwhelmed by the cultural presentations and the artists received continuous applaud and a standing ovation.

The program concluded with a dinner reception.

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India, Afghanistan, US hold first ever trilateral dialogue NEW YORK: India, Afghanistan and the US have held a maiden tri-lateral dialogue here, discussing the situation in the war-torn country along with a host of other regional issues, including terrorism.

"This trilateral marks the further strengthening of Afghanistan's cooperation with two of its key friends and partners who are fully behind the vision of a secure, peaceful, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan living in peace, security, friendship and cooperation with its region and the wider world," a chairman's statement by Afghanistan's Mission to the UN said.

The discussions marked the beginning of a series of consultations among the three governments, who have common interests across South and Central Asia and have pledged to work together on common challenges and opportunities including combating terrorism and violent ex-

tremism, reviewing cultural exchanges and increasing regional trade, investment and economic integration.

"All sides welcomed the frank

The discussions marked the beginning of a series of consultations among the three governments, who have common interests across South and Central Asia and have pledged to work together and comprehensive nature of the discussions and agreed the dialogue helps advance their shared values, interests and goals," the statement said.

UK church bans yoga classes from its premises LONDON: A church in Britain has banned yoga classes from its premises as the ancient Indian system of physical exercise was "not compatible" with the Catholic faith, according to a media report here.

Yoga instructor Cori Withell said the classes she booked for yoga and pilates at St Edmund's Church building in Southampton were cancelled with 10 days to go.

According to the Sun tabloid, Withell was told by the church administration that it was because yoga is a Hindu religious activity.

Father John Chandler from the church said the hall has to be used for Catholic activities and he banned it because it was advertised as "spiritual yoga".

Chandler said, "Yoga is a Hindu spiritual exercise. Being a Catholic church we have to promote the gospel and that's what we use our premises for."

Withell said the church accepted the booking two months ago and she paid 180 pounds.

She was called later and told that yoga was from another reli-

gion so she could not have the hall. A separate pilates class she had booked was also cancelled.

"I had never heard about any religious issue with yoga before but I have looked into it since and found that some other religions feel that when people meditate it could let the devil inside them," she said.

"But there was never any meditation in my class - it was just exercises. Yoga is not religious: spiritual, but not religious."

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Portsmouth Catholic Diocese said: "It's not possible for Catholic premises to be used for non-Christian activities and there is a dilemma with yoga as it can be seen as Hindu meditation or as relaxation."

"There is no national policy on this and the decision is for each priest." -PTI

The meeting, held at the Afghan Mission here, was attended

by Joint Secretary (Pakistan/Afghanistan/Iran) Y K Sinha and Joint Secretary (Americas) Jawed Ashraf from the Indian side, Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Ambassador Marc Grossman and Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake.

The announcement regarding the tri-lateral dialogue, held on the sidelines of the 67th annual session of the UN General Assembly, was made during the India-US Strategic Dialogue held in Washington early this year, which was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

India and the US had clarified that the tri-lateral dialogue was not targeted against Pakistan, which has always been wary of New Delhi's role in Afghanistan. -PTI

India yet to address concerns on civil nuke law WASHINGTON: India is yet to address the concerns of American companies with regard to civil nuclear liability laws, a senior administration official has said, noting that the two countries, nevertheless are making progress on the implementation of civil nuclear agreement.

"We continue to talk about the civil nuclear liability legislation in India, that still is under review in the Supreme Court and in the parliament, but there's still some clauses of that legislation that cause concerns to some of our companies," Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake told reporters.

"So that is still something that needs to be addressed.

But we also welcome the fact that the Government of India has signed the Convention on Supplementary Compensation. That's certainly a welcome step forward, and we urge our Indian friends to consult with the IAEA to make sure that their own legislation is in conformance with the Convention on Supplementary Compensation. So in short, I think there's progress but still work to be done," Blake said.

Blake said there is a bipartisan support in the United States on India.-PTI

Ex-Intel MD Goel gets no prison term NEW YORK: Intel Corp's India-born former MD Rajiv Goel, once a friend of Raj Rajaratnam and his accomplice in insider trading, was let off by a court without a jail term as he helped prosecutors nail the disgraced Galleon founder in America's biggest insider trading scandal.

Goel, who apologized profusely and said he was "deeply shamed", was awarded two years of probation and fined USD 10,000 by a US court that also ordered him to forfeit USD 266,649.

The Mumbaiborn former managing director of Intel had pleaded guilty to passing confidential information about the firm to now-jailed hedge fund founder Rajaratnam.

Goel, 54, had pleaded guilty in 2010 to conspiracy and securities fraud, after his arrest in October 2009, but was given a light punishment as his cooperation turned out to be a crucial factor in the case.

In court, he said he had a serious "lapse of judgment and good sense" while indulging in the actions, a report in the Wall Street Journal said.

Apologizing for his actions he said he was particularly sorry to his wife and children who "have been devastated by the trauma and grief."

The court filing said Goel had

admitted to his action and started working with investigators even before the government agreed to make him an official cooperator.

US District Judge Barbara Jones said he had the "good sense" to cooperate and that this type of cooperation was "essential" in complicated white-collarcrime investigations.

Goel was friends with

Rajiv Goel

Rajaratnam from their time together at the Wharton School of Business.

He was one of three main government witnesses who had agreed to cooperate and had testified against the Sri Lankan billionaire in his trial last year.

Recommending a lenient sentence, Attorney Preet Bharara had in a letter to Jones said that Goel was a "highly significant witness" who helped the government secure a conviction in one of the most significant and high-profile insider trading trials in history. PTI

Aishwarya Rai named UNAIDS goodwill ambassador UNITED NATIONS: Indian actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been appointed as the new international Goodwill Ambassador for UNAIDS, the joint UN program on AIDS and HIV. The announcement was made at the UN headquarters here by UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe on the sidelines of the 67th session of the UN General Assembly.

In her new role, she will help raise awareness on issues related to stopping new HIV infections in children and advocate for increased access to anti-retroviral treatment.

"I am honored to accept this

appointment. Spreading awareness on health issues specially related to women and children has always been a priority for me and now as a new mother I can personally relate to this - the joys and concerns of every mother and the hopes that we have for our children," she said.

Her main focus will be to advocate for the global plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive. This plan was launched at the UN in June 2011 and focuses on 22 countries including India, which account for more than 90% of all new HIV infections among children.-PTI

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Indian SMEs sweep FedEx business league awards

Winners of the International Business League, (IBL) contest held by the FedEx taking part in the award function at Guangzhou. Indian SMEs won 10 of the 12 awards presented

GUANGZHOU: Small and Medium Enterprises from India virtually swept the third FedEx International Business League awards, notching up 10 of the 12 finalists positions in the 6-nation contest that involved tough evaluation process of their performances.

Indian SMEs stamped their dominance as FedEx opened its IBL contest for the first time to countries in neighborhood including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Indian companies were chosen from the list of over 300 qualified nominations, while a company from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka made it to the two other positions.

The awards were presented by at a gala function here that attended by top FedEx officials: Elizabeth Finch - Vice President Sales, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa; David Canavan, Vice President Domestic Operations and Integration, India and Rakesh Shalia, Managing Director, Marketing, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa.

The finalists were chosen in three categories of the contest based on their turnover: USD 2.5 million to USD 25 million, USD 25 million to USD 70 million and USD 70 million to USD 150 million.

Indian firms secured top position in all the three categories.

The winning company receives free consultancy from a well known independent consultancy company to assist in growing their international business.

EMMBI Polyarns Ltd, a Plastic Polymer Processing company based in western Indian city of Mumbai has won the number one ranking. It makes FIBC (jumbi

bags) and woven sacks and various woven polymer-based products such as container liners, protective irrigation system, flexi tanks and car covers.

Listed on BSE and NSE, it has customers in 30 countries on five continents and ranked as top three exporters in the products based on woven textiles.

Others included Surat-based diamond manufacturing firm, Shree Ramakrishna Exports Pvt Ltd; Bangalore based Syngene International Ltd, a subsidiary of Biocon Ltd specializing in custom research and manufacturing with

The growing strength of the SMEs reflects that they are most equipped to survive and develop in a downturn scenario because of their ability to explore new markets through innovation - unlike big firms who find it hard to reinvent themselves multi disciplinary skills in drug discovery and development.

Aayushi Design Pvt Ltd, which specializes in making, trading and exports of gift articles and kitchen accessories, also won the award.

Leeba Corporation, a Bangladesh based company and Tropical Findings (Pvt) Ltd, based in Sri Lanka, were the other win-

ners.

FedEx officials said Indian firms winning the contest after going through stringent scrutinized evaluation criteria speaks strongly about their growing strength, and are posting strong growth rates despite global economic downturn.

Finch said the contest received an overwhelming response this year with the participation of over 300 qualified companies, mostly from India, which is three times bigger than the previous year.

The growing strength of the SMEs reflects that they are most equipped to survive and develop in a downturn scenario because of their ability to explore new markets through innovation - unlike big firms who find it hard to reinvent themselves overnight, Finch, who is based in Mumbai, told PTI. Canavan said over a lakh firms visited the FedEx website to know the details of the contest, which demonstrated that it is becoming an excellent platform for the small industries.

"We see this as a very good platform to learn and to bring them onto an international league," he said.

Shalia said Indian SMEs would be less impacted in the face of the economic down turn in EU and slow recovery in US as they are well entrenched in domestic market, unlike their Chinese counter parts that are mostly based on exports.

"Since India is a domestic consumption driven economy there is a lot of demand for SME products," said Shalia, who heads the FedEx team in all aspects of Marketing, Branding and Communications.-PTI

Obama invokes Gandhi, says film no excuse for 'attack' on US UNITED NATIONS: President "I have made it clear that the Barack Obama invoked the words United States government had of Mahatma Gandhi in his address nothing to do with this video, and to the UN General Assembly here I believe its message must be reas he remembered US envoy to jected by all who respect our comLibya who was killed in violent mon humanity," the president said. protests that erupted in the after"The future must not belong math of an anti-Islam film, saying to those who slander the prophet the "crude and disgusting" video of Islam. Yet to be credible, those was no excuse for an "attack on who condemn that slander must America". also condemn the hate we see Obama took the stage at the UN when the image of Jesus Christ is General Assembly hall to address desecrated, churches are deworld leaders in what is his last international speech before the No- The future must not belong to vember 6 presidential those who slander the elections.

"The attacks on our prophet of Islam. Yet to be civilians in Benghazi credible, those who conwere attacks on America. demn that slander must also There should be no doubt that we will be re- condemn the hate we see lentless in tracking down when the image of Jesus the killers and bringing Christ is desecrated them to justice," said Obama, the second speaker of the general debate. stroyed, or the Holocaust is deHe began his address by re- nied. Let us condemn incitement membering the memory of Chris- against Sufi Muslims and Shiite topher Stevens, the American pilgrims. It is time to heed the ambassador who "helped the words of Gandhi: 'Intolerance is Libyan people as they coped with itself a form of violence and an violent conflict, cared for the obstacle to the growth of a true wounded, and crafted a vision for democratic spirit'." a future in which the rights of all "Together, we must work toLibyans would be who re- wards a world where we are spected." strengthened by our differences, He said over the last two and not defined by them. That is weeks, "a crude and disgusting what America embodies, and that video" has sparked outrage is the vision we will support," throughout the Muslim world.

Obama said. -PTI

'India, US investment treaty will help businesses' NEW YORK: The bilateral investment treaty being negotiated between India and the US will help provide strong rules on investor protection and effective means for resolving business disputes between the two countries, the American government has said.

The US and Indian governments are actively engaged in Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) negotiations, he said.

"We are aiming for a BIT that provides a high level of openness to investment across the economy, strong rules on investor protection and transparency, and effective means for resolving investment disputes," Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy & Environment Robert Hormats said at the annual India Investment Forum here.

Hormats called on Indian com-

panies to voice support for a strong agreement that would provide them with the same protections for their investment in the US that American investors would receive in India.

"We in government are doing our part so smart investors and corporations can continue to allocate capital, investments and people to their most productive ends.

"In order to make a robust BIT agreement a reality, the business leaders from Mumbai and Manhattan - perhaps even Delhi and Dallas, or Lucknow and Los Angeles - must spearhead private sector advocacy for an agreement," he said. Hormats pointed out that creating a stronger US and global economy, with more jobs for Americans, is the foremost priority of the Obama administration.-PTI

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Global investor meet shifted from Kolkata NEW DELHI: Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma has said "strident and hostile" opposition by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata

ment is totally opposed to FDI. "So, we have been compelled to shift because I cannot take the corporate leaders of the world to a place where they will face oppo-

Mamata Banerjee

Banerjee against FDI in multibrand retail has forced the Centre to shift a global investor meet from eastern city of Kolkata to Agra in northern state of Uttar Pradesh. "...given the strident opposition and a hostile approach to FDI in general, it would not be appropriate to invite corporate leaders of the world and the global investors to Kolkata when the govern-

sition and demonstrations," he said.

He said this in reply to a query on the reasons for shifting the Global Partnership Summit, 2013 to Agra. The Summit which attracts industry leaders from across the globe, was scheduled to be held in Kolkata in January next year. It is being organized by the Commerce and Industry Min-

istry in partnership with industry body CII. Trinamool Congress, led by Banerjee, has withdrawn its support to the UPA government in protest against economic reforms like FDI in multi-brand retail, cap on subsidized cylinders and diesel price hike.

"When the West Bengal Chief Minister leads a demonstration against FDI, how can global investors and corporate leaders be invited. You may end up in a situation where the TMC government is demonstrating against the foreign investors. We cannot have it. We cannot take the risk," Sharma said.

When told that Samajwadi Party, which is power in Uttar Pradesh, is also opposing FDI In retail, he said: "I do not think that FDI investments as such they are opposed. There is a difference.

Mamata is opposed to all FDI. I have spoken to UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who is welcoming and thankful to the central government for hosting it."

He said that the UP government has "endorsed" the summit.

"I am sure that...he (SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav) will not lead a demonstration against investors," he said in a reply to query. -PTI

India asks Pak to speed up 26/11 trial and stop terror BANDOS ISLAND, Maldives: India has asked Pakistan to handover voice samples of the handlers of the Mumbai attackers, speed up the trial against 26/11 terror accused, including LeT Commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and to stop cross-border terrorism.

During his first meeting with Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik on the sidelines of the SAARC Home/Interior Ministers conference, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde referred to pending requests, including punishment to those who were involved in Mumbai attack, handing over of voice samples of handlers of the terrorists.

"Minister Rehman Malik reiterated Pakistan's commitment to ensure that the trials in Pakistan, with regard to the 2008 Terrorist attacks in Mumbai, would be taken to their logical conclusion," an

official said. delayed due to a variety of techniIn this regard, Malik mentioned cal reason also while the court's the need for India to receive a sec- judge was changed five times. ond visit by the Judicial CommisA Pakistani Commission had sion of Pakistan. Shinde assured visited India following a bilateral his counterpart of an early re- agreement which said the commissponse to this request. sion would not quiz the magistrate, New Delhi is upset with Islamabad for the long delay in the trial New Delhi is upset with against Lakhvi and six Islamabad for the long deother Pakistani suspects charged with in- lay in the trial against Lakhvi volvement in the 2008 and six other Pakistani susMumbai attack. Repects charged with cently, the trial was adjourned till September involvement in the 2008 29 as the judge was un- Mumbai attack available to conduct the hearing.

At the last hearing on Septem- who recorded the confessional ber 15 too, three officials of the Fed- statement of arrested LeT terrorist eral Investigation Agency came to Azmal Kasab and the investigatPakistan's Adiala Jail, where the trial ing officer of the case and two docis being conducted, but were un- tors who conducted the postmorable to testify. The trial has been tem of the nine slain terrorists.-PTI

Clinton meets Zardari; discusses Indo-Pak ties NEW YORK: The improving India even as noted in the recent trade ties between Pakistan and visit... (and) discussion of the India, terrorism and violent anti- Commerce Secretaries (of the two US protests were among a host of countries)," the official added. issues that President Asif Ali Last week, Indian Commerce Zardari discussed with Secretary Secretary SR Rao was in of State Hillary Clinton when they Islamabad for the 7th round of met here on the sidelines of the talks on Commercial and EcoUN General Assembly session. nomic Co-Operation with his PaZardari brought up the issue kistani counterpart Munir of the anti-Islam movie with Qureshi.

Clinton and the two leaders The two countries signed three "spent quite a bit of time talking about the violence throughout the region," that has resulted in the aftermath of the movie, a State Department official told reporters after the meeting.

Clinton reiterated that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, meets those who prowith Asif Ali Zardari, right, President of Pakistan, while voke violence the two are in New York cannot be tolerated and it undermines the sov- agreements for cooperation in ereignty of states. customs matters, redressal of Over 20 people were killed trade grievances and conforming across Pakistan in violent protests to quality standards to further against the film deemed offensive normalize economic relations beto Islam. tween the two countries.

The Pakistani side also The two leaders also talked stressed that there was "zero tol- about continued counter- terrorerance" for both violence and ex- ism cooperation, including efforts tremism. by the US to squeeze the Haqqani The two leaders also dis- Network, which was recently descussed the "growing trade rela- ignated as a foreign terrorist ortionship between Pakistan and ganization. -PTI

Australia to introduce label-free visa for Indians NEW DELHI: Now Indians traveling Down Under will not have to face the hassles of getting a visa labeled on their passport, as Australia is introducing label free visa arrangements from October 1.

"Traveling to Australia will now be a lot quicker and easier for Indian travelers as they will no longer need to have a visa label placed in their passport," said Peter Varghese, Australian High Commissioner to India.

As per the new arrangement, people wanting to travel to Australia will have to apply for visa but they won't have to include their passport with their application.

Instead of a visa label, travelers would receive an electronic visa grant letter the day their visa was granted that would explain all

the conditions of their visa.

"This new approach would not only provide Indian travelers with better information about their visas but also reduce processing time and costs as travelers would no longer need to wait to have their passport returned to them by courier," Varghese said.

The label-free travel is not only simpler for the traveler but is also more secure. Unlike a label, which can be misread or manipulated, electronic verification at check-in confirms the real-time status of a person's visa, he added.

The High Commissioner said that the decision to introduce label-free travel arrangements from India has been welcomed by Indian government, airlines and travel and education agents in India. -PTI

Desi News Dold given 'Friend of Community' Award SURENDRA ULLAL India Post News Service

CHICAGO: U.S. Congressman from Illinois Robert Dold was given the "Hindu American Foundation Friend of the Community" award for his record of advocating and addressing the concerns of the Hindu American community and standing up for those who are persecuted around the world.

COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA

Fremont is now an Asian majority city: Anu Natarajan Details on page 18

10 India Post

www.indiapost.com

October 5, 2012

Shreya Ghoshal's dazzling shows AAPI-organized multi-city musical tour a big hit

Details on page 13

BJP will provide good governance, says OFBJP India Post News Service

NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ: The three day (Sept 14-16) annual convention of Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP)-USA was held at Hotel Jewel of India in North Brunswick, NJ. The Indian American community of Tri State area (NY, NJ, and PA) felicitated the visiting BJP functionaries from Delhi, Shri Ram Lal, BJP National General Secretary (Org) and Shri Vijay Jolly, BJP Convener - Overseas Affairs and OFBJP. Details on page 14 Shreya Ghoshal performing at Colden Auditorium, Flushing, NY on Sept 22

Funds raised for Jalaram Mandir expansion RAMESH BRAHMBHATT

CHICAGO: With 600 plus devotees and guests in attendance, the fund raising event organized by Jalaram Mandir management recently at Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows turned out to be a grand success.

India Post News Service

NEW YORK, NY: She came, she sang, and she won the hearts and souls of thousands of music lovers in New York, Charlotte, NC, and Columbus, OH, during her first three back to back performances as part of a Nine-City Musical Tour

Physicians of Indian origin (AAPI).

Shreya Ghoshal, the popular Bollywood playback singer, who shot to fame in a short span of time, sang with a string of melodies songs with her eternal voice filling the prestigious Colden Auditorium at Queens College, Flush-

Shreya with the organizing committee in Charlotte, NC: From Left: Dr. Parag Dalsania, Vice-President GCAPI, Mitu Dalsania, Toni Sawhney, Co-Chair Shreya Ghoshal Concert; Shreya Ghoshal, Dr. Priti Bhagia, Past President GCAPI, Dr. Nimish Patel, President GCAPI and Chair, Shreya Ghoshal concert, Dr. Sarjoo "Sam" Bhagia, Convener Shreya Ghoshal concert; and Dr. Shephali Patel

artist, as she sang old and new hit songs from the Bollywood world in Hindi, Bengali and Malayalam before a packed audience which relished the more than three-hour non-stop musical entertainment program.

Earlier, Dr. Seema Jain, Secretary of AAPI, introduced AAPI lead-

Details on page 16

Sikhs join breast cancer awareness walk India Post News Service

ORANGE COUNTY, CA: In support of the annual Susan G. Komen 'Race for Cure', Sikh Women Now (SWN) participated in the Breast Cancer Walkathon held on September 23 in Orange County. More than 100 walked the 5K loop around Fashion Island, Newport Beach to boost morale and support 2.5 million breast cancer survivors awaiting cure.

Details on page 21

Dr. Ajay Lodha, Treasurer, Dr. Jayesh Shah, President-Elect, Dr. Narendra Kumar, President, Dr. Seema Jain, Secretary, and Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar, Vice-President

across the United States, during a Multi-City Musical Tour organized by the American Association of

ing, NY on Saturday night, September 22. Singing comes very natural to this young and talented

ers, who were behind the Nine-City Musical Tour to the audience. As Dr. Narendra Kumar, president, Dr.

Ravi Jahagirdar, vice-president, and Dr. Ajay Lodha, Treasurer, walked up to the stage, the crowds applauded them for the noble initiatives AAPI has undertaken here in the US and back home in India.

"Dr. Jayesh Shah, President-elect, could not be on stage as he is on his way to Ohio for the concert in Columbus," Dr. Jain said.

"It all began with the idea of strengthening the relationship between the AAPI Chapters and national office," Dr. Narendra Kumar said. "The concept of this program to bring together various local Chapters and its nearly 100,000 members and Fellows closer has been in my mind for several years.

Drs. Jayesh Shah, Ravi Jahagirdar and Hemant Dhingra enthusiastically received this idea and the net result of our collaboration and dialogue is the Multi-City Tour." He then went on to present a plaque to Sebastian Joseph, Chairman of Prince Holding for being the title sponsor of the Tour.

Conversing both in English and Hindi at ease, Shreya Ghoshal dressed elegantly in beautiful attires, was joined by Prithvi, a young male singer from Mumbai chosen by Shreya for his powerful and rhythmic voice.

Cont’d on page 12

Community Across America

October 5, 2012

India Post 11

www.indiapost.com

Indian student at Northwestern varsity disappears

Harsha Maddula

RAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service

CHICAGO: The mystery surrounding the disappearance of an Indian descent pre-med A grade student Harsha Maduula is getting deeper everyday.

Harsha, 18, a sophomore at Northwestern University in Evanston, was last seen around 12:30 a.m. leaving an off-campus party at 2013 Ridge Ave. wearing a gray long-sleeve sweater with white and black stitching, dark gray pants and brown shoes. The people still in the party residence say he left with three or four of the 10 friends that came there on the fateful night. The friends are reported saying that they realized he wasn't with them as they proceeded to walk on to yet another party.

Harsh is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 145 pounds.

The NW Police rules out foul play based on its investigation talking to a number of his friends and other party goers. That leaves a possibility of an accident and the focus of investigation at near by Wilmette Harbor. The Federal Bu-

reau of Investigation has now joined the search team. The parents of Harsha - Prasad and Dhanalakshmi Maddula - flew from East Coast and announced a reward of $25,000 for information on the whereabouts of their son.

Harsha family sources say Harsha was recently diagnosed as a diabetic and had returned to the university just three days before he disappeared. This information gives a new twist as diabetes, especially Type 1, could be dangerous to someone drinking excessively.

Harsha's father Prasad Maddula said it was hard to believe that somebody may have kidnapped him to cause him not to contact his family. Parents and students are hopeful that the missing Northwestern student is still alive - and not another statistic of the campus' problematic history of al-

Northwestern University in Evanston

cohol-related deaths.

The unfolding situation of a missing NU student is reminiscent of Trevor Boehm, who went missing Nov. 5, 2008. His body was found in Lake Michigan and iden-

tified 12 days later after an apparent suicide.

Anyone with information on where Maddula is asked to call Northwestern University Police, at (847) 491-3254.

MAFS 20-year celebration evokes huge public support RAMESH SOPARAWALA & ASIAN MEDIA USA

CHICAGO: Metropolitan Asian Family Services (MAFS), a facility serving seniors among Asian American community, celebrated twenty years of its existence in Chicagoland organizing one of the most successful fundraisers for further boosting its activities in the coming year.

The fundraiser at Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows, a Chicago suburb, attended by 900 plus guests and a host of Illinois officials, was reflective of the public and private backing for this burgeoning social organization.

As put by one of its most senior members, Shankar Prasad Bhatt, it would spur the executive team, the staff, workers and volunteers for reaching out more to the Asian American community, especially seniors.

Bhatt was recognized for his yeoman services to the organization MAFS provides comprehensive and integrated social services to the immigrant population of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Middle East and European coun-

Lamp lighting ceremony with priest explaining the significance. Jesse White, Illinois Secretary of State, in attendance. Pics Asian Media USA

tries. "Our services include adult day care services, home care services, hot meal program, health education and screening, citizenship and immigration assistance, public benefits assistance, job training, computer training and ESL class, interpretation and translation services, support services for caregivers, medical clinic and health promotion programs," said

MAFS office bearers with invited guests and awardees

Santosh Kumar , Executive Director, often described as Mother Teresa of the Indian community, detailing the accomplishments of MAFS in her welcome address.

She pointed out that MAFS 7 offices serving 11 counties in the Greater Chicago area are actively pursuing its Assisted Living Project for seniors. She added that MAFS has established Adult Day

Shankar Prasad Bhatt, one of the most senior executive team members, in his late eighties, was recognized for his services to the organization

service center in Vernon Hills and is working in McHenry County to have the similar facility.

Efforts are also afoot to have Adult Day service center and medical care in Schaumburg and Orland Park facilities in the near future.

Yet another feather in its cap would be the start of a home health agency which is projected for coming year

The festivities started with lamp lighting and invocation prayer. The Master of Ceremony for this event was Masala-T, who is the co-star of the worldwide talk show Hotchaat. He introduced and invited all the guests of honor to the stage and prompted them to say a few words about this joyous occasion.

MAFS Seniors, workers and volunteers

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Community Across America

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Shreya Ghoshal's dazzling shows Cont’d from page 10

The audience also got to hear from Jeffrey, the winner of the SaRe-Ga-Ma contest in 2009, who danced and sang to the tune of some fast moving numbers in Hindi and Punjabi, even as the audience loudly cheered and joined him in singing.

"I sing my most favorite songs whenever I sing in New York," Shreya told her enthusiastic audience, and went on to dedicate the next number to the audience in New York. "You have been the best," she told them even as the audience cheered her lustily.

Her most memorable and solemn songs came after she told the audience, "I dedicate these songs to my inspiration, Lata Ji." Not satisfied with one, she went on to sing two more as the audience cherished the old and popular numbers from Lata Mangeshkar, the legendary Bollywood singer with a golden voice.

More than a decade after winning the reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, the charming beautiful woman from a small town in Rajasthan,

Shreya Ghoshal performing before packed audience at Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte, NC on Sept 21

crowd did regularly and enthusiastically. She would put the microphone out for the audience to sing along, which the crowd seemed to enjoy. "You all sing so beautiful," she told the crowd even as they completed the lines of the songs where Shreya had left.

They wanted songs in all of their languages: Gujarati, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, and Malayalam.

From Left: Dr. Nikhesh Batra, Secretary, AAPI-OH, Dr. Anjana Samadder, Vice-President, AAPI-OH, Dr. Suresh Suri, President of local AAPI Chapter, Dr. Gautam Samadder, Convener, Mr. Darshan Mehta along with Shreya Ghoshal in Columbus, OH

proved to the audience what it takes to stay in the hearts of millions of music lovers for over a decade. "I have a Ph.D. in romance," she told the audience.

"My heart is melting away in romance for the love of music and the audience who are very close to my heart.

For it's you who are my inspiration and motivation to give my best," she said and went on to sing yet another popular number to the joy of the packed audience at the Auditorium.

Amidst screaming proclamations of love and admiration from fans, with rhythmic claps and audible hums, Shreya engaged the audience in conversation, leading them to sing with her, which the

"I am afraid, I am not able to sing in all," Then she went on to sing a few lines from a song in Malayalam. Then she began a song in "my own Bengali" and shifted to Hindi at ease and then completed the same song in Bengali to the joy of Bengalis

Shreya Ghoshal, 28, has won four National Film Awards, five Filmfare Awards, five IIFA Awards, five Screen Awards and numerous others and is the youth icon with a melodious voice with hundreds of hit songs in several Indian languages.

The talented young artist and youth icon has worked in more than 180 films among the audience.

"I consider myself blessed to have been endowed with a voice to serve music," she said. "I wish I could go on," she said, "But I need to end with one more song," she said, as the audience shouted for more.

The live orchestra gathered around Shreya to play an effective supporting role while she herself drew upon all of her stamina and technique to deliver a mercurial three-hour concert. And local artists danced in the background flawlessly adding to the charm of

the entire night.

Shreya Ghoshal, 28, has won four National Film Awards, five Filmfare Awards, five IIFA Awards, five Screen Awards and numerous others and is the youth icon with a melodious voice with hundreds of hit songs in several Indian languages. The talented young artist and youth icon has worked in more than 180 films and has mes-

enjoy the melodious voice of the Melody Queen.

After mesmerizing thousands of music lovers in Charlotte, NC on Friday, September 21st, and in New York on the following night, Melody Queen Shreya Ghoshal, performed live before yet another sold-out event in Columbus, OH on Sunday, September 23. While the successful event was coordinated by Drs. Sarjoo Bhagia and Nimish Patel in Charlotte, NC, the sold out event in New York was coordinated by Drs. Ajay Lodha and Dharmi Kanuga. The concert in Columbus, OH was organized

by Drs. Gautam Samadder and Suri Suresh.

The event in Orlando, FL on September 28 is spearheaded by Dr. Aravind Pillai and Vraj Panara.

The Houston, TX event on September 29 is being led by Drs. Nik Nikam, Freemu Varghese, and Kulwinder Bajwa. In Atlanta, GA the musical nite on September 30th is being coordinated by Sudhakar Jonnalagadda. The Washington, DC event on October 5th is led by Sudhir Seksharia and Nayan Shah, while the Dallas,

Dr. Narendra Kumar, President of AAPI, Dr. Dharmi Kanuga, President, Federation of AAPI NY & NJ Chapters, Dr. Ajay Lodha, Convener & Treasurer of AAPI, and Dr. Durgesh Mankikar, Chair, Board of Trustees, AAPI

merized millions around the globe.

Shreya Ghoshal is among the few contemporary singers who make music an emotional experience. With AAPI leading the efforts to have her perform across the United States, music lovers across the United States have an opportunity to listen, watch, and

Shreya Ghoshal performing at the Ohio Theater, Columbus, OH on Sept 23

TX event on October 6th is led by Drs. Srinivas Gunukula, Sridhar Korsapati, Srini Potluri, and Shabhnam Mudgil. The grand finale of the exciting Tour on October 7th in San Jose, CA is being led by Drs. Hemant Dhingra and Akhil Wadhera.

AAPI is a forum to facilitate and enable over 65,000 Indian American p and 25,000 Fellows to excel in patient care, teaching and research and to pursue their aspirations in professional and community affairs.

Founded with the objective to promote professional solidarity in pursuit of excellence for all its members, AAPI brings American medicine the distinctive contributions from India in order to advance the American creed of one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

October 5, 2012

Community Across America

India Post 13

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Dold given 'Friend of Community' Award

Cont’d from page 11

Following the speeches, there were dance performances presented by Soorya Dance Academy, from Northbrook Illinois. The first invocatory dance "Pushpanjali" was in praise of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Saraswati in Kuchipudi style. The performers offered flowers and sought the blessings of Lord Ganesha, who is the destroyer of evil forces and Goddess Saraswati, who is the embodiment of knowledge. Patel girls presented Nimbuda Dance and it was relished by all.

The audience enjoyed a sump-

SURENDRA ULLAL India Post News Service

CHICAGO: U.S. Congressman from Illinois Robert Dold was given the "Hindu American Foundation Friend of the Community" award for his record of advocating and addressing the concerns of the Hindu American community and standing up for those who are persecuted around the world.

In his acceptance speech he thanked the Hindu community and said," I am honored to receive this award. As a member of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, I believe it is important that we stand up for the voiceless. That is why I have stood up for religious and ethnic minorities throughout the world and will continue to do so. I am proud of the work I have done with my Indian Advisory Board and I thank the Hindu American Foundation for their efforts to raise awareness regarding Hindus throughout the world."

Robert Dold is a third-generation resident of the 10th District of Illinois. After earning a BA from Denison University, he pursued

MAFS 20-year celebration evokes huge public support tuous dinner before the start of the music program. The legendary singer Kishore Kumar's musical legacy was presented by two of his sons - Sumeet Kumar and Amit Kumar accompanied by a live orchestra from India. It was truly a remarkable concert taking the audience down memory lane and providing an opportunity to relish popular hits of yesteryears. The audience was totally spellbound by their charismatic performance which was interspersed with audio-visual clippings of Kishore Kumar's musical career in Bollywood.

The program concluded with raffle drawing and announcement of silent auction winner.

Rep. Robert Dold

law and bagged a degree from Indiana University, and an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

Prior to being elected to Congress, Bob ran Rose Pest Solutions, a small business founded in 1860, the oldest pest management company in the United States.

Rose Pest Solutions is headquartered in Northfield, IL With extensive and diverse ex-

periences as a small business owner, and in Washington, DC, where he worked on campaign finance reform during his tenure as an investigative counsel for the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, Bob is focused on bipartisan solutions for creating jobs, protecting the environment, keeping the homeland secure and ending human rights injustices around the world.

MAFS Team with local artists

Saban & UINOC honor Jai Prakash Agarwal India Post News Service

FORDS, NJ: The South Asian Biz Alliance Network, also known as SABAN, and various chapters of United Indian National Overseas Congress (UINOC) and United Indian National Overseas Women Congress (UINOWC) hosted an annual event entitled, 'Loving Light Interfaith Celebration' on September 16 evening at Royal Alberts Palace.

The purpose of the event was to celebrate the unity of NRIs and provide a forum to exchange ideas about democracy, secularism and other issues along with the objective of honoring Member of Parliament Jai Prakash Agarwal who specially traveled from India to spread the word of moral values, harmony and love for the IndianAmerican community.

Talking to Pam Kwatra, CoFounder of SABAN and President of United Indian National Overseas Women Congress and President of New Jersey chapter, Shri Jai Prakash Agarwal said, "It would be a great pleasure to work closely with the National Executive committee members and all other UINOC chapters to contribute towards strengthening the

Jai Prakash Agarwal. Pic Gunjesh Desai

mission of a democratic and secular India, and bring in the NRIs based here to have their thoughts and voices heard in a more effective and goal-oriented way."

He commended the work of UINOC and said it was a pleasure to see the younger generation coming and supporting peace, love and harmony on humanity basis.

Consul General Prabhu Dayal graced the celebration and appreciated the gathering for its set of values. He said SABAN has set an example for the community with skillful activities and bringing people of different religions together on 'Loving Light' interfaith event.

Congressman Upendra Chivukula presented proclamation to Shri Jai Prakash Agarwal and said, "This annual interfaith event

Consul General Prabhu Dayal graced the celebration and appreciated the gathering for its set of values. He said SABAN has set an example for the community

should not end tonight but should be carried on irrespective of race, religion and oneness. Communal harmony, peace and love were based on actions, as actions speak louder than words."

Consul General of Australia Phillip Scanlan spoke about interfaith harmony, and how people from different backgrounds are living in harmony in Australia. He also spoke with great respect of how Indians have achieved a high status in Australia.

Teens Prachi and Surya Makkar emceed the event with National Anthem and spiritual speech and Gurbani. Several priests from the

Sikh, Punjabi, Christian and Buddhist communities and many other community leaders provided insight to work closely with one another.

Mohinder Singh Pal introduced basics of Sikhism which put emphasis on way of life. Dr. Raina Massey expressed thoughts on Christianity for unity in family, confidence in values, community unity and confidence in God. Blair Williams articulated her valued viewpoint in Roman Catholicism "Love God with all soul and mind as Love with respect to each other brings unity in communities." Poonam Bhatia commented on Buddhism which encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs, and practices largely based on awakenings. Elizabeth Riley spoke on the need to Inspire, motivate, and ignite your mind, body, and soul for humanity.

There was also a round-table opportunity to meet presidents and board members of various chapters. That showed the desire of Congress to work closely with National Executive Committee members and all other UINOC chapters so as to strengthen the mission of a democratic and secular India.

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BJP will provide good governance, says OFBJP India Post News Service

that proposed dual citizenship to NRIs but Congress led UPA government took half measures in granting OCI card which is not a citizenship card in reality.

He continued that BJP has always strongly believed in the capabilities of NRIs and Indian origin people from overseas and sought their participation in working for the overall development of India. He said that BJP was the first political party from India to open an overseas wing in the USA. He added that he is opening several OFBJP chapters across the world encompassing all continents in line with the BJP's vision of creating a strong contingent of overseas ambassadors of India.

He said that BJP is the only party in which an ordinary Karyakarta (party worker) may become the Party President.

He said that BJP is going to win the 2014 parliament elections and added that even foreign officials and delegations, and the people

NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ: The three day (Sept 14-16) annual convention of Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP)-USA was held at Hotel Jewel of India in North Brunswick, NJ. The Indian American community of Tri State area (NY, NJ, and PA) felicitated the visiting BJP functionaries from Delhi, Shri Ram Lal, BJP National General Secretary (Org) and Shri Vijay Jolly, BJP Convener - Overseas Affairs and OFBJP. The annual convention was held under the leadership of OFBJP National Executive Committee (NEC), National Council (NC) and National Advisory Council (NAC) headed by their President, Shri Jayesh Patel and President Elect, Shri Chandrakant Patel.

The National Coordinator is Shri Mahesh Mehta, the Convention Coordinator is Shri Ram Rakshpal Sood and the Immediate Past President is Dr. Adapa Prasad. Over 600 people attired in their traditional dresses accorded warm welcome and rousing reception to the BJP dignitaries.

Shri Ram Lal in his clarion call to the Indian American community in USA, sought support for the BJP in the upcoming Gujarat elections and also for the 2014 parliament elections in India. He declared that the BJP will provide good governance and able administration in India if elected to the office.

He gave a comparative analysis of the previous governance of NDA headed by Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee and the current UPA's misgovernance or non-governance provided by Dr. Manmohan Singh.

He cited the examples of nine BJP administered states in India where innovative schemes are being implemented that generated all

ernment and will take steps to bring back the black money stashed away in foreign banks, particularly the Swiss banks.

Shri Ram Lal exhorted the NRIs to be vigilant about corruption in India and march shoulder to shoulder with BJP in rooting it out. He listed the corruption scandals that have been tumbling out of the cupboards of UPA government chaired by Smt. Sonia Gandhi and each new scandal is worth more than the previous scandal in its scale and the worth.

He cited BJP's innovative schemes such as "Lakshmi Ladli Yojana" that has been implemented in Madhya Pradesh state where girl child has immensely benefited and the scheme being adopted by not only the BJP ruled states but also the other states.

Similarly, he gave examples of innovative programs conceived and implemented in Gujarat, Chattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Goa and other BJP ruled states.

He reminded that Chattisgarh government got award from UNO for the best implementation of Public Distribution System (PDS).

family) and even the illiterate elders in India's rural areas bless their young saying "Vishva ka Kalyan ho" (whole world be blessed).

Earlier, Shri Vijay Jolly reminded Indian Americans that major milestones achieved in modern day India had roots with Pravasi Bharateeyas in the form of Gadar

Movement in USA, non violent agitation in South Africa, or movements in England. He exhorted Indian Americans to support the BJP in the coming elections and help create corruption free, developed and knowledge hub India.

He reminded them that BJP was the first party and the only party that believed in the strength of its

of India are placing increasingly greater confidence in the BJP. Shri Mahesh Mehta in his inaugural address explained about the duties of a Karyakarta and reminded the OFBJP karyakartas about the sacrifices made by Pandit Deendayal Updhyaya and Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherji the founding father of Bharatiya Jana

round development of the states and leading the over all GDP of India. If not for the best performance of these BJP ruled states, the GDP of India would have gone down further. He assured that BJP will provide a corruption free gov-

He concluded that NRIs have much role to play for the betterment of their land of birth and land of their ancestors, Mother Bharat and reminded them of their cultural roots that believes in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (whole world is one

overseas children. It started Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas to be held every year in the month of January which provides platform for the Pravasi Bharateeyas to exchange ideas and share their concerns. He also reminded that BJP was the only party

Sangh (BJS) a precursor to the current BJP. He gave guidance to OFBJP and Indian American community that what ever they do, they should do without self interest but with the attitude of "Nation First, Party Second, and Self Last."

Shri Ram Lal exhorted the NRIs to be vigilant about corruption in India and march shoulder to shoulder with BJP in rooting it out. He listed the corruption scandals that have been tumbling out of the cupboards of UPA government chaired by Smt. Sonia Gandhi

The program started with the invocation of Lord Ganesh followed by floral tributes to Bharat Mata and BJP's founding fathers.

A traditional lamp lighting ceremony was conducted followed by the rendition of Vandemataram, India's national song. Shri Rakshpal Sood acted as the Emcee and conducted the program in a seamless fashion. Shri Gajendra Solanki, Co Convener of BJP Cultural Cell and an eminent poet and ballad singer, enthralled the audience by singing patriotic songs, reciting poetry on contemporary politics, and telling situational jokes to the applause of jam packed audience.

Shri Jayesh Patel in his presidential address welcomed the BJP guests and the audience. He introduced OFBJP NEC and NC members, recognized prominent community leaders, and talked about the OFBJP goals and mission.

He elaborated on how OFBJP has been expanding with 21 chapters with thousands of membership across the nation. He sought the cooperation and support of the community for OFBJP in its endeavor to build strong Indo-US relations.

Shri Chandrakant Patel talked about the activities of OFBJP and explained the OFBJP programs across the nation and how OFBJP addressed NRI issues in USA and in India. He pledged continuous support of OFBJP to the Indian American community causes and issues.

Earlier, Shri Suresh Jani, Past President and Member of NAC, introduced Dr. Mahesh Mehta; Dr. Adapa Prasad introduced Shri Vijay Jolly and Shri Chandrakant Patel introduced Shri Ram Lal. OFBJP souvenir, that was edited

by Shri Ram Kamath, General Sec-

retary, was inaugurated by the BJP dignitaries. Smt. Kalpana Shukla, Shri Bala Guru, Smt. Meenu Sharma, Smt. Neelima Madan felicitated the guests.

Cont’d on page 19

October 5, 2012

Community Across America

India Post 15

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US to join celebrations of 150th Vivekananda anniversary be exploded, especially in the context of impressive economic growth in India. Weekly or monthly the volunteers will go to interior places in order to spread the message by house to house contacts.

Vivekananda Swadhyaya Mandalas will organize essays and other intellectually stimulating competitions, samuhika surya-namaskaras and "Awake Bharat Marathon events" promoting physical development of the youth.

With the help of Samvardhini Aayam the SVSS will encourage the participation of women in all walks of life to respect and enhance the nurturing capacity of women by promoting conventions in different areas like, Shakti Sammelana, Dampati (conjugal) Sammelana, Youth development

Aayam (Village development schemes) will organize villagers to involve in the total development of their personal as well functional competency through harmony, satsang, service and shrama-samskara camps with such activities as Vivekananda Vatikas, Kirtan, Katha, pravachan and exhibitions on various topics.

Through Asmita Aayams for people living in forests and interior villages the SVSS will arrange medical camps, sports and games, competitions, conferences, focusing on encouraging literature, music, story-telling, and learning history. Whereas the focus of these activities will be on the entire society requiring education on all aspects of village (vanavasi and farmers) the main target will

Vivekanand Kanya Kumari Kendra in India

SURENDRA ULLAL India Post News Service

CHICAGO: If India is set for celebrating 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the Indian monk who came here 100 plus years ago and won over Americans with his charming personality and his expounding Indian philosophy, the Indian Americans in this country are not far behind.

Indian Americans in Chicago, that was the destination of Swami Ji, are gearing themselves for the event. They had the gracious presence of Ms Nivedita Bhide, vice president of Vivekananda Kanyakumari Kendra (VKK), who has come here to meet, greet and

energize Indians by giving them more insight into the way celebrations are planned in India.

Ms Nivedita had a series of meetings with the volunteers and also decided to meet ethnic Indian media before leaving for New York and back to India. At a news briefing here, she said that the best way to celebrate Swamiji's birth anniversary would be to spread his message of love and unity for mankind. She was in the US with the avowed objective to push up this mission of Swamiji.

She said that Swami Vivekananda Sardashati Samaroh (SVSS) had set up 41 regions in India each with a working committee. They plan to extend it fur-

ther by setting up village level committees across India in each state of the Indian Union. She explained the five-fold dimensions of the celebrations focusing on educating youth, women, villages (janajatis, that is different groups of people who needs the services.) SVSS is working through Seva, Swadhyaya, Suraksha and Swawalamban i.e. service, self-study, vigilance and self-dependency under different programs, such as Seva Week or Seva Months.

Delineating the functions and services of each unit, she said that the objective of Yuva Shakti Aayam is to awaken and canalize massive youth power waiting to

Ganesh Chaturthi at Hindu Temple St Louis ASHIWN PATEL

Chicago activists Shreedhar Damle and Sitaram Patel with VKK Vice President Ms Nivedita Bhide (center)

camps (Kishori Vikas-girl students) by inviting leading women to discuss and present issues through symposiums in various vocations and professions.

She said the Gramayana

be to promote Yuva Shakti through public lectures, yoga training and conducting seminars and symposiums on the life and letters of Swami Vivekananda Cont’d on page 19

Saban & UINOC honor Jai Prakash Agarwal

India Post News Service

ST LOUIS: Ganesh Chathurthi was celebrated in Hindu Temple of St. Louis on September 19 with devotion and fanfare.

Two poojas were scheduled in the evening to accommodate all the devotees. Samuhika pooja was performed by a number of families on this auspicious day.

More than 500 devotees attended the pooja. Security and surplus parking was arranged to

Cont’d from page 13

Devotees throng the temple

Priests conducting pooja at Hindu Temple in St Louis

accommodate the devotees.

Annadanam was served at the end of the pooja.

Navarathri celebration starts from October15. Arrangements to celebrate this festival are in progress.

Entertainment by Megha Kalia and her team from NYC Bhangra Dance School did performance in traditional Bhangra dances.

Shri Jai Prakash Agarwal presented a Kashmir shawl to Pam Kwatra and to all the UINOC chapter presidents and Chairman including UINOC National President Gurmit Singh Gill, Chairman Arun Govil, Co-Chair & NY Chapter President Eric Kumar, Youth Chapter President Rahul Bathla and Chairman Saagar Govil, Haryana Chapter President Charan Singh Prempura, Pennsylvania Chapter President Jagdeep Sohal, NJ Chapter President Mandeep Singh Hans,

Gujarat President Dipak Valsadia.

Punjab NY Wing President Satish Sharma and Chairman Gurmit Singh Butur.

Shri Jai Prakash Agarwal also honored Ambassador Prabhu Dayal, Consul General Phlilip Scanlan, Congressman Upendra Chivukula, Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Poonam Bhatia, Blair Williams, AAPI Past President Dr. Sunita Kanumury, Gary Grewal, and other guests.

Gurmit Singh Gill, Arun Govil, Pam Kwatra and Rahul Bathla thanked all the delegates of tristate and guests for coming to the annual interfaith gathering.

Eric Kumar emceed the event which ended with dinner and vote of thanks to sponsors.

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Funds raised for Jalaram Mandir expansion RAMESH BRAHMBHATT

Jalaram team with Manhar Udhas

Deep lighting by Ketan Bhai, the Mandir priest. Seen in the pic are Diwanjee and Dr CL Shahari. Pics Asian Media USA

CHICAGO: With 600 plus devotees and guests in attendance, the fund raising event organized by Jalaram Mandir management recently at Meadows Club in Roll-

ing Meadows turned out to be a grand success.

The Mandir management planned this event to raise the funds for its expansion and it suc-

Cultural dance artists of Jalaram Mandir

ceeded by collecting a total of $130,000 - $80,000 in donations and the rest in loan pledges.

The chief guest of the event was no other than popular Mayor of Hoffman Estate Wiiliam D McLoed and the chief entertainer was the popular Geet and Ghazal singer from India, Manhar Udhas.

Both enlivened the atmosphere one with a positive and encouraging speech and his gracious presence and the other by churning out one after the other popular songs and ghazals spiced with requests from the audience.

The start of the near four-hour program was with traditional lamp lighting around 7.30 pm followed by a Ganesh prayer dance presented by the temple dance class artists. The culmination was with a tasteful dinner that was enjoyed by one and all. Kudos to the Jalaram Mandir management for organizing such a wonderful pro-

Guest artists from India: Manhar Udhas encouraging local young artists

gram.

According to Yogesh Thakkar, the Mandir was established in 2008 and its increasing popularity among devotees has put a tremendous pressure and constraint on its space. It is in this context that the management plans add-

ing additional 4800 sq feet builtin space to the existing facility of 6400 sq feet. Besides the expansion, management plans installation of Idols as well. The temple has a parking facility for 100 plus cars and it will be expanded in the near future.

North South Foundation walk-a-thon raises $12000 SURYAPRASAD PADALA

CHICAGO: The North South Foundation (NSF) chapter of Greater Chicago conducted its 22nd Annual Walk-A-Thon on September 16, at the Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville.

NSF volunteers and supporters gathered at the park as early as 8 a.m. to support the worthy cause.

With its ample greenery, pleasant walking trails, tranquil atmosphere and beautiful lakes, the Preserve was the perfect location for the annual NSF Activity. The weather was just gorgeous.

This year's Walk-A-Thon had a special guest, Naveen Mukkatt, who won the Championship in Junior Vocabulary and Junior Science at the 2012 NSF Finals. Many participating children enjoyed his company and learned a few tips on how

NSF Walk participants

to prepare for the NSF Finals.

Volunteers at the registration desk kept first-time and veteran NSF walkers informed of all the service activities being undertaken here and in India. NSF patrons were also invited to taste the delicious snacks and lunch provided by Viceroy of India, Cuisine of India, and Panera Bread. Kids and adults took turns roasting corn, providing a scrumptious snack for all.

With the dedicated contribution of those who attended, as well as hundreds others, NSF raised $12,000 to support the education of 48 children in India.

Over the last 23 years, NSF provided more than 7,800 scholarships.

It provided 1,500 scholarships last year and plans to increase that number to 2,500 this year.

October 5, 2012

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PAL donates backpacks to school children India Post News Service

NEW YORK: For the third year in a row, Partnership for the Advancement of Learning (PAL) has donated backpacks filled with supplies including notebooks, pencils, crayons, and pencils cases to two schools in Massachusetts and New York. PAL raised nearly $20,000 this summer in order to purchase 850 backpacks. 400 backpacks were donated to the Public School 108, Sal Abbraciamento School in Brooklyn NY and 450 backpacks to the Ellis Elementary School in Roxbury MA. The Mayor of Boston, Thomas Menino, School Committee chairperson Dr. Gregory Groover, the superintendent and the commissioner attended the event at the Ellis Elementary School.

Mayor Menino commended Suren Nannapaneni and PAL for

their efforts in helping the children of Boston schools.

Jesse Mojica, the executive director of New York City's Department of Education attended the distribution event in Brooklyn and thanked PAL for its supporting their schools. The principal and the staff of PS 108 also

thanked PAL for such a magnanimous gift to their school.

The principal said as they were struggling with the budget cuts, the backpacks are going to be a big help at the beginning of the academic year.

PAL is a completely studentrun nonprofit organization that is

committed to partner with likeminded people for the Advancement of Learning.

There are millions of underprivileged children all over the world, who are desperately seeking assistance to a better education and in need of other basic necessities. At the same time

there are millions of fortunate people who are kind hearted and can share a little bit of their time and money to help those underprivileged.

This is where PAL comes in to action. PAL is committed to create a friendly relation between the fortunate and the less fortunate.

IIT summit to be held in Chicago this month NEERAJ SOPARAWALA

CHICAGO: The Illinois Insti- nology, according to Ms Poonam security and cloud computing. tute of Technology and local tech- Krishnan, Chairperson of the The already confirmed speakers nology professionals have joined Technology Innovation Summit. include international technology together to host the Technology This is the second of its type experts and business executives.

Innovation Summit (TI Summit) in meet and organizers were enthused Speakers include Ms. Toni Chicago this OctoPreckwinkle- Presiber to highlight dent of Cook County today's best pracBoard, Sam Pitrodatices for deploying Technology Advisor technology in the to Prime Minister of government sector India , Praveen and provide insight Gupta- Director of Ilinto how improving linois Institute of government techTechnology's Center nology can spur for Innovation Scieconomic growth. ence and ApplicaThe Summit is tions; Maria Thompslated for Tuesday son, Director of InnoOctober 23 from 12vation Strategy at 30 p.m. to 5-30 pm Motorola Solutions at Northern Trust Inc.; Dr. Jim building on LaSalle Treleaven- Board Tony Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President and St in Chicago, and Member at Illinois Sam Pitroda, Advisor to Government of India it is geared toward Technology Associalocal government. It tion (ITA), Robert draws attendees and participants by huge success that the first such Kress- Executive Director and Glofrom across Illinois and is an- event had in 2011. This year's bal IT Audit at Accenture, Arnold chored by close collaboration event will include discussions of Crater- CIO of RTA (Regional Tranwith the Illinois Institute of Tech- mobility, data consolidation, data sit Authority), and Lydia Murray-

CIO of Cook County.

"This summit is designed to spur discussion among the main stakeholders in local government tech. It came about because of the challenges that several municipal technology managers shared with me. Our goal is to connect governments and vendors and help them design effective projects by highlighting best practices," said Poonam.

"Many local governments are

starting to look at technology implementation as a way of saving money, but they also need to realize that technology infrastructure can improve their communities and make them more adaptable to the changing demographics of the region. The 25-point plan published in 2010 by Vivek Kundra, then the U.S. CTO, has really helped drive attention to government technology initiatives," said Poonam.

Community Across America

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October 5, 2012

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IAC raises $100,000 at annual gala RACHAEL BRUKETTA

Keynote Speaker Dr. Sunil Kumar, Dean, Booth School of Business, University of Chicago. Pic Ganesh Yadav

CHICAGO: An annual gala event of the Indo-American Community (IAC) held at Oakbrook Marriott Hotel in Oakbrook on Sunday September 16 met with big success, judging from the number of guests and invitees coming to the event and the organization succeeding in raising over $100,000 for its various community oriented activities.

In addition to allocating funds for expansion, the Center has identified areas for expanding the base of its activities. The Center, executive director Jay Luthra said, plans a lunch for the Seniors' Program ($3.60 each) and a BEST exam to

Interfaith students club set up in Nevada India Post News Service

joint interfaith Thanksgiving prayers, a forum on "Faith and the Media", and make efforts to establish a multi-faith prayer-room on the campus, etc.

It is headed by Daniel Richard Sanchez as President, Suhayb Alsharekh is its Vice- President

thodox Church; Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism; and Jikai' Phil Bryan, Reno Buddhist Center Priest.

UNR, land-grant state-supported institution was established in 1874. It has over 18,000 students and is helping create

NEVADA: An Interfaith Students Club (ISC) has been formed at University of Nevada-Reno (UNR).

ISC aims to unite students of various religions and denominations including the nonreligious and facilitate healing among them, cultivate social cohesion, increasing understanding of "other" religions and non-believer groups, seeking commonalities, proAt the inaugural meeting of ISC at UNR, from left to right are: Stephen Child, Julie Sanford, Suhayb viding a platAlsharekh, Rajan Zed, Matthew Jeanos, Tori Sanderson, Daniel Richard Sanchez, form for frank Phillip Sanderson and Dr. Thomas Butler and open discussion on various issues sur- while Andrew Protz is Treasurer. "world's most accurate atomic Its Spiritual Advisors include Dr. clock." It is home to one of the rounding religion.

It plans to hold various multi- Thomas Butler, Pastor Emeritus of largest earthquake-simulation faith panel discussions on con- Sparks United Methodist labs and many Hollywood movies temporary religious issues affect- Church; Fr. Stephen Karcher, were shot on its campus. Marc ing the area-Nevada-USA-world, Priest of St. Anthony Greek Or- Johnson is President.

Sikhpoint calendar to be released in Nov RAJINDER SINGH MAGO

ORANGE CA: As part of the ongoing mission to promote history and awareness of Sikhs worldwide, the 2013 Sikhpoint Calendar will be released by Sikhlens at the annual Sikh Arts and Film Festival, which takes place at Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts in Orange, California from November 16-18.

The 2013 calendar captures the history of Sikhs from the early 20th century depicted through rare photographic images. It portrays

the challenges, adventures, hardships and significant contributions made by the early Sikh pioneers and their following generations in the East African countries.

The calendar historians are Pally Dhillon, Harjinder Singh Kanwal and Jag Reyatt.

Sikhlens seeks to provide an outlet for sharing Sikh heritage, culture and talent with the rest of the world by creating awareness for work that is "Sikh-centric."

Sikh Arts & Film Festival 2012

seeks work from artists in a variety of fields, including but not limited to film, literary, music, art, social media and fashion. It strives to create an opportune avenue for this work to be shared with the rest of the world with the aim of gaining exposure for the artists while creating awareness about Sikhs.

The ultimate aim is to give (and gain) a better understanding of Sikh culture and values in a way that is pure, multi-faceted and unbiased.

measure literacy growth for stu- "draw lines" in deciding who to dents in IAC's Adult Literacy Pro- help in the community. In encourgram ($450 annually to test literacy aging guests to contribute, Dr. students).

Kumar compared IAC's work to "Investing in the Community for performing acupuncture - IAC has a Better Return" was the theme for identified and is addressing presthis year's gala. Over the course sure points in the community to of the past year, IAC has done just achieve the maximum impact. this: IAC implemented a In this way, each donated dolWorkforce Development Program lar has more leverage to make a in January 2012 that has exceeded difference. He reminded his audiprogrammatic expectations to meet ence: "You cannot make sure the the increasing needs of the com- dream to be there for people who munity, and to assist clients in come after us if we are not there to gaining employable skills and as- help." sist in their job searching process.

The Center thanked its sponThe Emcee for the evening was sors for supporting the IAC and Dr. Sandy Goldberg, NBC5 Con- its mission: Diamond Level: BMO tributor, and Founder and Chair- Harris Bank; Platinum: National man of A Silver Lining Foundation. Republic Bank of Chicago; Gold: The evening's festivities included live and In his address to the silent auctions, a matching donation pro- audience, Neal Katyal, said gram, and addresses that playing the role of a from Keynote Speaker, Dr. Sunil Kumar, Dean, mentor is at the heart of Booth School of Busiwhat IAC does ness, University of Chicago; and Special Guest, Neal Katyal, Lawyer and Drs. Vijayalakshmi and Bapu Chaired Professor of Law at Arekapudi, Blackstone Group, Georgetown University.

TEKchand, LLC; Silver: Air India; In his address to the audience, Bronze: Manatosh and Basanti Neal Katyal, said that playing the Banerji, Renee Gauri, and Ram and role of a mentor is at the heart of Uma Kelkar. what IAC does. For Katyal, it is IAC is a not-for-profit commuthe guidance and support of such nity service organization serving mentors during "vulnerable mo- the South Asian immigrant popuments" that are instrumental in lation. It promotes the well being achieving the dream of "making it" of South Asian immigrants through that immigrants share. services that facilitate their adjustDr. Sunil Kumar is the first In- ment, integration and friendship dian Dean at the Booth School of with the wider society, and at the Business. In his address, he com- same time fostering the appreciamended IAC because it does not tion for their heritage and culture.

HSS plans Dussera celebrations in Chicagoland HARISH RAO

CHICAGO: Hindu Svayam Sevak Sangha (HSS) has slated celebration of Vijaya Dashami (Dussera/Dashera) on Sunday October 28 at Eola Community Center in Aurora from 3-30 p.m.

Vijaya Dashami is the most important and auspicious festival in India as it signifies victory of "virtue" over "evil" - Light over Darkness.

Chief Guest of the event is Dr. Ratanam Chitturi, Founder President of North South Foundation that encourages academic excellence by providing college scholarships to the meritorious among the poor in India. All the members of HSS Chicagoland will come together in Sangh uniform and will demonstrate activities such as yogasans, games, shloka recita-

tion and a few other activities in a disciplined manner.

A non-profit, social and cultural organization HSS USA is inspired by the idea that the whole world is one family and conducts activities across the United States in order to spread this message widely.

Started in 1989, it has over 150 weekly meeting centers (shakhas) across the country. It's activities are broadly conducted in weekly shakha activities such as team building games, shlokas, story telling, yoga events such as nationwide Surya Namaskar Yagna, Guru Vandana - Teachers appreciation events, India's Independence day celebration, food drive during Diwali time frame, Youth camps, Speaker on campus, Hindu Heritage Camps, Sewa-Service projects etc.

October 5, 2012

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Thind named to Human Rights Commission India Post News Service

NASSAU COUNTY: The Nassau County Legislature approved on Sept 24, an appointment by County Executive Ed Mangano of Sharanjit Singh Thind as Commissioner of Nassau County Commission on Human Rights.

Commenting on the appointment, Zahid Syed, Chairman of the commission said, "Nassau County is home to many communities and with this appointment, County executive has delivered again on his promise of representation to all communities in his administration". "As a fellow South Asian, I

Commissioner, Human Rights Commission Sharanjit Singh Thind

Sharanjit after his appointment.

Sharanjit, who owns a media company and real estate business on Long Island is a long time resident of Nassau County, Long Island. He has been actively involved in Social & community affairs as well as matters of importance to the community. After the tragic shootout at Wisconsin Sikh Temple, Sharanjit helped commu-

nity leaders & activists organize an interfaith prayer with Nassau Human Rights commission.

Nassau County is located immediately east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area & is home to a population of 1,339,532. Forbes magazine's American Community Survey named Nassau County as one of the richest counties in America. The survey also named Nassau County the number one richest county per capita in the State of New York.

He has been actively involved in Social & community affairs as well as matters of importance to the community

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano

feel pride of the appointment and congratulate Sharanjit on his new appointment.

"After the God almighty, I am thankful to County Executive Ed Mangano & Chairman Zyed Syed for their trust in me and assure to perform this challenging task with the best of my abilities" remarked

Chairman , Human Rights Commission Zahid Syed

US to join celebrations of 150th Vivekananda anniversary Cont’d from page 15

On international level, the motto of the SVSS is Universal Peace through Yoga and Dharma by almost repeating the local activities on international stage through seminars, lectures and mass Surya Namaskara in differ-

ent cities of US, UK Australia and Canada.

Nivedita Bhide, who is currently on tour of the US, had joined VKK as its life-warder in 1977.

She is responsible for the training of Jeevanvratis (dedicated fulltime workers) which include train-

ing of the teachers of 65 Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas, co-ordination of Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture, Guwahati. She is a regular faculty in All India Yoga Shiksha Shibirs and All India Spiritual Retreats conducted at Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari.

BJP will provide good governance, says OFBJP

Cont’d from page 14

OFBJP leaders who graced this meeting and worked for its success were Prof. Dinesh Agrawal Past President, Sr. Member of NAC, Chair of PR committee; Shri R. P. Singh - General Secretary Org; Shri Krishna Reddy - National Treasurer; Shri V. K. Sabhapathy Deputy Treasurer; Shri Arun Madan - NC member; Shri Bhushan Tadepalli - Jt Secretary; Shri Nimish Dixit - Jt Secretary; Dr. Gaurav Khatri - Secretary (CA); Shri Aravind Modini - Active Member; Shri Raghu Varma - Chief Coordinator (DC); Vasudev Patel - Secretary (GA); Himmat Parikh Jt Gen Secretary; Shri Lalji Goswami - Chief Coordinator (FL); Shri Ramesh Shah - Sr. Member of NAC;, Shri Amar Upadhyay - Vice President (IL); Shri Naresh

Badiyadra - Vice President (NJ); Shri Arvind Patel, Chief Coordinator (NJ); Shri Janak Rawal - NC member; Shri Pramod Bhagat; Shri Giridhar Sadu, Shri Sameer Chandra, and Ramana Muppala Active Members; and Dr. Satish Misra - Jt. Gen Secretary have graced the meeting and worked for the success of this meet.

Other community leaders who graced this occasion were Shri Piyush Patel and Shri H. R. Shah.

The highlight of the concluding program was the enactment of the play "Bharat Darshan" in which over 50 women participated wearing attires of various states in India to the applause and appreciation of the audience.

Shri Ram Rakshpal Sood gave vote of thanks followed by the delicious dinner served by Jewel of India caterers.

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Fremont is now an Asian majority city, says Anu Natarajan T here was a reception held to support Anu Natarajan for Fremont Mayor, hosted

by Dr. Romesh Japra. Anu Natarajan is Vice Mayor of Fremont, and is a well known public figure in the Bay Area. Ritu Maheshwari of India Post talked to Anu about her political journey and her views on Fremont development. Here are excerpts from the conversation: India Post: Tell us about your early years. When did you come to the US? How long have you been in Fremont?

Anu: I grew up in Bangalore and did graduation in architecture. I came to US and did Masters in Urban Design and Urban Planning from the University of Washington. I moved to Bay Area 15 years ago and have lived in Fremont for the past 14 years.

What motivated you to get involved in the community and politics?

When I first moved to Bay Area, there were very few jobs in urban

planning area. I ended up volunteering and consulting for city of Fremont. I worked with many cities for their downtown planning.

It was here that I got fascinated

with politics. Then Mayor Gus Morrison appointed me to planning commission. There was an opportunity to get on city council

‘Fremont has faced the brunt of economic downturn.

Fremont's unemployment is in line with other cities in Bay area. Closure of NUMMI resulted in loss of 4700 well paying jobs’

and I eagerly took it.

Tell us about your journey to Vice Mayor position in city council I have been in city council for the past seven years. This is my second term as Vice Mayor. When I was elected, I became the first Indian American to be city council anywhere in Bay Area.

Being a woman, did you find it easy or difficult in the political field?

I don't differentiate myself as woman. I focus on the expertise, knowledge and collaborative leadership that I bring to the table.

Last few years have seen a big economic turmoil in the country.

What have you seen in Fremont?

Fremont has faced the brunt of economic downturn. Fremont's unemployment is in line with other cities in Bay area.

Ritu Maheshwari interviewing Anu Natarajan

Cont’d on page 21

Reception for Anu Natarajan Mayor campaign RITU MAHESHWARI India Post News Service

People registering for Anu Natarajan's campaign

Dr. Japra addressing the reception

FREMONT: November this year will be a time of great change as elections will be held in USA. People will choose leaders at many levels, ranging from the President to city council members. Anu Natarajan, currently Vice Mayor of Fremont, is campaigning to be elected mayor in the upcoming elections. If she wins, she will be the first Indian-American woman to become mayor of a US city.

On September 23, FIA Chairman Dr. Romesh Japra held an elaborate reception to raise funds

Ro Khanna

Rahul Roy

for her campaign. Attending were many local community and political leaders. Dr. Japra introduced Anu, recounting her contributions to Fremont over the past six years.

In an exclusive interview, Anu emphasized her urban planning background and how she would use it to develop Fremont into a swiftly expanding, economically successful city. She also highlighted the benefits of Fremont's unique ethnic and cultural build.

Go Anu Go!

Rajesh Verma, Dr. Japra, Rahul Roy, Yogi Chugh, Anil Yadav, Vijay Thapar at the reception

FIA team

Dr. Japra, Anu Natarajan, Assembly member Bob Wieckowski and Yogi Chugh

October 5, 2012

Community/California

India Post 21

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Sikhs join breast cancer Ethics complaint filed against Phil Ting awareness walk India Post News Service

India Post News Service

ORANGE COUNTY, CA: In support of the annual Susan G. Komen 'Race for Cure', Sikh Women Now (SWN) participated in the Breast Cancer Walkathon held on September 23 in Orange County. More than 100 walked the 5K loop around Fashion Island, Newport Beach to boost morale and support 2.5 million breast cancer survivors awaiting cure.

Sikh men in their maroon turbans stood out among the cheering crowd as the overhead microphone recognized and endorsed the presence of the Sikh American community by the announcement "Sikh Americans are in the house".

The Sikh community was warmly welcomed, and, received tremendous exposure and appreciation from thousands of people present there.

SWN also connected the South Asian community by hosting a Women's Forum Tea Party on September 22 to educate and spread awareness about the diagnosis and prevention of breast cancer in women of Indian origin living in the United States. The guest speaker, Dr. Chaitali Nangia, M.D. UCI Medical Center with specialty in Oncology, captured the atten-

tion of the women present with valuable medical information pertinent to this ethnic group.

On September 15, SWN also participated at the Irvine Women's Interfaith Conference "No Longer Strangers, But Friends" - Learning Through Faithful Women in Every Belief. Their devotional hymn "Shabad" were greatly appreciated and they were thanked for enlightening and educating the members of the conference about the Sikh faith, and the values and principles

for which it stands. SWN spread the all encompassing, universal message of unity in diversity, which was experienced by all present there.

Sikh Women Now (SWN) is a non-profit international Sikh women organization committed to helping and healing humanity through 'Seva' or selfless service, by collaborating with the community to promote better understanding of diversity and to fight discrimination, oppression and violence against women.

Closure of NUMMI resulted in loss of 4700 well paying jobs. We have been making sure that we use that land judiciously and keep future development in mind.

We are focusing on clean and green tech businesses.

Fremont today is a melting pot of different cultures and ethnicities. What changes have you seen in Fremont over the

SAN FRANCISCO, CA: An ethics complaint has been filed accusing Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting of misappropriating public funds by using taxpayer money from his mayoral campaign in 2011 to fund the website used in his current campaign for Assembly.

"I have looked at this very carefully," said complainant Jim Reilly, "and the evidence is clear that Phil Ting used public money to create an extensive website for his mayoral campaign and illegally transferred this asset to his race for Assembly. The Ethics Commission Phil Ting used public money needs to investigate to create an extensive this on a timely basis website for his mayoral to make sure voters are campaign and illegally aware of the truth."

Phil Ting solicited transferred this asset to his $312,000 in public money for his race for race for Assembly mayor, spending more than $10,000 to build a website for lic WiFi network in a courthouse. the campaign. San Francisco Eth- Courtroom Connect broadcasts ics Commission rules are very court proceedings and makes clear that assets remaining from a video recordings that are used as publicly funded campaign for teaching tools in law schools mayor must be returned to taxpay- around the country. As the greaters - they cannot be used for fu- grandson of a San Francisco Supervisor, grandson of the first lawture runs for office.

Reilly's complaint includes yer for the San Francisco School website archives and screen shots Board and the son of U.S. Supreme that clearly show that the Ting Court Justice Stephen Breyer, campaign built the current website Michael shares his family's comfor his Assembly race directly from mitment to public service. Michael the website used in his mayoral believes strongly in the importance campaign - paid in part with pub- of ethics in government."

Special event to mark Non Stop Bhangra Anniversary India Post News Service

Fremont is now an Asian majority city, says Anu Natarajan Cont’d from page 20

lic funds.

"People's trust in government has plummeted over the last 25 years," said 19th Assembly candidate Michael Breyer, "and one reason is that voters rightfully question the ethics of so many people running for office. Phil Ting needs to come clean about his use of taxpayer money to fund his race for Assembly."

Michael Breyer is a graduate of Stanford and Stanford Business School who went on to co-found Courtroom Connect, a company that launched the world's first pub-

years?

Fremont is the most diversified city in US. We have people from over 150 countries here.

Fremont is also a majority-minority city now. It is a majority Asian city.

What is your vision for the city of Fremont?

I would like Fremont to be one community with several ethnicities and diversities. We need to maintain that make up of

Fremont.

How can people get involved to support you in campaigning?

There are several ways community can be involved. High school and college students can be involved and bring new ideas.

We are running a grassroots campaign, making phone calls, going door to door. We need to get the message out to several thousand voters. You can also go to website anu4fremont.com.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA: Celebrating eight years of bringing Indian culture to San Francisco, Non Stop Bhangra has stood on its own as one of the premier Indian events in the city by creating its own unique experience. With the wonderful support from the Bay Area's music community, the NSB crew has turned thousands of people in the Bay onto the infectious beats from North India.

Commonly hosting sold out nights, the group has performed on some of the largest stages in the city as well as clubs and festivals across North America. To celebrate this huge milestone, the group has decided to make this year's anniversary party a Black & White Ball, turning the hot new club of Public Works into a spectacle on October 13. Featuring an

early night Indian flash mob in the streets to kick off the night, the celebration will continue outside with food carts, henna tattoos and smiling faces.

Inside, the night hosts the famous Bhangra dance lesson leading into dance performances to get the crowd ready for what's to come. Featuring some of Northern California's top Bhangra DJs and Dhol drummers, the night will whisk away the culturally mixed crowd into a frenzy of hands in the air and shoulders moving to the beat.

The visual feast of three projectors across the venue walls will complete the picture as you preserve the moment and memories at the Photo Booth.

Non Stop Bhangra is truly a special and unique part of San Francisco's culture which brings us all together.

Tech News ‘PM can't be faulted for moving with time’ BANGKOK: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cannot be faulted for his decision to implement FDI in retail, the 'Bangkok Post' has said.

Commenting on the controversy in India over FDI in retail sector, Bangkok Post noted that those in opposition to the large retail chains in India will have no trouble raising large vocal protests, but there are probably many more millions who are quietly looking forward to the chance to shop in them, and no doubt they will fill the aisles.

Thailand, which has its share of mom and pop shops dotting the country, too experienced similar debates when giant retailers Tesco and Carrefour were set to enter the market.

"There is little chance of a return to the old days in Thailand or elsewhere in the developing world, and Indian premier Manmohan Singh can't be faulted for seeing the writing on the wall and moving in accordance with the times," the newspaper said.-PTI

Economic prosperity fuelling food inflation: Rajan NEW DELHI: Economic prosperity is fuelling food inflation in the country, Chief Economic Adviser Raghuram Rajan said here while making a case for increasing productivity to fight price rise.

In his first media interaction after assuming charge, Rajan justified the diesel price hike saying there is a need to link domestic fuel prices with international rates to curb fiscal deficit.

"One of the concerns of the last few years has been food inflation, which has been not so much within the control of the government, but which has been sort of because our population has become richer, a good thing and therefore demanded more sort of higher end food products like, milk, egg, meat rather than the old cereals," he said.-PTI

TechBiz 22 India Post

www.indiapost.com

October 5, 2012

MD & CEO, Nissan Motor India, Takayuki Ishida, with Director (Marketing) Nitish Tipnis (L) during the launch of new Nissan Evalia in Mumbai

Gujarat delegation holds road show in California WASHINGTON: Ahead of its Vibrant Gujarat investment summit in January next year, a high-powered delegation is holding a series of road shows in US, to woo American investors into the West Indian Gujarat state.

Led by Ravi Saxena, Gujarat's Additional Secretary for Science and Technology, the delegation comprising officials and businessmen, held its first road show in Palo Alto, California last weekend. Its next schedule is Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle.

In his address to the business community in Palo Alto at an event organized by the US India Business Council (USIBC) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Saxena said that transparency, accountability and promotion of businesses have been main factors behind Gujarat's success.

In his presentation Saxena pointed to Gujarat's strengths in terms of reliable energy and infrastructure systems, the entrepreneurial spirit of its people, its strategic location providing access into India from its western coast, and a growing young and dynamic population as some of the main reasons why businesses in California should look to invest in Gujarat.

He particularly pointed to the strength of the Gujarati Diaspora in the United States, which provides a natural bridge, connecting both countries.

Major priority sectors for Gujarat over the next 5-10 years include education, healthcare and nutrition, he added.

The visiting government and business delegation from the state of Gujarat at an event organized

by CII and USIBC in Palo Alto, California

Raj Nathan, CMO, Sybase said in terms of investments, Gujarat not just participates, but dominates, as evidenced in the fact that 22 percent of India's exports come from Gujarat which has just nine

per cent of the country's workforce.

Other members of the delegation include R J Shah, CEO, Dahej SEZ; Nayan Parikh, CEO, Nayan Parikh and Consultants; Deval

Parikh, managing director, Epiphania; Jaimin Shah, Founder Director Adev Information Technology Private Limited; and Nirav Shah, managing director, Jaiatma Infomatics Private Limited. -PTI

Nayan Parikh, CEO, Nayan Parikh and Consultants; Ravi Saxena, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of Gujarat; Raj Nathan, CMO, Sybase; Deval Parikh, Managing Director Epiphania at the CII-USIBC program in Palo Alto, California

RBI allows NRIs to pick-up shares, debentures at face value MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank has said non-residents including NRIs can make investment in an Indian company at the face value of shares or debentures subject to compliance with FDI scheme.

"It has been decided that in cases, where non-residents (including NRIs) make investment

in an Indian company in compliance with the provisions of the Companies Act..., such investments may be made at the face value subject to their eligibility to invest under the FDI scheme," RBI said in a circular.

As per the existing norms, nonresidents are allowed to purchase

shares or convertible debentures of an Indian company up to the extent and subject to terms and conditions set out under the FDI scheme.

Moreover, a person purchasing shares proposes to be collaborator or proposes to acquire the entire share holding of a new Indian company is required to obtain prior

permission of the government if he has a previous venture or tieup in India through investment in shares or debentures.

It also requires that the price of shares issued to persons resident outside India under this scheme shall not be less than the price worked out in accordance with the

Sebi guidelines, if the issuing company is listed on any recognized stock exchange in India.

And fair valuation of shares should be done by a chartered accountant as per the guidelines issued by the Controller of Capital Issues, in all other cases, as per RBI. -PTI

TechBiz Post

October 5, 2012

www.indiapost.com

BhartiWalmart to begin retail FDI in two states HYDERABAD: Bharti Walmart will not wait till all states in India allow FDI in multi-brand retail to roll out its plans and may start opening its outlets in states like Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, a top official of the retail giant said here.

Bharti Walmart Managing Di-

"I think there are enough states and big states like Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh which have expressed their willingness to allow FDI. "I think those states are big enough to start our plans (for retail)," Jain told a press conference.

Recently, the government had

rector and CEO Raj Jain said the company will be able to come out with specific plans with regard to retail business only after 45 days as it is currently studying the government notification.

The company is a 50:50 joint venture between Bharti Group and US-based Walmart for wholesale cash and carry.

allowed 51 per cent FDI in multibrand retail but left it to the states to permit opening of foreign funded stores.

Such stores would be allowed to be opened only in cities with a population of over one million.

A foreign retailer would need to invest a minimum of USD 100 million, of which 50 per cent must

Tata Sons raises stake in Indian Hotels Company MUMBAI: Tata Sons has increased stake in Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) by acquiring 46.30 lakh shares of the company for about Rs 29 crore through open market transactions.

According to block data available with the stock exchanges, Tata Sons, which held 19.67 crore shares or 24.36 per cent stake in IHCL at the end of June quarter, has acquired 46.30 lakh shares (amounting 0.57 per cent stake) in the firm from three other promoter entities.

The shares were purchased at an average price of Rs 62.3, valuing the deal to Rs 28.84 crore.

Tata Sons bought the shares from three promoter entities- Taj Trade & Transport Company Ltd, Ewart Investment Ltd and Piem Hotels Ltd. Indian Hotels Company Ltd

and its subsidiaries are collectively known as Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces.

The Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces currently has 93 hotels in 55 locations across India with an additional 16 international hotels in the Maldives, Malaysia, Austra-

lia, UK, USA, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Africa and the Middle East.

In a separate bulk deal, Sharad K Shah, one of the shareholders of Tata Coffee, raised his stake in the firm by picking up an additional 1.18 lakh shares for Rs 11.47 crore. -PTI

be on back-end infrastructure within a period of three years of the commencement of the overall investment.

"It is only nine days since the FDA is opened in eight states. It is too early for us to share any clarity or details on our retail plans.

We are studying the policy. It will take 45 days to come out with plans, Jain said in reply to a question.

Earlier, Jain inaugurated Bharti Walmart's first 'Best Price' modern wholesale cash and carry store in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad.

This is the 18th store in the country and third in Andhra Pradesh.

"We are ready to open another five to six (wholesale) stores this year and every year we will open about 10 Best Price stores with each outlet of about Rs 35 crore investment.

"We are going to open two stores in AP in the next six months," Jain said.

Bharti Walmart is a major supplier to Bharti Retail, which runs over 205 retail stores in different formats under the 'Easyday' brand.

-PTI

Sebi notifies MF reforms; changes effective Oct NEW DELHI: Market regulator Sebi has notified wide-ranging reforms for mutual fund sector, which would provide incentives to fund houses for expanding to small cities but might result in additional costs for investors.

The changes, which would come into effect from next month, would require fund houses to make half-yearly financial results within one month of the end of every sixmonth period, Sebi said in a notification. The decisions were approved by Sebi's board in its last meeting on August 16 with an aim to re-energies the mutual fund industry, by expanding its distribution network among other steps.

Notifying the proposals approved by its board, Sebi said that the fund houses might charge investment and advisory fees on their schemes, which would have to be fully disclosed in the offer document. In case of a fund of funds scheme, the total expenses of levied on the scheme would be capped at 2.50 per cent of the daily net assets of the scheme.-PTI

India Post

23

Amit and Sumeet Kishore dazzle audience at Meadows Club

24

India Post

Complimented by one of the best orchestras in Bollywood today, a capacity audience was mesmerized by the scions of the legend, Amit Kumar and Sumeet Kumar, as they

HARISH RAO & ASIAN MEDIA USA

CHICAGO: It really started very late - around 10 pm to the disappointment of many but the way the two singing stars - Amit and Sumit Kishore - conducted themselves, singing one after other the popu-

lar hits of Kishore Kumar, no member of the 800 plus audience would leave the program half way thru or regret getting late.

The musical concert 'Do Kishore,' a tribute to the legendary Indian singing star Kishore Kumar was conceptualized by Bubble Wrap Communications and

October 5, 2012

www.indiapost.com took the audience on an emotional journey through the career of Kishore Kumar.

The start was with the presentation of humorous clippings of

directors of yore, Amit Kumar scintillated in his renditions of hits like, Mana janaab ne pukaara nahin, Mere sapnon ki rani, Roop tera mastana, Aise na

DO KISHORE

Sons' dazzling tribute to a great singer

was hosted by Metropolitan Asian Family Services (MAFS) in its bid to raise funds for its various activities. In retrospect, MAFS headed by Ms. Santosh Kumar could not have decided any better.

A section of the audience

some old movies of Kishore Kumar. Thereafter came the Do (two) Kishores - Amit & Sumeet on the stage. And they went on to put on a performance which will be talked about for a long time.

Amit Kumar, a veteran singer

mujhe tum dekho. His rendition of Roop tera mastana with all the maddening diversions and stage pyrotechnics brought the house down, repeatedly. And then there was an unplugged version of a medley of hits which he performed

His rendition of Roop tera mastana with all the maddening diversions and stage pyrotechnics brought the house down, repeatedly. And then there was an unplugged version of a medley of hits of Bollywood, has inherited the melodies, music and the madness of his great father. And this was evident in his command performance, as he took the audience on a roller coaster ride through the life of Kishore Kumar. Interspersed with anecdotes and mimicry of the legendary singer's interactions with the great music

with Sumeet Kumar, which was nostalgia all over.

Sumeet Kumar, the much younger of the two sons, also regaled the audience with his renditions of Zindagi ka safar, Bachana ai haseenon, Chala jaata hoon and many more duets with his brother.

He had the audience clapping and singing with him.

Amit and Sumeet with MAFS Team Executive Director Santosh Kumar

October 5, 2012

India Post

25

www.indiapost.com

American Revolution - a story of courage brewing include different plots within the same palette highlighting the switching of loyalties from the British Crown in favor of American independence in the 18th Century.

Each episode carries the seeds

the American Revolution. You witness the American Revolution a second time round, this time not against the British Army, but as a gentle reminder of the values that led to the American Revolution.

The true values that still so domi-

of betrayal, music, love for God, love for their family and their country amidst all the romance, humor and their drinks in their taverns.

Their love for very life itself. These were the typical qualities of the 18th century local man whose heart was stirring as he realized that British tyranny is not what America was destined for. The true sparks of patriotism light up the entire screen.

The first time I watched Sarah Pine's episode, I was awestruck by such a classy depiction. How in the world did I just walk down the fictional village of Courage, NH in the "More than anything, Wilcentury? Such an son continues, "the show is 18th impact! Being susjust trying to be good, old- pended into their time intrigued by their fashioned family entertain- zone, values and emotions ment where one can learn about what will they do next for their God defined about ourselves and our justice and freedom. The nation, from the winter raw flavors of patriotism pure entertainment 1770 that led to the Decla- and combined with strands of ration of Independence on faith was truly mesmerizing. The fragrance of an July 4, 1776" impending freedom brewing from these episodes were a part of a faithful generation will revive your otherwise dorof the 18th century... What made mant patriotic cells. Special note them strong enough to fight basi- on the excellent music.

The makers, as living historically, to stand up against the most ans, continue to produce stories powerful empire on Earth?"

The first episode takes you to which are based on actual events the tavern of Silas Rhodes, set up that have been studied, analyzed between 1770 to 1776, the sensi- and depicted with impeccable active years just before the Ameri- curacy right down to the last stitch can Revolution. You see an unwed of their 18th century colonial cospregnant Sarah Pine waiting for tumes. For the 55 minutes of each the father of her baby, British Ser- episode on DVD, you see how geant Bob Wheedle to return and patriotism with a deep rooted faith set things right. Justice met, after were the true catalysts into compelling the citizens of this nation almost a year.

This was not some random run into a good fight to free their counof the mill story, but this story has try from the British tyranny.

The actual journey of faith, jusits roots in some of the actual events, which led to the American tice and love for freedom all interRevolution. The other events twined to become the essence of

nate this generation and the ones to come.

You are hooked on to the episodes and you stay intrigued by

SHILPA P. GOKLANI

A

good friend of mine recommended I watch the first episode of a new digital television series called Courage, New Hampshire - The Road to Revolution. I said, 'Sure, why not? After all, if I were producing a series, I too would expect such a response. Having watched all the three episodes till date, I eagerly await the release of the fourth episode and a fancy desire to fund such a project in the future, takes my interest to a different level.

My motivation comes from the sheer excellence of these episodes. With an online fan base of a few thousands Courage, NH does not disappoint.

Even as you read this article, the makers of the series will be celebrating the phenomenal success of their Fourth episode which was released on Sept 17 in the classic city of Pasadena, CA. Produced by Colony Bay Productions, the Director of these fabulous episodes, James Patrick Riley says "Our biggest hope is that audiences will be interested in the people that founded this great country, and how they stood up to the British. We try to tell a story, first about a people, who

the curious journey to the coast of this country. It's the real fabric of the soul of the people, who wanted to see America free. Seeing America free was always divinely inspired. This time too. The inspiration to live life to the fullest and enjoy truly God-given freedom has never come easier than at Courage NH. In addition to an amazing blend of British and American actors, the snob factors include award winning actor Basil Hoffman, an acting veteran with more than 100 TV and movie credits and Jim TavarĂŠ from the movie Harry Potter & the Prince of Azbakan. The media glare emerges from the likes of Fox News, Huffington Post, The Hollywood Reporter, ABC Radio, The Drudge Report and The Atlantic Monthly to various radio shows and local reads in Los Angeles, Pasadena and of course

from the actual state of New Hampshire - all urging you to do the same, step up and celebrate your freedom the Courage Way. You have all the reasons to.

The executive producer of this show, Jonathan Wilson, of Colony Bay Entertainment says "Courage NH is basically telling the story of the American Revolution from the perspective of average citizens.

That is probably something that has not been done before. It's the great story of America. If you are not familiar with America's history, this is a great way to dive in and learn about a very important time in American history" "More than anything, Wilson continues, "the show is just trying to be good, old-fashioned family entertainment where one can learn about ourselves and our nation, from the winter 1770 that led to the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776."

Cont’d on page 26

26

India Post

October 5, 2012 www.indiapost.com

SAIFF Gala to recognize Rising Stars India Post News Service

NEW YORK CITY: The South Asian International Film Festival, presented by HBO, which celebrates its ninth year in 2012, has announced the nominees for firstever South Asian Rising Star Film Award Gala Dinner.

The Gala Dinner will be held at 6:30pm on Tuesday October 23 and takes place at the stunning Guastvino's located at 409 East 59th Street at First Avenue (under the 59th Street Bridge) in New York City.

The Ninth Annual South Asian International Film Festival will kick-off on Wednesday, October 24 and end on Tuesday, October 30, in New York City.

Hosts Sunny Leone and Jay Chandrasekhar will recognize emerging talent from Bollywood to Hollywood. The Jury Members are Rajeev Masand, Anupama Chopra, Siddhartha Khosla, Janina Gavankar and Maulik Pancholy.

The 2012 Nominees for all Nine (9) Award Categories are: Best Lead Actor: Nawazuddin Siddiqui - Gangs of Wasseypur; Mohammad Samad - Gattu; Ayushman Khurana - Vicky Donor; Ash Chandler - Love, Wrinkle Fee; Vinay Virmani - Breakaway Best Lead Actress: Tanistha Catterjee - Dekh Indian Circus; Humaima Malik - Bol; Parineeti Chopra - Ishaqzaade; Rasika Dugal - Corrode, Preeti Desai Shor in the City.

Best Supporting Actor: Gulshan

Devaiah - Shaitan; Parambrata Chatterjee - Kahaani; Kunaal Roy Kapur - Delhi Belly; Zeishan Quadri - Gangs of Wasseypur; Russell Peters - Breakaway Best Supporting Actress: Seema Rahmani - Love, Wrinkle Free, Sugandha Garg - Patang; Noureen DeWulf - Breakaway, Anjali Patil Delhi in a Day, Huma Qureshi Gangs of Wasseypur

Nawazuddin Siddiqui Gangs of Wasseypur

Best Original Screenplay: Anurag Kashyap/Zeishan Quadri - GOW, Sujoy Ghosh/Suresh Nair - Kahaani; Akshat Verma - Delhi Belly; Juhi Chaturvedi - Vicky Donor; Gurvinder Singh - Alms of the Blind Horse Best Composer: Sneha Khanwalkar - Gangs of Wasseypur, Ram Sampath - Delhi Belly, Swarathma - Greater Elephant, Amit Trivedi - Trishna, Anirudh Ravichander Best Feature Film: Kahaani, Vicky

Donor, Patang, Gattu, Corrode Best Cinematography: Rajeev Ravi - Gangs of Wasseypur; Satyajit Pande - Kahaani, Shankar Ramen - Patang; Satya Nagpaul Alms of a Blind Horse, Madhi Shaitan

Co-host Sunny Leone rose to prominence in America's adult film industry before breaking into Bollywood cinema with erotic thriller Jism2 Best Director: Gurvinder Singh - Alms of a Blind Horse, Sujoy Ghosh - Kahaani, Shoojit Sarkar Vicky Donor, Prashant Bhargava Patang, Karan Gour - Corrode Co-host Sunny Leone rose to prominence in America's adult film industry before breaking into

Tanistha Catterjee -Dekh Indian Circus

Bollywood cinema with erotic thriller Jism2. Long-courted by top Indian film talent, she is now set to star in the sequel to Ragini MMS, one of last year's most trailblazing horror films.

Joining her as host is Jay Chandrasekhar, a familiar talent to Western Audiences, having co-founded the comedy troupe Broken Lizard and directed such comedy hits as Super Troopers, the Dukes of Hazzard, and

Beerfest.

The South Asian Rising Star Film Awards Gala Dinner feels deeply honored to have deeplymultifaceted awards hosts and jury members, comprising of Indian film critic Rajeev Masand, author/critic Anupama Chopra, musician Siddharta Khosla (Goldspot), Actress/Musician Janina Gavankar (HBO's True Blood), and actor Maulik Pancholy (NBC's 30 Rock).

American Revolution - a story of courage Cont’d from page 24

In legalese, this may well be categorized as an impactful precedent of current day entertainment.

These episodes may soon be established as a new standard in Hollywood as one of the finest American Classics, revolting

against the crazy California economy and taking unrelenting faith filled steps to complete these tight budgeted projects. In the coming years, people will see the courage it took to make Courage, NH. It's all about loving life, seeing good days filled with God-

given freedom.

This writer stands convinced that with such organic honesty reflecting, you can truly see a flavor of Real America, something what you could be otherwise missing out on. Craving fresh masalas?

Take some courage!

October 5, 2012

www.indiapost.com

India Post 27

Horoscope

28 India Post

October 5, 2012

www.indiapost.com

Your Weekly Future

by Pandit Parashar

OCTOBER 05TH - OCTOBER 11TH (November 23 to December 22)

(March 21 to April 20)

Y

Y

ou will start to enjoy company of a new colleague at work. Strong Venus will keep you comfortable as far as the money is concerned. You will be seriously exploring the possibility of starting a new venture and looking for avenues to raise capital. Opponents will try their hard but will not succeed. You will travel to a nice place with family.

ou will continue to make the right choices about career. Change of strategy will save a lot in long terms. Extra time you put in at work will not go waste as soon you will reap rich rewards. You may need to see a doctor to consult about an issue bothering you lately.

Some of you may join a health club to get in better shape.

(April 21 to May 20)

(December 22 to January 19)

E

arlier plans are about to become reality. Positive signals will bring energy back and you will speed up the process. Avoid any argument with a sibling. You will spend lots of time on resolving an issue involving a child. You will have only little left after paying previous bills. Spouse will give some practical ideas but you will ignore them.

Y

ou will make up your mind to challenge the decision. People at work will be supportive and you will continue to make rapid progress on assignment recently undertaken. Even if you don't like what people say, avoid any arguments with them. You may put your needs aside and fulfill what other close family member want.

(January 20 to February 18)

(May 21 to June 20)

I

t is going to be an entertaining week by all means. You will enjoy the company of a new person in life. Chances are that you will be selected among many for the job. You will quickly overcome minor illness also. Money will come but disappear fast mostly on paying bills.

Main business competitors will call it quit making room for progress.

I

f waiting for finances for your upcoming project, it will be arranged soon with the help of a very old friend. You may spend some money on fixing a car or replacing some electric item in the house. All meetings will go well and you will keep getting the assurance. It will be better to let past go and look forward to a new beginning.

(February 19 to March 20)

Y

(June 21 to July 22)

ou will start to see lots of money in the pipeline. Expenses will stay under controls and bills will be lot less than previous years.

You will spend most of the time indoors with family. A close relative will call and mail some nice gifts. Your popularity is on increase in professional circle. Visitor from overseas will confirm the date.

T

here will be few exciting developments in life. You will be offered a great opportunity on very easy terms. Financially things will stay little tight for few more weeks. Some of you may start a new relationship with a person from slightly different culture. You will call overseas more frequently for an important reason this week.

(July 23 to August 22)

Y

ou will enforce certain rules in order to make more money. You will become little uncertain about a relationship started very recently. Money will just run out of your hands but you will meet all commitments on time. You may be in touch with a learned person for advice and guidance. Cold weather may have slight impact on your body this week.

(August 23 to September 22)

Y

ou will be spending extra hours on a project and try to reach out many. You will easily meet all commitments but will be little concerned about future. Some of you will be getting ready for a long distance business trip also. Some money will go on children and their immediate needs. Spouse will be a great helping hand.

(September 23 to October 22)

Y

ou may buy some fine and quality items for the house. An important business trip is in the air. You will lack support from a colleague at work. Some of you will start some kind of loan process also. An old friend will call to invite you to a get together. Do not gamble with money or make financial commitments out of your reach.

(October 23 to November 22)

S

ome one established and with political background will be help ful. You may go to see some who helped you in the past and take some nice gifts also. It will be helpful week for people connected with high tech or medicine. You will become cautious when it come to spending money and ask family members to do the same.

Mamata Banerjee set to fetch more name & fame

M

amata Banerjee was born in Kolkata on 5th January 1955 at 7:20 am. At that time, Kritika constellation of Sun as well as supreme Dreshkaan of Narada and Capricorn ascendant of Saturn were risen. Her chart of Capricorn ascendant states that Mars is posited in the second house, the house of speech, exalted Moon is in fifth house, Ketu in sixth enemy house and in the seventh house of husband, exalted Saturn is posited forming Hansyoga.

Venus is alone making a Raja Yoga in Capricorn ascendant and in twelfth house of loss, Rahu is situated with Sun and Mercury. There are approximately 103 Yogas in her chart including Hansa, Shashaka and Garuda, to name a few. On 28th November 1957, dasha of Maarkesh Moon started, which was unfavorable for her.

If a person suffers from this dasha in childhood, many odd conditions surrounds him/her for the life. She also suffered when her father expired in her childhood. However, Mamata could make a way out with the support of many favorable Raja Yogas in her chart. She became an active member of Congress in 1970 in Mahadasha of Mars. Her Rajyogas kept on taking her to the heights of success. Further, she defeated Somnath Chatterjee in 1984 Lok Sabha elections.

Ball is in her court right now and things will be favorable till 10 August 2014. During this period, she will earn more glory. In future, she seems to be fetching more name and fame with her active participation in social welfare. Before 17 January 2016 she might get support from few parties and even reach the level of prime minister.

Pandit Parashar, CEO & COO Astro Scan USA is also available for individual consultations. He can be reached at: parashar@parashar.com

925-833-7170

website: www.parashar.com

29 India Post

P

orbandar is situated along the Ara bian Sea in the western Indian state of Gujarat. Famous as the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi, the city is well connected to the other parts of the country by rail, road, and air.

Best time to visit: The climate of Porbandar is generally pleasant. The summer season continues from March to June with the daytime temperature crossing 42ºC. The monsoons enter this region in July and remain there till September. Winter comes in from October and stays till February. Due to the cyclonic storms or depressions in the Arabian Sea in the post monsoon months, and to a lesser extent in May and June, the city faces strong winds, heavy

rain, and occasional thunderstorms. The summer temperature ranges between 24ºC and 42ºC and the winter temperature range from 10ºC to 24ºC.

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approximately 2000 years. After facing defeat at the hands of the Jadeja Rajputs in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the Jetwas came back to power in the 1630s.

The Gandhi family were the hereditary Diwans of Porbandar. On October 2, 1869, Karamchand Gandhi had a son, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or Mahatma Gandhi as he later came to be known the world over.

But Mahatma Gandhi was not the only mahatma associated with Porbandar.

History: Porbandar was a historic port of the Jetwa Rajputs, a dynasty that ruled vast areas of the Kathiawad peninsula for

They shifted their capital from Ranpur to Chaya during that time and by the 18th century, the Jetwas finally settled in Porbandar, which occupied a unique position as a port city. It was strategically situated south of the ports of Nawanagar and

October 5, 2012

the Kutch state, and north of Veraval in Junagadh state.

The Walker Treaty in the early 19th century brought peace in Saurashtra and this was the time of development for Porbandar.

The period saw the construction of a fresh water reservoir, separate schools for boys and girls, a post office. The old fort walls were pulled down to enlarge the city and a town hall, railway station, light house and Jubilee Bridge were constructed.

The Gandhi family were the hereditary Diwans of Porbandar. On October 2, 1869, Karamchand Gandhi had a son, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or Mahatma Gandhi as he later came to be known the world over.

But Mahatma Gandhi was not the only mahatma associated with Porbandar.

Cont’d on page 30

Travel & Hospitality Post

30 India Post

October 5, 2012

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Chinese FDI in tourism sector likely NEW DELHI: Having opened up its tourism sector to 100 per cent FDI, India has expressed the hope of strengthening ties with China with increased flow of investment in this sector from the neighboring nation.

"Now that Hotels and Tourism sector has been opened for Foreign Direct Investment up to 100 per cent on automatic routes, Chinese investment in tourism infrastructure in India could be one of the major areas of cooperation," a government statement said after a bilateral meeting between tourism officials of the two nations here.

At the meeting between Zhu Shanzhong,

Vice Chairman of China National Tourism Administration and Girish Shankar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism here, both the nations have expressed their willingness to strengthen bilateral tourism cooperation.

The two sides have decided that "tour operators and travel agents of both the countries may interact with each other in order to promote two way tourism between India and China."

"The possibilities for promoting more package tours in either of the countries could also be explored by the travel trade of the two countries. Both the countries

would like to exchange relevant information/statistics with regard to tourist arrivals, targets and projection, infrastructure facilities, etc," the Tourism Ministry release said.

An MoU was signed on December 8, 2002 between the Ministry of Tourism and Chinese National Tourism Administration on the implementation plan for organized group travel by Chinese citizens to India.

In addition, China has accorded "Approved Destination Status" to India to enable Chinese travel agencies to organize the outbound travel groups of Chinese citizens to India.

It was also decided that exchange visit of students and faculty from hotel management institutes between the two countries which started in September 2007 may be continued on regular basis.

The two sides were of the opinion that faculty exchange programs should be organized between the human resource development institutes in India and China.

It was also decided that a special program can be organized wherein the HRD experts from India and China can visit some of the institutes in both countries and interact with the teaching faculty through conferences and seminars. -PTI

Porbandar: Famous as birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi Cont’d from page 29

Swami Vivekanand had done much of his research in Porbandar, and Rabindranath Tagore visited the city for a considerable period in 1923.

Tourist attractions The Huzoor Palace is a massive structure like a European mansion, sprawling, with a large garden at the edge of the sea. The palace has various wings in a zigzag formation, which created space for numerous forecourts and rear courtyards, which were used for gardens and fountains. The structure is of a very modern style, crowned by trussed timber roofs and balustraded terraces offering a fabulous view of the beach and the sea. Semi-circular porticoes on neo-classical pillars offer entry to the palace from different sides.

A short walk from the Huzoor Palace leads to Daria Rajmahal, Probandar's sea facing city palace, built in a style that blends Arabic, Indian, Gothic, and Renaissance architecture. The entrance is through a Gothic style archway, crowned by a tall tower that offers a marvelous view of the palace courtyards, the beach beyond, and the sea. Nothing remains of the Darbar hall now, and the palace has been turned into a college.

The mid 19th century Haveli of the Gandhi family has three stories around a courtyard with a kitchen, 17 rooms and a wooden shrine. Next to the Haveli is the Kirti Mandir, built in 1950 by Nanaji Bhai Kalidas as a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. This monument has paintings of the Mahatma and his wife Kasturba. There is a moving photographic and pictorial display of the life of the Mahatma and his part in the struggle for India's freedom, a library of books related to the Mahatma's life and philosophy.

Walking down from Kirti Mandir one comes to Darbargadh Palace, built in 1784 by Maharana Sartanji in the typical wood and stone carved style of Gujarat. A

Porbandar skyline in 2007.

greater example of the architecture of this period is the Grishmabhuvan, a pleasure pavilion with impressive domes, exquisite pillars and delicate arches, set in a pleasant garden. This pavilion, called Sartanji Choro because of its four part representing different seasons, was Sartanji's refuge from the crowds of Porbandar.

Porbandar is a paradise for bird watchers. Great flocks of flamingoes, both greater and lesser, can be seen at a remarkably close range around the coastal marshes.

There are a number of lakes around Porbandar. Two of them, Jolingkong and Anchherital are situated at a height of 4,634 meters and 3,658 meters, respectively.

Some beautiful old temples are also scattered around the district. A visit to the shrine at Purnagiri, 20 kilometers from Tanakpur, is believed to lead to fulfillment of one's wishes. There is also a Sikh shrine near Lohaghat called Ritha Sahib, associated with the visit of Guru Nanak. It is believed that the bitter ritha turned sweet after the touch of the Guru.

The white Manu temple is also an oft visited site. In it is enshrined a powerful goddess known to bring rain to these mountains if properly invoked. There is also a large swing erected on the field at the base of a flight of steps leading to the temple. Here the goddess and her

sister from a distant temple swing playfully when the other goddess comes visiting. No one can see them, but the swing moves!

Places around Kuchdi is a 20-minute drive

There are a number of lakes around Porbandar. Two of them, Jolingkong and Anchherital are situated at a height of 4,634 meters and 3,658 meters, respectively. Some beautiful old temples are also scattered around the district away from the city center. The place has a bird sanctuary and is quite popular with bird lovers and

Mahatma Gandhi's image in the Gita Mandir, Porbandar.

photographers.

Ghumli was the capital of the Jetwas long before they moved to Porbandar. The place is famous for its Naulakha temple, considered to be the oldest sun temple in India built around the 8th century, and the 12th century Vikia Vav (step well), with numerous flights of steps and string coursed carvings.

Gope, 50 km northeast of Porbandar has a 6th century temple with a sanctuary on a platform and the usual pyramidal shikhara roof. The temple is in a terribly dilapidated condition but is important, as it is one of the first to have a roof of this design.

A 30-minute drive from Porbandar takes one to Barda Hills covered with forests where one can find the Khambala Dam with its intricate, decorated kiosks.

Fairs & festivals: Along the coast at Madhavpur near Porbandar, the Madhavrai Fair is

held in the month of Chaitra (March/April) to celebrate Lord Krishna's elopement with Rukmini.

How to reach Air - Gujarat Air connects Porbandar with Ahmedabad. From Ahmedabad, one can take flights to other important cities of India such as Delhi and Mumbai.

Rail - Porbandar is a railway station and is connected to many places in Gujarat and western India. The Saurashtra Express links Porbandar with Mumbai.

Road - Luxury bus services to Rajkot, Jamnagar, Ahmedabad, Junagadh etc. from Porbandar can be arranged. to bring rain to these mountains if properly invoked. There is also a large swing erected on the field at the base of a flight of steps leading to the temple. Here the goddess and her sister from a distant temple swing playfully when the other goddess comes visiting. No one can see them, but the swing moves!

Huzoor Palace built by last ruler of Princely State of Probandar, Rana Natwarsinhji, in early 20th century, stands near sear shore at Marine Drive in city.

Travel & Hospitality Post

October 5, 2012

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Coming soon, a sea plane for tourists in Goa

PANAJI: A sea plane service with low fares will soon start in Goa for tourists, a senior Tourism Department official said here.

The nine-seater plane, which will be capable of taking off and landing on water, would be introduced by Christmas as part of the State's tourism itinerary, Nilesh Cabral, Chairman, Goa Tourism Development Corp (GTDC), said.

"It will be almost like a joy ride which would be provided within small budget to the tourists," he said, adding that since it won't be expensive, even the middle segment holiday-makers would be able to fly in the aircraft.

The plane's operation will be outsourced to a private player, he said, adding logistics and other details about the project are being

AMRITSAR: The entry point to India from Pakistan at Attari-Wagah border will be developed with modern tourism infrastructure to attract more tourists from home and abroad, Punjab Tourism Minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur has said.

A big parking lot will be developed in view of the heavy turnout at the 'Beating Retreat Ceremony' every evening, he told reporters here.

He said an 'Open Air Theatre' and a 'Welcome Centre' will also be developed at the international border. -PTI

SRINAGAR: A two-day tourism fair was held in Kargil district of frontier Ladakh region as Jammu and Kashmir government announced a special grant of Rs 36 crore to strengthen the tourism infrastructure there.

"An amount of Rs 36 crore are being spent in Kargil district to strengthen tourism infrastructure," State Tourism Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora said after inaugurating the fair at Khari Sultanchu Sports Stadium in the town, 204 kms from here.

Jora said the purpose of orga-

nizing the fair was part of the efforts to attract tourists from across the country and abroad to the region.

"Such fairs will go a long way in development of tourism sector at national and international level," he said and asked the officers to give wide publicity of tourism fair being held next year in Kargil.

The minister also directed making of a film on the tourist spots of Kargil. Earlier, Jora inaugurated a Tourist Facilitation Centre, constructed at a cost of Rs 5.81 crore in the district. -PTI

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Mughal Road will attract nature lovers and tourists in the area and help generating job opportunities.

With the completion of Mughal Road, the dream of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah to connect

Omar called for scientific approach to develop a tourism infrastructure which is in consonance with the ecological requirements of the region foundation of Eco-Tourism Village at Heerpora on the picturesque Mughal Road. On this occasion, he said the eco-village along the

Two-day tourism fair in Kargil

Publicly Acclaimed Top Vegetarian Restaurant Serving

Omar stresses eco-friendly tourism ogy and environment.

Describing forests as crucial for ecological conservation, Omar called for joint efforts to protect them in the state.

Earlier, the chief minister laid

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worked out by the state government.

Goa would be the first state to introduce such a concept, he said, adding Andaman and Nicobar Island has similar aircraft but they are not used for tourism purposes.

Cabral said the plane can also carry passengers from Dabolim airport to various destinations in the coastal state. -PTI

Attari-Wagah border to be developed as tourism spot

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has stressed on eco-friendly tourism practices to ensure that the state's rich ecological diversity is not affected.

Pressing for application of the eco-tourism concept in all tourism development programs, Omar, while addressing a public meeting in Shopian district, called for scientific approach to develop a tourism infrastructure which is in consonance with the ecological requirements of the region.

The chief minister appealed to the people, especially youth, to cooperate with the government at all levels to conserve state's ecol-

India Post

the Valley with Poonch and Rajouri via Shopian and open up backward pockets for economic betterment has been realized, he said.-PTI

Fax: (773) 262-4465 E-mail: aryabhavan@aol.com www.aryabhavan.com

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TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Gustakh Dil: English Vinglish 2 Aashiyan: Barfi!

3 Phir Le Aya Dil: Barfi!

4 Barfi!: Barfi!

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India Post

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October 5, 2012

5 Badla Nazara: English Vinglish 6 Radha: Student Of The Year 7 Navrai Majhi: English Vinglish 8 The Disco: Student Of The Year 9 Tujhpe Fida: Heroine 10 Saiyaan: Ishkq in Paris

T

he Barfi! babe is probably having the best year of her career so far, and her fans seem to be loving it!

Bollywoodlife.com conducted an online poll asking readers who they thought was Bollywood's biggest heroine right now, and there was an overwhelming response. Must say that the competition was tough - between Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra. But PeeCee quite comfortably beat her contemporaries to

come out as the winner of the poll.

While Priyanka received 31 percent votes, Kareena - the current "Heroine" - got 25 percent votes and Katrina Kaif came third with 24 percent votes.

The others in the running were Vidya Balan with 10 percent votes and Rani Mukerji with 5 percent.

PeeCee has had an amazing 2012.

She started the year with a big hit in the form of Agneepath and now Barfi! has managed to win over the audiences and critics alike. Priyanka was applauded for her subtle and mature portrayal of the autistic girl Jhilmil.

Waiting FOR D

ASH

id you know, Aishwarya Rai was offered a role opposite Hollywood hunk Brad Pitt in the 2004's Hollywood blockbuster Troy? But, Ash declined the offer. However, Brad Pitt wasn't dejected and he still has hopes of working with the gorgeous Indian beauty some day. What's interesting is that the Hollywood star is even open to working with her in a Bollywood flick, and he doesn't mind being a part of an item song or dance sequence!

Pitt, 48, said in an email interview that he does have an idea of Bollywood films and that he doesn't mind working in one.

"Indian cinema seems to be growing very well at its own pace. I would love to work in a Bollywood film as there is so much drama and color in the films there," said Pitt.

"The filmmaking, I hear, has evolved a lot in India and of late we have witnessed some good films making a presence at the Oscars and the world stage," added the actor.

"That tells you a lot about the quality of the actors and the films. You never know when I might decide to work in a Bollywood film and do one of those dance numbers with the whole crew in the backdrop," Pitt wrote.

However, one actress that tops his list is Aishwarya Rai. Pitt finds her very stylish, beautiful and talented.

"Given a chance, I would like to work with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan because she's a versatile actor. She has worked brilliantly in films like 'The Mistress of Spices', 'The Last Legion', 'The Pink Panther 2' and 'Provoked' to name a few," said Pitt.

The only thing that hasn't worked for her is Teri Meri Kahaani with Shahid Kapoor, but it seems like everyone has already forgotten about it.

Barfi! has made over Rs 100 crores (including overseas collections) and has been picked as India's official entry to the Oscars. And if that wasn't enough, the girl is making waves internationally as the first singing star from India. Her first single In My City became the anthem of the National Football League, putting her directly in the top league. Her video is set to release soon, and it's creating loads of curiosity in India.

Bollywood

October 5, 2012

India Post 35

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FOOTBALL FAN A fter an exciting Sunday match between Manches ter United and Liverpool in London that he graced as guest of honor, Shah Rukh Khan had some more excitement lined up when he landed in Mumbai.

The jetlagged actor realized one of his bags was missing. No sooner, the on-ground staff swung into action and the bag was retrieved within a mere 25 minutes.

However, Shah Rukh and his entourage later realized they had forgotten to declare the bag so he had to pay extra luggage charges before leaving the airport.

It is learnt that while in London, SRK met up with his son Aryan, who is currently pursuing higher studies there. Like his father, Aryan too is an ardent football fan.

INSTINCTIVE

ACTRESS

C

hitrangada Singh, who earned accolades for her brilliant performance in debut film Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi, follows her instinct while choosing films.

"For me, it is my instinct and the director involved in the project that is the prime criterion for selecting a film. Then the producers of the film and then the script," Chitrangada told reporters at the sidelines of a fashion event in Kolkata.

Chitrangada recently scorched the screen in her first item in Joker and said: "I am open to item songs, provided it is well choreographed."

Currently the actress is looking forward to her next release Inkaar that deals with sexual harassment at work place.

She said: "It is a film that deals with a very important issue of our society. It is very easy to prove a rape than to prove sexual harassment.

Inkaar revolves around Chitrangada's character who is sexually exploited by her boss, played by Arjun Rampal.

Ready for A

ACTION

t last Sonakshi is ready to have a blast. Having played a string of delicate feminine very Indian roles, Sonakshi will now be cast in Prabhu Dheva's Namak in her first full-fledged action role.

The film, an intense love story with a violent backdrop, would be a new beginning for director Prabhu Deva.

Says a friend of Prabhu, "He is scripting Namak. This would be his first effort at screenplay writing. The girl's part has been written especially for Sonakshi."

Says our source, "During Rowdy Rathore, Prabhu Deva and Sonakshi really hit it off. When he was shooting the 'Govinda' song with Sonakshi for OMG! Oh My God, Prabhu mentioned to Sonakshi that watching her agile dance steps he was sure she would make a terrific action heroine. He told her about the girl in Namak who doesn't just stand behind the hero biting her lips and wringing her hands, but actually has her own action plan. Sonakshi was immediately game."

Her excitement comes from the fact that so far all her films have featured her as a demure, sweet angelic desi girl.

Apparently, since both Shahid and Sonakshi would be kicking serious ass in Namak, Prabhu Deva has put them both under joint physical training.

„ Health

Line

Tracking system to monitor health of school children

NEW DELHI: After successful implementation of software-based tracking system for gathering data on immunization, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has mooted a similar system for monitoring the health of nearly 13 lakh school children in the country.

Speaking at a consultation on 'School Health Program Implementation' organized by the Dell Foundation and Global Health Strategies here, Azad said the government has to collect reliable data related to the health of almost 13 lakh school children in India.

Azad called for maintaining a database of health indicators of these children, as done in the case of immunization drive meant for mothers and children. -PTI

„

New SARS-like virus detected in Middle East

LONDON: Global health officials are closely monitoring a new respiratory virus related to SARS that is believed to have killed at least one person in Saudi Arabia and left a Qatari citizen in critical condition in London.

The germ is a coronavirus, from a family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as SARS, the severe acute respiratory syndrome that killed some 800 people, mostly in Asia, in a 2003 epidemic.

In the latest case, British officials alerted the World Health Organization of the new virus in a man who transferred from Qatar to be treated in London. He had recently traveled to Saudi Arabia and is now being treated in an intensive care unit after suffering kidney failure. -PTI

„

Audit suggests Ga. food makers not testing

ATLANTA: Food manufacturers in Georgia may be dodging a first-of-its-kind law requiring that they inform state food inspectors when their products test positive for contamination, according to an audit of the state's food inspection service.

An audit released this summer offers a combination of anecdotal and statistical evidence suggesting the so-called ``red flag law'' was not strictly followed after it was implemented in 2010. The state adopted the law after a deadly salmonella outbreak that killed nine people and sickened hundreds more was traced back to a filthy southwest Georgia peanut producer. -AP

Health Science 36

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October 5, 2012

Notification on smoking scenes in films to be amended NEW DELHI: Ending a row that went on for nearly one year, the Ministries of Information and Broadcasting and Health have reached an agreement over rules on depiction of smoking scenes in films in the country.

Details on page 38

Scientists identify 4 distinct types of breast cancer

S

cientists have reported that they have completed a ma jor analysis of the genetics of breast cancer, finding four major classes of the disease. They hope their work will lead to more effective treatments, perhaps with some drugs already in use.

The new finding offers hints that one type of breast cancer might be vulnerable to drugs that already work against ovarian cancer.

The study, published online by the journal Nature, is the latest example of research into the biological details of tumors, rather than focusing primarily on where cancer arises in the body.

The hope is that such research can reveal cancer's genetic weaknesses for better drug targeting.

"With this study, we're one giant step closer to understanding the genetic origins of the four major subtypes of breast cancer," Dr.

"With this study, we're one giant step closer to understanding the genetic origins of the four major subtypes of breast cancer," Dr. Matthew Ellis of the Washington University School of Medicine said in a statement. He is a co-leader of the research Matthew Ellis of the Washington University School of Medicine said in a statement. He is a co-

leader of the research.

"Now we can investigate which drugs work best for patients based

on the genetic profiles of their tumors," he said.

The researchers analyzed DNA of breast cancer tumors from 825 patients, looking for abnormalities.

Altogether, they reported, breast cancers appear to fall into four main classes when viewed in this way.

One class showed similarities to ovarian cancers, suggesting it may be driven by similar biological developments.

"It's clear they are genetically more similar to ovarian tumors than to other breast cancers," Ellis said. "Whether they can be treated the same way is an intriguing possibility that needs to be explored."

The report is the latest from the Cancer Genome Atlas, a federally funded project that has produced similar analyses for brain, colorectal, lung, and ovarian cancers. -www.foxnews.com

Antioxidant-rich diet 'cuts heart attack risk'

E

ating lots of antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables does appear to cut the chance of having a heart attack, but popping vitamin pills in the hope of aping a healthy diet does not, according to research.

Swedish researchers estimate that eating a diet high in antioxidants -mainly derived from fruit and veg - could cut the chance of a heart attack by a quarter.

The results contrast with studies that suggest taking antioxidant supplements, such as vitamin A, C and E pills, has no effect.

They believe that different antioxidant compounds could work together to protect the body in a much more powerful way than taking single large doses can achieve.

Specifically, the researchers found that older women ate seven fruit and vegetable portions a day, were between 20 and 29 per cent less likely to have a heart attack over a decade, than those who ate just 2.4.

The Department of Health recommends everyone should eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

Antioxidants are naturally occurring substances which mop up molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS), better known as 'free radicals'.

These prompt inflammation, can damage

"Although weight-loss diets abound, the few which emphasize increasing intake of fruits and vegetables actually may be on the right track." cells, and have been implicated for triggering cancer and heart disease.

The researchers assessed antioxidant intake by looking at the diets of 30,000 Swedish women aged 49 to 83 at the start of the study.

Those with the highest antioxidant intake were

20 per cent less likely to have suffered a heart attack than those with the lowest intake, after statistically adjusting for a host of factors like differences in age, weight, and whether they smoked or exercised.

Women who ate a lot of fruit and vegetables also tended to eat less saturated fat.

When the researchers adjusted for intake of fats, the difference in heart attack rates rose to 29 per cent. The study did not look at overall mortality.

Dr Alicja Wolk from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, who was the lead researcher, said their research contrasted with tests of single antioxidant supplements, which have largely failed to find evidence that they cut heart attacks or mortality rates.

Pamela Hannley, managing editor of the American Journal of Medicine, said: "Although weight-loss diets abound, the few which emphasize increasing intake of fruits and vegetables actually may be on the right track."

However, not all ascribe to the theory that antioxidants are universally good for health.

Two years ago cardiologists at King's College London published results that some free radicals could actually help protect against heart disease.

-telegraph.co.uk

October 5, 2012

Health Science Post

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Appeals court reverses conviction in HIV case MINNEAPOLIS: In a split decision, the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed the conviction of an HIV-positive man who was accused of passing the virus to another man through unprotected sex, ruling that the statute was ambiguous.

Daniel James Rick, 31, was convicted last October of attempted first-degree assault under a statute that makes it a crime to knowingly transfer a communicable disease through ``sexual penetration with another person without having first informed the other person'' of his positive status.

The statue also makes it illegal to spread the disease by transferring ``blood, sperm, organs or tissue, except as deemed necessary for medical research or if disclosed on donor screening forms.''

Rick was acquitted under the first part of the statute, because the jury found he disclosed he was HIV positive before having sex with his alleged victim in 2009, but was convicted under the second section.

Rick's attorneys argued the second section applies only to medical procedures and ``any

other interpretation yields absurd results,'' the appeals court decision said. The state disagreed, saying the second section applies to sexual penetration.

"Under the state's interpretation, an act of sexual penetration that results in a transfer of sperm is always a basis for criminal li-

Rick's attorney, Grant Smith, said he was happy the court ruling showed that if a person with a communicable disease informs his or her partner, it is not a crime to engage in consensual sex ability, regardless of any pre-penetration disclosure of the presence of a communicable disease,'' Judge Michelle Larkin wrote for the majority.

Larkin added that while the Legislature generally intended to prevent the spread of communi-

cable disease, the court found little support showing the Legislature clearly ``intended to prevent the spread of disease by criminalizing informed sexual penetration between consenting adults.''

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said the state believes the intent of the law was clear, and he plans to appeal. In addition, he said, the state will proceed with two other criminal sex cases against Rick, which were charged under different statutes. ``Mr. Rick is a very dangerous man, who knew he was HIV positive, running around and giving it to people,'' Freeman said.

Rick's attorney, Grant Smith, said he was happy the court ruling showed that if a person with a communicable disease informs his or her partner, it is not a crime to engage in consensual sex.

Judge Larry Collins was the lone dissenter. He wrote that the statute is clear, and a reasonable person would understand he may engage in unprotected sex as long as he discloses if he has a disease, but should not transfer sperm to the other person. -AP

Ginger tea can reduce stress, aid digestion LONDON: Packed with antioxidants, the humble ginger has a whole range of health benefits and is a 'must-have' in your kitchen!

Even one sniff of ginger tea can improve your mood, relieve stress and is great for digestion and aiding the absorption of food, experts have claimed.

Stomach acid is crucial to human digestion and when stressed its production can break down.

Hot water with a slice of lemon and chopped ginger is an excellent way to stimulate digestion, experts believe, the Daily Mail reported.

"Ginger can help as it stimulates the taste buds, triggering digestive secretions," dietician Alice Mackintosh said.

"Ginger contains a potent antioxidant, gingerol, which helps cleanse the harmful chemicals our bodies produce when we're worried, so ginger can help psychological stress too," Mackintosh was quoted as saying by the paper.

Ginger can also impede motion sickness, reduce inflammation, fight common respiratory prob-

Stomach acid is crucial to human digestion and when stressed its production can break down.

Hot water with a slice of lemon and chopped ginger is an excellent way to stimulate digestion, experts believe, the Daily Mail reported lems and encourage normal blood circulation.

For ladies, placing a hot towel drenched in ginger tea on stomach provides relief from menstrual cramps, experts have advised. -PTI

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October 5, 2012

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Pregnant women should eat plenty of eggs

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regnant women should eat plenty of eggs and lean meat to reduce their unborn child's risk of high blood pressure and mental health problems in adulthood, researchers claim.

A nutrient called choline, which is found in meat, eggs, beans and broccoli, could lower the risk of the children developing stress-related illnesses and chronic conditions later in life.

In future, women could even be given choline tablets in the same way folic acid is prescribed today to lower the risk of children being born with defects like spina bifida, experts said.

The researchers from Cornell University studied changes in "epigenetic markers" - chemicals which attach to our DNA and influence how our genes work - in a

group of 26 pregnant women in their third trimester.

Epigenetic markers are important because they determine

Mothers who suffer from anxiety and depression - conditions which raise cortisol levels - could benefit from taking choline as a protective measure whether individual genes are "switched on", meaning they work properly, or "switched off", making them completely inert.

Some of the women were assigned to take in 480mg of choline per day through their diet and supplements - an amount just above the recommended dose while others were given 930mg per day.

The larger dose caused more chemicals to be added to the women's DNA, altering genes that regulate hormone activity in the body, researchers found.

Genes that regulate the production of cortisol, a hormone previously linked to lifelong risk of stress and metabolic disorders, were turned down so that levels of it in the babies' blood were 33 per cent lower.

Prof Eva Pressman, who led the study, said mothers who suffer from anxiety and depression - conditions which raise cortisol levels - could benefit from taking choline as a protective measure.

She said: "One day we might prescribe choline in the same way we prescribe folate to all pregnant women. It is cheap and has virtually no side effects at the doses provided in this study.

"While our results won't change practice at this point, the idea that maternal choline intake could essentially change fetal genetic expression into adulthood is quite novel." -telegraph.co.uk

Notification on smoking scenes in films to be amended NEW DELHI: Ending a row that went on for nearly one year, the Ministries of Information and Broadcasting and Health have reached an agreement over rules on depiction of smoking scenes in films in the country.

The I&B Ministry came out with a statement stating that the Health Ministry had agreed to amend its previous notification, issued in October last year, over which there had been a disagreement between the two sides.

"The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, in consultation with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, has agreed to amend the Notification issued vide GSR 786(E) dated 27.10.2011 regarding steps to be taken by the film industry while depicting smoking scenes in their films," the I&B statement said.

As per provisions of the amended draft notification agreed to by the two ministries, anti-tobacco health spots of minimum 30

seconds shall be displayed at the beginning and middle of the films displaying tobacco products or their use.

An audio-visual disclaimer of minimum 20-second duration on the ill-effects of tobacco use

Films showing use of the tobacco products shall also be required to display an antitobacco health warning in the form of a static message shall be also displayed at the beginning and middle of these films.

"Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has agreed to bear all the costs relating to production of such health spots and disclaimers," the I&B statement said.

The spots and disclaimers prepared by the Health Ministry will be provided to the Central Board of Film Certification in digital beta format for distribution to the filmmakers at the time of their application for certification, it said.

Films showing use of the tobacco products shall also be required to display an anti-tobacco health warning in the form of a static message during the period of display of the tobacco products or their use in the films.

The Health Ministry has also agreed to drop the clause that necessitated 'UA' certification for the films showing tobacco products or their use.

"Films showing use of tobacco products will now not be considered for 'UA' certification on this ground alone. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued revised notification in this regard," the I&B statement said. -PTI

Headset zaps epilepsy, depression

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small headset created by scientists can zap depression or epilepsy when you are asleep. It comprises two square, sticky pads, attached to either side of the forehead, just above a major nerve in the brain.

These pads are wired with a mobile phone-sized box that sits at the waist. The box generates a small electrical pulse that lasts 30 seconds and is followed 30 seconds later by another pulse.

The pulses stimulate the trigeminal nerve and can reduce the number and severity of epileptic seizures as lowering depression. The procedure, called Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation, was created by University of California neurologists.

Studies have shown that a small number of severely epileptic patients who used the gadget for a year saw their number of seizures drop by an average of 60 per cent, the Daily Mail reports.

Tests on people with major de-

pression saw their scores on the Beck Depression Inventory, a scale used to rank depression, improve significantly.

The device, known as Monarch,

Studies have shown that a small number of severely epileptic patients who used the gadget for a year saw their number of seizures drop by an average of 60 per cent was further developed by the medical devices firm Neurosigma and has now been approved for use in Europe after pilot studies showed it could provide an additional treatment for patients with depression and epilepsy.

Perfumes could cause asthma and migraine: report LONDON: Air fresheners, scented candles and other perfumed products can cause adverse health effects like asthma and migraine, says a new report.

The report suggests that perfumed products could affect people's health, causing problems including allergies, asthma and migraine, and even interfere with their sexual desire.

A major problem is so-called 'contact' allergy - where perfumes and scented products trigger eczema and dermatitis after coming in contact with the skin, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

Nearly a third of people may suffer adverse health effects from being exposed to scents as molecules in the fragrances triggered an immune response, causing itchiness and even scaly, cracked skin, the report said.

"Allergies are on the increase, and the amount of perfumed products is also on the rise," Dr Susannah Baron, consultant dermatologist at Kent and Canterbury hospital, and BMI Chaucer Hospital, said.

"Fragrance allergy can show up as contact dermatitis in the site a perfumed product is applied, or as a flare-up of existing eczema. It can be a real problem," Baron said.

The report quoted two surveys conducted by Anne Steinemann, professor of civil and environmen-

tal engineering and public affairs at the University of Washington, as finding more that more than 30 per cent of the public reported adverse health effects from being exposed to scents in ordinary life.

"Fragrance suggests cleanliness - yet people are smelling a potentially hazardous chemical mixture.

We often use them to mask one problem - as with air fresheners but create a greater one - adding

A major problem is so-called 'contact' allergy - where perfumes and scented products trigger eczema and dermatitis after coming in contact with the skin toxic chemicals to the air," the paper quoted Steinemann, as saying.

"Since then, I have received thousands of messages from people all over the world saying they get sick around fragranced products.

"They are suffering seizures, losing consciousness, can't concentrate on work, as well as suffering rashes, migraine headaches and asthma attacks," she added. -PTI

Health Science Post

October 5, 2012

India Post

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AYUSH facilities co-located with health centers NEW DELHI: The Health Ministry has said it had taken several steps for strengthening health care facilities by integrating department of ayurveda, yoga & naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy (AYUSH) systems in national health care delivery systems.

The integration is facilitated by appointing or co-locating AYUSH doctors and supporting staff and creating infrastructure according to local needs, a statement by the ministry said.

There were 640 districts, 6431 blocks and 638588 villages incorporating 605 District Hospitals (DHs), 4535 Community Health Centers (CHCs) and 23673 Primary Health Centers (PHCs) till March 2011.

Out of these, AYUSH facilities had been co-located with 416 District Hospitals, 2942 Community Health Centers and 9559 Primary Health Centers during 2011. About 68.76 percent District hospitals had been co-located with AYUSH facilities till 2011, the ministry said in the statement.

All the District hospitals existing in the states and union territories of Goa, Haryana, Jharkhand,

Maharashtra, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Lakshadweep and Puducherry had been co-located with AYUSH facilities, whereas, the states having more than 50 percent of the District hos-

All the District hospitals existing in the states and union territories of Goa, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Lakshadweep and Puducherry had been co-located with AYUSH facilities pitals co-located with AYUSH facilities were Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, the statement added.

There had been no co-location of AYUSH facilities in the Districts hospitals of the remaining 12 states and union territories, the

ministry said.

Nearly 65 percent Community Health Centers had been co-located with AYUSH facilities till 2011.

All the CHCs existing in states and union territories of Andhra

CHCs co-located with AYUSH facilities were Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Punjab, Tripura and West Bengal.

The states having more than 25

Pradesh, Goa, Nagaland, Orissa, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep and Puducherry had been co-located with AYUSH facilities, it said.

The ministry also said the states having more than 50 per cent of the

percent but less than 50 percent of the CHCs co-located with AYUSH facilities were Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The states having less than 25 percent CHCs co-located with AYUSH facilities were Madhya Pradesh only. No co-location of AYUSH facilities had been ob-

Mobile phones pose no health risks: experts "We have no grounds to say that the symptoms are imaginary. But a large number of studies suggest that these symptoms must have other causes than the physical effects of low-level electromagnetic fields around mobile phones, wireless transmitters and other wireless equipment," said researcher Jan Alexander.

"Research provides no evidence to support that interventions help, such as reduc-

WASHINGTON: Cell phones may not pose any threat to you as there is no evidence that mobiles cause adverse health effects, a Norwegian study has claimed.

The Norwegian Expert Committee found no evidence that the low-level fields around mobile phones and other transmitters increase the risk of cancer, impair male fertility, cause other reproductive damage or lead to other diseases.

The committee also found no evidence that cell phones can lead to adverse health effects, such as changes to the endocrine and immune systems.

The effect on slow-growing tumors has been studied in people who have used mobile phones for up to 20 years. These studies show no association.

Only limited data exist for the other types of cancer in the head and neck area, as well as for leukemia and lymphoma, but so far there is no evidence of an increased risk from mobile phone use, the report said.

'A large number of studies suggest that these symptoms must have other causes than the physical effects of low-level electromagnetic fields around mobile phones' ing the use of mobile phones or wireless networks," said Alexander in a statement.

The expert committee provides advice to authorities about risk that low-level electromagnetic field exposure from management and regulatory practice.

It has assessed the health hazards from low-level electromagnetic fields generated by radio transmitters.

These electromagnetic fields are found around mobile phones, wireless phones and networks, mobile phone base stations, broadcasting transmitters and other communications equipment.

served in CHCs in the remaining 8 states and union territories.

About 40.4 percent of Primary Health Centers had been co-located with AYUSH facilities till 2011. All the PHC existing in the Union Territory of D&N Haveli, Daman & Diu and Puducherry, Jammu and Kashmir, A&N Islands, and Lakshadweep have been co-located.

The states and UTs having more than 50 percent of the PHCs co-located with AYUSH facilities were Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Manipur, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamilnadu and Tripura.

States having more than 25 per cent but less than 50 per cent of the PHCs co-located with AYUSH facilities, were Karnataka, Meghalaya West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

The states and union territories having less than 25 percent of the Primary Health Centers co-located with AYUSH facilities were Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the Health ministry said. -PTI

In Brief 16 illegal Indian immigrants held in UK LONDON: Britain's immigration officials have arrested 16 Indians described as illegal immigrants during an operation targeted at homeless people who sleep below a bridge in Heston, west London.

The Home Office said the operation was conducted in the London borough of Hounslow.

The 16 Indians, all males, were arrested for a variety of immigration offences and efforts would be made to send them to India as soon as possible, officials said.

Immigration Minister Mark Harper said: "This is one example of the tough action being taken by officers across the country to find and remove those who are in the UK illegally." -PTI

Arpaio: ICE refuses to pick up illegal immigrants PHOENIX: Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio says a federal agency refused to pick up two illegal immigrants detained by his officers.

The sheriff says this marks the first time in recent years that Immigration and Customs Enforcement refused such a request.

Arpaio questioned the cooperation authorities will get from federal agents who will be called to verify people's status in the enforcement of Arizona's immigration law and be responsible for picking up illegal immigrants.

Federal officials have said they'll help if doing so conforms with their priorities, such as identifying those who threaten public safety. -AP

Free naturalization help for MA immigrants BROCKTON, Mass.: Volunteers pushing for the integration of immigrants in New England are offering free help to foreign-born residents applying for U.S. citizenship in Massachusetts.

Immigration lawyers, law students, interpreters and other volunteers gathered in Brockton to screen naturalization applicants for eligibility.

The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition said its volunteers are also helping qualified legal permanent residents in completing their applications for citizenship.

Naturalization applicants are required to provide detailed information in 10-page applications and pay fees that may run as high as $680. -AP

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Immigrant rights advocates rally outside jail PHOENIX: Protesters of Arizona's immigration law held signs and chanted as they marched to the Maricopa County jail in downtown Phoenix.

Cont’d on page 43

Obama admits his biggest failure is lack of comprehensive immigration reform MIAMI: President Barack Obama said rival Mitt Romney hasn't ``gotten around a lot'' if he believes that 47 percent of Americans consider themselves victims and entitled to government help.

Addressing a large Latino television audience, the president also said his ``biggest failure'' was an inability to win an overhaul of the immigration system.

In an interview with Spanish language channel Univision, Obama says the country has gone through a challenging time and that people ``want a hand up and not a handout.''

In suggesting his GOP rival was out of touch, Obama was reacting to secretly taped remarks by Romney in which the Republican declared that the 47 percent of voters who support Obama represent Americans who don't pay income taxes and ``who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them.''

Obama said Americans pay payroll taxes, gas taxes and state and sales taxes. He noted that those who don't pay income taxes include workers who don't make enough money to qualify, older Americans and students. ``When you express an attitude

President Barack Obama participates in a town hall hosted by Univision and Univision news anchor Maria Elena Salinas, left, at the University of Miami, September 20, in Coral Gables, Fla.

“When you express an attitude that half the country considers itself victims, that somehow they want to be dependent on government, my thinking is maybe you haven't gotten around a lot” that half the country considers itself victims, that somehow they want to be dependent on government, my thinking is maybe you haven't gotten around a lot,'' Obama said.

The forum gave Obama a rebuttal of sorts. Romney spoke at the

Univision forum, where he said his campaign was about ``the 100 percent in America.''

The president faced tough questions on why he hadn't accomplished comprehensive immigration reform, an important issue for Hispanic voters. Jorge Ramos, one of

the moderators, put it bluntly: ``you promised that and a promise is a promise and with all due respect, you didn't keep that promise.''

Obama said he accepted responsibility but that he faced an economy ``on the verge of collapse'' in his first year and blamed Republicans for abandoning support for comprehensive immigration reform. He said there was ``the thinking that the president is somebody who is all-powerful and can get everything done.''

Obama said he only leads the executive branch. ``We have to have cooperation from all these sources to get something done,'' he said. ``What I confess I did not expect, and so I'm happy to take responsibility for being naive here, is that Republicans who had previously supported comprehensive immigration reform, my opponent in 2008 who had been a champion of it and who attended these meetings, suddenly would walk away,'' he said. ``That's what I did not anticipate.''

Asked later in the interview to name his biggest failure, Obama cited a lack of comprehensive immigration reform, but added: ``It's not for a lack of trying or desire.'' -AP

Stem green card vs green card lottery CYRUS D. MEHTA

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here is a raging debate presently in the halls of Congress. Almost all of our elected representatives, no matter whether they are Democrat or Republican, are in favor of providing an easier pathway for foreign students who have graduated with an advanced degree from a US university in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) field.

In an age of polarization and gridlock in Congress - added by controversy over the expansion of immigration benefits to foreign nationals when unemployment is high - there is an amazing bipartisan support for STEM foreign students. Indeed, 150 university presidents and chancellors have also appealed for green cards for

STEM graduates.

Still, a Republican sponsored STEM Jobs Act, HR 6429, failed to pass the House September 20 with a two third majority. It was sponsored by Lamar Smith (R-TX),

to foreign students with doctorates in STEM fields from a US university, and the remaining would have gone to foreign students who have graduated with master's degrees.

There is an amazing bipartisan support for STEM foreign students. Indeed, 150 university presidents and chancellors have also appealed for green cards for STEM graduates who otherwise generally favors bills that restrict immigration. It was rejected 257-158 mainly on party lines that would have provided 55,000 green cards to foreign students graduating in STEM fields. First dibs would have gone

These students would still need an employer to sponsor them, and they would need to agree to work for 5 years for that employer. The employer would also need to obtain a labor certification to demonstrate that there are insufficient American

workers available for the job.

So why did it fail? The catch was that the STEM Jobs Act would have eliminated the diversity green card lottery, which provides 55,000 green cards for people born in countries with low sending immigration rates to the US. 5,000 of these 55,000 can be deducted for cancellation of removal grantees under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA).

The elimination of the green card lottery was opposed mainly

by Democrats, and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), the ranking member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Policy, proposed a similar bill, but preserving the green card lottery.

Cont’d on page 43

Immigration Post

October 5, 2012

India Post

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Ariz sheriff loses appeal on immigration law limit PHOENIX: A federal appeals court has denied an Arizona sheriff's request to reverse a lowercourt decision barring his deputies from detaining people solely on the suspicion that they're illegal immigrants.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco issued a 23page ruling after considering the narrow question of a preliminary injunction while a Phoenix trial court considers the merits of the entire lawsuit against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who is known for his tough policies on curbing illegal immigration.

The appeals court ruling focused only on the lower court's limit on Arpaio's immigration powers and doesn't confront the case's ultimate question of whether deputies in Arizona's most populous county have racially profiled Latinos on their patrols.

A three-judge panel ruled U.S. District Judge Murray Snow didn't abuse his authority in granting the order and said the ruling didn't impair the sheriff's ability to enforce state and federal criminal laws.

A small group of Latinos claim Arpaio's deputies pulled over some vehicles only to make immigration status checks during regular traffic patrols and the sheriff's 20 special immigration patrols.

A federal judge in December ordered Arpaio's department to refrain from conducting such traffic stops while the class action

suit was being considered.

Arpaio appealed, arguing his deputies had probable cause to make the stops.

The American Civil Liberties Union and other attorneys filed a federal lawsuit in 2007 against the self-proclaimed ``toughest sheriff in America.''

The Latino group also accuses Arpaio of ordering some

Opponents of part of the law requiring police to question some people they contact about their immigration status wanted the federal appeals court to block its enforcement of the patrols not based on reports of crime but rather on letters from Arizonans who complained about people with dark skin congregating in an area or speaking Spanish.

Arpaio has repeatedly denied the allegations, saying his deputies only stop people when they think a crime has been committed and that he wasn't the person who picked the location of the immigration patrols.

Both sides are awaiting Snow's verdict after a seven-day trial

without a jury ended Aug. 2.

Snow hasn't indicated when he would rule.

The lawsuit marks the first case in which the sheriff's office has been accused of systematically racially profiling Latinos, and will serve as a precursor for a similar yet broader civil rights lawsuit filed against Arpaio in May by the U.S. Department of Justice.

There has never been a finding by a court that Arpaio's office has racially profiled Latinos, though a case that made such an allegation was settled last year for $200,000 without an admission of wrongdoing by the sheriff's office.

Earlier, the 9th Circuit turned back the latest effort by a civil rights coalition to bar police from enforcing the most contentious part of Arizona's immigration law.

Opponents of part of the law requiring police to question some people they contact about their immigration status wanted the federal appeals court to block its enforcement.

That provision survived a U.S. Supreme Court review and it went into effect Sept. 18 after a federal judge in Phoenix said it could be enforced.

The 9th Circuit denied the coalition's emergency motion for an injunction pending appeal and their request for certification to the Arizona Supreme Court. An attorney with the National Immigration Law Center said the coalition is assessing its next step. -AP

Indians among members of key Australian panel MELBOURNE: More than ten Indian-origin people are the inaugural members of a key committee set up by the Australian government to inform and advice it on issues like immigration, skill, trade, education as well as foreign aid related to the subcontinent communities in the country.

The 17-member committee has been formed with an aim to increase and improve engagement with wider ethnic communities on their issues of concern, to assist service delivery to those communities and to improve the dissemination of information on the government's policies, a Melbourne-based committee member Manoj Kumar said.

'Subcontinent Ministerial Consultative Committee' will work under the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Chris Bowen and will advise them on various issues

related to the Subcontinent people in Australia.

Kumar, an engineer and active member of Australia India Busi-

The 17-member committee has been formed with an aim to increase and improve engagement with wider ethnic communities on their issues of concern, to assist service delivery to those communities ness Council Victoria, said the initiative was a positive sign to improve relations with the Indian community and also a way for the community to make a valuable

contribution to Australian cultural, social and economic life.

Commenting on his new role, Kumar said his first and prime agenda would be to urge the government to simplify rules of International English Language Testing system for the migrants wanting to acquire Permanent residency (PR).

Lauding the role of Australia's ruling Labor party for reversing the Uranium sale ban against India, Kumar said the issue now was how to proceed and implement the deal and take it to next level.

"Our discussions and feedback to the federal government on trade issues pertaining to the subcontinent community here could include uranium sale proceedings as well," he aid. Meanwhile, the immigration minister Chris Bowen congratulated the inaugural members of the committee. -PTI

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Immigration Post

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October 5, 2012

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Immigrant requests strain consulates, schools SAN DIEGO: Schools in the U.S. state of Washington are taking nearly a month to deliver transcripts to former students. The Mexican consulate in Denver introduced Saturday hours last month after passport applications spiked by one-third. San Diego public schools added five employees in a new office to handle records requests.

Schools and consulates have been flooded with requests for documents after President Barack Obama announced a new program allowing young people living in the country illegally to apply for two-year renewable work permits.

Up to 1.7 million people may qualify, which would be the broadest stroke to bring illegal immigrants out of the shadows in more than 25 years. Applicants some eager to get in line before November's presidential elections are finding they may have to wait a few weeks longer for a prize that has eluded them for years.

The clamor for documents is an early sign that the policy is highly popular. The Obama administration said this month that it approved the first 29 applications among more than 82,000 received since it began accepting requests Aug. 15.

The Mexican consulate in Los Angeles issued 17,444 passports and consular identification cards in August, up 63 percent from the

same period last year, said Consul General David Figueroa, who attributes the entire increase to the new policy. The wait for a passport appointment at the largest Mexican consulate grew from one or two days to 40 days last month, then fell to 30 days after the consulate hired five employees to handle the increased workload, opened its main office on Saturdays and extended hours at satellite offices to seven days a week from five.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recently clarified expectations, relieving applicants who worried they would need exhaustive proof of their whereabouts. Eligible applicants must have come to the U.S. before they turned 16, be 30 or younger, be high school graduates or in college, or have served in the military, and they cannot have serious criminal records. They also must have lived in the country since June 2007.

The new guidelines, issued Sept. 14, say applicants should provide as much evidence ``as reasonably possible'' that they stayed in the U.S. ideally for every year but that they don't have to account for every day of the last five years.

The government also reassured employers who were nervous about providing evidence that they hired an illegal immigrant. Docu-

ments will not be used against employers unless they committed ``egregious violations of criminal statues or widespread abuses.''

Laura Lichter, a Denver attorney and president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said the new guidelines alleviated many concerns for applicants.

Since July, transcript requests at Aurora Public Schools in suburban Denver jumped to 1,500, up by more than two-thirds compared to the same period last year. More than half of this year's requests are tied to the new immigration policy ``I have to compliment (the government) for doing an excellent job of getting good, solid information out there,'' said Lichter, adding that she rarely praises the authorities.

Rep. Lamar Smith, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a critic of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, called the latest changes an example of how the Obama adminis-

tration ``routinely puts illegal immigrants first at the expense of the American people.'' ``Administration officials intentionally made these guidelines vague enough so that potentially millions of illegal immigrants can qualify. And now the administration has revised their guidelines to be specific enough to protect unscrupulous employers from facing legal action for knowingly hiring illegal immigrants that have applied for the amnesty program,'' he said.

Since July, transcript requests at Aurora Public Schools in suburban Denver jumped to 1,500, up by more than two-thirds compared to the same period last year. More than half of this year's requests are tied to the new immigration policy.

The Yakima School District in central Washington state is taking nearly a month to produce transcripts, though college applicants go to the top of the pile and have to wait only two days, said Roy Knox, director of central registration, who planned to bring in a substitute teacher to help. Before the new immigration policy, transcripts were generally a same-day service.

Some campuses in Los Angeles Unified School District battled backlogs of 200 to 300 applicants, prompting administrators to create an online form this month that funnels applications to a central location,

said Lydia Ramos, a special assistant to the superintendent. The district, which put workers on overtime to catch up, anticipates spending about $200,000 on the requests, including $15,000 for postage.

The Los Angeles school board, facing a backlog of 2,300 requests, ordered administrators this month to develop a plan that cuts waiting times from up to 45 days to seven days. It estimates 50,000 requests over the next few months.

San Diego Unified School District set up a temporary office and anticipates spending $45,000 on the effort through Dec. 14, said Linda Zintz, communications director. Between 80 and 100 people call or visit daily, but the office can only handle about 30 requests daily, creating waits of more than two weeks for an appointment with generally same-day service.

Abel Oregel, 29, called after attorneys for an advocacy group offered free advice on getting a permit. The opportunity comes 26 years after his parents took him across the border illegally on a mountain trek. The two-week wait for an appointment meant he wouldn't have his documents for his next meeting with the attorneys. ``They told me they were really short on staff,'' said Oregel, a native of Guadalajara, Mexico, who has lived in Southern California since he was 3. -AP

Young Arizona immigrant gets deferred action PHOENIX: Carlos Martinez has two engineering degrees from the University of Arizona, but he has never been able to use them because he is an illegal immigrant.

But soon, the Tucson resident will be able to work legally after becoming one of the first undocumented immigrants in the country to be approved for a work permit under President Barack Obama's controversial deferredaction program.

Martinez, 30, said he was notified Sept. 14 that he had been granted permission to stay in the country temporarily for two years and that his work permit was being processed. He received a second notification on Sept. 18 that his work permit had been mailed.

This will clear the way for him to apply for jobs as a computer-software engineer, his dream job. ``I felt like crying. I couldn't believe it,'' Martinez said. ``The first thing I did was go to church to thank God.'' As of Sept. 19, just 29 of the 82,361 undocumented immigrants nationally who have applied for deferred action have had their

cases completed, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. It is not known if all those cases have been approved.

Under the program, undocumented immigrants granted deferred action can remain in the country for two years without the threat of deportation. They also receive work permits and can reapply after two years.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials initially said it could take several months for the applications to be processed. The first applications, however, were approved in about a month.

Critics of the program say the speed at which some of the applications have been approved raises concerns about fraud and suggests the program's main goal is to score political points for Obama among Latino voters as the election campaign heats up. ``The only deterrent to fraud is thoroughness,'' said Steven Camarota, research director at the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington, D.C., think tank that opposes the program. ``Given what we know about how the im-

migration bureaucracy normally works, (the speed of approvals) raises all those questions.''

The reason behind the sudden expediency may be ``political, if you want to get the political dividend,'' Camarota said.

Despite “not speaking a word of English� when he came to the U.S., Martinez said he graduated from Cholla High School in Tucson with a 3.93 grade-point average and was accepted at four universities The program, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is aimed at undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. when they were minors, are under age 31 and have lived continuously in the U.S. for five years.

Obama has said he was moti-

vated to administratively allow undocumented immigrants to apply for deferred action because Congress has failed to pass the Dream Act, a bill that would allow undocumented high-school graduates brought to the U.S. as minors to become citizens if they completed at least two years of college or served two years in the military.

But some Republicans in Congress have called the program a ``backdoor amnesty'' that rewards illegal immigrants.

As many as 1.7 million young illegal immigrants in the country may be eligible to apply, including 80,000 in Arizona, according to some estimates.

Obama announced the program on June 15. The federal government began accepting applications on Aug. 15.

Martinez said he applied on the first day because he was eager to get a work permit so he could begin pursuing his career.

He said he was surprised he was granted deferred action so fast. ``I was prepared to wait four to six months,'' Martinez said.

He said he is originally from Cananea, a mining town south of Naco in Sonora. He said he was 9 when his family brought him to the U.S. 21 years ago. They used border-crossing cards to enter legally through the Naco Port of Entry but then remained in the country illegally.

Despite ``not speaking a word of English'' when he came to the U.S., Martinez said he graduated from Cholla High School in Tucson with a 3.93 grade-point average and was accepted at four universities: Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University, the University of Arizona and the University of Miami in Florida.

He chose the UA because he could not afford to pay room and board if he attended a university away from home.

Martinez said he graduated with a bachelor of science degree in computer engineering in 2003 and a master's degree in softwaresystems engineering in 2005.

He said he has never been able to use his degrees because, as an illegal immigrant, he cannot work legally in the U.S. -AP

Immigration Post

October 5, 2012

India Post

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Stem green card vs Immigration panel dismisses Vidalia complaint green card lottery Cont’d from page 40

The reason why the STEM Jobs Act needed a 2/3 super majority is because it was being considered while the normal rules were under suspension. The rules are suspended generally for non-controversial bills but this bill was hardly that. It was a clever political ploy by the Republicans to

Immigrants who came to America through the centuries were like the plucky green card lottery winners of today.

They took a chance and came to the shores of America force this bill without consideration of the Lofgren alternative under the normal House rules, which preserved the green card lottery, so that they could go back to their constituents and claim that they did favor an important immigration bill, which the Democrats did not pass.

In my opinion, I like STEM green cards to co-exist with the green card lottery, which provides an option for anyone anywhere in the world to come to America to make it. While most other immigration benefits require a family member or employer as a sponsor, unless you are a rich investor under the EB-5, the green card lottery is not tethered to any sponsor.

While it is important for the US to attract STEM students to innovate and pioneer new technologies here, it is equally important to attract others who can also become successful and contribute to the US with their optimism and industry.

Today's halal vendor serving delicious falafel from his street cart, who came through the green card lottery, can tomorrow own a chain of restaurants employing others, and still delighting Americans with a unique ethnic cuisine.

We need innovators with STEM degrees as well as folks who can enrich the fabric of America with their cuisine and other endeavors. Moreover, not all lottery winners are unskilled or uneducated. The green card lottery could also attract educated people and those who have already succeeded in business.

Indeed, the green card lottery is reminiscent of what America used to be without a formal immigration program. Immigrants who came to America through the centuries were like the plucky green card lottery winners of today. They took a chance and came to the shores of America.

They were not scientists or the equivalent of STEM graduates of their day. Yet, America's greatness was built on the hard work and boundless optimism of these ordinary people.

Even though the STEM Jobs Act failed, it shows that there can be bi-partisan consensus. The bill was not perfect, and would not have improved the broken immigration system. For example, unused STEM green cards would not have been re-allocated to the backlogged employment-based or family immigration preferences, where some are waiting endlessly for decades before they can get a green card.

Perhaps, in the future, if Republicans do not like the green card lottery, they can settle for an increase in the employment and family-based categories instead as a compromise with the Democrats.

But despite its failure to get passed, at least the STEM Jobs Act is a down payment for future

We need innovators with STEM degrees as well as folks who can enrich the fabric of America with their cuisine and other endeavors. Moreover, not all lottery winners are unskilled or uneducated bipartisan efforts on immigration.

This effort also shows that immigration can be reformed in increments rather than comprehensively, although the latter would be more desirable in a perfect world. For example, Senator Schumer (D-NY) has offered his own BRAINS Act, which would similarly grant green cards to 55,000 STEM students and preserve the green card lottery, and he has also invited Lamar Smith back to the negotiating table! * Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com

ATLANTA: A state panel that oversees enforcement of Georgia's immigration laws has dismissed a complaint that the city of Vidalia is harboring illegal workers. It also formed a subcommittee to look into another complaint and put off action on two others for the time being.

The state Immigration Enforcement Review Board had appointed a subcommittee in June to look into accusations by Michael Dale Smith of Twin City that officials in Vidalia - home to Georgia's famous sweet onion crop - were giving illegal immigrants safe harbor by allowing them to work and live in the city limits. City officials had denied his allegations, and review board member Phil Kent said at the meeting that the subcommittee ``didn't find anything actionable.''

The board also discussed whether or not to take up three complaints filed in July by anti-illegal immigration activist D.A. King and ultimately decided to form a subcommittee to keep track of progress on one complaint and decided to delay action on the other two.

A three-member subcommittee was formed to gather information about King's complaint that alleges the Department of Community Affairs is not complying with

its obligation under state law to collect specific information from government agencies that administer public benefits and to compile that information in a report by Jan.1 of each year.

Commissioner Mike Beatty said that the department is trying to educate all the agencies and hopes to have full compliance as soon as possible.

Board chairman Ben Vinson said he decided to delay action on the two complaints in part because there are simply too many agencies named in the complaints ``There was not widespread knowledge (at the department) that something was going on that wasn't supposed to be going on,'' he said, later adding, ``If we messed it up, we messed it up trying to do what we thought was right.''

King's other two complaints each list multiple agencies - one includes a list of more than 1,200

that he says are not complying with parts of state law governing illegal immigration that require them to provide information about their compliance to either the state auditor or the Department of Community Affairs.

Beatty and a representative from the Department of Audits and Accounts both addressed the board, saying they are trying to make sure all the agencies that are supposed to report to them are following the rules and that they are working to compile lists of agencies who fail to comply that could be provided to the board.

Board chairman Ben Vinson said he decided to delay action on the two complaints in part because there are simply too many agencies named in the complaints. ``I just don't think those two complaints can be converted into an actionable case at this point,'' he said, adding that he'd rather wait to see a list of agencies that fail to comply after additional efforts by the two state departments involved.

King told the board he plans to ask the state attorney general's office to use its power to enforce state law since he doesn't believe the board is fulfilling its responsibility to make sure the laws are followed. -AP

Immigrant rights advocates rally outside jail PHOENIX: Protesters of Arizona's immigration law held signs and chanted as they marched to the Maricopa County jail in downtown Phoenix.

Salvador Rez, an organizer of the immigrant rights rally, said a group of 300 to 400 people rallied outside the Fourth Avenue jail run

by Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Chris Hegstrom of the sheriff's office estimated that number was closer to 100 to 150.

The jail was picked as a rally location because organizers allege that Latinos have been racially

profiled in the sheriff's immigration patrols. Arpaio has vigorously denied the profiling allegations.

The protest comes during the same week that a federal judge gave police the go-ahead to start enforcing the law's most contentious section. The provision in question requires police, while enforcing other laws, to question the immigration status of those suspected of being in the country illegally.

Rez said that among the protesters were some of the first arrestees under the new law. He

said they were released by federal immigration officials because they had no criminal history and were not considered a priority.

The rally outside the jail lasted less than an hour.

Hegstrom said it did not disrupt operations at the jail.

Hegstrom added that the sheriff was aware that similar protests have occurred over the years, but that ``it doesn't change the way we do business.'' ``Sheriff Joe Arpaio says we will continue to enforce the immigration law,'' Hegstrom said.-AP

Realty Tidbits

Agra-Lucknow expressway gets clearance

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh cabinet has approved the construction of the Agra-Lucknow expressway on the public-private partnership model. In a meeting chaired by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, the cabinet also cleared the proposal to build the green-field, eco-friendly expressway project, based on minimum distance formula, along the 270km AgraLucknow expressway, connecting Agra's Ring Road near Yamuna expressway with Lucknow's inner ring road.

In the process, the expressway project, as per the draft concept report which was also sanctioned, will pass through Fatehabad, Shikohabad, Saifai, NH-92 near Etawah, NH-91 near Kannauj and NH-25A near Malihabad.

Green building footprint to touch 2 billion sq ft MUMBAI: With the concept of green buildings is gaining ground among developers, the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) expects nearly 2 billion square feet of sustained building footprint by 2015.

Currently, 1,745 eco-friendly building projects with over 1.21 billion sq ft of green footprint are registered with the IGBC. "The green concept is becoming very popular among developers as they have realized its benefits including fast return on investments. We expect nearly 2 billion sqft of green building space under development by 2015," IGBC Mumbai chapter vice chairman Gurmit Singh Arora said.

Cutting of hills cause of building collapses SOLAN: Flagrant disregard of various norms for clearing steep hill slopes for construction has become a major cause of building collapses in the Barog area lying on the National Highway No. 22.

The area comprises fragile strata and steep slopes. Builders have failed to abide by the norms, thus cutting these in a most unscientific manner at times exceeding the earmarked 45-degree norm.

Not only multistoried buildings exceeding the stipulated threeplus-one norm have come up all along the Barog hill, but the excessive straightening of the hill is also leading to massive landslides every now and then.

Real Estate 44

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New lending policy to energize real estate sector

October 5, 2012

Details on page 45

Enforcement Directorate attaches properties worth Rs 71-crore in Hyderabad land scam NEW DELHI: Plots owned by Dubai-based Emaar Properties, its joint venture Emaar MGF and others worth Rs 71 crore have been attached by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with its probe into alleged irregularities in land transfer and sale of villas and apartments in Hyderabad.

The agency has attached 34 villa plots created in Boulder Hills, Guchibowli in Hyderabad and another piece of land in Delhi's Kalkaji under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), months after the CBI had registered a criminal case in this regard.

"The proceeds of crime identified so far to the tune of Rs 71.27 crore have been attached from M/ s Emaar Hills Township Private Limited (at the head of Emaar properties, Dubai) and EMGF Land Limited," the attachment order said.

When contacted, an Emaar

MGF spokesperson said "we have not received any notice" from the agency and hence cannot comment on the development.

The ED action comes after the CBI earlier this year had registered an FIR against senior Andhra Pradesh IAS officer and Home

a case under various sections of IPC relating to criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust among others and relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption Act on the orders of Andhra Pradesh High Court.

The case relates to an upscale

“These three companies had sold villa plots at the rate disclosed in the books but collected excess amount and concealed the same” Secretary B P Acharya and four other senior officials, these two firms and others - M/s Stylish Holmes Real Estate Private Limited and M/s Boulder Hills Leisure Private Limited.

The ED had made the CBI FIR the basis of its probe and booked

township project developed by Hyderabad-based real estate developer Emaar, its joint venture with the Dubai based firm and Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation where Acharya was posted as Managing Director between 2005 and 2009.

The ED has attached Rs 6.86 crore worth land in national capital's Kalkaji which is in possession of M/s Eternal Buildtech Private Limited which is a 100 per cent subsidiary of M/s Emaar MGF Land Limited.

The ED probe, according to sources, found "that subsequent to the agreements between M/s Emaar Hills Township Private Limited and other companies namely M/s Stylish Holmes and M/s Emaar MGF Land Limited were designed to sell villa plots in the township project under criminal conspiracy.

"These three companies had sold villa plots at the rate disclosed in the books but collected excess amount and concealed the same to deprive the state corporation from its legitimate revenue share from the developed land," the ED said.

Builder Raheja goes to court against son MUMBAI: The city's oldest construction giant, the Rs 11,000crore G L Raheja group, got mired in an acrimonious family feud as the group patriarch filed a petition in the Bombay high court, accusing his son of trying to "usurp" the business.

Gopal L Raheja, the 78-year-old paterfamilias, says in the suit that he was "constrained" to approach the court - despite being sick and recovering from an abdominal surgery earlier this month - due to the "shocking" behavior of his son Sandeep and daughter-in-law Durga. The two, he alleges, threatened to deny him medical attention at home and leave him to "die". Moreover, they along with Durga's parents, Gopal says, are illegally trying to oust him from the 25 companies he set up and still controls.

He blames Durga's parents for instigating Sandeep, who helps run the empire, to act against an earlier family agreement.

Known as "GL" in the industry, Gopal built the G L Raheja real estate empire over five decades, during which time he gave India its first apartment hotel in Powai and Mumbai its first departmental

store, Shoppers Stop. His companies are among the biggest private owners of land in Mumbai and possess properties in other parts of India, including The Carlton in Kodaikanal. He has one son, Sandeep, and two daughters, Sabita Narang and Sonali Arora.

The immediate plea in his high court petition is to stop Sandeep

shares within the family. He retained 42% of the holding company, left nothing to the two daughters, and gave 58% of it to Sandeep, Durga and their two minor daughters with the condition that Sandeep abide by the Raheja family arrangement. After this, Gopal continued as the group chairperson.

Sandeep tried forcing Gopal to sign over all the shares to him and his family. "Sandeep and his wife insisted on an immediate division then and there… they threatened Gopal that no medical attention would be given to him at home and that he would be left to die" from proceeding with board meetings on September 25 and later, which he says lack his consent.

According to the petition, the genesis of the family feud dates to the year 2005, when Sandeep began fearing interference from the brothers-in-law since his younger sister was detected with brain tumor and undergoing treatment. In 2006, Gopal, "being in absolute power", rearranged the

But the feud, according to the plaint, did not end. In August 2011, Durga asked Gopal to buy a Rs 100-crore house in London; his reluctance to do so, Gopal says, led to the "unfortunate events and disgraceful behavior the next month".

On September 1, Sandeep called Gopal for a meeting along with his two sisters and a brotherin-law. In the meeting, the petition

says, Sandeep tried forcing Gopal to sign over all the shares to him and his family. "Sandeep and his wife insisted on an immediate division then and there… they threatened Gopal that no medical attention would be given to him at home and that he would be left to die." They also allegedly threatened the sisters.

Sandeep, according to the petition, took the keys to Gopal's Bandra residence, Raheja House, at Pali Hill. On December 29, when Sandeep and Durga were holidaying in London, assisted by a locksmith, Gopal entered his home and found it "uninhabitable", with all the "bathrooms broken down", "electrical fuses ripped apart" and "large expensive marble tiles in ruins".

When Gopal engaged workers to repair the house, the suit says, Sandeep and Durga returned from London and threatened to file a "rape" case against the workers unless they left immediately.

Ten days later, Gopal was "shocked to find that Sandeep had changed the lock to his office cabin in the office too".

Cont’d on page 45

Real Estate Post

October 5, 2012

India Post

45

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L

Extra FAR to recast Delhi illegal colonies

ieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna has said private developers could "participate" in the development process of the city's unauthorized colonies which have been recently regularized.

"Redevelopment of all unauthorized colonies is going to be a huge opportunity for the developers," he said, while speaking at a workshop to review the Master Plan Delhi-2021.

Khanna said some developers had shown interest and those selected for redevelopment of the colonies could be given extra floor area ratio (FAR) as incentive.

"The developers could consolidate and redevelop these colonies.

As part of the reconstruction plan, 50 per cent extra FAR could be provided to them to ensure that they can construct more residential housing to make the process economically viable," he said.

He suggested that the FAR might be enhanced further and the government was open to such suggestions.

"Only 50 per cent of the population live in planned areas," Khanna said, adding that the planning process could not keep pace with the influx in Delhi.

Khanna said slack and inefficient enforcement was one of the reasons that led to the growth of unauthorized colonies in the city.

He said housing for the economically weaker section was the answer to prevent encroachment

on public land. "Besides these colonies, Delhi has around 600 slum clusters which house 30 lakh people," he said.

Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath, who also attended the workshop, said the fact that hundreds of unauthorized colonies in Delhi had to be regularized through legislation "is a tribute to bad planning".

"Delhi has had the problem of

He said high-rises were needed otherwise slums would keep cropping up.

The minister said everyone wanted open spaces, but the ground realities had to be factored in.

"Good planning cannot be good poetry," he said bad planning and bad enforcement. It is just not bad enforcement. What will you enforce? How can you enforce 1,600 irregular colonies?" Nath said.

"Perhaps we are the only country in the world which had to bring in legislation, the Delhi Law Special Provision Act, saying we are going to regularize these colonies.

What is this a tribute to? It is a

tribute to bad planning," he said.

Nath said enforcement agencies alone could not handle problems created by poor planning.

The minister said there was no scope for lateral expansion in Delhi. "Market forces have to be considered while planning urban areas," he said.

He said high-rises were needed otherwise slums would keep cropping up. The minister said everyone wanted open spaces, but the ground realities had to be factored in. "Good planning cannot be good poetry," he said.

As Nath reiterated his stand on vertical growth in the city, Delhi Urban Arts Commission Chairman Raj Rewal said this should be considered only in select areas.

'Farmhouses are lungs of the city' Defending the DDA's decision to regularize farmhouses built before February 2007, Lt-Governor Khanna said these functioned as "lungs of the city". He said it would be a disaster if high-density buildings were built in their place, given the depleting groundwater level.

'70% of Yamuna bank houses unsafe' The Lt Governor said a survey by the CRRI after the Lalita Park house collapse had found that 70 per cent of buildings on the banks of the Yamuna were structurally unsafe.

Builder Raheja goes to court against son Cont’d from page 44

Sandeep further humiliated him, the petition says, by asking all the staff to report only to him. Gopal says he wrote letters to his son, expressing hurt and requesting him to be "reasonable". But these pleas and requests for mediation were also rebuffed.

The relation soured further this year with Sandeep's parents-inlaw being brought on board the company, the suit says. On January 28, Sandeep wrote to Gopal, claiming "sole ownership and control" of the empire. The father and son thereafter exchanged acrimonious and emotional letters.

In July, Sandeep wrote a 26page letter, where he accused Gopal of wrongful agreements with a third party. He wrote that, despite them staying together for 18 years, Gopal appeared to be under "the influence of one Chandrika, a Brahmakumari half his age, at whose behest this entire

charade is being orchestrated".

Sandeep also accused his sisters of using their father as a "pawn" to "extort additional monies".

Gopal says the allegations were made to defame him.

Gopal's counsel J P Sen asked for a stay on the annual general

shares since they sold them to Sandeep for Rs 6.75 crore and other assets." Rohtagi argued that Gopal's claims were "totally baseless".

Sandeep's solicitor Vivek Vashi added, "There is no semblance of truth to the wild, derogatory, scandalous allegations made with oblique motives to

Justice S J Kathawala asked both parties to try and settle the issue out of court since it was a "family matter" and posted the case for further hearing on October 30. meetings called by Sandeep, while the son's counsel Mukul Rohtagi objected to the application on various grounds, including delay.

Rohtagi said, "There is no dispute on the shareholding. The father holds 42% shares, of which son is the second holder. Sandeep and his family independently have 58% shares. Sisters have no

show the son in poor light."

Justice S J Kathawala declined to stay any AGM of the group's companies. The meetings, the judge said, will be subject to the outcome of the matter later. He asked both parties to try and settle the issue out of court since it was a "family matter" and posted the case for further hearing on October 30.

New lending policy to energize real estate sector NEW DELHI: The finance ministry is looking to tweak the lending policy of banks to housing projects, hoping to build on the recent softening in interest rates to energies the real estate sector.

The National Housing Bank, the regulator of housing finance companies, will identify viable projects across 10-15 cities in the country and bring together a consortium of lenders to fund these projects.

"The idea is to unlock the flow of funds towards the realty sector at the same time ensuring that home prices are sustainable," said a finance ministry official.

Banks are reluctant to lend to the developers because there is a huge mismatch in price and demand, the official added.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram had in his meeting with heads of banks in August had also pointed out that close to 5 lakh flats were lying vacant in Mumbai despite robust demand for housing. "The minister had directed IBA (Indian Bank Association) to look at various measures to prop up demand. We had a series of meetings and we will work on this pilot project in 10-15 cities including some small cities," the official said. Under the proposed

mechanism, the NHB will first assess the viability of a project and then bring together a consortium of banks.

The loan will be provided through an escrow account under which payments made by buyers will go toward services the debt, ensuring safety of loans. "This is to ring fence the project because it has been observed that in many

Banks are reluctant to lend to the developers because there is a huge mismatch in price and demand, the official added cases builders take loan for one project and divert it to the some other project," said a senior banker with IDBI Bank.

The banks will lend in a 1:2 debt equity ratio. Credit to commercial real estate declined 1.8 per cent during April-July period from a year ago. RBI data shows that home loan growth has slowed to 3.1 per cent in April-July this year against 4.5 per cent last year.

46

Datebook

India Post

October 5, 2012

www.indiapost.com

NEW YORK

NEW JERSEY

Upcoming

Upcoming

Fri Sept 11 to Sat Oct 20

Sat Oct 6

• Aicon Gallery present Iconic Processions: Sacred Stones to Modern Masterpieces, an exhibition of works by India's Modern Masters

• Abhi to mai Javan hu

Venue: 35 Great Jones St., New York NY 10012 Time: 6pm to 9pm Contact: 212-725-6092 Highlights: Featuring M. F. Husain, Ram Kumar, Anjolie Ela Menon, S. H. Raza, Jenhangir Sabavala, F. N. Souza and the Anonymous Masters of the Past. In Partnership with Nayef Homsi

Fri Oct 12 • Officially launch the Year of India with a free concert, Hindustani Music of North India Venue: LeFrak Concert Hall.NY Time: 10am Contact: 718-793-8080 Highlights: The concert is also the first performance of the Aaron Copland School of Music's Chamber Music Live fall season. As it inaugurates the Year of India initiative, the program's steering committee and music school.

Venue: North Brunswick High School, 98 Raider Rd, North Brunswick Pownship, NJ Time: 6pm Contact: 908-601-6704

• The South Asian Rising Star Film Awards 2012 Gala Dinner Venue: Guastavino's (Under the 59th Street Bridge), 409 E 59th St, New York, NY 10022 Time: 6 pm Contact: 646-330-4172

Upcoming

Sat Oct 6 • Raas Garba Ramzaat by Masti Group Charitable Organization Venue: Streamwood community center, 777 S. Bartlett Road, Streamwood, IL 60107 Time: 6 pm - 11 pm

Sat Oct 6

Venue: Hilton Garden Inn Edison/Raritan Center, 50 Raritan Center Pkwy, Edison, NJ Time: 11am Contact: 510-578-8728

• Dandiya Dhamal

Sun Oct 14 • Hindustani Classical Music Concert Venue: Roman Catholic Diocese Of Mutuchen, 146 Metlars Ln, Piscataway Township, NJ 08854 Time: 4pm Contact: 732-310-3617

Sat Oct 20 • India House Navratri Venue: Garden State Exhibit Center, 50 Atrium Drive, Somerset, Nj 08873 Time: 8 pm Contact: 732-283-9696

WASINGTON DC Fri Oct 12

Tue Oct 23

Upcoming

• UTSAV- UCarnival New Jersey

Upcoming

Venue: Hornblower Hybrid, 353 West St, New York, NY 10014 Time: 7 pm Contact: 612-220-3617

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Fri Oct 12

Saturday, Oct 20 • Light The Night - Diwali Cruise

ILLINOIS

• LMFAO Comedy Night With Vijay Nathan

Venue: Renaissance Convention Center, 1551 N. Thoreau Dr. Schaumburg, IL Time: 7:30 pm Contact: 224-392-2466

Sun Oct 07 • Hindi Diwas and Launch of Monthly Hindi Publication Hindi Patrika Venue: Indo-American Center, 6328 N California Ave, Chicago, IL Time: 4pm Contact: 847-962-8595

Upcoming Sat Oct 6

Fri July 20 to Sat Dec 15 • Turning Rumi: Singing Verses of Love, Unity and Freedom Part2 : The Art of Salma Arastu Venue: Dominican University of California, 50 Acacia Avenue, San Rafael, California 94901 Time: 2:30pm to 4:30pm (Artist Reception on Sat Sept 15at Community Gallery, Alemany Library) Contact: 415-482-2453

Sat Oct 6 • Disco Dandiya 2012 Venue: Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, CA Time: 7pm Contact: 408-564-3140

Sun Oct 7

• 10th Annual Gandhi Day Supported by GOPIO Silicon Valley Venue: 161 Erie Street SF, CA Time: 9:00pm - 3:00am Contact: 415.694.9080

Sun Oct 7 • Silent River Film Festival Venue: Edwards Westpark, 3735 Alton Pkwy, Irvine, CA Time: 2pm Contact: 949-394-5148 Highlights: The celebration and be part of the largest entertainment event of our city. Premiers, Seminars, Zen hours(After parties) and Red Carpet Award Gala.

Sat October 13 • Non Stop Bhangra

• Sammilan- Folk Fusion Concert

Venue: 161 Erie Street SF, CA Time: 9:00pm - 3:00am Contact: 415-694-9080

Venue: India Community Center, 525 Los Coches Street, Milpitas, CA Time: 3:30pm

Sat Oct 13, 20, 27

Venue: Forestview Educational Center, 2121 S. Goebbert Rd, Arlington Hts, IL Time: 8 pm

Sat Oct 13

Fri Oct 26

Venue: Anubhuti Meditation & Amp, Retreat Center, 820 Bel Marin Keys Blvd, Novato, CA Time: 5:30pm Contact: 415-884-2314

Venue: Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802 Time: 8 pm Contact: 951-318-7375

Fri October 12 • Ratri Before Navratri - Raas Garba with Master Rana & Group

• Mika Singh- Bollywood King performing Live

• Navratri Festival 2012

OTHERS

Venue: Diya Banquet Hall, 2070 Chain Bridge Road Vienna, VA 22182 Time: 8pm Contact: (202) 656 3374

Upcoming Sun Oct 7

Fri Oot 12

• Pandit Birju Maharaj (Concert of the Legend)

• A Life Transforming Event Venue: RJE Cultural Center, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus, 8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA 22003 Time: 8 pm Contact: 240-529-5633

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Venue: Sears Centre Arena - 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway Hoffman Estates, IL 60192 Time: 7:30 pm Contact: 773-441-7904, 847-909-3798

Venue: MIT, Kresge Auditorium, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge Time: 7pm Contact: 408-728-8429

• 3 days Raas-Garba

Fri Oct 19 • Royal Drummers and Dancers of Burundi Venue: Palace Theater, 61 Atlantic St. Stamford, CT 06901 Time: 8pm Contact: 203-325-4466

Fri Nov 2 • Spirituals to Funk Venue: Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St. Stamford, CT 06901 Time: 8pm Contact: 203-322-9862 Highlights: Dr John And 5-time Grammy award winners Blind boys of Alabama.

Classifieds

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Philosophy

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October 5, 2012

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Page Sponsored by Sahanis MAHATMA GANDHI

V

egetarians have a habit of talking of nothing but food and nothing but disease. I feel that is the worst way of going about the business. I notice also that it is those persons who become vegetarians because they are suffering from some disease or other, that is from purely the health point of view. It is those persons who largely fall back. I discovered that for remaining staunch to vegetarianism a man requires a moral basis.

For me that was a great discovery in my search after truth. At an early age in the course of my experiments, I found that a selfish basis would not serve the purpose of taking a man higher and higher along the paths of evolution.

What was required was an altruistic purpose.

I found also that health was by no means the monopoly of vegetarians. I found many people having no bias one way or the other, and that non-vegetarians were able to show, generally speaking, good health.

I also found that several vegetarians found it impossible to remain vegetarians because they had made food a fetish and because they thought that by becoming vegetarians they could eat as much lentils, haricot beans, and cheese as they liked. Of

MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI

A

griha (house) can be converted into an ashram. Anashram is a place where people devote all their time and energy to the remembrance of God, doing selfless service and developing qualities like love, patience and respect for others. They do spiritual practices to help them see unity in diversity.

Family life can also be like this.

It was like this before, in the olden days. That is why a householder devotee is known as a grihasthashrami, a person who leads an ashram life while remaining in his house. He is a person who tries hard to attain the supreme goal, bliss, even while living with his wife and children. This is possible if you sincerely try.

Stay where you are and do your duty with love and dedication. If you are married and settled in the world, don't run away, abandoning your job and your responsibilities as a husband or wife, and parent. Don't think that God will accept you only if you renounce all your duties and wear ochrecolored clothes. No, that is not how it is.

Continue to wear the same

course those people could not possibly keep their health.

Observing along these lines, I saw that a man should eat sparingly and now and then fast. No man or woman really ate sparingly or consumed just that quantity which the body requires and no more.

We easily fall a prey to the temptations of the palate, and therefore when thing taste delicious we do not mind taking a morsel or two more. But you cannot keep health

I tell them not to take a thing if they do not want to.

What I want to bring to your notice is that vegetarians need to be tolerant if they want to convert others to vegetarianism. Adopt a little humility.

We should appeal to the moral sense of the people who do not see eye to eye with us. If a vegetarian became ill, and a doctor prescribed beef-tea, then I would not call him a vegetarian. A vegetarian

periment times without number. I could not after a serious illness, regain my strength unless I went back to milk.

But the basis of my vegetarianism is not physical, but moral. If anybody said that I should die if I did not take beef tea or mutton, even under medical advice, I would prefer death.

There must be a definite reason for our making that change in our lives, for our adopting habits and

Basis of my vegetarianism is not physical, but moral

Mahatma Gandh

Several vegetarians found it impossible to remain vegetarians because they had made food a fetish and because they thought that by becoming vegetarians they could eat as much as they liked

under those circumstances. Therefore I discovered that in order to keep health, no matter what you ate, it was necessary to cut down the quantity of your food, and reduce the number of meals. Become moderate; err on the side of less, rather than on the side of more.

When I invite friends to share their meals with me I never press them to take anything except only what they require. On the contrary,

is made of sterner stuff. Why? Because it is for the building of the spirit and not of the body.

Man is more than meat. It is the spirit in man for which we are concerned. Therefore vegetarians should have that moral basis that a man was not born carnivorous animal, but born to live on the fruits and herbs that the earth grows.

I would give up milk if I could, but I cannot. I have made that ex-

customs different from society, even though sometimes that change may offend those nearest and dearest to us. Not for the world should you sacrifice a moral principle.

Excerpted from an address to the London Vegetarian Society on 20th November, 1931.

The 143rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi will be observed on October 2

clothes, perform your duties, stay at home, and do your work. But at the same time, learn to live within your true Self. This is the most important art that we should learn.

We learn everything else but never this: the art of dwelling in our own Self.

Whether you are living all alone or with a family, your life will not

makes family life hell. It will cut your personality to pieces. Family life such as this is equal to death. A person who leads this kind of life in his family is nothing more than a corpse.

This kind of family is like a prison where the inmates have no personal contact; they are just there, adjacent to one another. But

It is possible to carry on a spiritual life while living in the world. The only thing is that one must perform actions selflessly without any attachment. One should not worry about the past or the future. Live in the present, surrendering your actions and their fruit at the feet of the Lord.

Householders can attain liberation by doing duty The householders is a person who tries hard to attain the supreme goal, bliss, even while living with his wife and children. This is possible if you sincerely try be happy and successful unless you have the mental capacity to adapt to any situation. This is one of life's most basic principles."

The family house should not be a place where a group of individuals live together in conflict, always fighting and arguing. It is not a place for just eating and sleeping, thinking that this is what life is and that this is what enjoyment is. That

you can turn your family into a haven, your house into a home, an abode of happiness and bliss, a place of peace and love. There definitely is effort involved; it can be a kind of sadhana (spiritual practice)."

Can householders attain liberation?

Yes, while remaining in the house, they should live for God.

The knower and the known are one. Simple people imagine that they should see God as if he stood there and they here. This is not so. God and I, we are one in knowledge.

-Meister Eckhart Ah, women. They make the highs higher and the lows more frequent.

-Friedrich Nietzsche Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.

-Arthur Schopenhauer Mark this well, you proud men of action! you are, after all, nothing but unconscious instruments of the men of thought.

-Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.

-Socrates

Mata Amritanandamayi

Perform your duties as sincerely as possible, keeping in mind that all is entrusted by God. Be satisfied with whatever is provided by the Supreme.

Anyhow, when we act with an attitude of surrender and devotion, it will bear the best fruit.

The 59th birth anniversary of Mata Amritanandamayi was observed on September 27.

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

-Maya Angelou

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Chinese aircraft carrier: Capacity building and national pride KAMLESH KUMAR AGNIHOTRI

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he first Chinese aircraft carrier, refurbished out of the Varyag unfinished Ukrainian carrier, sailed for its 10th sea trial on 28 August. The Chinese official news agency Xinhua, while putting this fact out in the public domain cited its naval experts as surmising that the 304 meter long carrier with a beam (width) of 37 meters and displacing 58,500 tons, will be inducted into the naval service later this year.

No sooner did Chen Bingde, the Chief of General Staff of the Peoples' Liberation Army (PLA) formally acknowledged in June 2011 that the Varyag was being readied for maiden sailing, than considerable Chinese academic and media discourse erupted.

The development was straightaway linked to public pride, national prestige and international 'must have' requirements by highlighting the fact that "amongst the five permanent UN Security Council members, only China did not possess aircraft carriers."

An article in the PLA Daily disparagingly remarked that "some of China's neighboring countries which were not rich enough had owned aircraft carriers since half a century."

At the same time, one Chinese strategist took the opportunity to point out self-righteously that while the American carriers have become the symbols of US hegemony, China would never seek that course even if it built its own fleet of aircraft carriers.

The media editorials and articles commenced animated debates on the carrier's name and a report has speculated that it will be named as 'Liaoning', after the province of same name.

The strategic community world over has been discussing the development of China's aircraft carrier program for nearly a decade, with debates and conjunctures about its exact nature, future outlook, effect on regional security and implications in the global domain.

The Chinese Ministry of National Defense finally clarified that "the carrier was intended solely for scientific research, experimentation and training" when it commenced its first sea trial in August 2011. The Deputy Commander of PLA Navy was also quoted as having said that the carrier was planned to enter service by the year end.

Capacity and Threat-Estimation The warship refurbishment

goes through three broad phases "being able to float, move and fight." A preliminary analysis of the ten sea trials particularly three successive sea trials in May 2012 and the fact that the ninth sea trial that lasted 25 days clearly indicates that the ship has credibly crossed the second milestone of 'being able to move'.

In the meanwhile, the Chinese media speculated that the Sukhoi30 aircraft would possibly carry out 'circuits and landing approach' trials over its angled deck during one of the trials. The procedure involving the aircraft coming in for a 'low go around' simulating a landing, would surely have validated many carrier based airmanship aspects involving the men, material and procedures.

While the carrier may be 'floating' and 'moving', the ultimate aim would lie in achieving the most

non-availability of platform, trainers and appropriate international collaboration. Self-learning of this highly specialized skill may involve substantial attrition of precious aircraft and pilots.

It is precisely for this reason that the Indian Navy, despite possessing 50 years of carrier operating experience, is proceeding with great caution involving the ship and aviation trials of the newly re-furbished Vikramaditya carrier.

The next stage of integrating the carrier into a carrier group will involve the challenges of joint operations with other supporting assets of the PLA, which is no easy task. Beijing possibly recognizes this acute limitation when it articulates that this carrier is meant solely for 'scientific research, experimentation and training'.

China's first aircraft carrier

vital milestone of 'being able to fight'. Therein lies the major challenge in transforming Varyag into a quintessential fighting machine The challenges can broadly be classified into two categories, namely, operationalising the carrier as a unit; and enabling its integration into a carrier battle group. The biggest challenge lies in the production and flight test of carrier-borne aircraft.

The J-15 aircraft which China has reportedly manufactured out of imitation prototypes of Russian Sukhoi-33 aircraft, has been undergoing flight tests since end 2010, but appears to be constrained on account of reliability of its indigenous engine.

Further, China does not have its pilots trained in launch and recovery from carriers and the prospects of gaining this expertise appear quite remote on account of

The difficult road ahead, however, does not alter the fact that China has made substantial progress in its single-minded pursuit of the vision set out by Admiral Liu Huaqing, PLA Navy commander in 1980s and Vice Chairman of Central Military Commission (CMC) in the 1990s. It perceives no harm in indulging in some rhetoric to fan the strong sense of emerging nationalism associated with a typical rising power.

This vigorous public discourse may also be an attempt to create suitable public mood and nationalistic fervor in the run up to the 'magnum opus' entry of the aircraft carrier into naval service by the year end, if not on 1 October, the foundation Day of the Peoples' Republic of China.

The writer is Research Fellow, National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi. Courtesy IPCS

Ready for defeat

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he Congress seems to have given up on 2014. It is satisfied with the projection that along with it, the BJP will also be defeated and a motley group in the name of Third Front will take up governance of India. As they did before, it is expected, the fractious group of regional parties would mess up once again and the way will became clear for Rahul Baba to take over in 2019, when he will be a little older, and it is hoped, a little maturer. So Sonia Gandhi will keep the son mothballed till then.

All Congress actions today are aimed at somehow surviving in one piece till 2014. The supporting parties are also not eager to rock the boat for fear of "communal forces" taking over, as Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav puts it, referring to the BJP. So all the BJP drama of boycotting parliament and bringing things to a head has failed. No group has supported its actions and it has been isolated. Instead it has revived the reformist streak in the Prime Minister who has raised diesel prices and introduced FDI in retail; measures which have, as expected, drawn the ire of Eastern tigress Mamata Banerjee and other opposition groups. The Prime Minister became bold enough to go on national television and defend his actions, a performance staged after a few years of hiding from the people and the media. The BJP's unthinking strategy is making even this bedraggled UPA II government look good.

What gives confidence to UPA II is that its allies may not approve of some of its policies but the prospect of supporting a BJP alternative brings them rushing back under the UPA umbrella. Mulayam Singh Yadav is biding his time although he has openly admitted his ambition to be Prime Minister. He cannot do so immediately and he also has to protect his son Akhilesh Yadav as chief minister in the state of UP, whose first innings doesn't seem to be going too well. So Mulayam is pragmatic enough to wait out till 2014 and meanwhile busies himself in building equations.

The BJP also seems to have lost steam with its president Nitin Gadkari admitting it has no intention to destabilize the government. If this was the case, why did it paralyze and boycott parliament? One whole session was lost and the BJP gained notoriety for its disruptionist ways. Even stalwarts like Arun Shourie, once in BJP, have criticized this party's tactics.

The BJP should know that no one is going to come up to ally with it at the national level as long as it dithers over Narendra Modi. Modi can win the polarized Gujarat polity once again but he would never be acceptable at the national level.

He is like the proverbial lizard in the mouth of the snake. If he swallows it, it will harm him and if he lets it go, it would be a blow to its prestige. This BJP dilemma has made it behave in an unreasonable manner and make a mess of its supposed policies like FDI in retail, which it is opposing but it had espoused them when in power.

The success of Narendra Modi in transforming Gujarat into a developmental success story is holding the BJP at the Center in a time warp. It cannot abandon him nor can it go with him at the national level as long as the ghost of Ghodra remains on his head. A columnist had suggested a way out - let Narendra Modi apologize for the Gujarat riots and try and make up with the Muslims, just as the Congress has apologized for the antiSikh riots in Delhi. The Congress conduct is generally being accepted as an aberration and it does not gloat over it whereas Narendra Modi and his henchmen are convinced what they did was right and might do it again. It is this threat that turns the nation away from Modi.

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