15 Vol 5 Epaper

Travel 15
Bollywood 18
London Olympics 24
Spiritual Awareness 30
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Vol.5 No. 15 July 28-August 3, 2012 60 Cents
Padma Khannas NJ dance group to perform at Olympics Indian wins Ramon Magasaysay Award India, Page 12
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Rahul Gandhi will need to deliver and fast Op Ed, Page 14
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Haroon Khimani: Return of the Artist Art and the Artist, Page 16
Pranab, a strong partner to America: Hillary Clinton

Washington: Calling Pranab Mukherjee a strong partner to America and the American people, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has congratulated him on becoming the 13th President of India. Mukherjee had worked throughout his career to deepen India-US cooperation on a wide range of issues, she said in a statement Wednesday after he assumed India's highest office. She added, "I look forward to continuing to work with the government and people of India. Together we will build on our shared democratic values, strengthen this relationship even more and create a brighter future for both our people." Mukherjee was sworn in as President by Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia in New Delhi amid pomp and pageantry. The 76-year-old seasoned politician pledged to rise above partisan politics in his conduct of the highest office in Maha Mahim Pranab Mukherjee, the 13th President of India, pledged to rise above partisan politics in his conduct of the highest office in the land. the land.
Obama calls for measures against gun violence

New Orleans, LA: Speaking six days after the Colorado massacre, President Barack Obama advocated some degree of control on the sale of weapons, but said he would also seek a consensus on combating violence. He said some responsibility also rests with parents, neighbors and teachers to ensure that young people "do not have that void inside them." His remarks came at a speech here to the National Urban League in the light of the shooting in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater that left 12 dead, and scores injured. Obama pledged to work with lawmakers of both parties to stop violence, not only the sudden massacres that have bedeviled the nation, but the steady drip of urban
India hopes for its richest medal haul at London Olympics

London: Carrying the hopes of a billion plus people back home, Indian athletes are supremely confident of returning with the richest medal haul from the Olympic Games, the sport's biggest showpiece, opening in London July 27. India can get medals not from one or two sports, but a handful. Their shooters, archers, shuttlers, wrestlers and boxers all look good and they cannot fail for want of effort. They have all done well at international meets in the run-up to the Games. Add tennis to the list, that perennial medal hope. Impressed by the athletes' performance in the 2010 CommonContinued on page 4 US, China to battle it out for top position...page 25.
James Holmes, the suspected shooter of Aurora, CO theatre massacre crime that has cost many young lives. Despite the Second Amendment's protection of gun rights, Obama said: "I also believe that a lot of Continued on page 4
Ageing superstar Amitabh Bachchan carrying the Olympic torch in London on Thursday. India has sent its biggest contingent yet of 81 in 13 disciplines for the Games.
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NY Madame Tussauds to unveil wax figure of Salman Khan

New York: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan will join the collection of wax figures at Madame Tussauds New York on August 2nd. He will join such famed stars as Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, in the Bollywood Zone at the museum. Salman Khan has become one of Bollywoods most bankable stars, and has appeared in the highest grossing film eight separate years during his career. Khan burst onto the scene with Maine Pyar Kiya in 1989, which won him a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. His recent film, Bodyguard, has become the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time. In 2004, People magazine named Khan the seventh bestlooking man in the world. Salman Khan is one of Bollywoods most enduring and recognizable stars, said Bret Pidgeon, General Manager of Madame Tussauds New York. Bollywood exploded on the American pop culture scene several years ago and has become one of our most exciting entertainment categories. The Bollywood Zone, created after numerous visitor re-
Indian American docs settle insider trading case

New York: Five Indian American physicians have agreed to pay $1.9 million to settle a civil complaint against them brought by the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) charging they used inside information to trade shares of a medical professional liability insurer that was going to be acquired. They have not admitted wrongdoing, however. The SEC had alleged that Dr. Apparao Mukkamala, a prominent physician based in Grand Blanc, Michigan, tipped the other four doctors in 2010 about an impending sale of American Physicians Capital, Inc., where he served as chairman. According to the lawsuit, the other doctors bought nearly $2.2 million of the liability insurers stock from April 30-July 7, 2010, based on the inside information, and Mukkamala bought shares through the trading account of Chinmaya Mission West, where he was president. Chinmaya received $7,076 in illegal profits from Mukkamalas $25,427 investment, according to the SEC complaint. The Doctors Company, a Napa, Calif.-based medical malpractice insurer, announced on July 8, 2010 that it would acquire AP Capital for $41.50 per share, a 31 percent premium above the pre-announcement price, in a deal valued at about $386 million. The SEC alleges the five doctors made more than $623,000 in illegal profits on AP Capital shares after the announcement. Mukkamala, the complaint says, shared nonpublic information with these fellow physicians and friends: Suresh Anne of Grand Blanc and Jitendra Prasad Katneni of Fenton, Mich.; and Rao A.K. Yalamanchili of Staten Island, N.Y., as well as his brother-in-law, Mallikarju-
SEC accused Dr. Apparao Mukkamala, Past President AAPI, for tipping four other doctors of impending sale of a company in 2010. narao Anne of Chicago. To settle the case, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigans Southern Division, Mukkamala has agreed to pay $631,000, Suresh Anne $697,000, Yalamanchili $298,000, Mallikarjunarao $253,000 and Katneni $22,000. A radiologist, Mukkamala served as President (1992 1993) of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI). He also was the recipient of the American Medical Associations Dr. Nathan Davis International Award in 2009 and a Distinguished Citizen Award from the Tall Pine Council-Boy Scouts of America in 2010. According to the Flint Journal, Mukkamala and Katneni resigned, respectively, as a member of the board of managers and hospital chief of staff, at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, after they were named in the insider trading case.
Salman Khan (left) with his wax figure at Madame Tussauds London, which has lent it to the New York facility . quests, includes a replica of the Taj Mahal, videos of authentic Indian dancers and a photo area where visitors can pose with Bollywood stars all designed to re-create the experience of being on a Bollywood film. Over the coming years, Madame Tussauds plans to expand the area to include figures of other prominent Bollywood stars. The Salman figure is on loan from Madame Tussauds London where it was launched in 2008. He personally chose and donated the black top and denim jeans for
Severe drought in 29 states to push up food prices

Washington: The worst drought in the United States in nearly a half-century is expected to drive up the price of milk, beef and pork next year, the government said Wednesday, as consumers bear some of the brunt of the sweltering heat that is driving up the cost of feed corn. Poultry prices are expected to rise more immediately, the government said in a report. It estimated that consumer price indexes for chicken and turkey would rise 3.5 to 4.5 percent later this year. The poultry category is the smallest animal category, and we expect to see more of an effect this year because they grow the fastest and will be first to be impacted by higher feed prices, said Richard Volpe, an economist with the Department of Agriculture. Figures released Wednesday by the department showed the largest percentage increase next year in its price indexes is expected for beef, a rise of 4 to 5 percent. The price of dairy products will increase 3.5 to 4.5 percent and eggs by 3 to 4 percent. Pork is expected to rise 2.5 to 3.5 percent. The data is the first government estimate of how much prices could rise next year because of the drought that has gripped most of the country 29 states officially-- this summer, producing a lower-than-expected yield in corn, soybeans and several other commodity crops. The 'breadbasket states', such as Iowa and Indiana, are among the worst affected
Dispute among officials pushes Kali Mandir to brink of foreclosure

Hicksville, NY: There is more to the murky matter of the alleged assault on the President of the New York Kali Mandir, Ajoy Nayak, in Baldwin, NY, than meets the eye. For one, though the judge in a Hempstead district court ruled on July 18 that there was no assault and pharmacist Suman Saha was not guilty as charged, Nayak, the 72-year-old left leg amputee, has requested the District Attorney of Nassau County to take the case to Appeal Court, the SATimes has learnt. Also, there is DAs investigation into embezzlement of funds, as alleged by Nayak, against the old board of the Bengali communitys temple. Dilip Chakarbarti, founder chairman, is part of that team. According to Dilip Chakarbarti, the more serious matter is that Nayak has withheld mortgage payments, risking foreclosure proceedings against the temple by the lenders, which include Chakrabarty and his friends. In a statement to SATimes, Chakrabarty said: On May 13, 2012, a meeting of the board of trustees of the Kali Mandir was called by the two co-chairmen to address the issue of nonpayment of mortgage. Nayak had willfully stopped the payments. In this meeting a strong majority of members were present and they removed Ajoy Nayak as President of the executive committee. He was directed to transfer the charge to the newly formed ad hoc committee (but he has not complied).
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Deepa Mehtas Midnights Children to premiere at Toronto film festival

Toronto: The long-awaited adaptation of Salman Rushdie's acclaimed novel "Midnight's Children" by Indo-Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta will be screened at The Toronto International Film in September . Mira Nair's existential thriller The Reluctant Fundamentalist, also based on a popular novel, will also get a gala premiere. English Vinglish by Gauri Shinde, a comeback vehicle for actress Sridevi will also be screened at the the festival, which runs September 6-16. It will also focus on Mumbai in its 'City to City' program this year. The festival will open with time-travel thriller "Looper" and feature premieres of films directed by Ben Affleck, Robert Redford and Tom Twyker.social sciences.
Jeet Thayils novel in Booker longlist

London: Jeet Thayils novel Narcopolis is among the 12 book longlist of the Man Booker Prize for fiction. The shortlist of six authors will be announced in September and the winner in October. Narcopolis is a rich and hallucinatory novel set around a Bombay opium den, that India hopes for medal haul Continued from page 1 wealth and Asian Games, the Indian Olympic Association has cleared the country's biggest contingent of 81 in 13 disciplines for the quadrennial event. Over the years India have not had a great run of podium finishes at the Olympics, but there have been encouraging signs in the last couple of Games. The major turnaround came in Beijing. There were three medals, including the country's first individual gold from shooter Abhinav Bindra in the men's 10 m air rifle. Wrestler Sushil Kumar (66 kg freestyle) and boxer Vijender Singh (75 kg) got the other two medals, a bronze each, making it India's highest tally in any single edition of the Games, where through the years the country's medal count has been only 20 - nine gold, four silver and seven bronze - since its follows a fascinating cast of flawed characters as the city transforms itself over three decades. Bangalore based Thayil is a performance poet, songwriter and guitarist as well as writer, and has published four collections of poetry. Dr Rajesh Singh, a surgeon and founder of the Raj Rajeshwari Foundation who has dedicated his life to provide free healthcare to the poorest through his charitable hospital in his village in Uttar Pradesh, was honored with Service above Self award by Rotary Club Hicksville South and Rotary Club of Jericho Sunrise at their inaugural meeting of 201213 on July 26 at Woodlands, Syosset, NY. Also seen in the picture are Kamlesh Mehta and Quddus Mohammed of Hicksville South, Mario Moran, Governor of Rotary Dist 7250, and PDG Ravi Bhooplapur, Chair of Gift of Life, India. In wrestling, Sushil is back to his best, making the cut with a gold at the World qualifying event in Taiyuan, China, to add to his Asian gold. In badminton, World No.5 Saina Nehwal is the brightest medal prospect. Sania Mirza and Leander Paes could come up with a podium finish in the mixed doubles tennis. But the scenario is far from rosy in hockey - a game where India were once the unchallenged kings with a bounty of eight gold, one silver and two bronze. They won gold here when London hosted the 1948 Olympics. Things have come to such a pass now that if they finish in the top six it is considered a creditable showing for the World No.10 side. Obama calls for measures Continued from page 1 gun owners would agree that an AK-47 belongs in the hands of soldiers, not in the hands of criminals that they belong on the battlefield of war, not on the streets of our cities." He called for stepped-up background checks for people who want to purchase guns and restrictions to keep mentally imbalanced individuals from buying weapons. He says those steps "shouldn't be controversial, they should be common sense." But he added: "We must also understand that when a child opens fire on other children, there's a hole in his heart that no government can fill." Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who traveled to London on Wednesday to start a foreign policy trip to Europe and Israel, said he does not believe that America needs new gun laws." *******
maiden appearance in 1900. The troika's feat has spawned a new era for Indian sports, inspiring a new generation of youngsters. India will thus have 11 shooters, eight boxers - four of whom qualified through the toughest route of World Championships - and five wrestlers competing in London. In 2010 Commonwealth Games India bagged 100 plus medals for the first time, and days later they came up with their best ever medal tally of 64 (14 gold, 17 silver, 33 bronze) at the Asian Games at Guangzhou. Much is expected from the ranges. There are two men who know what it is to be World champions - Bindra and trap shooter Manavjit Singh Sandhu. Doubletrap Ronjan Sodhi is not far behind, having been a World Cup winner. Bindra has left behind a lacklustre 2011 with a gold at the 12th
Asian Shooting Championships in Doha in the New Year. In the same event, Gagan Narang - who shot four golds in the Delhi Commonwealth Games - is also a big medal hope. Among the pugilists, pin-up boy Vijender would be hoping to defend, if not better, his show at Beijing. However, the biggest medal possibility in the discipline seems to be World No.6 Vikas Krishan Yadav (69 kg), who sensationally clinched a gold at Guangzhou and a bronze at the World championships. The team also includes the promising 18-year-old Shiva Thapa, the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics, in the 56 kg category. Five times World champion M.C. Mary Kom could find herself in the medal bracket if the draw is favorable in the inaugural women's boxing event.
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South Asian workers in NYC exploited and underpaid, says report

New York: South Asians were 23% of the estimated two million immigrants working in New York in 2010, the second largest migrant community after Latinos (27%). Nevertheless, current statistics on them paint a blurry and often inaccurate picture, especially when it comes to the labor market. A report published on Wednesday sheds some light on the way Bangladeshis, Indians, Pakistanis and Nepalese (the four largest national groups within the community) are getting by in New York. According to Desis Rising Up & Moving (Drum), the grassroots community organization that conducted the survey, this is the first study in New York ever to focus on working conditions for south Asian immigrants. The findings in the survey point to an exploited, underpaid and often harassed workforce, a situation that only worsened after the 9/11 terrorist attacks since many south Asians are Muslims and those who aren't are usually taken for Muslims by police officers during stop-and-frisk operations, they say. "Our experience over the last 12 years taught us that low-wage people are the ones who have borne the weight of racial profiling after 9/11," said Monami Maulik, the India-born, Bronx-raised founder and executive director of Drum. The report is a result of 18 months of research and hundreds of interviews with workers in Jackson Heights, Queens, a traditional South Asian hub in the city. More than half of the respondents make less than the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, 83% in the case of retail employees. The huge majority (95%) doesn't have any type of health insurance, and only one fifth of them gets paid for sick days (when almost half of New Yorkers do, in comparison). South Asians also earn around $5 less in comparison with the average low-wage worker in New York. The deepest gap was found among construction workers, who earn $16.43 less than the average. At least 65% of respondents told researchers they work more than eight hours a day, while 40% work more than five days per week. According to the report, one in five workers mentioned workplace harassment, while two out of five retail workers said they are not allowed to take breaks. However, undocumented workers rarely speak out about being abused for fear of deportation and retaliation against their families. Shaharazade Thompkins-Lewis, a Community Outreach and Resource Planning specialist from the New York City District Office, said the US department of labor helps workers despite of their immigration status the problem is that few immigrants know that, and their bosses take advantage of this to intimidate and keep them working under such bad conditions. "Hearing that 50% [of South Asian workers] are not earning minimum wage is not good news," said Thompkins-Lewis. "Those who are undocumented think they have no rights."
Indian-American teacher heads to jail for sex with minor

New York: A former IndianAmerican principal of a New York Montessori school has surrendered to authorities to begin a two-toseven-year prison term for sex with one of her 13-year-old students. Lina Sinha, 46, was found guilty of the crime five years ago but had stayed out of the jail with a wide variety of appeals, according to the New York Daily News. With all her appeals exhausted, her lawyer Jerry Shargel Monday pleaded with Judge Carol Berkman to reconsider her sentence because the charges were "exaggerated." "There was a love affair that continued for nine years," he was quoted as saying. "You heard the victim say (at trial) that he enjoyed the relationship. He found the relationship pleasurable." But the judge declined to reconsider her original sentence recalling the victim's testimony that he was going through a very difficult period at the time of the abuse because his parents were separating. "She hijacked his life as a child," the judge said as cited by the Daily News. "The defendant is a woman with every advantage who preyed on the victim for years, and she did try to destroy him." Sinha, who was a teacher at the school owned and operated by her parents, first had oral sex with a 13-year-old boy in 1996. She continued to sexually abuse the underage boy throughout his middle school and high school career and even "manipulated his mind, his body and his judgment for her own sexual purposes," said Assistant District Attorney Robert Hettleman. Sinha was convicted of having oral sex with him and another youth, and bribery in April 2007, and sentenced to four to 14 years.
Showcasing Indian culture from US in London Olympics
Padma Khanna Sidana and Jagdish Sidana, founders of Indianica academy By Jinal Shah/ SATimes New York: In a first of its kind, a homegrown group of Indian Americans, mostly second generation Indians raised in US, will showcase Indian dance forms at the worlds biggest sports event 2012 London Olympics. The troop comprising of 24 students of the New Jersey based Indianica performing arts institute was invited by Performing Arts Educators (PAE) a production company for amateur performing arts groups that creates access to iconic venues. The group (of 16 girls and 8 boys) will be performing in the Olympic borough of Tower Hamlets, within walking distance of the Olympic equestrian competitions at Greenwich. In addition, Indianica Academy will appear on the stages at the Performing Arts Educators, All UK Performing Arts Festival at Warwick Castle and historic seat of the English house of the White Roses. The performance is divided into three different pieces showcasing Group that will perform in London Olympics distinct Indian styles from classical Kathak to folk Bhangra to Bollywood fusion for a total of 30 minutes. We will perform on the Gayatri Mantra, a ballad on an episode of the Krishna Leela and of course bhangra and Bollywood. I want to show Bollywood in a decent way without vulgarity, said Padma Khanna Sidana, veteran Bollywood actress and founder Indianica. Indianica academy features Indian classical and cultural dances (Kathak & folk) along with Indian music (vocal and instrumental), and stage and screen acting lessons. All the 24 performers are all local artists belonging to New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania regions and are either enrolled students or alumni, said Khanna. Not everyone gets a chance to showcase Indian culture and dance from America on such a huge event. We learn Indian dance either out of curiosity watching Indian films or to connect with our Indian roots, never thought our curiosity would take us this far, said Devansh Gupta (18). I am both nervous and excited to perform on such a large platform. We have practiced really hard for the event, said 11 year old Supriya Mishra, youngest member in the group. Born in London and raised in US, Supriya loves Kathak and Bollywood styles of dancing. The trip is sponsored entirely by parents of the kids performing. It is the biggest platform one can be exposed to and we are really proud that our daughter is part of it as the youngest member and also that she is representing our culture and dance. She started dancing since age 6, said Shashank Mishra, Supriyas father. A large number of South Asian population is expected to attend the outdoor festival performances on the lawns of Warwick Castle (next to the river Avon) and of Island Gardens (next to the River Thames).
Lina Sinha
IN BRIEF
Renee Ramaswamy named to national arts council

resident Barack Obama the National Dance Project and has nominated Ranee the Joyce Foundation. Ramaswamy, an IndianHer tours have been highlightAmerican master teacher and ed by the Kennedy Center for performer of Bharatanatyam the Performing Arts, the since 1978, as a member of the American Dance Festival, and prestigious National Council on the National Centre for the Arts. Performing Arts in Mumbai. Founder and co-artistic direcRamaswamy has worked with tor of the Ragamala Dance celebrated artists such as poet Company, Ramaswamy has Robert Bly, jazz musician Ranee Ramaswamy been a disciple of Alarmel Valli, Howard Levy, legendary comone of India's greatest living masters since poser/violinist L. Subramaniam, the 1984.Announcing her nomination along with Cudamani ensemble (Bali, Indonesia) and half a dozen other key administration posts, Wadaiko Ensemble Tokara (Nagano, Obama said in a statement: "These dedicated Japan).Among her numerous grants and and accomplished individuals will be valued awards are 14 McKnight Fellowships, a additions to my administration as we tackle Bush Foundation Choreography Fellowship, the important challenges facing America. I and an Artist Exploration Fund grant from look forward to working with them in the Arts International. She is the recipient of the months and years ahead." 2011 McKnight Distinguished Artist Award Ramaswamy's work has been commis- and was named "2011 Artist of the Year" by sioned by the Walker Art Centre, American the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Composers Forum, and the Minneapolis She earned a BA in Fine Arts from the Institute of Arts, and has been supported by University of Madras.
Gyan Vikas Kentra offers free health-improvement course

ri Sri Gyan Vikas Kendra, an Indiabased nonprofit organization, is currently conducting a series of programs aimed at improving health of Indian-Americans and others, who are keen on not only bolstering their physical health but also their mental abilities. The program, whose formal name is Advance Plus Course," is being held under the guidance of Sri Sri Guru Sudershan Ji. The course is open to people of the age 18 and above and is free of cost. Among others, the course is aimed at a stress-free life, controlling one's anger and irritation, eradicating misunderstanding in marital relationships, ensuring more capability and productivity at workplace, and (particularly for students and other youngsters) inculcating more discipline, concentration and better grasp on their studies. One such course was conducted at Asa Mai Temple, Hicksville, New York state, earlier this month. The second is now being held in Richmond Hill, New York City. The third of the current series will also be held at the same venue. The institute and its guruji preach no religion and after achieving the required
Pakistani film to premiere at NYC film fest

he New York City International Film Festival will be hosting the world premiere of Seedlings (Lamha), a Pakistani feature presentation, a Bodhicitta Works production in association with Ice Animations. The film has already received several nominations; Best Feature Film, Best Actress in a leading role Aamina Sheikh, Best Actor in a leading role Gohar Rasheed, Best Original Screen Play and Best Director. Produced by Meher Jaffri, written by Summer Nicks and directed by debutant Mansoor Mujahid the film premiers at the festival on August 10th with a second screening on Pakistan Day, August 14th, 2012. The film is intended to release theatrically in Pakistan later this year. Festival Director of NYCIFF, Roberto Rizzo said, (Director) Mansoor Mujahid treats this sensitive subject in the most subtle way and the per-
knowledge one may practice one's religion. The upcoming coursethe third batch in Sudershan Ji's present visit--in the New York area is scheduled to begin on July 30. The course runs from Monday through Sunday and is held between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. Participants are expected to be present about 15 minutes before the program begins in order to derive the maximum benefit from the course. The following is the schedule: VenueRichi Rich Palace, 11019 Atlantic Avenue, Richmond Hill, New York 11418; requirementsany person who is 18 years of age and older; two passport-style photographs. For further information call 516-633-0209 OR 718-685-6625; www.srisrigyanvikaskendra.com
Conference to focus on Parsis in the contemporary world

oroastrians from across North America will convene in Rye Brook, N.Y., for the 16th annual North American Zarathushti Congress to be held Aug. 2 to 5 at the Rye Town Hilton. More than 600 people are expected to attend the event, a press release from the organizers said. The four-day event with the theme "Zarathushti Existence in the Contemporary World," will focus on the Parsi community's core beliefs, rituals and practices and issues affecting the next generation, the release said. Dr. Trita Parsi, founder and president of the National Iranian American Council, will deliver the keynote address, "Building A New World Order The Role of
Seedlings movie poster formance of Aamina Sheikh as a devastated mother makes it extraordinarily moving. An added bonus for the movie is the soundtrack, which features music from guitar prodigy and 2012 TED Global Fellow, Usman Riaz, a 21year-old whiz at the percussive guitar, a style he learned to play by watching his heroes on YouTube. At the TEDGlobal 2012, Usman Riaz plays along side master of percussive guitar, Preston Reed.
Zarathushti Values." An exhibit titled "The Zarathushti Religion for All Time" will allow delegates to experience the evolution of the community from ancient Iran to modern-day New York. Since the first Zarathushtis came to North America from India and Iran in the last century, the community has sought to maintain its identity, the release said. Zoroastrianism was founded between 1500 and 1000 B.C. in what is now Iran. The prophet Zarathustra preached monotheism and was initially persecuted for his teachings. He won the support of the emperor, and Zoroastrianism eventually became the religion of the Persian Empire.
INOC, USA congratulates Pranab Mukherjee

ndian National Overseas Congress, USA (I) has conveyed hearty congratulations to Pranab Mukherjee, on his election as the 13th President of India. Mukherjee is one of the most seasoned politicians in India and his experience and breadth of knowledge about the country will make him one of the great Presidents ever to occupy that office, said George Abraham, President of INOC
NY hedge fund manager accused of fraud
(I). The President has a powerful pulpit where he can speak over the political noise to inspire and motivate a new generation added Abraham. I am certain that all the members of the Diaspora and the Congress party supporters in US in particular wish him well for a very successful term, it said in a press release.
hetan Kapur, the sole managing principal of New York-based ThinkStrategy Capital Management has been charged with securities fraud, investment adviser fraud and wire fraud. Kapur was arrested July 16 and appeared in Manhattan federal court the next day, according to a press release from the Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Kapur, 37, is accused of deceiving investors by making false and misleading
statements and material omissions, and also by disseminating false and misleading information to the investors. The information included misrepresentations about the prior and current performance, longevity, assets, personnel and due diligence of ThinkStrategy's managed funds. He is charged with one count of securities fraud, one count of investment adviser fraud and five counts of wire fraud, the release said. He faces a maximum sentence of 125 years in prison if convicted.
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Four young Indian-American scientists honored by Obama

Washington, DC: Four Indian-American researchers figure among 96 named by President Barack Obama as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, the highest US honor for young professionals. "Discoveries in science and technology not only strengthen our economy, they inspire us as a people." Obama said announcing the awards Monday. "The impressive accomplishments of today's awardees so early in their careers promise even greater advances in the years ahead." The honored Indian-Americans were Biju Parekkadan of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Pawan Sinha and Parag A. Pathak, both Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Sridevi Vedula Sarma of Johns Hopkins University. The Presidential early career awards embody the high priority the Obama Administration places on producing outstanding scientists and engineers to advance the nation's goals, tackle grand challenges, and contribute to the American economy, the White House announcement said. Awardees employed or funded by various government agencies are selected for their pursuit of innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology and their commitment to community service as demonstrated through scientific leadership, public education, or community outreach, it said. The awards were established by President Bill Clinton in 1996.
Arati Prabhakar appointed Pentagons DARPA Director

Washington DC: The Obama Administration has appointed an Indian American to run the top research agency of the Pentagon, according to the US Department of Defense. Arati Prabhakar, a former venture capitalist and a veteran of the agency, will be taking over as the next director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on July 30, 2012, said Eric T. Mazzacon, DARPA Public Affairs Officer. According to US Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Frank Kendall, Dr. Prabhakar has spent her career advancing technology in support of both national security and the private sector, from early research and development through production. Noting Prabhakars earlier work with the agency, Kendall said she served, from 1986 to 1993 at DARPA, first as a program manager and then as founding director of the Microelectronics Technology Office. In 1993, President Clinton appointed Dr. Prabhakar as the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, where she led the 3,000-person organization in its work with companies across multiple industries. In 2001, Prabhakar joined US Venture Partners, an early stage venture capital firm in Menlo Park, California. As a partner at USVP until 2011, she worked with Cleantech and IT entrepreneurs to help build new companies.
Aarti Prabhakar Dr. Prabhakars Department of Defense and leadership experience, when coupled with her experience with technical communities in Silicon Valley and beyond, make her the ideal candidate to continue DARPAs impressive track record of success, added Kendall. Having come to the US at the age of three, Prabhakar grew up in Texas and received her B.S. in electrical engineering from Texas Tech University, an M.S. in electrical engineering and a Ph.D. in applied physics from the California Institute of Technology. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and a Caltech Distinguished Alumna. Prabhakar is only the second woman to head up the agency.
Indian-American-owned company awarded $147.2M against BlackBerry

Washington, DC: An Indian-American-owned technology company has been awarded $147.2 million in a patent lawsuit against BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM). In its verdict, the US Federal District Court of Northern California on Friday found that RIM infringed Mformation Technologies patent related to wireless mobile device management. Founded by IndianAmerican Rakesh Kushwaha, Mformation took RIM to court in 2008 for allegedly infringing its patent related to software used for remotely managing a wireless device over a wireless network. The software found to infringe Mformations patent is RIMs BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES), used by corporate enterprise customers to manage and secure their BlackBerry devices. The court ordered the BlackBerry maker to pay a royalty of $8 per device sold since 2008, taking the total damages award to Mformation to $147.2 million. This award does not include future royalties, past and future US government sales, or past and future non-US sales. Reacting to his victory over the struggling wireless giant, Mformation founder/CTO Rakesh Kushwaha said,
Rakesh Kushwaha, MFormation founder/CTO Mformation created the mobile device management category in the late 1990s and was innovating in this area well before most of the market understood the fundamental importance of wireless mobility management. Our patents are a core part of our innovative products, and are fundamental to the methods used for device management in the market today. Kushwaha added, We ensured that our early innovations in device management were put through rigorous legal assessment by applying for patents on these innovations in the United States and abroad. Now these patented technologies are central to many critical mobile device management tasks being used by operators, service providers and enterprises around the world, including remote device configuration, lock/wipe and application management. With a total of 27 patents granted or pending, our IP portfolio will allow us to continue to shape the future of the Mobile Device Management market. Amar Thakur, attorney for Mformation, said, Our legal system allows small businesses to protect their patented inventions against unauthorized use by large corporations. Today the legal system worked and inventors everywhere should feel encouraged by the courts conclusion. Responding to the court verdict against it, RIM said it is disappointed by the outcome and is evaluating all legal options. But the trial judge has yet to decide certain legal issues that might impact the verdict. RIM will await those rulings before deciding whether to pursue an appeal, RIM added.
North Carolina couple NASA includes two Indian innovators found dead in their home on waste management
Washington, DC: A Clemmons, North Carolina Indian American couple was found dead in their home July 9 in what local law enforcement is investigating as a murdersuicide. Hemang Mahendra Patel, 43, who owned the A&J convenience store in Leesburg, Georgia and another store near his home in North Carolina, and his wife Alpa Vishnu Patel, 36, were found shot in their bedroom early that morning with gunshot wounds to their heads and faces. They were taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and died later that day. According to Forsyth County, North Carolina Sheriffs Department reports, a .45 caliber handgun and two shell casings were found at the crime scene. The handgun was purchased by Hemang Patel in 2010, according to the report, but it is unclear who did the shooting. Based on evidence seized at the scene, the sheriffs department said it was not looking for suspects but the case remains open. A search warrant in the case, obtained by the Winston Salem JourWashington, DC: NASA, the US space agency has included two Indian innovators for its conference on waste management. Nitin Gupta from Attero Recycling and Anshu Goonj from Goonj are among nine innovators from across the globe that made it to the NASA conference on waste management, which started on Friday. Supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the State Department and Nike; the fourth installment of the event being held at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, is called LAUNCH: Beyond Waste. It aims to identify and accelerate solutions in waste management, an immediate issue for astronauts aboard the International Space Station, as well as people around the world. The forum runs through July 22. Gupta from Attero Recycling is India's leading provider of end-to-end electronic and electrical goods e-Waste management services; while Goonj is a grassroots NGO focused on transforming and revaluing clothing and textiles waste by working on these issues directly at the community level. NASA said these innovators were chosen for this forum because of their groundbreaking technologies and programs that address a broad range of waste issues, including waste-to-energy; eWaste, which includes discarded electrical or electronic devices; upcycling, the process of using waste to create new materials; recycling; agricultural waste and conservation; medical waste; sustainable chemicals and materials; and improved sanitation.
Hemang and Alpa Patel nal, stated that the couples son, Ameer Patel, allegedly heard a loud noise and went to his parents bedroom, where he found his mother and father. Ameer Patel, 19, told sheriffs deputies that he moved the gun which was near his fathers hand because his father was still moving. Investigators found a bloody handprint on one wall and two broken wine glasses, among other items. The Patels had moved into the Clemmons home only one month earlier, but had lived in North Carolina since 2009. Lawson does not believe the deaths are a murder-suicide and urged law enforcement to investigate the case as a home invasion.
IAKC to organize first India Fest on Aug. 26 in Kansas City

Kansas: First India Fest will be held on Sunday August 26th, 2012 at the Overland Park Convention Center and is being hosted by the India Association of Kansas City (IAKC) and other regional organizations representing India. The event is open to the entire Greater Kansas City community and admission to the Festival is completely free. The highlight of India Fest is the showcase of dances, music, variety of food and the arts bazaar. Food stalls representing cuisine from different regions of India will be offered by local restaurants from the greater Kansas City area. In addition, many booths will feature arts and crafts, clothing and other retail goods from India, such as jewelry and home decor. This festival will give Greater Kansas City community a glimpse of India and its subcontinents arts, culture, history and people. This is an event filled with tastes, sounds and sights of India, food and entertainment throughout the day, said Deepak Parmar, Chairman, Board of Trustees of IAKC. Elaborating on the event, Purnima Bansal, President, IAKC said Facts about each state of India will be represented at the event showcasing the diversity of the country. There will be lot of activities throughout the day including musical and cultural presentations from different parts of India. Different dance forms from India will also be choreographed and presented for the visitors. In addition, family-friendly events will include a Kids Corner with arts and crafts, face painting/henna. Bansal added that this event will not only showcase Indian culture to the Greater Kansas City community but at the same time will also have vendors like financial consultants, spas and other local vendors, bringing them closer to the Indian community. Sponsorship for the India Fest is being provided by local firms.
India should collaborate more with US in healthcare: Prathap Reddy

Washington, DC: A leading Indian health expert has suggested greater collaboration between the US and India to meet the healthcare challenge with new tools to transform its delivery, such as through information technology. Calling the healthcare challenge 'solvable'' at an interactive session on 'US and India: Innovating Health Care' here Tuesday, Dr. Prathap Reddy, chairman of the Apollo Group of Hospitals, said that it was a key area where the US and India can work together. Speaking at the event organized jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Reddy lauded the ongoing efforts in the US to digitize healthcare data through Electronic Medical Records and hoped that such techniques would be brought to India as well. He also acknowledged the tremendous contributions made by research organizations in the US in diagnosis, methodology, innovation, research and technology in the healthcare sector. Applying existing innovations from US, Europe and other parts to countries like India is thus critical, said Reddy who pioneered the concept of corporate hospitals in India in the eighties after returning from the US where he a had a very successful practice as a leading heart surgeon. "The three biggest challenges India faces
Fearing recruitment, India restricts contacts with CIA

New Delhi: Fearing that the CIA might use counter-terrorism meetings to recruit Indian intelligence operatives, New Delhi has restricted agency-toagency contacts with Washington, says a new book. Scholar Prem Mahadevan says that unlike the 1970s when India was a virtual socialist state, the hunger for government jobs has fallen considerably since the Indian economy opened up in 1991. "Today, middle-ranking IB (Intelligence Bureau) and RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) officers are vulnerable to enticement by well-funded foreign intelligence agencies - a factor which has constrained counter-terrorism cooperation post 9/11." Mahadevan's book, "The Politics of Counterterrorism in India" (I.B. Tauris), says the fears are not altogether unfounded. It reveals that since 2001, there have been at least two cases of penetration of RAW by the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). "Also, at least nine RAW officers have gone abroad without leave since the agency's creation in 1968. Most defected while posted in Western Europe or North America, in pursuit of a more comfortable lifestyle.
Dr.Prathap Reddy, chairman, Apollo Group of Hospitals
in the healthcare sector are: paucity of hospital beds for people; lack of skilled health human resources; and rise in both infectious and non-communicable diseases," he said. Noting that comparable surgeries in India cost one-tenth of the price in the US, he said high quality healthcare and cost benefit is hence a major priority area. Karl Inderfurth, Wadhwani Chair in USIndia Policy Studies at CSIS, kicked off the session and highlighted the increase in USIndia cooperation across key sectors such as security, energy, defence, science and technology among others.
"Subsequent investigations revealed that they had been recruited by Western intelligence agencies prior to their defection and had functioned as agents in place for some time." The book, however, says infiltrating into jehadi networks has become nearly impossible because of the very low number of Muslims in the Indian intelligence. "The RAW does not have a single Muslim in its 10,000-strong manpower pool while the IB has a small number of Muslims. "These operatives did a sterling job of raising new informer networks in Jammu and Kashmir during the 1990s... Despite their performance, the IB and RAW remain averse to employing Muslims, preferring to invest in technical collection." Contrary to public knowledge, Indian intelligence agencies have faced budget cuts, the book says.
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US Affairs TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Colorado massacre leaves Obama, Romney unmoved on gun laws

Washington: The Colorado massacre has prompted some calls for gun control. But Mitt Romney, who flip-flopped on the issue once before, isnt about to take on the powerful National Rifle Association (N RA). And President Barack Obama knows any fight for new regulations would be a nonstarter and lose him the election. Last weekends mass murder by a gunman in a theater in Aurora showing the latest Batman movie that left 14 killed and over 50 wounded prompted New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to challenge Obama and The 12 who perished in the Aurora, CO, theater shooting Romney to make their stand known on the issue before the presidential election, but to no avail. On his visit to Aurora, Obama spoke a few half-hearted words on the topic. His rival, Mitt Romney, declared that stricter gun control laws wouldnt have made a difference in the Colorado shooting. Thousands die in gun related incidents every year in America. A few high profile incidents reignite the debate-- from Dallas in 1963, through the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., the shooting of Ronald Reagan, and the slaughter of innocents at Columbine, Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, and Tucsonbut then it is all forgotten till the next attention grabbing shooting spree.
Romney overseas trip to court voters living abroad

Jerusalem: Mitt Romney began a six-day overseas tour Wednesday to meet leaders in England, Israel and Poland and demonstrate his statesmanship and foreign policy grasp as well as to rake in campaign cash and woo voters living abroad. In London, he will attend a joint fundraising dinner with other GOP committees where guests will pay up to $75,000 a plate. In Israel, he will attend a $50,000-a-head fundraiser and participate in get-outthe-vote drives with US citizens living in Israel, said Kory Bardash, cochairman of Republicans Abroad Israel, a group that has 1,000 members. "People are very excited and appreciative of governor Romney coming to Israel during a highly complex and highly charged campaign season in the U.S.," Bardash said, adding that his group was paying special attention to voters living in Israel who hail from battleground states such as Florida and Ohio. Romney will spend two days in each country visiting high-ranking officials, kicking off his trip in London with the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. He plans to meet the prime ministers of Ireland and Great Britain.
Holmes sent shooting plans notebook to shrink

Aurora, CO: The do - drawings and man accused of illustrations with Friday's movie thestick figures of the ater massacre in massacre. Colorado mailed a Holmes, who was notebook "full of arrested immediately details about how he after the attack outwas going to kill peoside the theater, made The suspect James ple" to a University of his first appearance in Holmes Colorado psychiatrist court on Monday. before the attack, FoxNews.com Authorities plan to formally charge reported on Wednesday. him on July 30. The package allegedly from the Holmes is from San Diego and suspected shooter, 24-year-old had recently dropped out of a docJames Eagan Holmes, remained toral program at the University of unopened in a mailroom for as Colorados medical school, where long as a week before its discovery he had done research. Monday. Inside, there were drawNo motive has been established ings of what Holmes was going to yet.
Mitt Romney, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee In Israel, Romney will confer with U.S. Ambassador Dan Shapiro, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres, and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. His final stop will be in Poland, where the Romney campaign said it had received a personal invitation from former president and Solidarity movement leader Lech Walesa to visit the country. The Romney campaign chose its itinerary hoping to prick up the ears of certain groups in the US namely voters of Jewish and Eastern-European descent, viewed as critical in Florida and several Midwestern swing states.
India TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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Viceregal lodge to Color and ceremony as President Pranab takes office India's presidential abode
service of the national good". In a brief speech marked by high prose, Mukherjee said: "I have seen vast, perhaps unbelievable, changes during the journey that has brought me from the flicker of a lamp in a small Bengal village to the chandeliers of Delhi." He also touched on corruption, terming it as an evil "that can depress the nation's mood and sap its progress". Among the dignitaries present at the swearing-in ceremony were Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, opposition leader L.K. Advani and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who decided to back Mukherjee's candidature just two days before the July 19 poll. Not far away from where Mukherjee was being sworn in, Team Anna began its indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar against corruption and to demand a stringent Lokpal Bill. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa sent in his congratulations and "deep joy" to Mukherjee while Mamata Banerjee invited him to visit West Bengal. In much of West Bengal, including Kolkata, there was joy at the first Bengali becoming the country's president. Firecrackers were burst and buntings heralding the event put up in Kolkata. Mukherjee moves into the 340-room Rashtrapati Bhavan from his official bungalow on Talkatora Road. He will henceforth travel in a long black bomb-proof Mercedes limousine - a far cry from the Ambassador car he used to travel in.
Pranab Mukherjee being sworn in as India's 13th president by Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia in New Delhi on July 25. New Delhi: It was a day of pomp and pageantry, tradition and modernity as India got its 13th president in 76-year-old seasoned politician Pranab Mukherjee, who pledged to rise above partisan politics in his conduct of the high office. Mukherjee, attired in a black sherwani and churidar, was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia at 11.28 a.m. inside the central hall of parliament. Escorted by his predecessor Pratibha Patil, he went from Rashtrapati Bhavan to parliament and then back to Rashtrapati Bhavan - this time as the first citizen - in a tableau of colour and ceremonial grandeur that has for decades marked this historic change of guard of democratic India's top office. The president's mounted bodyguards, resplendent in their livery of white and with dark turbans to match, presented the national salute and 1,000 members of the three services lined along Raisina Hill for the 'Hazar Salam' or thousand salute to the president - the supreme commander of the armed forces. As the president's black stretch limousine with the mounted guards moving alongside moved slowly to Parliament House, it made for a regal sight. As did the visual of Mukherjee sitting in the horse-drawn presidential buggy and taking the guard of honour in an open jeep. Mukherjee, who till June 28 was India's finance minister, looked serious throughout the ceremony and broke into a smile only when waving to camerapersons from the presidential buggy. In his first speech as president, Mukherjee, who has a five-year term, said his high office demands that he rise "above personal or partisan interests in the
Mughal Gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi: The magnificent 340room Rashtrapati Bhavan, that once housed the British viceroy and now the Indian president, is a symbol of continuity from the colonial past and also of change in an evolving nation. The red sandstone presidential palace sits atop Raisina Hill in the national capital, overlooking a grand boulevard that stretches three kilometers to the India Gate martyrs' memorial. It is one of the most imposing avenues anywhere in the world and attracts tourists from all over. Christened an "empire in stone" by its illustrious builder Edwin L. Lutyens, the sprawling complex, spread across 200,000 square meters, was built with 700 million bricks and three million cubic feet of stone. It was completed largely in 1929 and along with the rest of Lutyen's New Delhi was officially inaugurated in 1931. The most prominent aspect of Rashtrapati Bhavan is its dome which is superimposed on its
structure. Lutyens in his memoirs writes that the "building was earmarked for 400,000 pounds". However, the long span of 17 years required to build the complex more than doubled its cost to 877,136 pounds (then Rs.12.8 million). The Rashtrapati Bhavan is a symbol of ceremonial India too. The vast forecourt is where heads of state and government are greeted on their arrival on state visits by mounted horsemen and a guard of honor by the armed forces. Its Durbar Hall is also where ambassadors present their credentials before assuming office. And it's where India honors her military heroes and confers civil honors. It's Mughal Gardens are a symphonic landscape. Three key projects - the Herbal Garden meant to awaken the spiritual senses, the Roshni Project and a Nature Trail make Rashtrapati Bhavan an exemplary institution, says a spokesperson.
Patil's presidency smooth but lackluster

New Delhi: Lackluster, unmotivating and homespun. As Pratibha Patil prepared to walk into history as India's first woman president, analysts struggled to encapsulate her five-year tenure that was mostly uneventful but ended with the taint of controversy over her foreign visits, clemency petitions and postretirement home. Patil, a familiar grandmotherly figure with her traditional border saris and bindi, enjoyed good rapport with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and there were no marked tensions with the executive. But there were a few high points and, unlike predecessor A.P.J. Abdul Kalam who grew popular as "people's president", Patil's tenure did not "Her tenure has not been particularly exciting. In fairness to her, no scandals came from Raisina Hill except controversy related to her post-retirement residence in Pune which she decided to forgo," Ray, a former professor of political science at the Jawaharlal Nehru University here, said. Ray said controversies over Patil travelling with "retinue of relatives" and money spent on her foreign trips were avoidable. However, Patil did make some interventions in the sectors of women empowerment, greening the environment and rainfed agriculture. She also conceived Roshni, an environment management initiative to make the sprawling President's Estate a green habitat by practising efficient use of energy. Senior journalist S. Nihal Singh said Patil's tenure had been undistinguished in many ways. "She was adequate and rather homespun," he said. Most controversies arose during the last leg of her presidency. Disclosures that her many foreign trips, with her family, had cost the exchequer more than Rs.205 crore, surpassing that of her predecessors, saw a rash of bad publicity. Her office clarified that these were made at the request of the government to promote India's relations. Patil gave up a five-acre plot in Pune she had selected for her post-retirement years after reports that it belonged to war widows. She is now moving into another bungalow in the city.
Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Speaker, Lok Sabha, Smt. Meira Kumar and the Chief Justice of India, Justice S.H. Kapadia, in a ceremonial procession at Parliament House. evoke any catchphrase. Aswini K. Ray, Patil's five years According to political analyst were "lackluster".
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Indian wins Ramon Magasaysay Award

Chennai: India's Kulandei Francis is one of the six winners of the prestigious Ramon Magasaysay Award for 2012, announced by the organizers in Manila. Francis is being recognized for his visionary zeal, his profound faith in community energies and his sustained programs in pursuing the holistic economic empowerment of thousands of women and their families in rural India, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) said in a statement. The other awardees are Chen Shu-Chu from Taiwan, Romulo Davide, Philippines, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Bangladesh, Yang Saing Koma, Cambodia and Ambrosius Ruwindrijarto, Indonesia. Born to a poor family in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu, Francis was the only one of his siblings to earn a degree. center. Later with the help of development organizations, he undertook a micro-watershed program that, over 22 years, built 331 mostly small check dams benefitting cultivators and their families in 60 villages, said RMAF. In 1989 IVDP began organizing women's self-help group (SHP) and today there are over 8,200 groups with 153,990 members with a total savings of around $40 million, a cumulative loan portfolio of around $435 million and a reserve fund of around $8.9 million. Established in 1957, the Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia's highest honour and is widely regarded as the region's equivalent of the Nobel Prize. It celebrates the memory and leadership example of the third Philippine president, and is given every year to individuals or organizations in Asia who manifest the same sense of selfless service that ruled the life of the late and beloved Filipino leader. "The Magsaysay awardees of 2012," says RMAF president Carmencita Abella, "are six remarkable individuals, all deeply involved in creating sustainable solutions to poverty and its accompanying disempowerment whether in the forests or on farmlands, in exploitative industries or in inadequate education. "Working selflessly in unpretentious yet powerful ways, they are showing how commitment, competence, and collaborative leadership can truly transform millions of individual lives and galvanize progressive community action." The awardees will be formally conferred the Magsaysay Award during Presentation Ceremonies to be held Aug 31, 2012.
Kulandei Francis is one of the six winners Sixty-six-year-old Francis began the Integrated Village Development Project (IVDP) in 1979, in Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu starting out with small projects: conducting a night school, setting up a first-aid
Congress, NCP stand-off ends

New Delhi: The current stand-off between the Congress and the NCP ended with an agreement to evolve a mechanism in the UPA to ensure more consultation between the allies for "cohesive functioning", after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh indicated that there was "give and take" in coalition politics. A meeting between the two United Progressive Alliance (UPA) alliance partners decided formation of a coordination committee at the centre and the revamp of the coordination mechanism between the two parties in Maharashtra. The prime minister earlier in the day said that the government was ready to talk to its ally "on any issue" and there was "give and take" in coalition politics. The decision for coordination mechanism was taken at a meeting in the evening attended by the prime minister, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel. Patel, who is union heavy industries minister, announced the end of party's stand-off with the Congress after the meeting at the prime minister's residence and said the talks had put a "full stop" to all differences that emerged in the last few days. "This puts a full stop to whatever happened in last few days," he said. As a result of the stand-off, Pawar, who is the union agriculture minister, and Patel were not attending office. Patel said the two parties will work to further strengthen the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). The two parties also decided to activate the coordination mechanism in Maharashtra following complaints from the NCP that the coalition arrangement was not working properly in the state. The NCP and the Congress are partners in ruling coalition in Maharashtra. The differences between the two allies came out in the open after the presidential voting last week with Pawar sending a communication to the prime minister conveying his party's unhappiness. The NCP threatened to pull out of government and provide it only outside support.
Uneasy calm in Assam, violence toll 40

Guwahati: An uneasy calm settled over Assam's Kokrajhar and Chirang districts with no fresh incidents reported in the communal violence that has claimed 40 lives and affected more than 170,000 people. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi will visit the worst-hit Kokrajhar district and interact with people besides reviewing the law and order situation with top officials. Gogoi will reach Kokrajhar in a special helicopter and is expected to return to Guwahati by evening, the sources said. The worst affected in the riots were Kokrajhar and Chirang, which form the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) along with Baksa and Udalguri districts. The two districts have become a cauldron of communal tension since July 19 with violence breaking out between the Bodos, who are tribals, and
The worst affected in the riots were Kokrajhar and Chirang, which form the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) Bengali-speaking Muslims. According to an Assam government statement, 40 people have died in Kokrajhar and Chirang since July 19 - 21 people were killed in Kokrajhar, 15 in Chirang; the dead also include four people shot dead by police. Ten people are missing. The statement disclosed that the violence had affected about 170,000 people in the two districts. According to official sources, the violence started July 19 after gunmen attacked two student leaders in Magurbari. Following this, four former Bodo militants were shot dead.
Team Anna launches fast, targets Pranab, PM

New Delhi: Kicking off an indefinite fast, Team Anna members renewed their push for a stringent Jan Lokpal bill and upped the ante by hurling corruption charges against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, now President Pranab Mukherjee and key ministers in the UPA government. The fast is led by Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal while Anna Hazare, the septuagenarian social activist who fired the country's imagination a year ago on an anti-corruption plank, said he would join the hunger strike from July 29 if the government failed to take immediate steps to check corruption in high places. Hazare, along with Kejriwal and two other members Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai, paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at has betrayed us several times," Hazare told reporters before the protest began in the heart of the capital. The Team Anna show attracted around 2,000 people, but the enthusiasm and fever of the anticorruption crusade of last year was missing. This did not dampen the spirits of the activists who aggressively raised the pitch for ridding India of corruption and targeted some of the most powerful in the country. They did not even spare Mukherjee, who was sworn-in as the country's 13th president in the morning, for his alleged role in corruption during his tenure as defense and finance minister. Hundreds of people, including schoolchildren and retired government officials, assembled at Jantar Mantar to pledge their support for Hazare and his cause. Mukherjee was one of the 15 cabinet ministers named by the Team Anna for being involved in corruption. The podium had pictures of all the tainted cabinet ministers while a cloth covered Mukherjee's image. Kejriwal reiterated charges that the prime minister was directly responsible for giving away coal blocks to unknown companies at throwaway prices between 2006 and 2009 when he headed the coal ministry. Team Anna also attacked Home Minister P. Chidambram, Human Resource Development minister Kapil Sibal and Congress leader Virbhadra Singh for their alleged complicity in corrupt deals.
Supporters of anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare participate in a hunger strike in New Delhi Rajghat before beginning the monsoon session is expected to protest. Team Anna has got per- begin. mission to fast at Jantar Mantar "We are demanding a strict till Aug 8, the day parliament's Lokpal bill but this government
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Miffed Azam Khan offers to quit UP cabinet

Lucknow: Miffed at his powers being curtailed, senior Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan has sent a terse letter to chief minister Akhilesh Yadav offering to quit the cabinet, leaving the fourmonth Samajwadi Party (SP) government to face its first political crisis. In his letter to Akhilesh Yadav, Khan offered to resign from the post of minister in-charge of Ghaziabad and Muzaffarnagar districts. Khan, who had been divested of Meerut, also wrote that if the chief minister thought he was not Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan fit to be a minister, he could resign from the cabinet as well. The late night developments caught the Akhilesh Yadav government unawares. "While Khan saheb is known for his off and on angry outbursts against colleagues and officials, the fact that he has decided to take on the chief minister directly has come as a shock to us," the aide said. About a month back, different districts were assigned to senior ministers and Khan was given the important charge of Ghaziabad, Meerut and Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh. As in-charge of these districts, Khan, the urban development and parliamentary affairs minister, was head of several committees overseeing developmental projects. Three days ago, another minister, Balram Yadav, was given the charge of Meerut and Khan was divested of the charge. Soon after his removal from the post of minister in-charge of Meerut, Khan sought a meeting with SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. However, Mulayam Singh was not well and the meeting did not take place. Following this, the mercurial Khan, shot off a letter to the chief minister offering to quit as minister-in-charge of Ghaziabad and Muzaffarnagar as well.
Reforms on hold: politics, poor rains to blame

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will hold off on widely anticipated fuel subsidy and retail reforms because of renewed opposition from party colleagues and coalition allies, leaving budget targets in tatters and rattling investors. Members of Congress Party and senior government officials said that no movement was expected until at least the second week of September, despite market expectations of an announcement this week or the next. Despite consultations with partners and state governments, it was not clear how Singh would be able to build a consensus on opening the $450 billion retail sector to foreign supermarkets like Wal-Mart Stores or on increasing fuel prices. "Such an announcement will not be made unless a political consensus is reached," one party leader said. The rupee fell for a fourth successive session on Wednesday on growing worries of government dithering on policy reform. A month-long session of parliament starts on August 8. While the government does not need parliamentary approval for the reforms, many Congress politicians said the party would find it hard to stomach protests from allies and the opposition. Singh took over the finance ministry portfolio after Pranab Mukherjee resigned in June to contest and later win election to the largely ceremonial role of the nation's president.
The plan to reduce subsidies on diesel, kerosene and cooking gas looks in trouble Singh, the architect of India's initial economic reforms in the 1990s, promised to revive the "animal spirit" of the economy and many investors had expected him to move in the period between Mukherjee's election on July 19 and the opening of what is dubbed as the monsoon session of parliament. Changing rules to allow multi-brand foreign retailers to operate in India was expected to be the first major announcement. But that plan hit fresh opposition from the Samajwadi Party, a major Congress ally, and Left parties last weekend.
Hang me if I am guilty: Modi

New Delhi: Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has said that he should be hanged if he is found guilty of collusion in the 2002 communal riots, in a first ever interview to an Urdu weekly, reports said on Thursday. "Hang me if I am guilty (main gunehgaar hoon toh mujhe phaansi par latkaa do)," Modi said in the interview to the editor of Nai Duniya. Modi discussed the riots in which 1,200 people were killed, most of them Muslims, in an interview with Shahid Siddiqui, editor of Nai Duniya and an MP of the Samajwadi Party from Lucknow.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi
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14
Op Ed TheSouthAsianTimes.info
India at Olympics:
Indians abroad have high expectations
By Kul Bhushan have little sentimental value for India," said Karam Bharij from Northampton, a Kenya-born Briton who hopes India does better this time, betraying his Indian roots. Cyprian Fernandes, a former sports correspondent now retired in Australia, wrote: "India is not on my radar as a must watch country. I expect Indians to win one or two medals in shooting where there has been a tradition of Indians doing well. Other than that I have not seen any evidence of medal chances. I am hoping that they will be able to surprise the world as they did at the Commonwealth Games athletics. I will keep an eye through the heats. "In hockey, it would have to be an upset of world shattering proportions for the Indians to win a medal," he wrote, adding: "Of course, I will be rooting for Australia, a major sporting power." Tushar Shah from South Africa said: "I am sure India will win more medals than Beijing, sending the largest-ever contingent. I don't think India can get a medal in hockey, I predict they will be in 6-8 position. But I will be very glad if they can prove me wrong." A veteran journalist and an author, Shamlal Puri, from London, wrote: "As an NRI I would like to have cheered the Indian contingent. I have lived here well over 40 years, so I owe loyalty to the British too! To be fair, I will cheer the best athletes - wherever they are from - even from Kenya or Tanzania, the countries where I have lived in the past!" "India's image has certainly changed after Beijing. It is a sporting nation of note globally in badminton, tennis and shooting. But in the same way as it has turned cricket into a religion, India should also work hard to ensure other sports are not left behind at the cost of promoting cricket and the big money behind it. Indian sports deserve much more attention than just cricket alone. The Indian hockey team is much better and has a golden opportunity to shine. India has bright prospects to win more medals than Beijing," he went
o matter where they live in the world, non-resident Indians, particularly the older generation, will cheer for Indian participants at the London Olympics. Even those born in their countries of residence will follow the medal tally of the Indian teams although they support the teams of their adopted country. "There are a lot of Indians in the US and the UK who will take keen interest in India's performance at the Olympics. There may be a lackluster interest from US or UK-born Indians because they have not been visiting the ancestral country and are not exposed much to India except from what they hear from their parents. I foresee a lot of interest from recent Indian arrivals in the US and the UK - a lot of educated young techies," said Shanti Shah from New Jersey. "Like most of my British compatriots, I will be supporting the UK team. We have now lived in the UK more than in Kenya and
NRIs cheering for Indian participants in the London Olympics. on. Liladhar Bharadia, a photographer from Nairobi, wrote: "I think India will win a few more gold medals, maybe two or more, at the most, during the London Olympics. I am going to cheer both teams from Kenya and India. Let us hope for more gold medals for both the countries." Mervyn Maciel, a British Goan in London, thought India should do well. "As for loyalty - well, you may remember what a former Conservative minister, Norman Tebbit, said whether Indians here would pass 'the cricket test'. Would they support the team of their host country or the country of their adoption? Having lived here for 40+ years, I naturally want Brits to win - no disloyalty to India though!" Anil Vidyarthi, director of a printing press in Nairobi, wrote: "As much as I love India, I am a Kenyan through and through when it comes to athletes in longdistance running, they have collected more gold medals than India. I wish the Indian team all the best and hope they will prove that India has come of age in the Olympics. I will be cheering the Kenyan team and then the Indian team."
Rahul will need to deliver - and fast

By M.R. Narayan Swamy or a political party bruised by corruption scandals, charges of poor governance and electoral defeats, Rahul Gandhi will have to be a miracle man to help restore the health of the Congress, India's oldest political party. Three years ago, the 42-year-old did have stature, largely due to the overall performance of the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections and its remarkable run in Uttar Pradesh. Instead of capitalizing on the goodwill he had earned then, the young Gandhi squandered it away, by repeatedly turning down suggestions that he play a bigger role in the Manmohan Singh government. Had he joined the government at the start of UPA-II, Gandhi would have had three years of administrative experience by now, a vital necessity for one seen as a possible prime minister of the world's second most populous country. Naturally, the announcement now by Gandhi that he was ready to play a proactive role in both the government and the Congress hasn't ignited the sparks it was expected to.
Rahul Gandhi At one level, what Gandhi has said is not surprising. It was always clear that he was the chosen successor in a party controlled by the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty since the time India gained independence. That he is already the de facto number two in the Congress is also not in doubt. Whatever his designation, it is Rahul Gandhi who counts the most in the Congress after his mother and president Sonia Gandhi. His word is supreme. So if he is named the "working president", it will be a mere nomenclature. That is what he is now for all practical purposes and intent. Despite being a member of parliament since 2004 and one of the general secretaries of the Congress since 2008, Rahul Gandhi's overall performance in the Lok Sabha and elsewhere has been below par.
After some initial hopes, he also failed to inject life into the Indian Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India (NSUI). No doubt, he overcame initial hiccups as he entered politics when he was frequently compared with his charismatic younger sister Priyanka. As he began to play a larger role, he did gain public support. Many thought he had charm. He won admirers by refusing to hanker after a government post - when any could have been his for the asking - for the five years of UPA-I. When the 2009 Lok Sabha battle was waged, he led from the front in Uttar Pradesh, where the Congress had been virtually written off, and pulled off a coup. The Congress finished second after the Samajwadi Party. By then whispers of Rahul-should-bePM had started in the Congress. This was when Gandhi should have taken the plunge. Instead, he chose to be outside the government. Whatever Rahul Gandhi does now, he will have to deliver - and fast. The next Lok Sabha election won't be easy for the Congress. And it is less than two years away.
The views expressed in Op Eds are not necessarily those of The South Asian Times.
Travel TheSouthAsianTimes.info
15
Best day trips around New York this summer

By Sam ShivRaj
Even though weve only reached the midway point of July, the hot beach sand doesnt hold as much appeal as a summer outing, especially with this India-esque heat. But we Indians are known for our thriftiness. So, here are some summer ideas thats fun for the family without emptying out your wallet.
The Ganoga Falls
is coconut water. Back home in India, there are young coconut Weve all been to Niagara vendors on every street corner. Falls several times. So try Here in New York, delis keep Ricketts Glen State Park in canned coconut water, but the Pennsylvania, which is home taste isnt quite the same to the breathtaking 94-foot because of the preservatives. Ganoga Falls and it looks like Now, heres a place where you a spectacular wedding cake! can find fresh and tender There are no less than 22 coconut. In Corona, along waterfalls in the park and the Northern Boulevard (Queens), trail covering all is about 7 between 110th and 112th street, miles. The trail is a little there is a stall that chops the tough, but the view is defiThe Ganoga Falls tender coconut for you right on nitely worth it. If you want to the spot (price under $5), go right to Ganoga Falls, start the trail from among other summer delicacies! the other end, which is much easier for non- Go to a street fair hikers. But check the falls map to ensure For best deal in a summer no better place youre going the right way. My family wanted than a street fair. Manhattan hosts amazing to take the shortcut to Ganoga, but we wound street fairs every weekend, barring rainy up going the wrong way and taking the entire weather. These fairs may stretch to about 10 seven mile hike. Ganoga Falls is a perfect street-blocks and have something for everyone-day get away. Leave home early with one. You can find great prices on anything some food and water. from sunglasses to delicately crafted jewelry. (Directions: About 170 miles from New York Icing on the cake is food as far as the eye can off I-80 West to Ricketts Glen State Park, see! Crisp spring rolls, juicy corn-on-the-cob, Benton, PA 17814) and lemonade make this an ideal place to spend a summer weekend. (Next couple of street fairs are on July 21 Coconut water in Corona and 22. Complete schedule at www.nycstreetOne of the most refreshing summer drinks fairs.com)
The High Line in Manhattan

The High Line, in the Meatpacking District, is one of the citys best kept secrets. Its a lovely milelong park that extends from West 14th Street to the West Side Yard. What makes this park different is that this now-picturesque getaway was a freight rail line until 1980. Parts of the tracks left now add a quirk. The best feature of the park is a set of wide stairs, a few stories above the ground and facing city traffic. May be the only place where New Yorkers can watch the bustle without being mowed down. (Take the A-C-E to West 34th street and walk to 30th street.)
about every day of the week! Whats on show is mostly popular animated films,
The High Line in Manhattan
like Despicable Me, thats fun for all age groups. Go a little before sundown to get the best spots on the lawn. Take along a picnic hamper too. Some movies playing in July are Kung Fu Panda 2, Hoodwinked, and Hop. (Venue and times at www.nycgovparks.org/events/free_summer_movies) Continued on page 23
Catch a flick with the fam

Movie theater tickets for the entire family can burn a hole in your pocket, but there is an alternative. You can catch a flick FREE at several parks in the city just
16
Art and the Artist TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Haroon Khimani
Return of the Artist
He seeks to discover the beauty of nature, mostly in collapsed structures and disasters, natural or man made. Returning to his passion, painting, after 39 long years, Khimani professes that art and culture can build bridges while money and power only create disputes and differences.
facing recently? Haroon Khimani: Yes, for 39 years I could not paint as my time was taken up in earning bread and butter. My career had taken off in 1970 when I held a solo exhibition in Delhi at Shridharani Art Gallery. It was inaugurated by Jeram Patel, an outstanding abstract artist. I was highly idealistic and passionate about my art but in those days art market was not as it is today. My charcoal and crayon drawings received good reviews in the press, yet I could not hit the sell button. I was offered some work meant for export with predetermined themes, which was not my cup of tea. So I returned to Madras where I served in the government as an art designer in the handloom sector. The full time job robbed me of the creative time I could have spent on painting. Then, for 14 years I worked as a designer for cloth mills like Mafatlal, Birlas, Kohinoor & Binnys. Eventually I established my own two companies in hospitality business, Artifact in Mumbai, and Rikan in Dubai. How has your art changed creatively? Khimani: Every healthy (to keep it fresh, not to stink) artist aims at change after working sufficiently on one style. This change must be natural and gradual. It should grow organically like limbs growth in a child. It shouldnt look like horns of a buffalo pasted on the head of a human being (which happens only in surrealism, in Salvador Dali). I am heading towards abstracts, but still I feel I must understand the term abstract fully. An artist must be honest on his path to achieve truth in art. Your paintings are crowded with shards of glass, piercing forms they convey human suffering, melancholy is that your intention? An artist couldnt be so cruel as to look at human tragedies sadistically but could depict it in his paintings. What is happening around affects him the most and becomes a theme in his paintings. Artist is hypersensitive to such happenings yet he is an onlooker who can sympathize but cant help. Right from my art student time, I developed a sense of beauty looking at the natural shapes and forms. The scenes of broken phenomena in nature started to attract me and became second love after birds, especially roosters (I did many woodcuts of this birds movements.) I was never attracted to the human figure like other masters of renaissance--it tempts me as a shape and form but never a subject to paint. Art has to be about aesthetics/beauty? Can it still convey reality by transmuting it (because mere depiction will be just documentation)? Khimani: Let me quote my guru, my mentor. In an interview Prof. Subramanyan gave to The Times of India at Shantiniketan in January 2010, he said, Self-infliction and the like seem to have become a part of art practice. It seems these artists want to change the world with their art but, to me, an artist should keep his own privacy. Essentially all art is a kind of soliloquy and the artist first communicates with himself and then with others he conceives in his own image. Besides, art cannot do many things needed to change the world. Art cannot do what insurrections can do. Prof. Subramanyan then puts my work in perspective: He (Khimani) was one of those young artists of that time who responded to local visual facts but represented them in a generalized or near abstract image, avoiding descriptive details and focusing mainly on the dramatic interplay of the visual elements, but attempted nevertheless to preserve a vestigial reference to the sources. And these sources lay in the dynamic visuals of the urban scene, the crowded streets, the chaotic market place, and various categories of public festivals and fairs. At the time Haroon finished his studies and stepped into professional scene public response to art was limited; to make living as a self-employed painter or sculptor was hard. So he was obliged to move into the field of design to earn his livelihood. This took him to Dubai. Now, more at peace with himself, he has come back to painting. And has been for a while working
By Parveen Chopra aroon Khimanis was a known name in the hallowed art world in the 1980s. He had studied at Faculty of Fine Arts at M.S. University, Baroda, the first to adopt degree course in fine arts in India. He studied under Prof. N.S. Bendre and Prof. K.G. Subramanyan, the latter influencing him the most. Not only in painting but in lifestyle and ideology as well. I took painting as a conviction, a never ending passion, and a way of meaningful life. Khimani has stated his manifesto as an artist clearly on his website: I seek to discover the beauty of nature, mostly in collapsed structures and disasters, natural or man made. Beauty has a new definition for me. My paintings look like landscapes but there is unusual
magnitude of structural juxtaposition, depth, recession and space created by colors perceived through black and white tones. We all are habituated to see beauty in limited terms but in disorganized and chaotic nature new beauty forms are created by selfdestruction of the existing structures. Nature does this wonderfully but it depends upon our outlook to see the beauty in it. In fact, at such junctures we are emotionally driven to sympathy towards sufferers and dislocated mass, which leads us to see the pathetic and helpless part of it rather than the aesthetic value. Excerpts from an exclusive interview Khimani gave from Boston to The SATimes: You say you were known in the world of art & painting in the 80s. Does that mean you were away from the scene before resur-
Blossoms in Disaster
Acrylic Collage 22X28 inch
Houses Turned into Rags

Acrylic- Collage 24X30 inch
Invisible Through the Window's Frost

Acry-Collage 20X24 inch
Art and the Artist TheSouthAsianTimes.info

like a maniac. Sensibly enough he has started where he left. The urban scene with its contrapuntal variety. Its counter play of order and chaos, drabness and color, shadow and illumination still seems to engage him. His works are no factual records but the recreation of the animation. For this he uses diverse media and visual devices and builds with these eye catching tapestries with a surfeit of details. At a time when a large number of artists choose to see the world from a distance and comment on it with sarcasm and satire, Haroon Khimani does the opposite; producing works that are visceral and celebrative. Which contemporary painters you admire besides Mani? Khimani: Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, Jeram Patel, M.F. Hussain, J. Swaminathan, V.S. Gaitonde, Ram Kumar, etc. Any exhibitions you have planned next? Khimani: I could not get desired gallery dates in New York. So I opted to show at India Art Festival, Mumbai, from November 28 to December 2, 2012. Presently most of the galleries are overflowing with mediocre works which manage to sell, perhaps due to below average understanding of art by people. Art, even Indian art, in recent years has been fetching astronomical prices in the global market of Christies and Sothebys auctions, etc Khimani: At times dramatics are needed to get name and fame, often irrespective of merits of work. Prices go with brand name. But art cannot be judged by the price tag. For instance, impressionism of the 19th century was damned by critics accustomed to realism in art. Now these works fetch millions. Today, business houses are all for financial growth instead of cultural development. They dont support fields like art as much as they should. We often tend to forget that culture can solve more problems than money. Its only culture that can builds bridges while money and power only create disputes and differences. Why have you kept the home page of your website in black and white? Khimani: Because my woodcuts of cocks and scaffolding drawings were mainly in B&W, which forms HOME in my website. Gulam Mohammed Sheikh suggested I go back to woodcuts even as it was a subject of my own choice. He even wrote a line commending me in his book Contemporary Art in Baroda on my interest in woodcuts while in college. Something about your family Khimani: My family is educated and understanding. My two sons are a big support to my activities. My daughter-in-law is the first to criticize my paintings when finished. This was the source of my resuming paintings after 39 long years. Any other relevant details you want to add Khimani: I was very late in each field of activity for want of direction in my adolescent period. Thus I pray for longer life to fulfill my mission and wish that people should give priority to understand their kids in the right perspective instead of dreaming and expecting them to lead the way they choose. You have three addresses: Bombay, Dubai, and Boston! Khimani: All the three are my homes. It is easier to get things done in the US, where I stay during spring and summer. I stay in Bombay at the start of a year, to be in touch with art winds of India. I have studio there too. I also travel through India, which provides source for my paintings. Dubai is a base for family with two grandsons with whom I enjoy.
17
Reflection of Images
Acrylic Collage 22X28 inch
No Escape
Harmony in Wall Painting

Crash
Acrylic, Collage 22X28 inch
Nature Strikes
Acrylic,Collage 24X30 inch
18
Ultimate Bollywood TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Kareena shows different shades in 'heroine'
picture is worth a thousand words and the first look of Madhur Bhandarkar's "Heroine", with Kareena Kapoor lying upside down, wearing a golden attire, surrounded by film magazines, and an empty glass of wine thrown away, does just that for the movie. "Heroine" delves into the behindthe-scenes life of an actress in the Indian film industry and the first poster of the film itself is selfexplanatory. It indicates where the glitz and glamour of the film world can take an individual. Kareena Kapoor in Heroine
She displays the range of a Bollywood actress in another poster, in which it seems she has gone back to her "Chameli" and "Chammak challo" avatar. She looks chic in a unique, red sari teamed with a daring, blue net blouse. The look is for an item song titled "Halkat jawaani", and is also reminiscent of Vidya Balan's look from "The Dirty Picture". The film's plot itself is a reminder of Bhandarkar's National Award-winning film "Fashion", which uncovered the dark reality of the Indian fashion world and the
fate of models who taste success and their gradual downfall. Will "Heroine" be a mix of "Fashion" and "The Dirty Picture" is something viewers will have to wait until its release Sep 21. Bhandarkar had launched "Heroine" at the Cannes International Film Festival last year with Aishwarya Rai as the lead. But later, the actress had to opt out of the project after she became pregnant. Kareena stepped in to essay the role, and she is said to have delivered her best so far in the film.
I visit Ajmer dargah for peace of mind: Deepika

hile the debate on whether Bollywood stars should be allowed at the Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah in Ajmer rages on, actress Deepika Padukone says her sole motive while visiting such places is peace of mind. "I have only visited the place once. I had gone because I believe in worship and god. Whenever we go to such a place, it is not because we want to promote our film. We go there for peace," the 26-year-old said here. The shrine's dewan, Syed Zainul Abedin Ali Khan, who is also the sajjada nashin (current head) of the Chishti order and claims to be a descendant of the saint, said in a statement Sunday that prayers by actors, directors, producers and musicians at this 12th century shrine for success of their films and TV serials are "intolerable". Meanwhile, when asked if she is in talks for starring in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Ram Leela", Deepika said, "This is not true. The only film that I am working on currently is 'Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani', which is the most important for me right now because we have a
Mallika to holiday with Banderas in Paris?
Actor Deepika Padukone at Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah in Ajmer lot of the film left." "There is 'Race 2', there is 'Kochadaiyaan' with Rajini sir (southern superstar Rajnikanth). There is no other announcement I have to make right now," she added.
Priyanka to shoot 'Zanjeer' remake starting September

Mallika Sherawat with Antonio Banderas fter the reports of her 'intimate dance' with Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas surfaced, now Mallika Sherawat is apparently going to Paris on his invitation. The 'dirty dance' snap taken during the Cannes Film Festival in May has reportedly caused a rift in Banderas' 15-year long marriage to Melanie Griffith. A video of the dance shows Banderas cosying up to Mallika, who is seen in a sheer
black dress. But the Murder star is paying no heed to it. Mallika Sherawat, who is currently shooting for Kismat Luv Paisa Dilli, will take off for Paris on August 7 to meet the Hollywood star. "Let me be very clear about the facts. On date, Mallika and Antonio are indeed very close. In fact, after getting to know each other in Cannes, they have stayed in touch," the actress' friend told Mumbai Mirror.
irector Apoorva Lakhia, who recently finished the first schedule of the remake of 1973 film "Zanjeer", says actress Priyanka Chopra will join the crew in September. "We have finished the first schedule for the film. Now the second schedule will start from September. Priyanka and Arjun Rampal will join the crew then," Lakhia said. "We are planning to finish the shoot of 'Zanjeer' by November, and it is scheduled for release in
2013," he added. The director recently shot few scenes in Bangkok with Mahie Gill and Prakash Raj. "We shot few scenes with Mahie, who is playing Mona Darling and Prakash Raj, who is playing a negative role. It was a wonderful experience shooting with them. Both are unbelievable actors. "Mahie is looking very sexy and modern in the film," said Lakhia, who has earlier helmed movies like "Shootout at Lokhandwala" and "Mission Istanbul".
Priyanka Chopra
Ultimate Bollywood Thesouthasiantimes.info
19
Rajesh Khanna's bungalow Aashirwad haunted!
ometime in the sixties, Carter Road was just a cluster of bungalows, mainly belonging to the East Indian community and Parsis. The only known bungalow facing the sea was Aashiyana built by the music director, Naushad, who had just tasted big success. There was another bungalow close to it; a two-storeyed one in a decrepit and dilapidated state. People in the locality called it a haunted house aka bhoot bangla. There were no takers for it, and it stood there without anyone willing to buy it even when it was offered at dirt cheap prices. A friend brought the existence of the bungalow to the notice of Rajendra Kumar. Rajendra found out who the owner of the bungalow was, and sealed a deal for just Rs.60,000. Rajendra gave the bun-
Rajesh Khanna's bungalow Aashirwad galow a new look and named it Dimple, after his daughter. It was at the same time that a newcomer called Rajesh Khanna was taking his first big steps as a star. He realized Rajendra was looking for a
buyer for his Carter Road bungalow and felt it would be a good investment. His superstition became his guide --- he believed Rajendra's success would rub on to him if he shifted there. After much begging and pleading, Rajendra finally decided to sell the bungalow to Rajesh for just Rs 31/2 lakh. Rajesh shifted into the bungalow, gave it a fresh look, and called it Aashirwad. Call it superstition or whatever you may, his entire life and career changed as soon as he shifted there. Success chased him all the way till he became India's 'first superstar'. His belief or 'superstition' paid him rich dividends. It was in this same bungalow that he, by some quirk of fate, married a very young Dimple Kapadia. It was from here that he looked out of his window to see
hundreds and thousands of people, mostly girls, waiting for hours, only to get a glimpse of him. It was in this bungalow that he planned all his moves, and sat with his friends drinking till late in the night, devising ways to increase his popularity. It was here that he saw the kind of success no other star has ever seen. However, this was also the bungalow that saw his fall from grace as one film after another flopped at the box office. Life was never the same for him again. His wife and children left him, and this house. Success also left with them. He reached a point where he had no work, no fans, and not even those so-called admirers. The story took a bizarre turn when he first fell sick and then never recovered, and finally it was from this bungalow that he had to leave the world forever.
The Dark Knight Rises sales below forecasts
Bipasha's 'Raaz 3' to uncover with Sunny's 'Jism 2'
"
A scene from The Dark Knight Rises
'
The Dark Knight Rises' recorded strong ticket sales in its opening weekend, but well below forecasts given by many in Hollywood, as some moviegoers appeared to have stayed away after a shooting rampage at a midnight showing of the film on Friday. The film grossed an estimated $162 million in showings through Sunday in U.S. and Canadian movie theaters, according to studio estimates from people with knowledge of the
data. The Dark Knight Rises was one of the mostanticipated films of the year before a gunman opened fire on moviegoers in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 and wounding 58 more. Before the shooting, box office forecasters had predicted sales in a range of $170 million to $198 million from Friday through Sunday, just shy of the record $207 million set by superhero movie The Avengers in May.
Jism" actress Bipasha Basu and "Jism 2" heroine Indo-Canadian porn star Sunny Leone will share a common platform on August 3. The trailer of Bipasha's "Raaz 3" is set to be unveiled with S u n n y ' s Bollywood debut "Jism 2". Sunny Leone's Bollywood debut 'Jism 2' Actress-turnedwith actor Randeep Hooda director Pooja Bhatt, who has helmed the sequel of the 2003 film "Jism", said: "Yes, On Aug 3, you all will see Bipasha and Sunny together. It was a decision taken together to release the trailer of 'Raaz 3' with 'Jism 2'." Pooja believes she has chosen a safe release date for her erotic thriller, which also features Randeep Hooda and Arunoday Singh. "We have a clean week on Aug 3, and 'Ek Tha Tiger' is coming on Aug 15 and the release of 'Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum' was preponed to July 27," she said. Bipasha's "Raaz 3", a sequel to "Raaz - The Mystery Continues", is directed by Vikram Bhatt. It features Emraan Hashmi and Esha Gupta too.
Playboy calls Sherlyn a Bollywood legend

herlyn Chopra might have done some B-grade movies, but for Playboy she's a Bollywood legend. In a write-up describing Sherlyn, the starlet has been tagged as a Bollywood legend in the accompanying pic. Sample this: "Since winning a beauty pageant at the age of 17, shes moved to the city of Bollywood, Mumbai, to appear in numerous Bollywood films." Sherlyn Chopra is the first Indian model to pose for Playboy. The starlet also posted a series of her nude pictures clicked during
the photoshoot for Playboy magazine. She later tweeted: I shud b given a Bharat Ratna award-d highest civilian award of d Republic India given 4 d highest degree of service 2 the nation. Seriously! sic)". The 28-year-old admitted that she misses Hugh Hefner and her friends in the Playboy mansion. "With Ava Fabian-a five time Playboy cover girl and my new BFF! With a sweetheart at the Mansion. M gonna miss all my playboy friends......never mind though, will be back soon! The
one place I'm gonna miss the most at the Mansion is the dining area...Huge thanks to the entire staff (sic), she added. It all started when she got in touch with Hefner over email in May this year, and expressed her desire to be on the cover. While most girls are first called for a test shoot, I should thank him for having faith in me by providing me the opportunity without an audition. Hugh Hefner with Sherlyn Chopra
20
Diaspora TheSouthAsianTimes.info
India is Australia's largest source of permanent migrants

New Delhi: Surpassing China and Britain, India has become the largest source of permanent migrants for Australia. "India has surpassed China and the United Kingdom as the largest source of permanent migrants with 25,509 and 25,274 places respectively." Australian High Commissioner Peter Varghese said in a press statement here Friday. "Indian migrants comprised a total of 29,018 places or 15.7 percent of the total migration of 185,000 places under the 2011-12 permanent migration program," he added. Commenting on the figures, Australia's a valuable contribution to economic, social and cultural life in Australia, and I know this will continue with more Indians choosing to make their home here." According to the statement, seven of the top 10 sources countries in Australia's 2011-12 migration program are from Asia: India, China, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, South Korea and Vietnam. "Skilled migration accounted for over twothirds of Australia's total migration program, with a 2011-12 skill stream outcome of 125,755 places," it added.
Robin Dutt to take over as sports director of German football
Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Bowen said: "The Indian community has made
India-Indonesia business forum launched to boost trade and investment

Jakarta: An India Business Forum has been launched here to boost trade and investment between India and Indonesia. The Indian Business Forum (IBF) is aimed at bringing together Indian businesses and professionals in Indonesia for a "concerted effort towards an enhanced economic engagement with Indonesia", according to a statement issued by the Indian embassy. The IBF will be a common platform for a cross section of companies and individuals working in Indonesia to fulfill the objective. Nearly 150 Indian executives, entrepreneurs and professionals attended the launch held here Wednesday. Indonesia's Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan said India and Indonesia are yet to achieve the true potential of their economic partnership and such forums would benefit both the countries. Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Gurjit Singh said the forum was set up not only to act as a facilitator for increased and diversified trade but also to seek more investment. "In order to expand trade, India Inc present here will work through this forum with the embassy to find ways for new technology transfer and new investments," Singh said. Singh said the forum would look at new plans and visions and play a facilitating role with the "very friendly" government of Indonesia.
'Save Goa' campaign attracts 9,000 at British Goan fest

London: A record crowd of an estimated 9,000 British Goans attended the annual British Goan Festival in Hounslow, the organizers said. Two British MPs, Keith Vaz and John McDonnell, were among the VIPs at the event organized by The Goan Association (UK). Keith Vaz, of Goan origin, with his family put in a brief appearance. Among the celebrities was Miss India 1966 Rita Faria Powell with her husband. The Goan Voice UK reported: "In ideal weather conditions, an estimated crowd of over 9,000 turned up for this mega event which probably witnessed the largest ever turnout of Goans outside Goa. There was also a full capacity turnout for the British Goans Oral History Project." Labor MP John McDonnell visited the Save Goa Campaign stall organized by Carmen Miranda, a Goan-origin British resident, to highlight the environmental destruction due to illegal mining in Goa. McDonnell tabled a motion in the House of Commons to raise this issue and asked the British government to bring pressure on the Goa government to save its natural resources. There has been some opposition from an MP in Goa who calls this "interfering in the country's affairs". McDonnell feels environmental damage is a global problem. A few days earlier, July 18, the issue of illegal mining in Goa reverberated in the British parliament after being raised by John McDonnell, the MP for Hayes and Harlington, who married Cynthia nee Pinto, ex-Nairobi, in 1995. The event began with an open air Holy Mass at the Cranford grounds stage with hundreds of faithful attending. The Mass was conducted by three priests, the main celebrant being Fr. Francis of the Pilar Society with guest priest Fr. Remmy, also from the Pilar Society, who had come all the way from Goa. Goans from far and wide in Britain had come there to enjoy and feel the touch of Goa with traditional food, songs and games for children. The food stalls were the main attraction, with delicious Goan food sizzling in every stall as the rich and mouthwatering aroma wafting in the air attracted hundreds. Many Goan singers and comedians regaled the crowds in Konkani. Lawrie Travasso sang with his melodious voice while Aniceto sang a song of late Alfred Rose and Sammy also performed capturing the hearts of everyone who gathered to hear that song. Eddie Fernandes, editor of Goan Voice UK; Selma Carvalho, who presented a documentary of the story of East African Goans who migrated to Britain; and historian Cliff Pereira, who conducted a discussion on this subject, also attended.
Robin Dutt New Delhi: Indian-origin football manager Robin Dutt will be taking over as the sports director of the German football federation (DFB). Dutt's father Sabyasachi told in an email from Germany that the 47-year-old, who was sacked by Bayer Leverkusen in April, has been appointed as the sports director of Deutsche Fussball Bund (DFB). "My son Robin has been appointed by DFB as sports director and also belongs to the team management," Sabyasachi wrote in his email. Dutt will be replacing former German international Matthias Sammer, who stepped down as the sporting director DFB to move to Bayern Munich. Born to an Indian father and a German mother, Dutt came into the limelight when he was appointed as the coach of top Bundesliga club Leverkusen, replacing Bayern Munich bound Jupp Heynckes, in June 2011. However, he was sacked April 1 after a 1-7 away defeat to FC Barcelona in the Round of 16 UEFA Champions League match and four consecutive Bundesliga defeats that left the club in sixth position in the league. Dutt is the second Indian after Allahabad-born Sunil Gulati to be at the helm of affairs in international football. Gulati, a professor of economics at Columbia University, is the president of United States Soccer and has been an influential figure in American soccer in the last 30 years.
Indian woman kills mother-in-law in Britain, jailed

London: An Indian-origin woman in Britain has been sentenced to 11 years in prison after she bludgeoned her mother-in-law to death with a rolling pin. Rajvinder Kaur, 37, received a life sentence after she was found guilty of murdering Baljit Kaur Buttar, 56, a grandmother, in the brutal attack after six months of tension between the pair, The Independent reported Thursday. Having initially denied murder, Kaur claimed she had been provoked as Buttar, who had come over from India on holiday for six months, had been unkind and constantly called her names. A paramedic, John Pike, was called to Kaur's home after receiving a call that a woman had suffered a heart attack. He found Buttar, known as BB, naked and dead in the bath having suffered serious head injuries. Buttar had been staying with the family in the Broadlands Road flat since August 2010. She was due to return to India Feb 27 but she died two days ahead. At the Winchester Crown Court, Justice Burnett told Kaur that 11 years would be the minimum she would serve until becoming eligible for parole."You completely lost your self-control and the attack that followed was a frenzied one," he said. The judge also said that Kaur's attempt to cover up the crime at
Rajvinder Kaur home in Southampton was "cruel and calculated and defies understanding." Justice Burnett, however, accepted Kaur had been provoked up to a point by her relative's insults and that the attack, which included 20 blows, was "quite out of character."
Subcontinent TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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Pak PM gets two weeks to write to Swiss powers

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has given two weeks more to Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to write to Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. The apex court had earlier set July 25 deadline for the prime minister to approach the Swiss authorities to reopen the corruption cases. Ashraf's predecessor, Yousuf Raza Gilani, was disqualified by the court for contempt after he refused to accept the court's orders. Attorney General Altaf Qadir Wednesday sought more time to file a review petition against the court's July 12 verdict, when it had set July 25 as the deadline. Accepting the attorney general's plea, a five-judge bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa adjourned the hearing till Aug 8 and directed Ashraf to write the letter to the Swiss authorities. The court also asked the attorney general to file a review petition against ita July 12 order. Accused of graft, Zardari was granted amnesty under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in 2007 by then president Pervez Musharraf to facilitate his return home from exile, and primarily that of his wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Zardari and Bhutto were suspected of using Swiss accounts to launder about $12 million in alleged bribes paid by companies seeking customs inspection contracts in the 1990s. The NRO that granted immunity to politicians and bureaucrats in corruption cases was struck down by the Supreme Court as void in 2009. The apex court in January ordered Gilani to write the letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen cases against Zardari. Gilani was convicted April 26 of contempt of court, and was disqualified as prime minister as well
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf as MP June 19. The court, however, sentenced him only "until the rising of the court", or till the time the judges left the court chamber. That was only for about 30 seconds after the guilty verdict was handed down to Gilani.
Krishna to visit Pakistan in September
Pak needs to learn from India about democracy: Daily

Islamabad: The manner in which the Indian presidential election was conducted "with none of the innuendo and suspicions which surround similar events" in Pakistan is testimony to the way in which systems have been institutionalized in India, said a Pakistani daily. An editorial in the News International said that Pakistan needs to look across the border to learn some lessons in politics and governance. "The Indian presidential election has proceeded as smoothly as most such events in that country, with its advantages of a well-entrenched democratic system which follows the dictates of the constitution clearly and visibly," it said. The daily said that this stability is something "we badly need in our own country where so much anarchy prevails over many political matters, including the precise interpretation of the constitution". Without much controversy, Pranab Mukherjee, India's former finance minister, has become the thirteenth president of India. "The manner in which the transition has taken place, with none of the innuendo and suspicions which surround similar events at home, is testimony to the way in which systems have been institutionalised in India, making it virtually impossible for anyone to tamper with them or create a gap in the running of democracy. "Sadly, we have over the past six decades faced just the opposite fate. This is one reason why our democracy has been unable to remain stable or durable. With our perpetual political upheavals and military interventions, democracy in Pakistan has failed to establish itself as a force that cannot be disturbed by any outside element." The editorial went on to say that there is also something else to consider when comparing the divergent political fates.
Bangladesh asks India to fast-track Teesta pact

New Delhi: India has assured Bangladesh that it will ratify the land boundary agreement after forging a consensus as Dhaka agreed to allow New Delhi more time to complete internal consultations to sign the stalled Teesta pact. Imparting a renewed momentum to bilateral ties, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai held wide-ranging discussions with his Bangladesh counterpart Mohamed Mijarul Quayes. "The two diplomats held talks in cordial and constructive atmosphere," Syed Akbaruddin, the spokesperson of the external affairs ministry, said here after the talks. Matai and Quayes had comprehensive discussions on a range of issues, including cooperation in political and securityrelated matters, border management, counter-terrorism, power, connectivity and trade and investment, he added. The two foreign secretaries also decided to fast-track a host of bilateral projects being implemented under $1 billion line of credit given to Bangladesh nearly two years ago. At the meeting, the Bangladesh side raised the issue of the stalled pact on Teesta water-sharing which could not be signed last year because of fierce opposition by United Progressive Alliance constituent Trinamool Congress. "From the discussions I have had so far, the sense I get is that India is serious to sign the agreement sooner than later," Quayes told reporters to queries about the fate of the Teesta accord.
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna New Delhi/Islamabad: With the revelations by 26/11 plotter Abu Jundal casting a shadow on bilateral ties, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna will go on a three-day visit to Islamabad to review the dialogue process with his counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar. The external affairs minister will go to Pakistan from September 7-9, Syed Akbaruddin, the external affairs ministry spokesperson, told reporters. Reliable sources said India's High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal met Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani in Islamabad Monday and conveyed the dates for Krishna's visit. The dates have been accepted by Islamabad. Krishna was earlier planning to go to Islamabad mid-July, but could not do so as the dates then clashed with the presidential polls in India. Krishna will hold wide-ranging talks with Khar in Islamabad that will review the second round of the dialogue process which resumed after the post 26/11 freeze in February last year. The two ministers will also map the forward for the third round of the dialogue process.
Suu Kyi makes first parliament speech

Myanmar: Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi used her first speech in Parliament to call for laws protecting the rights of the country's impoverished ethnic minorities. The Nobel Peace Prize winner and democracy crusader won her first seat in Myanmar's parliament in a historic April byelection that was seen as a key step in the country's transformation from military rule to fledgling democracy. Suu Kyi stood from her seat toward the back of Myanmar's parliament to call for an end to discrimination against ethnic minorities as part of the "emergence of a genuine democratic country." laws or amend laws to protect the rights of ethnic nationalities." Suu Kyi's comments came in support of a motion by a rulingparty lawmaker from the ethnic Shan state on upholding ethnic minority rights. She referred to soaring poverty rates in Chin, Kachin, Shan and Rakhine states, noting that protecting minority rights required more than just maintaining ethnic languages and cultures. "The high poverty rates in ethnic states clearly indicate that development in ethnic regions is not satisfactory - and ethnic conflicts in these regions have not ceased," she said during her brief speech.
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi "Based on the spirit of equality, mutual respect and understanding," she said, "I would like to urge all lawmakers to enact necessary
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International TheSouthAsianTimes.info
UK phone hacking: seven Turkey closes borders with Syria Ankara: The Turkish governTurkey acted in line with a new its 900-km border with Syria. journalists charged ment is closing all its checkpoints package of sanctions against the The sanctions will cover truck
on the Syrian border, customs and trade minister Hayati Yazici said. "All checkpoints along the Syrian border are closed starting today," the minister was cited by the local NTV television as saying. regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad imposed by Ankara, the TV channel said. Syrian insurgents have launched frequent attacks in the last few days at its border points, including near the Iraqi border. Turkey has 13 checkpoints on traffic, but not the inflow of refugees from Syria, around 45,000 of whom have already fled to Turkey from the ongoing civil war, NTV said. Turkey plans to establish three new refugee camps on the Syrian border, reports said.
Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks, former aide to British PM David Cameron London: A former aide to British PM David Cameron and ex-head of media mogul Rupert Murdochcontrolled News Corp's UK operations were charged with phone hacking along with six others. Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks face a maximum sentence of two years in prison if convicted. Coulson succeeded Brooks as the editor of now-defunct News of the World tabloid before becoming Cameron's director of communications. Britain's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) legal adviser Alison Levitt said Brooks, a former protege of Murdoch, faces three charges relating to allegedly accessing murdered 13-year-old schoolgirl Milly Dowler and former trade union boss Andrew Gilchrist's voicemails. Coulson faces four charges of accessing phone messages of Dowler, former Labour home secretaries David Blunkett and Charles Clarke and that of footballer George Best's son, Calum Best. Levitt said the Scotland Yard has passed cases against 13 people to the CPS and said there was a "realistic prospect of conviction" in relation to eight of them. Prosecutors will allege that more than 600 people, including actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, were victims of phone hacking. Other victims were SvenGoran Eriksson, England's then football coach, TV chef Delia Smith, actor Jude Law and soccer player Wayne Rooney.
US assures transparent probe into fisherman killing

New Delhi: The US has assured a "thorough and transparent" investigation into the killing of an Indian fisherman by one of its naval personnel from aboard a warship off Dubai, even as it conveyed its condolences to the family of the victim. However, US Deputy Secretary for Defence Ashton B. Carter, who is in India on a three-day visit, said the facts of the incident would be known following investigations by the US and the United Arab Emirates, which are carrying out parallel probes. He conveyed condolences to the family of the fisherman. "Investigation is not complete and there are two parallel investigations going on. It will be a thorough and transparent," Carter said in reply to questions from reporters at an event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry on India-US defence cooperation here. "Obviously we have very much regret for the loss of life and obviously it happened at a dangerous part of the world," he said. Noting that there will be fixing of responsibility for
The Indian fisherman was killed and three other Indians seriously injured the incident, Carter, however, said: "Honestly we don't and won't know what happened until the investigation is complete." The Indian fisherman was killed and three other Indians seriously injured after US navy personnel opened fire on a fishing boat near the mouth of Jebel Ali Port in Dubai last week.
Qaeda says Iraq bloodshed marks new campaign

Baghdad: Al-Qaeda's front group in Iraq said that a wave of attacks that killed 113 days earlier marked the launch of a new offensive, as officials said five people died in a car bomb north of Baghdad. The spate of violence, which also wounded more than 250 people, was the worst to hit Iraq in more than two and a half years and shattered a relative calm that had held in the lead-up to the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. The Islamic State of Iraq claimed the attacks in a statement posted on jihadist forum Honein. "As part of the new military campaign aimed at recovering territory given up by the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), the war ministry has sent its sons and the mujahedeen on a sacred offensive during the month of Ramadan," the group said. "The operation by the jihadists has stunned the enemy and made him lose his head. It has demonstrated the failings of the security and intelligence services," it continued. Last weekend, the group said it would look to retake territory, and appealed for Sunni tribes to provide support and send fighters, in an Internet audio message purportedly left by its leader Abu Bakr alBaghdadi. The message posted on various jihadist forums said the ISI would begin targeting judges and prosecutors, and try to help its prisoners break out of
The spate of violence, that killed 113 people, was the worst to hit Iraq
Iraq moves against transiting arms to Syria: US

Washington: The US has said that Iraq has moved to prevent its territory from being used for transiting weapons to Syria. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said the issue of Iran using Iraq as a transit site was first raised months ago. She said the US had discussed with the Iraqi government about "full visibility and full management of things" that were moving through its airspace and across land. "Our sense is that they have done quite a bit of work in recent months to manage those kinds of issues and to make it clear to Iran that they're not interested in being a transit site," Nuland told reporters Monday during regular news briefing. "We work very closely with the Iraqis on Syrian issues," she said. The move to block arms and oil shipments from Iran is part of the ongoing covert efforts by Washington to speed the fall of Syrian President Bashar AlAssad, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
Iraqi jails. "We are starting a new stage," said the voice on the audio message, purportedly that of Baghdadi. Al-Qaeda in Iraq is regarded by Iraqi officials as significantly weaker than at the peak of its strength in 2006 and 2007, but it is still capable of spectacular mass-casualty attacks across the country. Meanwhile, a car bomb in the town of Ad-Dawr, in Salaheddin province north of Baghdad, killed the wife and four children of a police captain, police and medics said. The attack came a day after Monday's spate of bombings and shootings, which drew
widespread international condemnation. The wave of violence consisted of at least 29 separate attacks in 19 cities, with most of the unrest concentrated in Baghdad and areas north of the capital. In the deadliest incidents -- a string of roadside bombs and a car bomb followed by a suicide attack targeting emergency responders in the town of Taji, just north of Baghdad - at least 42 people were killed and 40 wounded, medical officials said. US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters Washington strongly condemned the attacks.
Business TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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Eurozone bailout fund credit outlook downgraded

New York: Moody's Investors Service has cut the outlook for the credit rating of the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) to negative from stable, warning that the rescue fund would lose its Aaa rating. The rating agency said the action followed its downgrade move of three European countries' credit outlook, reported Xinhua. Moody's cut Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg's credit rating outlook from stable to negative, all three countries are guarantors for the EFSF, with Germany accounted for largest share of nearly 30 percent. The EFSF, which totaled 780 billion euros and had a lending capacity of 440 billion euros, was financed by members of the euro-
Infosys to hire 2,000 people in US by end 2012

Mumbai: Indian IT bellwether Infosys said it plans to hire almost 2,000 people in the US by the end of this year. "Infosys hired 1,200 people in US in 2011, and has already added more than 1,000 employees in the country this year. Total US recruitment is expected to close to 2,000 by the end of 2012," the company said in a regulatory filing. The company also said that it plans to expand its network in US with a new delivery centre in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It will provide end-to-end technology, consulting and system integration service and will also house a training centre. Infosys is investing in the midwest region of US to support its clients in the area including HarleyDavidson. Harley-Davidson's contract with Infosys provides a range of technology services including applications management, infrastructure support and hosting services. "It is critical for Infosys to create global hubs of talent, and Midwest is the key region with a number of our important clients," said Ashok Vemuri, head of the America and member of the board at Infosys. "We welcome Harley-Davidson as our lead client at the new Wisconsin centre and look forward to servicing additional customers from this location providing innovative technology and consulting solutions as we help build tomorrow's enterprises," he added. The Milwaukee facility joins the existing 17 locations in the US that Infosys has opened as part of its local job creation commitment. The new Wisconsin centre initially will house 125 posts including the positions to migrate from Harley-Davidson. "The engagement with Infosys is a part of HarleyDavidson's overall realignment of its internal information services and technology capability," said David Cotteleer, Harley-Davidson vice-president and chief information officer. "Given the rapidly changing IT landscape, a strategic partner can more effectively provide technology related services in many areas, including data network engineering and data centre operations," he added. The new Wisconsin center will be operational later this year.
Moody's cut Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg's credit rating outlook from stable to negative zone. Its main objective is to maintain stability in Europe by providing financial aid to euro zone member countries. Meanwhile, Britain is suffering a far deeper recession than thought, in a development that is likely to increase the pressure on the government to ease up on its tough austerity approach.
'Manesar violence may dent India's image'

Mumbai/New Delhi: Anxious about the violence that erupted at Maruti's plant at Manesar in Haryana last week, industry leaders have strongly condemned the incident in which a senior executive was killed and over 90 employees were injured. While expressing their deep concern, captains of Indian industry said disputes between trade and management must be settled through peaceful dialogue. Most CEOs, however, fear such incidents might dent the country's image of offering a business friendly environment. A M Naik, chairman, Larsen & Toubro, said the incident would definitely dampen investors' confidence in that part of the state. "Whatever be the relationship between the workers and the management, it should not have resulted in what happened with the general manager. Such an act is least desirable and I condemn it." Terming it as "extreme, ruthless and very unfortunate", Azim Premji, chairman, Wipro, said the incident is representative of the social unrest that is building up within the country and among trade unions. "You have to understand that when growth slows down, job creation also slows down thereby creating unemployment. And unemployed people can generate social unrest. While the government should deal ruthlessly with the perpetrators of the violence, it is also important for the government, companies, industry organizations and others to come together and come to an understanding on how to deal with the environment," said Premji. Adi Godrej, chairman, Godrej Group, and president of the Confederation of Indian Industry industry body, FICCI said the violence is a matter of deep concern for a country that seeks to protect itself as offering an environment that is business friendly. "The incident has sent shock waves in the corporate boardrooms of companies, both at home and abroad. The message from India needs to ring out loud and clear that the lives and property of its citizens is safe and any breach in the law and order and industrial relations situation will be dealt with firmly," said R V Kanoria, president, FICCI. Raghupati Singhania, vice chairman & MD JK Tyre & Industries, echoed the sentiments. "It's clearly an act of violence and vandalism. It is highly detrimental to the industrial climate and should be dealt with firmness and the guilty should be brought to book."
Maruti Suzuki India said it has run out of stock of the two best selling models, Swift and DZire (CII), said an incident of this nature through a discussion and a dialogue was most unexpected especially in a peaceful environment within the since a dialogue was on between the rubric of law," said Godrej. While CII fears that the event management and the workers on unresolved issues. would dent the country's image "CII strongly believes that any which might impact investors' disputes between the management impressions of India in terms of and the workers must be settled safety of investments, another Continued from page 15
FDI inflows witness sharp dip in May

New Delhi: Foreign direct investment (FDI) in India declined sharply for the second month in a row in May with inflows slipping to USD 1.32 billion from USD 4.66 billion in the year-ago period, reflecting the impact of slowing global economy. Experts have attributed the contraction in inflows to global and domestic economic problems and suggested the government to push big-ticket reforms to restore the confidence of global investors. "Decisions like allowing FDI in multi-brand retail and permitting foreign airlines to buy stake in domestic carriers would help in attracting more and more FDI," Ficci Secretary General Rajiv Kumar said. The decline in FDI comes at a time when India's economic growth slipped to nine-year low of 6.5 per cent in 2011-12. The growth in the January-March quarter was merely 5.3 per cent. Recently, Standard and Poor's and Fitch had lowered India's credit outlook to negative from stable citing reasons such as high inflation and inadequate reforms. During April-May 2012 too, FDI in India declined by 59 per cent year-onyear to USD 3.18 billion, a senior official in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) told PTI. Foreign inflows in April dipped to USD 1.85 billion from USD 3.12 billion in April 2011. Contraction in FDI will keep the balance of payments under pressure and could also impact the rupee. If the prices of commodity and oil increases globally, a weaker domestic currency will add to inflationary pressures.
Ice-cream at Lake George
Lake George
ake George, in Adirondack mountains in upstate New York, has a lovely view and an adorable town to accompany it. Marthas Dandee Cream is a sweet, little store with the best ice-cream in the area. They also rotate some of their special flavors, so look out for their famous maple walnut ice-cream. Many affordable motels are nearby. (Drive about 200 miles on I-87 North to explore Lake George and the beautiful Adirondack mountains.) Go boating on the Hudson One of the most beautiful features of New York is the Hudson River and you dont even have to know how to swim to
enjoy the Hudson. The Village Community Boathouse of New York City invites all to take advantage of their free community rowing sessions. Grab some friends and row on the Hudson free of charge! This is a great way to get in some quality work-out time this summer and save on a gym membership. (Details at www.villagecommunityboathouse.org. Take the F, V, D, B, A, C, or E trains to West 4th Street.)
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London Olympics 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Nothing less than a gold, think Indian sportspersons

Asian Games a couple of weeks on at Guangzhou where India had their best ever medal tally of 64 - 14 gold, 17 silver and 33 bronze. Now, the government has also realized that there are no short-cuts for excellence in sports, the athletes have to train relentlessly and compete globally. The sports federations, some of which quietly worked for the growth of their disciplines, and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) have also fallen in line, though they continue to haggle with the sports ministry for public consumption and to make their presence felt. It has also been recognized that the best way forward to promote sport and help sportspersons is through public-private participation. The corporates have started looking at sport as a gravy train. Some of the top industrial houses are willing to pump in money provided sportspersons are ready to monitor the programs, not careerist officials. Organizationally, India has come a long way even if cutting corners is a national malady. This is best illustrated when the Indian athletes started comparing the Games Village, facilities and logistics in London with those offered by the Commonwealth Games organizers. Their rating is 5-star for Delhi and 2 for London!
In Brief
New Delhi: Indian sportspersons no longer go to the Olympics thinking of the old dictum that participation matters, not winning. They have gone to London talking of gold, not a mere medal. That's the level of their confidence. The opening of the economy in the 1990s brought about a sea change in the approach and attitude of Indian sportsperson. The controls had gone and the athletes could venture out to train and compete in any part of the world. The impact of liberalization was felt pretty soon and the results gradually got encouraging. It all started at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics when Leander Paes won an individual medal, a bronze, 44 years after Kashabha Dadasaheb Jadhav returned with a wrestling bronze from Helsinki in 1952. Four years later, iron lady Karnam Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win a medal, again a
We have a good chance of a medal: Diju

Hyderabad: India's badminton doubles specialist Valiyaveetil Diju, who will be playing mixed doubles with Jwala Gutta in the London Olympics, believes they have a good chance of winning a medal. "We have good chance from this Olympics. Only 16 teams are participating and if we win two matches we will go to the semifinals," Diju said. "This time we are playing group matches and not knockout. We have good chances in the group. Even if we lose one match, we will again have a chance," said the 31-year-old who trained under Indonesian coach Edwin Iriawan at Gopi Chand Badminton Academy here.
The Indian delegation at London Games Village bronze, in weightlifting. After another four years, it was silver from Athens, double-trap shooter Rajyavardhan Rathore becoming the first Indian to so win. In the next Games in Beijing, Abhinav Bindra struck gold for India and boxer Vijender and wrestler Sushil Kumar swelled the tally to three with two bronze medals. Suddenly, from footnotes of media reports the athletes have started giving a look-at-me stare. Gone are the days of apologetic looks after a quick exit from the competition. Also, the days when the Indian athletes used to hide behind the hockey team and the media piggy riding the eight times gold medallists. Hockey itself had fallen on evil days and for the first time in 80 years, the Indian team failed to play at the Olympics, in Beijing. The next leap into global sport was the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. Money was poured into a bottomless pit, as it were, to train the Indian competitors and go wherever they wanted to compete, The athletes did not let the country down. India finished second in the medal standings behind Australia and ahead of England, albeit by a narrow one gold margin. The momentum carried into the
Indian archers adjusting well to London weather

London: Indian archers are adjusting well to the unpredictable London weather and look in top shape ahead of the Olympic competition beginning at the iconic Lord's cricket ground from July 27. The Indian team that boasts of women World No.1 archer Deepika Kumari, Laishram Bombayala Devi, Chekrovolu Swuro, Tarundeep Rai, Rahul Banerjee and Jayanta Talkudar initially faced problems while practising in cold and windy conditions. But after a week's training at the Nursery Ground in Lord's the archers are now getting into the groove, said women's coach Purnima Mahato. "It has been a week since we are here now. The first few days were cold and now it's comfortable. As they say it is difficult to
ArcelorMittal Orbit inspires Indian child artists

London: Indian-born Anish Kapoor, who created Britain's tallest sculpture 'The ArcelorMittal Orbit' overlooking the sprawling Olympic Stadium, has inspired many Indian families in Britain to guide their children to art. Kapoor, a familiar name in Britain known for his early creations such as Turning the World Upside Down (Israel Museum, Jerusalem), Cloud Gate (Chicago), Sky Mirror (London's Kensington Gardens) and Leviathan (Grand Palais), now has achieved the status of a demi-god. Supported by Sri Lankan-born British architect Cecil Balmond, Kapoor effortlessly put 1,400 tonnes of Olympic venue, he or she would be transformed into either a sculptor or an artist," said Indian-born Harmi Hanspal, director of Severn Business College. Hanspal's seven-year-old Jasbir, who studies at Downsell Primary School, created a series of art work under supervised session in his school during the visit of the Olympic Legacy Team. "These are now displayed at the Olympic Village," the Legacy Team confirmed to Jasbir. "I plan to go to the venue and spot them with my parents," said a delirious Jasbir. It would be a mere truism to say that ArcelorMittal Orbit is expected to inspire more.
Archer Deepika Kumari predict about the London weather," Mahato said. "Deepika still has a slight cold. But the positive is that the team has adjusted well to the local condition. They are shooting well and are having sessions in the morning and evening. But no one can say how the wind is going to be on the day of competition so anything can happen," she said.
Anish Kapoor created Britain's tallest sculpture 'The ArcelorMittal Orbit' molten metal for the tower like kneaded dough. ArcelorMittal Orbit is Balmond's complex algorithm of a cellular structure combined with Kapoor's ability to create a spectacle in the Olympic Park in Stratford. "If you take your child to visit the 374-foot sculpture at the
Yeh dil maange more: boxer Vijender

London: India's top boxer Vijender Singh, bronze medalist at 2008 Beijing Games, said never ever did he think he would participate in three Olympics but he yearns for more at the 2012 London Games. "Not in my wildest dreams I thought of playing in three Olympics. But still 'yeh dil maange more'," said Vijender, the only Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal, during at interaction here Tuesday at the Games Village. Vijender said the Indian boxing has changed since his historic medal at Beijing four years ago. He feels Indian boxers are now more aggressive and they want to win only the gold medal. "Earlier, the aim of our senior boxers was to get selected for the Olympics. Now the young boxers want to win. The youngsters have virtually transformed this sport in India with their efforts." "I remember that earlier senior boxers used to scare us by saying that our rival is a World Champion or so and it is very difficult to beat him. But that scenario has changed. Winning and losing is part of the sport but how you fight makes a difference," he said. Asked about his medal chances, Vijender said: "There are 28 boxers in his 75-kg category. One needs to win five bouts for gold and three for bronze."
Indian boxers Jai Bhagwan (left), Vijender Singh (center) and Shiva Thapa (2nd from right) in London
London Olympics 2012 TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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China, US to battle it out for top position

world championships last year when host China finished second on 15-13-8, including 10 diving golds in as many events. The competition for a spot behind the two sports giants will also be fierce as Russia and host Britain both riveted their eyes on it. Russia has set a minimum target of 25 gold medals from their 436 athletes, slightly fewer than 468 in Beijing Olympics. "We will struggle for the place in the top three, but we could not catch on with the United States and China. Our principal competitor for the third place will be Britain," Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said. Even more prepared should be host Britain which set a minimum target of 48 medals after a recordbreaking performance of 47 medals in Beijing. UK Sport Chief executive Liz Nicholl admitted that they set a relatively low target figure, and it was "comfortably" within the team's range, and failure to make it would be a "major disappointment", according to The Telegraph. "We aspire for them to be more than 48," Nicholl was quoted as saying.
In Brief
'Gobindo Bhog', 'Tulaipanji' rice for Olympics
London: China beat long-time Olympic powerhouse United States in the number of gold medals at Beijing 2008 but in London it might be a different story. China captured 51 golds, 21 silvers and 28 bronzes in Beijing, relegating the United States to second place with a 36-38-36 record. Russia were third on 23-21-28 and Britain followed with 19-1315. Germany, Australia and South Korea occupied the following three positions. Japan were eighth and Italy finished ninth ahead of France. After the Beijing Games, Chinese sports authorities kept playing down domestic expectations on repeating the feat in London. "As far as the pattern of recent Olympics is concerned, Chinese athletes will inevitably win less
China captured 51 golds, 21 silvers and 28 bronzes in Beijing, relegating the United States to second place with a 36-38-36 record medals in London but the Chinese delegation will try hard to stay in the leading group," said deputy chef de mission Cai Zhenhua. China fielded a 396-strong delegation featuring 33 Olympic champions to the July 27-Aug 12 Games. According to statistics from the past five Olympics, Olympic hosts tend to have a 32.8 percent drop in gold medals and a 25.9 percent reduction in total medals at the next Games and the pattern is likely to repeat on China. The United States will send 530 athletes, including 124 Olympic medalists, to compete in 215 sports. For the Americans, the disciplines to dominate are swimming that will produce 34 gold medals and the track and field where 47 titles are on offer. Beijing Olympic eight-time winner Michael Phelps is surely the one to watch in a star-studded U.S. swimming squad that clinched 16 gold medals, six silvers and nine bronzes in the Shanghai swimming
est Bengal's 'Gobindo Bhog' and 'Tulaipanji' varieties of rice are all set to tickle the taste buds of the athletes at a three-day food fest as part of the London Olympics 2012. "We will be sending 10 kg each of 'Gobindo Bhog' and 'Tulaipanji' rice to London Olympics. It will be a part of 50 kg rice that is being sent by the centre for the branding process," said Agricultural Marketing Minister Arup Ray. Beginning Aug 1, all the participating nations of London Olympics would take part in the food fest.
Maken lauds court's decision on Kalmadi

ndia's sports Minister Ajay Maken Wednesday lauded the Delhi High Court's decision of barring Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi from attending the Olympic Games opening ceremony in London. Maken tweeted: "RT@timesnow: Just in: High court denies permission to Suresh Kalmadi to attend Olympic opening ceremony #TIMESNOW Good work Rahul Mehra!" Earlier this week, Maken and Kalmadi traded verbal volleys about the scam-tainted Pune MP's sojourn to the London Olympics. Maken had commented: "Someone charge-sheeted on corruption charges should not go for the Olympics," to which Kalmadi had replied that no charge had been proven against him. The Delhi High Court allowed Kalmadi, sacked Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, to visit Britain but restrained him fro
Indian tricolor hoisted at Olympic Village

London: At an elegant and colorful ceremony, the Indian contingent was formally welcomed and ushered into the London Olympics' Games Village here. Games Village Mayor Charles Allan welcomed the Indian deputy Chef de Mission P.K.M. Raja, athletes and officials at the plush apartment as the tricolor was hoisted while the national anthem was played. Raja exchanged mementos with Allan and then signed on the peace statue pledging India's support for spreading the gospel of peace and the Olympic movement. The Indian athletes and the officials were overwhelmed with the warmth and positive energy emanated by the troupe belonging to the National Youth theatre, enthralling the audience with their superlative acrobatics. Tennis stars Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Boppana, world number one archer Deepika Kumari along with her two team mates and members of the hockey team were part of the function.
The Indian contingent has been housed in Titan House at the Seaside block The Indian contingent has been housed in Titan House at the Seaside block. The athletes are supported by a medical team of four doctors - Sarla Rao (head of the team, Sanjogita Soodan, B. B. Nayak and Abhishek Choudhary, three physiotherapists: Ramesh Trivedi, HariShankar Varma and Srikant Iyengar.
Big B to carry London Olympics torch!
'Americans like cricket, if India, Pak play'

Washington: Americans don't understand cricket, but they like it, particularly of the diplomatic variety between friend India and ally Pakistan. "We're for cricket. We don't understand it, but we like it," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters amid laughter Monday when asked to comment on resumption of India-Pakistan cricketing ties. "We share the interest of people in India, (and) people in Pakistan ...in seeing these two countries continuing to improve their relationship," she said reiterating US support for a continued dialogue between the two South Asian neighbors. Welcoming the "considerable progress on the economic side," Nuland said, the US "encouraged
Cricket
Nuland said. "We are encouraging them to do better on issues like sharing counter-terrorism information, dealing with threats to both countries, moving forward to work on trust and political issues." "So we will continue (to) support dialogue between them at every level, but it's obviously up to Indians and Pakistanis to continue to work on this," she said. The issue of dealing with the aftermath of the Mumbai bombings and bringing people to justice, Nuland said, comes up in all of US discussions with Indians and with Pakistanis. "And we'll continue to advocate for full justice being served, not least because Americans lost their lives as well."
them to do better on issues like sharing counter-terrorism information and dealing with threats to both countries," but it was up to New Delhi and Islamabad how they move forward. "We have been supportive
in all of our diplomatic encounters at every level with the Indian side, with the Pakistani side in some of the progress that they've made," she said. "They've made considerable progress on the economic side,"
mitabh Bachchan will carry the London Olympic torch a day before the opening ceremony of the Games. The Olympic flame is all set to visit iconic landmarks all over London city on the 26th of July and one of the esteemed torchbearers is none other than Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. Bachchan who has been the face of Indian cinema and the country's rich cultural heritage for over four decades now has been specially invited to be a part of the London Olympics 2012 and will be carrying the torch in Southwark. The superstar confirmed the news on Twitter as well and thanked those who congratulated him on this achievement and honor. 'My nation My Amitabh Bachchan' has been hashtaged by his fans ever since the news broke on the micro blogging site last evening.
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Features TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Pepsis new venture exemplifies growing yogurt popularity

By Vikas Girdhar hat has been a staple of any traditional Indian meal is exploding on the global scene. The popularity of Dahi in its yogurt avatar is increasing exponentially in the United States as elsewhere. The American grocery and produce stores are stacking up on a whole lot of yogurt brands, styles and flavors. There is even the innovative frozen yogurt (which, for examples, Ikea sells from its eatables section and is its bestseller) which is giving ice-cream a run for its money. The new converts to yogurt are the young and hip intent on grabbing non-fattening small eats. Now the big players are trying to capitalize on the growing consumer demand for dairy products. Last month Pepsi entered into a joint venture with the German dairy product company Theo Muller Group to introduce new yogurt products in America. Statistics point to a great potential for sales in US of yogurt sweetened, flavored or with fruit
Pepsi in a tie up with German dairy product company Theo Muller is introducing new yogurt products in America and will have to battle mainstays like Dannon, General Mills and Stonyfield. added. Americans consume only about 12 pounds of yogurt per year, which is about half the rate of Canadians and a third of the amount for Europeans. Thanks to Pepsi, Germanys largest dairy company, Theo Muller, is making its first foray into the US market. Pepsi is confident that its brand recognition, reach and research capabilities will be able to carry forth the partnership to unprecedented levels. Pepsis Chief Scientific Officer, Mehmood Khan, points to the success of Pepsis dairy products globally and is confident that it can be replicated here. As weve seen through the success of our dairy business in other parts of the world, this is a category with strong growth prospects, he said. New brands of yogurt as a result of Pepsi venture are expected to start hitting supermarket shelves later this summer. Those shall include The Muller Corner, Muller Greek Corner and Muller FrutUp. The Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions of the country will be the first to start carrying them. Pepsi has gathered some experience in dairy business. In 2009, Pepsi became part of a joint venture with Almarai, Saudi Arabias largest dairy company, and also acquired Wimm-Bill-Dann, Russias largest dairy company, in 2011. 2011 Euromonitor data highlighted the dairy product category as the one that is expected to grow more than any other through 2016. Consumer research firm Mintel estimates that yogurt sales in the United States this year alone will add up to roughly $7 billion, which is an increase of 9 percent
over the past year. Pepsis successful Chief Executive, Indian American Indra Nooyi, believes that a shift from the sugary carbonated beverage lately under fire from nutritional companies--to other food markets is necessary. The new types of yogurt from the Pepsi-Theo Muller venture are a major stepping stone for Pepsi as it battles mainstays such as Dannon, General Mills and Stonyfield for yogurt supremacy. Chobani Greek yogurt, though priced steep, is the latest to attract a swooning fan base. Of course, South Asians have retained a definite and particular affinity for their own kind of yogurt. Dahi, plain and unsweetened, is a perfect accompaniment for the hot Indian food. It goes well with Punjabi parathas, with biryani and is the soothing finale for the dosa-sambar-rice south Indian meal. Nevertheless, with increasing number of yogurt brands and a myriad options for one and all, South Asian Americans are bound to get swayed.
BSFs tryst with the ship of the desert to end

By Prakash Bhandari ncreased machination and modernization of the Indian army has forced the disbanding of its mounted troops. First, it was the horse regiments to get disbanded. Now, it will be the camels that form the surveillance troops of the Border Security Force (BSF) in the desert along the Indo-Pak border that would be forced to bow out. The BSF, which has a force of about 300 camels specially trained for patrolling the deserts of Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner and Ganganagar frontier, would have to make way for sand scooters. The BSF has conducted trials of the sand scooters recently and found that they would be an ideal replacement for the camels for patrolling the Thar Desert. On the other side of the border, the Pakistani Rangers also use camels for patrolling in the Sindh area of the Thar Desert. The BSF conducted trials of the sand scooters manufactured in US and China and found that they could be ideal for all-terrain utilization. In the beginning, about half a dozen such sand scooters would be purchased. The camels would be gradually phased out. It costs about Rs 4000 to Rs 5000 a
Indias BSF has conducted trials of the sand scooters and found them to be an ideal replacement for camels for patrolling the Thar Desert bordering Pakistan. month to maintain a single camel along with the riders. The machines would be cheaper in the long run, admitted a senior BSF official. The BSF conducted trials of 500cc ATV scooter Nebula Jaguar of the Chinese company Nebula Exports in May. In the same month, trials of the Polaris range of sand scooters were conducted. Later, the trial of Polaris range of vehicles - Ranger 800, Ranger RZR 4-800 and Sportman - were undertaken with warfare equipment. Similarly, trial of vehicles belonging to the Maini Group was held in June. BSF sources said a panel has been formed at the headquarters in New Delhi and a report will be sent to the HQ soon after the trial. BSF will send a recommendation to the center to acquire the ATVs. Armed with ammunition and other equipment, jawans conducted trials in extreme heat conditions. The ruler of Bikaner, Maharaja
Ganga Singh, founded the Bikaner Camel Corps which was called Ganga Risala. The state of Bikaner had a long tradition of using soldiers mounted on camels. Ganga Singh subsequently lead the Ganga Risala when it fought in the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900, in Somaliland from 1902-1904 to quell the Somali Uprising and in Egypt in 1915. The corps routed the opposing Turkish forces in a camel cavalry charge. The Corps also fought in the Middle East in World War II, when it was supported by the camel-mounted Bijay Battery, which became a mule team battery. In 1951, on the merger of the State Forces with the Indian Army the Bikaner armys two units were amalgamated together as the Ganga Jaisalmer Risala and offered logically to the Armored Corps, who turned up its noses at the thought of camels! said retired Major General Ashok Dugar, who is a keen army chronicler. The 1965 war against Pakistan saw the camels in action in Bikaner and Jaisalmer sectors foiling Pakistani efforts to infiltrate. A total of 22 squadron actions were fought during the war. Major Jai Singh carried out a raid on the Pakistan post of Ghunewala deep inside their ter-
ritory. The battalion routed Pak forces at Tanot, killing two officers and 100 men and regained a lot of Indian territory, he added. Dugar said that Pakistan's nibbling away at territory in the desert convinced Indian planners that this hitherto neglected sector needed to be reinforced. Among a number of new raisings another camel battalion, 17 Grenadiers, was inducted. Both battalions captured a lot of Pakistani territory during the 1971 war, each operating independently in Bikaner and Gadra sectors. Their performance was highly commendable. Sadly, the Indian camel battalions were converted into standard infantry battalions in 1975 on the lapse of government sanction. But the BSF continued to use the camels. However, the days of the camels in the BSF are now numbered. An attempt was made by a corps commander in the desert area to reinstate camels a few years back because he was convinced of their utility. 13 Grenadiers and 24 Rajput were selected to convert and for two years kept hanging around awaiting government sanction which ultimately was not forthcoming. Thus ended the Army's tryst with the ship of the desert.
Lifestyle TheSouthAsianTimes.info
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Marital status no bar in modelling world

here may be little space for married actresses in Bollywood, but the modelling world in India is pleasantly dominated by names like Sonalika Sahay, Noyonika Chatterjee, Alesia Raut, Montu Tomar, Sapna Kumar and Laxmi Rana who are happily married and still ruling the roost. These models are glad that the fashion world doesn't bother about their marital status, unlike other glamorous fields. Moreover, the freedom to pick and choose their assignments gives them the flexibility of devoting ample time to their families. Fashion designers too have nothing to complain about married models, who may be in their early as well as late 30s but fit as a fiddle. Noyonika has been in the industry for two decades, is married to former TV actor-cumbusinessman Gurpreet Singh, has a nine-yearold daughter Nayantara - and is still among the hot favorites of the country's top-notch designers.
"My marital status hasn't affected my work at all. I still get assignments like before," Noyonika said. She took a brief break during and after her pregnancy, but says there's never been a lack of work for her. "Staying away from work is my decision as I have to take care of my baby and family. However, one day a friend of mine called me and said 'Why don't you join back as you are still in shape?' So getting away from field was my decision and joining back was also my decision," said Noyonika, who will be seen at the forthcoming Delhi Couture Week next month. "I think getting married and settling down has become a thing of the past. There are a lot of models who are mothers but they get as much work as anyone else. In fact, more than that. Our profession is a little different from others. In our case, we have the privilege to choose assignments according to our priorities," added the veteran.
Agrees Sonalika Sahay, another veteran, who is married to banker Kamal Mehta for almost nine years. But she believes "it is important to have the support of one's husband and in-laws for a balanced and happy life." "I've been very fortunate to get support from my family, including my husband and in-laws. I think we are in a profession where your partner should understand your needs and trust you completely," she said. Model Krishna Somani, mother of ninemonth-old twins, added: "Life of married models depends more on family support. Sometimes we wake up at 4 a.m. to catch a flight or we reach home late in the night. So we require support to take care of our kids." They also take good personal care to maintain their standing in the industry by way of a balanced diet and a regular workout regimen, which keeps them in shape. Meanwhile, designers are more than welcome to have married models flaunt their creations on the ramp.
Model Sonalika Sahay
'US college women gravitate towards hookah'

ne out of four college women in the US are gravitating towards the hookah, which originated in India and Persia, and many of them mistakenly believe that it is safer than cigarettes, says a US study. Researchers from the Miriam Hospital's Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine found the more alcohol women consumed, the more likely they were to try the hookah, while women who used marijuana engaged in hookah smoking more frequently than their peers, the journal of Psychology of Addictive Behaviors reports. The phenomenon was mostly prevalent among the first year college students. Many of them also mistakenly believe that hookah is safer than cigarettes, even though its use has been linked to many of the same diseases caused by cigarette smoking, including lung cancer, respiratory illness and periodontal disease. Hookah smoking is a social activity during which users smoke tobacco filtered through a water pipe. Their tobacco mixtures vary in composition, with some having candy and
Try flute yoga to beat stress

he humble flute, which in Hindu mythology was played by Lord Krishna to charm the maidens, birds and animals of Vrindavan and Mathura, is leading a new healing therapy called Bansi Yoga to beat lifestyle stress. Bansi Yoga, created by the S. Vyasa Yoga University using a combination of traditional yoga, breathing exercises and flute melody, will get the official stamp of approval in the capital at the third World Flute Festival, "Raasrang 2012", Aug 9-12. The festival will be presented by the Ministry of Culture and the Krishna Prerna Foundation with support from flute maestro Hariprasad Chaurasia. A team of experts will demonstrate the yoga and discuss its healing powers in 12 workshops over four days at Hotel Ashok in the capital, Arun Buddhiraja, the founder of the Krishna Prerna Foundation, said. "Bansi Yoga is a combination of yoga and flute used as a deep relaxation technique in 40 minutes of cyclic meditations. The practitioner moves his limbs in a cyclic pattern and the flute, played as an accompaniment, allows him to relax. The relaxation induced is equivalent to eight hours of sleep,"
fruit flavors to help mask the smoke's harshness, according to a Miriam Hospital statement. "The popularity and social nature of hookah smoking, combined with the fact that college freshmen are more likely to experiment with risky behavior, could set the stage for a potential public health issue, given what we know about the health risks of hookah smoking," said Robyn L. Fielder, research intern at The Miriam Hospital's Center, who led the study. As many as 483 first-year female college students completed an initial survey about their pre-college hookah use, followed by 12 monthly online surveys about their experience with hookah smoking. Of the 343 participants who did not report pre-college hookah use, 23 percent (79 students) tried hookah tobacco smoking during their first year of college. An analysis revealed alcohol consumption predicted the likelihood of hookah use, while marijuana use and certain personality styles, such as a higher level of impulsivity and a strong tendency to compare oneself to others, predicted frequency of use.
Buddhiraja said. The flute was a symbol of love, peace and water, he said. Explaining the dynamics of the Bansi Yoga, Buddhiraja said in some postures, the practitioner stands straight with his hands alongside at right angles. The practitioner then moves his hand in a cyclic manner to the music of the flute. The cyclic motion fans from the hand to the fingers and to the shoulders. The meditation is followed by chanting of the words Ukara, Akara, Makara (u, aa, maa) - the essence of the word Omkara - to create magnetic sound resonance in the body, Buddhiraja said. "It is a physiological and psychological clean-up," he said. The Bansi Yoga courses are designed for two groups of people - corporate executives and the common people.
Designers pen fashion bibles; legacy for younger lot
oving from needle and thread, fashion connoisseurs are putting pen to paper in a bid to share their experiences and expertise with the younger lot. From Ritu Beri to Ritu Kumar, Wendell Rodricks to Suneet Varma - they have all penned autobiographies to coffee-table legacy books as a pay-back to the younger generation. To mark his 25 years in the glamour business, Suneet Varma will release his first coffee-table book in November. "When I started 25 years ago, the Indian fashion industry was at a nascent stage... Now when you have been in the business for that long, you definitely have something to share about the industry - be it designs or the growth," Varma said. He has also depicted the evolution of the fashion industry in his literary work and said that the book is "not necessarily just about me
Fashion designer Suneet Varma
but it encapsulates the experiences and thoughts of 65 other people including fellow designers, industry experts to NIIFT (National Institute Of Interior and Fashion Technology) graduates". Varma joins the league of veteran Ritu Kumar, who was perhaps one of the first few to pen a fashion bible. Titled "Costumes and Textiles of Royal India", her book released in 1999 highlights the history of art, design and textiles in India. Ritu Beri also documented her Paris experience, which shaped her career, in "Firefly - A Fairytale" (2006), while J.J. Valaya catalogued his knowledge in the pictorial "Decoded Paradox" (2011). Fashion aesthetics and sensibility are about having the right approach towards clothes, fabric, design elements and the target audience. Author of "Moda Goa", designer Wendell Rodricks, says writing on
fashion is easier said than done. "I have been writing since 1988. So when I completed my research on the history of Goan costumes, I decided to write a book on the topic and the result was 'Moda Goa'. In my case, I wanted to document a topic that was not researched. Apart from showcasing the history of Goan costumes to the nation and the world, I wrote the book to leave behind a legacy for my own state and people," Rodricks said. He also believes in sharing experiences with aspiring designers and his forthcoming book, "Green Room", depicts the evolution of the Indian fashion industry in the last 25 years. "Writing is just an added talent. In my case, apart from 'Moda' Goa, I wrote my own memoir, which will be out at the Lakme Fashion Week (Aug 7). I had a story to tell about myself and the fashion industry as I saw it evolve since 1988," he added.
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Humor TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Funny Bone by Nury Vittachi
Staying alive on Asian roads

British friend was booking a holiday that would take her to several Asian cities. "Shall I bring my driving licence?" she asked on the phone. I replied: "Sure. And I'll organise the funeral." Europeans should NEVER be allowed to drive in Asia unless they have medical proof of Total Invulnerability, i.e., they need a birth certificate proving they were born on the planet Krypton. You see, in England, if a car flashes its lights at you, the message is: "Do go first, please; I couldn't POSSIBLY take precedence." If a car flashes its lights at you in Asia, the message is: "Get outta the way! I'm coming through! Banzaaaaai!" And that's a DIRECT QUOTE from my grandmother, whose Morris Minor Traveler was the world's first Weapon of Mass Destruction. *-* Road travel in Asia is bizarre. If you are in a country where people drive in a careful, orderly way, like Japan, cars have a special seatbelt for every bodily protuberance. But if you are in a country where vehicles ricochet around like wrecking balls ripping up condemned estates, many cars have no seatbelts and some don't even have doors. This column is being written while bouncing
in the back of a taxi in China, a country with a very Asian code of driving. Bicycles give way to motorcycles which give way to cars which give way to trucks which give way to tanks which give way to presidential vehicular entourages. Pedestrians give way to everybody, all the time. Some roads in Beijing are so uncrossable that entire communities live and die without ever managing to get to the other side. It's like Moses gazing on the Promised Land. In Asia, traffic lights have the same colours as elsewhere on the planet, but the meanings differ. Green means go. Amber means go faster. Red means put your foot flat on the floor and go through at twice the speed of light, because then no one can see you. Anyway, I gave the Englishwoman the Unwritten Rules of the Road for Drivers in Asia. Rule 1: There are no rules, except the golden rule: Cows get priority. Rule 2: All traffic drives on the left, except for traffic which drives on the right and traffic which drives in the middle. Rule 3: All drivers are obliged to help break the record for largest number of vehicles abreast on a two-lane highway. Rule 4: Signaling before you turn is consid-
ered bad form, since surprises are more fun. Rule 5: When driving at night, headlights should be kept at full beam to blind oncoming drivers, or switched off (see reference to "surprises" in Rule 4). She asked: "If you are overtaking, which side do you go on?" I told her: "You should only overtake on the right or the left, or under, or over." She said that her neighbour had told her she would be safer in a car, because vehicles often went on the pavements. I told her this was true. "Yes, but most drivers are careful to follow the law, which says: Avoid running over pedestrians unless necessary." *-* After she rang off, I got thinking. Learning to stay alive on the roads in this region is an excellent way of acquiring life skills. In fact, I would go so far as to say (I feel a series of aphorisms coming up): Everything I Need to Know I Learned Driving a Car in Asia. 1) If you unexpectedly get close to someone, give them a smile. 2) If you get close to someone who hasn't noticed you are there, make a noise. 3) Bright lights blind people. 4) Right of way is determined by size. 5) Suspiciously kind strangers who offer to drive you round the bend will eventually drive you round the bend. 6) On the journey of life, always travel with friends. I'd better stop writing now. We are approach-
ing a junction at which the traffic lights have just turned red and my taxi driver is about to go into warp speed. Banzaaaiii. *-* Having arrived alive, here are some comments on other news. A man who hogged an aircraft toilet for a long time was digging a tunnel. True story. He removed the airplane toilet walls and managed to burrow his way into the hold, where he stuffed his clothing with bundles of cash stolen from luggage. The passenger rebuilt the toilet before leaving the tiny room. I know this really happened because I heard this story from reader Christian Fardel, an airport executive who had been present at the scene. The villain left the plane "looking like the Michelin Man," Christian said. Okay, so the next time someone takes hours in the aircraft toilet, I won't complain, I'll just ask for a cut of the proceeds. *-* As part of a recent event to celebrate grammar, reader Kay Ross wrote a haiku: "Punctuation rules./ 'Let's eat, Grandma' is kinder/ then 'Let's eat grandma'." *-* The other day I heard someone on TV describe Mitt Romney as a "bedrock conservative". Isn't Bedrock where Fred Flintstone lives? Is he that old? *-* Cleverest one-liner heard recently: "There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't." If you get it, you pass computer science 101. *-* Did you see the report that US warmonger Dick Cheney, one of the main forces behind the Iraq invasion, had a "heart transplant"? Surely they mean "insertion"? "Transplant" implies that he had one to start with. *-* The Thai guy who created caffeinated energy drink Red Bull died at the age of 89. Actually, I think he was 40; he just looked 89. *-*
Photo of the week
History lesson:Children listen to the history of former South Africa President Nelson Mandela at the Melville Primary School in celebration of Mandela's 94th birthday, in Johannesburg, July 18.
Astrology
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Chandigarh, India: +91-172- 256 2832, 257 2874 Delhi, India: +91-11- 2644 9898, 2648 9899 psharma@premastrologer.com; www.premastrologer.com
By Dr Prem Kumar Sharma

Stars Foretell: July 28-August 3, 2012
Aries: Money gains through investments are certain this week. Students should seek advice from successful people on career related issues. Budding romance for those unattached would bring new excitement and happiness in life. Your mental state seems fine as you go out and spend good moments with close friends. Arguments and confrontations should be strictly avoided, as emotional outburst will cause disharmony at home. Taurus: Focus and concentrate on your goals, but you should try not to get yourself so wrapped up in work, that you neglect your household duties. Few important purchases are likely to be made for the house towards the weekend. A Sudden romantic development with someone you have known for long, might come as a surprise. Do not let children take advantage of your generous behaviour. Health needs extra attention, therefore exercise on a regular basis and be careful of what you consume. Gemini: This week you would take a more active role in social groups and liven up the atmosphere around you. Your wit and intelligence would make you new friends. Although new money making ventures and investment opportunities will keep you occupied, instant gains do not seem likely. End of the week sees you take blessing from a spiritual person. Children will seek your advice and guidance. Cancer: Do not loose your temper if things dont work your way. Relationship with some relative might suffer due to minor misunderstanding, but things would get sorted out much earlier than you imagine, bringing a sense of relief to your mind. Mid-week would be highly crucial for amateur sportsmen, budding theatre artists, and freelance writers. Spouse will be highly supportive and shower you with love and affection. Leo: This week your cash liquidity improves as you benefit from past investments and recover pending payments, but outstanding bills and old debts would make it impossible for you to save. Distant journey for spiritual gains seems likely for some. Job opportunities for those unemployed would also arise around the weekend. Health of your spouse will be a matter of concern but children will be supportive and bring you happiness. Virgo: This week do not get carried away with the investment schemes that are presented to you. Take a good look at your personal financial situation before making any promises. Emotional frustration will make it difficult for you to concentrate on productive issues. Your relationship with your partner may get tensed or your colleagues might say something disappointing, which might leave you highly demoralized. A small vacation would be good to brighten your spirits. Libra: This week, be careful of what you say and do, as somebody important would be watching you from much closer than you might imagine. Keep your emotions under control and behave in a more responsible manner. You should do some self-introspection, list your priorities, and try to work towards your career goals. At work you are likely to face some criticism for your actions. Certain changes to improve your physical appearance will be highly appreciated by your beloved and friends. Scorpio: This is a good week to plan out a budget and take care of your bills and debts. Professional advancements for some. In the latter half of the week you will build up new associations and important contacts, which will be long lasting and highly fruitful. Dont get into debates that will damage your reputation. You need to do things that you enjoy if you want to feel satisfied and happy. Spiritual gains are certain for some. Sagittarius: This week someone you work with will be unhappy with your performance, which will make you feel highly frustrated. Health needs special care as you try to cope up with this stressful and tensed period. An increase in income through part-time jobs or assignment for some. Family members might demand some extra time and attention. Be very cautious of casual acquaintances that demand temporary financial assistance. Capricorn: This week you should make plans that include sufficient time for entertainment along with usual business meetings. Home environment will be peaceful and pleasant, and family members will extend full support. Your reputation may be at stake if you promise more than what you can deliver. Avoid depending on subordinates for important information. You should follow your instincts when it comes to business decisions. Aquarius: This week although your confidence and imagination runs high, but taking important decisions would not be too easy for you. Older members of the family will pose some problems and financial position will not be very comfortable. Travel undertaken for work purpose will bring moderate returns. If you listen to those with experience you will learn vital information. Drive carefully, especially during the night. Pisces:This week you are likely to be involved in some work, which is of highly creative nature. Although your financial position will improve, but the outflow of funds will leave you with little money to save. Relationship with your spouse will be cordial and healthy. Health will show sign of improvement despite a busy and hectic week. A distant trip is on the cards for some of you. Your ability to help others will be appreciated by people around you.
Annual Predictions: For those born in this week

July 28: Ruled by number one and the Sun. You are independent, fighter, confident, intelligent and highly enthusiastic person. Your strong willpower and determination always keeps you ahead of others and makes you popular in your group, but you need to check your tendencies to behave extravagant and reckless at times. This year seems perfect for making major changes at you work place. Mental agony and anxiety due to unfavorable environment at home likely. Your opinions would be faced with strong resistance and criticism. Investment in real estate and stocks would be fruitful in the long run. Your confidence and morale will be high as you gain favors from various govt. departments and officials. New construction or major renovation likely towards the end of the year. Health would be fine despite a hectic and a stressful year. New romance for some while traveling. August, November, January and April will be highly important. July 29: Ruled by number 2 and the Moon, you are imaginative, warm-hearted, friendly and hard working. You like to fantasize and set difficult goals for your self, but you find it hard to achieve them because of your shy and introvert behavior at times. Your coming year brings about wonderful growth opportunities for you. Finances improve and some even get to inherit ancestral property. Long pending legal disputes will finally be sorted out. Religious ceremonies and functions would be performed quite frequently. A sudden influence of a person from the opposite sex will give a new and interesting twist to your life. Do not share your business secrets to your colleagues or casual friends. Avoid lending and borrowing money. July, September and February will prove to be highly significant. July 30: Ruled by number 3, and the planet Jupiter, you are ambitious, dignified, philosophical, methodical and systematic. You are independent by nature and make your own decisions, but you need to check your tendency towards vanity, ostentation, extravagance and dictatorial nature at times. Your next year sees you benefit from your past investments. Those seeking to establish base overseas would enter encouraging partnership. Foreign transaction and travel likely. Unexpected gains and losses foreseen through speculation therefore invest wisely. Work pressure would see you behave erratic and highly unpredictable. Spouse would be caring and provide you with love and affection. Those who are in artistic fields or advertising and media profession would see a remarkable growth in their career. Pilgrimage towards the yearend provides you with comfort and solace. Take care of your health. August, November and March will prove to be very significant. July 31: Influenced by number 4 and the planet Uranus, you are trustworthy, energetic, systematic, reliable and studious. In your career, you always hold position of immense importance and responsibility, but you need to control your tendency to behave stubborn and jealous. This year you need to be extra cautious before venturing into any partnerships or signing any financial agreements. Benefits in cash and kind will keep on coming from visiting relatives and friends. New romance could develop through social activities. Relationship with your spouse would be healthy and highly cordial. Some tension and anxiety due to health of your parents may mar the peace at home. Your brother or sister would be very helpful in finishing your pending tasks. Avoid high calorie and spicy diet and be regular towards your exercise. September, December, April and May will be significant. August 01: Ruled by number 1 and the planet Sun. You are confident, intelligent, original, enthusiastic, and possess a very creative and artistic mind. You are a good host and love moving about in good society, but you need to control your tendencies towards extravagance and stubbornness at times. This year you will see a remarkable improvement in your ability to take quick and correct decisions. Your self-confidence and dedication would help you accomplish difficult tasks and assignments before the stipulated time. Monetary rewards and benefits for those employed. Favours from govt. officers and prominent persons likely later in the year. Your health would be perfect, but the health of your parents would bring some moments of stress and anxiety. New romance for some through social gathering and entertainment activities. Matrimonial alliances for those eligible. Renovation or new construction activities towards the year-end. The months of July, September, January and March would prove to be important and significant. August 02: Influenced by number 2 and the Moon. You are imaginative, emotional, trustworthy, simple and possess a sharp memory. Your command over your work can do wonders for you in your career and profession, but you need to check your tendency to behave fickle-minded and introvert at times. This coming year will require you to be highly cautious of your moves. During this period you are likely to face several ups and down in your career. Your financial position also seems to be moderate, therefore make new investments with extreme precautions. Only secure investments like banks fixed deposits and tax saving schemes should be encouraged. Domestic front however would bring enormous happiness. Your spouse and children would be supportive and helpful to your concerns. A sudden influence of an important and eminent spiritual person would provide you solace and mental comfort and bring a new twist into your life. Distant journeys probably for pilgrimage would be undertaken later in the year. The months of July, October, January and February would prove to be highly significant. August 03: Governed by number 3 and the planet Jupiter, you are energetic, honourable, ambitious, dignified and intelligent. You are hard working and always appreciated for your commitment and efforts, but your tendencies towards extravagance and jealousy need to be checked at times. This coming year brings enormous prosperity for those inclined to learn and improve their skill levels. Success would be yours provided you work towards given opportunities. Businessmen are likely to venture into new and more profitable avenues. Important decisions and contacts that you establish during this phase would bring long lasting benefits to your career. Health will show improvement in spite of the hectic schedule that you might have to follow. Investments will yield favourable returns. Foreign education or travel for some. Some misunderstanding with your in-laws might create some tense atmosphere at home. Being patient and calm would be important to ease out the tension. New romance for some, so make the best of it. The month of August, November, January and May will be significant.
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30
Spiritual Awareness TheSouthAsianTimes.info
Part two of the discourse 'The love of God is all around us'
Learn to focus on the present

we are like the fish surrounded by water. If we want to be aware of the water we need to listen to the spiritual message to engage our mind, and then open our soul to the spiritual radiation. That is all we need to be doing. It is like an effortless effort. But instead, we begin to clutch. We are not open to receive, because we start thinking. What kind of thoughts are we getting in satsang? First, we start thinking about all the things we want in our lives. We start clutching for outer material things. If we could sit in the comtime we spend thinking for us to have a truly accurate picture of our real meditation time. Then, when we enter our inner experiences on the back of the diary where we check off what we see and hear inside we will find the answer to our question of why we may not be receiving much inner experience. If we are clutching, complaining, or thinking during meditation time, how can we see the Light or hear the Sound? We live in an age of interaction and workshops. In most schools and businesses, training consists of ing of the past and future. While in satsang or in meditation, we are not imbibing the spiritual radiation because we are thinking of what happened to us in the past, or planning or worrying about what will happen in the future. The solution for thoughts of the past and future is to stay in the present or current moment. Every second we have an opportunity to be in the current moment. If, instead, we fill it with thoughts of the past or future, the current moment is wasted and is gone forever. We can never get the present we should be repeating the Five Charged Words. In this way we do not allow thoughts to enter our system. Simran is the process by which we repeat the Five Charged Words while gazing into the middle of what lies in front of us. Simran protects us from thinking about the past or future. Simran keeps us in the current moment. Meditation requires continual stillness through the whole session. We cannot expect to sit still for one minute and then find God. We need to sit still for as long a time as is needed for us to get to the third or single eye. We need to silence our thoughts for a long enough time to witness the Light of God and hear the Music of the Spheres. There is an account from the Bible, in the Old Testament, about the Prophet Elijah. The Jews of Israel were being persecuted by a cruel king and his queen. The queen believed in a false idol and had four hundred fifty false prophets trying to make all the people convert to worship of the false idols. Whoever refused to worship God as a stone idol and continued their religious views of worshipping one God whose essence was spirit was killed. The situation was so terrible that God sent Prophet Elijah to confront the cruel king. A confrontation ensued between Elijah and the four hundred fifty false prophets of the idol. The result was that the idol was exposed as being a false god, and the four hundred fifty false prophets were killed. When the king reported what had happened to the queen, she was so angered that she wanted to seek revenge and have Elijah killed. Elijah fled the kingdom and sought refuge on a mountain. There, Elijah prayed to God. He felt alone and abandoned and wanted God to take his life. As Elijah prayed to God, God responded by sending an angel to provide him with food and water. The angel helped Elijah realize that God was listening to his prayers. The food and water were so blessed that it gave Elijah the strength to journey for forty days and nights to a distant mountain, Mt. Horeb, which is the blessed mountain where God had once appeared to Moses and had given him the Ten Commandments. (To be continued...) Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj is an internationally recognized spiritual leader and Master of Jyoti Meditation who affirms the transcendent oneness at the heart of all religions and mystic traditions, emphasizing ethical living and meditation as building blocks for achieving inner and outer peace. www.sos.org.
By Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj

nother example that illustrates how we block out the bliss around us is what happens when we use a cell phone or Blackberry wireless mobile device. We may be driving in a car, but during the time we are talking on the cell phone or Blackberry we can become so focused on listening to the chatter that we do not remember the sights as we drive past them along the way. It is amazing how the brain can multi-task so that we can drive automatically while listening to conversations on a cell phone, and not be consciously aware of what sights we passed along the way. We may be going to dinner with someone with whom we want to spend time, but we get so wrapped up in answering emails or text messaging on our Blackberries that we are not even aware of what our loved one is saying, how the food is tasting, or the beauty of the restaurant dcor. We can become so focused on answering our emails, talking on a cell phone, or sending text messages that we miss out on the time we arranged to spend with our loved ones. This is what happens to us in satsang as well. The word satsang is made of two parts. Sat means Truth, and sang means communion with. Thus, the word satsang means communing with Truth. In this context, Truth refers to connecting our soul with God. One-third of the satsang is delivered by word of mouth so that while listening, our mind engages with listening to helpful factors that keep us focused on God. If we pay attention to the words, we are occupying our mind with helpful concepts to inspire us to stay focused on God. If our mind is listening to satsang, then we should not be complaining about others or thinking about what we want to receive. We should just be paying attention to the words of wisdom coming our way. The other two-thirds of the satsang are delivered by spiritual radiation sent to us to uplift our soul. Thus, while we receive onethird of the satsang through word of mouth, we receive two-thirds from spiritual radiation. This means that in the satsang,
The solution for thoughts of the past and future is to stay in the present or current moment. Every second we have an opportunity to be in the current moment. If, instead, we fill it with thoughts of the past or future, the current moment is wasted and is gone forever. We can never get the present moment back.
plaint department of God, just like the complaint department at the national or state park districts, we might find complaints such as: Why didnt I get that raise? Why didnt my children get good grades? or Why didnt my basketball team win? Second, we start thinking about what we are not getting spiritually. We may not ever meditate for a moment but we complain we are not seeing inner Light. We may start clutching for what we are not seeing or hearing inside in meditation rather than being happy with what we are getting within. We may start complaining about the people with whom we are doing volunteer work. We may start complaining about the environment around us. We can reflect upon the kind of things we think about when in satsang or in meditation to see the many ways we block our receptivity to the spiritual radiation coming our way. When we do introspection daily, there is a column on the diary for how much time we spent in meditation. But most of us enter the time that we sat on our meditation pillow or chair. How much of that time is spent actually silently gazing within while repeating simran or listening to the Sound Current, and how much of that time is spent clutching or thinking? We need to subtract from the time we record as sitting in meditation how much of that doing interactive activities. If we really wish to improve spiritually and gain more inner experience, then we should do a spiritual exercise. We should observe how much time we spend in satsang or meditation clutching or thinking of what we want instead of being mentally still and receiving what is being sent to us. We want water and are swimming in water but instead of experiencing water we are complaining that we are not in the water! We can begin to note how much time we spend complaining or clutching, and then as an exercise catch ourselves doing it and bring our attention back into the receiving or receptive mode. We can stop the interference of our thoughts and instead pay attention to being open to meditating or listening to the satsang. Many people have pets. Those who have dogs are taught how to walk them without letting them run away. They gently pull the leash to keep the dog walking properly in time to their own pace. Similarly, the mind is like a dog. We have to keep it on a leash so it does not get out of control. When we notice it pulling us away from stillness, we have to rein it in. Avoid Thinking of the Past and Future during Meditation Another problem we have that keeps us from experiencing the love of God all around us is thinkmoment back. If we can stay in the current moment, then thoughts of the past and future will stop. We will be able to be at the still center in which we can connect with the Light and Sound within. We can immerse ourselves in God in the current moment. There are two switches for our attention: one is the switch to be attuned to our soul and the other is to be attuned to our mind. The solution for the thoughts that the mind sends us is to be able to separate what thoughts are of God and the soul, and what thoughts are of the mind. We need to learn to be vigilant when the mind is pulling a trick to distract our attention either in meditation or throughout our day. Distractions from the mind include: trying to tell us we have more important things to do than to meditate, engaging us in anger, lust, greed, attachment, and ego through its need to fulfill desires, or making us dwell on the past or anticipate the future. Thoughts from the soul are those that lead us to God. They are thoughts that we should meditate, that we should lead an ethical life, that we should do selfless service, and that we should love God, the Master, our fellow human beings, and all creation. In meditation we should have no thoughts at all. That is why we are given simran. Instead of thinking,

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Travel 15

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Pranab, a strong partner to America: Hillary Clinton

Obama calls for measures against gun violence

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NY Madame Tussauds to unveil wax figure of Salman Khan

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