Sat december issue 2013

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J u l y

CELEBRATING 11th YEAR OF PUBLICATION

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South Asia Times Vol.11 I No. 5 I DECEMBER 2013 I FREE

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s o u t hasiatimes.com.au Editor: Neeraj Nanda

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Indian Film Festival of Melbourne

Reinforcing Australia’s love affair with Indian cinema

By Neeraj Nanda

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PUBLISHER/EDITOR Neeraj Nanda M: 0421 677 082 satimes@gmail.com

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South Asia Times (SAT) is a monthly newspaper published in English (2 pages in Hindi) from Melbourne, Australia. Contributors supply material to SAT at their own risk and any errors will be corrected as quickly as possible. SAT does not accept responsibility for the authenticity of any advertisement, text content or a picture in the publication. No material, including text or advertisements designed by the SAT or pictures may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the editor/publisher. Opinions/ stories/reports or any text content are those of the writers/contributors and not necessarily endorsed by the SAT.

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Will an Indian enter the Victorian Parliament in 2014?

BY NEERAJ NANDA

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elbourne: It’s a hypothetical question. It’s also something which the fastest growing migrant community in Australia is asking itself. Victoria and New South Wales have the biggest concentration of Indians in Australia. None of them have ever sent an elected member to their respective Parliaments. Forget the Federal Parliament. Let’s see what’s happening in Victoria. Melbourne being the political hub has many Desi (Indian) aspirants dreaming of entering the Victorian Parliament from both the Coalition (Liberals and Nationals) and the Australian Labour Party (ALP). Some of mixed ethnicity (Indian plus other) and Indians have been candidates of the Liberal Party, ALP and the Greens in past elections. Many can be seen hovering around the Victorian Parliament building or in its corridors with MPs or in functions. But years have passed and success eludes these political aspirants and the cause seems to be lost.

But is it really lost or success is round the corner?

The Victorian elections are scheduled towards the end of 2014. Pre selection of candidates by political parties is taking place and sooner or later the cat will be out of the bag. But before that some past experience has to be seen. Mr. Vasan Srinivasan was a Liberal Party candidate from the Forest Hill seat in the 2002 state elections. It was a sitting Liberal seat with the Labour Party pitting high profile Kristie Marshall (sportsperson) against Mr. Vasan Srinivasan. High hopes were dashed when the Labour candidate defeated Mr. Vasan Srinivasan. In a two party preferred result the winning Labour candidate Kristies Marshall got 19, 063 votes (55.8 %) and Mr. Vasan Srinivasan got 15,113 votes (44.2 %).

Since Mr. Vasan Srinivasan’s defeat in 2002, two more state elections have taken place in 2006 and 2010. But a few of those who ventured into the electoral fray on Liberal Party tickets got only non – winnable seats. Seats which are ‘safe seats’ of the ALP and there is no chance

of unseating the opponent.

An arrangement whereby the seat should not remain uncontested. The ALP had no Indian candidate though Mr. Jude Perera (Sri Lankan origin) was the only South Asian (Subcontinent) from the ALP to be elected from Cranbourne for the last three elections.

Talking to SAT, Mr. Goldy Brar, former Liberal candidate in the 2010 Victorian state elections from Bundoora (safe Labour seat) says, “The Indian community needs to be united to be noticed and taken care of by political parties.”

“Not everyone is in politics to get elected. Will work with any Indian from any party who becomes the 1st Indian to enter the Victorian Parliament,” Goldy says.

It is also felt many political aspirants are not well connected to mainstream Australia. They are active in the Indian community but not vocal on issues that affect all Australians. Hence the reluctance to select them for seats that can give a positive result.

But Arun Sharma, Chairman Celebrate India feels, “They are getting tough seats. Our candidates need to work hard.

You can’t beat the race just by entering it. So far only a few are serious enough. “ “They need to be part of mainstream Australia and should be there for long rather than just being there”, he told SAT. Many Indians in Victoria are active in the Liberal Party, ALP and the Greens. Some are active but not in any party. The alleged attacks on Indian overseas students in Melbourne in 2010 saw the birth of activism directed

against the ruling Labour Brumby Government. This was compounded by the issue of taxi drivers many of whom were Indian overseas students facing many issues. The taxi drivers and Indian students were led by Indians close to the then Leader of Opposition Mr. Ted Ballieu (subsequently the Premier of Victoria) or were pro Liberal or independent. The potent mix of Indian overseas students issue plus the taxi drivers issue politicised many in the Indian and the South Asian community. The subsequent changes in the immigration policies and 457 visa changes further accelerated the politicisation.

Many young professionals joined this or that party hoping to raise their voice on relevant issues from within the parties. It is here that the Australian Labour Party (ALP) once again started making inroads into the Indian community. The Liberals already had many Indians amongst them. Party leaders are visible in community and religious events. There is no dearth of photo opportunities and parties. State ALP and Opposition leader Daniel Andrews has been keenly interacting with the Indian/ South Asian media and had sessions with the community to know the issues needing focus. The ‘Little India’ issue in Dandenong saw the ALP aggressively supporting the Indian traders facing eviction

by Places Victoria. The Little India traders rally outside Parliament was addressed

by Mr. Daniel Andrews and others Labour leaders. The Indian community came out in full strength to support the movement. Many Indians

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in different suburbs joined ALP branches. Politicisation of the community took a decisive turn when four Indian Councillors (two Labour and two independents) were elected in the last Council elections. So, will this go further?

Manpreet Singh, Executive Producer, SBS Punjabi radio program is of the view that for an Indian to be in the Victorian Parliament it is not the question of if but it is going to happen when.

She says, “Indian candidates should have mass appeal and should not be just sitting on ethnic issues.”

“I would wait and see when the major political parties will give an Indian a safe seat,” Manpreet added.

Gautam Gupta, the former student leader famous during attacks on Indian students and now an elected Councillor in the Wyndham City Council feels Indians have no chance of getting a winning seat from the major parties.

Gupta who is planning to contest the coming Victorian elections told SAT, “he will decide about the modalities as the election date comes close next year” Well, people have different views on the subject but it is clear sooner or later the political parties need to understand that the fastest growing community in Victoria needs representation in the Parliament. Yes, it need not be ethnic but there are enough fellows active in the Liberals, Labour and the Greens. Also, rightly so, activists have to move beyond ethnic issues.

They need to speak up on state and national issues.

Lack of integration into the mainstream is a big negative.

Those politically active also need to understand they have to make their place in their respective parties vocally.

They have to have a view on different issues. The parties or their selection process has to understand that the community will not accept loosing seats for ever.

Lastly, many names (known and unknown) for the 2014 Victorian elections from the community are making rounds. But it is difficult to know how many will cross the pre selection process.

So, I will avoid naming them.

Happy New Year!

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community

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Guru Nanak Gurpurab celebrated By our community reporter

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elbourne: Guru Nanak Gurpurab was celebrated on 17 November at the Craigieburn Gurudwara, where worshipers gathered in big numbers to celebrate the occasion.

The Gurudwara (Sikh Temple) was decorated with lights and flowers to mark the occasion. Worshipers started arriving in the early hours of the day.

The day began with the Kirtanhymns from the Sikh scriptures in the praise of the Guru followed by ‘langar’. The idea of ‘langar’ in the Sikh community is to offer food to everyone irrespective of caste, class and creed in the spirit of service and devotion.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born on 15 April 1469 in Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi in the present Shekhupura District of Pakistan, now Nankana Sahib. He is the founder of the Sikh religion.

Guru Nanak Gurpurab celebrates the birth of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji. It is one of the most sacred festivals in Sikh religion and the celebrations can be seen worldwide.

On this auspicious occasion, people from different backgrounds and religions go to Gurudwaras

On this auspicious occasion, people from different backgrounds and religions go to Gurudwaras to worship Guru Nanak Dev Ji and celebrate his birthday. to worship Guru Nanak Dev Ji and celebrate his birthday. The celebrations usually commences with Prabhat Pheris, which are early morning processions that begin at the Gurudwaras and proceed around the localities singing hymns.

Generally two days before the birthday, Akhand Path (a fortyeight-hour non-stop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy

Australia Network, Doordarshan ink news pact

By News Desk

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ustralians and Indians will now have access to news of their respective countries as a consequence of alliance between two media organisations.

Australia's international TV channel, Australia Network, launched on DD Direct+ last month after an agreement between the ABC International and the Doordarshan.

Australia Network is a 24/7 entertainment and news channel offers viewers a mix of content from around Australia and the region. The channel is available in 45 countries across the Asia and Pacific region, covering news, sport, science, education, arts, children's programming, drama and English Language Learning. To mark the launch of the new service, the ABC's agenda-setting panel discussion program, Q&A, was broadcast live from Delhi on November 18.

Q&A's presenter Tony Jones hosted a high profile panel which included India's Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor and former Australian cricketer Stuart MacGill. The panel discussed issues of mutual interest to both countries in front of an audience of both Australians and Indians. Earlier this month, ABC International also launched a new website for India, AustraliaPlus.com/ India, the new digital home of the best of Australian content covering arts and culture, business, education, health, lifestyle, news and current affairs, science, sports, technology and travel. The website will be offering

book of the Sikhs) is held in the Gurdwaras. The day prior to the birthday, a procession, referred to as Nagarkirtan, is organised.

On this special occasion, Mr. Colin Brooks, Member of Parliament for Bundoora visited the Craigieburn Gurudwara. Addressing the gathering he said, “I am extremely overwhelmed by the devotion of people and I will always remember

this special day”.

Gurudwara’s committee membersKulwant Singh, President and Gurmit Singh Randhawa, Secretary presented an honorary memento to Mr. Colin Brooks on the occasion.

“I am very happy for the growth of Indian community in this region and I am more than happy to offer help and support to the Indian community”, he said.

Residency to the Kabir family being denied because their son has autism

By News Desk

content in English and Hindi as well as Indian news feed from Doordarshan. The CEO of ABC International Lynley Marshall says these initiatives reflect the growing demand for more information about contemporary Australian life as well as the growing connections in business, education and tourism.

"As 2013 nears an end, we are seeing an enormous growth in the sharing of content between India and Australia through a number of channels," she said.

The CEO of DD Direct+ Jawhar Sircar says the company is looking forward to having ABC hosted on the channel.

"It helps Indians to understand and appreciate Australia and its culture in a far better manner and with more depth than at present," he said.

"We also look forward to ABC assisting and guiding us in telling Australian audiences more about India, its people and its culture."

Australia Network is also available in key metropolitan markets across the Indian subcontinent via a number of regional cable and satellite television operators.

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elbourne: Enamul and Siuly Kabir are caring parents, taxpayers, both have PhDs - one an academics at the University of Queensland, the other a researcher in Biomedical Engineering. But because of archaic migration laws still on the books -- when their son Srijon was diagnosed with a mild form of autism, the government rejected their application for permanent residency.

The ‘net benefit’ approach as recommended by the Joint Standing Committee Inquiry into the Migration Treatment of Disability ("Enabling Australia" published in June 2010) appears to have been completely ignored. Despite meeting every other criteria for residency, and having lived here for years -- they gave the Kabir family just three months to up and leave the country.

“Australians pride themselves on being a fairminded society, but it seems this is being diminished by our unwillingness to accept children with disabilities

as residents. The blanket approach in deciding such cases does not take into account the contribution the whole family makes to the community – in this case two highly skilled parents already contributing substantially to the Australian Economy, “ says Chris McDonald in Change.org.

Most importantly, the school support that Srijon

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receives here is not available in Bangladesh, their country of origin. And it is likely that a return to that environment would severely limit any further improvement in his condition.

This decision would devastate a family. And what would it say about our country -- are we willing to reject people just because they have a disability?

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Government to legislate against ‘non-consensual sexting’ offence By our reporter

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elbourne: Victoria is all set to have a law against ‘for non-consensual sexting’, Sexting is sending provocative or sexual photos, images, messages or videos using a mobile phone or posting online.

It will soon legislate for this new summery offence, while also ensuring that young persons who engage in sexting are not convicted of child pornography offences.

These are the key outcomes of the Government’s response to the Victorian Parliament Law Reform Committee’s ‘Inquiry into Sexting’.

The Government has accepted in full or in principle 11 of the 14 recommendations, including further recommendations regarding education about cyber-safety and warning young people about the problems of sexting, a media release says.

As part of its response, the Government will introduce legislation to create a new offence for nonconsensual sexting.

“This new law will respond specifically to the issue of sexting to ensurethat appropriate penalties apply to those who misuse this technology,” Attorney-General, Robert Clark said.

“It will make it an offence to intentionally distribute, or threaten to distribute, an intimate image of another person or persons without their consent.

“This will continue to make clear

that such behaviour is unacceptable and illegal, while not treating young people who distribute such images

as child pornographers or rendering them liable to consequences such as being placed on the Sex Offenders Register.”

Significant work is already under way within Victoria’s education system to improve awareness of these issues through training and specific information campaigns.

The Coalition Government’s response to the report recognises the importance of teacher training in this area to help educate children on the behaviour of people distributing intimate images.

“This work is aimed at teaching teenagers, parents and educators about the risks associated with this kind of online behaviour, and building skills to avoid dangerous situations

Significant work is already under way within Victoria’s education system to improve awareness of these issues through training and specific information campaigns. in the electronic environment,” Mr Clark said.

The Government has not accepted three recommendations, as these are more appropriately considered at the Commonwealth level.

“Mr Clark said that the possibility of a statutory cause of action relating to the misuse of private information is currently being considered by the Australian Law Reform Commission. As the regulation of digital communications is a Commonwealth responsibility, a digital communications tribunal should also be a Commonwealth tribunal’, the media release says.

THE GREAT INDIAN WORLD TRIP WITH TUSHAR AND SANJAY

Adventure junkies cruising with a heart

By Our reporter

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elbourne: Tushar and Sanjay are at present driving through Australia. An unprecedented journey where they are driving 70,000 km through 50 countries in six continents. They are documenting the lives of India’s global ambassadors – the NRIs. “The Great Indian World Trip is a journey with a heart. A heart that beats for Indians living abroad and cares for the weak and the aging as well, say Tushar and Sanjay.

They want the Indian people in Australia to be a part of this epic journey by supporting them. Because when you support The Great Indian World Trip, a part of the proceedings will go to SHEOWS’ Guru Vishram Vridh Ashram (www.oldagehomeindia.in). “ Any contribution would not only make The Great Indian World Trip a huge success but

also support an old age home in need, Tushar and Sanjay told SAT. They have already driven through India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Currently driving through Australia, they are attempting to create a Guinness World Record by driving longest distance in one country covering 17000 kms.

Describing their journey in

Australia as exciting, Tushar and Sanjay told SAT,” We are doing our journey without GPS or any electronic gadget.We only use maps and they are quite handy.”

Tushar and Sanjay are accompanied by a photographer D. Prasad who was busy shooting at a leather furniture store in Chadstone. In fact, he is shooting the whole journey. The three hope to convert the whole foot-

age into many episodes for a TV serial about their journey and Indians around the world.

In a parting shot Tushar said,” It is time to understand Indians are also explorers.

During their journey they are also collecting contributions for the ‘Guru Vishram Vridh Ashram’ , an old age refuge for about 120 seniors who are lonely and have no resources to look after themselves. One can go to their

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website and know how to contribute for this cause.

Tushar and Sanjay run a company ‘Adventures Overland’ from Gurgoan (National Capital Region) in India which organises overland adventures to different parts of India including Ladakh, Rajasthan, North-East and Bhutan.

Their site – www.greatindianworldtrip.com —SAT News Service

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AIII announces its ‘Holi Fair 2014’ with big entertainment extravaganza

By our community reporter

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elbourne: The Australian Indian Innovations Inc. (AIII) will celebrate the festival of colours - ‘Holi Fair 2014’ at the Sandown Race Course, Noble Park on Sunday 16 March.

This will be the 5th year that the AIII will hold the Holi Fair at the Sandown Race Course in 2014.

AIII Vice President Hari Yellina told SAT, “The 2014 Fair will be different in the sense it will have some great entertainment from Bollywood. Initial thoughts include a musical troupe and mimicry artiste from Mumbai combingd with local musicians and dance schools to provide a jam-packed entertainment extravaganza”.

The announcement was made at the celebration of the success of the 2013 AIII Diwali Fair @ Sandown with cocktails and dinner for the performers and artistes at the Metropol Receptions, Clayton.

According to the sponsorship brochure of the Holi Fair 2014, the event will be in two sessions – the usual Holika Dahan Pooja, Holi celebration with powder colours and music by a vibrant team of DJ’s from Melbourne’s own ‘Desi Disc Jockey’s’. The second session will have a three hours musical show and varity stage concert with international and local artists.

Sponsorship proposals for the Holi Fair 2014 are open now and can be accessed by contacting HARI YELLINA at 0439 323 232 or hyellina@gmail.com.

Detailed information also at: www. aiii.org

Sponsorship proposals for the Holi Fair 2014 are open now and can be accessed by contacting HARI YELLINA at 0439 323 232 or hyellina@gmail.com

Project 10,000: Victorian ALP’s transport alternative to East West Tunnel

By Our reporter

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elbourne: Tushar and Sanjay are at present driving through Australia. An unprecedented journey where they are driving 70,000 km through 50 countries in six continents. They are documenting the lives of India’s global ambassadors – the NRIs. Four months ago, Daniel Andrews announced Victorian Labor would be opposing Premier Denis Napthine’s $8 billion East West Tunnel. Project 10,000 is the ALP’s alternative vision for transport in Victoria.

The project envisages: 4 Remove 50 worst level crossings 4 Build Melbourne Metro Rail 4 Get 5,000 trucks a day off the West Gate Bridge 4 Guarantee $2 billion for country and suburban roads 4 Create 10,000 construction jobs “In 2014, we will give Victorians a very clear choice. Our commitments are fully funded and don’t rely on a cent of Denis Napthine’s East West money. They are critical to our State’s future and they will only happen under an elected Victorian Labor Government”, says the ALP site.

—SAT News Service www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

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RaMon launches one stop shop for services By our reporter

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elbourne: There are times when one needs a place where needs can be taken care off at one place. This saves energy, money and time. There is one such company recently set up that fulfils this need. RaMon Consulting & Financial Services Pty Ltd is the one stop shop for your personal, professional, banking and financial needs. It was launched on 15 November at the Metropol Receptions, Clayton with great fan fare. The community was present with Rakesh Raizada, CEO and Monica Raizada,Director at the centre of attraction. There were speeches by VIPs and a power point presentation about Godrej properties of whom RaMon are channel partners.

Lively Bollywood dances laced with DJ music with colourful lights flickering made the atmosphere entertaining. This was followed by drink and dinner. Little did the people know that RaMon was much more than a financial enterprise. Its mix of services will be an envy in the market. Both Rakesh and Monica met everyone and thanked them for making the event a success.

If you are looking for any loan then RaMon is the company you need to go for immediately. Their services are mind boggling and will satisfy you to get a loan, manage your event (or marriage) or learn Yoga. RaMon is also Channel Partner of India based Godrej Properties who are developing residential, commercial and township projects spread across 84 million square feet in twelve cities – Chandigarh, Gurgaon, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Mangalore, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kochi.

NaMo can give you:

Professional Services: Thoroughly researched home and business loans most suited to the requirement of the clients saving them time and money.

Loans arranged directly through the banks and financial institutions through chosen specialists for outstanding and professional service sans middlepersons.

Partner Services: Business and success coaching & training for customer service and sales enhancement, business modelling, executive & personal coaching through world leaders in the trade and experienced professionals including counselling and career guidance. Property and construction guide and assistance through experts who can save time and money without compromising on quality.

Personal Services: Event management, wedding planning and MC services. Free yoga and meditation classes under the supervision of self-less and highly acclaimed Guru. Free Hindu priest services like weddings, house warming and other various

auspicious functions and free consultation in any of the area including guidance and banking assistance to migrants and local community as one stop shop for all personal, professional and financial needs. Rakesh Raizada is well known in the community and has been serving the multicultural community for last more than 13 years while working with ANZ, NAB and CBA .Monica Raizada is an acclaimed social worker helping domestic violence victims and other needy people. She is well connected and recognised in the community.

The next two days a road show of the Godrej Properties took enquiries about their properties on sale in different Indian cities.

For more information contact on 1800 RaMonhelps or send email to rakesh.raizada@ramonhelps.com. au or call Rakesh on 0434 470 095 or Monica on 0433 773 413.

PROFILE

Revati Ilanko: Classical excellence

By News Desk

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elbourne: Revati Ilanko is a distinguished artiste in the Indian Classical dance styles Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam and Kuchipudi. Her advanced education in these art forms were achieved through the guidance of exponents of the art form, namely Gurus Padmasri Adyar K Lakshman, Kalaimamani Gopika Varma, Smt Priya Sivakumar, Smt Srimayi Vempatti and Smt Yalini Thirulojan.

Revati has a multimodal artistic foundation and has been performing for the past two decades. She has gained experience in a wide array of dance styles including Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam, Kathak, Cam-

bodian Apsara & folk dance, Middleeastern traditional, Jazz ballet and Latin, which allows her to harness a holistic approach to her art. She is a vocalist in both western and Indian classical music (Hindustani & Carnatic), and a visual artist (specialising in Tanjore/Mysore painting, Indian mural gem art).

Over the years, Revati has been forging a reputation as a dancer and educator internationally. She has performed and conducted workshops in various parts of Australia, India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Her performances have increased appreciation of classical Indian arts by a wide range of communities, giving her the opportunity to work with stalwarts of performing arts from around the globe.

Revati founded theNavaratna Arts, an organisation dedicated to the cultivation of Indian classical performing and visual arts, and has created numerous dance choreographies/productions and series of artworks. Her creative works are valued for echoing tradition, diverse tastes, different beliefs, and freedom of expression. Navaratna Arts offers classes in Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam, Kuchipudi, Nattuvangam, Theory, Tanjore/Mysore Painting and Indian Mural work.

Ongoing classes take place in various locations in Melbourne.

For more information visit: www.navaratnaarts.net, Email: navaratnaarts@gmail.com or Call 0433 668 800

www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

Thoroughly researched home and business loans most suited to the requirement of the clients saving them time and money. Loans arranged directly through the banks and financial institutions through chosen specialists for outstanding and professional service sans middlepersons.

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AAICE celebrates

Diwali in Ballarat

By Sanjay Choudhary

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allarat: The Australian Association for Indian Culture & Education Incorporated, (AAICE Inc.) successfully organised Diwali – Festival of Lights, Bringing Cultures Together, in Regional Victoria (Ballarat), on 23rd November, 2013 duly sponsored and supported by the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) and the City of Ballarat (CoB).

In its second year of organising Diwali in Regional Victoria, AAICE received an overwhelming response and support from the various communities in Ballarat.

There were a variety of food and merchandise stalls along with Showbags, Jumping Castles, rides, roving Magician, Face painting for kid’s entertainment. Throughout the day there was an array of activities and entertainment ranging from Live Bollywood Band, Bollywood Dance and workshop, Rangoli art, Spanish / Western Live Music, Henna, drama, and the list goes on and on.

The locals from the Indian as well as the wider Australian community in Ballarat were proud and appreciative of the fact that this was the first time that they had attended Diwali celebration at this scale and would like to see it happening and growing every year. They offered to be a part and help out in the future events. As the theme says “Bringing Cultures Together”, this year again the celebration truly lived up to the slogan.

Although the inclement weather conditions affected the event proceedings to a great extent, yet the turn-out of the audience, the undeterred zeal of the participants / performers (some of who travelled from Melbourne and Geelong), the perseverance of the volunteers along with the organizing committee made this event a huge success.

The afternoon began with Cr Joshua Morris, Mayor – City of Ballarat lighting the Diya (lamp)

and formally announcing the opening of the event. The Mayor offered his help and support to AAICE for all such future events in Ballarat. The formal part of the event in the evening had the presence of Mr Chin Tan, (Chairperson - VMC), who was highly impressed and supportive.

In his speech, Mr Tan stated that, “this is exactly what we want to see, the spread of knowledge and culture in regional Australia”. Mr Tan also congratulated and thanked Mr Amitabh Singh, (Chairperson, AAICE Inc) and his team for the work he is doing. On behalf of VMC, he committed his support to the event in future to make it a major event on the Victorian Multicultural Calendar. He danced to the tunes of Bollywood music along with Mr Simon Ramsay MLC, who was representing the Premier of Victoria the Hon. Denis Napthine and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs

and Citizenship the Hon. Nicholas Kotsiras, assured to promote Diwali- Festival of Lights in Ballarat.

Mr Geoff Howard represented the Victorian leader of the opposition the Hon. Daniel Andrews and Ms Sharon Knight, MP. Mr Nirmal Chowdhary who was to represent Ms Manika Jain the Consul General of India in Melbourne, apologised for not being able to make it to event due to ill health. He extended his best wishes and congratulated AAICE Inc., for taking such initiatives.

Ms Neelima Choahan and Ms Roshni Sharma were the MCs for the day who effectively and seamlessly introduced the program items and artists. It was indeed rewarding for the organisation to be appreciated by the dignitaries and spectators of all age, alike.

AAICE Inc. has conveyed its heartfelt gratitude to all the people, places and Businesses in Ballarat

www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

who contributed to the success of the event by extending their unconditional support viz. Indian Wedding Decorator, JB Hi Fi, Stems Flowers shop, Library, Railway Station, Police Station, Information Centre, Mc Donalds, Nandos, Multicultural Arts Victoria, Regional Arts Victoria and thanked the local media ABC Radio, SBS Hindi Radio, Voice 99.9 FM, WIN TV, The Courier (Ballarat), Indian Link and their media partners Santa Banta Media, India at Melbourne and South Asia Times.

The AAICE Executive Committee (AEC) members - Shashi, Sanjay, Shivrani, Priya, Preety, Nafis, Ayesha, Melissa, Akhil, Mandeep, & Amitabh; AAICE Youth Ambassadors - Shruti, Shravani, Kaitlyn; AAICE Regional: (Ballarat) – Ashwin, Priti, Shazz, Kye, Bianca, (Geelong) – Neha and all Volunteers are commended for their fantastic efforts in the AAICE initiative of “Bringing Cultures Together”

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Hindi Niketan Celebrates Diwali

SAPAC dinner event excels

By our reporter

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By our reporter

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elbourne: The Hindi Niketan celebrated Diwali with big fan fare at the Clayton Hall on 23rd Nov. The community was present in full strength with families making up most of the people. The program had many cultural items which included Bhajans, instrumental music, songs, Bollywood dances and classical dances.

Those present were addressed by the President, Hindi Niketan Mr. Sharad Gupta, Manika Jain, Indian Consul General

in Melbourne,Mr. Vasan Srinivasan, President FIAV, Mr. Chidambram Srinivasan, VMC Commissioner and Mr. Hong Lim, Member of Parliament, Clayton.

Prizes were given away and there were more songs and poetry recital. Live band also gave entertaining music. Dinner was served

by Tandoori Junction, Glen Waverley.

It was a lively celebration and in the Hindi Niketan tradition involved the community and promoted Indian culture. The event was sponsored by the Monash Council and the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC).

elbourne: The South Asian Public Affairs Council organised a dinner event recently at the ‘Galle Road’ restaurant at Pultney Road, Dandenong . A large number of members and leaders from the Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Afghan communities were present. It was a colourful and lively event with SAPAC President Donald addressing the gathering introducing the concept behind the setting up of SAPAC. Others who spoke included Jude Periera, MP and Manoj Kumar. The running theme of the event was that the South Asian communities in Australia need to have a unified voice to raise issues affecting them. This SAPAC wanted to address and take it ahead.

Those present with so much diversity under the banner of SAPAC was in itself evident of its emerging success. President Donald announced that SAPAC AGM will be held in a few months next year when a viable plan of action will be chalked out.

A few bottles of wine and some other stuff were auctioned to raise funds for further SAPAC activities. The presence of families from different South Asian communities created a happy and entertaining evening. A lot of networking after the event was also appreciated.

X-Mas party for Wyndham councillors, staff By our reporter

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elbourne: It is a wonderful start to the festive season and a major occasion within the Christmas calendar that we believe perfectly captures the essence of Christmas.

Wyndham city council staff and councillors got together for a party in the Shadowfax Winery Place. The party was addressed by Cr Bob Fairclough – Mayor and Wyndham's Chief Executive Officer Ms Kerry Thompson.

Numbers of councillor were presented including Councillor Intaj khan and Cr Goutam Gupta. Councillor Khan said the council had good culture to celebrate such festivals and events in the city.

From left Cr Intaj khan, Cr Marie Brittan and Director Bill Forest www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

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Melbourne Durbar

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By Desi Oz

Top personalities in AII 2014 orations

By SAT reporter Melbourne: The year 2014 will see top social, political and media personalities coming here from India for the Australia India Institute (AII) orations. The personalities include Mr. Narinder Nath Vohra is Governor of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Shekhar Gupta ,editorin-chief of The Indian Express, Sunita Narain, environmentalist, Ajit Doval former director of Intelligence Bureau and Annu Tandon, Congress MP from Unnao, Uttar Pradesh.

Brief details Narinder Nath Vohra

Shekhar Gupta

18 February 2014 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm His Excellency, Narinder Nath Vohra is Governor of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

N.N. Vohra has previously served as India’s Home Secretary, Defence Secretary and as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India.

Educated at Panjab and Oxford Universities, Vohra is regarded as one of India’s most thoughtful and wise statesman-civil servants.

For his service to the nation, Vohra was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2007.

Time: 18 Feb 2014, 6pm, Location: TBA, Register: aii-rsvp@unimelb.edu

26 February 2014 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Shekhar Gupta is the editor-in-chief of The Indian Express and one of India’s most incisive thinkers and writers on domestic and foreign policy. Gupta has a weekly column called National Interest, covering a range of issues. He also hosts an interview-based program Walk the Talk on NDTV 24x7. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2009 for his contribution to the field of journalism.

Time: 26 Feb 2014, 6pm, Location: TBA, Register: aii-rsvp@unimelb.edu.au

Annu Tandon

Ajit Doval

06 March 2014 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm Ajit Doval is one of the most formidable intelligence chiefs India has ever produced. Doval’s operations in Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir are now part of folklore and have become case studies for the global intelligence community. He is currently Director of the Vivekanada International Foundation. A highly decorated Indian Police Service officer of the Kerala Cadre, he retired as Director of the Intelligence Bureau in 2005.

Time: 6 Mar 2014, 6pm,Location: TBA, Register: aiirsvp@unimelb.edu.au

01 July 2014 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm Annu Tandon is an eminent social and political activist and a highly regarded philanthropist who has transformed the destiny of the people of Unnao. A Trustee of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Tandon is a Member of Parliament of the 15th Lok Sabha from India's largest constituency Unnao. She won the constituency with a record margin of over 300,000 votes. She is a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges, Financial Committee on Estimates, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Rural Development, Standing Committee on Rural Development and the Standing Committee on Empowerment of Women.

Time: TBA, Location: TBA,Register: aiirsvp@unimelb.edu.au More more information go to www.aii. unimelb.edu.au.

Sunita Narain

12 March 2014 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm Sunita Narain is the voice of India’s environmental movement, the conscience of the nation on ecological issues and a globally recognised campaigner for sustainable development. Narain has been with the Indiabased Centre for Science and Environment since 1982.

She is currently the director of the Centre and the Director of the Society for Environmental Communications and publisher of the fortnightly magazine, Down To Earth.

Narain was awarded the Padma Shri for her public service.

The Oration will be chaired by Professor Robyn Eckersley of the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne.

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Melbourne Durbar

By Desi Oz

SBS Punjabi @ Walkley Awards By our reporter

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BS Punjabi documentary on domestic violence “The Enemy Within” was the finalist in the Radio/Audio Documentary for the prestigious Walkley Journalism Awards. They we did not win the Walkley trophy for this year but we are delighted to announce that the recognition and the encouragement at the ceremony was just amazing!

Being a finalist was a big achievement for SBS Punjabi team and we would like to thank all our listeners who supported us throughout this journey to make our presence felt in Australian journalism industry, said Manpreet in a Facebook post.

Manpreet Singh with SBS Insight host, Jenny Brockie who won Walkley for her episode ‘Young Mob’, the story of six Aboriginal teenagers from Alice Springs

Documentary FIAV welcomes on Binayak Sen Marika Jain @ Melb. Univ.

By News Desk

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he Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria welcomed the new Indian Consul General Marika Jain recently at the Mount Waverley Community centre.

A large number of community leaders and activists were present on the occasion. Addressing the gathering Marika Jain said the Indian Consulate was at the service of the community.

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Doctor to defend : the Binayak Sen story' - Film

by Minnie Vaid (India) was screened at the Institute for International Law and the Humanities, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne on 22nd November. Minnie Vaid herself was present and took questions on the subject.

A chilling story of justice being denied, the film interweaves the journey of Dr. Binayak Sen from the influences that shaped the path he was to take later to the choices that seem almost inevitable. Capturing

his firm conviction that dialogue and not violence is the only way out, the film is of archival value to human rights activists and to all people with a conscience worldwide as it profiles the life and views of a ‘prisoner of conscience’ whose voice is now silenced. Binayak Sen has been charged of sedition and is currently on bail.

The documentary is in English (subtitled), 48 min, 2011, India is directed by Minnie Vaid, Camera: Ashu Solanki, Editing: Gaurav Meshram, Sound: Sudesh Shinde and Music: is by Ajay Singha. www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

She also went into many social issues facing the community and pledged to help in any way possible. President, FIAV Vasan Srinivasan and other community leaders welcomed and assured all support to the new Consul General. The new Consul general mixed with the community. The event was catered by the Tandoori Junction, Glen Waverley. The event reinforced the strong bond between the Indian Consulate and the Indian Community in Victoria.

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Kashmir: Understanding Article 370

By Ram Puniyani

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ew Delhi: Those gripped by religious nationalism are unable to understand the regional-ethnic aspirations of the people. Many an ultra-nationalists of different hues also fall into this trap many a times. With formation of Indian nation the integration of regions like Himachal Pradesh, North Eastern States and Jammu& Kashmir created some challenging situations.

Though in all these cases the challenges were met in different ways and are even now continuing to pose some issues of serious national concerns, but those related to Kashmir require some more pressing attention. Located in a strategic geographic area of great significance, the global powers have also added their own weight behind complicating the matters in Kashmir. Kashmir remains one of the most contentious issues between the two neighbors, Pakistan and India. In addition the communal forces in India have been making it a bone of contention all through.

It is in this backdrop that when the BJP’s Prime ministerial aspirant, Narendra Modi gave a call for debating the article 370, a whole hell broke loose. His intention in saying ‘who it has benefited’ was to indicate that it is unnecessary and should be abolished. To buttress his point, BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitly reiterated that abolition of article 370 is an integral part of agenda of Hindutva-RSS, BJP’s parent organization. Jaitly also went to uphold the stance taken by Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of Bhartiya Jansangh, the predecessor of present BJP, that of complete and immediate integration of Kashmir into India.

Jaitly also distorted the contemporary history and events by saying that ‘Nehruvian vision of a separate status has given rise to the aspirations for pre 1953 status, self rule and even Azadi. Many a TV debate participant on the issue have shown their ignorance about the status and content of Article 370 as such.

It is true that in Kashmir today there are many tendencies, which vary from asking for total independence, Azadi to Autonomy. There will hardly be any popular support for debating or abolishing article 370 as such at broad layers. Difficult to say how many fall in which category, but a large number are for more autonomy, with article 370 in place.

There is a complex history to the issue. As is well known Kashmir was one of the princely states without direct rule of the British. Dogra dynasty's King Hari Singh, who ruled Kashmir, refused to join the constituent assembly under the Cabinet mission plan. Eighty per cent population of J&K was Muslim. With India’s

independence the Maharaja had two options, one to remain independent, two either to merge with India or with Pakistan. Maharaja was tending to remain independent. The Hindu leaders of Jammu supported Maharaja in this separatist plan. ‘J &K Rajya Hindu Sabha’ including the ones’ who later on joined Bharatiya Jana Sangh, vociferously argued that “a Hindu state, as Jammu and Kashmir claimed to be, should not merge its identity with secular India" (Kashmir, Balraj Puri, Orient Longman 1993, 5). The attack of Kabaili-Tribal, supported Pakistan military changed the whole scenario.

After this attack the Maharaja due to his inability to protect the Kashmir requested the Indian Government to bail him out of this problem. Indian Govt. wanted the state to accede to India before it could send the armed forces to ward off the Pakistan's aggression. The accession treaty was signed with the provision of article 370. It was not a merger. India was to look after defense, currency, foreign affairs and communication while Kashmir was to have its own constitution, flag, Sadar-I-Riyasat and Prime Minister. Justifying this action Pt. Nehru in a broadcast to the Nation on Nov.2, 1947 said, “…Both the Kashmir Govt. and the National Conference pressed us to accept this accession and to send troops by air, but made condition that the accession would have to be considered by the people of Kashmir later when the peace and order were established…"(Nehru, CW, XVIII, 421). India approached the UN with a request to get the aggression vacated and to supervise in the process of plebiscite. Multiple factors operated here in due course of time and the holding of plebiscite got postponed sine die.

With this another process began at home. Jana Sangh Chief Shyama Prasad Mookerjee's insistence, supported openly by the Jana Sangh and covertly by some bigwigs in Congress as well, asked for the total merger of Kashmir with India. At this point Nehru was under the external pressure of

Jana Sangh and internal pressure from some of his colleagues in the cabinet to totally integrate Kashmir with India. Nehru pointed out "We have to be men of vision and there has to be a broad minded acceptance of facts in order to integrate (Kashmir, added) really. And real integration comes from mind and the heart and not of some clause, which you may impose, on other people. " Since then lots of water has flown down the Jhelum. The pressure of communal forces, the doubts raised in the minds of Sheikh Abdulla due to murder of Gandhi and rise of communal politics, led him to think whether he has done a right thing in deciding to accede to India. He wanted to be part of a secular polity, but communal teeth of the country started becoming more visible. His doubts and their articulation led to his arrest for 17 long years. And this is where the process of alienation of Kashmiri people began. This alienation was duly aided

by Pakistan, in supplying arms to disgruntled youth. The matter got worst compounded with the entry of Al Qaeda elements in Kashmir in the decade of 1980s. These elements, whose US sponsored mission of defeating Russian army in Afghanistan was over and they were looking around for other areas for implementation of their mistaken notions of Jihad. They joined in and the earlier struggle in Kashmir, on the grounds of Kashmiriyat, was communalized by them. An atmosphere was created which made the Kashmir struggle as the distorted version of Jihad, undermining its Kashmiriyat.

This is what led to targeting of Kashmiri Pundits. This gave a big handle to the communal elements in India to propagate the separatism of Muslims.

The things started improving in the first decade of this century. Still the accumulated agony of Kashmiri youth started manifesting in ‘Stone thrower youth’ emerged along with a total disenchantment with the state of affairs prevailing in Kashmir. In the light of this the Central Government appointed a team of interlocutors.

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While calling for debate around article 370, one needs to understand as what the Kashmiris want, a mere assertion from ultra nationalist tendencies will harm the process of healing of wounds and the march towards a better democratic process in the state.

The recommendations of the group of interlocutors, Dileep Padgaonkar, Radha Kumar and M.M.Ansari (May 2012) in nut shell asked for rejection of the return to pre 1953 position, at the same time asking for measures for restore the autonomy of Kashmir. The team suggests that the parliament will not make any law for Kashmir unless it relates to the security, internal and external of the state. Significantly it gives the status of ‘special’ instead of ‘temporary’ to the article 370, which is the bone of contention for the ultra nationalists like the BJP. Very correctly the team says that the proportion of officers in the state should gradually be changed to increase the weight-age of the local officers. It also talks of creating regional councils with financial powers, and measures to promote cooperation across Line of Control (LoC) while talking of resuming dialogue with Huriyat and Pakistan both. The Government has been non committal about it so far. While the BJP has rejected them on the ground that it is a dilution of the accession of Kashmir to India. The separatists find it insufficient saying that there is no political settlement of the issue.

While calling for debate around article 370, one needs to understand as what the Kashmiris want, a mere assertion from ultra nationalist tendencies will harm the process of healing of wounds and the march towards a better democratic process in the state. As Nehru pointed out, what is more important is to win the hearts and mind of people, the laws can follow. Integrating the people by considering their aspirations is what is the need of the hour, such outbursts are counterproductive for the people at large.

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TAFE South Australia, Amity Group to start Australian TAFE courses in India

By News Desk

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ew Delhi, 29 Nov: All is set to start Australian skill development courses in India from the New Year. The courses will be delivered across selected Amity campuses pan India, the pilot batch for which will start in February 2014 at the Amity University, Manesar, Haryana campus. This skill development initiative has been taken by two of the biggest names in the education field from Australia and India - TAFE South Australia and Amity Group.

During Australia India Skills Conference 2013 on 29th Nov, 2013 at Hotel Lalit in New Delhi, attended by over 100 delegates from Australia, Heraud Training and Education Australia which is a Melbourne based think tank and vocational education provider signed an agreement between the two education giants. The courses will be industry relevant skill development courses based on Australian TAFE methodology.

Amity University, ranked no.1 and largest private education provider in India with over 25 campuses in India and overseas and over 95000 students from graduation through to doctorate courses, joined hands with TAFE South Australia which is the largest VET provider from Australia and is a statuary corporation under the Government of South Australia with over 1200 qualifications and training 80,000 students each year.

Heraud Training and Australia is managing the initial course implementation and ongoing delivery, quality assurance and audits for delivery of the courses.

Mr. Aseem Chauhan, Chancellor of Amity Group announced the beginning of two new institutes in the field of skill development namely the Amity Vocational Training Institute and Amity Skills Institute and said “like everything else Amity is working towards being the no. 1 and largest group in the field of skill development in India and make a positive impact on skill development scenario in India”.

Mr Aseem Chauhan also said that after a lot of research, he was pleased to work with TAFE South Australia, which he believes is the best name in vocational education.

He also thanked executives from Heraud and said that he was confident that Heraud will enable high quality course delivery providing value to students and industry. Mr Chauhan tasked his management team to make sure that apart from offering skilling courses to students outside Amity, skill education component should also be added to as many graduate courses as possible.

Amit Tikoo, Chief Executive Officer for Heraud Education and Training said that “Heraud has been very fortunate to bring together the largest education groups from across two continents, Amity University and TAFE South Australia. This is a historic day in the field of vocational training in India because we will now have the capacity to change the landscape of vocational training in India. We share the same passion with Amity for value based employment oriented future ready skills and to offer it to masses across India.

Heraud is working closely with industries and industry skill sector councils to make sure that coursework is in alignment with the industry demands and students are employable with minimal support after completing their training.” Amit also thanked Tom Calder and Peter Nolan from Austrade who have been very helpful at each stage of the process and have been very instrumental in bringing this partnership together.

Heraud worked very closely with the industry experts, survey agencies and analysis from the National Skills Development Council of India which has a mandate of training 150 million skilled workers by 2020. Shrutikant Banswal, the Chief Operations Officer for Heraud and responsible for implementing the programs in India, said that “Heraud has selected the highest growth sectors in the Indian economy- Automotive and Retail as their first industry sectors for the pilot batch and later Healthcare, Building & Construction, BFSI, Travel & Tourism and various other sectors will follow’. He also said that implementing Australian best practices and industry knowledge to impart

high quality training to the Indian students to make them job ready and employable is his utmost priority. Shrutikant also said that he is working personally with TAFE SA and Amity to make sure that the course implementation is seamless and delivery is of the utmost quality standards. With a leading partner like Amity he is confident that this will be achieved.

Dr. Baljit Bhela, Business Manager from TAFE South Australia was also present at the function and represented Jeff Gunningham, CEO of TAFE South Australia and read out a message on behalf of Jeff. Jeff and Baljit both said that they were very excited to work in such a large and diverse market like India which has so many opportunities and so much potential. Dr Baljit Bhela said that “having a partner like Amity for course delivery and having an on ground implementation and representation partnership like Heraud

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will make real difference and help in timely and quality implementation as per globally accepted standards. Dr Bhela thanked Heraud for bringing it all together and said that she looks forward to working with Amity and Heraud to start delivery of courses in February 2014.

Mr Sunil Chaturvedi the CEO of Automotive Skill Development Council (ASDC) also attended the function and announced his personal and organizational support in full behind this initiative. He said that whilst he has spoken with various Australian organizations he always saw a keen seriousness and focus within Heraud to bring the best quality Australian model in a sustainable way. He also said that he was pleased that Amity, TAFE SA and Heraud are finally coming together to make a difference with industry validated knowledge and innovation models.

—SAT News Service

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Analysis

Mandela, pacifist or rebel?

Former South African President Nelson Mandela died at the age of 95 on the evening of Dec. 5, 2013. Courtesy: Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)

By Diana Cariboni

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ONTEVIDEO, Dec 6, 2013 (IPS) - Perhaps it’s a false contradiction. But today there are many who stress the pacifist message with which South Africa’s Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) emerged from prison in 1990, while few put an emphasis on his rebellion against apartheid, including armed rebellion, which landed him in prison.

Mandela was a political activist and a revolutionary at least since 1942. Two years later he joined the African National Congress, becoming a founding member of the Youth league, and leading the movement, which had been inconsequential for decades, to more radical positions.

Mandela was a rebel when he headed the civil disobedience campaign against the unjust laws of the white segregationist regime in 1952, and when, although he was a poor student, he qualified as a lawyer and set up the country’s first black law firm.

Because he was a rebel he was

banned more than once, arrested and prosecuted in the Treason Trial, before he was finally acquitted in 1961. He was a rebel when he went underground.

But above all he stayed true to his rebelliousness after the Sharpeville massacre of 69 unarmed demonstrators during a Mar. 21, 1960 protest against the apartheid laws, the subsequent state of emergency, the arrest of 18,000 people and the banning of the ANC and other organisations.

He understood then that demonstrations, strikes and civil disobedience were not enough to shake the foundations of apartheid, whose structure had become more sophisticated, to the absurd extent of creating the Bantustans or territories set aside for blacks.

It was an act of rebellion to lead the armed struggle in 1961 and help create the military wing of the ANC, Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation). And to secretly leave the country and seek support and guerrilla training.

South Africa was a useful bridgehead for the Western pow-

ers – the same ones that today honour Mandela as a hero – in a region convulsed by anti-colonial liberation struggles and the Cold War. In the 1970s the United States, France and Britain, trading partners of the regime, vetoed a motion to expel South Africa from the United Nations. And although the United Nations Security Council established a voluntary arms embargo against South Africa in 1963, it only became mandatory in 1977.

By the 1980s, apartheid had made South Africa an international pariah. But it wasn’t until 1985 that the authorities in the United States, Britain and the European Community adopted economic sanctions against the regime – in large part to appease the growing public outrage in their countries.

Mandela spent years in prison, starting in 1962. In 1964 he was tried for sabotage and sentenced to life. His rebelliousness sustained him for 27 years in prison, during which time he turned down three offers of parole.

The universal right to rebel against oppression has often been the object of suppression and above all of distortion and misrepresentation.

In the case of South Africa, it took the United States a long time to think it through. Not until 2008 did it remove the ANC from the State Department list’s of terrorist organisations – nine years after the end of Mandela’s term as president.

When he emerged from his years behind bars in 1990, and especially when he was sworn in as president in 1994, Mandela knew that dismantling apartheid would serve no purpose if the country fell apart in the process as a result of divisions and a thirst for vengeance.

And he then became the most

The universal right to rebel against oppression has often been the object of suppression and above all of distortion and misrepresentation. active and dedicated of pacifists, taking his rebelliousness into a new terrain – the exercise of democracy and of dialogue as a solution to conflicts.

As an IPS article states, many South Africans today are still bogged down in poverty and inequality. And the ANC is widely accused of falling prey to nepotism and a lack of transparency.

It is no simple task to shake off a legacy that dates back to British colonial times. Segregation and its economic causes leave deep marks. It’s not enough just to have a black president, as illustrated by the United States, whose prisons still hold a disproportionate number of blacks.

But now South Africans can channel their rebelliousness against those scourges in a democratic state under the rule of law – for which Mandela, the rebel, must be thanked.

—Diana Cariboni is IPS co-editor in chief.

Mandela’s fake Ethiopian passport, issued in 1962, in the name of David Motsamayi. He used it to travel to travel the continent to arrange support for the newly set up Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK).

Photo: nelsonmandela.org

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By Neeraj Nanda

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elbourne: Years back when I landed here the weather was awful – it was raining and cold. My relatives were cosy enough to give me and my family the warmth and support a new migrant needed. Government help was also handy and so were a few I came across on streets and shopping malls. Little did I know this was not enough for a new migrant with a ‘cultural shock’? Life was drab except for the VHS cassettes of Hindi movies hired from ‘Haroon’s Shop’ after a small tram trip on Burke Road. Slowly it became our life line as we passed time watching old and new movies. It was expensive those days and once in a while Haroon released a Hindi movie on big screen in Chinatown cinemas.

The days of VCD’s and DVDs had yet to arrive. The idea of an Indian Film Festival with film personalities remained a dream. Technology surged and access to Indian movies (all languages) became easy. But the urge to see Bollywood on the big screen laced with the presence of popular stars remained.

This was possible only in a film festival.

Such a festival could also forge commercial and cultural links between Victoria and India. Little did I know something was in the offing?

The predecessor of the Mind Blowing Films where Mitu Bhowmick worked had started to release Bollywood biggies at the Hoyts. A sort of integration of Mumbai cinema with mainstream Australia. As I understood Indian movies were not just for Indians. Insisting on subtitled prints to ensure that a wider audience could be reached. Even they were advertised in mainstream newspapers. A revolution of sorts had begun. The drabness faced by a new migrant was coming to

an end.

The Aussie’s were being treated with another slice of India.

The others being Curry and Cricket.

Meanwhile, the new Mind Blowing Films (MBF) led

by Mitu initiated an Indian Film Festival called ‘Bollywood and Beyond’ in 2009 which continued in 2010 and 2011. The feast of Indian cinema lay bare for anyone to see and enjoy on the big screen amidst the creeping DVD revolution. ‘Bollywood and Beyond’ had new, old and classical Hindi and non Hindi movies. The die had been cast for bringing Melbourne under the magical spell of the world’s biggest film industry.

In Mumbai, on March 2012, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) was announced as a key Victorian government initiative to strengthen commercial and cultural ties between Victoria and India. In recognition of its large and diverse movie-loving population, both Australian and Indian, Melbourne would host an annual celebration of the world's most prolific film industry.

The inaugural IFFM was opened on May 2012 at Hoyts Melbourne Central

by Ted Baillieu, Louise Asher and a host of India's biggest stars and filmmakers, including IFFM Ambassador Vidya Balan, India's reigning leading lady.

Vidya Balan at present the biggest female box-office draw in India, as well as the most celebrated Indian

actress of her time, has served on the Cannes jury with Spielberg, won a National Award, five Filmfare Awards, and five Screen Awards. Her movies Paa, Ishkiya, No One Killed Jessica, The Dirty Picture, Kahaani and Ghanchakkar have made waves at the box office.

As IFFM’s Ambassador, Vidya Balan has been helping cultivate the many links between India and Victoria.

Recognised for helping to change the way Indian women are portrayed on screen, she is the ideal ambassador: as passionate about Indian film as she is admired for her contribution to it. I interviewed her for SAT two times (2011 and 2012) and found her to be an excellent communicator, versatile and knowledgeable.

In March 2013 the former Premier of Victoria, Ted Baillieu, announced that MBF would deliver IFFM following an open tender run by the Victorian government and Film Victoria. MBF was judged to be the obvious choice given their prior successes as film festival organisers, support from the Indian film industry and the backing of key corporate sponsors.

IFFM has big variety and has been providing a broad range of films representing Indian cinema in all its glory,

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from commercial hits to exciting new wave voices. The festival also provides a rare big screen outing for regional gems from other subcontinent countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

Films from Pakistan have been widely appreciated with all their sessions running to packed houses. Films are selected for their content, visibility at other key international film festivals and their relevance to that year’s themes.

In IFFM 2012 the festival screened over 35 films from India but also across the subcontinent, including over 18 Australian premieres and 2 world premieres. IFFM returned with a bang in 2013, joining the worldwide celebrations for Indian cinema's 100th anniversary. Screening over 60 films in 10 languages, including 17 Australian premieres. There has been a talk of recycling movies at the IFFM. One who has been to different festivals cannot but call it unfounded.

I have been to other festivals (the last I covered was India’s International Film Festival in New Delhi for the Business India Television before it was shifted to Goa) and realised the import of old and classic movies in a festival.

No festival in the world can have all the new and unreleased movies. It never happens. Watching a new, old or classic on the big screen is in itself an exciting experience. A festival is like a bunch of flowers with many colours and fragrances.

I was present when the 2013 festival opened with the magical screening of India's first ever silent feature, Dadasahib Phalke’s Raja Harishchandra, exactly 100 years to the day since its premiere at Bombay's Coronation Theatre, and finished with a coup, screening Bom-

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Melbourne

Reinforcing Australia’s love affair with Indian cinema bay Talkies only three days after its gala screening in Cannes. Raja Harishchandra being a silent movie was accompanied by live music by musicians. It was a treat never to be forgotten.

Other highlights included the Australian premiere of Mira Nair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist,introduced by the Australian legend Greg Chappel , the Australian premiere of Pakistani film Josh introduced by its lead actor drawing much appreciation, and Australian premieres of award winning films like Gattu , Anhey Ghoehey Da Daan , ID and Delhi in a Day, as well as a world premiere when Jimmy Sheirgill arrived to unveil his Punjabi film Rangeelay (Jimmy was interviewed by me for SAT and it can be viewed on You Tube). Over at Federation Square's ACMI, 100 years of Indian cinema were celebrated with a string of unforgettable classics.

Victorian fans and filmmakers alike have learned from, and engaged with, some of the biggest movers and shakers from Indian film and TV during special Q&A screenings and Master Classes. Whether it was Raju Hirani and Abhijat Joshi on writing comedy with a social conscience, revered filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh exploring realism in Indian cinema, the iconic Simi Garewal discussing the evolution of Indian women on screen over 100 years, Kabir Khan describing his journey from documentaries to blockbusters, the National Award winning director Onir sharing his crowd funding secrets or

National Award winning designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee talking about story-telling with fabric, IFFM offered a unique chance to pick the brains of the leading lights of the world’s busiest film industry.

Meanwhile, emerging directors from India, Australia and New Zealand competed in the annual Western Union Short Film Competition, with guest judges having included prolific Australian director Paul Cox and Indian blockbuster director Kabir Khan. A joint venture between IFFM and Western Union, this unique competition is one of only a few in the world that is free to enter, with winners earning trip to India, screenings in cinemas and the chance to make industry connections.

According to 2012’s winner, Johan Ratnatunga, "The Western Union Short Film Competition is a fantastic opportunity for filmmakers to showcase their content and have it watched by legendary Indian filmmakers that are otherwise hard to reach - especially from Australia. Working with a respected festival such as IFFM helps establish your name as a creator and, ultimately, you can see your content up on the big screen. It's a thrilling experience to hear

the audiences react as they watch. Since my participation I've secured development funding for a feature film from Film Victoria and established a YouTube channel with 80,000+ subscribers and over 300,000 views a month."

Victorian winner Varan Sharma, currently assisting Shaad Ali on Kill Dil, notes, "The competition is the ultimate platform an aspiring filmmaker can hope for. The exposure, the reach and the encouragement offered are unparalleled. For me, the Western Union Short Film Competition will always be a major milestone that gave me confidence, and a showcase."

Performers get in on the action too at the Telstra Bollywood Dance Competition in Melbourne’s Federation Square. A dazzling line-up of contestants, from all age groups, lit up the stage in front of a huge crowd and some daunting judges. Victorians were thrilled to share the stage in 2013 with the 'Michael Jackson of India', Prabhudeva, while award winning director and choreographer Farah Khan handed the night’s best dancer with a return ticket to India.

In the last two years, Melbourne has hosted some of the biggest names in

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the Indian media landscape, creating lots of buzz, not only in Australia but in India too. Enjoying a proximity that could rarely happen back home, stars and fans have shared many wonderful moments, from marriage proposals to celebrity serenading. IFFM moviegoers have been able to get interact, often hilariously, with some of India’s biggest stars, such as Vidya Balan, Rani Mukherjee, Priyanka Chopra, Malaika Arora Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Sohail Khan, Juhi Chawla, Pamela Chopra and Jimmy Sheirgill, to name just a few.

The incomparable Vidya Balan will once again be in Melbourne with some of India’s most exciting stars and filmmakers arriving to meet fans and filmmakers and experience Victoria’s bustling production base. Favourite special events will make a return while 2014 will also feature the first IFFM Awards, honouring the year’s Best Performance, Best Director, Best Film and announcing the winner of the Audience Choice award. Showcasing India’s hugely diverse film output, IFFM continues to build bridges and open eyes, hearts and minds through the magic of the movies.

This magic creates unbreakable bonds of friendship between the subcontinent people and mainstream Australians. The world’s biggest film industry’s presence in Melbourne with IFFM opens many a vistas for business, cultural exchanges, coproduction’s and just enjoyment between India and Victoria. Exciting times lie ahead!

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Sangeet Sandhya Open forum for music lovers – classical, semi-classical & film music

Saturday 1/02/14 - Saugoto Ghosh, Piano Recital Saturday 5/04/14 - Pooja Gupta, Classical Vocal Saturday 7/06/14 - Parag Kaole, Violin Recital Saturday 2/08/14 - Madhuri Kamtikar, Vocal Saturday 4/10/14 - Nicholas Buff (Hindustani Instrumental ) and Sridhar Chari (Carnatic Flute) Recitals Saturday 6/12/14 - Neeraj Sharma, Piano and Harmonica Recital

Swar Sandhya Open forum for music lovers; Karaoke – Popular Indian Music Bring your own music, perform and enjoy

Saturday 4/1/14 Saturday 3/5/14 Saturday 6/9/14

Saturday 1/3/14 Saturday 5/7/14 Saturday 1/11/14

Venue: Waverly Meadows Primary School, Columbia Drive, Wheelers Hill

Time: 8.00pm

Free Entry, with ample parking, Free tea, coffee and biscuits Contact: Phone- 0402 074 278 or 0407 559 113 email- sangeetswarsandhya@gmail.com www.facebook.com/sangeetsandhya

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MELODY & RHYTHAM

Indian musical instruments

By Murali Kumar

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elbourne: String instruments are musical instruments that have a number of strings that are tuned to suit the style of music; and music is produced from the vibration of the strings by plucking or bowing. Popular string instruments are violin, guitar, sitar, sarod, sarangi, veena, viola, cello.

In the first part of a multi-part series, we’ll cover the most popular string instrument not just in Indian music, but throughout the world.

The violin is without a doubt the most universally popular string instrument. I say this because the violin is used to play almost all forms of music universally across all cultures and continents. The violin (also known as the fiddle) is a western instrument dating back to the 16th century Italy, however there are several historical references to stringed instruments similar to the violin in various ancient cultures much earlier than the 16th century. The violin is today widely used in not just Indian classical music but also in popular culture such as Bollywood and other genres. In fact, no orchestra is complete without the violin.

So, the violin is an important instrument in Indian music. The violin in Indian classical music was

first introduced into south Indian Carnatic music by Baluswamy Dikshitar in the early 19th century.

Thereafter, there have been many great masters who have adapted the violin to not just south Indian Carnatic music but also to north Indian Hindustani music, and other forms of Indian music. Indeed, in Carnatic music the violin is now ubiquitous because of its role as the principal melodic accompanying instrument for vocalists. The violin is considered to be the best instrument with which to reproduce the human voice, hence its unique status as an accompanying instrument for vocal music.

The violin is the most adaptable of all instruments, and is tuned differently in Indian music to suit the musical idioms of Indian music. The violin normally has four strings (although 5-string and 7-string versions are found rarely) and is played with a bow. The way the violinist holds the instrument also varies in Indian music compared to Western music. In Indian music the violinist sits on the floor cross-legged with the right foot out in front and the scroll of the instrument rests on the foot. The fingers of the left hand are used on the finger-board and the bow is played with the right hand.

Apart from its unique status be-

The violin is without a doubt the most universally popular string instrument. I say this because the violin is used to play almost all forms of music universally across all cultures and continents. ing an accompanying melodic instrument, the violin is also a solo instrument (or duet or trio etc) where the violinist is the lead accompanied by one or more percussion instruments. It is essential for any student of violin in Indian classical music to learn to perform as a soloist as well as an accompanist for vocalists. This calls for very special skills and requires lifelong learning and dedicated effort.

(To be continued...)

(The author is a renowned violinist, and Founder & Artistic Director of Raaga Sudha School of Carnatic Music, Melbourne)

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Pakistan

I am a poet of workers and peasants: Arif Shah

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akistan is a vastly inequitable society. The elite— an oligarchy consisting of military generals, feudal landowners, and state-sponsored industrialists—live in mansions, import nannies from the Philippines, import luxury cars, wine, and champagne. Living apart from the workers of their land and factories, their existence is one of splendor. The poor— peasants and workers— live in poverty and daily die in poverty. It is widely agreed that at least 60 percent of Pakistanis live below the poverty line of $2 a day, and 22.6 percent live under $1 a day. Two dollars is roughly 200 rupees. Today, in the market, 12 bananas were selling for 90 rupees. A liter of milk varies from between 70 to 90 rupees depending on one’s location, and a kilo of rice costs 165 rupees.

Therefore, it is no surprise that 44 percent of those under five in Pakistan are stunted and 32 percent are underweight.

Stunted and malnourished Pakistanis are also its labor force. 57.2 million women, men, and children work: 43 percent in agriculture, 20.3 percent in industry, and the remaining 36.6 percent in other services.

Eleven million children work in the country, with nearly half of these working under the age of ten. Further, since the 1970s, millions of Pakistanis have migrated to take up working-class jobs in the Middle East and the UK—often taking jobs that locals refuse to do—and earn vastly lower pay than the locals for the same jobs. Statistics don’t tell the whole story. The typical Pakistani worker moves from urban, rural, industrial and farm work both frequently and with fluidity. Peasants often move from rural areas for months at a time to urban industrial sites, only to return a few months later with a few thousand rupees saved up for the yearly wheat harvest.

Thus the Pakistani working class is simultaneously peasantry and working class, and its poets are the registrars of its sufferings and resistance.

The life and work of Arif Shah is illustrative. Arif Shah was born in a working-class family in 1948 in Faisalabad, Pakistan’s biggest industrial city. At the age of twelve he ran away from the poverty of home to earn a living. After wandering around for a while, he began driving a horse cart in the town of Toba Tek Singh. “I

was the youngest coach driver in the city,” he told me. A few years later, he migrated to Muscat, but he couldn’t find a regular job there and soon returned, enrolling in the military. The 1960s and 1970s were fevered with leftist revolutionary momentum. Left organizations had played a leading role in overthrowing two dictators during this period. Arif Shah began to recite his poems at political rallies. His superiors in the military were not happy with his political activities. They were further dumbfounded with his refusal to partake in operations in what was then East Pakistan (today Bangladesh), where a national independence movement was being brutally put down by the military.

Court-martialled and dismissed from the military, Arif Shah has spent the rest of his life wandering from one labouring occupation to another: sometimes in factories, sometimes in fields, sometimes as a studio hand or an actor in Lollywood (Pakistan’s film studios based in Lahore), and sometimes as a security guard. Always writing and storing experiences, he recited his poems wherever people would listen, between

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shifts at tea-stalls, on the job to workers around him, and at Sufi shrines and at political rallies. “I feel happiest reciting at tea stalls sit-ting with workers . . . literary gatherings do not suit my type of poetry,” he told us. Arif Shah is emblematic of the working-class poetry of Pakistan. Terse, written in local vernaculars (Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Saraiki, Balochi) as opposed to the official and statepromoted language of Urdu, recited in informal gatherings rather than formal literary gatherings, seldom written down but remembered orally and passed on as such. Rather than provide an escape from it, the poetry often magnifies working-class existence itself. Two traditions— that of rebel Sufi poets and the Progressive Writers Movement— influence contemporary workingclass poets of Pakistan.

Sufis—radical theologians from the Islamic tradition—from the tenth century started to arrive in Southeast Asia from other parts of the Islamic world. Radical Sufis were opposed to the orthodox Islamic clergy (Ulema).

The Ulema, on the other hand, preached strict interpretation of religious texts, emphasized ritual, used Arabic as the language of instruction, and were centralized and had connections to local rulers (often working under their patronage). Sufis, often educated at the best seminaries of the time, proficient in numerous languages, and widely traveled, saw religion as being about love, equality—above all, for the downtrodden. Sufis did not carry or believe in accumulating material possessions. They settled in various villages in small houses and hamlets. At their compounds, they com-posed and recited poetry, accompanied by musical instruments, in the local vernacular.

Radical Sufis opposed oppressive landlords, emperors, and the orthodox clergy. Their poetry abounds with challenges to all such powers. For example, Baba Fareed, a twelfth-century Punjabi poet, recited in one poem, “Fareed,” “When there is greed, what love can there be? When there is greed, love is false.” This thought is furthered in the fifteenth century by Guru Nanak, who famously refused a dinner invitation by a landlord and accepted that of a poor carpenter instead. When asked to explain his choice, he pointed out that the bread of the landlord contained “blood” of others (their labor power), while the bread of the carpenter was sweet as it was made from his own labour. In this vein, Bulleh

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Shah, a seventeenth-century iconoclast, writes, “Drink wine and eat the heartiest meals but only if the meal is fired from the bone of your own flesh.” Also in the seventeenth century, Shah Inayat set up a commune for the poor, which at its height was forty thousand strong and built on the principle that “those who sow should eat.” The local landlords and the Mughal Empire colluded to have Shah Inayat killed and the commune destroyed.

Yet Sufis continued their opposition to landlordism, emperors, gender inequality, and other oppressions. The protagonists of much of their poetry are working women. As such, Sufi poets aimed to give voice to the voiceless. It is then no surprise that for working-class Pakistanis, Sufi shrines (when an acknowledged Sufi dies, his death place is made into a shrine) remain a space of comfort and salvation. Millions throng to Sufi shrines daily to listen to the recitation of Sufi poetry, get free food, or just have a space to sit and think or pray. Class, caste, and religious differences are often erased in many such spaces—with everyone being treated equally. Given that mosques teach in Arabic, a language few in the country understand, but Sufi poetry is orally transmitted and in the local vernacular, the working class of Pakistan is intertwined from birth with Sufi traditions, and this vast tradition forms one of the main influences of its contemporary poets—both in terms of form and content.

Sufis were rebels of their time and often martyred for their championing of the downtrodden. The twentieth century saw another group of rebels take up the mantle of the poor. In the 1930s a group of antiimperialist Indian (this being before the creation of Pakistan) writers met in a Chinese restaurant in London and agreed to form the Progressive Writers Association (PWA) and soon issued a manifesto. Their aim was revolutionary. The manifesto states that in a time when “radical changes are taking place in Indian Society” and yet “the spirit of reaction”

though “moribund and doomed to ultimate decay, is still operative and making desperate efforts to pro- long itself,” the writer’s duty is to “give expression to the changes taking place in Indian life and to assist in the spirit of progress in the country.” The PWA wished to “rescue literature and other arts from the priestly, academic, and decadent classes in whose hands they have degenerated so long; to bring the arts into the closest touch with the people; and to make them the vital organs which will register the actualities of life, as well as lead us to the future.” The manifesto further states, “We believe that the new literature of India [Pakistan] must deal with the basic problems of our existence today—the problems of hunger and poverty, social backwardness, and political subjugation.” These sentiments are well summed up in renowned novelist Premchand’s presidential address to the first meeting of the PWA, where he announced, “We will have to change the standard of beauty.”

The progressives now conceptualized beauty and love as belonging to anticolonialism and class struggle. Progressive writers took up this challenge and infused traditional Sufi martyr poetry with a political dimension suited for their time.

Among them, Ustad Daman stands out. A tailor by profession, he wrote in Punjabi and recited his poems among workers and during political rallies up to the 1980s—in particular anti dictatorship rallies. His most famous line is directed against the militarization of Pakistan: “Pakistan is a great joy, wherever you look the army.” Another working-class progressive was Habib Jalib. Jailed many times for his political poetry, his verses are well known to commoners, and he is respected for both his political convictions and unbending solidarity with the oppressed—even though many of his friends changed sides and began to serve power, often as ministers. Alluding to former friends, he writes, “The status of the poor is still the same the days of the ministers have indeed

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Arif Shah’s Poem Poet

I am a poet of workers and peasants, A poet of manual labourers, of power loom workers, of mill workers, of those who sweat at machines for hours without rest – of these does my family comprise.

I am a poet of workers and peasants, Of all those who stand at the side of the road, with a hammer and a shawl, they sell themselves each day, on a day rate or an hour rate, for bread eaten today and to be worked for tomorrow – these are my friends and comrades I am a poet of workers and peasants, A poet of those who nourish horses and donkeys and on their labour earn their 200 or 300 hundred rupees per day, traversing towns and cities, bringing people and goods together and apart . . . – of these I am a poet.

A poet of those who hunched down strike at stones, breaking them for the road – and as the stones break so too do they break themselves – with the stones they break their hands, hearts, backs, arms, and legs . . . bit by bit . . . they part mountains for the roads, part themselves for the roads – of them I am a poet.

I am a poet of those children who serve as waiters in tea stalls up and down our land, of those who clean the empty plates of those who have dined in luxury or poverty.

I am a poet of those children who sit in darkened rooms day after day, night after night weaving carpet after carpet . . . weaving with a lash, weaving with the biting instructions of the overseer ringing in their ears, ringing as regularly as the loom and the fans – of these poor children I am poet . . .

I am a poet of workers and peasants, Of those muscled and limber families who wake up at mid-night to water the fields and then in the heat run tractors – these landless peasants are the real owners of the land . . . and I am their poet.

I am a poet of workers and peasants, I, like them, work – sometimes as a gate opener, sometimes as a day labourer, sometimes as a horse cart driver, and sometimes as a solider.

I, like them, suffer, Like them my body bears the mark of many trades and professions, People say I am Punjabi But I say I am a proud revolutionary I am not a poet of the powerful – I am not their plaything, I am a poet of workers and peasants.

—Translation from Punjabi By Iqbal Qaiser & Qalandar Bux Memon for World Literature Today changed every child of the country is under debt while the poor of the country walk without shoes”.

Today’s working-class poets, then, write in the local vernacular, in terse, uncomplicated rhymes, often building on the easily understood metaphors and vocabulary built up by Sufis and the progressive writers. These poets

work outside formal literary associations and operate among other workers in local settings. Their work is known by word of mouth as they are seldom published. Yet, as with the Sufis and progressives, they stand with their class in daily toil and struggle, enlightening it, highlighting it, and enriching it.

‘Beatriz’s War’ from East Timor bags ‘Golden Peacock’ at IFFI 2013 By our correspondent

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oa, 30 Nov., 2013: East Timor film ‘Beatriz’s War’ bagged the Golden Peacock award for the Best Film at the closing ceremony of 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).The film, directed by Bety Reis and Luigi Acquisto, is a passionate story of one woman’s conviction to remain true to the man she loves. The award carries a Golden Peacock, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 40 lakh. The 11-day extravaganza of films ended Indian Director Kaushik Ganguli bagged the award for the Best Director for his Bengali film ‘Apur Panchali’. The award carries a Silver Peacock, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 15 lakh.

Special Jury Award went to the Turkish film ‘Thou Gild’st The Even’, directed by Onur Unlu. The award carries a Silver Peacock, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 15 lakh.

Best Actor (Male) award went to Alon Moni Aboutboul for his performance in Israeli movie ‘A Place in Heaven’. The award carries a Silver Peacock, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakh.

Best Actor (Female) award was presented to Boczarska Magdalena for her excellent performance in Polish film ‘In Hiding’. The Award carries a Silver Peacock, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakh.

The Special Centenary Award was given to the Bengali film ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’, directed by Kamaleshwar Mukherjee. The award carries a Silver Peacock, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs.10 lakh.

On the occasion of the festivals closing ceremony Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Mr. Manish Tewari said the 44th IFFI was a celebration of freedom of the human spirit, liberated from the mores of conventionalism, imbued with the ability to dare and above all the power of a ‘New Idea’.

Describing the initiatives in the past one year, he said, the single window mechanism that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has been put in place to allow overseas film makers to shoot in any part of the country with convenience.”

“The same has been extended to local film makers also”, he said.

He said the government has also decided to replace the archaic Cinematograph Act with a new legislation, the draft of which is on the Ministry’s

website for public consultation. He said the government is proposing to increase the number of cinema screens across the country by working with the state governments.

The festival closed with Justin Chadwick’s film ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’. The film is based on the anti-apartheid revolutionary and former South African President Nelson Mandela’s autobiographic book, ‘Long Walk to Freedom’. The film chronicles his life from his childhood in a rural village to his emergence as the first democratically elected President of South Africa.

—SAT News Service

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Australian Open 2014 kicks of a sensational summer in Melbourne

By News Desk

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elbourne: The Australian Open Tennis Championship is Melbourne’s flagship sporting event. In 2013, the biggest sporting event in the southern hemisphere welcomed a record 684,457 visitors, 548 players, more than 720 media from 40 different countries and 380 Australian Open ball kids.

The tournament is broadcast in more than 200 countries around the world and prize money for 2014 has been elevated to $33 million.

It’s the first grand slam of the year kicking off the season with a bang and as all eyes tune into Melbourne for the start of the 2014 tournament on January 13, spectators will be the first to witness the transformation taking place at Margaret Court Arena (MCA). The scene of many stunning Australian Open battles, MCA will sport a dramatic new look for the in 2014, including a distinctive new roof providing fans with shaded seating areas. The roof will be fixed in an open position

for AO 2014 and fully operational for AO 2015 when the Australian Open will be the only Grand Slam event boasting three retractable-roof stadiums.

Also new in 2014, retired tennis superstar Pete Sampras will be returning to Melbourne 20 years after winning the first of his two Australian Open men’s singles championships, and Roger Federer signs up as Ambassador for Kids’ Tennis Day and will join fellow players and Nickelodeon characters at a special Rod Laver Arena show on Saturday 11 January.

The magnificent Australian Open trophies will set off on their third tour through Asia in 2013, with Korea, Singapore, China and Hong Kong on the itinerary. The profile of the Australian Open – the Grand Slam of AsiaPacific – continues to grow in the region, fueled by the success of home-grown champions such as China’s Li Na and Japan’s Kei Nishikori.

Tennis fans are looking forward to the return of Rafael Nadal whose inspirational comeback from injury this year has so far netted him nine titles, includ-

ing two Grand Slams. Defending champion Novak Djokovic, threetime finalist Andy Murray and the legendary Roger Federer will be crowd favourites as will local talent Bernard Tomic.

In the women’s contest, the seemingly invincible Serena Williams will be one to watch, Maria Sharapova will be on the comeback trail and defending champion Victoria Azarenka will be hoping to continue her luck in Melbourne. Li Na is a hit with the Aussie crowds as well as visiting Chinese tourists, and local favourite Sam Stosur is sure to be a sell out too.

The event always attracts a who’s who list of famous faces, the 2013 crowd included Shane Warne, Elizabeth Hurley, Kevin Spacey, Geoffrey Rush, Audrina Patridge, Greg Norman, Redfoo, Andre Agassi, Alessandro Del Piero and Cathy Freeman.

Ticket pre-sales for Australian Open 2014 are at an all-time high. New tour operator partnerships include P&O Cruises, with a first-time cruise from Sydney to Melbourne selling out in record time. International visitors wanting to secure their spot at can do

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so via the official International Australian Open Championship Tour Operators.

With tickets and travel packages secured, international visitors can look forward to a sensational summer in Melbourne. The city is at its most colourful with long balmy nights perfect for exploring the many eat streets, alfresco bars and diversity of entertainment.

Tennis fans wanting some inspiration for their pre and post tennis time in Melbourne can now get help from Melbourne’s Remote Control Tourists. The successful October initiative by Tourism Victoria saw four real people exploring Melbourne, as directed by the public via social media, with their experiences live streamed in real time.

Highlights from the resulting footage is now available as itineraries for visitors arriving in Melbourne for the Australian Open. It includes entertaining video footage from some of Melbourne’s hottest restaurants and bars as well as fun attractions and areas to visit with suggested hotels for accommodation.

—SAT News Service

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Waqar Younis inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

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ubai, 11 Dec.: Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame before the start of the first Twenty20 International between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the Dubai Sports City.

Waqar received his commemorative cap from International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive David Richardson in front of a large and appreciative crowd. He now becomes the 70th male member and fifth Pakistani after Hanif Mohammad, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

Nicknamed ‘The Burewala Express’, Waqar is famously known as one half of ‘The Two Ws’ – a moniker for the fast bowling pair of Wasim Akram and Waqar. A famed exponent of reverse swing, he claimed 373 wickets from 87 Tests and 416 scalps from 262 One-Day Internationals.

The 42-year-old, who was born in Vehari, Punjab, also led his country in 17 Tests and 62 ODIs. In a first-class career spanning over a decade, he snared 956 wickets from 228 matches with a best of 8-17.

Waqar’s Test figures bear ample testimony to his brilliance – he registered 22 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and, on five occasions, took 10 wickets or more in a match. He also boasted the best strike-rate of any bowler with more than 200 wickets in Tests during his playing days – a record only recently beaten by Dale Steyn.

His best bowling performance in a Test came almost 20 years ago, when he registered match figures of 13-135 against Zimbabwe in the first Test in Karachi, having taken 7-91 and 6-44.

His feats in limited-overs cricket were no less impressive. He remains to date the only bowler to take five wickets in an innings in three consecutive ODIs (On November 4, 6 and 9, 1990). He was also the fastest to the milestone of 400

wickets in ODIs. He was a member of the Pakistan team that reached the quarter-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 1996 and the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 1999, and he captained his country in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003.

His best performance in ODIs came when he led his side against England at Headingley in 2001, where he notched up 7-36.

Having retired from cricket in 2003, Waqar now plies his trade as a coach and commentator.

Waqar said of his induction in Dubai: “I’m thrilled to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in front of a lot of my fans here in Dubai."

“Having played some of my early cricket in the UAE, I feel it’s fitting that this is the stage for my induction. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all those people who supported and stood by me during my career, helped me develop as a cricketer, and played a role in making me what I am today.”

www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

Having retired from cricket in 2003, Waqar now plies his trade as a coach and commentator.

Waqar said of his induction in Dubai: “I’m thrilled to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in front of a lot of my fans here in Dubai."

ihNdI-puãp

south asia 30 South Asia Timestimes

ás;¬q

vWR 10 a'k 5

Eixy;

$;”Ms

s‹p;dkIy

.;rt k; m'gly;n² j;Žn kwn@I a*r iÞsms

ipzle mhIne² .;rt ne a'tir= me' m'gly;n p[=eipt krke ivD;n a*r tknIk ke =e] me' Ek ny; kIitRm;n Sq;ipt iky; hw) ameirk; phle .I m'gl tk a'tir=y;n .ej cuk; hw pr'tu .;rt jwse ivk;sxIl dex ke ilye² yh Ek nyI a*r b@¹I ¬pliB/ hw) cIn phle Ek a'tir=y;n cN{m; .ej cuk; hw pr'tu Eixy; me' svRp[qm m'gly;n p[=eipt krne v;l; dex .;rt hI hw) yh Eixy; me' a'tir=-d*@¹ kI né xu¨a;t k; s'ket hw) Smr,Iy hw ik ameirk; a*r ås ke bIc² sn( 1957 me' a'tir=-d*@¹ k; a;rM. tb hua; q; jb ås ne a'tir= me' svRp[qm ¾Spu$ink¾ p[=eipt iky; q;) b;d me' 1961 me' ameirk; ke r;ã$^pit² j;Žn kwn@I ne ds vWo| ke

.Itr² mnuãy ko c;\d tk phu\c;ne k; v;yd; iky; q;) ¬nk; yh v;yd; 1969 me' pUr; ho gy; jb svRp[qm mnuãy c;\d tk phu\c; q;) du.;RGyvx² j;Žn kwn@I kI 22 nvMbr² 1963 ko golI m;rkr hTy; kr dI gé a*r Ek dUrdxIR ameirkI net; k; a't ho gy;) ipzle mhIne ¬nkI mOTyu kI pc;svI' vWRg;\# qI a*r ”s avsr pr ¬nkI ¬pliB/yo' k; pun" Smr, iky; gy;) idsMbr ke mhIne me' iÞsms áb@¹; idnâ k; Tyoh;r hot; hw a*r idsMbr ke a't ke s;q-s;q Ek vWR kI sm;iPt tq; nye vWR k; a;rM. hot; hw) p;#ko' ko iÞsms kI b/;é tq; nye vWR kI xu.-k;mn;E\) ”s aû ke ¾k;Vy ku'j¾ StM. me' iÞsms² dIv;lI tq; aNy ivWyo' pr rock kivt;E\ hw') ”ske aitirKt² ¾hm-tum¾ Ã;r; a;yoijt inb'/-p[ityoigt; me purSkOt p[qm inb'/ tq; dIv;lI se sMb'i/t Ek le% hw) s;q me‹² s'i=Pt sm;c;r² ab h\sne kI b;rI hw² mhTvpU,R itiqy;\ v sUcn;E\ a;id StM. hw') ili%yeg; yh aû a;pko kws; lg;) -idnex ÅIv;Stv

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ihNdI-puãp k; ¬ýeXy a;ŽS$^eily; me' ihNdI k; p[c;r-p[s;r krn; hw) p[k;ixt rcn;ao' pr koé p;irÅimk nhI' idy; j;t; hw) ihNdI-puãp me' p[k;ixt rcn;ao' me' le%ko' ke ivc;r ¬nke apne hote hw'² ¬nke ilye sMp;dk y; p[k;xk ¬Êrd;yI nhI' hw') hStili%t rcn;E\ SvIk;r kI j;tI hw' prNtu ”leK$^^;Žink åp se ¾ihNdI-s'SkOt¾ f¹;\$ me' rcn;E\ .eje' to ¬nk; p[k;xn hm;re ilE ai/k suiv/;jnk hog;) kOpy; apnI rcn;E\ ákh;iny;\² kivt;E\² le%² cu$kule² mnor'jk anu.v a;idâ inMnili%t pte pr .eje'-

Editor, Hindi-Pushp, 141 Highett Street, Richmond, Victoria 3121 é-mel se rcn;E\ .ejne k; pt; hw- dsrivastava@optusnet.com.au

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2 0 1 3

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m‹idr² miSjd² igrj;`r kI y;d a;tI hw² ”RXvrIy a;Sq; a*r

nwitkt; kI tSvIr ¬.rtI hw) yh p[gitxIl sm;j suiv/; s‹p„ hw² D;n a*r ivD;n se p[.;ivt hw² ifr .I ivpiÊ me‹

”RXvr kI xr, %ojt; hw

/;imRk g[Nqo‹ se amOtrs p;t; hw) mw‹ soct; hU²‹\ E˜ s e ; Kyo‹ ²ˆ

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s;qRk p[m;, nhI‹² ivD;n k; smqRn nhI‹² ifr .I m;nv p[.;ivt hw

yh rhSy to jIvn k; s;qI hw) a;j ivÐÝsms k; punIt avsr q;² nE p[k;x k; ¬ºv q;²

igirj;`r se a;t; Svr ait mn.;vn q;²

g*tm buõ kI yh kh;nI)

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jnnI qI ¾mh;m;y;¾ r;nI))

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x;iNt p;é ¬Nho'ne %Ir %;ne ke b;d

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s;=I bnI pOQvI .I ”s yog me'

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D E C E M B E R

iksI ijD;su ne pUz;²

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®hr; vO= p[tIk hw flte fUlte jIvn k;² ”skI sj;v$ v;‹izt hw

m;nv p[m e kI roxnI se² dy; /mR ke puãpo‹ se) yhI sNdex il%; hw vO= ke pÊo' pr² ”sk; p[.;v hog; a;pke kmoR pr)®

-su.;W xm;R² meLbnR

dIv;lI pr l+mI mwy; Ã;r hm;re a;ao

m;\ l+mI mere sr pr .I

`r mer; .r j;ao)

/n d*lt kI vW;R krke

/n d*lt kI vW;R krke

kre‹ a;rtI pUjn-acRn² gIt tuMh;re g;y‹e imã#;no‹ ke !er lg;kr² ¨ic-¨ic .og lg;E\

dIv;lI pr mwy; merI drs hme‹ de j;ao) /n d*lt kI vW;R krke `r mer; .r j;ao)

srSvtI jI a*r g,ex jI k; hm krte v'dn

kOp; hSt r% j;ao `r mer; .r j;ao)

dIv;lI pr kre‹ p[tI=;² `I ke dIp jl; kr hme‹ jg;n; so j;ye²‹

hm drv;j¹; %$k;kr

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/n d*lt kI vW;R krke² `r mer; .r j;ao)

r;m l+mž a*r sIt; jI

%Il bt;xe imã#;no‹ a*r

mwy; merI dIv;lI pr nyI idx; id%l;ao

m;\ tere ibn sb kuz sUn;²

pUj‹e m;¨tI n‹dn

/n d*lt kI vW;R krke `r mer; .r j;ao)

b\/'e tor, a;m[p] ke² jgmg dIp jl;E\ m;\² tere p[t;p ke gu, hm b;r b;r dohr;ye‹

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dIpo‹ k; hw mel;

mw‹ hU\ yh;\ akel;

m;\ apne a;\cl k; s;y;² muZ pr .I kr j;ao

/n d*lt kI vW;R krke `r mer; .r j;ao)

D E C E M B E R

southSouth asia times 31 Asia Times

2 0 1 3

ivK$oriyn SKUl a;Žf¹ lw'Gvejej¹ ke @wN@en;\g keN{ me' dIp;vlI ¬Tsv -spn; kum;r² k=; 9² @wN@en;\g keN{² vI³Es³El³

á”s vWR² meLbnR tq; a;ŽS$^ie ly; ke ivi.„ ngro' me' /Um-/;m se dIp;vlI k; Tyoh;r mn;y; gy;) ivK$oriyn SKUl a;Žf¹ lwG' vejj e ¹ kI ihNdI k=;ao' ne .I ivi.„ keN{o' ne .I yh Tyoh;r ¬Ts;hpUvl R mn;y;) p[Stut hw @wN@en;\g keN{ kI Ek z;]; Ã;r; ¬ske keN{ me' mn;ye gye dIp;vlI ¬Tsv k; v,Rn - sMp;dkâ

s'i=Pt sm;c;r

x;iNt-dUt ¾neLsn m'@el;¾ k; in/n

Þ;iNtk;rI² Svt']t; sen;nI tq; r'g.ed ke ivro/I² s;¬q ap[йIk; ke .UtpUvR svRp[qm r;ã$^pit² neLsn m'@el; m'@el; k; 5 idsMbr² 2013 ko in/n ho gy;) ¬nkI a;yu 95 vWR qI) 27 vWo| tk jel me' rhne ke b;d .I² ¬Nho'ne Xvet ai/k;iryo' ke iv¨õ iksI p[k;r kI k;rRv;é nhI' kI a*r s.I r'go' a*r j;ityo' ko Ek s;q

iml; kr² ”N{/nuWI r;ã$^ k; inm;R, iky;) ¬Nhe' pd k; l;lc nhI' q;) kevl p;\c vWo| tk r;ã$^pit rhne ke b;d² ¬Nho'ne yh pd zo@¹ idy;) ve c;hte to agle ké vWo| tk r;ã$^pit bne rh skte qe) r;ã$^pit bnne ke phle² 1993 me' ¬Nhe' ¬s smy s;¬q ap[йIk; ke Xvet r;ã$^pit²

p[isõ p;XvR g;yk m„; @e ab nhI' rhe

dIp;vlI ke xu. idn pr hm;rI p;#x;l; me' Ek mhoTsv hua;) ”s idn kI %uxI isfR xBdo' me' VyKt nhI' kr skte² yh kevl mhsUs kI j; sktI hw) hmne ¬Tsv mn;y; ¬s ¬j;le k; jo hm;rI ij¹NdgI se aN/ere k; k,‐k, .I h$; det; hw) ¬s ¬j;le k; jo hme' sNdex det; hww ik hr a'/re I r;t ke b;d roxnI kI c;dr ao!¹e subh a;tI hw) ”s jXn kI tuln; koé /n y; d*lt se nhI' kI j; sktI) agr tuln; hotI hw to Py;r a*r lgn se) hm;rI k=; k; Py;r id%; hm;re .ojn me' jo hm sb lekr a;E qe) yh a;psI Py;r xhd kI im#;s jws; p[tIt ho rh; q;) hm;rI prMpr; hw ik hm Eese Tyoh;ro' pr .;rtIy vS] phne' to ¬s idn s;rI k=; ke iv´;qIR .;rtIy kp@¹e phne gvR mhsUs kr rhe qe) .;rtIy s'SkOit k; anusr, krte huE hmne r'golI kI p[ityoigt; xuå kI) idm;g¹ me' ivc;r to bhut a;E leikn mn iky; ik údy kI b;t sun)'e ”silE apnI .;vn;ao' ko kore k;gj pr ¬t;r kr ¬sme' r'g .r idE) bCce to .gv;n k; åp hote hw²' ¬nko %ux kr idy; to m;no .gv;n p[sNn ho gE) ¬s idn p[Tyek bCce ke cehre pr Ek m;sUm sI muSkur;h$ qI) sb bCco' ne fulZi@¹y;\ jl;”|) bCce iktne m;sUm hote hwÚ'w apne @r k; s;mn; krke apne im]o' kI mdd krne me' lg j;te hw)' Ek c;r s;l k; l@¹k; ijskI a;\%o' me' .y to q; leikn jb ¬sk; im] muiXkl me' q; to vh turt' sh;yt; krne me' lg gy;) sb bCce p$;%e¹ jl; kr bhut %ux huE) hm;r; yh %uixyo' .r; idvs sm;Pt hua; pe$ pUj; se) sb %;n; cu$kI bj;te hI sm;Pt ho gy;) a;i%¹r %;n; q; hI ”tn; Sv;idã$) yh idn plo' me' hI sm;Pt ho gy; a*r pt; .I nhI' lg;) pr yh b;t pKkI hw ik ”s mhTvpU,R idn kI y;d mere idl me sd; bnI rhegI)

24 aK$Ubr² 2013 ko ihNdI if¹Lm jgt ke p[isõ p;XvR g;yk² 95 vWIRy m„; @e k; b'glUr me' in/n ho gy;) ¬Nho'ne tIn hj¹;r se .I ai/k g;ne ihNdI if¹Lmo' me' g;ye qe) ¬nke g;ye huE kuz p[isõ g;ne qe - l;g; cunrI me' d;g² pUzo n kwse mw'ne rwn ibt;é² yh r;t .IgI-.IgI² tuZe sUrj khU\ y; cNd;² tU Py;r k; s;gr hw² Ek ctur n;r² Ee merI johr; jbI'² k¹sme'-v;de Py;r vf¹;

8 idsMbr áboi/-idvsâ² 25 idsMbr áiÞsmsÖ b@¹; idnâ² 1 jnvrI ánvvWR k; a;rM.² sTyeN{ bos jy'tIâ² 5 jnvrI águ¨ goiv'd is'h jy'tIâ² 10 jnvrI áivXv ihNdI-idvsâ² 12 jnvrI áSv;mI ivvek;n'd jy'tI² r;ã$^Iy yuv;

Ef¹³ @BLyU³ @IKlkR ke s;q ivXv x;'it ke ilye nobel purSk;r p[d;n iky; gy; q;) ¬nke deh;vs;n pr ivXv ke s>.I net;ao' ne ¬Nhe' Åõ;'jil dI hw a*r ¬Nhe' ”s xt;BdI k; sbse b@¹; net; bt;y; hw) hm sb ¬nke jIvn se bhut kuz sI% skte hw')

svoRCc sMM;;n d;d;s;heb f;Lke purSk;r se sMm;int iky; gy;) ké vWo| pUvR meLbnR me' ¬Nho'ne jo s'gIt k;yRÞm p[Stut iky; q;² ¬skI y;d a;j .I s'gIt p[eimyo' ke idl me' t;j¹I hw) m„; @e ke in/n se .;rtIy if¹Lm jgt ne x;S]Iy s'gIt ko lokip[y bn;ne v;l; Ek ist;r; %o idy; hw)

=e]Iy p[v;sI .;rtIy idvs sMmeln² is@nI

10 nvMbr se 12 nvMbr tk is@nI me' a;yoijt =e]Iy .;rtIy idvs sMmeln sm;Pt ho gy;) ”s sMmeln me' .;g lene .;rt ke kerl tq; mh;r;ã$^ p[;'to' se p[itini/ m'@l a;ye qe a*r a;ŽS$^eily;² NyUj¹Ilw<@² f¹IjI a;id dexo' ke p[itini/ .I a;ye qe) ¾NyU s;¬q veLs¾ tq; ¾s;¬q a;ŽS$^eily;¾ ke p[Iimyr tq; KvI'slw<@ ke ¾i@Pyu$I p[Iimyr¾ tq; a;ŽS$^eily; kI keN{Iy srk;r ke a;p[v;sn tq; ivÊ m']I .I ¬piSqt qe) ”s sMmeln me' a;ŽS$^eily; tq; smIpvÊIR dexo' se .;rt ke sMbN/o' ko a*r sudO!¹ bn;ne ke p[Xn pr ivc;r iky; gy;) Vy;p;r b!¹;ne pr sv;Ri/k j¹or idy; gy;

pr'tu aNy ivWyo'² ¬d;hr, ke ilye² .;rtIy .;W;ao'² s'SkOit² mIi@y; a;id pr .I ivc;r-ivmxR iky; gy;) .;rtIy .;W;ao' se sMb'i/t ai/vexn ke p[qm .;g me'² gujr;tI² p'j;bI² timl² telgU² mr;#I v mly;lm .;W;ao' ke p[itini/yo' ne apnI-apnI .;W;ao' ke mhTv tq; a;ŽS$^eily; me' ¬nkI vtRm;n iSqit ke b;re me' p[k;x @;l; a*r ¬Nhe' a;ŽS$^eily; ke p;#(yÞm me' x;iml ikye j;ne kI m;\g kI) ai/vexn ke dUsre .;g me'² ihNdI ivxeWDo' ne a;ŽS$^eily; tq; smIpvÊIR dexo' me' ihNdI kI iSqit pr p[k;x @;l;) ihNdI-puãp ke sMp;dk² @;• idnex ÅIv;Stv ne ivK$oiry; me' ihNdI-ix=; kI

iSqit pr Ek v;t;R p[Stut kI) aNy ihNdI-ivxeWD² ijNho'ne ”s ai/vexn me' .;g ily;² ve qe - @;• pI$r pÐÝe@lw<@r v @;• irc@R b;jR¹ ákwnbr;â @;• k;m; mwKlIn² @;• xwlj; ctuveRdI² @;• mIn;=I ÅIinv;sn tq; ÅImtI re%; r;jv'xI áis@nIâ² @;Ž•Ž ”Ndu cN{; áf¹IjIâ² ÅImtI sumn kpUr áNyUj¹Ilw<@â) k;yRÞm kI a?y=t;² ak;r; (ACARA) ke jnrl mwnejr² @;Ž• if¹l lwMb$R ne tq; s'c;ln ÅImtI m;l; meht;² ao³E³Em³ ne iky;)

`relU ih's; ke iv¨õ p[dxRn

25 nvMbr² 2013 ko pUre a;ŽS$^eily; ke ivi.„ ngro' me' `relU ih's; ke iv¨õ p[dxRn huE) meLbnR me' .I f¹e@rexn SKv;yr se Sv;NS$n S$^I$ v k;Žiln S$^I$ hote huE logo' ne m;cR iky; ijsme' yh;\ rhne v;le .;rtIyo' ne .I .;g ily;) meLbnR p[dxRn k;

s'yojn² l;$^ob ivXviv´;ly me' k¹;nUn kI Vy;:y;t; ÅImtI rIt; vm;R ne iky;² jo Ek lMbe smy se .;rtIy mUl ke ivK$oiry;é smud;y me‹ mihl; sxKtIkr, ke s;q-s;q `relU-ih‹s; ke iv¨õ j;gåkt; fwl;ne k; p[y;s krtI rhI hw‹)

ab h\sne kI b;rI hw

pit-pTnI a*r m;\

pit" m;\ jI k; f¹on a;y; hw) ¬nkI g;@¹I kl subh c;r bje phu\c rhI hw) pTnI" vh a.I 4 mhIne phle hI to a;yI qI') ab vh ifr Kyo' a; rhI hw'À mw' soc rhI qI ik kl ”tv;r

mhTvpU,R itiqy;\

sb b;te hw'³³³³ a;id) sn( 1970 me' ¬Nhe' svRÅeã# p;XvR-g;yn ke ilye if¹Lmf¹eyr purSk;r p[d;n iky; gy;) .;rt srk;r ne ¬Nhe' 1971 me' pµÅI tq; 2005 me' pµ.UW, sMm;n p[d;n iky;) sn( 2004 me' rvIN{ .;rtI ivXviv´;ly ne ¬Nhe' @I³ il$³ kI m;nd ¬p;i/ p[d;n kI a*r sn( 2007 me' ¬Nhe' if¹Lm jgt ke

hm tum¾ inb'/-p[ityoigt;

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irKx;-c;lk k; f¹on nMbr hw) f¹on krke ¬sse kh dIijye ik kl subh smy se a; j;ye) aCz; hw kl ”tv;r hwÉ bCco' ko SkUl .I nhI' j;n; hwÉ ve apnI n;nI ke s;q %el skte hw')

kUliMby; @^;”v² ×IlsR ihl² ivK$oiry; ámeLve s‹d.R-71 jI-11â smy - r;t ke 8³00 bje se a;rM.) p[vex in"xuLk hw) ai/k j;nk;rI ke ilE nIrj áf¹on – 0439 980 551â aqv; ini%l áf¹on-0430 922 851â se sMpkR

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mer; n;m kOã,;'g hw) mw' ds s;l k; hU\) l@¹ke a*r l@¹iky;\ Ek br;br hw') yh mw' a;pko smZ;t; hU\) sbse phle² l@¹ke a*r l@¹iky;\ dono' ”'s;n hw') l@¹ke a*r l@¹iky;\ dono' Ek hI trh ”s duiny; me' pwd; hote hw') dono' ko jIne ke ilye p;nI a*r .ojn c;ihye) ”sk; mtlb hw ik hme' s.I se mnuãy kI trh Vyvh;r krn; c;ihye) dUsr; k;r, hw ik l@¹ke a*r l@¹iky;\ Ek hI trh se p!¹;é krte hw' a*r p[vex-prI=;ao' me' bw#te hw') l@¹iky;\ a*r l@¹ko' me' Ek sI hI idm;g¹I t;k¹t hotI hw) ”silye l@¹ke a*r l@¹iky;\ Ek sm;n hw') tIsr; k;r, yh hw ik l@¹ke a*r l@¹iky;\ dono' jIvn me' br;br k;m krte hw') ¬d;hr, ke ilye² l@¹ke² l@¹iky;\ dono' a?y;pk² puils y; f¹*jI bn skte hw') bU!¹e ho j;ne pr l@¹ke a*r l@¹iky;\ dono' ke b;l sf¹ed ho j;te hw') ifr Ek idn l@¹ke a*r l@¹iky;\ mr j;te hw') ”sk; mtlb hw ik l@¹ke a*r l@¹iky;\ Ek sm;n hw') jIvn me' hr jgh l@¹ke a*r l@¹iky;\ br;br ihSsed;r hotI hw' Kyo'ik jIvn me' m;t; a*r ipt; dono' br;br hote hw') hme' l@¹ke a*r l@¹ikyo' ke s;q Ek hI trh k; Vyvh;r krn; c;ihye)

a'tr;Rã$^Iy v;t;yn kivt; sMM;;n-2013

19 nvMbr ko ”'glw<@ ke ¾h;¬s a;Žf¹ l;@Rs(¾ me' a;yoijt Ek sm;roh me' p[of¹esr puãp; avSqI v @;• ivjy kum;r meht; ko a'tr;Rã$^Iy v;t;yn kivt; sMm;n se purSkOt iky; gy;) p[of¹esr puãp; avSqI ke p[mu% kivt; s'g[h hw' ¾xBd bn kr rhtI hw' AtuE¾\² ¾a=t¾² ¾éXvr;xIW¾² ¾údy kI hqelI¾² ¾a't?vRin¾² ¾devvO=¾² ¾xwl p[itm;ao' se¾ a*r ¾tum ho muZme'¾) ¬nke kh;nI s'g[h ¾go%å¾ a*r ¾jNm¾ .I cicRt rhe hw') a;locn;² inb'/ a;id pr .I ¬nkI puStke' p[k;ixt ho cukI hw') ve nIdrlw<@ me' ¾puiãpt; yuinvsR f¹;¬N@exn¾ kI indexk hw') NyUy;kR inv;sI² @;• ivjy kum;r meht; Ek údy rog ivxeWD hone ke s;q-s;q Ek súdy kiv a*r le%k .I hw') ¬Nho'ne .;rtIy s'SkOit a*r r;ã$^-p[em se aot-p[ot ké %'@-k;Vy Ev' mh;k;Vy il%e hw') ¾m/um;s ke fUl¾² ¾puãp;'jil¾² ¾tq;gt¾ tq; ¾i.=u,I¾ a;id ¬nkI rcn;E\ dex-ivdex me' sr;hI gyI hw') Eeith;isk pOã#.Uim pr a;/;irt ¬nkI rcn;² ¾sm[;$ cN{guPt m*yR¾ kI .I bhut p[x's; hué hw)

kIijye aqv; inMn vebs;”$ dei%ye - http:// www.sharda.org/Events.htm 2³ ¾r;g-r'g¾ x;S]Iy s'gIt k;yRÞm ke a'tgRt² ”l; k;veR k; g;yn tq; sBys;cI .¯;c;yR k; srod v;dn árivv;r² 4 idsMbrâ) Sq;n - vevlIR me@oj¹ p[;”mrI SkUl² 11

www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

kUliMby; @^;”v² ×IlsR ihl² ivK$oiry; ámeLve s‹d.R-71 jI-11â smy - dophr 4 bje se a;rM.) p[vex in"xuLk hw) ai/k j;nk;rI ke ilE r'jn; áf¹on – 0414 763 755â aqv; sTyen áf¹on-9809 5505â se sMpkR kIijye)

south asia 32 South Asia Timestimes

quick community guide Radio GUIDE

SUNDAY Hindi...............9 am to 10 am – 93.1 FM Urdu.............

10 am to 11 am – 93.1 FM Tamil.......... .11 am to 12 pm – 93.1 FM Hindi.............

8 pm to 10 pm – 88.3 FM Singhalese....

8 pm to 11 pm –97.7 FM MONDA Y Hindi................

3 Pm to 4 pm – 93.1 FM Bengali...........

4 pm to 5 pm – 93.1 FM Hindi............... .6 pm to 8 pm – 88.3 FM Indian (Fiji).............. .6 pm to 8 pm 88.3 Punjabi......1 1 am to 12 noon 92.3 FM TUESDAY Hindi...............

Hindi.................

WEDNESDAY Hindi.................

Hindi......................

Punjabi........

Hindi................

6 am to 8 am – 97.7 FM 2 pm to 4 pm – 97.7 FM

.6 am to 8 am – 97.7 FM 12 to 1 pm – 93.1 FM 11 am to 12 pm - 92.3 FM .8 pm to 9 pm – 97.7 FM

THURSDAY Hindi...........

Tamil................

Sinhalese.....

Punjabi.........

5.30 am to 7 am – 97.7 FM 8 pm to 9 pm – 92.3 FM 1 1 pm to 3 am –92.3 FM 9 pm to 10 pm – 93.1 FM

FRIDAY Indian..............

.8 am to 9 am – 88.3 FM

SATURDAY Sinhalese........

7 am to 8 am – 92.3 FM T amil...............

12-12.30 pm – 88.3 FM Indian...............

5 am to 6 am - 92.3 FM Punjabi.....................

12-2 am – 92.3 FM Indian............

9 pm to 10 pm – 92.3 FM Punjabi.............................

11 pm to 1 am

24/7 Radio stations Indian Link Radio (Subscription) 18000 15 8 47 Radio Santa Banta (Internet) Santabanta.com.au Radio Jhankar 88.6 FM; Every Thursday; 8 to 10 pm; Contact: 94668900 or 0411247320 or 9404 2111

South Asian websiteS India TEHELKA – www.tehelka.com OUTLOOK – www.outlookindia.com FRONTLINE- www.flonnet.com THE HINDU: www.hinduonnet.com TIMES OF INDIA: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com HINDUSTAN TIMES: www.hindustantimes.com Pakistan DAWN: www.dawn.com THE FRIDAY TIMES: www.thefridaytimes.com THE NEWS INTERENATIONAL: www.thenews.com.pk

community

www.ekantipur.com/en THE RISING NEPAL: www.nepalnews.com.np

PLACES OF WORSHIP HINDU Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple 57 Boundary Rd, Carrum Downs, Melbourne, Vic 3201, Ph: 03 9782 0878; Fax: 03 9782 0001 Website: www.hsvshivavishnu.org.au Sri Vakratunda Vinayaka Temple 1292 - 1294, The Mountain Highway, The Basin, Vic 3154, Ph: 03 9792 1835 Melbourne Murugan Temple 17-19 Knight Ave., Sunshine VIC 3020 Ph: 03 9310 9026 Durga Temple (Durga Bhajan Mandali) Neales Road, Rockbank, Vic 3335 Ph: 03 9747 1628 or Mobile: 0401 333 738 Hare Krishna (ISKCON) Temple 197 Danks Street, Middle Park Vic 3206 Ph: (03) 9699 5122 Email: 100237.354@compuserve.com Hare Krishna New Nandagram Rural Community Oak Hill, Dean’s Marsh Rd., Bambra VIC 3241, Ph: (052) 887383 Fax: (052) 887309 Kundrathu Kumaran Temple 139 Gray Court, ROCKBANK Victoria 3335 Ph: 03-9747 1135 or M: 0450 979 023 http://www.kumarantemple.org.au/ SIKH BLACKBURN Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha 127 Whitehorse Road, Blackburn VICTORIA 3130, Ph: (03) 9894 1800 CRAIGIEBURN Sri Guru Singh Sabha 344 Hume Highway, Craigieburn VICTORIA 3164 (see map), Ph: (03) 9305 6511 KEYSBOROUGH Gurdwara Sri Guru Granth Sahib 198 -206 Perry Road, Keysborough VICTORIA 3073 (see map) LYNBROOK Nanaksar Taath, 430 Evans Road, Lynbrook VICTORIA 3975, (03) 9799 1081 HOPPERS CROSSING Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha 417 Sayers Road, Hoppers Crossing VICTORIA 3029, Ph: (03) 9749 2639 WERRIBEE Gurdwara Sahib Werribee 560 Davis Road, Tarneit VICTORIA 3029 PH: (03) 8015 4707

Sri Lanka DAILY MIRROR: www.dailymirror.lk DAILY NEWS: www.dailynews.lk THE ISLAND: www.island.lk

SHEPPARTON Gurdwara Sahib Shepparton 240 Doyles Road, Shepparton VICTORIA 3603 PH: (03) 5821 9309

Nepal THE HIMALAYAN TIMES: www.thehimalayantimes.com KANTIPUR NATIONAL DAILY:

JAIN Melbourne Shwetambar Jain Sangh Inc 3 Rice Street, Moorabbin, Vic - 3189, Australia. Phone: +61 3 9555 2439

D E C E M B E R

info@melbournejainsangh.org http://www.melbournejainsangh.org MUSLIM Melbourne West Mosque 66-68 Jeffcott Street, Melbourne Ph: 03 9328 2067 Broadmeadows Mosque 45-55 King Street, Broadmeadows Ph 03 9359 0054 Islamic Call Society 19 Michael Street, Brunswick Ph: 03 9387 7100 Islamic Centre of Australia 660 Sydney Road, Brunswick Ph 03 9385 8423 Australian Islamic Cultural Centre 46-48 Mason Street, Campbellfield Ph: 03 9309 7605 Coburg ISNA Mosque 995 Sydney Road, Coburg North Coburg Mosque (Fatih Mosque) 31 Nicholson Street, Coburg Ph 03 9386 5324 Deer Park Mosque 283 Station Road, Deer Park Ph 03 9310 8811 United Migrant Muslim Assn.

72 George Road, Doncaster Ph 03 9842 6491, Footscray West Mosque 294 Essex Street, Footscray Glenroy Musala 1st Floor, 92 Wheatsheaf Road, Glenroy Heidelberg Mosque Corner Lloyd & Elloits Streets, West Heidelberg Islamic College of Victoria (Mosque) 201 Sayers Road, Hoppers Crossing Ph 03 9369 6010 Huntingdale Mosque 320-324 Huntingdale Road, Huntingdale Ph 03 9543 8037 Al Nur Mosque 34-36 Studley Street, Maidstone Meadow Heights Mosque Hudson Circuit, Meadow Heights Springvale Mosque 68 Garnworthy Street, Springvale

EMERGENCY CONTACTS EMERGENCY CONTACTS Police, Fire & Abulance ........................

000 Victoria State Emergency Service (SES).......................................

132 500 Traffic hazards and freeway conditions..........................

13 11 70 Gas escape...........................................

132 771 Poisons information........................

13 11 26 Maternal and Child Line................

13 22 29 Parentline...........................................

13 22 89 Kids Help Line.........................

1800 551 800 Lifeline (provides confidential telephone counselling).................

13 11 14 Suicide Help Line....................

1300 651 251 Animal Emergencies..................

9224 2222

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HIGH COMMISSION FOR PAKISTAN,CANBERRA 4 Timbarra Crescent, O’Malley ACT 2606 (Australia), Tel: 61-2-62901676, 61-2-62901676, 62902769, 62901879 & 62901031, Fax: 61-262901073 Email: parepcanberra@internode. on.net, Postal Address: PO Box 684, Mawson ACT 2607 (Australia)

Sri Lanka Consulate 32A Brunswick Street ,Walkerville 5081 Melbourne , Phone: 9898-6760, 9248-1228 Email: rodney@techno.net.au

Bangladesh High Commission, Canberra 43, Culgoa Circuit, O’Malley, ACT-2606 Canberra, Australia, Ph: (61-2) 6290-0511, (612) 6290-0522, (61-2)6290-0533 (Auto hunting).

Fax : (61-2) 6290-0544 E-Mail :hoc@bhcanberra.com Consulate of Nepal, Melbourne Email: cyonzon@nepalconsulate.net.au Level 7, 28-32 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Ph: (03) 9650 8338 Email: info@nepalconsulate.net.au SBS1 – Daily NDTV News - 11 am - Monday to Saturday. (From New Delhi, India).

TV News/programs Hindi News Urdu news SBS1 - PTV News – 9.30 am - Every Sunday – (From Pakistan).

Readymades Roshan’s Fashions 68-71 Foster Street, Dandenong, Vic 3175 Ph: (03) 9792 5688 Raj Rani Creations 83-A Foster Street, Dandenong, Vic 3175 Ph: (03) 9794 9398 Heritage India 54-56 Foster Street, Dandenong, Vic 3175, Ph: (03) 9791 9227 Site: heritageindia.net.au

DVDs, Music CDs & Film Stuff Baba Home Entertainment 52C Foster St., Dandenong 3175, (03) 97067252 Essence of India 76 Foster St., Dandenong 3175 (03) 87744853; 0413707685 Accountants & Loans Deepak & Associates Suite 4 & 6, Bldg.6, Hamilton Place, Mont Waverley 3149, (03) 9807 5992; 0402459174; 0411733737

southSouth asia times 33 Asia Times

quick community guide

D E C E M B E R

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contd from previous page All Banking Needs Rakesh Raizada Commonwealth Bank (Indian Banking) Ground Floor, 378 Burwood Highway Burwood East 3151 Mobile: 0434470095 Email: rakesh.raizada@cba.com.au Immigration iVisa Consulting Level 5, 45 William St. Melb.

Mobile: 0409504094 www.ivisaconsulting.com.au 1st Migration PL, Suite 110, Level 1, 672 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn Vic 3122 Travel Agents Gaura Travels 1300 FLY INDIA or 1300 359 463 info@gauratravel.com.au Supa Cheap Travel 381 Burwood Road, Hawthorn 3122 Ph: (03) 98194656; Mobile: 0420201155 info@supacheaptravel.com.au www.supacheaptravel.com.au Mann Travel 329 Clayton Road, Clayton 3168 info@manntravel.com.au www.manntravel.com.au Travel House 284 Clayton Road, Clayton 3168 Ph: (03) 95435123, Mobile: 0425803071 mail@travelhouse.com.au Solicitors/Barristors Vernon Da Gama & Associates 28 Fromer St. Beltleigh 3204 Ph: (03) 95038046; Fax: (03) 95038047 Mobile: 0401407280/042193100 Email: vernondagama@msn.com

VIEW POINT

South Asia Times

ociinfo.inau@vfshelpline.com CONSULAR SERVICES (Passport, Visa, OCI, PIO & Miscellaneous) Please note that all these consular services are handled by VFS Global (Indian Passport and Visa Service Centre) The Consulate General of India in Melbourne will continue to provide to residents of Victoria and Tasmania the following consular services, for which applications would have to be lodged directly with the Consulate: Miscellaneous OCI Services â&#x20AC;˘ Miscellaneous Consular Services (such as attestation of documents, transfer of visas from old to new passport, affidavits, birth certificates, life certificates, certificate required to transport ashes or mortal remains to India etc) IMPORTANT: The Consulate does not accept credit cards, EFTPOS, personal cheques or company cheques. Please send only money orders or bank cheques with applications sent through the post. Cash payments are accepted only at the counter.

WORKING HOURS General Working Hours 9.00 am to 5.30 pm Monday to Friday, Consular Working Hours 09.30 am to 12.30 pm Monday to Friday, (except on public holidays observed by the consulate) International Students International Student Care Service (ISCS) www.multicultural.vic.gov.au/iscs Ph: 1800 056 449 Emergency Services Police, Fire, Ambulance............................000 Crime Stoppers......................1800 333 000 Property st Property PL, Suite 110, Level 1,672 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn Vic 3122

INDIAN CONSULATE (MELBOURNE) Address : 344, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia , P.O. Box No: 33247 Domain LPO Vic 3004 General phone: +61-3- 96827836 Fax No: + 61-3- 96968251 Web site: www.cgimelb.org PHONE NUMBERS Phone Number for General Consular Enquiries(operational only during Consular Working Hours i.e. 0930 hrs to 1230 hrs, Monday to Friday) For PCC and PCC and Driving License Verification enquiries 03- 96825800 02 8223 9908/ 1900 969 969 Email ID for General Consular Enquiries consular@cgimelb.org Visa enquiries: visainfo.inau@vfshelpline.com Passport/Police Clearance Certificate/ Driving License Enquiries passportinfo. inau@vfshelpline.com, OCI/PIO Enquiries

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South Asia Times south asia 34 South Asia Timestimes

Business

D E C E M B E R

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Suneet Singh Tuli: Bridging the digital divide N ew Delhi: He has a penchant for setting records. And one can see why. Back in the early 90s, when Suneet Singh Tuli was barely out of college and working with his brother on a new line of business, the duo encountered a challenge – sales! They did hire management specialists with experience in sales and marketing, but they were unable to do much. The fax machines designed for construction engineering sector were not selling.

Suneet Tuli decided to try a novel way. He pitched these fax machines as the World’s Largest to the Guinness Book of World Records.

The idea paid off brilliantly.

“I did not have a marketing background. I did engineering.

But I knew you had to drive awareness and sales will follow.

Guinness happened, sales started to roll and in two years we were out with an IPO,” says Suneet Tuli. He was 26 then and has never looked back. In 2010, he shot to global fame when his company, DataWind, won the tender from the Government of India to design the world’s cheapest tablet computer, Aakash. Today, the 44-year old is leading the march to bridge digital divide by providing low cost computing solutions for millions of people across the world.

Born in Ludhiana to a middle class entrepreneurial family, Suneet’s family moved to Iran in the 1970s. His father took engineering construction projects there and his early childhood was spent in Teheran. Due to political instability in the country and the violence later on, the Tuli’s decided to move across continents to North West Canada. “Everything was vastly different from what we had seen or experienced.

In fact, these were parts of Canada which did not even speak English. They had their own native language.They never saw a guy wearing a turban. They would say, it is summer season now, you can remove it,” he says. They spent their childhood in an environment of construction engineering.

Having completed his schooling, Suneet went on to do Civil Engineering from University of Toronto. He then joined his brother, Raja Tuli, who had started a fax machine business, WideCom, which later got listed on the NASDAQ. “We got offer from Xerox before the IPO to buy our company. We rejected it and wanted to do it on our own,” he says. By 1997, they added scanners and plotters to the business. However, the company later got delisted from the stock exchange and

A silent revolution in Tripura

By Gopikumar Gopi

A

Agartala: I had the opportunity to visit the ‘Durgabari’ tea garden in Tripura which is being successfully run by a cooperative society of garden workers.

In 1980s this tea garden was abandoned by the management and the workers in the garden with the help of the CITU union formed a Cooperative Society and put their labour and minds, developed the garden as their household and now it is the only tea garden paying income tax.

The facilities and the benefits are good compared to other private players, particularly ration , rice is being given for 64 paisa per kg, Atta for 30 paisa per kilo, electricity , housing, and education for the wards are free. The cooperative society has recently acquired another abandoned tea garden. It is a classic example of proper planning and hard work and workers participation in the management. When the other private estate managements all in the country are showing losses and denying the benefits to the workers this society run by the workers is giving a 25 per cent bonus each year. www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

is now privately held. He says, “Your first good idea, you are so conscience about protecting it. You are not willing to let it fly off. You hold on to it too tight.”

By the turn of the century, the internet caught Suneet’s attention. “We got excited that internet could be everywhere.

This is something that would be very powerful and is something for sure going to play a larger role,” he says.

DataWind, the company was founded in 2001 and one of its most talked about product was, “Pocket Surfer”. You can call it the precursor to the present day tablet. “By 2002, we had 38 international and US patents.

We received 18 US patents around data wind,” he adds.

Today, DataWind has shaken the market of tablets and is being seen as the answer to bridging the digital divide in the world. “Around the world and at various forums, the Indian example is cited.

Countries want to follow the India model of providing low cost computing to masses,” he says. He attributes his success to his parents, perseverance and focus on value creation.

His is a close knit family. Suneet shuttles between India (office in Amritsar and a fabrication unit), United Kingdom (DataWind Head Quarter) and Canada (his home).

—India Connect, OFIC

D E C E M B E R

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business

Hrithik Roshan to promote new lifestyle casual wear

By our business reporter

M

umbai: In a deal set to revolutionise the celebrity brand licensing space, Bollywood’s stylish super star Hrithik Roshan has tied-up with the multi-platform entertainment management company Exceed and business development and brand extension agency, The Wild East Group, to launch an initiative pillared around fitness and fashion - ‘HRx - Push Your Extreme’, representing India's first celebrity brand extension project of this stature and the establishment of an active and sports inspired casual wear market in India.

Afsar Zaidi, Founder & Managing Director of Exceed, a company that began as a consolidated talent agency promoting the international profile of stars such as Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan and Bipasha Basu before diversifying into live event management, sports hospitality, licensing and merchandising, entertainment projects and creating business ventures for artists, together with Sid Shah of The Wild East Group, focused on building new businesses for iconic brands such as Playboy, Times of India, Paul Frank, and Kolkata Knight Riders, conceptualised and launched Hrithik Roshan's active lifestyle apparel and casual wear brand HRx, which will be sold and manufactured exclusively

by Myntra.com, a leading e-commerce platforms in India for fashion and lifestyle products.

Signifying the exquisiteness, the brand logo is inspired by Hrithik Roshan’s initials ‘HR’ and ‘X’ implies the ‘extreme’ touch. HRx epitomises fashion, fitness and flair, which the stylish and suave Hrithik Roshan is known for, across the globe. HRx together also represents an extreme state of mind that inspires one to be the best version of themselves.

The model Exceed and The Wild East Group have conceptualised for HRx, has positioned it as the first celebrity brand extension in India, thought-through and built in the same way heritage brands are in Western Countries, where licensees will be appointed in different categories bringing in specific expertise. Cases include Jordan, Jay-Z who experience annual retail sales of $700 million USD, to Li-Ning, the second

southSouth asia times 35 Asia Times

largest sports company in China and Britney Spears Fragrance which has had over $1 billion USD sales worldwide.

Commenting on the launch of the brand, Hrithik Roshan said: “I always envisioned HRx to be a platform that could inspire people to bring out their best and to never give up. My team, Afsar Zaidi from Exceed and Sid Shah from The Wild East Group have taken my philosophy and turned it into a brand." The acute planning and launch strategy for HRx reflected the findings of a market research report conducted

by IMRB on 10,000 people across India and represented the general zeitgeist of the Indian consumer. Some of the macro-economic trends the report unveiled included the fact that the Indian consumer placed growing importance on wellbeing and fitness and there was a need for quality products that encompass a true-to-message philosophy they could identify with.

Speaking about the launch of HRx, Afsar Zaidi, Founder and Managing Director of Exceed, said: ‘We are thrilled to be pairing with Hrithik Roshan on the launch of his new clothing brand HRx. Exceed together with The Wild East Group have been at the forefront of driving forward the brand creation, strategy and development of Hrithik’s new brand and initiative, which will be centered around fitness and fashion. We have worked in partnership with Hrithik the entire way through and all involved are happy. We have started off with the active and casual wear apparel market and HRx will be diversifying into other areas that lend to the Brand DNA and its motto of Push Your Extreme.

The men’s apparel market size in India is estimated at circa $32 billion USD with the sports and active wear market size being circa $1.2 Billion USD, experiencing a year on year growth of circa 35%. Currently four international brands control 80 per cent of the market share however HRx has the potential to tap a fast growing market segment, its unique selling point being its design and pricing to make the brand aspirational yet affordable for the masses.

The HRx range has something to suit every taste, and combines film star chic with versatility and affordability. These are just some of the reasons why HRx has the potential to attain a market share.

—SAT News Service www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9095 6220, 0421 677 082

south asia 36 South Asia Timestimes

business

D E C E M B E R

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Illicit Capital leaving developing countries up by 14 percent

By Carey L. Biron

W

ASHINGTON, Dec 12 2013 (IPS) - Developing countries are likely losing more than a trillion dollars a year in “illicit financial flows” stemming from crime and corruption, according to new estimates. This fast-rising figure is already 10 times the total amount of foreign aid these countries are receiving.

Between 2002 and 2011, governments in the developing world are thought to have lost a total of almost six trillion dollars, largely due to poor governance and lax regulation, according to Global Financial Integrity (GFI), a Washington-based watchdog.

Included in its estimates are ill-gotten wealth from purposefully incorrect trade invoices, the use of shell companies and tax havens, and other accounting gimmicks.

“This gives further evidence to the notion that illicit financial flows are the most devastating economic issue impacting the global South,” Raymond W. Baker, GFI’s president, stated in the introduction to a report released Wednesday, calling the numbers a “wake-up call to world leaders on the urgency with which illicit financial flows must be addressed.”

Particularly worrying is the fact that the rate at which these outward flows have been growing appears to be increasing substantially.

In 2002, for instance, the earliest year that GFI’s researchers have examined, illicit financial flows are thought to have been around 270.3 billion dollars. By 2011, the latest year for which estimates are available, that figure had grown to 946.7 billion dollars, and has likely increased since then.

When adjusted for inflation, this translates into an average growth of more than 10 percent a year, while the 2011 number constituted a 13.7 percent increase over 2010.

“Outflows have certainly been increasing,” Dev Kar, GFI’s chief economist and a co-author of the new report, told IPS. “During the economic crisis both imports and exports declined, but as economic activity

has recovered so too have these outflows.”

Kar also cautions that the GFI estimates are likely conservative.

They include neither unofficial (“hawala”) financial flows nor largescale cash transactions, and as such are unable to offer a glimpse of broader underworld economies, including drug or human trafficking.

Asia is seen as having the most significant problems, accounting for around 40 percent of all illicit outflows from developing countries.

While Africa’s share was only around seven percent in 2011, the continent did have the highest ratio of average illicit flows to gross domestic product, at around 5.7 percent.

With Africa also the world’s most aid-dependent region, an increasing concern for many is how to staunch the flow of some of this illicit capital so it can be ploughed back into public sector spending such as on health, education and public infrastructure.

Shadow systems

Major development institutions have started paying attention to such discrepancies. The humanitarian group Oxfam estimates that some 32 trillion dollars are currently sitting in tax havens around the world, for instance, and suggests that taxes on this sum could raise nearly 190 billion dollars a year.

“Governments should agree to end global hunger by 2025 and an end to

tax havens, which could help pay for this and much more,” Stephen Hale, advocacy head for Oxfam, said in a statement. “Tax-dodging effectively takes food from hungry mouths.”

The past year has actually seen notable moves by the international community to close down certain avenues used to hide or shield unreported wealth from prying states. Major multilateral groupings including the Group of Eight (G8) rich countries and the Group of 20 (G20) industrialised countries, for instance, have put tax abuse at the top of their list of priorities.

This summer, a high-level United Nations panel negotiating the next phase of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), for which the deadline is 2015, stated that one of its highest priorities would be tackling the abuse of offshore tax havens and illicit financial flows.

The following month, nearly a dozen EU members agreed to the world’s first multilateral system of tax information exchange, based on similar bilateral U.S. requirements passed three years ago.

“The fact that illicit financial flows are being mentioned in the G20 and other international organisations – that didn’t exist before,” Brian LeBlanc, a junior economist with GFI and a co-author of the new report, told IPS. “Earlier, these issues were seen solely as a developing country problem but now we’re seeing

developed countries taking action. So we’re making some progress.”

Yet transparency advocates urge that far more needs to be done, and GFI’s Kar says that he expects the moves that have been taken so far will have little impact on illicit financial flows in the near term.

“The G20 has basically not tackled the shadow financial system, which remains largely intact – there have been no moves to improve transparency, not much has been done on tax havens or blind trusts,” he says.

“Importantly, much of the conversation currently focuses on developed rather than developing countries. We believe that governance factors are the main engines of illicit flows, and in the major countries governance is simply not improving – in fact, it’s deteriorating in many countries.”

GFI has now put out research on illicit financial flows for several years in a row. Yet Kar says the startling estimates presented appear to have made little impact on government officials in many developing countries, even as state coffers in those countries continue to struggle in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.

“In most countries it’s had almost zero impact, with government officials refusing even to acknowledge that this is a problem. Malaysia, for example, will only say that our estimates are overstated,” Kar says, noting that Malaysia ranked fourth on GFI’s list of the largest exporters of illicit capital.

“There remains a powerful, corrupt nexus between politicians and business, covering the financing of elections, non-transparency of business conduct, kickbacks in government contracting,” Kar added.

“These are huge issues, and we expect a long process before countries come to accept the fact that illicit flows are a problem – and then to move to implement policies to deal with the situation.”

FOR QUOTATION

"Illicit financial flows are the most devastating economic issue impacting the global South."

—Raymond W. Baker

Robb rejects diluting Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

By News Desk

M

elbourne: Substantial progress has been made in advancing Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) negotiations, but improved market access remains fundamental to Australia’s negotiating position.

Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb has just returned from a four day TPP Ministerial Meeting in Singapore involving 12 participating countries.

“This was a very productive four days and while potential landing zones have been identified for a

number of outstanding issues, the negotiations remain a work in progress,” Mr Robb said.

“I have been clear from the outset that Australia is very determined to see an ambitious market access outcome, in fact it remains fundamental to the successful completion of negotiations.”

Australia is seeking a comprehensive outcome that includes better market access for our agricultural commodities, commercially meaningful outcomes for Australian service providers and investors as well as improved rules regarding global value chains.

TPP members represent 40 per cent of global GDP and Australian exports to member countries are annually worth around $100 billion – 33 per cent of our global export trade.

Mr Robb said it was disappointing that there had been a considerable amount of deliberate misinformation circulated about Australia’s supposed negotiating positions.

“I, for example, categorically reject any suggestion that we would accept an outcome that would adversely affect our Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) or our health system more generally,” he said.

“We have also said repeatedly

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that in regard to intellectual property, including copyright, we would not be supporting provisions that would criminalise conduct that is currently lawful in Australia; suggestions to the contrary are simply wrong.

“A successful TPP outcome can deliver enormous benefits for Australia and my primary focus is to advance our national interest not to compromise it,” Mr Robb said.

The government will continue its extensive stakeholder consultations which has included more than 590 briefings since May 2011.

—Based on media release

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