Jun 2014

LETTERS MATTER

TO THE TEAM OF ACHIEVERS…

I am a Resident of Dubai, and its my habit to read each and every issue of yours, especially the special feature. As a native of India, I feel very impressive with your portrayal of Dubai’s beauty, the desert safari, and the feature about the holy Grand Gurudwara. One suggestion though. As you have a website as well, I would request you and your team to inform us in advance about what all you intend to feature in your forthcoming issue as well, which will indeed serve many of your readers well. ank you, All the best.

Gursharanjit Kaur, Emirates.

SWASTIKA, A GREAT ARTICLE …

I am Subramaniyan from Kerala. I was in the North due to the polls during AprilMay, and I came across your magazine in a Hotel lobby. It is great that you are publishing features and articles about successful Indians at home and abroad, and sharing their stories to inspire us. I also see that you and your magazine team has a firm grasp of history, heritage and culture. Yes, I am talking about the symbol “Swastika”. It was a great article and the author has narrated the value of swastika and the dynasties which used this as a symbol of their recognition. I wholeheartedly appreciate the work you are doing, and I wish you a great success.

Subramaniyan Vishwanathan, Trissur

Q&A COLUMN ON REAL ESTATE, KEEP UP WITH IT !

Dear Editor, I write you from New York, USA. I had the opportunity to read your May issue, in which you have published a Q&A column on Real Estate by an expert. It is a good idea, and will be both informative and helpful to NRIs, when they contemplate any investment in real estate or in property in the homeland. I think it should continue every month, and become a regular feature of your magazine, unlike the legal and sports columns, which appear in fits and starts. On the subject of real estate, I request you to also publish ballpark land values by regions and information about key and interesting projects in those regions by developers, it will help us take decisions about investing as and when we are inclined for it. ank you.

C R V Rao, New York City.

DO WRITE ON MODI !

I am a regular reader of your magazine, and its nice to hear that you reach several lakhs of people across the globe with your message. A er a long period of policy paralysis and plunging sentiment in the Indian economy, at long last we now have a stable government not subject to the vagaries of coalition politics, with Modi and his team ensconced in the saddle firmly. Many like me here would be curious to know what plans Modi has for reviving sentiment, and what he is going to do to bring NRIs closer to his dream of India. And let me tell you, there is plenty of entrepreneurial skill here, which is keen to return and start businesses in India. Do feature these in your upcoming issues. Wishing you a great future …

Nina Chabbria, Middlesex, UK

ACCHE

DIN AANE WAALE HAIN ...

Democracy has had it's say, and India's 1.3 Billion strong populace has had its way. e verdict has swept out an incumbent UPA-2 government led by the congress, and put a NDA government led by Narendra Damodardas Modi in its place, that too with an absolute majority. While a decimated UPA is 'introspecting' on it's waning popularity, the new Modi government is faced with task of meeting the high expectations it has aroused in a young India with spiralling aspirations its run-up campaign to the elections ... And true to its word, Prime Minister Modi hit the ground running, and pulled a major diplomatic coup, when eight heads of state of India's immediate neighbourhood agreed to be guests of honour at the swearing-in of the new government. On day two, bilateral talks were held, as Modi accentuated his foreign policy agenda, to be a prominant, but not dominant power in the region. Day three saw a lean and mean team being put in place, in line with Modi's slogan of “minimum government, maximum governance.” Day four and ve were spent on stocktaking, seeing the emergence of a 100-day plan with a 10-point agenda to bring the metaphorical Indian ship back on an even keel.

e new government and its new agenda is the subject matter of our Cover Feature in this issue, where we seek to give you the reader the maximum inputs on the new Modi government and his team, and what lies in store on Indian shores over the next few months, with the minimum of fuss, and leave it to you to make your own analysis. is issue also o ers a new guest column, which compliments the political slant of this issue as well, and promises to become a regular feature ... Satire. Do look for it ! at said, we still continue with our diaspora reach, albeit more on a politics related front this time. Our myriad thematic foci also continue, though it is likely you might miss a few of our regular segments due to space constraint like in our previous few issues.

Heritage takes you to the Taj Mahal, and acquaints you with some of the little known facts about the circumstances and the scanarios that prevailed at the time of its building. Silver Screen features an interview with Rohit Shetty, and Special Supplement brings you up close and personal with Aman Nath - artist, restorer, co-founder of INTACH, and the man behind Neemrana hotels. Travelogue takes you to Chail, to walk amoung clouds at an unspoilt nook on the himalayan reaches.

us it is with this issue, and we do hope you will savour reading it for the content mix it brings you. Please do favour us with your support on our outreach, and continue connecting with us, share your thoughts, voice your aspirations, your concerns and your joyous moments, we will reciprocate. Talk to us, like us on social media, email us your personal experiences in lands foreign, our editorial desk awaits to hear from you. Have a great month ahead, until our next issue !

NRI ACHIEVERS ENABLES A DIALOGUE

NRI Achievers grasped the opportunity of the recently concluded elections and the landslide win of the BJP, which has garnered a full majority on the floor of the Lok Sabha, to organise a panel discussion centered on the topic of the 'Importance of Social Equality in the Making of New India' (Bharat ke Navnirman mein Samajik Samrasta ka Mahatva) at the India Internation Centre in Delhi.

Several newly elected BJP MPs, along with a few prominent bureaucrats and representatives of the corporate and business community in the city, were present.

The programme was supported by IDS, an international design and architectural company, based out of Dubai and Noida. This event, which initially was concieved as a facilitation ceremony for newly elected members of parliament, worked out to be quite a successful affair, prompting us to decide to hold such panel discussions more often in the future, where lawmakers, industry and business, and senior officials of government could meet on one single platform and debate, discuss issues that concern different sections of the economy.

PUNJABI NRIs DRAWN TO LOK SABHA POLLS

It has been estimated that more than a thousand Punjabi NRIs from several countries landed up in their home state to participate and canvass during the recently concluded Lok sabha elections. NRIs have come from the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany and France especially for the elections in the state, which went to the polls on April 30th in Punjab. "NRIs are taking a lot of interest in Lok Sabha elections this time. They are keen to have new and a responsive political system, which is why they are participating and helping political parties," says NRI Sabha Punjab President, Jasvir Singh Gill. According to ex-MLA Jassi Khangura, between 1,000 and 1,500 NRIs have especially come for Lok Sabha elections. "NRIs have come in huge number this time. But their strength is not as much as we see in assembly polls," Khangura averred. NRIs have also been seeking the right to vote online, as it was difficult for NRIs to come all the way from foreign lands just for voting purposes.

Political lobbyist Sunil Kumar, Businessman R.K Singh & Newly elected BJP M.P

From Assam Rameshwar Telit

Photo: Rajeev Tyagi

MAKE AN NRI THE OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS MINISTER

A a leading organisation of Indian-Americans has suggested that a NRI be made the Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs. Chairman of the United States India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) Sanjay Puri, is of the opinion that this would help the government connect with the 29-million strong Indian diaspora much better. "... in India when you appoint a Keralite as the Overseas Indian Affairs Minister, the focus is always on the middle-east. If you appoint a Gujarati, the focus will swing to the United

States. So it is better to appoint someone who has a broader perspective of NRIs. Think out of the box, and appoint somebody from the diaspora who could be a NRI minister, who understands the problems of his breed.

A somebody who really knows what NRIs need and want ..." he said. "Today we get NRIs here and give them awards. Why don't we give one of them a Rajya Sabha seat instead ? There are so many people who qualify," he said.

ICICI LAuNCHES TWO SPECIAL ACCOuNTS FOR NRIs

The largest private sector lender ICICI Bank has introduced two more products last month, under its savings accounts for NRIs with additional benefits thrown in. The two new categories, christened NRI Pro and NRI Premia, will offer premium benefits like reservation assistance for hotels, flight booking and access to golf courses, as also preferential rates for and waiver of charges for currency conversion. It did not, however, mention any chargables or minimum balance requirements for these accounts. "We serve over 1.5 million NRIs in 150 plus countries and process over 5 million NRI transactions annually. This experience has given us insights into the lifestyles and aspirations of NRIs, and our products are designed to meet their needs," its executive director Rajeev Sabharwal said. The NRI customers would be able to choose between two types of accounts --- NRE and NRO, for income generated overseas or income generated domestically like rental income.

INDIAN NEW YORKERS CELEBRATE MODI'S WIN

Indian Residents of New York City welcomed the news of the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) win in the Lok Sabha elections led by party prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. "This is the biggest win in 40 years of Indian electoral history. He (Modi) has been the Chief Minister of Gujarat for the past 15 years, and he has done a tremendous job there," says supermarket owner Sharad Agarwal. Modi's landslide win, the most resounding election victory the country has seen in 30 odd years, was welcomed with a rip-roaring rally on India's stock markets and spirited celebrations in New York, where supporters danced to drum beats, wore Modi masks, and handed out sweets.

WILL PCs DISAPPEAR WITHIN FOuR YEARS ?

Recall it wasn't too long ago that the landline was an essential part of every household or office. But the future of the once vaunted technology appears gloomy. A survey of senior IT executives reveals that they see a not-sodistant future in which the landline is buried six feet under. 65% of CIOs in a Virgin Media business study believe the desk telephone will become history thanks to the ubiquitous smartphone. What's more interesting is that almost as many executives - 62% - believe that the PC will disappear around the same time as well. Some think the PC will stay though, and that tablets which most would expect to replace PCs should PCs die, will fall out of fashion as quickly as they came: 24% of executives surveyed believe they will be

seen

as the least likely devices to face abandonment in the office, ac

cording to Virgin. “The pace of change with technology is having a transformative effect on the way we work. A decade ago it would have been unthinkable to suggest an office without telephones. Now it’s hard to imagine being separated from our smartphones ..." says Tony Grace of Virgin.

"The PSTN is today as relevant as morse code," futurologist Peter Cochrane tells the Telegraph. "The PC is a dying species as well. You have got to look forward to all personal computers disappearing. You can expect to see tablets and iPads starting to transcend the laptop."

NRI Achievers Desk

HONEY SINGH AT ‘BRYS BUZZ’ SAMPLE APARTMENT UNVEILING

The Brys Group unveiled a sample apartment of its landmark project ‘Brys Buzz’, North India’s tallest residential tower recently, at a gala event where Yo Yo Honey Singh enthralled the audience with his rap songs. The project is located at Sector 150, Noida, and UAE’s leading 'Arabian Construction Company' is building the iconic tower, which at the highest permissible limit of 292 meters, stands tall with a towering 81 storeys. The tower houses luxury apartments whose interiors have been crafted by Tonino Lamborghini CASA of Italy. Speaking on the occasion, Rahul Gaur, CMD of Brys Group, said, “... this is our flagship project and we have made all efforts to raise the bar on luxury housing in this part of the world. At a time when Indians have emerged as the largest property buyers across the Middle East and London, I feel Brys Buzz is an appropriate answer to bring those highspending buyers back to India. Filled to the

brim with the world’s most ultramodern facilities, this premium luxury housing project is an amalgamation of the world’s best names in the field of architecture, design and engineering. Right from conceptualization to execution, some of the best experts have put in their very best to make Brys Buzz India’s answer to what a destination address ought to be.” Vivek Khurana, the chief architect of this dream project was also there along with several other key team members. Navneet Gaur, Director, Brys Group, explains how the project is a trend-setter in this market: “In terms of location, we are the first-movers to spot the potential of sector 150, Noida, for such an iconic project. We believe the time has come when the Noida market is set to emerge as a new luxury destination. Spread over an area of 7.5 acres, the iconic tower is uniquely designed to make the best of the great scenic view. It comprises of 2 BHK + Study, 3 BHK Gold, 3 BHK Platinum, 3 BHK Villa, 3 BHK Duplex Platinum, 4 BHK, 4BHK Duplex, 5 BHK Duplex, 6 BHK and 6 BHK Duplex apartments. The sizes of the apartments range from 3000 sq. ft. to 8250 sq. ft., and the price of the apartments start from INR. 12,500 per sq. ft.

SBI & ICICI BANK CHIEFS ON FORBES LIST

The SBI (State Bank of India) Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya and the ICICI Bank Managing Director Chanda Kochhar are among the five women from India who have been featured in Forbes' 100 most-powerful women in the world, a list topped by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Bhattacharya is ranked 36th while Kochhar is 43rd. Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is ranked 92nd. PepsiCo’s India- born chief Indra Nooyi is 13th while Cisco’s chief technology and strategy officer Padmasree Warrier is ranked 71st. Forbes said that as the head of India’s largest lender with about UD$ 380 billion in assets, Bhattacharya holds one of the most-powerful positions in Asia. “Not only is she the first woman appointed to the position, but she is also the youngest at age 57,” it said. Bhattacharya has served in almost every function within the company, including foreign exchange, treasury, retail operations, human resources and investment banking.

ROYAL ENFIELD SALES HIT TOP SPEEDS

India’s popular motorcycle marque, Royal Enfield, has begun the new financial year on a positive note, for Eicher Motors Ltd, parent company of Royal Enfield, has reported its highest ever total income from operations at INR 1924.2 crores, highest ever EBIDTA at INR 174.2 crores and highest ever PAT at INR 156.2 crores for the quarter ending March 31, 2014. This includes the masterful performance of Royal Enfield which saw an 85 percent jump in demand, with the company selling 64,268 motorcycles during the first three months of this year, as compared to just 34,736 units from the corresponding

period last year. In India, Royal Enfield bikes command a cult-following and is the preferred motorcycle for the country’s touring community. Last year, the company introduced its latest model, the Royal Enfield Continental GT, its lightest, fastest, and most powerful motorcycle in production. The company is undergoing a metamorphosis, right from the approach to its products to the product line-up itself. Sources close to the company reveal that Royal Enfield has more surprises in store, and will be announcing them shortly after the new logo and brand identity is unveiled.

BMW GROUP HAS BEST EVER DELIVERIES

According to BMW, the Bavarian auto major, a total of 162,093 BMW, Mini, and Rolls Royce vehicles were delivered to customers in April, an increase of 4.3% over the same month last year, making it the best April ever. Year-to-date Group sales climbed 7.5% to a new high, with 649,118 vehicles delivered in the first four months of the year. “The BMW Group achieved record sales in April, keeping us on track to achieve our aim of delivering our best ever year with more than two million vehicles sold in 2014”, said Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG. “I am particularly pleased that the sales of our new BMW 2 and 4 Series cars are doing well, proving that these brand new models are appealing to our customers”, Robertson added. The BMW Group expects to launch a total of 16 new or revised models this year.

AWARD

The Caparo Group, founded by NRI Industrialist Lord Swraj Paul, has won the International Business of the Year award 2014 at the Asian Business Awards, Midlands, in Birmingham, UK.

Receiving the award on behalf of the company recently, Lord Paul's daughter Anjli Paul dedicated it to her younger sister Ambika. "My family and I would

like to dedicate this award to my younger sister, Ambika, who is sadly no longer with us, but without whom there would not have been a Caparo company. We would all like to remember Ambika on this occasion and thank you sincerely for the award," Anjli said.

Lord Paul arrived in London in 1966 in search of a cure for his fourth child Ambika, who was suffering from leukaemia.

After overcoming the trauma of the death of his daughter, Lord Paul set up Caparo, which is today the largest family-owned business in Britain.

NRI Achievers Desk

CAPARO GROUP WINS INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Ctrl + Alt + Delete ...

... India Reboots

Rahul Gandhi's many clever one-lines during the course of the long drawn out election campaign of 2014, like, ‘India is a beehive’, 'India is not just a place but it is a thought’, ‘poverty is just a state of mind' ... these quotable quotes have o invited praise and admiration from some and derison from others. But this one which he made on the 22nd of August, 2013 takes the cake both for its allegory value as well as its aptness for the present. He asserted that the Congress party captures the essence of the nation like none other, and went on to say, “If India is a computer, then Congress is its default program.”

Rahul Gandhi's many clever one-lines during the course of the long drawn out election campaign of 2014, like, ‘India is a beehive’, 'India is not just a place but it is a thought’, ‘poverty is just a state of mind' ... these quotable quotes have o invited praise and admiration from some and derison from others. But this one which he made on the 22nd of August, 2013 takes the cake both for its allegory value as well as its aptness for the present. He asserted that the Congress party captures the essence of the nation like none other, and went on to say, “If India is a computer, then Congress is its default program.”

Let us analyse. On the one hand, before we dismiss this as yet another 'rahulism' — there is no gainsaying that it does make sense. Because the sad state 'Comp-India' is in right now could only have been brought about by a 'default program' as archaic and outmoded as the 'propreitary' dynasty-ruled Congress party.

Let us analyse. On the one hand, before we dismiss this as yet another 'rahulism' — there is no gainsaying that it does make sense. Because the sad state 'Comp-India' is in right now could only have been brought about by a 'default program' as archaic and outmoded as the 'propreitary' dynasty-ruled Congress party.

We presume Rahul actually meant 'operating system' when he said 'default program.' And if our presumption is right, it does make sense a er all. India for long has been in dire need of a 'better,' leaner & more e cient OS, capable of executing a rapid cleanup of the deepest recesses of this now-corrupted Comp-India's system. e Indian people also seem to have taken the anology of this rahulism to heart, and have responded by rebooting India into an 'alternative' OS. Lets see how the performance of this new 'default program' shapes up in meeting our aspirations ...

We presume Rahul actually meant 'operating system' when he said 'default program.' And if our presumption is right, it does make sense a er all. India for long has been in dire need of a 'better,' leaner & more e cient OS, capable of executing a rapid cleanup of the deepest recesses of this now-corrupted Comp-India's system. e Indian people also seem to have taken the anology of this rahulism to heart, and have responded by rebooting India into an 'alternative' OS. Lets see how the performance of this new 'default program' shapes up in meeting our aspirations ...

Photo : Rajeev Tyagi

CAN MODI REBOOT INDIA ?

Moot points really, only history can provide meaningful answers to such questions. Crystal gazing is best done in hindsight. Right at this point of time, all we know and all we need to know is that the 2014 parliamentary elections have catapulted Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) into power with a thumping majority that has raised expectations sky-high. The onus is now on the new Prime Minister and his team to live up to their poll promises of providing good governance and ushering in a new era of progress and prosperity.

Modi has attempted to hit the ground running by displaying the same energy that was the hallmark of his remarkably dramatic and innovative election campaign. Even before he was sworn-in as the new Prime Minister, he transformed the oath taking ceremony into a mega-event by inviting leaders from neighbouring countries to attend. It was nothing short of a diplomatic master-stroke. But once again, only time can tell if it leads to lessening of tensions in South Asian, though it suceeds in sending out a clear signal that India under Modi intends to play a 'prominent' if not 'dominant' role in regional affairs.

Immediately after taking charge as Prime Minister, Modi lost no time in setting out his agenda and selecting his team of Ministers and Advisors. Many observers noted some striking similarities between Narendra Modi’s approach to governance and former US President Ronald Reagan’s style of functioning. During the Reagan Administration, from 1981 to 1989, the motto was: “Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere as long as the policy you've decided upon is being carried out”.

Even during the 13 years that he reigned as Chief Minister of Gujarat, from 2001 to 2014, Modi’s maxim was exactly the same. The way he put it in a television interview during the Lok Sabha election campaign was: “As Chief Minister, I really had no work. I looked for the right man for the right job, told him what I wanted done and

then gave him a free hand to get on with it, with instructions that he should come back to me only if faced with a hurdle which he could not overcome”.

Within his first week in New Delhi, Modi went about doing just that at the national level. He began looking around for the best people he could find and appointed them to key jobs suited to their core competencies. Significantly, he has given the post of National Security Advisor to Ajit Doval, reputedly the finest strategic analyst available in the country with a James Bond-like undercover field experience to boot. He also zeroed in on an equally top notch Foreign Policy Advisor. Modi’s Cabinet selection and portfolio distribution also has, by and large, the look and feel of a team of movers, shakers and doers. The brief is to think big and act fast, the accent is on getting results, and mark, no excuses. And come to Modi only if you face roadblocks.

The comparison with Roland Reagan is relevant in other ways too, as in the public image of both men during their respective election

Is Narendra Modi the best thing that could have happened to India? Does he possess the vision and vitality to inject a new sense of dynamism in the world’s largest democracy? Or, is this land of 1.2 billion people too big, too diverse and too full of internal disparities and contradictions for one man to make a difference? Raman Swamy embarks on a short analysis ...

campaigns. Reagan, a Republican candidate, was criticized by Democrats as an “extreme Rightist” but conservative American voters swept him into power in the hope that he would reboot the country’s economy. Modi, too, aroused deeply divergent opinions - his detractors virtually demonized him and his supporters hero-worshipped him. In the end, he won the elections with the largest tally of seats in Parliament since Rajiv Gandhi in 1984. The reference to Rajiv Gandhi is also pertinent because there are some commentators who are advising Modi not to make the same mistakes as Gandhi did. With more than 400 seats the Congress had a huge majority. The largest Opposition party at that time was the Telugu Desam with just 30 Members. Different historians proffer different reasons for the fall of the Rajiv Gandhi government, but it was in all probability due to the fact that he could not gauge the public outrage over Bofors corruption charges. Just as three decades later, in the recently concluded 2014 polls, his wife Sonia and son Rahul evidently underestimated people’s anger over corruption scandals and policy paralysis. As far as Modi is concerned, he must guard against the hidden dangers of having a weak and ineffectual Opposition in the Lok Sabha. In Rajiv Gandhi's case it led to complacency, a degree of arrogance, and a growing disconnect with the moods and aspirations of the people. But judging by the way Modi has begun his innings as the new leader,

he is probably conscious of the historical precedent and will, hopefully, be careful to ensure that he fulfils his electoral promise of ushering in an era of all-round growth and prosperity by providing good governance, full transparency and guaranteed implementation of policy decisions. He has pledged to consult State Governments every step of the way, in the spirit of genuine federalism. He has also effectively wrested control of his party apparatus and directed BJP general secretaries to remain in constant contact with the common man.

Ronald Reagan once famously said: “Government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem”.

Narendra Modi’s dictum is not dissimilar: “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance”. He lost no time in asking all the senior bureaucrats to make compact presentations focused on three points -“What went wrong in policy implementation during the past five years? Why did policy paralysis set in? If you had been given the authority, what would you have done differently?”

Simultaneously, and somewhat at variance with his self-professed belief in delegating decision-making powers, he has sent out the signal that his will be a PMO-driven government in several key areas, at least for now. What this implies will only become apparent in the days and months ahead, but he has already made known his dislike and disapproval of the previous government’s practice of forming Groups of Ministers and Empowered Groups of Ministers by scrapping all such GoMs and EgoMs. Dr. Manmohan Singh viewed such Cabinet Committees as a way of resolving interministerial wrangling through a single window clearance mechanism. Modi

evidently has other ideas. He has clubbed together diverse but related Ministries and entrusted them to individual Ministers with instructions to reconcile differing perceptions, take clear-cut decisions and ensure delivery and implementation. No excuses.

This again is almost a replica of Ronald Reagan’s thought processes. Interestingly though, it needs to be recalled that one of Reagan’s first acts as president was to issue an executive order ending price controls on domestic oil, price controls which had contributed to the 1973 Oil Crisis and the 1979 Energy Crisis. Reagan also controversially focused his first months in office on two goals, tax reforms and increased military spending. The results of Reagan's economic policies plunged the country into a recession in 1982, with unemployment levels soaring during 1982 and 1983. The degree of income inequity in America also rose substantially due to these policies. Despite Reagan's stated desire to cut spending, federal spending grew during his administration. However, by the end of Reagan's second term, the seventh year of the economic expansion, the United States recovered to impressive economic growth and near full employment. All this is relevant in the context of Narendra Modi’s prescription to 'reboot' the Indian economy, which is currently beset by high inflation, industrial slowdown and growing unemployment. There is no painless way to resolve these issues. It calls for drastic remedies that could increase the hardship of some sections of the population in the short run.

Armed with his majority in Parliament and emboldened by public support in the immediate aftermath of the elections, the question is whether Modi can display the courage to wield the surgeon’s knife in politically sensitive areas, such as slashing government subsidies to middle class citizens.

Initially, this will almost certainly cause an outcry of protest from Opposition parties, non-BJP State governments and influential sections of the public. But if, like Reagan, Modi can bite the bullet and weather the storm, in due course of time, the Indian economy can certainly bounce back to high growth, stable prices and job creation. Modinomics would then be hailed as the new magic mantra. If not, the people of India will have to look for another messiah.

NEIGHBOURSPEAK

NEW DAWN FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION ?

A mere 10 days after the results of the longest polls in Indian electoral history were announced and pundits were still absorbing the paradigm change that has happened in Indian politics, the new government pulls off a diplomatic coup of sorts even before assuming office, which sends all the right signals to an international community that is keenly observing developments in the subcontinent. Modi not only assumes office with a 'right-sized' A-Team, but also positions India in a geopolitically prominent position in the homily of nations ...

Even as the swearing in of the new government was on at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan on the 26th of May 2014, the euphoria brought about by the dramatic change in regime and hope on the fulfilment of spiralling aspirations took a backseat, to savour Modi’s masterly move to position India as a truly 'prominent,' if not 'dominant' regional leader via the scoring of an impeccable foreign affairs coup even before his government got on to the gaddi, accomplished through an out-of-the-box decision to invite leaders of SAARC and other immediate neighbours for the swearing-in. That this group of Eight included heads of two troublesome neighbours like Pakistan and Sri Lanka made the exercise an even more interesting and exciting affair. And as for a full two days our media speculated on 'will he?' or 'won't he,' we were of course sure that Pakistan’s Nawaz Sharif would accept the invitation. Why shouldn’t he? After all the Sharif of today has a more pragmatic and sober head on his shoulders than the impetuous Sharif of the late 90s ...

The invitation to the leaders of the neighbourhood provided Modi an excellent opportunity indeed to establish one-to-one contact with them, as a first step in his foreign policy strategy and furthering the intention of playing a key role in regional cooperation and integration into a more cohesive Bloc. And particularly with Pakistan, it served as an ice-breaker in ties that are nearing a freezing point, and a positive step that can pave the way for taking the relationship forward. At one level, it is a very sobering thought indeed, when we note that expectations from the Modi regime are high not merely in India but in the immediate neighbourhood

as well, and that surely does include Pakistan as well. This is quite far removed from those “Mian Musharraf” days, and a striking example of the monumental transformation the BJP leader has wrought in repositioning his party and by corollary himself, as his metamorphosis from being a divisive and polarising leader to the prime minister of a country as diverse and pluralistic as India signifies.

And to underscore our point once again, Modi has, by this single master-stroke and diplomatic coup in inviting the SAARC leaders, including Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, and sending allies in Tamilnadu into a tizzy, Modi has made a signature symbolic statement. If you have travelled the Indian subcontinent, you would surely agree with us on how much there is a love-hate relationship our smaller neighbours have with India. And this includes Bangladesh, which we had ironically, 'liberated.' We have so far been the “big brother,” or if you will allow us to be a bit more sarcastic, the “big bully” of the subcontinent and the SAARC region. An Indian Prime Minister who can change that idiom will surely deserve to have his name permanently etched not merely in the memory of those nations, but also in India's modern history.

Today Modi, with his overwhelming mandate and a strong government stands at the threshold of being able to steer an entire South Asia on a journey of rapid development and universal prosperity, even while changing the fortunes of an India.

So how much of this vast potential for seachange in the region has been grasped by PM Modi and how does he intend to harness it ? we sampled his statements over the past few days and summarise them here:

The invitation to SAARC leaders for the swearing-in of the NDA government was ... “a right decision at the right time.” This first major foreign policy initiative of this government has sent out a message to the world about India's strength ... and the world is still talking about it. The world should realise the strength and might of India's democracy, giving the country its due respect and status ... People have a lot of expectations from the new government and it is the duty of our dispensation to keep pace with those aspirations and excel in delivering the goods. "We have never thought beyond the country's frontiers. We are a big country, we are an old country, and we are indeed a big power. We should make the world realise it. Once we do it, the world will not shy away from ceding us our rightful place” ... in the homily of nations. The initiative of inviting leaders of the neighbourhood for the swearing-in was a means to "give out a message to the world. They are still talking about it as to what happened, how it happened. This shows how much big results a right decision taken at the right time can bring."

We Indians have been waiting patiently since 1947 for our lives to improve, and what ordinary Indians ask for is not too much: a decent education, a good job, adequate

food in their homes, and the ability to live their lives in dignity, safety and peace. Of late, this patience of India has slowly been transitioning into an impatience, as even 60odd years after independence, nothing much has really changed significantly in the lives of our peoples.

Hopefully, this simple man Narendra Damodardas Modi, this man who comes from a simple background and has fought against all odds to reach Number Seven Race Course Road and won, will keep his vision firmly focused on these millions of ordinary Indians even as he ends the policy paralysis and breaks the bonds that shackle the sleeping giant that is India, releasing the powers that reside within. Shades of Rabindranath Tagore ?

NAVIN CHANDRA RAMGOOLAM PRIME MINISTER OF MAURITIUS

Navin Chandra Ramgoolam, Prime Minister of Mauritius, discussed issues of longpending treaty re-negotiation and other mutual concerns with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, during their bilateral meeting on the 27th of May 2014. The major thrust of talks between the two PMs seem to have been more trade-focused than on regional security or other issues.

This was evident from the thematic slant of Ramgoolam's press conference, held after his one-to-one with PM Modi. He has specifically mentioned that Mauritius was determined to allay India’s fears on roundtripping of funds, by incorporating adequate safeguards in the India-Mauritius tax treaty. The PM also said that they have decided to provide automatic exchange of tax-related information to India.

“We have given additional proposals to reassure India that we will not allow anyone to abuse or misuse provisions of the tax treaty … and we have both agreed that there must be a quick resolution to outstanding issues. There is a need for certainty, clarity, and predictability in our dealings, as it is in the interest of both India and Mauritius.”

Mauritius had earlier proposed to introduce a Limitation of Benefit (LoB) clause in the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with India, while India had been of the view that this was 'inadequate' and was insisting on source-based taxation for capital gains, so that it gets the right to tax shortterm capital gains on investments routed through the island nation by residents of other countries.

Ramgoolam said Mauritius had “absolutely no problem” in addressing the LoB issue but

did not give a clear comment when asked whether the specific issue of capital gains tax was discussed with Modi. He said a quick resolution to the issue would remove uncertainties and Mauritius would hope to be back on the top position as the source of FDI in India.

“We will not allow anybody to abuse or misuse our jurisdiction… any Indian company investing in Mauritius has to demonstrate business purpose, commercial value and economic substance,” he said, adding the two leaders discussed many issues of mutual interest besides the DTAA. Ramgoolam also shared that he had invited the Indian Prime Minister to visit Mauritius. The two countries have agreed to have an innovative partnership to strengthen their bilateral relations. The Prime Minister's Office in both countries will set up special cells for effective implementation of ideas. “There are strong ties between India and Mauritius ... we want to strengthen, broaden and deepen

our relations. We (I and Modi) had fruitful discussions ... It is a relationship based on shared values and traditions,” Ramgoolam added.

NAWAZ SHARIF PRIME MINISTER OF

PAKISTAN

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was in Delhi to attend the swearing in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi and his council of ministers on the 26th of may 2014, chose to meet the Indian media after his oneto-one bilateral parley with the Indian PM on the 27th afternoon.

PM Sharif asserted that cooperation rather than confrontation was the only way to move ahead in Pakistan India relations. Speaking of his tete-a-tete with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day, he said, “We had talks in a warm and cordial atmosphere ...” where “I had pointed out that we both were in the beginning of a clear mandate from our respective nations. This provides us the opportunity to fulfil the hopes of the 1.5 billion people of our two countries who want us to focus on development and welfare.”

When queried on the content of their dialogue, sharif said that “Our common agenda is not possible without peace and security. Consequently, it is important for us to work together. Let us change confrontation into cooperation. My government stands ready ... in the spirit of cooperation.”

Going further, he continued: “We owe it to our people to overcome mistrust and enemity. Prime Minister Modi reciprocated my sentiments.

He said that it is incumbent on both of us to work together for the common objective of peace and development. So, lets carry forward our bilateral agenda ... “

As a departing aside, Nawaz Sharif also quipped, “I leave this historic city with a strong sense of anticipation that the people of our two countries will work together for peace and cooperation. Our two foreign secretaries will be meeting soon ...”

MAHINDA RAJAPAKSHA PRESIDENT OF SRI LANKA

In a message to Modi immediately after he

took oath as India's 15th PM, Rajapaksa opined that "... your victory rewards your tireless commitment to serving the people of India. It recognises your inspirational qualities of leadership and represents the hopes and aspirations of the Indian polity."

Rajapaksa has flown in to New Delhi from Colombo to attend the swearing in ceremony on 26th May 2014, and have a bilateral meet with Prime Minister Modi on the next day.

On his closed-doors bilateral meeting with Narendra Modi, Rajapaksa had this to say, "Today, we are united in our struggle against terrorism and nation building efforts. Our two countries enjoy a multifaceted relationship encompassing all areas of contemporary relevance, and India has emerged as a pre-eminent partner in development and commercial activities across Sri Lanka.”

President Mahinda Rajapaksa had briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sri Lanka's initiatives to achieve reconciliation with the minority Tamil community, even as they held wide-ranging talks on a host of issues. During the meeting both sides tried to understand the common challenges and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in key areas. "President Rajapaksa described the initiatives Sri Lanka has taken with regard to rehabilitation, resettlement, reconstruction and the ongoing reconciliation process in the country," a statement issued by the President's Office said.

The two leaders also discussed the issue of fishermen from both countries and measures that may be taken to find a permanent solution through a process in which the views of fishermen from both countries were be taken into consideration.

Rajapaksa, welcoming the views expressed by PM Modi, stated that India's leadership is crucial for the success of SAARC ventures, and that Sri Lanka looks forward to working with India in taking them forward. Prime Minister Modi expressed the view that the SAARC must now focus upon common issues that can benefit the region, and reflect our concerns on a global platform.

HAMID KARZAI PRESIDENT OF AFGHANISTAN

In his first bilateral meeting with international leaders after assuming charge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. The meeting with Karzai took place at the ceremonial Hyderabad House here. Modi and Karzai discussed ways to enhance cooperation in the wake of NATO withdrawal from the war-torn country. President Karzai did not hold a press meet but instead chose to go on Indian television (on Times Now), where his explosive interview covered a wide gamut of issues that are of concern not just for India, but for the whole region. Karzai, placed the responsibility for the recent attack on the Indian consulate at Herat in Afghanistan squarely on terrorist group LeT, and minced no words when he asserted that it would be in Islamabad's interest to uproot the terror sanctuaries and safe havens on Pakistani soil. He also praised the Indo- Tibetan Border Police and the Afghan National Security Forces for their prompt response in neutralising the terrorists in the May 23 attack. "The Herat ... attack ...

was very clearly a terrorist strike on Indian and Afghan interests," Karzai said. "Both Afghanistan and India hope that relevant authorities in Pakistan will react and uproot the sources and sanctuaries of terror there."

On Indo-Afghan ties, President Karzai said, "India has been a great friend and has stood by our people steadfastedly for the past 12 years." Looking ahead, President Karzai said that he doesn't see 2014 as a drawdown but "as an opportunity to build on our strengths and show the world that the nation is now self-reliant, of course with support and guidance from friends like India".

Chakravarthi Suchindran

The writer is a technocrat who dabbles in journalism print & broadcast, photography & creative visual arts

NEW GOVT. NEW AGENDA

POLITICS FOR PROGRESS!

Reboot policy, restart government, restructure governance, resize and merge synergistic ministries to deliver quick reults, rechart the trajectory of the economy, and deliver the goods. This seems to be the priority of the new Modi government, and it seems to be taking its job seriously, with an intent to perform and keep its promises. In this reportage, we bring you both what has been said and what has been done, as well as lend a helping hand by pointing out possibilities. Read on.

MODINOMICS

: Restore health of the economy by putting it back on track, generate employment for youth

: Focus on the infrastructure and manufacturing sectors to revive economic growth ...

: Create an enabling environment to revive investor confidence, and put an end to the policy paralysis of yore ...

: Remove procedural bottlenecks and expedite decision-making for speedy clearance of projects

: Take steps to tame inflation, and remove supply-side constraints, which will have salutory effect of reviving farm sector ...

: Leverage land as a resource for housing, and ensure availability of easy and cheap credit, including interest subsidy, to boost housing

: Review NREGA to see if funds could be used for rural housing, sanitation, and providing skills to the unemployed in villages. To plug gaps in schemes, have a national policy on affordable housing ...

: Take a relook at maximum support price mechanism, make farm sector remunerative. Farmers need to be adequately compensated. Focus on investment in agro infrastructure ...

: Invest into irrigation systems and begin work on linking rivers and creating national waterways ...

: Encourage involvement of Indian corporate sector via PPPs in defence manufacturing and building up a militaryindustrial complex.

During the course of the long drawn out election campaign this year, political debate seesawed from thought out analyses to plain simple dirtyspeak, as campaign speeches and statements by political leaders swung like a pendulum between acrimony and agenda. Here in this piece, we are culling out several meaningful statements made by Narendra Modi, in his speeches, interviews to media, and television appearances. And we infer from it the vision of the man, and attempt to guesstimate his approach, from what we know of his administrative and managerial style that's on record. Here goes ... ... the first priority of government will be to restore the health of the economy and put it back on track. This is not only important to revive growth, but also to generate employment. The next war to be fought globally is the war for jobs. Lets prepare our nation to face this challenge ...

... we have to take specific measures to control inflation. This requires addressing supply-side deficits and concerns as well, which in turn would mean reviving the agriculture sector ... we must try to usher in a second green revolution ... invest into irrigation facilities and systems ... and embark on the river-linking project ...

... we need to bring our focus back on the infrastructure sector and manufacturing. Manufacturing is where jobs are generated, and within that, an adequate focus on micro and SMEs is needed. We will have to create an enabling environment to revive investor sentiment ...

... by the time our country completes 75 years of independence, every family should have a house of its own, a house that has access to toilets, water and electricity. There has to be a national policy on affordable housing ...

... for 50 years, I have been interacting with people trying to understand their problems. I've seen their expectations, I've seen their talent and the hard work they are ready to put in to improve their lives ...

... in all my meetings with officers, I am always wearing the hat of the citizen and trying to think on his behalf ...

... we do not want to be confrontationist with any country, we have to conduct our foreign policy with all nations with a sense of trust and cooperation ... supremacy of national interest has to be one of the main and basic planks of this foreign policy ...

... the Vajpayee government started a new era of partnership with the United States of America ... we will build further upon that and take it forward ...

... it is possible to solve our problems with China and take the relationship to another level, resolving our differences will help us both ...

... relations cannot improve as long as there is a trust deficit, and mere talk cannot ever replace action ... we will be forthright in dealing with Pakistan ... pragmatic foreign policy has to be guided by an understanding of ground realities ...

... there is a sense of hope and expectation. I am conscious that raised expectations bring along enhanced responsibility. We are committed to work that much harder to discharge our obligations. We will work hard with sincerity and committment. Acche din aane waale hain ...

MODI'S A-TEAM

AB KI BAAR, CHHOTI SARKAR

Narendra Damodardas Modi's tryst with destiny came about on the 26th of May 2014, when he was sworn in as the 15th Prime Minister of India. He brought with him a team of 45 ministers to be sworn in, out of whom 23 were of cabinet rank, 10 were ministers with independent charge, and 12 more were ministers of state. Surely leaner than the outgoing 75-member team of UPA-2 ... but whether Modi's lean team will also be meaner than their predecessors is to be seen, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. L K Advani and Prof. Murli Manohar Joshi were conspicuous by their not having been inducted, something unthinkable until recently. And neither have Arun Shourie and Subramaniam Swamy been opted in, contrary to media speculations. No technocrats or academicians either, at least not as yet. NRI Achievers gives you a birds-eye view on the new NDA executive in this feature. Ab ki baar, chhoti sarkar seems to be the mantra.

Arun Jaitley, 61. Finance & Defence. This three-time Rajya Sabha MP had his first foray into electoral politics, contesting from Amritsar. Despite his defeat, he has risen like a pheonix, and has assumed the number two slot, with the twin CCS portfolios of Finance and Defence, making the suave lawyer part of the top troika of the NDA government. Competent and no stranger to networking in Parliament, he will be a great asset for the party on the floor of the house. His down-to-earth approach will also serve finance well, especially in today's context. A progressive thinker and growth-advocate, he is capable of bringing about a stable tax-and-interest rates regime. Easing interest rates, reducing red tape and rationalising taxation ought to top his to-do list.

Rajnath Singh, 62. Home. Three-term Rajya Sabha and one-time Lok Sabha MP, he is also the party president of BJP. His getting the 'Home' ministry ends all ambiguity about the emerging power structure within the Modi cabinet. A RSS product, Rajnath Singh marks his political space as a kisan leader, and goes by the sangh's viewpoint and sensibilities when taking any initiative. The home portfolio going to him comes as no major surprise, as he has been instrumental in enabling the rise of Modi within the party, having linked up with Jaitley and Modi to

sidestep senior L K Advani's obstacle bid to block Modi from being named the party's PM candidate. He was an education minister in UP during 1991, and is known for his steps to curb large-scale copying in exams, and the introduction of “vedic maths“ as a subject. He is good on the soap-box, and his current avatar as BJP head-honcho was characterised by the ushering in of the politics of consensus within the party.

Sushma Swaraj, 62. External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs. Sushma, who has at best had an now-on now-off relationship with Modi, has landed a very high profile portfolio indeed, making her the second woman after Indira Gandhi to sit in the CCS. This job however puts the onus on her of promoting Modi to those who have so far been critical of him. Sushma's career began in 1977, when she was coopted as the youngest cabinet minister in the Haryana government, she was 25 then. The current poll saw her contesting and winning her 11th direct election. A star-campaigner and effective orator, she has in the past managed the ministries of I&B, Health & Family Affairs, and is the sole woman BJP leader in the party's parliamentary board.

Nitin Gadkari, 57. Shipping, Surface Transport & Roads. Gadkari has proved himself to be a comeback man with his strong win this election, after he was forced out of the

BJP top-job following the Purti group of companies mess. In this first electoral foray of his, he has put his political muscle on record with a resounding win from Nagpur, the RSS bastion. While his induction into the cabinet was indeed a bygone conclusion, his equations with Narendra Modi has never been all silk and satin. Gadkari is seen by many as a very task-oriented person, though his tenure as BJP president was quite lacklustre and largely forgettable. His earlier stint during 1995-96 as the PWD minister of Maharashtra is largely his claim to fame, when he earned the sobriquet 'flyover-man' for giving his state the Mumbai-Pune expressway and a whole series of flyovers for India's financial capital.

Ananth Kumar, 54. Chemicals & Fertilisers. In the current elections, Anant Kumar contested the elections for his familiar South bangalore constituen cy, defeating his high profile rival, technocrat Nandan Nilekani formerly of Infosys and UPA-2's man behind the UIDAI, by a large margin. retaining his familiar South Bangalore seat for the sixth time in a row. Anant Kumar began his political debut as an ABVP leader, and joined the BJP in 1987. Former CM of Karnataka B S Yeddyurappa and Anant Kumar are by and large credited with building up the BJP's base in

the state, and the duo are often described as the Lava-Kusha of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Later acrimony saw them becoming vocal rivals, but this poll has been instrumental in bringing about a rapproachment between the two, though this time once again he has pipped BSY to a berth in Modi's cabinet.

Venkaiah Naidu, 64. Urban Development. Venkaiah Naidu, former party president and erstwhile rural development minister in Vajpayee's government, is also a member of the BJP parliamentary board which annointed Modi as the party's campaign in-charge and PM-designate. Naidu, seen as being close to L K Advani, is said to have firmly aligned himself with the proModi camp, when he reportedly urged and advised Advani to withdraw his opposition to Modi, putting forth the arguement that the Gujarat CM was BJP's best bet in this election. He was also among the senior leaders of the BJP who had opposed the move to sack Modi after the 2002 Gujarat riots. He is known as a strong organization man, and is BJP's pointsman in Andhra, credited with architecting the BJP-TDP alliance. As an aside, the BJP-TDP alliance has garnered good returns in the recent Assembly elections for Seemandhra.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, 59 Information Technology & Communications, Law & Justice. Ravishankar Prasad harks from a traditional RSS family ... his father was a well-known member of the Jan Sangh. Ravishankar was also an active member of the RSS and was a member of the ABVP. He has earned himself a reputation for being a diligent lawyer and has argued several cases in the Allahabad HC, which involve LK Advani and the Ram Janmabhoomi case. As a deputy leader of BJP in the Rajya Sabha, he is rated as being among the party's more seasoned hands in Parliament. He has been MoS and Cabinet minister in the previous NDA government, and has also done a stint as Atal Bihari Vajpayee's I&B and Law & Justice minister. He is a member of BJP's parliamentary planning group, and has also been the party's spoksperson for many years.

Uma Bharti, 55. Water Resources & the 'Clean Ganga Plan.' Uma Bharti is a maverick

politician who is no stranger to controversy. She made headlines during the current Lok Sabha campaign, describing Modi as a Vinash Purush. It is of course obvious that her relations with Modi are not all that smooth, but her credentials as a 'backward' leader coupled with her impressive win from Jhansi make her an apt ministerial choice, if only to go by the adage that it is safer to keep your unfriendly foes close rather then farther away. She has served as Madhya Pradesh CM during 2004, and has also been a Ram Janambhoomi stormtrooper, facing trial in the Babri Masjid case. That apart, her oratory style, as also her penchant for driving around her constituency in a Gypsy SUV, and the Barbie dolls on her dressing table all made her newsworthy as the “sexy sanyasin,” as the media labeled her. After her electoral debut to the Lok Sabha in 1989, she has won three more elections back to back. With this election, she makes a comeback to the lower House.

Dr. Najma Heptullah, 74. Minority Affairs. Najma Heptulla, the sole muslim face in the newly constituted NDA government, is the grandniece of Islamic scholar, freedom fighter and nationalist Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. The Bhopal-born politico has several distinctions to her own name. To begin with, she got herself a doctorate in cardiac anatomy when she had barely turned 22. She had created quite a stir when she quit the Congress after a long innings, citing 'humiliation,' and joined BJP in 2004. Now in her sixth term in the Rajya Sabha, she is quite the rare and recognizable muslim woman in BJP. Quite an accomplished lady, she has served as deputy chairperson of the Upper House, and has held the presidentship of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Kalraj Mishra, 72. Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises. Ka- lraj Mishra Mishra, who has been BJP UP state unit president twice, is a Brahmin leader. Born in 1941 in Ghazipur district, he holds a masters degree from Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi. After his graduation in 1963, Mishra joined the RSS, and began his political career by becoming

the Vibhag Sangathan Mantri of Jan Sangh in 1968, he was also the JP Movement's coordinator for eastern UP. He went to Jail for 19 months during the Emergency in Deoria, from where he contested and won the MP election this time round. With BJP stalwart Prof. M M Joshi left out of the newly formed cabinet, the entry of Kalraj Mishra was to be taken as a given.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, 54. Health. By profession an ENT surgeon, Harsh Vardhan has a clean image, and is a good administrator. He is known and respected for pioneer-ing India's Pulse Polio Programme as Delhi's Health Minister from 1993 to 1998. He also pioneered legislation in Delhi to curb smoking, and has been the recipient of WHO's highest honour (the DG's Commendation Award) for successfully working towards a tobacco-free world. Vardhan was the BJP's CM nominee in the recent Delhi assembly elections, where a fractured verdict resulted in a hung assembly and AAP forming a short-lived government with outside support from congress, even as he steadfastedly refused to take a shot at government formation, citing the lack of requisite numbers in the house, choosing to sit in the opposition. He took on Kapil Sibal of the congress at Chandni Chowk constituency in this recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, defeating him by a sound margin. His elevation to the Union Cabinet will perforce leave a vacuum in BJP's Delhi leadership, and the party will need to zero in on another CM candidate for the repolls in Delhi, which are likely soon.

Maneka Gandhi, 57. Women & Child Development. Maneka Gandhi, daughter in law of Indira Gandhi and wife to late Sanjay Gandhi, is better known as an animal rights and environment activist. Maneka Gandhi has now won a seventh term to the Lok Sabha from Pilibhit, a constituency she had vacated for son Varun in 2009, but has returned to this year. While there was some speculation in the media about the likelihood of Varun Gandhi making the cut, it seems a distaste for the dynastic paradigm in Indian politics, and the fact that Maneka is an experienced administrator has skewed the odds in her favor. She has been the minister for

Environment & Forests in the VP Singh government, and has also held the portfolio of social justice and empowerment in the Vajpayee ministry ... and to boot, she is seen as a senior woman leader.

D V Sadanandha Gowda, 61. Railways. Devaragunda Venkappa Sadananda Gowda, whose tenure as Karnataka's 20th CM in 2011 lasted all of one year after his former mentor B S Yeddyurappa withdrew support and left the party in a huff, has always been a dark horse. And his getting a Lok Sabha ticket was no cakewalk either, with his candidature opposed by former deputy CM R Ashoka. A native of Sullia in Dakshina Kannada, Gowda was a former public prosecutor in Sirsi, Uttara Kannada, and began his political career in the Jan Sangh, moving to BJP when it was formed in 1980. He has since held several party posts including those of student leader, state BJP secretary and was national secretary in 2004. His electoral debut in 1994 was from the assembly constituency of from Puttur in Dakshina Kannada. He also won the 2004 general elections from Mangalore, defeating former CM Veerappa Moily. The 2008 BJP assembly election victory drew attention to his organizational skills and set the stage for his elevation.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal, 47 Food Processing. Harsimrat Kaur is the wife of Punjab Deputy CM and senior Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Badal. During her last term (2009-2014) in the Lok Sabha, she was noted for her fiery speeches on anti-Sikh riots, the ban on turbans in Europe, and issues related to farmers.

This graduate of textile design confesses that she never indended to be a politician, but when Captain Amarinder Singh of the Congress fielded his son Raninder in 2009 for the Lok Sabha elections from Bathinda, the Badal bastion, she decided to take him on and won by a handy two lakh plus votes. Great grand-daughter of Sardar Attar Singh Majithia, one of the seniormost generals of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Harsimrat Kaur was up against brother-in-law Manpreet Badal this time, winning by a mere 19,000 votes. Shuttling between Bathinda and Delhi and rarely seen in any other district, she runs an NGO, Nanhi Chhaan, which works for the

girl child in her district. Gopinath Munde, 64. Rural Development. One time ABVP office-bearer and a RSS man, Gopinath Munde came into the limelight after he was jailed alongwith Pramod Mahajan during the Emergency. During his 40-year political career, Munde has consistently attacked Maratha strongman and NCP leader Sharad Pawar. He had launched a state-wide campaign against the politician-criminal nexus, helping the saffron combine dislodge the state's Congress government in 1995. He has been MLA for five consecutive terms and was the Maharashtra deputy CM from 1995 to 1999. A prominent leader from the Vanjara community, an OBC group, he is close to Rajnath and Modi.

Ram Vilas Paswan, 67. One major factor that helped the NDA's near sweep of Bihar is the alliance BJP struck with Paswan's LJP. It helped the NDA gain the support of a section of Dalits and the alliance hurt both the RJDCong combine and JD(U). Paswan too, who was facing electoral irrelevance as an ally of Lalu Prasad, benefited. While LJP had lost all the seats it contested in 2009, the party has won six seats in 2014. Among the winners were his son and brother. One of the seniormost parliamentarians in the Modi cabinet, Paswan also brings to the table ample experience as Union minister. He has held important portfolios like railways, communications, chemicals and fertilizers, steel and coal. He has been part of both UPA and NDA and has friends across parties.

Smriti Irani, 38. Human Resource Development. The youngest member in Modi's cabinet, popular TV actress and one-time beauty pageant winner Smriti Irani was handpicked to hustle Rahul Gandhi in his pocketborough Amethi in the Lok Sabha polls, and she did a fine job of putting a scare into the Congress leader as the lead changed hands often on counting day. It did not matter that the Gandhi scion ultimately prevailed by 1.07 lakh votes - his winning margin was down from 3.7 lakh in 2009, and so was his stature. Inducted into BJP by the late Pramod Mahajan in 2003, Irani castigated Modi for the 2002 Gujarat riots and was made to eat

her words. Since then, though, she has gone places in the party becoming one of its articulate spokespersons, a candidate against Kapil Sibal in 2009, the Mahila Morcha president, and a Rajya Sabha member since 2011. Much before joining politics, Irani was already a familiar face across north Indian middle-class homes for her role of Tulsi, the righteous daughter-in-law in the game-changing teleserial, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. The role was perfect launchpad for the political career she chose later.

Radha Mohan Singh, 64. Agriculture. The minister, who has a RSS background, was mentored by Kailashpati Mishra, senior RSS leader from Bihar. He worked in ABVP and VHP before becoming the Mukhiya of Panapur. He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989. His influence in the party rose when Rajnath became BJP president, who made him chairman of the party's national disciplinary action committee. Interestingly, his relationship with Sushil Kumar Modi, the face of BJP in Bihar, is lukewarm. During his campaign, Singh promised to beef up infrastructure in his constituency. Senior leaders like Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari in their election speeches at Motihari had told voters that Singh was sure to be a minister. And, the voters obliged, giving him a winning margin of 1.92 lakh votes.

Thawarchand Gehlot, 66. Social Justice & Empowerment. Tawarchand Gehlot has represented the Dewas constituency in the Malwa region of MP from 1996 to 2009. But during the 2009 general elections, he lost the reserved Dewas seat to a young face of Congress, Sajjan Singh Verma. No one would have guessed that five years later, as a Rajya Sabha MP, he would get a cabinet berth in the Union government. Currently the BJP's national general secretary, Gehlot has been closely associated with the Jana Sangh and RSS since his early days. He was an active labour leader in Ujjain in the 1960s and was detained several times in connection with labour agitations. He was jailed during the Emergency as well. Gehlot, who has been a Lok Sabha MP four times, was minister of state for water resources, panchayat and rural development in the Sundarlal Patwa government in Madhya Pradesh during the

early 1990s. Influential in RSS circles, he has maintained a low profile as a senior BJP office-bearer.

Jual Oram, 53. Tribal Affairs. Jaul Oram, the sole BJP winner from Odisha, returned to the Lok Sabha by defeating former hockey captain Dilip Tirkey and former CM Hemanand Biswal. A grassroots level tribal leader, Oram was India's first tribal affairs minister in the Vajpayee ministry (1999-2004). Born in a poor tribal family, he worked with BHEL as an engineer before quitting to enter politics. He joined the BJP in 1989 and has consistently won assembly and LS elections since 1990, barring the 2009 polls. He has good rapport with all senior BJP leaders including Advani, Modi and Rajnath.

Narendra Singh Tomar, 56. Labour & Employment. As the president of the BJP in MP, Narendra Singh Tomar is to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan what Amit Shah is to Narendra Modi. He is also known to be close to Rajnath Singh and is part of the Thakur lobby within the BJP. He represents Gwalior, a seat usually usually held by a Scindia in Parliament. In 2009, Tomar was elected from the Morena LS seat but switched to Gwalior after Yashodhara Raje Scindia opted to contest from the Shivpuri assembly seat in November last year. Tomar was born in Gwalior district and graduated from Jiwaji University. He was councillor in Gwalior Municipal Corporation from 1983 to 1987 and has held numerous positions in the BJP. He headed the party during the last two assembly elections in MP, which BJP won.

Anant Geete, 63. Heavy Industries. As a Bal Thackeray aide, Geete has participated in all Sena agitations. He took away the Raigad seat from Congress veteran AR Antulay in 1996. During the NDA rule, Geete was first appointed MoS Finance in 2002 and later elevated to cabinet rank with the Power portfolio. The reticent Sena leader began his political innings as a Corporator in the '80s from Santa Cruz. The tall and wiry Sena MP did his best to keep the Sena's saffron flag flying in the coastal belt, in the wake of Narayan Rane's 2005 rebellion. Manages to take time off for desi sports like Kabaddi and Kho Kho. Geete is known in the Sena as the Man in White, not a single hair out of

place. As leader of the Sena's parliamentary party, he's expected to bring development projects to the backward Konkan region, and secure clearances for Navi Mumbai airport.

Ashok Gajapati Raju, 62. Civil Aviation. Ashok Gajapati Raju, scion of the royal Pusapati family of Vijianagaram, is one of the seniormost political leaders of Andhra Pradesh. In a political career spanning nearly 35 years, the 63-year-old Raju has been elected MLA seven times. Raju got into politics by winning an assembly election in the year 1978 on a Janata Party ticket. In 1983, he joined the TDP and has since stood by Chandrababu Naidu throughout. He has been a minister in all TDP governments, and has held important portfolios like Finance, Excise & Revenue. Raju has a clean image and is known to be an efficient administrator. He ought to fit in well in the Modi government.

MINISTERS OF STATE, INDEPENDENT CHARGE

Prakash Javadekar, 63. I&B + Environment. For more than half a decade, Prakash Javadekar has been articulating BJP's position on matters of policy and decisions of the outgoing government. Now as a minister, he would certainly have the opportunity to walk the talk. His father Keshav Krishna Javadekar was a friend and follower of Veer Savarkar, and headed the Pune unit of Hindu Maha Sabha.

Gen. (retd) V K Singh, 63. North East Affairs. The ex-general had courted controversy with the outgoing UPA-2 government over his date of birth, and also took them to court. His tenure as the Army chief was however clouded-over with some more minor controversies, though he has a reputation for being a good soldier with a clean image. Nirmala Sitharaman, 54. Commerce & Industry. She shot to prominence in 2010, when she was appointed as the first woman spokesperson of BJP after Sushma Swaraj. A Tamilian with an economics degree from JNU, she had earlier worked with PWG (Price Waterhouse Coopers) in London, after which she had founded a think-tank in Hyderabad. Piyush Goyal, 49. Power & Coal. Goyal is the treasurer and main fundraiser of BJP, he is media savvy and articulate. The son of former BJP MP and treasurer V P Goyal, Piyush has been a successful banker, advising

top corporates on financial strategies.

Dharmendra Pradhan, 44. Petroleum. Seen as instrumental in delivering Bihar, as BJP state unit-in-charge. Son of Debendra Pradhan, who was an MoS in the Vajpayee government, Dharmendra won Deogarh (Odisha) seat in 2004. The constituency no longer exists and he shifted his base to Bihar.

Shripad Naik, 61. Tourism & Culture. Most popular face of the BJP in Goa after Manohar Parrikar. He started out out as a RSS activist. He has been a former state BJP chief, and was also a minister in the Vajpayee government. Draws support from the Bhandari samaj, an OBC community.

Santosh Gangwar, 65. Textiles. A seventime MP from Bareilly (UP) since 1989, he was MoS in the Vajpayee government. A kurmi, he is a prominent OBC face of BJP in UP. He is well-liked by BJP leaders and cadres for his understated style of work.

Jitendra Singh, 57. Science & Technology. A former professor with the Government Medical College and Hospital in Jammu, he joined the BJP in 2012. He is a popular columnist in the J&K, and was also the spokesperson of Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti. He enters the Lok Sabha after defeating Ghulam Nabi Azad from the Udhampur-Kathua seat. Rao Inderjit Singh, 64. Statistics, Planning & Programme Implementation. He quit the Congress in September last year, after a spat with the Haryana CM, Shri Bhupinder Hooda. Demanded CBI probe into Robert Vadra's land deals. Rao Inderjit Singh was in the Congress for a marathon 33 years, and was an MoS in UPA-I.

Sarbananda Sonowal, 51. Youth Affairs & Sports. Sonowal has been an AASU president and a leader of AGP, which he quit to join the BJP. As the present Assam BJP unit chief, he can rightfully claim credit for the party's grand showing of 7 out of 14 seats in the state during the current Lok Sabha elections, getting it a good foothold in the North East.

MINISTERS OF STATE

G M Siddheshwara

Kiren Rijiju

Krishan Pal Gurjar

Manoj Sinha

Mansukhbhai Vasava

Nihalchand Chauhan

Pon Radhakrishnan

Raosaheb Dadarao Danve

Sanjeev Kumar Balyan

Sudarshan Bhagat

Upendra Kushwaha

Vishnu Dev Sai

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

SAARC AFFAIRS INDIA STYLE

Starting this issue, we bring you a guest column that chooses to be irreverent and satirical at best, and takes a dig at powers that be, just for the sake of some healthy humour. Lampooning personalities and leaders is a genre that is part and parcel of evocative journalism, and we at NRI Achievers too have made an attempt to include some political humour, and do hope you will like this light hearted banter that is presented in this column...

That’s the trouble with press briefings by the foreign ministry. They never tell you the truth about what Prime Ministers and Presidents really talk about when they meet face to face behind closed doors. On the morning after the swearing-in of Narendra Damodardas Modi, four Prime Ministers, two Presidents and one Speaker called on India’s new Prime Minister in sequence. According to the official version, they discussed “bilateral issues” in a “warm, friendly, and cordial” atmosphere and “pledged to 'strengthen ties' and promote 'regional peace and harmony'.”

But it seems they did nothing of that sort. The foreign guests had come to India on the specific understanding that no bilateral issues would be discussed. Words like war, terror, genocide, infiltration, etcetera, were strictly taboo. Even proper nouns like Mumbai, Jaffna, Teesta, Kargil, Kashmir, Herat, et al., were not to be mentioned in the passing. So what on earth did they talk about, then? Well, they talked about many things. Not really about Cabbages and Kings, since Modi was the only vegetarian around and any allusion to monarchy would have been diplomatically incorrect.

The truth is that the Heads of Government basically exchanged notes and exclamations about clothes and fashion. The main focus of the high-level conversations was on NaMo kurtas. SAARC leader after SAARC leader congratulated Narendra Modi on impeccable

dress sense during the entire nine-phase election campaign season.

At each of his 437 public rallies that were covered live and in full by Indian television channels (without a single commercial break), Modi wore a brand new, crisp, halfsleeved kurta. Sometimes silk, sometimes linen, most times plain old khadi. But always in bright, eye-catching colours – all the colours of the rainbow plus 256 shades in between. With stand-up collars, all buttons buttoned up to the neck. And, depending on weather conditions, smart 'Nehru' jackets in matching or contrasting hues.

Here are some excerpts from the conversation. (Based on unauthorized access to unverified transcripts of unofficial tape recordings by nameless intelligence agencies).

Abdulla Yameen (Maldives): After seeing your colourful kurtas, I think I should also experiment. After all, I am younger than you.

Modi: You may be younger than Narendra Modi. But you do not have a 56-inch chest. Stick to suit and tie.

Sushil Koirala (Nepal): You look good in your fancy kurtas. But I am too old to spend too much money on clothes.

Modi: Narendra Modi’s kurtas cost only Rs. 600 each. Modi always buys from Sargam Tailors in Dahod. If you want, I can gift you a multi-coloured set of 12 khadi kurtas.

Koirala: I come from a poor country. But I can only accept the gift if you agree to settle

the Kalapani dispute.

Unidentified Official: No bargaining please. This is only a courtesy call.

Navin Ramgoolam (Mauritius): If you make Mauritius a full-fledged member of SAARC, I will make NaMo kurtas the compulsory school uniform. Each school, different colour.

Modi: That will be wonderful. I have just taken over India. Give me time to capture SAARC. Then I will do the needful. Sushmaji, what an idea! Why can’t we make NaMO uniforms compulsory in Indian schools also? My adopted sister Smriti Irani can draft the new Ordinance.

Unidentified Official: Sir, no domestic policy matters should be discussed in front of foreign guests. Don’t forget the oath that you took just yesterday not to reveal national secrets.

Tshering Tobgay (Bhutan): One thing is

DOORS

interests.

Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury (Bangladesh): As a woman I prefer sarees. My leader Sheikh Hasina also wears only Dhakai and Tangail sarees. But our men folk can wear NaMo kurtas, although they don’t have 56 inch chests. We can sign a trade deal, but it has to be balanced in our favour.

Satire

Modi: Why not? My adopted sister Smriti Irani will look beautiful in lovely silks from Bangladesh. Also, Narendra Modi will become famous all over Bengal. I can even contest elections from East Bengal and put an end to illegal immigration forever.

Sushma Swaraj: What about me? I also look gorgeous in a Dhakai. Why only Smriti ? She is not even a graduate.

Unidentified Official: Please, your excellencies, let us not wash dirty linen in front of our neighbours.

Mahinda Rajapaksha (Sri Lanka): What’s all this about your dress sense? What’s wrong with the long sleeved shirts we wear in Sri Lanka? Don’t you feel uncomfortable in your crumpled churidars. There’s no zip in front. I prefer our saramas and sarongs. Very practical. Anyway, you and I are the same, whatever we wear. We are both compared to a World War II German leader.

Modi: But my churidars do have zips. My favourite tailor Kanahiya-ji makes them perfectly, with half-belt, no loop and front zip. Stop wearing sarongs. It does not fit in with your H-man image. You should grow a toothbrush moustache.

Unidentified Official: Gentlemen, please be careful. Zips and toothbrushes are no-no words at informal, peaceful, bilateral interactions. Also, there are ladies present.

Hamid Karzai (Afghanistan): Look, we are brothers and comrades forever. I need you to save my country. But that does not mean I have to listen to all this nonsense about your dress sense. Do you not know that I have been described as the world’s most stylish man ? The western fashion pundits are raving about my resplendent robes of many colours. My swirling piran-tunban is all the rage from Milan to Memphis. And women swoon when they see my elegant Astrakhan hat that is so soft that it can be folded like a handkerchief and kept in the pocket when not needed. My well-groomed salt-and-pepper beard and moustache have been written about even in

Gentlemen’s Quarterly.

Modi: One hundred and twenty five crore people have voted for Narendra Modi because of the NaMo kurtas. Also the Jawahar jacket and Lotus symbol badge. Have you not seen my selfie ? It was re-tweeted 16,000 times within five hours, breaking all previous social media records. I can also wear an Astrakhan hat. It will go well with my 56 inch chest.

Unidentified Official: Sir, do not quarrel with your guest. His Astrakhan hat is made from Karakul wool. Manekaji will never allow you to wear it.

Nawaz Sharif (Pakistan): I believe in being formally dressed on all ceremonial occasions. Dark lounge suit with light pink tie is the best. Although I admit it was uncomfortable in the humidity.

I should have worn my national dress like all the others. But tell me, my moles in Vadnagar tell me your chest is 44 inches, waist line 41 inch and belly 45 inches and shoulder 8.5 inch. I’ve actually brought some specially tailored Lahori pathan suits for you. Should I take them back for alteration?

Modi: Never mind. You’ve got agents in my home town? I also have someone in your residence. I was told your first reaction when you received my invitation was…

Unidentified Official: Sir, this is not the right time to exchange official secrets.

Raman Swamy

The author is a veteran journalist writer and satirist

JAGDISH SEWHANI A NRI WHO CAME TO CAMPAIGN FOR MODI

The run-up to the recently concluded General Elections saw a vast horde of mostly tech-savvy NRIs, businessmen, technocrats and others flocking to the homeland to campaign for those parties thay connected with mentally, philosophically and politically. Most notably, large numbers of NRIs participated in the campaigning, in large part handling the backroom operations, new media blitzes and also contributing to the election funding of the parties they felt sympathetic to. While the Aam Aadmi Party, the newcomer on the block, was supported by several NRI groups, the BJP took the cake, with thousands of not only non-resident Gujaratis, but people from across the board participating in the campaigning dynamics. Jagdish Sewhani, a NRI businessman from Vadodara, Gujarat now settled in New York, came to India to assist in Gujarat CM Narendra Modi's campaign. NRI Achievers met up with him in the heat and dust of the campaign, to find out what makes him tick. Here's the story, in his own words ...

Iwas born and bought up in Vadodara in Gujarat, and I graduated from Ahmedabad University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. After that, in 1986, I decided to go for an MBA and so left for the US to do my MBA. After enrolling though, I actually did only three semesters before I dropped out and started my own business. Maybe because it was there in my blood, as I come from a business oriented family. My parents have been and still are in the coal and construction businesses. To tell you something about my family, we are three brothers and two sisters. One brother is settled in the US like me, the other is still in Vadodara. As for my immediate family, I am married and have two daughters, the first has finished her graduation from New York University, and my younger one is pursuing her business studies. Our ancestry harks to a region that is now in Pakistan, and my parents have traditionally been people who supported the Congress. After the partition though, when they migrated to Vadodara in Gu-

jarat, they became part of the Jan Sangh. And thus began an association that ultimately transitioned them into the BJP fold, and we as children, were also to some extent involved in their activities. And so it came to be that I also from a young age have been sympathetic to the BJP and its worldview, its ideology. Even after moving to the US, we kept in touch with the party via the diaspora associations et al. And so it came about that one fine day me and three of my friends formed this organisation called the “Friends of BJP,” which has grown today and has upwards of 50,000 influential members spread across 40 countries. For that matter, whenever Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and other BJP leaders came to New York, they used to make it a point to hear us out on our issues, and spend much quality time with us.

So all along, I have been a plain simple member of the party, and take pride in the fact that I am no more than a common karyakartha. And we are happy that the party values our inputs as they feel the

diaspora have a role to play in their paradigm for our states and our country, for they have always been keen that we advise them as people of Indian origin living in foreign lands. Likewise, this time round, when it came about that Modi-ji was fighting this election, we were looked upon as advisors to Mr. Modi's campaign, and many like me came India to help manage that campaign.

The reason many of us came to India and took a hand in this game was the fact that our perception was that we did not have a proper government for the past many years. Our diaspora ruled that state of affairs and wanted to do something about it. And insofar as they are concerned, this was one way. And so many NRIs like me came here to campaign, not just for Modiji and the party BJP, but also for other parties they felt related with. And talking about our BJP campaign, you are seeing the results of our concerted campaign. Time changes for the better and people are now definitely going to see some drastic changes sweeping our country. And

one reason for that is Modi’s way of working, which is very different from that of traditional leaders. Generally he delegates work, which is allotted to an individual on a time & priority basis. And that person is expected to complete his task under any circumstances, If not, action is taken on the supervising authority. That has been the way of Modi, as we have observed his style of administration in the state of Gujarat. Generally, when the leader himself is committed to his work, his team also gets enthused, and are serious about their tasking. Like in any well run corporate enterprise, so is it in government as well. If the top management is good, definitely the body politic will also be good.

Another important aspect of him is that

he has always empowered other leaders as well, taking them along in all his programmes and policies.

And that will hold good now as well, as after all, it is the future of the nation we are talking about. He has always made it a point to never 'rule,' but serve a role that is akin to that of a CEO of a company, where he has to show positive results in order to continue.

This was the way he has been serving the Gujarat state, and I presume this will still be his way in which he aims to serve the nation.

I like the statement he made recently, that he is the Mukhya Mazdoor of the state, and would if elected to the centre, become the Pradhaan Mazdoor of the Nation. And if that comes to pass, as it seems most

DR. RAJNI SARIN A PARTY WORKER WITH A MISSION

Dr. Rajni Sarin, who is currently based out of Farrukhabad, is a well-known gynaecologist turned BJP Karyakartha, who is currently the National Co-Convenor for the party's diaspora outreach body known as the “Overseas Friends of BJP.” NRI Achievers had an opportunity to interact with the lady briefly, when we met her during an interview we did with Jagdish Sewhani. Diminutive in size, she comes across as a larger than life person when it comes to her mission, vision and her steadfast adherence to her value systems. Here are excerpts from the conversation we had with her.

On Modi’s Victory: As the results started trickling in on the 16th of May, I got so many messages from a whole cross section of society. Among them were defence personnel, military officers who shared that they felt glad, proud and confident in a stable government that was likely to step in, that it would fill a vacuum that has existed for some years now on the country's defence front. Some Hindu officers also expressed their view that they were impressed by the fact that for the first time over long years a Prime Minister has offered 'puja' rather than going by the tokenism of past PMs

offering a 'chaddar' instead. However, I would like to hasten to add that Modi-ji did not do a puja that is specific to Hinduism, but rather, chose to worship the Ganges. Ganges is both literally and metaphorically the very lifeline, the lifeblood of India.’

On cleaning up Ganges by 2019. What is the subtext? Is it just the Ganges or cleaning the accumulated gandagi of our Indian system ?

Even in the party's manifesto, it is there. Kashi or Banaras or Varanasi as it is variously known, is the oldest living city on the planet. Yes, you can say that in a way similar to what he did Gujarat, where he firstly made it a point to take all sections of society and everyone along with him on his clean-up mission, and began the process of cleaning up everything, he would attempt to do so at the national level as well. And I feel it is not really needed to explicitly spell out each and everything on this count, our Indian people are intelligent enough to understand the underlying thought and read between the lines.

About her association with the party: Janm-janmantar se judi hui hunh. Jan Sangh actually took birth in my Nana, Shri Atma Swaroop Kapoor's home. He

likely it will, I can tell you that within a year people will surely get a good taste of the change that is likely to sweep through India.

Having been part of Modi-ji's campaign team and after having been privy to the brainstorming sessions during the campaign, let me tell you that Mr. Modi's approach to holding the prime post of India is to think in terms of fulfilling the basic requirements of the people first wherever they are lacking.

As citizens, people have an inalienable right to basic needs like housing, power, safe drinking water, education, health and sanitation, etc. And his intension is to enrich the life of the people and the country, by reaching urban-class amenities to all parts of the country.

used to live in Ram Mohan Ahata in Kanpur city. And my mama was a “Pracharak”. His name is Amar Nath Kapoor. Both my parents were freedom fighters. So it has been there in the family, and my taking up a role and embarking on activities under the auspices of the party was almost a given. Even my husband used to comment wryly that 'whosoever needs some help, my wife is ever ready to afford help.’

On “Overseas Friends of BJP”: This is an organisation that was first established in the US when Adwani-ji went there. He is the founder member. After two visits, he felt that it was necessary for us to have friends all over the world, and that is how it came about that “Overseas Friends of BJP” was founded and established. Kedar Nath Sahani-ji, who was then a governor, became the convenor. And then Shri Vijay Jolly also joined in. We have made it a point to establish relationships wherever Indians or people of Indian origin live. To put it in one word, our mission is “VISHWABANDHUTVA ...”

NRI Achievers Bureau

THE FOREIGN CONNECTION TAJ mAHAl

On the 17th of June 1631, as Arjumand Banu Begum, aka Mumtaz Mahal, the most favourite wife and Empress Consort of the Mughal Emperor Badshah A'la Azad Abul Muzaffar Shahab udDin Mohammad Khurram, aka Shah Jahan died, the Mughal Court started planning for the grand burial of the late queen. She left the mortal world while giving birth to her 14th child in Burhanpur, where her husband the Emperor was fighting with rebels. She was buried in a pleasure garden called Zainabad, originally constructed by Shah Jahan's uncle Daniyal on the banks of the River Tapti. The Emperor went into secluded mourning for almost a year and when he came out of it, he

was a changed man with all the sadness reflecting from his face and attire. Meanwhile, in December the same year, her body was taken out from her grave and transported in a golden casket to the then capital of the Mughal Empire, Agra. There the body was buried in a garden on the banks of the Yamuna and as the Emperor reached Agra after finishing his campaign in Deccan, the garden was taken from the king of Jaipur, Raja Jai Singh, in exchange for a prestigious piece of land within the city. In 1632, the construction of the grand mausoleum began, which later came to be called “The Taj Mahal.” While there are numerous things to talk about the great Taj Mahal, this article focusses on the foreign connection of the Taj.

In coming editions, I will try to write more about the Taj and unveil more secrets of this magnificent wonder of the world.

Taj Mahal was not built overnight. It took decades to reach the final finial and plant the last tree. Architects, Masons and material from different countries was sourced to construct this finest piece of Mughal Architecture. The structure was built using rubble masonry, covered with a layer of bricks, which were baked locally. The sandstone used in the tomb was sourced from Fatehpur Sikri, which is around 40-45 Kms away from Agra. The famous white marble for the Taj Mahal was brought from Makrana in Rajasthan (some 400 Kms away). The marble of Makrana is known to be the finest and

decorates many other famous buildings, including the Victoria Memorial of Kolkata, the National Assembly of Pakistan, the Jain Temples of Mysore & Dilwara, the Ambedkar Park of Lucknow, the Birla Mandir of Jaipur, and the Makrana Emitra Campus. Jasper for the building was sourced from the region of Punjab. This building is decorated with Jade and Crystal, which were imported from China and the turquoise came from Tibet. The Lapis Lazuli was sourced from Afghanistan, Sapphire from Sri Lanka and Carnelian from the Arabian region. Onyx and Amethyst came from Persia. It is said that in all, 28 types of semi-precious stones were used on the Taj Mahal, which were sourced from all over South Asia. Some say that the cost of the construction of this building was around 50 Lakh Rupees, while some debate that it might have gone up to 6 Crore (Which sounds a little impractical, given the state of

the royal treasury back then).

Heritage :: Did You Know ?

Ustad Isa, an architect from Shiraz, Iran, is considered by some to have been the chief architect of the Taj Mahal, while this claim was challenged by others, who named Ustad Ahmed Lahauri (also from Iran) as the chief architect. The claim of Ustad Ahmad being the chief architect was put forth by his son Lutfullah Muhandis and was verified by many modern research scholars. Abd ulKarim Ma'mur Khan and Makramat Khan were the Imperial Supervisors for the construction. Ismail Afandi was bought in from Ottoman Empire to design the dome. Qazim Khan from Lahore was asked to cast the solid gold finial. Amanat Khan from Shiraz (Iran) was the chief calligrapher of Tomb. Mir Abdul Karim and Mukkarimat Khan of Shiraz were incharge of finances and management of daily production. Puru from Benarus in

Iran was the supervisor of all architects. Chiranjilal, a lapidary from Delhi was the chief sculptor and mosaicist while Muhammad Hanif was the supervisor of masons Another interesting name that enters the scene is that of Geronimo Veroneo, an Italian who lived in Agra and died in Lahore in 1640. The European Scholars celebrate him as the chief architect of Taj Mahal. This claim was made by Father Sebastian Manrique, an Augustinian Friar whose purpose in India was to secure the release of Father Antony, who was being held prisoner by the Mughals in Lahore. And it was here in Lahore that he met the executor of Geronimo, named Father Joseph De Castro. It was Castro who told Father Sebastian about a famous Venetian jeweller who came to India in the Portuguese ships but died on his way in Lahore and was later buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery Padres Santos in Agra. However, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a French gem merchant, who was travelling in India during the construction of the Taj Mahal has given the most accurate account of its construction and does not mention anything about Geronimo. Peter Munday, another traveller who has left a complete record of his travels, was also in Agra around that time. He knew Geronimo well and mentions that he met him several times, but does not state anything more than the fact that he was a goldsmith. While there is a whole lot more that may be said and written about the Taj, I will reserve all that for future articles. No doubt, this marvel leaves its lasting impression on every spectator, and reminds us of the great artistic capabilities of the people back in 17th century.

vikramjit singh rooprai

The writer is a self-made IT entrepreneur, who is also a passionate heritage & history buff

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'TAKING THE PAST INTO THE FUTURE' AMAN NATH

PASSION FOR HERITAGE TEMPERED BY BUSINESS ACUMEN

Aman Nath, writer, historian, conservator, antique collector, art curator, archivist, hotelier, pioneer, socialite … Aman is famous for his e orts in bringing back to life the glory of the Neemrana Fort Palace from its woeful near-ruin status, and then going on to renovate and restore many other heritage properties as 'non-hotels'. NRI Achievers sought him out to glean some glimpses of this fascinating story that his roller-coaster life tells. But before we get into the narrative, here is a brief background:

The Neemrana Hotels story started as a moment of passionate love at first sight, when Aman Nath, art-historian, and Francis Wacziarg, a founder member of INTACH, who were seeking frescos, stumbled upon the magnificent palace of the erstwhile Maharaja of Neemrana in Rajasthan. The ensemble was in ruins, standing abandoned and habituated by bats and civets. What began then as a passionate journey to save a 15th century fort has not only become a profitable business today, but is also synonymous with authentic heritage tourism – a brand of hospitality that hinges on preserving and promoting history and architectural grandeur in its intended essence.

Neemrana Hotels has worked dedicatedly towards creating a niche for travellers looking to experience Indian history and its architectural treasures. Converting ruins – India’s dilapidated links to its past glory – Neemrana Hotels today offers interactive experiences spanning the 14th to the 19th centuries. Guests at Neemrana Hotels’ properties get a chance to live the 'rich' life: a life brimming with books, music, architecture and art, a life in sync with the chimes of India’s past. As with life, being truly passionate with something always pays off. Today Neemrana Hotels operates 23 'non-hotels' across 17 destinations, ranging from four-roomed houses to nine-floor palaces. The business model is simple enough: they take properties on a long-term

lease, buy it out, or get into a revenue sharing arrangement with the erstwhile royalty that owns such properties. They restore it in phases, opening up the restored portions to guests. The money earned is ploughed back into restoring the rest of the property. What can typically take 8 ~ 10 years to break-even in the hotel industry takes 2 ~ 3 years with Neemrana Hotels.

Properties are selected for aesthetic appeal and financial viability before being restored. Restoration is often done with local masons and traditional materials like lime and mortar. Minute attention is paid to details: from the overall look and feel of the property, to its furniture and art. Properties offer comfort rather than luxury, and the service personnel are strictly from among the local people – encouraging the local economy, keeping costs reasonable and preventing attrition.

Neemrana Hotels’ social contribution is measured by the change they have brought about in the field of period restoration in India. Suddenly, old ruins were no longer places to be pulled down to make way for concrete and steel monoliths, but rather, gateways to peek into, experience, and relieve the past; 'time machines' as they call it. Many of these projects have been awarded and recognised for their conservation philosophy, including the Aga Khan Award for architecture for the restoration work done at the Neemrana Fort and the INTACHSatte award. Their work has since inspired a wave of heritage hospitality in India. By employing traditional craftsmen and masons for building, carving, and restoration, Neemrana Hotels has helped create demand for threatened trades and has also helped sustain the livelihood of artisans.

The Neemrana Hotels story is an ongoing one, so lets leave it be at that, and get on to the story of Aman Nath. We met him for a freewheeling and informal chat about him, his life and what excites him. And here are glimpses of his life, as told by him in his own words:

CHILDHOOD: My parents came to India as refugees from Lahore after the partition. Their initial years in free India were spent in a refugee colony in Delhi, located near the Supreme Court. My father and elder brother were quite athletic and were Badminton champions. In those early days, my father and brother would hunt wild boars in the jungle, where Pragati Maidan now finds its place. They would then cut it up and distribute the meat to other colony residents, as only meagre rations were made available to them. All this was before I was born. I was born in 1950, in Pusa Road, in what was called the Western Extension Area (WEA).

As a child, I do remember playing cricket on the main Patel Nagar Road. We used to pitch the wickets bang in the middle of the road, and every 10 minutes or so when a car would come, we would pick up the wickets and move to the side. Today, parents are known to restrain kids from doing various adventurous activities, but we had a healthy and unrestrained childhood, climbing sewage pipes, trees and what not. My elder brother, my twin and I - we were like monkeys, engaging ourselves in various adventurous and physical activities.

SCHOOL, COLLEGE, YOUTH: We had subsequently moved to Nizamuddin. And I went to

Modern School, Barakhamba Road. In those days we used to cycle to school - unimaginable in today's day and time, given today's disastrous traffic. In those days, we would bicycle in the middle of the road, as cars were a rare sight indeed. As and when a car would come, we would move to the side. In school, I used to do well, in sports, in painting, in debating, et al., and subsequently I also passed out with flying colours. In college, I sort of drifted from my moorings, and because I did not want to do math, got into History at St. Stephens. Though I did win accolades for my literary activities, I ought to confess I did not do too well academically.

But as a youth, I never felt contained in any box and always did what I felt was good for my growth and liberation – from being the first to wear wide bell-bottoms in 1968 – yellow at that – to winning literary awards for poetry or throwing the noisiest dance parties with quadraphonic music, I have no regrets of not having done anything.

EARLY WORK, ADVERTISING, INTEREST IN HERITAGE, FOUNDING OF INTACH: I would say that I was naturally endowed for the advertising profession. My style of provocative, original writing, sort of dovetailed with my job from the very first day. I recall doing a campaign for DCM Data Products, a computer company where Shiv Nadar and Arjun Malhotra gave me the initial brief, and I still have that work. And then, I did many other campaigns, for Pan Am, etcetera etcetera.

When Francis Wacziarg and I got down to doing our first book on Shekhavati and we went to Oxford to publish it, we got all the National Trust papers for Pupul Jayakar. INTACH was in the air then, but its first name was INTACT – 'Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Treasures.' Later, the intangible 'Heritage' was also included, and it became INTACH.

THE HERITAGE HOTELS IDEA: You know, I was brought up in a refugee home very conscious of re-cycling all waste. The Neemrana initiative is quite simply a war against national waste, recycling its heritage to make India proud of itself – as also for the world to enjoy India experientially – in great simplicity and honesty, not just laying out luxuries.

WHAT NEXT? Ruins are strewn all over India. One can start from any corner. But wherever people or governments have the will, Neemrana would love to be there. We cannot restore our entire ruined heritage

from a single pocket but what we have done is not insignificant. Now this healthy virus of Neemranification is spreading fast.

LAST WORD? In retrospect, I am glad I was not born in Lahore, but rather as a member of a migrant family that had moved to Delhi from Pakistan. We were in a certain way like other diaspora. NRIs are different, they are usually from normal families and through dint of hard work in their host countries, they create wealth. One thing about the punjabi diaspora. They are dynamic, as opposed to the rajputs. The rajputs tend to live in the past, while the punjabi, who are very progressive, lives in the present and looks into the future.

Nomads must make family wherever they go, I could spend a whole life anywhere and being born in India certainly helps. We are not just easily welcomed everywhere but can hope to be reborn on each continent, to begin with. And then, if it’s not asking for too much, hope to help restore the heritage of each civilization!

nri achievers bureau

Photo: Ajay Sood

Vastu Q&a

Q: I got married in January, my husband is settled in Frankfurt, and I am keen to join him there. Though I have applied for visa in January itself, the process is not going smooth and the visa has not reached me yet. Please advise me what I can do to speed up the process.

Ms. V. Shanmuganathan, Hydrabad, A.P.

A: On checking out your and your husband’s date of birth, I find that he may not be able to stay with you right now. While your home seems mostly to have been constructed in accordance to many vaastu principles, there still remain some vaasturelated discrepancies, which are creating this kind of problem. The position of the bedroom in SW direction is not suitable for you according to your birth-date, as there is a deficiency of the earth element there. You should shift your bedroom to the western zone of your house, and it might help, but it could take upto five months for things to get finalized. But do not worry as you will both be living together soon, only it might take some time for you to get there.

Q: I own a company making air conditioner components, and sell these to different companies around the world. Business was going good till the time I shifted to my newly built house. I have made my house with vastu in mind, but now my consignments to Australia are held up at the port for unknown reasons despite all paper work and formalities completed and in order.

Nalin Gaywali, Mumbai

A: I have had a look at the map of your head office, and find that a mistake has been committed in the NW zone. For doing international business, the North West zone should be correctly built according to vaastu. Construction of the Ramp towards SW is quite harmful for your financial growth. The zone of gains is also disturbed. And a problem like this can also mean big trouble for you like tax related investigations, so it has become essential to take precautionary measures with proper guidance to apply remedies as soon as possible

Q: I am very worried about my money stuck with my clients in the UK. For

the past six months I have been trying hard to realise this money, depending on this to liquidate some debts. Please tell me if anything can be done about it.

Joyker Pillay, UK

A: A remedy is of course possible for this problem. But while we have received a map of your house, you have not shared your date of birth with us, without which we are unable to accurately cross-check some of the issues related to your problem. You are living in UK, and the problem is that the land in the SW region of your house is very soft and damp as you have made a garden there. It is the zone facilitating the flow of money and there is too much water there, which is not at all good for you. So shift your garden to another spot in some other direction in your plot. North will be the best. Put a red spot light bulb in the exact south east direction for better results. Also add some yellow colour to the North East zone of the house.

Q: I have recently renovated some parts of my factory, and from then on, I am having machinery problems. Repair is needed every day for some or the other reason, and due to downtime, I am unable to keep up with product demands of my clients from abroad. Please guide me as to what all vastu solutions I can apply to maintain the functionality of my machines.

Anil Saxena, New Delhi

A: Implementing some changes can solve your problem. First of all, keep the NNE zone of the building empty by removing the room you have constructed for the workers, as it should not be used by anyone. Second, make a slope towards SW and west direction to balance the ground level in your factory. A visit by a vaastu expert to your factory is a must and is hence advised. You might also be hit by some litigation

Q: Presently I am working in India but want to shift to the USA. I have applied to so many companies, but with appropriate education and experience I still

fail to get the opportunity. What can I do to grab one next time.

Abdul Hamid, Kerala

A: Though your question is basically better answered by astrology, customized vaastu solutions may also be implemented to favour your situation. After correlating your birth-date with the layout plan of your home, it is possible that after implementing few simple remedies, the tide of fortune might change in your favour. Build an Ashok pillar in the North West zone of your house and start your business from a Western country, but it is possible that you will be doing a job for less period of time.

Q: We are NRIs settled in Sydney, and we want to marry our daughter to an Indian. We have seen so many boys in the past 2 years but are unable to find the best match. Now planning to buy a new house. Tell us what to see in the new house to increase the chances of finding a match to our daughter.

Ms. Dyna Alfanzo, Australia

A: You have asked too many questions together and have not provided us any details about date of birth of your daughter and layout plan of the house. First of all talk to an astrologer about the likely age at which your daughter's marriage can happen.

Q: By the grace of god my factory is running good. Now I want to cultivate clients from abroad, and am thinking in terms of Germany as a market for my products. Please suggest solutions by which I can reach good clients there and help in adding to my profits.

Pepsi Sahani, Punjab

A: Please send us your date of birth along with the layout plan of your home and your office, so that we may study them and suggest any vaastu related solutions which you could apply to get good results.

NAReSH SINGAl

Apart from vastu, he is also a well-known exponent of Feng Shui and Pyramidology. You can contact him at: mail@vaastunaresh.com www.vaastunaresh.com

Author will provide free consultation for readers of NRI Achievers. But do send map of your premises and your date of birth.

REALTY WARMING UP TO GOOD DAYS AHEAD THE MODI EFFECT

Riding a positive sentiment generated by the hope of political stability brought in by Narendra Modi-led majority NDA government, the real estate sector that has been facing a slowdown for the last couple of years, looks up to 'good days' ahead. 'Acche din aa rahe hain!' says Vinod Behl. Read on ...

Real estate is very much a sentiment-driven business, and of late the sector has been reeling under sentiment hitting rock-bottom. But the hope of a stable government ahead of Modi's massive win has already turned the sentiment positive. New housing units witnessed 43 percent increase in Q1, 2014. In March, 2014, just before elections, foreign investment inflows more than doubled to UD$ 3.53b, up from US$ 1.52b during the same month last year. And this business optimism is clearly reflected in the recent 'Grant Thorton' report, which is already having its desired impact. ICICI Bank has set the ball rolling by reducing home loan rates. And a leading Bangalore developer has come up with a unique offer to reduce the buyers' home loan interest burden by 3.25-3.50 percent, with a view to cut down the overall cost of home ownership.

This positive sentiment has further got strengthened with Modi's win. In fact months before the elections, peeved at the UPA government's policy paralysis, CREDAI, the apex body of real estate de-

velopers, had put its weight behind BJP and Modi. Today, one of the first and foremost jobs before the Modi government, is to boost and improve the investment climate. Already SEBI has got activated to ensure early take off of REITs which offer an alternate, transparent and safe investment vehicle for retail investors, giving much hope to the cash-starved real estate sector. Moreover, RBI is hinting at easing norms for infrastructure funding. Also, DIPP is favouring the tweaking of FDI norms to facilitate foreign investment in farm land. To further give a boost to FDI , the Modi government is expected to liberalise norms allowing insurance and pension funds to invest in real estate, besides reducing the capital investment limit and lock-in period. The government's priority is also to address the issue of industry status and the setting up of a regulatory body for real estate, to pave the way for easy access to cheap funding and boosting investment through transparent and safe property transactions.

Today, with projects worth INR 6.26 trillion shelved, abandoned, or stalled in 2013-14 as per CMIE, project implementation and fast tracking big bang infra projects will be a key strategy of the PMO under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revive growth. And it is expected that his government will implement FICCI's expert committee report on a single-window clearance system that has been gathering dust. And since land acquisition is a major hurdle for projects take off, the Modi government has to fix the new Land Acquisition Act - LARR 2013, which has made land acquisition more difficult, time consuming, and expensive. Given that the DIPP-Accenture study has named Gujarat as best state for its simplified land acquisition process, and the DMICDC has suc-

cessfully tried the land pooling model in Gujarat, rejigging LARR on similar lines could fast-track the implementation of projects. Further, the Gujarat model of using remote-sensing technology and egovernance tools can come handy for project monitoring.

As the BJP manifesto promised integrated habitat development and the creation of 100 new cities, the new government may replicate the Gujarat model of urban development, ensuring planned development of semi-urban areas as vibrant cities. And to realise its goal of housing for all by 2022, the Modi-led NDA government has to promote affordable housing in a big way, by incentivising developers with lowcost funds, liberal FAR, density norms and tax benefits, besides offering home-buyers loans at concessional rates. With the Modi government set to present a full-fledged budget shortly, one expects it to take some short-term and long-term policy initiatives with bold reforms to put real estate and infrastructure on fast track.

But real estate being a state subject, the real challenge before the government is to take states along on the reform front, especially as different states have different set of rules for development planning, project approvals, FSI norms, and regulatory framework. However, with the end in sight to the long spell of policy paralysis, and with right policy prescription, this new government should be able to put the real estate and infrastructure sectors right back on the growth path in coming months.

The author is a senior media professional, with long-standing experience in the real estate sector. He is Editor, Realty Plus - a leading real estate monthly. He may be reached at vbehl2008@gmail.com

REAL ESTATE Q&A

Starting with our last issue, we started this Q&A column on all matters pertaining to the purchase and sale of real estate in India, the extant laws that govern this, and numerous other related matters. Readers of NRI Achievers are invited to send in their queries, which will be answered by leading experts and entrepreneurs in the domain of real estate development.

What options does a NRI have for repaying a home loan ? -Anish Kapur, Canada

Home loan taken by a NRI from banks or housing finance companies may be serviced through various sources. Since the NRI is living and working outside India, it is always convenient for him/ her to pay the EMIs by way of remittances through regular banking channels. The loan may also be serviced out of funds lying in the NRI's credit in any banking account like NRE account or FCNR deposits. The said loan may even be repaid out of funds in his/her NRO account. The RBI also permits rental incomes received from such property to be used for the purpose of servicing EMIs.

PoA, or Power of Attorney is a much abused instrument in India. What are the guidelines for NRIs ?- Satyendra Khorpode, Malaysia

A NRI can and should execute a PoA authorising a trusted person resident in India so that he/ she may complete needed formalities such as registration, possession, execution of agreement of sale etc., in case it is needed. A PoA may be made

out to execute all contracts, deeds, mortgages, lease, sell and all matters relating to managing the property. However, at any given time, it is advisable to execute a specific power of attorney restricted only to a single action, such as only purchase or only for lease. Such power of attorney ought to be executed on stamp paper or as per the requirement of the country where the PoA is executed. One must then get the PoA attested by any authorized official of the Indian Embassy/Consulate/Trade commissioner in that country. Many a time, when NRIs purchase properties, developers tend to demand a PoA in their favour. One may choose not to give this PoA, but it might lead to delays since all documents would have to be mailed to one's foreign address. In such cases, it is best to execute a a specific PoA.

What implications does repatriation of property sale proceeds (or rental income) have for NRIs ?

-Monika Ranay Deol, London, UK

A NRI who has purchased property through a

home loan cannot repatriate the whole proceeds of the sale of such property, there are some caveats on this. Though there is no restriction to the number of properties a NRI may purchase or retain in India, he/she is permitted remittance out of India of sale proceeds of only two such properties as per the existing guidelines. Moreover, only that portion of the sale proceeds which was paid using Forex may be repatriated. This will include all money remitted in directly from abroad, as well as money utilized out of any FCNR or NRE account. However, in the case where funds used came from a NRE account, the amount to be remitted out would be restricted to equivalent foreign currency used on the date of payment. Said moneys will include down payments made as well as amounts remitted/used for servicing of the housing loan out of the above sources. It is pertinent to note that a NRI can sell the property so purchased anytime and there is no lock-in period for selling the property so acquired.

Rental income being a current account transaction is repatriable subject to the appropriate deduction of tax and the certification thereof by a Chartered Accountant in practice.

How does an IRA make a real estate investment? Is it possible to buy a foreclosed property using IRA funds ?- Smriti Dhawan, Singapore

With the assistance of a custodian who specialises in custody and administration of real estate and other non-publically traded alternative assets. When an investor decides to truly self-direct his or her retirement investing, they are totally responsible for selecting the investment and performing the necessary due diligence.

The custodian handles all the transactions as per the direction of the account owner and administers the assets. On the matter of foreclosed properties, it is advised that individual investors be aware of foreclosure purchase processes including payment schedules which are usually very limited. If planning to use IRA funds for such acquisitions, one should first identify an escrow agent to hold funds until the time of purchase. Engaging a knowledgeable real estate attorney would be worth the trouble in this particular scenario.

Readers are encouraged to send in their queries and our experts will answer them.

WHEN RAJKUMAR RAO EARNED INR 100 AS A LABOURER

To get into the shoes of the poor common man for whom daily wages makes him burn the lamp at home fully in Hansal mehta’s CITYLIGHTS, Rajkumar Rao posed as a commoner to witness the struggle of a commoner in the dream city of Mumbai. In fact, Rajkummar posed as a menial worker and tried to look for jobs in Mumbai and went from door to door for the same. The footage of the same was been captured with cams from far away and has been added to the film. “Rajkumar went looking for a job near Santacruz station and asked if he could get some work there but everyone denied and later he landed up at a construction site nearby. The contractor offered work at a wage of 100 rupees a day and Rajkumar Rao actually slogged hard to earn that note of 100 rupees and this scene you will even see in the film. No wonder with so much hard work and commitment , Rajkummar Rao had won the National Award for his performance in SHAHID.

MISS POLAND MARKS HER ENTRY IN BOLLYWOOD WITH HINDI FILM FLAME

KAVITA RADHESHYAM IN ANOTHER BOLD AVATAR IN MAIN HOON FOR RAJINIKANTH

Kannada's latest version of Silk Smitha, Kavita Radheshyam, who plays the main lead in Faisal Saif's bilingual MAIN HOON RAJINIKANTH recently revealed the bold and raunchy look of her character from the film on her Twitter timeline. Kavita will enact the role of late sex siren Silk Smitha in the movie. Says Kavita, "I play a high class sex worker who gets a chance to grab 5 Crores hard cash at a point. And everyone runs after me. This is my second film with Faisal Saif and I am very excited to be a part of it. Apart from eroticism, you will also witness my comical side in this film." MAIN HOON RAJINIKANTH recently had South Indian actors visiting the film's set, including Sandalwood queen Ragini Dwivedi.

AKSHAY KUMAR’S NEXT IS BABY

Filmmakers have broadened their horizon and are roping in pageant winners from abroad now. One such sultry babe is Natalia Janoszek, who’s been coveted with titles such as Miss Bikini Universe (China) in 2013, and will be making her entry in Varun Singh produced Rajiv Ruia directorial venture FLAMES. The Polish actress, who’s worked in American film COACHELLA MASSACRE, has not only won the title of Miss Poland in the past, but has also worked in many international projects before making her way to India.

"Ragini Dwivedi and I had worked in the latest released Kannada film RAGINI IPS. I was honored when Ragini tagged me with Silk Smitha's title." adds Kavita. Apart from MAIN HOON RAJINIKANTH, Kavita is busy with her Kannada films and another Hindi film which is based on homosexuality Act 377.

T-Series’ next film starring Akshay Kumar and Taapsee Pannu directed by Neeraj Pandey has been now titled BABY. The shoot for the film has already commenced in Katmandu. Akshay Kumar and Neeraj Pandey had churned out the hit ‘SPECIAL 26’ in 2013. In his second outing with Akshay, Neeraj is making an action-thriller that will is shot across multiple foreign locations like Nepal, Istanbul, and Abu Dhabi. The film is set to hit theatres worldwide on Jan 23rd, 2015. Bhushan Kumar says, “I am extremely happy to joined hands with Friday Filmworks and Crouching Tiger for Neeraj’s next film BABY. At T-Series, we have believed in backing genre-breaking content and films that connect with today’s audiences. We have always loved and respected Neeraj’s work and I look forward to him and Akshay creating their magic yet again for their fans in this movie”. This deal will enable T-Series to market and distribute the film across the globe.

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MuMbai

SINGHAM RetuRNS COMPLeteD IN JuSt 80 DAYS: ROHIt SHettY

Rohit Shetty speaks to NRI Achievers about his latest movie SINGHAM RETURNS, which is yet another sequel to the mega-successful SINGHAM, in a free-wheeling interview given to Jyothi Venkatesh at Mumbai.

How happy are you to be hailed as a successful director today in Bollywood ?

To tell the truth without sounding immodest, I am quite happy and consider myself to be very lucky that right now I am in a quality space where there is a lot of scope for innovative directors who are ready to think out of the box.

Can you explain ?

If in the earlier era there were filmmakers like Vijay Anand, Guru Dutt etc., in our midst, I am happy that today we have with us brilliant filmmakers like Rajkumar Hirani, Imtiaz Ali etc., who are making films like PK and Highway, which are different from what people generally make in Bollywood. What according to you was the USP of SINGHAM ?

I would say the USP of the film was that it was made in the shortest span of time. It was completed in just 80 days spread over a span of just four months, thanks to teamwork. In fact, it was easier for me to handle the actors in SINGHAM, because it was not a multi-starrer, though action films take more of your energy.

It was also for the first time that you had set out to do a remake?

It is only now when there is a media explosion that people have come to know that remakes are being made, but it isn’t something that is new. Nagarjun had made the remake of PHOOL AUR KAANTE and Chiranjeevi had

made the remake of MUNNABHAI MBBS. The Tamil original SINGHAM 2, a sequel to SINGHAM is a hit. Yet why didn’t you buy the remake rights of the Tamil hit sequel ?

Yes. The Tamil remake of the sequel to Singham has been declared a huge hit all over the South. The reason we did not want to buy the rights for the remake of the Tamil hit is that I and my team came up with a better and in fact more gripping script for the sequel of my

own huge hit SINGHAM. It has a different backdrop and background to that of SINGHAM 2 in Tamil.

Tell us more about SINGHAM RETURNS ? All that I can say as of now is that while Ajay will reprise his role as the protagonist Singham Bajirao in the film, we have zeroed in on Kareena Kapoor to be part of the project since I have always considered her to be a lucky mascot for my films. We shoot for the film from March this year for almost four months

non-stop in Goa and the film has been slated for release on August 15 this year. How is Ajay as a producer ?

Ajay is one of the finest actors we have in Bollywood, who has to his credit two National Awards for ZAKHAM and SHAHEED BHAGAT SINGH. Ajay is not only a great actor and director, he is also a fabulous producer who does not interfere at all with his director, since he has this open-door policy, where every one in the unit, right from the spot boy to the director chips in with his or her own ideas, though he leaves the director the freedom to implement whatever idea her wants to incorporate in his film.

Why do you always prefer Goa as your favorite destination for shooting your films, whether it was GOLMAAL, ALL THE BEST or for that matter SINGHAM earlier and

SINGHAM RETURNS now ?

The reason I have preferred to shoot most of my films in Goa is because Goa has always been my most favorite shooting location as far as India is concerned. I consider Goa to be very lucky for Ajay and me as the films which we have shot together there have turned out to be huge commercial blockbusters. I laud the wonderful move by the government of Goa to establish a nodal system single window clearance for films where film producers can get all kinds of clearances from different ministries through a single window.

Why do you show a marked preference to work only with big stars like say Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan and not thought of giving a break to rank new comers who are talented ?

I would like to reiterate that contrary to the perception that I prefer only sought after stars like Shah Rukh Khan or for that matter Ajay Devgn to work with me, the actual truth is that I am very keen on working with talented rank-newcomers as and when the story of my films demand. I am also equally interested in working with new scriptwriters who show a lot of promise. When are you launching GOLMAAL 4, and do you think remakes are safe bets today in the industry ?

I think we should give a gap of at least two to three years before we come up with a sequel, like we had a gap between the releases of the earlier series of GOLMAAL. I was lucky that not only my GOLMAAL series but also SINGHAM clicked at the box office, though it is very difficult to predict what the audience will like these days. No one wants to make a flop. Out of the 200 films that are being made in Bolywood every year, only 10 succeed and they are either remakes or for that matter sequels, and I feel that it is definitely a safe bet to make a remake or a sequel.

Have you thought in terms of casting Ajay and Kajol together in a film of yours ?

If I get the right script that would do justice to both, I am game to cast Ajay and Kajol together in my film.

What next, after SINGHAM RETURNS ?

I have bought the rights of the Tamil hit SHOODU KAVVUM directed by Nalan Kumarasamy and now we have plans to make

the Hindi remake of the film, which has broken records at the box office as far as Tamil Cinema is concerned with its different take on crime. The movie will go on the floors soon this year after I release SINGHAM RETURNS. This will be the first independent movie to be produced by me under my own banner Rohit Shetty Entertainment Pvt Ltd. The movie will be a joint venture between me and Kannada producer Rockline Venkatesh and the veteran Tamil actor Arun Pandiyan, who holds the Hindi remake rights.

Will the film boost of stars or rank new comers, like in the Tamil version ?

SOODHU KAVVUM revolves around four misfit kidnappers, a politician's son and a psychopathic police officer, who handles an investigation about a kidnapping case. The Hindi version will undergo extensive tweaking of the plot in the second half. Imran Khan and Shraddha Kapoor are being considered for the lead pair of the Hindi version. Kannada actor Sudeep's name is also being proposed for the role reprised by Vijay Sethupathi in the original version.

Jyothi Venkatesh

The writer is a well-known & established film critic.

A WALK IN THE CLOUDS CHAIL

While in college, I had done a 7~8 hour group trek from Kasauli to Chail, as part of a youth leadership camp. The route was through the Dagshai hills. A few places I remember having passed were Lawrence School Sanawar, Kumarhatti and Solan. Though the trek was tiring, Chail’s quiet, verdant, mysterious aura had refreshed me. We had taken our break at Hotel Palace, that was previously a royal palace. Tall Deodar and Chir pines surrounded its hilltop lawns. I also vividly recall the huge Belgian mirrors with ornate, gilded frames adorning the palace corridors. The vision stayed deeply etched in my mind. And I was determined to revisit this idyllic place.

Last October, a photo-tour took me there again. We hit the Himalayan Expressway at sunrise. The view of the hills and small boards announcing the names of the towns along the route made me nostalgic. And memories came flooding back.

From Kandaghat, the road is still primitive, but nature's breathtaking beauty along the way makes even this journey worthwhile. Once we entered Chail, we made our way to Hotel Palace where we were to stay. As we entered the hotel and looked around, a thick veil of despondency descended on me. The place was in an advanced state of disrepair. That's when I remembered that the property was handed over to Himachal Pradesh government way back in 1972, and surely they didn't have the kind of funds a Maharaja could proffer for the upkeep of a palace. That bit of sadness aside, the palace still feels majestic and has an antique grand piano gracing its lobby. To get a feel of its grandeur, just try and recollect the scenes of the interiors of 'Chanchad Bhawan' from Bollywood's '3 Idiots' where Javed Jaffrey sits and mourns the death of Chanchad Sr. Yes, that's right - that entire sequence was shot at this property.

Photos & Text: Ajay Sood

The Maharaja of Patiala, who was exiled from Shimla for having eloped with the then-Viceroy’s daughter, established Chail in 1892 as his summer retreat and capital. Even though common belief is that Maharaja Bhupinder Singh had established it, the records state that he was only 2 years old at that time. So, perhaps his father – Maharaja Rajindra Singh – was the one responsible for both, being exiled and establishing this town.

The central attraction of this scenic town is its cricket ground. This is the highest cricket ground in the world and is at an altitude of 2444 metres, a good 200 metres higher than Chail. So, it is not surprising to see panting yet happy tourists around when you visit this venue since the walk up to the ground is quite steep.

The ground has now been given to Rastriya Military School and is used by them for the training of their student-cadets. Today, it is

used for football, cricket, polo and other assorted sports. While there, we had thick layers of clouds swirling around us, making the sun play hide-and-seek, speedily crisscrossing past us many times over from various directions. Though we felt lost amongst the clouds at times, there were moments when we felt we were walking on them. Chail still feels like a one-horse town that offers more accommodation for tourists than its own residents, even though most of this accommodation is modest. Its market is a 500-metre stretch that caters to both the locals and tourists. The nature walks here are pleasing since the forest is thick and untouched. In fact, large parts of Chail have been notified as a sanctuary that is home to many minor fauna and exotic birds. Unlike the other better-frequented hill stations like a Shimla or a Nainital, this place offers limited activity. But this place is perfect for a quiet, long holiday away from the city buzz. It is a peaceful spot where you would enjoy reading a book, or better still, writing one...

The writer is an accomplished and avid travel photographer, relishing equally the challenges in capturing cityscapes and landscapes, heritage and architecture, wildlife and citylife, street and people.